Google, advertising is a key source of income, making up more than a third of Line's revenue.
"We have a good balance of revenue sources, and stickers and games are a great business for us," Idezawa told Reuters in an interview on Friday, "But advertising will be a very important growth-driver."
Japan and Thailand are especially ripe for increasing ad-based revenue because of their relatively low rate of digital advertising, Idezawa said.
Line's users are mainly in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia.
"It's getting saturated in the Japanese market. The question about growth at home is how much Line can sell ads to increase its profit margin," said Masashi Oda, general manager of strategic investment at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management.
"Whether Line can expand beyond its core market is key. In the U.S., there is much more competition," he said.
Last year, revenue and other operating income at Line rose about 28.3 percent to 120.88 billion yen ($1.14 billion). But it reported a net loss of 7.97 billion yen, compared with profit of 2 billion yen in 2014.
"I expect net profit to be around 27 billion yen next year," said a Tokyo-based fund manager. "The current share price is about 36 times profit, a bit higher than rivals such as 27 to 28 times at Facebook. So for me, Line's shares have already hit my target price."
Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Nomura were among underwriters for the IPO.
($1 = 105.7800 yen)
(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in BENGALURU, and Hideyuki Sano, Thomas Wilson and Ayai Tomisawa in TOKYO; Additional reporting by Yoshiyasu Shida; Editing by Stephen Coates and Christopher Cushing)
Jennifer Lawrence doesn't actually make an appearance in the latest cinematic adventure of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Star Trek Beyond, but she's there in spirit as the inspiration behind one of the new film's original characters.
Simon Pegg, who stars in the third film of the rebooted sci-fi film franchise as Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott and, as a Trek superfan, co-wrote the screenplay with Doug Jung, revealed that the 25-year-old Academy Award-winning actress was their muse when it came to introducing a tough extraterrestrial young woman his character encounters when the crew is stranded on an alien planet.
The character's name is Jaylah. Sound familiar?
The inspiration did not come from Lawrence's role as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, but for the breakout role in Winter's Bone that elevated her to Hollywood's A-list in 2010.
"Doug and I and [director] Justin Lin in the writing room wanted to create this very independent female, very resourceful character on the [planet's] surface," Pegg said during the Star Trek Beyond press conference in Beverly Hills on Thursday. "We didn't have a name for her, so we used to call her 'Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone.' "
"And so we thought, 'And then Scotty lands there and suddenly Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone comes out and she fights these guys,' " continued Pegg. "And it started to get tiring calling her 'Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone.' It's a long name! So we started calling her J-Law, and then she became Jaylah. So she's named after Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone."
In Winter's Bone, Lawrence plays a destitute but determined teenage woman caring for her siblings while searching for her missing father. Pegg said the addition of Jaylah, a skilled physical fighter and instinctive tactician stranded on a dangerous world, to the familiar Trek cast of characters was a welcome, much-needed addition to the film.
"There aren't enough girls in Star Trek," he said, noting that Zoe Saldana, who plays classic Trek character Uhura, "has a lot on her shoulders, so we wanted to increase that."
VIDEO: This Is a Dance Party We Can Get In On! Watch Jennifer Lawrence & Jimmy Fallon's Instructional Dance Videos
He was impressed by Sofia Boutella, the Algerian actress who was cast as Jaylah after an impressive stint as the artificially limbed assassin Gazelle in Kingsman: The Secret Service. She next stars at the titular reanimated ancient Egyptian queen opposite Tom Cruise in The Mummy.
"Sofia's incredible, because she's a dancer and she's physically so adept so she was very up for the physicality of it," said Pegg. "We all love Sofia, don't we? She's a nutcase and a golden addition to this group."
Star Trek Beyond hits theaters July 22.
The versatile Colombian-American actor, John Leguizamo, sat down in an interview with Remezcla regarding his newest film The Infiltrator, based on the story of a federal agent who goes undercover inside the trafficking world of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. During his interview, the Carlitos Way star shared why now more than ever, it is absolutely crucial for Latinos to stand together in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Were not strangers to Black Lives Matter. How many people are being abused by border patrol? asked Leguizamo passionately. How much horrible abuse is not being filmed because people dont have access to iPhones? Theres a lot of abuse going on and brown lives matter, too. And weve gotta do our part.
This comes after the graphic deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who were killed at gunpoint at the hands of the police. Rightfully igniting hysteria throughout social media, the deaths of these two men sparked a new wave of protest among critics.
#DallasPoliceShooting I always say that non-violence is not the weapon of the weak. It is the weapon of the strong. John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) July 8, 2016
Theres no doubt that the two communities are not only historically connected, but unspeakably stronger united in such a cause. At the Afro-Latino Festival, which took place in Brooklyn last weekend, Caribbeans, Latinos and Afro-Latinos, and more, came together to show their support to BLM. This included Dominican and Puerto Rican performers Maluca and Nina Sky, which together sent a powerful message.
Weve gotta do our social media part, people need to protest, you need to call government officials, write letters, continued Leguizamo. Weve gotta do everything to help our black brothers and sisters, and also speak up for ourselves. Latin people are the most bullied people in this country right now. Its the minority thats the most bullied in schools, and theres a huge amount of violence being perpetrated on our kids. And its a tragedy and it shouldnt be happening, and it really hurts me as an American.
The Infiltrator is now playing in theaters near you.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain's new foreign secretary Boris Johnson will meet EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Sunday evening in Brussels but a planned dinner with Johnson's EU peers has been cancelled, the European Commission said. Mogherini, who chairs EU foreign ministers' meetings, had planned a dinner with all 28 ministers to discuss foreign policy before a breakfast on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. But two diplomats said ministers felt it was inappropriate to have dinner after the attack in France that killed 84 people. A third diplomat said Johnson's shock appointment meant few ministers wanted to have dinner with a man who caused deep offence during Britain's EU referendum campaign by comparing European Union aims to unify Europe to those of Adolf Hitler. "They will meet on Sunday evening for their first encounter," Commission spokeswoman Catherine Ray said of Johnson and Mogherini. "There won't be a dinner on Sunday evening." Mogherini and Johnson will have an informal dinner, an EU official said. Hours after Johnson was appointed this week, France's foreign minister called Johnson a liar and the German foreign minister described his behaviour as "outrageous". On Monday, Johnson is expected to sit down in a formal day-long meeting with his EU peers, with issues on the agenda ranging from EU-China ties to migration policy in Africa. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
By Julia Harte
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice said on Friday it would review the police response to last month's mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub at the request of Orlando Police Chief John Mina.
The Justice Department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services will assess the Orlando police department's preparation and response to the shooting, strategies and tactics and how it is managing the aftermath.
(Reporting by Julia Harte)
Kanye West and Damon Dash get to share some territory in the Lower East Side. On Thursday, a New York federal judge granted them victory in a lawsuit over the 2015 film they created titled Loisaidas.
Loisaidas is Spanish slang for Manhattan, New York's "lower east siders." It's also the name of a Latin band founded by Michael Medina.
Medina holds trademark registrations for "Loisaidas" and filed an infringement suit over the film, which consists of eight episodes between four and 12 minutes about a violent turf war for control of the Lower East Side's drug business. Portions of the film are set to music, including one character who raps he's "from Loisaidas." There are other such references in the work including the first episode when "Loisaidas" fills the screen after a character is killed.
The plaintiff contended the work was a music video, that the use of "Loisaidas" was arbitrary and that West and Dash were aware of the Latin band when deciding to use it. The defendants considered their work to be a film.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest dismisses the complaint by applying the "Rogers test," which emanates from an 1989 appellate decision over Federico Fellini's 1986 film Ginger and Fred. To adhere to First Amendment values, judges in cases like these are to examine whether use of the mark has artistic relevance, and if it does, whether the work in question is explicitly misleading. Here, she applies the "Rogers test" at the very early motion to dismiss phase which addresses whether a plausible claim has been pled rather than a potential later phase testing factual allegations.
The judge says the Loisaidas film title "clearly has artistic relevance" and that Medina's complaint "is devoid of concrete allegations that defendants attempted to suggest that plaintiff's duo produced the work; to the contrary, as evidenced by Exhibit D to the operative complaint, materials promoting the film prominently informed the reader that it was 'Executive Produced: Dame Dash & Kanye West.'"
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Medina "is entitled to protect his duo's trademark, but not by staking his claim to a pre-existing term and then attempting to remove all expressive, non-explicitly-misleading uses from public circulation," Forrest writes.
West was represented by Brad Rose at Pryor Cashman, while Dash was represented by Natraj Bhushan at Turturro Law.
President Barack Obama on Thursday said he condemned a deadly attack in Nice and offered any assistance France needs to investigate.
By AP: President Barack Obama on Thursday condemned what he said "appears to be a horrific terrorist attack" in Nice, France.
Noting that the attack occurred on Bastille Day, Obama said, "We are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life."
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The White House released Obama's statement a few hours after a truck drove onto the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch fireworks late Thursday. Authorities said at least 75 people were killed.
US EXTENDS ASSISTANCE
Obama said the U.S. has offered French officials "any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice."
Secretary of State John Kerry, who is in Moscow for meetings with Russian leaders, said the U.S. Embassy in Paris "is making every effort to account for the welfare of U.S. citizens in Nice." He urged Americans visiting Nice to contact friends and family directly.
France terror attack: 80 killed, over 100 injured in Nice after terrorist drives truck through large crowd
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NAIROBI (Reuters) - A rogue officer who "went berserk" was responsible for an attack on a police station in western Kenya on Thursday in which seven people died, a police spokesman said. Police had previously blamed the attack on a suspected recruiter for Somali militant group al Shabaab, who they said grabbed a gun from a guard while under arrest. "The gunman ... turned out to be a local police officer who for yet unknown reasons, went berserk and grabbed a firearm," spokesman George Kinoti said in a statement late on Thursday. The officer shot and killed six policemen before taking prisoners hostage at Kapenguria police station, officials said. He was later shot dead by an elite police squad flown in from Nairobi. Local newspapers said a seventh officer, a member of the rescue team, was also killed. Kinoti said police had opened an inquiry into the incident. (Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Edmund Blair and John Stonestreet)
By David Brunnstrom and Denis Dyomkin MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian President Vladimir Putin about boosting military and intelligence cooperation against Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria and told him that without "concrete, near-term steps," diplomatic efforts to end the war could not go on indefinitely. Kerry met Putin for three hours at the Kremlin and their talks lasted until 1 a.m. local time on Friday. The State Department said Kerry expressed concern about repeated violations of a cessation of hostilities by the Moscow-backed Syrian government. It said the two also discussed the need to need to increase pressure on groups like Islamic State and the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. Kerry "emphasized that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely," a statement said, adding that discussions between Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday were expected to explore initiatives in more detail. On Thursday, the Washington Post published a leaked document it said Kerry would put forward in Moscow calling for intelligence sharing to identify leadership targets, training camps, supply lines and headquarters of the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. It said strikes against those targets could be carried out by U.S. or Russian jets and expanded coordination would be channeled through a Joint Implementation Group based in the vicinity of the Jordanian capital, Amman. The extent of cooperation proposed in the document would represent a major U.S. shift after years of rivalry between Washington and Moscow, which support opposing sides in Syria's five-year civil war, but the idea has raised doubts among U.S. defense and intelligence officials. Kerry declined to comment when asked about the document before leaving for Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would refrain from comment until Russian officials heard from Kerry, but that Russia in general favored cooperation with the United States over Syria. Putin said at the start of his meeting with Kerry that his last conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama had convinced him that both sides were sincere in their efforts to find a solution in Syria. "I hope after today's consultations you'll be able to advise him of the progress made and possible headway for us to make," he told Kerry. A TEST OF RUSSIA U.S. officials described the visit as a test of Moscow's willingness to use its influence on the Syrian government to help revive the country's peace process. Under the leaked plan, the United States and Russia would establish separate headquarters and a shared coordination office, where they would deploy senior officials, intelligence personnel and experts in strike planning and targeting. They would decide on a date to simultaneously begin strikes against Nusra Front targets and to stop all Syrian military air activities in designated areas, except for non-combat purposes and against areas where Nusra Front has acquired territory. The proposal also allows for Russia to use air power to defend Syrian forces from attack from Nusra Front within a designated area, if agreed in advance with the United States. A senior U.S. official said before the talks that expectations were "very low", but added: "Either we find a way to do something about it or not. "And if we dont, the entire things breaks down. That would be an end of the cessation of hostilities and that would not be a good thing for Russia, or the United States, or the world, or, most importantly, for the Syrian people." U.S. officials said there were two major problems leading to the breakdown of Syria's cessation of hostilities - the failure of the Syrian government to respect it and Nusra Front activity. "We are here to test in what is pretty much close to the end stage of whether this is going to work, to take a shot with the Russians at whether we can solve those two major problems with the cessation of hostilities and get this back on track," a second senior official said. Kerry faces some strong opposition to his efforts to woo Russia from U.S. defense and intelligence officials who say Washington and Moscow have diametrically opposed objectives in Syria. Kerry's trip, his second to Moscow this year, comes amid a worsening of U.S.-Russian ties due to tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions, U.S. allegations of aggressive Russian maneuvers toward U.S. aircraft and vessels and what Washington has said is a disregard for a cessation of hostilities in Syria, where Russia has bombed U.S.-backed rebels. Relations also remain strained over Ukraine and what the Kremlin considers NATOs unjustified activity along its borders. That has raised fears that disagreements could escalate into confrontations, either accidental in Syria or the result of miscalculations in the air and naval encounters elsewhere. (Additional reporting by Dmitry Solovyov, Polina Devitt and Andrew Osborn in Moscow, Lesley Wroughton and David Alexander in Washington, and Phil Stewart in Baghdad; Editing by Ralph Boulton and Peter Cooney)
By David Brunnstrom and Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday told his Russian counterpart in Moscow that the attack in the French city of Nice showed the need to speed up international efforts to tackle terrorism, especially in Syria. Kerry, who late on Thursday had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin that focused on the conflict in Syria, said their talks had been productive, as well as "extremely frank and very serious." But a Kremlin spokesman said separately that Putin and Kerry had not directly discussed military cooperation between Moscow and Washington in Syria - the subject of a proposal that Kerry had brought with him to the Russian capital. Dozens of people were killed on Thursday when a gunman drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd in Nice who were celebrating Bastille Day, France's national holiday. French authorities said it was a terrorist attack. Referring to what he described as the "incredible carnage" in Nice, Kerry said nowhere was there a greater hotbed for terrorists than in Syria. I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way for them feeling that everything that is possible has been done to end this terrorist scourge and to unite the world in the most comprehensive efforts possible to fight back against their nihilistic and depraved approach to life and death," Kerry said as he began talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "And you and I and our teams are in enviable position of actually being able to do something about it," Kerry said. On Thursday, the Washington Post published a leaked document it said Kerry would put forward in Moscow calling for intelligence sharing to identify leadership targets, training camps, supply lines and headquarters of the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. It said strikes against those targets could be carried out by U.S. or Russian jets and expanded coordination would be channeled through a Joint Implementation Group based in the vicinity of the Jordanian capital, Amman. Asked about this proposal on a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said military cooperation had not been directly discussed at the meeting between Putin and Kerry, which lasted until the early hours of Friday morning. "A lot of questions remain regarding real interaction in implementing operations in Syria," Peskov said. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Andrew Osborn; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Jason Bush)
MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that without "concrete, near-term steps," diplomatic efforts to end the war in Syria could not continue indefinitely, the State Department said. In a three-hour meeting in Moscow that ended early on Friday, Kerry and Putin discussed the need to increase pressure on fighters loyal to Islamic State and the Nusra front, the department said in a statement. Kerry arrived in Moscow on Thursday evening with a proposal to boost military and intelligence cooperation with Russia against Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria, despite doubts among U.S. defense and intelligence officials. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Moscow (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov said Friday they had agreed on "concrete steps" to salvage a failing truce and tackle jihadist groups in Syria but refrained from laying out their deal.
The top diplomats emerged from 12-hour marathon talks saying they agreed on the way forward, but Kerry stressed that the details of the deal would not be made public to allow the "quiet business" of peacemaking to continue.
"I want to emphasise though that they are not based on trust, they define specific sequential responsibilities all parties to the conflict must assume with the intent to stop altogether the indiscriminate bombing of the Assad regime and stepping up our efforts against Al-Nusra," Kerry said, referring to the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.
"Each of us know exactly what we have to do."
Speaking alongside Lavrov, Kerry told reporters that if the steps are implemented "in good faith", they could "help restore the cessation of hostilities, significantly reduce the violence and help create the space for a negotiated and credible political transition."
The United States was touting a proposal for closer US-Russian military cooperation in Syria against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State fighters, but Russia has been cool to the idea.
In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition.
Earlier in the day, Kerry and Lavrov paid tribute to the victims of the Nice truck attack that has left at least 84 people dead by laying flowers in front of the French embassy in Moscow and signing a book of condolences.
They had also begun their talks Friday morning with a minute's silence for the victims of what US President Barack Obama described as a "tragic and appalling" attack, with Kerry stressing the importance of a united front against extremism.
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- Time running out -
US officials were careful not to call the talks a last chance for diplomacy to resolve the bloody five-year-old conflict, but they warned time was running out.
Washington blames the failure of the peace process on Assad's ceasefire violations and on Al-Nusra's increasing influence among the surviving rebel factions.
"If we cannot get to a solution that resolves both of those problems we're going to be in a very different place, and the reality is that time is short here," a US official said.
Meanwhile, there was no sign in Damascus that Assad feels under any pressure to agree to talks on a new government, the next stage in the process if a ceasefire is restored.
Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, in an interview broadcast Thursday, Assad insisted Putin and Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure.
"Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the president, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this," he said.
Moscow and Washington and the 22-member contact group they co-chair have called for a nationwide ceasefire and Geneva-based talks on a "political transition".
A landmark partial ceasefire they brokered in February -- which did not include Islamic State or Al-Nusra -- has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura urged Russia and the United States to push for a resumption of the talks next month.
Lavrov meanwhile said the two sides were in favour of seeing the UN envoy "step up his work and make concrete proposals on the political transition and political reforms for all Syrian parties (in the conflict)".
Russian forces are fighting in support of Assad's regime against a variety of rebel factions while a US-led coalition focuses its fire on the Islamic State group.
Syria's civil war erupted in 2011 when Assad brutally suppressed anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into catastrophe that has left more than 280,000 dead.
Efforts to end the war have taken on greater urgency since the emergence of the Islamic State jihadist group, which seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014.
By Lesley Wroughton and Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday to propose close military coordination in Syria, the White House and Pentagon offered lukewarm support for the plan and demanded that Moscow show it was serious about fighting Islamic State, not just propping up President Bashar al-Assad.Kerry himself took a tough line after his meeting on Thursday with Putin, State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters in Moscow. "Secretary Kerry emphasized that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely," Kirby said. Kerry's proposal would create a new center where U.S. and Russian militaries would share intelligence and coordinate air strikes against Islamic State and the Nusra Front, an al Qaeda affiliate. The move has angered U.S. military and intelligence officers and diplomats who argue that Russia has proved repeatedly that it cannot be trusted. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Defense Secretary Ash Carter supported Kerry's efforts to encourage Moscow to "do the right thing" in Syria. But he added that Carter has experience dealing with Moscow and maintains a "healthy dose of skepticism" about Russia's aims in the conflict. "The secretary supports Secretary Kerry's effort ... but he has also said that he's had questions about the Russian activities up to this point," Cook told reporters. "If the Russians are prepared to do the right thing in Syria, then the secretary of defense would be open to that conversation," he said. "But we're waiting to see what's going on. ... It's not clear that we'll ever reach an agreement." WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT'S UP TO RUSSIA At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest's response was similarly cautious. "It's time for Russia to make serious decisions about how they want to use their influence inside of Syria both when it comes to their diplomatic influence, but also when it comes to their military capabilities," Earnest told a daily briefing on Thursday at the White House, "They have to decide if they're going to use the military to prop up the Assad regime or if they're going to use their military to go after extremists," Earnest said, "Our case is you can't do both." Kerry has expressed growing frustration with the lack of progress in ending Syria's five-year civil war despite agreements with Russia to secure a lasting nationwide cessation of hostilities and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches besieged communities. U.N.-led efforts to bring the warring sides together to negotiate a political transition also have failed. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau acknowledged a "very robust and very vigorous conversation" among government agencies over Kerry's plan. Asked whether Kerry's visit had the full backing of the White House, she added: "I'm not going to characterize that for the White House, but I would say that the secretary is going to ... have discussions in Moscow that present the administration's views." Anger Within the Administration But U.S. military and intelligence officers and diplomats involved in Syria policy expressed anger about Kerry's proposal, which several called naive. The Russians, said one official, had known for weeks about Kerry's upcoming visit to Moscow, yet two days before he was due to arrive they bombed a remote camp near Syria's border with Jordan used by U.S.-backed rebels. "That is consistent with what the Russians have been doing all along," said a U.S. military official, who like others spoke anonymously to criticize administration policy. "More of it has been to us, not with us, and the message has been clear all along: 'When our interests differ from yours, ours win." "They've violated every cessation of hostilities agreement theyve ever agreed to, sometimes within hours," the official said. Another American official, who has helped train members of the Free Syrian Army rebel alliance, said the U.S.-backed opposition forces have been asking why the administration keeps seeking Russian help and are growing increasingly bitter, their anger compounded by what they complain is a lack of American military support. Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford expressed deep skepticism with Kerry's plan, saying Russian air strikes have primarily targeted U.S-supported moderate opposition groups. "How serious are they (Russia) about defeating terrorism, as opposed to bolstering Assads position at the center? How are we to assume that they are going to do better if they work with the Americans?" Ford told Reuters. Ford said that Russia has been unable to get its "obstreperous client" Assad to make any political concessions, allow significant humanitarian assistance into numerous rebel-held enclaves or abide by a cessation of hostilities agreement. "I don't think the Russians can deliver," he said. "I don't see how this American-Russian condominium on the Islamic State can help bring about a negotiated solution to the broader Syrian conflict. It will make it less likely that Assad will make concessions that will bring the broader civil war to an end." (Additional reporting by John Walcott and David Alexander)
In the the wake of recent escalations of racial tension, Run The Jewels rapper Killer Mike has urged African Americans to participate in an economic proposal called #BankBlack .
Mike whose real name is Michael Render made an emotional appearance on Atlanta radio station Hot 107.9 discussing current events, his feelings about police brutality and how the African-American community can make a statement.
We dont have to burn our city [Atlanta] down, he said. But what we can do is go down to your banks tomorrow - you can go to your bank tomorrow and you can say until you as as corporation start to speak on our behalf, I want all my money. and Im taking all my money to Citizens Trust.
Citizens Trust is a black-owned bank with locations in Georgia and Alabama. According to one of its latest Instagram posts, apparently around 8,000 people have opened accounts there in the past week.
Cynthia Day, the CEO of Citizens Trust used Twitter to thank Mike for imploring the community to take action.
We thank @KillerMike for his call-to-action. Together, we can change the conversation. Cynthia N. Day, Pres and CEO pic.twitter.com/nrMs2ALG5x Citizens Trust Bank (@CTBank) July 8, 2016
Render has championed this concept for awhile now. In February of this year - Black History Month - he and Usher showed their support by opening accounts at the Citizens Trust. Jermaine Dupri soon followed.
Meanwhile, Solange Knowles recently posted a note on her Saint Heron website providing a list of black-owned banks in the United States and encouraging her fans to do business with them.
https://livenationpresents.yahoo.com/post/147458513814/killer-mike-spearheads-bankblack-movement
The driver of a truck that plowed into a crowd on the Nice waterfront, killing 84 people and injuring scores more, has been identified by authorities as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.
Details are still emerging but heres everything we know about the driver so far:
Where is he from?
The 31-year-old was born in Tunisia, but lives in France. Police described him as French-Tunisian. A house in Nice Nord, to the north of the city, was under investigation by police early Friday and online records suggest it was Bouhlels residence. According to the Associated Press, the apartment was occupied by his estranged wife, who was taken to be questioned by authorities. The couple reportedly have three children.
A woman who lives in Bouhlels apartment complex told The Telegraph, He lived alone. He said very little to anyone and wasnt very polite. He wouldnt hold the door open for you.
A French prosecutor said Friday that Bouhlel worked as a delivery driver, but used a rented truck to carry out the attack.
Does he have a record of extremist activity?
No. A French prosecutor said Friday that Bouhlel was known to police for sometimes violent delinquent activity, and he had been given a six month suspended sentence this year for an assault in January 2016. But Bouhlel was not under investigation by Frances antiterror authorities.
Did he claim allegiance to ISIS?
Theres not yet any evidence to suggest he did.
By Jeemon Jacob: The Indian Airforce flight C-17 carrying 156 Indians, who were trapped in the war zone in South Sudan, reached home today morning. Among them 45 persons are from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The C-17 military transport aircraft carrying passengers landed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport at 4 am. Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, who accompanied the passengers, told reporters at the airport that 156 persons have been evacuated, of whom two are from Nepal.
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"When we landed, 156 came out with us. There were 30-40 people who had already booked their tickets when the commercial flights started and 300 people did not want to be evacuated due to their business concerns and other activities. There are 9 women and three children among those evacuated," Singh said.
On those who turned down the government's plea to be evacuated, Singh said, "we tried to convince them. I suppose business comes first, life comes later (for them).."
"After fighting broke out in Juba and its outskirts, our aim was to evacuate our people who were in danger. As per our information, there were 550 plus people in Juba itself with another 150 indians in areas where the oil wells are there..," he added.
INDIANS REFUSE TO RETURN
The evacuation exercise faced a hurdle when several Indians, after registering with the External Affairs Ministry for leaving South Sudan, refused to return, despite an appeal by External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter asking them to move out.
Singh said he had met Sudan vice-president who spoke of the situation out there.The C-17 aircraft was brought via Uganda and the minister also met the Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who on his part assured of all help.
South Sudan is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city.
ALSO READ | How the Indian Army saved the day in South Sudan
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blamed an international opposition network for leading a coup against his government in a statement to the Turkish people delivered through FaceTime and broadcast on television.
The movementknown as the Gulen movement or Hizmetis led by Turkish imam Fethullah Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999. Despite his distance, he remains one of the most influential people in Turkey. From afar, he has run a powerful movement calling for a secular and democratic government.
Gulens group, the Alliance for Shared Values, issued a statement saying comments alleging the groups involvement in the coup were highly irresponsible and that the group did not support the militarys intervention.
Events on the ground are moving quickly and it would be irresponsible for us to speculate on them, the group said in the statement. We remain concerned about the safety and security of Turkish citizens and those in Turkey right now.
What is the movement?
Gulens movement presses for a moderate version of Sunni Islam that emphasizes tolerance and interfaith dialogue. The organization lacks any official hierarchy or structure, but followers have built up a network of think tanks, schools and publications in locations around the worldincluding in Texas. The TUSKON business confederation, which has 120,000 businesses under its umbrella, has strong ties to the Gulen movement and provides financial support.
But why would a pro-democracy movement potentially want to overturn a democratically elected leader?
Observers have suspected that the movements intentions may not be wholly pure and that some of the movements most powerful figures may actually want to consolidate power themselves. It is clear they want influence and power, a senior U.S. official told the New York Times in 2012. We are concerned there is a hidden agenda to challenge secular Turkey and guide the country in a more Islamic direction.
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Why doesnt Gulen get along with Erdogan?
The pair initially acted as allies thanks to a shared belief in a moderate version of Islam that could work in politics. The modern Turkish state was founded by the avowedly secular Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, but Erdogans AKP Party, known as the Justice and Development Party in English, was more Islamist than past Turkish governments, though it still endorsed secularism and democracy over strict adherence to conservative Islamic beliefsat least when the party was first founded in 2001.
But the alliance had ended by the time Erdogan became president in 2014he was previously prime ministerthough why exactly remains unclear. Erdogan accused Gulen of encouraging Hizmet loyalists to push a corruption investigation targeting government ministers and others close to Erdogan. Gulen has denied that claim.It is not possible for these judges and prosecutors to receive orders from me, Gulen told the BBC in 2014. I have no relation with them.
For his part, Erdogan hasnt bought it and has said he made a grave mistake by joining forces with Gulen. Where does Gulen live?
Gulen lives in a compound in a remote Pennsylvania. A visit by the BBC suggested that the recluse lives a modest life.
At least 84 people were killed Thursday night when a truck careened through crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city of Nice. French President Francois Hollande has said the attack, which also left dozens of people injured, was likely an act of terrorism. He said later that there were 50 injured people between life and death. The driver was named as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, a resident of Nice, by French authorities.
What happened
According to eyewitness accounts, bodies were sent flying into the air as the heavy-duty white transport vehicle hit them on the Promenade des Anglais at about 10:30 p.m. local time, where people had gathered to watch fireworks by the Nice seafront. Videos taken by bystanders show the truck zigzagging as the driver apparently sought to hit as many people as possible as he drove along more than a mile of crowded road. Images from the scene show bodies sprawled along stretches of road. Local paper Nice-Matin reports the drive lasted 45 seconds.
The driver reportedly also opened fire on the crowd, and was killed in a shootout with police. Photographs show the windshield of the truck riddled with bullet holes after it was brought to a halt.
The assailant
Details have begun to emerge in local media about Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who was identified after documents were discovered in the truck. A French prosecutor confirmed the identity of Bouhlel Friday, identifying him as a 31-year-old Tunisian national who lived in France. The proescutor said Bouhlel was known to the police for assault and theft but was not on the radar of intelligence agencies. Bouhlel had a wife and family. His wife was arrested early Friday and is being questioned by authorities. It is not yet known whether Bouhlel had any accomplices.
Terrorist link suspected
Officials were quick to say they suspected a terrorist attack had taken place. The Paris prosecutors office has opened an investigation into murder, attempted murder in an organized group linked to a terrorist enterprise, to be led by the countrys intelligence agency and judicial police, the Associated Press reports.
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No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but social-media channels supporting the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group celebrated the attack. Observers monitoring terrorist groups said that both ISIS and al-Qaeda have asked their followers to use vehicles as weapons.
The January 2015 attack on the Paris offices of the magazine Charlie Hebdo was linked to al-Qaedas Yemen branch, and the multiple attacks in the same city in November were claimed by ISIS.
The victims
The death toll of the attack is still rising, but Frances interior ministry has reportedly said so far 84 deaths have been confirmed. A French prosecutor said Friday that 202 people were wounded in the attack: 25 are on life support, 52 are in critical condition.
Victims include nationals from Switzerland, Morocco, the U.S,, Russia and Armenia.
Among the injured are three Australian nationals, Australias Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said. Chinas official CCTV News said two Chinese nationals were also wounded in the attack. Britains Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has only so far confirmed that one British national was injured in the attack.
A spokesperson for a childrens hospital in Nice told the Associated Press that about 50 children and adolescents were treated after the attack, including two who died during or after surgery. Some are still life and death, said Stephanie Simpson of the Lenval foundation hospital.
State of emergency extended
President Hollande addressed the nation in the early hours of Friday morning local time, condemning the attack, whose victims he said included children. He said the terrorist nature of the attack was undeniable, AFP reports. A state of emergency in France which has been in place since Novembers attacks on Paris, but was set to be lifted later this month, before this latest attack has been extended for another three months. Hollande was expected to travel to Nice on Friday following a meeting of the countrys Security and Defense Council.
France has been struck on the day of her national holiday the symbol of liberty, Hollande said, according to the Guardian. France as a whole is under the threat of Islamic terrorism. We have to demonstrate absolute vigilance and show determination that is unfailing.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls spoke out against terrorism, which he called a threat that weighs heavily upon France and will continue to weigh for a long time.
We are facing a war that terrorism has brought to us, he said, the AP reported. The goal of terrorists is to instill fear and panic. And France is a great country, and a great democracy, that will not allow itself to be destabilized.
Leaders around the world responded to the attack, and Twitter users were using the hashtag #PrayForNice. We cannot let ourselves be divided by religion because thats exactly what the terrorists want, President Barack Obama said Friday.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said it was gravely concerned about events in Turkey, and that it had instructed officials to help Russian nationals in Turkey return home at the earliest opportunity. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that President Vladimir Putin was being kept constantly updated on the situation in Turkey, where the government has said a military coup attempt is underway. Peskov said events were moving too fast to fully understand what was happening, but he said Russia was concerned and wanted to see Turkey return to the path of stability and order, and for there to be a lawful outcome. He said that, whoever was now in charge in Turkey, it was incumbent on them to ensure the safety of Russian nationals. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Christian Lowe)
Seth Meyers and Kristen Wiig have known each other for a decade, and Meyers thought it was about time they forgave each other for past problems they've had.
"Sometimes when you have such a long and close relationship with someone, there are moments when feelings get hurt," said Meyers. "So I thought with the time we have together right now, we would make amends for any past indiscretions we've committed against once another."
Meyers apologized for not responding to Wiig's emails right away. "It took me a couple of days because I was on vacation."
Wiig's apology jokingly revealed that she had always thought Meyers spelled his last name "Miyerrhzzz." She added, "Also I didn't know that your first name is Seth," adding that she had always thought his name was Beth.
As they continued to ask each other for forgiveness, Wiig revealed she had sold Meyers' name to a Japanese energy drink that cures male impotence. If Meyers ever goes to Japan, he will be known as Impotence Man, she told him. That's not all. Wiig once dosed Meyers with LSD.
"I thought sending you on a psychedelic journey would be really funny," she said. "My son's face transformed into Larry King's face," said Meyers. "Do you think that's funny?"
"A baby with old man face wearing suspenders? I actually don't think there's anything funnier," said Wiig. As their conversation unfolded, things briefly spiraled out of control. Water guns and headphone court were involved, watch below.
Read More: Kristen Wiig Pretends to Be 'The Bachelorette's' JoJo Fletcher on 'The Tonight Show'
The Ghostbusters actress also sat down with Meyers for an interview, during which they talked about finding the most perfect green peanut M&M which she drew on to look like Slimer from Ghostbusters.
"Look at his body," she exclaimed.
She gifted it to Meyers who said he should build a shrine to it, surprising his wife one day when she comes home.
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Meyers also talked about how Wiig is more popular with his wife's parents than he is. He said that he tried painting once but only because "I was jealous of [Seth's father-in-law's] love for you. Now I'm doing things I don't want to be doing," he joked.
Wiig shared a story about when she lost her dog, Moose, and the police who found her pup asked her for a photo. Meyers said it would have been "the most diva-ish move" if Wiig had said no.
Then they showed a picture of Wiig's dog Moose, cleaning her house as punishment for running away.
As the world mourns the tragic attack in Nice, celebrities have taken to social media to offer their condolences to the victims at the Bastille Day celebration on Thursday night. So far, at least 84 are dead and 120 have been injured.
Lady Gaga provided a heartfelt and inspiring message to her followers, "When u open your eyes and see chaos, we will close our eyes and see harmony. We are with you."
I am praying for you France. When u open your eyes and see chaos, we will close our eyes and see harmony. We are with you. a Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) July 15, 2016
Miley Cyrus encouraged her followers that they "MUST keep up the fight" against violence.
Sending love to #Nice and especially to those who lost a loved one today. We MUST keep up the fight for a more peaceful, understanding world without this senseless violence A photo posted by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on Jul 14, 2016 at 7:27pm PDT
Dana Brunetti, the producer of Fifty Shades Darker, informed people that all members of the cast including stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan and crew were safe following the attack. The crew had been filming in Nice at the time of the Bastille Day tragedy.
Rihannacancelled her show in Nice and expressed her support for those affected.
Due to the tragic events in #Nice, my concert scheduled for tomorrow July 15 at Allianz Stadium will not be going ahead as planned. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families A photo posted by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Jul 14, 2016 at 8:12pm PDT
And Amy Schumer had just one word about the attack, "Enough."
In a statement, Pope Francis called it an act of "blind violence."
"The pope expresses his sympathy to those injured and to all those who have contributed to rescue efforts, asking the Lord to sustain each one in this trial," Cardinal Pietro Parolin wrote.
It has been confirmed that a father and son from Texas are among the 84 people that were killed. Sean Copeland 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie, who were on vacation in France, died during the attack.
French officials have called this a terror attack, while one restaurateur who tried to help described the scene: "women's bodies [were] crushed, blood everywhere, there was no one to help."
By Will Caiger-Smith
NEW YORK, July 15 (IFR) - Spreads on US bank bonds have lagged the rally in corporate credit, and that could offer investors a chance for decent pick-up as banks hit the market post-earnings in the days ahead.
JP Morgan (A3/A-) was first out of the gate Thursday, selling a US$3bn 10-year trade at Treasuries plus 145bp - spot on the low end of IPTs with no pricing progression at all.
The deal offered a 10bp concession to the bank's curve, more than on recent deals from industrials. It was trading 3bp inside reoffer on Friday.
Analysts said strong demand from domestic and foreign investors should push the sector tighter as more banks come to market next week.
"There is very little juice in industrial bonds at this point," said Hans Mikkelsen, credit strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
"But there is a lot of value in bank bonds."
NOT AS TIGHT
Since hitting a multi-year wide of 234bp on February 11, corporate bond spreads in industrials have tightened 88bp to 146bp, according to data from Barclays.
But bank spreads have tightened only 39bp over the same period, coming in to 136bp from 175bp.
That underperformance reverses the trend of the previous three years.
Bank spreads began trading tighter than industrials after the summer of 2013, when both were trading at 135bp. By February 2016, banks were trading 69bp inside industrials.
Over that time, US banks have become an investor staple as regulators have forced them to increase capital buffers and exit risky business lines.
That is in contrast to many European lenders, which are still grappling with crisis-era litigation, restructuring and bad loans.
"If you're a US investor wanting to deploy capital, you would be more circumspect towards European banks," said Neil Sutherland, a portfolio manager at Schroders.
"That may accelerate the dichotomy between US and European banks."
BAML's Mikkelsen said the risks for US banks are limited compared to those in Europe.
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"In some European banks you have real credit risk," he said. "In the US creditors are pretty confident."
DEALS AHEAD
As other US banks come out of earnings blackouts - Wells Fargo and Citigroup reported earnings on Friday - new deals could be tempting for the buyside.
Banks need to raise extra funding to meet new Total Loss Absorbing Capacity (TLAC) requirements proposed last year.
Expectation of that supply is one factor that has kept bank spreads more elevated, but amid a bull run in corporate bonds, that is unlikely to last, said investors.
"Folks may look at the supply that is coming as an opportunity to take advantage of the underperformance," said Jason Shoup, fixed income strategist at Legal & General Investment Management America.
"If you believe the market is going to continue to tighten, you have to look at the lagging sectors," he told IFR. "Banking is one of those sectors."
But some investors still worry that wobbles in Europe, particularly the Italy banking crisis, could set off problems in the US bank sector.
"If there is a bail-in, and that leads to contagion in Europe, that could spill over into the global US banks," said Jacob Habibi, senior analyst at Invesco.
(Reporting by Will Caiger-Smith; Editing by Marc Carnegie)
By Athar Parvaiz SRINIGAR, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Mismanagement of a flagship land ownership scheme in India's northern Jammu and Kashmir state, banked on by the regional government to generate cash to build its own power plants, is holding back local ambitions for energy independence. The Roshni (Light) scheme was originally expected to bring INR 250 billion ($3.73 billion) into state coffers, enabling the Kashmir authorities to avoid doing deals with Indias National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC). But the regions government revealed last month that only INR 780 million had been collected so far, amid accusations of corruption. In response, irate members from all parties at a recent session of Kashmirs legislative assembly forced the government to agree to order a thorough probe of irregularities laid out in a 2014 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, who holds the rank of a Supreme Court judge. In 2000, Kashmirs National Conference government at the time conceived a scheme in which people who had illegally occupied government land would be given ownership rights to that land in return for payment of its market value. Revenue from transferring ownership rights over 102,579 hectares (253,478 acres) of land was earmarked for construction of hydropower projects intended to generate huge state revenues from energy exports, as well as meeting Kashmirs own energy requirements. But in 2014, the Comptroller and Auditor General revealed the land transfer scheme had suffered irregularities, including the transfer of land at rates far below the market value and non-payment by many land occupants, including political leaders. Since then, Kashmirs corruption watchdog, the State Vigilance Organisation (SVO), has indicted 49 officials, including two top-ranking bureaucrats and dozens of revenue officials, on related charges. Many members of the current assembly also accuse some politicians, including a former speaker and a few legislators, of acquiring land at dirt-cheap rates. Ministers in previous governments were also involved in the Roshni land scam, Kavinder Gupta, speaker of Kashmirs legislative assembly, told members. TREATY IN HOT WATER The Roshni scheme was intended to assuage Kashmiri anxiety over the 1960 World Bank-mediated Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan, which many feel disregarded Kashmirs economic interests. That treaty allowed India and Pakistan to share the Indus River and its five tributaries the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej and provided mechanisms for settling disputes. Under the treaty, Pakistan received exclusive use of the waters from the Indus and its west-flowing tributaries, the Jhelum and Chenab, while the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers were allocated for India's use. The treaty also stated that upper riparian India could build run-of-the-river projects only on the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum, which flow through Kashmir. The NHPC has constructed seven power projects in the region and plans more in the future. The NHPC, which generates over 2,000 MW of hydropower in Kashmir, gives just 12 percent of the electricity it produces there to the state government, evoking strong local criticism. As of now, the state itself generates only 761 MW, given its lack of resources to exploit the regions hydro-electric potential, against peak demand of 2,600 MW. In 2002, Kashmirs legislative assembly passed a resolution seeking the termination of the Indus treaty on the basis that Kashmiris were not consulted when India and Pakistan signed it. Ever since, the treaty and the NHPCs operations in Kashmir have been a topic of hot debate. Sensing the mood, a committee formed by then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh suggested in a 2007 report that the NHPC should transfer at least two power projects to Kashmir, but that has yet to happen. In 2009, National Conference leader Nazir Gurezi, speaking in Kashmirs legislative assembly, called the treaty a sign of slavery for Kashmiris. And two years later, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Kashmiri leader for the Indian National Congress and then irrigation minister, drew an analogy between the NHPC in Kashmir and Britains erstwhile East India Company, a comparison that has come to symbolize Kashmiri resentment over the use of its water resources. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT Zahoor Ahmad Chat, former executive director of projects at the State Power Development Corporation, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that if the Kashmir government could muster the resources to harness the regions energy potential of around 15,000 MW, it would provide economic stability and spur development. Chat said exploiting projected surplus power could earn the region annual revenue of some INR 150 billion, and make the most of Kashmirs renewable energy sources for its people. We have the luxury of having clean over-ground energy resources like water - one of the most preferred energy resources in the age of climate change, he said. Even if a small percentage of the expected (Roshni scheme) revenue was realized, we would be able to create small power projects in all of our rural areas. ($1 = 67.0650 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Athar Parvaiz; editing by Megan Rowling; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
* Pemex Samurai brings relief to yield-hungry investors
* EM bond funds post second highest weekly inflow: EPFR
* Peruvian economy sees 4.88% year-on-year growth in May
By Mike Gambale
NEW YORK, July 15 (IFR) - Below is a recap of primary issuance activity in the LatAm primary market on Friday:
Number of deals priced: 1
Total issuance: JPY80bn
PEMEX
Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), rated Baa3/BBB+/BBB+, 10-year (7/24/26) JBIC-gteed via joint-leads Mitsubishi UFJ, Morgan Stanley, Mizuho and SMBC Nikko. Settlement date 7/26/16.
GUIDANCE: 0.53%-0.57%
PRICED: JPY80bn (US$771m) 10-year at par to yield 0.54%
VOLUME STATISTICS
THIS WEEK'S VOLUME (US$):
6 deals for US$2.872bn
JULY VOLUME (US$):
10 deals for US$6.722bn
PIPELINE:
Argentine electric utility company Albanesi has picked banks to meet investors as it seeks to market a possible 144A/RegS US dollar bond.
Fixed-income investor meetings started on Wednesday through global coordinators and joint bookrunners Credit Suisse and JP Morgan. UBS has also been selected as a joint bookrunner. Expected ratings are B3/B+ by Moody's and Fitch.
The Province of Chubut has wrapped up investors meetings after mandating Bank of America Merrill Lynch and BNP Paribas ahead of a potential US dollar-denominated bond sale.
It is seeking to raise US$500m through amortizing notes due 2026, according to Moody's, which assigned a B3 rating to the issue earlier this month. The notes will be secured by a percentage of hydrocarbon royalties to be paid by the Argentine branch of Pan American Energy to the province, the rating agency said.
Argentine power company Pampa Energia plans to hire four banks to lead a new international bond sale that will refinance debt taken out to fund its acquisition of Petrobras's Argentine assets.
The company plans to hire Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, ICBC and Banco Galicia to lead the bond sale, which will refinance a US$700m bridge loan extended by the same lenders.
Mexican real-estate developer Grupo GICSA has finished investor meetings through JP Morgan and Santander. The company had been marketing a US dollar bond, which is expected to be rated BB/BB-.
Bolivia is hoping to sell an up to US$1bn 10-year bond in the coming months, according to Economy Minister Luis Arce Catacora. Proceeds would go mainly towards investment in healthcare, specifically hospitals. Bolivia is rated BB by S&P and Fitch and one notch lower at Ba3 by Moody's.
(Reporting by Mike Gambale; editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan)
By Anindya Banerjee: It was a real life 'Airlift' moment for 156 Indians who were rescued by Indian Air Force overnight from conflict torn Sudan. Gen VK Singh personally supervised the entire rescue operation that was named 'Operation Sankat Mochan'.
"RELIEVED TO BE BACK"
The massive C17 of the Indian Air Force first made a stop at Trivandrum before heading to the Palam technical area in the national capital. As it touched down little after 10 am one after another happy faces came out, relieved to reach back home safe. Professor Saha, who teaches in an university there said, 'The situation is bad there. But we are relieved to be back'. Another gentleman couldn't control his emotions, 'Had it not been the government, we would not be here today'.
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GOVERNMENT READY TO HELP: VK SINGH
This is not the first time VK Singh personally traveled to ensure the rescue operation. Last year he led operation Rahaat rescuing Indians from Yemen. Speaking to India Today, the General said, 'It's important for Indians to know wherever they may be, if they face problem the Indian government is there for them'.
Two warring factions Sudan People's Liberation Army in the Government and Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition have been at loggerheads in Sudan.
Also read:
How the Indian Army saved the day in South Sudan
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Geneva (AFP) - At least 300 people were killed and 42,000 fled their homes this month during four days of intense gun battles in the capital of South Sudan, the UN said Friday.
Neighbouring Uganda and Sudan have begun to evacuate their nationals, while Ethiopia has offered to send additional troops to the UN peacekeeping there.
The violence marks a fresh blow to last year's peace deal to end a civil war that began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused Riek Machar, whom he had sacked a few months earlier from the post of vice president, of plotting a coup.
Under the terms of the peace process Machar has since April held the post of First Vice President of South Sudan.
Although a ceasefire has held since late Monday, the United Nations has warned of the possibility of fresh fighting in Juba.
"It's over 300 deaths since July 8," World Health Organization spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said in Geneva.
The July 8-11 violence had left "42,000 internally displaced" in the world's youngest nation, said William Spindler, spokesman for the UN refugee agency.
"The number of refugees in neighbouring countries is now 835,000," he said.
Also Friday, dozens of Sudanese women and children arrived in Khartoum from Juba.
Specially chartered planes have been taking foreign nationals out of South Sudan since Wednesday.
The first flight carrying 76 Sudanese arrived in Khartoum on Friday afternoon.
"We are focusing on bringing women, children and elderly people first," government official Gamal Ahmed told reporters at Khartoum airport.
"There will be other flights today bringing more people."
"Most of them are traders and those working in international NGOs," another government official, Hajj Magid Suor, told Sudan Media Centre, an outlet close to the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service.
On Thursday, a heavily armed Ugandan military convoy crossed into South Sudan to evacuate Ugandan citizens in Juba.
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- Cycle of violence -
The convoy of around 50 Ugandan trucks escorted by machine gun-mounted armoured vehicles crossed the border to open up a secure corridor on the 200-kilometre (120-mile) Juba-Nimule road.
Uganda's army chief Brigadier Leopold Kyanda said the mission involving 2,000 soldiers would likely last "two to three days". An intelligence officer said some Ugandan troops might remain in Juba.
Uganda gave military support to Kiir against Machar during the civil war, only pulling its troops home late last year.
On Friday, Ethiopia said it was ready to send more soldiers to strengthen UNMISS, the UN peacekeeping force in South Sudan, to which it is already the largest contributor of troops.
"We're more than willing to take on our part of responsibility in restoring calm in South Sudan," said government spokesman Getachew Reda.
"We hope and expect the South Sudanese to bury the hatchet," he said, but added, "If push comes to shove, we'll have to carry the burden through strengthening the troop numbers."
According to the International Organization for Migration many civilians who fled their homes during the recent fighting had begun to return.
"Humanitarian access to affected people has improved dramatically since Monday. But this can only be sustained if the ceasefire holds", said John McCue, IOM South Sudan Head of Operations.
The December 2013 violence set off a cycle of retaliatory killings that split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines and drove more than two million out of their homes.
The conflict was been characterised by horrific rights abuses, including gang rapes, the wholesale burning of villages and cannibalism.
Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon's military prosecutor has charged three people, including two Syrians, with links to the Islamic State group and involvement in suicide bombings in a village on the Syrian border.
A judicial source told AFP on Thursday that one of the three, a Syrian, had been arrested last week during the dismantling of an IS-linked cell suspected of planning attacks across Lebanon.
The two others, one Syrian and another believed to be Lebanese, are still at large.
The three are alleged to have links to two waves of deadly suicide bombings that hit the border village of Al-Qaa in a single day on June 27.
Eight suicide bombers blew themselves up in the village, killing five people and wounding dozens.
Al-Qaa lies on a main road linking the Syrian town of Al-Qusayr to the Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon.
Its 3,000 residents are predominantly Christian, but the Masharia Al-Qaa district is home to Sunni Muslims and some 30,000 Syrian refugees live in a makeshift camp on the edge of the village.
The indictment accuses the three suspects of "murder and attempted murder of civilians, sowing terror and discord, and undermining stability."
The charges carry the death penalty.
The attacks were not claimed by any group, but bore characteristics of both IS and Al-Qaeda.
At the end of June, the Lebanese army announced it had arrested five IS members accused of planning attacks in Beirut.
Lebanon has been hit by a string of deadly attacks since the conflict in neighbouring Syria began in 2011.
By PTI: Surat, Jul 15 (PTI) The lawyers of Hardik Patel, who walked out of the Lajpore jail here today after nine months in confinement, informed a local court that the 22-year-old quota agitation spearhead will stay in Rajasthans Udaipur city for the next six months.
In an undertaking submitted before Surat district and sessions court, Hardiks lawyer Dilip Patel informed the court that Hardik will stay at House No 190, Shrinath Nagar on airport road in Udaipur.
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"This is a temporary address of Hardik for next six months, as the High Court, while granting him bail last week, instructed us to inform the local court about his address for the next six months, as Hardik has to leave Gujarat within two days of his release," said Dilip Patel.
Last week, the Gujarat High Court paved way for Hardiks release after granting him bail in two cases of sedition and a case related to violence at Visnagar MLAs office.
While granting him bail in sedition cases, the HC set a condition that Hardik will have to stay outside Gujarat for the next six months. As per HC directions, Hardik will have to leave Gujarat within 48 hours after his release from jail.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the owner of the house in Udaipur is a former Congress MLA of Rajasthan Pushakarlal Patel, who invited Hardik to stay at his house.
According to the former MLA, he is the leader of the Patel community in Rajasthan.
"As soon as I learnt that the court asked Hardik to stay out of Gujarat for six months, I sent an invitation to his supporters and invited Hardik to stay at my house in Udaipur. Patel community has always stood by Hardik and his agitation for our community. He is like our family member," said Patel while talking to a TV channel here.
"Though I was a Congress MLA in the past, politics has nothing to do with my invitation to Hardik. I invited him because he is fighting for our community. During his stay here, Patel leaders will meet him and discuss the road ahead," added Patel.
Hardik stepped out of jail after nine months of confinement and vowed to continue his agitation, saying he does not want a "56-inch chest, but rights for his community".
In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modis 56-inch-chest remark made during the 2014 election campaign, Hardik told reporters, "I want to say that I dont want height, weight or a 56-inch chest. All I want is rights for my community." PTI PJT PD DK ABH
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France fell victim to another horrifying tragedy on Thursday when a truck plowed through a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, injuring hundreds. According to French news reports, at least 84 people were killed, including the driver, who was fatally shot by police.
In the wake of the attack, which is currently being treated as an act of terror, President Barack Obama issued a statement of support and unity.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded, Obama said. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.
Statement by President Obama following Nice, France attack. pic.twitter.com/iwxeKqiQ7Q George Colli (@GeorgeColli) July 15, 2016
WATCH: Paris Attacks: At Least 100 People Killed at Concert Hall
Celebrities from across the world have taken to social media to echo Obamas message of solidarity and to share their condolences with those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
Heartsick over Nice. Horrified, wrote Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who recently released a benefit song with Jennifer Lopez promoting peace and love in the wake of the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting in Orlando, Florida last month.
Heartsick over Nice. Horrified. Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) July 14, 2016
WATCH: Jennifer Lopez Records Song With Hamilton Star Lin-Manuel Miranda to Benefit Victims of Orlando Shooting
Pray for Nice. Pray for France. Pray for our world, Modern Family actress Ariel Winter tweeted. My heart is broken.
Pray for Nice. Pray for France. Pray for our world my heart is broken Ariel Winter (@arielwinter1) July 14, 2016
WATCH: Justin Bieber Pays Tribute to Friend Lost in Paris Terror Attacks
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New York Mayor Bill de Blasio shared a message of unity, tweeting, Sickened by news of another senseless attack. On this #BastilleDay we are all patriots of France. Nice, we are with you.
Sickened by news of another senseless attack. On this #BastilleDay we are all patriots of France. Nice, we are with you. Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) July 14, 2016
Many other entertainers, politicians and celebrities also addressed the devastating attack, sending their love and prayers.
To our brothers and sisters in Nice, we stand with you, we pray for you, we mourn for you. #PrayForNice Josh Gad (@joshgad) July 14, 2016
My heart is with you France. Prayers to the many families who lost children & loved ones. Disgusting act of violence. #PrayForNice Lake Bell (@lakebell) July 15, 2016
So sad for the people of Nice, France. Cyndi Lauper (@cyndilauper) July 14, 2016
My heart goes out to France. #PrayForNice Josh Duhamel (@joshduhamel) July 14, 2016
So saddened right now. #PrayForNice my family was suppose to be there today. Thank God theyre safe. Nice I am praying for you Christina Milian (@ChristinaMilian) July 14, 2016
#prayforfrance I dont know how many more mass shootings/bombings/attacks this universe can handle. Who has the power to demand peace? Sara Foster (@saramfoster) July 14, 2016
Whats happening in this world ? #PrayForNice Chloe Grace Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz) July 14, 2016
Sending love to friends in France #Nice mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) July 14, 2016
Anger breeding pain and death, over and over and over. Such a tragedy. Such a waste. Such a shame. Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) July 14, 2016
My heart is with France https://t.co/dlklW1cbTz David Blaine (@davidblaine) July 14, 2016
Correction: 30 dead and 100 injured in Nice. My heart is heavy. The people responsible for this are cowards. Jamie Chung (@jamiechung1) July 14, 2016
#NiceFrance sending prayers to you all. Russell Simmons (@UncleRUSH) July 14, 2016
Just heard the terrible news from Nice. I am shocked. My thoughts and prayers to all affected. Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) July 14, 2016
Seems like every time I open Twitter these days theres some new news of people dying. WTF, world?! Sending love to France.again. Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) July 14, 2016
Sending prayers to France today, Im so sad about what is happening in the world again. Life is so short & precious. Spread #PrayForNice Joey Graceffa (@JoeyGraceffa) July 15, 2016
I really just dont understand the world right now. Its unnerving. What other choice but to just have hope that good will prevail.. Grant Gustin (@grantgust) July 14, 2016
I really just dont understand the world right now. Its unnerving. What other choice but to just have hope that good will prevail.. Grant Gustin (@grantgust) July 14, 2016
Nice FR is one of my favorite places. Hate this. #nice kevin jonas (@kevinjonas) July 14, 2016
Im so sorry for all that is happening, Nice. We are grieving with you. We are worried with you. We love you. #PrayForNice Michaela Watkins (@michaelaWat) July 14, 2016
My God. Questlove Gomez (@questlove) July 14, 2016
WATCH: Brussels Explosions: Stars Send Out Prayers and Condolences as Death Toll Rises
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And now for their next trick ... Lionsgate and Beijing-based film company Leomus Pictures are set to co-produce a Chinese-language spinoff of magician thriller franchise Now You See Me.
The movie is being developed as an official U.S.-China co-production. It will be shot in China and feature a mostly Chinese cast.
"We're working closely with Lionsgate on the story," Leomus Pictures CEO Jie Qiu tells THR. "And a Hollywood writer will be involved to make sure the spinoff is aligned with the Now You See Me franchise and has the same level of quality."
Lionsgate and Leomus have good reason to be optimistic about the prospects for a Chinese-language addition to the franchise. In June, Now You See Me 2 debuted to $43.3 million in China, Lionsgate's biggest opening weekend ever in the country - and nearly double its bow in North America ($23 million). The sequel went head-to-head in China with Fox's Independence Day: Resurgence, which had nearly double the production budget. After three weeks on Chinese screens, Now You See Me 2 has earned $94.5 million, compared with Resurgence's $74.7 million. In North America, the Lionsgate film topped out at $63.7 million.
Leomus Pictures is a partner with Hunan TV in the Chinese broadcaster's $375 million slate financing deal with Lionsgate, which began last year. The company has handled China distribution on Drive Angry, Escape Plan and the first Now You See Me film - all of which grossed more in the Middle Kingdom than they did in North America.
See More: China Box Office: 2016's Biggest Movies So Far
Leomus was involved in Now You See Me 2 at an early stage, advising Lionsgate on how to localize the film for the fast-growing Chinese market.
The sequel featured returning stars Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and Morgan Freeman, with Daniel Radcliffe appearing as the villain and Lizzy Caplan replacing Isla Fisher. Taiwanese mega-star Jay Chou also joined in a supporting role, and the story takes place in the Chinese casino enclave of Macau.
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Leomus was instrumental in the casting of Chou and the selection of Macau as a shooting location. "We told them that even if it's a small role, the Chinese character must be meaningful and indispensable to the story," Qiu says. Past Hollywood productions have seen their efforts to woo Chinese fans backfire, after the casting of big name beloved local stars in minor parts was blasted on Chinese social media as pandering (see the response to Chinese actor Wang Xueqi's appearance in Iron Man 3).
Qiu says Chou was selected in part because of his well known off-screen love of magic tricks, which created authentic chemistry with the role and generated added curiosity among his fans. The studio also insisted that Chou have a place on the movie's international poster. "For the trailer, we cut a local version to emphasize the family connection between Mark Ruffalo's character and his father and then moved into the magic and the action," Qiu explains. "The U.S. trailer was more focused on the theme of revenge - an individualistic American feeling - and action. For Chinese people, family is much more important than individual desires and generally Chinese people are more introverted. We found our trailer tested much more successfully locally."
Leomus and Lionsgate also are exploring the possibility of producing Escape Plan 2 as a China co-production, Qiu adds.
See More: Shanghai Disneyland: An Inside Look at the Chinese Resort
By Andrea Shalal
FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - After 15 years of cost overruns and technical delays, the Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-35 fighter jet is now knocking out "enemy" forces in combat exercises and surviving attacks in a way that even U.S. military officials say they did not expect.
The new stealthy warplane wowed crowds at two UK air shows over the past week, showing off its capabilities in what U.S. officials say is part of a larger drive to boost NATO's defences and counter growing threats around the world.
But the real work is going on behind the scenes, including a series of combat exercises involving the more than 185 jets already delivered to the U.S. Marines Corp, Air Force and other countries such as Norway, Britain, the Netherlands and Australia; live fire weapons testing; and serious planning for how to use the jets in combat if needed.
There is some convincing to be done.
Critics say the F-35, at just under $100 million (75.8 million) per plane, is far more costly than alternatives; that it will initially lack the ability to fire certain weapons and that it may be less capable in dogfights than older models.
But U.S. officials argue the plane's sophisticated fusion technology will let it spot enemy jets from such a distance that it never get into an actual dogfight, and that its cost will drop to around $85 million by 2019, stepping up competition with rivals such as Boeing Co F/A-18 and Eurofighter.
Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall, who once described plans by his predecessors to buy three different F-35 models before they had been fully developed as "acquisition malpractice," said the programme had clearly turned a corner.
The Marine Corps' first operational squadron of 10 F-35B jets, which can take off from shorter runways and land like a helicopter, will move permanently to Iwakuni, Japan, in less than six months, to be joined by six more jets in June 2017 when the USS Wasp amphibious ship arrives in the region.
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"I cant wait to get the airplane out to the Pacific," Lieutenant General Jon Davis, deputy commandant for aviation, told Reuters in an interview. "Its tailor-made for that part of the world with its fifth generation capability and its expeditionary capabilities to land on a small ship or strip, and flow back and forth between those."
Davis says the F-35s are doing far better in combat exercises than expected, achieving so-called "kill ratios" of 24 to zero, and surviving every sort of simulated enemy attack.
"It is like watching a velociraptor going through. Everything in its path is killed," he told reporters.
"CONTINUOUS INVESTMENT"
Lockheed is building three variants of the F-35 for the U.S. military and 10 countries that plan to buy the jets: Britain, Australia, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, Israel, Japan and South Korea. The U.S. portion of the programme alone is slated to cost $379 billion, with a total of 3,000 jets to be fielded around the world in coming years.
Davis said the jets were ready for combat now if needed, a message echoed by Air Force General Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, which expects to declare an initial squadron of 12 F-35A jets ready for combat as early as next month.
Davis said the Marines were working on logistics for future missions and trying to ensure that small-deck carriers had enough bandwidth to take full advantage of the F-35's extensive data-gathering and sharing capabilities.
Air Force Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, who runs the F-35 programme for the Pentagon, said the jets' appearances at the UK air shows and other milestones were helping demonstrate to critics that the F-35 was more than "a paper airplane."
He said the world's largest weapons programme was still working through some software glitches, but was "on the right track" to complete its development programme in late 2017. He said it was likely take a real combat deployment or deterrence mission to dispel negative impressions after years of bad news.
"When we actually have the airplane out there ... and people realise how much of a leap in technology it is, then and only then will people start to realise that all the time and energy put into it is really worth it," Bogdan said in an interview.
He said the jets' performance in exercises like Red Flag showed that onboard radar sensors and electronic warfare equipment would give them a huge edge in future wars. While one-third to one-half of other aircraft would routinely be "killed" during tough exercises, no F-35s had been downed, he said.
The U.S. military is expected later this summer to review a series of upgrades planned for the jets over an eight-year period, that will cost just under $5 billion and add further weapons to the jet's capabilities - including the Small Diameter Bomb II built by Raytheon Co (RTN.N).
Pentagon acquisition chief Kendall told reporters the work was necessary to ensure the F-35 kept its technological edge as potential foes raced to develop technology that could defeat it.
"We can't be complacent about that," he said. "We have to stay ahead of that, and that requires continuous investment."
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mark Potter)
By PTI: Vellore (TN), July 15 (PTI) Over 3,500 ducks owned by a poultry farmer have died in a nearby village after consuming suspected polluted water on the Palar riverbed and tests have also ruled out any outbreak of disease for the en-masse deaths of the birds, a top official said here today.
Gopinath, a poultry farmer, had been rearing 3,500 ducks at nearby Periya Komeswaram village. The birds were found dead in bunches on June 13 and 14.
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"The ducks had drunk water stagnant on some stretches of the Palar riverbed. We suspect the water might have been heavily contaminated and toxic," said a top district animal husbandry official, who did not wish to be named.
He said tests carried out to ascertain if the ducks had died of any disease outbreak had confirmed that it was not so.
"Test result today confirmed that the deaths are not due to any disease outbreak. It was not due to any disease that affects birds (including ducks)," he told PTI.
"The poultry farmer has 1,000 more ducks and these are reared in a separate enclosure by him. These birds are confined to the enclosure and have not been affected."
He said only those ducks that drank water from the riverbed had died.
To a question, he said "such deaths happen when the level of toxicity in the water goes beyond a particular level."
He said an FIR has been registered and a forensic test would be done to determine the cause of ducks deaths.
Water samples from the riverbed and vital organs of the dead ducks are being sent for forensic test, he said.
Veterinary authorities are also seized of the matter and they are looking into it, he said.
The deaths occured close to nearby Ambur town, which houses many tanneries.
There have been charges from environmentalists that the Palar river and the riverbed areas have been polluted due to discharge of effluents let out by tanneries. PTI VGN APR SMJ
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By PTI: New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The HRD ministry today clarified that cases where candidates who have taken the NEET I medical exam and applied for NEET II but were unable to appear in it, will be placed before an Oversight Committee.
A student who has taken NEET 1 exam is allowed to sit for NEET II provided he gives a declaration that he will surrender the marks of the first exam.
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The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET II) exam for entrance to medical and dental colleges is scheduled for July 24 and will be conducted by CBSE, which comes under the HRD ministry.
HRD minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that in case a candidate appeared in NEET-I and applied for NEET-II but not paid the fee, his candidature for NEET-II will not be considered as the fee was not submitted and thus, his form has not been submitted successfully.
The registration issued to any candidate is basically a unique number. In the above case, result of NEET-I will be considered, he said.
In case, a candidate appeared in NEET-I and applied for NEET-II successfully but could not appear in NEET-II, such cases will be placed before the Oversight Committee for consideration of their NEET-I result, the minister clarified.
Any other case which will come to the notice will also be placed before the Committee for taking final decisions, ministry officials said.
The three-member Oversight Committee was constituted by the Supreme Court and comprises retired Chief Justice of India R M Lodha, Dr S K Sarin and former CAG Vinod Rai. PTI ADS SRY GSN SRY
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The big political question in 2016 is: Why are voters so angry? So angry that primary voters in the United States have selected an unqualified, bullying, factually challenged blowhard as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. So angry that British citizens voted to take a blind leap in the dark (aka Brexit), a move so rash that its leading advocates such as former London Mayor Boris Johnson and former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage initially fled from the consequences of their own actions. So angry millions of Democrats flocked to the quixotic campaign of Bernie Sanders, and so angry that right-wing extremists may still gain power in Austria, France, and possibly elsewhere.
There are plenty of obvious reasons for this resurgent populism beginning with the declining economic fortunes of the middle class but let me suggest another possibility. Could it be that voters around the world and especially here in the United States are simply fed up with a political class that repeatedly engages in self-serving misconduct yet walks away unscathed, leaving others to pay the price of their mistakes? Might that explain the willingness to put ones trust in people who dont look or sound like a responsible leader or a knowledgeable member of the elite? As British Tory Michael Gove put it before the Brexit vote, People in this country have had enough of experts. I fear he may be right.
Think back over the past 20 years or so. Whitewater and the tragic death of Vincent Foster may have been just fodder for right-wing conspiracy nuts, but Monica Lewinsky wasnt. Yet Bill Clinton managed to tell his fellow Americans a bare-faced lie and get away with it. Indeed, the whole saga of the Clinton family from Gennifer Flowers to the Clinton Foundation to Hillarys email server is one where they behaved as if there is one set of rules for ordinary people and a different set for them. That hardly makes the Clintons unique, of course, and it is fair to say that no other American politicians have faced such a relentless and well-funded partisan attack machine, determined to see scandal even where none existed. Even so, their history of sketchy conduct goes a long way to explaining why Hillarys negatives are as high as they are today.
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But the aversion to genuine accountability is really much broader. The Bush administration didnt want anyone to conduct a serious, independent investigation of the 9/11 attacks, and top officials tried to thwart the 9/11 Commission at every turn. They neednt have been so worried: The final report offered a riveting account of the 9/11 plot but declined to pass judgment on any U.S. officials for specific leadership failures. As Evan Thomas of Newsweek later commented: Not wanting to point fingers and name names the 9/11 Commission shied away from holding anyone personally accountable.
That same thing happened following revelations that U.S. personnel had seriously abused Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison. Even though, as Jane Mayer wrote in her book The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals, The lawlessness and cruelty on the ground in Iraq clearly stemmed from the policies at the top of the Bush administration, a series of internal government reports pinned the blame entirely on local commanders or enlisted personnel. The New York Times correctly labeled the Army inspector-generals report of these incidents a 300-page whitewash, and a separate report by a team of former government officials (handpicked by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld) acknowledged institutional and personal responsibility at higher levels but declined to identify any of the persons involved.
Nor should we forget the Obama administrations decision not to investigate the rest of the Bush-era torture regime justified by Barack Obamas belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backward and the strenuous resistance the Senate Intelligence Committee faced when it tried to investigate these abuses themselves. Nor does it seem to matter how often top intelligence officials get caught saying things that arent true; they somehow manage to keep their jobs and the full confidence of the president.
Similarly, instead of investigating possible malfeasance by financial institutions in the 2008 financial crisis, Washington chose to bail out the banks. In sharp contrast to earlier panics (including the Great Depression and the 1980s savings-and-loan scandal), hardly anybody on Wall Street was held accountable despite the deception and fraud that helped cause the collapse. Not surprisingly, railing against Wall Street became a central theme of Sanderss surprisingly successful presidential bid. Americans were angry at what happened, and even angrier that none of the people responsible suffered as they had.
And then theres the obvious double standard regarding the handling of classified information. The U.S. government classifies mountains of information for no good reason, yet whistleblowers and low-level officials who leak or mishandle it are likely to have their careers and lives ruined. But surprise, surprise: Former CIA directors and former secretaries of state get treated rather differently. Read this account here, and see if you can detect a clear or consistent rule of law operating in this area of national security.
It goes on. As I write this, Obama has just announced that the United States will be keeping 8,000-plus troops in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future. Ive lost track of how many commanders we have had in that war, but didnt they all strike a tone of measured optimism and tell us that just a bit more effort would win the day? Remember that surge back in 2009? Some of us knew it was unlikely to work, but apparently nobody in a position that mattered did. Meanwhile, weve squandered hundreds of millions of dollars on aid and reconstruction projects that often fail to achieve their stated objectives. But as Special Inspector for Afghanistan John Sopko recently stated, Nobody in our governments been held accountable, nobodys lost a pay raise, nobodys lost a promotion. Thats a problem.
And when accountability does take place, it is sometimes too late to do much good. A case in point is the release this week of the Chilcot Report, a detailed investigation of British decision-making in the run-up to the Iraq war. It is a damning indictment of Tony Blairs leadership and acumen: While absolving Blair of deliberate deceit, the report makes clear that he ignored expert warnings, presented conjectures as if they were demonstrated fact, and gravely underestimated the complications that toppling Saddam Hussein would produce. The report puts the final shovel of earth on Blairs reputation, but in the meantime hes made millions with some morally dubious consulting work and served as the ineffectual head of the mostly irrelevant Middle East Quartet.
But notice: Nothing even remotely like the Chilcot Report was produced here in the United States. Nobody in power wanted an official inquiry into the ways that the Iraq war was conceived and sold to the American people, and the blunders that were made along the way. This would have required a full accounting of the individuals and groups that came up with the idea, persuaded George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to embrace it after 9/11, and worked 24/7 to persuade politicians and the public to sign on. And the lack of any official account is one of the many reasons why the so-called neoconservatives who were the main architects of the disaster continue to exercise considerable influence in Washington despite two decades of consistent bad judgment.
The supreme irony is that this situation has opened the door for a con artist like Donald Trump, whose business career is littered with failed ventures and whose political career is built on a rickety tower of insults and lies. When insiders repeatedly evade accountability, public trust inevitably erodes. Eventually, some people become so frustrated and angry that they are willing to cast logic and evidence aside and just go with their gut instincts. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is Politics 2016.
Authors note: Reading over the above, I even sound a little angry to myself. It is therefore an opportune time for me to take a summer sojourn and give myself a chance to read, reflect, and (hopefully) relax. Ill be back in early August.
Photo credit: JABIN BOTSFORD/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Kardashian sisters are at war with a cosmetics distributor over a beauty line that bears their famous family name, according to a pair of complaints filed Wednesday in California federal court.
Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian are seeking an injunction against Haven Beauty and Hillair Capital for trademark infringement, violation of the right of publicity andassociation over the companies' Kardashian Beauty line.
The Kardashians claim in 2012 they granted an exclusive five-year license to Boldface Licensing + Branding to use their names, images, trademarks and likenesses for the cosmetics line so long as all uses were approved in writing by the sisters first. The "Kardashian Image" includes each sister's name, fame, nickname, initials, autograph and voice, along with actual images and video.
According to the complaint, Boldface ran into financial trouble in 2013 and Hillair offered millions in loans in the form of secured convertible debt, which it later forced the company to convert to preferred equity. With Boldface underwater, Hillair sued and the court appointed a receiver to sell the company's assets, including the license agreement. Hillair bid on and won the Boldface assets and the license agreement and founded what would become Haven Beauty.
Under the agreement, the sisters claim they were entitled to royalties from the sales of Kardashian Beauty products and, as of February 2016, they hadn't received a dime. So their attorney sent a letter informing Hillair it was breaching the license agreement.
"Specifically, the February Breach Letter demands payment of the royalties and legal fees incurred by the Kardashians from various legal actions relating to products sold under the License Agreement, and demanded that Hillair stop its unauthorized use of the Kardashian Images," states the complaint. In response, the Kardashians claim, Hillair filed a lawsuit in L.A. County Superior Court and chose not to name Haven in an effort to avoid the arbitration clause. The court granted the stars' motion to compel arbitration anyway and stayed the case in June.
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Meanwhile, Haven's CFO Jeanene Morgan contacted the Kardashians' general counsel Todd Wilson to request consent on a new line of products. Wilson was "puzzled" given the litigation, but told Morgan she could send samples of the product but nothing would be approved until the dispute with Haven and Hillair was resolved.
The Kardashians claim they made a last-ditch effort to allow Hillair and Haven to pay the royalties owed, and the companies made it clear they would not comply unless the Kardashians paid damages for failing to provide marketing support for the products. The reality stars claim under their agreement that support is dependent on royalties having been paid up to date.
The Kardashians sent a notice of immediate termination on July 8 and claim Haven not only refused to accept it but also launched a new line products using the "Kardashian Image" without authorization.
Because the license agreement contains a mandatory arbitration provision, most of this will play out behind closed doors - but their contract allows for injunctive relief to be sought in open court. The sisters are seeking a temporary restraining order to bar Haven and Hillair from using their names, likenesses, identities and personas pending the outcome of mandatory arbitration through JAMS.
Later Wednesday, Haven filed its own temporary injunction against the Kardashian sisters, along with their personal services companies, claiming they're the ones who breached the licensing deal.
Haven claims the Kardashians attempted to "terminate the License and destroy Haven" because they were unhappy with the deal they made with the financier of the cosmetic line, Hillair. According to the complaint, efforts to renegotiate that deal failed and the sisters retained a lawyer to fabricate breaches by Haven to end the agreement.
"They failed to take any action, lying in wait until 12:07 a.m. on July 8, 2016 - the day of Haven's launch of the new KB line, which the Kardashians knew about for months - to email notice of termination of the License "effective immediately," timed to cause maximum damage and disruption to the business," states the complaint. "They then proceeded to publicly disavow association with Haven and the KB products and publicly accuse Haven of trademark infringement."
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Haven claims after its inception in 2014 it repaired strained relationships with retailers and developed new products, packaging and an e-commerce site. "To date, Haven has spent nearly $9,900,000 in support of the KB line," states the complaint, which alleges the reality stars didn't live up to their end of the deal by failing to promote the line and publicly supporting competitors.
"The Kardashians have failed and refused to perform their marketing and promotional duties in support of the KB line, while blatantly violating Haven's exclusivity rights by repeatedly using the Kardashian name and image to promote competing cosmetics products and by disparaging Haven and the KB line," states the complaint.
Haven is seeking a temporary restraining order to preserve the status quo. "It is scarcely possible to imagine a clearer case of irreparable harm," states the complaint. "If the Kardashians' wrongful actions are allowed to stand, a multi-million dollar business will be destroyed."
From the sisters' perspective, preserving the status quo would mean honoring the termination.
The Kardashians' attorney Michael Kump tells The Hollywood Reporter: "We believe that the license agreement was properly terminated and that Haven Beauty and Hillair have no right to be using the Kardashians' trademarks, names or images in any manner whatsoever."
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In the early 1980s, Ivan Reitman got a call from an old friend, Dan Aykroyd, who wanted to talk about a 70-page movie treatment he had written, inspired in part by his father and grandfather's fascination with the supernatural.
Aykroyd - whose dad wrote the book A History of Ghosts and whose granddad tried to make contact with spirits through radio waves - had set his story in the future, largely in outer space. It was a wild, chaotic symphony of brilliant ideas, centered on two men to be played by Aykroyd and John Belushi. But in those days long before CGI, not all of his notions were filmable, let alone dramatically coherent.
Over breakfast at Art's Deli in Studio City, Calif., Reitman, the director of such hit comedies as 1979's Meatballs and 1981's Stripes, told Aykroyd that the story would work much better if it were set in the present day and in a city like New York. Aykroyd, who had worked with Reitman in Canadian television, readily agreed, and the director signed on to make the movie.
That was the beginning of Ghostbusters, the 1984 film that has become a comedy classic. It was also the beginning of a frenetic race to make the picture in little more than a year after Columbia Pictures" Frank Price greenlighted it for $30 million without knowing anything except its title, its premise and its stars.
Read More: 'Ghostbusters' Director Ivan Reitman Says Reboot Criticism Stems From Nostalgia Over Original Film
Bill Murray had already signed on when Reitman boarded the project; but Belushi's death of a drug overdose in 1982 meant the cast had to be rethought, as well as the plot.
Over a couple of weeks, two writers, Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, huddled with Reitman in Martha's Vineyard to craft the script, even as the director was searching for someone who could handle the movie's massive special effects, and Columbia's board pondered whether it had committed a terrible mistake in betting so much money on a comedy.
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When the picture opened in June 1984, it proved a sensation. It spawned a sequel, a whole new genre of FX comedies, and the current reimagining, the new Ghostbusters that is opening today, which Reitman produced with Amy Pascal.
In his own words, Reitman tell the inside story.
* * *
Dan Aykroyd wrote a 70- or 80-page treatment called Ghostbusters, a two-hander for John Belushi and himself. It was about two or three years before I ever got involved, but it never got made because, unfortunately, John passed away. It sat on a shelf somewhere, and Aykroyd may have spoken to other actors, but I'm not aware of it. There are some rumors that he had a conversation with Eddie Murphy about it, but we never really discussed that, so I don't know.
He finally had a conversation with Bill Murray just after I did Meatballs and Stripes with Bill. Bill thought it was a good idea, and Aykroyd called me and said, "Once you read this, tell me what you think." And I read it.
It took place in the future, mostly in outer space. There were competing groups of ghostbusters; it seemed to be a common profession. And there were all sorts of extraordinary apparitions and monsters. It was a remarkably complicated sci-fi movie that would be hard to do today, never mind back in the pre-CGI era.
I thought Danny had created a genius idea, it just wasn't set right. So I invited him to breakfast at Art's Delicatessen in the [San Fernando] Valley. I knew him: When I'd just started working in Toronto, I did some television [game show] on a budget of $500 a week - no exaggeration - and Aykroyd was the studio announcer.
I said, "Look, I love this idea that there are people whose job is to catch ghosts and act like firemen. But it should have a contemporary setting, a big city that we know, like New York. There's something [better] about seeing apparitions in a context that we understand, like in our living rooms or on our city streets, rather than in a void in outer space in the future sometime."
He said, "That's cool."
Reitman, far right, directs a scene from the 1984 Ghostbusters.
And I said, "Actually, the story of their formation would be good." And I pitched this idea that these guys were paranormal investigators - like, looking at paranormal studies at a university in some kind of postgraduate study program. They get in trouble, they get kicked out, and then they fortuitously set up a business. That was what I pitched at this breakfast and he said, "That's all cool."
He was very, very generous with me, but he's known for that and he just wants what's best for his stories.
I also suggested bringing Harold Ramis in. Harold and I had worked together, starting on [1978's] Animal House, and I brought him in to Meatballs, had him co-star in Stripes. I thought he would be able to execute my point of view more clearly than Aykroyd could in terms of the tone that I thought would be necessary. And Danny loved this idea.
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Within a week I was in [Columbia Pictures president] Frank Price's office - it was just Frank and Marvin Antonowsky [Columbia's head of marketing]. Frank had bought Stripes on a pitch and it turned out really well, and now this was going to be the next movie, he thought.
So he said, "What do you want to do?" And I pitched Ghostbusters in much the way I'd pitched it to Aykroyd at the breakfast, and he said, "Wow, that sounds great. How much do you think it will cost?" Stripes had cost $10 million, and I said, "Maybe three times as much." I just pulled a number from the air and said, "$30 million."
He said, "OK, you got it."
I said, "You mean you're greenlighting this?"
He said, "Yeah. You make it for $30 million. It's Bill and Danny and Harold, right?"
I said, "Yep."
And he said, "The only restriction is, you have to deliver it ready for theaters on June 8, 1984."
This was May 1983, so we had 13 months from that meeting. There was no script, no effects house and no starting date.
About three weeks later, the Ramis family, the Reitman family and the Aykroyd family all went to Martha's Vineyard. We had three separate homes that we'd rented. Danny actually had his own house; he'd been living there. We all would meet every single day in his basement. And basically we wrote Ghostbusters together. It was really a nonstop enterprise over a two-and-a-half-week period.
We were meeting about six hours a day, and the guys would go off and write on their own for about four or five hours a day. And then I would bring it in and I would do a polish and we would pitch new ideas to each other. We'd have combined family dinners, but everybody understood we had to get a usable document by the time we left there a week after the July Fourth weekend.
[The hardest part of the writing] was figuring out, what's really going on? What's the bad guy doing? Who is the bad guy? How do these ghosts manifest themselves? The biggest leap for me was the concept of the Marshmallow Man, which we took from Aykroyd's original treatment. It was one of many elaborate creatures in his treatment. But there was just something special about it that tickled me. But over the course of the writing, it was always the thing I was the most worried about. [Up to the point in the story when the Marshmallow Man appears] we're dealing in relatively believable storytelling. But a 110-foot Marshmallow Man walking down Central Park West? That's something else.
Aykroyd, Murray and Ramis with Reitman on the Ghostbusters set.
The Marshmallow Man was the same [in the final film] as it was in the initial concept. Dan had a friend who had done a rough sketch of this goofy Marshmallow Man, and he also had this "No Ghost" stop-sign symbol. Michael Gross, who worked with me as a producer and was one of the former art directors of the National Lampoon magazine, cleaned up that "No Ghost" symbol to what it is now, but that's the genesis of one of the most famous trademark icons in the world.
We were in a constant hurricane, just trying to get everything done. There was only one big visual effects house and that was ILM [Industrial Light and Magic], and Steven Spielberg had already booked it for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, so they weren't available. Everybody else was too small for the job. We had something like 630 [effects shots]. But there was Richard Edlund, who had done Star Trek. I thought, "Let's hire him and build a company around him." So I got Columbia to advance $5 million to Edlund to set up his own company, to buy the equipment that was necessary.
This all happened literally while we were writing the script in Martha's Vineyard. Frank Price just believed in this idea and stood up for it.
[When it came to casting], the biggest castmember to find was the part of Dana Barrett, and a number of people came in. Julia Roberts was one of the first. I thought she was spectacular and I turned to my casting director, saying, "She's going to be a big star." And then Sigourney Weaver walked in.
Now, Sigourney was slightly older, had just done [1979's] Alien and she was so smart about the script. She said, "You know, I really think that Dana Barrett should be possessed. She should be like that dog on the roof." And then she got on all fours on my coffee table, howling like a dog!
She was funny and had a regality, and having her with my Ghostbusters was like having Margaret Dumont with the Marx Brothers. Right after she left my office, I called Harold Ramis and said: "Harold, Sigourney Weaver just started howling like a dog in my office. She said that she should get possessed by the dog and turn into a dog," and I thought, "Damn, that's a really good idea." We had been having all this trouble about how to handle what happens on the roof in the last act, and we hadn't solved it. Her idea of being possessed really personalized the larger concept - and that got included in the script. She was barely out of my office and we were writing it already.
Read More: Harold Ramis' Daughter to Fans: "Stop Using My Dad as an Excuse to Hate" New 'Ghostbusters'
I'd worked with John Candy on his first American film, Stripes, and I sent him the script and said, "I think I've got something really great for you." It took him a couple days before he called back. He said, "I'm not sure I'm getting it." I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "I don't see the character. Maybe if I played him with a German accent, he'd be funny. And I could have a couple of German shepherds." There were these two dogs already and I thought, there's too many dogs. He finally passed. Then Rick Moranis read it and called me and said, "Look, just between you and me, John Candy is an idiot. This is an amazing part and I know exactly what to do." He was an extraordinary addition.
I had now directed two movies with Bill Murray and I knew what that experience was going to be like, just how much he brings to the table on a daily basis. The problem with Bill was [pinning him down]. He'd been shooting in France, and I remember Danny and I going to JFK and picking him up to make sure he was on the plane.
The first day that Bill arrived, we picked him up, threw a costume and a backpack on him, and he came out on the street with the other guys. I had them walk down Madison Avenue as if they were running toward something, and we started shooting. It was the first shot we ever shot, and they looked so good. Even before the cameras rolled, I got this shiver down my back. I said, "I think we're going to do something special here." It was like a premonition.
We started shooting in New York sometime in the middle of October 1983. We shot there for six weeks solid, and I loved shooting in the city. It was much easier than it is now. They let me close down major avenues, [though afterward] there were reports that some kind of terrible earthquake happened on Central Park West.
I had a mechanical effects crew that was second-to-none, because we ended up having to do a lot live on camera. The card catalog scene in the library was done live. I remember bringing my young son, Jason, who was then about 5 - he's become quite a good filmmaker - to the set. He was usually bored watching his dad work, but on that day he just freaked out when all the card catalogs started flying. The first thing he said was, "Wow, that's so neat! Do it again!'
The card-catalog scene was all compressed air. Air and strings. We only did about three takes, and I had three or four cameras: one right on the cards in close-up, one on [the librarian] reacting to the cards flying around her; and a couple of big wide shots. I conducted it like a musical piece: each [card catalog that burst open] had a number, and I remember calling, "One, four, two," and the cards would come flying out.
We shot in New York for six weeks, then just before Christmas we flew to Los Angeles and started filming there between Christmas and New Year's and all the way through January. We shot at the Burbank Studios and built a huge set.
[The toughest part was shooting] everything on the roof, because it was hot and it was a combination of visual effects, comedy and scale. We built this high platform, and just to climb up and move all the cameras was complicated.
[Production designer] John DeCuir Sr. created this extraordinary practical set, and we shot there on this large stage doing the rooftop sequence. We'd never do this today - I mean, everything else would be done CGI or greenscreen. But he painted this huge 360-degree backdrop that went around this large stage. We had painters paint the city of New York, and there were bits of lights attached to it so that things would twinkle in the far distance, and we even added little planes and models on wires to animate the backdrops.
To light it we needed pretty well every big electrical fixture in the city, and about four generators added to all of the studio power. While we were shooting, no other production could go at the Burbank Studios because we were using all of the electricity that was available.
The whole shoot was about 62 days, which was kind of remarkable. We finished shooting at the end of January 1984. Sheldon Kahn, my editor, had a cut three weeks after we completed shooting. He'd send me black-and-white sequence reels as we were shooting, because I knew we were going to be really under the gun getting the movie ready for the June 8 promised date. I had to hold up my end of the bargain with Mr. Price. I was cutting while we were shooting and that was very helpful, because I got into a real sense of what the rhythm and pacing should be.
In a strange way, it was not strenuous. I've had much harder shoots that kept me up. This one was touched by angels. The great thing is, I was working with these comedy geniuses, the most brilliant, funny people in the English language.
Three weeks after we completed shooting, I had Columbia Pictures recruit 200 people off the street to see this movie called Ghostbusters. I thought, "Screw it, let's just show the movie with very few visual effects shots and see if the story works.'
We showed it on the lot; they had a nice little theater on the second floor. I got up in front of the audience and said, "Look, one day there'll be a lot of special effects in this film and none of them are done, but I think you're going to get it.'
It was extraordinary. They started laughing and applauding. When [Weaver] opens up her fridge, we didn't have anything to show there, so we just said "shot missing," and the audience went crazy. We only had two or three shots of the Marshmallow Man, mostly close-ups of the head - because it was really a guy with a rubber head over his own head, shot against miniatures. They started screaming and applauding as soon as they saw the head in its very first close-up. That told us that we didn't have to worry.
Ghostbusters opened at No. 1 and stayed No. 1 every single week of that summer in 1984 except for one, when a Clint Eastwood film [Tightrope] knocked it to No. 2. It dethroned Animal House as the No. 1 comedy up to that point.
It was a helluva ride.
Reitman, Murray, Ramis and Weaver during the filming of the 1984 Ghostbusters.
By Beh Lih Yi JAKARTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Two men were charged in a Malaysian court on Friday over the killing of an indigenous land rights defender, in a case which has cast a spotlight on tribespeople's decades-long struggle for recognition. The duo were respectively charged with the murder and abetting in the murder of Bill Kayong in the city of Miri, in the eastern state of Sarawak last month, police said. Kayong - a Dayak, one of the many indigenous tribes in Sarawak - was shot dead in broad daylight in his pick-up truck, prompting outcry from activists linking the murder to his fight for tribal land rights. Police have refused to confirm whether there were any links to land disputes. "Their motive will be known once the trial commences," Miri deputy police chief Stanley Ringgit told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. He said police were still hunting for three other suspects. Indigenous land rights have been a contentious issue in Sarawak, part of the vast island of Borneo which is shared between Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. Activists have long blamed the rapid expansion of palm oil plantations, rampant logging and a wave of dam-building for causing environmental damage and displacing indigenous people. Tribespeople have staged protests in the past, and have set up road blockades in a bid to stop some mega-projects. Land rights activists said Kayong, who was active in politics and had stood as an opposition candidate in a recent state election, was involved in a land case involving a plantation company before his killing. The firm has been trying to evict some 120 tribal families in remote Sarawak, in a dispute since 2014 which has been brought to court and a verdict is still pending, said Abun Sui Anyit, the legal adviser of the Sarawak Dayak Association. "There was a confrontation between the two sides in April and Kayong had gone there to help calm the indigenous people," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Abun, who is also a lawyer representing Kayong's family, urged the authorities to get to the bottom of the matter, and go after the "big fish". "The family is not happy because the mastermind is still at large. They want the truth, they want to know who is the person that has paid the killer," he said. Kayong leaves behind a wife and two teenage children. London-based environmental campaign group Global Witness said Kayong's killing "shows the risks faced by activists in Sarawak who stand up to the powerful interests behind land grabbing and environmental devastation". Campaigners have accused authorities of turning a blind eye to harassment against those who speak up on land rights. The lawyer of the two accused, Ranbir Singh Sangha, said no pleas were recorded. Both face the death penalty if convicted. (Reporting by Beh Lih Yi @behlihyi, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org)
Long before the truck rampage that killed at least 84 people in Nice on Thursday, the French Riviera city was a focal point in the broad network that sends young recruits to fight with jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq.
One jihadist recruiter in particular put Nice on the map for Frances counterterrorism officials: Omar Diaby, also known as Omar Omsen. Diaby rose to prominence after he produced a series of online propaganda videos. Following reports in August 2015 that he was killed in Syria, he reappeared in a French television report in May, claiming that he had faked his death in order to receive medical treatment.
Diaby was reportedly born in Dakar, Senegal in 1976, and grew up in Nice. Involved in criminal activity in his youth, he spent time in prison, and like many former inmates in France, he came to espouse extremism.
Read More: The Desperate Race to Save the Youngest Victims of the Nice Attack
He first gained notoriety as early as 2012 as the producer of a series of crude videos urging Muslims to struggle against the west. The multi-part series remixes images of atrocities against Muslims with footage of religious sermons and even film dramatizations of the Muslim battle against the crusaders. The series is titled 19HH, after the 19 hijackers in the September 11 attacks.
Diaby reportedly left for Syria in the summer of 2013, joining the Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, although according to some reports he has since broken with the group. He was said to lead a group of fighters on the ground in Syria. In August 2015, he was reported killed by Syrian regime fire, but his death was never confirmed.
Read More: This Is How We Must Respond to the Terror Attack in Nice
Then, in May, the television channel France 2 announced that it had been in contact with Diaby and obtained footage of him from inside his camp in Syria. The emir Omar Omsen is not dead. His death was announced for a very precise reason, Diabv told journalist Romain Boutilly.
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Diaby claimed that he had spread news of his own death so that he could cross the border to Turkey in order to have surgery. He then allowed a cameraman to film him in Syria, directing which shots would be allowed, and then sent the footage to France 2. A short clip from the footage shows armed men driving through what appears to be a small Syrian town, and then arriving at a camp in a clearing in front of a cluster of pine trees.
TIME was unable to immediately verify the footage. Asked about the reports, Michael S. Smith, of the Kronos Advisory security consultancy says, It would not be the first time a false death claim has been made about an IS member for the purpose of improving their maneuverability in the West.
Read More: Why France Has Become the Number One Target for Terror
Diaby also gave an interview to at least one other foreign journalist, from the Daily Beast.
Back in Diabys former home in Nice, the city had become a node in the web of jihadist recruitment. By the start of 2016, at least 55 residents of Nice and the surrounding area had gone to fight with ISIS and other groups, according to The Economist.
By PTI: Islamabad, Jul 15 (PTI) Pakistan has shot off letters to the UN Secretary-General, the Security Council President, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Secretary- General of the OIC, expressing "serious concern" over the violence in Kashmir.
Prime Ministers Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz has addressed letters to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of the UN Security Council Koro Bessho, Secretary- General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Iyad bin Amin Madani and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein to express Pakistans "serious concern on the alarming situation" in Kashmir.
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An official statement said today that the letters were written to draw "attention to the brutal killings of innocent civilians and grave violations of the fundamental human rights of the Kashmiris...."
"In his letters to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, the Adviser noted that in these times of democracy and accountability, the international community, led by the United Nations, cannot remain passive to the callous behaviour and grave violations of human rights by India" in Kashmir over the last many decades, the statement said.
Aziz noted that non-resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was a constant source of tension and instability in the region and a threat to international peace and security.
Continuing to needle India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today also declared slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a "martyr" and said July 19 will be observed as black day to protest "atrocities" against Kashmiris by Indian security forces. PTI SH ASK GSN ASK
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MEXICO CITY, July 14 (Reuters) - Mexican cement maker Cemex said on Thursday it had amortized debt worth $352.95 million that was due to expire in 2022, as part of its refinancing strategy to lower costs.
Cemex, which has been selling assets to cut debt, announced an offer to buy back up to $400 million in debt in April, but had said it would not buy back more than $150 million of the 2022 debt.
However, on Thursday Cemex said debtholders agreed to an early tender of the 9.375 percent notes falling due in 2022, with the company agreeing to pay $352.946 million.
Cemex said it expected to make the payment on July 19. It was not clear why Cemex amortized more than it had previously contemplated.
(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is set to be a dad again at age 72, Billboard has confirmed.
Jagger is expecting a child with 29-year-old ballerina girlfriend Melanie Hamrick his eighth and her first. The Sun was the first to report the news. Jagger and Hamrick began dating in 2014.
The news comes not even two months after the news that Jaggers Stones bandmate Ronnie Wood welcomed twins at age 68.
Rolling Stones Ronnie Wood Becomes Father to Twins at 68
Jagger has only been married once, to Bianca Jagger, with whom he had daughter Jade. He currently has seven children with four women, including four kids daughter Lizzie, son James (who starred in HBOs Vinyl), daughter Georgia and son Gabriel with longtime partner Jerry Hall.
The Rolling Stones are set to play the inaugural Desert Trip in Indio, Calif., for back-to-back weekends in October and also have one date scheduled for Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena later that month.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, endorsing Sen. Ted Cruz for president in March. (Photo: Reuters/Carlo Allegri)
CLEVELAND Mike Lee climbed out on a limb here Thursday evening, publicly aligning himself with an effort to potentially deny Donald Trump the Republican presidential nomination at the partys national convention next week.
Lee, a U.S. senator from Utah, stood and voted with a group of Republicans who were trying to allow all 2,472 delegates to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily for the candidate to whom they were pledged. He had arrived here the subject of interest and curiosity, and was lobbied and buttonholed by the Trump campaign before publicly supporting the effort to free the delegates.
It didnt work. A well-organized effort by a squad of veteran Republican operatives, working on behalf of the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, dealt the conscience vote effort a stinging defeat in the convention Rules Committee. The motion didnt get anywhere close to enough votes to send it to the full committee.
Trumps supporters on the committee and at the RNC went out of their way to ensure the efforts defeat, preventing Lee and the other supporters of the measure from debating it, and not even allowing anything more than a voice vote.
Lee denounced the result in the room in front of the 112 committee members and a large contingent of reporters, and then spoke exclusively with Yahoo News for 15 minutes afterward in a room down the hall.
In the committee meeting, Lee did not concede that Trump who is now all but certain to be named the GOPs nominee next Wednesday night will in fact be the partys choice.
I hope whoever the nominee is going to be this time will in fact win over the delegates, Lee said. But rules like this are not going to help that.
He seemed to hint at the prospect of a demonstration on the floor of the convention, noting that as we will see in a few days the angst among many anti-Trump delegates or those with serious reservations about Trump isnt just going to go away.
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When I asked Lee if there would be an attempted revolt on the floor of the convention, he was evasive, likely because he needs to collect his thoughts and also perhaps keep Trumps campaign off balance. I dont know. I dont know, he said. When I asked if he would speak out over the next few days, before the convention starts Monday, to protest the RNCs strong-armed treatment of the conscience vote delegates, he was again noncommittal. Well see, he said.
But it is a remarkable fact that a sitting U.S. senator would even contemplate such a move. Lee swore that he is not anti-Trump as much as he is committed to making the partys convention matter.
The fact that we have a convention in addition to a primary has to mean something, he said. Any time you have a set of primaries and then a convention, I think whoever is going to be the nominee needs to win both.
I dont view this as a Never Trump effort. That isnt the point. The point is there are delegates who have yet to be won over. He needs to win them over, Lee said.
Its clear, however, that Lees commitment to push for an unbinding of the delegates was driven in large part by the freshman senators deep unease about the GOPs 70-year-old presumptive nominee. Lee said in May that Trump scares me to death and just last month went off on Trumps religiously intolerant statements about a potential Muslim ban. Lee has also raised the prospect that Trump might be an authoritarian president.
He reiterated those concerns about Trump to me on Thursday night. If he came out with a strong message, a strong focus on federalism and separation of powers, that would help a lot of people become convinced that hes not going to be an authoritarian, that hes not going to be an autocrat in office, Lee said.
And he said that even if the delegates had been allowed to vote their consciences, the odds are overwhelmingly I mean really overwhelmingly that Donald Trump would have still gotten the nomination. That is likely overstating it. If a revolt had been allowed to grow, all bets would have been off as to what would happen.
But Lee said that the putdown of the conscience effort could spark a backlash.
Now if we do it this way, I think the pressure doesnt just go away. I think doing it that way would have allowed for some of the steam to be released, some of the pressure. This doesnt just go away, he said.
Lee, a lawyer who has clerked on the Supreme Court and who keeps his emotions in check, became unusually animated only once in our conversation as he talked about the message from pro-Trump forces that all delegates should line up behind the presumptive nominee.
Instead of focusing on a message that could truly unite the party, youve got all these people in there who are shouting about Darn it, weve got to be united, Lee said, his voice rising. And to be united weve got to shut you guys up. Weve got to lock up the rules, so that anyone who disagrees with us will be silenced. Thats how were going to be unified.
All day Thursday, members of the Trump campaign, the RNC and others in the GOP called, emailed and buttonholed Lee.
A lot of people put on a lot of pressure one way or another, whether it was in the media or social media. I certainly got a lot of calls from a lot of people in the party and within the Trump campaign who wondered what I was going to do, who were nervous, Lee said. I was very candid with them, every single one of them, including especially the people with the Trump campaign. I told every single one of them: These are my concerns. I am very concerned that if you clamp down on this, this is not going to be good for you, and its not going to be good for the party.
The RNC delayed the start of the Rules Committee for five hours to allow the whip operation to lean on Lee and others on the committee, and then voted a little before 9 p.m. to keep working as late as it took to finish all their amendments.
The tactic caught the conscience crowd off guard. They had expected to end around 6 p.m., giving them time for a planning session and some rest before a full fight on their motion on Friday. And having been put off balance, they were easy prey for a well-planned and well-executed series of parliamentary moves by pro-Trump forces to put them on the defense, isolate them, cut off debate and quickly kill their motion.
Trump forces gloated in the aftermath of their victory.
Anti-Trump people get crushed at Rules Committee. It was never in doubt, tweeted Trump senior adviser Paul Manafort.
But Kendal Unruh, a Rules Committee member from Colorado who spearheaded the conscience effort, said a floor fight is inevitable.
Lee will decide over the next few days if he will publicly and actively urge such a path. But regardless of his decision, the long-term effects of what took place Thursday will reverberate for some time in ways that are not possible to predict.
This convention will be over in a few days, but weve got the rest of the year to think about. Weve got what happens less than four months from now, weve got the next year, the next three years, the next 30 years, Lee said. Weve got freedoms to protect and preserve, and weve got to focus on what it is we want our party to be, what it is that we want to stand for.
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Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Donald Trumps running mate, attracted national attention last year when he signed a religious freedom law that members of the LGBT community said could worsen discrimination against them.
After criticism from the business community, Pence signed an amendment to the law intended to protect gays and lesbians.
But it was not his first brush with criticism from the LGBT community. A self-described Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order, the former member of Congress was a prominent conservative figure in battles over marriage equality and equal rights in the last decade.
Read More: Donald Trump Names Veep Pick on Twitter
Here are some of the statements and positions Pence had has related to LGBT issues:
He said gay couples signaled societal collapse
In 2006, as head of the Republican Study Committee, a group of the 100 most-conservative House members, Pence rose in support of a constitutional amendment that would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman. Citing a Harvard researcher, Pence said in his speech, societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family. Pence also called being gay a choice and said keeping gays from marrying was not discrimination, but an enforcement of Gods idea.
He opposed a law that would prohibit discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would have banned discrimination against people based on sexual orientation. Pence voted against that law in 2007 and later said the law wages war on freedom and religion in the workplace.
More than 20 years after the bill was first introduced, the Senate approved the proposal in 2013, but the bill failed in the House.
Read More: Why Donald Trump Picked Mike Pence as Running Mate
He opposed the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell
Pence favored the longtime military policy of not letting soldiers openly identify as gay. In 2010, Pence told CNN he did not want to see the military become a backdrop for social experimentation. The policy ended in 2011.
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He rejected the Obama administration directive on transgender bathrooms
In May, the federal government directed school districts to allow students to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. The directive came as criticism crescendoed around a North Carolina law that would have restricted the use of bathrooms.
Along with many other conservatives, Pence opposed Obamas directive and said it was a state issue. The federal government has not business getting involved in issues of this nature, Pence said.
Read More: Mike Pence, Donald Trumps Running Mate, Disagrees With Him on These 3 Issues
Gov. Mike Pence at a press conference last year at the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis, Ind. Pence spoke about the states controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which has been condemned by business leaders and Democrats. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)
As soon as Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was named Donald Trumps running mate Friday, it began.
Pence, wrote conservative writer David French on Twitter, is a strong conservative no longer. French said that Pence had groveled before Salesforce.com.
It was a reference to the 2015 episode in Indiana in which Pence signed a religious liberty bill into law, only to backtrack and change it after a furious backlash from gay rights groups and private sector businesses.
The incident created deep pockets of mistrust among religious conservatives about Pences commitment to the cause that is arguably the most important current issue for them.
Pence coulda been the guy who stopped progressive corporate bullying before it really got started. He gave it life, French wrote.
Pence signed a Religious Freedom Restoration Act in late March of 2015, in anticipation of the Supreme Courts ruling legalizing gay marriage, which came in June of that year. Many states have versions of this law, which generally forbid governmental interference with religious beliefs and practices, but Indianas which also applied to private businesses was considered unusually broad.
Pence was blindsided by the firestorm that erupted, as major corporations and private organizations under pressure from gay rights groups who said the law was discriminatory issued denunciations and boycott threats.
Slideshow: Mike Pence through the years >>>
Pence then asked the legislature to tweak the law to make it more friendly to gay rights groups. This angered conservative religious allies while failing to satisfy LBGT advocates. But the business community was mollified.
He managed to flub both sides of that debate, to take both sides, and to enrage both sides, with no good outcome for either side, while appearing deer in headlights through it all, one evangelical leader told Yahoo News this week.
Indeed, the immediate reaction from a top aide to Hillary Clinton, John Podesta, was to point to the RFRA bill signed by Pence despite the changes he made and to label him the most extreme [vice presidential] pick in a generation.
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And on the right, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council rejected Pence, telling NBC News that Trump can do better with someone who has not capitulated on something as fundamental as religious freedom.
Mark Hemingway of the Weekly Standard wrote Thursday that Pences actions surrounding Indianas RFRA controversy (and to a lesser extent, his cozying up to the unprincipled and amoral Trump) seem positively Judas-like.
But some evangelical leaders have forgiven him. Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America, said a Pence selection would indicate Trump is moving in the right direction and is showing that hes taking the Evangelical Christian voting bloc seriously.
And Ross Douthat, a New York Times columnist, pointed out that Pences retreat on the religious liberty issue, coupled with an expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare, had an appeal to blue collar Trump supporters who care less about culture war issues and more about maintaining government benefits. Pences flip-flop on Medicaid/wimping out on RFRA actually fits well w/Trumps working class/secular primary coalition, Douthat wrote on Twitter.
On the other hand, one Republican staffer who worked with Pence when he was a congressman said, Of all the politicians Ive seen operate firsthand over the years, I cant think of one that I respect less than that guy. Makes sense he would sign up for this.
The staffer said Pence had applied an implicit religious test for staffers of a conservative group inside the House Republican Conference, which the then-Congressman had just been elected to head.
He fired all the staff, said if they wanted to stay they should reapply. That night he held a voluntary prayer study that they were all invited to, the staffer said.
Erick Erickson, founder of the Resurgent.com and a talk radio host in Georgia, has been a vociferous critic of Trump and wrote in April that Pences failure to oppose Trump had disillusioned him. In Congress, Mike Pence was the standard bearer for conservatism. It was his cause, Erickson wrote. I am now so thoroughly disappointed in him.
Some 9/11 hijackers had links to officials in the Saudi government, according to 28 formerly classified pages released Friday from the joint congressional investigation into the attack.
In 2002 a joint congressional investigation looked into possible intelligence failures that led to the attacks, but these 28 pages were kept classified, leading to speculation that they possessed details about Saudi links to the hijackers.
U.S. lawmakers had wanted to release the documents, but the FBI wanted the pages to remain classifiedand indeed many details in the pages are redacted. As our colleague David Graham reported, former Senator Bob Graham of Florida, who chaired the Senate side of the congressional investigation, has tried to get the pages released for years. He has said there is no security reason for the U.S. government to keep them secret. And while he hasnt been able to discuss what is in the pages because they were classified, he had promised a real smoking gun.
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The pages that were released Friday appear to fall short of that promisethough they do raise questions about senior Saudi officials and their connections, sometimes tenuous, to some of the hijackers. The pages allege that while some of the hijackers were in the U.S., they were in contact with, and at times received assistance from, people in the Saudi government, including two Saudi intelligence officers. Officials in the Saudi government, including members of the royal family and embassy staff, at times provided large sums of money, fake passports, and information to people assisting the hijackers while they were in the U.S., the pages allege.
Heres an example:
Bandar, a close family friend of the Bushes, was Saudi ambassador to U.S. from 1983 to 2005.
The pages also criticize the intelligence shortfalls on the Saudi issue, saying:
In the view of the Joint Inquiry, this gap in U.S. intelligence coverage is unacceptable, given the magnitude and immediacy of the potential risk to U.S. national security.
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Heres more:
One reason for this, the report explains, may relate to Saudi Arabias status as a U.S. ally. Indeed, Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman, said Friday the Obama administration does not think the release of the 28 pages change conclusions about the 9/11 attacks.
In a statement, the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the release of the redacted pages from the 2002 Congressional Joint Inquiry. Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, have investigated the contents of the 28 Pages and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks.
But the 9/11 Families in response said: The Saudis are exerting extreme pressure on the Administration to protect themselves and to cajole Congress in hopes of avoiding the restoration of the long-held understanding of our law and setting good policy. And this very exercise of unacceptable leverage by the Saudis over our Government is precisely what the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act was meant to prevent.
The 9/11 Families also called for Congress to pass the Justice Against Sponsor of Terrorism Act, which would allow families of terrorist victims to sue foreign governments for damages in U.S. courts. The Saudis are opposed to the legislation and the White House has said the president will veto any attempt to pass it.
Read more from The Atlantic:
This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By PTI: New Delhi, July 15 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the efforts of the External Affairs Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the IAF, the Air India and the Railways for undertaking evacuation of Indians from war-torn South Sudan under the Operation Sankat Mochan.
Modi spoke to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as well as Minister of State for External Affairs Gen (retd) V K Singh, who went to South Sudan to lead the operation, to congratulate them.
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"The Prime Minister has welcomed all our Indian sisters & brothers who have returned from South Sudan," the PMO said.
"PM spoke to EAM @SushmaSwaraj ji & MoS @Gen_VKSingh ji & congratulated them for their efforts in rescuing Indians," it added in a tweet.
"PM congratulated RM @manoharparrikar, IAF, the Railways, @airindiain for their role in Operation #SankatMochan," the PMO said.
More than 146 Indians stranded in South Sudans capital Juba were evacuated yesterday.
"Operation #SankatMochan Safely out of the danger zone. The first flight makes a technical halt at Entebbe, Uganda," V K Singh had tweeted last night. PTI AKK AKK
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By Jim Finkle REUTERS - Silent Circle, a Geneva-based pioneer in securing mobile communications, said on Friday it has raised $50 million in a Series C financing round led by Santander Bank as it looks to reinvent itself as an enterprise-focused business. The firm, which was founded by well-known cryptologists in 2011, said it plans to use the funds to expand development of software products aimed at businesses, governments and law enforcement agencies, a shift from an early focus on individual consumers. Silent Circle launched an app for encrypting mobile communications in 2012 and a highly secure device known as the Blackphone in 2013 to much fanfare from privacy advocates, but the products had limited commercial success. Its problems were compounded as big companies including Apple Inc and Facebook Inc rolled out easy-to-use, free apps for encrypting mobile communications. Silent Circle is now developing business software products use to secure and manage mobile communications, Silent Circle interim Chief Executive Matt Neiderman told Reuters. The software will include features that prevent outsiders from eavesdropping, but allow businesses to monitor and archive those communications in compliance with government regulations, he said. Some proceeds from the round, which closed in late May, have already been used to retire the company's debt, Neiderman said. Silent Circle is searching for a new CEO following the departure of Bill Conner, whom the firm brought in to streamline operations and manage the shift toward business customers, Neiderman said. Silent Circle, which has raised a total of $130 million, is now looking for a more traditional, early-stage-company leader who will focus on building out the product and raising capital, he said. It has about 100 employees, down from a peak of 125. The company is embroiled in a legal dispute with Geeksphone, a Spanish company that helped build the first Blackphone device. Geeksphone filed a lawsuit last month in New York, seeking money related to Silent Circle's purchase of a joint venture that manufactured the Blackphone. Warren Gluck, an attorney representing Geeksphone, said the two companies have been in communication since the suit was filed, but declined to elaborate. Neiderman said his firm was confident it would prevail in the New York case, which is related to arbitration between the two firms in Switzerland. Silent Circle is negotiating with multiple manufacturers to develop several models of the Blackphone that will be targeted at different segments of the consumer and business markets, he said. (Reporting by Jim Finkle; Editing by Bill Rigby)
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - A total of 738 men and boys remain missing after they were detained by militias backing the Iraqi government offensive to retake Fallujah from Islamic State jihadists, a UN envoy said Friday.
Jan Kubis told the Security Council that the UN mission in Iraq had received credible reports of torture, killings and disappearances by the militias and Iraqi security forces during the Fallujah offensive.
Iraqi forces seized control of Fallujah, a longtime jihadist bastion, in late June, a month after a vast operation was launched.
UN officials have determined that 95 men remain unaccounted for after they were detained by the Shia militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on May 25 in the Al Sejar area of northeast Fallujah, Kubis said.
An additional 643 men and boys remain missing after they were picked up by PMF-affiliated forces on June 5 while leaving Saqlawiyah, north of Fallujah, he added.
Kubis said Iraqi authorities must take swift action to identify the whereabouts of these missing men and boys and ensure those responsible for rights violations face justice.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi last month announced the creation of a committee to investigate the allegations of rights violations and serious crimes in Fallujah.
The envoy stressed that "these lessons from Fallujah" must be taken into account as preparations gather steam to retake Mosul, Iraq's second city which has been under IS control since June 2014.
The United Nations estimates that the humanitarian effort from the campaign to retake Mosul will cost up to $1 billion and "will be the largest and most sensitive humanitarian crisis in the world in 2016," said Kubis.
The Fallujah operation displaced 640,000 people in the Anbar governorate alone, on top of the 3.4 million Iraqis who have been driven from their homes since the rise of IS in 2014, according to the United Nations.
Berlin (AFP) - A German journalist who witnessed the Nice attack said he saw a motorcyclist chase the killer truck and try to enter the cabin but fall and end up under the wheels.
"I stood on the balcony, right on the Promenade des Anglais, and saw how people celebrated there, and how suddenly a truck drove through the crowd," Richard Gutjahr, 42, who shot smartphone video footage of the bloody Bastille Day rampage, told AFP on Friday.
"Surprisingly, he drove very slowly, not fast, he drove slowly and he was chased by a motorcyclist," recounted Gutjahr by telephone.
"The motorcyclist attempted to overtake the truck and even tried to open the driver's door, but he fell and ended up under the wheels of the truck."
Gutjahr, a freelance journalist, said he also saw two police officers open fire on the truck.
"Then the driver stepped on the accelerator and the truck sped up, accelerated and drove in a zig-zag course into the crowd.
"In the next 15 to 20 seconds there were shots from several guns. I don't know who shot at whom."
After that, "the panicked crowd ran in all directions. Those who could save themselves ran into the hotels, or sought security in the hotel entrances," he said.
"Right afterwards I personally saw 12 dead bodies, and it was already clear there would be more."
(Adds Standard Chartered, FINRA)
July 15 (Reuters) - The following financial services industry appointments were announced on Thursday. To inform us of other job changes, email moves@thomsonreuters.com.
STANDARD CHARTERED Plc
The bank has hired Christopher Mackel from Morgan Stanley to work as an associate in its European debt capital markets team, according to a person familiar with the matter.
FINANCIAL INDUSTRY REGULATORY AUTHORITY
FINRA board of governors unanimously elected John Brennan as chairman of Wall Street's industry-funded watchdog, effective Aug. 15.
BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON CORP
The investment bank named Frieda Rakhman as wealth director for BNY Mellon Wealth Management's Atlanta-based team.
CREDIT SUISSE GROUP
The Swiss bank has hired Cathal Deasy to head its mergers and acquisitions business in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
AVIVA INVESTORS
The asset management arm of Aviva Plc appointed Bryony Deuchars fund manager in its emerging market equities team.
CVC CAPITAL PARTNERS
The Luxembourg-based private equity firm hired Cathrin Petty as a partner and head of its European healthcare business.
UNICREDIT
The Italian bank has appointed head of markets TJ Lim to a new role as deputy risk officer, tasked with accelerating disposals of its non-core loans.
MFS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
The U.S.-based global investment manager appointed Anton Commissaris managing director for Switzerland and Austria.
(Compiled by Nikhil Subba in Bengaluru)
NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) - The Credit Suisse distressed trading team led by Bob Franz, former head of US credit trading at the bank, and Ken Hoffman, former head of distressed trading, has founded asset management firm Arbour Lane Capital Management.
Arbour Lane, which launched July 1, currently manages about $1.3 billion of credit assets for TSSP, the global credit and special situations unit of TPG, according to sources. TSSP bought the portfolio in May from Credit Suisse.
The assets consist of a mix of upper middle-market corporate debt, distressed bonds and loans, special situations and post-reorganization equities, the sources said.
The holdings are made up of more than 270 instruments to about 170 companies across asset types and geographies, according to a May news release announcing the portfolio sale.
"The Credit Suisse distressed credit desk has been a long-time trusted partner to TSSP globally and we are pleased they selected TSSP to help it quickly execute on its strategy," Clint Kollar, a TSSP partner, said in the May news release. "The portfolio we are acquiring has deep, long-term potential and fits well with our patient and flexible capital."
A TSSP spokesperson and Franz both declined to comment.
In the future, the firm may seek to manage other similar-type credits, according to the May news release.
The Stamford, Connecticut-based Arbour Lane team currently consists of eight members, including Franz and Hoffman, and it plans to add a few more, said the sources.
Franz worked at Credit Suisse for 14 years, previously serving as co-head of syndicated loans and head of distressed trading. Before joining the bank in 2002, he worked at Morgan Stanley where he was co-head of loan trading, according to FINRA BrokerCheck and sources.
Hoffman joined the bank in 2000 through its purchase of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and was named head of North American distressed, special situations and customer finance in 2006, also according to BrokerCheck and sources.
The portfolio sale followed a Credit Suisse March announcement that it was exiting the distressed credit business, as well as European securitized product trading. When announcing the sale and departures of Franz and Hoffman, the bank said it was was implementing a lower risk appetite and reduced volatility business model. The asset sale cut the bank's distressed credit exposure by $1.24 billion, according to the May news release. .
(Reporting by Kristen Haunss; Editing By Michelle Sierra)
By PTI: Srinagar, July 15 (PTI) A policeman was killed and five of his colleagues injured today as a police station in Kulgam district, about 75 kms from here, was attacked with a grenade and firing by suspected militants who had mixed with a mob of stone-pelters.
"Someone from the mob hurled a grenade towards the police personnel during stone pelting on police station Yaripora. The grenade attack was followed by firing also," a police official said.
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One policeman died while five others were injured in the attack, the official said. PTI MIJ AKK AKK
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(Reuters) - Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will miss Britain's Davis Cup quarter-final clash against Serbia with captain Leon Smith naming Kyle Edmund and James Ward as his two singles players on Wednesday. Murray was instrumental in helping Britain to their first Davis Cup victory for 79 years last November, but had suggested it was unlikely he would feature against Serbia, who are also missing their talisman Novak Djokovic. In the doubles, Andy's brother Jamie, ranked fifth in the world, will partner doubles specialist Dominic Inglot. "This date is a real nightmare for everybody, not just for him (Andy Murray), because it's not easy to change surface again," Smith told reporters. "I was hopeful last week that he would play but then he goes and wins Wimbledon and has Olympics and U.S. Open coming up and I hope he does well there also. As a team we are all delighted for him. "I hope he comes out Thursday or Friday to support the team." World number 73 Daniel Evans, who was named in the initial squad, also missed out due to personal issues and a shoulder injury. Murray has committed to playing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he will look to defend his title. The quarter-finals will take place between July 15-17 at the Tasmajdan Stadium in Belgrade. (Reporting by Nivedita Shankar in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
Here we are again. Dozens dead on a national day of celebration. Bastille day, Ramadan. Theres no way to predict the timing of these attacks. ISIS will hit whenever they can and whoever it can.
This group continues to improve its ability to direct or inspire attacks in faraway places, and their desire to deliver punishment will only grow as the so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq is bombed into smaller and smaller pieces of territory. (Theyve lost about the half the ground they once controlled in Iraq and about a quarter in Syria.) As with al Qaeda after 9/11, the leadership is dying, but the brand is thriving.
A few hours before this latest attack, French President Francois Hollande had marked his countrys national day with a speech on the dangers of populism, which he called the greatest threat to the future of the Republic. Right or wrong, the attackers in Nice will help populists argue that the president is blind to the much more immediate danger facing the nation. A national state of emergency has now been extended an additional three months.
Read More: How to Help the Victims of the Nice Attack
Next year, France will hold national elections. The far-right Front National, the most successful populists in France, were already polling in the high 20s. The partys presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen, has called for closer scrutiny of Frances Muslim citizens, an estimated 8% of the population, and detention of anyone suspected of connection with terrorism or terrorist planning. A weak Hollande will be weakened further. The center-right doesnt have a clear leader yet. Alain Juppe, their likeliest president candidate, will find himself squeezed between hardline messages from the left and far right.
Most worrisome is that the response in France to this latest attack will not be as unified as following the Charlie Hebdo murders 18 months ago. The deeply felt solidarity that brought citizens together after that massacre is giving way to a deepening sense of insecurity that creates fear, then anger. French society will divide further as next years election approaches. Thats not unique to Franceits human nature. Le Pen sees the political potential in front of her, and we should have no doubt she will seize it.
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Read More: Nice Awakes to a Changed City on Morning After Attack
Now to the hardly-more-encouraging regional backdrop. Britons voted for Brexit in large part because E.U. rules on the free movement of people have doubled the share of foreign-born residents in the U.K. just in the past 15 years. These are immigrants from Poland and Romania rather than Iraq and Afghanistan, but the Leave campaign made sure that Europes migrant crisis remained a part of the broader Brexit debate. Nigel Farage included Muslim migrants in a widely noticed campaign poster, and Boris Johnson, now Britains chief diplomat, once said Barack Obama has a Kenyan anti-colonialist mindset. Never mind that attacks in France and Belgium have been carried out by Muslims born and raised in France and Belgium. Fear of the other sells, and right now its selling like hotcakes.
What sells in France and Britain will sell elsewhere in Europe. The Alternative for Deutschland party in Germany will narrow Chancellor Angela Merkels room for political maneuver. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the most effective leader in Europe in recent years this side of Merkel, will now have a much harder time getting the outcome he wants in a crucial referendum on reform and constitutional revision this fall. Far-right voices will grow louder in the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Hungary, Austria and elsewhere. Europe will only get harder to govern at a moment when forceful leadership is crucial. Negotiations between Britain and E.U. leaders over terms of Brexit will be contentious, controversialand wont end any time soon.
Read More: French Politicians Say Nice Attack Might Have Been Avoided
External factors wont help. Syrias civil war rages on. The deal that Europe has made with Erdogans Turkey to manage refugee flows will face new pressures as European governments balk at keeping promises of visa-free travel through Europe for Turks. If it falls apart, a new wave of mostly Muslim migrants will make their way north.
So what about Trump? These factors are unlikely to play out in the U.S. as in Europe, because this sort of nativist populism will always be a tougher sell in a much more diverse country like the United States. If Trump were more competent and coherent, it might be different. But his cringe-inducing reaction to the murder of so many innocents in Orlando by a man who had just pledged allegiance to ISIS demonstrates that he is not a skilled politician and wont become one in time for November 8.
That said, its entirely fair for voters to ask President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton how their experience and political skills have made a difference in this increasingly tumultuous world. A President must know how to heal wounds, but he or she should also offer compelling ideas about to prevent some of these wounds in the first place.
One thing is clear: bombing ISIS onto smaller and smaller pieces may well be an important and necessary thing. But after all these recent attacksin Orlando, Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad and now Niceits not enough to free us of the fear that the ISIS brand is far from finished.
There is no U.S. or international strategy that can solve that problem. The vast majority of the worlds Muslims do not support ISIS, but there are enough who doincluding citizens of France, Britain, Germany and the United Statesthat we must rethink our assumptions.
What we need to do is find a way to give Muslim citizens everywhere a greater stake in the peace and prosperity of the countries in which they live, one that leaves as little room as possible in which murderers can plot attacks. And at the same time, that strategy needs to ask those Muslims to accept the responsibilities that come with that greater stake. What else can we do?
Of all the topics raised Israels complexities, the passage of time, parenting, finding wonderment in daily life in the newly published email correspondence between Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer, none has gotten more buzz than this: Portmans striking lack of pants in the accompanying photos, which feature her posing in swimsuits in what is indeed an odd juxtaposition.
Why Didnt Natalie Portmans Pants Make It Into Jonathan Safran Foers Email Profile? asked a Fortune article headline on Thursday. The piece continued, While the photographs probably wouldnt have gotten much attention if theyd run as a stand-alone fashion spread, juxtaposing them with an email conversation that touches on philosophy, religion, and art struck some readers as ridiculous and sexist. After all, it was hard to miss that Safran Foer got the byline, while Portman provided the window dressing. When does Safran Foer doff his slacks?
A photo posted by T: The NYTimes Style Magazine (@tmagazine) on Jul 14, 2016 at 12:45pm PDT
For the piece, published July 14 in T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Foer, author of Everything Is Iluminated, corresponded via email with Oscar-winning actress Portman to celebrate her directorial debut, A Tale of Love and Darkness. Its been both praised and criticized in social media (the latter for being flirty, embarrassing, and pretentious). But mainly theres been much befuddlement over the editorial decision to illustrate the piece with photos solely of Portman modeling swimsuits, sometimes paired with a sweater and socks, but never any legwear.
It was a quagmire addressed beautifully by Maddie Rodriguez in a Bookriot piece, I Read the Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer Emails and I Have Questions. She jumps right in with, Why is this feature accompanied by a series of photographs of just Natalie Portman in her underwear? (This is a rhetorical question, we all know why.) Then she goes on: I have this theory that the popular underwear + cozy socks photo aesthetic is designed to appeal to the kind of man who wants to objectify a woman, but also does not want to think of himself as the kind of man who objectifies women. The socks (or oversized cardigan) in this scenario provide a simulation of domesticity and intimacy that allows the viewer to ogle in relative comfort. Call it a Maxim distancer.
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Nice.
Author and journalist Rebecca Traister also gets in some worthy two cents with a tweet that kicked off a lengthy back-and-forth of no-pants-gate.
Convo btw Portman & Safran Foer re faith, art, kids, her directorial debut. Naturally, she is photographed w/o pants https://t.co/T0TruRk8rm Rebecca Traister (@rtraister) July 14, 2016
Then came the series of tweets wondering why Safran Foer was not subjected to the same treatment.
funny how theres no picture of Jonathan Safran Foer in his underwear accompanying these https://t.co/RidpuQ9633 Michelle Dean (@michelledean) July 14, 2016
Strangely, all the photos of JSF in his underwear must have been cut in the final version. https://t.co/GGX8wBWzeI Nicholas Thompson (@nxthompson) July 15, 2016
Weird how theres no photos of Jonathon Safran Foer and tons of Natalie Portman in a bikini with that article. Ian Bland (@iangbland) July 15, 2016
Even folks who enjoyed the highly choreographed tete-a-tete were left puzzled.
Really enjoyed this but could someone lend Portman some pants! Emails of Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer https://t.co/ljngLYVLzw Susan Van Metre (@skeetermeeter) July 15, 2016
A New York Times spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Yahoo Style.
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Donald Trump recently told The Wall Street Journal he wants a fighter skilled in hand-to-hand combat as his running mate which in the world of campaign politics means someone who can talk the hind legs off a donkey, preferably a Democratic one. Trump might get that in Mike Pence, if the Indiana governor becomes Donald Trumps vice presidential pick, as expected. But former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is set to speak at next weeks Republican National Convention, will still remain Trumps trusted adviser a seasoned attack dog with the verbal dexterity to extend and complement his campaigns assault on the the nations political discourse.
Among other things, Trump has been something of a linguistic trailblazer, from his ad hominem tweets to his pejorative nicknames to his improvised rally speeches. While on the surface it would appear that the blustering billionaire has very little in common with the polysyllabic Gingrich, whose hard-won conservative policy edifice Trump has dismantled plank by plank this election season, the two politicians share a great deal in common when it comes to their political vocabularies and aggressive messaging. (Representatives for Trump and Gingrich did not immediately respond to requests for comment.)
His PAC would send out cassettes to aspiring GOP candidates, teaching them his slash-and-burn rhetorical style.
While Trump was growing up in the wealthy enclave of New Yorks Jamaica Estates, little Newtie Gingrich was living above a gas station in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. But, like Trump, Gingrich was mature beyond his years and had the gift of the gab. Even before he entered politics, Gingrich, who had moved to the South for college and his first job as a professor at West Georgia College, was fluent in the language of white resentment, a proto-Trump who had already started throwing verbal stones at the corrupt left-wing machine in Washington. I think one of the great problems we have in the Republican Party, Gingrich told a group of College Republicans before he was first elected to the U.S. House, in 1978, is that we dont encourage you to be nasty. We encourage you to be neat, obedient and loyal and faithful and all those Boy Scout words.
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Source: Gage Skidmore / Flickr CC
Gingrich learned the power of words in American politics early on in Washington and they werent the Boy Scout sort. After a formative three-hour dinner with Richard Nixon in 1982, in which the former president observed how little impact the boring House Republicans had on the public, it dawned on the upstart Georgia congressman that language could be the key to unlocking the publics political affections. Shortly thereafter he enlisted a pollster to test reactions to phrases like conservative opportunity state and was off to the linguistic races. Like Trump, Gingrich was not so much an ideologue as a marketing wizard, and his political action committee, GOPAC, would send out cassettes and videotapes to aspiring Republican candidates across the country, teaching them his slash-and-burn rhetorical style.
As his own political power grew, so did Gingrichs obsession with messaging and language. By 1990, GOPAC and the House Republican whip were sending out a memo titled Language: A Key Mechanism of Control to thousands of GOP candidates, promising to help them speak like Newt. The words and phrases are powerful, the poll-tested pamphlet boasted, listing more than 60 optimistic positive governing words like strength, pride and liberty to help candidates describe their Republican message, while offering a set of contrasting words like corrupt, decay and self-serving to characterize their Democratic opponents.
Hillary is the personification of gross negligence https://t.co/WemvFDjImv Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) July 7, 2016
Thanks in part to such prefabricated phrases and an uncanny understanding of the media, Gingrich who gave speeches on the House floor to an empty chamber to censure Democrats before a C-Span television audience became the architect of modern conservative politics, says Northeastern University professor Daniel Urman. And it worked: Republicans seized control of both houses of Congress in 1994 for the first time in 40 years.
Now Gingrich may be on the verge of returning to battle the party he once labeled the enemy of normal Americans alongside another gifted rhetorician, if he ends up getting picked as Trumps political wingman. Can the well-rehearsed Gingrich vocabulary give the Trump campaign a verbal upgrade that could appeal to more conservative and independent voters? Gingrich can surely articulate Trumps positions better than Trump can, says John J. Pitney Jr., a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College, who has written extensively about Gingrich, but that is a very low bar.
The big issue for Gingrich, Pitney tells OZY, would be running away from some of his previous statements, including calling a mass deportation policy like Trumps a level of inhumanity the American people would never accept. ProPublica recently obtained a recording of a private speech Gingrich made in February in which he praised Trumps ability to talk at a fourth-grade level, adding, How we make the transition from language for fourth graders to real policy, I dont know.
Its a good question, and one Gingrich is well-placed to help Trump answer. But can the former speaker whose own political career has crashed and burned more than once in a flash of fiery rhetoric help Trump further master confrontation politics without going overboard and alienating more voters?
Gingrich will go too far, Pitney predicts, because thats where Gingrich always goes.
The incident took place when the driver lost control after the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge at Sonada, around 17 km from Darjeeling town.
By Indrajit Kundu: One of the police escort vehicles in President Pranab Mukherjee's convoy met with an accident when the President's convoy was travelling to Bagdogra from Darjeeling today.
The incident took place when the driver lost control after the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge at Sonada, around 17 km from Darjeeling town. The pilot van was at the of the end of the Presidential convoy when it lost control and fell into the gorge.
Car in President's carcade from Darjeeling to Bagdogra goes off road, minor injuries to security personnel; #PresidentMukherjee safe; President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 15, 2016
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BAD WEATHER
According to locals, it was drizzling in the area and the weather was foggy due to which visibility was low. The vehicle fell for about 30 feet into the gorge and got stuck in a tree. They were immediately rescued by police personnel in the convoy with the use of ropes.
Unfortunate accident involving escort vehicle in convoy enroute to Bagdogra today ;everybody well by grace of God #PresidentMukherjee; President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 15, 2016
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's convoy was also following the President's convoy. Rest of President Pranab Mukerjee's convoy is reported to be safe and moved ahead for Bagdogra.
Photo: Rajen Pradhan Photo: Rajen Pradhan
The President was being accompanied by daughter Sarmistha Mukherjee.
SIX INJURED
There were six personnel who were in the escort vehicle. They have all been rescued and rushed to a hospital in Kurseong.
Photo: ANI
Lauding the rescue team's efforts, Mamata Banerjee said, "The rescue team will be awarded by the West Bengal government".
Rescue team will be rewarded by the West Bengal Govt: CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/437INRxf4H; ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the President and enquired about his well-being.
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Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has called for all U.S. Muslims to be tested to see if they believe in the Islamic law of Sharia.
Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported, Gingrich said in an interview Thursday on Fox News. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given upSharia, glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door.
The former Republican presidential contenders comments were in response to the attack in Nice, France that left at least 84 people dead.
Gingrich, who is on Donald Trumps vice presidential shortlist, is not the first Republican player in 2016 who has denounced Sharia law. In September, then-presidential candidate Ben Carson said he would not support a presidential candidate who had not renounced Sharia. He wrote in a Facebook post, I know that there are many peaceful Muslims who do not adhere to these beliefs. But until these tenants are fully renounced I cannot advocate any Muslim candidate for President.
In June, after the Orlando nightclub shooting, Trump re-upped his call to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. Explaining his reasoning, he said, According to Pew Research, 99% of people in Afghanistan support oppressive Sharia law.
Many in the West believe Sharia to be a brutal system of retributive justice, but really it is a broad term for the set of ethical principles inscribed in the Quran that means different things to different adherents. As TIME reported in the wake of Orlando, Demonizing every Muslim by equating Sharia and terrorism is akin to describing every Christian as a radical fundamentalist; the Bible can also be interpreted as requiring brutal punishments for archaic offenses.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Thursday that U.S. citizens of a Muslim background should be tested to see if they believe in Sharia law.
And if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported, he added, speaking on Fox News Hannity.
Gingrich was reacting to the terror attack in Nice, France, that left more than 80 dead, including at least two Americans. Many details were still unclear as of Friday morning, but officials said identification papers found with the attacker belonged to a Frenchman of Tunisian descent.
His strident remarks echoed those of Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, who last year reacted to a pair of terror attacks by calling for the U.S. to bar Muslims from entering the country. Gingrich was on Trumps VP shortlist, though the Manhattan developer decided on Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a source told ABC News. Trump postponed the Friday announcement of his pick in the aftermath of the massacre in Nice.
Gingrich said the U.S. should follow a two-strike approach to American citizens with terrorist sympathies. As an example of a strike, he cited Orlando gunman Omar Mateens reported celebration of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when he was in school. Mateen, a U.S. citizen, killed almost 50 people last month in a Florida nightclub.
I think you either kick them out of the country People tell me, We cant do that to American citizens. We are in a war. We better rethink the rules, or were going to lose the war, Gingrich told Fox host Sean Hannity.
Gingrich appeared to be defining Sharia, or Islamic law, by its strictest interpretation, such as that embraced by the Islamic State terror group in parts of Syria and Iraq. Gingrich pointed to Islamist groups burning women and beheading captives.
Slideshow: Dozens dead as truck plows into crowd during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France >>>
The ex-House speaker further called for the U.S. government to aggressively monitor mosques and to be fairly relentless about defining who our enemies are.
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Anybody who goes on a website favoring ISIS, or al-Qaida or terrorist groups, that should be a felony. And they should go to jail, he said.
Everybody who watches this video: This is the fault of Western elites who lack the guts to do what is right, to do what is necessary and to tell us the truth. And that starts with President Obama, he soon added.
Gingrich, a 2012 presidential candidate, has been issuing dire warnings for years about Sharia. He also said Thursday that the U.S. should embrace modern Muslims who have given up Sharia.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement condemning both Gingrichs comments and the attack in Nice.
When former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggests that American Muslims be subjected to an Inquisition-style religious test and then expelled from their homes and nation, he plays into the hands of terror recruiters and betrays the American values he purports to uphold, said CAIRs national executive director, Nihad Awad.
Newt Gingrich isnt going to be presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps pick for vice president. But that isnt keeping him silent or from courting controversy as the 2016 presidential campaign continues.
Speaking Thursday night on Fox News, after an apparent terrorist attack in Nice, France, left at least 84 people dead, Gingrich called for Muslims in the United States to be tested on their beliefs and then potentially deported.
Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in sharia, they should be deported, Gingrich said. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given up sharia glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door.
Gingrich, the former speaker of the House, is suggesting a move far beyond the views of Trump. The billionaire businessman wants to keep foreign Muslims from entering the United States and close down mosques suspected of preaching extremist rhetoric. Gingrich is suggesting Muslims already in the United States be submitted to some kind of test to determine whether they believe sharia, or Islamic law.
How this would be done is anyones guess, and courts would almost certainly rule that applying religious tests to American citizens who practice Islam is illegal. Gingrich also said U.S. intelligence agencies should more closely scrutinize mosques and internet chatter, echoing some of Trumps long-standing talking points.
I mean, if youre not prepared to monitor the mosques, this whole thing is a joke, Gingrich said.
Its not yet known whether the attack in Nice was carried out by an operative dispatched by a terrorist group or someone inspired by its theology; no organization has taken credit so far. What is known is that Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel intentionally drove a tractor-trailer into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day. Bouhlel was born in Tunisia but lived in Nice and had a criminal history. He was handed a six-month suspended sentence in January over a weapons charge. Despite his history with police, he was on no French watch list for terrorism or radicalization.
Gingrichs comments come as a new poll shows some Americans hold a dim view of Muslims. According to a Reuters/Ipsos online poll of more than 7,000 Americans, 37 percent of American adults have a somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable view of Islam. The breakdown between those backing Trump and his Democratic counterpart, Hillary Clinton, is stark; 58 percent of Trump supporters view Muslims unfavorably, compared with 24 percent of Clinton supporters.
Photo credit: ALEX WONG/Getty Images
Aftermath of attack in Nice, France Investigators continue to work at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)
A Tunisian living in France drove a large truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day along Nices beachfront, killing at least 84 people, many of them children, according to police and hospital officials. The slaughter ended only after police killed the armed attacker in a hail of bullets.
French leaders on Friday extended the countrys 9-month-old state of emergency and vowed to deploy thousands of police reservists on the streets after Thursday nights massacre of pedestrians leaving a fireworks display for Frances independence day.
Video shot by bystanders shows the truck coming under police gunfire as it drives through an intersection into the pedestrian promenade. Crowds flee in panic, taking shelter in shops, hotels or leaping off the elevated pavement onto the beach below. Police finally surround the stationary truck and fatally shoot its driver.
Police identified the attacker as Mohamed Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Nice resident, and said he had drawn a gun on them. The trucks front windshield was riddled with bullets. (AP)
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Leaders of Asia and Europe condemned international terrorism at a summit in Mongolia Friday, as an attack in Nice drew attention away from Beijing's rejection of a tribunal ruling dismissing its extensive South China Sea claims.
The biennial Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is supposed to be a venue for increasing cooperation across the Eurasian region and exploring ways to strengthen global agreements governing everything from trade to civil aviation.
Counter-terrorism efforts were already due to be discussed, but the issue was given renewed urgency by the carnage in Nice, where a truck ploughed into Bastille Day revellers, killing at least 84 in what President Francois Hollande called a "terrorist" attack.
Leaders and representatives of governments from Ireland to Indonesia held a minute's silence for the victims at the opening of the summit in Ulan Bator.
In a statement they condemned "heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks" and pledged to fight "the plague of terrorism".
European Council President Donald Tusk said: "It's a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that "despicable terrorism engulfing innocent people can never be forgiven", and German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that "we are all united in shock".
France's foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault cut short his visit and prepared to return to Paris, thanking the dignitaries for their "spontaneous and sincere solidarity towards the French people".
"The whole world shares France's ordeal," he told AFP.
- Sea dispute -
The gathering was the first major international conference since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled, in a case brought by the Philippines, that Beijing's claims to much of the strategically vital South China Sea have no legal foundation.
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The Asian giant, which boycotted the hearings, says the tribunal has no jurisdiction, and has poured scorn on the verdict.
But participants defied its demands that the subject should not be brought up at ASEM, criticising Beijing by emphasising the importance of respecting the global legal frameworks that undergird cooperation on terrorism, among other issues.
"Dialogue and a strong commitment to the rules based international order are necessary," said Tusk during the opening ceremony.
Manila has pledged not to "taunt or flaunt" the verdict, but its foreign minister Perfecto Yasay told the summit it "strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision", calling for "all parties to exercise restraint and sobriety".
Tokyo is embroiled in a territorial dispute of its own with Beijing, and in remarks to reporters Abe brought up the South China Sea in the same breath as terrorism and North Korea as issues of international concern.
He met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang for 30 minutes, with Japanese news agencies reporting that Abe told him the rule of international law must be respected.
Li retorted that Japan should "stop hyping up and interfering" in the South China Sea, China's official Xinhua news agency said.
Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura told reporters that Abe and Li had had a "frank and candid exchange of views".
The criticism comes as Beijing, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, seeks a greater presence on the global diplomatic stage.
It hoped to use the ASEM summit -- official theme "Partnership for the Future through Connectivity" -- as an opportunity to showcase its global initiatives, such as the One Belt, One Road programme, an ambitious plan to build infrastructure projects across the Eurasian region.
China has sought to assert its claims in the South China Sea by building a network of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations, and this week reiterated its right to declare an Air Defence Identification Zone in the area, which would demand civilian flights submit to the authority of its military.
Other issues on the agenda at ASEM included Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
Following his meeting with Abe, the EU's Tusk sought to reassure Asian countries over the grouping's future, saying that "the European Union remains an engaged and active global player".
"We will continue to do so as an EU of 27 states, once the UK leaves," he added. "There is no shift in our foreign policy."
Nice is a city in shock. This community of about 340,000 people has for decades defined itself by its serene beauty and breezy Mediterranean lifestyle but on Friday, its famed seafront, the Promenade des Anglais was splattered with blood and closed by police.
The 19-tonne commercial truck, used to kill at least 84 people, was being examined by police on the promenade, while others searched the north-Nice home of the driver Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel,31, who was himself killed by police after careering through crowds for a least one mile.
Tourists and locals described howjust as the fireworks and music were reaching their final crescendothey spotted a white truck move towards them at high speed, and then plough into crowds. Some said they momentarily froze in terror as they watched the vehicle mow down babies, children, men and women, crushing strollers and bodies in its wake.
There were bodies, bodies everywhere, says Habiba Sbai, 50, a Tunisian woman who immigrated to Nice 20 years ago, and works as a contractor. Holding back tears, she said she and her husband fled to their apartment a few blocks from the promenade, terrified that there might be further attacks. There they sat up all night, shaken. I saw a baby lying dead in front of me, she says. After seeing that, I cannot sleep. I cannot work.Her cell phone rang while she was speaking: It was a friend informing her that her colleague had been killed.
One day after the horrific bloodbath, residents expressed the fear that the government and police might be powerless to stop terror attacks, despite the heavy presence of police and armed soldiers in public places over the past several months.
Emmanuel Bajux, 22, who had come to Nice from Paris to look for work in one of the many tourist bars, said he struggled to escape from the promenade on Thursday night, since the narrow roads leading up from the promenade were jammed with people fleeing. There were people everywhere, running, he says. Now, he says he doubts he will feel safe in Nice. The city will not be the same again. We do not feel protected.
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In fact, the sense of danger was remote in Nice until Thursday. Low-cost airlines flew over the promenade, even on Friday, bringing plane loads of holidaymakers, who use Nice as their base to tour the Cote dAzur.
But for locals, the attack has instilled a far more menacing feeling. In a city with a large population of second-generation French Muslims and North African immigrants, the fact that Bouhlel was born and raised in Nice hit hard, leaving some to speculate about his motives. These people are manipulated by the mosques, said Nadia Le Fur, an Algerian immigrant to Nice, who stood on the promenade on Friday with her 9-year-old son. I tell my kids about the real Islam, and that we dont believe in terror.
Le Fur said she her husband had returned home at 3 a.m. on Friday, after his shift working in a hotel that sits on the promenade, and had clearly been deeply affected by the bloodshed outside. He was very, very pensive and shocked, quiet, she said. I did not recognize that man.
MSAKEN (Tunisie) (AFP) - The Tunisian-born driver who killed 84 people after slamming his truck into a crowd of revellers in the French resort of Nice had suffered from depression but had nothing to do with religion, his father told AFP on Friday.
"From 2002 to 2004, he had problems that caused a nervous breakdown. He would become angry and he shouted... he would break anything he saw in front of him," Mohamed Mondher Lahouaiej-Bouhlel said outside his home in the city of Msaken in eastern Tunisia.
He said the family took Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel to a doctor who prescribed medication to counter his depression.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel described his son as "always alone, always depressed" and not wanting to talk.
The white-haired father said the family in Tunisia had almost no contact with his son after he left for France, but he could not say when exactly this was.
"When he left for France we heard nothing more from him," he insisted.
The father also insisted that his son "had no links to religion".
"He didn't pray, he didn't fast, he drank alcohol and even used drugs," he told AFP.
"We are also shocked" by what happened in Nice, the father said.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Friday said Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was "probably linked to radical Islam in one way or another", although Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve cautioned that it was too early to confirm such a link.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, born on January 31, 1985 in the Sousse suburb of Msaken, was married to a Franco-Tunisian resident of Nice.
They had three children including a baby.
The father confirmed that his son was "not on good terms" with his wife.
PARIS (Reuters) - The gunman who killed at least 80 people when he drove a heavy truck into a crowd in Nice was a 31 year-old Franco-Tunisian born in Tunisia, a police source close to the investigation said. The man was not on the watch list of French intelligence services, but was known to police in connection with common law crimes such as theft and violence, the source said. (Reporting by Sophie Louet; writing by Maya Nikolaeva; Editing by Andrew Callus)
ABUJA (Reuters) - Irregularities in Nigerian military procurement deals as armed forces were fighting Islamist militant group Boko Haram had serious consequences, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said on Friday. President Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler, took office last year after pledging in his election campaign to crack down on corruption and defeat Boko Haram, which has killed more than 15,000 people and displaced about two million in the last seven years. Military procurement over the last few years is being investigated by the country's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A committee recommended the "further investigation" of 18 serving and retired military personnel, 12 serving and retired public officials and 24 chief executive officers of companies involved in arms deals. Mohammed said findings released by the Presidential Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment, which said contracts awarded by the army had been "characterized by lack of due process" and were "tainted by corrupt practices", covered the period from 2011 to 2015. "The irregularities in the awards ensured that the military did not get value for money, with very serious consequences," Mohammed said in a statement, adding a total of $685,349,692 was spent on procurement and operations in the period. Mohammed did not respond to phone calls and a text message asking him to elaborate on the "serious consequences". Boko Haram took over a swathe of northeast Nigeria in 2014 in its attempt to create an Islamic state adhering to strict sharia law. Nigeria's army, aided by troops from neighboring countries, has recaptured most of the territory but the jihadist group, which last year pledged loyalty to Islamic State, still regularly stages suicide bombings. The committee was set up to carry out an audit of arms and equipment procurement from 2007 to 2015. Mohammed said the period from 2007 to 2010 would be assessed when documents were available. (Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
You may know Riz Ahmed from big-screen stints like his supporting role in the 2014 Jake Gyllenhaal-led thriller Nightcrawler, or his forthcoming gigs in the Jason Bourne and Star Wars flicks. More recently, he plays leading man Naz Khan on HBO's new crime thriller The Night Of. Beyond the screen, though, the London-based actor also has a rap catalog.
Born Rizwan Ahmed, the British-Pakistani rapper, better known as Riz MC, frequently airs out his thoughts on racial tensions and immigrant-related issues in England on wax. With Episode 2 of The Night Of less than a week away, tune into four fast facts about his MC career below.
Riz launched his rap career at an open mic night
The Wembley native rocked the mic on local pirate radio stations, club nights and rap battles in the U.K., according to the official website of his label home, Tru Thoughts. He won several competitions in 2005 like Hit & Run night in Oxford, the Jump-Off (the club night that also discovered Mr. Hudson), Battlescars and DJ Nihal's "Bombay Bronx."
Riz tackles identity on Englistan
Riz doesn't shy away from sensitive topics like racism on his previously released mixtape Englistan. On the title track, he spits, "This is England/ The bridge we living in/ A kicharee simmering/ Women in hijabs, syringe popstars/ And the promise of a Patel as a 'Man U' star." The video for "Englistan" arrived on the heels off Brexit, where the U.K. voted to leave the European Union. Englistan also contains the seven-minute spoken word piece called "I Ain't Being Racist But ..." about immigration to the U.K. The project follows his first album, 2012's MICroscope, which also contains opinionated bars about Islamophobia on "Sour Times."
Riz is a member of the Swet Shop Boys
Alongside Heems of Das Racist, Riz MC serves as one-half of Swet Shop Boys. The tandem rolled out their 2014 Swet Shop EP, which was partly inspired by Hindi language and Sufi poetry. Heems explained to Stereogum the cultural significance of the project. "My being a New Yorker of Indian descent and [Riz] being a Londoner of Pakistani descent kind of just connects the dots in a certain way," he said. "Historically this is two countries and two groups of people who have never gotten along. It was just a cool idea for us to come together."
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Riz is also a part of Halflife
The Oxford alum is a collaborator magnet. In addition to his contributions to the Swet Shop Boys, Riz is also a member of Halflife, a dance-rap collaboration with dubstep producer Distance. Their debut single was 2015's sonically spacey "Subtle."
This article first appeared on Billboard.com.
Read more: Emmys 2016: What the Nominees Are Saying
In the winter of 2007, Rahul Gandhi, newly inducted into the All-India Congress Committee as a general secretary, proposed that Youth Congress office-bearers be elected and not selected. The idea was to throw the youth wing of the Congress, till then limited to those either with political backgrounds or with connections to those with such a background, open to all. "He wanted to create a set of leaders who did not have the baggage of dynasty and were not steeped in the ills of the Indian political system," says a party general secretary. "His plan was that by the time he was ready to take charge of the party, this set of young leaders would graduate to the senior team, heralding a new form of politics in the country."
This transformative process, which was guided by people like G. Mohan Gopal, former head of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, and former vice-chancellor of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, and Sachin Rao, who has an MBA degree from Michigan University, produced some new leaders - Rajeev Satav in Maharashtra, Rizwan Arshad in Karnataka and Pijush Hazarika in Assam. But almost a decade later, with Rahul still only on the verge of being crowned the president of the Congress, his ambition to have a team of his own - consisting of young men and women from non-political family backgrounds - stands defeated. Satav, of course, is one of the 44 Congress members in the Lok Sabha. But Arshad could not win the 2014 general elections and was later accommodated in the Karnataka Legislative Council. Hazarika is now a BJP MLA.
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The Congress vice-president, therefore, has had to fall back on the same old brigade of Congress leaders he once wanted to get rid of to revive the party's fortunes in the states and at the Centre. In Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections are due next year, Madhusudan Mistry, one of Rahul's favourite backroom boys, was given marching orders and veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad made general secretary in charge. State president Nirmal Khatri, another Rahul favourite, has been replaced by Raj Babbar. Though two of Rahul's favourites-Jitin Prasada and R.P.N. Singh - remain in the state, the party, which has hired the services of poll strategist Prashant Kishor, has chosen former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit as the chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh, a top source confirmed to India Today. In another development, the high command has decided to include former Amethi MP Sanjay Singh in the party's election management committee. In the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Singh had threatened to contest against Rahul in Amethi. He was immediately offered a Rajya Sabha seat from Assam. The fact that the Congress has had to fall back on the 78-year-old Dikshit, who had an inglorious exit from Delhi, indicates that Rahul's experiment to create a second rung of leaders to take over from the party veterans has come a cropper. It's also one of the key reasons why Rahul has been reluctant to ascend the throne and initiate the much-anticipated reshuffle at the top. The 2014 rout had provided a moment, an opportunity, but the party has only been in reverse gear since then.
Prior to the 2014 elections, Rahul had, in an informal session with journalists, said he was opposed to giving tickets to people who had corruption charges against them. The reference was to former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan, who was later given a ticket, and was one of the two Congress candidates to win from the state. A year later, he was made president of the state unit. "Chavan's victory was a lesson for Rahul," says an AICC member. "He understood the difference between grassroots connect and theories on paper. He was surrounded by people who knew how to throw numbers, but had no clue how to win over voters. Chavan's appointment was the first big shift."
While speculation was rife that with Rahul taking charge, Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel would be shown the door, it was Rahul's most trusted aide, Kanishka Singh, who lost his job. "He was assigned to sister Priyanka," says a Congress Rajya Sabha MP. After the Lok Sabha debacle, Rahul did prepare a list of new recruits to be inducted into the restructured AICC, but nothing has come of it. One of the four persons to have access to that list is Patel.
In poll-bound Punjab, command was first handed to Kamal Nath, another veteran earlier seen to be not in Rahul's good books. Nath's tenure ended in two days amid the furore over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. The brief then went to Asha Kumari, an MLA from Himachal Pradesh, who is from a royal family and happens to be the niece of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. If that was not enough, former Union minister Pawan Bansal, who had to resign amid allegations of bribery, has been made head of the party's urban renewal task force in the state. "Youth Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja, who is close to Rahul, is an MLA in the state," says a Lok Sabha MP. "It's surprising he has not been given a bigger role."
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Much earlier, Rahul had to give in to Capt. Amarinder Singh's demand to make him president of the Punjab Congress even though it meant sacking Rahul's preferred candidate, Partap Singh Bajwa. Several insiders say this was a direct fallout of what happened in Assam, where strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma switched to BJP over Rahul's unyielding refusal to address his grievances. "Rahul did not anticipate that Himanta would quit. The day it actually happened, Rahul realised his mistake. Since then, he has been careful with regional stalwarts," says a general secretary. A top leader from Haryana says it was the Himanta effect again that prevented the high command from taking action against former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda despite having clinching evidence that he had a role in the defeat of Congress candidate R.K. Anand in the Rajya Sabha elections last month.
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Bajwa is not the only state president to lose his chair. In Tamil Nadu, state chief E.V.K.S. Elangovan has been made to resign. Before the state elections in May, former finance minister P. Chidambaram, who did not have a comfortable relationship with Rahul, reportedly told him he could not work with Elangovan and would not be able to contribute much to the campaign strategy. Chidambaram was later rewarded with a Rajya Sabha berth from Maharashtra and is regularly consulted on key economic issues. He is, in fact, expected to hold fort in the upper house on the GST debate.
In Kerala too, state Congress chief V.M. Sudheeran, again a Rahul choice, is likely to be sacked, though the high command has not been able to find a replacement yet. In Karnataka, the only big state where the party is in power, there may soon be a new president in energy minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is very close to former union minister S.M. Krishna. The high command has recently appointed Dinesh Gundu Rao, son of former chief minister Gundu Rao, as working president.
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Rao's appointment, in fact, reveals a pattern in Rahul's new tack-he seems to have given up on his earlier strategy of avoiding dynasts. In Assam, after the death of state president Anjan Dutta last month, the party chose Debabrata Saikia, son of former chief minister Hiteswar Saikia. Ironically, most of those who have survived and grown in stature under Rahul are dynasts. Two shining examples are party chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot. However, his dilemma with dynasts has also taken extreme turns, with fatal results for the party. Many in the Assam Congress believe the party lost the assembly election because of CM Tarun Gogoi's son, Gaurav, whose bitter power struggle with Himanta resulted in the latter's exit. Grassroots workers too have complained of Gaurav's high-handedness, yet Rahul has appointed him as an observer for the Tripura Congress. He will have C.P. Joshi, who was general secretary in charge of Assam, for company.
It's this tendency of Rahul to use different yardsticks for different sets of favourites - Elangovan, Bajwa and Khatri lose their positions while Gaurav gets rewarded-that keeps the Congress under him on an uncertain path. The struggle is not between the old and new; it's to move beyond stopgap appointments and effect a comprehensive restructure. On that score, the Congress vice-president is yet to give a credible account of himself.
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ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A senior Turkish official said there appeared to be no broad support within Turkey's military for the attempted coup under way on Friday. He did not give further details, but his comments echoed those of President Tayyip Erdogan who earlier said the coup was an attempt by a small faction within the military, and would be over soon. (Reporting by Turkey bureau; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Alison Williams)
Nickelsdorf (Austria) (AFP) - It's holiday season at Nickelsdorf on Austria's border with Hungary as families hit the highway. But although the huge numbers of refugees seen here a year ago have gone, things are far from normal.
Police officers in fluorescent jackets in the July sunshine stand at the border. They wave through the car with the bikes on the back, but the van with the tinted windows is pulled over and checked.
The "West Balkans route" that saw hundreds of thousands of migrants pass through Austria in 2015 is closed, and a deal between Turkey and the European Union has dramatically slowed the influx.
However, around 50,000 migrants remain stuck in Greece, and many are turning to alternative routes and to people smugglers to get them into western Europe -- hence the Austrian police activity.
Until recently, police were intercepting between 400 and 500 people sneaking into Austria every week. As of June 1, 4,073 had been intercepted, not much less than the 4,546 in the same period last year.
Authorities want in particular to prevent a repeat of last August when a truck carrying the decomposing bodies of 71 migrants was found on the side of the motorway -- a horrific low-point in last year's drama.
Since July 1, checks have even been stepped up, causing major traffic jams at this border -- a frontier within Europe's Schengen zone where until recently, goods and people could pass freely.
"The intensification was decided on when we realised that the number of migrants being intercepted reached the same level as last year," said Daniela Landauer, a local police spokeswoman.
"This was a sign that smuggler activity has not slowed down," Landauer told AFP.
- 'Inhumane' Hungary -
One who made it through is Bashar, a 22-year-old Afghan, who spent several months in Athens before making it to Austria in June, but not before he was obliged to apply for asylum in Hungary.
"I am afraid they are going to send me back (to Hungary)," the young man told AFP by phone from an asylum centre in western Austria. According to EU rules, this is what should happen.
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For now he can rest easy. An Austrian court ruled last September that refugees could not be sent back because of "inhumane conditions" in Hungary. And in any case Hungary refuses to take anybody back.
But this may change. Austria's centrist government, under pressure from a resurgent far-right, has for several weeks been pressing Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government to change its policy.
And at the same time, Vienna is making preparations to close its borders completely, including at the Brenner Pass on the frontier to Italy, another major entry point.
At Nickelsdorf, several dozen temporary office buildings -- so far completely empty -- have been put in place.
The closures are meant to kick into force once the number of migrants coming into Austria this year hits 37,500. At that point -- so far, 22,135 have entered -- Vienna has said it will turn people away.
To allow this to happen, Austria's abrasive new Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka is pressing for parliament to approve the necessary "emergency decree".
Sobotka insists Austria has no other choice while "so many other European Union members fail to do their part" to stop the influx.
"We cannot shoulder the whole world's burden," he said earlier this year.
Neighbouring Hungary may yet save him the bother, however.
Since July 5 Hungary's police and army have been forcibly returning to Serbia any migrants found within eight kilometres (five miles) of the border -- prompting outrage from rights groups.
On Thursday Sobotka announced the despatch of 20 Austrian police officers to help their Hungarian counterparts.
Paris (AFP) - French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve on Friday said he could not confirm that the Nice truck attacker was motivated by religious extremism.
Asked on TF1 television if he was in a position to draw a link between radical Islam and the carnage that left 84 dead, the minister responded: "No."
Nice (France) (AFP) - The French government denied there was a hostage-taking incident after a truck ploughed into a crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice killing at least 60 people on Thursday.
"There is no hostage-taking," interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet told AFP, denying dozens of rumours following the incident.
"An individual drove a truck into the crowd. He was killed by police," he said.
"Investigations are currently under way to establish if the individual acted alone or if he had accomplices who might have fled," Brandet said.
Anti-terrorism investigators have taken over the probe, prosecutors said.
The long-secret 28 pages from a 14-year-old congressional inquiry into Saudi Arabias role in the 9/11 attacks released Friday contains a litany of clues, but no hard evidence, of any role played by the kingdom in the plot, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
The new information does not change the assessment of the U.S. government that theres no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded Al Qaeda, Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said, quoting directly from the report.
But it contains lots of fodder for conspiracy buffs. While in the United States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government, the report said. There is information, primarily from FBI sources, that at least two of those individuals were alleged by some to be Saudi intelligence officers.
The partially-redacted pages, dating from December 2002, are crammed with caveats and qualifiers that will likely lead to no major changes in the publics understanding of Saudi Arabias role in the 9/11 attacks on New Yorks World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the downing of an airliner in Pennsylvania. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers aboard the four planes were Saudi citizens.
The leadership of Saudi Arabia abetted the rise of transnational terrorism prior to 9/11, and the world paid a price. The much-anticipated 28 pages reads like a postcard from that era. Neither CIA nor FBI witnesses were able to identify definitively the extent of Saudi support for terrorist activity globally or within the United States and the extent to which such support, if it exists, is knowing or inadvertent in nature, said the newly-released portion of the report, by a House-Senate panel that investigated the attacks. The panel found this lack of knowledge unacceptable, and added that the FBI apparently had refrained from investigating Saudis inside the U.S. due to Saudi Arabias status as a U.S. `ally.
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Much of the 28 pages cites raw and uncorroborated intelligence reports, which are often unreliable. The pages had been classified to keep relations between Washington and Riyadh stable. The report named 10 Saudis who may have supported the hijackers, including one who received a significant amount of cash from a member of the Saudi royal family, according to a CIA report. The panel said it did not investigate evidence of the kingdoms support for the 9/11 hijackers because that was beyond the scope of this joint inquiry. The pages are from the reports Part 4, titled Finding, Discussion and Narrative Regarding Certain Sensitive National Security Matters. The original report was released in 2004.
But in the 15 years since 9/11, as al Qaeda and other extremists stepped up their attacks on the Saudi leadership, the Saudis have cracked down on terrorist groups. Saudi complicity in transnational terrorism has been replaced by other more pressing problems in the U.S.-Saudi relationship. As raw as the revelations in the 28 pages are, some Middle East experts say, the U.S. needs to look to its interests as it tackles chaos in the region, global economic uncertainty and a growing threat from crowd sourced terrorism.
The Saudis are undergoing three slow-moving crises, says Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies: a fiscal crisis generated by the staggering drop in the price of oil over the last two years; a succession crisis, where for the first time in decades it is unclear who will take power when the current leader, 80-year-old King Salman, dies; and a crisis in its relations with the U.S.
Already nervous about the uncertainty produced by the first two, the Saudis see the release of the 28 pages in the context of the third. In reality its a manageable news blip, but they see it coming in the context of a crisis in bilateral relations, says Alterman, And they dont understand it and they dont know how to respond to it.
From the U.S. perspective, the Saudis remain a problem to manage: according to Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, when the Australian Prime Minister asked President Obama whether the Saudis werent our friends, Obama said, Its complicated. The ruling family is still gripped by its foundational Faustian bargain with the extremist Wahhabi interpretation of Islam, which makes it a force against liberalism worldwide.
But the Saudis remain in control of much of the worlds energy supply80% of the oil and gas on which Americas trade partners in Asia use to produce goods and services we rely on comes from the Gulf. The Saudis are in the middle of the contest for the future of the Middle East, with active military and intelligence operations in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. The U.S.-Saudi relationship has never been an easy relationship, but its not going to stop being important, says Alterman, As long as we want to play on a global level as the U.S. has since World War 1.
Saudi Arabia welcomes the release of the 28 pages, Abdullah al-Saud, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, said in a statement. Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the C.I.A. and the F.B.I., have investigated the contents of the 28 Pages and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks, he added. We hope the release of these pages will clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions about Saudi Arabias actions, intentions, or long-term friendship with the United States.
The Saudis, in fact, have argued for the release of the 28 pages in an attempt to get this issue behind them. The question now is whether their release will make a positive or negative difference on the issues the U.S. cares about, nearly 15 years after they were written.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / July 15, 2016 / Noble Roman's, Inc. (NROM), the Indianapolis based franchisor and licensor of Noble Roman's Pizza and Tuscano's Italian Style Subs, today announced that Mr. Marcel Herbst has been appointed in substitution for Schuster Tanger to its Board of Directors. Mr. Herbst, will assume the Class I Director position, the term of which will expire at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Shareholders.
Mr. Herbst, a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst designation, is the founder and portfolio manager of Herbst Capital Management, LLC and has over 15 years of investment experience in equities, fixed income and commodities. Mr. Herbst started his professional career in Germany with a Commercial Diploma in Banking. Prior to founding Herbst Capital Management, LLC, Mr. Herbst had more than 10 years experience in the management of hospitality services for large, upscale, branded properties in the US and Europe. Most recently he served as the Director of Food and Beverage at the 1544 room Hilton Chicago, overseeing $40M in annual food and beverage revenue. Mr. Herbst has a Bachelor degree of Business Administration from Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany and a Master's degree of Management in Hospitality concentrating in food and beverage from Cornell University.
Pursuant to an agreement dated April 8, 2015, by and among Noble Roman's, Inc. and Red Alder GP, LLC; Red Alder GP, LLC and other related parties ("Shareholder Parties") have the right to recommend a substitute person to serve on the board of directors as a replacement director for Mr. Tanger. The Shareholder Parties have recommended Mr. Marcel Herbst as such a replacement director and the board of directors has unanimously agreed.
"We are excited to have someone of Mr. Herbst's stature, financial ability and experience in the foodservice industry joining our board of directors," said Mr. Scott Mobley, President and CEO of Noble Romans, Inc. "Mr. Herbst's extensive knowledge and experience in both the financial and the foodservice industries should prove to be a tremendous asset to the company."
When asked about his appointment to the board of directors of Noble Roman's, Mr. Herbst said, "I am excited to join the Noble Roman's board of directors. Noble Roman's is well poised for significant long-term success with its notable strong product, strong executive team, and viable channels of growth. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow directors and the Noble Roman's management team to continue to create value for all stockholders."
The statements contained in this press release concerning the company's future revenues, profitability, financial resources, market demand and product development are forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) relating to the company that are based on the beliefs of the management of the company, as well as assumptions and estimates made by and information currently available to the company's management. The company's actual results in the future may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties that exist in the company's operations and business environment, including, but not limited to, competitive factors and pricing pressures, non-renewal of franchise agreements, shifts in market demand, the success of new franchise programs with limited operating history including the stand-alone take-n-bake locations, general economic conditions, changes in purchases of or demand for the company's products, licenses or franchises, the success or failure of individual franchisees and licensees, changes in prices or supplies of food ingredients and labor, and dependence on continued involvement of current management. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended. The company undertakes no obligations to update the information in this press release for subsequent events.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:
For Media Information: Scott Mobley, President & CEO 317/634-3377
For Investor Relations: Paul Mobley, Executive Chairman 317/634-3377
SOURCE: Noble Roman's, Inc.
North Korea on Friday paraded a defector accused of involvement in a child abduction plot it says was masterminded by South Korean agents, as Seoul demanded the man's immediate release.
In a carefully stage-managed press conference in Pyongyang, Ko Hyon-Chol, 53, who fled the North in 2013 and was granted South Korean citizenship, "confessed" to attempting to kidnap two orphans and take them to the South.
"I committed the unpardonable crime of being involved in attempted child abduction," a weeping Ko said at the event in the People's Palace of Culture in central Pyongyang.
Ko, wearing dark trousers and a blue striped shirt, was marched in by two uniformed soldiers and sat at a desk below framed photos of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il -- North Korea's revered late leaders.
In a 30-minute statement during which he frequently wept and referred to himself as a "traitor of the fatherland", he detailed his defection, recruitment by the South's spy agency and his "criminal acts".
Such choreographed and apparently scripted public confessions are standard practice for foreign or North Korean nationals arrested for subversive activity.
Ko's case comes amid an ongoing dispute between North and South Korea over the April defection to the South of a dozen North Korean women working in a restaurant in China.
Pyongyang insists that the women were kidnapped by the South's spy agency -- the National Intelligence Service (NIS) -- but Seoul says they fled of their own free will.
-- Kidnapping for cash --
Ko said his South Korean handlers told him in May to arrange the kidnapping of orphans from North Korea, promising him $10,000 for each child.
"They asked me if I knew about the 12 women who defected as a group and said that was just the beginning", Ko said.
"So I set about abducting children but it wasn't easy," Ko said.
Eventually he selected two targets, two girls, aged eight and nine, who were in an orphanage.
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He crossed the river from China into North Korea with his inflatable boat -- which he planned to use to ferry back the girls -- just after midnight on May 27, but was arrested hours later.
Ko originally fled in January 2013 because he had been involved in smuggling and was being investigated by Pyongyang authorities.
He lived in China for about a year before arriving in the South in 2014 via Laos and Thailand.
He said he had struggled to adjust to life in South Korea and had been unable to find a job, so sought out a defectors' organisation through which he was introduced to NIS agents in December 2015.
Seoul responded abruptly, demanding North Korea "release our citizens including Ko Hyon-Chol and immediately repatriate them," the South's unification ministry said in a statement Friday.
It warned Pyongyang to stop "illegally arresting" its citizens and using them for a "war of propaganda".
North Korea is currently holding at least four South Korean detainees who have been arrested since 2013, including Ko.
Ko's "confession" comes as relations between Pyongyang and Washington plumb new depths, after the US announced plans to deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea and put North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on its sanctions blacklist.
Pyongyang called the measure a "declaration of war", closed its last remaining channels of communication with the US and said it would handle all bilateral issues based on its "wartime laws" -- including those relating to two Americans currently detained in the North.
Otto Warmbier, a 21-year-old college student, was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in March for stealing a propaganda banner from a hotel. Korean-American missionary Kim Dong-Chul is also serving a jail term on charges of subversion and espionage.
The new US missile defence system is also proving deeply unpopular in South Korea, where Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn was Friday egged by angry protestors calling for its retraction.
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Britain does not want to see the return of frontier controls with the Irish Republic after leaving the EU, especially on the land border with Northern Ireland, its new Northern Ireland secretary said on Friday. The province will have Britain's only land frontier with the European Union once Britain leaves, and leaders north and south want to ensure that people and goods can continue to cross freely, as well as maintaining decades of open travel and trade across the Irish Sea that predate the countries' simultaneous accession to the EU in 1973. James Brokenshire, appointed this week, said he had already been in contact with Dublin. "We certainly don't want to see a return to the border of the past, we don't want to see that hard border coming into place and I think there is a real sense of commitment between the UK and Irish government to maintain the common travel area," Brokenshire told the Irish national broadcaster RTE. "I recognise the really important benefits that we get from the movement of people, but also goods, services and trade, and what that means for the economy." Brokenshire campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU before last month's referendum, but said it was now important to get the best possible arrangements for Northern Ireland in Britain's withdrawal. The land border was marked by military checkpoints until a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of violence in the province from Irish nationalist and pro-British unionist paramilitary groups. A majority of Northern Irish voters wanted Britain to remain in the EU, and many fear the biggest threat to peace in the province would be the reimposition of border checks, which would disrupt a myriad of trade and financial ties. In particular, it is unclear whether Britain might continue to be a part of the EU's single market when it leaves the EU. Dublin is concerned that the negotiation on any form of border will be done at EU level and therefore not entirely under its and London's control. It has begun seeking support from other EU states for its position that the border with Britain should remain open, and won backing from Italy this week. [nL8N19Y4VV] (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Washington (AFP) - US President Barack Obama strongly condemned what he said appeared to be a "horrific terrorist attack" in Nice.
Offering assistance to investigate the attack which left at least 80 people dead, Obama vowed to help France "bring those responsible to justice."
"On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians," Obama said in a statement.
A truck ploughed into a crowd in the French Riviera resort town after a Bastille Day fireworks display, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies, including those of children, authorities said.
The driver of the truck was shot dead after traveling more than a mile (two kilometers) through the crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais.
"We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack," Obama said.
"We know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life," Obama added.
"On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world."
Secretary of State John Kerry said the US embassy in Paris was attempting to account for American citizens in Nice.
"The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed," Kerry said in a statement.
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and her Republican counterpart, Donald Trump, both weighed amid the busy campaign season.
Trump cancelled his Friday plans to announce a vice presidential running mate "out of respect for this horrific situation."
Speaking on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" Trump said that if elected he would ask Congress for a "declaration of war" to combat global terrorism.
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"This is war. If you look at it, this is war. Coming from all different parts," Trump said.
"And we're dealing with people without uniforms. In the old days, we would have uniforms. You would know who you're fighting."
Speaking on the same program, Clinton stressed the US need to "strengthen our alliances" with European partners and NATO.
"We've got to do more to understand that this is a war against these terrorist groups, the radical jihadist groups," she said. "It's a different kind of war."
Clinton also called for "an intelligence surge" to improve information exchange across the Atlantic.
Ranveer Singh, who will be next seen in Befikre, says that there a lot of kissing scenes in the film.
By India Today Web Desk: Ranveer Singh has wrapped up the shooting of Aditya Chopra's romantic drama Befikre in Paris. And ever since the project's announcement last year, it has grabbed eyeballs. If Adi's return to director's chair after a gap of eight years wasn't enough to raise expectations, the sizzling chemistry between Ranveer and Vaani Kapoor in the first look posters took the hotness quotient a notch higher.
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ALSO READ: Ranveer Singh returns to Mumbai after wrapping up Befikre
ALSO READ: Ranveer Singh, Vaani Kapoor turn on the heat in Befikre's new poster
The film has already created quite a stir among the audience as Ranveer and Vaani are seen lip-locking passionately in every poster released so far.
Asked about the excessive lip-locking scenes in Befikre, Ranveer told IANS, "Yes, there are a lot of kissing scenes. What should I say! They made me kiss so many times!"
Ranveer, who recently returned to Mumbai from Paris, said that shooting for Befikre was a "mind blowing" experience.
"Befikre shooting was mind blowing. Aditya sir is just amazing," Ranveer said.
The film is set to release on December 9.
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Washington (AFP) - President Barack Obama called his French counterpart Francois Hollande Friday and ordered flags be flown at half-staff in a show of solidarity following the Nice attacks.
Spokesman Josh Earnest said the White House had offered the French authorities "any assistance that they need to conduct their investigation."
Obama has described the truck attack that killed at least 84 people as a "horrific terrorist attack."
He is expected to deliver fuller remarks during a reception for foreign diplomats at the White House later on Friday.
"We'll be offering our strongest support to the people of France in this very difficult time," said Earnest.
Amid uncertainty about the perpetrator's motives, the White House said "there's still much more that needs to be learned about this particular situation."
Washington (AFP) - US President Barack Obama will host his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto at the White House next week, the two governments announced.
The pair, who will meet on July 22, are looking to build on the "significant progress" made at last month's "Three Amigos" summit in Canada with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the White House said.
The leaders will discuss a "range of issues," the White House said.
Mexico said they had a common goal of "deepening the strategic partnership between the countries."
The meeting comes as presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement that has tied those two countries with Canada since 1994.
The United States is Mexico's primary trade partner, with 85 percent of its exports heading north to America.
Trump has promised to build a wall on the US border with Mexico to prevent undocumented migrants from entering the United States.
In a recent interview with CNN, Pena Nieto said Mexico would refuse to pay for the wall.
By Roberta Rampton
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday responded to critics who charged he has not done enough to show support for law enforcement officers after two years of protests against incidents of violence by police against the black community.
Obama faced several pointed questions during a town hall broadcast on television network ABC exploring the emotionally charged issues surrounding policing and racial discrimination in the United States.
The divide between police and the black community was brought into stark focus last week when a man, angry about killings by police of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, shot and killed five police officers in Dallas at a demonstration.
Obama, the nation's first black president, has repeatedly condemned violence against police officers. After the Dallas shootings, he urged the country to come together.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, a Republican who called Black Lives Matters protesters "hypocrites" after the Dallas shooting, urged Obama to do more to support police, including illuminating the White House with blue lights.
"I would ask you to consider being careful not be too quick to condemn the police without due process, and until the facts are known," Patrick said.
Obama told Patrick he has been "unequivocal" in his support for police. "I think it's already been expressed. I'll be happy to send it to you, in case you missed it," he said.
But Obama also said that data shows disparities in how African-Americans are treated by police.
"We have to address that honestly," Obama said. "This is not just stuff I make up."
During the town hall, Obama addressed broad questions about race relations in questions from Cameron Sterling, whose father was killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Diamond Reynolds, whose fiance died in Minnesota.
But he also heard from Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn, who expressed frustration with the distrust between the black community and his officers, and Teri George, the mother of a Baltimore police officer injured during riots last summer.
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"It just seemed like nobody was there to protect him," George told Obama.
John Minster, a Republican student at DePaul University, asked Obama why he had commented on the "potential racial aspect" of high-profile police shootings before waiting for the cases to work their way through the legal system.
"Why always look at these situations through the prism of race?" Minster asked.
Obama said it was part of his role as president to try to calm the nation after shootings sparked national anger.
"I'm not suggesting that I always get that fine line perfectly - but if I don't say anything at a time when people feel hurt, angry, there are protests, there are flare-ups, then I wouldn't be doing my job," he said.
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Bill Rigby)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday said he would deploy up to 200 U.S. troops equipped with combat equipment to South Sudan to protect U.S. citizens and the embassy in Juba amid an outbreak of violence between rival troops in the nation. The U.S. troops will be initially stationed in neighboring Uganda, Obama said in a notice to the U.S. Congress. They will include 47 troops announced earlier this week, and 130 troops currently in Djibouti. "It is not possible to know at this time the precise scope or the duration of the deployments of U.S. Armed Forces necessary to support the security of U.S. citizens and property in South Sudan," Obama said in his letter to Congress. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Sandra Maler)
By Marine Pennetier PARIS (Reuters) - Best known as a Riviera tourist destination, Nice has been struggling to get a grip on its less prized distinction as France's prime recruiting ground for would-be jihadis. France's anti-terror prosecutors said on Friday they were looking for terrorist ties after a gunman plowed a delivery truck into crowds gathered to watch Bastille day fireworks, killing at least 84. The hinterlands beyond the smart streets of the old city have seen dozens of its Muslim residents head to Syria in recent years to fight. "Nice is the city which has been most hit by the jihadist phenomena," said David Thomson, an expert on radicalization in France. "There is one main reason behind it: since 2010, a charismatic character, known as one of the main recruiters of French jihadists, has been hugely active preaching in poor neighborhoods," Thomson said. The militant in question is Omar Diaby, a former Nice resident of Senegalese origin now believed to live in Syria who made a name for himself in 2012 with a series of online propaganda videos entitled "19HH". The French administrative department of Alpes-Maritimes, of which Nice is the capital, said at the end of last year that 236 individuals had been monitored over several months as part of a surveillance program and that it was tracking five new individuals every week. The region of just over a million people is thought to be home to 10 percent of all of French citizens gone abroad to wage jihad. Back in 2014 the regional government cited one case where 11 members of a single family were reported missing, believed to have left for Syria. But there have been successes as well: that same year, police said they foiled an imminent attack targeting Nice's carnival, one of the world's biggest after those in Rio de Janeiro and Venice. Since a nationwide state of emergency was declared after the Nov. 13 shootings and bombings in Paris, the regional government has shut down five illegal religious centers on the suspicion they were used to foment extremism. Nice's jihadi problem is all the more striking as it is one of the most heavily policed cities in France and closely monitored by an extensive video surveillance system due to the efforts of its security-obsessed former mayor Christian Estrosi, now the president of the broader Riviera region and beyond. Since February 2015, the Alpes-Maritimes department has been running a program to train 1,300 social and medical workers to identify people that may be tempted by radicalization. (Writing by Matthias Blamont; Editing by Leigh Thomas and Peter Graff)
Hillary Clinton's search for a vice president has taken a magical twist.
Jeremy Green has filled three Hillary Clinton related domains with stories mashing up her search for a running mate with the Harry Potter universe. The sites each include a story about a potential Clinton vice presidential pick: Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Vice President Joe Biden .
Green, a 28-year-old intellectual property lawyer based in Washington, D.C., said he started buying the domains ClintonKaine.com, ClintonBooker.com and ClintonBiden.com as early as six years ago. He sold two other domains in the 2016 cycle, Cruz2016.com and BidenWarren.com, for $1,500 each.
Green, who said he has always done "little stunts" with domains he owns, supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the Democratic primaries but now supports Clinton. His ability to sell the domains now depends on who the former secretary of state chooses as her running mate.
"This is sort of an all or nothing thing at this point. My future depends on who Hillary Clinton picks," he said, adding that he could fetch $10,000 to $20,000 for a site featuring the eventual running mate.
The stories and cartoons on the sites put "Hillary Potter" at Hogwarts, the school for witches and wizards in the popular book and movie franchise. It lists Kaine as "Timotonous Kaine," a boring but loyal member of the Hufflepuff house in "Hillary Potter and the Boredom of the Phoenix."
In "Hillary Potter and the Prisoner of New Jersey," she debates picking the charismatic "Coriander Booker." The only problem, the story reads, is that Booker is from New Jersey.
"Joe Biding" could be asked to stay on as a "super-seventh year" in "Hillary Potter and the Half-Retired Prince."
Green wrote the stories and drew cartoons of the politicians himself.
Speculation is swirling around Clinton's vice presidential pick ahead of the Democratic National Convention later this month. Kaine, Booker, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro are among her possible picks.
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PARIS (Reuters) - A French judge on Friday rejected a demand that jail guards stop round-the-clock video surveillance of the only known survivor of a group of Islamist militants who killed 130 people in Paris last November. The request was lodged by a lawyer for Salah Abdeslam, who has been held in solitary confinement and monitored 24-hours-a-day by camera at a high-security jail near Paris since he was captured in Belgium and shipped to France earlier this year. The judge at the court in Versailles, west of Paris, rejected the demand for an emergency ruling to bring the surveillance to a halt on human rights grounds. "Salah Abdeslam is not in a position to declare that he is subject of a manifest and clearly illegal breach of respect for his privacy," the judge said in a statement. Abdeslam was spirited out of France and back to Belgium, his country of residence, by car in the hours after the multiple attacks by the militants. The French authorities suspect him of playing at least a part in their logistical organization. Abdeslam was transferred to France several weeks ago but refused to talk to investigators in a first hearing about the attacks. The court's ruling came hours after a Tunisian resident of Nice killed at least 84 people by plowing a truck into Bastille Day crowds. (Reporting by Simon Carraud and Chine Labbe; Writing by Brian Love; Editing by Alison Williams)
By PTI: Bhubaneswar, Jul 15 (PTI) Odisha government today claimed to have found a new evidence about the origin of Rasgulla in the state to bolster its case for getting the GI tag for the sweet, for which West Bengal is also a claimant.
"Now we have collected authentic evidence about the availability of Rasgulla in Odisha prior to 1500 AD," Science and Technology minister Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi said.
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The ministers claim was based on a report prepared by the expert committee set up to collect evidence in favour of Odishas demand for geographical indication (GI) tag for the sweet, known in West Bengal as Rasogolla.
"Committee member Asit Mohanty has submitted evidence regarding existence of Rasgulla in Odisha before 1,500 AD. The department will examine the report and take appropriate steps within two weeks to present the evidence before the central government," Panigrahi said.
The Commitee has presented a 27-page research paper and a 100-page document comprising 75 points proving that Rasgulla originated in Odisha.
"Odisha will definitely get the GI tag on Rasgulla as the West Bengal government hasnt applied for the same due to lack of concrete evidence to support its claims," Mohanty said.
The committee in its report said Rasgoola as a sweet was cited in Dandee Ramayana, the Odia adaptation of the Valmiki Ramayana by sage poet Balarama Das.
Further, Dandee Ramayana has featured in World e-Book of 1921 published by Calcutta University which has mention of Rasgoolas association with traditions and practices associated with Lord Jagannath, Mohanty said.
He claimed that the sweet was being offered to gods in mutts and temples of Odisha for over 600 years.
The committee also refuted Bengals claim that Rasgulla came to Odisha under the influence of Shri Chaitanya. The Mohanty committee in its report has also mentioned that selections from Odia literature published by Calcutta University in 1924 had references to the sweets origin in Odisha.
The sweet traders in the state will observe a Rasgulla Day tomorrow on occasion of Lord Jagannaths "Niladri Vije" (return to the temple after annual ratha jatra). PTI AAM MD DIP
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An estimated minimum of 84 people died after an individual drove a truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France. Shortly afterward, French President Francois Hollande said the attack was of "an undeniable terrorist nature" according to the BBC. The attack, if indeed terrorist induced, is the largest attack on European soil since the 2015 Paris attacks.
The U.S. markets did not react negatively to the news, however, trading up 0.09 percent Friday afternoon. This was not anything new, as only one out of the last three major European terror attacks have seen the S&P 500 close down after the event. Even the 130 death toll from the Paris attacks did not shake the market into closing negatively after the event.
Related Link: Is The NRA About To Fall?
A Look Back
The European past attacks are shown below in red with S&P 500 price movement.
Over the last five years, there have been three major terror attacks in Western Europe, excluding the most recent attack in Nice, all of which led to increased trading activity in U.S. markets. These attacks included the March Brussels bombings, the November Paris attacks and the Charlie Hebdo shooting in 2011.
The past attacks are shown below in red with S&P 500 price movement.
Brussel Bombings
Five ISIS-pledged individuals coordinated three bombings at transportation stations in Brussels, killing 32 people on March 22, 2016.
The attack played a role in sending stocks down for three days, but the uptrend continued on the fourth.
Paris Attacks
An estimated nine participants in the name of ISIS bombed six areas of Paris, killing 130 people on November 13, 2015.
The attacks happened after Fridays market close and didnt have much of an effect the following Monday. Although the Paris attacks were the largest of the three listed here, including Nice, stocks rose significantly Monday.
Charlie Hebdo Shootings
Cherif and Said Kouachi, both dedicated to Al-Qaeda, shot and killed 12 individuals at Charlie Hebdos headquarters in Paris, France, on January 7, 2015. The attack came after the Charlie Hebdo magazine published an issue showing Muslim prophet Muhammad saying, 100 lashes, if you dont die laughing.
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The attack did not send American stocks falling on the next trading day after the attack, conversely, U.S. markets performed well following the attack.
Overall, terrorist attacks in Europe generally don't send S&P 500 stocks down, at least not on the trading day closest to the event.
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2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The surge of strangers creeping around lawns and alleys looking for Pokemon has led to a predictable result--a corresponding surge in people calling the police about trespassers.
In response, police departments across the country are posting warnings on social media and elsewhere for people to take care in how they how they hunt the digital beasts. (In case youve been living under a rock, the craze involves people using to an app to find Pokemons on a real-world map and catch them by flicking a finger on their smartphone screen).
According to the AP, police officers nationwide are being called on to investigate Pokemon related incidents. The phenomenon is happening everywhere, leading fed-up cops to tell people to knock it off:
Sheriff warns: Stop trespassing to find Pokemon on new app: https://t.co/mh04CcEk9g #PokemonGo The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) July 12, 2016
Don't let Pok?mon Go get you hurt or into trouble. Trespassing is bad. #keepyourheadup Corpus Christi PD (@CorpusChristiPD) July 11, 2016
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Its happening north of the border in Canada too where a constable posted a strangest call of the day, and even up in wide-open Alaska where authorities have posted a sign telling folks to stay away.
This is real life outside the @NWSAnchorage officebc too many Pokemon Goers were trespassing @ktva pic.twitter.com/T1rUsiugoO Daniella Rivera (@RiveraDanie) July 12, 2016
So far, it appears police are not taking a heavy-handed approach to the Pokemon zealots. According to the AP report, there have been no reports of arrests, though one Utah teenager reportedly received a Pokemon-related trespassing ticket.
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But that doesnt mean rumors arent flying. A fake news site, for instance, is fooling people with articles about a homeowner shooting a 15-year-old Pokeman chaser to death. While Snopes debunked the story, the scenario does suggests how Pokemon and stand your ground laws could be a fatal combination.
For now, in the absence of serious stupidity, the vast majority of Pokemon players are likely to remain safe. Though, based on these tweets, it may be just a matter of time until a tragic incident:
Please stay off the fishing pier. The Pokemon will hopefully be there when it reopens. Had calls about this already pic.twitter.com/KtnarsXPaE Edmonds Police (@EdmondsPolice) July 10, 2016
From FB friend: "I'm stuck on the Acela as Police have stopped trains since morons are up ahead on the tracks looking for Pokemon." Dan Primack (@danprimack) July 13, 2016
As one of the few people who doesnt understand the appeal of chasing digital creatures in odd locations, I can only hope this fad will peter out sooner than later.
See original article on Fortune.com
More from Fortune.com
By David Schwartz
PHOENIX (Reuters) - Police in Arizona have uncovered a cache of explosives and make-shift bombs in the mobile home belonging to a car bomb suspect killed earlier this week in rural Nevada when the device he was carrying in his vehicle detonated, authorities said on Friday.
Roughly 100 residents of the Zuni Village RV Park in Kingman, Arizona, were ordered evacuated Thursday as bomb squad technicians began to search the dwelling and storage shed of the suspect, Glenn Franklin Jones, police said.
Jones, 59, described by Nevada authorities as a disgruntled former hospital worker, was believed responsible for two bomb blasts on Wednesday night that rocked the tiny farming community of Panaca in southeastern Nevada, near the Utah border.
One bomb went off in the car Jones was driving, killing him, and a second device exploded at a nearby home, damaging the residence, but authorities said there were no other serious injuries.
Investigators sent to Jones' residence at the RV park in northwestern Arizona on Thursday morning found a significant amount of explosives in his motor home, said Rusty Cooper, deputy chief of the Kingman police department.
The materials seized included numerous home-made bombs in various stages of construction, Cooper said.
Bomb technicians on Friday expanded their search to Jones storage unit, which Cooper said was expected to contain additional explosive material.
He estimated that 200 more people will need to be evacuated from the park because of the central location of the storage shed, adding the search was likely to run through Friday.
Jones, who had lived at the Arizona mobile-home park for several months, had worked as night nurse at the Grover C. Dils Medical Center in the Nevada town of Caliente, just south of Panaca.
He apparently had targeted the house of a married couple who also worked as nurses at the hospital, one of them as the nursing director.
(Editing by Steve Gorman and Andrew Hay)
Tensions flared at President Obama's televised town hall on race relations Thursday.
Discussing issues of communities and policing, Obama was joined by ABC's David Muir for the pre-taped The President & the People: A National Conversation with an audience that included a very emotional Erica Garner, the daughter of police chokehold victim Eric Garner.
Erica and her family were invited to participate in the town hall, but when the discussion concluded she shouted that she was denied asking Obama a question.
"I was railroaded! I was railroaded by ABC on the two-year anniversary of my father's death!" Erica was heard yelling immediately after the meeting. "That's what I have to do? A black person has to yell to be heard?"
Erica's 43-year-old father was allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes on a Staten Island sidewalk July 17, 2014, when a group of police officers wrestled him and one put him in a chokehold. According to footage of the incident filmed by an onlooker, Garner cried, "I can't breathe!" and fell to the ground, gasping for air. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. In early December, a New York City grand jury voted not to indict the police officer responsible.
I was not upset about not speaking with #POTUS . i was upset because #ABC lied and used me, my pain, and suffering for ratings. a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 15, 2016
Yo this town hall that presidential town hall #abc arranged is a farce. It was nothing short of full exploitation of Black pain and grief a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
They lied to me and my family to get us to travel to DC to participate. Taking time away from things I had planned to remember my father. a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
they promised me that if ANY questions got asked of #POTUS that mine would be asked... They lied to both me and @osope to get us there. a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
"Yo this town hall that presidential town hall #abc arranged is a farce. It was nothing short of full exploitation of Black pain and grief," Erica wrote in a series of angry tweets. "They lied to me and my family to get us to travel to DC to participate. Taking time away from things I had planned to remember my father."
Adding, "They promised me that if ANY questions got asked of #POTUS that mine would be asked... They lied to get us there ... BECAUSE ABC lied to us... they promised if any questions were asked it would be mine... lies and exploitation."
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest later confirmed that Erica was able to speak with Obama. "After the ABC-hosted town hall that was taped this afternoon, the President had a brief opportunity to visit with Erica Garner who was upset that she didn't get called on to ask a question," Earnest said in a statement.
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I need all of you to know that this #ABC town hall that will air at 8pm is a sham. They shut out ALL real and hard questions a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
I speak for myself and many others from the movement for Black lives when I say we wereused n I don't endorse what happened today on #abc ! a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
I went there trying to represent THE PEOPLE... #ABC wanted ratings even if it meant they had to profit from Black misery and oppression. a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
BECAUSE ABC lied to us... they promised if any questions were asked it would be mine... lies and exploitation. https://t.co/riVHw8GP31 a officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
Garner's was not the only flare-up of tensions at the event. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also had a charged exchange with the president.
Speaking specifically about the recent Dallas shootings, Patrick questioned Obama if he "is doing everything he can to protect [police] lives." Patrick also asked, "consider being careful when there is an incident of not being too quick to condemn the police without due process and until the facts are known."
"What I have said is that the data ... there are discrepancies, those aren't good for making people feel like they are treated fairly and that's not good for police either," Obama said in response. "I think the one thing that all of us can do is to make sure that we don't pretend as if there aren't potential problems, police and communities interact and that the perceptions aren't anti-police."
WATCH: @POTUS participates in an important conversation for America in wake of tragic shootings. https://t.co/kQSHZro6a7 #POTUStownhall a ABC News (@ABC) July 15, 2016
Adding, "I have also insisted throughout all these processes that law enforcement is deserving of due process just like everybody else. No matter how powerful videos may be or what's been said, everybody deserves to be treated fairly by the justice system."
Calling himself "Mr. Hope," Obama explained that protestors "have to be peaceful, it's counterproductive if you're not."
The White House press pool noted that Obama looked "taken aback" and "annoyed" by Patrick's line of questioning. And the president wasn't the only one. According to a pool report distributed to the White House press corps, an audience member confronted Patrick after the taping and told the lieutenant governor that his "was an inappropriate manner in which to address the president."
Also in the audience was Cameron Sterling, the son of Alton Sterling who was shot and killed Baton Rouge police.
Here's a ticket you'll want to get from a cop.
As a part of their "Operation Safe Summer," officers from the White Haven Police Department in Pennsylvania have begun stopping children up to 12 years old as they ride their bikes.
Read: Girl, 9, Spends Her Summer Vacation Painting Nails and Braiding Hair to Raise Money for Charity
Those wearing helmets are cited not with a ticket, but a free ice cream voucher.
"We give them to every kid we see riding a bicycle with a helmet," White Haven Police Chief Thomas Szoke said.
Szoke told InsideEdition.com the department hands out vouchers redeemable at Woods Ice Cream as a part of their community outreach program every year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
"Every year, [kids] have their helmets on and they come find us," he said.
So far, the police department estimated they have handed out hundreds of citations this summer alone, and "we're a pretty small town, so that's actually most of the town," Szoke joked.
Though the phrasing had some people confused, Szoke said, "once the idea got out and everyone understood it, it got better."
"A lot of people try to get out and wear their helmets and ride their bikes so they get a ticket," a local girl told WNEP.
She and her twin sister are even repeat offenders. They were caught outside the same ice cream shop riding safely, and were ticketed a second time.
Read: Man Fights to Keep Cookie-Loving Gator He's Owned for Nearly 50 Years
Now, her twin announced proudly in an interview with WNEP that she wears her helmet, "every chance I can get."
Watch: 6-Year-Old Battling Leukemia Sworn In as Honorary Firefighter After Being Given Just Weeks to Live
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A sheriff in northern Washington says that his deputies were not welcome to eat at a local Chinese restaurant, according to a post on the Skagit County Sheriffs Office Facebook page.
Sheriff Will Reichardt wrote in the post Thursday that the owner of the Lucky Teriyaki in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. told a group of officers that other customers did not want them there.
This afternoon four Skagit County Sheriffs office deputies were finishing up lunch at Luckys. As 2 deputies went up to pay they were informed by the owner that he requested they not eat there anymore, Reichardt said. They were told that other customers didnt like law enforcement there.
The chief deputy said he confirmed the ban with the owner and that he was asked to pass the message along, according to local NBC KING 5.
Later in the day the owner of the Lucky Teriyaki told KING 5 that the incident was a misunderstanding and that he was having some trouble with some customers, but that the language barrier caused the confusion.
Screenshot of the poster used to promote protests supposedly organized by Black Lives Matter and the hacktivist group Anonymous. (Via anonhq.com)
Law enforcement officers and business owners around the country are reportedly on high alert amid rumors of nationwide protests Friday evening.
According to local Fox News affiliate KDFW-TV, Dallas County Sheriffs deputies were strategizing Thursday after affiliates of the hacktivist group Anonymous announced this week that it was teaming up with Black Lives Matter to organize a nationwide day of solidarity against police violence on July 15.
In light of recent events in our country, activists of all types are coming together to spread a message of unity and togetherness, read part of a press release posted on the website Anonhq.com. Regardless if you support Black Lives Matter or not, encouraging people to come together is much more important right now.
The proposed day of solidarity quickly became billed as a day of rage with the release of a video on an Anonymous YouTube channel promoting the protests.
The video shows graphic images of the recent fatal police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile as well as the deadly ambush on officers in Dallas, as a male voiceover declares that Anonymous is calling for a collective day of rage against police brutality and corruption.
The voice in the video also goes on to say that we must stress the importance of staying non-violent, and @TheAnonMessage since posted several tweets denying a planned day of rage and insisting that Fridays protests are meant to be a peaceful show of nonviolence and civil disobedience.
Yeah, we don't know anything about this #dayofrage. We've been planning the #FridayOfSolidarity for the past week, and today's the day. TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonnMessage) July 15, 2016
Today is meant to be a peaceful show of nonviolence and civil disobedience. #FridayOfSolidarity TheAnonMessage (@TheAnonnMessage) July 15, 2016
Meanwhile, the rumor-debunking site Snopes has suggested that the entire call to action might simply be a hoax noting that the video in question is nearly identical to one that prompted false rumors about a Day of Rage following unrest in Ferguson back in August 2014. Snopes also pointed out that the recent video was not posted on Anonymouss official YouTube channel.
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Still, while most of the protests remained unconfirmed as of Friday afternoon, in light of the shootings that killed five police officers at a protest in Dallas last week, many law enforcement agencies were clearly unwilling to leave anything to chance.
As the Dallas County Sheriffs office prepared for a potential gathering in Dealey Plaza, the site of President John F. Kennedys assassination in 1963, so too did some nearby businesses. KDFW-TV reported that both the Old Red Courthouse museum and the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau planned to close early on Friday, and that a neighboring daycare center was asking parents to pick up their children by 3 p.m.
In addition to Dealey Plaza, the Anonymous press release lists specific locations in 35 other cities where it says protests are scheduled to be held on Friday evening, including Times Square in New York City and outside the White House in Washington, D.C.
According to the New York Post, the Department of Defense issued a threat advisory Thursday, urging all Army personnel to avoid the potential D.C. demonstrations for your personal safety.
Multiple Air Force bases issued similar warnings to airmen via their Facebook pages.
Some businesses near Lafayette Square in New Orleans another alleged protest site also sent employees home early Friday, the Advocate reported, while local police said they were on standby.
The Chicago Police Department also erred on the side of caution, issuing a statement Friday that although the event is unconfirmed, CPD is aware of the planned rally this afternoon and will ensure adequate police resources are in place to ensure the safety of demonstrators and the public.
Meanwhile, members of Black Lives Matter Chicago and other local advocacy groups were directing followers to an entirely separate protest via social media Friday evening.
The national Black Lives Matter group, for its part, took to Twitter to distance itself from any sort of #DayOfRage, while @TheAnonnMessage account has continued to promote #FridayOfSolidarity.
There is no Black Lives Matter promoted #DayOfRage. See what we're for and take the Movement for Black Lives pledge: https://t.co/g5dMgej6WN Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) July 15, 2016
President Obama defended his position on issues involving police officers and their relationship with communities of color during a town hall event Thursday hosted by ABC News.
The Presidents remarks came after a week of conversations, meetings and statements about the tension between the two groups in the wake of an ambush on Dallas police and the shooting of two black men by police that was captured on video. The Town Hall was taped prior to the news of a terror attack in Nice, France and therefore did not include any mention of the event.
Obama addressed both sides of the debate during the town hall, which shined light on the deep-seated rifts that exist across the U.S. Activists from Black Lives Matter, family members of shooting victims, as well as law enforcement officials were in the audience, posing questions to Obama. Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend of Philando Castile who was killed by police in Minnesota, asked a question via video about how the country moves forward. Castiles funeral was held earlier that day and she could not be in attendance live.
Much of the Presidents remarks echoed statements he has made over the past week. Obama has called for unity in the wake of the shootings, but also a recognition that biases and mistrust exist. He reiterated his belief that the country is not as divided as it seems and said he remains optimistic that things will improve. On Thursday, the President called himself Mr. Hope. But he acknowledged the reasoning behind both the Black Lives Matter movement and the frustration expressed by police who say theyre expected to do more than just police neighborhoods.
At one particularly tense moment, Obama was questioned by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick who asked the President to condemn violence against police and shine blue lights on the White House in honor of the fallen officers. The President did not respond to the lighting request, but he did remark that hed spoken out against anti-police violence and rhetoric on a number of occasions since Ferguson.
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Youd have to find any message that did not include a very strong support for law enforcement in all my utterances dating back to Ferguson, Obama said. I rely on law enforcement.
In the end, the President called for both sides of the debate to hear each other.
Kindness and compassion expressed by these two sides that makes a big difference, Obama said. Sometimes people just want acknowledgment.
The town hall occurred on the two year anniversary of Eric Garners death, however, and his daughter Erica sat in the audience. After the taping, Erica expressed anger over the fact that she was not called on for a question during the event.
I speak for myself and many others from the movement for Black lives when I say we wereused n I don't endorse what happened today on #abc ! officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
By PTI: Mumbai, July 15 (PTI) Superstar Salman Khan, who was at the center of controversy over his rape analogy, today said he feels sad when his statements are twisted.
The 50-year-old star had stirred up a hornets nest with his remark that he felt like "a raped woman" after the gruelling shoots of his wrestling drama, "Sultan", which released recently. "So now should I give you something to survive for the next two weeks? If I dont say anything I am boring. See, I understand your responsibility towards your job. But if I say something my people wont like it. So you guys decide and tell me what you want me to do," Salman said, when asked how he deals with controversies during a group interview here. Even if he doesnt say anything, things will still be written about him, he said. "You speak, you dont speak. People will still write what they want to. I may say something, it will be taken as something else.... Phir ek statement ko ghuma firake kya hota hai, you know (You know how a statement is twisted). Its sad." When asked if he felt he was immune to controversies due to his superstar stature, Salman said, "No, I dont think like that. I believe you are as good as your last film. To me, its the performance of the last film that matters. The whole cycle begins from there again. Once that chapter ends, another begins."
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Salman skipped an appearance for the third time before the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) yesterday. He instead sent a letter to the panel in response to the summons issued to him over his rape remarks.
He was also a no show before the National Commission for Women on July 8. PTI KKP KRK BK SRE
--- ENDS ---
July 15 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Financial Times. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
Headlines
*Bayer raises bid for Monsanto to $64 bln (http://on.ft.com/29U8JCC)
*BlackRock's chief warns of Brexit recession in UK (http://on.ft.com/29U8SpE)
*Elliott reports 13.2% stake in Poundland ahead of Steinhoff deal (http://on.ft.com/29U8QOs)
*Court rules in Microsoft's favour in a data privacy case(http://on.ft.com/29U9eMQ)
Overview
*German drug and crop chemical group Bayer AG raised its takeover bid for U.S. seed company Monsanto to $64 billion on Thursday.
*Larry Fink, chief executive of BlackRock, warned that Britain's vote to leave the European Union will trigger a recession in the country's economy.
*Activist investor Elliott Advisors reported a 13.2 percent stake in British discount chain Poundland Group Plc on Thursday. A day earlier, South African retailer Steinhoff International Holdings NV agreed a 450 million pound ($601.29 million) deal to buy Poundland.
*A US appeals court ruled on Thursday that the U.S. Government cannot force Microsoft to hand over a customer's email, stored in Ireland.
($1 = 0.7484 pounds) (Compiled by Bhanu Pratap in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler)
July 15 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
- A truck driver barreled through Bastille Day revelers thronging the famed seaside promenade in the French city of Nice on Thursday, killing several dozens of people and sending a terror-scarred nation reeling again. http://on.wsj.com/29UKkg6
- Chinese growth held steady at 6.7 percent in the second quarter, after a flood of stimulus in the first quarter lent at least temporary stability to a slumping economy. http://on.wsj.com/29UJFLy
- Disability benefits have soared as the embattled Veterans Affairs department expands coverage and streamlines the claims process. Now, critics say the reduced evidence requirements can mean claims get padded, wasting funds and time better directed to more-qualified veterans, according to interviews with more than 40 current and former VA staffers, doctors, veterans and government agents. http://on.wsj.com/29ULUhS
- Democrat Hillary Clinton holds comfortable single-digit leads over Republican Donald Trump in Colorado, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia-four of the nation's most racially diverse battleground states-new Wall Street Journal/NBC News/Marist polls show. http://on.wsj.com/29UL5WF
- Bayer Ag boosted its takeover offer for Monsanto Co to about $65 billion in a bid to overcome the U.S. seed company's resistance to the tie-up and join a parade of consolidation in the agriculture industry. http://on.wsj.com/29UL7h2
- Microsoft Corp won a major legal battle with the U.S. Justice Department when a federal appeals court ruled that the government can't force the company to turn over emails or other personal data stored on computers overseas. http://on.wsj.com/29ULyYW (Compiled by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru)
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein. (Photo: Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun via Facebook)
A prominent Manhattan rabbi has pulled out of the Republican National Convention in the wake of blistering community backlash.
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, who converted Ivanka Trump to Judaism in 2009, sent a statement on Friday saying that he would no longer be participating.
In the interest of bringing our community together, I have asked to be relieved of my commitment to deliver the invocation, Lookstein wrote. My request has been honored with the same love and respect in which it was first offered and intended.
Lookstein said he had been personally asked to speak by Ivanka, the daughter of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, but lamented that when his name appeared on the speakers list, it was not clear that he would be delivering the invocation, not a political address.
Unfortunately, when my name appeared on a list of speakers at the convention, without the context of the invocation I had been invited to present, the whole matter turned from rabbinic to political, something which was never intended, he wrote. Like my father before me, I have never been involved in politics. Politics divides people.
Lookstein was the long-serving head rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun and principal of the Ramaz School, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
His name appeared on the initial list of convention speakers released Thursday. A Ramaz graduate, Jacob Savage, immediately started a petition urging him to reconsider. It received over 800 signatures and was spread widely within the Ramaz alumni network. When Donald Trump was asked about David Duke, Trump said he didnt know anything about the guy, wrote Savage. When a Jewish reporter wrote an article about Trumps wife, white nationalists sent her death threats and Photoshopped pictures of her at Auschwitz. Wolf Blitzer asked Trump point blank to condemn the threats; Donald Trump just shrugged. Rabbi Lookstein, do you also shrug in the face of virulent, violent anti-Semitism?
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This is not the first controversy Lookstein has been fielding of late. He is currently embroiled in a fight with Israels top rabbinical court, which refuses to acknowledge another conversion he recently conducted. Lookstein also came under fire in 2009 when he participated in President Obamas inaugural national interfaith prayer service. He was rebuked for it at the time by the Rabbinical Council of America because the service took place in the National Cathedral.
It is not known if Rabbi Lookstein still intends to attend the convention in any capacity.
Another Ramaz alum, former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, is also on the RNCs list of speakers.
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Beirut (AFP) - Publications issued by the Islamic State jihadist group on Friday make no reference to the truck attack in the French city of Nice that killed at least 84 people.
Releases by the extremist group or its affiliated Amaq news agency make no mention of the attack which French anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins said was "exactly in line with" calls from jihadist groups to kill.
Late on Thursday, a Tunisian named as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel rammed a truck into a Bastille Day crowd in the coastal French city after a firework display.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the 31-year-old attacker was "probably linked to radical Islam in one way or another", although Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve cautioned that it was too early to confirm such a link.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel -- a resident of Nice -- was shot dead by police after the attack in which at least 10 children and teenagers were among the dead.
The IS group, which has controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq since 2014, has claimed several deadly attacks in the past in France, Belgium, the United States and in Arab countries.
Despite IS silence over responsibility for Thursday's killings in Nice, supporters of the jihadist group used internet social networks to hail the attack.
Moscow (AFP) - Top US diplomat John Kerry stressed the urgency of closer cooperation in Syria after the Kremlin said Friday a US proposal for direct military cooperation in the war-torn country had not been addressed in earlier talks with President Vladimir Putin.
On the second and final day of his visit to Moscow, Kerry called for stepping up cooperation between the United States and Russia to thwart jihadist groups and revive the stalled Syria peace process, hours after at least 84 people were killed in an attack in Nice.
"Nowhere is there a greater hotbed and incubator for these terrorists than in Syria," Kerry said after observing a minute of silence in honour of the victims ahead of his talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
"And I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way" to fight terrorism, Kerry said.
"And you and I and your teams are in the enviable position of actually being able to do something about it," he added, addressing Lavrov.
Kerry's meeting with Lavrov follows what the top US diplomat said were "serious and frank" talks with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
But the Kremlin said Friday that direct military cooperation between Moscow and Washington in Syria, a proposal Kerry was set to make, had not been addressed in Thursday's talks.
According to a leaked document seen by the Washington Post, Kerry's key proposal is to offer Russia closer US military cooperation against the Al-Nusra Front jihadist group.
In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that the talks between Putin and Kerry had not marked the start of cooperation "to significantly improve the effectiveness of efforts in the fight against terrorism."
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- Time running out -
US officials were careful not to call the talks a last chance for diplomacy to resolve the bloody five-year-old conflict, but they warned time is running out.
Washington blames the failure of the peace process on Assad's ceasefire violations and on Al-Nusra's increasing influence among the surviving rebel factions.
"If we cannot get to a solution that resolves both of those problems we're going to be in a very different place, and the reality is that time is short here," a US official said.
Meanwhile, there was no sign in Damascus that Assad feels under any pressure to agree to talks on a new government, the next stage in the process if a ceasefire is restored.
Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, in an interview broadcast Thursday, Assad insisted Putin and Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure or a political transition.
"Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the president, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this," he said.
Moscow and Washington and the 22-nation contact group they co-chair have called for a nationwide ceasefire and Geneva-based talks on a "political transition".
A landmark partial ceasefire they brokered in February -- which did not include Islamic State or Al-Nusra -- has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura urged Russia and the United States to push for a resumption of the talks next month.
Russian forces are fighting in support of Assad's regime against a variety of rebel factions while a US-led coalition focuses its fire on the Islamic State group.
Syria's civil war erupted in 2011 when Assad brutally suppressed anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into catastrophe that has left more than 280,000 dead.
Efforts to end the war have taken on greater urgency since the emergence of the Islamic State jihadist group, which seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq in mid-2014.
Russia knows terrorism. Between the apartment bombings of 1999, the bloody hostage situations of Beslan and Nord-Ost, the many, many suicide bombings, and, now, the wave of Russian citizens departing for Syria, Russia has been dealing with terrorism for the last two decades. Which is one reason Vladimir Putin is so quick and scrupulous on the sympathy-for-foreign-leaders button. Famously, he was the very first foreign leader on the line to George W. Bush the morning of 9/11. Last November, when Islamic State gunmen stormed Parisian cafes and a concert hall, Putin sent Francois Hollande a telegram, expressing his deepest condolences to you personally and to the people of France.
But Friday morning, in the wake of the grizzly attack in Nice, Putin decided to forgo that private pleasantry. Last night, we all heard about another outrageous terrorist attack in France, he declaimed stiffly from the Kremlin, holding onto the back of an ornate chair. I understand that the president and many of Frances leaders are too busy now for telephone conversations. Therefore, I would like to address Mr. President publicly.
He went on.
Dear Francois,
Russia knows terrorism and the threat it creates for us all. Our people have had to deal with similar tragedies many times, and we are deeply distressed at the news. We would like to express our sympathy and solidarity with the French nation.
The criminal act in Nice that resulted in death and injury, including among Russian citizens, was committed with extreme atrocity and cynicism.
I would like to stress again that only through a united effort can we defeat terrorism.
Mr. President, I kindly ask you to pass on my words of most sincere sympathy and support to the victims families and friends and wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.
Its a fine sentiment, a noble sentiment, but also a sneaky, clever sentiment. You Westerners think Russia is scary and cruel? Wrong. Russia has a wide and generous soul, and it bleeds with you, openly, despite our recent conflicts. We are all in the same boat, braving the choppy seas of global terrorism. He took pains to stress again that only through a united effort can we defeat terrorism. How are we going to get to shore, Francois, if half the people on the boat refuse to cooperate with the well-meaning Russian rower? Hows that boat going to do, Francois? Not very well. Not very well at all. It might even sink. Do you understand what Im saying, Francois?
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Of course, what Vladimir is really saying is that he needs you, Francois. Because its cold out there in Sanctions Land, outside what used to be the G-8. Putin is clearly wearying of the isolation imposed on him by America and the EU in punishment for twice invading Ukraine and annexing part of it. Its not that he thinks Russia did anything wrong he doesnt. In fact, he is happy with the realignment of Russias role in the world. Its exactly where he wants it to be. Russia is a global player again and in a very real way, which is why U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry went to Moscow to plead with the Kremlin for cooperation on Syria and not the other way around. Because now Russia, not America, is calling the shots in that conflict. Putin loves that he achieved that particular goal.
The next goal is to lift the punishment imposed on Russia for, in Putins mind, simply standing up for its interests and playing its historical geopolitical role. Why should one be sanctioned for that? In Putins mind, one shouldnt be, so the trick is now to lift the sanctions, end the isolation, by showing the West that a resurgent, muscular, even belligerent Russia is not contradictory to its interests. In fact, Russia is showing by, as it claims, going after terrorists in Syria that it is fighting a common fight and doing the Wests dirty work. A thank you would be nice.
Terrorist attacks in the West, especially in Europe, are the perfect opportunity. Last time there was an attack of this scale in France, there was more than a little schadenfreude and hurt feelings on the Russian side. After Russias double invasion of Ukraine and the start of its Syrian adventure, tensions with the West were running at historic highs. Russian officials and journalists wagged their fingers at the French and Americans, saying Islamic State terrorism was ultimately their fault, because they rattled the wasps nest of the region. And two weeks before the Bataclan attack, a Russian passenger jet full of Russian tourists had been blown out of the sky in Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 people on board. And yet no one in the West cloaked their Facebook avatars in a transparent Russian flag. That stung.
Putins November telegram was also a bit harsh, even in its expression of sympathy. It was also much more overt in what Putin hoped France would learn from the Paris attack. It is obvious that to counter this evil effectively the entire international community needs to truly join efforts, he wrote in the public part of his telegram. I would like to confirm the readiness of the Russian side to closely cooperate with our French partners in investigating the crime committed in Paris. I expect both the originators and perpetrators to be justly punished.
Lets do this, Francois. Drop the sanctions, drop the posturing, and lets do this. Lets go into Syria and get those fuckers. (We dont have to parse it too much; theyre all terrorists, and maybe I can convince, or bamboozle, you into propping up Assad, but we can talk about it later.) This was, after all, one of the main reasons Putin went into Syria: to come in from the European cold.
Sure enough, within the week, Russian and French jets were together in Raqqa, pounding Islamic State targets. And sure enough, by January, Hollande was suggesting the Europeans lift sanctions against Russia because Putin doesnt want to annex eastern Ukraine he told me that. Last week, even as he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel extended the EU sanctions against Russia, Hollande was publicly insisting, For France, Russia is not an adversary, not a threat. Seen from Russia, France is the weak link among the three major European powers, representing a hope that any day now the French will convince the Brits and Germans to just stop icing Russia and lift the sanctions.
Here again we see Putins deft touch: He is the bad cop and the good cop, the tough and the love, all in one man. After the November Paris attacks, Putin was tough because the shock was more shocking, even after Charlie Hebdo. It was the second massive terrorist attack for the French. By now, with a third attack in less than two years, its already sinking in that these are not one-offs. And thats depressing. So Putin is here, Francois. Hes got your back. He understands. He sends his sympathy, and he wants to stress again, gently, that only a united effort a united effort, Francois can defeat terrorism.
And, of course, he also sends you a separate, private telegram.
Photo credit: SASHA MORDOVETS/Getty Images
The pain is still fresh. Queen of Versailles star Jackie Siegel exclusively told Us Weekly in an interview on Thursday, July 14, that even now, more than a year after her 18-year-old daughter Victorias fatal overdose, theres not a day that she doesnt feel like crying.
Sometimes Ill see a mother with her teenage daughter and I get emotional, Siegel, 50, told Us in Los Angeles prior to a rappelling challenge for the nonprofit Shatterproof. I think by trying to save other peoples lives, it makes us feel better that were saving other parents from the grief weve gone through and that well always be going through.
The family first came into the spotlight with the 2012 documentary The Queen of Versailles, about the Spiegels quest to build the largest home in America.
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Following Victorias death last summer, the former Mrs. Florida and her husband, David, a once-billionaire and founder of Westgate Resorts, started the foundation Victorias Voice, which helps raise awareness about substance abuse, particularly among teens and their families.
Victoria was found dead in the familys mansion in Windermere, Florida, on June 6, 2015, after fatally overdosing on prescription medication, and the case drew wide coverage.
Everyone from homeless people to billionaires children are affected, Siegel told Us of drug addiction. It doesnt matter about race, financial status, if someones addicted, no matter what, theyre going to get it theyll find a way, theyll steal, theyll prostitute themselves. And kids are so good at hiding the fact that theyre doing drugs.
PHOTOS: Most Shocking Celebrity Deaths of All Time
Siegel told Us that Victoria had been taking medication for anxiety, but that at some point, she had so much built up in her system and finally realized she needed help. The Siegels eldest daughter then checked herself into a rehab center, where she met a man whom she fell madly in love with.
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They had an anniversary, a one-month anniversary, and on the anniversary, he cheated on her, Seigel told Us of the events immediately preceding Victorias death. And one month, that doesnt sound like anything, but when youre a teenager and youre in love She overdosed that night. She was trying to get out of the pain.
According to Siegel, a woman Victorias boyfriend had been dating and whom he shared a child with allegedly texted the teen from the boyfriends phone, which may have led a distraught Victoria to take prescription medications.
PHOTOS: Reality TV Tragedies: The Saddest and Most Shocking Deaths
Seigel said that for three months after Victorias death, the family didnt return to Versailles.
We lost our inspiration. It didnt really matter anymore. Our passion wasnt in it, she said. We put a lot of money into it, but it gave us perspective. I wish I could give up the house and get my daughter back, you know? Its a $100 million house. And Id rather live in the house we live in now because its full of all of our memories.
Drake Doremus loves making movies about love.
His breakout film, 2011's Like Crazy, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, followed two recent college grads, played by Felicity Jones and the late Anton Yelchin, who are separated due to issues with visas and must battle immigration authorities, while also fighting doubts about their own relationship.
The California native followed that with Breathe In, another Sundance selection, which starred Jones as a foreign exchange student who has an affair with a high school music teacher, played by Guy Pearce.
With Equals, his newest film, Doremus continues his exploration of love and relationships, this time within the context of a futuristic society where humans have eradicated all emotion. Nicholas Hoult and Kristen Stewart star as Silas and Nia, co-workers who discover they have developed the ability to feel and begin a secret romance.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, going on to Toronto, after which it was picked up by indie distributor A24, which is releasing the dystopian sci-fi love story today.
Doremus talked to The Hollywood Reporter about the real-world inspiration behind Equals and why Nora Ephron's When Harry Met Sally is the perfect airplane movie.
Read More: How Kristen Stewart, Nicholas Hoult Bonded for 'Equals': Late-Night Skateboarding and Talks About Love
What was the inspiration for Equals?
I had this basic concept: As we evolve away from human contact through social media and online dating, is love necessary for human being to function and progress as a race?
How did you go about casting the film?
I kidnapped them and forced them to do the movie. They are actually not onscreen under their own will. [Laughs] I had actually met Nick through mutual friends and immediately wanted to find something for him. You know, you meet actors through generals and you never end up doing anything together and Nick was the first exception to this. When we started to build the character of Silas, I told [screenwriter] Nathan [Parker] that he was this guy. We wrote the part for him.
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How did Kristen come on board?
I met with a few different actresses for the role, but as soon as I met Kristen I knew she was the perfect person for Nia. She is such a strong, convicted person but there is also so much vulnerability. The dynamic between the two of them was perfect. We rehearsed in Tokyo for a week before we started shooting and we did a lot of exercises where they could build up their character's childhoods and pasts, growing up without feeling anything. From there, we did a bunch of trust exercises between just [Nick and Kristen]. They had never worked the way I work, either, and had never done improvisational work like this. So, the week of rehearsals was very important.
Equals and Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster, which are both in theaters now after having made the festival rounds, both center on relationships in oppressive future societies that lack emotion. Why do you think we are seeing films like these now?
I think it is a topic that is of concern for some people, I know it is for me. I can see myself making more films that focus on human beings and how we date and find each other and fall in love and how constant the turnover is, like how you can just move and keep swiping. It's just crazy to think about how quickly it is all changing. Like in five, six years what kind of algorithms will humans have come up with to try and define how you find something.
Read More: 'Like Crazy' Director Pens Tribute to Anton Yelchin: "He Was an Artist in the Truest Sense"
How difficult was making making a futuristic film on a smaller budget?
For me it was a big movie... $20 million - or whatever it was - was massive for me. Previously, the biggest movie I made was five million dollars, so I had a lot more storytelling tools at my disposal. We have 750 VFX shots in the film, so I had to teach myself about that, which was frustrating. [Laughs] At the same time, it felt like me and my little team, that I have worked with for eight years, making our intimate little love story.
Do you think you will continue doing bigger-budgeted projects?
That's a thing I have been wrestling with since Like Crazy. There are two very different routes to go on, and after I made that film I could have gone the much more commercial, mainstream route but it didn't feel right. I am much more open to it now, as opposed to four or five years ago when I was like 'F - k this, I just wanna make my film and do what I want to do.' But now I am more open to it, if it's the right films and the right story. I want to make small films and intimate films and I want to make big films with small, intimate content.
Other directors of well received indies have immediately gone on to direct big movies like Jurassic World or a Star Wars movie.
Well, that' s not me. [Laughs]
Do you have a dream actor you want to work with?
I have worked with a lot of my dream actors, so I'll start by saying that, but I love Benicio del Toro.
What are you reading right now?
I am reading a lot of self-help books. No, just kidding. [Laughs] I am always reading love stories.
Are you a fan of rom-coms?
Sometimes, yeah. I love Four Weddings and a Funeral and When Harry Met Sally. I'll watch [When Harry Met Sally] on any plane because it's the perfect amount of - my soul gets filled up but it's also light so I can sit back and relax and eat my loaf of bread on the plane to wherever I am going.
Are you looking forward to any particular summer movie?
Oh shit. That's a tough question. I don't see a lot of them to be honest. I see a lot of movies but I don't know what's coming out.
Coming up there is Jason Borne and Suicide Squad.
Anything with an action sequence that's longer than a minute and a half - I'm usually out. I am not your guy, but I will try and watch them.
What about Rogue One with Felicity Jones?
Yeah! I am so, so proud of her. She is so kick-ass and she is going to kick so much ass in that movie and bring so much depth to her character too. That is a movie I am looking forward to. I will be there opening night.
By Nicole Mordant and Susan Taylor
VANCOUVER/TORONTO, July 15 (Reuters) - Soaring gold and silver prices have clipped a deal-making spree for metals streaming companies - the mining financiers that provided a lifeline to the cash-strapped industry in recent years.
With bullion up 25 percent since January, precious metals miners are once again able to raise money in the equity markets, reducing the need to obtain funds in exchange for a portion of future mine output at discounted prices.
"Streaming companies were almost the savior of the industry," said John Ing, president of brokerage Maison Placements Canada, but the price rally has seen them "relegated to the back of the line."
Global gold companies have raised nearly $3.2 billion in equity, up 16.5 percent jump on the year, Thomson Reuters data shows.
Meanwhile, the value of top streaming deals fell nearly 40 percent to some $640 million in the first five months of 2016 versus 2015, Scotiabank estimates.
Higher metals prices mean miners have less need for new funds to repair debt-laden balance sheets. Last year, top global miners including Barrick Gold Corp and Glencore Plc did streaming deals.
Miners typically prefer equity over streaming deals to avoid giving up a portion of future output that becomes more valuable as metals prices rise.
The downturn in deals for the streaming industry, which evolved from niche to mainstream amid booming demand, coincides with a swathe of new competition.
Pension funds, private equity groups and hedge funds such as Elliott Management Corp, which is backing former Barrick finance chief Shaun Usmar's new Triple Flag Mining Finance venture, have all joined the fray.
"(Streaming companies') opportunity universe has shrunk to where now it's the base metal companies that might still need that type of transaction," said portfolio manager Joe Foster at New York-based Van Eck, a major institutional investor in the precious metals sector.
By PTI: festival
Rourkela, Jul 15 (PTI) Prohibitory orders were imposed and security tightened as tension prevailed in this steel city today, a day after protests and road blockade by a group during Lord Jagannaths Bahuda Yatra (return car festival).
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC were clamped from Ambedkar Chak at Uditnagar up to Madhusudan Marg and security personnel in strength deployed as a precautionary measure, said SP, Rourkela, Anirudh Singh.
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Personnel of the Special Operation Group (SOG) were also kept on standby for any emergency situation, he said.
Tension was palpable near Uditnagar, Daily Market, Mahatab Road and Madhusudan Marg areas, while shops and business establishments remained closed in areas where section 144 was clamped. Some schools and offices also remained closed, the police said.
Meanwhile, the district administration held an all community peace committee meeting, which was chaired by Sundergarh District Collector, B S Punia.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Rourkela, Manisha Banarjee said the meeting was fruitful and positive as all promised to maintain peace and harmony.
The VHP has called for a 12-hour bandh in the city tomorrow here in protest against alleged attempt to disrupt Lord Jagannaths Bahuda Yatra yesterday.
The dawn-to-dusk shut-down would be peaceful, said senior VHP leader Amulya Mishra. PTI COR SKN DKB IKA
--- ENDS ---
(Adds finance secretary's quotes, share prices)
By Luciano Costa
SAO PAULO, July 15 (Reuters) - Regulatory changes under Brazil's interim President Michel Temer could soon facilitate a sale by Sao Paulo's state government of its controlling interest in power utility Cesp SA, a state official said on Friday.
Sao Paulo Finance Secretary Renato Villela, told Reuters in a phone interview that no final decisions about a possible privatization had been made yet.
But while a previous plan to privatize Cesp stalled in 2011, due to investor concerns about the expiration of concessions involving its largest hydroelectric dams, Villela said that may no longer be the case.
"The sale did not progress due to regulatory uncertainty in the electricity sector. But this is changing, and with stable rules we may be removing the biggest hurdles," Villela said.
Cesp, which controls power plants in Sao Paulo state, has a 3.8 billion reais ($1.2 billion) market capitalization.
Preferred shares in Cesp had their biggest jump in almost eight years on Friday on the news the state was considering a sale of the company. Shares rose 19 percent, to 15.09 reais. Villela had spoken about a possible sale during a Friday meeting with investors arranged by JPMorgan Chase & Co. ($1 = 3.2811 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Luciano Costa; Writing by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Tom Brown)
More than 50,000 people will descend on Cleveland for next weeks Republican National Convention to watch Donald Trump become the GOPs official nominee for president.
In recent years, conventions have become little more than week-long infomercials as organizers plot a tightly-scripted event, all in an effort to present a picture perfect image of a party ready to govern.
But this year, the RNC has had a series of public hiccups while putting its big coronation bash together, from advertisers pulling out last minute and big name party speakers declining to participate or even show up.
Trump has pledged to liven things up in 2016, calling the last RNC the most boring convention Ive ever seen. Ironically, he may deliver on that promise though not for the reasons he was hoping.
Also Read: Donald Trump Had Cold Feet About Selecting Mike Pence for VP
Here are 5 things that could derail the RNCs big week:
The Delegate battle
Delegates Unbound, a group urging delegates to vote their conscience at the convention, insists that delegates can vote for the candidate they want at the convention even if that candidate isnt Trump. On Thursday, a GOP committee voted down their demands. But the group has vowed to continue fighting, even if it means protesting on the convention floor.
It could be very damaging to Trump because it could give ammunition to Hillary Clinton during the general election, one GOP operative who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told TheWrap. She could try and argue that Trump is incapable of running his own party let alone an entire country.
Also Read: Mike Pence: 5 Things You Need to Know About Donald Trump's VP Nominee
Speakers going rogue
Trump has had a hard time convincing GOPs top brass to speak at the RNC. Many big name republicans, including all the last four nominees have said theyre not planning on going. But even those who have agreed to speak could end up being a liability.
In 2012, Clint Eastwood , a longtime conservative had viewers scratching their heads as he spoke to an empty chair while addressing an invisible President Barack Obama. The media had a field day and nearly overshadowed the entire convention. In a 2013 book published titled Double Down Mark Halperin and John Heilemann claimed at least one senior strategist was so horrified by the spectacle that he promptly took himself off to vomit.
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You just dont know what they might say that could end up being a debacle, the GOP operative said. Ted Cruz could just sneak in one of those back-handed compliments.
Protesters galore
Concerns about violence outside the convention are at an all-time high after several of Trumps speeches this year have gone out of control. Making matters worse, Ohio has a particularly wide stance on gun rights, allowing the open carrying of firearms. Among those planning on packing: The New Black Panthers Party. Members of the black-power movement will arm themselves at rallies leading up the convention. They say theyll carry the guns in self-defense.
The Trump wildcard
Even though Trump has said he plans on using a teleprompter for his big speech on Thursday night, GOP strategists are worried he might go off script at any given time. Trump has been known to add his own commentary in the past, ad-libbing throughout.
He could go off a tangent thinking hes delivering a great speech when in fact he could be providing late-night hosts with some extra fodder, the GOP operative said.
Also Read: Donald Trump Spoofs 'Pokemon Go' With 'Crooked Hillary NO' Campaign Ad (Video)
Veep revolt
Delegates who dont like Trump could ostensibly try and contest his vice presidential nominee, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. There is a precedent for this. In 1920, party leaders offered Wisconsin Sen. Irvine Lenroot as Warren Hardings VP. But the choice was obstructed by delegates who wanted Massachusetts governor Calvin Coolidge. Delegates won and Coolidge went on to succeed Harding as president after Hardings premature death.
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Donald Trump Had Cold Feet About Selecting Mike Pence for VP
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg Regrets Bashing Donald Trump
NEWS BRIEF After the 2012 presidential election, the Republican National Committee released its autopsy report, pledging to make a concerted effort to reach Latino voters, after Mitt Romney only garnered 27 percent of their support. Then came Donald Trump, whose inflammatory rhetoric alienated a large swath of the Latino electorate and hampered the GOPs outreach effort. A newly released Univision poll shows the repercussions of that.
The poll, released Thursday, found that 53 percent of Latinos would not vote for a Republican candidate in future elections, compared with 35 percent who said they would. Sixty-four percent of Latinos have an unfavorable view of the Republican Party. Consistent with previous findings, Trump continues to trail behind Hillary Clinton among Latinos, with Clinton at 67 percent and Trump at 19 percent. More than three-quarters of Latinos have an unfavorable view of the presumptive Republican nominee.
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The Univision poll surveyed 1,000 Latino registered voters between July 1 and July 10 in both English and Spanish. The findings shed light on the top issues for Latinos: jobs and the economy, at 25 percent; immigration, at 18 percent; and terrorism, at 12 percent. Sixty-three percent of Latinos trust Clinton will handle immigration better than Trump.
On Thursday, during the League of United Latin American Citizens National Convention, Clinton said, if elected, she would work toward comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship in her first 100 days in office. She also criticized the impact of the GOP autopsy report, recalling when Trump tweeted a photo of him eating a taco bowl for Cinco de Mayo:
HRC slams the GOP autopsy, saying the @GOP will nom a candidate next wk who thinks Latino outreach is "tweeting a picture of a taco bowl." Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) July 14, 2016
Trumps campaign did not respond to an invitation to the convention, according to NBC News.
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Earlier this month, the Trump campaign met with the National Diversity Coalition in what The Wall Street Journal dubbed: the unofficial kickoff of his minority-outreach campaign. Last week, Trump was scheduled to host a campaign event in Miami-Dade, the only county he lost in the Florida primary, but he postponed it in the wake of the Dallas attack. Its unclear whether Trump will be able to make inroads within the Latino community. The Univision News poll comes a day after a Quinnipiac University poll found Trump garnering only 21 percent of the nonwhite vote in Florida, a swing state with an increasingly diverse electorate.
Read more from The Atlantic:
This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Retailers who have changed over to the chip-and-PIN terminals are fighting back against the card issuers and filing lawsuits to make transactions more secure.
Home Depot, the Atlanta-based home improvement retailer, filed a federal lawsuit this month accusing Visa and MasterCard, two credit card issuers, of hindering the retailer's efforts to boost the security of the new chip cards. In their lawsuit, the company claims that the card issuers are not giving retailers the option to offer more secure transactions where consumers have to use their PIN, a four digit code instead of a basic signature. Allowing the use of a PIN increases security and would lower the transaction fee being charged to the retailers by the issuers.
The chip-enabled, or EMV, cards contain a computer chip which has the ability to generate a unique code for each purchase. These cards are also more difficult to counterfeit.
In the lawsuit, Home Depot alleges that "while chip-and-PIN authentication is proven to be more secure, it is less profitable for Visa, MasterCard, and their member banks and it provides a greater threat to their market dominance."
These lawsuits have occurred, because retailers are "incredibly frustrated because they're spending a ton of money and still not getting the safest, best solution," said Matt Schulz, senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com, an Austin, Texas-based credit card comparison website. The likelihood that more retailers will file lawsuits is high.
Utilizing chip-and-signature means retailers are still vulnerable, because they are not receiving the most secure form of protection from hackers for transactions.
"I'm not surprised to see these types of lawsuits," Schulz said. "The truth is that chip and signature is a half-step, security-wise."
The adoption of chip-and-PIN for all transactions would make it harder for fraudsters to commit crimes, because "it's a whole lot easier to fake someone's signature than it is to know their PIN," Schulz said.
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Shoppers must remain vigilant and always be on the lookout for fraud occurring, because hackers are often one step ahead despite the type of credit card they are using to pay for purchases.
"The most important thing for consumers to know is that whether you have a chip-and-signature card, a chip-and-pin card or even a good old fashioned magnetic stripe card, you must remember that you are one of your own best lines of defense," he said. "The truth is that no one cares as much about your money as you do, so it's vital that you check your online bank and credit card statements at least once a week for signs of fraudulent activity."
Credit card issuers are apprehensive that some consumers may not remember the four-digit PIN, so they are still allowing shoppers to utilize their signature as a method of identification, which can be forged and reproduced easily, said Joe Carson, head of global strategic alliances at Thycotic, a Washington D.C.- based provider of privileged account management (PAM) solutions.
"While we saw the introduction of chip and PIN cards in the U.S. last year, many credit card issuers still have not applied the security controls that other countries benefit from using the PIN instead of signing," he said.
Retailers doled out thousands of dollars and more to implement chip card readers in their payment system, but have failed to benefit from these added security controls, said Carson.
"While these cards are more difficult to replicate, the issue still remains that the security benefits are not being used," he said. "This resulted in the start of lawsuits against the credit issuers for failure to increase security."
The U.S. needs to switch its liability to Europe's system, Carson recommends.
"In Europe, you're accountable only in the case that your card and your PIN are used together," he said. "If my card is used in Europe without the PIN, the responsibility falls completely on the business, not the credit card company or me, but rather the individual who accepted the card."
One major issue is that many businesses in the U.S. have been slow to adopt the chip-and-PIN terminals and do not feel "motivated to go to great extents to protect customers from credit card fraud," Carson said. "Frankly, if accountability in the U.S. is amended, retailers still without support for chip and pin cards will change their ways pretty quickly. Technology is imperative in all cyber security matters. Nevertheless, making something as unassuming as accountability more reasonable can go a long way toward decreasing crime."
The adoption of chip-enabled by retailers has been painfully sluggish despite the ability of the technology to provide more secure transactions. While 70% of U.S. credit cardholders have a chip credit card, estimates demonstrate that only 22% to 37% of retailers have implemented the technology to accept these cards, said CreditCards.com. The deadline set by the credit card industry was Oct. 1, 2015 for converting to these new cards, which are intended to thwart hackers from accessing consumer accounts and personal details.
Merchants who missed the deadline and have not converted to using these new EMV cards are now financially responsible for any charges which are fraudulent. Boston Retail Partners, a retail consulting firm, estimates that only 22% of retailers have the software and card readers to accept the cards while Strawhecker Group, an Omaha-based consulting firm, predicts a larger amount or 37% of retailers who made the switch.
"National retailers such as Target have adopted the technology, but other companies have failed to complete these upgrades even though it can expose them to a lot of fraud and liability," said Schulz. "The retailers are willing to take the risk to avoid spending money."
Many retailers do not understand the threats they are accepting by not implementing the use of EMV cards, said Mark Parker, a systems engineer for Palo Alto Networks, a Santa Clara, Calif.-based network and enterprise security company. Even a seemingly minor data breach would make them liable for "tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on its size," he said. "In many cases, the costs of a data breach like this would put a non-compliant small or medium-sized business out of business."
A survey conducted by CardHub, a Washington, D.C.-based credit card comparison company, found similar alarming results, leaving consumers exposed to hackers. Among retailers who were the targets of data breaches in the past five years, 43% have not updated their terminals and 42% of retailers have not updated the terminals in any of their stores.
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Pop star Rihanna and the cast and crew of the new Fifty Shades of Grey movie have been confirmed safe in Nice after a horrific terror attack claimed the lives of at least 80 people during Bastille Day celebrations in the city.
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In addition to those so far confirmed dead, many others were injured after a man drove a truck into crowds of partiers late on Thursday, July 14, before getting out of the vehicle and shooting a gun in all directions.
The driver was then shot dead by police, and his truck was discovered to be loaded with arms and grenades. France's President, Francois Hollande, declared the incident was, without doubt, a "terror attack."
PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve Lost
Rihanna, who was in the French Riviera city to perform a concert at the Allianz Stadium on Friday, July 15, as part of her Anti World Tour has been confirmed "safe" by her rep, Billboard magazine reports.
Her concert has been canceled along with other events in the city.
Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson and the rest of the Fifty Shades of Grey cast and crew were filming in the city on the night of the attack. They have also been declared safe and accounted for by the movie's producer.
"As far as I know everyone from our cast and crew is safe. Thanks for everyone's concern," Dana Brunetti confirmed via Twitter as news of the atrocities broke.
He later confirmed via Facebook, "Production has confirmed that everyone working on location in the south of France is okay. Everyone has been accounted for and is safe and sound."
PHOTOS: Celebrity Health Scares
As news of the Nice attacks spread, a host of celebrities took to Twitter to express solidarity with the nation and offer condolences.
"Heartsick over Nice. Horrified," Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote.
"So saddened right now. #PrayForNice my family was suppose to be there today. Thank God they're safe. Nice I am praying for you," added Christina Milian.
Sizzles, secrets and sci-fi storylines were in plentiful supply at the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story panel discussion that took place in London Friday as part of the three-day Star Wars Celebration Europe.
Director Gareth Edwards, producer Kathleen Kennedy and the entire top cast of the first stand-alone Star Wars film took to the stage, each with never-before-heard reveals about their characters and the film's production.
In addition to a sizzle reel, which was live-streamed and later released online, a second trailer - featuring Darth Vader - was revealed to the audience. But those not lucky enough to be in attendance did not get to see the trailer.
"I'm probably a lot like everyone in this audience," said Edwards to the several thousands in the crowd. "I watched A New Hope every day until my Betamax had worn out."
Although the director said that the entire shoot had been the "most insane, surreal experience," one tipping point came when Mark Hamill visited the set.
"He was wearing a Godzilla T-shirt," laughed Edwards, whose previous film was Godzilla. "I don't know what I said to him. I was trying to be articulate, but all I could really think was, 'Please Lord, someone be taking a photo of this.' "
Another special guest came in the form of George Lucas, who popped by one Monday.
"I was told on Friday and spent the whole weekend crapping myself," Edwards said. "I challenge anyone to have a more surreal experience than showing a Star Wars film to George Lucas. He'd criticize things, but then we'd realize he was joking. But we'd all be having heart attacks."
The Death Star rises in this new poster for #RogueOne: A Star Wars Story. Just revealed at #SWCE! pic.twitter.com/aopNW6DzXq
- Star Wars (@starwars) July 15, 2016
Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso) and Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) talked about their key rebel characters.
"I feel there's one major difference between Jyn and other Star Wars heroes, like Rey and Luke, and that main difference is that she isn't a character asking, 'Who am I and where have I come from?'" said Jones. "We know that about her. And that fact propels the story and is the beginning of Jyn's journey to find out what her reason is and her cause."
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Read More: Has 'Rogue One' Won Over 'Star Wars' Fans Yet?
Luna said that Cassian, who works in intelligence for the Rebellion, and Jyn start out as a twosome, but the team grows.
"And like any team, there are frictions, there are issues and it's Cassian who has to keep them together."
One of the central members of the team is a reprogrammed Imperial droid called K2S0, played by Alan Tudyk. As footage of the droid shot in Jordan was shown, Tudyk discussed his robotic character. "He's 7-foot-1, and black, which is really my inner person," he joked. "He's not quite all there; he speaks his mind and says things that could be unsettling just very honest. If you know any old people, it's like that!"
Tudyk also revealed that he had a chance to meet Anthony Daniels - who plays C-3PO - at the Force Awakens party. "I told him I'm going to be the next droid, and he said, 'Do you wear a suit or are you CGI?' so I said 'I'm CGI' and he said, 'You shit!'"
Riz Ahmed, fresh from the Jason Bourne premiere in London earlier in the week and the success of The Night Of on HBO, discussed his pilot character, Bodhi Rook, acknowledging his less celebrated Imperial past. "He does work for the Empire to earn a living," he said. "People work at big organizations and don't agree with everything they do. You don't have to get judgy!"
However he said that the actions of the Empire, especially on his home planet, which is occupied, force him to question what he's doing.
Mads Mikkelsen got arguably the biggest applause when introduced, but gave away the fewest details about his character, Galen Erso, Jyn's father. "It would be a big spoiler to say too much he's a person of interest, a scientist," he said. "At one point he invented something so beautiful, so fantastic, that it might change the universe."
Some of the Rogue One shoot took place in the Maldives, a "paradise" location that Edwards said he "took one for the team" to shoot in. It's here that Forest Whitaker's Clone Wars veteran Saw Gerrera is introduced. "He's a guerrilla fighter controlling a rebel group. These groups all come together as an alliance," Whitaker said, adding that Gerrera was also trained by the Jedi.
Having first entered the conference hall in full white flowing Empire robes, Ben Mendelsohn quickly changed backstage to discuss his Imperial military director Orson Krennic. "He's a very different villain. He's an Australian kind, we do villainy very well," he joked. "But he's smarter than most of his predecessors. He's perhaps a little sexier than some of them too."
The panel discussion took place in London's Excel Center, just four stops on the London Underground from where Edwards revealed he did some secretive, late-night Rogue One shooting. "I used to work in television and pass the Docklands Light Railway every day," he said. "It looks like something from the future, and I thought, 'If I ever get to do a sci-fi film, I'm going to film it here.'"
Edwards parked that thought, but years later managed to fulfill his ambitions with a secret mission: "We went down and as soon as it closed at midnight, you saw these guys in suits getting the last train. As soon as they'd gone, we all dived in, we had four hours and had to set-dress the whole thing, bring all the stuff in and we shot the scenes and had to be out by 4 a.m. We're just getting the last one in and as we left all these guys in suits came back in and we're like, 'Morning, morning.' I so desperately wanted to tell them, 'We just shot Star Wars!'"
Star Wars Celebration Europe continues through Sunday.
Read More: 'Star Wars' Regular Warwick Davis Returns For 'Rogue One'
By PTI: Cuttack, July 15 (PTI) Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigating Team (SIT) on black money today said that around Rs 133 crore cash was recovered from three educational institutions in the last fortnight.
Its deputy chairman Justice Arijit Pasayat did not disclose details of the recovery but said the SIT is likely to submit its fifth interim report to the apex Court in the first week of August.
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The SIT has made certain recommendations to the Union government to tap the black money inside the country, he told newsmen here.
Justice Pasayat said at least 120 people whose names had appeared in Panama Papers? list have already deposed before the SIT after they were issued notices.
"Recording of statements of around 250 NRIs, whose names have appeared in the list, is taking time", he said.
After meeting the SIT deputy chairman, Odisha DGP K B Singh said the state police will continue its offensive against organised crime syndicates who are dealing mostly with black money.
Singh said he had made some presentations about it before the SIT deputy chairman. PTI COR SKN KK RG
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Turns out, it's not that easy to steal plans for a top-secret weapon from under the noses of an intergalactic fascist organization, as new footage from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story makes clear.
The behind-the-scenes look at Gareth Edwards' heist in a galaxy far, far away was released to coincide with this weekend's Star Wars Celebration Europe convention, taking place in London. Edwards and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy appeared onstage together during the event's first day to discuss the movie alongside its cast, including Felicity Jones and Diego Luna.
The movie centers on Jyn Erso (Jones), a fighter brought into the Rebellion to assist on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star ahead of the events of George Lucas' 1977 sci-fi classic. Events are complicated by the fact that one of the scientists working on the project is her father, played by Mads Mikkelsen.
Rogue One has been rumored to be a troubled project, with extensive reshoots in May ordered to bring the movie closer in tone to the original Star Wars movie. Last month, in what might have been a move to counter bad buzz regarding the reshoots, it was confirmed that Darth Vader will appear in the movie.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will be released Dec. 16. Star Wars Celebration Europe continues through July 17, and is being livestreamed via StarWars.com.
Also released during the panel, and shared on Twitter immediately afterwards, was the new poster for the movie:
The Death Star rises in this new poster for #RogueOne: A Star Wars Story. Just revealed at #SWCE! pic.twitter.com/aopNW6DzXq
- Star Wars (@starwars) July 15, 2016
Stay tuned to Heat Vision for full coverage of Star Wars Celebration Europe.
Read More: First Trailer for 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Debuts
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MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court will on July 28 start the trial of airport staff charged in the death of Christophe Margerie, the head of French oil major Total who was killed when his jet collided with a snow plow in a Moscow airport, Russian media reported on Friday.
Lawyers for the five airport employees who are defendants in the case asked the court on Thursday to send the case back to prosecutors, saying the investigation had missed crucial evidence. But the judge rejected those requests.
De Margerie was killed in October 2014 along with three air crew when his jet hit the snow plow as it was taking off from Moscow's Vnukovo airport in the middle of the night.
The trial has been postponed several times and Russia's IAC civil aviation investigative body has yet to release its report about the crash, which critics say exposed the country's patchy air safety record.
(Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Christian Lowe)
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters of powerful Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr filled a central Baghdad square on Friday, disregarding government pleas to scrap protests it said would distract from the war against Islamic State. The demonstration ended a respite from street actions which in April and May saw protesters storm Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone government district twice, hampering parliament for weeks and causing several deaths. Sadr's followers have returned with familiar demands to fight corruption and overhaul a governing system based on ethnic, sectarian and party quotas. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has failed to implement a cabinet reshuffle he promised months ago as part of reforms. The protests have at times boosted Abadi in his bid to replace ministers chosen on the basis of political affiliation with independent technocrats, but he has said more recently they risk undermining the military's push to kick Islamic State out of its northern Mosul stronghold. Activity in much of Baghdad crawled to a halt overnight as security forces deployed ahead of the demonstration, following a military parade in central Baghdad marking a national holiday. Sadr visited Tahrir Square briefly on Wednesday wearing military fatigues instead of his usual clerical robe and turban, raising fears of a possible confrontation. Abadi then toured several security checkpoints late on Thursday in an apparent attempt to bolster his image amid a rising wave of public outcry with residents blaming the government for failing to provide security. Emotions in Baghdad are still raw following a suicide bombing in the central Karrada district on July 3, claimed by Islamic State, that killed at least 292 people, making it one of the worst among the hundreds of such attacks carried out in Iraq since U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein 13 years ago. Islamic State has been turning increasingly to suicide bombings, which U.S. and Iraqi officials have touted as proof that battlefield setbacks are weakening the jihadists, though critics say the militants still pose a long-term threat. A media office linked to the military issued a statement on Thursday calling Friday's protests "unlicensed" and threatening to deal with armed demonstrators as "terrorists". Sadr supporters pledged to carry on with the protest but promised it would be peaceful. There were no reports of serious violence several hours into the demonstration, after which people began to withdraw. Sadr, who rose to prominence when his Mahdi Army battled U.S. troops after the 2003 invasion, briefly ascended the stage in Tahrir (Liberation) Square to address his supporters, many of whom had traveled from outlying provinces. A spokesman then issued a list of demands, including sacking the prime minister, president and parliament speaker; prosecuting corrupt officials; ending the quota system; reforming the judiciary and the election commission; and televising parliament sessions. As the statement ended, protesters waving Iraqi flags chanted: "Yes, yes for Iraq! Yes, yes for reform!" (Reporting by Stephen Kalin, Kareem Raheem and Saif Hameed, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Sambhavna Seth gets hitched to longtime boyfriend Avinash Dwivedi Sambhavna and Avinash are now officially husband and wife.
She is popular for being a loudmouth, but TV actress Sambhavna Seth got married to her longtime boyfriend Avinash Dwivedi, in Delhi. The lovebirds got married in the presence of family and close friends, though no one from the industry was called to the wedding, the actress had stated that they would throw a party for their colleagues and industry friends when they return to Mumbai.
Decked up in gold, the bride looked pretty in a green and red lehenga with gold jewellery, while the groom went formal with a blue suit.
The actress had a mehendi ceremony on 13th July, where the couple danced to some popular Bollywood tracks. For the ceremony, the bride-to-be wore a red and gold lehenga, gifted by her sister-in-law.
The actress had met Avinash on the sets of a dance reality show where she was his mentor. He courted her for more than a year before she finally agreed to go out with him.
Check out the pictures of her intimate wedding and her mehendi ceremony, in Delhi. Heres wishing them a happy married life.
All images are by Yogen Shah
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Friday he welcomed the release of a long-classified section of the official report on the Sept. 11 attacks that discussed potential links between some of the hijackers and Saudi Arabia. "The matter is now finished," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference in Washington. Asked whether the report exonerated the kingdom, he said: "Absolutely." The 28 pages of the report on the 2002 investigation focus on potential Saudi links to the 2001 aircraft attacks on the United States, in which nearly 3,000 people died. They were issued by the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee on Friday after years of wrangling in Washington between Congress and different administrations, Republicans and Democrats, and urging by families of those killed. (Reporting by Yara Bayoumy; Writing by Eric Walsh; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Watch Kim, and his mates try their hands (and feet) at ballet, right here.
By India Today Web Desk: Saying that a soldier's life is not easy, is nothing short of an understatement.
With a constant threat to their lives looming over their heads, it's only understandable for these soldiers to be under a perpetual state of stress.
And to ease out this very stress, soldiers of the South Korean army have enrolled themselves in weekly ballet classes that let them, literally, put their best feet forward.
Photo: Reuters
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Stationed at a military base near the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas in Paju, South Korea, these soldiers exchange their army boots with ballet shoes once a week and unwind.
Photo: Reuters
"There's a lot of tension here since we live in the unit on the front line, which makes me feel insecure at times," Reuters quotes said Kim Joo-hyeok--a soldier--as saying.
"But through ballet, I am able to stay calm and find balance as well as build friendships with my fellow soldiers," Kim further adds.
He also mentioned that he was so fond of ballet that he has full-fledged plans of taking it up even after his army stint is over.
Watch Kim, and his mates try their hands (and feet) at ballet.
Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday the release of classified pages of the official report on the Sept. 11 attacks, and hoped their release would clear up suspicions about Riyadh's actions, intentions or long-term friendship with the United States.
"Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, have investigated the contents of the 28 Pages and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks," Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, Abdullah al-Saud, said in a statement.
"We hope the release of these pages will clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions about Saudi Arabia's actions, intentions, or long-term friendship with the United States."
(Reporting by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Chris Reese)
Public health researchers say Congress failure Thursday to pass funding to fight the Zika virus will hurt efforts to fight it, including stalling research into a potential vaccine and how the virus causes birth defects.
Scientists had already warned that the $1 billion in proposed spending was coming too late. More than 1,300 people in the U.S. already have the virus. The disease is spreading rapidly in Puerto Rico, an American territory.
Without a clear commitment from the federal government, private sector partners working on diagnostics and vaccines will choose not to proceed, Marissa Padilla, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, told TIME. Meanwhile, countless other efforts to combat Zika will be jeopardized.
Read More: Zika Funding Bill Fails as Congress is Unable to Reach Compromise
The first human trials in the U.S. of a Zika vaccine were approved about a month ago. Without this federal funding, Padilla said those trials will be put on hold. The government will also suspend research into the link between Zika in pregnant mothers and microcephaly, a birth defect that shrinks a babys head. Scientists know the Zika virus survives longer in pregnant women than in other people. But there are still many unknowns about Zika, microcephaly and how to prevent it. This permanent damage has already affected at least nine children in the U.S. In Central and South America, more than 1.5 million people have contracted Zika.
The vaccine is relevant beyond this years remaining months of warm weather. A study published this week said the outbreak could continue for three years, ramping up and down as mosquitoes swarm in warmer climates each summer.
In 2014, as Ebola ravaged West Africa and a fear grew the deadly disease would spread in the U.S., Congress allocated $5.4 billion to fight it. Much of that money went unspent. Some House Republicans believe the administration should spend that remaining money to fight Zika. But federal officials say it is not that simple.
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Some Ebola money has been redirected, Padilla told TIME, but she added the funds cannot simply be diverted to Zika. Ebola money has been used to ship Zika-free blood and thousands of prevention kits to Puerto Rico. On July 1, $25 million was granted to cities and states to develop preparedness plans to fight Zika. And $10 million will soon be spent to help states track the babies of mothers who had Zika during pregnancy.
Read More: Zika Funding May Already Be Too Late
While these monitoring and prevention efforts are useful, officials believe they will do little compared to the difference made by a vaccine or widespread prevention efforts. In Florida and Texas, where a certain kind of mosquito makes the states prime transmission spots for Zika, public health officials worry what the remaining seven weeks of summer will bring.
We are disappointed, Dr. Umair Shah, executive director of Harris County Public Health in Texas, told TIME on Thursday. Harris County is home to Houston and 4.3 million people. It would be a lot better if we had those resources. I have to be honest, our team is stretched quite a bit.
Nice (France) (AFP) - Terrified revellers screamed as a truck careered into a crowd of fireworks spectators in Nice, turning Bastille Day celebrations into a night of horror.
AFP correspondent Robert Holloway was among the crowds celebrating France's national day on Nice's Promenade des Anglais when the nightmare began.
He had to shield his face from flying debris as a gunman steered the truck two kilometres (1.3 miles) along the French Riviera resort's palm-fringed beachfront, mowing people down.
"It was absolute chaos," Holloway said.
At least 84 people have been killed in what French President Francois Hollande has branded a terrorist attack.
Bodies lay covered in sheets on what is usually a bustling seven-kilometre strip curving along Nice's clear blue coast, attracting tourists from the world over.
A child's doll lay abandoned next to one of the dead, as Hollande confirmed that several children were among the victims.
In the early hours of Friday, the truck itself sat finally immobilised in front of the luxury Palais de la Mediterranee hotel, badly damaged with its tyres burst and multiple bullet holes in its windscreen.
The driver fired a pistol several times before being shot dead by police, regional chief Christian Estrosi said.
- 'Like a battlefield' -
In a Facebook video that has been viewed 3,000 times, Tarubi Wahid Mosta described how he had taken photos of the aftermath -- children's toys lying abandoned; an empty pushchair.
"I almost stepped on a corpse, it was horrible. It looked like a battlefield," he says, trembling, his eyes red.
"All these bodies and their families ... they spent hours on the ground holding the cold hands of bodies dismembered by the truck. You can't even speak to them or comfort them."
When he finally went home, he brought a victim's Yorkshire terrier dog with him.
A witness named Nader told BFM television he had seen the whole attack from start to finish, and had initially thought the driver had "lost control".
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"I was in the street. He stopped just in front of me after he (crushed) a lot of people," he said. "We were trying to speak to the driver to get him to stop.
"He looked nervous. There was a girl under the car, he smashed her. The guy next to me pulled her out," he said in broken English.
Nader said he saw the driver pull out a gun and start shooting at police.
"They killed him and his head was out the window."
- 'All hell broke loose' -
People screamed and scattered as the truck veered down the beachfront where thousands of adults and children had gathered for the fireworks.
"For a big truck like that to get actually onto the promenade and then to go in a fairly straight line along there, looked to me like a very deliberate act," Holloway said.
"It was about 100 metres from me and I had a few seconds to get out of the way."
Several witnesses described how people hurled themselves off the promenade onto the beach below to escape the path of the truck.
Marie, a 37-year-old security guard at the nearby beachfront Massena Museum -- which itself hosted Bastille Day festivities just hours before the attack -- described the panic as people tried to flee.
"We saw hundreds of people rushing to get shelter," she told AFP, still stunned.
"There were children, people got trampled."
A single high-heeled shoe lay on a nearby road, lost in the panic.
The city streets were quiet as dawn approached, with the exception of the many soldiers and members of the security forces out on patrol.
Witness Roy Calley, who said he lived 200 metres from the promenade, told the BBC there was "all hell breaking loose" and the situation was "pretty horrendous".
"It was a celebratory atmosphere, it was fun, people were enjoying themselves.
Suddenly I heard a huge, what I can only describe as maybe an explosion or a crash.
A lot of people were screaming. That was followed by what I thought were maybe gunshots."
Earlier in the evening, as the crowds enjoyed the fireworks, lightning had flashed in the skies over Nice.
Bourg-Saint-Andeol (France) (AFP) - Tour de France security measures have been stepped up for Friday's 13th stage following the killing of at least 84 people in a terror attack in Nice on Thursday night.
Some 600 security forces have been deployed on the 37km-long stage 13 route from Bourg Saint Andeol to La Caverne du Pont d'Arc in the south of France.
REUTERS - Indian shares fell on Friday, underperforming Asian peers, as blue chip Infosys Ltd declined as much as 10.6 percent after the software services exporter posted disappointing results and slashed revenue forecasts.
The Nifty IT index fell as much as 4.2 percent to a more-than four-month low, with Tata Consultancy Services also contributing to the fall over concerns about its outlook, given the potential Brexit impact.
The NSE index ended 0.28 percent lower at 8,541.40, after earlier hitting its highest since Aug. 10.
The benchmark BSE index closed down 0.38 percent at 27,836.50, after earlier touching its highest since Aug. 17.
Both the indexes gained 2.6 percent on the week.
(Reporting by Samantha Kareen Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)
The new track will reportedly be about how the Spice Girls seem to have lost their on-stage identities due to their lives as parents.
By Indo-Asian News Service: A new Spice Girls song, Song for her has leaked.
Last week, band members Mel B, Emma Bunton and Geri Horner teased they were planning something -- apparently without other members Victoria Beckham and Mel C -- in honour of the group's 20th anniversary and it has now emerged they have recorded their first new material in nine years.
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According to The Sun newspaper, the song explores the way the trio have sometimes felt they have lost their Spice Girls identities due to their lives as parents, reports mirror.co.uk.
Also Read: The big Spice Girls reunion is finally happening!
Lyrics include: "Wipe up your tears of doubt you have been crying, lift up your dreams feel like you are flying, never forget the girl is the woman you are".
A source said: "Obviously the girls have been recording in the studio over the past few months.
"The plan is very much for there to be new music. It will not be released under the GEM name that they gave themselves in their announcement, this is still very much the Spice Girls," the insider added.
Yippppeeee https://youtu.be/QxZPC55SpmY A photo posted by Mel B (@officialmelb) on Jul 7, 2016 at 10:37pm PDT
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Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged his support to France after the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice that left at least 80 people dead.
"Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims and our solidarity with the French people," Trudeau said on Twitter.
A large crowd had gathered in the southern resort city to watch the fireworks show for France's national day.
A truck barreled two kilometers (1.3 miles) down the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, leaving the area strewn with bodies and sending hundreds fleeing in terror.
"We stand with those injured and the families of the many killed," said Canadian opposition leader Thomas Mulcair, head of the New Democratic Party and a French citizen by marriage.
London (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May is being briefed on the "terrible incident" in Nice and the UK authorities stand ready to assist their French counterparts, Downing Street said Friday.
The British premier's office said it was "shocked and concerned" by the scenes in the Mediterranean resort.
A truck ploughed into a crowd in the southeastern French city on Thursday, leaving at least 70 dead and scores injured in an "attack" after a Bastille Day fireworks display, prosecutors said.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "The prime minister is being kept updated on reports coming in from Nice.
"We are shocked and concerned by the scenes there. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible incident on what was a day of national celebration.
"We stand ready to help any British nationals and to support our French partners."
May, who became prime minister on Wednesday after six years as Britain's interior minister, was due to head to Scotland later Friday for talks on the Brexit vote fall-out.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in touch with the local authorities and seeking more information following an apparent attack on Bastille Day celebration in Nice.
"If you are in the area, follow the instructions of the French authorities," he added, in a message to British citizens.
French local government official Sebastien Humbert told BFMTV that the driver of the truck was shot dead after barrelling down Nice's palm-lined Promenade des Anglais in what he called "a major criminal attack".
Witness Roy Calley, who said he lived 200 metres from the promenade, told the BBC there was "all hell breaking loose" and the situation was "pretty horrendous".
"It was a celebratory atmosphere, it was fun, people were enjoying themselves.
Suddenly I heard a huge, what I can only describe as maybe an explosion or a crash.
A lot of people were screaming. That was followed by what I thought were maybe gunshots."
Attack in Nice. Chaos came back to France Thursday night, in the form of a terrorist attack in Nice that killed 84 people gathered to watch a Bastille Day fireworks display along the citys main promenade. A truck driven by a man French authorities have identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, a French-Tunisian petty criminal with no known terrorist links, simply plowed through crowds, shooting at those fleeing as he rampaged along a mile of the beachfront street before being shot dead by police.
As in the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris, the massacre at the Charlie Hebdo offices, the travelers killed at the Istanbul and Brussels airports, or the clubgoers in Orlando, the dead were guilty only of being in public.
Paris reacts. We cannot deny that it was a terror attack, French President Francois Hollande said Thursday night, adding that Bastille Day is a symbol of liberty, and that human rights are denied by fanatics and France is quite clearly their target. The French government had just announced it was about to end the state of emergency begun after the November 2015 Paris attacks, but Hollande said he would extended it for three more months.
Although the attacker had a pistol, police say that all the other weapons found in the truck were fakes, raising questions over the extent of support he had from others, or from jihadist groups. Friday morning, State Department spokesman John Kirby confirmed that two Americans are among the dead.
Gains and losses. Even as the U.S.-led coalition continues to hammer the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and Iraqi and Syrian/Kurdish rebel forces push the group out of more and more towns and cities, the groups power to inspire attacks outside of its self-declared caliphate appears to be increasing.
The problem is that the numbers of people who have been radicalized, mostly because of social media, are larger than anything weve seen before, and we are just behind the curve, Bruce Hoffman, director of the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University told the Wall Street Journal. We are dealing with a problem of an order of magnitude much larger than in the past.
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Truck attacks not new. Matthew Henman, Head of IHS Janes Terrorism and Insurgency Centre reminds us in a statement Friday that vehicle attacks have been used by Palestinian militants in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and three such attacks have been conducted by suspected Islamist militants in France over the past two years. The use of a large truck in the attack, alongside the high death toll and deliberate targeting of a large crowd at an ideologically symbolic event represents an evolution in the use of the tactic and potentially indicates a higher level of operational planning, he said.
Attack plans. In October 2010, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released the second issue of its English-language magazine, Inspire. In it, two articles written by Yahya Ibrahim outline potential ways to carry out terrorist operations, including running over groups of people with trucks. One article, titled The Ultimate Mowing Machine, talks about using a pickup truck as a mowing machine, not to mow grass but mow down the enemies of Allah.
Armed Guards. In a somewhat related event, the U.S. Navy has announced that it will soon begin stationing armed guards at recruiting stations across the country, a move that comes a year after the shootings at a recruiting station and a reserve center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that killed four Marines and a sailor.
They will find us and kill us. FPs Siobhan OGrady has just returned from a reporting trip to South Sudan, a country once again being torn apart by violence. Her first dispatch is a gripping look at the plight of civilians caught up in the maelstrom. In more than a dozen interviews in Nyal in May, civilians recounted stories of mass rape, murder, and forced cannibalism at the hands of government soldiers and affiliated militias, she reports.
GOP and Israel. Just days before the Cleveland convention, GOP leaders and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have found a rare bit of common ground: ditching decades of bipartisan U.S. foreign policy calling for the creation of an independent Palestine, reports FPs Molly OToole. The shift came when the Republican Platform Committee unanimously approved an Israel-Palestine provision Tuesday night that had a striking omission: any reference to a two-state solution to the long-running conflict. The platform instead uses staunchly pro-Israel language that promises to oppose any outside efforts to force Jerusalem into a deal.
Trump. The candidate pushed back the expected Friday announcement of his choice of Mike Pence for vice president due the attacks in France. FPs Paul McLeary, David Francis and Dan De Luce write that the two politicians are worlds apart when it comes to their foreign policy views and opinions on free trade.
More troops to Iraq? Last week, the Pentagon announced it was sending 560 more troops to Iraq, bringing the official total to just over 4,000, and now a top general says he expects to ask for even more troops to help battle the Islamic State. Head of the U.S. Central Command Gen. told Reuters that I think there will be some additional troops that we will ask to bring in. He declined to offer a number.
Hey there! Good morning and 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
Russia
Russia has disciplined its freshman class of boozing and cruising selfie spies, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Recent graduates of Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) training school got themselves in hot water by going for a very public and very well documented victory lap around Moscow, hanging out the windows of their convoy of SUVs, snapping photos, and honking horns to celebrate their accomplishment. The videos of the would-be spies hit social media and now the FSB says principled personnel decisions have been taken toward the guilty individuals, changing the condition of their service.
The Islamic State of Me-Time
Former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and current Trump vice presidential pick contender Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (ret.) writes in his new book that, despite their outwardly extreme piety, jihadists in Iraq loved them some porn. Lots of it. Flynn writes that in the mid-2000s, U.S. intelligence determined that 80 percent of the material on the laptops we were capturing was pornography. FPs Paul McLeary and Dan De Luce recently read the book, and delivered some of the choicest bits.
Al Qaeda
al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is showing off its special forces training camp in a new video, the Long War Journal reports. The Hamza al-Zinjibari camp, named after an AQAP commander killed in a U.S. drone strike, shows al Qaeda fighters engaging in various acts of martial bravado and AQAP leaders such as former Guantanamo Bay inmate Ibrahim al Qosi giving speeches. Another leader from the group, Khalid Batarfi, describes the camp as an extension of previous al Qaeda training facilities established in Afghanistan during the 1980s.
Bots o war
Its a bird! Its a plane! Wait, no, its a plane made to look like a bird. Photos of a drone that crashed in Somalia show an airframe disguised as a bird, the Verge reports. The drone is painted black, complete with wings that flap, a beak-like nose and tail feathers. It remains unclear just who the drone belongs to but local media suspect Somalias National Intelligence and Security Agency may be the owner. The concept isnt entirely novel as a number of companies have attempted variations on the theme, including one used by U.S. Special Operations Command.
Subs
The Center for Strategic and International Studies has put out a new report on the hot topic of the submarine standoff between the West and Russia in northern Europe. The report, Undersea Warfare in Northern Europe, argues that NATO countries have underinvested in anti-submarine warfare capabilities at the same time that a newly confrontational Russia has managed to shield its own submarine assets from the kinds of budget woes that have bitten into other Russian defense priorities. The report recommends that NATO countries, often hesitant to spend big on defense, should pool resources for improved development of anti-submarine warfare capabilities and focus on developing cooperative structures.
On the move
The Navys top officer is headed to China on Sunday in the wake of an international courts ruling against Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea. USNI News reports that Chief of Naval Operations John Richardson will meet with Adm. Wu Shengli, the commander of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy. A Navy statement says events in the South China Sea and the forthcoming RIMPAC exercises will be on the agenda for the two sailors meeting.
Air Force
The Air Forces top civilian and military officials have penned an op-ed for Defense One outlining how they plan to grow the number of pilots. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein write that the service will be short 700 pilots by the end of the fiscal year due to lucrative offers from the private sector and defense budget cuts. In response, the two say theyre trying to incentivize retention of current pilots by lobbying Congress for more pay for the airmen and trying to reduce their administrative duties and increase family time.
And finally
You may be pretty sure theres a rare Meowth on the Golan Heights just waiting for you to catch it, but the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are warning troops not to even try. IDF officials have put out a warning to service members telling them not to install the wildly popular Pokemon Go app as it hemorrhages all manner of user data which could be used to compromise operational security.
Photo Credit: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images
BATLEY, England (Reuters) - The funeral of MP Jo Cox, whose murder shocked Britain in the run-up to last month's EU referendum, was being held on Friday in the northern English constituency she represented. Cox, a 41-year-old mother of two young children, was shot and stabbed in the street in the village of Birstall, West Yorkshire, on June 16 as she made her way to an advice session for the people she represented in parliament. The slaying of the opposition Labour Party lawmaker a little over a year after she was elected, horrified politicians and the public, and overshadowed the final days of referendum campaigning. Cox, who was an ardent supporter of Britain remaining in Europe, had campaigned for Syrian refugees and had praised the positive impact immigration had had on her constituency, Batley and Spen, a semi-rural area near the city of Leeds. Her husband Brendan Cox said on Twitter before the private service he was "thinking of all victims of hatred today". "Jo would ask us not to fight hate with hate but draw together to drain the swamp that extremism breeds in," he said. A 52-year-old local man, Thomas Mair, has been charged with Cox's murder and will go on trial in November. (Reporting by Darren Staples, writing by Paul Sandle, editing by Stephen Addison)
By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Women who smoke during pregnancy run the risk of having boys with low sperm production in adulthood, an Australian study suggests. It is harder for men with low sperm counts to conceive children, or it may take a longer time to make the partner pregnant, said Dr. Christine Wohlfahrt-Veje, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen who wasnt involved in the study. If women want to have grandchildren, they shouldnt smoke, Wohlfahrt-Veje added by email. To see how exposures in the womb might influence mens reproductive system later in life, researchers contacted men in their early 20s whose mothers had participated in a maternal and infant health study during pregnancies two decades earlier. They collected sperm samples from 365 men and did testicular ultrasounds on 404 men. Researchers looked at median sperm production, or the amount produced by at least half the men in the study. It was about 19 percent lower among the men whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. Men born prematurely, a risk that goes up when women smoke during pregnancy, also had lower testosterone in adulthood. Low testosterone levels are associated with erectile dysfunction, reduced sex drive and decreased sperm count. Men who were a healthy size in utero were also less likely to have low sperm counts than men who were unusually small or large as they developed during pregnancy, the study found. Smoking can stunt growth in utero. Maintaining a healthy weight during childhood may also help with reproductive health, researchers note in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, online June 24. Men who consistently had a healthy weight during childhood and adolescence tended to have larger testicular volume and higher testosterone levels in adulthood. One limitation of the study is that some men dropped out or opted out of the testicular function tests, which may bias the results, the authors note. Even so, theres plenty of solid evidence proving that women shouldnt smoke during pregnancy. Among other things, it can increase the odds of complications during pregnancy and premature birth, impair brain development in utero and increase the odds of breathing difficulties and other childhood health problems like hyperactivity. The study findings should give women yet another reason to avoid smoking during pregnancy, said lead study author Dr. Roger Hart of the University of Western Australia. It is a general healthy lifestyle message that women should not smoke in pregnancy, they should only start to try to conceive when they are in their optimal health, and when any co-existing medical conditions have been optimized, as this is associated with good fetal growth through pregnancy and a reduced risk of premature delivery, Hart said by email. Plus of course they should not smoke when pregnant and should ideally cease before they start to try to conceive, Hart added. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/29JNtu5 J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2016.
SAN FRANCISCO, July 15 (Reuters) - Access was restricted in Turkey on Friday to Facebook Inc, Twitter Inc and Alphabet Inc's YouTube shortly after news that a military coup was under way, according to two internet monitoring groups.
Turkey Blocks, a group that monitors internet shutdowns in the country, and Dyn, which monitors internet performance and traffic globally, both reported it was difficult or impossible to access social media services in Turkey.
Turkey's military said on Friday it had seized power, but the prime minister said the attempted coup would be put down.
The Turkish government under President Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly moved to block social media in periods of crisis and political uncertainty. It was not immediately clear whether the government or another actor ordered the block late Friday.
The government normally implements its internet restrictions through orders to Turkey's main internet service providers.
(Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb in San Francisco; Editing by James Dalgleish)
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Access was restricted in Turkey on Friday to Facebook Inc , Twitter Inc and Alphabet Inc's YouTube shortly after news that a military coup was under way, according to two internet monitoring groups. Turkey Blocks, a group that monitors internet shutdowns in the country, and Dyn, which monitors internet performance and traffic globally, both reported it was difficult or impossible to access social media services in Turkey. Turkey's military said on Friday it had seized power, but the prime minister said the attempted coup would be put down. The Turkish government under President Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly moved to block social media in periods of crisis and political uncertainty. It was not immediately clear whether the government or another actor ordered the block late Friday. The government normally implements its internet restrictions through orders to Turkey's main internet service providers. (Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb in San Francisco; Editing by James Dalgleish)
The comedic legacy of Ghostbusters is pretty firmly set in stone deep enough that even the idea of a reboot was enough to freak out Gen X manchildren and send them running to the hills crying about their damaged childhoods. (How said childhoods were left intact after the dopey Ghostbusters II, I dont know.) But with the soundtrack for the reboot causing even further consternation one track at a time, a lot of people are probably left reflecting on that Ray Parker Jr. theme song and All The Feels it brings up in the hearts of the 80s babies that now comprise the majority pop-cultural voice of the internet. Lets not get contrarian for its own sake: Ghostbusters the song is a total jam. But even as people cling to their memories of the film, how much are they worrying about or even maintaining their memories of the soundtracks, at least past that iconic theme? Its probably worth revisiting the previous films soundtracks to see if there really is any correlation between how entertaining and enjoyable these films were and how worthwhile their soundtracks are and whether the reboots soundtrack holds any good or bad omens about the movie itself hitting theaters next month.
Ghostbusters (1984)
Aside from maybe The Breakfast Club, there are few soundtracks to iconic 80s films with a greater divide between the memorable big hit and the remainder of the album than Ghostbusters. A 10-track cash-in thats barely more essential than the smash single theme, theres not only its share of filler two selections from Elmer Bernsteins frothy, half-memorable score, plus an instrumental version of the Ray Parker Jr. cut that also showed up on the 7 its also a snapshot of a largely forgotten version of the 80s that left artists like the R&B bar band throwback the BusBoys and the briefly megastar-status Laura Branigan as footnotes-in-retrospect. And most of these songs arent even as memorable as the moment Louis Tully tries to zazz up his lame party by throwing on the Trammps Disco Inferno, a then-punchline omitted from the original soundtrack (though tacked on to a 2006 reissue) meant to show off just how uncool Rick Moranis dork accountant neighbor really is: music from the 70s, eeeeew. Shame it was the best song in the whole damn movie.
Story continues
The Big Single: Ray Parker Jr., Ghostbusters
Before hitting #1 with Ghostbusters in 1984 and subsequently being accused of ripping off Huey Lewis & The News, Ray Parker Jr. was the frontman of Raydio, who hit #8 with Jack And Jill in 1978 and were subsequently accused of ripping off Stevie Wonder. Not like this is the fairest assessment of Parkers career: Before cutting his most widely known single, Raydio delivered their share of underrated jams 1979s Rock On is a pretty solid pop-funk album and Parkers solo career was hardly an afterthought pre-Ghostbusters, either. If you havent heard Parkers 1982 single The Other Woman, one of the best-ever early 80s New Wave moves by an R&B artist (non-Prince division), you should probably fix that problem ASAP. (Note the possible future typecasting with the super-paranormal horror-movie kitsch music video it predated the one for Michael Jacksons Thriller, but rumor has it MTV wouldnt air it because they were uncomfortable with depicting an interracial couple.) As for Ghostbusters, youve probably heard it a thousand times if you were (A) alive in 1984 or (B) have been within 500 feet of a Halloween party, so good luck getting it dislodged from your head now that Ive brought it up. Still, joke all you want about that lift of the I Want A New Drug riff (Parker ultimately paid Lewis in a settlement) that haunted-house funk synth in the I aint afraid of no ghosts hook is something Rick James wouldve sold his Unity ring for.
The Best Deep Cut: Thompson Twins, In The Name Of Love
Oh, right, the Thompson Twins: They were pretty big for a while. Madonna joined them onstage at Live Aid, the UK music press regularly assailed them as mediocrities, and Into The Gap went platinum on both sides of the Atlantic in a 1984 that wasnt lacking in blockbuster albums. But two years before Hold Me Now made them big enough to position them as an MTV fixture and perceived recipient of unwarranted megahype, the Steve Lillywhite-produced Set spun off this single that bricked on the UK charts but caught on big in the States on Billboards dance chart, hitting #1 on the cusp of summer 1982. This was when the dance charts were in a weird but fascinating post-disco, pre-Madonna/Thriller limbo the Twins were bookended by one-hit wonders Cheri (Murphys Law) and Sinnamon (Thanks To You). But In The Name Of Love isnt a Euro-Montreal shuffle-disco confection or a proto-freestyle slice of gleaming boogie funk its a jittery, flatly sung mid-tempo sweatbox of a track that sounds like a sawn-off, deceptively hooky pop take on Remain In Light Talking Heads. The quasi-highlife guitars alone make this a deep listen, and considering its omnipresence throughout the decade the original release in 82, its soundtrack appearance in 84, and its 88 Shep Pettibone remix, also a #1 dance chart hit its a wonder that it isnt a bigger crossover.
The Worst Track: Alessi, Savin The Day
Alessi, aka the Alessi Brothers, were (and presumably still are) twin brothers from Long Island who had a top 10 UK hit with the soporific Oh Lori in 1977 and maintained a consistently bland corporate-rock identity with a sideline in the bad-cover-version phase of the 1979 disco glut. (Listen to their failed attempt to do for the Spencer Davis Groups Gimme Some Lovin' what Amii Stewart did for Eddie Floyds Knock On Wood and you might get a clearer idea of what disco sounded like to the rockers who hated it.) Savin The Day gave them another genre to fool around in, that of Montage Rock, where its impossible to separate a song, no matter how mediocre, from the cheap thrill of watching a movies hero(es) get ready to come, see, and kick somethings ass. Savin The Day is produced by Phil Ramone, whose immense contributions to the works of nearly every major field of recording and production from the late 1950s to well into his late 70s just about overshadows the fact that he was also responsible for co-producing Paul McCartneys Spies Like Us. And when youre not watching ECTO-1 driving through Manhattan with a full police and Army escort to fuck up Gozer The Gozerians whole scene, what Savin The Day sounds like is some guy who absolutely has to have a perm-mullet oversinging generic anxiety lyrics (You seem a little strange/ Something about you not the same/ Nowhere to hide from the feeling/ Running through my veins) through lockjaw like a whiny, asthmatic Kenny Loggins.
The Weirdest Inclusion: Air Supply, I Can Wait Forever
On the original LP, this was the last cut on Side A, which Im pretty sure is a smart move because who heard Ray Parker Jr. on the stereo or watched this movie in the theaters and went, Oh damn a brand new Air Supply soft-rock slow jam? Someday I will go to a thrift store and sift through all their copies of the Ghostbusters soundtrack and see if there are any that show even the slightest amount of wear on that track.
Ghostbusters II (1989)
What Ghostbusters was to the half-forgotten artists of the early-mid 80s, Ghostbusters II was to the burgeoning superstars that were climbing the charts when the first movie was in heavy VHS-rental rotation. Sort of. The soundtrack might be best remembered for its relatively shallow dive into New Jack Swing two cuts by Bobby Brown, and one from the Johnny Gill-era, Minneapolis Sound-ified New Edition. But theres also a couple cuts from NYC hip-hop icons Doug E. Fresh and Run-DMC, the latter of whom took over the Parker role of doing the Ghostbusters theme and sounded super-outmoded in the process of trying to sound like Tone-Loc. Theres also a cut from perennial soundtrack standbys Oingo Boingo, released the same year that member Danny Elfman became one of Hollywoods most renowned film score composers with Batman; that Flesh N Blood sounds like a dollar-store version of 1983 Billy Idol should show you where Elfmans priorities were. And given its centrality to the movies plot, its an unbelievable contrivance that the mood slime the Ghostbusters use to save the day would be happy with the 80sed-to-death version of Jackie Wilsons Higher And Higher, performed by Howard Huntsberry, whod performed the role of Wilson in La Bamba two years previous to far more faithful effect. Throw in near-nadirs by 70s superstars like Glenn Frey, Elton John, and Kool & The Gangs J.T. Taylor, and theres not a lot to be nostalgic about kind of like the movie itself.
The Big Single: Bobby Brown, On Our Own
Lets get this out of the way: This song is almost good. Yes, L.A. Reid and Babyface bring their A game, embedding the sound of New Jack Swing to perfection and sounding so 1989 you can almost hear an earthquake postponing the World Series in the background. Yes, the hook is titanium, as Brown fresh off the world-conquering Dont Be Cruel and not yet a tragic national joke sings like a man whod just been promised a real-life proton pack of his own for appearing on the soundtrack. But then he raps. And even with a long tradition of R&B superstars incorporating the movies plot into the themes actual lyrics, On Our Own outdoes the Impressions Three The Hard Way theme Make A Resolution (They kidnapped Wendy/ They killed poor House/ But not before they let part of the secret out) for shoehorned tie-in ridiculousness. Not only is To battle out Vigo the master of evil/ Try to battle my boys? Thats not legal! just barely short of its corniness becoming kind of likable, one line So they packed up the crew, got a grip, came quick/ Grabbed the proton packs on their backs and they split is a double-lift from Eric B. & Rakims classic 1988 singles Follow The Leader (Back up, regroup, get a grip, come equipped) and Microphone Fiend (I kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug, then I jet). If only that was the most embarrassing thing about this song.
The Best Deep Cut: Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew, Spirit
So Ghostbusters II isnt exactly a hit parade once you get past the New Jack Swing portion of the record. But if Run-DMCs post-peak contribution is kind of a bummer, Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crews contribution is at least enjoyably bizarre. Spirit is one of three tracks that just straight-up says, Yeah, this is about ghosts and the people who bust them in a sequel-based context, and easily the most straight-faced one; you really believe that Doug is seriously invested in the whole plot point that New Yorkers bad moods are making subterranean slime angry and is doing his damnedest to make it into a metaphor that maybe works outside the boundaries of the movie itself. Just a year removed from the underrated gem The Worlds Greatest Entertainer, the Original Human Beatbox was still in fine form here, and even if the beats wedged in a weird place between creepy synth-choir Haunted House Of Rock-era Whodini and the Stubblefield-break impact of EPMD, dude actually turns Who you gonna call/ Ghostbusters! into a pretty solid golden age hip-hop call and response.
The Worst Track: Glenn Frey, Flip City
A mere five years previous, Miami Vice and Beverly Hills Cop had conspired to put Glenn Frey neck-and-neck with Don Henley in the fight to be the most successful of the solo Eagles. If that sounds like a two-way tie for last, it was all over but the money-counting by 89, as Henleys The End Of The Innocence went six times platinum en route to becoming dadrock canon a year after Freys Soul Searchin got clowned by critics and ignored by buyers for its half-hearted coasting. Anybody annoyed by You Belong To The City should be horrified by the idea of what Glenn Frey sounds like when he doesnt care, in which case the gong-and-organ intro and chirpy faux-goth synth-o-rock of Flip City is a big fat whatever.
The Weirdest Inclusion: Elton John, Love Is A Cannibal
1989s Sleeping With The Past might have dropped long after Elton John was considered a contemporary artist without the word adult preceding it, but it was at least a hit, with the single Sacrifice becoming his long-awaited first solo #1 single in the UK. It made that position in June 1990, just about a year after Ghostbusters II was released to theaters, and more than half a year after its initial release with Love Is A Cannibal as the B-side. And if that doesnt make the inclusion of Love Is A Cannibal on the Ghostbusters II soundtrack feel enough like a parts-bin afterthought, this song wasnt even the B-side when Sacrifice actually hit the top of the pops Healing Hands replaced it for the 1990 re-release that made #1. I dont know if the fact that Love Is A Cannibal was the flip of the original single had anything to do with Sacrifice taking forever to climb to the top, but as undercooked attempted-rockers go it isnt exactly the second coming of The Bitch Is Back, and its lyrics (Woman is a criminal/ She have the hunger/ But man is the animal/ And love eats love, eats love) are a lot less profound.
Ghostbusters (2016)
Beyond the focus-grouped mishmash of famous names, far past the negative buzz thats somehow found a way to connect agitated MRAs to disillusioned Fall Out Boy enthusiasts, there is one simple fact about this soundtrack: When given the opportunity, just about anyone will decide that writing a song for a Ghostbusters reboot means writing a song around the Ghostbusters theme. Walk The Moons cover-version opener is the CGI-gloss version of the practical-effects original, where once memorable SFX now come across as just another example of spectacle being over-saturated until it feels not just ordinary but rote. Pentatonix cover it and drench it in the kind of a cappella-but-not cheese that uses harmonies and melodies as elbow-to-ribs winking jokes. Zayn Malik excuse me, ZAYN builds a woozy ballads hook off the phrase Who you gonna call, theres yet more lifts of the Parker Jr. themes hooks in Mark Ronsons Get Ghost, and Fall Out Boys Ghostbusters (Im Not Afraid) is another variant on the OG version that would make both Parker and Huey Lewis disavow any knowledge of ever writing that riff in the first place. Of course, Parkers original shows up at the end because nothing else really does the job.
The Big Single: Fall Out Boy ft. Missy Elliott, Ghostbusters (Im Not Afraid)
Ugh. Do we have to talk about this again?
$100 to the first person who can make it to the Missy verse. She couldve plead allegiance to ISIS for all I know. https://t.co/bJ0FQgmt0W Zach Kelly (@ZachWKelly) June 23, 2016
Thanks to the miracle of potentially dicey spyware-riddled lyrics sites, I can confirm that no, Missy does not say anything that would get her on an FBI watchlist, but thats probably because she hardly says anything worth remembering (I see shadows all on my wall/ Man, these monsters be big and tall). Patrick Stump doesnt either, dude just paraphrases the original lyrics and both grammatically corrects and forgets to complete the phrase I aint afraid of no ghosts. If anything, the big to-hell-with-this about this song is that it tries to be rock, pop-punk, emo, hip-hop, funk, and some vague game-of-telephone form of EDM all at once a nice trick if you can pull it off, but this is how it sounds when its focus-grouped to death. Its not clear just how much this was concocted to bring out maximum genre synergy, but it sounds like musical slurry.
The Best Deep Cut: Wolf Alice, Ghoster
Hey, heres something a decent-enough grunge-pop-garage churner that clocks in at two and a half minutes and splits the difference between Garbage and L7 for maximum hookiness. See what can happen when the UK music press still insists on looking for guitar-rock heroes but figures they dont have to sound like the 50th coming of Oasis?
The Worst Track: Beasts Of Mayhem, Want Some More
Saw It Coming almost took this honor, but at least Jeremih does his best to cancel out G-Eazys abysmal faux-drawling phony blaccent. And as much embarrassment as Ghostbusters (Im Not Afraid) has been causing to just about everyone who listens to it, even the tragedy of Fall Out Boy and Missy Elliott both letting down their fanbases cant quite measure up to the half-assed attempt at incorporating the movies Plot Band into the soundtrack. The wholly fictional actor-ringer Beasts Of Mayhem not to be confused with Tommy Lees nu-metal bad idea cavalcade Methods Of Mayhem are (if trailers are to be believed) the center of a scene where they somehow summon up some kind of demonic spectre mid-concert. Assuming that this bands supposed to be metal of some kind, their watered-down crossover thrash wouldnt pass muster in the city that gave us Anthrax, much less a year where even fairly accessible bands like Kvelertak live and die on wall-crumbling volume and shredded-steel vocals. Want Some More sounds like a bar band with a setlist heavy on Counting Crows trying to write their own version of Metallicas Whiplash.
The Weirdest Inclusion: Mark Ronson, Passion Pit, & A$AP Ferg, Get Ghost
(Sorry, Ferg. Shabba still bangs.)
SC has asked Attorney General to relook at the rules which concern service terms related disbursement of pension.
By Anusha Soni: Expressing concern on the confusion that prevails in the pension rules for government employees, the Supreme Court of India asked the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to discuss with relevant authorities and bring more clarity.
SC has asked Attorney General to relook at the rules which concern service terms related disbursement of pension. The Attorney General had been called while hearing a service matter by a three judge bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
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Candidly admitting to confusion in the rules Rohatgi admitted that the problem also affects personnel in Army, Paramilitary forces and other govt services. AG assured that court that the government will sit with the relevant authorities and see if any immediate action can be taken.
"It is true that rules are confusing and need more clarity," AG told the three judge bench asking for three months time to come up with suggestions.
The Supreme Court said that uncertainty prevails over basic 'minimum qualifying service' and other rules which has given rise to much litigation.
SC observed, "Too much confusion regarding the pension related service rules, govt must frame proper rules of pension, each chapter is confusing. They must sit down and frame rules in a language everyone can understand."
The bench further observed that the court can't make ad-hoc orders and there must be an assessment of implications of pension rules for army, paramilitary and other services.
SC was hearing a service matter in which Attorney General was called to address the confusion regarding rules.
--- ENDS ---
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's state prosecutor said on Friday it would go to the top court to challenge a ruling reinstating corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma - drawing accusations from the opposition of a cover-up. Zuma - whose ruling African National Congress contests local government elections next month - has faced mounting calls to quit from the opposition and even some of his own supporters after a series of scandals and court rulings against him. Legal pressure mounted in May when the High Court ordered a review of a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decision to set aside hundreds of corruption charges against Zuma, calling it "irrational". The NPA, which has already tried and failed to appeal against the order at the High Court, said on Friday it would fight on as the case raised points of law and other principles, without going into detail. "The NPA has decided to apply for leave to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court against the judgment," it said in a statement. The main opposition party said the state prosecutor's decision was an attempt to shield the president and buy him time before the August elections. "We call on the President and the NPA to dispense with this approach and proceed with the institution of charges," the Democratic Alliance said in a statement. The charges relate to a major government arms deal in the late 1990s. The NPA's decision to set them aside in April 2009 cleared the way Zuma to run for president the same month. At the time, the NPA said it had evidence the charges in were part of a political plot against Zuma. In April, Zuma survived an impeachment vote after the Constitutional Court said he broke the law by refusing to refund some of the 240 million rand ($16 million) of state money spent on refurbishing his private residence. In December he was widely criticized for changing his finance minister twice in a week, sending the rand plummeting. Record unemployment and a looming recession have exacerbated discontent with Zuma's leadership. (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Catherine Evans and Andrew Heavens)
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Thursday asked parliament to push back the release of the state-owned airline's 2015 earnings report to September, the fourth such request as the treasury mulls whether to extend more guarantees to the ailing carrier. South African Airways has been surviving on state guarantees of around 14.4 billion rand ($1.01 billion) and has asked for an additional 5 billion rand from the treasury after it used up more than 85 percent of the 14.4 billion rand in loans already guaranteed by January this year. The carrier has been marred by controversy and financial mismanagement for years and has been singled out by ratings agencies amongst other state companies as a major risk to the country's investment grade status. "Given the potential implication for the sovereign and for the economy the matter has required extensive and careful consideration," National Treasury said in a statement. The government is also finalising plans to merge SAA with SA Express, and will consider a minority equity partner for the company. Some opposition lawmakers have called for the airline to be fully privatised but President Jacob Zuma has ruled out such move. Widely respected Nhlanhla Nene was axed as finance minister by President Jacob Zuma in December just weeks after he vetoed a plan by SAA chairwoman Dudu Myeni to amend the cost-saving deal with the French manufacturer Airbus. The carrier is in the middle of a turnaround strategy led by Gordhan that will include appointing a new board and chief executive and cutting costs and cancelling loss-making routes. Last year, it cancelled unprofitable routes to Beijing and Mumbai but Zuma told cheering and clapping SAA staff n May that the airline's board should be thinking about adding routes rather cancelling them. ($1 = 14.2200 rand) (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana)
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Koreans protesting against a plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in their district blocked a minibus carrying the prime minister for several hours on Friday, preventing him from leaving an office. The government announced on Wednesday that the southeastern county of Seongju had been chosen as the site for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) battery aimed at countering what it sees as the threat from North Korea's missile and nuclear program. But residents of the melon-farming area said they were not consulted and they do not want the missile defense unit, due to be deployed by late next year. Protesters threw eggs and plastic water bottles at Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn as he spoke on the steps of the county office to apologize for not briefing residents earlier, TV footage showed. Security guards used boards and umbrellas to shield Hwang and he was quickly taken inside the building. When he tried to leave the compound, a crowd of several hundred with a tractor blocked his vehicle. Hwang later got out of the bus and into a car but it too was trapped in the crowd, Yonhap news agency reported. He then moved to another car and left, Yonhap said. Seongju residents refused to accept the government's explanation that the site was chosen because it would have no impact on the safety of residents and the environment. China has also protested against the planned deployment of the THAAD system, which has a powerful radar it worries can see into its territory. North Korea's military on Monday threatened to retaliate against the deployment of the system with a "physical response" once its location and the timing of its installation were decided. Tension on the Korean peninsula has been high since North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and followed that with a satellite launch and a string of test launches of various missiles. In South Korea, the prime minister holds a largely ceremonial role as the head of the cabinet in a powerful presidential system. He and the cabinet are appointed by the president who serves a single five-year term. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Tony Munroe, Robert Birsel)
Benasal (Spain) (AFP) - Teenager Angel Bertran had just gone out to work in fields of hazelnut trees when Spain's civil war burst into his small town with the arrival of Nazi bomber planes.
It was May 25, 1938. Bertran, then just 15, was heading to the countryside outside Benasal, a town of around 1,000 residents in the eastern province of Castellon where a mountain range separates Spain's Mediterranean coast from its central plains.
"Suddenly three planes flew by, not very high. They turned towards the town and nosedived," Bertran, now 93, recalls as he sits in a rustic wooden chair in the living room of his home.
"They lined up and dropped their bombs. They fell very quickly, making a loud whistling sound. Within seconds you could only see dust."
He stops talking and thinks for a moment before adding in a broken voice: "When I returned to the town, everything was destroyed."
Photographs from the time show entire blocks of Benasal reduced to rubble, the dome and roof of the baroque church blown open.
At least 13 people were killed, victims of a new war tactic: air bombardments.
- 'Absolute panic' -
Spain's 1936-39 civil war pitted an elected leftist government against right-wing forces that rose up under General Francisco Franco, who went on to win and presided over a nearly 40-year dictatorship.
It was the first war where "aviation played a crucial role", said Barcelona University historian Joan Villarroya.
Planes bombed systematically the battlefront as well as the civilian population to "cause terror and break morale", he said.
Hospitals, schools, theatres, markets and even churches became military targets.
Historians estimate that at least 10,000 people were killed across the country in the air raids during the 1936-39 war.
The vast majority of the dead were opponents of Franco's forces, who were backed by Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy.
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The soldiers loyal to the Socialist-led government known as Republicans received help from the Soviet Union, but it was much more limited.
In November 1936 Madrid became the first European capital to be bombed by planes.
The following year the town of Guernica in the northern Basque region was wiped out by aircraft from Hitler's "Condor Legion" sent to Spain to support Franco, an atrocity immortalised in Picasso's haunting anti-war masterpiece named after the town.
At the same time Italian aircraft based in Mallorca bombed Spain's Mediterranean coast, especially Barcelona where 2,500 people were killed.
Spain was for them "a test ground for World War Two," said history professor Josep Sanchez Cervello of Tarragona's Rovira i Virgili University.
"They wanted to see what would be the effect of bombs on the civilian population. It was absolute panic."
- Stuka experiment -
Benasal suffered one of these experiments, the testing of the Junker-87, or Stuka, a German dive bomber that served the Axis forces in World War Two.
For decades no one explained why Benasal was targeted. It was an unimportant town, without troops and 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the nearest front.
But in 2011 Oscar Vives, a university professor who lives in Benasal, found a German military report titled "Images of the Effects of 500 kilogramme bombs".
The report proved that Benasal and three other nearby towns were used to test the dive bombers.
At leat 40 people died "because of an experiment, of weapons testing," said Vives.
Time has not erased the memories.
Now aged 90, Rosa Soligo says she was in bed when the bombs landed near her house.
She recalls hearing her mother scream and "a loud noise" as part of the building came crashing down.
"When they pulled us out of the rubble our bodies were covered in blood because of the injuries but fortunately they were not very serious," she said.
The German dive bombers returned three days later but there were no longer any inhabitants left in Benasal. Everyone had fled.
- 'Punished by history' -
"We lived in caves for days, for fear that they would return. We suffered a lot... a lot," Soligo said.
The effects of the air bombings can be seen still in the town of Corbera de Ebro in the northeastern region of Catalunya near the Ebro River, the site of the bloodiest battle of the war which paved the way for victory by Franco's forces.
Corbera was "completely levelled" by the insurgents, said professor Sanchez Cervello.
The town was engulfed in fire and smoke for weeks, and was called "the eternal flame", said local historian and high school teacher Joan Antonio Montana who provides tours of the ruins of Corbera.
Only the bell tower and facade of the town's baroque church survived.
After the war the surviving residents moved down the hill and rebuilt their town. The original town was left in rubble as a memorial to a "town punished by history".
You won't find Phantom Boy, the titular hero of the new animated film from GKIDS, anywhere in the Marvel Comics universe, but, says Alain Gagnol, who directed Phantom Boy along with Jean-Loup Felicioli, Marvel's very relatable heroes inspired their new movie.
A sort of animated film noir, Phantom Boy, which opens in New York today and will arrive in Los Angeles on July 22, tells of an 11-year-old boy, Leo, who is fighting illness and who also has a secret ability to turn into a ghostly apparition. The film follows Leo as he befriends Alex, a cop injured while attempting to capture a dangerous gangster who has taken control of New York's power supply. Leo, with his phantom power, and Alex, with his detective abilities, team up to save the city. A French production, its English-language version has a voice cast headed by Fred Armisen, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jared Padalecki, Marcus D'Angelo, Melissa Disney and Dana Snyder.
It's the second feature from Gagnol and Felicioli, whose debut film, A Cat in Paris, received a 2012 Oscar nomination for best animated feature (and is one of of eight animated features that GKIDS steered to best animated feature Academy Award nominations since 2008). And, says Gagnol of the movie's inspiration, "When I was a child what I immediately liked in the Marvel comics was the human aspect of the characters. You cannot identify with a woman or a man flying in space or lifting buildings. What interests us, as readers or as viewers, is that they live with other characters and what they are feeling.
Read more: 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Adds 'Nice Guys' Breakout Angourie Rice (Exclusive)
"Spider-Man is obviously the very best example. Despite his powers, his life is like a melodrama: he's an orphan, he has money problems, his girlfriend gets killed. The heroes invented by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, John Romita, Steve Ditko and many others are like us. They are human and they suffer, are happy, in love or depressed. In addition to Spider-Man, I also really like Daredevil. A blind hero who sees more than we do, that's rather poetic as an idea, isn't it?"
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For its two directors, Phantom Boy is about courage. "Leo's life is in danger both from an external threat, gangsters, and a disease which attacks him from within," Gagnol explains. "His struggles against both are equally fierce and unrelenting. And in both cases, he wins thanks to the help of someone else. Leo is not an all-powerful hero, he is a normal 11-year-old boy. And this makes his courage all the more admirable."
Gagnol adds that the filmmakers also wanted portraying a character with an illness in a different way - and that decision impacted the film: "They are usually portrayed in film in melodramas. This is especially true when it's about a child. I wanted to portray a sick child in an action film, with suspense, with gags and with comic scenes. Leo's illness plays a very important role in the story, but it does not define him as a human being. What is most important is his courage and his ability to struggle against adversity.
"I also liked the idea of portraying a character onscreen that we usually prefer not to see: a sick child. Screenings were held in hospitals and the children really liked seeing themselves onscreen in the role of hero and conqueror."
The film was animated by hand, though the filmmakers also used computer animation to create crowds and city traffic. "This would have taken very long and been very hard to do by hand, due to their number and their small size within the frame," Gagnol says. "The cars and the pedestrians were created completely by computer, which allowed us to multiply them as many times as needed. This solution was possible because they are only details in the shots. They are a bit like decorative elements that move.
Read more: 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Finds Another Villain With 'Fargo' Actor
"This way, they do not break the graphic cohesiveness of the image. We always like to highlight the work the animators do by hand, which is more fragile, less perfect than what is done by computer, but much more sensitive."
Felicioli was behind the film's graphic production design - its city was drawn from photos, then recomposed, sometimes by moving a building or changing perspective completely often in a nod to classic New York cinematic moments and the perspective of comic books.
"Depending on the structural lines within the frame, he may have to remove a building in a corner or, on the contrary, add one. The realism counts less than the strength of the image," Gagnol says. "Places like Times Square or Central Park are obligatory passages when you set a film in New York. So that everyone can recognize them, those sets are less modified than other more anonymous places."
Phantom Boy was produced by Jacques-Remy Girerd and Annemie Degryse, and is a co-production between Folimage, Lunanime, France 3 Cinema and Rhone-Alpes Cinema.
GKIDS' 2016 lineup also includes April and the Extraordinary World, another hand-drawn film, which was based on the work of graphic novelist Jacques Tardi and produced by Je Suis Bein Content, which opened this spring, and the recently-acquired Miss Hokusai, from Japan's Production I.G., which will debut in North America in October.
It's official: the squad approves!
Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift have only been dating for a few weeks a but that doesn't mean he hasnat already met all the important people in her life.
After stopping in Nashville to meet Swift's parents and then setting off to England to spend time with Hiddlestonas mom, the whirlwind lovers kept it stateside to celebrate the 4th of July with just a few of her very famous friends.
And although it seems like Hiddleston is already acing the new boyfriend test with romantic trips to Rome and Australia, it's the approval of Swift's ever-growing squad that really matters.
Luckily for him, principal squad member and Victoria's Secret Model Martha Hunt talked to PEOPLE about why she thinks Swift and Hiddleston make a great couple.
"I love that they're both happy and free together," the supermodel said at a Pepsi event celebrating World Emoji Day. "It's amazing, I'm all about people being happy in love."
In fact, they're so happy that Hunt would use the emoji "with the biggest smile" to best represent the couple.
She also revealed that Hiddleston got along "wonderfully" with the famous group of friends during the Independence Day celebrations, adding that the British actor is "very charming."
Hiddleston echoed Hunt's comments about his relationship with Swift in a recent interview with MTV, during he said that the pair is "very happy."
The actor also cleared up any rumors on his latest relationship Thursday, saying in an interview that it "is not a publicity stunt."
As Star Trek Beyond readies to beam into theaters on July 22, the cast and filmmakers are hoping the memories of two late costars, Anton Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy, live long and prosper on screen.
During a press conference Thursday in Beverly Hills to promote the latest entry in the rebooted sci-fi franchise, co-stars remembered their colleague Yelchin the actor who played Ensign Pavel Chekov in three films died at age 27 in a freak car accident on June 19 both fondly and poignantly, but expressed hope that fans would revel in the late actor's performances in the new film and throughout his impressive body of work.
"It's devastating to lose a family member," said Karl Urban, the film's Dr. McCoy, reflecting on Yelchin's loss. "We're at a point where we should be celebrating, not only this film, but this beautiful man, this talented man. For all of us, it's almost incomprehensible to be at a point where we have to talk about him in the past. The pain of his loss is still very raw."
"He was just a good guy," offered Chris Pine, who plays Captain Kirk and shared many scenes paired with Yelchin in the latest outing. "He was very sweet. He's very beautifully, authentically Anton. There was not much of a sensor on the boy."
"I remember one of the first times I met him, like nine years ago or whatever, he was 17," Pine continued. "I invited him back to my trailer to play guitar because I knew he played guitar, and he played guitar really, really, really well. And he said, 'I can't man, I've got to go back to my trailer.' I was like, 'Okay, why?' He was translating, like, an esoteric Russian novel into English, just because that's what he wanted to do. Eight, nine years later I talked to him and he was still translating it."
"And he was still reading a book on physics that this French philosopher had written," Pine added. "And he was still trying to get all of us together ... We'd be in Vancouver and he'd want to see some German neo-expressionist film that none of us [knew about] ... he would talk about as if everyone has or should have seen it."
"I always looked forward to every day that he was on set and we would huddle up, and he'd have a hundred ideas, even if he was just in the background," said the film's director Justin Lin.
"It still doesn't feel real," said costar Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty in the film and remembers Yelchin as "an incredible soul."
"I spent a lot of time with Anton in Vancouver, this last year," Pegg recalled. "He used to call me up, in the middle of the night sometimes, just to talk. He was an incredibly intelligent man. He would talk about films, so fluently and so maturely that he'd make us all look like dummies. I used to have to engage my university brain, just to sit down and talk to him about movies because he was exhaustively encyclopedic."
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VIDEO: Costars and Other Celebs Remember Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin
Star Trek Actor Anton Yelchin" data-ad-channel="peoplenow" data-ad-subchannel="peoplenownews" data-auto-play="no">
The remembrance "For Anton ... " appears in the end credits of the film, as does a dedication to the memory of Leonard Nimoy, the iconic Mr. Spock of the original television series and films, who died last year at age 83 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
Nimoy's death came before shooting commenced, but his character a the original "Spock Prime" and last survivor of an alternate timeline from the new events established when the Trek films rebooted in 2009 a is also importantly referenced in the upcoming film.
"If Leonard was well enough to be a part of this film, I'm sure he would have been," Zachary Quinto, who took on the role of Spock and became close with Nimoy during the filming of Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, told PEOPLE. "And I know that there were early conversations with him about that possibility, which true to his incredible self, he knew himself well enough to know that that wouldn't be possible at a certain point."
"And then I think it became important to all of us to figure a way to honor his legacy," added Quinto. "I thought [screenwriters] Simon and Doug [Jung] did a beautiful job of incorporating it into the narrative of the film."
"It became an integral part of the story, not just a kind of nod in Leonard's direction," added Pegg. "That felt more right."
"We all carried him with us through this production for sure," said Quinto. "And it was definitely a different kind of feeling to make this movie without him, for me in particular. But I think he was very much a part of it in spirit, and certainly in the film now, and will be a part of anything we do moving forward, for sure." A
Los Angeles (AFP) - In less than a decade she has become the most influential woman in Hollywood, but such is Jennifer Lawrence's reach that her presence is now felt in films she's not even part of.
"Star Trek Beyond" writer Simon Pegg revealed Thursday that the 25-year-old actress was the inspiration behind Jaylah -- an all-action alien addition to the sci-fi franchise, played by Sofia Boutella.
"In the writing room (we) wanted to create this very independent female, very resourceful character... and we didn't have a name for her so we used to call her 'Jennifer Lawrence In Winter's Bone,'" said the 46-year-old Briton.
"And so we'd say 'Scotty runs there and then suddenly Jennifer Lawrence In Winter's Bone comes out and she finds these guys.' And it started to get tiring always saying 'Jennifer Lawrence In Winter's Bone' -- it's a long name.
"So then we started calling her 'J-Law' and then she became Jaylah, so Jaylah is basically named after Jennifer Lawrence in 'Winter's Bone.'"
The latest installment in the "Star Trek" series hits US theaters on July 22 and the cast and crew appeared before the international media in Los Angeles to talk writing room rows, diversity and absent friends.
One of the biggest controversies in the run-up to its release has been the decision to give central character Hikaru Sulu a male lover.
US actor turned media personality George Takei, who played Sulu in the 1960s series and early films, told the Hollywood Reporter the twisting of the character's sexual identity was "really unfortunate."
In a lengthy clarification posted on Facebook on Wednesday, the openly gay 79-year-old said he wasn't disappointed that there was an LGBT character in "Star Trek" -- just that Sulu had been picked.
- 'Golden period' -
Comedy actor Pegg, who plays ship's engineer Scotty and took on scriptwriting duties for the latest movie, dismissed the row as the result of people liking "to make things into a spat."
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"George and I email all the time -- big, long, lovely discussions about it and we're on great terms," he said.
"We were never shouting at each other or anything like that. And it's a great discussion to have. I'm really happy with the way it's been talked about and responded to and I'm still a huge fan of GT."
Korean-American actor John Cho, who plays Sulu in the rebooted trilogy, told reporters that when he first heard that Sulu was to be given a gay backstory he "thought it was a beautiful idea."
Pegg revealed that the main controversy for him had been director Justin Lin's early decision to destroy the starship Enterprise near the beginning of the film, although he was eventually convinced it was a good idea.
The run-up to the release has been overshadowed by last month's death of cast member Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Chekov.
Cast members including Karl Urban and Zoe Saldana, who wiped away tears, paid tribute to the Russian-born actor, who was found pinned by his SUV against a brick mailbox pillar at his California home. He was just 27.
"The pain of loss is still very raw... This film will forever be the most special experience for all of us," said Urban.
"It represents a golden period when our family was fully together for the last time. And it really was the best summer of our adult lives."
Bill Maher returned to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert which, in itself, is news. Thats because last November, in the wake of the terror attacks in Paris, Stephen Colbert honored Paris by tormenting Maher and cavorting with Acro-Cats. During that appearance, Maher had tried to play the my-shows-on-HBO-and-I-get-to-use-profanity card; Colbert whipped around on him and gave the CBS Decency Police quite a workout. Maher did suggest the American public is growing weary of Donald Trump the videos available and Colbert did correct him with word Trumps polling was then at 42%. Maher had insisted voters were just dating Trump but it would not lead to a long-term relationship. Colbert called Maher doll. Maher called Colbert sweetheart and Steve. Colbert responded: Who the f*ck is Steve? Are you my third grade teacher?
Tonight, Colbert seemed to take great pleasure in reminding Maher that when he last visited the show in November, he said Donald Trump was wearing off.
He is, Maher shot back, not letting new polling get in the way of a searing retort.
Colbert then reminded Maher that hed forecast Trump would not win primaries.
I dont remember doing that. But is this is what you do? You find the place where you were right and your guest was wrong? Maher hissed. What I remember that is when everyone else said Donald Trump was not serious about running for President I always said, No, I think he is, Maher added.
Later in the show (see video below), when the talk turned to recent video of police shooting two black men in separate incidents that have sparked many protests, Maher lectured Colbert on the perks of being a cop in this country Lot of people kissing your ass; lot of free donuts and that people who sign up to be cops should recognize theyre going to deal with a lot of asses. Colbert responded, diplomatically, that its not a job he would want to do.
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And thats why you didnt go into it! Maher shot back, adding, And they wouldnt want your job.
They might. Its a nice job. I dont know who wouldnt want this job, Colbert joked, trying to tone down the rhetoric. Its a very nice job. I sit here, I talk to you, they pay me a lot of money, I was just drinking.
I take it back; theyd love to have your job, Maher snickered.
They would love to have your job too. Because yours is once a week. That sounds really easy, Colbert shot back, like a guy who had started his day with his first Emmy noms snub in in a decade and was now being dissed by a jerk who got one of those late night talk show noms.
Its actually not. Because I have to make it good, Maher responded blisteringly.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFfiwH1M6HA&w=620&h=340]
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By PTI: Hyderabad, Jul 15 (PTI) Republic of Suriname today announced opening of its Honorary Consulate office here and appointed Asif Iqbal as the Honorary Consul.
The Honorary Consulate, which will have consular jurisdiction over Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, will work towards strengthening the educational, scientific, cultural and economic ties between the two countries, according to an official release.
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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Suriname, Winston Lackin announced the appointment of Iqbal as the Honorary Consul and the Ministry of External affairs in India has conveyed the concurrence of the Indian President to the appointment, it said.
Surinames Ambassador in India, Aashna Wandana Kanhai, said the South American country is 80 per cent filled with rain-forests and is the largest exporter of bauxite to India.
Iqbal said there will be trade delegations and official exploratory trips to Suriname organised by the Honorary Consulate in October 2016 from here.
The Indo Suriname Chamber of Commerce in India has taken delegations to Suriname in the last two years and invited many investors for investment in Telangana focused on agricultural cooperation and food processing, it further said. PTI GDK NP KIS
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Over the course of his illustrious 45+ year music career, Steven Tyler has been known for a lot of things: frontman for seminal hard rock band Aerosmith and its toxic twins subset; a master of top 40 cross-over hits; a profanity-dropping American Idol judge; and, of course, scarves. But his new partnership is one few if any could have predicted: the voice of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR).
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's new song "Hold On (Won't Let Go)" has officially been named the new anthem for the Colorado-based bull riding organization's CBS television broadcasts and live events and will also be featured on Tyler's debut solo album We're All Somebody From Somewhere, out today (July 17) on Dot Records/Big Machine Label Group.
"It's a stand-out moment for our sport and we couldn't be more honored," said Professional Bull Riders CEO Sean Gleason in a statement. "Hold On (Won't Let Go)" is the quintessential PBR anthem."
The song's genesis, however, didn't initially come through Tyler's Nashville recording session but rather from his talent agency, WME-IMG which in April of 2015 purchased the Professional Bull Riders. When Gleason described the new song his organization sought -- "a PBR anthem to portray the epic man vs. beast showdown in every PBR ride" -- WME agent Amos Newman immediately thought of his clients Steven Tyler, who was recording a rootsy, country-flavored album with producers that included T-Bone Burnett and Dann Huff; and Poo Bear [a.k.a. Jason Boyd] a five-time Grammy-winning songwriter. Gleason later brought in the Jingle Punks' Jared Gutstadt who collaborated with Brad Paisley, Lynryd Skynyrd and Dierks Bentley among others.
Steven Tyler Brings Boho Hippie Flare to the Country in 'Love Is Your Name'
Tyler was so enamored with the song he cut it for the new album and then flew out to the Nevada desert to shoot the video for the CBS intro.
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In addition to the television broadcasts and live vents, PBR will promote "Hold On" in its advertising and marketing campaigns via a robust social media strategy, its website, email blasts, video, fan contests and a variety of different in-arena activations and fan sweepstakes.
"Steven Tyler," Gleason said, "captures the essence of PBR like no other artist or song could."
Tyler, meanwhile, is just kicking off his 19-city solo tour appropriately titled the "Steven Tyler...Out on a Limb" tour.
The markets dramatic rally to all-time highs takes a breather as stocks ease off into the close. Will a huge week of earnings ahead keep the good times rolling? Catch The Final Round at 4 p.m. ET with Justine Underhill, Yahoo Finances editor-in-chief Andy Serwer and columnist Rick Newman, and Cathie Wood of Ark Invest.
Winners and losers
Stocks in the red today include Chipotle on a Morgan Stanley downgrade, AMC Networks after UBS downgraded a slew of media companies and issued a sell rating for the Walking Dead network, and Norwegian Cruise line, with shares dropping along with other travel stocks following yesterdays attack in France.
Stocks on the move higher today include H&R Block as Piper Jaffray reiterated its outperform rating, Rite Aid up on reports its suitor Walgreens is working with the FTC to get a merger approved, and Herbalife. The nutrition company reached a deal with the FTC, agreeing to pay a $200 million fine. But importantly, the FTC determined Herbalife is not a pyramid scheme, dealing a crushing blow to Bill Ackman and another win for Carl Icahn.
The economy suddenly looks great
The US economy is another bright spot, with a strong retail sales report today and a strong jobs report last week. Rick Newman explains whether the US economy will power the next leg of the bull market.
Looking ahead
Photo: Netflix
An eight-part series that wants to evoke the scary movies of an earlier era, Stranger Things is something different for Netflix a nostalgia piece set during the 1980s that feels designed to appeal to kids as well as adults.
The biggest star in Stranger Things, which starts streaming Friday, is Winona Ryder. She plays Joyce Byers, an Illinois mother whos shocked by the sudden disappearance of her son Will (Noah Schnapp). Wills trio of close friends Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) are middle-schoolers on a mission: They want to find their pal, and they set off on their bicycles to hunt for Will, their greatest weapon a slingshot.
Related: See Stranger Things Season 1 Photos
The boys find someone other than Will, however: a lost girl with a buzzcut skull who refers to herself only as Eleven (shes played by Millie Brown). The girl is in a state of mute terror at first and seems to have been the subject of some kind of scientific experiment overseen by a haughty scientist played by a Matthew Modine with a lustrous mane of silver-white hair.
Stranger Things was created and written by Matt and Ross Duffer, who bill themselves as the Duffer Brothers; they also worked on Wayward Pines. The brothers seem to have consumed every early Stephen King novel (without picking up on Kings gift for clever dialogue), the King film adaptation Stand by Me, and every horror film from the 1980s. The Duffers saturate Stranger Things with the mood from that era, but unfortunately, their show also possesses what so many 80s scary movies have when viewed now a slow pace of thudding ominousness.
Things spends too much repetitious time trying to convince us that Mike, Dustin, and Lucas are cute kids, and the shows sense of foreshadowing when it comes to revealing something thats supposed to scare the daylights out of us becomes an exercise in tedium. So does the character Eleven, partly because for a very long stretch, the nature of her distress is so ill-defined: Does she talk haltingly and not understand simple words (What is friend?) because of some trauma, or because shes an otherworldly creature? After a while, its hard to care.
Ryder is game as Joyce, even if the role requires her mostly to freak out and scream and cry about the absence of her son over and over and over Ryder does all she can to vary her upset. The child actors are uneven, and its difficult to tell whether thats because of their abilities or the tiresome sentimentality sketched into the portrait of their friendship. Ultimately, Stranger Things will probably work best for an audience that wants to feel nostalgic for the decade it tries so hard to evoke.
Stranger Things begins streaming Friday on Netflix.
Studiocanal will pull advertising for Idris Elba's Bastille Day, which opened in France on Wednesday, following the terror attack in Nice that killed at least 84 and left dozens injured, a rep for the studio told The Hollywood Reporter.
Posters have been covering Paris metros, with the tagline "This year, they are the fireworks."
The action film from Woman in Black director James Madden sees Elba as a CIA agent who teams up with Richard Madden's pickpocket to stop an attack in Paris on the July 14 Bastille Day holiday.
The studio considered pulling the film altogether, but decided on the ad move instead. Individual theaters or chains may still decide to pull the film and Studiocanal fully supports any theaters deciding to do so, a rep said.
While the film had always been scheduled for a July release in France to coincide with the holiday, it had been pushed back from its original February release date in the U.K. and March in Germany following the November terror attacks in Paris.
Those dates were pushed to April 22 and June 23, respectively, and in between the film rolled out across Europe, Australia and parts of Asia. It's taken in $7.3 million in 23 territories so far.
Focus Features acquired North American distribution rights to the film in 2014, and a day-and-date VOD release is planned for the movie through the distributor's FocusWorld VOD label. No release date has been scheduled for its U.S. release.
Read More: Paris Attacks Put French Movie Premieres, Idris Elba's 'Bastille Day' in Question
By Jessica Toonkel
(Reuters) - Sumner Redstone's privately held movie theater company said on Friday it opposes the sale of a minority stake in Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures, because such a transaction could hurt the chances of a deal involving all of Viacom.
National Amusements Inc, through which the 93-year-old media mogul owns 80 percent of Viacom, said in a statement that Paramount was "one of Viacoms most valuable assets" and a stake sale "would chill the interest of parties that may be interested in a larger transaction involving all of Viacom."
Redstone also owns 80 percent of the voting shares of CBS Corp through National Amusements. Viacom split off from CBS in 2006, but many investors have said they hope the two will merge again.
CBS Chief Executive Les Moonves, whom some expect would be tapped to head the combined company if that merger were to happen, is said to be interested in owning a movie studio, according to sources familiar with the situation. CBS declined to comment.
A Viacom spokesman said it was "beyond understanding" that National Amusements would continue to interfere with a potential Paramount deal that would create a long-term value "without even waiting for the facts."
The statement comes two days after Reuters was first to report that Dalian Wanda Group is interested in buying the Paramount stake.
Wanda's interest adds urgency to deliberations over Paramount's future, which has become the flashpoint of a bitter feud between Viacom Chief Executive Philippe Dauman and Redstone, the company's controlling shareholder. Redstone has so far opposed the sale, which is not possible without his consent.
Last month, National Amusements moved to replace Dauman and four other directors on Viacom's board, an action that is being contested in a Delaware court.
In its statement Friday, National Amusements said that the five directors it has elected to replace the sitting ones should be able to review the proposed transaction. Under an order by that court, Viacom would have to give National Amusements five days notice before entering into a deal for Paramount.
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"If the new board decides to pursue a sale of a minority stake in Paramount as part of a larger strategic plan for Viacom, we are confident that a buyer could then be identified and a sale consummated," National Amusements said.
In June, National Amusements changed Viacom's bylaws to require unanimous board approval of any stake sale, meaning Sumner Redstone and his daughter, Shari Redstone, would have to agree to the deal.
When Dauman announced in February that he was exploring selling a minority stake in Paramount, Viacom's stock rose as much as 7 percent.
And many analysts have continued to praise the idea of a sale in recent weeks.
But some investors have grown increasingly hopeful that a bigger deal involving all of Viacom might be in the works.
"I want to see the whole company get sold so why complicate it by selling half of Paramount to someone else," Salvatore Muoio, whose firm, S. Muoio & Co LLC, is one of biggest owners of voting shares of Viacom.
(Reporting by Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Steve Orlofsky)
Photo of Esmond Chuah Hooi Ong posted on the Facebook page of his father, Chuah Tze Leng.
A third-year Malaysian student from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) was injured in the horrific attack in Nice, France on Thursday (14 July).
The student has been identified as Esmond Chuah Hooi Ong. His father, Chuah Tze Leng, made an appeal on Facebook on Friday afternoon (15 July) to find out about his sons condition.
In a statement on Friday, SUTD said that the injured student was among 12 students from the university who were in Nice for the summer programme.
He is now in stable condition in the hospital and in contact with his parents. As for the 11 other SUTD students, all are safe and accounted for, SUTD said.
SUTD added that the other 11 students have been advised to remain in their hostel and heed the safety instructions of the French authorities.
The university is in contact with authorities including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies to provide on-ground support and counselling.
At least 84 people have been killed after a man, who has been identified as a French-Tunisian, slammed a truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French city.
MFA also issued a statement on Friday to condemn the attack and express condolences to the families of the victims.
MFA has verified the safety of all registered Singaporeans in Nice. The Singapore Embassy in Paris is also in contact with French authorities to ascertain whether there are any Singaporeans affected by the attack.
By Sophie Davies RIO DE JANEIRO (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Hanan Dacka fled the civil war in Syria with her family to start a new life in Brazil, the idea that she might one day carry the Olympic torch was beyond the stretch of anyone's imagination. At first, she struggled to settle into school, not knowing how to speak Portuguese. Her family lived, and still lives, in a cramped one-bedroom apartment in Sao Paulo. Her brother works seven days a week in a shop. Yet the 12-year-old girl ran with the Olympic flame in Brasilia in May, the first day of its journey through more than 300 towns and cities. The Summer Olympic Games begin on Aug. 5 in Rio de Janeiro. She was chosen by the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee after her name was put forward by the U.N. refugee agency in Brazil. Her high-profile Olympics role put a spotlight on the lives of refugees who have settled in Brazil, which is deep in the throes of recession. Brazil's economy is expected to contract nearly 4 percent this year, for a second consecutive year. Economists' forecasts suggest a downturn of a magnitude not seen since Brazil began keeping records in 1901. Refugees like the Dacka family are finding it hard to land permanent jobs and get state support to settle in. "The labor market conditions in general are terrible, especially for those who are looking for jobs now, especially for those who don't have the skills," Rudi Rocha, an economics professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "For this reason, the situation for those who are arriving in Brazil, the immigrants, the refugees in particular, is complicated," he said. A wave of refugees who began arriving in Brazil a few years ago was met with a steadier economy and greater job prospects, he said. Today's refugees may find only informal, temporary positions in the services and retail sectors, he said. Some 2,100 Syrian refugees live in Brazil, mostly in the country's most populous city of Sao Paulo. Hanan Dacka said when she arrived, her classmates did not know what it meant to be a refugee and she stumbled in her schoolwork. "I could not follow the pace," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "It was a surprise for me to hear a different language here." WELCOMING Brazil, the region's largest country, receives more Syrian refugees than any other country in Latin America. Starting in 2013, Brazil issued special visas under simplified procedures to allow survivors of the war in Syria to travel to the country, where they can claim asylum. Last year Brazil signed a deal with the European Union to fast-track Syrian immigration to help some of the millions who have fled their homes in the deadly conflict, now in its sixth year. The Dacka family arrived in Brazil just over a year ago, fleeing Syria for Jordan where they spent two-and-a-half years at a refugee camp, according to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR which provided details of their lives. In Jordan, water was scarce and the weather, scorching hot by day and freezing at night, was harsh. "I lived in a tent, with no bathroom, with my father, my mother, and my brother Mustafa," the girl said. "We could not play outside the tent at the refugee camp." The family applied for visas through the Brazilian embassy in Amman. Now they live with the girl's uncle, aunt and four cousins in an apartment shared by 11 family members in all. Hanan's father, Khaled Dacka, worked at a currency exchange office in Syria and is a factory worker in Sao Paulo, making car parts. Her mother Yusla Dacka is a housewife. "For any refugee, especially for those coming from the Middle East, they have a cultural shock," Luiz Fernando Godinho, a spokesman for the UNHCR, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Refugees in Brazil face falling wages as well as rising unemployment. Average monthly wages in April dropped by more than 3 percent from a year earlier to an average of 1,962 reais ($604), according to the state-run Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Joblessness rose to 10.9 percent in the first quarter of this year, compared with 7.9 percent a year earlier, the Institute said. WATER AND HEALTHCARE The outlook is sobering, with unemployment predicted to rise until at least 2018. "For poor refugees, particularly if they don't have any help from a migrant community that is already here, it is really tough," said Oliver Stuenkel, assistant professor of International Relations at the Sao Paulo-based Getulio Vargas Foundation. Refugees can expect little in the way of healthcare, which many Brazilians only receive through private means, and services such as sewage and water, he said. "Half of Brazilians don't have a functioning sewage system; they don't have proper running water. You can't really say that the state should provide that to refugees without any money because then it would be providing better services to refugees than to its own population," Stuenkel said. Overall, the Brazilian state has "very little capacity" to help integrate new refugees, Stuenkel said. However, a lack of anti-immigrant sentiment in Brazil does make it an attractive option, he said. (Reporting by Sophie Davies, 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)
Veteran Taiwanese actor Leon Dai has been dropped from Chinese film No Other Love because of his alleged support for Taiwanese independence.
The film is the second directorial effort of actress Zhao Wei, one of China's biggest stars. It is partially financed by Alibaba Pictures Group, the filmmaking arm of Jack Ma's global e-commerce giant. Beijing-based Max Film is the leading production company behind the project.
Trouble began brewing around the film last last month, when the Communist Youth League, a junior training ground of sorts for the Chinese Communist Party elite, began a coordinated social media campaign bashing Zhao (also known as Vicki Zhao) for selecting Dai (Assassin, Double Vision) as her lead.
In an widely circulated article entitled "Zhao Wei's New Film Met with Universal Boycott by Internet Users," the nationalist organization alleged that Dai was a supporter of Taiwanese independence and Hong Kong's pro-democracy Umbrella Movement - political issues of particular consternation among the Chinese government leadership. China views Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory, to be united by force if necessary.
On Friday, the production team released a statement announcing that Dai had been removed from the film after he failed to "provide a fuller explanation to the public and state his stance more clearly on important issues."
The statement added: "Because Dai remained vague on his stance, the director and investors decided to replace Dai as the lead actor."
No Other Love finished principle photography in June and was already in postproduction, so the abrupt casting shake-up will entail extensive re-shoots. A new lead actor has not yet been announced.
"The director and the entire crew dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to China," the production team's statement continued. "We are all Chinese, and we firmly support the one China policy. Our country's interests are our top priorities."
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On June 30, Dai posted a statement on Weibo in response to attacks. He conceded that he had spoken out on issues of gay rights and nuclear power in Taiwan, but insisted that he was not a member of any political party. "I am against oppression and respect the views of other people," he added, saying that to characterize him as a supporter of Taiwan's independence was inaccurate.
A well-known figure in greater China, Dai has appeared in over a dozen films since 2012, most notably Hou Hsiao-hsien's critically acclaimed Cannes competition entry The Assassin (2015).
Chinese nationalists often have tried to exert political influence over Asian entertainment figures. In January, 16-year-old Taiwanese K-pop singer Tzuyu became embroiled in a controversy after waving the Taiwanese flag during a South Korean online variety show. The gesture was promptly characterized as a statement of support for Taiwanese independence, and her Chinese concerts, along with a local endorsement deal, were canceled. Tzuyu later filmed and posted a video apologizing and stating that she believes there is "only one China."
Read More: Chinese Nationalists Blast Director Vicki Zhao for Casting Taiwanese Actor
By PTI: Hyderabad, Jul 15 (PTI) Republic of Suriname today announced opening of its Honorary Consulate office here and appointed Asif Iqbal as the Honorary Consul.
The Honorary Consulate, which will have consular jurisdiction over Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, will work towards strengthening the educational, scientific, cultural and economic ties between the two countries, according to an official release.
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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Suriname, Winston Lackin announced the appointment of Iqbal as the Honorary Consul and the Ministry of External affairs in India has conveyed the concurrence of the Indian President to the appointment, it said.
Surinames Ambassador in India, Aashna Wandana Kanhai, said the South American country is 80 per cent filled with rain-forests and is the largest exporter of bauxite to India.
Iqbal said there will be trade delegations and official exploratory trips to Suriname organised by the Honorary Consulate in October 2016 from here.
The Indo Suriname Chamber of Commerce in India has taken delegations to Suriname in the last two years and invited many investors for investment in Telangana focused on agricultural cooperation and food processing, it further said. PTI GDK NP KIS RDS
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For decades, policymakers in Washington have failed to keep our tax system competitive. In an era when the world is now offering the equivalent of 4G connected touchscreen tablets, the U.S. tax code looks a lot like a green-screened, floppy-drive computer from the 1980s. In dire need of an update, the U.S. tax system is dimming the advantages of operating a business in the United States. Sadly, instead of doing what it can to help make the U.S. tax system more competitive, the U.S. Treasury Department has introduced massive new regulations that would negatively impact the livelihoods of millions of U.S. workers.
In what was billed as a way to curb a small sliver of cross-border mergers (sometimes called "inversions"), Treasury officials would like to impose new regulations that make the tax code more complex and give even more power to the IRS. These sweeping regulations are part of Section 385 of the IRS tax code and they have little to do with these mergers, but they will certainly raise the cost of capital and further disincentivize job creation.
The proposal gives the government broad authority to convert a company's related-party debt in common business transactions into equity, thereby increasing taxes, interfering with normal business operations and imposing new costs on businesses in the United States. This authority would not just apply to companies looking to conduct cross-border mergers, but all U.S. companies as well as global companies looking to invest in the United States.
It sounds complex, but you can think about it this way: A first-time homebuyer relies on a home mortgage to finance her dreams. The ability to deduct the interest she pays on the loan helps make the purchase feasible. If Treasury's new rules applied to homeowners, years after the purchase of the home, the IRS could arbitrarily declare that because she used part of her income to buy gifts for her children on their birthdays instead of devoting those resources to reducing her home loan, the interest paid on her mortgage is no longer deductible. She is now responsible for paying hefty additional taxes.
If employers use revenue for purposes, such as paying a dividend, instead of paying off their existing loan, the proposed changes would allow the IRS to reclassify the outstanding debt as equity, thereby increasing the employer's tax burden.
Unsurprisingly, then, the business community has significant concerns with Treasury's proposed actions. Just as families would struggle to rearrange their lives, companies also face similar challenges if their planning and budgeting are suddenly upended. To comply with the new rules, many employers will be forced to spend resources on additional taxes and compliance costs that could otherwise go toward investment and job creation.
As leaders of two organizations deeply connected to America's manufacturing sector, we've been flooded with concerns over Treasury's actions. Manufacturers know what these rules mean, the job losses working Americans will suffer and the investment we will lose to other countries, if the rules go forward.
And there's a lot at risk: millions of high-quality manufacturing jobs.
We can't afford a mistake this large. The regulations create uncertainty for employers interested in expanding and creating jobs and will push companies to defer further investment into their U.S. operations. In other words, these regulations will increase the cost of capital, diminish America's ability to attract global investment, stall job creation and further dampen U.S. economic growth. The compliance cost of these new regulations could mean millions of dollars are diverted from future investment and expansions.
These rules also make life more onerous for businesses. They are unclear, often ambiguous and have a retroactive effective date of April 4, 2016. The government also reserves the right to go back through a company's books three years after the fact. Despite the fact that these are the most wide-ranging regulations proposed in the past 20 years, and overturn 80 years of case law and existing tax provisions, government officials say they are rushing to implement these regulations by the end of the summer.
At a time when America's economy needs a boost, the government is essentially putting U.S. workers at a disadvantage as it makes our country less attractive for companies that increasingly have global options when deciding where to grow their businesses. Instead of lowering taxes to keep us competitive, the government is plotting new ways to raise the cost of doing business on U.S. companies.
Manufacturers and all Americans deserve better. Misguided, piecemeal changes to our tax system are not the answer to any of our problems. It's time for President Obama to step in and stop Treasury from wreaking havoc on the American economy and risking U.S. jobs. Congress and the President must do the hard work of modernizing our tax system so that employers both foreign and domestic want to invest and create jobs here at home. It's the right action we need for manufacturers and our country.
Commentary by Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers and Nancy McLernon, president and CEO of the Organization for International Investment. Follow them on Twitter@JayTimmonsNAM and @nmclernon.
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We're sure a certain guy first name beginning with "C", last name "Harris" would be loving a serenade from Taylor Swift right now, but these kids deserve it more.
Swift, who has been hanging out in Australia recently, made an impromptu visit to the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in the city of Brisbane on Tuesday.
SEE ALSO: Taylor Swift wrote 'This Is What You Came For' under a pseudonym
While in the midst of selfies and high fives, Swift also took some time out to perform "Shake It Off" to a handful of lucky kids. One of which was named Preston, who couldn't help but sing along as he sat next to the pop star.
The video was posted by Childrens Health QLD on their Twitter page on Wednesday evening. Watch and there is a pretty good chance you'll be smiling right along these kids.
By Andrea Shalal
FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Technology transfers and commitments to build and buy equipment locally have become key determinants in which companies win global arms sales orders, U.S. industry executives say.
For years, U.S. and European weapons makers funded a wide range of so-called "offset agreements", or projects to sweeten weapons deals that ranged from construction of hospitals and hotels to giant orders of frozen chicken, as well as simple one-off production orders for local firms.
But purchasing countries are now demanding more complex technology transfers and a share of work on ongoing weapons programmes in order to cement deals, industry executives told Reuters at the Farnborough Airshow this week.
Lockheed Martin Corp, Boeing Co, Raytheon Co and other U.S. companies have boosted their foreign orders sharply in recent years as demand for U.S. weapons has increased. The U.S. government is on track to approve nearly $40 billion in foreign military sales in the 2016 fiscal year that ends Oct. 1, a drop from $46.6 billion last year but still well above levels seen just five years ago.
"If you want to be successful in any country, you have to have content in that country," said Steve O'Bryan, head of business development for Lockheed Martin Corp's Mission Systems and Training, which includes Sikorsky helicopters. "And the ones who move faster ... do better."
O'Bryan, a former top executive with the Lockheed F-35 fighter jet programme, said that project helped create the new paradigm since it was structured from the start to allow local companies in countries that funded the jet's development and bought airplanes to compete for work on the whole aircraft.
Ensuring work for domestic suppliers is a key factor in a big missile defence competition in Poland, and will likely play a huge role in a long-delayed fighter competition in Canada.
Lockheed's Sikorsky helicopter unit has also responded to the changing market, and is now building H-60 Black Hawk helicopters in Poland, Turkey and Japan. It also signed an agreement that could lead to a similar set up in Saudi Arabia.
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Boeing Co, the world's largest planemaker and the No. 2. U.S. weapons maker, says it leveraged its 70-year commercial history in India to win large military orders when that market opened up a decade ago.
"We were able to draw on the knowledge and relationships from our commercial business to build a local manufacturing and supply base," said spokeswoman Caroline Hutcheson. "We hit the ground running and grew quickly because of the depth of our experience."
Boeing broke ground last month on a joint venture with India's Tata that will build AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselages in India as part of the government's "Make in India" campaign.
David Melcher, who heads the U.S. Aerospace Industries Association trade group, said his group is urging the U.S. government to streamline and accelerate often slow approvals of arms sales and technology transfers to adjust to the shifting realities of the global arms sales market.
AIA wants Washington to make it easier to export technologies that are already available elsewhere, including satellites and night vision military equipment, warning that U.S. firms could otherwise losing business to overseas rivals.
"Im making an argument for increasing the level of capability that were allowed to sell to our allies, and when were allowed to sell it, to do it expeditiously and streamline the processes," he said.
U.S. officials are trying to improve the process and deal with record-high levels of arms sales requests, but say they must work through requests on a case-by-case basis to safeguard U.S. security and technology.
(Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
Republican presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump has finally announced that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is his vice presidential pick. Here are 10 key facts about the relatively little-known Hoosier Republican.
1. He doesnt have that much in common with Trump.
Pence has a number of key policy breaks with Trump. Among other things, he denounced the business moguls proposal to bar Muslims from entering the U.S., and he proudly supported a number of big trade deals that Trump accused of undercutting the middle class. Pence also has a measured approach to the campaign trail, especially when compared to the brash billionaire at the top of the ticket.
2. He is most well known for a controversial religious freedom bill.
In 2015, Pence championed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibited the state from infringing on religious rights unless absolutely necessary. Social conservatives like Pence said it was necessary in the aftermath of the Supreme Court finding a constitutional right to same-sex marriages. Critics said it would legalize discrimination against LGBT people in Indiana.
3. The bill damaged his popularity and threatened his reelection bid.
The fallout from the bill was severe, with several high-profile businesses threatening to pull out of the state. The Indiana Star, the states largest newspaper, demanded the bill be amended with a famous front cover:
(Indiana Star)
In response to the pushback, Pence and Republicans in the state legislature came up with and passed a compromise that prevented the RFRA from being used to attack civil rights. But this put Pence in the crosshairs of socially conservative groups, some of which felt betrayed by the move. The controversy was hindering his reelection campaign, which recent polls suggested was competitive.
4. Prior to his political career he was a lawyer, a talk show host and headed a conservative think tank.
Before launching a political career, Pence worked as a lawyer and headed a conservative think tank called the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, which he said was modeled on other right-wing groups, like the Heritage Foundation. He also hosted a radio talk show in the 1990s, which he called Rush Limbaugh on decaf.
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Indiana Gov. Mike Pence delivers his State of the State address, in which he proposed a balanced budget amendment, to a joint session of the legislature in Indianapolis on Jan. 13, 2015. (Photo: Michael Conroy/AP)
5. He served in the House of Representatives for 12 years.
In 2000, Pence successfully ran for Congress, defeating Democrat Robert Rock by 12 points. Despite losing to Rep. John Boehner of Ohio in a 2006 leadership race to become House minority leader, Pence was considered by insiders to be a rising star in the party. In 2009, he successfully ran to become chairman of the Republican Conference, the third-highest-ranking leadership position in the party.
Pence launched his gubernatorial campaign after Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels was limited from seeking a third term in 2012.
6. He frustrated some members of his own party with policy proposals in the House.
In the House, he showed a willingness to oppose his own party long before the modern tea party wave bucked the GOP establishment. Among other things, he opposed then President George W. Bushs Medicare expansion and the No Child Left Behind Act. He also authored a bill to create a guest worker program, which drew ire from fellow conservatives. Under the proposal, which never passed, immigrants would apply from their home countries and could be matched with potential employers.
7. He has long been a staunch social conservative.
Even before the RFRA controversy, Pence was known for being conservative on social issues. In a 2000 agenda posted on his campaign website, he called on Congress to bar gays from obtaining status as a protected minority. This trend continued when he became governor, and he signed a bill barring women from seeking an abortion on the basis of the race, gender or disability of the fetus, making Indiana the second state in the country to have that ban. A federal judge has blocked implementation of the bill.
8. He endorsed Ted Cruz in the primary.
Pence wasnt always on the Trump train. During the primary campaign, he endorsed Trumps top rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, just before the Indiana primary.
Im not against anybody, but I will be voting for Ted Cruz in the Republican primary, Pence said at the time.
My vote goes to @tedcruz because hes a conservative who will protect our constitutional liberties. https://t.co/nQI6H15cPT Mike Pence (@mike_pence) May 2, 2016
9. He appeared with Donald Trump on Tuesday in an apparent audition for the role.
Even as he endorsed Cruz, Pence also praised Trump, saying the business mogul was giving voice to the frustration of millions of working Americans with the lack of progress in Washington, D.C. He reiterated those sentiments in a speech Tuesday, introducing Trump at a rally in the suburbs of Indianapolis. Trump said he was very impressed by Pence.
10. His selection complicates things for Indiana Republicans.
Indiana Republicans now need to find another candidate for governor this year, as state law bars politicians from simultaneously running for state and federal offices. The deadline for filing or withdrawing candidacy was Friday, the same day Trump announced Pence as his running mate.
Slideshow: Mike Pence through the years >>>
The attack on the French Riviera city of Nice Thursday, when a driver plowed a truck into crowds of people, killing at least 84, came as France was celebrating its national holiday of Bastille Day.
The holiday, officially known as La Fete National, commemorates the historic storming of the Bastille a notorious royal fortress turned jail that held political prisoners on July 14, 1789. The seizure came at the start of the French Revolution, which ultimately overthrew the oppressive Bourbon monarchy under King Louis XVI.
As Nice comes to grips with Thursdays tragedy, several voices have noted the attack appeared symbolic in its motivation.
Read More: What Actually Happened on the Original Bastille Day
In his predawn address Friday, French President Francois Hollande said, France has been struck on the day of her national holiday the symbol of liberty, according to the Guardian.
And French regional lawmaker Eric Ciotti said the attack came on a symbolic day, the Telegraph reports. Families who were sharing a moment of leisure were targeted. It was a symbolic day in a symbolic place. That motivated the attack, he said.
Police have not commented on a motive, but French officials believe the attack was an act of terrorism. No group has yet claimed responsibility.
In Nice, people had congregated along the Promenade des Anglais on the Nice seafront to watch the annual fireworks, a tradition that lights up cities all over the country on July 14. Every year, Frances fifth largest city hosts several concerts along the promenade, where a military parade also unfolds.
People were celebrating and it was so peaceful, it was a festivity vibe, it was right after the fireworks that the truck came and ran over people, Maryam Violet, an Iranian journalist visiting Nice, told the Guardian.
July 15 (Reuters) - A Texas man and his son were among the 84 people who were killed when an attacker ploughed a heavy truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, the Statesman newspaper reported.
Sean Copeland, 51, and his son Brodie, 11, from Lakeway, a community 20 miles (30 km) northwest of Austin, were in Nice for a family vacation, family friend Jess Davis told the Statesman.
"We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean Copeland, a wonderful husband and father," the family said in a statement to the newspaper.
Sean Copeland was the vice president of North and South America of the Kapow Software Division of Lexmark Corporation, Davis said.
Posts on social media accounts owned by what appeared to be relatives confirmed the deaths of Sean Copeland and his son.
"I don't even know how to put this in words," Heather Copeland, a niece of Sean, posted to Twitter.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee)
For more than a year now, the cast of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has had to remain tight-lipped about the characters theyre playing in Lucasfilms first standalone adventure in the beloved saga. Loose lips sink starships was the motto J.J. Abrams drilled home on the set of The Force Awakens, setting the tone for Rogue helmer Gareth Edwards (Godzilla). And with a few notable exceptions Donnie Yen posting (and quickly removing) Stormtrooper helmets from Instagram or lovable Dane Mads Mikkelsen letting slip that his character was the father of Felicity Joness heroine, Jyn Erso they did a stellar job.
Today, though, at Star Wars Celebration Europe in London, the cast could finally, finally spill some intel on the folks theyre playing. And that they did, both during the films afternoon panel (where Mikkelsen noted Galen Erso was a scientist who built something so beautiful it changed the world, Riz Ahmed said Bodhi was an pilot who pays the bills by flying for the Empire, and Jiang Wen probably said more than he should have about his mercenary Baze) and then later to Yahoo Movies. Some were more revealing than others You can read what they told us below:
Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso): Jyn Erso was an absolute joy to play. Shes a very instinctive woman. She has great courage. She doesnt like to play by the rules. She can be defiant. She doesnt play by the rules. Shes someone who likes to do things her own way. And throughout the film we see this woman finding her place in the universe and finding her purpose and becoming part of something thats much bigger than herself, in a true Star Wars way.
Related: Heres Felicity Jones Geeking Out Over the First Rogue One Action Figure
Diego Luna (Captain Cassian Andor): My character is Captain Andor and he works for the Rebellion in intelligence. Hes in charge of a very important mission, and he has to go on this mission with Jyn Erso. Its quite an interesting man. He has lots of secrets. And hes been with the Rebellion for all of his life, and all he knows is fighting for this cause, for freedom. I really admire the guy.
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Alan Tudyk (K-2SO): K-2SO is a former Imperial security droid who was reprogrammed by Cassion, Diego Lunas character, and I belong to him. So he teams up with Jyn Erso to go on this mission, and so Im there. Im part of the team. And hes great. Because of the reprogramming, hes a little honest, hes a little odd. Hes got no filter. He just says whatever he thinks. But hes always looking out for Diego.
Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera): Saw Gerrera is a rebel fighter, a guerrilla fighter who is part of a team of individuals who are extreme rebels, fighting against Imperial forces.
Related: 'Rogue One Debuts New Footage and Poster at Star Wars Celebration
Donnie Yen (Chirrut Imwe): Hes a blind warrior who believed in the spirituality of The Force, was a disciple of 'May the Force be with you. Dont give him a lightsaber. If he gets a lightsaber, Darth Vader would be in trouble. So hes a very cool cat.
Ben Mendelsohn (Imperial Director Orson Krennic): Hes a high-ranking intelligence officer in the Empire. Hes tasked with a very crucial project, and he is going to make sure that project gets delivered par excellence.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens Dec. 16.
By PTI: From Lalit K Jha
Washington, Jul 15 (PTI) Ending days of speculation, presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump today announced that conservative Indiana Governor Mike Pence will be his Vice Presidential running mate as he sought to add political experience to his White House campaign.
Trump was initially scheduled to make the announcement in New York earlier, but postponed it in the wake of the terror attack in French city of Nice that killed 84 people and injured over 100.
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"I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate," Trump said in a tweet.
Pence, 57, a lawyer by training and Governor of Indiana since January 2013, has accepted the offer, CNN reported.
Two other candidates in the race were Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
"We have to call him. But let me just say this. I have great respect for Governor Pence. But I also have great respect for Newt. I have great respect for Chris Christie. We have some tremendous people in the Republican Party but I will be making the announcement at the appropriate time," Trump had said prior to his announcement.
Meanwhile, Pence has also reportedly abandoned his re-election bid as Indiana Governor.
He was elected as the Indiana Governor in 2013. Before this he was a member of the US House of Representatives for 19 years from 2003 to 2013.
Pence keeps a low-profile and can play a crucial role in uniting the Republican party to rally around the controversial billionaire ahead of the November presidential elections.
He has often described himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."
As governor of Indiana, Pence has invited criticism for signing bills making it harder for women to have abortions.
Interestingly during the primaries, Pence had endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Before being elected as the Indiana Governor, he was elected to the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013.
The US media projected that Trumps choice was part of his bid to add political experience.
The Wall Street Journal said by picking Pence, Trump has balanced his ticket with an even-tempered conservative.
Trump has turned "to a well-established conservative who brings government experience" to the Republican presidential ticket, the New York Times said.
"In his selection, Mr Trump also gains a partner who is fluent in the ways Washington works, a background that complements Mr Trumps outsider status," the daily reported.
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CNN said the pick sets up a stark clash in styles -- a brash presumptive nominee with a tendency to freelance into controversies alongside a cautious former congressional leader who has stuck close to conservative orthodoxy since starting his career in talk radio. PTI LKJ SUA ASK ASK
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Sarah Francati is sharing a very personal journey on social media. (Photo: Instagram/Sarah Francati)
Sarah Francati isnt your average teenager. The 19-year-old college student from New York is sharing her recovery from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa on social media. And as a result, thousands of people are cheering her on while many others are seeking guidance.
I made the account a year ago to keep myself focused, she tells Yahoo Beauty. I was so surprised when people started to reach out to me because I never thought that anyone would even care. If I really think about [it], Im 19. Im not a doctor, Im not a counselor; Im just one girl. And the fact that there are women, there are men, there are teens coming to me, asking for help that is huge to me. I cant ask for anything else.
At the request of her mother, Francati was admitted to the hospital during her freshman year of high school when her weight plummeted to 80 pounds. After counselors asked that she leave a recovery center because of her inability to follow the program It was awful! I would tell them I was allergic to food, I was vegan, I would cut as many corners as I could not to eat anythingFrancati moved home, where she found relief by using The Maudsley Approach, which is an intensive outpatient treatment in which parents play an active, positive role in their childs recovery.
It was the best thing that could have ever happened to me, she says. I know that obviously it doesnt work for everyone because some people need a hospital or a bigger wakeup call. But once my parents and siblings were involved, I felt that I wasnt alone anymore. I had a support system and I wasnt fighting this by myself. I had a team.
Four years later, more than 25,000 people are following Francatis journey on Instagram, where she showcases her muscle tone, her stylish workout clothes, and her favorite foods. And while many people offer praise, others only offer criticism.
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A photo posted by Sarah (@fit_sarah177) on Jul 12, 2016 at 9:58am PDT
Francati shares her progress on Instagram. (Photo: Instagram/Sarah Francati)
Yes, there are comments from people who seem to love to go out of their way to bring me down, she says. I definitely debated it [sharing her journey on Instagram] for a long time because Im a college student, and you always have to wonder, Whos going to find my account? Whos going to pick on me about it? But at the end of the day, if I can just impact one person, I will take all the hate.
Francati isnt the only young adult who is willing to use social media as a platform to share their personal struggle with anorexia. Elle Tayla, Carolyn Radnor, Alexis Corneau, and Ambs G have created YouTube videos of their emotional journeys, which collectively have been viewed by millions of people.
The first thing I want to say is lets applaud anybody who is sharing their story of recovery because that takes such great bravery, Robyn Cruze, a National Recovery Advocate and online community manger for Eating Recovery Center, tells Yahoo Beauty.
Eating disorders are mental illnesses, and that means we have a lot of things that we must overcome mentally, so to be able to share our story is such a courageous thing, she continues. And when we use our story in the right way to bring hope and inspiration to those recovering from eating disorders it is a really powerful tool for recovery and for those seeking it.
However, exposing your vulnerability on social media could have a negative effect on the individual who is posting, as well as those who are desperately searching for answers.
When were sharing our story and still struggling in our own recovery, I think we have to question how were keeping ourselves safe, says Cruze. For example, when I share my story, I share it because I know Im not attached to that story its so far away from me, theres a difference between me and the person that I was. So Im using my story to make a difference by sharing solutions of recovery, like what I did mentally, what did I in my treatment, and that I sought therapy.
A photo posted by Sarah (@fit_sarah177) on Jul 5, 2016 at 6:39pm PDT
Francati is focused on getting stronger day by day. (Photo: Instagram/Sarah Francati)
Yet problems may arise if someone is not as detached from their experience when they share it with the masses.
Those of us who have been in an eating disorder [situation] believe that the eating disorder will give us something powerful that we cant give ourselves, explains Cruze. Maybe we believe the eating disorder will make us more lovable, maybe it will make us feel that were in control. Now if were still struggling for those [goals] and were on social media and people say things that might be positive or negative, that can impact us and, therefore, our recovery progress. We have a responsibility first to keep ourselves safe.
Shes also uneasy about how the audience especially people who are suffering from a disease and seeking treatment will interpret the messages. Whether we like it or not, there are a lot of images that people in recovery will find triggering, says Cruze. For example, we can have the best intentions of saying, This is how sick I have been. Here, take a look at a photo. But if somebody is in anorexia nervosa and theyre struggling, they may look at that photo and think, Shes thinner than me Im not sick enough!
But Cruze emphasizes the enormous respect she has for Francatis courage, and says shed make an effective recovery advocator. I dont want this young lady to ever get to a stage where shes struggling and where she feels that she has to put out this facade because now shes on social media, said Cruze. And that can be very shaming and triggering for herself. That is my concern for her.
But for now, Francati says she would never leave social media, even during a difficult time being caused by potential body shamers.
If anything, that would fuel my fire more! she says. If I back down, what does that say about me? Ill never let the bad guys win. You have to do whats best for you and for the other people who are struggling, too. Were a team. I have a global support system where I can reach out to people all across the world. Its just amazing.
Have a beauty story youd like to share with us? Email YStyleBeauty@yahoo.com.
Thousands of protesters marched in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Friday to denounce recent deadly clashes with Indian security forces, with some calling for war over the disputed frontier.
About 4,000 people gathered in Muzaffarabad, some carrying photos of slain rebel leader Burhan Wani, whose killing last week sparked unrest that killed 32 people -- the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010 when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule.
Students, lawyers, traders, political activists and members of militant groups gathered at Friday's protest, where the local head of hardline militant group, Jamat-ud-Dawa, issued a call to arms.
"India understands the language of bullet and not voice of people. We have no other option, just to start an armed struggle," Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi told the crowd.
"We call on the military and political leaderships that Kashmiri mujahideen (holy warriors) should be allowed to go and fight against the Indian troops and for the freedom movement."
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, but both claim the picturesque Himalayan territory in its entirety.
The two countries agreed a border ceasefire agreed in 2003 that has largely held, though there are fears the unrest could lead to a revival of cross-border militancy.
"We came here today to show solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris in Indian-held Kashmir. We want to tell the world about the brutalities against the unarmed civilians in Kashmir," Muhammad Tahir, a 26-year-old student, told AFP.
Wani, a 22-year-old poster boy for the region's biggest rebel group Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed in a gun battle with government forces.
Islamabad summoned New Delhi's envoy on Monday and conveyed Pakistan's "serious concern" over the recent violence.
Indian Police said most of those who died were protesters killed by gunshot wounds as troops fired live ammunition and tear gas to try to enforce a curfew imposed across the Kashmir Valley.
Hizbul Mujahideen is one of several homegrown militant groups that have for decades been fighting around half a million Indian troops deployed in the region, calling for independence or a merger with Pakistan.
As is the generally perceived stereotype, Brits are renowned prudes; conservative, stiff-upper-lip sorts who are rightly ashamed of their pale, un-Bond-like bodies.
So when The Bunyadi, a pop-up restaurant where clothing is actively discouraged, announced it would be opening up for three months of nudity in London this summer, few expected demand to be so high.
But within weeks, almost 50,000 eager exhibitionists were on the waiting list, not bad for a "natural dining experience" that can only house 42 people at a time.
Following a "soft opening" (pun very much intended) in June, the doors finally opened earlier this month. Wanting to check out what all the fuss was about, The Hollywood Reporter sent one of its more open-minded correspondents (and a companion) on an undercover, and underdressed, operation.
This is what she saw:
Outside, you'd have no idea what it is. It's a discreet black building, like a pub that has been blacked out completely. There's a big bouncer at the door, who was really sweet, with a pink silk rope, but that's it. Oh, and it's right opposite a mosque, which I found quite unusual.
But inside, the second my partner and I walked in, everyone's naked! You go from the street to absolute nudity. It's totally bonkers.
On the website it looks like a kind of hippy place. And the actual restaurant part is, but the bar is like a swingers club, or a nudist colony meets a swingers club. It's like a normal pub but with bamboo around the edges, and pretty small. There were about 20 people, of whom only three probably had robes on. People are standing up naked, sitting down naked, walking around naked. And visibly checking each other out. I just got the giggles straight away.
On the left hand side as you go in there's this beautiful hostess in a black evening dress. She was very androgynous - very striking and really lovely. She's talking to you but you're really aware that everyone else around you is naked. I was trying to look at her and not laugh. I'm in hysterics in my head. I couldn't stop laughing. But she took it well. "It's OK, it's normal," she said, reassuringly.
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You are given a robe to wear, but we didn't get ours for a good 15 minutes, so we were in there fully clothed - jeans and a jumper - standing around with naked people everywhere. All shapes, sizes, ages, races.
My partner and I just locked arms and tried really hard not to cry with laughter. So we perched ourselves at the bar and chatted to the barman, who was a fantastic, very friendly guy, which helped diminish some of the awkwardness. He was clothed, reportedly for health and safety reasons. When they opened the restaurant they were actually asked that by the authorities - will you be preparing the food naked?
The cocktails were out of this world, and really strong, which I assume is because they want you to release your inhibitions. So after about 15 minutes we were both slightly drunk after just one cocktail.
After a while, this woman walked up in a black dress and asked if we wanted to get changed. We were led behind a black curtain, where there were lockers and the tiniest space in the world. It's like a cupboard. We're standing, literally knee-to-knee, getting undressed. There's no space. It's not sexy.
But on the other side, there was a group of young, drunk girls. We'd seen them before in the bar, where the barman took a group naked photos of them. All completely nude. They were changing back into their clothes and one was screaming, "I'm so horny I want to go to a swingers club." It was hilarious.
Back in the bar, we were wearing our robes, but they're open, so you can obviously see ... stuff.
We had arrived for our 9 p.m. reservation, but it wasn't until 10:20 p.m. that we got to eat, so we had over an hour just drinking and watching everybody.
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Eventually, they invited us into the dinner area. And it in there it's totally different, very spa-like and civilized. It's very discreet in there, with high bamboo screenings around each table. Everyone is naked, but you can only see glimpses of them. There's no electricity either, so it's really dark. We were taken to our seats, which were basically just tree trunks. Rather small tree trunks at that. I was ferociously uncomfortable. And the table is really low so you can actually see all of each other.
The actual table is also a giant tree trunk slice, very rough, and all the plate and cups are earthenware. There is no cutlery, or salt and pepper. Although you do get edible spoons for a couple of the courses.
The waitress came over to discuss the food. She was topless, with the tiniest pair of flesh-colored knickers I've ever seen. She is also stunningly beautiful. My male partner didn't notice, because at this point he was too busy thinking about the food.
There are five course in total. We both went for non-vegan, but I swapped my main for vegan because I didn't want meat.
The first course was pickled cucumber, which you eat with your fingers, which is kind of messy when you've got fake nails
For second course we had cured salmon, which was very nice. Nothing is cooked in there, it's all completely raw. Then my partner had a massive plate of steak tartare, while I had a zucchini dish with sun-dried tomatoes, which was extremely delicious.
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Then, disaster struck. After the main course, I was, frankly, feeling a bit amorous. I made a slight move toward my partner, but when I put my hand on the table to pull myself up, the table flipped over because it's just a tree trunk on another tree trunk. The earthenware glasses went flying into the air, coated us in red wine and smashed to bits.
So there we were: naked, absolutely drenched, and laughing hysterically. Naturally, this caused a small scene. Everybody around us stopped talking because there had been this massive crash. The waitress came running in to check that everything was OK and said, "Wow, that's a lot of mess." We were given new robes and then moved us to a different table in a different section.
At this point I was more than a little bit drunk. They'd just served dessert - chai pudding, which I thought was horrible. Since I had no interest in the pudding, and inhibitions were running at dangerously low levels, I playfully threw some pudding at my partner. He then returned fire with his own dessert. And so we had a small food fight. We were both covered in chai pudding and the waitress came back to ask if everything was OK. "Sorry, we're just having a food fight." She took it well.
After we finished and washed the dessert off ourselves, we put our robes on and headed back into the bar. By this time it was about 1 a.m., and we were some of the last people there. So we just put our clothes back on and left. All the staff kissed us goodbye - the hostess, the barmen. They were so friendly.
One final detail: There was an extremely drunk middle-aged man who had to be dressed - the staff had to literally sit him down and dress him because he simply couldn't function. He ended up staggering out with one shoe on and the barman running after him with the other.
The whole thing was bonkers. But hilarious. I'd definitely go back.
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(Reuters) - Three students on a study abroad program in France were wounded and another was missing in Thursday's Bastille Day attack in Nice, the University of California, Berkeley, said on Friday. The university identified the missing student as Nicolas Leslie, 20, one of 85 Berkeley students on a 15-day study abroad trip on entrepreneurship in Europe. Two of the other students suffered broken legs and a third had a broken foot, the university said. The injured students were not identified. "May Nicolas Leslie be found safe," the University of California's flagship campus posted on Facebook Friday, along with the hashtag #PrayforNice and the image of a heart painted like the tri-color French flag. A Texan and his 11-year-old son on a family vacation were also among at least 84 people killed when an attacker crashed a heavy truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the French seaside city, officials said on Friday. The Berkeley students were studying at a program affiliated with the international European Innovation Academy in Nice, the university said. The program was suspended temporarily as France marks three days of mourning, and students will be given the option of returning home early, the university said. Leslie, a junior in the university's College of Natural Resources, was not listed among the dead in the attack, but family members have not been able to reach him, a woman who said she was a family friend said in an interview. "The last thing that we heard from one of his friends is that he was seen running off," said the woman, who gave only her first name, Antonella. Leslie, who was born in Italy and grew up in the San Diego area, was a U.S. national, university spokesman Roqua Montez said. The university did not yet have background information on the three injured students, he said. In the attack, a man identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel plowed into a crowd of some 30,000 local people and tourists attending a fireworks display to celebrate Bastille Day. At least 84 people were killed, 10 of them children, and 202 more were wounded. French officials said Friday that Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian resident of Nice, was known to police for petty crime and violence, but had not been suspected of Islamist militancy. In New York, site of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history on Sept. 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center, Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered security tightened on mass transit and at airports, bridges and tunnels. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, California; Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Toni Reinhold and James Dalgleish)
One afternoon in 2009, a monk holding his national flag lit himself on fire and ignited a raging conflagration in one of the most muffled parts of the world: Tibetans burning themselves in protest of Chinese occupation. More than 140 Tibetans burned themselves in protest over the ensuing years, advocacy groups say. The youngest was 15.
The burnings peaked in 2012, but they could easily return in a climate where suicide bombers otherwise hold the franchise on self-harm as public protest. No, Im not comparing self-immolation, which is by nature a solely self-harming physical act, to violent jihadism, which seeks to harm nonbelievers, the more the better. But there is a whiff of something similar, metaphorically and emotionally: ideologies that tell vulnerable people their lives and deaths have purpose. That is wrong. Someone should call for the Tibetan people to halt their burnings and turn to other forms of protest.
The ideal person would be the Dalai Lama. He never has. Though we couldnt grab His Holiness time for an interview through spokespeople, hes articulated his reasons before: He worries China will use the protests against him, painting him as approving of them. He didnt want to devalue the lives of those who had self-immolated. If not him, then perhaps another prominent monk.
To be sure, were outside Tibet and cannot empathize with the conditions there. (The Dalai Lama is himself exiled in India. Even his image is banned in his homeland.) But its worth noting that self-immolation is a new element in the vocabulary of Tibetan activism, says Robert Barnett, director of modern Tibet studies at Columbia University. Indeed, he argues theres no grounding for the practice in Buddhism. It was in fact modeled off of Chinese protest practices, not the 1960s Vietnam immolations, as is often thought, Barnett says.
Those who self-immolate in protest see it as self-sacrifice to express their feelings, says Tibetan Bhuchung Tsering, vice president of the International Campaign for Tibet. He says that when the count of burnings hit 104 in 2013, the Chinese government was forced to respond. Alistair Currie, of London-based Free Tibet, says participants may believe that a high number of immolations would force the international communitys hand.
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Clearly, though, thats not been the case. It may be a good sign that the self-immolations are down in count these days Free Tibet counts only two this year but it also may be a symbol of resignation to China, says Barnett. Can Tibetans use the abatement of such protests to speak in other voices? Perhaps that is a privilege belonging only to the diaspora; after all, we cant hear those from within China. Is this [self-immolation] the best way for people to do something? I dont think so, says Tsering. I dont call that as a protest its an assertion of their rights. Tsering believes instead in using Chinas system against it, arguing for Tibetans rights within the Chinese constitution for instance, to preserve the language.
Coming up is the Dalai Lamas birthday. Currie says the stateless nation will spend its time celebrating, not discussing protest. Maybe though, just maybe, the occasion could gift His Holiness with something different. I speak with privilege. Perhaps Im wrong.
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Too much exposure to artificial light and a failure to establish a 'light-dark' cycle can have a negative effect on health, suggests a new European study.
The positive health benefits of natural light throughout the day, especially in the morning, has already been shown in previous studies.
This new research from Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands looked at the effect of establishing a light-dark cycle, with exposure to light during the day and darkness during the night, on various health parameters.
The team of researchers exposed a group of mice to light for 24 hours a day for a period of 24 weeks, studying the animals' brains to assess any potential health effects.
The brain activity of the mice revealed that the constant exposure to light had reduced the normal patterns in the area of the brain that controls circadian rhythyms, the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), by 70 percent.
The mice also showed a reduction in muscle mass, reduction in strength, deterioration in the bones and early signs of osteoporosis, and a pro-inflammatory activation of the immune system normally only seen when exposed to disease-causing pathogens or other harmful stimuli.
The researchers concluded that the changes seen in the mice were all signs "frailty", more typically seen in humans and animals during the aging process.
However the study did uncover some good news. After just two weeks in a standard light-dark cycle the neurons in the SNC had returned to normal and the animals' health problems had been reversed.
The researchers now believe that light exposure and its effect on health needs to be given more attention, especially as 75 percent of the world's population is exposed to light during the night.
"We used to think of light and darkness as harmless or neutral stimuli with respect to health," commented one of the study's authors Johanna Meijer.
"We now realize this is not the case based on accumulating studies from laboratories all over the world, all pointing in the same direction. Possibly this is not surprising as life evolved under the constant pressure of the light-dark cycle. We seem to be optimized to live under these cycles, and the other side of the coin is that we are now affected by a lack of such cycles."
The findings can be found online published in the Cell Press journal Current Biology.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's top religious body on Friday condemned the attack that killed 84 people in the French city of Nice, according to a statement published on Saudi TV channel Ekhbaria's website. The Secretariat of the Council of Senior Religious Scholars also said the world should not be distracted from the war in Syria and what it called crimes by the "Syrian regime." "Islam values the sanctity of human blood and forbids terrorism which kills and terrifies peaceful people in their homes, markets and places of work. This terrorist crime ought to remind everyone of its equivalents in stricken Syria," it said. Saudi Arabia opposes the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has backed armed groups fighting his rule, . (Reporting By Noah Browning; editing by John Stonestreet)
Cairo (AFP) - Sunni Islam's leading seat of learning Al-Azhar on Friday condemned a deadly truck attack in Nice on France's national holiday, urging unity to "rid the world" of "terrorism."
"These vile terrorist attacks contradict Islamic teachings," the Cairo-based institution said in a statement after Thursday evening's attack, which killed at least 84 people and wounded scores more.
"Al-Azhar... affirms the necessity of uniting efforts to defeat terrorism and rid the world of its evil."
Operations to take back control of the armed forces headquarters in Ankara were still underway and police special forces and the military are securing the perimeter of the headquarters, a Turkish official said.
A group within Turkey's military attempted to overthrow the government; Photo: AP
By AP, Reuters:
A group within Turkey's military has attempted to overthrow the government and security forces have been called in to "do what is necessary", Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Friday.
LIVE UPDATES
- Turkish maritime authorities re-open Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait to transiting tankers, agent GAC says.
- Greek military source says anti-government group at Turkey's Golcuk naval base has taken over frigate, head of Turkish fleet taken hostage.
- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan sends a mass text message imploring people to take to the streets against a "narrow cadre".
- Many Turkish military commanders have been taken hostage by soldiers who attempted a coup, the acting chief of staff of the armed forces, Umit Dundar, said.
- Another uprising attempt in Turkey could be staged at any time, Turkey's presidency said on Twitter, adding it was necessary to stay in charge of the streets.
- At least 250 people have been killed and 3000 soldiers have been detained in relation to coup attempt: Turkey's acting chief of staff Umit Dundar
- Turkey's state-run news agency says death toll in coup violence rises to about 190 with 1,154 wounded.
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- At least 60 people were killed during an attempted military coup in Turkey overnight, a senior official said.
- Turkish official says 29 Colonels and 5 Generals removed from posts in military after coup attempt
- Remaining military helicopters in rebel control will be brought down shortly Senior Turkish official
- Attacks on Turkish parliament and presidential palace have largely stopped: Senior turkish official
- Rebel soldiers still control some Turkish military helicopters, but no fighter jets: Senior turkish official
- Turkish military headquarters now held by pro-government forces, but small groups of rebel soldiers still resisting: Senior official
- Turkish authorities detained 336 people after military officers staged a coup attempt overnight, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Saturday.
- Turkey appoints Umit Dundar as acting chief of military staff, while whereabouts of current head of armed forces unclear, says Turkish official.
- Around 50 soldiers involved in an attempted military coup in Turkey surrendered on one of the bridges across the Bosphorus in Istanbul today, abandoning their tanks with their hands raised in the air.
- Earlier, tens of other pro-coup soldiers surrendered to armed police after being surrounded in Istanbul's central Taksim square.
- Turkish F-16s launch airstrikes on tanks outside palace, say reports.
- Currently, Istanbul's Ataturk Airport is in total control of the soldiers who are loyal to the government.
-Turkey appoints Umit Dundar as acting chief of military staff, while whereabouts of current head of armed forces unclear - Turkish official
-Turkish F-16s launch air strikes against tanks outside palace: presidential source
- Turkish authorities shoot down military helicopter firing on offices of state satellite operator Turksat: CNN TURK
- Turkey President Erdogan says Turkish Airlines flights have resumed
ALSO READ: India closely monitoring situation in Turkey
- Senior turkish official says some local resistance by coup plotters continues in Istanbul and Ankara but this will end soon.
- Bomb attacks on Turkey's parliament are continuing, a senior Turkish official said today, adding that rebel soldiers have been warned they will be shot down if they attempt to use more military aircraft.
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- The official also said there were more fatalities in Istanbul, in addition to the 42 killed in Ankara, in an attempted coup by a section of the military.
- Authorities shut Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait to tanker traffic for "security and safety reasons": Shipping agent GAC
#WATCH Gunfire and explosions near Bosphorus Bridge (Istanbul) as military attempted coup last night.https://t.co/oS2MUMHuNT ANI (@ANI_news) July 16, 2016
Indian nationals should not travel to Turkey until situation is normal there. @IndianEmbassyTR @mjakbar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 16, 2016
Indian nationals in Turkey : Pl avoid public places and stay indoors. Helpline : Ankara: +905303142203 Istanbul: +905305671095 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 16, 2016
We hv been closely following the dev's in #Turkey India calls upon all sides 2 support democracy & mandate of the ballot, & avoid bloodshed. Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 16, 2016
-Senior Turkish official says rebel soldiers have been warned they will be shot down if they attempt to use more military aircraft: Reuters
-Senior Turkish official says bomb attacks on Parliament are still continuing.
-Military jets take off from Eskisehir after PM orders destruction of aircraft above Ankara used in attempting military coup: Turkey Media
BREAKING: NTV television quotes prosecutor's office in Ankara saying at least 42 people have been killed in 'attacks' in the capital.
The Associated Press (@AP) July 16, 2016
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-Senior Turkish official says 13 soldiers who tried to enter Presidential Palace during coup attempt have been arrested: Reuters
-Prosecutor's office says 42 people killed in Turkish capital Ankara during attempted coup: Anadolu agency
- Airlines diverted flights en route to Turkey and canceled departures from Istanbul's Ataturk Airport as a coup attempt unfolded in the country on Friday, pitting Turkey's military against supporters of President Tayyip Erdogan.
- Turkish PM Binali Yildirim says more than 130 people detained in relation to coup attempt and coup plotters opened fire on civilians without hesitation.
- Turkish PM says has received reports that a general among coup plotters was killed.
- Soldiers took control of Istanbul's main Ataturk airport today shortly after President Tayyip Erdogan landed there and condemned what he said was an attempted coup by a faction in the military.
- Yildirim says most of military senior command is now in charge of armed forces
- Turkish PM says rebel soldiers in Ankara and Istanbul are still firing from the air: CNN Turk
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- Turkey PM orders military to shoot down aircraft hijacked by coup plotters, says fighter jets have taken off to deal with rogue military aircraft
- Turkish PM says has received reports that a general among coup plotters was killed: Reuter
-Rebel soldiers still firing from air, Turkey PM says: Reuters
Turkish president returns to Istanbul after coup: https://t.co/7xFaELkbsZ pic.twitter.com/qcw9gl3Z3l&; Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) July 16, 2016
-Soldiers take control of Istanbul's Ataturk airport: Reuters witness
-Erdogan says he doesn't know whereabouts of Turkey army chief: AFP
Our Embassy in Ankara advises Indian nationals in Turkey to avoid public places and remain indoors until the situation there becomes clearer; Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 15, 2016
- Ministry of External Affairs ask Indians to avoid public places.
- President Erdogan: Military coup leaders are taking their direct orders from Washington
- Minority group in army acted against the government: President
- The ring leader who plotted all of this will pay the price in front of the nation: President
BREAKING: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says prime minister has given orders to "eradicate" those who are shooting from the air.; The Associated Press (@AP) July 16, 2016
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says prime minister has given orders to "eradicate" those who are shooting from the air.
- Clashes resume at Turkish General Staff in Ankara, say witnesses: Turkey Media
- According to Turkey Media, 2 civilians killed as coupt attempters open fire in Istanbul
- 'Situation largely under control' after coup attempt: PM
- Turkish parliament in Ankara hit by bombing, 12 killed: State news agency
- Large crowds greeted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he emerged from a vehicle at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport.
- 4 coup-attempting soldiers, including 1 high-ranked, neutralized by police after attempt to take over state TV channel TRT: Turkey Media
- Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge were both closed on Friday, local television channels reported, without giving a reason.
- Emergency contact numbers for Indians in Ankara +905303142203, in Istanbul +905305671095: Ministry of External Affairs
17 Turkish officers reportedly killed in helicopter attack on police special forces HQ on outskirts of Ankara. https://t.co/mRE0ya4dlM&; The Associated Press (@AP) July 15, 2016
- Tanks deployed outside Turkish parliament: Report
A policeman aims his weapon in Istanbul, Turkey. Live updates: https://t.co/YLFuo8hcCT pic.twitter.com/cIXINNwL8U Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) July 16, 2016
- Police and military exchange fire in Istanbul's Taksim square and large explosions were heard.
- Two loud explosions were also heard in center of Turkish capital.
- Tanks surround Turkish parliament building, open fire. Gunfire heard at Istanbul airport.
SOLDIERS REPRESENT A SMALL GROUP
Turkey's Istanbul-based first army commander says the soldiers involved in an attempted coup "represent a small group" and "there is no cause for concern," according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Turkish soldiers are seen on the Asian side of Istanbul. Photo: AP
But First Army Commander Umit Dundar told Anadolu that "we are working to solve the problem here. They represent a small group within the First Army Command. There is no cause for concern. We are taking the necessary precautions with (soldiers) who have not joined them and remain within the military chain of command."
TURKEY SOLDIERS FIRE ON PEOPLE ON BRIDGE
Turkish news agency Dogan has reported that soldiers have opened fired on people trying to cross Istanbul's Bosporus bridge in protest of the attempted coup, and some have been wounded.
TV footage showed people running for cover as shots rang out. Earlier, a statement attributed to the military said that Turkish armed forces have "fully seized control" of the country.PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE TO THE STREETS: PREZ
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged people to take to the streets to protest against what he described as a coup attempt by a minority faction within the military, vowing that it would meet with a "necessary response".
He told a CNN Turk reporter via cellphone that Turkish people must gather in public squares to show their response to the attempted military takeover, in comments broadcast live on television.
Supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, protest in front of soldiers in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday. Photo: AP
Erdogan said he believed the attempted coup would be over within a "short time" and said those responsible would pay a heavy price in the courts.
He said the act was encourage by the "parallel structure" - his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric who he has repeatedly accused of attempting to foment an uprising among his followers in the judiciary and the military.
MILITARY HELICOPTER OPEN FIRES
An agency witness has reported open firing by a military helicopter over Turkish capital Ankara.
ARMY CHIEF HELD HOSTAGE
Anatolian News agency reports Turkey's army chief of staff taken hostage.
MEDIA BUILDINGS TARGETED
Loud explosion have been heard in Turkey's capital Ankara. CNN-Turk says explosion occurred at a state-run television building.
GOVERNMENT OF PEOPLE STILL IN CHARGE: PM
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the elected government remained in office. There was no immediate word from Erdogan. A source in his office said he was safe.
"Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command," Yildirim said in comments broadcast by private channel NTV.
"The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so."
Those behind the attempted coup would pay the highest price, he added.
TURKEY IN TURMOIL
Footage on local television channels showed military vehicles blocking bridges over the Bosphorus in Istanbul and tanks deployed at the city's main airport. In the capital Ankara, warplanes and helicopters roared overhead. A Reuters journalist heard gunshots.
A Turkish official who did not want to be named said soldiers had been deployed in other cities in Turkey, but did not specify which ones.
Dogan News Agency reported the national police directorate had summoned all police to duty in Ankara.
NO SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS ACROSS TURKEY, AIRPORTS CLOSED
Airports were shut, access to Internet social media sites was cut off, and troops sealed off the two bridges over the Bosphorus in Istanbul, one of which was still lit up red, white and blue in solidarity with victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in France a day earlier.
PM CONFIRMS COUP
Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup.
Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt."
Yildirim didn't provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any "initiative that would interrupt democracy."
JETS FLYING OVER ANKARA
Earlier, military jets were heard flying over the capital, Ankara.
Media reports said ambulances were seen in front of the Turkey's military headquarters
MILITARY TAKES OVER TURKEY
Turkish military says in statement that military has taken over the country.
JOHN KERRY HOPES FOR PEACE
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking jointly after talks in Moscow, both said they hoped bloodshed would be avoided.
Kerry also said that he hopes for stability and continuity in Turkey following reports that an attempted military coup is under way in the NATO member state.
Kerry, in Moscow for talks on Syria with Russian officials Friday, told reporters he did not have details of the situation rapidly unfolding on the ground in Turkey and said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on developments. But he expressed hope that the key ally and strategically important member of the coalition fighting the Islamic State would remain at peace.
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Turkey, a NATO member with the second biggest military in the Western alliance, is one of the most important allies of the United States in the fight against Islamic State.
It is a principal backer of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country's civil war, and host to 2 million Syrian refugees.
If successful, the overthrow of President Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would be one of the biggest shifts in power in the Middle East in years, transforming one of the most important U.S. allies in the region.
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By Claire Milhench LONDON (Reuters) - Nine disputed trades that Libya's sovereign wealth fund (SWF) entered into with Goldman Sachs were unsuitable by "dint of risk and complexity", according to an expert witness at a trial in London's High Court. The Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) is attempting to claw back $1.2 billion from Goldman Sachs from the trades carried out in 2008. It argues the bank took advantage of its financial naivety by first gaining its trust, then encouraging it to make risky and ultimately worthless investments. Goldman Sachs denies the allegations and says the trades in question "were not difficult to understand". It has described the LIA's claim as "without merit". Martin Harrison, managing director of SUMMA Ltd, a management consultancy, appeared in court as an expert witness for the LIA to address the question of suitability. He said in his report filed with the court: "If an SWF enters into an investment which is of a sophistication (in terms of risk and complexity) that falls utterly beyond the competence of the institution to cope with it in terms of expertise and organization, then that investment is without question unsuitable." The report, seen by Reuters, said Harrison had in the past served as an investment adviser to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. He also headed group asset management at the Qatar Investment Authority. DERIVATIVES Robert Miles, a lawyer for Goldman Sachs, put it to Harrison in cross examination that the emphasis he had placed on a SWF's decision-making process and the need for an asset allocation policy in his report related more to good corporate governance rather than questions of suitability. Harrison replied there was an element of both, adding: "If there is no asset allocation framework, it is going to be very hard to determine whether a prospective investment fits." Harrison said in his report that in his extensive experience of working with SWFs, such direct, strategic use of derivatives by internal teams was unusual even among long-established SWFs. "I conclude that the disputed trades were incongruous and exceptional trades. They were unsuitable for the LIA and I can find no investment rationale for them," his report said. In court documents setting out Goldman Sachs's position the U.S. investment bank argued: "The disputed trades were straightforward transactions from the LIA's perspective which the LIA was able to and did in fact understand." The court also heard from Dr Eliot Kalter, senior fellow at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Kalter's report on suitability, prepared for Goldman Sachs and filed with the court, criticised Harrison's view of how SWFs approach investments. He said that far from being unusual, the disputed trades were just a few of the many investments entered into by the LIA at this time. Nor was it alone amongst SWFs in taking exposure to the financial sector in 2007-08, he noted. "As it turned out, financial stocks performed poorly over the subsequent years ... It is this decline in the share prices, rather than any structural feature of the investment, which resulted in the LIA suffering losses on the disputed trades," Kalter's report said. The trial is expected to run until the end of July. (Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Donald Trump (Photo: Steve Helber/AP)
NEW YORK Donald Trumps top political adviser said on Friday he believes the presumptive Republican nominee has made a decision on who will be his vice presidential running mate, but that hes unlikely to make the name public until over the weekend.
In interviews with CNN and Fox News, Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign chairman, defended his bosss decision to delay a Friday morning news conference to announce a VP pick. He said Trump had an emotional reaction to Thursdays deadly terrorist attack in Nice, France, and insisted the postponement wasnt driven by indecision about the pick but rather Trumps feeling that it would be inappropriate to the victims to campaign in the wake of tragedy.
He was moved by what happened last night. It affected him and emotionally, the carnage like Paris and the idea that this is just nonstop. He thought it was totally inappropriate in the aftermath of that tragedy to do something even as important as what he was going to do this morning, Manafort told Fox News. So he said he wanted to just take a little time. It wasnt a matter of taking time to rethink things. It was a matter of taking a little time.
But Manafort pointedly declined to say whether the pick is Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who flew to New York on Thursday night amid rumors that Trump had offered him the job. A source told ABC news that Trump had indeed selected Pence.
Slideshow: Mike Pence through the years >>>
Though Manafort repeatedly insisted Trump had made a decision, he allowed that there wouldnt be a VP nominee until Trump personally makes the announcement.
Until he announces it, its not final, Manafort told CNN.
Manaforts comments come after a wild 24 hours in the Trump campaign. Late Thursday morning, unnamed Republicans close to the campaign told various news outlets that Trump was preparing to name Pence as his running mate even as Trump aides quickly tried to tamp down reports, insisting that the New York real estate mogul had not yet made a decision.
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Late Thursday afternoon, Pence flew on a private plane from Indianapolis to New York, where reporters observed him being escorted by Trump staff into a hotel near Trump Tower. Around the same time, Trump abruptly announced on Twitter that he was canceling his VP event because of the horrible attack in Nice. And then, in the first of two phone interviews with Fox News, Trump told Greta Van Susteren that he still hadnt decided who should join him on the GOP ticket.
I have not made my final, final decision, Trump said, lavishing praise on Pence and two other finalists on his shortlist, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
But a few hours later, Trump, speaking at a Los Angeles-area fundraiser, told people he had made the decision and would announce his pick this weekend, according to the Los Angeles Times.
On Friday, Manafort said he expected Trump would announce his pick before the kickoff of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, which begins Monday.
Adding to the intrigue is another clock: Pence, who is seeking a second term as Indiana governor, cannot both run for reelection and join Trumps ticket. He faces a noon deadline on Friday to remove himself from Indianas gubernatorial ballot. The Associated Press, citing unnamed GOP sources, said Pences campaign has drawn up the papers to remove him from the ballot but had not yet filed them.
Asked about Pences deadline by CNN, Manafort offered a somewhat mysterious response. Donald Trump, whoever he selects and whoever he says is the selection, he will honor his word, he replied.
A half-hour later, Manafort was spotted by reporters entering the hotel where Pence is staying.
By Steve Holland and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump's choice of Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate on Friday helped bolster support among some conservatives skeptical about his policies, a crucial step as he prepares to accept the party's nomination next week. Some conservatives who had fought against Trump's ascendancy in the Republican nominating race welcomed his announcement that he had picked Pence, a well-known social and evangelical conservative. The Club for Growth, a conservative economic group, had sharply criticized Trump's support for protectionist trade policies. On Friday, the group noted that as a member of the House of Representatives, Pence had been a strong voice for "free markets and economic liberty" at a time when the Republican leadership had been weak on these issues. "Todays news gives a similar hope that Mike Pence will be effective in pulling the Republican ticket toward economic conservatism and limited government," the group said. Other conservatives were also heartened by Trump's VP pick, which the businessman announced in a tweet ahead of a joint appearance in his hometown of New York on Saturday. "Pence is a principled conservative, man of faith, and talented messenger for Republican ideas," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. "His addition to the ticket will bring even more excitement to the voters who are eager to put a Republican in the White House and deny a third term for President Obama's liberal agenda." Trump, 70, chose Pence, 57, over two politicians he considers friends and close advisers, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich, 73, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, 53. Pence is viewed as a safe choice for Trump. The Indiana governor's low-key demeanor is a contrast to that of the bombastic real estate developer. And he could take the fight to the Democrats in the months leading up to the Nov. 8 election without upstaging Trump. He and Trump will have to smooth over some policy differences. Pence has said he does not support trade protectionism or a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, two policies that are central to Trump's campaign message. In a Fox News interview on Thursday night, Trump said Pence had done a great job in Indiana and that of all the people he had interviewed for the job, "there's nobody that agrees with me fully on everything." Pence's selection was slammed by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign. By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families, said Clinton campaign Chairman John Podesta. Trump had faced a midday Friday deadline to announce Pence because the governor had to declare by then whether he would be on the ballot in his home state for re-election. Trump had postponed his announcement, which had been planned for Friday, out of respect for the victims in Nice, France. An attacker in a heavy truck drove into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing at least 84 people and injuring scores more in what President Francois Hollande called a terrorist act. Trump is set to be formally nominated as the party's candidate for the presidential election at the convention, which opens in Cleveland on Monday. Traditionally, the vice presidential choice is used to build enthusiasm among party loyalists. The Republican National Committee expects the convention to draw 50,000 people to the Ohio city, whose population is about 390,000. U.S. authorities were preparing for the possibility of violence, whether from demonstrators or planned attacks. The Cleveland conclave and the Democratic Party Convention the following week in Philadelphia have been given the status of special national security event by the federal government for the first time, and security will be heightened, said Republican Party spokesman Sean Spicer. The Department of Homeland Security will send more than 3,000 personnel to each convention, Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Thursday, speaking before the Nice attack. No specific or credible threat to either gathering has been reported, he said. (Editing by Frances Kerry and Jonathan Oatis)
By Steve Holland and Emily Stephenson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump abruptly postponed his planned announcement on Friday of his vice presidential running mate because of a deadly truck attack in France, but Republican sources said his choice was expected to be Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Viewed as a safe pair of hands, Pence, 57, has diverging views with Trump on his proposed Muslim ban and trade, and is more socially conservative, but he could help unify a divided party behind Trump's White House bid. Trump was due to make his official announcement on his choice on Friday at 11 a.m. (1500 GMT) in Manhattan. But he tweeted on Thursday night that the attack in Nice, where a truck slammed into a crowd, killing dozens of people, prompted him to delay. "In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement," said Trump. He said in a Fox News interview: "We will announce tomorrow when it will be." Trump, who has proposed banning Muslims from "terror states" from entering the United States, said in another Fox News interview that the attack in France showed the United States and the rest of the world needed to get tougher in the fight against Islamist militants. "This has to be dealt with very harshly," Trump said. He told Fox News he had not made a "final, final decision" on a running mate. He heaped praise on Pence and his other two finalists, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. "I've got three people that are fantastic," he said. Trump's advisers told national party officials that he had settled on Pence, according to two Republican sources familiar with the campaign's operations. "I'm told he's been asked to do this and he's flying to New York," one source said. Pence was seen by TV networks arriving at a New York-area airport. Trump, 70, a New York businessman, is to be formally nominated as the party's candidate for the Nov. 8 presidential election at the Republican National Convention next week in Cleveland. Traditionally, the vice presidential choice is used to build enthusiasm among party loyalists. 'STRAIGHT MAN' Trump's choice of running mate is seen as especially critical because his defeat of 16 rivals in the Republican primary race left the party divided. Some party leaders are still uneasy about some of his campaign positions and free-wheeling statements, such as his comments on Muslims and immigrants. "Pence is Donald Trump's straight man," said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean. "He'll be able to defend him as well as be a cheerleader but do it in a calm, cool, collected manner that will preserve his credibility." Gingrich, who met Trump on Wednesday, said on a Facebook Live session that he had yet to hear from Trump. He said he had told Trump that he needed to decide whether he wanted "two pirates" on the same ticket. Both men have been political mavericks. Christie, a former rival to Trump in the presidential race, told MSNBC earlier he would be disappointed if not picked. I'm not going to say it won't bother me if I'm not selected. Of course it bothers you a little bit." Pence, a former congressman, is seen as a safe choice, not too flashy but popular among conservatives, with Midwestern appeal and the ability to rally more party faithful behind Trump. The businessman has never held elected office. "Hes a good, safe, solid conservative," said Republican strategist Scott Reed. Pence also could give a boost to Trump's campaign fundraising efforts as he challenges the well-organized effort of his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Pence has strong ties to billionaire donors Charles and David Koch, including current and former staff members who have worked for them. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO But Pence is to the right of Trump on social issues, having signed restrictive abortion legislation and pushed to defund the Planned Parenthood women's healthcare organization, whose services include providing abortions. Trump has said he opposes abortion, but his views have been inconsistent, and he has said Planned Parenthood provides some valuable services. Pence has also criticized Trumps proposal to ban Muslims temporarily from entering the country. In 2006, he introduced immigration legislation that would let illegal immigrants apply for U.S. work visas if they left the country for a period, a plan that was criticized by some conservatives. That contrasts with Trump's strong stance on immigration, marked by his pledge to build a wall along the border with Mexico. Pence has also voiced support for free trade deals like the Trans Pacific Partnership. Trump supports free trade but says he wants to renegotiate trade deals to make them more favorable to the United States. Pence had backed a Trump rival, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, in April before the Indiana primary, but he praised Trump and said he would work on behalf of the eventual Republican nominee. Trump won Indiana anyway, prompting Cruz to drop out of the race to be the party's nominee. Pence had considered running for president himself in 2016 before deciding to run for re-election as governor. Conservatives had urged him to seek the White House, but missteps last year related to an Indiana law seen as anti-gay hurt his national profile. This year, he was the target of a mocking social media campaign by women outraged at a law he signed creating new restrictions on abortions. Feeling that the law invaded their privacy, women responded by calling Pence's office to describe their menstrual periods or tweeting similar messages. Pence ran unsuccessfully for Congress twice before he won election to the House of Representatives in 2000, where he was chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservatives. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Eric Beech; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney)
New York (AFP) - Donald Trump's running mate Mike Pence adds precious Washington experience to the Republican presidential ticket, but he is also a Christian conservative who draws sharp contrasts with the brash billionaire.
Pence, 57, is the governor of Indiana, a lawyer by training and former radio talk show host with strong communication skills.
And he knows his way around the US capital: He held a seat in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013 and served as chairman of the House Republican Conference -- the party's third most important position on Capitol Hill -- from 2009 to 2011.
Seen as disciplined and relatively discreet, Pence was apparently the favorite of Trump's children, who exercise much influence over the political novice as he campaigns for president.
Pence's qualities stand in contrast to the more unpredictable personalities of two others shortlisted by Trump: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House speaker Newt Gingrich.
Pence's connections could help ease tensions with a Republican Party still having a hard time digesting Trump, and raise funds for the campaign.
Current House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose relations with Trump are delicate, says he considers Pence a friend.
And Pence's quiet, low-profile personality, shaped in large part by his Christian faith, poses little threat of overshadowing that of Trump, who values loyalty in the people who work with him.
- 'Very humbled' -
Pence, who met with his potential boss Friday at New York's Trump Tower, told reporters he was "very excited, very humbled, and very grateful" to have been picked as Trump's running mate.
He is seen as helping Trump boost support among traditional conservatives and especially evangelical Christians wary of Trump, and perhaps even with voters in the Rust Belt -- the former industrial area that includes Indiana, neighboring Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Some Republican lawmakers said they liked the idea of Pence on the ticket, saying it would improve the tone and tenor of the debate.
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"I'm a big fan of Mike Pence, and I think he probably has a better chance of moving the candidate, perhaps, where he should be," Senator Jeff Flake was quoted as saying. The lawmaker from Arizona took part in a tense meeting last week between Republicans and Trump.
"He's conservative, and he's smart, and he's been good on trade and immigration as well," Flake added.
- Differences of opinion -
While Trump has campaigned on a protectionist platform, Pence adheres to the laissez-faire economic views that are more conventionally Republican. He has publicly backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the sweeping trade deal that Trump has repeatedly blasted as bad for US jobs.
Pence has also denounced Trump's proposal to close US borders to Muslims as "unconstitutional."
He has broken with Trump on Iraq, having been a co-sponsor of the 2002 Iraq war resolution.
Trump has called the Iraq war a "disaster," and he will be watched carefully to see whether he still denounces presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's vote in support of it when she was a senator.
"Pence -- pro-immigration, pro-trade, pro-Iraq war/surge, pro-civility in politics, anti-religious test for Muslims -- signs onto Trump agenda?" Dan Senor, a former aide to the 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, tweeted after the running mate announcement.
Pence is a conservative defender of family values, against abortion and gay marriage, and opposed to the idea of the United States taking in Syrian refugees.
He has described himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."
As governor, he has signed bills making it harder for women to have abortions, with Indiana the second US state to prohibit ending a pregnancy because the fetus suffers abnormalities.
And he has drawn criticism for a law that critics say discriminates against the LGBT community.
Trump and Pence did not know each other particularly well until now.
The real estate tycoon has met with Pence several times in recent days and campaigned with him Tuesday evening in Indiana.
On Wednesday, Trump and his children met with Pence, who is not well known outside of Republican circles.
Pence had previously been waging an uphill battle to win re-election in Indiana, and faced a strict noon deadline Friday to announce whether he would continue his re-election campaign.
A Canadian Sikh man's Photoshopped image was tweeted by a Twitter user, by the handle @officialsamhyde, accusing the man of carrying out the Nice terror attack in France yesterday. Twitter has now suspended Sam's account for propagating hatred using manipulated images.
By India Today Web Desk: This is not the first time Veerender Jubbal, a Canadian Sikh man and a freelance journalist, is being targetted after a terrorist attack is carried out in some part of the world. Jubbal's Photoshopped image was widely circulated after the Paris terror attacks that happened in November last year.
Today, after the horrific terror attack where a suspected terrorist, possibly associated with the Islamic State, killed at least 84 people by ramming a truck into people who had gathered to celebrate Bastille Day in France's Nice city, Jubbal's Photoshopped image was shared again on Twitter, holding him responsible for the attack.
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In the original image, a smiling Jubbal is seen taking a mirror selfie using his iPad, but the manipulated image shows Jubbal wearing a 'suicide vest', and his iPad morphed into what looks like a copy of the Quran.
Here's a tweet from 2015 explaining this:
Thats an iPad, not a Quran, and the Dastar (turban) is worn by Sikhs. pic.twitter.com/xkKzJ0G65f Grasswire Fact Check (@GrasswireFacts) November 14, 2015
We had also done a story last year, explaining the same.
Yesterday, a Twitter user by the handle @officialsamhyde tweeted two images of Jubbal saying, "French Muslim Veerender Jubbal reportedly involved in Nice terror attacks, posted pictures before committing them."
Photo Source: Screenshot from Twitter Photo Source: Screenshot from Twitter
Jubbal's friend Simran Jeet Singh took a screenshot of the above tweet and tweeted it from his own handle saying, "People are wrongly identifying my Sikh friend as being responsible for the Nice attack. Please help end the rumors."
This tweet of his has been retweeted over 2,000 times.
People are wrongly identifying my Sikh friend as being responsible for the #Nice attack. Please help end the rumors. pic.twitter.com/w0SjL6VNgR Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) July 15, 2016
Knowing the truth, many people defended Jubbal and slammed the one who accused him for propagating hatred based on manipulated photographs.
@OfficialSamHyde That's a photo-shopped picture that has been used countless times during attacks. Stop propagating false hatred. Alexander Hamilton (@ADHamilton91) July 14, 2016
Noticing the issue, possibly after many people reported the accuser's handle, Twitter suspended the handle from which Jubbal's morphed image was shared.
And people were happy.
Twitter suspended @OfficialSamHyde. I KNEW this would happen. Cant Stump the Trump (@CantStumpTrump1) July 15, 2016
We hope Jubbal doesn't face any atrocities due to the fake images spread online.
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Ankara (AFP) - Turkish authorities wrested back control of the country Saturday, after crushing a military coup by discontented soldiers seeking to seize power from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that claimed more than 250 lives.
After facing down the bloodiest challenge to his 13-year rule, Erdogan triumphantly addressed thousands of supporters in his home Istanbul district after urging people to take to the streets following Friday's chaos in the strategic NATO member of 80 million people.
The authorities blamed Fethullah Gulen, the US-based cleric who is Erdogan's arch enemy, for the plot and lost no time in rounding up 2,839 soldiers over alleged involvement, amid global alarm over the extent of the retribution.
Turks woke up early Saturday to television pictures showing dozens of soldiers surrendering after the failed coup, some with their hands above their head, others forced to the ground in the streets.
"The situation is completely under control," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said outside his Ankara offices, flanked by Turkey's top general who had himself been taken hostage by the plotters.
Describing the attempted coup as a "black stain" on Turkey's democracy, Yildirim said 161 people had been killed in the night of violence and 1,440 wounded.
General Umit Dundar, who stood in as acting chief of staff while Hulusi Akar was being held by the rebels, said 104 coup plotters has been killed. Akar was later rescued in an operation that marked the end of the plotters' hopes.
During a night where power hung in the balance, large crowds of flag-waving supporters of Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) defied the coup leaders' orders of a curfew and flooded the streets to block the attempt to overthrow the regime.
On Saturday, thousands of flag-waving supporters again mobilised in response to Erdogan's call to fill Turkey's squares, massing in Taksim in central Istanbul, his home district of Kisikli, Ankara's Kizilay Square and in the coastal city of Izmir, AFP correspondents said.
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- Crackdown concerns -
Friday's putsch bid began with rebel F-16 jets screaming low over rooftops in Ankara, soldiers and tanks taking to the streets and multiple explosions throughout the night in the capital as well as the biggest city Istanbul.
Parts of parliament were turned to rubble after being hit by air strikes from rebel jets.
Rebel troops also moved to block the two bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, culminating in a stand-off with an angry crowd.
Turks have not seen such scenes since 1980 when the military led by general Kenan Evren ousted the government and many had no desire to revive these memories.
As protesters poured onto the streets, an AFP photographer saw troops open fire on people gathered near one of the bridges, leaving dozens wounded.
There was chaos in the city as angry crowds jeered the passing tanks, with much smaller numbers welcoming the troops.
With the coup defeated, Turkey rounded up its backers, from rank-and-file soldiers to generals, fuelling concern over the risk of summary justice.
US President Barack Obama stressed the "vital need" for all parties to "act within the rule of law".
While condemning the coup bid, German Chancellor Angela Merkel also said the plotters had to be dealt with "under the rule of law".
Turkey's General Erdal Ozturk, commander of the Third Army, has been detained while Alparslan Altan, one of 17 judges on the constitutional court, was taken into custody.
Judicial authorities said 2,745 judges would also be sacked in the wake of the coup bid.
- 'Extradite that man!' -
The president's critics have long accused him of undermining modern Turkey's secular roots and of sliding into authoritarianism -- but he was believed to have won control of the military after purging elements who opposed him.
Turkey's once-powerful military has long considered itself the guardian of the secular state founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923.
It has staged three coups since 1960 and forced out an Islamic government in 1997.
Erdogan immediately pinned the blame on "the parallel state" and "Pennsylvania" -- a reference to Gulen, his arch-enemy whom he has always accused of seeking to overthrow him, and said Obama had failed to listen to warnings.
"I told you that he was engaged in coup plots but I was not listened to. Now again today after the coup I say it again. Deliver this man who lives in Pennsylvania to Turkey," said Erdogan.
But Gulen "categorically" denied any involvement in the plot, calling the accusation "insulting".
Meanwhile, Turkey demanded the extradition of eight people thought to have been involved in the putsch who landed in a Black Hawk military helicopter in Greece.
And Istanbul authorities sought to get life back to normal with the bridges reopening to traffic and Ataturk International Airport -- shut down by the plotters -- gradually reopening.
But the US government said it has suspended all flights to Turkey, and banned all airlines from flying to the United States from Turkey due to uncertainty after the coup bid.
Turkish authorities also imposed a security lockdown at the Incirlik air base in the southern province of Adana used by US and other coalition forces in the fight against jihadists in Syria, the US consulate said.
The US military command in Europe has ordered American forces across Turkey to take maximum protective measures.
Paris (AFP) - Turkey's army launched a coup attempt on Friday in a country that has seen three full military coups since 1960.
Here are some key facts on the strategically important Muslim-majority nation which is battling threats on two main fronts, against Islamic State group jihadists and Kurdish militants.
- Between Europe and Asia -
Turkey shares borders with Syria, Iran and Iraq but also EU members Greece and Bulgaria. With a Black Sea coastline facing Russia, it has been a NATO frontline state for more than 60 years.
Covering about 784,000 square kilometres (300,000 square miles), Turkey is slightly smaller than Pakistan but larger than the US state of Texas.
It has played a key role in Europe's migrant crisis, having taken in more than two million Syrian refugees, compared with its own population of around 78 million.
A NATO member since 1952, it is strategically placed to take part in the US-led fight against Islamic State jihadists, but waited for almost a year to join air strikes on Syria and to open its air bases to US planes.
It has criticised Russia's intervention in Syria, which has provoked several airspace incidents along its border.
The capital Ankara has a population of around five million. Istanbul is the largest city and industrial and commercial hub with more than 15 million people.
- Troubled political life -
The Republic of Turkey was created as a secular state in 1923 after the collapse of the Ottoman empire at the end of World War I.
Its founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was president until his death in 1938. His successor Ismet Inonu introduced multi-party democracy in 1946. Turkey witnessed repressive military coups in 1960, 1971 and 1980.
In 1997 the Turkish military also forced out current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's late mentor Necmettin Erbakan from the premiership.
The Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in November 2002. Its leader Erdogan was prime minister from 2003 until 2014, when he became the first Turkish president directly elected by the people.
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Since July 2015, Turkey has suffered heavy violence with the resumption of the Kurdish conflict against the background of the war in Syria and a series of bloody attacks
A de facto ceasefire with the PKK was broken in July 2015 when the government launched an unprecedented two-pronged "anti-terror" operation against jihadists in Syria and Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey and northern Iraq.
Since 1984, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has led an armed rebellion in the Kurdish-majority southeast that has claimed more than 45,000 lives.
Western concerns have also mounted about the state of democracy and freedom of speech in Turkey after several raids on media groups and a string of prosecutions of journalists.
- Major attacks -
Since mid-2015 Turkey has seen a string of attacks with mass fatalities.
In October of that year, in the bloodiest attack in Turkey's history, 103 people were killed and more than 500 wounded in twin suicide bombings targeting a pro-Kurdish peace rally in Ankara. The prime minister said IS was the main suspect.
In 2016, seven major attacks claimed more than 120 lives including the latest on June 28.
In that attack, 45 people were killed, including foreigners, and over 200 injured in a triple suicide bombing and gun attack at Istanbul's Ataturk airport. There was no claim of responsibility but authorities said evidence points to the Islamic State group.
- Migrant crisis -
Turkey has taken in 2.7 million Syrians from the brutal war that broke out across its border in 2011, making it host to the largest refugee population in the world.
Many Syrian refugees have launched attempts to reach Europe from Turkey's shores, making the perilous journey by sea to Greece.
Under a controversial deal between the European Union and Turkey that came into force in March, failed asylum seekers face being sent back from the Greek islands to Turkey.
Ankara (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Friday denounced what he said was an "illegal attempt" by elements in the military after bridges were partially shut down in Istanbul and jets flew low over Ankara.
"We are working on the possibility of an attempt. We will not allow this attempt," he told NTV television by telephone, without expanding on the nature of the move but saying it was by a group in the Turkish military.
"Those who are in this illegal act will pay the highest price," he added, saying it would not be correct to describe the move as a "coup".
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged people to take to the streets to protest against what he described as a coup attempt by a minority faction within the military, vowing that it would meet with a "necessary response". He told a CNN Turk reporter via cellphone that Turkish people must gather in public squares to show their response to the attempted military takeover, in comments broadcast live on television. Erdogan said he believed the attempted coup would be over within a "short time" and said those responsible would pay a heavy price in the courts. He said the act was encourage by the "parallel structure" - his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric who he has repeatedly accused of attempting to foment an uprising among his followers in the judiciary and the military. (Reporting by Nick Tattersall; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey's top general has been taken hostage at the military headquarters in the capital Ankara after an attempt to bring down the government, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
"General Hulusi Akar has been taken hostage by a group in the military who attempted an uprising," the agency said citing "credible sources".
Shortly after Donald Trump announced Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, the campaign released its new joint campaign logo in a fundraising email.
Some graphic designers were less than impressed.
"Like everything else about the campaign of Donald Trump, it is a repugnant mess of missteps. The utterly thoughtless typography, the tangled mess of the 'T/P' (candidates as stars?!?) and the atrocious letter spacing of, well, every single letterform is an accurate indication of just how terrifying Trump's communication skills really are," Debbie Millman, host of the popular "Design Matter" podcast, told Business Insider in an email.
And while that may have sounded brutal, it was nothing compared to what people were saying on Twitter.
Take a look:
Lol their logo is TP https://t.co/EGCZp3QAD7 Tim Miller (@Timodc) July 15, 2016
I can't tell whether that logo is for a presidential campaign or a 1990s denim company. https://t.co/Ch9jSvopa1 Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) July 15, 2016
Difficult to do worse than an H with an arrow sticking out of it, and yet here we are. pic.twitter.com/yrABfBf80I Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) July 15, 2016
Who thought this logo was a good idea? pic.twitter.com/qhWvtnRSNe Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 15, 2016
Some observers noted that the logo is a bit suggestive:
The Trump/Pence logo should be pixellated at the point where the T penetrates the P's hole pic.twitter.com/WxUedIB42A Erin Gloria Ryan (@morninggloria) July 15, 2016
What is the T doing to that P? https://t.co/tDvYm2QJYi John Dingell (@JohnDingell) July 15, 2016
Someone actually designed this logo, with a shaft penetrating a p-hole pic.twitter.com/iFZ5sRkoI1 Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) July 15, 2016
I'm not a designer but kinda seems like the VERY FIRST TEST for a logo is "does this look like sex stuff y/n" Emmy Bengtson (@EmmyA2) July 15, 2016
NOW WATCH: Donald Trump defends his controversial tweet featuring the Star of David they 'should have left it up'
More From Business Insider
Moscow (AFP) - Two American citizens were killed in the truck attack in Nice, which has left at least 84 people dead, the US State Department spokesman said Friday.
"At this time, we are aware of and can confirm two US citizens were killed in the attack in Nice on July 14, 2016," spokesman John Kirby said.
"We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of those killed."
The statement was issued as US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Moscow for talks on Syria with his Russian counterpart.
Kirby did not identify the two dead but added the United States was providing "all possible consular assistance" to its citizens.
A Texas-based newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, reported that 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were among those killed in Nice, citing their friends and relatives.
A gunman drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day on Thursday night in the French Riviera city of Nice in what authorities have called a "terrorist" attack.
Kirby's announcement came after US President Barack Obama strongly condemned what he said was a "horrific terrorist attack" and said the United States stood "in solidarity and partnership with France."
"Our embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for the welfare of US citizens in Nice," Kirby said. "Any US citizens in Nice should contact friends and family directly to inform them of their well being."
Couple approached the State Human Rights Commission to seek permission for mercy killing of their daughter battling with liver ailment. Lack of funds for liver transplant forced the family to take the step.
Unable to gather enough funds for the operation of their 12-year-old daughter who is battling with a congenital liver disease, a couple in Hyderabad has approached the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) seeking permission for her mercy killing.
Harshitha Reddy, who unlike her peers, has been living indoors due to her failing health. While her parents struggle to gather money for her surgery, the girl who is unaware of the gravity of her illness is upset for not being allowed to go to school.
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Owing to her poor health, her father N Ramachandra Reddy and mother Shyamala are forced to keep her away from school. The family admitted that they approached SHRC as they were unable to afford a liver transplant for their daughter.
While her brother Satya Reddy is now in class three, Harshitha should have been in class six. Instead, she has been at home, ever since she has been diagnosed with the ailment.
DIAGNOSED WITH LIVER DISEASES FIVE MONTHS AGO
Everything was going smoothly for the Reddy family until their daughter was diagnosed with jaundice at the Kukatpally hospital some five months ago. The family despite struggling to meet ends channelized all their efforts towards getting the girl treated.
Since Harshitha's condition did not improve, the family later took her to the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG) where she was diagnosed with the final stage of the liver disease. The doctors at AIG advised an immediate liver transplant for the girl.
The family took the girl to Care Hospitals as recommended by doctors at AIG for surgery. They were in for a shock when they learned that the surgery would cost them nearly Rs 21 lakh. The Reddy's were already under a debt of Rs three lakh which they had borrowed for the treatment of Harshitha.
NO MONEY, FAMILY SEEKS MERCY KILLING OF DAUGHTER
With meagre finances and slimmer chances of the recovery of their daughter, the Reddy family approached the Human Rights Commission. In their plea, the family asked for financial assistance for the surgery or allow mercy killing of their daughter.
The SHRC officials told the family that they could not intervene and advised them to approach Telangana Chief Secretary and seek financial help for the little girl's treatment.
The Reddy family moved to Hyderabad about 10 years ago from Mahabubnagar district to provide a better future for their children. Ramachandra works at a sweet shop in Jagatgiri Gutta locality and earns a meagre income of Rs 7,000 per month. He said that this paltry earnings and despair has forced him to take the drastic measure.
Watch:
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A video posted by Ty Dolla $ign (@tydollasign) on Jul 14, 2016 at 2:04pm PDT
Ty Dolla $ign is no stranger to the racial divides and injustices that continue to rear their ugly heads in this country. His brother, Big TC, is currently serving a life sentence for a murder that many believe he didnt commit (an insightful documentary on the case is available here).
For his new song No Justice, Ty collaborated with TC (who sings his part from the confines of a prison cell) on a track that draws attention to several instances of police brutality that resulted in no convictions. Put side by side with his brothers current situation, the pained cries from Ty that there aint no justice for the brothers take on an added weight for an emotional listen.
He debuted the track (which will appear on his upcoming Campaign mixtape) through a three-part series of Instagram videos. Watch part one above, and parts two/three below.
A video posted by Ty Dolla $ign (@tydollasign) on Jul 14, 2016 at 2:08pm PDT
3 of 3 #NoJustice #Campaign A video posted by Ty Dolla $ign (@tydollasign) on Jul 14, 2016 at 2:49pm PDT
More from Pigeons & Planes
By Tom Miles
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States warned China on Thursday that it had not done enough to qualify for market economy status, especially in steel and aluminium, sowing the seeds for a trade battle between Washington and Beijing at the end of 2016.
Upon China's admission to the WTO in 2001, it was told by other members that they would not use its published, state-controlled prices to judge whether or not it was "dumping" exports unfairly in their markets, but rather "surrogate" prices reflecting what it should be charging without state subsidies.
That was written into its WTO membership agreement in a clause that would expire after 15 years, on Dec. 11, 2016.
If the United States, European Union, and other WTO members begin to take Chinese export prices at face value, it will be much harder for them to challenge China's cheap exports.
U.S. trade diplomat Chris Wilson told the WTO meeting that the expiry of the clause did not require other WTO members to automatically grant China market economy status on Dec. 11.
Instead, China must establish under each WTO member country's domestic law that it is a market economy, he said, according to an outline of his remarks seen by Reuters.
"Second, there is little doubt that China's market reforms have fallen short of the expectations that were held by many members when China joined the WTO," he said.
"This is particularly evident in the steel and aluminum industries where China's pervasive interventions have led to a significant overcapacity of global supply that is threatening the viability of competitive firms in these industries around the world."
China's envoy at the WTO meeting said Beijing agreed that the expiry of the clause did not require automatic granting of market economy status, according to a WTO official who was present at the meeting.
However, the Chinese official said its expiration would eliminate the legal basis for countries to continue to use "discriminatory anti-dumping methodology" against China, the WTO official said.
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The WTO official said it was believed to be the first time the United States had responded to China on the issue at the WTO. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said last month that the stance on China's market economy would be determined ultimately by the U.S. Commerce Department.
The European Union is also debating China's market economy status. In a non-binding vote in May, the European Parliament overwhelmingly rejected the idea of loosening trade defences against China.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europe's most powerful leader, has said she favours, in principle, granting China market economy status.
(Reporting by Tom Miles; editing by Stephanie Nebehay)
(Adds background, details)
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Friday that 62 bidders have made upfront payments in a forthcoming wireless spectrum auction, including AT&T Inc, Verizon Communications Inc , Dish Network, T-Mobile US and Comcast Corp.
The auction is set to begin on Aug. 16. Last month, the FCC said the price of 126 MHz of television airwaves taken from broadcasters to be sold for wireless use is $86.4 billion.
Analysts said wireless providers may not be willing to pay the staggering amount for the airwaves to expand their networks, which could prompt the FCC to hold additional auction rounds. The so-called "broadcast incentive" spectrum auction is one of the commission's most complex and ambitious to date.
In the first round, called a reverse auction, broadcasters competed to give up spectrum to the FCC for the lowest price. In the next stage that will start next month, the forward auction, wireless and other companies will bid to buy the airwaves for the highest price.
If wireless companies and other investors are unwilling to pay $86.4 billion, the FCC may have to hold another round of bidding by broadcasters and sell less spectrum than had been expected, analysts said.
Wireless firms and other bidders had to put up 50 percent of the opening bid price to participate. Initially about 100 firms and individuals were qualified to take part, but the others declined to put up funds to take part.
Recon Analytics analyst Roger Entner said in June the results confirm that broadcasters have "significantly inflated expectations."
"In an election year, with a lot of uncertainty with Brexit making the debt markets jittery," it is unlikely that wireless operators with deep pockets would raise more debt to bid in the auction, Entner said, referring to the U.S. presidential election and the British vote to leave the European Union.
A second round of the reverse auction later this year is likely, Dan Hays, principal at audit firm PwC's consulting arm Strategy&, and could drag on until early next year.
S&P Global Market Intelligence estimated in April that a dozen broadcasters, such as Univision Communications Inc , CBS Corp, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc and Media General Inc, could generate up to $13 billion in the spectrum auction at the high end of participation.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Jonathan Oatis)
By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday angrily denounced suggestions from some Republican leaders that Muslims in America be "tested" after an attack in Nice, France, that killed at least 84 people, calling the idea "repugnant." Making his first public comments since a Tunisian man drove a truck through a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks, Obama told a gathering of ambassadors at the White House that the United States stands with France and vows to fight terrorism. Obama did not explicitly link the attack to Islamic State militants who have been connected to other recent attacks around the globe, saying that the details were not yet clear. He vowed to continue to fight the group. "These terrorists are targeting and killing innocent people of all backgrounds and all faiths, including Muslims. I know I speak for all of us when I say these individuals and these networks are an affront to all of our humanity," he said. Without naming names, Obama responded to a suggestion from Newt Gingrich, a former Republican speaker, who on Thursday said a religious test was needed for Muslims in America, deporting them if they believe in Sharia law. Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the Nov. 8 presidential election, has called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country. "In the wake of last night's attacks, we've heard more suggestions that all Muslims in America be targeted, tested for their beliefs, some deported or jailed," Obama said. "The very suggestion is repugnant and an affront to everything we stand for as Americans," Obama said. Obama, who spoke earlier on Friday with French President Francois Hollande, said he met with French Ambassador Gerard Araud to offer sympathy and help. Obama also spoke about a father and son from Texas who were killed in the attack. "Their family, like so many others, are devastated," Obama said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Sandra Maler)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Friday condemned actions by South Sudan's government to prevent civilians from leaving the country after recent fighting and voiced concern about the beating and detention of some politicians. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the situation in the capital Juba remained "fluid" but the United States still believed it was possible the country's longtime political adversaries could come together to restore order. Forces loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar engaged in five days of street battles with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks until a ceasefire was reached on Monday. The fighting prompted the United Nations and some countries to withdraw non-essential personnel. The United States sent 47 additional troops to protect U.S. citizens and the U.S. Embassy. "We continue to press the leaders of South Sudan to end the fighting," Trudeau told reporters. "We call on all parties to allow civilian freedom of movement and provide unfettered humanitarian access to all people in need." "Destruction and damage to humanitarian facilities and violence against aid workers is unacceptable and must stop immediately," she added. Trudeau said the United States "condemned all actions by the government" to prevent civilians from boarding flights out of South Sudan or leaving the country by other means. "It is unacceptable given the conditions in Juba to prevent civilians from freely departing the country," she said. She also said the United States was concerned about the beating and temporary detention on Thursday of officials in the transitional government belonging to the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, or SPLM-IO. She said the U.S. government had no scheduled charter flights for civilians leaving the country and encouraged U.S. citizens trying to get out of South Sudan to use commercial flights. Kiir and Machar are longtime rivals, jostling for power even before South Sudan's independence from Sudan in 2011. A civil war that began in December 2013 came a few months after Kiir dismissed Machar as his deputy. They signed a peace deal in August 2015, but implementation has been slow. The flare-up last week was apparently sparked when Kiir's forces stopped and demanded to search vehicles with Machar's troops. Trudeau said the U.S. ambassador and emergency personnel remained in South Sudan, "engaging diplomatically with leaders ... and supporting U.S. citizens in the country." U.S. aid personnel also remained to assess the humanitarian impact of the fighting. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and David Alexander; Editing by Tom Brown)
By Phil Stewart BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military is weighing an increase in its presence in Yemen to better challenge al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, building on momentum against the group after a successful offensive by Gulf allies, a top U.S. general told Reuters. U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees American troops in the region, said in an interview that a variety of locations could be suitable for American forces but did not disclose potential sites or suggest a recommendation was imminent. "We want to be able to work within a very secure environment to focus on the very (particular) mission we have there - which is principally focused on al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)," he said, speaking in Baghdad. "We will try to posture the force where we can best do that." Despite significant U.S. strikes, including one that killed AQAP's leader last year, U.S. counter-terrorism efforts have been undermined by Yemen's civil war, pitting government forces against Iran-allied Houthi rebels. The war weakened the Houthis, but in the resulting turmoil AQAP swept across the eastern side of the country, seizing more land than it had ever held and raising tens of millions of dollars from running Mukalla, the country's third largest port. Only a very small number of American troops have returned to Yemen since they pulled out in early 2015 due to the conflict. That small team was sent to provide intelligence support to a successful April push orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates, with support from Saudi Arabia, that ejected AQAP from Mukalla. U.S. officials have declined to say how many Americans are on the ground in Yemen but say it's only a very small number. Votel acknowledged the benefits of gaining greater visibility in Yemen and said a key goal would be working with U.S. partners there. "If we can continue to better understand what al Qaeda's doing, regain the situational awareness that we lost when we all had to depart Yemen here some time ago, that's what I'm interested in doing," Votel said. U.S. intelligence and military officials view AQAP as a threat to the United States. The group has plotted to down U.S. airliners and claimed responsibility for last year's attacks on the office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris. It also boasts one of the world's most feared bomb makers, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. Asked if Asiri was believed to still be alive and in Yemen, Votel said: "To my knowledge, he still is." (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Robert Birsel)
By Denis Dumo JUBA (Reuters) - Uganda's army began evacuating citizens from inside neighbouring South Sudan on Thursday where fighting between forces loyal to the president and his rival has plunged the nation into its worst crisis since the end of a two-year civil war. After the civil war erupted in 2013, Uganda's forces also crossed into South Sudan to assist with evacuations, but in that case they also stayed on to help President Salva Kiir secure the capital Juba. At the time this raised worries about the conflict widening but the forces withdrew late last year. This time, Uganda said its troops, who witnesses said entered South Sudan in trucks and armoured vehicles, would stay in a town outside Juba and focus on evacuations. But a Ugandan official said a fresh flare-up could mean a longer stay, without giving a timeline. Juba has been calm since Monday evening, when Kiir and Riek Machar - the former rebel leader and now vice president - ordered their forces to cease hostilities. But residents remain tense and many foreigners have been leaving. "It's a short-term mission but it can be complicated by new developments," Uganda's government spokesman Ofwono Opondo told Reuters, adding that "you can expect us to stay" if fighting flared again and more people wanted to leave. The regional African grouping IGAD has called for the U.N. mission UNMISS to be given a stronger mandate to enforce peace in South Sudan and called for extra troops to keep order. The United Nations said it was ready to work with IGAD on the proposals after thousands of civilians in Juba fled to U.N. bases in the capital to seek refuge. [nL1N19Z0X5] HOPES FOR CEASEFIRE Kiir said there was no need to add to the 12,000-strong UNMISS force. "UNMISS here has so many foreign troops, so we will not accept even a single soldier here," he told a news briefing. Festus Mogae, the former Botswana president who heads the international mediation and monitoring body JMEC, met Kiir on Thursday and said he wanted talks. Many foreigners have been evacuated from South Sudan, the world's newest nation which is still recovering from the civil war which killed thousands of people and drove more than 2.5 million from their homes. Some shops opened up on Thursday and more people were on the streets. The airport has reopened and Kenya Airways resumed scheduled flights on Thursday. "We all hope the ceasefire will hold ... But at the moment the situation is very unstable," deputy German ambassador to Uganda, Petra Kochendoerfer, said in Uganda's capita Kampala late on Wednesday where evacuated German citizens were arriving. Washington said on Wednesday it had deployed 47 troops to South Sudan to protect U.S. citizens and the embassy in Juba. Kiir and Machar have long been political and military rivals. Kiir's decision to sack Machar in 2013 led to the civil war erupting a few months later. They signed a peace deal in August 2015 and then argued over details amid sporadic fighting. Machar finally returned to Juba and resumed old post as vice president in April. But other moves outlined in the peace deal, such as integrating their forces, have stalled. (Additional reporting by Elias Biryabarema and Reuters Television in Kampala and Duncan Miriri in Nairobi; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Ralph Boulton)
Nimule (South Sudan) (AFP) - Uganda began late Friday repatriating its nationals evacuated from Juba, the battle-scarred capital of neighbouring South Sudan, a spokesman said.
As night fell, heavily-laden motorcycle taxis led a long convoy escorted by Ugandan armoured trucks mounted with machine guns as it crossed into Uganda at the Nimule border post, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of Juba.
At least 300 people were killed in the city between July 8 and 11 during clashes pitting government forces against former rebels.
The evacuees were crammed into private, military and police buses and trucks piled high with jerry cans, mattresses and plastic chairs.
They cheered Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who on Thursday sent 2,000 troops into South Sudan to carry out the evacuation.
"About 1,000 evacuees are expected to arrive in a convoy of official and private vehicles," Patrick Okema, the police spokesman in northern Uganda told AFP.
"The convoy consists of about 200 vehicles in total: 42 official vehicles that left Uganda yesterday and the remainder private vehicles that have joined the convoy," he said.
"We expect that the convoy will return to South Sudan again tomorrow on another evacuation mission," he added.
According to the UN refugee agency, there are some 20,000 people in the Nimule area who want to cross over to Uganda, but most were stopped by South Sudanese soldiers who also stripped and beat some of them, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Uganda's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem dismissed suggestions that Kampala planned to use the evacuation as cover for resuming the military support it provided Kiir during the civil war.
"We have a responsibility to evacuate more than 4,000 Ugandans in South Sudan. We have helped evacuate Germans, Chinese and other nationalities alongside Ugandans. We are there for a humanitarian cause not to fight," he said.
"If our army was going there (to stay) I would tell the world without fear. So it's rubbish, rubbish, rubbish to say we are deploying in South Sudan to fight for any party in the conflict," he insisted.
Uganda withdrew its troops from South Sudan at the end of 2015.
The Indian chef was listed along with food industry biggies like Julia Child, Jamie Oliver, and Massimo Bottura.
By Shreya Goswami: Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna has made such great contributions to the food industry, especially by presenting India's culinary gems and heritage to global audiences, that it should come as no surprise that he has been named one of the World's Most Influential Chefs.
Also read: Dressed in an Armani suit, Chef Vikas Khanna makes history at the Cannes red carpet
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The chef, originally from Amritsar, Punjab, has done it all. Khanna's restaurant Junoon has two branches, in New York and Dubai. He has written 25 books on food, cooking, and food heritage (including his magnum opus, Utsav). He has appeared in TV series like Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen, his own show, Coastal Curries, and, has been a recurring judge on MasterChef India.
Vikas Khanna is the most well-recognised Indian chef in the world today. Picture courtesy: Facebook/Vikas Khanna
What's more, he was named New York's Hottest Chef by the New York blog, Eater. He has made it to international magazine covers, received acclaim from the White House, the James Beard Foundation, and even made his first directorial venture with his documentary Kitchens of Gratitude, at Cannes this year.
Also read: Vikas Khanna's Utsav continues its journey with President Barack Obama
And now, Germany's international broadcasting company, Deutsche Welle, has named him The Rising Star of the culinary world in their list of the World's Most Influential Chefs.
Vikas Khanna was named in the 'World's Most Influential Chefs' list alongside Helene Darroze, the French chef who holds two Michelin stars. Picture courtesy: Instagram/helenedarroze Vikas Khanna was named in the 'World's Most Influential Chefs' list alongside Helene Darroze, the French chef who holds two Michelin stars. Picture courtesy: Instagram/helenedarroze
The list includes food industry stalwarts like Julia Child (The US French Chef), Jamie Oliver, Helene Darroze (The World's Best Chef), and Massimo Bottura (The Savior of Parmiggiano).
The report also mentions that Khanna is best known as "the ambassador of Indian cuisine throughout the world", and is renowned for his philanthropic acts just as much as his cooking skills. While some might disagree on whether he is the greatest Indian chef ever (we do have biggies like Manish Mehrotra, Gaggan Anand, and Ritu Dalmia), Vikas Khanna is undoubtedly the most recognised Indian chef in the world today.
And this accolade will definitely add to his kitty.
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LONDON, (Reuters) - British construction output fell sharply in May during the run-up to the vote on European Union membership, suggesting the sector may drag on economic growth in the second quarter. The Office for National Statistics said construction output, which makes up 6 percent of the economy, fell 2.1 percent in May compared with April, when it increased 2.8 percent increase. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 1.0 percent decrease in May in the often volatile figures. Overall the figures added to signs that construction struggled as the June 23 referendum neared. The vote to leave the EU sparked fears of recession and raised deep uncertainties about Britain's future trading relationships, sending the pound to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar since the mid-1980s. The ONS said construction output would need to expand 1.9 percent in June to avoid dragging on economic growth in the second quarter - something that looks unlikely, according to private sector surveys. "The fall in May 2016, taken together with the strength of April's figures, continues a longer trend of broadly flat output growth since the start of 2015," the ONS said. Construction output fell 1.9 percent compared with May 2015. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 3.5 percent annual decline. Britain's economic growth slowed to 0.4 percent in the first quarter, compared with the previous three months, according to recent estimates that showed the much larger services sector and household spending were the main drivers of growth. Financial firm Markit said the construction industry suffered its worst contraction in seven years in June as concern grew about the EU referendum. Housing construction output fell 3.2 percent in May after edging down 0.1 percent in April, the biggest drop since February 2014. Housing output has now fallen in every month this year apart from February, and things could slow further after last month's Brexit vote. The result had an immediate impact on Britain's housing market, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. It said buyer interest and expectations of future sales withered at the fastest pace in years. Separate ONS figures showed the volume of goods exported fell 11.0 percent in May, the biggest month-on-month fall since July 2006, while import volumes declined at the fastest pace since August 2014. The trade volume figures had been due to be published alongside the standard cash value figures on July 7, but were delayed to complete quality assurance checks. (Reporting by Andy Bruce and William Schomberg)
* Spokesman clarifies FinMin Schaeuble's Thursday comments
* Schaeuble believes reasonable for UK to make demands
* Also reasonable for Berlin to make demands, spokesman says
* Financial services access to EU market key for talks (Adds reaction, comments, banking context)
By Gernot Heller and Huw Jones
BERLIN/LONDON, July 15 (Reuters) - Germany, just like Britain, will have its own demands when the UK negotiates its new relations with the European Union, the Berlin finance ministry said on Friday, seeking to play down hopes of an easy deal to keep London's financial hub intact.
A ministry spokesman clarified comments made on Thursday by Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who had said it was "very reasonable" of his British counterpart to want access to the EU single market for financial institutions in London.
"He used the word 'reasonable'," the spokesman said on Friday in response to a question from Reuters.
"But the sentence then goes on. He said the British would make demands that are reasonable from their point of view, and from our point of view it is just as reasonable that we have demands," the spokesman told a government news conference.
"We will see what the result is of this negotiating process. An application has not even been put forward yet and so everything we say about that is speculation," he added.
Asked if this meant Schaeuble did not share the view of Britain's new finance minister, Philip Hammond, the spokesman replied: "He said he understands that from the viewpoint of the British such demands are made, and that the British will hopefully understand that we have other demands."
Hammond said on Thursday Britain must ensure access to the EU's single market for its financial services industry.
Some in Britain believe that such a deal is possible without allowing continued freedom for EU citizens to work in Britain. The German finance ministry's comments suggest, as EU leaders have already said, that will not be possible.
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Mark Boleat, policy chief for the City of London financial district, nonetheless said the comments from Schaeuble and Hammond were encouraging regarding access to the single market.
WHAT IS ACCESS?
A banking industry official noted that Schaeuble and Hammond spoke of access to the single market rather than membership of it - the latter usually only possible on condition of accepting the unfettered freedom of movement, a step too far for many backers of Brexit.
Currently banks in Britain comply with EU rules which give them a "passport" to offer their services across the bloc from one base, but the chances of preserving this in full are slim in practice, analysts and officials say.
"We believe that a highly likely outcome, save for some sort of regulatory loophole, is that the UK may lose its right to passport financial services into Europe," Boston Consulting said in a study on Friday.
"In the absence of certainty, banks will likely behave as if there is no passport to be counted on."
Lawyers and bankers are assessing whether a new EU securities trading and investment services law - MiFID II - that comes into force in January 2018 might give passport-like rights.
It allows a "third country" from outside the EU to serve customers in the bloc if that country's financial rules are "equivalent" in strictness and scope as those in the EU.
"All options outside the EU are pretty awful, but the third country status is probably the most realistic one," said Saima Hanif, a financial services barrister at 39 Essex Chambers in London.
"But the MiFID II equivalence regime is untested and hence it is unclear how it will play out in practice," Hanif said.
While banks in theory could use MiFID, their most important customers, the funds who handle trillions of euros in assets, have no equivalence regime in the EU mutual funds law that currently gives them a passport.
"Some asset managers in London are already looking at other centres in Europe, and banks are under pressure to stick close to clients," a banking industry official said.
While Britain would have no technical problem being "equivalent" to EU rules in the short-term, the bloc amends its rules over time, possibly in ways Britain won't like and thus making it unpalatable to maintain equivalence, Hanif said.
Although many in Britain are hoping the country's large European neighbouring countries will keep London's access open to the wider European market, many bankers and politicians in France are instead turning their attention to taking business from London.
Financial executives in Paris who spoke to Reuters said that while they did not expect a 'big bang' that would see London lose its influence overnight, they were planning for a gradual migration of business to centres such as Paris.
Britain's new prime minister, Theresa May, has said she will not trigger the negotiations to leave the 28-member bloc before the end of the year, to allow time for the country to work out what it wants from its new relationship with Europe and how it will go about getting it.
(Reporting by Gernot Heller and Caroline Copley in Berlin, Huw Jones in London and John O'Donnell in Frankfurt,; Writing by Paul Carrel and Huw Jones; Editing by Toby Chopra)
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's government said on Friday it was "concerned by events" in Turkey where the country's military said it had seized power but the prime minister said an attempted coup would fail. "We are concerned by events unfolding in Ankara and Istanbul," a British foreign ministry spokeswoman said. "Our embassy is monitoring the situation closely. Given the current uncertainty we advise British nationals to avoid public places, remain vigilant and monitor the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) website for travel advice." (Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Istanbul (AFP) - The UN's cultural agency on Friday added a ruined Armenian city inside Turkey's closed border with the ex-Soviet state to its World Heritage list, as it elevated eight other sites across the world to the list ranking.
The site of Ani, which lies outside the Turkish city of Kars, was the capital of an Armenian kingdom around the end of the first millenium, before its conquest in 1064 by Seljuk forces hastened a decline then completed by the Mongol conquest and an earthquake.
In another sensitive inscription, UNESCO elevated to World Heritage status caves once inhabited by Neanderthals in Britain's overseas territory of Gibraltar, which is claimed by Spain.
They joined seven other sites including in Iran, India, China, Micronesia and Spain in being added to the World Heritage list at the meeting of UNESCO in Istanbul.
The ruined churches and secular buildings of Ani are a hugely sensitive site, lying directly on the other side of Turkey's completely closed border with Armenia.
Ankara has no relations with Yerevan with the two countries mired in a dispute over the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I which Armenians and several Western parliaments regards as genocide.
- 'Hope for future' -
For years an official permit was required to visit the Ani site but this has now been dropped and the Kars authorities are keen to promote its haunting beauty to boost visitor numbers.
It remains to be seen if Ani's new status could help reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, with a normalisation process currently stalled and Yerevan occasionally accusing Ankara of failing to protect Armenian heritage in the country.
"The time has come to end the clash of civilisations," said Turkey's envoy to UNESCO Huseyin Avni Botsali, quoted by the state-run Anadolu Agency.
"We give hope to future generations," he said, adding his Armenian counterpart had made the "very nice gesture" of congratulating Turkey.
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UNESCO said Ani presents a "comprehensive overview of the evolution of medieval architecture through examples of almost all the different architectural innovations of the region between the 7th and 13th centuries".
The Gorham's Cave Complex on Gibraltar meanwhile "provide evidence of Neanderthal occupation over a span of more than 125,000 years", including abstract rock engravings, it added.
- 'From Spain to Iran' -
The sites named by UNESCO in the Middle East and Asia included the so-called qanat water systems in Iran, the Zuojiang Huashan rock art cultural landscape in China and the archaeological site of Nalanda Mahavihara in India.
The landscape in China is all that remains today of the bronze age culture -- known as "bronze drum" after its most characteristic artefacts -- once prevalent across the country's south, the agency said in a statement.
The site in Iran is an example of an ancient water-supply system -- known as qanat -- suited for the most arid areas.
The fourth site is Nan Madol -- a ceremonial centre of eastern Micronesia in the Federated States of Micronesia containing medieval palaces and tombs.
The Micronesian site is a series of 99 artificial islets built with walls of basalt and coral boulders.
It was, however, immediately placed on UNESCO's list of heritage-in-danger due to the construction of navigation channels which was making the historic edifices more fragile.
The heritage-in-danger list is intended to highlight the risks facing world heritage sites that need protection and allows the committee to allocate immediate support from the World Heritage Fund.
Also included on the World Heritage list were medieval tombstones found throughout the Balkans known as Stecci as well as the remains of the walled city of Philippi in Greece founded by the Macedonian King Philip II.
The ninth site included is the neolithic and Bronze Age Antequera Dolmens site whose megalithic monuments are among the most important in Europe, UNESCO said.
The meeting, which is considering over two dozen nominations for World Heritage status, will end on July 20.
An unidentified hero helped to bring the terrorist attack in Nice in southern France to an end by leaping into the killers truck and seizing his gun, according to reports.
The attacker, who French authorities identified on Friday as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, from Tunisia, killed at least 84 people and injured hundreds more by speeding through the crowded Promenade des Anglais, where revelers had gathered Thursday night to celebrate Bastille Day.
Police sources in the French Riviera city told the Independent, a U.K.-based online newspaper, that the unknown hero jumped into the attackers white truck after it had come to a stop because its path had been obstructed.
The killer fired several shots at the man and police officers responding to the scene, but no one was injured. The anonymous hero then wrestled with Bouhlel and seized his revolver before two officers shot and killed the terrorist, the report said.
Forensic officers stand near the truck that an attacker used to plow through people who had gathered to watch fireworks Thursday night in Nice, France. (Photo: Claude Paris/AP)
Francois Molins, the antiterrorism prosecutor for France, said the intelligence community was not aware of Bouhlel before the attack but that his actions aligned with recent calls from jihadi groups, such as the Islamic State, to murder civilians.
Local lawmaker Eric Ciotti told Europe 1, a French-language radio station in France and Switzerland, that he witnessed the chaos erupting along the famous promenade in Nice. He said several people tried to escape by fleeing into the sea.
Ciotti also said that he saw someone jump into the vehicle and help police take out the attacker.
A person jumped onto the truck to try to stop it, Ciotti told the radio station, according to the Associated Press. Its at that moment that the police were able to neutralize this terrorist. I wont forget the look of this policewoman who intercepted the killer.
Video footage of Bouhlels final moments showed police surrounding his stopped, heavily damaged truck and firing bullets through the windshield.
Police approach the attackers truck in Nice, France, Thursday night. (Photo: Nader El Shafei via AP)
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced Friday that the government will declare three days of national mourning for the victims of the attack in Nice, starting on Saturday. He and French President Francois Hollande were scheduled to visit Nice later Friday.
U.S. President Obama ordered flags at American government buildings to be flown at half-staff for the next four days to honor the memories of the victims in Nice. He also called Hollande to offer his condolences on behalf of the American people.
This incident marked the third major terrorist attack on French soil in two years. Jihadis targeted the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical newspaper, in January 2015, and they launched coordinated attacks throughout Paris in November 2015.
Washington (AFP) - The commanders of the US and Chinese navies will meet amid mounting tensions over China's claims to much of the South China Sea, the US Navy said Thursday.
Admiral John Richardson, chief of US naval operations, will conduct a three-day visit beginning Sunday, stopping in Beijing and the coastal city of Qingdao, and will meet with his Chinese counterpart Wu Shengli.
Beijing was incensed by the ruling of an international tribunal Tuesday which invalidated China's claims to the strategic waterway and promised a "decisive response" to any "provocative action" in the region.
The United States, which has the largest navy in the world, maintains a permanent presence of military vessels in the region.
Since last year it has also conducted three "freedom of navigation" patrols in the region, sending war ships within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by Beijing in the South China Sea to signal that Washington does not accept China's territorial claims.
Beijing has asserted claims to as much as 90 percent of the South China Sea, infuriating regional neighbors such as the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.
American officials have repeatedly complained of the "dangerous" conduct of Chinese aircraft, which have buzzed American planes in the region.
But despite rising tensions, American and Chinese sailors have maintained navy-to-navy relations, seeking to minimize the risk of any misunderstandings.
China has been invited to participate in this year's Rim of the Pacific naval exercises, currently being conducted between Hawaii and California.
Moscow (AFP) - Top US diplomat John Kerry was to hold a second day of talks in Moscow on Friday in the hopes of salvaging the stalled Syria peace process.
Kerry held a first three hours of talks with President Vladimir Putin late Thursday and on Friday was due for a second round with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Little filtered out about his Kremlin meeting with the Russian head of state, but Kerry's spokesman said he would "explore initiatives in more detail" with Lavrov.
According to a leaked document seen by the Washington Post, Kerry's key proposal is to offer Russia closer US military cooperation against the Al Nusra Front jihadist group.
In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition.
"The secretary expressed concern about repeated violations of the cessation of hostilities by the Syrian regime," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
"The two also discussed the need to need to increase pressure on terrorist groups like Daesh and the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al Nusra."
US officials were careful not to call the talks a last chance for diplomacy to resolve the bloody five-year-old conflict, but they warned time is running out.
Washington blames the failure of the peace process on Assad's ceasefire violations and on the Nusra Front's increasing influence among the surviving rebel factions.
"If we cannot get to a solution that resolves both of those problems we're going to be in a very different place, and the reality is that time is short here," a US official said.
Meanwhile, there was no sign in Damascus that Assad feels under any pressure to agree to talks on a new government, the next stage in the process if a ceasefire is restored.
Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, in an interview broadcast Thursday, Assad insisted Putin and Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure or a political transition.
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"Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the president, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this," he said.
Moscow and Washington, and the 22-nation contact group they co-chair, have called for a nationwide ceasefire and Geneva-based talks on a "political transition".
A landmark partial ceasefire they brokered in February -- which did not include IS or Al-Nusra -- has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura urged Moscow and Washington to push for a resumption of the talks next month.
De Mistura said the talks "have a target date of August" and need to be "a credible beginning of a roadmap towards a political transition".
Russian forces are fighting in support of Assad's regime against a variety of rebel factions while a US-led coalition focuses its fire on the Islamic State group.
The Washington Post, citing a draft proposal from the United States, reported that the US and Russia could set up a joint command and control centre in Jordan.
This body would direct intensified air strikes against Al-Nusra, which is mainly fighting Assad's forces.
In return, Moscow would limit its strikes to agreed targets and the Syrian air force would halt attacks in certain "designated areas."
Syria's civil war erupted in 2011 when Assad brutally suppressed anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into catastrophe that has left more than 280,000 dead.
Efforts to bring an end to the war have taken on greater urgency since the emergence of IS, which seized control of large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in mid-2014.
Australian wrestler Vinod Kumar failed a doping test during an Olympic qualification event in Algeria in April and is set to be dropped from the team for the Rio Games.
By Reuters: Australian wrestler Vinod Kumar failed a doping test during an Olympic qualification event in Algeria in April and is set to be dropped from the team for the Rio Games.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said in a statement on Friday both Kumar's 'A' and 'B' samples tested positive for an unspecified banned substance following the African/Oceania qualifier in Algiers.
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"The Australian Olympic Committee has asked Wrestling Australia to withdraw the nomination of athlete Vinod Kumar for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games following an anti-doping violation," the AOC said.
"The international federation, United World Wrestling, has advised they will reallocate his position in the 66kg division to the next best ranked NOC."
The 31-year-old, who was born in India but emigrated to Australia in 2010 and first competed for his adopted country in March, has been suspended for four years but has 30 days in which to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He was one of two Greco-Roman wrestlers from Australia to have qualified for the Rio Games. Two other Australian freestyle wrestlers have also qualified.
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Washington (AFP) - The US Justice Department announced Friday plans to launch an inquiry into the police response that followed last month's Orlando gay nightclub massacre that left 49 dead and 53 wounded.
The agency's unit dedicated to supporting community policing through grant funding and other assistance said it would conduct a "comprehensive after-action assessment" of the Orlando Police Department's response to the June 12 mass shooting, after a request by its chief, John Mina.
"The lessons learned from this independent, objective and critical review of such a high-profile incident will benefit not only the Orlando Police Department and its community," said Justice Department Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) chief Ronald Davis.
"It will also serve to provide all law enforcement critical guidance and recommendations for responding to future such incidents."
Lone gunman Omar Mateen a 29-year-old American of Afghan descent opened fire at about 2:00 am in the Pulse nightclub before taking hostages in a bathroom.
After Mateen took the hostages, three hours passed as he remained in contact with police negotiators, who blasted their way into the club around 5:00 am.
Mateen was ultimately killed in the crossfire.
Five weeks following the attack, several questions remain unanswered concerning the police intervention. It is still unclear whether law enforcement inadvertently caused casualties after ramming the outside of the club with an armored vehicle and setting off explosives.
The Justice Department announcement refrained from suggesting that police may have wounded or killed any of the victims.
Tokyo (AFP) - A US sailor who raped a Japanese woman on the southern island of Okinawa was Friday sentenced to 30 months in prison, a court said.
Crimes by American military and civilian personnel have sparked protests on crowded Okinawa for decades, sometimes creating tension between security allies Japan and the United States.
It makes up less than one percent of Japan's total land area but is home to about 75 percent of the space allotted for US bases in the country.
The convicted sailor, 24-year-old Justin Castellanos, was arrested in March for allegedly raping the tourist while she was unconscious at a hotel in the Okinawan capital city of Naha.
Castellanos, stationed at a US Marine Corps base on the island, was charged by the local prosecutor's office in April.
A spokesman at Naha District Court told AFP the court handed Castellanos a 30-month jail term, without giving further details.
According to media reports, prosecutors had demanded a four-year term but the court decided on a more lenient sentence.
"It cannot be concluded that he brought her into a room with intent to rape her from the beginning," Presiding judge Jiro Shiomi reportedly said.
But he added that the victim must have felt "a great fear."
Castellanos' arrest happened before the death of a 20-year-old woman allegedly raped and killed in April by a US base civilian worker that prompted a recent spike in anti-US anger.
Tens of thousands rallied on the island in June to protest against the heavy US military presence and violent crimes by its personnel.
About 26,000 US troops are stationed in Okinawa, including at the sprawling Kadena Air Base, and criminal behaviour as well as noise and disruption have long been a thorn in Japan-US ties.
HANOI/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Vietnamese environmental authorities said they were working with local officials in the Ha Tinh province to investigate dry waste, belonging to a unit of Taiwanese conglomerate Formosa Plastics Group, that was found dumped on a residential farm. The probe puts Formosa Ha Tinh Steel under the spotlight yet again - this time for waste dumped inland in the province where earlier this year the firm released toxic waste into the sea and caused massive fish deaths in one of the biggest environmental disasters to ever hit Vietnam. The latest investigation was ordered by the country's deputy prime minister, according to a statement published on the government's website earlier this week, while the environment minister has said that Formosa will be fined if the firm's dumping is proved to violate laws. A representative for the steel plant, however, said the dry waste had been tested by the Vietnamese government last year and found to be non-toxic, adding that it had been improperly dumped by the contractor. "We fired the contractor," the representative of the Formosa Ha Tinh Steel told Reuters. "We are checking with the Vietnamese government about a legal place to dump. We believe the testing they are doing this time will come back non-toxic as the first time," he added, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue. The government is retesting more than 100 metric tons of the dry waste, he said, adding the company expects to properly dispose of the waste this month or next after getting clearance from local authorities. The retest is an exercise in gaining public trust by the government, he added. The toxic disaster caused by the Formosa unit earlier this year had led to a huge outcry, with months of public anger on social media and on the streets of big cities. Vietnamese vented their fury at the government and Formosa, one of the communist country's biggest investors, accusing them of a cover-up. Formosa later pledged $500 million in damages and admitted its $10.6 billion steel plant had caused massive fish deaths along a 200-km (124-mile) stretch of coastline in April. Vietnamese state media also reported that people in Thien Cam, about 60 km away from the Formosa steel plant to the north, suspect waste in a landfill there came from Formosa as well. Ha Tinh's environment department has taken waste samples to test, according to local media reports. (Reporting by My Pham in HANOI and Faith Hung in TAIPEI, Writing by J.R. Wu; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
Americans dont feel safe. More than half worry a great deal about crime and violence, the highest rate seen in 15 years. Nearly the same proportion believe shootings will become more common over the next decade. And doesnt it feel like things are getting worse? Each week offers a new horrorthe massacre in Orlando, five dead officers in Dallas, a man bleeding out before the world on Facebook Live. Crime is out of control, and rapidly getting worse, Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday. Not good!
So lets try something. In the chart below, click the red dot and trace out your best guess for how the murder rate changed between 1985 and 2014. Ill show you the rest of the story once youre done. (Hat tip to the folks at The New York Times, who tried this before with college attendance.)
There you have it. The murder rate has steadily dropped for the past 20 years. Overall crime has fallen too, but this graph highlights murders because theyre very reliably reported. Although last year does appear a bit worsea preliminary FBI report suggests murders were up by 6.2 percent in the first half of 2015 the overarching trend points decidedly downward.
But as my colleague David Graham noted earlier this week, the perception of crime has rarely matched reality. In March 2001, 62 percent of Americans were very concerned about violence, according to Gallup. At that point, the United States was enjoying its lowest murder rate in more than 30 years.
The next few months saw a huge correction in public perception. In the year after the planes crashed into the World Trade Centers, the proportion of people worried about crime dropped 13 percentage points, down to 49 percent. For a time, Americans were far more likely to worry about terrorism than troubles at home. And over the next decade, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq appear to have pushed any lingering fears about domestic crime deep into the dark corners of the American id.
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Its likely that crime increased in 2015. Does that signal a trend? Probably not. As the Brennan Center for Justice wrote earlier this year:
Americans continue to experience low crime rates. The average person in a large urban area is safer walking down the street today than he or she would have been at almost any time in the past 30 years. That does not mean there is not variation across cities. In some cities, murder is up. However, there is not yet sufficient evidence to conclude these levels will persist in the future or are part of a national trend. Although headlines suggesting a coming crime wave make good copy, a look at the available data shows there is no evidence to support that claim.
All the same, those old fears have now staged a striking comeback. But not evenly so. Gallup now says 70 percent of people with a high-school degree or less are very worried about violence, a jump of 20 percentage points from 2015. Thats huge. But only 32 percent of people with college degrees share their concern, and that demographic saw just a 1-point uptick in anxiety over the past year. People of color have always been more concerned about crime, but this year, fear among whites shot up faster.
Trumps most ardent supporters are white and working class, the very folks whose anxieties over crime have reached a fever pitch. Theyre less likely to sympathize with the Black Lives Matter movement, viewing the loud protests it has provoked as more threatening than productive. Theyre more likely to view immigrants as threats to their physical security. Cue Trump, who has built a campaign around the notion that America is slipping into decay, and now refers to violence in inner cities and promises to promote law, order, and safety over violence. With Trump insisting that America is on the precipice of chaos, his supporters may find confirmation in each new crime, without regard for longterm trends.
It has been a rough few weeks. Ive seen more heartbreak this month than I can remember. But thats the thingmy memory is terrible. Human beings recall bad things with frightning clarity. Its easy to forget the big picture, which is this: America is safer than it has been in a generation. No matter how you drew the curve above, the real one slopes downward.
Read more from The Atlantic:
This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Wa Lone YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar is cracking down on Buddhist extremism, aiming to curb ethnic and religious tension that saw two mosques destroyed and scores of Muslim residents fleeing their villages in recent weeks. Nobel Peace Prize winner and government leader Aung San Suu Kyi has come under criticism from human rights activists and lawyers for not cracking down on the perpetrators of the attacks aimed at the Muslim minority. In an apparent response to the criticism, the government has made a surprisingly decisive move against an organization of radical nationalist monks, known as the Ma Ba Tha, threatening legal action if it spread hate speech and incites violence. On Friday, the government launched a taskforce to prevent violent protests as part of a broader push to stop religious violence. Religious tension simmered in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for almost half a century of military rule, before boiling over in 2012 in the west of the country into clashes between Rohingya Muslims and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists. Violence between Muslims and Buddhists in other areas followed in 2013 and 2014. President Htin Kyaw said in a statement the taskforce would not only move against violent protesters, but also investigate and hold accountable anyone inciting violence. "We do not want to disturb peaceful protests, but we do not allow violence while protesting," said Zaw Htay, spokesman of the State Councillor's Office occupied by Suu Kyi. A government-appointed body that oversees Myanmar's Buddhist monkhood, the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, issued a statement this week saying it had never endorsed the nationalist and anti-Muslim Ma Ba Tha. In June, a group of 200 villagers destroyed a mosque and injured a Muslim man in central Myanmar after a dispute over the construction of a Muslim school. In a separate incident in northern Myanmar in early July, nearly 500 Buddhists burned down a Muslim prayer hall. Police arrested five people in connection with the attack, media said. In both incidents, Muslim residents fled from their homes fearing more widespread violence. Some 125,000 Rohingya Muslims displaced by the 2012 violence remain in camps in the west. (Editing by Robert Birsel)
By PTI: Toronto, Jul 15 (PTI) After analysing four years of Kepler space telescope observations, researchers have found that many exoplanets called "Warm Jupiters" have unexpected planetary companions.
The analysis provides strong evidence of the existence of two distinct types of Warm Jupiters, each with their own formation and dynamical history.
The two types include those that have companions and thus, likely formed where we find them today; and those with no companions that likely migrated to their current positions, researchers said.
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"Our findings suggest that a big fraction of Warm Jupiters cannot have migrated to their current positions dynamically and that it would be a good idea to consider more seriously that they formed where we find them," said Chelsea Huang from University of Toronto in Canada.
Warm Jupiters are large, gas-giant exoplanets - planets found around stars other than the Sun. They are comparable in size to the gas-giants in our Solar System, researchers said.
But unlike the Suns family of giant planets, "Warm Jupiters" orbit their parent stars at roughly the same distance that Mercury, Venus and the Earth circle the Sun. They take 10 to two hundred days to complete a single orbit.
Because of their proximity to their parent stars, they are warmer than our systems cold gas giants - though not as hot as Hot Jupiters, which are typically closer to their parent stars than Mercury, researchers said.
It has generally been thought that Warm Jupiters did not form where we find them today; they are too close to their parent stars to have accumulated large, gas-giant-like atmospheres.
It appeared likely that they formed in the outer reaches of their planetary systems and migrated inward to their current positions, and might in fact continue their inward journey to become Hot Jupiters, researchers said.
On such a migration, the gravity of any Warm Jupiter would have disturbed neighbouring or companion planets, ejecting them from the system, they said.
But instead of finding "lonely", companion-less Warm Jupiters, researchers found that 11 of the 27 targets they studied have companions ranging in size from Earth-like to Neptune-like.
"And when we take into account that there is more analysis to come, the number of Warm Jupiters with smaller neighbours may be even higher. We may find that more than half have companions," said Huang.
The findings were published in the Astrophysical Journal. PTI SAN UZM
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In the wake of Thursday night's horrific attack in Nice, France, the Nice Jazz Festival has been canceled. Hours after a crazed attacker drove a truck through a packed crowd gathered to watch a Bastille Day fireworks display, killing 84 people and injuring more than 100, organizers of the festival slated to kick off on Saturday announced that they had called it off.
Suite aux evenements tragiques, @VilledeNice est en deuil. @nicejazzfest annule. +d'infos demain. Nos pensees vont aux victimes #jesuisnice
- Nice Jazz Festival (@nicejazzfest) July 15, 2016
"Following the tragic events, @VilledeNice is in mourning. @nicejazzfest cancelled. + more info tomorrow. Our thoughts are with the victims #jesuisnice," reads the tweet. The five-night festival (July 16-20) was to feature sets from Robert Plant & the Sensational Shape Shifters, the James Hunter Six, George Clinton, Snarky Puppy, Laura Mvula, Massive Attack, Gallant, the Cinematic Orchestra, Youssou N' Dour and a dozen others.
Rihanna in Nice During Bastille Day Attack; Rep Confirms 'She's Safe'
Reps for Rihanna confirmed on Thursday that she was "safe" and that her scheduled show on Friday night at the Allianz Stadium in Nice had been canceled. France's president, Francois Holland said in a nationally televised address early Friday that the "terrorist character" of the assault was clear and the perpetrator's use of a large truck to plow down the crowds was a "monstrosity." The assault came just hours after Hollande had said the national state of emergency that has been in place since last year's deadly terror assault in Paris was slated to end on July 26; it has now been extended for three more months.
Bastille Day Attack Mourned by Shawn Mendes, Cyndi Lauper & More Stars
"France has been struck on the day of her national holiday," Holland said. "Human rights are denied by fanatics, and France is clearly their target." The attack also caused presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to postpone Friday's planned announcement of his running mate, reported to be Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
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Thoughts and prayers continued to come in from celebrities overnight as well, including the following from Jessica Alba, Tiesto, Julian Lennon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Khloe Kardashian, Questlove, Chloe Grace Moretz and dozens of others.
It's just so sad and awful #PrayForHumanity #PrayForNice #PrayForTheWorld -- pic.twitter.com/N0nl0Y4anj
- Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba) July 15, 2016
Last nights crowd and show were amazing but after my set when I found out about Nice I was shocked.#PrayforNice pic.twitter.com/ROqfzzURT6
- Tiesto (@tiesto) July 15, 2016
#prayfornice --
Senseless & Cowardice Actions yet again...
HeartBroken pic.twitter.com/wegTe553sZ- Julian Lennon (@JulianLennon) July 15, 2016
Heartsick over Nice. Horrified.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) July 14, 2016
My heart breaks with every tragedy -- it's awful! My thoughts and prayers are with u all #PrayForNice #PrayForTheWorld #PrayForHumanity
- Khloe (@khloekardashian) July 15, 2016
My God.
- Questlove Gomez (@questlove) July 14, 2016
What's happening in this world ? #PrayForNice
- Chloe Grace Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz) July 14, 2016
Ok, we get it. The Rio Olympics are off to an absolutely terrible start, and they havent even officially begun. Some athletes have been banned for doping, and others are refusing to show up out of fear they will contract Zika, the mosquito-borne virus believed to cause birth defects if passed on to pregnant women.
Meanwhile, Brazils government is in the midst of a massive corruption scandal, where even the lawmaker who insisted on impeaching President Dilma Rousseff for accepting bribes has now stepped down for accepting illegal cash himself.
But did someone really have to try to take what little opportunity for celebration was left and ruin it by attacking a traditional Olympic torchbearer with a fire extinguisher in the Brazilian city of Joinville? Yes, yes they did.
The video, below, shows a protester or perhaps someone just curious about whether or not the flame is in fact, eternal attempting to put it out with a giant fire extinguisher as the torchbearer parade through the streets. Spoiler alert: It didnt work.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reportedly on vacation in the south of Turkey as his countrys military launched a coup. And now, his whereabouts are unknown.
Erdogan could only address the country via a FaceTime call broadcast shoddily on television, signaling that he was likely on the move.
He called on citizens to take to the streets adding that he would soon join them, but his location remains unclear. The presidents office said Erdogan was safe in an undisclosed location.
The BBC reported that Erdogan was likely heading to Istanbul or out of the country. NBC reported that Erdogan had been denied asylum in Germany and would try to travel to London.
Michael Stephens, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said on BBC News that Erdogan would be unable to travel to Istanbuls Ataturk Airport given the reported heavy military presence there. (Though the city does have at least one alternative airport).
The fact he could only address the country by mobile phone is pretty damning, Stephens said.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Friday said that President Barack Obama called French President Francois Hollande after the terrorist attack in Nice to offer his condolences and the "strongest support" of the United States. "France is, after all, our oldest ally," Earnest said during the daily White House briefing. Earnest said Obama offered France security cooperation and that U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials have been in touch with their French counterparts. (Reporting By Roberta Rampton and Amanda Becker; Editing by David Alexander)
By Tom Bergin and Sophie Sassard NICE, France (Reuters) - The Bastille day fireworks had just ended when a large white truck drove fast and deliberately at the crowd on the Nice waterfront on Thursday. A few hours later, the 40 or so people gathered in a room for victims' families at the Pasteur hospital in the French Riviera town had the horror of it all etched on their faces. People cried, some holding their heads in their hands. One woman with bruises on her face sat in a wheelchair, weeping and looking desperate. At least 80 people died in the carnage and many more were injured in what President Francois Hollande said was clearly a terrorist attack, with several children among the dead. Laurence Marie, who works at Lenval pediatric hospital, said "many" more children were undergoing serious operations there. The attack came eight months after the Islamist militant shootings and suicide bombings in Paris that killed 130 people. Hollande had announced just hours earlier, while marking France's national day celebrating the birth of the world's first republic, that he would lift the state of emergency that was put in place after the November killings. "We were all very happy, ready to celebrate all night long, we had a big plan!," said a 20-year-old woman in the hospital room who gave her name as Fanny. "As we were just starting to walk after the fireworks, I saw a truck driving into the pedestrian area, it was going very fast and zigzagging. At first I thought the truck didn't realize the road had been made pedestrian for the celebration. But when I saw people on the ground I started realizing it could be a terror attack," she told Reuters. "Luckily my brother, my mum and myself are all fine now but some of my friends were not as lucky, they are having operations as we speak. It's very hard, it's all very traumatic." NUMBERS IDENTIFY VICTIMS Nurses had told some of those waiting that the medical team didn't have time to take records of the identities of the wounded because the priority was treatment. Patients were being classified by numbers. At the scene of the attack on the Promenade des Anglais, bodies lay covered in white sheets and witnesses could barely believe what they had seen. "I saw bodies flying like skittles as it drove along," said local journalist Damien Allemand on the Nice-Matin newspaper's web site. "I just froze ... The beach attendants were the first on the scene. They brought water for the wounded and towels that they placed over those for whom there was no hope." Back in the hospital, Marco de Feo, 29 from Milan, said he and his four friends had only learned of the celebration from their hosts, a Romanian couple living in Nice, and decided to go along at the last minute. "I saw a truck turning into the road and driving fast in our direction," he said. "Luckily I saw it in time to avoid it, but our friend got hit and fell on the ground. We fled to the beach and then found shelter in a hotel. One of our friends went back on the scene to carry our injured friend who couldn't move nor speak but was still breathing. She was then taken to hospital in an ambulance." The driver of the truck was shot dead by police, but some witnesses said they thought he was firing a gun as he drove. I saw this enormous white truck go past at top speed," said Suzy Wargniez, a local woman aged 65 who saw the scene unfold from a cafe on the promenade. "It was shooting, shooting." POOLS OF BLOOD AT DAYBREAK Dawn revealed pools of dried blood, smashed children's strollers, an uneaten baguette and other debris strewn about the promenade. Small areas were screened off at regular intervals. What appeared to be bodies covered in blankets were visible through the gaps. The trail of broken waste bins, signage, and police barriers suggested the driver had mounted the kerb from the road to the promenade just outside the Lenval hospital, where some of the child victims were taken. (Writing by Andrew Callus; Editing by Maya Nikolaeva and Paul Tait)
After ruckus in legislature, Yeddyurappa inquires if Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi know about the recent events in the state.
By Mail Today: With the legislature proceedings in Karnataka stalled for the last three days over the Opposition's demand for resignation of minister KJ George in connection with the suicide of a police officer, former CM BS Yeddyurappa is wondering whether Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi are aware of the developments in the state.
"Both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul visit other states like UP and Bihar at the drop of a hat. Their party in Karnataka is facing crisis but the two don't seem to be bothered. They have entrusted all their responsibilities to the local Congress leaders. Don't they have any moral responsibility of visiting the family members of the police officers, who committed suicide? This shows the importance that they are attaching to Karnataka," said Yeddyurappa today.
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SIDDARAMAIAH THICK SKINNED?
He alleged that Siddaramaiah was "thick-skinned" and played the caste card to protect George, who was "important" to the Congress. "We know what benefits they gain from people like George. That's why they are so keen on protecting him," he lamented.
DSP MK Ganapathy committed suicide after giving a TV interview in which he held former Home Minister KJ George and two senior IPS officers responsible for any consequences. However, the government did not register a FIR against George or the two officers. The government blamed marital rift as the reason for Ganapathy's suicide.
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About 25 percent of the $650 billion of annual spending on Medicare goes for the treatment and care of elderly people in the final year of their lives, according to a new study. Per capita spending is nearly four times higher for those who die than for survivors.
In the long-standing national debate over how far the government should go in stretching limited resources to keep the oldest and sickest people alive, the conventional wisdom has been that the vast majority of beneficiaries making claims on Medicare in the final year of their lives are wizened people in their 80s or 90s confined to nursing home hospital beds.
Related: Rising Health Care Costs Will Push the Nations Debt Into High Risk
But the new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation released on Thursday pokes a big hole in that assumption.
Of the 2.6 million Americans who died in this country in 2014, eight out of ten were enrolled in Medicare, the premier national health care program for seniors. However, the Kaiser study found that Medicare spent significantly more per capita on medical services and treatment for people in their late 60s and early 70s than on much older beneficiaries.
Indeed, the analysis concluded that per capita Medicare spending at the end of life actually declines with age peaking at $43,353 for those 73 years old and then gradually declining to $33,381 for 85-year-olds and just $27,779 for people 90 and older.
Medicare per capita spending
The report says that its hardly surprising that a disproportionate share of Medicare resources goes to beneficiaries at the end of life. Many of those beneficiaries suffer serious illnesses like Alzheimers disease, congestive heart failure, kidney problems, cancer and multiple chronic conditions that require inpatient hospitalization, post-acute care and hospice.
Related: U.S. Medicare End-of-Life Counseling Off to Slow Start
Yet per capita spending for inpatient services is lower among decedents in their eighties, nineties, and older than for decedents in their late sixties and seventies, while spending is higher for hospice care among older decedents, the report states.
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These results suggest that providers, patients and their families may be inclined to be more aggressive in treating younger seniors compared to older seniors, perhaps because there is a greater expectation for positive outcomes among those with a longer life expectancy, even those who are seriously ill, notes the report, which was written by Juliette Cubanksi, Tricia Neuman, Shannon Griffin and Anthony Damico.
The analysis included all people 65 and older who automatically qualify for Medicare, as well as some younger people with disabilities or who qualify because of renal disease. More than half of these beneficiaries were 80 or older at the time of the study.
From a strictly budgetary standpoint, the beneficiaries who were in the final year of their lives were unique. They received one in every four dollars spent by the health care program while representing just four percent of the overall Medicare population.
Related: Trump and Clinton Fiddle While Long-Term Debt Is Set to Surge
Per capita Medicare spending was nearly four times higher for those who died in 2014 than others who survived -- $34,529 for the decedents to just $9,121 for those who lived.
For years, medical experts, lawmakers, patient advocates, family members and others have debated end-of-life treatment for the nations elderly and the value of attempting to extend life as long as possible. That debate grew especially heated in 2009, when then-Alaska governor Sarah Palin charged that a provision of the Affordable Care Act which was then being debated in Congress was tantamount to the creation of death panels.
The provision in question would have paid doctors for providing voluntary counseling to Medicare patients about living wills and end of life care alternatives. Palins claim was widely debunked, but the provision was dropped from the bill amid rising public concern.
Related: Life at All Costs: The Mid-Death Crisis
A recent revision to the Medicare payment policy allows reimbursement of physicians who have conversations about advance care planning with their patients. Although that program has gotten off to a slow start, the study said that the revised payment policy could bring about changes that better align services delivered with patient preferences and that also potentially reduce the costs associated with care at the end of life.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
We still dont have all the details, but it would appear that the man behind the horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, was Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old deliveryman and petty criminal. Bouhlel, who was killed by police at the scene, was a French citizen. But the detail that many terrorism experts immediately zeroed in on was his country of origin: Tunisia. Thats right: The country that is often hailed as the success story of the Arab Spring because it has actually managed to stick with democracy since the downfall of its dictator in 2011.
That Bouhel is Tunisian once again raises the question: Why is liberal Tunisia, of all places, producing so many terrorists?
The experts have long since determined that Tunisia is a disproportionate source of recruits for radical Islamist causes. Despite the countrys relatively small population of 11 million, Tunisians are conspicuously over-represented among the fighters of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. According to recent estimates, 7,000 Tunisians have joined the cause more than any other country, including much larger ones such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt. There are also, according to numerous reports, thousands of Tunisians training and fighting for jihad in Libya, Tunisias next-door neighbor, which has a strong Islamic State presence. (Indeed, the Tunisian authorities have boasted that theyve prevented some 12,000 other potential jihadists from leaving the country for Syria since 2013 a statistic hardly as comforting as they apparently would like it to be.)
But Tunisian jihadists havent only been active overseas. Over the past few years theyve staged several high-profile attacks on their own country. Since 2013, terrorists have assassinated secular politicians, targeted popular tourist sites (virtually shutting down an industry on which much of the economy depends), and engaged in myriad clashes with the police. In March, Libyan-based jihadists, presumably of Tunisian origin, staged a full-scale assault on the Tunisian border town of Ben Guerdane. Though local security forces coped pretty effectively with the attack, ultimately winning the battle, it was a worrying sign of the jihadists ambitions and aggressiveness.
All of this, needless to say, stands in rather stark contrast to Tunisias remarkable progress at establishing democratic institutions. The country has held several rounds of free and fair elections, and it now boasts a vibrant range of free media and civil society groups. When I visited a few weeks ago, I heard plenty of theories that attempted to explain why these new freedoms have coincided with so much extremist violence.
Some Tunisians told me that the collapse of the dictatorship in the 2011 revolution and the establishment of democratic institutions that followed had given jihadists new freedom to organize, travel, and share information. Religious radicals, it was pointed out, can now openly watch satellite broadcasts of hard-line clerics streamed in from the Gulf. Others I spoke with, including some government officials, worry that the security apparatus was fatally weakened by post-revolutionary reforms though that argument seems somewhat diluted by the governments competent response to the Ben Guerdane attacks in the spring. Still others mentioned the failure of democratically elected leaders to address the countrys persistent economic malaise. Though the official unemployment rate is around 15 percent, its estimated to be double that for young people, who see correspondingly few opportunities for bettering their lives.
One thing that struck me the most about Tunisia, however, is just how secular and Western the country looks and feels in ways that long predate the 2011 revolution. The countrys first post-independence leader, President Habib Bourguiba, who took power in 1956, was a staunch admirer of Turkeys legendary Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Like Ataturk, he was a radical secularist who imposed a modernizing agenda, including womens rights and Western-style education, while ruthlessly suppressing the forces of traditional religion. He was notorious for expressing his contempt for the veil, which he called that odious rag. Even today one rarely sees men or women in traditional Islamic clothing in Tunis and many other parts of the country a striking contrast to neighboring Libya, where hijab-wearing women are a common sight.
The problem, of course, is that pushing traditional religion to the side doesnt mean that everyone is going to agree. Aggressive modernization almost always incites a backlash and so it has gone in Tunisia, where those with an inclination to traditional Islam have often ended up feeling marginalized in their own country.
A very similar dynamic took hold in Turkey, under Ataturk and his heirs. There, though, a gradual opening of the political landscape in the late 20th century allowed Islamists to channel their ambitions into electoral politics, embodied by the rise of current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bourguiba and his successor, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, allowed for no such expression of alternative opinions; the organizers of Tunisias leading Islamist party, Ennahdha, returned from exile only after the 2011 revolution. Other Tunisians who gravitated to Islamist politics sought more radical outlets. Some joined al Qaeda, while others assumed prominent roles in the war in Iraq.
It was one of those veterans of the Iraqi jihad, a man named Boubaker al-Hakim, who later played a key role in organizing the attacks on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Like Bouhlel, the attacker in Nice, he was also a French citizen a reflection of the darker side of Tunisians long and intimate obsession with their former colonizer. For elite Tunisians, France is the country of their aspirations. For less privileged Tunisian migrants, stuck in menial jobs and relegated to the fringes of society, France is the place that constantly reminds them of their second-class status symbolized by its institutionalized contempt for their backward religion.
In the case of such people, its easy to see how recourse to radical Islam is as much a matter of identity politics as it is of religion. Indeed, judging by the reports coming in from Bouhlels acquaintances and neighbors, he appears to have been motivated as much by a generalized sense of frustration and rage as by ideology.
In short, Tunisias paradox the jarring dichotomy between burgeoning liberalization and brewing jihad should remind us once again that the plague of Islamist terror isnt reducible to simple causes. The fact that Tunisians have been dominated by strongly secularizing regimes for the past 60 years might well help to explain why democracy has taken root with such surprising success since 2011. But it also seems clear that that same modernizing trend has fueled an intense backlash among traditionalist Muslims, often to radical effect. The fate of Tunisia, and its much-lauded democracy, will now depend on how well the country can figure out how to bridge the gap.
In the photo, people gather around flowers placed on the Promenade des Anglais on July 15 in Nice, France, after a terrorist attack the previous day.
Photo credit: CARL COURT/Getty Images
When a truck driver plowed into the throngs of revelers out on the street for Bastille Day in the coastal town of Nice on Thursday night, killing at least 84 people and injuring dozens more, it was the latest in a series of devastating attacks in France. The Charlie Hebdo killings, the mayhem in Paris last November, the stabbing of a police officer in June: the list goes on. Among European countries, France has endured some of the worst assaults by jihadists in recent years, underscoring the countrys ongoing problem with homegrown militancyand its status as a major target.
The roots of the problem are complex: France has a history of violence in its encounters with the Middle East and North Africa and a domestic Muslim community with long experiences of discrimination and feelings of exclusion from French society. Frances prisons have become a recruiting ground for extremists. And the French radical right is growing in influence, stoking tensions through rhetoric that is often anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim.
Read More: Family Mourns American Father and Son Killed in Nice Attack: We Are Heartbroken and In Shock
Add to that cocktail the recruiting apparatus of the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Some 1,800 people left France to join ISIS and other militant groups in Iraq and Syria as of May 2015, according to the Soufan Group, a security firm based in New York, citing estimates from the French authorities. Another 470 came from another partially Francophone country: Belgium, which has the highest per-capita recruitment rate in Europe. Those are striking numbers, especially when put in context. By comparison, between 600 and 1,000 fighters are estimated to have come from Egypt, the largest country in the Arab world.
Jihadist groups find fertile ground for recruitment in France and Belgium due to those states staunch secularism coupled with a sense of marginalization among immigrant communities, especially those from North Africa, according to the report from the Soufan Group. Against this sense of alienation, the propaganda of the Islamic State offers an attractive alternative of belonging, purpose, adventure and respect. Research by Chris Meserole and Will McCants of the Brookings Institution found that by far the most important variable in predicting how many jihadis a country would produce was whether that people in the country spoke French. Nice itself may have been particularly vulnerableit has a large Muslim population (several of whom were killed in the attack), and has long had one of Frances most persistent Islamist radicalization problems. The Economist reports that one Nice local, Omar Omsen, was on the radar of local intelligence services, though he was thought to have been killed in Syria last year.
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Read More: What We Know About the Driver in the Nice Attack
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in Nice, and ISIS official propaganda arm has not commented on it. That has not stopped individual supporter of both ISIS and al-Qaeda from celebrating the killings in posts on social media and on the encrypted messaging platform Telegram.
The suspect in the Nice has been identified as a 31-year-old French-Tunisian man and resident of Nice named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel who was known to the police. He had been previously arrested, but had not been known to counterterrorism officials, according to French news reports. ISIS is believed to have an entire branch dedicated to carrying out external attacks, striking far beyond the theater of conflict in Iraq and Syria. The external operations arm has taken a particular interest in Europe and in France in particular, even printing a bomb-making manual in French. This Franco-centrism could be a result of the fact that some of the earliest and most senior members of foreign operations branch have French and Belgian nationals.
In the gun and bomb assault on Paris in November 2015 which left some 130 people dead, ISIS relied on returnee foreign fighters, French and Belgian operatives who had trained with the jihadist group in Syria. But in other cases, would-be attackers need only have cursory contact with jihadi groups, or may find inspiration for acts of violence online. Others, so-called lone wolves, may act on their own. ISIS chief spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani issued an explicit appeal for such solo attack in an audio recording released in May.
Read More: What We Know About the Attack in Nice
In France, the profiles of the killers in some recent attacks is somewhere in between the two extremes. Laruossi Abballa, 25, the man who stabbed to death an off-duty police official and his partner in the town of Magnanville in June, had served prison time on a terrorism recruitment charge and swore allegiance to ISIS just before he was killed by police, but there was no evidence he was specially directed by ISIS. Abballa had previously said that a local group of jihadists offered a sense of purpose in an otherwise directionless life that included bouts of unemployment. I needed recognition, he told Le Monde.
The roots of Frances jihadi problem lay in its former empire in the Middle East and North Africa, dating back to Frances colonization of countries like Algeria, Tunisia, Syria, and Lebanon. In the 20th century, numerous people from the colonies came to live and work in France, many of them settling in poor enclaves ringing Paris and other cities. In recent decades, as factories closed and jobs became scarce, the sense of social exclusion grew in those communities, especially in the housing projects in the Paris suburbs known as banlieues. The 1995 film La Haine, the story of three men from the housing projects outside France, depicted the desperation of the world of the projects.
The film presaged some of the violence of the years that followed. After two teenagers were killed by electrocution after they hid from police in a high-voltage substation in the Paris suburb Clichy-sous-Bois in 2005, the banlieues erupted in outrage, resulting in weeks of deadly rioting. More than a decade later, observers say that few of the underlying grievances that fueled the riots have been resolved.
Further stoking social tensions, the far right is on the rise in France. The ultranationalist Front National won a plurality of votes in the first round of regional elections last December, but was edged out in the second round as the left voted strategically to keep the far right out of power. Nice is no exception to the right wing trend. Marion Marechal-Le Pen, the granddaughter of Front National founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, narrowly lost a the race to lead the region Provence-Alpes-Cote dAzur, where Nice is located. Marine Le Pen, Jean-Marie Le Pens daughter and the head of the Front National, was quick to respond to the attacks. We must not see terror attacks come after another and count more deaths without taking action, she said in a statement. The war against the scourge of Islamist fundamentalism has not begun; its now urgent to declare it.
Zimbabwe is in turmoil. For the past two weeks, workers have been striking and angry citizens have been taking to the streets to express their discontent with unpaid public-sector wages, proliferating corruption, declining living standards, and police injustice. President Robert Mugabes government is broke, the result of decades of financial mismanagement, and so far it has conspicuously failed in its desperate efforts to find new sources of international financial aid. Failing new support from outside, the countrys economic collapse is almost sure to accelerate.
Many disgruntled citizens particularly urban young people have turned to social media, venting their frustration at the 36-year reign of President Mugabe and his patent inability to resuscitate the failing economy. Indeed, the recent protests and work stoppages have been encouraged by social media activists, most prominently Pastor Evan Mawarire, founder of the #ThisFlag movement. The influential role social media has played underlines the vast spread of internet use in Zimbabwe, primarily on mobile smartphones. Its a phenomenon reminiscent of the so-called Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, when social media was critical to inspiring and coordinating movements against dictatorship, corruption, poverty, and inequality. Some have even referred to the toppling of Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak as the Facebook Revolution.
Some Zimbabwean activists, buoyed by their recent successes in mobilizing protests, are already proclaiming the dawn of a social media-assisted revolution. This, in turn, is prompting many pro-democracy commentators and journalists to declare that Mugabes rule is in its final days.
These predictions of Mugabes imminent downfall are wrong. The reason is quite simple: the angry urban social media activists and pro-democracy pundits have failed to absorb two key lessons of the Arab Spring. The first is that the role of the military in times of civil unrest is pivotal. The second is that social media activism can never substitute for organized political activity on the ground.
Lets first address the issue of the military. In all of the 2011 revolutions across the Middle East and North Africa, the position adopted by the armed forces was a crucial factor in determining how the popular protests would play out. In Tunisia, for example, the largely apolitical military refused to act in defense of the reigning dictatorship, thus allowing the revolution to succeed; in Egypt, the army first allowed the removal of President Mubarak, then subsequently intervened to topple the democratically elected Muslim Brotherhood government.
Yet activists in Zimbabwe have so far had little to say about the position of their military on the current unrest a huge and potentially fateful omission. The Zimbabwean armed forces are highly politicized, and have a long history of close and friendly relations with the president. Most top military officers fought at Mugabes side during the 1970s liberation war. Since 2000, many senior officers have expressed strong support for the ruling ZANU-PF party whenever it faced a strong electoral challenge from the opposition. Cyber-activists and angry young protesters underestimate the generals loyalty to the ruling party at their own peril.
It is true that the Zimbabwean military is deeply divided. Personal enmities, ethnic rivalries, and disputes over the spoils of corruption have fragmented the armed forces. The top officers disagree especially strongly over who should eventually succeed the 92-year-old Mugabe.
Yet the militarys internal divisions certainly do not mean that it will automatically side with the protesters calling for Mugabes downfall. In fact, Mugabe maintains his hold on power largely because of the armys internal divisions, particularly among the senior officers, which prevent them from pulling together to form a united front against him. Mugabe has also made good use of his position as commander-in-chief to maintain loyalty among the officer corps, using his powers of patronage to ensure the continued payment of salaries despite the governments empty coffers. He has also used the intelligence services to sow divisions and maintain surveillance among the generals. Unless Mugabes opponents can develop a strategy to bring a decisive majority of senior military officers over to their side, even the most effective social media campaign will be for naught.
Then there is the other requirement of opposition success: a broad and inclusive political strategy. Hashtag activism and Facebook posts will never be a substitute for a well-crafted agenda; nor do they offer a successful alternative to on-the-ground political engagement. In 2011, many Arab cyber-activists fulminated online against dictatorship and social ills (and in some cases helped to mobilize actual physical protests), but few managed to devise a workable and unifying political agenda for the morning after the collapse of the status quo. Here the example of Egypt comes to mind once again. The military did not need long after Mubaraks downfall to reassert its control over the political process; online activists had little to offer in the way of effective alternatives.
For these reasons it is not enough for Zimbabwes urban youth to simply oppose the status quo through social media. Lets say that a successful youth uprising were to remove Mugabe from power tomorrow: Who would take over in his wake? What sort of political and economic agenda would this new leader have? And where are the voices of Zimbabwes rural youth, who despite their numerical majority, have played a marginal role in online activism, since social media use is less widespread in the countryside? Most of Zimbabwes social media activists have yet to give lucid answers to these important questions, while the few who do are plagued by a lack of consensus about who would lead a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe and what that leaderships agenda should be.
If social media activists want to make a successful contribution to political change in Zimbabwe, they need to work in sync with traditional civil society groups and, crucially, effective opposition political parties. But these two ingredients an effective civil society and well-led opposition parties are currently lacking. The main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is being treated for colon cancer, sparking a succession struggle in his own party. A fully engaged Tsvangirai might have offered crucial leadership to urban youth in the recent protests. Meanwhile, the other potentially rousing opposition party leader, the former vice president Joice Mujuru, is still in the early stages of building support for her new party organization. Traditional civil society is crippled by lack of funding and is intellectually ill-equipped to deal with the unfolding political dynamic.
Young Zimbabweans should remember that protesting is not the only way to effect political change. It is striking that many of the young people taking to the streets and venting their anger online are not calling upon each other to register to vote in the next national election, scheduled for 2018. None of the leading hashtag activists and bloggers are calling for youth, whose numbers make them Zimbabwes decisive demographic group, to massively register to vote. Young people, urban and rural, do not seem to be discussing among themselves whom they should support in the 2018 election, or what sort of political and economic agenda they want to see for their country.
What Zimbabwe needs now, most of all, is a well-thought-out and pragmatic approach to the 2018 election one that will unite civil society, the opposition parties, online activists, and urban and rural youth. That is the key to finding a new path ahead.
Photo credit: MARCO LONGARI/AFP/Getty Images
The debate over recent remarks by a Supreme Court Justice about a presidential candidate has brought attention to a little-understood part of the judicial system, the Code of Conduct for Federal Judges.
The code is published and updated by the Judicial Conference of the United States, the national policy-making office of the federal court system. The Chief Justice of the United States, John G. Roberts, Jr., presides over the conference. Its members include the chief judges of every federal circuit court, and other federal judges.
The conference worked with the American Bar Association on the code and it adopted the current Code of Conduct in 1973 when it was proposed by Chief Justice Warren Burger. The code has been revised eight times since 1973.
The full federal code applies to United States circuit judges, district judges, Court of International Trade judges, Court of Federal Claims judges, bankruptcy judges, and magistrate judges. It doesnt apply to the Justices of the Supreme Court. (States have their own codes based on ABA guidelines.)
The federal code also provides advisory guidance using ethical canons for judges to whom the code applies. The Code of Conduct provides guidance for judges on issues of judicial integrity and independence, judicial diligence and impartiality, permissible extra-judicial activities, and the avoidance of impropriety or even its appearance, the conference says.
Supreme Court Justices arent required to observe the code. According to the Constitution, they serve as long as they exhibit good behavior, or face possible impeachment and removal for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
In our history, most impeachment proceedings have involved federal judges. As of 2015, 15 of 19 officials impeached by the House were federal judges, and of 16 trials conducted in the Senate, all eight people convicted were federal judges.
Only one Supreme Court Justice, Samuel Chase, faced an impeachment trial in a politically charged environment during the Jefferson administration. In 1805, Chase was charged by the House that he made partisan decisions as a lower-court judge before he joined the Supreme Court. A Senate packed with Jeffersons allies acquitted Chase on all counts in a trial presided over by Vice President Aaron Burr.
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Congress has failed in attempts since 1973 to impose conduct guidelines on the Supreme Court. A bill has been introduced in the current Congress called the Supreme Court Ethics Act to require the Supreme Court of the United States to promulgate a code of ethics. The bills authors cited an opinion in a 2009 Supreme Court case, from Justice Anthony Kennedy, that judicial conduct codes help maintain legal integrity, and that Congress already as some power over the Supreme Court in deciding who serves on the Court, as well as complying Justices to fill out financial disclosure forms.
In 2011, Chief Justice Roberts made it clear in his end-of-year report that he believed Congress didnt have the constitutional power to impose conduct rules on the Supreme Court.
The Code of Conduct, by its express terms, applies only to lower federal court judges. That reflects a fundamental difference between the Supreme Court and the other federal courts, Roberts said. Article III of the Constitution creates only one court, the Supreme Court of the United States, but it empowers Congress to establish additional lower federal courts that the Framers knew the country would need. Congress instituted the Judicial Conference for the benefit of the courts it had created. Because the Judicial Conference is an instrument for the management of the lower federal courts, its committees have no mandate to prescribe rules or standards for any other body.
Other Justices have talked about conduct codes in congressional testimony. Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer made a rare Senate Judiciary Committee appearance in 2011, where the code of conduct was raised as an issue.
Breyer said when there was an ethics question he couldnt resolve about his participation in a case, he called an ethics professor. Breyer also pointed out that unlike the lower federal courts, there wasnt another judge to bring onto the Supreme Court to take his place and he had a duty to sit.
Sometimes those questions are tough, and I really have to think them through, and I have to make up my own mind. Others cannot make it up for me. And that is a very important part, I think, of being an independent judge. We are given tough questions to answer, Breyer said.
Scott Bomboy is the editor in chief of the National Constitution Center.
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Donald Trumps subdued tweet this morning announcing that Governor Mike Pence of Indiana will be his running mate puts an end to the endless speculation about whom he would choose and the embarrassing spectacle of short-listers Chris Christie and Newt Gingrich acting like desperate ingenues on a casting couch.
Related: 10 Things You Should Know About Mike Pence
But Pence is the wrong choice.
The GOP nominee-to-be and his presumptive Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton have popularity rates that suggest they are running for Public Executioner not Chief Executive of the United States. The Real Clear Politics average of national polls says 56.2 percent of those surveyed have an unfavorable opinion of Clinton. But Trump has her beat: His unfavorables are at an astounding 60 percent (around the level of public mistrust in the media he likes to pillory)
So they both need campaign partners who will attract the alienated and electrify the undecided.
Thats not what Trump will get from a rock-ribbed Republican evangelical like Pence.
Pence, who served in the House for a dozen years, checks a lot of the boxes for Trump: Washington experience, executive chops, social conservative, tax cutter, telegenic. But as Politico noted, the 57-year-old Pence has sworn off negative campaigning. So hell be more Golden Retriever than Rottweiler.
Related: Mike Pence for Vice President: Maybe Trumps Not So Crazy After All
Of course, maybe Trump doesnt need an attack dog since there isnt an ankle he wont bite or an associate he wont sue when provoked. However, the problem is not only that Pence probably cant fill that role, its that for all those on the Christian Right he may attract, his stances on gay rights and abortion may galvanize those on the left and some in the center.
And Mr. Electricity hes not.
More important, Trumps safe-choice pick of Pence also could play right into Clintons hands.
Now she has a chance to select a campaign partner who will speak to all those Democrats, independents and disaffected Republicans looking for a little truth and propriety in this carnival of an election someone whose honesty is unimpeachable, whose sense of justice is proven and whose fearlessness offsets Clintons clumsy caution.
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Talk is that her safe pick would be Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. But Kaine would just be Clintons Pence.
Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
The first thing that Leslie Berland, 38, does when she gets to Twitter's San Francisco office on the south side of Market Street is actually spend a few minutes outside the building. "I will ask a member of my team if they want to grab coffee or go for a stroll before we walk in," says the longtime New Yorker, who remains bicoastal but has spent most of her time in the Bay Area since joining Twitter earlier this year.
The former American Express exec has adjusted to her new company's office-less ethos and meets with her team at one of the building's many public spaces (for private calls with outside contacts, there's an old-style phone booth). "I did have an office in my previous life, but I have always very much been somebody who is out and about on the move, always with my team," says Berland, who was with AmEx for almost 11 years.
Read More: An Inside Look at Medium's San Francisco Offices With CEO Ev Williams
The Twitter cafeteria, where the company provides meals for employees
She says she particularly loves the outdoor roof area at the 1937 Market Square building where Twitter occupies more than 800,000 square feet. The $12 billion company moved into the former wholesale furniture market in 2012 and today has more than 3,000 employees across 35-plus offices, including New York, London, Dubai and Paris. "I love experiencing the energy and the culture in difference offices," says Berland, who as a part of her new job recently visited several of the international offices.
But back in San Francisco, Berland has a few personal touches on her desk, including a photo of her husband and kids and a framed collage of tweets from her former AmEx boss, Ed Gilligan, who died in 2015. The memento, a gift from Twitter, is something she often references during the work day. Says Berland, "It means a lot to me to hear his voice in the way that only Twitter was able to capture."
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One of Berland's favorite places to go when she needs a moment outside the office
Twitter-branded cornhole for when staff need a little down time
This neon sign shows off a hashtag popular among Twitter employees
A soccer match plays during lunchtime at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco
Snowboards and skis adorned with the Twitter logo
A version of this story first appeared in the July 22 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
By PTI: Varanasi, Jul 15 (PTI) After a court ordered lodging of an FIR of cow slaughter against Mohammad Akhlaqs family of Bishada village, the Uttar Pradesh Police here today said it would conduct a free and fair investigation in the matter.
"Now as the court has ordered investigation and lodging of an FIR against Akhlaq?s family, we are determined to conduct a free and fair investigation into the matter," ADG (law and order) Daljeet Singh Chauhary said.
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Jaan Mohammad, brother of Akhlaq, had yesterday said the decision of the court has to be respected..."but the investigation should be fair".
Chaudhary was responding to reporters queries on Jaans statement.
50-year-old Akhlaq was killed by a mob on September 29 last year on the suspicion that his family stored and consumed beef at their home.
Residents of Bishada village in Dadri had met the Gautam Budh Nagar SSP on June 5 to press their demand for filing of an FIR against Akhlaqs family for alleged cow slaughter.
Judicial Magistrate Vijay Kumar yesterday ordered investigation and lodging of an FIR of cow slaughter against Akhlaqs family.
Chaudhary was speaking here after a review meeting to assess the preparation for the Shravan month beginning Monday.
The meeting was attended by Varanasi IG (Zone) SK Bhagat along with DIGs, SSPs and SPs of 10 Eastern UP districts under the Varanasi-Zone.
He said as such there was no input of terrorism threats from central or state intelligence agencies, though alert would be sounded for a month till the Shravan ends and police deployment would be increased.
Agencies such as ATS, STF, and others would keep a watch to prevent any untoward incident, he said, adding security would be tightened in and around the Kashi Vishwanath and other temples. PTI COR TIR ZMN TIR
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Two teams looking to find the consistency needed for a playoff push collide in Chicago on Friday when the Sky play host to the Dallas Wings at Allstate Arena.
Dallas will be without star forward Glory Johnson, who is sidelined for a month with a broken toe. She is the Wings' leading rebounder and top defender and was coming off a 20-point, 20-rebound performance before suffering the injury last week in a loss at Atlanta.
Without Johnson, the Wings (9-12) have lost two straight and five of seven overall. They were blown out by the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx 93-56 on Saturday. Dallas was outrebounded 43-26 and outscored 26-1 in second-chance points by Minnesota.
The Wings have struggled on both ends of the court. They are surrendering the most points per game in the WNBA (87.5) and not moving the ball effectively on offense.
Odyssey Sims leads the Wings in scoring with 14.8 points. Johnson, Karima Christmas, Skylar Diggins, Plenette Pierson and Aerial Powers also are averaging double figures.
Yet despite the balanced attack, Dallas is second-to-last in the league assists at 15.4 per game. No Dallas player scored in double figures in the loss to Minnesota and Diggins was shut out.
The Sky (8-12) have not won back-to-back games since early June. They are coming off a 77-67 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday and are ninth in the league standings. The top eight teams qualify for the playoffs.
Reigning league MVP Elena Delle Donne is having another big season and is second in the league in scoring, averaging 20.6 points and also shooting 42.1 percent on 3-pointers. She had 14 points, behind Cappie Pondexter's 18, in the Sky's 92-87 win over Dallas on May 29 in the teams' only previous meeting this season.
Pondexter is averaging 11.4 points and Allie Quigley is at 10.8 points per game for the Sky, who are third in the league in rebounding and should have an edge on the boards against the undermanned Wings.
This is the Wings franchise's first season in Dallas after moving to Texas from Tulsa, Okla., in the offseason.
The world reacted Thursday to the news of an attack in Nice, France, that left at least 84 people dead, 18 in critical condition and injured scores.
Many took to Twitter to express their condolences, including celebrities, politicians and general well-wishers.
French President Francois Hollande, who held a press conference in the aftermath of the attack early Friday morning local time, tweeted: France is afflicted but I assure you she is strong and she will always be stronger than the fanatics that want to strike her today, according to a translation provided by the Guardian.
La France est eploree, affligee, mais elle est forte et le sera toujours plus que les fanatiques qui veulent aujourdhui la frapper. #Nice Francois Hollande (@fhollande) July 15, 2016
President Barack Obama released a statement condemning the attack, saying that the White House would be in touch with French officials to offer assistance.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump responded to the tragedy online, calling the incident horrific and later cancelling a planned news conference where he was expected to announce his pick for a running mate.
Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his support and condolences for France on behalf of all Canadians.
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Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people. Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 14, 2016
Singer Lady Gaga posted a tribute in solidarity with France and its people.
I am praying for you France. When u open your eyes and see chaos, we will close our eyes and see harmony. We are with you. Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) July 15, 2016
Twitter users used the hashtag #PrayForNice to express their condolences for those lost in Nice after a truck slammed into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day.
"We must learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools."
Martin Luther King Jr.#PrayForNice pic.twitter.com/XzLqchSk4Q Deep Quotes (@MotivatinQuotes) July 15, 2016
It feels like every morning we're waking up to another tragedy, when will this end? #PrayForNice pic.twitter.com/ohs3QDDY6l Emma Hill (@Ems_EJSTYLE) July 15, 2016
Paris (AFP) - Politicians from around the world have reacted with horror after a truck smashed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 84 as they watched a Bastille Day fireworks display.
Following are the main reactions:
- US President Barack Obama condemned what he said appeared to be a "horrific terrorist attack".
"We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack," he said in a statement.
"On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world."
- US Secretary of State John Kerry, who had been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: "The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed."
- Germany "stands alongside France in the fight against terrorism," Chancellor Angela Merkel said, adding that "words can barely express" what France's allies felt.
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: "Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people."
- A spokesman for new British Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack "a terrible incident", adding "we are shocked and concerned".
- Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain's new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador's Bastille Day party in London, said on Twitter: "Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life."
- New York mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that he was "sickened by news of another senseless attack".
- European Council President Donald Tusk called it "a sad day for France, for Europe". He said it was "tragic" that "the subjects of the attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity."
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Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim -- whose own country suffered deadly suicide bombings at Istanbul's airport two weeks ago -- condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack that has bloodied Nice on this national celebration day".
- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang offered his "condolences" to the victims and said China opposed all forms of terrorism.
- The United Nations Security Council called the attack "barbaric and cowardly".
- Latin American leaders also condemned the carnage, with Brazilian interim president Michel Temer declaring: "Today, more than ever, we are all French." Ecuador's President Rafael Correa added that he was sending France "a hug" after "a tragedy caused by insanity".
- The Vatican said in a statement that it "condemned in the strongest possible terms" the bloodshed in Nice.
(Reuters) - Xerox Corp privately rejected a bid to merge its document business with financial printing firm RR Donnelley & Sons Co , the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Norwalk, Connecticut-based Xerox has drawn some interest in potential deals since announcing plans in January to split into two businesses, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. RR Donnelley, which is also in the process of breaking up, proposed that its executives take control of the combined operations, and sought several hundred million dollars in new cost cuts, the newspaper reported. Xerox declined to comment while RR Donnelley was not available for comment outside regular U.S. business hours. Reuters reported Monday, citing sources, that Xerox has been in talks to acquire RR Donnelley, but the companies still had significant issues to negotiate and a deal was not imminent. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair)
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL July 15, 2016 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include BG Staffing, Inc. (BGSF), MiX Telematics Limited (MIXT), Stamps.com Inc. (STMP), Vanguard Natural Resources, LLC (VNR) and Air France-KLM SA (AFLYY).
Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.
Here are highlights from Thursdays Analyst Blog:
Small Caps Yet to Hit Highs: 5 Stocks to Buy Right Now
The recent rebound in oil prices, improvement in job numbers and favorable manufacturing data have all infused some optimism in the market. Investor confidence was further bolstered with the International Monetary Fund affirming negligible impact of Brexit on U.S. markets and the positive influence of the overwhelming victory of Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Additionally, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) has declined 3% year to date to nearly 13.5, reflecting low volatility in the U.S. markets.
While these factors have already propelled a number of large and mid-cap stocks to their all-time highs, the small-cap space is still largely untapped. This is because, investors resorted to safer bets first.
Small-cap stocks are considered inherently risky on account of low trading liquidity, limited access to capital, brief operational history and lack of publicly available information.
However, small cap stocks with good fundamentals have much higher growth potential than their large-cap counterparts. As an evidence, the Vanguard Small Cap ETF clocked a return of 7.75%, conveniently topping the S&P 500's 5.51% over the last 10 years.
Historically, small caps have outperformed in an expanding economy when the risk of recession is low. That is why many believe this is the right time to build positions in small-cap stocks instead of continuing to invest in the mid- and large-caps that have already appreciated to their highs.
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Nonetheless, identifying the right small-cap stocks could be quite a challenge.
Here, we have handpicked 5 attractive small cap stocks that are yet to reach their highs with the help of our new style score system. The stocks below have the combination of a favorable VGM score, a favorable Zacks Rank, a market cap below $2 billion and a projected long-term EPS growth of above 20%.
BG Staffing, Inc. (BGSF) is a national provider of temporary staffing services across a diverse set of industries. Its present business segments offer temp services in the Multi-Family, Professional and Commercial sectors. The expected EPS growth rate over the next 5 years stands at 20%.
Forward P/E: 12.91
MiX Telematics Limited (MIXT) provides fleet and mobile asset management solutions. It offers vehicle tracking services for the consumer and commercial vehicle market worldwide. The expected EPS growth rate over the next 5 years stands at 22.5%.
Forward P/E = 18.47
Stamps.com Inc. (STMP) provides easy, convenient and cost-effective Internet-based services for mailing or shipping letters, packages or parcels anywhere anytime in the U.S. The expected EPS growth rate over the next 5 years stands at 20%.
Forward P/E = 17.05
Vanguard Natural Resources, LLC (VNR) is an independent natural gas and oil company, focused on the acquisition, exploitation and development of natural gas and oil properties. The expected EPS growth rate over the next 5 years stands at 22.7%.
Forward P/E = 3.17
Air France-KLM SA (AFLYY) is an airline company. The company's core business is passenger transport, cargo transport, and aircraft maintenance services. The expected EPS growth rate over the next 5 years stands at 28.8%.
Forward P/E = 3.53
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL July 15, 2016 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses eCommerce, Part 1, including Facebook (FB), Twitter (TWTR), Amazon (AMZN), eBay ( EBAY) and Alibaba (BABA).
Industry: eCommerce, Part 1
Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/85918/9-trends-shaping-retail-ecommerce-in-2016
The retail sector appears to be growing steadily, according to recent estimates from eMarketer. The research firm says that while retail sales grew 3.3% in 2015, it may be expected to grow 3.5% this year. The U.S. remains the largest retail market, but developing countries are growing pretty fast.
Ecommerce remains a fairly small part of total retail at just 7.1% of U.S. retail sales, but eMarketer is optimistic that the share will grow to 9.8% by 2019. Note that the share of ecommerce sales in total retail sales is relatively lower in the U.S./North America with Western Europe and Asia/Pacific already doing 7.5% and 10.2% of their purchases online.
As a reminder, data formats continue to vary widely, data collection and evaluation remain difficult, so reliance on surveys by government and private agencies remain relevant.
The U.S. Census Bureau says that the manufacturing sector is relatively more reliant on e-commerce (60.9% of their total shipments), followed by merchant wholesalers (27.7% of their total sales). These two segments make up the business-to-business (B2B) category.
Retailers and service providers generated just 6.4% and 3.8%, respectively of their revenues online, with retailers growing faster than service providers. The Bureau categorizes these two segments as business-to-consumer (B2C).
Manufacturers and retailers grew their business double-digits, while wholesale and services saw single-digit growth. [All the above data from the U.S. Census Bureau relate to 2014, as published in June 2016].
Government data indicates that retail ecommerce has outpaced total retail sales growth in recent times even in bad quarters for the sector. Some of this is on account of the continued shift from offline to online retail, as customers (baby boomers) move to online channels. But its also because new consumers (millenials) often start out on online channels. These consumers spend more time in a connected, social environment and take for granted many of the online tools previous generations struggled to understand, appreciate and then adopt. Therefore, ecommerce will likely continue to outpace total retail sales in the foreseeable future.
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Buyer Trends and Preferences
1. Mobile, Wearables : It just isnt possible to overstate the importance of mobile devices, and now wearables, as a factor driving ecommerce sales. eMarketer estimates that mobile commerce will be 32.0% of ecommerce sales and 2.6% of total retail sales in 2016. Smartphones in particular are seen as becoming a bigger driver, growing to 50% of mobile commerce next year and 53.5% by 2020. Forrester says that mobile devices dont just drive sales but also influence sales (it estimates that mobile influenced $1 trillion in 2015 sales). The strength continues to be driven by larger mobile screen sizes, new categories (cars, grocery, luxury that were earlier restricted to offline purchase) and greater comfort in using online payment systems. The increasing number of devices per person is leading to a trend of using multiple devices during the process of gathering information and buying a product and a tendency in many cases for the process to move from online to offline channels.
2. Social Networking : The traditional buying experience often involves friends or family getting together to look through merchandise and select after much discussion. The online experience has been more restrictive in this respect. Despite the fact that personal recommendations and comparison shopping have been around for a while, these are helpful in making a selection, but dont make buying a collaborative exercise. So the shopping experience has been more of a chore than fun. Once the novelty of doing things online wears off or for those who have been doing it online from the get-go, there will be a natural tendency to start looking for more, so this is where social networks like Facebook (FB) and Twitter ( TWTR) will start playing a bigger role. Facebook has already announced Buy buttons and store fronts and more is sure to follow. Twitter has a Buy button as has Pinterest and Google Shopping.
3. Geography Isnt a Barrier Any More : These days, if people want to buy something they dont get at the retail store, the first thing they do is check online (or they might check online first and decide their point of pickup accordingly). So the world is getting ever smaller as shoppers see local, state, national and international barriers melt away. And satisfaction leads to higher demand and also, higher expectations.
Before going into the seller strategies, lets just touch upon prospects in the Chinese and Indian markets since they are likely to grow very strongly this year.
China
The general things the Chinese look for when shopping online are good service and high-quality products (especially if they are the fast-growing upper middle class and affluent customers in cities). But they also reportedly prefer online marketplaces rather than brand sites to avail of discounts, promos, payment options and choice. With the digital revolution in China, many Chinese also have multiple devices they use to research a product or shop on.
While Chinas economy has cast a shadow on retail sales expectations this year, findings of Boston Consulting Group and AliResearch (a part of Alibaba) say that Chinas consumer economy will expand by about half, to $6.5 trillion by 2020, even if annual real GDP growth cools to 5.5%. They identify three drivers: a growing upper middle and affluent class, a new generation (between 18 and 35 years of age) of freer spending and more tech-savvy consumers. Ecommerce will contribute 42% of total consumption with 90% of this coming from mobile. Services rather than goods will contribute 51% of the growth. Moreover, in a survey of 2,000 Chinese consumers just 7% said that stock market trends would affect their decision to spend, 8% also added housing market concerns but a whopping 35% said that rising incomes would be a greater influence on spending.
Cross-border trade is another driver, as Chinese youngsters are extremely brand conscious and like to buy foreign goods, especially if theyre from the U.S., South Korea or Japan. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce says that cross-border transaction value will make up 20% of total Chinese foreign business and continue to grow at over 30% year.
India
According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), ecommerce in India will grow 67% this year into a $38 billion market. This is 10x the size in 2009 when it was worth $3.8 billion.
The top drivers were stated to be the increasing Internet and mobile penetration, growing acceptability of online payments, favorable demographics, aggressive online discounts, wider choice and rising fuel price. Mobile platforms handled 78% of shopping queries in 2015 compared to 46% in 2013. Apparel, electronics, baby care, beauty & personal care and home furnishings were top categories in 2015, each growing strong double-digits. 26-35 year-olds constituted the biggest segment (52%), followed by the 18-25 year-olds (38%), 36-45 year-olds (8%) and 45-60 (2%). The male to female ratio of shoppers was 65%/35%.
Companies like Amazon (AMZN) and eBay (EBAY) in the U.S., Alibaba ( BABA) in China, and Flipkart and Snapdeal in India have facilitated the ecommerce revolution so they are in many ways the benchmarks of success in the industry. Traditional retailers are adjusting their strategies studying the strengths and challenges these businesses have faced. But its now apparent that everything that works for the big players may not be ideal for smaller ones, so some new strategies are also emerging.
Also, since ecommerce is basically a new way of doing an old thing, the challenges for the segment are both with respect to the traditional model and the new evolving one.
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Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.
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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
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By India Today Web Desk: Controversial Islamic televangelist Zakir Naik today denied having any links with terrorists and claimed he was being targeted for running an Islamic channel, Peace TV, which has been banned by the government.
In a press conference in Mumbai he addressed from Madina city in Sauba Arabia through Skype, the Islamic preacher dismissed as "misinformation" that he had ever advocated suicide bombings, saying he always condemned them since innocent people get killed and this is "anti-Islam".
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"However, it (suicide attacks) may be used as a tactic of war to save the country. In all other circumstances where innocents are targeted, it is condemnable," Naik told reporters.
Claiming his statements on terrorism and suicide bombing have been doctored and tampered out of context, Naik said he unequivocally condemned all terrorist activities.
"I was shocked when I saw the discussions in media on me. My statements were incomplete, without context and some even doctored," the 50-year-old Islamic preacher alleged.
"I challenge you to show me any unedited answer of mine where I have not condemned suicide bombing of the kind that is happening," Naik said at the conference, which he began by condemning the Nice attack in France in which an Islamic State militant is alleged to have mowed down 80 people today.
Naik, whose name cropped up following a terror attack in Dhaka in which a few perpetrators were believed to have been inspired by him, said, "The Indian media has started trial on the basis of one Dhaka report, which is wrong."
ALSO READ | Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's financers traced to Saudi Arabia, UK
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By MacDonald Dzirutwe HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has failed to pay the army on time for the second straight month, military sources said on Friday, underscoring the precarious financial position of President Robert Mugabe's government as it faces rare popular protests. The military is paid on the 14th of the month but soldiers and air force officers said they were still to receive their pay and had not told when they would get it. The delays could fuel political tensions in the southern African nation, which has been hit by drought, a drop in mineral prices and chronic cash shortages - all factors behind this month's protests against 92-year-old Mugabe. "The mood is sour among the rank and file. Life is tough and we are not being told by our superiors whether we will be paid this month or not," one private told Reuters. One colonel said: "We have not been informed of new pay dates by the ministry of finance." There was no comment from finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, who was attending an African Union summit in Rwanda with Mugabe. Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore could not be reached for comment. DEFIANCE There was a two-week delay in the June pay check for the military, a central security pillar throughout Mugabe's 36 years in charge of the former British colony. Without balance of payment support and foreign credit, the government is seeking to clear $1.8 billion arrears to the International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank and World Bank in a bid to unlock new funding. But the IMF said on Thursday it was still far from a financial program with Mugabe's government, which would need to resolve issues of governance, accountability, transparency and carry out economic reforms before receiving any cash. Last week, a 'stay away' protest movement led by activist pastor Evan Mawarire shut down most businesses, government offices, schools and hospitals in the biggest act of public defiance in a decade. Mawarire, who rallied followers under his #ThisFlag Twitter hashtag, was arrested this week and formally accused of treason but was freed on Wednesday when a magistrate threw out the charges. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is suffering from cancer and who has so far stayed on the sidelines of the protests, pitched in on Friday, saying he backed Mawarire and other groups such as Tajamuka (We Refuse). Tsvangirai said Mugabe should step down to make way for a transitional government to implement political reforms and plan fresh elections. "I am giving President Mugabe an opportunity to soft land the national crisis. He will only have himself to blame if citizens take matters in their own hands. The ball is in his court," he told reporters. (Writing by Ed Cropley; Editing by Joe Brock and Robin Pomeroy)
From Sweet
Saturday
10 a.m
1. A Southwestern Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Trip
If you ask friends for restaurant suggestions before visiting Santa Fe, chances are that Pasqual's will be the most frequently, and most emphatically, recommended. It certainly does tick all the boxes one wants ticked in Santa Fe. The menu, which is composed of Southwest and Mexican staples, features generously seasoned dishes nearly all of which are made with organic ingredients. And the atmosphere couldn't be more idyllic: The inside of the cozy, historical pueblo-style building is full of vibrant colors and buzzing energy. Seize the opportunity to order your first of many dishes "Christmas style"-that is, with both red and green salsa.
Cafe Pasqual's, 121 Don Gaspar Avenue, pasquals.com.
12 p.m.
2. Take In the Canyon Road Art Scene
Canyon Road and its adjacent side streets make up the best area to take the pulse of Santa Fe's diverse art scene. Start your tour on nearby Garcia Street, at Garcia Street Books and Photo Eye bookstore. (Downtown Subscription, the coffee shop next door, will sort you out if you need a post-breakfast jolt before taking on the bulk of your art walk.) Then wind around to Paseo De Peralta to visit Nedra Matteucci and Gerald Peters galleries before making your way down Canyon Road proper, which boasts half a mile of must-see exhibits and collections.
Start at Garcia Street Books, 376 Garcia Street, garciastreetbooks.com.
1:30 p.m.
3. There's a Chocolate Treat for Everyone
At Kakawa, it's not a question of if you want chocolate, but how you want it. Options abound: you could spring for the sipping variety (a house speciality), which can be served warm or iced, or the ice cream (we recommend the spicy Aztec chocolate), or you could select a few truffles, mendiants (chocolate discs topped with nuts and dried fruit), or chili-infused bites to nibble on at one of the bistro tables inside the cafe. (If you were wondering: We ordered it all.)
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Kakawa Chocolate House, 1050 Paseo De Peralta, kakawachocolates.com.
2 p.m.
4. Go Where the Action Is
Santa Fe's plaza is at its most exciting at midday, when the music of buskers wafts through the park and the food carts hiss and sizzle through the lunchtime crush. Be sure to peruse the wares sold by Native American vendors, who typically display their offerings (everything from necklaces to flask holders) on blankets in the shade along the perimeter of the park. If it's offbeat fashion you're after, pop into Santa Fe Dry Goods' Workshop, which specializes in unconventional styles from Europe. When you're ready for lunch, sidle up to the El Molero Fajitas truck for a juicy chicken wrap and convince someone to split an order of tamales with you.
Santa Fe Plaza, 63 Lincoln Avenue, no website
3 p.m.
5. Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
Before visiting the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, you may have already noticed her famous colors saturating this amazingly colorful part of the world. You won't find a better education on her work than here-not only does the museum house more than 3,000 of the artist's works, they also look after many of her former residences and studios throughout New Mexico.
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson Street, okeeffemuseum.org.
5 p.m.
6. Your Humble Adobe
Located within walking distance of many downtown bars and restaurants, the sprawling Inn on the Alameda is a great homebase for your weekend of exploration. If you check in between 4 and 5 p.m., you'll be strolling right into the hotel's wine-and-cheese happy hour, which takes place in the rustic, cozy lobby. But don't worry if you miss it-you'll find plenty of comfort and relaxation elsewhere on the premises, whether that's via an in-room fireplace or by unwinding with a soak in the outdoor hot tub. In the mornings, then inn also serves an indulgent buffet breakfast, featuring local specialties and morning staples like quiche and warm, flaky croissants. At the end of the day, sinking into your room's ultra-soft bed may well become an unexpected highlight of the trip.
Inn on the Alameda, 303 East Alameda Street, innonthealameda.com.
8 p.m.
7. Cocktails at "The Pink"
Work up an appetite with drinks at the charming Pink Adobe, or as locals simply call it "The Pink." While no one would fault you for beelining for the margarita section of the cocktail menu (they offer five house recipes), we recommend the bright and spicy Bulleit Storm, which is composed of Bulleit rye whiskey, ginger beer, a splash of St. Germain elderflower liqueur, and fresh lemon juice.
The Pink Adobe, 406 Old Santa Fe Trail, thepinkadobe.com.
9 p.m.
8. Dinner at Joseph's
The culinary offerings in Santa Fe are nothing if not consistent, but Joseph's, which opened in 2014, brings something unique to the table. Often, head chef and owner Joseph Walde uses the tenets Southwestern cuisine as a mere starting point (or simple, final flourish) for his dishes, and combines them with cooking styles from other regions to create something totally original. On our visit, we happily tucked into the Warm Charred Ratatouille and the Chicken Kale and Prosciutto Roulade, the latter of which was lent Southwestern flair via a roasted red pepper coulis.
Joseph's of Santa Fe, 428 Agua Fria Street, josephsofsantafe.com.
11 p.m.
9. A Midnight Movie Care of a Notable Local
If you have the energy after dinner, a midnight movie at the Jean Cocteau Cinema (conveniently located just a couple of blocks from Joseph's) is worth staying up for. After sitting vacant between 2006 and 2013, the theater was reopened by Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, and now hosts midnight screenings on Fridays and Saturdays. The slate varies from lesser-known indies to cult-y blockbusters, and films are shown both digitally and on 35mm.
Jean Cocteau Cinema, 418 Montezuma Avenue, jeancocteaucinema.com.
Sunday
10 a.m.
10. Watch the Masses Go to Mass
The stunning Cathedral Basilica is impossible to miss while traipsing around the center of town, and you'll be able to appreciate it most on Sunday mornings just before 10 a.m., when churchgoers mingle on the steps before going inside to take their seats for morning mass.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, 131 Cathedral Place, cbsfa.org.
10:30 a.m.
11. A Diner With Homespun Flair
For breakfast, drive (or catch an Uber) out of downtown Santa Fe to eat at local favorite The Pantry, which serves up diner-style fare with a Southwestern twist. You simply have to decide how much of a twist you're in the mood for-you could keep things fairly simple with an order of the blue corn cinnamon pancakes or really go for it with the chile relleno omelette, which you can, of course, order Christmas style.
The Pantry, 1820 Cerillos Road, pantrysantafe.com.
Noon
12. An Art Experience Like No Other
If you're looking for a singular art experience, Meow Wolf, an "art complex" that opened earlier this year, is the place for you. The main point of interest for visitors will be the "House of Eternal Return," which is a massive art installation that can be explored via a series of trapdoors and surprisingly connected fantastical vignettes. Elsewhere on the premises, there's a space for workshops, where attendees can learn how to apply various media and technology to their creative endeavors.
Meow Wolf, 1352 Rufina Circle, meowwolf.com.
2:00 p.m.
14. Join in the Chile Battle
Green chile, you will have realized by this point in your visit, is a source of pride in Santa Fe, and the best green chile in town is a hotly contested topic. We've got no complaints about Santa Fe Bite's green chile cheeseburger, which you can opt to top with bacon (something we highly recommend).
Santa Fe Bite, 311 Old Santa Fe Trail, santafebite.com.
3:30 p.m.
16. Take a Quick Detour to Japan
It's been an eventful weekend-full of lots of walking and lots of eating. Now's the perfect time to take a short drive out of the city and to the edge of the Santa Fe National Forest, where the Ten Thousand Waves spa is nestled among the foothills of the mountain range that begins here. You'll experience an authentic Japanese bath house, with multiple pools and jacuzzis for soaking, a meditation room, and even a special pool specifically for soothing your feet, which can be enjoyed while overlooking a peaceful and very well-stocked koi pond. (If you become peckish during your visit, there is on-site restaurant that serves fresh, inventive Japanese fare.)
Ten Thousand Waves, 21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, tenthousandwaves.com
7:00 p.m.
17. Dinner at The Shed
Back in town, visit the other restaurant in town that frequent visitors usually implore people to check out. The Shed is a family-owned restaurant that's been feeding locals and many visitors to the town's bustling plaza since it opened in 1953. They've pretty much nailed all the Santa Fe standards on the menu, but you'll want to make sure that someone at the table orders the red chile enchiladas. Now is also the best time to go nuts with the margarita menu (you'll be able to walk back to the hotel from here, after all).
The Shed, 113 East Palace Avenue, sfshed.com
9:00 p.m.
18. Stargazing With the Astronomy Club
A sizable percentage of your time in Santa Fe will be spent looking skyward, in awe of the expansive landscape, which sometimes offers stunningly picturesque vistas perfectly (and somewhat uncannily) framed by the buildings in town. At night, take advantage of northern New Mexico's world-renowned dark skies by booking a stargazing session at Clayton Lake State Park; these are run by Art Grine, the president of the Astronomy Club who also happens to be the town's go-to barber. It's the ideal way to catch your last breath of that fabled Santa Fe magic.
Clayton Lake State Park, 141 Clayton Lake Road, emnrd.state.nm.us. (To schedule, contact Art Grine at claytonastronomyclub@gmail.com or call 575.374.1133.)
Honorable Mentions
Food
Geronimo, geronimorestaurant.com
The Compound, compoundrestaurant.com
Rancho de Chimayo, ranchodechimayo.com
Drinks
La Fiesta Bell Tower Bar at La Fonda Hotel, lafondasantafe.com
Secreto Lounge, secretolounge.com
Lodging
Inn and Spa at Loretto, destinationhotels.com/inn-at-loretto
The Apartment at The Pink Adobe, airbnb.com
La Posada de Santa Fe, laposadadesantafe.com
Things to Do
Seret & Sons, seretandsons.org
Andrea Fisher Pottery, andreafisherpottery.com
Andrew Smith Gallery, andrewsmithgallery.com
Farmers' Market, santafefarmersmarket.com
Violet Crown Cinema, santafe.violetcrown.com
Santa Fe Opera House, santafeopera.org
Worthy Treks
Ghost Ranch, ghostranch.org
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks, blm.gov
The Town of Milan, NM, 2-hours drive from Santa Fe
White Sands National Monument, nps.gov
It's no secret that Google and the EU's anti-competitive practices department have a rocky relationship. Google has been accused of abusing its monopoly power to keep competitors out of the business in the past, and now regulators are doubling down.
The European Commission today issued a "statement of objections" against Alphabet, Google's parent company. The main complaint is the contract Google signs with third-party websites that use its advertising service, which forces websites to put Google's ads front and center, and prevents them from using ads from non-Google services.
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The EU's problem mostly lies with how Google puts conditions on its AdSense program. According to the EU, Google abuses its power to prevent websites from showing ads from other ad companies. In the EU's opinion, that constitutes anti-competitive behavior, and Google could be facing sanctions or fines.
According to EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, "Google has come up with many innovative products that have made a difference to our lives. But that doesnt give Google the right to deny other companies the chance to compete and innovate."
Google has already hit back, with a spokesperson telling the WSJ that "we believe that our innovations and product improvements have increased choice for European consumers and promote competition. Well examine the commissions renewed cases and provide a detailed response in the coming weeks."
Trending right now:
See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Samsung already told everyone that the Galaxy Note 7 is the next hot Note phablet and that itll launch it on August 2nd in a special Unpacked event in New York of course, we knew all that from all the leaks we saw in the past few months.
We also know pretty much everything there is to know about the phones specs and we have plenty of pictures showing its final design, including purported press renders. Some reports also even offered potential pricing details and release dates for the handset, and a new rumor claims youll be able to order the Galaxy Note 7 a lot sooner than you think.
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According to Dutch website GalaxyClub, Galaxy Note 7 preorders will start on August 2nd in the Netherlands, as soon as Samsung unveiling event is over.
Assuming the sites reliable source has accurate information, its likely that many other buyers will be able to preorder the handset, in major European markets but also the US. However, thats just speculation at this point.
Whats clear is that Samsung wants to have plenty of time to sell the phone ahead of the iPhone 7s arrival. Also of note pun intended is that the Galaxy S7 preorders kicked off a day after Samsungs Barcelona event at MWC 2016. The phone should be available for preorder from Samsungs online shop, but carriers will likely start their preorders once Samsung starts selling it.
Other sources said the new Note phablet would be Samsungs most expensive new smartphone. Previous reports claimed the phone will be available for in-store purchases by mid-August, which still gives Samsung plenty of time to bank on the Galaxy Note 7s popularity before the iPhone 7 Plus launches.
Trending right now:
See the original version of this article on BGR.com
A federal appeals court in New York has ruled that Microsoft and other tech companies do not have to turn emails stored on servers overseas over to the U.S. government, in what is seen as a landmark privacy case.
The company had challenged a Department of Justice warrant seeking access to emails believed to be related to a drug-trafficking case, which were held on a Microsoft server in Dublin. An earlier ruling at the district-court level required the U.S. software giant to hand over the emails, according to Reuters.
The case is considered important by privacy advocates and companies that offer cloud-computing services around the world. Microsoft had warned that allowing access to emails on overseas servers could usher in a free for all in terms of access to peoples private information, as other countries could similarly demand access to data in the U.S., the BBC reports.
Circuit Judge Susan Carney said in the ruling on Thursday that communications held outside the U.S. were not covered by warrants under the Stored Communications Act (SCA), passed by Congress in 1986. We conclude that Congress did not intend the SCAs warrant provisions to apply extraterritorially, she wrote. The focus of those provisions is protection of a users privacy interests.
The upcoming Mi Pro will also have 4GB or 6GB of RAM and the 64GB or 128GB internal storage. The screen size is said to measure 5.5 inches.
By Javed Anwer: Xiaomi is reportedly working on a phone with Pro moniker -- most likely Mi Note 2 Pro -- and is expected to launch that in the coming months. Rumours from China hint that the phone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, which was announced just recently, and will have a FullHD AMOLED screen. The phone will have a 3700 mAh battery.
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The phone is also supposed to come with the Sony-made IMX260 image sensor in its camera. This sensor clicks 12-megapixel images. It is the same one that is used in the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, however, unlike Samsung which pairs the sensor with an F1.7 lens in its top phones, Xiaomi will use a less-brighter F2.0. Although that is understandable because the Xiaomi's device may also cost significantly less than Samsung's top phone.
The upcoming Mi Pro will also have 4GB or 6GB of RAM and the 64GB or 128GB internal storage. The screen size is said to measure 5.5 inches.
Xiaomi, which had a rather dull 2015, is hoping to pick the pace this year. It kick-started its recovery, if that is what you can call it, with the Xiaomi Mi 5 but due to a rather confusing product line-up and very strong competition is finding the going tough.
Also Read: Xiaomi launches Mi mosquito repellent for Rs 290
So far, the company has focussed on driving the prices down for its devices in a bid to make them more appealing to the mass market. However, now we are hearing that to better compete with Apple and the Samsung and in a bid to shore up the brand, the company may also come out with a more premium phone.
From the looks of it, the upcoming Mi Pro may could be this "premium phone". The AMOLED screen, even if it has a 1080p resolution, could be good enough while the other components -- particularly the camera and processors -- are definitely best in class. Although a lot will also depend on the design. Such a phone will also help Xiaomi compete with the OnePlus 3, a phone that looks more appealing than the Xiaomi's Mi 5. Incidentally, the OnePlus 3 also has a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen with FullHD resolution.
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A Microsoft Lumia 950 sits on display at a media event for new Microsoft products on October 6, 2015 in New York City (AFP Photo/Andrew Burton) (Getty/AFP/File)
San Francisco (AFP) - Microsoft said Friday it will take longer than initially expected for Windows 10 to reach a billion devices due to the lack of traction in its smartphone business.
The company had set an ambitious goal of having a billion gadgets running on Windows 10 monthly when the latest generation operating software was release nearly a year ago.
The US technology giant said Windows 10 is already powering more than 350 million devices monthly in what it described as "the hottest start in history."
"We're pleased with our progress to date, but due to the focusing of our phone hardware business, it will take longer than FY18 for us to reach our goal of 1 billion monthly active devices," a Microsoft statement read.
The spread of Windows 10 in the year ahead was expected to be driven by use in businesses and in new devices.
Microsoft has aggressively promoted upgrades from old versions of Windows, and has made Windows 10 available as a free upgrade until the operating system turns one year old on July 29.
After that, it will be available pre-installed on new devices or for purchase separately, with a home computer version priced at $119, according to the Redmond, Washington-based company.
Microsoft provoked ire by pushing people to upgrade to Windows 10 by automating the process and, for a time, modifying the red "x" in a corner of an upgrade notice pop-up box to approve the action instead of simply closing the message.
Apple said this year it has one billion active devices running iOS software that powers the California-based companies iPhones, iPads and iPods.
Microsoft will mark the one-year anniversary of Windows 10 with a major update to the software.
"The Anniversary Update will help people be more productive, stay safer online and, of course, have fun," Windows and Devices Group corporate vice president Yusuf Mehdi said in a blog post.
The Windows 10 update set for release on August 2 promised improved security and enhanced capabilities for the Microsoft Edge browser.
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It also adds Microsoft Ink, which supports the use of digital pens for tasks such as writing, drawing or working on math problems.
The new Windows 10 lets virtual assistant Cortana handle more commands, and opens the door to sync with Xbox One consoles to play video games.
Windows 10 operating system is designed to work on laptops, desktops, smartphones, Xbox One consoles, HoloLens augmented reality headsets and more.
Ghana is not perfect, but so is the rest of the world. We may be suffering severe dumsor, fuel prices may go up whenever we blink and you may just get duped at circle if you arent sharp but that is all part of being Ghanaian. Ghana is a great country but people still strive to leave the country at every opportunity they get. Well yen.com.gh want to make that decision easier with these 8 excellent reasons why you should definitely leave.
1. Ghana is not peaceful at all
Due to the recent political and religious unrest in the west and Arab nations, one would think now is the best time to leave the very peaceful shores of Ghana in search of greener pastures.
2. Ghanaians are known to be extreme
If you are looking for the biggest cowards in the world who will not trade their lives and peace of mind for a belief, Ghanaians are the last people to consider. Ghanaians are very extreme.
3. It's really expensive to live Ghana
When you have to spend Gh50p on hausa kooko or GhC5 for waakye, then it shows you how expensive it can be to get in Ghana. Therefore choose the life abroad where a cup of coffee is averagely $3 which is about Ghc10.
4. There is no freedom of movement
Even as a citizen and member of ECOWAS and AU, you still need identification when you step out just so authorities know that you are not an illegal immigrant who is trying to fend off benefit packages meant for Ghanaians.
5. There is no compassion or sense of belonging
When something bad suddenly happens to you, no Ghanaian is going to run to your aid or assist you when you need it the most. You just can't stop someone to ask for directions in Ghana when in some other countries, people go as far as leaving what they are doing to help you find your way.
6. Ghana is underdeveloped
When people say African countries are still very primitive in their physical appearance and processes, it might be true. Have you ever seen anything other than mud huts in Ghana? If you want to experience the best parties, food and alcohol at the classiest locations, you are better off using all your savings to apply for a visa to travel abroad.
7. Everyone in Ghana is so moody
Some people say they have experienced so much friendliness in a certain country that sometimes it feels like the people are nosy; but not here in Ghana.
8. Ghana police will shoot you
Ghana police haphazardly shoot citizens because, why not? Aside the fact that they hate it when you dip your hands into your pocket (because it is definitely not bribe) they also like to shoot citizens who look like they are about to break the law... and they of course can get away with it.
Do you still want to leave Ghana?
Comment below and share post with your friends.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Attention! I have big news!
Tracy.Thomas@ipo.gov.uk
Ivanka Trump's Hettie sandal on the left, Aquazzura's
'Wild Thing' on the right
Are you brimming full of ideas about the IP valuation market? If so, prick up your ears: The UK Intellectual Property Office is calling for research bids to enhance our understanding of this market. How does it work? What stops it working properly? How could it be made to work better? Research should draw on international experience and best practice in IP valuation. Questions and expressions of interest should be registered withInvitations to tender will be issued on 1st August 1, 2016.Andrea Brewster (former CIPA President and famed for her Secret Diary ) urges IP professionals to think about what we can do create an inclusive environment for people who are different from ourselves. I know the IP professions to be full of decent, well-meaning, morally responsible people. So what goes wrong? Andrea searches for answers in her thought-provoking article When accused of shady business practices, the Trump family comes out fighting. Vogue reports that the Italian company Aquazzura has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Ivanka Trump, accusing her of ripping off their Wild Thing shoe design. The CFO of Trumps licensing company strongly denied the accusation, saying that: "The shoe in question is representative of a trending fashion style, is not subject to intellectual property law protection and there are similar styles made by several major brands. The lawsuit is without merit." Designers will find the 'everyone else is doing it' argument frustratingly familiar. Thanks to the Linkedin Group Fashion+IP for drawing this story to our attention.For the last 5 years, The Modern Poland Foundations CopyCamp has been an important forum for balanced and multi-sided debate about copyright, with delegates from the creative industries, the media and the worlds of law, politics and academia. This year, discussions will focus on The Future of Copyright in Europe. You can submit presentation proposals here . You should include an abstract of no more than 1800 characters on one of the following topics: Copyright and Art, Remuneration Models, Copyright, Education and Science, Technologies, Innovation and Copyright, Copyright and Human Rights, Copyright Enforcement, Copyright Debate or Copyright Lawmaking. The deadline for proposals isSeth and Rivka Fortgang, residents of the Long Island village of Lawrence, commissioned an architect to design them a unique dream home. The NY Daily News reports that their dream has turned into a nightmare as the Schwartz family in the nearby village of Cedarhurst plan to build a near identical mansion. The Fortgangs have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit, citing smoking gun evidence that the Schartzs got hold of copies of the architects plans (which are registered at the US copyright office) and used them to design a very similar looking property. The Schwartzs lawyer says his clients have agreed to temporarily postpone construction of the present design... pending certain changes and amendments to its exterior facade. This Kat is sceptical that the infringement claim is well-founded, but have a look at article and decide for yourself.Join the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers ( CISAC ) in ongoing celebrations of their 90 year anniversary. As part of the celebrations, CISAC published '.' Here's a teaser: "In June 1926, a small group of like-minded authors' societies from 18 countries convened in Paris for a historic meeting that led to the creation of CISAC. This handful of individuals sought to extend the concept of authors' rights, invented by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais in the 18th century, throughout the world. Today, CISAC counts 239 authors' societies in 123 countries, protecting the rights and promoting the interests of over 4 million creators worldwide." Refer to the CISAC website for more information about the organisation's work.
But speaking from his unrelated French visit, Kerry eagerly defended the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in keeping with the highly optimistic tone that the Obama administration has been striking ever since the negotiations wrapped up. The New York Times suggested on Thursday that that optimism remained strong at the one-year mark, but that the administrations celebration was severely muted by the lack of progress in other areas of Iran policy.
The initial hope on the part of the White House was that the diplomatic opening between the two countries would promote a moderating trend within the Iranian regime. But this has not come to pass, and many commentators on the Iran nuclear deal have taken the Obama administration to task over this issue on the occasion of the anniversary.
For instance, Struan Stevenson, the president of the European Iraqi Freedom Association and an ardent supporter of the Iranian resistance, published an editorial in UPI decrying the notion that the nuclear deal was a diplomatic breakthrough and calling attention to various indicators of ongoing hardline behavior on the part of the Iranian regime.
Stevenson insisted that at this one-year mark we now know that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is far from moderate despite having been embraced by many Western policymakers and some Iranian citizens as a meaningful alternative to his hardline predecessor and the higher ranking officials who enforce the fundamentalist character of the clerical government.
Stevenson points out that Rouhani has been known to use religious rhetoric to justify the regimes barbarity and has concordantly overseen a steep increase in executions, with approximately 2,500 Iranians having been hanged since Rouhani took office in 2013. Yet Stevensons article alleges that the Rouhani administration and the regime as a whole have been subject to relatively little criticism from Western executives as they focus narrowly upon the nuclear issue.
Some other media have begun to suggest that even this narrow focus will not allow policymakers to go on ignoring an apparent lack of moderation within the Iranian regime. Although Rouhani received some credit from Irans Western adversaries for seriously pursuing a nuclear agreement, critics of the regime insisted that that approach was necessitated by the economic pain the regime had suffered and the consequent importance of securing sanctions relief.
This interpretation has been underscored by a growing list of instances in which Rouhani has demonstrated an aversion to moderation not only in domestic affairs but also in dealing with the very entities with which he had concluded nuclear negotiations. Iranian propaganda against the West has apparently surged in the months since the nuclear agreement was implemented, signifying that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is taking steps to forestall what he sees as Western infiltration. And the Rouhani administration has contributed to this trend, for instance by ordering expanded ballistic missile development and accusing the US of obstructing Irans post-sanctions recovery.
Around the time of the deals anniversary, Rouhani evoked further hardline sentiments by warning that Iran would be able to return to previous levels of nuclear development in a very short period of time, as soon as it considered the US to have violated the deal. These remarks, which were quoted in a report by the Eurasia Review seem to be aimed at pressuring the US to help Iran to improve its economic outcomes, perhaps by lifting sanctions that remain in place because they are unrelated to the nuclear issue.
As well as calling into question Rouhanis moderate credentials, such commentary may raise further doubts about Kerrys defense of the nuclear agreement, which focuses on the idea that by constraining Irans nuclear program it has made the world a safer place. This sentiment has been directly contradicted by Western lawmakers and experts who think that the deal provides insufficient guarantees of Iranian compliance while leaving the door open for Iran to pursue the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and other parallel components.
In other words, critics feel that by not taking action on Irans overall illicit behavior, the nuclear agreement actually legitimizes the clerical regime and makes the world less safe from its most unsavory ambitions. This type of argument was made, for instance, by Representative Mike Pompeo in an editorial at Fox News. He says that Irans worsening hardline behavior means that the JCPOA is not protecting American interests and that, as a result, Congress must act to change Iranian behavior, and, ultimately, the Iranian regime.
Without explicitly endorsing this message of regime change, the USA Today commented upon the anniversary of the nuclear agreement by expressing the familiar conclusion that Irans overall behavior had grown more assertive. Although the article claims that Iran has been generally abiding by the nuclear agreement, it says that the economic effects of that agreement have been very modest in the case of the Iranian population as a whole, but have had a much stronger impact on the hardline Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the driving force behind a series of anti-Western provocations.
The IRGC has also helped to shape Iranian foreign policy so that it remains severely at odds with Western interests, as by privileging the defense of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad ahead of the international goal of defeating the militants affiliated with the Islamic State. And as the USA Today also points out, these self-serving regional priorities have allowed Iran to drive deeper wedges between itself and other Middle Eastern powers, chiefly Saudi Arabia.
Those divisions have become so deep and so contentious that a highly-placed member of the Saudi royal family, former intelligence chief Turki al-Faisal, saw fit to appear at the NCRI rally in France on Saturday and explicitly endorse the goal of regime change in Iran.
Many of the commentators on the one year anniversary of the JCPOA have stopped short of calling for such an outcome from alternative Western policies. But many have also pointed in that direction by emphasizing the idea that Iranian behavior has grown worse and that rapprochement has proved unworkable. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, for instance, Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson Center declared that Irans increasing aggressiveness in the midst of expanding macroeconomic opportunities constitutes an ominous trend line for anyone concerned about Irans growing role in the Middle East and its continued interest in one day attaining nuclear weapons.
But whether motivated by the desire for regime change or simply by a more general and short-term goal of constraining Irans worst behavior, a number of US lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to push back against the nuclear agreement over the past year. And they continue to do so on the occasion of the anniversary.
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reported on Thursday that the House of Representatives had passed a bill aimed at preventing the White House from repeating a deal made in April, in which the Department of Energy arranged to buy 8.6 million dollars worth of heavy water from Iran, in order to help the Iranians to remain beneath the cap set by the JCPOA. Although a non-radioactive substance, heavy water is the byproduct of nuclear activities and can be used in the production of a nuclear weapon.
Some of the Obama administrations detractors described the deal as an instance of directly financing Irans nuclear activities using American taxpayer money. As such, the bill to obstruct future such deals passed by a vote of 249-176. It remains to be considered by Senate, where Republican-Democrat margins are much narrower, and it also faces the threat of a presidential veto. But it is also precedes two other bills that the House will shortly be voting on which would undercut the nuclear agreement.
And the Washington Free Beacon reports that Congress is in the process of pursuing legislation related to a parallel issue of Iran policy, namely the payment of 1.7 billion dollars by the US as settlement of a longstanding debt, which some detractors believe was actually a form of ransom paid to help secure the release of four Americans who were held in Iranian jails just prior to implementation of the JCPOA. The legislation in question would force the Obama administration to reveal more information about the circumstances leading to that payment, and would also prevent any other such payments of taxpayer money to Iran or other state sponsors of terrorism.
None of these congressional efforts promises to directly cancel the JCPOA, but in light of recent Iranian threats they certainly increase the probability of the deal being cancelled on the Iranian side. Indeed, the New York Times observes that the agreement faces serious threats from both sides. Meanwhile, the Christian Science Monitor indicates that the threat from the Iranian side is made worse by the fact that Iran is now facing the inevitable disillusionment over its high expectations for financial recovery.
At the same time, the West is facing its own disillusionment in light of the expectations introduced by the White House regarding moderation in the Iranian regime. And it is clear that for many commentators on the anniversary of the nuclear agreement, this is sufficient reason to reevaluate the essence of the agreement and of Western policy toward Iran.
When, in the mid-2000s, he served as the lead negotiator on the nuclear issue, Rouhani boasted to his fellow officials that he had helped to maintain a calm environment so that Western powers would alleviate some pressure while Iran continued to develop its nuclear program and expand its uranium enrichment capabilities. It should have been clear to Western negotiators in 2015 that this was exactly the endgame that the recently-elected Iranian President had in mind. It is likely that the P5+1 knew full well that moderation was not really on the table, he added.
The evidence shoes that Iran has continued to stockpile ballistic missiles, continued to provoke Western targets, and continued the mass arrests of journalists, activists, and dual nationals. Irans already alarming rate of executions only continues to grow. Records show 2,500 executions since Rouhani took office, including an appalling nearly 1,000 hangings in 2015.
Tehran has dispatched thousands of troops to Syria, in an outrageous attempt to assist Assad and to keep that regime in place, and to support militias in Iraq and Yemen.
Anyone who understands how small the return has been for the West following nuclear negotiations, and how many risks exist in promoting business with large sections of the Iranian economy controlled by the Ayatollah, the IRGC and entities linked to severe violations of human rights and to terror financing ought to pay attention to the voice of Iranian dissidents who gathered in a major rally in Paris organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by Maryam Rajavi states Terzi.
On July 9, in Paris, the Free Iran convention was attended by hundreds of European and American politicians and bipartisan government dignitaries, as well as prominent Middle Eastern figures, like Prince Turki al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia, who sent a narrative that outlines the reality faced by the people of Iran, than the narrative espoused a year ago. For them, the outcome of the negotiations has had a negative impact. The regime has been empowered at their expense, especially those working toward a truly democratic system.
Terzi goes on to say, An Iran that is in the hand of religious extremists is an Iran that is harmful to Western interests. Any successful policy on Iran should hinge any improvement of relations upon improvement of human rights in Iran, should prevent any dealings with the Revolutionary Guards, the main apparatus of murder and terror, and should call for serious consequences for Iran dispatching its Guards and mercenaries to Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East.
According to Terzi, a policy must be put in place that is consistent with the values and principles, as well as the commitment, of the European Union and its member States: to promote human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of Law, the only policy which provides assurance to our regional allies and identifies us with the aspirations of Iranians crying for freedom.
BIO Applauds Advancement of H.R. 3299
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) President and CEO Jim Greenwood released the following statement today regarding yesterday's passage by the House Energy and Commerce Committee of H.R. 3299, the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2016:
"BIO applauds yesterday's broad, bipartisan vote by the House Energy & Commerce Committee to advance H.R. 3299, the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2016. If enacted, this bill would take substantial steps to address the many barriers which exist to developing medical countermeasures needed for protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats as well as naturally-occurring infectious diseases such as Zika virus and pandemic influenza.
"The bill's establishment of a Priority Review Voucher (PRV) program for material threat medical countermeasures is a particularly important provision which will help spur investment in the research and development of such products.
"We applaud Representatives Brooks and Eshoo, as well as Chairman Upton, for their leadership in advancing this vital legislation."
About BIO
BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIOtechNOW is BIO's blog chronicling "innovations transforming our world" and the BIO Newsletter is the organization's bi-weekly email newsletter. Subscribe to the BIO Newsletter.
Upcoming BIO Events
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[July 14, 2016] Fitch Affirms Wright Memorial Hospital's (MO) Revs at 'BBB-'; Outlook Stable
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the 'BBB-' rating for the following Grundy County Industrial Development Authority (MO) debt issued on behalf of Wright Memorial Hospital (WMH): --$27 million health facilities revenue bonds, series 2009. The Rating Outlook is Stable. SECURITY The bonds are secured by a pledge of the unrestricted receivables of the JB Wright Trust (the Trust, owner of WMH and obligor on the bonds), a debt service reserve, and a mortgage lien on hospital property. The bonds are payable primarily from lease payments received by the Trust from Saint Luke's Hospital of Trenton (SLHT), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saint Luke's Health System (SLHS). SLHS guarantees these lease payments by SLHT. KEY RATING DRIVERS SAINT LUKE'S AFFILIATION IS KEY STRENGTH: The 'BBB-' rating is based primarily on WMH's relationship with SLHS, via an operating agreement with SLHS's wholly-owned subsidiary SLHT. SLHT has operated WMH since 1995 via the agreement, which affords WMH many benefits including a guaranty of lease payments of no less than debt service on the series 2009 bonds through 2023. OPERATING STRUCTURE RISK: The guaranty and operating agreement does not extend through the maturity of the bonds (2034), which Fitch views as a credit risk. The current term of the operating agreement is through 2023 with automatic five-year renewal periods. After the initial term, SLHS can terminate the lease with a one-year notice unless there is an event of default. IMPROVED CASH: As expected, WMH settled three outstanding cost reports in 2015 which helped to increase cash. Unrestricted cash was $3.6 million at fiscal 2015, equal to 44.9 days of cash on hand (DCOH) and 12.8% cash to debt. Incremental improvement in fiscal 2016 is expected from additional settlement payments and ongoing work to reduce accounts receivables (A/R). WEAKER PROFITABILITY: Despite some improvement in clinical volumes, WMH's profitability slipped in 2015 due to higher expenses related to expanded oncology services, and other operating expense growth. WMH produced a 10.3% operating EBITDA margin, behind the 12.7% generated in 2014. Some volume pressure in the three month interim period is suppressing profitability in interim 2016, though additional physicians starting in the fall are expected to help generate some revenue growth in the last quarter. RATING SENSITIVITIES CONTINUATION OF OPERATING AGREEMENT: WMH's investment grade rating assumes the extension of the operating agreement beyond its current 2023 term, and ongoing relationship with SLHS. Any change in this relationship would likely result in negative rating action. CREDIT PROFILE WMH is a critical access hospital located in Grundy County, approximately 85 miles northeast of Kansas City, Missouri. Other services include outpatient clinics, inpatient and outpatient surgery, and a rehabilitation program. Total revenues in 2015 were $30.4 million, of which $2.6 million relates to the Trust and is primarily lease income from SLHT. Fitch's financial analysis is based on the combined financials of the Trust and WMH. AFFILIATION WITH SLHS The key rating factor supporting the 'BBB-' rating continues to be WMH's affiliation with SLHS, via an operating agreement which provides for significant benefits including strategic support, management expertise, contract leverage, and a guaranty of lease payments to the Trust equal to debt service requirements on the series 2009 bonds. The guaranty exists in conjunction with the operating agreement, which now runs until 2023, with five subsequent automatic renewal periods of five years each. Although this guaranty is notsecured under a master indenture note, it acts as a guarantee by SLHS of debt service payments through 2023 (the bonds mature in 2034). While not publicly rated by Fitch, internal analysis of audited fiscal 2006-2015 and three-month interim 2016 data confirmed SLHS' solid credit profile.
IMPROVING LIQUIDITY As anticipated, WMH benefitted from the settlement of three Medicare cost reports in fiscal 2015, which helped bolster its cash levels to $3.6 million ahead of $2.1 million in fiscal 2014. In addition, work to reduce days in A/R in fiscal 2016 coupled with two potential additional cost report settlements and stronger operating cash flow should result in additional balance sheet growth in fiscal 2016 and into fiscal 2017. WMH maintains a very conservative capital structure, with 100% fixed rated debt, no exposure to equities, and no pension risk.
DIP IN PROFITABILITY Profitability was squeezed in 2015 by expense growth. Expenses were up in part due to strategic growth in key services, including oncology and the acquisition of a primary care clinic in Mercer. Further expense pressure is likely as WMH pursues a joint Hospitalist program with Hedrick Medical Center, and looks for other opportunities to add specialists to the service area. Based on hospital-only financial performance, WMH will likely finish behind its modest 1.2% operating margin budget for 2016, but may still outperform its slight (0.5%) operating loss in 2015. Still, the addition of a surgeon and an ENT physician should bring offsetting revenue growth in the last quarter of 2016 and into 2017. DEBT PROFILE WMH has $27 million in long-term, fixed-rate debt outstanding, maturing in 2034. Maximum annual debt service (MADS) equals $2.5 million, and debt service is level. WMH is not counterparty to any derivative instruments. As long as the operating agreement is in the place, the Trust is not subject to a rate covenant on the bonds. DISCLOSURE WMH covenants to provide audited annual financial statements 180 days after the year-end close and quarterly disclosure 45 days after the quarter close to bondholders via the Electronic Municipal Market Access system (EMMA). Annual disclosure will consist of a balance sheet, income statement, medical staff, revenue sources, and utilization statistics. Fitch has had good access to WMH management, including representative leadership from SLHS and the Trust. Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. Applicable Criteria Revenue-Supported Rating Criteria (pub. 16 Jun 2014) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=750012 U.S. Nonprofit Hospitals and Health Systems Rating Criteria (pub. 09 Jun 2015) https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=866807 Additional Disclosures Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=1008924 Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1008924 Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31 ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160714006375/en/
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[July 14, 2016] NASA Mars Rover Engineer Z. Nagin Cox to Keynote SIGGRAPH 2016
ACM SIGGRAPH announces the selection of Z. Nagin Cox (News - Alert), Spacecraft Operations Engineer with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA JPL), as the SIGGRAPH 2016 keynote speaker. ACM SIGGRAPH's annual conference is the world's leading interdisciplinary educational experience showcasing the latest in computer graphics and interactive techniques. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160714006433/en/ SIGGRAPH 2016 Keynote Speaker Z. Nagin Cox (Photo: Business Wire) For her keynote, Cox will share stories of NASA missions, including the Mars Exploration Rover, which cut through earthly political and cultural issues, and redefine persistence in engineering and technology. She known for making listeners rethink their place in the universe and reminding them that robotic explorations of the solar system (and beyond) symbolize all that humankind can do. "We are thrilled that a scientist of Nagin [Cox]'s caliber will be joining us as our keynote speaker! Since the beginning of time, people have looked up at the night sky and wondered at the frontiers of our knowledge. While there are examples of solitary human exploration, most endeavors that push boundaries involve teams of people working together for a common goal. Robotic space missions are no different - they are defined by the passion of the people who build, launch, and send them out into the dark void to make great discoveries. Nagin will certainly fascinate, inform, and entertain our attendees this year," said SIGGRAPH 2016 Conference Chair Mona Kasra. Cox adds, "I am truly excited to be part of SIGGRAPH 2016. No missions of space exploration would be possible without the technologies of computer graphics and the human/robotic interactions they enable. I am very much looking forward to sharing stories of discovery with an audience whose innovations will drive missions of the future." A graduate of Cornell University, Cox also attended the Air Force Institute of Technology where she received a master's degree in Space Operations Systems Engineering. After leaving the Air Force to pursue more civilian space applications, she joined NAAJPL in 1993 and began her time on planetary missions working in outer solar system projects. She served as the Deputy Team Chief of the engineering spacecraft fight team for NASA/JPL's Galileo mission to Jupiter until the year 2000, then moved to inner solar system exploration as the Deputy Team Chief of the Spacecraft/Rover Engineering Flight Team. Visit the ACM SIGGRAPH blog for more on Cox.
Cox has spoken to audiences around the U.S., in Europe, and in the Middle East on the stories of the people behind these missions. Additionally, she is also involved with the Women's Rights Committee of the Human Rights Watch. SIGGRAPH 2016 will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, 24-28 July 2016. Visit s2016.SIGGRAPH.org for more details about Cox's keynote address, taking place on Monday, 25 July, and to learn more about the conference.
About SIGGRAPH 2016 The annual SIGGRAPH conference is a five-day interdisciplinary educational experience in the latest computer graphics and interactive techniques, including a three-day commercial exhibition that attracts hundreds of companies from around the world. The conference also hosts the international SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival, showcasing works from the world's most innovative and accomplished digital film and video creators. Juried and curated content includes outstanding achievements in time-based art, scientific visualization, visual effects, games, real-time graphics, virtual -+reality, and narrative shorts. SIGGRAPH 2016 will take place from 24-28 July 2016 in Anaheim, California. Visit the SIGGRAPH 2016 website or follow SIGGRAPH on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or Instagram for more detailed information. About ACM SIGGRAPH The ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques is an interdisciplinary community interested in research, technology, and applications in computer graphics and interactive techniques. Members include researchers, developers, and users from the technical, academic, business, and art communities. ACM SIGGRAPH enriches the computer graphics and interactive techniques community year-round through its conferences, global network of professional and student chapters, publications, and educational activities. About ACM ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for lifelong learning, career development, and professional networking. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160714006433/en/
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[July 15, 2016] Mindteck Expands Footprint in the Midwest
Mindteck, a global product engineering and IT services company since 1991, has appointed Tom Toerner to lead the company's expansion into the Midwest as part of its US growth strategy. The company's present US footprint encompasses a presence in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Missouri, Texas, California, and a roster of over 250 professional services employees across 34 states. Globally, the company has offices in the UK, India, Germany, Netherlands, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Bahrain; also four development centers - two in India and one each in the US and Singapore. Toerner has over 20 years of experience in sales, IT consulting services and account management. His primary focus at Mindteck is driving sales and developing new strategic relationships in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky from a base in Cincinnati. Previously, he was Regional Director - Analytics at Data Intensity, LLC, a national analytics, business intelligence and managed cloud servicesconsulting firm. Prior roles include Regional Director at Compuware (News - Alert) Corporation, where he was responsible for sales, delivery and recruiting in the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana territories, and Senior Account Executive at Keane (News - Alert), Inc., where he was responsible for consulting solutions sales that included staffing, managed services projects and large IT outsourcing engagements. Toerner holds a mechanical/engineering degree from Cincinnati State, and he also studied Business Management at Xavier University.
"Tom is a seasoned leader who is passionate about what he does. Aside from his enthusiasm and prowess, he brings a level of expertise at a time of incredible momentum in our business, so we're pleased to have him on board," commented Meenaz Dhanani, President of Mindteck, Inc. The company is presently gaining traction in the smart cities space, embedded design, storage and data center transformation, and recently joined the Intel (News - Alert) Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions Alliance. Mindteck serves top-tier Fortune 50-1000 companies, start-ups, government entities and leading universities around the globe. It is also among a select group of global companies appraised at Maturity Level 5, Version 1.3 of the CMMI Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), as well as a Founding Member of 'The Atlas online' - an interactive tool that provides visualizations of growth opportunities - for the Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160715005382/en/
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[July 15, 2016] Energy Harvesting System for Wireless Sensor Network Market Worth 1576.9 Million USD by 2022
PUNE, India, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Energy Harvesting System for Wireless Sensor Network Market by Sensor (Temperature, Pressure, Flow, Level, Humidity, Position, Motion & IR), Technology (Light, Vibration, & Thermal), Application, and by Geography - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the total market is expected to reach USD 1576.9 Million by 2022, at a CAGR of 19.1 % during the forecast period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )
Browse 32 market data Tables and 87 Figures spread through 153 Slides and in-depth TOC on "Energy Harvesting System for Wireless Sensor Network Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/energy-harvesting-system-wireless-sensor-network-market-194168359.html
Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The growth of the market for wireless sensors powered by energy harvesting system is attributed to the growing demand for green power sources and the extensive implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) for building & home automation. Temperature sensors are expected to lead the energy harvesting market for wireless sensor network The increasing demand for temperature sensors is attributed to its high requirement in building and home automation sector for monitoring room temperature in residential and commercial buildings, air duct temperature monitoring, and warehouse temperature monitoring among other applications. The recent push by economies such as the U.S. and Canada toward smart homes and building automation and industrial automation is the key factor driving the growth of the Energy Harvesting System For Wireless Sensor Network Market. Industrial application is expected to lead the market during the forecast period The market is segmented on the basis of application into building and home automation, aerospace, industrial, automotive, railways, transportation infrastructure, and security. The energy harvesting system for wireless sensor network market in the industrial application is expected to hold the leading position by 2022 owing to applications such as machine health monitring, pressure pump health monitoring, tank level monitoring, and flow control. Vibration energy harvesting is widely used for industrial wireless sensor network applications because of available vibration energy from machine process pumps and other devices. The increasing installation of energy harvesting system for wireless sensor network in these applications is driving the market for vibration energy harvesting in the industrial application.
The market in North America is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period The market in North America is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2022 because of the increasing demand for smart homes, need for green energy sources, favorable government initiatives, and demand for safe and durable power sources. The wireless sensor network for vibration energy harvesting held the largest share of the market in this region owing to the increasing installations of wireless sensors in industrial applications.
Inquiry Before Buying: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=194168359 The major players in wireless sensor network and energy harvesting ecosystem are ABB Limited (Switzerland), Convergence Wireless (U.S.), Cymbet Corporation (U.S.), EnOcean GmbH (Germany), Fujitsu Limited (Japan), Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.), Microchip Technology Inc. (U.S.), STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (U.S.), EnOcean GmbH (Germany), Linear Technology (California), and Lord Microstrain (U.S.).
Browse Related Reports IoT Chip Market by Component (MCU, FPGA, Memory, Sensor (Image, Inertial, Temperature, Pressure, Humidity, Flow, Level)), Connectivity Technology (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Ethernet, NFC, Cellular, Z-Wave), Vertical & Geography - Global Forecast to 2022
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/iot-chip-market-236473142.html IWSN (Industrial Wireless Sensor Network) Market by Sensor (Temperature, Pressure, Level, Flow, Humidity, & Others), Technology (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wirelesshart, & Isa.100.11a), Application (Oil & Gas, Energy & Power, Automotive, & Food & Beverage) & Geography Trend & Forecast to 2020
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/wireless-sensor-networks-market-445.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firms in terms of annual 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:
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[July 15, 2016] Major Carrier Selects Zayo for National Dark Fiber Solution
Zayo Group (News - Alert) Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZAYO) has been selected by a major U.S. carrier for a dark fiber network that will enable the customer to significantly expand its service area. The network leverages both Zayo's existing long haul fiber network and previously announced routes that are under construction. The carrier will utilize 3,200 route miles from Zayo, connecting nine markets and crossing eight states. By leveraging network that is largely in place, Zayo expects to generate strong IRR and unlevered cash flow from this contract. "Zayo's dark fiber backbone will enable the customer to expand its footprint and provide high-bandwidth services to consumer and business customers," said Randy Brogle, vice president of Long Haul Dark Fiber at Zayo. "Dark fiber is an ideal solution for carriers that want to expand their network presence and effectively support future capacity requirements." Zayo's North American long haul dark fiber network, which includes approximately 29,000 route miles, addresses the needs of carrier, content, enterprise and public-sector organizations for high-capacity communications infrastructure. For more information,please visit zayo.com.
About Zayo Group Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ZAYO) provides communications infrastructure services, including fiber and bandwidth connectivity, colocation and cloud services to the world's leading businesses. Customers include wireless and wireline carriers, media and content companies and finance, healthcare and other large enterprises. Zayo's 112,000-mile network in North America and Europe includes extensive metro connectivity to thousands of buildings and data centers. In addition to high-capacity dark fibre, wavelength, Ethernet and other connectivity solutions, Zayo offers colocation and cloud services in its carrier-neutral data centers. Zayo provides clients with flexible, customised solutions and self-service through Tranzact, an innovative online platform for managing and purchasing bandwidth and services. For more information, visit zayo.com.
Forward Looking Statements This press release contains a number of forward-looking statements. Words, and variations of words such as "believe," "expect," "plan," "continue," "will," "should," and similar expressions are intended to identify our forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements will be achieved and actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. For additional information on these and other factors that could affect our forward-looking statements, see our risk factors, as they may be amended from time to time, set forth in our filings with the SEC (News - Alert), including our 10-K dated September 18, 2015. We disclaim and do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as required by applicable law or regulation. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160715005600/en/
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J/Boats News is a digest of worldwide events, regattas, and news for sailing enthusiasts and members of our J Community. Contributions regarding your racing, cruising or human interest stories on-board J's are welcome- please send to "editor@jboats.com".
MATTOON -- Century 21 KIMA Properties has announced that Doris Reynolds has joined their team of real estate professionals.
According to a press release, Reynolds is a full-time licensed realtor and has practiced since 1999 and is a graduate of the Real Estate Institute. She is a lifelong resident of Coles County and is active in the community.
She currently serves as secretary of the Lake Land College Board of Trustees, chairwoman of the Resource and Development Committee and as the trustees liaison to the foundation.
Elected in 1993 to the LLC Board of Trustees, she is has served as chairwoman, vice chairwoman, secretary and as a member of the legislative, resource and development, and building and site committees.
Reynolds is a member of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, where she received the Education Award. She is a charter member of the Mattoon Light Works Committee and served as a board member and chairwoman to CCAR. She retired from Consolidated Communications after working 32 years. She is a graduate of Lake Land College and attended Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.
Her goal is to make the buying and selling process as easy and enjoyable as possible for her clients. A house is likely the largest single purchase a person will make and the process can be stressful. Reynolds said she believes that having someone experienced, knowledgeable, thorough and patient can make the process more enjoyable.
Slightly fewer companies applied for tax incentives in Nebraska in 2015 compared with 2014.
According to the Nebraska Tax Incentives Annual Report to the Legislature, which was released Friday by the Department of Revenue, there were 59 agreements signed last year under the Nebraska Advantage Act, down from 65 the year before.
The largest agreement was with Union Pacific, which according to the report plans to spend $1 billion and hire 200 people.
The biggest project in Lancaster County to apply for tax incentives last year was for Monolith Materials, a California company that is teaming up with Nebraska Public Power District to build a carbon black plant at Sheldon Station in Hallam. It plans to invest $210 million and hire 100 people for the plant, which it hopes to have operational by 2019.
Including that application, there were 11 applications from companies listing Lincoln as their sole project location. Those projects combined proposed more than $250 in investment and more than 500 jobs.
An additional seven projects listed Lincoln along with other locations. That includes Ameritas, which is proposing 194 jobs, and Cabela's, which is proposing 300.
Cabela's is rumored to be nearing a sale to Bass Pro Shops with a separate sale of its credit card operation based in Lincoln. Either of those could mean job cuts in the state.
Other companies, including Union Pacific and Hexagon Lincoln, applied for tax incentives last year but later cut jobs.
Companies do have several years to make the planned investments and job increases, and if they do not, the state is not on the hook for any incentives.
LEIGH Imagine everything you love is gone.
Thats how Shawn Schweitzer gets herself to cry.
I envision who I am and everything I have and then I imagine it all being taken away -- loved ones, an idea of who I am, said Schweitzer, adding that crying on cue is one of the hardest things about acting.
Schweitzer and 15 other Nebraska actors are part of The Coldest Blood, a movie being shot in the Columbus area over the next month.
Writer, director and lead actor Lucas Schmidt, a David City native, said acting has been his dream since he was a kid.
While studying secondary education at Concordia University in Seward, he realized he didnt have to live in Hollywood to act.
During his time there he participated in many diverse roles in theater.
Over time he began to network, making connections outside the college campus in theater and film.
Omaha and Lincoln are actually pretty big film communities, the 23-year-old said.
After running out of money, Schmidt dropped out of school about halfway through and returned to the David City area, putting aside his acting dreams.
Then he started to miss the world of acting. Schmidt figured the only way to juggle everyday life and his dreams was to bring the movie set to him.
I never did it for the money anyway. I do it because I love it, he said.
Schmidt started writing day and night, before and after work until he had a 100-minute script titled "The Coldest Blood."
Now all he needed were actors.
Schmidt posted a casting call on a Facebook page directed toward in-state actors. He was flooded with interest for his project.
Schweitzer, a Lincoln resident who plays the quiet, nerdy older sister of Schmidts character, said shell go anywhere the work is while auditioning for films numerous times a year across the state.
Most of the time I get picked for roles specifically, not necessarily because I auditioned for them, said Schweitzer, whose tattoos can sometimes determine whether she lands a role.
She was perfect for this film since her character is closely related to who she is in real life.
For just a moment, you get to be someone else, in someone elses shoes, she said of her love for acting.
Although it's being filmed around the Columbus area, the movie is based in the Chicago suburbs.
The lead character and his fiance, played by Justin Parker, find themselves amid a string of murders in their quiet neighborhood. Since the victims are heterosexual couples, they don't fear for their safety until Schmidt's character finds clues that point to his fiance as the killer.
The movie is expected to be released around Thanksgiving, or Valentines Day at the latest. Schmidt is hoping to premier it in area theaters, but said nothing is set in stone.
The film's progress can be tracked by looking for "The Coldest Blood" on Facebook.
OMAHA -- They are three decades removed from the traumas that brought them to Nebraska to speak against the death penalty.
But even brief versions of their stories told at a news conference Friday morning brought tears to the eyes of former death row inmate Shujaa Graham and SueZann Bosler, the daughter of a murder victim.
Participants in Journey of Hope, an organization of death row exonerees and family members of exonerees and murder victims, kicked off a week-long Nebraska speaking journey at Omaha's First United Methodist Church.
They were joined by leaders of Catholic, evangelical and Methodist churches.
Bosler, 53, was stabbed five times, including in the head, by her father's murderer. She is a co-founder of Journey of Hope, along with Bill Pelke, grandson of a murder victim, and George White, husband of a murder victim and himself wrongfully convicted of murder.
Bosler was 24 when James Bernard Campbell went to the family's Miami parsonage looking for money for drugs. He stabbed the Rev. Billy Bosler 23 times. When SueZann Bosler intervened, he stabbed her five times and left her for dead.
She responded to the horrific event by working for 10 years to get Campbell, a stranger, off of death row. The first five years, she said, it was challenging to forgive him.
And he didn't want her forgiveness; he was mad at her for living and identifying him.
Eight years before Billy Bosler was killed, he and his daughter had a conversation in which he said if he was ever murdered he still would not want the person to get the death penalty.
"That's something I will never forget," she said.
That's why she worked so diligently on his behalf, even though she was opposed at every turn.
Something is wrong with the system in America that creates more victims, makes mistakes, threatens the lives of innocents and distracts families from healing, she said.
Graham, 65, was a Black Panther activist framed for the 1973 murder of a California prison guard. Two high school students worked to get him off death row.
His death sentence was overturned in 1979, and he was found innocent at a second trial in 1981.
Graham has spoken about the death penalty and advocated for reform of the criminal justice system all over the world.
"All it is is revenge and retaliation. ... It's just a bad government policy that we can do without," he said.
Government wants its citizens to look at some people as less. It wants to take their feelings away, he said.
"I refuse to do that," Graham said.
"Love, compassion and understanding. That's our most potent weapon," he said.
Multiple inmates at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution were involved in an altercation Thursday evening, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said in a news release Friday.
Staff used chemical agents to resolve the incident, and two inmates were taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, department spokesman Andrew Nystrom said.
Living Unit 2 in the maximum-security prison is locked down with all inmate movement under the direct escort of staff pending an investigation by the Corrections Department and Nebraska State Patrol, he said in the release.
No staff members were hurt, Nystrom said.
He wouldn't say how many inmates were involved in the fight, how many were hurt or if any are still hospitalized.
"The investigation to determine the specifics of the incident is currently underway," Nystrom said. "The results will be forwarded to the county attorney."
The Tecumseh prison was the site of a Mother's Day 2015 riot that left two inmates dead and parts of the prison in ruins.
No charges have been filed in the deaths of Shon Collins and Donald Peacock, who were beaten to death. In April, a Johnson County grand jury found no wrongdoing on the part of the state.
Two California men who were traveling through Nebraska are jailed in Lincoln after sheriff's deputies found 7.5 pounds of methamphetamine in their car.
Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said a deputy stopped the Toyota Camry driven by Richard Perez, 46, on Interstate 80 near the Northwest 48th Street exit about 9:30 Thursday morning for following too closely.
During the stop, the deputy said, he had reasonable suspicion to think Perez and his passenger, Aniceto Perez Jr., 23, were involved in illegal activity.
Richard Perez consented to a search, and deputies found 10 packages filled with meth hidden inside the liner of an Igloo cooler in the trunk, Wagner said.
Both men were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to deliver. Wagner didn't know their relationship to each other.
The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday affirmed a Lincoln man's 33- to 50-year prison sentence for shooting Maurice Williams to death in 2014, saying a judge didn't err by refusing to let him withdraw his plea based on new evidence.
Joshua Carr, 21, is at the Lincoln Correctional Center and will be eligible for parole in 2033.
In September, Lancaster County District Judge Steven Burns sentenced him after rejecting his request to take back his no contest plea in the home-invasion robbery that left Williams dead.
On Aug. 30, 2014, two men armed with rifles burst into Williams' apartment at 51st and Vine to rob him, and Williams was shot in the chest.
On appeal, Carr's attorney, Sarah Newell of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, contended that he should've been allowed to withdraw his plea based on an interview with police a day after he made it.
He purportedly said he had seen another man, one of Carr's co-defendants in a different robbery, with blood on his shirt around the time Williams was killed saying "we" made a mistake and that "Mo" was dead, who he took to mean Williams.
But Carr's other co-defendants hadn't said he was there the day of Williams' killing, so, Newell argued, it could have helped Carr challenge their credibility.
She said Carr only entered a plea agreement because he was a 19-year-old looking at a potential life sentence, which the manslaughter plea took off the table.
But Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Austin Relph countered that Burns was right to conclude the evidence wouldn't have helped Carr necessarily.
Carr still could have been there, as the others said he was, even if another co-defendant was too. And the defense hadn't offered the statements of the cooperating witnesses who had said otherwise, he said.
By law, if Carr was there, participating in the robbery, he would be guilty of felony murder.
On Friday, the state's high court found that the judge hadn't abused his discretion and affirmed Carr's conviction.
DONIPHAN -- Nebraska Sandhills ranchers know about stampedes.
You have yearlings get scared. They take off. They dont care what is in their way. Theyre going to go through it, over it. They really dont care what damage they do, Lynn Ballagh said Thursday from a podium facing the Nebraska Public Power Districts Board of Directors.
We as ranchers feel like weve been stampeded. ... Weve been stampeded by all the actions of NPPD.
Ballagh and dozens of other people, ranchers and Sandhills residents, drove across the state to the Doniphan Area Event Center to tell NPPDs 11 directors that Nebraskas ecologically delicate and unique Sandhills area is the wrong place for the utility to build a 225-mile long transmission line.
After nearly two-hours of testimony from almost 20 people, NPPD Vice President and CEO Tom Kent said he didnt hear anything new.
Its a very passionate group of landowners, Kent said. On a lot of these issues, weve been working with the landowners since we started this project in mid-2012. ... Were doing our best to listen, doing our best to understand, and doing our best to develop answers that hopefully will allow us to find some common ground.
Landowners say NPPD hasnt listened and refused to compromise on the route for the line, called the R-Project. The Sandhills are fragile, easily damaged and home to endangered species. Trucks and workers will scar the grass covered hills of sand, destroy wet meadows and windbreaks, harm sensitive wildlife areas, create blowouts areas where the wind scours the earth leaving holes behind.
My ranch has been in the family for 133 years. It was homesteaded by my great, great grandfather in 1883. We dont go to work every day for ourselves. We work on the ranch to make it better for the next generation, Eric Schipporeit, who works land near Brewster, told the board.
Your project will be doing exactly the opposite of what we have been doing for the past 133 years.
Frank Falen, an attorney from Cheyenne, Wyoming, working with several landowners, called NPPDs public input process a dog and pony show.
They (NPPD) do the minimum the law requires but then, according to the landowners Ive talked to, none of what you say makes a difference, Falen said.
Falen pointed to NPPDs refusal to move the line away from Thayne Rodockers home near Halsey. Current plans call for the massive transmission line to be built within 400 feet of his house.
Kent confirmed the house is just outside of NPPDs planned 200-foot right-of-way and that the company has refused to move it.
Board Chairman Ken Kunze said NPPD did listen at three open houses, eight public hearings, 26 informational meetings and four years of board meetings. Even if NPPD rerouted the 345,000-volt line, he said, it would still wind up with another group of people protesting.
No one wants a power line running through their property. I understand that. If I had property out there I would feel the same way. But you really have to look at what is good for the whole state opposed to just a small area, Kunze said.
The R-Project will cross 423 properties requiring NPPD to get 644 easements from with 185 owners. As of Thursday, the utility has gotten 75 of those easements, spokesman Mark Becker said. Plans call for it to be constructed from the southeast corner of Holt County west to Thedford, then south and west to Gerald Gentleman Station.
NPPD announced the final route of the R-Project in January and is in the process of doing land appraisals for right-of-way agreements and environmental surveys, work that in some cases has put utility employees in conflict with landowners.
NPPD last month went to court to get a temporary restraining order issued against Ballagh and his wife, Amy, so surveyors could look for Western Prairie Fringed Orchid and the Small White Lady Slipper plants on their ranch near Burwell.
The power district says the line will improve electric reliability for the region, relieve congested transmission systems and create opportunities for development of renewable energy generators like wind turbines.
The $361 million project initially was conceived of by the Southwest Power Pool to ensure reliable electric service for the region long into the future, Kent said. Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, the pool oversees the vast majority of the electric grid and wholesale power market in 14 states on behalf of utilities and transmission companies.
Due to the size of the transmission line, the cost of building it will be shared across the power pools footprint.
Our (NPPDs) customers will pay for 5 percent of this project. But all the projects in the footprint that are over 300,000 volts in size get shared that same way so were also paying for projects in other states, Kent said.
Sometimes hand in hand, sometimes with fists in the air, roughly 1,000 people attended the Black Lives DO Matter rally Thursday on the Capitol steps for the message: We must unite. We must become involved. We must be the change.
Under a blistering sun, many waved homemade posters with phrases such as White silence is violence and Black votes matter.
The two-hour rally that began at 6 p.m. was boisterous but peaceful. Early on, the crowd let out cheers and chants that could be heard far away.
The confident shouts went quiet as several speakers stood before a podium.
We are here to say we are weary, weeping, tired, frustrated and hurting, said the Rev. Janet Goodman-Banks, an advocate and activist with The Women in the City Ministries.
We say, No more.
Other speakers included Pastor Jessie Myles of No Greater Love Fellowship Church; Stephen Griffith of Interfaith Coalition of Nebraska; Jane Kleeb of Bold Nebraska and Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister.
Goodman-Banks began the evening with words of respect for law enforcement. One by one, she named the five officers killed in last weeks shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas.
But she also said enough is enough; the African-American community will no longer stay hushed. They expect equal protection under the law, she said.
Founder and president of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence, Amanda Gailey, spoke about how the gun industry and National Rifle Association contribute to fear, ignorance, racism and hatred."
As long as we have an industry that every year sells $1.5 billion of guns and ammunition that disproportionately murders people of color, we need to say `black lives do matter, Gailey said.
Standing up to the gun industry starts in the building behind us, she said, pointing to the Capitol.
One message all speakers pushed was that Black Lives Matter supporters, especially blacks, must vote and voice their opinions to local government.
Shannon Cameron, one of the events seven organizers, who caller herself not a person of color said that if she didnt do something, then she was silently condoning.
She thinks people may resist speaking out because of fear or because people dont know how to get involved. She said its a big step to move past fear but a powerful step.
We need them to vote. We need them to run for office, Cameron said.
Rally organizers estimated almost a thousand people attended.
Organizers met with Bliemeister and other law enforcement on two occasions prior to Thursdays rally.
Their welcoming attitudes and willingness to speak about concerns were appreciated and a first step, organizers said.
Police stood back behind the crowd and monitored as the group marched from the Capitol to the Lancaster County Courthouse. Some police stopped to take photos with protesters holding signs.
Bliemeister stood earnestly before the crowd with words of affirmation, saying Law enforcement must be the example and not the exception.
Roaring applause followed.
Im excited to be a part of difficult but courageous conversations in order to build relationships with all of you so our agency can know your thoughts, your concerns and your expectations, Bliemeister told the crowd. You need to have a voice.
He reassured the Black Lives Matter community that Lincoln police offer support.
Speakers said progress could only be achieved by bridging the divide between police and African-Americans.
We are not asking for this to be one-sided, Goodman-Banks said. We just want the right to be heard, to see our children grow up and see them pursue their dreams and goals in life.
People used to call Social Security the "third rail" of politics -- mess with it, you'll get seriously shocked.
For me, Social Security has become the third rail of column-writing. Show people that the system is spending considerably more cash than it's taking in and you get zapped by readers, friends and sources.
So let me try to explain where I think Social Security's problem comes from. All I want to do was to inject a dose of reality into the Social Security debate, which seems to revolve around the program's trust fund rather than around the true state of the program's finances.
Here's the deal: Social Security's current cash problems date to the way Congress changed the program in 1983. Those changes were the result of a report issued by the Greenspan Commission, appointed in 1981 when Social Security was running out of cash.
The 1983 legislation increased Social Security taxes, raised the retirement age, and did various other things to get more money flowing into Social Security and less flowing out.
These changes produced large cash surpluses for Social Security in the early years, when the program took in much more money than it needed to pay benefits. That surplus was going to be drained by huge negative cash flow in the "out" years.
But rather than set up a mechanism to save the temporary surpluses in a way that was useful to the government as a whole -- please note the italics - such as putting the money into corporate bonds, the commission and subsequent Congresses and administrations left things the way they had been.
The fund could own only Treasury securities -- no corporate bonds, no stocks. Nothing but Treasuries. So the government as a whole borrowed less when Social Security ran a cash surplus, but would borrow more when Social Security began running a cash deficit. But that was in the then-far future. Insert "kick the can down the road" or the cliche of your choice.
Some people say that money was "stolen." Not so. Everything was disclosed, and -- if only by inaction -- 25 years worth of Congresses and administrations knew about the situation, but left things the way they were.
But starting in 2010, as I had warned (and warned and warned and warned), Social Security began running cash deficits, which are now projected to continue indefinitely. Social Security pays its bills by cashing in some of its trust fund securities, and the Treasury comes up with the money to redeem the trust fund's securities by borrowing from investors. So the government as a whole is using investor money to pay Social Security's bills, even if Social Security is showing a profit.
The true state of the program -- which is enormously important to tens of millions of people -- is hidden by the bizarre accounting. Despite running a cash deficit of about $70 billion in calendar year 2015, according to its recently issued trustees report, the program reported a $23 billion surplus because the trust fund collected $93 billion of interest from the Treasury.
Economic justice says that people who paid Social Security taxes from 1983 on -- which would include me -- should be repaid by having the government drain the trust fund to pay benefits. But as things stand now, that would require borrowing hundreds of billions of dollars a year. I don't think it's supportable.
Look. I have enormous respect for Social Security. Social Security let my late parents retire in dignity. My wife and I are currently drawing retirement benefits, and we've got kids and grandkids for whom I hope Social Security will be available 50 or 60 or 100 years from now.
The financial challenges are considerable. But if we approach them in an intelligent, long-term way (which I hope to offer up later this year), they're surmountable.
That's why I keep writing about the true state of Social Security. No matter how much I get zapped.
Is Britain's new prime minister, Theresa May, Margaret Thatcher reincarnated? There are similarities.
May is certainly as tough as the Iron Lady. As home secretary for longer than any of her predecessors, she has strongly opposed uncontrolled immigration. The Home Office introduced visa restrictions that require non-European Union immigrants living in Britain for fewer than 10 years to minimally earn the equivalent of about $47,000 USD, so as not to be a drain on social welfare programs. With Britain's planned exit from the EU, that policy could be broadened to include all immigrants.
In a speech to her Conservative Party last year and in more recent remarks, May has struck a chord with British citizens who feel they are losing their country and its unique characteristics to foreigners who refuse to assimilate (sound familiar?). "When immigration is too high, when the pace of change is too fast, it's impossible to build a cohesive society," she told fellow party members.
This has driven the left nuts. They have accused her of everything, except being a lady. It seems the last thing the British and American left want is a cohesive society because such a society would not allow them to pit groups against each other, dividing and conquering at the ballot box.
Here's something else that should appeal to average British citizens, at least the older ones, who are mostly more reserved than Americans and younger Brits. Says May, "I'm not a showy politician. I don't tour the television studios. I don't gossip over lunch. I don't drink in Parliament's bars. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve. I just get on with the job in front of me."
That two women competed to replace David Cameron ought to have delighted feminists. Not so. Sophie Walker, who heads the Women's Equality Party, said of May's rise to Number 10 Downing Street: "While it's symbolically important to have women represented at the top of politics ... who look like you ... it's as important that the person is creating policies in a way that answers your experiences."
Say what? So it isn't really about electing more women to political office; it's about electing more liberals, some of whom can be women.
History doesn't always repeat, but the political stars seem to be aligning over London and Washington for a possible sequel to what happened with Thatcher's election win in 1979. Ronald Reagan's victory followed a year later.
While May is ideologically closer to Thatcher than Trump is to Reagan, Trump has picked up on a theme that worked for both Reagan and Nixon. Following the Dallas ambush and the protests that have exploded in major cities, Trump has styled himself as the law-and-order candidate. That this is occurring in an election year should be no surprise, but just as riots in the streets contributed to Republican victories in 1968, the political fallout this year might repeat.
In a recent speech in Virginia Beach, Va., Trump said: "We must maintain law and order at the highest level, or we will cease to have a country ... I am the law and order candidate. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is weak, ineffective, pandering, and as proven by her recent email scandal, which was an embarrassment, not only to her, but to the entire nation as a whole, she's either a liar or grossly incompetent. One or the other ... it's probably both."
Britain and the U.S. are experiencing social and political turmoil. Both nations are perceived by many to have weak leaders. Trump and May display strength and in troubled times British and American voters have demonstrated that they prefer strength to weakness.
Both are a hindrance to the liberal cause and an embarrassment. Do not call yourself a liberal then choose to enable a vitriolic racist by not voting. Their attitude resembles that of a three year old in a store who, when faced with the reality of not getting their favorite candy, chooses to throw a fit and embarrasses the family. The time has come to grow up, find what little conviction you have, and vote for the most qualified person to ever run for office, or, as you would call it, "the lesser of two evils." Choose to do so, or drown in your own hypocrisy and inauthentic beliefs.
BEATRICE -- After 111 minutes behind closed doors Friday morning, the Gage County Board of Supervisors reached no decision on what to do next about a federal jury's July 6 verdict that found the county liable in the wrongful convictions of six people.
The seven supervisors met with County Attorney Roger Harris and private-practice attorneys Jennifer Tomka, Pat OBrien and Melanie Whittamore-Mantzios to talk about how the county could pay the $28.1 million judgment ordered by the jury in the civil rights trial, how to proceed in the courts and whether liability insurance is in place.
Soon after going back into open session just before 11 a.m., the board offered little insight into its next steps.
With our legal counsel, we went over all of our options, and over the next few days decisions will be forthcoming on how we are going to proceed, said Chairman Myron Dorn.
Harris said the county could ask for a third trial -- the first ended in a hung jury -- or appeal. Either way, he said, it's not likely to announce its intentions ahead of time.
At the filing deadline, there might be something there, Harris said. Youll know at that point.
Dorn said later Friday the board likely will decide on its course of action with legal counsel in closed session and take no open-session vote.
Immediately after the federal jury's July 6 decision, county officials said they didn't think the county was insured for such a thing. Earlier this week, its insurance carrier said they had not yet asked but that the county is likely covered to a cap of $5 million.
It appears county officials are now asking the risk-sharing pool that carries its coverage what the status of that coverage is.
Six people served a combined total of more than 75 years in prison after being arrested four years after Helen Wilson was beaten to death in her apartment near downtown Beatrice in 1985.
DNA testing in 2008 on evidence preserved from the crime scene tied the murder to a seventh person, and the six were exonerated. That seventh person -- Bruce Allen Smith -- died in an Oklahoma prison in 1992.
The six sued, and at the end of a second trial, jurors found the county, Deputy Sheriff Burt Searcey and Reserve Deputy Wayne Price liable for conducting a reckless investigation that led to the wrongful imprisonment of Joseph White, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Thomas Winslow, Kathy Gonzalez, James Dean and Deborah Shelden.
The jury also ordered the county to pay the costs associated with the case. Attorneys for the six are required to submit their fees and other costs to the court by Thursday. The county has until Aug. 4 to respond.
Under federal law, the county can file a motion for a retrial in federal court within 28 days of the judgment and it can appeal the ruling to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals within 30 days.
Tomka, the lead attorney for Gage County in the civil rights suits, offered only a no comment after the Friday morning meeting as she, O'Brien and Whittamore-Mantzios walked to their vehicle.
The Ulysses village auditorium is taking a giant step into modernity.
The community gathering place that once served as the Ulysses High School gym is getting air conditioning.
It was built in the 1930s through the Works Projects Administration, part of President Franklin Roosevelt's new deal that put millions of unemployed Americans to work during the Great Depression.
The Seward School District sold the building to the Butler County village for $1 in the 1980s after village residents lost a lawsuit to keep their school open.
Ulysses, population about 170, has spent about $50,000 fixing the building up already, but this is the first time it will have AC.
The work will make it a lot more usable.
"Of course the use of it was pretty slim throughout the summer," said Rita Shipley, one of four members of the committee that cares for the building used for wedding receptions, auctions, family reunions and parties.
With luck, the work will get done this month, in time for Don Mashek's 80th birthday party on Aug. 6, she said.
Instillation of the air conditioning is being paid for by $12,500 in community donations and a $11,500 grant from the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development's Community Facility Economic Impact Initiative Grant Program.
Gavin EvansThe late David Bowie's passion for modern and avant-garde art was always evident in the way he presented his music, from his captivating album covers to his visually-striking stage sets to his groundbreaking videos. Not surprisingly, Bowie also was an avid collector of art, and now more than 400 works from his personal collection are set to be auctioned off at Sotheby's London during a three-part sale scheduled for November 10-11.
The auction, titled Bowie/Collector, features pieces by such acclaimed artists as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Marcel Duchamp, Damien Hirst and Frank Auerbach. The eclectic collection includes examples of Surrealism, Contemporary African Art, Outsider Art, German Expressionist printmaking and more.
Prior to the auction, pieces from Bowie's collection will be exhibited at Sotheby's St. George Street location in London from July 20 to August 9, and then will be displayed in Los Angeles on September 20 and 21, in New York City from September 26 to September 29, and in Hong Kong from October 12 to October 15. Leading up to the sale, the exhibition will go on display at Sotheby's New Bond Street gallery in London from November 1 to the 10th.
Part one of the auction will take place on the evening of November 10, with the other two parts of the sale scheduled for the following day. You can check a video preview of the Bowie/Collector auction and a slideshow of some of the notable pieces going up for bid at Sothebys.com.
Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The Great Plains Art Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will host B.C. Gilbert as the 2016 Elizabeth Rubendall Artist-in-Residence. During his residency Aug. 2-6 and Oct. 11-15, he will use the museum's lobby to create an artwork that will become part of the museum's permanent collection. Visitors are encouraged to see the artist in action during his lobby working hours.
Gilbert's woodblock prints and sculptural paintings are on display in the museum from July 12 through Oct. 29 in an exhibition titled "Flat Land, Flat Water." By incorporating iconography of the High Plains of Texas, Gilbert's work reveals his experiences growing up in West Texas.
He depicts the West in a manner reminiscent of pop artists through his multimedia constructions that merge painting with unconventional materials such as leather, metal siding and found objects. The exhibition depicts the stereotypical view of Natives and cowboys as pictured in Western cinema. Such images don't reflect the reality of the American West, but instead portray a fiction perpetuated first through pulp fiction, then in Wild West shows, and later in film and television.
Great Plains Art Museum Curator Melynda Seaton describes Gilbert's sculptural paintings as "presenting a unique perspective of the contemporary American West."
The Rubendall Artist-in-Residence program, supported by the Elizabeth Rubendall Foundation, is celebrating its 10th year. The program gives museum visitors and school groups the opportunity to witness an artist in action.
Gilbert's lobby working hours will be from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 3, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 5 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 6. From 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 5, during the First Friday Artwalk, visitors will be able to meet the artist and grab a treat at the UNL Dairy Store cart in the lobby, with a short gallery talk at 6 p.m.
For more information on the Rubendall Artist-in-Residence program, visit http://go.unl.edu/plainsart. To schedule a tour, call 402-472-6220.
The Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and admission is free.
MOUNT PLEASANT Mount Pleasant Village President Jerry Garski will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 19, to give an update on the Lake Michigan bluff erosion emergency in the Mount Pleasant Lake Park neighborhood and to announce a concrete procurement program for citizen use and an update on the Lake Michigan bluff erosion in the Mount Pleasant Lake Park neighborhood.
The conference will be held at the east dead-end of Bryn Mawr Avenue in Lake Park. In addition to Garski, officials from Racine County and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are also scheduled to attend the news conference.
In case of bad weather, the conference will be held at the Mount Pleasant Village Hall located at 8811 Campus Drive.
MILWAUKEE Over 800,000 people attended this past Summerfest, according to Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. officials, which is slightly higher than last year.
Hosting the legendary Paul McCartney was just one aspect of our success in 2016, Racine native Don Smiley, president and CEO, said.
Aside from McCartney, the Marcus Amphitheater welcomed other guests like Luke Bryan, Selena Gomez, Blink-182,a co-headlining performance by Chris Stapleton and Alabama Shakes, Sting and Peter Gabriel. On the grounds stages Summerfest welcomed first-time headliners like the Hollywood Vampires, Jason Derulo, Ryan Adams and The Shining, Garbage, Chris Isaak and more.
Other than the music, patrons enjoyed 95,755 trips on the Skyglider presented by Taiwan Excellence; the Wheel in the Sky giant Ferris wheel provided 18,428 rides; and 3,500 fest-goers took advantage of the Badger Meter paddle boats on Lake Michigan. No one was able to sink a hole-in-one but some came close with 19,977 swings at the Meijer Hole-In-One with CBS 58.
On the last day of Summerfest, tickets for next years Summerfest 50 promotion gave a ticket to 50,000 patrons.
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23 Nepali workers stranded in Saudi Arabia
Twenty-three migrant Nepali workers based in Dammam Jubail of Saudi Arabia have been stranded and their plight is deteriorating day by day. They have been working for Abdul Mohsen Al Mousa Company.
3 arrested in Rajbiraj for raping 15-yr-old girl
Police on Thursday arrested one of the three persons accused of raping a 15-year-old girl from Saptari.
Barrage to be constructed in Chatara area
The construction of Barrage in Chatara has been essential to ease water flow to the main canal of Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project built for irrigating 68,000 hectares of agriculture land in Sunsari and Morang districts.
BPKIHS docs, students lend support to the fasting doctor
Doctors and medical students of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan on Thursday expressed their solidarity with the ongoing indefinite hunger-strike being staged by TUTH professor and senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC.
Cabinet says government to move ahead as per constitution provision
The meeting of the Council of Ministers on Friday reviewed the latest political development and decided to tackle the no confidence motion registered in the parliament against the incumbent government.
DDC to expand product line to boost business
Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) said on Thursday that it would be launching three new productspackaged tea milk, milk whitener and fodderfrom the next fiscal year in a bid to boost its market presence and mitigate the risk of milk holidays.
Donald Trump chooses Mike Pence as his running mate
Republican Donald Trump has selected Indiana governor Mike Pence to be his vice-presidential running mate, according to US media reports.
Dr KCs condition worsens
The health condition of Dr Govinda KC, who has been staging a hunger strike on the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital premises since Sunday, is deteriorating.
EU provides Rs6b to rebuild earthquake-hit communities
The European Union (EU) has provided the first tranche of financial assistance worth Rs 6 billion to Nepal under the Nepal-EU Action for Recovery and Reconstruction (NEARR) budget support programme.
Fake nationalism would do no good to country: Dahal
CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that his party had to forge alliance with Nepali Congress as country was being taken hostage of regression in the veil of nationalism.
Govt employees beat up client
A service seeker was allegedly thrashed by government staff on Wednesday after he denied providing a bribe at the Land Revenue Office (LRO) in Saptari district.
Heavy flood in Bahuligad River in Bajhang creates havoc
A massive flood at Bahuligad River in Bajhang district that took place at 4 pm Friday created panic in the area. The flood has swept a suspension bridge connecting the district headquarters Chainpur. Three shops alongside the river have also been swept away by the flood.
House meet postponed for July 21
The Legislature-Parliament meeting scheduled for today has been postponed for July 21, Thursday.
India students drown during river selfie
Two students have drowned while taking selfies in a swelling river in a remote part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Insulate the budget
There is no dignity in holding budget hostage to political point-scoring
Major win for Microsoft in 'free for all' data case
The US government cannot force Microsoft to give authorities access to the firm's servers located in other countries, a court has ruled.
Maoist in no mood to advance budget related bills
CPN (Maoist Centre) on Friday said it is not prepared to support the passage of bills related to the budget as the incumbent government has been reduced to minority.
NAC to resume Dubai service on August 18
Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) on Thursday announced that it would be resuming its Kathmandu-Dubai service on August 18, four years after it was suspended due to lack of aircraft.
No compromise on national security: PM Oli
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that he would not compromise on issues concerning national security for the sake of maintaining cordial relationship with the neighbours.
Only 2 out of 17 ADB-funded projects making progress
Among the 17 ongoing projects financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), only twoMelamchi Water Supply Project and South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (Sasec) power system expansion projecthave achieved good performance, an ADB document prepared to review its portfolio has revealed.
Raging Bhotekoshi River continues to pose threats
With the Bhotekoshi river continuously causing land erosion in the Kodari Bazaar area in Sindhupalchok district, settlements near the river are still facing threat.
SLMM not to join govt unless its 26-point demand is met
It, however, has agreed to extend tactical support to the new alliance
Swarup mum on developments in Kathmandu
India has refrained from making official comments on the recent political developments in Nepal.
TUTH forms committee to monitor Dr KCs health
Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital on Friday formed a committee including a specialist to monitor the health condition of Prof Dr Govinda KC who has been staging an indefinite hunger strike seeking reforms in Nepals medical sector for the past six days.
Unequal partners
The trade treaty with India has always been guided more by politics than economics
US police shootings: Obama urges unity amid racial tension
US President Barack Obama has urged police and black communities to come together, saying it should not be "us versus them", in a town hall meeting on race and policing.
Wont resign, will face House: Oli to his MPs
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who faces the challenge of proving his majority in Parliament following a no-confidence motion registered against him, is in no mood to step down. Rather, he is riding on what he calls constitutional complexities to buy time.
Youths extend support to PM Oli, govt (with photos & video)
Youths associated with Swatantra Yuva Abhiyaan (Independent Youth Campaign) gathered at Maitighar Mandala on Friday to extend support to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is likely to lose the premiership after major coalition partnerCPN (Maoist Centre)withdrew its support from the government.
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South Korea said Thursday it has been helping its nationals evacuate from South Sudan following deadly clashes in the African country.
Foreign ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck told a regular press briefing that some 30 South Koreans are known to be residing in South Sudan, mostly working for U.N.-related organizations or missionary and relief groups.
Four of them left for Uganda on Wednesday, but most of them have expressed their willingness to stay.
"The foreign ministry and our embassy in Uganda, which oversees South Sudan, have been closely watching the situation since the clashes occurred and doing our best to protect our people there," Cho said.
The violence broke out earlier this month between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those loyal to Vice President Riek Machar, leaving some 300 people dead.
The Seoul government has been assisting in the arrangement of flights and purchase of plane tickets for its nationals. Three South Koreans living some 400 kilometers away from the capital Juba have said they wished to leave. (Yonhap)
Russia was confirmed on Friday to have submitted a relatively short implementation plan to the United Nations explaining how it will enforce sanctions against North Korea for defiantly pursuing its nuclear and missile programs.
Russia's one-page report dated May 27 was made public on the U.N. website, detailing its implementation plan for the sanctions outlined under the latest resolution of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) adopted in March.
The resolution was unanimously adopted after the reclusive country detonated its fourth nuclear device and test-fired a long-range rocket early this year.
"On the date of the adoption of the resolution -- 2 March 2016 -- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation informed the country's executive authorities that the provisions of the resolution shall apply in the territory of the Russian Federation until the issuance of the presidential decree," the report said.
The report noted that a draft degree of its president on the implementation of the U.N. resolutions "is currently under consideration by the ministries and departments concerned."
It also said that its central bank "has issued an information circular instructing other banks to comply with paragraphs 33-36 of the resolution," which is related to restrictions on interbank transactions with the North.
The length is relatively short compared with the 18-page report sent by the United States and Britain's nine-page one.
"You don't have to read too much into the length of the report since there have been cases in which Russia submitted such short ones before," a government official said on condition of anonymity. "As seen in the past, Russia could compile follow-up reports whenever new developments with its enforcement take place."
The UNSC asked its member countries to draw up their own plans on how they would enforce the sanctions on the North. Countries were required to submit the plans within 90 days of the resolution's adoption. The deadline was June 2 (local time), though countries have leeway in regards to when they submit their reports.
So far, 36 countries, including Russia, the U.S., China and South Korea have submitted their implementation plans. (Yonhap)
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Dr. Paster: Thank you for your discussion of end-of-life care for an Alzheimers patient. It reinforced how inappropriate so much end-of-life care is for anyone with dementia. That fact that your moms doctor didnt stop torturing your mom until you uttered the S word (sue), is amazing. Youre a doctor so you would think that they would respect your wishes. Gosh and golly.
Im a lawyer. Simply telling the doctor to stop does not absolve them of their responsibility to treat the patient. And some juries may just find that not doing everything possible to prolong life is malpractice. Remember the Death Panels, that cockamamie idea that to discuss end-of-life care in your doctors office meant that some committee would allow you to live or die.
The legal profession seems to be perpetuating an environment that demands physicians employ aggressive, defensive medical intervention as the standard of care.
I had such an experience years ago with one of my parents. It made me livid. Blessedly my spouse of 40 years who suffered from dementia in her last few years was allowed to pass in peace. She was not denied the palliative care that should be all of our rights.
Good job doc in bringing up this important topic. KG
Dear KG: You are right. Absolutely right. The default in legal suits is you havent done enough to save Mom rather than you really helped Mom die a peaceful death. Who wants to die with tubes in every orifice? Not me.
While people think that everyone who stops drinking should have IV fluids, thats just not true. Think about it. IVs are uncomfortable and if a patient moves around then they might need to be restrained to keep the IV from coming out. There is good research showing that end-of-life patients grimace more and appear to be in more distress when they have an IV.
The problem here is twofold doctor and patient. Doctors often do too much thinking that they will save a patient when they should be thinking about comfort. And families often think too much that they want to save their loved one when they should also be concentrating on comfort.
The problem is an education and training issue on both parts. More than three decades ago when I went to medical school there were no classes on palliative care. Today there are classes but theyre meager. With few exceptions, US medical students learn more about snake bites and tropical diseases than they do about how to comfort a patient in their final days. Whos in charge of this curriculum anyway? I suspect that when patients and families demand better end-of-life care that the schools will start providing more of it. Until that time its technology that rules the roost, not comfort.
But back to how you can protect yourself, its called a power of attorney for health care. Every state has one. You dont need a lawyer. Just ask your doctor for one or better yet Google it yourself (search POA health care and then the name of the state. For example POA Health Care Wisconsin gets you the one for my state.)
Then fill it out and have it witnessed by two people who are not mentioned in your will. Two neighbors or friends will do just nicely. No need to have it notarized. No need to pay a lawyer either. Then bring it to your doctor to have it scanned into your electronic medical record, our homegrown one Epic has a dandy file that it scans into. Then its there forever no need to search that safety deposit box should the need arise.
Next step have a good conversation with the person youve designated to make your decisions. If you have kids include all of them, and I mean ALL of them, in that heartfelt conversation. There is so much that goes on at these critical junctures that you want all hands on deck.
Tell them if you want drugs for pain, even though they may knock you out. Tell them if you want a feeding tube, something I suggest you never ever have for someone suffering from dementia. They just prolong misery.
Tell them in no uncertain words if you want everything done or not.
My spin: The advantage of the POA is that it keeps the lawyers away by designating whos captain of the ship when youre not. Is it ironclad? Of course not. Only death and taxes are ironclad.
EPINAL, France First and foremost, I want to assure everyone that the sister cities delegation is just fine in France. Epinal, La Crosse's French Sister city, is far from the southern coast where Nice is located, but after participating in the Bastille Days celebrations locally, the timing is particularly hurtful.
Bastille Day is this country's Independence Day. To have a terrorist strike during such a celebration is disturbing.
The Epinal fireworks display was the night before starting, followed by the military parade we watched on Bastille Day. We witnessed the joyous festivities participating in their traditions of lighting lanterns, dancing with a New Orleans-style jazz band through the street with the mayor, his cabinet and all who followed to start the fireworks, and the wall-to-wall people ready to celebrate. It is now hard to imagine the hatred that filled someone who targets those who are happy.
Thankfully, after hours of being on this morning, the televisions at the hotel have been turned off for now. As with all tragic events, it's more of the same information and video run repeatedly.
7 Rivers Alliance Executive Director Lisa Herr, La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat and his wife traveled this morning to Paris, while the rest of us remain in Epinal another day. Herr said the train stations were somber and the days of national mourning have begun. She flies home tomorrow, followed by me on Sunday and the rest of the delegation on Tuesday.
Having just traveled back from Nicaragua and quickly on to Europe, I continue to find the level of security to enter the United States reassuring. I will admit I was surprised, while traveling by train from Germany to France, at the low level of security. I do not recall my passport or luggage being checked. I also will admit that it occurred to me yesterday while at the Bastille Days celebration in Epinal that such a large gathering could be a target, but youll read below why I dismissed it.
As with this attack in Nice, France, however, the biggest threat clearly remains that the people doing these horrific acts and devaluing human life often are already among us, not those just entering our countries.
Please send your thoughts and prayers to those in France. What happened strikes fear in all those who gather in large public places. May the French heal and continue on. As I said to someone who asked whether I was worried before I left, my answer remains the same to this day. To stop doing what we want to do is letting the terrorists win. To not celebrate national holidays together gives the terrorists too much power.
We must continue to live life on our terms, not theirs.
Yesterday, we visited the American Cemetery in Epinal, where more than 5,000 U.S. troops are buried. We honored Robert L. Skaar, the gentleman with ties to La Crosse whose remains never were found. That story I will save for tomorrow.
What I keep in my thoughts is the phrase displayed by all who fight for our country and who are united around our U.S. motto one I shared at our annual meeting in March E Pluribus Unum, which means, Out of many, one.
We are one with France as I wrote about the World War II veterans telling us a memorial the day prior. We share their mourning. We are one in their pain. We are one in wanting to find peace.
MADISON A Sparta man was convicted Friday of sex trafficking, assault, gun and drug offenses after a four-day trial in federal court.
Jurors deliberated nearly 10 hours before finding Monta Groce, 30, guilty of recruiting three women to engage in prostitution, maintaining a drug house and using a gun in connection with a drug offense.
Groce faces 15 years to life in prison at an Oct. 19 sentencing before District Judge William Conley.
John Vaudreuil, U.S. Attorney for Western Wisconsin, said in a news release that Groces conduct included physically and psychologically exploiting women for his own gain.
These cases are about horrible violence against women Groce violently forced vulnerable victims into commercial sex, he said.
The Department of Justice will not tolerate the exploitation of sex-trafficked women and children and we will continue to bring traffickers to justice on their behalf, he said. These crimes, which took place in a small city, demonstrate that sex trafficking is not just a big-city issue; it is happening in rural America, too.
A ranking FBI agent in Wisconsin echoed Vaudreuils remarks.
Human traffickers like Monta Groce, who prey on vulnerable women and children, will be aggressively investigated by the FBI from major cities to rural communities such as Sparta, Wisconsin, so the victims may be rescued and the perpetrators brought to justice, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Shields said.
Groce had prior drug and battery convictions when he moved to Sparta in 2012, after being released from prison in order to be close to his children, his attorney, Syovata Edari, told jurors Monday.
Groce became part of the ongoing drug activity at the residence, which police suspected due to large number of people who visited the house, Edari said.
Groce was a passenger in a vehicle Sparta police pulled over in April 2013 and arrested him for heroin possession. The squad car recorded him making phone calls in which he said that he could make an officers annual salary in a week and he was not going to stop what he was doing, according to court documents.
He was indicted in June 2015 on three counts of sex trafficking by force between December 2012 and April 2014. A second indictment added charges of transporting females for purposes of prostitution, assaulting a female in retaliation for giving information to police, maintaining a drug house to use and sell heroin, and attempted sex trafficking by force in April 2014.
Jurors found Groce guilty on eight of nine counts charged and not guilty on the April 2014 attempted sex trafficking count.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger said she called at least 20 witness during the trial which included Groces three female victims, drug and prostitution customers, paid drivers and law enforcement.
Before the jury was seated, Edari objected to Pflugers striking the only African-American male from the jury pool. The attorneys disagreed about the mans ethnicity. Conley said that he did not think Pflugers request was race-based but asked the attorneys to submit briefs on if that ruling was correct. A decision is expected before sentencing.
Edari said a new trial could be ordered if she prevails.
Groce remains in custody pending sentencing.
These crimes, which took place in a small city, demonstrate that sex trafficking is not just a big-city issue; it is happening in rural America, too. John Vaudreuil, U.S. Attorney for Western Wisconsin
Wisconsin has been in the hands of Republicans for the past several years, and their policies have had and continue to have a detrimental effect on many aspects of our government.
In addition to replacing many of the Republicans in power, it is vital that we re-elect state Democrats who have been serving us well, such as Rep. Steve Doyle of the 94th District. He is a bipartisan politician who is willing to reach across the aisle to accomplish objectives that best represent constituents. He recently was invited to the White House to discuss policy with top advisors, and he has co-sponsored an equal number of Republican and Democratic bills in this session and the previous one even in the current politically polarized environment.
When Doyle was chair of the La Crosse County Board, we had the fifth lowest property taxes in Wisconsin, and he worked diligently to make our community the great place it is today.
One of Doyle's bills, which actually passed the Assembly this year, would have made calling in a gun threat to a school as severe of a crime as calling in a bomb threat, raising the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony. This bill had the support of police, schools and attorneys, and Doyle hopes to bring it back in the next session.
Vote to re-elect Steve Doyle.
The North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement is one of the corporate wish list agreements masquerading as a trade agreement. At this time, Canadian corporation Trans Canada is using the provisions of this agreement to sue the United States for $15 billion to compensate for lost profits because they were denied access to run the Keystone Pipeline across the country to the Caribbean. This lawsuit will not be decided by a court, but by a panel of corporate lawyers who were selected from an attorney pool provided by the treaty. The process allows a lawyer to sue, then decide a case for a lawyer who decided his previous suit.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership is another phony trade pact. It was fast-tracked in Congress so no amendments could be added. U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, chair of the New Democratic Coalition, helped provide the necessary votes for the fast-tracking. The partnership is similar to another corporate giveaway, the 4-year-old Korean Trade Treaty, which some studies show has cost the nation 106,000 jobs and doubled our trade deficit with Korea. The partnership is bad for America and needs to be defeated when it comes up for ratification.
Myron Buchholz is a progressive Democrat who opposes the partnership. He is running against Ron Kind in the Aug. 9 Democratic primary. For the sake of our jobs, for the sake of our businesses who export overseas, for the sake of our economy, vote against the partnership by voting for Myron Buchholz.
The board of directors in charge of Gov. Scott Walkers troubled jobs agency elected new officers Thursday.
During a meeting at UW-Stevens Point, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. board chose Lisa Mauer, CEO of Rickert Industries in Milwaukee, as president. Mauer has more than 25 years of private-sector management experience, agency spokesman Mark Maley said in a statement.
Mauer succeeds Dan Ariens, president and CEO of the Ariens Co., who was elected vice chairman.
The board re-elected Nancy Hernandez, president and founder of ABRAZO Multicultural Marketing and Communication, as its secretary; and David Drury, a partner with Milwaukee-based Wing Capital Group, to serve another term as treasurer.
As leaders of WEDC, our focus will remain on the strategic positioning of the organization and its mission as it continues to grow and make a tremendous difference in Wisconsins economic development landscape, Mauer said in a statement.
Our journey is about outreach and continuous improvement as we work together to support state, regional and local economic development efforts, as well as provide transparency and accountability to the governor, the Legislature and Wisconsin taxpayers, she said.
Two new members also joined the board Thursday. They are James Ladwig, president and CEO of Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce, and R.D. Nair, a UW-Madison professor of accounting and information systems.
The agency has faced close public scrutiny since Walker created it in 2011. In recent years, the Wisconsin State Journal has reported on financial assistance the WEDC board approved for which proper underwriting documentation could not be found.
A controversial proposal was withdrawn Wednesday under which the board would have prohibited its members from releasing certain information.
As terror attacks continue in the U.S. and abroad, Wisconsins two leading U.S. Senate candidates are trading barbs on who is better-positioned to keep Americans safe.
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson is going after his rival, Democrat Russ Feingold, with a TV ad that depicts him as weak on terrorism. The ad hit airwaves the same day Johnson, R-Oshkosh, spoke about fighting terrorism at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Feingold, D-Middleton, launched his own TV ad Monday highlighting his plan to combat the Islamic State, or ISIS, terror group. The Feingold campaign responded Tuesday to Johnsons attack by accusing the first-term senator of pointing fingers to distract from his own failed record as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
The Johnson ad, Lone Wolf, centers on Feingolds voting record during his three terms in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011. Republicans previously targeted Feingold on national security, but the new ad is the strongest evidence yet that Johnson will make the issue central to his case for voters to give him a second term.
An initial version of the Johnson ad was scheduled to air last week. The campaign suspended the ad after the terror attack in Nice, France, though it briefly aired in certain markets anyway.
A revised version of the ad is narrated by Johnson and includes Nice on a list of recent terror attacks.
It slams Feingold for casting the lone vote against the USA PATRIOT Act, without mentioning the act by name. Instead, Johnson says: When Congress gave law enforcement the tools to help stop international terror, only one senator voted no: Russ Feingold.
The ad also hammers Feingold for opposing military funding measures.
Now hes asking you for a fourth term? The worlds simply too dangerous for that, Johnson says.
The Feingold campaign said Johnson wants to distract from the fact that he has failed to offer any real plan to defeat ISIS and keep Americans safe.
Russ is the only candidate in this race who has put forth a specific and comprehensive plan that takes advantage of all of our resources to combat terrorism, Feingold spokesman Michael Tyler said in a statement.
Feingolds terror plan calls for using special military operations to target Islamic State leaders a strategy already being employed by the Obama administration. It also calls for cutting off ISIS funding by targeting its oil sales and improving intelligence of its activities in Syria and Iraq.
Feingold, D-Middleton, famously was the only senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act, which dramatically expanded federal anti-terrorism surveillance powers, shortly after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Feingold argued the measure violated Americans civil liberties.
The Johnson ad is part of a seven-figure ad buy that will air statewide on TV and online, according to Johnsons campaign.
While outside groups have aired ads attacking Feingold, Johnson, until now, has used his campaign treasury to run positive ads about his own background in manufacturing.
His choice to go on attack against Feingold could mark a new phase of the campaign. Johnson, R-Oshkosh, consistently has trailed Feingold in polls in some, by large margins though there are indications the contest has tightened.
A statewide editorial that appeared in ECM publications the week of June 24 called on agriculture to take the lead on managing pollutants. As farmers, were always working to improve how we grow food, feed, fiber and fuel for an increasing world population.
And when it comes to the important issue of water quality and managing pollutants, farmers are already playing an important leadership role.
For example, corn farmers in Minnesota voluntarily contribute millions of dollars through a state check-off that funds innovative research efforts at third-party institutions like the University of Minnesota. The majority of this research addresses agriculture water quality and seeks to help farmers better manage nitrogen fertilizer and improve agricultural drainage.
The Minnesota Corn Growers Association also recently started a new Conservation Innovation Grant Program that helps farmers implement new practices to protect water quality. The Corn Growers and other agriculture organizations also support Discovery Farms Minnesota, which is a farmer-led effort to collect accurate, real-world data on sediment and nutrients leaving Minnesotas farm fields.
These are just a few examples of farmers taking the lead on managing pollutants. Unfortunately, none of these efforts were mentioned in the ECM editorial.
In addition to farmer-funded initiatives and research, modern agriculture technology and improved practices help farmers target their use of necessary inputs like nitrogen fertilizer to better protect our lakes, rivers and streams. The amount of technology in my tractor these days looks like a modified version of the space shuttle. Technological advancements help me know which areas of my fields need additional fertilizer and which areas are fine with less. These advancements are very beneficial to area waterways.
More farmers are using a practice called side-dressing where nitrogen fertilizer is applied throughout the growing season. Side-dressing allows farmers to use the same amount of nitrogen, but apply it more often and in smaller doses throughout the growing season to help ensure that its available to the crop when needed and kept out of nearby waterways. Farmers also use common conservation practices like grass waterways and buffer strips to protect water quality.
Yes, farmers use buffer strips. Theyve been using them long before Gov. Mark Daytons recent buffer law. The everyday conservation efforts of todays farmers dont generate proactive headlines, but they are making a difference and are another example of farmers taking the lead on managing pollutants.
As a farmer, its frustrating when report after report from government agencies and activist groups points the finger at agriculture for water pollution problems. Is there room for improvement in farm country? Absolutely. Many of the investments, initiatives and existing practices Ive outlined are making progress.
But the news isnt all doom and gloom. A recent report from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency showed reductions in five of seven pollutants found in Minnesota waterways over a 30-year span. Thats meaningful progress we can build on.
What we need to continue the positive momentum is more partnership and less finger-pointing. Farmers live in the communities where they farm. The last thing we want to do is pollute our own waterways, or the waterways of our neighbors down the road.
Were often told that improving our states water quality is too daunting of a task. As a farmer, I find that ridiculous. A big part of farming is overcoming obstacles. Striking the proper balance between maintaining a productive, profitable and sustainable farm operation while protecting our waterways is a challenge farmers are already taking on and will continue.
All Minnesotans share the same goal: better water quality. We might have some disagreements on how to achieve that goal, but its time to end the rhetoric and finger-pointing and start doing a better job of working together to achieve our shared goal.
An opiate abuse bill that includes Veterans Administration reforms inspired by events at the Tomah VA Medical Center is heading to the presidents desk.
The bill, originally drafted as the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, expands the availability of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, bolsters prescription drug monitoring programs and shifts some criminal justice resources toward addiction treatment.
It was later amended to include language from bills crafted by Wisconsin lawmakers Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Ron Kind in the wake of 2015 media reports that doctors at the Tomah facility were over-prescribing narcotic painkillers. Both bills were named for Jason Simcakoski, a 35-year-old Marine Corps veteran who died in 2014 while at the Tomah VA from a toxic combination of prescription medications.
The bill requires the VA to update its guidelines for opioid therapy and pain management, provide additional training for VA prescribers, and gives Congress more direct oversight of the department. It also creates a new office of patient advocacy so that people who are supposed to intervene on behalf of veterans dont report to the directors of their particular facility, one of several measures pushed for by Simcakoskis family.
The Senate voted 92-2 Wednesday to pass the CARA bill, which last week cleared the House on a vote of 407-5.
Marv Simcakoski said the vote shows the importance of the bill, which he hopes will help veterans like his son. He said his family is looking forward to meeting with President Barack Obama when he signs the bill.
The first trout I caught in 1942 was a wild brook trout exactly like all the brook trout Dad had been catching in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
It was dark and colorful. When Dad showed me how to dress the trout we saw the bright orange flesh. It looked exactly like the trout Dad had caught and we had been eating during the Great Depression.
When we moved to Wisconsin, and I followed Dad on the stream, sometimes we caught pale hatchery trout and sometimes wild colorful brook trout.
While still in grade school I knew wild trout looked better, tasted better, fought harder, and were more difficult to catch. Sometimes we had to travel more than 50 miles to fish a stream for wild brook trout, but we knew time spent was well worth the effort.
My first teaching job was in northern Illinois. Then I had to travel four hours to fish trout in southwestern Wisconsin. A lot of the trout I caught were pale with a rounded tail from rubbing against a concrete tank in a hatchery. However, I managed to find two small streams where I caught colorful brook trout. I wanted my family to have good-tasting trout to eat.
In 1973, I became principal at State Road School in La Crosse. One of the first things I did was to inquire who on the staff fished trout. Two men helped me locate streams where I could catch wild trout. However, those streams also contained trout raised in a fish hatchery.
I remember fishing the West Fork of the Kickapoo and catching both wild brook trout and brown trout. Then I came to a big pool near the road and began catching pale trout with worn tails. There were a lot of them in that pool. After catching and releasing three I moved on searching for wild trout worth eating.
In the book, Trout Culture, author, Jen Corrinne Brown, wrote, Adapted to human feeding and artificial environments, hatchery trout often approached humans, the creatures they associated with food. Anglers found the willing prey a little too easy to catch. After easily hooking fish, anglers complained hatchery fish did not fight as hard. Anglers detested the characteristics that made fishing into more of a catching activity. In addition, the altered appearances and comparatively dull colors of hatchery fish did not exactly please the senses of anglers who valued the beauty of trout.
Gradually it became apparent to fishery biologists that wild trout and hatchery-raised trout didnt get along well together.
It has been known for decades that wild trout are territorial. They select a particular area, often two to three feet in size, as home and chase other trout away. The largest wild trout always locate in the prime feeding sites. For example, you are likely to find the largest trout at the head of the pool where the food enters and the smallest trout at the tail of the pool getting only the leftovers.
In Praise of Wild Trout, a book edited by Nick Lyons, Tom Palmer wrote, about wild trout being fiercely territorial. If one wild trout spots another in its feeding station, it will mount an immediate offensive to oust the interloper. Size and aggression naturally determine the victor, but if trout are not visually isolated within a streams segmented territories, too much energy will be expended on territorial defense and too little on the simple pleasure of instream life. Stress develops, and the defeated trout drifts downstream to places that probably offer an even more stressful existence.
This is essentially the problem that occurs when domestic hatchery-reared trout are dumped on top of wild trout. Its not that hatchery trout are piscatorial hoodlums, they just do not share the wild trouts penchant for visual isolation. An essential aspect of wildness is missing.
Its widely known today that trout raised in hatcheries should not be planted in streams where wild trout spawn and reproduce. Wild trout are efficient feeders. They know where to locate so they can use little energy moving to obtain food. Hatchery trout, accustomed to being fed by humans, dont know how to feed in a trout stream, and they disrupt the environment causing wild trout to use more energy in search of food. A few months after the introduction of hatchery trout in a stream with wild trout, most hatchery trout have died and there are also fewer wild trout.
Studies have found hatchery trout use less profitable feeding positions, consume less food, and are less wary of predators, all of this puts them at a competitive disadvantage to wild trout; and gives them a short life span. My belief is never plant hatchery trout in a class one stream, with good natural reproduction, and seldom plant hatchery trout in a class two stream with some reproduction of wild trout. However, there are exceptions like a long and bitter winter when few wild trout survive. Then hatchery trout can provide some sport for the angler until the next good hatch of wild trout takes place.
Today approximately 95 percent of the trout anglers release all their trout. In a study done by the late, Dr. Robert Hunt, in the early 1980s on Timber Coulee Creek, where all the trout had to be released, it was found that the average brown trout was caught and released five times, and the average brook trout 15 times. With each catch and release the wild trout gets a little smarter.
In heavily-fished streams, the wild trout is now more likely to follow your lure than immediately hit it. However, this is not a problem because the angler today appreciates the challenge of fishing for wary, and attractive, wild trout.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) From one of the biggest fans of Donald Trump to a former Trump rival who only recently offered a full-throated endorsement, the five Republicans from Wisconsin slated to speak at the partys national convention next week vary in their support of the presumptive presidential nominee.
Gov. Scott Walker ran against Trump, urged others to unite against him and campaigned in Wisconsins primary for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. But now Walker says hes urging a vote for Trump to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.
House Speaker Paul Ryan endorsed the businessman last month after weeks of wooing, but has also been outspoken against his more inflammatory comments and indicated his speech will focus on Republican priorities.
Others from Wisconsin with speaking slots in Cleveland announced Thursday are U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, whose northern Wisconsin district is one of two Trump won in the state primary, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.
Priebus has urged delegates to unify behind Trump, rejecting any movement to stop Trump from getting the nomination.
Clarke and Duffy are among Trumps most outspoken supporters in Wisconsin. Duffys former chief of staff is Trumps state director for Wisconsin. And Clarke, a darling of conservative media whose tone and positions on certain issues is frequently compared with Trumps, has been one of the billionaire businessmans most vocal supporters in Wisconsin.
There were also signs that the states strong anti-Trump conservative movement that helped fuel his defeat in the April primary is cracking. Conservative talk radio show host Mark Belling, who with five other influential radio hosts blasted Trump for months, explained in a letter published Wednesday that despite having referred to Trump as a clown and a buffoon, he had to vote for him to stop Clinton, whom he branded as a liar without conscience.
Burke/Triolo Productions/Thinkstock Rascal Flatts celebrated their 16th career number one, I Like the Sound of That, Wednesday at the home of the Nashville Sounds. Co-writer Shay Mooney from Dan+Shay turned out for the party at First Tennessee Park, while collaborator Meghan Trainor sent her good wishes via video.
Currently on the Six String Circus Tour with Jason Aldean, Dee Jay Silver is releasing his first radio single, Ju$t Got Paid, featuring Austin Webb.
Garth Brooks' The Ultimate Hits has been certified nine-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, having moved more than nine million copies.
Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
On 14 July Ecuadors foreign ministry issued a communique expressing concern about the situation of Cuban migrants in the region and defending the decision by the government led by President Rafael Correa to repatriate 121 Cubans in the past week.
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On 14 July Brazils federal public prosecutors ministry issued a report concluding that the manipulative accounting measures, known as pedaladas fiscais and which form the basis for the impeachment process against the suspended president, Dilma Rousseff, are not a crime.
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Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier
The board earmarked $1.54 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the dredge, designed to keep channels open and supply sand to nourish eroding beaches up and down the York County coast and beyond.
In 1924, architects created a modern house for a wealthy family in Beirut, Lebanon. People called it the Yellow House. The building was well known for its unusual style.
But after 1975, when a civil war struck Beirut, the Yellow House became known for another reason.
The building stood at the intersection of what was known as the citys "Green Line. The line divided the warring parties of east and west Beirut.
Its location made the Yellow House perfect for people who wanted to look over the city and kill others. Snipers took over the house.
It went from an avant-garde, innovative presence in the city to become a tool for killing, a murderous house, explained Youssef Haidar. He is the architect responsible for renovating the building, which is now called Beit Beirut or Beirut House.
The building will re-open to the public in September. This time, it will be a memory museum.
Some people dont want to remember because they were guilty of crimes in the war, Haider explained. But, he added, I believe that remembering is important.
Horror and hope
Mona Hallack is the person who is most responsible for transforming the Yellow House into a museum.
She first stepped into the abandoned building in 1994.
On the floor, she saw things from families and businesses that once used the space: school photos, letters, film from a photography shop.
At the same time, the building still had snipers sandbags, graffiti, and bullet holes. On one wall, someone had written the word Hell.
Hallack said being in the house reminded her of the war. She recalled the snipers, and the stories about people being killed. But she also felt hope.
Changing a murderous house
The city planned to tear the building down. But Hallack fought to keep it. She and others eventually succeeded in making it a museum.
Evidence of the war including the bullet holes and graffiti remain. But architects have also added an underground theater and a glass facade.
Hallack is now gathering exhibits for the museum. She explained she hopes they will allow people to "tell their stories."
Beirut is changing, she said. Many of the old buildings are being replaced by modern apartments and offices.
She said something is being lost. That includes the unusual architecture of the Yellow House, and the things people left on its floor.
These arent just buildings, it is the traditions and quality of the lives of those who lived there, Halleck said. Those traditions and lives, she explained, make Beirut different from Dubai, or from any other city.
Never again
Beit Beirut may focus on the past, but it has the power to shape the future.
Some early visitors to the museum included the family of Fouad Kozah. Kozah was an architect in 1932. He added two floors to the original Yellow House.
Kozahs daughter is named Nadine. She hopes that younger generations will visit the building and learn from it as a reminder of never again.
Im John Russell.
John Owens wrote this story for VOA news. Jim Dresbach 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
architect n. a person who designs buildings
sniper n. a person who shoots at another person from a hidden place
avant-garde adj. related to people who develop new and often very surprising ideas in art, literature, etc.
innovative adj. introducing or using new ideas or methods
renovate v. to make changes and repairs to an old house or building, so that it is back in good condition
abandoned adj. left without needed protection or care
sandbag n. a bag filled with sand and used as a weight or to build temporary walls, dams, etc.
graffiti n. pictures or words painted or drawn on a wall or building
facade n. the front of a building
For years, media in China were able to use and publish information from the countrys social media platforms. Social media websites were not under the governments control.
Recently, however, the government took action to reduce the amount of news coming from those sites.
Under new rules, Chinese media must first confirm a story found on social media before reporting it as news.
Until now, the media have often reported information posted on Sina Weibo, a service like Twitter. Sina Weibo has over 200 million users.
A recent search of the Xinhua news agency website showed hundreds of stories with the word Weibo. The official Peoples Daily Online even publishes photographs posted by people on Weibo.
Now, a reporter would have to confirm the story with a government official or agency before reporting the information. Under the new rules, some major news websites have been punished for what the government calls making up stories. Those sites include Sina, ifeng and 163.com.
Outside observers say this is just a new way to censor information the government finds objectionable.
Fengshi Wu teaches at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. He says the new policy is a way for the government to encourage news organizations to justify the work of the Communist Party.
In the past, users of sites like Weibo posted stories about corruption and poor leadership by government officials. Active users of Weibo published videos of officials accepting illegal payments or paying someone for sex.
Restrictions on the use of social media as a source for news may result in blocking a vital source of information, observers said.
The state-supported China Daily newspaper recently asked for the medias help in restoring peoples trust in the party. It suggested that people may be unhappy with Chinas slowing economy.
Kristin Shi-Kupfer is director of research on politics, society and media at the Mercator Institute of China Studies. She says the new rule may be the result of unrest within the Communist Party.
On June 25, Zhu Tiezhi, the deputy editor-in-chief of a Communist Party publication, was found dead. Chinese officials said Zhu Tiezhi was an apparent victim of suicide. He was believed to have been greatly concerned about the growing differences between the partys reformists and conservatives.
Shi-Kupfer said the death was one of several recent incidents that point to more fundamental disputes within the Communist Party concerning the role of media and propaganda. Like in many suicide cases of party cadres, personal and political factors are possibly involved at the same time, she said.
Im Dan Friedell.
Saibal Dasgupta wrote this story for VOANews.com. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
What do you think of the new rules on social media reporting in China? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.
________________________________________________________________
Words in This Story
encourage v. to tell or advise (someone) to do something
censor v. to examine books, movies, letters, etc., in order to remove things that are considered to be offensive, immoral, harmful to society, etc.
posted v. to publish, announce or advertise
fundamental adj. of or related to the most important part of something
factor n. something that helps produce or influence a result
LEXINGTON, Neb. Volunteers from across Dawson County organized a Christian Concert at the Dawson County Fair grandstands to benefit L2 for Kids.
Christian pastors, students impacted by L2 for Kids, and volunteers with the program talked about helping others and loving others through their faith in Jesus.
L2 for Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in central Nebraska that buys clothes for kids as a way to show them that someone cares. The programs aim is to increase a childs self-esteem and sense of well-being.
Henry Potter, co-founder of the L2 for Kids program with his wife Pat Potter, said his goal when the non-profit group was started was to help 2,000 students purchase new clothing for school. This fall, after five years of existence, L2 for Kids will reach the 2,000 kids help milestone, he said.
I was asked what L2 stands for. It is the biblical story from the Bible Jesus gave Lazarus a second chance to spend time with family. Sometimes we think with L2 we give kids a second or better chance, we want kids to better with their friends, Potter said.
Michael Ames, a pastor with First Baptist Church in Gothenburg, gave a short sermon message talking about the similarities between cowboys and Christians.
Ames said he thinks about rodeos, westerns and cattle with brands of ownership when he goes to a county fair.
As Christ followers we are marked by our Lord and savior, honored to carry his brand, Ames said.
Just as winds and tumbleweeds arise during gun fights, so to do tumble weeds that plant problems and cause pain the life of Christians, Ames said.
I am reminded that when God is in our lives he rides with us and protects us, Ames said.
A free will offering at the event was taken from those who did not purchase a ticket prior to the event. Proceeds raised will benefit the L2 for Kids in the Dawson County area.
LEXINGTON, Neb. - On Thursday the Lexington Planning Commission recommended approving a conditional use permit for the Islamic Center of Lexington.
The conditional use permit grants the Center permission to expand into the entirety of the building at 401 N. Grant. The mosque occupied a portion of the building for a number of years prior to applying to expand.
This was the second time the matter came before the commission. The first, in Nov. 2015, ended with the commission recommending denying the permit. In Dec. 2015, the Lexington City Council voted to officially deny the application, citing parking and land use concerns. During the council meeting, it was disclosed that the mosque actually expanded into the rest of the building in March 2015, without first acquiring permission from the city.
The City served a cease and desist order on the mosque in January, later filing a lawsuit in Dawson County District Court. The American Civil Liberties Union wrote a letter to the City on the mosques behalf, telling the City their zoning ordinances were in violation of federal law.
The lawsuit was continued while the two sides negotiated, and Thursdays meeting of the planning commission was without any of the acrimony that previously hallmarked the situation.
City Attorney Brian Copley spoke to open the public hearing on the matter. Weve all been here before, he said. This agreement is the product of a lot of negotiations on how the mosque can be incorporated into the vision for downtown Lexington.
He said the Islamic Center agreed to limit their occupancy to 200 people and would not oppose any special designated liquor license permits near their property. A few other minor changes, such as consolidating metering and changing which door constitutes the entrance to the mosque, were also agreed upon.
In exchange, the City would drop the lawsuit, grant the conditional use permit, and allocate the mosque 67 parking spots. Copley stipulated that the Center doesnt own or have exclusive rights to the parking spots; rather, they simply have permission to count them toward their parking requirements under the zoning ordinance.
We can make it work with this situation. I cant speak to the next one, Copley said, referring to any future entities that may move into the area in the future. Weve got a real parking problem in that area.
Planning commission member Seth McFarland said the last time the commission considered this conditional use application, theyd been told explicitly that it was not a church.
There was a lot of miscommunication regarding the use of the building and the occupancy, Copley said. It is clear now that worship is the intended use.
Kristie Tepley, the owner of Teps Bar and Grill which neighbors the mosque, raised some concerns about special liquor permits. While she acknowledged the mosques agreement not to contest applications, she said the state liquor control commission is the entity that grants the permits.
What happens when I have to fill out the application, and I have to check the box that says there is a church within 150 feet of where I want to hold the event? she asked.
Copley and Development Services Director Bill Brecks both said the law states clearly that if that box is checked, then the liquor control commission contacts the church and gives them the opportunity to oppose the application.
McFarland countered that his familys business was flatly turned down for a special permit during the 2015 Sizzlin Summer Shindig, due to the proximity of another mosque in downtown Lexington.
We didnt get the option for a hearing, he said. It was denied the second we checked that box.
Copley noted that this was one of the aspects of the agreement that the mosque made concessions on, and that it at least gives area businesses a fighting chance. He reiterated that state law is clear that someone has to actively oppose an application for it to be denied. In your case, he addressed McFarland, Im certain that someone must have spoken out against it.
Despite some concerns, planning commission members including McFarland and Steve Smith said they were happy with the communication between the City and the mosque. The commission voted unanimously to recommend approving the plan.
As with the last time this issue was considered, final say rests with the City Council. The council will consider the conditional use permit July 26.
SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. - The acoustic styling of Logan Vath will be returning to the Panhandle on Friday, July 22 at Cappuccino and Company at 6 p.m.
The concert will serve as the release for Vaths second album, an EP entitled In the Presence of the Kingdom which was produced by Daniel Mendez. Mendez has produced albums for Noah Gundersen, the Native Sibling and Dashboard Confessional.
Vath will have the new five-song EP for sale at the concert or you can purchase it on iTunes the same day.
Vath, originally a Scottsbluff native before joining the Navy, has lived in Norfolk, Virginia for the past few years. Now he is packing up and heading to Fort Collins, Colorado. Though not without stopping by his old stomping grounds first.
I went to Scottsbluff High School. I havent been home in a long time and I love small and intimate shows, said Vath. But also it feels very full circle for me to come home and release the thing that I worked so hard on while I was away.
The name of the record comes from a line in the track Battle Royale on the EP. It was written about the time when he had finished up in the Navy and wasnt sure what was next.
I was transitioning from a solid foundation like the Navy to a more fluid structure. I was trying to decide if I wanted to go to college, or pursue music more, said Vath. So really the kingdom came to represent everything, taxes, a job, college, expectations of parents and friends. Really any force bigger than myself.
The record which took months of recording through various trips to the studio in Brooklyn was finished almost a year ago, but Vath wanted to hold the release for the right time. By luck Scottsbluff fit into that right timing.
The 26 year old musician has been playing since high school, though says he has really focused on making it more of a priority the last four years. He plans on not only playing songs from the new EP but some old stuff as well as new songs he has been working on recently.
Space is very limited for the concert with only 50 tickets available. Tickets are on sale for $5 through a Facebook event page. For more information or to reserve yourself a spot be sure to swing by Cappuccino and Company on Broadway in downtown Scottsbluff.
DONIPHAN, Neb. - About 15 people spoke against the Nebraska Public Power District's $341 million transmission line project Thursday in Doniphan.
The NPPD board heard from members of the Sandhills community and the Save the Sandhills group about their concerns of building power lines in the area.
The NPPD, the state's largest electric utility, set a final route for the 345,000-volt-R-Project last fall and has been working on the project since 2013. The need for more power lines is because of congestion and the need for renewable energy. As a result of the project, wind turbines may try to make their way to the Sandhills, too.
Opposers don't want anyone touching the fragile Sandhills, but proponents say they can minimize land impact while getting power to more people.
Tom Kent, vice president and chief operating officer of NPPD said there wasn't really a way to completely avoid the Sandhills with this project, since Thedford has a transformer that the project needs to connect to.
The final route will run north from Gerald Gentleman Station near Sutherland to the substation in Thedford. The route of power lines will then run east through Blaine, Loup, Garfield and Wheeler counties before connecting with a new substation in Holt County. The line will then connect with an existing Western Area Power Administration line.
Besides help with energy congestion, Kent said the added lines will help transport the energy created by renewable energy, including wind turbines, if they are constructed. He said the project will increase energy reliability, as well.
Kent said the project will be paid for by those who use the transmitted electricity, not taxpayers who may have the project built on their land. He said the NPPD took two years of the process to hear from constituents about concerns and have made changes along the way. Open houses and public hearings were held in communities where the route would go through to collect concerns and information from the people. Kent said the NPPD has been looking at alternatives and innovative ways of constructing the power lines, especially because of the fragility of the Sandhills. For example, he said they've been looking at using helicopters for construction instead of large trucks.
"The most important thing we can do is to not damage property in the first place," Kent said.
He said the current route is the best option that minimizes impacts on the land and the people. Kent said the NPPD has taken more than 50 different factors into account before deciding on a final route.
Many spoke out against the project, telling their own stories of family ranch land and the affects the project could have on the land.
Frank Utter of Brewster came to the NPPD board meeting to express his concerns about the project. Utter said the route will bisect three miles of his ranch in the Sandhills. He said the construction of the project on his land would mess up his ranching routine because he wouldn't be able to use the land the power lines would be built on.
Utter said he's worried about the damage such a project could have on the Sandhills. He said having a power line run through his land could bring more risks for the environment and wildlife. Utter said the lines offer a space for birds of prey to perch on, which they wouldn't have had before. He said this brings risks to ground birds, such as prairie chickens, who may become even more vulnerable with the added perching area.
"Once this goes through, you can't go back," Utter said about the project and how he thinks it could impact the land.
Utter also said thinking of the amount of machinery needed for the project is worrisome because the land is fragile. Heavy machinery could create more erosion and blowouts, which isn't repairable.
"It's not going to work the way they're proposing," Utter said about the NPPD's project.
Utter and others protesting said throughout the process, they felt like the NPPD wasn't as transparent with people as they'd hoped. Utter said when the NPPD was addressed with different concerns, such as the problem of constructing a project on land with a high water table, they said they'd figure it out once they got to it.
"That's hard for us to swallow," Utter said.
He wasn't keen on the possibility of wind turbines coming near the Sandhills, either. Utter said one project always brings another.
He said none of the opposition is about money, but about the land.
"This ground isn't just real estate," Utter said. "This ground is a living, breathing, ever-evolving organism."
Melanie Coffman of Halsey also opposed the project going through the Sandhills. She said the power lines would go through the hills and valleys of the Sandhills, which are the best for grazing.
"There are pastures that we work in all the time," Coffman said to the board.
She challenged board members to put themselves in the land's shoes.
"How would you feel if this was coming through you?" Coffman said of the project.
Kent said he knows many people are concerned about the project and he understands why they might feel that way.
He said the construction, which was planned to begin January 2017 but could be delayed, might be individualized. For example, he said the NPPD may have to treat construction on one person's land different than another if the water table is higher.
"There's the opportunity to make those little adjustments," Kent said of honoring what some people said during the open forum.
But Kent said since the project is so far along, big changes, such as a possible route change, are unlikely to happen. He said the NPPD chose the current route and plan because it is more beneficial than any other option.
If the plan continues as scheduled and landowners don't comply, the NPPD would be able to continue construction through imminent domain.
"We try to minimize that as much as we can," Kent said about having to continue without the landowner's approval. "We try very hard to work with the landowners."
Utter said if his land ends up in condemnation and the construction goes as planned, he still won't be happy about it. He said it will be sad to look at the open landscape and see a power line in the way, thinking of what the land once was.
"We'll learn to adapt, but it will permanently scar a pristine area," Utter said.
WASHINGTON Republican leaders in Nebraska and Iowa welcomed reports Thursday that Donald Trump had tapped Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his running mate.
Hes a very principled man, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., told The World-Herald. I think he will provide some rounded edges for Donald Trump and fill out some policy limitations that Trump has. He brings a calm and a maturity (and) experience in governance.
Fortenberry said he knows the governor well, having served alongside him in the House and particularly on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
He recalled how Pence was chairman of the Republican Study Committee and recruited the new congressman from Lincoln to join the group. He also said Pence once thanked him for making remarks about the importance of tone.
Were living in a time where I think most people are wanting someone to invite them respectfully to a policy position, not try to just slash and burn the other person, Fortenberry said.
Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, also expressed fond memories of Pences time in the House, noting that they served together on the Judiciary Committee for years.
Wed fight the cultural wars in there together, King said.
King said Pence always admired a framed photo he displayed on his office wall of two bulls locking horns.
Thats what we do here in this place we lock horns, we glare at each other, we paw at the dirt, King said.
During particularly intense debates, King said Pence would look over at him and lock his fingers together like those horns to demonstrate that they were in the thick of it.
When Pence was elected governor of Indiana, King said he autographed the photo and sent it to Pence as a gift.
King supported Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during the GOP presidential primary and has been meeting with Trump advisers, trying to get comfortable with offering a full-throated endorsement of the businessman. He said having Pence on the ticket helps him get there, particularly on the issue of appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court.
He fills in a lot of the blanks on the social conservative side of this, King said of Pence. And he gives a lot of confidence to the evangelical communities in America, to the pro-life, to the pro-family people and to the constitutionalists.
Pence also received positive reviews on the other side of the Capitol.
Mike Pence is a solid man, and Im excited about the opportunities, said Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. He is a strong conservative; hes got the governing experience as well as legislative experience.
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said shes never had the opportunity for an extended conversation with Pence.
All reports are he is a good, solid man, Fischer said. Hes done a great job in being the governor of the state of Indiana (and) will bring a nice balance to the ticket.
Based on conversations with her Senate GOP colleagues, she said those who know him are pleased with the selection.
I look forward to meeting him next week, Fischer said.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts praised Pence as a great addition to the GOP ticket.
He would bring knowledge of state government and Washington to the ticket, Ricketts said. He would be a great stabilizing, Midwestern influence.
World-Herald staff writer Martha Stoddard contributed to this report.
LINCOLN State investigators are probing the possibility that a prison caseworker assisted in the escape of two inmates, though a corrections spokesman questioned the credibility of information provided by another inmate.
In a search warrant filed in Douglas County, Nebraska State Patrol investigators say a prison inmate told them that a prison caseworker had provided the escapees with a black Samsung smartphone about a month before the escape.
The cellphone, according to the warrant, was used by one of the inmates, Timothy Clausen, in an apparent attempt to arrange a pickup, just before he joined Armon Dixon in hiding in a laundry cart that carried the two out of the Lincoln Correctional Center on June 10.
The search warrant, filed after the men were captured, cited a fellow inmate, who is serving 10 to 15 years in prison for robbery, as the source of the information. The inmate told a State Patrol investigator that the phone had been purchased for $500 money that had been extorted from a
female corrections officer.
The caseworker who allegedly provided the phone had failed a polygraph test and did not confess to providing the phone during interrogation, according to the search warrant.
Patrol investigators, in the search warrant, said the caseworker appeared to be living outside of her financial means and may be involved in smuggling contraband into the Lincoln prison.
State Corrections spokesman Andrew Nystrom said he could not comment on an ongoing investigation but questioned the credibility of information provided by the prison inmate.
Nystrom said that no prison caseworkers or corrections officers have been disciplined or transferred in connection with smuggling a cellphone linked to the escape. That is typically done when a mistake or possible criminal offense is suspected.
Corrections earlier reassigned two officers, until an investigation is completed, who had failed to block the two escapees from joining a work crew in the prison laundry and failed to search laundry baskets shipped out of the facility.
Clausen and Dixon talked their way into the prison laundry even though they were not assigned to the work detail there, officials said. Then they hid in a laundry basket that was loaded onto a truck and driven out of the prison, en route to the Tecumseh State Prison.
The two inmates were later spotted at an intersection on the southwest edge of Lincoln. They were dressed in prison garb and running, which prompted calls to local law enforcement authorities, who were initially told by prison officials that they were not aware of any missing inmates.
According to the search warrant in Douglas County, the inmate who served as an informant said he saw Clausen make a cellphone call just prior to crawling into the laundry cart.
Clausen, according to the warrant, later told State Patrol investigators that he got the Samsung cellphone from a female corrections worker but would not provide a name. He said that Dixon was supposed to have used the cellphone to arrange for a ride.
Clausen, after being captured on June 15, told investigators that Dixon had called a woman, who later called the Lincoln Correctional Center.
That call, according to the search warrant, came about 15 minutes after the escape. A woman called to inquire whether Dixon had escaped from the prison, saying shed received a call from Dixon asking for a ride but had considered the call a joke because he was supposed to be in prison.
A corrections officer to whom the call was transferred failed to write down the name of the female caller and could not remember her name. Investigators are still searching for her identity, the search warrant said.
A Samsung phone and a Kyocera cellphone were found with Clausen when he was arrested in the bathroom of a north Omaha apartment on June 15.
The State Patrol, in the June 21 search warrant request, asked to search the contents of the two phones to discover what calls, texts and other information had been shared in recent days. The patrol said it was investigating several possible crimes, including aiding an escape and false reporting.
The search warrant was sealed by the court until July 5, when the contents became public record.
Information gathered from the cellphones is still being analyzed, a Nebraska State Patrol spokeswoman, Deb Collins, said Thursday.
Once the investigation is completed, reports will be forwarded to the Lancaster County Attorneys Office, she said.
How long that may take cannot be determined, Collins said, because every investigation is unique.
An Omaha woman, Wanda Minor, 50, has been charged with being an accessory to a felony. Authorities allege that she helped Clausen get from Lincoln to Omaha.
Dixon, 37, who was apprehended in Lincoln, is scheduled to be arraigned via a video hookup in Lancaster County Court on a charge of escape on Wednesday. That charge is punishable by up to four years in prison. He was already serving a 158- to 278-year sentence for multiple convictions, including sexual assault, theft and being a habitual criminal.
Clausen, 52, has been charged with escape but has not yet been given an arraignment date. He was serving a 52- to 58-year sentence for sexual assault of a child and tampering with a witness.
Both inmates have been transferred to the Tecumseh State Prison, the states newest and highest-security prison, since being apprehended.
The crews with the US Coast Guard sent 34 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cabanas, Cuba, this week.
34 migrants were sent to Bahia de Cabanas, Cuba this week
Per the U.S. Coast Guard: number of Cubans attempting to migrate to the U.S. is up
According to a press release, the Coast Guards actions were the result of four separate migrant interdictions at sea within the last week in the south Florida Straits.
In each instance, the Coast Guard said they helped secure the U.S. border and prevented these sea voyages from ending in tragedy.
"Safety of life at sea continues to be the Coast Guard's primary concern," said Capt. Aldante Vinciguerra, chief of response for the 7th Coast Guard District. "Migrants aboard overloaded and unseaworthy vessels are putting their lives at extreme risk of injury and death. The Coast Guard with our partner agencies continue to patrol vigilantly to rescue and repatriate undocumented migrants who take to the sea."
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive food, water, shelter and basic medical attention.
Since Oct. 1, at least 5,241 Cubans attempted to migrate to the U.S. over the waterways. Thats a sharp increase, the Coast Guard reports, from 4,473 attempted migrates in 2015.
The vessel that came into contact with the migrants was the Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen, a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Key West.
We all have a distinctive understanding and interpretation of travel - depending on our background, inquisitive characteristics and a gallivanting eye. While most may be similar renditions, there is always that unique aspect of what travel means to each of us.
Why would you leave the comfort of your cozy home to go around the world to experience what sometimes are seemingly the most exasperating encounters? Even more astonishing, why quit a considerably lucrative job to spend your life savings globe-trotting? For me, an adventurous experience is simple; at least if not for the rest of my life, for that time when my whole being is intoxicated by the idea of travel.
Often, I get questions on whether traveling is part of my interests, perhaps because of the nature of what I do. Then, I have gotten accustomed to the next possible question how many countries/places have you been to? Depending on my response, the questioner is always left to decide whether I am truly a traveler or not.
You see, I may not have traveled to as many destinations as would qualify me to be called a wanderlust. Yet, in any sense, I assert that traveling for me is not about how many miles I cover. An ace traveler will agree with me that whether its an hours drive to the city next door or a 10 hours flight to the other corner of the world, traveling is simply the ability to move to a place you want to explore for one reason or another.
In this case, I may be traveling to my rural hometown to pay homage to my folks, honoring a friends invitation to be with them during an important event in their lives in a nearby city or a business trip to an overseas country; for me, a step away from my normal environs for whatever reason is an epic move to travel.
Recently, a friend left the country (Kenya) to Cape Town for a business trip. However, I was completely beguiled by his ability to juggle the busy schedule and time to indulge in pleasurable activities such as a shopping spree, something that made him a freely happy gentleman. And his excuse? I only carried a toothbrush and paste. Such ability to "bleisure" is not only a relaxing ice-breaker but also goes a long way in enabling me to enjoy every meaning of travel.
Away from home, is where I have encountered some of my most important life journeys and personal growth. Where I have seen the richness of culture, created golden friendships, had some of my most hearty laughter and appreciated the true unconditional love of humanity. This is my rendition of travel.
With 22 July being confirmed as the release date for Kabali, Rajinikanths fans are now waiting to get their first day, first day show tickets. Producer Kalaipuli S Thanu who just had a superhit in Theri with Vijay spoke exclusively to Firstpost about Kabali, Rajinikanth and whats next for his company, V Creations.
Kabali is set to be one of the biggest releases in Tamil cinema next week...
Kabali is releasing in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi on 22 July, across 5,000+ screens worldwide. In the US, its releasing in around 500 screens. The Malay version will be in Malaysian theatres on 29 July. China has more than 17,000 screens and we are dubbing it in Chinese and releasing it there in September. We will also dub the film in Thai, Indonesian and Japanese and release it then. The film stars a famous Chinese actor, Winston Chao, and a Malaysian actor Rosyom Nor, so it will resonate in those countries.
How did this collaboration between you, Rajinikanth and Pa Ranjith happen?
It was thanks to Soundarya, Rajinikanths daughter. We had decided to do a film together and were in talks with some directors. Soundarya met Pa Ranjith and listened to his synopsis and felt that I must meet him. So Rajinikanth and I met him and listened to the narration. We both hugged him when he finished the narration because he had come up with a wonderful story!
Your career in the Tamil film industry spans over 40 years. But is Kabali your biggest film?
I have produced so many successful films and most of them have been hits. But Kabali is special for me, and I have a soft corner for it as compared to all my other films. I think Kabali will be the crowning glory in Rajinikanths career. After watching the film, he told me how happy he was. I also showed the film to Soundarya and she said it was amazing. [Smiles]
Tell us about your friendship with Rajinikanth.
Not many people know that it was I who gave him the title Superstar. We have been friends for over 35 years and when I was distributing his film Bairavi, I released ads stating that Superstar Rajinikanth was starring in the film. And the rest is history. [Smiles] He is simple, has no ego and is very respectful. He is the same humble human being today as he was 35 years ago despite his stature and success.
It is being said that the film has raked in more than Rs 200 crore before its release, thanks to distribution rights, branding, etc.
[Smiles and nods] I expect the movie to make more than Rs 500 crore when it releases. It will be bigger than Baahubali because that is the power and stature of Rajinikanth. He has fans all over the world, across all age groups. But I have still not sold the satellite rights, I'm waiting for the film to release.
The song Neruppu Da has caught on like fire and Santhosh Narayans music is a hit.
I think the lyrics of that song are so simple and colloquial that people even children can remember them and relate to it. The bit where Rajini says: Tell them that Ive come back after 25 years was so apt that I commended both Pa Ranjith and Santhosh for their creativity.
Was the buzzword for the film Magizchi your contribution since you always use that word?
[Laughs] No, that is purely Ranjiths creativity. I use the word to sign off messages but I also found that he uses that word! Just a coincidence and then it became part of the film.
Were you surprised when Mohanlal bought the Kerala rights for Kabali?
Yes, I didnt expect that at all. Its special because he is a big star and he has a huge fan following in Kerala. Now all his fans will go watch the film because he has bought the rights.
After a big film like Kabali, what is next for you?
We are in talks to produce a Hollywood film but I will announce the details around December.
Tom Hiddleston has many reasons to celebrate. The 35-year-old hunk won an Emmy nomination for his role as former British soldier Jonathan Pine in the British-American series Night Manager. He also seems to be very much in love with his girlfriend Taylor Swift.
The couple's high profile romance has sparked-off many conspiracy theories which state that their romance, known to fans as 'Hiddleswift', is nothing more than a publicity stunt for good PR. Speculation even states that this might even be an elaborate ploy for Taylor Swift's next big music video.
The actor, who shot to fame because of his role as the antihero 'Loki' in the 2012 film The Avengers set a few things straight in a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and were very happy, he told the publication. Thanks for asking.
The actor, who is currently in Australia filming Thor: Ragnarok, in which he reprises his role as Loki, added, Thats the truth. Its not a publicity stunt.
Also weighing in on the relationship is Martha Hunt, the Victoria Secret model who forms the core of Taylor Swift's squad. "I love that they're both happy and free together," the supermodel told the press at a Pepsi event celebrating World Emoji Day.
She also commented on the fact that Hiddleston got along very well with Taylor Swift's friends on her 4th of July party weekend.
All is well in the 'Hiddleswift' universe it seems, lest Calvin Harris takes to twitter again or this time maybe there will be a few skeletons in Hiddleston's closet?
Natalie Portman, actress and Harvard graduate is making her directorial debut with the movie A Tale of Love and Darkness.
The New York Times' T magazine decided to let famed novelist Jonathan Safran Foer of Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close interview her about her directorial debut. In a string of 'intimate' emails exchanged between them, Safran Foer, who writes about the Holocaust and Judaism, quizzed Portman on topics ranging from the complexities of Israel (which is the subject for her directorial debut) and how she balances her career with motherhood. Here's glimpse of the story:
For over a decade, Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer have exchanged emails https://t.co/uAbbV7KEHI pic.twitter.com/KgWGwevtEW The New York Times (@nytimes) July 14, 2016
The wonderful interview, which gives us an insight into the brilliant actress's mind, had Portman featured standing by an open french window, sporting a sweater and socks. She had forgot to put on a pair of pants, even though the cold weather made her wear woolen clothing and socks. This photo went viral online and sparked a debate about feminism on twitter.
Why does an actress who is an Harvard graduate, need to show off her legs to get attention from readers? Why does a newspaper, that prides itself on it's intellectualism and rationalism, need to ask an actress, who is talking about her struggle with being an Israeli in America, not to put on pants for it's cover story? Would they do the same for a male counterpart?
Twitter blew up with comments about the cover story that range from being outraged, to a weary sense of humor directed towards the sexist attitude of The New York Times. Here are a few best ones:
If my husband published a bunch of emails he exchanged with another woman I would murder him fyi carl https://t.co/Zwfoa3NCYY Katie Drummond (@katiedrumm) July 14, 2016
My emails with Natalie Portman (to be published next week):
ME: Pepperoni pizza depresses me.
NP: Should I put on some pants? Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) July 14, 2016
Convo btw Portman & Safran Foer re faith, art, kids, her directorial debut. Naturally, she is photographed w/o pants https://t.co/T0TruRk8rm Rebecca Traister (@rtraister) July 14, 2016
funny how there's no picture of Jonathan Safran Foer in his underwear accompanying these https://t.co/RidpuQ9633 Michelle Dean (@michelledean) July 14, 2016
There is so much about this I don't understand, beginning with why I'm reading it. https://t.co/jXF6clI7jk Alyssa Harad (@alyssaharad) July 14, 2016
Someone forgot to bring pants to the shoot. Via @nytimes. The Emails of Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran Foer https://t.co/wO9feXqEcM NYTFridge (@NYTFridge) July 14, 2016
written by Jonathan Safran Foer; illustrated by pantsless Natalie Portman pic.twitter.com/cTqT1lMy8V Anne Helen Petersen (@annehelen) July 14, 2016
There was this distinct moment when I realised Y Films web series about two women Khanna and Dingo chatting in six different loos, was going to cause ripples. Laying about in a post-rajma chawal lull one night, lazily going through Facebook links, I clicked on the trailer.
After laughing raucously and rubbing my hands in glee at the idea of an Indian web series starring girls talking about poop and pregnancy tests while smoking copious amounts of pot, I suddenly noticed the comments underneath.
As I scrolled down, I was at first amazed, then angered, then laughing hysterically and finally I thought wow, this is going to bother people. The comments under the trailer were mainly of two kinds women praising the series in solidarity, and men voicing their disgust. The realization that women do not actually fart rainbows, poop marshmallows or speak solely in Rumi, was not simply shocking for them, it appeared it was unprecedented. They simply had not thought such a thing was possible.
Girls cursing? Youre kidding, right? was the general male opinion. I was amazed by this haw-ji-ki-paw-ji attitude young Indian men were having to it. Had they been living under a rock or had we? Its true though, Indian women hide their realities in their linked arm Lets go to the loo? cuteness, so its no surprise then that Indian men havent a clue what goes on in there.
When writers Neha Kaul Mehra and Ratnabali Bhattacharjee sat down to create the series (online and long distance, as Mehra lives in Chicago), Im not sure they realized their only slightly exaggerated collection of college memories turned into Khanna and Dingos adventures would be the highway that bridged that gap.
The concept for Ladies Room, directed by Ashima Chibber, was born when Y Films vice president Ashish Patil decided he wanted to create a single location web series. When someone jokingly suggested the womens loo, he latched on to the idea. As a man I always wondered why women go to the loo in groups, and I knew, its because thats where shit happens literally and figuratively!
After shopping around, Y Films brought on board the hugely talented Final Call Productions, who paired together writers Mehra and Bhattacharjee. When I was sent the first fifteen pages of the script, Ashish says, I thought this is GOLD. Hes right. As co-writer Bhattacharjee, known for penning the viral Girliyapa video How I Raped Your Mother says, I talk this way as does Neha, so it was just about writing characters who sounded like us and sounded real. And they do. Dingo and Khanna are real-er than real, making most other portrayals of women in the Indian media look pretty ridiculous.
To play the illustrious ladies, Final Call and Y films unanimously agreed on Saba Azad and Shreya Dhanwanthary. Azad who plays the free-wheelin stoner Dingo, begins with Comedy is haaard! Making people laugh is the toughest thing Ive ever done. But she does, and says she and Dhanwanthary, neither of whom even really identified with their roles, had a ball of a time exploring the uncharted territory.
Known for her cute roles in films like Mujhse Fraandship Karoge, and more recently adored as girl-half of musical act Madboy/Mink, Azad performed some of Dingos parts with nothing more than a dab of makeup. It was a conscious decision, she says. If Im on a local train I should look like Im on a train. I may not look great but that adds to the authenticity of the character. So if looking ugly is a byproduct of authenticity - bring it on! I do not have dreams of grandeur I act for the craft.
When I ask Dhanwanthary who plays Khanna (the knocked up one) if she felt awkward saying and doing the things she does in the series, she replies in the absolute negative, even though the first time she read the script she said her eyebrows reacted first one went up and one went down.
These are brave girls no make up, hands down toilets, smoking joints, abortions, tripping on MDMA all on screen. There arent many actresses in Bombay who wouldve agreed. And there arent many people who would have backed it. Preetika Chawla, Final Call founder says the backing of this wild and admittedly risky idea is all Ashish Patil. Hes a good, good man, she says, and thats more than one can say of anyone doing what he does.
Was he ever worried? It sounds like more than worried, he had (despite loving the idea) prepared himself for a lot of backlash and a niche audience at most. What happened instead surprised even him. Sure, they experienced the expected backlash, but as they release their sixth and final episode, theyre standing at 7 million views with an average watch time of 80 percent. Thats the thing about Khanna and Dingo you dont want to switch them off. Even the ones watching out of sheer perversion, the ones leaving hate-comments like, Where did you hire these randis? are watching till the very end.
About those comments that initially piqued my interest in the show, feisty Azad says, I was hoping people would have an extreme reaction. Fickle and fun as it may seem, I feel Ladies Room uses humor brilliantly to address topics that are poignant to women, and shows women as they are rather than through some regressive patriarchal filter. Khanna and Dingo cuss, they think of sex, they drink, smoke, party, and it doesnt mean theyre loose or characterless. Its time our understanding of what women are changed.
It was precisely with this change in mind that Final Calls Preetika Chawla and Patrick Graham began their conversation with Y Films. Every time anyone tries to do something about women and where we stand today, they do it badly we wanted to address that. Economist turned writer Mehra also speaks of how she felt fatigued after watching one too many movies about male yari dosti, college days, purani jeans, guitar shit, and wondered why female friendships hadnt received their due in Indian cinema or television. Why the hell couldn't Veeru and Jai be female? And so she created Khanna and Dingo, who are looking at not simply a Season Two in the future, but a whole film starring them.
For me personally, the pair represent a sort of new feminism, but when I ask Neha Kaul Mehra about writing feminist characters she says, That Khanna and Dingo are the way they are - coarse, cynical, devious, hilarious, loving, supportive, empowered, not particularly feminine in a normative sense, wasn't a conscious decision. That's just who they are. Or who we are. In mainstream Hindi film and television we haven't really seen women just be people, right? Mostly they're just a body. That's changing now.
Bhattacharjee too admits that while writing it, the pair never even spoke about feminism. We just wrote characters like us, reacting to sitiations the way we would. Yes, were both feminists and Im sure that comes through, but we did not set out to write a feminist comedy."
You see why this is the new feminism? Because it dissolves even the use of the word. In a wonderfully relaxed post-feminist optimism, it confidently presumes that if youre not a feminist, youre automatically sexist. Feminism has to constantly reinvent itself in order to trick its way into the sour-pussed mouths of those who still find equality too bitter a thing to swallow and this new avatar of Indian feminism is for me its finest yet.
Weve had the drably dressed serious fighter for female rights, then the sexy, barely clad announcer of its my body and my life one liners, and the earnest college kid holding the placard at the rape protest. But the new threads Indian feminism is donning, thanks to the likes of Mehra, Bhattacharjee, solo trooper Mallika Dua (if you havent watched her snapchats your life is lacking), and a small handful of others, is my favourite so far.
It pokes fun at itself, it doesnt give a dead rats ass what you think, its having a ball of a time and it is women, uncensored, un-photoshopped and unmanaged. I love it, and Im certain you will too.
New Delhi: Snapping 18-month downward spiral, India's exports in June rose 1.27 per cent to USD 22.57 billion.
Rising exports and decline in imports also brought down the trade deficit in June to USD 8.11 billion as against USD 10.82 billion in the year-ago month.
India's exports in June 2015 stood at USD 22.28 billion.
Exports have been falling since December 2014 due to weak global demand and slide in oil prices.
As per the data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry, imports in June were at USD 30.68 billion, down 7.33 per cent from USD 33.11 billion in the year-ago month. Imports of petroleum, crude and related products were down 16.42 per cent in June while that of coal, coke and briquettes shrunk by about 13 per cent.
In value terms, imports of fertilisers too were down by 22.77 per cent at USD 712.36 million. Gold import was recorded at USD 1.20 billion in June, a decline of 38.54 over the year-ago period.
On the export front, there was increase in exports of organic and inorganic chemicals (14.36 per cent), engineering goods (0.88 per cent), and plastic and linoleum (10.6 per cent).
Cumulative value of merchandise exports for the period April-June 2016-17 was USD 65.31 billion as against USD 66.69 billion, a decline of 2.07 per cent. Overall imports in the first quarter of the fiscal stood at USD 84.54 billion, down 14.53 per cent year-on-year.
The trade deficit for April-June was estimated at USD 19.23 billion, lower than the deficit of USD 32.225 billion in the corresponding period last fiscal.
In case of services, exports (receipts) during May were valued at USD 13.46 billion, registering a growth of 4.28 per cent, and imports stood at USD 7.92 billion, a growth of 10.29 per cent.
Two of the top IT services companies have come out with their first-quarter earnings. While Tata Consultancy Services beat the analysts' estimates, Infosys disappointed.
Analysing the earnings, TCS CEO and MD N Chandrasekaran attributed the results to strong execution and accelerating customer adoption of Cloud, Big Data and Analytics, which resulted in a broad-based growth across key markets and industries.
Rajesh Gopinathan, chief financial officer said the quarter witnessed good financial performance balancing revenue growth, profitability and cash generation.
"Our disciplined approach to operations have helped us counter strong headwinds in form of annual salary hikes and promotions as well as global currency and market volatility through the quarter," he said.
However, Infosys said there were a few unanticipated headwinds that impacted their net profit and revenue growth.
"We had unanticipated headwinds in discretionary spending in consulting services and package implementations as well as slower project ramp-ups in large deals that we had won in earlier quarters, resulting in a lower than expected growth in Q1," said Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka.
Infosys' numbers are particularly disappointing since the company has been doing well in the last few quarters. There was a broad consensus among observers that the company may be coming out of the woods after a two-year-long transition troubles.
The company's shares declined about 8.81 percent on the BSE today after the earnings, pulling down the IT index and other IT stocks with them.
Here are seven charts that will help you compare the two companies:
TCS posted a revenue of Rs 29,305 crore, up 3 percent on quarter (3.1 percent on constant currency basis). The company's volume growth came in at 3.4 percent on quarter (12.4 percent on year).
"For the first time after four successive quarters of decline, (TCS) reported pricing saw a marginal improvement of 0.3 percent Q-o-Q. A positive takeaway was broad-based growth in terms of verticals, service lines and geographies," Reliance Securities said in a post-earnings note.
Meanwhile, Infosys' revenue growth of 1.4 percent is much lower than the growth seen in the previous quarter (4.1 percent) and also in the year-ago period (7 percent). It is also to be noted that TCS has a larger base.
Infosys posted a net profit of Rs 3,436 crore, a decline of 4.5 percent on quarter. Analysts had expected the company to clock Rs 3,447 crore (down 4.2 percent), according CNBC-TV18.
TCS, meanwhile, witnessed a 0.4 percent fall in its net profit. Compared with the previous quarter, the number is bad but on year it is a major improvement.
When it comes to operating margin, analysts have been upbeat about TCS. Terming the company's margin management 'commendable', Religare said in a post-earnings note, "Despite multiple margin headwinds, EBIT margins beat estimates and came in at 25.1 percent."
Reliance Securities, meanwhile, said the lower-than-expected decline in the margin was because of TCS' 'operational efficiency'. It noted that selling, general and administrative expenses and other operating costs of the company declined 71 basis points as a percentage of revenue.
A major negative surprise for Infosys has been the sudden spike in the attrition rate to 21 percent. In the previous two quarters the company had seen its attrition rate declining due to measures taken by the management. However, the company in a post earnings press conference said it is not unduly worried about the situation. It has relaunched its employee stock option plan (ESOP) for junior to middle level management staff in a bid to stem the employee churn.
TCS, meanwhile, has witnessed a sharp decline in attrition rate from 15.5 percent in the previous quarter to 13.6 percent.
According to analysts who spoke on CNBC-TV18, Brexit is a bigger worry for Infosys than TCS.
"In terms of going ahead in quarter two, we expect some kind of recovery in growth but the Brexit impact will be major for Infosys because they have had about 4 percent growth in the last four quarters on an average from the European markets. European markets have outperformed the US market for Infosys, so going ahead you might see some kind of negative impact because of Brexit on Infosys specifically," said Karan Taurani of Daulat Capital to the channel.
Meanwhile, Reliance Capital feels the steep drop in Infosys shares on Friday (15 July) is exaggerated.
"There have been positives also this quarter, which this steep decline ignores - large deal wins continued to come in higher ($ 800mn vs $ 757mn in 4QFY16 and $ 360mn in 3QFY16), driving confidence on improved revenue growth in 2QFY17, Y-o-Y margins were largely stable compared with a decline for most of the industry, and key verticals like insurance, telecom, manufacturing, retail and transport (a combined 55 percent of revenue) all clocked solid growth rates of 3-6 percent Q-o-Q," it said in a post-earnings note.
The brokerage expects Infosys to continue to grow ahead of industry in 2016-17.
New Delhi: The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that an SIT probe has been initiated in AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case following the registration of FIR in 2013 and a charge sheet is likely to be filed this year.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan considered the submission of Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar and disposed of the PIL seeking court-monitored SIT probe and registration of FIR against some political leaders and others whose names have allegedly been referred to in an Italian court's verdict in the chopper case.
During the hearing, Kumar told the bench that nobody is above law and the case is being thoroughly probed for which charge sheet will be filed in the case. The apex court had on 6 May sought Centre's reply on the PIL filed by advocate ML Sharma which had pressed lodging of FIR against political leaders, including UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose names have allegedly been referred to in Italian court's verdict.
CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister.
The plea, which has made Ministry of Defence and CBI as parties, had sought registration of FIR against persons whose names have figured in the judgement delivered by the Italian court in Milan on 7 April, 2016.
It had sought a court-monitored SIT or CVC probe and also raised legal questions including as to whether decision of the Italian court is "not enough" to prosecute. The plea had said the probe began in Italy in 2011 into the allegation that AgustaWestland paid a commission of over Rs 350 crore to Switzerland-based consultant Guido Ralph Haschke to facilitate the deal.
"The scope of the Italian probe will end at the point where the alleged commission money reaches India. The probe will not go into who was paid the money in the Indian establishment or how the funds were worked around within the power circles of New Delhi," it had said.
"That action has been taken in Italy on VVIP helicopter scam. The CEO of the company has been arrested. But no action has been taken here. The country which would have benefited from the deal has taken action while the country which lost money has not done anything," it said, adding the petitioner is apprehending that the case may meet the fate of Bofors scandal.
CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister.
A case was lodged for alleged cheating, corruption and criminal conspiracy in the Rs 3,600 crore deal, in which Rs 360 crore is alleged to have been paid as kickbacks.
Anandiben was ecstatic as her cherished desire of paying obeisance at the holy Amarnath cave came close to getting fulfilled. She, along with four members of her family, reached Jammu last Friday.
As she reached the City of Temples, the starting point for the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave in Kashmir, her excitement knew no bounds. The slogans of "Bum Bum Bhole" and "Har Har Mahadev" echoing at the Bhagwati Nagar situated Amarnath Yatri Niwas in Jammu seemed to make the atmosphere electric, she recalled.
This 64-year-old woman from Gujarat and her family like all other devotees keen to catch a glimpse of the holy lingam had no inkling of the ordeal that awaited them when trouble erupted in the valley following the gunning down of Burhan Wani, the self-proclaimed 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander.
Suspened-Resumed-Suspended Again!
Apprehending trouble in the Valley, the yatra was suspended on 8 July, leaving several thousand pilgrims stranded.
The yatra resumed on Tuesday evening after the government decided to adopt a multi-pronged security strategy to ensure hassle-free passage of pilgrims. In addition to providing security cover to convoys heading towards the shrine, pilgrims were instructed to undertake the trek only at night.
In view of the Centres directive, the states security apparatus has adopted a multi-pronged strategy. Vehicles ferrying yatris are provided security cover along the routes they travel, they are allowed to move only with convoys of Army, CRPF or in some areas under police protection, said a senior police official.
They are not allowed to move during daytime due to the situation and the threat of stone-pelting, he said, adding, "All the movement to the base camps, ie Sonamarg and Pahalgam, is allowed during the night under the full protection of security forces. The same drill is being followed when they return from the cave."
Further, he said, The 25,000 pilgrims who were stranded in Pahalgam and Baltal base camps after having taken darshan had been provided safe passage till Jammu under strict army vigil by Tuesday evening.
Sharad Kumar, director, Srinagar Airport Authority of India said that 38 flights are operating from Srinagar International Airport.
Due to the prevailing situation, flights coming to Kashmir are not even half-occupied. Yet there is no curtailment in their number. We are trying our best to make it easy for pilgrims and tourists to leave the place, he added.
The yatra that resumed on July 12 was abruptly called off again on Thursday morning, this time due to heavy rainfall in the higher reaches and the possibility of landslides.
Present Situation
As uncertainly looms over the status of the annual pilgrimage, the faith of devotees is being tested.
There have been good experiences, and bad ones too: Some, like Kavita Lahiri from Kolkata, have been lucky. She reached Jammu on Monday evening and was back at the Amarnath Yatri Niwas two days later, having covered the arduous journey on foot for the most part. Although the treacherous terrain did get difficult to navigate during the night, she is upbeat at having made it. I wont deny it was risky because one could slip and fall into the deep gorge below, but then walking on ordinary roads these days is risky too, isnt it? she asked.
We are very happy and perhaps lucky too, because there are others here in this hall who have been waiting here since Sunday, she said, pointing to a bunch of five sitting next to her on the floor.
One of these, Ashwajeet Kumar Sonkar, president of a human Rights organisation in Mumbai, has a different story to tell. He has been in this camp for the past four days. Two of his friends, who he thinks were more sensible, headed back home after giving up hope. They were running out of money too, he tells. As the fan above them whirrs slowly and the people in the huge but jam-packed hall sweated profusely, he blamed it all on the lack of a proper information counter.
The additional district commissioner of Jammu, Arun Kumar Manhas, however denies this. Regular announcements are being made even as the people at the help desk are going out of the way to assist the yatris, he insisted. There is a control room from where regular announcements are being made from time to time. Besides, the pilgrims entering the premises to get a ticket for the holy darshan are handed a brochure in which all emergency contact numbers have been clearly mentioned, he said.
Yes, people have faced difficulties but that is because of the extraordinary situation we are facing this time, he added.
The announcements are indeed being made.
The ADC insisted that the people who decided to visit Shivkhori (another cave shrine in the Reasi district) or Vaishno Devi in the wake of the suspension of the yatra are the only ones who have faced delays. For now, there is no information about the possibility of the resumption of the trek. As a result, hundreds can be seen whiling away their time under sheds and even under the scorching sun.
But that does not seem to deter the devotees.
It is terribly hot. And humid. In spite of it, the queues are long and the faith unflinching.
Even as Rakesh Gupta and his family who reached Jammu barely two hours ago are already thinking of going back, blaming it all on 'poor arrangements', there are hundreds who are happy to brave the 44C weather to get a ticket for the holy darshan.
The author is a freelance writer
Greater Noida: Acting on court orders, police on Friday lodged an FIR against deceased Mohammad Akhlaq and six family members for alleged cow slaughter.
Jarcha Police station SHO Pradeep Kumar said, "As per court order, FIR for cow slaughtering was lodged against deceased Akhlaq and six family members."
He said chargesheet will be filed within stipulated period, without elaborating further.
Sanjay Rana, the father of one of the accused, said, "We are happy that at least FIR was registered. Investigation will nail the accused."
Meanwhile Akhlaq's family has decided to challenge the FIR in the high court seeking directions for its quashing.
"We will move high court," Jaan Mohammad, brother of Akhlaq, said.
Akhlaq was killed by a mob on 29 September last year on the suspicion that his family stored and consumed beef at their home.
A forensic lab is reported to have said that the meat found in Akhlaq's home was beef.
Residents of Bishada village in Dadri had met the Gautam Budh Nagar SSP on 5 June to press their demand for registration of an FIR against Akhlaq's family for alleged cow slaughter, following which he had ordered a probe into the charge.
Yesterday, a judicial magistrate court had ordered investigation and lodging of FIR of cow slaughter against Akhlaq's family.
Surat: The lawyers of Hardik Patel, who walked out of the Lajpore on Friday after nine months in confinement, informed a local court that the 22-year-old quota agitation spearhead will stay in Rajasthan's Udaipur city for the next six months.
In an undertaking submitted before Surat district and sessions court, Hardik's lawyer Dilip Patel informed the court that Hardik will stay at House No 190, Shrinath Nagar on airport road in Udaipur.
"This is a temporary address of Hardik for next six months, as the High Court, while granting him bail last week, instructed us to inform the local court about his address for the next six months, as Hardik has to leave Gujarat within two days of his release," said Dilip Patel.
Last week, the Gujarat High Court paved way for Hardik's release after granting him bail in two cases of sedition and a case related to violence at Visnagar MLA's office. While granting him bail in sedition cases, the HC set a condition that Hardik will have to stay outside Gujarat for the next six months. As per HC directions, Hardik will have to leave Gujarat within 48 hours after his release from jail.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the owner of the house in Udaipur is a former Congress MLA of Rajasthan Pushakarlal Patel, who invited Hardik to stay at his house. According to the former MLA, he is the leader of the Patel community in Rajasthan.
"As soon as I learnt that the court asked Hardik to stay out of Gujarat for six months, I sent an invitation to his supporters and invited Hardik to stay at my house in Udaipur. Patel community has always stood by Hardik and his agitation for our community. He is like our family member," said Patel while talking to a TV channel.
"Though I was a Congress MLA in the past, politics has nothing to do with my invitation to Hardik. I invited him because he is fighting for our community. During his stay here, Patel leaders will meet him and discuss the road ahead," added Patel.
Hardik stepped out of jail after nine months of confinement and vowed to continue his agitation, saying he does not want a "56-inch chest, but rights for his community".
In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's '56-inch-chest' remark made during the 2014 election campaign, Hardik told reporters, "I want to say that I don't want height, weight or a 56-inch chest. All I want is rights for my community."
Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif on Friday reportedly blamed the central government for the violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that Kashmir was witnessing an extension of ethnic cleansing initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat, reported The Times of India.
Massacre & genocide in Indian Occupied Kashmir is extention & re enactment of ethnic cleansing started by Modi in Gujrat.. Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) July 15, 2016
His comment came soon after Pakistan's cabinet meeting on the escalating violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) did not comment on Asif's remarks but latched on to Nawaz Sharif's eulogy on Burhan Wani and "completely and unequivocally" rejected the decision the Pakistan cabinet had adopted.
Reacting to Prime Minister Sharif's comments on Wani, where he had condemned the killing of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander and claimed him to be a freedom fighter, the MEA in a statement said, "Continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organizations makes it amply clear where Pakistans sympathies continue to lie."
The MEA reacted swiftly to the continuous interest that the Pakistani high command vested on the developments happening in Kashmir.
"India asks Pakistan to desist from interfering in its internal affairs and destabilizing situation in South Asia by supporting terrorism and other subversive acts."
"India is dismayed at continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in its internal matters where Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi," the MEA further said.
Islamabad has been provocative in their reaction to incidents that has unfolded in the Valley with Sharif announcing that Pakistan would be observing 19 July as 'black day'.
Earlier on Friday, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja M Asif had posted a series of provocative tweets comparing clashes in Kashmir to the Gujarat riots of 2002.
Asif had called the clashes "an extension & re enactment of ethnic cleansing started by Modi in Gujrat (sic)."
The Dawn reported that Sharif on Friday chaired a cabinet meeting at the Governor House where members of the cabinet decided to call a joint session of parliament to discuss the Kashmir issue, but a date for the session is yet to be decided upon.
The Centre has received a lot flak with the Congress criticising the handling of Kashmir unrest which has led to the UN asking for restraint.
Srinagar: At least five police personnel were injured in a grenade attack and firing on police station at Yaripora in south Kashmir's Kulgam district during stone pelting by protestors, a police official said.
"Someone from the mob hurled a grenade towards the police personnel during stone pelting on Police station Yaripora. The grenade attack was followed by firing also," the official said.
He said at least five cops were injured in the attack.
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The activities of Naik's Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation are also under the scanner of Indian Home Ministry amid allegations that funds from abroad received by it have been spent on political activities and inspiring people towards radical views.
One of the slain attackers of the terrorist attack in Dhaka's high-security Gulshan area, the 22-year-old Rohan Imtiaz quoted Naik in a Facebook post in January this year where he urged "all Muslims to be terrorists". Twenty-two people were killed in the brutal late-night attack. Six days later, militants attacked police guarding the largest Eid gathering in Bangladesh and killed three more people.
I challenge you to show me any unedited answer of mine where I have not condemned suicide bombing of the kind that is happening : Zakir Naik
"I challenge you to show me any unedited answer of mine where I have not condemned suicide bombing of the kind that is happening. Why are you relying on a doctored clip, or an answer which is out of context? I challenge you to show my any unedited clip. Chapter 5,verse 32 Quran says killing innocents is crime. No scripture othr than Quran says killing innocent people is killing humanity."
Ban can only be if a country has given downlinking permission. When India hasn't given the permit, then how can they ban the channel? No government official authority has approached us with any question. So far, I have had no problem with Indian govt or the police. Knowingly, I have never met any terrorist, but if some people stand next to me and take photographs, I smile. I dont know who they are," Zakir Naik
Ban can only be if country has given downlinking permission given.When India hasn't given then what ban?: Zakir Naik pic.twitter.com/zBCmOWi2tl
Naik on fatwas against him, "I do not criticise any sect of Islam, I may disagree on interpretations."
As Sreemoy Talukdar of Firstpost argues: "Moreover, one wonders why Naik hasn't come for a direct interaction with the media and several scholars who have critiqued his flawed understanding of Islam. He insists on speaking only in his own press conference organised by the IRF, as his expertise lies only in his pre-planned and well-worked-out public speaking. Is it his 'unwillingness' or 'inability' to face the Indian media, journalists and the well-established classical Islamic scholars asking him direct straightforward questions?" Read the full article here
The controversial Salafist preacher, who is currently on a lecture tour in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Africa addressing large Muslim gatherings, was supposed to appear in front of the media in Mumbai via video-conference, after the IRF managed to get a venue on Wednesday. But the supporters and the official spokespersons of the IRF maintain that they are not getting any venue to address the media in Mumbai. At least four venues, including three five-star hotels and the World Trade Centre (WTC), had declined permission for conducting his press conference via Skype, they told the media.
Friday's address of Zakir Naik was the fourth attempt to speak with the media. Previously, he cancelled the media briefing three times. It came as a surprise to many who have viewed him fiercely debating with the leaders of other faiths, loudly proclaiming numerous supremacist and incendiary statements.
However, Naik, who is the founder of Dubai-based Peace TV, is not new to controversies. In the past too, he has made many a statement during his sermons that created quite a flutter in India and across the world. His controversial speeches also led to him being banned from entering the United Kingdom. Sample this:
Zakir Naik is in the eye of a storm after investigation agencies found two of the terrorists killed in the Dhaka terror attack had been influenced by the Mumbai-based Islamic preacher. Indian investigation agencies have been examining his speeches for any potential threat to national security.
While the world condemned Osama and the 9/11 attacks, he chose to blame the US instead. However, Zakir Naik says he has been misquoted.
Zakir Naik has earlier condemned homosexuality as "haraam". He has also called for death penalty for those indulging in homosexual acts.
As Firstpost writer Dinesh Unnikrishnan points out in this piece, "No one wants to associate with the preacher, who has been allegedly advocating the sole supremacy of Islam over other religions. Naik often connects the lines in different religious scriptures with his enchanting memory skills to come to his final point. Why Islam is one true religion and the rest arent and why Muslims should fight against the enemies of Islam. Such speeches have allegedly inspired Islamic State terrorists who perpetrated the attack in the upscale Dhaka cafe and even youth in India to join the terror outfit." Read full article here
Except a handful of people who went to the streets in Kashmir shouting slogans in favour of Zakir Naik and the likes of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader, Asaduddin Owaisi and Keralas Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Naik doesnt have any support from his own community, for that matter, even his own neighborhood.
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, facing the heat over allegations of inspiring some of the attackers in Dhaka through his speeches, addressed the media via Skype on Friday. Naik had previously cancelled his press briefing thrice, citing pressure from the authorities at the venue where he was slated to interact with the media.
He was slated to interact with media via Skype on Thursday, and arrangements had been made at a small hall in South Mumbai. However, it appears that the management of the hall has now withdrawn its support.
"The management of the Mehfil hall in Agripada told our team present at the venue around 11 PM on Wednesday night that they cannot allow the press conference to take place and that we should dismantle and pack up all the venue arrangements we had made. Given no choice, our teams dismantled everything and left around midnight," an aide of Naik said in a statement.
Naik's media interaction was first scheduled earlier this week at the Trident Hotel in South Mumbai, but the venue was subsequently changed to the World Trade Centre. The venue was changed again and a hall in the congested Agripada area of South Mumbai was then chosen for the press briefing. But it now appears this has also been cancelled now.
The organisers of the press briefing had claimed on Wednesday that the Mumbai police have instructed top hotels in the city to refrain from providing space to hold a conference, a charge which they later retracted.
Facing heat over allegations of inspiring the Dhaka attackers through his speeches and under the scanner of state and central agencies, Naik was expected to clarify his position during the media interaction. There were media reports that "provocative" speeches had inspired some of the terrorists who carried out Bangladesh's worst terror attack at a cafe in Dhaka that left 22 dead.
A top Home department official in Maharashtra had earlier said that a report on Naik would be submitted to the state government before the commencement of the Monsoon Session of the state legislature, which starts on 18 July.
"Contrary to media reports, Zakir Naik has not been given a clean chit by the the Mumbai police. All angles are being probed and a report will be submitted to the government before the Monsoon Session of the state legislature," a senior government official had told PTI requesting anonymity.
With inputs from PTI
Srinagar: Twenty-year-old Rifat Hussain of Nainil Anantang is disabled forever. He has lost the vision in his left eye and his right one has blurred sight after he was fired upon with pellets by security forces while protesting over the death of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander, Burhan Wani.
Rifat said he was protesting peacefully as part of the march that ambled along when the forces came running towards them and fired pellets in which he lost the eyesight. He has been admitted at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital since and is attended by his brother there. His parents dont know that he lost the eyesight as they couldnt be contacted due to the snapping of cellphone services in South Kashmir including Anantang. But Rifat who is a driver has no regrets.
"I have the blurred vision in one of the eyes. It doesnt really matter," he said. At Kashmirs main hospital, SMHS, there are over 120 people who have are being treated for pellet injuries and a large number of them cant see forever, said Nisar Ul Hassan, medical consultant at the facility, who has attended a large number of patients.
"Some 70-80 patients have received eye surgeries and they maynt be able to see again," he said. Hassan said that the pellet remains a lethal weapon and the strikes on the vital body parts including eyes and head leaves people disabled and even claims lives.
At ward no 7 of the SMHS hospital young boys are writhing in pain and are wearing the eye glasses while being attended to mostly by the male members of their families. After the shower of pellets that they came under, many of them were shifted to the hospitals by other protesters who were unhurt and some by their male relatives. The South Kashmir areas remain under unprecedented restrictions and face curfews that has blocked the movement of people. The protests were triggered across Kashmir and the people had poured on the streets after the death of Burhan Wani. Not only in the South Kashmir area of Tral, home town of Wani, did people hit the streets in large numbers the protests took place also in Central Kashmir areas of Srinagar and Budgam and North Kashmir areas of Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara.
At the SMHS hospital a Baramulla boy was being treated for pellet injuries including in his eye. Fearing reprisal from forces, he didnt disclose his identity, but said that he had his other friends joined the protests in large numbers on the day they received the news of the death of Wani.
"We protested in large numbers, but the forces fired tear gas shells and the pellets which left me and many of my other friends injured," he said.
Irsahd Ahmad, a youth from Pakerhpora area of Pulwama, which otherwise remains calm, said that he took part in the protests on Monday against the excesses committed by government forces. The forces have terrorized people. A number of innocent people have been killed and the anger against them was genuine, he said. Irsahd had joined the protests on Monday when he received the pellets in his eye and is being treated at the hospital. I have blurred vision in both the eyes, he said.
Irfan Ahmad, a youth from Anantang area, said that the forces targeted their eyes while firing the pellets.
Earlier it was that the forces would fire the pellets on the legs but this time they targeted the eyes and the head, he said.
Special Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), SN Srivastava, however said that the pellets are non-lethal weapons.
"The lethal weapons are those which kill a person. We dont use lethal guns on protesters and instead use non-lethal means like the tear smoke shells and the pellet guns. It is very rare that the pellets hit the face or the head," the CRPF official said.
Hasan, who as the president of the Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK), has been fighting for the ban on pellet guns said that these lethal weapons are already banned in different parts of world. "We treated a patient who had received the pellets in his head due to which he is now paraplegic, the SMHS doctor said.
The case of Wing Commander Pooja Thakur petitioning the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) for discrimination, after she was denied permanent commission, is headlined by some media not because of the merits and demerits of the case but the TRPs it would earn since she led the guard of honour during US President Barack Obamas visit to India last year.
In fact, that is what has been headlined. But then TRPs are not the only reason. There is a cross-section that specialises in showcasing the armed forces in poor light.
What the media reports is that Thakur has petitioned the AFT because of being denied permanent commission. The media goes on to say that the grounds of denial she has given are "biased, discriminatory, arbitrary and unreasonable".
The AFT has given four weeks to the IAF to respond to the complaint. Media reports add that women were allowed in the IAF in 2010 after nearly 50 women officers, including 22 from the IAF, moved court. More than 250 women were granted permanent commission in the Armed Forces after the High Court ruled in their favour. That is a fact, which required a change in policy. Changes of this nature cannot be expected to come about abruptly.
Similar is the case with the ongoing debate about induction of women in combat arms. The IAF has recently inducted women fighter pilots while the Army has to intimate deliberately not just about their induction but also the combat-cum-conflict conditions, particularly in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism environment, in addition to conventional war, administrative requirements in field and high altitude areas. Going by media reports, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has asked the Army to examine an all women battalion, like the CRPF.
It is hard to ascertain the accuracy of the media reports because there appears a contradiction in the reports. On one hand, the officers petition is cited as being based on the IAFs 'biased, discriminatory, arbitrary and unreasonable' behaviuor, and on the other hand the officers lawyer has been quoted as saying that it is not a gender issue but a procedural one.
The latter appears to be more the case but then procedural appears to be misnomer when you are talking of rules, which must be followed and not bent to suit someones convenience. Going by what the media is reporting, in 2012 Pooja and her batchmates were reportedly asked whether they wanted to opt for permanent commission. But apparently she had declined the option. As per her lawyer, "She had said no only because she was temporarily not willing at the time."
The IAFs view is that such option can be exercised only once. Besides, according to an IAF source who spoke to the media on the condition of anonymity, Wing Commander Pooja Thakur is an Administrative Officer and each branch of the IAF has different criteria to grant women permanent commission.
The AFT would be the best judge to rule in the case but the system is by and large fair in the Services. If 10 of her batchmates have been granted permanent commission, as reported in the media, why would she be singled out? Did she decide to opt for permanent commission after she came into prominence during Obamas visit (not that leading a guard of honour is part of criteria for permanent commission).
Options cant be vacillating but an important issue is what stage she decided on opting for permanent commission even though a second option cant be given as per media reports. But most importantly, did she petition before the board for grant of permanent commission that her option be accepted overriding the first one? That would have told her that permanent commission would not be granted in her case, and she could have appealed for a possible exception then. On the other hand,since 10 of her batchmates have received permanent commission, one angle being there is no harm in appealing if it works, why not.
Surely, the AFT will examine in-depth the petition by Pooja Thakur. Being an army officers daughter, one wishes her all fairness.
The author is former director general, information systems of the Indian Army, and a special forces officer.
At least 156 Indians were evacuated from violence-hit South Sudan, with 71 arriving by a special Indian Air Force flight at Palam airport of the national capital on Friday morning.
Earlier, 85 Indians landed at Thiruvananthapuram airport. "We've brought back 156 Indian nationals, of whom 85 deplaned at Thiruvananthapuram airport. I met Foreign Minister (Barnaba Marial Benjamin) and Vice President (Riek Machar) of South Sudan and they assured me of all possible help," Singh told reporters after landing in the capital.
The C 17 Globemaster flight of the Indian Air Force touched down at Palam airport around 10.45 a.m.
The evacuation was part of 'Operation Sankat Mochan' launched by the Indian government and is being led by Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh.
After cancelling three media briefings in the past one week, controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik finally broke his silence and addressed the press in India via Skype on Friday. Apart from calling himself a "messenger of peace", the televangelist dodged many questions by the media.
"I have been giving lectures for 25 years and have never encouraged terrorism," said Naik and told the media not to trust doctored clips which take his speeches out of context.
Claiming his statements were doctored and tampered out of context, Naik on Friday said he unequivocally condemned all terrorist activities. The Islamic preacher dismissed as "misinformation" that he had ever advocated suicide bombings, saying he always condemned them since innocent people get killed and this is "anti-Islam". However, he added a rider and said: "However, it (suicide attacks) may be used as a tactic of war to save the country. In all other circumstances where innocents are targeted, it is condemnable."
As Firstpost earlier noted, the Muslim population in India is bitterly fragmented on Naik and his views of Islam. While some follow his speeches ardently, organisations like Darul Uloom have issued a fatwa against him. "I am a messenger of peace. I do not criticise any sect of Islam, I may disagree on interpretations," said Naik.
Naik was briefing the media from Saudi Arabia.
"There is a media trial against me in India. Media has twisted my statements and presented it out of context," Naik added. Naik also attacked the Union government for banning his Peace TV.
CNN-News18's @smitharnair asks Naik to explain his stand on suicide bombers.He said suicide attack in war @ behest of commander is justified News18 (@CNNnews18) July 15, 2016
Newspaper which blamed me for #DhakaAttack later corrected itself and exonerated me: Zakir Naik
(Picture: ANI) pic.twitter.com/gxuxsBtqJe News18 (@CNNnews18) July 15, 2016
Commotion broke out during the media briefing, when Naik accused a reporter of not having "tameez".
Pandemonium breaks out at press conference ovr Zee News question, Zakir Naik accuses reporter of not having 'tameez' pic.twitter.com/y5HuePwvqw ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
The radical televangelist began his address by condemning the truck attack in Nice, which killed 84 people on Friday.
Zakir Naik's presscon via skype says he has replies to all allegations made on TV, are on pen drives for reporters pic.twitter.com/xPtHmqy6tF ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
"I did not inspire the Dhaka attack terrorists. Newspaper which blamed me for Dhaka attack later corrected itself and exonerated me. My statements were taken out of context. Media for ulterior motives change meaning of my statements. My answers are altered and misguide people. Those who do that should be held responsible."
Naik said he has replies to all allegations made on TV and they are on pen drives for reporters. "I condemn all terror attacks anywhere in the world, will speak for hours if needed. This is misinformation that I have advocated people to kill. I am a messenger of peace."
I challenge you to show me any unedited answer of mine where I have not condemned suicide bombing of the kind that is happening : Zakir Naik ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
One of the slain attackers of the terrorist attack in Dhaka's high-security Gulshan area, the 22-year-old Rohan Imtiaz quoted Naik in a Facebook post in January this year where he urged "all Muslims to be terrorists". Twenty-two people were killed in the brutal late-night attack. Six days later, militants attacked police guarding the largest Eid gathering in Bangladesh and killed three more people.
The activities of Naik's Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation are also under the scanner of Indian Ministry of Home Affairs amid allegations that funds from abroad received by it have been spent on political activities and inspiring people towards radical views.
"Ban can only be if a country has given downlinking permission. When India hasn't given any permit, how can they ban the channel? No government official authority has approached us with any question. So far, I have had no problem with Indian govt or the police. Knowingly, I have never met any terrorist, but if some people stand next to me and take photographs, I smile. I dont know who they are," Naik said.
"I am a messenger of peace," Naik added.
Ban can only be if country has given downlinking permission given.When India hasn't given then what ban?: Zakir Naik pic.twitter.com/zBCmOWi2tl ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
"So far not a single official agency approached me to be a part of investigation. I am willing to cooperate if they approach me."
Zakir Naik skillfully converted what was supposed to be a hard-hitting press conference to one of his routine debates with people of various age groups belonging to multiple religions, on Friday. Except that it wasnt at a maidan to accommodate thousands of curious enchanted listeners, but a small hall that can hardly accommodate 45 people; rest of the script was more or less the same. Naik seemed to address a group of non-believers and not journalists, who questioned his ideology. Naik often addressed the reporters as sisters and brothers and replied with his typical responses that explained everything but answered nothing.
Lets be clear. Naik didnt say anything new at the 'Skype conference', on Friday, different from what he has been preaching for the last 25 years. But, Naiks fundamental script remains the same. Except defending the core ideas of what he has been preaching the religious supremacy of Islam and justifying suicide bombing in the name of Islam in a war Naik didnt seem to have any remorse to the possibility that his speeches could have inspired IS terrorists in Dhaka and Hyderabad (the basic allegations against him that brought him trouble in the recent days) and took innocent lives. Nor did he seem to be perturbed with the widespread rage against him in India, including in his own community.
Naik continues to maintain that his online video clips, where he allegedly preaches violence, are doctored and that the media is continuing to manipulate his statements to accuse him for advocating terrorism. This is misinformation that I have advocated people to kill. I am a messenger of peace," Naik said. This is what makes Naik even more dangerous, but as Firstpost has noted before, this makes it hard to tackle him by law.
What is even more dangerous is that Naik is trying hard to mobilise support from his own community, something he currently lacks, saying he is being targeted because he is running an Islamic channel, which is an argument that lacks sense. India has television channels from all communities and religions. There isnt any discrimination and no channel has been banned without a strong reason. "There is a media trial against me in India. Media has twisted my statements and presented it out of context," Naik added. Naik also attacked the Union government for banning his Peace TV, which Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said is disturbing the countrys peace and communal harmony.
Often, Naik was heard challenging journalists to prove that he has advocated terrorism in his speeches and or that he hasnt condemned the terrorist attacks. If one sits down to examine his videos, Naik will be ultimately proved right. Naiks strategy has always been putting across his ideas of religious supremacy and war against the enemy of Islam to his fans by wording his speeches carefully, so that he wouldnt get into trouble. This is precisely the reason why there is no strong case against Naik.
To understand this part, take a look at one his videos where Naik endorses Osama Bin Laden and Taliban as fighters of Islam and argue why Taliban and Bin Laden are not necessarily damaging Islam. In one his videos, Naik says:
"If he (Osama Bin Laden) is fighting the enemies of Islam, Im for him. I dont now what he is doing. Im not in touch with him. I dont know him personally. I read newspapers. If he is terrorising America, the terrorist, biggest terrorist, Im with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. The thing is that if he is terrorising the terrorist, he is following Islam. Whether he is or not, I dont know. Now dont go around outside saying Zakir Naik is for Osama Bin Laden. If he is terrorising the terrorist Im with him. I dont know what he is. I cannot base my judgment only on news. But, you as Muslims, without checking up laying allegations is also wrong. Im with those people who are holding the Quran. Even the full world is against them, Im with them (sic)"
On a closer look here, Naik offers his allegiance to one of the worlds biggest terrorist groups in their 'fight' against Islams enemies, but his speech is full of caveats. Clearly, Naik is unlike Hafiz Saeed or Anwar al-Awlaki, who does not mince words to advocate terrorism without caveats. I deliver the message to you. Whether you follow the message or not, that is your problem, tells Naik to the teenager, who is visibly impressed with Naiks eloquence.
Naik is a preacher of anything other than peace. The very fact that Zakir Naik refuses to return to the country and face the law of the land (if, as he says, the charges against him are false), indicates cowardice and tactfulness. What makes action against radical preachers of religious fundamentalism, be it in any religion, difficult and dangerous, is that they tend to associate any such attempts to the religion and the community. If they succeed in doing that, its a much bigger problem. That is, precisely, the risk involved in acting against Zakir Naik too.
Also read: Zakir Naik breaks silence on Skype: Says he condemns suicide attacks, but adds qualifier
BJP national president Amit Shah launched North East Democratic Alliance with a realistic goal of Congress Mukt North East on Wednesday in Guwahati. It is an alliance of nine regional parties of the region with BJP. Two of these parties namely Sikkim Democratic Front, Nagaland Peoples Front are already in power in Sikkim and Nagaland respectively.
The declared goal of this newly formed alliance is to bridge the development gap between the region and the rest of the country and instill awareness that a secure North East will ensure national security.
Apart from the regional parties mentioned above the others allying with BJP in North East Democratic Alliance (Neda) are - Asom Gana Parishad, Ganashakti and Bodoland Peoples Front in Assam, Mizo National Front in Mizoram, United Democratic Party and National Democratic Party in Meghalaya, Indegeneous Peoples front in Tripura.
Why Neda was needed
BJP wants to be seen as an agent for development and not pushing its pet agenda Hindu rashtra alone in the region before the Manipur assembly election to be held next year. The state has almost equal number of Christian and Hindu voters. Moreover Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya are Christian majority states which are heading for election in 2018.
Out of 25 Lok Sabha seats the region has, 16 are represented by candidates belonging to either BJP or its allies. Increasing seat share of BJP and its allies means a shade brighter chance of BJP coming back to power in 2019 general election.
Ensuring more seats in 2019 Lok Sabha election requires more power to BJPs allies in the region. So the party needs to assist its allies in forming a government in wherever it has less chance of leading an alliance government or winning. Hence the slogan of this alliance is Congress mukt North East, which means political space for the regional allies wherever possible.
BJP needs to keep possible dissension at bay in the Assam government. By inducting Himanta Biswa Sarma in the pivot position of Neda, BJP wishes to keep him busy. His dissidence and joining BJP later on was seen as one of the major reason of Congress partys defeat in Assam.
Is Congress mukt North East a realistic goal?
Out of eight northeastern states, three are led by either BJP or its allies. Among the remaining five, four are led by Congress and one is led by CPM. Congress ruled states Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram are at the verge of dissidence. Nabam Tuki, the Congress Chief Minister, who has been recently reinstated by the apex court in Arunachal Pradesh, has yet to prove his numbers in the assembly. Experts say that Congress mukt Bharat might not be an unrealistic goal, given the fact that northeastern states are mostly dependent on the Central government for funds.
The fallout
The impact of Neda might not be equal on every state, especially in the states of Nagaland and Manipur which are at loggerheads with each other regarding their boundaries. Many Meitei voters in Manipur see Nagaland Peoples Front, an ally in Neda, as a party against their interests. NPF has supported greater Nagaland demand hailed by the NSCN. This demand also seeks to include a major chunk of Manipur in Nagaland. It has been the cause of rift in the region.
On the other hand, a section of the state BJP in Nagaland see dissidence in NPF government as an opportunity. They are in favour of inducting dissident NPF leaders rather than allying with it. If such an induction is done, the alliance might get affected.
The deterrents
Though Congress Mukt North East is said to be a realistic goal by experts but they also point out some factors which might deter Nedas march towards it.
If the results of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections turn out to be negative then it might have similar impact on the alliance itself. Apurba Kumar Baruah an intellectual from the region says that in that case BJP might lose allies from Neda itself.
BJPs performance in Assam will be a major factor. If the party cannot meet its promises made in the Assembly Election in Assam neither the BJP nor an alliance led by it will be seen as a catalyst for change in the region. Expulsion of Bangladeshi immigrants is one major promises made by BJP in Assam.
After BJP stepped into power in North East, two new major issues have surfaced. The first is the petroleum ministrys decision to privatise 12 oilfields in the state. The second is fund crunch in the Assam government and the decision to raise fund by increasing VAT by 1 percent. For some, if these issues are not solved Congress mukt North East' is a distant goal.
In a recent setback for the Congress, the High Court on Friday refused to intervene in the trust vote in Arunachal Pradesh, reported CNN-News18. The party had moved the High Court over the governor's decision of a trust vote.
#BREAKING | Arunachal: Congress moves HC against Governor's decision of trust vote; High Court refuses to intervene News18 (@CNNnews18) July 15, 2016
A day after the Supreme Court restored the Nabam Tuki government in the state, Governor Tathagata Roy asked him to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly by 16 July.
"In obedience of the Supreme Court judgement of July 13, the Governor has informed Nabam Tuki that he stands reinstated as the Chief Minister of the state on and with effect from that date," Raj Bhawan Spokesperson Atum Potom said.
Roy also desired that the proceedings be videographed thoughout and the majority should be proved by division and not by voice vote.
A constitution bench headed by Justice JS Khehar directed the restoration of the status quo as it existed on 15 December, 2015.
The Supreme Courts verdict which came on Wednesday morning will mean Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa's December 2015 decision to advance the state assembly session by one month has been quashed. This came as a relief for Tuki.
With inputs from agencies.
Denver: Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has picked his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence. A former congressman, Pence is in many ways what Trump is not: a strong social conservative with deep ties to the party's establishment. As such, there is a record of deep disagreements between the two names on the top of the GOP ticket this year.
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Trade
Pence has been a longtime, aggressive advocate of trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans Pacific Partnership. Trump wants to revoke NAFTA signed by Bill Clinton in 1993 and do away with the Obama administration-negotiated TPP. Trump has made his opposition to trade agreements the centerpiece of his economic argument.
"Our politicians have aggressively pursued a policy of globalisation, moving our jobs, our wealth, and our factories to Mexico and overseas," Trump said in a speech in Pittsburgh last month. "Globalisation has made the financial elite who donate to politicians very wealthy. But it has left millions of our workers with nothing but poverty and heartache."
Pence voted for several trade deals while in the House and last year wrote a letter as Indiana's governor urging the state's congressional delegation to support TPP.
In 2014 Pence called for ratification of the deal on Twitter: "Trade means jobs, but trade also means security. The time has come for all of us to urge the swift adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership."
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Immigration
Pence came out against Trump's proposed temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States in November. He said on Twitter that, "Calls to ban Muslims from entering the US are offensive and unconstitutional."
He opposed the relocation of Syrian refugees into Indiana but argued that this was different than a blanket ban on migration by one religious group. A federal judge in February blocked Pence's order to state agencies that they not assist any Syrian refugees resettled in Indiana. Meanwhile, Trump's campaign has indicated he would prohibit entry into the US from unspecified countries with histories of terrorism rather than by all Muslims.
While in Congress, Pence proposed allowing some people in the country illegally to return to the United States as guest workers provided that they relocate temporarily to their home country and apply for re-entry under a special guest worker programme. The 2006 proposal never made it out of Congress but could have eventually made those people citizens in about 17 years. The programme could have only begun had the federal government met benchmarks for securing the border. It was intended as a compromise between immigration hardliners and those who supported then-President George W. Bush's call for a plan to let most people in the United States illegally eventually become citizens.
Trump, in contrast, has repeatedly called for a wall along the southern border and removal of all the nation's estimated 11 million people here illegally. He has hinted that he may support a programme like Pence's to allow some back in but also said foreign workers drive down the wages of American workers.
Pence also last month criticised Trump's speculation that a federal judge born in Indiana was ruling against him in a lawsuit because of the judge's Mexican ancestry. Pence called Trump's statements "inappropriate."
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Entitlements
Trump has bucked Republican orthodoxy by opposing cuts to entitlement programmes like Social Security that many in the GOP believe need to be reined in. He's singled out the proposals of House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose budgets have called for a major restructuring of entitlement programmes.
"Paul wants to knock out Social Security, knock it way down, wants to knock Medicare way down," Trump said in March. "These people have been making their payments their whole lives, I want to keep Social Security intact."
In Congress, Pence voted for Ryan's budget, which raised the age of Medicare eligibility to 67. He also backed then-President Bush's push to move Social Security into private investment accounts.
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Gay rights and abortion
Trump has also distanced himself from social conservatives, saying Planned Parenthood "has done very good work" for some women and questioning Republican efforts to require transgendered people to use the bathrooms of their natural-born gender. Pence, in contrast, is a well-known social conservative who proposed defunding Planned Parenthood in 2007 and urged blocking the entire federal budget in 2011 in hopes of closing down the nonprofit organisation. In March, Pence signed a bill in Indiana prohibiting women from seeking abortions solely because their fetuses could be born with disabilities. The measure was struck down by a federal judge last month.
Pence's biggest controversy as Indiana governor came last year, when he signed the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which critics contended could have let businesses in the state refuse to serve gays. After a national uproar among business leaders and activists, Pence signed a new measure that said RFRA couldn't be used to discriminate against gays.
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Foreign policy
Trump has repeatedly called the 2003 invasion of Iraq a mistake. Pence voted to authorise the invasion and was a vocal backer of the war. Pence visited Iraq in 2007 and controversially declared that a market in Baghdad showed that the city was actually secure even though it later surfaced that U.S. troops had locked down the area before his arrival.
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Tone
Trump, famously, has turned presidential politics upside down, relishing personal jabs at his rivals and their families. In 2000, Pence issued an agenda for the coming congressional year: "Campaigns should demonstrate the human decency of the candidate, recognising that your First Amendment rights end at the tip of your opponent's nose," Pence wrote. "Negative personal attacks have no place in public life and serve to erode public confidence in our basic institutions of government."
Nice: An eight-month-old baby boy lost in the chaos after a truck rammed into a crowd in the French Riviera city of Nice killing at least 84 people was tracked down through Facebook on Friday.
Tiava Banner who said she was not the mother of the baby sent out an appeal on Facebook looking for any information on the whereabouts of the child who had been lost in his blue stroller when the rampaging truck sent hundreds fleeing in panic as they watched Bastille Day fireworks.
The post was shared thousands of times until it was updated with: "Found! Thank you Facebook and all those who helped us."
A member of the family contacted by AFP on Friday said: "A young woman found him and took him home with her. She then went online and found the photo of the baby on Facebook."
The woman then contacted the baby's parents.
Dozens of other people appealed through social media to find missing loved ones.
"We are worried to death", "We haven't heard from him since he went to see the fireworks", were some of the messages.
Many of the missing were children and teenagers.
Authorities said Friday that two children were among the dead and around 50 children were in hospital.
Batley: A private funeral was held Friday in northern England for Jo Cox, the MP whose murder halted Britain's EU referendum campaign and sparked an outpouring of sympathy from around the world.
Cox, 41, was shot and stabbed in the street in her Yorkshire constituency of Batley and Spen on 16 June, exactly a week before the referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union, in which she campaigned for Britain to stay in the bloc.
The campaign was suspended for three days in her honour.
A local man, Thomas Mair, 52, has been charged with her murder.
Hundreds of people lined the streets to pay their respects to Cox's funeral cortege as it passed through towns in her constituency on Friday.
Well-wishers applauded and many threw flowers in the path of the vehicles.
The funeral was a private occasion for family and close friends.
"Jo would ask us not to fight hate with hate but draw together to drain the swamp that extremism breeds in. Thinking of all victims of hatred today," her widower Brendan Cox tweeted before the funeral.
Following her murder, world leaders including US President Barack Obama paid tribute to Cox, while commemorative events were held in cities around the world, including London, Beirut, Nairobi, New York and Paris.
A fund created in Cox's memory by her friends and family has raised nearly 1.5 million ($2 million, 1.8 million euros) for charities close to her heart.
Earlier this week, Cox's family said they had been "overwhelmed and touched by the love and support" shown since her murder.
"Knowing that so many people share both our grief and our determination to take forward Jo's legacy is a source of great strength at what otherwise feels like a very bleak time," they said in a statement.
A member of the main opposition Labour Party and former aid worker, Cox was an advocate for refugee rights and immigration and was campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU.
In the referendum, 55 percent in her voting district opted for leaving the bloc.
Hers was the first murder of a British member of parliament since 1990.
WASHINGTON As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday to propose close military coordination in Syria, the White House and Pentagon offered lukewarm support for the plan and demanded that Moscow show it was serious about fighting Islamic State, not just propping up President Bashar al-Assad.Kerry himself took a tough line after his meeting on Thursday with Putin, State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters in Moscow.
"Secretary Kerry emphasized that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely," Kirby said.
Kerry's proposal would create a new centre where U.S. and Russian militaries would share intelligence and coordinate air strikes against Islamic State and the Nusra Front, an al Qaeda affiliate. The move has angered U.S. military and intelligence officers and diplomats who argue that Russia has proved repeatedly that it cannot be trusted.
Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Defence Secretary Ash Carter supported Kerry's efforts to encourage Moscow to "do the right thing" in Syria. But he added that Carter has experience dealing with Moscow and maintains a "healthy dose of scepticism" about Russia's aims in the conflict.
"The secretary supports Secretary Kerry's effort ... but he has also said that he's had questions about the Russian activities up to this point," Cook told reporters.
"If the Russians are prepared to do the right thing in Syria, then the secretary of defence would be open to that conversation," he said. "But we're waiting to see what's going on. ... It's not clear that we'll ever reach an agreement." WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT'S UP TO RUSSIA
At the White House, spokesman Josh Earnest's response was similarly cautious.
"It's time for Russia to make serious decisions about how they want to use their influence inside of Syria both when it comes to their diplomatic influence, but also when it comes to their military capabilities," Earnest told a daily briefing on Thursday at the White House,
"They have to decide if they're going to use the military to prop up the Assad regime or if they're going to use their military to go after extremists," Earnest said, "Our case is you can't do both."
Kerry has expressed growing frustration with the lack of progress in ending Syria's five-year civil war despite agreements with Russia to secure a lasting nationwide cessation of hostilities and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches besieged communities. U.N.-led efforts to bring the warring sides together to negotiate a political transition also have failed.
State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau acknowledged a "very robust and very vigorous conversation" among government agencies over Kerry's plan.
Asked whether Kerry's visit had the full backing of the White House, she added: "I'm not going to characterize that for the White House, but I would say that the secretary is going to ... have discussions in Moscow that present the administration's views."
Anger Within the Administration But U.S. military and intelligence officers and diplomats involved in Syria policy expressed anger about Kerry's proposal, which several called naive.
The Russians, said one official, had known for weeks about Kerry's upcoming visit to Moscow, yet two days before he was due to arrive they bombed a remote camp near Syria's border with Jordan used by U.S.-backed rebels.
"That is consistent with what the Russians have been doing all along," said a U.S. military official, who like others spoke anonymously to criticise administration policy. "More of it has been to us, not with us, and the message has been clear all along: 'When our interests differ from yours, ours win."
"They've violated every cessation of hostilities agreement theyve ever agreed to, sometimes within hours," the official said.
Another American official, who has helped train members of the Free Syrian Army rebel alliance, said the U.S.-backed opposition forces have been asking why the administration keeps seeking Russian help and are growing increasingly bitter, their anger compounded by what they complain is a lack of American military support.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford expressed deep scepticism with Kerry's plan, saying Russian air strikes have primarily targeted U.S-supported moderate opposition groups.
"How serious are they (Russia) about defeating terrorism, as opposed to bolstering Assads position at the centre? How are we to assume that they are going to do better if they work with the Americans?" Ford told Reuters.
Ford said that Russia has been unable to get its "obstreperous client" Assad to make any political concessions, allow significant humanitarian assistance into numerous rebel-held enclaves or abide by a cessation of hostilities agreement.
"I don't think the Russians can deliver," he said. "I don't see how this American-Russian condominium on the Islamic State can help bring about a negotiated solution to the broader Syrian conflict. It will make it less likely that Assad will make concessions that will bring the broader civil war to an end."
(Additional reporting by John Walcott and David Alexander)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON The U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee on Friday released 28 pages of the official report on the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States that had been classified for 13 years.
The pages discuss potential links between some of the hijackers and people with ties to the Saudi government. But those links were not independently verified.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chris Reese)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON The U.S. Congress on Friday released a long-classified section of the official report on the Sept. 11 attacks that discussed potential links between some of the hijackers and Saudi Arabia but said the links were not independently verified.
The 28 pages of the report on the 2002 investigation focus on potential Saudi links to the 2001 aircraft attacks on the United States, in which nearly 3,000 people died.
They were issued by the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee after years of wrangling in Washington between Congress and different administrations, Republicans and Democrats, and urging by families of those killed.
The release of the previously classified pages is unlikely to end the controversy over the role of Saudi Arabia, an important U.S. partner in the Middle East. Many U.S. officials who opposed their release had worried they would damage diplomatic relations.
Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi citizens.
"According to various FBI documents and CIA memorandum, some of the September 11 hijackers, while in the United States, apparently had contacts with individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government," the report said, giving a catalogue of alleged links.
They included reported contacts between Saudis in California and a statement that a man who was reportedly a Saudi Interior Ministry official stayed at the same Virginia hotel as one hijacker in September 2001.
Another section said that Omar al-Bayoumi, said to be a Saudi intelligence officer, met with two hijackers at a public place after they arrived in San Diego. It said, citing FBI files, that his salary rose to $3,700 a month from $465 two months after two of the hijackers arrived in California.
One page described how two of the hijackers asked flight attendants technical questions during a trip in 1999 from Phoenix to Washington to attend a party at the Saudi embassy. One tried twice to enter the cockpit. The plane made an emergency landing and the FBI investigated, but did not prosecute.
CONTROVERSY WILL CONTINUE
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said its agreement to the release is not an indication that the intelligence community agrees with the pages' accuracy or concurs with the information it contains.
The office also on Friday released a declassified summary of an assessment of whether Riyadh may have supported al Qaeda before and after the attacks, saying the Saudi government and many of its agencies had been infiltrated and exploited by individuals associated with or sympathetic to Osama bin Laden's militant network.
Several members of Congress said they were pleased the pages had finally been released. Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the intelligence panel, said he hoped the release would quiet rumors.
"The Intelligence Community and the 9/11 Commission, which followed the Joint Inquiry that produced these so-called 28 pages, investigated the questions they raised and was never able to find sufficient evidence to support them," he said.
Legislation that would allow families of Sept. 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia has been passed by the U.S. Senate and is making its way through the House, despite President Barack Obama's threat to veto the measure.
A Sept. 11 families group made clear the pages' release would not stop their push for the legislation. "Congress has to stand up for the interests of the thousands of innocent Americans who lost loved ones on 9/11," the "9/11 Families" organisation said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, Abdullah al-Saud, said the country welcomed the release.
"We hope the release of these pages will clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions about Saudi Arabia's actions, intentions, or long-term friendship with the United States," he said.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters before the pages were released that they would show no evidence of Saudi complicity.
The Obama administration sent a declassified version of the 28 pages, with many lines and sentences blacked out to protect intelligence sources and methods, to Congress on Friday morning. The House intelligence panel released it a few hours later.
(Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy, Mark Hosenball, Roberta Rampton, Amanda Becker; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and James Dalgleish)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON A chunk of amber found along the Baltic Sea in Russia provides evidence roughly 50 million years old of an extremely fortunate bug.
An Oregon State University scientist on Thursday described a remarkable piece of amber - fossilized tree sap - containing a mushroom, a strand of mammalian hair and the recently shed exoskeleton of an insect that got away from the oozing sticky stuff in the nick of time, escaping eternal entombment.
The tiny bug looks similar to insects alive today known as walking sticks, whose stick-like appearance provides camouflage
that helps keep them safe from hungry birds and other predators.
The amber memorialized a little scene that unfolded in an ancient subtropical forest of evergreen trees roughly 15 million
years after the dinosaurs went extinct and mammals began to assume their new position as Earth's dominant land animals.
"The mushroom was growing at the base of a tree," Oregon State entomologist and amber expert George Poinar said. "The insect was exploring the mushroom and getting ready to feed on it. A rodent came along, bit off the stem of the mushroom at the same time some resin from the tree was flowing down toward the mushroom."
"The resin caught the feet of the insect that was probably ready to molt and decided that this was a good time to leave its skin and flee. So now we have the rodent hair and the skin of the insect together with the prize mushroom in amber," he added. "Gourmet chefs should not get too excited about this find since the mushroom is way to small for an omelette."
Numerous creatures been found entombed in amber including insects, lizards, amphibians, mammals and birds, as well as plants including flowers. They are sometimes beautifully preserved and offer unique insight into ancient animals and plants.
"Finding insects and plants together creates a mini-event and shows interactions of the past that we couldn't determine by finding them separately," Poinar said.
The insect was the type that would have shed its exoskeleton
over and over before becoming an adult and likely lived just a
couple months. It is clear that the exoskeleton trapped in the
amber had been recently shed because it contains fine strands that would not longer be present if it had molted a significant amount of time before being overtaken by the sap.
The research was published in the journal Fungal Biology.
(Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Kathmandu: In a blunt statement, Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli has blamed India for being behind the CPN (Maoist Centre) pulling out support to his government.
"India's role was primarily behind" the pulling out of support by the Maoists, Oli said on Thursday in a conference on National Security in Kathmandu, adding that the process of government change was "not an automatic process but conducted by remote control".
Nepal-India ties took a dip after Oli came into power last October, which was followed by the five-month-long economic blockage on the Nepal-India border by the Madhesi protesters. Oli since the very beginning has been a critic of Indian "high-handedness" in Nepal's internal political affairs.
Nepal's Maoists pulled out support from the government on Tuesday and a no-trust motion was registered by the CPN (Maoist Centre) and Nepali Congress in Parliament against Oli after the latter refused to resign.
Oli said "there was a feast in a five-star hotel" after the Maoist Centre pulled out support.
It was widely reported in Nepali media that Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae "threw a feast" after the Maoist Centre pulled out support to the government on Tuesday evening.
Oli, who now faces a no-confidence motion in Parliament, said he "cannot compromise on national security" in the name of maintaining cordial relationship with neighbours.
"I had never compromised on national interest in any difficult situation; so India used the Nepali Congress and Maoists against my government and are trying to topple it," he said.
Earlier in May, when the Maoists attempted government change, Oli had accused India and recalled Nepal's Ambassador from New Delhi and cancelled the visit of the President to India.
"Maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries is an important aspect of national security. But we cannot jeopardize nationality for its sake," Oli said.
"Neither we think against anyone nor we have spoken against one. We won't let this country be used against others," he said.
Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' were also invited to the seminar but both leaders opted to boycott it. Hinting at the absence of the two leaders, Oli said the issue of national security was not related to any particular person or party but of the country as a whole.
Taking aim at the Terai protests, Oli maintained the new Constitution had not discriminated against anyone. He added the new Constitution could only be amended as there was no provision for rewriting mentioned in it.
Oli said the government was ready to redraw the federal boundaries as per the demand of the Terai-based political parties. "But such drawings should be justifiable," he said.
Today when people see an Arab, they think that person is a terrorist.
When people see a woman wearing the veil, people feel themselves attacked, and they reject her.
Someone who has got an Arab-sounding name, or who doesnt eat a certain foodstuff, is seen as dubious. It is as if at some point, to be French, you have to have the right name, and eat the right things.
Soon after the Brussels terror attack, New Statesman spoke to some Muslims and the Imam of a temporary mosque in Toulouse to understand how they were coping. The replies reflected an atmosphere of fear and discrimination that prevails in France against the Muslims.
A number of people are critical of the the role immigration has played in bringing Islam to France, while others like the mayor of a French town are taking a bit more of a an extreme stand: Urging a ban on Muslims and the demolition their makeshift homes.
According to a report by the Brookings Institute, most Muslims in France came from North Africa, particularly Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
Colonial history
Many parts of North Africa were French colonies. Frances domestic and foreign policy towards the country sowed the seeds of division between the Muslims and the non-Muslims, which is still plaguing the society.
It echoes The horror! The horror! of Joseph Conrads The Heart of Darkness. The phrase refers to the imperial policy and the exploitation that happened in the colonies by the colonisers. The colonised people are seen as savages and beasts.
The French rule over North Africa mirrors the situation in any other country which was colonised and robbed of its resources.
According to a piece in The Federalist, the French colonial rule in North Africa was seen as a civilising mission to help the natives. The French brought their wealth and secular society to North Africa as a civilised alternative to the Muslim way of life.
Most of Frances wealth today has been seized from the colonised people of Polynesia and Senegal, according to Boston Globe.
In 1830, France conquered Algeria and soon after World War I, it took control of Syria and Lebanon and some French settled in North Africa, a Time article said. However, after World War II, North Africans came to France to work in new factories, settling in the poor areas.
The Algerian war for independence in 1962 was bloody and brutal.
The North African immigrants have however, not forgotten their roots and are aware of the history of their country. Some of them harbour much resentment against the French. It's worth pointing out that the people who attacked the office of Charlie Hebdo were of Algerian descent.
However, The New Yorker quoted Ben Ahmed, of Algerian and Tunisian descent, soon after the Charlie Hebdo attack as saying My French heart bleeds, my Muslim soul weeps. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can justify these barbaric acts.
Ahmed works as a liason between residents and the local government in Bondy a suburb in an area called Department 93.
Muslim ghettos
This area is full of Arab and African-origin residents. The French look at it as a hub of crime, poverty, social isolation and unemployment.
Suburbs dominated by Muslims are often viewed with contempt and suspicion in France.
Ahmed wrote an open letter to President Francois Hollande titled 'All Partly Responsible, but Not Guilty'. He wrote about the problems of joblessness and discrimination.
These Muslim ghettos are isolated from the city. The Washington Times refers to a study by a think-tank Institute Montaigne that described the Muslim ghettos as wasteland of the deindustrialisation or radical rejection of France.
On 13 July, Mayor of French town Calais, Natacha Bouchart said that the refugee camp in the town would be demolished very soon, The Independent reported. There are around 4,500 refugees in the area, mostly from North Africa.
France is seen by its critics as a country that continues to meddle economically and militarily to defend its interests in Africa. And its policy of segregation against the Muslims years after its civilising mission in North Africa has quite possibly alienated the Muslim youth and sown the seeds of jihad in them.
The only thing you need now for a terror attack is a mad man with a death wish and a murderous rage. No gun, no bomb, not even a knife. Just the simple expedient of ramming a vehicle through a crowd will satiate the blood lust.
What happened in Nice on Thursday night is scary. While thousands of people were celebrating the Bastille Day parade, a truck passed through the barricades, zigzagged through the festive crowd on the promenade and mowed down hundreds, killing at least 84 and injuring 18 others.
It is often said of Islamic State, the main suspect of the attack, that it wants to drag the world back into the middle ages through its rigid implementation of Islamic laws conceived for the 7th century. Its latest attack on the French beach city shows at least in terms of terror technology it is going back to medieval practises.
Think about this: For hundreds of years, countries have spent millions on defence equipment, guns, technology to deal with armed attacks and invasions. But the attack on Nice shows terror has circumvented all these developments not by taking a huge leap forward but by going back into time.
What next? A group of mad men sent to a public gathering a school, god forbid to strangulate victims? Terrorists sent out with poison vials for drinking water sources in cities? Madmen roaming in streets with rocks they wish to smash into our heads? Where will this madness end? More importantly, how will it be contained?
Just before Thursday's attack, terror groups including Islamic State and al-Qaeda had asked their followers to kill people with cars, in fact, with any means they can.
In a 2014 video, Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani asked supporters: "If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him," Adnani said.
In short, kill. Become a pre-historic beast. All in the name of ideology.
In another video, al-Qaeda, which is competing with Isis to regain its numero uno position in the terror space, advised followers to use cars as the ultimate killing machines. France, in particular, has been on the hitlist. In a 2014 video, Islamic State asked its French recruits to "If you are unable to come to Syria or Iraq, then pledge allegiance in your place - pledge allegiance in France. Operate within France."
Three worrying trends are emerging from the spate of terror attacks this year. One, every attack is becoming more lethal. Two, terrorists are being able to out-think security agencies, coming up with new methods of destruction. And three, Islamic State is franchising terror, giving recruits the option of pledging Baya'a (allegiance) to Islamic State without travelling to the self-proclaimed Caliphate in Iraq-Syria or getting trained in person for carrying out attacks.
This means, future terrorists would become more and more difficult to identify as they get radicalised in the safe confines of their homes and do not venture out in search of arms and weapons. Any mad man can carry out a lethal strike. Thursday's attack on France came just a few hours after FBI director James Comey warned of an exodus of jihadis as the Islamic State empire collapses in Syria and Iraq.
"We all know, there will be a terrorist diaspora out of the caliphate as military force crushes the caliphate," Comey said.
"Those thousands of fighters are going to go someplace. Our job is to spot them and stop them before they come to the United States to harm innocent people," he said.
Earlier this week, The Washington Post had predicted the imminent fall of the Caliphate. It warned that Islamic State will intensify global attacks "as the group evolves from a quasi-state with territorial holdings to a shadowy and diffuse network with branches and cells on at least three continents."
On Thursday, French security forces failed their people when they allowed a truck laden with explosives jump barricades and ram through a festive crowd. It was a security lapse of huge magnitude.
As terrorists go back to medieval methods of madness, countries across the world will have to get their act together. They will have to deploy huge resources to screen and ward off possible attacks, upgrade security at public places and simultaneously keep track of defeated jihadists returning from al-Raqqa.
The challenge would be to track every mad man before he gets behind the wheels or lays his hands on a rock.
Here is a recap of major attacks and foiled attempts since the Charlie Hebdo shootings in January 2015.
When a terrorist attack takes place and most are targeted against unarmed civilians in virtually every sphere of public life the initial reaction of shock and horror is quickly replaced by anger. Grief needs catharsis. In absence of the terrorists who have perpetrated the crime, the anger turns towards the political leaders whose job it is to provide security.
The blood has not yet been wiped off the streets of Nice that France has turned against President Francois Hollande. Multiple TV channels covering the Thursday night tragedy showed unmitigated anger pouring against a President largely seen as effete, ineffective and incapable of preventing waves and waves of terror attacks on French soil.
The attack in Nice was as gruesome a terror strike as any. Latest reports indicate that 84 people were killed (50 more extremely critical) when a large white truck, said to be driven by a French-Tunisian citizen, ploughed into a large crowd gathered at the beachfront Promenade des Anglais in southern city of Nice for a fireworks display on Bastille Day. Reports have emerged that the driver shouted "Allahu Akbar" before taking out his gun and firing several times at the crowd before he was subsequently neutralised.
Bastille Day commemorates the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July, 1789, an important event in the French Revolution. It is marked with a military parade down Paris's most famous boulevard, a presidential address to the nation and a vast fireworks display. Founding values of French Republic, equality, liberty and fraternity, are glorified.
The significance of the day and the fact that a large number of citizens had gathered for celebration made it a lucrative target. In one fell blow, two purposes were achieved. One, a huge number of people were killed ensuring widespread outrage and non-stop media coverage aspects which serve as fuel for glorification of terror and draws more and more perpetrators. Two, a symbolic, cruel blow was dealt to the French ideal of syncretism, the bedrock on which the multicultural republic stands.
Faced with the nihilism of terror and mounting outrage among French citizens, Hollande appeared helpless.
France as a whole is under the threat of Islamist terrorism. We have to demonstrate absolute vigilance and show determination that is unfailing, the French President said in a televised statement, extending by three months a state of emergency that has been in place since the November attacks that killed 130 in Paris was to end 26 July.
"The terrorist character (of the attack) cannot be denied," he said.
Strong words.
Hollande must be commended for addressing the most important point that needs an outright, honest admission that there is a strong, undeniable link between Islam and terrorism. This could be the first step towards accepting a reality that terrorism, which has come to represent the gravest threat to modern existence, cannot be fought with just military might and must be battled at the level of ideas.
And in that discussion around Islamist terrorism, liberals, intellectuals and political leaders must discuss a fundamental question Why so many Muslims seem drawn to extremism?
The problem is not that world leaders such as Francois Hollande, Angela Markel, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton are unwilling to tackle the question, but that the prevalent discourse around terrorism is rendered ineffective and ultimately useless by the mind-bending political correctness and an obdurate denial to link it to Islam.
Even when perpetrators repeatedly evoke their unflinching faith in the greatness of god during the very acts of violence as, for instance, they did during the Charlie Hebdo attacks or the present tragedy in Nice there is stout insistence not to take the proclamations seriously.
Most analysts, liberals and political leaders are unwilling to identify such acts with the teachings of Islam and prefer to view them as a perversion of a religion that is essentially peace-loving and tolerant. They insist that it is a war against evil.
But the bitter truth that we fail to admit time and time again is that some people appear to be almost entirely motivated by their religious beliefs in carrying out the acts of violence. If the beliefs are taken away as it is repeatedly done then the acts carry in themselves little sense and no one is able to explain those except offer meaningless platitudes like: "every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France and we shall not be intimidated," as Clinton did shortly after the tragedy in Nice. She might as well have lifted the words from her previous statement that was issued during the November 2015 Paris attacks, or the shooting in Orlando, or San Bernandino. It's an endless loop.
This presents the ideal situation for xenophobic and right wing forces to rise, as is being seen across Europe. Because the leaders of mainstream political parties worldwide are loathe to discuss the link between terrorism, Islam and the need for reform in the ancient religion, the truth has been completely outsourced to right wing leaders like Donald Trump in America or Marine Le Pen in France.
If the French had any sense whatsoever they will vote for Marine Le Pen next year only she will take a stand against muslims David Jones (@DavidJo52951945) July 15, 2016
Remove Angela Merkel and her dangerous open border policy Vote Marine Le Pen to tackle the actual issue, Islam #FightForWesternCivilization SnowwyWolf (@SnowwyWolfHowl) July 15, 2016
Marine Le Pen doesn't even have to bother campaigning - the news is her campaign. (((Mark Krikorian))) (@MarkSKrikorian) July 15, 2016
I hate to say it, because I despise national socialism, but after #Nice, France could do much worse than electing Marine Le Pen. #NiceAttack The Lord Protector (@JC_W12) July 15, 2016
There is absolutely no reason to believe that all these are voices of bigotry or xenophobia. The overwhelming concern, when unarmed civilians going about their lives are attacked and killed, is lack of security and fear. And from that insecurity, people gravitate to the leader who promises them insulation from danger.
The Nice assault is the third major terrorist attack in France since the January 2015 Charlie Hebdo massacre. In November, suicide bombers and shooters murdered 130 civilians in Paris, in cafes and at the Bataclan concert hall. Four other attacks of smaller scale in the last 18 months make the tally close to 240 dead with hundreds injured. Most of the terrorists were from immigrant descent and followers of Islam.
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has made the deportation of illegal immigrants a cornerstone of his campaign for US presidency, tweeted: Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France, he wrote on Twitter. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse.
In France, Le Pen's popularity in the upcoming 2017 Presidential election is expected to soar after the latest spate of violence. It is not clear yet if Hollande will stand for re-election.
"This attack may nonetheless contribute to Frances sense that, with Islamist attacks on the rise and its old ally in the UK apparently in retreat, it has to take a more hawkish and assertive line to protect its citizens," said Richard Gowan, New York-based fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
A report in Guardian has a small anecdote. Manelle, aged five, had refused point blank to go to school after the November attacks in Paris.
"Shes terrified," said her mother. She knows about the bad men who killed some people and she thinks they are coming here. Ive kept her home with me today.
It is evident why the right wing is rising across Europe.
Nice: French President Francois Hollande said on Friday that "many foreigners and young children" were among those killed or injured after the truck attack on a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, with around 50 fighting for their lives.
"There are French among the victims and also many foreigners from every continent and many children, young children," said a clearly moved Hollande in a speech from a hospital in the French Riviera city.
"As I speak 84 people are dead, and around 50 are in a critical condition between life and death," he added.
Witnesses said a truck drove at speed into a crowd for two kilometres (1.3 miles) after around 30,000 people had been watching a fireworks display on France's national day.
Hollande previously described the attack on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais as being of an "undeniable terrorist nature".
Politicians from around the world have reacted with horror after a truck smashed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 80 as they watched a Bastille Day fireworks display.
The French leaders reacted to the Nice attack which happened late on Thursday night.
Francois Hollande
French President Francois Hollande vowed to strengthen his France's role in the fight against the Islamic State group after the deadly Nice attack, which is yet to be claimed by any group.
"Nothing will make us yield in our will to fight terrorism. We will further strengthen our actions in Iraq and in Syria. We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil," he said, in reference to the Islamic State group.
He also said he had called on reservists to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes. France's "operational reservists" include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers.
He also extended the state of emergency in France for another three months after the truck attack in Nice.
Mayor of Paris
The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, sent a message of support to the people of Nice: "I learned with horror the attack occurred that night in Nice, which left more than 70 dead and dozens injured. This barbaric act hit innocent blindly gathered on the Promenade des Anglais to celebrate our National Day and the founding values of our Republic," she said.
"My first thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones and to all Nice. I want to tell them, as I have said it on the phone to Christian Estrosi, we share their pain and we stand with them in solidarity and mourning," she said. She asked "services of the City of Paris to half-mast, on Friday morning, the flags present in our buildings."
"While it is too early to know the motivation of the perpetrator, the magnitude of this tragedy rekindles in us the terrible memories of 13 November. We must have intransigence and firmness with regard to those who attack us, but also unity and living together for our people."
Other world leaders also reacted to the nice attack. Here are their reactions:
Barack Obama
US President Barack Obama condemned what he said appeared to be a "horrific terrorist attack".
"We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack," he said in a statement.
"On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world."
Narendra Modi
In a statement, Modi condemned the horrific attack. Appalled by horrific Nice attack. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased.
I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain & stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2016
Pranab Mukherjee
President Pranab Mukherjee also extended condolences to the families of victims in the Nice attack. Mukherjee also said that India will strengthen its cooperation with France and other countries in its fight against terrorism.
India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people and Government of France as it responds to this attack #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 15, 2016
He also wrote a letter to his French counterpart Francois Hollande to convey condolences on the deaths in the "heinous" terror act in Nice and said India stands with France in its fight against terrorism.
In his message, Mukherjee said, "I am deeply pained to learn that France is once again afflicted by a major tragedy caused by a heinous act of terror last evening. The pre-meditated massacre of innocent people as they were participating in Bastille Day celebrations - including, sadly, many children, is an unspeakable crime."
"Please accept my heartfelt condolences on this shocking incident. The people of India stand beside the people of France with solidarity and sympathy. We share your grief at the loss of lives and pray for the swift recovery of the injured," Mukherjee wrote in his message.
Rahul Gandhi
Condemning the terror attack in Nice, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said "violence and terror cannot be the answer to anything".
"I strongly condemn the attack. Our only hope for peace, progress and happiness is a shared humanity. Violence and terror can never be the answer," Gandhi tweeted.
"My heart goes out to the people of France as they mourn those who lost their lives in the horrific attack in Nice," he added.
John Kerry
US Secretary of State John Kerry, who had been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: "The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed."
Justin Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: "Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people."
Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people. Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 14, 2016
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton, the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party for President of the United States in the 2016 election showed her support for the people of Nice. She condemned the attack and said, "Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France"
"Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France" Hillary on the attack in Nice pic.twitter.com/BBGgHucSE0 Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 15, 2016
Donald Trump
Donald Trump, the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party for President of the United States in the 2016 election responded to the tragedy on Twitter and called the incident horrific. He also cancelled a planned news conference where he was expected to announce his pick for a running mate.
My prayers and condolences to the victims and families of the terrible tragedy in Nice, France. We are with you in every way! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016
In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
Angela Merkel
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday, Germany "stands alongside France in the fight against terrorism." "We are all united in shock," Merkel said on the sidelines of the two-day Asia-Europe summit, known as ASEM in Mongolia, adding that "words can barely express" what France's allies felt.
Theresa May
A spokesman for new British Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack "a terrible incident", adding "we are shocked and concerned".
Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain's new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador's Bastille Day party in London, said on Twitter, "Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life."
Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 15, 2016
Bill de Blasio
New York mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that he was "sickened by news of another senseless attack".
Sickened by news of another senseless attack. On this #BastilleDay we are all patriots of France. Nice, we are with you. Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) July 14, 2016
European Council President Donald Tusk called it "a sad day for France, for Europe". He said it was "tragic" that "the subjects of the attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity."
Li Keqiang
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang offered his "condolences" to the victims and said China opposed all forms of terrorism.
UN
The United Nations Security Council called the attack "barbaric and cowardly".
Malcolm Turnbull
Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull mourned for the victims in Nice attack.
We mourn for the victims of another murderous act of terror in France overnight, on Bastille Day https://t.co/BZ18IJJaKb Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) July 15, 2016
With input from AFP
Nice: A senior Islamic State leader, Abu Mohammed al Adnani, had urged his supporters to "run over" the "filthy French" two years before the devastating attack in Nice, France.
Adnani exhorted his followers to attack Western citizens in countries such as France, Britain and America.
He advised IS supporters to use a variety of methods to kill people, including "run him over with your car", mirror.co.uk reported.
At least 84 people were killed on Thursday night in Nice when a terrorist drove a lorry into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the Mediterranean city.
In a September 2014 speech, Adnani exhorted followers to kill "disbelievers waging war" including the citizens of those countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State.
He asked them to "kill him in any manner or way, however it may be. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him."
A 31-year-old French-Tunisian is believed to be the terrorist driver who mowed down at least 84 people in Nice. The man, a Nice resident, was known to police for common law crimes.
The attack has not been claimed by any group, but French President Francois Hollande said in an address to the nation early on Friday that the attack was of an "undeniable terrorist nature".
France has seen two previous cases of people being mowed down, but not of Thursday's massive scale.
In December 2014, two men ploughed their vehicles into pedestrians in two days in separate incidents that left France reeling.
The first driver shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) as he drove into people in the eastern city of Dijon, injuring 13.
The 40-year-old had a long history of mental illness, and no ties to jihadist groups, the government said, according to France24.
A day later, a man rammed a white van into a Christmas market in the western city of Nantes, killing one person and injuring nine others. He then stabbed himself several times.
Prosecutors said a notebook was found in his vehicle in which he spoke of his "hatred for society" and said he feared "being killed by secret agents".
The man committed suicide in his prison cell in 2016 while awaiting trial.
In Thursday night's killing spree, as the crowd had just finished watching the fireworks show the truck ploughed two kilometres through the crowd gathered for Bastille Day celebrations.
Nearly 80 people were killed Friday when a truck ploughed into a crowd in the French Riviera resort of Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, the latest attack in a country still reeling from last year's Islamic State terror assaults.
Here is a recap of major attacks and foiled attempts since the Charlie Hebdo shootings in January 2015.
7-9 January, 2015: Two men armed with Kalashnikov rifles storm the Paris offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo killing 12 people including eight cartoonists. A policewoman is killed just outside Paris the following day, while a gunman takes hostages at a Jewish supermarket, four of whom are killed. The Charlie Hebdo attackers and the hostage-taker are killed in separate shootouts with police, but not before claiming allegiance to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) respectively.
3 February: Three soldiers guarding a Jewish community centre in Nice on the French Riviera, are attacked by a knife-wielding man. The 30-year-old assailant, Moussa Coulibaly, is arrested. In custody, he expresses his hatred for France, the police, the military and Jews.
19 April: Sid Ahmed Ghlam, an Algerian IT student, is arrested in Paris on suspicion of killing a woman who was found shot dead in the passenger seat of her car, and of planning an attack on a church in the Paris suburb of Villejuif. Prosecutors say they found documents about Al-Qaeda and the IS at his home, and that he had been in touch with a suspected jihadist in Syria about an attack on a church.
26 June : Frenchman Yassin Salhi, 35, kills and beheads his boss Herve Cornara and displays the severed head on the fence of a gas plant surrounded by Islamic flags. He tries to blow up the factory at Saint-Quentin-Fallavier in southeast France, but is arrested. He commits suicide in his jail cell in December.
13 July : Four young men aged 16 to 23, including a former soldier, are arrested on charges of planning an attack on a military camp to behead an officer in the name of jihad. They proclaim allegiance to IS.
21 August : American, British and French passengers prevent a bloodbath on a high-speed Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris, tackling a man who opened fire on passengers. He was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, an automatic pistol, and a box-cutter. The gunman is identified as 25-year-old Moroccan national Ayoub El Khazzani, known to intelligence services for links to radical Islam.
13 November: Nine men most of whom had fought alongside IS extremists in Syria unleash explosives near the Stade de France stadium and open fire on people enjoying a night out at bars and restaurants in Paris, and at the Bataclan concert hall that lies just a short walk from where the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists were killed. In all, 130 people lose their lives and 350 are wounded. On November 14, the IS claims responsibility.
18 November: A teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Marseille is stabbed by three people shouting anti-Semitic obscenities and expressing support for the IS. The man, himself Jewish, is injured in the arms, legs and stomach.
1 January, 2016: A Frenchman of Tunisian origin tries to run down troops guarding a mosque in the southeastern town of Valence. He is charged with attempted homicide after telling emergency responders he "wanted to be killed by soldiers and to kill soldiers a way for him to appear like a martyr."
7 January, 2016: A man wielding a meat cleaver and carrying the emblem of the IS is shot dead as he tries to attack a police station in Paris. Convicted of theft in 2013, the man identified himself at the time as Sallah Ali, born in the Moroccan city of Casablanca in 1995.
13 June, 2016: Police officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing, 42, and his companion, Jessica Schneider, 36, are killed at their home in Magnanville, west of Paris, by Larosssi Abballa, 25. Salvaing is stabbed to death, while Schneiders throat is slit in front of their young son. Abballa is killed by a police SWAT team, but has already claimed the murders on social media in the name of the Islamic State group.
14 July, 2016: A truck barrels two kilometres (1.3 miles) through a crowd on Nice's palm-lined Promenade des Anglais after a Bastille Day fireworks display, killing at least 77 people and injuring scores more. The driver is shot dead by security forces.
There is no immediate claim of responsibility but prosecutors say the probe will be handled by anti-terrorism investigators.
United Nations: Condemning the terrorist attack in the French city of Nice that killed 84 people, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday stressed on the need to intensify "regional and international efforts" to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
Ban, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims of the "horrific act. "The Secretary-General hopes that all those responsible for this massacre will be rapidly identified and brought to justice. He stands firmly by the French Government and people as they confront this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism," the statement said.
Late last night, the UN Security Council also condemned in the strongest terms the "barbaric and cowardly" terrorist attack that killed over 84 people, including children, and injured several others, underlining the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice.
In a press statement, the 15-member Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. "The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack" on Bastille Day.
Over 84 people were killed and dozens injured when a truck mowed into a crowded street of revellers in the southern French city of Nice. The driver of the truck was shot to death by the police This was the third major terrorist attack in France after the horrific Paris terror attacks in November last year in which 130 people were killed. Also in January last year, a mass shooting at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo office in Paris, carried out by two Islamist gunmen, killed 17 people, followed by another terror attack next day in a Jewish grocery store, where four people were shot dead.
Expressing deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, the Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation and by whomsoever committed. President of the General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft expressed "horror" at the "carnage" during the Bastille Day celebrations.
"This slaughter of innocent civilians is yet another horrific example of the terrorist movement's total contempt for any kind of humanity. We have seen a number of these mass killings across the world in recent weeks and it is a dire call for even stronger international counterterrorism cooperation," he said in a statement.
He expressed condolences to the people and government of France "who have borne the brunt of so much carnage recently".
The man who ploughed his truck though Bastille Day revellers, who had gathered to watch fireworks in the French resort city of Nice late Thursday, has been identified by local sources.
As authorities in France frantically search for clues that might indicate a network of supporters of the kind that emerged after the Paris attacks last November, what is known so far about Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel suggests a troubled, angry loner with little interest in Islam.
The Independent identified the man as 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a French citizen of Tunisian descent.
Police sources too had initially formally identified the man through the ID cards and a phone found in the truck. The police raided his property, where fake arms and ammunition were found. His relatives have also been summoned for questioning.
He is lodged as a petty criminal in the police records and has been associated with crimes such as theft and violence. However, he was not on the terror watch list or known to intelligence authorities.
The 31-year-old was born in Msaken, a town in Tunisia, but moved to France years ago and was living in the country legally, working as a delivery driver.
At an apartment bloc in the Quartier des Abattoirs, on the outskirts of Nice, neighbors described the father of three as a volatile man, prone to drinking and womanizing, and in the process of divorcing his wife. His father said Bouhlel had violent episodes during which "he broke everything he found around him."
"Each time he had a crisis, we took him to the doctor who gave him medication," Mohamed Mondher Lahouaiej Bouhlel told BFM television.
His son hadn't visited Tunisia in four years and hadn't stayed in contact with his family, he said.
"What I know is that he didn't pray, he didn't go to the mosque, he had no ties to religion," said the father, noting that Bouhlel didn't respect the Islamic fasting rituals during the month of Ramadan.
Still, Bouhlel could have felt inspired by calls from extremist groups to carry out acts of murder in France, said Molins. Though no group has claimed responsibility for the Nice attack, President Francois Hollande called it "undeniably terrorist in nature" and extended a state of emergency imposed after the Nov. 13 assault on Paris nightspots that claimed 130 lives.
Records show that the 19-ton truck that was rammed through the seaside crowd in Nice was rented in the outskirts of the city on 11 July and overdue on the night of the attack.
In a news conference Friday, hours after the attack in which 84 people were killed and 202 were wounded, prosecutors said they had found no links to the Islamic State extremist group.
However, according to reports by CNN the authorities still don't have any evidence to substantiate their claim that Bouhlel was radicalised.
On the day of the attack, Bouhlel had rented the truck two days earlier somewhere in South East France and parked on the street for almost nine hours. Mirror quoted the local newspaper Nice Matin as saying that he was a delivery driver.
It is surprising to note that despite noticing Bouhlel standing for almost nine hours, the police did not suspect anything strange or amiss.
He told the police that he was delivering ice cream before carrying out the attack.
The Daily Mail reported that although heavy duty lorries are usually banned from roads on national holidays and Sundays, deliveries are exempted.
About 25 minutes before the July 14 fireworks show, a popular event that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the Nice seafront each year, Bouhlel climbed into the vehicle and drove toward the city center.
Shortly after 10:30 p.m., he drove onto the Promenade des Anglais that had been closed to traffic for the night.
Witnesses described seeing how Bouhlel purposely steered the truck to hit men, women and children as they tried to flee.
"It was such a nice atmosphere before this started," recalled Sanchia Lambert, a tourist from Sweden who had come to visit family in Nice. "There were people playing drums, kids riding their bikes. That makes what happened all the worse."
Her husband, John Lambert, said the couple was almost struck by Bouhlel.
"I saw his face," Lambert told The Associated Press. "He was totally focused."
Within minutes the attack was over, with Bouhlel dead in a hail of police gunfire. Inside the driver's cab lay a loaded handgun, three replica firearms and an empty grenade.
Investigators are looking into how Bouhlel acquired the cache of weapons. A series of attacks in recent years have shown that radical jihadi networks are seemingly able to obtain guns, and even heavier automatic weapons, with ease in France.
Nice is home to a sizeable Islamic community, and Muslims were among the victims. It is also the home of Omar Omsen, notorious for his French-language jihadi recruitment videos and now believed to be fighting in Syria.
Fellow Tunisians in Nice said they hoped the attack wouldn't reflect badly on them.
"It shocks me because here's a guy who comes from the same town as me," said hair stylist Morgan Braham, 31. "Today I'm almost ashamed and afraid. It's not only shame it's also fear, to tell people that we're Tunisian."
Bouhlel was shot dead by the police at the end of the attack. Before being shot, he fired pistol according to some investigative sources.
With inputs from agencies
Nice: The man, who rammed a truck into a crowd at a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, killing 84, was "totally unknown" to intelligence services, a top French prosecutor said Friday.
Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was "totally unknown to intelligence services... and was never flagged for signs of radicalisation," said anti-terror prosecutor Francois Molins.
Molins, who is leading the investigation into the massacre in Nice, also said the attack was "exactly in line with the constant calls to kill" which jihadi terror groups regularly make.
Authorities said Tunisian-born Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, zigzagged a truck through the crowd in the French Riviera city killing at least 10 children and teenager, and injuring 202 people.
French President Francois Hollande has said the attack was of an "undeniable terrorist nature".
New Delhi: No Indian is reported to be affected in the terror attack in French Riviera city of Nice, where at least 84 people were killed and many injured when a large truck rammed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day.
"I have spoken to our Ambassador in France Shri Mohan Kumar. He has again confirmed that all Indians are safe," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
I have spoken to our Ambassador in France Shri Mohan Kumar. He has again confirmed that all Indians are safe. @Indian_Embassy Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj)
The Indian embassy in Paris had opened a helpline, 33-1-40507070.
Earlier, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said "Our Ambassador in Paris is in touch with the Indian community in Nice. So far no report of any Indians affected."
The attack was of an "undeniable terrorist nature," French President Francois Hollande said in a televised national address, confirming that "several children" were among the dead.
At least 84 people were killed and dozens others critically injured late last night when the truck ploughed through a crowd attending Bastille Day celebrations.
The driver of the truck was shot dead after barrelling two kilometres through the crowd, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies.
The attack comes eight months after Islamic State terrorists attacked Paris nightspots, killing 130 people and dealing a hard blow to tourism in one of the world's top destinations.
Moscow: A top Russian official said that Russia was shocked over the monstrous attacks in Nice and emphasised the urgent need for the adoption of the long-stalled convention on terrorism at the UN which India and Russia are pushing for.
We are all shocked by these tragic events. Here, in Russia, we feel this tragedy as our mutual tragedy," said Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of committee on foreign affairs at the Federal Assembly of Russia.
It is obvious that terrorists are going to be more inventive and it is more and more difficult to predict the forms of their attacks, he added.
However, he said that countering such acts of terrorism requires global cooperation that is obviously lacking. For starters, there is a need to adopt the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) which has been stuck for about two decades at the UN. The key sticking points are a lack of consensus on a definition of terrorism and who are terrorist organisations whether such a definition could be applied to armed forces of a state or self-determination movements, among other issues.
India had again called for the quick adoption of the CCIT after the Dhaka attacks.
The biggest threat to mankind is the weapons of mass destruction in the hands of terrorists. I do not want to offend any country but I want to use Pakistan as an example. Thats the country that has nuclear weapons. That is a country next to very unquiet countries like Afghanistan. It is obvious that if, God forbid, there is a coup d'etat in Pakistan and there will be power in the hands of terrorists, all the rest that we are discussing right now will be insignificant, Kosachev said.
Though there is no agreed definition on terrorism there are about 13 anti-terrorism conventions, he said. The Russian official said it was unfortunate that the proposed convention by India and Russia that will comprise all other documents is not being implemented due to the national interests of certain countries.
So establishing this framework of international law is the key issue to start somewhere. Because as long as we dont have it, we will continue to fight about who is good and who is bad. So we need to have this clear and strong definition to build coalitions at the practical level. We dont have a base for this cooperation (yet), he said.
A project between the EU and Russia in its late stages of implementation based on advanced technology to detect suicide bombers was abandoned after the sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU, the official rued, adding that though this technology would not have prevented the Nice attack, it could have helped in the Brussels and Paris attacks.
More than 84 people were killed and 188 wounded when a truck mowed over people celebrating St. Bastille Day in Nice.
We are ready to cooperate with anybody on this matter, EU included and probably EU in the first place, Kosachev said.
JOHANNESBURG South Africa's state prosecutor said on Friday it would go to the top court to challenge a ruling reinstating corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma - drawing accusations from the opposition of a cover-up.
Zuma - whose ruling African National Congress contests local government elections next month - has faced mounting calls to quit from the opposition and even some of his own supporters after a series of scandals and court rulings against him.
Legal pressure mounted in May when the High Court ordered a review of a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decision to set aside hundreds of corruption charges against Zuma, calling it "irrational".
The NPA, which has already tried and failed to appeal against the order at the High Court, said on Friday it would fight on as the case raised points of law and other principles, without going into detail.
"The NPA has decided to apply for leave to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court against the judgment," it said in a statement.
The main opposition party said the state prosecutor's decision was an attempt to shield the president and buy him time before the August elections.
"We call on the President and the NPA to dispense with this approach and proceed with the institution of charges," the Democratic Alliance said in a statement.
The charges relate to a major government arms deal in the late 1990s.
The NPA's decision to set them aside in April 2009 cleared the way Zuma to run for president the same month.
At the time, the NPA said it had evidence the charges in were part of a political plot against Zuma.
In April, Zuma survived an impeachment vote after the Constitutional Court said he broke the law by refusing to refund some of the 240 million rand ($16 million) of state money spent on refurbishing his private residence.
In December he was widely criticised for changing his finance minister twice in a week, sending the rand plummeting.
Record unemployment and a looming recession have exacerbated discontent with Zuma's leadership.
(Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Catherine Evans and Andrew Heavens)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ruled out war with China over the South China Sea dispute and said he would like to send former President Fidel Ramos to China for peaceful talks on the issue, the media reported on Friday.
"War is not an option. So what is the other side? Peaceful talks. I would like to respectfully ask him (Ramos) to go to China and start talks" Efe news quoted Duterte as saying.
Duterte's remarks come two days after The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favour of the Philippines over its South China Sea dispute with China.
The PCA concluded that China has no historical rights over the resources in many parts of the disputed region that it claims, and that it aggravated the situation by constructing artificial islands in the area.
Manila has reacted cautiously to Tuesday's ruling, calling for "restraint and sobriety", and said it will not respond till the country's experts have analysed it carefully.
China, however, rejected the ruling, calling it "null and void", and inaugurated two airports in the disputed reefs in the South China Sea and threatened to establish an air defence zone in the region.
In January 2013 the Philippines had filed a complaint before the PCA alleging that China, which had begun its expansion in several areas of the South China Sea region, was occupying territories that belonged to the Philippines exclusive economic zone.
The court announced its decision on the conflict that centres on the Scarborough atoll and part of the Spratly Islands; a group of more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls and cays whose total or partial sovereignty is also being claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam after more than three years of judicial process.
Tension in the South China Sea has increased in recent years with governments trading constant accusations and a rise in Chinese military presence in the area.
The Philippines has also signed strategic agreements with the US, Japan and Vietnam to counter China's presence in the area.
Juba: The smell of rotting bodies drifts across the central hospital in South Sudan's capital Juba, victims being taken for mass burial, shot during violence threatening a return to all out war.
The latest batch of 17 bodies was collected from the streets after baking in the sun for days, and brought to the hospital's morgue for identification. The corpses were put into body bags then lifted onto a large truck.
They join more than 200 already buried in mass graves by the Red Cross.
"We are doing what we can," said Andrea Catta Preta, from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Nearby, Red Cross workers peeled off white protective suits and face masks, kicked off thick black rubber boots and sat dripping sweat in the intense heat, sharing cigarettes after the grim task.
Some sat quietly in the shade of a tree, heads between legs, retching at the foul stench.
'They drove a tank through houses'
As during the much of the civil war that started in December 2013, killings during the latest fighting happened along ethnic lines. Survivors and witnesses reported that gunmen asked what language people spoke and then shot them if it was that of a rival tribe.
Those who fled described wanton destruction.
"They drove a tank through houses," said 27-year old Jacky, a mother of three sheltering in the compound of the St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral. "Mine they burned."
There was widespread looting too and the ransacking of the main warehouse for the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), where more than 4,500 tons of supplies were stored, enough to feed 220,000 people for a month.
There is no precise official toll of how many died, either in the recent fighting in Juba or in the wider war that began in December 2013. Overall, tens of thousands is the best guess.
The latest violence echoed the start of the civil war with fighting starting in Juba, and marks a fresh blow to a struggling peace deal aimed at ending the bitter conflict that began when President Salva Kiir accused ex-rebel and now Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup.
Hundreds died in this last spasm of violence, which began with a shootout at the presidential palace on the eve of South Sudan's fifth anniversary of independence.
Posters celebrating the anniversary are, like the gates of the presidential palace, riddled with bullet marks, the concrete walls they're stuck to pocked with fist-sized holes.
Scorched trees on the main avenue showed the intensity of the battle.
"Sincerely speaking, there are conflicting versions how it began," army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said Friday in his office inside the heavily fortified army headquarters guarded by tanks. Each side has accused the other of starting the fighting, he said.
"What is important, is that we are committed to the peace deal, we are hopeful it can work."
'The dead lined the streets'
Fighting at the presidential palace escalated into battles between two rival armies. For now, Machar's troops "have been pushed out" of the city, Koang said. "We are not pursuing them."
Approaching army headquarters, along a smooth highway towards the outskirts of Juba, signs of the battle were everywhere.
An unfinished six-story building, occupied by Machar's troops, has door sized chunks of concrete smashed out of it by explosions while the tin roofs of nearby houses are punched in by artillery shells.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says at least 300 died in the city where a tense calm has held since a ceasefire on Monday.
Residents who fled said whole districts were left in ruins, with houses torched or simply smashed by tanks.
But Red Cross officials are still trying to access parts of the city hardest hit by the fighting which involved tanks and helicopter gunships firing into densely populated areas and many fear the number killed could be far higher.
Soldiers said it was some of the most intense fighting they had seen.
"I have been a soldier since I was a child," said 50-year-old Richard Bida, a lieutenant, seeking food handouts at a church in Juba after he too was forced to flee the fighting.
"I have never experienced a battle like that. It was soldier on soldier, and then soldier on civilian. The dead lined the streets."
Thousands of supporters of powerful Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr filled a central Baghdad square on Friday, disregarding government pleas to scrap protests it said would distract from the war against Islamic State.
The demonstration ended a respite from street actions which in April and May saw protesters storm Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone government district twice, hampering parliament for weeks and causing several deaths.
Sadr's followers have returned with familiar demands to fight corruption and overhaul a governing system based on ethnic, sectarian and party quotas.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has failed to implement a cabinet reshuffle he promised months ago as part of reforms.
The protests have at times boosted Abadi in his bid to replace ministers chosen on the basis of political affiliation with independent technocrats, but he has said more recently they risk undermining the military's push to kick Islamic State out of its northern Mosul stronghold.
Activity in much of Baghdad crawled to a halt overnight as security forces deployed ahead of the demonstration, following a military parade in central Baghdad marking a national holiday.
Sadr visited Tahrir Square briefly on Wednesday wearing military fatigues instead of his usual clerical robe and turban, raising fears of a possible confrontation.
Abadi then toured several security checkpoints late on Thursday in an apparent attempt to bolster his image amid a rising wave of public outcry with residents blaming the government for failing to provide security.
Emotions in Baghdad are still raw following a suicide bombing in the central Karrada district on 3 July, claimed by Islamic State, that killed at least 292 people, making it one of the worst among the hundreds of such attacks carried out in Iraq since U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein 13 years ago.
Islamic State has been turning increasingly to suicide bombings, which U.S. and Iraqi officials have touted as proof that battlefield setbacks are weakening the jihadists, though critics say the militants still pose a long-term threat.
A media office linked to the military issued a statement on Thursday calling Friday's protests "unlicensed" and threatening to deal with armed demonstrators as "terrorists".
Sadr supporters pledged to carry on with the protest but promised it would be peaceful. There were no reports of serious violence several hours into the demonstration, after which people began to withdraw.
Sadr, who rose to prominence when his Mahdi Army battled U.S. troops after the 2003 invasion, briefly ascended the stage in Tahrir (Liberation) Square to address his supporters, many of whom had travelled from outlying provinces.
A spokesman then issued a list of demands, including sacking the prime minister, president and parliament speaker; prosecuting corrupt officials; ending the quota system; reforming the judiciary and the election commission; and televising parliament sessions.
As the statement ended, protesters waving Iraqi flags chanted: "Yes, yes for Iraq! Yes, yes for reform!"
A gunman smashes a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 84 people in what President Francois Hollande declared a "terrorist" attack.
Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said 84 people were killed and scores injured, including 18 in "critical condition". Bastille Day is a celebration of everything France holds dear -- its secular republic and the values of "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" (Freedom, Equality, Fraternity).
The truck was riddled with bullet holes and badly damaged, with burst tyres. Robert Holloway, an AFP reporter who witnessed the white truck driving at speed into the crowd, described scenes of "absolute chaos".
WASHINGTON White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Friday said that President Barack Obama called French President Francois Hollande after the terrorist attack in Nice to offer his condolences and the "strongest support" of the United States.
"France is, after all, our oldest ally," Earnest said during the daily White House briefing.
Earnest said Obama offered France security cooperation and that U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials have been in touch with their French counterparts.
(Reporting By Roberta Rampton and Amanda Becker; Editing by David Alexander)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Its a little-known footnote today, but more than a hundred years ago tempers flared over whether Old Abe, a Wisconsin military mascot from the Civil War, was male or female.
That not-exactly-still-burning question has now been settled: Abe was a he.
Officials with the Wisconsin Veterans Museum announced Thursday that genetic tests conducted on the birds feathers confirmed that Old Abe, the mascot for the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment during the Civil War, was male.
Speculation about the Old Abes sex began shortly after the war. In 1889, well-known suffragette Lillie Devereux Blake began giving speeches that included accounts of Old Abe laying eggs. And in 1915, Abes taxidermist said the birds larger size indicated that the bird was likely a female.
Many people during that era, especially veterans of the 8th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, considered the claims to be scandalous. A 1915 clipping from a Portland, Oregon, newspaper described the assertion that Old Abe was a female as slander, base and vile.
Ultimately (the birds sex) doesnt make a difference at all, said Michael Telzrow, the Director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.
Telzrow said he hadnt even heard of the controversy until a staff member brought it up at a meeting three years ago. While revealing Old Abes sex doesnt change its history, Telzrow said museum employees wanted to set the record straight once and for all, and shortly thereafter they began looking for ways to do so.
Old Abe, named after President Abraham Lincoln, died from smoke inhalation during a fire in the state Capitol in 1881, and his stuffed remains were then lost in the 1904 fire that razed the entire Capitol building.
Following the fire, citizens sent in feathers from the old bird, obtained either at fairs or from visiting the bird while he was alive, to the GAR Memorial Hall. Three feathers from a former handler and one from Gov. Robert La Follette were used to conduct the recent genetic testing.
UW-Madisons Molecular Archaeology Group performed the tests for the Veterans Museum for free. In March, members of the group collected samples from the four feathers. DNA from each sample was analyzed for the presence of male and female chromosomes. After the three-month testing process, results from all four feathers concluded that the bird was in fact a male.
Charles Konsitzke, an associate director at UW-Madisons Biotechnology Center, said researchers were excited and intrigued by the opportunity to determine the birds sex. However, they werent certain theyd be able to extract DNA from the feathers because the amount of time DNA remains in an artifact can vary greatly.
We were pretty excited to work on this and have the opportunity to work on a different species and as well to provide some insight into history, said Jesse Dabney, a postdoctoral scientist with the Molecular Archaeology Group who worked on the project.
During battles, Abe was tied to a special perch and often carried near the front lines. Some accounts say the bird actually flew free during battles, soaring over the enemy, Telzrow said.
Abe witnessed 37 battles in total and quickly became a celebrity in Wisconsin and throughout the country after the war. The bird even signed autographs by using his beak to make triangular holes in photographs.
Replicas of the stuffed bird can be seen at the front of the state Assembly Chambers and at the state Veterans Museum. Memorial High School in Eau Claire uses Old Abe as its mascot, and the bird is also the inspiration for the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Divisions logo.
To this day, the bird remains an integral part of Wisconsin military history, symbolizing the strength and patriotism of those who fought in the war, Telzrow said.
It was a living reminder of the sacrifices from the Civil War, he said of the bird. It had the ability to elicit emotional reactions from people.
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A pair of Peregrine Falcons in Uptown, Chicago. Credit: Photo by Stephanie Ware, The Field Museum
Peregrine Falcons, in their normal habitat on isolated cliffs, mate for life. But some 25 pairs now nest on Chicago skyscrapers and bridges, and city living has them in much closer quarters than they used before humans dominated the landscape. A group of Field Museum and University of Illinois, Chicago scientists investigated whether typical breeding patterns hold true for these new city-dwellers and, in a paper published in PLOS ONE, confirmed that even in the big city, the birds that prey together, stay together.
"Peregrine Falcons that now live in the Chicago region are living in very different conditions than you'd normally see for these birds, so we wondered if the falcons' mating habits had changed too. They're in much closer proximity to each other than they'd be in a more rural environment, and we thought they might be more promiscuous with more potential mates nearby," explains co-author John Bates, Associate Curator of Birds at The Field Museum. "Each spring this population also has migratory Peregrines passing through on their way to all parts of Canada, so we didn't know what we were going to find, but it turns out that almost all of the mated pairs in the city remain monogamous through the years."
Peregrine Falcons nearly went extinct in the US in the 1960s due to thinning of their eggshells caused by the pesticide DDT. However, historic egg collections at the Field and other museums provided evidence for the harm caused by DDT, and it was banned. In the decades since, reintroduction efforts have enabled Peregrine Falcons to make a comeback in the Midwest, with populations thriving in urban areas in twelve states. Ninety percent of the breeding pairs in the Midwest nest on buildings and bridges in the Chicago area.
To determine if these breeding pairs in Chicago remained faithful to each other, the scientists used a combination of field observations and DNA testing. The Chicago Peregrine Program, a group run by Field Museum scientist Mary Hennen, monitors the nesting falcons in the city and collects blood samples from the young each year when she measures and bands them. Many of the falcons they observe have ankle bands to identify them, enabling researchers to observe which falcons are nesting together. In addition to these observations, the scientists compared blood samples from falcon chicks and adults to determine parentageDNA testing revealed that of the 35 broods tested, only one showed that the parents "cheated." Even this case the researchers believe what happened was that a male lost his mate and then that same season, paired with a new female who laid eggs that were not his.
"Whenever you have animals living in habitats that have been influenced by human development, you have to wonder how the animals' life histories will be altered," says Bates. "It's important to do studies like this one to see how birds are adapting to living in human environments, so that we can monitor changes through time."
Explore further Technology helps to track the peregrinations of peregrines
ABC News(WASHINGTON) -- Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his running mate, he officially announced on Twitter Friday.
"I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M.," Trump tweeted Friday morning.
Ahead of the official announcement, prominent voices from both sides of the aisle weighed in on the Trump-Pence ticket.
The White House
Press Secretary Josh Earnest was asked about Pences VP nod, and with a smirk, offered praise for the governors past work with the Obama administration.
To what extent President Obama has had an opportunity to interact with Gov. Pence, I know that Gov. Pence did do some important work with the administration to expand Medicaid in his state, Earnest said at Thursdays press briefing. That's something President Obama has been encouraging Democratic and Republican governors across the country to do.
Capitol Hill
House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Thursday before the news came out that he hoped Trump would pick a good movement conservative and that Pence, who previously served 12 years in the House, fits that bill.
Its no secret that Im a big fan of Mike Pence, were very good friends, Ryan said. I have very high regard for him.
A former colleague of Pences, Iowa Rep. Steve King told ABC News, I once said to Mike, Mike Pence, I would support you for every position for which you endeavor all the way up to but not including pope.
Rep. Luke Messer praised Trumps selection and called Pence the anti-Trump.
He has a strong record as a strong conservative, Messer told ABC News. Donald Trump is famous for speaking off-the-cuff every day. Mike is someone who is...very consistent in his message and philosophy throughout his career.
Others Considered for the Job
Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House, was reportedly being considered by Trump for the position. He told ABC News before the decision was announced that if Trump chose Pence, Gingrich would not be surprised.
Early Thursday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, in an interview with MSNBC, said he had no idea who Trump would pick, but seemed to say he would be disappointed if it wasnt him.
Im a competitive person. I'm not going to say it won't bother me if I'm not selected, Christie said. Of course it bothers you a little bit. Because if you're a competitive person like I am and you're used to winning like I am, again, you don't like coming in second. Ever.
Organizations
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, praised the decision, saying that Mr. Trumps selection of Pence is an affirmation of the pro-life."
When speculation was growing whether Pence would be picked, the Human Rights Campaign released a memo on Tuesday lambasting Pence for signing his Religious Freedom bill in 2015 and calling the governor anti-LGBT.
Ken Blackwell, board member of the National Rifle Association and a senior fellow at the Family Research Council, said that Mike Pence is a home run choice and by picking him Donald Trump gets an A-plus for his first presidential decision.
The president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, Penny Nance, also praised the decision saying, This is an excellent choice by Donald Trump, Mike Pence will be a unifying factor and conservatives will be very supportive.
Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
South Sudanese national security agents are deliberately blocking citizens from leaving the country, Amnesty International said.
Amnesty researcher Elizabeth Deng said Thursday that national security teams were ordering airline companies not to allow South Sudanese men to board flights departing from Juba International Airport. Deng said Amnesty also had received reports of South Sudanese men being blocked from entering Uganda by road at the border town of Nimule.
Weve been told repeatedly that people are told South Sudanese men are not allowed to leave. Theyre being told things like, Youre South Sudanese, why are you leaving the country? You need to stay here and fight. So it appears to be quite systematic, Deng said.
Deng said that kind of activity was a clear violation of citizens constitutional right to freedom of movement.
Forces loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar engaged in five days of street battles with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks until a cease-fire was reached Monday.
The fighting prompted the United Nations and some countries to withdraw nonessential personnel. The United States sent 47 additional troops to protect U.S. citizens and the U.S. Embassy.
Amnesty International called on South Sudan's government to ensure that people can leave the country, to guarantee safe passage to civilians fleeing violence, and to allow them to seek refuge both inside and outside South Sudan.
Deng said that her group had not been able to determine the source of the practice of denying citizens their right to leave, but that the systematic nature of the practice indicated the order was probably coming from a senior level, because it is being implemented consistently by immigration officers and national security agents.
There have been a few cases in which men have been allowed to leave, perhaps for educational reasons, or because their activities were deemed permissible, Deng said.
There were also reports of peoples passports being confiscated and of people being detained at the airport by national security agents.
It appeared that the orders for allowing South Sudanese to cross the border into neighboring countries at checkpoints was being applied somewhat selectively, based on ethnicity or political affiliation, according to Deng.
South Sudan's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Akuei Bona Malual, denied the government was preventing South Sudanese from leaving the country.
Federal, state and city officials are tightening security plans for the upcoming Republican and Democratic conventions amid heightened concern after the deadly ambush of police officers on July 7 in Dallas, Texas.
Anytime theres a national spotlight on a political event in the United States, theres a risk that groups that aspire ... to engage in acts of domestic terrorism will be attracted, FBI Director James Comey said during congressional testimony Thursday.
Department of Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnson told lawmakers, I am concerned about the possibility of violence. I am concerned about the prospect of demonstrations getting out of hand.
Johnson said he would travel to Cleveland on Friday and Philadelphia next Friday to inspect the security at both convention sites.
About 50,000 people are expected to converge on Cleveland, Ohio, for the Republican National Convention July 18-21, where Donald Trump is likely to be named the partys presidential nominee.
A week later, a similar number will gather in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Democrats will crown Hillary Clinton as their partys presidential candidate.
Open carry
Security concerns in Cleveland are compounded by Ohios status as an open-carry state, meaning anyone with a legally permitted gun may carry it openly.
Were going to make sure we stay vigilant, said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams. But we also want to make sure that we ask the community to remain vigilant.
Williams said he would prefer that people not openly carry firearms during the Republican convention, but added, Im bound to uphold the law in the state, and he insisted the city was prepared.
The U.S. Secret Service has banned guns inside the main convention site, Quicken Loans Arena, as well in the security perimeter around the site. However, protesters with firearms will be allowed to carry them in the 4.4-square-kilometer event zone surrounding the arena as long as the guns are holstered.
Williams declined to specify what changes were made after the Dallas shootings, but officials have increased surveillance and intelligence operations and have installed metal security barriers. They have also moved up by one week the activation of a tip line for reporting suspicious activity.
Possibility for clashes
Even before the Dallas shootings, officials in Cleveland were concerned about the potential for violent clashes between Trump supporters and opponents, who will share park space in the event zone only blocks from the convention site.
Physical altercations between protesters and Trump supporters have occurred during the campaign season, and law enforcers have long planned for the possibility of more in Cleveland.
On Monday, Trump stopped just short of predicting more violence.
I mean, you were having big, big trouble in many cities, he said. And I think that might be just the beginning for this summer.
As Trump and Clinton have repeatedly attacked each other, resentment has deepened among their followers, which could have consequences at the two conventions.
Cleveland security
The Cleveland mayors office said the size and significance of the convention creates unique challenges for the city, thus the implementation of special restrictions.
Cleveland officials plan to enforce strict rules to control demonstrators. Protest areas will be hundreds of meters from Quicken Loans Arena. Although guns will be allowed, common items like glass bottles, large backpacks, mace and canned goods will be banned from the event zone.
A federal judge last month struck down city rules for protesters within the event zone, declaring the security plan severely limited opportunities for free expression. The rules would have limited where demonstrators could speak within the zone. The previous security plan was replaced with a new one that expanded the parade route for protesters. It also added buffers between protest groups.
Philadelphia security
In Philadelphia, Police Commissioner Richard Ross said Monday that the Dallas shootings had required that we do things different tactically, but he declined to elaborate on strategies.
Philadelphia officials have taken a different approach than their counterparts in Cleveland. The city will allow supporters of former Clinton rival Bernie Sanders to rally throughout the day in a park across the street from the convention site at Wells Fargo Center.
The arena will be protected by a newly constructed perimeter more than 1.5 meters high.
Thousands of Sanders supporters are expected to congregate in Philadelphia for the convention July 25-28. Through demonstrations, they hope to persuade the party establishment to reform the presidential nominating process by rejecting the growing influence of corporations in the electoral process.
Philadelphia mayoral spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told VOA that officials had met with protest groups and expected demonstrations outside the arena to be peaceful.
We have decriminalized many offenses, like refusal to disperse and disorderly conduct, to avoid mass arrests," Hitt said. "They will be issued fines instead. [We] ... feel confident that were prepared for demonstrations and any public safety threats.
In a move that could add to the expected chaos in Philadelphia, airport workers have voted to go on strike during the convention. The Service Employees International Union said Wednesday that up to 1,000 security workers, baggage handlers and cabin cleaners working for three subcontractors would walk out in an attempt to organize the staff into a union. SEIU said it hoped to garner support from the Democratic National Convention.
Federal preparations
If individuals or groups decide to act unlawfully, plans have been put in place to efficiently address them," Secret Service spokeswoman Nicole Mainor told VOA. "We understand the nature of [these events] and have anticipated the number of individuals we may encounter.
For 18 months, the Secret Service has been collaborating with numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to prepare for the conventions.
Preparations are based on an all-hazards approach, Dan Bulla, president of the Treadstone Group, a private security firm in Charlotte, North Carolina, said in an interview with VOA.
In addition to physical acts of civil disobedience and anarchist-style events such as blocking streets and disabling police vehicles, law enforcers are also preparing for extraordinary crimes such as terror and cyber attacks, said Bulla, who is consulting with several private-sector entities involved in security planning for the conventions.
In addition to disruptive events and threats, Bulla said, law enforcers spend considerable time planning for bomb threats, minor medical emergencies and minor criminal activity such as pickpocketing, fraud, vandalism, fighting and disorderly conduct.
Law enforcement agencies have developed a three-tiered response to any unrest that may occur outside the convention sites, Bulla said. Uniformed and plainclothes officers first arrive on the scene, followed by horse-mounted and bicycle officers. Mobile field forces, commonly known as riot police, will be on standby in both cities with armored vehicles and other riot control equipment.
Because both conventions are large-scale gatherings that could be targets of terrorism, Homeland Security has designated them "national special security events." As a result, Cleveland and Philadelphia have each received $50 million in federal grants to pay for equipment and other items to help keep the convention sites and the areas around them safe.
A Baltimore judge will issue a verdict Monday for the highest-ranking police officer charged in the death of black detainee Freddie Gray who died in April 2015 in the back of a police van.
The case against police officer Brian Rice focused on the question of whether he should have put a seat belt on Freddie Gray, who suffered a spinal injury during the van ride.
Prosecutors argue the decision by Rice not to secure Gray was an intentional act and should be considered criminal. Defense lawyers say Rice had to make a quick decision about whether or not to belt Gray, who they say was uncooperative and was trying to violently rock the van.
Police bound Gray's hands and feet in the van but did not secure him with safety belts.
Gray's death in the van sparked the worst riots in decades in Baltimore, Maryland, and sparked a national debate about the police treatment of minorities. That debate again came to the forefront this month with the deaths of two black men who were shot by police in Minnesota and Louisiana.
Rice is charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct. He is the fourth officer to be tried in the death of Freddie Gray.
Two other officers have been acquitted and the trial of a third officer ended in a hung jury. One of the officers who was acquitted was the driver of the van, Caesar Goodson, who faced the most serious charges, including "depraved-heart" murder.
The president of the Legislative Assembly (AL), Ho Iat Seng, revealed yesterday that the proposal to add a so-called interpretative note to the Land Law, submitted to the assembly by lawmaker Gabriel Tong, has already been rejected by the board.
The assemblys board, which consists of the president and vice-president of the AL and their two assistants, considered that Tongs proposal is not just an interpretative note but an innovative input to change the current law in at least one of its regulatory norms. Such a change would require authorization from the Chief Executive (CE) and would need to be discussed at the plenary, they concluded.
The board reached a consensus that this proposal is not just for an interpretative effect of the law but, instead, aims to add a new regulatory norm on the Land Law for which we must gain first the permission and authorization from the CE because this falls under the exclusive powers of the government, Ho Iat Seng said. He added: We already spoken to the legislator [Gabriel Tong] in order to request him to [secure] the CEs authorization, but he has refused.
According to the AL president, the lawmaker Gabriel Tong wrongly claims his proposal is just a motion for the reinterpretation of the law, [but that opinion] conflicts with the understanding of the AL board.
Ho seperately said that he has solicited to the AL staff to start preparing the relevant documents and recordings from the committee meetings that analyzed the bill, in order to advance the discussions in case the proposal gets the green light from the CE.
The maker of Chairman Maos Red Flag limousine is finding it tough to compete as Chinese buyers increasingly desert sedans for SUVs.
FAW Car Co., a publicly traded unit of state-owned China FAW Group, will post a loss of as much as 850 million yuan (USD127 million) for the first six months after turning a profit of 168.8 million yuan in the year-earlier period. The companys sedan-heavy lineup has performed poorly in todays market, where consumers favor sport utility vehicles and crossovers for their higher ride and bigger space.
The companys products are concentrated on sedans and the segment has slowed down even as overall passenger-vehicle sales maintained steady growth in the first half, the Changchun, China-based company, which also produces vehicles with Mazda Motor Corp., said in a statement to the Shenzhen stock exchange. Sales have also declined in line with competitiveness given the aging models. In the second half, the company will strive to accelerate the introduction of new models and try its best to increase sales.
Demand for SUVs has been rising as increasingly affluent Chinese buyers opt for more spacious vehicles, a trend that may continue with the scrapping of the countrys decades-old one-child policy. The introduction of cheaper SUVs has also forced automakers to cut prices on sedans, crimping profit margins.
SUVs accounted for 35 percent of total passenger-vehicle sales in the first six months, compared with 27 percent in the same period a year earlier, according to Passenger Car Association data. Sales of SUVs surged 45 percent in the period, outpacing the 9.5 percent gain in the broader passenger-vehicle market. Sedan deliveries, by contrast, fell 3.1 percent, outpaced in decline only by mini-commercial vans.
FAW, whose predecessor First Automotive Works was started in the 1950s to spearhead the development of an auto industry in China, produced the first Hongqi, or Red Flag, on Aug. 1, 1958. Today, it produces the L5, used to ferry senior officials, and the H7 sedan. The automakers other brand, the Besturn, features five main models, four of which are sedans. Bloomberg
The Chinese government is believed to have hacked into computers at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in 2010, 2011 and 2013, including the workstation of then-FDIC Chair Sheila Bair, a congressional report says.
The report issued Wednesday by the Republican majority staff of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee cites a May 2013 memo from the FDIC inspector general to agency Chairman Martin Gruenberg. The memo described an advanced persistent threat, said to have come from the Chinese government, which compromised 12 computer workstations and 10 servers at the FDIC.
In addition to those incidents, the committee staff has been investigating the FDICs response to a number of what it calls major data breaches at the agency and whether it is properly safeguarding consumers banking information.
Zhu Haiquan, the spokesman at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said he didnt have detailed information on the reports findings. China firmly opposes and is committed to combatting all forms of cybercrimes, Haiquan said in a statement. China and the United States have already established a high-level joint dialogue mechanism on fighting cybercrime and related issues. This is the best channel for both sides to address this challenge. Making unfounded accusations is counterproductive.
The issue of suspected Chinese government hacking has been sensitive since the disclosure last year of a massive breach of the U.S. Office of Personnel Managements databases, which the U.S. believed was carried out by Chinese cyber spies. In one of the worst data breaches in U.S. history, the personal files of 21 million Americans were stolen, and the federal personnel agency came under fire for neglecting to put in basic cybersecurity protections to prevent the plunder.
The OPM breach dealt the U.S. a major national security blow, experts say, by exposing the personal information and foreign contacts of millions of people with security clearances.
Chinese and U.S. officials held talks last month in Beijing to bridge differences on cybersecurity amid complaints over China-based hacking operations that the U.S. says may already have cost U.S. companies tens of billions of dollars. U.S. officials have been especially eager to build on an agreement forged during Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to Washington last September under which neither government will support commercial cyber-theft.
Created during the Great Depression to insure bank deposits, the FDIC maintains a multibillion-dollar insurance fund. It monitors and examines the financial condition of U.S. banks, keeping confidential information on about 9,000 banks and savings and loans.
The House committees chairman, Republican Lamar Smith of Texas, said the staff report shows the FDICs lax cybersecurity effort. He accused the agency of trying to stonewall the committee in its investigation.
On the suspected Chinese hacking, the report says the advanced persistent threat compromised FDIC computers in 2010, 2011 and April 2013. In essence, a foreign government penetrated FDICs computers and the workstations of high-level agency officials, including Bair, the then-chief of staff and the then-general counsel, it says.
The agency watchdog inspector general criticized the FDIC in the 2013 memo for violating its own policies, according to the report. Marcy Gordon, Washington , AP
businessman gets nearly 4 years in us hacking case
A Chinese businessman was sentenced to nearly four years in prison this week for conspiring to export sensitive military information to China after accessing the computer systems of U.S. defense contractors, including Boeing. Su Bin was sentenced to 46 months in prison in federal court in Los Angeles. He had faced 30 years in prison before reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors in March. His attorneys were requesting two and a half years. The 51-year-old Bin admitted to conspiring with two unnamed hackers in China to export U.S. military information to the communist nation between 2008 and 2014, according to Bins plea agreement.
Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), says that the Grand Prix Museum will be closed possibly starting from the first half of next year for renovation. The initial budget to revamp the facility comes in at MOP300 million, she said, speaking on the sidelines of an American Chamber of Commerce event (see below).
Earlier this year, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, had announced that Macau will spend two to three years to complete the renovation process of the museum to rebuild it into a Grand Prix themed museum.
According to Senna Fernandes, the new theme of the museum will occupy the whole space of the Tourism Activities Centre, which is currently located solely at the basement level.
The construction will start with simple renovation works undertaken inside the building, such as maintenance of the cooling system, because, as told by Fernandes, we need to prepare for this years Grand Prix. This comment indicates that large-scale renovation works will only be initiated after the next Grand Prix.
Opened in 1993 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Macau Grand Prix, the current museum showcases several racing cars and motorbikes alongside other memorabilia related to the famous local race.
The themed museum will continue to have an exhibition section in addition to establishing an experience section, where visitors can experience 4D driving. It will be changed from head to foot, said Fernandes, who also revealed that her department is discussing with facilities suppliers, as well as with some large companies, in order to understand if all the aforementioned projects can be achieved and if new inspiration can be drawn.
By the time the renovation project commences, the Wine Museum, located in the same building, will be moved to Coloane, although a definite location hasnt been settled yet, according to Senna Fernandes.
The protection of the Coloane village requires the department to first assess the situation of Coloane, as explained by the bureaus director.
The MGTO plans to invite bids for the construction contract of the future museum in the first half of next year, and hopes the project can be completed by 2018. Staff reporter
American Chamber foresees second investment boom
The head of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), Paul Tse, claimed that Macaus American partners are ready to continue contributing to a healthy partnership. Tse believes that the governments plan for the tourism sector will lead to a positive outcome, according to TDM.
Earlier this week, the AmCham hosted a luncheon where there were talks about tourism and the economic diversification of Macau.
Tse noted that Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the director of the Government Tourism Office (MGTO), said in her presentation that after a total reliance on gaming for so many years, Macau is now on a very concrete path to diversify its economic activities from gaming into other auxiliary areas. Tse also noted that Macaus American partners have benefited from cross-continental investments, particularly after Macaus handover in 1999.
Official data shows that US investment in the city has already topped ten billion US dollars. Nevertheless, Tse foresees a second boom of investments in the near future that is not simply driven by the casinos and the hospitality sector.
Even more important is the fact that the breath and depth of tourism in Macau are going to be greatly enhanced over the next few years through careful planning and effective execution, observed Tse.
Arraiolos carpets have been around in Portugal since the 16th century and are now also becoming popular in Macau. A locally based Portuguese woman who grew up producing such rugs with her family brought the practice over to Macau hoping to preserve her familys heritage.
Vera Fernandes, who moved to Macau in 2011, brought the Portuguese traditional tapestry into the region three years ago, starting up the project Handmade Arraiolos with the sole intent of keeping her parents busy, as she had convinced them to move to Macau with her.
In collaboration with Casa de Portugal, Fernandes and her mother, Isabel Fernandes, hold weekly tapestry workshops. Isabel Fernandes used to have two ateliers in Portugal together with her late husband and expertise on reconstructing old Arraiolos carpets. Vera mainly manages the promotion of the traditional tapestry while Isabel is keener on recreating and creating the traditional tapestry in the region.
Most of Handmade Arraiolos workshops students are Macanese. Its good because it feels that people want to know more about [the tradition of] Portugal, Vera Fernandes told the Times.
She says that the main purpose of the project is not business related, because they would prefer to set up exhibitions of their works outside the region.
Its not something that were going to open [and do it as] a business because this art has been in our family for so many years.
Fernandes said that most of their clients are locals or from the mainland, and that the number of people attending her workshops is increasing.
Although she explained that Arraiolos (the name of a village in Portugal) tapestry is similar to cross-stitch, she stressed that there are specific techniques that make the production unique.
Fernandes also admitted that there have been challenges in sharing the techniques to those attending the workshops since there are similar types of works done in China.
In China they do it without technique [] and we teach our students to understand the difference in the materials, she explained, adding that all the materials they use are imported from Portugal.
Fernandes said that some of the workshops students currently make and sell Arraiolos carpets, something that she considers very rewarding.
This is something that weve passed on through generations. [] We teach our students to share the image and culture of Portugal, she said.
Fernandes admitted that they do not make a substantial amount of money from selling their work and holding the workshops.
We drive it with [our] hearts, not with the goal of making a fortune out of it. Its something that I dont want to die in our family, she stressed. Its part of our origin. My kids are growing up here but in the end, were still Portuguese, so I try to push them a little bit into their roots.
Fernandes believes that the regions education system should bring back home economics lessons to local schools. Its incredible because some people who come to our classes dont even know how to put the wool inside the needle, she said.
She stressed that such activities should still be taught in school because they are the basic things in life.
Theres such a lack of this kind of knowledge [nowadays] that schools should be teaching, she noted. Lynzy Valles
Ineffectual attacks by the Islamic State groups followers in Southeast Asia have shown them to be fragmented and lacking in the expertise that has produced devastating death tolls elsewhere in the world.
But terrorism experts say the threat from the militants, spread across predominantly Muslim Indonesia, Malaysia and the southern Philippines, should not be underestimated and they could be transformed into a more dangerous force by training and leadership.
There are plenty of signs radicals in the region have been animated by IS leader Abu Bakar al Baghdadis call for attacks and the groups ambition to create Southeast Asian provinces of the IS caliphate even as it loses territory in Syria and Iraq.
A grenade blast at a bar outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in June was acknowledged by police as the first IS attack in the country, where more than 150 people have been detained for involvement with the militant group since 2014. It injured eight people but caused no deaths. Subsequent arrests of people linked to the attack included two police officers.
A suicide bombing directed against police last week in the Indonesian city of Solo killed only the bomber, who police said was a friend of Bahrun Naim, one of the hundreds of Indonesians with IS in Syria and who has been linked to other plots in Indonesia. Both attacks occurred during the holy month of Ramadan but attracted little notice at a time when a wave of militant violence in several countries, including the U.S., Turkey and Bangladesh, killed about 350 people.
The IS threat has increased across the region but from a relatively low base, said Sidney Jones, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict. We are seeing more connections. The likelihood of communications across national boundaries is higher, she said. We need to be open to the possibility that both the method and the professionalism of attacks could increase.
So far, the success for IS in Southeast Asia has been the power of its slick propaganda and online savvy to recruit predominantly young followers much more quickly than the face-to-face contact that older militant groups relied on.
A professionally produced IS news site, alfatihin.com, using the Malay language understood throughout Malaysia and Indonesia began publishing in May in an apparent attempt to broaden the groups reach. The power of the group to inspire lone-wolf style attacks such as Orlando or San Bernadino where the perpetrators have no known connections to other radicals is also a potential threat for the region.
Radical movements are benefiting from information technology, said Brig. Gen. Hamidin, director of prevention at Indonesias counter-terrorism agency.
Traditional recruitment through indoctrination at Islamic study groups that can be easily detected and monitored by authorities has been replaced by instant messaging and social media, said Hamidin, who goes by one name. This is the problem we are currently facing.
IS has also attracted the support of long-established networks of fighters. Abu Sayyaf, a group in the southern Philippines that professes radical Islamic ideology but which is better known for banditry and kidnappings, has declared allegiance to the Islamic State. So too have the militants who follow Santoso, Indonesias most wanted radical, who is under siege from government forces in his jungle hideout on Sulawesi.
But the attacks IS has inspired in Southeast Asia have had less impact because of the inexperience of the recruits combined with the vigilance of security forces in Malaysia and Indonesia. Plus, many of the hardened Indonesian militants who were part of the Al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiyah network behind the 2002 Bali bombings and other attacks are in prison or opposed to IS ideology and tactics.
Even the Jan. 14 suicide bombing and gun attack by IS followers in the Indonesian capital Jakarta that killed eight people including the four attackers was regarded as amateur by experts and in militant circles.
The June grenade attack near Kuala Lumpur was an example of the low level of IS capability in Malaysia but also a sign it is training to make a bigger impact in the future, said Badrul Hisham Ismail, an analyst with Iman Research, a Malaysian group that studies religion and society.
The threat level has risen because IS has shifted focus to build an Islamic state in this region, he said.
IS recruitment has become more aggressive and some Malaysian militants have joined Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines, Badrul Hisham said.
Indonesians are also known to have joined Abu Sayyaf, making it a potential nexus for the regions militants.
IS released a video in June showing an Indonesian, a Malaysian and a Filipino in Syria acknowledging an Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon as the head of IS in Southeast Asia
According to Jones, the ranks of Abu Sayyaf might in future provide the hardened militant who can train Indonesias would-be jihadists in bomb making and other skills. Another source could be Indonesian militants released on parole who converted to IS while in prison.
One would think there would be some introspection among Indonesian leaders in Syria about how to be more effective, she said. The only answers are training and leadership and the question is where they will come from. Stephen Wright, Jakarta, AP
Britains new top diplomat is shaggy-haired, Latin-spouting Boris Johnson, who has made insulting and vulgar comments about the presidents of the United States and Turkey. And those are just his recent gaffes.
Johnson, 52, has made a long string of racist and insensitive comments dating back to his early career in journalism. He has apologized before and seems likely to do so again he said after his surprise appointment that the United States of America will be in the front of the queue for his next apology, apparently because of his comments about President Barack Obamas ancestry.
Johnson was a prominent leader of the successful referendum campaign to take Britain out of the European Union who harbored his own leadership hopes, making him a factor for Prime Minister Theresa May to deal with as she tries to unify the sharply divided Conservative Party.
But her decision to put Johnson on the world stage dealing with foreign leaders is raising questions, largely because of his propensity for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, sometimes in the most vulgar way.
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said he could not believe Johnson will now represent Britain abroad. He said Johnson must first apologize to Obama for referring to his part-Kenyan ancestry and then apologize to EU leaders for saying their plans for Europe were similar to Hitlers.
At this incredibly important time that will determine Britains economic and cultural relations with Europe, it is extraordinary that the new prime minister has chosen someone whose career is built on making jokes, Farron said.
Some of his wounds seem self-inflicted. During the referendum campaign, Johnson chose to enter a British magazines competition for an offensive poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He won but the sexually oriented limerick was not well received in Turkey, a strategically important, predominantly Muslim ally.
In 2007 he described Hillary Clintons appearance as like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital. And last year he said: The only reason I wouldnt visit some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump. MDT/AP
The United States is offering Russia a new military pact against the Islamic State and al-Qaida in Syria, according to a leaked U.S. proposal that, if finalized, could dramatically alter Americas role in the Arab countrys five-year civil war.
The document, published by The Washington Post, calls for joint bombing operations, a command-and-control headquarters and other synchronized efforts. U.S. and Russian officials with expertise in intelligence, targeting and air operations will work together to defeat the extremist groups, the eight-page paper states.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was to discuss the proposal in Moscow yesterday, declined to comment.
Im going to Moscow, meeting with President [Vladimir] Putin tonight, Kerry told reporters. Well have plenty of time to talk about it and Ill give you all a sense of where we are.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said only that joint U.S.-
Russian efforts were key to fighting terrorism in the region.
Such a partnership would undercut months of U.S. criticism of Russias military intervention in Syria. And it would put the U.S. alongside Syrian President Bashar Assads chief international backer, despite years of American demands for Assad to leave power.
Russia would be getting what it wanted since it first intervened in Syria on Assads behalf last September to be a leader in an international alliance.
Washington has rebuffed Moscows requests for military cooperation, accusing the Russians of using anti-terrorism objectives as a pretext for protecting Assads position, of repeatedly violating truces and attacking moderate rebel groups backed by the U.S. or its allies as well as civilian targets.
Much of Washington is wary about working too closely with Russia. A dissent cable signed by 51 State Department officials last month showed a sizeable part of Americas diplomatic establishment believing a U.S. military response against Assads forces was necessary, given Moscows increased leverage as a result of its intervention.
Opposition to this latest Syria plan is shared by a significant number of officials at the State Department, Pentagon and U.S. intelligence community, according to several American officials.
But the administration has few other options right now. Suggestions of U.S. force dont carry much weight, given the unfulfilled threats throughout the war from Obamas declaration five years ago that Assads days were numbered to his vow of a military response if chemical weapons were used, only to back down in 2013.
U.S. officials said no agreement with Moscow has yet been reached.
The proposed, U.S.-Russian Joint Implementation Group would be headquartered near Amman, Jordan. At its most basic level, the former Cold War foes would share intelligence and targeting information. But they should coordinate procedures to permit integrated operations, if the U.S. and Russia decide such operations are in their interests, the document said.
Russia would confine air strikes to vetted targets and not let Syrian forces bomb designated areas. Some exceptions apply.
In exchange for U.S. cooperation, the Russians would pressure Assad into ending a bombing campaign against moderate militant groups and civilians, and allow unfettered aid to besieged, rebel-held areas. Washington also wants Russias help in forcing Assad to start a political transition that would ultimately end his familys four-
decade hold over the country.
Russia supports the vague idea of transition, but has never publicly spoken of Assad having to resign.
The proposal would address one of the most persistent problems with enforcing a ceasefire in Syria: the Nusra Front, al-Qaidas Syria affiliate. The group is engaged in a variety of local alliances with other rebel groups the U.S. and its Arab allies want shielded by the so-called cessation of hostilities. And Nusras fighters are often embedded with such groups on the battlefield or move between various fighting formations.
For that reason, the U.S. has almost entirely avoided bombing Nusra targets in recent months. Russia hasnt hesitated. But in taking out Nusra forces, the U.S. says Russia also has killed hundreds of moderate, anti-Assad fighters and civilians undermining chances for peaceful diplomacy.
Captain Abdelsalam Abdurrazek, a spokesman for Nur al-Din Zenki, a CIA-vetted rebel entity fighting near Aleppo, decried the U.S. for offering to support an ally of the Syrian regime and an enemy of the Syrian people. He said his group would continue fighting alongside Nusra.
Yesterdays talks in Moscow were held fewer than three weeks before an August ultimatum by President Barack Obamas administration for diplomatic progress. All signs augur poorly for a breakthrough in a war that has killed as many as a half-million people since 2011, contributed to a global migration crisis and spawned the Islamic States international expansion.
Two months ago, Kerry said the transition had to start on Aug. 1, or Syria and its backers are asking for a very different track. But any Plan B has remained undefined beyond vague hints of a military intervention involving Saudi troops. The White House and Pentagon have resisted a greater U.S. role. Bradley Klapper, Paris, AP
Vietnam yesterday protested Chinas recent activities in the disputed South China Sea, saying they seriously violate Vietnamese sovereignty.
Chinese state media reported that two Chinese civilian aircraft on Wednesday landed successfully on two newly built airstrips on Mischief and Subi reefs. China also said it had completed four lighthouses on disputed reefs and was launching a fifth.
The latest developments came as a U.N. arbitration tribunal this week ruled thatChinas vast territorial claims are violating international maritime law. The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines, which challenged Beijings expansive claims to virtually the entire South China Sea. Beijing says it does not recognize the decision.
Vietnam Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh demanded Beijing cease actions that complicate the situation.
Despite the opposition of Vietnam and concerns by the international community, those actions conducted by China have seriously violated Vietnams sovereignty and are unlawful and cannot change the fact about Vietnams sovereignty over the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagoes, Binh told reporters, referring to the Paracel and Spratly islands in the South China Sea.
Binh reiterated that Vietnam has all legal basis and historical evidences to affirm its sovereignty over the two island chains.
Six regional governments have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, waters that are rich in fishing stocks and potential energy resources and where an estimated USD5 trillion in global trade passes each year.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said yesterday that if anyone challenges Chinas rights and interests by taking provocative actions based on the ruling, China will surely make a resolute response.
Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin on Wednesday said that said Beijing could declare an air defense identification zone over the waters if it felt threatened, a move that would sharply escalate tensions.
Although it claims some of the same land features as the Philippines, Vietnam welcomed the arbitration process initiated by Manila and took a strong position against Beijing in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The government said it will study the ruling before commenting on it. AP
Idaho man charged after attacking police with sword
CHUBBUCK A southeast Idaho man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he attempted to attack police officers with a sword.
The Idaho State Journal reports that 34-year-old Jared Whitaker was charged Thursday in 6th District Court with two counts of aggravated battery on a police officer and first-degree stalking.
According to police, officers responded Wednesday evening to reports of a suspicious male banging on a trailer inside a trailer park and acting aggressively toward residents. When officers initially arrived on scene, Whitaker returned to his home. However, police say Whitaker then emerged from his home holding a Samurai-type sword and started growling.
Police say Whitaker refused to drop his weapon, requiring several officers to deploy their Tasers in order to take him into custody.
Seized safe from N. Idaho home leads to drug, weapon charges
LEWISTON A northern Idaho judge has ruled that police acted properly when they seized a safe from a home and later opened it after a drug dogs alert.
The Lewiston Tribune reports that Magistrate Greg K. Kalbfleish on Wednesday determined the methamphetamine and a handgun found in the safe amounted to enough evidence to substantiate possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a felon.
As a result, 36-year-old Jess L. Matson of Lewiston is scheduled to appear in 2nd District Court on those charges on July 21.
Defense attorney Richard M. Cuddihy argued that police entered the home on a fishing expedition.
But Nez Perce County Deputy Prosecutor April Smith says officers legally gained access to the home and seized the safe after finding drugs.
She says police also obtained a search warrant before opening the safe.
Boise police officer cleared after firing shot at suspect
BOISE A Boise police officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing after firing a shot at a suspect that missed.
The Boise Police Department in a decision announced Wednesday says Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs determined Office Michelle Havens acted according to protocol.
Police say that Havens fired one shot at Jennie Timmons in early March after Timmons didnt follow verbal commands and brandished an all-black BB gun that looked like a real firearm.
Police say evidence indicates Timmons attempted to force officers to shoot her.
Timmons is facing a charge of aggravated assault.
1 dead, 2 injured after vehicle collides with cyclists
IONA Authorities say one cyclist died and another was critically injured after a vehicle collided with them while they were riding in a group in the Idaho Falls area.
Bonneville County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Bryan Lovell said in a news release that authorities responded to the crash Wednesday evening on Highway 26.
Lovell says a 33-year-old Idaho Falls woman was driving a vehicle west when she hit two women riding in the same direction.
Authorities say one of the bicyclists, a 22-year-old woman from Virginia, was pronounced dead at a hospital. The other, a 25-year-old Michigan woman, was in the hospital in critical condition.
The driver was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The bicyclists were part of an out-of-state group riding across the country.
Authorities are investigating.
Fire destroys homes in Elmore County
MOUNTAIN HOME Firefighters say a fire has destroyed two homes and an outbuilding just northwest of Mountain Home.
Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management tell KTVB-TV that the fire started in a mobile home in Elmore County. The flames eventually spread to another mobile home, as well as nearby grass and brush. Five other structures were also threatened, but firefighters expected to have the flames contained by Wednesday evening.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
According to the BLM, local fire agencies were able to respond quickly to the flames despite the area not being in a fire protection district.
N. Idaho prosecutor says Facebook post was not racist
COEUR DALENE A deputy prosecutor in northern Idaho says he was misunderstood after posting a comment on social media that suggested genocide would occur if police officers stopped patrolling black neighborhoods.
Kootenai County Deputy Prosecutor Bryant Bushling tells The Coeur dAlene Press that he has since edited his comment after receiving negative feedback.
Bushling posted the response Sunday on Kootenai County Bailiff Todd Hartmans Facebook page. Hartman had posted a meme that showed a picture of a white officer and text suggesting that police wanted to kill black people they would stop patrolling black neighborhoods.
Bushlings edited comment now says he has experience working with gangs and that people without a similar background shouldnt judge without talking to him first.
Bushling says hes had an excellent reputation in his 33 years of public service.
TWIN FALLS A Jerome man whos been in the Twin Falls County Jail since December was charged this week with his third violent felony while housed inside the jail, this time for allegedly fighting jail deputies and punching one in the face.
Austin Joseph Worring, 22, was arraigned Monday in Twin Falls County Magistrate Court on a felony count of battery on a correctional officer.
Worring was originally arrested Dec. 22 for eluding police in a stolen car and charged with drug possession, grand theft and leaving the scene of an injury accident. But his problems were apparently just beginning.
In January, two days after pleading guilty to grand theft in his original Twin Falls case, Worring and Timothy Lee Haney were accused of severely beating another inmate and stealing the mans meal tray. Worring and Haney were both charged with felony counts of robbery.
Then in May, Worring was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and accused of fighting jail deputies and elbowing one in the head.
That battery charge was dismissed last month as part of a plea agreement on the robbery charge, which is set for sentencing July 25.
In the latest incident Sunday, jail deputies said, Worring was one of four inmates sitting inside a cell who refused to move when deputies were instructing the inmates to lock down. Once Worring stood up, he was moving slowly and a deputy placed his hand on Worrings back to assist him to his cell.
Worring turned around to protest me touching him, Deputy Jim Benson wrote in a sworn affidavit. Our bodies came into such close contact that we were standing toe to toe. He was yelling obscenities and being aggressive. I placed my hand on his chest and pushed him away from me.
Benson wrote that Worring stumbled backward into a cell, then rushed at the deputy in a combative manner.
I met him at the cell door where a fight began, Benson wrote. I attempted to gain physical control of Worring but he continued to strike me in the face Worring struck me in the face with his fist causing my nose to bleed and my prescription eye glasses to fling from my face.
Worring continued to struggle with deputies until Benson threatened to use a stun-gun to subdue him, the deputy wrote. He started to struggle again once deputies handcuffed him and he was ultimately strapped to a restraining chair.
A judge set Worrings bond at $100,000 on the newest charge, and a preliminary hearing is set for July 22.
Meanwhile, Worring is set to be sentenced on the robbery charge July 25 and was already sentenced three to five years on the grand theft charge. That sentence was originally suspended and he was to spend one year in a therapeutic retained jurisdiction program, but because of the new charged hell likely be compelled to serve the prison time.
JEROME A Jerome man was arrested Thursday south of Wendell after a 911 caller reported he was driving recklessly and brandishing a gun, police said.
Timothy Earl Brown, 58, is facing a felony count of aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, reckless driving and possession of an open container.
Another driver called 911 about 2:15 p.m. Thursday and reported a man was driving recklessly on 250 West Road in a Ford F-150, Jerome County Sheriffs Deputy Robert Chase Nicholson said. The caller also reported the driver was brandishing a gun at the caller.
Deputies caught up with the pickup in Gooding County and stopped it at 2280 E. 3300 S., Nicholson said.
After ignoring several commands, a struggle between deputies and Brown ensued, the sheriffs office said in a statement. Brown was taken into custody and booked into the Jerome County Detention Facility.
Court records show Brown has a history of driving under the influence, eluding police and resisting arrest.
He was charged in 1997 in Jerome County with driving under the influence and resisting arrest. He pleaded guilty to the drunken driving charge while prosecutors dismissed the other charge.
In 1999 in Gooding County and 2001 in Jerome County he was charged with driving under the influence but later acquitted in both cases.
In 2004 he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in Gooding County. In a separate Jerome County case that same year, he was charged with felony eluding police and misdemeanor driving under the influence. He ultimately pleaded guilty to the felony and was sentenced to five years of probation while prosecutors dismissed the driving under the influence charge.
Though Brown was convicted of the felony in 2004, it was unclear if he was prohibited from owning a firearm and the case is still ongoing, Nicholson said.
KIMBERLY A preliminary hearing was delayed for the third time in the case of a Hollister woman accused of killing Twin Falls firefighter Ryan Franklin in a hit-and-run crash.
Hollie Marie Winnett, 32, is charged with felony counts of vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death. She faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine up to $15,000 if convicted.
The charges stem from a May 18 crash south of Kimberly that killed Franklin, 34, while he was on a morning bike ride. The off-duty firefighter and father of four was an avid cyclist.
Winnett told police she was driving west on 2900 North after dropping her children off at school when she fell asleep and her vehicle struck an object. She said she stopped and got out to see what she hit, but drove away because she didnt see anything.
But the early investigation showed Winnett panicked after striking Franklin from behind and fled in her badly damaged Jeep Liberty, driving at least eight miles on just a rim after losing a tire. She eventually stopped when the rim wore down to the spokes and called her husband in a panic. Together, they returned to the scene after Winnett had regained her senses, her lawyer said during a May arraignment.
The preliminary hearing, in which prosecutors will try to prove theres enough evidence for the case to be bound over to district court, was originally set for May 27, but Winnett waived her right to a speedy preliminary hearing and it was rescheduled for mid-June. That hearing was pushed back until Friday, and has now been delayed again until Aug. 4.
Winnett, a stay-at-home mother of four who has lived in the Twin Falls area her entire life, is out of custody on her own recognizance after a judge ruled it was likely she would show up for court hearings and would not commit other crimes.
BURLEY The Cassia County School District plans to seek renewal of its supplemental levy during the August election.
Voters will decide Aug. 30 on a two-year, $744,244 measure the same amount now in place. Voters last approved a levy in March 2014.
The vast majority of Idahos school districts have a supplemental levy, which school leaders often call a survival levy. Money is used to pay for basic operating expenses such as utilities and programs for students.
The supplemental levy is a critical part of our overall budgeting strategy, Cassia County district spokeswoman Debbie Critchfield wrote in an email to the Times-News.
The measure needs a simple majority vote in order to pass.
In addition to paying for basic expenses, the levy would help with the cost of textbooks, technology and other classroom needs, Critchfield said.
Monday was the deadline for school districts to supply a resolution to their county clerk for a bond or levy election in August. Cassia County is the only south-central Idaho district planning a measure.
Cassia County voters rejected a $14.9 million construction bond during the March election. School officials were seeking to make up for a shortfall in funds needed to complete projects under a $37 million construction bond passed in 2015.
The shortfall was discovered before construction began on many of the projects. The districts architect, Hal Jensen who hadnt held a valid license in several years was fired for underestimating projects, most in Declo and Burley.
JEROME Jerome resident Jack Nelsen has announced his candidacy for the College of Southern Idahos board of trustees.
He plans to run in the November election, seeking to fill a new Jerome County zone. A new law requires geographic representation on Idahos three community college boards.
Nelsen, a third-generation dairy farmer and CSI alumnus, ran for the board in 2012, but lost in a tight race. Now, hes trying again and says he wants to represent the college, which has played a large role in his life.
Most of my life, CSI has been a pretty major portion of it, he said Thursday.
Nelsen is a member of the CSI Foundation. He also taught music classes and was pep band director at CSI during the 1980s.
He earned a diploma from Jerome High School, associates degree from CSI, bachelors degree from University of Redlands and masters degree from Boise State University.
And his three children all attended CSI.
I think CSI is a really important part of the Magic Valley, he said.
The new law requiring geographic representation on community college boards is a good idea, Nelsen said. Jerome has been a part of CSIs tax base and dividing the board up into regions is an excellent idea.
In 2012, Nelsen ran for a seat on the board, but lost in a narrow race to Twin Falls attorney Laird Stone by 1 percent.
Stone garnered just 244 more votes, but Nelsen got substantially more support in Jerome County.
He took about 56 percent of the vote in that county, compared with Stones 23 percent. But in Twin Falls County, Stone took the lead by nearly 10 percentage points.
Nelsen, who lives north of Jerome, has been a member of the Middle Snake Regional Water Resource Commission for at least eight years and the Jerome County Planning & Zoning Commission for more than 15 years.
He said he likes the emphasis being placed on college student success, rather than simply on student numbers. That level of transparency and accountability is excellent, he added.
He said he also supports the focus on helping high school graduates successfully enroll in college.
CSI has three distinct missions, Nelsen said providing an education for students, programs and activities as a community service, and job training and economic development.
I think as a board member, its constantly a balance to provide those and pay attention to those, he said.
Currently CSI trustees dont represent a certain zone. But that will change with the November election.
Board members will be allowed to finish their terms. CSI has three seats up for election Nov. 8, filled by Stone, Jan Mittleider and Thad Scholes.
Nelsen is the only person who has turned in a petition for candidacy, CSI vice president of administration Jeff Harmon said. Theres a Sept. 1 deadline.
Both Mittleider and Stone Twin Falls residents whove been on the board since 2012 said during a May board meeting they plan to run for reelection, but havent turned in paperwork. Mittleider lives in zone four and Stone lives in zone two.
And after 35 years on the board, Scholes announced in May hes not running for reelection.
Scholes, a retired dermatologist, has been on the board since 1981.
Scholes would have faced fellow trustee Mittleider, a retired CSI physical education professor. But Scholes told the Times-News it wasnt a factor in his decision and he made up his mind long before the zoning issue arose.
WASHINGTON, D.C. The Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously confirmed David Nye as Idahos next U.S. District Judge, clearing the way for a vote by the full Senate.
Nye, a judge in Idahos Sixth District, based in Pocatello, was nominated by President Barack Obama with extensive input from Idahos two Republican senators, Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, who led the selection process.
The Senate is leaving for its August recess at the end of this week, and a full Senate vote confirming Nye is unlikely to happen before then, according to the Spokane Spokesman-Reviews Eye on Boise blog. The Senate returns in September.
Risch and Crapo released a statement thanking their colleagues on the committee and saying they would continue to work to make sure Nye is confirmed.
I will continue to work with my colleagues to have Judge Nyes nomination confirmed as expeditiously as possible, Risch said. The people of Idaho are depending on it.
Judge Nye has my support, the support of Senator Risch and the support of the White House, Crapo said. I look forward to building on that momentum when the full Senate considers Judge Nyes nomination. The people of Idaho must be assured that they are served by well qualified judges and I will work with my colleagues to see that Judge Nyes nomination is confirmed.
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, leaving Lynn Winmill as the only federal district judge in Idaho.
The federal district judge in Idaho has been a prominent position in recent years, with some of the courts more high-profile rulings including ones allowing political parties to close their primaries, striking down the states gay marriage ban and the so-called ag-gag law, and invalidating the states school broadband contract.
MINIDOKA An investigation is underway to determine what caused nine Union Pacific train cars full of corn to derail near Minidoka on Thursday morning.
About 9:30 a.m., the cars were on the railroad along a truck route in the city when eight tipped on their side and one remained upright.
Justin Jacobs, Union Pacifics director of corporate relations and media, said there were no injuries reported. The main line, he said, is not affected and is open.
Crews are working to get the cars back onto the railroad, he said.
Dave Pinther, Minidoka Countys chief deputy, said there is no criminal investigation and that Eastern Idaho Railroad is determining the cause of the derailment.
TWIN FALLS The first time Susie Lucio was named a recipient of Paint Magics program, shed heard about it from a friend.
Lucio, 83, doesnt think it was long after shed moved into her Twin Falls house back in 1996. And then, seven or eight years ago, she was a recipient again.
She didnt think shed get selected for the nonprofit house-painting service a third time.
This year, I just chanced it, Lucio said at her home Wednesday.
Outside, workers from D.L. Evans Bank branches were busy prepping and priming the house to be painted Saturday.
Lucio was a late applicant this year, but since Paint Magic had fewer Twin Falls houses apply, she was selected for the third time in 20 years.
I was just flabbergasted, Lucio said. Im very pleased with Paint Magic.
Lucio worked as a drapery seamstress after she got divorced in the 1970s, but she came to Twin Falls from California to retire. On a fixed income, Lucio receives Social Security and gets around via bus and family members, since she never learned to drive.
Her small, two-bedroom house on Walnut Street will be painted grey-green with white trim Saturday, thanks to more than 40 volunteering employees from D.L. Evans Bank.
Its just amazing what they look like before and what they look like after, said Ray Parrish, paint team leader and past president of Paint Magic.
Parrishs team has been participating in Paint Magic for 10 years, and divides its volunteers up between three days.
It brings us together as a team, said Jessica Laraway, a loan assistant whos volunteered eight of the past 10 years.
Lucio said for the most part, the paint jobs have held up nicely. The one side of her house that gets the most sun, however, had begun to peel again. The first job was done by College of Southern Idaho, and the second by the Times-News, she said.
Paint Magic is working on only about 18 area homes this year, fewer than in years past because of fewer applications, Parrish said. The homes are scheduled to be complete Saturday.
I think we had just enough teams, and just enough names, he said.
Paint Magic is in its 30th year of serving residents in the Magic Valley. Its goal is to paint the exteriors of 20 homes for qualifying seniors and the disabled who are on a limited income.
According to the Human Rights Campaign the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group in the country 2016 has marked an uptick in the number of bills that target the LGBT community. The organization found, in the first two months of 2016, more than 175 anti-LGBT bills were filed in 32 states. For comparison sake, the organization tracked 125 anti-LGBT bills in total in 2015.
Of the 175 bills in 2016, the Human Rights Campaign counted 44 as specifically anti-transgender, with the majority of those targeting public bathroom use. Its worth noting that, because the report came out in February, those figures dont include data from the most recent four-plus months, or the North Carolina law.
The North Carolina bill became law on March 23. It came in response to an ordinance passed by the Charlotte City Council, which extended the citys non-discrimination language to include sexual orientation and gender identity. According to news reports, the General Assembly called for a special session its first in 35 years to address the Charlotte ordinance. One local newspaper noted the bill took a remarkably quick 11 hours and 10 minutes to become law, from when the bill was introduced in the House to when McCrory signed it.
But three of the states neighbors have rejected similar legislation this year. In early February, a Virginia House of Delegates committee voted down a bill related to bathroom and locker room use in public schools. In April, Republican state Rep. Susan Lynn proposed and withdrew a bathroom bill in Tennessee, but said she would bring it up again in 2017. And South Carolina saw a bathroom bill die in committee in late April.
According to data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, Indiana, Mississippi and Louisiana also had bathroom bills that failed. Ten other states have such bills pending.
In South Dakota, Gov. Dennis Daugaard vetoed a bathroom bill in March that focused on public schools. At the time of his veto, Daugaard emphasized the role of local officials, saying, Local school districts can, and have, made necessary restroom and locker room accommodations that serve the best interests of all students, regardless of biological sex or gender identity.
The topic seems to be as divisive among voters as it is among lawmakers.
A CBS/New York Times poll from May found 46 percent of Americans think transgender people should use the bathroom of the gender they were born as. But a CNN poll, also from May, revealed that 57 percent of Americans oppose laws requiring transgender individuals to use facilities that do not match their gender identity. Although the polls address different aspects of the issue the former asks about bathroom use itself, while the latter asks about laws on bathroom use the results reflect a country closely divided.
A recent poll from Quinnipiac University shows the divide maintains in the swing states of Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The following editorial appears on Bloomberg View:
The open-carry movement faced a very public test in Dallas last week. It failed.
While concealed carry can be championed ostensibly as a means of self-defense, open carry prioritizes performance over pragmatism. After all, openly carrying a firearm is an ideological statement more than a self-defense posture: It cedes the crucial element of surprise to an armed assailant. Open carrys true goal is to normalize extreme gun culture by making firearms familiar, visible and ubiquitous.
Last Thursday, more than a dozen participants in Dallass Black Lives Matter protest came prominently armed. When shots from a sniper rang out, police officers had to discern instantly working in chaotic conditions, at night, under fire whether the armed protesters were murderous criminals or something else. Police stopped some of those carrying guns, and designated one a person of interest. Trying to divine the intentions of the armed marchers diverted time and energy from the pursuit of the sniper.
This led Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to observe that in a shooting situation, open carry can be detrimental to the safety of individuals. Thats true as far it goes, which is not nearly far enough: Open carry is detrimental to public safety, period.
In addition to exposing the danger of open carry, the mayhem in Dallas revealed once again the inanity of the National Rifle Associations good guy with a gun talking point. The simplistic assumption that the world can be divided between good guys and bad guys bears no relationship to reality. Before he went on a murderous rampage, there was nothing to identify the Dallas sniper as anything but a good guy with a gun. Likewise, a man carrying a rifle down a street in Colorado Springs, Colorado, last fall was deemed a good guy right up until the moment he started killing.
In Dallas last week, open-carry activists did not serve as protectors. Instead, they heightened the risk faced by police officers and civilians and made a fraught, uncertain and dangerous situation all the more so.
A recent letter (TN 7/3) by my Democratic opponent in this falls election should give readers pause, as she appears to be saying that tourism and the related recreational industry of Southern Idaho are the top economic development opportunities in the region. While these are clearly important here as elsewhere, my opponent appears to be unfamiliar with the natural resources, health care and manufacturing sectors which have sustained the Southern Idaho economy for decades. To ignore these as economic factors reflects a limited understanding of what employment in Southern Idaho is really like.
My opponent has lived in Southern Idaho all of her life, so how could she think that recreation alone is the predominant driver of the local economy? Perhaps it is because she has spent her full employment here as a government worker who may have never or rarely ever driven out of town past the mile upon mile of sugar beet fields, alfalfa, cattle and dairy farms and new and expanding processing plants. Or perhaps she has not researched the enormous growth in the health care sector, including the new St. Lukes Regional Medical Center, which employs more than 2,000 people at an average wage at over $45,000 annually. Or perhaps she has accepted the false rhetoric of various environmental groups, who constantly try to whip up conflict between so called good environmental protection by the federal government and evil protection by multiple-use industries such as ranching and farming.
Ah, that must be it. In an effort to advance her campaign, she chastises Idahos Legislature for its land-policy discussions and denigrates the Idaho livestock industry as milkers of low-rate cow-calf leases who would sell out if they could. This position is both false and defamatory, but it reflects a view among eco-environmentalists and other big government advocates who constantly place the federal EPA, Forest Service and BLM on side-by-side pedestals.
Or perhaps she has listened too much to the fiery anti-business rhetoric of those who have been anti-growth in Twin Falls at least as far back as the 1990s and whose own hands-on business experience has been limited to small retail enterprises, which could not compete, and thus failed.
Ironically, as a retired teacher, my opponent presumably draws a state-supported PERSI retirement pension, which is in place due to the prudent management over the decades by the state of our investment funds. The PERSI fund alone is close to $15b and is considered one of the best managed pension funds in the nation; to denigrate Idahos prudent and fiscally responsible management of resources is both unfair and simply false. Yet, my opponent falsely states that Idaho mismanages its lands and that only the benevolent federal government can do the job. If she thinks the state if Idaho is such a poor manager of resources, I might suggest she voluntarily give up her state pension and manage her own retirement account, or turn it over to the feds, like Social Security.
Here are the real numbers. The Idaho tourism industry revenue totals about $1.7 billion per year and thats for the whole state (Longwoods Report, 2015). Of that, lodging of all kinds accounts for about $618m; food and restaurants, about $401m; recreation alone is only about $185m, again, thats for the whole state. In a statewide economy of over $60b, these figures are certainly contributors, but not dominant. Health care, manufacturing and agriculture each bring in far more to Idaho, as anyone who has a job at St. Lukes, Chobani/Glanbia/Clif Bar knows. The dairy sector alone is over $2b; agriculture alone is almost $10b, even after a down year in 2015.
Now, lets look at the claims again. My opponent says the state would sell off public lands and thus deny access to people who enjoy outdoor recreation. This is a falsehood put forward by the eco-groups she apparently is courting. In 2013 and 2014, the state held hearings across Idaho to gather public input on public lands use. I served on that committee and in our final resolution (SCR 126, 2015 session), we specifically called for cooperative agreements between the state and the federal agencies for appropriate cooperative management models for public lands in Idaho. The resolution specifically calls for maintaining and expanding public access, not the reverse. There is no reference or advocacy for sale of public lands. In short, my opponents claim ignores the states goal and promotes a lie designed, apparently, to fool both voters and supporters of multiple use of public lands.
With respect to both economic development and use of public lands, my opponent is putting out falsehoods about the states achievements and its clear record. As is often said in politics, a person is entitled to an opinion as to whether what we have done is adequate, but a candidate should not masquerade behind false information as my opponent does in her claims. I am pleased to be a candidate who proudly represents Southern Idahos many economic sectors, including health care, manufacturing, agriculture and recreation. If my opponent wants to present herself as representing only one which is represented by an eco-lobby, thats her choice.
This appeared in Thursday's Washington Post:
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"I know of no example in American history of a moment where the leader and the American people came together as fast as they have in the last year with Donald Trump,"former House speaker Newt Gingrich said. "He is someone who has connected with everyday Americans like no one since Ronald Reagan,"Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said. He "is the person who I firmly believe will serve this country best,"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said.
In every presidential election, politicians campaign to become their party's vice presidential pick, often by heaping undeserved praise on their party's presidential nominee. It is rarely more than mildly embarrassing. But when the presidential candidate is Donald Trump, the slobbering is repulsive.
Every time they praise Trump's leadership skills, these political opportunists should be asked about the candidate's apparent ignorance of the Constitution and his contempt for essential principles such as freedom of speech. Every time they talk about how Trump would keep Americans safe, they should be asked about which Americans they mean - surely not minority groups who would feel under constant scrutiny and threat in Trump's America. Every time they attack Hillary Clinton for dishonesty, they should be asked about Trump's constant, flagrant lying about basic facts, as when he claimed that he saw thousands of American Muslims celebrating the 9/11 attacks.
For good measure, they should also be asked how they could support a man they know is unqualified to be commander in chief. Before endorsing Trump, Christie criticized him for acting "like a child" and insisted he is not "suited to be president of the United States." National Review reported that Pence privately loathes the presumptive GOP nominee. Gingrich called Trump's attacks on a judge for his ethnicity "inexcusable."
Treating Trump as a normal candidate is a grave insult to the country's democratic tradition. This election year presents an unusually clear moral choice. Not only are Trump's supplicants on the wrong side of history, but they are also actively and knowingly aiding the candidacy of an unacceptable, dangerous demagogue for their own personal gain. The fact that Trump's vice presidential shortlist contains two unpopular governors and a disgraced ex-speaker of the House shows that his judgment is as poor as it seems to be or, more likely, that only desperate, unprincipled panderers would consider joining his ticket.
Idaho for Freedom formed
We are pleased to announce the formation of Idaho for Freedom. Idaho for Freedom is a political action committee dedicated to ensuring that the voices of the citizens of all of Idaho are heard throughout the state. Idaho for Freedom is a group of concerned citizens. We have come together over a concern that Idaho politics are not accurately representing the voters of all of Idaho at the state and national level. This is not a Democrat verses Republican association, but a group formed out of an understanding that government that is not representing all people is not a democracy. Our platform is freedom of rights and utilizing all legal means to address the ongoing opportunity to access these rights for all Idaho citizens. We want to support campaigns and political groups that support a more inclusive citizen voice. Candidates that are engaged in business as usual politics will be challenged. Candidates that wish to decrease individual, political, social, speech, health and gun rights will be opposed. We look forward to representing Idaho and hope for the support of all the citizens of Idaho who value individual freedoms.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus warned that the Syrian war will result in proxy wars in the Middle East via Syria if not solved and that those who are behind the proxy war in Syria would be dealing with a gradual global war.
The U.S. and the Gulf states are the main supporters of the rebel groups in the Syrian war, while the Assad regime enjoys the backing of Russia, Iran and Hezbollah.
In an interview with a local media, Kurtulmus said he believes that rapprochement between Turkey and Russia will facilitate the resolution of the Syrian conflict but does not expect it to happen quickly because of their important differences of opinion.
Some of the leaders of rebel groups fighting in Syria are based in Turkey.
The deputy prime minister said finding a solution to the Syrian war calls for cooperation explaining that Ankara supports a transitional period with a new constitution but Assads Baath party should be excluded from elections because its now a bloody-handed party.
The worlds leading super powers, Russia and the U.S., are engaged in the Syrian conflict and are on opposing sides. A meeting between foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State John Kerry ended Thursday without any discussion on the two super powers cooperation in Syria.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a lot of questions remain regarding real interaction in implementing operations in Syria but didnt go into details.
Neighboring Turkey is not part of the coalition but has granted access to one of its air bases to the US-led coalition. Meanwhile, Turkey carries out its own raids against targets considered as threats to its security.
A draft circulated by European Union member states at UNESCOs World Heritage Committee gathering in Istanbul has angered Tel Aviv as it likened it to a Palestinian-Jordanian draft tabled last week that sidelined the connections of Jews to the Temple Mount, known to the Muslims as Haram-al Sharif.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon reacted to the draft in a tweet pointing out that denying Jewish Jerusalem and Temple Mount amounts to denying the roots of Christian Europe. Will EU members agree to that? Crazy
The EU has toughen its position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past couple of years. Israels representative to UNESCO, Ambassador Carmel Shama Hacohen, said a European consensus in favor of severing the Jewish connection with the Temple Mount is a new record for hypocrisy. Hacohen added that Israels control of the religious historical site has allowed the freedom of worship and protection from extremist Islamist groups such as ISIS.
Israel and EU have been at loggerheads over Israeli policies in occupied Palestinian territories and relations hit a new low after EU-funded structures were razed to the ground.
According to EU Observers, an internal report, drafted and endorsed last year by all EU countries having embassies in Israel and Palestine, stated that the proximate cause of the increased spontaneous individual attacks against Israelis that began in October 2015 was linked to developments surrounding Haram al-Sharif. The report imputes the escalation especially to the fact that right-wing Israeli politicians and religious groups began questioning the status quo that grants Arabs rights to govern access to the site.
More than 35 Israelis and 200 Palestinians have died since the upsurge began and reports highlighted that the new reality came against a backdrop of deep frustration amongst Palestinians over the effects of the occupation, and a lack of hope that a negotiated solution can bring it to an end.
Ivorian authorities Thursday announced the arrest of two soldiers accused of failing to denounce suspects in the Grand Bassam March attack claimed by al-Qaeda.
Authorities have not named the soldiers but indicated that they did not take part in the attack.
The two soldiers knew certain members of the unit that attacked the beach in Grand Bassam and did not signal that to their hierarchy, which is a serious offence under the military code of justice, said military prosecutor Colonel Ange Kessi.
The two arrestees will appear in court late August, Kessi said.
Gunmen attacked a resort beach at the Grand Bassam (40km from capital Abidjan) on March 13 killing 16 people. The attackers opened fired at swimmers and sunbathers on the beach.
Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack was the first terror act against the West African country awakening from a civil war that paralysed its economy and growth.
The March attack followed terror attacks in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Fas
President Omar al-Bashir, indicted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, will attend the 27th African Union Summit scheduled on July 17-18 in Kigali, Rwandas Foreign Minister confirmed on Thursday.
Rwanda as a country is not against justice, but when justice is politicized, we [Rwanda] have to think twice, said the Foreign Minister, Louise Mushikiwabo, in an apparent reference to the fact that al-Bashir was been sought more on political grounds.
The president, who has ruled Sudan for 25 years, was indicted by the ICC in 2009 for alleged crimes in the western region of Darfur and remains the only sitting head of state with charges over him following the dropping of major crimes charges against Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta last year.
Al-Bashir refuses to recognize or cooperate with the court. The ICC has previously urged countries that are signatories to its Rome Statue to arrest the 71-year-old if he visits.
Rwanda is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) so President Bashir is guaranteed safe exit from the country after the summit of African Heads of State closes in Kigali.
Anybody invited by the AU will be welcomed and hosted. President Bashir is among African leaders, duly invited and well host him, Rwandan government said in a series of tweets.
Kenyas National Police Service on Thursday said a rampant shooting took place in a police station in Kapinguria in West Pokot County leaving at least seven officers dead.
In the ensuing clearance and identification, the gunman who was earlier suspected to be an inmate held in the cells, turned out to be a local police officer who, for yet unknown reasons, went berserk and grabbed a firearm from the Report Office at about 5am, which he used to attack other officers, read a statement from the office of the Inspector General of Police.
Local media reported that the constable of police had offered to resign but his application was rejected by authorities.
The attacker was killed by commandos who had flown from the capital Nairobi. Other officers said he had, however, shot and killed one of the commandos and seriously wounded another before he was felled.
The gunman, who had a turban that covered his entire face leading to the previous suspicions, sadly killed six officers within the station building, Kenyas police chief, Joseph Boinnet said.
In his words, the gunmans escape was thwarted by quick arrival of other officers.
The police further disclosed that Al Shabaab militants attacked a camp in Lamu County in the early hours of Thursday morning but their attack was repulsed.
Several terrorists (were) believed to have died or escaped with severe injuries, Joseph Boinnet said.
Governments and food companies globally are failing to act on protecting children from the marketing of unhealthy food, according to a new study.
The study published in the World Health Organisation Bulletin this month, reviewed the progress by countries and the top 22 global food companies on enacting the 2010 WHO recommendations on restricting unhealthy food and beverage marketing to children.
It found that no country or company has fully implemented the recommendations and that progress in general was very slow and patchy.
Professor Boyd Swinburn from the University of Auckland who was one of the study authors says, "Despite all the reports, resolutions and recommendations, progress on protecting children from marketing of the very products which are driving the childhood obesity epidemic has been painfully slow."
"It is very disturbing that despite all the fine commitments, most governments around the world seem reluctant to restrict the food industry's exploitation of children in this way," he says. "I am afraid it speaks volumes about the power that the food and advertising industries have over governments, even as childhood obesity continues to rise."
Professor Swinburn says that in New Zealand, the government has yet to shift from a hands off approach to an active approach. At the moment, the advertising industry just makes its own rules on food marketing to children.
"There is no evidence that industry self-regulation has any impact on reducing the exposure of children to junk food marketing," he says.
"The sophistication of marketing techniques and the use of social media means that exposure is almost certainly increasing."
The study found that some countries were using legislation to curb marketing and it reiterated the recommendations of the recent WHO Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity that this was a top priority for governments.
In New Zealand, the Advertising Standards Authority is now reviewing the self-regulatory codes on food marketing to children and it recently received more than 90 submissions to the review.
The review panel is chaired by Sir Bruce Robertson, (a former Court of Appeal Judge), and it is expected to report in September.
In one submission, a group of more than 70 health professors laid out what was needed to protect New Zealand childrenwho have the third highest obesity rates in the industrialised worldfrom marketing of unhealthy foods.
The recommendations included:
Upholding the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including defining children as, up to the age of 18 years
Government regulation alongside industry self-regulation to ensure that the restrictions are meaningful and can be enforced
All forms of marketing are covered including social media, internet and sponsorship
A recognised nutrient profile system, such as the one developed by WHO, is used to define unhealthy foods
Professor Swinburn says, "Health experts and children's advocates will be looking for the ASA review to greatly strengthen the self-regulatory codes. Many submissions called for the government to bring in regulations as well so that children's health is not left in the hands of the food and advertising industries."
"Our study showed that internationally there is a real leadership vacuum in this area and there is no reason that New Zealand could not be one of those leaders."
Explore further Policymakers fall short on global agreement to reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children
Gastric bypass surgery is used to help obese patients lose weight, but a study from Karolinska Institutet published in the Annals of Surgery shows that people with a history of depression run a high risk of severe post-operative depression.
Gastric bypass, or bariatric surgery, is used around the world to help seriously obese patients lose weight, reducing their chances of diabetes and improving the quality of their lives. However, there has also been some debate on whether it can have adverse psychiatric consequences. In the present study, the researchers examined the frequency of hospitalisation for depression, self-harm and suicide after gastric bypass surgery using data from the Swedish National Patient Register, the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the Cause of Death Registry.
"Our results show that people with a previous diagnosis of depression up to two years prior to surgery were 52 times more likely to become so depressed that they required inpatient psychiatric care in the two years following surgery," says Ylva Trolle Lagerros, Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine, Solna. "People without a depression diagnosis, but who had been prescribed antidepressants at least once ran an eight times higher risk of such severe depression."
Patients with a self-harm diagnosis prior to surgery were 36 times more likely to repeat their self-harming behaviour afterwards. This risk was highest in the under-25 group and declined with age.
Amongst women the risk of suicide was 4.5 times higher than Swedish women of the same age.
To conduct their study, the team studied registry data for everyone 22,539 people in total who had undergone bariatric surgery in Sweden between the years of 2008 and 2012. The average age was 41.3 years and 75.3 per cent were women. The number of patients who had been diagnosed with self-harm or depression or who had been prescribed antidepressants up to two years before surgery was noted, and the risk of hospitalisation for depression or self-harm during the two years following surgery was then calculated. As regards suicide, the risk for bariatric surgery patients was compared with that for the Swedish population of the same sex and age over the two years following surgery.
"Our results show that we need more awareness of the psychiatric risks facing this patient group," says Dr Trolle Lagerros. "These are alarming figures and they therefore should be offered extra post-operative psychiatric support. But it would be wrong to say that this patient group should be denied the possibility of receiving surgery for their obesity."
Explore further Study shows that mortality is much lower in those who have obesity surgery compared with those who don't
More information: Ylva Trolle Lagerros et al. Suicide, Self-harm, and Depression After Gastric Bypass Surgery, Annals of Surgery (2016). Journal information: Annals of Surgery Ylva Trolle Lagerros et al. Suicide, Self-harm, and Depression After Gastric Bypass Surgery,(2016). DOI: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001884
The War on Drugs, mass incarceration of drug users, and the failure to provide proven harm reduction and treatment strategies has led to high levels of HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B and C infection among prisonersfar higher than in the general population. With an estimated 30 million people passing in and out of prisons every year, prisoners will be key to controlling HIV and tuberculosis epidemics worldwide, according to a major six-part Series on HIV and related infections in prisoners, published in The Lancet and being presented at the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa.
"Prisons can act as incubators of tuberculosis, hepatitis C, and HIV and the high level of mobility between prison and the community means that the health of prisoners should be a major public-health concern. Yet, screening and treatment for infectious diseases are rarely made available to inmates, and only around 10% of people who use drugs worldwide are being reached by treatment programmes", says lead author of the Series and President of the International AIDS Society Professor Chris Beyrer, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. "The most effective way of controlling infection in prisoners and the wider community is to reduce mass imprisonment of injecting drug users."
High prevalence of HIV among prisoners
Worldwide, between 56% and 90% of people who inject drugs will be incarcerated at some point. In parts of Europe, over a third of inmates inject drugs (38%), in Australia (55%) it is more than half. This is in stark contrast with injecting drug use the general population (0.3% in EU and 0.2% in Australia).
Data presented in the Series show that with growing numbers of injecting drug users in prison, the prevalence of infectious diseases has also increased. For example:
Levels of HIV infection are 20 times higher among prisoners in western Europe than the civilian population (4.2% vs 0.2%), and around three times higher among prisoners in eastern and southern Africa (15.6% vs 4.7%) and north America (1.3% vs. 0.3%).
While most prisoners are men, women and girls are the fastest growing imprisoned group worldwide, and in most regions of the world, levels of HV infection are higher in female inmates than male prisoners including eastern Europe and central Asia (22% vs 8.5%).
High rates of hepatitis C are also seen among prisoners, with 1 in 6 inmates in parts of Europe and the USA carrying hepatitis C virus.
Prevalence of active tuberculosis is higher in prisons than the general population in all settings. One study demonstrated that prevalence was 40 times higher in one prison in Brazil than the general population.
Moreover, new estimates produced for the Series suggest that up to half of all new HIV infections over the next 15 years in eastern Europe will stem from increased HIV transmission risk among inmates who inject drugs; and imprisonment could be responsible for three-quarters of new tuberculosis infections among people who inject drugs, and around 6% of all yearly tuberculosis infections.
High rates of injecting drug use in some settings, lack of access to condoms, unsanitary conditions, and gross overcrowding have made prisons and detention centers high risk environments for spread of these infections. Almost half of countries in sub-Saharan Africa report that prisons are at 150% capacity or higher. Increased frequency and duration of imprisonment increase individual risk for these infections, particularly HIV and tuberculosis.
But these health issues do not remain confined to prisons. With around 10.2 million people imprisoned worldwide at any given time (nearly 2.2 million in the USA alone), and an estimated 30 million passing in and out of prison each year, substantial numbers of undiagnosed and untreated infections in prison can spread to the community when prisoners return home. Treatment interruptions upon release threaten former prisoners and their communities.
Unmet health needs in prisons
The Series brings together a wealth of evidence to show that countries can reduce and even reverse infectious disease transmission by scaling up proven harm reduction and treatment strategies in prisons like opioid agonist therapy (OAT), antiretroviral therapy (ART), hepatitis B vaccination, condom distribution, and sterile needle and syringe exchange.
Modelling conducted for the Series suggests that reducing mass incarceration of people who use drugs, in this case lowering the number of prisoners who inject drugs by 25%, could result in a 7-15% drop in new cases of HIV among injecting drug users in the community over 5 years. Similarly, scaling up OAT (eg, methadone and buprenorphine) to all those in need in prison, and after release, could prevent over a quarter (28%) of new HIV cases in people who inject drugs in just 5 years.
Although such interventions have proved successful in prisons and are required by international human rights law, they are severely underfunded and are often impeded by discrimination and restrictive prison rules in all countriesboth in high- and low- income countries. The fact that in many countries, prison health services are isolated from national public health programmes and the ministry of health has exacerbated the issue.
The authors reviewed six of the fifteen key interventions for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in prisons recommended by WHO/UNOCD: information (education, communication), counselling and testing, sterile needle exchange, OAT, condom provision, and ART. Yet, globally, only eight countries (Moldova, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland) provide all six interventions.
In 2014, only 43 countries offered OAT in at least one prison and less than 1% of prisoners worldwide who need it actually receive this treatment. In western Europe, only a third (10 of 29) of surveyed countries reported hepatitis C screening programmes for prisoners; and in 2012, ART was available to prisoners in just 43 countries worldwide.
But, several countries have achieved success. For example, in Iran, where more than 60% of prisoners are incarcerated for drug-related crimes, HIV prevalence among injecting drug users in prisons reduced from 18.2% in 2003 to 2.3% in 2007 due to a combination of voluntary HIV testing, OST, condoms, and needle and syringe exchange programmes.
Urgent reform to drug laws and prison healthcare needed
"The response to the HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis epidemics in prisons has been slow and piecemeal, and the majority of governments continue to ignore the strategic importance of prison health care to public health", says Professor Beyrer. "Most strategies for dealing with infectious diseases in prisons focus on a zero-tolerance approach to drug users. The fact that infection rates are still climbing confirms that this approach does not work."
He adds, "Reforming laws and policies that criminalise drug use and sexual behaviours will be crucial to reducing prison populations that put large numbers at risk of potentially life-threatening infections, and which can be more effectively prevented and treated in community settings. Non-violent drug-offenders, especially women, should be offered treatment as an alternative."
The authors make several recommendations to improve access to health care for prisonersleading with the urgent need to recognise the contribution of prison health to health inequalities, and to make prison health a priority by convincing governments that health policy must be based on the best available evidence. Other recommendations include addressing the fundamental right of prisoners to a minimum standard of health care at least equivalent to the wider community; and to increase cooperation and coordination between criminal justice and public health systems.
In an accompanying Comment, Series authors Professor Chris Beyer, Professor Adeeba Kamarulzaman from the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Professor Martin McKee from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK as well as co-authors from The Lancet HIV in Prisoners Group call for urgent reform. They write, The Nelson Mandela Rules provide benchmarks to achieve meaningful reform in access to health care for those detained. We can, and should, do better to reduce both the numbers of those incarcerated and the length of their sentences, and to improve prevention, treatment, and post-release linkage to care for prison-associated infectious diseases. Meeting community standards of care in correctional settings, especially in low-income and middle-income countries, will require political will, financial investment, and support from medical and humanitarian organisations across the globe, but it can and must be done. Global control of HIV, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis will not be achieved without addressing the unmet health needs of prisoners."
In a Comment introducing the Series, Dr Pam Das, Senior Executive Editor and Dr Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief at The Lancet say, "As Archbishop Desmond Tutu's message "Don't forget the prisoner" reaffirms, we have a moral and human imperative to provide treatment to prisoners since we have limited their ability to access care except through prison health. Only by fully including them and other marginalised populations in the global HIV/AIDS response, will the fast-track to accelerate the fight against HIV and to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 become a reality."
Explore further Prisoners worldwide bear higher burdens of HIV and other infections
In the murine spleen, lymphoid tissue (purple) is responsible for launching an immune response to blood-born antigens, while red pulp (pink) filters the blood. Mutations in the C9ORF72 gene, the most common mutation found in ALS patients, can inflame lymphoid tissue and contribute to immune system dysfunction. Credit: Dan Mordes, Eggan lab, Harvard Stem Cell Institute
Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT have found evidence that bone marrow transplantation may one day be beneficial to a subset of patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
ALS destroys the neurons connecting the brain and spinal cord to muscles throughout the body. As those neurons die, patients progressively lose the ability to move, speak, eat, and breathe.
The mouse-model study, published this week in Science Translational Medicine, suggests the most common genetic mutation associated with ALS plays an important role in not only the nervous system, but also the blood and immune systems.
"The point of our paper was to determine the function of this gene and what it normally helps to do in the body," said lead author Kevin Eggan, a professor in Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (HSCRB) and an HSCI principal faculty member who has been studying ALS for more than a decade. According to Eggan, one way to better understand the gene is to catalog what is missing or goes awry when it is "knocked out," or inactivated.
The scientists found that mice without a functional copy of the gene C9ORF72 had abnormally large spleens, livers, and lymph nodes, and got sick and died. Mice with one working copy experienced similar but less severe changes.
"I realized immediately that the mouse knockout had immune dysfunction," said Leonard Zon, a professor in HSCRB, after seeing the preliminary data at an informal presentation.
The research team predicted that the gene mutation would affect neurons, but the finding that it also inflamed other cells, namely those involved in autoimmunity, was "unexpected." With input from Zon and immunologist Luigi Notarangelo of Boston Children's Hospital, the team decided to change direction and further explore the gene's impact on the immune system.
First author Aaron Burberry, a postdoctoral fellow in the Eggan lab with a background in immunology, designed an experiment to test whether providing the sick mice with cells capable of making new immune cells via a bone marrow transplant would help.
Knockout mice that received a bone marrow transplant lived on average 43 days longer, weighed more, and had a greater number of blood platelets throughout their lifespan.
"The mice seemed to get better," said Eggan, though he stressed that the bone marrow transplant did not wholly rescue the animals, suggesting that there may also be functions of C9ORF72 in other organs.
Whether or not anti-inflammatory drugs or bone marrow transplants help ALS patients has been studied and debated for years. "When doctors look for autoimmunity and inflammation in ALS patients there have been confusing and conflicting views," Eggan said. "Some people find it, others don't."
Historically, clinical studies have tested the general ALS population, likely without accounting for the variety of gene mutations that gave rise to individual cases. More than 100 distinct mutations in any one of 20 genes can contribute to ALS.
"Most people have their own private mutation that is making them sick," Eggan said, which makes developing therapies particularly complicated. He believes clinical trials could be redesigned to test the effects of bone marrow transplantation on particular subpopulations of ALS.
Explore further Researchers find that immune cells play unexpected role in Lou Gehrig's disease
More information: A. Burberry et al, Loss-of-function mutations in the C9ORF72 mouse ortholog cause fatal autoimmune disease, Science Translational Medicine (2016). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine A. Burberry et al, Loss-of-function mutations in the C9ORF72 mouse ortholog cause fatal autoimmune disease,(2016). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf6038
This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu.
The abkhazian killer will not be handed to Georgia
By Messenger Staff
Last week, after a four-year break, the second meeting of the Gali International Pretension and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in de-facto Abkhazia, where representatives from Georgia and Abkhazia sat down to discuss existing challenges facing both sides.Similar to the first IPRM meeting at the end of May, the key topic of the second gathering which lasted for four hours was the brutal murder of a Georgian citizen by a border guard on May 19 at the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) between Georgia and Abkhazia.After the meeting, Georgias Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Paata Zakareishvili said it was the first time in 25 years when a man was sentenced for the killing of a Georgian citizen in the breakaway region.The man was sentenced to house arrest, and an investigation is in progress under the auspices of the Abkhazian authorities. We have handed them all additional information that could be useful in the process of investigation. There are no signs the investigation might be suspended or be hindered, Zakareishvili said.However the Minister said de-facto Abkhazian authorities refused to hand the killer to Georgia.I was under no illusions; I was sure that that would not happen happen, Zakareishvili added.31-year-old Giga Otkhozoria was shot six times by a border-guard on May 19 while on territory controlled by Georgia. He left behind a wife and two children.It is naturally unlikely that the Abkhazians and their Russian allies will adequately punish Otkhozoria's killer. Georgia must keep demanding the investigation of the issue and the punishment of the killer. The case must not be easily forgotten as such an attitude may set a precedent of similar cases being lightly punished in the future.Georgia must also exhibit the case as an example of the need for the presence of international missions in both South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The News in Brief
Breakaway Abkhazia Holds Referendum
Polling stations opened in Abkhazia on Sunday for a referendum to decide whether to call an early presidential election, but low voter turnout may make the referendum invalid.
Turnout at many of the polling stations was very low, Abkhazia's official news agency Apsnipress reported, citing election commission representatives.
More than half of the electorate should participate in order for the referendum to be valid.
Opposition groups, which were demanding for the referendum to be postponed until the autumn, announced their boycott on the eve of the vote.
On June 1, Abkhaz leader Raul Khajimba signed a decree to hold the referendum, less than three months after opposition parties filed a petition with the central election commission requesting such a referendum.
But on July 5, supporters and members of the Amtsakhara opposition party gathered at an outdoor rally and demanded that the authorities to postpone the referendum, claiming that they had not been granted enough time to mount a campaign; the opposition also complained about having no access to state television to bring their message to voters.
The protest rally devolved into scuffles with the police after several hundred demonstrators tried to storm the Interior Ministry building in Sokhumi on July 5; more than a dozen of people were injured. The authorities had to meet some of the oppositions demands the Interior Minister was suspended from office and voters with expired passports were allowed to cast their ballots, but the Abkhaz leader rejected to postpone the referendum.
Amtsakhara said in a statement on July 9 that Khajimbas goal was to effectively thwart the referendum by not giving the opposition enough time to campaign in favour of an early presidential election and to then portray it as an opposition failure.
It will lead to even more waves of public protest, a representative of Amtsakhara said after the party announced it was boycotting the referendum. The state has not created conditions for the free expression of voters will we will not recognize the results of this referendum.
(Civil.ge)
Murder of Georgian nationals in Turkey solved The murder case of Georgian nationals in Turkey has been solved, reads a statement of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgian.
Citizens of Marneuli - Elnur Antesov, Vugar Guliev and Azade Omarova were detained on 8 July.
The prosecutor's office launched an investigation at the request of the murdered Georgian citizens' family. The investigation revealed that Elnaz Sharifov, Ema Sharifov and his granddaughter Emma Sakhib Gasanov went to work in Turkey. They were financially assisting their family members living in Marneuli. In addition, it should be noted that they had some financial savings which they kept in their house in Duzje. In January 6 2016, they were visited by Azad Omarov from Marneuli. On January 26, 2016, Elnur Antesov also went to Turkey. They, together with their friend Vugar Guliev, committed a brutal murder of the Georgian citizens and took away their computer, cell phones and other belongings.
The investigation continues into the case. Murder is punishable with 16-20 years of imprisonment.
(IPN)
Georgia increases accessibility to polling stations
Georgias Government is making efforts to make it easier for people with disabilities to get to a polling station and cast their vote.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced out of the countrys 3 634 election precincts 1 103 were now accessible for the persons with disabilities.
"Ensuring an inclusive election environment is significant for the CEC; each citizen of this country despite of the physical capabilities should have equal access to exercise their constitutional right, CEC Deputy Chairperson Giorgi Sharabidze said.
Sharabidze met with officials from Georgias Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Ministry of Education and Science, and Tbilisi City Hall. The meeting discussed how to make more voting stations easier accessible for physically challenged citizens.
"As of now 1103 election precincts are accessible for the persons with disabilities and we intensively discuss the processes for ensuring arraignment of more election precincts for the 2016 Parliamentary Elections, Sharabidze said.
The Parliamentary Elections will be held October 8 in Georgia.
(Agenda.ge)
New philarmonic hall on the Black seaside was officially handed to Georgian State by the Kartu foundation in July 10.
(The Messenger)
ABC News/ State of Indiana(NEW YORK) -- Donald Trump and his pick for running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, havent always agreed. In fact, on some of Trumps signature issues -- and signature controversies -- the two have stood in direct opposition.
Muslim Ban
Donald Trumps controversial call for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States met with broad criticism from elected officials, including Pence, who tweeted the following day:
Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional. Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) December 8, 2015
Our Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. The U.S. cannot discriminate on the basis of religion. Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) December 8, 2015
How can Crooked Hillary put her husband in charge of the economy when he was responsible for NAFTA, the worst economic deal in U.S. history? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 17, 2016
Trade means jobs, but trade also means security. The time has come for all of us to urge the swift adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) September 8, 2014
The hardest thing Clinton has to do is defend her bad decision making including Iraq vote, e-mails etc. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2015
Pence addressed the disagreement as VP speculation heated up, telling ABCs Tom Llamas that he has taken issue with our candidates from time to time and that in Congress and as governor I havent agreed with every one of my Republican colleagues or my Democrat colleagues on every issue but that he believes Trump will supply needed change and leadership for the country.Trump has since tweaked the language of the proposed ban, saying he wanted to stop immigrants from countries with ties to terrorism. The campaign has denied that its position changed.A cornerstone of Trumps campaign has been trade -- specifically the idea that recent trade deals have been terrible for the U.S.Pence has enthusiastically supported all of them. In Congress, Pence voted in favor of every major trade agreement during his House tenure: the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) in 2005 and the Korea, Panama, and Colombia FTAs in 2011.Trump has bashed Obamas pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Bill Clintons North American Free Trade Trade Agreement (NAFTA) most aggressively. Case in point:Pence has supported both. On TPP, he tweeted:On the House floor in 2001, Pence sung the praises of NAFTA and its effects on Indianas agricultural exports: As the nations sixth largest corn producer, Indiana benefited directly under the North American Free Trade Agreement, he said. You can see that our existing trade agreements have truly benefited Indiana and the United States. (Video here.)Pence joined the chorus denouncing Trumps allegation that federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel, an American of Mexican heritage, could not fairly adjudicate the Trump University lawsuit because he is Mexican.Curiel was born in Pences home state of Indiana.Every American is entitled to a fair trial and an impartial judge, but of course I think those comments were inappropriate, Pence said June 7, the Indianapolis Star reported, the week after fresh Trump comments on Curiel stirred a national controversy.I dont think its ever appropriate to question the partiality of the judge based on their ethnic background, Pence said.Pence rebuked Trump over an abortion comment, too.On March 30, Trump caused a stir by telling MSNBCs Chris Matthews there should be some form of punishment for women who have abortions. That contradicted the posture of anti-abortion groups, which say abortion should be illegal but not that women should be punished for having them. Trump quickly backtracked from the comment.Pences office issued a statement of disagreement, local media reported: Governor Pence does not agree with the statement made by Donald Trump. As someone who has embraced the pro-life position all of his life, he has a deep compassion for expected mothers and the unborn, the statement read.Trump has repeatedly criticized the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and Pence has been a staunch defender of the war.Trump has called the war a big fat mistake and alleged that the Bush administration lied to gin up support for the invasion. Trump bashed Jeb Bush in the primary over Iraq, and hes hammered Hillary Clinton for her vote in favor of the invasion as a senator:Pence took that same vote. Serving in the House in 2002, Pence also voted in favor of the Iraq invasion, in October of that year.Pence spoke in favor of the invasion on the House floor, days before the vote in 2002: The United States does not seek to start a war, we seek to finish one, Pence said of Saddam Hussein. Not if, but when Saddam creates and uses nuclear weapons, what will we tell the American people then? (Video here.)At a 2003 hearing on WMD evidence, Pence said: I wouldve strongly supported the decision to go to war based simply on what was in the public domain, based on an appalling and Stalin-like record on human rights, based on association with terrorist organizations across the region (Video here.)Pence later defended the 2007 troop surge.Since the advent of the surge, weve seen significant progress toward both military and political stability in Iraq. I think that, had we abandoned Iraq a year and a half ago as many in Congress wanted us to do, and had Iraq essentially disintegrated into various pieces, Iran would enjoy much greater influence in the region, Pence said in July 2008, at which time he served as the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committees subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia. (Video here.)Pence endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Trumps last significant challenger, days before the critical primary in Pences home state of Indiana.I see Ted Cruz as a principled conservative, Pence said in a radio interview April 29. Im pleased to support him.But the endorsement was seen as tepid. With Cruzs campaign in need of a big win, and with attacks between Cruz and Trump escalating by the day, Pence pointed out that he liked and respected all three remaining candidates: Cruz, Trump, and John Kasich.I particularly want to commend Donald Trump, Pence said. Im grateful for his voice in the national debate.The endorsement didnt boost Cruz to the victory hed hoped for. Days later, Trump would win the Indiana GOP primary, leading both Cruz and Kasich to exit the race and securing for Trump the presumptive nomination.Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
@PatriciaMazzei
A Democratic super PAC plans to spend $1 million in TV advertising to support the U.S. Senate campaign of Rep. Patrick Murphy of Jupiter.
Senate Majority PAC announced its plans Friday, after its Republican counterpart, Senate Leadership Fund, unveiled an attack ad on Murphy. The GOP committee has pledged $15 million to help Sen. Marco Rubio keep his seat.
The Democratic committee, founded by aides to Minority Leader Harry Reid, said it will release its first ads next week. They will air on broadcast and cable.
"Marco Rubio and his allies have always struggled with the truth and their recent attacks are no exception," spokesman Shripal Shah, said in a statement. "We're not going to let them get away with misleading voters just to help Marco Rubio further his 2020 presidential ambitions. Floridians deserve better, starting with a Senator who actually wants the job and will show up to work."
Murphy's chief primary rival is Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando. Early polls show Rubio ahead in hypothetical match-ups against both Murphy and Grayson.
@alextdaugherty
District 6 school board candidate Modesto "Mo" Abety was endorsed by the United Teachers of Dade on Friday.
Abety, 65, is the former president of the Children's Trust. The endorsement by UTD is notable because Abety is not a teacher and the only retired teacher in the race is Maria Teresa "Mari Tere" Rojas, the sister-in-law of Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.
"He has continuously proven his commitment to putting Florida's education first," UTD president Karla Hernandez-Mats said in a statement. "Having worked closely with kids, families and faculty for more than four decades, we are confident in his ability to bring positive changes to our School Board."
@PatriciaMazzei
Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo raised more than half a million dollars last quarter, leaving him with more than $2.1 million to face his eventual Democratic opponent after Florida's Aug. 30 primary.
Curbelo's campaign will report to the Federal Election Commission that he collected more than $508,000 from April 1-June 30, spokeswoman Nicole Rapanos said.
That figure is Curbelo's second-highest for fundraising this cycle. He topped $705,000 in the first quarter of 2015.
Without a GOP primary opponent, Curbelo awaits a challenger from the Democratic primary between Annette Taddeo and former Rep. Joe Garcia. The swing 26th district is perhaps Florida's most competitive congressional seat this year.
@PatriciaMazzei
Four years ago, energized Miami Republicans left after the end of their partys national convention feeling like they were the future of the GOP.
They hailed from Florida, the nations largest swing state, where Republicans had gathered in Tampa to nominate Mitt Romney for president. They celebrated one of their own, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who introduced Romney in prime time, a coveted speaking slot reserved for the brightest of rising political stars.
The signs were there: Surely, win or lose, the party of Lincoln and Reagan would keep becoming more and more like the Miami-Dade County GOP young, diverse, cosmopolitan.
Instead, some Miami delegates head to the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, to nominate Donald Trump to the White House, feeling like the party has slipped from their grasp.
Trump has alienated a lot of people, said Jessica Fernandez, a first-time convention-goer and early supporter of Rubio for president. It hasnt been easy to be a supporter, a Republican delegate whos going to do their duty.
Whats making the trip difficult for delegates like Fernandez isnt just that they backed Rubio or the other Republican primary candidate from Miami, Jeb Bush though some hard feelings undoubtedly remain after Bushs and Rubios stinging losses. Theyre also struggling to accept a GOP vastly different from the one they envisioned after Romney lost and the party seemed intent on expanding its reach.
More here.
Photo credit: Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press
via @learyreports
Senate candidate Patrick Murphy appears to be providing another how-to guide for Super PACs that might just want to cut an ad on his behalf.
Tucked away on Murphys website is a document highlighting Murphys positions on certain issues and attacking fellow Democrat Alan Grayson. A different document was in that place on Tuesday and for some reason was replaced after the Tampa Bay Times inquired.
Murphys campaign did not respond to a question Tuesday but did after a second inquiry Wednesday afternoon. Our website is full of information for voters and supporters to learn more about why Patrick is the best candidate for Florida's middle class, spokeswoman Galia Slayen wrote.
The situation is notable because it shows how campaigns can indirectly communicate with outside groups. Earlier this year, we noted how Murphy had put on the site b-roll video of himself interacting with people - a clear invite for ad makers.
Its also notable because Democrat Murphy has denounced the role of super PACs, even though his father has contributed greatly to those supporting his political rise.
Of course I'm going to have videos and pictures on my website," he said in an interview earlier this year. When told it appeared to be an invite for an outside group, he flatly responded, "It's just a video."
Murphy notes he's been endorsed by a group seeking to end super PACs and says he supports legislation to do so.
--ALEX LEARY, Tampa Bay Times
via @learyreports
The super PAC supporting Marco Rubio reported today raising $200,000, half of it coming from the super PAC that backed Rubio for president.
Florida First Project also got $100,000 from Warren L. Schwerin of Vero Beach.
--ALEX LEARY, Tampa Bay Times
@PatriciaMazzei
A nugget from our story about lingering Donald Trump skepticism among Miami-Dade County delegates to the Republican National Convention:
State Rep. Jose Oliva of Miami Lakes, the Florida House speaker-to-be, is giving up his delegate seat to stay home and deal with his recently sold business, he said. Hell be replaced by an alternate.
Story here.
@jenstaletovich
The toxic algae piling up on Florida's Treasure Coast is turning up the heat on a simmering dispute between South Florida water managers and federal wildlife officials.
At Thursday's monthly water management district meeting, U.S. Fish and Wildlife state supervisor Larry Williams showed up after Pete Antonacci - the district chief and former general counsel to Gov. Rick Scott - fired off a letter to Florida senators calling the federal agency "oblivious," myopic and "tin-eared."
For months, district leaders have complained about federal wildlife laws that they say force them to manage water around endangered species. Board member Jim Moran routinely complains about the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, which has dwindled to just six populations in the Everglades and is protected by a complicated balancing act of high and low water. This winter, when record train triggered massive releases of polluted water from Lake Okeechobee, district managers began trying to store more water to the north in the Kissimmee basin, where another endangered bird, the snail kite, lives.
The district moves prompted federal wildlife officials to send a warning that snail kites might be harmed. In a March letter reported by the Tampa Bay Times, Antonacci said he was threatened with arrest. This month, Antonacci doubled down in another letter to Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio.
The agency, he complained, "myopically fixates on the possible impact to 10 snail kite nests in one area of the Kissimmee floodplain where ironically the number of snail kites nests have actually been increasing. The gross incompetence of this approach speaks for itself."
Antonacci went on to slam the 50-year-old endangered species act, saying if it "continues to exist in its current form, entire communities will suffer as misguided federal employees seek to enforce restrictions that defy common sense."
On Thursday, Williams fired back with his own a letter to Antonacci demanding he correct inaccuracies. He appeared at the monthly meeting - to the surprise of board chair Dan O'Keefe who at first didn't know who he was - to insure board members heard him out.
"The district appears to be operating in isolation," Williams said.
In the past, Williams said the two agencies managed to work together, insuring both animals and water resources were protected. The stand-off could have been resolved if wildlife officials had been notified and a permit negotiated to cover any harm to the birds, he said. But Antonacci bristled at the suggestion.
"Once you agree to permits youre assuming theres a take," he said. "There has been no proof theres been a take...So before we get to the point where theres a permit hanging around our neck like a noose, were going to make the Fish and Wildlife Service prove whats required of them."
Antonacci said he was particularly piqued by Williams reference to "prosecutorial discretion," in their exchanges, which gives federal officials the authority to decide whether to take legal action. But Williams said the agency was merely making recommendations and trying to explain the rules.
"We have to speak directly and if we mince our words too much, it takes us ten hours to have a three minute conversation," he said.
Another sticking point may be the federal agency's support for a plan to buy more land to store water. The measure has been fiercely rejected by Scott and U.S. Sugar and shot down by the district last year despite overwhelming voter support for a state constitutional amendment that sets aside about $10 billion over the next 20 years to buy land.
"Snail kites need the very same thing the estuaries need: naturally functioning marshes and rivers where water slowly recedes and is cleaned as it moves downstream," Williams said in his letter to Antonacci. "This is the beauty of how natural wetlands store and release water. They keep the environment healthy for snail kites, for estuaries, and for people."
Mushrooms make hidden connections with other plants and animals. Lily Clarke has managed to link morel mushrooms between Montana and Nepal.
Clarke grew up foraging for morels in the forest fire scars around her childhood home of Condon. As a biology student at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, she discovered theres a scientific discipline linking mushrooms and people: Ethnomycology.
A professor there suggested if she sought a place to make a research impact, the mushrooms of the Himalayas posed a lot of unanswered questions.
This is becoming a new frontier, Clarke said during a visit to Missoula a week before heading to Kathmandu. Talking about plants without knowing about its mushroom associate is like talking about us without talking about our arms.
Nepals fungi habitat extends from humid jungles 100 feet above sea level on the border with India to Himalayan tree line around 15,000 feet near the border with Tibet. It even has morels, and a Tribhuvan University professor who specializes in them Bharat Shrestha.
A meeting with Shrestha and some time visiting villages outside Kathmandu helped Clarke earn a Fulbright fellowship one of the top opportunities for global researchers.
***
Clarkes education followed an equally telescopic progression. She was introduced to science at Salmon Prairie Elementary a one-room school with only four students enrolled when she passed eighth grade. Head (and only) teacher Holl Hubbard recalled her passion for outdoor lessons.
Part of our routine was a daily hike, Hubbard said. Wed do science studies, nature studies, water studies, watercolors. Going outside covered everything from science to P.E., and even some one-on-one counseling time. When Lily came back, she said that was one of the biggest things she missed the hikes in the outdoors.
Her morel experiments landed her a presidential scholarship at Lewis and Clark. They also led her to the work of Francocis Buscot, a scientist who worked on morels in the 1980s. He helped her apply for and receive a contract scientist position at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany after the 22-year-old got her bachelors degree last year.
Morels arise every spring and summer along riverbanks and boggy areas. But they explode in certain kinds of forest fire burn zones, often providing the first new growth in a blackened landscape. The global taste for morels supports a multi-million-dollar market for commercial pickers.
That got the scientist in Clarke wondering why the same mushroom had two different habitats. As she poked at the question while pursuing her undergraduate biology degree, she found that the popular fungi had relatively little research on its lifecycle. She designed experiments revealing how morels underground structures supply nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients to surrounding green plants, receiving carbon nutrients in return. The process is called mycorrhizal symbiosis.
Along the way, Clarke learned of a New Hampshire morel researcher studying how the fungi used a saprotrophic feeding system decomposing dead plant material in the soil.
We were doing the same study but getting different results, Clark said. It was pretty exciting. It may mean morels are able to switch nutrient uptake depending on environmental conditions.
For the rest of us, it may mean rethinking how we pick morels in forest fire zones for fun or profit. If they play a crucial role in either supporting new plant growth or rebuilding soil fertility, land managers might need to monitor or restrict harvesting.
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But the issue goes beyond whats on the plate in fancy restaurants. Morels and other edible mushrooms provide protein and vitamins in places where growing other kinds of food is difficult like high-altitude Nepal. Mountain people in the Himalayas have collected mushrooms for generations, but only recently started considering cultivating them.
Mushrooms also serve as a measuring stick for forest health, reacting quickly to changes in water supply, climate pattern shifts or land-use practices. Many Nepali communities manage their surrounding forests with innovative local control groups, and mushroom vitality might grade how well different management tools work.
Ive got to devote a lot of time developing relationships, Clarke said. I dont want to look like Im telling people how to manage forests theyve been living in for centuries.
But she also wants to get a sense of how mushroom use is changing. For example, a strong market has grown up for cordyceps fungi, sometimes called Asian Viagra. The fungus spores infect a certain caterpillar, causing neurological changes that compel the bug to bury itself and die. The parasitic fungus then fruits out of the carcass. Foragers like to collect the whole package underground caterpillar and above-ground growth.
Its really in decline, Clarke said. We dont know if its from climate change or over-harvesting. I want to record more about how people use the mushrooms.
A big part of a Fulbright fellows responsibility is giving back to the places that support the research. Clarke plans to learn enough Nepali language to assist local fungi experts in getting their own scientific projects funded and advanced. She also hopes to bring the hidden world of mushrooms to a wider audience.
I want to inspire people to study the obscure, Clarke said. Were finding that the obscure is becoming more and more important.
LOOKOUT PASS A planned ski run in the rugged Bitterroot Mountains on the Montana-Idaho state line wont follow a remote segment of the historic Mullan Road, although it will cross it twice.
Developers of a planned expansion project for Lookout Pass Ski Area will reroute the run on the Montana side of St. Regis Pass to limit the footprint on the long-abandoned road, according to an agreement between two national forests and the historic preservation offices in both states.
The ski area is nearing the end of a years-long process with the Idaho Panhandle and Lolo national forests to secure a special use permit that would allow it to add two new lifts one in each state and ski trails covering 90 acres of new terrain south and west of the current ski area.
Ryan Foote, deputy district ranger for the Coeur dAlene River Ranger District, said Thursday the Idaho Panhandle forest expects to receive a final environmental impact report from contractors by the end of next week and to issue a final record of decision in early November.
The report will include a memorandum of agreement that calls for the ski area to develop a treatment plan to protect the integrity of the Mullan Road during runoff or mechanical work in the area and to train its staff each winter and summer about the history and significance of the road.
With the help of the Mineral County Historical Society and Montanas historical preservation office in Helena, exhibits or signs will be drafted and posted in the ski lodge, on the proposed runs and on Lookout Pass Skis website to illustrate the roads significance to the development of the West.
The Forest Service will monitor the mitigation efforts before construction begins and every year thereafter for the life of the permit.
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Lt. John Mullan oversaw construction of the U.S. Military Wagon Road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton in 1859-1862, and it soon became known as Mullans Road. It was the first engineered road through the Northern Rockies and, to the dismay of thousands of native inhabitants, opened up this remote region to encroaching whites when gold was struck in what quickly became northern Idaho and southwestern Montana.
St. Regis Pass, a mile and a quarter southwest of Lookout Pass, is accessible via a Forest Service and jeep road on the Idaho side. The 1.5-mile stretch from the top of the pass in Montana has been out of use for more than 100 years and is largely overgrown.
Its ground that Jim Cyr of Superior has trod for much of his life. A retired highway engineer, Cyr belongs to the Mineral County Historical Society. When he learned in 2014 of the ski areas expansion plans, he ground-truthed, mapped and flagged the roads route and called it to the attention of the historical society and Forest Service.
Working with Lolo Forest archaeologist Erika Karuzas, Cyr led an expedition of Forest Service officials down the stretch last summer and made a convincing argument that its protection should be part of an environmental impact statement.
Karuzas created the memorandum of agreement in a process she said went through many drafts over the past seven months. Mineral County's board of commissioners and historical society were asked to be concurring parties to the agreement.
Cyr and others in the Superior-based history group really helped bring to light that historic and archaeological resources are important, Karuzas said. Ive seen only positives working with the historical society.
The historical society requested that Cyr be included in baseline study field work, compliance meetings and monitoring inspections.
"Mr. Jim Cyr is the most knowledgeable member of the (Mineral County Historical Society) in regards to the Mullan Road location, conditions and history," Peggy Temple, president of the society, wrote in a letter to Lolo Forest supervisor Tim Garcia last month.
But Cyr himself isnt satisfied with the agreement.
I feel like the whole section should be preserved, he said. I was kind of hoping theyd go ahead and put a tram in there and go over the top of it.
He would love it to go further, and we wish we had enough clout to make it go further, said Temple. But with an established ski area and the Forest Service, its hard to have that much clout. I kind of think having them move the original project off the road is the best we can hope for.
Once the route of the Mullan Road was identified to the Forest Services satisfaction, Lookout Pass was more than willing to work with us to see if a different run location would take away a good chunk of the impact, said Foote, the Idaho deputy ranger.
I think we actually came up with a really good alternative.
Jim Cyr of Superior will lead a hike to Eagle Cliff on the Stateline Trail on Tuesday, July 19 the next hike in Mineral Community Hospitals inaugural summer series.
The 6.2-mile hike up to Eagle Cliff and back includes views of Cliff and Diamond Lakes and the Dry Creek drainage southwest of Superior. Its a climb of roughly 1,200 feet in elevation.
Hikers should meet in Superior at 8 a.m. at Mountain View Village next to the Mineral Community Hospital. Youll depart by vehicle at 8:30 a.m. and reach the trailhead on the Stateline Trail via Dry Creek Road at 9:30 a.m.
Participants have the option of turning back at any point. Arrival back in Superior is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.
Participants should bring water, lunch, snacks and hiking gear. Those interested are asked to call Monte Turner, Mineral Community Hospital, at 406-822-5122 for a head count.
KIM BRIGGEMAN,
Last year, the Montana Greek Festival had an unusual problem: organizers sold out of dessert one night and some food during lunch the next day.
This year, they began preparing a month in advance.
"Everyone that attends the Greek Annunciation Orthodox Church has pitched in in some way or another," said co-organizer Julianna Crowley.
Mary Tsakarestos, who was overseeing volunteers on Thursday in the kitchen at the First Presbyterian Church's Fellowship Hall, could only guess at the amount of food ready.
She said they have some 35 gyro cones, at least 20 pounds a piece. They'll have 100 pounds of pork and chicken for souvlaki. There's also Greek salads and a bar for the adults.
Then there's the pastries: baklava, the layered filo pastry; melomakarona, an orange-flavored cookie that's baked and then dipped in honey and sugar; kourabiethes, a powdered sugar cookie; koulourakia, a braided cookie, and finally, loukoumades, a round, puffed pastry that's deep fried and topped with honey and sugar.
Natalia Wood, a Russian church member, was helping prepare cookies on Thursday.
"It's a long process: making cookies, freezing them, preparing them," she said.
Crowley estimated that more than a thousand people came to the festival last year, a tripling over the year before when it was revived after a 15-year hiatus.
They've expanded the offerings this Friday and Saturday, with a full menu on both days and a traditional band, Helios, coming from Northern California.
"There'll be a lot of Greek dancing," Tsakarestos said. "It's fantastic."
Crowley said their event is modeled after summer festivals in Greece, intended to bring a slice of that cultural celebration to Missoula.
The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church attracts all manner of orthodox believers, not just Greek. The congregation includes Russians, Serbians, Romanians, Albanians and an Iraqi family.
"We say the lord's prayer in different languages, which is fun, in our liturgies," said Tsakarestos, who came to Missoula from Greece in 1959 at the age of 8.
Her daughter, Demtria Kordonouris, and son-in-law Eftychios, own the Greek Pastry and Gyro Shop (aka #1 Gyro) on South Fifth Street West, and her grandson John runs it. It's been in the family since it opened in 1977.
They're not the only restaurant that pitched in: The owners of Ambrosia on North Reserve Street, Yom and Speed Datsopoulos, also contributed to the festival's food preparations, as did the Rishos, of the Silk Road restaurant and Perugia before it.
Only one thing can't be prepared locally, though: the gyro cones.
Tsakarestos said they require a large-scale operation, where the meat is mixed, formed into cones and frozen to be shipped throughout the country. Once at the destination, it's roasted and sliced off one layer at a time.
"In the early years, we would have to bring truckloads down from Chicago to last us three or four months," she said.
Sarah Rae McKnight, who pleaded guilty in May to her part in the December killing of one woman and attack on another in Missoula, has been sent to the Montana State Women's Prison for a five-year sentence in an unrelated case.
No sentencing date has been set for her convictions in the slaying at Missoula's Super 8 Motel and attack at the Fresh Market parking lot.
McKnight, who met Scott Austin Price in Great Falls a week before the Missoula attacks, drove the two of them to town. During her plea hearing, she said the two of them, high on drugs, bought zip ties and duct tape with the intention of stealing a car and money to obtain more drugs.
On the morning of Dec. 21, McKnight waited in the drivers seat of a car while Price allegedly attacked a woman in the parking lot of the Missoula Fresh Market on Reserve Street. The pair then fled the scene and drove to the nearby Super 8, where Price is accused of killing Lonette Keehner, a staff member who was cleaning one of the rooms.
McKnight and Price were arrested the next day after driving to Idaho in Keehners stolen vehicle.
On May 17, McKnight pleaded guilty to five felony charges of deliberate homicide, accountability for deliberate homicide, conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping, evidence tampering and theft in the Missoula attacks. The pleas were given without an agreement being made with prosecutors on the case.
During the hearing, Chief Deputy County Attorney Jason Marks requested that her sentencing be set after Prices Missoula trial in early October, where the prosecution intends to call her as a witness.
McKnights public defense attorney Lisa Kauffman had objected to the delay and said her client was having issues at the Missoula County jail, so wanted to be sentenced sooner.
Missoula County District Court Judge Robert Dusty Deschamps ordered in early June that McKnight be transported to the women's prison to serve a sentence imposed in the spring for an unrelated crime committed in Powell County.
The order said McKnight's sentencing on the Missoula case would be postponed to an unspecified later date.
On July 12, McKnight was released from the Missoula County jail and transferred to the women's prison in Billings.
In the Powell County case, McKnight, under the last name Larson, was charged in December 2014 with felony burglary and misdemeanors for theft and criminal mischief after she stole items from a house along Montana Highway 200 near Lincoln in September of 2014. She later pawned the items at a store in Missoula.
In April of 2016, District Court Judge Ray Dayton sentenced her to 20 years with the Department of Corrections with 15 years suspended, as well as fines and restitution.
Since the senseless massacre in Orlando, there has been a lot of discussion about gun control. This leads to questions regarding the Second Amendment. The purpose of this article is to look at the history behind the Second Amendment and the current debate surrounding the Second Amendment.
The Second Amendment to the Constitution states: "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."
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Amendment history
From the middle ages through the 17th century, every Englishman was expected to have a gun. The King of England did not have a large standing army. Thus, every man had the duty to be ready to defend England at a moments notice, thus the term minutemen. This idea carried over to colonial America.
Many of the early colonial constitutions had a provision about bearing arms to protect the state if necessary. Local groups, called militias, used their own guns to train and utilize in any military events. The British knew this and tried to confiscate guns during the Revolutionary War. In fact, the first battles of the Revolutionary War occurred when the British attempted to capture colony ammunition and weapons at Concord and Lexington. These are the battles of Paul Reveres famous ride and where the shot heard round the world occurred.
Two hundred forty years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, we sometimes forget the Second Amendment was established not only to protect against foreign enemies, but also to protect against our own government. As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,--That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it"
Noah Webster supported this idea when he wrote: Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops raised in the United States.
The Constitutional Convention drafted our Constitution, and then sent it to the 13 states to be ratified. Some, called anti-Federalist, led by George Mason and Patrick Henry, thought the federal government was too powerful in the constitutional structure proposed. Others, led by George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, called Federalists, supported the Constitution as written. A compromise was needed to gain the necessary nine votes for ratification. Thus was born the Bill of Rights. The Federalists promised the First Congress would pass a Bill of Rights listing specific rights of the people. The Second Amendment is the second of these rights.
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Latest debate
Today some earnestly believe that if guns were outlawed, gun violence would cease. Others earnestly believe we have a right to defend themselves, not only in our own homes, but also against a foreign enemy or even a destructive government. This debate can further be boiled down to whether the Second Amendment is meant to allow states to have a militia or whether it was meant to allow individual self-defense. The Supreme Court answered this question in 2008 in District of Columbia v. Heller, which stated the right to bear arms is an individual right. The court held total gun bans were unconstitutional, such as the ban of hand guns, but some regulation is legal. Rules regarding criminals, the mentally ill and concealed weapons permits, for example, are allowed.
Thats where we stand today. Let the discussion, and the legislative debate, commence!
In Montana, we pride ourselves on treating strangers as friends and solving problems as neighbors. Like most Montanans, I was raised that when a disagreement arises you work together to find reasonable common ground. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Water Compact and the federal settlement legislation that would ratify the agreement are, in many ways, prime examples of Montanans doing what we do besttreating each other fairly and working together to get things done.
As a result of laws passed by the Montana Legislature, the CSKT were required to seek definition of their federally reserved water rights, either through litigation or through the compact process. Rather than move forward with costly litigation that would span decades and create unnecessary turmoil between neighbors, the CSKT sacrificed many of their claims to water both on and off the Flathead Reservation in order to put in place an agreement that would ensure the needs of water users across our state are met.
The agreement, which was negotiated between the CSKT, the state of Montana and the federal government, involved stakeholders from across Montana and took decades to negotiate.
The compact, which now awaits ratification by Congress as part of the settlement legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, not only defines and protects the water rights of the tribes, but also of existing water right holders. Without the compact, many of Montanas water usersfarmers, ranchers, irrigators and even municipalitieswould have been subject to the adjudication process.
In addition to the water right certainty the compact provides, its ratification would mean significant investment in our states economy.
The legislation introduced by Tester seeks to both settle the claims of the CSKT against the federal government and ratify the water compact. Settlement of these claims would require the government to compensate the tribes for the damages that the federal governments negligence has caused to tribal lands, waters and communities.
Approval of this legislation would mean federal funding for the projects and improvements outlined within the compact, including efficiency improvements for water delivery systems, modernization of water measurement equipment and much more.
Above and beyond the provisions of the compact, this legislation would approve funding for hundreds of projects that would revolutionize our water delivery systems. The settlement legislation will rehabilitate neglected wetlands and invest in our agricultural resources by constructing improvements to irrigation systems, improving livestock fencing, working to control the spread of noxious weeds, and installing screens or other barriers to keep our canals clean and our water flowingand it will create thousands of jobs in the process.
In a recent study released by Cascade Economics, they concluded that the federal investment from the proposed legislation would create 6,330 jobs and generate $52.9 million in recurring, annual economic activity in Montana, not to mention another estimated $774 million in economic activity in the first decade of implementation.
Opportunities like this dont come along often and in order to take advantage of the incredible benefits to our state offered by both the compact and the federal settlement, we must ensure that Testers legislation moves forward in Congress.
As this landmark legislation progresses, I hope all members of our congressional delegation are able to support the legislation, the jobs it will create and the certainty it would bring to our state.
I would like to thank the Missoulian for reporting on Thursday, July 7, on a great new study concerning herbicide use on public lands. In the front-page article, "University of Montana researchers find lack of government accountability on widespread herbicide use," the reporter stated that there was a lack of government data on whether the use of herbicides, especially Roundup, is destroying "non-target" species. When can we expect a Missoulian reporter to write the rest of the story?
In fall of 2015, the Missoulian was given a newly published study, "The high cost of pesticides: Human and animal diseases," which can be found at this link http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2375-446X.1000132, for those of you who might be interested in reading it. Be sure to check out the photos and the graphs.
This study shows a strong correlation between an increase in specific birth defects and specific health issues being observed on Montana's wildlife and the same birth defects and health issues on human newborns throughout the U.S. (including Montana) with the increase in use of certain pesticides (umbrella term). The correlation was strongest for the increase in use of the herbicide, Roundup, with its main ingredient glyphosate, in and after the summer of 1994 when Roundup Ready GMO crops began being planted.
For some reason known only to them, the Missoulian did not publish a story on that important study, which clearly showed the effects of herbicide use on "non-target" species (including human newborns).
Possibly, vertebrate newborns are not considered "non-target" species by government agencies, but they clearly should be. One of the most common birth defects on the wild and domestic animals examined was heart defects. Heart defects are reported to now be the No. 1 birth defect on human newborns. What a surprise.
Judy Hoy,
Stevensville
PORTLAND, Ore. All federal protections for gray wolves would be removed under legislation approved by the U.S. House and sent to the Senate.
The legislation, sponsored by Republicans representatives from Oregon and Washington, was passed as a battle is being waged in an Oregon courtroom over the state's recent delisting of the gray wolf as endangered.
The federal legislation, which cleared the chamber Wednesday with a 223-201 vote, was introduced by Oregon Rep. Greg Walden Hood River and Washington Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Spokane and Dan Newhouse of Sunnyside as an amendment to a large federal appropriations package.
The plan would enable the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to move forward with its proposal made three years ago to delist the gray wolf under the federal Endangered Species Act by 2017.
Population management would instead be at the discretion of the lower 48 states, although it wouldn't directly impact state-level endangered species lists or wolf management plans.
"Oregon's wolf population has grown by more than 40 percent, and yet we have this divided management strategy in the federal government where in part of the state wolves are still listed and part of the state they're not," Walden said in a statement. "We need a single management strategy where we have local control under the Oregon state plan."
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission took the wolf off the state endangered list in November a decision wildlife advocates are currently fighting in appeals court and now is revising its wolf management plan as required every five years.
With federal delisting in limbo as the wolf population keeps growing, Walden said there's little recourse for area ranchers.
Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, a Democrat and longtime wolf advocate who voted against Walden's amendment, said the issue stems from an irrational fear of wolves that farm and cattlemen's associations use to put "tremendous pressure" on conservatives.
"It's borne of some ancestral, irrational fear of wolves, which permeates the agricultural community and the Republican Party here in Washington, D.C.," DeFazio told The Associated Press, noting the gray wolf is already partially delisted at the federal level as of a few years ago.
The broader bill containing the wolf amendment won't clear the Senate, he said. But in year-end negotiations, "I assume the Republicans will assert, 'Oh gee, we got all these amendments and we want them in the year-end deal,' which (is) how they got the first partial delisting of the wolves," DeFazio said.
A 25-year-old Butte man who prosecutors say robbed the Motel 6 in Rocker last year admitted Thursday he took money and caused an employee to fear a risk of injury.
Sean Timothy McMullen previously pleaded not guilty to felony robbery or robbery by accountability at his arraignment in October 2015.
In a plea deal with Butte-Silver Bow County prosecutors, McMullen stood before district court Judge Brad Newman and conceded his guilt, knowing that the state intends to recommend a 10-year sentence to the Montana Department of Corrections with five years suspended.
McMullen and his alleged accomplice Jacob John Hettick, 21, were stopped by a Butte police officer on South Rocker Road due to inoperable tail lights after the early-morning robbery on Sept. 12, 2015. Police say Hettick was the driver. The two men denied involvement and were released.
A vehicle similar to Hetticks was seen on video surveillance on Rocker Road from around the time of the robbery, according to court documents. A pair of dark blue sweatpants similar to pants worn by the suspect robber seen on video were found in the car.
In a second interview with a police detective, Hettick told police that McMullen told him to drive to the Motel 6, 122005 Nissler Rd., because he was owed money.
Both men accused the other of entering the Motel 6 wielding a wooden club and taking a cash drawer with less than $200, documents state.
Hettick pleaded not guilty to felony robbery or robbery by accountability at his arraignment on Oct. 8, 2015. At a pre-trial hearing, he was told the states evidence was still pending. A status hearing was slated for Aug. 11.
On Thursday, Newman ordered a presentence investigation in McMullens case. A sentencing date was not set.
McMullen remains free on $50,000 bond.
In other action in Butte district court on Thursday:
Robert Anthony House, 26, of Butte pleaded not guilty to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs with intent to sell methamphetamine, two felony counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, felony use or possession of property subject to forfeiture, and misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia.
An affidavit states during a police-assisted probation and parole search of a residence in June, House was found with suspected meth and LSD, a large sum of cash, syringes, a metal spoon, and plastic baggies. He was being held on $40,000 bond at the county jail. A pre-trial hearing was set for Aug. 18
Stephen Shallcross, 29, of Butte pleaded not guilty to felony charges of sexual intercourse without consent and assault with a weapon. Prosecutors allege he placed a noose around the victims neck, causing bruising, on May 29. He is free on bail.
Markus Abad, 44, of Butte denied assaulting his wife in their home on May 15. He faces a felony count of family member assault, a third or subsequent offense. He was being held at the county jail on $10,000.
VIRGINIA CITY The Elling House Arts & Humanities Center, in partnership with the Virginia City Preservation Alliance, will sponsor its third series of history programs at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, in the cabin of Frank Bird Linderman on the grounds of the historic Robbers Roost near Laurin.
The general theme of this years series will focus upon the lives of four prominent political figures in the history of Montana.
Bob Brown will present a program on Joseph Dixon, A Montana Profile in Courage. Dixon, who died in 1934, was a Republican politician from Montana. He served as a representative, senator, and the seventh governor of Montana. A businessman and a modernizer of Quaker heritage, Dixon was a leader of the Progressive Movement in Montana and nationally. His term as governor, 19211925, was unsuccessful, as severe economic hardship limited the opportunities for action by the state government, and his great enemy, the Anaconda Copper Co., mobilized its resources to defeat reform.
A Montana native, Brown is a Navy veteran, earned a degree in history from Montana State University, was a high school history teacher, and served for 26 years in the Montana Legislature.
Admission is by donation and open to the public. It will be hosted by the Sheridan Library Book Club, who will provide light refreshments. Additional financial support for this series is being provided by Humanities Montana and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Linderman cabin is located approximately 8 miles south of Sheridan, 2 miles north of Laurin, on Highway 287.
State lineman's rodeo Saturday in Butte
The 2016 Montana Lineman's Rodeo will be held Saturday, July 16, at the Butte Vigilante Saddle Club Rodeo Grounds, 6354 Albany Ave.
In addition to the lineman and apprentice events, the rodeo offers the Pro Backhoe Rodeo, Tree Trimmers Rodeo, Novice Backhoe Events, Ladies' Pole Climb, and children's games.
The competition includes Hurt Man Rescue: The object is to rescue the "injured lineman" as quickly as possible from a pole using all safety procedures and pole-top rescue techniques. Also, Speed Climb: The object is to climb and descend a 45-foot pole as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Events begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue through the day. A dinner at 4:30 p.m. followed by an auction, awards ceremony, and dance caps the day. Details: mtlinemansrodeo.com.
Animal control picks up dogs, cats
These are animals that have been picked up by Butte Animal Control. For details, call the shelter, 699 Centennial Ave., at 406-497-6528 or stop by 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
DOGS
St. Bernard cross, black and white, male, 2-3 months, picked up Thursday at Emma Park, Silver and Dakota.
St. Bernard cross, red and white, female, 1-2 years, picked up Thursday at Emma Park, Silver and Dakota.
Bouvier des Flandres, black, neutered, 8-9 years, picked up July 8 at the Fairmont RV Park.
CAT
Longhair, tiger stripe and white, adult male, picked up July 8 on the 1900 block of Massachusetts.
Butterflies topic for library discussion
Story time at the Butte Public Library, 226 W. Broadway St., starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, in the children's room.
The subject is butterflies, and kids will listen to some books, sing songs, and do an activity. All ages are welcome. Details: Cathy, 406-723-3361.
Deadline for cancer publication is July 25
Have you or someone in your life been touched by cancer that you want to acknowledge? The Montana Standard wants to honor those local individuals in our special Relay for Life publication on July 30. A memorial list for those who have passed from cancer and a honor list of those currently battling or who have survived cancer will be published.
Only complete entries will run, and individuals must be from within our readership area, including Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Madison, Granite, Powell, and Jefferson counties. The names of those submitting will not be included in the list.
Submissions can be emailed to jamie.browning@mtstandard.com and need to include the correct spelling of the persons name, what city they are from, and whether they need to be on the memorial or honor list. The deadline to submit is noon on July 25.
As all of us now know the State of Montana Attorney General office is heavily considering/decided to move the Title and Registration Bureau office to Helena after more than 100 years of service in the city of Deer Lodge.
Their case has had shotgun blast holes placed in it and there are questions remaining on the legality of how this decision was obtained. As I do not wish to address those issues at this time, what I would like people to look at and consider is the emotional and financial impact this is going to have on the city of Deer Lodge, and have people take a good hard look at what the state of Montana is willing to do to communities and families.
Lets begin with the current staff at the registrar's office. Of the 37 current employees, nine have children in the Deer Lodge and Powell County school systems, the total number of children is 18 (ranging from grade school through high school). That being said, for one elementary age child the school district receives $5,444 per year, for a child in grade 7th-8th, the school district receives $6,970 per year, and for a child in high school the schools receive $6,970.
For sake of easy math lets say that there are nine children in each level that would decrease the elementary school dollars by $48,996 a year, and the 7th-12th by $62,730 a year. So because of decrease funding and loss of students the city would likely lose at least two teaching positions, at a minimum (good thing Deer Lodge children dont need educators).
How about the city grocery stores? After talking with Safeway and Valley Foods both, they have figures of the average household spending between $400 to $500 per month in grocery stores. So if 20 families leave the city, that would be approximately $9,000 per month out of local businesses or $108,000 per year. So that would force the local markets to lay off employees.
This would not include the impact on the other local business in town, ACE Hardware, Keystone Drug, the Sweet Shop, our restaurants and theaters, etc. The state has already directly hurt local healthcare when they implemented the Care Here program, by pulling patients from the local clinics and providers. Why are they continuing to kick a struggling community?
Lets look at the other ways this will directly affect each and every taxpayer in our state.
So now that these people will be out of work; they and their families will need some sort of assistance (through no fault of their own), such as unemployment, Medicaid, food stamps, housing assistance, etc. Also that does not include the emotional impact it is having on the employees and their families. I dont have the numbers for the financial impact on the state to support these families, but I am pretty sure it will be in the tens of thousands.
So lets wrap this up: The state says it will save around $120,000 a year with this planned move. Here is the number of what it will do to a small town with a loyal work force to the state of Montana for over 100 years: $219,726.00 (plus the unknown numbers for assistance).
Helena does not need 35 more jobs, but Deer Lodge will die without them.
Shame on you Mr. Fox, Mr. Milburn, and Mrs. Garcia. The time has come for a major change in the Attorney General office.
Thank you for your time.
-- Zane A. Cozby, mayor of Deer Lodge
MUSCATINE, Iowa Downtown Muscatine could be a whole lot quieter in the future.
The Muscatine City Council approved funding Thursday night for studies to determine steps needed to make an area from the pedestrian crossing at Mad Creek crossing down to Hershey by the McKee Button building a quiet zone.
Quiet zone funding would prohibit trains from sounding horns one-quarter mile farther than the two crossings, according to Community Development Director Dave Gobin.
There are benefits to downtown businesses; there are a number of things the quiet zone does do for the city, Gobin said.
The first step, Gobin said, will be to discuss and understand the guidelines that would need to be followed to become a quiet zone.
There are numerous guidelines, he said,
Changes, Gobin said, could include signal upgrades, gates, signage, and other improvements at railroad crossings in the area.
The study will begin the process, which Gobin said will serve as a manual for fulfilling guidelines.
There will be several steps as a result of the studies, he said.
He estimated the project could be completed in around 18 months, with the study complete in three or four months, providing a more comprehensive picture of the process that will be needed to make the downtown Muscatine area a quiet zone.
In other business, some Muscatine downtown business owners will see their commercial Dumpster rates rise, as the council approved a new rate schedule.
Greg Jenkins reported on the efforts of a committee to review commercial Dumpster rates, which included attempting to correct a shortage of around $63,000.
After the initial proposal brought by city staff, Jenkins said the committee attempted to soften the blow when raising the rates.
Some downtown business owners will experience a significant increase, he said.
The proposed rates were 80 percent of those proposed by the city, with collaboration from downtown business owners who were present on the committee.
Representatives from Bolton and Menk also attended the meeting to provide updates on the Mississippi Drive Corridor Project.
After receiving comments from the public at a meeting, project engineers requested input from the council. Much discussion was held on the possibility of roundabouts at Carver Corner and at Mulberry and Second streets, and council members asked that they be separated from the project.
No decision was made, and council members requested action on whether to put roundabouts at the corners or choose a different option to come at the next council meeting.
Engineers will also attempt to test back-in parking on a street in Muscatine to more comprehensively show whether or not back-in parking would be a good option.
MUSCATINE, Iowa -- Large chunks of limestone carved in ornate designs lie in the tall grass at the old Jefferson Elementary School demolition site along Mulberry Avenue.
It looks like a graveyard for architectural artifacts.
Now that the old school is leveled and work is underway to clean up the site where the 1927 building stood, attention turns to interest by the public in remnants of a building that carried many fond -- or not-so-fond-- memories.
Jeff Miller, director of facilities for the Muscatine Community School District, said there has been interest by the public in the decorative trim that adorned the school, as well as the bricks that are now a part of the rubble.
Most of the limestone pieces, however, are not items that can be easily shifted or moved around. Miller demonstrated as he tried to rock one of the slabs with no success.
Tyler Riley, an architect with FEH Design, which is the Des Moines architectural firm hired by the district, will be in Muscatine next week to inventory and take photos of what the public might be interested in.
"We'll look at what we have, what pieces are good and what pieces are reasonable to sell to the community," Riley said. "Realistically, if it's too big to put in a truck, somebody is not going to buy it."
Photos of what's available will be compiled into a flyer for the public.
Miller speculated that some of the decorative pieces could end up in home landscaping projects.
"There's a lot of stone out here," he said.
Riley said the district's contract with the demolition company, D.W. Zinser of Walford, Iowa, calls for the company to clean and stack 500 bricks from the old building to prepare them for sale to the public. Riley expects there will be a lot of interest in the bricks, which will be sold for $5 apiece.
Two limestone marquees with the name of the school will be saved and offered to the district for possible reuse or display.
While the demolition site looked like a sea of mud on Thursday, following Wednesday's severe storm, the site will be cleared and prepared as a playground for students at the new Jefferson Elementary in time for the start of school in August, Miller said.
"The playground equipment is being delivered to my office next week," he said.
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 []
South Africa will soon start the process of selling broadband spectrum, according to a report by Bloomberg.
After a delay of several years, this is a step towards introducing greater high-speed Internet coverage in South Africa, said sources.
The report stated that telecommunications companies will be invited to apply for the spectrum auction on 15 July.
The value of the operating frequency hasnt been determined, stated the report.
Mobile operators like Vodacom and MTN have long called for more spectrum, which will allow them to expand their mobile broadband services.
The challenges in handing out spectrum locally are caused by slow policy progress at the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services and the delay in digital TV migration.
ICASA did not provide comment in the report.
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Vodacom subscribers around South Africa have reported that they were unable to use data services on the network.
There were complaints from around Gauteng, including Johannesburg and Pretoria, as well as Secunda, Durban, and Cape Town.
Based on the reports, the issues started at 07:00. By around 08:00, subscribers started reporting that their devices were connected to the Internet again.
Down Detector showed a spike in reported problems on Vodacoms network just before 08:00.
Vodacom said the intermittent connectivity that customers in parts of Gauteng, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga experienced this morning has been resolved.
We apologise for the inconvenience that this may have caused, said Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy.
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Officials of the Western Cape provincial government have hit back at allegations that theyve failed to properly regulate internet ride-sharing service Uber.
About 200 taxi drivers gathered outside the provinces Ministry of Transport and Public Works offices in Cape Town on Thursday to demand answers on the regulation of Uber.
The drivers demanded to speak to MEC for Transport and Public Works, Donald Grant, as they alleged that around 90% of Ubers approximately 2 000 driver partners in the province do not have legal permits.
After Grant did not meet with the disgruntled drivers on Thursday, violence broke out as one Uber car had its windows smashed in the CBD.
Police also arrested 15 metered taxi drivers for forming an illegal gathering. The drivers are set to appear in court on Tuesday.
But Grants office late on Friday responded to the meter taxi drivers claims about Ubers legality in the province.
Operating licences were issued to 210 Uber partners in terms of the National Land Transport Act and in accordance with comments received from the City of Cape Town based on their Integrated Transport Plans, said Grants office in email answers to Fin24s questions.
The Provincial Regulatory Entity issued these operating licences with clear conditions, which if not adhered to, could lead to the operating licences being withdrawn or cancelled.
There is therefore no failure to regulate. The Department of Transport and Public Works and the City of Cape Town is investigating reports of illegal operations and will implement a joint enforcement plan to impound illegally operating vehicles, said the department.
Meeting with meter taxis
On Friday, the spokesperson for the disgruntled metered taxi drivers, David Drummond, blamed the events on Thursday in the Cape Town CBD on Grant allegedly not sticking to an arrangement to properly respond to the drivers.
Drummond said that Grant promised to respond to the drivers two weeks after they met, but that four weeks later this had not yet happened.
The result of what happened yesterday must be squarely laid at the door of the MEC for his failure to even respond to us, Drummond told Fin24.
Even a simple reply to one of our emails to say, give me another week, give me ten days, we are working with it, I am busy with something. Nothing, absolutely nothing. We cant lie to our members, Drummond said.
Grants office confirmed to Fin24 that he and senior officials met with nine representatives of the metered taxi industry on June 20 2016 to hear their concerns about illegal operations and a dysfunctional representative structure.
Grants office said that he then agreed to issue a press statement on June 20 about the meeting and to approach the City of Cape Town to explain their analyses and grounds for supporting further metered taxi and e-hailing operating licenses on June 27.
Grant then indicated that he is still in the process of consulting with the City of Cape Town, after which interactions with Uber could then take place, said the department.
There was no promise made to provide an answer by July 4, added the department
The minister will not be forced into a decision by clearly unlawful action and the various law enforcement agencies will take the usual measures.
There is no excuse for violence and illegality while a process is under way, said the department.
Meter taxi drivers opposition to Uber comes as demand for the internet app has exploded in South Africa since the service first launched in the country in 2013.
Uber driver partners now number around 4 000 in the country, according to the internet service.
But, subsequently, clashes between Uber and meter taxi drivers have sporadically occurred in cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban amid allegations of unfair competition.
Fin24
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Japans Line Corp will launch the countrys largest initial public offering (IPO) of the year when it lists in New York on Thursday and Tokyo on Friday, expecting to raise up to $1.3bn.
A Japanese subsidiary of South Koreas Internet giant Naver, Line Corps instant messaging app has soared in popularity since debuting in Japan in 2011, and now boasts 218 million active users monthly, the majority of them in Asia.
Lines 2015 revenue totaled $1.2bn, a 40 percent increase from 2014, mainly through the sales of its wide range of electronic cartoon emoticons, known as stickers, games and an advertising business.
The apps 258,000 sticker set collection distinguishes Line from other competitors. The firm has logged a total of 2.4 billion stickers sent and received in a single day.
The IPO is expected to put the companys value at nearly $7bn.
Its easy for me to convey my feelings when I use the stickers, Japanese student Ryosuke Nomura, 17, told Al Jazeera at the Line Friends store in Tokyos hip Harajuku area.
Lines sticker characters, called Line Friends, even have a fandom, which has boosted merchandise sales not only of digital stickers but also a wide range of products from dolls, stationery, jewelry and fashion to kitchenware.
Line Friends stores with cafes have opened in Tokyo, South Korea and other cities in Asia.
I started to use Line, mainly because of the cute Brown character. But, now I am using it to get in touch with my friends in other countries in Asia, 32-year-old Baek Won-ki, a South Korean office employee, told Al Jazeera.
A feature of the app is its ability to simultaneously translate messages in a chat room. For example, if one person enters a message in Korean in a chat room, the message is simultaneously translated into Japanese or Chinese when it appears to other users in the chat room.
Overrated?
Line is still not as popular as mobile messaging heavyweights such as Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat by Chinas Tencent, and Viber.
So why are investors excited about this dual IPO?
Reiko Shofu, president and CEO of online micro consulting service firm Sensing Asia Ltd, pointed to Lines rapid growth in revenue over the past few years.
Lines long-term outlook, however, might not necessarily be that bright, Shofu said.
Its over-rated. It takes time for Line to sustain bottom-line viability. When you look at Lines business model, its a very costly, complex business structure, she said.
Line has made efforts to widen its revenue base by developing into a broader, multi-feature platform such as a news distribution and payment solutions.
If Line manages to pass through their strategy and establish its platform on mobile money transactions, including person-to-person money transfer, then I think their business can last for 10 or 15 years, Shofu said.
The dual listing indicates the firms intention to expand their business globally at a time of global economic turbulence, further exacerbated by BREXIT, and cooling hype around tech firms. Lines IPO is the largest since Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba listed in 2014.
Al Jazeera
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A place that once memorialized the dead now has new life.
The former chapel at the Treadway & Wigger funeral home in downtown Napa has been remodeled and is now home to an architectural and design firm, Tapestry Studios, Life by Design.
Rows of pews that once lined the chapel interior have been removed, leaving an open, expansive space. Large square frosted glass windows that once shrouded the exterior of the building have been replaced with clear windows, bringing much light into a formerly somber space.
Walls and columns have been painted. Blue carpet was removed and concrete floors were stained a rich brown color and coated with a high gloss finish.
At the same time, touches of the former chapel remain, such as the original doors and lighting fixtures.
Its history, said Kelly Marquet, president of Tapestry Studios. We wanted to keep a little of that.
About three weeks ago, Tapestry Studios moved into the 3,900-square-foot former chapel area. It features a fine furniture and artist showroom open to the trade, showcasing furniture, jewelry, sculpture, lighting, photography and other arts.
The rest of the former funeral home is being remodeled to make room for other tenants or businesses.
Marquet said that the business was most recently located in an office park behind Wal-Mart in Napa. When she saw the former chapel space was for lease, I knew what it could be.
The well-lit area featuring furniture and accessories is arranged to inspire people, and to help clients connect with artists and studios, said Sophia Tsilimigras, who works in marketing at Tapestry Studios.
For many decades, Napans mourned the passing of their loved ones inside the chapel of the Coombs Street building. But when the Wigger family sold the property and business this past year, the new owners decided to lease the space.
It was serendipitous, said Tsilimigras. It all came together.
When asked what she thought of occupying a former chapel space at a funeral home, Marquet said, I didnt have a problem with that.
Indeed, locals who once visited the chapel and have now seen the remodel remark on how different it looks, she said.
Its difficult to repurpose a mortuary chapel, said former mortuary owner Ted Wigger. However, I think they are making excellent use of the space. It looks very nice.
Before her showroom opened, designers and decorators had to travel to Berkeley or San Francisco designer showrooms to shop. Now they can do it here, Marquet said.
In addition to their current business model, theres the possibility that Tapestry Studios could also include retail sales.
Business owners submitted an application to the city for a use permit for such sales. It is in the preliminary review process, according to the city.
The property owner, Rags Heffran, declined to comment until the Planning Commission reviews the use permit application. Other tenants have not been announced.
The Heffran family bought the property in July 2015 for a reported $3.5 million.
The Treadway & Wigger funeral home business was sold to Vallejo funeral home businessman Buck Kamphausen in January 2015.
Kamphausen moved the Treadway & Wigger business into Napa Valley Memorial Park on Highway 221, which he has owned for several years.
The Napa Police are seeking information on an unknown woman who is suspected of robbing a bank in Napa on Thursday morning.
The woman, who has been identified as black, walked into the Umpqua Bank on the 300 block of Soscol Avenue with a demand note stating that she had a gun, police said. The woman was given an undisclosed amount of cash and left the bank on foot, fleeing to a vehicle waiting in an adjacent parking lot, police said.
Less than a week had passed after Gov. Jerry Brown and several state legislators giddily announced their package of reforms for the scandal-ridden California Public Utilities Commission before an official audit revealed why that plan is simply not good enough.
The audit by the states Department of General Services marked the first time in 20 years that the PUCs practices had been officially examined, and the commission was found severely wanting.
But there have been, and likely will be, no consequences for anyone involved.
Also, no one has explained why 20 years passed between audits, when General Services reviews are supposed to come every three years. Perhaps it was because Californias last three governors Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis were all sympathetic to the commissions steadfast favoritism of the huge companies it regulates over their customers.
The audit found the commission did not maintain proper paperwork on contracts and other matters. It said PUC employees most likely misused gasoline credit cards. But the most egregious offense noted came when the commission secured lawyers in early 2015, just as federal and state agents began investigating some of its members for possible criminal wrongdoing.
Panic and fear ran rampant in the PUCs San Francisco headquarters at the time, just after authorities searched the La Canada-Flintridge home of the recently-departed former commission President Michael Peevey. That raid founded evidence Peevey and executives of the Southern California Edison Co. secretly agreed to dun customers $3.3 billion, or about 70 percent of the costs to close the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, shuttered because of an Edison blunder. An almost identical agreement soon became official.
Commissioners voted to hire an outside criminal law firm to help them through the investigation, awarding a contract that has amounted to about $12 million for the law firm SheppardMullin.
The General Services audit did not question the commissions authority to do anything it has done, including awarding that contract. But it said the contract was not signed by a party who had been delegated signature authority in writing
In short, there was never proper legal authority for the firm which has been most visible in helping the commission stonewall requests for documents and other information to get all that money.
There are other questions about the propriety of commissioners under criminal investigation using state money to hire defense attorneys. The only PUC response to those questions was to cite government code section 995.8, which says a public entity can hire criminal lawyers to defend present or former officials only if The public entity determines that such defense would be in the best interest of the public entity The PUC would have to hold hearings to make such a circular determination, but it never even did that.
The audit, then, makes it clear the commission got lawyers illegally in two ways, both by failing to hold hearings on whether it should hire SheppardMullin and by letting an unauthorized person sign the contract.
Yet there are no consequences. Brown has said nothing about any of this. PUC President Michael Picker, who repeatedly says his agencys culture needs big changes, steadfastly refused to answer questions about the dicey contract.
That means the PUC, whose members cannot be fired during their six-year terms, is almost completely unaccountable for its actions. It acts illegally with impunity and no one touches its top officials.
That wont change under the reform package, which includes several positives including provisions calling for a new ethics ombudsman and a deputy director in charge of the safety of natural gas and electricity transmission lines.
Those are positive changes, negotiated largely between Brown and Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gatto of Los Angeles, whose bill to break up the PUC and divide its tasks among several other state agencies easily passed the Assembly before Brown paid it any heed. But their deal, if passed by the Legislature as expected, leaves commissioners as unaccountable as ever.
And that makes the reforms too little and far too late to help consumers very much.
Thomas D. Elias writes the syndicated California Focus column.
A federal appeals court has ordered Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, R, to reinstate contracts with the state's Planned Parenthood chapter. Herbert had unilaterally suspended the funds after the release last summer of misleading videos that purported to show unrelated Planned Parenthood officers discussing the sale of fetal tissue. The court said Herbert had likely violated the Utah chapter's free association rights and the right to abortion itself.
The decision, reversing a federal district court judge based in Utah, is a useful reminder of why regional appeals courts are so valuable. And it also serves as a primer for the important judicial doctrine known as unconstitutional conditions, which prohibits the government from making the provision of a benefit conditional on that non-exercise of basic constitutional rights such as those found in the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
An account of the case should begin with the observation that Herbert's initial act of suspension was indefensible. The doctored video produced in 2015 by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress wasn't a good basis for any action by any government official, much less the governor of Utah.
The video scandal led to the indictment of a CMP activist in Texas on the felony charge of altering government records, namely faking a driver's license.
But more significant, the CMP videos had no relation to the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, which is independent of national Planned Parenthood. In addition, the Utah chapter receives no federal funds to pay for abortions -- as required by federal law.
The Planned Parenthood contracts that Herbert suspended were intended for data gathering and sex education. This being Utah, the program is called the Utah Abstinence Education Program.
When Herbert suspended the state's contracts, he made no effort to prove a logical connection between the videos and the state contract. He just said that "in light of ongoing concerns about the organization, I have instructed state agencies to cease acting as an intermediary for pass-through federal funds to Planned Parenthood."
Obviously illegal, right? Well, not in Utah federal court. In December 2015, Judge Clark Waddoups ruled that the ban could go forward and refused to issue an injunction against Herbert, saying that Planned Parenthood failed to show that it was likely to succeed on the merits of its lawsuit. He reasoned that Planned Parenthood couldn't prove that Herbert issued his directive to punish the group for the exercise of its constitutional rights.
Waddoups, a George W. Bush appointee, is a Utah insider and Brigham Young University graduate best known for an opinion striking down part of the state's anti-polygamy statute as unconstitutional. I actually thought that was a pretty good decision, though the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit reversed it.
But Waddoups missed the boat on the Planned Parenthood case.
Luckily, Planned Parenthood had the option of appealing the denial of a preliminary injunction to the Tenth Circuit, which sits in Denver, not Salt Lake City.
In a 2-1 decision, the Tenth Circuit panel reversed Waddoups' decision and issued the injunction forcing others to reinstate the contracts.
Interestingly, the appeals court didn't rely on Planned Parenthood's claim that its equal protection rights had been violated when the governor singled it out for suspension. The court speculated that, for a government contractor, the equal protection claim might not be appropriate when it was a sole plaintiff claiming to have been treated wrongfully, rather than a member of a larger group claiming discrimination.
Instead, the court's opinion focused on Planned Parenthood's claim that the ban placed unconstitutional conditions on its exercise of its rights. Specifically, Planned Parenthood argued that its Utah chapter has the right to associate itself with entities that advocate for abortion, including the national organization. It added that abortion itself is a fundamental right for women, one that the courts have held to create a corresponding right for medical professionals to enable women to obtain it.
The Tenth Circuit held that Herbert had burdened those rights by effectively holding Planned Parenthood's funding hostage on the basis of his dislike of the organization's advocacy and its abortion activity.
The dissenting judge, Robert Bacharach, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, thought that Waddoups had acted within his discretion in concluding that Planned Parenthood wasn't likely to be able to prove that Herbert acted out of animus towards abortion.
He said that Herbert could have acted simply because he believed the CMP video allegations.
But this position ignores the fact that the CMP videos had nothing to do with the Utah Planned Parenthood chapter. Even if Herbert had believed the videos, he would have been finding Utah Planned Parenthood guilty by association -- a violation of the organization's associational rights, at a minimum.
The case demonstrates how the unconstitutional conditions doctrine can usefully fill a gap in other aspects of constitutional law. In suspending the contracts, Herbert didn't directly prohibit Planned Parenthood from doing anything that it has a constitutional right to do. Rather, his targeting of the chapter stemmed from a generalized political desire to show solidarity with the antiabortion movement.
Under these conditions, the unconstitutional conditions doctrine was the right tool for the courts to use. Otherwise, government officials could unilaterally target organizations they don't like on flimsy or nonexistent evidence -- and the organizations would have no legal recourse.
This was a good result. It's a shame it took so long for the courts to reach it.
Noah Feldman, a Bloomberg View columnist, is a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard.
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BREVARD COUNTY, Florida The number of cases of the Zika virus that have been confirmed on Floridas Space Coast increased by 150% on Tuesday, raising the total number of confirmed cases in Brevard County, Florida from four to six.
As of July 14, 2016, there have been 250 confirmed cases of the
mosquito-borne
Zika virus in Florida all of which have been travel related.
While local transmissions have not occurred in the Sunshine State, local transmissions are possible if a Zika infected visitor or returning traveler is bitten by Florida mosquitoes that then spread the virus to other people they bite.
However, a recent NASA study predicted that locally acquired outbreaks are most likely to occur in Florida during July during peak mosquito and travel season.
Although the Zika virus pandemic has afflicted much of Latin America and the Caribbean and is most likely to gain a foothold in the continental U.S. through Florida this summer, President Barack Obama and Congress
from those countries.
The Zika virus is spread by bites from two
species:
(primarily) and
, both found in Florida.
In addition to the Zika virus,
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, babies born with the Zika virus transmitted from their mothers who contracted the disease while pregnant have developed microcephaly a disease which causes the babies brains and heads to shrink. Women who are pregnant or could become pregnant should avoid travel to Zika-affected areas, including Florida.
Just last month, the Florida Department of Health announced that there has been the first confirmed case of microcephaly in a baby born in Florida.
Florida counties where the Zika virus has been detected as of July 14, 2016 (excluding 43 pregnant cases):
testing in commercial laboratories.
03:04
Echoing the views of the two presidential candidates -- Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton -- that the United Sstates is at war with terror groups, the White House on Friday said the country has been at war with al-Qaeda since 9/11 and important progress has been made on that front.
"The (US) President has said on a number of occasions that terrorists and al-Qaeda declared war on the United States on 9/11, and we have been at war with them ever since. And we have made important progress in that war," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
Earnest made the remarks while responding to questions from reporters on remarks made by both -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump -- after the terrorist attack in France on Thursday that the US is at war against Islamic extremists.
The two candidates meant ISIS and did not mention al- Qaeda in their interviews.
The White House said core al-Qaeda that previously used to operate and live with impunity in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region has been decimated.
There are al-Qaeda affiliates in other parts of the world that are the source of ongoing concern.
"There are also organisations like ISIL that trace their roots back to al-Qaeda, and obviously, that's one extremist organisation that does pose a threat and has attracted the intense attention of the United States and the
international coalition that we lead," Earnest said.
Earnest said Obama has been pretty unequivocal about all of that.
"We've also been quite unequivocal about the fact that we're still waiting on Congress to pass an authorisation to use military force against ISIL. I know there are some critics of the administration who like to talk tough and
suggest that somehow we need to declare war on ISIL. I would encourage those individuals to consult a copy of the United States Constitution that many of them carry around in their suit pocket," he said in an apparent criticism of Trump saying that he would approach the Congress to declare war against such groups.
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BENGALURU: Facebook-owned messenger application WhatsApp has announced its final date for withdrawal of its services on Symbian phones. All About Symbian website reports that the app will effectively stop working on the Symbian devices after 31st December this year.
The announcement was made in February, specifying that it would no longer be supporting Nokia devices running Symbian S40 and S60 operating systems, devices based on Android 2.1 and 2.2, Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry devices. Mentioning the reason for ending support, WhatsApp's official blog stated that the devices platforms fail to meet the essential standards required to expand the app's upcoming updates in the future.
Reports further suggest that the company is currently working on GIF support. The Next Web websites reports highlighted a recent tweet from @WABetaInfo, a Twitter account that features information on all the latest WhatsApp beta updates. The tweet divulges about WhatsApps latest iOS beta version 2.16.7.1 which supports the feature of autoplay GIFs. The report also suggested that the users will have the facility of attaching GIFs directly on their chats.
Additionally, WhatsApp recently announced that the app will also be available on PCs operating on Windows 8 and above, and the Macs running OS X 10.9 and above. Similar to the 'WhatsApp Web', the desktop version of WhatsApp will be effectively synced with the one on a user's smartphone. It can run swiftly on desktops and also includes full support for the native desktop notifications, keyboard shortcuts, and many more.
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A digital student incubator, claimed to be the world's first, has gone online with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayanunveiling SV.CO, the digital makeover of Startup Village, designed to help college-goers take their first step in entrepreneurship.
"The government's allocation for startups at Rs 300 crore is the highest to date in Kerala and higher than that of the Centre's Department of Science and Technology," the Chief Minister said at a function here yesterday.
Vijayan also announced a five-step strategy for students, world class infrastructure on par with Silicon Valley, world class communication infrastructure, world class talent pipeline, world class funding infrastructure and world class incubators in PPP model like Startup Village.
"The state will fund 1,000 startups every year with Rs two lakh for converting ideas to prototypes. The best prototypes will be given Rs one crore interest free loan to convert the prototype into a successful startup," he said.
SV.CO, the world's first digital business incubation platform that constitutes the second phase of Startup Village, is India's first PPP model technology incubator set up in Kochi in 2012.
During its first phase 2012-15, it supported more than 500 startups and helped create 3,000 jobs.
With SV.CO, the Startup Village will scale up its activities massively by reaching out to five million students in 3,500 engineering colleges across the country by providing them a completely digital incubation framework, ranging from application for admission to teaching, mentoring and graduation, a press release said.
It will thus provide opportunities to brilliant students in far-flung cities and towns who may not have access to physical infrastructure or the mentoring they need in the early stages of entrepreneurship, it said.
In tune with the Prime Minister's Startup India initiative and with a go ahead from the Department of Science and Technology,SV.CO provides one month free training to students in entrepreneurship on its online platform, it said.
Students can form teams and apply at www.Sv.Co and once
selected, they would be guided, right from picking an idea to building a prototype and its launch to early customers in six months.
Based on whether customers like the product, teams can then graduate to incubators, accelerators, raise angel funding and even get acqui-hired as a team or hired to other startups or go for higher studies, the release added.
"SV.CO is venturing into unchartered territory and creating a new model of how to go beyond physical space to reach out to potential entrepreneurs across the country and offer them mentorship, networks and infrastructure," Infosys Co-Founder and Chief Mentor of Startup Village, Kris Gopalakrishnan said.
Twenty teams which completed incubation in the beta phase of SV.CO saw huge success in getting admitted to Zone Accelerator in Mumbai, getting acqui-hired by Tally or landing handsome jobs in leading startups like Ola and Free Charge.
"We are trying to create an ecosystem of providing students with global exposure, so that mindsets can change, said Startup Village Chairman Sanjay Vijayakumar.
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NEW YORK: NASA will host a Facebook Live event at 10:30 p.m. Indiatime on Friday to discuss the science and technology aboard NASA's next Mars rover -- Mars 2020.
The scientists will talk about the significant step the agency is taking on Mars 2020's journey to Mars, proceeding with final design and construction of the robotic explorer, NASA wrote in a blog.
During the event, viewers will get a glimpse of the Mars Yard and rock drilling facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, and can ask questions during the programme via Facebook.
Mars 2020 will look for signs of past life in a region of Mars where the ancient environment is believed to have been favourable for microbial life.
In addition to collecting samples of Martian rock and soil that a potential future mission could return to the Earth for analysis, the rover will also assess Mars' geology and modern environment, providing context for other investigations.
These studies will address high priority goals for planetary science and further aid NASA's preparations for a human mission to the Red Planet, NASA said.
Kenneth Farley, Mars 2020 project scientist at Caltech in Pasadena, Matt Robinson, Mars 2020 sampling and caching team deputy manager at JPL, and Allen Chen, Mars 2020 entry, descent and landing lead at JPL, will be interacting with the people live on Facebook.
Meanwhile, the Curiosity Mars rover which was brought out of the "safe mode" on July 9 after it put itself into a precautionary safe standby mode on July 2, has resumed full operations.
After investigating why the rover put itself into a safe mode, NASA's engineers said that the most likely cause was a software mismatch in one mode of how image data are transferred on board.
Curiosity has entered safe mode three times previously, all during 2013.
The rover landed in Mars' Gale Crater and has been exploring the area since August 2012.
During its first year on Mars, the mission achieved its goal by determining that, more than three billion years ago, the region offered fresh-water lakes and rivers with environmental conditions well-suited to supporting microbial life, if life has ever existed on Mars.
Recently, the US space agency said it was planning to drive the Curiosity Rover towards water sites on the Martian surface to further investigate the long, seasonally changing dark streaks briny water in the hope of finding evidence of life.
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India on Friday completely and unquivoally rejected the decisions adopted by the Pakistani cabinet earlier in the day on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. "India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in response to a query on the issue. We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where, we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi, he said. Continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistans sympathies continue to lie. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday chaired a cabinet meeting on the situation in Kashmir arising out of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Over 35 people have died in large-scale violence in Kashmir following the death of Wani, 22, in a gunfight on July 8 along with two of his associates. In the meeting in Islamabad, top government officials condemned the labelling of Wani as a terrorist by the Indian government. Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo told the media that cabinet members agreed that all Pakistani embassies located worldwide as well as the Foreign Office should register a protest against "Indian atrocities" in Jammu and Kashmir by submitting resolutions to the UN, Dawn online reported. Members of the cabinet also decided to call a joint session of parliament to discuss the Kashmir issue, but a date for the session was not agreed upon, Bizenjo said. The government also announced that Pakistan would observe a Black Day over violence in Kashmir on July 19. Swarup said the self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in Jammu and and Kashmir follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the international boundary. The attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistans illegal occupation will not succeed, he said. The spokesperson said that Pakistan should desist from further interfering in Indias internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts. We also hope that Pakistan will respond constructively to Indias initiatives for peace and normalizing the India Pakistan relationship. he added. --IANS ab/vm ( 429 Words) 2016-07-15-19:22:03 (IANS)
According to CNET, it is the third time in nearly a month that the social networking giant has activated the tool.
The feature allows people to notify their friends if they are in the affected area and mark themselves as safe.
A click or tap on the "I'm Safe" button lets friends and loved ones know straight away. Users can also check to see whether their friends are safe too.
"Last month, we began testing features that allow people to both initiate and share Safety Check on Facebook," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.
"We hope the people in the area find the tool a helpful way to let their friends and family know they are OK," the spokesperson added.
The feature was activated in early June after the deadly attack on a Florida night club that claimed the lives of 49 people.
Less than two weeks later, Facebook activated Safety Check feature for users after a suicide attack that killed 45 people at Istanbul's Ataturk airport.
--IANS na/py/rn
( 209 Words)
2016-07-15-10:26:02 (IANS)
At an event here on Thursday, over 70 Indian participants from industry associations and enterprises dealing in light industrial goods, agricultural products, consumer durables and tourism have taken part, the organisers said in a release on Friday.
"The Organizing Committee of the Maritime Silk Road Expo also signed enterprise-attraction and purchaser organization and cooperation agreement with India China Economic and Cultural Council (ICEC) for organizing foreign exhibitors and purchasers from India region at the exposition," ICEC said in a release here.
Speaking on the occasion, Tan Guangming, vice investigator of the Bureau of Commerce of Guangdong Province said the expo, which will see participation of nations along the maritime silk route, will be an opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs to showcase their products and also get a platform to interact with international players.
Vinod Sharma, chairman of the National Committee on ICTE of the Confederation of Indian Industry, emphasised the need to encourage trade between India and China through business-to -business platforms, as well as on providing Indian small and medium industries (SMEs) an international business exposure.
China is attempting to rebuild the ancient Silk Road with the "Belt and Road Initiative", which is its most ambitious foreign trade and investment project, spanning 65 countries.
While the Silk Road Economic Belt extends from China to Europe through Central Asia, the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road links China to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa along sea routes.
The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo 2016 will held in Dongguan city from October 27 to 30.
--IANS bc/vd
( 294 Words)
2016-07-15-19:00:01 (IANS)
Instead, the country's imports in June recorded a fall of 7.33 per cent at $30.69 billion, compared to imports of $33.12 billion in the same month last year.
Consequently, the trade deficit in June also declined to $8.11 billion as compared to $10.41 billion in the previous month.
"Non-petroleum exports in June 2016 were valued at $19.98 billion against $19.40 billion in June 2015, an increase of 3.06 per cent," a commerce ministry statement here said.
Cumulatively, for the April-June, exports were down 2.07 per cent in dollar terms at $65.31 billion, against $66.69 billion over the same period last year.
Cumulative imports for April-June were worth more than $84.55 billion, which was a 14.53 per cent fall from $98.92 billion worth recorded for the same period a year ago.
Lower global crude prices meant oil imports during the month under review declined by 16.42 per cent to $7.25 billion from $8.68 billion in the corresponding month of last year.
For April-June, crude oil imports plummeted by 23.57 per cent at $18.85 billion from $24.66 billion in the corresponding period last year.
Reserve Bank data on Friday showed India's services exports in May grew 4.28 per cent at $13.46 billion over the same month last year, compared to a marginal growth of 0.1 per cent in April at $13.01 billion.
Services imports in May recorded steady growth at $7.92 billion, as compared to $7.18 billion in April.
--IANS bc/dg
( 298 Words)
2016-07-15-20:28:01 (IANS)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state Chief Ministers will discuss at the Inter-State Council (ISC) meeting, happening after a hiatus of 10 years, here on Saturday the recommendations of the Punchhi Commission on harmonising centre-state relations. The meeting, being held after a decade since 2006, will also debate on the use of Aadhaar as an identifier and use of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for subsidies. However, a top official in Agartala said the council meet has been convened after a long gap of 10 years "following presure" of many states. "Prime Minister will chair the 11th meeting of the Inter-State Council here tomorrow (Saturday). The Union ministers and chief ministers of all states are expected to attend the meeting. They will also discuss matters related to improving quality of school education and internal security," said an official in the capital. "The ISC meeting would be held tomorrow (Saturday) following the pressure of many states," a top Tripura government official told IANS in Agartala. The five-member Punchhi Commission headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Madan Mohan Punchhi submitted its report to the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram in April 2010. Set up in April 2007, it had taken a fresh look at the relative roles and responsibilities of the various levels of government and their inter-relations. A comprehensive assessment of the Centre-state relations had been undertaken earlier by the Sarkaria Commission, the first commission on the issue, in the mid-1980s. "Improving quality of school education with focus on improving learning outcomes, incentivising better performance would also be discussed in the meeting," said the official in New Delhi. The official said that Saturday's meeting would discuss internal security of the country with focus on intelligence sharing and coordination for combating terrorism, Maoism, insurgency and police reforms and police modernisation. The last and tenth meeting of the ISC was held on December 9, 2006, in New Delhi. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who is the lone member from the northeastern region in the Standing Committee of the ISC headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, left Agartala for New Delhi to attend the meeting. "Sarkar in the ISC meeting would underline strengthening of states' power in some financial and security aspects and close and more better centre-state relations," the official at Agartala said. Among other issues, the Punchhi commission had recommended that Inter-State Council need to be "substantially strengthened". The commission further said the ISC must meet at least thrice in a year on an agenda evolved after proper consultation with states. "The ISC must be empowered to follow up the implementation of its decisions for which appropriate statutory provisions should be made. The Government will be well advised to evolve an appropriate scheme to utilize the full potential of ISC in harmonizing centre-state relations," it had said. Among other issues, it had said that the ISC should have "functional independence" with a professional secretariat constituted with experts on relevant fields of knowledge and supported by central and state officials. --IANS nd/vd ( 512 Words) 2016-07-15-22:56:01 (IANS)
Disick has been exploring his Jewish faith and documenting his travels on the photo-sharing website, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
In an image taken at the Western Wall here, Disick can be seen wearing a Kippah -- a traditional Jewish brimless hat.
He stood as a rabbi blessed the star on his shoulder and head.
"Blessings on blessing on blessings on blessings, he captioned the image.
In another photgraph shared, Disick -- who has children Mason, six, Penelope, four, and Reign, 19 months, with ex-girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian -- can be seen standing in front of a large menorah with his arms raised.
"Hashem (God) is everywhere, he captioned the image.
The 33-year-old also shared images of himself taking a walk and tucking into Shakshuka, a Middle Eastern dish of eggs and tomato sauce, in Tel Aviv.
--IANS ks/ank
( 168 Words)
2016-07-15-07:00:01 (IANS)
Global medical devices company Boston Scientific on Friday opened a new research and development, training and commercial centre here to develop and sell technologies fit for the Indian and Asian markets and train physicians in using them effectively. The 100,000 square-feet centre will focus on creating market-appropriate products based on unmet clinical needs and will also serve as a global product engineering center. The need for innovation in medical technology is a high priority in many countries worldwide and the government will support all efforts in research and innovation so that affordable and quality care is accessible to more and more patients in India, Faggan Singh Kulaste, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, told reporters here. The state-of-the-art Institute for Advancing Science (IAS), a physician-training facility equipped with world-class simulators for hands-on training on innovative technologies, is the newest addition to the growing global network of Boston Scientific IAS facilities. "The Indian ecosystem has all the right ingredients for innovation, namely a best-in-class technical talent pool in the areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), world-renowned physicians who bring an understanding of clinical unmet needs, and top-notch academic institutions," added Prabal Chakraborty, Vice President and Managing Director of Boston Scientific India. By establishing a consolidated presence in the region, Boston Scientific will extend its reach in India, offering solutions to physicians and patients combating conditions in areas such as cardiovascular disease, cardiac arrhythmias, gastrointestinal and urologic disorders, and chronic pain. Kulaste also flagged off the Boston Scientific Navigation Express, an innovation mobile van that will travel through 11 states, 53 cities and 206 hospitals in six months to educate physicians, hospital administrators, and medical technicians on the new range of medical devices in order to improve patient outcomes. --IANS anuj/na/vt ( 303 Words) 2016-07-15-12:58:01 (IANS)
Fearing large scale violence after Friday prayers, authorities clamped curfew in all the 10 districts of the Valley on friday. To prevent the spread of passion-stoking rumours and posts on social media by anti-social elements, authorities have suspended all internet and mobile phone connectivity in the Valley. For the last six days, mobile phone operations and internet connectivity had been suspended in South Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Shopian, Khugam and Pulwama. But on Thursday all internet connectivity -- both on mobile phones and fixed line -- has been suspended in the entire Valley. Official sources, however, said, limited mobile phone connectivity will continue on phones of one service provider in the Valley. This has been done because all state government officials have been provided mobile phones of a particular company and their operations is important to coordinate the law and order maintenance during the day. Meanwhile, curfew continued for the seventh day in the Valley on Friday. So far, 36 persons, including 35 civilial protesters and a local policeman have died in clashes between security forces and unruly mobs those hit the roads after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed with two of his associates in Bamdora village of Kukarnag area of Anantnag district on last Friday. Mobs on Thursday torched the house in Bamdora village where Wani was killed by security forces. Eight other houses in the village were also torched by the mobs. An orchard belonging to a local entrepreneur who had set up a Rs.5 crore dream project of high yielding apple trees in Bamdora village was also felled by the mobs. The entrepreneur had been praised by the state Chief Minister Mahbooba Mufti on the floor of the state legislature during its recent session for trying to take Kashmir horticulture to new heights. Sporadic clashes continued at over a dozen places on thursday when curfew defying stone-pelters engaged with security forces. No fresh incident of firing was reported from anywhere in the valley on Thursday. All senior separatist leaders have been placed under prevented detention by police in Srinagar. Additional paramilitary troops have been rushed by the centre to assess the state to come out of the ongoing cycle of violence that has deeply affected normal life in the state. --IANS sq/vr ( 385 Words) 2016-07-15-07:22:01 (IANS)
President Pranab Mukherjee was also accompanying Mamata Banerjee when the incident took place. State governor Kesarinath Tripathi was also in the convoy.
However, both of them did not sustain any injuries and are reported to be safe.
It is reported that five security personnel of President Mukherjee, who were in the first escort, are among the six injured in the accident.
The incident took place when the convoy was on its way to the Bagdogra Airport.(ANI)
Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh today claimed that BJP-led NDA Government has sanctioned more funds to Telangana than the previous Congress-led UPA Government. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Radha Mohan listed out the details of sanctioned funds and said that the Modi government in the last two years has sanctioned Rs.874.9 crore under the NDRF for Telangana. During the UPA-II government, in the last 5 years only Rs.153.6 crore was released for Telangana Disaster Response Fund. He said the Centre has allocated Rs 1515 crore for 2015-20 for the purpose and for Soil Health Management and Soil Cards issue scheme it had released Rs 40 crore during the last two years. For organic farming, the Minister said Rs 23 crore had been released during 2014-15 and 2015-16 and added that Rs 1300 crore had been allocated for the current year and for 2017. He advised the state governments to speed up the soil testing and issuing the soil health cards to the farmers." We feel that state governments are very slow in this regard", the Minister said. The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries of state of Telangana was establishing one Gokul Gram in Nizamabad district, the Minister said the number of animals insured under livestock Insurance has been increased from the earlier 2 milch animals to 5 milch animals and 50 small animals. 49,236 animals insured in the state during the last two years, Mr Radha Mohan added. He said Insurance cover provided to 2,76,799 fishers during 2014-15 and also during 2015-16 and steps have been taken for construction of 786 fishermen houses. Financial assistance was provided to 1,123 fishers during 2015-16 under Saving cum Relief component during fishing lean/ban period. Training for skill upgradation provided to 1,340 fishers, Supported 5891 mobile fish market vehicles at Rs.12.65 crore. One whole sale fish market was opened, the Minister said.MORE UNI VV CS 1316 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-837104.Xml
Continuing its defiant stance, the Sri Lanka Maritime forces today detained four more Indian fishermen and confiscated an Indian fishing dhow on the alleged charges of violating the maritime boundary of the Island nation. Fisheries officials said, according to a communiqu they have received, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard personnel arrested four fishermen along with a dhow (Country boat) hailing from Pamban coastal hamlet, here for poaching in Sri Lankan waters South of Mannar. The arrested fishermen were taken to Talaimannar Naval camp for interrogation. The fishermen along with the fishing dhow will be handed over to the Assistant Director of Fisheries at Mannar for onward action. With this, the Maritime forces detained 77 Indian fishermen after the beginning of new fishing season on May 30, last. Meanwhile, leaders of various fishermen associations expressed shock and grief over the "nonstop" incarceration of Tamil Nadu fishermen and frequent attacks on them. They sought the direct intervention of Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi to halt the attacks and to find an amicable solution to the issue. UNI GSM CS 1322 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-837112.Xml
All six security personnel traveling in the car were rescued in an operation that was overseen by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"Thank you for your co-operation. The President is also waiting at Kurseong. He called me twice. We will head there after rescuing everyone," she said.
"I declare that the rescue team will be rewarded by the state government," she added.
Banerjee's convoy of cars was just behind that of President Mukherjee's as they drove downhill to Bagdogra from Darjeeling, where the West Bengal Government had hosted a reception for him during his three-day visit.
The incident took place when the convoy was on its way to the Bagdogra Airport. (ANI)
With the BJP-led NDA regime leaving no stone unturned in ensuring the passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in the upcoming Monsoon Session, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar today met opposition leaders Gulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma in the Parliament premises to discuss the same. Earlier in the day, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu asserted that the Centre is keen to have a fruitful and meaningful discussion in the upcoming Monsoon Session and expressed hope that the GST)Bill would be passed this time in the larger interest of the country. Naidu said the GST Bill will be an important initiative in the all-party meeting called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Sunday to discuss all issues ahead of the Monsoon Session. "We also have Medical Council of India ordinance, Dental Council of India ordinance, both of them have to be approved," Naidu said, adding there are important legislations before the Parliament. Stating that the government is keen to have a fruitful and meaningful Parliament session, Naidu said he is hopeful that the important legislations pending for long will be approved in this session. "The Parliamentary Affairs Minister is consulting all other ministers and we'll be able to know by Sunday what are the important bills," he added. Naidu further said that he had a telephonic conversation yesterday with the opposition leaders Gulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, adding the duo appeared to be positive about the GST Bill. "They said they will discuss in their party forums. I may recall, earlier Shri Narendra Modi ji, honorable Prime Minister, had called even Sonia ji and Manmohan Singh ji for discussion on GST. They raised some three issues and those issues are mostly addressed by the Finance Minister," Naidu stated. The Urban Development Minister said the Finance Minister also had a number of rounds of discussions with the Chief Ministers of various states, adding most of them are on board with regard to the GST. "And I also in between as the Parliamentary Affairs Minster have talked to all the parties earlier and most of them are positive. When you are going for a major reform, there will be some problem or the other but these problems can be addressed during the course of time. And I only appeal to all the political parties to see in the larger interest of the country that the GST Bill is passed," he added. The proposed tax reform, India's biggest revenue shake-up since independence, seeks to replace a slew of federal and state levies, transforming the nation into a Customs Union. The Congress Party, the original author of the tax reform, has said that it would back the GST if the government agreed to cap the tax rate at 18 percent and create an independent mechanism to resolve disputes on revenue sharing between the states. (ANI)
The Supreme Court today disposed off a Public Interest Litigation filed by a Delhi based lawyer seeking a court monitored probe in the multi-million dollar AgustaWestland chopper scam case. While disposing off the plea of Manohar Lal Sharma, a division bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, said, "The PIL lacks merit." Mr Sharma had knocked the doors of the Top Court seeking the registration of an FIR (First Information Report) against those persons named in an Italian court (in Milan) judgement in the AgustaWestland chopper scam case. The plea also sought a court-monitored investigation in the alleged scandal. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, top law officer of the Union of India, told the Apex Court that the investigation is already underway and the authorities are taking appropriate action in it. So there was no need of an FIR and further probe in the particular case. Mr Kumar also told the Top Court that an Special Investigation Team (SIT) is already probing the matter.The Apex Court had earlier issued notice to the Central government on Mr Sharma's PIL. The Italian court ruling, convicted former senior executives of AgustaWestland for allegedly paying bribes in the deal, mentioned several names, purportedly referring to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. UNI XC RP1512 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0105-837215.Xml
Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, who would bemeeting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa later in the day, today said the Centre and the State would work in tandem with regard to power various projects in the State. ''We are in a stage where we have to innovate new methods in the power sector'', Mr Goyal told reporters at the airport on his arrival from New Delhi. He said the Union government was doing everything at its disposal to address the power issues in the State. The meeting between Ms Jayalalithaa and Mr Goyal was said to be of significance as the Centre has been urging the State to join the Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme. Ms Jayalalithaa had earlier conveyed to the Centre that the State will not be able to accept the UDAY scheme unless it was re-designed to meet the requirements of the State. However, the Union Minister made a fresh plea to the State government to join UDAY earlier this week after the Union Cabinet decided to extend the deadline for joining the scheme till March 31 next year. So far, 18 States and one Union Territory have signed up for the scheme. The Chief Minister had in a recent letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urged him to establish an inter-State Green Energy Corridor (GEC) to enableit to send surplus wind power to the tune of 1000 mw to other states and this was also expected to come up for discussions at the meeting. Later, Mr Piyush Goyal inaugurated the Thermal Cold Storage at Research Park and laid the foundation stone for Center of Battery Engineering and Electrical Vehicles (C-BEEV) at IIT Madras campus. UNI GV CS 1415 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-837228.Xml
Visa application centre of Czech Republic was inaugurated here today. With the opening of the visa application centre in the city,people from this teeming metropolis wishing to go to that country, need not go all the way to Mumbai, Bangalore or Delhi to apply for Schengen visa, if their main country in their travel in Europe happens to be Czech Republic. They could now apply for visa for Czech Republic here itself, thanks to VFS Global that has setup the centre in Chennai. The visa application centre was inaugurated by Ambassador of Czech Republic to India Milan Hovorka. Chief Operating Officer of VFS Global (South Asia) Vinay Malhotra said that while the newly opened centre would cater to the growing number of visitors to the Czech Republic, Chennai was the fourth city where VFS Global has set up such a facility for the Embassy of Czech Republic after starting similar centres at Bangalore last month and commencing visa services in Mumbai and New Delhi in September last year. These centres will offer greater accessibility to visa applications for leisure, MICE and business travellers. VFS Global will be launching centres for Czech Republic in Hyderabad and Kolkata, he said. Milan Hovorka hoped the newly inaugurated visa application centrewould serve its purpose. ''Job of processing visa applications for people of Chennai has now become easy with the opening of this centre as the ordeal of travelling to New Delhi or Bangalore would be a thing of the past, he added. He said his country was eager to improve the bilateral trade relationswith India. For calendar year 2015, it was 1.2 billion USD.UNI GV CS 1535 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-837415.Xml
Dr Naushad Forbes, President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will lead a high profile delegation of Indian CEOs to Jakarta, Indonesia from July 18 -19. The two-day visit aims to enhance economic engagement between the two countries considering the huge potential which still remains untapped and new opportunities that have emerged. The visit is also a follow up on the discussions held during the visit of Mr Ignasius Jonan, Minister of Transportation of Indonesia to India in February 2016 for Make in India Week. Ambassador of India to Indonesia and Timor Leste Nengcha Lhouvum said the leaders of both countries have strategic visions and that the visit is timely to enhance the economic engagement. With a bilateral trade of 15.9 billion dollar in 2015-16, Indonesia has emerged as the largest trading partner of India in the ASEAN region. "There is considerable potential for expanding trade between the two countries in the areas of automotive components, automobiles, engineering products, IT, pharmaceuticals, bio-technology and healthcare sectors", stated Dr Forbes. The overall investment scenario in Indonesia is very encouraging. It is an attractive destination for Indian investment in the region. There are about 50 Indian investments, Joint Ventures in Indonesia with significant investments in infrastructure, power, textiles, steel, automotive, mining machinery, banking and consumer goods sectors. "This visit comes at a very opportune time. Both India and Indonesia are striving to make major socio-economic transformation through new economic initiatives. Indonesia as the largest economy in ASEAN can lend critical traction to India's Act East Policy", said Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII. The CII delegation includes Indian industry members keen to expand their local presence and others who are interested in establishing a local presence, including in some cases in manufacturing. During the two-day visit, the delegation will call on Indonesian Minister of Trade, Minister of Industry, Minister of Transportation, Cabinet Secretary, Deputy Chairman BKPM and have interactions with Chairmen and members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Indonesia and the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo). The visit will also include Business Meeting with the Jakarta Government and will have sectoral presentations on specific sectors like Waste Water Treatment and Management, Renewable Energy, IT etc. With Governor of Jakarta as the Chief Guest, the Business Meeting will provide a platform for Indian industry to understand specific areas for collaboration.UNI ADP RSA RJ 1554 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-837420.Xml
The conference would be held at AIMS University at Kedah State in Malaysia and it would be organised by the Malaysian Tamils Munnetra Kazhagam (MTMK).
Talking to reporters here today, MTMK Member and Organising Committee Chairperson Dathin Thamarai Selvi said the conference was aimed at integrating the tamils from across the world and create and platform for understanding and strive for the upliftment of Tamils' in all spheres.
The theme of the conference is 'Tamils--Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow', with focus on uniting tamils from all over the world.
More than 250 tamils from across the world and about 150 from Tamil Nadu would attend the two-day conference during which a Tamil person, who had offered distinguished service, would be elected as leader for each country, who in turn would elect as the leader of the MTMK for a period of one year.
The conference would be organised once in two years, she said.UNI GV AK1710
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Addressing a press conference here, he said the central government was committed to make available uninterruptedpower to all by 2022.
''The government is taking all steps to provide 24x7 power to all households in the country at affordable cost in the nextthree years'', he added.
On setting up of green energy corridor as sought by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to give 1000 MW of excesswind power to other states, he said the centre was working on a plan for evacuation of power from North to South.
''Once this was completed, the reverse evacuation would also happen'', the Minister added.
Mr Piyush Goyal said the price of power purchased by southern states, including Tamil Nadu, from North India was five times higher two years ago.
Thanks to the steps taken by the Centre, power was available virtually at the same cost across the country.
''Due to bottlenecks in transmission corridor, power deficient states had to pay as high as Rs 14 per unit two years ago. The situation has improved drastically now, making power available at uniform rates across the nation'', he added.MORE UNI GV AK1730
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Maintaining that Pakistan has no locus standi to interfere in India's internal Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday lashed out at Islamabad for declaring Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani a martyr. MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India completely and unequivocally rejects in the entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. "We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi," he added. Swarup said the continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistan's sympathies continue to lie. "The self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the international Boundary," he added. Asserting that the attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistan's illegal occupation won't succeed, Swarup said New Delhi hopes Islamabad will desist from further interfering in India's internal affairs and destabilizing the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts. "We also hope that Pakistan will respond constructively to India's initiatives for peace and normalizing the India Pakistan relationship," he added. On the call of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Federal Cabinet earlier today decided that the country will observe July 19 as 'Black Day' against the Indian "barbarism in the Kashmir Valley." The decision was made at a special Cabinet meeting preceded over by Prime Minister Sharif, who on Friday termed the movement of Kashmiris as a 'movement of freedom' in Lahore, reports the Radio Pakistan. Prime Minister Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for "right to self-determination." He added the "Indian brutalities" will give impetus to the freedom struggle, which even the seven hundred thousand Indian soldiers deployed in the Indian side of Kashmir could not suppress. He went on to call the 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani as "martyr" of the independence movement. Prime Minister Sharif said that Kashmiris will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them. He also directed all the relevant departments to highlight "Indian atrocities" by armed forces in the valley at international fora. The meeting also condemned the recent terrorist attacks in France, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia. (ANI)
Hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif convened a Cabinet meeting on killing of terrorist Burhan Wani in Kashmir, India today squarely rubbished its resolution, calling it an interference in New Delhi's internal affairs."India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a response to a query on the special meeting of the Cabinet of Pakistan held today on the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir."We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where, we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi," he said.On Pakistan declaring Wani a martyr, India said glorification of ultras belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistan's sympathies continue to lie. "The self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in J&K follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the International Boundary," Mr Swarup said. The attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of J&K in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistan's illegal occupation will not succeed, he said.India hoped that Pakistan will desist from further interfering in India's internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts. "We also hope that Pakistan will respond constructively to India's initiatives for peace and normalising the India Pakistan relationship," he said. Bilateral relations between the two countries have touched a new low ever since Pakistan brazenly attempted to internationalise the Kashmir issue in the aftermath of killing of Wani followed by a spate of clashes between protesters and security forces.UNI MK RSA RP1752 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-837770.Xml
Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel emerged from the Lajpore Jail in Surat after over nine long months this morning to a hero's welcome by hundreds of his supporters, some holding posters that said 'Gabbar is Back'. Hardik was released after the Gujarat High Court granted him conditional bail in two sedition and one arson-related cases during the agitation demanding reservations for the Patel community. His bail was approved on the condition that he stays out of Gujarat for six months and for three months after that in another case from Mehsana district. Dinesh Bamaniya, PAAS leader and a close aide of Hardik, told reporters that he had decided to spend the next six months in Udaipur in Rajasthan since it is closer to Gujarat and would be helpful logistically. Elaborate arrangements were made by his supporters to make the most of the two days that he has been allowed to stay in Gujarat after his release. Hardik is expected to cover 2,150 km in next 48 hours, address 12 public meetings, seven roadshows and two maha-rallies, PAAS spokesperson from Saurashtra region Brijesh Patel said. "He would roughly address 1.5 million in these two days in Surat, Rajkot, Botad and Viramgam -- his home town." UNI ND AE RJ VN1848 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-837964.Xml
South American Country Republic of Suriname today announced the opening of Honorary Consulate office in the city. Talking to newsmen on the occasion, Honorary Consul of Republic Asiflaqbal said the Consulate would work towards strengthening the educational, scientific, cultural and economic ties between the two countries. He said Suriname is a good entry point for many products that need to test South American market. One of the most advantageous factors that Suriname is surrounded by European market in French Guiana which is only 2 hours by road and products entering French Guiana enter Europe without extra cost. He said Suriname, formerly Dutch Guiana, is strategically located on the Caribbean Coast of South America, between Guyana and French Guyana. Landmass is 163,820 km, of which approximately 95 per cent isAmazon rain forest. Population is about 5.5 lakhs of which 30 per cent from Indian decent, Mr Asiflqbal said. He said more than 95 per cent of the landmass is covered by rain forests (4.5 million hectares) this make it favourable for investment opportunities in sustainable logging. He said Dutch is the national language of the country. Boxit, Gold, Raise, Banana, timber, petroleum and food processing are exporting from Suriname and we are trying to get link with India to get them. More UNI VV AE RJ 1921 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-838055.Xml
The Railway Ministry and the Haryana Government signed a joint venture agreement to expand rail network in the state here today.The agreement was signed in presence of Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu after completion of the workshop organised by the Railways on JV Companies with the states concerned. The Railway Ministry has taken initiative for formation of JV Companies with States. As many as 17 States have consented for formation of such companies and eight have signed MoUs with the Ministry in this regard.A workshop was also held today, in connection with the formation of JV companies with state governments. As many as 70 officers from state governments, Zonal Railways and Railway Board participated in the workshop.Representatives from states such as Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand participated in the workshop.UNI RBE RSA RJ VN1853 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0427-837946.Xml
Earlier today, in another incident, as many as four policemen were injured after terrorists attacked another police station in Kulgam.
The two separate terrorist attacks on the police stations come at a time when the valley is witnessing protests following Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani's killing earlier on July 8.
At least 37 people have died in the protests following Wani's killing last week.
Meanwhile, the separatists groups today decided to extend their strike call in the valley for three more days.
India has slammed Pakistan for glorifying terrorists and also for declaring Wani a martyr.
MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup earlier today said India completely and unequivocally rejects in the entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
On the call of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Federal Cabinet earlier today decided that the country will observe July 19 as 'Black Day' against the Indian "barbarism in the Kashmir Valley."
Prime Minister Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for "right to self-determination."
He added the "Indian brutalities" will give impetus to the freedom struggle, which even the seven hundred thousand Indian soldiers deployed in the Indian side of Kashmir could not suppress.
He went on to call the 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani as "martyr" of the independence movement. (ANI)
The Prime Minister also congratulated Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Indian Air Force, Indian Railways and Air India for their role in 'Operation Sankat Mochan'.
Mr Modi conversed with his ministers after the first batch of 156 stranded Indians of 550 staying there returned to India from South Sudan, an official statement here said.UNI SD SW 2008
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A local Court here issued non-bailable warrants against Uttar Pradesh Science and Technology minister Narad Rai, former Revenue Minister and MLC Ambika Chaudhary and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nagendra Pandey. According to prosecution a programme 'Kaun Banega agla Mukhyamantri' was organised in S C College by a news channel. During the programme supporters of Samajwadi Party leader Narad Rai and Congress leader Nagendra Pandey (now in BJP) had a fight. After this both leaders were charged with violation of Election code of Conduct and other sections.As both leaders were not presenting in front of the court despite of the warrants against them so the court of Justice Amit Malviya here issued non-bailable warrants against them and instructed them to present before August 22.Former revenue minister Ambika Chaudhary had been charged for inciting the general public against government officials during protest in collectorate on September 21, 2017. Mr. Chaudhary was also not presenting in front of the court after the warrents were issued against him. So court has issued a non-bailable warrant agaist him too.UNI XC-JDM MB CJ RJ VN1934 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-838037.Xml
A team of about 25 senior executives from different countries like Russia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Mauritius, Kenya, Ghana, Afghanistan, Burundi, Bhutan, Tanzania called on Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) Managing Director NVS Reddy here today to understand the role of an inspiring leader in building organizations and executing mega infrastructure projects in developing countries. As a part of senior management training programme organised by the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Mr Reddy briefed them on "Enhancing Leadership Potential for Organisational Success". Dwelling upon the character and attributes of extraordinary leaders who made a difference to the world, Mr Reddy explained them the need for vision, strategy, tact, patience and perseverance in handling challenges and how to motivate and inspire the team members to execute tough projects. He said that identifying employees' potential and empowering them with proper strategies is a key component for achieving success. Explaining the challenges of Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, Mr.Reddy gave a power point presentation on how to successfully overcome various hurdles. He highlighted the innumerable challenges faced by Hyderabad Metro in handling religious/ sensitive structures, acquisition of properties to create right of way, handling agitations and vested interests, shifting of utilities like water, sewer and electrical lines without disruption of day-to-day life in the city. He informed them as to how HMRL won 190 out of the 200 and odd legal suits filed against it in the High Court. Explaining the plantation drive, tree translocation taken up by HMRL, he showed them how a project that was once "written off" by it's critics is now winning prestigious international awards. Mr Reddy further explained to the delegation that Hyderabad Metro Rail project is being executed not as a simple mass transportation system, but as an urban redesign project to catapult Hyderabad into one of the most desired global cities to reside, work and/or visit. He highlighted key features of the project like integration with other modes of transport, running of feeder bus services to provide seamless travel, creation of pedestrian facilities like sidewalks & street furniture and introduction of bicycle stations to reduce fossil fuel and transform Hyderabad into an eco-friendly city with high quality of air. The delegation thanked Mr. Reddy and appreciated the engineering innovation, pre-casting methods, financial model and socio-economic objectives of the Hyderabad Metro project. The delegation later went on a field visit to Nagole Metro station, Uppal precast yard and other Metro work sites.UNI VV CS 2024 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-838340.Xml
Bangladesh Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam today expressed hope the conflict on signing of water-sharing treaty on river Teesta would be resolved soon."We have been repeatedly assured that it will be resolved soon. We are hoping for a big day where both the governments would be able to ink an agreement on this," Mr Alam told reporters here in Meghalaya. Stating Bangladesh is aware of the internal challenges in India to sign the Teesta, the Bangladesh minister said, "We (Bangladesh) also have our own internal challenges, but in good and matured relationship, we must respect each other's challenges."However, he said water that flows from these two rivers - Teesta and Feni must also benefit for the people to make livelihood out of these rivers, help in transportation of goods, boost people to people contact, and multiple advantages for India and Bangladesh.UNI RRK AKC SW 2116 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-838380.Xml
Deploring the gruesome terror attack in Nice which killed over 84 people, Henri Prevost-Allard, deputy mayor of the nearby town of Saint Tropez, said the attack is intended to instil fear in people and deter their fight against terrorism. Allard is in India to receive a bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab, which will be taken to France and installed in Saint Tropez, over a 100 km away from Nice, a popular tourist destination. Speaking to IANS here, Allard said that the terrorists are targeting the country because it has declared war against terrorism in Syria and Iraq . "We are in war against terrorism. We are in Syria and we are in Iraq fighting the terrorists. That's why the terrorists are targeting us. It is a war against French people, said Allard, a great-great-grandson of General Jean-Franois Allard who served as Military adviser to Maharaja Ranjit Singh from 1822 to 1839. He also noted that the attack will damage the image of Nice as a tourist destination. "Nice is a tourist destination. The attack might affect the tourism potential of the city. They chose a strategic day and location and it is a well-planned attack," he said. A terrorist sped a rented truck through a crowd of thousands enjoying Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, crushing 84 people and injuring some 150, a third of who were battling for life. Refuting theories that the French government failed to coin inclusive policies for religious minorities, Allard attributed "disgruntled youth" as being behind the outrage. "It happens when disgruntled youth take up arms. These are dropouts, who are not doing well in life. They take to terrorism as a way out," he said. Echoing Allard's sentiments, Claude Maniscalco, director, tourism, Saint Tropez said that though France was under emergency after the Paris attack in November, attacks were difficult to anticipate. "They attacked the heart of France. This was so unexpected. But life will go on, said Maniscalco. He said that his niece, who was at the beach, where the attack happened is still in a state of shock. "I was worried in the morning as I could not get through my friends and family in in Nice. Later, I spoke to my niece who was at the beach and she is in a state of shock still," he said. The bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh will be installed at Saint Tropez along with the statue of General Allard and Banu Pan Devi of Chamba between September 16-18th this year as part of Saint-Tropez' Maharaja Ranjit Singh Tribute 2016. --IANS pn/vd ( 443 Words) 2016-07-15-22:40:01 (IANS)
One civilian was killed and several others, including police officers, were injured when police fired rubber bullets on a mob on NH 37 at Raha in Nagaon district of Assam today. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has announced ex-gratia to the next to kin of deceased and injured. He has ordered additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Bora to inquire into the matter and submit a report at the earliest. Police spokesperson Rajib Saikia informed here that around 3000 people had blocked NH 37 at Raha today, demanding setting of AIIMS there. As the crowd refused to clear the road even after end of their stipulated time for the protest,police first resorted to lobbing tear gas shell. When the mob threw stones at the police, the latter had to fire rubber bullets which resulted in death of a local youth. Mr Sonowal has announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to family of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. He has also instructed ministers Chandra Mohan Patowary and Rajib Lochan Das and MLAs Pijush Hazarika and Siladitya Dev to visit the area. Police said the situation was under control now. People of Raha had been protesting award of AIIMS to Changsari instead of Raha. UNI SG SW 2319 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0432-838611.Xml
NASA will host a Facebook Live event at 10:30 p.m. India time on Friday to discuss the science and technology aboard NASA's next Mars rover -- Mars 2020. The scientists will talk about the significant step the agency is taking on Mars 2020's journey to Mars, proceeding with final design and construction of the robotic explorer, NASA wrote in a blog. During the event, viewers will get a glimpse of the Mars Yard and rock drilling facility at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, and can ask questions during the programme via Facebook. Mars 2020 will look for signs of past life in a region of Mars where the ancient environment is believed to have been favourable for microbial life. In addition to collecting samples of Martian rock and soil that a potential future mission could return to the Earth for analysis, the rover will also assess Mars geology and modern environment, providing context for other investigations. These studies will address high priority goals for planetary science and further aid NASAs preparations for a human mission to the Red Planet, NASA said. Kenneth Farley, Mars 2020 project scientist at Caltech in Pasadena, Matt Robinson, Mars 2020 sampling and caching team deputy manager at JPL, and Allen Chen, Mars 2020 entry, descent and landing lead at JPL, will be interacting with the people live on Facebook. Meanwhile, the Curiosity Mars rover which was brought out of the "safe mode" on July 9 after it put itself into a precautionary safe standby mode on July 2, has resumed full operations. After investigating why the rover put itself into a safe mode, NASA's engineers said that the most likely cause was a software mismatch in one mode of how image data are transferred on board. Curiosity has entered safe mode three times previously, all during 2013. The rover landed in Mars' Gale Crater and has been exploring the area since August 2012. During its first year on Mars, the mission achieved its goal by determining that, more than three billion years ago, the region offered fresh-water lakes and rivers with environmental conditions well-suited to supporting microbial life, if life has ever existed on Mars. Recently, the US space agency said it was planning to drive the Curiosity Rover towards water sites on the Martian surface to further investigate the long, seasonally changing dark streaks briny water in the hope of finding evidence of life. --IANS sku/na/vt ( 416 Words) 2016-07-15-12:46:03 (IANS)
Dutch forces are preparing to withdraw seven "essential" helicopters from the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, with no clarity yet on how they will be replaced, the United Nations said."The Netherlands has indicated its intention to withdraw its attack and military utility helicopter units," UN peacekeeping spokesman Nick Birnback said yesterday."The four attack helicopters are essential for the mission, to deter and to respond to attacks," he said, adding that three utility helicopters were also being taken off the mission.He said the UN was consulting with other countries to determine what options may be available.The withdrawal, which officials said was owing to their equipment being overstretched, comes as insecurity is worsening in northern Mali. Islamist groups are increasingly staging attacks against the more than 11,000 peacekeepers there, as well as civilians and Malian government officials. The United Nations plans to increase the mission by 2,500 peacekeepers.Two Dutch peacekeepers were killed by an accidental mortar explosion during a training exercise last week, the latest casualties in the world's deadliest place for peacekeepers to serve.There are around 400 Dutch troops serving in Mali.French forces intervened in 2013 to drive back Islamist fighters who had hijacked a Tuareg uprising to seize Mali's desert north in 2012, but Islamist attacks continue, including one that killed two peacekeepers at the end of last month.Besides Islamist attacks, social unrest linked to dissatisfaction with a peace deal signed a year ago is also undermining peacekeeping efforts. Protests turned violent this week when the military opened fire on a crowd.Mali's President Ibrahim Keita "expressed deep regret" in a special televised address on Thursday for the killing of three youths by soldiers at that protest, and for other violence dogging Mali."The incidents are regrettable and could have been avoided," he said. "I call on all the members of our society to remain calm and cultivate dialogue as .... as way out of this crisis."REUTERS RSD 0432 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-836701.Xml
Police in Cleveland say they aim to avoid mass arrests at the protests planned for next week's Republican National Convention, but preparations by the city's courts to process up to 1,000 people a day have some civil rights activists worried.Thousands of people from across the country are expected in the city to protest the expected presidential nomination of New York businessman Donald Trump, who has vowed to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and restrict immigration from countries with large Muslim populations if elected.Supporters and opponents of Trump have clashed at several of his campaign events.Police have vowed to honor protesters' rights of free expression, which are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution, and avoid mass arrests."We don't want anybody to trample on anybody else's rights," Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams told a news conference on Tuesday.But memories of recent heavier-handed approaches are fresh in the heavily Democratic, majority black Ohio city of 388,000 people."I don't want to be a naysayer here and rule out the possibility that everything is going to be hunky-dory ... but knowing how the Cleveland Police Department has handled situations in the past, I just don't have confidence that it's going to work," said Terry Gilbert, an attorney who has handled criminal and civil rights cases in the city for more than four decades."Until I see the actual situation next week, I'm going to be worried," Gilbert said.Gilbert pointed to the May 2015 arrests of 71 people following the acquittal of a police officer who fired 137 shots following a high-speed 2012 car chase, killing a black man and woman.The arrested protesters were held for more than 36 hours over the Memorial Day weekend, and four alleged in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union that police intentionally kept them in custody longer to prevent the protest from reforming.'WE ARE READY'Cleveland paid 250,000 dollars to secure 200 extra rooms in the Cuyahoga County jail, according to the Republican National Committee budget.Cleveland Municipal Court officials said they would be ready to process a large volume of people quickly, with staff scheduled to work in two 10-hour shifts keeping the court operating from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day."We are ready," said Ed Ferenc, a spokesman for the court. "We'll have staff here till 1 a.m. If we have to do a docket at 10:30 at night, we'll do it."The United States has seen hundreds of protests over the past two years following a series of high-profile police killings of black men. The vast majority of the protests have been peaceful, although they have been punctuated with bursts of rioting, arson and looting.The ACLU plans to be out in force to ensure that people are not arrested for legal protests, said Christine Link, the group's executive director in Ohio."Let's not equate a lot of protesters with violence," Link said. She noted the group would be keeping careful watch on the whereabouts of anyone arrested to ensure they are charged and released quickly.At the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York, hundreds of protesters were swept up and pushed into pens on the Hudson River.With temperatures expected to reach 32 C most days, the health of detainees will be a concern, she said."What we're worried about is that they're not saying where they are booking people, they are being vague about it and that's not good," Link said. "That's an attempt to hide the cheese." REUTERS RSD 0626 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-836729.Xml
US Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian President Vladimir Putin about boosting military and intelligence cooperation against Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria and told him that without "concrete, near-term steps," diplomatic efforts to end the war could not go on indefinitely.Kerry met Putin for three hours at the Kremlin and their talks lasted until 1 a.m. local time today.The State Department said Kerry expressed concern about repeated violations of a cessation of hostilities by the Moscow-backed Syrian government. It said the two also discussed the need to need to increase pressure on groups like Islamic State and the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria.Kerry "emphasized that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely," a statement said, adding that discussions between Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday were expected to explore initiatives in more detail.Yesterday, the Washington Post published a leaked document it said Kerry would put forward in Moscow calling for intelligence sharing to identify leadership targets, training camps, supply lines and headquarters of the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria.It said strikes against those targets could be carried out by US or Russian jets and expanded coordination would be channelled through a Joint Implementation Group based in the vicinity of the Jordanian capital, Amman.The extent of cooperation proposed in the document would represent a major US shift after years of rivalry between Washington and Moscow, which support opposing sides in Syria's five-year civil war, but the idea has raised doubts among US defence and intelligence officials.Kerry declined to comment when asked about the document before leaving for Moscow.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would refrain from comment until Russian officials heard from Kerry, but that Russia in general favoured cooperation with the United States over Syria.Putin said at the start of his meeting with Kerry that his last conversation with US President Barack Obama had convinced him that both sides were sincere in their efforts to find a solution in Syria."I hope after today's consultations you'll be able to advise him of the progress made and possible headway for us to make," he told Kerry.A TEST OF RUSSIAUS officials described the visit as a test of Moscow's willingness to use its influence on the Syrian government to help revive the country's peace process.Under the leaked plan, the United States and Russia would establish separate headquarters and a shared coordination office, where they would deploy senior officials, intelligence personnel and experts in strike planning and targeting.They would decide on a date to simultaneously begin strikes against Nusra Front targets and to stop all Syrian military air activities in designated areas, except for non-combat purposes and against areas where Nusra Front has acquired territory.The proposal also allows for Russia to use air power to defend Syrian forces from attack from Nusra Front within a designated area, if agreed in advance with the United States.A senior US official said before the talks that expectations were "very low", but added: "Either we find a way to do something about it or not."And if we don't, the entire things breaks down. That would be an end of the cessation of hostilities and that would not be a good thing for Russia, or the United States, or the world, or, most importantly, for the Syrian people."US officials said there were two major problems leading to the breakdown of Syria's cessation of hostilities - the failure of the Syrian government to respect it and Nusra Front activity."We are here to test in what is pretty much close to the end stage of whether this is going to work, to take a shot with the Russians at whether we can solve those two major problems with the cessation of hostilities and get this back on track," a second senior official said.Kerry faces some strong opposition to his efforts to woo Russia from US defence and intelligence officials who say Washington and Moscow have diametrically opposed objectives in Syria.Kerry's trip, his second to Moscow this year, comes amid a worsening of US-Russian ties due to tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions, US allegations of aggressive Russian manoeuvres toward US aircraft and vessels and what Washington has said is a disregard for a cessation of hostilities in Syria, where Russia has bombed US-backed rebels.Relations also remain strained over Ukraine and what the Kremlin considers NATO's unjustified activity along its borders.That has raised fears that disagreements could escalate into confrontations, either accidental in Syria or the result of miscalculations in the air and naval encounters elsewhere.REUTERS RSD 0628 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-836730.Xml
China has won the support of Laos in rejecting the outcome of a court ruling against China's claims in the South China Sea, state news agency Xinhua said today.The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on Tuesday that China had no historic claim to the waters and it had violated the Philippines' economic and sovereign rights.China rejected the ruling, having declined to participate in the case saying the court had no jurisdiction.The subject was discussed yesterday during a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith ahead a regional summit in Mongolia capital Ulaanbaatar."Li Keqiang expounded on China's principle and stance on the Philippines' South China Sea arbitration case," Xinhua said."Thongloun said that Laos supports China's position, and is willing to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region."The report did not elaborate.Laos' foreign ministry has not responded to Reuters' request for comment on the ruling. Laos state media made no mention of the comments.China and its land-locked neighbour Laos have increasingly close political and economic links.Laos is the current chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and will be hosting a key security meeting in capital city Vientiane later this month at which the South China Sea is expected to dominate discussions.China says it has widespread support for its rejection of the case but many countries have stuck to cautious comments calling for the peaceful resolution of disputes in the region and the need to follow international laws.Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop angered Beijing with comments insisting the panel's ruling must be recognized and that it would continue to exercise its right to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne today defended Bishop's remarks and insisted she was expressing the majority opinion amongst observers that the court's ruling was legally binding."We call on the parties who are involved in that particular negotiation to abide by it," Payne said in an interview with ABC Radio on Friday morning. "We regard it as final." REUTERS RSD 0712 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0435-836739.Xml
The South Asian countries, mainly SAARC nations, are holding a two day Track 2 Diplomacy meeting in Kathmandu which kicks off on Friday.
During the meet, security and economic issues of the South Asian region will be discussed by the participating members.
According to the sources participating in the diplomacy meet, SAARC nations would discuss on ways to not allow Pakistan become a hurdle for South Asian trade, specifically for India as Islamabad has already created a huge roadblock and prevented the establishment of direct connectivity between New Delhi and Afghanistan.
Despite having potential, the trade in the South Asian region is affected due to security issues like terrorism.
Track 2 will also put effort to bring along Pakistan for the development process, if it is willing to do so. Else, they will figure out ways to make sure that Islamabad does not become a roadblock for others.
India will also take part in the Track 2 meet, which is being coordinated by the European Organisation FES.
The meet is important for India to boost its trade lines with other South Asian countries considering the constant road blocks created by Pakistan.
India holds 90 percent of the total economy of South Asia and has the potential to lead the region in terms of economy.
Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relation will put forward some points tomorrow in Kathmandu, to explore solutions of economic and security issues.
SAARC nations will also discuss security and economic challenges and propose solutions for the same. (ANI)
Vice-President M Hamid Ansari today urged ASEM member countries to pledge to work together to erase the scourge of terrorism by taking speedy action against the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terror. Calling for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the aegis of the UN was an imperative today, Dr Ansari said, ''Our societies today faced unprecedented levels of threat from terrorism in all its manifestations with the most recent example being what had happened most unfortunately in Nice in France.'' Addressing the plenary of the 11th ASEM Summit being held in Ulaanbaater, Mongolia, he said ''we need to cooperate meaningfully to deal with this threat''. Dr Ansari, who is leading the Indian delegation, said ASEM today was a dynamic bridge between Asia and Europe and the shared endeavour has been to promote multi-dimensional connectivity between the continents. He was of the opinion that ASEM should collaborate to protect global commons such as the seas and oceans in accordance with international conventions, and wanted ASEM members to resolve disputes peacefully, without threats or use of force, and exercise self restraint in the conduct of activities that could escalate disputes effecting peace and stability. MORE UNI XC-SD RSA RJ 1435 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-837241.Xml
The Prime Minister's remark came while chairing a meeting of the Federal Cabinet at which it was decided to observe July 19 as '' black day'' to protest the killings in Kashmir.
The Cabinet also decided to convene a joint session of Parliament to discuss the situation in Kashmir, according to Radio Pakistan.
Mr Sharif said Kashmiris were fighting for their freedom and the attitude adopted by India would further strengthen their resolve.
The Prime Minister also said Pakistan would make all effort to awaken the international community to the situation in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has welcomed the UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon's offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, even as the US asked it to resolve all its dispute with India through dialogue and target all militant groups, including those that target Pakistan's neighbours, and close all safe havens.
India had yesterday given a stern message to Pakistan asking its hands off Kashmir, describing the happenings there as its internal matter.UNI XC NAZ RJ 1734
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Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has accused Pakistan of exporting terror to India with the sinister design of vitiating the favourable climate which Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government has successfully created for global investors as New Delhi is today seen as one the emerging economies in the world. Gadkari warned Islamabad that its policy of putting road blocks in the economic growth of India through cross-border terrorism will never succeed. Instead, both India and Pakistan should fight the common enemy- poverty, backwardness and unemployment- through collective efforts and cooperation in socio-economic fields. Speaking at a reception organized by the Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Jersey, Gadkari said terrorism is the biggest threat to humanity and must be defeated through joint efforts by all the peace loving nations in the world. During his interactions with captains of trade and industry at various forums in Washington and New York also, Gadkari was repeatedly asked about the tension in Indo-Pak relations and its impact on the economic development in India. The Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister maintained that India wanted to improve relations with Pakistan. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last two years has taken several initiatives to promote peace and tranquility in the region. But Pakistan's intransigence in harbouring dreaded terrorists and terrorists' outfits has always derailed the peace process," he told the CEOs of leading US firms in different sectors. Widening the scope of Indo-US cooperation in Maritime Sector and seeking U.S. innovative technologies in highway construction, road engineering, road safety, including training modules for reducing fatalities on roads and highways through intelligent traffic system etc. has been the focus of Gadkari's meetings at different levels, including his interaction with the U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in Washington. Gadkari succeeded in dispelling apprehensions in the minds of potential investors with regard to red-tape and cumbersome administrative procedures and complicated rules and regulations. He explained at various forums the new policy initiatives of the Modi Government encouraging ease of doing business in India which have helped in removing bottle necks to a great extent. Gadkari has invited U.S. investments in ship building, ship repairing, modernization of Indian ports, especially the flagship programme of Sagarmala and other port-led development related programmes of the Indian government. (ANI)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today that his country should stop interfering and hyping up the South China Sea issue, as the dispute took centre stage at a key regional summit in Mongolia.China has refused to recognise yesterday's ruling by an arbitration court in The Hague invalidating China's vast claims in the South China Sea and did not take part in the proceedings.It has reacted angrily to calls by Western countries and Japan for the decision to be adhered to.Meeting in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, Li told Abe that China's stance on the South China Sea was completely in line with international law, state news agency Xinhua reported."Japan is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and thus should exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering", Li said, according to Xinhua. Japan's Kyodo news agency said Abe told Li that a rules-based international order must be respected. The agency also said Abe and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had agreed the ruling must be observed. Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said Abe "reiterated the fundamental positions regarding the South China Sea" in his meeting with Li."The situation of the South China Sea is the concern of the international community. The tribunal award of 12 July is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute," Kawamura told reporters. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than 5 trillion dollar of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims. Speaking at the meeting of Asian and European officials in Mongolia, Philippine Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay said Manila "strongly affirms its respect for the milestone decision" while reiterating his call for "restraint and sobriety".China's Foreign Ministry today said Beijing's position on the case had the support of Laos, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN, a regional bloc long dogged by discord over how to deal with China's maritime assertiveness.The verdict was discussed yesterday between Li and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith ahead a regional summit in Mongolia. "Thongloun said that Laos supports China's position, and is willing to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region," the ministry said in a statement.The statement did not elaborate. Laos' foreign ministry did not responded to Reuters' request for comment and its state media made no mention of Thongloun's comments to Li.Land-locked Laos, which is boosting economic ties with China, will be hosting a security meeting later this month at which the South China Sea is expected to dominate. ASEAN has not issued a statement about the ruling and its members have not said why.China's Foreign Ministry later said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had told Li that Cambodia would uphold a "fair and objective stance" on the South China Sea issue and work to maintain friendly China-ASEAN relations, according to a statement.Asked about Cambodia's position, Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn told Reuters: "We are not involved in this arbitration case and just wish to stand by our policy of neutrality." "CROWNING GLORY"The court decision invalidating China's claims was a "crowning glory" that renews faith in international law, the Philippines' top lawyer said today, in Manila's strongest comment yet on its sweeping win.The remarks by Solicitor General Jose Calida follow two days of carefully calibrated responses from the Philippines and are almost certain to irritate China further.Manila has so far been keen not to rock the boat in the hope of starting dialogue towards Beijing allowing it to exercise what the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled were its sovereign maritime rights. "It confirms that no one state can claim virtually an entire sea. The award is a historic win not only for the Philippines ... it renews humanity's faith in a rules based global order," Calida told a forum."The award opens a horizon of possibilities for all stakeholders. The award is a crowning glory of international law." China has previously said it has widespread support for its rejection of the case but many countries have stuck to cautious comments about resolving disputes peacefully and respecting international laws.Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ended his unusual silence at a private function late yesterday and said he wanted dialogue with China and was considering sending former President Fidel Ramos to Beijing to get the ball rolling."War is not an option," he said. "So, what is the other side - Peaceful talk."Immediately after the ruling, the normally brash and outspoken Duterte privately told his ministers to be magnanimous and not to pique Beijing, according to one minister.But the cautious tone appears to be changing in the Philippines, where there are signs of public disgruntlement with the subdued government response to a decision that most of the country was celebrating. The United States, a key Philippines' ally, is urging Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalize on the court ruling, according to US administration officials.The chief of its naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, will discuss the South China Sea among other issues when he meets China's navy commander, Admiral Wu Shengli, from Sunday on a three-day trip to "improve mutual understanding", according to a US Navy statement.Chinese state media today reported again that China aims to launch a series of offshore nuclear power platforms to promote development in the South China Sea. Experts said little progress had been made on the plan, which would likely stoke further tensions.REUTERS VS BD2026 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0141-838375.Xml
Google map showing the location of Hitler's birth place in Braunau am Inn, Austria.
VIENNA, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Austrian leaders are mulling over what to do with the home in which Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler was born, after passing legislation in cabinet Tuesday to expropriate it from its current owner.
Austria Press Agency reported that Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Sobotka is continuing to push for the house, located in Braunau am Inn in the state of Upper Austria, to be demolished, with considerable support from other parties including the country's Jewish community.
Both Chancellor Christian Kern and Vice-Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner have however indicated they are not in favor of this, pointing out practical problems with its status as a historical site.
Mitterlehner said in his view a project with "educational value," such as a museum, could be established in the building instead.
Sobotka however argues that the building's worthiness as a historical site does not exist, other than that it may have been regarded as having had this during the Nazi era.
The head of the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance (DoeW) Gerhard Baumgartner meanwhile said in an interview with the radio program Morgenjournal on station Oe1 that the site should be "de-politicized," and something such as a supermarket be constructed there instead.
He argued that the loss of the building were it demolished would be minimal, and that this would also prevent it from being a pilgrimage site for Neo-Nazis.
While nothing has yet been decided, Sobotka said a commission set up for the very purpose of determining what to do with the building has been convening for some time. As soon as the expropriation from the current owner has been finalized, proposals must be put on the table, he said.
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks during an interview with NBC News in this handout picture provided by SANA on July 14, 2016. (Reuters photo)
DAMASCUS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the U.S. administration wants to lead terror groups to bring down the Syrian state.
In an interview with the American NBC TV, whose content was published by state news agency SANA on Thursday, Assad said the Syrian state is serious in fighting the Islamic State (IS) group and other terror groups that are linked with al-Qaida in Syria.
He said while Syria wanted the elimination of all the terrorist groups, the U.S. administration wanted to run those groups in a bid to see the downfall of the Syrian government.
Assad questioned the real intentions of the United States, saying if Washington was serious about fighting the terror groups, Damascus would have found mutual interest with the United States.
"Unless they really want to fight those terrorists and defeat them, we cannot talk about a mutual interest," he said.
"They didn't do that," Assad said. "IS has been operating in Iraq since 2006, and they didn't try to defeat them."
"Why does the U.S. fight IS now? It's not fighting them," he said. "The IS has expanded also in Syria under the sight of aircraft of the U.S.-led coalition, which could have seen the IS convoys using Syrian oilfields and transporting the oil into Turkey, but they didn't try to attack even one convoy."
He said the Russian military intervention against IS has dropped the mask hiding the intentions of the United States.
Assad said U.S. officials say something and do something different. "They don't have good intensions toward Syria."
Meanwhile, he stressed that only the Syrian people are to determine who the president of their country is, who will the president be, and when he should leave office.
Asked about the death of veteran U.S. journalist Marie Catherine Colvin, who was killed during shelling on rebel-held areas in the central city of Homs in 2012, Assad said the Syrian troops had no idea Colvin was there at the time.
He said Colvin was responsible for her death because she entered the country illegally.
LONDON, JULY 13, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May(L) delivers a speech after arriving at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain on July 13, 2016. Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May arrived at Downing Street on Wednesday after gaining consent from Queen Elizabeth II. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
by Larry Neild
LONDON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The junior minister who pulled out of the government leadership race to pave the way for Theresa May to become British prime minister was Thursday rewarded with a big front-bench job.
Andrea Leadsom, former minister of state at the department of energy and climate change, was named as secretary of state for environment,food and rural affairs, giving her a major job in May's Downing Street cabinet.
Leadsom pulled out of the race over the leadership of the governing Conservative Party on Monday, leaving May as the only contender, effectively throwing the keys of Number 10 to her rival.
May spent her first full day as prime minister by appointing more politicians to her front bench, at the same time firing a number of well-known politicians, including Justice Secretary Michael Gove.
Johnson has been made foreign secretary, replacing Philip Hammond who was made Chancellor of the Exchequer replacing George Osborne.
It emerged Thursday that May had effectively fired Osborne by saying that she did not want him in her front bench cabinet team.
May continued to wield the political axe, giving a number of Cameron's ministers and secretaries their marching orders, in some cases to make space in the cabinet for more female ministers. Other ministers decided to leave the government.
Gove was replaced as Justice Secretary by Liz Truss while Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was also fired and replaced by the former international development secretary Justine Greening.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has also left the government, but Cameron's Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, caught up in a major wrangle with junior doctors over new working conditions in the NHS, has kept his job.
Chris Grayling, who ran May's leadership campaign, has also won a cabinet role as Secretary of State for Transport.
Earlier Thursday, the newly-appointed Chancellor Philip Hammond ruled out an emergency budget, which his predecessor Osborne had said would almost certainly be needed in the event of a vote to leave the EU. Hammond said there would be a normal autumn statement in the fall, and a regular budget next spring.
Hammond said in a media interview that the British economy was entering a new phase because of the vote to leave the EU, admitting the referendum decision of June 23 had had a chilling short-term effect on the economy.
"It has shaken confidence and caused many businesses to pause investment decisions that they were making," said Hammond, adding the government now needed to send signals of reassurance about the future as quickly and as powerful as it can.
The phone lines at Downing Street have continued to ring all day with messages of congratulation for May, who has become the second female prime minister in British history. Among the phone calls received by May were ones from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
May also had a 15 minutes telephone conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama. May's spokeswoman said the prime minister "underlined her commitment to be a key partner with the United States."
Meanwhile away from intense media spotlight, the troubles continue for the main opposition Labour Party over its leadership battle.
Leader Jeremy Corbyn faces a leadership challenge from two of his MPs, Angela Eagle and Owen Smith. Most of Corbyn's shadow cabinet quit after 172 MPs passed a vote of no confidence in the leader.
QUITO, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador said on Thursday that state-owned company Petroamazonas had confirmed new proven oil reserves of around 1.67 billion barrels in the province of Orellana, 82 percent more than its original estimation for the find.
The original estimation had placed the reserves at 920 million barrels but initial drilling showed the find was larger than thought, Vice President Jorge Glas told a press conference here.
"This means 19.5 billion U.S. dollars of additional revenue for Ecuadorians," said Glas, adding that U.S. company Ryder Scott had certified the additional reserves.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa celebrated on Twitter. "Very good news. Block 43 has at least 750 million additional reserve barrels, 82 percent more than the originally certified reserves."
"This means an incremental production increase of up to 300,000 barrels per day in 2022. We deliver these reserves to the country for future generations," he added.
At the press conference, Glas said that Ecuador had spent the last nine years creating conditions to attract foreign investment towards infrastructure and human capital.
Petroamazonas' director of operations, Alex Galarraga, said that the first drills began on March 28 before production tests on May 17.
Oil is Ecuador's major export and the country has suffered in recent years as dropping prices slashed deeply into planned government budgets.
Men unload aid parcels in the rebel held besieged town of Irbin, in the Damascus suburbs, Syria June 29, 2016. Picture taken June 29, 2016. (REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh)
UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Since the beginning of 2016, more than 978,000 Syrians in hard-to-reach areas have received UN assistance, including food for at least one month, a UN spokesman said on Thursday.
That number included more than 364,000 people in besieged locations, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here, citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
"However, much more access is required," he said.
OCHA reported on Thursday an inter-agency convoy was delivering food, health, nutrition, water and sanitation and other emergency supplies to the besieged Al-Waer neighborhood in Homs, a city in western Syria.
"This is the first of two convoys planned to the neighborhood, targeting 75,000 people in need," Dujarric said.
"The last inter-agency humanitarian delivery to this area was on 16 June. However, surgical items were removed during the loading."
"The United Nations continues to call on all parties, particularly the Syrian authorities, to allow for all necessary humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and surgical items, to be allowed onto convoys, as well as the deployment of medical teams or medical evacuations where necessary," he said.
Despite receiving government approvals to reach nearly all requested besieged and hard-to-reach areas requested by the UN as part of the July plan, access to many of these areas continues to be constrained by increased fighting and insecurity, differences in the estimate of the number of beneficiaries in these locations, and other administrative delays, he said.
"This is leading to unnecessary loss of life and compounds the suffering of civilians, particularly in the hot summer months," he added. Enditem
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- A top U.S. trade official said Thursday that he has held preliminary discussions with British government officials about how the two countries might pursue a trade deal after Britain leaves the European Union (EU).
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said at a breakfast event that he had discussed a possible bilateral trade agreement with Sajid Javid and Mark Price, Britain's outgoing business and trade secretaries, earlier this week.
But he hasn't yet spoken with Liam Fox, incoming secretary for international trade in the British new government headed by Theresa May, who took over as new Prime Minister on Wednesday.
Froman said the future trade relations between the United States and Britain will partly depend on Britain's new relationship with the EU, which will be negotiated by Britain's new government in coming months following the country's referendum vote to leave the 28-nation bloc last month.
"Will they have sovereignty over tariffs, will they have sovereignty over regulations ... Until you get more clarity around that, it's hard to determine precisely what kind of trade relationship they might be able to negotiate with others," he said.
Froman's remarks come one day after House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch introduced a resolution calling on the Obama administration to begin discussions with Britain about a possible bilateral trade agreement.
The resolution also called on the administration to consult with Congress to promote further commercial activity and cooperation between the United States and Britain.
Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics, said Britain should first negotiate a comprehensive trade agreement with the EU because roughly half of Britain exports go to the EU countries.
"Without such a deal, 72.8 percent of UK products exported to the EU would face a new import tariff that would increase from zero to an average of 7.3 percent," Bown wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. Enditem
NICE, July 14, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on July 14, 2016 shows the street view which is some 300 meters away from Promenade des Anglais in Nice,France. A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100, local media reported. (Xinhua/Hu Renai)
PARIS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 73 peoples were killed and many others injured as a truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, local TV channels reported early Friday, citing the prosecutor of Nice.
The anti-terrorism section of Paris public prosecutor's office opened an investigation into the assassination and assassination attempts, the reports said.
At this stage, "we can not describe these things as an attack, but many elements suggest that," BFMTV quoted the prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre as saying.
At 22:30 Thursday night local time, a truck drove at high speed into the crowd who gathered on the promenade to watch fireworks marking July 14, the French national day, wrote Christian Estrosi, president of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, on Twitter.
Estrosi described the incident as "the worst Nice drama of history."
Estrosi told BFMTV that the truck was loaded with weapons and grenades.
BFMTV said the truck "traveled for two kilometers ploughing people."
The driver in the incident, which was earlier reportedly described by the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes as an "attack", was neuralized and probe was launched to determine whether he acted alone, the interior ministry said.
French President Francois Hollande, who was in Avignon, was going back to Paris where he will directly go to the crisis unit at the Interior Ministry, according to Elysee.
Bernard Cazeneuve, Interior Minister, will arrive at Nice in the coming hours, said Pierre-Henry Brandet, the spokesperson of Interior Ministry, adding that there was no hostage in the incident.
CANBERRA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government Friday condemned the apparent terrorist attack in Nice, France, where at least 80 people have been killed and dozens more injured.
The attack, in which a truck crashed into crowds on a busy Nice street, occurred while thousands of revelers were out celebrating France's national Bastille Day, and Australian authorities have been quick to condemn the apparent terror activity.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop condemned the deadly attack, and said Australia would "once again" stand resolutely with France in the face of terror.
"The Australian Government condemns the Bastille Day attack in Nice which has left many people dead and injured. Once again we stand resolutely with the people of France. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims and their families," Bishop said in a statement on Friday.
"France is a valuable counter-terrorism partner for Australia. We cooperate closely in the fight against ISIL/Daesh and in addressing the problems of violent extremism and foreign fighters."
Although the Australian government will not raise its travel warning for France, Bishop urged Australians to "exercise a high degree of caution."
"We have re-issued our travel advice for France to reflect the attack, but the overall level of advice has not changed. We continue to advise Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in France," she said.
"Australians in Nice should remain attentive to their surroundings, avoid affected areas and follow the instructions of local authorities."
Meanwhile, opposition leader Bill Shorten posted to social media on Friday morning: "Awful scenes in Nice. Another tragedy inflicted on innocent people. Australia stands with our friends in France."
Many Australians were in Nice at the time of the attack, including an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) journalist.
The nation's Governor- General, Peter Cosgrove, is in Paris on official duties, and said it was likely many more Australians would have been among those watching the fireworks along the beachfront in Nice.
He added that Australia would stand behind France in this time of need.
"We are in shock tonight in Paris as we learn about the tragic events unfolding in Nice," Cosgrove said.
"On a day where Australians marched alongside their French counterparts this cruel attack has struck innocents celebrating their national day. Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with the government and people of France."
A spokesperson from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that many Australians would have been at the scene, and they were making "urgent enquiries" to determine whether or not any Australians were killed or injured in the attack.
"The Australian Embassy in Paris is making urgent enquiries to determine whether any Australians have been affected by the incident at the Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France," the DFAT spokesperson said.
The lastest attack comes just months after a series of coordinated terror attacks rocked France's capital, Paris, in which 130 innocent people were killed by seven bombers and gunmen.
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday extended condolences to the victims of an attack in the French city of Nice and their families and condemned "terrorism in all forms."
Li made the remarks while attending the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator on Friday.
The summit started with a minute of silence observed for those killed in the attack on Thursday night.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark Kristian Jensen, who is in Ulan Bator for the summit, said the attack "gave us more reasons to work together closely worldwide and in Europe to fight against terrorism and violence."
He said Demark is ready "to do whatever we can to stop terrorism. We hope we can try to form global partnership."
European Council President Donald Tusk told reporters outside the venue of the summit meeting that it is a tragedy and a sad day for France and Europe.
"We stand together with the French people and their government in fight against violence and hatred," Tusk said.
Latest media reports put the death toll of the attack in Nice at 80. French President Francois Hollande has said the nature of terrorism behind the attack "can not be denied."
by Xinhua Writer Zhang Yongxing
HOUSTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The ill-founded award issued by an arbitral tribunal on Tuesday has set a questionable and bad precedent by supporting one country's territorial claims, a U.S. expert has said.
"Although the tribunal claimed that it made no attempt to rule on any question of sovereignty over land territory or to delimit any boundary between the concerned parties, the tribunal has in fact been used to support the Philippines' territorial claim in the South China Sea; the use of the panel for supporting one country's territorial claims has therefore created a questionable and bad precedent," Peter Li, a political science professor with tenure at the University of Houston, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
On Tuesday, The Hague-based tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award, denying China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
In Li's viewpoint, the tribunal's award is naturally null and void because unlike the Philippines, China's sovereignty over the islands and reefs in the South China Sea has been established in the course of history.
China's rejection of and non-participation in the arbitration proceedings are in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which, adopted in the early 1980s, was not designed to serve as a territorial dispute settlement mechanism. Arbitration over matters concerning the delimitation of maritime boundaries is beyond the scope of the convention, he said.
He added that the Philippines' intention through such an arbitration mechanism was to resolve the territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea, subject matter outside the scope of Article 287 of the UNCLOS.
Li said that the tribunal should not have been set up in the first place as the judges of the tribunal were already biased before the proceedings even started.
"This lack of judgment and insight on the nature of the arbitration case has irreparably undermined the authority and impartiality of the arbitral tribunal," he said.
The professor blamed the award for further intensifying the tensions in the region and putting regional peace at risk as it will encourage other parties to the dispute to seek a similar approach to buttress their claims to the South China Sea.
"If this happens, bilateral talks to tackle the territorial disputes are more unlikely. A worse scenario is that countries from outside the region shall impose themselves on the region, thus making a peaceful resolution of the dispute even more remote."
Li lashed out at the selective memory of the arbitral tribunal, saying that this undermines its authority.
"By denying China's historic rights claim to the South China Sea, the arbitral tribunal is encouraging a real political behavior that selectively forgets one's past positions on the same issue or the same territorial claims," he said.
Until the 1930s, the United States had never regarded the South China Sea as part of the territory of the Philippines, the professor said, adding that China's resumption of exercise of sovereignty in 1946-1947 over the South China Sea islands, atolls and shoals was never challenged by the United States.
Stressing that the disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved through consultation and talks among the parties in the region, Li praised China for what it has done over the past years to seek a peaceful settlement of the disputes with the parties concerned.
NICE, July 14, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on July 14, 2016 shows the street view which is some 300 meters away from Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France. A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100, local media reported. (Xinhua/Hu Renai)
PARIS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The death toll continues to rise from an attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.
At least 80 people have been killed and 18 remain in "critical condition," said the minister.
President Francois Hollande said the death toll included "several children."
Hollande announced an extension of a state of emergency for three months in the country, where Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris about eight months ago.
He said "the terrorist character" of the truck attack cannot be denied.
Anti-terror investigations have started. Identity papers of a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian male, in addition to weapons and grenades, were found in the heavy truck involved, according to reports. The truck driver was shot dead after opening fire at police.
The tragedy took place at the city's famous Promenade des Anglais seafront. The truck ploughed at high speed into spectators watching the fireworks.
Christian Estrosi, president of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, described on Twitter the incident as "the worst Nice drama in history."
Traffic is closed in Promenade des Anglais, and scheduled cultural events including a jazz festival have been canceled.
European Council President Donald Tusk said the attack was a "tragic paradox." He tweeted a photograph of himself and other European and Asian leaders standing in tribute to the Nice victims at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit currently held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attending the ASEM summit has extended condolences to the victims and their families while condemning "terrorism in all forms."
The United Nations Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack" which took place in Nice, France.
U.S. President Barack Obama has condemned the attack, saying it "appears to be a horrific terrorist attack" in Nice.
UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday "condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack" which took place in Nice, France, which killed at least 80 people.
WELLINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- An Australian man was jailed Friday for six years and 10 months for attempting to smuggle 1.46 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in a neck pillow into New Zealand.
Yoram Kalev, who lived in New Zealand, was sentenced at the Wellington District Court after admitting charges of importing and possessing the drug for supply, said a statement from the New Zealand Customs service.
Kalev arrived in New Zealand on Jan. 19 after travelling back from Hong Kong via Sydney, Australia, and was stopped and questioned by Customs at Wellington International Airport.
During a search of his belongings, a Customs officer noticed that a neck pillow he was carrying was unusually heavy.
A second neck pillow was found in the luggage and x-ray images of both pillows showed inconsistencies.
Examination revealed plastic bags filled with methamphetamine.
Customs investigations manager Maurice O'Brien said the drugs could have fetched up to 1.46 million NZ dollars (1.05 million U.S. dollars) on the street.
"This was an excellent example of our officers using passenger targeting systems and their skills and expertise to find and stop drugs," O'Brien said in the statement.
HAVANA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Cuba on Thursday once again urged the United States to end its so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy, which gives Cuban immigrants special treatment.
As delegations from the two countries met in Havana for the latest round of bilateral talks on immigration, Cuban officials "once again expressed their deep concern for the persistence of the 'wet-foot, dry-foot' policy" and other laws that grant automatic entry "to those who arrive illegally, regardless of the ways and means they use," Cuba's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It added that Cuban immigrants receive better treatment than other immigrant groups.
The outdated laws "violate the letter and spirit of the Immigration Agreements in effect, through which both governments pledged to guarantee legal, safe and orderly emigration," the ministry said.
Cubans gambling on reaching U.S. shores via makeshift rafts and other precarious means can fall victim to a range of crimes, including human trafficking, according to Cuban officials.
"There can be no normal migratory ties between the two countries as long as these policies continue to exist," the ministry said.
In December, Cuba's government reinstated a travel restriction on medical professionals in a bid to forestall a possible shortage of doctors, surgeons and other healthcare workers, who are also targets of selective U.S. immigration policy called the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program.
The thaw in bilateral relations between the two countries, first announced in December 2014, led to an unforeseen increase in Cubans heading north fearing that Washinton may change course.
The so called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy, which puts Cubans who reach
U.S. soil on a fast track to permanent residency, is one of many Cold War-era policies that persist despite the restoration of diplomatic relations and efforts to normalize ties.
NBS spokesperson Sheng Laiyun (Xinhuanet file photo)
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China's economy grew slightly faster than expectations in the second quarter of 2016, holding steady from the first quarter and fueling hopes that the economy has entered a steady but slower period of development.
The country's GDP grew 6.7 percent year on year in the second quarter, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday.
The figure, though the lowest quarterly rate since the global financial crisis, remained within the government's targeted range of between 6.5 and 7 percent for 2016.
On a quarterly basis, the economy increased 1.8 percent from the first quarter.
GDP expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2016 to reach 34.06 trillion yuan (5.08 trillion U.S. dollars).
NBS spokesperson Sheng Laiyun said China's economic stabilization is set to continue, with major indicators operating in a reasonable zone while supply-side structural reform and economic restructuring continue to advance.
Industrial output expanded 6.2 percent year on year in June, accelerating from a 6-percent increase in May. Retail sales rose 10.6 percent, a faster expansion from May's 10-percent growth. However, growth of fixed-asset investment slowed further to 9 percent for the January-June period.
The service sector expanded 7.5 percent year on year in the first half, outpacing a 3.1-percent increase in primary industry and 6.1 percent in secondary industry. It accounted for 54.1 percent of the overall economy, up 1.8 percentage points from a year earlier, Sheng said.
ATHENS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Greece's ruling SYRIZA party has called for a peaceful resolution to the disputes over territorial sovereignty through either negotiations or an international court with the consent of both parties.
"SYRIZA expresses its firm commitment to the peaceful settlement of international disputes in accordance with Articles 2 (3) and 33 of the Charter of the United Nations," the radical left party said in a written statement sent recently to Xinhua.
SYRIZA made the remarks after a Hague-based tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government on Tuesday issued an ill-grounded award, denying China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
"In particular, with respect to the law of the sea, SYRIZA is in favor of the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the rules of customary international law and the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea," said the statement signed by Ioannis Bournous, member of the Political Secretariat of SYRIZA.
"SYRIZA takes the position that sovereignty disputes like the one between the Philippines and China should not to be submitted under such a dispute settlement system, which does not cover disputes over territorial sovereignty according to UN Convention," said Bournous, who is also responsible for European policy and international relations at the party.
"Such disputes should rather be resolved peacefully through negotiations or through their submission to an international court or a tribunal with the consent of both parties," said the statement.
Beijing does not accept nor recognize the award of the arbitral tribunal. "The award is null and void and has no binding force," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
HELSINKI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- It is understandable that China rejects the award issued by The Hague-based arbitral tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case as the court has no jurisdiction over the case, a Finnish scholar has said.
Many Chinese scholars think the tribunal lacks jurisdiction and thus they reject to accept the award, said Kamrul Hossain, an adjunct professor of international law at the University of Lapland.
This is understandable because the Philippines initiated the compulsory arbitration unilaterally, which lacks jurisdiction unless the two parties both agree on it, Hossain told Xinhua in a telephone interview.
"It is natural that there is naming and blaming, and I agree with the Chinese scholars in this sense," he said.
A tribunal in the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued on Tuesday an award overwhelmingly siding with the Philippines, denying China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
Hossain expressed concern over the possibility of increased tension in the South China Sea region.
He said it was not surprising that the arbitral tribunal issued such an award, but it would not affect the legal situation in the region since China has disregarded the ruling.
However, it may have some political implications as some countries may use the ruling for pure political gain, he added.
Elina Sinkkonen, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, predicted more troubles in the South China Sea.
"You have to see what will happen next in the area. There is a risk that if countries increase their presence in the contentious areas there may be collisions or provocations," Sinkkonen told local media.
Hossain said if any party offers mediation, it should comply with the Chinese stance, which has been made clear all the time.
"To have an effective solution, since China is not willing to bring the dispute to any multilateral or judicial forum, bilateral talks may offer room for a political solution," he said.
SINGAPORE, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Singapore strongly condemns the heinous attack in Nice, France on Thursday that killed and injured many innocent people, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement on Friday.
MFA said "we are shocked and saddened yet again by another terror attack." The ministry also expressed the deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wish those who are injured a speedy recovery.
"Our thoughts are with the people of France at this time," the ministry added.
MFA has verified the safety of all registered Singaporeans in Nice. The Singapore Embassy in Paris is in contact with the local authorities to ascertain whether there are any Singaporeans affected by the attack.
The death toll continues to rise from the attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice. At least 80 people have been killed and 18 remain in "critical condition."
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Friday said his country supports settlement of the South China Sea disputes through dialogue and consultation between countries directly concerned.
Hun Sen made the remarks in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator.
Cambodia will continue to remain objective and just on the South China Sea issue, he said, adding that the country is willing to work with all parties to keep up the friendly cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.
Li said China appreciates Cambodia's stance on the so-called South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
By taking an objective and impartial stance and speaking out for justice, Cambodia has defended truly the international rule of law and regional rules of order, and played an irreplaceable role in safeguarding China-ASEAN ties and regional peace and stability, Li said.
The premier said China will stick to the approach of settling the South China Sea disputes via dialogue and consultation between countries directly concerned, while protecting regional peace and stability as well as freedom of navigation in collaboration with ASEAN member states.
MANILA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The United States should reimburse the Philippines for the legal fees and expenses in filing the South China Sea arbitration case against China, a Philippine columnist said Friday.
Rigoberto Tiglao, a columnist who writes regularly for local English daily newspaper The Manila Times, said the U.S. has been tearing its hair out trying to get an excuse to intervene in the South China Sea issue.
"They (the U.S.) don't have claims in the area, and they even haven't ratified the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)," he added.
The case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government now gave the U.S. what it wanted, so it should reimburse the Philippines, he said.
Tiglao noted that he was informed that the country spent 30 million U.S. dollars "for the legal fees and expenses of the eight top-notch international lawyers and their staff who prepared our case against China."
"They (the lawyers) managed to get the PCA (the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague) to redefine the standard meaning of 'arbitration,' which for centuries had been defined as procedure in which two parties agree to a third party to settle their dispute. Now, it seems, 'arbitration' can be a unilateral arbitration," he said.
The tribunal handling the case issued its final award on Tuesday, amid a global chorus that the panel has no jurisdiction and its decision is naturally null and void.
The award sweepingly sided with the claims unilaterally filed by the administration of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III, which in the eyes of many observers, is a mockery of justice.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, reiterating that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
China has also said it will continue to endeavor to peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea with parties directly concerned through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law.
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The performance of the Chinese economy in the first half of the year was steady and in line with expectations, and China is confident of achieving its main full-year development targets, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here on Friday.
"New economy is vibrant, new business forms are booming, and new growth momentum is accumulating," Li said in a keynote speech at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator.
The comments came shortly after the release of China's key macroeconomic data earlier in the day. Official statistics showed China's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2016 to reach 34.06 trillion yuan (5.08 trillion U.S. dollars).
Economic growth in the second quarter was slightly faster than expected, holding steady from the first quarter and fueling hopes that the economy has entered a period of relatively slower but steady growth.
Li said that China's current government debt ratio is low while household savings rate is high, with still ample policy tools available.
"China will unswervingly stick to the reform and open-up policy, and push forward its structural reforms, especially supply-side structural reforms," the premier said.
China is confident of achieving the main development targets set for this year and ensuring medium-high economic growth rates to take the economy to medium-high levels of development, Li said.
KABUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Friday condemned in its strongest term a terrorist attack in France that claimed more than 80 lives Thursday night local time, said Arg, the country's Presidential Palace.
"Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned a terrorist attack in Nice, France that killed and wounded many innocent people," the Arg said in a statement.
The latest media reports put the death toll as high as 84 from the attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice.
Several people also remained in critical condition after the deadly incident.
In the statement, President Ghani, besides expressing sympathy with the government and people of France, described terrorism as common threat to the region and the world at large and called for joint fight against the menace.
HAIKOU, July 13, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A passenger jet of China Southern Airlines lands on the airport on Meiji Reef, July 13, 2016. China successfully carried out test flights on two new airports on the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday, further enhancing its capability to provide public services as a responsible player in the region. Together with the one on Yongshu Reef, the two airfields, respectively located on Meiji Reef and Zhubi Reef, bring tangible benefits to vessels sailing in and planes flying over the area, thanks to their convenient location in the middle of the vast water body. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)
THE HAGUE, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The International Court of Justice (ICJ)on Thursday denied its involvement in the South China Sea arbitration.
"There is indeed a confusion," Andrey Poskakukhin, head of the ICJ's Information Department, told Xinhua in a telephone interview. "We have made it clear on our website we do not have anything to do with this case."
A statement regarding the case has appeared on the ICJ's official website since Wednesday afternoon to clarify that it did not participate in the case.
The ICJ "wishes to draw the attention of the media and the public to the fact that the Award in the South China Sea Arbitration was issued by an Arbitral Tribunal acting with the secretarial assistance of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)," said the statement.
"The ICJ, which is a totally distinct institution, has had no involvement in the above mentioned case and, for that reason, there is no information about it on the ICJ's website," it said.
The clarification by the ICJ came one day after an ad hoc tribunal, set up at the unilateral request of the former Philippine government, issued an ill-founded award, denying China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
The Chinese government said that China will not accept any proposition or action based on the decision made by the law-abusing tribunal, which exceeded its power to rule on a case that it did not have jurisdiction over.
However, reports of some media, including some popular media in the United States and Europe, referred to the tribunal as a "UN-backed tribunal," or even "UN tribunal," causing confusion among the public.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Thursday told a news briefing that the arbitral tribunal "is not something that involves the Secretary-General."
Established in June 1945, the ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, also known as "the world court" or "the UN court," while the PCA, on the other hand, is a permanent framework established in 1899.
The ad hoc tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration does not belong to the PCA and only enjoys the secretarial services offered by the PCA, which includes helping appoint experts, publish information and press releases, organize tribunals in The Hague and pay arbitrators and other staff for their services.
However, the tribunal has relations with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), as most of its members were picked by Shunji Yanai, then ITLOS president and former Japanese ambassador to the United States.
One of the reasons why the tribunal was set up in The Hague and not in Hamburg, Germany, where the ITLOS sits in because the tribunal wanted to be bound to the PCA because of its long history and international authority and credibility, says Liu Nan, an international law researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The PCA also enjoys a higher demand for its arbitrators than ad hoc tribunals.
So far the PCA has not yet responded to Xinhua's request for comment.
Related:
Cambodia supports settlement of South China Sea disputes via dialogue, consultation: PM
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Friday said his country supports settlement of the South China Sea disputes through dialogue and consultation between countries directly concerned.
Hun Sen made the remarks in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator. Full story
Finnish scholar agrees to China's stance on award of South China Sea case
HELSINKI, July 14 (Xinhua) -- It is understandable that China rejects the award issued by The Hague-based arbitral tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case as the court has no jurisdiction over the case, a Finnish scholar has said.
Many Chinese scholars think the tribunal lacks jurisdiction and thus they reject to accept the award, said Kamrul Hossain, an adjunct professor of international law at the University of Lapland. Full story
Interview: Arbitral tribunal's award on South China Sea creates bad precedent, says U.S. expert
HOUSTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The ill-founded award issued by an arbitral tribunal on Tuesday has set a questionable and bad precedent by supporting one country's territorial claims, a U.S. expert has said.
NEW DELHI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A 22-year-old controversial community leader in the western Indian state of Gujarat was released from jail Friday, nine months after he was arrested for sedition.
Hardik Patel was arrested in October 2015 when his agitation, demanding reservation in government jobs and colleges for his upper caste Patel community, turned violent.
His arrest was followed by large-scale arson and violence by his supporters in some of Gujarat's biggest towns.
"We have got some of what we want but not everything. We will first have talks with the Gujarat government and ask peacefully," he told the media after walking out of jail.
In fact, the Patels make up 20 percent of the population of Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The caste is economically powerful, but the protesters say quotas for lower castes have put them at a disadvantage.
Patels control India's thriving diamond cutting and polishing industry and are among the most prosperous businessmen and farmers in Gujarat.
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The award of the South China Sea arbitration is nothing but a result of the "political manipulation" by Washington, a U.S. expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.
The award issued on Tuesday sweepingly sides with the claims by the Philippines, which unilaterally initiated the compulsory arbitration against China in 2013 in violation of bilateral agreements and international law.
"Well, the result is extremely disappointing because I think the whole thing was manipulation," said William Jones, Washington Bureau chief of the U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review.
"The Philippines, with the backing of the United States, took this to the arbitration court instead of negotiating with China."
Manila and Washington have their own reasons for taking the case to arbitration. The Philippines hoped to gain more from China while the United States wanted to maintain its hegemony in the region by containing China, Jones said.
He criticized the arbitration as "a breach of international law," because the judges were simply playing politics rather than practicing the law.
"I think I agree with the Chinese position that it's illegal. It was a violation (of international law), it was a political manipulation, and it should not be accepted," Jones said.
He added that this case has "set a bad example" for the world, by breaching the international law that governs relations between nations.
China has declared from the start that it will not accept nor participate in the arbitration. Neither will it implement the award issued by the arbitral tribunal, which has no jurisdiction over territorial issues and maritime delimitation.
In light of a new president taking office in the Philippines, Jones said he is "relatively positive" that the Philippines and China can sit down to talk about resolving their differences.
"Now with Mr. (Rodrigo) Duterte, I think there's a possibility," he said.
However, Jones said Washington holds the key to the success of such talks, but that he doubts its willingness.
He blasted Washington for its "confrontational rhetoric" on the South China Sea issue, trying to play the role of "referee."
Jones also warned Washington against trying to be an "enforcer" of the arbitration ruling, by sending more warships to the South China Sea to conduct "freedom of navigation" operations in waters concerned.
PYONGYANG, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A defector from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Friday that he has committed "severe treason" by attempting to abduct two DPRK girls to South Korea.
On May 27, Ko Hyon Chol was caught trying to smuggle two girls, eight- and nine-year-old respectively, from the DPRK border to the South side.
At a press conference, Ko accused South Korea's National Intelligence Service of plotting the whole case and the U.S. direct manipulation behind it.
He said the two girls he chose came from an orphanage in the DPRK's northwestern province of North Pyongan.
Ko, 53, was born and brought up in the North Pyongan Province. He used to be a worker at a forestry public institution, but later started to engage in smuggling to earn more money, according to his confession at the conference.
On April 25, 2014, Ko succeeded in arriving in Incheon of South Korea via Southeast Asian countries and later began to take orders from South Korea's National Intelligence Service to collect information about the DPRK.
Evidence shown at the press conference includes a flashlight, two rubber boats employed to carry the kidnapped girls, new clothes to be given to the children, mobile phones he used to contact South Korean intelligence and a room card of a hotel where he stayed.
He said that the 12 waitresses who had reportedly defected to South Korea earlier this year were in fact abducted by Seoul agents and the current kidnapping attempt by him was Seoul's conspiracy to further mislead the public into believing that the DPRK residents fled to the South on scale because of human rights abuses at home.
In early April, South Korea's Unification Ministry said a group of 13 DPRK people working in an overseas restaurant, including 12 waitresses and one manager, defected to South Korea.
However, the DPRK government insisted this was "a group abduction" and demanded South Korea immediately return the 13 DPRK nationals.
Pyongyang even offered to send the families of the waitresses to Seoul for a meeting with their children, but the proposal was rejected by South Korea.
NEW DELHI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday condemned the horrific terror attack in the French town of Nice in which at least 84 people have been killed.
"Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased. I hope the injured recover soon," Modi tweeted.
He added: "India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters and brothers in this hour of immense sadness."
The Indian External Affairs Ministry has said that so far there are no reports of any Indians being among the dead or wounded in Nice.
"Our Ambassador in Paris is in touch with the Indian community in Nice. So far no report of any Indians affected," Vikas Swarup, the ministry spokesperson, tweeted.
A large truck late Thursday night drove into a crowd in Nice that had gathered to watch Bastille Day fireworks at the famous Promenade des Anglais, killing 84 people and injuring several others.
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday extended condolences to the victims of an overnight attack in the French city of Nice and their families.
"The Chinese people stand in firm solidarity with the French people," Wang said in a meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator.
Ayrault, for his part, reaffirmed the high level of friendship between France and China and both countries' determination to tackle terrorism.
In a suspected terror attack, a truck rammed into a crowd marking the national day of France in Nice on Thursday evening, leaving at least 84 people dead. An anti-terror investigation has been launched.
Li Zhaoxing, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association and former Chinese foreign minister, speaks at a forum commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen, in Tokyo, Japan, July 12, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)
TOKYO, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The so-called award of the South China Sea arbitration violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter as well as international law, and it will never be accepted by the Chinese people, said former Chinese foreign minister Li Zhaoxing.
Li, president of the China Public Diplomacy Association, made the remarks on Wednesday at the Tokyo Sun Yat-sen Forum commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen, a great forerunner of China's democratic revolution.
"The so-called South China Sea arbitration is a political farce from the very beginning, and it will not be recognized by anyone in the world who stand for justice," Li said.
"The arbitration, and the ill-disposed hyping up and political manipulation that ensued, have led the South China Sea issue to growing tension and confrontation," he added. "It is detrimental to peace and stability in the region, and it does not serve the common interests of China, the Philippines and countries in the region as well as the international community."
The forum, co-sponsored by China Public Diplomacy Association and Japan Sun Yat-sen Cultural Foundation, was attended by a number of celebrated politicians and scholars from China and Japan.
The former top diplomat also pointed out that China's position of non-acceptance and non-participation in the arbitration is aimed at upholding the international rule of law.
"Under international law, each country has the right to choose on its own will the means of dispute settlement," he said.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) gives the state parties the right to exclude relevant disputes from compulsory dispute settlement procedures. The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) signed by China and the 10 ASEAN countries manifestly stipulates that relevant disputes should be resolved by countries directly concerned through dialogue and negotiation, said Li.
"Thus, China's non-acceptance of and non-participation in the arbitration has full legal basis, and is consistent with the norms and rules of the international law of the sea. China is acting in strict accordance with the law," he said.
by Matt Burgess
SYDNEY, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea's embattled prime minister will have a long week of wheeling-and-dealing in order to maintain power after his political opposition forced a one week adjournment as social unrest mounts.
A motion of no confidence was delivered against PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Friday after the nation's Supreme Court ruled parliament's suspension on June 8, only moments before a vote of no confidence against O'Neill was to be heard, was unconstitutional.
It was rumored the clerk and speaker of the one-chamber parliament had been wanting to suspending standing orders and hold the vote on Friday to maintain O'Neill as Prime Minister, but the opposition obtained last minute court orders ensuring the full process is carried out.
Under PNG parliamentary procedure, the vote must be held after a seven-day suspension from when the motion was tabled. Should procedure not be followed, the opposition said it would pursue punitive legal action against the clerk and speaker.
That's a blow to PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill who's grip on power is beginning to slip after high-profile Petroleum and Energy Minister Ben Micah ditched the ruling government to join the opposition's ranks just prior to the motion being tabled.
Micah told local media he was unhappy with the way O'Neill has handled the current political instability following weeks of peaceful protests by students at the nation's two major universities.
O'Neill's office did not immediately respond to Xinhua's request for comment.
Though still shy of the 56-seats needed to overthrow O'Neill, the week gives opposition leader Don Polye much needed time to exploit potential divisions in the prime minister's political party and capitalise on the rising tide of civil unrest.
The groundswell of unrest inadvertently caused some members of parliament to miss the session from continuing delays by national carrier Air Niugini after pilots who are known to be part of a campaign to unseat O'Neill failed to show up for work, causing chaos at the nation's airports, Pasifik News reported.
The striking civil groups are calling on O'Neill to step down and face corruption allegations over his role in authorizing a 31 million Australian dollar (23.50 million U.S. dollar) payment to local law firm Paul Paraka Lawyers for fraudulent invoices. O'Neill claims the allegations are politically motivated.
This forced an extraordinary move by PNG Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari on Thursday to deem any civil unrest as a threat to national security, thus establishing a National Security Joint Taskforce monitoring public decent.
"Any threats in the form of social media, (mainstream) media as well without checking the facts and your report is a threat," Lupari said, according to local PNG newspaper The National.
"Any politician who issues threats through press conferences, petitions by landowners those are potential threats to national security they will come under the scrutiny of the task force now established."
Should O'Neill be toppled however concerns remain on who takes over as many of the potential replacements are also linked to systemic corruption.
Ranked 139 out of 167 countries in Transparency International's global corruption perception index, PNG has a history of conducting inquiries and referring people for prosecution only for further action to subside.
The July 22 vote is Polye's last chance to mount a challenge against O'Neill as laws stipulate a vote of no confidence cannot be conducted within 12 months of the national election.
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called his French counterpart Francois Hollande to offer his condolences over a deadly truck attack in Nice.
Xi strongly condemned the "appalling brutality" that has killed 84 people so far, and expressed deep grief to the victims and sincere condolences to the injured and families of the victims.
Terrorism is a common threat for all countries, Xi said, adding that China firmly opposes terrorism in any form.
China staunchly supports the French government to defend its national security, and stands ready to work with France to deepen their cooperation in combating terrorism, so as to safeguard peace and security of the two countries and the world at large.
French officials said that earlier a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice on Thursday night. According to the latest report, 84 people have been killed and 18 others remained in "critical condition."
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday extended condolences to the victims of an overnight attack in the French city of Nice and their families.
"The Chinese people stand in firm solidarity with the French people," Wang said in a meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator.
Ayrault said that he appreciated Wang's remarks, adding that it fully embodies the high level of friendship between the two countries as well as their resolution to jointly combat terrorism.
In a suspected terror attack, a truck rammed into a crowd marking the national day of France in Nice on Thursday evening, leaving at least 84 people dead. An anti-terror investigation has been launched.
On bilateral ties, Wang said ties between China and France are progressing in a healthy and stable manner, and that China is willing to join hands with the French side to make headway in cooperation in various areas.
The Chinese diplomat said both sides should gear up preparation work for French President Francois Hollande's participation to the G20 summit scheduled in September in Hangzhou, China, and the implementation of the Paris climate change agreement sealed in December last year.
They should also maintain communication over cooperation between China, France and Africa, and push forward the tripartite Hinkley Point nuclear plant project in Britain, Wang said.
Hailing a fruitful China-EU summit, the 18th of its kind, held in Beijing from July 12 to 13, the Chinese foreign minister said China will continue to work to develop Sino-European ties.
Ayrault, meanwhile, also commended smooth collaboration between China and France, and said President Hollande is looking forward to his attendance to the Hangzhou G20 summit.
He said France is willing to keep up high-level exchanges with China, and step up cooperation in climate change.
France supports the tripartite cooperation on the Hinkley Point project, Ayrault said, adding that Paris will endeavor to advance relations between Europe and China.
The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.
ANKARA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the terror attack in Nice, which killed at least 84 people during French National Day celebrations.
Erdogan condemned on Friday morning the "inhuman attack" in France, saying "we are expecting that everyone who has hesitant attitude against terror should take necessary lessons from this latest attack."
"I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack that ensanguined Nice on the (French) National Day. Always on the side of the states of the world in the fight against international terrorism, Turkey shares the pain of the people of France," said Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in a Twitter message in French.
Terrorism is a crime against humanity and no one knows whom and when it will strike next, Yildirim said, offering his condolences to those who lost their lives in the incident.
Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned and cursed the terror attack in a written statement on early Friday morning, saying "Turkey is in a full solidarity with France in the fight against terrorism. We will all together continue our struggle against these villains. Terror, before anything else, is an offense against humanity and its universal values."
France shut its embassy and consulate in Turkey for security concern on Wednesday, with flags flown at half-mast at the French consulate in Istanbul after the attack.
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday extended condolences to the victims of an attack in the French city of Nice and their families and condemned "terrorism in all forms."
Addressing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, Li urged all parties to have the awareness of shared future and shared responsibility, conduct dialogue and cooperation to effectively cope with regional challenges and prevent the growth of new roots of turmoil.
"All sides should jointly safeguard the post-World War II international order, abandon cold-war or zero-sum mentality, and strive to make the international order and global governance system more fair and justified," he said.
He said Eurasia is facing great opportunities and severe challenges, especially knotty problems such as terrorism and the refugee issue. He said all sides should abide by the principles of mutual respect and friendly consultation, and explore new path to further promote Eurasia cooperation.
Li said China always safeguards world peace, the international order and rule of law, and regional peace and stability.
"We have always advocated that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, should conduct themselves in accordance with the laws and rules, be opposed to misinterpretation of international law, be opposed to double standards, obey achieved rules of the regions, and resolve the disputes in a peaceful manner and through political means rather than incite conflicts and confrontation," he said.
China will unswervingly pursue a path of peaceful development, the premier added.
The ASEM Summit on Friday started with a minute of silence observed for those killed in the attack overnight in Nice.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark Kristian Jensen, who is in Ulan Bator for the summit, said the attack "gave us more reasons to work together closely worldwide and in Europe to fight against terrorism and violence."
He said Denmark is ready "to do whatever we can to stop terrorism. We hope we can try to form global partnership."
European Council President Donald Tusk told reporters outside the venue of the summit meeting that it is a tragedy and a sad day for France and Europe.
"We stand together with the French people and their government in fight against violence and hatred," Tusk said.
Latest reports put the death toll of the attack in Nice at 84. French President Francois Hollande has said the nature of terrorism behind the attack "can not be denied."
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called his French counterpart Manuel Valls to extend his condolences to the victims of an attack in the French city of Nice.
Li expressed strong outrage and condemnation over the deadly attack, and his deep grief to the victims, extending sincere solicitude to the injured and families of the victims.
Li made the call while attending the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
The Chinese government and people share the anguish of the French people and stand steadfast with them, the Chinese premier said.
China will work with France and the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, and safeguard justice and peace in the world.
The latest media reports put the death toll of the attack in Nice at 80. French President Francois Hollande has said the nature of terrorism behind the attack "can not be denied."
OTTAWA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his outrage and sympathy on Thursday after a truck attack killed at least 80 people and wounded dozens in Nice, France.
In a statement, Trudeau said he was heartbroken to learn of the many dozens of innocent victims in the attack that targeted Bastille Day celebrations in the French resort city.
The attack happened when a truck plowed into a crowd of Bastille Day revelers who gathered to watch fireworks late Thursday.
"On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed. We also wish a speedy recovery to the many more that were injured," he said.
He said Canada and France are the closest of friends and Canada will continue to work with his allies and partners to fight terrorism in all of its forms.
"We will bring those who are responsible to justice, whether they be the perpetrators, or those involved in funding or organizing such attacks," the Canadian prime minister added in the statement.
DUBAI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi on Friday condemned in the strongest possible terms the heinous terrorist crime that killed at least 84 civilians in Nice of France.
In a statement released by state Emirates News Agency (WAM), H. H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said "the UAE strongly condemns this heinous and horrific crime. It also confirms its full solidarity with the friendly Republic of France, and backs all procedures it takes to tackle these circumstances."
This "heinous terrorist crime" makes it imperative for all to work decisively and without hesitation to counter the terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, he added.
Sheikh Abdullah offered his sincere condolences to the French government, people of France and families of the victims, wishing those injured a speedy recovery.
A truck rammed into a crowd celebrating the French national day in Nice, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.
At least 80 people have been killed and 18 remain in "critical condition," said the minister.
The UAE and France are close economic partners. More than 600 French companies run branches in the UAE, according to UAE daily Khaleej Times. Bilateral trade reached 5.4 billion euros (6.01 billion U.S. dollars) in 2014.
JAKARTA, July 15 (Xinhua)-- Indonesian government will have an organizational reshuffle within the country's food and drug monitoring agency after it saw a nationwide fake vaccine scandal.
"The president decided Thursday to have structural changes in the BPOM (Drug and Food Monitoring Agency), and have someone tasked to improve the agency,"said Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung in Jakarta on Friday.
He didn't elaborate on further details, but said the action is expected to prevent the incident from ever happening again in the nation where counterfeit drugs are widespread.
On Thursday, the government already revealed the names of 14 health facilities that were allegedly administering the fake boosters for diseases, including tetanus and tuberculosis, to their patients.
The case was put into spotlight after a major pharmaceutical company last month reported Indonesian authorities that some of its products had been counterfeited. It immediately received massive condemnation, with President Joko Widodo demanding the harshest punishment possible for this"extraordinary crime."
Police then uncovered a criminal syndicate accused of selling bogus vaccines for more than a decade to health clinics across the vast archipelago of 250 million people. At the time, the BPOM confiscated vaccines from nearly 30 health facilities as police arrested 16 suspects.
While no deaths from such vaccines have come up, Indonesian Health Minister Nina Moeloek asked parents to seek medical advice from doctors, and even considering re-innoculating their children as the counterfeit vaccines contained a mix of intravenous fluids and antibiotics.
MANILA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said Friday the Philippines will continue to engage "concerned parties" as he raised the South China Sea issue at the meeting of the leaders from Asia and Europe in Mongolia.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Yasay briefed the leaders from Asia and Europe that an arbitral tribunal handed down the ruling on the sea dispute case that the Philippines filed in The Hague.
Yasay said that the Philippines affirms its respect for this decision, adding Manila called on all parties "to exercise restraint and sobriety."
"The Philippines reiterates its abiding commitment to pursue the peaceful resolution and management of disputes with a view to promoting and enhancing peace and stability in the region," he said.
At the same time, Yasay said: "We attach great importance to measures that will restore trust and confidence among parties in the region."
"The Philippines shall continue to engage concerned parties to finding ways to reduce regional tensions and to build greater trust and confidence. In this regard, the Philippines will continue fostering mutually beneficial relations with all nations," he said.
He added: "Trust and confidence go hand in hand with mutual respect and equal partnership, two of ASEM's (Asia-Europe Meeting) core values. For twenty years we have all worked under these guiding principles. I am confident that we shall continue to do so in the years ahead."
The arbitral tribunal issued the ruling Tuesday on the case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines against China regarding their disputes in the South China Sea.
The Chinese government on Wednesday issued a white paper titled "China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea."
"The Arbitral Tribunal established at the Philippines' unilateral request has no jurisdiction over relevant submissions, and awards rendered by it are null and void and have no binding force," said the document.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said China will continue to endeavor to peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea with parties directly concerned through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday said he was asking former President Fidel Ramos to help start talks with China over disputes in the South China Sea.
Related:
Philippines to send former president to China for talks on South China Sea
MANILA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday said he was asking former President Fidel Ramos to help start talks with China over disputes in the South China Sea.
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have arrested more than 120,000 suspects in a national campaign against theft, robbery and fraud since April, the Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.
They have uncovered more than 333,000 such cases, busting more than 9,800 criminal gangs and confiscating about 640 million yuan (96 million U.S. dollars), according to a ministry statement.
The ministry has issued the highest-level arrest warrant for 10 fugitives suspected of theft, robbery or fraud. Police have promised rewards for tip-offs leading to the fugitives' arrest.
The campaign is due to last for three years, cracking down on crimes the ministry said "severely infringe upon people's interests, jeopardize economic and social development and reduce people's sense of security."
WELLINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on Friday conveyed his condolences to the president and prime minister of France on the terrorist attack at a Bastille Day celebration in Nice.
"The fact this attack was directed at innocent people celebrating their national day makes it particularly horrific. No one should have to worry about such violence when going about their daily lives," Key said in a statement from his office.
"I know the thoughts of all New Zealanders will be with the victims and their families at this sad time."
Key had held talks with President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls in Paris earlier in the day, when they "affirmed our joint commitment to the international campaign against terrorism."
"Today I reiterated New Zealand stands shoulder to shoulder with France in combating violent extremism," said Key.
French President Francois Hollande leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 15, 2016, after attending an emergency defence meeting the day after the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
DUBAI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi on Friday condemned in the strongest possible terms the heinous terrorist crime that killed at least 84 civilians in Nice of France.
In a statement released by state Emirates News Agency (WAM), H. H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said "the UAE strongly condemns this heinous and horrific crime. It also confirms its full solidarity with the friendly Republic of France, and backs all procedures it takes to tackle these circumstances."
This "heinous terrorist crime" makes it imperative for all to work decisively and without hesitation to counter the terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, he added.
Sheikh Abdullah offered his sincere condolences to the French government, people of France and families of the victims, wishing those injured a speedy recovery.
A truck rammed into a crowd celebrating the French national day in Nice, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.
At least 80 people have been killed and 18 remain in "critical condition," said the minister.
ISTANBUL, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- File photo provided by the UNESCO official website shows a view of Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape along the Zuojiang River in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Rock paintings from China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have been listed as world heritage on July 15, 2016 by the World Heritage Committee, at its 40th session in Istanbul. (Xinhua)
ISTANBUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China's Zuojiang Huashan rock-art cultural landscape was added Friday to the World Heritage List at the 40th session of World Heritage Committee held in Istanbul.
The World Heritage Committee, at its 40th session in Istanbul, cited the site's uniqueness in combining the landscape and rock art with the vivid and deep social life of the Luoyue people, who lived along the Zuojiang River.
The landscape was formed 200 million years ago, according to a report presented at the meeting.
The images on the rocks depicting drums and related elements are symbolic records directly associated with the bronze drum culture once widespread in the region, the report said.
The rock art landscape is the first of its kind for China's heritage, and made the number of the Chinese properties on the World Heritage List grow to 49.
"This is a victory for the local people," said Liu Shuguang, deputy administrator of China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage.
"For the first time a cultural heritage in China which represents a rock art has been accepted to the World Heritage List," he noted.
During the evaluation of the site, the Turkish representative drew the attention to the natural risks that have been threatening the outstanding universal value of Huashan rock art.
The representative urged the committee to create a risk strategy.
The Jamaican representative, in her speech, highlighted the importance of the site in representing a unique art that could be passed on to the next generations.
At its meeting until Sunday, the World Heritage Committee will review the nominations of 26 other sites to the prestigious World Heritage List.
Among them are nine natural, 13 cultural and four mixed ones submitted from across the world.
CAPE TOWN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Friday joined the international community in strongly condemning the cowardly terrorist attacks in France.
The attacks, which took place on Thursday in the French city of Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, caused the deaths of 80 people, including children, and left scores injured.
On behalf of the South African government and the people of South Africa, President Jacob Zuma extended his heartfelt condolences to his French counterpart Francois Hollande, the government and the people of France, in particular the families of the deceased and injured, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said.
"South Africa shares in the grief of the French people and wishes the injured survivors a speedy recovery. Terrorism in any form and from whichever quarter cannot be condoned.
"South Africa stands firmly with the international community in condemning all forms of terrorism and stands in solidarity with the Government of the Republic of France as they mourn the death of their citizens," Zuma said.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said its Consular Services division is in contact with the South African Embassy in Paris following the attacks to determine if any South African citizens have been affected.
Policemen stand guard the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera town of Nice on July 15, 2016, hours after a truck drove into a crowd watching a fireworks display, killing 84.
(Xinhua/AFP Photo)
ANKARA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Erdogan, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the terror attack in Nice, which killed at least 84 people during French National Day celebrations.
Erdogan condemned on Friday morning the "inhuman attack" in France, saying "we are expecting that everyone who has hesitant attitude against terror should take necessary lessons from this latest attack."
"I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack that ensanguined Nice on the (French) National Day. Always on the side of the states of the world in the fight against international terrorism, Turkey shares the pain of the people of France," said Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in a Twitter message in French.
Terrorism is a crime against humanity and no one knows whom and when it will strike next, Yildirim said, offering his condolences to those who lost their lives in the incident.
Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned and cursed the terror attack in a written statement on early Friday morning, saying "Turkey is in a full solidarity with France in the fight against terrorism. We will all together continue our struggle against these villains. Terror, before anything else, is an offense against humanity and its universal values."
WELLINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand-led military force - including troops from China and the United States - has begun building community projects to improve water storage and sanitation in the Pacific island nation of Tonga, the New zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said Friday.
The construction work was part of Exercise Tropic Twilight 2016 in Lifuka and Foa, the two main islands in Tonga's Ha'apai island group, said Lieutenant Colonel Josh Wineera, the NZDF Task Force Commander and Senior National Officer.
Nine 10,000-litre water storage tanks were being installed at churches, the fire station and city hall in Pangai, the administrative capital village of Ha'apai, Wineera said in a statement.
Engineers from His Majesty's Armed Forces Tonga, the New Zealand Army, China's People's Liberation Army and the United States Army were also building a toilet block near the Pangai Ferry Terminal, a high-traffic location.
The international team had fully integrated with NZDF personnel and the projects would make a positive difference to the local community, Wineera said.
Tongan officials were impressed by the industry and enthusiasm of the multi-national task group.
"It's great to see the Chinese, Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and Tongan soldiers working alongside each other," Commander Brisbane Lokotui, the Tongan military liaison officer, said in the statement.
"This contingent is clearly well-led and they have an inclusive and respectful nature about them; they have a good sense of humor too."
Medical personnel from New Zealand and Australia were conducting environmental health tests to assess the risk of communicable diseases to the local population.
New Zealand and Australian environmental health officers were working with Tongan medical staff to teach the locals how to recognize certain species that might carry such diseases as dengue fever or the zika virus.
U.S. Army soldiers were operating a desalination system that provided a supply of potable water to the multi-national task group.
Tropic Twilight is an annual exercise focused on disaster relief operations and runs from July 7 to 29 this year.
The Ha'apai group is made up of 62 islands that are vulnerable to natural disasters and have limited drinking water supplies.
KIGALI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The African Editors Forum (TAEF), an umbrella organization for editors from across the continent, may soon be one of the observers at the annual African Union (AU) Summit, a senior AU official has said.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the outgoing chairperson of the AU Commission said during the ongoing 27th AU summit held here that she will push the request of TAEF to get the observer status.
"The status will accord the editors an opportunity to help promote Pan-Africanism ideals and also hold leaders accountable as they implement the agreed programs," Dlamini-Zuma said while addressing the editors on the sidelines of the AU summit in Kigali Rwanda.
Dlamini-Zuma underscored the role played by the media in Africa during the liberation struggle by developing African narrative that promoted unity leading to the formation of AU's precursor, the Organization of African Unity.
She noted that the early generations of Pan African journalists, at the turn of the nineteenth century, realized that they needed to give voice to the aspirations of their people.
"The mass media on the continent and beyond thus played a critical role in the struggles for liberation. It exposed the cruelty and exploitation of colonialism, and played a role in mobilizing the African people towards their liberation struggles," she added.
According to TAEF Secretary General Emrakeb Assefa, the inclusion will enable the editors participate in the deliberations and also help influence the outcome of the deliberations.
"This is the only way that editors can be in a position to know the resolutions passed and follow up on the progress with the aim of informing the populations," she noted.
Assefa added that the mass media has a role in working towards an Africa that is integrated, peaceful, prosperous and people-centered.
She said that change can only take place when the citizens get empowered with information from stakeholders.
Dlamini-Zuma cautioned journalists and editors to desist from crafting and disseminating an agenda of hatred, incitement and instigating the population to perpetrate violence, gross human rights violations and genocide against their neighbors and fellow citizens.
"The role played by journalists from Radio Television Milles Collins (RTLM) and the Kangaru newspaper 22 years ago in instigating violence and mass murders should not be repeated again in Africa," she said.
She said that the African media, in its great diversity, has a responsibility and an important role to play, to promote Pan Africanism and Africa's Renaissance in implementing AU's Agenda 2063, and to hold leaders accountable during implementation.
Dlamini-Zuma revealed that since 2009 Africa has been funding over 85 percent of its development as opposed to a belief that overseas development aid and foreign direct investment exceeds the continent's input.
Dlamini-Zuma noted that the media can and should give voice to the powerless, bringing to the forefront the problems faced by citizens, disseminating warnings about disasters and report on whether government lives up to its policies.
ADEN, Yemen, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The governor of Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Friday escaped unharmed a car bomb attack on his convoy, which injured a number of guards, a provincial police source told Xinhua.
The source said that the attack occurred when a car loaded with explosives on side of the main road in Enma neighborhood of Aden detonated as the Aden governor's convoy was passing on its way to visit Bureiqa district.
The vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) targeted his motorcade and caused a huge explosion that damaged an armored car at the scene, the police source said.
Aden's newly-appointed governor Major General Aidarous Zubaidi survived several botched assassination attempts masterminded by terrorist groups in the past months.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for Friday's car bomb attack in Aden, where the country's Saudi-backed government has temporarily based itself.
However, the Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot and the Islamic State (IS) group used to target Yemeni government officials with similar attacks in the past.
Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East and the affiliate of the IS.
The fragile security situation in the country has deteriorated since March 2015 when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the government backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.
More than 6,400 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, half of them civilians.
JERUSALEM, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Friday in "the strongest terms" the fatal attack in the French city of Nice and offered assistance to France in its struggle against terrorism.
"Israelis stand united with the people of France today. We join you in mourning those who were killed and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded," Netanyahu said in a statement.
"Israel is ready to help the French government fight this evil until it is defeated," he said.
Israel's ceremonial President Reuven Rivlin extended his condolence over the victims of the attack in a letter he sent to President Francois Hollande.
"Israel stands with France and the Israeli people stand with the French people, shoulder to shoulder as should the whole free world," he wrote.
He called for an international effort against terrorism. "We must work united to reach the terrorists, their supporters and backers, wherever they may hide. We will never give up. As you said, we are stronger than the fanatics who seek to harm us," his letter read.
On Thursday night, a truck ploughed at high speed into spectators watching the fireworks marking the French national day in Nice, killing at least 84 people, according to the latest media reports.
Anti-terror investigations have started. Identity papers of a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian male, in addition to weapons and grenades, were found in the heavy truck involved, according to reports. The truck driver was shot dead after opening fire at police.
African Union (AU) Commission Chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (R) addresses the 29th Ordinary Session of the African Union's Executive Council in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on July 13, 2016. The 29th Ordinary Session of the African Union's Executive Council kicks off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
KIGALI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Africa has been funding the bulk of the continent's development, contrary to the common belief of a foreign aid dependency, according to a top African Union official.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the outgoing chairperson of the AU Commission, disclosed this while she addressed media professionals on the sidelines of the AU summit in Kigali, Rwanda.
Since 2009, Africa has been funding over 85 percent of its development as opposed to a belief that overseas development aid and foreign direct investment exceeds the continent's input, said Dlamini-Zuma at a meeting of the African Editors Forum (TAEF), an umbrella organization for editors from across the continent.
She said that the African media, in its great diversity, has a responsibility and an important role to play, to promote Pan Africanism and Africa's Renaissance in implementing AU's Agenda 2063, and to hold leaders accountable during implementation.
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China and Portugal strived to forge closer ties as their foreign ministers met Friday on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in the capital of Mongolia.
"Sino-Portuguese relations have seen strong momentums, increasing mutual political trust and fruitful cooperation results," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva.
The two nations have also made progress in jointly exploring third-party markets, and continuously deepened cooperation in fields ranging from culture, education, tourism to sports, Wang said.
Hailing Portugal as an important European Union member, Wang said that China is willing to enhance mutual political trust, expand communication and cooperation, and push forward the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Silva, for his part, said that since the comprehensive strategic partnership was set up, bilateral ties have grown both in economy and politics and people-to-people exchanges have strengthened while the two countries maintaining coordination in international affairs.
Portugal attaches great importance to developing relations with China, and is open to more investment from China and more humanities exchanges with China, Silva said, expressing the hope that both nations work together to lift bilateral relations to a new high.
A Tibetan Buddhism believer prays on the Barkhor Street in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
By Zhang Hui
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The "holy city" of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has always been a dream destination among many domestic and overseas travelers.
It's a city full of wonders and charm: the breathtaking Potala Palace, the sacred Jokhang Temple, the lively Barkhor Street and the devout Buddhist pilgrims...The list can go on and on.
But here I would like to give you five personal tips that constitute the highlights of my trip to Lhasa last week.
Tibetan-Style Braids
A Tibetan woman. (Xinhua/Jue Guo)
In Tibet, nomad women always braid their long hair into numerous thin plaits and decorate them with colorful threads and various kinds of jewelry - turquoises, corals, agates and amber.
If you want to get yourself a little bit of exotic Tibetan look while traveling in Lhasa, try the hairstyle! It's the easiest and cheapest way.
A Tibetan woman is making hair braids for me. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun)
How to do it? Go to Barkhor Street or the square in front of the Jokhang Temple and look for local Tibetan women who are wearing traditional costumes and holding mufti-colored threads. Walk to them and they will be very happy to make hair braids for you!
It's not expensive. Usually 2-5 yuan (0.3-0.75 USD) for one braid depending on the quality of the threads.
Early Morning Visit to Jokhang Temple
Photo of the Jokhang Temple under the blue sky in Lhasa. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun)
The Jokhang Temple, which means "the House of Buddha" at the heart of the old town of Lhasa is the holiest site in the Tibetan Buddhism and the ultimate pilgrimage destination for prostrating pilgrims as it enshrines a precious statue of Sakyamuni.
Visiting the Jokhang Temple is a must if you want to experience the religious side of Lhasa and the best time to do that is in the early morning.
Followes of the Tibetan Buddhism perform prostration outside the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. (Xinhua/Zhang Guojun)
Around 6 a.m., hundreds of thousands of devout pilgrims began to gather outside the temple. Some of them are from thousands of miles away, usually on foot as a way of penance. Before they file in, they would circumambulate the temple clockwise, spinning prayer wheels while humming prayers or prostrating on their bellies. It's the daily climax of religious atmosphere in Lhasa and many travelers say they are forever impressed of the scene.
Pilgrims spin prayer wheels nearby the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun)
Please be noted that the temple is open from 7:30 to 17:30 but morning is mainly reserved for pilgrims. As a tourist, you can walk around the temple and savor the religious atmosphere at the outside in the morning and explore the inside after 11:30. A tour guide is highly recommended to help you know more about the history and story of the temple.
Gorgeous Night View of Potala Palace
Photo of night view of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
The Potala Palace is the landmark of Lhasa and Tibet. The over 1300-year-old palace buildings stand 13 stories high and are the world's largest and most intact ancient castle-style complex located on the highest altitude.
Photo of the night view of the Potala Palace in Lhasa (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun)
It's breathtaking and amazing to look up to the grand and imposing Potala Palace at day time. But in the evening when the bustling tourists are gone and the palace's lights are all turned on, the complex takes on a different look - quiet, peaceful and gorgeous. You can take a boat on the Lhasa River or find a well-located restaurant to enjoy the night view of the Potala Palace.
Tricycle Tour Around Old Town
The old town of Lhasa, also the main scenic area, is not large and most parts are accessible on foot or by bus. But if you want to try something more interesting, adventurous and efficient, take a tricycle.
Decorated tricycles on Lhasa street. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun)
The tricycles are cute, decorated in a bright-colored Tibetan style and they are everywhere. You only need to pay 30 to 50 yuan (4.49-7.48 USD) to the driver for a two or three hours' trip in the city. Whenever you see interesting things and spots, kindly ask the driver to stop. Very personal and customized right? Oh, the tricycle drivers are good tour guide too - answering questions, telling stories and introducing Tibetan cultures.
Tibetan Cuisine
Food always deserves special attention when traveling in China, a country boasting countless delicious food.
Tibetan-style hot pot. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun)
Highland barley, meat and dairy products are the main ingredients of the Tibetan cuisine. Tibetan people have formed their own eating habits due to special natural conditions there, such as high altitude, limited arable land, and mostly dry and cold climate.
Tsampa, the staple food in Tibet. (web photo)
Tsampa, dough made with roasted barley flour and yak butter, is the staple food in Tibet. Yak, beef and mutton, which are rich in protein and helpful in coping with the cold, are the most commonly eaten meat. Except for the normal cooking ways, some Tibetans eat raw meat. Dried meat strips and sausages are also popular.
Beverages such as butter tea, sweet tea and barley beer are also indispensable in Tibetan people's daily life. While butter tea is quite salty and tastes more like soup, sweet tea is similar to English and Indian tea!
A Tibetan food restaurant in Xigaze City of Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Liu Dongjun)
BRUSSELS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Long-lasting solutions to the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines must be acceptable for both sides, and could only be reached through bilateral dialogues, a Czech member of the European Parliament (MEP) said Thursday.
"I think that the nature of the South China Sea dispute is very complex and a single ruling cannot be all-encompassing," Miroslav Poche, also a member of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with China, told Xinhua.
The arbitration was unilaterally initiated in 2013 by the former Philippine government and its award was issued on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila's cunningly packaged claims.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, reiterating its stance that it neither accepts nor recognizes the award.
Poche said former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III's decision to file the case to an arbitral tribunal has provided no help to the dispute, but undermined international law.
"I believe one of the important aspects of international law is the respectable role of international institutions which play a role and help all sides to find a solution," he said.
"In my opinion, acceptable solutions to such a dispute should respect human principle," Poche said. "First, it has to be based on the whole body of international law; second, only a peaceful means that is used to achieve a final settlement can be accepted."
He pointed out that the dispute between China and the Philippines is a bilateral issue, which can only be solved through direct dialogue and consultation, adding that "it is necessary at the same time that there are no superpowers involved in any solution to the problem."
Noting that involvement from the United States and other countries outside the region may add imbalance to the situation, Poche suggested the European Union (EU) not to interfere.
He added that the international community including the EU should encourage both China and the Philippines to engage in direct negotiation as soon as possible.
"We all appreciate that both sides tend for a peaceful solution. The international community can facilitate hopes for the process instead of being arbitrary," he said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said earlier on Thursday that he is asking former President Fidel Ramos to help start talks with China over the South China Sea dispute. Enditem
KUNMING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A fungus described only once 164 years ago has been rediscovered by Chinese scientists in southwest China.
The fungus, known as pleurotus placentodes, which was originally described by British botanist M.J. Berkeley in 1852 and known only from one specimen he collected, has been found in the eastern Himalayas and Hengduan Mountains.
"The original and the only specimen [holotype] is now in very poor condition," said Yang Zhuliang, a researcher with Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. "The new specimen can be used to identify the species as the original specimen degrades."
The fungus is hard to find because it grows only at high altitude from June to September, during rain season, Yang said.
The findings were published on the botanic journal Phytotaxa earlier this month.
File photo taken on Nov.16, 2015, shows a refugee camp in Juba, South Sudan. Heavy exchanges of gunfire erupted early Sunday in South Sudan's capital Juba, barely two days after clashes between rival army factions killed more than 100 people. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
JUBA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Monica Kiden remains hesitant. It is not yet time to return to her permanent home from her temporary residence, a makeshift camp for those displaced by the fierce fighting which started on July 7 in Juba, the South Sudanese capital.
"I cannot go home. I am better off here. Let me stay here," Kiden, mother of five, told Xinhua on Wednesday at the St. Joseph Primary School, a Catholic Church-run institution which is now hosting scores of people freshly displaced by the fighting in the capital.
President Salva Kiir declared a unilateral ceasefire after nearly four days of fighting between forces loyal to him and a contingent of bodyguards assigned to First Vice President Riek Machar.
"There is no shooting and the situation appears good. However, I will leave this place only if our leaders tell us that there is no more fighting coming the next day," Kiden said.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) estimates that the latest fighting in Juba has internally displaced at least 40,000 people, adding the number of the displaced people in Juba and other towns to 160,000 people.
Most of the people displaced by three-day fighting remain skeptical of returning home despite declaration of ceasefire by the country's rival leaders. The ceasefire appears to be holding.
Louis Sakwana, who fled her home on July 10 at the height of the fierce fighting, which took place in the middle of crowded neighborhoods, fears returning home but remains anxious about the safety of her personal belongings.
Sakwana, mother of nine children, also sought refuge at St. Joseph Primary School after being uprooted by the fighting.
"I will return home to check on my property and other belongings during the day and return to sleep at the school at night because the situation remains volatile around Juba.
President Kiir and Machar both declared a ceasefire and resolved to work toward the restoration of full confidence within the forces after an incident in which five soldiers were killed a day before the full-blown fighting broke out in Juba.
File photo taken on Nov.16, 2015, shows refugee children playing games at a refugee camp in Juba, South Sudan. Heavy exchanges of gunfire erupted early Sunday in South Sudan's capital Juba, barely two days after clashes between rival army factions killed more than 100 people. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
East African leaders, including Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, called on the South Sudanese leaders to move heavy weaponry outside the neighborhoods with civilians and ceasefire.
The fighting brought a serious humanitarian situation which has affected parts of the capital, including those who fled for their personal safety to the makeshift camps for the internally displaced.
"I have been here without food for the past three days. My nine children feed on biscuits brought by an organization. They said food is coming, but it is not reaching us. I feel like going home, but I still fear because the soldiers may still fight again and chase us away," Sakwana said.
Sakwana called on the leaders of South Sudan to end their differences by embracing dialogue to serve the people of South Sudan from the ongoing suffering.
"Hospitals are all closed. People are dying. Children cannot go to school," Sakwana lamented.
"Many ordinary people like us are suffering due to lack of food. Even with the little money I carried, I cannot buy any food because the few open shops around are empty. They should stop this fighting. We want our children to go to school."
There was some intense fighting around the camps under the UNMISS management. On Tuesday, UNMISS called on the government to grant access to humanitarian agencies to deliver assistance to displaced persons who are in dire need of help.
South Sudan descended into full-blown conflict in December 2013 after fighting between rival forces loyal to President Kiir and Machar spread across the country.
NAIROBI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Aid agencies on Friday launched a revised appeal for South Sudan, seeking 701 million U.S. dollars to help refugees which could pass 1 million mark this year if cross-border displacement trends continue.
Regional Refugee Coordinator for the South Sudan situation Ann Encontre expressed fears about the possibility fresh outflows of refugees in the wake of the recent military crisis in Juba and the dearth of funding for South Sudanese refugees.
"We have received 17 percent of the initial 638 million dollars that we had appealed for this year," Encontre said in a statement during the launch of the appeal in Nairobi.
"This has forced us to prioritize emergency response and life-saving activities, at the expense of critical water, sanitation, hygiene, health and shelter interventions for refugees," she added.
The revised appeal was launched by 46 UN partners along with national and non-governmental organizations in all of South Sudan's neighboring countries.
Encontre reiterated UNHCR's call on all armed parties to ensure safe passage for people fleeing fighting to seek safety and asylum.
She noted that while the security situation in Juba has improved since the declaration of a ceasefire on July 11, there are disturbing reports of increasing tension and sporadic fighting in other parts of the country, including in Wau (Western Bahr-Al-Ghazal), in Leer town (Unity), and in Yei (Central Equatoria).
There are also reports of civilians stranded at Nimule border town who failed to cross into Uganda.
The move comes after the UN on Thursday ordered the temporary relocation of some non-critical staff from Juba, South Sudan, given the operational challenges caused by the recent fighting there.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said some non-critical staff from the Mission, as well as from UN agencies, funds and programs, have been ordered to relocate temporarily "due to the recent fighting in Juba and subsequent associated operational challenges."
But UNMISS and UN entities "will continue running critical operations to support the people of South Sudan, including protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance," the spokesperson added.
The fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition, which backs First Vice-President Riek Machar, reportedly killed some 272 people, including 33 civilians, and displaced at least 36,000 civilians.
Encontre said that although children constitute 70 percent of the refugee population, child protection activities including in the education sector are severely compromised.
Noting that the overall planning figure had risen from 867,239 to 973,000, the regional refugee coordinator said that in the first four months of this year, countries like Sudan and Uganda received between 70 and 90 percent of their planned 2016 population.
Encontre lauded neighboring for keeping their borders open, noting that the number of countries hosting South Sudanese refugees has expanded to include the Central African Republic (10,454 refugees) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (11,966), in addition to Ethiopia (285,657), Kenya (103,104), Sudan (231,638) and Uganda (224,420).
She made a special appeal for the children, who are the worst affected by fighting in South Sudan, and of whom over half a million have been forced to flee the country.
"They are supposed to be the generation of tomorrow, the generation that will lead and rebuild their country, but right now, they are suffering enormously. They have been deprived of a normal life," Encontre said.
"Many of them are in camps or in settlements outside their country or internal displacement sites inside South Sudan. They cannot go to school, they do not have proper food, they cannot access health-care. We are doing what we can to keep them in good health, but the challenges to cater to their needs are really enormous," she added.
Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr take part in a demonstration in Baghdad's Tahrir Square on July 15, 2016, calling for governmental reform and elimination of corruption. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands of Iraqi people rallied in downtown Baghdad on Friday, in response to the call by the populist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to protest against corruption and sectarianism in Iraq.
Demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, waving thousands of Iraqi flags and chanting "No, no to corruption. No, no to sectarianism. Yes, yes to reform. Yes, yes to Iraq."
Moqtada al-Sadr appeared in the rally and shared the demonstrators their chants, before one of his aides read his speech.
Sadr demanded to sack all corrupt people in the government institutions, including high-ranking officials, warning that if the government failed to meet this demand, demonstrators will go further and demand resignation from President of Iraq, Prime Minister and Parliament Speaker, the three top leaders in the country.
The government "must bring the corrupted people to fair trial as soon as possible; otherwise, the people would prosecute them," he said.
Sadr also demanded to cancel the quota system for government posts and to form an independent technocrat government.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi made a substantial shakeup in his cabinet late March, when he presented a list of 14 candidates to the parliament for a new cabinet lineup including independent technocrats, but his move faced objections from other parties in the parliament.
Some political blocs and politicians apparently disapprove of such a reform because they see it a way to marginalize their factions in a government originally built on power-sharing agreements.
GAZA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement which rules the Gaza Strip announced Friday that it agrees to join and hold municipal elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, in a statement, affirmed its keenness to rearrange the Palestinian home and boost the principle of partnership.
"In this delicate stage that our people and our cause pass through, the movement sees a necessity and importance to hold the local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip," it said.
The last municipal elections were held in the Gaza Strip in 2005, two years before the Islamic movement's violent control of the coastal enclave following weeks of infighting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party.
However, the municipal elections were held regularly in the West Bank that is under the control of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), while Hamas prevented holding the vote in the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas is concerned to respond to the people's free will through the ballots in order to improve and develop the services provided to our people," said the statement.
Hamas reiterated that called for holding the presidential and the legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.
The presidential elections have not been held since Abbas won in 2005 and so the parliamentary elections since Hamas won a vast majority in the Palestinian parliament in 2006.
People offer flowers to the victims near the site of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. The death toll rises to 84 from an attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
BRUSSELS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, on Friday extended solidarity with France on behalf of the bloc after an attack in Nice, France on Thursday night that has killed at least 80 people.
"France can count on the European Commission and the rest of EU countries for continued support in the fight against terrorism both inside and outside the European Union. Our determination will be as strong as our unity," a statement quoted Juncker who was attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) as saying.
Juncker said he was touched and saddened by the "terrible ordeal" faced by the city in the French Riviera. He expressed solidarity with the victims, their families, and the entire nation as the French mourn those who perished in "the cowardly act of terror."
Earlier on Friday, the heads of state and of government of Asia and Europe, the president of the European Council, president of the European Commission, and the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who are currently meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, released a joint statement condemning the deadly terrorist attack in Nice.
"Following the recent terrorist attacks in Europe and Asia and in many other places, as we have seen in Nice a few hours before our summit, we strongly condemn the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks perpetrated, resulting in the unacceptable loss of innocent lives and countless injuries," the leaders said in the statement.
The leaders attending ASEM expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, to the people and the governments of various countries which have suffered from terrorist attacks resulting in the loss of innocent lives.
Meanwhile, they reaffirmed their commitment to join forces to fight the plague of terrorism and underlined the need to bring to justice those responsible for the attacks in accordance with the United Nations Charter and other obligations under international law.
Latest reports put the death toll of the attack in Nice at 84. French President Francois Hollande has said the terrorist nature of the attack "can not be denied."
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh waves as he arrives to lead the morning prayers for Eid al-Fitr celebrations, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Gaza City July 6, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
GAZA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement which rules the Gaza Strip announced Friday that it agrees to join and hold municipal elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, in a statement, affirmed its keenness to rearrange the Palestinian home and boost the principle of partnership.
"In this delicate stage that our people and our cause pass through, the movement sees a necessity and importance to hold the local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip," it said.
The last municipal elections were held in the Gaza Strip in 2005, two years before the Islamic movement's violent control of the coastal enclave following weeks of infighting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party.
However, the municipal elections were held regularly in the West Bank that is under the control of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), while Hamas prevented holding the vote in the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas is concerned to respond to the people's free will through the ballots in order to improve and develop the services provided to our people," said the statement.
Hamas reiterated that called for holding the presidential and the legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.
WARSAW, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The Polish foreign affairs ministry strongly condemned the deadly terror attack which took place in the French city of Nice on Thursday evening, leaving at least 84 dead.
"We extend condolences to relatives and families of the victims, with whom we connect in grief," a ministry statement said.
The statement also expressed solidarity with the French authorities and society. "Nothing can justify attacks aimed at civilians and everyone who contributed to this tragedy must be held responsible," it said.
On Thursday night, a truck drove into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing at least 84 people, according to latest reports.
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C, front) delivers a speech during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016.(Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The performance of the Chinese economy in the first half of this year was steady and in line with expectations, and China is confident of achieving its main full-year development targets, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Friday.
"New economy is vibrant, new business forms are booming, and new growth momentum is accumulating," Li said in a keynote speech at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator.
The comments came shortly after the release of China's key macroeconomic data earlier in the day. Official statistics showed China's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2016 to reach 34.06 trillion yuan (5.08 trillion U.S. dollars).
Economic growth in the second quarter was slightly faster than expected, holding steady from the first quarter and fueling hopes that the economy has entered a period of relatively slower but steady growth.
The premier said the world's largest developing economy, while facing continued downward pressure, still has huge potential, sufficient advantages and big maneuvering space.
Li said that China's current government debt ratio is low while household savings rate is high, with still ample policy tools available.
"China will unswervingly stick to the reform and open-up policy, and push forward its structural reforms, especially supply-side structural reforms," the premier said.
China is confident of achieving the main development targets set for this year and ensuring medium-high economic growth rates to take the economy to medium-high levels of development, Li said.
The Chinese premier began his speech by extending condolences to the victims of an overnight attack in the French city of Nice and their families. He said Eurasia is facing great opportunities and severe challenges, especially knotty problems such as terrorism and the refugee issue.
The premier said all sides should abide by the ASEM consensus on such principles as mutual respect and friendly consultation, and explore new paths to further promote Eurasia cooperation. He offered a three-point cooperation proposal.
Firstly, Li called for an innovative approach to Asia-Europe cooperation. He urged all parties to share the ideas of a community of common destiny and common responsibilities, conduct dialogues and cooperation so as to effectively cope with regional challenges, prevent breeding grounds for new turmoils and safeguard world peace and regional stability.
"All sides should jointly safeguard the post-World War II international order, abandon cold-war or zero-sum mentality, and strive to make the international order and global governance system more fair and justified," he said.
Li said China always acts as a promoter of world peace, the international order and rule of law, and a keeper of regional peace and stability.
"We have always advocated that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, should conduct themselves in accordance with the laws and rules, be opposed to misinterpretation of international law, be opposed to double standards, obey rules agreed in the region, and resolve disputes in a peaceful manner and through political means rather than incite conflicts or confrontation," he said.
China will unswervingly pursue a path of peaceful development, the premier stressed.
Secondly, the Chinese premier called for concerted efforts to create new cooperation impetuses. Cooperation between Asia and Europe should be guided towards a more pragmatic direction, and economic and trade cooperation should particularly be enhanced, he said.
Li said he looks forward to the resumption of the ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting next year after a 10-year hiatus. He called for joint efforts to speed up the establishment of an open and inclusive megamarket across Asia and Europe and facilitate free trade and investment.
Any form of protectionism should be rejected and the world should work together to cope with climate change, Li said.
Thirdly, Li called for establishing a stronger foundation for the cultural cooperation between Asia and Europe. More dialogues are needed between different civilizations, he said.
The two-day ASEM Summit in Ulan Bator aims to promote "partnership for the future through connectivity." It brought together leaders and delegates from 53 countries, the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China has urged Brazil to stop using the controversial Surrogate Country approach in its anti-dumping investigation into Chinese high-carbon steel wire.
The Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday that Brazil planned to use the United States as an analogue country for a benchmark review to evaluate the Chinese product's normal price.
When the Surrogate Country approach is in effect, a third country or region's prices can be used to assess if a given country is exporting below market value or dumping.
However, in accordance with the accession protocol signed when China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, the Surrogate Country approach expires on December 11, 2016, the ministry said.
Frequent use of protectionist practices will not help solve global steel sector woes amid the economic slowdown, and Brazil should refrain from trade remedy measures, according to the ministry's statement.
It said China and Brazil, as BRICs members, should enhance communication and collaborate with each other to create a favorable environment for mutual benefit.
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) meets with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Russia opposes internationalization of the South China Sea disputes or any interference from forces outside the region, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.
Medvedev made the remarks during a sideline meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in the Mongolian capital.
The Russian side supports the China-initiated principles of resolving the disputes, Medvedev said, calling for bilateral negotiations and consultations between directly relevant parties to solve the issue.
On bilateral relations, the two leaders agreed to strengthen economic cooperation and hold the regular prime ministers' meeting in the second half of this year in Russia.
With highly complementary economies, China and Russia should expand two-way investment, improve trade structure and financial services, Li said.
Trade between the two countries has shown positive signs, while major cooperation projects of strategic significance have seen great progress, the Chinese premier said.
To increase the trade volume, China and Russia should consolidate and expand their cooperation in the field of traditional energy based on the principle of sharing risks and benefits, Li said.
Li also called on the two sides to hold active discussions on industrial production capacity cooperation as well as seeking three-party cooperation so as to lift their win-win cooperation to a higher level.
As this year marks the 15th anniversary of Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, China stands ready to consolidate mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation with Russia and intensify interaction in international and regional affairs, Li said.
"China will collaborate with Russia within the frameworks of ASEM and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to safeguard common interests and promote peace and development in both countries, Eurasia and the world at large," Li said.
Medvedev said Russia and China enjoy a high-level comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, as evidenced by the unprecedented mutual political trust and frequent high-level exchanges.
He said Russia-China relations are in a great period with smooth progress in major projects and promising trade ties.
KIGALI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Africa has marked an improvement in human and people's rights in the last five years, a senior African Union (AU) official has said.
Ambassador Sallah Mohamad, AU Senior Human Rights Expert at the Department of Political Affairs, attributed the improvement on Friday to a strategy that was developed by the AU to help strengthen human rights in the continent.
"To date 43 countries have formed National Human Rights Commissions up from 11 in 2011, and the reporting has showed remarkable reduction of negative human rights records," Mohamad said at the ongoing 27th AU Summit in Rwanda's capital Kigali.
He revealed that out of the 43 National Human Rights Commissions, 37 countries have been approved by the United Nations after meeting the required global standards.
Mohamad observed that the AU has adopted an inclusive and holistic approach to human rights, and effectively advanced social, economic and cultural rights as well as the right to development in its promotion of an African human rights protection system.
He said as a result African countries have included the strategy and implementing it effectively to have real impact on socioeconomic development and the lives of the people, and to put in place proper monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
"This is succeeding well because the governments, through the commissions have involved other stakeholders in ensuring that human rights and laws are respected and upheld," he added.
He said that the AU is currently focusing on the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups by advocating for the implementation of various commitments made by governments through the adoption of national laws and policies, and by increasing the allocation of resources to the social sector to enhance access and build capacity in institutions.
"We are compelled to ensure that human rights are secured for every human being and for all peoples in Africa and elsewhere," said Aisha Abdullahi, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs.
She noted that the rights must be protected without any distinction or discrimination based on nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion and language.
She called on African governments to renew their commitment to the domestication and promotion of the Maputo Declaration by ending violence against women.
She said that the AU has developed a strategy of ending violence meted against citizens in Burundi, Somali, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Central African Republic.
"We also have a policy framework for countries that are emerging from conflicts as part of AU efforts of silencing the gun by 2020," Abdullahi said.
She called for the eradication of the culture of patriarchy by ensuring that all institutions become sensitive to gender equality.
"In some countries women gender are still disadvantaged in education, security and economic development," she noted.
In 2004, AU advanced human rights by establishing the African Court on Human and People's Rights.
The court adds an enforcement arm to existing human rights institutions on a continent known more for the impunity of those who govern than the strict defense of the rights and liberties of citizens.
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi will visit the city of Ulyanovsk in Russia's Volga region for a meeting next Monday to Wednesday.
The regional cooperation council meeting, between regions along the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China and the Volga River in Russia, is the first of its kind, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang.
Yang's attendance is at the invitation of Mikhail Babich, Russia's presidential envoy to the Volga Federal District, said Lu.
A forum on cooperation between regions along the Yangtze River in China and the Volga River in Russia has been held in previous years.
STRASBOURG, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The French city of Strasbourg said Friday it is to strengthen security following the deadly attack in Nice.
After a truck drove into a crowd in the French Riviera city, killing more than 80 people, Strasbourg's mayor Roland Ries said vigilance and other security measures would be stepped up as Strasbourg is home to a number of European institutions, as well as being a major tourist destination.
Sitting on the border with Germany in northeast France, Strasbourg houses the European Parliament building, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights.
In a statement issued Friday morning, Ries asked for security at the city's annual Summer Festival to be "substantially reinforced". The festival includes a nightly sound and light show illuminating Strasbourg's gothic cathedral.
The resources available for extra security are not yet known. However, the French government has already announced further security measures including an extension of the state of emergency for a further three months.
"French and European flags on municipal buildings in Strasbourg will be flown at half-mast, while other expressions of mourning will be also organized," Ries said in the statement.
Meanwhile, Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, expressed solidarity with France. "On the day (July 14) when the French nation and the world resonate to the motto of the Republic, where 'liberty, equality and fraternity' beat in the hearts of democrats, France, our host country, has been hit by cowardly assassins," he said.
On Monday, Roland Ries had unveiled a plan to fight radicalization among local youth just as seven young men known collectively as the "Strasbourg Connection", and who had spent time in Syria, and were handed long prison sentences by a Criminal Court in Paris.
According to French press reports in January, the European Parliament in Strasbourg has been identified by French intelligence services as a potential target for a terrorist attack.
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A fugitive on a list of China's 10 most-wanted telecom and Internet fraud suspects has been detained by police, the Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.
Between April and July 2013, under the disguise of law enforcement personnel, Wang Wenlong, 27, allegedly conspired to defraud 3.88 million yuan (580,000 U.S. dollars) by luring victims to transfer money out of their accounts which Wang and his associates said were "being used for money laundering."
Wang was arrested on Friday early morning in southeast China's Fujian Province. He is now in custody, pending further investigation.
The ministry published the 10 most-wanted list on April 10, offering groups or individuals 50,000 yuan for information leading to the arrest of each suspect. Liao is the seventh suspect caught to date, according to the ministry.
LJUBLJANA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar and President Borut Pahor have condemned, in the strongest terms, Thursday night's attack when the driver of a truck drove into a crowd in Nice, leading to the deaths of at least 84 people.
"I strongly condemn any form of terrorism and extremism. Our hearts are with the victims' families and France," Cerar said on his Twitter profile, according to the local news report by Slovenian Press Agency (STA).
Pahor sent a letter of condolence to French President Francois Hollande describing the attack as "an act of terrorism that deserves the strongest condemnation."
"I am deeply shaken by news about last night's tragedy in Nice, France, the heart of Europe. Innocent victims have been killed: children, families, people who celebrated and lived the values of the free world," he said according to the president's office.
The foreign ministry said information available so far did not indicate Slovenian nationals were among the victims of the latest terrorist attack, said STA report.
At least 84 people are dead, including many children, and dozens injured, including 18 in critical condition, after a 19-ton truck plunged through a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations.
STOCKHOLM, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Friday condemned the attack in Nice, France on Thursday night, expressing his condolences, saying his "thoughts were with all of France, the victims and their family and friends."
"It is an attack on innocent people and it is also an attack on our open and democratic society," Lofven said in a statement on the Swedish government's website.
He added the Swedish government was following the situation closely, staying informed about the extent of the attack and how Swedes in the area had been affected by the events.
At around 10:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT) Thursday, a truck drove at high speed into a crowd who had gathered to watch a fireworks show marking the French national holiday, killing at least 84 people and injured many.
BRATISLAVA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed his sorrow on Friday to families of victims of the terrorist attack in Nice, France on Thursday night.
"I'm very sorry for all those people that got killed or injured during this heinous terror attack. This is an incident that will be stirring affairs for several months and not just in Europe, but worldwide, as these terror attacks are happening in all corners of the world," stated Fico, whose country currently holds the presidency of the Council of the EU.
Fico explained he had been in contact with the Slovak Embassy in France and Slovakia's security forces ever since the incident.
"The interior ministry is ready to offer air transport to people in Nice and its vicinity," noted Fico.
At least 84 people have been killed and dozens more injured, when a truck hit a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in the harbor city of Nice in southeastern France. The attack took place after the fireworks at the busy Promenade des Anglais around 10:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT).
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday said Japan should stop hyping up and interfering in the South China Sea issue, urging the two sides to properly manage their differences. Li made the remarks in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator. Li said that China's stance on the South China Sea issue is completely in line with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). Japan is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and thus should "exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering in" the issue, he said. The Chinese premier called on both sides to step up exchanges on the East China Sea issue via dialogue and consultation based on the four-point principled agreement they reached in November 2014, so as to stave off misinterpretation and miscalculation. On bilateral relations, Li said China-Japan relations have in recent year embarked on a course of improvement, but the pace is slow and is from time to time disturbed by complications. He urged both sides to keep a strong sense of responsibility, and steadily push ahead China-Japan ties on the basis of the reality and long-term strategic consideration. To that end, Li urged China and Japan to steer the future development of their relations into the right direction. China has always adhered to the policy of developing healthy and stable ties with Japan, said Li. The Chinese premier, called on Tokyo to abide by the principles defined in the four political documents agreed between China and Japan, while pursuing an active and friendly foreign policy toward China in the spirit of "taking history as a mirror and looking forward into the future." Both sides should act on the consensus that China and Japan are cooperative partners instead of threats to each other, and support each other's peaceful development, he added. The premier suggested the two countries could resume dialogue and communication step by step in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, to add to the positive facets in bilateral ties. As two of the world's large economies, China and Japan should make the most of their respective advantages and competitiveness to step up economic cooperation, he said. The two countries should also strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs, enhance interactions under the frameworks such as ASEM and G20, and carry out consultations and cooperation in cross-border counter-terrorism, Li said. 1 2 1 2
KIGALI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The 2014 Nobel laureate Malala Yousafza, warns the world could lose future generation as the young generation, especially girls, are facing many challenges related to the refugeehood.
In Rwanda since Wednesday, Malala says international donors and all countries should make education a priority and should invest in refugee children.
She made the remarks Thursday while visiting Mahama refugee camp hosting over 49,000 Burundian refugees.
Her regional tour started at Dadaab Somalis refugee camp in Kenya, on Tuesday.
It is in part to advocate for refugees in Africa under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
While in Kigali, Malala met Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and other government officials on Wednesday, before visiting Mahama camp, in eastern Rwanda.
In the camp, the 19-year-old girl freely interacted with refugee children and women listening to their stories, challenges and future ambitions.
All the refugee children need, according to Malala, is quality education.
"Education is the only tool that can empower them but unfortunately in this refugee camp there are many students who cannot have access to education," she said.
Malala said the refugee girls especially in camps face many challenges such as sexual violence, poverty-but their voices need to be heard and their rights respected.
"Raising the voice for the young girls whether they are refugees or not is very important, the international community, media, leaders need to give importance to the voice of young girls, their voice matters, they are also individuals and human beings," she said.
There are over 15,000 refugee children in Mahama camp studying in nearby primary and secondary school but more than 2,700 do not have chance to go to school.
Accompanied by her father and government officials, Malala said she was impressed by the courage and ambitions after listening to the refugee girls.
But she noted it was unfortunate that some refugee children are not able to acquire quality education due to limited funding.
There are over 60 million refugees of whom 22 million are not able to go to school, according to the UNHCR.
The Pakistani activist for female education rose to international fame in 2012, when she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for her criticism of the Taliban and advocacy of girls' education.
She celebrated her birthday last year by opening a girls' school for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
The 2013, 2014 and 2015 issues of Time magazine featured Malala as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World."
Aged 17 at the time, she became the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.
July 12 was declared "Malala Day" by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2013 to coincide with her birthday.
Refugee girls expressed hope that Malala's advocacy would make their voices heard.
Rwanda Government officials and UNHCR also believe Malala's visit could bring more funders on board to support education for refugees.
MANILA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine government will allocate a five-billion-peso (106.9 million U.S. dollars) budget in the next five years to rehabilitate the abaca industry, the Department of Agriculture said Friday.
According to Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol, the government is targeting 900,000 hectares of abaca plantation that need intervention.
"There is a great demand for abaca all over the world and there are only three countries producing it: Philippines, Ecuador, and Costa Rica," he said.
"We really have to exploit new opportunities in front of us, as far as abaca is concerned," he added.
An initial funding of 100 million pesos will be downloaded to a town in Southern Leyte, an abaca-producing province in central Philippines, Pinol said.
The five-year program for the abaca industry covers the provision of planting materials, fertilizers, modern technology and stripping machines.
JOHANNESBURG, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The award on the South China Sea Arbitration is certainly null and void, said Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Tian Xuejun in an interview published in The Star newspaper on Friday.
The South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the former government of the Republic of Philippines is not a pure legal case, but a result of political manipulation, said Tian in the interview with Independent Media's group foreign editor Shannon Ebrahim.
The Arbitral Tribunal, consisting of five people, is not an international court. It does not belong to the International Court of Justice under the framework of the United Nations, Tian said.
"The Arbitral Tribunal is not representative, authoritative and credible and it can not represent International Law and its award is certainly null and void," Tian added.
The former government of the Philippines and the Arbitral Tribunal, by pushing forward the arbitration proceedings, have not only infringed on China's sovereignty as well as maritime rights and interests, but also undermined the integrity and authority of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the ambassador noted.
The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines aims to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, Tian said.
"The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines runs counter to UNCLOS and its restrictive provisions concerning the application of arbitral procedures, and runs against the general practice that arbitration shall be premised on state consent," Tian added.
"The establishment of the Arbitral Tribunal is based on the Philippines' illegal actions and unlawful submissions and has no legitimacy. The Arbitral Tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case and its award is clearly out of the Arbitral Tribunal's acts of self-expansion of power and ultra vires, and has no legal effect, Tian said.
Ebrahim questioned that how will the court's decision affect the dynamics in the South China Sea in the near future. Tian said, China is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
"China also stands ready to continue to resolve the relevant disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation with the states directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law," the ambassador added.
The arbitration is a political scheme under the cloak of law, through the proxy's acts, people can easily find the trace of certain big power who staged and pushed forward the arbitration, Tian said.
"Now the arbitration farce is over, we hope that the Philippine side will work with us to properly manage differences and bring our bilateral relations back to the track of healthy development at an early date," Tian said.
"China respects and upholds the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states under international law in the South China Sea, and stays ready to work with other coastal states and the international community to ensure the safety of and the unimpeded access to the international shipping lanes in the South China Sea," the ambassador said.
BUENOS AIRES, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The arbitral tribunal's award against China on the South China Sea lacked legitimacy and was riddled with inconsistencies, an Argentine expert said on Thursday.
The inconsistencies in the legal process were like "covering one eye and saying one thing, and then covering the other eye to say the opposite thing," Pablo Ferrara, a lawyer with a PhD in International Law of the Sea from the University of California at Berkeley told Xinhua.
"The award says it is not going to deal with questions of sovereignty, above all regarding historic appellations and historic maritime areas claimed by China, but it then analyzes the exercise of this sovereignty," he said.
There was a contradiction, the legal expert said, adding that "in the International Law of the Sea, land projects over the water, and everything that happens on the sea, except the high seas, are the logical extension of the sovereignty exercised on land."
The original dispute fell beyond the tribunal's jurisdiction and the tribunal "distorted China's statements," Ferrara said.
The tribunal kept the suited parts to insinuate the award into the legal framework while discarded the unsuited parts to ignore any topics supporting any position favorable to China, he said.
Clear bias was also inherent in the tribunal, Ferrara added.
The tribunal, from a political perspective, was not ethically composed, he said, adding that no judge "is of Asian nationality."
The Philippines was represented by lawyers from a country (U.S.) that doesn't join in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and by the United Kingdom, the great instigator of conflicts of sovereignty around the world, he added.
The tribunal had overreached its authority, the expert said.
It claimed that existing negotiations between Beijing and Manila under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) "did not exempt" China from the ruling, because any accords reached by such talks would "not be legal documents," he said.
However, in general, tribunals abstain from interfering in matters being negotiated, Ferrara said, adding that he was surprised at intervention by the tribunal.
The ad hoc arbitral tribunal in The Hague announced on Tuesday its award against China over the South China Sea case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
"It's an almost Manichean award," Ferrara said, connoting an overly simplified world view where good battles evil.
He had "quite a negative" opinion on the ruling, and said the unfavorable result for China was an unpleasant surprise.
Ferrara was an academic both at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg, Germany and the Groningen Center of Energy Law in the Netherlands.
In 2014, he was designated assistant professor of the South China Sea Institute (SCSI) at China's Xiamen University.
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- World leaders, experts and foreign media have questioned the legitimacy of an arbitral tribunal's award over the South China Sea case and voiced their support for China's position on the issue.
The Hague-based tribunal denied China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea in an arbitration unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
ARBITRAL TRIBUNAL ILLEGAL
Former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor on Wednesday said arbitration is a reasonable solution to ending a dispute only if both parties agree to be a part of it.
"There is no international institution that may voluntarily impose attitude or decision if all the countries involved do not agree that this institution has the right to resolve the issue," she added.
Peter Li, a political science professor with tenure at the University of Houston, said "although the tribunal claimed that it made no attempt to rule on any question of sovereignty over land territory or to delimit any boundary between the concerned parties, the tribunal has in fact been used to support the Philippines' territorial claim in the South China Sea."
"The use of the panel for supporting one country's territorial claims has therefore created a questionable and bad precedent," he said.
Anatoly Smirnov, president of the Russian National Institute for Research of Global Security, said "the tribunal's decision can be legitimate only if it is recognized by both parties to the conflict. In this case, China has said it will not recognize the award from the very beginning."
Venezuelan analysts believed that covert interests of the United States were behind the arbitration case.
"In recent years, the United States has launched an assault against China, especially by stoking historical disputes it has had with other countries in the region," said Basem Tajeldine, a Venezuelan expert on international relations.
Dorian Ducka, an energy strategist and former deputy minister of Energy and Industry of Albania, said the award of the arbitral tribunal has shown itself to be a strongly biased body.
PEACEFUL AND BILATERAL NEGOTIATION
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said that Laos supports China's stance on the South China Sea arbitration case, and that his country stands ready to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Friday said his country supports settlement of disputes in the South China Sea through dialogue and consultation between countries directly concerned.
Jan Hamacek, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, said on Thursday that the South China Sea dispute should be resolved peacefully via negotiation.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the South China Sea disputes should be settled through consultations.
"We believe that the involved parties must hold relevant consultations and negotiations in the format determined by themselves," Zakharova said.
"We support efforts of China and member states of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) towards working out a code of conduct in the South China Sea," she added.
Foreign ministers of African countries also emphasized the importance of direct negotiation and consulation, saying that unilateral action does not help solve the disputes.
"We believe direct negotiations between relevant countries is the best solution to the current disputes in the South China Sea," said Erastus Mwencha, vice president of the African Union Commission.
BUJUMBURA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- An unidentified gunman Thursday evening shot dead two persons at Gihosha in the north of the Burundian capital Bujumbura, Burundian Police Spokesman said Friday.
"An unidentified gunman yesterday (Thursday) evening broke out in a compound at Gihosha, shooting dead two persons and leaving a Kalashnikov gun that he used to commit the murder and a bag in which he had hidden the gun at the scene of the crime," said Burundian Police Spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye.
According to him, both the victims were visitors.
One of the victims was a man aged 51 and the other was a ten-year-old girl.
"The killer ran away after the crime, but police agents are looking for him," said Nkurikiye.
On Wednesday, Burundian lawmaker at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and former minister Hafsa Mossi was killed by unidentified gunmen in the same neighborhood of Gihosha.
Insecurity has risen again while a three-day dialogue between Burundians ended Thursday in Arusha, Tanzania to seek ways of ending a year-long crisis hitting Burundi.
Burundi has suffered turmoil since April last year when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would seek a third term, which he later won.
Opponents say the president's move violates the constitution, and mounted waves of protests.
Over 451 people are said to have been killed in violence.
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday said that Tokyo should stop hyping up and interfering in the South China Sea issue, urging the two countries to properly manage their differences. Li made the remarks in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator. Li said that China's stance on the South China Sea issue is completely in line with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). Japan is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and thus should "exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering in" the issue, he said. The Chinese premier called on both sides to step up exchanges on the East China Sea issue via dialogue and consultation based on the four-point principled agreement they reached in November 2014, so as to stave off misinterpretation and miscalculation. On bilateral relations, Li said China-Japan relations have in recent year embarked on a course of improvement, but the pace is slow and is from time to time disturbed by complications. He urged both sides to keep a strong sense of responsibility, and steadily push ahead China-Japan ties on the basis of the reality and long-term strategic consideration. To that end, Li urged China and Japan to steer the future development of their relations into the right direction. China has always adhered to the policy of developing healthy and stable ties with Japan, said Li. The Chinese premier called on Tokyo to abide by the principles defined in the four political documents agreed between China and Japan, while pursuing an active and friendly foreign policy toward China in the spirit of "taking history as a mirror and looking forward into the future." Both sides should act on the consensus that China and Japan are cooperative partners instead of threats to each other, and support each other's peaceful development, he added.P The premier suggested the two countries could resume dialogue and communication step by step in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, to add to the positive facets in bilateral ties. As two of the world's large economies, China and Japan should make the most of their respective advantages and competitiveness to step up economic cooperation, he said. The two countries should also strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs, enhance interactions under the frameworks such as ASEM and G20, and carry out consultations and cooperation in cross-border counter-terrorism, Li said. For his part, Abe said despite existing difficulties in the relations between Japan and China, the Japanese side hopes to expand exchanges and cooperation with China, properly manage differences, and push forward bilateral ties in pursuit of a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship. He said Japan appreciates China's active undertakings in economic structural transformation and adjustment amid uncertainties in the world economic development prospects. He hoped the two countries could resume high-level economic dialogues and facilitate bilateral cooperation in the fiscal and financial sectors, as well as in energy conservation and environment protection. < Japan is willing to contribute to a successful G20 summit in Hangzhou, east China in September, and to jointly steering the world economy out of crisis, Abe said. Japan also stands ready to carry out consultations with China on counter-terrorism, and work with the international community to address the global challenge of terrorism, he said. 1 2 1 2
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called for properly managing the differences between China and Japan and gradually resuming their dialogue and communication.
Li made the remarks in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator.
"Both sides could resume dialogue and communication step by step in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, to add to the positive facets in bilateral ties," Li told Abe.
Li said China-Japan relations have in recent year embarked on a course of improvement, but the pace is slow and is from time to time disturbed by complications.
He urged both sides to keep a strong sense of responsibility, and steadily push ahead China-Japan ties on the basis of the reality and long-term strategic consideration.
As two of the world's large economies, China and Japan should make the most of their respective advantages and competitiveness to step up economic cooperation, he said.
For his part, Abe said that despite the existing difficulties in the relations between Japan and China, the Japanese side hopes to expand exchanges and cooperation with China.
The two sides should properly manage differences, and push forward bilateral ties in pursuit of a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship, Abe said.
CAIRO, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Top Egyptian officials condemned Friday terrorist attack in the French city Nice which killed 84 people and cautioned that terror attacks at crowds have constituted IS new strategy.
Meanwhile, an Egyptian expert on terrorism said that France has become an easy open area for terrorist acts.
He stressed that the attack in Nice resembles suicide features of the IS new strategy know as "Lone Wolf," upon which the attacker seeks the best moments in crowds to harvest many victims' souls.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Friday condemned with the strongest terms the attack, expressing heartfelt condolences to his French counterpart Francois Hollande and the French government and people in a statement issued by the Egyptian Presidency.
The death toll rose to 84 from the attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice.
With 18 people remaining in critical condition, the death toll could rise.
Sisi also voiced full solidarity of Egypt with all international efforts that are aimed at fighting terrorism that is not restricted to a certain border or religion.
Additionally, the parliament speaker has called for urgent moves for holding an international conference on combating terrorism.
Meanwhile, the Sunni Islam's leading seat of learning Al-Azhar on Friday condemned the deadly attack as saying "these vile terrorist attacks contradict Islamic teachings."
"Al-Azhar affirms the necessity of uniting efforts to defeat terrorism and rid the world of its evil," the Cairo-based institution said in a statement.
The Foreign Ministry of Egypt has also condemned in the strongest terms the "appalling attack."
"These despicable terrorist acts, which indiscriminately target persons regardless of their religion or nationality, only aim at terrorizing innocent civilians and conquering humanity in all its forms," the statement said.
These acts will only increase the international community's strength to combat the scourge of obnoxious terrorism, the statement added.
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul-Gheit denounced the attack as "cowardly."
"This despicable crime showed that terrorism continues to cross all red lines as it targets innocent people through unprecedented acts of brutality," the head Pan-Arab body said in a statement.
He stressed the necessity of immediately unifying international efforts to fight terrorism via taking more effective and strict measures.
Police sources said the perpetrator, shot dead after opening fire at the police, was a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian man whose identity papers were found in the vehicle and who was previously known to police for minor criminal offenses.
"France is a very convenient place for planning and carrying out fast and simple operations," said Samir Ghatas, head of Cairo-based Middle East Forum for Strategic and Security Affairs.
Tunisians constitute the majority of the migrants in France, and also most of the Islamic State affiliates are of Tunisian origins, he said.
"Most of the Islamic State members have relatives or family members in France, which makes the country readily penetrable," Ghatas explained.
Despite the supportive policies France took towards the Arab nations and the Palestinian cause, the IS main project is to expand their influence and establish Caliphate regardless of defending any Arab issues, the expert said.
File photo taken on Nov.16, 2015, shows a refugee camp in Juba, South Sudan. Heavy exchanges of gunfire erupted early Sunday in South Sudan's capital Juba, barely two days after clashes between rival army factions killed more than 100 people. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
NAIROBI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Aid agencies on Friday launched a revised appeal for South Sudan, seeking 701 million U.S. dollars to help refugees which could pass 1 million mark this year if cross-border displacement trends continue.
Regional Refugee Coordinator for the South Sudan situation Ann Encontre expressed fears about the possibility fresh outflows of refugees in the wake of the recent military crisis in Juba and the dearth of funding for South Sudanese refugees.
"We have received 17 percent of the initial 638 million dollars that we had appealed for this year," Encontre said in a statement during the launch of the appeal in Nairobi.
"This has forced us to prioritize emergency response and life-saving activities, at the expense of critical water, sanitation, hygiene, health and shelter interventions for refugees," she added.
The revised appeal was launched by 46 UN partners along with national and non-governmental organizations in all of South Sudan's neighboring countries.
Encontre reiterated UNHCR's call on all armed parties to ensure safe passage for people fleeing fighting to seek safety and asylum.
She noted that while the security situation in Juba has improved since the declaration of a ceasefire on July 11, there are disturbing reports of increasing tension and sporadic fighting in other parts of the country, including in Wau (Western Bahr-Al-Ghazal), in Leer town (Unity), and in Yei (Central Equatoria).
There are also reports of civilians stranded at Nimule border town who failed to cross into Uganda.
The move comes after the UN on Thursday ordered the temporary relocation of some non-critical staff from Juba, South Sudan, given the operational challenges caused by the recent fighting there.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said some non-critical staff from the Mission, as well as from UN agencies, funds and programs, have been ordered to relocate temporarily "due to the recent fighting in Juba and subsequent associated operational challenges."
But UNMISS and UN entities "will continue running critical operations to support the people of South Sudan, including protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance," the spokesperson added.
The fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition, which backs First Vice-President Riek Machar, reportedly killed some 272 people, including 33 civilians, and displaced at least 36,000 civilians.
Encontre said that although children constitute 70 percent of the refugee population, child protection activities including in the education sector are severely compromised.
Noting that the overall planning figure had risen from 867,239 to 973,000, the regional refugee coordinator said that in the first four months of this year, countries like Sudan and Uganda received between 70 and 90 percent of their planned 2016 population.
Encontre lauded neighboring for keeping their borders open, noting that the number of countries hosting South Sudanese refugees has expanded to include the Central African Republic (10,454 refugees) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (11,966), in addition to Ethiopia (285,657), Kenya (103,104), Sudan (231,638) and Uganda (224,420).
She made a special appeal for the children, who are the worst affected by fighting in South Sudan, and of whom over half a million have been forced to flee the country.
"They are supposed to be the generation of tomorrow, the generation that will lead and rebuild their country, but right now, they are suffering enormously. They have been deprived of a normal life," Encontre said.
GENEVA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned Friday that at least 200,000 Syrians trapped in the cities of Aleppo, Darayya, and Manbij were facing an "increasingly desperate situation" amid a recent upsurge in violence.
"The country is already a gigantic, devastated graveyard. The number of war crimes already committed surpasses the worst nightmares," said Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a statement.
"But it is in the power of both attacking and defending forces, and their foreign backers, to minimize further civilian casualties and avoid further crimes and atrocities," he added.
The human rights official urged warring parties to protect civilians confined by ongoing fighting between government forces, opposition factions, and terrorist groups.
He also called for the fundamental needs of those forced to survive in besieged locations to be respected, including the safe and regular access to food and water.
"The intentional starvation of civilians is a serious violation of international human rights and humanitarian law, and may constitute a war crime. Those responsible for such violations should be held criminally accountable," he highlighted.
"Even if they have become so brutalized they do not care about the innocent women, children, and men whose lives are in their hands, they should bear in mind that one day there will be a reckoning for all these crimes," Zeid concluded.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died since the crisis kicked off in March 2011.
Millions more have been forced to flee their homes as a result of reigning insecurity and violence.
French President Francois Hollande (2nd L) stands with Prime Minister Manuel Valls (L), Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (R) and Minister of Health Marisol Touraine (2nd R) as he speaks to journalists at the Prefectoral Palace the day after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing at least 84 people on July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
CAIRO, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Top Egyptian officials condemned Friday terrorist attack in the French city Nice which killed 84 people and cautioned that terror attacks at crowds have constituted IS new strategy.
Meanwhile, an Egyptian expert on terrorism said that France has become an easy open area for terrorist acts.
He stressed that the attack in Nice resembles suicide features of the IS new strategy know as "Lone Wolf," upon which the attacker seeks the best moments in crowds to harvest many victims' souls.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Friday condemned with the strongest terms the attack, expressing heartfelt condolences to his French counterpart Francois Hollande and the French government and people in a statement issued by the Egyptian Presidency.
The death toll rose to 84 from the attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice.
With 18 people remaining in critical condition, the death toll could rise.
Sisi also voiced full solidarity of Egypt with all international efforts that are aimed at fighting terrorism that is not restricted to a certain border or religion.
Additionally, the parliament speaker has called for urgent moves for holding an international conference on combating terrorism.
Meanwhile, the Sunni Islam's leading seat of learning Al-Azhar on Friday condemned the deadly attack as saying "these vile terrorist attacks contradict Islamic teachings."
"Al-Azhar affirms the necessity of uniting efforts to defeat terrorism and rid the world of its evil," the Cairo-based institution said in a statement.
The Foreign Ministry of Egypt has also condemned in the strongest terms the "appalling attack."
"These despicable terrorist acts, which indiscriminately target persons regardless of their religion or nationality, only aim at terrorizing innocent civilians and conquering humanity in all its forms," the statement said.
These acts will only increase the international community's strength to combat the scourge of obnoxious terrorism, the statement added.
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul-Gheit denounced the attack as "cowardly."
"This despicable crime showed that terrorism continues to cross all red lines as it targets innocent people through unprecedented acts of brutality," the head Pan-Arab body said in a statement.
He stressed the necessity of immediately unifying international efforts to fight terrorism via taking more effective and strict measures.
Police sources said the perpetrator, shot dead after opening fire at the police, was a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian man whose identity papers were found in the vehicle and who was previously known to police for minor criminal offenses.
"France is a very convenient place for planning and carrying out fast and simple operations," said Samir Ghatas, head of Cairo-based Middle East Forum for Strategic and Security Affairs.
Tunisians constitute the majority of the migrants in France, and also most of the Islamic State affiliates are of Tunisian origins, he said.
"Most of the Islamic State members have relatives or family members in France, which makes the country readily penetrable," Ghatas explained.
BEIRUT, July 15 (Xinhua) -- New U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon stressed Friday that she will seek "to strengthen the bilateral long-standing partnership and support Lebanon's stability and prosperity," according to a statement by the U.S. embassy in Lebanon.
"I had the great honor to meet with Foreign Minister today upon my arrival as the new U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon. I could not be more thrilled and honored to serve as President Obama's representative to Lebanon," Elizabeth H. Richard said following meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil.
"As I begin my time in Lebanon, I look forward to strengthening our countries' long-standing partnership," she added.
"The American-Lebanese relationship is built on a solid foundation of shared values. It has grown even stronger in recent years, and America has stood side by side with Lebanon as it has faced an array of challenges," remarked Richard.
"I look forward to building on the work of my predecessors and continuing our support for Lebanon's security, stability and prosperity," she concluded.
Richard arrived in Lebanon on July 11 following confirmation of her appointment by the U.S. Senate on May 17, 2016.
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China's central government has contracted independent environmental inspectors for the first time to supervise local governments.
Four teams were dispatched to Inner Mongolia and Ningxia in the north, and Jiangxi and Guangxi in the south this week. Four more teams will set off soon for Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangsu and Yunnan provinces, according to the government sources on Friday.
Inspections will last around a month and the major tasks are to assess the implementation of central government environment policy and control of serious environmental problems.
Inspectors will hear briefs from provincial and city environmental regulators, interview officials, carry out field investigations and talk to concerned members of the public.
Their reports will be submitted to the Organizational Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee as a key aspects of the performance assessment of senior officials.
They will share their findings with local authorities and pass on leads in any possible graft cases to discipline inspection agencies.
Local governments are required to work out a plan to correct the problems exposed by inspectors and submit it to the central government within 30 days, followed by a progress report six months later.
The decision to use independent inspectors was made in July last year to address worsening environment problems.
From Dec. 31 in 2015 to Feb. 4, the first team in north China's Hebei Province, processed nearly 3,000 complaints from the public which led to closure of 200 polluters and detention of 123 suspects. About 60 officials were punished.
Independent inspectors will be sent to all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities within two years.
Image taken on Nov. 12, 2015, of Cuban migrants that were arrested by migration security elements, waiting to board a bus that will move them to the border with Nicaragua, from the migration office of San Jose, Costa Rica. (Xinhua/Kent Gilbert)
HAVANA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Cuba on Thursday once again urged the United States to end its so-called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy, which gives Cuban immigrants special treatment.
As delegations from the two countries met in Havana for the latest round of bilateral talks on immigration, Cuban officials "once again expressed their deep concern for the persistence of the 'wet-foot, dry-foot' policy" and other laws that grant automatic entry "to those who arrive illegally, regardless of the ways and means they use," Cuba's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It added that Cuban immigrants receive better treatment than other immigrant groups.
The outdated laws "violate the letter and spirit of the Immigration Agreements in effect, through which both governments pledged to guarantee legal, safe and orderly emigration," the ministry said.
Cubans gambling on reaching U.S. shores via makeshift rafts and other precarious means can fall victim to a range of crimes, including human trafficking, according to Cuban officials.
Cuban migrants react as they arrive to Puerto Obaldia town, in the indigenous region of Guna Yala, Panama, on Nov. 25, 2015. (Xinhua/Mauricio Valenzuela)
"There can be no normal migratory ties between the two countries as long as these policies continue to exist," the ministry said.
In December, Cuba's government reinstated a travel restriction on medical professionals in a bid to forestall a possible shortage of doctors, surgeons and other healthcare workers, who are also targets of selective U.S. immigration policy called the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program.
The thaw in bilateral relations between the two countries, first announced in December 2014, led to an unforeseen increase in Cubans heading north fearing that Washinton may change course.
The so called "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy, which puts Cubans who reach
U.S. soil on a fast track to permanent residency, is one of many Cold War-era policies that persist despite the restoration of diplomatic relations and efforts to normalize ties.
TIANJIN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China had barred 42,000 welshers from taking positions with companies as of June amid efforts to promote good faith among businesses, the country's commerce regulator said on Friday.
Since December, Chinese courts have blacklisted people who are financially capable of serving their debt obligation but don't. They have been sharing that information nationwide on a disclosure website barring these people from becoming any companies' legal representative, board director or supervisor, among other positions.
Regulators are putting more efforts into scrutinizing companies' creditworthiness and will disclose the identity of welshers to make sure they pay a price for dishonest behavior, said Zhang Mao, head of the State Administration for Industry & Commerce.
The average number of daily visits to the website used for referencing businesses' and people's creditworthiness has surpassed 40 million, Zhang said. "The system is gaining influence and dishonest companies and people are feeling the pinch."
UNITED NATIONS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned a terrorist attack that killed at least 84 people, including several children, in Nice, France.
"The secretary-general hopes that all those responsible for this massacre will be rapidly identified and brought to justice," said a statement issued by Ban's spokesman.
The secretary-general expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims of this horrific act, as well as to the government and the people of France, the statement said.
"He stands firmly by the French government and people as they confront this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism," the statement added.
At 10:30 p.m.(2030 GMT) Thursday, a truck was driven into a crowd who gathered on the promenade to watch a fireworks show marking the French national day.
Crew members on a mock cargo vessel try to put out fire during an emergency drill at seas near Sansha in south China's Hainan Province, July 14, 2016. An emergency drill involving 13 ships and a helicopter was held Thursday morning at seas near Sansha in Hainan, the city's marine bureau said. (Xinhua/Liu Deng)
JOHANNESBURG, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The award on the South China Sea Arbitration is certainly null and void, said Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Tian Xuejun in an interview published in The Star newspaper on Friday.
The South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the former government of the Republic of Philippines is not a pure legal case, but a result of political manipulation, said Tian in the interview with Independent Media's group foreign editor Shannon Ebrahim.
The Arbitral Tribunal, consisting of five people, is not an international court. It does not belong to the International Court of Justice under the framework of the United Nations, Tian said.
"The Arbitral Tribunal is not representative, authoritative and credible and it can not represent International Law and its award is certainly null and void," Tian added.
The former government of the Philippines and the Arbitral Tribunal, by pushing forward the arbitration proceedings, have not only infringed on China's sovereignty as well as maritime rights and interests, but also undermined the integrity and authority of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the ambassador noted.
The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines aims to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, Tian said.
"The unilateral initiation of arbitration by the Philippines runs counter to UNCLOS and its restrictive provisions concerning the application of arbitral procedures, and runs against the general practice that arbitration shall be premised on state consent," Tian added.
"The establishment of the Arbitral Tribunal is based on the Philippines' illegal actions and unlawful submissions and has no legitimacy. The Arbitral Tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case and its award is clearly out of the Arbitral Tribunal's acts of self-expansion of power and ultra vires, and has no legal effect, Tian said.
Ebrahim questioned that how will the court's decision affect the dynamics in the South China Sea in the near future. Tian said, China is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
"China also stands ready to continue to resolve the relevant disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation with the states directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law," the ambassador added.
The arbitration is a political scheme under the cloak of law, through the proxy's acts, people can easily find the trace of certain big power who staged and pushed forward the arbitration, Tian said.
"Now the arbitration farce is over, we hope that the Philippine side will work with us to properly manage differences and bring our bilateral relations back to the track of healthy development at an early date," Tian said.
"China respects and upholds the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all states under international law in the South China Sea, and stays ready to work with other coastal states and the international community to ensure the safety of and the unimpeded access to the international shipping lanes in the South China Sea," the ambassador said.
A motorbike runs on a new road constructed by National Youth Service (NYS) in Kibera slum, Nairobi, Kenya, on Oct. 22, 2015. Chinese construction giant, AVIC International, offered vehicles and engineers for the construction of the 3.5 km tarmac road. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
NAIROBI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese technical firm, AVIC International, has been lauded for empowering Kenyan students in technical training institutes by upgrading their technical skills which enable them to get quality jobs or become entrepreneurs.
Kenyan Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Dinah Mwinzi, said on Tuesday evening during the launch of the third season of Africa Tech Challenge (ATC) that technical and vocational education training (TVET) in the country in undergoing reforms to make it attractive to the young people.
"It has not been easy to convince Kenyan youth on TVET because they consider it as second fiddle in learning therefore since 2003 we have been reorganizing our vocational learning to make it more attractive to the youth," the PS said in Nairobi.
The Africa Tech Challenge is a venture that is committed to promote the local economy with a keen focus on youth, including training, job creation and resource support.
After training, the students compete amongst themselves and the most outstanding are selected and awarded.
The project, which was launched in June 2014 by AVIC as corporate social responsibility in conjunction with Kenya's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has for the past two years transformed the lives of many students by offering them internships and opportunities to advance their studies.
During the second season, three students were awarded with full master's scholarships to study in China whereas the top six teams were granted monetary awards and three students given scholarships by AVIC.
During this year's third phase of ATC, teams from Uganda, Ghana and Zambia will take part in the challenge, making it an international competition.
Mwinzi said the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has enough money for TVET students and encouraged them to seek the funding, adding that last year the learners did not exhaust their quota allocation of the money.
Photo taken on July 6, 2016 shows a view inside the Two Rivers Mall project in Nairobi, Kenya. Chinese firm AVIC International develop and construct the Two Rivers Mall project which is a mixed-use development project that sits on 100 acres. It will be the biggest mall in East Africa. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa said Kenya has achieved profound development on its economy and society that has seen Nairobi grow to be the epicenter of commerce, finance and transportation.
"China and Kenya have been establishing and ushering in a new era of enhanced friendly relations and fruitful cooperation among various fields that include technology upgrading, human capital cultivation and knowledge exchange," Liu remarked, adding that in recent years, Sino-Kenyan relations have maintained a good momentum of comprehensive development.
The Chinese envoy said as one of the representatives among over 3,000 Chinese companies in Africa, AVIC International has been working to empower African youth and equip them with upgrading industrial skills.
The winner of last year's competition, Charity Ojoo, disclosed that she will be awarded with a scholarship to pursue her master's studies in China upon graduating from Kenyatta University this year.
NICE, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- People offer flowers to the victims near the site of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. The death toll rises to 84 from an attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice. French President Francois Hollande said "the terrorist character" of the truck attack cannot be denied. He announced an extension of a state of emergency for three months in the country. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
by Zhang Yunlong, Xing Jianqiao and Zhang Xuefei
PARIS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Europe was in total shock after Nice, a resort city in southeastern France, was hit Thursday night by a deadly attack in which a truck ploughed into a crowd at a Bastille Day celebration, killing at least 84 people.
Leaders from across the world on Friday expressed sympathy with the people of France and condemned the incident. In Europe, which has been the scene of tightened security measures following the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris and the March 2016 suicide bombings in Brussels, leaders showed solidarity with France in confronting the terrorist threat.
At around 10:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT) Thursday, a white lorry drove at high speed into the crowd, hitting many people before being stopped.
The driver was shot dead reportedly after a trade of fire with police. Identity papers of a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian male, in addition to weapons and grenades, were found in the truck.
At least 84 people, including several children, have been killed and 48 remain in "critical condition", according to French officials. Media reported at least 54 children were hospitalized.
French President Francois called the incident a "terrorist" attack.
"France is under the threat of Islamic terrorism... Nothing will make us surrender our will to fight against terrorism and we will further strengthen our actions in Syria and Iraq. We will continue to strike those who attack us on our own soil," he stressed.
Francois has announced a three-month extension of a state of emergency that has been in place since the November attacks.
"We are facing a war that terrorism is inflicting upon us," French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said after a meeting in the Elysee Palace, adding that "the only response is that of a united France."
French flags will be flown at half mast on all French public buildings, Valls added.
A German official statement quoted Chancellor Angela Merkel as saying on Friday that "Germany is on the side of France in the fight against terrorism."
"I am very confident that, despite all the difficulties, we will win this fight," she added.
Germany tightened controls in borders with France following the attack, with police saying border checks were increased at airports, as well as land and railway crossings with France.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "shocked and saddened" by the "horrifying attack" in Nice and that Britain would stand shoulder to shoulder with France. She added that Britain was investigating if there were any Britons involved in the attack.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel strongly condemned the "cowardly act which sows death, hatred and anguish" and reaffirmed Belgium's determination to fight against terrorist acts. He said Belgium's celebrations for the national day, July 21, will go as planned but with reinforced security measures.
The president of the European Commission -- the executive arm of the European Union -- Jean-Claude Juncker, extended solidarity with France on behalf of the bloc.
"France can count on the European Commission and the rest of EU countries for continued support in the fight against terrorism both inside and outside the European Union. Our determination will be as strong as our unity," said a statement quoting Juncker, who was attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi voiced support for Hollande, retweeting the latter's message, "France is always stronger than the fanatics who attack it."
Checks have been further strengthened at the Italian border with France in the northwestern town of Ventimiglia, around 40 km from Nice, ANSA news agency reported.
"We had news that fugitives could have headed for Italy, but we have no concrete evidence for now," a police officer was quoted as saying by ANSA.
The Italian interior ministry convened a meeting of its anti-terrorism committee, while the foreign ministry activated its crisis management unit to follow the developments and check the possible involvement of Italian citizens.
Acting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Friday expressed the condolences of the Spanish government following the "brutal terrorist attack." He said Spain would fully cooperate with France to help "find, pursue and punish terrorists and those who support and protect them."
Rajoy said there was no knowledge of Spanish victims in the attack and that he had called a meeting of Spain's anti-terrorism commission in order to analyze the situation.
Meanwhile, the Polish foreign ministry strongly condemned the deadly terror attack and expressed solidarity with the French authorities and society. "Nothing can justify attacks aimed at civilians and everyone who contributed to this tragedy must be held responsible," it said in a statement.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday said he was "appalled and saddened by the terrorist attack in Nice," stressing that NATO stood in strong solidarity with the people of France.
"This attack targeted innocent people and the core values for which NATO stands. But terrorism will never defeat democracy, freedom, and our open societies," Stoltenberg said.
People offer flowers to the victims near the site of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. The death toll rises to 84 from an attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called his French counterpart Manuel Valls to extend his condolences to the victims of an attack in the French city of Nice.
Li expressed strong outrage and condemnation over the deadly attack, and his deep grief to the victims, extending sincere solicitude to the injured and families of the victims.
Li made the call while attending the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
The Chinese government and people share the anguish of the French people and stand steadfast with them, the Chinese premier said.
China will work with France and the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation, and safeguard justice and peace in the world.
The latest media reports put the death toll of the attack in Nice at 80. French President Francois Hollande has said the nature of terrorism behind the attack "can not be denied."
LISBON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's political leaders have condemned the Nice attack that killed at least 84 on Thursday night as France celebrated Bastille Day.
"The attack was not only an assault on France," Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Friday.
He noted that "Portugal is suffering alongside France on this day July 14, national day of France," adding that "we all share its values: freedom, equality, fraternity."
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said it was a "barbaric act" that "shocked everyone who believes in a democratic state."
Portugal's level of terrorist threat remains moderate, according to Portugal's authorities.
"The Portuguese government strongly condemns the attack which took place on July 14, in Nice, which tainted with terror and pain a day of celebration of freedom and fraternity," Portugal's foreign ministry of affairs said in an official statement on Friday.
The Portuguese embassy and consulates in France are working in coordination with the French authorities to support Portuguese citizens, according to the statement.
At least one Portuguese citizen was injured in the attack, according to local media reports.
BRUSSELS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Long-lasting solutions to the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines must be acceptable for both sides, and could only be reached through bilateral dialogues, a Czech member of the European Parliament (MEP) said Thursday.
"I think that the nature of the South China Sea dispute is very complex and a single ruling cannot be all-encompassing," Miroslav Poche, also a member of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with China, told Xinhua.
The arbitration was unilaterally initiated in 2013 by the former Philippine government and its award was issued on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila's cunningly packaged claims.
China has refused to participate in the proceedings, reiterating its stance that it neither accepts nor recognizes the award.
Poche said former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III's decision to file the case to an arbitral tribunal has provided no help to the dispute, but undermined international law.
"I believe one of the important aspects of international law is the respectable role of international institutions which play a role and help all sides to find a solution," he said.
"In my opinion, acceptable solutions to such a dispute should respect human principle," Poche said. "First, it has to be based on the whole body of international law; second, only a peaceful means that is used to achieve a final settlement can be accepted."
He pointed out that the dispute between China and the Philippines is a bilateral issue, which can only be solved through direct dialogue and consultation, adding that "it is necessary at the same time that there are no superpowers involved in any solution to the problem."
Photo taken on April 5, 2016 shows the lighthouse on Zhubi Reef of Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, south China.(Xinhua/Xing Guangli)
Noting that involvement from the United States and other countries outside the region may add imbalance to the situation, Poche suggested the European Union (EU) not to interfere.
He added that the international community including the EU should encourage both China and the Philippines to engage in direct negotiation as soon as possible.
"We all appreciate that both sides tend for a peaceful solution. The international community can facilitate hopes for the process instead of being arbitrary," he said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said earlier on Thursday that he is asking former President Fidel Ramos to help start talks with China over the South China Sea dispute.
HELSINKI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Friday condemned the attack on Thursday in Nice during the city's celebration of Bastille Day, France's national day, which killed at least 84 people.
"This brutal attack on Bastille Day is an attack against European values. Finland strongly condemns terrorism and will stand alongside France in support," Niinisto said in a statement.
The president sent a message of condolence to French President Francois Holland expressing his deep sympathies on behalf of Finland to the victims' relatives and loved ones and to the entire French nation.
Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila, who is currently attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit of European and Asian leaders in Mongolia, also condemned the attack. He said it was an attack against the open society.
"Defending our common values based on openness and democracy is now more important than ever before," Sipila said.
On Thursday evening, a gunman driving a large truck mowed down a crowd in the southern city of Nice, leaving at least 84 people dead. Enditem
BRUSSELS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chief negotiators of the European Union (EU) and the United States Friday said Britain's exit from the EU will not delay their ambitious Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
"The decision taken by British people in no way would delay our TTIP negotiations, in no way would change our determination to move ahead," said Ignacio Garcia Bercero, chief EU TTIP negotiator, at a press briefing on the 14th round of TTIP talks concluded earlier Friday.
Brussels and Washington will work hard to achieve their goal -- to conclude the landmark trade deal this year, Garcia Bercero told reporters.
"On Brexit, we are very clear....that the economic rational (for TTIP) remains strong," said Dan Mullaney, chief U.S. TTIP negotiator.
Britain represents a big share in U.S. trade toward the EU, he said. "25 percent of our exports to Europe are to the UK, 25 percent of government procurement opportunities in Europe are in UK and the UK is our largest market globally for services."
Without Britain, the EU market value will be "obviously" be affected, he noted.
The U.S. will continue to analyze the impact in the negotiations but is determined to grasp the "window of opportunity" this year, Mullaney stressed.
HONG KONG, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, delivers a keynote speech at the Public International Law Colloquium on Maritime Disputes Settlement in south China's Hong Kong, July 15, 2016. Tung said here on Friday that there is ample evidence for China to reject the "award" rendered on 12 July in the South China Sea arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Philippine government. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)
HONG KONG, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Tung Chee-hwa, Vice Chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said here on Friday that there is ample evidence for China to reject the "award" rendered on 12 July in the South China Sea arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Philippine government.
Delivering a keynote speech at the Public International Law Colloquium on Maritime Disputes Settlement, Tung said China has indeed adhered to international legal norms in the South China Sea dispute.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has provided its signatories with an option to make an exception in cases concerning maritime boundary delimitation, with more than 30 countries have taken the option including UN Security Council permanent members Britain, France and Russia, Tung said.
On this basis, Tung said, China ratified the Convention in 1996, when it made a declaration reaffirming its sovereignty over all its archipelagos and islands, including those in the South China Sea.
In 2006, China made another declaration, under Article 298 of the Convention, that any maritime boundary delimitation issues are excluded from the jurisdiction of any dispute resolution mechanism under the Convention.
Another reason for China declined to attend the arbitration proceedings is that, in 2002, a Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea was agreed, promoting bilateral negotiation among the disputing nations over sovereignty issues, and calling for the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea for all nations of the world in accordance to UNCLOS.
"To have attended the arbitration proceedings at the Hague would undermine a process that has long been in place to resolve the dispute in a bilateral and peaceful manner," Tung said.
Furthermore, UNCLOS rules clearly provide that, until the bilateral discussions have been exhausted, a country should not approach the Permanent Court of Arbitration to adjudicate border disputes, Tung added.
Tung also talked about the historical evidence to support China's sovereignty over the South China Sea, saying the Chinese discovered Nansha Islands with the earliest archaeological evidence of their use dating back hundreds and sometimes thousands of years.
In more recent history towards the end of the World War II, there emerges ample, clear and convincing evidence that China has sovereignty over the Nansha Islands.
This evidence has been recognized by the international community, including the United States. These can be found in very important international treaties and declarations including the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Declaration, he said.
"Whilst a strategic intend is to pursue peace above all, China will firmly and steadfastly pursue the protection of her territorial integrity," Tung said, emphasizing peace is precious and stands above all and China would like to resolve territorial disputes peacefully.
Tung also criticized the U.S. for frequently carrying out military exercises in the South China Sea, sometimes in conjunction with the military of another claimant to the disputed region, which helps to consolidate suspicions of many Chinese people that the U.S. pivot to Asia is to contain China.
He said the best way to demonstrate this is for the U.S. to persuade the Philippine government to positively engage with the Chinese government on resolving the territorial dispute.
"It is well recognized that the China-U.S. relationship today is the most important bilateral relationship in the world. Economically, the relationship is becoming more and more interdependent in terms of trade and investment," he said.
The two-day meeting is jointly organized by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center and the Chinese Society of International Law.
RABAT, July 15 (Xinhua) -- At least three Moroccans were killed and another injured in the terrorist attack in Nice, France, local media reported on Friday.
Citing a consular source, Hespress said that the victims include a 13-year-old child and two women, aged 43 and 49.
Another Moroccan child was seriously injured in the attack, the source added.
At least 84 people were killed Thursday night after a truck drove at high speed into the crowd who gathered along the promenade in Nice to watch fireworks marking the French national day. Enditem
TAIPEI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Scholars in Taiwan have questioned the credibility of an award by an arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea following its announcement on Tuesday, believing the decision will only bring more trouble to the area.
Ho Szu-shen, convener of the education and culture division of the island's Policy Foundation, told a press briefing on Friday that the award was ludicrous as it defines Taiping Island as a rock.
If international law of the sea is allowed to be distorted this way, more problems will emerge, he said.
At the same event, hosted by the foundation, Huang Kwei-bo, of Chengchi University, said the award is hardly convincing because the tribunal claimed that Taiping and other islands in the area cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own, which is "only based on their imagination."
Chen Fu, director of the liberal arts center of Ilan University,described the award as being driven by political purpose.
Chen urged both sides of the Taiwan Strait to form an investigation team to find more historical evidence to prove that the South China Sea islands are part of China.
The two events followed a seminar by a society of international law attended by former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou, who said the award's categorization of of Taiping Island as a rock was erroneous.
Taiwan's authorities have refused to accept the decision. The island's leader's office said on Tuesday that the award "is not legally binding."
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Fuad Masoum on Friday condemned the terror attack in Nice, which left at least 84 people dead during French National Day celebrations.
"With deep pain toward the victims of the run-over terrorist incident in the city of Nice last night, we express our strong condemnation for such barbaric act which contradicts all human values," Masoum said in a statement issued by his office.
The Nice attack "reaffirms the importance of strengthening solidarity and cooperation between the international community, and the need to activate all necessary means to fight terrorism in all its forms," he said.
At least 84 people were killed and more than 100 others injured on Thursday night after a truck rammed into a crowd on the famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Enditem
HONG KONG, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The "award" rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration does not help facilitate the settlement, while it is more like "pouring fuel on the flame", Xue Hanqin, Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said here on Friday.
Addressing a colloquium focusing on international law and maritime disputes settlement, Xue said the ultimate objective for arbitration mechanism is to settle dispute rather than to escalate it.
"However, anyone can easily tell this award will certainly aggregate the dispute between China and the Philippines, aggregate the current military tension between China and the United States and definitely aggregate tension in the region," she said, warning an arbitral tribunal should not "play such a dangerous game".
Xue said any jurisdiction should be made on a coessential base, while China was "dragged" into the compulsory arbitration procedure even if it has already made the optional exceptions declaration pursuant to Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
"If this is set as an example, very likely we will see a serious abuse of using the law against many states that have made the same declaration," Xue said, adding that the case provides a good opportunity for law experts to reflect the current practice of international arbitration.
She also said the tribunal should not rely purely on one party's facts and make the ruling, citing despite China's strong objection on the jurisdiction of the tribunal, it still acted in good face by issuing publicly its position.
"This is really regrettable that the tribunal did not give serious consideration to China's stance," Xue said.
Pemmaraju Sreenivasa Rao, a former chairman of International Law Commission, said the tribunal failed to recognize that issues of interpretation and application in this case are integrally linked to the issues of sovereignty and maritime delimitation, hence made the decision much less persuasive.
As a pragmatic matter, the Philippines at the end of the day would in any case have to return to the negotiating table to settle its dispute with China and achieve a mutually acceptable solution, he said.
The two-day meeting entitled "Public International Law Colloquium on Maritime Disputes Settlement", is jointly organized by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center and the Chinese Society of International Law.
OSLO, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian officials on Friday condemned the terrorist attack in the French town of Nice on Thursday night that killed at leat 84 people and also expressed their condolences to the victims' families.
"Shocked by the atrocities which again affect France, I send my heartfelt condolences. My deepest sympathy goes to the victims' families and to the French people," Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg said in a letter to French Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
It "reminds us of the importance of standing united against attacks on our fundamental values, not least freedom, equality and fraternity. Norway stands together in solidarity with the French people during this difficult time," she said.
Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs Borge Brende said his country condemns the terrorist attack in Nice "in the strongest possible terms."
"Once again, France has been hit by a terrorist attack. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of France and the rest of the world in the war on terror," he said in a statement posted on the Norwegian government's website.
"We will never let terrorists destroy our democratic values and freedom," Brende said. "Our thoughts and our deepest sympathy are with the many victims, their families, loved ones and friends."
According to the statement, there were so far no indications that any Norwegian citizens were among the injured or killed.
At around 10:30 p.m. local time (2030 GMT) Thursday, a truck drove at high speed into a crowd who had gathered to watch a fireworks show marking the French national holiday, killing at least 84 people and injured many others. Enditem
BUCHAREST, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Romania's President Klaus Iohannis on Friday strongly condemned the truck attack that occurred on Thursday evening in the French city of Nice, underscoring that the scourge of terrorism must be fought.
"The scourge of terrorism that starts sowing fear and desperation will not succeed in dividing Europe's fight for and belief in the values of freedom and democracy," said Iohannis.
In his turn, Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos, who is in Mongolia for the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM), wrote in a Facebook post on Friday that Romania was with the French people and remained united against hatred and violence.
Assuring the French people had Romania's full solidarity, Chairman of the Romanian Senate Calin Popescu-Tariceanu said, "I am once again compelled to notice, worriedly, that such tragedies are tending to become a fact of daily life, that the criminal minds of terrorists know no borders," said the official in a press statement on Friday.
At least 84 people were killed after a Franco-Tunisian man drove a 19-ton truck into a crowd and opened fire on police on Thursday evening during Bastille Day celebrations, France's national holiday.
Among the injured were two Romanian nationals who had been living in France. Enditem
by Raimundo Urrechaga
HAVANA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Nearly a year has passed since Cuba and the United States decided to formally re-establish diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of enmity and political confrontation.
In the last 12 months both nations started a historic rapprochement toward the normalization of their ties marked by ground-breaking cooperation agreements, steady political talks on thorny issues and a significant visit to Havana by U.S. President Barack Obama in March.
The new scenario has led to intense agenda of high-level meetings in both countries as well as over 10 cooperation agreements in areas like aviation, environment, maritime security, agriculture and health, among others.
"The step to re-establish relations was significant because it clears the way for further development. The importance of this process is that dialogue and negotiation won over 50 years of conflict and hostility," Jesus Arboleya, a prominent international relations professor at the University of Havana, told Xinhua.
The U.S.-Cuba detente has rapidly advanced in areas where both countries agree on or have common interests. However other topics have been barely touched upon over the last year.
Havana's demand for a complete lifting of the economic and financial blockade is yet to be addressed, making it a major roadblock toward the normalization of relations.
In addition, the U.S. House of Representatives has recently rejected motions to allow U.S. citizens to freely travel to Cuba or give the green light to free trade of agricultural products with the Caribbean nation.
It even approved sanctions that intensify the embargo and hamper people-to-people contacts, revealing the contradictions Washington has when it comes to its Cuba policy.
"The blockade represents an absolute anomaly as it's a Cold War policy, something that Obama has said is part of the past," said the expert.
Another bristly issue over the last year has been the return of Guantanamo Bay, which has been insisted by Havana for further normalization of ties.
The U.S. military base there was first established in 1902 as part of an agreement with the Cuban government and its main purpose was to supply goods to U.S. military ships around the Caribbean.
However, today it has become a controversial U.S. jail where alleged terrorists from all over the world are held indefinitely on debatable judicial grounds.
"The base is on Cuban soil and the U.S. has no right to permanently impose its will and use the territory for its national security purposes. The smart thing would be to return it to its original owner," said Arboleya.
Washington has repeatedly said it is not negotiating Guantanamo with Cuba.
Human rights marks another thorny issue and the United States continued to point its finger at Cuba. However, Havana has insisted it can't be politicized to meet certain interests.
On the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, Arboleya said Havana must be prepared for any scenario but anyone winner could not go too far from continued normalization of the Cuban-U.S. ties.
"If the U.S. changed its Cuba policy it is because the old one failed and a new approach was needed. Therefore rebuilding or returning to the old policy will be difficult for anyone who wins the presidency," he said.
KHARTOUM, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Friday started evacuation of thousands of its nationals from the troubled South Sudan, and 76 Sudanese citizens, most of them children, women and the elderly, have arrived at Khartoum airport.
"This is the first batch and we focused on children, women and elderly people," Jamal Mahmoud, state minister of Sudan's Council of Ministers, told reporters.
"We will organize four flights daily to evacuate three thousand Sudanese nationals willing to return from Juba, the capital of South Sudan, and other cities," he noted.
Last week, violent clashes broke out between forces loyal to South Sudan President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar respectively around the Presidential Palace in Juba.
The clashes later spread to adjacent neighborhoods and places near the airport.
The United Nations reported that the clashes involved mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy ground assault weaponry. A helicopter gunship was also reported above Juba.
Though the two sides have declared a cease-fire, the UN warned that fighting could break out again in South Sudan. Enditem
MADRID, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Acting Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz confirmed on Friday that Spain would maintain its current level 4 alert against a terrorist attack in the wake of the killing of 84 people in the French city of Nice on Thursday.
A man driving a truck at high speed along the seafront following the Bastille Day celebrations on Thursday night ploughed into several people. A total of 48 people are still in hospital in critical condition.
Spain has a five-tier terrorist alert level. Fernandez Diaz explained the country had been at a level 4 since the killing of 38 tourists on a beach in Port El Kantaoui, Tunisia on June 26, 2015.
He said the only reason to move up to a level 5 was if "it was known an attack was imminent in Spain," and that currently there was no such information.
Speaking after an emergency meeting of Spain's anti-terrorism commission, which was attended by representatives of all of Spain's political parties as well as members of the security forces, Fernandez Diaz did, however, announce an increase in police presence at airports, tourist destinations, and popular public places, as well as implementing extra controls on the border with France.
Earlier in the day, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy expressed Spain's solidarity and offered help and support after what he described as a "brutal terrorist attack."
Those words were echoed by the leaders of Spain's main political parties, while a minute of silence for the victims was held at the Spanish Congress on Friday morning.
Socialist Workers' Party leader Pedro Sanchez tweeted he was "dismayed at the news coming out of Nice. Our solidarity with the victims and all our support to the French people," while Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias insisted terrorism "has to be fought with the spirit of July 14,"-- a day commemorating the start of the French Revolution -- while also expressing his "solidarity with the French people and the families of the victims."
Finally, acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo confirmed the Spanish consul in Marseilles had travelled to Nice, but that "for the moment," there were no reports of Spaniards having been among the victims.
DUBAI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Masood Ahmed, director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will retire after the fund's annual meeting in October, the IMF said on Friday.
Ahmed, a Pakistani national, notified IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde of his intention to retire from the Fund following the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in the fall, the IMF said in a statement.
Lagarde praised Ahmed as "a visionary leader of the department for the past eight years."
"I have highly valued his wise counsel, political acumen, and great strategic sense," the statement quoted Lagarde as saying. "His departure is a loss for the Fund, and he will be deeply missed by friends and colleagues alike."
Ahmed "also forged strong and effective collaborations with other organizations, including the World Bank, the Arab Monetary Fund, the Islamic Development Bank, and the United Nations," Lagarde said.
The search process to identify a successor to Ahmed will begin right away, the IMF said. Enditem
VALLETTA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and Maltese Minister for Foreign Affairs George W. Vella have on Friday expressed their solidarities respectively with the people of France over Nice attack.
Preca has written to Francois Hollande, President of the Republic of France to express, on her behalf and on behalf of the people of Malta, her deepest solidarity with the Government and people of France and to express her condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in this terrorist act.
On behalf of the Maltese Government, George Vella expressed his heartfelt solidarity with the people of France. He condemned in the strongest terms the attack carried out and spoke of his shock and horror as details about the incident continue to reach him.
The minister reaffirmed Malta's commitment to the fight against terrorism. He also conveyed condolences to the families of the victims and wishes for a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
Vella stated that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is following unfolding events very closely and is carrying the necessary find-outs to confirm that no Maltese nationals have been involved in the tragic attacks. Enditem
HELSINKI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Finnish experts warned against the collateral damage caused by strong reactions to events such as the truck attack in Nice.
They underlined long term social work to reduce inclination to support terrorism in Europe. Experts also took distance from "bombastic U.S. political culture" considering "declaration of war."
Talking on Finnish national broadcaster Yle, researcher Hussein al-Taee of the Finnish Crisis Management Initiative Institute said that tough security measures and increased policing will upset people in the targeted areas. Tough measures will antagonize those who do not support militant organizations.
Hussein al-Taee noted that increased policing will improve security in the short term, but joint efforts by social services, civic organizations and communities are needed in the long term. Such work will make societies less receptive to extremist indoctrination.
Finnish experts also saw formal declaration of war as the wrong way.
Mika Aaltola, program director at the Finnish Institute for International Affairs, commented on reports that politicians in the United States want a formal declaration of war against ISIS.
Aaltola said such an approach is not sensible. "Such declaration could mean that soldiers will be sent. But the area ISIS controls in the Middle East is already shrinking and current military efforts are sufficient."
Hussein al-Taee said that ISIS is just "one organization among others" and it can be overcome. But "declaration of war" will create new terrorism, he warned. He saw "declaration of war" only as an expression of "bombastic attitudes" in the United States. Enditem
People offer flowers to the victims near the site of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. The death toll rises to 84 from an attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice. French President Francois Hollande said "the terrorist character" of the truck attack cannot be denied. He announced an extension of a state of emergency for three months in the country. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
PARIS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- French Prosecutor of the Republic Francois Molins announced Friday in a press conference that 84 people, including 10 children and adolescents, were killed Thursday night in Nice during a terrorist attack.
A total of 202 people have been injured, Molins said, adding that 52 among them are in critical condition and 25 still in reanimation.
As for the identity of the terrorist, Molins confirmed it was a man called Mohamen Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31 years old, of Tunisian nationality.
Bouhlel, according to a press release by French Justice Minister Urvoas, was sentenced "only once" to six months suspended prison after a traffic accident.
Molins stressed Bouhlel was not known to French intelligence service at neither national or local level for radicalization.
Around 23:00 local time Thursday night, Bouhlel drove a white truck at high speed into crowds gathered along the promenade in Nice to watch fireworks marking the French national day.
He fired several times on three police officers and continued to race for 300 meters before being neutralized by security forces, Molins continued, saying that Bouhlel was shot dead on the passenger side of the truck cabin.
According to the prosecutor, eight empty pallets and a bicycle were found inside the rented refrigerated truck. In the driver's cabin, a pistol and a charger were also discovered by investigators.
A second automatic pistol, a grenade and two assault rifle replicas, a kalacknikov and a M16, were also found, Molins said, adding that the mobile phone and several documents found in the cabin are being studied by the investigators.
So far, no organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, but "this kind of attack corresponds to the calls for killing of terrorist organizations," Molins concluded.
KHARTOUM, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government on Friday condemned the attack that struck Nice, France, regarding it as a terrorist act that has nothing to do with humanity.
"The Foreign Ministry condemns, in the strongest terms, the attack, which took place Thursday in Nice in southern France and left dozens of innocent people dead," Sudan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"The ministry regards the attack as a cowardly terrorist act that has nothing to do with humanity," the statement said.
The ministry also expressed condolences to the French government and people and to the families of the victims.
It voiced rejection of all forms of terrorism, expressing full solidarity with the French government and the international community in fighting terror.
At least 84 people were killed Thursday night after a truck plowed into a crowd attending Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, southern France. Enditem
NAIROBI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN said on Friday it will help African nations to expand its creative industry in order to boost the continent's economic growth.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary General Dr Mukhisa Kituyi told a media briefing in Nairobi that the continent's creative industry has been underutilized despite its huge potential to transform the region.
"We are going to expand our partnerships with African governments in the development of film and performing arts," Kituyi said during a media briefing ahead of the UNCTAD meeting which runs from July 17-22.
UNCTAD currently has partnership with many African states especially in the francophone region.
"We are also looking forward to partnering with Kenya's creative industry sector to see how best to contribute to unlock its energy and potential," Kituyi said.
The Secretary General noted that many African countries are currently dependent on commodities for revenues.
"We have substantial concerns among commodity-dependent countries that for the past forty years not many countries have graduated out of the vulnerability and over dependence on commodities," he said.
The UN official noted that the collapse of the global price of commodities over the past two years has made some African countries struggle because of a massive shortfall in anticipated resources.
According to the UNCTAD report, developing countries lost close to 100 billion U.S. dollars from investment related tax evasion and illicit flows in 2014.
"We also know that in 2015, total Foreign Direct Investment into Africa was approximately 54 billion to 58 billion dollars," Kituyi said.
"This means that it is at least as important to address the stealing of Africa's rightful resources as it is to attract new resources into the continent," he said. Enditem
NAIROBI, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The International Trade Center (ITC) on Friday urged African countries to open up their economies in order to increase the range of trade so as to spur profitable earnings.
ITC Executive Director Arancha Gonzalez said open economies and trade work is much better than closed markets because it offers consumers a large variety of markets from which to source diverse goods in the international arena.
"Trade agreements can make trade possible especially if well-crafted, but mostly if they are an impediment to commerce because they restrain growth of small and medium-sized enterprises," Gonzalez said during the launch of the partnership between ITC and Barclays Bank of Kenya in Nairobi.
Through the initiative, dubbed "SheTradesKE", Barclays will leverage its expertise in financial services while ITC will employ its experience in business development to offer local women entrepreneurs support in critical areas, including financial management, in order to help them create and maintain links to international markets.
The "SheTrades" enterprise was launched by the global trade organization in 2015 with the objective of connecting one million entrepreneurs from around the world to global markets in the next five years.
"By initiating the idea, we wanted to move from talking to action and bring in more women into the economy because access to credit has been a key restraint for women in business, often confining them to the informal sector," she said.
The executive director said lack of credit restricts the ability of women-owned businesses from growing and generating jobs and by bringing them into the financial system is good for the economy, adding that the joint venture with Barclays in Kenya will go a long way in helping women in business.
The ITC is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations and assists small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable economic development.
In Kenya, women-owned businesses account for over 48 percent of all SMEs, contributing about 20 percent of the Kenyan gross domestic product (GDP).
Barclays Bank of Kenya Managing Director, Jeremy Awori, said one third of all small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries are led by women yet the businesses continue to face significant challenges in accessing global market opportunities.
"As such, there is need for us to partner with like-minded institutions to invest in the capacity development of women-led SMEs because it will play a critical role in growing our economy," he said.
Awori said that Barclays would invest 70,000 U.S. dollars into the program in the next five years.
In December last year, the bank set up 50 million dollar fund to offer credit facilities to enterprises owned by women. This is in addition to the 300 million dollars that the bank has earmarked to lend to SMEs in Kenya.
The bank is currently running an SME outreach program targeting to train 10,000 small and medium businesses across 11 major towns on business financial management. Enditem
LAGOS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Development of agriculture remains the only solution for the economic downturn that Nigeria is going through, a state governor said Friday.
The culture of free money has gone forever in Nigeria, Rauf Aregbesola, the governor of southwest state of Osun said at a meeting with Farmers' Association in the state.
He said for Nigeria to come out of its current economic doldrums, there must be a total shift from oil money, which in effect has contributed to total neglect of agriculture.
"Today, we have seen the effect of rent economy that the country has been running for the past half a century," he added.
"With the frittering away of the nation's resources by the immediate past government and the drastic reduction of crude oil price at the international market, the country's economy just went into recession," he said.
"Agriculture used to be our economic mainstay during and shortly after independence," Aregbesola told his audience.
He promised that government would do everything within its power and resources to assist in boosting farmers' production and harvesting capacity.
The governor added that government would continue to provide soft loans as well as make chemicals and fertilizer available to the farmers at subsidized rate.
According to him, farming is the backbone of any strong and developed nation.
"We must stop our heavy reliance on imported foods. We should be able to feed ourselves as a nation," Aregbesola said.
"More than ever before, our government is ready to help farmers in the state in all areas they want to practice, be it food or cash crop, poultry and the rest," the governor told his audience. Enditem
ULAN BATOR, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C, front) delivers a speech during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016.(Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday condemned a terrorist attack in the French city of Nice and called for strengthened economic and trade cooperation among regional countries, at the 11th Asian-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in the Mongolian capital.
During bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit with Li, Russian and Cambodian leaders voiced support for China's stance on the South China Sea. The Chinese premier also met with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, at the latter's request.
CONDEMNATION OVER TERRORIST ATTACK IN FRANCE
Li began his speech at the ASEM gathering by extending condolences to the victims of an overnight attack in the French city of Nice and their families. At least 84 people were killed by the deadly truck attack on Thursday night. France declared three days of national morning beginning on Saturday.
"The Chinese government and people stand with the French people and strongly condemns the terrorist attack," said Li, who called for unity and cooperation from the international community to combat terrorism.
Li noted that Eurasia faces some severe challenges, especially knotty problems such as terrorism and the refugee issue, urging efforts from all parties in preventing new breeding grounds for turmoils and safeguarding world peace and regional stability.
Li said China always acts as a promoter of world peace, the international order and rule of law, and a keeper of regional peace and stability. "All sides should jointly safeguard the post-World War II international order, abandon the Cold-War or zero-sum mentality, and strive to make the international order and global governance system more and more fair and justified."
China, Li stressed, always advocates that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, should conduct themselves in accordance with the laws and rules, oppose double standards and reject misinterpretation of international law, obey rules agreed in the region, and resolve disputes in a peaceful manner and through political means rather than incite conflicts or confrontation.
BOOSTING TRADE, CONNECTIVITY IN EURASIA
Li suggested Asia-Europe cooperation be guided towards a more pragmatic direction, and economic and trade cooperation be enhanced in particular.
The Chinese premier said he looks forward to the resumption of the ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting next year after a 10-year hiatus. He called for joint efforts to speed up the establishment of an open and inclusive megamarket across Asia and Europe and facilitate free trade and investment.
The premier called on regional countries to enhance connectivity, vowing efforts to give full play to the role of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund in investment and finance.
On China's economy, Li said its performance in the first half of the year was steady and in line with expectations. China is confident of achieving its main full-year development targets, he said.
Official statistics showed China's gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2016 to reach 34.06 trillion yuan (5.08 trillion U.S. dollars).
Despite continuous downward pressure, China's current government debt ratio is low while household savings rate is high.
Li said that as China has ample policy tools, the country has the confidence in ensuring medium-high economic growth rates so as to take the economy to medium-high levels of development.
RUSSIA, CAMBODIA SUPPORT CHINA ON SEA DISPUTES
The issue of the South China Sea was among the topics discussed during Li's meetings with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, and his Cambodian counterpart, Samdech Techo Hun Sen.
Medvedev said Russia opposes internationalization of the South China Sea disputes or any interference from forces outside the region.
The Russian side supports the China-initiated principles of resolving the disputes, Medvedev said, calling for bilateral negotiations and consultations between directly relevant parties to solve the issue.
For his part, Hun Sen said Cambodia will continue to remain objective and impartial on the South China Sea issue.
Cambodia, he said, is willing to work with all parties to keep up the friendly cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.
Li said China will stick to the approach of settling the South China Sea disputes via dialogues and consultations between countries directly concerned, while defending regional peace and stability as well as freedom of navigation in collaboration with ASEAN member states.
Earlier this week, a Hague-based ad hoc tribunal's arbitral denied China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea in an arbitration unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine administration. China has said the award is invalid and will neither accept nor recognize it.
So far, at least 70 countries and 230 political parties or organizations have expressed understanding and support for China's stance on the South China Sea disputes.
CHINA, JAPAN PMs MEET ON TROUBLED TIES
Li also met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the latter's request in Ulan Bator. The Chinese premier urged the Abe administration to take active and friendly policies towards China.
Li said China-Japan relations have in recent years embarked on a course of improvement, but the pace is slow and is from time to time disturbed by complications.
He urged both sides to keep a strong sense of responsibility, and steadily push ahead China-Japan ties on the basis of the reality and long-term strategic consideration.
Both sides should act on the consensus that China and Japan are cooperative partners instead of threats to each other, and support each other's peaceful development, he added.
The premier suggested the two countries resume dialogues and communications step by step in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, to add to the positive facets in bilateral ties.
Japan is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and thus should "exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering in" the issue, Li said. He called on both sides to step up exchanges on the East China Sea issue via dialogues and consultations in a bid to avoid misinterpretation and miscalculation.
For his part, Abe said despite existing difficulties in the relations between Japan and China, the Japanese side hopes to expand exchanges and cooperation with China, properly manage differences, and push forward bilateral ties in pursuit of a strategic, mutually beneficial relationship.
He hoped the two countries could resume high-level economic dialogues and facilitate bilateral cooperation in the fiscal and financial sectors, as well as in energy conservation and environment protection.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the United States , Feb. 1, 2016. (Xinhua file photo/Yin Bogu)
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump announced on Friday he had chosen Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate.
"I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate," wrote Trump on his Twitter account.
The pick of Pence as running mate came as Trump was scrambling to solidify the Republican base and win support from social conservatives.
Pence, 57, was a Republican lawmaker for 12 years and the third-highest-ranking member of the GOP in the House before becoming the governor of Indiana in 2013.
During his stint in Congress, he was assigned to the Foreign Affairs Committee, a credential which could make up for Trump's lack of foreign affairs experience in a competitive general election with former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the standard-bearer of the Democratic Party.
Once calling himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order," Pence is also a beloved social conservative among the devout evangelical conservatives within the party.
Therefore, Trump's pick of Pence would also help to quell concerns among social conservatives that the New York billionaire developer is too liberal on social issues.
However, the two differ on a range of issues crucial to Trump's candidacy.
During the primary season, Pence endorsed Trump's rival Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, and was once a vocal critic of Trump's proposal for a temporary ban on Muslim entering the country.
Unlike Trump, Pence also joined U.S. President Barack Obama and House Speaker Paul Ryan to back the Trans-pacific partnership deal, a trade deal staunchly opposed by Trump.
by Xinhua writer Wang Qiang
CAIRO, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Shocked by the ruthless carnage in Nice, France on Thursday, countries in the Middle East condemned the terror attack that killed at least 84 people, and expressed solidarity with France.
A truck rammed into a crowd celebrating the French national day in Nice on Thursday night, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.
The truck driver was shot dead after opening fire at police. Identity papers of a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian male, in addition to weapons and grenades, were reportedly found in the truck.
At least 84 people were killed and 18 others remain in "critical condition," said the minister.
Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, president of the most populous Arab country, Egypt, condemned the attack and expressed heartfelt condolences to French President Francois Hollande and the French people.
Sisi also voiced his country's full solidarity with all international efforts aimed at fighting terrorism.
In Turkey, where the latest terror attack struck last month, killing 45 people at an Istanbul airport, President Recep Erdogan condemned the attack in France as "inhuman."
On Wednesday, France, citing security concerns, shut its diplomatic missions in Turkey.
The United Arab Emirates, a close economic partner of France, strongly condemned "the heinous and horrific crime."
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered assistance to France in its struggle against terrorism.
"Israel is ready to help the French government fight this evil until it is defeated," he said.
Iraqi President Fuad Masoum described the attack as "barbaric."
The attack in Nice "reaffirms the importance of strengthening solidarity and cooperation in the international community, and the need to activate all necessary means to fight terrorism in all its forms," Masoum said.
In addition, the governments of Iran, Sudan and Tunisia also condemned the attack.
President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia, which also suffered several major terror attacks in the past two years, told French Ambassador in Tunisia, Francois Gouyette, that the two countries "will fight together and show we are united."
In Tehran, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said "terrorism is an ominous phenomenon that will be eradicated only with international cooperation and consensus."
Qasemi criticized some Western country's policy of "double standards" on fighting terrorism, saying such attempts in dealing with terrorism will result in failure, Tasnim news agency reported. Enditem
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) and Indiana Governor Mike Pence (L) wave to the crowd before addressing the crowd during a campaign stop at the Grand Park Events Center in Westfield, Indiana, July 12, 2016. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Trump said on Friday that he had settled on Pence to be his vice presidential running mate, a pick that could help unify a divided party behind Trump's White House bid. (REUTERS/John Sommers II/Files)
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump announced on Friday he had chosen Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate.
"I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate," wrote Trump on his Twitter account.
The pick of Pence as running mate came as Trump was scrambling to solidify the Republican base and win support from social conservatives.
Pence, 57, was a Republican lawmaker for 12 years and the third-highest-ranking member of the GOP in the House before becoming the governor of Indiana in 2013.
During his stint in Congress, he was assigned to the Foreign Affairs Committee, a credential which could make up for Trump's lack of foreign affairs experience in a competitive general election with former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the standard-bearer of the Democratic Party.
Once calling himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order," Pence is also a beloved social conservative among the devout evangelical conservatives within the party.
Therefore, Trump's pick of Pence would also help to quell concerns among social conservatives that the New York billionaire developer is too liberal on social issues.
However, the two differ on a range of issues crucial to Trump's candidacy.
During the primary season, Pence endorsed Trump's rival Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, and was once a vocal critic of Trump's proposal for a temporary ban on Muslim entering the country.
Unlike Trump, Pence also joined U.S. President Barack Obama and House Speaker Paul Ryan to back the Trans-pacific partnership deal, a trade deal staunchly opposed by Trump.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulan Bator, capital of Mongolia, on July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday called on 53 members of the 20-year-old Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) mechanism to further advance practical cooperation and promote dialogue so as to build a more prosperous and peaceful Eurasia.
"As the ASEM begins its third decade, all members should bear in mind the mission of building a new type of comprehensive partnership" and actively seek new paths to further promote Asia-Europe cooperation, Li said in a speech at the two-day ASEM Summit in Ulan Bator.
The inauguration of the ASEM in 1996 in Bangkok, Thailand, ushered in a new era of equal dialogue, all-round cooperation and joint action against challenges on the two continents, he said.
Now China and Europe are each other's largest trading partner, with two-way trade amounting to nearly 700 billion U.S. dollars in 2015, he added, noting that cooperation between Asia and Europe has reached an unprecedented level.
Looking into the future, Li said Asia and Europe, with a total population of more than 4 billion, over half of the world's GDP and nearly 70 percent of global trade, enjoy broad prospects of development and cooperation, given their economic diversity, abundant natural resources and huge market potential.
At the same time, Eurasia is faced with a raft of enormous challenges, including an uphill economic recovery and transition as well as the fallout of Britain's exit from the European Union, he said, adding that there are also knotty problems such as terrorism and the refugee crisis.
All sides, he suggested, should abide by the ASEM consensus on such principles as mutual respect and friendly consultation, and seek new paths to further promote Asia-Europe cooperation.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C, front) delivers a speech during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)
To that end, the Chinese premier called for an innovative approach to Asia-Europe cooperation, urging all parties to share the idea of a community of common destiny and conduct dialogue and cooperation, so as to effectively cope with regional challenges, prevent new breeding grounds for turmoil, and safeguard world peace and regional stability.
Asian and European countries, he added, should jointly safeguard the post-World War II international order, abandon Cold-War and zero-sum mentality, and strive to make the international order and global governance system more and more fair and reasonable.
Li said China always acts as a promoter of world peace, the international order and rule of law, and a keeper of regional peace and stability.
"We have always advocated that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, should conduct themselves in accordance with the laws and rules, follow established regional rules, oppose double standards and reject misinterpretations of international law," he said.
China has insisted on resolving disputes through peaceful ways and political means, rather than inciting conflicts or confrontation, he said, adding that his country will unswervingly stick to a path of peaceful development.
The premier also called for concerted efforts to create new cooperation impetus. Cooperation between Asia and Europe should be guided towards a more pragmatic direction, and economic and trade cooperation should particularly be enhanced, he said.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (C, front) poses for a group photo with other leaders during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
"Economic and trade cooperation is both a propeller and a ballast in developing relations between countries," Li said, adding that more economic cooperation is urgently needed as the global economic recovery remains fragile and economies on the two continents are faced with daunting tasks such as stabilizing growth, restructuring the economy and creating more jobs.
Li said he looks forward to the resumption of the ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting next year after a 10-year hiatus. He called for joint efforts to speed up the establishment of an open and inclusive mega-market across Asia and Europe and facilitate free trade and investment.
China's Belt and Road Initiative, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road and is aimed at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes, has received very positive response from an increasing number of countries, he noted, proposing the establishment of a connectivity working group under the ASEM.
In addition, Li called for establishing a stronger foundation for people-to-people cooperation between Asia and Europe, pointing out that more dialogues are needed between different civilizations.
This year's ASEM Summit is aimed at promoting "partnership for the future through connectivity." It brought together leaders and delegates from 53 countries, the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
This file photo taken on January 27, 2016 shows an Aedes Aegypti mosquito being photographed in a laboratory of control of epidemiological vectors in San Salvador. European scientists announced on June 23, 2016 they had discovered antibodies which attack Zika, a step they hope will pave the way for a protective vaccine against the brain-damaging virus. The antibodies -- frontline soldiers in the immune system -- "efficiently neutralise" Zika in human cells in lab dishes, and are also effective against its cousin virus dengue, the team reported. (AFP/MARVIN RECINOS)
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Friday it has documented the first case of the mosquito-borne Zika virus being transmitted from one woman to her male partner during sex in New York City.
"The New York City report of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus infection is the first documented case of sexual transmission of Zika from a woman to her sex partner and adds to the growing body of knowledge about the sexual transmission of Zika," the CDC said in a statement.
"All previously reported cases of sexually transmitted Zika virus infection have been spread from men to their sex partners," it said.
The woman, who was nonpregnant and in her twenties, had condomless sex with her male partner, also in his twenties, the day she returned to New York City from travel to an area with ongoing Zika virus transmission, the CDC reported in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
She had headache and abdominal cramping while in the airport awaiting return to the U.S. and developed symptoms including fever, fatigue, a maculopapular rash and back pain the following day.
Then, she visited her primary care provider who obtained blood and urine specimens, in which the Zika virus was detected.
Days later, her male partner, who had not traveled outside the U.S. this year, developed fever, a maculopapular rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis and blood and urine tests showed he had been infected with the Zika virus.
The CDC continued to recommend that all pregnant women who have a sex partner who has traveled to or resides in an area with Zika use barrier methods every time they have sex or they should not have sex during the pregnancy.
"Although no cases of woman-to-woman Zika transmission have been reported, these recommendations now also apply to female sex partners of pregnant women," the U.S. agency added.
ISTANBUL, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Representatives discuss during the evaluation of China's Zuojiang Huashan rock-art cultural landscape at the 40th session of World Heritage Committee held in Istanbul, Turkey, July 15, 2016. China's Zuojiang Huashan rock-art cultural landscape was added to the World Heritage List here on Friday. (Xinhua/He Canling)
ISTANBUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The World Heritage Committee on Friday added nine new cultural sites to the prestigious World Heritage List.
The committee, at its 40th session in Istanbul, made the decisions following a day-long review of some of the 27 nominations submitted from around the world for this year.
The new inscriptions include the sites from China, Iran, Micronesia, India, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Britain and a joint nomination by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia.
Newly put on the heritage list are Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (China); Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (India); the Persian Qanat (Iran); Nan Madol: Ceremonial Center of Eastern Micronesia (Micronesia); Stecci - Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia); Archaeological Site of Philippi (Greece); Antequera Dolmens Site (Spain); Archaeological Site of Ani (Turkey); and Gorham's Cave Complex (Britain).
Nan Madol, a series of 99 artificial islets that host the remains of stone palaces, temples, tombs and residential domains built between 1200 and 1500 BC, was also placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The heritage committee cited the importance of the ancient qanat system, which conveys water in underground tunnels using gravity in the middle of arid desert areas in Iran.
The Medieval Tombstones were lauded for their symbolic universal message of peace.
At its meetings until Sunday, the World Heritage Committee under the UN cultural agency UNESCO will review the nominations of 18 other sites to the World Heritage List, among them are nine natural, five cultural and four mixed ones.
The committee, which was formed in 1977 to enforce the World Heritage Convention and manage the heritage list created based on the convention, began its current 11-day session on July 10.
LAGOS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- At least 37 Nigerian soldiers were injured when a military truck conveying them was involved in a road accident along Kano-Gaya road in northwestern Kano state, an official said Friday.
Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Kano, Aminu Umar, confirmed the incident to Xinhua saying the accident was caused by break failure.
He said the injured soldiers had since been taken to a hospital in neighboring Jigawa state.
Umar dismissed claims that some of the soldiers had died in the car crash. Enditem
Demonstrators from the Black Lives Matter movement march through central London on July 10, 2016, during a demonstration against the killing of black men by police in the US. Police arrested scores of people in demonstrations overnight Saturday to Sunday in several US cities, as racial tensions simmer over the killing of black men by police. (AFP/DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS)
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Sixty-four percent of Americans believe blacks have the same chance as whites to get a job, but the percentage holding that view has declined to the lowest point since 1995, Gallup found in a poll released Friday.
The only time Americans were less optimistic about blacks' ability to secure jobs was during the 1960s era in which blacks were fighting for civil rights in southern United States, when roughly four in 10 thought blacks and whites had equal job opportunities, Gallup said.
Americans' beliefs that blacks enjoy equality of opportunity relative to housing and education have also declined. Currently, 70 percent say blacks have the same chance as whites to get any housing they can afford, the lowest since 1989 and down from a peak of 83 percent in 1997, Gallup found.
The 71 percent of Americans who believe black children have the same chance as whites of obtaining a good education is the lowest in Gallup's trend, including in 1962, less than a decade after the Supreme Court ruled to allow black children to study in white schools in the Southern United States.
The June 7-July 1 Gallup poll was conducted just before recent racial incidents in Minneapolis, Baton Rouge and Dallas, in which both white police and black men were killed.
One reason for the declines could be the attention given to racial and economic inequality by the candidates in this year's presidential campaign.
Racial incidents involving police in recent years, and the resulting Black Lives Matter movement, could also be a factor, though declines in perceptions of black housing and educational opportunities were mostly evident this year.
Whites and blacks have different perceptions of equality of opportunity for members of racial groups.
Whereas roughly seven in 10 whites believe that blacks and whites have the same opportunities to get a job, a good education and any housing they can afford, far fewer blacks agree.
Slightly less than half of blacks believe that blacks and whites have the same chance to get a good education. Even fewer blacks, 32 percent, say blacks and whites have equal job opportunities, Gallup found.
The recent surge of high-profile racial incidents are likely magnified in the midst of a presidential campaign as the candidates react to the events and attempt to offer solutions to address the issues they raise, Gallup said.
U.S. President Barack Obama's election as the nation's first black president was a landmark achievement for blacks, but seven years into his presidency, the issues of race remain complex and are beyond what political leadership alone can change, Gallup added.
BEIRUT, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Foreign Ministry expressed on Friday empathy with France in the face of what it called the "cowardly" Nice attack that has left 84 dead.
The ministry said in a statement that the assault targeted "the lung of Mediterranean tourism," and called for joint international efforts to stem terrorism.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tammam Salam expressed in a letter of condolences to French President Francois Hollande the "profound sorrow over this despicable crime" and the "solidarity of the Lebanese with France in this difficult moment."
Salam said the attack on France's national day makes it "an attack on freedom." Enditem
BANGKOK, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A prison riot broke up on Friday in the southern Pattani Province of Thailand, leading to at least one death in the melee. Police force are trying to take back control of the prison, Thai media reported.
A melee happened between the prisoners, and they also attacked guards,set fire the buildings inside the prison, Thairath reported.
A 23-year-old prisoner, who worked as an assistant for authorities, was killed in the melee, three guards and a volunteer from the local Volunteer Defense Corps were injured.
Prison guards applied for local police and the army for reinforcement around 4:30 p.m. this afternoon as soon as the prison riot early began.
Rioters complained that they are suffering the alleged overly strict rules in the prison and asked for improvement as the capitulation.
Until 23:50 local time, authorities have removed some prisoners to other prisons, and they are still trying to regain their control of the prison. Enditem
ANKARA/ISTANBUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime minister Binali Yildirim told local media on Friday night that there has been a mutiny attempt in Turkey.
"This is a mutiny attempt; we will not let it win," Anadolu Agency quoted Yildirim as saying. "Those who are doing this will be punished in the hardest way."
There were reports of the Turkish chief of military staff being "held hostage" and of a military statement claiming to have taken power of the country.
Flights from Istanbul Ataturk airport were also reported to have been canceled.
Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said the coup attempt is unlawful and Ankara and Istanbul public prosecutors have launched an investigation, Milliyet News reported.
"The coup of some armed forces was made without command," Bozdag said. "It is time we show our attitude to democracy."
Dogan News Agency reported earlier that Ankara Police Department urged all staff on duty as extensive security measures were taken around the Turkish General Staff in the capital.
There were reports of jets flying low over Ankara late Friday night.
In Istanbul, the gendarmerie closed the two bridges that connect the city's Asian and European parts over the Bosphorus Strait.
Witnesses also reported seeing tanks on the bridges.
The move came amid extraordinary security measures, the Haberturk daily reported.
UNITED NATIONS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Friday said that the population of South Sudanese refugees in the region could pass the 1 million mark this year if cross-border displacement trends continue.
Earlier Friday, UNHCR, expressing concerns about the likelihood of fresh outflows of South Sudanese refugees in the wake of the fighting in the capital Juba, launched a revised appeal of 701 million U.S. dollars, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.
Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also reported that four days into the tenuous ceasefire in Juba, many people have begun to return to their homes, the spokesman said.
The fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition, which backs First Vice-President Riek Machar, reportedly killed some 272 people, including 33 civilians, and displaced at least 36,000 civilians.
Noting that the overall planning figure had risen from 867,239 to 973,000, UNHRC officials in South Sudan said on Friday that in the first four months of this year, countries like Sudan and Uganda received between 70 and 90 percent of their planned 2016 population.
They lauded neighboring for keeping their borders open, noting that the number of countries hosting South Sudanese refugees has expanded to include the Central African Republic (10,454 refugees) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (11,966), in addition to Ethiopia (285,657), Kenya (103,104), Sudan (231,638) and Uganda (224,420).
Humanitarians have now visited all of the reported collective displacement sites and estimate that around 8,000 people remained displaced, including around 4,300 in the UNMISS sites and some 3,700 outside, Dujarric said.
The UNHCR noted that their initial appeal for this year was only 17 percent funded, which has forced them to prioritize emergency response and life-saving activities, at the expense of critical water, sanitation, hygiene, health and shelter interventions for refugees.
Although children constitute 70 percent of the refugee population, child protection activities are also severely compromised, the UN agency said.
Also on Friday, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported that the situation in Juba remained calm but tense.
"Earlier today, the mission carried out a search operation for weapons at the UN Tomping base, where 2,300 internally displaced people are currently being protected, and recovered several items, including ammunition and military uniforms," the spokesman said. "Outside of Juba, UNMISS received reports of some clashes in Leer today."
The UN mission also began the temporary relocation of non-critical personnel in Juba to Entebbe on Friday, he said.
"Humanitarian organizations continue to respond in locations with the highest needs," he said.
While responding to the acute needs in Juba, the humanitarian community remained extremely concerned about the immense humanitarian needs across the country, where more than 4.8 million people were already severely food insecure before the recent violence, he added. Enditem
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Congress on Friday released a long-classified document that offered specific details of possible ties between Saudi governments and some suspects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
U.S. authorities had for long stressed that the 28-page document, whose contents were not being independently checked when compiled, was a summary of information for further investigation rather than a verified conclusion.
The 28-page lightly redacted document, a section from a 838-page congressional inquiry report on the attacks released in 2002, detailed alleged links and contacts between some of the 9/11 hijackers and Saudis while they were in the United States.
"While in the United States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government," the newly disclassified document said.
"There is information, primarily from FBI sources, that at least two of those individuals were alleged by some to be Saudi Intelligence officers," said the document, before acknowledging that neither CIA and FBI witnesses "were able to identify definitively the extent to which such support, if it exists, is knowing or inadvertent in nature."
Moments before the release of the document, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the document confirmed no evidence of Saudi complicity.
"It will confirm what we have been saying for quite some time," said Earnest here at the daily briefing. "No evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded al Qaida," said Earnest.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed the release of the 28-page document, saying that the release of the previously classified contents would "clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions" about Saudi Arabia's involvement in the attacks.
"Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, have investigated the contents of the '28 Pages' and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks," said Abdullah al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, in a statement. Enditem
An old man from the Dinka community rests in the Sobat Secondary School in Malakal, on February 26, 2016. His community sought refugee in this school after fleeing from the clashes in the United Nations Protection of Civilians (PoC) site. The United States forcefully condemned fatal clashes at a United Nations compound sheltering civilians in South Sudan and urged authorities to investigate the incident, which witnesses said involved government troops. At least 18 people and more than 70 others were wounded in the violence Wednesday to Thursday at the camp in the town of Malakal, the aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has said. (AFP/Albert Gonzalez Farran)
UNITED NATIONS, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Friday said that the population of South Sudanese refugees in the region could pass the 1 million mark this year if cross-border displacement trends continue.
Earlier Friday, UNHCR, expressing concerns about the likelihood of fresh outflows of South Sudanese refugees in the wake of the fighting in the capital Juba, launched a revised appeal of 701 million U.S. dollars, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.
Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also reported that four days into the tenuous ceasefire in Juba, many people have begun to return to their homes, the spokesman said.
The fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition, which backs First Vice-President Riek Machar, reportedly killed some 272 people, including 33 civilians, and displaced at least 36,000 civilians.
Noting that the overall planning figure had risen from 867,239 to 973,000, UNHRC officials in South Sudan said on Friday that in the first four months of this year, countries like Sudan and Uganda received between 70 and 90 percent of their planned 2016 population.
They lauded neighboring for keeping their borders open, noting that the number of countries hosting South Sudanese refugees has expanded to include the Central African Republic (10,454 refugees) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (11,966), in addition to Ethiopia (285,657), Kenya (103,104), Sudan (231,638) and Uganda (224,420).
Humanitarians have now visited all of the reported collective displacement sites and estimate that around 8,000 people remained displaced, including around 4,300 in the UNMISS sites and some 3,700 outside, Dujarric said.
The UNHCR noted that their initial appeal for this year was only 17 percent funded, which has forced them to prioritize emergency response and life-saving activities, at the expense of critical water, sanitation, hygiene, health and shelter interventions for refugees.
Although children constitute 70 percent of the refugee population, child protection activities are also severely compromised, the UN agency said.
Also on Friday, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported that the situation in Juba remained calm but tense.
"Earlier today, the mission carried out a search operation for weapons at the UN Tomping base, where 2,300 internally displaced people are currently being protected, and recovered several items, including ammunition and military uniforms," the spokesman said. "Outside of Juba, UNMISS received reports of some clashes in Leer today."
The UN mission also began the temporary relocation of non-critical personnel in Juba to Entebbe on Friday, he said.
"Humanitarian organizations continue to respond in locations with the highest needs," he said.
While responding to the acute needs in Juba, the humanitarian community remained extremely concerned about the immense humanitarian needs across the country, where more than 4.8 million people were already severely food insecure before the recent violence, he added.
by Liu Lihang, Biljana
SKOPJE, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The Macedonian finance ministry is not fully abandoning plans to issue a euro bond, although it was forced to postpone the operation, the ministry announced on Friday.
The issuance of the euro bond was delayed at the last moment on Thursday evening after a member of the opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) sent a letter to the joint lead managers on the trade, asserting Macedonia may not have proper legal authority to issue the notes. In the letter, he claimed that the bond issuance, if it were to proceed, may be in violation of certain laws and regulations. This caused the offered interest rates to rise due to the increased risk of the investment. Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Erste Bank, and Societe Generale were the joint lead managers on the trade.
The government believes the correspondence is politically motivated and that there is no legal basis for challenging the authorization or the issuance of the notes.
"The process will continue. What is negative is that the opposition is creating a dangerous precedent and it is ruining the financial reputation of the country," Macedonian Finance Minister Kiril Minoski said.
The government is prepared to continue the cooperation with the potential investors, ensuring them that there are no legal obstacles for issuing the euro bond in spite of the oppositions' claims, he explained.
"The postponement only confirms our arguments that this financial crime is illegal and it is damaging for the citizens, for the economy and for the future generations. We will remain on the stance that if a euro bond is issued it should be under the same conditions and legal provisions as the previous bond issued in 2015," Kire Naumov from the main opposition party SDSM said to Xinhua.
The Macedonian government planned to issue seven-year bonds worth up to 650 million euros (719 million U.S. dollars) and the money was initially intended for financing the budgetary deficit and refinancing old debts. Experts warn that not issuing the notes might put certain strain on the Macedonian budget.
"The financial investors do not want unnecessary risks, especially legal, political and security risks. In the case of Macedonia, I think that they are seeing all of them combined at the moment and they are becoming reluctant," former Governor of the Macedonian central bank Petar Goshev told Xinhua here.
"I would appeal to the government to consider reducing the planned value of the bonds in half. If we need the money to cover some basic expenses such as pensions and salaries, then we must restructure all budgetary expenditure immediately. I am afraid that we will have to go through a reversible process, meaning to reduce the salaries, the pensions, all non-productive expenses, so we don't reach a situation of an insolvent budget," Marjan Petreski, a professor at the University American College in Skopje, stated for the economic news portal Factor.mk.
Although it is not abandoning the plans to issue the bond altogether, the Macedonian government will yet not comment the possible effects of the postponement nor the future plans for issuing the notes. (1 euro=1.11 U.S. dollars) Enditem
ISTANBUL, July 15, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's gendarmerie guard a bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 15, 2016. Turkey's gendarmerie on Friday night closed the two bridges that connect Istanbul's Asian and European parts over the Bosphorus Strait, Turkish media reported. Turkish Prime minister Binali Yildirim told local media on Friday night that there has been a mutiny attempt in Turkey. (Xinhua/Saltanat)
ANKARA/ISTANBUL, July 15 (Xinhua) -- A military statement on Turkish media said Friday the armed forces have fully seized power in the country but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said early Saturday the coup attempt has failed, urging people to protect democracy.
According to the military statement, reported on NTV, the military move was made to restore the constitutional order, democracy, human rights, freedom and rule of law.
The statement said that all our international agreements and commitments is continue to be kept valid.
"We hope that our good relations with all countries of the world will be continued," the statement said.
President Erdogan's office website said he is safe and and that a coup attempt by a small group of soldiers was "unsuccessful."
In his appearance on CNNTurk via a reporter's mobile phone, Erdogan urged people to take to the streets to protect "democracy."
"This is an act encouraged by the parallel structure." he said. "I believe that this act will have the necessary punishment that will be given by our nation."
The president was referring to the movement led by U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, who has been accused of running a parallel state and trying to topple the Turkish government.
"I will be at the squares as well either in Istanbul or Ankara," Erdogan said in remarks delivered later on NTV.
Shortly after Erdogan's statement, soldiers started leaving the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, while some Turks walk toward the airport, the Hurriyet daily said.
It said supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are among the throng gathering there.
Reports earlier said that tanks were sent to the airport, where all flights were canceled.
In Ankara, helicopters could be heard hoving above. There were also reports of gunshots and explosions heard in the capital.
There were also reports of tanks being deployed outside the Turkish parliament.
On Friday evening, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told local media that there has been a coup attempt.
"This is a mutiny attempt; we will not let it win," Anadolu Agency quoted Yildirim as saying. "Those who are doing this will be punished in the hardest way."
Meanwhile, NTV reported that Army Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar was taken hostage by a group of soldiers.
Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said the coup attempt is unlawful and Ankara and Istanbul public prosecutors have launched an investigation, Milliyet News reported.
"The coup of some armed forces was made without command," Bozdag said. "It is time we show our attitude to democracy."
There were reports of jets flying low over Ankara and Istanbul late Friday night. In Istanbul, the gendarmerie closed the two bridges that connect the city's Asian and European parts over the Bosphorus Strait, with tanks reported on the bridges.
Dogan News Agency reported earlier that Ankara Police Department urged all staff report for duty as extensive security measures were taken around the Turkish General Staff in the capital.
VIENNA, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The award delivered Tuesday by the arbitral tribunal on South China Sea set up upon unilateral request from the Philippines was "not correct," an Austrian International law expert has said.
It "will not contribute to the peaceful settlement but on the contrary will increase the tensions," Gerd Kaminski, professor of international law at Vienna University and also director of Austrian Institute for China and Southeast Asia studies, told Xinhua in an interview.
The professor, who is also a senior policy advisor of Austrian foreign ministry, said he believes that in terms of the international law, historical evidences and regional harmony, the tribunal's award is negative.
The government of former Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III filed the arbitration against China in 2013, despite the agreement his country had reached with China on resolving their disputes in the South China Sea through bilateral negotiations.
The tribunal issued its final award on Tuesday, sweepingly siding with Manila's cunningly packaged claims, denying China's long-standing historical rights in the South China Sea and saying China has no sovereign right on some atolls in the region.
"It's not in line with former verdicts and former cases," Kaminski said, citing some former arbitration cases as examples.
Kaminski told Xinhua that the Eastern Greenland Case between Norway and Denmark showed that people don't need to settle down permanently for acquiring the island, and that fishing and observing and building landmarks is enough for the sovereignty.
China has owned the islands in South China Sea since ancient times and many activities were made on these islands like fishing and exploiting. Chinese people also started to live on the islands long time ago.
Regarding Philippines' argument that some islands in the south China sea is near the country, he said previous arbitration case showed the distance of the island from the country claims it is not important criterion.
"From the international law arguments, also from historic arguments from both sides Chinese side, European side, I think we can prove that China is the owner of those islands (in South China sea)," he said.
He told Xinhua that he read the letters from the western priests who lived in China in 17th and 18th centuries, telling the truth that the islands in south China sea belong to China.
"There are records by those priests when they set out to other territories in south east Asia, they wrote down they were passing the Chinses islands, so also from these European records, and the map from the 18th century drawn by priests that the east Chinese sea and South China sea are Chinese territory," Kaminski noted.
The Austrian expert said items found on the islands in the south China sea proves that the islands were inhabited by Chinese, and according to the international law, it's not necessary to be permanently inhabitant.
He stressed that after the World War II, islands in south China sea were returned back to China, and Chinese government at that time sent marine expeditions to the region, which further confirmed the Chinese rights over these islands.
He was concerned that the award could make region more complicated. Enditem
ISTANBUL, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is safe and a coup attempt by a small group of soldiers was "unsuccessful," said a statement posted early Saturday on the website of the president's office.
In his appearance on CNNTurk via a reporter's mobile phone, Erdogan urged people to take to the streets to protect "democracy."
"This is an act encouraged by the parallel structure." he said. "I believe that this act will have the necessary punishment that will be given by our nation."
The president was referring to the movement led by U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, who has been accused of running a parallel state and trying to topple the Turkish government.
"I will be at the squares as well either in Istanbul or Ankara," Erdogan said in remarks delivered later on NTV.
There were reports of jets flying low over Ankara and Istanbul late Friday night. In Istanbul, the gendarmerie closed the two bridges that connect the city's Asian and European parts over the Bosphorus Strait, with tanks reported on the bridges.
Tanks were sent to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, where all flights were canceled.
Dogan News Agency reported earlier that Ankara Police Department urged all staff report for duty as extensive security measures were taken around the Turkish General Staff in the capital. Enditem
People offer flowers to the victims near the site of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
MEXICO CITY, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Latin American countries on Friday joined France in mourning the hundreds of victims of the latest terror attack on French soil, and condemned the targeting of innocent lives.
From Mexico to Argentina, countries across the Americas expressed their consternation and unity with the French government and the families of the victims of Thursday's tragic incident in the southern city of Nice, where a truck plowed through crowd celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84, including 10 children, and injuring more than 200 others.
Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry building was lit up in the red, white and blue colors of the French flag late Thursday, in what has become a traditional show of solidarity with France, which has suffered a series of terrorist strikes.
"Mexico's government reiterates its total rejection of any type of violence against civilians," the Foreign Ministry said.
Families had gathered along Nice's waterfront promenade to mark the national holiday when the truck rammed into crowd.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa offered a symbolic "hug for France on its national day and in the face of this tragedy caused by madness. Our solidarity with the injured and the families of those who were killed."
Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Guillaume Long said, "we are shocked by this horrendous and horrifying attack in France."
The driver of the truck, identified as a 31-year-old French citizen of Tunisian origin, was shot dead by French police and arms and grenades were found inside the vehicle. French authorities have yet to determine whether he acted alone.
Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez expressed his "total repudiation" for the attack, adding "that such brutality arising and spreading in so many countries and so many societies is incomprehensible."
Security personnel stand guard near the Promenade des Anglais, where the attack took place on Thursday, in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
In November 2015, 130 people were killed in an attack on a concert venue in Paris, and as many as 352 were injured, in what was considered the single deadliest terrorist strike in the history of France.
Terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) has said it will target France, one of the western coalition forces waging war in Syria, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries.
In Caracas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said "Venezuela categorically condemns terrorism in all its manifestations ... regardless of the motives."
The ministry, in a statement, also called for "building a world free of violence and combating these atrocious acts that plunge all of humanity into mourning."
Argentina's President Mauricio Macri posted via Twitter, "we join in rejecting the bloody attacks that have shocked France and the world."
The governments of Bolivia and Colombia also condemned the attack, with the president of the Bolivian Senate, Jose Alberto Gonzales, telling reporters it was "unacceptable" that society in this day and age was unable to find a peaceful way to resolve "our differences."
Christian Estrosi, the governor of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, where Nice is situated, described the attack "as the worst tragedy in the history of Nice."
French President Francois called the incident a "terrorist" attack and has announced a three-month extension of a state of emergency that has been in place since the November attacks.
Turkish military stand guard near the the Taksim Square as peiple wave with Turkish flags in Istanbul, Turkey, July 16, 2016. (REUTERS/Murad Sezer)
ISTANBUL, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is safe and the coup attempt by a small group of soldiers was "unsuccessful," said a statement posted early Saturday on the website of the president's office.
In his appearance on CNNTurk via a reporter's mobile phone, Erdogan urged people to take to the streets to protect "democracy."
"This is an act encouraged by the parallel structure." he said. "I believe that this act will have the necessary punishment that will be given by our nation."
The president was referring to the movement led by U.S.-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, who has been accused of running a parallel state and trying to topple the Turkish government.
"I will be at the squares as well either in Istanbul or Ankara," Erdogan said in remarks delivered later on NTV.
There were reports of jets flying low over Ankara, Turkey's capital, and Istanbul, the country's largest city, on Friday night.
In Istanbul, the gendarmerie closed the two bridges that connect the city's Asian and European parts over the Bosphorus Strait, with tanks reported on the bridges.
Tanks were sent as well to Istanbul Ataturk Airport on Friday night, where all flights were canceled.
Dogan News Agency reported that Ankara Police Department urged all staff on duty as extensive security measures were taken around the Turkish General Staff in the capital.
In other developments, Turkish soldiers were leaving the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul early Saturday morning, while some Turks were walking toward the airport, the Hurriyet daily said.
It said supporters of Erdogan were among the throng, as the leader had urged people to gather at squares and airports to protect democracy.
Three people were injured early Saturday morning in Istanbul when people attempted to cross a bridge over the Bosphorus, CNNTurk said.
It was not clear who fired the shots as the throng were trying to cross into the European side of the metropolis, the network said.
On Friday night, the Turkish gendarmerie closed the two bridges over the Bosphorus as word of a coup attempt spread.
by Wu Yilong
BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhuanet) -- A Geng is the nick name of Lin Rigeng, a tourist guide in southeast Chinas Fujian Province, though his father expected him to do farm work day in and day out as the name indicates.
Swarthy-faced, the man of Hakka origin looks like a farmer, talks like a farmer, but really only has done little farming all his life.
Now living in Zhenchenglou, one of the 46 tulou -- traditional Chinese earthen building of communal residence designated as UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, the 65-year-old man works tirelessly for their protection and promotion.
Zhenchengsou is one of the best kept and thus well-known as the prince of tulou,said A Geng.
Nestling among mountains and streams in Fujian Province, tulou, round or square, used to house and protect huge extended families. Their strong thick walls were made of rammed clay and fortified with wood or bamboo internally.
In A Gengs home county Yongding, there are all kinds of tulou. Chengqilou is the biggest, boasting 384 rooms and once sheltering more than 800 people, Jiqinglou the oldest, surviving rain and wind of more than 600 years, but Zhenchengsou is unquestionably the best kept and grandest.
Our Zhenchenglou is the most majestic and typical of all tulou,A Geng would often say.
Built from 1912 to 1916, the round Zhenchenglou covers an area of 5,000 square meters with more than 200 rooms, incorporating the Chinese traditional principle of fenshui (favorable sitting within the environment) and mysterious bagua (eight trigrams divination).
A Geng was born in Zhenchenglou and spent his childhood there. However, during the Cultural Revolution(1966-1976), he was evicted with his father, a graduate of Waseda University of Japan and county magistrate in the 1930s and 1940s.
Fortunately, in the late 1970s, with the implementation of the nations reform policy, A Geng moved back as the owner of one quarter of the building.
It was empty and desolate then,said A Geng, only four families with over 20 people lived in such a big structure. Tulou were said to be spotted by U.S. satellites and mistaken for missile silos or nuclear devices because of their shape and size. True or not, the tale increased the charisma of tulou.
In the early 1980s, architects and tourists began to zigzag through the mountains to visit the remote tulou, especially Zhenchenglou.
Surprised and perplexed, A Geng showed them hospitality of the Hakka people, guiding them around and treating them with home-made tea, food and wine.
These guests unexceptionally got excited, even spell-bound, the moment they entered Zhenchenglou, and they examined it inside out, recalled A Geng. From then on, I realized my house was quite a treasure.
He was then thrilled when an expert with the National Tourism Administration suggested for the first time that tulou should apply for world cultural heritage status in 1992.
As a tulou owner, I felt a great responsibility for promoting and preserving tulou, said A Geng.
In cooperation with the ever-growing cry from experts and villagers, the provincial and local governments launched all-round efforts for more than one decade to maintain and promote tulou and finally acquired UNESCO designation.
Million tourists began to come and see tulou. A Geng was quick to open a store and inn inside tulou in the late 1980s, and his family business has prospered ever since. Nevertheless, what makes A Geng a fame is how he talks about tulou, his own home.
He did not know much about Zhenchenglou at first. But he learned by reading books, asking questions and observing the buildings, while digging into his family stories.
In 1991, A Geng was employed by the countys tourism bureau as the first tulou guide in Yongding, hence starting his lifelong career. His strong local Hakka accent adds to his charm as the most popular tulou guide.
I talk about my own family to tourists almost every day, sometimes five times a day, said A Geng. Im never tired of it, I enjoy it.
When A Geng shows around Zhenchenglou, he interprets whatever his eyes touch: its fengshui outside and its structure inside, its sewage system underground and its lookout tower overhead, its earthquake-proof function and its fire prevention design.
Respectfully, A Geng recites and explains the family motto and moral couplets, written in fine calligraphy and hung or inscribed throughout the edifice.
He even leads tourists to his kitchen, pointing to a ground brick under which his placenta was buried. We Hakka people have a custom of planting the placenta,said A Geng, It means your home is where your root is, you should never forget your cradle blood.
Receiving only primary education, A Geng has published one of the best-sellers about tulou, featuring his guide commentary and sold more than 20,000 copies so far. Theres no end of reading such a book as Zhenchenglou, said A Geng. I choose things to talk according to the tastes and needs of my tourists.
However, foreign tourists, coming to A Geng from more than 30 countries and areas have left him few choices due to the language barrier. I can only show them the wonderful construction techniques of tulou, said A Geng. I cant communicate the beauty of Chinese traditional culture to them.
A Geng once sent his daughter to learn English to become an English tulou guide, but she has moved to Xiamen City after marriage.
Anyway, foreign tourists have brought A Geng a lot of interesting experiences.
Once an old French couple checked into his inn, asking for a straw mat, a kerosene lamp and even a chamber pot; another time, a German family rejoiced at a night of unexpected blackout inside tulou.
I hope we can have English guides and more translated books about tulou, he said. We should open our unique fortress homes to friends all over the world.
There are now 15 returned families of about 80 people residing in Zhenchenglou and engaging in tourism. A Geng remains the same. I love to talk with people from all walks of life and all over the world, said he. I can touch the outside world inside tulou.
HAIKOU, July 13, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A passenger jet of China Southern Airlines lands on the airport on Meiji Reef, July 13, 2016. China successfully carried out test flights on two new airports on the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday, further enhancing its capability to provide public services as a responsible player in the region. Together with the one on Yongshu Reef, the two airfields, respectively located on Meiji Reef and Zhubi Reef, bring tangible benefits to vessels sailing in and planes flying over the area, thanks to their convenient location in the middle of the vast water body. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)
Related:
Commentary: New Nansha airports enable China to better serve public good in South China Sea
BEIJING, July 13 (Xinhua) -- China successfully carried out test flights on two new airports on the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday, further enhancing its capability to provide public services as a responsible player in the region.
By Zhao Huanxin In Ulaanbaatar And Hu Yongqi In Beijing (China Daily)
Li: Countries should ramp up projects formutual benefits
From enhancing the strategic synergy of development plans, to launching farm produce processing and house building projects, Premier Li Keqiang's two-day visit to China's northern neighbor has pushed forward pragmatic cooperation between Beijing and Ulaanbaatar.
Mongolia is the host of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit, scheduled for Friday and Sunday in Ulaanbaatar.
Li said the refugee crisis in Europe, and the spread of terrorism in some parts of the world, is wreaking havoc in Europe and Asia.
Li and his counterpart, Jargaltulga Erdenebat, agreed to "speed up the dovetailing of China's Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Steppe Road Program", and carry out cooperation in key areas.
China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, which is aimed at promoting policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade and financial integration as well as cultural exchanges in Asia, Africa and Europe.
The Steppe Road plan is an infrastructure construction proposal aimed at boosting the Mongolian economy through trans-border transportation.
Li proposed a joint feasibility study for a free-trade area be done as early as possible. Erdenebat said Mongolia welcomes Chinese investors, and adopted a positive attitude toward the FTA proposal.
Erdenebat, who was appointed Mongolia's new prime minister recently, said the new government is committed to maintaining the traditional friendship between the countries.
During their meeting on Thursday morning, Li said the countries could make breakthroughs in projects such as the processing of farm and pasture products, infrastructure and building residential houses for Mongolians.
"This will give full display to Mongolia's advantage in animal husbandry, and also satisfy the rising demands for meat and related products in China," Li said.
He added that housing projects will improve the living conditions of Mongolians, while facilitating Chinese building suppliers.
Li also suggested the two sides strengthen financial cooperation and expand currency-swaps, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.
The premiers witnessed the signing of 15 agreements in areas including trade, technology, infrastructure, and TV and broadcast services. The total value of the deals was not immediately available.
Guards of honor dressed in traditional costumes and two dozen cavalry troops were part of a ceremony Erdenebat led at Chinggis Khaan Square to welcome Li before their formal meeting.
Li also met with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Chairman of the State Great Hural Miyegombo Enkhbold.
China would join Mongolia and other participants to ramp up cooperation between Asia and Europe to cope with the challenges together, Li told Elbegdorj.
"China and Mongolia have signed many documents, but the implementation should be speeded up. Agreements signed today show the two countries have entered a period of pragmatic cooperation, which is very exciting to me," said Gao Shumao, former Chinese ambassador to Mongolia.
Gao said the agreements signed on Thursday will boost cooperation in the mining sector and the cooperation is expected to create a free-trade zone, which will benefit social and economic development in Mongolia.
Contact the writers at zhaohuanxin@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 07/15/2016 page4)
Group: PM must act on Clico
In a statement titled, Not so fast Mr Imbert, the group accused the Minister of passing the buck, by his recent remarks that queries about a missing $6 billion must be directed to the Central Bank of TT (CBTT) which managed Clico since 2009.
The CSA said this sum represents a transfer of wealth from policyholders and shareholders to State agencies that hold Clico Investment Bank (CIB) deposits.
Imbert is right to question the Central Bank, but it did not confiscate the $6 billion, said the CSA, which also criticised the bank for this loss under the nose of an actuary. It then added its own $4 billion deficit by writing down asset values and writing up liability values at Jan 30, 2009, which it then used in its propaganda campaign as a ballooning $10 Billion deficit. The CSA accused the bank of losing its way as it amended the Insurance Act to minimize policyholder and shareholder rights, and surrendered to the Government its stewardship powers to preserve rights of policyholders, creditors and shareholders.
Central Banks self-interest in hanging on to control of Clico was misaligned with policyholders and shareholders, while the Government had no business touching Clico assets or undertakings, yet despite his passing the buck, Imbert by letter of Oct 2, 2015 clearly demonstrated his power over Central Bank by using his power to direct Central Bank to dispose of Clicos assets. The CSA said the CBTTs overarching stewardship duty was to maximize the Clico shareholder value in plain sight, as the first line of protection for policyholders.
Shareholders must lose everything before policyholders lose anything.
Alas, Central Bank lazed around, destroyed Clico franchise value and drove it into the ground, with the last nail in the coffin being the sale of the traditional business to leave the Clico infrastructure worthless. The CSA vowed to publicly reveal Clico- CIB documents, and said Imbert will ultimately be judged by the public. CSA calls on the Honorable Prime Minister to intervene and set the record straight on the missing $6 billion from Clico. The Honorable Prime Minister must note that the credibility of his government is on center stage and world is watching. Over to you, Mr Prime Minister.
He could have been taken out alive
Hours after his burial, his brother Robelto Dalipsingh took to social media to vent his feelings about the way his 32-year-old brother was killed.
Dalipsingh said, based on what he was told by certain persons, he believes his brother could have been taken into custody alive.
In a video posted online, Dalipsingh said, Plenty people would not like this video.
Plenty people will say all kinds of things. They will hate me, they will love me, but I dont care.
I dont care who like me and who dont like me. Police officers, acting on information, went to Damarie Hill, Guaico on Friday last where they surrounded a house, in which Khan was hiding, and ordered him to come out.
However, one of the police officers, identified as 35-year-old PC Darren Francis, was shot in the left arm when Khan opened fire on them.
He was once again called upon to put down his gun and surrender but refused to do so and was killed by police officers who stormed the house.
Attempts yesterday to reach senior police officers to respond to claims made by Dalipsingh in the video were futile.
Khan was wanted in connection with the shooting deaths of his neighbours Lloyd Ramkissoon, 47, and his 19-year-old son Ryan at their Balandra home on May 13.
It is alleged that the Ramkissoons had complained to Khan that his pit bull had bitten them on several occasions and was also responsible for eating livestock.
According to reports, Khan became enraged, pulled out a gun and shot the father and son dead.
He fled the scene and was in hiding until he was confronted by police and killed.
7 held with hand grenade and ammunition
According to reports, officers conducted a search of the premises, when they found a hand grenade along with a cache of ammunition The suspects, two women and five men, were taken into custody and were being quizzed by officers of the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit along with detectives from the Northern Division.
Police were up until late yesterday trying to ascertain from the suspects how they came to be in possession of the hand grenade and where it originated from.
The exercise was spearheaded by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Surujdean Persad and Senior Superintendent Rajkumar.
Close to sedition
Before he refuted each of Maharajs claims, Rowley declared, I do not appoint myself as defender of Patrick Manning but as defender of the public record. Rowley said Maharajs claims could have the effect of misrepresenting the countrys history and, the facts of certain situations with respect to public administration, public policy, racial solidarity and the peace and stability of TT. Starting with Maharajs claim that Mannings closure of Caroni 1975 Ltd was a racist action, Rowley said history shows that the domestic sugar industry enjoyed some of its best years under the Peoples National Movement (PNM). As agriculture minister in Mannings 1991 to 1995 administration and part of Mannings Cabinet when the decision was taken, in 2002, to close Caroni, Rowley said, I take objection to that statement because it is not supported by fact. Stating the facts show Caronis closure, had to do with the economics of the industry, the Prime Minister declared, So for somebody to get up today and to say the closing of Caroni (1975) Ltd was a racial act to suffer Indian people...is close to sedition...
meant to create racial discord and disturb the peaceful fabric of TT. On former Chief Justice Sat Sharma, Rowley said, The record will show the allegation of Mr Sharmas misconduct did not come from Prime Minister Manning, but the then Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson and the removal of a Chief Justice always involves the Office of Prime Minister.
Those are the undisputed facts, Rowley said.
On the house arrest of House Speaker Occah Seepaul, Rowley said, We took action to prevent ourselves from being suspended from Parliament by a Speaker who had gone rogue. Reminding reporters that Seepaul had already suspended PNM MP Ken Valley (deceased) and threatened to suspend three other PNM MPs (including himself), Rowley said Seepauls actions would have reduced Governments majority in Parliament, to allow the Opposition to move a motion to dissolve Parliament. Seepaul was among persons paying tribute to Manning after his death.
Rowley rejected Maharajs claim that the Divine Echoes Orchestra, created under Manning, was a Christian band to play Christian music. He said the Divine Echoes were formed to re-create the big band era in TT but it was now, being used as proof of racism in TT. At Mannings State funeral on July 9, son Brian called for Divine Echoes to be re-established.
Noting that attorney Kenneth Lalla SC had served as Police Service Commission chairman for a long time, Rowley said this made the Ryan La Guerre report claiming East Indians were not being promoted in the Public Service to be, a bald statement on its own. In the Feroza Ramjohn matter, Rowley said Manning was not regarded as racist when he initially approved her for a post in London.
He explained that subsequent information from the security services about Ramjohns alleged involvement in corruption, resulted in him withdrawing his earlier approval. Recalling that the court later ruled in Ramjohns favour that Manning never gave her an opportunity to be heard, Rowley said the court made no ruling on the matter which caused Manning to withdraw his approval for Ramjohn.
The Prime Minister also dismissed Maharajs account of the radio license sought by the SDMS.
Central floods
His call came amid massive flooding in Central Trinidad with areas in Endeavour and Cunupia being particularly hard hit.
Karim said that while in most cases, the flooding subsided as quickly as it had rose, the onus remains with the Ministry of Works and Transport headed by Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to clear the waterways as the country is now fully in the grip of the Rainy Season.
I want to take this opportunity to call upon the Ministry of Works and Transport to ensure that as soon as possible, its work officials can clear all of these major watercourses.
We have been advised that watercourses are choked up from Lendore Village into Lalan into Marchin and into the Cunupia River which empties into the Gulf of Paria.
If these water courses are not properly cleared it will have an effect on residents. I also want the Ministry of Works to consider seriously the construction of two retention ponds, one just north of Egypt Village so that all of this water that has accumulated can reside there temporarily and also one at Soogrim Trace and that connects to the Endeavour Road, Karim said.
Asked whether any work had been done during the preceding Dry Season to clear the watercourses, Karim said no maintenance work has been done since the Peoples National Movement (PNM) government was elected into office last September.
Well not since this government has come into office, we havent seen any evidence of clearing of these water courses and therefore it is instances like these (flooding yesterday) which make it very urgent and extremely important that they attend to these matters immediately, he said. Sunil Gildharie, a home-owner at the new Housing Development Corporation (HDC) housing estate at Oasis Greens, Arenal Avenue in Endeavour, said the waters rose quickly in the neighbourhood following persistent, overnight rains.
And while he was thankful that the flood waters had not entered his home, Gildharie observed that he had been forced to move his car from the driveway due to the fast rising water.
About 4.30 am this morning (yesterday), my wife woke me and said the street was underwater and I should move the car and by the time I went outside, the water was already as high as the bumper, he said.
Gildharie was subsequently forced to park his vehicle at another property across the street but not before flood waters entered the vehicle. He said the HDC should consider having holes leading to the underground drains enlarged to accommodate a large flow of water. There were reports reaching Newsday of similar flooding in low-lying areas in South and South-Western Trinidad. Checks with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) revealed no requests for assistance from first responders by persons who may have been impacted by the flooding.
Tobago teen reported missing
The teen is a Form II student at the Harmon School of SDA and was last seen at about 8 am on Wednesday leaving her home to attend classes. She is of African descent, about 5 ft 6 inches in height, medium build and was last seen wearing a grey and red sweat pants and a white T-shirt.
Anyone with information on the Shemika Phillip can contact the police at 555, 999, 911 or any police station.
PM meets with Ghana officials
A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister said Quantum is a company incorporated in Ghana that is involved mainly in energy and distribution of petroleum products.
The group owns 100 percent of Cardinal Petroleum Ltd, 100 percent of Sage Petroleum Ltd, 60 percent of Aspen Ltd, and 100 percent of Quantum Terminals Ltd.
Sage Petroleum is a refined petroleum products import company.
Cardinal is a holding management company which manages the retail subsidiaries with the Quantum Group.
Aspen re-exports petroleum products to countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso.
BlackIvy is involved in the business of logistics and infrastructure solutions for emerging economies and businesses.
High ranking officials from both groups are currently in TT exploring avenues of doing business with this country.
Rowley visited Ghana in May and held energy discussions with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and other top officials in his government.
Appoint national museum board
The former board member, Dr Nurah-Rosalie Cordner, who also served as chairman of the last NMAG board appointed under the previous government, noted that the National Trust of TT was also being run without a council in violation of the National Trust Act.
As a statutory body, the order of business for good governance at the NMAG is the installation of a board of directors.
The operations of the museum are not the responsibility of a ministry or department of a ministry, she told Newsday yesterday.
Noting that Government has not named a new board since the past boards term ended in November 2015, she said in a letter to the editor, It was with great horror to read the Business Day section of the Newsday newspaper (page 19) of July 7, 2016, a full-page advertisement inviting suitably qualified persons to fill the positions of curatorial specialist and curatorial officer: collections management with the National Museum and Art Gallery. The ad was placed by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts.
Cordner told Newsday that prior to the end of her boards term, board members informed Minister of Community Development and the Arts, Dr Nyan Gadsby- Dolly by way of letter that they were willing to serve another term. She said the board received no response. Efforts to contact Gadsby-Dolly yesterday were futile.
Cordner claimed that the ministrys action to recruit staff on behalf of the NMAG was a violation of the NMAG Act 2000 that was enforced for the first time in 2014, when the then Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration installed a board for a period of one year - October 2014 to November 2015.
Noting the need for accountability, Cordner said, that according to recent budgets, over $TT4 million was allotted annually to the NMAG. Where is the fiduciary oversight, regarding the recurring expenses budget of a statutory agency - in this case the NMAG - for the period 2000-2016? she questioned.
This is yet another example of so many things that have gone awry in our many institutions in Trinidad and Tobago, and failure of successive governments to correct the wrongs, she said. In the same manner that public outrage led to the reduction in the $450,000 contribution toward the fete/ boat-ride, Soca on the Sea cruise, Cordner called for support in ensuring that the laws are upheld in the appointment of statutory bodies to govern the NMAG and National Trust.
Cordner noted that the Act states in Part II, Establishment, Functions, and Powers of the National Museum and Art Gallery, Section 12 (1) that The functions of the board shall be to (a) operate a National Museum and Art Gallery.
No air condition on TT Spirit journey
The passengers were among some 300 who were accommodated on the 12 noon sailing of the TT Soirit after the 6:30 am sailing of the TT Express was cancelled because its engines were not working.
The passengers told Newsday Tobago that they were informed that if conditioning system on the TT Spirit was turned on, then the engines of the boat would shut off.
They said that they were also informed that only two of the ferrys engines were functioning.
The TT Spirit reportedly went into dry dock for the month of June for a complete overhaul which included upgrading the seats, and was to have been returned to service the sea bridge from July 1. The passengers who left the ferry, opted to travel to Trinidad via plane instead, declaring that it was unsafe for anyone to travel under such conditions.
Vilma Lewis-Cockburn, public relations officer of the TT Inter-Island Transportation Company Limited confirmed to Newsday that the TT Spirit travelled from Tobago to Trinidad without any air condition, between 12 noon and 2 pm on Wednesday.
Lewis-Cockburn said the vessel was experiencing a generator malfunction and were the air condition to be turned on, it would have tripped the generator.
As a result, the vessels operators opted to leave the air condition off until the problem was resolved, she said.
Lewis-Cockburn said the operators had been working on the problem as the vessel sailed to Trinidad but she said she could not say when it would be resolved.
She said that to her knowledge, the vessel was running on all four engines and that if it was only using two engines, then the sailing time to Trinidad would have been about five to six hours.
Lewis-Cockburn also confirmed that the TT Express was unable to sail on Wednesday as its turbo chargers had malfunctioned that is, its engines were not working. She said that this was being repaired and that the vessel would have been ready for sailing the following morning yesterday.
She confirmed that some 300 stranded passengers who were scheduledto travel on the TT Express Wednesday morning, were asked to returnfor the 12 pm sailing with the TT Spirit or to transfer to the MV Superfast Galacia which was scheduled to sail from Tobago at 10 am that morning.
A June 28 news release from the Office of the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly, reported that the Commissioners of the Port Authority of TT had promised a more efficient, cleaner ferry service.
The release said the promise was made during a meeting between the Port officials and THA officials the day before, June 27, at the Administrative Complex in Calder Hall.
Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the T&T Inter-Island Transportation Co Ltd Leon Grant said passengers on the sea bridge between Trinidad and Tobago will enjoy an improved service with the return of the fast ferry, the T&T Spirit on July 1, the release stated, noting that the vessel was currently dry docked in Trinidad for scheduled maintenance.
New seats and carpets are being installed in public areas of the vessel, while in other areas, the carpet is being cleaned, the release said, noting that the other inter-island ferry, the T&T Express, underwent similar refurbishment 18 months ago. The release also reported Grant as saying that the authority was aware of the condition of the cabins in all its vessels and will implement a robust cleanliness and maintenance programme to meet international standards.
He also said the Port Authority was committed to maintaining an efficient service, especially now that greater emphasis was being placed on domestic tourism.
The Assemblys team was led by Chief Secretary Orville London and included Deputy Chief Secretary and Secretary of Tourism and Transportation Tracy Davidson-Celestine and Secretary of Infrastructure and Public Utilities Secretary Gary Melville, the release reported.
Sections unconstitutional
Admitting he could not rewrite. the Order, Justice Peter Rajkumar. asked by a retired Police Inspector. to interpret the 2015 Order in. the publics interest said those. portions which he deemed ultra. vires the Constitution, did not recognise. the independence and autonomy. of the Police Service Commission. (PSC).
In his 51-page ruling, while he. held PSCs independence or autonomy. were not removed, Rajkumar. noted that the 2015 Order which. sets out the appointment process . was an unjustifiable and unlawful. fetter upon and interference with. the independence, jurisdiction and. functions of the PSC. He also held. that the Orders infringed the constitutional. jurisdiction of the PSC. by making the exercise of Commissions. powers subject to or conditional. upon an instruction from. the Minister of National Security,. before it could initiate the selection. process. He struck out the portion. which provided for the PSC, on the. request of the Minister, and in accordance. with the Central Tenders. Board Act, contract a local firm to. conduct a recruitment process for. the two top police posts. As a result. of the judges ruling, the minister. will no longer start the process of. selection and the position for the. recruitment solely falls to the PSC. to contract a firm to start the hiring. process.
The judge has also struck out. the portion which allowed for the. recruitment firm to select the most. suitable candidate. The effect of the. judges ruling will also now see the. recruitment firm ensuring that the. candidates for selection are subjected. to the best practice security and. professional vetting and submitting. the results to the Commission. The. firm will no longer be mandated to. shortlist candidates.
In his ruling, the judge noted. that the 2015 Order was subject. to an unsuccessful motion in the. Parliament for annulment by way. a negative resolution, but said this. was a matter for the legislature.
Its success or otherwise is a matter. that is dependent on the composition. of the Parliament. This is. entirely irrelevant however to the. objective exercise by the Court of. its duty to consider the constitutionality. of any provision when it. allegedly infringes the provisions. of the Constitution, he noted.
In the application for administrative. interpretation before him, retired. Inspector Harridath Maharaj. challenged the Cabinets issuance. of the two legal notices, and sought. a declaration on the constitutional. validity of the Commissioner of Police. and Deputy Commissioner of. Police (Selection Process) Order of. 2015, against the Attorney General.
Maharaj warned of the possibility. of indirect political influence in. the recruitment firm and expressed. concerns that the changes to the selection. process would compromise. the independence of the PSC.
In his action, Maharaj argued. that the 2015 Order was in conflict. with the constitutional jurisdiction. of the PSC in that it unlawfully. erodes the independence of the. commission.
In the ruling, the AG was ordered. to pay Maharajs legal costs, certified. for senior and junior counsel.
Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes. and Rishi Dass led a team of attorneys. from the Solicitor General. Department for the AG while Russell. Martineau, SC, appeared for. the PSC, which was not named in. the action but was allowed to make. submissions. Mendes indicated. that he was not seeking a stay of. the judges ruling at this stage while. Martineau said the PSCs position. was that it was doing the countrys. work.
.
Imbert: SASC to go
Imbert said the matter involves a conflict of interest of persons requesting donations from the NLCB and the beneficiaries and recipients of these donations. Explaining that because the NLCB cannot discipline these persons and this is a function of the SASC, Imbert said the NLCB wrote to the Commission asking that action be taken with respect to the persons involved. He said this would involve the persons being sent on administrative leave with pay, while an audit is done to determinewhether any allegations can be supported by evidence.
Imbert said while the NLCB made this request one month ago, the SASC has not acted on the information provided to it. He indicated the two persons identified as being involved, are still there. Imbert said the issue has been compounded when Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley asked him to send his Ministrys Central Audit Committee to audit the NLCB. He said the Committee told him the audit will, be difficult because the persons who they are auditing are still there. Indicating this could compromise the investigation and the presence of these persons is not standard practice, Imbert said there is very little Government can do, except to act on a decision that was made many. many years ago that the SASC Act should be repealed, the commission should be abolished and that all of its functions be taken over by the Public Service Commission. Imbert added, We now intend to act on that decision of many, many moons ago and act to repeal the SASC Act. Former Police Service Commission chairman Kenneth Lalla SC yesterday said the SASC is created by statute and not governed by the Constitution like the Public Service Commission. Lalla said Government does not need a special majority in Parliament to repeal the SASC Act.
Health Minister sent home
Deyalsingh was admitted to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital on Wednesday to undergo blood tests and other investigations plus monitoring to ascertain the cause of fever and fatigue.
The Ministry of Health in a statement said Deyalsingh thanked all the staff involved in his excellent treatment and care, for their sensitivity and professionalism throughout his stay at the hospital. Deyalsingh is the third Cabinet minister to be hospitalised recently.
Rural Development and Local Government Minister, Franklin Khan, has reportedly taken time off from his official duties and is resting comfortably after undergoing a medical procedure for a heart condition at a private medical institution. Trade and INdustry Minister Paula Gopee-scoon was briefly hospitalised following an emergency appendectomy which was performed at a private medical institution on July 2nd.
Kamla: Removing GATE a backward step
Persad-Bissesar was yesterday responding to a question about what her vision was for the country at Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business Women in Leadership Conference, Hilton Trinidad, St Anns.
What I would want to see in the development of our country is access to opportunity and equality whether it be in education, jobs or development. Ive been seeing talks with what is happening with GATE. In government, we opened the GATE to allow for technical and vocational training. There is talk with the recession as to what may or may not be done based on a report into the GATE programme.
I eagerly await that because I think it would be a step backward if we were to take the GATE away or severely restrict that GATE so the vision is that we continue to offer access to education, she said.Education Minister Anthony Garcia recently received a report of a review into the operations of the GATE programme by a Cabinet appointed task force.
Garcia said the report was very detailed and he expected the findings and recommendations to be revealed to the national public in the next two weeks.
Prakash on PMs Jamaica delegation
Recalling that Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness had invited Rowley to accompany him on an official State visit in Jamaica, Young said the Jamaican government will cover the cost of accommodation for Rowley and two government ministers.
Young said the delegation that will accompany Rowley to Jamaica will include his wife Sharon, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses, Ramadhar, Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Orville London and his wife Bridgid and himself.
Describing the inclusion of Ramadhar in the delegation as one of the unique items in the delegations selection by Rowley, Young explained, Our Prime Minister has taken a decision to invite two members of Opposition. He said this was gone because, we feel it is important as a government to take TT to different and higher levels. Young said while Ramadhar graciously accepted the invitation, United National Congress (UNC) Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial regretfully indicated she could not accept the invitation extended to her to be part of the delegation.
PNM Tobago elects losing candidates
The council held its first convention at the Signal Hill Secondary School with Prime Minister and political leader of the PNM Dr Keith Rowley in attendance.
Those elected to serve on the new executive for the period 2016-2018 are: Wendell Berkley - Vice Chairman; Tracy Davidson-Celestine Lady Vice; Lynette James-Louis - Secretary; Nadine Stewart - Assistant Secretary; Joel Jack - Treasurer; Kwesi Des Vignes - Public Relations Officer (PRO); Ronald Celestine Elections Officer; Rennie Dumas - Education Officer; Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus - Research Officer; Elvis Radgman - Operations Officer; Petal Daniel - Youth Officer; Claudia Groome- Duke - Welfare Officer; Kevern Phillips - Labor Officer; and William McKay - Field Officer.
These officers were elected via the delegate system unlike the one man one vote system which was used several weeks ago to elect the new political leader, Kelvin Charles and the new chairman, Stanford Callendar.
A number of the newly elected members on the council executive were defeated candidates in race for the political leader and the chairman.
Berkley had lost to Callendar for the position of the chairman of the council.
The other losing candidates in the race were Carlton Guy, Kurt Salandy and Keron Eastman.
Those who lost to Charles in the bid to become to the new political leader to replace Orville London were Tracy Davidson Celestine who was defeated in the two-member run-off election, Dumas and Dr Angus.
Three other persons also had contested for the political leaders position.
Handel Beckles presence was acknowledged in song as he rendered a special item on the programme, Cynthia Alfred was seen in the auditorium but notably absent was Trevor Craig.
The new PRO, Des Vignes was one of those persons who managed the election campaign of Charles whilst the new operations officer, Radgman is a very close ally to Davidson-Celestine.
The entire 16 member council executive was presented to the convention audience and congratulated by Prime Minister, Dr Rowley and he remarked that the new executive may very well be the strongest that has ever been elected by the Tobago Council.
He added that he was pleased to see so many persons still enthused to offer themselves for service to the party after two elections.
Dr Rowley said he was confident that PNM in Tobago was in good hands and that victory at the next THA elections will be theirs.
Forde: I kept my promise
It was constructed in 2008 and occupancy started in 2009. Councillor Thomas has been bombarded with numerous requests since he attained office in 2013 to get the building painted. It was never painted since occupancy in 2009.
During my general election campaign, I had a meeting on the ground with the residents and the only assurance they wanted from me as the candidate is that theyd like to get their buildings painted as this was never done. You can see the condition of the buildings it is cream but also black and blue.
I understand some of the areas have been leaking and some of the paint has been flaking off. So again we approached the HDC because the councillor was doing some initial work prior to me and then I came in as the MP to crystalise the whole affair. I dont usually make promises but I did promise them at the meeting that Id do all in my power to ensure that their buildings would be painted before the end of 2016.
And now, ten months after, we are here today with the HDC which is under Housing Minister Randall Mitchell.
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On 14 July, State Councilor Yang Jiechi gave an interview to state media on the so-called award of the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration during which he elaborated on China's position. The full text of the interview is as follows:
Reporter: On 12 July, the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration issued its so-called award, which attempts to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. In response, China issued a Statement on the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines, Statement on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea and a White Paper entitled China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, stating China's solemn position of non-acceptance and non-recognition of the award and reaffirming China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. How do you view the award by the so-called Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration?
Yang Jiechi: The Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration has issued its so-called award. This award is illegal and invalid in every sense. The Chinese government has released relevant statements and a White Paper stating its solemn position of firmly opposing the arbitration and not accepting or recognizing the award. This position of the central government has the strong support and endorsement from people of various social sectors in China. They have expressed their unequivocal attitude of opposing the illegal arbitration and safeguarding sovereign rights and interests by contributing articles and articulating views through the press, TV and SMS as well as online platforms like WeChat and Weibo.
The South China Sea arbitration has been a political farce all along, staged under the cover of law and driven by a hidden agenda. Certain countries outside the region have attempted to deny China's sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea through the arbitration. They have even brought other countries into the scheme to isolate and discredit China in the international community with a view to holding back China's peaceful development. But such attempts are futile, to say the least, and in so doing, they are only lifting a stone to drop it on their own feet. I must point out that the arbitration runs counter to the spirit of international rule of law, puts regional peace and stability in jeopardy, and undermines the interests of the international community. Most countries in the world see this clearly. Over 70 countries and international and regional organizations have made statements showing their understanding of and support for China's position. This speaks volumes about the attitude of the international community toward the political farce, proving the futility of certain countries' scheme to hem in and smear China.
Sovereignty is a bottom line for China. Big as China is, we cannot afford to give away a single inch of territory that our ancestors have left to us. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea have been formed over the course of over two thousand years. They are fully backed by historical and legal evidence. Under no circumstances can they ever be negated by a so-called award that is full of nonsense. The award can neither change historical facts nor deny China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea. Still less can it waver our resolve and determination to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. China's position of not accepting or recognizing the award will not change. At the same time, China will stay committed to following a path of peaceful development, to resolving the disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation and consultation, to developing friendly relations and win-win cooperation with its neighbors, and to working with others to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Reporter: Why do you believe that the Philippines' initiation of arbitration is against international law?
Yang Jiechi: A basic requirement of international rule of law is that actions must be taken in strict accordance with the law. The crux of disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea are issues concerning territory and maritime delimitation. Territorial issues are not governed by UNCLOS. On maritime delimitation, China made a declaration on optional exceptions in 2006 pursuant with UNCLOS stipulations, excluding it from the dispute settlement mechanisms of UNCLOS. By unilaterally initiating arbitration, the Philippine government under Aquino III has gone against its long-standing bilateral agreement with China that disputes in the South China Sea shall be settled through negotiation, violated the DOC signed in 2002 by China and ASEAN countries, the Philippines included, and breached international law and UNCLOS. Hence, this arbitration has been illegal since the very beginning. It cannot be seen as an application of international law.
Reporter: Why do you think that the Arbitral Tribunal lacks legitimacy and impartiality? Why is the award illegal and invalid?
Yang Jiechi: If you look at the composition of the Arbitral Tribunal, most of the arbitrators were appointed by Shunji Yanai, the then President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and a right-wing Japanese intent on ridding Japan of post-war arrangements. In the proceedings, some arbitrators and experts even backtracked from their long-held views to make the case for the Philippines. Anyone with good sense can see the tricks.
In disregard of China's staunch position, the Arbitral Tribunal willfully went beyond its authority, turned a blind eye to the history and reality of the South China Sea and misinterpreted relevant stipulations of UNCLOS. It has deviated from UNCLOS from the very beginning and overstepped and expanded its authority to render this award. Naturally, such an award can only be illegal and invalid. The Tribunal can in no way represent international law, still less equity and justice in the world.
Reporter: How will the award affect China's dotted line in the South China Sea?
Yang Jiechi: History brooks no distortion and law no abuse. China's sovereignty, rights and relevant claims in the South China Sea are gradually formed and developed by the practice of the Chinese people throughout millennia and have been upheld by successive Chinese governments. As early as in 1948, the Chinese government marked the dotted line in the South China Sea on its officially published map, which affirmed China's sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and maritime rights and interests in their adjacent waters. This is a historical fact beyond any doubt. As a state party to UNCLOS,China is fully entitled to its rights under UNCLOS. China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea long predate the signing of UNCLOS. They shall by no means be denied by UNCLOS, still less by an unwarranted and flawed award. China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea are protected by both international law and UNCLOS.
Reporter: Given that the award has been rendered, how will China safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea, important to the Chinese people since ancient times, is our heritage to which our forefathers devoted their wisdom and even lives. The Chinese government remains unwavering in its resolve to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The Chinese people do not covet other countries' interests or envy their development. At the same time, we will never give up our legitimate interests. No country should expect us to trade our core interests away or swallow the bitter consequences of our sovereignty, security and development interests being undermined. The Chinese government and people will remain united and act resolutely to safeguard every inch of our land and every swath of our waters.
Reporter: Some people accuse China of defying international rules by not accepting or recognizing the award of the Tribunal, believing that China has changed its policy of peaceful development. How will you respond to that?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines violated the bilateral agreements between China and the Philippines. It breached regional rules as embodied in the DOC and international rules, including those under UNCLOS. China's position on the arbitration fully complies with international law. This basic fact has been thoroughly elaborated in a series of position papers issued by the Chinese government. The attempt to mount an all-out smear campaign against China by distorting this basic fact has once again exposed the nature of this arbitration, that is, a farce in which certain countries use international law as a cover to pursue their own hidden agenda.
China has all along been an active player in building up and enhancing the regional and international order. Over 70 years ago, China participated directly in the design and building of the post-war international order. Over the past 70 plus years, China has consistently upheld the international order and system based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter with the United Nations at the center, and steadfastly safeguarded and promoted international rule of law. China will work with other countries to maintain and build a sound international order and international system.
The arbitration will not in the slightest way shake China's resolve to pursue the path of peaceful development. To seek peaceful development is not a matter of expediency. It is a strategic choice China has made in line with the trend of the time and its own fundamental interests. China remains committed to developing friendly relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, and deepening win-win cooperation and connectivity with its neighbors. It adheres to negotiation and consultation as a means for addressing relevant territorial and maritime delimitation issues, and resolutely safeguards peace and stability in the region.
Reporter: What impact will the arbitration case have on China-ASEAN relations? How do you see the prospect of this relationship?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea issue is not an issue between China and ASEAN. In fact, ASEAN has long made clear its neutrality on this issue and its position of not intervening in specific disputes. Therefore, it should not take sides on issues related to the arbitration. China and ASEAN member states have maintained candid and friendly communication regarding the South China Sea issue. The two sides are ready to fully and effectively implement the DOC and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea through continuous dialogue and consultation. In the meantime, we will steadily take forward consultations on the Code of Conduct to promote early conclusion of the COC based on consensus. As for specific disputes, China will maintain communication and consultation with those ASEAN member states who are directly concerned to address them in a proper way. China means what it says and follows a consistent policy.
China-ASAEN relations enjoy sound momentum of growth and broad prospects. This year marks the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. Over the past quarter century, the China-ASEAN relationship has withstood test of time and produced fruitful outcomes. Two-way trade has grown from less than US$10 billion 25 years ago to nearly US$500 billion, making China and ASEAN each other's major trading partners. The growth of this relationship has brought tangible benefits to the people of all countries in the region, setting a fine example of countries, big or small, treating each other as equals and working together for common development.
In the coming September, China will be represented at the leadership level at the Summit marking the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations to be held in Laos. The Chinese leader will work with leaders of ASEAN countries in drawing a blueprint for the future development of China-ASEAN relations. They will endeavor to deepen political mutual trust through enhanced strategic communication, and strengthen practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges to achieve peaceful development for mutual benefit.
Reporter: How do you view the future of China-Philippines relations?
Yang Jiechi: China and the Philippines are close neighbors across the sea. Our friendly exchanges date back over 1,000 years. In recent years, however, bilateral relations have run into serious difficulty as a result of the previous Philippine government's hostile policy toward China on the South China Sea issue and its unilateral initiation of the arbitration. The arbitration violates both the agreement between China and the Philippines and international law, and goes against the common interests of the two countries and peoples. It is a major political obstacle to the improvement of bilateral relations. We call on the new Philippine government to bear in mind the common interests of our two countries and the broader picture of bilateral ties and properly handle relevant issues. As long as China and the Philippines remain committed to the principles and spirit of the DOC, to properly settling differences through dialogue and consultation and growing friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation,our bilateral ties will enjoy a bright future.
Reporter: What is your comment on the frequent intervention by countries outside the region in the South China Sea issue and how will China respond to that?
Yang Jiechi: The arbitration is a case in point of how non-regional countries interfere in the South China Sea issue. It is an issue between littoral countries and should be left to the countries concerned to resolve through peaceful negotiations. Thanks to the concerted efforts of China and the relevant ASEAN countries, the South China Sea has long remained peaceful and stable, laying ground for regional development and prosperity.
In recent years, certain countries outside the region, driven by their own agenda, have frequently intervened in the South China Sea issue under the pretext of upholding freedom of navigation and maintaining regional peace, leading to an escalation of tension. Such highly irresponsible moves have become the major source of risks that affect peace and stability in the South China Sea.
We have always maintained that China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea have the wisdom and capability to manage differences and build the area into a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship. We have never rejected the legitimate rights and interests of non-regional countries in the South China Sea. This is what we have being saying and doing. We hope relevant countries will respect the independent choice of China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea and do more to facilitate sustained peace and stability in the South China Sea, not the contrary.
Reporter: What is China's approach to resolving the South China Sea issue?
Yang Jiechi: China firmly follows a path of peaceful development, a foreign policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors, and a policy of settling disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation. Thanks to these policies, since the founding of the PRC, China has settled boundary issues left over from history with 12 of its 14 neighbors on land. The settlement has been achieved based on historical facts and basic principles of the international law and through bilateral consultation and negotiation. Borders of over 20,000 kilometers have been demarcated, accounting for over 90% of the total length of China's borders. Moreover,China and Vietnam have delimited the maritime boundary in Beibu Bay through negotiation and consultation. China and the ROK have also launched negotiation on maritime delimitation in the Yellow Sea.
As a major country in the region, China is fully aware of the importance of upholding regional peace and stability and its responsibility in the region. China has all along been firmly opposed to the illegal occupation of some islands and reefs of Nansha Islands by certain countries and their infringement of China's rights in relevant waters under China's jurisdiction. That said, China is ready to settle the disputes through peaceful negotiation with countries directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in compliance with international law, UNCLOS included. China is ready to discuss with countries concerned about temporary arrangements pending final settlement of the dispute, which include joint development in relevant waters in the South China Sea for mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, so that together we can maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Terror in France: At least 60 dead and 100 injured, fire at Eiffel Tower
At least 60 have reportedly been killed and 100 injured after a driver ploughed his vehicle into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in France.
(As reported by TheSun.co.uk)
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire in the aftermath of the incident which happened shortly after 10.30pm.
The incident happened in the southern city of Nice on the French Riviera, spreading fears of a terror attack.
Crowds had gathered on the Promenade des Anglais for a firework display, when the lorry apparently crashed into them.
Videos posted online showed panicked people running from the scene in fear, while the local prefecture reportedly called it an attack.
One witness told French TV station he had seen a gunman firing into the crowd.
The man told BFM TV: Its total panic. We saw a white lorry which drove directly into people on the Promenade des Anglais.
A gunman fired into the crowd before being shot by police.
Perhaps they are dead, Im not sure.
Estrosi said: Dear Nice locals, the driver of the truck seems to have caused dozens of deaths.
Stay in your homes for now. More information to come.
Shocking images appearing on social media showed people lying motionless on the ground after the terrifying incident.
Others showed people receiving medical treatment in a chilling echo of the Paris and Brussels terror attacks.
The city hosted the England team along with tens of thousands of fans just weeks ago for their Euro 2016 clash against Iceland.
The tournament itself was plagued by fears of a terror attack, which thankfully never came to pass.
But France remains on high alert after finding itself a repeated target of violent extremists.
Read more at: thesun.co.uk
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The Pentagon is preparing for a tank war with Russia
(NationalSecurity.news) Earlier this century there was no shortage of ground combat experts who believed that the age of the tank may be coming to an end. Lethal battlefield missiles, aircraft and emerging weaponry made it seem a though the tank may go the way of the battleship.
But that thinking is no longer dominant and, in fact, the Pentagon is actively developing plans for a tank war against Russia.
As reported by Politico Magazine, the planning is wrapped up in an ongoing project known as The Russia New Generation Warfare study, a secretive effort that would target Moscow in any major war. Some 25 years after the end of the Cold War, the Defense Department is once again growing concerned over Russias growing military prowess.
The project is being headed up by Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, 53, who developed pioneering tactics against Iraqi insurgent forces shortly after the U.S. invaded in 2003. And while those tactics proved successful, the insurgency in Iraq and, to another extent the war in Afghanistan, are little in comparison to lessons the Pentagon is learning from Russias military involvement in Ukraine.
What is taking place in Ukraine, however, is seen as a game-changer, reports Politico Magazine. McMaster and the study team he has put together believe their work could have huge impact on what the Army buys, how it trains and how its units are structured for years to comemaybe even as much as the Yom Kippur War did.
Today, as in years past, McMaster is attempting to devise tactics that have been gleaned from wars the U.S. did not fight. Thats difficult, but not impossible and it is not without precedence, as Politico Magazine noted:
A decade before the carnage of the American Civil War, George McClellan, who later became the commander of the Union Army, was an official observer of the European armies engaged in the Crimean War, which Russia lost to an alliance of France, Britain, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. That conflict is widely considered the first modern war, in which mass-produced rifles, explosive shells, mines and armored landing craft were first used. John Pershing, who commanded allied forces in World War I had also previously observed the Russo-Japanese War.
It isnt that the U.S. Army believes that the 1973 Yom Kippur war is a parallel of todays Ukrainian conflict. Rather, it is the Armys approach afterward in learning lessons from the conflicts and incorporating them into its own war plans.
Study of the earlier conflict serves s a useful model for analyzing the conflict in Ukraine, Col. Kelly Ivanov, a field artillery officer and a top aide to McMaster, said. He added that studying the 1973 war was to profoundly influence the development of the U.S. Army for the next 15 years.
And that leads planners to tanks and other traditional ground warfare.
We spend a long time talking about winning long-range missile duels, said McMaster, as reported by Defense One. But what happens once forces get in the front door?
Look at the enemy countermeasures, he told the news web site, noting Russias use of nominally semi-professional forces who are capable of dispersion, concealment, intermingling with civilian populationsthe ability to disrupt our network strike capability, precision navigation and timing capabilities.
This all means that youre probably going to have a close fight Increasingly, close combat overmatch is an area weve neglected, because weve taken it for granted.
To restore overmatch, McMaster believes that can be achieved with more and better artillery, a mix of old systems and new ones.
Were out-ranged by a lot of these systems and they employ improved conventional munitions, which we are going away from. There will be a 40- to 60-percent reduction in lethality in the systems that we have, he said. Remember that we already have fewer artillery systems. Now those fewer artillery systems will be less effective relative to the enemy. So we need to do something on that now.
He adds that Russias new T-90 main battle tank is superior to many of NATOs tanks, and can even match up well against the U.S. M1A1 Abrams series MBTs. Plus, it has excellent reactive armor which means that enemy shells have difficulty piercing its armor. And finally the T-90 incorporates state-of-the-art APS active protective systems the Shtora-1 countermeasures suite.
Ive interviewed Ukrainian tank gunners, Phil Karber, president of the Potomac Foundation who went on a fact-finding mission to Ukraine last year told Defense One. Theyll say, I had my [anti-tank weapon] right on it, it got right up to it and then they had this miraculous shield. An invisible shield. Suddenly, my anti-tank missile just went up to the sky.
The U.S. has lagged behind in this area, Karber said. Israel developed its own Trophy APS and it became operational in 2009; it was placed aboard Israelis Merkava MBT in 2010.
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Proud moment for India to have achieved these two momentous public health milestones: J P Nadda
New Delhi, Fri, 15 Jul 2016 NI Wire
India felicitated for Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) and yaws-free status India: first nation to be formally acknowledged to be yaws-free "proud moment for India to have achieved these two momentous public health milestones": J P Nadda
"Proud moment for India to have achieved these two momentous public health milestones". This was stated by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare as he received the official citation from WHO and UNICEF, in the presence of Smt. Anupriya Patel, Minister of State, Health & Family Welfare, for Elimination of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus and for being YAWS-free, here today. India is the first country to be officially acknowledged as being Yaws-free. India was validated for Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) in April 2015, much ahead of the global target date of December 2015.
Speaking at the occasion, Shri Nadda stated that following the success of polio eradication programme, these achievements reflect the dedication of the country towards achievement of health equity and universal health coverage. This has been possible due to the commitment and dedication of the lakhs of health workers, various stakeholders and concerted efforts of planners and policymakers, he added. He congratulated them all for this singular honour the country has achieved in a short span of time. He further added this accomplishment is significant as India has achieved this important milestone of being Yaws-free much before the WHO global target year of 2020.
The Union Health Minister stated that India has shown the world that there is no such thing as impossible. These are likely the greatest lessons, and the greatest inspirations for the rest of the world, the Health Minister added. The Health Minister appealed to sustain this achievement of Maternal & Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) by health system strengthening; high routine immunization coverage and promotion of institutional/Clean Delivery/clean cord practices and effective surveillance system. The gains in keeping India free from preventable deaths continues with introduction of newer vaccines such as Rotavirus vaccine, IPV, Adult JE and soon-to-be introduced Measles-Rubella in the public health programme of the country, the Minister added.
Smt Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said that this is a huge public health feat. She further added that this has been possible through continued efforts of political leadership and hard work of health workers. Smt. Anupriya Patel congratulated all stakeholders and said that this achievement is particularly significant as both MNTE and YAWS have been achieved much before their target dates.
Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO-SEARO congratulated India and said that these are achievements for entire humanity and not just India. She further added that this has been possible because of education and early treatment of vulnerable population. She said that lessons learned from these two huge public health milestones should guide other programmes as well. The achievements will not only improve the health of marginalized communities, but will also enhance their socio-economic status and contribute to Indias wider development, Dr Singh noted.
India completed validation of maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination in all of its 36 states and union territories in April 2015, much earlier than the target date of December 2015. While progress continues to be made, by June 2016, 19 countries have still not reached the maternal and neonatal elimination status. The elimination of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus as a public health problem means that in our country the annual rate of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus is now less than 1 per 1000 live births.
The Health Ministers also released Immunization Handbook for Medical Officers; Routine Immunization Monitoring Guidelines & SOPs; INCHIS survey report of Mission Indradhanush; Guidelines for establishing sentinel stillbirth surveillance; Maternal & Child Health Guidelines on Birth Defects Surveillance and Still Birth; Yaws Disease - End of Scourge in India booklet along with the new Communication Plan for Routine Immunization featuring Shri Amitabh Bachchan.
Mr. James Gitau, Country Representative (officiating), UNICEF; Shri Bhanu Pratap Sharma, Secretary (HFW); Dr. Jagdish Prasad, DGHS; Shri C K Mishra, ASnMD (NHM); senior officers from the Ministry and representatives of various Development Partners were also present at the felicitation ceremony.
Source: PIB
Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari Addresses at Plenary of the 11th ASEM Summit
Mongolia, Fri, 15 Jul 2016 NI Wire
India was confident that ASEM's role can be elevated to harness the collective capabilities of two dynamic continents for the shared peace, progress and prosperity of our countries and regions: Vice President
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that India was confident that ASEM's role can be elevated to harness the collective capabilities of two dynamic continents for the shared peace, progress and prosperity of our countries and regions. He was addressing the Plenary of the 11th ASEM Summit being held today in Ulaanbaater, Mongolia, where he is leading the Indian delegation. He said that ASEM today is a dynamic bridge between Asia and Europe and our shared endeavour has been to promote multi-dimensional connectivity between our continents.
The Vice President said that physical connectivity is merely the means to meeting the aspirations of our citizens; to building mutually beneficial partnerships, and to collectively addressing our regional and global challenges. The networks of connectivity must also include institutional, digital, economic and socio-cultural aspects, he added.
Addressing the issue of terrorism, the Vice President said that our societies today face unprecedented levels of threat from terrorism in all its manifestations with the most recent example being what has happened, most unfortunately in France. He said that we need to cooperate meaningfully to deal with this threat. He urged the ASEM to pledge to work together to erase the scourge of terrorism by taking speedy action against the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terror, pointing out that the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the aegis of the UN is an imperative today.
The Vice president said that ASEM should also collaborate to protect our global commons such as the seas and oceans in accordance with international conventions, urging ASEM members to resolve disputes peacefully, without threats or use of force, and exercise self restraint in the conduct of activities that could escalate disputes effecting peace and stability. As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans, the Vice President added.
Following is text of the Vice President's address:
"The 11th ASEM Summit today marks two decades of multilateralism between Asia and Europe. I thank the Chair, Mongolia, for the gracious hospitality accorded to us and the excellent arrangement made for this conference. I join others in offering my condolences to the Government and people of France on Yesterdays happening in Nice.
ASEM today is a dynamic bridge between Asia and Europe. Our shared endeavour has been to promote multi-dimensional connectivity between our continents. The theme of ASEM 11, 20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity, is, therefore, pertinent.
Connectivity is an enabler for development, for improving the quality of life of people, for encouraging greater people-to-people exchanges, for stimulating trade and investments, and indeed for building peace, stability and security. Physical connectivity is merely the means to meeting the aspirations of our citizens; to building mutually beneficial partnerships, and to collectively addressing our regional and global challenges. The networks of connectivity that we build must be all-encompassing- not merely physical. It must also include institutional, digital, economic and socio-cultural aspects.
Excellencies, let us facilitate trade and commerce, and build integrated production networks and value chains for mutually beneficial development. Let us create energy alliances, such as the International Solar Alliance of solar rich countries, to enable energy security for all. Let us build networks of partnership between our business communities as also among our universities, cultural and civil society organizations. Above all, let us create connections of the heart and mind, to make ASEM a shared space of peace and harmony.
For us in ASEM, democracy and liberal human values is an important ingredient. Our host, Mongolia, is a recent and successful example of the democratic experience and we congratulate them on their success.
All our societies today face unprecedented levels of threat from terrorism in all its manifestations. The most recent example is what has happened, most unfortunately in France. We need to cooperate meaningfully to deal with this threat. Let us pledge today to work together to erase the scourge of terrorism by taking speedy action against the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of terror. Early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the aegis of the UN is an imperative today. I urge ASEM support for it.
Let us also collaborate to protect our global commons such as the seas and oceans in accordance with international conventions. Let us resolve disputes peacefully, without threats or use of force, and exercise self restraint in the conduct of activities that could escalate disputes effecting peace and stability. As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans.
As we step into the third decade of ASEM, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that ASEM remains a responsible and positive forum. ASEM must not only shape the global agenda but also move towards concrete action. A start, in this direction, was made at the New Delhi Foreign Ministers Meeting in November 2013. India will continue to be a constructive partner in this endeavour.
As we look ahead, ASEM's inherent strengths in the diversity of its membership, the complementarity of its capacities, the strength of its political leadership and robustness of its economies, must reflect in its ambition for the third decade.
I am confident that together we will elevate ASEM's role to harness the collective capabilities of our two dynamic continents, for the shared peace, progress and prosperity of our countries and regions.
Thank you.
Source: PIB
Pew Research Center surveyed muslim countries to determine how much support there is for terrorism, strict sharia law and other questions. There are over 1.7 billion muslims in the world.
Countries with the most muslims have large and growing populations.
Pakistans estimated population in 2016 of about 197 million and is growing by about 5 million every year.
Nigeria has an estimated 2016 population of about 187 million and is growing by about 5 million every year.
Indonesias estimated population in 2016 of about 260 million and is growing by about 3 million every year.
Turkeys estimated population in 2016 of about 80 million and is growing by about 1.2 million every year.
Malaysias estimated population in 2016 of about 30.7 million and is growing by about 0.5 million every year.
How many support the terrorist group ISIS ?
Only 28% in Pakistan had an unfavorable view of ISIS, and a majority of Pakistanis (62%) had no opinion on the extremist group.
9% of Pakistan support [have a favorable view of] ISIS which is 17.8 million and another 122 million had no opinion or would not say it.
14% of Nigeria supports [have a favorable view of] ISIS which is 26.2 million and another 37.4 million had no opinion or would not say it.
Another 21 million supports [have a favorable view of] ISIS in Indonesia, Turkey, Malaysia and Senegal with another 75 million had no opinion or would not say it.
Lower population places like Palestine also support ISIS and clearly there is support in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Iran, Libya and Afghanistan.
So at least 100 million muslims support [have a favorable view] ISIS and if say around half of those who would not say their opinion had some support then it could be another 200-300 million.
A favorable view of terrorism as a tactic in general is even higher than support for ISIS About 200 million muslims support terrorism as a tactic.
Support of Sharia law and the death for conversion from Islam part of sharia
Strict Sharia law support is around 700 million to 1 billion.
Support for the death for leaving Islam is about 500-700 million.
How many in the USA
Pew Research Center estimates that there were about 3.3 million Muslims of all ages living in the United States in 2015. This means that Muslims made up about 1% of the total U.S. population (about 322 million people in 2015), and we estimate that that share will double by 2050.
SOURCES Pew Research, Wikipedia, Clarion project
Chinas news.ifeng.com is hailing a new alloy as being a success in Chinas program 973 an aircraft engine project. Chen was funded at Nanjing Polytechnic University and the states Program 973.
It seems that the new alloy will allow an engine built with it to operate at 150-200 degrees celsius higher temperature.
Inferior engine alloys have been a primary gap in Chinas aviation technology. Even catching up with US jet engine materials would be a major development for Chinas commercial and military jet efforts.
Nature Materials Polysynthetic twinned TiAl single crystals for high-temperature applications
Optical micrographs of directionally solidified Ti45Al8Nb PST single crystals at different withdrawal rate
General Electric development of the Titanium alloy Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb (Alloy 4822) as a critical technology for the GEnx engine used in the Boeing 787. alloy 4822 was hailed as a success in the development of aircraft engine materials as it reduces the weight of an aircraft engine by 200 pounds, fuel consumption by 20% and discharge of NOx by 80% and significantly lowered engine noise.
Abstract Nature Materials Polysynthetic twinned TiAl single crystals for high-temperature applications
TiAl alloys are lightweight, show decent corrosion resistance and have good mechanical properties at elevated temperatures, making them appealing for high-temperature applications. However, polysynthetic twinned TiAl single crystals fabricated by crystal-seeding methods face substantial challenges, and their service temperatures cannot be raised further. Here we report that Ti45Al8Nb single crystals with controlled lamellar orientations can be fabricated by directional solidification without the use of complex seeding methods. Samples with 0 lamellar orientation exhibit an average room temperature tensile ductility of 6.9% and a yield strength of 708 MPa, with a failure strength of 978 MPa due to the formation of extensive nanotwins during plastic deformation. At 900 C yield strength remains high at 637 MPa, with 8.1% ductility and superior creep resistance. Thus, this TiAl single-crystal alloy could provide expanded opportunities for higher-temperature applications, such as in aeronautics and aerospace.
9 pages of supplemental material
SOURCES- Nature Materials, Ifeng
IBM colleagues and Samsung have published a paper demonstrating switching MRAM cells for devices with diameters ranging from 50 down to 11 nanometers in only 10 nanoseconds, using only 7.5 microamperes.
With PMA we are capable of delivering good STT-MRAM performance down to 710^-10 write-error-rate with 10 nanosecond pulses using switching currents of only 7.5 microampere. This could never be done with in-plane magnetized devices they just dont scale. While more research needs to be done, this should give the industry the confidence it needs to move forward. The time for Spin Torque MRAM is now, said Worledge.
STT-MRAM is 100,000 times faster than NAND flash and never wears out.
It falls into a performance sweet spot compared to other memory technologies and this level makes it viable to manufacture.
Spin-torque MRAM can be used for a new type of working memory in ultra-low power applications. For example, it can be used in IoT or mobile devices, where it uses very low power when its on and storing information, and when its not actively being used, it uses zero power because its not volatile.
Worledge said he doesnt believe that IBMs STT MRAM will replace DRAM anytime soon, but he said it can easily replace embedded flash, since MRAM is easier to embed, is faster and has unlimited reads and writes.
IEEE Magnetic Letters Dependence of Voltage and Size on Write Error Rates in Spin-Transfer Torque Magnetic Random-Access Memory
IBM scientist Janusz Nowak co-authored the paper on scaling STT MRAM down to 11nm. Here, Nowak holds an MRAM wafer. Credit: IBM
Abstract
The dependence of the write-error rate (WER) on the applied write voltage, write pulse width, and device size was examined in individual devices of a spin-transfer torque (STT) magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) 4 kbit chip. We present 10 ns switching data at the 10-6 error level for 655 devices, ranging in diameter from 50 nm to 11 nm, to make a statistically significant demonstration that a specific magnetic tunnel junction stack with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is capable of delivering good write performance in junction diameters range from 50 to 11 nm. Furthermore, write-error-rate data on one 11 nm device down to an error rate of 710-10 was demonstrated at 10 ns with a write current of 7.5 A, corresponding to a record low switching energy below 100 fJ.
SOURCES IEEE Magnetic Letters, IBM, Computerworld
Russia has informed China about the beginning of the development of a heavy aircraft engine with a thrust of 35 tons for the Sino-Russian long-range wide-body aircraft. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told reporters on Monday after a meeting of the Russian-Chinese intergovernmental commission on the preparation of regular meetings of the heads of government that this is the key point of the project for the development of a joint airliner.
In addition, we informed the Chinese side of the beginning of the work on Russias heavy aircraft engine in the thrust segment up to 35 tons, the decision on creating which was made by the Russian president recently in May, and the necessary funds were allocated, he said. This almost solves the problem associated with the creation of a long-range wide-body aircraft, because the plane is impossible without an engine, Rogozin added.
The parties have agreed that Russian and Chinese aviation companies would first of all determine the operational life of the aircraft currently used on the leading air routes.
Russias United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC) began in early 2015 preliminary design of their proposed joint 250-280-seat wide-body airliner, which Moscow now expects to enter service in 2025.
The engine will be among the most powerful in the world, more powerful than that used on Boeing 787-10 with 340 KN thrust. Russia will be in charge of building the engines while China, the body of the airliner. Russia will build an engine plant for the airliner while the airliner will be assembled in China.
The airliner will be developed on the basis of Russias Il-96 airliner, which is quite reliable as it is used as Putins presidential aircraft. However, Il-96 is much smaller than the airliner that Russia and China have been jointly developing. It uses 4 engines while the airliner will only use two engines with much higher fuel efficiency.
Production of first prototype will be completed in 2023
China has recent work on a large domestic engine that they put on the Il-76
An Il-76 installed with Chinese homegrown turbofans. It shows that China has made powerful large bypass ratio turbofan engines for its large transport aircraft including Y-20.
Chinas engine is noisier and less fuel efficient, and a generation of technology behind Russia engines (which are behind american engines)
Chinas engine on a Russian Il-76
SOURCES Russia Insider,
An attempted coup is being staged in Turkey as the military claims it has seized control of the country.
In the last hour gunfire was reported in the Turkish capital Ankara as military jets were seen flying overhead.
At the same time it has been reported that Istanbuls Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge have been closed.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said those responsible for what he described as an attempted coup by a faction within the military would pay the highest price.
He says they would not be allowed to do anything to interrupt democracy
Washington Post and all other news sources are tracking the coup
The Turkish military has launched a coup against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish officials and the countrys armed forces said Friday, in a stunning move that could plunge Turkey into further turmoil.
CNN Turk, the networks Turkish-language channel, reported Friday that soldiers had deployed to Istanbuls Ataturk Airport and that all flights had been cancelled.
SOURCES- Mirror UK, Washington Post
The United States Navy would like to develop two key features for its next-generation SSN(X) successor to the Virginia-class attack submarines. One feature would effectively turn the future attack submarine into a underwater mother-ship for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) while another would dispense with noise-generating moving parts such as a propulsor or driveshaft in the propulsion system.
Vision of drones on a mother ship submarine like remoras
I would like some organic means of designing the submarine from the ground up that would seamlessly integrate UUVs, Rear Adm. Michael Jabaley, the Navys program executive officer for submarines told the House Armed Services Committee on July 14.
Such a feat is still a technological leap. However, it would be a vast improvement on the current system of using every opening on a submarine to deploy a UUV. The Navys undersea force uses everything from torpedo tubes to the submarines trash chute to launch UUVs. A system such as the one Jabaley envisions would allow a future attack submarine to launch and recover UUVs at will.
The second innovation Jabaley wishes the Navy could develop is also inspired by naturea biomimetic propulsion system that would eliminate a drive shaft and the spinning blades of a propulsor. If successful, that would lead to a revolutionary leap in acoustic performance.
The Navy has essentially reached the limits of what is possible for acoustic signature reduction with a purely mechanical system. While the future Ohio Replacement Programand potentially even a follow-on attack submarineare expected to use a permanent magnetic motor to increase stealth, Jabaley wants to take a step further. The field of biomimetics is very interesting to me when you look at nature in actions and you think: Boy, it would be great if we could design something that would take that leap forward and get us into a realm that would be acoustic-self unlike anything weve ever done before, Jabaley said.
h.
A detailed design for the first Ohio Replacement Program is slated for 2017.
SOURCES- National Interest
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Cheikh Baye ould Mohamed, a journalist and member of a youth movement opposed to the Mauritanian regime was handed a three-year prison sentence Thursday for hurling a shoe at the cabinet spokesperson end of last month at a weekly press briefing.
The defendants lawyers said they would appeal the ruling they deem too harsh.
Baye Ould Mohamed, on June 30, hurled a shoe at Mohamed Lemine ould Cheikh, spokesperson of the Mauritanian government during a weekly press briefing, calling him a liar.
He was charged and put in prison on July 11 for outrage and violence against public authority in duty.
The culprits lawyers denounced the ruling indicating that the judge did not apply the appropriate sentence. According to the team of lawyers defending Cheikh Baye, their client, as suggested by the Supreme Court, should have been handed a sentence ranging between two-months and two-years, according to the gravity of the offense.
Cheikh Baye ould Mohamed works for local Arabic media Meyadine. He is member of Movement of February 25 set up during the Arab Spring wave.
The movement militants who gathered at the court dissed the court decision.
The Cabinet spokesperson welcomed the ruling, noting that journalists could be forgiven for their writings but not for their reprehensible deeds.
Two other reporters, namely Jedna Ould Deida of Mauriweb.info and Babacar Baye Ndiaye of Cridem.org, are also due to appear in court for writing slanderous articles against Badr Ould Abdel Aziz, son of the Mauritania president.
French President Francois Holland announced, in an early Friday address to the nation, the extension of the state of emergency for three additional months and the raising of the national security level following Thursday lorry attack in Nice, which killed at least 84 people and injured scores, including 18 in critical condition.
The state of emergency, supposed to end on July 26, is thus prolonged for the second time since the Paris attacks last year. President Holland who called the attack a terrorist act announced the deployment of army reservists at public places as well as intensification of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Islamic State fighters.
The attacker, driving a 19-ton lorry, ploughed into crowds gathered at La promenade des Anglais at the French city of Nice to celebrate Bastille Day.
The attack has not been claimed so far but the attacker has been identified by police sources as a 31-year-old Tunisian-born Frenchman. The man, named as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was shot dead as he traded shots with security forces.
According to press reports, the attacker was not on the watch list of French intelligence services but was known to the police in connection with common crimes such as theft and violence.
Some weapons and a grenade were found inside the truck, reports say.
The anti-terrorism section of Paris Prosecution office has been tasked to investigate the attack.
Investigations will determine whether the man acted alone or had accomplices.
King Mohammed VI of Morocco is reportedly expected this weekend in Kigali, a visit that coincides with the organization in the Rwandan capital of the 27th African Union Summit, several Moroccan media outlets reported on July 15.
This watershed visit would usher a new era in Moroccos relations with the pan-African organization from which the North African Kingdom has pulled out in 1984 on grounds of lack of neutrality over the Sahara issue.
The visit, if confirmed, will come following an African tour by Moroccos Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar during which he held talks with officials from Tunisia, Egypt, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Sudan and Libya on a possible return of Morocco to the African Union.
Part of Moroccos diplomatic offensive in Africa, Junior Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Director General of the intelligence agency Mohamed Yassine Mansouri were received on Thursday by the President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari.
The two royal envoys conveyed to the Nigerian President a message from King Mohammed VI, reported e-journal Le360, quoting Nigerian media sources.
Rabat did not make any official announcement on the visit but commentators say it might be related to a possible return of Morocco in the African Union.
The Moroccan Monarchs visit to Kigali and Moroccos possible re-joining of the African union were also raised last month during a visit by Rwandas President, Paul Kagame, to Casablanca, where he was offered a Royal reception.
Morocco withdrew from the predecessor of the African Union, the Organization of African Unity, after the latter granted membership to the auto-proclaimed SADR republic. Moroccos seat at the African organization was left empty for twenty-three years. Today, only 13 African countries still maintain ties with the Algeria-based SADR, while the majority of African nations have severed diplomatic ties with the Algerian-backed separatists.
The documents show Saudi Prince Bandar gave money to a suspected Saudi intelligence officer who aided the hijackers. Photo: Hassan Ammar/AFP/Getty Images
The 28 pages have been released. For more than a decade, this section of the 9/11 Commission Report, which discusses the potential of Saudi government involvement in the attacks, has been hidden from public view. Late on a July Friday, Congress declassified the documents, while encouraging readers to view them as an exoneration of the Saudi kingdom.
I hope that the release of these pages, with appropriate redactions necessary to protect our nations intelligence sources and methods, will diminish speculation that they contain proof of official Saudi Government or senior Saudi official involvement in the 9/11 attacks, California representative Adam Schiff said in a statement.
California representative Devin Nunes emphasized that the evidence presented in the pages constitute unverified leads that were later fully investigated by the intelligence committee. In its 2004 report, the commission wrote that it had found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior officials within the Saudi government funded al-Qaeda.
That wording left open the possibility that they had found evidence that non-senior Saudi officials supported Al Qaeda. The declassified documents establish that they did, in fact, have such evidence.
Per the report, the FBI had received multiple tips from individuals within the Muslim community alleging that a man named Omar al-Bayoumi was a Saudi intelligence officer. The report continues:
FBI files suggest al-Bayoumi provided substantial assiantce to hijackers Khaldi al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi after they arrived in San Diego in February 2000. Al-Bouyami met the hijackers at a public place shortly after his meeting with an individual at the Saudi consulate and there are indications in the files that his encounter with the hijackers may not have been accidental. During the same timeframe al-Bouyami had extensive contact with Saudi government establishments in the United States and received financial support from a Saudi company affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Defense.
The FBI had also received unverified reports that Osama Bassnan, a close associate of al-Bayoumi, was a Saudi intelligence operative. Bassnan told an FBI asset that he did more for the hijackers than al-Bayoumi did, the report states. The FBI believed him to be a supporter of bin Laden and Eritrean Islamic Jihad.
Bassnan had many ties to the Saudi government, including past employment at the Saudi Arabian Education Mission. According to a CIA memo referenced in the report, Bassnan received financial aid from the former Saudi ambassador to the United States Bandar bin Sultan.
On at least one occasion, the report says, Bassnan received a check directly from Prince Bandars account. According to the FBI, on May 14, 1998, Bassnan cashed a check from Bandar in the amount of $15,000. Bassnans wife also received at least one check directly from Bandar.
The documents also show that Al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah had the telephone number for a corporation that managed the affairs of the Colorado residence of the Saudi Ambassador Bandar in his personal phone book.
The report lists several other pieces of circumstantial evidence for potential Saudi involvement, none of which establish complicity at the upper echelons of the Saudi government.
In 2001, before 9/11 the United States asked Saudi Arabia for help finding someone.
Saudi Arabia stonewalled. pic.twitter.com/ECjMuswxoB Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) July 15, 2016
Ultimately, the report may be less damning for what it suggests about the Saudi government than for what it says about our own.
Prior to September 11, the FBI apparently did not focus on Saudi nationals in the United States due to Saudi Arabias status as an American ally, the documents say.
It is hard not to suspect that similar considerations influenced our militarys focus after September 11.
Tragedy strikes France again. Photo: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
Good morning and welcome to Fresh Intelligence, our roundup of the stories, ideas, and memes youll be talking about today. In this edition, a terrorist kills scores in Nice, Kerry meets Putin in Russia, and Never Trump is over. Heres the rundown for Friday, July 15.
WEATHER
Itll be another hot and rainy day for much of the East Coast, while severe winds, storms, and hail continue to affect swaths of the Plains States from Kansas to Oklahoma. Unfortunately, New York City today will be much like New York City yesterday, except hotter and muggier. Happy Friday! [USA Today]
FRONT PAGE
The Death Toll Continues to Rise in Nice
The death toll in yesterdays bloody attack in Nice has now climbed to 80, including some children, and with many still in critical condition. At 10:30 p.m. last night, as hundreds of people had gathered to watch the Bastille Day fireworks along Nices waterfront promenade, a truck jumped the pavement and drove for two kilometers, swerving to run over as many people as possible. The driver then got out of the truck and shot people as they tried to flee before being shot and killed by police. There are reports that the truck was full of explosives and other weapons. The attack is being characterized as an act of terrorism, and while not yet confirmed, the driver appears to have been a Nice resident of Tunisian origin.
EARLY AND OFTEN
Kerry Goes Home Early From Kremlin Slumber Party
Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian president Vladimir Putin yesterday in Moscow. The two mostly discussed Syria, and the possibility of working together to destroy their common enemies there like the Nusra Front, ISIS, and al Qaeda. Kerry did bring up his disappointment with the Assad regime Russias ally constantly breaking cease-fires, but he mainly kept the talk to how the two can help each other, saying that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely. The duo ended up losing track of the time with Kerry not leaving until 1 a.m. [Reuters]
Trump Postpones VP Announcement in Nice Aftermath
Donald Trump had planned on announcing his pick for vice-president today, but he postponed the announcement in light of yesterdays bloody attack in Nice. Instead, he will pay tribute to Nices fallen like he does after every terror attack: spending the day tweeting about himself and making everything worse. Even though he wont make the official announcement, everyone is pretty sure they know who it is going to be. Spoiler alert: Its going to be Indiana governor Mike Pence, sad news for everyone who dreamed of living on the moon.
Everything Has Officially Gone Too Far
Come on everyone, were trying to have a country here. Hillary Clinton, who still cant figure out how to email correctly, announced yesterday that she will host her Ohio campaign event over the weekend at a Pokemon Go gym. Some youthful intern has selected Madison Park in Lakewood, Ohio, which is apparently a fertile Pokemon hunting ground. The flyer for the event, which promises that they will put up a lure model and that there will be free pokemon, also says that kids are welcome, but thats pretty much everyone these days, no? [The Verge]
Never Trump Never Had a Chance
Never Trump, the movement that never really was, is no longer. The GOP convention rules committee yesterday voted down the groups much-hyped conscience clause, which would have allowed delegates to vote for basically whoever they want. The clause was a vital component of the Never Trump camps plan to oust Trump from the running. On top of that, the committee passed by a pretty resounding 87 to 12 an amendment requiring the delegates to vote according to the results of their home primary or caucus results, meaning that Nerf Franco will definitely be the nominee. [Politico]
THE STREET, THE VALLEY
Privacy Advocates Rejoice As Microsoft Wins Email-Seizure Appeal
In a 3-0 ruling, Microsoft won a closely watched appeal over whether the government can compel them to hand over emails stored in servers overseas. The win for the company a major setback for the Department of Justice is cause for celebration for privacy advocates who worry their rights are being stripped away in the digital age. [Reuters]
Big News: Martin Shkreli Gets a Date
Ready your gag reflex. Martin Shkreli, among Americas most hated pharmaceutical executives its a long list is coming back into the news cycle. The Wu-Tang loving, price-gouging maker of extremely long YouTube videos has been given a trial date, June 26, for the start of his security-fraud case. [Bloomberg]
News to Them: Facebooks LGBT Employees Now Officially Exist
Facebook released its diversity statistics yesterday, and they skew strongly white only 2 percent of employee respondents are black and male. But we knew that; the new revelation is that they also skew extremely straight. For the first time in its history, Facebook has included LGBT employees in its employment statistics, which is a great step. Though, seeing as only 7 percent of employees who filled out their surveys identified as LGBT, hiring more LGBT people would also be a great step. [CNet]
Freak Out! Mastercard Changes Its Logo a Little
Mastercard boasts one of the most ubiquitous corporate logos in the world, but now those little orange balls are getting a high-tech makeover. The new streamlined logo has not changed too much, but does look a bit more up-to-date, and will certainly appear better on mobile devices little screens. [The Verge]
MEDIA BUBBLE
Vevo Changes Everything Again
Music-video platform Vevo has undergone another revamp in its mission to become the destination for music videos and music video culture. The new app boasts more original content, a sharper focus on artists, and personalized recommendations. You may only know Vevo as that little logo in the corner of that Rihanna video on YouTube, but the company actually pulls in a staggering 18 billion views a month with more than 200,000 official music videos. [CNet]
We Guess We Werent the Only Ones Watching Game of Thrones
The Emmy nominations were announced yesterday, and they proved a fitting testament to just how strange people are. The two most awarded shows were The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story with 22 nominations, and Game of Thrones with 23. Julia Louis-Dreyfus who deserves every award in the world and then some awards was of course nominated for her role on Veep. Wow, a good night to be HBO. [CNN]
Inevitable Re-Cut of Ghostbusters for Chinese Market Going to Be Really Tricky
It looks like the much anticipated Ghostbusters remake will miss out on all of that sweet China money. The film will not be shown in China thanks to propaganda laws, which forbid movies that promote cults or superstition. Superpower pro tip: Maybe think about what kind of power you project if your government is officially afraid of ghosts. [AV Club]
PHOTO OP
Vive La France
With all of the terrible images coming out of Nice, lets take a moment for this beautiful picture of what brought everyone together in the first place. What a stunning city.
Photo: VALERY HACHE/This content is subject to copyright.
MORNING MEME
Hillary Clinton Crushing It
Damn Hillary, your finger is so on the pulse, its almost too much. [Gawker]
Here's video of @HillaryClinton talking about Pokemon Go pic.twitter.com/LxEpgrxXaO Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) July 14, 2016
OTHER LOCAL NEWS
Rust Cohle Time Theory, Not True of Rivers
Three women who tried tubing for the first time earlier in the week in Muskegon County, Michigan, had a terrible experience all thanks to a jerk who told them that the river was a circle and would bring them back around to their parked car. Instead, it turned out that the river was more like a river, and the women passed a restless night clinging to a tree on the river bank and calling for help. Everyone is fine now. Except for that smart-ass guy, that guy is going to hell. [M Live]
Once Fertile Woman Has Aged
Look how long this woman has lived! And so many children! And what a coincidence! Let us explain. It has emerged that Ohio resident Marie Frey turned 86 back in June. But thats not all, she also greeted her 86th grandchild on the same day. Which means 86 appears twice! Which means this is news! [Today]
HAPPENING TODAY
National Taunt-Lactose-Intolerant-Nerds Day
Today is National Ice Cream Day, which means many of the places that usually sell ice cream will now be giving it away for free, but not all of the places. Check ahead. We realize that all of these new free-stuff holidays are just marketing ploys, but whenever theres a chance for our readers to get free food, were going to tell them about it. [Money]
Trump to Announce When He Will Announce His Announcement Today
As weve noted, Donald Trump postponed the announcement of his vice-presidential pick following the terrible attack in Nice. Still, Trump has promised that he will announce when he will announce his VP today, so stay tuned to stay tuned. [NYT]
The truck apparently driven by Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, riddled with bullets. Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images
No group has yet to claim responsibility for the devastating attack on Nice that left at least 84 dead and more than 200 wounded after a truck driver mowed over revelers who were massed together to watch the Bastille Day fireworks on the citys seaside promenade. Authorities have not confirmed the identity of the driver, but Nices local media has said the man is a 31-year-old Nice resident of Tunisian descent named Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel.
A Nice, Les gens du quartier reconnaissent Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel sur cette photo pic.twitter.com/4nxnbGVGja vigoureux (@elsavigoureux) July 15, 2016
Bouhlel appears to be the lone attacker, though police are searching for potential accomplices. As crowds awaited the start of the fireworks show, the suspect steered a large white truck onto the packed promenade. He appeared to accelerate, swerving left and right to plow down as many people as possible as they tried to flee. He had at least one gun, and he reportedly fired into the crowd. The suspect drove for more than a mile until police shot and killed him.
The devastation. Photo: VALERY HACHE/This content is subject to copyright.
Authorities reportedly found Bouhlels wallet and identification on him after he died in a shoot-out with police. The suspect was armed with a handgun, and authorities found a cache of weapons and explosives stored in the back of the truck, though many, including an AK-47, turned out to be fakes. Bouhlels plot does appear to be premeditated, and he rented the truck from a town outside of Nice two days before the rampage, on Wednesday. He had reportedly been parked near the promenade for some time before he sped toward the crowd, attracting the attention of police who questioned him, reports The Telegraph. Bouhlel allegedly told the cops he was delivering ice cream. Al Qaedas Inspire magazine suggested the idea of using a vehicle as a weapon in 2010, a plan that would be easy to carry out and maximize carnage.
Reports say Bouhlel was born in the seaside Tunisian town of Msaken and moved to France in 2005. He worked as a delivery man in Nice and was married with a 3-year-old, though he appears to have been separated from his wife and living alone up until the attack. Police raided his apartment after the rampage, according to local media. His ex-wife was reportedly taken into custody for questioning.
French police officers look for evidences in the Bouhlels flat. Photo: Catherine Marciano/AFP/Getty Images
The suspect had no known terrorist ties, but did have a pretty lengthy criminal history that included some petty crime, theft, and domestic violence, reports the BBC. Neighbors described him as someone who did not appear religious and was more interested in girls and salsa. Nearby residents told The Telegraph that he broadcasted his marital and financial problems. Jasmine, a 40-year-old neighbor, described him as rude and a bit weird.
We would hold the door open for him and he would just blank him, Jasmine said. He kept himself to himself but would always rant about his wife. He had martial problems and would tell people in the local cafe. He scared my children though.
Jasmine added that he was very smart with the same haircut as George Clooney.
This post has been updated with new details.
Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Following a day of speculation over whether or not Donald Trump had actually selected Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate, the presumptive Republican nominee announced that he is canceling his VP announcement, scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m., following what appears to be a terrorist attack in Nice, France. Trump later explained that he just felt it was inappropriate to talk politics, out of respect for this horrific situation. Then, he promptly gave Fox News two highly political interviews, in which he blamed Hillary Clinton and President Obama for creating ISIS, vowed to crack down on immigration from terrorist areas, and said, second generation immigrants turn out to be very bad as well.
Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
My prayers and condolences to the victims and families of the terrible tragedy in Nice, France. We are with you in every way! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016
Images of people fleeing the scene in Nice were still playing on Fox News as Trump repeatedly pitched himself as the law and order candidate. Well, it sounds like here we go again, he told Greta Van Susteren. Its going to be a whole different world. Were living in a whole different world. There is no respect for law and order. There is no respect for anything or anybody. And this has to be dealt with very harshly.
When asked what hed do as president to prevent future attacks, Trump rambled through a litany of anti-immigrant rhetoric. I would be so extreme in terms of documentation, he said. Obama is allowing a lot of people to come in. We have no idea who they are. Theyre from Syria, maybe, but they have no paperwork many times. They dont have proper documentation. I would make it I would not allow people to come in from terrorist nations. I would do extreme vetting. I would call it extreme vetting, too.
Van Susteren noted that some terror attacks in the U.S. have been perpetrated by Americans. Second generation turns out to be very bad for whatever reason, he said. But second generation and again, who knows, the new one in France? Maybe its not, but you probably have a pretty good gut instinct.
Trump then appeared on The OReilly Factor, agreeing with the hosts statement that were in a world-war scenario. Trump said he would go to Congress and ask for a declaration of war against ISIS, apparently unaware that this would be a huge shift in U.S. foreign policy. As the Washington Post explains, Congress hasnt declared war since World War II. President Obama is actually pushing for an authorization of military force against ISIS, as the U.S. is currently attacking the terror group under the old AUMF against Al Qaeda. However:
Congress has resisted the idea of even voting on a new AUMF much less a declaration of war in part because many lawmakers paid a political price for supporting the Iraq war. Among them was soon-to-be-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, whose 2008 Democratic primary campaign was hamstrung by her vote in favor of the use of force in Iraq. She eventually apologized for it.
Trump went on to stir fears about the 10,000 heavily vetted Syrian refugees set to arrive in the U.S. by the end of the summer. When asked if he considers them a threat, right after Bill OReilly pointed out that 60 percent are children, Trump said, Of course I do. We have no idea in many cases law enforcement says that you really cant tell where they come from. They may be ISIS. This may be the great Trojan horse of all time.
He also obliquely suggested that Clinton and Obama are to blame for terrorist attacks around the world. Shes very weak. Shes actually the one, and him, that really caused much of this problem, Trump said.
Though its no time to talk about potential vice-presidents, Trump managed to add more fuel to the running-mate speculation, saying hes yet to make a final, final decision. He also said that while he and his running mate are slated to appear on 60 Minutes this Sunday, Im not sure that Im feeling good about doing 60 Minutes, and Im not sure that 60 Minutes is going to want to do anything other than this horrific attack.
The interview concluded with OReilly complimenting Trump for going on-air, though neither of them really know whats happening in Nice. Donald Trump reacts. When we call Donald Trump and he is the Republican nominee and you want to hear what he thinks about a terror attack in France, he gets on the phone with what, eight minutes did I cajole you? You got on the phone, you talked to the American people directly and I think everybody has to admire that. I really do, OReilly said.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
It seems commenting on cable-news shows while terror attacks are still unfolding is just something candidates do now, as Hillary Clinton called in to the The OReilly Factor as well. We need to understand that this is a war against these terrorist groups, the radical jihadist groups, she said. We need to be smart about how we wage it, but we need to be determined about how we win it.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
And, upon realizing that the veepstakes wasnt over and it still isnt over some of the finalists tried to prove theyre a perfect fit for Team Trump. Mike Pence took to Twitter, describing terrorism as a threat facing Western civilization. He posted the message a second time even after many pointed out that there were huge terror attacks in Iraq, Bangladesh, and Saudi Arabia this month.
Todays terrorist attack in France is a horrific reminder of the threat facing Western civilization. This must end. Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) July 15, 2016
Newt Gingrich was almost too Trump-y. While at one point he thought Trumps plan for temporarily banning Muslims from the U.S. was too strong, on Hannity, the former House speaker suggested a more extreme policy:
We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door. But we need to be fairly relentless about defining who our enemies are. Anybody who goes on a website favoring ISIS, or Al Qaeda, or other terrorist groups, that should be a felony, and they should go to jail. Any organization which hosts such a website should be engaged in a felony. It should be closed down immediately.
"This is a horrific attack": Hillary Clinton reacts to the deadly attack in Nice, France https://t.co/YZ32bCBsdM https://t.co/zcQ6KaBRLh Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) July 15, 2016
Its weird that during all those years in Congress, Gingrich never read the Constitution.
Turkish security officers detain unknown individuals on the side of the road on July 15, 2016. Photo: Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images
Update, 9:05 p.m. EST
Turkey's main opposition leader @kilicdarogluk says he backs government call for people to take to the streets to protest coup Ayla Jean Yackley (@aylajean) July 15, 2016
A faction within Turkeys military attempted to topple its government Friday, but was met with widespread opposition from the nations people and political parties, producing a state of protracted disorder. As of the predawn hours in Turkey, many signs pointed toward the coups eventual failure, with all of the nations political parties including those fiercely opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan coming out against the rebellion.
Turkish TV broadcasts a message from Erdogan claiming he's in control and will punish the coup leaders pic.twitter.com/8grmFarUfl Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) July 15, 2016
Erdogan implored the nation to take to the streets in opposition to the coup. They did, in great numbers.
The United States has pledged its allegiance to Erdogans democratically elected government. Citizens and police started arresting renegade soldiers, and Erdogan was greeted by a crowd of supporters as he returned to Istanbul.
BREAKING: Large crowds greet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he emerges from a vehicle at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. The Associated Press (@AP) July 16, 2016
I am near an APC. Police is here to arrest soldiers. Afraid of lynching pic.twitter.com/FCEmM6jwRA Bora Bayraktar (@Bora_Bayraktar) July 16, 2016
But the government has sworn to make the coups participants pay the highest price, making swift surrender unlikely. And there have been multiple explosions at the Turkish parliament.
Moment the parliament got struck by airstrike from coup loyal aircraft #Ankara #Turkey https://t.co/aJJOopSsn5 karim (@Specta_Orientem) July 16, 2016
This is the Turkish parliament. pic.twitter.com/OxrPnKUBU2 Breaking News Feed (@pzf) July 16, 2016
Soldiers have taken over CNNs affiliate in Turkey.
Eerie live shot of the empty @CNNTurk studio pic.twitter.com/FdUqP9ntgA Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 16, 2016
Original post:
A faction within Turkeys military is attempting to overthrow its government, Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim announced Friday.
Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command, Yildirim said on private television channel NTV. The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.
Yildirim assured his audience that the rebels will pay the highest price for their actions, according to Reuters.
Turkish journalist Mahir Zeynalov reports sounds of an explosion at the Ankara polices special-forces training center, and the Turkish state has announced that the nations army chief has been taken hostage.
A blast in Ankara police special forces training center. Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) July 15, 2016
Turkish state news agency claims that chief of the Turkish army is taken hostage by military officers. Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) July 15, 2016
Armed forces have shut down two bridges over the Bosporus in Istanbul, the New York Times reports, while fighter jets have been spotted over both Istanbul and Ankara.
Turkish fighter jets flying low over Ankara pic.twitter.com/wqcPmLBOyW Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) July 15, 2016
UNBELIEVABLE CRAZY FOOTAGE #Video #Turkey army tanks run over cars in middle of the roads in Istanbul..!!!! pic.twitter.com/80lMbgriJi Rami #CloseIncirlik (@RamiAILoIah) July 15, 2016
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is reportedly on vacation.
#pts - #Turkeys PM Yldrm says intelligence agencies have been cleared to confront the military in cities.#Erdogan is on holiday. Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) July 15, 2016
Soliders are reportedly besieging the headquarters of Erdogans AK Party.
BREAKING: @cnnturk reporting that Turkey soldiers have besieged the AK Party headquarters in Istanbul Borzou Daragahi (@borzou) July 15, 2016
The military is claiming that it has successfully seized power, justifying its coup as an attempt to protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights, Reuters reports.
Unsurprisingly, Erdogan contests that narrative. But the narrative that hes pushing instead will surprise anyone who doesnt follow Turkish politics very closely.
Turkish govt blames the coup on followers of an imam who lives in the Poconos and leads a charter school movement https://t.co/kGwhapRWZs Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) July 15, 2016
Fethullah Gulen is a Turkish preacher and founder of the Gulen religious movement. He lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. Hes also a pretty convenient scapegoat for a president whose critics accuse him of violating Turkeys historical commitment to secularism.
Looks like the government is going with Gulenist conspiracy instead of Kemalist army https://t.co/3PihhfTFCd Danny Gold (@DGisSERIOUS) July 15, 2016
While the prime minister has promised the coup is being put down, Erdogan himself appears less than confident.
However, the embattled president assured his nation that he remains in control over a TV anchors iPhones FaceTime app.
Turkish TV broadcasts a message from Erdogan claiming he's in control and will punish the coup leaders pic.twitter.com/8grmFarUfl Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) July 15, 2016
Explosions have been reported outside Turkeys state-run television broadcaster in Ankara.
Footage of clashes around TRT state broadcaster in Ankara https://t.co/fB1OlS1haS Alex Barker (@alexebarker) July 15, 2016
Erdogan has ruled Turkey for 13 years. The country is a NATO member and a key U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS.
Wolfgang Ballinger. Photo: Tompkins County Jail
A 21-year-old former Cornell University fraternity president was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday for allegedly sexually abusing* a woman in his fraternity-house bedroom.
Wolfgang Ballinger, once a president of Psi Upsilons Chi chapter at Cornell and the son of a millionaire nightlife businessman who owns New Yorks Webster Hall, is accused of sexually abusing* a woman earlier this year. At 2 a.m. on January 31, he allegedly brought her to his fraternity-house bedroom, locked the door, and forced her to have sex and oral sex, using his hands to sexually abuse her. The victim refused Ballingers advances, according to court documents filed in February, telling him she was not interested and too intoxicated.
Ballinger was arrested on February 4; charged with attempted rape, a criminal sexual act, and sexual abuse (all first-degree felonies); and held on $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond. Soon after the arrest, Cornell suspended Ballinger, banned him from campus, and placed the fraternity on an interim suspension. In court in February, Ballinger pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on his own recognizance, meaning that instead of paying bail he could leave court with a written promise that hed return for future proceedings. This week he was indicted on only one felony count of sexual abuse.*
Ballinger sued Cornell in May, claiming the universitys administrative policies denied him a fair hearing and that investigators failed to examine DNA evidence from the alleged survivor, according to People. The suit alleged Cornell administrators have publicly characterized the schools judicial process as unfair, flawed and changing within the next few months.
In May, People reported that while New York legislators last year mandated all universities give students accused of sexual assault a fair hearing, in which evidence is presented by both sides, Ballingers suit claimed Cornell doesnt hold such hearings. It said the university still prevents accused students from seeing investigators files and plans to update its policies in August. In an email to the Cut, a Cornell media representative declined to comment on the current status of the schools changing policies, because the case is still active.
Ballinger is from Ghent, New York, in the Hudson Valley, and was a student in Cornells School of Hotel Administration. In a since-deleted video he posted to YouTube in December, Ballinger reportedly identified himself as a junior undergrad, Psi Upsilons fraternity president, and said his father owns bars and nightclubs in New York and Canada. His dad is one of the four Ballinger brothers who restored and reopened Webster Hall in the East Village in 1992.
A Tompkins County Court clerk said his arraignment has been scheduled for Friday, July 22.
*This post has been corrected to show that Ballinger was indicted on only one felony count of sexual abuse.
Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
As a technician at a telecom company, Leticia Gonzalez worked at a computer for 17 years. After suffering pain and numbness in her hands and wrists, she applied for workers compensation, the state program that is supposed to provide medical care to injured workers. The system confirmed that her injuries were sustained on the job. Yet she was told she would receive permanent disability benefits that were 20 percent lower than what a man with the same injury would receive.
That was because she has multiple risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome, primarily age and gender. In other words, she was awarded less money because she is a woman.
Gonzalez is one of the plaintiffs in a new class-action lawsuit in California that claims women in the state were paid less in workers compensation benefits because of their gender. Given the persistence of the wage gap, perhaps its not shocking to learn that theres also a workers comp gap. But the lawsuit reveals that women are often told outright that they sustained their injuries because they are women, and therefore are ineligible for full compensation. The women involved in the lawsuit each saw their benefits reduced between 20 and 80 percent.
When it comes to employment discrimination against women, most of the focus has been on hiring, promotion, and pay. Most of us dont know much about workers compensation at all its among the sections of the employee manual we never take time to read. In most states, workers sign paperwork that says they agree not to sue if theyre injured on the job, and in exchange their employers agree to provide a portion of the financial compensation they need to recover. But the process is hidden away in personnel files and medical records so far, it hasnt been the stuff of damning reports or TED Talks. And even though white-collar workers might not think of this issue as something that they should care about, the types of desk jobs traditionally dominated by women come with their own set of physical risks, too.
The process that leads to women receiving lower workers compensation starts with a medical examination. Medical evaluators for workers comp cases are trained by the state, says Kathryn Eidmann, a staff attorney with Public Counsel who represents the women in the lawsuit, and theyre overwhelmingly male. In some specialties, fewer than 3 percent are female. When those evaluators recommend a compensation amount thats lower than what a man would receive for the same injury, the justification is often that women are statistically more susceptible to injuries like carpal tunnel and joint disease.
Your insurer cant charge you more money because youre a woman: The Affordable Care Act bans it. Yet the same logic is being used to award women less money when theyve been injured at work. By the states own estimates, 11,000 women in California are awarded lower workers comp benefits each year due to their gender. In other states, information is hard to come by: In New York State, for example the guide to workers comp doesnt mention gender at all.
The California lawsuit seeks to eliminate all gender discrimination in the workers comp system. Which means it could have an effect on injured women workers in the state who arent part of the suit women like Clara Sneed, who worked at the same desk for 12 years. I noticed I was having back issues, but I was so busy I really didnt relate it, she said. I had someone bring me an ergonomic chair. That didnt seem to work. I was paying a chiropractor. Still, she stayed on the job and at that desk. She had worked her way through her companys ranks for 25 years. She wasnt about to leave her job to start at zero somewhere else. As a black woman who made it to that level, I wasnt gonna complain, she says.
But the pain eventually got to be too much. She took a week off to rest, during which she was rushed to the hospital with severe back spasms. Doctors told her she could not go back to her job. On some days, the pain was so severe she could barely move. As she transitioned to workers compensation, she watched her salary replaced by a payment of just $110 a week after she was put on permanent disability. We had to give up our home, Sneed says. She became depressed after months out of work. She still has nightmares that some of her former co-workers dont believe her injuries are real.
Sneed is not eligible to join the class-action lawsuit because she wasnt told explicitly that gender was a reason for her low payout. But if the state agreed to stop discrimination against injured women workers, she could have more information and possibly more protections. In addition to the prohibition on using gender as a factor in determining awards, the suit is also asking for a training program in gender bias, so that when medical examiners evaluate cases like Sneeds, they dont lower the reward amount because shes a woman whether or not that excuse shows up in the paperwork. Overall, we hope the system will become more sensitive to the claims of injured women workers, Eidmann says.
One reason its hard for women to get information about the workers comp is that theres a stigma associated with it. Workers comp for most people is a big embarrassment, Sneed says. True injured workers, they dont even want to admit theyve ever been on workers comp. That leads to the persistence of outdated stereotypes about who is an injured worker and silence around what fair compensation really looks like.
Not only are women not receiving equal pay for equal work, theyre not receiving equal benefits, Eidmann says. As the details of the California lawsuit make clear, gender discrimination is bigger and broader than the wage gap. Its about all the ways in which women workers are compensated differently both when theyre on the job, and when theyre too injured to perform it.
Dylann Roof, Elliot Rodger, Robert Lewis Dear Photo: Getty; AP; Getty
In the wake of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, on Thursday, Republican Newt Gingrich, perhaps still hoping (in vain, it turns out) to be tapped by Donald Trump as a vice-presidential nominee, amplified Trumps past calls to round up Muslim suspects in an effort to stop future terrorist violence. Gingrich said that Western civilization is in a war, and suggested that we should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported. Muslims who do not believe in Sharia law, Gingrich continued, would be welcome.
Related Stories Why Do We Humanize White Guys Who Kill People?
But if Trump and Gingrich are truly looking to stem terrorism and mass violence of the sort that happened in Nice, they might do better to look to a different kind of litmus test: domestic violence and grievances against women. Early reports suggest that Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who drove a rented truck through a crowd of Bastille Day revelers on Thursday night, killing more than 80 including at least ten children, may not have been devout, but he did have a criminal record of domestic violence. A neighbor claimed he would rant about his wife, who left him two years ago.
This history of domestic violence puts Bouhlel in the horrific company of many mass murderers. Omar Mateen, who last month killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in a mass shooting at an Orlando gay club, had an extensive history of domestic abuse. His former wife has claimed that in addition to taking her paychecks and forbidding her from leaving the house, Mateen also beat her if she failed to live up to traditional wifely responsibilities.
And before anyone jumps to the conclusion that killers with Muslim backgrounds have uniquely bad histories with women, recall that Robert Lewis Dear, the devout Christian who killed three people and wounded nine at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic in November, had a lengthy history of violence against women, including a 1992 arrest for rape and sexual violence. According to the Washington Post, two of his three ex-wives had accused him of domestic abuse.
When Elliot Rodger went on a shooting rampage in Southern California in 2014, killing seven, including himself, he left a video in which he detailed his fury, particularly at women who had rejected him. I dont know why you girls arent attracted to me but I will punish you all for it You will finally see that I am, in truth, the superior one, the true alpha male.
Dylann Roofs racist massacre of nine churchgoers in Charleston last year was tinged with a sense of patriarchal control over women: You rape our women and youre taking over our country and you have to go, he said to his African-American victims; Roof had been raised in a home in which his father had emotionally and physically abused his stepmother. After Adam Lanza killed 20 school children at Sandy Hook Elementary School, investigators found a Word document on his computer in which he had written about why women were inherently selfish. Even Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh had complained about being rejected by a woman.
Recent research done by Everytown for Gun Safety has found that of the mass shootings in the United States between 2009 and 2015, 57 percent included victims who were a family member, spouse, or former spouse of the shooter. Sixteen percent of attackers had been previously charged with domestic violence. A recent piece in the New York Times suggested that the impulse toward domestic, gendered violence may be the thing that draws a few terrorists toward the Islamic State, since ISISs practices include sexual slavery and a fidelity to traditional gender norms as recruiting tools for young men.
But that doesnt make any religion whether its Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlels Islam or Robert Lewis Dears evangelical Christianity the defining factor in mass shootings. Perhaps these disturbed men and 98 percent of mass killers are men are drawn to the patriarchal traditions upheld by some religions to make sense of or justify their anger and resentment toward women. But we might do better to examine the patterns of violence toward women themselves.
Photo: Andy Katz/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
In 1991, after a high-speed chase, four Los Angeles police officers pulled Rodney King, a black man, out of his car, and beat him. In what seems strikingly familiar in 2016, an amateur videographer captured the scene. The next year, in 1992, a mostly white jury acquitted the officers, setting off riots that left over 50 people dead. In response to the attack, an independent commission reviewed the LAPD. In their report, the commission found that one type of officer was much less predisposed to force: No female cops were among the 120 police with the most use-of-force reports.
Males are the more belligerent sex in virtually all mammalian species that biologists have studied
Female cops accounted for just 3.4 percent of officers involved in the 83 most serious lawsuits against the LAPD from 1986 to 1990. While the stats suggested that female cops arent reluctant to use force, the commission reasoned, theyre not nearly as likely to use excessive force. With some exceptions, female officers interviewed believed they were more communicative, more skillful at de-escalating potentially violent situations and less confrontational, the report reads. A suspects defiance and disrespect of an officer often gives rise to use of force by an officer. Many officers, both male and female, believe female officers are less personally challenged by defiant suspects and feel less need to deal with defiance with immediate force or confrontational language. After the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the murder of five Dallas police officers last week, and the 586 people killed by cops in the U.S. in 2016 thus far, much of the cultural conversation has been around the role of race, and racial bias, in the conducting of police work. But, as Danielle Paquette argues at the Washington Post, another factor of identity that needs to be evaluated is gender. Not only is it a matter of having a gender-homogeneous field in the form of policing, but social science finds that men and women relate to force very differently. It may be in our very biology.
Policing remains one of the most male-dominated professions in America: in the 1970s, about 97 percent of American cops were men, and in 2013, that had fallen only to 88 percent, meaning that the police force is even more gender imbalanced than the active-duty military, which was 84.9 percent male as of 2014. And while there are way more men than there are women policing American streets, the gender disparity for police use of force is even greater. Paquette reports that of the 54 officers that have been charged with killing someone with a gun while they were on duty, just two have been female. A 2002 report on gender and use of force from the National Center for Women and Policing found that male cops are way more expensive to employ than their female peers because of force, finding that male cops are two to three times more likely to have citizens name them in excessive force complaints than female cops, that male cops cost taxpayers between 2.5 and 5.5 times more than the average female officer in the payouts of excessive-force liability lawsuits, and that a male cop is 8.5 times more likely to have allegations of excessive force sustained against him than a policewoman would.
The gender disparity in the police force, argues Feminist Majority executive director Katherine Spillar, comes from the way policing is marketed. Would-be cops are recruited with promises of car chases and helicopter rescues, which fit traditional masculine values, while most of police work is nonviolent beat-walking and working with communities, with appeal to traditionally feminine values. Additionally, testing still has a physical strength component, while it should focus more on the ability to de-escalate potentially violent situations, which appears to be the direction of progress in policing. But theres something even more basic at work here as well: Research on how elite companies like law firms and consultancies hire has found that if there isnt a rigorous, standardized protocol for evaluating potential candidates, hiring managers just use themselves as the proxy of worthiness for a position, so people end up hiring people who are just like them, and thereby organizations replicate themselves.
Which makes the gender differences in predispositions to aggression and violence goddamn frightening. Back in the 1970s, psychologists were concluding that there werent many differences in psychology traits between men and women, except for aggression. A 2004 meta-analysis on sex differences in aggression found that men are more aggressive than women at every age, particularly so in their 20s, and this held in every country the analysis looked at, from the U.S. to the U.K. to Canada to Spain to New Zealand to Japan to Finland to Australia to the Netherlands. Indeed, as psychologists Hal Arkowitz and Scott O. Lilienfeld reported in Scientific American in 2010, men are more likely to be aggressive in their mental lives, fantasizing about revenge and homicide and dreaming more frequently of violent acts. A 2007 study of babies found that at 17 months, 5 percent of baby boys will bite you, kick you, or do other physically aggressive acts, compared with 1 percent of girls. And those differences hold at 29 months, which makes you think that the male disposition to violence is not wholly a matter of socialization to traditional gender roles, or, more bluntly, acculturation to toxic masculinity. Even more astounding, theres evidence that humans arent the only one with gender disparities in aggression: Males are the more belligerent sex in virtually all mammalian species that biologists have studied, write Arkowitz and Lilienfeld. Even the one marked exception to this trend the spotted (laughing) hyena may prove the rule. The female hyena, which is more physically aggressive than her male counterpart, has higher testosterone levels than the male does.
So theres a pretty clear logic to reducing excessive force in American policing. If de-escalation is the way of the future as its been shown to be in Las Vegas, Dallas, and New York then it makes lots of sense to have the humans doing the police work be more biologically and culturally disposed to peace. Theyre called women.
greedy.mp3 tbh
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Excellent song.
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yasss
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omg i looooove when she pulls on her bunny ears like that! i need an icon of this.
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Louise is just amazing. I just need more gifs of Bob's Burgers.
Poor Taylor hasn't made any money this year! That poor thing!!! All b/c of YT, of course.
Edited at 2016-07-15 05:48 pm (UTC)
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Ikr? Can anyone make me a good bb icon?!
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I was all vocal about hating taylor for this but then gaga signed on so
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Lmao
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Gaga is a starving artist though
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lmaooooo
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I love that he'll forever be remembered as the angry grampa of rock
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Except he was treated as an out-of-touch Luddite whereas Taylor was hailed as the brave defender of artists.
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I will use this gif at every opportunity I will use this gif at every opportunity
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Can you imagine if you made a fan video for your fave and they sued you? So fucked up but also lol
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I know thats what im saying, that has to be so spirit crushing
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She's checking off those 10 commandments.
Slay demon!
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You mean 7 deadly sins?
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Maybe she was coveting her neighbour's wife? We don't know! #NoJudgment
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omg i thought you were serious at first
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lolol I was worried you were serious at first.
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Goodbye
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Is Larry real?
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sometimes your comments scare me just a bit lol
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Because they're so eerily accurate?
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lol
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lmao ilu
also Michelangelo doesn't own the sistine chapel? like.. whaaaat?
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lmao you've been my fav commenter lately
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you had me going for awhile!!
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Yaaaaas I love sassy legolas
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If you create/own something, you should be conpensated for it, period. Something doesnt suddenly become public property just because their owner made a lot of money from it. Thats not how copyright laws work.
Also, the vitriolic misogyny and OTT hatred under the video is nagl. Same reason I cant enjoy any of the Calvin drama.
I dont even like Taylor but the way she is talked about is utterly disgusting.
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Did you watch the video?
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You really should watch the video.
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They already get all the profit from those videos though, they want more $$ than the video brought it.
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As someone in the Arts, I agree. :S
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Also, the vitriolic misogyny and OTT hatred under the video is nagl.
Other than Jeffree Star this ugly as fuck loser is the worst thing to ever happen to YouTube. He's like the Bill Maher of YouTube.
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I always do a double take when I see TYT/Cenk here on ONTD.
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YouTube's refusal to fully acknowledge the legitimacy of the Fair Use Act as a defence is a big problem. Same for the continuing abuse of their takedown system.
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this Armenian Genocide Denier has a point!
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his co-hosts need to bury him alive
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What about the fans who can't afford music? Must they suffer in silence? I mean I'm side eyeing other artists too because all I wanna do is durty whine this ass to One Dance and it's nowhere to be found on Youtube.
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This. It's not about ~owning your art~, YouTube could be a great platform for exposing music to people who cannot afford to buy it or allowing fans to express their creativity and devotion to the artist. Instead it's being used to SUE fans. Not cool IMO
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It's a money grab, and before someone tries to drag me if Queen Bey or any of my favs do/did the same thing I wouldn't see it for them either. Let the fans have Youtube. Damn.
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I hate when people complain about "greedy" rich people. if they think they could be earning more then why not try to get more. google wont be hurting.
theres no such thing as having enough money. we'd all be doing it too if we could.
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wow what
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As a socialist all I can say is LOL no, I wouldn't. Unobstructed greed is currently destroying our planet so we should probably reign it in a bit.
Edited at 2016-07-15 06:15 pm (UTC)
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Idk. I know I would love to have crazy amounts of money. I would use it for good. Yeah you would use it to do the things you've always wanted to do, but property etc, but personally i would spend a huge amount of it on charity, or just plain giving it away to people who need it. The more you make, the more good you can do on a large scale. Bill and Melinda gates for example.
I am sooo not here for the super wealthy who give jack away!
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lol i'm dying at no one caring about the big names that signed this petition and acting like taylor is the one behind it
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ikr
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"sues fans all the time" happened like twice
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idgi If I started a site and people uploaded and shared music it would be my responsibility to control it. What is google crying about? You're rich as fuck too.
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This isn't about Google saving money/spending money, it's about keeping sites like YouTube free for users.
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This was coming sooner or later (I meant for Turkey but, hey, eventually the world too.)
Edited at 2016-07-15 09:43 pm (UTC)
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To be fair, I'm sure the world at large has felt like this during WWI, WWII, etc. We pulled through. We will again.
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This is so positive and hopeful
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it was much much much worse lbr
we live in the most peaceful era of human history, despite all the shittiness recently
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I agree, Im not trying to be insensitive but I hate when people say "this is the end of days" etc,
the people of Turkey have gone through so much this past year they are survivors
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We didn't really pull through because we never got that "world peace". After WWII, we had many major wars/genocides where millions more died.
Edited at 2016-07-15 09:45 pm (UTC)
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That's what I was thinking.
Also social media has allowed to be more aware compared to a few years ago.
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it was going to happen one day
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2012 set the apocalypse in motion. thanks Mayans
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This is nothing new...
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Capitalism
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I was reading a lot of reports that the world is actually safer than it has been in a long time it's just the nature of random terrorist attacks that have now started bleeding into the west makes it seem more like it's falling apart.
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its always been like this but social media now delivers info right away from all over the world so we're more in tune rather than the new york daily posting one article on it next week etc etc.
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Because we have 24/7 access to news and the people it concerns. The internet has made the world a global village, so we are bleeding along as the horrible things that happen to our neighbors are live tweeted by them.
The world is not falling apart. Not more than at least it was yesterday or in the 1990s before the internet and the 24 hours news cycle. BTW, in 90s we had a civil war in the middle of Europe, the IRA bombing civilians in the UK and a genocide in Rwanda.
It hasn't gotten worse. It only has gotten louder.
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it's a direct result of the inevitable instability created by the war on terror and the GFC tbh
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It's not. We're just globalized now. We've always been trash. WW2 was literally the most horrible shit, we haven't even hit even remotely CLOSE to that trash.
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Edited at 2016-07-15 09:33 pm (UTC) stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y60wDzZt8yg&feature=youtu.be
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please stay safe op! thank you for making this post
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i'm good. ty <3
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ily bb
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glad to hear it!!! <3
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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently on vacation, and out of the capital. Vox (@voxdotcom) July 15, 2016
Yikes. About to turn into a permanent vacation? Yikes. About to turn into a permanent vacation?
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well, that would be at least one positive outcome
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If he really is on vacation then the timing of the coup was probably intentional.
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agreed
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Yep
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well shit
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that idiot should have been arrested ffs
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Jesus, wtf is happening. This is terrifying.
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Seriously, there has to be a wizarding war going on somewhere because the world has lost its fucking mind.
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omg
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Oh my god
this is so absurd
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Like an hour ago he was saying that it was a minor coup. So much for that.
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Nothing says "I've lost complete control" like addressing your crumbling country via FaceTime.
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Right, doesn't inspire confidence
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pretty much
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Right? This is bizzarre.
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Breaking news: Man who bans social media and public protesting, uses social media to tell public to protest. #Turkey #Erdogan Robbo (@claptraphigh5) 15. Juli 2016
sums up this loser p nicely
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I thought this couldn't get more pathetic but then I clicked and saw she's holding a fucking iPhone up to the tv camera............
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this is why i don't even bother watching house of cards. being turkish and following the news, nothing on that show could ever shock me
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He is seeking asylum? In Germany?
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after continuously trashing Merkel as well.
amazing.
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are erdogan and merkel beefing? is it because of the armenian genocide recognition? refugees?
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lmfao
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he is not.
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In Germany?
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This is like Kaiser Wilhelm seeking asylum in the Netherlands after trash talking it. Lol
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sources say he was denied entry to Germany
hallelujah
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This is sf cray, here for the OP <3
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Are you safe bb? I heard they imposed marshal law?
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what a mess, the military should stay in its place....never a good thing when they interfere with the government, anywhere
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im confused about the whole ordeal TBH, i thought the military was a part of government ......i thought it was some sort of radical group that took over but i have to do a lot of research about it cause its very confusing
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They are, at least in Turkey. I think Turkey actually has a slightly different set-up though where the military is obligated to interfere with government especially if the separation of state and religion isn't being respected. So, when religious extremists take over government the Turkish military is supposed to step in and "guard" secular rights.
Its weird though because if religious extremists were voted in, then maybe that is just what the country wants?
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coups are when the state military take over the government, they're unfortunately common in some countries
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I don't think that's necessarily always true.
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this is the 5th time in 30 years this has happened. afaik the turkish military is secular and upholds the values of Ataturk and so they do this if the president/pm gets out of control and starts to revert back to non-secular conservative and corruptive shit (like Erdogan).
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as i understand it the citizens of turkey prefer the military to the police. the police are corrupt agents of the president.
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https://twitter.com/JakubKrupa
^ re-tweets a lot of updates on the current situation. So scary. :(^ re-tweets a lot of updates on the current situation.
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I wonder what will be left after world war 3 cause that's where we're headed.
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Europe is a freaking nightmare right now
I hope you stay safe <3
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turkey isn't part of Europe, but it want's to be.
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It's not part of the EU, but it is part of Europe (it's Eurasian)
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Senior US military source tells NBC News that Erdogan, refused landing rights in Istanbul, is reported to be seeking asylum in Germany. Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 15, 2016
TRT is broadcasting a statement from the army, nice things about NATO and the UN, everyone stay inside, etc pic.twitter.com/VEcyqnnu9w Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) July 15, 2016
Soldiers at state TV TRT building. Might see something on TRT soon. https://t.co/NTSJTo0SzR Ahmet A. Sabanc (@ahmetasabanci) July 15, 2016
The NATO aspect makes this even more interesting and complicated. My mom can't watch the news because it's reminding her when she fled. I feel for everyone but especially what happens to refugees in Europe too. The NATO aspect makes this even more interesting and complicated. My mom can't watch the news because it's reminding her when she fled. I feel for everyone but especially what happens to refugees in Europe too.
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is reported to be seeking asylum in Germany.
ummmmm
that is gonna go over well
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that has to be a joke
I refuse to believe it, it's just too absurd
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It would be interesting to see what Merkel says and does.
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Lol germany?!?! This is so absurd after everything that happened lately.
Edited at 2016-07-15 10:04 pm (UTC)
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We begin by taking a quick look at some of the critical figures and data in the energy markets this week, which show that renewed concerns about the supply glut and an increasing rig count have kept oil prices in check over the last week. The latest data also suggests an increase in U.S. oil production after various weeks of declines.
(Click to enlarge)
(Click to enlarge)
(Click to enlarge)
Oil prices bounced around this week, falling back on renewed concerns over a supply glut, but at times regaining ground. The IEA struck a negative tone regarding elevated inventories of both crude oil and refined products, and the high levels of storage will likely prevent a strong price rally in the third quarter. However, at the same time, the IEA said the market is moving closer to balance, and the Paris-based energy agency even issued a seemingly contradicting warning over the sharp cutbacks in upstream investment, which it says will leave the world short on supply in several years time. WTI and Brent closed out the week slightly up.
But the near-term outlook has turned bearish. The rush of refinery runs around the world has created an epic overhang of gasoline stockpiles, as Amirta Sen, the top oil analyst at Energy Aspects, described it. And the return of production from Canada, Nigeria, and potentially from Libya could restore some disrupted supply. There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding the political situation in Europe following the Brexit, but for oil traders, the focus is shifting back to the crude oil market. When the macro dust settles, which might take a while, it will become apparent that oil fundamentals are weaker than many realized, Julius Walker, senior consultant at JBC Energy in Vienna, told Bloomberg. The EIA reported another decent though not enormous decline in oil inventories, but a surprising uptick in gasoline stocks spread pessimism around the market.
China adds to refined fuel glut. China stepped up its refining activity to a record high in June, and since domestic demand continues to come in lower than analysts anticipated for China, some of that product is being dumped onto the international market. Refinery runs hit 11 million barrels per day last month, or 3.2 percent higher from a year earlier. The high levels of processing are pushing down refining margins and leading to a flood of refined products being diverted into storage. That is putting strong downward pressure on crude oil prices. Related: The Glut Is Far From Over As Offshore Oil Storage Continues To Swell
But Chinas oil production is falling. China is always viewed as a massive oil importer and consumer, but it is also a sizable producer. Low oil prices are forcing cutbacks at some of Chinas high-cost oil fields. Chinas production fell 4.6 percent in the first half of the year. PetroChina said that production will decline this year for the first time in 17 years.
Drilling old wells could add to U.S. supply. A new report from IHS Markit concludes that U.S. shale drillers could return to old vertically-drilled wells and drill them horizontally for new production. Because these wells have already been drilled once, the costs of drilling them horizontally for the first time would be substantially lower than drilling a fresh well. The report did not put an estimate on how much additional production could result from these old wells, but IHS said there is a lot of potential in vertical wells for drillers.
Shale more competitive than deepwater. Earlier this week consulting firm Wood Mackenzie released a report that concluded that U.S. shale is now more competitive than deepwater drilling projects around the world after two years of cost declines. Shale drillers have reduced costs by as much as 40 percent since 2014 while conventional drilling projects only cut costs by about 10 to 12 percent. As a result, moving forward, the industry will likely step up investment in shale projects, which are now more economical than large-scale deepwater plays. The Eagle Ford has breakeven costs of about $48 per barrel, parts of the Permian Basin have breakevens at $39 per barrel, while deepwater often needs oil prices as high as $60 per barrel.
Cnooc could abandon oil sands. Chinese state-owned oil company Cnooc purchased Nexen Energy in Canada in 2013 for $15 billion, but because of a series of mishaps at its Long Lake oil sands processing facility in Alberta, Cnooc might abandon the project. The deal has turned out to be a bit of a dud for them, said Gordon Houlden, a China expert at the University of Alberta, told The Wall Street Journal. At the time, the purchase of Nexen was Chinas largest overseas acquisition on record, a large bet on Canadian oil sands. Since then, they have suffered several disasters a pipeline spill last summer and an explosion at the same Long Lake facility in January, which killed two workers. The company is weighing whether or not to spend $100 million on repairs or shutter the facility instead. Long Lake turns heavier crude into lighter crude, and shutting it down would not only be a blow to Cnooc, but it would also negatively impact other oil sands producers who depend on the processing. Related: Venezuelas Oil Production Plunges To 13-Year Low
BP Deepwater Horizon bill rises to $61.6 billion. BP (NYSE: BP) added another $5.2 billion to its final tally for the 2010 oil spill, bringing the total to $61.6 billion. The British oil giant hopes the latest costs will be the last charge related to the disaster that will have a material impact on its finances.
ExxonMobil declares force majeure on Nigerian oil. The Niger Delta Avengers recently claimed a successful attack against the Qua Iboe crude pipeline, something that ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), the pipelines operator, denied. But Exxon declared force majeure on shipments of the crude export grade after a system anomaly observed during a routine check of its loading facility. Oil prices rose on the news. Expectations of a return of Nigerian oil production have ebbed and flowed with the news cycle optimistic statements from Nigerian government officials talk up a return of crude production, but those sentiments are quickly dashed when the Niger Delta Avengers pull off fresh attacks. For now it is unclear how much production will come back in the short-term.
North Sea set to be hit with workers strike. Oil workers in the North Sea that provide maintenance services to Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) voted to strike over pay and working conditions. The FT calls it the largest industrial dispute in the British oilfields in a decade. The strike is another blow for a region that is struggling with declining competitiveness.
By Evan Kelly of Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
There are millions of trucks on the worlds highways at any given time, carrying cargo from one place to another and spewing diesel exhaust fumes. Thats how its been since the dawn of trucking, thats how it still is. But thats not necessarily how it will be in the future.
Electric trucks are a fact, though not a very popular one, which is undeserved to a certain degree. While short-haul deliveries are perfect for utilizing electric freight carriers, a long-haul electric truck would need a battery weighing 23 tons to be able to make a 500-mile journey in one go. Thats a lot of battery basically half of the trucks own weight.
Yet Siemens and Scania have recently unveiled an alternative to these monstrous hypothetical batteries: a truck that uses a pantograph feeding it power from wires running above it. Just like a trolley or an electric train. Unlike trolleys and electric trains, however, these Scania trucks (two test ones for now) can detach from the wires to overtake another vehicle or switch lanes for any other reason, and then smoothly return to the electrified lane because they also have internal combustion engines (that run on biodiesel), as well as battery-powered electric motors. These two motors allow the truck to hop from one electrified portion of a highway to another.
Related: In World Of $50 Oil, Shale Beats Deepwater
Trucks run on diesel. Many passenger vehicles and power plants also run on diesel, of course, but trucking is one of the main domains of diesel. For now, the International Energy Agency forecasts continual growth in diesel demand, especially from emerging economies. India in particular will drive diesel demand with a more than twofold increase by 2040. In Europe, however, diesel demand is falling as more sustainable renewable options come onto the market.
Twenty-four years is a long time, and such long-term forecasts as IEAs to 2040 are uncertain at best. Indias economy is indeed likely to begin devouring a lot more diesel than they do today, but whether this momentum will stay through 2040 is far from clear.
The electrified section of the E16 highway in Sweden will be used to test the trolley-trucks for two years before Siemens and Scania announce next steps. Sweden has pledged to go completely fossil fuel-free by 2030. Electric trucks have already proved they could be more cost-efficient than fossil fuel-vehicles, albeit just in the short-haul segment for now. If the two-year tests on the E16 turn out to be a success, they could provide a major push towards greater adoption of trolley-like trucks and electrified highway lanes.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
ExxonMobil has declared force majeure on shipments at Nigerias largest crude export facility, a company spokesman told Reuters on Friday.
ExxonMobils subsidiary Mobil Producing Nigeria declared the force majeure after having observed on Thursday a system anomaly during a routine inspection of the loading facility.
ExxonMobil is trying to restore loading at the terminal to its normal level but cannot give specific a timeline, Reuters quoted the spokesman as saying.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for August delivery was up 0.07 percent to $45.71 at 11:20am on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Friday after touching an intraday low of $45.05 earlier today. Brent crude for August delivery was up 0.08 percent to $47.41.
A few days ago, Exxon dismissed claims by militant group Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) that they had blown up the Qua Iboe export facility the oil group operates.
Company spokesman Todd Spitler told Reuters on Friday there was no link between the force majeure and militant attacks in the area.
Exxon has been trying to resume normal production at the Qua Iboe export grade after an accident damaged a pipeline in late May, according to the company.
Niger Delta militancy has been on the rise this year, with NDA insurgents blowing up facilities operated by Shell and Italian Eni. Four major crude export gradesQua Iboe, Bonny Light, Brass River and Forcadoswere under force majeure in late May.
According to Norways risk analysis group Bergen Risk Solutions, as many as 65 incidents have been recorded in the region so far this year, compared to 42 incidents in 2015. The growing number of attacks cut Nigerias crude oil output to a 30-year low earlier this year.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology has issued subpoenas to the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts in a climate change investigation.
The committee, chaired by Republican Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, issued the subpoenas in the latest round of sparring over the Exxon Mobil/climate change fiasco.
The AGs receiving the subpoenas had issued subpoenas of their own during their investigations as to what Exxon Mobil may have known about climate change in recent decades, and whether or not the company was truthful with the public about that information. But in a recent news conference Rep. Randy Weber (R-Tex.) said that the attorneys general have veered away from enforcing the law to environmental activism.
In addition to the newest round of subpoenas, Smith said that the committee would issue subpoenas to eight environmental groups to discover their role in the investigations by the AGs in New York and Massachusetts.
In a statement released by the committee, Smith said, The attorneys general have appointed themselves to decide what is valid and what is invalid regarding climate change. The attorneys general are pursuing a political agenda at the expense of scientists right to free speech. The Committee has a responsibility to protect First Amendment rights of companies, academic institutions, scientists, and nonprofit organizations. That is why the Committee is obligated to ask for information from the attorneys general and others. Unfortunately, the attorneys general have refused to give the committee the information to which it is entitled. What are they hiding? And why?
Committee member Darin LaHood of Illinois accused the attorneys general of going down the path of partisan politics and attacking the people who disagree with their conclusions about climate change.
Related: U.S. Oil Rig Count Increases For 6th Time In 7 Weeks
The actions by the committee have been decried by the Union of Concerned Scientists who stated By attempting to interfere in these investigations, the chairman is directly undermining efforts to hold accountable those who intentionally misrepresent or suppress scientific information. His actions are contrary to the very principles he claims to hold dear.
On its website, the group also maintains that while Smith is championing First Amendment rights, they agree with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman who stated: The First Amendment does not give you the right to commit fraud.
The group also states that its concern is with how fossil fuel companies have misrepresented and cast doubt upon such research, and in doing so, may have misled their investors and the public.
As reported by Oilprice.com in January, New Yorks Martin Act does empower the attorney general to prosecute any companies operating in New York that are suspected of financial fraud. It doesnt require prosecutors to prove that a company intended to defraud, only that its information was inaccurate or not disclosed.
Lincoln Brown for Oilprice.com
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From some of the greatest horrors put on screen to sci-fi romances, action heroes and evil fogs, the entertainingly ridiculous and the unnervingly prescient, director John Carpenter and his legendary career have had it all.
His brilliantly crafted B-movies have inspired more than just legions of filmmakers from Quentin Tarantino to, well, pretty much any good horror/thriller over the last few years. Throughout the years, he's inspired the street artist behind the now iconic "OBEY" and Barack Obama "Hope" posters. He's inspired intense critical reevaluations of his once-underappreciated work (Roger Ebert originally referred to his icy masterpiece "The Thing" as "just a geek show, a gross-out movie in which teenagers can dare one another to watch the screen" which, sure, but that's just the slimy, gory surface to a chilly paranoia parable). At the minimum, he's inspired arguably one of the greatest movie quotes of all time.
After dominating the screen (more so now than ever before), the only place left for him to go would be the stage, where, for the first time, the director is performing his iconic movie scores as well as some of his new, just as synth-ily satisfying compositions live on tour. And for a man whose legacy has summoned some of our greatest collective nightmares and monsters, he describes the tour with a surprising word: joyous.
That's no joke, either. Chatting with the movie maestro before his tour arrives at The Pabst Theater on Monday, July 18, the most common word Carpenter used was "fun." He talked with the energetic effervescence of someone finally getting his big break, not a 68-year-old Hollywood vet, as we hit on his new tour, his iconic music and movies, and tipping his toe back into his most famous creation: "Halloween."
OnMilwaukee: This is the first time youre taking this music live with this tour. Whats it feel like to perform? Nervous?
John Carpenter: I was at the beginning, but now Im just having a blast. Its just almost criminal how much fun Im having. Im loving it.
What was that first show like?
We had a friends and family show, and it was doing a show where, "OK, let me get this under my belt. Let me try this out," because Im not used to any of this. Im used to being behind the camera; Im not used to being in front. I dont know what this is like. I dont know anything! So that was the first one; I got the fear out pretty much. Everything has gone great from then on.
Have you picked up on anything in these first sets of shows, working through the early shows?
Just to go have a good time, thats what Ive learned. See, 70 percent of this is my scores, scores from movies Ive made, and then I think 20 or 25 percent of the show is music from the last two albums Ive made. So its a mixture of things plus we have visuals going of the movies, so its a total experience for the audience. It is loud; Ill warn people on that. Its rockin out. There were a couple people in Dallas who were a little frightened of the noise level. They werent ready for it to be loud; I cant understand that.
Whats the process for you for composing this new music from "Lost Themes" and "Lost Themes II"? Do you still work with visuals the way you would with a movie?
The process is really about improvisation. The music just comes out of some instinctual place, probably from all of the movies that Ive watched throughout my life and various things and issues. So its improvising, which is just fun! I mean, god, I cant tell you how much fun this is; its amazing. I hope the audience loves it as much as I love doing it.
Is there anybody working today with scores that you think is making the kind of iconic scores you wrote? Do you think anybody is working on that inventive, iconic level?
Well, I wouldnt put it that way. Im just doing my music. I have minimal chops as a musician, I guarantee you. Im just barely getting by (laughs) so lets just say Ive been lucky in my career. But theres a lot of great composers working right now, just a lot of great ones, so I couldnt even choose.
Are there any scores that stick out in your mind?
Hans Zimmers work, from the 80s and 90s on. Its just unbelievable. Hes the greatest.
You have so many classic films from over your career, but in a lot of cases, they didnt get the respect when they were first released that they have now, dismissed as genre films. How do you feel about the increased respect your films have received over recent years?
Its great! Its better than taking a crap on my head, Ill tell you that. You always want people to like your stuff. Theres mixed feelings about me; I think there still are. I think a lot of the serious cinema folks think Im a piece of trash, but I dont know.
Do you think its the genre thing?
Sure! Of course, man; its their pornography. "You cant do this horror movie stuff." They think Im overrated; the French like me, so they think Im Jerry Lewis. Thats what its all about.
Do you think those attitudes toward genre films have improved at all?
No. Oh hell no. They havent improved; people still think theyre those kind of movies.
The fact that a movie like "The Witch" can be filmed and beautifully shot in natural light but will never be considered for Best Cinematography, while "The Revenant" did the same thing, people flocked to it and gave it awards because its a drama.
Thats right; ones a serious movie and the others just a horror movie. And this is the attitude. Its unbelievable. But hey, thats what my career has been. But I dont care now. Im playing music now. The hell with them. F*ck em.
Well, not completely. I have to ask: Theyve recently announced that youre going to be executive producer of a new "Halloween" movie. Why revisit it now? What brought you back to the world of Michael Myers?
I thought to myself that Ive been sitting around for years complaining that theyre doing sequels; why dont I get off my ass and help? Id love to work with a young director and maybe we can make something good! Maybe not; maybe itll be a piece of trash, but well try!
What do you think is the biggest pothole that writers and directors step into when theyre making a reboot or a sequel or a remake? Whats the one you want to make sure you dont make?
I just want us to have a good story. I think thats the most important thing.
How much involvement do you have on this film?
Im an executive producer, and I may do the music. Well see.
Are there any ideas circulating for it yet?
I cant tell you that; youll tell other people, and I dont want them to know yet! Were very early; were trying to reach a director and a writer. Itll take some time; you have to be patient.
Is there something youre particularly looking for in a director? Or are there any directors that intrigue you?
One of my favorite young directors is Adam Wingard. He intrigues me. I think hes got a lot of talent. He knows how to direct. Well see.
Another year, another big success for the Big Gig.
Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., officials announced Thursday that the 49th annual edition of Summerfest brought a total of 804,116 people through the Henry Maier Festival Park gates. That number was a 4.1 percent increase over the 2015 attendance.
Nearly 2,100 seasonal workers were employed during the 11-day lakefront extravaganza, with an additional 320 volunteers providing more than 3,200 hours of support services.
The Marcus Amphitheater featured a blockbuster lineup, including Paul McCartney, Luke Bryan, Sting and Peter Gabriel, Blake Shelton, a co-headlining performance by Chris Stapleton and Alabama Shakes and Weezer and Panic! At The Disco.
"Hosting the legendary Paul McCartney was just one aspect of our success in 2016," said Don Smiley, the president and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. "Thanks to an incredibly diverse lineup of talented artists, the continued participation of our fans and the commitment of our partners, vendors and volunteers, Summerfest again delivered on its status as The Worlds Largest Music Festival."
Some highlights of the hundreds of grounds-stage performances were first-timers Jason Derulo, Ryan Adams and The Shining, Garbage, Chris Isaak, Milky Chance, The Decemberists and the Hollywood Vampires. Other evening headliners, including Chris Lane, Diane Coffee, Neil Finn, Drew Baldridge and Howard Jones, also drew capacity crowds.
Summerfest improved its interactive experience via its YouTube channel this year by enhancing video performances from artists such as Violent Femmes, Fitz & the Tantrums and Willie Nelson and through interviews with O.A.R., Gavin DeGraw, Kacey Musgraves and others.
According to the festival corporation, a total of 92,271 visitors 11.4 percent of all attendees took advantage of free or discounted daily admission promotions. And Summerfest distributed 25,000 weekday tickets for free (a value of $325,000) during the Opening Day giveaway. The Skygliders 95,755 trips provided patrons unbeatable views of the grounds and lakefront. The giant Ferris wheel offered 18,428 rides, and 3,500 fest-goers used the Badger Meter paddleboats. The Meijer Hole-in-One challenge attracted 19,977 swings, though no one was lucky enough to sink the shot this year.
Next year is the 50th Summerfest, and a significant effort was made to raise excitement for it, including offering the 50,000 for Summerfest 50 promotion and giving away free commemorative tickets to the 2017 edition.
For a recap of what was this year, check out OnMilwaukees best of the 2016 Big Gig.
Silent Mile
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The racial strife of recent weeks in the U.S. has reverberated on Long Island, where I live, and in the rest of the New York Metropolitan Area and across the nation.
"I'm really pleased with the turnout. It's more than I expected it to be and it's truly a multiracial crowd," said organizer Vanessa Vascez-Corleone at a demonstration in Riverhead, Long Island.
"People of all ages, races and ethnicity turned out: children, teens, parents with babies in strollers, senior citizen--blacks, whites, Hispanics and Asians," reported the news websites RiverheadLOCAL and SoutholdLOCAL.
"That's beautiful," said Ms. Vascez-Corleone. "This is all about standing together as one, standing up to say this killing has got to stop. We have to stop the racism in the justice system. We need to stand up in Riverhead and in every community across the country." http://riverheadlocal.com/2016/07/10/black-lives-matter-protest-draws-large-crowd-downtown-riverhead-sunday/
Coming together--an antidote to hate.
Hillary Clinton put it well, on the same day of the Riverhead protest, in an interview on NBC News, in which she said: "Everyone understands that we have some very deep divides, and if we don't start addressing them--and that's a matter of urgency--I believe we'll find ourselves in an even worse downward spiral. I believe we need a national conversation, and we start showing respect toward one another, seeing each other, walking in each other's shoes." http://dailycaller.com/2016/07/08/hillary-all-of-us-are-racist-video/
"Seeing each other, walking in each other's shoes"--I've found that to be key, teaching for nearly 40 years as a professor at the State University of New York College at Old Westbury.
SUNY Old Westbury draws most of its students from Long Island and New York City.
It was established as an innovative, indeed experimental SUNY campus on a tranquil former 604-acre estate. A critical event occurred with the arrival of John Maguire as the college's president in 1970.
He had an unusual history. I interviewed him on video as part of a recent oral history done about the college. Dr. Maguire told of coming from a family in Alabama representative of the segregationist South. His grandfather was lieutenant governor of Alabama. "You could not imagine a more conservative, racist man," he said.
As a sophomore at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, he saw a sign posted about a conference in Pennsylvania for prospective ministers. It was a chance to go to the North, where he had never been.
When he got to the Crozer Theological Seminary he was advised that he would room with a Crozer student "from Atlanta, Georgia"You'll like him"He's already been named the president of the student body." The other young man was Martin Luther King. And that began "a long friendship and it was a glorious friendship," a "transformative element no doubt"in my life".We became wonderful, fast friends." For life.
Dr. Maguire became deeply involved in the civil rights movement, was a Freedom Rider, received a Ph.D. at Yale, became a professor and a provost at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and then came to head SUNY Old Westbury.
He and the faculty developed a plan to thoroughly mix people--based originally on the figures 30-30-30-10. There would be 30 percent white, 30 percent African-American, 30 percent Latino and 10 percent Asian-American, Native American and foreign students. The vision was, explained Dr. Maguire, "no one would feel left out, but it wasn't so big that one group ruled the other." The students "came together" and began "to say, 'he's not so bad, she's not so bad,' and sure enough friendships developed, and it was"remarkable."
It still is. Although the 30-30-30-10 figures aren't used any longer, Old Westbury--its student body, faculty and administration--is extraordinarily diverse. That's a central part of the educational experience at the college.
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Lebanon escalates its denial of civil rights for Palestinian Refugees
Franklin Lamb
Ain el Hilweh Palestinian camp, Lebanon
In Lebanon today, Palestinians are being threatened by the government that ISIS (Daesh) and Al Nursa are plotting to take over Ain el Helweh and the other 11 camps.
Palestinian factions and the residents of the Ain el Hilweh Palestinian camp in Saida Lebanon know very well that militant jihadist groups including ISIS (Daesh) and Al Nusra are now deeply implanted in their midst and that both are working to seize control of their camp as well as Burj el-Barajneh , 1948, El Buss , 1949 Nahr al-Bared 1949, Shatila , 1948, Wavel 1952, Mar Elias, 1954, Mieh Mieh , 1955, Beddawi 1955, Burj el-Shemali1956, Dbayeh and, Rashidieh 1963.
One jihadist activist with whom this observer has had long and sometimes contentious discussions is Imad Yassine of ISIS, including separate discussions with a representative of the pro Nusra Front group and its many camps allies led by Haitham al Shaabi.
The same "government" that systematically deprives Palestinian refugees in Lebanon of virtually all internationally mandated civil rights described below is today (7/14/2015) shrieking a la Chicken Little that the sky is falling and that "the terrorists are trying to turn the camps into a time bomb that might explode any moment." Politicians here are also threatening that "it will lead to severe repercussions for the camp's residents, who will be the first casualty of the plots of these groups." The political establishment wails : "It is totally unacceptable to turn Ain el Hilweh and other camps into hubs for terrorism that might spread to blow up entire Lebanon."
This observer does not know of one ten year old Palestinian refugee who takes seriously these hysterics. Yet it is likely that if Lebanon continues to deprive Palestinian refugees of internationally mandated civil rights that the camps will seek redress elsewhere. And they will have the support of most people of goodwill.
Nearly seven decades after the 1948 Nakba, Lebanon is increasingly depriving Palestinian refugees of elementary, internationally guaranteed civil rights. And at an accelerating pace. Unfortunately, few if any of its gentrifying and currently intensely sectarianized political class, several of whom this observer has recently interviewed or communicated with, exhibit serious interest in bucking this trend.
In addition to Palestinian refugees being denied the elementary civil right to work and to own a home, the only refugees on earth so deprived, Lebanon in massive violation of international humanitarian law, is now blocking even more civil rights.
Shatila Palestinian camp, Beirut. Photo: fplamb
The growing list of violations of Palestinian civil rights in Lebanon includes, but is not limited to, the following.
Increased discrimination against Palestinian refugee women in Lebanon
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It is vital in a Democracy to let the people speak, as this compilation of responses does here now. This concept of participatory democracy goes back to the earliest days of Athens and Pericles, and even before. In this article about Bernie as VP, I have posited an idea I feel very strongly about, and am here presenting the reactions thereunto. Vice President is a powerful position in that the powers include President of the Senate, and Bernie might find that attractive given his vast legislative agenda and the chance to get passed long overdue and desperately needed reforms in America.
Of course, this all depends on what happens at the Convention, but I want the idea to be out there to some extent, so that the Democratic National Committee cannot continue to blindside our voting base, with no impunity, as if they were ushers to the millions of lemmings they are leading to jump off the cliff, or as if they were the swindlers in the Emperor's New Clothes.
This has been the case thus far, and the complicity of the "lamestream" media has worsened matters, most egregiously in the New York based media, which has been almost totally oblivious to the hijacking and causes and of those responsible for the voter purgings in that state, as have the key law enforcement officials in that 21st Century Tammany Hall that New York has devolved into.
Let's get real here, folks! Bernie might have won the whole thing if the so-called "victory" in NY had not been thrown into his path. When the historians take apart this election, they will see how true this was, and, further, that this was the dirtiest election in American History in many decades, full of enough dirty tricks to fill several volumes.
f there are no attributions to Facebook groups as the source of the comment, then the comment came from one of the 6700 signers of the petition to New York's Attorney General for a redo of the NY Primary. I originally wanted to publish ALL of the comments but that wasn't possible, so here they are.
Vice President Seal
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Kristan Hill-Love in California Grassroots Organizing: We can only hope. Hoping. I wouldn't find it selling out. I would find this Sanders at his best constantly chastising Clinton to stay straight and not becoming more corporatist and sadly corrupt as VP Bernie would constantly be kicking Hillary in the a-- to improve.
Dan Hutchinson in Bernie Sanders: Advice and Strategies to Win! LBJ said the VP job was where some politicians go to die.
Dianne Douthat: As there is a very limited job description for the VP (other than presiding over/breaking Senate ties), it's very possible that Clinton's VP could be irrelevant after the campaign ends. I'd hate to see Sanders hog-tied by the restraints of his office. In the Senate, on the other hand, Bernie( and hopefully Warren-- same reasoning about VP makes me want her in the Senate)can work together from the Leg. branch to keep HRC and the DNC accountable for their platform by what they do/say, and by activating us, their Progressive Army. (As VP, if the Boss told Bernie to shut up-- what choice/power would he have, as part of the Executive branch??)
Lydia Melendez: I can't see Bernie even excepting VP. I think the Movement has moved on to a third party, the Convention will tell the fate, but we are ready to move on, out of the Dem Party completely..
Andy Ball: She won't pick him and VP and he won't do it. I find it incredulous that Bernie is so naive that he's not aware of how much she is despised by the electorate.
Katherine Treffi: As much as I can like that this is an alternative, I like it. I hate that Hillary would be president. She scares me. I think her lack of control and sociopathic tendencies could lead us right into a world war with Russia and China. I would like to see Bernie in a position of as much power as possible. And if by some miracle they go into investigating the Clinton Foundation the whole house of cards would fall and Bernie would be President. I would, unfortunately, vote that ticket. I don't know if Bernie wants the job, however. I would be just desserts that he become President of the Senate.
Colleen Caddell commenting in Uncensored Progressives:
Anger and outrage at the DNC is palpable, and thousands have made their minds up that, under NO circumstances, will they vote for Hillary if she wins the Democratic nomination. I am still and will remain steadfastly behind Bernie, and will wait till the very end results of the convention, before heeding his far-reaching vision for America. Which is to rally behind the Democratic Party, NO MATTER who's the nominee, in order to keep Trump from becoming President. THAT! Is our worse-case scenario...
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Rep. Gowdy questions State Department Official on Hillary Clinton Emails (C-SPAN) Rep. Trey Gowdy questions Joyce Barr, Assistant Secretary of State for Administration & Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer, about former Secretary of State ...
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It looks like Congress will spend the next several months investigating Hillary Clinton's emails. Remember what the seven Congressional Benghazi investigations, 13 hearings, and 50 briefings discovered about Hillary? Here's a hint: Nothing. Bottom line, we taxpayers spent $20.5 million so that the Republican committee members could look good to their gerrymandered right-wing constituents.
The four Americans who were killed in Benghazi and one Turkish security guard killed in Ankara were the only deaths at U.S. embassies caused by terrorists while Mrs. Clinton was Secretary of State. In May, 2014, our U.S Representative, John Garamendi stated, "During the George W. Bush period, there were 13 attacks on various embassies and consulates around the world. Sixty people died." But that's quite not true. Politifact found 39 attacks or attempted attacks on U.S. embassies and personnel and came up with a death toll of 87.
And how many Congressional committees questioned Republican President Reagan's Secretary of State, George Schultz after the April 18th, 1983, U.S. embassy bombing in Beirut that killed 63 people or, six months later, when another Beirut bomber killed 241 Marines?
I also don't recall hearing about the fact that Republicans in Congress slashed spending on diplomatic security and U.S. embassy construction by $296 million in the two years prior to the Benghazi attacks in their 807 page report. Apparently, the Republicans would rather waste our taxpayer money playing partisan political games than safeguarding our men and women serving our country overseas.
But this investigation is about Hillary, again. What top secret information went through her private email? F.B.I. Director, James Comey stated in his July 7th Congressional hearing that there were three emails marked with a small-case "c," which means they are "confidential," not "secret." The State Department responded that those classified markings on the emails were placed in error and "were no longer necessary or appropriate." The other questionable emails were classified retroactively.
During their tenures as Secretaries of State, Republicans Colin Powell and close aides to Condoleezza Rice, received retroactively classified information on their private email accounts too, just like Hillary Clinton. I can't recall the dozens of obligatory, critical Congressional investigations dissecting those individuals. Interestingly, as Secretaries of State, all three of them had the authority to classify or de-classify any information they wanted, rendering this whole discussion moot, except for political gains. And, as you watch the two Republicans leading Hillary's email inquiry, Trey Gowdy and Jason Chaffetz, realize that they too, use private email accounts.
But, Hillary used her own, private email server, and the Republicans say that's bad. Ok, but I'm sure you'll agree it's not as bad as using a server used by thousands of other people, right? And it's certainly not as bad as using the Democratic National Committee's server, right? See, it could be worse, much, much worse. And after all, she wasn't President of the United States.
And that brings us to George W. Bush. In 2007, when Congress was investigating the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys, they discovered that the Bush people were using a private email server located in the Republican National Committee Headquarters and that 22 million (Yes, million) emails had been deleted in advance of their investigation. The 2008 House Oversight Committee report stated that at least 88 senior Bush administration officials used this private email server for "official purposes." The Washington Post editorial page downplayed the incident, noting that Karl Rove may have simply received "sloppy guidance" regarding email protocol and the story blew by quickly, without endless hearings, endless headlines, or endless talk-show beatdowns.
To me, that's Republican hypocrisy on parade, my friends.
Article originally published in the Daily Bulletin
By Robert Weiner and Katie Schulze
The Justice for Victims Act, which has gained traction by passing the state Senate before the summer recess and is ready to be voted on by the Assembly, gives California the chance to take a strong stance against the Catholic Church's ongoing cover-up of child sexual abuse.
Minnesota has passed a similar bill, but California's enactment would not only protect children here but send shock waves across the country.
It is important the bill sponsored by Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, maintains its momentum and is passed by the Assembly in August before its adjournment for the year.
The bill, SB 813, would end the statute of limitations for sexual assault crimes and allow indefinite criminal prosecution of perpetrators. Sen. Leyva assures critics the bill "would in no way change the burden of proof, though it would simply offer victims additional time to come to terms with the horrible crime committed against them." The Church has lobbied extensively to block extension of the statute of limitations and ensure the perpetrator is able to go unscathed.
A similar bill -- the Child Victim's Act -- which would have helped child victims of sexual assault by increasing the statute of limitations for civil prosecution, was vetoed by supposedly liberal Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013. Los Angeles Roman Catholic Archbishop Jose Gomez, a member of the Church, openly expressed his distaste for the bill at the time in a letter to the California Catholic. Gov. Brown claimed "fairness" as his reasoning. "Past acts are indeed in the past and not subject to further lawsuits," he said in the veto message.
The Catholic Church has spent the past decade lobbying against the Child Victim's Act in several states including New York, Pennsylvania and Minnesota. To stifle the victims' voices, The Catholic Conference, which lobbies on behalf of the Catholic Church, has spent over $2 million on lobbying efforts to kill various versions of the similar Child Victim's Act in New York's legislature this past decade.
If the Justice for Victim's Act becomes law, court costs would be "devastating for the life of the church," stated Timothy Cardinal Dolan, the Catholic Church's archbishop of New York, when discussing that state's Child Victim's Act. Although the Catholic Church just in America racks in $170 billion annually, it always seems to claim bankruptcy to avoid paying for its child sex abuse. In fact, six Catholic dioceses have declared bankruptcy in the last two decades. This has allowed the institution to avoid paying a large chunk of the billion dollars in legal fees and settlements it has owed, denying justice to at least 1,835 victims who have accused clergymen of sexual assault.
The Church is not the victim for having to pay financially for the outrages its presiders, from clergymen to cardinals, have conducted. Why must the true victims -- the victims of sexual assault -- be haunted by their abuse while the Church sweeps its wrongdoings under the rug? The movie "Spotlight" has shown what Church abuse and cover-ups can do to victims. Now that the state Senate has stepped up, it's time for the Assembly and Gov. Brown to do likewise.
Robert Weiner was a White House spokesman, a spokesman for the Government House Operations Committee, and senior staff member for Congressmen John Conyers, Charles Rangel, Ed Koch, Claude Pepper and Sen. Ted Kennedy. Katie Schulze is senior religion policy analyst for Robert Weiner Associates and Solutions for Change.
Part I
The idea of a race war occurring in the United States today, much less one that leads to open genocide, is not something that the American people see as a real possibility. Yet the United States was born of genocide. The ethnic cleansing of Indigenous peoples starting in the Eastern United States through events such as the Trail of Tears was a continuation of the mass genocide began by the Conquistadores of Spain. Millions of Indigenous Americans were victims of the expansion of European civilization across the Americas including the ethnic cleansing that was the American-Indian Wars.
Similarly, the slave trade costs millions of Africans their lives during the Middle Passage. Victims of the Middle Passage were packed like sardines in slave ships for months on end. They died of suffocation, disease, malnutrition and violence and then were thrown overboard without any modicum of dignity. After the civil war--in the face of "freedom and Reconstruction," the rise of the Klu Klux Klan initiated a wave of ethnic cleansing. The Klan not only lynched a myriad of Black individuals and farmer families, they also murdered and burned-down entire towns comprised of African American people. Such events wiped Black lives and places off the map of America forever. Others faced ethnic cleansing as well. During the conquest of the Western territories thousands of Mexicans were brutalized, hung and chased off of lands that their families had lived on for generations. The Chinese also faced lynching and white race riots. Moreover, such violent racial aggression continued well into the Twentieth Century.
Much of the racially based brutality throughout American history occurred at the hands of white commoners (i.e., not government sponsored actions). However, the policies that implicitly supported and sometimes explicitly initiated the ethnic cleansing in America almost always emanated from the highest levels of society--the moneyed power elite and the governments that they control.
The genocidal underpinnings of America did not stop with the above obvious examples it evolved and continues to this day. The American Indians herded onto reservations and African Americans forced to endure Jim Crow faced such poverty and cultural destruction that the mortality rate and socio-cultural deformity for these communities were crushing and continue to reverberate today. The assault on communities of color, theoretically, evolved from slavery and ethnic cleansing, Jim Crow and American Indian reservations and then through the intellectual inspiration of Eugenics to legislation supportive of abortion as a remedy for poverty. "Family planning" is today emphasized in poor communities of color. Overall society may see these "pro-choice" efforts as benevolent, even so, the result addresses a goal established by the Eugenics movement in that it emphasizes the reduction of people of color in America. From this point of view population control can indeed be described as having an element of ethnic culling--a kinder gentler form of ethnic cleansing . This matters because there is political power in numbers. In the nineteen-nineties new laws on drug offenses (that implicitly targeted people of color) and the three-strikes-you're-out laws (even for the most minor offenses like shop-lifting) led to millions of Black men and women becoming incarcerated for decades, often for life. This in effect was a powerful birth control imposition that also impeded the growth of the African American community. We cannot confirm that the policies described above have been implemented with an eye on ethnic culling. However, the fact that talking about the consequences of these policies is (almost) a social taboo is telling of the implicit aggression that still exists around race in this country. America is steeped in implicit and explicit racial aggression that could lead to full-blown genocide. Full-blown genocide is apart of America's DNA and it waits, like all DNA, to be activated by the right environment.
The emerging environment for full-blown genocide in America today begins with the will of members of the Elite such as Donald Trump, Rupert Murdoch and so forth. What (in addition to racial hatred) could motivate such an elite to initiate a campaign of full-blown racial genocide in America today? The answer is the same things that motivated the Donald Trumps of American history to commit genocide in the past--a greed and power-lust so perverse as to demand control of all resources whatsoever--be it land and slaves to todays monetary policy, internet, media, crop seeds, even our thoughts and genetics. The Elites motivation for genocide is and has always been fear and greed. Genocide is a tool used to redirect the anxiety and anger of the masses. It allows the Elite to feed their insatiable, narcissistic, psychopathic greed and lust for power while others pay the price for their deeds.
The rise of Trump represents one group of elites challenging another group for top dog status. There methods differ but not their goals. If the likes of the Clintons and Obamas could make tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of dollars as an indirect result of their presidencies (for themselves, not to mention the billions reaped by their Elite controllers)--what could a man like Trump garner for himself and the Rupert Murdochs of the world? The masses, of course, potentially stand in the way of all these Elite acquisitions. The solution posed by the problem of the masses is dividing and conquering. A prime mechanisms for implementing the divide and conquer strategy is use of us against them memes that blame the victim and thereby establish scapegoats whom the Elite can deflect their sins onto. These memes prepare the minds to be manipulated into carrying out all kinds of acts on behalf of the Elite including genocide through war, slavery or ethnic cleansing. The minds of those needed to implement the genocide must first be inundated with the emotions of fear, anger, envy, and greed in order to assimilate the us-against-them-memes into their worldview and energize them for activation. The convenient rise of Obama (and the white anger that followed), the success of the Black athlete, immigrant workers, Black Lives Matter, Latinos ("fastest growing population in America"), Affirmative Action, China's economic challenge to America and let's not forget Middle Eastern inspired terrorism--fill much of white America with all the above emotions. How these images are framed makes all the difference in the world and they have too often been framed by media coverage in a manner that divides Americans along racial lines. The argument that is used to justify this reporting style is that it's done for ratings. However, it cannot be creditably argued that the media is unaware of the social consequences of this approach.
The act of genocide requires that the in-group have power over the out-group--the group to be exterminated. Initiators of genocide target the defenseless. They target the mentally ill, the sick, the old and the poor--the voiceless. They also target the defamed, those that the institutions of the society deem "evil." For example, the popular saying of the Ninetieth Century "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" (promoted in the literature of the day) illustrates the tactic, as does the accusation that problems facing post WWI Germany were the fault of "evil thieving Jews and Gypsies" (also promoted in the literature of the day). Genocidal gateway memes (i.e., cultural ideas that open the door to genocide) continue in America through the decades, e.g., the "super-predator" (black youth) that emerged in the 1990s, and today the "rapist, murderous, drug importing Mexican" (the undocumented Hispanic worker). The idea that terrorism is some how synonymous with all Middle Eastern looking people is another example. These memes are part of a dehumanization process that grants society permission to harass, oppress, incarcerate and ultimately target entire groups for murder and ethnic cleansing. Those in-group individuals that challenge this system legally, and all that protest against it of course risks being targets as well.
Part II
The American population has been undergoing a battle against oppressive rule by the Economic Elite since it was a colony of the British Empire. Resistance includes the movement to unionize, the women's right to vote movement, the Civil Rights Movement and most recently the Occupy, Tea Party and Black Lives Matter movements. These awakenings can be of course the greatest threat to the elite who hold economic power over the masses as their core value and prime objective. The elite can also use awakenings of the masses to further their desired end. In defense of their power, no guile is too diabolical to employ, including co-opting/instigating social movements and using them like sheep's clothing to conceal their wolf-like predatory intentions (e.g., the Tea Party movement).
In the 1980s, members of America's Elite launched an offensive against the progress achieved by many of the awakenings described above and the middle class in general. During this effort, the CIA's introduction of drugs and illegal guns (possibly gang organizational structures and values as well) into ghettos, laid the foundation for gang culture and activity, and ultimately the new Jim Crow and prison industrial slave complex that followed. The CIA's efforts ultimately worked in concert with the Clinton administration's 1990's policies on crime. But this was just part of the elite's strategy--globalization and trade agreements created a smaller and smaller economic pie that the American masses had to share (while elites like Trump grew richer). To manage the growing resentment, there would have to be scapegoats. Right wing radio talk shows and Fox News walked point on creating--through dog whistle racist reporting and editorials--white anger and fear directed toward Blacks, Mexicans, Muslims and the Chinese. Yet the media has all but ignored the fact it was the policies of the Economic Elite that birthed the above sources of white fear. It was CIA activities, trade agreements, militaristic foreign policy that lead to the rise of ISIS, drug gangs, jobs leaving and immigrants entering our country. That is, until very recently--when such information could be used to create a new illusion capable of co-opting the white working class--a billionaire populist, aka Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims and Chinese have been successfully blamed for these problems and many white Americans believe they should pay the price! This shifting of responsibility was easily achieved by playing on deeply rooted cultural orientations of the white masses (fear and rejection of people of color and historic scapegoating of these communities). This practice of scapegoating people of color is an institution of the American media owned by the Economic Elite. It is the elite who stand to benefit most from racial divisions because it weakens the working class that could challenge their rule.
The media is the primary apparatus for disseminating the genocidal-gateway memes that target communities of color for imprisonment and death. Media sources from The Economist (see "Under Attack" June 4th-10th, 2016) to numerous Fox News sources and Real Time with Bill Maher are calling to normalize "politically incorrect" language and consequently provide the likes of Donald Trump with cover. The cameras of the American genocide apparatus already focus on any little action that support the notion that the races are a threat to each other, as opposed to our economic or policing systems being threats to the American worker. For example, there have been numerous police shootings of unarmed white Americans (e.g., Zach Hammond), but instead of giving these cases the same elevated status as police shootings of racial minorities, the media buries them. The result is reality distorted in a manner that encourages a racial divide.
Since the elite benefit from the racial divide, it is possible that elite entities purposely help inspire the emergence of social movements like Black Lives Matter. Police lynchings (i.e., shootings, beatings or choking to death unarmed Black Americans) have been going on in this country since slavery. But through the use of the media, awareness of these state-sanctioned killings has been elevated just in time to inspire a movement that helps to frame the 2016 election as racial conflict. The billions of dollars of free media lavished on Donald Trump's suspicious rise not only empowers a figurehead of hate, but pours gasoline on the fires of racial conflict needed to turn this country into an open police state!
Under a Trump Administration, the riots will be bloody and the crackdowns brutal. When the conflict spills over into white communities, the stage will be set for the coming race war that communities of color can not possible win. Not only do communities of color lack the population, money, organization and mass media to defend themselves effectively in a race war, but preparations by the policies and programs described above have ensured that such a war would be a slaughter of the bloodiest kind. The CIA inspired drug gang wars and Clinton policies not only helped further the political disenfranchisement of Black and Latino communities, they helped minimize legal gun ownership in communities of color, while encouraging white America to legally arm themselves and "stand their ground." Millions of Black felons not only lost their right to vote for life, they also lost the right to legally bare arms. The violence in African American and Latino communities created by drug wars (with illegal guns) helped fuel the Democratic Party mantra for making legal purchases of guns more difficult. The anti-gun meme reproduced widely among Democrats, which a very large majority of Black and Latinos identify with. This has resulted in less legally armed communities of color. It also means that a smaller percentage of people of color will be legally concealing and carry during any race war that may emerge. Consequently, it also means that they will be less trained in using firearms and less able to "stand their ground" legally in the event they are attacked by Trump followers. Of course, an argument can be made that a Black man with a gun is a target for police with or without a permit to carry. But certainly, the illegal use of guns in self-defense by people of color would summon the full weight of our militarized police apparatus and heavily biased judiciary.
The anti-gun lobby became a mainstay of the Democratic Party, but it didn't win over the Donald Trump crowd. Instead, it encourages them to load up on arms and ammunition before Obama or some other Democrat can take their guns and ammunition away. More and more white Americans continue to arm themselves, encouraged by right-wing media personalities that have mastered the dog-whistle-racist-call-to-arms such as Glen Beck. Moreover, the message to whites, if you listen carefully to "stand your ground" legal cases, is that in the shooting of a Black man in the name of "self-defense," you will likely not be charged or jailed (e.g., George Zimmerman). Why is this the case? The "super-predator" meme is why. It's even more so the case with respect to police killings of unarmed Black men and women. In fact, police lynching of people of color is becoming normalized in America. We see them prominently on the news, and we see that the Black community is enraged. We also see time and time again the police go free. The message is clear--it's perfectly legal for police to kill unarmed Blacks. The consequences of this message is either 1) a retaliation where police are gun down by unstable and unaffiliated Black shooters, providubg the illusion that the Black community is a highly militarized threat to white America, justifying further crack downs, and plays perfectly into the hands of white supremacist seeking a race war or, 2) nothing changes and whites become one step closer to being accustomed to "infotainment" news of modern day police lynching Black men and women.
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Someone's crying, Lord, kumbaya
- From the Gullah song meaning, Lord, come by here and help us
There was a true kumbaya moment after the Dallas cop massacre similar to the moment after 9/11 when sympathy was expressed for America from many unexpected quarters around the world. That window began to close when US leaders took a hard line and vengefully attacked an un-implicated nation to counter the very sense of vulnerability that moved people of the world to sympathize with us. Similarly, the sympathy for attacked cops in Dallas may be evaporating thanks to a familiar sociological dynamic involving in-group, out-group identification.
Sociologists and psychologists call this "the ultimate attribution error." As explained in an interesting New York Times article by Amanda Taub, it's when people "attribute another group's positive actions to random chance or circumstance but assume that [the other group's] negative actions reflect the group's core nature." That is, in times of stress, people "circle the wagons" around their own kind based on a belief that their motives are human and honorable; those of the projected enemy are the essence of pure evil. "Once you dehumanize them, it's easier to justify violence," says Professor John Dovidio of the Inter-Group Relations Lab at Yale.
This can be seen on both sides of the Black Lives Matter versus Blue Lives Matter conflict. For me, it involves anger, laziness and a failure of courage to see or listen to or talk with a perceived enemy. Better to huddle up with your own pack and project your fears on the other guy.
Sean Hannity and a Black Lives Matter protester
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As I bounced around cable news in the days following the Dallas cop massacre, no one was worse (maybe I should say "better") at this than the odious Sean Hannity. (I confess, I'm biased: Sean Hannity is the root of all evil.) Hannity loves to point out his enemy's shortcomings: that is, that examples of bad-cop behavior becomes for some an overarching metaphor for all-cops-are-bad and the System is totally based on white supremacy. The trouble is, he then does the same thing ten times over.
Five days after the Dallas massacre, on July 11, he opened his show with: "The left's war against law enforcement is now intensifying." He proceeded to present a highly energized, demonizing tirade against Black Lives Matter that should be studied as a classic example of the ultimate attribution error. He exploited an out-of-context chant from people reportedly attending a Black Lives Matter demonstration a year or so ago. The chant was: "Pigs in a blanket; fry 'em like bacon. What do we want? Dead cops. When do we want 'em? Now!" There's wide agreement whatever happened in this case wasn't the Black Lives Matter movement's finest moment; but it certainly did not characterize the greater movement, which is non-violent. Nonetheless, Hannity brandished the quote like a weapon, hacking and slashing, using it to interrupt and batter any of his guests who made even the slightest effort to defend or explain Black Lives Matter. Without a hint of embarrassment, he employed it over-and-over-and-over-and-over. (So many iterations are necessary to capture Hannity's untempered bullying style.) Guests like Geraldo Rivera and Daryl Parks, an attorney for the Michael Brown family in Ferguson, were simply overwhelmed and gave up trying to explain how he was twisting the matter. These men would have had to bellow or punch him in the face to be heard. Hannity then closed that part of the show and moved on to nauseatingly stroke Rudy Guiliani, who further demonized Black Lives Matter as the worst thing that ever happened to African Americans. His mayoral term and his "broken windows/stop-and-frisk" police policy, of course, were literally the best things that ever happened to African American New Yorkers.
I imagine millions of retired white Americans in loungers eating this stuff up. If that's all one watches or reads on the story, the ultimate attribution error rules. It was said of Ronald Reagan that, like Giuliani, his assurances that his policies were good for minorities and Black Americans was to assure white Americans they had no cause to be concerned: He had African Americans' interests at heart. On top of such reassurances, the relentless attack on Black Lives Matters acts as a classic propaganda campaign to form in the minds of the audience a well-defined enemy. These are the bad guys, the cause of all our problems. It's the identical dynamic that emphasizes "radical Islam" in the War On Terror context. It's an example of branding the ultimate attribution error as a catchy, memorable phrase. RADICAL ISLAM. BLACK LIVES MATTER. Hear the words intoned over and over enough associated with pure evil and a true warlike mindset is established. Since their tool is language as obfuscation -- versus language for clarity -- their efforts spew out a fog of war, which further makes their "enemy" stand out starkly in the fog.
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Americans may be wondering why France appears to bear the brunt of terror attacks in Europe. The answer is that France has been the most heavily involved in colonialism, starting after Napoleon's forays into Egypt in the early nineteenth century. It was not until the late twentieth century that Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco won their independence, after long years of war. Not to mention France's 'presence' in East, West and Equatorial Africa, that in one form or another, has continued to this day https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_possessions_and_colonies ./
French Foreign Legion - Photo by David F Putnam
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In the 1960's, foreign attention was focused on France's desperate attempts to retain Vietnam, that ultimately brought a large Vietnamese diaspora. But its involvement in Africa is what explains the presence of large numbers of Muslims in the country. Add to that former President Sarkozy's decision to join the campaign against Libya's Ghaddafi, and the insistence of its current president, Hollande that "Assad must go" (from its former Syrian protectorate). and it should surprise no one that the country's vaunted 'rayonnement' has turned to disaster.
For decades, second generation Muslims living in low-income housing have felt that they are not fully accepted and not well prepared to compete in the modern job-market, while at the same time unable to feel at home in their countries of origin.
As Europe begins to re-examine the value of the Atlantic Alliance, the latest terrorist attack in France may remind it that although its struggle against terrorists is not over, Russia has been able to evolve relatively sophisticated policies toward its Muslim neighbors.
by Dan Lucas
Gov. Kate Brown announced today Oregonians United to End Gun Violence, a plan to reduce gun violence in Oregon and across the country. She is joining other anti-gun officials to release new policies and legislation that protects Oregonians from gun-related acts of violence.
According to OPB, Brown is calling on the legislature to pass three new laws to improve gun safety in the 2017 session. Her proposed legislation would 1) allow the Oregon State Police to further delay background checks for gun sales, 2) expand the types of relationships that qualify as domestic violence and 3) prohibit the purchase of expanded capacity magazines. KTVZ has additional detail on Gov. Browns three anti-gun legislative priorities.
In her announcement, Gov. Brown states In Oregon, 2,280 Oregonians an average of 456 people each year died from firearms-related injuries between 2010 and 2014.
Those are extremely deceptive and misleading numbers.
Of the average of 455 people who died each year between 2010-2014 from firearms-related injuries, 378 were suicides, 56 were homicides, 11 were the result of legal intervention (law enforcement), 6 were accidents and 4 were undetermined.
It is wrong and deceptive to be including the number of suicides where firearms were used. The Washington Post reported last October studies have shown little connection between suicides and access to guns.
The article goes on to note A 2004 report published by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that some gun control policies may reduce the number of gun suicides, but they have not yet been shown to reduce the overall risk of suicide in any population. Japan, for instance, has among the worlds most-restrictive gun-control regimes and yet also has among the worlds highest suicide rates, almost double the U.S. suicide rate.
Gov. Brown should make her case with honest and non-deceptive statistics she should not be misleading the public to advance an agenda.
No Bloomberg campaign contributions to Gov. Brown yet
Gov. Brown is running for re-election against Republican Bud Pierce, a Salem physician. A recent poll by icitizen found that Brown leads Pierce by only 7 points 4 points less than the state Democratic voter registration advantage. Browns campaign has raised about $1.7 million this year and shows a current balance of around $1.5 million. Pierces campaign has raised around $1.4 million this year and has $300,000 on hand. Unlike Brown, Pierce had a competitive primary race.
Browns fellow Democrat Val Hoyle got a huge $250,000 donation from New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg in her Secretary of State Primary race this year, which according to the Eugene Register-Guard was for her leadership in passing Oregons [2015] background check bill.
Bloombergs Everytown for Gun Safety also gave $250,000 to John Kitzhaber in his 2014 governor race.
It does not appear that Gov. Kate Brown has received any campaign donations from Bloomberg yet.
UPDATE 9/12/2016 Statesman Journal: Gov. Brown nets $250k donation from Michael Bloomberg
Bloombergs donation, which is Browns largest single contribution ever, comes on the heels of the governors announcement in July that she plans to pursue a package of legislation combating gun violence in Oregon.
NOTE: For a PDF version of the above chart, with functioning hyperlinks, please click here.
To read more from Dan, visit www.dan-lucas.com
The private prison industry's two biggest playersCorrections Corporation of America and the GEO Grouprake in a combined total of $3.3 billion in annual revenue. Credit: Greg Grinnell
Private prisons are a particularly hot topic these days, the setting of the Netflix dramedy Orange is the New Black and the subject of a recent 35,000-word Mother Jones expose, in which a reporter went undercover as a corrections officer at a Louisiana for-profit prison to shed light on the facility's harsh conditions.
For-profit companies run more than 150 jails, prisons, and detention centers in the U.S., overseeing approximately 8 percent of the total prison population. And the industry's two biggest playersCorrections Corporation of America and the GEO Grouprake in a combined total of $3.3 billion in annual revenue. Private corporations house approximately half of all immigrant detainees, according to a Huffington Post report, and many private prison contracts include a so-called "lockup quota."
Here, mass incarceration expert Natasha Frost, associate professor in the College of Social Science and Humanities' School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and its associate dean of graduate studies, explains how private prisons are changing the criminal justice system.
Between 1999 and 2010, the number of inmates serving sentences in private prisons grew by 80 percent. To what do you attribute the increase in the number of prisoners being held in these for-profit facilities?
Honestly, it's more complicated than that one statistic suggests. Prison populations grew across the country over that decade, so the growth can be partly explained by more general trends in prison population growth. More importantly, any national statistic in this area masks the many different state stories around the use of private prisons. Over that same period, from 1999 to 2010, more states canceled private prison contracts than initiated them. Some states, including Massachusetts, never got into the business of contracting with private prison corporations, while others invested more heavily over time. One place we certainly saw exponential growth was in the use of private prisons and detention facilities within the federal system and some of this growth can be tied to immigration enforcement.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is among a small group of lawmakers who have worked hard but unsuccessfully to eliminate the nation's private prison system, co-sponsoring the Justice is Not For Sale Act in the fall of 2015. "We need to start treating prisoners like human beings," he said at the time. "Private companies should not be profiting from their incarceration." What are some of the ways in which private prisons are cutting corners to boost their bottom line?
Sanders is certainly not alone in his distaste for profiting on incarceration. We have a problem with mass incarceration in this countrya problem that people on both sides of the political spectrum now recognize and are trying to alleviate. Mass incarceration is very expensive and regardless of who profits, the taxpayers pay. Across for-profit prisons, there are built-in incentives to send people to prison and to cut costs once they are there. Private prisons have definitely been accused of cutting costs to increase profit margins and this has been most notable in the areas of staffing and healthcare provision. Private prisons pay their employees less, offer fewer hours of training to new employees, and have higher rates of turnover than their publicly run counterparts. Perhaps not surprisingly, higher incidence of violence across these facilities is frequently tied to the problems in attracting and keeping well-trained, qualified correctional staff. All of these problems come across quite clearly in the Mother Jones piece.
The journalist who went undercover for the Mother Jones expose noted that prison life changed him. "I feel ashamed of my lack of self-control, my growing thirst for punishment and vengeance," he wrote. "I'm getting afraid of the expanding distance between the person I am at home and the one behind the wire." As a researcher conducting a three-year study that aims to identify early indicators of stress in corrections officers, what do you believe are the biggest challenges facing the life of a CO both on and off the job?
So much research has focused on the effects of the prison environment on the inmates and comparatively little on the effects on those who have to work in these institutions. Despite a relative paucity of current research, we know that correctional work certainly takes its toll, with lasting effects on the behavioral, emotional, and physical well-being of officers. Here in Massachusetts for example, the suicide rate among corrections officers over the past six years has been five times higher than the national average and eight times higher than the suicide rate in Massachusetts more generally, where the suicide rate tends to be lower than the national average. These are truly devastating statistics and the tragic losses have taken their toll on the families, friends, and co-workers of the officers who have died by suicide.
Thankfully, correctional officer well-being has become a core concern in corrections and has become increasingly important to my own research on the consequences of mass incarceration. Carlos Monteiro, PhD'15, and I have had the privilege of working with correctional officers working in facilities across the Massachusetts Department of Correction as we begin to capture the myriad ways in which this occupation affects the lives of those who work in these institutions.
Explore further Racial makeup of private prisons shows disparities, new study finds
Renderings show UNT aviation logistics students' concept for a new airport app, Paeros. Credit: University of North Texas
Ever been lost in an airport terminal or nearly miss a flight because you were late? An airport app concept created by University of North Texas students may provide the answer to these and other air travel issues. The concept, unveiled at the American Association of Airport Executives conference this month in Houston, is designed to give flight passengers easier travel experiences.
The concept Paeros helped the UNT team dominate during the student research competition hosted at the association's annual conference, considered a premier event for aviation professionals. Incidentally, this was also the first time UNT aviation logistics have competed in an external contest. The students Michael Hafner of Ovilla, Texas; David Looney of Austin, Texas; Austin Stromberg of Lake Jackson, Texas; and Hong Yun Yong of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia won first place during the student research contest.
"Paeros is like 'Google Maps' for inside an airport terminal," said David Looney, UNT's team captain and president of the UNT student chapter of the association. "But what makes this unique is the capability for airport personnel to tap into the system to increase the safety and situational awareness for both customers and employees."
Similar technology for navigating airports exists, but the UNT student concept pulls data from across terminals nationwide into a single app saving time, and potentially money, for passengers who would otherwise be compelled to use individual systems for each airport they travel to. It also provides micro-location iBeacons that gives passengers the option to provide their location to carriers and airport managers. This is data passengers can opt to share if they are running late for a flight or if an emergency or safety concern occurs that they want to inform airport personnel about, said Looney.
"The idea for this app spotlights UNT's business approach to aviation education," said Steve Joiner, aviation logistics lecturer and faculty advisor for the winning team. "Airport managers today are basically managing the logistics of a small city. Other institutes have aviation degrees with a business application, and while the difference may be nuanced, it has a huge impact in the actual business application to the industry."
Explore further NASA launches 5-year tech demo to improve air traffic flow at airports
An autonomous surface vehicles from Georgia Institute of Technology, navigates an obstacle course during the 9th annual AUVSI Foundation and Office of Naval Research-sponsored International RoboBoat competition held in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Student teams design autonomous, robotic boats to navigate and race through an aquatic obstacle course. Credit: US Navy photo by John F. Williams
The future of naval engineering was on display last week, as 13 teams of high school and college students did battle at the ninth annual RoboBoat Competition in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The competitionsponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Foundationis a robotics contest where teams program their student-built autonomous surface vehicles to navigate through a series of water-based challenges.
"Every challenge in the competition is designed to mimic real-life maritime missions," said Kelly Cooper, a program officer in ONR's Sea Warfare and Weapons Department, Ship Systems and Engineering Research Division. "This competition really tests the engineering design and autonomous capabilities of the boatas well as helps these students develop the engineering skills needed to be successful in a possible future in the naval research community."
Teams had two mandatory tasks and five missions to complete this year, all having to be done fully autonomously with no human guidance or intervention.
The mandatory tasks demonstrated the quality of each boat design by testing its propulsion, speed, navigation and basic sensing abilities. All of these tasks had to be successfully completed for any mission challenge points to be awarded.
This year's mission challenges were designed to showcase the boat's autonomous capabilities and included obstacle avoidance, automated docking, acoustic beacon positioning, launch, recovery and communication with an autonomous underwater vehicle, and finally, return to dock.
"We know that students want to win, but we hope they find the learning process rewarding as well," said Cooper. "We want them to walk away with experience and understanding of how their skills can be used to help the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard and the nation."
Autonomous vehicles have grown in importance in recent years, with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson stressing the importance of autonomy and unmanned systems in A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority.
Recent naval-sponsored programsincluding EMILY [Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard], Sea Hunter, Autonomous Swarmboats and Low-Cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Swarming Technology (known as LOCUST)are just beginning to scratch the surface of the types of support autonomous and unmanned systems will be able to provide to warfighters, from coastal surveillance to water rescues, and from surface warfare to port security and special operations.
"As the science behind autonomous and unmanned systems continues to improve, you will begin to see more autonomous missions which free Sailors and Marines for other tasks and protects them from some of their dangerous duties," said Cooper. "It's important that students participating in programs like RoboBoat know that they are a part of that processthey are fostering innovation through competition for the next generation of these types of naval systems."
Georgia Institute of Technology was this year's biggest winner, bringing home the top prize of $10,000. Florida Atlantic University won second prize and $4,000; Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember took third and $2,500; and the Daytona Beach Homeschoolers came in fourth, earning $1,500. Smaller awards of $1,000 and $500 in various special award categories went to the University of Ulsan, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Other participants were Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Old Dominion University, SRM University, U.S. Naval Academy, Universitas Indonesia, University of Michigan and the University of West Florida.
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This artist's impression depicts the accretion disc surrounding a black hole, in which the inner region of the disc precesses. In these three views, the precessing inner disc shines high energy radiation that strikes the matter in the surrounding accretion disc, causing the iron atoms in that disc to emit in X-rays, depicted as the glow on the accretion disc to the right (in view a), to the front (in view b) and to the left (in view c). A study, using data from ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray Observatory and NASA's NuSTAR telescope, measured this 'wobble' in the iron line X-ray emission, and interpreted this as evidence for the Lense-Thirring effect in the strong gravitational field of a black hole. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
The European Space Agency's orbiting X-ray observatory, XMM-Newton, has proved the existence of a "gravitational vortex" around a black hole. The discovery, aided by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) mission, solves a mystery that has eluded astronomers for more than 30 years, and will allow them to map the behavior of matter very close to black holes. It could also open the door to future investigations of Albert Einstein's general relativity.
Matter falling into a black hole heats up as it plunges to its doom. Before it passes into the black hole and is lost from view forever, it can reach millions of degrees. At that temperature it shines X-rays into space.
In the 1980s, pioneering astronomers using early X-ray telescopes discovered that the X-rays coming from stellar-mass black holes in our galaxy flicker. The changes follow a set pattern. When the flickering begins, the dimming and re-brightening can take 10 seconds to complete. As the days, weeks and then months progress, the period shortens until the oscillation takes place 10 times every second. Then, the flickering suddenly stops altogether.
The phenomenon was dubbed the Quasi Periodic Oscillation (QPO). "It was immediately recognized to be something fascinating because it is coming from something very close to a black hole," said Adam Ingram, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, who began working to understand QPOs for his doctoral thesis in 2009.
During the 1990s, astronomers had begun to suspect that the QPOs were associated with a gravitational effect predicted by Einstein's general relativity: that a spinning object will create a kind of gravitational vortex.
"It is a bit like twisting a spoon in honey. Imagine that the honey is space and anything embedded in the honey will be "dragged" around by the twisting spoon," explained Ingram. "In reality, this means that anything orbiting a spinning object will have its motion affected." In the case of an inclined orbit, it will "precess." This means that the whole orbit will change orientation around the central object. The time for the orbit to return to its initial condition is known as a precession cycle.
In 2004, NASA launched Gravity Probe B to measure this so-called Lense-Thirring effect around Earth. After painstaking analysis, scientists confirmed that the spacecraft would turn through a complete precession cycle once every 33 million years.
Around a black hole, however, the effect would be much more noticeable because of the stronger gravitational field. The precession cycle would take just a matter of seconds or less to complete. This is so close to the periods of the QPOs that astronomers began to suspect a link.
Ingram began working on the problem by looking at what happened in the flat disc of matter surrounding a black hole. Known as an accretion disc, it is the place where material gradually spirals inwards towards the black hole. Scientists had already suggested that, close to the black hole, the flat accretion disc puffs up into a hot plasma, in which electrons are stripped from their host atoms. Termed the hot inner flow, it shrinks in size over weeks and months as it is eaten by the black hole. Together with colleagues, Ingram published a paper in 2009 suggesting that the QPO is driven by the Lense-Thirring precession of this hot flow. This is because the smaller the inner flow becomes, the closer to the black hole it would approach and so the faster its Lense-Thirring precession cycle would be. The question was: how to prove it?
"We have spent a lot of time trying to find smoking gun evidence for this behavior," said Ingram.
XMM-Newton. Credit: ESA
The answer is that the inner flow is releasing high-energy radiation that strikes the matter in the surrounding accretion disc, making the iron atoms in the disc shine like a fluorescent light tube. The iron releases X-rays of a single wavelengthreferred to as "a spectral line."
Because the accretion disc is rotating, the iron line has its wavelength distorted by the Doppler effect. Line emission from the approaching side of the disc is squashedblue shiftedand line emission from the receding disc material is stretchedred shifted. If the inner flow really is precessing, it will sometimes shine on the approaching disc material and sometimes on the receding material, making the line wobble back and forth over the course of a precession cycle.
Seeing this wobbling is where XMM-Newton came in. Ingram and colleagues from Amsterdam, Cambridge, Southampton and Tokyo applied for a long-duration observation that would allow them to watch the QPO repeatedly. They chose black hole H 1743-322, which was exhibiting a four-second QPO at the time. They watched it for 260,000 seconds with XMM-Newton. They also observed it for 70,000 seconds with NASA's NuSTAR X-ray observatory.
"The high-energy capability of NuSTAR was very important," Ingram said. "NuSTAR confirmed the wobbling of the iron line, and additionally saw a feature in the spectrum called a 'reflection hump' that added evidence for precession."
After a rigorous analysis process of adding all the observational data together, they saw that the iron line was wobbling in accordance with the predictions of general relativity. "We are directly measuring the motion of matter in a strong gravitational field near to a black hole," says Ingram.
This is the first time that the Lense-Thirring effect has been measured in a strong gravitational field. The technique will allow astronomers to map matter in the inner regions of accretion discs around black holes. It also hints at a powerful new tool with which to test general relativity.
Einstein's theory is largely untested in such strong gravitational fields. So if astronomers can understand the physics of the matter that is flowing into the black hole, they can use it to test the predictions of general relativity as never before - but only if the movement of the matter in the accretion disc can be completely understood.
"If you can get to the bottom of the astrophysics, then you can really test the general relativity," says Ingram. A deviation from the predictions of general relativity would be welcomed by a lot of astronomers and physicists. It would be a concrete signal that a deeper theory of gravity exists.
Larger X-ray telescopes in the future could help in the search because they are more powerful and could more efficiently collect X-rays. This would allow astronomers to investigate the QPO phenomenon in more detail. But for now, astronomers can be content with having seen Einstein's gravity at play around a black hole.
"This is a major breakthrough since the study combines information about the timing and energy of X-ray photons to settle the 30-year debate around the origin of QPOs. The photon-collecting capability of XMM-Newton was instrumental in this work," said Norbert Schartel, ESA Project Scientist for XMM-Newton.
The results reported in this article are published in "A quasi-periodic modulation of the iron line centroid energy in the black hole binary H 1743-322", by Adam Ingram and colleagues, to appear in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 461 (2): 1967-1980
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Credit: Fauna & Flora International
What do you call a bug with no eyes? If ever there were a group who could give you a smart answer to this question, it would be the members of the IUCN SSC Cave Invertebrate Specialist Group, who convened recently to assess the status of southern Vietnam's karst (limestone) wildlife.
The meeting, which was hosted by Fauna & Flora International (FFI), focused on Hon Chong in southern Vietnam a 258 hectare karst ecosystem that is home to the entire world population of at least 31 threatened species (six of which are Critically Endangered).
As discussions unfolded and calculators clicked, the assembled experts arrived at a jaw-dropping conclusion: that this area appears to contain a larger number of threatened endemic species than any other habitat of comparable size on the entire planet.
Karst of thousands
Characterised by dramatic limestone hills and caves, karst landscapes form some of the most breathtaking vistas on our planet. The isolated nature of these hills and caves, and the extreme conditions often found within them, have created the perfect recipe for a highly biodiverse landscape, rich in endemic species that are unique to the area.
And what species they are an array of bizarre and unique invertebrates living on bare rock outcrops or in the dark of deep soil and caves (where many species no longer have eyes).
The Hon Chong ghost snail is an undescribed Endangered species of Macrochlamys known only from two Hon Chong caves. About half of its original range has already been lost and the remainder still faces potential threats. Credit: Jaap Vermeulen
It was upon these creepy crawlies, and in particular the severe threats they face, that the IUCN SSC experts focused their attention.
Cementing the future of endangered species
Despite the enormous biological significance of karst ecosystems, they often face severe threat from limestone quarrying and Hon Chong is no exception. Cement companies have already destroyed an estimated 42% of the area's limestone hills with only 258 hectares remaining of what was once a 447-hectare archipelago comprising 17 habitat islands housing an array of endemic species.
The companies responsible are mostly state-owned, but one of the largest is Holcim Vietnam (a member of the international LafargeHolcim group). Starting in 2007 Holcim has cooperated with IUCN, as part of a global partnership, on biodiversity management of its quarries.
Part of the ongoing destruction of the Hon Chong hills. Credit: L Deharveng
In 2012, with IUCN support, Holcim Vietnam completed an action plan to avoid or minimise the impacts of its quarrying activities. While progress has been made on surveys to map the distribution of threatened plants and wildlife, creating habitat for rare sarus cranes, and supporting proposals for a new protected area, few effective actions have been taken to avoid species extinctions.
Speaking about the findings of the Cave Invertebrate Specialist Group (which he co-chairs), Fauna & Flora International's Asia-Pacific Regional Director, Dr Tony Whitten, said, "The data are startling. We believe there is nowhere else on earth where such a high concentration of species faces such intense risk the scale of the likely extinctions if cement companies continue their activities unchecked is really quite shocking."
"Our task now is to convey these hard facts to all concerned, and urge them to take the action needed to manage this astoundingly biodiverse area sustainably," said Dr Whitten. "The local government is considering a nature reserve that would give protection to nine of the 34 hills, although only a quarter of the Hon Chong species would benefit.
"All cement companies in Hon Chong must now join Holcim Vietnam by getting serious about their next steps. Are they willing to take the necessary actions to avoid extinctions and mitigate damage they cause?"
Hon Chong is also home to a range of threatened plant species, such as this beautiful Ba Tai begonia (Begonia bataiensis), which is categorised as Vulnerable. Credit: Jaap Vermeulen
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Improved community bonds and gun control that limits the amount of firepower that people can access would increase both police and citizen safety, a Stanford scholar said.
Stanford News Service recently interviewed John J. Donohue III, a law professor who has been conducting empirical research on gun violence and gun control for more than 25 years. Donohue is the C. Wendell and Edith M. Carlsmith Professor of Law at Stanford.
When and how can the police legally shoot and kill a person? Are there federal and state differences?
Police use of deadly force is typically constrained by both applicable state law and by the United States Constitution. While there are some state law differences, they tend to be less important than the attitudinal differences that exist in various regions of the country that may lead prosecutors and juries to reach different conclusions based on their differing worldviews. In general, the more dangerous the crime that the officer believes someone to have committed and the greater the threat to safety the individual poses, the greater the ability of the police officer to use force, including deadly force.
As the Supreme Court stated in Graham v. Connor [1989], "All claims that law enforcement officers have used excessive force deadly or not in the course of an arrest, investigatory stop, or other 'seizure' of a free citizen should be analyzed under the Fourth Amendment and its 'reasonableness' standard." The Supreme Court went on to stress that "the 'reasonableness' of a particular use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the 20/20 vision of hindsight."
Do the data show a rising or falling number of police-initiated deaths of citizens?
The FBI publishes annual figures that are said to capture the number of incidents in which the police justifiably kill a citizen. This data on killings by police is of very poor quality, however, because the FBI simply publishes whatever police departments voluntarily give them. Not surprisingly, then, the FBI counts of such deaths are far below the actual counts, but I estimate the proper number is in the neighborhood of 1,000 to 1,500 per year. The imperfect data may still give us an insight into the trend in killings by police, and the trend shown in the data has been down. I suspect that police killings of civilians are in fact down from the early 1990s, as the FBI data suggests, because overall crime rates have fallen substantially since that time.
The FBI does a good job of collecting information on the number of police that are killed in the line of duty, and this number is now at an all-time low of roughly 62 officers killed per year out of roughly 800,000 sworn officers, down steadily from about 101 annual police deaths during the Reagan years. This is not purely the result of better body armor and medical treatment, because the number of assaults per 100 police officers is also down from 12.7 in 2000 to 9.0 in 2014 the last year for which we have data.
What can be done in terms of legislation or policy to prevent these types of shootings?
In a country with massive prevalence of guns, police are always aware that they are in danger, and as noted above, even though assaults on the police are down, they are still at a distressingly high level about a 10th of the police force is assaulted every year. The primary cause of death to police officers from intentional assaults is from guns. Efforts to improve officer safety through body armor and effective training can lessen the threat they feel and thereby reduce the number of "quick trigger" events. Unfortunately, the relationship between the community and police is often one of confrontation and disrespect, which is unhelpful to everyone. The community often needs to better understand that the police overall play an enormously important role in reducing crime and thereby making everyone safer.
At the same time, police officers who harbor prejudice against certain members of the community or who are overly sensitive to perceived slights from the public are highly counterproductive and increase the prevalence of illegal misconduct. Better police training and hiring practices are two obvious ways to reduce the use of excessive force overall and deadly force in particular. As one might expect, a relatively small number of police officers generate a disproportionate number of problems, and the behavior of these outlier officers needs to be changed or they should be eliminated from the police force. Body cameras on police officers can be effective in restraining misbehavior of both the police and the public.
Finally, as we saw in Ferguson, Missouri, cities that intentionally structure their police force to use ticketing of civilians as a way to finance their operations will necessarily court trouble, and systemic reform is needed wherever this behavior is prevalent.
What can enhance police safety, given the events in Dallas?
Reducing civilian firepower is an obvious measure to enhance police safety, as is banning armor-piercing bullets, although both of these measures are strongly resisted by the NRA [National Rifle Association]. The measures enumerated above that are designed to promote better relations between the police and community as well as any measures that lead to lower crime rates will also be helpful.
One important study that merits further investigation found that states with high rates of civilian gun ownership are more dangerous for the police. The study examined data on the number of homicidal deaths of police in two groups of states with roughly equal number of police officers the eight states with the lowest levels of gun ownership and the 23 states with the highest rate of gun ownership. The study found that, over the period from 1996 to 2010, the rate of police homicide in the high-gun prevalence states was three times as high as the rate of police homicide in the low-gun prevalence states.
What is the trend overall on murder by guns in the U.S.?
Overall, crime is down substantially from the peaks of the early 1990s. This includes overall murder rates and gun murder rates. Still, even with this improvement, our murder rates are far higher than those in other affluent countries, and this is largely explained by the higher rate of gun homicides. Lamentably, preliminary data for the 50 largest cities suggests that the murder rate in these large urban areas rose by almost 17 percent from 2014 to 2015, which is still considerably below the level of 25 years ago.
Despite the improvement since the early 1990s in overall crime and murder rates, there does seem to be a sustained upward trend in mass shootings, which are more frequent, and with each episode more deadly, since the end of the federal assault weapons ban in 2004. While the total deaths in these mass shootings is small relative to the overall homicide rate, mass shootings are particularly high-visibility events and are quite shocking to the public and unsettling to the sense of public safety.
What do you think of California's new gun control measures?
California continues to lead the way in trying to reduce the number of gun homicides, suicides and accidents, and should be highly commended for doing so. The state now has the ninth lowest overall gun death rate of any state nationwide, when in the early 1990s, it had the 35th lowest rate. Over the last 15 years, the firearm death rate in California has fallen by roughly 20 percent while the national rate has largely been unchanged. One of the new measures is to fund research that could clarify how California has been able to achieve this reduction, which should provide useful information for all states.
The latest gun control measures are designed to continue this progress. For example, one measure will make it harder for prohibited purchasers felons, domestic batterers and the severely mentally ill to use their guns by requiring background checks for ammunition. Two other measures the new ban on high capacity magazines and prohibition of enabling the easy conversion of lawful guns into assault weapons represent additional moves in the right direction. A fundamental principle is that civilians should have no more firepower than is demonstrably needed for lawful purposes.
Explore further Police more likely to be killed on duty in states with high gun ownership
Missile frigate Yuncheng launches an anti-ship missile during a military exercise in the water area near South China's Hainan Island and Xisha islands, July 8, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
The ruling of the arbitral tribunal in the Philippines' case against China in the South China Sea dispute on Tuesday ignores facts, violates international law and international relations norms, and infringes on China's sovereignty and maritime rights.
The Chinese government and people do not recognize or accept the ruling. Chinese people have lived and worked in the South China Sea for generations, and became owners of the islands in that sea a long time ago. And China has indisputable sovereignty over these islands and their adjacent waters.
Yet some countries and powers have invaded these islands and the sea in the past 100 years. Despite this, China has never swayed from its resolve to defend its sovereignty and maritime rights, for which generations of Chinese people have made great sacrifices.
China has appreciated the virtue of "the strong should not bully the weak, and the rich should not insult the poor" since ancient times. It does not envy or eye any piece of land that does not belong to it. But it will not compromise on its own territory and rights either. In fact, it will take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights.
The Chinese people love peace, and have made unremitting efforts to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. China has always adhered to the principle that disputes should be settled peacefully through negotiation, and be controlled by abiding by certain rules and mechanisms. It has never hindered freedom of navigation or over-flight in the South China Sea, and seeks mutually beneficial situations through cooperation.
Thanks to the joint efforts of relevant parities, the region had bid adieu to the Cold War mentality, experienced peace and stability and set out on a path of prosperity and development. The freedom of navigation and over-flight in the South China Sea is fully guaranteed.
But because of the maneuverings and instigations of non-regional powers, the administration of former Philippine president Benigno Aquino III used public tools to make unlawful gains. And the arbitral tribunal, on the pretext of following so-called rules and promoting the rule of law, passed a ruling that has no legal standing. There is an attempt to deny China's sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea by distortedly applying the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
China will never accept such political provocations, not only to defend its sovereignty and maritime rights, but also to defend the dignity and status of international law.
Many countries, organizations and personalities support China's stance. To fulfill its own selfish desires, the Benigno Aquino III administration violated the rule of law and China's maritime rights. And since the arbitral tribunal has violated the law and acted as a marionette of external powers, the case will be treated as a farce by history.
Chinese people's resolve to defend their country's sovereignty and maritime rights is unflinching. And the farce to challenge China's baseline is like shooting oneself in the foot.
The article first appeared in People's Daily.
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, received a $1,000 contribution from manufacturer Sierra Nevada in the most recent campaign finance period, according to a new report the campaign filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission.
This brings her defense industry contributions so far this election cycle to $82,500, as of June 30.
Stefanik had $1.45 million on hand in her campaign fund, as of June 30.
Her campaign received $273,801 in contributions and transfers between June 9 and June 30, and spend $52,643.
Stefanik is running for re-election in the 21st Congressional District against Democrat Mike Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello, a bread company owners and political activist from Hudson Falls.
Click here to read about Funiciello's campaign finance report.
Derrick had not yet filed a report, as of 2 p.m. Friday. The deadline is midnight Friday.
Click here to read the most recent previous post about Stefanik's defense industry contributions.
BOLTON -- A retired police officer from New York City was charged with a misdemeanor last week after he allegedly used a leafblower to "bury" neighbors' vehicles with leaves and dirt as part of an ongoing property dispute, police said.
Dennis Murphy, 54, was charged with criminal tampering after an investigation by Bolton Police, officials said.
Bolton Police Chief James Neumann said Murphy has had a "long history of problems" with neighbors over maintenance of a dirt road over which he has a right of way in a subdivision off Coolidge Hill Road. He owns a home in the subdivision.
On July 4, neighbors reported he used a leafblower to pile debris on and around their vehicles, Neumann said.
Murphy was issued an appearance ticket for Bolton Town Court.
QUEENSBURY A Warren County grand jury has indicted two men accused of killing Glens Falls resident Kevin J. Jenks in his home last week, charging both with second-degree murder and numerous lesser counts.
The indictment makes it clear that authorities believe they have identified which of the two men choked Jenks to death, a question that had not been publicly answered before Friday.
Kevin S. Chapman and Robert M. Henry face a 19-count indictment, including numerous charges relating to the theft of valuables from Jenks' home. Chapman faces 10 charges and Henry nine.
Chapman faces two second-degree murder counts, one alleging he intentionally killed Jenks and the other alleging he caused the death of another person while committing a felony. Henry faces one murder count, alleging he caused the death of another person during a felony.
Each man also faces eight counts that include robbery, burglary, grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Preliminary hearings scheduled in Glens Falls City Court on Friday in the cases were canceled after the Warren County District Attorney's Office notified City Court that the grand jury had taken action.
The grand jury's action moves the case to Warren County Court. No arraignments had been scheduled in the men's cases as of Friday morning.
Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan said she expected court appearances would occur Tuesday or Wednesday.
Chapman, 45, and Henry, 49, both of Ilion, were arrested last weekend in connection with the July 6 death of Jenks in his Dix Avenue home. Police said he was choked to death when the two sought to burglarize his home.
Henry knew Jenks and formerly lived in South Glens Falls, after Henry was paroled in 2012 from state prison for his third robbery conviction in 15 years.
Authorities said the two men stole jewelry, electronics and credit cards as well as Jenks' car. The car and some of the items were recovered as police arrested the two in central New York.
When questioned by police, they blamed each other for Jenks' death, but police believe it was likely Chapman who strangled Jenks based on evidence that included Henry's past friendship with the victim.
The additional charges could result in prison sentences that would run consecutively to the murder charge, which is punishable by up to 25-years-to-life on its own.
Both defendants are being held in Warren County Jail without bail, pending arraignment in County Court. Their lawyers could not be reached Friday afternoon.
State officials are dedicating more resources to halt sales of synthetic marijuana, blamed for numerous overdoses and health problems around the state.
The state banned sales of the leafy chemical-coated compounds sold under brand names like K2, Spice, Wicked X, Green Giant and dozens of other names, in a series of actions in 2012 and 2015.
It still continues to be sold illegally in some smoke shops, convenience stores and online, which this week prompted Gov. Andrew Cuomo to announce this week that more officers from the State Police and Department of Health's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement will address illegal sales, while the state Liquor Authority and state Gaming Commission will increase efforts to revoke liquor and lottery licenses from convenience store owners found to be selling the substances.
Local police said they have not seen many stores violating the ban, but that substances continue to be used as people buy it online or in Vermont, where laws are different.
Under current law, an owner of an establishment, as well as any other person possessing, distributing, selling or offering prohibited synthetic drugs for sale, will face a fine up to $500 and/or up to 15 days in jail. Civil penalties include a fine up to $2,000 per violation.
Members of the Warren County Sheriffs Office and Glens Falls Police Department got free lunches this week thanks to a local radio station and area residents.
Radio station Froggy 100.3 coordinated donations to show appreciation to the sheriffs officers in light of the ambush shooting deaths of five officers in Texas last week.
Sheriffs officers were treated to nine pizzas from Uno Chicago Bar & Grill in Queensbury and a four-foot sandwich and candy donated by community members who responded to the radio station effort.
Sheriff Bud York said he and the departments officers were gratified by the donations and show of support.
It was very nice, he said. It was good to see the community support.
The radio station followed up with an effort to bring lunch to Glens Falls Police on Thursday.
Don Lehman
Flag Fight
Salem Town Historian Al Cormier asked the county supervisors to display a replica of the flag carried by county residents as they fought for the Union in the Civil War. But the cost for the display case he wanted an archival frame sealed with inert gas has surprised some supervisors.
The $1,200 replica flag would be housed in a $3,400 frame.
Hartford Supervisor Dana Haff suggested the supervisors buy a custom display cabinet at a cost of perhaps $700.
Im a little bit concerned we would consider spending $3,400 for a $1,200 flag, he said.
But the group that offered to donate the flag warned that unless the county provides an archival frame, they might donate the flag to someone else.
Supervisors for all 17 towns have been asked to put $200 of town funds toward the frame, and several towns have already approved that expense.
Kathleen Moore
Dire harvest
Among the items on the itinerary for government officials and environmental conservation advocates who gathered Tuesday in Lake George to discuss water quality challenges was a boat ride on the lake itself.
The Lake George Associations Floating Classroom carried the dignitaries to see both Asian clam research efforts and hand-harvesting of Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive plant that is so prolific, even small pieces that break off can become whole plants of their own.
Lake George Association spokesman Patrick Dowd said this week that 4.5 tons of the plants had been removed from the lake through the end of June.
The LGA is spending $100,000 on the watermilfoil control effort, for which a total of $435,000 has been dedicated through all local channels so far this year, Dowd said.
There are more than 200 separate areas of the lake where milfoil has been identified, he said.
Scott Donnelly
Is Glens Falls hokey?
Jim Brock, who represents Glens Falls on the Warren County Board of Supervisors, noticed there was an article in Newsweek magazine recently with a mention of Glens Falls.
The article, The point of must return unplugging in the Adirondacks by Abigail Jones, was mostly about the Adirondacks, but had this passage:
About 10 miles later, I pulled into Glens Falls, a hokey former mill town with three breweries, a handful of local dives and an out-of-pace Mediterranean restaurant, Rare Earth Wine Bar, that served some of the best food I ate all weekend. Glens Falls is the gateway to the Adirondacks, but only if you fail to turn off earlier, said co-owner and Chef Paul Parker.
There were two more paragraphs on the conversation with Parker.
But what struck Brock was the use of the term hokey to describe Glens Falls.
Its one we had not heard before either, and agree it doesnt seem to fit.
Ken Tingley
Free water in Queensbury
One reader pointed out that Queensbury at large Supervisor Rachel Seeber was making the rounds at the Queensbury Town Board meeting this past week to provide each member of the Town Board with a sample from her new bottled water business, Lake George Water Co.
Seeber did this earlier this summer at a Warren County supervisors meeting where she got some criticism about the Lake George water coming from Pennsylvania and not from New York.
The Queensbury Town Board meetings are also televised with the cameras trained primarily on the Town Board members with Lake George water in front of them for most of the meeting.
Ken Tingley
Clarification: While Rachel Seeber was in attendance at the Town Board meeting, she did not distribute the water. The water was distributed by Town Board member Doug Irish. Seeber said that she attended a gathering at Irish's house and brought the water for his personal use. She said she did not know he would bring it to the Town Board meeting.
On Saturday July 9, Domestic flights were grounded following a strike action by civil aviation workers over the sale of lands belonging to GCAA by government to estate developers.
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Spokesperson for the workers union, William Amoako, said they have reached a compromised agreement with government.
"The compromises are that they are giving us 153 acres of the land for the installation of the equipment and also for the other impending equipment that we need to install which is not immediate," he said.
READ MORE: Striking GCAA workers halt domestic flights
Amoako said government has also promised to release some lands in Prampram in the Greater Accra Region and other places as and when they need it for aviation purposes.
The GCCI president said this during a visit to Wisconsin to view the institutions facilities and discuss future linkages between the university and the business sector.
Dr Dankawoso, whose role it is to help create an environment conducive for businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive, said he was highly impressed by the schools infrastructure and facilities, particularly the new state-of-the-art Nursing skills lab.
My job is not just to admonish businesses to do better, it is also to encourage and say well done to those who are doing well. I am highly impressed with what you have achieved so far. This (Nursing Skills Laboratory) must be one of the best kept secrets, said Nana after touring the universitys facilities.
He added that extending support to Wisconsin would be easier, as it hadalready done 90% of the job.
Dr Dankawoso also dropped into a Nursing class and interacted with some of the students on the recently launched BSc Nursing programme.
Among the issues discussed with the Wisconsins Chancellor Dr Paul K. Fynn were:
opportunities for capital investment from overseas funders;
training opportunities for IT staff in India and China;
access to internships for students across the GCCI network; and
opportunities to tap into funding for community projects, for example in health.
The GCCI president was received by Wisconsins Chancellor; the Chairman of the University Council, Justice Isaac Duose; the Registrar, Mr Frank Yeboah, and Dr Carlos Arrow, Dean of the School of Nursing.
In Ghana, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) are appointed by the president to man the various assemblies to carry out developmental programmes of the central government to the level of the people at the grass root.
The recent stance by Nananom in the Ashanti region that the KMA Boss should be removed for reportedly disrespecting the traditional rulers and heads of the Ashanti Kingdom, as well as the custodians of the cultural heritage still sends a strong signal to politicians to be wary of their attitude when voted into power.
Be that as it may, ones appointment to high political position should not deter them from respecting and revering traditional authorities.
Some politicians, as soon as they are elevated, exhibit opulence, arrogance, corruption, display of power, and disrespect.
What is more, the position taken by the Nananom in the Ashanti Region reinforces what happened in the 19th and 20th centuries, where the British adopted Indirect Rule through kings, chiefs and traditional heads in most of the colonies they controlled.
The colonial masters found that the legitimacy of the traditional authority for the governance of the colonies was still intact, and hence they decided to rule the colony through the chiefs.
However, many organisations including the Center for Democratic Congress, CDD and the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) have over the years asked that people elect their own district chief executives (DCEs) who would be answerable to them instead of the central government.
This follows the practice which is being adopted in other countries. In Britain, the Mayor of the City of London is elected by the City, rather than appointed by the Sovereign.
Over the years, many political regimes, past and present, military and civilian, have in many ways tried to derail the significance of our kings and chiefs in the body politics of our country, but to no avail.
Ghanas fourth republican constitution has sought to outline vividly the role of traditional rulers in the country. It warned chiefs not to engage in partisan politics. But what we are seeing now seems to be on the contrary.
As the various political parties hit several areas to canvass for votes, the chiefs of those areas simply ignore the constitutional provision which bars them from partaking in active politics.
Some even go as far as endorsing presidential candidates of various political parties ahead of the November polls.
The New Patriotic Partys Nana Addo was also recently endorsed by Tuobodomhene Nana Obeng Ameyaw Barimah II, when he paid a courtesy call on the chief during his tour in the region.
During President John Dramani Mahamas 'Accounting to the People' tour in the Upper East region, the Paramount Chief of Bawku, Naba Asigri Azoka Abugrago II, is reported to have appealed to residents in the area to vote for John Mahama, after the president cut sod for the reconstruction of the Bolgatanga-Bawku Road and an irrigation dam.
In spite of calls by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Seidu Daanaa for traditional rulers to refrain from endorsing presidential candidates ahead of elections, their calls seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
In several regions, emissaries of chiefs go round several clans, entreating them to vote for their choice of flag bearer. These efforts by and large affect the voting patterns of electorates in the area.
There is no denying the fact that Ghanaians hold their chiefs in high esteem; thus, they should never be taken for granted.
A traditional ruler, who can help you come into power is the same leader who can bring you down on your knees.
Simply saying, any politician who deliberately incurs their wrath through acts of disobedience does so at their own risk.
The recent stance against the Kumasi Mayor by Nananom at the Kumasi Traditional Council points to the fact that traditional rulers are still at the helm of affairs.
They still have the authority to ensure that any political appointee and Ghanaians in general abide by the cultural, ethical and moral standards of the countrys traditional values.
However, there needs to be a balance between our traditions and democracy, where Mayors will be elected, but will still accord traditional rulers the needed respect.
BFM TV said at least 30 were dead after the truck drove through people on the famed Promenade des Anglais on the Nice seafront.
BFM said local authorities were treating the incident as an attack. Almost exactly eight months ago Islamic State militants killed 130 people on a Friday night in Paris in November.
ALSO READ: 30 killed as truck crashes into crowd in Nice
"Dear Nicois," local government leader Christian Estrosi wrote in a tweet. "The driver of a truck appears to have killed dozens of people. Stay at home for the time being. More news to follow."
Regional newspaper Nice Matin quoted its own reporter at the scene saying there were many injured people and blood on the street.
It published a photograph of a damaged, long-distance delivery truck, which it said was "riddled with bullets" and images of emergency services treating the injured.
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Ghana still has laws that allow the death penalty - it has become an entrenched clause only because the government nor presidency alone cannot take that away unless there is a referendum, Director of Amnesty International GhanaLawrence Amesu says.
This week, the Tamale High Court sentenced a 33-year old Fulani herdsman to death by hanging.
READ ALSO: Death Sentence
The court, presided over by His Lordship Mr. Charles Gyamfi Danquah handed down the sentence of death after all seven judges came out with an unanimous decision of guilty of murder.
The convict and the deceased were brothers and lived in the same house at Soma village near Tuna in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Northern Region with other members of their family.
Ghanaweb reports that in November 2008, there was a family dispute which lead the convict to assault his siblings.
Later, the convict followed the deceased who was herding their fathers cattle to the bush to graze where he stabbed him in ribs resulting in his death.
It was reported that when he realized he had killed his brother, he went home packed his belongings and left the village undetected, however the convicts father became suspicious about the disappearance of the deceased and after failing to find the deceased lodged a complaint with police.
Mumuni Adama was arrested in Kalba village while he attempted to escape with his wife. He then confessed to the police about killing his brother and led them to the body.
This sentence comes a week after a 22-year-old trader was also sentenced to death after being found guilty of murder by a five-member jury at the Tamale High Court.
Zeila Sulemana was convicted and sentenced after stabbing nursing student Rawdia Aminu, in 2014 after the two argued.
According to the party, per the agreement signed by government and the managers of the plant, Ghana pays $8.3 million monthly to Ameri Power.
A statement signed by NPPs Director of Communications, Nana Akomea said the situation has worsened in recent times due to governments indebtedness to suppliers of gas.
He added that government is struggling to procure the product to power plants in the country to generate electricity.
Per the agreement President Mahamas government signed with the Ameri plant owners, Ghana has to pay $8.3 million dollars monthly to Ameri whether the Ameri plant generated electricity or not. Government also, per the agreement, undertook to supply the required gas needed by the Ameri plant to generate electricity, the statement added.
Dumsor back or not
Ghanaians in recent times have been experiencing erratic power cuts a result of temporary difficulties caused by the delay in the supply of light crude among others.
The Ministry of Power has cited the non-availability of gas from the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), and the limited amount of electricity generated from the Akosombo dam among others, as reasons for the recent power outages.
Govt importing electricity from Ivory Coast
The NPP in the statement also disclosed that government is importing electricity from neighbouring Ivory Coast to augment the countrys power needs.
Lets also note that the government has now resorted to importing electricity from lvory coast. Ivory Coast generates electricity at 9 cents per kilowatt while Ghana generates at 14 cents per kilowatt, Nana Akomea added.
Below is the full statement
The New Patriotic Party, like many Ghanaians, is highly distressed that Ghana is paying $8.3 million a month to the Ameri plant even though the plant has not generated any electricity in the past one month.
Per the agreement President Mahama's government signed with the Ameri plant owners, Ghana has to pay $8.3 million dollars A MONTH to Ameri whether the Ameri plant generated electricity or not.
Government also, per the agreement, undertook to supply the required gas needed by the Ameri plant to generate electricity.
GHANA IS PAYING NEARLY $10 MILLION A MONTH TO THE AMERI POWER PLANT FOR NO WORK DONE DUE TO GOVERNMENT INCOMPETENCE IN SUPPLY GAS TO AMERI
In the past month however, government has not been able to supply this gas to Ameri because Atuabo gas plant is not working and the Nigerian gas company n-gas are not supplying gas because government has not paid the Nigerians for gas supplied.
In summary,
1) Ghana is once again suffering from Dumsor
2) Ghana is paying nearly $10 million of taxpayers monies a month to Ameri for no work done.
3) No work is being done by Ameri because President Mahamas government has not been able to supply gas to Ameri (as per the agreement it signed with Ameri)
4) The poor Ghanaian is still paying record and unbearable electricity bills due to tariff arrangement government entered into with EMERGENCY plants such as Ameri, even though there is no adequate electricity
4) So after all the noise made by president mahama and his government about Atuabo being an unprecedented achievement and a game changer, goverment can still not assure gas supplies to domestic power producers, two years after Atuabo had been commissioned.
5) This is another sad example of the incompetence, deceitfulness and corruption that has characterized President Mahamas government in the energy sector alone.
6) Lets also note that the government has now resorted to importing electricity from lvory coast. Ivory Coast generates electricity at 9 cents per kilowatt while Ghana generates at 14 cents per kilowatt.
MORE DECEIT/ INCONSISTENCY AND UNTRUTHS FROM GOVERNMENT OVER ELECTRICITY TARIFFS
As if this terrible situation of Dumsor, unbearable tariffs and financial loss is not enough, the poor Ghanaian electricity consumer is fed with more lies, inconsistencies and untruths about electricity tariffs.
On July 3rd, the deputy minister for power and the ECG announced some reduction in electricity tariffs, from 67 pesewas to 34 pesewas for every unit of electricity consumed. And that these reductions will be secured through government provision of a SUBSIDY of ghc300 million, to be reviewed in December 2016.
On 5th July, president mahama told Ghanaians there was NO SUBSIDY, and that the reductions will be secured through what he termed REALIGNMENT.
Yesterday 13th July, on Joy fm breakfast show, Finance Minister Seth Tekper said there would be a SUBSIDY.
So between the Ministry For Power, the ECG;, the Ministry For Finance and the President, who is telling the truth to Ghanaians?
GOVERNMENT SHOULD STOP THE DENIAL OVER DUMSOR AND PUBLISH A SCHEDULE
Another deceit over electricity is that while Ghanaians in the last months are gong through load shedding/dumsor, President Mahama has claimed there is no load shedding going on, preferring to call what is going on as localised and temporary blackouts.
Hence government will not have a time table/ schedule published because that will amount to an admission of systematic load shedding /dumsor.
But Ghanaians have been suffering a patterned load shedding over the last few months. Governments refusal to acknowledge it and publish a schedule has meant that consumers and industry cannot plan, thus imposing uncertainty on the Ghanaian consumer in the midst of Dumsor.
The NPP calls on the government to listen to the cry of the industries and Ghanaians, and stop the inexplicable denial and immediately publish a time table /schedule for the ongoing Dumsor.
signed
Nana Akomea
The reporter, Mark-Anthony Vinokor, is alleged to have reported earlier that the CI 94 which will regulate the November polls was withdrawn on Friday and relaid on Monday. The report mentioned that a new clause was introduced in article 44 of the CI. His reportage therefore concluded that the 21 days maturity should therefore begin on Monday not Friday.
But on Thusday, July 14, 2016 Parliament, said Vinokor had given an inaccurate report to the patrons of the story. They therefore called Vinokor into a meeting with the leaders of the house, where he was asked to publish a rejoinder in Fridays publication of the Daily Graphic but he failed to do that.
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho asked that Vinokor is walked out of the house. He also directed that his accreditation be withdrawn, but was quick to add that Graphic Communications can replace him with a new correspondent.
Parts of the country has had to experience erratic power supply for the past four weeks due to the shortage of fuel supply from Nigeria, coupled with intermittent challenges with the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah culminating in a drop in the production of natural gas and onward supply to the Ghana National Gas Company.
Addressing the media on the latest development, Deputy Minister of Power, John Jinapor said, Supply of light crude has resumed and we have taken delivery of 400,000 barrels so far, with 550,000 barrels set to follow next week for the Tema Power Enclave.
Country Director of Sahara Energy , Mr Tosin Etoni, said the second vessel loaded on Sunday and is expected to arrive in Ghana by the weekend.
Mr Etoni said the delay in the supply of crude oil was an unfortunate situation which was beyond the capacity of the company to deal with immediately.
He assured Ghanaians that all steps are being taken to ensure that the situation does not happen again.
The renewed supply of light crude is expected to add 450 MW of power to the national grid.
In view of this, there will be no need for a load-shedding timetable, or a load-shedding exercise.
READ MORE: Master plan to streamline gas production
According to the minority, the provision to allow the minister such powers will defeat calls for transparency and fairness in the oil sector.
"We need to ensure there is transparency and accountability in the oil industry," Isaac Asiamah told Joy FM. "And that is what industry players have called for -that we need to make sure that our laws are in tune with modern practices."
According to him, the clause granting the minister the power to override decisions is against transparency, urging that the bill should be "thrownout."
The deputy Executive Director of the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Benjamin Boakye also opined that giving the minister the power to override the outcome of a competitive bidding is "huge discretion given to one man to take a decision in the industry."
He said there should be compelling reasons why the outcome of a competitive bidding for oil blocs or contracts would have to be cancelled.
Boakye said the the minister's reasons should be published for people to know.
He further called for the minister's discretion to be regulated because it could be "dangerous" for the industry.
But the Vice Chairman of the Energy and Mines Committee of parliament, Adam Mutawakilu, has defended the bill, saying the bill ensures transparency.
Akon, who also expressed sympathy for Kojo Bonsu said Kojo cant vacate the position. I sympathize with him, though. I have worked with him several times and he is a hardworking gentleman, but no position is permanent.
The regional minister who was speaking on Kumasi based Abusua FM said Kojo Bonsu can only resign if his resignation is accepted by the president.
His resignation can be turned down by the president. He is still in office and doing his job as required, though he has tendered in his resignation. But until the presidents acknowledgement and action, Kojo cant vacate the position, he explained.
Akon was quick to add that Kojo Bonsu could have transformed Kumasi even more if he had not got into an entangled situation with the Asante chiefs.
Background
The Asante Traditional Council asked President Mahama to remove Bonsu after he unilaterally decided to remove Amoamanhene, Nana Agyenim Boateng from the Kejetia Market project board without informing the Asantehene. The Council then summoned Kojo Bonsu the matter, but he failed to appear. The Council saw this as a form of disrespect and reiterated its call for him to be sacked even though he apologised. Kojo Bonsu later sent a letter to President Mahama conveying his desire to resign.
Clad in red, the demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as Our money, No Vote, Prosperity bring our money, "No help, no vote," "we need our money back" and No money, No vote
They presented a petition to the regional minister asking for government intervention.
"All we have to do is to report the issue to the police and get the people apprehended, that is all we can do," Ntoso told GBC.
READ MORE: Another microfinance scam hits Volta Region
The victims, mainly traders and artisans, said they were promised huge returns on their investment.
People who invested GHC450 were promised returns between GHC5,000 and GHC7,000 within three to five months.
Clients were asked by the microfinance institutions to deposit GHC450 and then convince 10 other people to also do same.
They are then promised juicy returns within five months.
According to her, "My dear fans, I've received complaints countless times concerning impersonators and scammers using my name and brand to extort unsuspecting individuals on social media platforms. This has been going on for a long time and I'm using this medium to appeal to you; there is only one authentic Facebook account operated by me - the picture is above and that is 'Faithia Balogun' (www.facebook.com/OfficialFaithiaBalogun), which I opened recently. I apologize to my fans who have been duped by these scoundrels. I love you all and don't want any of you to fall victim anymore. You can also follow my official Instagram; @FaithiaWilliamsBalogun, my Twitter; @FaithiaWBalogun."
1. This throwback photo of Tiwa Savage and Nelson Mandela's son
Tiwa Savage in the spirit of throwback shared this on her Instagram page today, July 15, 2016.
"FBF to this incredible moment when we were invited to the Late Great Madiba Mandela's residence by @ndaba_mandela It was such an honor to meet you ... May God continue to guide and bless you as you continue your Grandfathers Legacy," she captioned it.
2. And then Peter Okoye, Papi J and AY Makun showed their support for Samuel Etoo's charity match
The trio are in Turkey for Samuel Etoo's foundation's anniversary.
"So much love here in Turkey Antalya. Join me for @etoocharitymatch tomorrow here in Antalya, Turkey. Lets celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the foundation @fpsetoo of my friend @setoo. Hurry and get your tickets at www.etoocharitymatch.com #Etoo #EtooCharityMatch #FundacionPrivadaSamuelEtoo #Charity Cc @aycomedian @ositaiheme @papiijameh @yomicasual," he captioned it.
3. Uche Jombo and her baby met Basketmouth in Texas
The actress shared this beautiful shot of the three of them food shopping.
4. This adorable shot of Jim Iyke and his power lady
Jim Iyke is currently on the cast of a new movie and he shared this cute shot of himself and his super woman.
"This is Maiya. She has special Powers. You will understand when #Caller25 is done. #BackPackAndSandalSquad #HarvPapa #Gladysboi #RehersalStarts #25Chronicles," he wrote.
5. Osita Iheme, AY Makun and Peter Okoye met in a plane
"Here we come Turkey for @setoo9 charity Match @peterpsquare @ositaiheme @yomicasual," AY shared the shot.
6. AY Makun, Kanayo O Kanayo, Queen Nwokoye on set
"On location with @queennwokoye and @kanayo.o.kanayo for the glo new comedy series in Enugu. #awake #proudgloambassador."
7. Buhari's children graduated
Zahra and Yusuf Buhari graduated from the University of Surrey and then his second daughter Halima Buhari Sherrif was called to the bar in Abuja.
8. Adekunle Gold shared this epic throwback collage
"Sigh. Thank you Jesus for the fire,suffer-head,heartbreak,rejection that's made me who I am now, GOLD!
Don't stop believing and keep working. your miracle will happen soon," he captioned it.
9. Yoruba Actress' at Lola Alao's father's burial
We came across this photo of some Yoruba actress' at fellow colleague, Lola Alao's father's burial.
10. This beautiful photo of Kenneth Okonkwo's family
"We are one big and happy family. We thank God and thank you for your prayers," he wrote alongside it.
11. And then Toyin Adegbola dedicated her first grandchild
Veteran Nollywood actress, Toyin Adegbola was full of joy as she dedicated her first grandchild.
12. Gideon Okeke, Bimbo Akintola reminding us of Grey's Anatomy
We love that!
13. Toyin Adewale and Regina Chukwu can't stop smiling
14. Paul Okoye and his 'Bad girl Riri'
Paul Okoye struck a pose with new label mate, Lucy. She looks hot!
15. Tiwa Savage visits an orphanage
She wrote "
Genevieve's online bashing is similar to what happened to Tiwa Savage when she supported the ' movement last weekend after two African American men Alton Sterling and Philando Castile where gunned down by the police.
ALSO READ: Genevieve Nnaji shades Instagram comedian for insulting black girls
When the heat got too much for Tiwa Savage she had to write a statement concerning the issue. In her statement the Mavin queen said she has been vocal about Nigerian issues especially the Chibok girls Bring Back Our Girls movement and she has the right to speak about anything happening in the world because she is a global citizen.
"I didn't just hashtag I joined several walks in protest, used my voice as an artist and wrote "olorun mi" as a tribute to lives lost on the Dana crash and will continue to do many more as it is my duty as a Nigerian, a citizen of this world and a child of the Most High" she wrote.
It gets very predictable when a celebrity in Nigeria tweets or posts a photo about an unfortunate incident that happened in some faraway place that is not Nigeria. The flood of criticism will come thick and fast with accusations made about the person's patriotism or lack of it.
Do Nigerian celebrities have a right to comment or express their opinion on world tragedies while Nigeria gets bombarded with Boko Haram, herdsmen and militants? Should they forget about the troubles at home and carry placards abroad? From the surface it easy to throw stones at the rich and famous for tweeting some trendy hashtag than writing a statement about the killings in Benue. A deeper look however tells a different strory.
Within minutes of the Nice tragedy, the Western press started covering it and the hashtag #prayfornice was quickly formed. The reaction to sad events in the western world is dictated to a large extent by the press which delivers the core of the issue to the populace. The press in the western world identifies the victims and tells their story from an human interest angle. It will be pretty difficult for someone today in Angola not to feel some sort of sympathy for the 84 people who died in Nice.
ALSO READ: Rihanna was in Nice during terror attack
The media over there knows how to create a narrative of sadness, tragedy, love and sympathy for terror events. In our side of the world the media falls flat in creating this. No single media outlet in Nigeria failed to accurately report the details of the Benue massacre. It was first reported that 80 people were killed in the Benue killings by herdsmen. Days after it was later revealed that the number of dead people were 22. The discrepancy in the number of lives lost would make people lose interest in the sad story.
Let's face it we do not value human lives in Nigeria. 22 people were killed in Benue but where is the national outcry? Where are the protests? Most Nigerians are disconnected to Nigeria- this is a fact. The citizens of this country have an individualistic mindset. If 60 people die in Zamfara today, a man in Akwa Ibom will say "God will protect me and my family."
The people bashing Genevieve and Tiwa Savage most likely did not do anything when they heard about the killings in Benue. Most of them did nothing tangible when Boko Haram was ravaging the North but they believe that celebrities should be in the front line. This is an erroneous belief.
We are not sympathetic to the loss of human lives in Nigeria and the members of the fourth estate have failed over and over again to adequately cover tragic events in Nigeria.
Most importantly there is no crime if Genevieve Nnaji speaks on the killings in Nice, France. Her response to her critics highlights the fact that human compassion shouldn't be regional. "The idea is not to limit love and compassion but to limit anger and hate. What you let out in the Universe is what spreads. Everyone has a platform to effect change so pay good attention to what you do with yours. WE ARE THE WORLD therefore #changeisinourhands . The sooner we accept it the better" wrote the award winning actress.
PM News reports that the 27-year-old Ughelli, Delta State born thief had, on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, attempted to steal the car, a red Mercedes Benz A-Class with the registration number UB 202 AAA, from the parking lot of the club located in Ikeja, before he was spotted by the security men who promptly apprehended him.
But for the timely intervention by a police patrol team, Michael would have been killed as an angry mob wanted to lynch him. He was reportedly given a severe beating which left him injured and bleeding profusely before he was whisked away by the RRS operatives and taken to the hospital for medical attention.
The thief allegedly confessed that his intention was to take the car to a neighbouring country to sell before he was nabbed.
I took a wrap of Indian-hemp before I went to the club that night. On getting to the club, I was looking for a car whose door was not locked.
Then, I started opening all the vehicles parked at the clubs parking space one after the other. I discovered that the car in question was not locked, which gave me free entry into it. I entered the car quietly with the aim of removing it from where it was parked and take it out for sale.
As I entered the car, I saw a group of men coming towards me. I still pretended as if the car was mine. When they got to my side, they asked me if the car was mine. Unknown to me, the owner of the car was with them.
I confidently told them the car belonged to me. They dragged me out of the vehicle and started beating me. If not for the timely intervention of the RRS officers, they would have killed me that night.
The stolen car
PM News
Confirming the arrest, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmus, said efforts were in progress to arrest Michael's gang members.
Oduola, who was three months pregnant, was a textile trader and had asked one Oriekun for the loan, which she used in purchasing textile materials, Punch reports.
Recounting what led to the killing of his sister, Abdulahi Asimolowo, said the deceased actually paid back the N2 million five months after it was borrowed, but Oriekun demanded N400,000 as interest for five months - which his sister refused initially.
He said: It is a common practice among traders at Gbagi Market to assist one another with money to buy goods. No interest is usually charged. This was what happened between my sister and Oriekun.
Oriekun assisted my sister with the sum of N2m, which was refunded after five months. She, however, insisted that she would collect interest on the money for another five months. She said she would collect N400,000 per month. She also threatened the deceased to consider herself a walking corpse if she refused to pay the interest.
Asimolowo said when his sister could no longer tolerate Oriekun's harassment, she agreed to pay the interest.
She actually paid some of the interest, but when she could no longer continue, she told Oriekun that she was tired of paying because she could no longer afford it, he added.
According to him, on May 19, 2016, Oriekun allegedly sent some thugs to beat up the deceased for failing to pay the money.
The thugs beat her up and left her when she collapsed. She lost her pregnancy as a result of the attack and she was rushed to the hospital.
She was taken to a private hospital at Olodo area, and later transferred to the Police Hospital at Eleyele. From there, she was transferred to the University College Hospital where she died on July 9, 2016.
The 40-year-old Rev. Yamoah, who resides in Clarinda, Iowa, was arrested by Fremont County Sheriffs deputies, after he allegedly tried to persuade an undercover security agent to have sex with him in exchange for money, and is being held on solicitation charges at the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center on $2,000 bond.
Senior Special Assistant to President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, that plans had been on to evacuate Nigerians from the war torn country.
Dabiri Erewa who spoke through her media aide, Mr Abdul-Rahaman Balogun, dismissed the claim that 100 Nigerians living in juba were stranded.
She said that federal government had offered to evacuate Nigerians from Juba in the early stage, but the delay was due to logistics, but that there was no immediate threat to their security and safety.
However, many refused due to their businesses that needed to be secured.
"Many of them demanded they should be evacuated to the neighbouring countries like Kenya and, DRC or Central African Republic because of their investment in Juba.
According to her, most of them have very good investments in Juba and they are afraid of losing them, so they dont want to be far away from it even if they are evacuated.
Dabiri Erewa however assured that there has been a regular contact with the Nigerian mission in the country and necessary steps are being taken to ensure safety of the people.
She explained that although relative calm had returned to the country, but the federal government was still ready to evacuate those willing to come back home as soon as possible.
The Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Clement Aduku had earlier said that the ministry was monitoring the situation in Juba.
Aduku said that the Nigerian mission in South Sudan was in contact with the ministry, while assuring that the welfare of Nigerian citizens in the country is guaranteed.
NAN recalled that fighting broke out in Juba on July 7, in the worlds newest country.
Hundreds of people, mostly soldiers, have been reportedly killed in the fighting between rival armed groups since then, raising fears of a slide back into all-out conflict.
Report says that uneasy calm has returned to South Sudans capital, Juba, on Tuesday after five days of fierce fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar.
The relative calm comes after the two leaders ordered a ceasefire and directed all commanders to lay down arms and report to their unit bases.
Buhari spoke on Friday in Abuja during the national convention and award ceremony of the National Council of Womens Societies (NCWS).
She promised to fight for the protection of the fundamental rights of women and urged members of the NCWS to lead by example.
According to Buhari, over 80.2million women still lack education and basic health care, while violence against women is on the increase worldwide.
On women representation, she said women constituted more than fifty per cent of Nigerian population and had the capacity to lead as president of the nation.
``Nigerian women are the major voters and constitute more than fifty per cent of the population and are usually used in times of election after which we are pushed aside
`` This is the time for us, they are either giving us the 35 per cent we deserve or we should get a woman to lead us.
``This is time for us to mount pressure on the political parties to give us a percentage, we should put it in writing and sign and we should operate based on what we have signed.
Buhari commended the women on the role they played in the society saying,`` women are catalyst and change agents and they are versatile in their roles as wives, mothers and home makers.
Alhassan expressed optimism that the convention would provide useful outcomes that would strengthen women groups and ensure greater women participation in government.
The minister explained that the mandate of the ministry was to promote women advancement, adding that the ministry would welcome initiatives that would drive the course.
Mrs Dupe Atoki, Director-General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), said women were the major consumers in Nigeria, because of the roles they played in the family and society.
She said:`` The council is coming to sensitise you to know your right, and in that, we have requested Her Excellency, Mrs Aisha Buhari to serve as the Ambassador of Consumer.
`` She is going to support us because she has the tenacity to mobilise women and she will support us in mobilising women in any state we will be reaching out to.
`` We want her to use her passion to teach Nigerians to get value for their money.
Those to be investigated are 18 serving and retired military personnel, 12 serving and retired public officials and 24 Chief Executive Officers of companies involved in the procurement which took place between 2007 and 2015.
Those listed for further investigation include two former Lt.-Gen. O.A. Ihejirika (Rtd) and Lt. Gen. K.T.J. Minimah (Rtd); former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Dr Nurudeen Mohammed and three former Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry of Defence Bukar Goni Aji, Haruna Sanusi and E.O Oyemomi.
The CEOs to be investigated include Col. Olu Bamgbose (Rtd) of Bamverde Ltd; Amity Sade of Dolyatec Comms Ltd and DYI Global Services and Edward Churchill of Westgate Global Trust Ltd.
The total amount spent for procurement and operations within the period were N185,843,052,564.30 and $685,349,692.49.
The committee found that the Nigerian Army Contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence for the period under review were often awarded without significant input from end-user (Nigerian Army) and to vendors who lacked the necessary technical competence.
As an example, 3 contracts with a total value of N5,940,000,000.00 were awarded to DYI Global Services Ltd and Doiyatec Comms Nig. Ltd (owned by the same individuals) for the procurement of military hardware including 20 units of KM-38 Twin Hull Boats and 6 Units of 4X4 Ambulances fitted with radios.
"The committee found that the 2 companies collected N5,103,500,000.00, representing 86% of the total value of the 3 contracts worth N5,940,000,000.00, but only performed to the tune of N2,992,183,705.31."
A contract worth N169,916,849.77 for the procurement of 53 Armoured Vehicles Spare Parts, with 90 days completion time, is yet to be completed after five years.
Contracts awarded directly by the Nigerian Army were said to have lacked of due process, in breach of extant procurement regulations and tainted by corrupt practices.
In this regard, a review of the procurement carried out by Chok Ventures Ltd and Integrated Equipment Services Ltd established that between March 2011 and December 2013, the 2 companies exclusively procured various types of Toyota and Mitsubishi vehicles worth over N3,000,000,000.0 for the Nigerian Army without any competitive bidding.
The president gave the directive at the grand finale of the 2016 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) in Gusau on Thursday, July 14.
Represented by the Minister of Defence, retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, the president said that intensifying current efforts would put an end to all forms of criminalities being perpetrated across the country.
He restated his administration's commitment toward enhancing operational efficiency of the Nigerian Armed Forces to effectively discharge their constitutional roles.
Buhari said that the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that the military was provided with required resources and impetus to operate professionally and efficiently.
"With what I have seen today, I am quite confident as all other Nigerians that the Nigerian Armed Forces has been repositioned ever than before to resolutely confront security challenges in our country.
"I implore all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to sustain the current tempo in the various operations across the country.
"I urge you to intensify and perfect current strategies, approaches, techniques and tactics toward curtailing all forms of criminalities across the country."
On his part, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said that the hallmark of the celebration was the training amid "real time combat operation.
He said that the exercise and operation which started some days earlier had yielded results as many enclaves of the criminals had been dismantled.
"This year's Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) is quite unique because of the major training to drive the Army's operational readiness and to address security challenges in parts of the country.
"The exercise is also an avenue to expand ongoing operations in collaboration with sister services and security agencies to tackle cattle rustlers and armed bandits in the North-West.
"I am glad to announce that the exercise has been a huge success and I want to call on the people of the affected areas to return and continue with their legitimate businesses," he said.
On the North-East operations, Buratai said that the stabilisation phase of the fight against insurgency was progressing accordingly.
He said the army had in the last one year conducted its operations in the most professional manner.
According to him, the army has in the past year aligned itself to improve its relations with the public even as it employed kinetic and non-kinetic strategies in addressing security challenges.
The army chief paid glowing tribute to the officers and men, especially those that paid the supreme price in the fight against insurgency.
He assured the political class and other Nigerians of army's commitment to keeping Nigeria united and safe.
According to him, the commitment and unalloyed loyalty of the Nigerian Army to the nation remain unchanged and officers and soldiers will continue to remain apolitical.
The spokesman for the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, in a statement on Thursday, July 14, that purported report was a "figment of the imagination of the writers."
We expected the party to, at least, explore all the options open to it to verify that piece of fabrication which is only the figment of the imagination of the writers and their sponsors," Abdullahi said.
It should be clear to the APC leadership that if there is any truth to that story, it should have been credited to a particular senator who was at the executive session.
It is evident from our proceedings of yesterday (Wednesday) that the Senate itself was shocked that such a fabrication, which constitutes a breach of the privileges of the senators, was published and that was why we mandated our Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions to investigate the source and circumstances leading to the emergence of such a fabrication.
We will like to assure the party that the Senate, as an institution, values the present democracy in our country and will not do anything that will undermine or weaken the system.
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I am very sad about what is going on in the Senate. All former senators and members of the House of Representatives should be sad, he said in a solidarity message given at an emergency meeting of Lagos Central District leaders and stakeholders in Surulere, The Nation reports.
Senator Dino Melaye is rude to a woman of substance and a diligent senator who has brought pride to the party, her constituency and the womenfolk. He should be suspended from the Senate with immediate effect, Fasanmi added.
Fasanmi also urged Nigerians to be careful of voting in legislators with faulty character.
ALSO READ: Bola Tinubu says Dino Melaye is a disgrace
El-Rufai said this while receiving the report of the Commission in Kaduna.
The commission, inaugurated in January, was mandated to investigate the clash between the Shiites Islamic Movement and the Nigerian Army in Zaria.
The governor said the report would be diligently studied for proper implementation.
He said the state government would be guided by the commission's recommendations in assigning administrative and criminal responsibility to those who allegedly participated in the violence.
``Kaduna State has witnessed at least 10 rounds of ethnics and religious violence in the last three decades,``he said.
El-Rufai said a white paper conveying the decision of government on the recommendations of the commission would be issued promptly.``And the necessary follow up actions will be taken to avoid similar crises that took place in the last three decades in parts of state.''
El-rufai said the commission was set up to provide best option for accountability and transparency in providing justice to the affected persons in the mayhem.
He commended the chairman and members for accepting to serve in the commission and for their commitment.
The chairman of the commission, Justice Mohammad Garba, had earlier thanked the state government for finding them worthy to participate in the inquiry.He, however, said that members of the Shiites movement did not appear before the commission, adding that they had decided to opt out of the hearing without formal reason.Garba said the commission could not meet up with the six-week deadline because of the group's failure to appear despite efforts made to convince the sect to appear before it.
``They were represented by a counsel and they decided to opt out without formal reason or formal communication,``Garba said.He appreciated the public support and the security agencies while conducting the public hearing.He said more than 350 memos were received from within and outside the state.The chairman also said that 40 copies of the final report had been presented to the state government for necessary action.
The money was believed to be part of the N4.7 billion that was diverted from the Office of the National Security Adviser and deposited into the bank account of a company belonging to the sons of a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.
According to the suit filed on behalf of Agbele by his counsels, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo, they urged the court to declare his arrest and detention unlawful and award N500 million as compensatory damages against the EFCC.
They argued that the arrest and continued detention of Agbele beyond the 48 hours allowed by the Constitution amounts to violation of his rights to freedom of liberty, human dignity and the right to acquire and own properties.
According to a report by Sahara Reporters, the military vehicles conveying soldiers on their way to Maiduguri was involved in the accident on Friday, July 15, 2016 after it was hit by another vehicle.
The report claimed further that the crashed military vehicle was hit after it went on a wrong road from Gaya junction and headed to another road of Jahun.
ALSO READ: 19 people die in fatal crash
The injured soldiers were reported to have received medical treatment at the General Hospital Gaya as no deaths were recorded.
She was said to have been picked up in connection to the corruption allegations against her husband, who is wanted for questioning over the N4.745 billion funds he reportedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The ex-minister's wife was however released on bail after the DSS transferred her to the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) - her international passport was confiscated and asked to return on Monday, July 18, for interrogation.
The DSS, according to report, moved to arrest Mrs. Obanikoro following information that she 'quietly' arrived in the country last weekend from the United States.
We got a report that Mrs. Obanikoro had sneaked into the country from the United States. After the confirmation of her travel log, an alert was issued to all security agencies," a source told the newspaper.
Following intelligence sharing with the EFCC, the operatives of the DSS arrested her in Lagos with some documents relating to the probe of the N4.745billion slush funds from ONSA. Another source spoke of excitement about Mrs. Obanikoros arrest because some of the funds under investigation were wired into her company, which is called MOB.
She needs to explain to this commission what job she did to deserve such remittance into her account.
The source further said: Mrs. Obanikoro had sued the EFCC for the enforcement of fundamental human rights for allegedly harassing her tenants and in-laws during the course of investigating her husband.
The ad hoc committee, according to the lawmakers, will investigate utilization of the funds, level of compliance with targets and determine the necessity of further disbursement as being planned by the Federal Government.
This followed a motion raised under "Matters of Urgent National Importance by Rep. Sunday Karimi (PDP)-Kogi), which was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote.
Moving the motion, Karimi said that the need to investigate the disbursement and utilisation of the funds was geared toward ensuring the welfare of citizens in the affected states.
He explained that the Federal Government approved and disbursed N689.5 billion to 27 states in July, 2015, and gave N20 billion to Kogi four months ago.
The lawmaker expressed dismay that many of the beneficiary-states had failed to utilize the funds for payment of workers' salaries and had continued to owe the workers their salaries.
He disclosed that reports had alleged that many state governments lodged the bailout funds in interest-bearing accounts and allowed their employees to continue to wallow in hunger and lack.
"States like Abia, Osun, Bayelsa, Benue, Ekiti, Kwara, Plateau, Oyo, Delta, Niger, Ogun, Nasarawa, Kogi, among others, are still owing workers' salaries for several months."
Contributing to the motion, House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, said that the intention of giving out the bailout funds was good, but that the application seemed to be wrongly done.
He said that in order to have transparency, the house should look into the matter and avoid same mistake in the bailout to be given soon.
The #HELLOAFRICA online movement seeks to present the half of the narrative that has rarely been told - the part that espouses the successes of Africans who have shaken the world stage, and the African athletes who have upstaged others in various disciplines. This influential set has been relatively invisible until now - a few examples include the President of the United States, Barack Obama, and Lupita Nyong'o (Kenyan American), the Oscar-winning actress and the new face of Lancome.
Marcus Samuelsson (Ethiopian American) serves as a recurring judge for Chopped, one of the Food Networks highest-rated series with a following of over 20 million viewers per month. Akon (Senegalese American), a rapper, songwriter, businessman, and record producer has over 60 million followers on social media and has launched the Akon Lighting Africa initiative.
The movement has provided a wide range of reactions from the serious to the most hilarious this has influenced the list of individuals who are celebrated on the platform which includes musicians and fashion icons, and game changers in the social environment such as business people, athletes and other successful Africans.
Pictures are pouring in on Instagram and Twitter from the likes of HelloAfrica guests Femi Kuti, Saran Kaba Jones, Ayan and Idyl Mohallim, alongside celebrity influencers such as Saycon Sengbloh, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Toke Makinwa, Banky W, Oluchi, DBanj, and Genevieve Nnaji to name a few.
Hello Africas Host, Eunice Omole explains that , The purpose of the movement is to put a positive spotlight on Africans all over the world, showing the many amazing faces and hands saying hello. They are celebrities, game changers, influencers, successful men and women. Its not about aid and its not about charity. Its about celebrating the impact globally. Its a call to action for everyone - not just Africans - to come together and support a continent that has for so long been treated negatively.
Its time to change the narrative and its time to change the focus on Africa for the good, and it starts with the people. This is what the show is all about and this is what the HelloAfrica campaign is all about.
The clarion call that is presented through this online movement is that there is need to look beyond the grim, there is the need to focus on each individuals uniqueness and achievements.
In this regard, the #HELLOAFRICA online campaign has set out to acknowledge the input of Africans throughout the world. It is, however, important to note that the movement is not limited to Africans only, it is an open movement that seeks to involve every person in the world in changing the narrative of the African.
Racism and prejudices are vices that are committed by human beings and as such, it is important that every person is involved in the attempt to eradicate racism and stereotypes. The online platform provides an opportunity for the world to interact with the stories of notable African achievers who have created an impact on the world just as members of other races have.
Join the movement by posting a picture of yourself and nominating friends. The importance of the movement espouses the need to embrace one another without prejudices and assumptions that seem to present Africans in a bad light.
Social Media Information Handles: @euniceomole @ebonylifetv Hashtag: #HELLOAFRICA.
Friends, join the #HELLOAFRICA movement! Pay it forward and pass it on. Youre up next: @_____ @______ @_____ (tag 3 of your friends)
The call was made by APCs Deputy National Chairman, Segun Oni, during a meeting with a team from the Institute of Strategic Management (ISM) in Abuja on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
We are willing to take useful suggestions and strategies from various institutions that have workable solutions and ideas to the countrys socio-economic challenges, he said.
We need the cooperation of all Nigerians especially institutions like yours that understand what we are trying to do and buy into it so that we can all join hands to ensure a smooth journey as a party and for Nigerians.
We are determined that Nigeria will not continue in the way of the past, we are determined that Nigeria must change for better. We need every ally we can get; we have seen signs that things will change for the better very quickly, we are very sure of that, he added.
ALSO READ: Many APC members defect to PDP in Ondo
Dino Melaye is a senator, but not a distinguished senator. He has not distinguished himself in anything that is honourable, Olusi said at a meeting of the districts stakeholders on Thursday, July 14.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu is the representative of the premier senatorial district in Nigeria; the Centre of Excellence and the seat of commerce. We have to remind those who have forgotten that the first legislative chamber and colonial secretariat were established in the district, he added.
Melaye, on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, reportedly threatened to beat up and impregnate Mrs Tinubu.
Read the South West APCs comments, contained in a statement released by Zonal National Secretary, Ayo Afolabi, below:
All Progressives Congress members (South West Zone) feel scandalized and traumatized that we are in the same political party with the likes of Senator Dino Melaye who was credited with using the sovereignty of the floor of the Senate Chambers to address Senator Oluremi Tinubu a Very Distinguished Senator and wife of our Leader Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu in very rude, indecent and uncouth language.
We are surprised that any person elected into the Nigerian Senate could remind us of the often repeated lyrics Vagabond in Power by Fela Anikulapo Kuti at the Berlin festival performance. On the other hand, going by the antecedents of the undistinguished Senator Melaye, his current conduct in the Senate is predictable, he had married and divorced three women who all had stories of violence visited on them by him.
We wonder if Dino thought Mrs. Tinubu was in the class of his slave ladies. Dino we know was rejected in 2011 by his constituency at the polls, only for him to clandestinely contest the senate seat riding on the popularity of the All Progressives Congress to climb to the hallowed chambers of the Senate. But the leopard never shed its skin. Melaye is nothing but a disgrace to the Nigerian Senate.
We at the All Progressives Congress (South West Zone) call on the undistinguished Senator to publicly withdraw his tantrums and apologize not only to our own Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu but also to the entire Tinubu Family, Womanhood and the All Progressives Congress in the South West Zone. We invite all our women society organizations to see this as a fight against the denigration of the Nigerian woman.
We call on the National Leadership and indeed the National Chairman of our Great Party, His Excellency Chief John Odigie Oyegun, to call the disgrace of a person in Senator Melaye, a wolf in a sheeps skin to order. From reports of his performance and activities in the Senate, this incident is typical of Dinos record. We wonder if Dino will not one of these days carry out his treat of beating up a Senate colleague.
We call on the Ag. Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Kpotun Idris to note the threat issued by Dino Melaye, that he will kill anybody who testifies against the accused persons in the Senate forgery case. We think Dino threat is not just running his usual verbal diarrhoea, but his outburst was a demonstration of the hatred he harbors for our Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
He also said that the party would amend its constitution to address some of the reasons why a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, nullified the last amendment done by the party.
``We discussed some programmes leading to the convention, meaning that the national convention will hold on Aug. 17 in Port Harcourt, where we will elect new national executive officers of the party.
``We have also discussed and agreed on a new amendment to the constitution in view of recent court judgments in order to align the constitution to the judgments that have been delivered by court of competent jurisdiction, he said.
On zoning, he said that the party has set aside the previous zoning arrangement, adding that within the next few days a committee will be set up to arrived at a zoning formula.
Makarfi added that the meeting also received reports on its reconciliation process, saying it was now yielding positive impact, as Sen. Buruji Kashamu had pledged his full support for the committee.
``You can see by yourself, our brother, friend and associate, Sen. Buruji Kashamu; that is evidence of the reconciliation making progress.
``I can assure you that we will never foreclose full reconciliation with the disputed National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and another person that may still be associated with him.
``What we want is an all inclusive PDP, an equitable, fair and just system in the PDP.
He added that the party had also set up a special reconciliation committee to be chaired by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, to further resolve the division within the PDP in the South West.
Sen. Walid Jubrin, the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), who also spoke, expressed joy on the return of Sen. Kashamu to the main PDP fold.
The party will elect new officers that would take over from the Ahmed Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee during the planned convention.
The announcement was the outcome to a meeting of the expanded caucus of the party which took place in Abuja on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
The party has also named a committee to work out a new zoning arrangements for national offices. It zoned the national chairman to the South having approved presidency for the north.
Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy senate president was elected to lead a national reconciliation committee which was constituted to address the lingering crisis between factions within the party.
The party failed to elect a new set of leaders in its convention which held in May due to various court orders.
This led to the appointed a caretaker committee headed by a former governor of Kaduna state, Ahmed Makarfi.
Ali Modu Sheriff, who had earlier announced the cancellation of the convention, insisted that he remained the chairman of the party.
According to the Christian organisation, his refusal led to the loss of his limbs.
"[The] extremists exerted pressure on him to abandon Christianity and convert to Islam. Aqeel however, did not give up on his Christian faith and refused to comply with their demand. Notwithstanding...his rebuttal, they chopped off his both arms, and absconded", LEAD said.
ALSO READ: Yinka Ayefele refutes rumour that he has converted to Islam
The police has a different explanation for this.
Police officer, Ammara Athar, said Masih's arms were "chopped off in a train accident", as he is believed to be an addict, who had an overdose.
"The circumstantial evidences do not support the claims of the victim. Apparently, it seemed that the man lost his arms in a train accident. We have yet to testify the claim of Aqil, we believe his arms were chopped off in a train accident," he said.
Speaking to BBC, he said non-protesters were preventing the country from growing.
"Let's all shut down and send a message to our government that enough is enough, we need changes in very simple things, in very simple areas.
And our protest - non-violent, non-inciting, stay-at-home, is the best because it is within the confines of the law.
Every Zimbabwean who does not participate is robbing us of a great opportunity to add to the momentum of where our country is going", he said.
Mawarire's campaign, #ThisFlag movement, is aimed at getting "as many citizens as possible involved in nation-building", in order to fight corruption, economic mismanagement and unemployment.
The pastor was was briefly detained for organising a nationwide strike.
He was released, after a court in Harare dismissed a legal case against him.
Ibrahim Umar graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering from the institution.
According to reports, before leaving for the UK, Umar studied at the Abuja Capital International College where he made a name as the best student in his junior year. The young man also emerged the best graduating student from the same school.
He chose to further his education in England and began by attending Stowe School for his Alevels.
He had always maintained academic excellence as he was earning top grades right from his first year in school.
ALSO READ: Nigerian graduates with First Class from Canada University
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, July 14, Okojie also added that the students are returning as a result of the improvement of quality of education in Nigeria.
He also added that university officials are now choosing to teach here as opposed to going abroad.
ALSO READ: Education commission shut down illegal university in Delta
Many Nigerian students are coming back home, not only because of issue of high school fees but because there is improvement in programmes in Nigerian universities. They are coming from Ghana and all over the world. The rate of Nigerian lecturers going abroad has also reduced and we will continue to improve our university system, he said.
Okojie reacted to the accusation that the NUC is rejecting law graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). He said this was due to the wrong assumption that NOUN programmes were part-time, adding that the commission is working towards resolving the issue.
Solar Impulse 2, a spindly single-seat plane, flew over the Pyramids to make a smooth landing at Cairo airport at about 7:10 a.m. (0510 GMT), ending a flight leg that lasted 48 hours and 50 minutes.
The plane, which began its journey in Abu Dhabi in March 2015 and is due to end it there, has been piloted in turns by Swiss aviators Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies.
"Thanks to clean technologies, today you can reconcile economy and ecology ... this was my goal when I started the project," Piccard told Reuters.
Solar Impulse flies without a drop of fuel, its four engines powered solely by energy collected from more than 17,000 solar cells in its wings. Surplus power is stored in batteries during the day to keep the plane aloft on long-distance flights.
The carbon fibre plane, with a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747 and the weight of a family car, is unlikely to set speed records. It can climb to about 8,500 metres (28,000 feet) and cruise at 55-100 kph (34-62 mph).
The Solar Impulse team will now prepare for the final leg of the journey to United Arab Emirates, they said.
Numerous private companies and entities have been making efforts to compile user-generated data in different sectors but, like we all know, that always turns out to be either inadequate, or ineffective.
Now, it seems like the Federal Government is starting to realize the power behind user-generated data and how effective it can be in the effective management of all aspects of governance - they have decided to create a vehicle owner database.
Per a statement from HID Global, the company that has been awarded the contract, the deal for the vehicle owner database was signed on May 12, 2016, and will see all of Nigeria's entire vehicle ownership system computed into one single smartphone-accessible database.
Techpoint reports that the database will be built on HID's goID platform which includes a program for vehicle registration, provision of real-time access to vehicle and vehicle owner information through credentials and mobile readers.
The Nigerian Police Biometric Central Motor Registry (BMCR) vehicle registration program will issue mobile IDs; a system that already sort-of, kind-of exists already but barely functional.
Nigeria is roughly estimated to have about 60 million cars on its roads. If there is a functional vehicle registration management platform, the applications are numerous. Crime for one will be tackled more effectively.
ALSO READ: 14 words only people who went to boarding school can relate to
According to the spas website, the Pet dog exorcism plan is usually suggested for dogs in their unlucky years.
Seven-year-old, 10-year-old, and 13-year-old dogs need to be careful of their health, as its easier in those years for them to gets diseases of ageing, the website says.
The weird exorcism is said to take 30 minutes.
A parked car detonated as Aidaroos al-Zubaidi and vehicles carrying his bodyguards and retinue drove in the Inma area.
One soldier was injured, medics said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
A civil war has raged for over a year in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula nation, and security chaos has gripped the port city - temporary seat of Yemen's embattled government.
Zubaidi was appointed governor of Aden after his predecessor was killed in a car bombing on Dec. 6 claimed by Islamic State, the latest attack by the new Yemen branch of the militant group against government targets.
Assassins have tried several times before to kill him in car bomb blasts.
Islamic State has stepped up operations since the outbreak of civil war in Yemen, emerging as a forceful rival to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the main militant group in the country in recent years.
According to a report by the Washington Post, the U.S. wants to establish a "joint implementation group" with Russia to coordinate actions against Islamic State and another UN-designated terrorist group, al-Nusra Front, in war-torn Syria.
Russia and the U.S. have been waging separate military campaigns in Syria that have sometimes been at odds, with Russia supporting Syria's government and the U.S. aiding in an effort to overthrow that government.
Kerry, who is to arrive in Moscow around 6 p.m. local time, is expected to hold a press conference with Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, on Friday, the U.S. embassy said.
The Kremlin said broadly that the officials were expected to discuss Syria, Ukraine and U.S.-Russian relations.
Relations sank to a post-Cold War low two years ago when Russia annexed neighbouring Ukraine's southern Crimea region in response to Ukraine ousting its pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, in what Moscow has described as a Western-orchestrated coup.
The U.S. has also been trying to get Moscow to end a pro-Russian separatist rebellion in Ukraine's two eastern-most regions that erupted shortly after Yanukovych's ouster.
It has been a year since Tuareg-led separatist rebels signed the accord with the Malian government after a conflict that destabilised this West African country.
The lawlessness created by the fighting allowed militant Islamist groups including al Qaeda's regional wing to spread, seize control of the desert north and launch attacks against targets in Mali and its neighbours.
The U.N.-backed peace deal was supposed to give the government space to tackle this threat. Any signs it could fail will sound alarm bells in Washington and other Western capitals which have long feared Mali could became a haven for militants to launch jihadi attacks around the world.
Few of the signatories to the accord seeming satisfied with it, with all sides dragging their feet on implementation and blaming each other.
"Many things were done on paper and commissions have been set up but people on the ground haven't enjoyed the gains," said Mohamoudou Djeri Maiga, vice-president of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), a Tuareg separatist movement that fought to establish an ethnic homeland among the sand dunes and oases of northern Mali.
Anger is also growing among those excluded from its spoils, especially youth groups who backed the state in the conflict but feel they have ended up with nothing.
The tensions have spilled over into violence, with sporadic and deadly clashes taking place in some areas that have pitted groups who backed the government in the conflict against groups linked to the Tuareg and the Arab rebels who fought with them.
In the most overt sign of discontent about the peace deal yet, thousands of protesters gathered on Tuesday, burning tyres and pelting police with rocks, to voice anger at interim authorities including former combatants which, under the deal, are supposed to take office this week in Gao and other northern regions.
The army responded by opening fire, killing three people and wounding 33.
"At this point no one is satisfied with the implementation of the agreement," the head of Mali's U.N. peacekeeping mission Mahamat Saleh Annadif told Reuters late last month.
"The parties signed the agreement certainly, but each of them has a vision of what they want," he added.
Concerned about the lack of progress, representatives from the U.N. Security Council travelled to northern Mali in March to push for parties to put the agreement into action.
ANGER AT ARMED GROUPS
French forces intervened in the former colony in 2013 to drive back Islamist fighters who had hijacked the Tuareg insurgency and seized Mali's north, at one point even threatening the capital Bamako.
A U.N. peacekeeping mission was then deployed, but militants have exploited continued instability to regroup and carry out a wave of attacks against in Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
Yet Tuesday's protests showed that, even if deal gets implemented, it risks igniting violence among Malians who feel disenfranchised by it.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, mindful of the fragility of the accord and the widespread discontent, gave a special televised address on Thursday in which he expressed "deep regret" about the killings at the protests.
"The incidents are regrettable and could have been avoided," he said, but added that the unrest was "an illustration of the poor understanding of the peace deal. It shows we need to work harder for all sections of society to have ownership of it."
Many Malian young people don't think they have misunderstood anything.
"It is clear the agreement means that if you are not armed you get nothing, but if you have weapons you a get a role," said Issouf Alhousseini, local head of the Young Patriots of Gao, a vigilante movement which counts among its members many of the government-allied Songhai ethnic group who now feel alienated.
"The Arabs and Tuaregs have weapons, so they get included. The government should have given us a place too," he said, showing how the divisions that tore Mali apart still linger.
Amadou Sarr, another Songhai vigilante leader, even suggested that some youths would seek to acquire weapons in order to trade them in for demobilisation money.
And as insecurity worsens in northern Mali, economic decline has set in. The tourists who used to visit Timbuktu, a medieval Islamic city that grew fabulously rich off the trade in gold and slaves crossing the sands of the Sahara, have never come back.
"Before, we could take people across the country," Abdrahamane Maiga, a tourist guide, lamented.
LI FENG/CHINA DAILY
At the end of one of the country's longest and closest elections in half a century, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declared victory on Sunday. His stay in power could be a good omen for China-Australia ties, which gathered robust momentum after their historic free trade deal came into effect at the end of last year.
To continue to maintain that momentum in bilateral interactions, Turnbull needs to be politically pragmatic and flexible, especially because the South China Sea issue has put him to immediate test. The South China Sea disputes between China and some of its Southeast Asian neighbors should not have become a concern for Australia had it stayed true to its claim of neutrality.
But just one day after the arbitral tribunal passed an utterly one-sided ruling in the case initiated by the Philippines against China in the South China Sea dispute, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told ABC Radio that China's reputation would suffer if it ignores the ruling, and called on both Beijing and Manila to respect it.
If this is the stance Australia has to take in order to show its allegiance to its long-time ally the United States, it is also enough to infuriate its biggest trading partner, China, which believes the arbitral tribunal's ruling has no legal basis at all.
Australian leaders may want to draw reference from a recent TV program jointly produced by China Central Television and Sky News Australia, in which experts from the two countries discussed Beijing-Canberra ties. The South China Sea issue featured prominently in the debate broadcast by CCTV News on July 4 and provided clear evidence that the maritime disputes, which do not concern Australia, have become a sticking point in bilateral ties.
Telecast just two days after Australia's national elections, the program drew a lot of attention from both sides, testifying to the rising importance of China-Australia ties and concerns over the effect of the South China Sea issue on them.
During the debate, Chinese experts said they were puzzled by Australia's involvement in the maritime disputes, which is what many Chinese and Australian people also feel. Explanations that Australia relies heavily on the shipping lanes in the South China Sea to justify its involvement in the disputes seem superficial after John Russell with the North Head Communications, admitted during the debate that Canberra's role in the South China Sea is just a political contribution to Washington's stance on the issue.
Obviously, the US-Australia military alliance, forged some 60 years ago, continues to influence Canberra's stance on many key political and strategic issues even today.
In response, Zhu Feng, director of the Collaborative Innovation Center of South China Sea Studies at Nanjing University, said he respects Australia's history and believes China does not seek to weaken the alliance, but he earnestly hopes Canberra develops an independent policy toward Beijing that truly reflects its importance in the Asia-Pacific region.
In the South China Sea issue, the wise choice for Australia would be to stay neutral because the sea, thanks to the US' meddling, has become increasingly volatile.
Against the healthy background of bilateral trade, flow of tourists and students, and increasing cooperation in other fields, Australia could risk casting a shadow on bilateral ties by meddling in the South China Sea issue.
Therefore, compared with domestic challenges, the one posed by the South China Sea issue can be more difficult for Turnbull to deal with. Turnbull should understand it would serve Australia's interests, too, if it does not jump on the US bandwagon so eagerly to fish in the troubled waters of the South China Sea.
The author is deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific. jasmine@chinadailyhk.com
A Turkish presidential source told Reuters that the statement was not authorised by the military command.
Gunfire was also heard outside Istanbul police headquarters and tanks are said to be stationed outside Istanbul airport with all flights cancelled.
"We are working on the possibility of an attempt. We will not allow this attempt. Those who are in this illegal act will pay the highest price.
"There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said.
Lighting the way to McAfee Pass a waning moon led 21 locals the 10.7 miles that climb almost 3,000 feet to the top of the Silver Peak Range on their way from Fish Lake Valley to the Old School Saloon terminus 34 miles away in Silver Peak for the 22nd annual Silver Peak or Bust hike.
If a batch of polls released over the past month are to be believed, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley holds a solid lead over Democrat Patty Judge.
But it's only a fraction of the winning margins he has wracked up in five successful re-election campaigns.
With less than six months to go before Election Day, Grassley's campaign says it's pleased with where things stand today. It has a lead in the polls and a big cash advantage.
Judge has neither, but they say they like where they are, too.
Iowa's Senate race was never supposed to be all that competitive. But when Senate Republicans and Grassley as chairman of the Judiciary Committee refused to take up President Barack Obama's nominee to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, Democrats were enraged, and the party's leadership took a new look at the state.
It's still too early to say how competitive this contest will turn out to be. But two new polls released this week, taken with previous surveys, provide somewhat of a baseline.
Polls released this week by New Jersey-based Monmouth University and the Wall Street Journal and NBC News said Grassley is leading by 10 points. Those figures are a little bit better than the seven-point lead a Public Policy Polling survey last month gave Grassley. And all are sharply different from a Loras College Poll, released a couple weeks ago, that had Grassley up by just one point.
Still, taken together, the RealClearPolitics polling average of the race says Grassley is leading by seven points.
Jeff Link, an adviser to Judge's campaign, said he thinks Grassley's lead is "between one and 10 points." He said Grassley's approval ratings are down from the past and average less than 50 percent in these public polls.
"For him to be in that position in July is terrific news for Patty Judge," Link said.
Grassley's campaign manager, Bob Haus, has a decidedly different view about what the polls are saying about the state of the race at this point.
"The one thing that comes through when you look at all of them is Sen. Grassley is considerably over-performing the presidential ballot, and that gives us confidence going into the fall," Haus said.
The Monmouth University poll said that Grassley had the support of 52 percent of likely voters in Iowa, eight points better than the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump. Trump and Hillary Clinton are virtually tied in the state, according to the poll.
Early on, the Senate race was dominated by the Supreme Court issue, and it could be one that helps the Democrats. The Monmouth poll said a plurality of Iowans, 39 percent, disagree with Grassley's decision not to hold hearings on the Garland nomination. Meanwhile, just 25 percent approve and 36 have no opinion, the poll said.
Chrisopher Larimer, a political science professor at the University of Northern Iowa, said that result weighs on Grassley. But he added the senator's 56 percent approval rating in the survey indicates it isn't the kind of thing that will push a large share of likely supporters away from him.
"I dont know that theyre going to hold it against him at the polls," Larimer said. He also thinks the issue has faded somewhat.
So far, the Senate campaign has mostly been visible on social media. There's been scant TV advertising and no joint appearances.
Grassley maintains a significant cash lead over Judge, who jumped into the race in March. As of mid-May, she reported $367,000 in the bank. Grassley, on the other hand, had $5.3 million. On Thursday, Grassley's campaign reported it had gone up to $5.9 million at the end of June. Judge hadn't reported figures through the end of the month.
Nonetheless, Judge's campaign and supporters have argued her proximity in the polls puts her within striking distance. They point out that Grassley has never won re-election by less than 31 points.
Haus dismisses the comparison of current polling to past election results.
"I think you're looking at two different snapshots in time," he said. And he adds there's plenty of time to shape voters' opinions between now and November.
Dennis Goldford, a political science professor at Drake University in Des Moines, said the polls have warning signs for both candidates. A relatively high proportion of Iowans, 56 percent in the Monmouth poll, say they have no opinion of Judge, a former lieutenant governor and agriculture secretary who based part of her primary campaign on her statewide recognition.
"That doesn't look good for her," Goldford said.
At the same time, given Grassley's previous re-election margins, getting support levels at less than 55 percent is troublesome for him at this point, Goldford said.
"Even if he's above 50, thats quite an expression of discomfort about him," he said.
Top Republicans in Iowa praised Donald Trump's selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's selection to be his running mate Friday.
Gov. Terry Branstad, who has long shown a preference for fellow governors on presidential tickets, called Pence a friend who has governed conservatively. "Mike is an excellent choice for vice president and someone who will continue bringing Republicans together to defeat Hillary Clinton in November," Branstad said in a statement.
Pence was to have been at a National Governors Association meeting in Des Moines this week, but as speculation swirled about whether he or two others, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, would be Trump's pick, he did not make an appearance.
Trump announced his selection on Twitter on Friday morning and said there would be a news conference Saturday.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also praised Pence on Friday. He pointed to his executive experience and said Pence would satisfy most in the conservative movement. He also said his demeanor, which has been described as low key and quiet, is a plus for the ticket. His personal demeanor is going to modify somewhat the erratic demeanor of Trump," Grassley said in Des Moines.
Pence, who is a favorite among some but not all social conservatives, has made stops in Iowa to raise money for the Iowa GOP and to stump for other candidates, including Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.
He's also been mentioned previously as a possible presidential candidate himself, speculation that was stoked by a 2010 appearance at an Iowa Faith and Freedom event. He also was in the state in 2014 for a fundraiser for Branstad.
Some religious conservatives have had doubts about Trump, and Pence's selection could help with that. Luana Stoltenberg, a Davenport woman who has long been involved in the anti-abortion movement, said she had struggled with the idea of voting for Trump but planned to do so. Pence's selection, she said, makes her feel more comfortable about it.
"It gives me a little bit more peace to know that that's what he's shooting for," Stoltenberg said Thursday, after news leaked that Pence had been selected but before Trump made the official announcement. She called Pence a conservative who "stayed true to the cause."
Shane Vander Hart, a conservative blogger and social media consultant who lives near Des Moines, called Pence a safe choice on Thursday but added that he draws a "tepid" reaction from conservatives.
Vander Hart, who won't vote for Trump, said the Indiana governor has been "wishy-washy" on religious liberty, as well as the Common Core education issue.
"I don't think he moves the needle much," he said.
Pence angered some conservatives last year when he signed a law that critics argued would allow businesses in the state to refuse to serve gays and lesbians, only to approve of revisions later following an uproar that included concerns the original law would hurt the state's economic climate.
Bob Vander Plaats, chief executive of the Family Leader, alluded to the episode as a high-profile stumble on Thursday. But he added, "I believe his heart is for religious liberty."
Vander Plaats also praised Pence for his time in Congress and as governor. He said that Pence has surrounded himself with like-minded conservatives.
"It gives a very good indication to pro family conservatives that he hears us," he said of Trump's choice.
Democrats on Friday were critical of the choice. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Andy McGuire, in a statement, said: "Pence has a long career of embracing discriminatory policies and pushing forward legislation that only benefits corporations and the 1 percent."
(Erin Murphy and James Q. Lynch contributed to this report).
A 31-year Army veteran took command of the Rock Island Arsenal-based First Army in a ceremony Friday on the island, making him the unit's 38th leader overall and third since it moved here in 2011.
Lt. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty, who was awarded his third star in a separate ceremony on the island just prior to the change of command, is now the highest ranking officer on the island.
Under mostly cloudy skies, the new leader took the command's colors as subordinate units from across the country took part in the approximately hour-long ceremony.
First Army is responsible for training, mobilizing and deploying Army reservists and National Guard units. It's headquartered on Arsenal Island, and in recent years, it has shifted its focus to pre-mobilization training, a significant change that was completed a year ahead of schedule, officials said.
Gen. Robert B. Abrams, the commander of the Army's Forces Command, who oversaw Friday's ceremony, praised the unit's outgoing commander, Lt. Gen. Michael Trucker, for the transition, noting also that he is retiring after 44 years in the Army.
Officials said that Friday's ceremony wasn't aimed at marking Tucker's retirement, but the general's sometimes emotional words to soldiers, civilians and local representatives brought poignancy to the moment. Tucker joined the Army in 1972, and he says it's improved immensely since then because of the way enlisted men and women are now treated.
With his voice choking up a bit, Tucker said, "I did not have a plan, but the Army had a plan for me. I did not see my potential, but the Army saw potential in me. I did not know where I would end up 44 years later, but the Army took me to where I am today and I am forever grateful for that journey," Tucker said.
Twitty, 53, most recently commanded the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss, Texas, where he has been since 2014. He also is a veteran of the Iraq War, having commanded a battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment.
In brief remarks, Twitty said he looked forward to being part of the Quad-Cities, the Arsenal and the First Army command team. "We play an important role in assisting the total Army in meeting its readiness goals. We must not take our mission lightly, and there is much work to be done as we look forward to leading this organization," he said.
Afterward, Twitty praised Tucker, who he has known for years. "I know I've got big shoes to fill, but I'm going to fill 'em. I'm going to try to stretch 'em out a little bit," he said.
WASHINGTON Donald Trump has chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, adding political experience and conservative bona fides to his Republican presidential ticket. Trump announced his decision on Twitter Friday morning, capping a frenzied 24 hours of speculation about his choice.
A news conference was set for Saturday in New York for the two men who will take on Hillary Clinton and her Democratic running mate in November.
Trump offered the vice presidential spot to Pence Thursday, and the governor boarded a plane for New York in anticipation of a Friday announcement, according to a Republican with knowledge of the process. But shortly after Pence arrived, Trump abruptly said he was postponing an announcement because of the deadly attack in Nice, France, that left more than 80 people dead.
The delay sparked speculation that the notoriously unpredictable Trump might make a last minute change. But the businessman put those questions to rest Friday when he tweeted that he was "pleased" to announce Pence as his No. 2.
Pence said on Twitter that he was honored to accept the running mate slot and "work to make America great again."
Pence, a staunchly conservative 57-year-old, served six terms in Congress before being elected governor and could help Trump navigate Capitol Hill. He is well-regarded by evangelical Christians, particularly after signing a law that critics said would allow businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Clinton's campaign moved quickly to paint Pence as the "most extreme pick in a generation."
"By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate," said John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman.
Pence rose to the top of Trump's list in recent days as the two men spent more time together. Pence was the favored choice of many Republican leaders, as well as some top advisers in Trump's campaign, reflecting a desire to see the real estate mogul add a more traditional politician to the ticket.
"It was a pick that clearly shows he is pivoting to the general election," said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, who was in the midst of an interview with The Associated Press when Trump announced his decision. "He is choosing a person who has the experience inside and outside Washington, Christian conservative, very different style that I think shows a lot of maturity."
Pence's re-election prospects in Indiana added to the drama surrounding Trump's decision.
State law prohibits candidates from being on ballots in two contests, and Pence faced a noon Friday deadline for withdrawing from the governor's race. Trump's announcement came about an hour before that deadline.
Minutes after Trump tweeted, one of the governor's aides filed the paperwork with the Indiana Secretary of State's office.
Since taking office in 2013, Pence has presided over Indiana's improving economy and falling unemployment rate, which Republicans credit to the state's low taxes, limited regulation and pro-business climate. Yet his popularity at home has tumbled and re-election was not guaranteed.
During his years in Congress, Pence was known for a calm demeanor and conservative record. He deepened his ties to evangelical Christians and other conservatives last year when he signed the law affecting gays.
But his support for the measure led to a revolt from the business community, which joined gay rights advocates in successfully pushing for changes to the law. It also turned off some moderate Republicans, helping derail Pence's own presidential ambitions.
Trump's hectic decision-making process was made more complicated by the fact that the businessman was in California Thursday for a series of fundraisers, isolated from nearly all of his closest advisers, including his three adult children and his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Frustration among Trump and his advisers mounted because of news reports that Pence was the pick, sending top aides scrambling to insist no final decision had been made.
The billionaire said in a series of television interviews Thursday night that he'd not yet settled on a "final, final" choice, leaving open the possibility the unpredictable presumptive nominee could change his mind.
But Manafort dismissed suggestions in an interview on Fox News Channel that Trump was having second thoughts about his choice. He said Trump was planning on making an announcement this weekend.
Trump also seriously considered offering the running mate post to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to people familiar with the process.
Trump was up against a clock in unveiling his pick. In addition to Pence's deadline in Indiana, the Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland Monday.
Top party officials are already in Cleveland, where a committee voted late Thursday to rebuff a push to let delegates vote for any presidential candidate they'd like. It was a major blow to Republican foes of Trump who have been working to try to thwart his nomination.
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Associated Press writers Julie Bykowicz in Washington, Brian Slodysko in Indianapolis and Alan Fram and Steve Peoples in Cleveland.
After the Dallas ambush, I thought of a rookie cop I met a few weeks ago.
A storm was coming, the wind was up, the sky was dark and he was wearing sunglasses. He looked young, excited, like an athlete before a game, perhaps only a few years older than my sons.
And now that five police officers have been assassinated and seven other officers shot by that Dallas sniper, I wonder: Why become a cop?
There's so much anger and hate out there, legitimate historical grievances and phony opportunistic shrieking and political betrayals and phony hashtag wars. And always there is the ugly, predictable politics of race, read from a script written long before most young officers were born.
So why be a cop?
I'd been standing with an older officer. We were telling each other stupid stories for laughs when the rookies walked up. They had on all their new gear and fresh Velcro, and one wore sunglasses. The older cop asked me if I had any advice to give them. And I just had to open my big mouth.
Lose the shades, I said.
"Why?" said the kid. "They're cool."
Yes they're cool. But on a dark day with the sky gray and black, shades do little but hide your eyes. It means you don't want people to see what's going on behind them.
I think of that now, with police officers dead in Dallas, and I'm ashamed. It was so easy to say, something a writer would say, a man of words who sits on his butt in an office.
He'll grow cop eyes soon enough. They all do, as a perk of the job. And he'll grow them quickly, to look out into the world and see threats and liars standing between him and going home after his shift.
As I said, this was weeks ago, before that terrified cop in Minnesota killed the black man in his car, with the dead man's girlfriend live-streaming all that panic, and the governor attributing the shooting to racism. And before what happened in Louisiana, and later that Dallas sniper began shooting at the Black Lives Matter rally, killing in retaliation for the police shootings.
The chief said the sniper wanted to kill white cops.
It's been coming on for some time now, long before that horrible Black Lives Matter protest in New York, when a crowd shouted "What do we want? Dead cops. When do we want them? Now!"
What happened in Dallas has been coming long before Ferguson, Missouri, and long before black teenager Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times by a white cop in Chicago.
All that pressure made something such as this inevitable, so much anger and politics and cheap hashtag thinking. But there's also been the leveraging of legitimate grievances and rage. It could have happened in New York or Chicago. But it was Dallas.
"He said he was upset about the recent shootings," Dallas police Chief David O. Brown said. "The suspect said he was upset at white people. The suspect stated he wanted to kill white people, especially white officers."
When he said it, I thought of editors cringing, along with every mayor and police chief of every big city. Anyone with a brain can see how fragile things are now, how quickly something such as that could explode and get worse.
But it was what it was. The monster took a blood price from Dallas, from all police departments, and if Chief Brown hadn't made the killer's racist motivation clear, it would have leaked anyway, to crawl around in paranoid corners and grow.
Video and stories out of Dallas show Black Lives Matter protesters -- who were there to rally against police brutality -- were protected by police. And when shots were fired, cops rushed in to help the protesters, and immediately, #bluelivesmattered too, didn't they?
So why would that young kid with the shades ever want to be a cop?
He won't see people at their best. He'll see them often at their worst, and that alone may brutalize him. He won't trust politicians. But if he becomes isolated with only his blue tribe behind that blue line, he may become lost.
Some night, he might walk up a cold stairway in deep winter and see a plastic garbage bag on the open landing with something tiny and frozen inside, and he'll know what it was.
A political hashtag on Twitter won't help him deal with it, though #alllivesmatter, even newborns in bags, and he'll never tell his family.
So with all the angry racial politics and hate and stupidity out there, why ever think of becoming a cop?
Because they're needed, that's why. They know this. And they know what would happen if they weren't out there. And so do you.
As I read Christopher Epting's July 12 letter to the editor in support of Hillary Clinton, " Focus on Clinton's Record ," I felt as if I had been transported to an alternate reality. Did I not see FBI Director James Comey pillory Hillary for her "extreme carelessness" in the transmission of top secret documents on her private, unauthorized server?
Was I imagining Comey's testimony before a House committee last Thursday when he could not refute that she had lied to the American people about her secretive email practices? As Comey stated, her email arrangement was likely hacked by hostile interests exposing national security to unnecessary risk. All of this against the backdrop of a clandestine meeting between Bill Clinton and Attorney General Loretta Lynch on the tarmac of the Phoenix airport the week prior. The Clintons simply can't help themselves. They are driven by a lust for power at all cost and let the consequences be damned.
DES MOINES Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker says he is certain that if you put any 20 people in a room, at least one of them will have been directly impacted by opioid addiction.
In Iowa for this weekends summer meeting of the National Governors Association, 16 governors on Friday at the Iowa Events Center discussed what their group calls one of the deadliest drug epidemics in U.S. history.
The rate of overdose deaths involving opioids including heroin as well as prescription opioid pain relievers like oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine has nearly quadrupled in the U.S., and more than 165,000 people have died from prescription opioid overdoses, according to federal data.
More people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than any previous year, and thanks in part to a spike in opioid overdoses, overdose deaths have overtaken vehicle crashes as the nations leading cause of death by injury, according to the governors group.
Our states and our country are in the midst of a heroin and opioid crisis that is the most serious public health and safety issue of our time, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan said. (The epidemic) is devastating families and communities across our country.
Governors and lawmakers at the state and federal level have been attempting to address the rise in opioid overdose deaths. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who spoke with the governors group Friday, described provisions in newly passed federal legislation that authorizes $900 million over five years for prevention, education, treatment, recover and law enforcement.
This epidemic demands a comprehensive response, Grassley said while addressing the governors. I hear from Iowans all the time, just like Im sure you hear from your constituents, about real-life examples of how this epidemic is hitting home.
Grassley talked about the advocacy work done by Davenport woman Kim Brown, whose son, Andy Lamp, died from an accidental heroin overdose in 2011.
Brown advocated for a bill signed into law this year by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad that allows emergency responders and some others to possess and administer naloxone, an opioid antagonist, to people who are experiencing an opioid overdose.
Branstad said he hopes Iowa lawmakers consider requiring physicians to consult drug registries before prescribing opioid painkillers. These prescription drug monitoring programs are designed to prevent individuals addicted to opioid painkillers from obtaining them from multiple doctors.
Sixteen states have such a requirement, according to Pew Charitable Trusts.
I think its something that we need to be looking at, Branstad said. Hopefully the legislature will take a serious look at it. I think the information that were going to be able to get out of this conference will be helpful to us in trying to educate the legislature that this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.
The governors discussion also included U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell and national experts in medicine, public health and law enforcement.
DES MOINES While they agreed no solution will fit every state, many of the governors who are in Iowa for this weekends summer meeting of the National Governors Association said they can learn from successful programs in other states.
Utahs governor spoke about a program to reduce poverty; Virginias governor discussed steps taken there to prevent cyber attacks; Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, the events host, talked about Iowas program that helps provide housing and employment for retiring veterans.
The governors then spend the day discussing topical issues like opioid overdoses and foreign trade.
The annual event continues today with more sessions and more topics.
A total of 16 governors attended Fridays sessions. There was a near-even bipartisan mixture, with nine Republicans and seven Democrats.
Governors support TPP: A bipartisan group of governors expressed strong support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed international trade deal that has become a political issue in the U.S.
The governors in support of the trade deal including Branstad, Iowas Republican governor said it will benefit states economies.
Its not perfect and I accept some constructive criticism that maybe we can do better, but lets continue to break down these (trade) barriers, Branstad said, adding that half of Iowas economy is business exports.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, said he approves of the trade deal because it will create American jobs. He said opponents of the trade deal are putting their heads in the sand like an ostrich.
I look at this simply as a job creator, McAuliffe said.
Both of the major party presidential nominees, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, said they opposed the trade deal.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, said he believes the debate has been polluted by politics.
I dont understand why we cant sit down and come together with a compromise and move forward, Herbert said. Its a global marketplace and we need to understand that and find ways to interact with each other in the world.
I call upon those fighting this on both sides of the aisle: lets bring everybody together and finally get this done.
Terrorism and the states: In the wake of multiple recent terrorist attacks in the U.S. and across the globe, governors said keeping their states people safe is their primary responsibility.
One thing I can say, I think we all understand is that public safety is really not a partisan issue, Herbert said. The proper role of government is to keep us safe.
Branstad noted governors Mark Dayton of Minnesota and Brian Sandoval of Nevada planned to attend this weekends governors meetings, but instead remained in their home states to attend to incidents.
Although neither incident involved terrorism Dayton is attending to unrest in the wake of the death of a black man who was shot by a white police officer during a traffic stop, and Sandoval on Friday toured the site of a bombing that killed one person, apparently the bomber Branstad said those examples show a governors role in times of crisis.
My advice to a governor is whenever you have an incident, be it a natural disaster or something else that happens, its important for the governor to be there to reassure the people and help local authorities and others in law enforcement protecting the publics safety, he said.
South Dakotas congressional delegation has introduced bills calling for a state-federal land swap that would allow the expansion of Custer State Park and the creation of a state park in Spearfish Canyon.
Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced the Spearfish Canyon state park proposal during his State of the State speech in January. At that time, he said the state would need to acquire some federally-owned land. South Dakotas congressional delegates introduced legislation toward that end Thursday.
Sen. John Thune introduced a bill in the Senate with co-sponsorship by Sen. Mike Rounds, and Rep. Kristi Noem introduced a companion bill in the House.
Daugaard issued a written statement Thursday thanking all three.
There are still many steps to take before this vision can become a reality, but Im hopeful we will get there, Daugaards statement said.
If the swap is approved by Congress and the president, 1,468 acres of federally owned Black Hills National Forest land including the Timon and Rod and Gun campgrounds in the Spearfish Canyon area would be transferred to state ownership. Another 524 acres of federally owned land adjacent to Custer State Park, including Bismarck Lake and Camp Bob Marshall, would also be transferred to state ownership. Camp Bob Marshall is leased by the U.S. Forest Service to the Western Dakota 4-H Camp Association for youth camps.
In return, the state would transfer four state-owned parcels totaling 1,954 acres to the federal government.
Those parcels include 640 acres in Lyman County that would become part of the Fort Pierre National Grassland; two 640-acre parcels north of Badlands National Park in Pennington County that would become part of the Buffalo Gap National Grassland; and one 34-acre parcel in the Devils Bathtub area in Lawrence County that was recently donated by the Spearfish Canyon Foundation to the Department of Game, Fish & Parks and would become part of the Black Hills National Forest.
If the legislation proposing the swap becomes law, an appraisal would be ordered for all the affected parcels.
If the federal land is appraised higher than the state land, the state would have to convey additional land to the federal government, or pay additional money to the federal government, or a combination of both.
If the state land is appraised higher than the federal land, portions of the state land could be excluded from the swap to achieve an equal-value exchange.
Since the governor announced the state park proposal in January, the state used money from the Spearfish Canyon Foundation to acquire 73 acres of Spearfish Canyon land, including the site of Spearfish Falls, for $750,000 from Barrick Gold Corp. The pedestrian bridge leading to Spearfish Falls was not included in the purchase, because it was mired in litigation stemming from an easement dispute between Barrick and neighboring private landowners. The state has an option to purchase that additional small tract after the litigation is resolved.
The proposed 1,600-acre Spearfish Canyon state park would also include Roughlock Falls, which already is part of a designated state nature area. The state acquired Roughlock Falls as part of a $2.7 million deal in 2006 that included other land at the mouth of the canyon near Spearfish.
Democratic U.S. House candidate Paula Hawks will host three Black Hills town hall forums next week to discuss agriculture, Native American health care and answer questions.
The events will be at 6 p.m. Monday at the Grace Balloch Memorial Library, 625 N. Fifth St., Spearfish; 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Re-Treat Room, 21 N. Fourth St., Custer; and 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Rapid City Public Library, 610 Quincy St., Rapid City.
Victim in Egyptian plane crash case sues insurer for compensation payment delay
MOSCOW, July 15 (RAPSI) The Basmanny District Court in Moscow will consider the first lawsuit filed by a victim in the case over Airbus A321 plane crash in Egypt seeking full payment of compensation from an insurance company, RIA Novosti reported on Friday citing lawyer Igor Trunov.
The claim was lodged by a woman whose daughter died in the plane crash against VTB-Strahovanie, the agency quoted Trunov as having said. The woman claims that the company does not pay her insurance indemnity.
Under the insurance agreement, the compensation sum should reach $100,000, according to the lawyer.
The court will hear the lawsuit on July 29.
The Airbus A321, operated by Russian airline Kogalymavia, crashed into a mountainous area of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on October 31 leaving 224 people dead. The airliner was flying from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg in Russia.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) chief, Alexander Bortnikov earlier said that a terrorist attack was the cause of the plane crash.
A militant group linked to Islamic State said in a statement that it had brought down the plane in response to Russian airstrikes in Syria.
Russian Press Agencys ex-head pleads not guilty to inciting extremism
MOSCOW, July 15 (RAPSI) Former head of the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Media (Rospechat) and one of the founders of Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Boris Mironov has pleaded not guilty to extremism charges, RIA Novosti reported on Friday.
Prosecutors accuse Mironov of making calls for forced regime change. They claim that the defendant in his book Battle against Jewish Yoke intentionally incited readers to armed rebellion, hatred of the Jewish people and sought to dismantle the Russian statehood.
On Friday, Moscows Basmanny District Court began hearing a criminal case against Mironov. The abovementioned book written by the accused has prompted initiation of the case. Russian publishing house Algoritm has issued about 2,000 copies of the book.
Kathmandu, Nepal: A Cabinet meeting held on Friday reviewed the activities of the incumbent government.
The first meeting held after the major ally CPN Maoist Center withdrew the support to the government also decided to face the no-confidence motion registered against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the Parliament.
Following the decision of the CPN Maoist Center to withdraw the support to the government, it has also filed a no confidence motion against the Prime Minister Oli on Wednesday.
The cabinet meeting also appointed industrialists Bhawani Rana and Rajesh Kaji Shrestha as members of the Investment Board of Nepal.
Likewise, the meeting also decided to scrap Nepali citizenship certificates of four Indian nationals, who had acquired legal identity by using fake documents.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Discussions over the no confidence motion registered against the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been scheduled for coming Thursday. Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar fixed the date of July 21 to begin discussion on the no-confidence motion.
Parliament Secretariat has informed about the beginning date of discussions over the no confidence motion through a press statement on Friday.
The Nepali Congress and the CPN Maoist Centre had registered the no confidence motion against the Prime Minister Oli on Wednesday.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government and other concerned authorities to pay attention over the deteriorating health condition of Dr Govinda KC, who is in fast-into-death strike since few days.
The constitutional human right watch body has made such an urge on Friday stating that it is the responsibility of the government and concerned agencies to manage effective treatment of Dr. KC, hinting to the solidarity to the demands raised by Dr. KC.
If any persons health is directly related to his life, it is the duty of the government and the concerned agencies to manage effective treatment, reads the statement issued by the NHRC spokesperson Mohna Ansari.
Before issue the statement, an NHRC team had gone to meet agitating Dr. KC at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH).
Meanwhile, the Nepal Medical Association (NMA), the umbrella organization of Nepali medical doctors, has also urged the concerned authorities to manage treatment to save Dr KCs life.
Issuing a statement, the NMA has also expressed solidarity with most demands of Dr KC.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The Nepali Congress, the main opposition and largest party in the parliament has issued a whip to its lawmakers to be present at the Parliament meeting scheduled for coming Thursday.
Following the decision of the parliament secretariat to begin discussions at the parliament on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from coming Thursday, the Nepali Congress partys Chief Whip Chin Kaji Shrestha issued scu a whip by issuing a press statement on Friday.
Likewise, the Nepali Congress has also urged its lawmakers, who are currently in Kathmandu, not to leave the Capital before the discussion and the lawmakers who are currently outside the Kathmandu Valley to report to the NC Parliamentary Party office by Sunday.
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Bodies are seen on the ground July 15, 2016 after more than 70 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, July 14, 2016. [Photo/IC]
China opposes terrorism in all its forms, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday morning in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, while attending the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit.
A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100 others, local media reported early Friday.
The premier expressed his condolence to the victims of the attack, and extended his sincere regards to the injured and the families of the victims. Li is in the Mongolian capital attending the biennial meeting of the Asian and European leaders, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Late on Thursday, the premier said the refugee crisis in Europe, and the spread of terrorism in some parts of the world is wrecking havoc in both Europe and Asia.
He said China would join with the participants of the summit to ramp up cooperation between the two continents and cope with challenges together.
Scouting Mike Pence on criminal justice: likely Trump VP pick with notably mixed reform record | Main | Michigan appeals court rejects "sentencing by videoconference" as a violation of state rules
The title of this post is the title of this notable new paper authored by Eisha Jain and recently posted to SSRN. Here is the abstract:
Criminal law scholars have long agreed that prosecutors wield vast and largely unreviewable discretion in the criminal justice system. This Article argues that this discretion now extends beyond criminal penalties and broadly reaches civil public policy decisions, such as deportation and licensing.
As a result of ubiquitous plea bargaining and collateral consequences state-imposed civil penalties that are triggered by criminal convictions prosecutors can deliberately exercise discretion to trigger or avoid important civil consequences. This aspect of prosecutorial discretion has been underexamined, partly because of a lack of awareness of collateral consequences. But as a result of important new initiatives designed to promote information about collateral consequences, prosecutors as well as defendants are becoming more likely to know that even minor convictions can trigger much more serious civil penalties.
As some commentators have pointed out, prosecutors who are aware of collateral consequences may have powerful incentives to drop charges or otherwise structure pleas to minimize the likelihood of certain collateral consequences. But importantly, prosecutors also have strong structural incentives to take the opposite approach and reach pleas to maximize the likelihood of civil penalties. For some prosecutors, enforcing collateral consequences serves as an administratively efficient substitute for a criminal conviction, as a source of leverage, as a way to circumvent the requirements of criminal procedure, as a means of achieving deterrence or retribution, or as a way to promote their own public policy preferences.
This Article develops an analytic framework for understanding the structural incentives that lead prosecutors to influence collateral consequences; exposes legal and ethical problems associated with plea bargaining in light of collateral consequences; and argues that collateral consequences can undermine important interests in transparency and accountability.
Of the 20th Century painters who are most associated with California Diebenkorn, Park, Hockney, Thiebauld none created as bold, graphic, and ironic a style as Ed Ruscha (pronounced Roo-shay). He's most often tied to Los Angeles, where he began his art career, and images inspired by Southern California and the Southwest like the iconic "Standard Station" above and his dramatic sunset images of the Hollywood sign are what he's most known for. But his playfulness, particularly in his word paintings and his depictions of spare, sun-drenched landscapes, mark him as a true child of the West. Starting this weekend, the deYoung Museum is opening a new exhibit, on view through October, called Ed Ruscha and the Great American West, marking a significant new retrospective of Ruscha's work that includes pieces from 2015 Ruscha, at 78, continues to make art from his studio in California.
An early student of CalArts in L.A. before it was even called CalArts it was called the Chouinard Art Institute up until a merger with the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music in 1961 Ruscha never felt like he fit with the contemporary style of his day, the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollack, Franz Kline, and Cy Twombly that was starting to be taught in art schools. He recalled in an interview (quoted in this New Yorker profile), "They would say, 'Face the canvas and let it happen, follow your own gestures, let the painting create itself,'" but it was never something he felt comfortable with. At the age of 26, inspired by Jasper Johns painting words directly on canvases, he began a series of paintings that would become some of his most famous, takings Johns's stenciled and repeated words a step further toward pop art, printing huge, monosyllabic words that filled canvases like "Honk," "Won't," "Smash," and "Oof."
He said he chose the short words because they had "a certain comedic value." And with "Oof, he said, "It had one foot in the world of cartooning." "You get punched in the stomach, and thats Oof,'" he said. "It was so obvious, and so much a part of my growing up in the U.S.A. I felt like it was almost a patriotic word.
Ruscha would go on to make many more word paintings, ultimately playing with whole phrases but always tinged with irony, and often borrowed from lines he's heard on TV or the radio. Art historians will tell you that Ruscha's word paintings are brilliant in the way that, like Warhol's Brillo boxes and soup cans, they treat the words themselves as objects and as visual and cultural constructs. I like the idea of a word becoming a picture, almost leaving its body, then coming back and becoming a word again," he's said (again quoted in the New Yorker). "I see myself working with two things that dont even ask to understand each other."
The deYoung exhibition includes a number of these word paintings, including the one below from 1983 that is part of the museum's permanent collection, and some in which a word is "depicted in a variety of forms that simulate poured liquids, cut ribbons, or spray paint."
"A Particular Kind of Heaven," 1983. Courtesy of the deYoung Museum.
Ruscha, having once been a bad boy on the LA art scene, hasn't always taken kindly to the sanitized, institutionalized world of museums. He famously painted an image of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, upon its opening in 1965, with huge flames and smoke pouring out of it. And the catalogue for his very first retrospective, which was done by SFMOMA in 1982, featured as its cover image a 1979 word drawing he'd done that read "I Dont Want No Retro Spective."
But now, as he told the New Yorker three years ago at age 75, he's eager to have a career-capping retrospective of his work in New York. And this show, featuring 99 pieces that span his entire career, may be a stepping stone to that goal as well as a great opportunity to experience the range of quirky, absurdist, distinctly Californian work by an artist who defies easy summations and has always preferred it that way.
Ed Ruscha and the Great American West runs from July 16 to October 9 at the deYoung.
While San Francisco fights for queer spaces in the forms of bars and neighborhoods, some see a heightened need for a different kind of queer space: LGBT Writing. When Bloom folded, California was left without a queer literary journals, so Miah Jeffra and Chad Koch, former editors at SF State's periodical Fourteen Hills, decided to solicit writers for the launch of a new journal. Their offering, Foglifter, debuts on Monday in the Castro with a reading from some of those contributors.
The publication takes its name and inspiration from,"One of the great centers of queer liberation and queer politics," as Jeffra gestures to San Francisco and its famous fog. But it also seeks, more metaphorically, "to lift the fog off of dominant narratives... to disarm, to complicate."
"There's queer interest, queer lifestyle, erotica, but there aren't, as much, queer literary organizations," Jeffra, who teaches at Santa Clara University and The San Francisco Art Institute, tells SFist. "Even within the LGBT community there are so many hegemonic narratives, and we're trying to use the queer space to make those narratives more complex and nuanced and liberating."
Reading on Monday from their work will be Nona Caspers, MK Chavez, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Shideh Etaat, Kevin Killian, Roberto Santiago, and Arisa White. Beyond the tales of coming out that mainstream audiences will be accustomed to, Jeffra classifies theirs as "more transgressive work," interested in a intersectional LGBT perspectives.
If all goes well, Jeffra hopes to expand Foglifter's mandate. The publication will come out twice yearly, and eventually he envisions it as its own press, printing full manuscripts from queer writers.
You can read more about the inaugural event here.
Foglifter Launch Reading Monday, July 18, Strut, 470 Castro Street, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., free, $15 donation buys you a copy of the first issue
Following yesterday's devastating mass killings in Nice, France, UC Berkeley reports that several students were injured and one is missing in the attack. That act of violence, carried out with a truck during Bastille Day celebrations, claimed the lives of 84 people and injured more than 200 others.
The Berkeley students were among 85 from the university attending a 15-day program called Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe. Campus study abroad staff, our risk services office, and student affairs are working with fellow students in France, the program director on the ground, officials in the area, the U.S. consular officials and the family in an effort to locate him, Cal officials said in a statement.
Two students broke their legs and one broke a foot. A third, 20-year-old junior Nicolas Leslie, is unaccounted for. We just want our son back, the Chronicle quotes Conrad Leslie, Nicolas' father.We havent gotten the bad news. Our thoughts and prayers go to the people who have.
The Wall Street Journal has learned Leslie's uncle, who is apparently in Nice, has gone from hospital to hospital searching for his nephew.
Rallies and marches are scheduled today (Friday) across the country, as they were last Friday, in continued protest of the police killings of black people, and these include events in both San Francisco and Oakland. In SF, a rally is set to begin at 4 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza, and as KRON 4 reports, "Organizers say the protests will be peaceful." A separate rally will be happening at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland starting around the same time.
Anonymous, or those in charge of this Anonymous-branded Twitter account, are calling this Day of Solidarity, and are encouraging peaceful protests.
Several days ago, word went out via a series of emails and posts in conservative media that Anonymous and/or Black Lives Matter was planning "Day of Rage" protests today. The Dallas County Sheriff's Department is said to be bracing for this, and the Defense Department even sent out a warning to its employees to avoid the DC rally location, which is outside the White House, "for your personal safety." But as Snopes points out, the email that went out with the locations in 37 cities and using the term "Day of Rage" are nearly identical to a message that circulated in August 2014, in the wake of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.
This is not to say that none of these protests will materialize today, but an organized "Day of Rage" is not what Anonymous itself is calling for. See tweets below, calling instead for #DayofSolidarity.
It should also be noted that an anonymous tipster called the SFPD last Thursday to warn of violence and anarchy in the streets during last Friday's march, and this threat failed to materialize. The evening ended with no outbreaks of vandalism or violence, and very few arrests. A subsequent, smaller group of marchers on Saturday were determined to get onto the freeway, however were thwarted by police in several attempts.
A very large protest last Thursday in Oakland, however, numbering in the thousands, succeeded in shutting down the 880 freeway for several hours.
Previously: Hundreds Of Black Lives Matter Protesters March Through Downtown SF, Attempt To Get On Freeway
We love when bus riders catch Muni meltdowns in any format -- on tape, photos, or screengrabs. Seriously, it makes us giddy. But one reader pointed out yesterday that screengrabbing isn't an immediately intuitive skill, so here's some instructions for getting a good shot of the NextMuni map.
On a Mac, you can save the screen to the desktop by hitting Shift-Apple-3. (Also known as Shift-Command-3, or Shift-Swedish-Campground-3 ... why does Apple have three different names for the same button?) Or you can save just a selected area by hitting Shift-Apple-4.
On a PC, we can never remember how to take a screengrab. We know that some combination of buttons involving the "Print Screen" button causes the current display to be fed into the clipboard, which you can then paste into MSPaint and then save. But we'll be damned if we can remember what that combination is. Just mash 'em all until the computer does something similar to what you wanted (which is the general workflow for any task on a PC). We've had luck with an app called Screenshot Captor which is incredibly difficult to use but yields useful results once you've figured it out.
After the jump: Advanced screengrab techniques! We teach you how to make an animated NextMuni movie like the one above.
San Francisco Woman Gets KKK Recruitment Letter on Her Doorstep!https://t.co/xU1Owy9AiF pic.twitter.com/sw4fr5nRpy (((BrokeAssStuart))) (@BrokeAssStuart) July 12, 2016
A spokesperson with the Ku Klux Klan has confirmed that the fliers promoting their organization and criticizing the Black Lives Matter movement found in the Haight earlier this week were not (as some suggested) a hoax, and did actually come from active members of the white supremacist group.
As previously reported, Haight residents found the fliers, which read in part that "Black Lives Matter Black Panthers are telling followers to kill white people and police officers in the name of justice for the killing of negros by policemen in the line of duty" on their doorsteps Tuesday.
Though at least one local news outlet sneered that the "widely blogged about" fliers were a likely hoax, that outlet was sadly incorrect: As reported today by the Chron, a KKK official confirmed that the fliers came from his organization, and were indeed being distributed in SF and across the country.
Speaking with the Chron, West Coast grand dragon Will Quigg confirmed the fliers' veracity, and said that "our organization is actively recruiting in all of California and all of the United States.
Were getting a lot more calls, especially in the last few months with what Obamas doing, what Hillarys doing and especially Black Lives Matter calling for war and saying theyre trying to kill all whites.
According to San Francisco Police Department Captain John Sanford, whose Park Station covers the neighborhood in which the fliers were distributed, "we have not received any complaints whatsoever, and we haven't even seen the flyers," Hoodline reports. As the distribution of fliers like these, repugnant as they might be to most, is the distributors' First Amendment right, Sanford says that "If someone decides that they want to recruit for the KKK, they have the right to do that."
However, "if this group is coming together and talking about commuting a crime or doing something illegal, then that is something we would be concerned about."
But there's no need for concern, Quigg asserts, saying that this is the "new" Klan (presumably opposed to the "old" Klan that, like, murdered black people for fun I guess?) and that they "do not go knocking on peoples doors. We dont do that type of recruitment because we dont want to make any people feel uneasy or scared because they do not understand we are a new Klan."
We are a white, Christian, nonviolent civil rights organization," Quigg claims, but I suspect that that will matter little to folks like "The Loyal White Lady Ally of the Haight," who reportedly posted counter-fliers in the area the hate group's work earlier appeared.
According to Broke Ass Stuart, the counter-poster "will beat your sorry ass if I catch you in my neighborhood distributing hate flyers." A sentiment which, clearly, falls under Sanford's definition of something police "would be concerned about."
How dare you come to the Haight and attempt to recruit out residents. We stand for peace and justice," the ass-beating threatener writes on her flier, "and have since the 60s while you were lynching people of color."
Of course, it's not like San Francisco was KKK-free before Tuesday as you might recall, a Marina District Klansman was injured in an Anaheim brawl in March. In fact, the white supremacists has been active in SF as long ago as 1867, when members of the hate group reportedly drove Chinese contract workers from their jobs on the Potrero Street railway.
In the present day, Sanford says that so far, the only place the fliers have been reported is the Haight, so it appears that the KKK's current recruitment effort is so far less "active" in SF that Quigg suggests. Sanford also says that he'd love to get a look at one of the fliers for himself, and asks that anyone who receives one give Park Station a call at 415-553-0123.
LONDON | Stevie Wonder urged his fans to choose "love over hate" and expressed dismay over the troubles in the world at a concert devoted to one of his classic albums.
The legend performed Sunday in Hyde Park for the British Summertime Festival. He opened his concert by telling fans he loved them all in these difficult times, and asked them to live in positivity.
"I encourage you to choose love over hate. It's just that simple. Choose love over hate, right over wrong, kind over meanness. Hope over no hope at all."
The 66-year-old's Grammy-winning, 1976 album "Songs in the Key of Life" was the focus of the concert; Wonder played the album in its entirety.
Before launching into the set, Wonder went on to say that he was happy that the album was still significant almost forty years on but also unhappy that "the songs and the words that we talk about, those conditions still exist in the world and that hurts my heart."
He also referenced the Black Lives Matter movement, telling the crowd: "all life does matter, but the reason that I say black lives matter is because we are the original people of this world. So in essence, everyone here has some black in you. You've all got some soul in you so stop denying your culture."
Wonder played for over two hours to a sellout London crowd of 65,000 people, closing this year's British Summertime series.
Theres not a lot of napping in The Secret World of Pets.
Pulling back the curtain on cats, dogs and assorted household creatures, the engaging new animated film introduces a menagerie that's designed for speed.
Even Snowball (Kevin Hart), the crazed leader of the flushed pets, has his manic charms. We meet the underground forces (who live in the sewers after their owners abandoned them) when Max, a charming terrier, and his new brother Duke get separated from their playmates on a daily outing. Trying to get home, they run into plenty of trouble and have to contend with the Sharks-like behavior of cats and those miscellaneous flushed pets.
Borrowing more than a little vibe from West Side Story, directors Yarrow Cheney and Chris Renaud draw battle lines, then begin a dance through the streets of New York.
Like a theme park ride, the sewers provide plenty of movement and lots of 3D potential. A snake, for example, is quite scary; a ride down a pipe is exhilarating.
The characters, though, are the most fun. Max (voiced by Louis CK) is a terrier mix intent to stay home and wait for his owner, Katie. When she brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet), the death of all good things, he rebels, frames the rescue dog and figures he can have his world back in no time at all. Unfortunately, a pet walker doesnt pay attention and theyre cut loose from the herd. That begins the adventure and prompts Gidget (Jenny Slate), a neighborhood dog with a big crush, to rally the troops. Before theyre all united and safe in their homes, the pets have a chance to see a world they never knew existed.
While theres a driving episode thats highly reminiscent of the one in Finding Dory, much of the films success lies in the way it makes the pets immediately identifiable. Chloe, the anti-social cat, Pops, the world-weary dog, and Tattoo, a once-domesticated pig, stand out immediately.
Still, it's Gidget and Snowball who get the fur to fly.
The two are super foes, able to push Pets in directions even Zootopia didnt go.
While a lot of the original humor is observational (yup, thats just how pets act), much of the films success lies in its ability to make its disparate characters mesh.
Cheney and Renaud have done their homework (you can see a little Baby Herman in Snowball, for example) and found ways to take full advantage of their voice talents.
The Secret Life of Pets isnt the best animated film of the year. But its right up there. This two-paws-up outing is one the whole family can enjoy.
NEW YORK The new HBO crime drama The Night Of is a study in perspectives.
Created by acclaimed writers Steven Zaillian and Richard Price and starring John Turturro and Riz Ahmed, the New York-set show examines what happens when the 23-year-old son of a Pakistani-immigrant cab driver is tossed into the criminal justice system for a murder he may or may not have committed.
While not quite Rashomon-like, the eight-part series nonetheless explores how people of varying backgrounds view and experience the world differently. For Turturros Jack Stone, this means how a largely failed life as an ambulance-chasing defense lawyer defines him; for Rizs Nas, its how his skin color and outer-borough status makes him an alien in his own city.
For the cops who arrest Nas, its the details of process and the system that color their lenses; for the inmates he must coexist with, its tribal and other affiliations that determine their fates.
With the series now on HBO, it seemed apt to follow the four principals involvement from each of their perspectives.
Price
Price encountered Zaillian long before he met him. Called in to do a rewrite on Zaillians script for American Gangster a decade ago, the literary crime novelist (Clockers, Lush Life) remembers thinking the screenplay would be, well, bad.
When youre asked to do a rewrite as a script doctor, the stuff you have to work with is usually (garbage), said Price, also a screenwriter (The Color of Money, The Wire). And then I read it and thought, This is good. The problem was it was too dense. There was too much that was good in it.
Zaillian and Prices union on this project, adapted from a BBC miniseries, involved its own challenges. For one, the original was just four hours long, while this is double that. (Price worked off a loose outline from Zaillian for the first four episodes; Zallian, who directed all eight episodes, took the writing lead on the last four.)
Price also set out making the cabbie and his family Pakistani, in part because thats a common nationality among drivers in New York, and in part because he had been to Lahore accompanying his wife, the novelist Lorraine Adams, on a research trip.
Zaillian
Directing a two-hour movie is hard enough. Zaillian, an Oscar winner who has written dozens of scripts ranging from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo to Schindlers List, has done it just three times. Helming what are essentially four movies back to back? Thats an epic task.
I think it will be a year tomorrow, Zaillian said with a mix of pride and resignation when met at a Manhattan post-production facility recently.
Part of why its taken so long is that Zaillian and Price had done as much work on the people as the plot, often going back and scrubbing details.
I dont think of it as a procedural. I think of it as a character study a study of many characters, really,Zaillian explained.
Turturro
Turturro was close with James Gandolfini. So close that when producers reached out to him to star in the series that was once a Gandolfini passion project, he planned to decline.
I remember thinking, No, I cant do this, Turturro recalled. The pilot was already shot, and Gandolfini appears in its final scene, walking through a precinct holding cell.
But as Turturro sat with the decision, matters jelled in a different way. He came to realize that starring in the show would honor his longtime pal, with whom he worked in 2005s Romance & Cigarettes, rather than replace him. The pilot contained just one small scene, hardly a basis for turning down a show.
And he understood something else. I think Jimmy would have wanted it.
Ahmed
The Wembley section of London and the Jackson Heights area of Queens dont, on paper, sound much like the same place.
But theyre alike in more ways than it might appear: neighborhoods where first- and second-generation immigrants, often Asian, make their home neighborhoods in the shadow of some of the greatest wealth in the world, too far for its newcomers to reap its bounty but close enough to feel its pull.
Ahmed grew up in the first place. The 33-year-old, the son of Pakistani immigrants, was looking for his place to fit in, and break out, of a working-class English community that was nearly two-thirds Asian.
He attended an elite high-school on a scholarship and embarked on an acting career as a terrorist in the suicide-bomb comedy Four Lions as an eager protege in Nightcrawler he also has a critical role in the upcoming Jason Bourne.
But when he was cast in The Night Of, he felt hed come home. Ahmed was again playing the son of immigrants living in the shadows, hoping to do better than his parents. The actor set out exploring those Wembley counterparts Asian communities in the U.S., such as Jackson Heights (nearly a quarter of the population) and nearby Elmhurst (almost half). I hung out with those guys, who took me around, took me to a sweatshop, just getting out in it.
Screenings
Free blood pressure screenings, 9:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays at Countryside Senior Living, front lobby. No appointment necessary.
Programs/Self-Help Groups
Al-Anon Information Center, call 255-6724.
Al-Anon and Alateen, meetings locally. For times, dates and locations of area meetings, call 255-6724.
Alcoholics Anonymous, beginners information, call 252-1333.
Arc of Woodbury County, serving the mentally challenged, 5:15 p.m. meeting, second Monday of the month at Mid-Step Services, 4303 Stone Ave. For families and interested persons.
Child Care Resource and Referral, provides resources, education and advocacy for children, parents, and child care providers. Assists in child care needs. For more information, call 712-277-1180.
Co-Dependence Anonymous, 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at First Lutheran Church, Fireside Room.
Co-Dependents Anonymous (CODA), 10 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St.
Compassionate Friends, 7 p.m. fourth Wednesday of each month (third Thursday in November and second Sunday December) in Mercy Medical Center's Leiter Room. For families who have lost children. Contact Nancy Webb 712-212-4032 or Don Mulder 712-541-5512.
Children of Divorce, to help children cope with the challenges of parental separation or divorce. Call 712-279-2373 for more information.
Clinics
Siouxland District Health immunization clinics, call for appointment, 712-279-6119 or 1-800-587-3005.
Information
Family and Addictive Illness series, for more information, call 234-2300.
Iowa Fathers, 6 to 8 p.m. fourth Tuesday of each month at Hope Lutheran Church, Education Building, 218 W. 18th St., South Sioux City, Neb. Support group to help single, divorcing and divorced parents residing in the state of Iowa.
Mercy Pathways Outpatient Program, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, on the third floor, Mercy's Central Medical Building, 801 Fifth St., Suite 360. Provides hope, help, opportunity to connect through group therapy for individuals experiencing personal, relationship, psychiatric issues. For more information, call 712-279-5991.
Narcotics Anonymous, meetings daily, various times, dates and locations. For more information, call 712-279-0733.
Overeaters Anonymous, 7 p.m. Mondays at Floyd Valley Hospital, Lower Level, 714 Lincoln St. NE, Le Mars, Iowa; 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3700 Indian Hills Drive; 6 p.m. Tuesdays at St. John's Lutheran Church, 402 Lane Ave., Storm Lake; 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Church of the Nazarene, 226 N. Main St., Viborg, S.D.; 5:30 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays at Newman Center, 320 E. Cherry St., Vermillion, S.D.; 10:30 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St. A 12-step recovery program for people who have problems with food and weight. No fees.
St. Lukes Outpatient Behavioral Health Program, 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday and Thursday on fifth floor of St. Luke's, located at 2720 Stone Park Blvd. Offers several levels of outpatient care including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and group therapy. This program provides support and integrated treatment to individuals experiencing personal or relationship issues as a result of their mental illness. For more information and admission criteria, call 712-279-3906.
Sobriety By Faith, 8:30 a.m. Saturdays at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. For more information, call James Mothershead at 712-577-9715.
The Link-Recovery and Freedom, at PMA Building, 6000 Gordon Drive; 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday workshop, and Christian 12-step meeting 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. For all ages. Call Dee at 389-7432.
Women in Recovery, meets monthly at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. For details, call 712-255-4623.
Tarahouse Meditation Center, 8 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 6:30 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, all at 3112 Rebecca St. Three easy 10-minute sessions in small group; beginners welcome. For more information, call 490-6410.
Blood pressure and blood sugar screening, 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays in the lobby at Westwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Free to public.
Support Groups
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Hawkeye Club basement, 420 Jones St. For more information, call 277-5935.
Celebrate Recovery, Bible-based 12-step recovery group. Thursdays at 6:30 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive. Daycare provided. 712-490-3343.
PFLAG of Siouxland, (Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays), 7 p.m., fourth Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November. St. Mark ELCA Church, 5200 Glenn Ave., in the upstairs meeting area. 712-258-3116.
Singles widowed and divorced, all ages, 4 p.m., Sundays. McDonald's at Sixth Street and Lewis Boulevard. 712-252-2675.
HIV/AIDS Support Group, meets weekly. For more information, call Darla or Teri at Siouxland Community Health Center, 712-252-2477 or 888-371-1965.
La Leche League of Siouxland, breastfeeding support group meets every third Thursday at 11 a.m. at Morningside Lutheran Church. Children are welcome. For more information, call Mary at 712-546-7280 or Jacquie at 712-255-2998.
Living Each Day Cancer Support Group, 7-8 p.m. second Thursday of the month, Floyd Valley Hospital, Conference Center Room 2, Le Mars, Iowa. Open to all cancer patients, cancer survivors and family members. No charge. Pre-register by calling 712-546-3441 or 800-642-6074, ext. 441.
Mom and Baby Support Group, 10-11 a.m. last Monday of the month at the Orange City (Iowa) Hospital, lower level. For new moms and babies. 712-737-5260.
Tri-State Sober Project, 12-step meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Friendship Community Church, 305 Sergeant Square Drive, Sergeant Bluff. 6-7 p.m., Thursdays, Transitional Services of Iowa, 1221 Pierce St., Sioux City.
Doug's Donors Support Group, information for organ donors and recipients, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, 5:15-6:30 p.m. second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Mercy Cafeteria Woodbury Room. 712-277-1050.
Divorce Care, noon Sundays starting Jan. 10; GriefShare, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays starting Jan. 12; Single & Parenting, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays starting Jan. 14; all at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814.
Multiple Sclerosis Support Group, 1:30-3:30 p.m. first Saturday of the month at the CNOS, Dakota Dunes. For anyone with MS and/or their families. Call Janet Limoges at 605-217-2726 prior to attending.
NAMI Siouxland, (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Support Group meets 6:30 p.m., second Tuesday of the month at Friendship House, 1101 Court St. For individuals and family members dealing with mental illness. 712-255-4209.
New Life Life Support Group, 3:30 p.m. every Saturday at 2929 W. Fourth St. Spiritual 12-step program. For more information, call Donald at 712-574-1744 or James at 712-255-7624.
Post Polio Support Group, 11 a.m. first Thursday of the month at Perkins Restaurant by Menards. 712-490-8213.
Relationship Support Group, 7 p.m. Fridays at Marketplace Mall. For more information, call 239-3129.
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Individual and Support Groups. For more information, call CSADV in Sioux City at 712-258-7233; Plymouth County at 712-546-6764; Monona County at 712-423-3443. Advocacy and support available 24 hours a day at 1-800-982-7233. All services free of charge and confidential.
Sickle Cell Disease Support Group, 11 a.m. third Saturday of each month at St. Luke's Hospital, meeting room 1. For patients, their family and any concerned member. Call La'Keshia Rainey at 712-203-2019 for more information.
Sioux City Association of the Deaf, 7 p.m. third Saturday of the month at Morningside Church of Christ, 5015 Garretson Ave. Regular meeting, September-May; no meeting, June, July, August and December.
Siouxland Autism Support Group, second Thursday of the month at Northwest Area Education Agency, 1520 Morningside Ave. For more information, call Julie Case at 712-490-8939.
Siouxland Epilepsy Support Group, 5 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at Prestwick Apartment Clubhouse, 4230 Hickory Lane. For anyone diagnosed with seizures or epilepsy and family or friends. For more information, call Steve at 274-6927.
Siouxland IC support group, meets quarterly in Sioux City. For patients struggling with interstital cystitis. For more information, call Jacque Dundas 316-641-9766.
Siouxland Informational Group for the Blind, 2-5 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at Northern Hills Retirement Community, 4002 Teton Trace. For more information, call 712-266-8926 or 258-8151.
Grief support group, 5:30-7:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 5 for 13 weeks (may join at any time), Crescent Park United Methodist Church, 2826 Myrtle St., Sioux City. Scott, 712-899-6315.
Siouxland Ostomy Association, 2 p.m. first Sunday of each month (except September, which will be second Sunday; and no meetings June, July, August), in Room 300 at Mercy Medical Center, 801 Fifth St. For more information, call Dick Lindblom at 251-2453.
Siouxland Parkinson Disease Support Group, 1 p.m. fourth Monday of the month at Siouxland Center for Active Generations, 313 Cook St. For more information, call Sally Reinert at 402-987-3516.
Sojourners, support group for families of persons with life-threatening illness, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center, Room 416. For more information, call Marjorie Jarvill at 402-241-8637.
South Sioux City Weight Support Group, 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at St. Paul United Methodist Church, South Sioux City. For more information, call 494-1401 or 494-2133.
Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland, 520 Nebraska St., Suite 101: Women's Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month; LGBT Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Friday of the month; Adult ADHD, 6 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; Advocacy Group, 1:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month. For more information, call 712-255-1065.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly, group meetings various times, days and locations in Siouxland. For information on the chapter in your area, call 1-800-932-TOPS.
Voice Disorder Support Group, meets as needed at Mercy Medical Center, Buena Vista Room. 712-279-2686.
Women's Peer Support Group, in Wayne and South Sioux City, Neb., for those who have experienced domestic abuse. For more information, call the Wayne office at 402-375-4633 or 1-800-440-4633; in South Sioux City, call 402-494-7592. Help and support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services free and confidential.
Woodbury County D.M.D.A., noon-2 p.m. first Saturday of the month at Country Friendship Acres, 4501 West St.; 7-8 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at 515 Court St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at 441 W. Third St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at 409 W. Third St. in the Community Room. Support group for people with disabilities and mental disorders.
Natural Mamas in Siouxland, 1 p.m., third Tuesday of each month in the Garretson room of the Morningside Public Library. All ages of children are welcome to come with moms. For sharing natural living tips, recipes, natural remedies and health, homemaking, mothering, etc. For more information, call 402-913-0038 or visit their Facebook page.
A Step Beyond support group, 3:30 p.m. second Tuesday of the month, except for August, November and December when it meets at 5:30 p.m. (no meeting in January) at the Christy-Smith Resource Center, 1819 Morningside Ave. For more information, call 712-276-7319.
Divorce care, 5 p.m., Sundays. Fireside room, Morningside Lutheran Church, 700 South Martha St.
Gamblers Anonymous meetings, 4 p.m. Thursdays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 315 Hamilton Blvd.; 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Morningside Presbyterian Church, 4327 Morningside Ave.; 7 p.m. Tuesdays, St. John Lutheran Church. 712-277-2901.
Art therapy support group, 5:30 p.m. second Thursday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. Registration required, call 252-9387.
After Breast Cancer Support Group, 5:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call Brenda, 252-9370.
After Prostate Cancer Support Group, 5:15 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call 252-9426.
Alzheimer's Association, Big Sioux Chapter Support Group, 2 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; 4 p.m. third Tuesday of the month (under age 65) at 201 Pierce St., Suite 110 (Famous Dave's building); and 6 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the Barnes and Noble Cafe. For more information, call Emily Lord at 712-279-5802.
Christy-Smith Funeral Homes of Sioux City, extensive grief library at the Morningside location. Open to the public during weekday hours. For more information, call 276-7319.
Chronic Pain/Chronic Illness Support Group, 7:30 p.m. fourth Wednesday of the month in the lower level of the Orange City Hospital. For more information, call 712-737-5260.
Connections Area Agency on Aging, and Mercy Medical Centers Older Adult Services Welcome to Medicare, 1:30-4 p.m., the first Friday of every month at Connections Area Agency on Aging, 2301 Pierce St. To pre-register, or for more information, contact Connections Area Agency on Aging at 712-279-6900.
DEAR DOCTOR K: As I get older, it seems my stomach is more likely to make growling noises. Why does it do this, and what can I do about it? It's embarrassing.
DEAR READER: Maybe your stomach is trying to talk to my stomach. My stomach is periodically trying to talk to someone, that's for sure.
Stomach noises happen in everyone, although they seem to plague some people more than others. It's not just an issue with older people; it happens all the time, to people of all ages. Doctors put weird (often Latin) names on things. We call the gurgling noises borborygmi (bor-be-RIG-me).
For centuries, people have associated stomach growling with hunger. But do these noises always mean you're hungry? I'll come back to that later. And could these growling noises ever be a sign of illness? Yes, but uncommonly.
First, a little anatomy. The abdomen (the belly) is where the noise is coming from. The abdomen includes most of the digestive system: the stomach and intestines. The mouth, throat and esophagus (the swallowing tube) are the parts of the digestive system that lie above the abdomen.
The digestive system is really a series of tubes. It moves food from the mouth to the stomach and small intestine, where it is digested. Then it moves the waste material (what's left after digestion) down the large intestine and out of the body.
The movement of food, and then of waste, occurs by the process called peristalsis (pear-uh-STAL-sis). Peristalsis is an organized, sequential squeezing of the tubes of the digestive system. (It's a bit like squeezing a tube of toothpaste.)
The stomach and intestines are filled with a mix of solid material, fluid and air. Air is a gas, and in the abdomen it is under pressure. When peristalsis moves liquid and semi-solid material around, pockets of gas under pressure move toward parts of the gut that have less pressure. That movement of air causes the odd noises you sometimes hear.
Occasional stomach growling is entirely normal. In fact, if you have abdominal pain, doctors worry more when the gurgling is absent than when it is present. Hearing no bowel sounds in someone who has abdominal pain could be an indication of a serious condition that has signaled peristalsis in the gut to stop. Such conditions include an inflamed pancreas, inflammation of the lining of the abdomen, or a tear in the wall of the intestine.
Also, most people who come out of major surgery have exceptionally quiet digestive tracts. That's because normal movement of the bowel wall temporarily stops after a major trauma such as surgery.
If you have a partial or complete intestinal blockage or obstruction, the intestines try to push fluid, gas and waste products past the blocked area. This can cause high-pitched sounds heard by the doctor through the stethoscope, but they may not be audible to you.
Finally, a noisy abdomen does not necessarily mean you are hungry. It's simple: You're hungry when you are actually feeling hungry, regardless of whether your stomach is growling.
Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. To send questions, go to AskDoctorK.com, or write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston, MA 02115.
Christian Women's Club to hold meeting
LE MARS, Iowa | The Christian Women's Club invites Siouxland women to a gathering at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor, 115 Central Ave. NW.
Special guest will be Nancy Brydges of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, who will speak about the challenge of new beginnings, dealing with change and using it to challenge us to a better life.
Reservations can be made by calling 712-546-4683 or 712-548-4496.
Tinklenberg to speak at summer series
SIOUX CITY | Dr. Jessica Tinklenberg from Morningside College will be the speaker at the Food & Fun Series at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Grace United Methodist Church, 1735 Morningside Ave. A light meal of hamburgers or hot dogs, salads and desserts will precede the program at 5:30 p.m. The meal and program are open to the public.
Tinklenberg will discuss the basic features of the three Abrahamic religions, Jews, Christians and Muslims, as well as many of the ways each is portrayed in contemporary media and popular rhetoric.
For more information, call the church office at 712-276-3452.
Vacation Bible school at Southern Hills Baptist
SIOUX CITY | "The Call of God" vacation bible school will run from 6-8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday at Southern Hills Baptist Church, 4301 Old Lakeport Road. Classes are available for preschoolers to those who have completed sixth grade.
For more information, contact Southern Hills Baptist at 712-276-9376.
NEW YORK A New York City patient was infected with bacteria that had a special type of resistance to antibiotics last year, the earliest known case in the U.S. of bacteria that could lead to a superbug impervious to medications.
The bacteria were found in a patient who was treated in May of 2015 and reported in a study published Monday. They were discovered by an Iowa company that's been testing thousands of bacteria collected from patients from around the world over the last two years.
The company, JMI Laboratories, found hundreds globally that were resistant to colistin, an old, powerful antibiotic that is now seen as a drug of last resort.
Health officials worry that these bacteria will spread their resistance to last-resort antibiotics to other bacteria that are already resistant to front-line antibiotics, creating germs that can't be killed by any known drugs.
A similar infection was reported in a Pennsylvania woman earlier this year and initially reported as the first known U.S. case. But the New York case happened almost a year before, and scientists now believe these bacteria were likely in people in the U.S. even earlier.
Why are people worried?
Since the 1940s, doctors have used antibiotics to beat back a large number of dangerous bacterial diseases. Over the decades, bacteria have adapted to become resistant to more and more of the drugs. An exception has been an old antibiotic called colistin.
But recently scientists have spotted evidence of colistin-resistant infections in animals and people in China, Europe and Canada. Now, at least two human infections have also been seen in the United States.
Are these germs some new breed of bacteria?
No. In both the U.S. cases, they were E. coli bacteria, a common type of germ found in the gut. In both cases, while they were resistant to colistin, they were vulnerable to more common antibiotics and were not hard to treat. "It's not an immediate threat," said Mariana Castanheira, one of the study's authors.
So what's the problem?
Bacteria often mingle and swap genetic material. The E. coli bacteria in New York and Pennsylvania were vulnerable to other antibiotics, but some other germs are nearly impervious.
Colistin is reserved for germs that already resist one of the other last lines of defense antibiotics called carbapenems. If carbapenem-resistant bacteria absorb the colistin-resistance gene, that could set the stage for creation of supergerms impervious to all known antibiotics.
When did this form of antibiotic resistance first appear?
Scientists think the colistin-resistant gene was in bacteria in livestock in China as far back as the 1980s. Reports of these bacteria in humans date back to 2008, and since have been confirmed in Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States.
Until this study, none of the reported U.S. infections were thought to have occurred before this year, when colistin resistance was detected in pigs in Illinois and South Carolina, and in the 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman who had gone to a military clinic with symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
But the new report found the New York case in 2015, and Castanheira said it's likely colistin-resistant bacteria were in the United States before that.
What more is known about the case?
No additional details about that patient were released by the researchers or in their study, published online Monday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society of Microbiology. The authors believe it is the most comprehensive search to date of bacteria that have the colistin-resistant gene, which is known as mcr-1.
BETHESDA, Md. In early April, experts at a military lab outside Washington intensified their search for evidence that a dangerous new biological threat had penetrated the nations borders.
They didnt have to hunt long.
On May 18, a team working at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research had its first look at a sample of the bacterium Escherichia coli taken from a 49-year-old woman in Pennsylvania. She had a urinary tract infection with a disconcerting knack for surviving the assaults of antibiotic medications. Her sample was one of six from across the country delivered to the lab of microbiologist Patrick McGann.
Within hours, a preliminary analysis deepened concern at the lab. Over the next several days, more sophisticated genetic sleuthing confirmed McGanns worst fears.
There in the bacteriums DNA was a gene dubbed mcr-1. Its presence made the pathogen impervious to the venerable antibiotic colistin.
More ominous, the genes presence on a plasmid a tiny mobile loop of DNA that can be readily snapped off and attached to other bacteria suggested that it could readily jump to other E. coli bacteria or to entirely different forms of disease-causing organisms. That would make them impervious to colistin as well.
It was a milestone public health officials have been anticipating for years. In a steady march, disease-causing microbes have evolved ways to evade the bulwark of medications used to treat bacterial infections. For a variety of those illnesses, only colistin continued to work every time. Now this last line of defense had been breached as well.
The golden age of antibiotics appears to be coming to an end, its demise hastened by a combination of medical, social and economic factors. For decades, these drugs made it easy for doctors to treat infections and injuries. Now, common ailments are regaining the power to kill.
Harvard University infectious disease epidemiologist William P. Hanage said that we will not be flying back into the dark ages overnight. Hospitals are improving their infection control, and public health experts are getting better at tracking new threats. But in a race against nature, he said, the humans are losing ground.
Were seeing more drug-resistant infections, Hanage said. And people will die.
The birth of antibiotics
In 1928, British bacteriologist Alexander Fleming discovered that an errant penicillin mold growing in one of his petri dishes had the power to kill staphylococcus, a type of bacteria that causes pneumonia, skin infections and food poisoning. It took scientists, industrialists and the pressures of a world war to convert the mold into a mass-produced medicine, which was ready in time for troops to pack on D-Day.
More than 100 antibiotic compounds have been introduced since. But almost as soon as they were given to patients, scientists began finding evidence that disease-causing bacteria were developing resistance to these new wonder drugs.
Bacteria meet, mate, compete and evolve inside living bodies. When an antibiotic is added to the mix, only the strongest survive.
Humans have accelerated this natural process by indiscriminately prescribing antibiotics and by routinely feeding the drugs to livestock, scientists say. Multiply the number of humans and animals taking these drugs, and you multiply the opportunities for antibiotic-resistant strains to emerge.
Until very recently, few made the connection between antibiotic use in individual cases and the emergence of antibiotic resistance, said Dr. Susan Bleasdale, an infection-control expert at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Patients with earaches, sinus pressure and sore throats demanded antibiotics, and physicians tended to oblige.
The results have been deadly. Each year, more than 2 million people in the U.S. are infected with a bacterium that has become resistant to one or more antibiotic medication designed to kill it, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At least 23,000 people die as a direct result of antibiotic-resistant infections, and many more die from other conditions that were complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection, the agency says.
As medicines such as tetracycline, erythromycin and vancomycin lost much of their effectiveness, colistin continued to overwhelm trouble-making bacteria such as salmonella, klebsiella and E. coli.
Colistin is toxic to the human kidney, and doctors largely stopped using it in the 1970s when safer medications became available. But now that so many antibiotics have lost their ability to vanquish E. coli and other bacterial invaders, colistin has become the only hope for some desperate patients.
The slow, steady march of antibiotic resistance doesnt cause people to bleed to death in the streets, the way the Ebola virus does. It doesnt cause heart-rending birth defects, as the Zika virus does.
And it rarely makes headlines. A survey released in June by the Infectious Diseases Society of America found that only 30 percent of Americans believe that antibiotic resistance is a significant problem for public health.
Yet officials at the World Health Organization warn that gonorrhea may soon become untreatable because of growing resistance to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, a member of the cephalosporin class.
The WHO also notes that extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis is now circulating in 100 countries, and that worldwide resistance to carbapenem antibiotics has weakened physicians last line of attack against life-threatening intestinal enterobacteriaceae infections.
Its a slow catastrophe, said Army Col. Emil Lesho, director of the Defense Departments Multidrug-resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network.
The struggle to sustain the effectiveness of antibiotics is a never-ending arms race. If humankind were regularly finding new antimicrobial agents and turning them into medicines, there might be less cause for worry.
Researchers havent identified a new class of antibiotic medication since 1987. As a result, though bacteria have continuously evolved new ways to thwart antibiotics, the medicines have not gained new mechanisms to fight back.
Economics are partly to blame
To offset the millions of dollars they pour into research, clinical trials and the Food and Drug Administration approval process, pharmaceutical companies aim to develop blockbuster drugs, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. An ideal candidate would be used by millions of people every day for the rest of their lives, like pills to keep cholesterol or blood pressure in check.
Antibiotics wont pay the freight. They should be prescribed sparingly and used only for about a week. They could be rendered obsolete at any time by resistance genes. Worst of all, they compete in a field of inexpensive generics.
Without government policies that encourage investment in the antibiotics, theres very little incentive for companies to do it themselves, Fauci said.
SIOUX CITY | Warehouse and food processing company Cloverleaf Cold Storage is planning an $18 million expansion of its warehouse facility in Sioux Citys Bridgeport Industrial Complex, company officials said Thursday.
The addition will bolster warehouse space by 50 percent, or 140,000 square feet, allowing it to store more than 750 truckloads of refrigerated food products. The company, which has its corporate offices in Sioux City, will also add eight new employees.
Were a Sioux City-based business, and were very happy to be growing our business here, said company co-owner Adam Feiges. Weve been highly successful here in Sioux City and are glad to be part of the Sioux City business scene.
Officials say the warehouse expansion is necessary to store a growing output from Cloverleafs local Farmers Produce plant, which has seen continuous growth since 1988. Farmers Produce is a subsidiary of Cloverleaf that provides custom short-run food processing services to the protein production industry.
Company co-owner Dan Kaplan said that in 1962 the company built one of the first modern panel-and-rack warehouse buildings in Sioux City, and the new addition will be another technological step forward.
"With this addition, we will continue our tradition of technical innovation," Kaplan said. The latest in refrigeration, lighting, material handling and loading dock technologies will be utilized in the construction and operation of the building."
Cloverleaf Cold Storage was founded in 1952 and currently operates both ambient and refrigerated food-grade warehouses in 16 locations in the central and eastern United States.
Family owned and operated, Cloverleaf Cold Storage is the 11th largest cold storage warehouse company in the world, according to IARW, an industry trade association.
The Sioux City Council on Monday will also consider a resolution to approve submission of an Iowa Economic Development Authority application for the High Quality Job Creation Program on Cloverleaf's behalf. According to city documents, the company will qualify for $405,000 in sales tax refunds on construction materials from the state.
If the council approves the resolution, Cloverleaf's application will go before the IEDA on July 22.
SIOUX CITY | When Dr. Thomas Carroll first saw Dustin Wilder's body lying on the kitchen floor next to a pool of blood, he knew there had to be major injuries involved. He just had to determine what caused them.
"It was obvious he had a traumatic injury to the head," said Carroll, the Woodbury County medical examiner.
A quick glance at Wilder's body showed bleeding from the mouth, nose and ears. The skin around his eyes was swollen and bruised -- all consistent signs of a gunshot to the head. Once the autopsy began, Carroll confirmed his initial impression: Wilder, 29, died of a single gunshot to the head.
"An X-ray demonstrated a number of bullet particles in the head," Carroll said.
Prosecutors have accused Timothy Schroeder of shooting Wilder inside the Sloan, Iowa, house on Jan. 9, 2015, after he and his wife, Amanda, had given him a ride home from the Sloan Tap. Schroeder, 30, of Sioux City, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, going armed with intent and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
During the second day of testimony in Schroeder's trial Friday, Carroll said that judging by blood spatters near Wilder's body, he had been shot while lying on the floor. An autopsy revealed a bullet wound to the left side of the head, toward the back, just above the ear.
Also present was a small cut near that wound, and an abrasion just above the right ear. Both wounds were consistent with being struck by a blunt object, Carroll said, suggesting that Wilder may have been struck with something before he was shot.
"At least one of those (injuries) could have caused him to lose consciousness and fall to the floor," Carroll said.
On Thursday and again on Friday, Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Jill Esteves showed first responders and law enforcement officers photos of the crime scene, drawing attention to a kitchen chair, one of its spindles broken out, leaning against the refrigerator.
Nicki Gray, Wilder's girlfriend, said the spindle was not missing from the chair when she left her home three days earlier to attend a wedding in the Dominican Republic.
Gray said that while she was gone, she and Wilder communicated via cellphone two or three times a day. She testified that she knew something was wrong when Wilder didn't respond after she tried to contact him at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 9.
Gray said she found Wilder's cellphone on Jan. 17 in the snow near the curb in front of her house.
Wilder was found at about 7 a.m. on Jan. 9 by a neighbor who was caring for Gray's pets. Woodbury County Sheriff's Capt. Tony Wingert said the initial 911 dispatch was for a medical call, possibly a deceased person. When he arrived at the scene, Wingert said, he looked at the kitchen to determine if Wilder had possibly fallen and hit his head on the table or kitchen counter. Then he saw a spent shell casing on the floor near Wilder's body.
"Then it's for sure this is a crime scene until we can figure out what's going on," Wingert said.
Woodbury County Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Bauerly said he interviewed neighbors to see if they had seen or heard anything unusual the night before.
"No one heard anything," Bauerly testified.
The trial will resume Monday morning.
ONAWA, Iowa | One pig was entered at the Monona County Fair six years ago. Caleb Clemon on the East Monona Explorers 4-H Club showed it.
There wasn't much exploration for the judge to do in selecting the Grand Champion.
Well, things have changed at the county fair in Onawa. The Monona County Fair Swine Show today welcomes 90 pigs vying for class and overall honors in market barrows, gilts, pen of three and more.
The resurrection of all things pig can be traced to the county's Special Swine Project, which began three years ago by having a special class of pigs raised at the Iowa State University Research Farm near Castana, Iowa. Pigs from that farm were tended to and shown by Monona County 4-H members, children who didn't have access to livestock or facilities.
Forty-eight pigs were shown at the fair three years ago. The number grew to 82 last year, and should take another 10 percent jump when the show commences at 7:30 a.m. today. Those 4-H participants enrolled in the Special Swine Project this year have helped raise hogs on the Bill Brink farm near Turin, Iowa, working with Brink and Kevin Parr.
"Every other Saturday we've weighed pigs there and have done work in showmanship," said Melissa Beerman, of the Monona County Iowa State University Extension Office. "We've also had chore rotations for the 27 4-Hers involved."
Alyssa Kuhlman, a senior-to-be at West Monona High School in Onawa, scrambled on Thursday to wash three pigs she'll show from that Special Swine Project. She said she's grateful for the chance to show swine, something that might not otherwise be possible.
"This is my third year in the program, my third year showing at the fair," Kuhlman said as soapy water bubbled between her hands and one pig's ears. "I got reserve champion last year. I'll compete in barrow, gilt, pen of three and showmanship this year. I'm really excited about showmanship."
The Special Swine Project has also led to a few 4-H families taking the leap into buying their own porkers. Mike Wooster, of Mapleton, Iowa, who won grand champion honors for his pen of three in 1993 and 1996, has seen his daughter, Paige Wooster, transition from the "booster seat" offered by the special project to navigating this breed on her own. The family bought five hogs at around 70 pounds in late February, two from Mike's sister in Kansas and three from a farm in Oklahoma.
"Our intention was to bring three here to the Monona County Fair and two to the 4-County Fair in Dunlap, Iowa," Wooster said.
As with lots of 4-H livestock plans, not everything goes according to script.
"I only brought two pigs to the fair, because one of the pigs' muscles got tight and it got sick. It ended up losing weight," said Paige Wooster, the oldest of Mike and Melissa Wooster's children. "She doesn't get as much to eat and she didn't gain as much weight."
Mike has taught Paige, 12, that judges in the pen of three division seek uniformity. The third pig would have sunk the pen in the show ring.
So, adjustments have been made. Paige Wooster will show two pigs in the Individual Market Swine: "Gray Face," who weighs 284 pounds, and "White Face," who weighs 273 pounds.
"I have to make sure they eat and rink and look nice," she said while mixing up a bucket of Purina Show Chow.
After the show, the Woosters will head back home and pick up "Black Face," the pig they left behind. They'll truck on over to Tiefenthaler Quality Meats in Holstein, Iowa, where all three will be slaughtered and processed for private customers.
"It will be tougher to let them go after working with them daily for five to six months," Mike Wooster said.
But, that's the circle of life at the county fair. Today's blue ribbon is tomorrow's blue plate special, you might say. And as one summer's project ends, thoughts turn toward another, and the chance of someday earning that traveling trophy Dad won twice during his 4-H hey-day.
"I'm happy she's got 4-H interest," Mike Wooster said. "So many kids don't do as much any more, either because they don't have the place or the money."
The Special Swine Project sowed the seeds of this interest. It appears to be growing stronger year by year, as are the 4-H fortunes in Monona County.
"If Paige wouldn't have gotten involved in this program," Mike Wooster said, "we'd likely not be involved in 4-H swine."
Were looking for local musicians who want to showcase their sound as part of the On Iowa Politics podcast. We mostly talk politics, but were interested in a lot more, especially music, and have carved out some time to feature the best Iowa has to offer. Solo act or band, orchestra or troupe, rock, hip-hop, bebop, country, jazz, techno or something that doesnt yet have a name, we want to hear it.
Send a sound file to the podcast oniowapolitics@gmail.com with your name (or group name).
SPENCER, Iowa | The Iowa Department of Transportation will close the Spencer drivers license station Aug. 31, but other resources remain for customers in the area.
The closure is part of a statewide reduction in drivers license stations and maintenance garages due to reduced funding in the state budget.
The department's total budget for the current fiscal year, which began in July, is $370 million. It had sought $9.7 million more to fully fund 2,699 full-time positions, but only got half from the Iowa Legislature.
Spencer and Carroll licensing stations will close, as will garages in Sabula, Akron, Soldier, Corning, Gowrie, Rock Valley and Centerville.
Andrea Henry, director of strategic communications, said location cuts were based on which resources from low-demand areas could be switched to areas of high demand. Spencer and Carroll, she said, were two of the lowest in the state.
Customers can still renew and obtain licenses and identification cards from county treasurers or renew online. Eligibility for online renewal can be checked on the Iowa DOTs website.
Henry said if people still want to receive services from a license station, they can go to any location in the state. The nearest to Spencer is Sioux City.
No layoffs will occur from the closures, Henry said. All 28 workers will be given the option to relocate to other DOT locations. In some cases, Henry said the DOT will assist with moving costs.
If they choose to relocate and the new location is 25 or more miles away, we will pay the moving expenses, she said.
The DOT has alerted affected employees of open positions, which will be chosen by seniority.
While there will be no layoffs, 67 open positions will be permanently removed by the next budget year.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Todays top picks from our online calendar. Find more events at siouxcityjournal.com/calendar.
Food Truck Fridays: Enjoy lunch in Downtown Sioux City with a variety of food and flavor from food trucks in the Siouxland Area. Outdoor seating, live music and fresh food awaits at the corner of 7th and Douglas from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. every Friday through the end of August.
Visit www.facebook.com/Siouxcityfoodtrucks or call 712-574-9450 for more information.
Free Friday Night Swim: Enjoy a free night of swimming 6 to 8 p.m. at Leeds Swimming Pool, 3925 45th St. Sponsored by Bob Roes North End Zone. Call 712-239-5829 for more information.
Fridays on the Promenade: Grab your friends, a lawn chair and head to the Promenade in Sioux Citys Historic Fourth Street District 6-8 p.m. to hear some blues with the Rusty Wright Band. Chill out with food, beverages and a different live band Friday night. Visit fridaysonthepromenade.com for more information.
CHEROKEE, Iowa | Tyson Foods has offered a buyout of the company's lease on the 250,000 square-foot meat processing plant that has remained vacant since 2014 in Cherokee.
The company offered to pay $400,000 to the current owner -- New York real estate investor Mark Langfan's family -- to end its interest in the building, a news release said. That is 100 percent of the remaining rent the company has in its contract that ends in 2020, the release said.
"It is great news," Sam Kooiker, Cherokee city administrator, said Thursday. "Sen. Grassley's (R-Iowa) office contacted me this afternoon and so did Mark Langfan ... he is very optimistic that what he has been offered is reasonable and convenient to work through. We look forward to moving forward," Kooiker said.
Cherokee officials had said it was as if Tyson was holding the town "hostage" due to Tyson's agreement with the owner on who could use the vacant plant, it was reported in the Des Moines Register.
"We were at an impasse at being able to bring anything in to the facility," Kooiker said of the plant that lies on the south edge of Cherokee, a town of about 5,000 population.
"Our company is currently bound by contract to lease the Cherokee facility through September 30, 2020, and neither the city nor property owner have offered any ways to relieve us of our lease obligations," Wes Morris, president of Prepared Foods for Tyson said in Thursday's release. "So, after discussions with the Iowa Economic Development Authority, weve decided to buy out the lease, relinquish our ties to the property and give the owner and the town of Cherokee full control."
According to news accounts when Tyson closed the facility, the company cited concerns about changing product needs and the cost of renovating the facility that was built in 1965.
The closure cost the community 450 jobs.
"This latest news is a real boon to the effort to bring in a large industrial partner," Kooiker said, mentioning two or three smaller industrial prospects are already being considered.
"There is a great labor pool in Northwest Iowa and Cherokee is centrally located. So this is good news, not only for Cherokee, but for Storm Lake and all of Northwest Iowa."
The details are still being reviewed since the offer was received a couple hours ago, Kooiker said at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. But he predicted it could be effective "soon" after talking with Langfan. The Langfan family is the owner of the land and the building.
"We're making this offer to help resolve concerns about how the vacant plant should be marketed and continue to hope a new tenant can be found so it can once again provide jobs and benefit the local economy," the Tyson news release said.
Tyson is a Springdale, Arkansas, company with seven plants in Iowa. It is metro Sioux City's largest employer with more than 4,000 employees.
This is not about the police.
At least, not solely. Granted, the police are the reason we are heartbroken today, the reason cable news networks are assembling panels to talk about black and blue, the fraught intersection between African Americans and the law. Last week, after all, saw two more African-American men shot by police under questionable circumstances and then five Dallas police officers assassinated by a sniper at a Black Lives Matter rally.
But ultimately another tragedy overarches both of those: America's ongoing struggle to reconcile itself along lines of race. We are still fighting over what being black means -- and should mean -- in a nation that ostensibly holds equality as a foundational belief.
We say that's what we stand for, yet in virtually every field of endeavor, our behavior proves us liars.
In education, for instance, the federal government issued data in 2014 documenting that even as early as preschool, African-American kids are suspended far more frequently than others.
In medicine, a 2016 study by researchers from the University of Virginia found that white med students were sometimes less aggressive in assessing and managing the pain of African-American patients.
In labor, a 2003 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that job seekers with perceived "black" names were significantly less likely to get callbacks from prospective employers.
And in justice, oh, dear God. Multiple studies have documented a system that, from arrest to incarceration, is heavily stacked against African-American people.
This is not abstract. This is blood and bone reality, life as experienced by more than 40 million Americans. And can any thinking or compassionate person blame them if they are sick and tired of it?
Yet rather than respond to expressions of that frustration and anger in constructive and compassionate ways, too many of us seek every cowardly avenue of avoidance they can find.
Some take refuge in defensiveness, answering complaints about subconscious and systemic biases as if you'd just accused them, personally, of membership in the KKK. As if their feelings were what this is all about. Others try to shout down the messenger, often using the absurd formulation that to talk about race is racist.
Go online if you're not there already and read the message board beneath this column; chances are good you'll see examples of both.
Then, there are those who try to change the subject. As in Bill O'Reilly, the TV pundit, who recently proclaimed that Martin Luther King would never march with Black Lives Matter, a movement O'Reilly accuses of fomenting violence. King would probably find that laughable, given how often he was accused of the selfsame thing.
But again, to make this all about Black Lives Matter -- or policing -- is to make it too small. Granted, inequality becomes more visceral, visible and urgent when police are concerned, when we are called upon to tease out the role color played in some split-second decision to pull the trigger. But the point is, color also plays a role in the decision to punish a toddler, call back a job applicant, prescribe a drug, approve a loan, rent an apartment, or just extend the benefit of the doubt.
The police do not stand apart from society -- they reflect it. And our society is riven by race, defensive about race, terrified of race. We say we seek understanding and light, yet too often generate only noise and heat. If America is ever to reconcile itself, that has to change.
It's fine to demand better training, more body cams, more community liaisons. But to lay the onus entirely on the men and women in blue is to delude ourselves. Ultimately, the police are not the problem.
We are.
When it comes to digital marketing, content will always be king and when it comes to content, Gawker Media used to rule with an iron fist.
Until recently, Gawker Media was responsible for maintaining some of the webs top blogs. Gawker, Gizmodo, Lifehacker and Jezebel were all a part of the companys extraordinarily successful content stable. But that all changed in June, when the business was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Gawker Lawsuit
Believe it or not, it wasnt reactionary management or bad accounting that brought the media behemoth to its knees. In the end, it was simply a case of publishing the wrong type of content.
In March, a Florida jury awarded $115 million worth of damages to former wrestling star Hulk Hogan after Gawker published clips of a sex tape in which Hogan allegedly starred. After a huge and costly legal battle, it was ultimately decided that publishing the clips without permission was a violation of Hogans privacy and with no way to pay Hogan the damages to which he was owed, Gawker Media has since been forced to file for bankruptcy protection and auction off its various businesses.
From a business perspective, theres a clear lesson to be learned here.
True, very few small business owners are ever going to find themselves wondering whether they should be circulating a celebrity sex video on their company blogs or social media accounts. Thats kind of a no-brainer. Yet a huge number of brands are doing things every bit as dangerous.
Things to Avoid
Violation of privacy. If someone posts something to the web and you share it, thats one thing. But posting someones private photos, videos, even private information imparted to you in confidence may land you in trouble especially if the individual being depicted or quoted is not a public factor. (This is a variation of what happened to Gawker.)
Violation of Copyright Law. U.S. Copyright laws ensure that all authors and artists have the exclusive right to all of their original works. Songs, images, poems, articles, designs literally anything demonstrating some minimal degree of creativity is protected upon its inception. And although businesses or individuals can voluntarily register a work through the Copyright Office at any point, its not a prerequisite for protection.
Use of another companys logo or promotional materials. If a company has created something, youre not allowed to use it without their permission. In terms of content marketing, that extends to cutting and pasting the ideas of other industry bloggers, embedding photos from a news agency or even adding another brands logo to your site. Replicating anybody elses content on your website without their consent could, theoretically, land you in big trouble.
Are There Exceptions?
As always, there are a couple of exceptions to the rules.
As far as respecting privacy, make sure you have an individuals permission before quoting or mentioning them in your content. Be careful to avoid claims (especially negative ones) that cannot be substantiated. And avoid saying anything that might damage a persons reputation. This is especially the case if the individual youre writing about is not a public figure or if, as in Hogans case, a court is likely to rule the material you released private despite the subjects standing.
Considering copyright law, materials are generally subject to a doctrine of fair use. Replicating some or part of another person or companys copyrighted materials is often defensible for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching or research. But fair use is more of a court defense than a rationale for republishing somebody elses content. So its up to a court to decide whether your excuse is valid, and the argument does not always win.
When it comes to replicating logos, its one thing when you plan to post positive things about that brand. For example, a well-visited coffee blog might publish a post raving about how fabulous a new Starbucks product is, and choose to cut and paste a copyrighted Starbucks photo into their review to enhance the post.
Technically, Starbucks could pursue action against a blog owner for that. But realistically, so long as the company is getting positive publicity out of the replication, its generally a safe bet the brand would let something like that slide. If, on the other hand, youre posting nasty things online about Starbucks and plastering the companys copyrighted images all over your blog, watch your back. You could find yourself in trouble.
Last year, when landing page software company Leadpages raised $27 million in Series B funding, company CEO Clay Collins said he was also going to purchase two or three companies and make larger bets.
Collins has kept at least part of his promise by acquiring marketing automation company Drip recently.
The move is aimed at helping Leadpages add new automation and visual campaign building capabilities to its portfolio.
What the Acquisition Means for Small Businesses
In a statement Collins said, This acquisition will help our customers convert more leads into customers. Some of the best marketers I know have been asking Leadpages to integrate with Drip, so we started digging into the product. What we found was a solution available at a small business price point that was better than $100K+/year automation solutions marketed to Fortune 500 companies.
Drip allows users to create email campaigns, workflows and broadcasts for lead nurturing and customer engagement. Its platform boasts advanced workflow automation, customer journey mapping and lead scoring features, among others.
Leadpages, on the other hand, is a popular marketing software used by businesses to generate leads on the web, in emails, via text messaging and on social media.
By bringing Drips technology to its platform, Leadpages will provide a more dynamic digital marketing experience for small and medium-sized businesses.
Rob Walling, Co-Founder and CEO of Drip, said the partnership will provide customers with access to a larger network of resources to further support customer growth and performance.
Collins agreed, We will continue to provide robust integrations between Leadpages and all other major marketing platforms. Similarly, Drip will continue to maintain its open API and support integrations with other lead generation and landing page solutions, even if theyre directly competitive with Leadpages.
Leadpages for Solopreneurs
With more than 43,000 customers, Leadpages is one of the most prominent lead generation and landing page platforms in the market today.
It offers a standard package for home businesses and solopreneurs at $25. The package comes with features such as unlimited landing pages, advanced HTML export, email support and more.
The addition of the Drip team to Leadpages will make for the best product development team in small business marketing software, said Collins. This will benefit small companies and solopreneurs interested in generating new leads, he said.
Minneapolis-based Leadpages was founded in 2013.
Drip was founded in 2012 with headquarters in Fresno, California. The company will retain its office in Fresno, while its CEO and co-founder Rob Walling and other team members will move to Leadpages headquarters in Minneapolis.
GREENBELT, Md. (July 14, 2016)U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Arthur Charles Clements, age 57, of Temple Hills, Maryland, today to 14 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for receipt of child pornography. Judge Hazel also ordered that upon his release from prison Clements must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to Clements' plea agreement, on April 8, 2015, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report of suspected child pornography from Microsoft after Clements uploaded an image depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct to his One Drive account. NCMEC referred the report to the Maryland State Police and on July 24, 2015, Maryland State Police Troopers and Special Agents from HSI executed a search warrant at Clements' residence. Law enforcement seized a laptop computer that contained from than 1,900 videos and 1,100 images of child pornography, including images and videos depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct and other depictions of violence performed on prepubescent children. Forensic analysis of Clements' digital media revealed that Clements received child pornography via Skype, including a video received on March 25, 2015.
Clements waived his rights and agreed to be interviewed by law enforcement. During the interview Clements admitted that he downloaded and distributed child pornography and had been watching child pornography for approximately seventeen years. Clements also admitted chatting via Skype for at least six months with an adult male living in another state who was sexually abusing a nine year old girl. Clements admitted to watching live sexual conduct between the adult male and girl. Clements had at least 34 videos and 25 images documenting the sexual abuse of the minor female saved on his laptop computer, including the video received on March 25, 2015, described above.
Within 12 days, Special Agents with HSI identified and arrested the individual with whom Clements chatted via Skype, Joshua Logan Thornton, age 31, of Wynne, Arkansas. The child was rescued. Thornton pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography in the Eastern District of Arkansas on November 28, 2015, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison on February 18, 2016, in U.S. District Court in Little Rock, Arkansas.
In 2007, Clements was convicted of indecent exposure in St. Mary's County Circuit Court stemming from images and videos he sent to teenaged girl.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended HSI Baltimore and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristi N. O'Malley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sumon Dantiki, who prosecuted the case.
Edina and Patsy are back! Those larger-than-life, eternally youthful (in their own minds) and glamorous trendsetters are now starring in a wacky big screen adventure.
Since its inception in 1992 the British sitcom Absolutely Fabulous has become a worldwide phenomenon an impressive accomplishment for a series, which has produced a mere 39 episodes over a 25 year stretch.
Ab Fab, as devotees call it, follows the madcap adventures of Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders), a boozy, drug addicted PR agent who chases after bizarre fads in a desperate, delusional attempt to stay "young" and "hip." Edina gets plenty of enabling from Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley), a magazine editor who's substance abuse is far worse than Edina's. The ladies crash every celebrity gathering they can, often stumbling around in a bubbly, champagne induced haze, oblivious to the contemptible stares which follow in their wake.
The result is some of the edgiest and most screamingly funny humor ever produced by our friends across the pond.
"These are people who have been friends since they began," said Saunders during a conference call in which she and Lumley were promoting Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, which opens in cinemas on July 22. "Edina thinks she's a fashion PR guru. Patsy works as an editor on a fashion magazine. They're inseparable friends, and they walk in chaos."
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"A chaos of drink and cigarettes and champagne," added Lumley.
Saunders noted that updating the characters for the new film was an easy task.
"We just get older," she said. "Edina gets older and fatter, and actually Patsy doesn't change at all. She's just sort of embalmed and remains exactly the same."
In the film, the ladies are on the run Edina has been accused of murdering supermodel Kate Moss, who appears as herself. Our hapless heroines take off for the South of France, where they hope to elude the law. This leads to more mishaps and wild celebrity encounters more than two dozen famous names from the worlds of film and fashion appear in the movie, some as themselves, others as deliriously over-the-top adversaries to "the girls."
Famous faces on display include Kim Kardashian, Dame Joan Collins, Glee's Chris Colfer, Graham Norton, and Mad Men's Jon Hamm, who has a priceless reaction to former fling Patsy: "Oh God, I can't believe you're still alive!"
Comic highlights from Absolutely Fabulous: the Movie include a hilarious turn by Barry Humphries, best known as Dame Edna Everage. Humphries plays a man this time out he offers one of the film's more unforgettable moments as a chubby, sleazy pornographer with a creepy grin. More laughs abound when Patsy appears in male drag so she can marry the world's richest woman.
"Patsy's been a man before," recalls Lumley. "We had a flashback to the 60s where she had a mustache and was dressed in a Sgt. Pepper coat like a Beatle. This time she didn't bother to go the whole hog and take the hormones and have something stitched on. This time she just glued a mustache on and put her hair back and thought she could probably get away with it. After all, she's only trying to attract a 90 year old person who can't see!"
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With the police in hot pursuit (so they think) the film also offers a few humorous action scenes.
"We insisted on doing our own stunts," said Lumley. "Obviously its a reach from a car travelling at almost three miles an hour to take a cigarette off a completely supine man. It was a bit challenging, but I managed it."
"I'd never been on a scooter before, and they wouldn't let me wear a helmet," added Saunders. "I was very, very brave. It's also the most exercise I've ever done."
Saunders admitted that precautions were taken when writing the film's screenplay, due to today's climate of political correctness. "Because people are much more ready to be offended these days," she noted. "If you write a movie, you have a raft of lawyers telling you who you can offend, and who you can't offend, and who's going to sue you and who won't. So it was quite an issue, I have to say."
But it works. Edina and Patsy push the boundaries of good taste as few people can, but it's all in good fun humor. After twenty-five years of playing these characters off and on, Saunders and Lumley have developed a comfortable rapport with each other and slip into their signature roles with ease. Ab Fab devotees will be pleased to see other familiar faces in the film: Julia Sawalha is particularly amusing as Edina's jaded daughter Saffron she gets a scene stealing moment in the spotlight when she leads a sing-along of the famed Janis Ian tune At Seventeen in a gay bar filled with adoring drag queens.
If only life were as fabulous as this.
Welcome to Queerly Digital, a monthly column about LGBT films and filmmakers.
F.W. Murnau (1888-1931) was a German film director best remembered for "Nosferatu" (1922), the first film adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula." At the time of the film's initial release, Stoker's book was still held under a strict copyright. Undaunted, Murnau filmed a fairly recognizable version of the story, merely changing all the character's names Stoker's widow sued for copyright infringement and won. All copies of "Nosferatu" were ordered destroyed, and for many years it was considered a lost film.
Fortunately, some prints survived and "Nosferatu" now stands as a poetic masterpiece. Murnau shot the film on location in Germany and in Eastern Europe. The vampire's lair was filmed at an actual centuries old castle the desolate countryside which surrounds the Count's undead abode and the candlelit interiors create a mood of encroaching dread unlike anything the horror genre has seen since. Max Schreck as "Count Orlock" was made to look like a walking if decomposing corpse his face is a visage which remains unnerving to this very day.
"Nosferatu" contains numerous moments of unforgettable artistic beauty glimpses of the Count's castle against a dark, cloudy sky resemble a painting even though these shots were taken on location. Scenes in which the Count carries his coffin through the plague ridden town as thousands of rats follow in his wake are still mesmerizing.
Related: LGBT cinema on DVD/Blu Ray, a monthly column
Unknown at the time but fairly common knowledge now is the fact that F.W. Murnau was a gay man. His death in a 1931 car accident was said to have been caused by an act of fellatio he was giving to his young driver as they drove through the streets of Santa Barbara California apparently the young man crashed into a pole, which inflicted a fatal head injury upon the filmmaker.
According to legends, when paramedics arrived Murnau's head was between his driver's legs the circumstances of that accident have never been substantiated, though throughout his life Murnau was never seen in the company of women.
Murnau's artistic legacy remains unscathed. Films like "Faust" (1926), a medieval chiller in which Satan enters into a wager with an archangel, pulls viewers into a dreamlike netherworld sequences in which The Devil hovers over the town, produced at a time when film-making was still in its infancy and when effects technology was somewhat primitive, have lost none of their hypnotic power. Murnau was a filmmaker who's stunning sense of the visual became an actual character in whatever tale he was telling.
Both "Nosferatu" and "Faust" are available on DVD and Blu Ray courtesy of Kino Lorber, purveyors of restored, classic cinema. Kino pulled out all the stops they searched for the finest elements from film vaults around the world in order to piece together the most complete prints possible of both films. The Blu Ray of "Nosferatu" includes a 60-minute documentary, produced for German television, on Murnau's career and artistic vision a surviving relative who actually knew the auteur as a child is among the interviewees. Though the doc offers a great deal of information on his late 19th Century childhood and artistic influences, no mention is made of the director's personal life.
One of Kino Lorber's primary missions is to rescue, preserve, and restore classic cinema from generations ago. The company has made dozens of hard-to-find titles from around the world readily available to modern audiences the company's catalog is a treasure chest for film buffs. For fledgling filmmakers, Kino is an education. It's always important to remember and learn from those who came before us.
There's a creepy postscript to F. W. Murnau's story, and it's a horror story worthy of one of his films. In July 2015, Murnau's grave in Stahnsdorg Germany was looted his skull disappeared. No one knows who the perpetrators were or what they did with the head we can only imagine.
The HIV is Not a Crime II Training Academy occurred in mid-May in Huntsville, Ala. It attracted 292 participants from 34 states and Mexico, Canada, Great Britain, and Germany.
This article is based on interviews with three of those participants: Tami Haught, (SERO Project Organizing, and Training Coordinator), Mark S. King, (activist and writer), and David Poole (Director of Legislative Affairs, AIDS Healthcare Foundation). All three spoke as individuals rather than for their organizations. Their comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.
Hilary Clinton sent a video in which she stated her support for modernizing outdated HIV criminalization laws. The participants responded enthusiastically to this video.
The Training Academy encouraged the formation of state specific groups to modernize HIV criminalization laws. A Florida specific group has emerged from the Training Academy to modernize these laws in Florida.
Haught helped to organize the Training Academy. According to her, attendance had almost doubled since the first Training Academy. About one-quarter of the participants identified as HIV negative. People of color formed a majority, with African-Americans as the largest racial group. Although most participants were male, 8 percent of participants identified with a gender other than male or female.
Two activities provided outlets for creativity and networking. Mexican participants created an altar for people to remember and honor their dead. The International Community of Women Living with HIV created banners to be carried to the International AIDS Conference this July.
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HIV criminalization reform arouses a passion that inspires many activists. King described the Training Academy as having really energized AIDS activists, including people, like me who have been around for a while.
Poole stressed the daunting work that lies ahead. It's going to take a lot of effort on a localized and statewide basis throughout the country to get these reforms to occur.
Iowa and Colorado have already modernized their HIV criminalization laws. In Iowa, Democrats control the Senate, and Republicans the House. In Colorado, Republicans control both houses of the legislature. King praised advocates for their diligent and carefully planned work with conservative legislatures. He said, The advocates in those states made the case that these laws invaded privacy, failed to stop the epidemic, and cost both lives and money.
Directly addressing advocates on the importance of a non-partisan approach, Poole argued that You should never go into any kind of environment where you are trying to find allies, assuming that you know what they look like and who they are.
Poole cited Florida State Senator Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah), as the best, most specific example that I can give. Garcia identified himself as an ally. Poole believes that Garcia wants to modernize Florida's HIV criminalization laws in the context of criminal prosecution.
Criminalization reform efforts are growing across the U.S., Haught said, discussing the future of modernizing HIV criminalization laws. Criminalization reform efforts are growing across the U.S. People have begun to see modernizing HIV criminalization laws as necessary to reduce new infections, to protect rights, and to improve the health of people living with HIV. Haught stressed the importance of creating coalitions with other social, racial and economic justice movements in each state.
King noted those with the most to lose drive HIV advocacy. Right now, the people with the most to lose are women and people of color. They are the populations that have been left behind, as we gay men have got what we needed and moved-on. King noted that while this shift was necessary, it was not always easy. It often happened in ways that made white gay men, like me, feel uncomfortable, and that's going to have to be OK with me.
King argues that this discomfort comes from making racism and privilege visible. He continued, Asking a white person to see their own privilege is like asking a fish in the sea to see the water that they're soaking in. That privilege, as a white man, plays itself out in so many ways that I'm not even aware of.
In many cases, HIV criminalization simply extends racism and homophobia, King bluntly charged. Imagine a Black gay man with HIV sitting in front of a judge or jury, accused of failing to disclose his status. Now, tell me that the judge or jury has no prejudice toward that defendant based on his HIV status, his race, and his sexuality. Our judges and juries think that he should not be having sex at all.
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King reported that the intersection of gay sexuality and Black race has everything to do with how these laws are being applied. We cannot discuss HIV criminalization without understanding how racism, above all else, has to do with our criminal justice system.
According to King, these laws have a very visceral stench of justice and vengeance on the surface, when you consider what these people have been accused of. Those prosecuted, however, have the most difficulty in disclosing, and the least amount of protection.
King emphasized that other laws already cover malicious transmission. When is it ever acceptable to have a law that prosecutes people with a virus, regardless of their behavior? If someone maliciously goes around trying to infect other people and do harm to them, we have laws for that. King challenged the need for HIV specific laws. We don't need laws specific to HIV. These laws should not exist.
King repeated a story that a transgender woman told about her rape. She couldnt disclose her status to her rapist, because she thought he would kill her. She was terrified to go to the police, because she did not tell her rapist that she was positive. She felt that she could be prosecuted.
According to King, the prosecution of women is another instance of taking advantage of vulnerable populations. Women have the least ability to disclose, as they are most at risk for violence, loss of job, loss of family, and loss of physical safety.
King reported that HIV criminalization laws have created a new type of intimate partner abuse. One partner threatens the other. If you break up with me, I will call the cops, and tell them that you're positive and didn't tell me. Even if the accusing partner changes his mind, he cannot take it back. The abused partner may well have disclosed, but it then becomes a question of credibility. Haught pointed out the irony that states adopted these laws to protect women from infected male partners. Now, however, women living with HIV are at risk of abuse because of these laws.
King described HIV criminalization as the defining moral HIV issue of our time. The system has no problem throwing some diseased fags into jail. Now, we got treatment, we've got prevention, and we've even got PrEP. But just because our gay community is doing well, doesn't mean we should turn our backs on people who are being prosecuted under these completely irrational laws.
To contact the group trying to modernize HIV criminalization laws in Florida, please email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To find out information about HIV criminalization, please visit, http://seroproject.com.
To read Mark Kings blog about the Training Academy, please visit, http://marksking.com/my-fabulous-disease/video-hiv-not-crime-ii-training-academy/.
To view Clintons video, please visit, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bThbZwZQmq0.
Follow Sean McShee on Twitter @SeanMcShee
At the April meeting of the Miami Men who have Sex with Men Collaborative, Dr. Mario Stevenson discussed Obstacles to the Cure of HIV Infection. Stevenson identified the major obstacle to an HIV cure as those resting, HIV-infected cells that fail to express signs of infection.
This makes them invisible to the healthy parts of the immune system and unable to infect other cells. These resting, but infected, cells form a reservoir of HIV. According to the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), this reservoir forms prior to antiretroviral treatment. It is believed to drive increases in viral load when people stop antiretroviral treatment. Any HIV cure will have to target these cells.
HIV cures differ from HIV disease management in that once cured, people could stop antiretroviral treatment. Stevenson described two cures. A sterilizing cure would eliminate HIV from the body. A functional cure would leave HIV in the body, but people could stop treatment without their viral loads increasing.
The Visconti Patients (not to be confused with the Visconti Triplets of porn) have achieved a functional cure. These patients began antiretroviral treatment very soon after infection. After achieving an undetectable viral load, they stopped antiretroviral treatment, but their viral loads remained undetectable.
Related: The 'HIV is Not a Crime II Training Academy'
The Berlin Patient has achieved a sterilizing cure, eliminating HIV from his body. While on antiretroviral treatment, he was diagnosed with leukemia and had two bone marrow transplants to control the leukemia. Fortunately, the bone marrow donor carried two copies of a rare genetic mutation that blocked HIV infection. In 2009, the Berlin Patient stopped antiretroviral therapy and has remained free of HIV ever since.
In order to infect a cell, a virus has to bind to it. A virus seeks out receptors on the cell to which it binds. Most strains of HIV bind to the CCR5 receptor on immune cells. The Berlin Patients mutation blocks cells from expressing the CCR5 receptor. Without a CCR5 receptor, the most common strain of HIV cannot infect the cell.
Researchers tried six times to repeat this sterilizing cure. All patients died within a year from malignancy relapses or transplant complications. One individual also had a strain of HIV that bound to another receptor.
This transplant costs $300,000 and has a 25 percent fatality rate. The mutation only occurs among people of Northern European descent. Even among that population, it occurs rarely.
Theoretically, scientists could modify the gene that controls CCR5 to block its expression. A variant of this technique has succeeded in curing young children of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease. In order to modify that gene, scientists would first harvest stem cells from a subject with HIV infection, and grow those stem cells in the lab. A molecular scissors would then cut out the part of the gene for CCR5. Scientists would next grow these modified cells in the lab. When they had enough of these modified cells, they would re-inject these cells back into the original subject.
Stevenson discussed another cure strategy, Kick and Kill. Counter-intuitively, this involves waking up the resting cells in the reservoir, making them targets to be killed. Studies, however, found this technique to have modest effects.
HIV cure research has a long way to go before it becomes practical. Not all HIV researchers think a cure is possible. At present, managed HIV disease may be the best for which we can hope, but a minority of researchers continues to look for a cure. Managed HIV disease leaves people in a state of chronic low-level inflammation, leading to more health problems. Cure research is still worth following.
AVAC has excellent material about HIV cures from the introductory to the technical level. Please visit, http://www.avac.org/cureiculum
Trump and Cruz were caught kissing -- on a billboard illustration just five minutes away from this year's Republican National Convention.
Nonprofit organization Planting Peace set up the billboard in Cleveland, Ohio just a few miles away from next week's RNC.
"Love Trumps Hate," the billboard reads. "End Homophobia."
The purpose is to call out the Republican Party for their recent anti-LGBT stances. This years proposed GOP platform "opposes same-sex marriage rights, supports efforts to restrict bathrooms to individuals' birth gender and protects businesses who refute services to individuals based on religious objections to gay marriage," according to CNN.
Related: GOP Rejects Call to Back Off Gay Marriage Opposition
Planting Peace is responsible for creating The Equality House across the street from the Westboro Baptist church.
What Donald, Ted and the Republican party either fail to realize, or realize and just dont seem to care about, is that their words and actions toward our LGBT familyespecially LGBT childrenhave meaning and impact, Planting Peace President Aaron Jackson told The Huffington Post. LGBT children hear these messages telling them they are nothing but second class citizens and are left feeling broken or less than.
If Indiana Governor Mike Pence has one weakness in the eyes of the conservative Republican Party base, its that hes too soft on LGBT people.
That seemed to be the general assessment of various commentators this week as they imagined and then learned through a Twitter post Friday morning that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has named Pence as his vice presidential running mate.
Trump was scheduled to hold a press conference Friday morning to announce his choice of a running mate but abruptly canceled that plan Thursday night after a shocking attack on Bastille Day revelers in Nice, France, killed more than 80 people. Trump then posted a Twitter message late Friday morning, making the announcement official.
Pence, who pondered a run for the Republican nomination in 2012, is said to be well-respected among Republican conservatives, but he is not well-liked by LGBT activists.
Rich Tafel, former president of the national Log Cabin Republicans group, called Pence about one of the worst people for gay equality based on his experience in the House and as Governor.
But, added Tafel, There is an upside.
Pence is a favorite of the evangelicals and endorsed [Ted] Cruz. If this bus goes off the cliff, which I think it might, said Tafel, it is better to have the evangelicals and the white nationalists in it together. Whatever happens, they will blame others for their failure, but the fact that 85 percent of evangelicals are on board with Trump is good for those of us seeking to create a new center right party. Had Trump chosen someone more moderate, the far right would say that's why we lost.
As a member of the U.S. House, Pence opposed every piece of pro-equal rights legislation that came to the floor in the House, including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell (DADT). He also voted for amending the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. In each of those years, his record on LGBT issues repeatedly earned him a zero on the Human Rights Campaigns Congressional Scorecard.
Speaking at an event in Iowa in 2011, Pence suggested that allowing gay couples to marry would lead to an economic meltdown. He told MSNBC that repeal of DADT amounted to trying to advance a liberal social agenda and mainstream homosexuality.
In 2014, Governor Mike Pence led support behind a state bill to ban recognition of same-sex marriages. The cut sentence called for also banning recognition of other forms of same-sex relationships, such as civil unions. And in 2015, he supported and signed a bill that would have allowed citizens to discriminate against LGBT people by claiming to hold a religious belief that compelled them.
Bob Vander Plaats, who has headed up anti-gay campaigns in Iowa, told an Iowa television station that Pence will attract evangelicals to the ticket because he is pro-life and against marriage for same-sex couples.
But Pence disappointed some conservatives last year when after first supporting and signing the religious freedom bill-- he signed a clarification bill aimed at resolving controversy and making clear every person feels welcome and respected in Indiana. And a number of conservatives expressed unhappiness with Trumps choice Thursday.
2016 by Keen News Service
Illustration - Gamma Ray Burst NASA
Gamma-ray bursts, or GRBs, are some of the most violent and energetic events in the universe.
Although these events are the most luminous explosions in the universe, a new study using NASAs Chandra X-ray Observatory, NASAs Swift satellite and other telescopes suggests that scientists may be missing a majority of these powerful cosmic detonations.
Astronomers think that some GRBs are the product of the collision and merger of two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole. The new research gives the best evidence to date that such collisions will generate a very narrow beam, or jet, of gamma rays. If such a narrow jet is not pointed toward Earth, the GRB produced by the collision will not be detected.
Collisions between two neutron stars or a neutron star and black hole are expected to be strong sources of gravitational waves that could be detected whether or not the jet is pointed towards the Earth. Therefore, this result has important implications for the number of events that will be detectable by the Laser Interferometry Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and other gravitational wave observatories.
On September 3, 2014, NASAs Swift observatory picked up a GRB dubbed GRB 140903A due to the date it was detected. Scientists used optical observations with the Gemini Observatory telescope in Hawaii to determine that GRB 140903A was located in a galaxy about 3.9 billion light-years away, relatively nearby for a GRB.
The large panel in the accompanying graphic is an illustration showing the aftermath of a neutron star merger, including the generation of a GRB. In the center is a compact object either a black hole or a massive neutron star and in red is a disk of material left over from the merger, containing material falling towards the compact object. Energy from this infalling material drives the GRB jet shown in yellow. In orange is a wind of particles blowing away from the disk and in blue is material ejected from the compact object and expanding at very high speeds of about one tenth the speed of light.
The image on the left of the two smaller panels shows an optical view from the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) with GRB 140903A in the middle of the square and a close-up X-ray view from Chandra on the right. The bright star in the optical image is unrelated to the GRB.
The gamma-ray blast lasted less than two seconds. This placed it into the short GRB category, which astronomers think are the output from neutron star-neutron star or black hole-neutron star collisions eventually forming either a black hole or a neutron star with a strong magnetic field. (The scientific consensus is that GRBs that last longer than two seconds result from the collapse of a massive star.)
About three weeks after the Swift discovery of GRB 140903A, a team of researchers led by Eleonora Troja of the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), observed the aftermath of the GRB in X-rays with Chandra. Chandra observations of how the X-ray emission from this GRB decreases over time provide important information about the properties of the jet.
Specifically, the researchers found that the jet is beamed into an angle of only about five degrees based on the X-ray observations, plus optical observations with the Gemini Observatory and the DCT and radio observations with the National Science Foundations Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. This is roughly equivalent to a circle with the diameter of your three middle fingers held at arms length. This means that astronomers are detecting only about 0.4% of this type of GRB when it goes off, since in most cases the jet will not be pointed directly at us.
Previous studies by other astronomers had suggested that these mergers could produce narrow jets. However, the evidence in those cases was not as strong because the rapid decline in light was not observed at multiple wavelengths, allowing for explanations not involving jets.
Several pieces of evidence link this event to the merger of two neutron stars, or between a neutron star and black hole. These include the properties of the gamma-ray emission, the old age and the low rate of stars forming in the GRBs host galaxy and the lack of a bright supernova. In some previous cases strong evidence for this connection was not found.
New studies have suggested that such mergers could be the production site of elements heavier than iron, such as gold. Therefore, the rate of these events is also important to estimate the total amount of heavy elements produced by these mergers and compare it with the amounts observed in the Milky Way galaxy.
Reference:
An Achromatic Break in the Afterglow of the Short GRB 140903A: Evidence for a Narrow Jet, E. Troja et al., 2016, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal [http://apj.aas.org, preprint: http://arxiv.org/abs/1605.03573]. The first author of this paper is Eleonora Troja and the co-authors are T. Sakamoto (Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan), S. Cenko (GSFC), A. Lien (University of Maryland, Baltimore), N. Gehrels (GSFC), A. Castro-Tirado (IAA-CSIC, Spain), R. Ricci (INAF-Istituto di Radioastronomia, Italy), J. Capone, V. Toy, & A. Kutyrev (UMD), N. Kawai (Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan), A. Cucchiara (GSFC), A. Fruchter (STScI), J. Gorosabel (UMD), S. Jeong (IAA-CSIC), A. Levan (University of Warwick, UK), D. Perley (University of Copenhagen, Denmark), R. Sanchez-Ramirez (Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Spain), N. Tanvir (University of Leicester, UK), S. Veilleux (UMD).
NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program for NASAs Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, controls Chandras science and flight operations.
The US government was working hard to force the two sides to accept the compromise agreement when fighting resumed.
Macgregor, a military historian, noted that the latest fighting, which involved both artillery and aircraft, was a serious blow to US President Barack Obamas Africa strategy.
"Now, the Obama administration's efforts to halt a new civil war in [South Sudan] are in serious jeopardy," he observed.
Obama had invested his personal interest and prestige in the South Sudan peace process, so its failure could prove humiliating to him, Macgregor explained.
"Washington desperately wants an African success story for ideological reasons," he pointed out, and the US government is "applying enormous pressure to stop all fighting and bring the leadership in line."
However, Macgregor noted that neither diplomacy nor economic incentives seemed likely to overcome the personal distrust and grudges between the conflicting forces.
"There is no guarantee the United States can impose order on the new state," he acknowledged.
Doug Macgregor holds a doctoral degree in international relations from the University of Virginia. He commanded the Battle of 73 Easting, a decisive tank fight during the 1991 Gulf War.
"The US interest is that two leading foreign policy intellectuals named Power and Rice who work for the community organizer in chief made their name by denouncing genocide in Sudan, leading to the partition of the country," he recalled.
However, the tribal groupings of Southern Sudan had never been a coherent, united nation or minority in their collective history and the country had suffered from chaos and failure to establish any credible state structure in the five years since it had been created, Giraldi pointed out.
"The only problem is that the south is a fake country that has been fighting itself since and it has gotten progressively worse as time goes on, resulting in the mess that is currently on display," he explained.
Because Coca-Cola had political influence in Washington and still needed supplies of gum arabic from Sudan to make its world-famous brand soft drink, the Khartoum government had been allowed to continue export it, despite US-inspired sanctions in other areas, Giraldi observed.
"Gum arabic is produced in the north and is used in making Coca-Cola. That is why even though Khartoum is under punitive sanctions across the board for crimes against humanity it can still sell its gum arabic. I believe several ex-congressmen have investments in the trade," he added.
US Agency for International Development (USAID) chief Gayle Smith and two other US officials will hold talks in Rwanda over the weekend to discuss the crisis in neighboring South Sudan, the Department of State said in an advisory note on Thursday.
BEIRUT (Sputnik) According to him, the Russian side had expressed its willingness to import a number of agricultural products from Lebanon.
"The Russian delegation is currently on a visit to Lebanon in search for new ways of developing bilateral cooperation," the minister said.
The actions of hawks in Washington in using its allies and proxies to help foment instability and intensify tensions with Moscow, which if allowed to continue risks a major military confrontation, is not only misjudged it is reckless in the extreme. This recklessness is compounded by the fact that the source of the problem lies not with Russia or its foreign policy, as is claimed, but with America's refusal to accept that Russia and its people refuse to accept their place as Carthage in relation to Washington's self-proclaimed status as Rome.
The implementation of economic sanctions, the deployment of troops, aircraft and naval forces deployed close to Russia's borders and territory, all at the same time as Daesh unleashes terror on the citizens of the states involved these are the actions of a child poking the dog guarding the house with a stick, forcing the dog to defend itself while intruders are gaining entry to the house in the back.
Let us not mince words. The West has singularly failed to confront Daesh and other terror groups in the Middle East over the past two years during which this menace has emerged. Instead it has actively sought to undermine and weaken those who have and are confronting said groups namely Russia, Syria, Iran, and their allies.
The verities of the Cold War, buttressed by an imperialist worldview and the arrogance of unfettered power and domination, has exposed Washington and its proxies as a bloc of nations that speak the language of democracy while dealing in organized hypocrisy.
Cameron quit the top job having campaigned for Remain, so its rather ironic that he's been replaced by someone who also wanted to keep the country in the EU. The fact that May supported Remain and her new Chancellor Philip Hammond- (another Remainer) has warned that leaving the EU could take six years- has understandably led to some concern that Brexit could be put out to grass.
May sought to assuage those concerns by declaring earlier this week that 'Brexit means Brexit'. As a very shrewd political operator, she also knows that UKIP will be watching what her government does like a hawk.
UKIP will be watching like a hawk to ensure that there is no backsliding. Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 12, 2016
Other key appointments to May's new ministerial team give 'Leavers' hope that there won't be any back-sliding on this important issue.
Support for the EU reached new lows as a recent poll found out that only 14 percent of the population in northern Norway are in favor of the country's membership. In the survey, conducted by pollster InFact on behalf of national broadcaster NRK and newspaper Avisa Nordland, 74 percent of Norwegians said they were against the EU, whereas another 13 percent were undecided.
In Norway's 1994 referendum, northern Norway voted 71.4 percent against EU membership (as opposed to the nationwide result of 52.2 percent against and 47.8 percent for the membership) and has remained loyal to its ideals ever since.
"I am against the EU. The way it has become, with so much bureaucracy, I don't think that would be right for us. It's time to give things a second though," Bod resident Jan Mller told NRK.
ULAANBAATAR (Sputnik), Anastasia Levchenko The 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar started with a minute of silence in light of the deadly Nice truck attack, a Sputnik correspondent reports.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French city of Nice. Anti-terrorism prosecutors are investigating the deadly attack that killed over 70 people.
The 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM11) Summit kicks off in Mongolia on July 15 and will last two days. The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an informal interregional dialogue that addresses political, security, financial, economic, social and cultural issues.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Yonhap news agency, Hwang visited in order to ease the populations concerns over the deployment of the systems. Protesters in turn threw bottles and eggs at him.
"I would like to apologize for making the decision without prior notice," Hwang said as quoted by the media outlet, promising that the government would seek to alleviate the peoples concerns.
Last week, the South Korean government South Korea and the United States announced they agreed to deploy the THAAD system with the US military stationed in South Korea to counter North Korea's missile threat. The THAAD system is designed to intercept short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles at the terminal incoming stage.
Nippon Kaigis allied People's Association for Creating a Constitution for Beautiful Japan sticks to a similar ultraconservative agenda and some of its members hold senior positions in both organizations.
Neither of these two is pretty much specific about the way the Constitution should be amended. Some want to scrap Article 9, which renounces war and prohibits Japan from maintaining a war potential, while others demand a constitutional provision allowing the imposition of a martial law.
There is one thing, however, that brings them together, however, and this is their hatred towards leftwing groups and the idea of women playing a role in public life.
Mentioning Nippon Kaigis religious affiliations, Tamotsu Sugano said that the organization was an umbrella for various anti-Communist and anti-liberal religious associations and groups.
Nippon Kaigi is a union of different religious societies, rather than a religious organization per se, he added.
With the current surge in elderly population and the resulting drop in the number of working people, trade unions and farming cooperatives are no longer able to serve as a reliable support base for political parties, which now have to rely more on religious societies where the percentage of elderly members is usually smaller than in other social groups.
This is exactly why the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is now seeking the support of both Nippon Kaigi, which is essentially a union of religious societies, and of LDPs junior coalition ally, the moderately conservative Komeito Party, which did well in the 2000 and 2001 parliamentary elections.
As a result, the votes of Japans few remaining influential organizations go the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Moreover, with major opposition-minded public organizations now losing their clout, the LDPs win of two-thirds of seats in the upper chamber of parliament did not come as a big surprise.
"The all-women crew has proved themselves capable and competent at sea," the release stated.
The crew was tutored and trained by Commander Dilip Donde, who on May 2010 became the first Indian national to complete a solo circumnavigation. He covered 21,600 nautical miles (40,000 km) under the sail of the INSV Mhadei.
Mhadei crew, skippered by Cdr Dilip Donde, Cdr MVV Satish, Cdr TGS Bedi and Lieutenant Commander Shweta Kapur. pic.twitter.com/kEhzTqqrEb Saurabh Joshi (@SaurabhJoshi) 5 2014 .
"The skipper Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi and her five member team were received by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, the flag officer commanding-in-chief of the Western naval command. The all-women crew of 'Mhadei' are presently training to undertake a circumnavigation of the globe, a feat more demanding than climbing an Everest, in August 2017," the release added.
Aiming to make it "around the world in 180 days," the adventurous ladies will sail on a new vessel which is currently being constructed in Goa.
The sailboat was constructed at the boat yard on Divar Island and was handed over to the Indian Navy in February 2009. In a tribute to the place where the boat was constructed, the Indian Navy named the sloop after the Mandovi or Mhadei River, "the lifeline of Goa."
New Delhi (Sputnik) The Indian Navy's expedition to Kelang, Malaysia, is being led by Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet Rear Admiral S V Bhokare.
According to a statement issued by India's Ministry of Defense, "Three Indian Naval Ships have arrived at Kelang on Friday morning on a four day visit as part of a deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea and Western Pacific. The visiting ships are also likely to conduct exercises with the Royal Malaysian Navy aimed at enhancing interoperability in communication as well as Search and Rescue procedures, post departure from Kelang."
India-Malaysia defense ties date back to the colonial days when troops of Madras Native Infantry served in Malacca, Singapore and Penang. The Indian Navy has been a regular participant at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia. The last visit by an Indian naval ship to Malaysia was in May 2015, when Saryu berthed at Penang.
Moreover, China plans to launch into the near orbit a high-tech telescope. It is expected that in terms of functionality it will not differ from NASAs Hubble space telescope. It is expected to contribute to the study of dark matter and other cosmic questions.
We will develop international cooperation. We will provide an opportunity to all of countries in space research and will take in astronauts, according to the representative of the manned space flight program Wu Ping at the session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes, held in mid-June in Vienna.
Wu Ping also reported that China has signed an agreement with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs for the development of international cooperation.
In this regard, Chinese Heritage Foundation specialist Dean Cheng warns that cooperation with China will have great risks. China has no experience in international cooperation in the field of space research. In addition, there are problems with the budget and transparency of the project.
Russia also is entertaining the idea of operating its own space station after 2024. As for the United States, with which Japan has to keep pace, its attention is currently focused on the program of a manned flight to Mars set to take place in 2030.
Currently, Japan is also considering the possibility of cooperation with China.
The main difference between Tiangong and the ISS is the fact that Chinas space station is set to be two research modules. The development of new materials in microgravity and fundamental research will be the main mission of the space station. China is also ready to provide any country with the opportunity to conduct research.
On the other hand, the research by ISS is carried out by Japan, the US and other European countries. In the Japanese research module Kibo experiments are being conducted on high-quality protein crystallization to create medicinal drugs.
Also Tiangong can accommodate up to six people and Europe is interested in sending their astronauts.
On ISS there are six permanent employees. There are shifts of three astronauts who are then situated on the station long-term.
ULAANBAATAR (Sputnik) Medvedev and Schneider-Ammann held a meeting on the sidelines of the AsiaEurope Meeting in Mongolia.
"Investment cooperation was discussed. In addition, the Swiss president raised the issue of possible talks on the creation of a free trade zone between the European Free Trade Association and the EEU," he said.
ANKARA (Sputnik) The Turkish Stream gas pipeline, with an annual capacity of 63 billion cubic meters, was announced in December 2014. The pipeline was expected to run below the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey and continue to a hub on the Turkish-Greek border, from where gas could be transferred to Southern Europe.
The project was suspended in late 2015 amid the deterioration of Moscow-Ankara relations after Turkey downed a Russian Su-24 jet in November 2015.
"It is important for Russia and Turkey to restore and implement Turkish Stream pipeline and Akkuyu NPP construction projects as well as to focus efforts on attracting greater numbers of Russian tourists to our resorts and of our citizens to Russia," Yildirim told journalists.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) US negotiator Dan Mullaney said the sides agreed to eliminate duties on 97 percent of approximately 8,000 tariff lines, leaving up to 300 tariff lines the toughest to negotiate. The sides continued to wrangle over the 3 percent in recent rounds of negotiations.
"On market access, the European Union aims at the compatible level of ambition on tariffs, services and public procurement. We are not there yet. On tariffs, we have exchanged offers twice, which led to a very advanced stage of negotiations," EU's Ignacio Garcia Bercero told reporters in Brussels.
"To complete this work, much remains to be done this year, and, as in any, negotiations the most difficult issues are usually the last to be resolved," he stressed.
New Delhi (Sputnik) Defense Minister of Japan General Nakatani and India's Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar held a crucial meeting during the former's latest visit to New Delhi. However, the US-2 amphibious aircraft deal was accorded very less significance in the gamut of discussion as evident from its peripheral mention in the joint statement issued at the end of the meeting.
"The Ministers commended the effort made by both countries regarding the cooperation on US-2 amphibious aircraft which was launched in 2013," the statement read.
Naval Commander Abhijit Singh (Retired), a Senior Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, says, "There are some clear disagreements between India and Japan on how to take this matter forward for the US-2 amphibious aircraft. This is very big thing because we premise the relations on the transfer of technology and transfer of the aircraft. If this deal does not happen, it will affect our bilateral relationship also. I do not think any side will say that this is now a dead deal."
On Thursday night, a truck was driven 1.2 miles through a crowd in Nice, France as individuals celebrated Bastille Day. Dozens of people have been reported killed and over 120 injured.
French Interior Ministry spokesperson Pierr-Henry Brandet announced earlier that investigations were underway, but did not indicate that terrorism was being considered.
"Investigations are currently underway to establish if the individual acted alone or if he had accomplices who might have fled," Blandet said.
ULAANBAATAR (Sputnik), Anastasia Levchenko Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has condemned the deadly Nice attack calling it a "crazy act" upon arrival at the ASEM summit in the Mongolian capital.
"I can just condemn them," Bettel told reporters asked to comment on Nice attacks. "Crazy acts," he added.
Meanwhile Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades called for joining forces against terrorism after the Nice attack.
ULAANBAATAR (Sputnik), Anastasia Levchenko President of the European Council Donald Tusk has strongly condemned the deadly Nice truck attack stressing that Europe stands with France in the fight against terrorism.
"It is a sad day for France, for Europe and for all of us here, also here in Mongolia. It is a tragic paradox that the attack happened, when people celebrated liberty, equality and fraternity Europe stands with the French government, in fight against terrorism and hatred," Tusk told reporters upon arrival at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French city of Nice. Anti-terrorism prosecutors are investigating the deadly attack that killed over 70 people.
According to Irina Tyurina, a Russian Tourism Industry Union press secretary, there are currently many Russian citizens in Nice.
"There are many Russian tourist in Nice right now, as well as in Cote d'Azur. Many Russians have their own estate there," she told reporters.
First deputy chairman of the defense and security committee in the Federation Council of Russia Franz Klintsevich said in his statement that the terrorist, in his attack on innocent revelers in Nice, is trying to show the world that they have no boundaries.
"This is, as horribly as it sounds, a demonstrative attack," the Senator said.
"Russia mourns with France now," he stated.
The Russian embassy in Washington reportedly enhanced security after the truck attack in France, according to an embassy spokesperson.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Spain has adopted measures to strengthen its border with France after 77 people were killed in an attack in Nice, acting Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said Friday.
President of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Christian Estrosi said that 77 people were killed and 42 others were gravely injured on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in Nice.
"It is evident that reinforcement measures on the border have been adopted," Fernandez Diaz said as quoted by La Sexta television channel.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Germany is still gathering information on whether the countrys nationals were in the lethal attack in Nice, the German Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Friday.
"We are still gathering information," the ministrys press service said.
President of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Christian Estrosi said that 77 people were killed and 42 others were gravely injured on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to local media, some 80 people were killed on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
"We have no information so far, no Danish citizens are injured in Nice," Ellehoj said.
The attack occurred after French President Francois Hollande confirmed on Thursday that the country would not be extending its state of emergency, introduced over terrorist attacks in November and expiring on July 26.
Enacted after the Paris attacks last November, the state of emergency gives officials broader authority to detain suspects. Meant as a temporary measure, it has already been extended twice since being implemented. It was supposed to expire on July 26, but now French authorities will have additional time to react and investigate the Nice tragedy.
The state of emergency features three main provisions, granting "extraordinary powers" to the French president, and allows military authorities to take police powers if deemed necessary. Fundamental liberties of French citizens may be suspended and the authority to conduct searches of private residences is greatly expanded. Individuals may also be expelled from the country if deemed necessary.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Some 80 people were killed on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
"We have people that have been injured at the hospital. We have 15 victims of the incident here in our hospital. They sustained traumatic injuries, no surgeries have been performed. Most of them are foreigners. We have several patients from Switzerland, from the UK, Spanish, some French of course," the member of staff of the Clinique Saint George said.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Some 80 people were killed on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with those affected by the incident in Nice, France. Global Affairs Canada is closely monitoring incident," John Babcock said.
"The Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa and Canadian offices in Paris stand ready to provide consular assistance to Canadian citizens and are endeavouring to determine if Canadian citizens have been affected," the spokesman added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Some 80 people were killed on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
"Until now I have no information on whether there were any Greek nationals injured in Nice," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, an employee of a local hospital told Sputnik that most of the people injured in the attacks were foreign, with nationals of the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Spain, as well as France, affected.
ULAANBAATAR (Sputnik) The sides met on the sideline of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum currently underway in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Medvedev and Bettel also stressed the necessity for a joint fight against terrorism.
As many as 80 people were killed on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
Hollande said the "terrorist nature [of the attack] cannot be denied" stressing that France is under the threat of Islamist terrorism. Cazeneuve emphasized that the terrorist threat remains extremely high in France.
According to Hollande, the effectiveness of police will be increased, including on the borders, and "the state of emergency that was going to end on July 26 will be prolonged for three months." Hollande said earlier on Thursday that France would not be extending its state of emergency.
France's Defense Council will hold a meeting on Friday in connection with the attack, following which the French leader would head to Nice along with the Prime Minister, Manuel Valls.
French Health Minister Marisol Touraine has left the French capital and has already arrived in Nice along with Interior Minister Cazeneuve.
CELEBRATIONS CANCELLED
Nice is cancelling all celebratory events and will lower flags following the deadly truck attack, according to President of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Christian Estrosi.
Local residents are saying that the driver of the truck had an accomplice who managed to escape, the man said.
The deadly attack occurred on Promenade des Anglais in Nice on Thursday night, when a white truck rammed into a large crowd of people that was celebrating Bastille Day and watching fireworks.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that 80 people, including children, were killed in the attack. Dozens of others were injured and 18 of the wounded are in grave condition, according to Cazeneuve.
According to BFM TV, the truck travelled across a distance of about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) smashing people.
The driver was shot dead by police. According to ID documents found inside the truck, he was a 31-year-old man who was a resident of Nice of Tunisian origin.
Weapons and grenades were found inside of the truck, President of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Christian Estrosi said.
Anti-terrorism prosecutors are now investigating the attack. French President Francois Hollande said that the "terrorist nature" of the attack cannot be excluded and that the state of emergency introduced in France following the November terrorist attacks will now be extended for three more months.
An unanimous source told RIA Novosti that one Russian was killed in the Nice attack while another one was injured.
ULAANBAATAR (Sputnik) The world community must cooperate in its reaction to such tragic events as the Thursday night deadly Nice attack, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum currently underway in the capital of Mongolia.
"Terrorism has no boundaries and is a common threat both for Europe and Asia. As of now, there are 80 victims [of the Nice attack], including children, a large number of tourists. According to media reports there are EU and Russian citizens among the victimsWe must find answers to such challengers, to show solidarity, to take to show solidarity, to do everything we can to fight against terrorism. Especially since terrorists and their sponsors only understand force, and we must use it," Medvedev said.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing at least 80 people and injuring dozens of others. French President Francois Hollande did not exclude that the attack could be a terrorist act.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) According to the Fox News television channel citing a source, the victims were family members a father and his son.
The deadly attack occurred on Promenade des Anglais in Nice on Thursday night, when a white truck rammed into a large crowd of people that was celebrating Bastille Day and watching fireworks.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that 80 people, including children, were killed in the attack. Dozens of others were injured and 18 of the wounded are in grave condition, according to Cazeneuve.
PARIS (Sputnik) A statement signed by the mosque rector Dalil Boubaker and quoted by Le Figaro expresses great dismay and strongly condemns the "heinous and horrible criminal mass attacks" calling for unity of all French citizens.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. French President Francois Hollande said the terrorist nature of the attack could not be excluded.
PARIS (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was watching fireworks and celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. According to French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, at least 18 of the injured remain in grave condition following the attack.
French Health Minister Marisol Touraine has left the French capital and has arrived in Nice following the attack.
An employee of a local hospital told Sputnik that most of the people injured in the Nice attack were foreign, with nationals of the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Spain, as well as France, affected.
PARIS (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. At least 80 people were killed and dozens of others were injured.
According to BFM TV, the truck travelled across a distance of about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) smashing people.
The driver was shot dead by police. According to ID documents found inside the truck, he was a 31-year-old man who was a resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
Critically injured Chinese peacekeeper Chen Ying (C) is carried on a stretcher by fellow Chinese peacekeepers as Chinese ambassador to Uganda Zhao Yali (L) looks on after Chen was evacuated from Juba, South Sudan, upon arrival at the Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, 14 July 2016. [Photo/IC]
ENTEBBE, Uganda - UN on Thursday evacuated its fourth injured Chinese peacekeeper and an Ethiopian peacekeeper who sustained serious injuries in the recent fighting between two South Sudan rival army factions in the capital, from Juba to Uganda for further specialized treatment.
Chen Ying and Birhan Gabrekidan who were among the eight injured peacekeepers under the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in the fighting between government troops of President Salva Kiir and forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar in Juba were airlifted to Entebbe International airport and evacuated to Nakasero Hospital in the capital, Kampala, a UN Level three Hospital for further treatment.
Rosa Malango, UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda told Xinhua that her organization had to secure a specialized plane to airlift the two seriously wounded peacekeepers on Sunday after a armoured vehicle travelling on duty around UN compound in Juba was hit by a mortar shell.
"Their condition was very fragile. But now they are in better hands. They will get the best treatment and will recover,"said Malango.
Maj. Gen. Su Guanghui, Acting Director of the Peacekeeping Affairs Office of the Chinese Defense Ministry who arrived in the East African country on Thursday with his delegation, dispatched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in preparation for bringing back the remains of the two Chinese peacekeepers killed, paid a courtesy visit to the four injured Chinese soldiers at Nakasero Hospital.
The man drove for over a mile before being shot dead by police, according to French Interior Ministry spokesperson Pierre-Henry Brandet.
BFM TV reports that the truck driver was armed with a small gun that he shot several times before being killed.
Anti-terrorism prosecutors are now investigating the deadly Nice attack.
French President Francois Hollande said that the terrorist nature of the attack cannot be denied.
"We condemn, are shocked and extend our sincere condolences to the people of France," Kestutis Vaskelevicius said.
France has extended by three months the state of emergency, which was due to expire on July 26. The nation has been on high alert after gun and bomb attacks in Paris left 130 people dead and hundreds injured.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Thursday evening, a heavy truck hit a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in southern France, killing 84 revellers and wounding dozens more. French President Francois Hollande said it was undeniably a terrorist assault.
"The Foreign Office, the German Embassy in Paris and the General Consulate in Marseille maintain a close and constant contact with the French authorities and are trying to establish if Germans were affected. We can neither rule this out nor confirm at this moment," Maike Freytag said.
The driver of the truck was killed by police, French Interior Ministry spokesperson Pierre-Henry Brandet has confirmed. Eighteen people are still in critical condition.
US President Barack Obama described the incident as "a horrific terrorist attack," adding that "we stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack." US State Secretary John Kerry described the attack as "horrendous."
"My prayers and condolences to the victims and families of the terrible tragedy in Nice, France. We are with you in every way!" Donald Trump tweeted.
My prayers and condolences to the victims and families of the terrible tragedy in Nice, France. We are with you in every way! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 15 2016 .
"Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France," Hillary Clinton said in a statement. "We say with one voice: we will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life."
"Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France" Hillary on the attack in Nice pic.twitter.com/BBGgHucSE0 Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) 15 2016 .
"All of us who have come together at the ASEM summit are united in our feeling of disbelief at the attack of mass murder in Nice," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on the sidelines of a summit between Asian and European leaders in Mongolia. "Germany stands in the fight against terrorism at France's side, united with many, many others. I am convinced that, despite all the difficulties, we shall win this fight," she added.
Other high-ranking European officials expressed similar sentiments.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The statement noted that documents had been indeed taken from the ministry's database, however, they referred to 2012.
"In connection with the information on hacking of the Defence Ministry's database, [we] clarify that it was a manipulation to create the impression of a dangerous cyberattack," the ministry stated.
The driver was a 31-year-old French national of Tunisian origin. According to reports, the attacker was previously known to French police, however, for nothing more serious than small crimes and was never investigated by intelligence.
President Francois Hollande described the tragedy as an "undeniable" terrorist attack.
LONDON (Sputnik) Late on Thursday evening, a heavy truck hit a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 and injuring dozens
"On my way to Nice to join our team assisting British nationals. Solidarity with the town after this horrific attack," King wrote on his Twitter.
The driver was shot dead by police. According to documents found inside the truck, he was a 31-year-old man who was a resident of Nice of Tunisian origin.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the statement, May will also affirm commitment to fully engage with the Scottish Government in the negotiations on the UKs exit from the European Union.
"I believe with all my heart in the United Kingdom the precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This visit to Scotland is my first as Prime Minister and Im coming here to show my commitment to preserving this special union that has endured for centuries," May said in a statement ahead of the visit.
Marisa Matias dismissed the proposed sanctions as absurd and an attempt to punish the new government and the Portuguese people for the actions of the previous Cabinet that was so much lauded and supported by European institutions.
Meanwhile, a number of opposition leftwing parties are already campaigning to inform the people about the consequences of Portugals further membership of the EU.
Marisa Matias sees Brexit as a clear sign of a political, economic, social and humanitarian disintegration of the European Union, whose integration project is neither fair nor solidary.
As long as austerity measures remain the golden rule and European institutions continue to insist on the implementation of stupid measures, like a budget agreement, people will keep calling for the countrys exit from the EU, Marisa Matias emphasized.
The Alternative Socialist Movement, which is in opposition to the present government, described the proposed sanctions as an attempt by technocrats in Brussels and Frankfurt to enforce even tougher austerity measures on Portugal and Spain that will speed up the process of pauperization of the Portuguese people.
The ASM is calling for a political platform to be established immediately to hold a nationwide referendum on Portugals possible exit from the Eurozone and the EU in general.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Late on Thursday evening, a heavy truck rammed into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 and injuring dozens.
"I don't have any confirmed information I can share with you. Our representation in Nice is working on it, we are in contact with the local authorities," von Below said.
According to media reports, two US citizens were killed in the attack.
The white truck that was used to carry out the deadly Nice attack was rented a few days before the Thursday night attack, according to earlier reports.
On Thursday evening, a heavy truck hit a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in southern France, killing 84 revellers and wounding dozens more. President Francois Hollande said it was of a "terrorist nature." The driver was shot dead by police. Heavy weapons and grenades were found inside the truck.
French President Francois Hollande addressed the nation after holding an emergency meeting with his cabinet.
"The police are following the situation in France. On the basis of what we know right now there is no reason to do any measures stronger," the press officer said.
The driver was shot dead by police. According to ID documents found inside the truck, he was a 31-year-old man who was a resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) France needs to address the main threat to the state the homegrown terrorism by strengthening the anti-terrorism legislation, adopting stricter immigration laws and laws secularizing France, Jacques Myard, a French right-wing, conservative lawmaker from The Republicans party told Sputnik Friday.
"We have to send home those who are bi-nationals, we have to strengthen our legislation, we have to implement ideas and principles of secular state and not to have in France women who are hiding their faces under veils, otherwise we soon will find ourselves on the edge of the civil war," Myard, who is also a member of the National Assembly of France (lower house of Parliament) said.
According to Myard, France needs to enhance national border security as the existing home security system of border control is ineffective and does not provide any security.
"Everyone was running inside and screaming and stepping over each other and trying to find basements and toilets to hide in."
"That's when we realized that something bad had happened just five minutes after we had left the spot. People were just running and screaming and panicking for about 30 or 40 minutes and that when the police started to evacuate the Promenade des Anglais."
Antonakos tried to find out more information on his smartphone but at that point, he said there was no news.
I am shocked and saddened by the horrifying attack in Nice last night. Our hearts go out to the French people: https://t.co/xd0arcO72R Theresa May (@theresa_may) July 15, 2016
"All we saw were people running and panicking and the police closing down the streets so we hid ourselves."
"After about five or ten minutes when things calmed down a little, we went outside and then there was a second wave of panic with little kids crying in the street maybe they had lost their mothers? So we stayed hidden for another ten minutes and the restaurant locked its doors and it wasn't for another half an hour that we could go out and leave in the opposite direction from the incident."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The leader of the far-right France's National Front party expressed her condolences on Friday to the families and relatives of the victims of Nice terrorist attack.
"The war against the Islamic fundamentalism has not begun yet, now it is necessary to urgently declare it," Le Pen said in a statement.
"It is not simply about heightened security, it is about deflating the ideology itself until it dwindles back to where it belongs which is nowhere," he stressed.
The driver of the truck was shot dead by police. According to ID documents found inside the truck, he was a 31-year-old man who was a resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
LONDON (Sputnik) Late on Thursday evening, a heavy truck rammed into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 and injuring dozens.
"The security service doing amazing job every day keeping us safe. They regularly review security measures, but clearly as the terrorists evolve the way they try and hurt us, we've got to evolve how we keep us safe. And after Brussels, after Istanbul, after Nice the police and the security experts will rightly review measures to make sure we are safe and you know COBRA's meeting today," Khan said, as quoted by the Sky News broadcaster.
Countries across the globe have been targeted by major terrorist attacks, such as the downing of a Russian airliner in the Sinai Peninsula on October 31, 2015, attacks in Beirut on November 12, 2015, in Paris on November 13, 2015, in Brussels on March 22 and in Istanbul on June 28.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Consul General in Marseille, Sergey Molchanov, said on Friday he was going to Nice to meet with the local authorities in light of the recent deadly truck attack in the French city.
"Yes, now I'm going to Nice. I am in contact with the local authorities and the police, and I have agreed to meet with them as soon as I arrive," Molchanov told RIA Novosti.
"We have information that one Russian woman was killed and the other one is in the hospital. Unfortunately, there is no official information yet, as the attack is being investigated," Molchanov added.
"A sickening and dreadful attack in Nice. I know we stand with the French people and share their values. They shall never defeat us," Cameron wrote on Twitter.
The truck driver was shot dead by police. According to ID documents found inside the truck, he was a 31-year-old Nice resident of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
KIEV (Sputnik) Late on Thursday evening, a heavy truck hit a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 and injuring dozens more.
"One Ukrainian citizen was killed and two others are injured," Betsa told 112 Ukraine TV channel.
The driver was shot dead by police. According to ID documents found inside the truck, he was a 31-year-old man who was a resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
Davletova could not sleep that night. She tried to call her friend from Moscow who was staying in the capital of the French Riviera with two of her German friends, but could not reach her.
"They were planning to watch the fireworks. I am still waiting to hear back from her," the eyewitness said. "There was a Russian guy in the casino, probably 20 years old. He was also standing there waiting. He happened to be there by chance, he was walking past the casino and talking on the phone and then he looked over and saw the truck."
He rushed into the casino with Davletova and others. "He was trying to reach his mom," she said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Karl-Heinz Grundboeck also stressed that "the security measures still on increased level" and therefore there will be no changes.
"Actually not," he said when asked whether Austria would consider closing borders after the attack.
"Investigation under responsibility of French authorities, actually no relation to Austria," the spokesman added when asked if Austria was cooperating with France on investigation into the attack.
The web and in particular, the so-called Twittersphere was a key tool French authorities used to warn citizens against leaving their houses while the crisis was still ongoing.
#Nice06 Emergency operation in progress. Keep calm and avoid downtown area. Follow the official accounts to be informed. GendarmerieNationale (@Gendarmerie) July 14, 2016
Many ordinary citizens also used the hashtag #PortesOuvertesNice (Open Doors in Nice) giving refuge in their houses to revelers fleeing the Promenade.
To find a refuge: #PortesOuvertesNice
To find someone: #RechercheNice
Toll free: +33143175646
Free taxis
Do not share pics of victims jtib (@ErMandril) July 15, 2016
If you need somewhere to crash in #Nice use the hashtag / si vous avez besoin d'un endroit pr trouver refuge #PortesOuvertesNice #solidarite Marie Tobia (@MarieTobia1) July 14, 2016
#PortesOuvertesNice TAXIS ARE FREE IN NICE IF YOU NEED ONE!! Anima (@Roos1Tia) July 14, 2016
Worried relatives took to Twitter to ask for information regarding loved ones believed to have been present at the scene of the attack.
My sister Leticia was in #Nice06
I'm really worried, she's not answering her phone, Please help!!!! pic.twitter.com/41C4jZIgeQ A N D A L (@_A_N_D_A_L_) July 14, 2016
'Show Some Respect'
At the same time, many Twitter users were upset with graphic images and videos of the victims appearing on their newsfeed.
could you please stop retweeting the video showing people dying/dead on the street? do show some respect, thank you #Nice06 rochana (@itsrochana) July 14, 2016
Please DO NOT share #NiceAttack aftermath video! Awful images! Let's not share the terror #BastilleDay Line Hassall Thomsen (@HassallThomsen) July 14, 2016
If you filmed someone dying instead of helping them, what would you say to their family? How do you justify your existence? #Nice06 JDA (@the__littleman) July 14, 2016
Others defended spreading images on the ground of freedom of press and people's right to be informed. It is also debatable that someone who is not a trained professional could provide proper medical assistance to severely injured victims.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Nice-Matin.com reported that Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was a potential perpetrator of the deadly attack in Nice.
"As for the name [of the truck driver], we have no confirmation, even the French authorities do not have it. So far there are only talks about him being of Tunisian origin His name has not been officially confirmed, the Foreign Ministry has not provided any information," Ben Brahim said.
Earlier it was reported that the attacker was a Nice resident of Tunisian origin.
BERLIN (Sputnik) According to Plate, Berlin is in a close contact with French intelligence services at all levels.
"We see a growing tendency, when small groups of people with relatively limited resources strike strong blows," Plate told reporters commenting on the truck attack in Nice.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, France. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"The best protection against undue influence by lobbyists in trilogue negotiations is not less, but more transparency. There are a number of practical and easy ways to increase the transparency of trilogue meetings by publishing agendas, participants list and minutes or notes. The real challenge, however, is to make the role and position of the Council in these negotiations more transparent."
Undue Influence
The European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, said: "Trilogues are an important tool for reaching agreement between the democratically elected legislators of the Parliament and the Council alongside the Commission. They are efficient, allowing 85% of laws to be agreed at an early stage.
We propose the publishing of: #trilogue dates, summary agendas, the positions of both co-legislators https://t.co/itqVpONcgG #transparency European Ombudsman (@EUombudsman) 14 July 2016
"However, it is difficult to find out when trilogues are taking place, what is being discussed and by whom without a great deal of time and effort. My inquiry concerns the right balance between the public interest in transparency and the public interest in an effective and efficient legislative process, she said.
Bendel told Sputnik:
"Transparency International EU firmly believes that greater transparency and greater diversity in stakeholder input into the legislative process leads to better policy decisions, better laws and ultimately better results. More transparency is the best protection against undue influence in trilogue negotiations."
Following the unhindered influx of migrants, which was heavily advertised by media and the majority of the political establishment, Sweden has seen an equally unhindered wave of sexual attacks. To add insult to injury, blatantly non-PC stickers advocating violence against women were spotted in the town of Nybro in Sweden's southern province of Smaland, the local news outlet 24Nybro reported.
"Women who do not wear the veil are asking to be raped," one of the stickers said in English. Another one had "No democracy. We just want Islam" written over an image of radical Islamists.
Lappar med obehagliga budskap har satts upp i centrala Nybro:https://t.co/hMKt4HXza9 24Nybro.se (@24Nybro) July 12, 2016
Images of the stickers have set the Swedish social media alight with debate. Some blamed the incident on the newly arrived extremists spreading radical messages to recruit possible companion-in-arms, whereas others suspect the stickers to have been pasted by "hate-mongers."
According to the Tunisian authorities, the Nice attack was carried out by 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel of Tunisian origin.
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel is from the town of Msaken, the Tunisian ministry said.
"The terrorist has been identified, his full name is Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, he was born in Tunisia in 1985 in Msaken in Sousse province. This information was received after the interaction with the airport authorities and the Interior Ministry," a source in the Tunisian Ministry of Internal Affairs told Sputnik.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"Our thoughts are with the people of Nice, all those affected by last nights horrific attack and the emergency services whose job it was to respond As I have following previous terrorist incidents, today I have asked all forces to review major events over the next seven days to ensure the appropriate security is in place," Neil Basu, National Operational Lead for Protect and Prepare, said, as quoted by the NPCC.
Basu added that UK policing operations were maintained at a heightened state "against the backdrop of a severe threat level" the level that had been introduced in 2014.
KIEV (Sputnik) Crimean Supreme Court on April 26 ruled that Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people is an extremist organization, and outlawed it in Russia, responding to a lawsuit filed by Natalia Poklonskaya, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Crimea.
"Now Mejlis lawyers asked for a little time, as they want to give evidence, but the suit is ready and will be submitted in September," Petrenko said.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"Our analysis: The response to the truck-attack in Nice will be to mandate the fitting of remote control vehicle kill-switches," WikiLeaks said in a Twitter message.
Our analysis: The response to the truck-attack in #Nice will be to mandate the fitting of remote control vehicle kill-switches. WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) 15 2016 .
The driver was shot dead by police. According to identification documents found inside the truck, the driver was a 31-year-old male resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
KIEV (Sputnik) Kulich noted that fire extinguishing operations are complicated by the regular explosion of munitions at the site.
"The fire broke out at the Honcharivske training field over an area of about 10 hectares. The fire is moving in the direction of Slavutych," the Ukrainian news service quoted Valery Kulich, chairman of the region's state administration, as saying at an emergency session.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"The French and EU flags at half-mast in front of the European Parliament following last night's terrorist attack in Nice," the press service wrote on the parliament's official Facebook page.
The driver was shot dead by police. According to identification documents found inside the truck, the driver was a 31-year-old male resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
MURMANSK (Russia), (Sputnik) He specified that lawmakers are working on reforming legislation related to information gathering.
"Mostly, we are talking about policing authorities being able to thoroughly monitor suspicious online activity," Kaikkonen told the Finnish Yle broadcaster, adding that the probability of an attack in Finland similar to the one carried out in Nice was low but could not be ruled out.
TALLINN (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is notified that three citizens of our country have become victims of a terrorist act in Nice on Thursday night and that there are more than 100 Estonian citizens in the Nice region who are all right," Media Adviser of the ministry Sandra Kamilova said.
I know it isn't this simple, but there are depopulated villages in Spain and Italy, and refugees dying looking for homes in Europe. 1+1=2? Evan Macbeth (@Paradox13VA) 3 September 2015
The justification was that refugees were dependent on social aid and could therefore contribute to the overall collapse of the towns finances. The statement asks landlords to forego entering into any kind of rental contract with refugees who possess a temporary residence permit. Some refugees staying at a nearby asylum center in the town had requested somewhere to stay and it was this that promoted the local authorities to act.
According to the Aargauer Zeitung paper, the president of the town council Renate Gautschy said the notice was a "cry for help" as it would put the town's finances under enormous strain.
For the first five years refugees receive financial assistance from the state after which they become the responsibility of the government in that area. The latest guidelines on social welfare state that refugees must receive a minimum of almost US$1,019 in financial support, excluding rent and mandatory health insurance costs. This amount is only slightly less than the minimum pension.
A terrorist attack was carried out in Frances Nice right after the French government had announced it was going to lift a state of emergency across the country, a political analyst told RT.
"Terrorists picked up a very particular moment. The attack came eight months after a state of emergency was imposed. The government announced it would lift it, and now the government is facing a dilemma. If the state of emergency is prolonged there will be a question: do we have a democracy? If it is lifted people wont feel safe," political analyst Pierre Schweitzer said.
On July 14, 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel of Tunisian origin drove a truck through a crowd watching the Bastille Day fireworks, killing at least 84 and injuring over 100. President Francois Hollande described the incident as an "undeniable" terrorist attack.
Professor Anthony Glees, a terrorism expert at the University of Buckingham told Sputnik that President Hollande "is in big trouble."
"Hollande has failed to deliver security and this is not the first time we have seen vehicles used as weapons. If you look at the video you see a motorcyclist riding alongside [the truck] and people running after it, but what use is that?" Professor Glees asks.
"It was obvious that the lorry was up to no good. It was able to travel for over two kilometers and not be disturbed. This is why terrorism is a threat and it is of utmost importance that a government provides security. And if they do not, they are not competent."
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) As Daesh fighters return from Syria and Iraq, Europe is likely to fall victim to new terror attacks, according to the US State Department.
"Authorities believe the likelihood of terror attacks in Europe will continue as European members of ISIL [Islamic State] (Daesh) return from Syria and Iraq," the bureau stated. "Additionally, there is a continuing threat in Europe from unaffiliated persons planning attacks inspired by major terrorist organizations but conducted on an individual basis."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The ministers, who conducted negotiations in Moscow for over six hours in the mansion of the Russian Foreign Ministry, arrived to the French embassy before the final press conference, signed the book of condolence and laid flowers at the walls of the embassy.
On Thursday, a truck rammed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, murdering 84 and injuring dozens.
For the most part of the modern world, the answer stands clear and undisputed: democracy, liberal values, international organizations and common sense above religious dogmatism. But how exactly does one proceed from dictatorship to democracy?
One of the most common theories explaining the departure from authoritarianism towards democracy was designed by political scientists Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel, who after studying the world's countries found out that democracies both tend to be richer and share liberal values such as tolerance and civil societies, the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet pointed out.
According to their theory, detailed in the report "Modernization, Cultural Change and Democracy," citizens in poor countries are more concerned with covering their basic needs and have therefore less confidence in abstract values such as freedom and democracy. The richer a country becomes, the more time, money, skills and technology the population has access to. Extra resources make life-affirming projects possible, which make freedom more desired, worthwhile and appreciated. With a large proportion of the population craving freedom (and material goods), a regime change towards more liberties is expected to occur automatically.
BERLIN (Sputnik) A truck attack during Thursdays Bastille Day celebrations in Nice claimed 84 lives and left around 50 more between life and death, according to the French president.
"Security measures in Germany will be correspondingly changedGerman security services are making every effort to prevent terror attacks in Germany. There is no guarantee this will always work," de Maiziere said in Berlin.
Three German nationals two students and a teacher were reportedly among the victims of the Nice assault. A German Foreign Office spokeswoman told Sputnik earlier they were working closely with French authorities.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Thursday evening, a heavy truck ploughed through a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the southern French city of Nice, killing 84 people and injuring dozens more. French President Francois Hollande said the attack was of a "terrorist nature."
"The Slovak authorities are taking appropriate security measures but we are not closing our borders," Peter Stano said.
Stano also confirmed that there were no reports from the French authorities of any Slovak citizens being among the victims or those injured in Nice.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) He added that the US European Command will continue to stand beside France to "deter, disrupt and defeat" terrorists.
"I intend to contact the senior military leaders of France and will assist in any way our military can," Scaparrotti stated. "And we will continue to stand beside one of our oldest NATO Allies to deter, disrupt and defeat terrorists who threaten our values, freedoms and our way of life."
A truck attack during Thursdays Bastille Day celebrations in Nice claimed 84 lives and left around 50 more between life and death.
NEW YORK (Sputnik) The United Nations Security Council held a moment of silence on Friday to mourn the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Nice, France.
"The UN Security Council condemns the dastardly terrorist attack that occurred in Nice in France in the evening of the 14 of July, the French National Day. I wish also to express my sincere condolences to the families of the victims, my deepest sympathy to the injured and our strong solidarity with the people of France," UN Security Council President Koro Bessho said Friday.
On Thursday night, a truck plowed into a crowd of people watching fireworks during a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, killing at least 84 people and injuring dozens of others.
The terrorists name was known to police but not to the security services. When asked why so, Djordje Kuzmanovic said that it is simply impossible for intelligence agencies to know the name of each and every terrorist around.
Mentioning the governments decision to extend the state of emergency for three more months, Djordje Kuzmanovic said that he did not think that things would have been even worse without a state of emergency.
A state of emergency is essentially useless, which has been regularly proved since the attack of Charlie Hebdo. It would have made sense during the next few weeks during which time police and security forces would be taking emergency measures against terrorist groups and cells. Doing this now makes no sense at all.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, a source in the Tunisian Interior Ministry confirmed media reports to Sputnik that the Nice attack was carried out by 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel of Tunisian origin.
"In our files we have no cases tied with him We have called in and questioned them. We have recognized that there were no problems in his family. They have confirmed that he has not visited Tunisia for several years. Contacts with him were rare," the source said.
French police found Bouhlel's identity card in the cargo compartment of the truck which rammed into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, killing 84 and injuring dozens.
NICE (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck plowed into a crowd of people watching fireworks during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France, killing at least 84 people and injuring dozens of others.
"French police have not confirmed the information about this woman's death, who was previously reported dead. Although, police do not disprove it either. Her parents hope she is alive," Molchanov told RIA Novosti adding that two other women from Russia are currently in a hospital.
According to identification documents found inside the truck, the driver was a 31-year-old of Tunisian origin who lived in Nice. No group has yet claimed the responsibility for the attack in Nice.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Mount Whitney is one of two seaborne US Navy joint command platforms and is forward deployed to Gaeta, Italy.
"Mount Whitneys presence in the Baltic Sea is a demonstration of our continued commitment to the collective security of NATO under Operation Atlantic Resolve," the press release stated.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) Mayeur confirmed that he has requested an increase of the police's presence in Brussels before the meeting of the country's Security Council earlier in the day. He reportedly sent the first corresponding request to Interior Minister Jan Jambon two weeks ago.
"We have military personnel on the streets, but we need police's reinforcement," he was quoted as saying by Derniere Heure newspaper.
He also noted that certain public places in the city center should be closed to prevent vehicles from bypassing barriers.
BRUSSELS (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"At the moment, we, unfortunately, fear that our compatriot of Russian origin and a Kazakh woman, living in Belgium were killed in Nice," Reynders wrote in his Twitter.
The driver was shot dead by police. According to identification documents found inside the truck, the driver was a 31-year-old male resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. It is unclear whether he had any accomplices.
The French government has boosted security measures each time but the recent tragedy shows it was not enough.
Alexei Filatov, vice president of the International Association of Alfa counterterrorist forces, told Sputnik why currently acts of terrorist are hard to predict and prevent.
"Security services regularly receive information about planned attacks. Currently, there is a large number of potential terrorists in the world. However, now terrorists use a new tactics, not the same they used for the 9/11 attacks in the United States," he said.
However, taking into account the increase in attacks carried out by Islamist groups such as Daesh, concerns have increased with regard to the rise of radical Islam in Europe. Earlier, the authorities of Nice did not authorize the financing of the local mosque from abroad, namely from Saudi Arabia.
"I think [] that education in religious institutions, regardless of confession, should be in line with the principles of the Republic. I don't believe that funding from a foreign country which is famous for its non-adherence to the principles of secularism and those of the Republic is the best way to achieve this goal," the mayor said.
Some experts and politicians believe that the funding of religious institutions from abroad might contribute to the radicalization of young people in Europe. Earlier, the Secretary General of Bavaria's CSU party (sister party of CDU), Andreas Scheuer, stated that Germany should introduce a so called Islam law' which would prohibit the funding of German mosques from overseas.
"Different, partly extreme values shouldn't be imported from abroad," the politician stated.
Deputy of the French National Assembly Eric Ciotti also told Europe 1 about the heroism of a female police officer who jumped onto the killer-truck in an attempt to stop it.
"That's when the police were able to neutralize the terrorist. I will not forget the sight of this female police officer who stopped the killer," he said.
According to identification documents found inside the truck, the driver was a 31-year-old male resident of Nice of Tunisian origin. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
President Francois Hollande and other French officials referred to it as a terrorist attack and declared three days of national mourning.
Of course, it is obvious that Nice is one of the starting points for those traveling to Iraq and Syria to join the jihad. An Islamic center exists here and it appeared rather recently, in the last ten years, Vardon told Sputnik.
He further said that there is also a strong representation of the fraternal movement which is associated with the Muslim Brotherhood the Union of Islamic Organizations of France (UOIF) which is very tightly entrenched in the city.
Islamic radicalism is very strongly represented in Nice. The investigation should continue to establish with what sphere he [the attacker] was connected, the deputy said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The EU countries, where Russia-designed nuclear power plants are used, are experiencing an increased political pressure explained through the necessity to reduce energy dependence on Russia, TVEL fuel company said in an annual 2015 report.
"There is a growing political pressure, the thesis of the necessity to reduce energy dependence on Russia and diversification of supply sources which can be used as means of restricting competition are being actively promoted," the report of TVEL, which is part of the state-owned Rosatom nuclear energy corporation, read.
Experts suggested earlier that there was a reasonable doubt that some European nuclear power plants designed using Soviet or Russian technologies would be able to operate without incidents on non-Russian nuclear fuel.
The French government facing criticism for failing to be adequately prepared for an attack. Being equipped with heavier weaponry would have allowed authorities to penetrate the glass or puncture the vehicles tires.
Experts said the type of handguns used by police in Nice were not powerful enough to stop a truck of that size, according to DEBKAfile.
Given that France has been on high alert since the November 2015 coordinated terror attacks that struck Paris, killing 130 people, security experts say the government should have been more prepared for potential violence on a major French holiday.
PARIS (Sputnik) The truck driver, who was behind the deadly attack in the French city of Nice, "without a doubt" had links to radical Islam, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Friday.
"He is a terrorist, without a doubt, linked to radical Islam in one way or another," Valls told the national France 2 television channel.
According to the broadcaster, the minister said there was no fault with the security forces in relation to the incident.
The Turkish military is currently led by General Hulusi Akar, however Turkish Anadolu news agency reports that he has been taken hostage by the military.
According to Justice Minister Bozdag, the government prosecutor's office in Ankara and Istanbul has opened an investigation into the actions of the rebels.
"I consider it necessary to reassure our citizens that the government has taken and continues to undertake all necessary steps," he said.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim went on national television to stress that some elements in the military attempted to overthrow the government, but "the government elected by the people remains in charge.This government will only go when the people say so."
"Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command," Prime Minister Yildirim added.
Conflict News (@Conflicts) July 15, 2016
It is unclear who is currently controlling the situation in the country. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reportedly on holiday in the Turkish city of Bodrum. His residence in Istanbul is under heavy guard, with the street blocked off on both sides.
"Whoever were those who went against the will of our people and decided on a coup attempt, they receive an adequate response to their actions in accordance with our laws, the constitution I encourage all the people to leave the square. Rebels pay dearly for their actions," Erdogan said in a Facetime live stream.
Alison Arkin (@Cronikeys) July 15, 2016
"This is a mutiny attempt. We will not let this attempt win. We will uphold democracy," he said on Turkish NTV.
NBC News reports that Erdogan has sought asylum in Germany.
Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) July 15, 2016
yasser alhaji (@yasseralhaji1) July 15, 2016
A number of ambulances are en route to the Army General Headquarters building in Ankara.
Rehman Siddiq (@RehmanSid) July 15, 2016
Tanks have been spotted at Ataturk airport in Istanbul. All flights leaving the airport have been cancelled. A number of flights bound for Turkey have been diverted.
Financial Times (@FT) July 15, 2016
The military has reportedly stormed local television stations. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube access was severed earlier.
According to a spokesman, the US Air Force is prepared to take force protection measures at the Incirlik air base.
Video that appeared on social media allegedly shows an intense firefight between unknown forces in the Turkish capital Ankara. Earlier in the day, in an apparent coup attempt, the Turkish military claimed it had seized power from the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Conflict News (@Conflicts) July 15, 2016
Another video shows tanks rolling through Istanbul.
Mary Mc Intyre (@Mc1988) July 15, 2016
"Turkish Armed Forces took full control of power," the General Staff said in a statement broadcast earlier on state television.
The government maintains it is still in control.
ATHENS (Sputnik) According to the source, Athens is concerned over "what is happening in Turkey."
"Defense Minister Panos Kammenos informed Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on all the actions of the Ministry of Defense and the Army. The forces was put into a state of combat readiness. There is great concern about what is happening in Turkey," the source said.
On Friday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that a group of servicemen attempted a military coup d'etat in the country.
The tanks surrounded parliament earlier in the night. Anatolu news agency reports that an aerial attack was carried out on the building, as well, resulting in several injuries.
Conflict News (@Conflicts) July 16, 2016
According to CNN Turk, soldiers are firing on individuals attempted to cross the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul.
CNN Turk ENG (@CNNTURK_ENG) July 15, 2016
Video also appears to document Turkish police arresting army soldiers.
NTV News reports that at least six people have died in Istanbul in the course of clashes against the anti-Erdogan military forces attempting to overthrow Turkey's government.
Videos shows clashes breaking out in the streets as the coup continues. This comes as Prime Minister Yildirim issues a call for citizens to stand up to the coup military.
"All of Turkey on the legs, we will not allow the rebels to achieve their goal. I thank the opposition parties of their position. They have shown commitment to the nation's people and democracy. The rebels will suffer severe punishment," the prime minister said. "Today, the entire country will not sleep. I encourage everyone to go onthe streets."
Freddy Sandernista (@Berniesanderss4) July 15, 2016
Reports indicate that the military has opened fire on the crowds. This follows reports from CNN Turk that soldiers fired on people attempting to cross the Bosphorus Bridge.
CNN Turk ENG (@CNNTURK_ENG) July 15, 2016
Additional footage shows a military helicopter opening fire on ground targets.
Conflict News (@Conflicts) July 15, 2016
Elsewhere, videos have emerged showing police arresting army soldiers, as well as civilians escorting coup troops out of government buildings.
Roughly 30 soldiers who were part of the coup attempt have surrendered arms in Istanbul's central Taksim Square, according to witnesses. They were taken away in police vans as a fighter jet screeched repeatedly overhead, causing shockwaves that shook surrounding buildings and shattered windows.
Several servicemen have been injured and killed, according to Special Forces Command commander Major General Zekai Aksakalli.
Anadolu news agency reported earlier that 17 police officers were killed during clashes.
"A small number of servicemen supported the coup. We shall take the situation under control shortly. There are deceased and injured among our servicemen," he said as part of an NTV broadcast.
The prime minister described the attempt as an act of rebellion by followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gullen. The Alliance for Shared Values (AfSV), a non-profit group linked to the cleric, issued a statement condemning the attempt.
TRT World (@trtworld) July 15, 2016
"We condemn any military intervention in [the] domestic politics of Turkey," the statement reads.
The Turkish prime minister has called on citizens to remain in the streets until the coup is completely suppressed. He claimed over 120 individuals have been arrested so far.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Thursday, Cuban Foreign Affairs Ministry official Josefina Vidal Ferreiro and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs John Creamer led delegations in migration talks held in Havana, the release noted.
"The Cuban delegation reiterated that there could be no normal migration relations between both countries as long as the wet foot/dry foot policy, the Cuban Adjustment Act, and the Cuban Medical Professional Parole Program continue to exist," the release stated on Thursday.
The Cuban Adjustment Act gives Cuban citizens preferential migration treatment, allowing those who arrive in the United States automatic admittance despite the ways and means they use to arrive to the country.
LA PAZ (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"The international community must unite to eradicate such type of actions. It is necessary to establish a principle, an international commitment to condemn such actions severely," Victor Borda said, commenting on the Nice attack.
He also expressed regret by the fact that such friendly to Bolivia country as France became a target for terrorist groups and by the fact that while some groups "protect rights and freedoms of individuals," others carry out violent attacks and "acts of genocide."
[After that] we were redeployed to the city [of Deir ez-Zor]. I fought with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. We witnessed terrible fighting, in which we participated for about a month. I was a communication agent between the units, he said.
In late 2012 a part of the city was controlled by terrorists. After several month of siege and heavy fighting the government troops managed to liberate the city. Today the situation is opposite with tens of thousands of civilians and Syrian troops being fully surrounded by Daesh (outlawed in Russia) terror group.
After that emir Abu Maria offered Azzam to leave for the Damascus suburb of Jobar where the terrorist planned a new offensive against the Syrian capital. Maria was responsible for redeployment of Azzam and seven more terrorists to Jobar. It took them four days to reach the destination point.
The terrorists were taught to use mortars by Abu Bakre from Jordan. The course lasted for about a month.
We learned how to use a mortar, during our first operation we had to cover for an offensive operation. Nobody knew detail of the operation. Only when fighting came to an end we found out that the operation failed, Azzam said.
Directing Fire at Residential Areas Using Google
Terrorists planned to send seven cars loaded with explosives to the city. After explosions storm troops had to start fighting. Mortar gunners got coordinates of key targets in the center of Damascus. The Syrian army managed to prevent the attack and killed many terrorists.
Abu Baker met with field commanders and defined targets using Google Maps that was, primarily, target in residential areas of Damascus such as the Abbasiyyin Stadium and the Tishreen War Panaroma Museum building. We had only four mortars. During our work one mortar exploded injuring five militants two Syrians, two Jordanians and an Egyptian. The emir (Baker) demanded that we had to continue the shelling, later another mortar blasted, after that the third one, so we stopped fighting and started to wait for the outcome of the combat, Azzam said.
Career Progress, New Marriage, Injury
Several weeks later Azzam was offered to become deputy commander of the unit. He trained new groups of mortar gunners seven Saudi citizens, about 20 Jordanians and militants from Turkey and Kosovo.
After that Azzams unit was redeployed to the village of Al-Otaiba near the Damascus airport.
At that time I married. I just told one of my comrade-in-arms in the al-Nusra Front that I wanted to marry. He acquainted me with his niece and we married. There was a period of standstill then. After that the army launched an offensive again and my wife and I left for Huteita. On the day when I decided that I would go away from here, I sent my wife to her parents in Marj al-Sultan and returned with her brother back to take belongings. On the way back a missile hit us, he said.
Azzam lost both his legs. It took him seven months to rehabilitate. All that time he spent in a bed living with his wife on $4,000 that he had brought from Saudi Arabia. The jihadist group paid him about $40 and gave food parcels.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) In the beginning of June, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, have begun an offensive on Manbij to free the city from terrorists.
"Near Manbij, 11 strikes struck six separate ISIL [Daesh] tactical units and destroyed 18 ISIL fighting positions and damaged an ISIL-used bridge," CENTCOM stated on Friday.
Meanwhile in Iraq, six coalition airstrikes near six cities, including Ramadi and Mosul, destroyed Daesh fighting positions, an oil tanker storage area and an explosives production and storage facility, among other targetrs, the Central Command noted.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) In the beginning of June, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, have begun an offensive on Manbij to free the city from terrorists.
"The Syrian Arab Coalition, supported by Coalition strikes, maneuvered toward the center of Manbij City, denying Da'esh [Islamic State] access to critical supply routes," the release stated.
Manbij, located between Daesh's de facto capital of Raqqa and the Syrian-Turkish border, is a strategically important area for the terrorist group.
Recently we were shelled by the militants of Daesh. The missiles hit the house. Look, here we had 12 sheep. All of the animals were killed, local resident Rihab Al-Khudri, told RT.
Our suffering continues for five years now. We are constantly being shelled. The terrorists are just a kilometer away. But we are holding up, continues the other resident.
Talking about living conditions in these villages, civilians said that some of the houses are empty and those who did not want to leave can barely make ends meet. The farmers cannot cultivate their land, as the land is constantly shelled by the militants.
Here nearby is my land. It used to feed me. But for five years now, I do not know what is happening there. I used to have almond and olive trees growing there. Now these territories are all in the hands of the militants and I cannot go there because terrorists kill and kidnap people who try to get to their lands, a Syrian man spoke in an interview.
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Thursday showcased for the first time a collection of papyri that date back to King Khufu, who ruled ancient Egypt in the 26th century BC.
The papyri were discovered in 2013 at the Red Sea Wadi El-Jarf port, 120 km south of the town of Suez, by a Franco-Egyptian mission led by French Egyptologist Pierre Tallet and Egyptian Egyptologist Sayed Mahfouz.
"The papyri talk about the daily life of the workers who used to work in the Wadi El-Jarf port," Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany told reporters during a ceremony at the Museum, adding "they are almost the same workers who constructed the Great Giza Pyramid of King Khufu."
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called on the US-led coalition to join efforts with the Russian military aimed at normalizing situation around Syria's city of Aleppo where the number of suicide-bombing attacks on the Syrian army increased significantly in past three days.
"We are urging the United States and their partners in anti-IS coalition to jointly take serious measures and use to a full extent their influence on all armed groups backed by them in this area, to convince all those ready to do so to join the ceasefire and normalize the situation in Aleppo," Shoigu said at a military-scientific conference in Moscow dedicated to the analysis of military action in Syria.
According to Shoigu, at least seven vehicles filled with explosives attempted to attack positions of the Syrian army near Aleppo two days ago.
Flynn's book on winning the war against radical Islam, 'The Field of Fight,' is being serialized in German newspaper Bild, where his claims linking porn with Daesh extremism have been published.
Meanwhile Clarissa Smith, professor of sexual cultures at Sunderland University remains unconvinced that there is enough evidence detailing the Daesh pornography link.
"I think we need to remain skeptical," Smith told Sputnik.
"I'm unsure about the evidence linking extreme porn to extremism but it's an accusation that can be deployed to make a case against someone. Accusations surrounding looking at pornography sticks it's a very sticky accusation to make," Smith told Sputnik.
"However it wouldn't surprise me that they're hypocritical about sexuality. Research in some states of America suggests that predominantly Christian states have been found to have a high incident of pornography searches and downloads."
"When you forbid something it becomes forbidden fruit. Or the very fact that it's forbidden makes it more interesting," Smith told Sputnik.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Riyadh refused to cooperate with the US government to locate an individual inside Saudi Arabia with links to 9/11 plotter Abu Zubaydah months before the terrorist attack, according to 28 declassified pages of a 2002 joint congressional inquiry released on Friday.
"In May 2001, the US Government became aware that an individual in Saudi Arabia was in contact with Abu Zubaydah and was most likely aware of an upcoming al-Qaeda operation," the report stated, citing an unidentified high-level US official. "The US government pressured the Saudi government to locate him."
The Saudi government demanded additional information that US officials refused to provide because they believed would reveal confidential sources, according to the report.
According to identification documents found inside the truck, the driver was a 31-year-old of Tunisian origin who lived in Nice.
No group has claimed the responsibility for the terrorist attack in Nice.
Countries across the globe have been targeted by major terrorist attacks over the past year, such as the downing of a Russian airliner in the Sinai Peninsula in October, attacks in Beirut and Paris in November, Brussels attacks in March, and the attack on Istanbuls international airport in June.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Lavrov, both sides realize that they need each other, and they are both needed by the international community in efforts to resolve urgent international problems, especially when it comes to fight against terrorism.
"In contrast with previous meetings when we used to list problems in our relationsthis time we have agreed to develop a road map consisting of, may be small, but practical steps aimed at rectifying a rather unhealthy situation in our bilateral cooperation," Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Kerry following talks in Moscow on Friday.
Turkish broadcaster CNN Turk showed live pictures of military helicopters opening fire at the building. According to local media, TRT is now under military control.
Choppers have also attacked the headquarters of the TURKSAT satellite station.
Heavy gunfire has also been reported at the Turkish Presidential Palace.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Mogherini is keeping in touch with the EU delegation in Ankara and is calling for respect of democratic institutions amid an attempted military coup in Turkey.
"In constant contact with EU Delegation in Ankara & Brussels from Mongolia. Call for restraint and respect for democratic institutions," Mogherini wrote on Twitter.
On Friday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that a group of servicemen attempted a military coup d'etat in the country.
"Turkey is a very important regional power, he said. With no doubt the situation in Turkey has a direct impact on the situation in the region. In this regard, we are all interested in the quickest resolution of the situation Turkey legitimately, and the country returned to the path of stability and predictability, the rule of law."
Peskov stressed that Moscows major priority at the moment is to provide for the security of Russian citizens in the country. There has been no information on any Russian citizens being hurt during the attempted military coup in Turkey, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
He also noted that a possibility of granting Erdogan asylum would be discussed if a respective request was filed.
RIA News services reports that at least 17 police officers have been killed in fire fights against military coup forces in an attempt to stave off the attempt to oust President Erdogan. This has been confirmed by Turkey's Anadolou news service.
The police are also attempting to protect civilians who have come under a mass wave of fire from the military coup fighters, who initially called themselves a "Peace Council" after protesters took to the streets at the call of President Erdogan to resist the coup.
Andrew Beatty (@AndrewBeatty) July 15, 2016
Additionally, Turkish government officials report that a government F-16 has shot down a helicopter used by the military coup plotters. Ankara blames the coup attempt on Gulenists and says that it is a minority of the military who are behind this.
Over the recent years, Stockholm and Helsinki have come as close to NATO as one can get without actually being a member. Both have participated in NATO operations in Afghanistan for several years and play and active part in NATO exercises. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly called this scenario an "expanded partnership."
Whereas Finland's President Sauli Niinisto made previously clear that a popular referendum is a necessary prerequisite for Finnish NATO membership, researcher Magnus Christiansson at the Swedish National Defense University, believes the situation is not the way it is being put. According to him, Finland will never become a NATO member, unless Sweden sets an example.
"I believe that Finland joins NATO if Sweden does, but unless Sweden goes first," Christiansson told the Finnish national newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet during the SuomiAreena political summer event.
"For the air defense support of the Russian Aerospace Forces a S-400 missile defense system, four new and 54 repaired and modernized jets, 23 new and 11 repaired helicopters, 15 unmanned aerial vehicles and more than 8,000 aircraft munitions," Gulyaev said.
Earlier on Friday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia's Armed Forces received an Iskander-M brigade, an S-400 missile defense system regiment and over 90 aircraft in the second quarter of 2016.
"It is know that there was a coup attempt," said Erdogan. "I'm waiting for all of our people on the streets and squares. Together we will give an adequate response. It is know that this attempted coup was led by the "Parallel Structure." The instigators of the coup will suffer severe punishment and will pay dearly for it."
"Parallel Structure" is a reference to followers of Fethullah Gulen, also known as Gulenists, a US-based Muslim cleric who has repeatedly been accused of attempting to foment an uprising against the Turkish government.
The Turkish President faced mockery for giving the report to Western media via Skype or FaceTime with analysts saying it was a final sign that Erdogan had once and for all lost control.
Matthew Goodwin (@GoodwinMJ) July 15, 2016
Scott W. Graves (@ScottWGraves) July 15, 2016
Carl Nasman (@CarlNasman) July 15, 2016
Erdogan also made appeals via Twitter to the Turkish people to stop the coup saying that "The survival of our democracy and national unity rely on seizing back the public squares and airports."
Recep Tayyip Erdogan (@RT_Erdogan) July 15, 2016
The Turkish people appear to be heeding the call of the country's president taking to the streets to demand that the military return to their barracks and end their attempt to take control of the government. Rumors that the military's chief of staff had been killed remain unconfirmed.
The New Arab (@The_NewArab) July 15, 2016
Murat Yesiltas (@muratyesiltas) July 15, 2016
State run media outlet TRT World has also started to turn against the coup plotters with staff taking to Twitter under #failedcoup decrying the effort to oust the government, blaming it on Gulenist sympathizers, and quoting media outlets that say the coup plotters are not in full control of the government.
TRT World (@trtworld) July 15, 2016
TRT World (@trtworld) July 15, 2016
The government appears to have turned the tide against the coup plotters following Erdogan's plea for the people to take to the streets using a very low technology resources an SMS text message. A variety of messages have reportedly gone out to people all across Turkey calling for them to take to the streets as effectively cannon fodder against the coup or to resist the coup attempt through action in the streets.
"In the face of the coup attempt, we call on you to stand with the legitimate government! We call on all citizens to stand against this treacherous act against the citizens of our country," said one SMS message below.
Zuhour Mahmoud (@zuhour_mahmoud) July 15, 2016
Once the gem of the region and a bastion of both human rights and democracy, the country's posture towards dissent has changed in recent years under Erdogan who recently pushed a constitutional amendment providing authority to imprison opposition lawmakers under an expanded definition of terrorism. The government has also repeatedly cracked down against journalists throughout the country by stripping credentials, ousting reporters, and in some instances imprisoning those they viewed as a threat.
MORE TO COME.
A US-Russian joint-command center in Syria, Johnson noted, is feasible and necessary to counter terrorist groups in Syria but provides the ancillary benefits of having the superpowers build relations that will help soothe problems on other issues like Ukraine.
It is incumbent, Johnson suggested, on both Russia and the United States to acknowledge the legitimacy of Syrian President Bashar Assads government while undergoing this collaboration.
The United States, in particular, he added, needs to stop both covert and overt efforts to destabilize Syria, which are "illegal and immoral."
"The [US President Barack] Obama Administration bears as much responsibility as Assad, perhaps more, for the chaos that has shaken Syria over the last five years," Johnson said.
US and Russian military cooperation aimed at terrorist groups in Syria will benefit the Assad government as it should, Johnson argued.
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with US State Secretary John Kerry in the Kremlin on Thursday said that he was convinced the United States and Russia both want to cooperate and achieve concrete results to resolve conflicts.
NATO is an alliance of different countries with different priorities, prominent journalist and independent political analyst Deena Stryker notes in her article for New Eastern Outlook online magazine.
"In 1989 my book 'A Different Europe, a Different World,' (Une autre Europe, un autre monde) was published in France. It anticipated Europe's reunification and suggested that Europeans should replace the Atlantic Alliance with full participation in the Eurasian Community, in which the Soviet Union, far from being a threat, was simply one of five giants, the others being India, China, the Middle East and Europe, each of equal weight. It has taken twenty-five years for the leaders of Western Europe to arrive at a similar conclusion," Stryker writes.
What does the author mean?
"I am not sure of the notion that there is a real change here. There is a history of Mr. Kerry going to Moscow, meeting with Mr. Lavrov or Mr. Putin, saying conciliatory things and then saying the exact opposite when he gets back to Washington," Jatras observed.
Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin have repeatedly urged Washington to work together in Syria, but US policymakers have largely been reluctant. The latest developments indicate that this could be changing. Jatras referred to it as "a change in the landscape."
In his opinion, Turkey's U-turn on Russia has played a major role in this process.
"And I want to say something else to the people of Scotland too: the government I lead will always be on your side. Every decision we take, every policy we take forward, we will stand up for you and your family not the rich, the mighty or the powerful."
Congratulations to the new Prime Minister @theresa_may despite our differences, I hope we can build a constructive working relationship Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) July 13, 2016
"That's because I believe in a union, not just between the nations of the United Kingdom, but between all of our citizens. Whether it's reforming the economy or strengthening our society, we are going to build a better Britain and a nation that works for everyone not just the privileged few," May said.
Edinburgh v London
She will have her work cut out, however. Sturgeon warned: "She said: "I have been absolutely clear on this issue the people of Scotland voted decisively to stay part of the European Union and their wishes must be respected."
"For us remain means remain" @NicolaSturgeon's message to Theresa May. RT if you agree. #ScoEU pic.twitter.com/jIgAXp0Qg5 The SNP (@theSNP) 13 July 2016
"That includes respect from the UK Government, which is why Philip Hammond's comments are deeply disappointing I very much hope the new Prime Minister will be more open to constructive discussion.
"The Scottish Government is pursuing every possible avenue to protect out place in Europe which of course means protecting businesses' freedom to trade, the ability of workers to be protected and our right to continue to influence EU decisions."
TEHRAN (Sputnik) Iran also condemned on Friday the Nice attack that killed at least 84 people.
"Iran strongly condemns this attack and expresses condolences to relatives of victims. As we have earlier said, terrorism is an evil; we will not root it out if there is no complex international cooperation. Concessions and double standards in fighting terrorism will lead only to failures," Ghasemi said.
In his interview with Izvestia.ru the chair of the Upper House Committee for Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev stressed that Yildirim's statements indicate a distinct shift in Turkey's foreign policy.
"I want to draw your attention to the fact that [after the pledge to normalize relations with Syria] additional clarifications have been voiced that Yildirim didn't mean mending the bilateral relations with Bashar al-Assad preserving his presidency," Kosachev underscored.
"At the same time [Ankara's move] means a [new] vector and, undoubtedly, a change in rhetoric. It represents a chance of Turkey's more careful approach toward Russia's position on Syria as well as that of other countries which do not "bet" on immediate regime change [in Syria]. It is a distinct shift, but not a categorical one and it does not allow us to assume an ultimate rapprochement of Turkey and Russia's positions on this issue," Kosachev stressed.
As for the thaw between Turkey and Russia, the politician remarked that Ankara and Moscow are "at the very beginning of the journey" and warned against overestimating the consequences of the Russo-Turkish normalization in regard to the ongoing Syrian crisis.
Russian Duma Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Alexei Pushkov shared a similar cautious stance in regard to Turkey's Syrian policy.
"Some shifts have begun to take effect in Turkey's position on Syria, but they have not yet led to any qualitative changes. [What we see] is correcting of approach. I believe that, on the one hand, it is prompted by the fact that [the Turkish leadership] has realized the threat posed by Daesh. On the other hand, if Turkey does not normalize its relations with Syria it may face difficulties with resolving the Kurdish problem," Pushkov told Izvestia.ru.
Earlier this week, Merkel reacted with reserve to Theresa Mays appointment as new British prime minister. Without congratulations or welcoming statements, the chancellor underscored that the "task of the new prime minister will be to clarify the sort of relations Britain wants to have with Brussels in the future."
Meanwhile, Merkel has stressed that Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty must be triggered to start the withdrawal procedure for the UK. Only after that negotiations between London and Brussels can begin. In turn, Theresa May said it wants to start negotiations before triggering Article 50.
May has "very obvious negotiations skills," a senior EU official familiar with the situation told Reuters. "She won't be an easy partner for the EU. She's been extremely consistent, very persistent."
This is going to be a tough test for Merkel who recently said: "We will have difficult negotiations with Britain, it will not be easy."
"It depends on how May uses her pragmatism. If she pursues a rather realistic approach to what Britain can expect from the EU in return for getting access to the single market, then I believe they could get on rather well. But, if she uses her pragmatism to try and maximize the outcome for Britain at the expense of others, she will not get on well with Merkel," Josef Janning, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, told Deutsche Welle.
Carden was referring to the bloc's decision to deploy four battle groups (approximately 4,000 troops) to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to protect their stability and sovereignty. This is one of NATO's key measures aimed at sending a message to Moscow that the bloc, particularly the US, is committed to upholding European security.
However, this is not what these steps have achieved. In fact, the bloc's latest activities have caused tensions unseen for decades. "We have not been in such a dangerous place since Europe 1913 or 1939," Tony Kevin, Australia's former ambassador to Poland and Cambodia, wrote for the Guardian.
"NATO commanders say this can be safely managed. But I have no confidence in this. Hostilities could begin by design or accident, or local provocation by warmongering idiots that could quickly go nuclear," he added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Thursday, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union said that he would like relationship between London and Brussels after the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union similar to the model framed by the CETA.
"We have been sharing at a technical level, you know some real details of exactly how CETA works We have 300 trade negotiators in Canada. It certainly takes a big very expert team to negotiate trade agreements," Freeland told BBC.
She added that securing trade agreements similar to the CETA was "really complicated."
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Both France and the US are members of the US-led coalition of over 60 nations that has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh terrorist targets in Syria and Iraq since summer 2014.
"The French and the Americans are fighting side by side against the same enemy," Araud stated in a Twitter message.
ULAANBAATAR (Sputnik) After an international court ruled to reject China's claims to historic rights over the South China Sea, and given the presence of top officials from China and the Philippines, this issue was expected to be high on the summit's agenda.
"The issue of the South China Sea is not being actively discussed because it is actually not in the interest of all members What everybody is concerned with is terrorism. There is a common understanding about it," Oemar said.
The 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM11) Summit started in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar on Thursday and is scheduled to last for two days. The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an informal interregional dialogue that addresses political, security, financial, economic, social and cultural issues.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) He voiced hope that the deadly truck attack that killed 84 and injured over a dozen in the southern French city of Nice late Thursday would prompt the West to reactivate intelligence cooperation with Russia in the area of counterterrorism.
"There needs to be joint work to prevent, to study the root causes of the spike in terrorism, to study the relevant segments of the population and potential sources. In this, Europe lags behind the demands of the day, probably because a lot of the time it pays attention to some artificial, fantastical threats such as the threat of hybrid warfare from Russia," Chizhov said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 broadcaster.
A truck attack during Thursdays Bastille Day celebrations in Nice claimed 84 lives and left around 50 more between life and death.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) She added that the mutual lifting of sanctions is a necessary step for the de-escalation of the situation, a "mutual disarmament" and cooperation between Russia and the West.
"The war in Ukraine could have been prevented before or stopped after it broke out without having to break economic relations with Russia. The fundamental solution is the establishment of a common economic space from Lisbon to Vladivostok, under which Ukraine would be able to keep the century-old economic ties with Russia while developing cooperation with the EU countries," Zdanoka said.
Since 2014, relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. The United States, the European Union and some of their allies have imposed several rounds of sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy over Moscow's alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Russian and US diplomats conducted negotiations in Moscow for over six hours in the mansion of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"Lavrov and Karry took a break in talks, the delegations are working separately and will resume bilateral negotiations later on Friday night, in some hours," the source said.
On Thursday, Kerry discussed the Syrian and Ukrainian crises with President Vladimir Putin and his Russian counterpart.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck plowed into a crowd of people watching fireworks during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France, killing at least 84 people and injuring dozens of others.
"We know very well that to tackle international terrorism, cooperation between the big democratic powers of America, Europe and Russia is necessary," Yves Pozzo di Borgo said.
The investigative reporter draws attention to the fact that although Clinton admits that some of her judgments were "mistakes," such as believing the false narrative on Iraq's alleged WMDs, it seems nothing can prevent her from pushing ahead with her warmongering agenda.
Parry continues that while the Democratic hopeful "toyed with both the democracy and humanitarian arguments," one of her official emails, released by the State Department, indicated clearly that Hillary Clinton the US Secretary of State had no scruples about meddling into foreign affairs of other countries using false pretexts.
The email Parry is referring to reveals one of reasons for the Syrian "regime change" war:
"The best way to help Israel deal with Iran's growing nuclear capability is to help the people of Syria overthrow the regime of Bashar Assad," the email stated.
"Bringing down Assad would not only be a massive boon to Israel's security, it would also ease Israel's understandable fear of losing its nuclear monopoly. Then, Israel and the United States might be able to develop a common view of when the Iranian program is so dangerous that military action could be warranted," the email, allegedly written in April 2012, underscored.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, UK Prime Minister Theresa May held a meeting with Surgeon where they discussed issues related to the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union and future relations with the bloc.
"Ive said previously that if we want to protect our relationship with the European Union then Scotland may have to consider becoming an independent member. If it proves not to be possible to fully protect Scotlands interests through the UK process then the Prime Minister knows that a second independence referendum is of course on the table," Sturgeon said in a statement after the meeting.
According to Sturgeon, May expressed willingness to consider any options that the Scottish Government may put forward to secure Scotlands relationship with the European Union and that Scotland will be fully involved in discussions to give shape to the process of Brexit.
ULAN BATOR - Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said here Thursday that Laos supports China's stance on the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
Thongloun made the remarks in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who expounded China's principle and stance on the arbitration case.
The Lao prime minister said his country stands ready to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region.
Li appreciated the efforts made by Laos, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, in boosting the development of ASEAN, safeguarding regional peace, and promoting regional cooperation.
China is willing to work with Laos to jointly push forward pragmatic cooperation within such framework as China-ASEAN dialogue relations, so as to make positive contributions to the welfare of the people in both countries and in this region.
Thongloun, for his part, said Laos is willing to join hands with all relevant parties to make the activities marking the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relationship a success, and promote the development of ASEAN-China relations.
On bilateral relations, Li said China is ready to increase high-level exchanges with Laos, continue to firmly support each other, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various areas, and strengthen coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs, so as to further enrich the connotation of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
Li said the two countries should propel the comprehensive construction of a bilateral railway project, strengthen cooperation in production capacity and investment, and build more demonstrative projects in such areas as infrastructure, electric power and energy.
Thongloun spoke highly of the development of Laos-China relations and the sound communication and coordination the two sides kept in international and regional affairs.
The Lao side stands ready to work with China to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies and strives for a comprehensive construction of the Laos-China railway project within this year, he said.
The two prime ministers will join other Asian and European leaders on Friday and Saturday at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Ulaanbaatar.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The French prosecutor confirmed through fingerprints earlier in the day the identity of Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, whose documents were found inside the truck used to kill 84 people and injure scores more during Bastille Day celebrations late Thursday.
"President Obama had an opportunity earlier today to telephone President Hollande," Earnest stated. "The presidents top terrorism advisor Lisa Monaco had an opportunity to telephone her counterpart today, I know that Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has been in touch with his French counterpart, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has been in touch with French Ambassador to the United States."
On this episode of "By Any Means Necessary" host Eugene Puryear is joined by General Babu Omowale, Co-Founder of the Huey P Newton Gun Club to discuss black nationalism and open carry rights in Texas and Ohio, the home of the RNC convention.
And Georgia State Student Aurelia Williams talks about #AtlantaisReady Movement and whats next in the Peach State for the Black Lives Matter effort.
In a special third segment Eugene is joined by Joanna Cifredo to talk about police brutality against the transgender community and the numerous ways in which laws negatively affect LGBTQ.
Also, Breitbart Political Correspondent Neil McCabe comes behind enemy lines to give us a preview of next weeks Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Then, the Obama administration said it would soon allow the release of the 28 Pages the classified section of the 9/11 Commission Report that could raise questions about official Saudi involvement. We go into a Classified Session to explain.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russias MiG-31BM and Su-27 fighter jets have been put on alert for tactical flight exercises in the Tver Oblast in the countrys west, the Western Military District said Friday.
"The fighters crews will perform tasks of intercepting aircraft violating the state border, electronic launches against cruise missiles and strategic bombers of the simulated enemy," Igor Muginov told reporters.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, France. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"During the Nice attack a fourth year student of the Financial University faculty of management Viktoria Savchenko sustained severe injuries and died. Her friend, also our student, Polina Serebryannikova was injured and is now at hospital. We express sincere condolences to relatives and friends of the killed Viktoria Savchenko and hope for soon recovery of Polina Serebryannikova," the university said in a statement.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his Twitter page that he had ordered to render necessary assistance to the family of the victim.
"This allowed 264,000 refugees to return to their places of permanent residence," Shoigu said.
He lauded the return of three oil fields and the liberation of the key cities of Palmyra and Quaryatayn over the course of the Russian operation.
"But most importantly, the expansion of terrorist group activity into surrounding areas has stopped," the minister stressed.
"Putin instructed the Foreign Ministry to carefully check information about the presence of Russians among the victims and the injured in the terrorist attack in Nice, to assist them through the diplomatic mission," Peskov said.
A truck rammed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day along Nice's Promenade des Anglais late Thursday, killing 84 and injuring dozens more.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the statement, the website also offered women help to get to Syria.
"Upon the request of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, the website for searching for brides for IS terrorists was blocked. Ads were published there offering women to marry Daesh [terrorists]," the statement reads.
The West regards China as a competitive, energetic and powerful economy and is careful not to throw its markets too wide open to this eastern competitor which is gaining an upper hand over it, Alexander said.
Russia, Australia and New Zealand have all recognized Chinas market status, but now that global trade is losing is traditional role as an economic driver, the West is now looking for different sources of growth which have almost been exhausted in the West and which China is only developing now, he added.
Alexander said that the US was now trying to use the WTO as an additional means of pressure against China.
With the election campaign in the US in full swing now, all proponents of protectionism, both in the Republican and Democratic camps, are playing up to the peoples deep-seated suspicions about allegedly low-quality Chinese imports, including steel.
Chinas telecoms giant ZTE may also fall victim to the US presidential race as 14 Republican Congressmen urge the White House to punish ZTE for its cooperation in 2012 with Iran. In March the US Department of Commerce slapped sanctions on ZTE for violating a ban on the export of US technologies to Iran in a move seen by many as an attempt to undermine the Chinese companys role in the US market.
As a result, ZTE was no longer able to buy computer microchips and software. The sanctions also backfired against US suppliers, hence Washingtons decision to postpone the move until June 30. Then, in the walkup to the June 30 deadline, the Department of Commerce pushed the sanctions back to August 30.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) "The Foreign Ministry is ready to provide all the necessary support to Russian citizens. There are emergency lines and if Russian citizens have any information to provide to the embassy, they can and must do it," Zakharova said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry is calling on all Russians in Turkey to remain at their homes.
The project "Biomass for the 21st Century," which united some of Denmark's leading research and development institutions and industry heavyweights (such as Mrsk, Novozymes and Dong Energy), aims at replacing vanishing fossil fuels with their organic counterparts.
After four years of work, scientists from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark are reportedly close to patenting a chemical that can transform organic molecules existing in plants and algae into diesel oil. Potentially, this technology should be able to feed diesel engines with biomass, once it is developed to a sufficiently high level of efficiency.
"The greatest thing about a ship engine is that it can 'eat' almost anything," Claus Felby of the University of Copenhagen's Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, told the Danish scientific newspaper Videnskab.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US President Barack Obama has condemned the terrorist attack during Bastille Day celebrations in the city of Nice, and offered assistance to the government of France, according to the statement from the White House.
"I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice," Obama stated on Thursday.
The United States Department of State does not have any information on injuries to US citizens after the attack yet, but is staying in touch with local authorities, according to the Deparment official.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The gunman engaged in a shootout at the police officers, who returned fire, wounding the man at least once. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital later.
"Four officers traveling in a vehicle <> they actually heard gunfire, when they heard this gunfire they drove towards it, it's one of the apartment buildings on Winchester Street. They drove into the parking lot and saw man armed with AR15 rifle, firing that weapon," the spokesman told reporters at a briefing.
Police is investigating the initial reason for the firing, according to the spokesman. Policemen, who were involved in the shootout are under standard administrative procedures.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) There were reports the documents would also be released today, but Pelosi said the committees who have jurisdiction over the report still have to act upon it in some way to release the pages.
"The documents are coming to Congress today," Pelosi stated on Friday.
Pelosi said the Obama administration has already done their part in redacting classified information in those pages, but now US Congress needs to act.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) New York City Police Department Commissioner William Bratton said there are no credible threats to the city at the present moment.
"New Yorkers will see an even larger number of officers on the street protecting NYC, since Nice attack," the police stated in a message on Twitter.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The flag will be lowered until Tuesday, July 19, according to the statement.
"I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds," Obama stated.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating Bastille Day in the French Riviera city. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and about 200 others were injured.
One portion of the documents suggests that there was a 9/11 "dry run" in 1999.
"According to an FBI agent in Phoenix, the FBI suspects Mohammed al-Qudhaeein of being [redacted]. Al-Qudhaeein was involved in a 1999 incident aboard an America West flight, which the FBI's Phoenix office now suspects may have been a 'dry run' to test airline security."
The documents details alleged connections between the hijackers and the Saudi government uncovered by the FBI and CIA. Memos suggest that one Saudi national living the US, Osama Bassnan, "might be a Saudi intelligence officer," and "reportedly received funding and possibly a fake passport from the Saudi Ambassador to the United States and his wife."
Bassnan bragged to an FBI informant in the Saudi community that he actively helped the hijackers.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Two of the students injured sustained broken legs and were treated in a local hospital, while a third had a broken foot, the university said.
Nicolas Leslie, 20, one of the 85 UC Berkeley students attending the study abroad program nearby, is still unaccounted for, the university reported.
WASHIGNTON (Sputnik) When asked if the White House thought the 28 pages would shed new light on the Saudi role in relation to 9/11, Earnest stated, "No, we do not."
Earnest added that, "It [report] will confirm what we have been saying for quite some time, which is that this material was investigative material that was reviewed and followed up on by the independent 9/11 commission."
Clinton has suggested the creation of a joint effort between the governments of Muslim countries and the US, to stem the rising tide of religious fundamentalist extremism. She denounced Trumps remarks against Mexicans and Muslims, while Trump bewailed what he considers Americas kowtowing to political correctness.
American views on Muslims were most deeply drawn along the lines of party affiliation. Differences is class, gender, or age did not show as distinctively as did that between Democrats and Republicans.
Douglas McAdam, a sociology professor at Stanford University who studies American politics, said, "If it was true that Trump did not represent Republicans broadly defined, you would think Republicans would look different; they don't. It goes against the claims of the (former presidential candidate) Mitt Romneys of the world, that Trump is not really a Republican, that he doesn't represent the Republican party. He seems to be resonating with Republicans generally."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations [CAIR], an American Muslim civil rights group, said that in 2015 attacks on Muslims in the US and American mosques soared to their highest levels since records began being kept. There were 11 recorded incidents where a Muslim was the target of harassment or slurs and 31 recorded incidents of damage or destruction to mosques or other property.
Robert McCaw, director of government affairs for CAIR, told Sputnik that, "The Republican Party has become the political epicenter of Islamophobia in America, driving anti-Muslim hate."
McCaw explained that the climate of intolerance created by Trump and his supporters only serves to further alienate Muslim Americans from the society the Republican candidates followers claim they seek to protect.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Diego Field Office failed to communicate information in a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) memorandum on financial connections between the government of Saudi Arabia and Saudi Royal Family and the September 11 hijackers, according to 28 pages of a US government report on the 9/11 terrorist attacks released on Friday.
"That [CIA] memorandum, which discusses alleged financial connections between the September 11 hijackers, Saudi government officials, and members of the Saudi Royal Family, was drafted by a CIA officer [redacted], relying primarily on information from FBI files," the report stated, adding that the FBI officer in San Diego failed to forward it to FBI headquarters.
WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) The 7th Fleet of the US Navy will deploy two P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Singapore from July 15 through August 12 in support of shared maritime security initiatives, the Navy said in a press release on Friday.
"We look forward to working alongside our Singaporean counterparts to further strengthen interoperability while enhancing our readiness to respond to contingencies," Commander Richard W. Prest said in the release.
The aircraft will fly out of Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore and take part in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) bilateral exercise and other training activities with the countrys armed forces, the release noted.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Szubin will visit Israel for talks on national security priorities and Ukraine to press for a continuation of sanctions against Russia.
"In Israel, Acting Under Secretary Szubin will meet with government officials and members of the think tank community to discuss national security priorities, including efforts to combat Hezbollah and the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, [JCPA]" the release explained.
Under the JCPA nuclear deal, Iran gave up stockpiles of enriched uranium, closed a nuclear reactor and shut down uranium enrichment centrifuges and allowed international inspections, in exchange for sanctions relief worth more than $100 billion.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) flagged five individuals with suspected Saudi government ties in connection to some of the September 11, 2001 hijackers, according to the declassified pages of a 2002 joint congressional inquiry into the 9/11 attacks.
According to various FBI documents and at least one CIA memorandum, some of the September 11 hijackers, while in the United States, apparently had contacts with individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government, the joint inquiry stated.
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The FAA also said flights from the United States to Turkey may be diverted in the air NBC News reported on Friday.
The US State Department has confirmed that the Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul is closed.
Earlier on Friday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on live television that a group of military service members were attempting a military coup detat in the country.
"Our thoughts and compassion go out to the victims, their relatives and the entire French nation. We are mourning together with France and stand firmly by their side in this difficult time," Steinmeier said in a statement.
A spokeswoman with the German Foreign Office told Sputnik earlier they were trying to determine if there were any Germans among those affected by the attack, which the French president said was undeniably of terrorist nature.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) The lawmaker's statement comes after a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the southern French city of Nice late on Thursday, killing at least 84 people, with more fighting for their lives.
"We need better cooperation with Russia and more strikes against IS [Daesh terror group]," Roman Haider, a member of the lower house of the Austrian parliament, the National Council, and its foreign affairs committee, said.
"The mass killing in Nice is a thriller that came true. Condolences to the relatives of those killed, words of support to those injured and especially those, who are currently on the verge of life and death, according to the data of the recent hours, there are 18 people in critical condition," Zakharova said on Facebook.
The spokeswoman urged to fight against threats together.
"Russia stands in solidarity with the people of France in these difficult days and fully shares its pain," Peskov added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin found out about the deadly attack in Nice during his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Russia remains ready for close counterterrorism cooperation with France following the deadly attack in Nice, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a message to his French counterpart Francois Hollande.
"The cruelty and cynicism of this crime, committed on your National Day, is astonishing. We have again seen that terrorism is absolutely unfamiliar with human morale, its victims are innocent civilians, including women and children," Putin said, as quoted by the Kremlin press service.
The Russian president reaffirmed that Russia is ready for "the closest cooperation with France and other international partners in all areas of counterterrorism" and believes in the need for humanity to unite in this fight.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Kerry is currently in Moscow for talks with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way of them feeling that everything that is possible is being done to end this terror scourge and unite the world in the most comprehensive efforts possible to fight back against their depraved approach to life and death," Kerry said during meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
The ruling by a three-judge panel said that the Navy sailor found an intoxicated tourist asleep in the hallway next to his hotel room in southern Japans Naha in March 2016. He took the woman to his room and sexually assaulted her
The seaman was serving at the US Marine Camp Schwab in the northern part of the island, which has a population of about a million.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Late on Thursday evening, a heavy truck rammed into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, southern France, killing 84 and injuring dozens.
"France was not conducting an efficient foreign policy in the Middle East. We need to renegotiate now with Damascus. We have a common enemy in Syria and Iraq which is IS [Islamic State]. We cannot continue saying that Damascus is not our ally in this war against terrorism," Myard, who is also a member of the National Assembly of France (lower house of Parliament), said.
The lawmaker added that information exchange between French and Syrian governments was necessary.
"According to preliminary data, the terror attack [in Nice] killed a Moscow resident. We are checking the information," Sobyanin wrote on his Twitter page.
On Thursday night, a truck rammed into a large crowd that was celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice, France. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and dozens of others were injured.
"The country is already a gigantic, devastated graveyard <> The number of war crimes already committed surpasses the worst nightmares. But it is in the power of both attacking and defending forces and their foreign backers to minimize further civilian casualties and avoid further crimes and atrocities. They must do so," he stressed.
The high commissioner also noted that the advancing forces must ensure that the basic needs of the besieged population were met.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia suspended all flights to and from Egypt last fall after a Russian A321 plane crashed in the Sinai desert on October 31 while flying from the resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg.
"Egypt's general prosecutor will visit Moscow in the end of July and will present results of the investigation to the Russian side. I think, the case of the crash of the plane will be closed soon, and the flights between Russia and Egypt will be resumed," he said.
All 224 people on board the A321 plane died with the crash becoming the largest civil aviation disaster in Russian history.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Star newspaper, the 11 plaintiffs filed the suit on behalf of four Indonesians and three Dutch nationals.
The media noted that the relatives were seeking monetary damages, special damages, costs and further relief.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed with 298 people on board on July 17, 2014, in eastern Ukraine, while en route to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam, leaving no survivors. Kiev and independence supporters in Ukraines southeast have blamed each other for the downing of the MH17 plane.
Following the attack, the German Federal Police, in coordination with French authorities, has tightened control at the French-German border. Germany's Foreign Ministry has also issued a new version of "travel and safety regulations" with regard to France. The document published on the Ministry's website informs tourists about "enhanced identity check-ups" and "strengthened border check-ups" in the aftermath of the attack.
Moreover, the document says that "passengers who travel with the Thalys [railway company] from Paris to Germany must undergo airport-like security checks. Travelers are urged to follow the instructions of the French security authorities, be cautious while moving across the country, carry identification with them (ID card, passport) and keep themselves informed about the development of the situation through media as well as travel and security' regulations."
The UK
The United Kingdom is deeply concerned over the attack in Nice and is in touch with local authorities regarding the situation, a Foreign Office spokesperson told Sputnik on Friday.
"We are deeply concerned about reports on the incident in Nice and are in touch with the local authorities to seek more information. Our thoughts are with those affected and we stand by to help any British nationals," the spokesperson said.
The attack has raised doubts among UK residents whether it is safe to go for holidays and what to do if they find themselves in a situation similar to that in Nice. The recent developments have even caused debate about terror specific travel insurance as terrorism is often being excluded by insurers from the list of covered incidents.
Earlier, the British government has also issued a travel guide for Brits travelling to Europe although the move is not actually related to the developments in Nice and was made before the attack took place.
Russia
The Indian Air Force's first flight carrying 156 peoples landed in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on Friday, which also included two Nepali citizens.
Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh led the government's "Operation Sankat Mochan" to evacuate Indians from South Sudan.
"156 persons have been evacuated and of them two are from Nepal," V K Singh told media after his arrival in India.
The twenty eight pages of the report contain information on alleged ties of the Saudi Arabian government to the 9/11 hijackers, CNN reported. Thus, allegations in a New York court of Irans involvement in the attacks will lose its basis of evidence.
"The first evidence that Iran was not involved in the attack is coming. Moreover, during the hearings Iran was never mentioned. The investigation was partially confidential. But then and now it has been clear that Saudi Arabia was connected to the attacks, not Iran," Hossein Sheikholeslam, a senior aide to Irans parliamentary speaker, told Sputnik.
"About 263 million children and youth are out of school, according to UIS data. This number includes 61 million children of primary school age (about 6 to 11 years), 60 million young adolescents of lower secondary school age (about 12 to 14 years), and 142 million youth of upper secondary school age (about 15 to 17 years) for the school year ending in 2014," the UNESCO report reads.
According to UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, countries have much to do in order to reach the declared goal to provide every child with a primary and secondary education by 2030.
In an interview with German radio Deutschlandfunk, German politician and member of the Left Party Gregor Gysi for his turn called on the United States and Russia to ignore their difficulties and unite their efforts in the face of global terrorism.
Commenting on the recent terrorist attack in Nice, he said: "It is of course an absolute disaster and these are all innocent people who are either killed or seriously injured."
According to the politician, the international community should develop a common strategy against Daesh and make every effort to implement it, even if it would not correspond with the interests of Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
"And the first thing we need here, is an understanding between the US and Russia. But we impose sanctions against Russia, instead of saying, well, let us jointly move Assad's issue back and decide together how we eliminate the Islamic State," the politician stated.
At least 84 people were killed and hundreds of people injured after a terrorist drove a truck through hordes of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. In the wake of the horrific attack in Nice, French President Francois Hollande addressed the nation, announcing that he will extend a country-wide state of emergency and accelerate attacks on Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
He suggested that in this situation Beijing may change its stance towards the North Korean problem.
"The deployment of THAAD missile defenses in South Korea is a headache for China. This system would allow for intercepting Chinese mid-range missiles that are stationed at a base near the Korean peninsula. In addition to THAAD systems, maritime interception systems and ship-based Aegis systems have been deployed to South Korea," the analyst said.
In response, China is likely to take military and technical measures. For example, the goal may be to prevent US warships from coming at a distance close enough to intercept Chinese missiles. This distance is at least 1,000 km. Thus, China may deploy coastal missile systems, warships carrying guided rockets as well as submarines armed with cruise missiles. Another problem is a South Korean radio-radar station, with an operational range of around 1,000 km.
Moreover, Evseyev noted that if THAAD systems are deployed to South Korea Beijing may change its stance towards the North Korean problem.
"If China sees the deployment as a major threat Beijing may ease sanctions against Pyongyang and make the border more transparent. China may decrease pressure on North Korea over nuclear and missile tests. As a result, relations between Beijing and Pyongyang may improve," the expert suggested.
However, the best way to resolve the difficulties would be the creation of a common system of regional security, Evseyev pointed out.
This would help decrease tensions on the Korean peninsula. Despite the fact that Pyongyang is ready to ease the standoff it is obvious that the US would block the move because it is not in Washingtons strategic interests, he concluded.
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced that elements within the Turkish military were attempting to seize power, after low flying airplanes were spotted and gunshots were heard in Ankara. Yildirim stressed on television that the sitting government did not intend to relinquish power. Soldiers and military vehicles were deployed in the capital city of Ankara and Istanbul.
mona saliba (@monasaliba) July 15, 2016
Travel State Dept (@TravelGov) July 15, 2016
Twitter, Youtube and Facebook have already been shut down. A Turkish twitter account dedicated to monitoring whether social media is online in the country reports that Twitter was shut down at 11:04pm local time.
Alex Phillips (@AlexP_Music) July 15, 2016
For the past five weeks at Monticello Raceway Thursdays have featured races driven by amateur drivers. And July 14th was no exception.
Two trots in the NAADA Series were carded as well as a pace in the Catskill Clubs Amateur Series. When it was all over Alan Schwartz and Peter Kleinhans were each victorious in their respective NAADA splits while Hurricane Hannah Miller copped the Catskill Clubs pace.
Schwartz led the NAADA brigade winning his division with Ladys Big Stormont in an eye-opening 1:57.2 over Bob Hechkoffs The Franchise.
When the wings of the mobile gate folded Schwartz gunned his recent purchase to the lead and took no prisoners. Ladys Big Stormont, whom Schwartz claimed last week for $12,500, zipped by the first stanza in a stiff :28. Still comfortably in hand they were two lengths in front as they trotted by the half in :57.3. Although Bob Hechkoff and The Franchise enjoyed a two-hole journey they were outclassed when the field turned for home as Schwartzs charge drew off to a two-length victory. Third place went to Woody, driven by Joe Lee.
I just claimed him here last week and he sure has a lot of trot, but hes a handful. He grabs on when jogging and is tough behind the gate and when scoring down hes on the muscle but hes got a big engine, Schwartz said referring to Ladys Big Stormont. So I'll have to put up with his ways.
Trained by Raheim Strong, Ladys Big Stormont scored his sixth seasonal triumph and paid $4.30 for win.
The next NAADA trot on the Thursday card saw Peter Kleinhans send Toss Cartwright to the lead in after the half and then jog away to nine-length triumph over Typical New Yorker and driver Alan Schwartz.
Kleinhans and Toss Cartwright didnt see the pylons until they wrested the lead from Tony Verruso and Up Front N Crazy as the two trotters passed the halfway point. Then surprisingly, even to Kleinhans, his trotter began to open daylight on the field and they cruised home an oh-so-easy winner over Typical Newyorker. Up Front N Crazy took home the show dough for Tony Verruso.
When we passed the half in :57.4 I thought hed (Toss Cartwright) be tired but I was I pleasantly surprised to see us run away with the race, Kleinhans said. This is my girlfriends horse and I wish she could have been here today to see him win today.
Owned by Collene Cash and trained by John McDermott, Toss Cartwright paid $4.80 for win.
Amateur racings current leading driver, Hurricane Hannah Miller, scored her 18th seasonal victory when she guided Stoman to a wire to wire triumph in a 1:56.1 clocked mile in the Catskill Clubs pace. But victory didnt come easy.
When the starter said go Miller sent Stoman to the front from the pole position but she had pressing company from Late Night Flight and driver Monica Banca. Their horses raced head to head past the quarter pole in a swift :27.2, that was until Miller opened a hole behind her for Bancas pacer to fall into, which Monica did. But by then Ms. Miller had little hope of giving Stoman a breather and they traveled by the half in :56.2.
I was quite concerned with the fast early fractions but I didnt want to get in behind Monicas horse, Miller said after the race. The :56-half had me concerned even though I had a snug hold on him (Stoman) right from the start. Still they were fast fractions.
As the field headed for the third stanza Stoman had opened up a three-length lead on the field. Barry Addison and KBs Bad Boylast weeks winner in this eventbegan a charge at the leader but it was too little, too late and they had to settle for second money. Shark Treasure rallied from far back to finish third for Gerry Fielding.
Stoman, a 10-year-old Market Report gelding is owned by Jason MacDougall and trained by John Hallett, He paid $4.20 for win.
After the amateur races at the Mighty M were contested, Miller and a contingent of others hit the road to Saratoga Raceway - 2-1/2 hour ride - for two Billings trots carded late on the Saratoga Harness race card.
(NAADA)
Managing his hotel business took up most of his waking hours, but the late Vic Hayter always made time for Clinton Raceway.
He worked seven days a week, but every Sunday at 12:30 hed be home to pick up my mother and theyd go to Clinton Raceway, said Hayters son, Greg, who will be on hand with the rest of his family on July 24 for the inaugural $12,500 Vic Hayter Memorial Trot.
Greg said the idea of an annual race in his fathers honour at Clinton Raceway that will also serve as a fundraiser for some of Vics favourite charities is the perfect way to salute a man who owned Standardbreds for 38 years.
Dad was involved with horses since 1978 and even as kids, when we lived in Lucan, we used to always go to Clinton Raceway on Sunday afternoons. The last 15 years or so, mom and him used to go every Sunday and theyd sit right by the finish line.
He always gunned for a horse that could race at Mohawk or Woodbine, but it was the small roots type tracks that he really loved.
Vic, who owned many hotels, but is perhaps best known for operating The Arden Park Hotel and Festival Inn in Stratford, ON, passed away due to cancer in February. He was 77.
The 10-race Vic Hayter Memorial Trot card, which will have a 1:30 p.m. first-race post time, will feature a raffle, silent auction, Pineridge beef dinner and 50/50 draw with all proceeds going to two of Vics favourite charities the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society and the Stratford-Perth Humane Society.
I think (dad) would be pretty proud, Greg said. He was a humble man. He didnt look for much fanfare. He didnt like his name in lights. He just went about his business and he donated to a variety of different causes. Most of the time he did it without his name attached to it That said, I think hed be pretty proud of the day and how its going to evolve.
Greg, whose brother, Ed, is a trainer whose starters have raced to $5 million in purse earnings, said his father would be happy the race was for trotters.
He had both trotters and pacers, but probably the last 12, 15 years his focus was trotters. Hes always loved trotters, Greg said.
The Hayters are also proud the race will be an annual one with a permanent trophy.
There will be a plaque that goes on the trophy every year, so every year the trophy will come out and a new plaque will go on there, Greg said.
The entire clan will be at Clinton on July 24 in support, Greg said.
Well all be there. My mom is going to be there and Eddie will be there and my sister Stephanie will be there. Then all our families, of course, Greg said. It will be a good event and, hopefully, we will grow it into something bigger.
Clinton Raceway has arranged a bus from Stratford for those who are interested in making the trip to Clinton on the 24th. It is scheduled to leave the Arden Park in Stratford at noon, and is scheduled to make stops in Mitchell and Seaforth before heading on to Clinton. Reservations are mandatory, so please call 519-955-6820 for more information.
For more event details, please visit clintonraceway.com.
(Clinton Raceway)
Three-year-old trotting fillies battled one another and Mother Nature - in a rain-soaked round of OSS action Thursday evening at Mohawk Racetrack.
Could It Be Magic, who went 6-for-10 as a rookie, got into the win column for the first time this season thanks to her 1:59.4 score in the first of the $18,000 divisions for Grassrooters. Sent off as the 4-5 favourite, Could It Be Magic got away third before making a first-over move going to the half. She improved to be second in the backstretch before rallying again in the lane and posting the win by 1-1/2 lengths over Majestic Mistress. Taking home the show dough was Trumpets.
Trainer Wayne Henry mapped out the winning trip for the daughter of Kadabra-In The Mean Time. The career winner of $213,156 is owned by Ontario partners Fred Brayford of Alliston and Henry Stable of Arthur.
Magical Steph extended her winning streak to two-in-a-row thanks to her 1:59.2 triumph in the second division. This time it was Trevor Henry manufacturing the winning trip with the heavily-favoured daughter of Kadabra-I Like Stephanie. He sat second to the quarter pole before brushing his charge to the top. She sliced out middle panels of :59 and 1:29 before using a :30.2 closing panel to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Stonebridge Peace and Profound Patience.
Gary Lance trains the seven-time winner for GL Racing Inc of Port Perry, Ont. The lions share of the lifted her lifetime earnings $92,740.
Myretirementticket made it three straight wins for favourites in the Grassroots action thanks to her 1:59.3 tally for driver Jody Jamieson. The 3-2 choice was parked every step of the mile before working her way to the front and then drawing clear to win by 1-1/4 lengths over Powerful Glare. Taking home third prize with her last-to-third sweep was Silky Flashy Nfast.
Bred, owned and trained by Eli Wagler of Ingersoll, Ont., Myretirementticket improved this years record to 2-1-2 from 7 starts with the win. The five-time winner has now stashed away $64,408 in lifetime earnings.
Haileysgonedancing broke the string of winning favourites, though she was anything but a longshot. Sent off at odds of 3-1, the daughter of Manofmanymissions-Too Busy To Cook marched to the lead from Post 9 for driver Sylvain Filion and together they cut out fractions of :28.3, :58.4 and 1:28 before slipping home in :30 to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Sunrise Avenue. Very Classy overcame Post 10 to finish a hard-closing third.
Trainer Tony OSullivan of Puslinch, Ont. co-owns the sophomore with Kirk McKinnon of Brampton and Lorne Keller of Exeter, Ont. She now owns a 2-1-0 record from seven trips to the track this year. The four-time winner has banked more than $50,000 to date.
Anneli Hanover hauled home the final piece of hardware thanks to her deep stretch heroics. The daughter of Majestic Son-Above All Hanover was treated to a ground-saving trip by driver James MacDonald, who later shook loose with the filly who charged home in :29.1 to win by 2-3/4 lengths over race favourite Magical Valentine in 1:58.1. Traviata settled for third after doing the first-over work.
Mark Steacy trains the improving youngster for Katherine Steacy, Landmark 8 Racing Stable, David McDonald and Barry White. After going winless in eight starts as a freshman, the improving filly has racked up a 4-0-1 record form nine trips to the track this season. Shes quickly closing in on $30,000 in lifetime earnings.
To view results for Thursday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Thursday Results Mohawk Racetrack.
Robert Bob Goth, 62, of Muncie, Ind., passed away on Wednesday, July 13.
He was born Dec. 5, 1953, in Muncie, the son of Dale Goth and Linda (Redmond) Shepherd. After graduating in 1972 from Wes-Del High School, he went on to explore various occupations, from delivering Pepsi Cola, owning his own business, to operating heavy-duty construction machinery.
All this time, he never lost his love for racing, which had begun back in high school where many hours were spent north of Muncie drag racing. His interests lead to several years living in Decatur, Ind., where he and his partner successfully competed in drag racing throughout the United States. They accumulated many wins and trophies and were most excited about being featured in a national magazine, Super Stock, with Goths picture on the front cover.
He always said There is always a story, and his life story abruptly ended drag racing when his grandpa in Portland became terminally ill and needed someone to help with his horses. Goth quickly stepped-up, moved to Portland, and not only helped care for his grandparents, but changed his love for car racing to horse racing.
He went back to school and studied at IU East at Richmond. He became water superintendent for the City of Portland, where he was employed from 1982 through 1991. He later worked this same position for Gaston, Ind. In 2007, he turned part time horse racing into full time. This became his final occupation, ending with his last two years of medical problems.
But as the story goes, he really had been involved with harness racing all of his life. He had started as a youngster and travelled with his beloved grandparents, Robert and Viola Burk, to tracks throughout the midwest. So for the last 35 years, Goth had been very active as an owner, breeder, trainer and driver of horses, thus continuing a line that includes three generations of horse trainers. For many of those years he successfully raced horses on the tough Chicago circuit.
Organizations which he was involved with and supported were the United States Trotting Association, Indiana Training Trotting & Pacing Association, Standardbred Owners & Breeders of Indiana, Illinois Standardbred Owners and Breeders Association, Michigan Harness Racing Association, Illinois Harness Racing Association, and Jayland Trotting Association of Portland, Ind.
Goth counted his most precious treasures as his family and the many friends he acquired during his life journey. He was most grateful for these friendships (far too many to be able to mention) but also to his doctors, IU Ball Memorial doctors and staff, AMG doctors and staff, ambulance staff, Muncies firefighters, Muncies policemen, and his home nursing staff that along with family, assisted him these past two years.
He is survived by his father, Dale (Linda); mother, Linda Shepherd; sister, Connie; brother, John (Karen); nephews, Ben and Tim; stepsisters, Lisa Kerr, Susan Hayden, Karen Tolley and Tracy King; special friends and extended family that include Jean Marks and John Shepherd; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Andrew (A.J.) and grandmother, Fern; and grandfather, Bob and grandmother, Viola Burk.
A celebration of life service will be held at the Jay County Fairgrounds inside Bubp Hall at 7 p.m. on Sunday (July 17). Calling will also be inside Bubp Hall from 6 p.m. on Sunday until the time of service. A memorial mass will be held on Monday (July 18) at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Muncie, at 9 a.m. with Father David Hellmann officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Jayland Trotting Association, 1932 East 300 South, Portland, IN 47371, or any charity of your choosing.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at parsonmortuary.com.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Bob Goth.
(USTA)
Terror in Nice: Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains Return to France Following Latest Attack
Contact: Lisa Moseley, 704-401-2116, lmoseley@bgea.org CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 15, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- An international coalition of crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team are returning to France to offer emotional and spiritual care on the streets of Nice following last night's horrific terror attack.Though the situation continues to develop and unfold, the latest news reports indicate that more than 80 people died in the violent Bastille Day attack. Dozens more were injured."Once again we find ourselves staring into the face of terror and evil," said Jack Munday, international director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. "We will bring a light of hope into a very dark situation, providing a ministry of presence for those who want to talk, pray, or grieve. So many need our prayers right now."Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, used Twitter to ask for prayer following the tragedy: "Pray for France as the country grieves the loss of 84 people and many more wounded in the terror attack in #Nice."The joint effort of the U.S., Canada and U.K. Billy Graham Rapid Response Teams includes French-speaking chaplains. It is anticipated that they will be joined by newly-trained chaplains from Paris and Brussels, cities that have also weathered terrorist attacks in recent months.The deployment to Nice marks the seventh time in the last 10 months that the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has sent chaplains into areas involved in mass shootings or terror attacks. Chaplains are currently ministering in Dallas following the shooting deaths of five law enforcement officers last week, and they recently completed their ministry in Orlando after the massacre of 49 people in the Pulse nightclub.The group also responded to Brussels, Belgium (March 2016), San Bernardino, Calif. (December 2015), Paris, France (November 2015), and Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. (October 2015).Additionally, chaplains continue to minister in Baton Rouge, La., Brazoria County, Texas, Kanawha County, W.Va., and Greenbrier County, W.Va.For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt . Updates can also be found at www.facebook.com/RRTChaplains About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team:The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into a nationwide network of chaplains in 48 states who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 225 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
I'm Lovin' It: McDonald's Makes Protecting Children and Families from Internet Pornography and Child Pornography Top Priority
Enough Is Enough Praises Worldwide Chain for Internet Safety Leadership
Contact: Kevin McVicker, Shirley & Banister Public Affairs, 703-739-5920, kmcvicker@sbpublicaffairs.com
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Enough Is Enough (EIE), the nation's pioneering Internet safety organization praises the McDonald's corporation for their decision to filter public Wi-Fi from pornography and child pornography.
EIE launched its "National Porn Free Wi-Fi" campaign" in the fall of 2014, with nearly 50,000 petitions and 75 partner organizations encouraging McDonald's and Starbucks to lead Corporate America in filtering Wi-Fi. Both companies were early adopters in the U.K., where they voluntarily filtered pornography on their public WiFi networks. McDonald's responded rapidly and positively to the initial outreach to their CEO by EIE in spring 2014, and began exploring options for WiFi filtering. To date, Starbucks has yet to respond.
In the first quarter of 2016, McDonald's began to implement their new filtered WiFi policy in their corporate-owned restaurants in the U.S., and made the same service available to their franchisees. While McDonald's wasn't aware of any pornography related incidents in their stores, their move to offer filtered WiFi is clearly one more major step in the right direction. The bottom line - the majority of McDonald's restaurants now offer safer WiFi access for their patrons.
"Parents can have peace of mind that, when they or their children go to McDonald's, they will have a safer and more friendly WiFi experience, filtered from pornography, from child porn and from potential sexual exploitation and predation," said EIE President Donna Rice Hughes. "McDonald's deserves widespread praise for this act of corporate responsibility and commitment to children and family safety."
By proactively filtering pornography and child porn on their WiFi, McDonald's now joins others such as Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread demonstrating their commitment to provide safe and secure WiFi resulting in a family friendly environment for all of their patrons.
"Internet safety is now the fourth top-ranked health issue for U.S. children with peer-reviewed research confirming Internet pornography as a public health crisis. There are many studies on the deleterious effects of Internet pornography on the developing brains of children and teens and the fueling role of porn on child sexual exploitation. Parents need to know which family restaurants are safe from online threats. Other companies would be wise to follow McDonald's lead," said Mrs. Hughes.
Enough Is Enough is a national bi-partisan non-profit organization who has led the fight to make the Internet safer for children and families since 1994. EIE's efforts are focused on combating Internet p*rnography, child p*rnography, sexual predation, and cyberbullying by incorporating a three-pronged prevention strategy with shared responsibilities between the public, Corporate America, and the legal community. www.enough.org
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Kevin McVicker with Shirley & Banister Public Affairs at (703) 739-5920 or kmcvicker@sbpublicaffairs.com.
During Anime Expo, Aniplex of America announced that they will be hosting a new type of anime convention at Little Tokyo in Los Angeles on October 15th & 16th. The Event will include exclusive film screenings, expert panels and workshops, playable video game demos, technology demos, cosplay contests, themed cafes, exclusive merchandise offers, Japanese food and beverages, and much more!
Aniplex of America Announces AkibaFest, A New Animation and Technology Festival Taking Place October 15th & 16th In Little Tokyo, Los Angeles
Los Angeles-based publisher of anime hit franchises like Sword Art Online announces 2-day animation and Japanese pop culture festival
Los Angeles, CA -- July 1, 2016
Aniplex of America, a Los Angeles-based publisher of many of todays most popular anime franchises today announced their plan to bring AkibaFest --a new type of anime convention to Southern California-- inspired by the most popular aspects of Akihabara, aka the Japanese pop culture capital of the world. AkibaFest will take place on October 15th and 16th in 2016 in the Little Tokyo section of Los Angeles.
Fans of anime, manga, games, cosplay, and more can register for updates on the AkibaFest website now. The full site will launch in late-July, with updates on performers, activities, participating anime and game publishers, as well as ticket and pricing details. For fans of animation and everything related to Akihabara, AkibaFest promises to be the ultimate fan event of the year.
Aniplex of America President, Hideki Goto, said Its clear from the passion exhibited by anime fans, cosplayers, manga collectors, tech enthusiasts and gamers that there is still a thirst for new experiences. However, it is only with the support of the fans that we can make AkibaFest a successful event. Only with their enthusiastic participation can we turn Little Tokyo into Little Akiba on the weekend of October 15th and 16th.
John Inada, Aniplex of Americas Director of Business Development said A lot of events offer different facets of Japanese culture, but there hasnt been an event that really brings it all together. Our goal for AkibaFest is to fill this void in as authentic manner as possible. Were going to transform Little Tokyo into the closest thing to Akiba as possible. If we cant bring you to Akihabara, were going to bring Akihabara to you.
AkibaFest is a cooperative venture between Aniplex of America, other notable anime and video game publishers, technology partners, and the Little Tokyo business community. Fans will be able to enjoy exclusive film screenings, expert panels and workshops, playable video game demos, technology demos, cosplay contests, themed cafes, exclusive merchandise offers, Japanese food and beverages, and much more.
For more information please visit the ANIPLEX USA website: here
Reliance Digital has announced the release of two new flagships under its Water series named as LYF Water 4 and LYF Water 6. The price range of both gadgets is kept Rs 8,999 and Rs 7,599 separately. Having many similarities to the previously launched LYF Smartphones, both phones are found 4G compatible with VoLTE. Releasing in the month of July 2016, these Smartphones are now available in Reliance Digital stores all over India.
Added features to check out:
Reliance with each of its flagship release looks forward to bring some new features and specs and with these two newly launched devices, it also continued its brilliance.
Both LYF 4 and 6 have a 5.00-inch touchscreen with a display resolution of 720/1280 pixels at a PPI of 294 pixels per inch. Powered by 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, both phones come with 2GB of RAM. Moreover, LYF 4 with a 16 GB memory and LYF 6 with a 32 GB internal memory are making both phones dazzling and more useful. However, both memories cant be expanded.
Rolling up to the camera part, both devices are empowered with 13 MP rear cameras and 5 MP front cameras. Both phones also are running on Android version 5.1.1 and 2920mAh nonremovable battery. Moreover, both are incorporated with 3G and 4G, accepting micro-SIM, giving compatibility to Indian 4G system.
Connectivity options of both phones include all of the top-notch specifications like Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, FM, etc. Coming to the sensor part, users will find the options of Compass/ Magnetometer, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, and Gyroscope in both devices. Though the price range for LYF Water 4 is Rs. 8,999 and Rs 7,599 for LYF Water 6, it may vary from regions to regions.
Skeleton have appeared to sprawl on the rocky terrain as per one of the photographs taken by the Rover. This was enhanced by self-proclaim alien hunter on his Youtube page. The alien skeleton found on Mars has been discussed in the Youtube channel Paranormal Crucible uploaded video. From one of Curiosity Rovers video taken last June 2015, the photo was grabbed. The enhanced image shows what appears to be a human-like skeletal system. This is undoubtedly the skeletal remains of an alien. Finding finally the evidence that could change how we see Mars forever is being claimed by alien hunters.
The paranormal crucible argues this to be the intact skeleton of an ancient Martian king or warrior.
From an image captured by NASAs Curiosity rover the bizarre sighting comes. This appears to show a complete set of humanoid bones lying among rocks on the red planet.
The point that it is Martian skeletal remains which bear undeniable similarities to human bones, is being claimed by YouTube.
Rocky debris can be seen scattered across the Martian landscape, in the original photo taken by Curiositys Mars Hand Lens Imager.
A skeleton can be seen lying on the ground, on the far right side of the image as said by the alien enthusiast.
YouTube user Paranormal Crucible wrote, I was alerted to this artifact by one of the subscribers and in my opinion its [sic] an ancient Martian skeleton.
To bring out the details we can see in the video, I gently colorized the image. Adorned with an ornate or decorative head piece, the relic has a large skull. The remains of a king, religious icon or perhaps a fallen warrior could be indicated by this.
In my opinion this is undoubtedly the skeletal remains of an alien humanoid. I have cross referenced the relics [sic] remains and compared them with bones found in humans, and the comparison is undeniable.
On September 24th Google is hosting a gaming festival in San Francisco which is the first time ever. This festival can simply be called as Indie Games Festival. At this festival, Google aims to focus on the independent developers who are building apps for Android Operating System. In this festival Google would highlight the best 30 Indie games that are available in its Play Store and the upcoming apps to be launched soon. With this Google has declared to award the top submissions.
Festival open for US and Canada developers
At this festival, the game developers would be able to showcase their Indie titles and can increase their public network. This festival is open for the US and Canada developers only. The developers can include their team of 15 members or less.
Developers need to fulfill the conditions laid by Google
Admission to the festival is free but the developers need to fulfill the conditions laid by Google. The featured games of the developers must have released in 2016 or published within the end of this year. If the game is unpublished then the developers must be able to produce a playable demo at the event. The developers need to fill up a submission form. Last date of submitting the form is August 14th. Any of the developers could be one of the 3 winners from the selected 30. Google lays condition for the developers team to be a private entity. The developers can apply for participation in the festival for Virtual Reality (VR) or the augmented reality (AR) games.
Google arranging wide platform for game developers
Google Play store is the leading with more than 65 billion apps and games downloaded within the past year. Hosting such festival, Google is providing an excellent platform and opportunity for the game developers with support to the Indie game community.
After submissions of the forms, Google would announce the names of qualified 30 teams by the end of August who would take the glory to participate at the festival.
Naina Khedekar
Transportation has seen some serious changes in the past few decades, but there is one thing that has remained the same autos. They are the primary mode of first and last-mile transportation in Indian cities, towns and rural areas. After all, we don't really have taxis, except Mumbai's kaali peeli and Kolkata's iconic yellow taxi. In a city like Bengaluru, until few years ago, you would have only relied on autos, which were known to demand outrageous fixed rates and also popular for not returning the change.
In the past couple of years, the auto industry has been changing, and for good. As the good old autorickshaw completes 60 years since it was founded, we speak to Anand Subramanian, Senior Director, PR and Communications, and Sundeep Sahni, VP of New Initiatives, who tell us the Ola Auto story.
Ola started as a cab aggregator in 2011. It was a sensible model, emulating the successful US based aggregator model. However, as countries we differ majorly in terms of how we travel, size, purchasing power and culture. It was only logical to make the most-known transportation work in favour of citizens, while ensuring auto drivers get a fair due.
Ola Auto started as an experiment
Not many may give heed to what an intern is saying, Ola ended up building a new category out of a suggestion by an intern. Yes, you heard that right. Subramanian tells us that it was around 2014 wherein an inter suggested the idea of getting into the same technology that we have introduced for cab booking for auto bookings as well. "It started as an experiment, but scaled up very quickly. Today its a full-fledged category for Ola," he added.
Today, roughly under 18 months of Ola Auto's existence, the company has 1,20,000 auto drivers attached to the platform. "
Looking back, it makes absolute sense as autos are the most basic form of personal transportation. As a country we dont have concept of taxis, but for cities like Mumbai and Kolkata. It made a lot of sense to deliver the same experience for autos as with cabs," he explained.
Bringing auto drivers to the platform
For Ola, approaching auto drivers was a partnership, but unlike any other. Sahni tells us that the Ola team had to sit them down to understand the market, their pain points like driving idle, waiting for a ride and so on before they begin the journey together. Working on a plan that will help them combat the pain points and also help customers was a plan that was devised from these meetings. The company doesn't approach or associate with any auto union, rather considers every auto driver as an entrepreneur while approaching them individually. "Auto drivers saw great value in the proposition as technology could solve their problem," he said.
"We are now celebrating 60 years of auto, but there hasn't been any tech innovation. The auto industry had been the same since 1957, but yet maintained its popularity in India," he added.
Sahni tells us that that network referral is something that has been working for them. Once a driver starts getting more rides, exposure to technology and so on, others also join in. Ola has made it convenient for the drivers, as they will get the demand once they join in, but have the flexibility to log out whenever they wish.
The company recently introduced 100 e-rickshaws in Lucknow. "The idea was to bring in the same-kind of environment-friendly and pocket friendly connectivity. It is a platform for cycle rickshaw vendors to procure a rickshaw. The platform offers financial support," he added.
The initiative was launched earlier this year as by PM Modi as part of Stand Up India'.
Security
While the buzz word these days is bots, Sahni tells us that the company's focus will remain the app. "Ola has multiple options from Ola bike n Gurgaon to the 12-20 seater shuttle across cities, the user-friendly, intuitive mobile app is built to make the experience seamless. It is built specially to suit Indian commuters. The focus is maintaining the consistency of the overall app experience, " Sahni said.
Getting to one of the prime factors - security. The Ola app lets you track the auto ride, share it with a loved one, and give a feedback for the driver and also has a panic button for commuters built within the app connecting you to safety team and even police.
Remember Bangalore resident Ranjana Shanker's who thanked Ola driver for his generosity. The training also involves behavioral ethics, especially with female passengers. But, what's worth noting is the training sessions crafted for auto drivers. Subramanian says they are essentially divided into three segments - familiarising the drivers with technology, session on navigation and support system, and finally behavioral and ethics training. There is also a support system build for drivers.
Technology
Technology has played a vital role in our lives. A decade ago, you wouldn't have imagined that an auto from around your vicinity would reach your doorsteps with a touch of the button. The driver wouldn't have imagined that a driver finds demand in his own vicinity and there will be less of idle time searching for a ride. Today, drivers use smartphone and accompanying apps along with features like Maps and Ola Money. Adding to the convenience is the support for eight local languages, which makes it even easier. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, the driver can access the app in Tamil, while in Karnataka, Kannada is the option for language of choice.
Ola Money has also help drive in some changes. Christy Thompson, an Ola driver from Bengaluru told us how Ola (Money) has encouraged him to open a bank account. I never had a bank account, this way I never put any money in the bank. Automatically, there is money being put into my bank and I have a small amount of savings. None of the auto guys do these things. So it is a better plan that every auto driver must have some kind of savings, he explains.
Besides, Ola Money has helped in many ways, he adds. Sometimes we run out of cash, at that time, we can swipe the card to buy gas, Thompson added.
Win-win for both
Reminiscing some childhood memories, Sahni adds how in younger days, one had to walk out and look for an auto. However, this has changed, as Ola Auto comes right at your doorsteps, just like your cab would. So, you get an auto at your doorsteps, there is no need to haggle and there is also the Ola Money app. While this has benefited users, drivers also get their share of due.
Sahni points out that auto drivers make roughly 600 700 per day. The platform has increased the revenue by 40 percent. "40 percent jump is significant jump as it brings additional revenue," adds Subramanian.
Besides, they are updated with the demand in their vicinity and the idle time has reduced. They are also empowered with technology and financial facilities.
tech2 News Staff
EU carriers promise a faster 5G roll out if EU regulations ease up on Net Neutrality regulations. The current policies make the telecom service providers risk averse, as there are many uncertainties around the 5G rollout. A number of major operators have endorsed a 5G manifesto (.pdf) that demands more relaxed net neutrality regulations in order to implement 5G quickly. The companies that have endorsed the manifesto include Deutsche Telekom, Nokia, Orange, Hutchison Whampoa Europe, Telecom Italia, Vodafone and Telenor. Companies interested in getting involved with the 5G roll out include Airbus Defence and Space, Royal Philips and Siemens AG.
The issue here is that the next generation of internet will have to manage delivery of content, and give preferential treatment for some kinds of data. 5G internet is expected to be used for the internet of things, smart cities, automated vehicles, high definition virtual reality content, delivery of essential services, and grid control. This means that the service delivered will have to be elastic, and adapt to demand. The resources allocated for particular tasks have to be easily reconfigured as per the current requirements.
Fewer and simpler rules will stimulate investment by telecom companies in the sector. In India, Trai's pre-consultation paper on free data takes a strong stand on net neutrality. There is a demand for less regulations in traffic management, the same demand being made by telecom operators in EU. This begs the question, if we do compromise on net neutrality regulations, will we get better internet, faster?
tech2 News Staff
Facebook activated its safety check feature in Nice, France, after a truck driver run amok in a crowd of Bastille Day celebrators, which is the National Day of France. The truck ploughed through the crowd, leaving injured and dead in its wake. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack.
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/753780860466245632
The attack left 80 people dead, including children. This is the third instance in recent times that Facebook has activated the Safety Check feature. The Safety Check was activated in Turkey on 29 June after a suicide bomber killed 35 people in an attack on Istanbul's Airport. On 13 June, Safety Check was activated after a mass shooting at a gay club in Florida, in the United States.
Facebook safety check is a feature that allows users to mark themselves as safe during emergency situations. Facebook tracks locations of users, and sends a notification to ask if the user is safe when they are detected to be in close proximity to a crisis situation. The feature sends notifications to friends and family, informing them that the affected users are safe. There is no option to mark yourself as unsafe in Safety Check. Users can also mark friends and family as safe, but the users have to confirm the marking before a notification is sent out to contacts.
Naina Khedekar
Whether it were Paris attacks, San Bernardino shootings, Burhan Wani, or the most recent Nice attacks, many have come to vent out their hatred towards terrorists and its most vocal form Islamic State on social platforms. While platforms like Twitter and Facebook are also used extend a helping hand to victims, but the same platforms are also criticised for not-so-stringent anti-terrorism policies.
The $1 billion lawsuit recently came to light, along with other lawsuits against social media and Internet companies for not being able to curb such information circulation online and propagating hatred and violence. During crisis, it is easy to report incidents on Facebook and Twitter, even before the media gets there. However, this broad reach is also leveraged for wrong reasons by malicious minds. Terrorist group al-Shabab is known to have live tweeted throughout the Nairobi mall attack in 2013, while French terror suspect reportedly streamed the attack on Facebook Live.
Lets take a look at the anti-terrorist policies by leading social platforms Facebook and Twitter.
Facebook
In a Change.org petition ( that got over 140,000 signatures) following the Paris attacks last year, Julie Guilbault had slammed Facebook for not being fast enough at taking down posts. Guilbault had said how Islamic State bot sent statement claiming responsibility every five minutes that were accompanied by links praising the suicide bombers and threatening people of consequences. Though Facebook took down the messages, the petition said it was tad too late.
Monika Bickert, Facebook's head of Global Product Policy had said, explaining the company's policy, that as soon as content is reported, it is reviewed by highly trained global team. The team looks over reports around the clock, and anti-terrorism related ones are taken on priority. Then, any person or group with a violent mission or engaged in acts of terrorism are removed. Content supporting such groups are also pulled out. Moreover, Facebook claims to take efforts to find terrorist related material and remove the associated content.
Now, we know that Facebook enables its Safety Check feature for those in affected areas and their loved ones. But, Facebook is also said to reorganise its employees and, doesnt hesitate shifting resources in a way that it can quickly respond to any violating content on the site. But, Facebook also said that it can't take out all the content as there has to be some content to promote awareness.
In fact, in its bid to take down Islamic State related content, we have also seen it err.
https://twitter.com/isisAnchalee/status/666718100377628673
In another incident, after the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani, Huma Dar, an academic associated with the University of California, Berkeley and a pro-Kashmir activist had her account allegedly banned by Facebook for showing solidarity. On confronting Facebook about the ban, the social giant told us, Our Community Standards prohibit content that praises or supports terrorists, terrorist organisations or terrorism, and we remove it as soon as were made aware of it. We welcome discussion on these subjects but any terrorist content has to be clearly put in a context which condemns these organisations or their violent activities.
It is quite likely that the message may have been flagged or reported by many, but that may not necessarily be the reason. Its not just reports that leads to banning or pulling down content. In many cases, you may not even know the reason. Yes, Facebook can legally block content without owing you an explanation.However, Facebook users whose accounts have been blocked get the option to learn why it has been blocked with fb.me/disabled and many users have been able to restore them.
The clause that led to banning Dars account reads, We dont allow any organisations that are engaged in the following to have a presence on Facebook: Terrorist activity, or Organised criminal activity. We also remove content that expresses support for groups that are involved in the violent or criminal behaviour mentioned above. Supporting or praising leaders of those same organisations, or condoning their violent activities, is not allowed. We welcome broad discussion and social commentary on these general subjects, but ask that people show sensitivity towards victims of violence and discrimination.
Twitter
Twitter is no different. The micro-blogging site has been adding muscle to its team working at anti-terrorism related content. Earlier this year in February, Twitter deleted 125,000 Islamic State accounts and expanded anti-terror teams to monitor extremist content. It is known to have tightened its stand against hateful and extremist content.
Twitter relies on its team that uses partly technology and partly human judgement. The team sifts through suspect accounts. Islamic State is also known to implement bots that keep churning out content. These automated accounts are caught using technologies usually used to detect spam.
Twitter lets you report a tweet by tapping on the icon ... for web and iOS, or the overflow icon on Android. Select Report and then choose 'They're being abusive or harmful'.
Twitter Rules clearly mention, "You may not make threats of violence or promote violence, including threatening or promoting terrorism." However, it requires the team to take some tough calls, and analyse to what degree the tweet or shared content is offensive and extremist. For Twitter, it gets even trickier as the platform is known for promoting free speech and open debate. In the past, its founder has received death threats for removing Islamic State-related content.
Over the years, the social giants have been trying to ensure that life isnt easy for Internet savvy terrorists. However, one should know that social and Internet companies are shielded by law against what a third-party posts. This brings us to crossroads for dealing with new-age problems, and a solution that still needs to be worked upon.
tech2 News Staff
Microsoft has announced that it is bringing Skype, the popular video calling and messaging app to Linux, Chrome and, Chromebook devices. The Linux version of the app is currently in the Alpha state while the company actively works on the development. A stable version of the app will be launched once the bugs and issues are worked out in the App. The alpha app only offers audio calls along with the ability to add contacts, instant message and use of new emoticon packs. Even though the app only supports 64-bit Linux and lack of screen sharing, there is only so much that can be expected an Alpha software. The video will come soon according to Microsoft Corporate Vice President Gurdeep Pall as reported by saudigazette.
The company further announced that Chrome and Chromebook device users can go to web.skype.com and start using the web version of the app. Even though both Linux, Chrome, and Chromebook are really web apps (for Linux it is WebRTC client) but all versions sport Skype's next generation calling architecture. The company has promised to "release an update every two weeks or so". The promise of regular updates comes after the company did not update the previous Skype app in last two years.
Microsoft again emphasised on its commitment to Linux and Chrome. Linux, Chrome and Chromebook support is part of the bigger strategy by Microsoft. The company is focusing on providing their products across multiple platforms instead of just being limited to their only platform to reach out to as many as users.
Naina Khedekar
Donald Trump is a well known figure. While people may or may not like him, over 100 tech entrepreneurs have made their intentions quite clear on how they stand against Donald Trumps divisive candidacy.
An open letter signed by many of these entrepreneurs which include Twitter co-founder Ev Williams, Box's Aaron Levie, Flickr's Caterina Fake, Qualcomm's Irwin Jacobs and Samsung's Richard D. Titus among others, have called him a 'disaster to innovation'. "We have listened to Donald Trump over the past year and we have concluded: Trump would be a disaster for innovation," the letter reads.
His comments have irked people all through the year, and all that he has said until now has a broader effect on the tech industry. Gathered from the comments and speeches he made in the past one year, the letter talks about how his vision is against open exchange of ideas, free movement of people, and productive engagement with the outside world. "This will be critical to the economy and for what provides the foundation for innovation and growth," the letter reads.
America owes its growth to diversity. Attracting people from societies across the globe "We also believe that progressive immigration policies help us attract and retain some of the brightest minds on earth scientists, entrepreneurs, and creators. In fact, 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children," the letter says. It notes how 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. On the other hand, Donald Trump is known for taking jibes with ethnic and racial stereotypes. He repeatedly insults women, and is known to be hostile to immigration. "He has promised a wall, mass deportations, and profiling," the report points out.
There is more than just that why he is threat to tech innovations. Trump has also proposed shutting down parts of the Internet as a security strategy. This demonstrates both poor judgment and ignorance about how technology works. The letter backs this by saying, "His penchant to censor extends to revoking press credentials and threatening to punish media platforms that criticize him."
Needless to say, governments are known to play important role in the technology economy by investing in infrastructure, education and scientific research. "Trump articulates few policies beyond erratic and contradictory pronouncements. His reckless disregard for our legal and political institutions threatens to upend what attracts companies to start and scale in America," adds the letter.
This letter isn't surprising as earlier in March, we heard about what sounded like a dramatic plot from a movie with words like secret meeting, isolated island and assorted billionaires strewn around. Add to that Republican senators, biggest tech companies and Donald trump, and it could get all the more interesting. The meeting reportedly included Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google co-founder Larry Page, Sean Parker, and Elon Musk, among others. The closed meeting reportedly had dignitaries discuss how to stop Donald Trump from getting nominated.
Trump has got the whole worried right now. Trump is said to a potential threat for distorting markets, reducing exports, and slowing job creation.
Watch out this video, wherein TEAME, a tea company from India has sent him natural green tea and a message:
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The chairman of the U.S. Senate committee that oversees auto safety issues wrote Tesla Motors Chief Executive Elon Musk, asking the automaker to brief the committee on a fatal May 7 crash involving its Autopilot software.
Senator John Thune, a South Dakota Republican who heads the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, asked the automaker to brief the committee by July 29 on the accident and Tesla's response to it, according to the letter seen by Reuters.
The request from Thune, signaling increased scrutiny on the Silicon Valley heavyweight, came as Consumer Reports magazine urged Tesla to disable the automatic steering function on its electric vehicles due to the crash, which U.S. safety regulators are investigating.
The magazine, which has 8 million subscribers and influences buyer decisions with its annual vehicle ratings, also asked Tesla to change the name of its Autopilot driving-assist system to fully test safety systems before public deployment.
Thune wrote that he was interested in hearing about Tesla's efforts to ensure its technology is "deployed safely." He added that "manufacturers must educate consumers not only about their benefits but also their limitations."
A Tesla spokeswoman said she had not seen the letter and did not have an immediate comment. Separately, Musk said in a tweet that a recent crash in Pennsylvania, in which the driver said he was in Autopilot mode when he crashed, was not due to the software. "Onboard vehicle logs show Autopilot was turned off in Pennsylvania crash. Moreover, crash would not have occurred if it was on," Musk wrote.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said last week that it was reviewing the Pennsylvania crash. The Pennsylvania State Police said on Tuesday that the Tesla driver, Albert Scaglione of Farmington Hills, Michigan, had been charged with careless driving.
Consumer Reports said the Autopilot name promotes "a potentially dangerous assumption" that the vehicle is capable of driving on its own. But California-based Tesla defended the product and its name, saying Autopilot functions like the systems that airplane pilots use when conditions are clear. "The driver is still responsible for, and ultimately in control of, the car," the company said.
NHTSA is investigating the May 7 crash and death in Florida of a Model S driver who was using Autopilot. Consumer Reports said it wants Tesla to require drivers to keep their hands on the wheel as part of an updated driver-assist system. "By marketing their feature as Autopilot, Tesla gives consumers a false sense of security," said Laura MacCleery, vice president of consumer policy and mobilization for Consumer Reports.
"Were deeply concerned that consumers are being sold a pile of promises about unproven technology. Autopilot can't actually drive the car, yet it allows consumers to have their hands off the steering wheel for minutes at a time." Tesla said that while it appreciated well-meaning advice, the company would make its decisions "on the basis of real-world data, not speculation by media."
Tesla shares were little changed on Thursday, trading at $222.90. Tesla, in a June blog post about the Florida crash, described Autopilot as being in a "public beta phase" and said customers have to opt in before activation. Earlier this week, NHTSA said it wants records of how many times the system told drivers to put their hands on the wheel.
Tesla said on Tuesday its autosteer software, the steering function in Autopilot, was enabled during a Sunday crash involving a Model X in Montana. Tesla said data suggested "the drivers hands were not on the steering wheel."
Reuters
tech2 News Staff
Trai has released results of quality of service tests conducted in Thiruvananthapuram. In this round of drive by tests being conducted across the nation, Trai has released results of tests conducted in Ranchi, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
In Thiruvananthapuram, the drive by tests were conducted over a range of 350 kilometres. The tests were conducted between 1 June to 3 June this year. The Independent tests were conducted by the audit agency CS Datamation. In the other circles we have covered, the audit agency was either IMRB International or Phistream consulting. The telecom operators were assessed on all technologies in the circle, including 2G, 3G and CDMA. The providers active in Thiruvananthapuram are Airtel, Aircel, Idea, Vodafone, RCOM, BSNL, DoCoMo, MTS, Reliance and TATA. The results are below.
One of the objectives of the tests is to verify if telecom service providers are meeting the call drop benchmarks. Airtel 2G, DoCoMo 2G, Aircel 2G and 3G failed the call drop rate benchmark in Thiruvananthapuram. All operators in the circle met the call set up rate benchmark of greater than 95 per cent. DoCoMo 3G was the only provider who did not meet the call block rate benchmark. Airtel on 2G was the only operator to fail in the call quality measurements.
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A federal appeals court on Thursday said the U.S. government cannot force Microsoft Corp and other companies to turn over customer emails stored on servers outside the United States. The 3-0 decision by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan is a defeat for the U.S. Department of Justice and a victory for privacy advocates and for technology companies offering cloud computing and other services around the world. Circuit Judge Susan Carney said communications held by U.S. service providers on servers outside the United States are beyond the reach of domestic search warrants issued under the Stored Communications Act, a 1986 federal law.
"Congress did not intend the SCA's warrant provisions to apply extraterritorially," she wrote. "The focus of those provisions is protection of a user's privacy interests." Microsoft had been challenging a warrant seeking emails stored on a server in Dublin, Ireland, in a narcotics case. It was believed to be the first U.S. company to challenge a domestic search warrant seeking data held outside the country.
Thursday's decision reversed a July 2014 ruling by then-Chief Judge Loretta Preska of U.S. district court in Manhattan requiring Microsoft to turn over the emails. It also voided a contempt finding against the company. "We obviously welcome today's decision," Brad Smith, Microsoft's president and chief legal officer, said in a statement. He said the decision gives people more confidence to rely on their own countries' laws to protect their privacy, rather than worry about foreign interference, and helps ensure that "legal protections of the physical world apply in the digital domain." Peter Carr, a Justice Department spokesman, said the agency was disappointed by the decision and reviewing its legal options.
The case has attracted strong interest from the technology and media sectors, amid concern that giving prosecutors expansive power to collect data outside the country could make it harder for U.S. companies to compete there. Dozens of companies, organizations and individuals filed briefs supporting Microsoft's appeal, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc, Cisco Systems Inc, CNN, Fox News Network, Gannett Co and Verizon Communications Inc.
Had the court gone the other way, "it would have been like the Wild West, with no clear, stable legal rules applying," Greg Nojeim, senior counsel with the nonprofit Center for Democracy & Technology in Washington, D.C., said in an interview. Microsoft had said the warrant could not reach emails on the Dublin server because U.S. law did not apply there.
The Redmond, Washington-based company also said enforcing the warrant could spark a global "free-for-all," where law enforcement authorities elsewhere might seize emails belonging to Americans and stored in the United States.
Federal prosecutors countered that quashing warrants such as Microsoft's would impede their own law enforcement efforts. But Judge Carney said limiting the reach of warrants serves "the interest of comity" that normally governs cross-border criminal investigations. She said that comity is also reflected in treaties between the United States and all European Union countries, including Ireland, to assist each other in such probes.
Some law enforcement officials have said obtaining such assistance can, nonetheless, be cumbersome and time-consuming. The Justice Department is working on a bilateral plan to streamline how U.S. and British authorities request data from companies in each other's country. A bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate in May to clarify when and where law enforcement may access electronic communications of U.S. citizens.
Circuit Judge Gerard Lynch, who concurred in the judgment, urged Congress to modernize the "badly outdated" 1986 law to strike a better balance between law enforcement needs and users' privacy interests and expectations. Lynch said the law, as it stands now, lets Microsoft thwart an otherwise justified demand to turn over emails by the "simple expedient" of choosing to store them outside the United States. "I concur in the result, but without any illusion that the result should even be regarded as a rational policy outcome, let alone celebrated as a milestone in protecting privacy," he wrote.
Reuters
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By Sanjeev Duggal
An overpowering importance is now attached to Indias national skills policy with extensive skill training initiatives unfolding throughout the country. The skill development initiative is an unprecedentedly ambitious exercise designed to tackle unemployment and meet the demand for human capital in a rapidly changing economy. This has helped in moulding an entire generation of workers by transforming their human capabilities, life-skills, attitudes and mind-set.
Challenges galore in the Indian skilling landscape owing to its vast geographical expanse and varying socio-economic conditions with significant disparities. These growing challenges make it even more imperative to aim for a social transformation to further aid the growing skills landscape. The skill-o-sphere, as I call it, is laced with very peculiar set of localised barriers that make the skilling gamut a tough terrain to climb. To dwell upon a few, the candidates who enroll for skilling courses often do not have necessary means to finance them. Further, the ability and the basic premise of which job profiles to take-up matching their skill sets is absent. Also, most of these candidates eventually land up qualifying for the minimum wage job, which does not encourage them to be mobile from their homes because theyre not earning enough to leave their home and the village.
There also exists a mismatch between where people live and where the job opportunities exist that can be explained from the fact that while there are people in every village who require training but there may not necessarily be a job opportunity present in their existing surroundings. As a result, people are left with no other option but to migrate and move in search of a suitable job opportunity. Another mounting roadblock is in the sphere of pedagogy. Every individual has different learning behaviours with issues ranging from not knowing how to learn or having the ability and inclination to sit in the classroom and learn.
Apart from these challenges in the skilling world, there are other genuine natural constraints that people have to deal with every day. For instance, in Haryana girls are not encouraged to take up jobs or enroll themselves for training. Also, with a strong agrarian focus of the region, during harvesting season many of them are needed in the family, forcing them to leave the training mid-way.
Seeing these real challenges that exist and that we deal with on a daily basis I believe that a market demand has to be created for Skilling. And a social transformation at the heart of Indias sociology is the only way forward and the pressing need of the hour. While we understand its a slow and long journey, it also requires tact and caution that we maintain while approaching this issue.
At the centre of the Indian society studying to be a vocationally skilled person was always a lower end intuit and it still continues to be the same. The career dreams, embraced by both students and their families, are still restricted to becoming Doctors, Scientists, Engineers and joining the Army and pursuing and MBA. This basic premise needs to undergo a transformation.
While we blindly ape the western world, what we havent been able to adapt, respect and clinch is the basic principle upon which their entire society is built Dignity of Labor. There is minimum socioeconomic disparity. For instance, if you go to a hotel in Sydney, the waiter will come and say, mate, can I get you a cup of coffee? He would talk to you more like a peer.
While there are challenges to skilling and changing the mind-set in India, things are undergoing a rapid transformation. Candidates today come with a positive attitude and clear intentions of wanting to excel. With rural masses getting exposed to social media and getting a taste of the urban environment and lifestyle, dreams have begun to soar. The rural populace wants to go up the social ladder and have a better experience in their lifestyle and acquire better jobs to fulfil these dreams. So I think theres a lot of positive vibe around skilling as a way to realize these dreams. During my trips to these rural centres, I always come out of sessions feeling very excited about the youngsters that were dealing with and the energy and the positivity they possess.
With PM Modi initiating and lending his complete faith and support to the Start-up India campaign, self-employment is a new buzz in town thing and thats what excites me about this campaign. Startup India is not about the big and established brands. But its about a plumber setting up his own plumbing shop or about a youth in a village who sets up a bicycle shop to repair bicycles. PM Modi is not trying to create 100 e-commerce entrepreneurs in his quest for encouraging people to take the startup journey. But he is asking and encouraging people to become an entrepreneur at all levels because in India just wage employment cant solve the existing problems of unemployment. This is not about 100 people becoming millionaires. If there are 500 million people in India, the next decade wont see a creation of 500 million jobs. So what you need to do is to get 300 million of these kind of people to become self-employed through skilling and thats the business of Social Transformation.
The country realizes the sheer seriousness and importance of possessing a skilled workforce and needs a coordinated and cohesive effort to make this transformation a vivid reality.
The author is CEO and MD, Centum Learning
British press rakes over PM`s brutal Brexit reshuffle
May heads to Scotland in fight for Brexit UK unity
British Prime Minister Theresa May, pictured, was due in Edinburgh for talks with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has threatened another referendum on Scottish independence.
AFP, London :Britain's newspapers on Friday said new Prime Minister Theresa May had shown steel in her ruthless axing of the cabinet's "old guard".Some dailies focused on her promotion of state-educated MPs and reflected on outgoing prime minister David Cameron's new life outside office."May's radical reshuffle stuns the old guard", said The Guardian's front page, with headshots of the six women she has appointed to cabinet posts."Theresa May drew a decisive line under the Cameron era yesterday, with a sweeping reshuffle in which several of his key ministers were sacked and her handpicked team was rewarded with cabinet posts," it said.In its editorial, the liberal daily said May had shown steel, but asked, "for what purpose?""This highly symbolic show of strength will have many unintended consequences," it said.Ruthlessness and surprise are useful qualities for a prime minister, but they "count for little without clarity" about their purpose."May axes Cameron allies in ruthless cabinet cull", said The Times' front page headline.Its editorial, entitled "May contain nuts", said the new premier faced a difficult task in negotiating Brexit, but "instability at the heart of her cabinet" caused by bringing in "several explosive egos... will make it harder still".Her reshuffle fell between continuity and a break, it said."Mrs May had the daunting task of putting a party back together while simultaneously indicating a vision for doing the same to the country. She did not quite manage it.""Cabinet's Brexit bloodbath" said the i newspaper, with pictures of six sacked ministers. "Ruthless May carries out most brutal reshuffle for half a century," it said.Meanwile, Theresa May was heading to Scotland on Friday in her first visit as Britain's new prime minister, stressing her bid to maintain UK unity after the Brexit vote.May was due in Edinburgh Friday afternoon for talks with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has threatened another referendum on Scottish independence following Britain's seismic vote to leave the European Union.May took office on Wednesday after David Cameron stepped down as premier in the wake of the June 23 referendum.On Thursday, she completed a radical cabinet reshuffle, culling several of Cameron's ministers after stunning world capitals by appointing the often undiplomatic Brexit spearhead Boris Johnson as foreign minister.The referendum result sent shockwaves around the world and sparked fears of an economic downturn, with Britain potentially facing exclusion from Europe's single market -- a key concern for Sturgeon.Scottish voters overwhelmingly backed staying in the EU and nationalist leader Sturgeon sees this as possible grounds for another independence referendum.
Hefazat expresses concern over militant uprising in country
Chittagong Bureau :
Amir of Hefazate Islam Allama Shah Ahmed Shafi expressed concerned over the recently militants attacks in Gulshan and Sholakia Eid Jamaat.
He said a vested quarters in the name of secularism led to atheism conspiring against the nation using the name of Islam through killings of foreigners and the religious persons. In a statement issued to the media he said atheism in the name of secularism are the roots of the militancy.
Press secretary of Hefazat Islam Moulana Munir ahmed confirmed the issue of the statement to press mentioned the expressions of Allama shafi. Mentionable that Allama shafi issued this statement one week after the calls of Inspector general of Police for actions against the militants.
He also expressed in the statement that to hamper the advancement of the development of Bangladesh, national unity and damage the reputations of the govt, a vested quarters is deeply conspiring the disestablize the country.
He also criticized the monitoring on Khatibs, Imams of mosques rather giving support them to play their active roles against the terrorism and anarchy, the statement added.
Law and order review meet held at CIU
Chittagong Bureau :
A meeting over the prevailing law and order situation over the country was held at the conference hall of Chittagong Independent University campus in city on Thursday with its vice chancellor Dr. Mahfuzul Hoque chowdhury in the chair.
Among others, Dean of Business Faculty Prof. Dr. Nurul Absar Nahid, Advisory Professor Dr. M Ayub Islam, Acting Dean of Social science faculty Kazi Mostain Billah, Acting Dean of Law Faculty Prof. Md. Zakir Hossain, University Proctor Engr. Rashid A chowdhury, Prof. Emran Haroon, Director of Finance & Accounts deptt Abdul Based Mondol, Acting Registrar Sarkar Kamrul Mamun, and Manager (Admn) Kumar Doel dey were present in the meeting.
The meeting reviewed the law and order of the university and unanimously decided to strengthen the security measures of the university.
The meeting also discussed the overall law and order situation of the country and vows to cooperate the law enforcing agencies to control the terrorism from the country, an online press release sources said.
Cyber crime and cyber law in Bangladesh
M.M. Rashidul Haque :
Internet has become the backbone of all kinds of communication systems and it is also one of the most important sources of knowledge in the present digitalized world. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by copper wires, fiber optic cables, wireless connections, and other technologies.
Definition of cyber crime : The degree of overlap between organized crime and cybercrime is likely to increase considerably in the next few years. This is something that needs to be recognized by business and government as an emerging and very serious threat to cyber-security. Cyber crime can broadly be defined as a criminal activity involving an information technology infrastructure, including illegal access (unauthorized access), illegal interception, data interference (unauthorized damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration or suppression of computer data), and systems interference, misuse of devices, forgery (theft), and electronic fraud. This includes anything from downloading illegal music files to stealing millions of dollars from online bank accounts. Cyber crime also includes non-monetary offenses, such as creating and distributing viruses on other computers or posting confidential business information on the Internet. In short, it is unlawful acts wherein the computer is either a tool or a target or both.
Types of Cyber Crimes : When any crime is committed over the Internet it is referred to as a cyber crime. There are many types of cyber crimes and the most common ones are explained below:
Hacking: This is a type of crime wherein a person's computer is broken into so that his personal or sensitive information can be accessed. In the United States, hacking is classified as a felony and punishable as such. This is different from ethical hacking, which many organizations use to check their Internet security protection. In hacking, the criminal uses a variety of software to enter a person's computer and the person may not be aware that his computer is being accessed from a remote location.
Theft: This crime occurs when a person violates copyrights and downloads music, movies, games and software. There are even peer sharing websites which encourage software piracy and many of these websites are now being targeted by the FBI. Currently, the justice system is addressing this cyber crime and there are laws that prevent people from illegal downloading.
Cyber Stalking: This is a kind of online harassment wherein the victim is subjected to a barrage of online messages and emails. Typically, these stalkers know their victims and instead of resorting to offline stalking, they use the Internet to stalk. However, if they notice that cyber stalking is not having the desired effect, they begin offline stalking along with cyber stalking to make the victims' lives more miserable.
Identity Theft: This has become a major problem with people using the Internet for cash transactions and banking services. In this cyber crime, a criminal accesses data about a person's bank account, credit cards, social security, debit card and other sensitive information to siphon money or to buy things online in the victim's name. It can result in major financial losses for the victim and even spoil the victim's credit history.
Malicious Software: These are Internet-based software or programs that are used to disrupt a network. The software is used to gain access to a system to steal sensitive information or data or causing damage to software present in the system.
Cyber Defamation: This occurs when defamation takes place with the help of computers and or the Internet e.g. someone publishes defamatory matter(s) about someone on websites or sends e-mail to his friends containing defamatory information.
E-mail spoofing: A spoofed email is that email which appears to originate from one source but actually has been sent from another source. This can also be termed as e-mail forging.
Child soliciting and abuse: This is also a type of cyber crime wherein criminals solicit minors via chat rooms for the purpose of child pornography. The FBI has been spending a lot of time monitoring chat rooms frequented by children with the hopes of reducing and preventing child abuse and soliciting.
Bangladesh has by now already become a victim of cyber crime. The incident of Bangladesh bank heist is one of the proven evidences.
Legal response to cyber crime in Bangladesh
In order to facilitate e-commerce and encourage the growth of information technology, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act, 2006 was enacted making provisions with a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment or fine up to taka 10 million or both.
However, recently the National Parliament amended the ICT Act 2006, raising penalties for cyber crimes setting a minimum of 7 years imprisonment and a maximum of 14 years or a fine of Tk. 1 crore or both. The bill made offences under sections 54, 56, 57 and 61 of the ICT Act, 2006 cognizable and non-bailable, empowering law enforcers to arrest anyone accused of violating the law without a warrant, by invoking section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. All such offences were non-cognizable in the ICT Act, 2006. However, all concerned apprehend of the misuse of the power by the police. The ICT Act, 2006 as amended in 2013 is obviously a brilliant achievement of Bangladesh in the field of cyber law. Critics point out that still there remain certain specific limitations of the said Act as under:
(1) The Act remains silent about various intellectual property rights like copy right, trade mark and patent right of e-information and data.
(2) The enactment has a major effect on e-commerce and m-commerce in Bangladesh. But it keeps itself mum as to the electronic payment of any transaction.
(3) The legislation was initially supposed to be applied to crimes committed all over the world; but nobody knows how this can be achieved in practice.
(4) Spamming has become a peril in the West as such they have made anti spamming provisions in cyber law. However, there is no anti-spamming provision in our Act.
(5) Domain name is the major issue which relates to the internet world thoroughly. But the ICT Act, 2006 does not define 'domain name' and the rights and liabilities relating to this.
(6) The Act does not address any crime committed through using mobile phones.
(7) This law made e-mails as evidence, conflicting with the country's Evidence Act that does not recognize e-mails as evidence.
A session judge or an additional session judge will preside over the Cyber Tribunal and a bench of three members including a chairman who will be an ex or acting judge or a competent person to be a judge of Supreme Court and an ex or acting Dist. Judge and an ICT expert, two other members of the bench, will preside over the Cyber Appellate Tribunal and like the other criminal cases Public Prosecutors will prosecute on behalf of the state in this regard. The problem is that judges and the lawyers are the experts of laws, not of technology, more specifically of internet technology. So judges as well as the lawyers should be trained and made expert in technological knowledge for ensuring the justice of technological disputes.
International perspective on cyber crime : Cyber crime is becoming ever more serious. Findings from Computer Crime and Security Survey show an upward trend that demonstrates a need for a timely review of existing approaches to fighting this new phenomenon in the information age. Each state are reacting to the need of cyber laws. As expressed below-
USA - The United States, to protect the interests of internet businesses, the US Congress has enacted new laws to regulate activities on the internet. With the first digital signature law in the world, the US has established a number of regulations on cybercrime, such as the "National Infrastructure Protection Act of 1996", the "Cyberspace Electronic Security Act of 1999" and the "Patriot Act of 2001". In addition a number of agencies have been set up in the US to fight against cybercrime, including the FBI, National Infrastructure Protection Center, National White Collar Center, Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Unit and so on. The FBI has set up special technical units and developed Carnivore.
England - Two cyber crimes related Acts have been passed by the British Parliament the Data Protection Act of 1984 and the Computer Misuse Act of 1990. The former one deals with actual procurement and use of personal data while the latter defines the laws, procedures and penalties surrounding unauthorized entry into computers. The British government has applied technologies of filtering and rating to protect manors from inappropriate material on the Web.
Canada - in 2001, the Canadian Parliament passed the Criminal Law Amendment Act that has two sections. The first section defines unlawful entry into a computer system and interception of transmissions. The second section criminalizes the actual destruction, alteration, or interruption of data.
Norway - In Norway a Bill on a new Criminal Law (2008-2009) has introduced a provision on identity theft, using the term Identity Infringements that reads as follows:"With a fine or imprisonment not exceeding 2 years shall whoever be punished, that without authority possesses of a means of identity of another, or acts with the identity of another or with an identity that easily may be confused with the identity of another person, with the intent of a) procuring an economic benefit for oneself or for another person, or b) causing a loss of property or inconvenience to another person."
India - The Indian Government has in 2003 announced plans on a comprehensive law for cybercrimes.
(i) Whoever with the intent to cause or knowing that he is likely to cause wrongful loss or damage to the public or any person destroys or deletes or alters any information residing in a computer resource or diminishes its value or utility or affects it injuriously by any means, commits hack.
(ii) Whoever commits hacking shall be punished with imprisonment up to three years, or with fine which may extend up to two lakh rupees, or with both.
The estimated number of internet users in the early years of the twenty-first century is over a billion. In this global village, consumers, companies, and governments from around the world must further develop ways to protect the sensitive personal and business information and detect those, whether here or abroad, that conspire to exploit technology for criminal gain. Most of the developing countries like Bangladesh have limitations in access to information and the available access is not affordable because of the inadequacy of the existing infrastructure as well as the non-availability of appropriate education. The challenges are posed by the lack of an integrated computer security system and education about computer security. Therefore, there is a need for co-operation; collaboration and investment for security, which also develop the culture of security needs for assuring the security issue. The BTRC has to play a strong role in curbing cyber crimes as people of the country are in favor of bringing cyber criminals to book before they commit crimes like serial bombing, smuggling out national resources and extortion. Bangladesh Government should established one strong cyber police force squad. It is the duty of the government to provide security to all the citizens.
(M. M. Rashidul Haque Chinmoy is a LLB (Hons) Second Year student, University of London, Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Mastermind now hiding in West Bengal ?
Staff Reporter :
The mastermind behind the deadly terror attack in city's Gulshan Cafe is now hiding in West Bengal, reports The Times of India.
The mastermind identified as Suleiman is now hiding in Malda, a bordering district of West Bengal province of the country.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi indicated the government's willingness to share a dossier of "missing youths" with India, underlining the country's intent to jointly fight cross-border terror.
According to the report, a key plotter in the July 1 Gulshan carnage slipped into West Bengal seven months before the attack.
Investigators in West Bengal have been on the lookout for a key JMB operative,
Md Suleiman, whose name cropped up while questioning a militant Abu Al-Musa Al Bangali alias Musa arrested by the state CID from Burdwan 10 days ago.
Suleiman was Musa's handler for the past two years, the report added.
Speaking at a conference on regional cooperation, Rizvi said Bangladesh was preparing a dossier on missing youths from the country and would share the information with India to help trace them.
In this month's terror attack at Holey Artisan Bakery, three of the terrorists who hailed from affluent families in Dhaka had gone missing four to six months before the attack.
Further investigations revealed that over 100 youths, most in their 20s, are missing from Dhaka.
The mastermind West behind the Holey attack had slipped into India and was hiding somewhere in West Bengal.
"Investigators dealing with the dreadful Gulshan attack claimed to have identified the mastermind, saying he fled the country at least seven months ago after finalising the operation plan and is now hiding in West Bengal..." the report stated.
Around the time of the "disappearance", sleuths here say Musa met Suleiman in Malda, a bordering district. The two had earlier met six times between 2014 and 2015.
BNP making framework to form 'anti-terrorism unity'
Staff Reporter :Aiming to forge an anti-terrorism unity and 'restore democracy', BNP is going to formulate a framework to bring all the parties outside the ruling party alliance into a single and united platform.As per the plan, a number of senior BNP leaders said a party team, led by its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will soon contact different political parties, civil society members and professional bodies to know their position and opinions about such a platform under the current context of the country.Later, the framework will be formulated with focus on two issues- anti-terrorism unity and restoration of democracy-in consultation with the parties to be agreed to join it. The framework will be unveiled through holding a national convention, said the party leaders, adding that all parties, including Awami Leagues and its alliance partners, will be invited to join it.They said BNP many not involve the 20-party partners with this initiative as the most progressive political parties and intellectuals and professionals have strong objection to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami."It can be a fresh platform. Some partners of the 20-party alliance, including Jamaat, may be dropped from it. But, everything will depend on the opinions and desires of all other parties and individuals now outside the BNP-led alliance," said a party standing committee member wishing anonymity.He said Jamaat is now the main barrier to float a new platform with progressive people under BNP's leadership. "Some 20-party alliance leaders and intellectuals during their meetings with our chairperson suggested her either to abandon Jamaat or take a strategy to keep it out of the planned new platform. She'll hopefully work on it and find out an effective solution." A party vice chairman said parties like Gano Forum, Bikalpa Dhara, Krishak Sramik Janata League and ASM Abdur Rab-led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and some professionals may join their platform if the Jamaat is not there. Contacted, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they have started working for forging a national unity with all parties to overcome the militancy problem and restore democracy. "We want unity with all parties, including Awami League, but they must come forward with a positive attitude."Fakhrul said the country's current situation will deepen further if the political parties cannot play a responsible role at this crucial time. "So, we're working to unite the nation as per the call of our chairperson to resist militancy and restore democracy." BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said they have started completing the ground work to bring people of all strata irrespective of their party, opinion and faiths under a single platform.He said the BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has taken the opinions and suggestions from senior leaders of BNP and her alliance and professionals. "Now she is likely to hold another meeting with the party senior leaders to finalise the strategy to hold a convention for forming the united platform."The BNP leader said they want Awami League to join the platform in the interest of the country. "We won't sit idle if they don't respond to our call. We'll play our due political duty to save the country from extremism and terrorism." Asked whether they will leave Jamaat for a greater unity, he said they will decide it after assessing the overall situation and the opinions of others.BNP vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman said their party has taken stern stance against terrorism and militancy. "There're also many parties in the country who want to work for resisting militancy and restoration of democracy. So, we want to bring those parties under a single platform to work together on the two issues."Pro-BNP professional Prof Emajuddin Ahmed said he suggested the BNP chief during a meeting with her to invite all parties, including Awami League, and eminent citizens, through sending formal letters to forge a national unity. "She responded positively." He also said BNP should abandon Jamaat at this time if the party is the main obstacle to forge a national unity.
We must save Sundarbans: Big mistake for India
Editorial Desk :
The Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company on Tuesday signed a $1.49 billion contract with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited to build the 1360 MW controversial Rampal coal-fired power plant only 14km from the world's largest mangrove the Sundarbans forest.
The agreement has been signed defying popular protest by local people and environmentalist groups at home and abroad demanding relocation of the plant site at a distance to save Sundarbans. The fear is high that the mangrove forest may be slowly destroyed by thermal heating of the air and pollution of water.
The popular argument for relocation of the plant is that such power plant can be build at any time but the Sundarbans can't be reproduced. It must be saved. As Indian news media suggests the Indian government is now systematically closing down most coal-fired power plants within the country because of environmental safety.
It is also planning to cancel four such proposed plants that could produce combined 16 gigawatts electricity in Chhattisgarh,
Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Odisha but our government is defiantly moving ahead to build the coal-fired power plant in Bangladesh.
It also plans to set up a second unit of coal-fired plant at the same location with equal power generation capacity. It means that the Indian government plans to generate over 2,700 MW electricity in the area closer to the Sundarbans to make an exclusive power generating city there based on imported coal from India.
Reports in a national daily in Bangladesh yesterday said Indian government's coal mining ambition has gathered momentum apparently with eyes on new market in Bangladesh, although they are producing poor quality coal that seriously pollute environment. India has already removed adivashi population from their ancestral land to vacate the mining zones to produce more coal.
Media report in Dhaka on Thursday said Power Secretaries of both countries who signed the construction deal of Rampal power plant on Tuesday has agreed to redesign the second unit from coal-fired to solar power plant. The decision has been made in view of serious protest against the coal-fired plant near the Sundarbans at home and abroad.
But it remains a mystery all over the past several years as to why the government of Bangladesh is so much committed to set up the coal-fired power plant with India at such sensitive location defying local opposition on valid reasons. It is also not clear why the India government is not taking seriously the protest of Bangladesh people that calls for relocation of the plant site, not to shut the project altogether.
It is really mysterious why our government is ready to take the risk of destroying the Sundarrbans as many local and international environmental studies amply made it clear and even the UNESCO has warned of the consequences that include the risk of delisting the Sundarbans from world heritage to the category of endangered heritage. We are at a loss at whose interest our government is ready to sacrifice everything despite so many road marches and street protests all over the country.
It is also not clear why the government so quickly inked the agreement at a time when the UN expert panel is scheduled to release its report on the overall situation. Power plant officials claim they have agreed upon several conditions that would protect the forest and its environment. They would use low sulfur-coal with low ash and also make sure that it would be managed with best technology and their limit will not exceed as has been set by World Bank and IMF.
But question remains as to who would ensure compliance when our government has totally given up to the Indian government plan. What appears quite surprising is that the environment directorate is yet to give permission to the project and yet the move to set up the plant is on the way and agreement signed. As things develop, our people's opinion has no place within our country while our government is openly moving with the Indian plan to help it achieve their goals.
Indian government order relating to setting up thermal power plant showed that environmental clearance must be obtained from the central government if a proposed project will be located within 25 km of reserve forest, or in ecologically sensitive area including national parks, animal sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, critically polluted areas and within 50 km of inter-state borders.
The order also has earmarked how to seek environmental clearance, composition of expert committees and procedure of taking public hearing. It appears that none of these requirement is essential when the construction of Rampal power plant is concerned. Many believe only a sensible government can protect the nation.
WASHINGTON -- The award of the South China Sea arbitration is nothing but a result of the "political manipulation" by Washington, a US expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.
The award issued on Tuesday sweepingly sides with the claims by the Philippines, which unilaterally initiated the compulsory arbitration against China in 2013 in violation of bilateral agreements and international law.
"Well, the result is extremely disappointing because I think the whole thing was manipulation," said William Jones, Washington Bureau chief of the US publication Executive Intelligence Review.
"The Philippines, with the backing of the United States, took this to the arbitration court instead of negotiating with China."
Manila and Washington have their own reasons for taking the case to arbitration. The Philippines hoped to gain more from China while the United States wanted to maintain its hegemony in the region by containing China, Jones said.
He criticized the arbitration as "a breach of international law," because the judges were simply playing politics rather than practicing the law.
"I think I agree with the Chinese position that it's illegal. It was a violation (of international law), it was a political manipulation, and it should not be accepted," Jones said.
He added that this case has "set a bad example" for the world, by breaching the international law that governs relations between nations.
China has declared from the start that it will not accept nor participate in the arbitration. Neither will it implement the award issued by the arbitral tribunal, which has no jurisdiction over territorial issues and maritime delimitation.
In light of a new president taking office in the Philippines, Jones said he is "relatively positive" that the Philippines and China can sit down to talk about resolving their differences.
"Now with Mr. (Rodrigo) Duterte, I think there's a possibility," he said.
However, Jones said Washington holds the key to the success of such talks, but that he doubts its willingness.
He blasted Washington for its "confrontational rhetoric" on the South China Sea issue, trying to play the role of "referee."
Jones also warned Washington against trying to be an "enforcer" of the arbitration ruling, by sending more warships to the South China Sea to conduct "freedom of navigation" operations in waters concerned.
The Lafayette Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board met Thursday to review the list of candidates vying for the top post at the Lafayette Police Department and scrubbed five of the 14 candidates because they did not meet requirements for the job. The nine remaining candidates were approved by the board to take the test for the chief position.
Among the remaining candidates, according to published reports, are:
Toby Jean Aguillard, 47, director of cyber crime prevention at Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Office; 19 years law enforcement experience
James Benoit, 35, trooper for Louisiana State Police; 16 years experience
Forrest Blanton Jr. 45, LPD sergeant; 18 years experience
Vaughn Burris, captain and assistant chief with Lafayette Police, 26 years experience
Nathaniel Clark, 56, former deputy chief in Albany, Ga., and chief in Pine Bluff, Ark.; 20 years experience
Derek Pacifico, 47, retired sergeant with San Bernadino (Calif.) County Sheriffs Office, 22 years
John Rogers, 40, former litigation specialist for Lafayette Parish Sheriffs Office and candidate for sheriff in last falls primary; 17 years
Joey Sturm, 47, UL Lafayettes police chief; 19 years
Samuel Wyatt, 45, director of investigative audit services at LSU System; 24 years
Gregg Gothreaux Photo by Robin May
If you missed the State of the Economy Luncheon on June 16, you may not know that I gave a frank update on the current state of the economy and what we can expect in the next couple of years. While LEDA always strives to be the community cheerleader, it would have been a disservice to gloss over the impact that low oil prices have had on the community while the effects can clearly be seen and felt by residents and businesses.
Since last year, weve continued to lose jobs in the community, families have lost their livelihood, and weve experienced economic loss as a community. But we are fighting back.
Our resiliency as a community is our greatest asset. Weve learned from our past and made the community stronger and better than before. Weve learned the success of Lafayette relies on more than one industry. Diversification has it benefits, and it has softened the blow during this downturn. Retail sales, home prices, job losses and our overall economic dependence on the energy sector are all in a better position now than in the 1980s.
When it comes to diversification, heres the question many of you are thinking: Will technology save us?
The idea that Lafayette could be a technology hub has long historical roots in the region. UL Lafayette was among early national leaders in the field of computer science, offering the nations first masters of science program and the first doctoral program in the state in the 1960s. Silicon Bayou was launched in the 1980s as an initiative to recruit technology companies to Lafayette. In the late 1990s, Zydetech was formed to advocate for growing the local economy through technology. And the LUS fiber-to-the-premise initiative took hold in the early 2000s.
For more than 50 years, Lafayette has been building a reputation as a tech-savvy community; however, it was not until recently that the number of people employed in high technology jobs swelled, in part due to action by local and state leadership and the approval of the Louisiana Digital Interactive Media and Software Act.
This program was critical in recruiting CGI, Perficient and Enquero to Lafayette. Officials from each company stated the program was one of the key factors in bringing their respective companies to Lafayette. The announcement of these companies decision to locate in Louisiana has created a monumental boost to the entire technology sector in Lafayette Parish and Acadiana.
In 2010, the Blue Ocean Study identified digital media/ software development as a target market for the state over the next 20 years. With Lafayettes historic focus on technology, we are poised to create a stronger, more diverse technology-driven economy as outlined in the report. The Louisiana Digital Interactive Media and Software program delivers the companies and jobs needed in Acadiana to preserve our communitys prosperity and success in the future.
True to our heritage, technology has become Lafayettes single most important diversification factor in the 21st century, building on the diversification created by the medical industry over the previous 30 years. The growth of the technology sector in Lafayette is a hallmark of the communitys ability to come together and succeed.
At my presentation last month, I reissued a challenge from two years ago. We have to do better for our community. Our volunteerism rate has declined from 18.4 percent in 2014 to 16.7 percent in 2015. This flies in the face of the success of community initiatives like Project Front Yard and efforts to nurture and grow the beauty of our community, but it demonstrates that we still have much to do.
Ive shared with you before Pierre Teilhard de Chardins quote that everything that rises must converge. Now is the time to rise up as a community. In the words of Robert Kennedy, There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not? When I came to Lafayette 30 years ago this August, I hoped the community was one I would live in for the rest of my life; and I came here in 1986, during our toughest time. I want to reiterate that there is no place else Id rather be than right here, right now.
We are at a crossroads. But there is no doubt not a shadow of a doubt that we will emerge stronger, wiser and more resilient. There is no doubt not a shadow of a doubt that our economy has diversified and will continue to diversify. And there is no doubt not a shadow of a doubt that our people will remain the happiest in the nation.
Gregg Gothreaux is president and CEO of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
MURPHYSBORO The past year's Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest was the first time Bryan Canavan had entered one of his concoctions in a homebrew competition.
To his surprise, one of his homebrews won "Best of Show."
"It was pretty unreal and took a while to sink in," the 26-year-old wrote in an email to The Southern. "This was my first homebrew competition I entered so I wasn't expecting too much."
That winning recipe for a brew that Canavan calls "Dieu de Don" was scaled up and brewed by St. Nicholas Brewing Co. in Du Quoin, which has organized a release party with the Brew Brothers Taproom.
Those in the community can buy a sample at Saturday night's brew release party at Brews Brothers. The keg will be tapped at 7 p.m. and the band Fiddle Rick and the Bourbon Boys will start playing at 8 p.m.
The homebrew competition was organized by the Friends of Murphysboro, which started the Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest in 2007, co-director Brad Fager said. The competition was organized by group member Amanda Atchley.
"We're just excited about it," he said.
The win gives Canavan "bragging rights only," he said.
Fager is hoping the attention attracts more entries to this year's competition. Home-brew samples will be accepted by the Friends of Murphysboro from Sept. 4 to 17; the judging occurs Oct. 2. This year's Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest runs 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Riverside Park in Murphysboro.
Canavan said his "Dieu de Don" is a 10-percent alcohol by volume Belgian Golden Strong Ale. The name, he noted, is a transposed phrase, his bit of humor in honor of his mother, who helped with the ale and whom he says habitually transposes words and phrases.
He said the beer's taste had a lot going on, and it was probably its complexity that helped it win the honor.
"The tastes starts with a bouquet of fruit flavors such as apple pear, and banana with a bit of bubblegum thrown in," he wrote. "The tail end kind of tapers off and has some honey and clove spicy flavors and it finishes a bit sweet, but nothing like a fruit beer. It's not hoppy at all. All of these flavors come from the Belgian yeast. The object with beers like this is to be able to hide the alcoholic aftertaste and this does it very well."
Canavan said he started mixing brew mixes as a hobby. An engineer who works at a chemical plant in Calvert City, Kentucky, he said he can definitely pinpoint engineering tendencies in approaches in his products.
"I would say my style of brewing is closer to how I would go about cooking," he shared. "I like focusing on certain ingredients and trying to highlight different flavors and combinations."
If his fortune continues, he said he'd like to start a small gypsy brewing company. A gypsy brewer is one that uses the equipment and facilities of other breweries and, usually, the resulting beers are some sort of collaboration. On his side in this area are the travel and lack of gigantic start-up costs, he said.
A Gorham man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday for aggravated criminal sexual assault, according to a news release from Michael C. Carr, Jackson County States Attorney.
Douglas E. Hinkle Jr., 19, will have to serve a minimum of 85 percent of this sentence and will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his natural life.
The release states that in August 2015, deputies and detectives with the Jackson County Sheriffs Department began a possible sexual assault investigation, during which they learned that the victim was profoundly mentally and physically disabled. The defendant was interviewed regarding the sexual assault and admitted that he engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim.
The defendant also admitted that he knew the victim was profoundly disabled and that the sexual intercourse was forced upon the victim.
The Southern
CARBONDALE A 21-year-old Evergreen Park man was sentenced to 12 years in prison Wednesday for intentionally starting a fire in a house in Carbondale in 2015.
Justin D. Brearley was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections, Jackson County State's Attorney Michael Carr said in a news release Friday. Brearley had entered an open plea in January to aggravated arson.
The release says Brearley started a fire in a house in the 700 block of West Walnut Street in Carbondale, "to get the attention of his friends."
He had apparently been inside one of the two apartments in the house, along with three of his friends. According to the news release, Brearley started fighting with one of his friends; he grabbed a gas can, which was located inside the house, and began pouring gas on the floor. Brearley "then lit the gasoline, which immediately erupted in flames," according to the release. An arson investigation later revealed ignition points in the living room and in a rear bedroom.
Brearley told investigators later that he'd planned to extinguish the fire, but it spread too quickly, catching the rest of the house on fire.
Everyone inside the house, including another person in the other apartment, was able to make it out of the building. Brearley suffered burns to his foot, according to the release.
Brearley will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence and is to serve three years of mandatory supervised release upon his release from prison.
A Marion man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday for an incident at a worship center in Carbondale, Jackson County States Attorney Michael Carr announced in a news release Friday.
According to the release, on March 20, officers with Carbondale Police were conducting a follow-up investigation of a February burglary of the Islamic Worship Center on South Popular Street. That same day, an officer watched Branch enter the center, and about 30 seconds later, Branch came out holding a donation container from the center.
SPRINGFIELD Speaking at a state convention of the American Legion on Friday, Gov. Bruce Rauner said the United States has been at war with Islamic terrorists for decades and likely will be for decades to come.
The Republicans remarks came a day after a man drove a truck into a crowd at a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, killing 84 people.
This is a brutal war. Its going to be very difficult, said Rauner, one of many U.S. governors who sought temporary bans on Syrian refugees entering their states after Novembers terrorist attacks in Paris. We need to remind everyone in our communities to stay vigilant, stay aware. There are thousands of terrorists in America theyre in America; theyre in Europe; theyre around the world seeking to hurt innocent people to pursue their own goals. Weve got to stop them.
The governor said state security officials are reviewing procedures for handling motor vehicle attacks like the one in Nice, which also injured more than 200 people.
These terrorists are creative in terms of how they hurt innocent people, but weve got to stay vigilant, remind everyone in our communities to stay aware, stay safe, communicate with law enforcement, Rauner said.
Master Sgt. Matt Boerwinkle, a spokesman for the Illinois State Police, said the agency is working very closely with state and federal agencies to review our terrorism response policies and procedures.
We ask all Illinoisans remain vigilant as we keep the citizens of Nice, France, in our thoughts and prayers, Boerwinkle wrote in an email.
The driver in Nice has been identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian who was living in France with legal permission, according to news reports. As of early Friday evening, no group had claimed responsibility for the attack.
In a statement on Facebook, Rauner said he and first lady Diana Rauner stand in solidarity with the victims and their families.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this horrific attack, said Rauner, who ordered that flags be flown at half-staff through sunset Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters at the American Legion convention, Rauner wouldnt answer a question about whether Republican candidate Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton would be better equipped to deal with the threat of terrorism if elected president. The governor has routinely avoided weighing in on the presidential campaign.
Meanwhile, Rauner used his appearance at the convention to sign a bill allowing those whove served in National Guard and Reserve units to have a special veteran designation on their drivers licenses regardless of whether theyve served on active duty.
The governor said the legislation, sponsored by Sen. Pam Althoff, R-McHenry, corrects an oversight in a previous law.
Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, who served in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1992 to 1998, sponsored similar legislation this spring and was a co-sponsor of Althoffs bill.
Its important that we recognize all who have answered the call to serve our nation in the military, Barickman said in a written statement. This new law will help make sure National Guard members and reservists are able to take part.
VIENNA The Johnson County Board of Commissioners has decided to take a step back and look further into its decision whether or not to move the county administration offices from the town square in Vienna.
The Johnson County Board voted to purchase a piece of property in the county's Industrial Park from the nonprofit economic development group Johnson County 2000 Inc. in May. County officials have said the property is intended to be the site for a new county administration building.
On Tuesday, Board Chairman Phil Stewart said new things have come up without elaborating on its meaning, and said the board will continue to talk about the site of the building.
We are reevaluating the situation and no decision on anything has been made, he said.
Commissioner Ernie Henshaw, who was the lone commissioner to vote against the purchase agreement for the industrial park land, said reevaluation is a good move.
Weve had a proposal on a property adjacent from where we are now and I commend the board for the decision on taking a step back and looking at where we are going moving forward, he said.
Many residents of Vienna would like to see the new county administration building near the location of the current one on or near the Vienna Town Square. The county recently passed a 1 percent sales tax in March to generate the funds to pay for a new building.
Mike McMahan, a resident who helped lead the charge for placing the tax referendum on the ballot in March, said the adjacent property is most likely a former funeral home about a block away from the current office on the square.
Stewart said previously that the expense would be too much to construct a new building on the square.
It is much cheaper to just to go a new, clean site and build, he said.
McMahan said it isnt all about the price of the land.
It may cost a few dollars more to put it on the square, he said. But, my belief is that the county residents feel that is OK. If it costs $100,000 more to do it, then so be it.
"It is worth it from an aesthetic standpoint.
The purchase agreement with Johnson County 2000 has not been signed, yet, according to the nonprofit organizations chairman Larry Mizell. He said there has been any movement on the deal as of Tuesday.
The deal at the industrial park includes five acres at a $500,000 price tag. The land was obtained through a USDA Rural Development grant in 2000 by the nonprofit group. Mizell said there are covenants in that grant that require the organization to repay the USDA for any land that it sells at the current appraised value. He said land near the property has been recently sold at $59,000, so the nonprofit group expects to reimburse the UDSA probably somewhere around $275,000 and $300,000.
We would utilize funds above that what we would have to pay the UDSA for further development of the industrial park, he said. If nothing else, it gives us some leverage money that we can use to apply for matching grant funds or do some projects within the industrial park.
McMahan has published two paid advertisements in the Vienna Times newspaper urging the board to keep the county offices near the square. The advertisement has signatures from 16 county organizational leaders, including the city of Vienna and Johnson County 2000.
I just dont see how they can ignore it at this point, McMahan said.
This is not about the police.
At least, not solely. Granted, the police are the reason we are heartbroken today, the reason cable news networks are assembling panels to talk about black and blue, the fraught intersection between African Americans and the law. Last week, after all, saw two more African-American men shot by police under questionable circumstances and then, five Dallas police officers assassinated by a sniper at a Black Lives Matter rally.
But ultimately another tragedy overarches both of those: Americas ongoing struggle to reconcile itself along lines of race. We are still fighting over what being black means and should mean in a nation that ostensibly holds equality as a foundational belief.
We say thats what we stand for, yet in virtually every field of endeavor, our behavior proves us liars.
In education, for instance, the federal government issued data in 2014 documenting that even as early as preschool, African-American kids are suspended far more frequently than others.
In medicine, a 2016 study by researchers from the University of Virginia found that white med students were sometimes less aggressive in assessing and managing the pain of African-American patients.
In labor, a 2003 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that job seekers with perceived black names were significantly less likely to get callbacks from prospective employers.
And in justice, oh, dear God. Multiple studies have documented a system that, from arrest to incarceration, is heavily stacked against African-American people.
This is not abstract. This is blood and bone reality, life as experienced by more than 40 million Americans. And can any thinking or compassionate person blame them if they are sick and tired of it?
Yet rather than respond to expressions of that frustration and anger in constructive and compassionate ways, too many of us seek every cowardly avenue of avoidance they can find.
Some take refuge in defensiveness, answering complaints about subconscious and systemic biases as if youd just accused them, personally, of membership in the Ku Klux Klan.
As if their feelings were what this is all about. Others try to shout down the messenger, often using the absurd formulation that to talk about race is racist.
Go online if youre not there already and read the message board beneath this column; chances are good youll see examples of both.
Then there are those who try to change the subject. As in Bill OReilly, the TV pundit, who recently proclaimed that Martin Luther King would never have marched with Black Lives Matter, a movement OReilly accuses of fomenting violence. King would probably have found that laughable, given how often he was accused of the selfsame thing.
But again, to make this all about Black Lives Matter or policing is to make it too small. Granted, inequality becomes more visceral, visible and urgent when police are concerned, when we are called upon to tease out the role color played in some split-second decision to pull the trigger. But the point is, color also plays a role in the decision to punish a toddler, call back a job applicant, prescribe a drug, approve a loan, rent an apartment or just extend the benefit of the doubt.
If America is ever to reconcile itself, that has to change.
Its fine to demand better training, more body cams, more community liaisons. But to lay the onus entirely on the men and women in blue is to delude ourselves. Ultimately, the police are not the problem.
We are.
To the Editor:
As an alumnus of SIU Im treated to its quarterly publication. The most recent edition to hit my mailbox included an article about the graduating Class of 2016. I was surprised by the selection of students that the university chose to represent SIU on this auspicious occasion.
Ray, a native Chicagoan, graduating with degrees in history and political science is afraid he cant find a job, but wants to pursue a masters degree and teach. Meanwhile, he wants an on-campus job in housing.
Briana, received a degree in psychology, wants to be an art therapist, but first she wants to get a job with a firm that participates in the federal loan-forgiveness program. Meanwhile, she will live at home in Chicago.
Jacklynn, from Decatur, received a degree in Radio & TV, but doesnt want a real job yet so she will be a lifeguard at Disneyworld, and plans to receive financial support from her family! for a little while longer.
Frankly, I suspected our young people were being cheated from a real education by the university system, but I didnt realize it was this bad. These kids are living in a dream world, ill prepared to address a future of independence and responsibility. Nevertheless, SIU trumpets these young people as if they were superstars - when really, theyre abject failures looking to mooch on the system - for a little while longer. Is this an example of the free college education that Hillary and Bernie feel our future leaders deserve?
Gregory Larsen
Cobden
To the Editor:
I am a Disabled Vietnam Veteran, having served my country from 1969 to 1976 as a Sgt. in the USMC. I have received benefits through the V.A. since 2005. I am grateful for the help that I have received from the Marion V.A. I am writing to encourage all citizens to support some important legislation that will affect all veterans.
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H.B. 5588. This bill will give veterans a small, but much needed COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) in the benefits they receive. It has been over two years since our last increase. The bill will now go to the Senate. It is vital that Senator Mike Kirk and Senator Dick Durbin hear from as many of their constituents as possible.
Please urge them to vote YES when this legislation gets to the Senate floor for a vote. Thank you to all those willing to take the time to contact their legislators. We veterans appreciate your support.
James E. Farris
Marion
A man has been accused of stealing a vehicle in a case that authorities say led to the biggest chop shop operation discovered in Orangeburg County.
Herman Nathaniel Johnson, 41, 134 Nimmons Road, Orangeburg has been charged with grand larceny.
He appeared in bond court on Thursday, where he pleaded with Orangeburg County Magistrate Donald West to let him out on bond.
Johnson said he has not hurt anybody and is not a flight risk.
"I am no risk to society," Johnson said. "I am working now. I have a job."
After receiving a rundown of Johnson's criminal history dating back to 1993, West denied bond to Johnsons obvious displeasure.
Johnson shook his head before heading back to his seat. He continued to express his displeasure verbally, prompting West to warn Johnson.
"Don't say any more because you are going to get yourself in trouble," West said.
Johnson has been charged with grand larceny valued at more than $2,000 and less than $10,000.
An arrest warrant accuses Johnson of stealing a 2001 Chevrolet 2500 from a Big Buck Boulevard home on June 27. It says two witnesses saw him.
The truck was valued at $9,000.
Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office Investigator Riley Godwin informed West that Johnson's criminal history includes charges of grand larceny, receiving stolen goods, possession of stolen vehicles, first-degree burglary, breaking into motor vehicles and failure to stop for blue lights.
"It is the same story over and over, your honor," Godwin said. "He is back violating again."
Godwin noted Johnson stayed out of the criminal justice system from 1993 to 2002, but since 2002 he has been to jail every two years.
"He is repetitively doing the same thing over and over again," Godwin said. "He is definitely a danger to the community."
Godwin recommended either bond be denied or set at $1 million.
The stolen vehicle led law enforcement to the largest chop shop found in Orangeburg County's history, officials say.
Johnson has not been charged in the chop shop incident, though the matter is under investigation.
A chop shop is a place where stolen vehicles are dismantled for parts or altered so they can be resold.
More than 30 vehicles valued at an estimated $180,000 were seized. The owners of the vehicles are currently being sought.
Officials arrested and charged 64-year-old Thomas Washington with two counts of chop shop and 23 counts of receiving stolen goods.
While bond was denied on the initial chop charge, bond later was set on the Bowman man at a combined $28,790 for the second chop shop charge and the receiving stolen goods charges.
According to an Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office incident report, in addition to the truck being stolen on Big Buck Boulevard, the residence was also burglarized. Items stolen included clothes, electronics, silverware and DVD's. Johnson was not charged in the burglary.
A new study reinforces the need for judges to go to extreme lengths to avoid partisanship and the appearance of being partisan.
Researchers at Emory Law School found the upward spiral of big money fundraising and aggressive politics in state judicial elections pressures judges to become partisan actors who favor their own party in deciding election disputes. Bush vs. Gore is by far the most famous of this kind of election case, but state courts decide many similar cases every year, regularly determining who wields power at the state and local level.
State judges are under enormous political pressure to join in party-based fundraising and campaign networks to survive what has become a fiercely competitive electoral environment, according to researchers Dr. Joanna M. Shepherd and Dr. Michael S. Kang, law professors at Emory.
Analyzing cases from 2005 to 2014, the study titled Partisan Justice found state court judges are biased by these types of campaign finance and re-election influences to help their partys candidates win office and favor their partys interests in election disputes. It provides the first systematic evidence of the hidden influence of raw partisanship and party campaign finance on judicial decision-making in election disputes.
By extension, the study points to the partisanship problem beyond election matters.
According to the Emory researchers, There is little reason to believe that partisanship influences judges only in election cases. If judges are influenced, consciously or not, by party loyalty in election cases, they are likely tempted to do so in other types of cases as well, even if it is methodologically difficult to prove the role partisanship plays. The study ... likely exposes just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Key findings of the study, sponsored by The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, which describes itself as the nation's leading progressive legal organization:
Judges favor litigants from their own party in head-to-head cases.
Campaign finance exacerbates partisan behavior.
Judges are less likely to be partisan when they no longer need to run for office.
The problem of partisan decision making is arguably getting worse over time.
While noting 90 percent of U.S. judicial business is handled at the state level, the researchers acknowledge most media attention is focused on the U.S. Supreme Court.
That makes a recent decision by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to speak out about the U.S. presidential election all the more troubling.
At a time when the public believes judicial bias and partisanship are real, the justices comments about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump were out of bounds. With the Supreme Court potentially being the final arbiter in elections and other matters in which candidates and/or the president are direct players, the long-standing practice of justices refraining from political comment is more important than ever.
In an interview with the New York Times published a week ago, Ginsburg implied the presumptive GOP nominee would do lasting harm to the Supreme Court if elected.
I cant imagine what this place would be I cant imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president, she said. For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I dont even want to contemplate that.
The left-leaning jurist also joked that if Trump were elected, it would be time for her to move to New Zealand.
Though we continue to believe a vast majority of judges, from the high court down, are committed to unbiased application of the law, entering the political fray with partisan words casts real doubt about objectivity.
Judges have personal opinions. But the responsibility of their positions means resisting political pressure and maintaining official non-partisanship.
At the very highest level, Ginsburg has failed to live up to that responsibility.
The decision by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union gives North America a unique opportunity to assert its economic and political leadership among Western democracies. We are already the largest single economic bloc in the world, and, at a time of intense skepticism, we can show how increased trade and economic integration brings prosperity.
Our own economic union, the North American Free Trade Agreement, has been working well for a quarter-century. In the face of a wave of misguided isolationism, its time to make it the worlds most competitive and powerful exporting platform.
Economic malaise has been haunting Europe for two decades, and the Brexit vote seemed to pin the blame on economic openness. That is precisely the wrong culprit. As NAFTA has demonstrated, trade is a powerful engine of growth, innovation and investment in human capital all critical to promoting a more balanced and inclusive economy.
I have been puzzled by criticisms of NAFTA. Since it went into force, U.S. manufacturing exports to Mexico and Canada have increased 258 percent, with exports of computer and electronic products, furniture, paper and fabricated metals more than tripling. The United States maintains a large and growing manufacturing trade surplus with Mexico, my country, and Canada.
We need more trade and integration, not less. That was the message of last months Summit of North American Leaders held in Canada. That meeting took the first step in developing a common strategy to face the challenges that the rise of other blocs, especially the Asian Pacific region, are creating.
Consider agriculture. NAFTA has become the worlds single most important source of food and the most reliable supplier at a time when urbanization and climate change are putting new pressures on agricultural systems all over the world. Mexico is the 12th-largest global food exporter, Canada is fourth, and the United States is first. All of us promote agricultural practices that boost productivity and protect natural resources.
Mexico is a founding member of the Global Alliance for Smart-Climate Agriculture, a U.N. initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. We have a cooperation project to improve the resilience of agriculture by building climate hubs in arid and tropical zones in Mexico.
Last year, Mexico exported $22 billion worth of agricultural products to the United States, our No. 1 market destination, while the United States sent $18.5 billion worth to Mexico, the third-largest market for U.S. food exports after China and Canada. Mexico supplies about two-thirds of the horticultural products and about a third of the fruits entering the United States.
Right now, 6 million U. S. jobs depend on trade with Mexico and the number is rising. U.S. border states are highly integrated to the Mexican economy. Exports from Texas to Mexico totaled $95 billion last year, or $12,000 for every Texas household.
By combining our respective comparative advantages with existing port and transport infrastructure, the Western Hemisphere has become an international leader in cereals, pork, beef, fruits and vegetables; beverages like beer and tequila; and dairy and processed products.
Mexico is working hard to further develop its logistics networks for agriculture, improving sanitary inspections, quality controls, stock management and tracking of goods.
Since NAFTA, Mexico has showed a strong commitment to maintain a stable and financially sound macro-economic environment, plus policies friendly toward trade and foreign investments. Unlike many emerging markets, now in turbulence, Mexicos GDP continues to grow briskly and consistently, and we have become a major destination for international investments. Queretaro, the central Mexican state where I formerly was governor, hosts such global companies as Siemens, General Electric, Bombardier and Samsung.
At a time when the EU is losing its third-largest economy, our own Western Hemisphere alliance needs to grow even stronger.
Ames leaving legitimate, PM Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves appeared to point an accusing finger at court and law enforcement agencies for David Ames slipping out of the country. by Dayle Da Silva and Haydn Huggins
Dave Ames, the English born chairman and principal shareholder of Harlequin Properties, the entity behind the Buccament Bay Resort development, left the state legitimately.
So said Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves on Monday during a press briefing here.
THE VINCENTIAN reported in its issue of July 1, that Ames and his wife, Carol Ames, had cleared immigration at the Chateaubelair Police Station around 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, June 22, a day before he was scheduled to appear in Court on four charges related to theft and four charges of tax evasion, in connection with the alleged deprivation of millions of dollars in taxes from the SVG government between 2011 and 2013.
On the tax evasion charges, Ames has been charged jointly with local attorney Samuel Commissiong, principal officer of the company. When the matter was called on June 23, Ames failed to show up, and a bench warrant was issued for him. It was also reported in the said issue of THE VINCENTIAN that the couple, after clearing immigration, left for Martinique on the vessel Ray J, captained by 2015 Fisherman of the Year Ray Anthony Clarke. On Monday, much to the consternation of many who were listening to the live broadcast of the media briefing, the Prime Minister disclosed that there was no watch put at any port in respect of Ames leaving the country, because he was charged and was expected to come to the court.
"I asked the Chief Immigration Officer for a report, and I got a report. The report that I got states that he left the port of entry at Chateaubelair by boat, for Martinique or somewhere, Gonsalves said, corroborating what THE VINCENTIAN had reported earlier.
"So he did leave legitimately, but there was no watch put at any port in respect of him going, because he was charged and he was to come to the court, the Prime Minister repeated. Usually, when an individual is summoned to court, it is expected that the individual is in the jurisdiction and will appear in court, Gonsalves proffered.
"The issue now is if he left after the warrant was issued, he told reporters in addressing a matter which THE VINCENTIAN had already addressed in its report that a bench warrant was issued on June 23, a day after Ames departure, and only after he (Ames) had failed to make an appearance at the Magistrate Court as ordered. According to the Prime Minister, who also hold, the portfolios of Minister of Legal Affairs and National Security, the matter of Ames absconding highlights that the court and prosecution staff are not working along with the police, as has happened before when an individual left the state despite being summoned to court. Gonsalves said that he was now looking forward to seeing what the prosecuting authorities would be doing to get Ames back here to answer the charges.
On that score, Karim Nelson, Crown Counsel in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, as per a story carried in THE VINCENTIAN of July 8, confirmed that Ames, who in fact has absconded on multiple criminal charges, could be tried in his absence.
Nelson, who had made an appearance in court for the prosecution in the matter in which Ames is facing charges of theft and tax evasion, confirmed that there is a section in the law that provides for a person to be a tried in his/her absence.
As it relates to summary proceedings, Section 122 of the Criminal Procedure Code Chapter 171 of the laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines revised edition 2009, says that a person could be tried in his/her absence, once the Magistrate is satisfied that the defendant wilfully refused to attend court. The Crown Counsel, however, made it clear when he spoke to THE VINCENTIAN then, that he was not saying, at this stage, that this is how the state would be proceeding, as there are also other options that could be pursued. The Buccament Bay Resort development was proclaimed a flagship project for further tourism-related developments on mainland St. Vincent. The development has been plagued from the outset by one problem or the other, not least being the more current one of an inability to honour salaries and wages for its workers, and to fulfil contract for other services provided by outside parties. The Ames matter, in the meantime, has been adjourned to August 5.
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A meeting of the recently formed Bequia Waterfront Development Committee was held on June 25th at the St. Marys Anglican Church conference room in Port Elizabeth, Bequia.
The BWDC is a not-for-profit, non-governmental, all-volunteer group of community members whose mission is to ensure the overall improvement and sustainable development of the vitally important Admiralty Bay waterfront area of Port Elizabeth.
Much work has been done in this location in the past, but there is more to be done. The group is currently working to identify issues that can be addressed in the waterfront area, and its immediate surroundings, for the ongoing benefit of all. Some of the issues already identified include, but are not limited to, drainage, litter and garbage disposal, traffic and parking, vending, cultural/historical preservation, and legal and regulatory frameworks.
In the coming weeks, the BWDC will be actively seeking input from the Bequia community, its visitors, local NGOs and relevant public sector agencies, in order to accurately reflect the will of the people in providing the waterfront with fair and efficient organization for all users, while maintaining its traditional "town square function and ambiance.
An opinion survey will be conducted, a Facebook page will be up soon, and an open "town hall meeting will be scheduled; all will provide more details and opportunities for input.
I beg to utilize some of your space again and promise I wont respond further to this person hiding behind such obviously false name. He just got a bit toooooo personal for me to let this one go.
A.W. INDUPP, or whatever name youre hiding behind, your 6 column anglophillic diatribe shows Vincentians exactly who and what you are. You are anglophile of the worst kind. You have been colonized so completely that you wrapped and cloaked yourself in the union jack and played a symphony of pseudo intellectual stupidity.
Most VINCIS (yes Vinci) here and abroad see you for what you are. FIRST, your pale (PALE ENGLISH) weak erroneous attempt to disparage my name, fell back badly on the foundation of your ignorance. I am extremely proud of Paddy Corea. My pedigree in this land of my birth is better than most. My grandfather, Manoel Corea, built the first great trading empire right here. With very little formal education, he started with 2 hands, a burning desire, integrity, discipline and hard work and out of FLOUR and WATER, in 20 years he created the first and probably greatest trading empire SVG has ever known as COREA and CO. There were no Veiras, Banfields and Laynes, Hadley Bros, Greaves, Gunsam, Hazells, et al. None! At the time of his death in the 1920s, he was SVGs first multi millionaire. Everything SVG needed he imported; everything we produced he exported. Corea and Co reigned supreme in the business world till after World War 2.
I wont even go into my mothers heritage, save and except to say that she was the great granddaughter of the LEGENDARY James Frederick Snagg, former owner of CANOUAN. The resort in Canash (Carenage) stands on the spot where his plantation house was. The stone church he built with his own hands still stands today. He got married there to the daughter of an ex-slave (Miss Pinky). Now your narrow-minded attitude leads you to think I am somehow IRISH. You must be British cloned of the COLONIAL ERA.
My real name is Edmond Julian Corea; every last VINCI calls me Paddy. My mother gave me a play name Padi Chum as a 3-year-old because of my love of plain white rice (rice is Padi in Asia) and Chinese slant eyes I inherited from Granma, Muggy Baptist, one of the last real Yellow Caribs. I have more blood on this island and more pedigree in this country than you and your entire family. You simply picked on the wrong man and you got tooooo fresh and personal. So here goes.
The IRISH uprising was a resounding success. (See IRELAND today.) The British guns of the BLACK and TAN REGIMENT that shot down Irish freedom fighters and the rigged and biased British courts that hung the rest didnt know you cant keep a freedom loving man down for tooo long. EIRA (the Republic of Ireland) is FREE TODAY because of that uprising. Lots of examples abound around the world. Do your research before you open your British programmed mouth.
Scotland is FREE after 700 years, and now has a parliament and a chief minister, but will soon have a prime minister and then OPT for a REPUBLICAN CONSTITUTION, get rid of ELIZABETH and the (German Battemberg) house of Windsor. And they aint leaving the EUROPEAN UNION. Neither is EIRA (Ireland).
Countries form associations for their COMMON BETTERMENT - CARIFTA, NAFTA, PAFTA, EFTA are all such groupings. Do you think that now ENGLAND has busted out of the EU, that the other countries will continue to give her the preferential tariffs and cross border treatments at their expense? Where have you been hiding for the last half century?
A. The head of the EU made a statement the day of the voting and simply said: "IF YOU OPT OUT YOURE OUT FOR GOOD. I assume thats clear enough ENGLISH for you.
B. I notice you didnt touch on the UKIP , the engineers (via the Tory party) of this boondoggle.. Do you know who they are? I can tell you because I faced the original goons down on Lehman St in White Chapel, London, in the early 60s, and got beaten up by them. But my West Indian posse and I came back next weekend and kicked ass. They then started to pick on Pakistanis and Indians (hence the term Paki- bashing). I remember their teddy boys and skin heads well. They (UKIP) are the inheritors of the racist British Nazi Party of Oswald Moseley (the brown shirts they were commonly called, google it).
By now, you must have gathered that I partly grew up in London and was partly educated there. I know England, Scotland and Wales better than the British, and certainly better than you. I left a cultural legacy there that you and nobody can eradicate. I stand by all Ive done where ever Ive done it and VINCI PROUD. Ask about the Vinci Expo in New York; get some factual actual info man before you let out bad breath.
I hope this is an education for you and to you. GOOGLE everything and anything here, and youll be able to corroborate it You can also google Canouan Music and Demon Fuzz as an insight to my cultural shenanigans over the last 50 years.
I could put a lot of other info here, but Ill just be eating up good newspaper time and space. Stuff like the youngest DRIVER on the LONDON UNDERGROUND and the FIRST VINCENTIAN DRIVER there too; the second was a Vinci legend named Vin Dopwell - FIRST VINCENTIAN to have his OWN CABLE AND WIRELESS OFFICE Yep my own.(Wood Green-Alexandra Palace) My first child Juanita being born in the ROYAL EDWARD V HOSPITAL WINDSOR, and I aint royalty..
My brother, you picked on the wrong brother. Better luck next time.
E.J. Paddy Corea
Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, is expected to begin discussion with staff and officials for the disbursement of the balance of the USD100 million to BAICO/CLICO policy holders.
The decision was taken at the 37th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting held in Guyana last week.
According to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, it was hoped that this process would be facilitated by Christmas this year.
In December 2012, the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) received the first USD36 million, and Gonsalves told reporters on Monday that he raised the question about the payment of the other USD64 million.
Monies were paid to policy holders commencing in December 2012 where under the first phase, holders of Flexible Premium Annuities (FPA) policies with under EC$30,000 in their August 2009 account balance were able to receive that amount plus a refund of the premiums they paid since that date.
Phase 2 of the programme started in March 2013, with policyholders of Executive Flexible Premium Annuities (EFPA), and FPAII policies with principal balances under EC$30,000 were invited to apply for assistance.
"One has to appreciate that the bulk of policy holders have received money under the other tranches, but the substantial ones who hold Executive Flexible Premium Annuities, a small number of persons who invested large sums of monies, he said. (DD)
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has discredited the allegations made that he chartered a flight to Barbados, to facilitate his travel to the 37th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Guyana.
He responded to that allegation during a media conference on Monday, saying that he was advised that the information had made its way on to radio and local newspapers.
Dr. Gonsalves said the news was the furthest from the truth, and in fact, that he got a ride to Barbados.
He explained that he was expected to leave the state last Sunday, July 3; however, the flight from Barbados to Guyana was cancelled.
There was the option of overnighting in Barbados, or waiting until Monday morning when another flight was expected to leave at 10:10. Dr. Gonsalves said that he opted for the latter because the opening ceremony was expected to begin at 5pm.
The following morning, Dr. Gonsalves told members of the media, that after sending his luggage and other check-in items ahead, he received a call to say that the flight that was expected to leave at 10:10 was now leaving Trinidad at midday. "Well obviously I will miss the 12 oclock connection from Barbados to Guyana, he explained.
He said that he called a pilot he knew who works at SVG Air and asked if they were going to Barbados.
The response was yes, but that the aircraft would first be making a stop in Canouan, and that it would be back at 11.
Gonsalves said that he inquired if there was an extra seat for Ambassador Elsworth John, who was part of the delegation, and he was told yes.
He further cleared the air on the information that he denied access to three other passengers wanting to get on the flight, saying that while he was waiting in the VIP Lounge, he was approached by a LIAT worker who told him that there were three passengers wanting to get on the flight in order to make connecting flights.
Gonsalves said that he told the LIAT employee that he had asked for a ride, and that he should talk to the staff at SVG Air.
Soon after, the prime minister said that he was informed that he should board the aircraft. When he got on board, he told the pilot, after seeing some available seats, about the request for the three passengers.
The pilot responded saying that he could not wait and that he had other connections to make.
"And that was that. The next thing I know, I was supposed to charter a plane, three people wanted a ride and I said no. So here is Ralph now big shot, chartering, Prime Minister riding and the fella so selfish that three people wanted a ride and there was space on the plane. I mean entirely wrong, entirely wrong, Dr. Gonsalves concluded.
The Ottley Hall Marina and Shipyard was leased for 15 years to the locally registered company, St. Vincent Shipyard Limited, (SSL).Inset:Daniel Sandoval Ravotti, SSLs Managing Director, (let) and Noel Jackson, General Secretary of the NWM, shake hands after signing the new agreement covering workers privileges, etc.
Noel Jackson, General Secretary of the National Workers Movement (NWM)is looking forward to the implementation of agreements with the St. Vincent Shipyard Limited (SSL), and a change in the industrial relationship climate at Otley Hall .
Jackson made his position known last week Thursday at the Ottley Hall Marina and Shipyard, during a ceremony that featured the signing of an agreement between the SSL and the NWM.
Daniel Sandoval Ravotti, SSLs Managing Director; Racquel Jacobs, Deputy Labour Commissioner; NWM Union delegates Cornelius Lewis and Mengistus Jacobs witnessed the event.
Jackson cited the agreement as an extension of a prior arrangement. He expressed delight that protracted issues had been cleared.
Jackson welcomed state of the art uniforms and shoes, as part of measures to enhance workers protection in keeping with Health and Safety good practices.
Workers will be guaranteed vacation, and when they are called out in unusual circumstances, they will be given subsistence for meals and transport.
Clauses to cater for accidental death or dismemberment have been included so that, according to Jackson, workers family can be compensated.
Children of workers who write the Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment will be entitled to educational awards.
Workers can take advantage of training opportunities and enhance their professional career with support from SSL.
There are plans for a pension programme. That will be finalised in consultation with a reputable insurance agency/company. Jackson reflected on the Clico/BAICO debacle as being instructive in this regard.
Workers will see increases to their wages. Jackson outlined steps for payments to be determined in August, and annual increments thereafter.
About fifty Vincentian workers are attached to the company, alongside twelve Venezuelan colleagues.
SSL has been operating for the past year. Ravotti noted that his company had doubled the number of workers since it arrived. He expressed confidence in the enterprise, and described it as being in the "best position to take this project one step ahead, and projected, "We can conclude a massive tourism project.
Quizzed as to the competition the SSL faces as a result of other marine facilities in Canouan especially, Rivotti contended, "We need more marinas. .. . They are going to be crowded; we are going to be crowded. (WKA)
(L-R): Otto Sam (Course Director), Minister of Education St. Clair Prince, and CTF team leader Allan Kwok at last Mondays opening of the Summer Institute for teachers.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union, the Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF), the Ministry of Education and Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) have collaborated to provide teachers with two weeks specialized training, under a programmed dubbed Summer Institute.
Teachers are expected to be exposed to teaching techniques in a variety of subject areas, with the intent of improving their performances in the classroom.
An audience comprising mainly teachers and education officials attended the opening ceremony at Peace Memorial Hall on Monday 11th. The head table included Minister of Education St. Clair Jimmy Prince, 1st Vice President of the SVGTU Vibert Lampkin, and Otto Sam, Course Director.
Lampkin in his address, called on all SVGTU members to stand up to ensure that salary negotiation and the collective agreement are on the bargaining table, even as he pointed to teachers who just sit
aside doing nothing , yet receive the benefits for which others had worked hard.
He appealed to those teachers who are not yet members of the Union, to do so soon. "If we are to fight a long and struggling battle, we need all custodians, said Lampkin. (See more of Lampkins address in accompanying article.)
Minister of Education, St. Clair Jimmy Prince told the gathering that while teachers need increased salaries, equal emphasis must be put on quality education and professionalism."I would like equal emphasis on the professionalism of it (teaching). I would like equal emphasis on the people becoming dedicated to the task which they have set themselves as teachers, urged Prince.
While he commended those teachers who do very good work, Prince pointed his finger at those who he said, "just go through the motion; come to work, come late, if they feel they going to be sick tomorrow , they start staying home today, to loud laughter from the audience of teachers, adding further, "and the children suffer.
He promised as the Minister of Education, to look into ways of rewarding teachers who provide quality service.
Prince said he was happy to see the union moving beyond just being a union, "because a union which exists for its own sake will soon become irrelevant. It has to exist beyond that, it has to exist for something else.
Alan Kwok, the team leader of the visiting Canadian Teachers Federation, said the Federation was happy to continue the long standing relationship between the Union, the Government and the Basic Needs Trust (BNT). He noted that the team looks forward to co facilitating the training session over the next two weeks, and that he is confident that the teachers will return to their classrooms with new ideas, new methods and new energy.
The Course is being directed by Otto Sam who, during the opening, gave an outline of the course.
The SVGTU also took the opportunity to present two scholarship awards to students entering secondary schools in September. The scholarship will run over seven years, inclusive of two years at the tertiary level.
Deceased teachers and stalwarts of the Union, Judith Hull- Ballah and Ray La Borde were also remembered with a moment of silence in their honour. (KH)
Prominent Caribbean journalist Vincentian-born Nelson A. King was among seven male community leaders who were honored Sunday (July 10) evening at a gala ceremony in Brooklyn, New York by a major political club.
The Brooklyn-based Progressive Democrats Political Association (PDPA), headed and founded by former New York City Council Member Jamaican-born Dr. Una S.T. Clarke, bestowed the honor on the Chateaubelair-born King, THE VINCENTIANs United States Correspondent, at a gala ceremony at Tropical Paradise Ballroom on Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, as part of the groups Caribbean American Heritage Month celebrations.
PDPA also honored Richard Buery, a prominent leader in the Panamanian American community; Rickford Burke, a Guyanese-born legal and political consultant who has been involved in several successful political campaigns; George Hulse, of Health-First, an insurer regarded as a leader in service to the Brooklyn community; New York State Sen. Kevin Parker, of the 21st Senatorial District in Brooklyn; Trevor Smith, of Tower Isle Frozen Foods, Ltd., the maker of Jamaican-style patties and sponsors of the Jamaican Bobsled team; and Chasen Hollancid, director, Suede Hospitality Group.
"This is our annual celebration recognizing the men who never turn their heads from social equality, said Veronica Phillips, PDPAs Vincentian-born vice chair in her introductory remarks, at the ceremony that was attended by a number of New York City legislators and officials, including Congressional Representatives Yvette D. Clarke and Hakeem Jeffries.
The Ratho Mill-born Phillips said the event focused on "the attention on the men of the area who have made notable contributions over the years to the strength and vibrant life of Brooklyn.
Congresswoman Clarke, the daughter of Una Clarke and a PDPA executive member, noted the "significant contributions of the honorees "to the development and furtherance of our community.
King, who earlier this year was honored by the Brooklyn Transitional Lions Club, said he accepted the award with "sheer humility, thanking the Almighty and a number of people, including his late parents, Jack and Beryl King, of Chateaubelair, and his Troumaca-born Registered Nurse wife, Dofflyn, for their unflinching support.
The veteran journalist also thanked their daughter, Donnette, and a host of Vincentian and Caribbean nationals, who were among attendees rendering support.
King, who possesses a very impressive resume, is renowned for his journalistic exploits.
With over 35 years of experience in the field, King has become a household fixture in Brooklyn for his objective and prolific reporting for Caribbean Life, and has also been the United States Correspondent for the Barbados-headquartered Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC). Additionally, he is a certified Brooklyn Community Access Television (BCAT) producer.
In September, King will complete nine years of teaching at Medgar Evers College, City University of New York (CUNY), where he has been an Adjunct Professor in American History, African American History, World Civilization and Political Science.
He has over 23 years of public health experience, working in a number of supervisory, managerial and administrative positions with New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and SUNY Downstate Medical Center and University Hospital of Brooklyn.
He had served on the Community Advisory Board at Downstate Hospital, for six years, before joining the staff as a Senior Staff Associate for similar number of years.
King returned to DOHMH in September 2014 and currently serves as a Health Services Manager.
As a devout Christian, King is a certified lay speaker at Fenimore Street United Methodist Church in Brooklyn.
He is also a United States Army veteran, attaining the rank of sergeant on active duty, where he was an aircraft technician, specializing in repairing and testing avionic navigation and flight control equipment. In addition, he was a Staff Sergeant and Officer Candidate in the New York National Guard.
Over the years, King has received a plethora of military and civilian awards. He currently holds six degrees, including three Masters and two law degrees A Master of Arts in Political Science from Brooklyn College (CUNY), an Executive Masters in Public Administration from Baruch College (CUNY) and a Master of Law (LL.M) in US Legal Studies from St. Johns University School of Law in Jamaica, Queens, New York.
He obtained his undergraduate law degree LL.B (Upper Second Class Honors) from Huddersfield University School of Law at Holborn College in the United Kingdom. He holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science (honors) and Journalism from Brooklyn College, graduating cum laude; and an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts from St. Leo University in Florida, while serving in the US Army at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia.
Veteran Vincentian and Caribbean broadcaster and broadcast journalist Don Bobb served as Master of Ceremonies at Sundays gala affair. Bobb was the news director when King served as St. Vincent and the Grenadines Correspondent for the now defunct, popular radio station, Radio Antilles, in Montserrat.
Despite some "challenges, for example in South Rivers where an incident occurred following an arrest, Vincy Mas 2016 was safe.
Thats according to Assistant Superintendent of Police Christopher Benjamin. He attributed the result to proper preparation and planning that resulted in a proactive approach by his members of the constabulary and allowed for co=-operation with private security agencies here.
Benjamin made it clear that St. Vincent and the Grenadines was not immune to violence, and he thanked components of carnival and revellers altogether for the peaceful way Vincy Mas turned out to be.
One area of concern, according to Benjamin, was the number of events held by Private promoters. Those events tended to stretch the resources of the constabulary. This, he said, would have to come under closer observation.
He is looking forward to a similar level of cooperation by all involved in 2017, at the 40th anniversary celebrations.
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/By Azernews/
By Rashid Shirinov
The results of settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will not bring any unpleasant surprises, Russian Foreign Ministrys spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on July 14.
Zakharova made the remarks during a briefing July 14, the Russian Foreign Ministrys website reported.
The main thing is the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, she said.
Zakharova added that it is necessary to exclude the potential for new bloodshed and new victims.
Commenting on the visit of Turkeys foreign minister to Baku on July 15 for discussions on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Zakharova noted that any constructive contribution to the process will benefit the conflicts settlement.
Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.
/By Azernews/
Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is on a visit to Baku, stated that relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are priority in all spheres.
Cavusoglu, addressing a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, said many projects in the region have turned Azerbaijan into a hub, adding that the two countries have become transit centers and will continue this cooperation.
Azerbaijan and Turkey are among the important countries in the region from the political and economic point of view. The two countries are bound not only by common culture, but also by important joint energy projects.
The minister further announced about plans to create a new format of trilateral cooperation the Azerbaijan-Turkey-Kazakhstan cooperation format.
There is a preliminary agreement on creating such a format of cooperation, he added.
Today, there are a number of trilateral formats such as Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, Azerbaijan-Turkey-Iran and Turkey-Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan, and Baku and Ankara plays a key role in all of these formats.
The minister went on to say that the OSCE Minsk Groups co-chairs will visit Ankara on July 18 and inform the Turkish side about the negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Turkey, as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, will continue to make efforts for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he added.
Elmar Mammadyarov, for his part, mentioned that he and his Turkish counterpart discussed the ways to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict among the other topics.
I informed my colleague about the talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement, Mammadyarov added. As a leading country in the region and as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Turkey must be aware of the developments in the conflicts settlement.
Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.
Both minister further condemned the terror attack committed in the French city of Nice on July 14.
We strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Nice, said Cavusoglu. We must be more resolute in the fight against terrorism and its manifestations.
Blues play Czech outfit in first friendly
, 15 July,
It will be the first friendly under the new Ronald Koeman regime and it will give the new boss a chance to further assess those players who have joined the training camp in Austria thus far.
The match will be a behind-closed-doors affair at Sportplatz Golm, near the Blues' current base in Schurn, Austria that kicks off at 1pm but ESPN subscribers in the United States can stream it live on ESPN3 or the WatchESPN app starting at 4:55am PDT/7:55am EDT.
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Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), the regulatory body for Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), has completed the construction of a 10,000-sq-m student accommodation complex.
The complex was built at a total investment value of Dh56 million ($15.2 million), a statement said.
Comprising four buildings with fully furnished units of varying sizes, the complex can accommodate up to 432 students. The faculty will welcome students from the DSO-based Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT-Dubai), as well as the neighbouring Dubai International Academic City.
The modern and advanced housing facility complies with the latest international standards and meets the personal and academic needs of students across Dubai. The ground floor of the buildings will include retail shops, food and beverage outlets, recreational common areas, and study halls for the students. The entire facility will offer free Wi-Fi access, through a campus-wide secure wireless network by Avaya.
Dubai Silicon Oasis Authoritys ICT department has implemented an advanced and feature-rich wireless solution, to cover each room and the entire hostel premises. The campus, with four buildings of three floors each, includes cabling to each room, connecting all buildings with fibre, procuring active network components, and wireless access points. Building on existing relationships and implementations, Avaya was selected as the preferred technology provider for this project.
Avaya has implemented indoor routers, with expandable range for maximum coverage and quality of service.
These will be connected via the new released Avaya Access Switches ERS4900 Series with high-performance and Fabric attach capability. This site is connected to the main Avaya SDN Fabric Network in the DSOA datacentre with a simple, flexible, and secure Entire end-to-end Fabric deployment. This makes it easy for DSO to deploy solutions and applications across campuses quickly and securely.
A wholly-owned entity of the government of Dubai, DSO operates as a free zone technology park for large enterprises, medium and small companies looking to set up their offices in Dubai. TradeArabia News Service
US-based At-Risk International, a leader in executive protection, consulting, investigations, biosecurity and security training services, has opened its new office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Andreas Karki, a seasoned expert with in-country experience and a detailed understanding of the security situation in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), will lead the companys efforts in the region providing oversight of the firms consulting, protection and operational security including direct support of client matters.
The Dubai office will work with clients that have multiple service needs, focusing on reducing security risks for organizations and individuals operating in EMEA. In addition, At-Risk will offer a range of security, market entry strategy and intelligence services for multi-national organizations and high-profile individuals. The same consulting practices that have made At-Risk a reliable name within the industry will be available in the region including executive protection, risk assessment, biosecurity, travel security, expat briefings and background investigations.
Operating in Europe, the Middle East and Africa requires an inclusion of security at every stage and choosing a trusted and experienced security provider is key, said At-Risk president Chuck Tobin.
At-Risks ability to provide immediate and significant intel in the region to our clients has always been a top priority and having a team that is cognizant of cultural differences between countries and regions helps to ensure successful relationships are developed.
Karki joins At-Risk as director of Operations in EMEA. He is based in Dubai and has more than 15 years of experience in the private security sector having worked on large, multi-cultural assignments in Scandinavia, Europe and the United Arab Emirates.
The opening of our Dubai office enables our team to work with individuals and businesses operating in EMEA face-to-face on a daily basis, said Karki. Our experts are extensively vetted, trained and proven to protect people, businesses and assets. We are excited to build upon our strong worldwide relationships to further our commitment in this region. TradeArabia News Service
Germany will boost border controls at airports as well as road and rail crossings into France after the truck attack in Nice, the Federal Police said on Friday.
"In coordination with the French security authorities the federal police are strengthening their control in the area of cross-border traffic into France," the police said in a statement.
At least 84 people were killed and dozens more were injured after a gunman drove a truck at high speed into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French sea resort.
London's mayor Sadiq Khan too said on Friday the city's security measures would be reviewed following the terrror attack.
"I will reassure all Londoners that today we will be reviewing our own safety measures in light of this attack and that I and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will do everything possible to keep Londoners safe," Khan was quoted as saying by the Press Association.-Reuters
Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), chaired by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed, has acquired a 5.8 per cent share in AccorHotels following the completion of a $3.2 billion deal with a representative from the hotel group's board of directors.
The transaction completion comes after the announcement on December 9, 2015 that AccorHotels had signed an agreement with KHC, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), and Oxford Properties, an Ontario pension fund company, for the acquisition of FRHI Holdings Ltd (FRHI), parent of Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissotel hotel brands.
The transaction, which saw the merger of KHC's Fairmont Raffles luxury hotel platform with France-based hospitality group AccorHotels, was announced legally complete earlier yesterday (July 12) following the approval by AccorHotels Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting of the reserved capital increase and Board representations for KHC and QIA. AccorHotels had cleared all antitrust approvals in relevant jurisdictions in April 2016.
Commenting on this milestone, Prince Alwaleed said: Since we acquired our interest in Fairmont Hotels Management Company in 1994, we have built the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissotel brands from five hotels under management to 114 contracts today and a further 40 in the pipeline. With the combination of FRHI into AccorHotels, KHC becomes a significant shareholder in one of the largest and most diverse hospitality platforms in the world with over 4,000 hotels and 560,000 rooms under management.
We extend our full support to Accors management as they position the company for further growth, innovation, and value realisation, Prince Alwaleed added.
Sarmad Zok, chairman and CEO of Kingdom Hotel Investments and Member of KHCs board of directors said: The strategic rationale behind this transaction has been applauded by both AccorHotels shareholders and industry analysts. The FRHI brands will deliver the superior RevPAR and margins associated with the luxury hospitality segment as well as a sizeable North American presence. At the same time, these brands will enjoy the scale and growth made possible by Accors vast platform that is at the forefront of distribution innovation.
Zok, who will serve as KHCs representative on AccorHotels Board of Directors as well as on the Boards Commitments Committee and Remuneration Committee, added: This merger positions AccorHotels and FRHI on the frontlines of the hospitality sector at a time the industry is undergoing significant structural changes characterized by consolidation, consumer empowerment, disruptive technology, and distribution channels. As a significant shareholder in AccorHotels, KHC puts its vast experience and network in the global hospitality industry at the disposal of Accor management to enable further expansion of the AccorHotels ecosystem." - TradeArabia News Service
Dubai hotel revenues are expected to reach Dh40 billion ($10.8 billion) in the next three years, said H Holding enterprise, a renowned investment group in the UAE.
According to the group, the UAE hospitality market has registered positive growth in the first half of 2016 ans will continue to do so as the number of tourists is set to double by 2020.
The hospitality sector is a fundamental pillar in the growth and development of the national economy of the UAE. As the country is one of the safest destinations worldwide for tourists, businessmen and foreign investors, we think that the sector will register further growth in the second half of the year, said Hafeez Abdullah, chairman of the The H Holding Enterprise.
According to H Holding Enterprise, there are many hotels pipelined to open in the coming year, which will further increase competition for the better of tourists flying in to the UAE. - TradeArabia News Service
A 5K fundraiser, the final day of the Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo, a car show featuring iconic Studebakers and the final evening performance of a popular Casper College theater production highlight a busy day. Here is a summary, as provided to the Star-Tribune.
Mountain View Regional Hospital and The Facial Pain Association are teaming up for the Facing It 5K to raise awareness about trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a piercing facial pain that can affect the areas near the eyes, nose, lips, ears and teeth. All community members are invited to support ongoing research for TN by participating in the second annual event at Mountain View Regional Hospital, 6550 E. Second St. Face painting, registration and check-in is at 8 a.m. Race start time is 8:30 a.m. for walkers; 9 a.m. for runners. The cost is $30 for adults and $15 for youth. Proceeds will benefit the newly formed Facial Pain Research Foundation to help find a cure.
Saturday is Finals Day at the fair. Junior Livestock Sale buyers breakfast starts at 7 a.m. outside the indoor arena. The 4-H/FFA Junior Livestock Sale begins at 8 a.m. Premium payouts take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., underneath the grandstands. Exhibit halls open at noon. Alpaca show and obstacle course and pack goats start at 4 p.m. Finals for the Voice of Casper start at 7 p.m., and the PRCA Rodeo Finals are at 7:30 p.m., both in the outdoor arena.
The Crabtree Carnival at the Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo is open noon to midnight on its final day. Daily armbands are available for $31.
The Wyoming chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club presents a Studebaker Car Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the southwest parking lot of the Parkway Plaza by Old Town. Come visit with Studebaker storytellers from all over the United States and Canada, and vote for your favorite car or truck.
Watercolor session is 10 a.m. to noon at Art 321. Glazing techniques will be taught by Michele Myers. The cost is $10 per session. All levels welcome.
The Bart Rea Learning Circle, located in Amoco Park, 1007 W. First Street, along the Platte River Trails hosts Meditation & Labyrinth Walk, led by Elliott Ramage, at 10:30 a.m. Bring a cushion or yoga mat.
Family Lego Club at the Natrona County Public Library will meet at 1 p.m. The library supplies a large amount of Legos and ideas about what can be created.
The Fleece Blanket Project provides a time of fun and fellowship while working on a community service project to benefit others. The group will be meeting at First Christian Church, 520 CY Avenue from 1 to 4 p.m. In addition to volunteering your time, you may donate fleece (two yards each of two complementary colors/patterns). Bring sharp scissors if you have them or just come and tie.
Come celebrate Margie Edwards 90th birthday with a party from 1 to 4 p.m. at Central Pines, 2600 Fleetwood Place.
The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center hosts a free program at 1 p.m., Letters from Lost Cabin, with a book signing after the program. Join us as Doug Cooper, editor of the book, reveals enticing stories and memories about central Wyoming.
Senior dance at the Eagles Hall, 306 N. Durbin St., 7 to 10 p.m. Dance or listen to the music of SwingSounds Band. Potluck snacks at 8:30 p.m., and door prize drawings at 9 p.m. During the door prize drawings, a donation presentation to Meals On Wheels will be made. Admission $5, children under 15 free.
Legally Blonde: The Musical starts at 7:30 p.m. at The Gertrude Krampert Center for Theatre and Dance on the Casper College campus. Directed by Gretchen Wheeler and starring Faith Conaway as fun-loving sorority girl Elle Woods and Andrew Reichert as Elles fickle boyfriend Warner Huntington III, the play follows Elle as she pursues Warner to Harvard Law School. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students 12-18 and are available online at caspercollege.edu/theatre, or one hour before each performance.
The fair in Casper is normally a tranquil, family-friendly event.
In 1965, that wasnt the case.
Nowadays, police activity at the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo is usually limited to stopping arguments or reuniting lost children with their parents. But on the night of Aug. 4, 1965, a mob turned against a Casper police officer who was trying to break up a fight at the Teensville dance pavilion on the fairs midway.
Sgt. William Claxton and two other officers who came to his aid were beaten unconscious by up to 100 teenagers.
Members of the crowd, using knives, hammers, chains and beer can openers as weapons, continued to riot for about two hours until they were driven out by officers wielding batons and pick handles.
Here is a transcript of the original story, published Aug. 5, 1965:
Casper Teens Riot, 3 Police Chain-Beaten
An estimated 100 teen-agers beat three law enforcement officers unconscious with chains and hammers Wednesday night during a two-hour riot at the Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo.
Undersheriff Bill Rober said the riot started at a dance pavilion called Teensville when Casper police Sgt. William Claxton, 35, tried to break up a fight between several youths.
Romer said Claxton was mobbed by up to 35 other teen-agers and knocked unconscious before Natrona County deputy Mike Johnson and state highway patrolman Gil Fletcher, both about 27, could rescue him.
The youths then turned on Johnson and Fletcher. They also were sent sprawling unconscious to the dance floor.
The three officers were taken to Natrona County Memorial Hospital. The extent of their injuries were not immediately determined.
Romer said the youths, using knives, hammers, chains and beer can openers as weapons, continued to riot until shortly after midnight when they were dispersed by more than 20 sheriff deputies, highway patrolmen and Casper policemen.
Romer said six youths were arrested and more arrests were expected during the morning. He said he was scheduled to meet with members of the board of the fair and rodeo at 11 a.m. to decide what further action would be taken.
Authorities requested that the pavilion be closed after a similar but less serious teen-age outbreak at the fair last year. The request was turned down.
Romer said uniforms of the three injured officers were ripped off. He said they suffered a severe beating.
A Casper man is facing his third allegation of public indecency, this time for exposing his genitals Thursday in the lobby of the Community Health Center, a police report alleges.
Bruce Lee Brooker, 34, was being held Friday in the Natrona County Detention Center in lieu of bond.
Authorities charged Brooker last month for allegedly walking through the eastside Wal-Mart with his genitals hanging out of his shorts. Brooker was on probation for public indecency at the time for an August 2015 incident in which he masturbated in his car at a Starbucks drive-through window in Casper.
In Wyoming, public indecency is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail.
A receptionist at the Community Health Center on Blackmore Road called authorities about 12:20 p.m., the police report states. She told officers Brooker had walked into the center about 11:45 a.m. and had gone into the mens restroom. She said Brooker exited the bathroom a short time later and that he had his shorts pulled down and his genitals exposed.
The receptionist told police Brooker sat in a chair facing her, according to the report. A short time later he went to the pharmacy window to pick up a prescription and then left the health center, the receptionist said.
Police interviewed Brooker at his home, the report states. He first told officers he may have accidentally exposed himself but then admitted to purposefully showing his genitals, according to the report.
Brooker did not know why he had exposed himself but stated that he had a problem, the report states.
CHUBBUCK, Idaho A southeast Idaho man is facing felony charges after authorities say he attempted to attack police officers with a sword.
Jared Whitaker, 34, was charged Thursday in 6th District Court with two counts of aggravated battery on a police officer and first-degree stalking.
According to police, officers responded Wednesday evening to reports of a suspicious male banging on a trailer inside a trailer park and acting aggressively toward residents. When officers initially arrived on scene, Whitaker returned to his home. However, police say Whitaker then emerged from his home holding a Samurai-type sword and started growling.
Police say Whitaker refused to drop his weapon, requiring several officers to deploy their Tasers in order to take him into custody.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. Amid high fire danger, officials at Rocky Mountain National Park are reminding visitors that campfires are banned in most of the park.
Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson says two illegal campfires were discovered this week and the people who set them were issued citations.
A small wildfire that started Monday near the Twin Sisters Trailhead is believed to be human caused but investigators aren't sure whether a campfire started it. It was contained at 400 square feet.
The fire danger has led the Bureau of Land Management to ban campfires except in established fire rings on its lands in central and northern Colorado.
In Rocky Mountain National Park, campfires are always only allowed in picnic areas and campgrounds accessible by roads and only in designated rings. They aren't allowed at all in the backcountry.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. A new collections center to recover money owed to state agencies and programs will begin pursuing debt for the state court system when it goes online Friday.
The Unified Judicial System will be first to send bad debt to the Obligation Recovery Center, with state agencies joining the fold over the next six months. The court system is initially submitting about 17,000 cases worth about $7 million to the center to recover difficult-to-collect debt such as restitution and fines, State Court Administrator Greg Sattizahn said.
Recovered funds would go to crime victims, schools and counties, among other recipients, he said. The Bureau of Administration estimated in 2015 that people owe South Dakota agencies more than $50 million.
I feel that we are doing taxpayers a service by trying to collect debts and save money, said Democratic Rep. Peggy Gibson, a member of the Obligation Recovery Center Advisory Group. You cant just throw it under the carpet forever and just hope people will pay at some point in time.
Lawmakers approved the recovery center during the 2015 legislative session. CGI Technologies and Solutions Inc., based outside of South Dakota, is running the center under contract with the state, said Commissioner Jeff Holden of the Bureau of Administration, which oversees it. The state has also contracted with three third-party debt collection companies.
Holden expects more people to pay back money because the center has significant tools that state agencies dont have, he said.
For example, the addition of a 20 percent collection charge when an agency exhausts recovery efforts and sends debt to the center is an incentive for people to pay before it gets referred. In some cases, people with debt referred to the center could be barred from having drivers licenses, registering vehicles or getting hunting and fishing licenses, Holden said.
Those provisions have caused concern among some lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Brock Greenfield, who criticized the plan as an ineffective expansion of government.
I think its just the heavy hand of government coming down on people, he said. You want to have consequences for a persons misdeeds, but in this case I dont think the punishment fits the so-called crime.
We often point to the third-party payer problem as the cause of the explosion in health care costs. Insurers pay doctors who provide services to patients. This separation of payer and patient means the patient has little incentive to question the cost or even the quality of service.
Now imagine what would happen if a big part of a states spending is funded that way.
Wyoming is a good example of that very problem. In Wyoming, the minerals industry funds about 70 percent of government spending-but who benefits from the spending? Not the minerals industry. According to the Wyoming Taxpayers Association, the average Wyoming family paid about $3,000 for $30,000 in government services in 2014. Citizens have had little reason to question the level or cost or necessity of services received because we pick up such a small part of the tab. Now, with the decline in the minerals industry, the sugar daddy is going sour leaving an oversized government sorely in need of streamlining.
As the gap between revenues and spending widens, the question becomes, how will that gap be filled? Lets face it. The people of Wyoming are not in a position to pay an additional $27,000 per year in taxes to plug the hole. But what are legislators and administrators doing? Trimming here and there instead of getting government out of areas better served by the private sector and allowing the private sector to create jobs. The crucial first step in the necessary transition is to refuse to shift the tax burden to the people of Wyoming.
Do the people of Wyoming have some way to sway that decision to keep politicians hand out of our wallets?
Yes we do. Its called the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge asks candidates running in the upcoming Wyoming election to commit to oppose and vote against any tax increase or any new tax.
Why do we need the pledge now?
When government collects tax revenue from one group and spends it on another, the incentive to hold government accountable for those spending decisions dissolves away. Since about 2002, Wyoming residents have enjoyed big government spending without a tax increase because the minerals industry picked up most of the tab. Since residents and voters paid little for the increase in services, the state does more and less efficiently than it would otherwise. This lack of spending accountability resulted in bloated government.
Severance and sales tax revenue, the two biggest contributors to the states main spending account, the general fund, grew by 58 and 65 percent between the 2001-02 and 2013-14 biennial budgets, respectively.
Through Wyoming Governor Freudenthals regime in the 2000s, state government spending exploded. General fund spending grew from $1.5 billion in the 2001-02 biennial budget to $$3.8 in the 2013-14 budget, a 150 percent increase, before leveling out.
What was the result?
The revenue shortfall for fiscal year 2016 alone totals almost $290 million when we add up what Governor Mead had to cover off in his last budget and the additional $130 million shortfall identified in the April CREG report. For the upcoming biennium, Governor Mead announced a shortfall of between $240-$510 million. The governor covered off about $248 million of that but Wyomings fiscal situation is increasingly grim.
With another quarter billion to cover off, what are the options? Government could reduce spending to reflect this downturn in revenue or it could raise taxes to make up the difference.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge helps elected politicians stick to the first choice. The pledge affirms that a candidate commits to opposing net tax increases, the creation of new taxes, and the elimination of tax exemptions or deductions unless these are matched dollar for dollar by tax rate reductions. This will last for the elected persons time in public office.
In the wake of the minerals slow-down, citizens are faced with a choice. We can start paying for the services we receive from government or we can bring government down to a level we are willing and able to pay for.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge ensures that elected representatives get our fiscal house in order through long-term spending reforms that make government more affordable and accountable to the people. Right now we need all our resources so we can make decisions on the best way forward for Wyoming.
There are things more important than borders drawn by conquerors and politicians, Jack Pugh comments in regard to immigration. There are things more important than the racism and economics and the politics of our immigration policy and law.
When ICE officers barged into the modest home of Irma Avina in Cheyenne in the predawn hours of Jan. 24, 2012, she had lived in the United States for 15 years. Her salary for full-time employment at Little America was $15,552 in 2009 and $18,887 in 2010. Federal income taxes were deducted from these wages.
Pugh rightly deems the wages pitiful.
Ultimately this is about families, he observes, speaking of the shattered families of the women arrested in the Cheyenne raids. They have been here many years, are peaceful and rooted in our community. They have done no harm. Avina was one of several women detained that morning.
Here is an account from one of the affected children: They (the agents) started to kick the door. My sister and I got up, really scared. My sister was crying, she is only five ... they were screaming at my mom ... they told her she was under arrest, turned her halfway around, and the sheriffs put handcuffs on her and took her away.
Another child reported that four men from ICE were already in the home when the two sheriffs arrived to join them. Imagine the mother, alone with her children, overwhelmed thus.
Ramon came to Cheyenne in 2000 on a temporary work permit secured by a commercial construction company. When his visa expired, Ramon stayed on at the request of his employer. For 16 years he was one of the companys full-time employees. After his wife and a child born in Mexico joined him, the family grew by two more children, both born in Cheyenne.
The family came to my attention because DACA gave their first child an opportunity to be documented and secure employment to save money for college, said Carol Pascal.
Ramon advanced to site supervisor and was issued a company vehicle. His company travel took him across three states. The family bought a home and has been paying federal income taxes. They prayed for immigration reform to prevent the breakup of the family.
Ramon is supportive of the Presidents policy of deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed a crime, Pascal explains, but now he fears that he, his wife and their oldest child will be deported and separated from their American-born family. Despite living with this uncertainty, the family was pleased that their oldest child was DACA-qualified. Children left behind by deported parents are often relegated into foster care.
When Wyoming implemented a real ID policy that requires extensive proof of status and residency, Ramon was unable to renew his drivers license. He now works only a couple of days a week for the same employer who does not want to let him go but must rely on friends to help with the mortgage. The oldest childs dream of going to community college is on hold, as every cent is needed to sustain the family.
The SCOTUS decision does not affect the Dreamers who qualified under DACA, Pascal hastened to add. However, it has caused fear and uncertainty among families who have lived and worked here, sometimes for decades. Its criminal to impose that kind of suffering on children, many of whom are U.S. citizens.
Al Ayala is 81 years old. I was 5 months old when my parents were expelled from New York and deported to Mexico, he said. This, even though his mother, of Polish extraction, was born in Pennsylvania.
This was during the Depression-era 30s, he said. Jobs were scarce. We were blamed and rounded up solely because of our dark skin.
Ayala showed me reports of what transpired back then. Mexican repatriation, authorized by President Herbert Hoover, was carried out by local authorities, particularly in states with large Hispanic populations: California, Texas, Michigan. The number of people caught in the raids are estimated between 500,000 and 2 million. Researchers agree that tens of thousands were legal immigrants or citizens. Forced to leave immediately, with but the clothes on their backs, their monetary losses amounts to untold millions. Children born in the U. S. struggled to survive in a foreign country. For many, the injustices left wounds that never healed.
Ironically, a few years later the U.S. government invited Ayalas family to return to the U.S.
I dont know exactly why or how it happened. I do know America needed skilled workers for the war effort. My father was a machinist. Suddenly he was of value.
Though residing in the United States ever since, Ayala remains bitter over the suffering indiscriminately imposed on his family and others.
Reveille Men's Chorus is calling its trip to Denver July 2-6 for the 2016 GALA Festival historic, and here's why: For the first time in its 21-year history, Reveille joined hands with Desert Voices for the annual GALA Choruses Festival.
The two ensembles combined had 85 voices, the largest vocal contingent from Arizona at the event. They called the trip the national debut for both.
But this is not the first time Reveille and Desert Voices have shared the stage. Reveille, in fact, was a spinoff of Desert Voices, breaking away from the choir in 1995 to form its own ensemble.
GALA Choruses, with more than 190 member choruses that represents 10,000 singers, sprearheads the North American LGBT choral movement. Its goal is to offer support and leadership, both artistically and administratively. The annual festival is regarded as the world's largest LGBT performing arts event, according to the GALA website.
PHOENIX Abortion providers filed suit in federal court Thursday to block a new state law designed to cut off other state and federal dollars they get.
Attorneys for Planned Parenthood Arizona and Desert Star Family Planning claim the measure, set to take effect in three weeks, illegally interferes with the right of Medicaid recipients to get family planning services where they want in this case, specifically from them. And that, they say, is a violation of federal Medicaid regulations.
Attorney Jennifer Lee of the American Civil Liberties Union said she is asking U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver to prevent the statute from taking effect Aug. 6. No hearing has yet been set.
The law, signed by Gov. Doug Ducey, allows the director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the states Medicaid program, at his sole discretion to disqualify any entity that does not fully segregate the tax dollars it receives from those used from other sources to provide abortions. The aim is to ensure none of those taxpayer dollars go to providing elective abortions, right down to all overhead for things like rent, lights and heat.
Attorneys for the challengers claim the statute is flawed.
First, it does not define exactly what it means to segregate taxpayer dollars from abortions, including the use of taxpayer dollars for any overhead expenses attributable to abortions.
And then theres the fact that the AHCCCS director can terminate or suspend participation in the Medicaid program with just 24 hours notice.
Unless enjoined, this impermissible requirement threatens to exclude the provider plaintiffs from the Medicaid program, thereby restricting their ability to provide and their patients ... ability to access vital womens health services, the lawsuit states.
This is the second time the ACLU has sued over this issue.
A previous restriction was voided by a federal appeals court, a decision upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Lee said this is no better.
This law has the same effect in that it imposes a requirement that will cause abortion providers to be excluded from the Medicaid program at the discretion of AHCCCS, she said. The intent of the law is the same.
Both state and federal laws already bar use of public funds for abortions that are not medically necessary.
Arizona, as part of its participation in the federal Medicaid program, provides family planning services for needy women. The federal government pays 90 percent, with the state picking up the balance.
Abortion foes have insisted that Medicaid dollars are still being used, at least indirectly, to underwrite the cost of elective abortions.
A prior version of the law approved in 2012 said any organization that also provides abortions cannot be a qualified provider in the Medicaid program.
Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, who sponsored that bill, argued that any money the government gives Planned Parenthood for other expenses frees up funds for abortions.
On Twitter: @azcapmedia
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on July 14. [Photo/Xinhua]
ULAANBAATAR - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday extended condolences to the victims of an overnight attack in the French city of Nice and their families.
"The Chinese people stand in firm solidarity with the French people," Wang said in a meeting with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault on the sidelines of the ongoing 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Ulaanbaatar.
Ayrault, for his part, reaffirmed the high level of friendship between France and China and both countries' determination to tackle terrorism.
In a suspected terror attack, a truck rammed into a crowd marking the national day of France in Nice on Thursday evening, leaving at least 84 people dead. An anti-terror investigation has been launched.
Banner-University Medical Center Tucson on North Campbell Avenue was not accepting Level 1 trauma patients Thursday after an electrical malfunction involving a hospital transformer/panel.
The hospital is Southern Arizona's only top-level or Level 1 trauma center, but its Level One trauma team transferred temporarily to Banner's other Tucson hospital, UMC-South Campus on Kino Boulevard. The team handles major trauma injuries caused by such things as car crashes or gunshots.
Patients brought to Banner-UMC's main hospital on Campbell by ambulance to the emergency room were diverted to South Campus and other hospitals for several hours. That changed at about 8:30 p.m., when Banner-UMC on Campbell was again able to take new ER patients because its electrical generators kicked in, said David Lozano, a Banner Health spokesman in Phoenix.
Lozano said he didn't know if the trauma team would return to the main campus later Thursday night or if it would be on Friday, July 15.
In the meantime, new trauma patients are still being diverted.
Otherwise, "All the hospital departments have been functioning," Lozano said, although for several hours, the hospital was not admitting new patients.
"The safety of our patients and our staff is paramount to us," said Corey Schubert, a Banner Health spokesman in Phoenix.
The problems began about 1 p.m. due to smoldering in an electrical panel in the basement of Banner-UMC on Campbell.
Tucson Fire Department crews were "able to determine that an overloaded circuit breaker may have caused the outage and is working with us on a resolution," Schubert said.
Earlier, Tucson Fire Department crews and hospital personnel worked to dissipate the smoke in the hospital, said Capt. Barrett Baker, a department spokesman.
Hector Barajas served honorably in the Army, but it wasnt enough to keep him from being deported.
After his discharge in 2001, he got into trouble with the law in California. He served his sentence for illegally discharging a firearm, but because he was not a U.S. citizen and his crime was deemed a deportable offense, he ended up in Mexico, far from his family.
Barajas recently joined forces with U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., to help deported veterans find their way back to the United States.
No veteran should die on this side of the border (in Mexico) only to be put in a box and buried by Uncle Sam with full military honors, Barajas said Thursday via Skype from Tijuana, Mexico, at a news conference held in Washington, D.C.
In an ironic twist of policy, deported veterans are separated from services and family while theyre alive, but are reintegrated into the United States when they die, Grijalva said at the press conference.
Grijalva and 18 co-sponsors introduced a bill on July 8 that would help bring veterans like Barajas back to the United States to reunite with family and access their benefits as veterans.
The thought that people who have sacrificed so much for our nations defense and safety are kicked out with such disregard is utterly appalling, Grijalva said.
The Veteran Visa and Protection Act would give many deported military veterans legal immigration status or stop deportation proceedings. They could also be eligible for naturalization, which was available to them during their service.
Under the bills provisions, each veteran would be evaluated based on eligibility requirements such as whether their offense was violent and whether they pose a risk to national security, Grijalva said.
This bill is about ensuring every single veteran, regardless of where they were born, is treated with the same deference and respect that they all earned through their service in uniform, he said.
Many veterans get into trouble with the law because they cant access the services they need and self-medicate, bill co-sponsor U.S. Rep. Juan Vargas, D-Calif., said at the press conference.
Some of them have seen terrible things, Vargas said. Some of them have been through literally hell because theyve been through war.
As a result, they are punished twice: first by serving their sentence in prison and then again by being deported, he said.
Non-citizens have served in the U.S. military since the nations founding. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reported more than 100,000 members of the U.S. military have been naturalized since 2001.
In a recent report, Discharged, Then Discarded the ACLU of California interviewed 59 veterans from 22 countries who served in wars as far back as Vietnam and who have been deported or are facing deportation.
The ACLU attributes these veterans deporta-tions in part to 1990s immigration laws that reclassified minor crimes as aggravated felonies and eliminated immigration judges discretion to consider veterans military service.
Service members are eligible for naturalization while serving, but in many cases the federal government failed to provide adequate information and assistance or mishandled applications, the ACLU report says.
PHOENIX Saying police have no obligation to defend specific individuals, the state Court of Appeals on Thursday threw out claims against Phoenix police by rape victims and families of those killed by the man known as the Baseline Killer.
The plaintiffs argued the Police Department and its laboratory services bureau were grossly negligent by not immediately performing a complete series of tests on DNA evidence they had from an early sexual assault victim. Had those tests been done, their lawyers argued, the evidence would have led to the arrest of Mark Goudeau before he committed other crimes.
But Judge Randall Howe, writing for the unanimous court, said it appears police followed procedures because, at the time the first sample was obtained, there was no evidence of a serial killer or rapist.
Howe also noted that one of the tests specifically requires there be a sample from a suspect for comparison. The judge said once police did have a suspect, that comparison was made and Goudeau was arrested.
The judge said, though, the real legal flaw in the lawsuit is that the Legislature has provided qualified immunity for police.
He said it would be one thing if police knew and had made a special effort to protect the specific individuals who later were killed or raped. But absent that special relationship, Howe said police owed them no specific duty to identify Goudeau, a necessary legal precursor to overcoming the immunity.
The duty owed (by police) is not to protect each citizen within its geographical boundaries from all harms, Howe wrote. Merely establishing a police department does not make a city a general insurer of safety or liable for absolutely all harms to its citizens.
Goudeau was arrested and found guilty of 13 murders, rapes and robberies that occurred between August 2005 and June 2006. He was dubbed the Baseline Killer because the crimes started along the Baseline Road corridor in Phoenix, though they later spread.
Hit Foxtel drama Wentworth is getting its third European adaptation, this time in Belgium.
The FremantleMedia series already has local adaptations in Germany (Block B Unter Arrest) and the Netherlands (Celblok H).
Commercial broadcaster Vier (Flanders) has commissioned a series in Flemish language co-produced by FremantleMedia Belgium and Marmalade Productions.
10 episodes will launch in 2018 following a playout on cable channels.
Set in a female prison in Ghent, the drama boasts the same characters as the acclaimed Australian template, based on the classic, Prisoner. Production began earlier this month on a huge 2,000 square meter custom-built set.
Stefan De Keyser, Managing Director of FremantleMedia Belgium, said: Wentworth is an explosive drama filled with twists and emotion. Its suspenseful contemporary storylines and powerful female cast are sure to captivate Flemish audiences and we hope that Viers commission will build on the worldwide success of this outstanding scripted property.
The Flemish language version is the latest addition to adaptations already produced in the Netherlands (Celblok H) and Germany bringing the total number of international adaptations to three.
Wentworth has now screened in 141 countries around the world and is screening in its fourth season on SoHo.
Help India!
By Siddhant Mohan and Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: A week after the death of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, Kashmir valley continues to remain tense and far from normal, with the death toll rising to 41 along with thousands injured. On Friday morning, security forces announced a shoot on sight order across the valley, following separatists calls for protests after the Friday prayers.
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Moreover, after clamping down on mobile internet and Facebook accounts that did not agree with the Indian actions in the region, the government has also cut off broadband lines since Thursday evening. In fact, save BSNL, even phone connectivity has suffered extensively in the region, leading to a mass breakdown in communication lines. Valley-based newspapers and websites are currently facing major issues in posting news on their sites as a result of failure of communication lines.
On Friday morning, Rakshak vans were seen announcing the warning of Shoot at Sight. Citizen from Chenab valley area, particularly Doda, Kishtwar and Bhaderwah, have also called for shutdown.
The imams of mosques of Chenab valley have appealed to the government to stop atrocities on citizens. They also called for international organizations to look into the matter of Kashmir and intervene at the earliest. More importantly, even areas considered peaceful hitherto, like the Chenab valley, saw protesters raising Azadi slogans today.
Bilal Bisharat Bhat, a journalist based in downtown Srinagar, said over the phone, Security forces knew the importance of Friday for the Kashmiri people. We heard police announcing the Shoot at Sight order when we were indoors. After the order came into effect, tension in the state has only risen, said Bhat. It was Friday and there was no prayer in Srinagar Jama Masjid, he added.
There were also reports of defiance of the Shoot at Sight orders in certain places, with citizens at Hawal, Bemina and HMT defying the order but there has been no report of shooting, till now.
Hilal Ahmad War, senior Hurriyat leader in the valley showed no surprise over the order. War, who is currently under house arrest, told Twocircles.net, There has always been shoot at sight order in Kashmir since AFSPA was imposed. Just this time they have announced it. Kashmir is not a normal state. People cant go to mosques freely and do their processions. Every day, someone gets killed.
He also said, This all could have been avoided if security forces would have just arrested Wani. But they killed him in cold blood when he was unarmed. Doing this, they disobeyed the Indian as well as International guidelines.
Valley residents are also angry at the current state of affairs in the state. Imtiyaz Chesti from Srinagar said, We feel like people are waiting to see us dead. We feel like we are meant to be eaten.
Commenting against the rightwing campaigns against Kashmiris in the recent turmoil, Chesti said, Media could have performed its role, but it didnt. Media is rubbing salt on our wounds thus making condition worse for us.
Help India!
By Mumtaz Naiyer for TwoCircles.net
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) published a list of fake universities in India. The state of Uttar Pradesh topped the list of maximum fake universities with eight out of 22. This prompted me to look at the list of medical colleges approved by Medical Council of India (MCI). The first thing that came in my mind to check the MCI approved medical colleges of my native state Bihar, which has 13 MCI-approved medical colleges. I was also curious to know what courses (under graduate and post graduate) these colleges offer. Is there any research work being conducted in these medical colleges?
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To my utter surprise, however, I found two of MCI approved colleges in the state of Bihar are bereft of any website. The name of two such medical colleges is Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College, Kishanganj and Lord Buddha Koshi Medical College and Hospital, Saharsa. Both medical colleges are private. MGM Medical College Kishanganj is running under a trust and a Sikh minority institution.
The college has been situated in one of the most backward regions of India, Kishanganj, which has 70% Muslim population. As a native of Kishanganj, it was no less than a shock for me to know that the only medical college in the district is being operated since 1990 without any website.
As per the terms of Notification published on 03.07.2015 in the Gazette of India, the Medical Council of India (MCI) clearly states that each and every college/institute shall have its own website wherein the following details updated in the first week of every month shall be provided:-
Details of Dean, Principal and Medical Superintendent including their name, qualification complete address with telephone and STD code, fax and E-mail etc.
Teaching as well as non-teaching staff.
Details of the sanctioned intake capacity of various courses UG as well as PGs by the MCI.
List of students admitted merit-wise category-wise (UG & PG) for the current and previous year.
Any research publications during the last one year.
Details of any CME programmes, conferences and/or any academic activities conducted by the institution.
Details of any awards and achievement received by the students or faculty
Details of the affiliated university and its Vice-Chancellor and Registrars.
Result of all the examinations of last one year.
Detailed status of recognition of all the courses.
Details of clinical material in the hospital.
Such colleges without a website clearly violate the MCI guidelines and unfortunately MGM Medical College Kishanganj is one of them. This institution has been permitted by the MCI, New Delhi to undertake admission of 60 Students to the MBBS Course which has been increased to 100 last year. The fact that a college has been running for 26 years without a website shows poor transparency on account of both the MCI and the college administration. One can only wonder what kind of doctors the institution is producing. Because of such private medical colleges the market has been flooded with doctors so poorly trained that they are a little better than quacks.
Many of the private colleges have been set up by businessmen and politicians, who have no experience operating medical or educational institutions. The director of the MGM medical college Mr. Dilip Jaiswal is also a politician who is BJP MLC from the area.
Paying bribes often in the guise of donations to gain admission to private Indian medical schools is widespread, according to Indias health ministry, doctors and college officials. Such donations are being used in money laundering and other political activities.
As per sources MGM medical college Kishanganj has annual turnover of more than Rs 200 crore, yet somehow it still does not have even a basic website, which is quite surprising. Also there have been instances of medical negligence; patients dying in operation theatre etc. which have been reported. The poor patients could not muster courage to report in the police because the director of the institution is very influential BJP politician.
I would like to draw the attention of Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar and the Union Minister of Health and family welfare J P Nadda to look after the matter as to why MGM Medical College Kishanganj violates the MCI guidelines.
I hope the authorities of MGM Medical College will address the issue at the earliest and for maintaining transparency it will update the details in their website as per the MCI terms of Notification published on 03.07.2015 in the Gazette of India.
The author is a Postdoctoral Scientist at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, UK
If any famous personality encapsulated what it meant to be a true artist, it was David Bowie: musician, actor, fashion icon and all-round innovator. Its hardly surprising, therefore, that the man behind many artistic guises, such as Ziggy Stardust, was also the curator of a vast and eclectic personal Art collection, spanning many eras, styles and disciplines. Following the Brixton-born stars untimely death in January this year, only days after his 69th birthday and the release of his final album Blackstar, Sothebys in London has announced that they will be undertaking the task of auctioning these works from 1st-10th November this year.
Entitled Bowie/Collector, the New Bond Street galleries will play host to the sale and exhibition of around 400 works, encompassing modern British art and movements including Surrealism, contemporary African art, outsider art and pieces from the Memphis group. Bowies extraordinary collection of paintings and sculptures, expected to sell for $13 million (10 million), boasts works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Frank Auerbach, Damien Hirst, Ettore Sottsass, Peter Lanyon and Henry Moore. Not limited to canvas, potential buyers can also expect to see design furniture and a bizarre turntable created by Italian brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in the sixties.
Preceding the auction due to take place later this year, those of us unable to splash the cash on a original Basquiat can enjoy an exclusive preview of the Thin White Dukes personal gallery in London from 20th July to 9th August, before it goes on to be displayed in Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong.
As a man whose legacy is intertwined with fashion, theatre and art, the works on auction are what Sothebys European Chairman Oliver Barker describes as unscripted and understated. He went on to reveal that the icons life as an art aficionado was something he kept almost entirely hidden from public view. Simon Hucker, Senior Specialist in Modern & Post-War British Art at Sothebys, highlights Bowies need for a connection or feeling of inspiration from the artists whose work he collected, also pointing to the surreal artistic elements in many of his videos, Ashes to Ashes, to name one.
The first public display of such a private aspect of Bowies extraordinarily creative life offers fans, buyers and art critics alike a unique insight into a selection of exceptional pieces previously owned by an exceptional man, one of the 20th centurys greatest creative spirits.
Terror Attacks have filled the news and media in 2016 with the Paris Bombings , Brussels, Orlando shootings,Dallas Shootings and now Nice, just to name a few.
With each new attack the world morns another loss of innocent lives, lives which should have never been taken, lives taken too soon, families losing loved ones and humans losing a little more faith in society. People begin to realise that these attacks somewhat unpredictable could happen anywhere. Paris the city of love, the beautiful monuments and a big tourist destination, Orlando another big tourist destinations with millions visiting from around the world, Nice another beautiful town on the French Rivera and a top tourist destination.
Are we safe anywhere?
People have always thought of travelling whether on a holiday or backpacking as a way to break away from routine for a week or two, spend time with loved ones and visit a new places, you don't expect it to be the worst time of your life or to lose a loved one. Are we safe anywhere? Am I safer at home, the answer is no, terror attacks can happen anywhere time, your local village, city, capital city, Paris, Brussels, Nice, Dallas and Orlando are all people's homes. The truth is it doesn't matter if you are at home or abroad anything can happen, but would you let this stop you having a holiday because of a what if? We can't give into these people, we must carry on, rebuild, morn and celebrate peoples lives, this is how we show them they haven't won.
Allof these innocent lives being taken like they are meaningless, I'm startingto believewe are all unimportant, we are just waiting in line to become the next victim and another headline in tomorrow's news. Nice wasn'tjust another terrorist attack, it's another group of people mourning their loved ones who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
As the world morns with Nice and remembers the past victims, we think about what is next, how did we create a world filled with hate and violence where people are scared to travel or move around.
As scientists and clinicians, we must always contemplate the next step in treatment for our patients. On the horizon for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) is low-intensity extracorporal shock wave treatment (Li-ESWT), also known as low- energy shock wave therapy or treatment (LESWT). Li-ESWT is rapidly developing into an ostensibly viable treatment option for ED patients. With 14 studies including 833 patients from 2005 to 2015, and multiple ongoing clinical trials, it seems that both clinicians and patients are eager to embrace this technology.Despite this overwhelming enthusiasm, several critical questions remain to be answered before the wide-spread application of this treatment modality. First and foremost, the mode of action still needs to be determined and the safety of treatment established. Next, the most efficacious settings (energy settings, anatomic targets of treatment, treatment schedule and duration) have yet to be fully ascertained. Finally, long term surveillance studies are needed to determine the possible adverse effects of LI-ESWT treatment on cell growth and to determine the possible consequences on coexistent subclinical conditions, such as prostate malignancy and benign prostatic hyperplasia.Li-ESWT presents a non-invasive method of up-regulating endogenous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) [1]. Additionally, in a rat model of pelvic neurovascular injury, Li-ESWT-induced endogenous progenitor cell recruitment and Schwann cell activation coincided with angiogenesis, tissue regeneration, and nerve generation [2]. In human cardiovascular patients, Li-ESWT has demonstrated to have an angiogenesis-promoting effect believed to involve upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) [3]. Li-ESWT has been shown to markedly improve erectile function in patients with organic ED [4] through down-regulating receptors for advanced glycation end products [5] and through recruitment of endogenous mesenchymal stem cells[6].Proving that physicians are eager for new options for ED patients, Li-ESWT has been discussed, though not endorsed, in the first-line therapy section of the European Association of Urology recommendations for ED ( https://uroweb.org/wp-content/uploads/14-Male-Sexual-Dysfunction_LR.pdf ).By utilizing this non-invasive method, if we are successful, we will be able to potentially mitigate or eliminate the safety and methodological concerns about stem cell acquisition, preparation, and delivery and also reduce or eliminate the need for expensive and invasive medical and surgical therapies for ED in some patients. As with stem cell therapies, the underlying mechanisms of therapeutic ultrasound and the biological effects it has on the human body remain to be thoroughly investigated, and additional well-designed rigorous studies are needed to further define the mechanism of action, safety profile, and efficacy of treatment.Written by: Amanda B Reed-Maldonado, Guiting Lin and Tom F LueKnuppe Molecular Urology Laboratory, Department of Urology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.1. Xin Z, Lin G, Lei H, Lue TF, Guo Y. Clinical applications of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and its potential role in urology.2016;5(2):255-266.2. Li H, Matheu MP, Sun F, et al. Low-energy Shock Wave Therapy Ameliorates Erectile Dysfunction in a Pelvic Neurovascular Injuries Rat Model.2016;13(1):22-32.3. Wang W, Liu H, Song M, Fang W, Yuan F. Clinical Effect of Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy on Myocardial Ischemia in Patients With Ischemic Heart Failure.2016;21(4):381-387.4. Vardi Y, Appel B, Jacob G, Massarwi O, Gruenwald I. Can low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy improve erectile function? A 6-month follow-up pilot study in patients with organic erectile dysfunction.2010;58(2):243-248.5. Liu J, Zhou F, Li GY, et al. Evaluation of the effect of different doses of low energy shock wave therapy on the erectile function of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.2013;14(5):10661-10673.6. Qiu X, Lin G, Xin Z, et al. Effects of low-energy shockwave therapy on the erectile function and tissue of a diabetic rat model.2013;10(3):738-746.
Who could ever predict that Shakespeares powerful political power-play (c. 1608), Coriolanus, would so closely mirror todays worldwide political arenamostly the three-ring variety? The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ)s new production, in Madison, New Jersey, through July 24th, will rattle you, not just for its prescience, but because of its talented cast, unique design and even the sound effects. If you thought politicians can behow shall we say?manipulative, this peek into Shakespeares most divided political leader will show you the forces that just may be manipulating them.
Huge cast, yet tight ensemble
Director Brian Crowe leads 25 actors, who enter and exit from all sides, parading the aisles, at times shouting from the balcony, as if just one person. The charismatic Greg Derelian plays surly, snarly Coriolanusa walking scowland throws himself bodily into this stagings demanding physicality that includes impressive swordplay. Jacqueline Antaramian, dramatically compelling in the role of Volumnia, proves the real force behind her son. Her pep talk, urging Coriolanus to seem sincere to Romes poor and oppressed even if it means being untrue to himself, epitomizes his inner dilemma:
Pivotal characters
Bruce Cromer as Menenius Agrippa, strives to sway the beleaguered general in the interests of Romes populace.
Or are they his interests? He isnt spared this action-packed productions dangers, at one point being thrown several feet from the stage to a platform a couple feet below. Making an impressive Company debutat times brandishing swords in both handsMichael Schantz is General Tullus Aufidius, Coriolanus sworn enemy who ironically joinshim in attacking Rome when its citizens banish their hero.
Corey Tazmania as tribune Sicinius Velutus delivers her volleys of charged speech with seeming facility, giving a voice to the poor before Romes formidable ruling class.
Truly no minor roles
The towering Raphael Nash Thompson as General Cominius excels in dramatic roles with one of the richest stage voices around. Clark Scott Carmichael as Titus Lartius promotes the supporting role of Coriolanus trusted friend and soldier to leading role status.
In the tiny roles of Lieutenant and Third Citizen, Jordan Laroyas arguably most important role can be seen exclusively in rehearsal rooms where, as Fight Captain, he helps cast members to perfect the conflict choreography created by Fight Director Doug West. How do no fatalities arise from these realistic skirmishes? Oh, and the slow-motion assassination of a certain someone will wow you.
The look and sound of Coriolanus
Set Designer Richard Blocks austere set is a bare playing field onto which come only the most essential furniture and props, only when needed. Across the back of the stage a multipurpose sliding wall acts as backdrop, city gates and entrances into various buildings. Costume Designer Tristan Raines dresses everyone in epoch-defying garb of brilliant white (patricians) and grimy gray and black (plebeians), sometimes redolent of Star Trek (Senators) or otherwise interplanetary (the Volscians).
Sound Designer Karin Graybash adds perfect atmospheric touches principally through eerie acoustic effects, like a massive doors resounding echo.
How does STNJ do it, every time? Coriolanus leaves you breathlessriveting live theaterat its best.
Till July 24th: The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison NJ 07940.
When Donald Trump made it official that he was running for president last year, most members of the media and political pundits didn't think he had much of a chance at success. Fast forward to present day and Trump is set to accept the Republican nomination, while also deciding on his running mate.
Palin denies Trump
Earlier this year, former half-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin became one of the earliest big name Republicans to endorse Trump for president. Over the last seven months since her public support of Trump, Palin has appeared at various campaign rallies in an attempt to win over the Tea Party crowd for the billionaire real estate mogul.
Palin has gotten so involved with the Trump campaign that there was speculation that the failed 2008 vice presidential candidate would get another shot at joining the GOP ticket. After the news broke that Trump was set to pick Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, Palin reportedly turned down a shot at speaking at the upcoming Republican National Convention, as reported by Politico on July 14.
.@realDonaldTrump: Palin not attending RNC because Alaska 'a long ways away' https://t.co/oWhnBDd2G2 | AP Photo pic.twitter.com/5aOfXYcxVa POLITICO (@politico) July 14, 2016
In an interview with The Washington Examiner, Trump said that Palin "was asked" to attend and speak at the convention, but turned down the campaign's offer.
"We love Sarah. Little bit difficult because of, you know, it's a long ways away," Trump said. While Trump used Palin's home in Alaska as an excuse, citing the long distance, it hasn't stopped her from campaigning during the year. Making stops in Florida and Oklahoma on the campaign trail, a trip to Cleveland, Ohio shouldn't seem that much different for such a historic occasion.
Breaking News: Donald Trumps campaign has signaled he will pick Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana as his running mate https://t.co/02P8gJw51i The New York Times (@nytimes) July 14, 2016
Election status
With Palin out of the picture, a Trump/Pence ticket is set to grace the stage the convention, and then move on to the general election against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
While Clinton has not yet decided on her running mate, the race is expected to be tight until Election Day this November. Recent polls show the former Secretary of State with a slim lead, holding an advantage over Trump by less than five points. Where Trump is hurting the most is with minority groups, important voting blocs that can make or break a campaign. Seventy percent of women and Hispanics have an unfavorable view of Trump, but his numbers dip even further with black voters. Trump's approval with African-American voters in the swing states of Florida and Ohio registered as zero, with no black voters surveyed giving him their support.
Jiaolong submersible returns with findings from W Pacific
Updated: 2016-07-14 10:49
(Xinhua)
Members of the expedition team wave hands on Xiangyanghong 09, carrier of China's manned deep-sea submersible Jiaolong, in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, July 13, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
QINGDAO -- Chinese deep-sea manned submersible Jiaolong came back to its home port in Qingdao on Wednesday after a scientific expedition lasting nearly 100 days to the Yap Trench and Mariana Trench in the west Pacific Ocean.
During the 94-day-expedition, the submersible dived to depths of up to6,796 meters where it acquired substantial geological, biological and deep water samples and took high definition videos.
This is the second time Jiaolong has dived below 6,000 meters in the sea. In 2012, it ventured down to 7,062 meters, the deepest an operation-type submersible has ever reached.
Very little is known about life, the environment and geological conditions so deep in the sea due to limitations in technology enabling its exploration.
"Jiaolong's expedition has brought back first-hand materials for Chinese scientists to contribute to sea abyss studies," said Peng Xiaotong, chief scientist at the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
During its deep sea exploration, Jiaolong found an active mud volcano on the south slope of the Mariana Trench and shot videos. It also took samples from another mud volcano at the trench's north slope.
It also found that organisms dwelling at the bottom of two seamounts in west Pacific to be largely similar. Such findings will serve as valuable references to the design of deep sea mining, according to Wang Chunsheng, a researcher with the State Oceanic Administration.
Jiaolong also found continuous distribution of cobalt-rich crust in the deep sea area, helping inform China's future decisions in identifying areas for prospecting.
Yang Jiechi Gives Interview to State Media on the So-called Award by the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea Arbitration Updated: 2016-07-15 14:20 (chinadaily.com.cn)
On 14 July, State Councilor Yang Jiechi gave an interview to state media on the so-called award of the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration during which he elaborated on China's position. The full text of the interview is as follows:
Reporter: On 12 July, the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration issued its so-called award, which attempts to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. In response, China issued a Statement on the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines, Statement on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea and a White Paper entitled China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, stating China's solemn position of non-acceptance and non-recognition of the award and reaffirming China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. How do you view the award by the so-called Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration?
Yang Jiechi: The Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration has issued its so-called award. This award is illegal and invalid in every sense. The Chinese government has released relevant statements and a White Paper stating its solemn position of firmly opposing the arbitration and not accepting or recognizing the award. This position of the central government has the strong support and endorsement from people of various social sectors in China. They have expressed their unequivocal attitude of opposing the illegal arbitration and safeguarding sovereign rights and interests by contributing articles and articulating views through the press, TV and SMS as well as online platforms like WeChat and Weibo.
The South China Sea arbitration has been a political farce all along, staged under the cover of law and driven by a hidden agenda. Certain countries outside the region have attempted to deny China's sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea through the arbitration. They have even brought other countries into the scheme to isolate and discredit China in the international community with a view to holding back China's peaceful development. But such attempts are futile, to say the least, and in so doing, they are only lifting a stone to drop it on their own feet. I must point out that the arbitration runs counter to the spirit of international rule of law, puts regional peace and stability in jeopardy, and undermines the interests of the international community. Most countries in the world see this clearly. Over 70 countries and international and regional organizations have made statements showing their understanding of and support for China's position. This speaks volumes about the attitude of the international community toward the political farce, proving the futility of certain countries' scheme to hem in and smear China.
Sovereignty is a bottom line for China. Big as China is, we cannot afford to give away a single inch of territory that our ancestors have left to us. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea have been formed over the course of over two thousand years. They are fully backed by historical and legal evidence. Under no circumstances can they ever be negated by a so-called award that is full of nonsense. The award can neither change historical facts nor deny China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea. Still less can it waver our resolve and determination to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. China's position of not accepting or recognizing the award will not change. At the same time, China will stay committed to following a path of peaceful development, to resolving the disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation and consultation, to developing friendly relations and win-win cooperation with its neighbors, and to working with others to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Reporter: Why do you believe that the Philippines' initiation of arbitration is against international law?
Yang Jiechi: A basic requirement of international rule of law is that actions must be taken in strict accordance with the law. The crux of disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea are issues concerning territory and maritime delimitation. Territorial issues are not governed by UNCLOS. On maritime delimitation, China made a declaration on optional exceptions in 2006 pursuant with UNCLOS stipulations, excluding it from the dispute settlement mechanisms of UNCLOS. By unilaterally initiating arbitration, the Philippine government under Aquino III has gone against its long-standing bilateral agreement with China that disputes in the South China Sea shall be settled through negotiation, violated the DOC signed in 2002 by China and ASEAN countries, the Philippines included, and breached international law and UNCLOS. Hence, this arbitration has been illegal since the very beginning. It cannot be seen as an application of international law.
Reporter: Why do you think that the Arbitral Tribunal lacks legitimacy and impartiality? Why is the award illegal and invalid?
Yang Jiechi: If you look at the composition of the Arbitral Tribunal, most of the arbitrators were appointed by Shunji Yanai, the then President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and a right-wing Japanese intent on ridding Japan of post-war arrangements. In the proceedings, some arbitrators and experts even backtracked from their long-held views to make the case for the Philippines. Anyone with good sense can see the tricks.
In disregard of China's staunch position, the Arbitral Tribunal willfully went beyond its authority, turned a blind eye to the history and reality of the South China Sea and misinterpreted relevant stipulations of UNCLOS. It has deviated from UNCLOS from the very beginning and overstepped and expanded its authority to render this award. Naturally, such an award can only be illegal and invalid. The Tribunal can in no way represent international law, still less equity and justice in the world.
Reporter: How will the award affect China's dotted line in the South China Sea?
Yang Jiechi: History brooks no distortion and law no abuse. China's sovereignty, rights and relevant claims in the South China Sea are gradually formed and developed by the practice of the Chinese people throughout millennia and have been upheld by successive Chinese governments. As early as in 1948, the Chinese government marked the dotted line in the South China Sea on its officially published map, which affirmed China's sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and maritime rights and interests in their adjacent waters. This is a historical fact beyond any doubt. As a state party to UNCLOS,China is fully entitled to its rights under UNCLOS. China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea long predate the signing of UNCLOS. They shall by no means be denied by UNCLOS, still less by an unwarranted and flawed award. China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea are protected by both international law and UNCLOS.
Reporter: Given that the award has been rendered, how will China safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea, important to the Chinese people since ancient times, is our heritage to which our forefathers devoted their wisdom and even lives. The Chinese government remains unwavering in its resolve to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The Chinese people do not covet other countries' interests or envy their development. At the same time, we will never give up our legitimate interests. No country should expect us to trade our core interests away or swallow the bitter consequences of our sovereignty, security and development interests being undermined. The Chinese government and people will remain united and act resolutely to safeguard every inch of our land and every swath of our waters.
Reporter: Some people accuse China of defying international rules by not accepting or recognizing the award of the Tribunal, believing that China has changed its policy of peaceful development. How will you respond to that?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines violated the bilateral agreements between China and the Philippines. It breached regional rules as embodied in the DOC and international rules, including those under UNCLOS. China's position on the arbitration fully complies with international law. This basic fact has been thoroughly elaborated in a series of position papers issued by the Chinese government. The attempt to mount an all-out smear campaign against China by distorting this basic fact has once again exposed the nature of this arbitration, that is, a farce in which certain countries use international law as a cover to pursue their own hidden agenda.
China has all along been an active player in building up and enhancing the regional and international order. Over 70 years ago, China participated directly in the design and building of the post-war international order. Over the past 70 plus years, China has consistently upheld the international order and system based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter with the United Nations at the center, and steadfastly safeguarded and promoted international rule of law. China will work with other countries to maintain and build a sound international order and international system.
The arbitration will not in the slightest way shake China's resolve to pursue the path of peaceful development. To seek peaceful development is not a matter of expediency. It is a strategic choice China has made in line with the trend of the time and its own fundamental interests. China remains committed to developing friendly relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, and deepening win-win cooperation and connectivity with its neighbors. It adheres to negotiation and consultation as a means for addressing relevant territorial and maritime delimitation issues, and resolutely safeguards peace and stability in the region.
Reporter: What impact will the arbitration case have on China-ASEAN relations? How do you see the prospect of this relationship?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea issue is not an issue between China and ASEAN. In fact, ASEAN has long made clear its neutrality on this issue and its position of not intervening in specific disputes. Therefore, it should not take sides on issues related to the arbitration. China and ASEAN member states have maintained candid and friendly communication regarding the South China Sea issue. The two sides are ready to fully and effectively implement the DOC and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea through continuous dialogue and consultation. In the meantime, we will steadily take forward consultations on the Code of Conduct to promote early conclusion of the COC based on consensus. As for specific disputes, China will maintain communication and consultation with those ASEAN member states who are directly concerned to address them in a proper way. China means what it says and follows a consistent policy.
China-ASAEN relations enjoy sound momentum of growth and broad prospects. This year marks the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. Over the past quarter century, the China-ASEAN relationship has withstood test of time and produced fruitful outcomes. Two-way trade has grown from less than US$10 billion 25 years ago to nearly US$500 billion, making China and ASEAN each other's major trading partners. The growth of this relationship has brought tangible benefits to the people of all countries in the region, setting a fine example of countries, big or small, treating each other as equals and working together for common development.
In the coming September, China will be represented at the leadership level at the Summit marking the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations to be held in Laos. The Chinese leader will work with leaders of ASEAN countries in drawing a blueprint for the future development of China-ASEAN relations. They will endeavor to deepen political mutual trust through enhanced strategic communication, and strengthen practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges to achieve peaceful development for mutual benefit.
Reporter: How do you view the future of China-Philippines relations?
Yang Jiechi: China and the Philippines are close neighbors across the sea. Our friendly exchanges date back over 1,000 years. In recent years, however, bilateral relations have run into serious difficulty as a result of the previous Philippine government's hostile policy toward China on the South China Sea issue and its unilateral initiation of the arbitration. The arbitration violates both the agreement between China and the Philippines and international law, and goes against the common interests of the two countries and peoples. It is a major political obstacle to the improvement of bilateral relations. We call on the new Philippine government to bear in mind the common interests of our two countries and the broader picture of bilateral ties and properly handle relevant issues. As long as China and the Philippines remain committed to the principles and spirit of the DOC, to properly settling differences through dialogue and consultation and growing friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation,our bilateral ties will enjoy a bright future.
Reporter: What is your comment on the frequent intervention by countries outside the region in the South China Sea issue and how will China respond to that?
Yang Jiechi: The arbitration is a case in point of how non-regional countries interfere in the South China Sea issue. It is an issue between littoral countries and should be left to the countries concerned to resolve through peaceful negotiations. Thanks to the concerted efforts of China and the relevant ASEAN countries, the South China Sea has long remained peaceful and stable, laying ground for regional development and prosperity.
In recent years, certain countries outside the region, driven by their own agenda, have frequently intervened in the South China Sea issue under the pretext of upholding freedom of navigation and maintaining regional peace, leading to an escalation of tension. Such highly irresponsible moves have become the major source of risks that affect peace and stability in the South China Sea.
We have always maintained that China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea have the wisdom and capability to manage differences and build the area into a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship. We have never rejected the legitimate rights and interests of non-regional countries in the South China Sea. This is what we have being saying and doing. We hope relevant countries will respect the independent choice of China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea and do more to facilitate sustained peace and stability in the South China Sea, not the contrary.
Reporter: What is China's approach to resolving the South China Sea issue?
Yang Jiechi: China firmly follows a path of peaceful development, a foreign policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors, and a policy of settling disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation. Thanks to these policies, since the founding of the PRC, China has settled boundary issues left over from history with 12 of its 14 neighbors on land. The settlement has been achieved based on historical facts and basic principles of the international law and through bilateral consultation and negotiation. Borders of over 20,000 kilometers have been demarcated, accounting for over 90% of the total length of China's borders. Moreover,China and Vietnam have delimited the maritime boundary in Beibu Bay through negotiation and consultation. China and the ROK have also launched negotiation on maritime delimitation in the Yellow Sea.
As a major country in the region, China is fully aware of the importance of upholding regional peace and stability and its responsibility in the region. China has all along been firmly opposed to the illegal occupation of some islands and reefs of Nansha Islands by certain countries and their infringement of China's rights in relevant waters under China's jurisdiction. That said, China is ready to settle the disputes through peaceful negotiation with countries directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in compliance with international law, UNCLOS included. China is ready to discuss with countries concerned about temporary arrangements pending final settlement of the dispute, which include joint development in relevant waters in the South China Sea for mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, so that together we can maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
THAAD poses real threat to security of China Updated: 2016-07-15 07:26 (China Daily)
Residents chant slogans during a protest against government's decision on deploying a US THAAD anti-missile defense unit in Seongju, Republic of Korea (ROK), July 13, 2016. The banner reads "Desperately oppose deploying THAAD in Seongju". [Photo/VCG]
What has historically been ours is ours. Even if others say it is not. That is why, annoying as it is, the Philippines-initiated South China Sea arbitration is actually not worth the limelight it is being given.
It is time for Beijing to get down to real, serious business. It has bigger issues to attend to, the most imperative of which is the anti-missile system being deployed on its doorsteps. Because, while it was coping with the worthless arbitral award from The Hague, Washington and Seoul finalized their plan for the deployment of the US' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system in the Republic of Korea.
The arbitral ruling, which is null and non-executable, will have little effect on China's interests and security in the South China Sea. But not THAAD, which is a clear, present, substantive threat to China's security interests.
The installment of the US system in the ROK should be of far greater concern to Beijing, and warrants a far stronger reaction. Or should we say retaliation?
The ROK has legitimate security concerns, especially with Pyongyang constantly threatening nuclear bombing. With that in mind, Beijing has been adamant about de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and worked closely with Seoul and Washington in implementing and upgrading United Nations sanctions, and appealed tirelessly for restarting the Six-Party Talks.
But Seoul has brushed aside Beijing's security interests while pursuing those of its own.
Washington and Seoul did claim that THAAD would be focused "solely" on nuclear/missile threats from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and would not be directed toward any third-party nation. But THAAD far exceeds such a need. Besides the far more credible threat from Pyongyang's artillery, short-range and lower-altitude missiles is simply beyond the system's reach.
While it will deliver a limited security guarantee to the ROK, THAAD's X-band radar will substantially compromise the security interests of China and Russia, no matter how the United States shrouds its purpose.
Yet having made such a beggar-thy-neighbor choice, Seoul has in effect turned its back on China. By hosting THAAD, it has presented itself as Washington's cat's-paw in the latter's strategic containment of China. All rhetoric about friendship is meaningless lip service with the deployment of THAAD.
Beijing must review and readjust its Korean Peninsula strategies in accordance with the latest threat from the peninsula, including its ROK policies.
That does not mean forsaking its commitment to de-nuclearization, or UN resolutions. But Beijing must concentrate more on safeguarding its own interests, both immediate and long-term.
LA to test zero-emission trucks from BYD Updated: 2016-07-15 13:14 By Lia Zhu in San Francisco(China Daily USA)
BYD joins Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (center) and other offi cials on July 12 to celebrate the launch of the $26 million Green Omni Terminal Demonstration Project, which will demonstrate zero-emission technologies in LA. Provided To China Daily
Two of BYD's zero-emission trucks will be deployed at the Port of Los Angeles as part of a $26 million initiative to reduce emissions by the Southern California goods-movement industry.
The two electric trucks will be designed and built by BYD Auto Co Ltd at its facility in Lancaster, California, and are scheduled for December delivery, according to Andy Swanton, director of business development for electric trucks at BYD.
"It's a true OEM (original equipment manufacturer)-designed and built product," said Swanton. "It will be truly a zero-emission solution because there are no emissions from the generation of electricity and emissions from the vehicles themselves."
Solar panels will be installed on the roof of one of the warehouses at Pasha Stevedoring Green Omni Terminal. The 40-acre cargo terminal at the Port of Los Angeles will transition to solar power and other low- or zero-emission energy sources under the initiative.
Two of BYD's 1.3 megawatt battery storage stations will be installed to store the solar power during the day, and the electric yard tractors from BYD and some other electric terminal equipment provided by another party will charge from the battery storage stations.
Swanton described the yard trucks as off-road vehicles that are used in the terminal for moving and sorting containers; traditional yard tractors use diesel fuel.
"We are providing a solution that's all electric and will run and be used just the same as diesel yard trucks," he said.
Yard trucks operate daily for two shifts and occasional overnight shifts.
"All our electric solutions will be able to satisfy up to three shifts," he said.
In goods movement space, BYD Motors focuses on three major markets - marine terminals, rail yards and warehouses - providing off-road trucks used at each of the three locations and over-the-road trucks delivering goods to the same locations.
"We are also developing a zero-emission on-road tractor-trailer solution that will have about a 100-mile range," Swanton said.
A project announced by the California Air Resources Board in May will provide funds to develop 25 over-the-road drayage trucks. Under this project, BYD will deliver five drayage trucks this year.
Drayage trucks travel short distances over the road and are typically used to move containers from ports to rail yards or warehouses, while the major off-road vehicles moving goods are yard tractors that don't travel on public roads.
The yard tractors and the drayage trucks are the two primary product lines that BYD will focus on in the goods-movement space, Swanton said.
Last month, the state of California announced an award of $9 million to the San Bernardino Associated Governments for 27 zero-emission trucks to replace diesel-powered heavy-duty tractors used in rail yards. In this project, BYD will provide three medium-duty service trucks.
liazhu@chinadailyusa.com
Lao PM voices support for China's stance on South China Sea arbitration Updated: 2016-07-15 10:32 (Xinhua)
ULAN BATOR - Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said here Thursday that Laos supports China's stance on the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
Thongloun made the remarks in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who expounded China's principle and stance on the arbitration case.
The Lao prime minister said his country stands ready to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region.
Li appreciated the efforts made by Laos, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, in boosting the development of ASEAN, safeguarding regional peace, and promoting regional cooperation.
China is willing to work with Laos to jointly push forward pragmatic cooperation within such framework as China-ASEAN dialogue relations, so as to make positive contributions to the welfare of the people in both countries and in this region.
Thongloun, for his part, said Laos is willing to join hands with all relevant parties to make the activities marking the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relationship a success, and promote the development of ASEAN-China relations.
On bilateral relations, Li said China is ready to increase high-level exchanges with Laos, continue to firmly support each other, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various areas, and strengthen coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs, so as to further enrich the connotation of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
Li said the two countries should propel the comprehensive construction of a bilateral railway project, strengthen cooperation in production capacity and investment, and build more demonstrative projects in such areas as infrastructure, electric power and energy.
Thongloun spoke highly of the development of Laos-China relations and the sound communication and coordination the two sides kept in international and regional affairs.
The Lao side stands ready to work with China to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies and strives for a comprehensive construction of the Laos-China railway project within this year, he said.
The two prime ministers will join other Asian and European leaders on Friday and Saturday at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Ulaanbaatar.
Chinese community in US backs China's stance on award of S. China Sea case Updated: 2016-07-15 16:49 (Xinhua)
The Chinese community in the fourth largest city of the United States on Thursday expressed full support to the Chinese government's stance on the award issued by a law-abusing arbitral tribunal based in The Hague.
The Chinese Civic Center, the largest Chinese community in Houston, said the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is naturally null and void as China's sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and reefs is established in the course of history.
The PCA issued the award on Tuesday sweepingly sided with the Philippines, denying China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
Fan Yuxin, president of the Chinese Civic Center, said on Thursday that like other Chinese communities across the United States, his community fully and firmly supports the Chinese government's position.
"China declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it," the ministry said in a statement shortly after the award was announced.
The ministry also reiterated that "the Chinese government will continue to abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations ... and continue to work with states directly concerned to resolve the relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations and consultations on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law."
"South China Sea islands are China's inherent territory since time immemorial," he said on behalf of the community.
"We appeal to the Philippine government to focus on the development of Sino-Philippine relations and regional peace and stability, and to peacefully settle disputes through negotiations and consultations with the Chinese government," he said.
Fan said that maintaining peace and stability in the region and promoting world peace and sustainable human development are in line with the common interests of the entire international community.
"We strongly support the defense of the territorial integrity of the motherland, firmly safeguard world peace including the South China Sea," he said.
Trump could struggle for Asian vote Updated: 2016-07-15 13:14 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA)
Donald Trump and the Republican Party face an uphill battle to win the votes of a majority of the American-Asian community in this year's US presidential election, observers said.
"I just don't see him winning the Asian-American vote," James Lai, a professor of ethnic studies and political science at Santa Clara University in California, said in an interview. "Trump will get some support from the Asian-American community, but in my view most will vote for Hillary Clinton."
Trump, expected to be confirmed as the Republican Party nominee for president in Cleveland next week, has taken positions on trade and immigration that not only limit his appeal with Asians, but with other minorities like blacks and Hispanics, who represent growing segments of the American electorate.
The Republican Party used to be able to count on support from a sizable portion of the Asian community, but beginning in the 1990s, that backing has diminished.
"The Republicans have lost support from Asian Americans because of the party's tendency to scapegoat Asian Americans during election times," Harvey Dong, a professor at the University of California Berkeley, said in an e-mail.
Dong said that the big challenge for Republicans this year is that Trump is anti-immigrant "although his focus is anti-Latino immigration, this is easily transferred to anti-Asian immigration.
A survey this spring of the Asian community by a consortium of Asian-American organizations - AAPI Data, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - showed Asian Americans shifting toward the Democratic Party.
Since 2012, the number of Asian Americans who identify as Democrat s increased from 35 percent to 47 percent. Younger Asians, 18-34, view the Democratic Party far more favorably than the Republican Party, 77 percent to 12 percent.
Lai said this trend began in California in the 1990s when the state - home to about 40 percent of the US Asian community - approved measures via ballot initiatives that eliminated certain rights from undocumented immigrants, took away affirmative action policies and stopped some bilingual education programs.
"Remember California was a red (Republican) state in the 1970s and 1980s," said Lai.
"These initiatives were all passed by voters and served to sow the seeds for attempts to do the same in other states."
Adding to the GOP frustration is that the Asian and Chinese communities have characteristics that signify a voting group which usually identifies with the GOP.
"They value education, many are small business owners and are faith based," said Lai.
Lai said that if you combine this with "the way the Republicans look in terms of candidates and the lack of Asian Americans in the party's infrastructure, Asian Americans just don't feel comfortable with the party."
The party recognized it needed a special effort to connect with the Asian community.
"Back in 2013 Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus established an aggressive outreach program to court Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders," Ninio Fetalvo, spokesman for Asian Pacific American Engagement at the RNC, said in an interview.
"He hired (veteran Republican operative) Jason Chung to direct the program and we have been actively engaging with Asian Americans where they live and work in battleground states," Fetalvo added.
Fetalvo said the party has also been recruiting minorities including members of the Asian community to seek local and state offices under the Republican banner. In California, the party had several Asian women candidates that won state and local offices in 2014.
"In 2014, we saw our efforts pay off when we won 50 percent of the Asian-American vote according to most major exit polls," said Fetalvo.
Trump has found support among some members of the Chinese community. David Tian Wang of Los Angeles is president of Chinese Americans for Trump. He said the group has more than 6,000 registered members.
paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
French police probe terrorist's past after truck kills 84 in Nice Updated: 2016-07-15 23:48 By Chris Peterson in London and Angus McNeice in Nice(chinadaily.com.cn)
People console one another outiside the hospital after the truck attack in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. [Angus Mcneice/China Daily]
French police and intelligence experts are probing the past of a Tunisian-born man who ploughed a rented 19-tonne truck into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks on the Nice seafront last night, French prosecutor Francois Molins said.
Police shot and killed 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian-born father of three as he zigzagged through the crowds on the fashionable Promenade des Anglais.
Molins said 84 people, including 10 children, had been killed, and 202 injured, 52 critically, with 25 of those in intensive care, Local hospitals said they had treated at least 50 children. Most were French nationals but a number of foreigners were among the casualties, including two Chinese nationals being treated in hospital.
Police found two automatic weapons, ammunition, magazines, a grenade as well as two Kalashnikov semi-automatic rifles and two US-made M16 rifles. They also found a mobile phone and identification papers.
Molins said Bouhlels ex-wife had been taken into custody this morning but gave no further details. He said it was not known if he had any accomplices, and no terror group had claimed responsibility.
"There is a lot of information on the mobile phone that we are going through. We are checking to see if he had any links with radicals," Molins said.
The truck, which had been rented, was seen weaving from side to side, deliberately mowing down people before the driver exchanged gunfire with police and was then shot dead, according to Molins.
The prosecutor said the man was known to the police, having been convicted of a petty crime in March and jailed for six months; but he was not a terror suspect and did not appear on any watch list.
His job was given as a chauffeur and delivery man.
To contact the reporter: chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com
Goings on (New York) Updated: 2016-07-15 12:50 (China Daily USA)
United behind - New York
The United Chinese Association of Eastern US issues a statement defending China's sovereignty over the South China Sea in response to a ruling by a tribunal at The Hague on Wednesday in Manhattan's Chinatown in New York. The association called for Chinese overseas to wield their infl uence to fi rmly support the Chinese government's eff orts to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity and marine rights and interests. Niu Yue / For China Daily
Turkish military units attempt uprising, PM says Updated: 2016-07-16 05:03 (chinadaily.com.cn)
Turkish military says it has taken power in the country, with reports of gunfire and television footage of tanks at the airport and key bridges over the Bosphorous, BBC reported.
Turkish prime minister dismisses talk of a coup and describes it as "unauthorised" actions by a section of the military. Airlines report all flights in and out of Turkey, a member of NATO, have been suspended.
Some senior military figures taken hostage in Ankara in what it describes as a rapidly changing situation, according to BBC and Sky news.
France investigates whether truck attacker acted alone Updated: 2016-07-16 05:19 (AGENCIES)
French authorities were trying to determine on Friday whether a Tunisian who killed at least 84 people by plowing a truck into Bastille Day crowds had acted alone or with accomplices, but said the attack bore the hallmarks of Islamist militants.
Thursday night's attack in the Riviera city of Nice plunged France into new grief and fear just eight months after gunmen killed 130 people in Paris. Those attacks, and one in Brussels four months ago, have shocked Western Europe, already anxious over security challenges from mass immigration, open borders and pockets of Islamist radicalism.
The truck zigzagged along the city's seafront Promenade des Anglais as a fireworks display marking the French national day ended. It careered into families and friends listening to an orchestra or strolling above the Mediterranean beach towards the century-old grand Hotel Negresco.
At least 10 children were among the dead. Of the scores of injured, 25 were on life support, authorities said on Friday.
Witness Franck Sidoli said he had watched people mown down before the truck finally stopped just five meters away from him.
"A woman was there, she lost her son. Her son was on the ground, bleeding," he told Reuters at the scene.
The driver, 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, shot dead by officers at the scene, was known to police for petty crimes but was not on a watch list of suspected militants. He had one criminal conviction, for road rage, and was sentenced to probation three months ago for throwing a wooden pallet at another driver.
The investigation "will try to determine whether he benefited from accomplices," Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said. "It will also try to find out whether Mohamed Laouaiej Bouhlel had ties to Islamist terrorist organizations."
"Although yesterday's attack has not been claimed, this sort of thing fits in perfectly with calls for murder from such terrorist organizations," Molins added.
Bouhlel's ex-wife was in police custody, Molins said. He had three children. Police found one pistol and various fake weapons in his truck.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told the evening news that Bouhlel was "one way or another" linked to radical Islam. "Yes, it is a terrorist act and we shall see what links there are with terrorist organizations."
Yet despite numerous French officials from President Francois Hollande down describing it as a terrorist attack, by nightfall on Friday officials still had not disclosed any direct evidence linking Bouhlel with extremists.
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve acknowledged as much. Asked if he could confirm the attacker's motives were linked to jihadism, he said: "No."
"We have an individual who was not known to intelligence services for activities linked to jihadism."
A US official familiar with Washington's assessment said the attack was thought to have been carried out by a "lone wolf" inspired but not directed by Islamic State.
Bouhlel's Tunisian home town Msaken is about 10 km (six miles) outside the coastal city of Sousse, where a gunman killed 38 people, mostly British holidaymakers, on a beach a year ago. Many people from the area have moved to France, including Nice, and money they send back has made it comparatively prosperous.
A former neighbor in Msaken told Reuters Bouhlel had left for France in 2005 after getting married, and had worked as a driver there.
Relatives and neighbors in Msaken said Bouhlel was sporty and had shown no sign of being radicalized, including when he last returned for the wedding of a sister four years ago.
Premier Li Keqiang (left), flanked by Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, confers with Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the opening session of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar on Friday. The summit closes on Saturday. [Photo/Agencies]
Premier envisions growing cooperation among Asian, European nations guided by pragmatism
Asia and Europe have great opportunities before them but also tough challenges, especially the thorny issues of terrorism and the refugee crisis, Premier Li Keqiang told a gathering of leaders from the two continents in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Friday.
The situation calls for ramped-up efforts to push forward all-around cooperation in Eurasia, while seeking ways to raise the cooperation levels in a spirit of mutual respect and equal consultation, he said at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit, whose opening on Friday morning was overshadowed by a terrorist attack just hours earlier.
Li joined a group of world leaders to condemn the attack in Nice, where a truck mowed down Bastille Day revelers, killing at least 84. Leaders at the biennial meeting observed a minute of silence at its opening ceremony.
In elaborating on his proposal of "renovating the Euro-Asia cooperation concept", Li urged ASEM members to foster an awareness of a community of shared responsibilities and destinies, to effectively counteract challenges besetting Asia and Eruope.
Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said the Nice attack had added to the urgency European and Asian leaders feel to foster a "community of shared destines".
"Terrorism can to the greatest extent unite people from various countries, whether they are European or Asian," he said.
At the summit, Li suggested ASEM members engage in dialogue and cooperation, and prevent new sources of tumult from occurring in their own regions so as to safeguard world peace and regional stability.
The global community should advocate unity and coordination, he said, and discard a Cold War mentality and zero-sum game.
The premier said China opposed any country distorting international law and applying a double standard in addressing disparities and disputes.
A while back Rabbi David and I were interviewed for the Judaism Unbound podcast, wearing our ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal co-chair kippot. Our episode is the first episode in a four-part series that will also feature The Kitchen (and its Hello Mazel initiative), OneTable, and (as always) podcast co-hosts Dan Libenson and Lex Rofes -- and it's now live and available for download and listening!
At Or Shalom in Vancouver on the Listening Tour.
We talked about the history of Jewish Renewal and its core tenets, about "inventing" one's own form of Judaism, about the tension between structure and flexibility in Judaism writ large, and what it might look like to give the next generations the "keys to the car" and let them shape the Judaism they most need.
Here are a few teasers to whet your appetitite:
What is the Judaism that you yearn for? What is the Judaism of the future that you want to see? And the follow-up question becomes How can we help build that Judaism? How can you help bring that about? -- Rachel There is no such thing as the Renewal prayer book. The Renewal prayer book defeats the point. You should be able to evolve a Renewal experience from any book or no book at all..." "Its not like you have to go to minyan three times a day or else youre not a good Jew. What does it mean to evolve a Judaism where there are many [other] on-ramps? Well, some people are going to resonate with music. Some people are going to resonate with meditation. Or making a meal, or social justice. Whatever brings you to wow, thats the stuff that we work with." -- David
Judaism Unbound, a project of the Institute for the Next Jewish Future, describes itself as "a project that catalyzes and supports grassroots efforts by 'disaffected but hopeful' American Jews to re-imagine and re-design Jewish life in America for the 21st century." (Sounds right up ALEPH's alley, doesn't it?) Our conversation with Dan and Lex was terrific. I hope you enjoy: Jewish Renewal and the Jewish future on Judaism Unbound.
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Ha Tinh, July 14 (VNA) While the dumping of waste by the Formosa Ha Tinh Company in Ky Anh district of central Ha Tinh province still seems a hot topic, the company has been denounced for burying its waste at Thien Cam landfill in Cam Xuyen district one year earlier.
Vice Chairman of the Cam Xuyen Peoples Committee Tran Huu Duyet told the media on July 14 that the information is true, as it was reported in May 2015, that there were 8-10 trucks carrying waste from the Formosa company to the Thien Cam landfill.
He steered the district Office of Natural Resources and Environment to assign the Environmental Protection Office under the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Institute of Environmental Technology to collect waste samples to check whether they are hazardous or not.
However, the two units faced difficulties in collecting and analysing the samples. Therefore, the companys waste was yet to be tested until now.
Duyet admitted that the responsibility in this case belonged to the district authority.
In May 2015, about 15 tonnes of waste mud from the Formosa company was dumped at the Thien Cam landfill.
In July 2016, the Taiwanese company was found burying 100 tonnes of waste at a farm owned by the director of the Ky Anh Urban Environment Company in Ky Trinh ward of Ky Anh town.
Earlier on June 30, it admitted responsibility for mass fish deaths in the four central coastal provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Quang Binh and Thua-Thien Hue between April and May.
It also promised a total compensation of 11.5 trillion VND (500 million USD) to support local fishermen to switch to other jobs and recover the polluted maritime environment.
VNA/VNP
Ha Tinh, July 15 (VNA) Work to remove the Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Co Ltds waste buried at a farm in Ky Trinh commune, Ky Anh town the central province of Ha Tinh began in the locality on July 14.
According to Nguyen Thuong Hien, Head of the Department of Waste Management and Environmental Improvement under the Vietnam Environment Administration, the removal was prompted by a fear that the waste would have possible critical impacts on the environment due to unusual rain and storms.
The Department also took samples of the waste, water and land in the dumping area for testing, Hien said.
The waste will be transported to Ha Tinh industrial waste processing company in Ky Anh town for storage.
Although it has not been identified as hazardous or not, waste removal and land improvement are necessary to stabilise mood swings among local people.
The urban environment company in Ky Anh town is responsible for the collection, packaging and seal of the waste, which was buried in the farm run by Le Quang Hoa, director of the company.
It has to complete the work on July 15 under the supervision of relevant authorities.
In May 2015, about 15 tonnes of waste mud from the Formosa company was dumped at the Thien Cam landfill.
In July 2016, the Taiwanese company was found burying 100 tonnes of waste at a farm owned by the director of the Ky Anh Urban Environment Company in Ky Trinh ward of Ky Anh town.
Earlier on June 30, it admitted responsibility for mass fish deaths in the four central coastal provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Quang Binh and Thua-Thien Hue between April and May.
It also promised a total compensation of 11.5 trillion VND (500 million USD) to support local fishermen to switch to other jobs and recover the polluted maritime environment.
VNA/VNP
A NANG The central city promises to create smooth conditions and top priorities for Singapores investors in the fields of high-tech, information technology, renewable energy and high quality education.
Deputy chairman of the citys Peoples Committee Ho Ky Minh made the statement in a seminar on Investment Opportunities in a Nang in Singapore on Tuesday.
Minh said the city will make a strong commitment in building available infrastructure, administrative reforms, preferential treatment and skilled labour, for wooing investors from Singapore.
He said the city will boost transparency and publicity in offering preferential favours, labour cost and investment fee for investors.
Ricky Tan, CEO of Kinderworld Education Group, said a Nang is a potential destination for foreign investors in Viet Nam, and the group expected to expand investment in a Nang in the coming year.
The group, the biggest Singaporean investor in the education and training sector in Viet Nam, has invested US$40 million in the construction and operation of 15 training facilities in Ha Noi, a Nang, HCM City and Binh Duong.
It established the Pegasus International UniCollege (PIU) in a Nang in 2014, along with its KinderWorld International Kindergarten (KIK) and the Singapore International School (SIS) to provide a world class educational system from pre-school to university levels in the city.
Head of the representative office of the Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (Vietcombank) in the city, Vu Thi Bich Thu, confirmed that the bank in co-operation with a Nang city is looking to create favourable financial support for Singaporean investors launching investment projects in a Nang.
According to the citys investment promotion centre, Singapore has been the biggest investor in a Nang with 22 projects worth $782 million.
a Nang has attracted 410 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects with total $3.7 billion.
Businesses of foreign-invested projects earned a revenue of $766 million in 2015, of which $522 million was export turnover, creating over 48,000 jobs.
Last year, the city also organised investment promotion events in Japan and Germany.
As scheduled, the city, in co-operation with Vietnamese Businesses Union in Europe, will host a Europe Business Forum this August. VNS
HA NOI Designing and developing trademarks for local products should be a long-term strategy contributing to the development of a national trademark, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, o Thang Hai.
Hai told the National Trademark Forum for Local Products held in Ha Noi on Wednesday that localities in Viet Nam have striven to build their image closely linked with geographical characteristics to improve the national image in the international community.
One of the factors for successful integration is to take advantage of the co-operation opportunities, as well as to build trademarks of localities with potential and strength, he said.
However, the country, too, should continue to improve competitiveness of Vietnamese products in the world market by building a trademark, he added.
Nguyen Quang Minh, deputy chairman of the Peoples Committee of northern Hung Yen Province, said competition among products would be given priority after Viet Nams FTA agreements take effect.
Minh said the province has paid attention to trademarks for their longan since 2004, having seen their importance in modern commerce.
The trademark has raised the value of the Hung Yen longan and increased farmers incomes. However, the trademark development has shortcomings, such as limited marketing and advertisement, fake products and a lack of connection between production and consumption and a stable distribution system.
He said the Government should complete the mechanism, policies and legal framework for building and protecting trademarks in the agriculture sector.
Nguyen Quoc Thinh, an expert in the National Trademark Programme, suggested the building of a national trademark be linked to building a trademark for tourism destinations.
Tourism destinations would contribute to increasing trademark reorganisation and encouraging the fastest feelings about a country, Thinh said.
The issue of national trademarks is of global interest, with some 80 countries implementing the programme. In Southeast Asia, all countries excluding Laos and Cambodia have implemented strategies for trademark development.
Registering abroad
Registration is imperative if businesses want to protect their trademarks, delegates told a seminar in HCM City on the same day.
Nguyen Thi Hoai Thanh of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Viet Nam (NOIP) said trademarks are signs that serve the specific and primary purpose of identifying the goods and services of a producer.
They also help build trust in companies and play an important role in marketing and advertising, she said, adding that because a registered trademark is a form of intellectual property, businesses can license or assign it to others or restrict others from using it.
Vuong uc Tuan of NOIP Viet Nams HCM City office, said with the ongoing integration, the demand to register Vietnamese trade marks abroad and foreign trade marks in Viet Nam has steadily increased.
There are two ways for Vietnamese firms to register their trademark abroad - directly in a country or through the Madrid system of the World Intellectual Property Organisation.
The latter offers people the possibility of having their trademarks protected in several countries by submitting an application directly to their own trademark office, he said.
In the past Vietnamese firms like Trung Nguyen Coffee spent a lot of time and money to protect their trademarks that had been appropriated by local and foreign firms, he said.
Therefore, it is vital for businesses, especially producers, to understand the importance of protecting their trademarks, he said.
Thanh said The protection of a trademark is territorial. This means that the rights of a trademark are enforceable only in the countries where [it] is registered. Therefore, they must register their trademarks in markets they want to penetrate.
Once a trademark is registered, the protection is valid for 10 years, and can be renewed.
Viet Nam as well as many ASEAN countries have adopted the first-to-file system, Thanh said.
So businesses should research trademarks before filing to avoid conflicts, she said.
Van Tuyen, head of Nutifoods legal department, said registration to protect trademarks abroad is not only complicated but also costly.
Businesses often do not know how to register in foreign countries or the duties and responsibilities of trademark owners, meaning they could easily lose their ownership rights, he said.
Vietnamese agencies should provide businesses with more information about intellectual property and the trademark application process in other countries, he said.
The seminar was organised by NOIP Viet Nam and the HCM City Intellectual Property Association. - VNS
HA NOI -- Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Pham Hong Hai has said telecom companies should grow substantially, offering better quality and customer care services, instead of just promotions and discount campaigns.
Hai was speaking at a meeting yesterday in Ha Noi, held to review the business performance of Vietnam Mobile Telecom Services (Mobifone) in the first six months.
He said Viet Nam had three large local telecom firms, but promotions and discounts remained a major focus of these companies. This was unsustainable development.
According to the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority, it is currently studying how to manage promotions more effectively by preventing large network providers from running rampant promotional campaigns. Some even offer promotions below their production costs, leading to unfair competition.
A policy to manage new promotions stipulates that if a telecom firm offers too many promotions against its revenue ratio, it will lead to problems affecting its business performance. Hai said network providers should maintain their market shares along with giving positive and sustainable competition, such as by offering quality services and customer care.
Too many promotion campaigns resulted in a large volume of new subscribers, while revenues did not rise, Hai said.
The information and communications ministry (MIC) has asked network providers to announce their 3G coverage areas, and has asked Mobifone to invest more in telecom infrastructure, Hai said.
The announcement of their 3G coverage areas is aimed at promoting healthy competition, just as other countries have done. Therefore, the ministry would soon consider applying it in Viet Nam, he said.
The number of newly built base transceiver station (BTS) is an important factor in assessing the ability of network providers in the time to come.
Investment in infrastructure development has become more important as the government has agreed to grant 4G licences by the end of the third quarter.
Le Nam Tra, CEO of Mobifone, said this was the first year Mobifone, the countrys second-largest mobile services operator in terms of subscribers, piloted its 4G and MobiTV services on July 1 by depending on four pillars of cell phone, retail, television and multimedia services.
In the first six months, Mobifone earned VN17.4 trillion in revenue, bringing an after-tax profit of 2,336 billion. VNS
A NANG The central coastal city of a Nang plans to debut an open-top double-decker bus as part of the a Nang City Tour service the first of its kind in Viet Nam.
Vice director of the citys tourism department, Tran Chi Cuong, told Viet Nam News that the tour service would create a more real experience for the citys sight-seers.
He said the department, in cooperation with relevant city agencies, was exploring possible bus routes that would include destinations in the city as well as in Hoi An city.
Cuong said the bus system has been awaiting approval from the ministry of transport, which had not yet allowed the operation of open-top double-decker buses in Viet Nam.
In 2012, the city introduced battery-powered cars for tourists traveling along coastal destinations as a promotion for environmentally friendly public vehicle use.
The city lies within easy reach of the countrys best heritage icons, including Phong Nha-Ke Bang in Quang Binh, the UNESCO-recognised world heritage Hue monument complex, the ancient city of Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary and a world biosphere reserve, Cham Island in Quang Nam. VNS
HCM CITY Goasean, the first ASEAN travel channel, has suggested four Vietnamese dishes to try when travelling to HCM City.
Bun cha is a dish with noodles and fried pork grilled over charcoal and served with fish sauce. The bun cha sauce is considered the soul of the dish and put in the bowl in small quantities and very hot.
The website says banh mi (baguette) is extremely popular in Viet Nam and sold at many stalls along the streets.
Banh mi (baguette)
Although there are many shops selling bread, each shop has a different taste, this is what makes branding and differentiation for each diner.
Vietnamese all-favourite nau a (coffee with condensed milk)
It says pho is a traditional dish, one of the typical dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.
Vietnamese traditional dish - Pho
The distinctive flavour and great taste of bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodles) originated in the countrys old capital, but visitors can easily find this dish everywhere in HCM City from sidewalk stalls to restaurants, the website notes.
Bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodles)
Many foreign tourists in HCM City commented that the city has a diverse array of shops ranging both in quality and price from luxury to affordable and they all carry their own personal style. VNS
Viet Nam News
Last week, Viet Nam News asked its readers whether they supported an ASEAN single visa plan. Here are some of your comments: Khanh Luong, Vietnamese I have travelled to many countries and I know exactly how important a visa is. As a Vietnamese, whenever I go overseas, the first thing I think of is how to get a visa in time. Especially when I visit several different places, I must apply for many visas at the same time. Lately, I went to some European nations using only a Schengen visa. It has been very easy, convenient and safe. It is a reason I absolutely support a single visa for ASEAN. I do not believe it will cause any problems regarding security and immigration management. In the era of information, we can manage and control everything with visa computer systems connected together. I am sure we will benefit from this issue. In summary, from my experience and perspective, I would say this idea is realistic, applicable and useful. All members will take advantage of this opportunity to integrate and develop.
Aji Rokhadi
Aji Rokhadi, Indonesian, Singapore
ASEAN members have a different set of living standards and border surveillance.
Today, tourists from most developed countries do not have problems entering all ASEAN countries. These are the tourists that have more spending power. Hence, it makes no difference in terms of tourism revenue if ASEAN changes policy for a single visa and abandons its current visa policy.
On the other hand, given the gaps in living standards and foreign policies, a single visa will definitely present problems in terms of maintaining security and keeping illegal immigrants away. There are many more sensitive matters that ASEAN has to deal with among its own members, like illegal fishing, terrorism, weapons and fuel smuggling and so on. They cant even be agreeable regarding Chinas presence in the South China Sea. Therefore, I guess so many issues have to be addressed first before a single visa agreement can be applied.
Alice Rougerie
Alice Rougerie, French
For me as a tourist, I think that this kind of visa would help the region a lot. First, these 10 countries would be more attractive because of less administrative things to deal with before departure.
Each time I visit a foreign country, I have two questions: are there any compulsory vaccines? And then, are there visa restrictions? If one of these questions is solved, then it could persuade me to travel in this region. We are always a bit afraid of visa procedures and administrative fees when we leave Europe!
I also think that this would promote tourism in some countries we didnt think about going before. Ten countries are covered by this visa, and knowing that, we may discover other places, take advantage of the situation while travelling in one country to visit another. And tour operators would definitely organise new routes and new ways of travelling into this region. This will encourage concerned countries to co-operate with each other in order to make the most of the benefits tourism brings.
Talking about security concerns, I dont think this would worsen the situation. In Europe, we have Schengen Area, which does not mean less security. We travel easily but we still have control, especially now because of the terrorist attacks. Each time there is a threat, countries are able to reinforce border controls.
Nguyen Thuy Linh, Vietnamese
Its quite a concern for ASEAN member countries when they will have to share data when the ASEAN single visa takes effect. But I dont think that ASEAN would face a similar immigration situation as the EU, which consists of 28 member countries, most of them developed. ASEAN countries wont suffer from a big wave of immigration as they are not heaven like European countries.
I do think the single visa scheme will bring other challenges to ASEAN countries. Transnational crimes such as drug and human trafficking are a big concern once people can move freely from one country to another.
In addition, each ASEAN member has its own policy on visa exemptions. Countries like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia have visa exemptions for citizens from 100 nations while other countries like Viet Nam only have visa exemptions for citizens from about 20 nations.
No one can deny that the single visa would help promote tourism in ASEAN countries as more and more tourists would join long holidays with more expenditure. The opportunity of sharing tourists within ASEAN is possible. However, every country should focus on solving issues relating to environmental pollution as well as improve its competitiveness.
Jimmy Wilson, Australian, Melbourne
I really do support a single visa because a lot of Asian countries require a visa to enter and that is costing a fortune for a traveller like me. So I would love to see a single visa happening as soon as possible. A single visa would encourage the world to visit ASEAN member countries more often because the Asian people are lovely and friendly and the costs are cheap compared to the western world . So please make a single visa happen soon.
Andrew Burden, Canadian, Ha Noi
I have been saying for years that the visa process should be simple, fast and cheap. At the same time, however, there are many undesirable and even dangerous people travelling around Southeast Asia. How will 10 different countries manage this new policy?
Recently a Canadian man bought a last minute airplane ticket on his credit card for his Thai wife to join him back home. Canadas national airline, Air Canada, flagged the last minute purchase and denied her flight.
If I suddenly decide to fly from south Thailand to Burma and then on to Indonesia (all Muslim areas), will that raise any suspicions? If I overstay in one country will that affect my onward travel?
What about costs, renewals and work permits? As a foreigner and tourist I can envision many computer glitches and miscommunications. I once forgot to fill out all the minor details on an arrival card - too tired - and was pulled aside for secondary interrogation. Not a pleasant experience.
I predict a lot of travel agents, photocopy shops and other greedy agents will magically appear to solve and smooth out your travel plans. Yes, I support a 10 country visa. Just dont slow me down or try to get rich off me.
Ankit Dubey, a reader
I think having a single visa system like the EU will not be safe, and as we have seen in the past with what France and Brussels have been through we cant take any chances.
We know that the terrorist who attacked in Brussels was actually a Muslim person of France. I think it would be very dangerous.
We better have our own country visa system and let it work like it does now, just visa free or on arrival for ASEAN nationals. And also ASEAN should not give visas on arrival or E-visas or visa free entry to people coming from terrorist hub nations.
I think being safe and keeping our region and our tourists safe should be the biggest priority, and by opening doors for genuine tourists by a single visa, any culprit could misuse this system and cause harm to our nations. So I say NO TO A SINGLE VISA FOR ASEAN. VNS
ULAN BATOR Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc joined world leaders at the 15th Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF) in Mongolias capital Ulan Bator yesterday, asking for high resolve to promote Asia-Europe co-operation and integration.
The forum, themed Connectivity for Inclusive Growth, was among the events in the run up to the two-day 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit started today. It drew 600 representatives of leading businesses across the two continents, including Viet Nams Vietnam Airlines Corporation, the Viet Nam Oil and Gas Group and the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV).
As the first leader to give a speech at the AEBFs closing session, PM Phuc highly valued the forums role in enhancing Asia-Europe business partnerships and improving the business climate. He also highlighted enterprises significant contributions to the continents all-round development and stature.
He described businesses as the growth engine of Asian and European economies, stressing their role, especially that of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in job creation.
The Vietnamese PM called on the participating leaders to help SMEs to integrate and take part in global value chains.
He asked Asian and European nations to take the lead in sustainable trade and investment co-operation mechanisms within ASEM to cope with such challenges as poverty that is caused by unfair trade, development gaps between countries and climate change, and to ensure the sustainable development of each member country.
He also asked for continued support for partnerships and free trade agreements (FTAs) among countries in Asia and Europe such as the ASEAN Community, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and EU ASEAN and India ASEAN co-operation.
The ASEM member nations are very important partners of Viet Nam during its reforms, development and international integration, Phuc said.
Nineteen out of 25 strategic and comprehensive partners of Viet Nam are ASEM members, accounting for 70 per cent of foreign investment in and foreign trade with Viet Nam. About 80 per cent of international tourists to the country are from ASEM nations, he said.
Viet Nam has signed and is negotiating 16 FTAs, 14 of which are with ASEM partners, he said, adding that it inked an FTA with the Eurasian Economic Union in June 2015. It is working closely with other ASEAN member states to promote a partnership and co-operation agreement with the EU and an FTA between the two blocs.
VN-Mongolia trade links
Also yesterday, PM Phuc said at the Viet Nam-Mongolia Business Leaders Forum that the Vietnamese and Mongolian Governments had agreed to create the most favourable conditions for the two countries enterprises to further expand trade and investment links in the time ahead.
Representatives from the two sides businesses highlighted the great potential for stronger co-operation, and expressed their interest about a series of co-operation fields, including agriculture, food, tourism, construction, mining, and textiles and garments.
They revealed that the Viet Nam-Mongolia Joint Business Council was set up to push trade and investment links, especially in hi-tech agriculture and farm products.
They suggested the two Governments consider opening a direct air route between the two countries to facilitate import-export activities and multi-faceted co-operation among their firms.
Viet Nam hoped to export farm produce, food, aquatic products, fruit and vegetables, and electronics, Phuc noted.
Meanwhile, Mongolian investors said they were willing to co-operate with Vietnamese counterparts to ship meat to Viet Nam.
At present, two-way bilateral trade between the two nations hits about US$175 million.
Viet Nam mainly exports phones, fruit and vegetables, and consumer products to Mongolia, while importing metals and materials for the garment and footwear sectors from the East Asian nation.
Diplomatic meetings
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had separate bilateral meetings with Chinese, Bulgarian and the host-country leaders yesterday on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit.
At the meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang, PM Phuc affirmed that Viet Nam consistently pursues its foreign policy of peace, independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation, and intensive international integration, while attaching importance to developing its friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive co-operation with China.
He suggested the two Governments direct their agencies to effectively implement common perceptions and results of the ninth session of the Viet Nam-China Steering Committee on Bilateral Co-operation, maintain regular delegation exchanges to intensify political trust and mutual understanding and to boost practical co-operation.
The Vietnamese Government leader urged China to increase imports of Viet Nams advantageous goods like agro-forestry-fishery products and welcomed Chinese investors with good capacity to take part in projects which meet Viet Nams sustainable development requirements.
Regarding the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, Phuc reaffirmed Viet Nams welcoming stance on the Arbitral Tribunals ruling against Chinas claims in the East Sea on Tuesday. He suggested both sides strictly follow common perceptions and agreements reached by their senior leaders, including the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues.
The two countries should step up negotiations on sea-related issues, while controlling disputes at sea, avoiding complicating the situation, implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) comprehensively and effectively, and soon signing a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in order to maintain peace and stability in the region, he added.
Premier Li, in turn, confirmed that China attaches importance to consolidating and developing its neighborly friendship and all-round co-operation with Viet Nam.
China is willing to intensify strategic dialogues with Viet Nam, boost win-win co-operation across sectors, follow common perceptions on maritime issues, and control and address disputes properly so as to develop the China-Viet Nam comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership stably and sustainably, he stated.
Also on the day, PM Phuc and Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev exchanged notes on measures to further foster bilateral relations as well as on regional and international issues of mutual concern.
The Vietnamese leader spoke of the establishment of a joint working group within the framework of the Viet Nam-Bulgaria Inter-governmental Committee to define Viet Nams potential semi-processed products to be processed into finished items in Bulgaria.
PM Phuc congratulated Mongolias Speaker of the Parliament Miyegombo Enkhbold on his new appointment as the parliament speaker and thanked the Mongolian people for their valuable support for Viet Nam during its struggle for independence in the past.
He proposed the two countries maintain the regular exchange of all-level visits to enhance all-round relations. He also conveyed the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to Miyegombo Enkhbold to visit Viet Nam.
For his part, the host said Viet Nam was Mongolias key partner in Southeast Asia, hoping that the country would support Mongolias bid to become a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum. VNS
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) receives Danish Ambassador Charlotte Laursen yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa
HA NOI National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan yesterday hosted a reception for Danish Ambassador Charlotte Laursen and outgoing Swedish Ambassador Camilla Mellander.
Meeting Ambassador Laursen, Ngan said Viet Nam values the development of a comprehensive partnership with Denmark one of its important partners in Northern Europe with two-way trade surpassing US$534 million.
She hailed the Danish Government for choosing Viet Nam as one of the top 10 countries for its growth strategy, and told her guest that Viet Nam has offered incentives and support to foreign firms, including Danish firms, to operate over the long term in the country.
Ngan thanked Denmark for its supply of official development assistance (ODA) to Viet Nam over the past years, which she said, have been effectively used in the priority fields of poverty reduction, public governance, administrative reform, climate change adaptation and environment.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) receives outgoing Swedish Ambassador Camilla Mellander yesterday. VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Hoa
In a separate reception for Mellander, the NA Chairwoman congratulated Sweden on being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2017-2018 tenure.
Lauding Sweden as Viet Nams important trade partner in Europe and Northern Europe, the top legislator appreciated the ambassadors support for Swedish firms to do business in Viet Nam, especially the opening of trade and investment promotion offices in Ha Noi and HCM City in 2013. VNS
HA NOI President Tran ai Quang sent heartfelt condolences to his French counterpart Francois Hollande yesterday over the widespread loss of life in a terrorist attack in the city of Nice late on July 14.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also extended condolences to his French counterpart Manuel Valls.
The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh offered his deepest sympathies to French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on the heavy losses the European nation has suffered.
The terrorist attack in Nice on the French national day, Bastille Day, killed at least 84 people and injured many others. VNS
Job positions for mid-level and senior managers rose by 38 per cent in the second quarter against the first three months of the year, according to job recruiting agency Navigos Search. Photo thoibaonganhang.vn
HCM CITY Job positions for mid-level and senior managers rose by 38 per cent in the second quarter against the first three months of the year, according to job recruiting agency Navigos Search.
Recruitment demands in the manufacturing sector ranked first, followed by consumer goods, and bankingfinancereal estate sectors, the agency reported.
Jobs rose in manufacturing as many foreign electronic companies expanded operations in the northern region in the second quarter.
Korean LG Display Co Ltd, for instance, in April was provided an investment licence for a US$1.5 billion project on manufacturing OLED displays for mobiles and tablets in Hai Phong City. It is expected to open in 2017.
Other projects like the Samsung Research and Development Centre valued at $300 million are being carried out in Ha Noi.
The report also showed that large foreign-invested projects in the thermal power sector under the form of BOT were granted licences. The projects also needed senior managers.
Only a few candidates are eligible for jobs that require 20 years of experience in thermal power, work in Governments agencies, and excellent command of English.
In the southern region, strong growth has been seen in health care for livestock, poultry and pets.
Many multinational groups have regional head offices in Thailand, but in recent years, they have opened offices in Viet Nam to expand their business in a growing market.
Jobs that are in great need are those related to technical consultancy and sales.
Vietnamese candidates can compete technically with Thai peers, but English remains a disadvantage.
Because many vacant posts could not be filled by Vietnamese candidates, Thai personnel have been sent to Viet Nam to work.
Many Thai employees have studied Vietnamese to ensure good customer service.
In the commercial sector, some big brands in the textile and garment and footwear sectors are looking for Vietnamese personnel for new procurement offices that have opened in the country. Previously, these businesses usually worked through agents.
Some senior and mid-level positions that are now filled by Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean or Hong Kong personnel will be gradually handled by Vietnamese candidates. VNS
Dozen of tonnes of waste, allegedly discharged by Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company, were discovered buried in a landfill in central Ha Tinh Provinces Thien Cam Town in Cam Xuyen District. Photo vnexpress.net
HA NOI Dozen of tonnes of waste, allegedly discharged by Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company, were discovered buried in a landfill in central Ha Tinh Provinces Thien Cam Town in Cam Xuyen District.
The new violations came to light while the public is still recovering from shock after the company allegedly buried100 tonnes of stinky black waste at a farm in Ky Trinh Ward, Ky Anh District, early this week.
Tran Huu Duyet, deputy chairman of the Peoples Committee of Cam Xuyen District, confirmed yesterday that the new violation was reported by local residents living near the landfill after they saw 8-10 trucks carrying black muddy waste to bury in the landfill in May.
At that time, Duyet ordered the districts Natural Resources and Environment Office to work with the Peoples Committee of the town to investigate the case. The office was told to contact the provincial Environment Protection Division and the Ha Noi-based Institute of Environmental Technology to analyse the waste samples.
But the office did not send the samples for tests, Duyet said, admitting the committees oversight.
Meanwhile, Tran Viet Chien, head of the districts Natural Resources and Environment Office, said to Giao thong (Transport) online newspaper yesterday that when the office was preparing to take samples for tests in May, following directions from the district, the Thien Cam Ecological Service Co-operative the agency Formosa hired to transport the waste showed a legal document approved by the provincial Environment Protection Division. The document said the waste was mud taken from a household wastewater plant. According to the document, the mud was safe and met Vietnamese standards, so the office did not take waste samples, Chien said.
Nguyen Quang Ha, deputy head of the co-operative, said the Formosa company told him the waste was household waste. He agreed to transport the waste for VN1.6 million (US$71) per trip. Ha just wanted to earn some money for his cooperative.
Yesterday morning, the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha told local media that Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company would face a criminal charge if investigation results show the company illegally buried hazardous waste in the environment.
Ha said current law clearly regulates that an entity which generates waste must choose qualified waste treatment plants to dispose of it.
Individuals and organisations treating industrial waste, especially hazardous waste, must have valid licences issued by central-level authorised agencies if the waste is transported through multiple localities before being treated. They also have to get licences issued by the local Natural Resources and Environment Department if the waste is to be treated in a locality.
"Given these rules, we must first determine what kind of waste Formosa buried and wait for a full analysis of the waste. This will immediately clarify the guilt of the entity generating the waste, as well as the guilt of the individual or organisation in charge of treating the waste," he said.
Heavy punishments would be imposed if any violation were discovered. The Peoples Committee of Ha Tinh Province has full authority to handle the case.
The ministry sent an inspection team to Ha Tinh to co-operate with the provincial Natural Resources and Environment Department in analysing waste samples, checking the progress of treating waste and verifying the entitys legal capacity, Ha said. VNS
HAI PHONG A methane explosion on a ship in northern Hai Phong City injured six workers this morning.
The explosion occurred at around 10am on the Toan Thang ship while it was anchored at Tu Long Port in Hong Bang District.
Ngo Thanh Phong, director of the Binh An Shipbuilding Company, said their workers were working below deck when the accident occurred.
They were cleaning the lower decks, where the oil is kept. While they were cutting into a steel bar, some leftover methane exploded, Phong said.
He said the ship belonged to Thai Binh Province-based Southeast Petroleum Joint Stock Company, which had signed a contract with his company on July 4 to have the ship repaired and cleaned.
Binh An Shipbuilding Company and its labour union will provide financial aid to the injured workers, he said.
A worker who witnessed the accident said the six workers had sustained injuries to their faces, arms, legs and necks. They were sent to a local hospital and then transferred to the National Institute of Burns in Ha Noi for treatment. VNS
NICE, France A truck ploughed into a crowd in the French Riviera resort of Nice, killing at least 77 and leaving scores injured in an attack on revellers watching a Bastille Day fireworks display, authorities said Friday.
The driver of the truck was shot dead after barrelling two through the crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies.
Authorities said they found identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian citizen in the truck, as well as "guns" and "larger weapons."
"An individual drove a truck into the crowd. He was killed by police," said interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet.
French President Francois Hollande said the attack was clearly a "terrorist" act.
He said several children were among the dead and 20 victims were in a critical state after the attack, which he said was of an "undeniable terrorist nature".
He expressed his "support and solidarity" with the residents of Nice, and was due to chair a meeting of the countrys defence and security chiefs later Friday.
The bloodshed came on Bastille Day, a celebration of everything France holds dear, its secular republic and the values of "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" (Freedom, Equality, Fraternity).
It was after a day of military pomp and ceremony in Paris - where armed forces, tanks and fighter jets swooped down the Champs Elysees avenue and spectacular firework displays that the crowd of party-goers in Nice was attacked.
A photograph showed the front of the truck riddled with bullet holes and badly damaged, with burst tyres, while a lone doll lay abandoned on the promenade where families celebrated the holiday just hours earlier.
Robert Holloway, an AFP reporter who witnessed the white truck driving at speed onto the seaside road, described scenes of "absolute chaos".
"We saw people hit and bits of debris flying around. I had to protect my face from flying debris," he said.
President of the region Christian Estrosi said 77 people were killed, with many others in "critical" condition.
Horrific terrorist attack
If confirmed as a terror attack, it would be the third major strike against France in less than 18 months and prosecutors said anti-terrorist investigators would handle the probe.
"Investigations are currently underway to establish if the individual acted alone or if he had accomplices who might have fled," the interior ministry spokesman said.
US President Barack Obama condemned "what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack", although no group claimed responsibility for the incident.
The bloodshed comes eight months after Islamic State jihadist attacks on Paris nightspots left 130 people dead, dealing a hard blow to tourism in one ofthe worlds top destinations.
France has been under a state of emergency ever since the November 13 Paris attacks, which came after 17 were killed in another attack in January at various sites including the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket.
The Islamic State group has repeatedly singled out France as a prime target for its military actions against the group in Iraq and Syria, and hundreds of jihadists have left France to go and fight in their ranks. AFP
SAN FRANCISCO Microsoft has scored a big victory on a keenly watched privacy battlefront, with a US appeals court exonerating the company for refusing to give police user data stored overseas.
A three-judge panel in a US court of appeals in New York City on Thursday ordered that a finding of contempt against Microsoft be tossed out along with the warrant in the case.
The December 2013 warrant directed Microsoft to turn over the contents of an email account used by a suspected drug trafficker.
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft handed over account information it kept on US soil, but said the content of emails was off-limits because it was stored on servers in Ireland, according to a summary of the case.
The citizenship and location of the suspected drug trafficker were not revealed.
The warrant had been issued under provisions of Stored Communications Act (SCA) legislation enacted as part of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986.
Judge Susan Carney of the appeals court said that the SCA does not give US courts authority to force internet companies in the United States to seize customer email contents stored on foreign servers.
"We conclude that Congress did not intend the SCAs warrant provisions to apply extraterritorially," the judges said.
"The focus of those provisions is protection of a users privacy interests."
Local law rules
Microsoft welcomed the decision, saying it helped insure peoples privacy rights are protected by laws in their own countries.
The case had been closely watched by those who feared that a ruling against Microsoft would pave the way for countries to force internet firms to disclose user data no matter where in the world it was kept.
"This decision provides a major victory for the protection of peoples privacy rights under their own laws rather than the reach of foreign governments," Microsoft chief legal officer Brad Smith said in an email.
"It makes clear that the US Congress did not give the US Government the authority to use search warrants unilaterally to reach beyond US borders."
Knowing personal information will be protected by local law is also imperative for people to trust technology companies, Smith reasoned.
The long-running case has been a key point of concern for online service providers and their users.
If the Department of Justice had triumphed over Microsoft in the case, other countries would have easily seen it as a green light to use their own laws to demand data stored in the US, said Greg Nojeim, a project director at Washington-based nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology.
"It would have been like the Wild West and disaster for privacy," Nojeim said.
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington-based tech policy think tank which supported Microsofts case, said data stored in other countries should be sought under auspices of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty designed to let police agencies around the world to help one another.
"The question here isnt whether the US government can gain lawful access to this data, but rather the process it should use to do so," said ITIF vice president Daniel Castro.
The US has such mutual assistance treaties with more than 50 countries, including Ireland, according to Castro. AFP
MOSCOW Top US diplomat John Kerry met Russias President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to offer him closer military cooperation in the hope of salvaging the stalled Syria peace process.
The new proposal, as revealed in a leaked document, was an offer for the US military to work with Russia against the Al-Nusra Front and Islamic State (IS) jihadist groups.
In exchange, Russia would have to convince or strongarm its ally Bashar al-Assad into grounding his own planes and halting attacks on civilians and moderate opposition groups.
The meeting broke up at 1.00 am on Friday after three hours of closed-door talks.
"The secretary expressed concern about repeated violations of the cessation of hostilities by the Syrian regime," US spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
"The two also discussed the need to increase pressure on terrorist groups like Daesh and the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al Nusra."
But "diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely" in the absence of concrete, near-term steps, Kirby reported Kerry as saying.
Speaking before the Kremlin meeting, Putin gave little away.
"I would like to note our mutual effort in the settlement of conflicts that we deem important to resolve," Putin said, conveying his regards to President Barack Obama.
"My last conversation with President Obama has convinced me that we are indeed striving not only to establish a process of cooperation but also to achieve important results."
Not there yet
Kerry said Obama and he believed the US and Russia were in a position to make "an enormous difference" in the course of events not just in Syria but also in Ukraine.
Later on Friday, after a night at a Moscow hotel, Kerry was to "explore initiatives in more detail" with his immediate counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Moscow and Washington, and the 22-nation contact group they co-chair, have called for a nationwide ceasefire and Geneva-based talks on a "political transition".
A landmark partial ceasefire they brokered in February -- which did not include IS or Al-Nusra -- has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura urged Moscow and Washington to push for a resumption of the talks next month.
De Mistura said the talks "have a target date of August" and need to be "a credible beginning of a roadmap towards a political transition". AFP
ULAN BATOR Sympathy and condemnation for the Nice attack dominated the opening of an Asia Europe summit in Mongolia on Friday, drawing attention away from Beijings rejection of a tribunal ruling dismissing its extensive South China Sea claims.
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), held every two years and which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is supposed to be a venue for increasing cooperation across the Eurasian region and exploring ways to strengthen the global system of agreements that govern everything from trade to civil aviation.
Counter-terrorism efforts had been due to be discussed, but the issue was given renewed urgency by the outrage in Nice, where a truck ploughed into Bastille Day revellers, killing at least 80 in what President Francois Hollande called a "terrorist" attack.
Leaders and representatives of governments from Ireland to Indonesia held a minutes silence for the victims at the opening of the summit in Ulan Bator.
"Its a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity," said European Council President Donald Tusk.
"Today we all, Europe and Asia, stand united with the French people and their government. We condemn this tragedy and keep up our fight against extreme violence and hatred."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that "cowardly terrorism engulfing innocent people is unforgivable", according to Jiji Press, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was also among those who expressed his sympathy for the victims.
Sea dispute
The gathering is the first major international conference since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled that Beijings claims to much of the strategically vital South China Sea have no legal foundation.
The Asian giant, which boycotted the hearings, says the tribunal has no jurisdiction, and has poured scorn on the verdict. It says the subject should not be brought up at ASEM.
But in an oblique reference to the controversy, leaders spoke of the importance of respecting the global legal frameworks that undergird cooperation on terrorism, among other issues.
"Dialogue and a strong commitment to the rules based international order are necessary," said Tusk.
The Philippines, which brought the case, has said it plans to raise the issue during the summit.
Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay will discuss Manilas "peaceful and rules-based approach" to the dispute and "the need for parties to respect the recent decision" during the meeting, his office said.
Japan is embroiled in a separate territorial dispute with Beijing and Abe was due to meet the Philippines Yasay in the afternoon.
The criticism comes as Beijing, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, seeks a greater presence on the global diplomatic stage.
It hopes to use the ASEM summit as an opportunity to showcase its global initiatives, such as the One Belt, One Road programme, an ambitious plan to build infrastructure projects across the Eurasian region.
At a briefing this week, Chinese assistant foreign minister Kong Xuanyou said that ASEM was "not an appropriate venue" to discuss the South China Sea issue.
China has sought to assert its claims in the region by building a network of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations, and this week reiterated its right to declare an Air Defence Identification Zone in the area, which would demand civilian flights submit to the authority of its military.
Other issues likely to come up at ASEM include international trade and Britains vote to leave the European Union, but London does not have ministerial representation at the meeting following a cabinet reshuffle that made Brexit campaign leader Boris Johnson its new foreign secretary. AFP
Just as Infosys is readying to announce its June quarter results on Friday, another senior exit is likely to be a cause of concern for the Bengaluru-based company.
NTPC, the state-owned largest power producer in the country, has plans to build new units at existing plant sites and phase out the old ones.
02:35 Coalition extends support for first home buyers The Coalition has doubled down on its policy to allow first home buyers to access their superannuation to afford a home by extending the policy...
Buyback plan for flood-prone homes in the Northern Rivers 00:42 A voluntary buyback plan has been introduced for 2000 homeowners in the flood-prone area of Lismore and other areas in the Northern Rivers.
IN FULL: Peter Dutton delivers budget reply speech 33:42 Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has delivered the Coalitions reply to the Albanese governments first budget, saying it was a missed opportunity...
The budget breaks promises rather than keeps them 07:38 Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says the budget didnt address the economic challenges or inspire confidence.
WATERLOO A vehicle was struck by at least one bullet in a report of shots fired Thursday at about 4:15 p.m.
Police were called to the 1100 block of Ackermant Street. Witnesses described a vehicle in the incident. Police spotted the vehicle, pulled the driver over and took a statement from three people in the car.
Investigators found evidence it was struck by at least one bullet. The incident is under investigation. No injuries were reported.
WATERLOO -- A man reported Thursday being attacked and assaulted by multiple juveniles in an incident similar to several recent attacks.
The victim reported being attacked by a group of kids while he was walking on West Eighth Street near Wellington Street.
According to reports, a group of black males came from a porch of a house on the 800 block of West Eighth Street, assaulted him and knocked him to the ground multiple times.
Police say the attack is similar to other ones in the area in recent weeks.
"There's nothing to say definitively it is or isn't (related) but we're looking into that," said Capt. Dave Mohlis, of the Waterloo Police Department.
Mohlis said police have contacted the owners of the building where the assailants came from. The case is under investigation.
The incident comes after three similar reported incidents in about two days and four attacks on cyclists or pedestrians since July 6.
In a separate incident, the Grundy County Sheriff's Office is investigating a report of a man exposing himself in the city of Dike about 7 a.m. Friday to a female was jogging on a trail underneath the U.S. Highway 20 overpass. The man is described as a white male, in his 30s, with a thin build and short brown hair.
Anyone with information is asked contact the Grundy County Sheriff's office, 824-6933.
CONRAD Central Iowa Healthcare in Marshalltown has been treating about 15 detasselers who came into contact with herbicide north of Conrad in Grundy County Thursday afternoon, according to a news release.
"I was in shock," Alejandro Segura said. "Some people were having trouble breathing and stuff. It happened so fast."
Segura said it was a tractor -- not a plane -- that sprayed the workers.
Fire crews were notified around 4:35 p.m. Thursday that a Monsanto crew had been contaminated when the wind carried an herbicide being applied by a ground sprayer into the area they were working.
"There was a vehicle that was spraying around through our lanes and stuff," Segura said. "They weren't supposed to be spraying that."
The workers then complained of sore throats and itchy eyes.
The victims were taken to the hospital as a safety precaution, according to officials. They are being decontaminated and evaluated at the hospital.
"They put us through a little shower," Segura said. "They washed us up. They basically took our clothes off. They put our clothes away, and then we got sanitizing stuff."
The Marshalltown Police Department assisted with traffic control as people were urged to avoid the area.
All workers were expected to be released by Friday.
Grundy County Sheriff Rick Penning said his department was not contacted about the incident nor were area fire departments. Penning added standard procedure for pesticide or herbicide exposure would be to have a fire department come to the scene and decontaminate the detasslers there instead of taking them elsewhere.
DAVENPORT Top Republicans in Iowa praised Donald Trumps selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pences selection to be his running mate Friday.
Gov. Terry Branstad called Pence a friend who has governed conservatively. Mike is an excellent choice for vice president and someone who will continue bringing Republicans together to defeat Hillary Clinton in November, Branstad said in a statement.
Pence was to have been at a National Governors Association meeting in Des Moines this week, but as speculation swirled about whether he would be Trumps pick, he did not make an appearance.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, also praised Pences executive experience and said he would satisfy conservatives. He also said Pences low-key, quiet demeanor is a plus for the ticket and is going to modify somewhat the erratic demeanor of Trump.
Pence has made stops in Iowa to raise money for the Iowa GOP and to stump for other candidates, including Rep. Steve King. Hed also been mentioned previously as a possible presidential candidate himself.
Pens should help Trump with religious conservatives. Luana Stoltenberg, a Davenport anti-abortion activist, said Pences selection makes her feel more comfortable about voting for Trump.
Shane Vander Hart, a conservative blogger and social media consultant who said he wont vote for Trump, said the Indiana governor has been wishy-washy on religious liberty, as well as the Common Core education issue.
I dont think he moves the needle much, he said.
Bob Vander Plaats, chief executive of the Family Leader, praised Pence for his time in Congress and as governor, and said he has surrounded himself with like-minded conservatives.
It gives a very good indication to pro-family conservatives that he hears us, he said of Trumps choice.
Democrats on Friday were critical of the choice.
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Andy McGuire, in a statement, said: Pence has a long career of embracing discriminatory policies and pushing forward legislation that only benefits corporations and the 1 percent.
Lee-Gazette political reporters Erin Murphy and James Q. Lynch contributed to this report.
Dear Doctor K: In a recent column you said that parents should give babies peanut products to help prevent peanut allergies. Does the new advice also apply to other common food allergens, like eggs or cows milk?
Dear Reader: To answer your question I turned to my colleague Dr. Claire McCarthy, a primary care pediatrician at Boston Childrens Hospital. For decades, the standard advice recommended by allergy specialists was to hold off on giving babies foods that commonly cause allergic reactions. Parents were advised not to give egg, dairy, seafood or wheat in their childs first year. And parents were told to wait until two or three years to give peanuts or other nut products. It turns out that was bad advice.
Whats changed? A few years ago, research began to suggest that there was no particular benefit in waiting to give those foods. Children seemed to develop food allergies whether their parents waited or not. And then a year ago, research showed that giving babies peanut products earlier in life made it less likely that they would develop a peanut allergy.
A new study in The New England Journal of Medicine confirms last years study. The study involved more than 1,000 exclusively breast-fed 3-month-old babies who were divided up into two groups. The parents of one group were told to give their babies only breast milk for six months. The parents of the other group were told to give their babies six foods that often cause allergic reactions: peanut products, eggs, wheat, cows milk, sesame and whitefish.
The result: Fewer children in the second group ended up with peanut or egg allergy when tested between ages 1 and 3 years.
The researchers didnt find decreases in allergies to the other foods. But this is important they didnt find increases, either.
There are a couple of important safety caveats:
If your baby has a known or suspected food allergy, or there is a history of food allergies in the family, talk to your doctor before starting any solid foods.
Dont ever give babies or toddlers actual peanuts; they are a choking hazard. Instead, use peanut butter (smooth), oils and pastes.
Why did doctors once advise against giving babies peanuts (or peanut products) for two or three years, and why did the advice change? Doctors thought that an infants developing immune system might react badly to foods, like peanuts, to which allergies develop.
But then a U.S. peanut allergy specialist visiting Israel discovered that few Israeli children develop peanut allergies and that most Israeli children are fed peanut products in the first years of life. At that point, precious research funds were freed up, a study done and the truth revealed.
WATERLOO Gospel music artists Phil and Pam Morgan will lead the service Sunday at Waterloo First United Methodist Church, 614 Randolph St.
The service will begin at 9:30 a.m. This is part of their national AMEN ministry tour.
The Morgans music combines close family harmony with accomplished instrumentals. Donations will be taken.
WATERLOO St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Worker House will celebrate 34 years with several events July 20 at Queen of Peace Church, Third and Mulberry.
The day includes Mass at 5 p.m. with the Rev. George Karnik, celebrant, and dinner at 6 p.m., courtesy of Covenant Medical Center. There also will be juggling, balloon sculpture and face painting.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
WATERLOO The Gospel Temple Church of God in Christ will host an Expense Rally at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Guest speaker will be the Rev. Steve Carter, pastor of Bread of Life Church of God in Christ in Des Moines.
Pastor is O.G. Evans, 610-8042.
WATERLOO Walnut Ridge Baptist Church will have vacation Bible school from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday through July 21, featuring the theme Ocean Commotion.
The event includes lessons, crafts, games, music, snacks and prizes. There will be a free reception for parents is planned for 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday; no reservations are required.
For information, call 233-3545 or go to wrbc.net.
CEDAR FALLS Riverview Womens Ministry will host an afternoon workshop with Karyn Brinkmeyer from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Event Center to hear her message and music.
Participants will have the opportunity to interact in a comfortable informal setting. Light refreshments will be served.
Q: When are they going to complete the portion of Highway 63 from Newell to Franklin?
A: The reconstruction of U.S. 63 from Jefferson Street to Newell Street is tentatively slated for a bid opening by the Iowa Department of Transportation in December with construction taking place in 2017 and 2018.
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Q: Was a list printed in the Courier of the 2016 retirees of The Waterloo School District? Did the district honor the retirees with a reception?
A: No, a list was not printed in the paper, due to space constraints. However, The Courier did include the list of Waterloo Schools retirees on its website in conjunction with a story about a retiring district staff member. To find that story and the list of retirees on The Couriers website, go to the search function on the top right side of the home page and search Waterloo Schools 2016 retirees. There was a district reception May 26, but it was not open to the public.
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Q: What station on DISH Network shows the Waterloo City Council meetings?
A: Neither DISH nor Direct TV carry Waterloo local access channels. You can watch replays of City Council and Planning, Programming and Zoning Commission meetings on the Waterloo Community TV YouTube channel.
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Q: What are the salaries for the Waterloo police and fire chief?
A: Waterloo Director of Safety Services Dan Trelka, who is the designated police chief per Iowa code, is slated to earn $128,377.60 in the fiscal year that started July 1. Chief of Fire Services Pat Treloar, the code-designated fire chief, is scheduled to earn $107,494.40 this year.
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Q: Are there free sites to find out about our ancestors?
A: The Waterloo Public Library subscribes to Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest they can be used with a library card. You could also try familysearch.org, usgenweb.org and www.nationalarchives.gov.
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Q: How many times has Donald Trump filed for bankruptcy?
A: Trump has filed for corporate bankruptcy four times, according to Forbes magazine.
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Q: The St. Louis Post Dispatch listed senators who had received the most money from NRA lobbyists. Can you print those names?
A: Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri was at the top of the list; the Post-Dispatch report focused on Missouri legislators. A Washington Post report in June lists donations by state go to www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/nra-donations/. According to the Post, top recipients in Iowa are Sen. Chuck Grassley and then Rep. Steve King.
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Q: Who pays for the Leader in Me programs?
A: The Leader in Me is sponsored by Leader Valley, a talent development initiative of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber focused on helping students excel so they can be well prepared for citizenship and future careers. Leader Valley is funded through private donors and serves public and private schools in Waterloo and Cedar Falls. For more information, go to their website at leadervalley.org.
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 - South Korea has agreed to lift the ban the ban it placed on U.S. poultry in reaction to outbreaks of avian influenza last year and earlier this year.
The decision means that U.S. exporters are now able to ship chicken and turkey to South Korea so long as the poultry was processed after June 1, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said today.
The announcement was welcomed by the U.S. poultry industry.
Were pleased that the market has reopened to our products, which are in high demand in South Korea, said Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council. He said that in 2014, the last full year of access to South Korea before it banned all U.S. poultry products, U.S. chicken exports were valued at $98.2 million and turkey shipments at $7.4 million, making it the 14th-largest market for chicken and the sixth-biggest turkey export market.
Now that South Korea has lifted its ban, U.S. poultry industry representatives say they hope the USDA will be able to persuade the Asian country to stop its policy of issuing blanket bans on all U.S. poultry in the event of a localized detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Last year, after several outbreaks of the virus, many countries did enforce regional bans on U.S. poultry only from trouble spots, while allowing shipments from areas that were not affected.
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South Korea and China were two major importers that banned all poultry. South Korea stopped its poultry imports in early 2015 during the initial outbreaks. The country then lifted the ban in November only to put it back in place less than two months after avian influenza was detected in Indiana in January.
Our major concern is that Korea has yet to adopt a policy of regionalization for avian influenza, Sumner said. This means that if another detection of highly pathogenic AI were to occur at a single poultry farm in the U.S., Korea would immediately impose a nationwide ban on imports of U.S. poultry.
A USDA official said the department will work with South Korea to try and avoid future nationwide restrictions.
National Chicken Council spokesman Tom Super said the industry appreciates the work that USDA and lawmakers have done to get South Korea to lift its ban, but he also stressed that China continues its ban on all U.S. poultry.
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OGDEN, UT, July 15, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ogden's Own Distillery announced that Porter's Peach Liqueur will be Available starting Friday July, 15, 2016 at the distillery's retail outlet in Ogden. It will hit the Utah Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (DABC) stores the first part of August.
Porter's Peach Liqueur ($18.99), a blend of peach and whiskey, is the company's first follow-up to its hit product, Porter's Fire Liqueur -- a cinnamon and vanilla whiskey Blend.
"Over the past seven years, we've made products that pay homage to Utah's rich, and sometime's curious, history. Porter's Peach Liqueur is no different," Steve Conlin, managing partner, said.
Porter Rockwell was a notorious character in the early history of the The Church of Latter-day Saints and the settlement of Utah. As a bodyguard for Joseph Smith and Brigham Young as well as being deputy marshal of Salt Lake City, Rockwell was known for heavy-handed enforcement and the killing of many men.
Rockwell, along with his fellow early settlers, was also known to drink the area's Valley Tan Whiskey.
In 1851, along with his brother Merritt, Rockwell laid claim to land in Utah's "Famous Fruit Way" near Brigham City, Utah adjacent to what is now known as Porter Spring. Today, the Fruit Way is not-so-slowly disappearing to development.
While they never made improvements to the land, we'd like to think that the fruits from that land would have blended nicely with that whiskey Rockwell was known to drink," Conlin explained regarding the product's development.
"While most would agree Rockwell was a ruffian, he was also known to have softer side such as when he donated his long locks to make wig for a woman recovering from typhoid fever," said Conlin.
Porter's Peach Liqueur's a smooth blend of peach and whiskey. It celebrates complex nature and sweeter side of Porter Rockwell, as well as the disappearing Fruit Way between North Ogden and Brigham City.
The company will be bottling the first batch on July 15. Product will be available for purchase the same day. Samples are offered at the company's retail location at a nominal fee as required by law.
About Ogden's Own Distillery:
For seven years Ogden's Own Distillery has been making craft -spirits in Utah. It is Ogden's first licensed distillery since the 1800's. Its first product, Underground Herbal Spirit, captures the feeling of the rowdy, early days of Ogden. Underground Herbal Spirit won a prestigious "Double Gold" at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and "Best Liqueur" at the 2012 Spirits of the America's. Ogden's Own also make Five Wives Vodka brands, and Porter's Fire Cinnamon Liqueur.
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Jul 14, 2016 | By Benedict
Engineers at the Raytheon design site (Tucson, Arizona) are experimenting with 3D printed missile components. While additive manufacturing is currently being used to hollow out certain components, the American defense contractor believes that it could someday 3D print an entire missile.
The 3D printing community is, on the whole, a very friendly bunch, but that doesnt mean 3D printers cant be used to create incredibly deadly things. Capitalizing on todays explosion of additive manufacturing technology is Raytheon, an American defense contractor and the worlds largest producer of guided missiles. The company is following in the footsteps of other defense manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin and MBDA in exploring the possibilities of strong and lightweight 3D printed components for its missiles.
After recently investing in a set of commercial 3D printers, Raytheon has hardly had a chance to turn the machines off, with its team of design engineers constantly looking to experiment with new ways of making missile parts. Taylor Lawrence, president of Raytheon Missile Systems, believes that 3D printers could soon be used on the frontline to provide spare parts for missiles, a change in tactics that would eliminate supply chain problems and vastly speed up the replacement process.
In the meantime, however, engineers must identify which missile parts can be safely and effectively replaced with 3D printed alternatives. At present, there are only a handful of potential candidates, but Raytheon is trying to think outside the box in order to reduce production times and costs across the entire assembly. The company is even looking into the possibility of printing electrical circuits for its missile guidance systems, as well as microwave components for radar. It will be a while before we print a whole missile, but we definitely see that on the horizon, Lawrence told the Financial Times.
Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin developed a Trident II D5 missile with a 3D printed cable cover, creating the part in half the time it would normally have taken. Elsewhere, MBDA, a European missile manufacturer, is also planning to use 3D printing for minor components on its weapons. Like its competitors, Raytheon believes that 3D printing can help to improve productivity in missile manufacture: We can produce fundamentally new capability more quickly, which ultimately means lower cost, Lawrence said.
Jeff Morgans, head of operations at MBDA, has estimated that 3D printing could reduce production time by up to 75%, but has preached caution regarding how quickly such radical changes could be implemented: Performance of weapons is of paramount importance, he said. We have to be confident that the technology [can be used] without any risk.
Images: Raytheon
When Raytheon announced that it would be using 3D printing to scale up its weapon systems earlier this year, it joined a broader group of arms manufacturers looking to harness the power of additive manufacturing for military use. BAE Systems, for example, recently outlined tentative plans for a Chemputer: a chemical additive manufacturing system for 3D printed military drones, while the South Korean air force last year announced that it would incorporate 3D printed parts into its fighter jet engines.
Whether Raytheon and other defense contractors can find ways to use 3D printing on a large scale remains to be seen but, considering the significant advantages that the technology could afford, it would appear to be a target worth firing at.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Bemused Bob wrote at 7/15/2016 11:56:00 AM:So missile GOOD, gun BAD....
Jul 15, 2016 | By Alec
If youve ever tried to explain 3D printing to the uninitiated, you will have doubtlessly said something along the lines of literally any possible shape can be 3D printed. But this is only true to a certain extent. While hitherto impossible geometries can certainly be made with a 3D printer, those levels of complexity bring their own design problems with them. In an attempt to overcome those hurdles, researchers from Fuji Xerox and Hiroya Tanaka, professor of the Keio Research Institute at Keio University, have developed a completely new 3D printing data format called FAV. While conventional formats store data on a polygon level, FAV can retain complex 3D information (from internal structures, colors, materials and connection strength) on a voxel level making complex geometry 3D printing easier than ever before.
If Fuji Xerox sounds familiar, thats because its a joint venture of two well-known companies Fujifilm Holdings (owning 75%) and Xerox Limited (25%). The joint venture produces and sells office equipment, from digital devices to publishing systems, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. But through Xerox, it also has a very extensive background imaging and 3D printing. The company also recently set up a partnership with Stratasys to provide 3D printing services in Australia. But this latest innovation, its researchers teamed up with Hiroya Tanaka, professor of Keio Research Institute at Keio University Shonan-Fujisawa Campus (SFC).
As the researchers revealed, their innovation grew naturally out of the fast pace at which 3D printing is evolving. The ability to construct very complex internal structures in full colors or with multiple materials simply creates a lot of data straining the limits of existing 3D printing formats. These do not, for instance, have the ability to store color and material data and therefore make complex 3D printing a burdensome and time-consuming activity.
Until now, especially fabricating objects with different materials can be a very problematic process. Different colors would already have to be represented with CMYK or RGB, while interior geometries made from different materials requires users to design each part separately. Things can get even more complex if print jobs need to be paused to allow for manual alterations in setup or materials.
FAV (FAbricatable Voxel) has been designed to address these issues and store a far wider range of data in 3D models. While conventional polygon-based data formats only describe the surface areas of objects, FAV breaks models down to a voxel level and enables users to assign color and material information to each and every voxel. The results consist of highly detailed 3D models, which record every piece of information on internal structures and connection strength, and can be 3D printed again and again without burdensome data processing obstacles. The research itself was backed by the Center of Innovation (COI) Program, which aims to make 3D printing commonplace in society, the Center of Kansei-oriented Digital Fabrication at Keio University and the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
With FAV, objects with complex, multi-material and multi-colored geometries could thus be far easier to produce than ever before. It largely grew out of the 3D data processing software development expertise of Hiroya Tanaka. He was provided access to Fuji Xeroxs image processing technology, and built a system that represents 3D objects on a voxel level, giving users complete access to embedded information on complex internal structures.
So when will it be made available? Well, specifications for the FAV format will be released soon, while the company will continue to work on its implementation. They are aiming, they say, to make FAV the de-facto standard for professional 3D printing environments. Could this be the design breakthrough industrial users have been waiting for?
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Jul 15, 2016 | By Alec
It looks like 3D printing is also catching on in Russia. Just over the past few days, Rosatom unveiled Russia's first metal 3D printing system, while the Ural Federal University revealed a collaboration with Chinese partners to develop more 3D printing technology. But this Russian 3D printing revolution is by no means just a top-down event, as the 28-year-old engineer Maxim Lyashko from Norilsk in Siberia shows. He has developed the MaxBionic, the first-ever Russian-made 3D printed bionic prosthesis, and he is currently working to share it with the world through crowdfunding.
Lyashko himself knows exactly how important this innovation is. Just three years ago, the 28-year-old lost his own right hand while working in a mine. And he is by no means the only handicapped Russian missing a limb. As a country with lots of industry and mining, it is hardly surprising that about 6000 people lose hands in Russia every year. Of those people, very few can afford to buy high-tech prosthetics, and are stuck with the trauma, the discomfort and the ghost pain, Lyashko said. The engineer himself knows this problem only too well. As no bionic prostheses are produced within Russia, they have to be imported and quickly cost several tens of thousands of dollars way beyond his own budget.
But instead of yielding to the tragedy, Lyashko did something about it. He developed a bionic prosthetic all by himself, using 3D printing and a lot of perseverance. I still face a lot of difficulties during development, and it takes me a lot of time to create the MaxBionic prosthesis with the help of a 3D printer, the engineer revealed. But it is very impressive. Perhaps most important, it costs just 80,000 rubles (about $1,000) to build and is comparable to imported non-3D printed bionic solutions.
Equally impressive is his positive attitude. Thank god my brains have remained in place, because now I can develop the first Russian-made bionic prosthesis, which can help people everywhere, he says. Previously I absolutely never thought about prostheses, their forms, costs, or availability just like the rest of the population. But life makes you understand. Fortunately, Im an engineer and can at least partially restore my lost limb function.
But its been a very long process to get there. After his tragic mining accident, Lyashko spent about 18 months in hospital going in and out of the surgery room. But he also had time to think about his plans, and started working on his first prosthesis in late 2014. The first prototype was completed in just a few months, all paid for from his own pocket. You can see another prototype being tested on Nikolai below, who lost his arm in a car accident 15 years ago.
And the result is very impressive. In a nutshell, the MaxBionic works just like a regular hand but replaces all muscles and tendons with steel cables and electric motors. Like many of the other 3D printed bionics out there, it picks up electric signals from the forearm using EMG sensors. Processed by a microcontroller, these signals are transformed into certain actions gripping, releasing and so on. Obviously, this does mean that the prosthesiss usefulness depends on the amputees condition. The more active muscles are left in the arm, the more sensors can be applied to the patient and the more useful the prosthesis and the grippers will be. Finally, all the parts are 3D printed for now though the maker is envisioning industrial production through injection molding in the future.
Whats more, Russian patients will be happy to know that the MaxBionic is completely Russian. I did not copy or take ready-made foreign components, but made everything from scratch. All the costly foreign-made parts are gone, and we even independently developed the PCB management system and software, he argues. Through their special setup, it should also be quite easy to install everything on Russian computers. This is my vision of a smart prosthesis that is completely in line with international standards, Lyashko adds.
The MaxBionic is now almost completed. We are still developing the sensors that help to operate the prosthesis. A patient feels that he has a phantom hand, and as he mentally tries to squeeze the hand muscles, this should send signals down his arm which are picked up by the sensors and set the prosthesis in motion, Lyashko says. But once complete, he will share the complete project online as a Russian open source creation. This means that all files, drawings, programs, schemes and instructions that are necessary for the manufacture of robotic prosthetic hand, will be published online. Even those people without special technical training can download the files and work to improve his life, he adds.
To make that launch possible, Lyashko has now also set up a crowdfunding campaign on Boomstarter, the Russian Kickstarter equivalent. Attempting to raise 1.5 million ($23,700 USD) rubles by the end of July, he has already gathered about a third of that at the time of writing. As Boomstarters Anastasia Marishchuk said, this promising project has everything that crowdfunding is all about, and she hopes that it will be a huge success and will give thousands of people a chance at a normal life. If youre interested and in Russia, you can back the campaign on Boomstarter here.
But Lyashko has emphasized that all of the gathered money will be spent on development and that MaxBionic will remain completely open source. I get asked about this a lot, but I cannot cash in on the plight of so many desperate and depressed people. So I try to find and collect as much money as possible, purely with the intention of giving a Russian-made MaxBionic prosthesis to people that is as cheap as possible, he concludes.
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Jul 15, 2016 | By Tess
The HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hildesheim, Germany has hosted the Akkuschrauberrennen or Cordless Screwdriver Race for the past nine years at its campus. As the name suggests, the race consists of bringing together teams of students to design and create one-person vehicles that can be powered by an electric screwdriver. Similar to box car or billycart races, the designs for vehicles presented each year are always creative as everyone is seeking to make the fastest and coolest vehicle around.
For this years race, the organizers decided to step things up in a technological way by requiring that every entry vehicle had to be at least in part 3D printed. Specifically, at least 50cm of each vehicle had to be made using 3D printing technologies (the maximum width for each vehicle is 90cm, to give a relative idea). As an additional requirement, all vehicles had to also be made sustainably and showcase an organic design.
Akkuracer
In following with the races new rules, a number of teams took to 3D printing to make innovative designs for their vehicles. Team Ostfreezer, from the Hochschule Emden-Leer University of Applied Sciences, for instance, enlisted the help of 3D printing service Materialise to create their vehicles 3D printed parts. Their cordless screwdriver vehicle, called Akkuracer, was made using Materialise Magics and Materialise's 3-matic modeling software, which allowed the team to design a complex structure for their vehicle that exhibited organic qualities. With the design process complete, Materialise 3D printed the components using Laser Sintering and had the pieces shipped to Germany for the race.
At the race itself, which took place on June 25th, spectators gathered to watch the eleven competing vehicles at the racetrack in Hildesheim. Each team was given its electric screwdriver just one minute prior to the racing time, so as not to give anyone an advantage. Of course, some teams were disappointed to find that their vehicles struggled right off the bat with the insertion of the electric screwdriver motor. Team MOPET, from HAWK Hildesheim, crashed within minutes of starting the first race, but faired better later in the day. And while Team Ostfreezers Akkuracer did not win any of the top prizes with their impressive 3D printed vehicle, they comfortably made it to the quarter finals.
In judging the races, many elements were taken into consideration such as speed, technology and design, and the overall impression, which was decided by an audience vote. Team MOPET won top prize for audience vote despite their poor performance in the first race, and Team Screwdriver from the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences in Wolfenbuttel took home the top speed prize.
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Harrison Fluss at The Jacobin:
In July 1820, G. W. F. Hegel and his students arrived in Dresden to see some of the citys art. The year was not an auspicious one for liberal or revolutionary circles.
Napoleons armies disbanded, Europes reactionary powers restored the old order through the Holy Alliance. With police spies snooping around, positive sentiments for the French Revolution and the ghosts of progress were seldom exhibited. Such sentiments were forced underground by reaction, and to even speak favorably about the revolution in public or in official circles would be near-lunacy. Thats why in the case of Hegel someone described as a Prussian-state philosopher the scene Terry Pinkard describes is remarkable.
Hegel gathered friends and colleagues and ordered top-shelf champagne Champagne Sillery, the most distinguished of its day. He passed bottles around the table, but when it became clear that nobody at the table knew exactly why they should be drinking to that particular day, Hegel turned in mock astonishment and with raised voice declared, This glass is for the 14th of July, 1789 to the storming of the Bastille.
Needless to say, this toast astonished the students there, among them Eduard Gans, who would later become Marxs law professor. How could Hegel be so reckless to express such dangerous sympathies at the height of Restoration Europe?
more here.
Julia Rosen in Science:
In a dingy apartment building, insulated by layers of hanging rugs, the last family on Earth huddles around a fire, melting a pot of oxygen. Ripped from the suns warmth by a rogue dark star, the planet has been exiled to the cold outer reaches of the solar system. The lone clan of survivors must venture out into the endless night to harvest frozen atmospheric gases that have piled up like snow. As end-of-humanity scenarios go, that bleak vision from Fritz Leibers 1951 short story A Pail of Air is a fairly remote possibility. Scholars who ponder such things think a self-induced catastrophe such as nuclear war or a bioengineered pandemic is most likely to do us in. However, a number of other extreme natural hazardsincluding threats from space and geologic upheavals here on Earthcould still derail life as we know it, unraveling advanced civilization, wiping out billions of people, or potentially even exterminating our species.
One threat to civilization could come not from too little sun, as in Leibers story, but from too much. Bill Murtagh has seen how it might start. On the morning of 23 July 2012, he sat before a colorful array of screens at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado, watching twin clouds of energetic particlesknown as a coronal mass ejection (CME)erupt from the sun and barrel into space. A mere 19 hours later, the solar buckshot blazed past the spot where Earth had been just days before. If it had hit us, scientists say, we might still be reeling.
More here.
Jared Diamond in Edge:
First, in any society except a totally isolated society, most innovations come in from the outside, rather than being conceived within that society. And secondly, any society undergoes local fads. By fads I mean a custom that does not make economic sense. Societies either adopt practices that are not profitable or for whatever reasons abandon practices that are profitable. But usually those fads are reversed, as a result of the societies next door without the fads out-competing the society with the fad, or else as a result of the society with the fad, like those European princes who gave up the guns, realizing they're making a big mistake and reacquiring the fad. In short, competition between human societies that are in contact with each other is what drives the invention of new technology and the continued availability of technology. Only in an isolated society, where there's no competition and no source of reintroduction, can one of these fads result in the permanent loss of a valuable technology. So that's one of the two sets of lessons that I want to draw from history, about what happens in a really isolated society and group.
The other lesson that I would like to draw from history concerns what is called the optimal fragmentation principle. Namely, if you've got a human group, whether the human group is the staff of this museum, or your business, or the German beer industry, or Route 128, is that group best organized as a single large unit, or is it best organized as a number of small units, or is it best fragmented into a lot of small units? What's the most effective organization of the groups?
So what this suggests is that we can extract from human history a couple of principles. First, the principle that really isolated groups are at a disadvantage, because most groups get most of their ideas and innovations from the outside. Second, I also derive the principle of intermediate fragmentation: you don't want excessive unity and you don't want excessive fragmentation; instead, you want your human society or business to be broken up into a number of groups which compete with each other but which also maintain relatively free communication with each other. And those I see as the overall principles of how to organize a business and get rich.
More here.
Sarah Zhang in Wired:
Perdue, the country's fourth largest poultry producer, won plaudits this week when it announced a suite of reforms to its chicken farms: windows, sunlight, access to the outdoors. Most notable, according to one press release, will be Perdues bid to replace the traditional way of slaughtering chickens with controlled atmosphere stunninga turn of phrase so bland it can only be deliberate. Because they are, after all, still talking about killing chickens.
Now the current way of killing chickens sounds undeniably grisly. Shackled upside down by their feet, a line of chickens gets stunned in a bath of electrified water before a rotating blade cuts their throats. Controlled atmosphere stunning, on the other hand, uses gas to knock the birds out before they die of oxygen deprivation or later bleed-out. The word I heard several timesfrom Perdue as well as the Humane Society of the United Stateswas gentle.
More here.
Krista and Daniel celebrated their beautiful wedding at the famed City Club in San Francisco. With its gilded ceilings, art deco architecture and details, fabulous food, and great location in the heart of the Financial District, it was the perfect location.The couple decided to incorporate the Art Deco theme of the venue into wedding elements such as the wedding cake, which also featured the skyline of San Francisco. Other special details included the dinner table number signs, inspired by several famous landmarks, including Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, and Lombard Street. Many of the guests were visiting from out of town and they got a kick out of seeing all the sites they had recently toured depicted on the table markers. Before the wedding the couple created and cut out 20 different questions that guests could answer. They included things like, What is your favorite memory of the bride or groom?" Where should we go for our five year anniversary," and Draw a picture of either the bride or groom." The cards were stacked on a table for guests to visit during the night and they were encouraged to select and fill out as many as they wanted. The couple then turned the answers into a scrapbook, which included candid pictures from the wedding and shots from the photobooth. Something that made the wedding so special was an element of surprisethe bride and groom took time to incorporate a few surprise moments for guests. Their favorite? Chris, the DJ, hosted a great game where Daniel and Krista stood back to back and had to answer some funny questions about each other, which helped to keep the formal affair from feeling stuffy. When the Father of the bride stood up to give his speech at the reception, DJ Chris played The Circle of Life" from The Lion King. Also at one point when Daniel and Kristin entered the room Chris played Coming to America" by Neil Diamond. Not only is that song by Daniel's favorite artist, but the guests also found it entertaining because Daniel was born and raised in Canada.
Photographer | Wendy K YalomCeremony Site | Calvary Presbyterian Church, SFReception Site | The City Club of San FranciscoFlorist | Bloomies on Main DJ | Denon & Doyle Event EntertainmentGroom's Suit | Men's Wearhouse Bride's Gown | Priscilla of BostonCake | Have Your Cake Bride's Hair | Courtney Rae Bride's Makeup | Makeup by Adam Hair and Makeup for Maid and Matron of Honor | Kimberly Merrill Hair and Makeup for Mothers and Bridesmaids | Blow Salon
Sheriff-to-be reiterates need for regional jail in Brown County
As Brown County considers the possibility of building a new regional jail, Chief Deputy Dave Lunzman reminded commissioners of why it's needed.
Broadway premiere in 1950.
Ran for 1,200 performances.
Picked up a Tony Award for best musical.
Adapted into film in 1955 starring Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine.
This is some of the history of the musical Guys and Dolls.
And Landmark Musicals is producing the show for nine performances from Saturday, July 16, through July 31.
We had a good amount of people come out for the auditions, says Myra Cochnar, producer of the musical. We had to make difficult choices. There was a lot of talent, and in the end we cast those people that we felt that were best.
The musical is based on The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown and Blood Pressure by Damon Runyon.
It follows Nathan Detroit, played by Dean Squibb, who is searching for a new hideout for his infamous floating craps game with his right-hand man, Nicely Nicely Johnson, played by Vernon Reza; Benny Southstreet, played by Alan Daugherty; and Rusty Charlie, played by Max Woltman.
Meanwhile, his hypochondriac fiancee of 14 years, Miss Adelaide, played by Meghan Bode, headlines at The Hot Box, a cheap nightclub.
She detests Detroits lousy lifestyle and refusal to seal the deal on their marriage. He avoids Adelaides relentless pressure into marriage.
Just around the corner, Sgt. Sarah Brown, played by Erin Warden, has made it her quest to get the gamblers and sinners of the city to repent.
After landing in New York for a short visit, the suave, high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson, played by Shawn Wayne King, walks into her Save-A-Soul Mission.
He has placed a bet with Detroit that he could take any doll in the city on a date.
The musical is directed by Debi Kierst, designed by Dahl Delu and choreographed by Louis Giannini, with an orchestra conducted by music director Darby Fegan.
Cochnar says the cast has been working for nearly a month in anticipation of opening night.
All of the actors are doing this because they love it, she says. Rehearsals have taken up a lot of their time and they get tired. But youd be surprised what a standing ovation can do for the spirit.
One person is dead and one person is in custody after a reported shooting at a house near Comanche and Wyoming NE, according to a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department.
Officer Simon Drobik said police were called to the shooting on the 9000 block of Orlando Pl NE around 8 p.m. where they found one person dead on the scene. He did not know the name or gender of the victim or the suspect or say what officers believe happened.
Drobik said detectives are interviewing about a dozen witnesses and canvassing the neighborhood. He said there are no outstanding suspects.
We dont know the intent, what happened or how it happened, Drobik said. Thats why we have to talk to all witnesses involved.
Neighbors described hearing a man yelling shes bleeding, call an ambulance, shes in the trailer as the officers arrived on scene. They said the house, which has an RV parked in the driveway, has several people living in it.
-This is a developing story. More information will be added as it becomes available.
Its no surprise Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg isnt a fan of presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump after all, she has written opinions over the last 22 years that show she tilts far left. But it is supremely unfortunate Ginsburg chose to come down from the dais and join the partisan name-calling her target is known for.
In doing so, she has tarnished the court as an institution and fed cynics who argue the nine justices are just regular politicians in long black robes.
Ginsburg said Trump is a faker, has no consistency, says whatever comes into his head at the moment (a trait she appears to share), really has an ego, and has gotten a pass from the media on not releasing his tax returns. She also said she cant imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president.
Imagine if Justice Clarence Thomas had made similar comments about Al Gore before the 2000 presidential election, which, it so happens, ended up before the court?
Taking that big-picture, long view, it simply does not matter that Ginsburg is not bound by Canon 5 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which says a federal judge should not publicly endorse or oppose a candidate for public office. It is why many state courts, like those in New Mexico, are bound by their own Supreme Court rules that say a judge may not endorse or oppose a candidate for office.
After initially doubling down on her public criticism, Ginsburg on Thursday said that on reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised and I regret making them. Judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. In the future I will be more circumspect.
That was an appropriate almost apology. But the damage to the reputation of the judiciary has already been done.
This is a country founded on the rule of law, not the whims of government officials. A country that looks to its judiciary for learned responses, not snappy comebacks better suited to partisan talk radio. If the judicial system hopes to keep a modicum of respect in an increasingly networked and cynical world, those who sit in judgment must adhere to a higher standard.
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.
The National Nuclear Security Administration is under orders from Congress to produce as many as 80 new nuclear weapons triggers a year by around 2030, and Los Alamos National Laboratory is the only place in the country that is equipped to make them now.
The plans for a higher-capacity plutonium pit production facility make Los Alamos key some call the lab ground zero as the Obama administration and Congress have moved forward to upgrade and modernize the nations nuclear weapons force, a plan that the Congressional Budget Office has estimated will cost $350 billion in the next decade.
But ramping up pit production is a huge undertaking the United States, after mass producing pits during the Cold War at the defunct Rocky Flats Plant in Colorado, hasnt made any new ones since 2011, when LANL completed the last of 29 plutonium cores for Navy submarine missiles. The most ever made at Los Alamos in a year is 11. For the moment, the lab cant resume pit production until safety issues are addressed, possibly by the end of this year.
More pits would mean more radioactive materials at Los Alamos and more leftover waste that must be handled and safely stored, most likely at the temporarily closed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad.
Critics of the plan say its unnecessary for maintaining the nations nuclear weapons stockpile and way too expensive, particularly in todays tough budget times.
In addition to pits currently installed in nuclear warheads, 10,000 or more previously manufactured pits are in storage and a few thousand more are said to be strategic reserve. A 2006 study for the government that was undertaken by scientific experts, supporting work by the national labs, and that NNSA touted at the time, found that the existing pits installed in warheads can last for many decades to come, with credible lifetimes of more than 100 years.
Supporters of increasing pit production see it as a hedge against possible future technical problems and unforeseen geopolitical risk or military threat and as a way to maintain pit production skills.
Skeptics of increased pit production extend beyond anti-nuclear advocates in New Mexico.
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, a California Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that he strongly disagrees with ramping up pit production in Los Alamos or anywhere else.
Garamendi said the NNSA, the labs parent organization within the Department of Energy, hasnt even told us why they feel the need to increase pit production when we already have an unused stockpile of 10,000 pits.
He noted that he tried to amend the 2015 defense spending bill to require the NNSA to submit a report on the rationale and cost of expanding pit production . I dont understand the reasons for spending billions on a new pit production facility when we should be spending that money here at home. The bill mandated building more pits and calls for demonstrated capability to build 80 pits per year in 2027.
Greg Mello of the local Los Alamos Study Group research and advocacy organization said that the 2006 study supporting the long life of existing pits has never been impugned.
What it all boils down to is that the generals are not happy that we dont have a pit factory, Mello said. All the other details are unimportant . They seem to want it for its own sake, and that is not going to work well.
Jay Coghlan of Nuclear Watch New Mexico notes that the wording of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that calls for making 80 pits annually asserts that the need is not driven solely by life extension programs intended to keep current weapons in good shape.
Its not about simple maintenance, Coghlan said. Its about advancing weapons designs . I assert that thats a blank check for them to do what they want to do.
He added: They are seeking to divorce expanded pit production from the technical necessities of the stockpile.
Basis for pit-making goal
A pit is the grapefruit-size plutonium core of the first stage of a nuclear bomb. Imploded by high explosives, it becomes compressed, resulting in a nuclear explosion that detonates the weapons main stage.
The 2015 defense spending bills language sets out the basic argument for increased pit production.
It says that delaying creation of a modern, responsive nuclear infrastructure until the 2030s is an unacceptable risk to the nuclear deterrent and the national security of the United States and that timelines for creating pit production capacity must be driven by the requirement to hedge against technical and geopolitical risk, and not solely by the needs of life extension programs for existing weapons.
A 2014 memo from then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel sent to the Armed Services Committee chairman in January 2014 elaborates. It says a Nuclear Posture Review found need for some modest capacity to surge the production (of pits) in response to significant geopolitical surprise, a concept called responsive infrastructure, according to the memo.
In 2003, when now-discarded plans for what was to be called the Modern Pit Facility were under consideration, a wide range of pit production capacities, from 100 to 450 pits per year, were considered. But, in 2008, the memo continues, the Nuclear Weapons Council (NWC) agreed on a strategy to balance cost, risk and stockpile needs and established the requirement of 50-80 pits per year.
One factor was capacity at Los Alamos, including its existing plutonium facilities and a then-proposed new big box structure, which was killed off by the Obama administration after estimated costs skyrocketed to near $6 billion
The 50-80 pits-per-year capacity is consistent with the central limits of the New START Treaty (the arms control agreement Obama signed in 2011), and our commitments to Allies, the document states. The nuclear arsenal modernization plan now underway, and that more pits would support, was part of the Obama administrations deal with Congress over ratification of New START.
Despite the pit-longevity studies cited by critics of expanded pit production, Hagels DOD document refers to aging concerns and the impacts of aging plutonium in establishing requirements for new pits. It also says that maintenance of critical pit manufacturing skills may be at risk without increased capacity.
The memo states that the mandated larger pit-making capacity will require new building space at LANL. For the time being, that requirement would be met in the form of two proposed underground modules with an estimated cost of $2 billion.
The proposed pit capacity would also be sufficient to support a planned interoperable warhead for use by both submarines and land-based missiles according to the Hagel document. Proponents say the multi-use warhead would make the U.S. arsenal more flexible, while billions of dollars in projected costs have raised concerns in Congress.
An NNSA spokeswoman provided the Journal with a statement saying that pit production is essential to NNSAs programs to extend the life of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile so that the Nations deterrent remains safe, secure, and effective . It should be noted that the current rate of production is only a fraction of production capacity during the Cold War, and reflects the nations reduced reliance on nuclear weapons. Rocky Flats, closed in 1992 after a scandal over environmental problems, used to make 1,000 to 2,000 pits a year.
Critics: Still no specifics offered
Critics still say nothing has been offered to specifically justify up to 80 pits a year. You see the stated need and then theres no solid justification, said Coghlan.
He cites a 2008 interview with former Republican House member David Hobson of Ohio, who helped fight off the Modern Pit Facility. When Hobson questioned the need for 450 pits annually after years of being told that the weapons stockpile was in good shape, NNSA came back with a new offer of 250 pits, Hobson told Mother Jones magazine. These were nuclear weapons we were talking about and they hadnt given it more thought than that? said Hobson, who served in the House from 1991 through 2009.
The increased production of pits would create tens of billions of dollars of construction and new program work at the lab, said Mello. Its a tremendous rainmaker, he said.
And the threat of unforeseen geopolitical risk? Mello sees that language as code for gearing up for another Cold War. Making more weapons wont make us safe, he said.
Mello says the labs are already being paid billions to avoid any future technical issues with nuclear weapons under the current stockpile stewardship program, and that maintaining pit-making skills can be done without higher production levels.
We have long contended that not only is it possible to do pit production at a small scale, Mello said, but if NNSA attempts to maintain a larger scale than can be rationally justified, it will backfire again and undermine the ability to do anything. He said DODs pit production goals are based only on what size building they can put on TA (Technical Area) 55 at Los Alamos.
He refers to a 2014 report on pit production options by Jonathan Medalia, a nuclear weapons policy specialist for the Congressional Research Service. Citing comments by NNSA and Department of Defense officials, Medalia wrote that the 50-80 pits per year goal was based on LANLs presumed pit production capacity and not on a strategic analysis of military needs. Medalia did quote a DOD official as saying NNSA wanted as many as 125 pits a year and that the 50-80 pit level, while the best that could be done, was a significant risk in NNSAs view.
Medalias report also said that there may be ways to reduce capacity to below 80 pits a year and still meet the Department of Defense requirements, including by reusing retired pits.
DOD responds
On Thursday, Patrick Evans, a Department of Defense spokesman, provided a statement that reiterates many of the points from the Hagel memo. To continue meeting DOD requirements for deployed nuclear weapons, nearly every warhead in the U.S. stockpile requires either significant maintenance or life extension in the coming decades, the statement said.
Consistent with these requirements, the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review and multiple National Defense Authorization Acts reaffirmed the concept of a responsive nuclear infrastructure capable of producing pits, as well as other components and materials, that is designed to hedge against uncertainty in both geopolitical events and technical failures.
The current strategic plan approved by the Nuclear Weapons Council provides for the long-term life extension of the current stockpile to address modernization needs regarding aging warheads. To produce enough pits to support the NWC strategic plan prior to end-of-life of the existing stockpile (including qualification and surveillance units), and to retain critical plutonium skills throughout this modernization process, the ultimate goal is to achieve a capacity to produce up to 80 pits per year.
Coghlan and Mello dispute the need to replace or retire weapons that have ostensibly been well-maintained over the years and with the 2006 report supporting a long life remaining for existing pits. Coghlan cites a study by Sandia National Laboratory from 1993, just after the U.S. stopped real-world nuclear weapons test explosions, that found no example of a nuclear weapon retirement where age was ever a major factor in the retirement decision.
Some commentators supporting more pits have noted that Russia makes at least hundreds of pits a year. Mello says Russia and western nuclear powers have different weapons stockpile plans. Russian pits dont last very long, and their philosophy is to redo the arsenal all the time, said Mello. The U.S. is like the French and the British make it well with high standards and it lasts a long time. Rocky Flats, a lot people gave their lives for that, but they did really good work.
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico, a Democrat with a seat on the Appropriations Committee, on Thursday provided a statement saying he supports LANLs mission of pit production.
Our nations goal which I strongly believe in is to work toward a world with no nuclear weapons through negotiated international agreements, said Udall. But until that is realized, an important part of maintaining our deterrent is verifying the safety and security of the remaining weapons through the stockpile stewardship program.
Ensuring the reliable supply of plutonium pits is an important part of this effort. Currently, the only place in the nation capable of doing that work is Los Alamos National Laboratory. And, as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to support this important national security mission.
WASHINGTON Hillary Clinton campaigned alongside Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia on Thursday afternoon, making a high-profile appearance with one of the leading contenders for a spot alongside her on the presidential ticket.
Kaine, a popular lawmaker from an important general election battleground state, is considered to be a safe pick, one that could help Clinton woo moderates turned off by Donald Trumps divisive rhetoric.
An early Clinton backer, Kaine tested out attack lines against Trump before several hundred gathered at a community college auditorium, assailing the GOP candidate as unqualified, untested and untrustworthy. Fluent in Spanish, he showed off his language skills, laughed at Clintons jokes and nodded energetically at her applause lines.
Do you want a youre fired president or a youre hired president? Kaine asked. Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?
The appearance comes as Clinton moves into the final stages of picking her vice president, with an announcement expected as soon as next week.
The short list includes Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of progressives who has emerged as a blistering critic of Trump; Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas, a rising star in the Democratic Party; and Kaine.
This isnt Kaines first vice presidential flirtation: President Barack Obama seriously considered him for his ticket eight years ago.
Clinton offered few hints into her thinking, offering praise for Kaine that seemed tepid compared with the stream of compliments she showered on Warren at an event in Ohio last month.
Everything Tim said is absolutely on the mark, Clinton said. We are stronger together when we set goals for America.
In private lunchtime meeting on Capitol Hill, Clinton assured Senate Democrats that she will pick a very qualified vice presidential candidate after being asked whom she was planning to choose. The question prompted a roar of laughter from the audience of Democratic senators.
The meeting included Kaine, Warren and another potential Clinton running mate, Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
WASHINGTON U.S. House Democrats are pushing back against a Tennessee Republicans request that Attorney General Hector Balderas consider criminal charges stemming from fetal tissue research at the University of New Mexico, while House Republicans renewed allegations Thursday that fetal tissue researchers and abortion clinics are also breaking federal law.
Last month, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., chairwoman of the House Select Committee on Infant Lives, wrote a letter to Balderas asking him to investigate whether the University of New Mexico and an Albuquerque abortion provider broke a state law when they transferred aborted fetuses for research.
This week, Democrats on the panel, led by Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, fired back at Blackburn in a letter to Balderas, denying any wrongdoing by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and Southwestern Womens Options, an Albuquerque abortion provider.
We have seen no evidence of wrongdoing and do not support the chairs criminal referral to your office, Schakowsky and the Democrats wrote to Balderas. Proper interpretation and enforcement of state law is beyond the jurisdiction of this panel, and the chair cites no supporting case law, legislative history, or interpretive guidance for her claim.
Republicans on the panel contend that UNMHSC and Southwestern Womens Options are in violation of a New Mexico law called The Jonathan Spradling Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, or Spradling Act. A UNM Health Sciences Center spokesman has disputed Blackburns position. Lawyers working for Blackburn on the Select Panel on Infant Lives interpret the 2007 Spradling Act, which establishes state law on the donation of body parts such as kidneys for medical purposes, as allowing for the donation or transfer of stillborn fetuses and fetuses resulting from miscarriages. They cite a clause that says not including a fetus that is the subject of an induced abortion as prohibiting the transfer of human remains in such cases.
Blackburn on Thursday released an 88-page interim report on the overall controversy with the Republican majoritys findings. Transferring or selling fetal tissue for profit is against federal law, but costs of the transfer can be recouped.
We must investigate alleged wrongdoing and then propose solutions to the problem we uncover, Republicans wrote in the reports preface. Recognizing that the transfer of fetal tissue for profit is a federal criminal offense, the Chairman focused the investigation on exacting detail, including bank and accounting records, all with a perspective that the motive for illicit profit could contaminate collateral activities.
Fetal tissue research has become a heated national political battle this year, with Albuquerque at ground zero.
The Democratic members of the Select Panel remain deeply concerned that Chair Blackburn is using the power of the Congress to chase unfounded allegations of anti-abortion extremists, Schakowsky wrote in her letter. This latest referral follows that pattern as the claims being championed by Chair Blackburn have already been made by the New Mexico Alliance for Life, Protest ABQ, and others.
Tara Shaver of Protest ABQ and Elisa Martinez, executive director of New Mexico Alliance for Life, vigorously disputed Schakowskys characterization of their groups.
Protest ABQ is a peaceful campaign committed to exposing abortion and to ending the atrocities committed against the most defenseless members of our community, those living in their mothers wombs, Shaver said in a written statement. Democrats who believe that its okay to kill a baby in the womb up to the day of birth and then use their body parts for experimental research are the ones who have taken an extreme position.
The good news is that more students in central New Mexico are graduating with college degrees or certificates each year; the not-so-good news is that the rate of increase is not enough for the Mission: Graduate program to reach its goal of having 60,000 additional graduates by the year 2020.
Thats according to All Systems Go, the third annual data report from the organization, which was released Thursday.
While the data lags a bit, said Mission: Graduate executive director Angelo Gonzales, there were 12,716 new graduates from 2010 through 2014 and, based on 2014 figures, we are about one-fifth of the way toward our goal.
The 60,000 goal is for degrees over and above the number that would have been earned by 2020 without the initiative in the four-county metro area consisting of Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia counties. The goal was to make the area more competitive with other cities in a knowledge-based economy.
More specifically, in the 2010-11 school year, 13,491 degrees and certificates were awarded. By the end of the 2013-14 school year, the most recent statistics available, that number had increased to 15,510 graduates.
Mission: Graduate, an initiative of United Way of Central New Mexico, is a cradle-to-career partnership of educators, local employers, educational support providers, government leaders and citizens all committed to the goal of having 60,000 graduates by 2020 in central New Mexico.
They accomplish this by working with families and students at all grade levels, including pre-school, to provide in-school, after-school and summer school programs, as well as mentoring programs with Mission: Graduate partners in the community.
The other part of Mission: Graduates goal is to keep those graduating college in central New Mexico from relocating, and to provide enough good paying jobs that are appropriate to their degrees and certificates, he said.
Our institutions of higher education in central New Mexico are increasing graduation outcomes the trajectory is headed in the right direction but the challenge is to accelerate that progress and address the underlying factors hindering it, Gonzales said.
The data report indicates that three trends are slowing progress.
First, although many school districts have made gains over the past few years, the number of students graduating from some local high schools remains well below the national average of 82.3 percent. The most recent graduation rate from APS was 61.7 percent, compared with Rio Rancho Public Schools graduation rate of 82 percent.
Second, fewer people are enrolling in central New Mexicos post-secondary institutions, thereby decreasing the pool of people available to earn certificates and degrees.
Finally, while the overall degree attainment rate for central New Mexico has increased slightly from 38 percent in 2010 to 38.8 percent in 2014, central New Mexico is still struggling to retain and attract people with post-secondary education to this region.
Among the reasons, Gonzales said, are the availability of jobs, mismatches between peoples education and available jobs, and the competitive pull from other states with more jobs, which often pay more money.
To address these challenges, Mission: Graduates more than 300 partners are organized into Collaborative Action Networks that have formed strategies to move the needle on a number of core outcomes.
The strategies focus on such areas as early childhood and family supports, early literacy, attendance, summer learning, staying in school, career exploration, adult transition to college, graduation and workforce alignment.
Additionally, the All Systems Go report highlights 10 Mission: Graduate partners as Bright Spots for programs in which children or adults were measurably better off after participating.
Mission: Graduate operates under a Vision Council that includes a representative from the Albuquerque Journal. Co-chairs are Presbyterian Healthcare Services President and CEO Jim Hinton, and Central New Mexico Community College President Kathie Winograd.
Ten Mission: Graduate partners are highlighted in the All Systems Go report as Bright Spots for programs in which children or adults are measurably better off after participating. These partners include:
SANTA FE, N.M. A testy and guarded relationship between Donald Trump and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez shows little sign of change as she and other GOP delegates make their way to the Republican National Convention next week in Cleveland.
Martinez was withholding her endorsement of Trump as of Friday even as she leads her states 24-member delegation to the convention, where shy of a rebellion and last-minute rule changes she and the others are obligated by New Mexicos primary election results to cast their first-round ballots for Trump.
In declining to endorse Trump, Martinez also will stay clear of the speakers podium and the full public spotlight of the convention. That wont stop Martinez from working the aisles and backrooms in her role as a second-term governor and chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association, a major fundraising arm dedicated to the election of GOP governors across the country.
Martinez spokesman Chris Sanchez indicated in an email that the governor will be busy offstage touting recent reforms to New Mexico and holding a series of meetings with other governors and leaders.
Relations between Trump and the nations only Latina governor hit rock bottom in late May when Martinez skipped a rally for the presumptive Republican nominee in Albuquerque and Trump responded with a scathing critique of her in front of thousands of people.
A truce of sorts emerged after Trump called a New Mexico journalist last month to say that he respects Martinez and hoped for her endorsement. Martinez expressed an interest in meeting with Trump to discuss issues that matter to New Mexico, such as funding for the states military bases and weapons laboratories.
By every available indication, that meeting is still pending.
In the meantime, Martinez briefly set aside her political differences with President Barack Obama to meet him as he took his family on an early summer vacation to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southeastern New Mexico. Eager to draw attention to the underground caverns as a tourist destination, Martinez welcomed Obama with a handshake and a souvenir.
Martinez is just one in a long list of Republican politicians from politically moderate states that are caught in an awkward bind by the political ascendance of the brash New York businessman, Albuquerque pollster Brian Sanderoff said.
Many of their voters have an unfavorable impression of Donald Trump, and yet many of the Republicans within these moderate states like Donald Trump, he said. So Gov. Martinez has to walk a political tightrope.
Last year, Martinez took exception to Trumps assertions that Mexican immigrants bring drugs and crime and are rapists. More recently, she joined a chorus of Republican leaders in criticizing Trump for his claim that a federal judge wasnt qualified to preside over a case because of his Mexican heritage.
Many New Mexico delegates to the GOP convention said this week that they have been left to guess about whether Martinez wants Trump in the Oval Office.
I know that Im backing Trump all the way. I dont know what shes doing, said Cecilia C de Baca, 69, of Albuquerque, a convention delegate along with her husband, Fernando C de Baca.
Martinez cannot run again in 2018 for governor and has brushed aside talk of running for higher office. Her role atop the Republican Governors Association has taken Martinez to state GOP conventions, fundraisers and policy talks across the country.
In New Mexico, the governors GOP allies are campaigning to hold onto a majority in the state House of Representatives and reverse a Democratic Senate majority.
Martinez offered praise Friday for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as Trumps vice presidential running mate, describing his commitment to pro-growth policies and successful governance.
BLOOMFIELD As an oil storage tank fire finally burned itself out in Nageezi today, a meeting held by WPX Energy Inc. at a hotel where 10 evacuated families have been staying revealed the need for better coordination and information from the tribal, state, federal and community-level organizations invested in resolving the fire.
The fire broke out Monday night at a WPX oil production site off U.S. Highway 550, south of Nageezi. Officials decided to allow the blaze to burn itself out.
WPX spokesman Kelly Swan said in a text message tonight that the fire went out this afternoon and WPX is getting security in place at the site to ensure safety as workers begin to remove destroyed equipment from the well site.
Randy VanDenBerg, WPX district operations manager, told the 25 people at the morning meeting that the families evacuated to the hotel would likely be staying there tonight as the company was hiring outside help to ensure the blaze was extinguished safely. According to the WPX website, crews who were at the site when it went up in flames were beginning preliminary investigations into the cause.
VanDenBerg said the company, with coordination from San Juan County fire officials, would be able to escort families to their homes on Friday to pick up clothes or check on animals.
One person who had to evacuate told VanDenBerg that animals at the affected homes were not faring well, including dogs she said were foaming at the mouth and very weak.
Clarissa Murphy, who had to leave her home on Monday night, told The Daily Times previously that one of her familys seven dogs, along with four chickens, died in the days after the blaze.
VanDenBerg said WPX had arranged for a local veterinarian to care for residents pets or perform autopsies on any animals that may have died.
Murphy told VanDenBerg, through tears, that an intoxicated worker contracted by WPX who was staying at the hotel harassed her Wednesday evening at the hotel, saying a lot of hateful things that hurt her, she said. Murphy said she contacted the police about the incident.
VanDenBerg said that worker was relieved of duty, but neither he nor Swan could say whether the man was actually fired or moved to another hotel.
An hour into the morning meeting, several Navajo Nation officials arrived and quickly sparked questions over how the involved agencies need to do a better job of coordinating up-to-date information.
Former Navajo Nation Council Delegate Danny Simpson told the two dozen residents and officials gathered in the open-air courtyard at the hotel that he was frustrated. Simpson said he wanted more stakeholders to be present at the meeting and a greater dialogue between them to offer more information to the impacted residents.
We are not working together to provide proper information, Simpson said. Navajo Nation, (San Juan) County, WPX, federal government, Nageezi Chapter. They should have all gotten together and coordinated a good type of report for the people here.
Simpson said the meeting WPX set up to brief the families should have involved more stakeholders.
Its frustrating, he said. (The EPAs) Region 6 should be here. Region 9 should be here talking to us. The fire chief should be here. We should all get together to provide accurate information. The chapters at fault for not having a good (emergency) response plan in place. But its not just Nageezi Chapter. Probably 90 percent of the all the other chapters dont have response plans.
Navajo Nation EPA Executive Director Donald Benn arrived late to the meeting from Window Rock, Ariz., because he said he thought it was being held at a chapter house. Benn said it was surprising what happened, and that he wanted to compel WPX to do the right thing.
Benn insisted the meeting should have been held at a chapter house, but when VanDenBerg told him WPX arranged to hold the morning meetings at the hotel for the convenience of the families, Benn demurred.
He handed VanDenBerg a prepared list of requests from the tribal EPA, including a list of the total number of people evacuated, a copy of WPXs contingency plan and a description of the well logs and other drilling information for the site.
Some information Benn delivered at the meeting conflicted with information VanDenBerg offered before Benn arrived.
Benn said the fire burned fracking fluid and sand (used during hydraulic fracturing operations) and that 2,200 gallons of fluid caught fire.
VanDenBerg said, for the second time at the meeting, that no fluid or sand used during the fracking of any of the six wells were at the site on Monday when it broke out.
Evacuated resident Jolinda White said she was grateful to WPX for providing hotel rooms, meals and supplies, such as snacks and diapers, for the evacuated families. But she asked about an emergency evacuation plan because, she said, there was confusion on Monday night.
The EPA has been conducting daily aerial testing of the fire area, and, so far, testing has not shown harmful or hazardous readings, VanDenBerg said.
He conceded the ongoing response to the fire that broke out Monday night was not ideal.
Was this handled perfectly? he said. I dont know of any incident that is handled perfectly. But safety is very important to us. It will take us some time to rebuild our reputation after this.
James Fenton is the business editor of The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4621.
2016 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.)
Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com
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FARMINGTON U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan has pushed through an amendment to a federal appropriations bill that would provide funding for long-term monitoring programs in response to the Gold King Mine spill.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved the New Mexico Democrats provision, which allocates $6 million for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to partner with state and tribal entities to monitor water quality in rivers affected by the spill.
In August, an EPA crew working to restore abandoned mining sites near Silverton, Colo., accidentally triggered a blowout that released more than 3 million gallons of toxic mine waste into the Animas River.
During testimony in support of his amendment, Lujan said the funding will address a key discrepancy between New Mexico and the EPA, which, in part, has fueled a lawsuit from the state in response to the disaster.
It is disappointing that it has come to this point of legal action, Lujan said. My amendment seeks to address this issue.
The state has requested about $6 million from the EPA to carry out studies on heavy-metal contamination in the Animas River watershed. So far, the agency has made $2 million available to state and tribal monitoring plans.
Congressman Lujan does not believe that this level of funding is sufficient, Andrew Stoddard, a spokesman for the lawmaker, said in an email.
While the EPA plans to conduct long-term studies of its own, New Mexico officials have criticized the extent of the agencys efforts. Speaking at a conference in May, the New Mexico Environment Departments Chief Scientist Dennis McQuillan said that programs need to be holistic and take into account various aspects, from water contamination to the effects on human health.
EPA spokeswoman Christie St. Claire declined to comment for this story, saying the agency does not discuss pending litigation.
Lujans amendment was made to a bill from the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the EPAs budget. The U.S. Senate has a matching committee, on which New Mexico Democrat Tom Udall serves as a senior member.
In a statement issued today, Udall praised Lujans efforts and said he is also working to fund monitoring programs.
The Senate bill is somewhat different on this point, Udall said. But the goal is the same.
While the subcommittee bills hash out the parameters for government spending, they typically do not pass through Congress due to their propensity to include language mandating action on unrelated issues. Instead, Congress has recently funded government agencies through a larger omnibus bill, which can be passed in one sweeping vote from each legislative branch.
Lujan spokesman Andrew Stoddard said that no matter which process takes place this year, response efforts to the Gold King Mine spill have garnered bipartisan support across Congress.
Lujan will work with members of the Senate to advocate for this critical funding as the appropriations process moves forward, Stoddard said.
Brett Berntsen covers government for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4606.
2016 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.)
Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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HOUSTON A Houston man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty for his role in the 2012 fatal shooting of an individual over a pair of Air Jordan sneakers the victim had just bought.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Anthony Quinn Wade pleaded guilty on Thursday to aggravated robbery, escaping a possible capital murder conviction.
Under the agreement, the 23-year-old Wade will be eligible for parole in 20 years.
Wade is the third suspect convicted in the slaying. Two other men have been convicted of capital murder for the death of 22-year-old Joshua Woods.
Woods was sitting in a car Dec. 21, 2012, with a pair of newly purchased Air Jordan XI Bred sneakers that retailed for $185 when he was killed.
WASHINGTON South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the lone black Republican in the Senate, candidly described being stopped by police, even Capitol Hill cops, because of the color of his skin. Its an experience all too familiar to many of his African-American colleagues in Congress.
A day after Scotts personal recounting on the Senate floor, several lawmakers said Thursday that they have had similar experiences, whether its being pulled over for no reason while driving in their hometowns or being challenged by police. Their white colleagues, they think, would never be treated the same way.
Scott described being pulled over seven times within a year and also being stopped by a U.S. Capitol Police officer who said he recognized the pin he was wearing that identifies him as a senator but didnt recognize Scott.
I have felt the anger, the frustration, the sadness and the humiliation that comes with feeling like youre being targeted for nothing more than just being yourself, Scott said.
Americans have questioned the state of race relations after gun violence directed at police officers as well as shootings by police. Last week, a black Army veteran killed five police officers in Dallas in revenge for police shooting black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Minneapolis suburbs.
As a nation reels, black lawmakers say they hope Scotts speech resonates, leading to a greater understanding about the divide between blue and black.
I am absolutely convinced that most African-American members of Congress, particularly the men, have encountered some form of a hostile police encounter over the years, said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Jeffries, 45, recalled twice when he was younger being pulled over by police and searched along with African-American friends. No reason was given for the stops. Several other black male lawmakers told similar stories.
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the No. 3 Democrat in the House and a veteran of 1960s civil rights marches, said he was once being driven in South Carolina in his car with congressional tags. A policeman stopped the car and asked the driver, Wheres the congressman? while staring directly at Clyburn sitting in the back seat.
He doesnt see a congressman, he sees a black face, Clyburn said.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., the only other African-American in the Senate, wrote an essay for the Stanford University newspaper after he graduated from that school in the early 1990s about being stopped by police, guns pointed at him, for fitting the description of a car thief.
In the jewelry store, they lock the case when I walk in, Booker wrote. In the shoe store, they help the white man who walks in after me.
Booker said he read the article, written when he was 23, at the Senate Democratic caucus meeting Tuesday.
Of Scotts speech, Booker said it was powerful and frankly showed a lot of courage for him to tell the truth.
Most black lawmakers interviewed by The Associated Press said they were treated well by Capitol Police, the force that protects Congress and its people. Some said they were often asked to stop and identify themselves on the Hill, though they werent sure if it was because of the color of their skin.
Ive had to show my pin on numerous occasions, said Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y. It makes you wonder.
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said hed been asked to show my ID many times, after Ive been here 18 years.
A spokeswoman for the Capitol Police said she had no comment on Scotts speech or the other accounts.
Cummings, 65, says police stops while driving have become less frequent as hes gotten older. But when he was younger, the Baltimore congressman says he was probably stopped by police once a month.
Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., a former law enforcement officer himself, says he was once stopped in the Washington suburbs and an officer made a derisive comment about the suit he was wearing. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., said he has been stopped all the time over the years in his Louisiana district.
In an effort to try and address recent police shootings, the House Judiciary Committee this week established a bipartisan working group to address police accountability, aggression toward law enforcement and public safety concerns related to those issues. Jeffries and Richmond are both on the panel.
On Thursday, Scott delivered another speech to offer some solutions to the problems. He suggested more body cameras, better tracking of police shootings and better police training, among other ideas. He said he represents hope and progress a U.S. senator whose grandfather picked cotton in the Deep South.
Its a dark hour in race relations for America, Scott said. But I bring you hope, real hope.
As Scott spoke, a few of his fellow Republicans sat at desks on the Senate floor and turned to watch him a rarity in the usually empty chamber. One of those senators, James Lankford of Oklahoma, later gave a speech suggesting that people invite a person of another race to dinner in their homes.
We need to have a greater conversation about race, and I think we somewhat are a little confused about how this gets resolved, Lankford said.
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., on Friday cheered Donald Trumps choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate.
Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, posted on Twitter that he will make the announcement official at a news conference tomorrow morning.
I served with Gov.Pence in the House when he represented Indianas Second Congressional District, Pearce said in a statement this morning. He is a solid conservative, a strong person of faith, and is deeply devoted to his family. He has worked tirelessly for the people of Indiana as Governor and I have no doubt he would bring the same work ethic to the vice presidency.
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, chairwoman of the national Republican Governors Association, also hailed the pick. Martinez has been sharply critical of Trump for his disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants and has not endorsed his candidacy.
Thanks to Gov. Mike Pences strong, conservative leadership, Indiana is in a more prosperous position now than before he was elected, and its a direct result of his commitment to pro-growth policies and successful governance, Martinez said. As a dedicated member of the RGA, Gov.Pence has sacrificed large amounts of his time to help elect other conservative governors, and the RGA is now stronger because of his involvement. The RGA congratulates Gov. Pence on his selection as the Republican vice presidential nominee and we look forward to the nation benefiting from his dynamic leadership.
Deb Haaland, chairwoman of the New Mexico Democratic Party, blasted the pick.
Donald Trump has run a campaign that is reckless, dangerous, and divisive, and he has chosen a running mate who is just as extreme as he is, Haaland said. Mike Pence has a record of lowering wages, limiting the rights of our LGBT community, and supporting laws that give the upper hand to corporations.
After nearly six years of under Republican Governor Susana Martinez, we know Republican priorities are all wrong for New Mexicomore failed policies would only hurt us; something New Mexico families cannot afford. Trumps choice for Vice President means that he is not changing his tune and will continue his campaign to divide Americans with discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor the wealthy few over New Mexico families.
But Republican Party Chairwoman Debbie Maestas backed Pence, saying he would motivate the Republican base.
Governor Pence is a choice that will motivate Republicans, Maestas said. Following a long record of fighting for conservative values in Congress, Pence has established himself as a strong and effective governor in Indiana. His experience in both legislative and executive roles, along with his conservative convictions make him an excellent pick to compliment Donald Trump and help him implement his plan to make America great again.
Were seeking comment from other New Mexico politicos today and will update this blog periodically as they come in.
Second Judicial District Attorney Kari Brandenburg said Friday her office has found no probable cause to charge Albuquerque police officers James Edison, Luke McPeek and David Munoz in the 2013 nonfatal shooting of Shaine Sherrill.
In a news release and report, Brandenburg said her office will not present the case to a grand jury or preliminary hearing and that the officers in fact acted properly out of concern for the lives of officers and others in the area.
Sherrills ex-girlfriend had called police after a confrontation with him, and police located him in the area of the 2000 block of Wyoming NE on Dec. 1, 2013.
Sherrill, 34 at the time and who had previously told police he wanted to be shot by cops, reached into his waistband, pulled an object and raised his arms to eye level and pointed what to officers looked like a gun when they opened fire. They fired about 26 shots, hitting Sherrill three times, according to the DAs report.
He had no gun, but was refusing officers commands and was pointing a long-handled black knife from a shooters stance at officers to simulate a gun, when the three APD officers shot him multiple times in the torso and legs, according to forensics, analysis, witness and police reports, interviews and lapel video.
Sherrill had previously threatened to die through suicide by cop, was known to be violent and had 11 outstanding felony warrants. Officers were aware of that history before the shooting.
Officers bandaged Sherrills gunshot wounds and placed a tourniquet on his leg before he was taken to the University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition. He survived the shooting and was discharged from UNMH on Jan. 23, 2014.
The DAs Office in its report concluded that the officers shot Sherrill based upon their belief that they or another was in danger of imminent death or great bodily harm as a result of Mr. Sherrills brandishing what appeared to be a firearm and holding it as if he intended to fire.
Sherrills criminal history dating back to 1995 included aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, heroin possession, domestic violence, motor vehicle theft and burglary, aggravated fleeing, property crimes and failure to appear.
Numerous witnesses told officers that Sherrill pulled what they thought was a gun from his waistband and pointed it at officers and that all the officers on scene thought the suspect was wielding a handgun.
COALDALE, Colo. Many of those evacuated by the wildfire burning near Coaldale may not be allowed back home for another week or more.
A number of the 140 homes evacuated by the 25 square mile Hayden Pass Fire are near where firefighters plan to conduct back burns in the next five or six days to contain the fire but that could be slowed by an increase in fire activity. Kale Casey of the U.S. Forest Service said Friday residents have been told it could be a week or two before they can return.
Many were briefly allowed back to check on their homes Friday morning.
Elsewhere in Colorado, firefighters have been able to stop a wildfire south of Eagle at 20 acres. Near Durango, the 78-acre Black Ridge Fire has been 70 percent contained.
ARVADA, Colo. Investigators could be closer to solving hundreds of Colorado sex assault cases now that authorities have eliminated a backlog of thousands of untested rape kits, the state Bureau of Investigation said Friday.
Officials said they cleared a backlog of more than 3,500 kits, some decades old. Investigators then turned up 691 matches in a national DNA database, giving police a new chance at finding suspects.
The agency began sending the evidence to out-of-state labs after Colorado lawmakers passed legislation in 2013 mandating a statewide accounting of untested rape kits. The measure was part of a growing effort nationally to tackle rape kit backlogs, with dozens of states proposing plans for swifter inventory and analysis of the crucial evidence.
Officials collected 3,542 untested rape kits from Colorado police departments. The agencies did not submit the kits earlier, sometimes because they lacked suspects or victims werent willing to pursue charges.
From those kits, investigators developed 1,556 profiles that were then added to a national DNA database. Of those, 691 matched DNA already entered in the database, meaning a suspect in an unsolved rape was involved in another crime.
CBI officials did not know how many arrests or prosecutions the testing led to. But it did help solve the 1984 sex assault of a Greeley waitress by two men who are now awaiting trial on kidnapping charges, Police Chief Jerry Garner said.
Detectives collected a rape kit but it sat in evidence and property for a very long time, Garner said. Generally back then, if you didnt have a suspect in a case, the rape kit would sit, and sit, and sit.
When the woman learned two men were arrested in April, she agreed to move forward with the criminal case, the chief said.
The 2013 law requires police agencies to submit rape kits to CBI within 21 days. But it also allowed the agency to hire more staff to handle the influx, CBI Deputy Director Jan Girten said.
Some of the backlogged samples were from cases so old the statute of limitations for filing charges has passed, Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke said.
But, he said, at least we will be able to give some of these victims the closure they have been waiting for so long.
DES MOINES, Iowa Now that Bernie Sanders has offered his support to Hillary Clinton, the two campaigns are negotiating over the convention nominating process.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Clintons defeated rival left open the possibility that Clinton could receive the nomination by acclamation or unanimous nomination at the end of a full roll call of the states.
I think its appropriate that every state have the right to call its votes, said Sanders, who endorsed Clinton this week after a hard-fought primary. He added that there may then be an effort to move forward with acclamation, but that would be after every state cast their votes.
In 2008, Clinton halted the traditional roll call of the states midway through and called for then-Sen. Barack Obama to be approved by acclamation.
While Sanders has concluded his efforts to influence the party platform, he said hell continue seeking to change how the Democratic Party chooses its presidential candidates. He said he wants the party to review its use of closed primaries and of superdelegates insiders who are not bound by the results of primaries and caucuses. He said his campaign is prepared to take those fights to the floor of the convention if necessary.
The goal there is to make the Democratic Party a more open, and with a small-d democratic, entity and that means addressing issues like superdelegates, Sanders said. On superdelegates, he said there are far too many right now.
On whether he would hold a big event for supporters in Philadelphia, Sanders said: We will not be doing a large rally, but we will be doing smaller events and talking to our delegates.
An application from the Sanders campaign to hold a rally at a park near the DNC site during the convention has been denied, according to a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia mayor. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said there were no current plans to apply for another permit.
Sanders is creating several organizations to help promote his liberal agenda and progressive candidates. He said his campaign has always been about building a bigger movement. He said he hopes to support as many as 100 candidates in 2016 at the state, local and federal level.
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Associated Press writer Kristen de Groot contributed.
This is a detail from Xenobia Bailey's woven installation, "Sistah Paradise's Great Wall of Fire Revival Tent" at SITE Santa Fe. (Jackie Jadrnak/Journal) Aaron Dysart's "Second Growth," an installation of a live tree at SITE Santa Fe. (Jackie Jadrnak/Journal) Margarita Cabrera's cactus is made of fabric from old Border Patrol uniforms. (Jackie Jadrnak/Journal) Erika Verzutti created "Cemeterio com Neve, 2015." (Jackie Jadrnak/Journal) Jeffrey Gibson created this installation of a ceremonial robe and signs. (Jackie Jadrnak/Journal) "Woven Wind," 2016, is an installation by Anna Boghiguian at SITE Santa Fe. (Jackie Jadrnak/Journal) Prev 1 of 6 Next
Youre in for a treat if you head over to SITE Santa Fes new biennial, which opens to the public (free!) 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, July 16. Dont be intimidated by all the art theory and introspective analysis that often accompanies these shows a lot of it is just plain, ol fun to look at.
One of my favorites is the colorful, intricately woven Sistah Paradises Great Wall of Fire Revival Tent by Xenobia Bailey. Margarita Cabreras cacti made from old Border Patrol agents uniforms refashions a sometimes threatening fabric into a friendlier feeling although it still may have stickers!
Anna Bohgiguians Woven Wind is a cross between a miniature world and a book about installed in its own room, while Aaron Dysarts live tree bursting through a museum wall cant fail to delight. Well, unless youve had bad experiences with trees falling on your house
Speaking of houses, Marta Minjuin has built what looks like a human-sized horno, an earthen structure that you can squeeze into and sit and commune with the earth. Not recommended for the claustrophobic.
Abel Rodrigez offers beautiful ink and pencil depictions, colored in green and brown, of ecosystems of trees, plants and critters, while Miguel Ganderts black-and-white photos show scenes of people around northern New Mexico.
The show is up until Jan. 8.
A former state legislator who wants to run for a seat on the Public Regulation Commission has filed a lawsuit claiming New Mexicos signature requirement for independent candidates is too high, unconstitutionally blocking access to the ballot.
Bob Perls of Corrales sued the secretary of state in state District Court today, saying state law is unusually inhospitable toward independent candidates and should be struck down.
Perls wants to run for the PRCs Albuquerque-area District 1 seat in the Nov. 8 general election. But Secretary of State Brad Winters office rejected his candidacy after he failed to submit the required number of signatures.
Perls said he turned in 1,350 voters signatures on his nominating petitions. The requirement was 3,643 about three times as many as minor party candidates had to collect, nearly five times as many as Democrats had to turn in, and eight times as many as required of Republicans, under the law.
That was a tremendous hurdle to Mr. Perls candidacy, an unconstitutional barrier to the ballot that plaintiff could not meet with his available resources, the lawsuit says.
New Mexico has one of the toughest signature requirements for independents in the nation, according to the lawsuit. Perls was required to submit signatures equal to 3 percent of the last gubernatorial vote in the district, in 2014.
The additional requirements create a tremendous barrier to ballot access and have the effect of discouraging independent candidates from trying to run, the lawsuit said.
New Mexico didnt even allow independent candidates to run for office until the Legislature changed the law in 1977 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled states must have procedures for independent candidates, and after independent presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy sued New Mexico in 1976 and won.
At first, the signature requirement was 5 percent of the last gubernatorial vote; that was lowered to 3 percent in 1991.
According to ballot access expert Richard Winger, editor of Ballot Access News, very few independent candidates have qualified for the ballot in New Mexico over the past four decades.
There have been three presidential candidates, but no independent for any statewide office, including governor, according to an affidavit from Winger that was filed with the lawsuit. There have been two independent candidates for U.S. House and 17 for the Legislature.
From 2001 to 2014, New Mexico had fewer independent and minor party candidates for partisan state and federal offices than any other state except North Dakota, Winger said.
The Libertarian Party sued in federal court in 2006, claiming New Mexicos requirement for two rounds of petitioning one to get a minor party qualified and another to get its candidates on the ballot violated the U.S. Constitution. It lost the case.
The Perls lawsuit contends the state Constitution provides broader protections than the U.S. Constitution in election law.
I hope this case will force the Legislature to rewrite the election statutes in a way that is fair to all parties and candidates so that all elections have a better chance of being competitive, giving more voters more choices, increasing voter engagement and ultimately improving the quality of candidates and the functioning of local and state government, said Perls, who served in the state House from 1993 to 1996.
The sole candidate on the ballot in PRC District 1 is Democrat Cynthia Hall.
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)]CPA firms are both data collectors and data overseers, and they rely on numerous forms of technology to accumulate and distribute data. From tax preparations to audit documents, CPA firms are responsible for countless pieces of information for both their customers and their firms. This makes them doubly at risk for cybercrimes. And no business, even a CPA firm, is safe from cyberattacks.
Over 60 percent of all online attacks in 2014 targeted small and midsize businesses (a 50 percent increase from 2013, when the number of cybercrimes targeting smaller companies was 31 percent). Small businesses dont always have the protective resources in place that larger companies do, and this makes them easier to infiltrate.
Should a firms data security be breeched, clients personal information could be compromised, negatively impacting the firms reputation. Its important for all accounting firms, big and small, to understand the appropriate ways to keep themselves safe against cyber threats.
Here are three ways an accounting firm can bolster its security and safeguard its reputation.
1. Avoid open access and implement controls.
Sensitive data such as check registers, balance spreadsheets, valuation analyses, legal documents and private employee records should not be accessible to every member of the firm. A firm should have controls in place that determine who can access, share, and edit documents. A receptionist may not need the same level of access as an executive, and its imperative that the correct permissions are in place to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive files. In addition, controls should be updated regularly. Staff members may change roles within the organization or require only temporary admittance to files, so such changes should be tracked and adjusted accordingly.
2. Back up and encrypt data.
Every CPA firm should back up its important data to avoid a data loss incident. If possible, your firm should store copies of its data offsite, preferably out of state or in a region that would remain unaffected if a natural disaster were to occur. However, data back-up is not enough to protect your firms sensitive information. Encryption of data at rest and in transit is necessary to ensure hackers are deterred from unauthorized access to your organizations valuable records. Firms should implement full-disk encryption on portable devices and desktop computers when the technology is not in use. When sending confidential client information, members of your firm should encrypt the data and check with the client to determine their preferred method of correspondence.
3. Build defenses.
Protecting data requires firms to have sufficient security measures in place to hinder a network compromise. These measures should cover the technical and physical aspects of your firms IT environment.
Physical safeguards with security measures to control access to files or the device storing the files are necessary. Firms should maintain facility access controls that limit who can enter the site and at what time. Common practices include a visitor sign-in and badge system in place and multi-factor authentication process required to access the firms electronic systems containing sensitive data.
Other, yet sometimes overlooked, measures include making sure visitors are accompanied in an area where confidential electronic files are stored, securing workstations with complex passwords, and restricting employee access to server rooms where valuable files are stored.
Technical safeguards should also be incorporated on hardware and software used throughout a firm. By implementing access controls specific to the role of the employee viewing and sharing the information, managers can easily monitor and restrict access to information. By performing internal audits by installing antivirus, antispam, malware and instruction detection software, managers can measure how the firms security defenses could be potentially compromised. They can also verify that all software is active and has not been turned off by the end-user.
For the next three tips, view the second installment of this post.
Bryan Gregory is the president of Aldridge, the IT-services professionals and outsourcing company headquartered in Houston. Bryan is responsible for the general management of Aldridge's Dallas office, including marketing and sales, new business development, human resources, and oversight of day-to-day operations. He joined the company in 2008 as its first sales representative.
Virginia-based accounting firmMitchell Wiggins & Company recentlyannounced that they were honored withChamberRVAs 9thAnnual Icons andYP Workplace Awards. To be eligible, the firm submitted entries for judging by young professionals in the Richmond, Va. region and was ultimately recognized for creating and keeping an inviting work environment that attracts, retains, and develops young professionals.
Everyone on the Mitchel Wiggins team is always there and willing to help you said Amber Criswell, an intern with Mitchell Wiggins, in a statement. They really encourage us to give feedback and its refreshing to see our ideas implemented.
We are very proud of our young professionals; they truly bring a new perspective to our firm, stated Melissa Sikes, senior manager at Mitchell Wiggins.
Additionally, Mitchell Wiggins will welcome accounting students into their offices on July 28th for the firm's annual Engage program - a leadership program designed to give students hands-on experiences in the public accounting field.
For more on Mitchell Wiggins & Company, head to theirsite here.
(Bloomberg) The U.S. Treasury Department exceeded its authority by proposing wide-ranging regulations intended to curb corporations ability to shift their American earnings overseas, tax lawyers told agency officials during a hearing.
Their complaints added to a growing corporate backlash against the so-called earnings-stripping regulations, which broadly aim to curb loans from foreign companies to their U.S. subsidiaries. Such loans, which allow for moving U.S. income overseas via tax-deductible interest payments, represent a key tax-cutting strategy for U.S.-based companies that have moved their tax addresses offshore.
But the rules are written so broadly that they also hit daily internal financing operations in global companies that arent avoiding taxes, according to several letters sent to the Treasury as public comments on the proposal.
In essence, the regulations, which Treasury proposed in April, would allow the Internal Revenue Service to reclassify many of those debt transactions as equity transferserasing the tax benefits. At Thursdays hearing, which was designed to gather comment, some speakers said the proposals would give the IRS new authoritywithout enough detail on how it would distinguish debt from equity.
Probably Invalid
Its pretty obvious that the proposed regulations are probably invalid, said Adam Halpern, an international tax lawyer with Fenwick & West LLP. Halpern spoke in an interview after the hearing.
The proposal aims to expand on a 1969 regulation that gave the Treasury authority to write rules on how to tell debt from equity in related-party transactions. But that earlier regulation also lays out conditions for new rule-making, Halpern saidTreasury must describe in detail the economic, financial and other factors that would govern how to make distinctions.
Case law suggests that such factors would include the parties creditworthiness, their earnings prospects and their debt-to-equity ratios, Halpern said. None of those are present in the proposed regulations.
Treasury has the authority to make guidelines, not bright-line rules under the 1969 regulation, said Joseph Judkins, an international tax lawyer at Baker & McKenzie LLP, who also spoke at the hearing. He spoke in an interview afterward.
Varied Objections
Banks, accounting firms, manufacturers and other multinationals as well as major trade groups and tax lobbyists have objected that the proposed regulations go well beyond their intended target. For example, the rules would apply to companies that have always been headquartered outside the U.S.not just recent tax emigres. Big Four accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has written in a research note that the proposed rules would vitiate internal cash management operations that global companies use on a daily basis to fund their internal operations.
Treasury announced the rules in April as part of a group of measures aimed at foiling corporate inversionsin which U.S. companies merge with offshore counterparts and shift the resulting corporations tax address overseas. But many companies have complained in letters to the Treasury Department that the rules would ensnare scores of ordinary business dealings among global companies that havent inverted.
Timing Unclear
Treasury officials have said the agency has the statutory authority to promulgate the proposed rules. The agency has received a variety of comments on them, all of which we believe we can respond to in the final regulations, a department spokeswoman said in an e-mailed statement.
Its unclear when the regulations might be final, however. It is important that we get these regulations right, and the exact timing for finalization will depend on when we are satisfied that we have addressed any reasonable concerns, the Treasury spokeswoman said.
Samuel Thompson, who teaches tax law at Pennsylvania State University, said critics were reading the 1969 regulation too narrowly and that Treasury does indeed have authority to write new rules that may be necessary or appropriate. But he also suggested that officials might want to get the views of the Justice Department, which would represent the Treasury in any legal challenge.
Pfizers Deal
Treasurys related-party debt proposal was announced on the same day that another measureone aimed at preventing serial inversionseffectively killed a planned $160 billion merger between Pfizer Inc. and Allergan Plc. That deal would have created a new company with a tax address in Ireland, where the corporate tax rate is 12.5 percent. The top U.S. corporate tax rate is 35 percent.
Inversions have emerged as a hot-button topic in the 2016 presidential race, with both Democratic and Republican candidates vowing to crack down on them. More than 50 companies have undergone them since 1982, almost half of them since 2012. President Barack Obamas administration has issued a series of regulations aimed at the practice.
But the proposed rules on related-party debt have drawn the largest outcry. In Congress, members of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee wrote to Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew on June 28 saying the regulations would threaten jobs and economic growth. The committee asked Treasury officials to conduct a thorough economic analysis to ensure they understand the full impact these regulations will have on the U.S. economy.
Indias most innovative and trusted real estate platform, today announced Mani Rangarajan will assume the role of Chief Business Officer (CBO), where he will lead the real estate developer and broker sales efforts for the Company, amongst other responsibilities. For the time being, he will continue to oversee the financial operations of the company.
A Silicon Valley veteran with over 20 years of experience, Mani brings with him global expertise and understanding of the internet and financial services sectors at companies such as Yahoo and Citigroup. Having joined Housing.com in October 2015 as the Chief Financial Officer, he has been a key member of the senior management team.
Jason Kothari, Chief Executive Officer, Housing.com said, We are pleased to announce Manis well-deserved promotion to Chief Business Officer. He was asked to lead the monetization efforts, has been very effective and it is now time to formalize these responsibilities. Manis internet industry experience, financial and operational expertise and global experience will be valuable assets for the Company during this rapid growth phase.
Housing.com stands in a strong position today to emerge as one of the leading players in the online real estate space. While everyone at Housing.com has been working hard towards helping us realise the bold vision of the Company, the new responsibility I have been entrusted with will ensure there is a highly focused effort on aggressive sales growth, which will help us achieve our ambitious targets over the next 18-24 months, said Mani Rangarajan.
Mani holds an MBA from the Stanford University's Graduate School of Business where he was a Arjay Miller scholar, a PGDM from IIM Kolkota and is also a Cost & Works Accountant.
Starting July 18, IBN7 will launch two new shows Aar Paar with tough-talking journalist Amish Devgan at 7 PM and Super Crime Time, a fresh format for the crime genre at 10 PM.
The debate show - Aar Par, presented by one of Indias ace journalists Amish Devgan, will reflect the anchors no holds barred style and personality. The show will not shy away from taking positions on issues that the viewers relate to strongly. The show will ask tough questions of those in positions of power and hold them accountable. Amish will engage directly with viewers through various social platforms to add an element of interactivity to the show. Starting from 18th July 2016, the show will be aired every night at 7 PM.
The channel will also launch a unique crime show Super Crime Time - a heady mix of crime, drama, mystery and investigation. The show will not only report crime news from various parts of the country but also feature one major incident of the day by recreating the crime scene, piece by piece, trying to uncover its mystery. On Saturdays, the programming will showcase some of the most infamous love stories which involve misconduct and bloodshed. The new format promises to be a unique blend of informative and captivating content.
Watch - Aar Par at 7PM, Monday Friday and Super Crime Time at 10PM, everyday only on IBN7
Tom Cruises intense performance in the movie Edge of Tomorrow as a soldier, who fights aliens, will air on MOVIES NOW and MOVIES NOW HD on Sunday, July 17, 2016 at 9PM. The science fiction action is also the super movie of the month on MOVIES NOW and stars Emily Blunt in the lead alongside Tom Cruise and Bill Paxton.
Tom Cruise, who plays Major William Cage, is forced to fight a war against an alien race. In the very beginning of the war, Cage finds himself muddled in a mysterious time loop where his day restarts every time he dies; landing him back at the same point from where he started the battle. In his quest to defeat the aliens, he is joined by Warrior Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), who helps him find a way to get closer to winning this battle.
The movie is based on a screenplay of the Japanese novel All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. The film is directed by Doug Liman, who is known for his popular genre of action thrillers like Bourne Identity and Mr and Mrs. Smith. Edge of Tomorrow which was well received by critics as well as the audiences, garnered a rating of 7.9/10 from IMDB. The film also got nominated for the Critics Choice Awards 2015, in three categories; Best Film, Best Actor in an Action Film and Best Actress in an Action Film, with Emily Blunt winning the latter in the year 2015.
An interesting trivia about the film is that Tom Cruise recommended Emily Blunt to the makers of the film as he had long wished to work with her and believed this role to be best suited for her.
Watch this action packed science fiction this Saturday on July 17, 2016 only on MOVIES NOW.
At the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) today, Boeing is celebrating its centennial, marking 100 years since it started out on 15th July 1916 producing a single canvas-and-wood airplane, to eventually become the world's largest aerospace company.
Boeing is marking 100 years of innovation within its special FIA 2016 pavilion featuring the Boeing Centennial Experience, which will be open throughout the show, with interactive displays showcasing the companys past, present and future technologies.
The Boeing Centennial Experience will also feature kiosks with access to the digital archive of every issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology, which is also celebrating its 100th year.
The multi-mission P-8A, a military derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800 that provides advanced anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities, have joined Boeings multi-role F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter in demonstrating versatile capabilities during daily flying displays at FIA 2016. The P-8A aircraft also will be on static display along with an F/A-18E Super Hornet and an F-15E Strike Eagle.
Historic Boeing airplanes will also appear during the public weekend on flying or static display, including a P-51D Mustang, a B-17 Flying Fortress, a DC-3 Dakota and a B-25 Mitchell, among others.
As part of its first century celebration, Boeing is sponsoring 'Above and Beyond', a new interactive exhibition about the wonders of flight and humankinds remarkable journey to space. This family-friendly exhibition, created in collaboration with NASA, is intended to inspire the next wave of engineers, pilots and astronauts. Above and Beyond will be open to the public at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich until 29 August (www.rmg.co.uk/see-do/exhibitions-events/above-and-beyond-exhibition).
In addition, aviation enthusiasts will have the opportunity to purchase exclusive products featuring Boeing Centennial designs, heritage collection and aircraft models from the merchandise trailer area and Gate B merchandise tent locations at the show.
Together with the Royal Aeronautical Society, Boeing will present RANS Coyote II airplanes built by students from the 'Schools Build a Plane Challenge' a STEM initiative targeted at young people in UK secondary schools: www.boeing.co.uk/sbap.
Today, one of the light aircraft, constructed by pupils from Ercall Wood Technology College in Telford, will participate in the flying display. Another aircraft, which is in mid-construction at North East Wolverhampton Academy will also feature in the static display.
Above: At the Farnborough Intenrational Airshow 2016 on Monday 11th July (left to right), Sir Michael Arthur, President Boeing Europe and Managing Director Boeing UK and Ireland, Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing Chairman, President and CEO and ( former) UK Prime Minister David Cameron.
Photo by Phil Weymouth / Copyright Farnborough International Ltd
On the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow, the British Government and Boeing announced a long-term partnering initiative to advance growth and prosperity in the United Kingdom.
Boeing has reinforced its ongoing commitment to deliver on the prosperity agenda as set out in Chapter 6 of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), through a further step-change in its onshore presence and industrial engagement with the UK.
The shared vision in the initiative is to deliver the best capabilities to the UKs Armed Forces, alongside delivering additional, enhanced prosperity for the UK in partnership with the supply chain and public sector agencies.
Boeing has said it is committed to a long-term strategy for increasing investment in the UK in recognition of the capabilities and opportunities presented by the UK aerospace and defence industry, as part of Boeings global strategy. This will include expanding opportunities for the supply chain.
Boeing is committed to the UK Governments prosperity agenda and we share the goals of enhanced economic growth that the Prime Minister has set out to us, said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer.
Boeing has doubled its UK workforce and more than doubled its annual spending with the UK supply chain over the last five years, to more than 2,000 people and 1.8bn respectively in 2015. This growth plan is expected to result in a further 2,000 new Boeing jobs in the UK, alongside increased capital investment and additional bidding opportunities and competitiveness initiatives for UK suppliers. The shared ambition of this initiative is to enhance competitiveness to create the opportunity for UK companies to double their supply work with Boeing as production rates are achieved on new and current aircraft programmes.
I want the UK to continue to be at the forefront of the global aerospace industry, both civil and defence, said Prime Minister David Cameron. Thats why Im delighted that we can announce today a long term strategic initiative with Boeing that will create thousands of jobs, secure investment in R&D and create opportunities for the supply chain, as well as delivering on our defence commitments. Boeing is one of the worlds most respected aerospace companies. This long term commitment shows the UK is open for business and attractive for investment.
Progress will be reviewed at a bilateral Boeing Ministerial meeting each year at the Farnborough and Paris air shows, starting at Le Bourget in 2017. A senior UK Government minister and a member of Boeings Executive Council will lead these discussions.
The partnering initiative covers the following:
Boeing will increase overall bid opportunities offered to UK suppliers and work with the UK Government to enhance UK suppliers competitiveness. The aim of the initiative is to create the opportunity for UK companies to double their supply work with Boeing and to win higher proportions of content on future Boeing aircraft.
Boeing will sign the Aerospace Growth Partnership Supply Chain Competitiveness charter.
Boeing will make the UK its European base for training, maintenance, repair and overhaul across its defence fixed-wing and rotary platforms.
Additionally, Boeing and the Government intend to work together to build a new 100m P-8A operational support and training base at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, creating more than 100 new jobs and confirmed the purchase of nine P-8As..
Boeing will continue to grow its commercial aviation services business in the UK.
Boeing will make the UK a base for defence exports to Europe and the Middle East, increasing UK employment, investment and tax revenue.
Boeing will increase its contribution to the security, policing, cyber, information technology and space sectors in the UK, including by joining the Security and Resilience Growth Partnership and establishing a presence in the UK space sector during 2016.
Boeing will launch new investment in UK research and development, creating technology and intellectual property in the UK to be commercially exploited by Boeing in the UK and its supply chain, including SMEs. Specific new initiatives include working with QinetiQ and other partners to demonstrate a world leading enhancement to the QinetiQ 5 metre wind tunnel and new joint projects with Rolls-Royce on propulsion systems.
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Gen. Maryanne Miller is the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. AMCs mission is to provide rapid, global mobility and sustainment for America's armed forces. The command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. The men and women of AMC, consisting of active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilians, provide airlift, aerial refueling, special air mission, aeromedical evacuation and mobility support. As the Air Component Commander for U.S. Transportation Command, General Miller is responsible for directing global air mobility operations in support of national objectives.
General Miller was commissioned in 1981 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Ohio State University. She is a command pilot with more than 4,800 flying hours in numerous aircraft.
The general has commanded two wings and held numerous staff leadership positions on the Air Staff and the Joint Staff. Prior to her current assignment, she was the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia, and Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Georgia.
EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice (minor in sociology), Ohio State University, Columbus
1983 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1986 Flight Safety Officer School, Norton AFB, Calif.
1994 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2009 Senior Reserve Component Officers Course, Army War College, Carlisle, Pa.
2011 Seminar XXI, Center for International Studies, Massachusetts Institute for Technology, Washington, D.C.
2011 Master's degree, Business Administration, Trident University, Calif.
2012 Senior Executives in National and International Security, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Mass.
2017 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Air University, Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1981-August 1982, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
2. August 1982-March 1983, Student, Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. March 1983-July 1984, T-37 Instructor Pilot and Runway Supervisory Unit supervisor, Williams AFB, Ariz.
4. July 1984-January 1985, T-37 Check Pilot and RSU Supervisor, Williams AFB, Ariz.
5. January 1985-March 1985, Student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. March 1985-February 1986, Executive Officer for 96th Flying Training Squadron Commander, T-37 Instructor Pilot, Williams AFB, Ariz.
7. February 1986-July 1986, Student, Distinguished Graduate C-141 Training, Altus AFB, Okla.
8. July 1986-July 1987, C-141 Aircraft Commander and Executive Officer, 8th Airlift Squadron Commander, McChord AFB, Wash.
9. July 1987-June 1988, C-141 Instructor Pilot, 8th AS, McChord AFB, Wash.
10. June 1988-July 1989, Chief of Flying Safety and C-141 Examiner Pilot, McChord AFB, Wash.
11. July 1989-September 1993, C-141 Examiner Pilot, 313th AS, McChord AFB, Wash.
12. September 1993-April 1994, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 459th Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, Md.
13. April 1994-October 1995, Operations Officer, 756th AS, Andrews AFB, Md.
14. October 1995-October 1996, Chief, Strategic Airlift, Reserve Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
15. October 1996-January 1998, Fighter Forces Programmer, Reserve Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
16. January 1998-December 2001, Operations Officer and Deputy Operations Group Commander, 459th AW, Andrews AFB, Md.
17. December 2001-May 2004, Air Reserve Technician C-5 Pilot, Dover AFB, Del.
18. May 2004-January 2006, Operations Group Commander, 932nd AW, Scott AFB, Ill.
19. January 2006-January 2008, Commander, 932nd AW, Scott AFB, Ill.
20. January 2008-November 2009, Commander, 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
21. November 2009-January 2012, Director of Programs and Requirements, Office of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
22. January 2012-September 2013, Deputy Director of Partnership Strategy, J5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
23. April 2012-August 2012, Interim Deputy Director for Trans Regional Policy, J5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
24. September 2013-July 2016, Deputy to the Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
25. July 2016-September 2018, Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va., and Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
26. September 2018-present, Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2012 - September 2013, Deputy Director of Partnership Strategy, J5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a brigadier general and a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,800
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, C-141B/C, C-5A/B, C-9A/C, C-40C, KC-10A and C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 12, 1981
First Lieutenant Aug. 30, 1983
Captain Aug. 30, 1985
Major March 5, 1992
Lieutenant Colonel June 13, 1996
Colonel Feb. 17, 2005
Brigadier General June 1, 2009
Major General Jan. 1, 2013
Lieutenant General July 15, 2016
General Sept. 7, 2018
(Current as of February 2019)
Strike Eagles soar to RIAT 16
A formation of F-15C Eagles, assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron, and an F-15E Strike Eagle, assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron, fly over Gloucestershire, England, to attend the Royal International Air Tattoo air show at Royal Air Force Fairford July 7, 2016. The RAF Lakenheath aircraft were on public display, along with many other military aircraft from around the U.K., to provide an opportunity for the U.S. military and its allies to showcase their capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erin Trower)
Program works to reduce risk on next Air Force One
The Air Force awarded a contract modification to Boeing July 15 to continue risk reduction activities for the Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization program, which will field the next Air Force One.
Future modifications will be made to this contract to purchase the commercial 747-8 aircraft, as well as to design, modify and test those aircraft to meet the presidential mission.
These efforts are another step in a deliberate process to control program risk and life cycle costs. This contract modification provides for risk reduction activities needed to address PAR sustainment requirements and costs and are additional to those initially awarded on Jan. 29. These activities will most notably focus on the system specification, environmental control system, aircraft interior, electrical and power system, and sustainment/maintenance approaches. They will aid in further defining detailed requirements and design trade-offs required to support informed decisions that will lead to a lower risk engineering and manufacturing development program and lower life cycle costs.
The information from these studies is essential for us to make informed decisions on the design and modifications to the 747-8 aircraft, which will have long-term impacts to sustainment costs of the next Air Force One, said Col. Amy McCain, the PAR program manager. All of the different modifications to the aircraft need to work together seamlessly. As we understand more about how to meet the detailed requirements, we can make deliberate choices to lower the cost and risks to the program.
The Air Force will award the majority of the program on a separate contract action after the results of the risk reduction activities are known.
The PAR program will replace the VC-25A in the 2024 time frame through a highly tailored acquisition program. Parts obsolescence and diminishing sources for replacement parts are driving increased costs and increasing out of service times for heavy maintenance to maintain Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness standards. That time has already grown to well over a year per heavy maintenance cycle, significantly limiting availability for presidential support.
The PAR program requirements are documented in the capability development document, which was approved in November 2014. The acquisition strategy to replace Air Force One was approved by the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics on Sept. 4, 2015.
Breaking barriers: Miller assumes command
Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller has assumed the top role as the first female commander of Air Force Reserve Command.
During ceremonies at Robins Air Force Base on July 15, Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson relinquished command of AFRC. He led the Air Force Reserve since 2012, retiring from the Air Force with more than 38 years of military service.
Just before the passing of the guidon from Jackson to Miller, the 21st Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. David L. Goldfein, spoke briefly on the historic events unfolding at Robins, home of AFRC.
Todays ceremony marks a very special moment in history for our Air Force, as well as Air Force Reserve Command, said Goldfein, an experienced command pilot who flew combat missions in operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Allied Force and Enduring Freedom.
When it came time to select the best commander of AFRC, the choice was obvious. General Miller brings a combination of applied and intense warrior spirit and a passion for the mission for airmen and their families, he said. Theres no leader who is more fit, focused or ready to lead the Reserve triad of citizens, airmen and families.
We all have a stake in your success and we will be with you every step of the way, he said.
Since 1948, Citizen Airmen have proudly served on every continent, in every domain, operating in countless locales. In AFRC, citizens are appreciated, airmen are valued and families thrive, said Goldfein, adding that long deployments from service sacrificed by airmen and their families have resulted in a special courage.
I believe in service before self, he said. This particular core value applies as much to our families as it does to those who wear the uniform.
Miller, a command pilot with more than 4,800 hours in numerous aircraft, including the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster, spoke of commitment and service, and understanding of what a life of service entailed in todays challenging global environment. Her career spans 35 years, 26 of those in Air Force Reserve.
To the men and women of the Air Force Reserve, today I take the flag of the Air Force Reserve Command, and just like you, continue to answer the call to serve our great nation, she said.
The strength of the Air Force Reserve is its unique calling, she continued, and as citizens are fully invested within its communities raising families. Yet while immersed in civilian careers, she said theres still a profound calling to do more.
When you serve, your absence at home, in your neighborhoods, in your offices, speaks volumes about who you are as an Airman, she said.
On the vision of the next four years in command, they include protecting our nations strengths, building on capabilities for todays fight, and shaping the force for the fight of the future.
With service in Air Force Reserve for over two decades, Miller has served in every status as full-time and part-time, even as a small business owner.
I have been in your shoes, and I know how hard it is to balance your life as a citizen and your life as an Airman, she continued.
She spoke of contemplating retirement from service at one time, once enjoying a career as a successful restaurateur. But following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on American soil, the veteran pilot explained that four months later she began serving full time again.
I want you to know that I appreciate you and the challenges that you face. I understand the call to serve and the hardships that go with it. I am honored to know you, I am honored to serve with you, but most importantly, to serve you, she said.
Miller joins a list of women accomplishing major firsts in the Air Force, including Gen. Lori J. Robinson, who in May assumed command of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command.
Another first included the appointment of Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, who became the services first female four-star general, who led Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, before retiring in 2015.
Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Zimbabwe: #ThisFlag AfricaFocus Bulletin
July 15, 2016 (160715)
(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note "The Zimbabwean regime did not expect Pastor Evan Mawarire to be set free on Wednesday night. But unprecedented public pressure forced the magistrate's hand, with a little help from blundering police. Look away now, Comrade Bob, because Zimbabwe will never be the same again." - Daily Maverick, July 14, 2016 This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains a short news report on the release of Pastor Evan Mawarire, who sparked the #ThisFlag citizens' protest movement in Zimbabwe, and excerpts from a longer analytical article by Zimbabwean political analyst Alex Magaisa. For short powerful statements by Pastor Mawarire, from April and earlier this week, just before his arrest see http://facebook.com/evan.mawarire/videos/10153553623267043/ and http://facebook.com/Channel4News/videos/10153885277631939/ Another AfricaFocus Bulletin released today, not sent out by email but available on the web at http://www.africafocus.org/docs16/zim1607b.php, includes a press release and excerpts on a report released today in Harare: "Working without Pay: Wage Theft in Zimbabwe." This study, by the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) and the Solidarity Center, documents the failure of both government and the private sector in Zimbabwe to pay wages to ordinary workers, despite lavish pay and benefits for top executives. For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Zimbabwe, go to http://www.africafocus.org/country/zimbabwe.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Zimbabwe: Power to the pastor, power to the people as Mawarire walks Simon Allison Daily Maverick, July 14, 2016 http://tinyurl.com/zsebl3k The Zimbabwean regime did not expect Pastor Evan Mawarire to be set free on Wednesday night. But unprecedented public pressure forced the magistrate's hand, with a little help from blundering police. Look away now, Comrade Bob, because Zimbabwe will never be the same again. Harare Magistrate's Court may once have been an impressive building, but no longer. The walls are cracked. The paint is peeling. The windows of Court Six, where Pastor Evan Mawarire's remand hearing was held on Wednesday, are caked with dirt. Only half the ceiling lights work, and the wall clock is stuck at a little after seven o'clock. As a symbol for everything that's wrong with Zimbabwe, it's a writer's dream, as is the court's location on the inauspiciously named Rotten Row. Except that something unexpected happened. The usual show trial script called for Mawarire's charges to be upheld, and bail denied, to make sure that the state keeps him where they like to keep the troublemakers: behind bars. But no one followed the script. On Wednesday, rising above the symbolism of these shabby surroundings, something went right in Zimbabwe. The first to break ranks were the lawyers, nearly 200 of them, who volunteered to represent Mawarire en masse. Not all of them could fit into the jam-packed courtroom - strictly standing room only - but those who did were conspicuous in their sharp suits and business attire. They became even more conspicuous when Magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe asked who was representing the accused. As one, the lawyers in the room raised their Law Society cards, an extraordinary image of solidarity that gave goose bumps to everyone else watching - except, perhaps, the none-too-undercover intelligence operatives, who appeared to be carefully noting down faces and names. That the lawyers present were undeterred by this danger underscores their bravery. "There are times when we have to shed our status as lawyers and push for justice as citizens. It does not require a lawyer to see that there is injustice going on here," said Belvin Bopato, an attorney. The hundreds, and at times thousands, of people gathered outside were doing something equally unprecedented. They were protesting. In Mugabe's Zimbabwe, protesting is a dangerous, even fatal, activity. Which is why it doesn't happen very often, and never in these numbers. But here they were on Wednesday, draped in the national flag which has become such a subversive symbol of resistance, chanting and singing and praying all through the day and early evening as they waited for the magistrate to deliver his verdict. "It's been a while since Zimbabwe last had a voice, but now it has found a voice. I'm here to stand in solidarity with Pastor Evan," said activist Mlambo Garikai. The most unexpected plot twist, however, was delivered courtesy of Magistrate Chikwekwe himself. It was possible to feel some sympathy for the magistrate, who found himself in a classic Catch-22: flout the law but keep his political bosses happy; or follow the law but anger his superiors, who have the power to make him very uncomfortable indeed. It was obviously a difficult decision. Even after starting proceedings six hours late, Chikwekwe called several long adjournments, and only delivered his verdict full 90 minutes after it was due. As they waited, the audience inside the courtroom sang and danced, while the large crowd outside began to get impatient. Had Mawarire not been released, a confrontation between riot police and protesters would probably have been unavoidable. But the law won. After lecturing the police and prosecutors about their mistakes - most notably in substituting the original charges with a much more serious treason charge just minutes before the hearing began - Chikwekwe told Mawarire he was free to go. The courtroom erupted into cheers and ululations, as did the thousands of people waiting outside, who by now were holding candles. "I feel ecstatic. We have shown that if we can come together we can push the system to work normally. What happened here today gives us hope," said Elton Kapfunde, one of the pastor's many supporters. Ngonidzashe Marera, a friend of Mawarire's, said that the verdict showed the strength of the pastor's faith. "I'm over the moon. God is there for us. Good has prevailed. Man's arms are too short to box with God, clearly." If Robert Mugabe's regime falls - and that day is considerably closer today than it was yesterday - then historians will look back and pinpoint this as the moment when the tide began to turn. There's no doubt that the sheer scale of the solidarity movement frightened the ruling party's decision-makers, who never intended to let Mawarire walk, and may even have forced Magistrate Chikwekwe's hand. On Wednesday, Zimbabweans in their thousands took on the regime, and won. And now that they've done it once, they can and will do it again. Citizens' movement and the resurgence of the repressive state in Zimbabwe Alex T. Magaisa July 8, 2016 http://alexmagaisa.com - Direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/jxx32ed [Excerpts only. Full text available at links above] [Alex Magaisa lectures at Kent Law School, University of Kent and can be contacted at wamagaisa@gmail.com Twitter: @wamagaisa] In one incident, a young man is dragged out of his room, his pair of trousers half down and without shoes. He tries desperately to raise his trousers and pleads with them. But they don't listen and they don't care. They pummel him with baton sticks as if they are beating an unwelcome intruder. He falls to the ground, perhaps the selfpreservation instinct to make himself small, but they respond by beating him up with even greater intensity. He yelps in pain and tries to cover his head to minimise further damage but this does not deter them. They yank him up and continue to beat him as if they were beating a drum. It's not fiction. ... These are the images of Zimbabwe which the world has been seeing this week - a reminder of the dark days when the Zimbabwean state has typically turned upon its citizens with intense brutality. The beating happened after commuter omnibus drivers went on strike, protesting against too many roadblocks by police, at which members of the police force extort bribes from them on a daily basis. Then on Wednesday [July 6], Zimbabwe witnessed the #ZimShutDown2016, following a call for a mass stay-away from work. Harare and most cities were deserted. People had heeded the call. There was a heavy police and army presence in towns around the country as well as rural centres like Jerera, where pictures showed scores of police roaming the centre. Social media was down for a while, with people unable to access WhatsApp and most suspected the state had a hand in the breakdown. Efforts by government spin-doctors to downplay the mass stay-away failed. Schools were closed and unpaid for the month of June, civil servants in the health and education sectors led the way and stayed away from work. Government had to deploy the military in public health institutions to provide cover. Apart from the violent clampdown, the state issued several warnings to the public. The instruments of repression were being mobilised. This typical of the Zimbabwean state, reacting like a bully who suddenly panics at the sight of a challenge from an unexpected and unfamiliar source and whose first instinct is to flex muscles and bare teeth in order to frighten with a generous amount of threats. Historic moment When the story of this week's events is told to future generations, its place and significance in the trajectory of Zimbabwean political history will not be lost on historians and keen observers of Zimbabwean politics. ... I believe the events of last week, beginning with the protests in Beitbridge are a seminal moment in the sense that they demonstrate for the first time in a long period, a re-awakening of the citizens and a demonstration of their capacity to assert themselves in their capacity as citizens, not as followers of political parties or organised civil society. ... The #ZimShutDown of this week was, in some ways, unique in its galvanising and mobilising effect without the aid or leadership of traditional actors on the political and civil society landscape. For the first time in a long time, the traditional political actors, both in the ruling establishment and the opposition were by-standers in an historic moment championed largely by ordinary citizens. I am careful to say for the first time in a long time principally because it is not the first time this has happened in our polity. The events of 1998 spring to older minds, when Zimbabweans came together in a huge flood of dissent against deteriorating economic conditions. Taking the lead was the then vibrant labour movement, with the ZCTU at the apex, led by Morgan Tsvangirai. Many young Zimbabweans have only known him as an opposition politicians, but at the time, he was a leader of the labour unions. Civil society movement was still then in its nascent stages but those were the moments when organisations such as the National Constitutional Assembly began to assume a leading role in campaigning for political reform under the flagship call for constitutional reforms. For the first time since independence, the people of Zimbabwe heeded the call for a mass stay-away. It was also unique in that many employers backed the call, signalling an interesting milieu ideologies in one moment; a strange mixture of capitalists and socialists. Lessons from the past This is not the place to narrate and analyse the historic events of the late 1990s. ... I also make reference to 1998 so that the present generation of leaders and activists in the citizens' movement has a wider appreciation of the context within which #ZimShutDown2016 and related activities are taking place. While there are key aspects that distinguish the current citizens' movement, such as the role and influence of social media, it is by no means an invention of the current generation. It is important to locate it neither as the beginning of history of activism nor the end of it, but as part of an incremental process that has been in motion for a long time and has manifested in various forms and has been prosecuted by various actors at each stage. ... Zimbabwe's post-independence struggle for democratic reform is against a wellestablished and deeply-entrenched electoral authoritarian regime, this citizens' movement must be seen in this context as the latest of waves chipping away at a wall which is backed by the military. While the older generation should be more receptive to the new wave of activism and its leaders and not view them with suspicion, the new generation of activists must also be mindful of and respect history and those who have already been in the trenches. There might be lessons to be learned from that era, which the present generation can use to avoid old mistakes. This is because I have noticed a tendency on social media, where people demand instant results and sometimes end up utterly deflated and defeated when things don't happen as quickly as anticipated. Yet if one understands the bigger picture, knowing the origins of this struggle, including its highs and lows, they might have a better appreciation of the incremental nature of the process; indeed, a better appreciation of the fact that the struggle is a slow-cooked dish, not the pre-cooked instant microwave variety. Catching traditional actors by surprise An interesting feature of the current citizens' movement is that it seems to have caught the ruling party, the opposition and traditional civil society by surprise and consequently, none of them have been quite sure of how to react to it. ... The problem is that the leadership of traditional political parties and organised civil society has not evolved over the same period, while society has changed and its demands and expectations have also changed. Like ZANU PF, opposition parties and organised civil society have not confronted and dealt with succession issues and the culture of entitlement of those in leadership positions. This has resulted in a traffic jam in the leadership of parties and organisations the civil and political spaces, with those in front unwilling and unable to move or give way to new generations or ideas. Traditional political parties and civil society organisations are notoriously hierarchical and exclusionary in the selection of leadership. ... The traditional opposition and organised civil society appear to have struggled to come to terms with this new phenomenon. Do they embrace it? Do they join it? Are they leading it? Are they followers? How exactly do they accommodate this phenomenon which has not emerged from their usual programmes at traditional work-shops. ... Both the opposition and civil society groups need to selfintrospect thoroughly and reflect on the new phenomenon of the citizens' movement and consider their role in the changing political and civil landscape. New challenge for ZANU PF This unconventional citizens' movement has also caught ZANU PF by surprise, presenting a new challenge on an unfamiliar front. The old party is used to dealing with the traditional political opposition or organised civil society, which they invariably bundle together as Western-sponsored opposition or regime change agents. The state and ZANU PF have developed a wide array of tools to deal with these traditional opposition in civil and political spaces - through infiltration of political organisations, banning political gatherings and meetings, deploying laws meant for political organisations, propaganda through state media, etc. However, they have not had to deal with a citizens' movement of this kind, with a large base in social media. ... It is clear that the regime is currently unsure about the nature of the latest challenge. The term they have settled on for now is that the dissent and activism is being orchestrated by a "Third Force", even though no-one has given substance to this term to clarify who or what exactly constitutes this force. For the government, there is a sinister force beyond the traditional opposition which they are not equipped to handle. They can't quite define what it is. They cannot believe that citizens can consolidate and find expression in non-traditional political and civil spaces. In all this, of course, is a typically stubborn refusal by ZANU PF to acknowledge that the people of Zimbabwe can think for themselves and make their own decisions. For the ZANU PF regime, any resistance to its policies and style of governance cannot be from and by the people of Zimbabwe making independent decisions. Rather, it has to be instigated and influenced by foreign elements, usually the West. This is a very condescending mindset against fellow Zimbabweans. It shows the character of the state, where citizens are like children who need guardians to think and decide for them and if it's not the government, it has to be another sinister third party doing it on their behalf. Individuals within the state are not regarded as rational beings capable of making their own decisions. The irony is that a government which claims independence and sovereignty of the nation does not believe that the people from whom that sovereignty and authority to govern are derived can make independent decisions to express grievances unless they are influenced by the West. ... Social media One key factor that distinguishes the current citizens' movement from similar movements in the past is the availability and popular use of social media. When #This Flag movement started through social media messages by Pastor Evans Mawarire a couple of months ago, it was initially dismissed as "a passing fad". It was dismissed as nothing more than social media chatter, which would dissipate quickly as people moved on to the next internet fad. There was little appreciation of its capacity to galvanise sentiment and passion among people both in cyber and physical spaces. Soon however, representatives of #ThisFlag movement were engaging directly with authority, one example being a public meeting held with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Dr John Mangundya over concerns around the issue of bond notes. That in itself was an indication of a so-called social media-based movement transcending cyberspace and finding recognition and accommodation in physical spaces. After seemingly dismissing the social media as irrelevant within Zimbabwean political spaces, the government has reacted with panic to the real potential of social media. The Minister of Information, Chris Mushowe, on 7 July 2016 issued a long statement in which he warned what he called "misguided malcontents" who are allegedly misleading people into protests against government. ... However, by contrast one of the key things which social media has done in the Zimbabwean struggle is to empower citizens to fight against such government manipulation though information-sharing networks which have reduced barriers in time and space between citizens across the world. This way, a person in Tsholotsho is communicating with his fellow citizens in Mutare, at Sadza, in London, Sydney or New York and Cape Town, sharing valuable data, information, tools and advice. The propaganda machinery has faced serious challenges from social media because citizens are able to instantly scrutinise, challenge, and dismiss the lies and fabrications in the state media. Each morning, Zimbabweans scour the papers, pick stories from all media and dissect them, showing absurdities and exposing weaknesses and contradictions in propaganda to a wider audience. Citizens no longer have to rely on what the papers tell them. They also listen to what fellow citizens are saying through social media. Citizens no longer have to wait for the media to share information, as there has been an upsurge in citizen journalism with social media users sharing videos and uploading them by the second. By the time the traditional media shows its images and videos, they would have long circulated among the people through social media. It is truly amazing to see the way information is passed and spread across wider field on via Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp messages. Oft-times I have been amazed as I have received my own work which I would have shared: it will be coming from multiple sources with the hour, itself a demonstration of the power of social media, which the Zimbabwean state and opposition have until now underestimated as they have focused on the traditional spaces. Hence when the government misrepresents the law, lawyers instantly challenge it and respond through social media, providing a counter-view and in the process empowering other users. ... The likelihood is that Zimbabwe will follow Russia's path and enact laws which specifically target social media users. The template for such laws already exists in Putin's Russia ... It is fair to predict that the Zimbabwean government will be fasttracking a law on social media usage based on the Russian template and there will be a number of quick convictions and jail sentences against users designed as examples to the rest of the population. ... Exclusion The government has also resorted to typical strategies of exclusion. ... It's the politics of exclusion where those deemed to be citizens are protected, while the excluded are deserving of no protection - they are dehumanised. This dehumanisation makes it easier for those charged with the job of getting rid of them. ... Within the Zimbabwean political context, the Homo Sacer [person excluded] is a person who opposes or dissents from ZANU PF. Zimbabwe's Homo Sacer is identified by the labels ascribed to them and by far the most common label of exclusion is "sell-out". To be a "sell-out" is to be defined as the worst form of being within the Zimbabwean political space. You are banished to the margins and are deemed worthy of the death sentence. ... In more recent years, a term that is close to "sell-out" is to be labelled a "regime change agent". This term has been used liberally against any person who opposes or is deemed to oppose ZANU PF. Like a "sell-out" a "regime change agent" is regarded with contempt in ZANU PF circles and deserves the worst treatment and punishment. Another term of exclusion is "dissident". ... These terms of exclusion are dangerous and reckless as they are often a prelude to atrocities against perceived opponents, as the Rwandan Genocide showed, where targeted communities were continuously labelled "cockroaches" by the media, itself a label of dehumanisation which fuelled the rampant killings. It is therefore important to monitor how this language of exclusion and banishment evolves in the coming weeks. These are labels of dehumanisation intended to demonstrate that a life is not worthy of any protection or recognition. It is the kind of hate speech which is prohibited by the Constitution for good reason because it fuels atrocities. It is therefore irresponsible for government, Ministers and state media to employ these labels of exclusion and dehumanisation. Apart from these labels, the most common form of banishment and exclusion is through criminalisation of behaviour and sending people to jail. ... The rural frontier One issue that remains critical in the Zimbabwean political and civil society landscape is the rural frontier. For a long time, it has been ZANU PF's stronghold. The 2012 census showed that 67% of the population is rural, which means urban areas host only 33% of the population. Since electoral politics is a numbers game, ZANU PF's political strategies are centred on retaining control of the rural constituency. Traditional opposition parties and organised civil society have always done very well in urban areas, as shown by the MDC's success in Harare, Bulawayo and other urban areas. The new citizens' movement which has made waves in recent weeks has been concentrated in the urban areas. In this regard therefore, it is not very different from the traditional political opposition and organised civil society. The civil and political spaces they are occupying are well-trodden paths. The novelty is in the use of social media and cross-party appeal arising from the issues around which the citizens' movement is built. However, like the traditional actors in politics and organised civil society, they are yet to crack the rural constituency. There is a chance that social media platforms like WhatsApp might make in-roads in the rural constituency, but the response of the state machinery, through criminalisation, warnings, threats and false claims that they can see what social media users are doing are likely to affect the impact of social media. ZANU PF only has to trigger its rural machinery of intimidation and the ever-fearful and vulnerable population will be cowed into submission. Resurgence of the repressive state ... It is clear that the current state is a mirror image of the colonial state. The same methods and strategies are being deployed against citizens. When Welshman Ncube analysed the continuities between the colonial and post-independence state, he found that there had been no effort whatsoever to dismantle the repressive state. Ncube wrote: "the culture of the Rhodesian legal system was one of extreme brutality in both content and methods of law enforcement". This was echoed by Jonathan Moyo, who wrote at the time: "At independence, the Zimbabwean nationalist leadership wittingly or unwittingly failed to broaden democracy but embraced the oppressive institutions and legal instruments such as the Rhodesian-imposed state of emergency which took ten years to be lifted." This was in the late 1980s at a time when ZANU PF was trying to impose the one-party state but the same arguments remain applicable today and if anything the repressive state has become stronger and more ruthless. The current reaction of the Zimbabwean government to the citizens' protests has attracted the same reaction which is characterized by intolerance, violence and repression. During the first ten years of independence, the government maintained a state of emergency, again inherited from the Rhodesian state. ... Going forward, we are likely to see more arrests of activists in the citizens' movement. Ordinary members of the public will also be arrested and prosecuted as examples to others. There will also be new laws to criminalise conduct on social media and other similar spaces. There will be further statements and warnings from the coercive elements of the state, all designed to deter and scare people from using social media to challenge government. In this regard, the citizens' movement will find that its struggle is really not very different from the struggle which the traditional opposition parties and organized civil society have faced in the past. The question is whether this new citizens' movement has devised new tools to overcome or get around these impediments. In other words, are the citizens prepared to defend their leaders and their rights in a manner that is different from how traditional opposition parties and organised civil society have done in the past? ... 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
Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Zimbabwe: #WageTheft AfricaFocus Bulletin
July 15, 2016 (160715)
(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note "An astounding 80,000 Zimbabwe workers in formal employment--out of some 350,000 workers--did not receive wages and benefits on time in 2014, according to a new Solidarity Center report, 'Working Without Pay: Wage Theft in Zimbabwe,' released today in Harare." - Solidarity Center This AfricaFocus Bulletin released today, not sent out by email but available on the web at http://www.africafocus.org/docs16/zim1607b.php, includes a press release and excerpts on a report released today in Harare: "Working without Pay: Wage Theft in Zimbabwe." This study, by the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) and the Solidarity Center, documents the failure of both government and the private sector in Zimbabwe to pay wages to ordinary workers, despite lavish pay and benefits for top executives. Another AfricaFocus Bulletin, sent out by email today and available on the web at http://www.africafocus.org/docs16/zim1607a.php, contains a short news report on the release of Pastor Evan Mawarire, who sparked the #ThisFlag citizens' protest movement in Zimbabwe, and excerpts from a longer analytical article by Zimbabwean political analyst Alex Magaisa. For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Zimbabwe, go to http://www.africafocus.org/country/zimbabwe.php ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Working Without Pay: Wage Theft in Zimbabwe By Nyasha Muchichwa Researcher, Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe (LEDRIZ) June 2016 [Press release and excerpts only. Full document available from Solidarity Center (http://www.solidaritycenter.org, download at http://tinyurl.com/jak4joj] Solidarity Center Press Release, July 15, 2016 Report: Working without Pay--Wage Theft in Zimbabwe An astounding 80,000 Zimbabwe workers in formal employment--out of some 350,000 workers--did not receive wages and benefits on time in 2014, according to a new Solidarity Center report, "Working Without Pay: Wage Theft in Zimbabwe," released today in Harare. As a result of this widespread wage theft, many workers say they are forced to eat only one or two meals a day; move repeatedly to access affordable housing; and rent two rooms or fewer for their entire family to make ends meet. Through first-person interviews and other research by affiliates of the country's main trade union confederation, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the report provides hard data behind last week's successful one-day shut-down of businesses, government and services by workers across Zimbabwe outraged over wage theft and a new law targeting market vendors who make up the vast proportion of the workforce. One woman interviewed in the report, whose experience is not uncommon, says she has received $26 a month in wages for the past eight months, although her monthly salary is $342. Yet basic living costs, which on average include $60 for renting a single room, $30 for electricity, $15 for water and $22 for transportation to work, mean she only has sufficient funds to get to and from her job. "This failure to pay what workers are legally entitled to is wage theft in that it involves employers taking money that belongs to their employees and keeping it for themselves," the report states. "This is a clear violation of international labor standards, as well as national legislation on the employment of workers." The report traces the ongoing wage theft to 2012, as employers in the public- and private-sector increasingly began delaying wage payments. Simultaneously, the number of jobs in the informal economy has skyrocketed, the report points out. Some 6.3 million people made up Zimbabwe's workforce in 2014, of which 5.9 million workers (94.5 percent) were informally employed, compared with 84.2 percent in 2011, according to "Working without Pay." An additional 800,000 women and men were in the workforce, but unemployed. Last month, the government introduced a statutory law that bans imports of basic commodities--a law that directly affects hundreds of thousands of informal economy workers who survive on cross-border trading. Up to 95 percent of jobs in Zimbabwe are in the informal economy, and workers say the new law takes away their livelihoods. Based on surveys at 442 companies, and the result of extensive research by the Labor and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe, the report also documents extravagant salaries and benefits to middle and top management even as workers go unpaid and presents recommendations for action to address the problem. Some of the recommendations include: The Ministry of Labor, together with representatives of employers and unions, should review the status of companies that are not paying their workers and assist in developing plans to rectify the injustice.
Unions representing workers in companies not paying salaries--in full and on time--should demand that the government bring criminal proceedings under the relevant provisions of the Labor Act against employers.
Trade unions should advocate for payment of interest on late payment.
The government should set an example by reviewing the wage structure in government agencies and quasi-government agencies to limit benefits to top managers, institute a more just pay scale and prioritize payments to workers through collective bargaining or social dialogue. Foreword by Tefere Gebre , Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO More than 100 women gathered in October 2013 to peacefully protest at the state-controlled Hwange Colliery coal mine in western Zimbabwe, where many mineworkers had gone months to almost a year without pay. The women had gathered at the manager's office to demand wages owed to the men. For their trouble, they were met by armed police and, in the violence that followed, several women were injured. This incident and other anecdotal stories of wage theft, on the rise in the intervening years since that incident, prompted the Solidarity Center to commission this report, which details the magnitude of wage theft in Zimbabwe and the impact this widespread practice has on workers and their families. Wage theft is impoverishing workers who, under other circumstances, would be the bedrock of the middle class. It forces families to devise coping strategies that can tear at family ties, make difficult choices and mortgage their future. Wage theft disempowers and robs workers of dignity: The inability to support one's family through work gives rise to shame, embarrassment and the loss of dignity. Zimbabwe's governance structures and industrial relations system are seriously broken. The government does not enforce laws that would protect workers. In the event of a closure, for example, companies are not obliged to recognize payment of wages to workers should be prioritized. Indeed, they are rarely paid even a fraction of what they are owed in wages. In fact, the government is a major culprit as public-sector workers, including teachers, police officers and members of the military, are unable to predict their pay dates with any certainty. In a country where formal jobs are few, Zimbabwean workers often cannot fight exploitation like wage theft. Fortunately, trade unions are advocating for their interests and working to prevent further erosion of their economic status, as they have fought for peace, human and worker rights, and economic justice over the decades. The American labor movement stands in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe in their ongoing struggle for social justice, human rights and dignity in the workplace. In addition to continued support through the ongoing partnership programs of the Solidarity Center, our most meaningful demonstration of solidarity is represented by our unflagging efforts to ensure that our government's global policies protect worker rights including freedom of association, promote gender equality, and create inclusive approaches to economic development around the globe. Only such policies will ensure that those who produce wealth are able to share in the prosperity, including the working people in Zimbabwe. Executive Summary Zimbabwe's economic and political crisis, notwithstanding a brief hiatus in 2009-2010, continues to bring economic hardship and suffering to the majority of Zimbabweans. Increasingly, even employed workers with long-term contracts, who have relative protection with job security, are experiencing sharp declines in their economic position. Between 2011 and 2014, the number of workers in informal employment grew from 84.2 percent of the currently employed work force to 94.5 percent, rising to 5.9 million workers in 2014. Among approximately 350,000 workers in formal employment in 2014, more than 80,000 workers did not receive wages and benefits on time. Wage non-payment affects an estimated 22,000-plus workers for urban councils (local government entities), 12,000 in agriculture, and more than 7,500 each in the security sector, automotive industry and railways. Workers in several sectors are averaging more than 20 months without a pay check. Those affected include people who are still formally employed and required to go to work, as well as others who have been laid off without re ceiving the wages and benefits due to them under their contracts. Notably, this violation of the right to be paid for one's work is common in the public as well as private sectors. And, while governmental institutions in Zimbabwe are complicit in these violations, top managers continue to receive high salaries and generous benefits. International standards, particularly the International Labor Organization (ILO) Protection of Wages Convention, 1949 (No. 95), which has been ratified by 98 countries, mandate the regular payment of wages to workers and the priority of such payments over other financial obligations of employers. Although Zimbabwe has not yet ratified most of the relevant conventions, national law in Zimbabwe defines employers' obligations for payment of regular wages in legal tender. This failure to pay what workers are legally entitled to is wage theft in that it involves employers taking money that belongs to their employees and keeping it for themselves. This is a clear violation of international labor standards, as well as national legislation on the employment of workers. This report, based on extensive research by the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe in 2015, supported by the Solidarity Center, lays out the scope of wage theft in Zimbabwe, the responsibilities of the state under international standards and national legislation, and the failure of the state to address the impact on workers and their families. It also presents recommendations for action to address this problem. Ensuring compliance with international labor standards and curbing wage theft in Zimbabwe requires actions by both government and unions. Most urgently, this means that existing law be enforced and union pressure increased to curb wage theft and hold employers accountable for their violation of worker rights. In addition, the Zimbabwe Labor Act should be reviewed and strengthened to provide procedures for monitoring of and action on such cases in both the public and private sectors. Pay structures should be reviewed in the public sector in particular, which should set an example for the private sector. Zimbabwe should move expeditiously to ratify international conventions on wages. And unions as well as government should provide support for workers and their families who have suffered and continue to suffer from wage theft. Wider Context of Wage Non-Payment Wage non-payment is happening within the context of the wider economic crisis, and workers with formal employment are in the minority. Far more vulnerable are workers with informal employment conditions. Of the entire employed workforce of 6.3 million people reported in the 2014 Labor Force Survey, 5.9 million workers (94.5 percent) were informally employed, as compared to 84.2 percent in the 2011 survey. An additional 800,000 women and men were in the workforce, but unemployed. This trend toward precarious employment was confirmed by interviews and questionnaires in the LEDRIZ survey. The majority reported themselves to be on fixed-term employment contracts rather than having status as permanent workers. They noted a trend toward termination of permanent workers, who could be later employed as casual workers, especially in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Workers also reported cases of discrimination between permanent and casual workers in terms of payment of wages. For example, permanent workers had gone without wages for months while casual workers continued to be paid. The rationale given by employers was that casual workers only had to be paid wages, whereas permanent workers' paychecks normally included statutory and other benefits. Employers also said that they could afford to delay the wages for permanent workers, since their contracts did not lapse at the end of the month. Ironically, some permanent workers have opted to become casual workers in order to be paid, despite losing access to benefits such as pensions, medical coverage, severance pay and other allowances. Such practices, particularly in the agriculture sector, have in some cases been effectively opposed by unions. Another trend noted in some interviews was the shortening of the work week to three days, which reduces transport costs for workers. At the same time, there has been an increase in involuntary overtime on those days to compensate (reported by 90 percent of workers filling in questionnaires). Surprisingly, some noted that they were paid for overtime but still were not getting their wages. Many noted that the drop in production was minimal given the substitution of overtime for the missed days. Workers who are dismissed find themselves competing in the informal sector, which is already under stress from competition and government harassment. Jobs such as market vendors and street vendors are characterized by the absence of official protection and legal recognition; non-coverage by minimum wage legislation and the social security system; low pay; and little job security. In recent years, moreover, the government of Zimbabwe has in effect waged war on vendors. In February 2015, the then Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo, addressing mayors and council chairpersons at the 73rd Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) annual general meeting in Bulawayo, said, "The role of the informal sector in our economy, the upsurge of indiscriminate vending in urban areas has acutely affected the ambience of our environs while compromising the health of the residents. He said, "Vendors are selling their wares from everywhere, including on pavements, open spaces and in front of shops." He went on to add that, "All local authorities are therefore required to immediately take necessary measures to remove the vendors from undesignated sites [and move them] to alternative planned vending points." Meanwhile, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has vowed to track down all informal traders to recover what he said they owed the state in sales taxes. The impact of wage theft In any country, the impact of workers going unpaid is dramatic. In the context of Zimbabwes economic crisis, it is particularly devastating. In interviews with workers for this report, the workers stressed the following points on how their lives have changed and how they have attempted to cope with the impact on their lives. Many were walking to work to reduce transportation costs, requiring them to get up before dawn to be able to make it to work by 8 a.m. Some noted that they no longer had time with their families as they left home when the children were asleep and returned when they were in bed.
Many transferred their children to less expensive schools, where the quality of education and facilities is lower. Some pointed out that they were unable to pay even those fees. Some children had to drop out of school entirely.
Workers reduced the number of rooms they rented, sometimes taking two rooms or fewer for the entire family. A single room had become the study room, dining room, living room, kitchen and bedroom. Many landlords were also not being paid by their employers and had less tolerance for late payment of rentals. Thus many workers had to move from one place to another repeatedly.
Many reduced food consumption, cutting back to one or two meals a day. This affected the performance of workers at the workplace as they came to work hungry. And children of unpaid workers, as well as many other children, had to go to school on empty stomachs.
Many could no longer afford to buy clothing, even second-hand clothes. Relatives had to assist by providing clothing for workers and their family members.
Many families relocated women and children to the rural areas as a way of reducing costs. With the families living full-time on a rural homestead, they could send food to the male worker in town.
With lack of access to affordable medical insurance and the cost of hospital care and medication out of reach for unpaid workers, many relied entirely on faith and traditional healers.
Workers also cut back on most other expenses, including letting go of low-paid house hold employees who previously eased the burden of household chores and child care.
Many workers could no longer afford to visit parents and other relatives in the rural homestead, a trend which is straining extended family relationships. 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
Burundi: Traffickers in Albino human parts in Court
Eleven suspects have appeared before the Ruyigi court
Eleven Burundians accused of albino killings were arraigned in court Tuesday. Their trial, which takes place at the Ruyigi court in Burundi, has been postponed to May 28. The defendants, who are facing life imprisonment, are accused of trafficking human organs in collaboration with Tanzanian witchdoctors.
The Bombay High Court commenced the final hearing on the appeals filed by 11 people convicted in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case and also on the petition by CBI seeking death penalty for three of them.
Eleven men, who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court on January 21, 2008 for gangraping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the 2002 Godhra riots, had approached the high court challenging their conviction and sought quashing of the trial courts order.
The prosecuting agency CBI had also filed an appeal in the high court seeking death penalty for three of the 11 convicts.
A division bench of Justices V K Tahilramani and Mridula Bhatkar started final hearing on the appeals while rapping CBI counsel Hiten Venegaonkar for not being prepared.
You (Venegaonkar) are not prepared. Please take proper charge of the case. Read the case papers over the weekend. Prepare a chart of witnesses, victims, deceased persons, convicts and acquitted accused, the bench said.
The rap came after Venegaonkar while arguing kept fumbling and confusing names of the witnesses, victims and convicted people.
During arguments when the court sought to know the cause of death of the seven people, he said he did not know as the post-mortem report was in Gujarati.
How can you (Venegaonkar) say so? You should have prepared yourself before we start hearing the appeals, the court said.
According to the prosecution, on March 3, 2002, Bilkis Banos family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed.
The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has asked north Indian party cadre to pull up their socks and campaign extensively for Sheila Dikshit who has been projected as the chief ministerial candidate of Uttar Pradesh. After suffering massive defeat in the assembly elections Congress is gearing up for a major makeover and hence the party is leaving no stone unturned to lure voters ahead of the crucial UP assembly elections scheduled to be held next year. Congress has asked grassroot workers to remain active and connect with voters in their respective constituencies. This time the party will also focus on social media with an aim to reach out to large number of youth who are active on these platforms. Social media had played a vital role the 2014 Lok Sabha polls as Narendra Modi had emerged as the face of BJP which was responsible for the partys thumping victory.
According to sources from Congress party, The UP election is very important for us as it can change the fortunes of political parties. Hence we have asked party workers to connect with voters and understand the problems faced by them in their constituency. Since Sheila Dikshit has experience of running the administration she is the right candidate for the chief ministers post. She had done good work during her reign as the Chief Minister of Delhi.
By inducting Dikshit the Congress is trying to lure Brahmin voters as they comprise around 10 per cent of the states population. Election strategist Prashant Kishor had recommended that Dikshit should play a major role in the partys poll campaign as she is the Brahmin face of the party. The Congress has been losing its grip over UP since 1989 as parties like BSP and Samajwadi Party has emerged stronger in the state. Brahmins have shifted loyalties towards BJP post Mandal era and even BSP Chief Mayawati has been able to lure Brahmins by giving more representation to leaders from their community.
Dikshits first tryst with politics was in 1984, when she was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kannauj in UP. Her husband, IAS officer Vinod Dikshit, was the son of freedom fighter and Congress leader Uma Shankar Dikshit.
The Congress is trying to regain its foothold in UP where currently it has just 30 MLAs in the 403-member assembly. Congress could win only two seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls represented by Rahul and Sonia Gandhi respectively. The party lacks a popular leader in UP who can attract voters and gain their confidence. Right now the morale of Congress party workers has taken a severe beating due to its mediocre performance in the assembly polls. On the other hand, BJP is yet to name its chief ministerial candidate for UP.
Islamic preacher Zakir Naik addressed the media via skype on Friday. He claimed that he did not inspire any terrorist and said he is a messenger of peace.
Addressing a press gathering through skype, the controversial Islamic preacher quoting the Holy Quran said those who kill one innocent, kill humanity. Zakir Naik is under fire over allegation of inspiring some of the Dhaka attackers through his speeches.
Naik, the founder of Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation, began his press conference by condoning the latest attack in France, where at least 84 people were killed as a man ploughed a truck into a crowd in the French resort of Nice after a Bastille Day fireworks.
I will be giving pen drives that have answers to all allegations against me. Look at it with an unbiased mind, youll see Im innocent, Naik said on Friday.
Suicide bombing is not permitted in Islam where innocent people are killed. It is wrong, he said.
His sermons are telecast on Peace TV, run by his Islamic Research Foundation, and he also organises public lectures. His speeches on Peace TV were said to be popular in Bangladesh, where the network has been banned post the terror attack.
I have never met any terrorist knowingly, but if some people stand next to me take photographs, I smile. I dont know who they are, he added.
The 50-year-old Mumbai-based televangelist, who had earlier cancelled a press conference and had announced his visit to Africa from Saudi Arabia putting off his return to the country, challenged anyone to show him an unedited answer wherein he has not condemned suicide bombings.
Naik also maintained that no government agency has approached him to join investigation in connection with charges leveled against him until now.
I am willing to co-operate with any probe agency if they approach me, he added.
He also claimed that he had even addressed IPS officials in the past.
A terrorist ploughed with his truck through a crowd of thousands enjoying Bastille Day celebration in this French city mowing down at least 84 people, injuring some 150 18 critically, and numbing France.
In what President Francois Hollande said was an attack of a terrorist character, the heavy duty white truck drove into the crowd for two long kilometers an hour before midnight on Thursday, crushing unsuspecting people before police shot dead the 31 years old driver.
Both French citizens and tourists had massed along the pavement of the Boulevard des Anglais, the main street in Nice, to enjoy July 14 music event as well as fireworks when the disaster struck, French media reported.
Besides driving over people, the killer believed to be French citizen of Tunisian origin who France24 channel said was known to police but not to intelligence agencies fired at the crowd.
Firearms, explosives and grenades were found in the truck, regional President Christian Estrosi said. The identity papers of a French-Tunisian were found in the truck, police said.
It was the worst terror attack in France since terrorists struck in Paris in November 2015, killing 130 people and injuring over 250 near a stadium.
Hollande extended the state of Emergency in France for three more months beyond July 26 and called in the reservists.
In the footage captured by terrified bystanders the sound of several gunshots being fired could be heard. Shocked witnesses said they watched the gory scene in disbelief and horror.
We see this truck along the boardwalk, just ploughing through people, bodies getting hit and people running in all directions, Tony Molina, who viewed it all from his apartment, told CNN.
He said following the crash, there was a barrage of gunfire. There were families just lying down, crying next to these bodies.
Paul Delane, an American, was with his partner at the Nice show. Both were walking when all of a sudden thousands of people started running in one direction. Paul and his friend also began to run.
I had no idea what was going on. The music was so loud, we couldnt hear anything. I didnt see a truck, I just heard people running, screaming and crying and people carrying their children.
Journalist Damien Allemand, however, saw the truck plough into the crowd and tossing bodies like bowling pins along its path.
Allemand was, like countless others, enjoying the fireworks when suddenly everything went wrong.
When he heard screams from a distance, Allemand who works for digital service Nice-Matin thought some fireworks may have gone out of control.
A fraction of a second later, a huge white truck flew by at a crazy speed, driving over people, twisting the wheel to cut down the maximum number of people I saw bodies fly like bowling pins along its path. Heard noises, screaming that I will never forget.
In no time, there were bodies everywhere besides limbs and blood on the street.
The beach attendants were the first to reach the scene, bringing water for the wounded and towels to spread over the dead.
India joined the international community to denounce the horror.
France was struck on its National Day the symbol of freedom, Hollande said. This is France, which is under the threat of Islamist terrorism.
An attack on the terrorist nature cannot be denied, he was quoted as saying. We must do everything so that we can fight against the scourge of terrorism.
President Barack Obama said the US stood in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally. The UN condemned what it termed a barbaric and cowardly terror attack.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said he was shocked. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters and brothers in this hour of immense sadness.
(With Agency Inputs)
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that Pakistan will observe July 19 as a black day to protest against killings, referring to those who died during protests after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in Kashmir.
The special Cabinet meeting decided to observe nationwide black day on July 19 to mark complete solidarity with Kashmiris. Sharif termed the movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom.
Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination, the prime minister said.
The Prime Minister termed Burhan Wani as martyr of independence movement, Radio Pakistan reported.
He said, the Indian brutalities will give impetus to the freedom struggle and Kashmiri people will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them.
Speaking in the wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter in Anantnag, Sharif had said that the plebiscite should be held so that the people of Jammu and Kashmir can decide whether they wanted to be with India or align with Pakistan.
While voicing concern and deep sorrow over the killing of Burhan Wani, Sharif had said the massacre of citizens by Indian forces and use of brutal force against Kashmir is regrettable.
He was referring to the death of people in Kashmir in clashes with security forces, post Wanis killing.
Unarmed Kashmiris cannot be deterred from their rightful struggle for self determination at gunpoint and that the right to self determination was justified by UN resolutions, Sharif had said.
Pakistans envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi met Under Secretary General Edmond Mullet, the Chef de Cabinet of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon here and pushed for the probe, according to a press release issued by the Pakistani Mission to the UN yesterday.
At the United Nations, Pakistan called for an independent and transparent inquiry into the extra judicial killings in Indian occupied Kashmir, calling the situation there a grave threat to peace and security, it said.
A 48-year-old businessman from Pune, who shot into the limelight after buying a gold shirt worth over Rs one crore some years back, was allegedly bludgeoned to death in front of his son, police said on Friday.
Datta Phuge, the businessman from the industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad in the district, had become the talk of the town after he presented himself a gold shirt weighing about 3.5 kg and worth Rs 1.27 crore in 2012.
At least 12 persons attacked Phuge at an open ground in Dighi area here at around 11.30 PM last night with stones and a sharp weapon, killing him on the spot.
As per preliminary information, Phuge and his son were invited by one of the suspects, who know each other, to celebrate a birthday. However, we are investigating how Phuge reached the open ground where he was murdered, Dighi police station inspector Navnath Ghogare said.
Phuges 22-year-old son, who too had reached the spot following a similar birthday invitation and witnessed his fathers murder, was spared by the attackers, police said.
Datta Phuge, the husband of a former corporator from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, was into money lending and chit fund business.
Police suspect that some dispute over a money transaction could be the reason behind the gory murder.
We have detained four persons and suspect that dispute over a money transaction between them could be the motive behind his murder, said Ghogare.
In 2012, Phuge presented himself the glittering shirt made out of gold and as per the local jeweller who had crafted the piece, as many as 15 goldsmiths from Bengal had worked for 16 hours a day over a period of two weeks to make the shirt ordered by him.
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Canada has a universal system of public healthcare. Most doctors in Canada seek to be very professional in the delivery of healthcare services. But, there's one particular doctor who appears to have little if any respect for basic respect for facilitating the active treatment of patients toward their recovery. It is apparent that doctor in Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum who has been based in Toronto's Mount Sinai, but has established a practice out in Victoria, is not one of these doctors -- prospective future patients beware.
"Rude, arrogant, over-books his patients to the point that his office should have a revolving door because you're in one minute and out the next. Will give you only a minute for your appointment but book you in to see him at least 3 X a week so he gets the visit billing but does nothing for your illness. After seeing him a half dozen times, and his misdiagnosis from the beginning, he tells me, as he is escorting me to the front reception, that I now have full-blown RA and will just have to "live with it". I asked him how long 'till I am unable to walk at all and he announces in a loud voice, in front of everyone in the waiting area, that if I was going to have that kind of negative attitude, I would have to get another doctor. So, I said, "You got it buddy, YOU'RE FIRED!", and I got referred to Dr. de Champlain, who is ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL and the RA is now under control and I am dancing, running, and generally doing everything that I could do before the onset of this disease." This is an excerpt of some of the reviews that were posted on RateMDS.com by patients of Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum.
The medical profession is such that a patient is always expected and required to trust a doctor and the doctor on the other hand is bound by law to keep all interactions with his patients private. However, from the review posted by this disgruntled patient with RA, Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum simply made their private conversation public by letting his ego get the better of him right at the reception where others were also waiting to have a day to forget with him. Secrecy and privacy within the medical profession with regards to a patients medical condition is a must which is enshrined rules and regulations governing the work of all medical practitioners. However, this is a rule that Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum flouts with impunity time after time.
Rudeness is personality trait that doctors and for that matter all medical professionals are required to do away with the moment they decide to enter into noble field of medical profession. It is therefore quite unfortunate that Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum was unable to shed his rudeness during his training which has seen him carry out his medical duties with a level of rudeness that is never part of the medical profession. It can also be seen that it all stems from the fact that Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum has very little time for his patients even though he is the same person who sees to it that they are over-booked in order to get his visit billing. Providing a patient with ample time within which to help him or her come to terms with whatever ailment he or she is suffering from has always been the bane of the medical profession but sadly enough Dr. Tenenbaum does not have such time at his disposal as he is always seen to be in a rush to get patients into his consulting room.
How can a professional doctor help a patient to understand his or her medical condition in less than two minutes? This is a question that only Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum can answer. Rudeness and arrogance are two behavioural practices that never bring about anything good and so for a doctor to be able to combine them in dealing with a patients medical condition in less than two minutes is something very commendable. This goes on to show that Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum really does not have any value for the lives of those who find space within their heavy schedules to visit his consulting room.
The least said about Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum the better it would be for the image of the medical profession as his behaviour is constantly in contrasting that expected of a medical practitioner. When a doctor decides to put the lives of his patients in jeopardy as a result of his personal behavioural traits then all well-meaning individuals need to be really concerned. It is about time that Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum is made well aware of the fact that human lives are of utmost importance than whatever salary he takes home even if he decides to work for a century. Human life is just priceless and as such shouldnt be joked with at all regardless of whom you are.
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 -- Donald Trump today confirmed he has chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee made the announcement on his Twitter account Friday morning, adding that he plans a news conference tomorrow at 11 a.m. New York time.
Trump had planned to make the announcement more formally this morning, but Thursday night he tweeted that he was postponing the event because of the horrible Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, France.
Pence, who is considered a staunch social conservative, served in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2013 before becoming governor. He voted for the 2002 farm bill, but he supported President George W. Bushs unsuccessful veto of the 2008 version. Bush argued that the 2008 bill spent too much.
Trying to keep up with what 2016 candidates are saying about ag & energy issues? We cover it on Agri-Pulse. Sign up today for a four-week free trial subscription.
Former Indiana Farm Bureau President Don Villwock calls Pence a dream candidate for agriculture. He says Pence understands and supports renewable fuels and is scale neutral when it comes to the livestock industry. At the same time, Pence has worked hard to promote smaller-scale producers and rural development and worked on immigration reform when he was in Congress, Villwock says.
He is a good listener and seeks input on issues from all commodity groups, Villwock says.
#30
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WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has tapped Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, much to the delight of those who have in worked with Pence on ag issues.
Trump made the announcement on Twitter Friday morning, saying he was pleased to add Pence, a one-term governor and six-term congressman, to the GOP ticket. A news conference is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Pence has yet to address his new status publicly, but filed on Thursday to withdraw from the Indiana Governors race.
Don Villwock, who recently retired after more than a decade as president of the Indiana Farm Bureau, says hes been impressed in his dealings with Pence, both as a governor and a congressman.
He is truly agriculture's dream candidate, Villwock said of Pence in an email to Agri-Pulse. Villwock described himself as a big Mike Pence fan, adding that Pence understood and supported many facets of agriculture from small farms to large agribusinesses. He is a good listener and seeks input on issues from all commodity groups, Villwock said.
Jane Ade Stevens, CEO of the Indiana Corn Growers Association, Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance, also speaks well of Pence. In a statement, she said Pence has been a good leader for Indiana agriculture during his time at the Statehouse.
We are pleased Donald Trump has chosen a running mate with an understanding of Middle America, she added.
National Cattlemens Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall concurred, telling the Oklahoma Farm Report that during Pences time on the House Agriculture Committee, he and NCBA had a good relationship.
He was very engaged and willing to help us on several things, Woodall said. We're encouraged it's somebody (with) their hand on the pulse of agriculture and really probably knows what end of the cow does what."
Pence, who had previously endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz before the Indiana primary, served in the House from 2001-2012 before a successful run for governor. House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Conaway, R-Texas, called Pence a rock-solid guy, but he pointed out out that his opinions on agriculture may have evolved since he left Congress.
Hes now been governor of an ag-centric state, and I think hell have a little different perspective on how important good policy is than he may have when he was just a member of Congress, Conaway told reporters on Thursday.
Rep, Jackie Walorski, an Indiana Republican, added that the prospect of having someone from her home state on a presidential ticket is exciting.
I think he represented the state of Indiana well here, she told Agri-Pulse. Anybody that represents Indiana knows the value of ag and how important it is to the country.
In 2002, Pence voted in favor of the farm bill, but supported President George W. Bushs veto effort of the 2008 bill. Bush said the bill spent too much, but his veto was ultimately overridden in a 317-109 vote in the House.
On the Renewable Fuel Standard, a policy that Trump supports, Pence voted in favor of the original 2005 legislation that created the program, but voted against the 2007 bill that created the current version of the RFS.
Pence also worked on immigration reform during his time in Washington and has been in favor of stricter border control measures. He was also among the group of governors seeking to bar Syrian refugees from their states.
Still, Pence criticized Trump in December, when the candidates proposed Muslim ban was drawing ire from all directions. Pence tweeted that calls to ban Muslims are offensive and unconstitutional, but Trump stuck to his guns on the proposed ban, expending it to geographic areas where terrorism is more prevalent.
The biggest gap between Trump and Pence may be on trade. Pence has been a strong supporter of trade agreements, voting in favor of the Korean Free Trade Agreement in 2011 and the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR CAFTA) in 2005.
In April of 2015, Pence sent a letter to Indianas congressional delegation urging them to support Trade Promotion Authority, which gives a president the authority to negotiate trade agreements and submit them to Congress for an amendment-free, up or down vote. TPA has since been approved, and the administration has wrapped up negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement with Pacific Rim countries. The administration is also in the process of negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union.
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In his letter, Pence urged support of the trade deals, saying they would greatly benefit Indiana.
I can tell you first-hand that TPP and T-TIP provide an abundance of opportunities for Indiana businesses and will help to grow jobs in our state, he told the lawmakers. Trump has spoken strongly against TPP and trade agreements more broadly, suggesting the U.S. should only enter into bilateral trade talks.
Pence was chosen over presumed contenders Newt Gingrich and Chris Christie.
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The H135 and H145 helicopters play a critical medical transport role in the United Kingdom, being well-equipped to meet the specific needs of a medical-based mission. Three air ambulance charities share their experiences.
When responding to patients who are in life-threatening situations, it is essential that every aspect of our service provides the very best chance for the patient to survive. Every minute matters, so we need a reliable aircraft that is quick to deploy and has a fast cruise speed so that we can reach the patient and transfer them to hospital quickly, while also being smooth and stable in flight to prevent the patients condition from deteriorating, says Hare. The additional requirement of having an aircraft with sufficient endurance to enable us to respond to the next patient resulted in us choosing the H135.
Further north in county Yorkshire is the headquarters of
The
Although located at opposite ends of England, the large counties of Devon and Yorkshire share much geography in common: hills, moors, forests, coasts and beach. Small villages dot the countryside, some so geographically remote that, when a medical emergency occurs or a patient needs to reach medical care, prompt access to transportation is of the essence.
Helicopters play a critical medical transport role in these two counties in both emergency and non-emergency also known as air ambulance situations. Air ambulance is a form of public transport in which patients, often fairly sick, are transported from one hospital or location to another. Helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) refers to missions where life is at risk.
The vital role of the helicopter in medical situations scales to the entire United Kingdom, where a fleet of 37 helicopters provide the primary pre-hospital medical transport service according to the
Many helicopter operators perform both of these services, including all 19 of the AAAs members. Among them is the East Anglian Air Ambulance, based in Cambridge, which was
Three operators, two helicopters
Devon Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance have fleets comprised entirely of Airbus helicopters two H135s for Devon, two H145s for Yorkshire, and two H145s for East Anglian. These air ambulance charities are far from alone, as worldwide the
When we first bought the H135 in 2008, we asked ourselves how we could best meet the needs of the patient, says Nigel Hare, operations director at Devon Air Ambulance , a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) and air ambulance operator serving Englands south western county of Devon.When responding to patients who are in life-threatening situations, it is essential that every aspect of our service provides the very best chance for the patient to survive. Every minute matters, so we need a reliable aircraft that is quick to deploy and has a fast cruise speed so that we can reach the patient and transfer them to hospital quickly, while also being smooth and stable in flight to prevent the patients condition from deteriorating, says Hare. The additional requirement of having an aircraft with sufficient endurance to enable us to respond to the next patient resulted in us choosing the H135.Further north in county Yorkshire is the headquarters of Yorkshire Air Ambulance , likewise a HEMS and air ambulance operator, which recently received its second twin-engine H145 on July 13 at the Farnborough International Air Show The H145 performs well with near 360-degree visibility for a HEMS pilot who needs to get into tight, small sites near where casualties need to be evacuated, says Yorkshire Air Ambulance chief pilot Andrew Lister.Although located at opposite ends of England, the large counties of Devon and Yorkshire share much geography in common: hills, moors, forests, coasts and beach. Small villages dot the countryside, some so geographically remote that, when a medical emergency occurs or a patient needs to reach medical care, prompt access to transportation is of the essence.Helicopters play a critical medical transport role in these two counties in both emergency and non-emergency also known as air ambulance situations. Air ambulance is a form of public transport in which patients, often fairly sick, are transported from one hospital or location to another. Helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) refers to missions where life is at risk.The vital role of the helicopter in medical situations scales to the entire United Kingdom, where a fleet of 37 helicopters provide the primary pre-hospital medical transport service according to the UK Association of Air Ambulances (AAA), the organisation representing 20 UK air ambulance organisations.Many helicopter operators perform both of these services, including all 19 of the AAAs members. Among them is the East Anglian Air Ambulance, based in Cambridge, which was the first air ambulance service to save lives with the H145 in the UK in 2015.Devon Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance have fleets comprised entirely of Airbus helicopters two H135s for Devon, two H145s for Yorkshire, and two H145s for East Anglian. These air ambulance charities are far from alone, as worldwide the H135 and H145 account for over 40 percent of the HEMS market.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance chief pilot Lister says their new H145s are modern and easy to fly with a small footprint: Flying is a dream. The Helionix software to me, as a new end user, is intuitive and does what you want it to do. Very quickly I found myself engaging the higher levels of the autopilot.
Steve Rush, a Devon Air Ambulance pilot with 24 years of flying experience, describes a similar experience with the H135: The H135 feels like it was built around the pilot. When you sit in it and put your hands down to where they naturally want to be to fly, thats where the controls are and the aircraft is wrapped around your comfortably. Its a swift process to get aircraft started and online. We can get airborne in a time frame not limited by the aircraft..
Both aircraft are likewise well equipped to meet the unique needs of a medical-based mission performed in challenging landscapes.
Devons various landscapes provide different challenges. The H135 is well equipped for landing in confined areas thanks to its small footprint, or land in marshes or sandy beaches with the bear paws. The cockpit visibility from where the pilot sits is very good, says Rush.
The H145 is a larger aircraft with better endurance and a longer range than were used to, which helps us cover Yorkshires 5 million acres, but the overall footprint is small enough for reaching patients in tight areas, adds Lister.
Speaking in 2015, East Anglian Air Ambulance medical consultant, Dr. Jeremy Mauger, commented, The H145 has more space, better equipment, and is smoother than I had imagined. He adds, The loading with the new stretcher worked superbly and we were able to make a significant difference in the care of that patient.
Charity services for the local communities
Devon Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance share another thing in common besides flying Airbus helicopters: much of their air ambulance services are charity based.
Devon Air Ambulance for example started as a local community charity to raise funds to provide a medical resource that could respond more quickly in certain cases than a land ambulance could. They flew their first mission in 1992.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance chief pilot Lister says their new H145s are modern and easy to fly with a small footprint: Flying is a dream. The Helionix software to me, as a new end user, is intuitive and does what you want it to do. Very quickly I found myself engaging the higher levels of the autopilot.Steve Rush, a Devon Air Ambulance pilot with 24 years of flying experience, describes a similar experience with the H135: The H135 feels like it was built around the pilot. When you sit in it and put your hands down to where they naturally want to be to fly, thats where the controls are and the aircraft is wrapped around your comfortably. Its a swift process to get aircraft started and online. We can get airborne in a time frame not limited by the aircraft..Both aircraft are likewise well equipped to meet the unique needs of a medical-based mission performed in challenging landscapes.Devons various landscapes provide different challenges. The H135 is well equipped for landing in confined areas thanks to its small footprint, or land in marshes or sandy beaches with the bear paws. The cockpit visibility from where the pilot sits is very good, says Rush.The H145 is a larger aircraft with better endurance and a longer range than were used to, which helps us cover Yorkshires 5 million acres, but the overall footprint is small enough for reaching patients in tight areas, adds Lister.Speaking in 2015, East Anglian Air Ambulance medical consultant, Dr. Jeremy Mauger, commented, The H145 has more space, better equipment, and is smoother than I had imagined. He adds, The loading with the new stretcher worked superbly and we were able to make a significant difference in the care of that patient.Devon Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and East Anglian Air Ambulance share another thing in common besides flying Airbus helicopters: much of their air ambulance services are charity based.Devon Air Ambulance for example started as a local community charity to raise funds to provide a medical resource that could respond more quickly in certain cases than a land ambulance could. They flew their first mission in 1992.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance similarly owes many of its operations to public donations. Our H145s are essentially owned by the public from contributions donated to the air ambulance cause, says Lister.
The pre-hospital air ambulance sector in the UK is operated predominantly by 20 air ambulance charities working closely with ambulance services who task the aircraft. Only the Scottish Ambulance Service provides a state-funded fleet of aircraft.
Clive Dickin, national director of the AAA comments:
Some countries look on in disbelief that the UK has a charity-funded HEMS fleet, thinking that it is unsustainable or unprofessional. Nothing could be further from the truth. The sector is very well supported and during the 2014/2015 fiscal year raised over 146M which is an amazing feat. Since 1987 when the first charity was established, there has been a constant drive to improve the service through patient focus, which now sees an ever-improving and enhanced fleet of aircraft with increasing and expanding clinical capability. This would not be possible without the continuous and ongoing generous support of the charities' supporters.
The AAA recently worked with the UK Treasury to acquire more funds to support air ambulances, something that has allowed many operators to extend or renew operations and aircraft.
This financial independence is a source of pride for many operators. We are not reliant on other organisations, says Hare of Devon Air Ambulance. If we know there is a particular type of treatment we need to provide or equipment to carry, we can do that if thats what the patient needs.
As always for these helicopter users, the patient comes first.
Medias:
July 15, 2016
Baghdad The Iraqi protest movement, calling for eliminating the sectarian quota system and forming a government of technocrats, held a massive protest in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad July 15 to revitalize the protest movement that seemed to have lost some of its momentum over the past two months.
On July 7, Ahmed Abdul Hussein, a member of the coordination committee of the Mustamerroun movement (We Will Not Back Down) stated on his Facebook page that a meeting was held between the leaders of the coordination committee formed of liberals and leftists on the one hand, and Muqtada al-Sadr, the young Shiite cleric and head of the Sadrist movement, on the other hand.
Hussein explained that the meeting assessed the situation of the social movement and discussed new and peaceful ways to pressure the government to implement the protesters' demands.
The protests started in Iraq on July 31, 2015, under the leadership of young men calling for a secular state. However, at its onset, this movement formed alliances with militant groups such as the League of the Righteous and the Imam Ali Battalions. But these two factions soon withdrew from the protest movement and were replaced by masses supporting the Sadrist movement.
In fact, one cannot say that the protest experience in Iraq was perfect. The secular participants had withdrawn from the protests following the accusation of some of the leaders of the coordinating committee of the Mustamerroun movement of identifying itself with the Sadrist movement and its leader.
The protest movement in Baghdad and in some provinces is led by the coordinating committee of the Mustamerroun movement, which formed a coalition with the Sadrist movement. Yet, it seems that some activists and intellectuals were annoyed by this rapprochement with Sadrs supporters; they announced July 2 a new protest group calling itself Madaniyoun (Arabic for advocators of civil movement), which includes prominent Iraqi intellectuals.
The group said in a statement that same day that it was formed to prevent the suspension of laws preserving the Iraqi peoples interests, and that the civil movement for reform deviated from its originally set objectives.
It is true that the protest movement committed several mistakes, yet it managed to pressure Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to introduce some reforms, including reducing the number of ministers and dismissing the vice presidents of the republic.
However, the rift among seculars within the protest movement prevented this movement from forming a political entity that can represent it in the government or the parliament.
Athir al-Jassour, a political science professor at Mustansiriya University in Baghdad, told Al-Monitor, Protesters need to form a unified [political movement] that represents them and raises their demands, since the demands raised by the protest movement ongoing for a year now are falling on deaf ears.
He said, We have been repeatedly calling for forming a political movement, which may take part in the political decision-making process and represent the masses in the parliament. Since the outbreak of the protest movement on July 31, 2015, [and to this date] there is no political party representing the protesters who took to the streets to call for reforming the government.
But so far, it seems that the protest movement led by the young leftist and liberal Iraqis has yet to establish a political party or movement. This is still an idea under consideration.
Yasser al-Salem, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and a member of the coordinating committee of the Mustamerroun movement, told Al-Monitor, So far, the idea of an electoral alliance for objective considerations is not being discussed. Elections will require the complete liberation of the Iraqi territory from the Islamic State and the conditions required for holding elections must be met, including electing a new board of the Independent High Electoral Commission and amending the electoral law that favors influential forces.
He said, The forces and figures taking part in the protest movement must be well aware that it is very necessary and crucial for the forces calling for reform to take part in the [parliamentary] elections and achieve good results. I expect or I am rather sure that we will witness the formation of an important civil electoral bloc that will have an acceptable impact in the next parliamentary elections.
But can a civil bloc participate in the elections by forming a coalition with the Sadrist movement, especially since this is disputed among the secular members of this bloc?
In this regard, Salem said, The alliance between the civilians and the Sadrists is not on the table yet, despite the convergence of the demands raised in the protests. I think it is too early to answer this question, especially since there is a clear difference between the civil movement and the Sadrist movement.
Journalist Ammar al-Sawad, who had attended the meetings for the formation of the Madaniyoun group, told Al-Monitor, Members of the protest movements including the Madaniyoun group may in the medium term take part in political action.
He added, The protest movements include figures that have criticized the authority and who have a clean slate, questioning the Iraqi streets capacity to elect new figures other than those affiliated with the current political parties. But this situation may change in the medium or long term.
However, Jassour said, If the protest movement remains limited to actions on the streets and keeps storming fortified areas such as the Green Zone, it will face a fierce opposition by the authority and its demands will be delayed. The protest movement must arrange its ranks to produce a political project that represents it and expresses its demands.
July 15, 2016
The battle in the northern Sinai Peninsula between the Egyptian military and extremist groups is still raging amid talk about development and the parliament agreeing to the government's plan to carry out King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud's development plan for Sinai. Sheikh Naeem Gabr, the general coordinator for the Tribes of North Sinai Coalition, spoke to Al-Monitor in an exclusive interview concerning the tribes' stance on the battle, as well as his assessment of Salman's plan for developing Sinai and how the military curfew hinders any attempts at development.
Gabr stressed that both Muslims and Christians have been targeted by recent attacks, in an attempt by radical groups to "undermine stability." While he commended the Saudi plan for developing the region, he pointed out that it does not include the areas in the northern part of the peninsula that are witnessing the fiercest battles. He stressed the importance of development, calling it "the greatest weapon against terrorism."
The tribal leader expressed his view that the region's parliamentarians were not effectively securing support for their constituents, saying, "They must use their authorities as members of parliament for the good of the governorate."
The full text of the interview follows:
Al-Monitor: Bayt al-Maqdis announced it was claiming responsibility for the killing of Reverend Rafael Moussi. Is this event an indicator that the organization is targeting Copts in northern Sinai?
Gabr: The organization has been targeting Copts for a long time, whether in el-Arish or Shaykh Zuwaid. This event is not the first of its kind in Sinai, nor will it be the last.
Al-Monitor: The phenomenon of Copts emigrating from Sinai out of fear of being targeted continues. Has the state not succeeded in coping with this phenomenon?
Gabr: The Copts in el-Arish have known for a long time that they are being targeted. It isnt that the state has failed in defending them, for it is very difficult to protect every Copt in northern Sinai. Rather, Copts must exercise caution and deliberation, as this organization wants to stir confusion and tarnish the image of the state. And so I urge Copts not to emigrate from northern Sinai; the solution is not to abandon [their] home to extremists, for this organization targets Christians and Muslims both. It seeks to undermine stability.
Al-Monitor: Parliament approved the government's plan to carry out King Salman's program. What's your assessment of that plan, which is divided into two parts: establishing a university and side-road projects?
Gabr: The plan encompasses all regions of Sinai, not only the north. This is a good thing, but the inflamed regions in northern Sinai, those which are witnessing the skirmishes between the army and the extremists, are absent from this plan. It's necessary to provide for development in those areas, for development is the greatest weapon against terrorism.
Al-Monitor: Are there projects needed by the Sinai governorate that the government has ignored, which aren't covered by King Salman's program?
Gabr: Interest in bringing water to all regions of Sinai is a must, as well as bringing back the railway project that would connect Al-Wadi Al-Jadid with Rafah, which halted shortly after it was begun. Also, [we] must focus on agricultural development and cultivating the rich soil available in the governorate.
Al-Monitor: With the passage of the fourth straight year of military curfew in Sinai, does this hinder investment projects?
Gabr: Absolutely. The curfew prevents any efforts at development in Sinai. Residents cannot walk about after 4 p.m., and transportation grinds to a complete halt. How can development investment projects succeed [like that]? How can life in Sinai simply come to a halt in the afternoon? The curfew gives terrorists the opportunity to move about inside the governorate freely, and before we talk about development we must provide two important elements now absent from Sinai: communications and transportation.
Al-Monitor: Does the ongoing curfew conflict with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisis statements during his interview on a television program last month that terrorism affects no more than 3% of Sinais surface area?
Gabr: The curfew prevents citizens in Sinai from aiding the armed forces in informing on any foreign elements in their area, for they are [trapped] inside their homes. The state should reconsider the issue of the curfew that it is imposing on northern Sinai.
Al-Monitor: Most Egyptians believe that terrorism afflicts every inch of Sinai. How can the government succeed in reassuring Egyptians, and the rest of the world, that it doesn't exceed 3%?
Gabr: Terrorism isn't a geographic area; it's an idea. That idea is spread throughout all governorates of Egypt. Focusing exclusively on Sinai is deeply unfair to [us]. The government must stop repeating that Egypt is fighting terrorism, for it is harming tourism and preventing any tourist from coming to Egypt. The entire world is confronting terrorism, but no one else talks like this. The second issue concerns the way in which information is provided on the battle between the armed forces and the extremists, so that the world will believe us. Namely, there must be transparency without either exaggerating or minimizing events.
Al-Monitor: Do you agree with Sisi's statements that a change is taking place in Sinai, following the neglect it suffered?
Gabr: Development will not happen in Sinai without the participation of its native sons. We are ready to cooperate with any investor by providing lands, free of charge, where tribes are currently squatting without documentation. But the tribes are in total control of these lands. Meanwhile the state says that it will begin [working on] development, but we are waiting for this to be implemented on the ground, and not in mere rhetoric.
Al-Monitor: Sisi stressed that development operations in Sinai will not end for at least two years. Is this long enough to bring about development in the governorate?
Gabr: Development in Sinai isn't contingent upon a limited amount of time, but rather upon providing security. It is very difficult to define the implementation of this because the battle between armed forces and the extremist gangs is still ongoing. However, even in spite of that, the reconstruction of Sinai must continue even if terrorism persists for a long period of time. And that's because the absence of development in Sinai is what creates terrorism inside of the governorate, for the residential vacuum and the absence of infrastructure serves as the genesis for the wells of terrorism in Sinai.
Al-Monitor: Where do the tribes in northern Sinai stand concerning the battle between the armed forces and the takfiri gangs?
Gabr: Sinai's local inhabitants, in all [Egypt's] wars, have always taken honorable positions. The truth is that there are more tribesmen who have been killed in service to the homeland than army soldiers who have died in Sinai, but the state doesnt announce the names of those martyrs who hail from the tribes of Sinai. Therefore, I call on the state to announce the [names of] those who have sacrificed and the martyrs, the sons of Sinai. The truth is that, at the present moment, there is a chasm separating the tribes from the state. The tribes are no longer relied upon in the battle as used to happen in the past. Coordinating between the state and the tribes guarantees that foreign elements will not exist in Sinai. There must be cooperation with the tribal sheikhs, and not [only] the youth, for recently the tribal sheikhs and leaders have been marginalized, and [the state] relied on a group of youths who had no experience.
Al-Monitor: How does parliament play a role in securing the demands of Sinai's local inhabitants?
Gabr: Parliament formed a parliamentary committee to visit northern Sinai, but the visit was delayed. [However], the demands of the people of Sinai are clear and don't require parliamentary visits. There are members of the house of representatives who hail from this governorate who know our demands well. The first of them is the repudiation of [forced] dislocation, providing all services in Sinai, the need to cooperate better with the [ordinary] local inhabitant of Sinai. Locals harbor security fears despite the fact that terrorism happens in all of Egypt's governorates. After all, the former prosecutor general, Hisham Barakat, was not killed in Sinai, but in Cairo.
Al-Monitor: How do you evaluate the parliament's performance toward the governorate and its demands?
Gabr: I have met with representatives from northern Sinai many times. They told me that they are exerting tremendous efforts to demand that the government and the various ministries [bring] development to Sinai and provide services to its people. But they have not been heeded by officials. The ministries always make excuses that the armed forces are responsible for everything, large and small, in Sinai. In truth, I'm not satisfied with the performance of the representatives from northern Sinai. They must offer services and secure the demands of the locals, and not surrender. They must use their authorities as members of parliament for the good of the governorate.
July 14, 2016
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Considered as a pillar of social stability, tribal and customary courts hold an important position among Palestinian families when it comes to settling conflicts and ending long-standing disputes between them. Plaintiffs and right holders prefer to bring their cases before tribal councils because of their speed, issuing their rulings within a few days or weeks. Official courts usually take longer, sometimes years, to decide on a case.
Tribal courts normally consist of several parties, none of whom holds an official status. Arbitrators (muhakkim) are one such party who, because of their extensive knowledge in tribal laws, play the role of a judge. An elder (mukhtar) is the person who represents a family that is party to the conflict at the tribal council, and conciliators (rajul islah) are a group of people who attempt to resolve the dispute peacefully to prevent litigant families from pursuing a vendetta. Each family holds elections on a regular basis to choose an elder from among the family members.
Ahmad Zaareb, the elder of the Zaareb family in the Gaza Strip, told Al-Monitor, Tribal courts [use] a set of rules and customs established by ancestors when their tribes were governed by tribal customs. This set of rules aimed to resolve disputes peacefully in order to avoid bloodshed that in turn would entail a vendetta. These rules and customs were transmitted by one generation to another, forming a way of life for families in the past.
Describing how tribal courts work, Zaareb said, When a problem involving two families arises, conciliators are immediately brought in to meet with the two families elders, in the house of one of the family elders brokering the reconciliation, to prevent any violent reaction by other family members. Conciliators then demand a three-day truce [hudna] so they can call upon arbitrators to hold a tribal court with the aim of resolving the dispute peacefully.
Zaareb explained that the defendant family offers the claimant family a sum of 5,000 Jordanian dinars ($7,000) called atwa or minha, as acceptance of the truce and promise to refrain from any vengeful act before solving the dispute peacefully.
Throughout this period [three-day truce], the tribal court holds sessions during which arbitrators first listen to a representative from the claimant family and then to that of the defendant family. Arbitrators subsequently issue their rulings, which are usually severe and costly in order to bring justice to the family of the victim, he said.
Zaareb said that the rulings and sentences issued by arbitrators in tribal courts differ from those of the official courts, which usually sentence the aggressor to prison. In this regard, Zaareb said, Tribal courts do not imprison the defendant. Instead they impose financial compensations. For example, if a man attacked another, tribal courts order the attacker to pay 1,000 Jordanian dinars for every step he took from his house to the victims home, which serves as deterrent punishment for the assailant.
The aggressor has to pay this amount to the victim. If he suffers economic hardship, he might have to sell his property or his wifes jewelry, or borrow the amount from his relatives. Usually this payout is used by the victim for the treatment of physical or material damages that resulted from the assault. If the victim was not seriously injured, according to the custom, the victim has to return said amount to the aggressor after several years, should the latter prove significant remorse for his action and show respect for the victim.
In murder cases, tribal customs cannot resolve the conflict without bloodshed. This is why they encourage recourse to formal justice to punish the murderer who may be sentenced to death. However, should the family of the victim decide to forgive the killer, it would be through tribal courts, which order the killer to pay a fine called 'diyya' of 35,000 Jordanian dinars to finalize the pardon and reconcile the two families, Zaareb said.
In tribal courts, the conciliators role consists of brokering a mediation between the disputing families to resolve the dispute peacefully. The head of the conciliation department at the Palestinian Scholars League a nongovernmental organization in the field of tribal courts Salem Salamah, told Al-Monitor, The league includes 500 conciliators who are carefully selected by the leagues board members. On a personal level, they are individuals characterized by a sense of virtue and discretion. Furthermore, conciliators are high-status, trustworthy and respected people among families. They should also have extensive knowledge in the customary rules and traditions of Palestinian families.
Salamah explained that conciliators significantly contribute to reducing the large number of cases brought before official courts by resolving them in tribunal courts. He said that formal justice suffers from a large number of pending cases, with only 45 judges dealing with the cases and complaints of nearly 2 million people in Gaza.
Salamah added that tribal courts in Palestine are more prestigious than official ones given the fact that they derive their power and significance from inherited traditions and customs. Moreover, the rulings issued by arbitrators in tribal courts cannot be overturned due to the high esteem these individuals enjoy in the public eye, which makes the tribal judgments equal to official judgments issued by regular courts.
Salamah said the reconciliation department he heads successfully resolved 13,500 disputes through tribal councils in 2015. These disputes varied in nature and included murders, thefts, aggressions and family quarrels.
On Jan. 22, 1979, the Palestinian National Council in Amman decreed the establishment of the General Directorate of Tribal Affairs and Conciliation, which was the first official Palestinian body to be entrusted with organizing tribal jurisdiction. In March 2005, this institution was affiliated to the Palestinian Ministry of Interior.
The director general of the directorate, Hussein al-Sarhi, told Al-Monitor that his directorate was established to organize tribal jurisdiction through monitoring and following up on all conciliation committees and clans in the Gaza Strip, ensuring that they are operating within the framework of tribal law. The directorate issues conciliators special ID cards to simplify their tasks at all governmental and nongovernmental institutions.
The head of Gazas Court of Appeal, Omar Nofal, told Al-Monitor, Although the judgments of tribal courts are separate from those of the regular judiciary, they are respected by formal courts and seen as binding should they be approved by both litigants.
He added, Any of the conflicting parties may challenge the decision and has a right of appeal. This is when two different arbitrators issue the new judgment, which is binding for both litigants." He stressed that regular courts are in charge of enforcing the decision of the tribal courts.
Despite the exorbitant punishments imposed on the families of the aggressor as per the tribal decisions, aggressors find themselves eventually bound to pay such large amounts to spare the blood of their family members against any acts of retaliation, which could be even more violent than the assault itself. Thus, tribal courts are viewed as an effective means to preserve peace in the Gaza Strip.
July 14, 2016
A year after Iran signed a landmark nuclear accord, a key measure of whether it will succeed a procedure to monitor Iranian procurement of nuclear and so-called dual-use materials and services has yet to be seriously tested.
Mark Hibbs, a senior associate in the Nuclear Policy Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Al-Monitor that a company seeking to transfer to Iran a sensitive item for display at a trade fair had submitted an application to the Procurement Working Group earlier this year. However, the application was withdrawn, he said, because it could not be processed in time for the exhibition. Hibbs did not identify the item.
The working group also conducted a trial run late last year before the nuclear agreement went into full implementation on Jan. 16, Hibbs said.
Asked for comment, an Obama administration official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, "The working group has been putting processes in place to help ensure that the channel will work effectively. We are confident that it will, but can always make changes as needed once proposals start to come in."
The working group includes representatives of Iran and the other six nations that negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany plus a coordinator from the European Union. They meet in Vienna every three weeks and also communicate electronically.
Companies that want to sell Iran technology, services or materials that are on United Nations lists as nuclear-related or having potential military as well as civilian use must submit detailed applications that explain the purpose of the items and their end user.
Typically, the applications are first vetted by export control and proliferation experts in the companies' home countries before being submitted to the working group, which then has 30 days to make a ruling. Any member of the group can veto an application.
The US official called the panel "a very new idea, a new creation" and said working group members had been doing extensive outreach to countries to walk them through all of this. A number of states are readying proposals," the official added. "They're just trying to dot the i's and cross the t's."
Nuclear experts outside the US government have raised a number of questions about how the procurement channel will function.
Hibbs told Al-Monitor that given Iran's long history of aggressive covert procurement of materials and machinery for its nuclear and missile programs, one of two situations was possible: "Either Iran is cheating or Iran has successfully and fully restrained the people running the nuclear program and there is no procurement for it."
The Obama administration has found no evidence so far of cheating. The slowness in applications to the channel could be due to several factors including organizational and financial issues in Iran and some confusion in foreign countries about how the new procedure will work.
In Iran, for example, the Atomic Energy Organization is in charge of procuring nuclear materials. Initially, Iran's Foreign Ministry was supposed to sign off on end user statements for non-nuclear dual-use materials. Iran has recently given that responsibility to the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade.
Iran's difficulties in accessing foreign reserves and obtaining foreign financing may also be factors in the dearth of applications for expensive goods.
Another question outsiders have raised is how much information about procurement will be shared with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear watchdog that is tasked with monitoring Iran's overall compliance with the JCPOA.
The US official said the IAEA would have access to information about the sale of nuclear materials so that it could carry out its responsibilities to verify their proper use.
Outside experts have also mentioned concerns that Russia and China, which are assisting Iran in reconfiguring nuclear facilities at Fordow and Arak, respectively, might try to provide Iran with additional undeclared materials.
Asked about this, the US official doubted this would be a problem, saying, "The US will have insight into developments in both areas."
Iran's restraint so far contrasts with what Germany's intelligence agency recently described as "intensive procurement activities" in the year leading up to implementation of the JCPOA.
The Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington-based nonproliferation organization, recently reported that Iran had tried to purchase carbon fiber from a foreign source, which the institute did not identify but the New York Times said was Germany.
However, the company turned down the request, so the application never went through the procurement channel.
Iran is allowed to purchase carbon fiber, which has a number of nonmilitary uses, so long as the transaction is approved.
Some analysts have questioned whether 30 days is adequate to vet applications for sensitive materials. Hibbs noted that more than one government would be involved and more than one agency of each member of the working group. "It's going to be a tall order to have those people do all that work within 30 days," he said.
The US official said that as long as the paperwork was in order, the time frame should be sufficient and that negotiators sought to strike a balance between legitimate commerce and security.
"We wanted the business community to use this channel and if we had allowed for a much longer review period, the business community could have been deterred from using it," the official said.
Enforcement is also a potential challenge.
Asked what would happen if Iran was caught trying to purchase a sensitive item outside the channel, the US official said that would depend on what the item was and whether it had actually been delivered.
"The goal is to work through as many of these things as possible rather than to resort to snapback" of all the pre-JCPOA sanctions, the official said. "We still have authorities in place to deal with possible violations in a variety of ways."
Several experts said it made sense for Iran to abide by all the requirements now but wondered what would happen in a few years and whether the international community would maintain the necessary vigilance.
As Kelsey Davenport, the director for Nonproliferation Policy at the Arms Control Association, told Al-Monitor, "The question is, are we in a period where Iran is trying to toe the line to demonstrate compliance early in the agreement and we may see testing of compliance later?"
July 15, 2016
TEHRAN, Iran Since Britains vote to exit the European Union (EU), Iranian media has barely been able to contain its excitement about this historic development. Indeed, many pundits believe the result of the June 23 referendum could positively affect Irans dealings with one of Europes largest economies.
With the exception of the Foreign Ministry, no top Iranian authority has publicly commented on Brexit. Immediately after the vote, the ministry released a statement affirming Iran's policy of expanding ties with all European countries and asserting that Britains decision to leave the EU would not have an impact on its approach. Some middle-ranking officials, however, applauded the leave vote.
Hamid Aboutalebi, President Hassan Rouhanis deputy chief of staff for political affairs, tweeted that Brexit could be a signal that the EU's collapse is imminent, urging Iranian decision-makers to take advantage of the historic opportunity at hand. His comment proves that some, if not all, of the Iranian government sees Brexit as a political or economic opportunity that could strengthen Irans position on the global stage.
Indeed, two days after the Brexit referendum, Donya-e Eqtesad, Iran's leading business daily, which is close to the moderate camp, claimed that a more independent Britain would be more beneficial to Iran than a Britain in the EU, especially given that the bloc has been pressing Tehran for years over its human rights record, among other issues. Some Western analysts share this line of thinking. Compliance attorneys at New York-based Sheppard Mullin told International Business Times that Britain could lift human rights-related sanctions on Iran because the country would no longer be bound by EU decisions in this regard.
Donya-e Eqtesad also argued that Irans energy sector is in desperate need of the presence of British energy giants BP and Royal Dutch Shell for its overhaul and development. This argument sounds persuasive to many experts in Iran, as the UK economy has come under pressure since the vote to leave, putting the country in a weaker position in negotiations with other countries, possibly including Iran. Indeed, a day after the referendum, the BBC warned that demand for sterling would be weaker, British stock markets would plunge, bond yields would further fall, the housing market would slow and investment in the country would drop as a result of the leave vote.
Despite stock markets rebounding sooner than expected, political analysts and economic experts remain concerned that post-Brexit Britain could negatively affect the global economy, which of course includes Iran. The Tabnak news website, however, says Irans economy is too small to be affected either way. The conservative website, which is close to Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei, recently urged Iranian officials to not exaggerate the impact of Brexit on Iran while acknowledging that the vote would undermine the integrity of what it called US-European anti-Iran plans.
The question is whether Iran will be a priority on the United Kingdom's post-Brexit economic agenda, given the poor global economic conditions. Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, the founder of the Europe-Iran Forum business conference series, thinks not. He wrote on June 24 that British executives will have fewer resources to devote to developing opportunities in Iran, especially at the required senior levels.
Academics Saeed Khalouzadeh and Abdoreza Farajirad, professors of international relations at Tehran universities, also believe that Brexit will have little impact on Iran. Khalouzadeh, a diplomat and senior researcher in European studies, told the conservative Fararu news website that it is too soon to comment on the issue, because the Brexit process could last seven to 10 years. Farajirad, a former ambassador to Hungary, said he is certain that Britain will retain its close relationship with the EU, as the union has been a large market for the United Kingdom.
Indeed, according to Britains Office for National Statistics, last year 44% of UK exports of goods and services went to the EU, while 53% of British imports originated in the bloc; UK-EU trade volume was about 500 billion British pounds ($663 billion). Given these figures, if changes were made in Britains $8 billion worth of trade with Iran, it would be insignificant in the short run, according to Ferial Mostofi, the head of the investment panel at the Iran Chamber of Commerce.
Thus, for Iran, it would be prudent to maintain positive relations with both the United Kingdom and the EU, as underlined in the Foreign Ministrys statement, rather than to celebrate the possible collapse of the tyrannical rule of the monarchy and get emotional about Scotland and Northern Ireland potentially seceding to remain in the EU. If anything, it would be a strategic miscalculation for the Rouhani administration to exaggerate its position on Brexit, since a closer relationship with a single European country, even one as prominent as Britain, cannot remedy Irans structural economic and political problems.
Indeed, regardless of Brexit, Britain is very likely to maintain its role on the global stage, somewhere between the United States and Europe when it comes to political engagement with Iran. Given as much, in terms of trade, it is likely that Brexit will help reshape economic relations between London and Tehran, but not in the short run.
July 13, 2016
NAJAF, Iraq Iraqs Shiites are witnessing a political-religious rift in their stance toward Iran whose development can be traced back to 2003. While some express complete loyalty to the Shiite political regime in Tehran, others object to its regional policies, including toward Iraq, and distance from it.
In one example, the predominantly Shiite Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) held a military parade July 1 in Basra. They destroyed US and Israeli flags and burned photos of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud. The march sparked criticism and anger among some Shiites, because the United States has friendly relations with Iraq and is supporting its security forces in their war against the Islamic State (IS). Also, given the state competition in the region, hostility toward Saudi Arabia is not in Iraqs interest.
In a related development, differing attitudes could be detected surrounding the demonstrations on International Quds Day, July 1, essentially reflecting the debate over whether Iraqi Shiites should be affiliated with Iran or pursue interests and priorities different from those of the Tehran government. At Quds Day protests organized by the PMU faction Asaib Ahl al-Haq in Najaf, a religious hub for Shiite clerics, there was no marked presence of clerics. In contrast, in Qom, Najafs religious competitor that receives funding from Iran, a remarkable number of clerics attended the annual protest. Jihad al-Asadi, an instructor in the religious seminary at Najaf, told Al-Monitor, The Najaf seminary does not support any political agenda outside Iraqi national interests.
On July 2, Interior Minister Mohammed al-Ghabban issued an order referring several officers and policemen from the Basra police to an investigative council and implementation of the sanctions cited in the Penal Code of the Internal Security Forces for their participation in the Quds Day protests because of its political nature.
Following the July 3 bombing at the Karrada market, in a predominantly Shiite area of Baghdad, that killed more than 300 people, Shiite activists criticized some Shiites for supposedly having more enthusiasm for International Quds Day than concern about the bomb attack, which produced the highest death toll in the country since the Iraqi invasion. Among those holding such a view is Khudeir Fleih al-Zeidi, an Iraqi author and novelist from Nasiriyah, who told Al-Monitor, Those who celebrated the International Quds Day did not mourn the victims of the attacks. The question is easy: Karrada or Jerusalem?
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Naqaa al-Tamimi, a veterinarian who pursued her studies in Iran, said, Why dont Iranians show solidarity with our plight like the Karrada attack, knowing that we have the same confession, and we welcome them warmly on several yearly religious occasions?
On July 4, apparently pro-Iranian Shiite militias, taking advantage of attention being focused on the aftermath of the Karrada attack, shelled Camp Liberty, where members of the Mujahedeen-e Khalq, an Iranian opposition movement, are housed. The shells also landed in a nearby, predominantly Sunni refugee camp, perhaps by accident, killing three people and injuring 11 others. A prominent cleric from Najaf told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Some armed Shiite groups are only interested in abiding by Iranian orders. Why would Iraq shell the Liberty Camp and kill innocent Iraqis even if by mistake?
As can be gleaned from the clerics remarks, the armed Shiite factions are themselves divided on loyalty to Iran. Al-Aalem al-Jadeed newspaper published what appeared to be an official response from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on the matter of a letter from the leader of Liwa Ansar al-Marjaiya informing Abadi that Abu Mehdi al-Muhandis, the deputy chairman of the PMU, and reportedly Irans most powerful military man in Iraq, had stopped distributing government salaries to armed Shiite factions not connected to Iran. Abadi later ordered an investigation into the salary situation.
Most factions without relations to Iran including Liwa Ansar al-Marjaiya, the Abbas Battle Group, Liwa Ali al-Akbar, the Imam Ali Troop and the Kadhimin Battle Group are affiliated with the Shiite authority in Najaf, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani or Shiite holy shrines under Sistanis supervision. Sajad al-Rabihi, a cleric fighting in the ranks of the Abbas Battle Group, confirmed the cutoff of salaries to Al-Monitor. The issue of divided loyalties, between Iran and Sistani followers, among the Shiite PMU militias had been identified earlier by the United States and appears now to have been confirmed by the salary cutoff.
Some observers believe the pro-Iran current within the PMU is trying to seize control and expel those not in line with Tehran from the movement. In addition to news of the salary cutoff, Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organization, which is close to Iran, and some other PMU militia leaders met with former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on June 27. Amiri praised Maliki, saying, The decision to form the Popular Mobilization Units was Malikis. He has strongly supported them since the beginning.
Amiris statements angered clerics in Najaf, because they contradicted the reality that the militias comprising the PMU began forming after a call by Sistani on June 13, 2014, for Iraqis to take up arms in the wake of IS' capture of Mosul on June 10. Maliki's role consisted of his administration bringing the PMU under some sort of government supervision to coordinate action with the Iraqi national army.
Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Peace Battalion, one of the largest PMU factions, sarcastically dismissed Amir's statements, saying, Malikis alleged Popular Mobilization Units, if they exist, do not represent me or Iraq, highlighting the division in the organization.
The Iranian Fars News Agency published a news brief accompanied by an image of Maliki at his house welcoming Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Iranian Quds Force, for iftar on June 29. Several PMU leaders were also invited. On July 3, Sky News Arabia, citing Iraqi sources, reported that Soleimani had allegedly proposed to Abadi that command of the PMU be given to Maliki. There were no corroborating reports of such a proposal having been made.
Ultimately, it seems, the Shiite division in Iraq revolves around how to organize relations with Iran in terms of pursuing Iranian agendas and building relations with Tehran based on mutual interests as well as Iraqi values and interests.
July 15, 2016
When people face distress and have to wage desperate daily battles for survival that no one in the world can understand, they look for creative ways to raise their heads above the ground and breathe. These words were uttered quietly and with great pain by M., a young Palestinian in the Gaza Strip who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal by Hamas. I found him after receiving, like many Israelis, a personal Facebook appeal to help him raise money for a project he had launched on Indiegogo, a crowdfunding website.
M. had been unemployed for six years and therefore decided to study electrical engineering at the Islamic University of Gaza, hoping that as an engineer he would be able to find work. He completed his studies and got his degree, but after three years he hasnt found a job. Meanwhile, his debts have ballooned and he has no way of paying them. So far, he has raised only a quarter of his target amount. Almost half of his donors are Israelis.
M. is not alone. The idea of appealing personally to Israelis identified as peace lovers came from friends at the Islamic University who had made such appeals in the past. The desperate young people, most of them university graduates, realized that their best chance for easing, albeit marginally, the distress of their daily lives in the besieged Gaza Strip was internet crowdfunding. To their surprise, they found that the most eager donors are the very people considered the enemy and those responsible for their plight Israelis.
There are two groups of fundraisers on the site, M. told me. One group tries to sell unique products and handicrafts made in Gaza, and the other group includes people who reach out for help and hope they will touch the compassionate hearts of people in the world, especially Israelis. I, too, sought help from people to extricate myself from the dire economic straits in which I found myself. Each one in his own way.
Hand Made, one of the many fundraising projects, is the brainchild of a group of female students at the Islamic University. They sell unique, spectacular handmade bags, tops and embroidered artifacts that they make themselves. Like other young Gazans who have discovered the crowdfunding website, they searched Facebook for Israelis who appeared to be peace supporters, according to their postings on the social network. People whose names came up received the following message: We send to you because we see that you support peace. Because of the hard economic situation in Gaza and the high percentage of unemployment we decide to start our own project in order to put our first steps to success.
The response to the Hand Made appeal, so it seems, has often been positive. The project managed to raise $8,400, 34% more than the target amount. Among the 132 donors, 90 are Israelis unconcerned about their names appearing on the Indiegogo projects list of donors.
The students send their products from Gaza by mail through the Israeli Erez checkpoint, after which it goes via the postal service for delivery. Nabil Faraj, the Palestinian in charge of mail from Gaza, coordinates the package shipments with the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, a branch of the Israel Defense Forces.
This is not a political contribution, but first and foremost a humanitarian contribution, said D.K., an Israeli who has funded the project and requested anonymity. Its the least I can do for people suffering behind the fence. Other than that, I get a package with a masterpiece that I show with great excitement to all my friends.
Not all the young Gazans who turn to the crowdfunding network have handicrafts or artworks to offer. Many simply ask for financial assistance to cover debts, buy medications, complete studies and support children. Help Amanis Family is a project launched by Amani Ahmed. It is hard not to be touched by the painful words of a young woman trying to save her disintegrating family: I am Amani Ahmed from the besieged Gaza Strip. I got my degree in business administration three years ago. In the suffocating siege. Life here in the Gaza Strip is very hard.
Ahmed is trying to raise $5,700, for the following: Help my children. Help us meet their needs. I am looking for your generous contributions to help me and my family [to] live as others: $3,500 to pay for debts; $700 for clothes for me and my children and school requirements; $1,500 to build a small project for my family. She has so far managed to raise only $918. Her list of donors also includes the names of many Israelis.
Help Me to a Achieve Dreams Are Stopped by Siege is another funding project. Nabil Abed, 30, wrote that he earned a management engineering degree in 2009, is married and a father of three, but barely makes enough to survive. He promises donors of any amount a message of gratitude, a drawing from his own hand or an imprint of the donors photo on a T-shirt.
I discovered the other side of the Israelis, the good side, S. told Al-Monitor, having raised money the same way. Some of them understand the impossible situation in which we live. I am a young man from Gaza who never did anything bad, I always supported coexistence, but my life and those of my children are drawing to an end. I have a family and children and endless debts. I simply want to live. Is that so hard to understand?
S. said he cannot allow Hamas to discover that he has spoken to Israelis. I promised him I would not name him or his online project, which were his conditions for agreeing to be interviewed.
God bless you, he said at the end of our conversation, and all the Israelis who have a compassionate heart and gave me money. I heard him choking back tears. There are tens of thousands of young people like him in Gaza who have been under lock and key for nine years now.
July 14, 2016
WASHINGTON Warning a UN-backed Syria peace process was nearing the end stage before collapse, Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for three hours in Moscow on July 14 to see if they could reach agreement on a US proposal to deepen US-Russian coordination to target al-Qaedas Syria affiliate, ground the Syrian air force, expand the Syria cease-fire nationwide and make way for resumed Syria political transition talks.
We are here to test again, in what is pretty close to the end stage, of whether this is going to work, a senior State Department official, speaking not for attribution, told journalists flying in with Kerry to Moscow on July 14.
A partial Syria cease-fire negotiated by the United States and Russia in February broke down after about six weeks because of both flagrant regime violations as well as attacks by al-Qaedas Syria affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, the senior State Department official said.
While not as prominent in the breakdown of the cessation as the actions of the regime, [Jabhat al-Nusra forces have] conducted offensives and they've led opposition groups into those offensives and that's led to fighting back and forth, the senior State Department official said.
If we cannot get to a solution that resolves both of those problems [attacks by the regime and Jabhat al-Nusra], we're going to be in a very different place, and the reality is that time is short here, the US official said.
"Let's see what happens in Moscow in the next few hours. Let's hope there is some type of general understanding or progress," UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva on July 14. "I think the next few days are crucial in order to make sure we know where they stand. When the two co-chairs agree on something that helps a lot."
A recent US proposal, published by the Washington Post on July 13, calls for the United States and Russia to establish a Joint Implementation Group to be based near Amman, Jordan, to work together to defeat Jabhat al-Nusra and Daesh [Islamic State] within the context of strengthening the Cessation of Hostilities and supporting the political transition process, the document, titled Terms of Reference for the Joint Implementation Group, states.
It also calls for grounding the Syrian air force, with exceptions for medical evacuation and personnel recovery. The regime is prohibited from flying in designated areas; designated areas include areas of most concentrated Nusra presence, areas of significant Nusra presence, and areas where the opposition is dominant, with some possible Nusra presence, the proposed terms of reference states.
However, the US proposal for deeper US-Russian coordination against Jabhat al-Nusra is controversial within the US administration, with some Pentagon, intelligence and State Department officials expressing doubt the Russians could be trusted to restrain the Syrian regime or not to use the intelligence to target US-backed rebels, given their track record of doing so in the past months.
"Its pretty obvious that their agenda is not 100% aligned with our own," US Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the commander of the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State, told reporters in Baghdad on July 14, Reuters reported. "Id be a little leery about giving too much information to the Russians, but I fully trust that our government officials understand this and know theyll arrive at something that makes sense."
White House officials acknowledge the misgivings but see no other viable approach to try to end the war.
We will not commit indefinitely to diplomacy that does not achieve real results, a US administration official, speaking not for attribution, told Al-Monitor on July 13. We cannot provide political cover for those seeking to pursue a different agenda.
Russia's significant military intervention gives it enormous responsibility for Syria's future, the US official said. It's long past time that Russia decides whether it is serious about advancing such shared objectives in Syria.
Michael Kofman, a Russia military analyst at the Kennan Institute, said Russia understands it ultimately needs US help to advance a negotiated settlement in Syria, but in the meantime it's helping shape events on the ground in a way that strengthens Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, splinters the rebels, and might make a negotiated solution harder to reach.
Russia is at an inflection point in this conflict, Kofman told Al-Monitor in an interview July 13. They had pretty good results [from the] use of force to achieve political ends, but now they are reaching diminishing returns.
He said, Their use of force is not nearly as decisive as before. Approaching the one-year anniversary of the Russian intervention in Syria in September, some of the Russian combat operations [commanders] are wondering, 'What is the way forward here?'
But Russia is still struggling to agree to the proposal Kerry came to discuss, even though they agree on many points, Kofman said.
It is not easy for Russia to promise on behalf of Syria, he said. The second part of this is, there has been a clear objective for Russia, Syria and Iran for many months to cut off the rebel position in Aleppo and surround the city, and they are almost done. The pressure is too strong. Russia is moving the ball incrementally, to the finish line, the encirclement of Aleppo. They almost got there.
Russia intends to shape the [situation on the ground] so when the next US administration gets in, what they find is there are no groups in the conflict acceptable to the US as an alternative to Assad, he said.
July 15, 2016
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Despite recent overtures from Hamas, Saudi Arabia is making it clear it has no intention of forging a relationship with the group.
At the annual anti-Iran regime rally July 9, former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal Al Saud accused Iran of breeding chaos in several Middle Eastern countries by supporting various groups, including Hamas in Palestine.
The Paris rally, organized by the Peoples Mujahedeen of Iran (Mujahedeen-e-Khalq), drew more than 100,000 people, including Western political leaders such as Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca, the former vice president of the European Union, and Philip Crowley, the former US assistant secretary of state.
Faisal said, Iran is adopting hostile policies and establishing sectarian organizations and irregular armies in the name of Islam to serve the interests of its leadership. Iran's policies, followed by the regime of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini since 1979, are based from a constitutional standpoint on the principle of exporting the revolution and violating states policy under the slogan of supporting the weak and the oppressed.
Hamas leader Ahmed Youssef told Al-Monitor that those sudden and shocking statements came in the context of Saudi Arabias rapprochement with Israel within the scope of the existing media war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and attempts by each party to accuse the other of supporting terrorism.
He said, It is likely that Israel has made intelligence and security alliances with some Arab countries, aimed at targeting Iran and the Palestinian resistance." Those Arab countries want to "woo Israel, which has become the most important regional player at the military and political levels.
Youssef believes the region is witnessing a repositioning of stances and alliances. He said, It seems that the current map of the region, after the massive destruction of Arab states such as Syria and Iraq, is taking on a sectarian shape with political and media battles between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Arab region is also witnessing polarizations between its states.
"In this context, Hamas is trying to maintain its independence and not be dragged into the policy of axes, whose effects on the Palestinian cause are disastrous. This is why statements are being issued reflecting the disagreement between this or that party and Hamas.
Youssef said he hopes Saudi Arabia will officially denounce Faisal's statements. But given the alliances in the region, such as the international coalition against the Islamic State and the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia to fight the rebels in Yemen, some analysts believe that will not be the case.
Palestinian political analyst Akram Atallah told Al-Monitor that Faisal is one of the main pillars of the Saudi regime and one of the most influential figures within the royal family. Atallah pointed out that Faisal's statements didn't just appear out of the blue and aren't likely to be denied, given the nature of Saudi Arabias alliances in the region and the much-talked-about Israeli-Turkish rapprochement.
Atallah said, These statements were made at an anti-Iranian regime rally. It seems that Faisal wanted to take an explicit position by attending this influential rally. Faisal wanted to deliver a message to the Iranian opposition that Hamas is allying with a regime that [Saudi Arabia] opposes and that is breeding chaos in the region.
Hamas apparently convinced itself that it had a relationship in good standing with Saudi Arabia, when in fact their ties are severed, he added.
There is no Saudi communication with Hamas. Hamas is delusional to the point that in early April, it talked about a Saudi invitation to a [Hamas] delegation to visit Saudi Arabia at the end of the month. However, this was later denied in the media. This means that Hamas convinced itself that Saudi Arabia is trying to get closer to it. However, the Saudi anti-Hamas position remained unchanged, despite the change of Saudi governments," Atallah said.
He added, At the beginning of the rule of Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud [in January 2015], Saudi Arabia gave the impression that it was changing its position and that Salman could be more open than former Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz toward the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas but it soon readopted its old stances.
Atallah believes that, at the moment, Hamas does not want to upset any of the Arab parties, particularly Saudi Arabia. He explained that Hamas has many enemies in the region and the world, and cannot afford to start new battles, especially since it realizes the economic and media power of the Saudi regime.
Hamas tried to get close to the Saudi regime. It maintained an incomprehensible stance on Operation Decisive Storm in which Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries hit Yemen. Hamas assumed this was a token of friendship offered to Saudi Arabia within the scope of new alliances in the region, Atallah said. I do not think Hamas is in the process of starting any battle against Saudi Arabia, not even in the media, since it knows the Saudi strength and its influence over some of the Arab countries with whom Hamas seeks to establish good relations.
So even though Hamas has made gestures of friendship toward Saudi Arabia and has taken an impartial position on numerous political and military battles waged by Saudi Arabia, the recent Saudi statements about Hamas make it very clear the two have no relationship.
July 14, 2016
BAGHDAD On June 28, the Anbar provincial council voted to dismiss Gov. Suhaib al-Rawi, who is a member of the Iraqi Islamic Party. While the dismissal came as a result of a political conflict within the province, Rawi said he "rejects the decision of his dismissal" as he threatened to "resort to both the law and the judiciary to challenge the Anbar council's vote."
Meanwhile, the Iraqi Islamic Party, headed by former Speaker Ayad al-Samarrai, is trying to restore its presence and regain control over Sunni areas by trying to control the Anbar reconstruction dossier.
For his part, the head of the Sunni Endowment, Diwan Abdul Latif Al-Hamim, who joined the dispute over Sunni areas, is trying to stop the expansion of the Iraqi Islamic Party as he continues to expand his influence there. Al-Masalla website published a report in May showing that each of the aforementioned parties are exploiting their influence on Sunni tribal forces to expand their dominance in Anbar province. Hamim had used the humanitarian crisis plaguing the Sunni province in his favor. However, he is facing major obstacles that have led to a conflict with the Iraqi Islamic Party, as revealed by the leader of the Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, Saleh al-Mutlaq.
Therefore, one can say that the Sunni community in Iraq is becoming disunited, given the multiplicity and dispersion of its political and religious leaders. Also, Sunnis need religious and political figures who can unite them, and this is depriving them of an identity that could influence political elites. Despite this dire need, Rawi's supporters handed a request to the Iraqi parliament on July 4 to divide Anbar province into two parts; this would create western Anbar as a new province, where he would be able to remain governor.
There have always been differences within Sunni parties and tribes in those areas, but it is only after the events of June 10, 2014, when the Islamic State (IS) took control of the city of Mosul in northern Iraq, that major indicators of these differences started to emerge and grow.
For instance, after the Camp Speicher massacre on June 11, 2014, in which IS captured 1,700 Iraqi soldiers in Salahuddin province and killed them, some Sunni tribes accused others of cooperating with IS and carrying out the executions.
The conflict in Anbar province is economic as well as political. For example, some political parties and figures have divided Ramadi, which was liberated from IS on Dec. 23, into several areas as far as the district's reconstruction dossier is concerned in order for companies that these political forces back to get contracts there.
Anbar's reconstruction is one of the aspects of the conflict that may break out between Sunni parties and figures in the coming period. Armed forces for the province have finally been constituted: the Tribal Popular Mobilization made up of Sunni fighters and the Shield Tribes, which are supposed to control Iraq's borders with Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The conflict that is specifically expected within the Sunni areas once liberated from IS may result in the emergence of new armed groups that could work against the Iraqi government and attempt to control those areas. All of these indications show that a Sunni-Sunni conflict is looming.
In a telephone interview with Al-Monitor, Sunni lawmaker Abdul Rahman al-Wayzi said, "Once the Sunni areas are liberated from IS, these will experience armed political conflicts between [Sunni] parties and figures who are eager to get political and geographical influence over those areas. This will put the Iraqi government in a difficult phase that may be even more serious than the current one."
All of these political and social crises could turn into an armed conflict between Sunni partisan and social sides at a time when some of those parties or social groups still feel marginalized and excluded by the current government headed by Haider al-Abadi. Therefore, knowing that they oppose the current political regime, Abadi needs to change the Sunnis' point of view and rid them of their fear of the regime installed by his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki.
Iraqi author and journalist Hamza Mustafa told Al-Monitor, "Two conflicts may erupt in Sunni areas once their towns are liberated from IS. The first is a political struggle over state institutions, while the second is an economic struggle over the provincial reconstruction projects, which is dangerous, especially in Anbar province, which includes tribes, some of which work with IS while others cooperate with the Iraqi government."
Most of the Sunnis feel they are not involved in the decision-making process. The Sunni street does not respect many of the province's official Sunni leaders, who have been dubbed "the Sunnis of Maliki." Therefore, political leaders ought to rearrange the Sunni political, security and social situation. Otherwise, the Sunni community will turn into a rebellious one that does not heed the seriousness of the looming conflict.
Prospects look gloomy. If political or armed conflict re-emerges in the Sunni areas, there may be a delay in the return of the displaced. And if the displaced do return and a conflict erupts between Sunni leaders, parties or communities, then a new wave of displacement may take place.
July 14, 2016
ALEPPO, Syria At least a dozen people, mostly women and children, were killed July 14 as the Syrian government continued to pound rebel-held areas of Aleppo with airstrikes in a battle for a strategic supply route.
Fierce battles have been raging on a daily basis on the outskirts of Aleppo between regime forces and the Syrian opposition. Fighting escalated after the government launched a major offensive July 7 against the rebel-held sector in al-Mallah, which directly overlooks Castello road, the last remaining supply route between Aleppo and its northern and western countryside. Regime forces were able to control and block the road.
Some 400,000 people still reside in Aleppo, according to Aleppos local council statistics.
In an effort to recapture the positions taken by the regime and lift the siege on Aleppo, rebels carried out a counterattack July 9. Opposition fighters initially retook all the positions they lost to the regime in al-Mallah, but were forced to retreat to defensive positions under the heavy bombing targeting al-Mallah and its surrounding areas.
Rebels launched a second offensive July 12 on al-Mallah and Bureij in northern Aleppo province and gained control of al-Mayyasat hill overlooking the village of Bureij in northern Aleppo. The rebels Fatah Halab (Conquest of Aleppo) joint operations announced that day that its fighters also retook some positions in al-Mallah, the most important area at the moment.
The city of Aleppo represents the essence of the conflict between the regime and the Syrian armed opposition. Aleppo is significant for the regime because it is Syria's largest city and the countrys economic hub. Before the outbreak of the armed conflict in July 2012, 6 million people lived in Aleppo province.
By gaining a foothold in Aleppo, the regime is trying to make not only military gains on the ground, but also political leverage to use against the Syrian opposition and its international backers. That leverage could come in handy soon, as United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura hopes to resume talks between the two sides this month.
The Times of London said winning the battle for Aleppo would mean winning the war for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The importance of Aleppo for the regime and its allies was also highlighted by Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who said in a June 26 speech that the fight for Aleppo is Hezbollahs main battle in Syria.
As for the Syrian opposition, Aleppo is one of its two strongholds in northern Syria the other being Idlib. Idlib is currently controlled by the rebels and other Islamic factions, most importantly Jabhat al-Nusra and Jund al-Aqsa.
Losing Aleppo would subject the opposition to more pressure from its international backers, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which would lose faith in the oppositions potential.
Syrian politician and journalist Ammar Bakour told Al-Monitor, "On the military level, whoever emerges victorious from the battle [for Aleppo] will come closer to a nationwide victory. If the opposition wins, it would take the battle to Hama in central Syria and the regime would lose hope of gaining a foothold in northern Syria. As a result, the opposition would garner wider support from Syrians at the expense of a morally and militarily collapsed regime."
Bakour added, Whereas if the regime achieves victory in Aleppo, the Syrian revolution would suffer greatly and come under threat, as the regime would not stop at Aleppo but would continue its advance to Idlib thus jeopardizing the course of the revolution. Therefore, the battle of Aleppo is crucial for both sides.
The battles in Aleppo are far from subsiding, as the citys symbolic and strategic importance will drive both the regime and the rebels to put forth more effort to seize control of the city and its countryside.
July 14, 2016
Judging from the Islamic State's (IS) losses of territory and revenue in Iraq and Syria, IS is coming under more pressure by the day. If the losses continue at this pace, many observers think 2016 could well be the final year of IS in these two countries.
It seems IS decision-makers see this reality and are turning to the fertile recruiting grounds in Turkey, as indicated by the surge in IS output on social media. It is obvious from its propaganda strategy that IS first wants to conquer the cyberworld, and then with the virtual caliphate it will set up there and capture hearts and minds in Turkey.
An IS propaganda video professionally produced in Turkish and released in November was viewed more than 100,000 times on social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and others. Quoting extensively from the Quran, it calls on IS sympathizers to migrate with their families to Islamic countries such as Iraq and Syria. But in recent days there has been a significant change in the themes of Turkish-language, pro-IS social media and commentary sites. The Turkish versions now say, You can serve the Islamic State where you are.
For example, under Twitter hashtags such as #IslamDevleti and #HilafetTR, IS has been saying that the religion in Turkey today is not the Islam of Mecca. It is instead a democratic religion bereft of jihad as decided by its parliament and approved by the USA. This religion cannot be called Islam. We reject it.
The comments now emphasize that the struggle with the democratic order in Turkey has priority over migration.
Despite all countermeasures of the state, there has been a substantial rise in the number of social media sites, accounts and commentary blogs that demonize Turkey's secular education system, reject democracy and the constitution, harshly criticize the dominant traditional religious communities and their spiritual narratives and thrash compulsory military service.
Reyhan Guner of Bilkent University, who researches cybersecurity, confirmed a visible increase in the Turkish-language content of IS cybermedia. She said this is easily measured. For example, you can notice two basic elements. The first is the sympathy IS has been accumulating among anti-PKK [Kurdistan Workers Party] religious groups in Turkey because of the battles between IS and PKK/PYD [Democratic Union Party] Kurds. The second is the sympathy generated in religious-nationalist circles for the armed struggle waged against global forces in Syria, Guner told Al-Monitor.
These two currents of sympathy have made IS a center attraction in daily political debates in Turkey. Guner says IS has been following a clever strategy in its Turkish-language output. It is interesting to note how IS focuses its Turkish propaganda on new adherents or sympathizers of IS. There are scores of IS people, originating from economically deprived parts of Turkey, posting photographs of luxury villas and fancy cars they claim to own after joining IS because they have gotten their hands on what they call war booty. Through such messages, they want to motivate their relatives, friends and others who are unhappy with their current circumstances to join IS, she said.
IS is thus exploiting not only the ideological but also socio-economic fault lines of Turkey.
Guner notes that IS, in addition to its online propaganda journals such as Conquest of Konstantiniyye, is using debate forums in Turkish to enable easy access to comments and decrees from IS. In these publications, profound ideological debates have overtaken the former emphasis on execution visuals. For example, a blog run by Twitter account @Tevhidmedya calls for Islamic resistance because all officials of Turkey's democratic political structure are infidels and those who follow them will be the same.
Another interesting feature of extremist Salafi social media platforms that call for jihad in Turkey is how content can be confusing when the same page contains accolades about IS along with messages of praise for other jihadi bodies. For example, after IS shot down a Russian Mi-25 assault helicopter July 10 near Palmyra, one Twitter account lauded the action as a military victory. But at the same time, it was also praising the Eid al-Fitr celebrations of Jabhat al-Nusra, which is actually combating IS. Another account presents reports from Amak news agency that offer information about IS in Turkish, along with information about Ahrar al-Sham, a key group among anti-IS moderate organizations in Syria.
Here, Turkey must recognize a critical reality. When the issue is jihadis in Syria and their military accomplishments, Salafi sympathizers in Turkey do not distinguish between IS and other armed Salafists. For Turkey, the line between IS and other Salafi armed groups is becoming more blurred by the day. This could pave the way for armed Salafists in Turkey to adopt IS ways.
The question one must ask here is, does Turkey have an adequate strategy to cope with the increasing number of Turkish-language messages of IS and other extremist Salafists? Does Ankara have a strategic vision of how to battle Salafi currents in cyberspace? Guner believes Turkish politicians and the public are not really aware of the potential dangers of radicalization, terrorism and cyberterrorism prevailing in the virtual world.
Sadly, in Turkey the concept of cybersecurity is limited to not using "12345" as your email password and not allowing children to view IS execution videos. In our schools we have introduced the use of tablets, but we dont have a cybersecurity class to teach children the dangers they may encounter on the internet. It is just a matter of time before you find yourself in a debate forum of an illegal organization just by clicking on an advertisement that appears on the same page with your usual traditional news or comment site, Guner said.
Guner worries that Ankara still doesnt have a comprehensive cybersecurity mindset, one that says leaders must protect both government and personal internet users. She strongly recommends that Turkey and other Muslim countries in the region launch a diplomacy initiative to collectively fight radicalization in cyberspace.
To sum up, while IS is losing territory, it is trying to compensate by setting up its caliphate in cyberspace. One has to wonder whether the next IS phase will be to join efforts with other ideologically related bodies, courtesy of the capabilities offered online.
At this moment, we can only hope that there are some brains in Ankara searching for ways to deal with IS cyberspace operations.
July 15, 2016
It was all over the front pages in Turkey: "The No. 2 leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party [PKK], Fehman Huseyin [also known as Bahoz Erdal], has been killed. Those who believed this news report were deemed "patriots," but those who questioned it were terror supporters. This is how the pro-government newspapers classify journalists.
The government-controlled Anatolian Agency dropped the bombshell July 9: Khalid al-Hasekavi, the spokesman for the Tel Hamis Brigades that is fighting the Syrian regime, has disclosed that Fehman Huseyin, a senior leader of the PKK, was killed when his car was blown up. Hasekavi told [an] AA correspondent that Fehman Huseyin was targeted last night, July 8, when he was traveling from Himo to Qamishli.
Pro-government media followed with a statement purportedly issued by the Special Operations Unit of Tel Hamis Revolutionaries Battalions. The "brigade" that the Anatolian Agency had referred to was thus suddenly downscaled to a battalion.
Even though no one questioned whether an organization called Tel Hamis Brigades even exists, or who Hasekavi is, the report made headline news. The media was flooded with boastful comments about how the PKK had received a deadly blow, how their Qandil headquarters was in turmoil and how Erdals assassination proved beyond a doubt the organic links between the PKK and the Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD). Lack of confirmation from Turkeys military high command did not slow down the media coverage. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan contributed, There is some information that he was killed in Syria while he was with a team of 14 people. Work is going on to confirm the reports.
Government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus was more circumspect. We will make an official announcement after these reports are confirmed, he said.
PKKs military wing, the People's Defense Forces (HPG) denied the report, saying, Our comrade commander Bahoz Erdal is continuing with his duty in Kurdistan.
Pro-government media responded to this denial: The PKK is amazingly, deeply silent." Spirits were so low at Qandil, the media said, that the only response the PKK could muster was a simple denial.
Previously, nobody had heard of an organization called Tel Hamis Brigades. Moreover, the statement attributed it contained phrasing that some say indicates it wasn't issued by a Syrian organization, let alone a Syrian anti-regime group. The statement said Erdal was the "so-called overall leader of the PKK." The phrase "so-called" is a hallmark of the Turkish military and other official bodies when referring to the PKK.
The PKK was called "separatist" and an "occupier." The PYD and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) were defined as PKKs Syrian extension occupiers. Another tip that the statement might not have come from the Syrian opposition was the use of the formal military word "tarassut" (surveillance).
The "proof" supposedly provided by the brigades that Erdals vehicle was blown up was a daytime photo of a car the YPG had exploded in 2014. To make it appear as a night scene, its negative was used.
The pro-Turkish government daily Sabah reported July 11 that Tel Hamis Brigades had formed a special team of 20 people to find Erdal. Using seven-month-old information that Erdal was staying at Qamishli, the brigades supposedly launched a surveillance operation.
Sabah offered new details July 12: The first attack against Bahoz Erdal, who had been under surveillance for seven months, was with an explosive, but he escaped unhurt. In the second attack, a bomb was put in his car. Six of his bodyguards were killed but Erdal survived with wounds. The latest attack was when Erdal was returning from Himo, where he had gone for treatment of those wounds.
Haber TV on July 12 quoted an undisclosed government official as saying, The report of his death is accurate. Intelligence has confirmed it. The next day, newspapers carried this confirmation as a credible news report.
However, Bas News Agency, which is close to the Kurdistan Democratic Party, reported Erdal was hurt and evacuated to a hospital in Sulaimaniyah (Kurdistan) with the help of the Syrian regime.
Then Murat Karayilan, a senior PKK leader, said, We debated it among us. Some comrades said we dont have to respond because Turks want it, nor is there a need for comrade Bahoz to speak. But now the feeling is to let Bahoz speak out and thus put an end to all these lies. That is why our comrade Bahoz can make an appearance. He is at his post. Karayilan denied Erdal was even in Qamishli at the time and said Tel Hamis Brigades was a creation of the Turkish intelligence service, the MIT.
That was followed by an audio recording aired by Denge Kurdistan Radio in which Erdal said, I am alive. They are trying to conceal their weakness and defeat with lies. News spread by the Turkish media and state is not correct. This is a method of special warfare. They ask, 'Where is he? Why he is not visible? We are the fighters for our country. As a fighter, I am where I am. Am I to inform the AKP [Turkey's Justice and Development Party] regime of my whereabouts? I am not obliged to tell them. AKP fears its ties with [the Islamic State] would be exposed. That is why it is afraid of Rojava [Syrian Kurdistan].
Before Erdal spoke out, a Kurdish source in Qamishli told Al-Monitor, A YPG vehicle transporting ammunition exploded by itself. It wasnt attacked. We have had similar incidents before. That vehicle had nothing to do with Bahoz Erdal. Another source said, Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, Bahoz Erdal has come [only] twice. He has not been in Syria for a long time. I am 100% sure of this.
Then why all of this drama? Kurdish sources offered Al-Monitor possible reasons for the assassination claim:
On July 8 in the Semdinli district and the city of Yuksekova, both in southeastern Turkey, the PPK launched nine to 10 simultaneous attacks. Four soldiers were killed at Semdinli. The major operation was a vehicle-borne explosive attack that leveled the outpost at Artuklu. To curb reactions by the public, the Erdal assassination claim was aired.
One source said he had received intelligence reports that the Turkish state has sent teams to south Kurdistan and Rojava to eliminate PKK leaders. He believes the cells are particularly active at Hasakah and Qamishli. The organization called Tel Hamis Brigades could be a fictional name for one of those cells, he said, adding that because the government could not track down Erdal, it came out with the assassination claim to determine his location. They expected Erdal to come out and declare he is alive.
By alleging that Erdal was in Rojava, Turkey wants to prove a PKK-PYD link. It is therefore important to find traces of Erdals presence in Syria.
Another source confirmed there have been reports that the Turkish government has adopted a strategy to eliminate PKK leaders. Batuhan Yasar of the daily Turkiye wrote June 15 that security services had been given written orders to kill PKK leaders Cemil Bayik, Murat Karayilan, Duran Kalkan and Erdal. The article also said there had already been two operations against Erdal; he escaped from the first one at the last minute and was wounded in the second.
Abdulkadir Selvi, a Hurriyet columnist known to be close to the government, also touched on the states policy of assassinations. An operation similar to the one against Erdal was staged against Sofi Nurettin but did not succeed. Turkey has belatedly adopted a leadership concept against the PKK. Special forces, either by entering Iraq and Syria or by using groups close to Turkey, carry out such operations against the leadership cadres.
Selvi also claimed Erdal was the one who had planned the Manbij operation that was supported by the United States: For a while, Turkey has been trying to say that the PKK and the PYD are one and the same. We have been saying that some PKK leaders led by Bahoz Erdal are also in the command of the PYD and are personally involved in the Syrian civil war by commanding the YPG. Killing Bahoz Erdal in Syrias PYD-controlled region would reinforce Turkeys claims.
So by that theory, the assassination claim was meant to prove that the PKK is controlling the process at Rojava. A PYD official Al-Monitor reached agreed, saying thats all there is to it.
July 14, 2016
The Obama administration has launched 25 investigations into alleged abuse of US assistance to Syria amid concerns that partners on the ground arent doing enough to prevent fraud, government watchdogs told Congress.
While the United States has provided more than $5 billion in humanitarian aid to date, it relies on third parties to distribute it inside the war-torn country. In a July 14 report to Congress, the Government Accountability Office said that many of those partners adequately plan for security hazards but not for the risk of fraud.
Despite our goodwill, bad characters have taken advantage of the complex situation for personal gain, ultimately denying Syrian people the food, clothing, health care and other aid they urgently need, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Inspector General Ann Calvaresi Barr said at a July 14 hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Middle East panel.
Barr said the agency has received 116 complaints of alleged abuse and opened 25 investigations. About two-thirds were related to theft and fraud schemes, including collusion, product substitution and false claims, rather than terrorist diversions.
For example, vendors paid bribes or kickbacks to implementer staff in exchange for competitive bidding data, Barr said. In one case, she said, a Turkish vendor put more salt and fewer lentils in food kits to increase profits; in another, investigators found a warehouse in Syria contained useless frying pans and tiny tarps too small for an adult to fit under.
To minimize such risks, the GAO report said, USAID and the State Department should require their partners to conduct assessments of fraud risk and ensure that USAID field monitors are trained to identify potential fraud risks and collect information on them.
Absent assessments of fraud risk, implementing partners may not have all the information needed to design appropriate controls to mitigate such risks, GAO International Affairs and Trade Director Thomas Melito said at the hearing. In addition, State and USAID officials may not have sufficient awareness of the risk of threat or loss due to theft.
With US assistance only reaching about 4 million of the 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, Melito said, any instance of fraud is literally taking food out of the mouths of babies.
Panel chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and top Democrat Ted Deutch from Florida, requested the report.
With no end in sight to the Syrian conflict, Ros-Lehtinen said, it is absolutely vital that we ensure that the taxpayer dollars that are used in support of these efforts are being used efficiently and effectively.
The GAO said some level of wasted aid is inevitable given the difficult circumstances.
Effective delivery of US humanitarian assistance to people inside Syria is complicated by three related factors a dangerous operating environment, access issues and remote management of programs, the report states. These factors can hinder the delivery of humanitarian assistance and, because US agency officials must manage programs from outside of Syria, create challenges for financial oversight, such as increasing the opportunity for fraud and diversion.
The GAO said USAID and the State Department have agreed to its recommendations, but Melito said more could be done. Asked to provide an estimate of the amount of Syrian assistance lost to fraud and how much of it is acceptable, he said the two agencies simply dont know.
I dont think theyve done the work to address that, nor have they thought about what is their risk tolerance, he testified. Thats a dialogue that they need to have going forward.
An American spy action thriller starring Matt Damon will feature a little piece of Alabama when it reaches theaters later this month.
"Jason Bourne," the fifth movie in the "Bourne" film series and sequel to "The Bourne Ultimatum" in 2007, will bring Huntsville-based Advanced Optical Systems' ANDI OTG into the national spotlight when it is released July 29 by Universal Pictures.
Although they haven't seen the movie yet, AOS Product Development Manager Keith Savas said the company learned last week its touch-free fingerprint scanning technology will make a brief appearance in "Jason Bourne," which also stars actors Tommy Lee Jones, Julia Stiles, Vincent Cassel and Alicia Vikander.
"It's kind of cool that Huntsville's sort of a hub of technology with secretive technologies people don't talk about much and we were able to get one in a movie," he said.
ANDI OTG
Technical development, industrial design and manufacturing of the ANDI OTG are completed entirely in Huntsville. The company, which employs 20 workers on 6767 Old Madison Pike, launched in 1988 delivering advanced imaging solutions for the military, such as missile seekers, target recognition, aircraft identification systems and early optical computing technologies.
AOS began focusing on non-contact fingerprint technology about seven years ago. The work paid off in 2012 when the company's AIRprint system was named one of Popular Science's top 100 innovations of the year and became the core of the ANDI (Automated Noncontact Distance Identity) family of products.
ANDI OTG can serve up to 100,000 people on its database without physical contact but is equipped to handle millions when connected to larger databases like AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems), which are used mostly by government and other agencies.
The devices have been placed with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, and in airports in Amsterdam and Germany. The company is currently in talks with U.S. Customs and Border Protection about using the technology.
Biometric technology
"With our border problems all over the world, I think we're in the right place at the right time," Savas said. "Nobody wants to stand in line, nobody wants to wait, and we've got the technology that allows everybody to get what they want."
Director of Business Development Chris Centamore said a prop company handling set design for "Jason Bourne" contacted AOS about a year ago seeking the latest and greatest in biometric technology for the 2016 summer blockbluster.
AOS, which didn't have any actual hardware available, went to work quickly on two mockups for the ANDI OTG. The models are made of wood, foam core and thin stainless steel mockup film and available for viewing now at AOS' office near Bridge Street Town Centre.
ANDI OTG, which is FBI certified and in its third generation, can take up to 10 fingerprints and is the fastest fingerprinting solution available. While many associate fingerprinting as criminal in nature, Centamore said there is more to the system than that.
The system can handle large crowds and is well-suited for gate access at high-traffic events or in airports around the world.
Rethinking fingerprints
"One of the things Keith, our product designer, did was rethink how people encounter the fingerprinting process to make it more accessible, more friendly, easier and more usable than crunching your fingers down on a piece of glass," Centamore said.
AOS plans to take employees to see the movie after its release and hopes to work with a local theater to provide some ANDI OTG devices for display on opening night.
Even if the ANDI OTG mockups appear only a few seconds in the movie, Centamore is optimistic about how the exposure will affect future business.
"We've got some real opportunities that are coming up for providing security for very important parts of the country's infrastructure," he said. " ... If people view this as a 'high tech, gee whiz, wow' kind of technology that's OK for Matt Damon to use in a movie, I think they'll probably be more accepting of it in the kinds of environments where we're selling."
Check out the trailer below:
Three types of Liquid Plumr clog remover are being recalled because the bottles are not child-resistant and could cause chemical burns or skin irritation.
The recall includes about 5.4 million Liquid Plumr Pro-Strength Foaming Clog Fighter, Liquid Plumr Industrial Strength Urgent Clear, and Liquid Plumr Pro-Strength Urgent Clear products, which children can access by removing the top.
"These products contain sodium hydroxide which is required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act to be sealed with child-resistant packaging," said the Consumer Product Safety Commission in a statement.
The 17-ounce bottles are about 9 inches tall, have the Liquid Plumr logo and the name on the front. Click here to see if you have one of the products.
The Clorox Company said it has receive eight reports of caps not working and 221 reports of leaking bottles. No injuries have been reported.
The items were sold for $3 to $5 from January 2012 to May 2016 at Dollar General, Family Dollar, HEB, Home Depot, Kroger, Lowe's, Meijer, Publix, Rite-Aid, Target, Walgreens, Walmart and other merchandise stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Drugstore.com and Quidsi.com.
FRIDGIDAIRES 3.jpg
Michael Kilpatrick, left, and Mark Torstenson are shown performing with local rockabilly combo The Frigidaires at the Tip Top Cafe. (Courtesy photo)
On a recent visit to AL.com's downtown Huntsville offices, Bill Chapman removes design plans for a rebooted Tip Top Cafe from a storage tube.
He unrolls the plans across a conference room table.
Chapman purchased the old Tip Top building, address 123 Maple Ave., a year or so ago from former owner Lance Church after another purchase, via a 2013 auction, fell through.
Even though it was a tiny dive bar in a tertiary market, during its late-80s and early-90s heyday Tip Top was an epicenter for live music in Huntsville. Acts like the Black Crowes and Widespread Panic played there on their way up. Underground rock bands like Dead Milkmen frequently performed there. As did bluesy legends like Bo Diddley and Leon Russell.
Tip Top is located in a working class neighborhood and eventually City of Huntsville noise ordinances put the kibosh on loud rock shows there. But, Tip Top, which also served a mean lunch special, remains special in the hearts of many Huntsvillians who came of age during the spot's prime.
The old Tip Top Cafe building is located at 123 Maple Ave. in Huntsville. (Matt Wake/mwake@al.com)
Slowly but surely, Chapman, a commercial real estate broker, began some renovations. The interior has been gutted. A new roof installed. Further plans have been submitted to the health department. City inspection would be next, then pending that approval Chapman plans to proceed. When the property was put on auction in 2013 it was zoned "all industry," meaning the building can still offer live music and stay open until 2 a.m.
Local commercial real estate broker Bill Chapman now owns the old Tip Top Cafe building. He plans on reopening the music venue and restaurant. (Matt Wake/mwake@al.com)
A sixth generation Huntsville resident, Chapman has fond memories of hanging out at Tip Top back in the day. Of seeing that legendary Bo Diddley show. Of Church and infamous doorman Lanny Taylor. So why would someone who's been involved in large Research Park projects want to try and revive a long-dead music venue? "I just hated to see a condemned building knocked down that is a big part of our history here in Huntsville," he says. "There are so many musicians that travel in and through Huntsville and North Alabama I think we're going to fill a gap musically speaking. We can get a very small room to get a very different feel. There's something about being at the Tip Top and standing shoulder to shoulder with your closest hundred friends and watching a band tear it up onstage."
Chapman hopes to reopen Tip Top this fall with live music - whether that's acoustic or electric - and dining - lunch and dinner, possibly with a meat-and-three emphasis. Still, with more than 20 years of experience he knows, "In the world of real estate there's no certainty other than the certainty that plans will change."
Chapman, who on this day is wearing a checked shirt, khakis and elephant-skin boots says, "For what we are trying to do, we still have several hurdles to get over. By no stretch of the imagination is this a finished project, but we're in the process and making strides towards it."
Church has given his blessing to use the Tip Top Cafe name. (Even though the design plans read "Bill's Tip Cop Cafe" Chapman says it's just going to be "Tip Top Cafe.") The new owner plans to keep things looking physically "very similar to how it used to." The bar, stage, kitchen and pool table will be in the same place, as will the beer cooler and latter-day exterior sign - the one with the draft beer, burger, eight ball and music notes images. They plan to add new restrooms and walk-in cooler. The venue should seat around 100 people. Chapman sought input from local restaurant friends and paid consultants during planning.
Design plans for a rebooted Tip Top Cafe. (Matt Wake/mwake@al.com)
Chapman says he's "funding a lot of this out of my own pocket" and that completing the project is probably going to take about twice as much as he originally thought. "It's always a struggle getting a new venue open especially one that's of this age and having its issues. We have to be very careful going forward. And we want to be a good neighbor and have a good relationship with everybody in the neighborhood."
Although Chapman wants the new Tip Top to be an "homage" to the original, he says, "You're not trying to be that, but be as good as that was but in a different way."
Church, now a manager at a local Applebee's, agrees that it would be good idea not to try and recapture Tip Top's golden-era vibe. "I don't think you could ever bring it back, but to tap into some of it if you could," Church says. "Try to keep to going. And there's a still a few bands out that played there that are still around. (Chapman) could do some of that - bring them in every now and then."
In addition to hosting touring acts back the day, Tip Top was a key incubator (and brass ring gig) for local bands.
Huntsville musician Michael Kilpatrick, who performed at Tip Top with acts such as the Snob Doctors and Frigidaires, wishes the new owner well. "I'd love to play there again. I think that would be a ball."
Aboriginal activists call for halt of Sydney light rail extension after discovery of 22,000 artefacts during excavation
Sydney, Australia The deep blue Botany Bay lies ahead of Assen Timbery as he walks past rows of homes in a predominantly Aboriginal community in the Sydney suburb of La Perouse.
Across the waters lie the neat lawns at Kurnell, where Captain Cook first stepped ashore and claimed the land for Britain. On this side, shrubs cover the remains of the Aboriginal mission initially set up to Christianise Aboriginal peoples at La Perouse.
The mission was Timberys childhood home.
Now 63, he traces his Bidjigal clans heritage to Australias first Aboriginal resistance fighter, Pemulwuy, who refused to be subjugated by the settlers. He was a thorn in the side of the early colony, leading to a decade-long resistance. When the British finally caught him, his head was shipped to England.
A significant find
Earlier this year, government-hired excavators working to build a stabling yard for an extension to Sydneys light rail uncovered 22,000 artefacts.
Spear tips, blades, and marriage stones were among the haul. Much of the stone used was from hundreds of kilometres away, providing rare evidence of trade links between clans.
According to Scott Franks, one of the Aboriginal heritage consultants the government hired before excavating the land, the find is critical. Although the light rail project is not on his ancestral land, Franks has led opposition to the development of the stabling yard.
This is the most significant site in Sydney, he says.
This proves that we had trade, Timbery added. We interacted with other tribes, we moved among ourselves it actually shoots down the English history that we were just uncivilised people.
I just cant describe it, he says of the sites value. Its a part of you.
Timberys clan, the Bidjigal, do not claim the site as their own as there were many sometimes warring clans in Sydney, and overlapping Nations.
Aboriginal society was so ravaged by European arrival that when it came, years later, to proving land rights, there were often competing claims.
Sometimes, however, a particular clan or family is more willing to stand up to what they see as an encroachment on their shared heritage. Timbery says that his clan is a firm believer in preserving what little Aboriginal culture and history remain in Australias largest city.
Divide and conquer
There are currently no plans to protect the site. Those artefacts that can be recovered are being removed, before the stabling yard for light rail carriages is built on top. The government says it is working on a strategy to manage the items found on site.
One of the Aboriginal cultural consultant groups hired as part of the project was the La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council. The council is also meant to give a voice to local Aboriginal people on a range of matters.
In the early 1980s, local Aboriginal land councils were set up in New South Wales to represent Aboriginal people within their geographical boundaries. Often as is the case in the La Perouse there may be a number of clan groups living within the land councils borders.
Timbery argues, however, that there are no Bidjigal on the council board or among those representing the council on the light rail project, and by the time the Bidjigal were told of the artefacts, it was too late.
As is standard practice, an archaeological firm, GML, dealt with four paid Registered Aboriginal Parties who serve as cultural consultants for the light rail project.
Gordon Workman, who is one of the Aboriginal consultants, favours keeping the artefacts in the ground.
We want to preserve how it is even a museum put on there. Just leave the hole open, put a glass floor on it so everyone can walk through and see whats in the ground, he says, adding that hed prefer anything to burying it beneath the stabling yard.
Two of the largest Bidjigal families in Sydney say they feel disappointed by the public-private consortium conducting the works (led by the state government and Spanish construction firm, Acciona), and the Aboriginal consultants who are supposed to represent them.
The council did not answer questions from Al Jazeera on how many Bidjigal were on the board, but insisted that all of those working on the project did have a connection to the area, by way of other local clan groups.
Stephen Wright, the Aboriginal Land Rights registrar in New South Wales, says the laws concerning who can be paid to work as a cultural consultant are very broad, but in this case, all parties had a right to be there.
Wright agrees, however, that the legislation is imperfect, as developers are not strictly bound to do what their cultural heritage consultants or the local land council says.
With developers in the dark about who has the authority to speak on behalf of Aboriginal peoples, they are free to go on the word of whichever group advises them.
There is a serious disconnect between finding artefacts and interpreting their significance, Wright says.
Chris Ingrey, La Perouse Land Council chief executve, defended the excavation and ensuing removal of the artefacts, saying last April: When [we hear] of Aboriginal artefacts, we immediately think of axe heads, spearheads, scrapers and flakes, but no such items were found, he says other than very few artefacts that could be classified broadly as Bondi points a type of simple spear tip.
This angered other Aboriginal consultants on the project, including Franks, who saw it as benefiting the developers.
AUSTRALIA: Creating a nation
The real travesty, according to Franks, is the land council supporting the removal of the artefacts something he strongly opposes.
In a statement, the land council said engaging in such paid heritage work was common practice for a land council.
Its a very traditional form of colonial government, says David Shoebridge, the state Greens MP who is supporting the Bidjigal, where the colonising authority seeks to divide traditional owners [and] co-opt the voice of the people theyre most comfortable with.
For many, the importance of the site rests in what the finds represent: Aboriginal peoples did not build roads or two-storey homes, so solid, tangible evidence of their occupation is rare, especially in the centre of Australias biggest city.
What this campaign has done has made people in Sydney sit up and think about Aboriginal heritage and culture, says Shoebridge. It has made people confront the reality that Sydney has been constructed over the last two-and-a-quarter centuries on land that has been occupied for thousands and thousands of years by the oldest continuing culture anywhere on the planet.
Destruction of the site
While the government refused to comment to Al Jazeera, it pointed to a statement saying that the Aboriginal groups said they would prefer to salvage the remaining artefacts.
Franks denies that this is the case.
The scene had long been set for a dispute. The project was listed as a piece of state-significant infrastructure at the start, meaning heritage protection was instantly weakened.
The very rudimentary protections for Aboriginal heritage under the state laws were quite literally turned off, Shoebridge says. Its a part of our planning laws that allows koala habitat to be destroyed, Aboriginal heritage to be destroyed, colonial heritage to be destroyed if a project public or private is considered by the planning minister to be state-significant.
In New South Wales, the project is the latest in a list of large, controversial developments, and public discontent is growing.
In April, Shoebridge appealed to the federal environment ministers office for urgent protection of the site under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act, which is meant to protect places and objects of significance, but was rejected.
READ MORE: Australias indigenous disadvantage problem
Shoebridge tried again, this time claiming that the site was a traditional battleground and payback (justice) site for Aboriginal groups a point the La Perouse Land Council has acknowledged.
The minister is yet to reach a decision regarding the second appeal, but, meanwhile, work continues on the site.
At the other end of the long avenue, along which the tram will one day trundle, Timbery sits in his backyard as parrots screech above.
If this were France, Rome, Egypt, theyd drop it completely, he says.
He cheers up as he shares a story about his La Perouse rugby teams trip to a country town when he was a much younger man.
The team were deep in a clash with another Aboriginal club.
Stick it to this lot, they let Captain Cook in, was what they were singing, he laughs.
But theres something in there.
I am willing to stand up for my people and say enough is enough, he says.
For Timbery, the fight isnt over.
Toufik Laoubi, a French Muslim of Algerian descent, recalls trying to help the victims of the attack on Thursday.
Nice, France For Toufik Laoubi, what was supposed to be a joyful celebration of Frances national day will remain forever a painful, indelible memory.
The industrial worker from Chambery, in the French Alps, was spending Bastille Day in Nice with his sister and narrowly escaped death in the attack that killed 84 people and injured many more on Thursday.
He had joined thousands of locals and visitors, many of them foreign, on the Promenade des Anglais on the Mediterranean waterfront to watch the fireworks that mark the culmination of Bastille Day festivities on July 14.
As he was trying to make his way into the crowds with his sister at his side, he noticed a large lorry swerve into bystanders, mowing down people in its path.
It was crushing people, he recalled. The truck stopped some 10 metres away from me that was because a young man got caught on one of the trucks back wheels and his body was blocking the wheel, eventually forcing the truck to halt.
He said he and those around him were in shock.
We didnt think it was an attack at first, he said. Then we heard shots and everyone began running, seeking shelter in hotels or on the beach. I was with my sister and we kept running. After 30 metres, I turned around and thought I should help people. Im a first aid provider.'
READ MORE: Who was the driver in the lorry attack?
Laoubi, who is trained in first aid, spotted staff from the nearby Hotel Palais de la Mediterranee, who had rushed outside carrying bed sheets, with which they proceeded to cover the dead bodies that were on the ground.
As I moved on, I realised the gravity of the situation. There were dozens of bodies. Thats when I told myself it was a terrorist attack, he said. The truck was zigzagging along the promenade to deliberately hit people. How can you do that?
He says it will be a while before he forgets the scenes he witnessed.
There was a couple who realised that their granddaughter was lying on the ground. She must have been 16. And the woman was pulling on her arm and screaming, Wake up, wake up!
When I see that, I understand that people who are racist became even more racist, said Laoubi, who is a French Muslim of Algerian descent.
READ MORE: Attack in Nice claims victims from around the world
On Friday, Laoubi went for a consultation at the psychological counselling services set up by the authorities in Nice to help those who, like him, witnessed the carnage first hand.
No human being is prepared to go through such a thing, to see people who have been crushed like this, even children, he said. The majority of people were dead. The only thing I could do for them was to cover them.
Laoubi has also been reflecting on the level of security the authorities had deployed for the celebrations.
How could such a large truck get through? There wasnt a single police officer, he said. They arrived later, they had neutralised the driver, so that was a good thing. They didnt know if there were more [attackers], even they were overwhelmed.
He is now preparing to fly back home, a 50-minute flight to Geneva, in Switzerland, and then back across the border to Chambery. He is looking forward to rejoining his wife, Samia, and his three-year-old son.
Samia, a civil servant, had to stay at home because she couldnt take time off work for a family break in Nice.
She didnt want me to take our son because she was concerned about the flight, he said. In fact, she had a premonition .
Along roads controlled by protesters and towns patrolled by Indian troops into hospital wards filled with pain.
Bumdoor/Anantnag, Indian-administered Kashmir Aside from the black ravens that kraaw from every tin roof in Kawpoor, there is complete silence.
It is early morning on Wednesday and for a while it seems that no one lives here. Doors and windows are closed. There are only the ravens, dozens and dozens of them, and the silence.
It is in this Kawpoor neighbourhood, whose name literally means the abode of crows, of Bumdoor village where clusters of small houses lie imposingly between orchards, streams and vast paddy fields that the rebellion that has overtaken the whole of Kashmir in the past week started last Friday night.
On a narrow path that leads from the main road to the houses, a rectangle of stones, sticks and yarn, with black and green flags at the corners, marks the spot where the 22-year-old Kashmiri rebel fighter Burhan Wani was killed. It has become a place of pilgrimage.
No one ever visited here till last week. Nothing ever happened in this village, says Showkat Ahmad, a 24-year-old engineering student. But for the last five days, more than a thousand people from all over visit here every day to see where Burhan was martyred.
Ahmad says the gun battle in which Burhan was killed was the first he had ever witnessed in this quiet village. Everyone seems surprised by it, and among the villagers there is an uncomfortable silence. They see accusations in the eyes of those who visit.
They think we didnt try to save them that we didnt throw stones at the soldiers and give cover to Burhan and the two other martyrs, says Ahmad. But we had no idea they were here and by the time we knew it, it was very late.
READ MORE: Rage in Kashmir over killing of youth by Indian army
The villagers say that the Indian soldiers and the police started arriving in the village at around noon on Friday, but they behaved in such a way that no one suspected something was amiss.
Abdul Gani Dar lives just across from the house where the three fighters had spent the night on Thursday and the day on Friday. It is a large house, a section of which belonged to an uncle of one of the fighters killed in the gun battle, Sartaj Ahmad Sheikh.
The soldiers told us that Mehbooba Mufti [the chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir] was coming to the nearby orchard to inaugurate something. And we went on with our day at the fields and in the orchards, he says.
By 4pm, more than a hundred Indian soldiers and police had cordoned off the Kawpoor neighbourhood. Some had taken positions in the partially built houses, some in empty cement drains, others in public bathrooms or behind trees.
At around 5.30pm, Sheikh was the first to walk out of the gates of the house. He was shot dead right there, says a neighbour who asked not to be named. A few moments later, Burhan and Parvez the two other militants emerged from the house and they ran for around 25 metres and then they too were shot dead.
Soon after the three were killed, hundreds of villagers came out and clashed with the police. Scores were wounded.
By evening, when the news had spread that one of those killed was Burhan Wani, the Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander who had been widely credited with reviving armed resistance to Indian control of the disputed region, people began to come out on to the streets across Indian-administered Kashmir.
The face of the armed rebellion
Wani had picked up a gun in 2010 as a 15-year-old boy. But unlike other fighters, he did not choose an alias or conceal his identity. Instead, he posted pictures and videos of himself on social media platforms such as Facebook and, in so doing, appealed to a new generation of Kashmiris, bringing the armed resistance back into the public imagination. Wani became a household name.
On Saturday morning, an estimated 200,000 people attended his funeral prayers in Tral. By the time he was buried, Indian-administered Kashmir was in the throes of yet another rebellion.
On Saturday, the first day of the uprising, at least 15 civilian protesters were killed and more than 200 wounded in firing by the Indian armed forces.
According to Indian police, police stations, posts and military camps were attacked, with many set ablaze.
A curfew was imposed in all four districts of the southern part of the region, the phone network and the internet was shut down.
Into the darkness
A kind of darkness has descended on Indian-administered Kashmir, punctuated by the sounds of gunshots and ambulance sirens. The south of the region has been at the heart of that darkness.
For five days no journalists could make it here: afraid not only of the Indian forces but also of angry residents who believe the Indian media has distorted their stories.
Myself and a colleague, working with an Indian newspaper, became the first journalists to travel through the southern part of the region, along stretches of highway and interior roads controlled by young civilian protesters and through major towns under a curfew imposed by hundreds of Indian troops.
Along our route, house windows are shattered. Stones, tree trunks and rocks litter roads smeared orange by the bricks young boys throw at the Indian forces.
READ MORE: Protests in Kashmir despite curfew
At midday on Wednesday, a strict curfew is in place. Indian forces stand in small groups along the roads or sit on the pavements, making sure that nothing moves. An elderly couple trudge along the road, each carrying a sack.
Were you throwing stones yesterday? an Indian soldier asks the old man.
No, I have to take my wife to hospital. She has fever and urine infection, he replies.
I think I saw you throwing stones yesterday. Now you try to appear all old and feeble but yesterday there were dozens of old men with white beards throwing stones, the soldier tells him.
A district administration officer in Anantnag, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al Jazeera that such a curfew is intended to pressure people into pleading with those protesting to stop so that the curfew might be lifted.
That is the way that has been decided. Starve them. Let the parents beg their young sons to give up and we could return to normality, the officer said.
I was bleeding and crying and they beat me with sticks
In the post-operation ward of the Anantnag District Hospital, 17-year-old Mohammad Saeems cries pierce the stale air. He is pleading with his brother to cut the plaster on his leg.
I am in pain. I am in pain, he sobs.
Saeem was shot by the police on Monday. Three bullets hit his left leg, shattering the bones in his foot and shin.
On another bed, across the aisle from Saeem is 46-year-old Masooda, a mother of four daughters, the youngest of whom is seven.
She endures her pain quietly. Her hip hurts, she says, and so does her back and her shoulders.
I was walking in our lane in Ashajipora when the police and the CRP [the Central Reserve Police Force] came and I tried to run but I fell down in pain, Masooda says.
A bullet pierced her upper thigh and then, she says, police came and beat her, her husband and two of her daughters.
I was bleeding and crying and many of them came and put me in a cart that was there and then they beat me with sticks from all sides. Then they overturned the cart and tried to drag me into one of the houses while they kept beating me, she says.
Her two daughters and husband were beaten as they tried to protect her, she adds.
She doesnt remember how she got to the hospital.
Of the roughly 30 patients in the ward, eight are women and the oldest among them is 79-year-old Sara Begum.
She says that she was beaten by local police officers who came to her home in the Goriwan neighbourhood looking for her youngest son, a known protester.
Her right leg is swollen and bruised from the ankle to the knee. Her other leg has 13 stitches.
They beat me up as if they couldnt see that I was a sick old woman. One of them spread me on the floor and climbed on my chest, she murmurs.
Her grandson, Mohammad Asif, says the policemen beat her with a wooden meat-tenderiser that they found lying around.
They beat up all the women in the house. They stripped my 12-year-old sister completely naked, says another grandson, 15-year-old Umar. I wish I was in the house, I only wish. For three nights, I have not slept. The image of my sister naked haunts me. It wont let me sleep. For the last three days, I have only thought of murdering the policemen who stripped my sister.
With each story like this, along with the well known protesters who the police lock up every time an uprising seems imminent, hundreds such as Umar are moved to join the protests for the first time in their lives.
Outside the hospital I meet Zubair, a volunteer at a free medical camp. In the middle of our conversation about the differences in the protests this time, he absent-mindedly lifts his blue T-shirt to scratch at the small holes made by the pellet guns the Indian forces use to contain the protests.
This time, he says, people had no demands. Nothing they did not seek a reform in a law, a probe in a case, nothing at all. It was a mourning of Burhans death or rather a celebration of Burhans life. But more than that, he says, it was the time we repeated the word Azadi [freedom] again.
But the question remains whether, as in 2008 and 2010, a fragile normalcy will again settle upon this restive region or if, this time, things will be any different.
As of now, with no other response to the peoples rebellion from the Indian government other than force and with a lack of ideas among the regions resistance leadership, the past week with at least 35 civilians killed and more than 1,600 seriously wounded appears to be yet another dark chapter in the book of Kashmirs recent history.
At least 80 people, including many children, have been killed and another 100 wounded after an attacker drove a lorry at high speed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French Riviera city of Nice.
The lorry careered for hundreds of metres along the Promenade des Anglais seafront late on Thursday, slamming into families and friends after a firework display marking the anniversary of the 1789 revolutionary storming of the Bastille.
Witnesses described a horrific scene, with bodies strewn along the roadway.
People went down like ninepins, Jacques, who runs Le Queenie restaurant on the seafront, told the France Info radio station.
Its a scene of horror, Eric Ciotti, a local member of parliament, told the station, saying the truck mowed down several hundred people.
In a pre-dawn address to the nation, French President Francois Hollande said France is filled with sadness by this new tragedy.
Hollande said he had no doubt the attack was an act of terrorism, calling it an assault on liberty by fanatics who despised human rights.
European diplomacy should forge an international consensus that encourages legal frameworks over the use of force.
Last month, the French government convened an international meeting to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Yet by calling for direct negotiations without offering any new ideas of either a substantive or a procedural nature, the initiative is bound to fail. Its flaws might be corrected, but only by ending the conflicts status as a virtually law-free zone.
The initiatives detractors are far more numerous than the dignitaries who showed up. Critics note that the initiative comes at an unpromising moment when there are other international priorities. That is true but does not go far enough: the moment of opportunity for such an initiative passed nearly two decades ago. And the problems go beyond timing.
The effort to revive a dimly remembered peace process is based on plugging some holes that were left in the series of Israeli-Palestinian bilateral agreements negotiated in the 1990s. For all their details, the agreements were silent on almost all critical issues, leaving them to further bilateral negotiations.
No real mechanism
Far from supporting a two-state solution, they were worded to avoid any reference to statehood.
They contained no real mechanism for resolving disputes, and no timeline other than the promise of agreement by 1999.
READ MORE: Whats special about the US-Israel relationship?
The French initiative now seeks to close some gaps: it clearly endorses a two-state solution; it is based on deadlines and stages more robust than Oslos vague timeline; and it is anchored in international diplomacy with an implicit threat of a Security Council resolution.
The French initiative now seeks to close some gaps: it clearly endorses a two-state solution; it is based on deadlines and stages more robust than Oslo's vague timeline ... by
Although these are all steps in the right direction, they are neither bold nor new: all have been taken unsuccessfully many times before the 2003 Road Map; the 2007 Annapolis Conference; and the Kerry Initiative of 2014 all dabbled with such measures. These initiatives were all based on buttressing bilateral diplomacy.
But besides bilateralism, there is also a robust international framework that already exists but the approach of Israel and the United States has been to shove it aside on the claim that it should not be a substitute for direct negotiations.
Although the French initiative makes some reference to UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, it does not make any reference to the Geneva Conventions or other aspects of international law.
This is probably a response to two allergies. On the one hand, the Israelis insist as one might expect of the stronger parties in negotiations that there is no substitute for direct negotiations.
Implausible readings
On the other hand, the United States has also shown both a protectiveness of Israel and a jealousy of involving any other actors in serious diplomacy.
The unstated but very real attitude that the conflict is an area where international law cannot be invoked because it might upset diplomacy has allowed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to metastasise the pernicious form that it has taken today.
Under Oslo, agreements were interpreted and enforced by the parties themselves. Both tried to downplay their own obligations and pushed implausible readings of their content with the predictable result that realities reflected the will of the stronger party.
After the end of the Oslo era, palliative diplomacy like that offered by the French actually obscures the resulting realities on the ground.
The Geneva Conventions, along with various Security Council and United Nations General Assembly resolutions, offer guidance on all of the thorny issues, including refugees and settlements.
READ MORE: On Netanyahu, peace and the West
If they were used as the context for international efforts rather than a club to be kept in the closet, the US would lose its monopoly on diplomacy, and Israeli leaders would probably lose their tempers. But none would lose their lives if lawsuits, reports, and resolutions were the only weapons of conflict.
International legitimacy
Weaker parties often prefer to bring in the law, and this case is no different. Many Palestinians speak of international legitimacy, convinced that there is a framework of international legal norms and structures that should offer them protection but to which they have been denied access.
But the move to an international setting would probably offer Palestinians less than they hope and threaten Israelis far less than they fear. Israel is a recognised member of the international community; existing legal and institutional arrangements are based on very strong conceptions of state sovereignty and self-defence.
European diplomacy might be better aimed by helping to forge an international consensus that encourages the use of legal frameworks as long as they provide an alternative to unilateral use of force, armed struggle and the creating of facts on the ground.
While not a solution in itself, such an approach might help to produce a healthier environment in which the generation of post-Oslo leaders can find a solution.
Most of all, it would avoid having the road from the Paris meeting lead right back to Melos, the Greek island where the ancient Athenians describe the international order as one in which the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.
Dimitris Bouris is assistant professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam and the author of The European Union and Occupied Palestinian Territories: state-building without a state (Routledge, 2014).
Nathan J Brown is professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University and a Nonresident Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
The wildfires of Syrias war will continue to spread across the region if more imaginative measures arent taken.
James Denselow is a writer on Middle East politics and security issues and a research associate at the Foreign Policy Centre.
Recent deadly events in the Middle East have taken attention away from the central Syrian conflict.
Suicide bombers have struck three Saudi cities, multiple suicide attacks have hit a Christian village in North-Eastern Lebanon, Turkey is still reeling from the attack on its international airport in Istanbul, Jordan has declared its Syria border a closed military zone while Iraqis are still getting over the huge attack that killed 292 people in Baghdad.
While the conflict inside Syria is fluid, multi-layered and deadly, it has been relatively, and somewhat surprisingly, contained over the past five years. This can no longer be said to be the case and a new European Council on Foreign Relations report has warned of a regional contagion as the delicate balance of power in Syrias neighbours and the wider Middle East beings to wobble.
The reasons behind this lie in both direct spillover from Syria as well as the conflict exacerbating traditional domestic tensions within the neighbourhood.
Declining capacity
The spillover can be measured in terms of declining capacity to continue to accommodate the nearly five million refugees and the challenge of transnational militants travelling from Syria to carry out attacks.
In domestic terms, weak states in Iraq and Lebanon have found their body politic largely defined by gridlock and an inability to chart any strategic vision of the future, while in Turkey renewed fighting with Kurdish groups inside the country has been of serious consequence.
ALSO READ: The Syrian cage
In terms of the particular threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), as the group is pushed more and more on to the back foot in Iraq and Syria, it may look to move from conventional to more unconventional tactics to maintain a tactical momentum.
ISIL attacks, especially against symbolic targets, have the potential to act as deadly catalysts to rapid destabilisation. by
With an estimated 2,000 Jordanians, 2,000 Turks and 1,000 Lebanese fighting alongside ISIL in Syria and Iraq there is also the potential for many fighters returning home if ISIL continues to lose its urban areas following Ramadi and Fallujahs fall and pressure increasing on Raqqa and Mosul.
ISIL attacks, especially against symbolic targets, have the potential to act as deadly catalysts to rapid destabilisation. Istanbul has already been hit three times this year.
The tourism sector, struggling after Russia told its holidaymakers to stay away, has taken a huge hit.
In Iraq, recent attacks on market places and religious shrines are designed to exacerbate sectarian tensions.
Tactical ISIL attacks could stoke Turkeys internal ethnic tensions and with the Syrian regime reportedly cutting off Opposition held parts of Aleppo, their border may find itself under significantly more pressure from fleeing civilians.
Security first approach
In Lebanon, ISIL attacks against Saudi targets could trigger further moves from Riyadh out of the country.
Imposing a security-first approach on the Syrian refugees in the region may marginalise millions of vulnerable people even further and perhaps even push them into the arms of ISIL recruiters.
In Lebanon, for example, there have already been reports of raids into Syrian refugee settlements and curfews imposed.
What is more, if the security threat from Syria continues to grow rather than just closing and securing their own borders, Jordan and Turkey may look to establish forward borders and safe zones to ensure that they are better able to keep Syrias fires away from them.
ALSO READ: The death of the Syria peace process
This regional threat means that there is a clear and urgent need to give impetus to Syria peace efforts that have flatlined over the past few months.
The current drift is not without consequences elsewhere as regional resilience is not infinite.
In addition, the increase in regional instability needs a response from world powers to ensure that not only are refugee appeals fully funded, which sounds simple but has been a constant battle to ensure countries fulfil their pledges, but more direct and imaginative initiatives are also pursued.
This means refocusing the campaign against ISIL away from a Raqqa/Mosul twin focus to one that takes better account for regional security.
It also means that the European Union in particular steps up to commit to large-scale development projects in the region that could both address the thorny issue of refugee employment, but would also be symbolic of a genuine commitment and partnership to facing up to the challenge of the Syrian conflict between Europe and the regional powers.
The ECFR report warned that the regions fragile stability is hanging by a thread. This thread needs to be grasped, strengthened and supported, otherwise the scenario of the wildfires of Syrias conflict spreading across the region will become very real indeed.
James Denselow is a writer on Middle East politics and security issues and a research associate at the Foreign Policy Centre.
The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Detention of two television executives is part of the states efforts to intimidate and silence media, journalists say.
Algiers Independent media outlets in Algeria are under increasing pressure, despite a guarantee of press freedom in the countrys newly approved constitution, journalists say.
Two television executives have spent the past three weeks in jail after investigations into two satirical talk shows. Mehdi Benaissa, the manager of KBC TV, and Riad Hartouf, the private channels head of production, were arrested last month, along with culture ministry official Nora Nedjai, who licensed the shows. The group stands accused of engaging in illegal production practices.
Their arrests came only days after Algerian security forces shut down production of the KBC talk shows Ness Stah and Ki Hna Ki Ness, which premiered during Ramadan. The satirical shows have tackled controversial political and economic issues in the country, including allegations of corruption against long-serving President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and members of his government. One sketch on Ness Stah made an allusion to the fragile health of Bouteflika, who was partially paralysed after suffering a stroke in 2013.
The suspension of both shows is a message of intimidation for private media companies, particularly for publications or productions which depict Algerias regime with derision, said Abdou Semmar, editor-in-chief of the Algerian digital newspaper Algerie-Focus and a political commentator on Ki Hna Ki Ness.
READ MORE: Algeria economy The worst is to come
Algerian authorities say KBCs managers made false declarations to obtain recording permits and used the banned studio space of Atlas TV, a private channel shut down after a police raid during the 2014 presidential election. If convicted, the two executives could face up to three years in jail. Nedjai, who is charged with abusing a public office, faces the same potential sentence.
Journalists were highly critical of the states move, saying KBC was targeted when other pro-government networks were not, and warning that the arrests could have a chilling effect on other media outlets.
The best way to intimidate media is to discredit it by claiming that it does not respect the laws, Ali Boukhlef, deputy politics editor for the French-language Algerian daily El Watan, told Al Jazeera.
Semmar contended that the arrests were a pretext for a broader state crackdown on press freedoms.
This has pushed the government to put more pressure on existing newspapers and TV channels, exploiting the legal vacuum in which this sector is plunged. by Riccardo Fabiani, senior Middle East and North Africa analyst with the Eurasia Group
The regime has been looking for such legal irregularities to weaken media organisations that are not politically correct, he told Al Jazeera.
Officials with Algerias communications ministry declined Al Jazeeras request for comment.
The KBC case has ignited an international outcry, with journalists and human rights activists staging protests in Algiers and Bejaia to show solidarity and call for the executives release. An online petition demanding Nedjais release has been signed by more than 2,000 people.
No journalist should be put behind bars because of work at a television station, Sherif Mansour, the Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement that urged Algerian authorities to let media professionals do their jobs without the threat of imprisonment.
KBC is part of the privately owned El Khabar media group, which runs an Arabic-language daily newspaper of the same name.
This week, an Algerian appeals court cancelled the planned sale of El Khabar to Algerian businessman Issad Rebrab, upholding a lower-court verdict. The Algerian government had opposed the sale, saying it violated the countrys anti-monopoly law. Under the law, a single legal entity cannot own, control and manage more than one periodic publication in Algeria.
Rebrab already runs the French-language daily Liberte, which is known for its anti-government tone. Riccardo Fabiani, a senior Middle East and North Africa analyst with the Eurasia Group, says there is a long history of mistrust between Rebrab and the Algerian government.
In this context, the government is targeting Rebrabs acquisition of El Khabar to stop the businessmans rising influence and threat to the regimes current power configuration, Fabiani told Al Jazeera, noting the regime fears that Rebrab could use his media influence to attack the state. The Algerian regime has learned some valuable lessons from Russia and Italy: that oligarchs can be a threat to political power, and that controlling the media is a very effective way of influencing decision-making.
El Watan is also embroiled in a legal fight with Algerian authorities. Last month, police prevented the independent media outlet, which is known for its opposition to Bouteflika, from moving to a new headquarters in Algiers, saying it did not have the necessary permit.
That was not a surprise. We expected that incursion, since we are used to such hostile moves, Boukhlef said.
Journalists throughout Algeria say that they are concerned about the state of press freedom in the country, with Algeria ranking 129 out of 180 countries in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
READ MORE: Two Algerias Country gripped by economic debate
The situation is not nearly as bad as it was during the Black Decade when about 120 journalists were murdered but the authorities have been recently using new methods: a combination of a legal arsenal and economic blackmail to curb the influence of independent and opposition press, Semmar said.
Some media outlets critical of the government have been deprived of badly needed revenue after advertisers withdrew content amid pressure from the state, he added. The state-run printing and distribution network provides another mechanism for censoring media publications, Semmar said.
Boukhlef believes that the state has recently intensified its crackdown on the press in an effort to control the message before Bouteflikas successor takes power, whenever that may be.
The authorities want to stifle the remaining independent media organisations in an effort to muzzle all dissenting voices, he said. The rulers are making sure that nobody stands against the political change that will occur after Bouteflika leaves.
Fabiani agreed, noting that while Algeria can still boast the most lively and critical press in the whole of North Africa after Tunisia it is true that the regime has become more concerned with press freedom lately, a situation he attributed to the upcoming presidential succession and worsening economic outlook.
The authorities fear that instability could undermine the difficult political and economic transition ahead, Fabiani said. This has pushed the government to put more pressure on existing newspapers and TV channels, exploiting the legal vacuum in which this sector is plunged. While I consider it unlikely that the regime will be able to muzzle the press, it is nevertheless possible that in the coming years, local journalists will struggle with a more hostile environment.
Black father of five was shot dead by white police in Louisiana, sparking a wave of protests across the US.
Thousands of mourners gathered pay their respects to the family of Alton Sterling, a black man who was shot and killed by white police officers in the US state of Louisiana.
Sterling, 37, died on July 5 outside a supermarket in the city of Baton Rouge when police wrestled him to the ground and shot him, saying he had a gun. The father of five, whose funeral was held on Friday, had been selling CDs.
Footage of the moment Sterling was killed was captured on a mobile phone, which contains images some readers may find distressing, was circulated online sparking outrage and then protests.
Sterlings killing was followed the next day with another police shooting. An officer killed the 32-year-old black man, Philando Castile, at a traffic stop in the midwestern US state of Minnesota. The aftermath of the shooting was also captured on video and streamed live by Castiles girlfriend on Facebook.
The deaths sparked outrage and protests in many cities across the US.
READ MORE: Aftermath of US police killing streamed on Facebook
Last week, five white police officers were shot dead at one such protest in Dallas, Texas.
Police identified Micah Xavier Johnson, 25, as the suspect and said he had set out to kill white people. Police shot and killed Johnson after the incident.
About 200 people were arrested in Baton Rouge during protests last week, with demonstrators accusing the police of heavy-handed tactics.
Among those that attended Sterlings funeral were civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, the Nation of Islams Robert Muhammed, the Baton Rouge Metro Councils Chauna Banks.
Two of US President Barack Obamas senior advisers also attended. Obama earlier met with Cameron Sterling, the victims 15-year-old son.
Thousands demonstrate against corruption despite decree that said rally would be treated as terrorist threat.
Thousands of Iraqis have defied a protest ban and rallied in the heart of the capital, Baghdad, to demand an end to sectarianism and corruption.
The demonstrators massed in Tahrir Square on Friday, holding placards reading Yes, yes to reform. No, no to sectarianism. No, no to corruption.
The protest went ahead despite the security forces warning late on Thursday that the rally called by the influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was unauthorised and would be treated as a terrorist threat.
Sadr has led repeated protests in recent months, some of them breaching the central Green Zone government and diplomatic compound.
READ MORE: Iraq: The end of sectarian politics?
Sadr has been calling for political and economic reforms, including the formation of a government of technocrats, to put an end to what he says is a corrupt power-sharing system between the countrys rival sectarian and political factions.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi first called for a new cabinet including technocrats in February but has faced significant opposition from powerful political forces that rely on control of ministries for patronage and funds.
Some of Abadis cabinet nominees were approved in April, but in a blow to the prime minister, a court later scrapped the parliamentary session.
Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraqs former national security adviser, said that he did not blame protesters for being angry over the many problems the country was facing, but cautioned against confrontations.
I dont blame them for becoming angry but I call upon the protesters to keep it peaceful, he told Al Jazeera.
This should not transform into confrontation with police or army. They should avoid storming government offices.
One person killed and 12 others injured in Indian-administered Kashmir as troops clash with protesters.
Widespread anti-India protests and clashes erupted in dozens of places in divided Kashmir, as authorities prevented tens of thousands of people from offering Friday prayers in popular mosques with a lockdown in place for the seventh straight day.
Indian troops armed with automatic rifles and in riot gear fanned across villages and towns in Indian-administered Kashmir, ordering residents to stay indoors. But protests and clashes with government forces sprang up in dozens of areas across the disputed region after people prayed in smaller, neighbourhood mosques.
Troops fired live ammunition, pellet guns and tear gas to disperse rock-throwing crowds who chanted pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
At least one teenage boy was killed and two others injured after army soldiers fired guns to stop hundreds of villagers who attacked their camp with rocks in the Indian-administered northern Kupwara area, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to reporters.
At two other places, in northern Baramulla and Sopore areas, six people, including two siblings, were injured in the clashes, the officer added.
Four injured, one reported to be critically, were brought to the main government hospital in Srinagar, the key city in the region, which has struggled to treat hundreds of wounded in clashes spread over the past week.
The officer said at least five policemen were also injured after an unknown person hurled a grenade at a police station during clashes in southern Yaripore village.
About 4,000 people gathered in Pakistan-administered Muzaffarabad, some carrying photos of slain rebel leader Burhan Wani, whose killing last week sparked unrest in which 32 people were killed the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010, when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule.
READ MORE: Kashmir violence security or political problem?
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and most people in Indias area of control resent the presence of Indian troops and want independence or a merger with Pakistan. Pakistan denies Indias accusations that it arms and trains Kashmiri rebels.
Since the 1990s, more than 68,000 people have been killed in Kashmirs uprising against Indian rule and the subsequent Indian military crackdown.
On Friday, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed that his country would continue extending political, moral, and diplomatic support to Kashmiris. He urged his countrymen to observe a black day on Tuesday to express solidarity with Kashmiris who are facing atrocities at the hands of Indian forces.
In a statement released by Sharifs office, the prime minister said a joint meeting of the National Assembly and the Senate would be convened to discuss Kashmir.
In New Delhi, Indias Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup asked Pakistan to desist from interfering in Indias internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through the support of terrorism and other subversive acts.
The suspected driver of the lorry that sped through a crowd in Nice, killing at least 84 people, has been identified as Tunisian national Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, according to a French prosecutor and Tunisian security sources.
Prosecutor Francois Molins said Bouhlel had been identified by a drivers licence and bank card left in the lorry. Authorities also found in the truck a fake pistol, an ammunition magazine, a replica M16 rifle, a replica Kalashnikov rifle and a fake grenade.
Bouhlel, who ploughed the lorry into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on the French Riviera, had been convicted only once before for road rage.
While he had several previous run-ins with the law, Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Nice resident born in Tunisia, was not on a watch list of international or French intelligence services.
And it will be those intelligence services who will face some of the harshest questions. Why were they unable to prevent, yet again, a gruesome attack on innocent lives the third here in France in just 18 months. For many, it will be seen as the presidents failure, said Al Jazeeras Jonah Hull, reporting from Nice.
When French President Francois Hollande drove past the site of the attack on Friday, crowds gathered to mourn Thursday evenings victims reportedly booed.
He wasnt on any watch list. He wasnt under any kind of surveillance, said Hull.
He was convicted of a felony for the first time in March this year, French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said.
There was an altercation between him and another driver and he hurled a wooden pallet at the man, Urvoas told reporters.
As it was his first conviction, Bouhlel was given a suspended sentence and was mandated to contact police once a week, which he did, Urvoas added.
READ MORE: Nice attack France declares three days of mourning
Tunisian security sources told Reuters news agency Bouhlel had last visited his home town of Msaken, about 120km (75 miles) south of Tunis, four years ago.
He was married with three children, but had marital problems, the Tunisian sources said.
He was not known by the Tunisian authorities to hold hard-line views, and had held a French residence permit for the past 10 years without obtaining French nationality, Tunisian sources said.
Neighbours in the residential neighbourhood in northern Nice where Bouhlel lived said he had a stern personality and did not mingle with others.
Investigators have not yet established whether Bouhlel was working alone.
That will be the central aim at this stage in the investigation to find out whether the was acting alone, or whether perhaps he was part fo a cell or wider network of people whove given him help and who might be planning, for all anybody knows, a similar sort of attack or to pick up where he left off, said Hull.
French President Francois Hollande vows to strengthen action in Iraq and Syria after attack kills more than 80.
World leaders have expressed solidarity with France, condemning an attack carried out by a man who drove a lorry into crowds celebrating the countrys national day in the southern city of Nice.
French President Francois Hollande said that the incident had all the elements to be called a terrorist attack.
France has been hit on the day of celebration. This is a form of sabotage. Human rights are not respected by these fanatics, he said. We will further strengthen our actions in Iraq and in Syria. We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil.
US President Barack Obama issued a statement condemning what he said appeared to be a horrific terrorist attack.
I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice, he said. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.
Speaking on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe summit in Mongolia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: All of us who have come together at the ASEM summit are united in our feeling of disbelief at the attack of mass murder in Nice. Germany stands in the fight against terrorism at Frances side, united with many, many others. I am convinced that, despite all the difficulties, we shall win this fight.
Donald Tusk , president of the European Council, said: It is a tragic paradox that the victims of the attack were people celebrating liberty, quality and fraternity. We will stand united with the families of victims, the French people and the government in the fight against violence and hatred.
The United Nations Security Council released a statement: The members of the Security Council condemn in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed solidarity in a tweet.
Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people. Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 14, 2016
Once again, it appears that the terrorists have struck at one of our closest allies in Europe, attacking families celebrating the history and culture of their country on Bastille Day, Hillary Clinton, the presumptive US Democratic presidential nominee, said, referring to attacks in Paris last November.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, whose country has recently been hit with similar attacks, said:
We deeply share the pain of the French people. Turkey is in full solidarity with France in the fight against terrorism. We will continue our struggle against these baseless (people) with determination. First and foremost, terrorism is the rape of humanity and universal values.
Gulf countries Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Qatar condemned the attack, with Kuwait saying it was counter to all religious teachings and humanitarian values.
The incident makes it imperative for everyone to work together decisively and without hesitation to counter terrorism in all its forms, said Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
Donald Trump, the presumptive US Republican presidential nominee, tweeted:
Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
Belgiums Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said: We condemn such an attack, maybe a terrorist attack, but such an attack in France again.
The attacker drove at high speed along the Promenade des Anglais seafront, hitting people who had been watching a firework display. He was later shot and killed by police.
Latest violence between rival forces of President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar has killed 300 people.
The number of South Sudanese refugees in East Africa could pass one million this year, the United Nations refugee agency said, calling on armed groups to allow safe passage for people fleeing the latest round of deadly violence.
Ann Encontre, a UN refugee coordinator in South Sudan, said on Friday there was concern about fresh outflows of refugees following clashes in the capital Juba, and appealed for $701 million in relief aid.
On Friday, the UN said at least 300 people had been killed in four days of intense gun battles, and 42,000 had fled the capital.
UN concerned about renewed fighting in South Sudan
Even before the resurgence of violence in the past week, hundreds of thousands of refugees had been sheltering in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia and elsewhere since civil war began in December 2013.
William Spindler, spokesman for the UN refugee agency, said the number of refugees in neighbouring countries was now 835,000.
The recent violence in Juba echoed the fighting that triggered the civil war, marking a fresh blow to last years peace deal to end the bitter conflict, which began when President Salva Kiir accused ex-rebel leader and now Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup.
Evacuations
There are new reports that South Sudan authorities are blocking some citizens, including those with US or Canadian dual nationality, from leaving the country, authorities said.
On Thursday, Uganda deployed its military to help evacuate an estimated 3,000 Ugandans living in South Sudan. Several other foreigners also fled through Uganda.
On Friday, dozens of Sudanese women and children arrived in Khartoum from Juba, as Sudan also began to evacuate its nationals from South Sudan, which split from the north five years ago.
South Sudanese voted for independence from Sudan under a peace agreement in 2011.
Both Kiir and Machar earlier this week declared a ceasefire, but observers have warned that the violence could return. Machar has appealed to the UN to establish a buffer zone.
Machars sacking as vice president in 2013 set off a cycle of retaliatory killings that split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines and drove more than two million out of their homes.
The conflict has been characterised by horrific rights abuses, including gang rapes, the wholesale burning of villages and cannibalism.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia said it was ready to send more soldiers to strengthen the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.
Were more than willing to take on our part of responsibility in restoring calm in South Sudan, said government spokesman Getachew Reda.
President Kiir, however, said South Sudan would not accept more peacekeeping forces.
Donald Trump has offered Mike Pence the vice presidential spot on his Republican ticket, and Trump aides have told the Indiana governor the formal announcement event could be made on Saturday.
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my vice presidential running mate, Trump posted on Twitter, adding that he would host a news conference on Saturday at 11:00am (15:00 GMT).
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016
The Republican presidential candidate had planned to announce his pick of running mate at a news conference on Friday morning, but postponed his announcement in the wake of the deadly attack in Nice, France.
Some US media had reported on Thursday that Pence would be chosen, but the Trump campaign had said no choice had been made, prompting speculation that the candidate had changed his mind.
Poll: Most Americans fear election of Clinton or Trump
Pence, 57, has served as governor of Indiana since 2013 and also represented the state in Congress for more than a decade.
Trump has signalled that he wants an experienced politician to help his presidential ticket because he is a political outsider with no experience in governing.
Trump met Pence on Wednesday in Indiana, as he has done with other candidates he has said are his top choices. Trump himself had said that Pence was among his top picks, along with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.
Pence is seen as a fiscal and social conservative who can appeal to a broad swath of voters in the centre-right party so that Trump can make himself more palatable to Republicans who have been wary of his candidacy.
Pence points to his work enacting the largest tax cut in state history and lowering business taxes, balancing the states budget and efforts to draw businesses to the state.
As governor, Pence came under fire after signing a so-called religious freedom bill that opponents said would have allowed businesses to discriminate against gays, but he later revised the legislation.
Pence, however, has disagreed prominently with Trump on a number of issues; he has spoken out against the Republican presidential candidates controversial call for a ban on Muslims entering the US and on trade deals.
Pence had been in a tight re-election bid for governor and faced a Friday deadline to withdraw from that race in order to run for vice president instead.
Turkish prime minister says military chief of staff back in charge after army faction said it taken control in a coup.
A coup attempt by an army faction in Turkey has been put down, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, after thousands of people heeded a call from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and took to the streets.
Yildirim told broadcaster NTV that a no-fly zone had been declared over the capital, Ankara, blaming followers of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.
The coup attempt is foiled, Turkeys national intelligence agency had earlier said in a statement.
Sections of the Turkish army had earlier officially declared a coup and martial law, saying that they had taken control of the country as Istanbuls main airport was closed and fighter jets were seen in the skies.
Erdogan in a phone call to broadcaster CNN Turk on Friday said he remained the president of the country and the head of the army and called for people to take to the streets against the coup.
We will overcome this, Erdogan said, speaking on a video call to a mobile phone held up to the camera by a presenter. He called on his followers to take to the streets to defend his government and said the coup plotters would pay a heavy price.
An official said Erdogan was speaking from Marmaris on the Turkish coast where he was on holiday. Erdogan said he would swiftly return to Ankara.
WATCH: Our rolling coverage of the attempted coup in Turkey
In the capital Ankara, gunshots and loud explosions were heard, as military jets and helicopters were seen flying overhead, a Reuters news agency witness said. The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that a military helicopter had attacked the Ankara police headquarters and Reuters said the parliament was surrounded with tanks.
Another Reuters witness reported hearing gunfire at Istanbul airport.
We know they have been acting outside the chain of command, Cemalettin Hasimi, a government spokesman told Al Jazeera, referring to the sections of the army behind the coup attempt.
But forces of democracy have managed to take the situation back under control. The parliament will get together in half an hour.
An Al Jazeera correspondent in the coastal city of Izmir reported an unusually heavy military build-up in the city earlier in the day.
LIVE BLOG: Minute-by-minute updates on developments across Turkey
In Gaziantep, a city in the south, Al Jazeeras Zeina Khodr reported that supporters of Erdogan had taken to the streets. Cars could be seen streaming towards the airport, honking their horns.
The Dogan news agency quoted the military members on Friday as saying that they wanted to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated.
The statement went on to say that all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue.
Earlier, speaking on television, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that a number of generals were involved in what he called an attempted coup.
Dissent in the military
He vowed that the perpetrators would be contained, adding that the government would never give up democracy.
Al Jazeera has learned that Istanbuls Ataturk international airport has been shut down and all flights have been cancelled.
An Al Jazeera reporter in Istanbul reported seeing military officers arriving at the central Taksim Square, and ordering everyone to leave.
They were evacuating the entire square, our reporter said. People are going home now.
Separately, a TRT World reporter told Al Jazeera that soldiers had entered the government-funded television networks building, ordered the channel off the air and taken the phones of staff members.
Istanbuls Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge were shut down by the army, local television channels reported. The two major bridges connect the Asian side of Istanbul to the European side.
Dogan news agency footage showed cars and buses being diverted, according to Reuters.
TIMELINE: A history of Turkish coups
Reuters witnesses in Istanbul, Turkeys largest city, also spotted helicopters overhead.
It seems there is dissent in the military ranks, Al Jazeeras Zeina Khodr, reporting from Gaziantep, said.
Turkey has had a history of coup attempts, the last in 1997, which forced the resignation of then-prime minister Nemettin Erbakan.
In a special on religion, we speak to Karen Armstrong and debate New Atheism with Lawrence Krauss and Greg Epstein.
In a special UpFront on religion, recorded before the Nice attack, we speak to bestselling author Karen Armstrong, who argues that politics, not religion, is the root of the worlds worst conflicts.
In the Reality Check, Mehdi Hasan debunks the myth that religion is in decline. And in the Arena, top atheists Lawrence Krauss and Greg Epstein debate on whether offending the faithful is the right way forward.
Headliner: Is religion the root of the worlds conflicts?
From the Crusades to the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, religion is often blamed for some of the worlds worst conflicts. While some use their faith to justify acts of violence, is religion really at the root of such conflicts?
In this weeks Headliner, we speak with Karen Armstrong, author of Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence, who says politics, not religion is to blame for the violence in todays world.
Reality Check: Religion isnt on the way out
Religion is dying thats what some throughout the world say. But, a look at the statistics shows that globally, many of the worlds largest religions are actually on the rise.
In this weeks Reality Check, Mehdi Hasan debunks the belief that religion is on the way out.
Arena: Are New Atheists undermining the atheist cause?
So-called New Atheists such as Richard Dawkins or Sam Harris tend to see religion as irrational, evil and unnecessary, often saying that faith must be resisted, or even eliminated.
But as the number of atheists, many of whom are happy to coexist with faith communities, increases, does hostility from new atheists undermine the atheist cause?
In this weeks Arena, we debate the issue with two leading atheists, author and theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss and humanist chaplain Greg Epstein.
Editors Note: This episode was filmed before the attack in Nice, France.
Follow UpFront on Twitter @AJUpFront and Facebook.
To say it's been a rough couple of weeks would be an understatement. With the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, the killing of five Dallas policemen, and the police response to the Baton Rouge protests, everyone is feeling angry, scared, and maybe a bit hopeless.
This week, people in the fashion industry have been speaking out against racism. From model Ebonee Davis to blogger Hannah Stoudemire's BLM protest, people of color in the biz have rightfully had enough. That's no more apparent than with Public School and DKNY designer Maxwell Osborne, who penned an open letter in W magazine stating that he stands with Black Lives Matter.
"As a designer, they've made me question what my role is in all of this, what can I do?" he wrote. "I decided that I could no longer just sit on the sidelines. Last Thursday afternoon, I left my office in the Garment District, called a group of friendsblack, white, Asian, mixedand we all headed down to Union Square together to join hundreds of others in a peaceful protest of the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. At that moment in my office there was nothing anyone could have done to stop me. I felt I needed to be out there with Black Lives Matter, show face and feel it."
Osborne urged the fashion industry to take action and notes that it is a predominantly white business: "But I write this open letter to encourage the fashion industry to not just continue the dialogue of race in America, but to do something about it.... It's easy to forget the real world with its very real problems."
The designer reminded us that it's far easier to hate than to love, but that we all need to do something to impact change. He also pointed out how the industry is at fault with its lack of representation and very clearly states how to change that.
"Stand with Black Lives Matter. Go out and educate yourself and learn how you can help and join the conversation as an active participant and not just as a passive, if well-meaning, observer. Encourage diversity on your runways and campaigns. Empower your social media fans to raise their voices. Use your designs for the public good. Attend a protest and see change in action. Raise awarenessit's not as empty a gesture as it may seemand others will follow your lead."
2005 ..
REACTION 7/14 Nice May to realize Jihadi terrorism cant be eliminated without using India through Realized CW
Alwihda Info | Par Hem Raj Jain - 15 Juillet 2016
Bengaluru, iNdia
Dear Editor
Sub:- Key lies, in not allowing Sunni Muslims to live alone, mainly though Realized Common Wealth (CW)
--- The condolence messages for 84 killed and prayers [for early recovery of over 120 injured in terrorist attack by a Jihadi (Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel) on July, 14 the Bastille Day at Nice in France] from every well-informed peace loving person including world political leaders are desirable and welcome. But such condolences and prayers are unfortunately becoming too recurring hence global community should seriously find a permanent solution to global Sunni Jihadi terrorism.
Because Jihadi terrorism is emanating mainly from Sunni Muslim majority countries, whether the Christian West (USA, Europe and European origin countries) likes it or not but the key to the solution of this menace lies in not allowing Sunni Muslims (~ 87 % of global Muslim population) to live alone. Otherwise they will invariably breed Jihadi terrorism for the simple reason that moderate Sunni Muslims (who are ~ 99 % of Sunni Muslims) find it impossible to stop the rise of Jihadi terrorists from ~ 1 % Sunni Muslims who are highly determined and committed to their brand of militant Islam, therefore obviously succeed in Sunni Muslim societies especially where Sunni Muslims are in majority [especially after 2014 after rise of ISIS where human rights friendly Caliphate with territory (as is with ISIS) is finding tremendous appeal in entire Sunni Muslim world (including moderates) because like Christians (with NATO), Chinese and Hindus it promises to bring all the Sunni Muslim majority countries under one military power which will give much desired balancing power to Sunni Muslims vis-a-vis three other major blocks of Christians (including Jews), Chinese and Hindus].
Fortunately this (not leaving Sunni Muslims to live alone) can easily be done by realizing CW (with the co-operation of Hindu majority secular democratic India of ~ 1.3 billion people) which will have ~ one billion Hindus, ~ one billion Muslims, ~ 0.5 billion Christians and others in total population of ~ 2.5 billion of Realized CW. Once CW of 53 countries is realized then many other neighboring Muslim majority countries can be brought in CW by voluntary assimilation.
This can be easily achieved if India takes the lead (especially after BREXIT) to first motivate UK and then other 51 member countries for realizing CW. Presently pincered India (by Jihadis from both sides) will be tempted to go for CW because it will solve the problems (i)- Of Kashmir with traditionally Jihadi infested Pakistan, which is presently the most pressing problem for India due to on-going large scale violence in Kashmir (in which 39 killed, ~1,500 injured and eyes of over 130 damaged in firing by security forces of India) and which has a potential of even further partition of India and (ii)- Of millions of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in India with newly ISIS base (as is evident from 7/1 at Dhaka) the Bangladesh, which has and is still causing serious law & order problems in India especially in its N-E.
But present establishment of India will not agree to Realized CW that-easily though it has rendered half the population of India in poverty. But this resistance can easily be surmounted if a new political party (Common Wealth Party) is launched (which will also file following seven writ petitions in Supreme Court of India) and which will be a serious and highly likely contender to power by contesting elections for Local Bodies, State Legislative Assemblies and Union Parliament :-
(i)- Legally expected restoration of Status-quo-ante of Babri Masjid (ii)- Query about retrieve of POK in the interest of removal of AFSPA from J&K (iii)- Identification, tracking and deportation of illegal immigrants, mainly from Bangladesh (iv)- Quashing of discriminatory (especially against Muslims) Reservation Policy (v) Delhi 1984 & Gujarat 2002 riots about section 130 & 131 Cr.P.C. (vi)- Constitutional obligation about Public debt under Article 292 & 293 (vii)- Recovery of Rs ~ 1,000 Trillion tax out of black money (declared illegally as agricultural income to avoid tax).
Therefore the West led by USA and especially UK Prime Minister Theresa May should take keen and active interest in the launch of such Common Wealth Party / Parties in India (and ultimately in all the 53 countries of CW) so that the menace of Jihadi terrorism can be eliminated from the world effectively and once for all.
It is hoped, as assured by PM Theresa May, the UK (despite BREXIT) will keep-on discharging its obligations / duty in the interest of ushering the mankind (especially its just separated partner the Europe which is bleeding in Nice, France) in a peaceful, just and prosperous world by Realizing CW as mentioned above.
Regards
Hem Raj Jain
(Author of Betrayal of Americanism)
Bengaluru, India
Dans la meme rubrique : < > Mahamat Ahmad Alhabo : "je ne suis pas un cancre !" Tchad : Succes Masra reagit a la demission de Moustapha Masri des Transformateurs Tchad : l'ancien ministre Antoine Bangui reagit aux evenements du 20 octobre 2022 Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
The World Food Programme is outraged by the looting of its main warehouse in Juba. Despite that serious setback, WFP staff have already been distributing vital food assistance to people displaced by the violence in the South Sudanese capital. At WFPs request, UNMISS peacekeepers did an assessment of the warehouse on the western edge of []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
When bank executives talk about blockchain, they tend to make broad, sweeping statements about the technology's potential to transform the industry.
Technical details are scarce. Value propositions are opaque.
But if the financial services industry hopes to truly use blockchain technology to change their business without spending years and vast amounts of money aimlessly testing prototypes, the industry is going to have to be more forthright and collaborative.
Financial institutions are naturally guarded about their use of emerging technology for competitive advantages. And currently, every little feature within the blockchain space could be used as a competitive edge since no clear winning setup has been decided upon.
[Get up to speed on distributed ledgers, cryptocurrencies and the bleeding edge of fintech at American Banker's third annual Blockchains + Digital Currencies conference July 28 in New York. Click here to read the agenda and register.]
"There's a maturation happening in the blockchain industry; we're getting to the point that we need to work together even if we're competitors," said Christopher Allen, principal architect at Blockstream and a member of various blockchain standards bodies. "There are some things that aren't worth fighting over."
Standards would be a good starting point to get the industry on the same page. Not only do standards promote an equal competitive playing field but they also reduce new technologies' time to market. The industry seems to be taking that to heart. Many projects are focusing on the standardization of data flows and the language used to communicate with blockchains rather than a technology platform.
Digital Asset Holdings, an enterprise blockchain startup headed by the finance veteran Blythe Masters, is focusing on its modeling language. The language, which came out of DAH's acquisition of a firm called Elevence, promises financial institutions the ability to model and execute smart contract agreements with finality and certainty.
Similarly, Richard Brown, the chief architect at bank consortium R3 CEV, acknowledged in an April blog post that as originally designed, blockchains are "inappropriate for many banking scenarios." As an alternative, his firm has developed Corda, a distributed-ledger platform that among other features, "records an explicit link between human-language legal prose documents and smart contract code."
It seems that the real problem is more semantics (in the technical sense) than architecture.
Committing to standards would help the industry "get around some of the other hurdles while the underlying technology matures," said John Burnett, vice president of the Emerging Technologies Center at State Street Corp.
Burnett's list of hurdles is long: how to represent existing assets in a digital way on a blockchain, how existing players communicate with blockchains, what information should be stored on the blockchain, what capabilities can be enabled via smart contracts, and how to represent identities on a blockchain while still meeting know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering requirements. He could go on.
"These elements aren't specific to any particular blockchain but are just things that need to be resolved before as the industry thinks about taking initial use cases from demos and prototyping to launching live pilots," Burnett said.
Both the public blockchain and private blockchain contingents are dealing with these questions, which is the reason the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the web standards organization created by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, held its first-ever blockchain workshop in Boston at the end of June.
"Some think it's too early for standardization," said Jeff Jaffe, W3C's chief executive, who was in attendance at the workshop. But, for the most part, the energy and excitement mixed with the pace of innovation in the blockchain space show the industry will be ready for standardization in some form relatively soon, he said.
For example, the core issue of web developers accessing blockchains to build apps via standard application programming interfaces came up a lot at the workshop. And many of the talks and discussions revolved around the identity of users and the provenance (the record of ownership) of assets, two issues that greatly affect the financial services industry.
"There's a lot of folks in fintech looking at blockchains; that was loud and clear," Jaffe said.
This is a relatively new area for the W3C, which before a few years ago focused mainly on core technology for the average web user, rather than the use of the web for business. But as more businesses move online, the area of interest was broadened.
It all started with the Web Payments Workshop in Paris in March 2014.
"In the last two years we've been substantially growing our interest and contribution to the financial services area," Jaffe said.
Right now, blockchain is the financial services industry's favorite buzzword. Even Berners-Lee, who made an appearance at the workshop, has shown interest in the new technology. In June he created an account on OneName, the platform that hopes to lock digital identity to the bitcoin blockchain, verifying himself on Twitter as +timblee. Berners-Lee declined to comment for this article.
And the financial services industry has also begun giving standards bodies like W3C more time and effort.
A representative from State Street Bank (not Burnett) was in attendance at the blockchain workshop along with delegates from several other legacy financial institutions, including American Express and BBVA.
But these incumbents are still hesitant to get specific about their interest.
"American Express participates in a number of industry consortiums, trade groups and other organizations," said Andrew Johnson, a spokesman for the company. "W3C is of interest to American Express given its focus on a variety of topics that are relevant to our business, including web payments, authentication and security."
BBVA is also interested in these topics, as well as the Internet of Things.
At the workshop, Scarlett Sieber, senior vice president of global business development and new digital businesses, said IoT poses an interesting use case for blockchain that could intersect with the bank's operations as it relates to the sharing economy and smart contracts for payments.
For example, an electricity contract could convey that every time lights are activated in a particular house, the user will pay a certain (small) amount per hour, authenticated via blockchain. A more futuristic example that could affect banks and insurance providers is self-driving taxi services that run on smart contracts where machines pay other machines for maintenance.
BBVA is excited about the potential for blockchain as a secure, more efficient and cost effective database for automated, immutable, real-time transactions, Sieber said. That being said, she admits it's still early days and the future of blockchain for banks is uncertain.
Again, this is all quite loose. As were the conversations at the W3C blockchain workshop. While there was much excitement over the hypothetical possibilities of blockchain, technicalities were typically left unexplained. And a lot of this stems from the fact there aren't standards for developing, or even more importantly, defining blockchain applications.
State Street is being a bit more candid about its blockchain work. One of the world's largest custodians with visibility into a third of the world's assets, State Street is focusing its attention on private blockchain initiatives. It's a founding member of R3 and is also part of the Linux Foundation's Hyperledger project.
Like most of the discussions at the workshop, State Street is looking at how the blockchain could improve provenance and identity management. The custody bank is working on prototypes for post-trade settlement, collateral management and asset servicing, Burnett said.
State Street has demonstrated prototypes that have taken existing processes, flows or assets and replicated them using a blockchain, he said.
"Blockchain has real potential value for our business," Burnett said.
Why the "potential" caveat?
"I use the word 'potential' because the technology is still nascent and we're focused on proving the concepts and technologies before we move on to proving the true value that will be realized after integration," Burnett said.
So these prototypes are more about proving these systems are possible and less, if at all, about measuring quantifiable value, as in: Do these systems, after the cost of building and deploying, actually lead to cost savings for the bank? Or do they provide a better, more secure solution for customers?
And the latter question is why many in the industry are working on blockchain solutions for the digital identity.
Identity on the web is currently a mess with users having to set up new username/password combinations for nearly every website they visit. Not only is this inconvenient but leads to consumers using the same easy-to-remember (but also easy-to-hack) username/password pairs for everything, which poses a large threat should those credentials be compromised.
Public/private digital signature key pairs, as used within blockchain protocols, have been touted as a solution to these digital identity problems.
But there are plenty of fears here as well.
Several participants at the workshop, mostly the incumbent institutions, voiced concerns over the concept of an immutable identity that has a master key, which could pose the same problems as the current identity system does, possibly making it even harder to get fraudsters out and reissue identity.
Plus many of the blockchain-based identity initiatives seem to merely push the liability around, making it the consumer who accepts fault for compromised credentials. For instance, in the traditional financial system there are regulated periods of time where a consumer can ask for a transaction to be reversed in case of fraud. Bitcoin's irreversibility means no consumer recourse should their account be lost or hacked.
"Blockchains are just not institutional grade and purpose-built for what we want to use them for yet," Burnett said. "At the end of the day none of these existing blockchains in their current form are scaleable for the sheer volume of transactions we have."
However, he doesn't see these tech qualms as a huge roadblock. The tech challenges, he said, will likely be sorted out quicker than many think.
But a bigger hurdle looms abiding by legal and regulatory requirements, of which banking has mountains.
Regulation is one of the reasons that complex legacy financial services are hard to test. Unlike Bitcoin and other open source projects, banks can't throw code out to the public that isn't battle-tested (see the DAO attack). If consumers lose money as a result of vulnerabilities, the banks will be held responsible, whereas open source software developers typically aren't.
The regulatory environment also presents challenges for standardization as well, said W3C's Jaffe. But in his eyes, the benefits will make the hard work worth it.
"There's a lot of motivation and resources to make things right," he said. "E-commerce is a growing share of total commerce, so the impact of improving those things is huge and at the same time there are issues with security and fraud that we can help with such as reducing the presence of username/password for authentication."
Bailey Reutzel is a freelance writer based in Colorado Springs who focuses on tech, finance and politics.
Rose Hill Bank in Kansas will have a new chief executive next year.
The $348 million-asset bank said in a press release Friday that Cuy Mauck will also become president when Roger Kepley retires in January.
Mauck oversees Rose Hill's commercial banking unit.
Mauck "has done an outstanding job developing our commercial banking capabilities," Kepley said in the release.
Rose Hill is a unit of American State Bancshares, which bought the bank in 2011.
WASHINGTON The selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as Donald Trump's running mate could clarify the presumptive Republican nominee's banking policy views, adding to the ticket a policymaker who has been outspoken about the Dodd-Frank Act and other financial topics.
To date, Trump has said very little about banking matters beyond a general pledge to repeal the 2010 financial reform law. But Pence who served in the House between 2001 and 2012, is well known to bankers, having served as a fierce opponent to both Dodd-Frank and the Bush administration's 2008 bank bailout. He is also closely aligned with House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling and other conservative GOP lawmakers, giving them a key ally in any future Trump administration.
"Mike inspires people, and his boundless optimism in America is infectious at a time when so many have lost hope," Hensarling said in a statement Thursday before the announcement was official. "If selected, he will be a great addition to the ticket and he will make a great Vice President. Personally, I am proud to call him my friend."
Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., a former banker who also serves on the House Financial Services Committee, said in a emailed statement that Pence "is a principled conservative with executive and legislative experience."
Pence's selection became clear on Thursday, but Trump waited until Friday morning to officially confirm the news via Twitter.
In choosing Pence, Trump has tapped a lawmaker with a significant record who could be a key voice within the administration on financial matters. Following is a guide to Pence's past positions.
Tarp
Although the Troubled Asset Relief Program was a program pushed by a Republican president and Treasury secretary, Pence helped lead a GOP revolt against the bill. The then-congressman helped deliver a surprising defeat of the bill in 2008, temporarily spooking the stock market.
President Bush eventually helped rally more Republicans to a revised bill, but Pence continued to oppose it.
"This legislation remains the largest corporate bailout in American history, forever changes the relationship between government and the financial sector and passes the cost along to the American people," Pence said on the House floor. "The decision to give the federal government the ability to nationalize almost every bad mortgage in America interrupts a basic truth of our free-market economy."
Pence favored an alternative that would have set up a Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.-like insurance program in which Wall Street firms paid to insure mortgage-backed securities.
On the one hand, Pence's opposition to Tarp puts him at odds with most financial institutions and many Republicans, who believe the program was necessary to prevent a larger economic catastrophe. But politically speaking, his position is more popular, as the public has come to deeply resent the bank bailout of 2008.
'Too Big to Fail'
Pence was a strong opponent of the AIG and Goldman Sachs bailout and would likely support a Republican plan spearheaded by Hensarling that would create a new bankruptcy process for megabanks and repeal authority given to the FDIC that would allow it to dismantle a failing banking company.
When asked in a 2010 interview whether bankruptcy was too lengthy a process to wind down a megabank, Pence replied, "I think the federal bankruptcy courts, if we added a new chapter to the federal bankruptcy code, could be given the authority to move very quickly to interdict with these types of vast and complex financial firms."
"Let's get these big institutions that make bad decisions in the same bankruptcy courts that small businesses have to go to," Pence added.
He also criticized the Dodd-Frank law, which he said gives the administration the ability to pick favorites.
"The extension of authority here to the Treasury, to the FDIC that allows them to pick winners and losers in the marketplace, that keeps alive this deeply flawed concept that some institutions are too big to fail," Pence said. "You know, the idea of offering an implicit guarantee to certain financial organizations I think would be very damaging to regional and community banks at the preference of large institutional investors on Wall Street.
Housing Finance Reform
Pence has also endorsed privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, similar to plans pushed by Hensarling.
During the same 2010 speech, Pence blamed the two government-sponsored enterprises for causing the crisis.
"The Republican plan also would put an end to the taxpayer subsidies for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and gradually privatize them," he said. "Each of these institutions Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the credit rating agencies would be required to compete fairly in the marketplace."
His comments indicate he would likely support Hensarling's PATH Act, which would fully privatize the GSEs. The bill cleared the House Financial Services Committee but did not have enough Republican support to clear the full chamber. Hensarling has vowed to try again during the next Congress.
CFPB
When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was just a legislative proposal, Pence objected to giving a new agency so much power; he would likely support efforts to reform the structure of the agency. Republicans have been pushing to replace the bureau's single director with a five-person commission and to require that the bureau consider credit availability as well as consumer protection.
"The bill allows bureaucrats to determine the types and terms of credit products offered to consumers, through the establishment of the so-called Consumer Financial Protection Agency," Pence said in the speech to the New York Hedge Fund Roundtable.
"An unelected 'credit czar' would be empowered to dictate what financial products could be offered and at what terms, drastically reducing the number of financial products available and driving up the cost of credit generally, at a time when families and small businesses can least afford it," Pence added. "Agencies need the ability to consider safety and soundness and consumer protection together to ensure that a balance is achieved and neither responsibility is neglected."
WASHINGTON Regulators on Friday issued a package of long-awaited modifications to Community Reinvestment Act guidance designed to address the changing nature of banking products.
Published in the form of a Q&A, the updated guidance was first proposed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Federal Reserve in September 2014.
The finalized guidance will be effective "shortly," regulators said. It includes a raft of clarifications on branchless banking, flexible products such as small-dollar loan programs and how community development activities are recognized.
Out of 10 initial questions and answers proposed by the regulators, only one, addressing the "availability and effectiveness of retail banking services," was dropped.
The other nine rubrics were revised based on suggestions from industry representatives, state regulators and other players. The regulators received 126 comment letters, in addition to hundreds of form-letter submissions.
Hillary Clinton's "extremely careless handling of very sensitive, highly classified information" as described by FBI director James Comey has caused me to reflect on my own past top secret security clearance. I worked briefly for the State Department as a mere graduate student intern while at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, an experience that leaves me baffled by Clinton's behavior and her current exoneration.
My two internships with the State Department left no doubt in my mind about the importance of classified information security protocols. Intern orientation at the State Department's Washington, D.C. Foggy Bottom headquarters during the summer of 1996 included a security officer's briefing. He indicated with his slide of the former Soviet, now Russian, embassy festooned with antenna atop the Wisconsin Avenue heights overlooking the capital that this often hostile country's choice of diplomatic real estate was no accident.
This impression of advanced electronic ears listening for loose lips informed the telecommunications use of me and other State Department personnel. Strange noises at the beginning of a Foreign Service Officer (FSO)'s call from home to me in the office raised suspicious chuckles from us both. The FSO remarked that he heard this noise only when telephoning his workplace.
A later call to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia inquired about a minor edit in an outgoing cable requested by the CIA in order to shield intelligence sources. I used an ordinary telephone to arrange a discussion of this cable with a CIA analyst using a secure telephone unit (STU) that served to protect telephone calls involving classified information. With both the CIA analyst and me possessing a copy of the cable, he was able to indicate to me over the unsecured office telephone, with reference to phrase beginnings, the desired edits without discussing classified contents.
Security precautions continued to make their presence felt during my second winter 1996 internship in Vienna, Austria, at the American delegation to the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). I checked in at the delegation one evening after a train trip from the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, properly identifying myself to the delegation's Marine guard and meeting the one FSO left in the office after hours. During my introductory discussions with her, I suggested making a phone call with my cellphone, prompting her to respond that the delegation prohibited such personal electronic devices on the premises.
A delegation security officer later explained to this intrigued intern the possibility of an adversary tampering with such a device. An inserted micro-battery could surreptitiously turn on the device's microphone for eavesdropping. The officer complained that some State Department personnel persisted in bringing their cellphones onto official premises despite his repeated warning references to regulations.
An individual's carelessness caused a certain amount of trepidation among delegation staff after a Marine guard security sweep (at least that it is what I recall) discovered a classified document left overnight outside its secure safe in an STU. As some staff members speculated about their alibis and who was in the STU at the pertinent time, a delegation security officer investigating the matter called around to see who would "get the prize" of a recorded reprimand. Later, to my horror, I discovered a copy of a classified (at the lowest classification level of merely "classified") cable in a stack of papers left in my desk overnight and promptly, quietly placed the cable in a secure location.
During one staff meeting, an FSO addressed the matter of a dumpster outside the delegation filled with destroyed computers from the delegation's recently retired inventory. Like the rest of the State Department, the delegation was transitioning from unbelievably antiquated first-generation Wang computers to modern models capable of operating standard Microsoft word processing programs. The FSO wondered if the retired computers could have made a donation to charity, but he learned that their hard drives irrevocably contained classified information capable of recovery.
State Department personnel impressed this layman with their conscientious care of classified information, but Comey's press briefing upon FBI investigation into Clinton's email imbroglio begged to differ. The "security culture of the State Department in general, and with respect to use of unclassified e-mail systems in particular, was generally lacking in the kind of care for classified information found elsewhere in the government," he stated. Yet she failed to follow and/or ignored even these standards in an astonishing contrast with my experience at the State Department.
Nonetheless, Clinton's lenient treatment "is not to suggest that in similar circumstances, a person who engaged in this activity would face no consequences," Comey caveated. "To the contrary, those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions," a statement recalling an unknown hapless individual in Vienna. While some observers believe that Comey sought any excuse to avoid becoming the "fulcrum of history" by disqualifying a presidential candidate, his two-tiered application of justice remains inexplicable to me and many others.
I could not imagine emulating Clinton's "extreme careless" behavior (or, in more legally specific terms, "gross negligence") by, say, discussing confidential information openly over an unsecured telephone. Unlike her, I am not "too big to jail" and therefore have not only principled, but also practical reasons for upholding sworn and signed oaths.
If Lady Justice is not blind to Clinton, I can only hope that something else prevents her from ever having a security clearance again, whether in the White House or anywhere else.
Attorney John Clarke has been waging legal war against the protectors of TWA 800s secrets for nearly twenty years. His discovery and posting of a treasure trove of CIA documents has helped blow this case open. -- Jack Cashill
In the year 2000, attorney Mark Lane and I filed a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of James and Elizabeth Sanders. In the way of background, at the time TWA Flight 800 was destroyed in July 1996, Elizabeth was employed by TWA, where she knew TWA pilot Capt. Terrell Stacey. Stacey was participating in the NTSB's probe of the tragedy. Stacey knew that Liz's husband was an investigative journalist and asked whether he could meet with James.
When they met, Stacey told Sanders that a cover-up was in progress. Some weeks later, Stacey gave Sanders a tiny piece of the wreckage that contained residue from a missile for forensic testing. When Sanderss information was published in 1997, the government immediately retaliated against the Sanderses with a vengeance. The DOJ prosecuted them for violation of an obscure statute that outlaws removal of wreckage from a crash investigation.
The defendants in our lawsuit were eight of the participants in what we fully believed to be a cover-up. These included NTSB Chairman Jim Hall, FBI Assistant Direction Jim Kallstrom, and Assistant United States attorney Valerie Caproni. The 75-page lawsuit detailed 13 counts of civil rights violations, and a wealth of evidence of the cover-up. It begins:
Overt acts in furtherance of this conspiracy include actions designed to restrict access to facts that would hinder the government's ability to report a cause of the disaster of its own choosing. Defendants shaped the analysis of the disaster by, inter alia, removing debris recovered from the stricken aircraft, reporting debris as having been recovered east of its actual location, altering and withholding relevant radar documentation, altering the mockup of the stricken aircraft, making numerous false statements about forensic analysis and witnesses' accounts, and releasing a CIA-produced animation of the disaster that is false and misleading.
Sadly, the suit, which had been transferred from Washington, DC, to New York, was eventually dismissed.
But the next court action was a different matter. Two years after the civil rights lawsuit was transferred to New York, retired United Air Line pilot and air crash investigator Captain H. Ray Lahr, contacted me and asked whether I would prosecute his Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, which was pending in federal court in Los Angeles. Lahr had been seeking to FOIA the records upon which the government had claimed that the CIA-produced "zoom-climb" video-animation had been based. That lawsuit would be the first judicial review of the government's probe.
Ray and I submitted to the judge the affidavits and testimony of 27 fact and expert witnesses. They were physicists, system engineers, aerodynamicists, six air crash investigators (three of whom were parties to the TWA Flight 800 probe), a retired Admiral, a former NTSB Board member, and seven eyewitnesses. In 2006, U.S. District judge Howard Matz issued his opinion. He cited all of our evidence.
[T]he government withheld evidence from the Flight 800 probe. The government altered evidence during the investigation. Evidence was removed from the reconstruction hangar. The government misrepresented radar data, which does not correspond to the "zoom-climb" conclusion. Radar data and flight recorder data are missing. It appears that underwater videotapes of the debris from the plane have been altered. The government concealed the existence of a missile debris field and debris recovery locations. At its first public hearing, the NTSB did not permit eyewitness testimony. Many eyewitnesses vehemently disagree with the conclusions the CIA expressed in the video animation. The CIA falsely reported that only twenty-one witnesses saw anything prior to the beginning of the fuselage's descent into the water. The FBI took over much of the investigation from the NTSB, which should have been in charge, and the CIA never shared its data and calculations of the trajectory study with others for peer review, which would have been appropriate." Plaintiff also submits evidence that the government's conclusion that there was a center-wing fuel tank explosion and the government's "zoom-climb" theory)' were physically impossible under the circumstances. For example, evidence suggested there was no spark in the center-wing fuel tank. Once an explosion occurred, engine thrust would have been cut off with the loss of the nose of the plane. Furthermore, the aviation fuel used in Flight 800 is incapable oi an internal fire or explosion. The zoom-climb theory is impossible because at least one wing separated early in the flash sequence. Additionally, a steeper climb would likely result in a reduction in ground speed, which contradicts radar evidence. In fact, Plaintiff's evidence suggests the "zoom-climb" theory is aerodynamically impossible. Finally. Plaintiff also claims that there were military assets conducting classified maneuvers in the area at the time of the crash, and several vessels in the area remain unaccounted for.
The September 2006 edition of the National Law Journal, A rare win in fight for TWA crash records, reported:
Lahr, who received some documents with redactions, sought full records. In his ruling, Matz recognized Lahrs numerous reasons for believing that the government participated in a massive cover-up, such as conflicting eyewitness testimony and the physically impossible zoom-climb theory on which the investigation is based. The judge said that taken together, this evidence is sufficient to permit Plaintiff to proceed based on his claim that the government acted improperly in its investigation of Flight 800 or at least performed in a grossly negligent fashion. Accordingly, the public interest in ferreting out the truth would be compelling indeed.
All this evidence is open to inspection on Lahrs website under "Courts Documents. Ray aptly named his website, "The Impossible Zoom Climb." Jack Cashill's first book on the matter, First Strike, which he co-authored with Jim Sanders, calls the CIA video animation, "The boldest and most flagrant lie ever visited on the American people in peacetime." All of the forensic evidence, the testimony, and even the immutable laws of physics, proves it. Cashill's new book, TWA 800, The Crash, the Cover-Up, and the Conspiracy, recounts this proof and reveals the politics.
The official conclusion that a center-wing-tank explosion caused the Flight 800 tragedy had been repeated, over and over again, during the course of governments four-year probe. It was perhaps the longest sustained press leak in U.S. history.
The Ninth Circuit appellate reversed Judge Matz's order that the CIA reveal the names of all eyewitnesses. So, my next FOIA suit seeking these records will not be in the Ninth Circuit.
Quite frankly, Western civilization is losing the capacity to hate hatred. Far too many Europeans and Americans are engaging in outright denial of the most heinous and evil occurrences across the globe. Too many people will not truly acknowledge "the age old fact that God's children are capable of the most horrid things." Consequently, the West refuses to articulate a message of resistance, mobilize itself, and destroy the evil.
In his essay titled "Home Is Where to Learn How To Hate" Leo Rosten lays out a compelling argument asserting that denying evil is a result of "never having been taught to hate properly: that is (a) relevantly; (b) in proportion, fitting the thing or person hated; (c) without blind rage; and (d) without guilt." Thus, we find a young woman smiling and holding a sign that says "will trade racists for rapists" and calling for women to cover up so as not to offend. What an odious acceptance of evil. That the horrific crime of rape is accepted in order to avoid the alleged appearance of racism against the perpetrators is mind-boggling. Such sanctimonious depravity needs to be called out. And ignoring Islamic jurisprudence which permits sex-slavery, destruction of pre-Islamic antiquities, and pedophilia merely paves the way for our eventual enslavement if we continue to be meek bystanders.
In fact, Rosten maintains that "not ever to hate is to surrender a just scale of decent values. Not ever to hate is to drain love of its meaning. Not to hate anyone is as crazy as to hate everyone."
Furthermore, "a world of automatic indiscriminate loving is suicidal -- for the good and loving are enslaved or exterminated by those who gratify their cruelty and their lust." Consider the rapacious cruelty of ISIS and the moral cowardice of a world that will not admit that "neither truth nor justice nor compassion can possibly survive unprepared and unarmed."
Instead we see an ardent desire to literally disarm law-abiding people while simultaneously and deliberately erasing the facts about our enemies' intentions. Iran can chant "Death to America" and Kerry superciliously lectures Americans and ignores genuine concerns. Obama dismisses beheadings, amputations, boiling of humans, sexual assaults, kidnapping, stoning, burnings, burials of live human beings, and genocide with mealy-mouthed word games and double talk. He divests the peace warriors of the vital information needed to understand our enemies' intentions. His flights from truth do not mitigate the intentions of our enemies. Ending the blacklisting of U.S. Islamic charities that are helping to finance terrorist activities is unconscionable. Bribing journalists to paint a favorable coverage of the Iranian nuclear deal is reprehensible. How can we defeat what we cannot identify if their wicked objectives and actions are deliberately camouflaged?
As Rosten emphasizes, "[b]lind hatred is, of course, horrid and indefensible. But hate need not be blind. Hate can be clear-eyed -- and moral." In fact, hate "can be enlisted in the service of decency and kindness." How many pleas are required from the Yazidi child, or the Christian priest, or the Israeli mother, or the Shia Muslim child to know that silence from the world is but another form of absolute sheer brutality?
In a similar vein, Rabbi Meir Y. Soloveichik in his essay titled "The Virtue of Hate" states that "hate is not always synonymous with the terribly sinful. While Moses commanded us 'not to hate our brother in our hearts,' a man's immoral actions can serve to sever the bonds of brotherhood between himself and humanity." In fact, "[r]egarding a rasha, a Hebrew term for the hopelessly wicked, it is clearly stated that one is obligated to hate him."
In fact, "hate can be virtuous when one is dealing with the frightfully wicked." In Judaism, there is the belief that "God affords every human being the opportunity to choose his or her moral fate;" we are not mere puppets; we have free will to choose our moral pathway.
Thus, during the most serious holiday of Yom Kippur, when Jews ask for mercy and forgiveness, it is at the end of the closing prayer or neilah that "thoughts turn to the utterly evil and unrepentant." Towards, the end of this prayer, one states "Our Father, our King, avenge, before our eyes, the spilled blood of your servants.'" So after 25 hours of fasting, meditating, and asking for forgiveness, Jews turn their attention "to those who gave no thought to forgiveness... and assert 'Father, do not forgive them, for they know well what they do.'"
Soloveichik asserts that "God gave humanity the means for its own redemption," and people will be judged by the choices they make. Thus, "while no human being is denied the chance to become worthy of God's love, not every human being engages in actions so as to be worthy of that love, and those unworthy of divine love do not deserve our love either." Contrast the belief of the rabbis who "strongly believe that we go to heaven precisely because we deserve to be there as a result of doing good deeds on this earth with the jihadists' goals of destroying the world in order to advance to his or her afterlife.
Of course, the "danger inherent in hatred is that it must be very limited, directed only at the most evil and unrepentant." Thus, "[a]n Israeli mother is right to raise her child to hate Saddam Hussein, but she would fail as a parent if she taught him to despise every Arab." This recalls Rosten's admonition that we "must learn how to manage hate, how to channel it, how to use it where hate is justified -- and how to teach our children to do these things, too."
In fact, the "opposite of hate... is not love; it is hypocrisy." While some may say we need to understand the evildoer -- "is it not true that the more we understand some people or acts, the more we detest them -- and should?" Islamic terrorists deserve our unqualified hatred for their malevolent deeds. There is no justification for the carnage and destruction they commit.
Thus, I pledge that "I, for one, hate fanatics (regardless of race, color, or creed) who are ready to kill me or you or our children in the detestable certainty that they are absolutely right." That goes for Ku Klux Klan and Black Lives Matters activists who incite murder.
Thus, I pledge that "I hate injustice, therefore I hate those who treat others unjustly (because of their color, or creed, or simply because they are powerless)." That goes for Lois Lerner, Hillary Clinton, and Loretta Lynch, who blatantly lie about their misdeeds and cause grievous harm.
Thus, I pledge that "I hate those who teach others to hate those who disagree with them: I loathe demagogues." The Iranian leader is my enemy when he demands the death of my country. And anyone who would actively support his actions deserves my opprobrium as well.
Thus, I pledge that "I hate anyone who hates indiscriminately -- without hard thought, for irrational reasons, or out of false principles. I think my hatreds are the result of careful thought, reason, and moral principle."
How can we not react to evil except with the "most profound moral outrage?" When will we rise in a strong chorus and cry out with intense moral passion as Soloveichik writes:
"Let the terrorist die unshriven.
Let him go to hell.
Sooner a fly to God than he."
Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com
If we needed another reminder of why it matters who is elected president and who gets to pick the replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia is important, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg reminds us. In statements to CNN and the New York Times, Ginsburg called presumptive GOP presidential nominee a faker and warned of the danger of a Trump administration to SCOTUS and the country. As ABC News reported:
"He is a faker," Ginsburg said of Trump on Monday on CNN. "He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego... How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that." She also told the New York Times that a Trump presidency would be unimaginable for the country and the Supreme Court. "I cant imagine what this place would be -- I can't imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president," she told the Times. "For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be -- I dont even want to contemplate that." She jokingly added that she would move to New Zealand if he were to win the election in November.
She is entitled to her own political views. She is entitled even to use them in forming her court decisions. She is not entitled to use her lifetime appointment to attempt to sway Americans in an election. Her remarks show how far liberals on the Supreme Court and in lower courts have gone beyond interpreting the intent of the Founders in writing the Constitution to using the Supreme Court to advance a political and social agenda. To them the Constitution is a living document written in the sand, not carved into the bedrock of American democracy.
If Ginsburg wants to move to New Zealand, I will help her pack. After all she is one of the justices who advocates incorporating foreign law and foreign constitutions into SCOTUS decisions:
At the beginning of February, Ruth Bader Ginsburg traveled to South Africa, where she gave a public address on The Value of a Comparative Perspective in Constitutional Adjudication. She defended the Supreme Courts recent practice of taking guidance from foreign law when interpreting the U.S. Constitution. She acknowledged that the practice has been criticized. She expressed concern at bills before Congress condemning the practice.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in a concurring opinion in Grutter vs. Bollinger, affirmed the use of racial preferences in university admissions, citing the fact that the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination temporarily allows for the maintenance of unequal or separate rights for different racial groups. Separate but equal?
Justice Ginsburg shares the view that the Supreme Court is a tool, not for ruling on the law and the Constitution as the Founders intended, but as a tool for social engineering incorporating foreign laws and opinions. It is a political tool, so why shouldnt she be free to shape the political landscape?
The late Justice Antonin Scalia disagreed with her vehemently, believing in the original intent of the Founding Fathers, not in the political whims of the times. As Carlos Sadovi observed in the Chicago Tribune:
In a 2012 visit to the University of Chicago, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who had served as a law professor at the campus from 1977 to 1982, said he tried to frame his decisions by interpreting them with the original intent of the Founding Fathers According to University of Chicago Law professor Aziz Huq, Scalia's focus on "orginalism" will be known as his legacy. He said rather than focusing on individual cases, he changed the way the court approached the law by trying to return to its past. "His contributions, with the way the justice system thought about the law, will be enduring," Huq said. "He felt that you have to go back to the original meaning of the Constitution, what the folks in the 1700s were doing and trying to get the meaning to those words they used."
As noted in The Resurgent, Supreme Court justices should be removed from the political arena, as well as not be bullied by the political elites:
Supreme Court Justices are supposed to be above politics -- above the fray, as it were. When President Obama publicly chided the Court in his 2010 State of the Union speech for ruling against his preference in the Citizens United case, Chief Justice Roberts correctly called him out. With Ginsburg acting as a loose cannon, the Justices could lose the high ground theyve always enjoyed when dealing with administrations on both sides of the aisle. The Supreme Court should be free to speak its mind without reference to political winds, and the price of that freedom is keeping its mouth shut in regards to party politics and candidates.
The decision by FBI Director Comey letting former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton skate on violations of the law that ensnared Gen. David Petraeus and others gave many who were reluctant to a reason to vote for Donald Trump for president. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has just provided another one, ironically giving a boost to the candidate she fears.
Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
Down in Cuba, Raul Castro made two announcements.
First, he said "adios" to the minister of the economy. For the record, the Cuban minister of the economy is nothing but a figurehead who does whatever the Castro brothers tell him to do.
Second, he reminded Cubans that the troubles in Venezuela will bring more hard economic times.
Raul said this about the hard times ahead:
"Rumors and forecasts of an imminent collapse of our economy with a return to the acute phase of the Special Period ... have started to appear," Castro said according to a copy of his speech provided by the country's official news agency Prensa Latina. Foreign journalists are barred from the assembly. He was referring to the years after Cuba's biggest benefactor, the Soviet Union, collapsed. During that time, in the early 1990s, Cubans had to cope with widespread power outages and food shortages. "We cannot deny there will be some impact, including worse than currently, but we are prepared and in better conditions than then to revert it."
In many ways, this is reminiscent of perestroika in the late 1980s, or Mr. Gorbachev's efforts to revive the USSR economy. In other words, talking reform is not reform, unless you are willing to make structural changes in a communist system,
This is how Peter Boettke, professor of economics and philosophy at George Mason University, explained the failure of perestroika:
One of the main reasons perestroika failed was because it wasnt tried. During his six years in power, Gorbachev introduced at least 10 programs for the radical restructuring of the Soviet economy, not a one of which was implemented. Instead, economic reform was limited to inconsistent and incoherent half-measures. The law on individual economic activity, the law on state enterprises, and the various price-reform proposals, for example, amounted to nothing more than half-measures incapable of producing the desired economic results even if they were implemented in an ideal environment. Conceptually, economic reform is a fairly simple matter. Private property in resources must be established and protected by a rule of law; consumer and producer subsidies must be eliminated; prices must be freed to adjust to the forces of supply and demand; responsible fiscal policy should be pursued that keeps taxation to a minimum and reins in deficit financing; and a sound currency must be established. Introducing such reforms even within Western economies is anything but simple. And the major problem is not just a conceptual one of designing the appropriate sequence or plan of reform.
In other words, communist economic systems cannot be reformed. They have been thrown into the garbage and replaced with real free markets, the rule of law, and a respect for private property. Gorbachev did not do that in the USSR, and Castro is not doing it in Cuba.
Why is Castro not allowing full market reforms in Cuba? The answer is simple greed. The Cuban economy, and the Castro family's ownership of it, has turned these two bearded revolutionaries into filthy rich men. Add to this the billions stolen from U.S. citizens (estimated today's value is U.S. $7 billion) and Cubans, and this is a racket of unprecedented proportions 90 miles south of Florida!
Reforms mean that the Castro family would have to share its wealth with Cubans. Sorry that's not going to happen no matter how many times President Obama and Raul Castro do the wave in Cuba.
How do you say perestroika in Spanish? Same as in Russian!
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Recent events across the country have made police even more of a target than they have been in the past. And along with the heightened tensions and hysterical, anti-police rhetoric there has been a public backlash where some people have decided to ostracize police.
There was a couple in Pennsylvania who refused to sit next to four policemen, making clear their hatred. In response, the cops paid for the couple's meal:
The guy looks over at one of the police officers and was like, 'Nah I don't want to sit here.' So they got moved completely opposite, away from the police officers," restaurant server Jesse Meyers told CNN affiliate WTAE. "I looked over and said, 'It's okay sir. You won't have to worry about it, we won't hurt you," Homestead police Officer Chuck Thomas said. "He looked at me hard again and said he's not sitting here and walked away." Then the officers, fully cognizant of the recent heightened tensions between police and the communities they serve, had an idea. They'd counteract this rude brush off with a random act of kindness. The officers paid the couple's $28.50 bill, and left this note on the receipt: "Sir, your check was paid for by the police officers you didn't want to sit next to. Thank you for your support." Boom. They even took care of the tip.
In the state of Washington, one restaurant owner took the snubbing of cops a step farther. He told some sheriff's deputies that they and their fellow officers were not welcome in his diner:
A Washington sheriff shared an incident on the department's Facebook page that is stirring outrage in the community. Sheriff Will Reichardt of Skagit County says his deputies were asked to stop dining at Lucky Teriyaki in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. According to Reichardt's post, the owner told officers that other customers did not appreciate their presence. The chief deputy says he spoke with the restaurant owner to clarify this request, and the owner not only confirmed that he asked the four officers not to return - he asked that the message be passed along to other law enforcement that they would not be welcome at Lucky Teriyaki.
The sheriff was appalled:
This afternoon 4 Skagit County Sheriffs office deputies were finishing up lunch at Luckys. As 2 deputies went up to pay they were informed by the owner that he requested they not eat there anymore. They were told that other customers didnt like law enforcement there. My chief deputy spoke to the owner to confirm this because he simply could not believe what he was hearing. The owner not only repeated the request but asked that we spread the word to other law enforcement that they were no longer welcome either. I understand a business owner has a right to refuse service if he wants to.I also understand that as customers we all have the right to find some other restaurant to take our lunch break in.
The owner speaks for a minority of citizens, but it's still disturbing. This is especially true when you consider what the attitude of the owner and those customers would be if they ever found themselves in a situation where law enforcement would save their lives. "No thanks, I'll just let this robber shoot me" would probably not be their response.
As for the cops, it doesn't matter who needs help; they'll be there, facing danger to protect and serve. The owner of that restaurant deserves a boycott and a quick bankruptcy. Being that shortsighted and judgmental should have consequences.
Amid all the hoopla about Brexit, the U.K.s biggest problem was left on the sidelines. (Biggest problem = the percentage of Muslims in the U.K. population.)
Muslims pose a unique threat because their holy book mandates that all non-believers be converted, live as second-class citizens, or die teachings that a lot of Muslims take to heart as they harbor feelings of hate toward non-Muslims, participate in creeping sharia, and in increasing numbers, become jihadists. (See here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here for a few among countless references.)
The ultimate goal is ambitious, and Muslims are having success. The goal? For the caliphate, to consume British society, whether through stealth means or overt acts of violence. Not long ago, it would have sounded crazy to suggest such a thing. But Muslims in the U.K. have steadily gained ground as political elites have embraced their dhimmi status, allowing Islamic supremacy to take hold. At the rate things are going, the U.K. is on course to become part of the caliphate in the foreseeable future. The process is unfolding right in front of us, as it is elsewhere in Europe. The United States is on the same path, and without a course correction, we are at grave risk of meeting the same eventual end. But I digress.
So, not to be a wet blanket on the Brexit parade, but in keeping with the U.K.s mad rush to become an Islamic nation, the new prime minister will be Theresa May (who, by the way, opposed the U.K. leaving the European Union.)
Yes, that Theresa May.
The home secretary who said it was not the role of the state to tell women what to wear when a district court judge ruled that Muslim women must remove their veils to reveal their face when giving evidence. The woman who stated that Britain must battle extremism in all its forms, as if the U.K. is being destroyed by anything other than Islamic supremacism. The woman who then used her idiotic and dangerous moral equivalence as a rationale to ban Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer from entering the U.K.
Yes, that Theresa May.
The woman who declared that ISIS is not Islamic and who sanctioned sharia courts, going so far as to say that the nation could benefit a great deal from sharia teachings.
Yes, it is that Theresa May who will be at the helm as the U.K. exits the EU but keeps all its Muslims.
Hat tip: Atlas Shrugs, Counterjihad Report, Jihad Watch, Israel National News, UK Express, The Telegraph, The Spectator, The Herald Scotland, ITV News
After years of demands from lawmakers and the families of 9/11 victims for the release of 28 pages from the Joint Committee on the Terrorist Attacks of 9/11, the administration has finally agreed to make the committee's findings on Saudi involvement in 9/11 public.
The Hill:
The documents, long the subject of fierce speculation, are believed by some to contain details linking the government of Saudi Arabia to the 9/11 terror attacks.
Congress is expected to get a redacted version of the pages as soon as Thursday, House Intelligence Committee ranking member Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told The Hill, with a public release possible on Friday.
Support for the release has been nearly universal. Family members and survivors of the attack have pleaded with President Obama to release the pages and Saudi leaders have said they should be released to quash speculation.
"While the 9/11 families and survivors welcome this first step, they wish to reiterate that true transparency requires the release of a far greater body of evidence of possible Saudi involvement in the 9/11 attacks and rise of al Qaeda, and prompt passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA)," lawyers for the families of 9/11 victims and survivors said in a Thursday statement.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi citizens, which some argue is an indication of the kingdoms support of extremists. There has never been any conclusive proof tying senior levels of the Saudi government to al Qaeda ahead of 9/11, but scrutiny around a possible connection has lingered for years.
I think the speculation about it is more damaging than the actual release and its obviously an issue of such seminal importance to the country I think we can trust the public to assess it for what its worth, Schiff said.
A decision has not yet been made as to who will make the formal release, Schiff said. He noted that the report was originally a joint effort by the Senate and House Intelligence committees and, as such, should be released by them.
I think the administration probably concurs that its a congressional work product, it ought to be released by Congress, he said, but, ultimately the speaker/leader will make the decision on whether they release it or the committees do.
As I watch the reporting of the carnage that just took place in Nice, France, I cannot understand how anyone with two neurons to rub together could support a political party or candidate that allows Muslim immigration, refugee or otherwise, into these United States. I get this insane blood pressure spike every time I see footage of American citizens who were forced to choose between burning to death in agony or plummeting to their deaths from the Trade Center Towers. The footage from Nice instigates those same spikes.
Our choice is clear: do we support a candidate who puts the interests and security of the United States first? Or do we support a candidate who has a record of criminal activity who looks at her political career as a way to fill her personal financial coffers?
Hillary Clinton has a long history of feeding at the public trough, whether as a political spouse or as an elected or appointed official. While her personal corruption may have started as acceptable, she has now blown right through "somewhat unseemly" and arrived well in the middle of "snout down in the trough up to the ears."
Moreover, as the director of the FBI has stated, Clinton's handling of classified information, some of which is so sensitive that disclosure of it could likely cause the death of U.S. covert agents, was "extremely negligent."
Then there is Clinton's position regarding Syrian "refugees." She advocates bringing thousands of them here. I have two questions:
1) First and foremost, how does this benefit the United States and the taxpayers who have to pay for it?
2) How can they be "vetted"? As Mrs. Clinton knows, the best way to truly vet a foreign national is through that person's government a government with whom we have friendly ties. How are we supposed to do that with Syrians?
Donald Trump has none of these issues especially regarding immigration. Mr. Trump understands, as did President James Earl Carter, that sometimes we as a nation have to turn off the immigration spigot until "we can figure out what is going on."
Mike Ford is a retired infantry officer, frequently edited by his lovely bride, who is a retired English teacher and high school principal.
What really happened at FBI director James Comey's press conference this week? After giving a textbook case of why Hillary Clinton should be charged, he surprised everyone by saying she should not.
Did he simply blow it? Did he wimp out, knowing the wrath he would face? Unquestionably, Hillary committed offenses for which the average Joe would be arrested. Was he blackmailed or bought off? Was he politically motivated?
There's truth somewhere in or around those guesses. Hillary, as Comey's testimony of what she did exposed, certainly deserved to be prosecuted. Others have been put in jail for much less, including an innocent video maker she blamed for Benghazi. But with no answers from Comey as to why he did it, I'm reminded of the Vietnam War performance of Jeremiah Denton, a U.S. prisoner of war (POW) hauled in the war's early stages before cameras by North Vietnamese captors to attest to U.S. "war crimes."
Denton, who would become a U.S. senator from Alabama but at the time was a high-ranking naval aviator in the hands of his North Viet enemies, pulled a spectacular stunt on his captors. While mouthing the lies they made him say about U.S. bombings, he blinked his eyes in Morse code relating "torture" while feigning that the lights were too bright. It was the first credible confirmation that our POWs were being tortured, valuable information used from then on by U.S. war planners and negotiators.
Was Comey, in his own way, doing something similar? That's probably a stretch. But in view of the devastating case he presented before letting Hillary off the hook, his schizophrenic press conference seems to have done something similar to Denton's. As a result of the naval officer's dangerous ruse, Americans finally got the truth. In Hillary's case, Comey's reputation and position as the nation's top cop seem to have shown Americans truth about Hillary many had not believed prior namely, that she lied about her emails and put U.S. security in jeopardy, something no presidential candidate should have done.
For most of his press conference, Comey gave a list of seemingly indictable offenses, including: she had an unauthorized server and exposed information to "hostile actors." She lied to the public and authorities. She was "extremely careless" with secret documents. She was so unofficially indicted that The Washington Post, usually favorable to her, wrote that Comey "systematically obliterated many of the key defenses Clinton ... offered to reassure the public" about her private email system. Similarly, The New York Times, usually in her corner, wrote that Clinton "has emerged from the F.B.I. investigation ... a wounded candidate with a large and growing majority of voters saying she cannot be trusted."
They based that on a Times/CBS poll following Comey's press conference saying, "67 percent of voters say [Hillary] is not honest and trustworthy." Overall, according to a poll from ABC News again, a pro-Hillary entity "57 percent disapprove of ... Comey's recommendation not to charge Clinton." And these are just the first polls following Comey's testimony. Will they continue in that vein? Presidential polls indicate yes. While Hillary led by substantial margins in most earlier polls, the latest Quinnipiac poll a very respected one shows her for the first time losing ground in key swing states. "With a drop in grades on honesty and moral standards [Clinton] loses an 8-point lead over [Trump] in Florida and finds herself in too-close-to-call races in ... Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania."
It's early. Is this change because Hillary is seen as a favored elitist who doesn't have to obey the laws that unfavored citizens must? Or is it that contrary to some opinions, America has not yet lost its moral compass and, when alerted, Americans disparage candidates shown to lie and cheat, even those of strong political beliefs? Probably some of both.
Intended or not, Comey appears to have pulled a "Jeremiah Denton." Only he knows. But the consequences are the same. Truth emerged that otherwise would have not had such impact. Hopefully his testimony continues to impress. That should benefit the nation on election day.
Robert K. Wilcox is the author of the upcoming Target JFK: The spy who killed Kennedy?
On April 10, 2013, a gigantic chunk of earth and rocks gave away and crashed into the humongous pit created by copper mining at the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah, the United States. Approximately 65 to 70 million cubic meters of debris thundered down the walls of the mine reaching speeds up to 100 miles per hour. The event was so large that it shook the earth and the tremors were picked up by seismic sensors designed to record earthquakes. The intensity recorded by the instruments measured 2.5 in Richter Scale. In other words, the landslide felt like a 2.5 quake.
The incident was the largest non-volcanic landslide in the modern history of North America, and it occurred in the largest man-made excavation in the world.
Photo credit: unknown
Bingham Canyon has been producing copper since 1906, and supplies 25% of all copper used in the United States. More than a century of mining activity has resulted in a massive crater that is 970 meters deep and 4 km wide. The hole is such a spectacle that it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
As the mine grew and the hole became deeper and wider, mine operators began to question the stability of the slopes of the pit. So they installed the latest in surveillance technology that included sensors such as automated geodetic networks, in situ extensometers, and ground-based radar interferometry. Thanks to these monitoring systems as well as the seismic network operated by the University of Utah Seismograph Stations in the Utah region, the Bingham Canyon mine landslide is one of the best recorded in history.
In early 2013, mine operators picked up signs of increasing instability on the northeastern wall of the Bingham Canyon mine. In the morning of the landslide the movement began so strong that they immediately evacuated the area. The first landslide occurred seven hours later, followed by another one 1.5 hour later. Each avalanche lasted 90 seconds. Altogether, some 65 million cubic meters of debris were deposited, enough to cover New York Citys Central Park with 20 meter of debris.
Interestingly, the landslide also triggered sixteen smaller earthquakes real quakes making the landslide the first in history to have triggered quakes and not the other way around.
Although loss of equipment was inevitable, because of the early warning system, no loss of lives occurred.
Related: Frank Slide: Canadas Deadliest Rockslide Now a Tourist Attraction
Photo credit: fox13now.com
Photo credit: fox13now.com
Photo credit: fox13now.com
Photo credit: fox13now.com
Photo credit: fox13now.com
Photo credit: umfablog.wordpress.com
Photo credit: Miaomiao WANG/Flickr
Photo credit: Miaomiao WANG/Flickr
Photo credit: Doc Searls/Flickr
Photo credit: Doc Searls/Flickr
Sources: GSA Today / Wikipedia / University of Utah
ASUS had introduced three ZenFone 3 devices back in May, the ZenFone 3, ZenFone 3 Ultra and ZenFone 3 Deluxe. These three devices are quite affordable as well, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is an especially great deal considering its premium specifications, and low price at the same time. Now, we were wondering when will additional ZenFone 3 devices land, especially after weve seen a couple of Bluetooth SIG listings yesterday. Well, we didnt have to wait for long, at all, the company has just introduced two new ZenFone 3 models, read on.
The company has introduced the ZenFone 3 Max and ZenFone 3 Laser during the Zenvolution 2016 event in Vietnam. Both of these phones are mid-range offerings, more or less, lets check out their specs, shall we. The ZenFone 3 Max features a 5.2-inch 720p (1280 x 720) 2.5D curved display, along with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage (expandable via a microSD card). This handset is fueled by the MT6737 64-bit quad-core SoC by MediaTek, and a 4,100mAh battery is available here as well, though it is not removable. The 13-megapixel shooter is placed on the back of the ZenFone 3 Max, and a 5-megapixel snapper is available on its front side. Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes pre-installed on the ZenFone 3 Max, and on top of it, youll find ASUS ZenUI 2.0 user interface. The phone also offers 4G LTE connectivity, a fingerprint scanner, and two SIM card slots (hybrid SIM).
The ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser, on the other hand, features a 5.5-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) 2.5D curved panel, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable internal storage. The phone is fueled by the Snapdragon 430 64-bit octa-core processor, and unfortunately, we still dont know how big is ZenFone 3 Lasers battery pack. The 13-megapixel camera (f/2.0 aperture, Sonys IMX214 sensor, Laser AF, 3-axis EIS) is placed on the back of this phone, and a 4G LTE connectivity is also a part of this package. Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes as part of the ZenFone 3 Laser package as well, and the same ZenUI version is available here as on the ZenFone 3 Max.
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The ZenFone 3 Max comes in Glacier Silver, Titanium Gray and Sand Gold color variants, and costs 4,490,000 Vietnamese Dong ($200) in the country. The ZenFone 3 Laser can be purchased in Gold, Silver and Rose Gold colors, and the phone is priced at 5,990,000 Vietnamese Dong ($268).
In just a little over a week now, Pokemon GO has become the United States most popular mobile game, and while this phenomenon is baffling to some, it is most certainly difficult to ignore entirely. After all, anything that has brought people together and got them out onto the street is going to get attention regardless of which franchise its part of. For as many as there are good stories about Pokemon GO however, there appears to be just as many negative stories, and it seems as though there are more than a few people out there willing to take advantage of this new phenomenon. Reports of people totalling their cars, finding dead bodies and more have all surfaced following the launch of the new game. Sadly, another such report has surfaced out of Australia.
A couple that ventured to a local skate park in Tahmoor, Australia were robbed at gunpoint on Wednesday evening, around 7PM local time. The couple had driven to the park to spend some time together getting some exercise as well as enjoying a common interest, but two men one of which was armed with a rifle saw fit to put an end to their quiet evening. According to local reports, the two men drove up to the park in a white Toyota Hilux, blocked the exit to the parks car park and then approach the couple, both aged 29. Apparently, these werent the type of robbers to seal the deal though, as the two apparently fled the scene empty-handed, which sort of defeats the purpose of even trying to rob someone.
The couple promptly informed the police of what happened, and the local police are seeking any information regarding the white Hilux that was spotted. The Camden polices Det Inspector Jayne Doherty said that while it was unlikely that Pokemon GO was used to lure the couple to the park, people should be aware of the circumstances you are putting yourself in and dont create a situation where you may be in danger. This should go without saying, but if youre one of the millions that have recently become infatuated with Pokemon GO, youll need to make sure youre not walking everywhere with your face buried into your smartphone. Holding it by your side to clock up those miles to hatch eggs is fine, and the app will vibrate any time you need to do something, so theres no need to zero in on it every second.
Tomorrows next generation networking technology, known as 5G, has yet to be given an established standard by the mobile networking groups. The technology, which is reckoned to be capable of running around ten times quicker than current 4G networking standards, is considered to be of paramount importance to the developed world in the coming years and although the standard has yet to be set down, government agencies across the world are already planning for its roll out. Today, it was the turn of the United States of Americas Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, to make an official announcement regarding 5G or fifth-generation networking.
The FCC has unanimously voted to open up significant spectrum for tomorrows networking it has unlocked 11 GHz of high-frequency spectrum destined for the new standard. This is claimed will provide vital clarity for business investment in this area. In other words, whilst we still dont know the makeup of 5G networking, when it arrives there will be space already available in the US airwaves. We have already seen a number of carriers around the world deploying 5G network trials, including the two largest carriers in the US, Verizon Wireless and AT&T, both committed to running 5G network trials next year and are intent on deploying 5G networks in 2020. Americas third and fourth carriers, T-Mobile USA and Sprint respectively, are also planning their own 5G trials.
Although it is not clear how 5G network technology will work, the FCC is expecting it to have a considerable impact on Americas everyday activities. FCC Commissioner, Mignon Clyburn, is quoted discussing some of the benefits to 5G including smart home appliances cooperating with other items to populate shopping lists for example. It is not clear where the boundaries lie between 5G and the IoT, or Internet of Things. IoT is the name given to the huge numbers of interconnected and online devices, which will rely on existing and future Wi-Fi and cellular networking standards. One scenario that the FCC believe that 5G and IoT technologies could be used to create smart city systems by for example installing sensors into street furniture such as streetlights, signs and even trees, where sensors will be able to report weather and pollution details to help city and traffic planners. However, the US is not the only country forging ahead with 5G research and development: South Korea is aiming to have 5G networking deployed by the time they host the Olympics in 2018, with Japan aiming to have its own networks operational by 2020 and when it also hosts the Olympics.
For a lot of people, Huawei either means a budget brand of smartphone, or the maker of their beloved Nexus 6P. Thats what many of us in the West think, but things are starting to change, and fast. Huaweis P-series of devices, including their latest P9 and P9 Plus devices are becoming very popular throughout Europe. Partnering with Leica as well as selling items like the Huawei Watch in high-end department stores throughout Europe and the US is turning the Huawei name into more than just a name, its becoming a brand in its own right. With that, Huawei is looking to achieve the same sort of status that Samsung and Apple have been able to do with their payment options, starting with their home nation of China.
Earlier this year, the Chinese smartphone giant ranked in the top 5 throughout the World launched Huawei Pay, with China UnionPay as their one and only partner as of writing. According to a new report from DigiTimes, the firm is looking to become one of the better-known payment options in China. Of course, with both Apple Pay and Samsung Pay already operating in the country, the firm has their work cutout for them. Where Samsung is concerned however, China might not even become a large market for Samsung Pay, as the service is only available on higher-end devices, and these have typically not sold well in China. Apple however, will prove to be a formidable opponent for Huawei to overcome, having taken China by storm over the last few years.
While there have been rumors of Huawei Pay leaving China before, it seems as if for now the firm is looking to make their mark on their home turf. Perhaps Huawei could take a leaf out of Samsungs book, which has companies that offer financial services themselves in their home country of South Korea, but these could be subject to regulation and Huawei might choose to try and forge better relations with other banks and card issuers within China. Huawei is keen to turn their name into a well-known brand, and Huawei Pay will be one way of doing just that, but the firm has a long way to go before they can enjoy the sort of success of Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
With the Primary Election for President of the United States taking place in November, those that are not currently registered to vote are quickly running out of time to do so. Every time theres an election, the phrase this is an important election always appears, and its always true. Google is working to make it easier for everyone to find out how to register to vote, no matter what state they are located in seeing as different states have different rules. On Monday, Google is going to be rolling out a tool in Google Search that will give you information on registering to vote. All you have to do is search for register to vote and youll get detailed information right there in search this also works in the Google Search app. Itll give you options for registering online, by mail or over the phone. Additionally, youll see the requirements as well as the deadlines for registering and being able to vote for President in November.
In the blog post announcing this feature, Jacob Schonberg, who is a product manager at Google, stressed that this is going to make it easier for everyone to register to vote, stating that no matter which state youre in or how you plan to cast your ballot, you can find the step-by-step information you need to register correctly and on time. Google has always been about making our lives easier, and it appears that they are doing just that with this new feature, in Google Search.
Of course, thats not all that Google had to announce today. They are also rolling out a tool for Google Search that allows you to keep up with the Republican National Convention which takes place July 18th through the 21st in Cleveland, OH and the Democratic National Convention which is being held in Philadelphia from July 25th through the 28th. The way itll work, is when you search for either of these conventions, the app will show a summary of the event, as well as information about the presidential nominee and a list of speakers. As expected, a stream of social media posts will also be shown in search results. This is going to make it easier for everyone to keep up with what is happening at both conventions, which marks the beginning of the road for Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump on their march to The White House.
There has been a number of standout devices that have come through over the last year. Although, they are not all standout for the same reasons. Lenovo introduced their PHAB 2 Pro which is the first Tango-enabled smartphone offering those interested the first real taste of an augmented reality-focused handset. Then there was the likes of the OnePlus 3 which seems to be a massive hit for those looking for a powerful handset at a significantly reduced cost. Samsung released their next in line flagship smartphone in the S series, the Galaxy S7 with this year clearly seeing the Edge variant becoming the new norm. And then there was LG.
In many ways LG has been the most novel of all the handset manufacturers with the release of their next in line LG G smartphone, the LG G5. A device which largely stands out from the rest due to its modular-focus. Which is interesting as it is not actually a modular smartphone, but one which just plays on modular principles. Not to mention, LG is not the only manufacturer this year to play on those principles with Motorola also making their latest Z range, modular-focused as well. However, when it comes to LGs offering it seems it is either light years ahead or just simply too weird for the majority market. Whichever is true, all indications are now pointing towards the LG G5 not being the success LG was hoping for. More to the point and as a byproduct of the LG G5, LG has not had the year they were hoping for. Under normal circumstances this would lead to much speculation on what will happen over at LG, like which jobs will be under threat and what changes will be made. Although it seems LG is continuing the trend of being the novel company of 2016 as it has essentially leapfrogged the speculation stage.
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At the start of July LG made an announcement that they were changing up some of the companys structure for their mobile department. In short, a number of executives were moving to various different roles and the company was introducing a new Program Management Office (PMO). The announcement, as well as the shake up and the newly formed PMO came with a very clear mandate to add new momentum to LGs mobile business. This is as well as LG providing the clearest of indications on how they view the G5 post-release, with LG stating LG Electronics latest flagship G5 smartphone failed to generate sales. This is keeping in mind that the LG G5 only became available to buy on April 1. With the shake up announcement coming on July 1 (literally three months to the day), this not only highlights that the LG G5 is failing in LGs eyes, but it has failed from literally day one. An issue LG evidently does not expect the G5 to recover from going forward.
And we are now starting to see why, as another report emerged earlier this week which provides greater insight on how well (or more appropriately how poorly) the G5 is performing against LGs own expectations. According to the newest report, LG had expected to sell roughly 3.5 million G5 units in the second quarter of 2016. The new details suggest the likely number of units sold will only reach the 2.5 million marker. So while it is still selling (and not a total flop), it is selling significantly less than expected. The knock-on effect of this is that the report also details that LG will likely adjust its wider anticipation of annual sales for the LG G5. Again, according to the details, the G5 was expected to sell in the region of 12 million devices this year and the newly suggested amount will now be closer to 5.5 million. Keeping in mind, that the G5 has already had its initial launch quarter and the expected (adjusted) units shipped figure for that quarter is now 2.5 million, the new yearly figure would suggest the LG G5 is going to curtail even more in terms of sales with only 3 million units expected to ship in the next six months. So not only does it seem as though the LG G5 will sell less than half of what was initially expected, the units shipped will literally cliff drop over the next two quarters. Which is obviously not good news for LGs bottom line with the same report expecting LG to announce losses of in the region of $110 million for the second quarter alone. An amount which you can then extrapolate for the year ahead.
So while these figures are unconfirmed at the moment, the picture being painted is that the G5 has significantly under-performed. When you then factor in the announcement made by LG and the fact that after only three months of the G5 being on sale LG is looking to find new momentum, it does stand to reason that the figures cannot be too far away from the truth. The G series of smartphones is by far the biggest seller for LGs mobile business and if that is not selling, LG Mobile has a problem, a significant one. So what it causing the issue? Why has the LG G5 not sold anywhere near what it should be selling? Well, this is a lot harder to pinpoint specifically and in reality is going to be a combination of smaller aspects which collectively not only result in a poor 2016 for LG, but also highly indicate that unless change comes soon, 2017 might not fare much better either.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZTc3QQCjm4
The first obvious issue is the actual LG G5. If LG released a smartphone that everyone wanted, it would sell. It is that simple. So it stands to logic that no one wants the LG G5 and the only correlation which can be assumed is its modular nature. However, not the fact that it is modular per se, as the LG G5 is not a true modular smartphone. Instead this is one which adopts modular traits with the inclusion of aspects which can be swapped in or out. However, they are not the easiest of aspects to swap in and out which many would assume should be a priority with anything modular-based. Not to mention, they are modules which are very hard to come by and in all honesty do not offer that much in terms of their value. The camera module does not improve camera abilities and while it does offer additional battery value, it cannot power the actual handset. So in the two ways in which this one (and main) module could add value, it fails on both accounts. Then there was the significant availability gap between the launch of the G5 and the modules, another clear sales momentum issue, when the main selling point of the device is its modular nature. So the way in which LG has adopted a modular approach, coupled with the fact that it has not been executed in the best manner, does seem likely to be one of the main reasons as to why the LG G5 and its friends has not gained the traction expected. Of course, on a more wider (and yet fundamental) level, the LG G5 has also raised criticisms that it is just not the best built device. One which lacks the premium look and feel which warrants its high price. So if you can take away the actual modular aspect for a moment, the phone that is left, is one which consumers do not seem overly keen to pay for.
Which neatly leads us to the next clear issue for LG, price. LG and their G line of smartphones has always been an up their line of smartphones and one which does often get pitted against the likes of the Galaxy S series from Samsung. As is to be expected. This nearly automatically means we are always talking about a flagship-priced smartphone each year. And that in itself is something that has changed greatly over the last year or two.
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Thanks to the likes of the OnePlus 3, a smartphone simply cannot automatically command a flagship price anymore. While OnePlus is not the only company shaking up the industry, the collective effect of budget and affordable-minded manufacturers has shaped the way in which value is attributed to a smartphone. Specs and even build-quality are no longer aspects which are resigned to high-end manufacturers and smartphones. In fact, in some ways this is what had partly contributed to those high-end smartphone manufacturers looking to introduce more novel smartphones. For instance, for a number of years Samsung had been considered to be on a slow decline when it comes to the Galaxy S sales. They were heavily criticized for the heavily-skinned version of Android, their more plastic-build and general high price. Instead of lowering the price, the last two years has seen Samsung respond by significantly increasing the premium build of its smartphones, as well as introducing the Edge. This latter aspect being what is now driving Samsung flagship sales massively and which is now seeing the companys mobile division prosper again.
As a result, Samsung has managed to (and against the general curve) identify clear markers as to why their smartphones cost more. If you are in the market for a new smartphone and base your buying requirements on specs alone, then the offerings coming through from OnePlus, Xiaomi, ASUS and the rest, are fine. You are getting a high-performing device at a reasonable cost. If you want an extremely premium smartphone then Samsung has managed to provide reasons which justify the higher cost. Not to mention, this has also led to a number of typically iPhone consumers also moving across to Samsung. The Edge is literally in right now.
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But the same cannot be said for LG. At a time where all premium tier smartphone manufacturers are being heavily criticized and asked to explain why consumers should buy their smartphones over a lower-priced smartphone, LG has failed to answer in a convincing enough manner. The LG G5 is not only a confused smartphone, but one which seems as though it was rushed to market. It lacks the premium quality that many would expect from a top tier smartphone and put simply, provides no direct reason why a consumer should buy it. If you ask a current G5 owner they will likely tell you its a good phone, runs well and there are no major issues. Which although is all well and good, it is no longer enough. This is where LG as a company now has a major problem.
To be fair to LG, Samsung had been in a similar position a couple of years ago and HTC were in this exact position last year. However, the difference being that the G5 was a radical departure from the previous (and much loved) G series handsets. As a result, the G5 was expected to be the device which helps improve an already problematic market position and level of sales for LGs mobile division. But that has not been the case. Samsungs radical departure from their Galaxy S series design was an instant hit and now future generations devices seem to be building on that momentum. Likewise, while the HTC 10 did not set the smartphone world alight, it did bounce the company back from what was largely considered to be a failure with the One M9. Not forgetting, nobody can accuse HTC of sitting back in the market when they have quickly established themselves as one of the leading companies in virtual reality (which incidentally, is another arena Samsung has highly invested in as well). In terms of LG, VR ambitions seems largely non-existent and the companys hopes were pinned on the G5. If successful, it would have allowed the company to continue in this new direction bringing out revised modular-focused devices with newer and better friends. Which does seem largely unlikely now. Instead, LG finds themselves now in the unique position of needing to re-imagine their G series just after already re-imagining the G series. Which means by 2017 and over the short space of two years, it is highly likely the G series will have undergone two major redesigns and overhauls one to the modular G5 and the next one away from the current G5 design. Which in itself highlights the fundamental concern for LG how to reinvent the already-reinvented LG G range? This must be the question LG is currently asking themselves and to their credit, in as little as three months after the release of the G5 they are already making some changes to find the new momentum needed. Of course, with only seven or eight months until the next reinvention of the LG G series comes through, time is already ticking.
Whether good or bad, emoji have now become a language in their own right. While icon in nature, they do have the ability to convey greater meaning than what they immediately depict. In fact this has led to a number or more wide-ranging debates on the nature of emoji, whether they should be available in a variety of colors among other debatable points, including gender. While emoji may have started out as gender-neutral, as the technology has evolved so have emoji and in a bid to increase their personification, emoji have taken on more of a human appearance, albeit one which is far more often male.
This is however, something Google has been looking to address this year and back in May the tech giant proposed thirteen new emoji to increase the number of female-related emoji available. Ones which not only depict women in general, but women in the workplace including job roles such as teachers, doctors, nurses, technology workers, musicians, farmers, construction workers, and so on. It is this latter aspect that Google was looking to specifically address as while emoji for women are available, they were more stereotypical in nature. As Google puts it in a new blog post, existing options for women included a princess, a bride and having a haircut. While Google notes the male typical emoji included more job-oriented icons like detectives, police, medics and so on.
Now it seems as though the majority of those proposed emoji have been approved by Unicode Consortium, a committee set up and responsible for creating an industry standard for expressed text. Of the thirteen that were originally proposed, eleven have been approved with the two outliers seeming to be a dentist and a line worker. In fact, the Google blog on the matter notes that all of the proposed emoji have been approved in both male and female form and in a number of skin tones, which Google notes equates to more than 100 new emoji. Even better for fans of emoji, as well as the newly approved emoji, the blog post notes that Unicode is adding a further 33 existing emoji in both male and female form. So for instance, as well as the female getting a haircut, there will also now be a male getting a haircut emoji as well.
LG K10 Lands In Australia, Its Available For $299
The LG K10 was introduced back in January this year. This is LGs entry-level handset, it features a 5.3-inch 720p (1280 x 720) display, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable internal storage. The device is fueled by MediaTeks MT6753 64-bit octa-core processor, and it ships with a 2,300mAh battery on the inside. The 13-megapixel shooter is placed on the back of the device, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes out of the box with LGs custom UI pre-installed as well. The phone is on sale in JB HiFi and Big W stores in Australia.
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HTC Announces The Companys Vive VR Headset In Japan
HTC Vive is one of the most popular VR headsets out there. The device has finally landed to Japan, and the company is cooperating with a number of local retail chains and game developers in order to promote this device. To be more specific, HTC has partnered up with Degica, AMD and NVIDIA in order to promote the Vive. That is more or less all the info HTC shared, were still waiting to hear what will be its price in the country.
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Gionee F103 Pro Gets Announced In India, 3GB Of RAM & Android 6.0 In Tow
The F103 Pro is Gionees latest offering. This smartphone features a 5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) display, along with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable native storage. The device is fueled by a quad-core SoC running at 1.3GHz, and a 2,400mAh battery can be found on the inside. The 13-megapixel camera is located on the back of the device, and Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes pre-installed with Gionees Amigo UI 3.2. The phone comes in Gold, Gray and White colors, and costs Rs. 11,999 ($179), while you can purchase it in retail stores and through the companys official online store.
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Sony Xperia X Performance Now Available In Australia Through Telstra
The Xperia X Performance is Sonys latest and greatest offering. This smartphone was introduced during MWC as part of the companys Xperia X line. The phone features a 5-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) display, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of native storage. Qualcomms Snapdragon 820 SoC is the processor of choice here, and a 23-megapixel snapper is placed on the back of the device. The phone is currently available only on Telstra, but it will be available through Sony Kiosks, Sony Centres and Sony Online at some point.
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ASUS ZenFone 3, ZenFone 3 Ultra And ZenFone 3 Deluxe Are Now Available In Taiwan
It has been a while since ASUS introduced their new ZenFone 3 devices, and these three phones have now landed in Taiwan as well. All three devices are now available for pre-orders, and will start shipping on July 29th. The Deluxe Model comes in both 4GB and 6GB flavors, and the highest-end model will ship with the Snapdragon 821. The Deluxe model costs from $497 all the way to $776. The ZenFone 3 will cost your either $248 (3GB RAM) or $310 (4GB RAM), while the ZenFone 3 Ultra can be purchased for $559.
The United States 2016 election season has been an incredibly chaotic ride thus far, and its all about to come to its climax. The Republican Party will be having their national convention in Cleveland in just a few days on July 18th, while the Democratic Party will be headed to Philadelphia from July 25th to July 28th for their convention. This is the moment everybody has been waiting for, when both parties will declare their one and only nominee; when the superdelegates will make their final choices known and the real race for the White House will begin. With every other candidate in the two parties out of the running, of course, it seems that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will be tussling over the verdant turf of the most prestigious location in the nations capital. Still, there will be a convention for each party, complete with speeches and debates, and you will be able to see the whole thing live and in 360 degrees, thanks to YouTube.
Live video and VR are two of the biggest waves of new media, YouTube is one of the biggest players in those arenas, and the two national conventions are two of the biggest events going on right now. The combination, thought of that way, is perfectly logical. Viewers will have free reign to take in every detail, hear every slip of the tongue and watch the cheers, boos and drops of flop sweat on any face in the house that they choose, as its all going down in real time. A number of famous faces on YouTube will be on air to help cover all of the action as well. Big names like The Young Turks and Ingrid Nilsen are among the list of YouTube celebrities planning to join the fun as we rev up the engines for the home stretch toward this years election.
As it all happens, YouTube watchers will be at the center of the action, whether youre watching on Cardboard, strapping into an HTC Vive or simply rotating your phone or dragging your mouse around the screen. Those interested in watching it all go down can head through the source link and bookmark YouTubes official addresses for the upcoming conventions.
(ANSA) - Rome, July 15 - The Italian foreign ministry is working with its crisis unit to check up on "our fellow nationals" in Nice, Premier Matteo Renzi said on his e-news newsletter Friday.
Many Italians have been so far impossible to trace, either because they did not go home or because they threw away their cellphones, the Italian consul-general in Nice said earlier.
A terror attack in which a gun-toting French-Tunisian ploughed through crowds watching fireworks for about two km before being shot dead by police in the French Riviera town killed at least 84 people Thursday night.
Renzi said that "all our structures are at work" to see if any Italians were affected by the attack. He said it was a moral duty to "react". Renzi said "standing by the French is Italy's commitment and that of the whole international communit - never as today do we gather close to our brothers across the Alps".
Two Italian couples have been missing since the attack, relatives said. Angelo D'Agostino, 71, and Gianna Muset, 68, became unreachable after 21:55 last night. "We're desperate," the couple's daughter-in-law, who is married to the couple's son Massimiliano, told ANSA. "D'Agostino is 1.70 meters tall, weighs about 70 kilos, has white hair and was wearing blue jeans and a blue T-shirt". D'Agostino and his wife were celebrating his retirement with a trip to the Cote d'Azur. The family is from the town of Voghera in Pavia province.
A second missing northern Italian couple was named as Andrea Avagnina, a town councillor at San Michele Mondovi near Cuneo, and Marinella Ravotti, who works at the local health agency in Mondovi. "I'm in touch with the foreign ministry crisis unit," said San Michele Mondovi Mayor Domenico Michelotti, "they're trying to get in touch with Andrea and Marinella. We beg anyone with news to contact the authorities".
Many Italians either lost their cellphones or didn't go home or to their hotels after the attack, Italian Nice Consul-General Serena Lippi told ANSA Friday. "We can't trace many Italians, who are therefore classified as missing," she said, while urging "calm". She said "we are working closely with the Italian foreign ministry in Rome and the Italian ambassador (Giandomenico Magliano) is on his way from Paris".
French President Francois Hollande said many foreigners and children were among the 84 victims. "There are many foreigners from all over the world and many children, who came to see the fireworks, to share joy, astonishment, and who were struck down only to satisfy the will of an individual or perhaps a group," he said while visiting the French Riviera town. Hollande said 50 of the almost 200 injured were fighting for their lives. He added it was important to "make sure" the perpetratodid not have accomplices. He added: "The enemy will continue to strike the peoples and countries that hold freedom as one of their fundamental values".
Back in Italy, security at Rome's Fiumicino airport remained high. The level of security at the airport was raised after the terrorist attack at Brussels airport in March. The terminal buildings and outside areas are currently patrolled round the clock by police, carabinieri and finance police. Since May 17 they have have also been flanked by soldiers.
As well, Italy beefed up security at the Ventimiglia border post with France, with security checks reinforced at both Pont St. Ludovic and Pont St. Louis, with military police and soldiers deployed alongside border police. "We have heard that fugitives could be heading into Italy, although for now there is no concrete evidence," a police official said.
(ANSA) - Rome, July 15 - Europe must not surrender to fear in light of Thursday night's terror attack in Nice that killed at least 84 and wounded scores, the president of the Italian bishops' conference Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco said Friday.
"It is certainly necessary to raise the level of protection, attention and surveillance as far as is humanly possible, but without surrendering to fear which is a sentiment that leads to further confusion and does not advocate good solutions and correct and appropriate conduct, also in complex and difficult situations such as this," Bagnasco said in an interview with Tg2000. "Europe must absolutely not be discouraged but continue to believe in itself and also rethink itself better, also under the drive provided by these further threats to the European continent and its fundamental values," he continued. "On behalf of myself and all Italian bishops I want to express my greatest proximity to the French people and to Nice in particular. We are praying for the victims and their relatives hit by this huge loss," Bagnasco concluded.
(ANSA) - Rome, July 15 - Italian leaders on Friday voiced grief and support for France in the wake of yesterday's deadly terror attack in Nice that killed at least 84 people.
President Sergio Mattarella mourned the Bastille Day massacre and said Italy and the international community would not give in to terror.
"The horror, the grief of France are our horror, our grief.
The dead in Nice, of whatever nationality, are our dead," Mattarella said.
"We will never give in to those who preach and practice the culture of death," the president added.
"Along with...the entire international community (and) especially the European Union, we will continue to affirm our commitment against violence and terrorism and to uphold the values of freedom, equality and brotherhood celebrated in France on July 14".
Premier Matteo Renzi also expressed Italy's commitment to standing with France.
"Today more than ever before, we stand with our brothers across the Alps," the Italian premier said.
Terrorists "will never win" athough the images of the Nice massacre "continue to reverberate in our heads and hurt us", Renzi wrote in his online newsletter earlier in the day.
French and Italian flags flew at half-mast outside the premier's office in Rome's Chigi Palace to in sign of mourning and solidarity.
Civic flags were also flown at half-mast in Milan.
Rome city hall will be lit up with the colours of the French flag on Friday night in solidarity with the victims. Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi has sent messages of condolence to her counterpart in the French Riviera city Philippe Prada and to the French ambassador in Rome, Catherine Colonna.
Pope Francis on Friday expressed his solidarity with France and the victims of Thursday evening's terrorist attack in Nice, condemning "every manifestation of homicidal folly, hatred, terrorism, and attacks against peace". "We have followed during the night, with the greatest concern, the terrible news which has come from Nice," Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said.
(ANSA) - Rome, July 15 - Italian foreign ministry sources said Friday three Italians were injured in last night's terror attack in Nice, two of them critically. A Cuneo-area man was in critical condition after the killing spree in which a gun-toting French-Tunisian truck driver ploughed through crowds watching Bastille Day fireworks for about two kms before being shot dead by police. Relatives of Andrea Avagnina, 53, a town councillor at San Michele Mondovi near Cuneo, found him at Nice's Pasteur Hospital following the attack that killed at least 84 people - including 10 children and teens - in the French Riviera town.
His wife Marinella Ravotti, 55, who works at the local health agency in Mondovi, is missing. The couple was on vacation in the southern French city, where they own a home. "I'm in touch with the foreign ministry crisis unit," said San Michele Mondovi Mayor Domenico Michelotti. "We beg anyone with news to contact the authorities".
As well, Italian couple Angelo D'Agostino, 71, and Gianna Muset, 68, became unreachable after 21:55 last night. "We're desperate," the couple's daughter-in-law, who is married to the couple's son Massimiliano, told ANSA. "D'Agostino is 1.70 meters tall, weighs about 70 kilos, has white hair and was wearing blue jeans and a blue T-shirt". D'Agostino and his wife were celebrating his retirement with a trip to the Cote d'Azur. The family is from the town of Voghera in Pavia province. Many Italians either lost their cellphones or didn't go home or to their hotels after the attack, Italian Nice Consul-General Serena Lippi told ANSA Friday. "We can't trace many Italians, who are therefore classified as missing," she said, while calling for "calm". She said "we are working closely with the Italian foreign ministry in Rome and the Italian ambassador (Giandomenico Magliano) is on his way from Paris".
Lippi later confirmed to ANSA that no Italian children were killed or injured.
So far the official tally is of 202 wounded, 52 of them critical.
Back in Italy, security at Rome's Fiumicino airport remained high and security was beefed up at the Ventimiglia border post with France. "We have heard that fugitives could be heading into Italy, although for now there is no concrete evidence," a police official said.
BEIRUT - Thursday's night attack in Nice appears to be inspired by new techniques promoted over the past few months by ISIS and announced only a few weeks ago by the self-proclaimed spokesman of the jihadist organization, Abu Muhammad al Adnani.
Before the start of Ramadan, at the end of May, Adnani called on jihadists to attack the 'infidels' everywhere and kill them with any mean possible.
''If you don't have bullets or bombs, take a stone and break their heads. Or kill with a knife. Or run them over with a car. Or throw them from a building. Or strangle them with your hands. Use poison!'' In the West, radical militants inspired by ISIS have shown their ability to carry out terror actions that are deadly and draw attention by using tools for which there appears to be no protection. One of the issues of Insipire, an English-language magazine of jihadist propaganda, suggested to use trucks to kill the ''enemies of God''.
Tunis opens investigation, attacker emigre. A native of Sousse area, father well-known extremist
TUNIS - Tunisian judicial authorities have opened an investigation against ''anyone involved in the attacks that shook the French city of Nice on Thursday night'', said the spokesman of the tribunal of Tunis, Sofiene Selliti.
According to a few Tunisian media outlets, the gun-toting truck driver that carried out the attack at Nice's Promenade des Anglais was a 31-year-old French-Tunisian who had emigrated from the North African country and had been living in France since 2011 with a residency permit obtained after marrying a French-Tunisian woman residing in Nice. They had three children. Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel came from Msaken in the governorate of Sousse According to some local police sources quoted by the media, his father is known as an Islamic extremist, a member of Islamic party Ennhadha.
The mayor of the city of Msaken went to visit the house of the attacker's family without finding anyone. The attacker in Nice was tried several times but convicted only once, in May this year, for ''violence with a weapon'', for hitting a person with a wood stick after an argument following a road accident, said French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas, stressing that these episodes ''have nothing to do'' with yesterday's attack.
SALERNO - This year's edition of the Giffoni Film Festival for young people has been dedicated to the victims of the massacre in Nice, Campania regional Governor Vincenzo De Luca said Friday.
The festival runs in Giffoni Valle Piana near Salerno until July 24. "We want to dedicate this edition to France, to the victims of this horrible massacre, to the many children and young people who died in this attack," De Luca said.
"For us too it is a day marked by pain and sadness. It has become all the more the edition dedicated to solidarity," he added. More than 4,000 children from 50 countries are part of this year's jury at the Giffoni Film Festival, dedicated to children's cinema and now in its 46th edition.
The theme of this year's festival - Destinations - is representative of the dozens of films in competition from around the world, as well as the current reality facing thousands of migrants arriving in Europe in search of a future. Jurors have come to Italy from destinations across the Mediterranean, including Albania, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Macedonia, Morocco, Qatar, Serbia, Slovenia, Tunisia, and Turkey. The festival has also formed strong Mediterranean partnerships over the years, among which the Doha Film Institute figures prominently. The Institute promotes film culture in Qatar and has sent a delegation of jurists to Giffoni, where four Qatari films will be screened as well: Good As New, Immortalising Memories, Light Sound, and To My Mother.
Festival director Claudio Gubitosi will meet with partners from the Balkans, including Arben Ceku, director of Albania's National Film Centre, and Niko Ajazi, director of Giffoni Albania. Macedonia will be represented at Giffoni by Mimi Gjorgoska, director of the Macedonian Film Agency. This year's Giffoni will also help bring awareness to Europe's young people on the plight of refugees, thanks to a campaign by Amnesty International called "SOS Europe - First People, Then Borders". Doctors Without Borders will be at Giffoni with its #Milionidipassi (Millions of Steps) Experience, a multimedia experiential tour focusing on the millions of people who are fleeing their home countries due to war, violence or poverty. And as always, Giffoni will have at its heart movie stars and films, like this year's guest of honour Jennifer Aniston, and the Disney-Pixar Finding Nemo sequel Finding Dory, inaugurating the screenings at the Festival's opening night Friday.
More than 175 films will be screened at Giffoni, with 105 in competition and four premieres, as well as a programme of concerts, shows, and workshops for children.
Libya: inter-Libyan dialogue in Tunis with UN envoy Kobler On 16th and 17th. 'Dissolve militias to create one army'
(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JULY 15 - The commission of inter-Libyan political dialogue will gather in Tunis starting Saturday night through Sunday the 17th in efforts to solve the crisis in Libya.
The stated aim of the meeting, according to UN special envoy Martin Kobler, is to form greater consensus for the national agreement government of Premier Fayez Sarraj.
According to commentators, priority issues will include the creation of a unitary military command across the country.
Kobler was quoted as saying by Libyan newspaper Al Wasat that the solution to the Libyan crisis requires the dissolution of militias and the creation of one army, adding that ''we are working on security'' to convince groups to lay down arms.
The main obstacle is general Khalifa Haftar, the self-proclaimed chief of the Libyan National Army. (ANSAmed)
ROME - Mental illness connected to migration is a growing concern that is significantly underestimated, according to a report by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) released on Friday. The conditions of reception in Italy don't provide much help and sometimes worsen the situation, according to the report on 'Ignored Trauma', which is based on data from various migrant holding centers - in Rome, Trapani, Raguda and Milano - gathered from July 2015 through February 2016.
Some 60% of the migrants interviewed as part of activities to offer psychological support provided by MSF, presented symptoms of mental illness compatible with trauma connected to events before or during migration.
In particular, among the 199 patients treated at the center in Ragusa, 42% presented symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) while 27% had symptoms of anxiety. The probability of having a psychopathological condition was 3.7 times higher among individuals who had suffered a traumatic event.
MSF, which provides medical support in primary and secondary migrant holding centers in Italy, asked Italian and European authorities to implement a system to welcome migrants able to tackle the specific mental health needs of ''this population that is particularly vulnerable''.
Asylum seekers, also stressed Silvia Mancini, a public health expert with MSF who drafted the report, often stay in structures located in areas that are particularly isolated, where they remain for a long time because they are waiting for their asylum request to be processed. This condition generates stress and suffering, in addition to the stress connected to life in a foreign country and lack of perspectives, she noted. The report also showed how precarious conditions in holding centers also affected serious mental issues.
ROME- A top Islamic institution on Friday firmly condemned the terror attack in Nice, where at least 84 people were killed late on Thursday evening after a lorry travelling at around 80 km per hour ploughed into crowds gathered for Bastille Day celebrations in the southern coastal city of Nice.
The university of Al-Azhar, considered the most important learning center of Sunni Islam in Cairo, rejected all forms of violence and condemned the attack, calling for unity ''to free the world from terrorism''.
''These atrocious terror attacks contradict the teachings of Islam'', it said in a note quoted by the Roman Observatory.
Pope Francis condemns Nice terror attack. Vatican expresses sharing and solidarity in victims' suff
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis on Friday expressed his solidarity with France and the victims of Thursday evening's terrorist attack in Nice, condemning "every manifestation of homicidal folly, hatred, terrorism, and attacks against peace". "We have followed during the night, with the greatest concern, the terrible news which has come from Nice," Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said.
Your dead are our dead' say Italian Muslims. Day of mourning for whole world
ROME - The Islamic Community of Italy said after Thursday night's terror attack that killed at least 84 in Nice that "your dead are our dead". It said "today is a day of mourning and grief for the whole world and particularly for us Muslims".
France's horror is our horror, says Mattarella
ROME - President Sergio Mattarella said on the Nice terror massacre Friday that "the horror, the grief of France is our horror, our grief. The dead in Nice, of whatever nationality, are our dead"
Rome city hall to be lit up with French colours
ROME - Rome city hall will be lit up with the colours of the French flag on Friday night in solidarity with the victims of Thursday evening's attack in Nice that left at least 84 people dead and scores injured.
Nice: ISIS-al Qaida urged to run people over with cars 'Drive through the enemies of Allah with a truck'
(ANSAmed) - ROME, JULY 15 - ISIS spokesman Adnani had called on supporters in Europe to run people over with cars.
''Break their heads with a stone, tear them apart with a knife or run them over with cars'', urged Adnani, according to a tweet by SITE, the website monitoring jihadist activities on the web.
SITE also said that in one of the issues of Inspire, a jihadist magazine, al Qaeda had suggested to use trucks like mowers, ''not to cut grass but to kill the enemies of Allah''.
(ANSAmed)
Nice massacre: Tunis opens investigation, attacker emigre A native of Sousse area, father well-known extremist
(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JULY 15 - Tunisian judicial authorities have opened an investigation against ''anyone involved in the attacks that shook the French city of Nice on Thursday night'', said the spokesman of the tribunal of Tunis, Sofiene Selliti.
According to a few Tunisian media outlets, the gun-toting truck driver that carried out the attack at Nice's Promenade des Anglais was a 31-year-old French-Tunisian who had emigrated from the North African country and had been living in France since 2011 with a residency permit obtained after marrying a French-Tunisian woman residing in Nice. They had three children.
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel came from Msaken in the governorate of Sousse According to some local police sources quoted by the media, his father is known as an Islamic extremist, a member of Islamic party Ennhadha. The mayor of the city of Msaken went to visit the house of the attacker's family without finding anyone.
The attacker in Nice was tried several times but convicted only once, in May this year, for ''violence with a weapon'', for hitting a person with a wood stick after an argument following a road accident, said French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas, stressing that these episodes ''have nothing to do'' with yesterday's attack. (ANSAmed)
ANSAmed - Weekly diary from July 18 until July 24
(ANSAmed) - ROME, JULY 16 - Weekly diary of the main events scheduled in the Euro-Mediterranean area from July 18 until July 24.
MONDAY JULY 18.
TANGIERS - MedCOP 2016, Conference on Mediterranean climate (until the 19th) BRUSSELS - EU, European Commissioner Johannes Hahn takes part in the intergovernmental conference on Serbia.
BRUSSELS - EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini co-chairs the Council of cooperation EU-Gulf countries and the ministerial meeting.
TUESDAY JULY 19 BRUSSELS - Opening of chapters 23 and 24 in Serbia's membership talks with EU.
TANGIERS -MedCOP 2016, Conference on Mediterranean climate, ends WEDNESDAY JULY 20 CYPRUS - Anniversary of Turkish invasion in 1974 WASHINGTON - EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini takes part in a meeting of ministers with the international coalition against ISIS organized by US Secretary of State John Kerry (until the 22nd) THURSDAY JULY 21 Nothing to report FRIDAY JULY 22 Nothing to report SATURDAY JULY 23 Nothing to report SUNDAY JULY 24 Nothing to report. (ANSAmed).
The agreement extends through 2025 and covers external Unison new parts and component repairs for GE Aviation and Engine Alliance engine families in the Emirates fleet.
We are very pleased to have Emirates as a key customer on this strategic agreement, Unison president Giovanni Spitale said. This agreement solidifies Unisons key relationship with the worlds largest operator of A380 and B777 aircraft. Unison is now primed to provide unparalleled support to Emirates operations.
Emirates will leverage Unisons strengths in the areas of exchange programs, upgrades and repairs with mutual goals of the highest quality support and smoothest operations for Emirates. Unisons parts and services are designed to reduce maintenance costs, lower cost of ownership and provide the highest possible fleet reliability. External engine parts manufactured, supported and repaired by Unison Industries include the ignition system, power and control harnesses, sensors and fluid conveyance systems for air, oil, fuel and hydraulics.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. The United Nations Security Council condemned the attack in Nice, stressing the need to bring perpetrators to justice, Sputnik News reports.
As many as 80 people were killed on July 14 night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack which took place in Nice, France, on the evening of the 14th of July 2016, Bastille Day, and during which at least 77 people, including children, were killed and dozens injured," the council said in a statement.
The members of the Council expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and the French Government.
"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice," the statement read.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Healthcare Ministry issued a warning to beware and avoid water-borne diseases during summertime in recreational and resort areas.
The Ministry warned of possible bacteria presence in waters in recreational areas due to the usage of lakes and river waters for swimming pools. The announcement also stresses the presence of chemical disinfectants in swimming pools.
According to the announcement, the bacteria and chemicals are dangerous in case swallowing water, inhaling aerosols, during hot-bath therapy and swimming pool activities, of contact with contaminated waters of fountains, lakes, rivers or oceans.
Dangers and risks include gastrointestinal, skin, ear, eye, respiratory, neurological infections development. More often diarrhea is documented.
Bacteria and diseases maintain viability during hot weather, particularly in aquatic environment.
The Ministry urges to beware of water-borne diseases in recreational and resort areas.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. President of the United States Barack Obama has condemned the July 14 terror attack in Nice, France, which claimed the lives of more than 80 people and wounded dozens.
The statement reads:
On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded. I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.
On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life.
Scores of people were killed Thursday night when a large truck plowed through a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, France, in what President Francois Hollande called a terror attack
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people died.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh expressed its condolences on the July 14 terror attack in Nice, France, Armenpress reports, the NKR MFA posted a note in Twitter.
Our deepest condolences to the French people. Our thoughts are with those affected by the tragedy in Nice, the statement says.
Scores of people were killed Thursday night when a large truck plowed through a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, France, in what President Francois Hollande called a terror attack.
The driver opened fire on people in the crowd, according to local reports. Police fired back and the driver was eventually shot dead. Images from the scene showed the windscreen and front of the lorry raked with bullets. Interior ministry officials said the attacker had been "neutralized".
BBC reported the driver has been identified locally as a 31-year-old man of Franco-Tunisian origin from identity papers found inside the lorry. However police are yet to confirm the details.
The death toll grew through the night, with Hollande saying 77 people died. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said 80 people were killed.
Later it was reported about 84 people being dead and 18 in critical condition.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. France has declared that the country will observe three days of national mourning in the wake of the deadly attack, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said, RT reported.
Valls added that the period of mourning would start on Saturday July 16.
Scores of people were killed Thursday night when a large truck plowed through a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, France, in what President Francois Hollande called a terror attack.
Hollande recommended that an existing state of emergency, put in place in the wake of the Paris attacks in November 2015 and due to expire later this month, be extended for three further months.
The French Interior Ministry reported about 84 people being dead and 18 in critical condition.
The driver opened fire on people in the crowd, according to local reports. Police fired back and the driver was eventually shot dead. Images from the scene showed the windscreen and front of the lorry raked with bullets. Interior ministry officials said the attacker had been "neutralised".
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. At least 54 children have been hospitalized as a result of the terror attack in Nice, France, Armenpress reports, Nice-Matin periodical posted a note in Twitter.
Scores of people were killed Thursday night when a large truck plowed through a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, France, in what President Francois Hollande called a terror attack.
Hollande recommended that an existing state of emergency, put in place in the wake of the Paris attacks in November 2015 and due to expire later this month, be extended for three further months.
The French Interior Ministry reported about 84 people being dead and 18 in critical condition.
The driver opened fire on people in the crowd, according to local reports. Police fired back and the driver was eventually shot dead. Images from the scene showed the windscreen and front of the lorry raked with bullets. Interior ministry officials said the attacker had been "neutralised".
The driver has been identified locally as a 31-year-old man of Franco-Tunisian origin from identity papers found inside the lorry. However police are yet to confirm the details.
Photo by EPA
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II sent a condolence letter on July 15 to the President of France, Francois Hollande on the occasion of the terror attack that occurred last night in Nice, Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
We strictly condemn such an inhumane crime against the lives of ndividuals and on behalf of the Armenian Apostolic Church we express our solidarity and condolences to You, the families and relatives of the victims, and the friendly people of France, reads the condolence letter of His Holiness.
Praying for the souls of the victims, His Holiness asked the Lord to grant consolation to the relatives of the victims and speedy recovery to the injured.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. Economy Minister Artsvik Minaysan says the Economy Ministry examines all the imported commodity goods, including sugar, the production of which can be organized by the domestic raw material.
All the products which are possible to produce in Armenia, we will conduct import substitution policy with a complete system of the protection of the rights of enterprises and the local economy. The major issue is the following: to organize the production of the raw material, Armenpress reports, he said to journalists.
Minister Minasyan said it also applies to goods imported from Turkey. Nearly 700 types of goods are being imported from Turkey. For the first stage 50 non-raw material goods from this list have been selected, and such kind of goods are being produced in Armenia.
Extended discussions over this issue are expected to be held in order for us to have a clear understanding on what type of policy to conduct for it. Moreover, at this stage we offer to carry out non-tariff policy, which is the control of the quality and components of the goods. This means to remove the goods from the market which will not meet those qualifications. Later this will be also applied to the goods imported from the states the qualitative characteristics of which will not meet the requirements of the consumers rights, and their entry significantly limits the organization of the possibility of the local production, Artsvik Minasyan said.
The Minister said a product imported from any state which damages the national economy, the local producer, removes or limits the production possibility, in this case tariff non-permissible methods will be applied.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. French President Francois Hollande visited the wounded of the July 14 Nice terror attack, French media reported.
Earlier Hollande arrived in Nice with Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
Hollande met the wounded and the doctors of the hospital.
84 people were killed July 14 night when a large truck plowed through a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, France, in what President Francois Hollande called a terror attack.
Hollande recommended that an existing state of emergency, put in place in the wake of the Paris attacks in November 2015 and due to expire later this month, be extended for three further months.
The French Interior Ministry reported about 84 people being dead and 18 in critical condition.
The driver opened fire on people in the crowd, according to local reports. Police fired back and the driver was eventually shot dead. Images from the scene showed the windscreen and front of the lorry raked with bullets. Interior ministry officials said the attacker had been "neutralised".
The man who drove a truck through the crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice has been identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old French Tunisian, local newspaper Nice Matin said on Friday.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Lithuania Tigran Mkrtchyan met with the Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevicius on July 15.
As Armenpress was informed from the press service of MFA Armenia, during the meeting Ambassador Mkrtchyan emphasized the high level cooperation with Lithuania, adding that one of the main aims of his mission is to further deepen and develop the cooperation.
Minister Linas Linkevicius highly appreciated the dynamic development of bilateral relations, particularly in the economic sphere, in this context highlighting the works of the intergovernmental economic commission and reciprocal economic investments.
Ambassador Mkrtchayn introduced the process of Armenia-EU talks to Minister Linkevicius, mentioning that those negotiations are based on the existing experience and mutual readiness to deepen it further.
The interlocutors also touched upon the issue of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and the measures taken for creating favorable conditions for the resumption of negotiations. Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevicius mentioned that his country supports exclusively peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. The death toll of a terrorist attack on a Bastille Day fireworks celebration in the southern French city of Nice rose on Friday to 84 dead and 202 injured, as the government identified the attacker as a 31-year-old native of Tunisia, extended a national state of emergency and absorbed the shock of a third major terrorist attack in 19 months.
We will not give in to the terrorist threat, Armenpress reports, citing The New York Times, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Friday morning after a cabinet meeting led by President Francois Hollande. The times have changed, and France is going to have to live with terrorism.
The Paris prosecutor, Francois Molins, identified the attacker as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, a delivery-truck driver who was born on Jan. 3, 1985, and raised in Msaken, a town in northeastern Tunisia.
No organized group has claimed responsibility for the attack, although online accounts associated with the Islamic State and Al Qaeda have cheered it.
Mr. Bouhlel had a history of petty crime, including burglary and theft, and received a six-month suspended sentence in March for assaulting a motorist during an altercation. He is totally unknown to the intelligence services, both locally and nationally, Mr. Molins said, and he had never appeared in any terrorism-related government database.
The truck initially killed two people and continued for 1.1 miles down the boulevard, brutally mowing down people left and right until police officers shot and killed Mr. Bouhlel outside a hotel and casino.
The 84 dead included 10 children and teenagers, Mr. Molins said.
Of the 202 people wounded, 52 had serious injuries and 25 were in intensive care, Mr. Molins said.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. Medieval Armenian capital city of Ani has been included in UNESCOs list of World Heritage Sites, Armenpress reports, citing UNESCOs official website, the decision was taken during the 40th session of UNESCOs World Heritage Committee held in Istanbul.
In the description of Ani posted in UNESCOs website, it is mentioned that Ani was built by Armenians. It says that though there is little information about Anis establishment, it is known that the city was populated during Urartu era in mid first millennia BC.
The city flourished in the 10th and 11th centuries CE when it became the capital of the medieval Armenian kingdom of the Bagratides and profited from control of one branch of the Silk Road. Later, under Byzantine, Seljuk, and Georgian sovereignty, it maintained its status as an important crossroads for merchant caravans. The Mongol invasion and a devastating earthquake in 1319 marked the beginning of the citys decline. The site presents a comprehensive overview of the evolution of medieval architecture through examples of almost all the different architectural innovations of the region between the 7th and 13th centuries CE, is mentioned in the website.
Unescos website also informs that Ani was conquered by the Arabs in the middle of the seventh century. After the battle between Arabs and the Kamsarakans (Armenian dynasty), Ani was handed over to another Armenian dynasty: the Bagratides, who consolidated its power by uniting feudal principalities at the end of the ninth century. Although Bagratid King Ashot I (884-890) established his capital at Kars, King Ashot III (953-977) transferred the court from Kars to Ani in 961. It was during this period, (963-964) the inner walls of the city were constructed. With its new status, the city was enlarged and transformed from a fortress into a royal residence and capital of a kingdom. The king Smbat II (977-990) built the second line of the fortifications. During the reign of King Gagik I (990-1020), the city experienced a paramount prosperity for being the center of the cultural, religious and economic activity. It was during this period the renowned architect Trdat built the Cathedral of Ani and round church mausoleum of St. Gregory of Gagik I.
Following Gagiks rule, the city was attacked by Georgians, Arabs and Byzantines. The town fell in 1045 to the Byzantines who reinforced the Citadel. In 1064 the city was conquered by Seljuks under the command of Alp Arslan. The impressive mosque of Manucehr which is the first mosque of the Anatolian plateau and the building known as Seljuk Palace located north of the city walls were built in this period.
During the 12th and 13th centuries Ani changed hands several times. After the Mongol invasion in 1239, Ani lost its importance as a commercial center. In the following years, the area remained in the realm of Karakoyunlus, Akkoyunlus and the Ottomans.
"We made sure that all the participants of the 40th session of UNESCOs World Heritage Committee realized that Ani is an Armenian city", Vahram Kazhoyan, Secretary General of the National Commission of Armenia for UNESCO posted on his Facebook page.
The members of the Committee, led by Chairperson of the Committee, Ambassador Lale Ulker, the Director General for Overseas Promotion and Cultural Affairs at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs studied numerous applications from different countries, one of which was submitted by Turkey wishing to include medieval Armenian city Ani in UNESCOs list of World Heritage Sites.
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS. French and US Presidents Francois Hollande and Barack Obama had a phone conversation about the terror attack in Nice on July 14, Armenpress reports, citing Ria Novosti.
Scores of people were killed Thursday night when a large truck plowed through a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, France, in what President Francois Hollande called a terror attack.
The French Interior Ministry reported about 84 people being dead and 18 in critical condition.
The driver opened fire on people in the crowd, according to local reports. Police fired back and the driver was eventually shot dead. Images from the scene showed the windscreen and front of the lorry raked with bullets. Interior ministry officials said the attacker had been "neutralized".
The perpetrator of the attack is Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old French Tunisian.
YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS. Turkish General Staff announces about seizing power. Armenpress reports citing Ria Novosti, the military junta has announced about the arrest of the countrys leadership. Ankara Mayor has urged the citizens to go into streets.
Hours ago shooting was heard in Turkish capital Ankara, military helicopters and jets were flying over the city. Turkish PM Binali Yildirim announced that a coup attempt took place in Turkey. There is information that one of the helicopters fired at the building of national intelligence.
YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS. Turkish media inform Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Turkey Hulusi Akar has been taken hostage by the initiators of the coup d'etat. Armenpress reports Ria Novosti informs that there are a number of other captivated high level military officials as well. BBC informs that the initiators of the coup have justified their activities by the necessity to restore democratic order in Turkey. Turkish Dogan News Agency informs that the police have taken stepped up security measures nearby Erdogans residency.
Hours ago shooting was heard in Turkish capital Ankara, military helicopters and jets were flying over the city. Turkish PM Binali Yildirim announced that a coup attempt took place in Turkey. There is information that one of the helicopters fired at the building of national intelligence.
CNN Turk informs Erdogan is in a safe place.
YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made the first comments over the coup attempt by the military. He told CNN Turk I call on our people to go into squares and airports. Erdogan added that the minority, even with tanks, should meet the people in the streets. The plotters will pay a high price, he said.
MSNBC, citing US military sources, informs that Erdogan seeks political asylum in Germany.
By: South-East Asia IPR SME Helpdesk
Singapore is ASEANs most developed economy and offers a wide range of investment opportunities for companies seeking to tap into the city states rich pool of talent and extensive global trade networks. These conditions have not been lost on foreign investors whose capital flows have propelled Singapore to become Asias top hub for finance and, more recently, startups.
That said, the innovative and sensitive nature of corporate branding in Singapore mandates a strong protection for intellectual property on the part of host states, and a firm understanding of trademark laws on the part of investors. This is of particular importance for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which may not have the resources to engage in drawn out legal battles.
Fortunately, the Singaporean Intellectual Property (IP) legal framework is very comprehensive and is generally considered to be one of the most thorough in Asia. Singapore is a member of the following international conventions regulating IP matters:
The Madrid Agreement concerning the International Registration of Marks
The Patent Cooperation treaty
The WIPO Copyright Treaty
The NICE Agreement concerning the International Classification of Goods and services
The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
SMEs are reminded that IP rights are territorial, and accession to these treaties governs only the scope and availability of protection in Singapore and does not grant blanket protection for those who hold registrations in other member nations. Furthermore, it should be noted that Singapore operates a first-to-file system, meaning that the first to file an application for an IP right in the Singaporean jurisdiction will own that right once the application is granted.
Trade marks in Singapore
A trade mark is a sign such as a word, device, brand, shape, color or any combination of these elements, which is capable of being graphically represented and being used by a person in the course of trade to distinguish his goods or services from another persons. In Singapore three-dimensional signs (shapes) and sounds can also be registered as trademarks, however trademarks based on taste and smell are not recognized.
The law also provides a number of circumstances under which a mark is not eligible for protection, such as when it is identical with or confusingly similar to national flags or emblems, or when it would cause misunderstanding or confusion as to the origin, properties, quality, or other characteristics of the goods or services. It also cannot be identical or confusingly similar to another persons mark already registered or used for identical or similar goods or services.
Protection for Trade Marks in Singapore
Protection for registered trademarks enjoy statutory protection in Singapore under the Singapore Trade Marks Act through which the registered proprietor has certain remedies available to him in the event that his trade mark is infringed.
A trade mark does not generally have to be in use before it is applied for or registered, although all applications for registration should be on the basis that there is existing use or an intention to use the mark in the course of trade. In the case of weaker or less distinctive marks the trade mark registry office may require the applicant to establish use whilst examining trade mark applications. This being said, it is important to remember, as mentioned above, Singapore operates a first-to-file system and early application for trademarks, ideally before release of products and services into the market is recommended.
Where trademarks are granted before actual use, the right holder, or his licensee must put the mark to genuine use in the course of trade within five years from the date of completion of the registration procedure, or risk the registration being revoked for non-use.
Obtaining Trade Mark Registrations in Singapore
Applications for trade mark registrations in Singapore can be made by any individual, firm, or company claiming to be the owner of the mark. Whilst there are no restrictions as to nationality or residency, a Singapore address must be provided for the service, to which all correspondence will be sent.
Applications must be submitted in English to the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), using the official form found online via eTrademarks, or by post/in person to the Registrar of Trade Marks. If you have engaged an agent to submit applications on your behalf, IPOS may require that your agent produce evidence of his authority to do so.
IPOS will assess the application to ensure that all formalities are met before conducting the relevant searches and examination to ensure that the mark applied for is registrable. Once this is completed, the application will be published, and, provided no oppositions are filed against the application within two months of publication, the trade mark will proceed to registration.
At time of writing, the basic filing fee (charged by IPOS) for application in one class is around US$253 (SGD 341). There are also further fees applicable for subsequent steps in the application process which vary dependent on the details of the application.
Once registered, statutory protection for registered marks can last indefinitely, although renewal applications must be filed every ten years.
For further details and information on the application and registration process, along with guidance notes on the filling and filing of forms please refer to the IPOS website.
Registrations by post or in person should be made to this address:
Intellectual Property of Singapore
51 Bras Basah Road #04-01
Manulife Centre
Singapore
189554
Tel: (65) 6339 8616
Enforcement
Singaporean IP law offers three main avenues of enforcement for those facing infringement of trade marks; civil litigation, criminal prosecution, and customs seizures. Unlike most ASEAN countries, there are no administrative actions available in Singapore. However, there is a dedicated section within the police the Intellectual Property Rights Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department, that undertake police raids following complaint by the rights owner. In the event that there is no settlement following a raid, the rights owner can apply for permission from the Attorney General to commence prosecution by the rights owners appointed attorney. In cases which are of some public interest or of special significance, the Attorney General may take over the prosecution. In many cases however, private mediation via legal professionals is more effective and should be considered as a viable option. For trade mark issues, mediation is often an effective tool which, given the severity of penalties for infringement in Singapore, will often result in a favorable outcome, as well as representing a considerable saving over civil or criminal actions.
Civil litigation proceedings can be initiated with the courts, which may award remedies including damages (or an account of profits), statutory damages, injunctions, and/or destruction orders for infringing goods.
Where infringers are charged in the criminal courts, penalties include a fine and in cases where the infringement is severe (based on quantity) the court has been known to hand down terms of imprisonment. Criminal actions usually does not result in any compensation for the rights holder, however civil proceedings can be pursued as a parallel claim and criminal conviction will considerably strengthen the case in civil courts.
It should be noted that the Singapore Trade Marks Act contains provisions against groundless threats of legal action. Therefore, any proposed demand letter should be carefully drafted to make clear the legal basis upon which your potential infringement claim is premised. A statement which merely notifies the other party of the existence of a trade mark registration does not constitute a threat of proceedings.
About Us The South-East Asia IPR SME Helpdesk, co-funded by the European Commissions Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, supports European Union (EU) small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to both protect and enforce their Intellectual Property (IP) rights in or relating to South-East Asia, through the provision of free information and services. These take the form of jargon-free, first-line, confidential advice on intellectual property and related issues, plus training, materials and online resources.
Annual Audit and Compliance in ASEAN
For the first issue of our ASEAN Briefing Magazine, we look at the different audit and compliance regulations of five of the main economies in ASEAN. We firstly focus on the accounting standards, filing processes, and requirements for Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. We then provide similar information on Singapore, and offer a closer examination of the city-states generous audit exemptions for small-and-medium sized enterprises.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership and its Impact on Asian Markets
The United States backed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) includes six Asian economies Australia, Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, while Indonesia has expressed a keen willingness to join. However, the agreements potential impact will affect many others, not least of all China. In this issue of Asia Briefing magazine, we examine where the TPP agreement stands right now, look at the potential impact of the participating nations, as well as examine how it will affect Asian economies that have not been included.
An Introduction to Tax Treaties Throughout Asia
In this issue of Asia Briefing Magazine, we take a look at the various types of trade and tax treaties that exist between Asian nations. These include bilateral investment treaties, double tax treaties and free trade agreements all of which directly affect businesses operating in Asia.
All the latest Ashbourne news. Ashbourne is an historic market town in Derbyshire. Situated on the southern edge of the Peak District, it is known as the 'Gateway to Dovedale' and the 'Gateway to the Peak District'. Ashbourne is famous for the annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match, which has been played since at least 1667, although its origins may date back centuries earlier. Ashbourne became a Fairtrade town in March 2005. The popular Tissington Trail, which follows the route of the former Ashbourne to Buxton railway, starts on the edge of town. Keep up to date with the latest news from the town by signing up for our newsletter.
President Rodrigo Dutertes office released a statement hailing the death of almost 200 drug traffickers who were never tried and convicted in the two months since his election. The fight against crime is apparently becoming a looming state-sanctioned cover for a policy of summary executions and extrajudicial killings, a congresswoman says.
Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Filipino government hailed its war on drugs a success, as nearly 200 people were killed without due process, hardline President Rodrigo Dutertes office said in a statement.
While the campaign against drugs is far from perfect, a generation of Filipinos have been saved from this scourge of society and destroyer of lives, the press release explained.
The national police released figures showing that officers had killed at least 192 people they said were involved in drugs from 10 May to 10 July. Duterte took office on 30 June.
In addition, the bodies of almost a hundred unidentified people have been found, many with a sign around their neck blaming them for unproven crimes.
Although the Duterte administration expressed its opposition to vigilante justice, for many Filipinos this is just a fig leaf. For them, what is happening is a throwback to the time when death squads roamed the country under the Marcos regime.
Senator Leila de Lima, a long-time critic of Duterte, filed a resolution on Wednesday seeking a congressional investigation into the killings.
The fight against crime is apparently becoming a looming state-sanctioned cover for a policy of summary executions and extrajudicial killings, De Lima wrote in her resolution.
by Sumon Corraya
Police vets Prof Hasnat Karims involvement with Dhaka terrorists. Investigators seize several books praising jihad from the university library where he taught in 2012. Extremist ideas are spreading in some of the capitals most prestigious schools.
Dhaka (AsiaNews) Bangladeshi police have discovered that dozens of university professors and high school teachers have been inciting their students to engage in Islamic terrorism.
One English teacher is quoted by a school caretaker as saying that Muslims are being persecuted around the world, so let us attack non-Muslims.
"When attacks against religious minorities occur, many Muslims are happy to know that Christians or Hindus are killed by the militants. Teachers are making a big mistake, the school caretaker, anonymous for security reasons, told AsiaNews.
After the tragic terror attack against the Holey Artisan Bakery Cafe in Dhaka that killed 20 people, mostly foreigners, the police have increased checks.
In recent weeks, the authorities have received dozens of complaints about missing young people, who, in all probability, have run off to join Islamic militants.
At present, law enforcement is focusing on those who might have inspired such behaviour and other violent actions, preachers and teachers, like Hasnat Karim, a former professor at Dhakas North South University (NSU) in Dhaka.
He was at the cafe in Gulshan district that was attacked on 1 July by five terrorists. CCTV cameras show him strolling on the roof of the building together with the attackers.
This has set off alarm bells among the authorities, who took him into custody to vet his involvement. In 2012, he taught at the same university where one of the terrorists, Nibras Islam, was studying.
This has led some to turn the spotlight on the spread of extremist ideas in the countrys schools, including the most prestigious.
The NSU is one of the foremost private colleges in the capital and experts believe that its administrators have never paid much attention to terror activities on the campus.
A few days ago, the commission of inquiry set up by the government seized several books praising jihad in the NSU library.
The authorities also traced several professors who have taught that it was OK to fight against the infidels. Four are working at private universities and four at English-language high schools in the capital and a public university in Chittagong.
The source reports that a professor from Gulshan (the diplomatic district where the recent attack occurred) encouraged his students to attack non-Muslims.
Even a high school teacher, the mother of a young man who joined the ranks of the illegal Islamic group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), was found to have encouraged such violence.
Iraqi Kurdistan hold diocesan meeting between participants and Archbishop Bashar Warda. There will be over 200 young Iraqis at World Youth Day, from various parts of the country. They will recite the "Our Father" in Aramaic for Pope Francis.
Erbil (AsiaNews) - The young Christians of Eril, in Iraqi Kurdistan, are preparing for the World Youth Day (WYD) 2016 to be held in Krakow, Poland, 26 to 31 July. Yesterday, they held the last meeting at the diocesan level, under the local leadership of the Archbishop, Msgr. Bashar Matti Warda and Fr. Rayan Atto, who is organizing the event together with the bishop.
There will be over 200 young Iraqis - boys and girls - attending the event, from all the dioceses of the country. These will include a group of refugees who fled from Mosul and the Nineveh Plain in the summer of 2014 with the rise of the militias of the Islamic State (IS) in the region.
The delegation will be led by Msgr. Warda, Msgr. Basil Yaldo (deputy to the Chaldean Patriarch Raphael Louis Sako), a dozen priests and a group of nuns.
In recent weeks the participants in WYD promoted a number of meetings at a community level; on July 19 is scheduled a day of retreat and prayer, inspired by the Jubilee of Mercy.
In Poland the young Iraqis will be involved in some events that they have spent the past months preparing for. The climax will be the recitation of the "Our Father" in Aramaic before Pope Francis.
Interior Minister decree sets minimum labour standards, including wages, working hours, holiday, end-of-service benefits. Happy, human rights groups want to see legislation extended to all Gulf states.
Kuwait City (AsiaNews/Agencies) Kuwait is the first Gulf state to set a minimum wage for its hundreds of thousands of mostly Asian domestic workers.
Following accusations of widespread abuse, Interior Minister Sheikh Mohammad Khaled Al-Sabah issued a decree setting the minimum wage at 60 dinars (US$ 200) a month and granting domestic staff other rights.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other rights groups welcomed the decision, urging other Gulf states to follow suit to tackle widespread abuses.
The decree, which sets out measures to implement a landmark law adopted by parliament last year, also requires employers to pay overtime for any extra hours worked.
It also grants domestic workers the right to a weekly day off, 30 days of annual paid leave, a 12-hour working day with rest, and an end-of-service benefit of one month a year at the end of contract.
The estimated 600,000 maids in Kuwait are among at least 2.4 million working at homes across the Gulf. They are not covered by ordinary labour legislation.
HRW and other groups have documented widespread abuses, including non-payment of wages, long working hours with no rest days, physical and sexual assault, and no clear channels for redress.
HRW has repeatedly urged Gulf states to reform their labour laws to include domestic workers and provide them equal protection as other workers.
It also calls for changes to the kafala or sponsorship system, which has been criticised as a form of bonded labour or even slavery because it restricts most workers from moving to a new job before their contracts end unless their employers agree.
Workers are trapped as employers also hold their personal papers.
Several children among victims. Some 70 injured, including 18 in serious condition. The driver mowed through the crowd for two kilometers and opened fire before being shot down. World Leaders express condemnation. Jihadists express satisfaction on social networks praising "crusaders who killed infidels". Hollande: The entire country "is under the threat of Islamic extremism."
Nice (AsiaNews / Agencies) - At least 84 dead, including an estimated thirty children, and 18 wounded "still in critical condition," is the provisional toll from an attack carried out yesterday evening at 22.30 local time in Nice in the south of France.
The attack was the work of a driver on board a truck who plunged full speed into a crowd gathered to watch a fireworks display. The massacre coincided with celebrations for July 14, a national holiday. According to emergency services a further fifty people were injured but not seriously.
Local sources report that the driver mowed into the crowd in a zig-zag pattern for at least two kilometers along the waterfront, before being stopped and killed in a shout out with police.
From initial information it appears that the driver had an accomplice, but there are currently no confirmations of a second man. The driver opened fire several times on unarmed citizens. "Before being shot down - said the former mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, now president of the province - he opened fire several times".
Unconfirmed reports also speak of heavy weapons and grenades present on board the vehicle, even if they were not used in the attack.
An identity document was reportedly found in the truck belonging to a French-Tunisian citizen. A police officer said that "investigations are underway to discover the name" of the assailant.
So far there have been no official claims of the massacre. However, on social networks members of the Islamic State (IS) have expressed great satisfaction for the Nice attack. "The toll has risen to 62 French crusaders and infidels killed in Nice, in France," read a statement released in the early hours of the day, when the toll was still uncertain. "God is great! God is great!" added a jihadist.
Meanwhile, global condemnation and condolences have been pouring in with leaders expressing expressing grief and dismay over the attack that strikes again at the heart of France, a country still shaken by the massacre at the Bataclan in Paris, last November, which killed 130 people. Among the first to comment on the attack was US President Barack Obama, condemning "in the strongest terms" what appears to be "a terrible terrorist attack." The new British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson says he is "shocked and sad, for the terrible events of Nice". While, the president of the European Council Donald Tusk noted it is "paradoxical" that the terrorists struck while people were celebrating the values of "liberty, equality and fraternity".
Francois Hollande said that it is an "undeniable terrorist attack." Among the first acts of President was the extension of the state of emergency, in force since last November, for another three months. "France has been hit so hard - added Hollande - and we must do everything possible to combat acts of this nature." The entire country, he said, "is under the threat of Islamic extremism".
The French Ministry of Interior denied rumors immediately after the attack of citizens kidnapped by terrorists; investigations are underway to find out whether the bomber acted alone.
Umar Mansoor died along with four other Islamic militants in a US drone attack in Afghanistan. The Taliban terrorist leader trained the attackers who killed 148 people, including 132 children, in December 2014. He also masterminded two other deadly attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Islamabad (AsiaNews) Umar Mansoor, that mastermind behind the military school attack in Peshawar in 2014 that left almost 150 people dead, mostly children, was killed in Afghanistan by a US drone attack, Pakistani military spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa said on Twitter. A US military source confirmed the report.
The Taliban extremist was killed along with four other militants in the eastern province of Nangarhar. The air strike was carried out on 9 July, but the death was confirmed on 13 July.
The drone strike that killed Mansoor underscores the common security interests shared by the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan on matters of terrorism, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said.
Only through continued cooperation will we collectively succeed in eliminating terrorist safe havens in the region, he added.
Mansoor, also known as Umar Naray and Umar Khalifa, is believed to have planned he December 2014 attack. He is thought to have trained the nine terrorists from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who stormed a military school in Peshawar, killing 148 people, including 132 children between 7 and 14 years.
The Taliban claimed the attack was revenge against the Pakistani army offensive in the north-west region, along the border with Afghanistan, an Islamist stronghold, that killed more than 1,200 militants.
The massacre was strongly condemned by everyone in Pakistan, including the leaders of the Catholic Church of Pakistan in strongly worded statements by the bishop of Islamabad and the archbishop of Karachi, as well as the international community.
According to authorities, Mansoor also masterminded two other attacks in the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The first one involved an attack against Bacha Khan university in Charsadda in which terrorists killed 21 people and wounded 30; the second took place at the Pakistani Air Force base in Peshawar, with 29 dead, including eight attackers.
Solidarity with the French people hit "again" and with the victims' families. The pain of the Asian churches in a statement by Cardinal Gracias.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis has condemned the "blind violence" that "once again" hit France, expressing "deep sadness" and "spiritual closeness to the French people," solidarity with the families of the victims. He is also praying to God for the gift of peace and harmony.
In a telegram he sent to the bishop of Nice, Msgr. Andre Marceau, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, the Pope "entrusts those who lost their lives to God's mercy and is strongly united in prayer to the suffering of grieving families. He expresses closeness to the injured persons, as well as to all those who contributed to the relief efforts and asks the Lord to strengthen each of them in this trial".
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, president of the Indian Bishops' Conference, has also expressed grief and solidarity with the French people in a statement released today. He writes "our hearts are full of pain and mourn the victims of this inhuman attack against innocent people."
"The Church in Asia shares the anguish and pain" and offers "prayers for the victims, the injured, the families and friends of the victims". Stating that "nothing ever justifies so heinous an act" and that "we must never be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good", the Cardinal announced that tomorrow, July 16, feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, he will ask all cloistered monasteries for a special prayer intention for peace and harmony in a world, overshadowed by the ugliness of violence.
Its five answers to five questions. Here we go
1. Is it weird that I asked my employee to have his emails forward to me while hes on vacation?
I manage a small team (me and three employees). One of my employees is getting married and leaving for two-week honeymoon in Fiji, which is awesome and mazel tov to him. Since we have a lot of ongoing projectsmany of which need our attention at a moments noticeI asked him to auto-forward me copies of his emails so if something comes up, we can respond right away. I kind of think this is a reasonable request, and my employee agreed to do this, but I still feel just a bit scuzzylike Im intruding his privacy or something. Our company does not otherwise monitor emails or block any websites, or anything like that. Am I wrong to feel scuzzy about this? Is this a normal request? Did I overstep my bounds asking for this?
In some fields that would be unusual, while in others it wouldnt be uncommon. It depends on the type of work he does and the types of emails he gets. Of course, if it is unusual for his role and feels uncomfortable about it, hed probably feel obligated to agree since youre his boss. And I do think a lot of people would feel awkward about this since who knows if he occasionally gets personal emails there or other stuff that isnt OMG Wrong but still not things hed be thrilled about going straight to his boss.
A typical alternative is for the vacationing person to set up an auto-reply explaining that hes away and asking people to contact Valentina Warbleworth at (email address) instead of him. If that would work in your situation (and maybe it would or maybe it wouldnt), that would be the way Id go instead.
Read an update to this letter here.
2. My job sends us photos of mistakes via text and Facebook
I currently work with interns doing career development, among other things. I also do a few shifts as a waitress and bartender at a local pub and restaurant. At my hospitality job, when I or anyone else does something wrong, they get a long ranting message on Facebook or via text message -sometimes with pictures of what they have done wrong. I feel that doing job review via Facebook is completely inappropriate, disrespectful, and ineffective. I care about my work, and receiving these kinds of messages really upsets me and does not allow for any dialogue where I could learn to do a better job. To be honest, if any of the interns I work with were treated like this by their employers, I would be in their office having a talk with them about appropriate channels of communication.
Am I just being over sensitive or is Facebook the wrong way to give feedback? If you agree with me, how do I communicate this to my managers?
What?! No, youre not being overly sensitive. This is ridiculous insulting and ineffective. Pictures of what theyve done wrong? (At that point, personally Id be sharing those to my Facebook wall as a way of acquainting my friends with just how ridiculous my workplace was, but the humor value in this doesnt make up for how silly and degrading it is.) And what do they do about people who dont use Facebook they just dont hear about their mistakes?
You could try saying this to your manager, but Im skeptical that this person is open to reason: I really appreciate knowing when Ive made a mistake, but I wonder if we could get that feedback on the job rather than via text when were not working or over Facebook, which is really a social network? Id like to be able to have a conversation about mistakes so that I can learn from them, and its jarring to receive these messages outside of work hours.
3. Why am I in charge of our office electrical issues?
Over a year ago, I coordinated new cubicle/furniture installation in my companys office (under the direction of the CEO).
In one cube, a coworker nudges her cube wall and it knocks power out. I am told that since it was me who coordinated the set-up, I need to fix the electrical issue. Obviously the cubicle vendors did not do a great job, and they are no longer around to provide support. So each time the power shuts down, I have to get underneath the cube, pull the paneling off, pull the socket off, and somehow magically fix it myself (I am not an electrician). After just messing with it for a long time, hoping not to electrocute myself, it tends to fix. The problem appears to be a loose bracket. Dont know, Im not an electrician, and not familiar with office furniture electrical.
How can I kindly encourage my superiors, who believe in the if you made the purchase (even under someone elses authority), you have to fix it and handle it forever philosophy, when the problem is an electrical/furniture issue that I feel like puts me in danger every time I am told to fix it?
That is weird. I hope your office never loses power entirely, or youre going to have quite a challenge on your hands.
At a minimum, you should decide that fixing it means calling an electrician to come out and deal with it. But beyond that, is there someone else who would be the logical person to coordinate that a facilities person or even an office admin? Because ideally youd get that person to agree that theyre the logical point of contact for this in the future, and then direct any future requests to her (Jane actually handles getting the electrician out here, so you should let her know). If necessary, be prepared to say, I dont have any electrical expertise and I dont feel safe messing around with it, so lets bring someone in whos trained to do it.
4. Is not enough experience code for something else?
Recently, I made it to the test portion of a job I really, really want and know I could do. The job required a few more years of experience than I had, but I was optimistic because Id already made it past a couple rounds of interviews.
After the test, I was told that the team was looking for more senior people, that it was a *very* hard decision, and that they were very interested in keeping in touch with me about opportunities next year. Ive received this response a couple different times from a few different companies, and Im starting to wonder if not enough experience is code for something different entirely like are they actually disappointed in my personality/work and are just looking for a nice out? (Did I come off too aggressive by *gently* following up on Tuesday after they told me they would get back to me on Monday?)
They knew what my resume said going in, right? Or are they just being polite by saying they want to keep in touch?
Its true that sometimes employers use not enough experience as a catch-all for someone else was a better fit, but plenty of the time they use it mean not enough experience. And yes, they knew your experience from your resume before you came into interview, but interviews usually flesh that out a ton theres all sorts of nuance about experience that you can only find out from actually talking to someone, like how involved they really were with project X, or that it actually was just 5% of their job and someone else led it, or that theyre less experienced with a particular aspect of X than you realized, or they their experience is solid but it hasnt yet led to the type of really well honed instincts that you need. Or they might have seen you as a stretch all along, but wanted to talk to you and find out for sure. It can also just mean that relative to other candidates, your experience wasnt as strong.
All that said, employers who tell you that they want to keep in touch usually mean it. They reject people all the time and theyre generally comfortable with that, so if they take the time to personalize your rejection in that way, you can generally take it at face value.
5. My company doesnt announce demotions
I work for a company with about 100 people. New hires, promotions, and lateral transfers are all proudly announced by HR via company-wide email. Terminations are announced with just a form email saying Suzy is no longer an employee. If she would return, she would have to present herself at the front desk as a visitor. We wish her the best. Etc. However, demotions are not announced and it has bitten me twice.
Our logistics manager was demoted to logistics analyst because the department was underperforming. No announcement was made and I continued to send reports and emails to him until he had to tell me that he was no longer the logistics manager. In another case, our assistant sales manager asked to be demoted back to regular sales rep after six months as assistant manager for monetary reasons (she could make more with commissions than she could as assistant manager). Likewise, she was CCed on reports for weeks before she had to to tell me.
I guess it can be embarrassing for the employee if its an involuntary demotion, but just for the sake of internal organization I feel it should be announced like a transfer. How common is this?
Its more common than it should be but then its also weirdly common in some places to not even announce full-on departures (resignations and terminations), so at least theyre doing that part of it. I suspect theyre not announcing demotions because it can be awkward for people. It often reads as Bob couldnt cut it as logistics manager he was a real disaster. But youre right that by not announcing it at all, theyre creating more weirdness than if they just said something polite and got it out there.
Whats even weirder is that its apparently taking the demoting people themselves weeks to mention that youre sending them stuff they should no longer get but again, Id attribute it to the essential awkwardness of the situation. (Although with your second example, it doesnt even sound like it should be awkward, so who knows.)
Military Coup Underway In Turkey
Trending News: Can't Figure Out What The Hell's Going On In Turkey Right Now? Read This
Why Is This Important?
Because tanks and jets occupying a capital city so close to Europe just doesn't happen every day.
Long Story Short
A well orchestrated military coup is underway in Turkey with tanks roaming the streets of Istanbul and jets flying over the capital Ankara. No change of power has been announced, but we'll keep you updated.
Long Story
(Update: It appears like the coup attempt was a failure. Turkish government forces have rounded up nearly 3,000 military personnel, according to Prime Minister Binali Yildrim, and the rebels are reportedly no longer capable of taking over. In the coup, the PM says 265 were killed and 1,440 people were wounded.)
Right now at the time of writing, tanks are blocking the Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. Gunfire is being fired off in the streets. Jets are flying overhead. Essentially, the country of Turkey, known as the bridge between Europe and the Middle East, is in chaos.
The news is fresh, so no one knows exactly what's going on. And that's amplified by the fact that social media has been shut off in the country and the public broadcaster's signal has been cut (update: it's since been turned back on). But according to reports, it looks like the people behind the coup is a group within the military that is fed up with the way things are going. In their words, they says they did the coup to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated, as quoted by TIME.
The government, as spoken for by Prime Minister Binali Yildirim admits there was a coup "attempt," but won't say they've lost power. "The government elected by the people remains in charge," he said, according to Newsweek. "This government will only go when the people say so."
The leader with more of the power in Turkish democracy, President Tayyip Erdogan, is doing fine. He just wants the people to take to the streets and take the country back. Yeah, chaos.
BREAKING (via @Reuters): Turkey's President Erdogan in a secure location, urges people to take to the streets. Mic (@mic) July 15, 2016
So, what do we make of something like this on our side of the pond? Well, it's like an attack on the red keep in Game of Thrones, but in real life. If that's too fantastical for you, the guy that President Erdogan is blaming for orchestrating the coup is living in exile in Pennsylvania of all places. In addition, Turkey is one of America's greatest strategic allies, particularly in NATO, where it controls the second largest military of the Western alliance. Turkey is also super important if we want to destroy ISIS (we do). Oh, and we have a bunch of nukes there.
The US has nuclear weapons inside Turkey. Scary;https://t.co/wr1sQaRJBv Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) July 15, 2016
President Obama has been alerted of the situation, and is trying to sort things out before making a statement it's not like he had enough to worry about considering the police shootings, gun control, the Nice truck attack etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
For some context, things haven't been going too great in Turkey lately and something was probably bound to erupt. In recent months there have been terrible bombings in both the capital Ankara and Istanbul by two different groups. One is ISIS, you know them. The other is a radical offshoot of the Kurdish Peshmerga the same guys (and gals) who are doing the dirty work for us on the ground against ISIS In Iraq and Syria.
I'm definitely no expert, but historically Turkey's military has been very strong and made its strength felt. It's always maintained that if things far too much astray from the secular democracy, it'll launch a coup. Now, there's pretty much nothing less democratic than a coup so there's that. But just a little context.
Own The Conversation
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Who's in control of Turkey?
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The world hasn't felt this apocalyptic since the Arab Spring.
Drop This Fact
Turkey has also been set off kilter after taking in over 2.5 million Syrian refugees, and that's just the numbers from the end of 2015.
Salvos Legal Humanitarian is partnering with MDA Ltd to launch a legal clinic which will provide unrepresented asylum seekers in Queensland with free legal services.
According to the pro-bono law firm, there are approximately 3,000 asylum seekers in the state who require legal help.
There is currently only one free legal service for people seeking asylum in Queensland. By partnering with MDA to create a new service, we can attempt to address the overwhelming demand for legal assistance and support people seeking asylum who may otherwise go unrepresented, said Charlotte Yellowlees, Salvos Legal Humanitarian associate.
Meanwhile, MDA is highlighting the need for community support to ensure that the free legal clinic will be viable for the long term.
Support from the community will be vital to the clinics long-term sustainability. We hope this initiative gives impetus to the establishment of additional clinics across the Greater Brisbane area to meet the demand, as more people are invited to lodge their protection claims, Kerrin Benson, MDA CEO, said.
The legal clinic will prepare statements of claim and assist people seeking asylum to complete Department of Immigration and Border Protection forms for the purpose of lodging protection claims.
Salvos Legal Humanitarian are urging law firms, solicitors, law clerks and migration agents who are interested to help to contact the organisations.
The free legal clinic will operate from MDAs Woolloongabba offices with opening hours including three weekday evenings and the first and third Saturday of each month. The clinic is expected to open for bookings this August.
A couple of Waco, Texas lawyers are finding themselves in the spotlight after making the law worlds latest viral hit.A refreshingly good original country song composed and performed by lawyers Will Hutson and Chris Harris meant to educate people on how to act during a traffic stop if in possession of a small amount of marijuana has been picking up steam.You know kids, if youre in possession of less than two ounces of marijuana in the State of Texas, that is a Class B Misdemeanor, said Harris at the start of the songs video posted to YouTube.Unless you make the really stupid decision to try to either alter, destroy or conceal your weed while youre standing next to a police officer dont do that! Hutson chimed in. Then it becomes the 3rd degree Felony of tampering with evidence.The song was published September of last year but according to The Wall Street Journals Law Blog , it has recently been getting more and more views. Hutson found out that this was due to radio stations picking up the song and giving it airplay.Its worth noting that this is the second time in recent weeks that a Texas lawyer has gotten attention for a viral hit. Anyone remember the Texas Law Hawk ?However, the lawyers of the Hutson and Harris, Attorneys and Counselors firm dont want to get ridiculous.There are some lawyers commercials out there that are just so ridiculous, you wonder if somebody would take you seriously, Harris is quoted by the Waco Tribune-Herald saying. [W]e were hoping to look like a couple of guys who are lawyers who happen to play guitar. That is what we were shooting for.Their video is definitely not silly, but that doesnt mean its any less entertaining.
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First of all, the cars involved in this brawl are nothing short of mind-blowing. That's because they show what happens when previous-generation go-fast machines become extreme tuning projects that match reniforced tech sides with eye candy exteriors.In fact, these octane behemoths are so special that two of them received dedicated stories - the Panamera Turbo here is the Rauh-Welt Begriff-like machine we showed you a while back, while this 458 Speciale is the one that got its windshield smashed because car spotter Marchettino forgot to secure the frunk when driving the Fezza. As for the Maserati, you can see it in the piece of footage describing the 458 Speciale's ordeal.These three beasts form a Monaco supercar squad and it's interesting to see the way in which the three make for a... budget version of a top tier attention magnet for the city-state.Speaking of which, the trio decided to engage in an aural fight, using one of Monaco's many tunnels as their battlefield. Since we're dealing with a Panamera Turbo, it's obvious that the Zuffenhausen machine can't match the sheer audio violence of the supercar and the GT next to it.Even so, the brawl we have here makes for an ear-bleeding experience, one that's probably less that street-legal. While the Prancing Horse obviously has the most aggressive scream here, the Trident bearer isn't exactly shy when it comes to delivering a memorable aural experience. As for the four-door Porscha, this seems to handle the drop-the-bass part of the adventure.And if you're reading this and wondering whether such drivers don't have anything better to do with their time, then perhaps Monaco's supercar spotting side isn't for you.
And to illustrate that the rule above applies even when it breaches the international common sense convention, we've brought along an example from Russia. We're dealing with a Daewoo Matiz here, one that has been gifted with Vossen wheels.So far, nothing seems to be wrong, but when the rolling goodies fitted to the car come in a 20-inch size, you can expect everything to fo haywire. If you're wondering how such rollers were able to fit inside the city car's tiny wheel arches, you should know this Daewoo went for a different approach.We're all used to seeing wheel spacers on tuning projects, especially when these custom machines are fitted with widebody kits, but the spacers on this Matiz are ridiculous, being the size of a forearm. To be more precise, the elements measure almost 14 inches (35 cm) in length.However, once the Matiz shoeing job was complete, it was time for the overkill Bigfoot to hit the road. This led to a number of adventures that aren't all that hard to imagine.For one thing, the tiny 0.8-liter 51 hp engine of the Daewoo didn't take the new transportation task too well, as you'll be able to see in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page.Even so, the vehicle, with its DIY crossover look, determined tons of drivers to pull out the smartphones and shoot it - last time we checked, the Matiz was the most affordable new car on the Russian market, so all the attention shouldn't come as a surprise.P.S.: The makeover seen here reminds us of how different the Daewoo Matiz is to the Italdesign Lucciola concept it is based on - you can check out some stills of the 1993 concept in the second clip below.
Senator John Thune, the chairperson of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, has invited Tesla representatives to brief them on the fatal accident that took place in Florida two months ago. Tesla has to provide adequate and detailed answers regarding the situation by July 29, 2016. Senators want to be sure Teslas technology is deployed with full regard to safety, and that its clients are informed of the systems limits beforehand.Tesla reportedly received a letter from Senator Thune, in which the automakers Autopilot technology is under the spotlight. American safety regulators are already investigating the incident, as well as Teslas team of specialists, while reputable publication Consumer Reports has asked the company to disable parts of the system to prevent other accidents.In the case of Consumer Reports, a respected publication that buys every product it tests instead of lending it from manufacturers, it has requested Tesla Motors to disable the automatic steering function of the Autopilot system . Without automated steering, the Autopilot would just be an advanced cruise control system, possibly with a lane-keep function.However, Teslas Autopilot would then become unable to approach corners without human assistance, eliminating the risk of drivers becoming distracted with other activities while the car is in motion.While Tesla Motors has underlined the fact that the system is offered as a product that is in beta testing , and that drivers should not remove their hands from the steering wheel, many drivers have put too much faith in the system.Tesla insists that the driver is still responsible and in control of the car, even with Autopilot activated . On the other hand, Consumer Reports claims that the name of the technology promotes a potentially dangerous assumption, which would lead some to believe that the car could drive itself in any situation.According to Automotive News , a Tesla spokesperson has stated that they have not seen the letter, and that the company has no immediate comment on the matter.
SUV
The crash happened two weeks ago, on July 1, the same day the fatal Model S crash in Florida was made public. The NHTSA launched investigations in both cases, but it will probably have to drop this one since the logs show that Autopilot was not operating at the moment of the crash.Police described the accident that didn't involve any other car as a series of collisions, first with the protective guard, and then with the concrete median which caused the Model X to roll over, ending wheels-up in the middle lane. The car was driven by art gallery owner Albert Scaglione who also had his son in law with him, an artist called Tim Yanke.When questioned by the police after the accident , Mr. Scaglione claimed that the Autopilot was in use at the time of the crash, something Tesla 's logs have now proven to be false. After the circumstances of the incident have been made clear, Elon Musk took to Twitter to announce it to the world: "Onboard vehicle logs show Autopilot was turned off in Pennsylvania crash. Moreover, crash would not have occurred if it was on," Tesla's CEO posted, taking advantage of another occasion to cast some favorable light on his vehicles' driving aid features.How can Elon Musk know for certain that the Autopilot would have avoided this crash? Well, most people will say that he can't, but the truth is that the Autopilot runs in the background at all times, so the logs could show a simulation of how the system would have managed the situation, so those might not be just empty words.In the light of the new findings, Mr. Scaglione is now facing charges of reckless driving. As for his reputation, you could argue that he tried to place the blame on the Autopilot, but at the same time you can't really judge a man for what he said right after a serious crash. As the logs description below shows, he was indeed using all the Autopilot features before the incident took place, so he might have gotten confused.We got access to the logs. Data from the vehicle shows that Autosteer was not engaged at the time of this collision. Prior to the collision, Autosteer was in use periodically throughout the approximately 50-minute trip. The most recent such use ended when, approximately 40 seconds prior to the collision, the vehicle did not detect the drivers hands on the wheel and began a rapidly escalating set of visual and audible alerts to ensure the driver took proper control. When the driver failed to respond to 15 seconds of visual warnings and audible tones, Autosteer began a graceful abort procedure in which the music is muted, the vehicle begins to slow and the driver is instructed both visually and audibly to place their hands on the wheel. Approximately 11 seconds prior to the collision, the driver responded and regained control by holding the steering wheel, applying leftward torque to turn it, and pressing the accelerator pedal to 42%. Over 10 seconds and approximately 300m later and while under manual steering control, the driver drifted out of the lane, collided with a barrier, overcorrected, crossed both lanes of the highway, struck a median barrier, and rolled the vehicle.
Several photos of a chopped Royal Enfield with a twin-cylinder engine have surfaced the Internet recently and MCN reports that this is the bike makers long-awaited model to increase its sales.The test mule in question appears to be built around a chopped Continental GT frame that was stretched to hold a bigger parallel-twin engine that looks to be chunky enough to displace around 750 ccs.Of course, Royal Enfield is keeping its mouth shut about the bike spied somewhere in Spain not long ago along with a British development team, which suggests it will be an international model after all.However, you may notice something strange about that engine. Those things right behind the cylinders dont look like fuel-injected throttle bodies made to look like carbs. And you are right, they are indeed carburetors and the only explanation for that is the fact that the new model might be firstly launched in India.Such a launch does make more sense considering their vast bike market and carburetors seem the most cost-effective fueling system to go with. After all, Indian emission regulations are almost inexistent, comparing to the mandatory Euro 4 standards currently being enforced in Europe.Royal Enfields plans for next year include building over 500,000 motorcycles, and the new 750 model will surely aid with the process. The new engine represents a major change in decades, signaling a new phase the company is entering to become competitive.The new model will stick against models like the Harley-Davidson Street 750 or the Triumph Street Twin as well as several models from local Indian manufacturers.
Several UK car factories face an uncertain future following Britains vote to leave the European Union, according to PA Consulting Group research. A period of uncertainty during talks between the UK and the EU over Brexit may prompt some overseas carmakers with UK plants to place their investment in model upgrades elsewhere in the world.
If the UKs access to the single market is deemed inadequate, some UK factories could close, because they would be uncompetitive. Plants run by Honda and Toyota are most at risk of closure after Brexit, according to the research.
The UK exports over 1.2 million cars per year with over half going into the EU. The research suggests that, if current high levels of uncertainty following the Brexit vote continue, demand and sales could fall by 5% to 10%, according to the researchers.
The researchers have broken down the status of UK automotive factories into three categories:
The leavers: Plants run by Honda and Toyota are most at risk of closure after Brexit. They are highly reliant on exports to Europe and have relatively low margins and profitability. Combined, they account for approximately 20% of the vehicles made in the UK.
The question marks: Mini and Vauxhall. Although they have a strong British heritage, especially Mini, they have EU options.
The stayers: Jaguar Land Rover.
The current lack of certainty about tariffs places a question mark over the future of a significant number of UK plants and jobs, said Tim Lawrence, head of manufacturing at PA Consulting Group. As the supply chain investment tends to move with Original Equipment Manufacturers volumes, the impact on UK jobs and the economy will be felt beyond the automotive industry. This uncertainty also comes at a time when automotive technology is changing fast. A lack of overseas investment in new technologies, such as autonomous and electric vehicles, could have a long term impact on the competitiveness of the UK industry.
Photo of 2016 Jeep Compass courtesy of FCA.
FCA US is investing $1 billion in two assembly plants in Ohio and Illinois to support planned growth of its Jeep brand, the company announced.
FCA is shifting production of the Jeep Cherokee to its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois from current production in Toledo, Ohio. The plant will receive $350 million, which will create 300 new jobs. FCA will cease production at the plant of the Dodge Dart in September. The plant will cease production of the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot in December.
FCA will also invest $700 million in the Toledo Assembly Complex to retool the North plant to produce the next generation of the Jeep Wrangler. The plant will add 700 new jobs.
Since 2009, FCA US has announced investments of more than $6.8 billion and added more than 23,500 (including nearly 18,000 hourly) people in its U.S. operations.
Tesla Motors is currently experiencing tough times because of the "Brexit", causing its stock to plummet down.
A report of a fatal car crash incident involving one of its own EVs is one of the factors that caused this slow down. Now, Tesla releases a statement that the crashed EV was in an autopilot mode. Fortunately, the company is innovative in its research and development department, and also active in the market.
Based on scientific and economic analysis, the electric car market should increase in the next years to come, due to improvements in the consumer's knowledge and awareness of climate change.
Self proclaimed "Eco-warriors" are now in an active stand to promote a ban on fuel-powered cars. An article that was posted on Russia Today announced that the Norwegian MPs have agreed to a ban or a reduction in the sales of vehicles that are running on fossil fuels. This will be enacted in 2025.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla responded to this news by tweeting "Just heard that Norway will ban new sales of fuel cars in 2025." He also praised the country for being so awesome and wonderful because of their inclination to a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
If a ban like this will be enacted on a greater scale, an example if it is imposed throughout the globe or in the European Union, this would surely reap in massive profits for Tesla Motors, causing their stocks in the market to skyrocket.
Fuel cars and electric vehicles are complimentary to each other. If the production and purchasing of fuel-powered cars are to be banned, it would surely increase the demand and sales of electric vehicles.
Sales would skyrocket, revenue would be massive, and the stock price would dramatically increase.
15 July 2016 17:31 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
Armenian civil servants continuously become mired in bribe and embezzlement scandals, raising considerable discontent in public. The latest audit detected that seven Armenian governmental institutions were involved in misappropriations exceeding 300 million drams ($630,000). The last of them is related to the Metsamor nuclear power plant (NPP), where $1.64 of government allocations were misappropriated by the plants administration.
The Control Chamber of Armenia conducted inspections on benefits packages to civil servants and public institutions workers. Yesterday, the Chairman of the Control Chamber Ishkhan Zakaryan presented the current results -- 60 licensed organizations have been checked, and seven of them came to be involved in abuse of 300 million drams.
Due to these huge violations, Armenian government decided to stop the operation of benefits packages from the next year. However, the epicenter of Armenian bribe and embezzlement is located in the countrys government -- therefore, misappropriation cases do not seem to come to the end after undertaking this action.
As to the Metsamor NPP, the Armenian National Security Service (NSS) found out that the Director General of the Metsamor NPP CJSC H. Markosyan, commercial Director R. Movsesyan, Deputy General Director on financing and economy M. Movsisyan, head of the repair, training and regulation Department, head of procurement Department E. Kazaryan, creating an organized criminal group and using their official position, misappropriated funds in especially large sizes.
NSS announced that the misappropriation amounted to more than 783.5 million drams ($1.64 million), thus inflicting a significant damage to the already deplorable economy of Armenia. Armenian media makes an assumption that the use of the Metsamor NPP will be at least suspended now.
The Metsamor NPP, located in a high-seismic active zone, began to operate in 1976. The license for the exploitation of the station will expire on September 1, 2016. Nevertheless, the Armenian government has made the decision to prolong the date of exploitation of the plant for additional 10 years.
A number of international experts repeatedly urged that due to its deplorable state, the Armenian Metsamor NPP could repeat the fate of Chernobyl NPP, threatening lives of Armenians and citizens of adjacent countries. The possible tragedy will also jeopardize the environmental state of the region. Moreover, its consequences will be felt in Europe and the Middle East.
The danger of Metsamor NPP was also discussed during the OSCE Parliamentary Assemblys 25th Annual Session, which was held on 1-5 July in Tbilisi. During the discussions, Azerbaijani parliamentarians made certain suggestions to the draft final document, as they proposed an amendment on closure of the old nuclear power plants in the active seismic zones, stating they are potential threat and should be immediately stopped.
Despite the Armenian delegation called on the participants to protest the amendment, the Committee members supported the Azerbaijani parliamentarians, urging to stop the use of the old nuclear power plants.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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15 July 2016 11:21 (UTC+04:00)
By Anders Borg
The world is fundamentally different after the Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom. It will be decades before we know the full effect of British voters decision to leave the European Union.
One thing we can know for sure, however, is that it is in the EUs best interest to maintain strong ties with the UK, despite the fact that British voters made their decision unilaterally. Too much is at stake to allow the process to be dominated by petty power games that overshadow or undermine common interests, as happens so often in European politics.
Economically, growth in the EU will undoubtedly benefit from an open trading relationship with Britain. A free-trade agreement that includes financial services will minimize the damage from Brexit for all parties involved, because European firms will still rely on London as the regions only global financial center. Even if banking services migrate elsewhere in the eurozone, companies like Volvo, Siemens, and Total will still need London if they are to compete with companies like Toyota, GE, and Exxon.
Politically, the EU and the UK will benefit from maintaining close cooperation because neither side is spared from the problems afflicting the region today. These include increasing aggression from Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin; the rise of ISIS and the threat of homegrown terrorism; and refugees fleeing to Europe from the Middle East and North Africa. Moreover, the Brexit vote does not change the strategic importance of NATO, where continued cooperation is necessary and where the EU needs the UK as much as the UK needs the EU.
So, what should the EU do? European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has called for more federalism for more power to be delegated to the EUs governing institutions. I consider Juncker a close friend, but I strongly disagree with him about this idea. Moving toward deeper integration or centralized control would be a dangerous path to take, for it would increase the risk of other members choosing to leave the EU. And, beyond that hazard, there are other reasons to avoid federalist measures.
Consider the main economic argument offered by federalists: the eurozone needs a common fiscal policy to harmonize policy decisions, such as taxation. This is wrong for two reasons.
First, the EUs fundamental economic problems are structural. Europeans will continue to gravitate toward populism if they do not see improvements in their standard of living, which will happen only with higher productivity growth. A single fiscal policy would not bring this about and could make the problem worse. What Europe needs, instead, is a reform strategy that increases competitiveness and reduces barriers to competition.
In particular, EU policymakers should pursue policies that make labor markets more flexible. These would include lower marginal tax rates, tighter criteria for determining benefits eligibility, stricter requirements for job searches, more resources for skills training, and less restrictive employment-protection regulation.
The second reason is political. Put plainly, there is no political support for the higher taxes and spending cuts that would be necessary with a common fiscal policy. Brussels would be accused of wasting taxpayers money, and any effort to disregard public opinion and impose fiscal integration on EU members would only backfire and fuel the wave of populist rage that carried the Brexiteers to victory.
Today, supporters of the EU must face the facts: an ever-closer union is not the European peoples will, even in the member states that would never choose to leave it. If the European Commission forces the post-Brexit narrative in this direction, the result will be the opposite of what was intended. In fact, federalism is probably the single greatest threat to the future of the EU.
Those who want the EU to survive should resist the temptation to assert more control. We need a Europe that stands united because it wants to, not because it is forced to by new political super-structures that lack any underpinning of popular support.
Copyright: Project Syndicate: The Federalist Threat to Europe
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15 July 2016 16:48 (UTC+04:00)
By Amina Nazarli
The economic cooperation and prospects for deepening the trade ties between Azerbaijan and Belarus were discussed at the joint Business Forum in Baku on July 15.
The business forum, organized with the support of the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry and Azerbaijan Export & Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), was attended by nearly 100 entrepreneurs engaged in agriculture and food industry, chemistry, textile, machine-building, metallurgy, paper industry and other fields.
Speaking at the event, Leonid Lavrov, Adviser on trade-economic and investment issues of the Belarusian embassy in Azerbaijan said that export of Azerbaijani goods to Belarus increased by six times in the first half of 2016.
The export covers not only agricultural products, but also products of industry, oil and others, he added.
Lavrov further noted that direct contacts between Azerbaijani and Belarusian businessmen have intensified.
We are especially looking forward to establishing direct contacts between entrepreneurs and companies of the two countries, because it gives the real result. Belarus is closely monitoring the development of Azerbaijan and tries to be with our friends and colleagues in the areas that contribute to the development of business in Azerbaijan, he said.
Director of the AZPROMO Rufat Mammadov, for his part, noted that over the past five years the countries held five joint business forums in Baku and Minsk each, and today's Business Forum is the sixth.
This demonstrates the high level of interest of entrepreneurs of the two countries in the establishment and expansion of business relations. We already have very good examples of joint cooperation in various fields including agriculture, machinery, and other sectors important for Azerbaijan and Belarus, Mammadov said.
He further highlighted the potential and the level of relations between the two countries that allow to work effectively. The countries have established regulatory frameworks for the development of trade relations. At the political level, we have a great rapport and relationships, and it gives impetus to trade relations. Of course, the figures that we see in terms of turnover and in terms of investment, good, but, looking at them, we realize that the potential is not fully exhausted, he added.
Azerbaijan has much to offer the Belarusian entrepreneurs, the director of the AZPROMO stressed, adding that for the past 15-20 years, the country has done a great job in terms of economic development and increased its economic capacity.
Mammadov pointed out that today, the country's economy is going through tough times, but at the same time it opens up new opportunities for entrepreneurs.
The main strategic direction of Azerbaijans economic policy is diversification and development of non-oil sectors. This is also reflected in our foreign economic policy. We are very much interested in the development of mutual relations not only on energy issues, but also in other areas that do not apply to the energy sector, oil and gas, he said, voicing belief that cooperation with partners such as Belarus, will allow to develop the non-oil production and exports, and attract investment in various areas of the Azerbaijani economy.
Within the forum, Mammadov and director general of the Minsk branch of the Belarus Chamber of Commerce-Industry (BelCCI) Tatiana Dubova have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.
The Memorandum implies cooperation between AZPROMO and the Minsk branch of the BelCCI in the field of exchange of information and reciprocal participation in exhibitions and fairs.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Belarus amounted to 28.81 million manats ($18.41 million) in January-May 2016 and 20.83 million manats ($13.31 million) fell on imports of Belarusian goods, according to the State Customs Committee.
Belarus mainly exports to Azerbaijan instruments, apparatus and models, designed for demonstrational purposes, sawn timber, spare parts for cars and tractors, tractors, plywood, lumber and engines.
Azerbaijan exports to Belarus oil products, acyclic hydrocarbons, clay, fruit and vegetable juices, polymers of ethylene.
One of the bright examples of fruitful cooperation is the joint project on the production of Belarusian tractors MTZ and machinery of the Minsk automobile plant MZKT at the Ganja Automobile Plant of Azerbaijan, which produced 6,000 "Belarus" tractors and about 3,000 cars and trailers from 2007 to 2015.
This May Ganja Automobile Plant and Minsk Tractor Works signed a memorandum on the delivery and assembly of 2,000 Belarusian tractors in Azerbaijan in 2016. The sides reached an agreement on the joint output of finished products on the markets of third countries, as well as localization of production in Azerbaijan.
Investments in Belarus economy by Azerbaijan have amounted to $100 million since 2011.
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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli
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15 July 2016 12:59 (UTC+04:00)
The U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry said he hopes to continue with Russia the discussions that have taken place in recent months not only about Syria but also other hotspots ranging from Libya to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sputnik reported on July 15.
The whole world expects comprehensive joint effort from Russia and the US in fighting against terrorism, said Kerry during his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.
I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way of them feeling that everything that is possible is being done to end this terror scourge and unite the world in the most comprehensive efforts possible to fight back against their depraved approach to life and death, added Kerry.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, the Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions.
Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France, and the U.S. through the OSCE Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs dubbed the Madrid Principles. However, the negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.
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15 July 2016 13:13 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
Azerbaijans National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) detected the engine of Grad rocket 9M22U in Tartar region of the country on July 14.
The unexploded ordnance (UXO) was discovered in the Hasangaya village of the region during the inspection of four craters in an acreage area.
Currently, special rapid response teams of ANAMA with minesweeper dogs continue their operations for detecting UXOs in the border settlements.
The Agency checked and cleansed an area of more than 10 million square meters, discovered and defused 976 UXOs, one anti-tank and four anti-personnel mines in the country in June 2016. Moreover, ANAMA repeatedly detects artillery shells, grenades and engines of Grad rockets.
Overall, for 10 years of its operation, the Agency cleared 374,101,116 square meters of the Azerbaijani territory discovering and defusing 720,298 unexploded mines and ammunition.
The clearance work is carried out in Absheron, Agdam, Agjabadi, Agstafa, Barda, Fizuli, Ganja, Goranboy, Gazakh, Mingachevir, Samukh, Tartar, Tovuz, Garadagh regions of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.
While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign State with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.
Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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15 July 2016 10:06 (UTC+04:00)
There are no Azerbaijani citizens among the victims and injured in the terrorist attack in the French city of Nice on July 14, Azerbaijans diplomatic mission to France told Trend July 15.
The Azerbaijani embassy is in contact with the local authorities to obtain further information.
A terrorist act was committed on Thursday night in Nice, the prefecture of the department Alpes-Maritimes said. Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the French Riviera city of Nice late on July 14 when a truck ploughed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday, RIA Novosti reported July 15.
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15 July 2016 10:35 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry has condemned the terrorist attack committed in Nice, France.
We strongly condemn the terrorist attack committed in Nice. We offer deepest condolences to the families and relatives of those killed and wish speedy recovery to those injured, Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesperson for Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry, told Trend on July 15.
He further added that Azerbaijan, as a country suffering from terrorism, strongly condemns any form of terrorism.
Azerbaijans embassy in France is checking the presence of Azerbaijani citizens among those killed and injured as a result of the terrorist attack through this countrys relevant authorities, said Hajiyev.
The spokesperson urged Azerbaijani citizens in France to adhere to the security measures taken by the French authorities and to avoid crowded places.
A gunman at the wheel of a heavy truck plowed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice on July 14, killing at least 84 people and injuring more.
The attacker, identified by a police source as a 31-year-old Tunisian-born Frenchman, also opened fire before police shot him dead. He had been known to the police for common crimes but not to the intelligence services, Reuters reported.
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15 July 2016 11:59 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev expressed condolences to French President Francois Hollande on June 14 over the terror attack in Nice.
The message reads:
Dear Mr. President,
We were deeply saddened by the news of a heavy loss of life and injuries as a result of horrible terrorist attacks in the city of Nice.
We are extremely outraged by this ruthless incident, and consider it important and necessary to mobilize forces and carry out a joint and resolute struggle against terrorism which has grown into a global evil.
Sharing your grief in these hard times, on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deep condolences to you, the bereaved families, the loved ones of those who died and the whole people of France, and wish the injured the swiftest possible recovery.
A gunman at the wheel of a heavy truck plowed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice on July 14, killing at least 84 people and injuring more.
The attacker, identified by a police source as a 31-year-old Tunisian-born Frenchman, also opened fire before police shot him dead. He had been known to the police for common crimes but not to the intelligence services, Reuters reported.
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15 July 2016 15:24 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu in Baku on July 15, Azertag reported.
President Aliyev, reminding of his recent meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Warsaw, said that the bilateral ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan were successfully developing in all directions.
The president further noted the importance of the first foreign visit of Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to Azerbaijan.
Referring to the timely implementation of the joint projects, the head of state stressed that the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and unity are increasingly strengthened and already overcome many tests, highlighting that both nations and other countries see the strength and inviolability of this unity and brotherhood.
Emphasizing that the two countries will continue to be next to each other, President Aliyev expressed confidence that Cavusoglus visit will be another step towards the further strengthening of bilateral relations of the countries.
The Turkish minister, conveying greeting of his president and PM, stressed the importance of President Aliyev's participation in the Warsaw Summit of NATO and the meetings held there.
Cavusoglu, on behalf of his country and people, voiced his gratitude to President Aliyev for his strong support for the normalization of relations between Turkey and Russia.
The minister further noted that the steps aimed at diversifying the Azerbaijani economy give good results, adding that the Turkish side is happy to see these successes
Stressing the perfection of the Turkish-Azerbaijani bilateral relations, Cavusoglu said that relations between the two countries became even closer particularly in the last year.
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15 July 2016 14:18 (UTC+04:00)
By Gunay Camal
Azerbaijan and Turkey, which enjoy one of the closest relations in the world, intend to create a new format of trilateral cooperation together with Kazakhstan.
There is a preliminary agreement on creating such a format of cooperation, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, while addressing a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mamamadyarov.
Both ministers mentioned that successful bilateral cooperation between the two countries is developing in trilateral Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, Azerbaijan-Iran-Turkey, Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan-Turkey formats as well.
Experts believe that the trilateral formats such as Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan-Turkey, and Azerbaijan-Iran-Turkey offer opportunities for regional cooperation and diplomatic resolution of regional issues. Among these, the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey format is the most functional, as the cooperation is supported by huge trade, energy and transportation projects.
Joint priorities and strategic partnership have deepened and enhanced this trilateral partnership, while Baku and Ankara were the main initiators of these formats.
Azerbaijan- Turkey cooperation, which contributes to enhancing the peace and development in and beyond of region and plays a stabilizing role, was mulled during the meeting of the two foreign ministers.
Cavusoglu and Mammadyarov underlined the existence of the wide legal basis regulating different fields of cooperation between the two countries adding that more than 200 bilateral documents have been signed on different aspects of cooperation.
The ministers stressed that the regional transportation infrastructure and energy projects implemented with Azerbaijan and Turkeys initiative and common efforts substantially contribute to the development and prosperity in the region and beyond. In this sense, they added that as an important segment of the East-West transportation corridor Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line will be operational very soon.
Azerbaijan and Turkey are among the important countries in the region from the political and economic point of view. The two countries are bound not only by common culture, but also by important joint energy projects.
Turkey occupies the first place in the foreign investment of Azerbaijan, while only SOCAR plans to invest $18 billion in Turkey till 2018. More than 2,400 Turkish companies operate in Azerbaijan and over 1,000 Azerbaijani companies function in Turkey respectively.
Cavusoglu, addressing a joint press conference, said many projects in the region have turned Azerbaijan into a hub, adding that the two countries have become transit centers and will continue this cooperation.
Regional stability on focus
Elmar Mammadyarov, addressing the press-conference, mentioned that he and his Turkish counterpart discussed the ways to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict among the other topics.
I informed my colleague about the talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement, Mammadyarov said, adding that as a leading country in the region and as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Turkey must be aware of the developments in the conflicts settlement.
We believe that such an intensive continuation of negotiations will lead to some progress. The conflict must be solved gradually step by step. Everyone accepts that the troops of Armenia have to be withdrawn from the occupied territories, he noted.
Cavusoglu reaffirmed Turkeys position on the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and stated that this conflict must be resolved through negotiations based on the relevant UN Security Council resolutions which demand withdrawal of Armenian forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan and within the territorial integrity, sovereignty and internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan.
Both sides condemned all forms and manifestations of terrorism. Taking the opportunity, Mammadyarov reiterated his heartfelt condolences to the brotherly people of Turkey and families of those who lost their lives during the latest terror acts and shared their grievances.
The ministers further condemned the terror attack committed in the French city of Nice on July 14.
We strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Nice, said Cavusoglu. We must be more resolute in the fight against terrorism and its manifestations.
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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
15 July 2016 10:46 (UTC+04:00)
By Rashid Shirinov
The European Union seeks to open an EU Delegation in Tehran, High Representative of EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini announced.
The EU backs a strategy of gradual engagement that is comprehensive in scope, cooperative where there is mutual interest, critical when there are differences and constructive in practice. As part of that, the European Union intends to open an EU Delegation in Iran, Mogherini said in a declaration on behalf of the EU on the one year anniversary of the nuclear deal (JCPOA) clinched between Tehran and the world powers.
The European Union reaffirms its commitment to further developing relations with Iran, in particular in areas such as trade, energy, human rights, civil nuclear cooperation, migration, environment, fight against transnational threats such as drugs, humanitarian cooperation, transport, research, education, culture and regional issues, the message read.
The JCPOA was signed in Vienna on 14 July 2015 between Iran, the P5+1 states (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States plus Germany) and the European Union. The agreement went into effect on January 16, 2016.
Under the deal, Iran agreed to put some restrictions on its nuclear energy program. To monitor and verify Iran's compliance with the agreement, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will have regular access to all Iranian nuclear facilities. The agreement provides that in return for abiding of its commitments, Iran will receive relief from U.S., European Union, and United Nations Security Council nuclear-related economic sanctions.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
15 July 2016 12:48 (UTC+04:00)
By Nigar Abbasova
Turkmenistan exports about 70 percent of the total textile production of the country to foreign market, the Turkmen government reported on July 14. The government claims that implementation of a number of projects have triggered expansion of volumes and range of the exported products.
Technological upgrade of the textile complexes as well as use of modern equipment allowed manufacturing of additional 130 tons of cotton yarn and different types of denim. Reconstruction and modernization of large clothing factories resulted in the expansion of volumes of finished products.
Ruhabat Textile Complex comprised of two modern factories on the production of mixed yarn and producible fabric was commissioned in 2012. Retooling process was implemented in the textile complexes in Geoktepin and Turkmenbashi textile complexes.
Turkmenistan cultivates more than 1 million tons of cotton per year. Cotton industry is considered to be a basis for the development of textile production in the country. The country is planning to collect roughly 1.05 million tons of cotton from an area of 545 hectares in 2016.
Cotton yarn production in the country increased 2.4 times from 2000 to 2015, while cotton production and export of textile products increased 4 and 3.2 times respectively. Cotton is grown at the half of irrigated lands of Turkmenistan.
Earlier, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported that the country aims to further raise foreign investments, introduce new technologies, and create the most favorable conditions for investors in its textile industry.
Textile industry occupies an important place in Turkmenistans economic system, the country is known as a supplier of woolen carpets, as well as cotton and silk textiles of high quality. Tens of textile enterprises worth over $1.6 billion have been built in Turkmenistan throughout the years of independence.
The country seeks to achieve the diversification of national economy and has already taken steps for the promotion of such industries as textile, petrochemicals and building materials.
The major part of the products is exported to the US, Canada, Germany, UK, Russia, Italy, Turkey, China and Ukraine.
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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
15 July 2016 12:11 (UTC+04:00)
Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Massimov met with Mongolian leadership at the 11th ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to discuss the expansion of bilateral cooperation, the Kazakh PMs website reported on July 15.
During Massimovs meeting with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, the sides discussed the current state of bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, as well as the prospects for expansion of that cooperation.
Kazakh PM and his Mongolian counterpart Jargaltulga Erdenebat discussed the bilateral trade and economic ties, and strengthening the contacts between the two countries business communities.
During the meeting with Erdenebat, Massimov pointed to the significant potential for increasing trade turnover between the two countries, as well as expressed willingness to further expand cooperation and enhance trade and economic relations.
He also said the energy and mining industries, agriculture, transportation infrastructure, housing, mining and processing of gold and uranium are the most promising areas for establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships between Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
15 July 2016 14:51 (UTC+04:00)
By Nigar Abbasova
Kazakhstan has prolonged moderate yellow level of terror threat in the country for 30 days, RIA Novosti reported citing the Committee for National Security of Kazakhstan.
The yellow level means theres information about potential attacks that needs to be verified. It also means a set of measures that security, law enforcement and emergency response agencies need to implement to increase their readiness, The Astana Times reported.
Local authorities have announced yellow level of terror threat across the country following the violent attacks that occurred in Aktobe on June 5. Authorities reacted to the outbreak of violence by deploying special forces and declaring an anti-terrorist operation. Red threat level declared in Aktobe was cancelled on June 12 following counter-terrorism operations.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev referred the developments to as signs of color revolution stating that the country would take tough measures to suppress extremists and terrorists. The president stated that criminals were receiving instructions from abroad.
Previously, Kazakh Interior Minister Kalmukhanbet Kasymov said that terrorists who carried out attacks in Kazakhstan received instructions from the territory of Syria.
Groups of gunmen attacked two weapon shops and military base in the northwestern Kazakh city of Aktobe. Eight persons were killed with 3 being military personnel, as many as 37 suffered injuries. A total of 18 criminals were killed and nine were taken into custody in an anti-terrorist operation.
Earlier, the countrys National Security Committee said that all participants of the recent attacks in Aktobe have been neutralized and arrested, and their weapons have been confiscated.
Aktobe was also targeted by attacker in May, 2011 when a 25-year old man detonated suicide bomb and blew himself up inside the office of the state security services. A suicide bomber wounded two bystanders. Prosecutor's office didnt link the explosion to terrorism identifying a bomber as a member of a criminal group who was already under suspicion for other crimes.
Aktobe is one of three oil cities in the west of Kazakhstan, along with Aktau and Atyrau.
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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
When a 16-year-old boy was accused of sexual battery at a Pasco daycare earlier this week, it wasnt the first time deputies investigated the teen for inappropriate behavior towards a toddler.
Teen arrested for raping a 3-year-old girl investigated before
In 2013 DCF said the incident didn't meet the criteria for an investigation
The daycare where the rape allegedly occured will be closed for at least 90 days
A report shows the Florida Department of Children and Families knew about the previous allegations and did not launch their own investigation.
Pasco deputies arrested the 16-year-old on Tuesday on charges that he raped a 3-year-old girl.
The teen had access to unsupervised children at his mother's in-home daycare in Trinity, though he did not work there. The daycare operated under the name "Jacques Teddy Bear Child Care," licensed as Thomas Gibson Family Day Care Home and owned by Jaqueline Thomas-Gibson.
At the same daycare in 2013, Pasco deputies investigated allegations that the teen abused a four-year-old in a similar way. Though no charges were filed, deputies still called the child abuse hotline, as mandated by law.
Thats the whole process by which these allegations come to light through the state, Pasco Sheriffs Office Spokesperson Kevin Doll said. If theres an allegation of child abuse or neglect, you go through the hotline to make those allegations known. Its recorded.
At first, a spokesperson for DCF told us via email that the 2013 investigation was not reported by law enforcement to the child abuse hotline. Therefore there is not a report from us.
That turned out to be a clerical error. A copy of the document obtained from the Pasco Sheriffs office shows that a deputy did call in February 2013, though the incident apparently didnt meet DCFs threshold.
DCF Communications Director Jessica K Sims further explained in a statement emailed:
Based on the law at the time, the report did not meet statutory criteria to be screened in by DCF for an investigation based on the age of the alleged perpetrator. The 2013 hotline report was appropriately screened out by DCF and referred to law enforcement for investigation.
DCF is now conducting a child care licensing review and the in-home daycare is shut down for at least 90 days while DCF investigates. The Pasco Sheriffs Office also continues to investigate, as more children who were recently enrolled in the day have come forward.
A deep fryer appears to be what caused a house fire in Spring Hill on Thursday, according to Pasco County Fire Rescue.
Fire started from unattended deep fryer
Started fire in kitchen of mobile home
Smoke, heat and water damage destroy home
A deep fryer was left unattended in the kitchen and started a fire inside the home located at 16517 Albright Avenue.
Firefighters arrived at the scene and found heavy smoke and flames shooting from the double-wide mobile home.
Crews battled the fire and were able to contain it to the kitchen and dining room area.
The home owner was treated for smoke inhalation but refused to be transported to the hospital. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion and released. There were no other injuries.
Due to smoke, heat and water damage, the mobile home is a complete loss.
The Red Cross is assisting the family of five that lived in the home.
Interact with Moths at Two North Oregon Coast Events, One at Night
Published 07/14/2016 at 6:31 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff
(Nehalem, Oregon) Take a wild moth odyssey on the north Oregon coast later this month, as the Lower Nehalem Community Trust hosts two events that center around the flighty little critters as part of National Moth Week. The two events happen on July 23 at Alder Creek Farm near Nehalem and then on July 26 at the Pine Grove Community Center in Manzanita.
Naturalist Jim Johnson leads this sojourn. You will see unusual moths at a nighttime moth viewing event at Alder Creek Farm. Then a few days later enjoy a slide show of moths of this region at Johnson's presentation in Manzanita. He will also discuss crowdsourcing ecological data online and answer questions about how to get started as a citizen scientist on websites like iNaturalist and eBird.
You'll want to bring your flashlights for the nocturnal event on July 23, a rare evening of viewing moths under the stars. Jim will demonstrate how to safely attract, trap, document, and release moths. After sunset everyone will gather around the illuminated moth-friendly trap to observe our moth friends more closely. This event begins at 8 p.m.
What draws a moth to flame? Check out the presentation on July 26 at 7 p.m. for answers. You'll witness dazzling images of local moths and learn about the secret life of these ubiquitous summer visitors.
Johnson was recently featured at Lewis and Clark National Historical Parks BioBlitz. His first love is odonates, and hes been closely studying the moths of Alder Creek Farm since the spring.
Alder Creek Farm is at 35955 Underhill Lane, Nehalem. The Pine Grove Community House is at Laneda Avenue, Manzanita, Oregon.
Registration is not required for either free event. For more information, visit http://www.nehalemtrust.org/.
This programming is part of the Explore Nature series of hikes, walks, paddles and outdoor adventures throughout Tillamook County. Created by Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, Lower Nehalem Community Trust, Lower Nehalem Watershed Council, Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS, Tillamook Bay Watershed Council and Friends of Cape Falcon Marine Reserve, these meaningful, nature-based experiences highlight the unique beauty of Tillamook County and the work being done to preserve and conserve the areas natural resources and natural resource-based economy. This effort is partially funded by the Economic Development Council of Tillamook County and Visit Tillamook Coast. Learn more about the Explore Nature series at www.tbnep.org/Explore-Nature.php. Lodging in Manzanita, Wheeler- Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour
Lower Nehalem Community Trust preserves land and nurtures conservation values in partnership with an engaged community in the Nehalem Region of the Oregon coast. More on the Manzanita, Nehalem area below, and at the Nehalem Bay, Manzanita Virtual Tour, Map.
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A day after announcing that the BISD board of managers' terms were to be extended through July 2018, state education officials on Thursday said some members could be asked to stay on two years or more past that.
After the election scheduled for May 2017, newly elected trustees will be randomly assigned to gradually replace the managers at a time to be determined by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath based on the district's progress. That process could take three or more years, according to Ron Rowell, TEA director of school governance.
BISD is the first district in the state to undergo this type of rolling transition process after changes in state law that allowed Morath to extend their terms beyond their initial two-year appointment. As a result, TEA is still developing Beaumont's transition plan.
Before July 14, 2018, Morath must announce either a timeline for the replacement of the managers or a further extension of their terms. However, which managers go off and which trustees come on will be determined at randon, based on drawing straws or cards, Rowell said.
That means the first of the trustees to actively take office will have a much longer term than the last.
Because the dates for the transition have not been announced, Rowell couldn't say how long the period would be, but trustees elected in 2017 could be formally beginning their roles as late as 2019 or 2020, depending on when Morath determines the transfer of authority should begin.
Between 2017 and the time they take office, the trustees will "be sitting on the sidelines."
Candidates for the board of trustees will not know the length of their active term of service until after the election, because of the random determination, Rowell said.
If approved, the 5-2 plan that calls for five geographic representatives and two at-large representatives will not factor into the determination of the order of joining the active board.
A training session in August, co-sponsored by the Beaumont NAACP, the Ministerial Alliance and the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and held at the Region 5 Education Service Center, will also not factor into Morath's transition plan, despite what was announced at a July 7 board meeting, according to TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson.
Although board members said at the time that the commissioner would be considering the session's attendance in his determination of how the board would be replaced, Rowell said that is not the case.
"That's not correct - that is not even an item or an issue," he said. The event "is a way to start the conversation about what boards should be doing to improve student performance."
It was not initiated by TEA, nor is it mandatory for potential trustees.
The managers initially thought that TEA would be sponsoring the training based on a meeting with Morath, according to Board President Jimmy Simmons.
"Evidently their plans have changed," he said, and "basically the board of managers is not involved anymore," though he still called the event a great idea.
TEA Deputy Commissioner of Governance A.J. Crabill has been invited to present at the event, Culbertson said.
Chamber of Commerce President Regina Lindsey said that the Chamber was contacted about the session by the Ministerial Alliance and will be using resources to secure a location and promote the event.
Region 5 ESC Executive Director Danny Lovett confirmed that the training will be held at the ESC but said that at this time, that is their only involvement.
The transition from appointed to elected board members is complicated because it is unprecedented, Rowell said.
In El Paso ISD, where the TEA installed a five-person board of managers in 2013 after a superintendent-led cheating scandal, there was no transition period, because the elected trustees immediately replaced the managers two years after their appointment.
"El Paso ISD didn't have the rolling transition, the seven trustees took back over and the Board of Managers walked off after they were sworn in," Rowell said.
Morath recently appointed a Board of Managers in Edgewood ISD in San Antonio, so they will ultimately undergo a transition process similar to Beaumont's. However, that appointed board's initial two-year term does not expire until May 2018, making BISD the first of its kind.
LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz
Kim Brent
Former Orange County emergency management coordinator Ryan Peabody is the subject of a Texas Rangers probe, the Department of Public Safety confirmed Thursday.
At issue are time sheets that Peabody submitted during and after Sabine River flooding in March, according to multiple county officials, including county Judge Stephen Brint Carlton.
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Five years ago Texas history fanatics marveled at a lost Lone Star town that emerged on the banks of a partially dried up Lake Buchanan. Now it's back underwater, awaiting Texas' next drought.
It's funny how in just five years one person's uncovered ghost town can become someone else's country-fried Atlantis.
At one time Old Bluffton boasted 50 families but the completion of the nearby Buchanan Dam and a rising Colorado River submerged the settlement by 1937. A new Bluffton was built seven miles away.
Left under the new Buchanan Lake would be the remnants of the town, even the former graveyards that once held the town's dead. The earthly remains were re-interred elsewhere, leaving behind gravestones.
RELATED: Depleted Texas lakes give up the past
As the dam was being built by the New Deal federal work program, local families sold off their land to the Lower Colorado River Authority -- sometimes at a lower price than they would have liked -- in anticipation of the rising waters.
Since the late '30s Lake Buchanan has occupied the former Bluffton. The lake filled ahead of schedule thanks to additional flooding in the area at the time.
The drought earlier this decade slowly lowered Lake Buchanan's levels some 26 feet and with it Old Bluffton was again visible to locals.
The Associated Press came to the site in November 2011 as the Texas Historical Commission's archaeological division investigated the remains of Old Bluffton, once covered by nearly 30 feet of water. Drought conditions in 1984 had exposed parts of the underwater ghost town but not quite like in 2011.
That year Old Bluffton was teeming with vacationers and history buffs getting their fill.
Old Bluffton wasn't the only historical bonanza uncovered by drought. Lake Whitney, Lake Georgetown, and an area in Navarro County also showed off hidden histories as Texas baked in the sun.
RELATED: Here's why dams in Texas are so darn important
Around the same time the next year the Texas Observer went to the site and surveyed the scene as guides pointed out the foundations of homes, a cotton gin, and even the local bank.
Heavy rains over the past year have pushed Lake Buchanan back up to nearly 99 percent full and a local website proclaims it "full and beautiful" welcoming visitors to the area.
Clara Tuma, spokeswoman foe the Lower Colorado River Authority, said that the lake was considered "full" after months of major flooding.
"The Bluffton area began to get re-submerged May 2015 and it was completely covered by this past May after all the rain we got," Tuma told the Houston Chronicle.
It had a decent run, it appears, as a local tourist attraction.
Let's hope we won't be seeing Old Bluffton for some time, but when and if drought hits Texas again the remains of the city once bolstered by a yearly pecan harvest will be there for a new generation to explore.
For now, the man-made lake is great for striped bass and white bass fishing and the fish are the only visitors to Old Bluffton.
Frontier Healthcare Holdings, a New York-based ambulatory surgery center management company, teamed with local physicians to open Mulberry Ambulatory Surgical Center in June, marking Frontier Healthcare's first ASC in New Jersey. Frontier Healthcare helped physician owners market the center to attract new physicians, a vital component of any center's success.
"The big difference between a healthy and a non-healthy center is the ability to attract physicians," says Roy Bejarano, president of Frontier Healthcare, a position he has held for nearly five years.
Frontier Healthcare has 12 ASCs throughout New York, all of which have a majority physician ownership. Mr. Bejarano explains this model has yielded positive results for the management company, as "independent physicians tend to be happier."
An ASC management company is well-versed in the ins and outs of opening and running a successful ASC, making relationships with physicians mutually beneficial. Whereas physicians bring the volume and medical expertise, management companies can provide business knowledge to navigate the complex nature of payer relations and physician recruitment.
Mr. Bejarano delves into four key areas that Frontier Healthcare and physician owners focused on when opening and operating Mulberry Ambulatory Surgical Center.
1. Merging with other physicians. When bringing in physicians to a center, the ASC has to manage that physician's expectations, which is something physician investors may have limited experience doing.
"Some physicians haven't built an equity-oriented business with an in-depth operating agreement before," Mr. Bejarano says. "You have different partners from all different paths of life, and it is really about learning to make the business work."
Mr. Bejarano explains when drafting a contract with a potential physician investor, the ASC should consider several factors including:
Whether that partner should have a board seat
The partner's veto rights
The details of the partner's redemption rights
"You have to change your mindset from thinking internally to thinking holistically about everyone's needs," he adds.
2. Be selective in your physician partners. Although ASCs should continually be recruiting physicians to the center, selection is paramount because an ill-suited partner may detract from a center's profitability. To ensure a beneficial partnership, a center's physicians should think about the agreement as a merger. Rather then solely focusing on penning the best deal, an ASC should consider physicians' character and whether they have that center's best interests at the forefront of their minds.
When choosing partners, the optimal candidate will be reasonable and will prioritize the team's needs. Frontier Healthcare will visit physicians at their current practice location to get a sense of their work ethic as well as the "environment they created for patients," Mr. Bejarano says.
Administrators should go out into the community to learn what the physician's peers think of them. After credentialing physicians, the center should invite physicians who could be a good fit to perform cases at the center for a trial period to ensure the partnership would work for both parties.
3. Going in-network. Centers that are out-of-network may often struggle to spur physician interest, as this model could detract from a physician's income. Frontier Healthcare advises centers to go in-network as soon as possible, and began negotiating with payers as soon Mulberry Ambulatory Surgical Center opened.
4. Transparency. Centers should also be transparent about various decisions and changes to staff members because the unknown is often unsettling and not well-received. Therefore, Mr. Bejarano recommends ASCs implement an open-door policy to ensure staff members feel comfortable in their work environment.
Healthcare's transformation to value-based care presents an opportunity for surgery centers that can provide reasonable rates while maintaining high quality care. Frontier Healthcare's key to success is providing patients attractive rates, which will likely ensure the company's success.
"In every industry there are opportunities and risks," he says. "In healthcare, being conservative is prudent. As long as Frontier continues to provide a high quality product and charge reasonable rates, we feel there is a place for us in the industry."
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HCV treatment costs range from $83k to $150k: 4 key insights on the lack of access to care
Access to effective hepatitis C virus treatment is blocked by high costs, according to research published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The review article examines the current landscape of HCV, including treatment regimens.
Here are four key insights:
1. Typically, HCV treatments are priced from $83,320 to $150,000 for 84 pills in total.
2. A separate study found that the cost to produce one pill was just $1.20.
3. Many public and private insurers are not willing to cover the steep cost of these treatments, and therefore, access is limited.
4. Brian Edlin, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and author of the study, proposes that physicians and the government lead the development of a consensus process so that all stakeholders commit to removing barriers.
"Doctors, the government and the public have the power to change the situation, but they have to overcome the sense of resignation about this problem," said Dr. Edlin. "Hepatitis C treatment access can be solved in a heartbeat by decision makers at large organizations. And it needs to be solved in a heartbeat."
Fort Dodge, Iowa, is a town of about 25,000 nestled alongside the Des Moines River. It is home to the state's first public art museum, two high schools, a community college and one hospital: UnityPoint Health-Trinity.
Fort Dodge's branch of the Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health System is also home to one of the first accountable care organizations in the country, according to a report in The Des Moines Register. The ACO work healthcare providers have done in Fort Dodge make it one of the nation's best examples of how to improve health while keeping costs low, according to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell.
Ms. Burwell visited Fort Dodge Thursday to hear from local physicians, nurses and patients about their successes in healthcare. "We know that folks are depending on us to make more progress on affordability and on quality," she said, according to The Des Moines Register. "I'm here to visit today one of the great models of people accelerating the change that the rest of the nation needs to do."
What makes Fort Dodge's ACO particularly unique among other early adopters is that it managed to at least break even and stuck with the program through the first couple years, according to the report. Ms. Burwell told The Des Moines Register the collaboration in Fort Dodge between healthcare providers and other community agencies are part of what made it so successful.
Read the full report here.
More articles on accountable care:
Aetna, Gateway Health in Virginia strike ACO agreement
OneCare Vermont selected by state to be Medicaid ACO
Cigna, Calif. physicians group ink coordinated care contract
Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic will open a small medical office and Express Care facility downtown, according to Cleveland.com. The Clinic signed a 10-year lease on the space.
Like the hospital's other Express Care facilities, the office will provide walk-in attention, but will also offer appointments for downtown residents who are not able to make it to the hospital's main campus. The building will also accommodate at least six exam rooms.
The Clinic's Director of Strategic Project Development Brian Smith said many of the details, such as the clinic's hours, have yet to be established, according to the Cleveland.com report.
Cleveland Clinic has 14 Express Care locations. For patients with acceptable health insurance, an appointment at the office will cost the same as a visit to a primary care physician.
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10 hospitals planning facility upgrades, expansions
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Pokemon Go has hospitals trying to keep it real: 4 things to know
As the healthcare industry is charged with redefining financial responsibility in episodes of care, progressive thought leaders and administrators in the revenue cycle space are increasingly vital in helping hospitals maintain fiscal footing.
Here are 16 revenue cycle leaders to know.
Note: This is not an all-inclusive list. RCM leaders were selected based on editorial judgment and discretion. Individuals cannot pay for inclusion on this list.
Michael Berger. Director of Revenue Cycle for Saint Peter's University Hospital (New Brunswick, N.J.). Since August 2012, Mr. Berger has served as director of revenue cycle for Saint Peter's. In addition to his role at Saint Peter's, Mr. Berger is president of The M. Berger Consulting Group, a revenue cycle management consulting firm. He earned a Master of Public Administration from New York University in New York City.
Jane Berkebile. System Vice President of Revenue Cycle Management for OhioHealth (Columbus). Ms. Berkebile has more than 35 years of healthcare experience, including 10 years in her current role at OhioHealth. As system vice president of revenue cycle for OhioHealth, she oversees all aspects of the revenue cycle, including human resources. Her specialties include coding, billing, collections and facility patient access. Prior to joining OhioHealth, Ms. Berkebile was vice president of revenue cycle at Mercy Health Partners in Cincinnati.
Kelly Clasen. Senior Director of Business Operations for Middle Park Medical Center (Kremmling/Granby/Walden, Colo.). Ms. Clasen has nearly three decades of experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining Middle Park, she was senior director of revenue cycle at Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Also involved in mentoring efforts, she co-founded the Colorado Association of Healthcare Access Management, and is currently a board member for the Colorado Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
Greg Douglass. Director and Revenue Cycle Strategic Partner at Ochsner Health System (New Orleans). At Ochsner Health System, Mr. Douglass also oversees the practice specialist division for system service lines. Previously, Greg served as the director of operations for an oncology billing and consulting organization based in Birmingham, Ala. His responsibilities included designing and leading revenue cycle performance improvement strategies for clinic-based operations around the country specializing in chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Mr. Douglass has a bachelor's degree in healthcare management from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
David Kelly. Director of Revenue Cycle for Mary Rutan Hospital (Bellefontaine, Ohio). Mr. Kelly has held his current position since January. In that role, he has management and governance responsibilities for the end-to-end revenue cycle for Mary Rutan Hospital and its physician clinics. Previously, Mr. Kelly was interim director of health information management for Mary Rutan Hospital.
David J. Law. Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Zotec Partners (Carmel, Ind.). At Zotec Partners, Mr. Law leads business development and marketing strategies. Mr. Law specializes in revenue cycle and practice management in all specialties serviced by Zotec. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Butler University in Indianapolis.
The Berkeley City Council passed a resolution Tuesday against Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health's plan to close Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley, Calif., according to a KRON news report.
Sutter plans to close the Berkeley hospital by 2030. California law requires hospitals to meet certain seismic standards by Jan. 1, 2030, and Alta Bates currently does not meet the required standards. In a letter to the Berkeley City Council, Alta Bates CEO Chuck Prosper said it is infeasible for the hospital to be retrofitted by the last day of 2029.
On Tuesday, council members said shutting down the hospital poses a threat to public safety due to the hospital's high utilization rate for acute care services.
Alta Bates employees also voiced concerns during the meeting. One of those employees was Eric Coch, who has been a nurse at Alta Bates for 15 years. He said the hospital is always full and shutting down the facility poses a "great endangerment" to the city of Berkeley, according to The Daily Californian.
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Norman (Okla.) Specialty Hospital, a 50-bed long-term acute care facility, will close its doors September 9.
Employees told News 9 they learned about the closure this week. All 167 positions at the hospital have been cut.
The hospital specialized in treating medically complex cases that require extensive recovery time. Length of inpatient stays averaged one month.
Hospital administrative staff declined to comment on the closure to News 9 and directed all questions regarding the closure to their public relations firm. The PR firm wouldn't provide details about Norman Specialty shutting down, but did say the hospital would try to make the closure a smooth transition for patient.
NYC Health + Hospitals has picked Boston Consulting Group to help overhaul the struggling public hospital system, according to a Crain's New York Business report.
Here are four things to know about the move.
1. A $3.65 million contract for Boston Consulting Group to help NYC Health + Hospitals stabilize the struggling network was approved by the system's finance committee July 7. NYC Health + Hospitals' full board must still sign off on the deal.
2. The system has said it sought an outside consulting firm, "given the enormous body of work facing the transformation office and its nascent state," according to the report.
3. If approved, the project will be led by Ross Wilson, MD, the system's CMO, acting as chief transformation officer.
4. The move comes as a recent report from the New York City Independent Budget Office shows NYC Health + Hospitals faces a number of challenges, including rising expenses and declining revenues, leaving the public hospital system with a projected cash shortfall of $6.1 billion over the four years through 2020.
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The lifesaving care a woman received more than three decades ago was never forgotten. Frances Rose Rappy left Rock Springs, Wyo.-based Memorial Hospital $1.6 million to "go to whatever new miracle machine is wanted," to be gifted to the hospital upon her death, according to the Wyoming Business Report.
After surviving a near-fatal car crash in 1983, Ms. Rappy, then 42 years old, spent eight months recovering at Memorial Hospital, including four months on a respirator. She was then paralyzed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves. Eventually, Ms. Rappy returned to her home in New York, but the care she received at Memorial Hospital stayed in her memory.
"She must have been a wonderful lady," CEO Jerry Klein said of Ms. Rappy, according to the report. "It's a wonderful, wonderful gift that can help so many people for decades to come.
Mr. Klein said Memorial Hospital has purchased "a lot of miracle machines" with the money it gained from the trust.
At a board meeting last week, hospital attorney George Lemich read Ms. Rappy's draft letter to the hospital leaders.
"I cannot tell you how often I think of 'MH of SC!' The staff donating 117 pints of blood and everything else that was done to keep me alive when I 'coded' five times! The incredible persistence of the physical therapist an angel on Earth!" Ms. Rappy wrote, according to the report. "I received attention that was caring, life-giving, thoughtful and generous in so many ways and filled my heart with so much joy and gratitude for the staff!"
In return for her gift, Ms. Rappy asked only for a plaque detailing her gratefulness to "a hospital and staff that SO deserve this," she wrote.
South Orange, N.J.-based Seton Hall University and Hackensack (N.J.) Meridian Health in signed a long-term lease agreement to lease 16 acres and two buildings on the former Hoffmann-La Roche biomedical campus to serve as the home of their new health and medical sciences campus.
Hackensack Meridian Health Network and Seton Hall University partnered in January 2015 to operate New Jersey's first private medical school in 50 years, which is planned to take up part of the Roche property. The site will also be home to Seton Hall's College of Nursing and School of Health and Medical Sciences, which will move from its present location on the university's main campus. The 25-year lease will begin in October 2016.
Prism Capital Partners acquired the 116-acre campus from Hoffmann-La Roche on Wednesday and signed the lease with the school partners, for 16 acres of that land and two facilities, the same day.
The layout of the new campus mirrors the holistic method to care the industry is slowly adopting. Students from medicine, nursing, occupational and physical therapy and other related fields will learn and practice together to improve patient care. Hackensack Meridian Health's hospitals will serve as the primary clinical teaching site for Seton Hall and its graduate programs.
Hospital officials appointed Bonita Stanton, MD, as the founding dean of the new School of Medicine. The school is set to open in fall 2018.
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From Kaiser Foundation Health Plan accusing a former senior claims manager of embezzling $7 million to an ex-hospital CFO heading to jail for grand theft, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines.
1. Alabama judge temporarily blocks abortion restrictions
An Alabama federal judge temporarily blocked two new abortion restrictions that would ban clinics from operating near schools and outlaw the most commonly used second trimester abortion procedure.
2. Minnesota hospice provider to pay $18M for alleged false claims to Medicare
Eden Prarie, Minn.-based Evercare Hospice and Palliative Care, now Optum Palliative and Hospice Care, will pay $18 million to resolve allegations that it claimed Medicare reimbursement for hospice care for patients who were not terminally ill.
3. Former Aetna employee sent to prison for stealing 50 customer identities
A former employee at Aetna's Plantation, Fla.-based office will serve 32 months in prison, three years of supervised release and pay $16,264 in restitution for comprising the identities of 50 customers.
4. Hospital claims self-insured employers conspired with UnitedHealth, Cigna in embezzlement scheme
Red Oak Hospital in Houston filed a string of lawsuits against self-insured employers alleging the companies entered into unlawful agreements with UnitedHealthcare that allow the insurer to improperly divert their employees' healthcare funds. The hospital filed a similar lawsuit against a company with a self-funded plan administered by Cigna.
5. 4 hospitals drop from lawsuit challenging OMNIA health plan
Just three of seven New Jersey hospitals that filed suit against Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey last year over the insurer's tiered OMNIA health plan remain in the suit.
6. Rocky Allen enters guilty plea, could serve more than 17 years for drug tampering
Former surgical technician Rocky Allen pled guilty to charges of tampering with a consumer product and obtaining a controlled substance by deceit.
7. No mistrial for University of Chicago Medical Center $53M in birth injury lawsuit
The University of Chicago Medical Center failed to obtain a mistrial in a medical malpractice lawsuit with a $53 million verdict.
8. Sovereign Health sues Health Net for $55M in unpaid services
San Clemente, Calif.-based Sovereign Health, a mental illness and drug addiction treatment provider, sued Los Angeles-based Health Net for $55 million in allegedly unpaid medical services.
9. Ex-CEO of defunct Long Beach substance abuse center indicted for $50M fraud scheme
Four people were charged in a superseding indictment for allegedly participating in a scheme that submitted nearly $50 million in fraudulent claims to California's Drug Medi-Cal program.
10. Kaiser accuses ex-employee of embezzling $7M
A former senior claims manager at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, a subsidiary of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, is accused of stealing $7 million from his employer before he was fired.
11. Tuomey sues law firm for $117M over allegedly bad advice in whistle-blower suit
Sumter, S.C.-based Tuomey Healthcare filed a lawsuit against Nexsen Pruet, claiming the Columbia, S.C.-based firm's legal malpractice caused Tuomey to lose a federal whistle-blower lawsuit.
12. Court bars VCU Health from administering brain death test on toddler
The Virginia Supreme Court denied a request by Richmond-based Virginia Commonwealth University Health System to perform tests to determine whether a 2-year-old is brain dead.
13. Ophthalmologist pays $55k to resolve false Medicare billing allegations
A Massachusetts-based ophthalmologist and his practice have agreed to pay $55,000 to resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act.
14. Ex-hospital CFO heads to jail for grand theft
Bonner General Health's former CFO Norilina Harvel will spend 90 days in jail for embezzling more than $200,000 from the Standpoint, Idaho-based hospital.
15. Ala. court upholds ruling in Accretive debt collection suit
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama ruled in favor of Accretive Health in a class-action lawsuit alleging the company violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
16. Former UAB Hospital food services employee charged with $1M cash theft
Federal prosecutors charged a former University of Alabama at Birmingham employee with stealing more than $1 million over six years from a cash room she oversaw.
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San Antonio Police Department said a reported shooting at Northwest Methodist Hospital that prompted employees to shelter in place was a hoax, San Antonio Express-News reported.
An anonymous call alerted hospital security about an alleged shooting Thursday. SAPD responded and searched the hospital but found no evidence.
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The Zika outbreak in Latin America may have peaked and could come to an end within three years, according to a predictive model examined in a paper recently published in the journal Science.
For the model, scientists focused on three factors key factors to predict the future arc of the Zika epidemic. The first factor is the speed of virus transmission, which was determined using available infection rates in nations with large-scale local transmission and data on mosquito population density. Second, researchers developed a timeline of the history of the current epidemic and, while assessing for future herd immunity, mapped a model for future waves of Zika transmission. Third, the researchers examined the large-scale connectivity of human populations to determine the spread of the virus.
The model predicts that the Zika virus outbreak in Latin America will likely subside within three years. After that, there will be a reprieve from any sort of Zika endemic for approximately 10 years.
"You can think of it like the forest after a giant fire," Justin Lessler, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore and one of the paper's authors, told NPR. "All of the extra brush is gone, and it's going to take a while before enough brush or in the case of a disease, enough susceptible people can build back up to support another fire."
In the U.S., according to the researcher's estimates, Zika will likely be a threat for a few summers to come, with this summer being the hardest hit. Bryan Lewis, PhD, a disease modeler at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, told NPR this summer is likely to be the worst for Zika in the U.S. due to the import of travel-associated cases from Latin America. As the outbreak wanes internationally, so too will the amount of travel-related Zika cases in the U.S.
However, the new model has detractors. Michael Osterholm, PhD, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, pointed to the lack of information obtained by scientists about how Zika spreads as a flaw in the model.
"I think the model is a real overreach of the data we have," Dr. Osterholm told the Los Angeles Times. "I really believe the worst is yet to come with Zika throughout the Americas. It has not peaked."
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Prince Harry is teaming up with bioLytical Laboratories to help raise HIV and AIDS awareness among the younger generation.
On Thursday, Prince Harry took bioLytical's 60-second INSTI HIV antibody test at London-based Guy and St. Thomas' Hospital during a live broadcasting on the royal family's Facebook page.
The Canadian-based company's INSTI test produces results with 99 percent accuracy, requiring a single drop of blood from the patient. The test will be available online and in various retail locations by the end of the year, offering patients the opportunity to complete the test in the comfort of their own homes.
"Prince Harry believes until everyone feels relaxed about taking HIV tests whether from high risk groups or not then tackling the stigma and fear surrounding HIV testing will continue to allow the virus to win," according to a statement from Kensington Palace.
Prince Harry's test results were negative.
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Exports from the Republic to the UK declined by 162m (135m) on a yearly basis
Exporters in the Republic are concerned about future trade relations with the UK after new figures yesterday showed a fall in exports from Ireland to the UK.
Exports to the UK declined by 162m (135m) on a yearly basis. Irish import of UK products also slowed, down over 116m (76m) compared to the January to April sequence for 2015.
Simon McKeever, chief executive, Irish Exporters Association, said: "It is not surprising that this could be related to the dramatic drop in the price of sterling since November last year.
"Given the outcome of the UK referendum on EU membership, this trade relationship may possibly get a lot more complicated.
"We have been trading with the UK for over 1,000 years and we will continue to have a strong bilateral trade relationship with it, albeit with potentially more costs and complications."
The statistics were released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in the Republic.
Northern Ireland business has welcomed the appointment of Philip Hammond as Chancellor of the Exchequer as a "safe pair of hands" for the economy.
Ann McGregor, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, said he was "exactly what the UK needs post-Brexit in terms of economic stability".
The former Foreign Secretary had campaigned on the Remain side of the recent EU referendum.
John McGrane, the chairman of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce, said the appointments of a Chancellor, Brexit Minister and International Trade Minister "cleared up some of the massive uncertainties" of the last few weeks.
Brexiteers David Davis and Liam Fox have been appointed Secretary of State for Exiting the EU and Secretary of State for International Trade respectively.
Mr McGrane said: "The new incumbents have a huge amount of work to do and we would respect that and support positive engagement on the issues - including the massive vulnerability of Northern Ireland as the UK region which we've always said is at most risk of suffering the adverse effects of Brexit."
He said the Chamber would seek to work to preserve the present regime as closely as possible, "with free trade, free movement of people, a borderless Northern Ireland and the maximum access to a single market that can be achieved".
In an interview with Sky News yesterday, Mr Hammond would not say if he was committed to his predecessor's plans to cut corporation tax to 15% or lower - a plan which could dent the impact of Northern Ireland's move to cut its rate to 12.5%.
George Osborne had already committed to cutting UK corporation tax to 17% by 2020 before making his dramatic announcement of a rate of 15% or lower last week.
PwC chief economist Dr Esmond Birnie said Mr Hammond could also embrace a low-tax regime. "I think in the circumstances he will be attracted to any measures which demonstrate that the UK is open for business."
But Dr Birnie said that more crucial than the personalities of the politicians in charge of Brexit negotiations was whether the Executive could identify a coherent Northern Ireland interest.
And if the Executive could unite around a coherent Northern Ireland interest, "what then happens if the Northern Ireland interest turns out to diverge from that of the rest of the UK?"
He said the needs of the many could prevail over any special case for Northern Ireland.
Ms McGregor added: "Although Mr Hammond has not committed to progressing with the former Chancellor's proposal to reduce UK corporation tax to 15%, we still need to watch any proposals carefully, as this will ultimately have an impact on Northern Ireland's target of a 12.5% rate by April 2018."
Mervn McCall of Grow NI - a business lobby group set up to campaign for a lower rate of corporation tax for Northern Ireland, said the policy would remain in place regardless of any steps by the new Chancellor on UK-wide tax.
"We need to carve out our own future and make long term investment plans which will help us realise our economic potential and create a significant number of long term, high value added, well paid jobs."
As I sat opposite him on a train tearing across the New England countryside last year, Boris Johnson grimaced and put his head in his hands. He did not utter his usual "Cripes" but there was a low groan as he listened to the words I read out. They were his own and, after he was appointed Foreign Secretary in Theresa May's first Cabinet last night, they will be familiar to most.
In a piece on the Democratic presidential nomination race written for his newspaper column seven years previously, he had likened Hillary Clinton to a "sadistic nurse in a mental hospital". He rolled his eyes as I reminded him he had once said Secretary Clinton represented "everything I came into politics to oppose" including an "all-round purse-lipped political correctness".
Unsurprisingly, his remarks put a dampener on what should have been considered a major coup - the then Mayor of London meeting the potential next President of the United States.
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When the talks took place the following day at her Manhattan office, Clinton was professionalism and charm personified, sweeping into the room with a warm smile and a firm handshake. Boris, sheepish in the extreme, bowed his head.
If she doesn't make it to the White House, the former mayor has also had a pop at her rival for the presidency. "The only reason I wouldn't go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump," he told us.
The Tory politician had made his mark. The damage was compounded this year when he lashed out at "part-Kenyan" Barack Obama, saying he was biased against Britain because of "an ancestral dislike of the British Empire".
No wonder footage of a State Department official struggling to keep a straight face when he was told Boris will be our new Foreign Secretary, went viral online yesterday. Was it some sort of joke?
There was a similar view held across much of Westminster yesterday morning, even after his vow to put the US at the top of his list of apologies. For eight years I had a front-row seat as Boris travelled the world "banging the drum" for London.
I was in Beijing to read the Chinese press criticising him for "rudeness and arrogance" after he stood with his hands in his pockets during the Olympic handover ceremony in Beijing in 2008, his first foreign trip as London Mayor. He later gave us a taste of what was to come when he got entangled in a minor diplomatic dispute about the origins of ping-pong.
I was there four years later in India when he was sternly told off for riding his bike through Mumbai's Gateway of India as the crowds stared curiously after the streak of blond flying past.
In 2013, the former mayor, back in China, surprised his hosts as he and George Osborne had a very public tussle for the title of Tory heir in waiting.
A flying visit to the Kurdistan region of Iraq in 2015 provided a great picture opportunity of him staring down the sights of an AK-47 alongside a Peshmerga fighter - but also a diplomatic headache for his Foreign Office minders, who had to block his attempt to visit the front line of the war against Islamic State and pick up his hotel bar bill.
And then the piece de resistance. On his final mayoral visit last November I was one of a small band of reporters at Boris's side as he waded into the diplomatic minefield that is Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This trip was billed as a "diplomatic visit" as well as a trade mission and designed to show his critics that he was now in the major league.
For several days I sat in auditoriums and meeting rooms across Israel as he denounced calls for a boycott of Israel by "corduroy-wearing, snaggle-toothed, Lefty academics", suggesting their proposition was "ludicrous" because of its status as a democracy.
The fallout with his next hosts, the Palestinians, left diplomatic officials scurrying around trying to build bridges as his trip to the West Bank city of Ramallah was cut short when irate organisers of several events withdrew their invitations. Boris was crestfallen.
Then came the poem about the Turkish President having sex with a goat and the comparison between Vladimir Putin and Dobby the House Elf from Harry Potter.
So it may come as a surprise that those who know the new Foreign Secretary best, including those who have watched him working at close quarters over most of the past decade, actually believe he will be quite good at his new job.
For every rugby-tackled Japanese schoolboy, there were thousands of pictures promoting what would have otherwise been a dry trade mission; for every joke about Britain's place in the world, there were foreign business leaders and politicians clamouring to hear more.
Boris has an unmatchable ability to open doors - both at home and abroad. Yes, it may be that Theresa May is doing to Boris what Obama did to Clinton, and giving him a job that gets him out of the way.
He will be too jetlagged and too confused to plot and will, crucially, be kept away from the grassroots.
It is, after all, just days since she ridiculed her new minister's foreign experience, joking that "last time he went to deal with Germans, he came back with three nearly-new water cannon".
But she will also be aware that Boris is hugely popular among the Brexit-supporting public, even as he has lost the trust of many who voted Remain.
The job is not the same one Philip Hammond is leaving - neutralising at least some fears about his poor grasp of detail. Liam Fox will run international trade talks, while David Davis is charged with the heavy lifting of Brexit negotiations. In a foreign policy crisis, No 10 will take over.
It is not wholly true that "what is left is showbiz", as some commentators have claimed, as Boris will be in charge of relations with hotspots including Russia, Syria and North Africa, as well as oversight of MI6.
But Britain's new top diplomat is at his best when surrounded by experienced experts, advising and steering and - often - restraining him.
Thankfully, the Foreign Office is packed with them.
It is a gamble by the new Prime Minister, but comparisons with Prince Philip are understandable but unfair.
But Boris knows he has bridges to build and that he must not commit any more gaffes. He will learn that a sledgehammer approach to democracy will not wash. It will be a test of discipline that he cannot fail.
One thing that the past decade has shown me is that for all the diplomatic gaffes, the unorthodox tactics, the comical approach to international relations, Boris is a world-class salesman.
He has become a globally recognisable figurehead, and if anyone can persuade our international partners that a Brexit vote was one of a self-confident nation, keen to secure existing relationships and strike new alliances, he can.
But, as we sat on the terrace of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem last November, sipping our drinks and chewing over the days' events, Boris told me: "Inevitably, when you say something that is true but controversial, there is a danger of people reacting badly. The crucial thing is to stick to your guns."
It is now time for him to disarm.
A Belfast man was told he will have to spend a minimum of 14 years in prison without parole for the sword murders of two men, including a leading UDA figure.
Albert Armstrong (47) admitted killing Colin 'Bap' Lindsay, 47, and Stanley Wightman, 52 in an attack in July last year.
Both men were found in the blood soaked living room of Mr Lindsay's Kirkiston Walk bungalow in the Belvoir estate.
They were said to have suffered severe wounds inflicted by a Samurai sword. Mr Lindsay was almost decapitated and Mr Wightman nearly had a hand severed off in the attack.
Passing a tariff sentence on Friday, Mr Justice Treacy said the two victims had died as a result of "catastrophic injuries following an altercation''.
He told the court the men, who had been drinking with Armstrong all day, sustained "multiple incisive wounds to the neck which had been carried out with considerable force with a Samurai sword''.
Mr Lindsay, a father of two, was pronounced dead at the scene on July 8, 2015 and Mr Wightman died two days later from his injuries.
Last month father-of-five Armstrong, of Grays Park, Ballylenaghan Upper, Belfast, was handed down a life sentence by Mr Justice Treacy.
At that hearing, the prosecution had described the deaths of the deceased as two very violent and brutal killings".
Armstrong lived with his partner in Belvoir at the time and was known in the local area as a bit of a handyman.
Neil Connor QC, prosecuting, said that on the day of the murder Mr Lindsay had been in contact with Armstrong asking him to fix a smoke alarm in his house, prompting Armstrong to drive the short distance to Mr Lindsays home.
A trip to the off licence was made and the three men then drank a considerable quantity of both beer and vodka in Mr Lindsays house.
Armstrong returned to the off licence at around 5pm, where he bought more beer.
Just over two hours later, Armstrong arrived back at his partners house in his Mazda car.
She could tell he had been drinking, and also noticed he had blood on his hand and forehead. She also saw a blood-stained sword in the passenger footwell of the car, wrapped in a pair of black jeans.
When she asked Armstrong what had happened, he told her he had killed two people, the court heard.
He told her: I have killed 'Bap' Lindsay and Stanley. Nobody is going to f*** me over again, the court was told.
Armstrong claimed that whilst they were all drinking Mr Lindsay lifted a hatchet and started waving it about.
He also claimed that he was struck by Mr Lindsay, and that Mr Lindsay had a knife which he took off him.
Mr Connor revealed that Armstrong asked his partner to help gather his clothes which he was going to burn in the back garden - but that never occurred as the police arrived and arrested Armstrong at 8.10pm.
Police were initially unable to enter Mr Lindsay's property at 8.19pm but an officer saw one stricken man in the front room.
They eventually entered the house at 8.30pm and whilst a clearly deceased Mr Lindsay was on the sofa, the severely injured Mr Wightman was found "lying in a pool of his own blood'' on the living room floor.
Despite being rushed to hospital, Mr Wightman died two days after the attack from the wounds to his head and neck. His right hand was almost severed at the wrist as he tried to defend himself.
The prosecutor said that post mortems conducted on both victims concluded they died from multiple wounds to the neck, adding: "The weapon must have been wielded with some considerable force.
Mr Connor also said what happened to one deceased was then replicated in respect of the other, with very great similarity.
After his arrest, Armstrong initially denied involvement, making the case that prior to the double murder he had been abstinent from alcohol for a period, but that he had drunk ten tins of beer the day before the incident.
He stated that on July 8, he had taken Mr Wightman to the off licence, that all three of them had consumed alcohol and that he went back out later that day to get drink.
Armstrong claimed that he returned from the second trip Mr Lindsay pulled a hatchet out and swung a sword at him.
He said both of them were at me, and that in the struggle he lashed out and he couldnt remember how many times he hit both of them.
Mr Connor said that given the injuries there was a clear intention to kill both men, and that Armstrong himself had no wounds.
He also told the court: While he (Armstrong) accepts inflicting the injuries, he doesnt really provide any explanation as to why he did that.''
The court also heard Mr Lindsay described as being a vulnerable man due to a disability he sustained as a result of a previous beating he sustained.
Defence barrister Gavan Duffy QC, representing Armstrong, described the double killing as something which was completely out of character and very unexpected.
The barrister said that on the day in question, his client had simply gone to fix an alarm - but that all three men ended up heavily intoxicated and that a dispute of some kind erupted which resulted in an altercation.
Armstrong, dressed in a dark grey suit, shirt and tie, returned to Belfast Crown Court on Friday for a tariff hearing on how long he would spend in prison for the double murder without remission.
The judge said Armstrong had not given a clear reason about "how the altercation had started'' or why he had inflicted such "catastrophic injuries'' on his two victims.
He said that it was clear from the post mortem examinations both Mr Lindsay and Mr Wightman had also sustained "injuries to their arms and hands which were indicative of defensive wounds''.
Taking a number of aggravating factors into consideration, Mr Justice Treacy said he would move his starting point of sentence from 14 years to 20 years.
But the judge said that, despite being urged by the prosecution, he did not consider the "consumption of alcohol should not be treated as an aggravating factor'' in his sentencing.
He told the court that in deciding the appropriate tariff he was taking into consideration a number of mitigating factors.
These included Armstrong's guilty pleas to both murders. He added: "There was no pre-meditation or no significant element of pre-meditation and it was accepted by the prosecution that the offences were "spontaneous''.
Other mitigating factors the judge took into account were that Armstrong had no previous history of violence and his age.
But Mr Justice Treacy he did not think Armstrong's personal circumstance carried sufficient weight to adjust his sentencing.
The judge said that in considering his sentence, he had also taken into account the "moving impact statements of the families of both deceased men''.
"I determine the appropriate sentence before you could be released, if ever by the Parole Commissioners, is one of 14 years.
"I want to make it clear to you, to the members of the press and the general public, that this the minimum sentence and it is to be served without any remission and you will have to serve it in its entirety,'' added Mr Justice Treacy.
As Armstrong was being led away in handcuffs to start his sentence, there was uproar in the public gallery from grieving relatives of the two murder victims, some of whom hurled abuse him.
One woman shouted at Armstrong through the glass partition: "I hope you rot in hell. You're a murderer, you're a monster. You are a gutless, evil monster.''
Five families have now had to move out of their homes after a bonfire on a Shankill estate set a number of houses ablaze.
The pyre at Hopewell Square was lit just after midnight on July 12. Sparks from the towering bonfire, located on a large green between rows of houses, rained down upon rooftops before one property caught fire.
Residents, including a 72-year-old woman and her two-year-old great-granddaughter and a young family, were evacuated from their homes as firefighters tackled the blaze.
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Three of the houses were gutted, while a further two sustained smoke damage.
A spokeswoman for the Housing Executive said five families had since been forced to leave their homes.
While they were offered temporary accommodation, they are all staying with relatives.
An online fundraising effort to help the affected families replace their belongings has gathered in excess of 1,100.
Lord Mayor Brian Kingston, who has visited the victims several times since the bonfire, said the houses had been boarded up, but he added that the current assessment was that they could be repaired and eventually brought back into use.
But Ian McLaughlin, from the Lower Shankill Community Association, which has been helping affected residents, added: "The families are still quite distressed. It is absolutely terrible how it ended up.
"We complied very much with the criteria in the bonfire management scheme. The Fire Service have already said that the bonfire was within the regulations of being 50 metres away from the houses.
"It ended up being a pure accident that the embers blew into the roof space of a house.
"Now, we are just trying to help the affected families and do everything we can with the Housing Executive to try to get the people a house."
A spokeswoman from the Housing Executive said its staff were in the middle of assessing the damage.
"Five families were affected by the fire," she added. "Offers of temporary accommodation were made, but each of the residents have made their own arrangements. Staff at the local office remain in contact with those affected regarding ongoing housing need.
"A structural engineer has assessed the damage, and our staff are currently assessing the repairs required for each of the properties.
"Three properties have extensive fire damage and two have smoke damage."
Pensioner Lily Turtle (72) was in her bed when the embers set her roof on fire. Luckily, her daughter and other family members saw what was happening and rescued her from the blaze.
Mrs Turtle told the Belfast Telegraph earlier this week: "My hearing isn't that good, so I didn't hear it at the start.
Filmed this at Coolfin street beside City Hospital just now pic.twitter.com/lj9HitPCh6 Declan Lawn (@DecLawn) July 11, 2016
Crowd being moved back at Chobham St bonfire in case it falls forward pic.twitter.com/FReywn0TID Maria McCann (@journomaria) July 11, 2016
Flames getting higher at Sandy Row pic.twitter.com/TIwwKwQSS2 Damien Edgar (@damien_utv) July 11, 2016
Here's hoping for a quiet 11th night, I really hope everyone will take care and come safe. Dale Ashford (@NIFRSAshford) July 11, 2016
Lord St bonfire and party in full swing #EleventhNight pic.twitter.com/jzHro6nwjF john kyle (@cllrjohnkyle) July 11, 2016
Looking forward to having a tour of the bonfires across Belfast later #Eleventhnight #Bonies @Kscott_94 Rebecca Black (@RBlackBT) July 11, 2016
Depressing to still see Irish flags burned on bonfires for #EleventhNight. Celebrating your culture doesn't require disrespecting others'. Christine Quigley (@c_quigley) July 11, 2016
Well done Ladyhill Bonfire Group .. Donation to Meningitis NI .. & great turnout from families and local groups pic.twitter.com/tsQug6nPp5 Danny Kinahan (@DdeBK) July 11, 2016
Disappointing to see Danny Kinahan,a credit to NI in the commons,with bonfire group going to burn Irish flag @DdeBK https://t.co/4GbJi9bVxj Gabe Doran (@GPDoran) July 11, 2016
If your bonfire gets out of control, call 999 immediately and ask for Fire & Rescue Service #protectingourcommunity pic.twitter.com/PSeCXGHQ5a NIFRSSouth (@nifrssouth) July 11, 2016
Chobham Street Bonfire
east Belfast pic.twitter.com/1HuRSS1s7g Gary (@UlstersNo1) July 11, 2016
Praying for a peaceful & enjoyable #EleventhNight and #Twelfth for all! Have a good one! pic.twitter.com/Vawm2HqHDd RangersLinfieldFC (@bluesbrothers86) July 11, 2016
Just the standard Cluan Place bonfire, on a road, damaging public property and burning flags. pic.twitter.com/5AQb0HPIRL Kris Nixon (@belfastbarman) July 11, 2016
Everyone welcome. All inclusive event we're told. Even "Taigs" like me? pic.twitter.com/hdqOX7o0tI Orla Boyle (@The__Boyler) July 11, 2016
Oh joy, I can hear the pipes and drums in the distance #EleventhNight Rachel (@rmoomin84) July 11, 2016
A few Bonfire photos all set for the main event #Bonfire pic.twitter.com/0D5ibHK03s Gary (@UlstersNo1) July 11, 2016
I could have written an essay, but I'll keep it short and sweet...for now! #EleventhNight #TwelfthOfJuly pic.twitter.com/oyhVDDxh6m Emma Wheatley (@EmmaAWheatley) July 11, 2016
Happy 11/12th July. Bangor's finest bonfire now completed and ready for our celebrations. #Remember1690 pic.twitter.com/Mrl85poN42 Jamie Bryson (@JamieBrysonCPNI) July 11, 2016
You couldn't move for the Prime Time specials and liberal think pieces if this was somehow a Republican bonfire. pic.twitter.com/7kSFu4jOpW Paul Reynolds (@PaulFedayn) July 11, 2016
The only bonfire our wee one is bigger than is last yearspic.twitter.com/B1HcXwqmL5 Izzy (@Izzy_Giles) July 11, 2016
Disgusting act by so-called loyalists. Posters of SDLP's Joe Boyle & Alliance's @Kelmba on Killyleagh #bonfire . pic.twitter.com/XVxnLtpt1n Yvette Shapiro (@yvetteshapiro) July 11, 2016
1st call from a constituent telling me my posters are on Bonfire in Ballymena area.
I ran for election in 2014.
What idiot kept my posters? Patrice Hardy (@MisssPatrice) July 11, 2016
Bonfire before it gets lit pic.twitter.com/21PBzBxRev Kacey :)) (@kaceylovessam) July 11, 2016
Responsible adults should look after lighting bonfires - before lighting the fire, check that no children or pets are hiding inside it NIFRS (@NIFRSOFFICIAL) July 11, 2016
Oh my God Belfast is thick with smoke already! It's not midnight yet people #BonfireNight #EleventhNight Joanne (@JoSamberdoodle) July 11, 2016
"I am so shocked about what happened. I have been living here for more than 20 years. My grandson got me out."
The pensioner added that neighbours had rallied and helped in whatever way they could since the fire.
Alan Walmsley, from the Fire and Rescue Service, told the BBC that crews were at the incident in Hopewell Square very quickly, and that their hard work had prevented a row of terraced houses from being destroyed.
Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 8th July 2016 The funeral of Martin Stephen Hale from Lisburn takes place at St. PatrickAos Church, Chapel Hill, Lisburn after he was found dead in a guesthouse in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photographer - Press Eye
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 8th July 2016 The funeral of Martin Stephen Hale from Lisburn takes place at St. PatrickAos Church, Chapel Hill, Lisburn after he was found dead in a guesthouse in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photographer - Press Eye
Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 8th July 2016 The funeral of Martin Stephen Hale from Lisburn takes place at St. PatrickAos Church, Chapel Hill, Lisburn after he was found dead in a guesthouse in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photographer - Press Eye
Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 8th July 2016 The funeral of Martin Stephen Hale from Lisburn takes place at St. PatrickAos Church, Chapel Hill, Lisburn after he was found dead in a guesthouse in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photographer - Press Eye
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 8th July 2016 The funeral of Martin Stephen Hale from Lisburn takes place at St. PatrickAos Church, Chapel Hill, Lisburn after he was found dead in a guesthouse in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photographer - Press Eye
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
PACEMAKER BELFAST 15/07/2016 Family and Friends during the Funeral of Martin Hale at St Patrick's in Lisburn on Friday, The Father of one died in Cambodia after taking drugs in his hostel room, While travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 8th July 2016 The funeral of Martin Stephen Hale from Lisburn takes place at St. PatrickAos Church, Chapel Hill, Lisburn after he was found dead in a guesthouse in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photographer - Press Eye
A backpacker from Co Down who died two weeks ago while travelling in Cambodia was laid to rest on Friday.
Martin Stephen Hale (34), who was known as Marty, died from a suspected drugs overdose in the Happy House guest house in the capital Phnom Penh.
Father to Cora and Shauna, he had been travelling around south-east Asia for 10 weeks, and had recently met up with friend Dean McWilliams (22), from Antrim.
Mr McWilliams was taken to Calmette Hospital in an unconscious state but discharged himself and returned to the guesthouse to collect his belongings.
His family later issued a social media appeal to find him because they believed he had vanished without his passport or his mobile phone but he was later located near the British Embassy.
Speaking at the time of Mr Hale's death on June 1, his mother Teresa Temple said he had died from a cardiac arrest after taking tablets containing morphine.
She added that she had previously tried to warn him of the dangers of drug abuse.
Mr Hale had been travelling without holiday insurance but his family were assisted by the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust to bring his body home to Northern Ireland.
A funeral from Mr Hale's home at Tirowen Crescent, Lisburn, took place on Friday at 9am followed by prayers and Requiem Mass at St Patrick's Church, Chapel Hill, Lisburn at 10am.
His remains wiere interred at Holy Trinity Cemetery.
Northern Ireland's new Secretary of State has insisted he does not want to see a hardening of the Irish border in the wake of Brexit.
In his first full day in office, James Brokenshire said both the UK and Irish governments were opposed to a return to border check points between north and south.
Concerns about the status of the border after Brexit, and whether free movement of people, goods and services will be impacted, have dominated the political discourse across the island since the UK's historic vote to leave the EU. In Northern Ireland, 56% of voters backed Remain.
"We certainly don't want to see a return to the border of the past," said Mr Brokenshire.
"We don't want to see that hard border coming into place and I think there is a real sense of commitment between the UK government and also the Irish government to work together very closely so we don't see that returning."
Ultimately the shape of the border between the UK and the Irish Republic will have to be agreed collectively by the EU's remaining member states.
During the referendum campaign, Theresa May indicated some form of border control would be required in Ireland if people in the UK voted to leave the EU.
Unlike his Brexiteer predecessor Theresa Villiers, Mr Brokenshire, a close ally of the new Prime Minister, campaigned for Remain.
However, he said the UK now needed to unite and respect the outcome of the referendum.
Following the vote, Sinn Fein restated its demand for a poll on Irish unity, warning that Northern Ireland could not be "dragged out" of the EU against its will.
In an interview with RTE, Mr Brokenshire said: "Now we now need to respect the view from across the United Kingdom that the UK should leave the European Union and to get the best possible arrangements for Northern Ireland - that's the key part of my role."
On the question of whether multi-million pound EU subsidies paid to Northern Ireland farmers will be replaced by the UK government after Brexit, Mr Brokenshire said ministers were "looking very closely" at the issue.
He also expressed confidence that the rights of EU citizens living in the UK, such as those from the Republic of Ireland, could be guaranteed once the country left the European Union - but only if the rights of UK citizens living in the remaining member states were similarly respected.
Stormont's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness conceded that he had never heard of Mr Brokenshire before the former home office minister's appointment was announced on Thursday.
"But I always work on the basis that we have to play the hand we are dealt with," Mr McGuinness added.
"He is the representative of the British government in relation to the position of Secretary of State and we will work with him, but it has to be on the recognition by both him and the Prime Minister that the people of the north voted to remain."
Mr McGuinness and Democratic Unionist First Minister Arlene Foster had separate telephone calls with Mr Brokenshire and Mrs May on Thursday.
On Friday, the Sinn Fein MLA reiterated his concern that any hardening of the border would "gravely undermine" the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement.
Mr Brokenshire is anticipated to visit Northern Ireland for the first time in his new job on Monday.
Margaret Sloan died after an air leak from the site of lung surgery, said Belfast Coroner Joe McCrisken
A woman died following an air leak from the site of lung surgery, a coroner has said.
Margaret Sloan, 69, underwent an operation at the Royal Victoria Hospital to remove a tumour.
She had just been released from hospital when she suffered severe shortness of breath at home and suffered a heart attack in the ambulance leading to her death last year.
Belfast Coroner Joe McCrisken said: "It seems on the balance of probabilities it is likely there was some sort of leak from around the surgical site."
Mrs Sloan, a married retired domestic assistant from Fountain Lane in Antrim, died at Antrim Area Hospital on September 7 last year.
She had been suffering bouts of chest infection linked to a cancerous growth in her lungs amid an underlying respiratory problem and after extensive assessment doctors decided to operate to try to prevent a fatal pneumonia.
Surgeon Kieran McManus said: "She agreed to proceed to the surgery fully informed that she is a high risk case."
The operation went according to plan and there was no sign of an air leak over more than a week's recovery in hospital.
However shortly after she went home she became severely short of breath and was taken back to hospital in an ambulance.
She suffered a heart attack en route and was later pronounced brain dead by doctors.
Mr McManus said there could have been a number of reasons for the leaking of air from her lung including efforts to resuscitate her.
However pathologist Dr Peter Ingram maintained the surgical cuts were the most likely cause.
"The recent surgery must be regarded as the underlying cause of her death."
When challenged about other possible causes, he said: "I felt that a leak from the surgical site is by far the most likely."
To test his theory he injected water down Mrs Sloan's airways and it appeared to leak from the site of the wound.
Mr McManus said there had been no sign of a leakage in a number of X-rays taken after the surgery and the staples holding the wound closed were still intact.
The coroner found that she had died from cerebral hypoxia following a cardiac arrest.
"I am satisfied that the surgery was carried out to a very high standard."
He said her treatment in Antrim Area Hospital was also of a high standard.
The pallets the police were able to save. Pic PSNI
The PSNI has appealed to young "scallywag firebugs" to contact its officers over an attempt to steal pallets from a Newtownabbey business.
In a post on Facebook, PSNI Newtownabbey said they were called by a member of the public who spotted suspicious activity in the Longlands area of Newtownabbey - close to the Abbey Centre shopping centre.
In attending they were able to catch a youth at the scene while others managed to evade capture.
However, they left behind their coats and an expensive smartphone.
Police urged their owners to contact officers - before they are able to access the information held on the phone - in a post with the hash tag "keeping pallets safe."
In the early hours of Friday morning, an officer wrote on Facebook : "Tonight we got a call from a concerned member of the public in The Longlands area.
"A number of young scallywags were seen attempting to steal pallets from a local business.
"We managed to catch up with at least one of the young boys and he will be dealt with accordingly. Although pallets are seen by some as just bits of wood, they are quite costly to businesses to replace and its usually a local person owns that business."
The officer added: "A number of the the firebugs did however get away.
"Theyll be feeling the cold tonight though as they left behind the coats their Mammy bought them for Christmas. One of them even left behind an expensive smart phone. If anyone would like to come forward and claim their belongings we would be very very very keen to speak with you! (Before we go through your phone)."
It's famous as the building from where the world's first commercial radio signals were sent over water 118 years ago, but Rathlin Island's East Lighthouse has now suffered a communication problem.
One of Northern Ireland's most important lighthouses was unable to send out its full safety beam after a rare double failure.
It has been providing guidance for vessels on the busy North Channel shipping lane for 160 years - but not on Wednesday night.
Residents were quick to notice the lighthouse's reassuring beams had failed.
One man said: "People in places like Ballintoy noticed the light was not working because although it is over six miles away, the East Lighthouse beams light up the outside of houses there.
"But for the first time in living memory there was no light coming from the East Lighthouse and it was the talk of the area.
"Locals say it has not happened in their lifetime, and perhaps this is even the first time it has happened."
The problem was because of a rare double whammy - an electricity mains failure and then a faulty standby generator.
Captain Robert McCabe of the Commissioners of Irish Lights said yesterday: "Following a mains failure yesterday afternoon our standby generator at the Rathlin East light developed a fault.
"The light was not extinguished but was on reduced range overnight. Our technicians are attending the fault today and the light should be back on full power this evening."
Mr McCabe said the 'racon', a radar beacon that makes the lighthouse show up on ships' radars, continued to operate.
The lighthouse, high above Bruce's Cave at Altacarry Head, has been flashing a warning to mariners since 1856. It is the oldest of the lighthouses on Rathlin and is automated.
In 1898 Guglielmo Marconi was contracted by Lloyd's Insurers to install a wireless link. On July 6 that year Marconi transmitted the first commercial radio signals across water from the lighthouse to Ballycastle.
A cache of potentially lethal coffee jar bombs have been seized during an intensive search in north Belfast, police sources revealed last night.
The chilling find came after the security forces searched flats at Victoria Road in the predominantly nationalist New Lodge yesterday, during which two people were detained by police for questioning.
Army bomb disposal experts, police officers and PSNI forensic experts sealed off the area as they examined flats inside a tower block.
During the operation, eyewitnesses saw a female police officer taking a young woman from the flats before driving her away in a car for questioning.
Police forensic experts arrived in white suits to examine the flats.
The area remained sealed off last night.
It's just three weeks since 1.5kg of the powerful Semtex plastic explosive was discovered in Maeve House, one of the multi-storey tower blocks which dominate the inner city district.
Details of the operations remained sketchy last night but North Belfast SDLP MLA Nichola Mallon said: "There have been ongoing security issues in the area, with the recent discovery of Semtex in one of the tower blocks, and the intimidation of NI Housing Executive contractors."
At the end of last month, housing maintenance workers in the area found four blocks of Semtex, each weighing almost half a kilogramme - enough to make three deadly under-car booby trap bombs.
Security sources said they suspected that the explosives were to be used by the 'New IRA' - with PSNI and prison officers believed to be the potential targets for murder.
Detectives were working on the theory that the explosives used in the under-car booby trap bomb that killed prison officer Adrian Ismay earlier this year came from the same batch.
Security sources suggested the explosives were part of a batch that was meant to be decommissioned as part of the Northern Ireland peace process.
In 2014, two-and-a-half kilos of Semtex was found in a cupboard at Maeve House.
In a statement issued last night, the PSNI said that a 28-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were being questioned by detectives at the serious crime suite in Musgrave Police Station in Belfast.
A woman who posted a series of menacing messages on a loyalist Facebook page, including a comment suggesting that all Muslims should be sent to gas chambers, will be sentenced for her crimes next month.
Anne Bothwell appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court yesterday to contest a total of seven charges against her, six of which the 53-year-old was convicted of. The seventh was dismissed.
The defendant, from Ashmore Street in west Belfast, posted a series of comments on the Protestant Coalition's Facebook page concerning Muslims and Dr Raied Al-Wazzan, a senior figure in Northern Ireland's Muslim community.
Giving evidence during the hearing, Dr Al-Wazzan said the content of some of the messages caused him to fear for his life and for his family's safety.
Bothwell denied her posts were harmful and said she wrote them in jest. The defendant told the court: "I have Muslim friends, but I also have experience of Muslim people living in England, and they don't have the same sort of humour we do."
She also claimed that as Dr Al-Wazzan was the person who complained to police about a sermon given by Pastor James McConnell - which resulted in the preacher being taken to court - she made the comments because she was "upset" at what had happened to the pastor.
The charges arose from messages Bothwell posted on the Facebook page between January 14 and 16 earlier this year.
Dr Al-Wazzan, who has lived in Northern Ireland for 26 years, said he became aware that a picture of him had been posted on the group's Facebook page and that he was "curious to see the comments underneath".
He said that after reading a number of "unpleasant" messages, he decided to report the issue to the police.
Dr Al-Wazzan said that despite not knowing Anne Bothwell, there were several comments from her that suggested he should be shot, and that Muslims should be sent to the gas chamber. She also referred to him as Wizzy-Wazzy, accused him of practising witchcraft, and said Muslim woman "should be burnt at the stake".
When another poster asked what could be done about Dr Al-Wazzan, Bothwell replied: "Where are the guns? That would end the problem."
District Judge Ken Nixon convicted Bothwell of six charges related to a menacing message, and dismissed the charge linked to causing gross offence.
Mr Nixon listed the case for sentencing on August 11.
Prime Minister Theresa May at a reception for the Police Bravery Award in the garden of 10 Downing Street yesterday
Theresa May stamped her authority on the new Government by carrying out a ruthless reshuffle in which she exiled key figures from the Cameron era while promoting her own allies.
Allies of the former Prime Minister, who had seen Mrs May as the "Cameron continuity candidate", were dismayed as his successor wielded the knife.
She was accused of demolishing the "Notting Hill set", the group of modernisers around Mr Cameron when he became Conservative leader in 2005.
Some Tory MPs doubted that her appointment of right-wingers would help Mrs May deliver her pledge to govern from the centre ground and champion working class families.
After sacking George Osborne on taking power on Wednesday, the new Prime Minister dismissed Michael Gove; Nicky Morgan, who backed Mr Gove for the leadership; Oliver Letwin, Mr Cameron's policy chief, and three Osborne allies - Matthew Hancock, Greg Hands and Baroness (Tina) Stowell, who was Leader of the Lords. Lord (Andrew) Feldman, another member of the "Notting Hill set", resigned as Tory chairman and was replaced by Patrick McLoughlin.
Tory sources said Boris Johnson had won his surprise promotion to Foreign Secretary after offering to back Mrs May for the leadership while he was still a candidate in return for her promising to stand aside later.
Twelve senior ministers including Mr Cameron left their posts. The brutal reshuffle was dubbed "the day of the long knives" at Westminster - a reference to the "night of the long knives" when Harold Macmillan sacked seven ministers in 1962.
Mrs May promoted to her Cabinet three former Home Office ministers who worked under her - Karen Bradley, the new Culture Secretary; Damian Green, the Work and Pensions Secretary, and James Brokenshire, the Northern Ireland Secretary.
Another May ally, Justine Greening, won a big promotion to an expanded Department for Education, which will take over responsibility for universities, further education and skills.
The Whitehall shake-up faced criticism as Mrs May was accused of downgrading the importance of climate change by abolishing the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
Responsibility for energy goes to a new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, headed by Greg Clark.
Mrs May spared the sacked ministers the "walk of shame" past TV crews by meeting them in her Commons office.
Other departures included John Whittingdale, the Culture Secretary; Mark Harper, the chief whip, and Theresa Villiers, who lost her job as Northern Ireland Secretary. Surprisingly, Jeremy Hunt kept his job as Health Secretary despite his bitter dispute with the junior doctors over their new contract.
The number of women in the Cabinet rose from seven to eight. The other women promoted to Cabinet rank were Leave campaigners Andrea Leadsom, who became Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary, and Priti Patel, the new International Development Secretary. The average age of Cabinet members - 52 - is a year older than Mr Cameron's team, after the recall of Eurosceptics David Davis, the Minister for Brexit, and Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary.
Barack Obama rang Mrs May to congratulate her on becoming Prime Minister in a 15-minute call described as "warm" by Downing Street. The two leaders agreed to maintain the much-vaunted "special relationship" but did not discuss the prospects of a US trade deal.
Mrs May told the US President she wanted "constructive and positive talks" with the 27 EU countries, a point she emphasised in a phone call to Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President.
You may not have heard of her, but this woman has just landed the top job at Stormont - and will take home a pay packet on a par with the First Minister.
Former power station boss Lesley Hogg has joined the privileged circle of top civil servants who earn six-figure salaries courtesy of the public purse.
She has been appointed the new chief executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and will take home a salary of between 117,532 and 125,000.
Mrs Hogg is the first woman to assume the role and takes up the post following the retirement of former chief executive - also known as clerk - Trevor Reaney, who had held the position since the restoration of devolution in 2008.
She is the former director of strategic and regulatory affairs for AES, which owns the Ballylumford and Kilroot power stations.
As Stormont's clerk she will be responsible for providing procedural advice and support to the Assembly Speaker, advising the Assembly Commission, taking responsibility for leading a professional secretariat to support the Assembly, and acting as the accounting officer for the body.
Speaking this week about her appointment, she said she was ready for the challenge.
"I am very much looking forward to my new role as clerk/chief executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly, both as a new challenge and an opportunity to make a contribution to the political life of Northern Ireland," she said.
"Throughout my career -which has encompassed many different roles in both the private and public sectors - I have tried to bring fresh thinking and a strategic approach to my role.
"I think that will be of benefit at the beginning of a new mandate with a new Assembly, a new Speaker and new structures."
Mrs Hogg's pay package - which the job description for the role put at 117,532-125,000 - compares favourably to First Minister Arlene Foster, who earns 120,000.
It is on a similar scale to Belfast City Council chief executive Suzanne Wylie, who also earns 120,000.
Some of the highest paid publicly-funded roles in the province include Translink chief executive David Strahan (156,000) and Northern Ireland Water chief Sara Venning (147,000).
In comparative terms, former Prime Minister David Cameron received an annual salary of 142,500.
Mary Boyle, who vanished in 1977. Her twin, Ann Doherty, says she believes Mary is dead and claims to know who killed her
Gardai investigating the 1977 disappearance of six-year-old Mary Boyle have commenced a search in a Donegal bog.
Gardai confirmed that the area was previously searched but is now being drained.
It was announced earlier this week that a fresh investigation into the disappearance of Mary Boyle would be launched with all evidence and suspects to be re-examined.
The gardai said that the new cold case team would have no pre-conceived ideas of who was or wasnt a suspect and that all evidence would be followed.
PJ Coughlan, the fisherman who alerted gardai that Mary Boyle was first missing, said he believes the six-year-old was snatched by a red car but that gardai failed to take note of his statement because they already had a suspect.
Coughlan said he saw a red Volkswagen Beetle speeding away from the area that Mary went missing ten minutes before he saw Marys uncle Gerry frantically searching for her.
I believe I saw her being driven away in a car. Theres no doubt in my mind she was lifted, he told the Irish Daily Star.
After a documentary into the investigation earlier this month called Mary Boyle: The Untold Story, there were claims of political interference by two former gardai involved in the case.
Retired sergeant Martin Collins claimed a political figure rang gardai at the height of the probe and said:
The gist was that none of a particular family should be made suspect for Marys interference.
Former detective Aidan Murray told the documentary he believed he was close to getting a suspect to confess to murdering Mary but was told to ease-off on the suspect by a senior officer.
Marys twin sister Ann said she believes Mary was being sexually abused and was killed to cover "the secret".
Six-year-old Mary Boyle had been at her grandparents' house in Cashelard, a remote and boggy townland outside Ballyshannon, where the extended family had lunch. Her uncle, Gerry Gallagher, was the last person to see her alive after she walked back to her grandparents house but never made it there.
Gardai, family and scores of neighbours scoured the 450-yard stretch of land between the only two houses in the area, in a search that escalated over the following weeks into a trawl of bog holes, lakes, streams and the countryside beyond. Not a trace of Mary was ever found.
Irish Independent
French detectives are tonight trying to piece together the circumstances that left at least 84 people dead and scores injured after a terrorist deliberately drove a lorry into Bastille Day revellers, before being fatally wounded in a stand-off with armed police.
The country's president Francois Hollande said some 50 people were "between life and death", while several people are among the missing and a "small number" of Britons are injured.
Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain must redouble its efforts to defeat "brutal" terrorist "murderers", while police forces across England and Wales have been told to review security at major events over the next week in the wake of the bloodbath.
The Queen paid her own respects to the dead and injured on Friday night, sending a message to Mr Hollande saying: "I was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the terrible loss of life in Nice.
"Prince Philip and I would like to offer our most sincere condolences to you, the families of those who have died, and the French people. ELIZABETH R."
France has declared three days of national mourning following the atrocity, which comes after attacks in November in Paris in which 130 died and in January 2015 that killed 17.
A vigil was also taking place at Nice Cathedral on Friday night.
Mr Hollande said: "France has been hit by a tragedy once again. This monstrosity of using a lorry to deliberately kill people, many people, who only came out to celebrate their national day.
"France is in tears. It is hurting but it is strong, and she will be strong, always stronger than the fanatics who wish to hurt us."
Eyewitnesses said the Nice attacker - reported to be 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a man of French-Tunisian origin not known to intelligence services - swerved from side to side to kill as many people as possible as he drove for a mile along the Promenade des Anglais on the seafront of the city on the French Riviera.
He is said to have pulled a gun from the cab as part of the premeditated attack before being shot dead by police, with people fleeing into the sea in a bid to escape.
French authorities tonight confirmed 202 people were wounded, 25 of whom are on life support, while 52 are in a critical condition.
Revellers in the resort initially thought the commotion was part of a celebratory firework display, but then saw the lorry and assumed the driver had lost control.
Irish barman Robert Greene, from Coolock in Dublin, was around three metres from the bloody carnage and spoke of the devastation.
Clearly shaken by the incident, he told the Press Association: "I saw this truck and he cut through three or four people, he was already missing the bumper. It was horrific.
"A woman dropped to her knees, someone in her family had been killed, just lying there. There was not even a thing anyone could do, there was no CPR, bits of him were lying around.
"It was horrific."
The barman added: "There was a young child's plastic tricycle, smashed up and left in bits.
"I stayed on top of the stairs looking around. It was surreal. People screaming, children crying, young children running around the place alone, a woman on rollerblades screaming for her child."
Damien Allemand, a journalist with the Nice-Matin newspaper, said: "I saw bodies flying like bowling pins in its path. Heard noises, screams that I will never forget."
One tearful British holidaymaker, arriving back at Gatwick airport from Nice, said: "At first I thought it was just a road traffic accident.
"I didn't think terrorism. But when I saw the damage I thought, you can't have missed this many people. He would've used his brakes but there was no screech."
London resident Tereza Cerevenova, on holiday with her family in Nice, said people were "hiding behind cars" in an effort to escape the lorry driver.
World leaders have condemned the atrocity.
Speaking ahead of a visit to Scotland, Mrs May said the UK "stands shoulder-to-shoulder with France today as we have done so often in the past".
She said: "If, as we fear, this was a terrorist attack, then we must redouble our efforts to defeat these brutal murderers who want to destroy our way of life.
"We must work with France and our partners around the world to stand up for our values and for our freedom."
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who had celebrated Bastille Day with dinner at the French Embassy in London, described the attack as "appalling and cowardly".
He said: "No country is immune to terrorism and we are united with our French and European partners as we deal with these threats to our countries and our way of life.
"British Embassy staff are on the ground in Nice and in close touch with French authorities."
Police forces in Britain will review security at major events scheduled to take place over the next week in the wake of the attack.
The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) issued a statement encouraging people to check with their tour operators before heading to France.
There were concerns for a Scottish couple reported missing in the wake of the attacks, but they made contact with relatives later on Friday.
The Foreign Office c onfirmed that the attack was a "terrorist attack" causing multiple casualties and updated its advice for Britons in Nice.
The new advice said: "If you're in the area, follow the instructions of the French authorities, who have cancelled a number of public events planned for the coming days, closed the Promenade des Anglais and a number of the public beaches in and around Nice, and implemented some traffic restrictions."
Labour risks becoming the "new nasty party", leadership candidate Angela Eagle has warned.
Ms Eagle borrowed Theresa May's famous 2002 description of the Conservatives as she called for action from the Labour leadership on "abuse, misogyny, homophobia (and) anti-Semitism" affecting the party.
Her call came shortly after Labour's National Executive Committee suspended all local party meetings amid reports of intimidation, bullying and threatening behaviour, and just days after a brick was thrown through her own constituency office window in Wallasey on Merseyside.
The party has suspended its constituency party in Brighton and Hove and annulled the results of a recent election following accusations of abusive behaviour, an improper ballot and entryism by far-left activists.
Turning Jeremy Corbyn's "kinder politics" catchphrase against him, Ms Eagle said that Labour needed "a kinder politics in reality" and must not end up "in the gutter".
The former shadow business secretary, who quit the shadow cabinet to launch her challenge to Mr Corbyn's position, asked party members at a social event in Wolverhampton: "What attracted you to the Labour Party in the first place? I'm guessing it didn't involve abuse, misogyny, homophobia, anti-Semitism and the opportunity to picket Labour events ...
"The Labour Party can't become the new nasty party for women, or indeed for anyone else. It's a place where everyone should play a part. Men and women. Old and young. Black and white. Gay and straight ... We need a kinder politics in reality, which is why I've called on the leadership to not just call out such behaviour but to take action too.
"I've launched a campaign called 'Keep It Comradely'. We should be proud of the Labour movement and what we have achieved. I don't want Labour in the gutter. I want it in power."
Ms Eagle said that ordinary party members had been "let down by those at the top of the party", who had failed to make progress at local elections, delivered a "lacklustre and half-hearted" EU referendum campaign and lost the faith of many voters who "look at Labour and think we don't get it".
Her comments came as her rival for the Labour leadership, Owen Smith, won the backing of one of Mr Corbyn's most loyal MPs.
Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens was one of 40 MPs who refused to back a no confidence motion in Mr Corbyn. But she has now told supporters she will back Mr Smith in the leadership contest.
I n an email to party members, Ms Stevens wrote: "During the past two weeks it has become painfully obvious that we have been unable to fulfil the very basic day to day operation as the official opposition in Parliament.
"We cannot present ourselves as a government in waiting without leadership and a leadership team that commands the respect and support of not only members....but Labour voters and potential Labour voters."
Despite dozens of resignations from his front bench and a 172-40 vote of no confidence from his MPs, Mr Corbyn has refused to step aside. He retains the support of Labour's big union backers and earlier this week won the right to feature on the leadership ballot paper without having to clear the hurdle of collecting nominations from 51 MPs or MEPs.
But shadow Wales secretary Paul Flynn told Politics Home magazine his leadership may have "passed the tipping point".
"It was understandable when the born again Blairites were plotting against Corbyn, and then it increased into the coup last week, the avalanche," said Mr Flynn. "But it gets to a tipping point when it's taking in the new left. You wonder if it's possible to rescue it from there."
Mr Smith postponed the launch of his leadership campaign, scheduled for Friday, following the previous night's terror attacks in Nice.
The Labour Party declined to comment on the suspension of its Brighton and Hove branch, saying only: " We do not comment on private meetings or ongoing investigations."
A spokesman added: "No abuse of any kind by Labour Party members or supporters is tolerated. Any complaints of bullying or intimidation and allegations of misconduct are always taken very seriously.
"We would encourage anyone who has been the subject of threats to inform the party and contact the police."
Turkey's president has urged citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government after the military said it seized full control of the country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking to CNN-Turk through FaceTime, called the actions by the military "an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces".
The president's office refused to disclose Mr Erdogan's whereabouts, saying he was at a secure location.
Mr Erdogan said "I don't believe this coup attempt will be successful.
"There is absolutely no chain of command here. Right now the chain of command has been put on hold."
Loud explosions were heard in Turkey's capital Ankara and CNN-Turk reported an explosion at the state-run television building.
Turkey's state-run news agency said military helicopters had also attacked the headquarters of TURKSAT satellite station on the outskirts of Ankara and the Ankara police headquarters.
Dozen of tanks were seen moving towards a palace that is now used by the prime minister and deputy prime ministers.
A civilian car tried to stop one of the tanks, but it rammed through the vehicle as those in the car escaped.
The White House said President Barack Obama hads been briefed on developments in the key Nato ally.
The National Security Council said Mr Obama had been apprised the "unfolding situation" in Turkey and would continue to get regular updates.
US secretary of state John Kerry says he hoped for stability and continuity in Turkey following the reports.
Mr Kerry, in Moscow for talks with Russian officials on Syria, said he did not have details of the situation rapidly unfolding on the ground in Turkey and said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on developments.
But he expressed hope that the key ally and strategically important member of the coalition fighting the Islamic State would remain at peace.
Turkish news agency Dogan said soldiers had opened fired on people trying to cross Istanbul's Bosporus bridge in protest of the attempted coup, and some had been wounded.
Turkey's Istanbul-based first army commander said the soldiers involved in the attempted coup "represent a small group" and "there is no cause for concern", according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Umit Dundar told Anadolu that "we are working to solve the problem here. They represent a small group within the First Army Command. There is no cause for concern. We are taking the necessary precautions with (soldiers) who have not joined them and remain within the military chain of command."
A police officer gestures near the scene of an attack after a truck ploughed through a crowd in Nice, southern France (APP)
Dozens of people have travelled from Nice to join Islamic State, an expert said.
Peter Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence at King's College London, described the area as a "jihadist breeding ground".
He said: "Securing the borders would have been some kind of solution in relation to the Paris attacks, where the attackers came from Belgium, but we will have to see in this particular case whether the attackers are from outside or actually from Nice.
"Because Nice, for anyone who has been following this, has been a jihadist breeding ground for a number of years.
"We've seen dozens of people going from Nice to the Islamic State, to Syria, and the first recorded attempted attack in Europe was very nearby in Cannes, so it's likely the attackers are from within the vicinity, rather than abroad."
He added: "If it turns out this was not a so-called lone wolf attack but directed from within Syria and Iraq, then it would make sense to try to eliminate the sanctuary, the safe haven that IS enjoys in Syria and Iraq, but at this stage we just don't know.
"What many people have speculated is that as Iraq and Syria become less of a state for IS, they are resorting to more terrorism abroad, almost trying to compensate for their losses, by lashing out in Europe and elsewhere. In that sense, fighting them in Iraq and Syria may have the opposite effect."
Focus has turned to a message from an IS spokesman nearly two years ago which listed running over victims with a car as a possible means for carrying out attacks.
There has been no formal claim of responsibility from any organisation so far.
Another expert said intelligence agencies in France and around Europe will be working to establish whether the attacker was acting alone or linked to or inspired by any organisation.
Margaret Gilmore, senior associate fellow at security think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said: "There has been no claim of responsibility yet, but certainly the working theory is that this is a terrorist attack.
"This individual may well have either been inspired by or had links to Isis, but we do not know for sure."
She added: "The intelligence agencies will be trying to work out if he was working alone.
"The British will be doing exactly the same thing, they will be putting his name into their data systems here - was he a member of Isis, did he have friends in Isis, or was he simply inspired by them or some other group?"
South Korean PM Hwang Kyo-ahn, bottom centre, is shielded by his bodyguards from eggs thrown by residents at Seongju County Office (Kang Jong-min/Newsis via AP)
Angry residents in a rural South Korean town have thrown eggs and water bottles at the prime minister in protest at a plan to deploy an advanced US missile defence system in their neighbourhood.
Earlier this week South Korea announced that the missile system - called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) - will be placed in the south eastern farming town of Seongju by the end of next year to better cope with North Korean threats.
Seongju residents launched protests, saying they fear possible health hazards from the missile system.
Prime minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, accompanied by the defence minister and others, tried to explain the decision to residents but was immediately disrupted by jeers.
Some hurled eggs and water bottles, shouting "We oppose (the THAAD deployment) with our lives," according to TV footage.
Mr Hwang did not appear to be directly hit by any objects as security guards and aides used umbrellas and bags to protect him.
But his suit jacket was covered by eggs and he was evacuated to a town hall office.
When he and the others came out of the building into a bus they were surrounded by hundreds of protesters, some using tractors.
South Korean officials have dismissed as groundless a belief that THAAD radar systems emit electromagnetic waves that can cause health problems. Defence officials say the US system is harmless if people stay at least 100 metres away from it.
Seongju residents criticised the government for unilaterally deciding on the deployment without consulting them.
About 200 Seongju residents made a protest visit to Seoul's defence ministry on Wednesday, and some wrote letters of complaint in blood. A group of 13 local leaders went on a hunger strike.
Defence minister Han Min Koo told residents on Wednesday he would personally stand in front of the radars to prove they are not harmful.
The planned missile system deployment drew an angry response from North Korea and China.
North Korea has threatened unspecified "physical" measures in retaliation while China suspects the system would help US radars track its missiles. Russia also opposes the deployment.
US and South Korean officials have said the THAAD system only targets North Korea, not China or anyone else.
Seoul and Washington began their formal discussions on the THAAD deployment after North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test and carried out a long-range rocket launch earlier this year.
The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea. American-led UN troops fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War while China assisted North Korea.
Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul's bridges across the Bosphorus, the strait separating the European and Asian sides of the city, have been closed to traffic. Reports have suggested that a group within Turkey's military have attempted to overthrow the government. Security forces have been called in as Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denounced an "illegal action" by a military "group", with bridges closed in Istanbul and aircraft flying low over the capital of Ankara. (Photo by Gokhan Tan/Getty Images)
Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul's bridges across the Bosphorus, the strait separating the European and Asian sides of the city, have been closed to traffic. Reports have suggested that a group within Turkey's military have attempted to overthrow the government. Security forces have been called in as Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denounced an "illegal action" by a military "group", with bridges closed in Istanbul and aircraft flying low over the capital of Ankara. (Photo by Gokhan Tan/Getty Images)
Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul's bridges across the Bosphorus, the strait separating the European and Asian sides of the city, have been closed to traffic. Reports have suggested that a group within Turkey's military have attempted to overthrow the government. Security forces have been called in as Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denounced an "illegal action" by a military "group", with bridges closed in Istanbul and aircraft flying low over the capital of Ankara. (Photo by Gokhan Tan/Getty Images)
Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Bridge on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul's bridges across the Bosphorus, the strait separating the European and Asian sides of the city, have been closed to traffic. Reports have suggested that a group within Turkey's military have attempted to overthrow the government. Security forces have been called in as Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denounced an "illegal action" by a military "group", with bridges closed in Istanbul and aircraft flying low over the capital of Ankara. (Photo by Gokhan Tan/Getty Images)
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JULY 15: Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul's bridges across the Bosphorus, the strait separating the European and Asian sides of the city, have been closed to traffic. Reports have suggested that a group within Turkey's military have attempted to overthrow the government. Security forces have been called in as Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denounced an 'illegal action' by a military 'group', with bridges closed in Istanbul and aircraft flying low over the capital of Ankara. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
Turkish soldiers are seen on the Asian side of Istanbul, Friday, July 15, 2016. A group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup, the prime minister said, with military jets flying over the capital and reports of vehicles blocking two major bridges in Istanbul. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt," when asked if there was a coup. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Turkish security officers detain Turkish police officers (in black) on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge. The Turkish military on July 15 said that it had assumed power over Turkey, in what the prime minister has termed an illegal act. "The power in the country has been seized in its entirety," said a military statement read on NTV television, without giving further details. The military's website was not immediately accessible. / AFP PHOTO / Yasin AKGULYASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JULY 15: Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. Istanbul's bridges across the Bosphorus, the strait separating the European and Asian sides of the city, have been closed to traffic. Reports have suggested that a group within Turkey's military have attempted to overthrow the government. Security forces have been called in as Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denounced an "illegal action" by a military "group", with bridges closed in Istanbul and aircraft flying low over the capital of Ankara. (Photo by Gokhan Tan/Getty Images)
A Turkish soldier stands on guard on the side of the road in Istanbul, during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge. AFP PHOTO / Yasin AKGULYASIN AKGUL/AFP/Getty Images
CORRECTION - Turkish security officers detain unknown individuals on the side of the road on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on July 15 denounced what he said was an "illegal attempt" by elements in the military after bridges were partially shut down in Istanbul and jets flew low over Ankara. "We are working on the possibility of an attempt. We will not allow this attempt," he told NTV television by telephone, without expanding on the nature of the move but saying it was by a group in the Turkish military. / AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILIC / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by BULENT KILIC has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [unknown individuals] instead of [police officers]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
Turkish security officers detain Turkish police officers (in black) on July 15, 2016 in Istanbul, during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge. The Turkish military on July 15 said that it had assumed power over Turkey, in what the prime minister has termed an illegal act. "The power in the country has been seized in its entirety," said a military statement read on NTV television, without giving further details. The military's website was not immediately accessible. / AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILICBULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images
Turkish soldiers are seen on the Asian side of Istanbul, Friday, July 15, 2016. A group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup, the prime minister said, with military jets flying over the capital and reports of vehicles blocking two major bridges in Istanbul. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt," when asked if there was a coup. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on CnnTurk via facetime call in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged his people to take to the streets in protest after the military claimed it has taken control of the country.
The Turkish Army has said it has seized control of the country, implemented martial law and a "peace council" is now in operation.
President Erdogan, used FaceTime, to communicate to news broadcasters.
In calling for protest, he said he would be returning to the capital Ankara.
He said he believed there was a minority of the army involved and those responsible would face the "necessary response".
The army seized media outlets, including the state-run TRT channel.
One of the channel's presenters read a statement from the military.
She said Turkey's democratic and secular rule of law had been eroded by the current government.
The country is now run by a "peace council" that will ensure the safety of the population, the announcer added.
A new constitution will be prepared "as soon as possible", the statement said.
Shortly after the statement was read the broadcaster was taken off the air.
Access to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube was also reportedly blocked in Turkey.
However, Twitter said it believed its service was slowed rather that totally blocked.
It followed after a statement from the military group read out on NTV television said: "The power in the country has been seized in its entirety."
The Dogan agency reported that the statement said that the military did this "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated".
The military statement went on to say that "all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue".
It is not clear who is behind the action.
Broadcaster CNN Turk reported President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "safe" but did not elaborate.
Offices of President Erdogan's AKP party have reportedly been taken over.
Earlier the country's prime minister addressed the nation.
He said Turkey's military engaged in an attempted coup.
Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "It is correct that there was an attempt."
Mr Yildirim did not provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any "initiative that would interrupt democracy".
Earlier, military jets were heard flying over the capital, Ankara.
Media reports said ambulances were seen in front of Turkey's military headquarters.
"We are focusing on the possibility of an attempted (coup)," Mr Yildirim said.
"There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy."
The Dogan news agency says one-way traffic on the Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges - the main links between the European and Asian sides of Istanbul were blocked. Video footage showed the bridge being blocked by military vehicles.
"Those behind the attempted coup would pay the highest price," added the prime minister.
In the capital Ankara, warplanes and helicopters roared overhead. A Reuters journalist heard gunshots.
Dogan News Agency reported the national police directorate had summoned all police to duty in Ankara.
All flights from Istanbul's Ataturk airport have been cancelled after tonight's events, according to a Reuters witness citing a pilot at the airport.
Washington-Saudi Foreign Minister says he can't speculate about the events taking place.
While coups have been common in the country's history, this is the first military intervention in almost 20 years.
Thick metal bolts launched by youths firing catapults flew through the air towards the lines of heavily armoured PSNI officers and the less well-protected ranks of the media. One of the lethal steel missiles missed this writer's ear by a centimetre or two before it pinged off the wall behind the grounds of Holy Cross Church, gouging out a piece of masonry onto Woodvale Road.
Everything - from stolen photographers' and camera operators' metal chairs to bricks, bottles, stones and traffic cones - were hurled at the barrier erected to prevent three Orange Order lodges getting anywhere near Ardoyne shops.
That was the scenario almost exactly 12 months ago following the return journey of the north Belfast Orangemen - banned from walking up the Crumlin Road after leaving the main Twelfth demonstration in Belfast.
Although the violence was not on the scale of previous years, the disorder of 2015 was still menacing, dangerous and marred yet another climactic day of the loyalist marching season.
Fast-forward, then, to this summer and last Tuesday's strange events on Woodvale Road around the 8.30pm deadline the Parades Commission had imposed for the Orange protest against the ban.
Only one of the lodges - Ballysillan - marched up to the steel barriers the PSNI had strung across the road to hand in a letter of protest over the ongoing ban on its return up the Crumlin Road.
There was confusion among some of the journalist corps gathered - many of them veterans of this marching season standoff - as to why the two other lodges affected, Ligoneil True Blues and the Earl of Erne, did not march up to the PSNI line and deliver a similar protest letter.
Gerald Solinas, an Orange Order spokesman, explained that the other two lodges were so far behind the Ballysillan brethren on the main parade that they would never have made it up in time before the 8.30pm cut-off point.
One Orange source has suggested the real reason for the absence of the two lodges at the PSNI line was because they had backed an aborted deal with nationalist residents in Ardoyne that would have allowed for a parade up and down the Crumlin Road on July 1 for the Somme commemoration march by the Order.
The source seemed to suggest that the two lodges which did not appear at Woodvale Road were angry with their colleagues over Ballysillan's alleged role in scuppering a deal.
Yet, regardless of the truth or otherwise of that explanation, the key thing about the Twelfth this year was how relatively peaceful it was - even at a sectarian flashpoint such as Ardoyne/Woodvale.
Maybe the Somme was a factor in there being peace on the streets this summer. This writer heard whispers from some loyalists there was a widespread feeling that, given the Somme being a key theme not only on July 1, but also the Twelfth, nothing should be done to sully the commemoration of the sacrifice of that terrible day 100 years ago.
The Orange Order's slogan - 'It's about the battle, not the bottle' - surely not only connected back to a 17th century battle on the River Boyne, but the industrial-scale slaughter near a French river in the early 20th century, too.
At the Somme - and indeed the other battlefields where Irishmen were cut down in their thousands in the Great War - it would have been appropriate that, from the platforms of the Twelfth, Orange Order leaders could have reminded their members and their supporters gathered in fields from Kilkeel to south Belfast's Barnett Demesne about the Irish Catholic sacrifices on the Western Front in 1916. (Here, in passing, is an idea for the very informative and fascinating Orange Order museum at Schomberg House in east Belfast: how about an exhibition there before 1916 is out, or at least prior to the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, dedicated to the 16th (Irish) Division's fallen? There already is one in Dublin's Kildare Street; perhaps the Orange Order museum could borrow, or at least model its own on).
Perhaps the absence of street wars overall this summer is a demonstration of strategic thinking by loyalists and reflects a turn in attitudes towards the issue of parades and protests.
It has happened before, as when the Apprentice Boys of Derry baulked at the chance of marching down the lower Ormeau Road in the early-2000s because they wanted to avoid clashes with nationalists angry over the decision to allow them down. The Apprentice Boys, instead, opted to get on to buses for their larger demonstration elsewhere.
This loyal order saw the bigger picture back then and it seems, on the surface at least, that another is now taking a wider view of how demonstrations against banned parades that turned violent are counter-productive to the wider pro-Union cause. Time will tell if Tuesday's peaceful end to the Twelfth marks a new beginning.
On the nationalist side, too, there were signals all around that people want to take the sting out of the parading issue in north Belfast. It was telling that the largest banner republicans held up along the Crumlin Road close to Ardoyne library on the Twelfth morning stated: 'Resolution is still possible' - another sign in the air that another deal is possible between republicans and loyalists over the last major contentious parade.
Of course, one of the axioms of Northern Ireland politics is never to underestimate the capacity of loyalists to shoot themselves in the foot. As RTE investigative reporter Brendan Wright revealed almost two decades ago, in the absence of the IRA's so-called "armed struggle", the republican leadership sought to redirect grassroots' energy towards opposing contentious marches by the loyal orders across Northern Ireland.
And the Orange Order and Apprentice Boys - initially, at least - fell into that well-laid trap on the Ormeau Road, Drumcree in Portadown and the Crumlin Road.
The loyal orders aggravated understandable nationalist grievance about feeling trampled on by loyalist triumphalism every marching season by mounting protests which turned increasingly violent and, in Drumcree, murderous.
It is fair to say that the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland exhaled a collective breath of relief after the Twelfth passed off so peacefully this year. They don't want a return to the days of prolonged parade standoffs, nightly rioting, sectarian murders and communal intimidation.
Maybe, too, the loyalists of north Belfast - including some of those lodges barred from returning up on the Crumlin Road on the Twelfth of July - realise that such violent instability is a gift only to the republican dissidents who seek to destabilise peace and power-sharing in this society.
Are you one of the nice people? Or are you in the nasty crowd? I'm sure you have noticed, principally through the miracle of social media, that the world is increasingly divided into these two opposing camps.
On one side there's the wonderfully tolerant, open-hearted and right-thinking "liberals".
Celebrating diversity, embracing difference.
Full of love and hope for humanity.
Metropolitan, at least in aspiration. Cultured. Passionate about social justice, distraught about Brexit. Mine's a gin and elderflower martini, please.
The other side? Well, that's everyone else. This includes unrepentant God-botherers, Brexiteer coffin-dodgers, gay cake refuseniks. Culchies. Tories. Sexist men. Spides. People who shop in Wyse Byse or Iceland. People who refuse to recycle. All of these may legitimately be despised.
Come on, now, you've got to choose. If you're not a fully signed-up member of the nice people, then you must be nasty. Sorry, no exceptions, that's the rules, I didn't make them. But it's really important that we stick to them. Because if you're not with us, you're against us.
Sometimes it can be hard to tell who's in and who's out, so let's practise with a little game.
Nigel Farage, Pastor McConnell and Jim Wells: nasty or nice?
Jeremy Corbyn, Martin McGuinness and Richard Dawkins: nice or nasty?
See, you're getting the hang of it now.
One of the things that the nice people like to do is to show other people how very nice they actually are. After all, what's the point of keeping your niceness all to yourself, you've got to get it out there, where everyone else can appreciate it.
That's why we saw a number of people walking around wearing safety pins on their clothes after the EU vote. It was ostensibly a campaign - started on Twitter, where else - to show fellow-feeling with immigrants following the disturbing rise in racist attacks. The safety pin was supposed to identify the wearer as non-racist, "a safe person to sit next to on a bus, walk next to on a street, even have a conversation with".
This is another feature of the nice people that I forgot to mention. Some of their ideas, while well-meaning, are eye-wateringly dumb and juvenile.
There's the practical question of whether a prominently displayed safety pin can always be assumed to be a sign of multicultural solidarity: your neighbour on the bus might equally be a wild-eyed member of the BNP in a tattered, pinned-together old shirt, no?
That aside, it seems absurd to wear a badge to prove you are a non-racist, the absence of which presumably indicates that indeed you could be. What next, must men wear a sticker to show that they are not rapists?
Of course, the deeper point of the safety pin was not really to reach out to immigrants.
In reality it was yet another example of "virtue signalling", that awful narcissistic impulse to demonstrate to the world what a wonderful person you are. Look at me, smile at me, honour me: I am nice.
I've been thinking a lot more about the local implications of the nice/nasty divide over the Twelfth. Because if there's one group that's automatically consigned to the dark side, it's loyalists. Burning pictures of nationalist politicians on their huge, irresponsible and dangerous bonfires, which belch out carcinogenic smoke from illegal tyre dumps.
It's really not nice, is it? Well, no, it definitely isn't. I am no fan of loyalist culture. The Twelfth sees me fleeing to the hills to escape the tribal thump of the drums, the tension, the lawlessness, the ever-present possibility of disorder.
But equally it seems wrong to castigate and condemn an entire working-class community as nasty, stupid and bigoted oiks. Not all bonfires burn tyres or set roofs on fire; not all loyalists like to incinerate pictures of Gerry Kelly.
It's particularly distasteful when the people doing the sweeping, sneering condemnation are middle-class "liberals" who no doubt think of themselves as tolerant, progressive, open to difference and diversity. I don't see anybody proudly wearing a symbol to show love for loyalists, seeking to reach out to a deprived, alienated community. What I see is undifferentiated scorn and contempt.
Bigot: that's what nice people call anyone who dares to flout the rules of their creed. It's an ugly, overused word, an all-purpose insult that has come to mean ignorant, small-minded, prejudiced and irrational.
But the Oxford English Dictionary actually defines bigotry quite precisely as "intolerance towards those who hold different opinions to oneself".
It makes me wonder who the bigots really are.
Is nice the new nasty?
The goring to death of a top Spanish matador in a bullfight understandably shocked the thousands of fans who had gathered to witness the spectacle. The untimely violent death of any human being is always a tragedy. But we cannot ignore the context of this tragedy.
The bull that killed the matador had been pierced repeatedly with razor-sharp lances, was visibly bleeding from his wounds, was in terrible pain and in the process of resisting a concerted attempt to torture and kill him.
Bullfighting is a disgrace to humanity. It is a perverted, contrived form of animal cruelty. The extreme suffering inflicted on the bulls cannot be excused - not by tradition, culture, art or sport.
And let's not for a moment think that recreational sadism is a peculiarly Spanish phenomenon. It isn't. According to opinion polls, a majority of Spaniards oppose bullfighting and want it banned. But they are up against a powerful industry and fawning politicians, who won't touch the hallowed "rights" of bullfighters.
I find it deeply disturbing that there are human beings who enjoy watching an animal being terrorised, or made to suffer drastically.
What the Spaniards do to bulls, some Irish people do to hares and foxes. Hares are forced to perform in waterlogged, muddy fields in the depths of winter for small crowds of baiting fans.
They twist and turn and dodge on the coursing venue, with greyhounds in pursuit, and many of them get mauled or have their bones crushed by the hyped-up dogs. Foxes are hounded across the country until their lungs give out and exhaustion delivers them to the pack. Then they have the skin ripped from their bones amid a chorus of snarling, barking, cheering and slurping from whiskey flasks.
One can allow for such practices having a following in the Dark Ages, when ignorance of animal suffering was rife and political corruption reigned supreme. You'd think we'd have moved on since then.
And yet we still have the obscenities of bullfighting, hare coursing and fox hunting - in the second decade of the 21st century.
JOHN FITZGERALD
By email
Voice of people does not dominate politics
The disarray created by Brexit has intensified the lingering disquiet about the way the European project has progressed.
We have failed to face the difficulty involved in extending our understanding of governance to the European sphere. We have been seduced by the myth that, unlike Europe, we are governed by the voice of the electorate and not by a bureaucratic elite.
The myth that the electorate is in charge and that the results of elections or referenda express the will of the people do not withstand critical scrutiny.
The fatal flaw lies in the fact that the driving force of political discourse is intended to disengage us from our capacity to think beyond the demands of self-interest.
The protagonists in the war of words leading up to the referendum on Europe traded in half-truths and manufactured ambiguity. The concept of realpolitik - the practice of politics independent of religious, moral or ethical considerations - has dominated political life here for years.
PHILIP O'NEILL
By email
Scotland must strike while the EU iron is hot
With Westminster in turmoil it is vital that if the Scottish Government wants to protect its place in the EU or Single Market it acts quickly.
Prime Minister Theresa May has said that she won't trigger Article 50 until the end of the year, but once the Brexit unit sets out proposals for the talks Scotland needs to have its proposals ready.
If the EU and UK then agree that Scotland can stay in the EU or Single Market, then Scotland would not only shelter itself from the worst impacts of Brexit, but also start to take advantage of the considerable economic benefits that would accrue to a Scotland that is still part of the EU.
If such an option is dismissed by the EU and/or UK Government (which has been the position of the latter to date), then the only option available is that of independence.
Time is limited for the holding of any such referendum on this issue, with the UK out of the EU potentially by January 2019. Talks on the UK's future relationship with the EU would still be ongoing after we have left and may take some time, so Scotland would be left out in the cold.
That is unless we act quickly - and that means an independence referendum by the middle of next year, which would mean that the UK would be leaving the EU with Scotland potentially still within as the successor state.
To delay holding an independence referendum is simply not an option.
ALEX ORR
Edinburgh
Let's celebrate things that can unite all Irish
In response to the letter by Fr Sean McManus (Write Back, July 14), why not celebrate the Duke of Wellington rather than the victory of William of Orange over James II, and the Battle of Waterloo rather than July 12?
Waterloo was won by 10,000 Irish under an Irish Field Marshal from Dublin and Co Meath and, when Lord Uxbridge was wounded, another Irishman, General Sir John Ormsby Vandeleur from Queen's County/Co Laois, took command of the British cavalry.
I sometimes wonder why we must commemorate the things that divide us rather than those that unite us.
DR GERALD MORGAN
Trinity College Dublin
Misconception over funding for bands
I write with reference to a recent article in your paper ('Arts funding cut by 500,000 the same week loyalist bands get 200,000 grant reinstated', News, July 14).
The funding is actually for bands of all hues, unless the stipulations of the scheme have changed significantly. This is an unfortunate but common misconception.
Five years ago I successfully applied to the fund on behalf of my own silver band. The vast majority of applicants are, no doubt, marching bands, but other ensembles have also been eligible to apply.
The grant isn't perfect. It needs to be more flexible. Previously limited to 5,000, such a sum would almost entirely equip a flute band yet only pay around a third of the cost of a tuba - the largest instrument in a brass band.
I felt it important that this small point be corrected to avoid one stream of funding being pitted against others within the same organisation, as each has its role to play within the cultural scene in Northern Ireland.
CLLR MARK RW MCKINTY (UUP)
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
The process of rebalancing and reform is now in jeopardy from the increased militarisation of the EU over the last two years, which is set to increase in the wake of the Warsaw summit
The most searching challenge that the EU faces is not the fallout from Brexit - it's from the militarisation of Europe and the US-led Nato encirclement of Russia, endorsed by the Nato Summit in Warsaw last weekend.
It is as misconceived as austerity and authoritarianism, which are at the heart of the European crisis. But it is infinitely more dangerous. If the Chilcot Report on the war in Iraq proves anything, it is that the momentum towards armed conflict, once started, becomes difficult to contain.
Militarisation will make it much more difficult to deal with the EU's migration crisis, itself largely a consequence of the catastrophic effects of Western military intervention. A conflagration between US-led Nato and Russia would increase the numbers of refugees in Europe by an order of magnitude.
As for the impact of such a conflagration on the European and global economy - well, all bets are off. We could not begin to model the impact - but we can look at post-war Europe and Iraq and Syria and Libya... Only what are euphemistically termed 'Defence' industries do (exceedingly) well out of war.
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In April, I suggested in these pages that Europe was in denial. It was mired in an identity crisis largely brought on by itself - a crisis of values, democracy - as well as macroeconomic instability marked by inequality, youth unemployment and long-term indebtedness among peripheral countries. There was no trust in Europe. "The governance of the eurozone is characterised by self-interest, subservience among weaker indebted members and, also, tenacity beyond all reason, in persisting with failed policies."
In June, prior to the Brexit Referendum, I pointed out that "while it was not the job of UK voters to resolve this mess - Brexit can force these same Euro elite to see reality. The EU is incapable of understanding that the dissenting voices across Europe - which they like to dismiss as 'populism' - are not the problem: the real issue is the underlying causes that have precipitated opposition to what the EU has become."
This perspective was vindicated by the EU's initial response to Brexit - denial, anger and a blame game.
Then, more positively, the first stirrings of a change in attitude by the EU 'Top Table' - notably Dr Wolfgang Schauble - including a decision not to respond to Brexit by pressing ahead with 'union' and not to overly pressurise the UK in implementing Article 50.
Militarism threatens this. The process of rebalancing and reform, including greater democratisation across the EU, is now in jeopardy from the increased militarisation of the EU over the last two years, which is set to increase in the wake of the Warsaw summit. It is an appalling prospect.
Why do 'leaders' never see these things coming down the track? School pupils know 'The Causes of World War I' - knowledge didn't prevent it happening. Why did the 'leaders', with the notable example of Churchill, not see what was unfolding in Germany in the short few years from 1935 to 1939?
Why did the US not understand the malign dynamic of the Vietnam War during the 1960s - and its consequences for Asia and the global financial system?
Why did 'leaders' not envisage the catastrophic impact of the Iraq invasion?
Now, consider this recent statement by Nato: "Since 2014 Allies have implemented the biggest increase in collective defence since the Cold War Four robust multinational battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland ... a brigade in Romania further steps to improve cyber-defences, civil-preparedness and to defend against ballistic missile attack extend Nato's training mission in Iraq and to broaden (its) role in the Central Mediterranean deploy Nato's Awac surveillance aircraft to support the Global Coalition to counter Isil"
Now read the Nato Communique issued after last weekend. This is in just two years. The scale and scope of this process has largely gone unremarked. So too have the ironies: of more "training" in Iraq, of support for a "Global Coalition to counter Isil" when we know that it was the military invasion of Iraq that largely created Isil, of "defensive missile systems" ostensibly operated by Nato, which as a recent article in the 'Wall Street Journal' points out, "are essentially American initiatives" - and can be redeployed in hours as a long-range offensive system.
The purported justification for this new militarisation of Europe is the intervention of Russia in Ukraine, culminating in the annexation of the Crimean peninsula and its re-integration into Russia.
What is inferred by Nato from this is that 'a resurgent Russia' poses an existential threat to Europe. It doesn't stand up. It also puts fundamental reform of the EU - and peace - in jeopardy. The sensitivities of Poland and the Baltic states to a military threat from Russia are understandable. But that does not mean the argument driving militarisation is robust. Nor does it mean that their interests, and the interests of peace and stability in Europe, are well served by this militarisation of Europe.
Russia is not the USSR. The rebuilding of its economy and infrastructure, including the modernisation of its defence capability, under President Putin does not remotely equate to a threat to its neighbours.
The military capability of the US dwarfs that of Russia, in terms of assets and the number of bases from which to project those assets. Russia's defence budget is a fraction of that of the US.
Moreover, the track record, and legacy, of Western military intervention in recent decades demonstrably poses a much greater threat to global peace and stability compared with Russia. But indeed any such comparisons are pitiless and, everywhere, add up to incalculable suffering. The decision by the EU to facilitate accession to the EU by Ukraine and, before that Georgia, was foolish and provocative beyond belief. It was foolish because the expansion of the EU has created a 'Union' so unwieldy and overextended in its governance as to pose a threat - now all too evident - to its very existence.
Reflect, for a moment, on a 'Union' that also included Ukraine and Georgia. To compound that by facilitating accession to the EU - and, by extension, participation in Nato-led security arrangements - of nations bonded to Russia geographically, historically and in terms of language and culture, went way beyond provocation.
It has kick-started a vicious circle of ratcheting-up 'defence' spending. The deployment by Nato of men, heavy equipment and missile systems effectively encircling Russia will inevitably elicit a response.
We have seen this kind of dynamic before - it is taking Europe to a bleak place.
The militarisation of the EU has been rapid, largely invisible and facilitated by self-serving propaganda. Diplomacy provides a better basis for engaging with Russia as a European power, with shared interests at a time of global uncertainty.
Militarisation, now unleashed, threatens Europe.
Economist Ray Kinsella is Professor of Banking and Financial Services, and Healthcare at UCD
Irish Independent
Microsoft fought an attempt by US law enforcement agencies to retrieve email account information as part of a US anti-narcotics investigation
Microsoft has won a court appeal to prevent it from handing over email data located on Irish servers to US authorities.
The legal victory is likely to have major repercussions for police forces and tech companies who are increasingly at odds over what sort of information should be available to authorities investigating crimes.
The tech giant had fought an attempt by US law enforcement agencies to retrieve email account information as part of a US anti-narcotics investigation. But the email information, associated with an Outlook.com account, was located on Irish servers belonging to Microsoft.
When Microsoft refused to hand the email information over, a US District Court held the company in contempt.
However, a US Court of Appeal has upheld Microsofts non-disclosure, arguing that warrants from US authorities do not have extraterritorial effect.
[We] conclude that section 2703 of the Stored Communications Act does not authorise courts to issue and enforce against USbased service providers warrants for the seizure of customer email content that is stored exclusively on foreign servers, said the US Court of Appeals today.
Because Microsoft has complied with the warrants domestic directives and resisted only its extraterritorial aspects, we reverse the District Courts denial of Microsofts motion to quash, vacate its finding of civil contempt and remand the cause with instructions to the District Court to quash the warrant insofar as it directs Microsoft to collect, import, and produce to the government customer content stored outside the United States.
Irish Independent
Google is facing mounting pressure over its tax affairs
The European Union's anti-trust arm has said it will expand a probe into internet giant Google to include the company's comparison shopping and advertising business.
The investigation centres on whether the firm breaches competition rules by skewing search results in its favour, thereby restricting rival online advertising platforms.
The European Commission said its preliminary conclusion was that "Google has abused its dominant position by systematically favouring its comparison shopping service in its search result pages".
It is not the first time that the US company has run into trouble in Europe.
In May, Google's Paris office was raided by French police as part of an investigation into tax fraud and money laundering.
The company is facing mounting pressure over its tax affairs.
You are getting a sneak peek of the first images of the characters from the upcoming release of Paramount/MGMs Ben-Hur directed by Timur Bekmambetov and produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey. This poster features Judah-Ben Hur (Jack Huston), a Jewish prince in Roman-occupied Jerusalem who is betrayed and falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother Messala and is later sentenced to a life of slavery. After escaping slavery, the story takes a breathtaking turn after a series of encounters with Jesus of Nazareth, who transforms not only his outlook, but also his faith leading him to discover grace, mercy and redemption. He eventually takes on the Roman Empire by avenging his brother in an epic chariot race for the ages. We promise you will be holding your breath through the entire final scene. Ben-Hur hits theaters August 19th 2016 nationwide. You dont want to miss it! #BenHurMovie
Shutterstock.com
A group of Ohio graduating seniors stood up and recited the Lords Prayer at their high school graduation ceremony even though it had been banned by school officials.
Seniors at East Liverpool High School had been singing a version of the Lords Prayer during their graduation ceremony for 70 years. School officials had removed the song from the graduation program because they were afraid that they would be sued by the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religious Foundation because the organization said the song violated the U.S. Constitution and promoted religion. Rather than fight legal battles, the school removed the song from the program.
It was a decision made because we dont have a lot of money and wed rather hire teachers than pay lawyers, school board president Larry Walton told a local NBC News affiliate.
I know a lot of my student body was uncomfortable with it, just because it is tradition to have prayer at our school, said Cami Post, class of 2016 vice president. Were really big at traditions at this school and I think it wouldve been nice to have the same as my brother had whenever he graduated.
The ardently anti-Christian organization continues to threaten small towns and average Americans for exercising their constitutional freedoms, advocating for separation of church and state. The senior class was not happy when school officials wanted them to break their longstanding tradition and werent letting it go or backing down easily. Instead of standing with the school boards decision, they decided to stand together in defiance. Just after their class valedictorian, Jonathan Montgomery welcomed the crowd to the graduation; the students stood up and recited the famous prayer. They said in unison:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; they kingdom come: thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Rather than sing the Lords Prayer, which the Wisconsin group demanded they stop, the students recited it instead.
It was totally spontaneous, apparently something the kids wanted to do, said East Liverpool superintendent Melissa Watson. I had no knowledge of it.
Their decision was met with a roar of applause from the stands and a standing ovation. Their decision was supported by many of the students parents and loved ones. Robert Hill, the father of one of the senior class members, said he was proud of the students for taking a stand.
Ive always taught my two boys to stand up for what you believe is right, Hill said. The same lesson my parents taught me. It doesnt matter if its over religion or something else take a stand.
What these students did is a courageous example of what it looks like to defy atheists and stand up for Christ and we couldnt admire them more for it!
Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council.
Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, pictured while receiving an award in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in March 2015, told reporters Friday that he would not be returning to India this year.
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, whose sermons allegedly influenced at least two militants who attacked a cafe in Bangladesh earlier this month, told reporters Friday that Indian agencies were targeting him unfairly in probes into his activities.
I did not inspire any terrorists. Suicide bombings targeting innocent people are condemnable. My statements have been taken out of context. I am a messenger of peace, Naik, 50, whose Peace TV channel was banned in Bangladesh in the wake of the July 1 Dhaka attack, told Indian journalists from Saudi Arabia during a press conference held via Skype on Friday.
He said his statements on terrorism and suicide bombings reported by the Indian media were tampered and doctored.
Naik said he had applied for permission from Indian authorities to air Peace TV through his Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) in 2008, but the request was denied possibly because the channel was Islamic.
Although Peace TV does not have a license to air in India, it is widely broadcast in several parts of the country through private cable TV operators.
The doctor-turned-preacher, who mostly delivers his sermons clad in western suits and in English, said he was not planning to return to India this year, but added that he was willing to cooperate with any investigation if approached.
Not running away
I am not running away. As per my travel plans, I am supposed to come to India by next year, not before that, Naik said.
Even though Naik said he had not been contacted by any Indian investigating agency, Mumbai-based intelligence sources told BenarNews that all angles related to the televangelist, including his speeches, were being probed.
In an apparent reference to Naik, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who belongs to the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has said preachers of hate and violence are threatening the fabric of our society.
Last week, Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu hinted at appropriate action against Naik, calling his speeches highly objectionable.
The home ministry is checking for possible violations that Naiks IRF may have committed under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while receiving foreign funds in India, the official said.
IS threat peaks
The heat on Naik is coming during a heightened sense of a threat from the Islamic State (IS) in India following the attack in the Bangladeshi capital, which killed 29 people, including an Indian hostage.
Until recently, New Delhi had denied that the Middle East-based terror outfit had any significant presence in India, but officials on Friday confirmed that the Dhaka attack had forced security agencies to make certain procedural changes.
Naturally, security has been enhanced [after the Dhaka attack]. Several checks have been instituted along the Indo-Bangla border to prevent intruders into our cantonments and protect installations, Wing Commander S.S. Birdi, spokesman for the defense ministry in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal, which borders Bangladesh, told BenarNews.
Bangladesh to monitor sermons
In Bangladesh, authorities on Friday moved to regulate weekly sermons in mosques across the Muslim-majority country amid a stepped-up campaign to combat Islamist extremism.
The state-run Islamic Foundation has prepared and delivered a sermon to more than 300,000 mosques in the country. It invokes verses from the Quran to prevent Bangladeshis from joining the path of radicalism, foundation chief Shamim Mohammad Afzal told Agence France-Presse.
It is not mandatory, but we hope imams will follow our sermon or take inspiration from it, Afzal said, adding, Our core message is [that] there is no place for terrorism in Islam. We want to make sure our children cannot be brainwashed to commit an act of terrorism.
Suspected IS operatives held
Meanwhile in India, Indian security agencies have made at least two IS-linked arrests since the Dhaka attack.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested a civil contractor, identified as Naser Yafai Chaus, 31, who hails from the Parbhani district of Maharashtra state, on Thursday.
While the department would not confirm the basis for Chaus was arrested, sources said he allegedly had contact with an IS handler in Syria.
On Tuesday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) claimed to have arrested Naimathullah Hussaini alias Abu Darda from Hyderabad, alleging that he was involved in recruiting youngsters from the south Indian city for the IS.
More than 40 suspected IS operatives have been arrested in India since the formation of the terror outfit in 2014.
At least 23 Indians have left for Iraq and Syria to fight alongside the IS, which has called Hindu-majority India an enemy nation in its propaganda material, according to intelligence agencies.
However, the figure could be higher, analysts warned after reports emerged that 21 Muslims missing from different districts of south Indias Kerala state over the last month may have joined the IS.
IS knocking at our door
D.C. Pathak, former chief of Indias Intelligence Bureau, told BenarNews that the IS threat to India was real.
They have come near our homes. They are knocking at our door, Pathak said in reference to the recent Dhaka attack. It is time to fend it with vigor.
Moushumi Basu of the Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament at New Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the Indian government should acknowledge IS a threat.
[The government] has to take stock of the situation. It has to chalk out a proper plan to prevent Indian youth from joining such radical outfits. It has to identify and focus on resolving the issues driving our youngsters to join jihad or other forms of extremism. Simply a backlash from a recent terror attack or a knee-jerk reaction wont solve the problem, she told BenarNews.
Umar Nazir, 11, who was hit in his face and abdomen by rubber pellets fired by security forces, recovers at a hospital in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, July 14, 2016.
Clutching her fathers hand at a Srinagar hospital where she is being treated for serious eye injuries sustained from rubber pellets fired by Indian security forces, Insha Mushtaq, 15, awaits a dark future.
On Wednesday, I was in standing in the veranda when police started firing pellets in the direction of our house. I was hit all over my body, including my eyes, Insha, a resident of south Kashmirs Shopian district, told BenarNews at Srinagars Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital.
The team of ophthalmologists treating Insha said she completely lost vision in her left eye and they were struggling to save her right eye.
We are trying our best to save her from complete blindness. But I am afraid there is a good chance we wont be successful as the retina in her right eye is badly damaged, Tariq Qureshi, chief of the hospitals ophthalmology department, told BenarNews.
Over the past week, we have performed eye surgeries on 103 victims, a large number of them children. In most cases, the victims have lost their vision in one or both eyes. We are overwhelmed by the sheer number of victims coming in daily, Qureshi said, adding that his department was forced to refer many of those injured to Delhi hospitals.
Insha is one of at least 120 Kashmiri civilians, a majority of them children, undergoing treatment at the SMHS hospital for severe eye injuries as security forces continue to fire what they call non-lethal rubber pellets to quell violent protests following the July 8 killing of Bruhan Wani, 23, leader of separatist faction Hizbul Mujahideen.
As of late Friday, at least 38 people, including a policeman, have been killed and more than 1,600 injured in the weeklong clashes between protesters and security forces in curfew-bound Indian-administered Kashmir, police said.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir, claimed in its entirety by India and Pakistan, has been in the midst of a separatist insurgency since the late 1980s. According to official figures, more than 70,000 people, a majority of them Kashmiri civilians, have been killed since then.
Inshas father, Mushtaq Ahmad, said he could not understand why security forces targeted his house.
My daughter is not a terrorist. She is not a separatist. She is not fighting for freedom [from Indian rule]. Why is she lying in a hospital, facing a life of permanent darkness? What is her fault? a visibly distraught Ahmad told BenarNews.
Recalling the events of Wednesday, Ahmad said protesters had clashed with security forces about a mile away from their house in Shopians Sedow village.
Suddenly, the personnel deployed in our village started showering these pellets at my house, possibly to create terror, he said.
Father: women and children were not spared
A few beds away, 11-year-old Umar a thick bandage covering his right eye was being attended to by a battery of doctors, as his father, Nazir Ahmad, wept uncontrollably.
On Thursday, policemen were chasing some protesters and found my son standing outside our house. They fired on him from point blank range, said Nazir, a government employee from Pulwama district. He also said security forces, in their quest to quell pro-separatist voices, were not sparing women and children.
Umar suffered injuries to his face and abdomen.
Doctors have removed at least five pellets lodged in his abdomen, but they have yet to operate on his right eye, which was hit by three pellets, Nazir said.
Dr. Sudarshan Kumar said many of the victims probably would never be able to see again. Kumar and a three-member team of ophthalmologists reached Srinagar, which is reeling under a shortage of medical supplies and doctors, on Thursday.
Most of them have suffered severe eye injuries. It is difficult to say that those whose retina has been damages would regain sight even after surgery, Kumar told BenarNews, adding he had never seen so many pellet victims in his career.
Even as Kashmirs ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which runs a coalition government in the state with Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Friday called for a blanket ban on the use of rubber pellets by security forces, police said they serve a purpose.
We do not have any other means to disperse violent protesters who have been attacking security installations and our men by throwing stones despite the fact that there is a curfew in place, K. Rajendra, the states director general of police, told BenarNews.
Acting on government directions, we have been exercising maximum restraint, he said, while regretting injuries suffered by some innocent Kashmiris. But the situation in some areas is now gradually returning to normal, he added.
PDP legislator Ashraf Mir said his party will push to ban pellet guns in Kashmir.
Pellet guns were introduced in 2010 as a non-lethal alternative to quell violent protests. But clearly, as we can see, these are hardly non-lethal, Mir said.
Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Asiya Naqash agreed.
I am shocked to learn that security forces are indiscriminately firing rubber pellets at protesters. This must stop, Naqash told BenarNews.
Relatives of two men who were inside a Dhaka cafe during a terrorist siege on July 1-2 and were later detained by police say their whereabouts are unknown, but they believe that authorities are still holding them nearly two weeks on.
Police have officially said that the two, Tahmid Hasib Khan and Hasnat Karim, were released on July 8 after being held for questioning following the attack that left at least 28 dead, including 20 hostages and two policemen.
We have no information about their whereabouts, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Masudur Rahman told BenarNews on Thursday.
But other police sources told BenarNews privately that the pair was being held on suspicion of complicity in Bangladeshs deadliest terrorist act, which was claimed by Islamic State.
We [cannot] announce that they are [still] in our custody. If we declare this, we must present them before a court in the next 24 hours. But we need to interrogate them further, a police source said on condition of anonymity.
The fathers of the missing men deny the allegations that their sons helped carry out the overnight siege at the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhakas diplomatic quarter, saying they were caught up in the crisis as hostages.
My son has not returned from police custody. He is not at fault, Shahriar Khan, the father of Tahmid Hasib Khan, a student at the University of Toronto, told BenarNews. We think he is in police custody.
Tahmid Hasib Khan
The police cannot shrug off their duties
According to a report published this week in the Globe and Mail newspaper, Canadian officials were engaging with Bangladeshi officials about Khans detention.
Officials from Global Affairs Canada both in Ottawa and at the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka continue to monitor the situation closely and are engaged with relevant Bangladeshi officials in the aftermath of this terrible attack, Chantal Gagnon, a spokeswoman for Canadas foreign minister, told the newspaper, which described Khan as a permanent Canadian resident.
Karim, a British citizen who works as a businessman in Dhaka, was celebrating his daughters birthday at the restaurant with his wife and two children on the night of July 1, when machete-wielding gunmen burst into the upscale cafe, according to news agency reports.
The attackers reportedly separated Muslims from non-Muslims and hacked to death 20 people, including 17 foreigners.
My son is innocent. If he is guilty, the police can charge him and we will fight this legally, Karims father, Hasnat, told BenarNews.
Hasnat Karim
Mizanur Rahman, a former chairman of Bangladeshs National Human Rights Commission, agreed.
If the two men are in fact suspects, then the Bangladeshi authorities must place them before a court of law, he said.
The police cannot shrug off their duties by just saying that they do not know about [their whereabouts]. It is the duty of the state to find them out and reach out their families, he told BenarNews.
Meanwhile, London-based human rights watchdog Amnesty International issued a statement suggesting that the authorities in Bangladesh may have been holding Karim for at least 10 days after he was rescued with other hostages, when security forces broke the siege by raiding the restaurant on the morning of July 2.
If the authorities do have Hasnat Karim in custody, then they must release him immediately or produce him in a court of law for any charges to be filed against him, Champa Patel, Amnestys director for South Asia, said Tuesday.
Hasnat Karims family must immediately be told whether the Bangladeshi authorities are still holding him in custody and if so allow him contact with the outside world. They have already suffered a traumatic episode, and his enforced disappearance prolongs their ordeal, Patel added.
Discrepancies in statements: police
Security forces killed at least five of the men who allegedly carried out the attack.
Police said initially that six gunmen were killed, but later amended that to say that the sixth man, Saiful Islam Chowdhury, was a hostage who may have been mistaken for one of the hostage takers. He was employed as a pizza maker at the restaurant.
Later, police again changed their information about Chowdhury, saying he likely collaborated with the terrorists because he had behaved suspiciously during the siege that lasted at least 10 hours.
Another suspect who was reportedly injured and captured alive, Zakir Hossain Shaon, died in a local hospital of his injuries on July 8. He worked as an assistant in the cafes kitchen and was beaten and tortured after being taken into police custody, alleged his father who told BenarNews that his son had never been involved in any militant activity.
According to Rahman, the spokesman for Dhaka police, 19 hostages escaped from the cafe on the night of July 1 as the crisis was unfolding there, and another 13 hostages were freed the next day.
All 32 were detained and brought in for questioning after the siege was over, he said.
We released all of the 32 people. But the statements of the two Hasnat Karim and Tahmid Khan were inconsistent. So, we called them in again on July 8, interrogated them and let them go. They may not be innocent, the police spokesman told BenarNews.
Balikpapan Naval Base commander Luhut Siagian talks to tugboat crew members in Semayang port, in Indonesias East Kalimantan province, after they were freed when seven shipmates were abducted by Abu Sayyaf militants in waters off the southern Philippines, June 25, 2016.
Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein announced Thursday that he would host a trilateral meeting with his Indonesian and Philippine counterparts in Kuala Lumpur on July 21, where they will discuss plans to jointly patrol sea corridors separating the three nations.
It is scheduled to take place as Indonesia grapples with two hostage crises involving 10 Indonesian sailors who were abducted off tugboats by southern Philippine-based Abu Sayyaf militants, officials say.
Earlier this week, the chief of Indonesias armed forces, Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, had announced that a trilateral meeting of defense ministers would take place in Kuala Lumpur on July 12.
The three countries have yet to implement joint patrols in the Sulu and Celebes seas, since their foreign ministers first met in Jakarta on May 5 and agreed to a plan to curb hijackings in the waters that separate the southern Philippines from Borneo island. The agreement called for establishing three-way hotlines and coordinating maritime patrols.
Last month, the defense ministers held a tri-lateral meeting in Manila, where they agreed to pursue coordinated air-and-sea surveillance, in a joint effort to halt kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf Group along their common maritime boundaries.
They decided to model their Sulu Seas Patrol Initiative (SSPI) on the Malacca Straits Patrol, a system of air-and-sea operations coordinated by Indonesia and Malaysia in the Andaman Sea.
Hishammuddin said that a Malaysian multi-agency delegation, led by the National Security Council, was in Jakarta and working on a Framework on Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, with counterparts from the other two countries.
The framework, which was expected to be signed at the end of this working group meeting in Jakarta, was paving the way for next week where the defense ministers will discuss and deliberate specifically the operationalization of the SSPI which will be undertaken by our respective armed forces, Hishammuddin said.
While the plans have not been implemented, Indonesian officials have expressed an urgency to begin joint sea patrols with their neighbors.
We will coordinate in order to make it really safe. We will divide the routes that we can enter or, for example, if we chase the perpetrator into the Philippines territory, we can enter the area as long as we report to them first, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday.
Unions protest abductions
The defense ministers announcements occurred on the same day that Indonesian trade union members reacted to the recent kidnappings of Indonesian sailors by launching a protest, in which they claimed that their government and the Philippines had failed to protect seamen sailing between the two countries.
The governments of the Philippines and Indonesia are negligent and did not learn from previous mistakes. They should have responded it quickly, Said Iqbal, president of the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Union (KSPI), told journalists during the protest in front of the Philippine Embassy in Jakarta.
The protest featured hundreds of Indonesian workers who are members of KSPI and the Rumah Rakyat Indonesia (RRI), another trade union.
They urged both governments to work toward the immediate release of 10 Indonesian sailors who are held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the southern Philippines.
Three sailors were abducted by ASG on July 9 off the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah and seven members of an Indonesian tugboat crew were abducted in the waters off Tawi Tawi in the southern Philippines on June 20.
We demand the Philippines to play an active role toward the effort to free [the Indonesian hostages] including by working together with the Indonesian government and its military, said KSPI Secretary-General, Muhammad Husni, who warned that more hostages could be taken if the governments did not act quickly.
Tia Asmara in Jakarta and Hata Wahari in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report.
Courtesy of the No to Taib Mahmud Court at Adelaide University campaign
University of Adelaide students protest in September 2015 over a plaza on-campus named in honor of Sarawak Gov. Abdul Taib Mahmud.
An Australian university has decided to rename a campus plaza honoring alumnus and Sarawak Gov. Abdul Taib Mahmud, amid pressure from environmental activist groups who have alleged that he has profited immensely from illegal logging in the eastern Malaysian state.
A spokesman for the University of Adelaide said its council had decided in April to rename the Taib Mahmud Court to the Colombo Plan Alumni Court, and that new signs were being posted to reflect the change.
The universitys council is free to name facilities as it wishes, it had no obligation in relation to this court, university spokesman Lachlan Parker said in an emailed response to questions from BenarNews.
The University wished to honor all of its Colombo Plan graduates, who include two presidents of Singapore, the governor of Sarawak and many prominent Asian government and business leaders, he said, referring to alumni who were admitted as students through Colombo Plan scholarships.
The decision to make the change came after a two-year campaign by the Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) and the Bob Brown Foundation (BBF) to pressure the university to stop honoring Taib, a former long-time chief minister of Sarawak who has been accused of benefiting from the illegal cutting of timber and clearing of tropical rainforests in the states, BMF said in a statement on Wednesday.
BMF is a Swiss-based NGO that campaigns for forest conservation in Sarawak and BBF is an Australian environmentalist group.
In November 2015, indigenous Penan community leaders from Sarawak sent a letter to University of Adelaide Vice Chancellor Warren Bebbington requesting that it pay back all financial gifts received from Taib because the money was needed for Sarawaks rural development and conservation of its rainforest.
BMF and BBF also called on the university to pay back AU $400,000 (U.S. $305,000) received from Taib, who is better known as Pak Uban (white-haired uncle).
Parker said that the university had had no contact with Taib for more than a decade.
Taib, who received a law degree in 1960 and honorary doctorate in 1994 from the university in South Australia, has been a major benefactor to the university, its website indicated. The chief minister of Sarawak for 33 years, Taib became governor in 2014 despite allegations of corruption that have mainly come from abroad.
In May, Malaysian media reported that an Australian senate committee had opened an investigation into money-laundering allegations against Taibs family over multi-million dollar real estate deals and assets in Australia, including AU$55 million given to the Adelaide Hilton hotel, which Taibs family owns.
Sarawak social activist Peter John Jaban said it was about time that the university removed Taibs name from the plaza.
Save Rivers Network secretary Mark Bujang called the universitys original decision to name the plaza for Taib inappropriate in light of the complaints against him.
Taibs office did not respond to BenarNews requests for comment.
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Media Advisory, July 15, 2016 Contact: Bill Snape, (202) 536-9351, bsnape@biologicaldiversity.org 'Frostpaw the Polar Bear' Brings Climate Message to Republican National Convention CLEVELAND The Center for Biological Diversitys Frostpaw the Polar Bear will bring his call for action on the climate crisis to the Republican National Convention next week, beginning Monday, July 18. Frostpaw has been a fixture at marches, rallies and other events for years, from the White House and Wall Street to California, Massachusetts and beyond. The bear will be a visible presence outside of the Republican convention on Monday and Tuesday. Frostpaw is also scheduled to appear outside the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month. All appearances will include Frostpaw and his climate message: Will you save me? This isnt about political parties or partisan fighting, this is about saving the planet including people, polar bears and all living things from the ravages of climate change, said Bill Snape, senior counsel at the Center. The United States has been too slow and sluggish in responding to this growing crisis. We need real action, and we need it fast. What: The Centers Frostpaw the Polar Bear outside the Republican National Convention When: Monday, July 18 and Tuesday, July 19 Where: Outside Quicken Loans Arena Photos and Interviews: Frostpaw and his handlers will be available for interviews. Contact Bill Snape (above) or Stephanie Kurose, (203) 524-0562. Background
Scientists say that to avoid the worst effects of climate change, vast reductions in greenhouse gas pollution are needed. Despite those dire warnings, world leaders have yet to fully commit to the kind of reductions needed to match the magnitude of the crisis. The effects of climate change are already setting in. Without rapid reductions in carbon pollution, scientists warn of rapidly rising seas along our coasts, food shortages, more devastating weather events, heat waves and other devastating and costly consequences. Wildlife also face severe consequences, including polar bears. Scientists saw that, without help, more than two-thirds of the worlds polar bears, including all the bears in Alaska, will be gone by 2050. Arctic sea ice, which polar bears depend on for hunting and raising their cubs, hit a new record low in January. 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.
By spending $40 billion a year until 2030, African governments hopes to meet the African Union Agenda 2063 decree of universal electrification. Social entrepreneurs, like musician Sudha Kheterpal and the Spark electricity-generating musical instrument, are stepping in to help bring that goal a little closer.
The Spark
The African electricity grid produces less electricity than Spain. Across the continent, power is inaccessible to most of the population, and where it is available it is unreliable and prohibitively expensive.
Access to electricity gives Africans the chance of a better education. The ability to charge a cellphone gives rural populations access to medical care. A lack of energy means students strain to read after dark, business comes to a standstill and clinics struggle to keep vaccines over long periods.
In Kenya, where 75% of the population live without access to electricity, a new start-up is generating clean energy using the power of music.
Sudha Kheterpal, percussionist with English dance electronica band Faithless, has created a percussion shaker called Spark which, when shaken for 12 minutes generates an hour's worth of light.
The world's first clean electricity uses simple technology: a magnet moving through a coil as you shake it, generating power that is saved in the inbuilt battery. Users can use the stored power to provide light or charge a cell phone.
For Kheterpal, the Spark is also about the power of music to unify people, and how a collective consciousness can help to create a sustainable future, she explained in a recent interview. "Energy poverty is the worlds number one human and environmental crisis and its our desire for every child living in the world to have the opportunity to change their life. Through Spark we can teach children that interconnectivity is the way to our future and the key to the wellness of our planet."
The Spark is both educational and functional. It can be easily taken apart to teach kids about the principles of the kinetic energy used to generate power. Kheterpal believes that, "it's the learning and the technology together that's going to make the biggest impact."
Watch Kheterpal explain how she came up with the idea for her innovation:
Africas electricity shortage
Africas total power capacity is 147GW, which is what a country like Belgium produces and what China adds to its grid every two years. Remove South Africa from the equation and, as Bill Gates pointed out to Quartz Africa, the amount of electricity available per person is lower today that it was 30 years ago.
The African Union Agenda 2063 talks of universal electricity access by 2030. This would require an additional 250GW of power to be generated with an annual investment of $40 billion. Rentia van Tonder of Standard Banks Power, Corporate and Investment Banking division believes that small scale renewable energy projects are the answer to electricity poverty in Africa.
"Potential in renewable energy in Africa is unbelievable. I think renewables are absolutely key, Van Tonder told Anadolu Agency recently.
From an investment point of view, Van Tonder pointed out that renewable energy projects can be scaled to needs. This would make it easier to obtain finance, and projects can be scaled up when economic activity requires added capacity.
Small scale local solutions would bring electricity closer to communities in need faster, and would increase their ability to rise out of subsistence. Renewables as part of a system that uses batteries to store generated energy are an even better solution, according to Gates, adding that "If you want to tell people to come and build factories and have jobs, its not going to come where you say Oh yeah, this factory works when the wind is blowing and otherwise it shuts down".
Niall Kramer, chief executive of the South African Oil and Gas Alliance, told Anadolu Agency that different energy generation sources have strengths that should be exploited. "They are intricately interwoven. For those short-term issues around electricity, many people are looking at renewables but you need to work towards the short and long-term solutions."
Renewable energy
Kramer added that renewable energy would not solve all of Africas energy needs. Despite the advances in green technology, power generated is still intermittent. "When the sun isnt shining and the wind isnt blowing, you are going to need hydrocarbons to deal with that intermittency. It is a fallacy for people to think that the renewable industry and hydrocarbon industry are in competition with each other."
The South African government has begun to embrace renewables. Its new energy policy the 2010-30 Integrated Resource Plan - foresees 17 800MW of power generated by renewable sources, and has been internationally acclaimed. South Africas renewable energy sector is considered a global leader, "a flagship public-private partnership model for SA and the rest of Africa" according to the World Wildlife Fund.
But the countrys aging transmission infrastructure is not fully able to add this new power to the grid. Between 2019 and 2022, when renewable power producers are fully operational, Eskom will have to invest R11 billion to upgrade its connections.
Small scale renewable projects do not need to connect to the national grid, Van Tonder points out. "(These) type of models change the lives of small communities, especially where there is no grid connection or possibility of reaching a grid."
Van Tonder underlined this point. In rural communities wind, solar and hydro are the most advantageous. They can be rolled out quicker and at a lower cost. "Renewables may make sense for countries if they want to expand quite quickly and at lower prices than two years ago."
Africa, as a whole, is starting to leapfrog older power generation technologies and reduce the need to extend power grids to unserved communities.
Renewable energy projects across the continent Kenyas geothermal Olkaria plant; the solar Ouarzazate complex in Morocco; and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam among others are delivering social and economic benefits. Electrification is helping to improve public health services, allowing students to study and opening up business opportunities on a continent of entrepreneurs.
However, there are 621 million Africans who, according to the African Development Bank, remain disconnected from the power grid. Electrification can sometimes take up to three years between 'turning ground' to 'lights on' for even the smallest renewable projects. So there remains room for social entrepreneurs like Kheterpal and her Spark project to continue making small significant changes.
Appropriately, the Spark electricity-generating device is shaped like a flint stone, a perfect symbol for the creation of new energy. Inside, the Spark resembles the chambers of the heart, which Kheterpal calls "the seat of power for the human body, a symbol of strength and courage, and what connects us all as a global community."
Watch this BBC documentary on electrifying Africa:
Source: Media Club South Africa.
The Pokemon Go augmented reality (AR) mobile game has taken the world by storm - even before its worldwide launch - sending fans out into the streets in droves, and leaving businesses wondering how to capitalise on this phenomenon.
Jason Ried
While the success of this game has ignited interest in the possibilities of AR, the applications of this technology extend far beyond gaming; it can provide consumers with a far more engaging experience, and businesses with a deeper level of understanding of their customers, building brand loyalty.
Knowing your customer
Theres more to AR than just being a tool to keep customers informed or engaged; companies can use data collected from the AR apps to learn more about their customers needs, and even help anticipate future preferences or requirements. Some companies have used AR to help cleverly visualise their product catalogue in the comfort of your own home, while fashion retailers have used AR to create virtual mirrors or changing rooms, where customers can try out clothes, cosmetics, jewellery and even footwear.
A leading car brand used AR to enable customers visiting selected dealerships to see a high definition 3D version of an upcoming model, allowing them to walk around the vehicle, and change colours or add optional extras to the vehicle. While this created an exciting and interactive experience, it also helped gather valuable insights into colour and feature preferences which could then inform manufacturing processes.
Using AR in this manner helps companies reduce costs; the data gathered can help identify trends, allowing businesses to tailor their stock to suit the demand more closely. When coupled with geolocation information, companies making use of such apps can learn more about their customers traveling habits, and provide them with information and deals that are more location-relevant.
Retail stores can use AR-enabled apps to provide customers with additional information on product availability and special promotions, and to drive foot traffic to physical stores. Locally, some retail outlets have also incorporated games and rewards into their AR apps, which have also taken on the functionality of a loyalty programme.
In the tourism industry, AR is being used to provide tourists with information and assistance with public transportation, as virtual guides in popular tourist areas or in museums, and more recently, to assist with translating posters, signs and other visual material. Information collected from such apps can then identify the most popular attractions, pinpoint which areas need better access to public transportation, and even what additional languages to add to signage at tourist hotspots.
Reinvent your business processes
AR is also moving beyond the realm of sales, marketing and advertising, with a global enterprise software company introducing applications that use AR - coupled with smart glasses - in the working environment, to help company employees work smarter.
An app for warehouse workers provides them with information on what goods are required, and where they are located, helping them cut down on the time needed to complete their tasks, while another provides technicians with hands-free visualisation, voice-activated commands and even the ability to connect with technical experts.
Increased access to affordable smartphones coupled with improved mobile broadband coverage and decreasing data costs means that we could be seeing just the start of the use of AR in South Africa, be it to better understand customers, gauge market demand, to drive brand loyalty and engagement, or even to help employees perform their jobs more efficiently.
With its 50 shopping areas, Pretoria East has more formal retail space available per 1,000 people than other major cities. The area accounts for over 700,000m of the 3m-m of formal retail space in the City of Tshwane and more are planned, posing the question, is this market oversupplied?
Retail space in close proximity to and within Pretoria East is set to increase even further with 11 proposed shopping centres, measuring a combined 555,459m, of which approximately 21% is situated in Pretoria East specifically, according to the Broll Pretoria East Retail Snapshot released in July 2016.
Elaine Wilson.
The numbers suggest Pretoria East, much like the retail sector in South Africa, is perceived to be oversupplied, however, since the area is still developing, the impact of the proposed new centres (if and when they come to fruition) on existing centres remains to be seen, says Elaine Wilson, divisional director for research at Broll Property Group.
People living in Pretoria East have a high amount of formal retail space available to them, in comparison to other major cities within South Africa, with approximately 3,827m available per 1,000 people equating to 3.83m of retail space available per person.
Small regional centres (25,000m-49,999m) make up the largest component of total retail GLA in the area, accounting for around 26% of space, while local convenience centres (1,000m-4,999m) account for the least amount of total space (6%).
Wilson says Pretoria East has an approximate population of 201,510 people, with 61% aged below 40 and a high economically active percentage of 84.6%, which bodes well for the retail sector, as the more economically active people there are in an area, the more retail spending is likely to take place.
South Africa has a 23,046,181m of formal shopping centre space, which comprises of close to 2,000 centres, with nearly 45% of this space in Gauteng, 15% in the Western Cape and 13% in KwaZulu-Natal.
Although Gauteng is the smallest province in terms of size, it has the highest population percentage and the most retail space. The City of Johannesburgs has formal retail space measuring roughly 4.5m-m while the City of Tshwane has 3m-m of space, with Pretoria east accounting for around 771,098m of that total.
Meanwhile, Cape Town and eThekwinis (Durban) formal retail space measure roughly 2.6m-m and 1.7m-m respectively.
The City of Tshwane has the highest formal shopping centre density, compared to other major cities in the country, with 955m of formal retail space available per 1,000 people. This is followed closely by the City of Johannesburg with 900m/1,000 people, the City of Cape Town with 681m/1,000 people and eThekwini with 473m/1,000 people, concludes Wilson.
Stimorol has introduced a new logo and packaging design and added a new brand ambassador to its current duo.
Model and blogger Serati Maseko has joined Thabo Mafisa and Jesse Suntele, 2015's brand ambassadors. All three ambassadors will continue to spread the word to an even wider audience.
Andrea Cloete, Mondelez SA senior category manager of gum says, We are thrilled to share this refreshing change with South African consumers. Much research has gone into the packaging and the new look is a more contemporary look, while still staying true to the brands heritage.
A custom-built mobile app has been deployed in 3,126 primary healthcare (PHC) clinics across South Africa to monitor medicine availability and reduce drug stockouts.
Vodacom Business chief executive, Vuyani Jarana, and health minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi
Designed to monitor stock levels
The Stock Visibility System (SVS) is a mobile platform developed through collaborative efforts between Vodacom and National Department of Health (NDoH).
It allows PHC clinic staff to report and record stock levels and translates this information into various reports, including graphs and heat maps, which are sent via SMS or email to support the proactive management of medicines.
The app also allows for scheduled SMS notifications and automated alerts warning of low-stock level situations, which may result in supply interruptions, thereby providing a means of preventing stockouts from happening in the first place.
Increasing access to medicine
Speaking at the media launch of the SVS mobile application, the minister of health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, says: The Department of Health is using the latest technology to improve healthcare service delivery and patient outcomes in South Africa.
The Stock Visibility System enables us to increase access to medicine by allowing the Department of Health to monitor the distribution of medicines and take appropriate proactive action anytime, anywhere.
Pilot project
The NDoH first partnered with the Vodacom in 2013 to develop and deploy SVS to provide critical operational information about the supply chain network in South Africa. Prior to the development of the app, the NDoH relied on manual processes to access medicine availability information pertinent to PHC clinics.
The system was initially piloted at all PHC clinics in KwaZulu-Natal (605 clinics) and Limpopo (478 clinics) in 2014 and 2015 respectively and was used to monitor the availability of all antiretroviral, tuberculosis and vaccine stock items. These pilots aimed to, among other aspects, establish an understanding of the enabling factors that must be addressed for SVS to support medicine replenishment management at PHC level with the ultimate aim of improving medicine availability.
Alleviating stockouts
Over the 2014 and 2015 period, the overall number of stock-outs reported in KwaZulu-Natal decreased by 46%, 49% and 14% for ARVs, TB medicines and vaccines respectively.
Similarly, in Limpopo the overall decrease in the number of reported stock-outs during 2015 for the same medicines was 66%, 49% and 42% respectively.
However in June, an annual survey by Stop Stockouts revealed that a quarter of the 2,804 PHCs polled in 2015 said they had experienced a shortage of drugs in the previous three months, with Mpumalanga and Gauteng have the most stockouts of HIV and TB medicines.
SAs ART programme
South Africa has the worlds largest antiretroviral treatment (ART) programme with an estimated 31m people receiving treatment as of the end of March 2015.
With the new Test and Treat antiretroviral (ARV) treatment strategy announced by Motsoaledi in May this year, the expected increase in patients receiving ARVs will undoubtedly place further pressure on the countrys medicine supply systems to deliver the volumes of treatment needed.
To help curious travellers experience and explore the Seychelles and ignite their inspiratin with an incredible underwater encounter, Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove have launched "Unlock the Sea." Created in partnership with the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles, this unique, interactive programme helps guest discover a treasure trove of marine life around the island through a curated snorkeling experience and learn and educate themselves on the importance of marine conservation.
Marine experts from The Marine Conservation Society will guide the guest journey through five underwater zones
Guests can also witness an underwater art gallery or post a postcard to friends or family from under water.
Todays travellers are looking for active adventure and new ways of experiencing a destination. Seychelles, with its pristine white sands lapped by topaz waters, coral sunsets, and enchanting underwater sites provides all this and more, said Romain Chanet, general manager Le Meridien Fishermans Cove, Seychelles. Drawing inspiration from the brands commitment to helping travellers unlock destinations through the Filters of Discovery - Coordinates, Culture, and Cuisine, we hope this initiative will help us create an enriching guest experience.
Marine experts from the Marine Conservation Society will guide the guest journey through five underwater zones. This includes the Welcome zone which is the seagrass bed, the Coral Village which houses the dramatic and beautiful coral reefs, Blue or the open waters, the Reef Town where the reef elevates from the sandy bottom towards the rocks and the Fish Ville, the untouched and preserved area. Through these zones not only can guests see a variety of fish but also gain insights into the ecosystem and how we can preserve it.
What is more, while unravelling the mysteries of the underwater world, guests can get a glimpse of an underwater art gallery curated as part of the Arterial Networks Giant Tortoise Art Project, inspired by a number of celebrated street art projects in major cities across the world. Painted by celebrated artists from Seychelles, the Giant Tortoise Art Project is a showcase of the local art scene on the Island and underpins the fragility of the ecosystem in the face of global warming and rising sea levels.
Proceeds from the donations collected through the programme will go to sustain the marine conservation projects led by The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles.
The South African Post Office (SAPO) is a classic example of a dysfunctional relationship between government, business and labour. And it is the mission of Mark Barnes, CEO of the post office, not only to transform the institution, but to do so in order to provide a case study for how government, business and labour can work together for a common cause.
Mark Barnes
Reinvent or be replaced
Barnes was addressing a fundraiser for Afrika Tikkun at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg. He told the audience that business today is about reinventing yourself or being replaced. One only has to think of a company such as Kodak to know this is the reality.
In 2012, this iconic company, with its rich tradition and brand reputation, had to file for bankruptcy because it failed to recognise the threat of digital photography and almost didnt adapt in time.
On the other hand, he quotes one of his favourite companies, Uber. Their underlying message is the message for all businesses. To be successful, a company has to come to you - the consumer, not the other way around.
Taking your business to the customer
It is for this exact reason that he believes that banks will not exist in 20 years time. Companies that will succeed in the future will centre around the customer, because mobile technology has made the consumer very powerful, he adds.
But to succeed, Barnes says you need to get in early and take some risks. There will be failures, but when you get it right, it will be huge. When taxis in London said Uber was competition to them, Ubers comeback was that they are not in competition with taxis, but with Toyota. Younger generations will ask why own a car?
From post office to bank
Following this thinking, the post office will not just deliver mail, but do much more. It will also be a financial institution, which will not only cover banking. It will include life insurance and investments.
To demonstrate his point, Barnes quoted a number of post offices around the world that provide banking services, including China and Brazil. Namibias postal service banks 20% of that countrys population. Serbias postal service did 150,000 financial transactions last year.
The first steps in realising this vision has already been completed with the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) approving the first-level application for a banking licence for Postbank.
The awarding of the licence means that the Postbank is closer to offering more than just savings accounts as it will be able to offer banking cards and other services.
Officials expect the next and final level for the licence to be completed within 12 months.
Adding ecommerce
Apart from financial services, the entity will expand its current mail offering. The revenue stream will comprise ecommerce beyond parcel deliveries. Why can we not deliver ARV medicines, for example?
He says this is a worldwide trend, with unlikely partnerships forming to meet consumer demand. We are seeing this as brands join forces to remain relevant. Amazon bought petrol stations in the US, so people could pick up the goods they purchased there. You can do this in this country with Macro at Sasol. But we are saying why just Sasol why not the post office? And we are taking our distribution points for ecommerce to garages.
The future - one step at a time
This future, he believes, is entirely within the post offices grasp. We make money from small things that have to be moved urgently from one place to another. We can do this if we are functional because then we can compete with other companies that offer the same service, but at a much higher cost to the market.
It is also a process of one step at a time. We have settled the past, and while we are still losing money, we are at base zero now. The hard work is still ahead. We are lifting people up and they are starting to get it that they have it in them to change, and they are standing up to be counted. If everyone does the one thing they do 20 seconds faster, then we have a functional organisation. And then we can become a modern deliverer in a digital world.
For all African Union Nationals whose countries do not have a visa-free agreement with Ghana, the country has started a visa-on-arrival scheme at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
All AU nationals affected by the policy who arrive in the country must have a passport, valid for at least three months from the date of entry; they must have a return ticket or evidence of onward travel; they must show evidence of sufficient funds and proof of accommodation before they are granted visas according to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
This is great news for many travellers. However, what does it mean for the tourism and hospitality industries? Jumia Travel looks at the advantages and disadvantages of this development to these industries:
No more running around
For many travellers from African Union countries who plan on coming to Ghana either for business or for a vacation, this is welcoming news. What this basically means is that there is no need for running around embassies hustling for a visa before entering Ghana. All you have to do is be on that plane and you can acquire the visa once you arrive at the airport in Ghana. This eliminates the headache most travellers get from the processes and the bureaucracy involved. Coming to Ghana has never been easier than this.
It saves time and money
Secondly, the visa on arrival saves time and money. For many travellers, it was very time consuming filling out various forms and assembling many supporting documents to process a visa. The stress involved even discourages travelers and they tend to end the process as fast as they begin it. The monies involved in acquiring these visas are also exorbitant. From transportation costs to visa fees and agent fees, some travellers end up spending so much money to secure a simple visa to Ghana can be discouraging.
More people, more business
The new system means that more people will be willing to visit Ghana as it has become very convenient, cheaper and less time consuming. For the hospitality industry, the more people who arrive in Ghana, the more need for accommodation (hotels) and the more use of restaurants which means more business for stakeholders in the industry. For the Tourism sector, as more people are able to travel freely to Ghana, sales at tourist sites will be boosted and referrals from tourists to other travellers will also increase. There will be increased pressure on stakeholders to improve infrastructure and services in order to accommodate the large numbers of tourists trickling into the country.
High rates and competition
On the other hand, many hotels are already selling their rooms at high rates due to certain socioeconomic factors. If the number of foreign entry increases a bit more, then rates will be out of range because of the need to compete and provide adequate and efficient services to these travellers. This will have an adverse effect on the hospitality sector and a rippling effect on tourism. If travellers have to pay huge fees to get comfortable accommodation, they will hardly have any money left to tour and visit historic destinations and attractions that will fetch good revenue for the nation.
A limited service
Significantly, the issuance of visas on arrival is a very limiting service. Although highly beneficial, it is limited to only air travellers and doesnt make room currently for travellers who enter Ghana by road and sea. This means that many African travellers who cannot afford to travel by air would not benefit and this will stop them from planning trips to many beautiful destinations in Ghana. What this also means is that there will be long queues at the airport as every African traveller will be in line for a visa on arrival at the airport. This may be frustrating especially for the old, children or disabled.
Pressure on scarce resources
Finally, making it easy for African travellers to get visas on arrival in Ghana means that a few people might enter the country and not return to their various home countries. This will have grave effects on the demographics of certain areas of the country, putting excess pressure on the already scarce resources.
The new visa on arrival policy for AU countries is a good initiative and all stakeholders must ensure that it operates smoothly and with little disadvantages so as to grow the hospitality and tourism industries and cause a positive effect on foreign exchange and Ghanas GDP.
The Port of Port Elizabeth is the home port of the third ship registered on the South African Ships Register. Oil tanker MT LEFKAS docked at the port's berth 100 on 13 July, where a ceremonial plaque exchange ceremony was officiated. This marks another step in South Africa's drive to become a recognised maritime nation in line with the government's Operation Phakisa initiative which aims to unlock the potential of SA's oceans economy.
MT LEFKAS docked at Berth 100
The merchant vessel was previously registered under the flag of Liberia but will be using the Port of Port Elizabeth to provide a new offshore bunkering operation in Algoa Bay. In December 2012, the concept of attracting vessels to the Algoa Bay region was identified as an opportunity to grow the maritime industry in the region. In bringing this initiative to fruition, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and Aegean Bunkering Marine Services worked together to formalise the concept.
Aegean subsequently embarked on a rigorous process of securing approvals from the necessary authorities. The company has also obtained bunkering licenses from Transnet National Ports Authority to conduct bunkering operations in the Ports of Port Elizabeth and Port of Ngqura. Aegean is the first company able to offer fuels outside port limits (OPL) in South Africa and expects to attract passing ships with bunkers at anchorage in South Africas Algoa Bay.
Benefits
The registration of the MT LEFKAS and other vessels that will follow is significant towards the employment of South African seafarers. Every vessel has extra accommodation that allows for the training and development of cadets. The registration of the vessel is not restricted to our bunkering operations only but also introduces many economic benefits for the people of Port Elizabeth such as surveying, offshore services and crew changes (more traffic through the airport), hotel accommodation and light and heavy manufacturing said, Greek businessman Kosta Argyros.
Port of Port Elizabeth manager, Rajesh Dana added: The Port of Port Elizabeth is proud and honoured to be the registered home port for the Aegean vessel, MT LEFKAS. We congratulate Aegean for the registration of the vessel on the South African flag and look forward to the opportunities that this will present to Nelson Mandela Bay and South Africa.
This historic event is significant to the Port of Port Elizabeth and South Africa at large as it marks the catalytic growth in the South African Ship Registry and once again highlights Nelson Mandela Bays attractiveness as a Maritime City and its potential to exploit the Blue Oceans Economy.
Merchant ship registry
Previously the South African Department of Transport had noted that most shipping lines registered their ships outside the country, with the country relying on about 12,000 foreign vessels to export South African goods to the rest of the world. In September 2015, the bulk carrier CAPE ORCHID became the first ship to be registered on South Africas merchant ship registry since 1985, followed by sister ship Cape Enterprise.
The development of a locally owned commercial shipping fleet in South Africa is among the intended outcomes of South Africas involvement in BRICS to increase trade and cooperation.
AG Mobile, MediaTek and the Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Education Project have partnered to launch the #Freedom2Learn campaign, which will see a range of affordable 'Freedom' smart devices promote Madiba's legacy and the spread of education.
As a proudly South African brand, AG was chosen by the Long Walk to Freedom Education Project to be its exclusive partner to roll out its mobile strategy, to support its vision of Easy access to education via technology for all.
To drive the #Freedom2Learn campaign throughout South Africa and across the world, AG Mobile and the Long Walk to Freedom Education Project have partnered with mobile agency Silverstone Solutions to create a #Freedom2Learn mobile app.
The app will contain information on all of the products, exclusive Mandela content and a chance to take part in 67 exciting #Freedom2Learn challenges, with prizes available. The app also provides access to participate in a massive drive to donate one million AG Freedom smart devices to children in Africa.
According to AG Mobiles CEO, Anthony Goodman, not only does the company want to enable access to the internet via its smartphones and tablets but also it will be encouraging learning and education, the cornerstone of the Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Education Project.
Library containers
#Freedom2Learn will also promote access to education through the build and placement of library containers in communities throughout South Africa and eventually into Africa. These library containers will be fully equipped with learning materials, Wi-Fi connectivity and study facilities, further promoting access to education and learning among disadvantaged youths.
A percentage of profits made on the sale of all devices will go to the Long Walk to Freedom Library Project, thus giving longevity to Nelson Mandelas legacy on education, says Goodman.
Robert Coutts, CEO and spokesperson for the Long Walk to Freedom Education Project, says, Literacy is the key to all education. We are looking towards the future where technology will play an increasingly important part of our literacy campaign, as access to technology often accelerates the learning process.
We may not be able to help every child, but we have a responsibility to give children the tools to help themselves. The phones and tablets will be loaded with learning and education apps to help integrate children, adults and teachers into our digital world, a necessary component of an economically active citizen.
Madiba apps
The mobile devices range from a feature phone, very affordable four inch smartphones, a 4.5-inch LTE device and a more highly specified five inch offering as well as tablets. All devices will feature exclusive educational content and previously unseen Nelson Mandela content in the form of pictures, wallpapers, quotes and more. The Khan Academy App and Madibas Journey App are two of the apps to be made available on the phones and tablets.
The Khan Academy is an educational tool that enables the user to download over 10,000 educational videos and content which can be used for learning even when offline.
Users will also be able to explore Nelson Mandelas inspiring journey through the Madibas Journey App. By finding key locations on the phones mapping system, users can follow directions and immerse themselves in narratives from poignant moments throughout South African history. Users will be able to create a customised itinerary before embarking on their journey into Nelson Mandelas inspiring life.
There are also galleries displaying sneak peeks of what sites and stories await and users will be able to check in at each site through the App and their experiences.
The partners involved in this initiative believe that providing a mobile-first approach to education will pave the way to promoting and spreading education among learners in South Africa, and ultimately success later on in life.
The first Freedom Access (four inch) smartphones will be available in Truworths stores nationwide on the MTN network. The Freedom mobile devices and tablets can also be pre-ordered at www.freedom2learn.org.
Corporate donations are encouraged through the #Freedom2Learn CauseWRX platform and individual donations are encouraged through the #Freedom2Learn Generosity crowdfunding platform accessible via www.freedom2learn.org.
You know him as regional ECD of Native VML, but Ryan McManus is also a member of the Loeries' 2016 Digital & Interactive judging panel
He studied at AAA School of Design and Advertising; has worked at some of the worlds top ad agencies, including FCB, JWT, HAVAS Amsterdam & Paris, Serviceplan Munich; and collected an impressive host of awards including Cannes, ADC, Effies, NYF, One Show, Loeries and D&AD.
The fact that he has worked across different continents has given him a unique perspective on creativity, adding fuel to his belief that creativity can solve real-world problems. For example, in Amsterdam, he co-founded the Join the Pipe NGO that won Best New Initiative from Unicef, wrote and directed an environmental documentary that was shot on location in the South Pacific islands, and co-founded The Soon Institute, which focused on prototyping futures within the communication industry.
Now, with this years Loeries themed Creativity Unites and McManus the creative behind the campaign, what could be more fitting than picking his brain? While he admits to having some creativity-rut medicine for himself, hes not sure its a standard thing, and says, Everyone needs to find their own inspiration. And having no inspiration is part of the process. My basic rule is to get away from the computer.
Sound advice, especially as he says creativity is everything and that he doesnt ever think of it as a job title, despite being executive creative director of Native. Instead, he says creativity is a human function, like saying that you can eat or walk or speak. So while everyone and anyone can be creative, this doesnt mean that everybody is all the time, but anyone can be, its just about what you channel your creativity into, whether that may be writing, neuroscience, building, carpenting, teaching or cooking. Its just how you do things. And how prepared you are to constantly challenge yourself and believe absolutely that there is always a better way.
McManus in his happy place: Weekend surfing, exploring and whale watching.
Here, McManus shares his views on the true impact of creativity as he takes us behind the scenes of his daily work life
1. Where do you live, work and play?
McManus: Live in Cape Town. Work in my head. Play in the ocean.
2. Whats your claim to fame?
McManus: I once worked out how to get into a full, overpriced party by carrying a case of beers past the long queue and up to the front door. The bouncers thought I was just bringing in more beer and let me straight in over the red carpet.
And I can do handstands for ages.
3. Describe your career so far.
McManus: Widespread, inspiring, diverse, culturally rich, always new and exciting, filled with great mentors, great people, and adventure.
4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.
McManus: Family. Friends. The ocean. Beer. Ideas. Film. Design. Biographies. Music played with instruments. Goosebumps. Sunshine. Fresh powder. Human behaviour. Tequila. Nature.
5. What do you love about your industry?
McManus: That its not a science. That greatness can come from anywhere. That it can solve problems. That it relies on intuition. And that its never, ever dull.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
McManus: There is no such thing as an average workday. If you constantly have average workdays you should probably find something more interesting to do. Work and life are not separate and I dont like anything average.
7. What are the tools of your trade?
McManus: Pen. Paper. Time. Space. Communication. Inspiration. And sometimes a computer.
8. Who is getting it right in your industry?
McManus: RGA. Apple. Nike. Serviceplan. Patagonia. Ideo. Jane Says.
9. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.
McManus: Lots. Probably too much. (Puke)
10. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
McManus: There is no formula, but hard work. I do feel that the best ideas come when the energy is good. And certain places feel like they have ideas floating in the air around them, waiting to be plucked. Walking helps. Talking helps. Sometimes sitting quietly helps. Usually they just reveal themselves when they are good and ready.
11. Whats your secret talent/party trick?
McManus: Arm-wrestling.
12. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?
McManus: I am pretty schizophrenic with tech. I love tech that make sense for human beings and helps to push society forward in a direction that is good. But a lot of tech forgets to ask the question of WHY. And that scares me. Just because we CAN do something doesnt mean we should. (e.g. Google Glass)
13. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?
McManus: Lots of photos, constant and irritating reminders to update my software, lots of idea notes, to do lists, guitar-tuna, a dormant Twitter account, a full calendar, 13,607 unread emails, 938 unread messages, WSL app, Slack, and now VR apps.
14. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?
McManus: Find great mentors. Stay open to learning. Work harder than anyone else.
Simple as that. You can read more McManus by clicking here, visiting Natives press office and following McManus on Twitter.
Also remember to visit the Loeries website and our special section to keep your finger on that creative pulse if you just cant wait for Loeries Creative Week Durban, from taking place 15 to 21 August 2016.
Mandela Day can be more than just one day, if organisations plan the short-term programme for maximum impact.
Monash South Africas head of community engagement, Bronwyn Dugtig, says, We should not underestimate the value of a short-term programme that leads to broader sustainable engagement.
Working at Monash South Africas campus, with both students and staff I have seen the impact short term projects such as Mandela Day can have on the individual. Many of our students and staff start off volunteering on a single community day and this often leads to longer term volunteering in one of our many sustainable community programmes.
rawpixel via 123RF
Having worked in community engagement for over six years, Dugtig strongly believes volunteering develops leadership and active citizens; their strongest leaders are often those who volunteer in social change projects. Many of the universitys undergraduate and postgraduate students have chosen career paths that work to tackle critical issues in Africa, such as education, health and HIV Aids, environmental issues and civic engagement.
However, volunteering is not just for the youth, seeking a community-focused career path. Mandela Day provides an opportunity for companies to start to engage in a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme and promote active citizenship among their employees. Corporate engagement on the day often surpasses the stipulated 67 minutes, growing into a longer-term project, encouraging employee retention as many employees look to work for corporates with a conscious.
Eight tips for a successful programme
There are eight important considerations when planning a Mandela Day programme by corporates or individuals.
1. Partner with an experienced, existing organisation - When planning a project, one should look to partner with an existing organisation. This can ensure that your impact and effort will last for more than just one day. Talk to a number of organisations to ascertain some of the areas they struggle with.
2. Build a relationship of trust with the organisation Develop a long term relationship with the community organisation or NGO so that you can partner with them on an ongoing basis and build a relationship of trust. A relationship of trust will assist your partner to be open with you about their needs; where they would like your help and where they do not require help.
3. Ask how can we help? Do not automatically assume you know the answers and can provide solutions. You need to listen closely to a community organisation to engage in a healthy partnership with them.
4. Develop your programme together with your community partner Develop the programme and activities for the day together, do not come up with your Mandela Day from the point of view of your office.
5. Empower and create ownership in the process It is very important to remember that you are there to assist the community partner and that the staff and the beneficiaries of the programme come first. Listening and collaborating creates a sense of ownership and empowerment that will keep the momentum going after you return to your usual working day.
6. Be aware of images used in social media Be aware of pictures you use on social media, particularly pictures that make beneficiaries look vulnerable. When you post a picture, ask yourself the question, Am I posting this picture because it makes me look good or am I posting it because it makes the other people in the picture look good? Remember that you need permission from all people in a picture before you can use it to further your corporate image, be respectful of a persons rights to privacy. You can very easily disempower someone by the images you post.
7. Prepare and orientate your volunteers Communicate clearly with your staff members as to where they are going and what you want them to achieve. Well-meaning volunteers can create false promises and insincere commitments. Develop guidelines with your community partner as to how your employees should conduct themselves on the day. Examples of such guidelines could be do not hand out money haphazardly; if you see a serious need or issue, speak to the organisation and use the correct channels for assistance; do not make empty promises on the day, such as promising to collect donations or return to visit a child. If volunteers would like to continue to engage further, they should first speak to their CSR manger or community organisation. Remind your employees that they are visitors in a community and should be respectful. If you have partnered with an organisation that works with children make sure you have all volunteers sign a child protection policy to understand their risks and responsibilities. You do not want to put children or your employees at risk because you overlooked this step.
8. Have fun and enjoy the experience Lastly, remember to have fun! If you follow the above guidelines, you are well on your way to starting a great partnership and celebrating the life and legacy of President Nelson Mandela.
Nelson Mandela lived an extraordinary life, giving 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. This legacy needs to be passed down to future generations and what better way to do that than to be active citizens? concludes Dugtig.
It cannot be ignored that advertising is what made the World Wide Web what it is today right from the humble beginnings. However what has been in every publisher's nightmares is what if we are to wake up one day with our target audience having had a Eureka moment of realising the power of ad blockers in enhancing their browsing experience? The question that remains on everyone's mind is if these tools could spell doom for the industry as we know it. Experts are guessing this could be the case and this has been proven by the drop inventory since ad blockers started mushrooming. In the US alone it has been reported that an estimated 15% of internet users have ad blocking software installed. In the UK ad blocking was already at 22% among over-18 year olds. That is a scary statistic.
Unless someone does something (and pretty soon) to combat ad blockers, the online advertising industry will eventually reach its demise. Little chicken syndrome you think. This will not happen in the next year or two for that matter, but it will eventually happen unless industry leaders devise a workaround.
Reports are coming thick and fast from different media outlets about how publishers are cracking down on these naughty buggers. Other publishers have gone the route of having a pop-up message that notifies users to opt to switch off ad blockers in turn make sure that the publisher continues to provide their readers with the information they see while generating revenue from ads.
Digiday recently reported that Conde Nast site Epicurious has been serving a pop-up to users, requiring them to disable their ad-blocking software or register in order to continue using the site. The strategy of enticing users with good content seems to work.
But it is not all doom and gloom
Google reportedly wants to implement a policy around acceptable ads. The buzz question has been; what will constitute an acceptable ad? Whatever an acceptable ad is, the move is set to affect advertisers and in a big way. The scenario is simple; why change something when you dont know what is wrong with it? Advertisers who are satisfied with their ads are most likely to be infuriated by the impending move; it has to be about what works for advertisers at the end of the day.
Of paramount importance is for ad servers and/or publishers to establish what types of ads consumers find unacceptable. This is set to be a tricky task since the approach to ad blocking is a blanket one. However we'll just need to hold our breath since this is still only in the pipeline. There is no doubt that if this is implemented, the sale of inventory is most likely to drop and advertisers are going to look for the next wave, any guess what that be would? Native advertising maybe?
As big as Google is, one cannot pin their hopes on them single handedly fighting ad blockers. Ad blockers are an industry wide problem, therefore ad ops, content creators and advertisers should play their part in reaching an amicable solution to combat the problem.
Keep users engaged and entertained
The old school way of creating entertaining and engaging ads can help in curtailing the rise of ad blockers. With that being said, content creators will need to go back to the drawing board and have fun while they're at it - after all, creativity is fun. An ordinary Joe on the street wouldnt think of blocking ads if they are entertaining, it is a matter of listening to what the audience wants.
Curiosity killed a cat
Publishers can capitalise on users curiosity - How this can work is by blocking users with ad blockers from their sites. This may be a hard-handed approach, but in the long run it can work. Users go to different sites for their daily dose of news, shopping, posting, ranting - you name it, but if there are deprived of having access to those necessities due to having installed ad blockers, they will be left with no choice but to let ad blockers go.
Lean and non-intrusive ads are the future
Ad blockers are capitalising on the dissatisfaction of users when it comes to intrusive and misleading ads as well as the time it takes to load web pages when there are ads served. Ad operations could work hand in hand with advertises and publishers to devise a new approach to online advertising whereby lighter ads are served. In fact this is what the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) is trying to achieve with their L.E.A.N ads principles. L.E.A.N. or light, encrypted, AdChoice-supported, non-invasive ads, is a scoring tool, and the IAB expects to have a scoring algorithm in place, the results of which are still to be seen with time. IAB Tech Lab is developing tighter guidelines on page load impact and file sizes in order to have a lighter set of ads.
http://digiday.com/publishers/epicurious-tests-an-ad-blocking-message/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_blocking
http://www.iab.com/iab-tech-lab-solutions/
http://digiday.com/publishers/ad-blocker-usage-drops-40-percent-incisive-media-following-ban-trial/
About the author
Bongani Mtlhavani
Constantly listening to the heartbeat of the digital media industry, I worked for various media and advertising houses and have around four years experience in the marketing and digital media environments. Always on the lookout for new products offerings and insights from various platforms like Google, Facebook, Appnexus, Tubemogul, as well as others in the digital media space, helps me when recommending solutions for clients.
NEW YORK, USA - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has started relief distributions of food assistance in Swaziland in response to rising hunger due to the worst drought in the region in more than two decades.
Image by 123RF
Some 350,000 people nearly a third of the population of Swaziland are in urgent need of food assistance, according to the Swaziland Vulnerability and Assessment Committee.
Many rural communities are in the grip of hunger and this is set to continue until at least the harvest next April, says Alberto Mendes, WFP country director in Swaziland. Were working with the Government and donors to mobilize assistance, but without more funding we will not be able to continue to assist those most in need.
The first cycle of distributions by WFP and non-government partners has targeted 78,000 people in the worst-affected areas of the country in support of the National Disaster Management Agency.
WFP plans to reach 100,000 people in August and to scale up again to reach some 150,000 people by the height of the lean season in early 2017 through a combination of food and cash assistance. The Government has also committed substantial resources to assist those in need.
The Government declared a state of emergency in February and launched its National Emergency Response, Mitigation and Adaptation Plan requiring almost US$85 million, of which some US$61 million has yet to be secured.
The Government is aware of the needs created by the drought and appreciates the support by partners like WFP whose efforts complement those of the Government, especially in providing food assistance to those who need it the most. The Government has committed about US$10 million for food relief, says Russell Dlamini, the chief executive officer of the National Disaster Management Agency.
The United Nations has contributed $2.8 million to food relief through its Central Emergency Response Fund. However, WFP still requires more than US$10 million to scale up its operations to meet needs of the most vulnerable through the lean season into next year.
Swaziland is among the countries in the region hardest hit by two years of successive drought, most recently as a result of the El Nino weather event in southern Africa.
During the last agricultural season, many farmers in Swaziland planted not just once but twice, only to see their crops wither and die in the ground. Parents at WFP food distributions have reported going hungry themselves in order to feed their children.
Water sources have declined by more than 50% in Swaziland due to the lack of rain. Contributing to the hardship faced by many has been a jump in food costs maize prices have more than doubled since last year.
In addition to supporting the National Disaster Management Agency, WFP is working with non-government organizations including World Vision International, Save the Children Fund, Caritas and Africa Co-operative Action Trust Lilima (Swaziland).
ALGIERS - An Algerian court on Wednesday threw out a bid by billionaire Issad Rebrab to buy an influential media group, effectively barring him from taking control of a newspaper critical of the president.
Image by 123RF
The ruling by an administrative court comes nearly a month after the same tribunal froze Rebrab's 40 million euro bid ($45 million) to purchase the El Khabar group.
The sale had been agreed in April between El Khabar and Ness-Prod, a subsidiary of Rebrab's Cevital conglomerate.
But after the deal was struck the government went to court to stop Rebrab from acquiring El Khabar, which includes Algeria's flagship daily -- also called El Khabar (The News) -- and a TV channel.
The government argued that an article in the law prevents a single legal entity owning more than one Algerian daily newspaper. Rebrab already owns the French-language daily Liberte.
The media group had strongly opposed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika standing for a fourth term as president during 2014 elections, supporting his rival, former prime minister Ali Benflis.
Judge Mohamed Dahmane ruled the media group, founded in 1990 by a group of journalists as Algeria was emerging from a one-party political system, should be restored to its "initial" ownership.
The government's lawyer, Nadjim Bitam, welcomed the ruling. "I am very satisified with the court's decision," he told AFP.
Last month's decision to block the sale of the media group, which also includes a printing press and a distribution firm, caused an outcry from Algeria's independent press and political opposition.
Dozens of journalists and El Khabar employees gathered outside the court in the Algiers suburb of Birmandreis in June, chanting "El Khabar won't die", despite a heavy police presence.
El Khabar chief Cherif Rezki condemned what he called Algeria's "trend towards authoritarianism" and intolerance. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the court's ruling was "extremely worrying".
Forbes magazine lists Rebrab as Algeria's richest man and the ninth-richest in Africa in 2015. He founded Algeria's biggest privately held conglomerate, Cevital, which employs 12,000 people and is active in electronics, steel, and food and has recently acquired businesses in France and Italy.
Forbes says the Algerian industrialist also owns one of the largest sugar refineries in the world, producing around 1.5 million tonnes a year.
Source: AFP
New Mexico authors Barbe Awalt, Loretta Hall and Patricia C. Hodapp are celebrating the release of their Bucket List books with a "Bucket of Fun" event at 3pm on Sunday, July 17, at Page One Books. Awalt's latest is The Ultimate Green Chile Cheeseburger Bucket List, Hall has The Complete Space Buff's Bucket List, and Patricia C. Hodapp's effort is The Complete Santa Fe Bucket List.
Awalt's Green Chile Cheeseburger is described as such: "The Complete Green Chile Cheeseburger Bucket List is the sixth book in the series of Bucket List books from Rio Grande Books. New Mexico didn't invent the cheeseburger, but it did invent the green chile cheeseburger and is famous for it. When you visit New Mexico you need to eat a green chile cheeseburger. The book documents green chile cheeseburgers all over New Mexico with the epicenters in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. There are even green chile pizza, lamb cheeseburgers, vegetarian, make your own, and with every kind of topping known to man."
Hall's Space Buff is teased as such: "The Complete Space Buff's Bucket List talks about, of course, the usual things like great museums, planetariums, astronauts, space suits, rockets, planets, and stars. But it also has duct tape, Tang, Cosmos, movies, space burial, Astronaut Ice Cream, Biosphere, aliens and the Meteorite Crater. Each Bucket List book is dedicated to an appropriate non-profit and this book highlights The National Space Society. If you have things on your bucket list that are not in this book, no fear, because there is a blank list in the back of the book. This book is a fun and light space book that will appeal to astronauts everywhere."
And Hodapp's Santa Fe list is thus described: "The Complete Santa Fe Bucket List Book is the fifth in the series of Bucket List books by Rio Grande Books. Patricia C. Hodapp, Director of the Santa Fe Library, lists all of the Santa Fe events, places, and distinctive fun that makes The City Different is one of the greatest tourist locations in the US. There are 100 things that she thinks are noteworthy including: green and red chile, El Rancho de las Golondrinas, sunsets, blue skies, art of Hispanics, Native Americans and Anglos, museums, Canyon Road and the Plaza."
Awalt has hung and curated countless art exhibits including nine venues for the Our Saints Among Us travelling exhibit. She is also the co-publisher of Tradicion Revista, the only regular magazine featuring the Hispanic arts and culture of the Southwest. She lives in Albuquerque.
Hall, formerly a high school math teacher, started a new career as a freelance writer in 1990. She has written magazine articles on many topics, including travel, business and construction. She has also written reference book chapters on such topics as Native American tribes, biographies of scientists and mathematicians, and how various products are made. In 2009, when plans for Spaceport America, the country's first purpose-built commercial spaceflight facility, began moving forward, she was fascinated to discover the important role New Mexico has played in the development of space travel. She decided to herald that unheralded history by writing Out of this World: New Mexico's Contributions to Space Travel, the only book to document the historic events in the state and the personal stories of the people who accomplished them. She also created a website, NMSpaceHistory.com, to supplement the book with news items and additional insights. Out of this World was named Best New Mexico Book in the 2011 New Mexico Book Awards. She is a member of the National Space Society, the Society for the History of Technology, the National Federation of Press Women, and the Historical Society of New Mexico's Speakers Bureau. She and her husband, Jerry, live in Albuquerque."
Hodapp is the director of the Santa Fe Library, and lives in the City Different. Hodapp started her book with questions that she has been asked in the library and on the street. She enjoys encountering visitors with the simple question, Where are you heading?
A file photo.
HYDERABAD (PTI): G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister, will take over as Director General of Missiles and Strategic Systems (DG-MSS) at DRDO here in additional capacity.
"Satheesh Reddy will hold the charge of Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems (DG-MSS), in addition to his appointment as Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister," DRDO sources said today.
He is a distinguished aerospace scientist and Director of the city-based Research Centre Imarat (RCI), the missile avionics hub of DRDO.
He joined DRDO in 1986 and led the conceptualisation, design and development of inertial sensors, navigation schemes, algorithms systems, along with development of satellite navigation receivers and hybrid navigation systems.
Under his leadership, advanced products and varieties of avionics systems have been produced and successfully flight tested in strategic programmes of the country.
As Project Director, Reddy led the design and development of ring laser gyro-based INS system, MEMS-based INS system, sea-guard reference system and ship navigation system strengthening the country's self reliance in high accuracy and long range navigation and also successfully developed a 1,000 kg class guided bomb.
As Director of RCI, Reddy led the development of avionics technologies in critical areas and various defence programmes.
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2016 (2295 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Two of Manitobas most valued natural areas are hosting hikers with an odd-looking backpack this week a 50-pound camera whose 15 lenses capture a 360-degree image every 2.5 seconds.
Those images will be stitched together by Google Trekker, an initiative that harnesses the GPS technology behind Googles Maps and StreetView to allow citizens around the world to virtually schlep along the same trail that the hikers will take and into areas that cant be reached by a Google StreetView car.
The two spaces to get the Google treatment this summer are both located in Westman: Fort Ellice, near Saint Lazare (about 165 kilometres north of Brandon), and Elk Glen, which stretches along the south side of Riding Mountain National Park.
Bruce Bumstead/Brandon Sun Nature Conservancy of Canadas Christine Chilton and Luc Thomas help Jean Rosset with the 50-pound Google Earth mapping and camera system at the historic Fort Ellice site.
The spaces are two of the nine natural areas in Manitoba managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, a conservation organization that manages more than 2.8-million acres of natural areas coast-to-coast.
The NCC contacted Google last summer to start the project, the copyright on the images collected by the backpack cameras will belong to Google.
On Thursday, the hikers started on the Fort Ellice property, located at the meeting point of the Assiniboine River and Beaver Creek.
First established in 1831 by C.T. William Todd, the land was once host to a Hudsons Bay Company trading post and fort. Today its a rich, diverse series of ecosystems that play host to elk, coyote, moose, northern leopard frogs and the monarch butterfly.
Its pretty unique in the context of Manitoba habitat types its got some sandhill prairie site on it, said Kevin Teneycke, NCC Manitobas senior director of conservation. NCC started acquiring the Fort Ellis space in 2012; the property now spans just less than 5,000 acres.
In addition to historical exploration related to the fort, research in the area has studied aquatic health assessments, pollinator work plus surveys for threatened and engaged species, including the twin monkey flower and several threatened birds like the Spragues pipit.
Elk Glen, which will take the spotlight today, is heralded as another high-diversity property that features a blend of boreal and aspen parkland, bog and prairie, that features a continuous footpath.
Bruce Bumstead/The Brandon Sun Nature Conservancy of Canadas Jean Rosset maps and photographs the historic Fort Ellice site south of St. Lazare using a Google Earth camera system on Thursday.
NCC Manitoba communications co-ordinator Christine Chilton, one of the NCC employees taking the tall, top-heavy rig for a stroll, said a lot of research has been carried out in Elk Glen, including a study on resident wolves and pollinator research.
There are a total of 14 locations being documented across Canada this summer from the Kootenay Mountains in B.C. to Newfoundlands Maddox Cove.
We realized it was a really great way to connect Canadians to the landscape that we work on. Once Canadians see the property, they are going to be inspired by what they see and theyll have a greater appreciation for the landscape, Chilton said.
She and the other hikers had to be careful to document the time of day, weather and amount of light available before starting to photograph.
The finished product from last years photographed locations should be available online later this summer. Chilton estimates the finished products from this years work should be available online nest summer.
Teneycke said while hes hoping Manitobans will take to the virtual course, all NCC properties are also open in the real world.
We certainly recognize one of the keys to success in terms of recognizing biodiversity is engagement with the public the public needs to support these types of initiatives. Its recognized as an important way to get support, for people to have an understanding and appreciation for it. We need to find more ways to engage Canadians with their natural environment, he said.
Bruce Bumstead/Brandon Sun Jean Rosset
That said, Teneycke is always concerned with protecting the areas.
If youre interested in exploring the real-life spaces, Teneycke advises visitors to call the 1-800 phone number thatll be posted at the property to check in and be briefed on any information in the area.
tbateman@brandonsun.com
Twitter: @tombatemann
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2016 (2295 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
With her son, niece and nephew in tow, Louise Corriveau waited in line at the Samaritan House Food Bank on Thursday. Rising food costs and mounting bills means Corriveau relies on bi-weekly hampers to help feed her family.
Our rent is the same which is nice our landlord kind of knows our situation so she doesnt jump it up too much but I just find the food is whats really costing a lot right now, she said. Even if its on sale, you could have got it cheaper last year.
The Brandon mother is looking forward to the federal governments roll-out of the new child benefit. Cheques are expected to hit the mailboxes next week under the new Liberal plan. While Corriveau isnt sure exactly how much more she will receive, the average increase for each family will be nearly $200 per month.
Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun Louise Corriveau with son Kenneth and nephew Quentin pick up food from Samaritan House on Thursday. Corriveau is looking forward to the federal governments roll-out of the new child benefit.
It would actually be a big help, honestly, she said. Because my husband, he was working by himself, and I had to start working part time to try and support the family.
She added she also regularly takes care of her niece, 11, and nephew, 12.
They love to come over all the time. Its extra mouths to feed, she said. More income is always nice to fill up the cupboards, and to help pay for bills.
The Canada child benefit was one of the Liberal election platforms last year, with an annual cost of approximately $22 billion.
The single tax-free benefit incorporates the universal child care benefit, the Canada child tax benefit and the national child benefits supplement. It will be sent automatically to parents who filed 2015 taxes on time and were receiving child benefits.
Corriveau says she hopes the extra money will allow her to save up for a camping trip with the children.
Thats my goal for the summer, she said. Id like to do that for them, its one thing to look forward to.
The Samaritan House Food Bank distributes between 60 and 80 food hampers per day roughly 20,000 per year a number that is steadily rising, according to the organizations website. Nearly 50 per cent of the local food bank clients are children.
Brandy Robertson, executive director of The Womens Resource Centre, said she sees clients on a daily basis who will benefit from the extra funds.
Finances is always an issue that we see here, Robertson said. We work with fairly marginalized women and so theyre always coming in trying to figure out how theyre going to get the simple things like food to feed their kids for the week, because theyre waiting for a hamper or something like that.
Robertson said a few hundred dollars extra per month will most likely make a big difference for many clients, in terms of groceries, diapers, etc.
This increased money will give them, I think, a sense of independence, a better sense of autonomy, some self-esteem I hope so they dont have to constantly feel like theyre asking for help all the time, she said.
The maximum benefit $6,400 per year for children under six and $5,400 for children six to 17 will be paid to families with a net income under $30,000. Previously the maximum was $4,852 and $3,916, respectively.
The amount is reduced as income goes up. Families with a net income higher than $150,000 are expected to receive less than they used to, and those earning more than $200,000 wont likely receive a benefit.
jaustin@brandonsun.com with files from the Winnipeg Free Press
Twitter: @jillianaustin
Opinion
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2016 (2295 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
If you like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain if cheeseburger is paradise, medium rare with mustardd be nice!
If youve ever checked out a Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville restaurant, youve likely seen Landshark, Margaritavilles go-to lager. Now its available in Canada at your local Liquor Mart.
Landshark Lager is a tropical island-style lager brewed generally by Labatt owners Anheuser-Busch InBev, but for the Canadian market, Landshark is brewed by Brick Brewing out of Waterloo, Ont. (How in the world Brick Brewing was able to get the Canadian rights for a beer brewed by the worlds largest beer conglomerate, I have no idea.)
Its been incredibly humid lately almost as bad as being in Quebec City so a strong, crisp lager is very much appreciated.
Bricks Landshark Lager pours your typical crisp straw golden lager, clear as the sky, with a good amount of carbonation, and a minimal amount of light white foam that pops up on top just to settle on the side of the glassware.
The aroma is very much malt-based. Its a sweet, caramel-influenced grainy aroma, with notes of buttery store-bought toast, and typical scents of Canadian camping beers (Moosehead, Kokanee Gold, Labatt 50) that pop out once in a while.
The taste is very much a grainy barley malt a sugary, grainy, at-the-farm lager with a moderate amount of hops to give it a bit of a grassy hop vibrance. Its not bitter as hell, yet its present for those who still have their taste buds intact after drinking 80 24s of Bud Light.
For a lager, this is much more malt-forwarded, with notes of honey, gritty barley, memories of cleaning the grainery and a good hint of malt sweetness, making this sweeter than Manitobas favourite beer, Bud Light.
You can find Brick Brewings Landshark Lager at Liquor Marts in Brandon (10th and Victoria, South End), Dauphin, Minnedosa and Portage la Prairie.
It costs $2.75 per 473 ml can and packs 4.6 per cent ABV.
If youre not so much a fan of lagers, Brick Brewing is really well-known in Westman for their Waterloo Grapefruit Radler in fact, its easily Westmans most popular radler. If you love the taste of grapefruit juice and a hint of lager, you can find this summertime delight at Liquor Marts and vendors all over the province for $3.25 per 473 ml can.
Last but not least, the fourth and final series of this years Coast to Coaster event at Liquor Marts, beer vendors/small-town convenience stores and The Dock on Princess starts today, featuring Amsterdams Cruiser All Day Pale Ale, Flying Monkeys 12 Minutes to Destiny Hibiscus Pale Ale and Waterloo Kirkwood Blueberry Wiesenbier.
Actually, one thing I did forget Beaus Brewing is coming to Manitoba. Over the years Ive seen people wearing Beaus Brewing T-shirts all over Westman, but of course, people were disappointed that Beaus only shipped their beer within a 300-mile radius of its Vankleek Hill, Ont., location, 50 minutes east of Ottawa.
Within the next few weeks, Beaus All Organic Beer will be available here in Manitoba, making it the first time that Beaus has shipped outside that 300-mile radius. Not only that, they will be bringing many of their popular organic beers to the Wheat City. Ill be reviewing their beer as soon as its available here.
Pint Rating: 3 pints out of 5
Cody Lobreau is a Canadian beer blogger who reviews every beer he can get his hands on as he believes that he should try every beer twice to get an understanding if its truly good or bad.
BeerCrank.ca
Opinion
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/07/2016 (2295 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A prime minister who rode to power last October on the optimistic message of sunny ways and who also became an international sensation by trumpeting the merits of diplomacy, dialogue and multilateralism, will now lead Canada into a new Cold War with Russia.
Little more than a week ago, while attending the NATO leaders summit in Poland, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada will take command of a 1,000-strong multinational force in Latvia, to act as a modern age deterrence to Russian aggression.
Canada will be sending at least 450 troops, along with armoured vehicles to the Baltic state as part of an enduring NATO presence in Eastern Europe. The Canadians will form the nucleus of the battle group in Latvia, with additional troops joining the force from other allies. Germany, the United States and Britain are leading similar forces in Lithuania, Poland and Estonia.
Several aggressive actions by the Russian army over the last few years have prompted NATO leaders to discard a quarter-century-old policy of trust, and as Der Spiegel stated back in May, recommit to the former and much more expensive policy of deterrence. Aggressive actions taken by the Russian government over the last few years have left NATO allies no choice but to acknowledge that the time for peace and diplomacy with Russia has ended.
Under the direction of President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Federation annexed the Ukrainian territory of Crimea in March of 2014, following the Ukrainian revolution earlier that year. That action prompted NATO to suspend its military co-operation with Moscow. Since then, Russia has increased the frequence of combat readiness exercises, widely seen as training exercises in the event of war with the West.
In February of this year, the BBC reported that Russia held such exercises involving 8,500 troops with dozens of military ships and aircraft near the eastern Ukraine region held by pro-Russian rebels. Russia was simultaneously in the process of heavy bombing in Syria to push anti-government rebels away from the city of Aleppo to aid Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The assumption here is that Putin believes the Cold War never really ended or at least, shouldnt have and is acting upon that belief by flexing his countrys military muscles. In order to protect states such as Ukraine and Georgia from further incursions, NATO has finally decided to draw a line in the sand, by putting NATO troops in harms way as a trip wire for any future action that Russia may take.
Once the NATO forces are in place, should the Russian military decide to take any action against another European state along its eastern borders, it will have to deal directly with western troops. The point with this kind of deterrence is not to stop Russia the various NATO forces will be much too small for that. These trip-wire forces will act much like they did in Eastern Germany during the Cold War, when a small but significant number of American forces were stationed in Europe.
University of California political scientist Branislav Slantchev said it best in his lecture on deterrence and compellence.
The presence even of a significant U.S. force there was not enough to win a land war against the Red Army. However, it did ensure that if the Soviets ever decided to attack, they would have to do so in strength that would be sufficient to overcome these forces, Slantchev wrote. This meant that the Soviets would have to use such a large number of troops that there would remain no doubt about their intentions.
An attack on the U.S. contingent in Europe would be nothing less than the opening salvo in a general war. It would shatter the glass plate, so to speak.
The troops were there to die gloriously, and in doing so, force NATO allies to act. This is the kind of role to which Trudeau has committed Canadian troops many of whom may well be sourced from our very own CFB Shilo, who have proven themselves capable in the Balkans, and on the battlefields in Afghanistan.
This will be both expensive and open-ended. Its been reported that at least 15 of the 28 member states in NATO have increased their military spending, especially those countries that feel most threatened by Russia. In order to finance Canadas participation, the Liberals have thus far committed $385 million over three years.
Canada is about to enter a new Cold War with an old aggressor. The original Cold War lasted for decades, so we can only guess at how long Canadian troops will be stationed in Europe.
But three years seems somehow understated, as the world becomes a more dangerous place.
Shoppers in Thailand got more than they bargained for last week after a giant monitor lizard wandered into a Tesco Loftus store.
The lizard picked a spot right in front of the store's automatic doors and refused to budge as staff tried in vain to get him to leave.
One in every 65 students has a diagnosis of autism according to the recently released National Council for Special Education (NCSE) report.
This equates to approximately 14,000 students, much higher than the one in every 100 previously estimated.
The Charities Regulator have said it is their aim to make sure Ireland has a vibrant and trusted charity sector.
Launching a statement this morning they said it is their aim to ensure all charities are complying with the law.
Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said it was an important statement given the recent 'disturbing and extraordinary' revelations about Console.
The regulation of the charity sector will secure its future and protect it against exploitation by unscrupulous, unprincipled and unethical individuals.
There are many fine charitable organisations working in Ireland today.
They are rightly proud of the work they do and the public are immensely supportive and grateful for that work.
Without their commitment, drive and enthusiasm, Irish society would be immeasurably poorer."
Chairperson of the Board of the Charities Regulator, Paddy Hopkins, also speaking at the event said: It outlines our vision on how we will implement the core objectives over the next three years and ensure that the public have trust in the sector.
Also speaking at the launch, CEO of the Charities Regulator, John Farrelly, said: This document is crucial for the development of fair and strong regulation in the charity sector.
It is my determination that as a Regulator, we will implement the law without fear or favour to ensure that the best interests of the public are served."
In the statement, the regulator stipulates that they aim to apply the law so that good charities flourish.
The regulator, which was established in 2014, is made up of 15 members has outlined the vision for the body which is a vibrant, trusted charity sector that is valued for the public benefit it provides.
The body outlined its values to be independence, fairness, openness, proportionality, learning and engagement.
The strategic objectives of the report are a four pronged process: One registration and reporting, two compliance and investigation, three stakeholder engagement and four an effective and efficient organisation.
Let Me Tell You is a new bespoke podcast series from
Hosts Daniel McConnell and Paul Hosford take a look back at some of the most dramatic moments in recent Irish political history from the unique perspective of one of the key players involved.
The French Ambassador to Ireland has thanked the Irish people for their support in the aftermath of the attack.
Earlier the Taoiseach Enda Kenny expressed his deepest sympathy to President Hollande and all of France on behalf of the government and Irish people.
Galway has been chosen as Europes Capital of Culture 2020.
The city and county will now receive European and Government funding to host cultural events throughout the year.
Limerick and The Three Sisters: Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford were both in the running for the title but lost out to Galway on the day.
Our capital Dublin, also took a shot at the title, but failed to make it onto the shortlist.
The city was chosen based on what it plans to offer tourists and locals throughout the year.
It is thought to be worth 170m to the winning city and county in terms of funding and tourism.
Disappointment for Limerick
Director of the Limerick 2020 bid for European Capital of Culture has said that the bid process has been a giant boost to the cultural re-awakening energising Limerick today.
Congratulating Galway on being selected as the successful bid for the 2020 designation, Mike Fitzpatrick said that though disappointed not to have been selected, Limericks cultural flame has been fuelled for decades to come by the experience.
The 2020 European Capital of Culture bid has been an incredible experience for Limerick. After the highs of the National City of Culture programme in 2014, it kept our energies and vision very much focussed on the cultural advancement of Limerick. That has ensured a wonderful continuing expression, in all art forms, over the past two years or so.
In decades to come, when we reflect on where the new Limerick came from, the record will prominently show how culture flourished and inspired the city and its people to do greater things."
An exemplary prisoner who worked on a programme to reduce prison violence has been jailed for four years for possession of 1.4 million worth of heroin writes Isabel Hayes.
Joseph O'Neill, who was caught with the drugs concealed in two fire extinguishers, had become the public face of Cloverhill Prison for his work on a programme to reduce violence amongst prisoners, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard during his sentence hearing.
O'Neill (41) of Clifden Terrace, Ballyfermot, Dublin pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with intent to supply on August 19 last year.
Defence barrister Conor Devally, SC, told his sentence hearing that in the nine months he had been in Cloverhill Prison, O'Neill had become the chairman of the jail's Red Cross organisation and had worked on a programme to reduce prison violence.
He had given media interviews and gave a speech at an international conference in Dublin Castle, the court heard.
Judge Melanie Greally noted O'Neill had undergone a total transformation and said the indications were he was committed to living a crime free life and helping others to do the same.
She imposed a seven year sentence and suspended the final three years on strict conditions. She backdated the sentence to August last when O'Neill went into custody.
O'Neill, who took the stand to apologise for his actions, told the court he was one of four prisoners in Ireland chosen to attend the conference and that no restraints were placed on him during it.
It showed a lot of trust and faith in me, O'Neill said, adding he was waiting out on Dame Street for an hour after the conference before he was picked up by guards and brought back to prison.
O'Neill was arrested last August after gardai were alerted to a shipment of heroin coming in to Dublin, Detective Garda Eoin Roche told the court. Undercover officers followed a truck that landed in Dublin Port to the Apple Green petrol station near Rathcoole, which was met by O'Neill.
O'Neill and the truck driver were then caught with two fire extinguishers stuffed with 10kg of heroin, Det Gda Roche said. The court heard the truck driver was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final two years suspended.
Mr Devally said the operation was sophisticated. The fire extinguishers were hollowed out and stuffed full of (heroin), he said.
Mr Devally said the true value of the heroin only came to light today, which cast a pall over the defence case.
O'Neill, who has two previous convictions for cocaine use, told the court he was a chronic cocaine addict at the time of the offence and got involved in the drugs operation after he was made redundant from his job as a truck driver.
I wasn't thinking clearly. My judgement was distorted, he said. I owed a lot of money when the proposition was put to me.
He apologised to gardai for not answering questions during the interview. He said he was worried about what would happen to his family if he did.
I'm aware of the lives that could have been destroyed by those drugs, he said. I take full responsibility for that.
Mr Devally said O'Neill had grasped this dramatic fall with both hands and had discovered personal attributes he never knew he had before being incarcerated. The prison governor had selected him to be the public face for what can be done to assist prisoners, he said.
O'Neill was also described by the prison chaplain as an exceptional prisoner who had counselled other inmates, and he had expressed an interest in getting a degree in counselling.
He has demonstrated singularly that not only is he a person with the capacity to rehabilitate, he is capable of bringing about rehabilitation in others, Mr Devally said.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the people of France after last nights attack in Nice.
A man drove a lorry on to a pavement for more than a mile, ploughing through Bastille Day and killing at least 80 people before police shot him dead.
There are currently no reports of any Irish casualties.
I am deeply shocked and saddened at this horrific attack in Nice, said the Taoiseach in a statement.
Once again innocent people have been targeted at an occasion of joy and celebration.
French people have suffered appallingly and have again been the victim of cynical, and wanton violence. We cannot and will not yield to this malevolence.
On behalf of myself, the Government and the Irish people I want to express our deepest sympathies and our solidarity to President Hollande and to all of France.
"It's an act of madness" - Taoiseach Enda Kenny on the Nice attackhttps://t.co/mt3qsJDi4p RTE News (@rtenews) July 15, 2016
Minister for Foreign Affairs also condemned the attack, saying that his Department was monitoring events closely.
This evenings terrible events in Nice have left me deeply shocked and saddened. I deplore the loss of life, and offer heartfelt condolences to the people of France from the people of Ireland, Charlie Flanagan's statement read.
This attack on people as they celebrated Bastille Day with friends and family on a fine summers evening is particularly horrendous, and my thoughts and sympathies are with the relatives of the dead and injured.
My department is monitoring the situation closely, and our Ambassador in France Geraldine Byrne Nason and her staff are seeking to establish whether any Irish citizens have been caught up in this evenings tragic events.
Our Embassy in Paris is on stand-by to offer assistance to any Irish people affected by these events and the staff of the Embassy are on duty and monitoring the situation closely.
Irish citizens in Nice who need to contact the Embassy can do so at 0144176700, and are advised to exercise caution and follow instructions of local authorities. Consular staff in my Department are also on hand to take calls from concerned families here in Ireland and they may be contacted at any time at 01 408 2000.
Update 9.38am: The Later this morning, commenting on the attack in Nice last night, Tanaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald said: The attack in Nice last night was an unspeakably evil outrage.
Whatever its motivation, it seems clear that its intent was to kill, wound and terrorise ordinary people enjoying the freedoms we cherish so much.
An Garda Siochana will, of course, be liaising closely with their French and other international counterparts about the attack and continue to take whatever measures are necessary to deal with the threat from terrorism.
This is yet another time of great anguish for the people of France.
All who cherish democracy will stand with them in the knowledge that our values will ultimately prevail in the face of such savagery.
Angry residents in a rural South Korean town have thrown eggs and water bottles at the prime minister in protest at a plan to deploy an advanced US missile defence system in their neighbourhood.
Earlier this week South Korea announced that the missile system - called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) - will be placed in the south eastern farming town of Seongju by the end of next year to better cope with North Korean threats.
Seongju residents launched protests, saying they fear possible health hazards from the missile system.
Prime minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, accompanied by the defence minister and others, tried to explain the decision to residents but was immediately disrupted by jeers.
Some hurled eggs and water bottles, shouting "We oppose (the THAAD deployment) with our lives," according to TV footage.
Mr Hwang did not appear to be directly hit by any objects as security guards and aides used umbrellas and bags to protect him.
But his suit jacket was covered by eggs and he was evacuated to a town hall office.
When he and the others came out of the building into a bus they were surrounded by hundreds of protesters, some using tractors.
South Korean officials have dismissed as groundless a belief that THAAD radar systems emit electromagnetic waves that can cause health problems. Defence officials say the US system is harmless if people stay at least 100 metres away from it.
Seongju residents criticised the government for unilaterally deciding on the deployment without consulting them.
About 200 Seongju residents made a protest visit to Seoul's defence ministry on Wednesday, and some wrote letters of complaint in blood. A group of 13 local leaders went on a hunger strike.
Defence minister Han Min Koo told residents on Wednesday he would personally stand in front of the radars to prove they are not harmful.
The planned missile system deployment drew an angry response from North Korea and China.
North Korea has threatened unspecified "physical" measures in retaliation while China suspects the system would help US radars track its missiles. Russia also opposes the deployment.
US and South Korean officials have said the THAAD system only targets North Korea, not China or anyone else.
Seoul and Washington began their formal discussions on the THAAD deployment after North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test and carried out a long-range rocket launch earlier this year.
The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea. American-led UN troops fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War while China assisted North Korea.
Hundreds of people have lined the streets to pay their respects to Labour MP Jo Cox ahead of her private funeral.
Mrs Cox's funeral cortege travelled through her Batley and Spen constituency in West Yorkshire, slowing down in the town of Heckmondwike before continuing to Batley.
The mother of two young children died on June 16 after being shot and stabbed outside a library in Birstall.
Her killing provoked a wave of shock around the UK and across the world.
Members of the public, including schoolchildren, gathered in Heckmondwike to say a final farewell to the MP.
Well-wishers applauded as the funeral cars made the journey through the town. Many threw flowers in the path of the cortege as it passed the market place.
Children from Norristhorpe Junior and Infant School were among the first of the mourners to throw white roses in the path of the cars.
One woman walked into the road as the cars passed to lay a large bouquet on the bonnet of the grey hearse, which was strewn with roses and sunflowers.
Mrs Cox's coffin could be seen in the back of the vehicle surrounded by white floral tributes.
In Batley, the crowds also applauded as the cortege made its way through the town and threw flowers in front of the vehicles.
Mrs Cox's family asked that the funeral service remained a small private occasion for close friends and family only.
Mrs Cox had only been an MP for just over a year when she was killed, having been elected for the Batley and Spen constituency, where she grew up, in last year's general election.
Her dedication to a range of causes, both as an MP and in her previous work with development charities, has drawn praise from all sides of the political spectrum and prompted calls for a rethink of the public's attitude to public figures and the nature of political discourse.
Mrs Cox's widower, Brendan, led tributes to his wide, joining thousands of people across the country and around the world who paused on what would have been her 42nd birthday to reflect on a woman who "just wanted people to be happy".
Before this, former prime minister David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn visited Birstall market square together to add their tributes to a sea of floral memorials, yards from where the tragedy happened.
Mr Cameron praised the young MP as "a voice of compassion whose irrepressible spirit and boundless energy lit up the lives of all who knew her".
Mr Corbyn said British society had lost "one of our very best".
Earlier this week, Mrs Cox's family issued a statement, which said: "We have been overwhelmed and touched by the love and support people have shown us since Jo's death. We are deeply grateful to all who have reached out to us.
"Knowing that so many people share both our grief and our determination to take forward Jo's legacy is a source of great strength at what otherwise feels like a very bleak time.
"Now, particularly for the children, we have decided that Jo's funeral will be a very small and private family affair. Anybody from the local community who would like to pay their respects is welcome to gather along the areas outlined as we make this last journey.
"Following this, we would ask everyone to respect our privacy to enable us to grieve and rebuild as a family."
Thomas Mair, 52, has appeared at the Old Bailey in central London charged with murdering Mrs Cox.
He is also charged with grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of an offensive weapon.
He was remanded in custody and is due to go on trial in November.
World leaders expressed dismay, sadness and solidarity with France over the Nice attack, carried out by a man who drove a lorry into crowds of people celebrating France's national day, killing at least 80 people.
IRELAND
A statement issued by Taoiseach Enda Kenny read: I am deeply shocked and saddened at this horrific attack in Nice.
Once again innocent people have been targeted at an occasion of joy and celebration.
French people have suffered appallingly and have again been the victim of cynical, and wanton violence. We cannot and will not yield to this malevolence.
On behalf of myself, the Government and the Irish people I want to express our deepest sympathies and our solidarity to President Hollande and to all of France.
Min Flanagan statement:I deplore this evening's events in #Nice & my Department is monitoring the situation closely pic.twitter.com/P6bsbZ34bt Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) July 15, 2016
UNITED STATES
President Barack Obama condemned what he said "appears to be a horrific terrorist attack" in Nice.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved-ones of those killed."
Secretary of State John Kerry called it a "horrendous attack in Nice. ... I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy".
Both presidential candidates also condemned the attacks, with Republican Donald Trump declaring "this is war" and Democrat Hillary Clinton vowing "we will not be intimidated".
Mrs Clinton said "every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: we will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life".
Mr Trump, who postponed plans to announce his vice-presidential pick because of the attacks, said: "This is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war and we're dealing with people without uniforms."
Former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich reacted to the attack by calling for the expulsion of any Muslim who believed in Sharia law from the US.
The former Georgia congressman, who is being considered as a Republican White House running mate for Donald Trump, told Fox News Channel's Hannity that the US "should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported.
"Sharia is incompatible with Western civilisation".
EUROPEAN UNION
European Council president Donald Tusk expressed consternation that France was attacked on its national day and said the world stands united with the French people.
"It is a tragic paradox that the victims of the attack people celebrating liberty, quality and fraternity. We will stand united with the families of victims, the French people and the government in the fight against violence and hatred," he said at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar.
Asian and European leaders hold a moment of silence for Nice attack victims during Ulan Bator summit (AP/PA)
CHINA
Premier Li Keqiang said "we strongly condemn terrorism of all forms. We express our condolences to the victims and we will fight all kinds of terrorism".
BELGIUM
Foreign minister Didier Reynders expressed dismay that France was once again the target of an apparent terrorist attack.
"We condemn such an attack, maybe a terrorist attack, but such an attack in France again," he said.
AUSTRALIA
Foreign minister Julie Bishop said three Australians suffered minor injuries while fleeing the scene.
"It has shocked France, it has rocked it to its core," she said in the Western Australia capital of Perth. "This should have been a time of great national pride and celebration."
Ms Bishop condemned the violence, saying it was a reminder that "no country is immune from terrorist attacks".
"We support our friends and partners in France and we join with others around the world in hoping that this will be the end of this type of horrific incident that is targeted at unarmed civilians," she said.
SPAIN
Foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said he called his counterparts in France to express his condolences.
"We are very sorry and very much with the French people and the French government," he said in at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in Ulaanbaatar.
ESTONIA
Prime minister Taavi Roivs condemned "a terrible attack on innocent people celebrating their national day. Today, we all stand together with the French people".
INDIA
Prime minister Narendra Modi condemned what he called a mindless attack.
"I am appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased," he said.
"I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters and brothers in this hour of immense sadness."
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Canberra's adult jail may get a medically supervised injecting room, after it was chosen as the preferred model for a prison needle and syringe program (PNSP).
A working group believes a supervised injecting room was the "most viable model" for the environment at the Alexander Maconochie Centre, Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury said on Friday.
"Our primary focus in developing a needle and syringe program is to reduce the spread of serious blood-borne viruses among detainees" Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury. Credit:Michael Clayton-Jones
The working group's decision comes after a year of consideration and signals a PNSP may now finally be a step closer.
The working party was established after the government deferred controversial plans for a PNSP in Canberra jail in April 2015 due to protracted opposition by prison staff.
A convicted Victorian murderer has been sentenced to prison after robbing a staff member at the ACT crisis centre where he was staying.
Warren Michael Lander had earlier pleaded guilty to stealing the man's wallet at knifepoint at Samaritan House in December 2015.
In a brief court session at which the offender appeared by video link in a prison blue fleece, Chief Justice Helen Murrell sentenced him to 25 months in jail, with a non-parole period of 15 months.
Lander has been in jail since his arrest in December, and will be eligible for release in March 2017.
The court heard an intensive correction order - where offenders serve their sentence in the community - was considered, but Lander had no address in Canberra to go to.
It was a lesson in the consumer power of social media, when a single Facebook post led multiple Sydneysiders to believe inner west homeowners had been sent anti same-sex marriage flyers with their Sydney Water bills.
The post, left on the Sydney Water Facebook page on Thursday, included a comment from a Facebook user that said, "I signed up for water supply not a hate flyer!".
It was coupled with an image of a flyer that was allegedly included with a water bill, which read: "Protect our children. Protect our freedoms. Defend natural marriage."
Despite being deleted hours later, the post prompted comments and complaints from customers offended by the alleged mail out, leading to an investigation by Sydney Water.
When four of the sisters from the Ken family accepted the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW on Friday it was with heavy hearts but many thanks.
Missing from the occasion was their sister and fellow artist Sandra Ken, who worked with Tjungkara Ken, Yaritji Young, Maringka Tunkin and Freda Brady to create the winning work Seven Sisters.
Wynne Prize winners The Ken family's Seven Sisters in front of their work at the Art Gallery of NSW. Credit:James Brickwood
It was this family connection that appealed to the judges, said Mark Nelson, the vice-president of the AGNSW's board of trustees.
"I suppose the style and technique came into it in a big way," Nelson said. "We loved the fact it was a family effort."
There would, of course, be a trade off years of construction, some road closures and the loss of some public amenity including parks and trees.
For all the benefits of the project, much has been made recently about the loss of trees, in particular, grand old Moreton Bay figs along Anzac Parade and, this week, one in particular near the UNSW on Wansey Road.
Politics is a balancing act. Whether or not to build a public transport project that requires the destruction of trees is, of course, a question of degree.
Were every fig to be removed, or even the half the figs removed, that would be beyond the pale. And although the destruction of trees, Sydney's living heritage, is to be lamented and resisted, it is not clear that in this case the government has gone too far to fatally undermine support for what is, otherwise, a worthy project.
The Herald backs the light rail project but suspects that more could and should be done to communicate what's going on.
A Brisbane woman allegedly caught driving six times over the legal alcohol limit had a seven-year-old child in her car.
About 3.45pm Friday a car driven by the 41-year-old woman crashed into a fence on Moggill Road, with the woman allegedly fleeing the scene.
A Brisbane woman caught driving six times over the legal alcohol limit had a seven-year-old child in her car.
She was found at a nearby residence about 5.30pm and allegedly returned a breath alcohol concentration of 0.32 percent - more than six times the legal limit.
She will appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 5 charged with driving under the influence of liquor.
"Two weeks after he passed away, I started a Facebook page, which I thought would be for friends and family," she said at Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital. "And it went viral and seven million people saw it. "I suppose at the time, it was my way of venting, of being frustrated." Ms Keepa said she has never blamed anyone for her son's suicide. The amount of lives that will be saved because of it is fantastic. Kerrie Keepa
The sheer number of hits on her Facebook page prompted a petition on change.org, which attracted more than 60,000 signatures calling for all hospital emergency department staff to be given specific, detailed training in recognising people at risk of suicide. That brought Ms Keepa to the attention of Mental Health Council of Australia's Professor John Mendoza. In May 2015, Professor Mendoza said her idea to tackle suicide was already being used successfully in Great Britain. "Right now, one very simple and effective solution is to skill up all emergency department staff - not just those who have a designation of working with people presenting with suicidal behaviour - but all ER staff." On May 1, 2015, Ms Keepa met with Queensland's Health Minister Cameron Dick and was given a role in shaping new anti-suicide policy.
By September 2015 Mr Dick announced the ED training scheme would begin as part of a major review of mental health in Queensland. Since then, more than 150 clinical staff have received the suicide training. Those clinicians will "train the trainers" of the 5000 staff who work in emergency departments throughout Queensland. The June 2016 Queensland budget allocated $9.6 million over three years for suicide prevention. "This is the single biggest commitment ever made by a Queensland government specifically focused on suicide prevention," Mr Dick said. On Friday, Ms Keepa said she was almost overwhelmed by the past 12 months and was very impressed by the commitment to the suicide training.
"This whole process from the beginning I never imagined would get us to where we are now," she said. "The idea that this training would come to fruition and be rolled out across Queensland, the amount of people who are going to benefit from it, and the amount of lives that will be saved because of it, is fantastic. "So all of you who are involved in this, thank you so much and hopefully we can continue on the path and save some lives." The staff training - which Ms Keepa has observed, watched and helped implement - includes tutorials and then a four-hour simulation session with senior clinicians. PA Hospital nurse Emily Cooper, who has completed the training, said it was very valuable.
"You do try to identify them early in the triage area, but this training gives us a much more structured approach, because it is a very sensitive area and we want to identify them early," she said. "If nurses identify them the nurses consult senior clinicians and take them to a safe space to develop a plan together to make sure they get the best care possible." Mr Dick said the training was about trained staff quietly and discreetly identifying people at risk. "It is really about being able to intervene, to ask the questions that flag the necessity for intervention and then support that through our mental health system throughout Queensland." All this from a mum who was determined some good should come from her son's death.
A Sunshine Coast company defying Australian manufacturing industry trends has won a 2016 Telstra Queensland Business Awards. QUIK CORP creates highly customisable equipment and vehicles for industries as diverse as firefighting and farming and was, on Friday night, named the Telstra Queensland Business of the Year for 2016 as well as taking out the medium business award. David Wardle from QUIK CORP. His company has been named the 2016 Telstra Queensland Business of the Year. It has already been a big year for the company. Along with the award win they celebrated winning a major contract with the Victorian government to make 80 fire appliances. The contract is worth more than $15 million.
The company's managing director David Wardle said they used innovation to remain viable in a challenging industry. "As an Australian manufacturer we are very aware that to remain viable we must innovate and manufacture quality Australian-made products," he said. Other winners on the night included Lingua Franca, which won the micro business award, In Safe Hands Educators in Safety, which won the small business award, and Tow.com.au, which won the new business award. Multicultural health and wellbeing organisation World Wellness Group, which runs a clinic for socially disadvantaged people including refugees, asylum seekers, and marginalised migrants, won the charity award, beating Orange Sky Laundry, the creators of which, Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, were named young Australians of the year this year. Telstra Queensland Business Awards ambassador Andy Ellis said this year's winners were leaders in their fields.
An Echuca man well-known among the country town's BMX scene faces more than 200 sex offences against 24 children, according to court documents.
Fabian Roy Meharry, 27, is alleged to have used carriage services to procure girls for sexual activity between September 2011 and August last year, and among the charges are four counts of rape, 23 of sexual penetration of a child under 16, and 20 charges of manufacturing child pornography.
Fabian Meharry was well known in the Echuca BMX scene. Credit:Instagram
He also faces dozens of charges of compelling children to perform sex acts on themselves.
According to charge sheets released by Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday, Mr Meharry allegedly had two girls separately perform sex acts on a dog, and on another occasion compelled a boy and the boy's sister to perform sex acts on each other.
A doctor has fronted court charged with sexually assaulting two teenage girls and a woman at three Melbourne medical clinics in the past 42 years.
Hoong Pan Sze-Tho, 72, faces 19 charges including rape, carnal knowledge, sexual penetration of a child under 16, and attempting to procure a female to become a prostitute.
A doctor fronted court charged with sex offences. Credit:Penny Stephens
The charges relate to alleged offending at two Wantirna South clinics in the 1970s and early 1980s, and alleged offending at a Roxburgh Park clinic between 2002 and 2004.
In charge sheets tendered to Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday, police allege Dr Sze-Tho had carnal knowledge and indecently assaulted a woman in Wantirna South in October 1974. He is also charged with assaulting the woman.
A Perth tourist in Nice says she could hear gunshots as she ran terrified from Bastille Day celebrations after a truck ploughed through crowds, killing dozens.
Katie Baronie Shaw said she and a friend had walked from a foreshore fireworks display to a nearby bar when the music stopped and gunfire rang out.
"We had no idea what was going on. Then all we could hear was gunshots," Ms Shaw said.
"My friend just grabbed me and we all went out the back stairs and had to sprint out staying low with guys ushering us away from the foreshore."
Not an elaborate homemade bomb or a machine-gun rampage - the wicked gift of terrorism now is to turn the everyday instruments of modern society into tools of horror.
Without diminishing the shock of the Bastille Day events, the terrorist's warning had been, sadly, plain to see.
French police forces and forensic officers stand next to a truck that ran into a crowd in Nice. Credit:Reuters
"Run him over with your car," was the bloodthirsty demand almost two years ago from Islamic State, urging its sympathisers to find any means to carry out attacks in the West.
Now a heavy truck has bulldozed a crowd on a promenade in France.
France has begun three days of national mourning as Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned his people to "learn to live with terrorism" after the country suffered its third mass killing in 19 months, reports Latika Bourke from Nice.
The socialist President Francois Hollande visited Nice the day after attack condemned it as an "unspeakable act".
"Why Nice? Because it is a world famous city, one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. Why on the 14th of July? Because it is a celebration of freedom," he said.
Read the full piece here
On that note we are going to wrap up the live blog for now, as it heads towards 5am in France.
For full coverage stay with us as we continue to cover all the important developments on our homepage.
At least 77 people have been killed in the beachfront southern French town of Nice when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday.
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The white truck mounted the footpath and drove for "100 metres" at speed into the crowd on the Promenade des Anglais seaside walk in the centre of town on Thursday night, regional newspaper Nice Matin reported.
Here are some of the front pages of newspapers from France and Britain.
Three Australians have been injured in a suspected terrorist truck attack in the French city of Nice which has left at least 80 people dead.
Australian student Tori Anderson, who was on a Topdeck tour in the French resort city, said her group of about 20 students had made a last-minute decision to stop at Bastille Day celebrations on the Promenade des Anglais.
Marcus Freeman and wife Sally-Anne in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations moments before the attack. A glamorous, innocent and tolerant crowd was torn apart, literally, by a terrorist attack. Credit:Facebook
"We thought we would just hop out and walk the rest of the way to our hotel and join in the fun," she told the Nine Network on Friday.
Five minutes later, amid screaming and calls for people to get off the road, she turned around and saw a truck ploughing through the crowd.
Sir Paul Nurse, the next Chancellor of the University of Bristol, and Professor Kelvyn Jones of the School of Geographical Sciences and the Centre of Multilevel Modelling, have achieved the distinction of being elected Fellows of the British Academy.
At its Annual General Meeting yesterday [Thursday 14 July] the Academy welcomed the 42 new UK Fellows elected for their eminence in research and publication. Professor Jones's election as Fellow of the British Academy reflects the cross-disciplinary nature of his work to both sociology, demography and social statistics and to anthropology and geography.
In addition to the UK Fellows, the British Academy elected 20 new Corresponding Fellows from overseas universities in the USA, Australia, Spain and Germany. Four Honorary Fellows were also elected: Sir Paul Nurse; Lord Sainsbury; Justice Kate ORegan and the Honorable Janet Yellen.
Honorary Fellows elected have 'contributed signally to the promotion of the purposes for which the Academy was founded', either as persons of academic distinction in other fields whose work has a bearing on the humanities or social sciences; or as leading figures or philanthropists who have themselves done distinguished work in the Academy's fields of interest or promoted or advanced the causes for which the Academy was founded.
The Academy is the independent national institution for the humanities and social sciences. It is the UK's expert body that supports, speaks for and spans the full range of subject areas from history to psychology, economics to law, literature to philosophy and languages to archaeology. Election is a mark of distinction, as only a very small number of scholars in any field are elected.
Kelvyn Jones, Professor of Human Quantitative Geography, said: "It is the greatest possible academic honour to join the distinguished Fellowship of the British Academy. I am delighted to being elected to such a prominent body and look forward to playing an active role in it, especially supporting and encouraging quantitative social science in all its forms. I am most grateful for the generous and stimulating support of colleagues who have made this achievement possible. I would particularly like to thank those who develop and maintain software and IT facilities without which my work would be impossible."
Professor Jones's pioneering research ranks him as one of the world's leading human geographers. Recent work with colleagues has including successfully forecasting the EU referendum results for the areas on which they are announced - a correlation of 0.82 between actual and predicted leave vote was achieved; a study that showed that lack of growth preceded debt rather than followed, thereby casting doubt on austerity programmes being imposed on countries like Greece; and work that showed that ethnic segregation was much lower than in USA and against much popular commentary was decreasing over time in the UK.
One recent piece of work that started as an undergraduate dissertation involved the quantitative analysis to find the best Formula 1 driver of all time, taking account of team performance and under different racing conditions. Team effects were shown to be more important than driver effects, and increasingly so over time, but their importance reduced in wet weather and on street tracks. This received over 2.7 million twitter views after being re-tweeted by Fernando Alonso and Alain Prost and appearing in 70 newspaper outlets worldwide.
Earlier in his career and also recognised in his election Professor Jones made significant contributions to the study of the geography of health. This work focused on the geographical inequalities in mortality in advanced economies and has involved following a cohort of 9,003 individuals since 1985 and examining the nature of place effects, particularly the mortality of poor people in poor places', poor people do indeed die young, especially if they live in poor areas.
Sir Paul is a leading geneticist and cell biologist. His work on the control of cell division underpins current research into treatments for cancer and other serious diseases.
His contributions to science were recognised with a knighthood in 1999. In addition, Sir Paul's endeavours relating to the discovery of molecules that regulate the cell cycle saw him jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2001.
Over the last 30 years, Paul has held many senior research leadership roles, including Director General of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (now Cancer Research UK).
He was appointed President of Rockefeller University in New York in 2003 and was elected as President of the Royal Society in 2010 for a five-year term.
Since 2011, Sir Paul has been the Director and Chief Executive of the Francis Crick Institute, a London-based biomedical research institute which opened in 2015.
Sir Paul Nurse FRS, and Professor Jones FBA, join Emeritus Professor Peter Haggett and Professor Ron Johnston of the School of Geographical Sciences and Professor Harvey Goldstein and Visiting Professor Fiona Steel of the Centre of Multilevel Modelling who are longstanding Fellows; a testament to the world-class research environment at the University and the distinctive expertise in quantitative social science.
Latest News Westpac predicts another RBA double hike If it is correct, an average borrower with a $500k loan could be paying an additional $800 a month, expert says
Properties listed for sale in Australia down significantly Just two capital cities have experienced spring growth, says PropTrack
The Finance Brokers Association of Australia ( FBAA ) has appointed IT industry veteran Serge Burjak as chief information officer.The appointment comes as the association plans for strong consistent growth within the industry and its own continued expansion.The FBAAs Peter White says Burjak has provided consultative advice to a number of Australian top 100 companies, as well as state and federal government agencies, pointing out that his extensive knowledge will provide the industry with great insight.He brings a wealth and breadth of knowledge in software, hardware, data manipulation, and security, all of which are continuously changing within the industry, White said.For his part, Burjak said that although the finance industry can be unpredictable, he is hoping to bring stability through innovative IT.
Latest News Westpac predicts another RBA double hike If it is correct, an average borrower with a $500k loan could be paying an additional $800 a month, expert says
Properties listed for sale in Australia down significantly Just two capital cities have experienced spring growth, says PropTrack
One of New South Wales peak real estate bodies has called for an immediate review of the states stamp duty arrangements.According to the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW), the governments own budget papers show just how inefficient and restrictive current stamp duty charges are in in the state.The NSW Government has openly admitted that taxes imposed on transactions, such as transfer duty [stamp duty] are relatively inefficient, because people react to them by moving home less often, REINSW president John Cunningham said.Over and above the revenue generated, the state-wide economic cost for every million dollars of transfer duty revenue is estimated to be around $800,000, Cunningham said, citing the NSW Governments 2016-17 Budget documents.In comparison, the budget documents show a tax on unimproved land values is more efficient, with the economic cost of NSWs land tax estimated to be around $90,000 for every million dollars of revenue it generatesAccording to the budget documents, land-based taxation, which includes transfer duty, land tax and insurance duty, grew on average by 8.2% a year over the last 10 years. The share of total revenue it provides has increased from 12.8% in 2005-06 to 15.6% in 2014-15.With property taxes providing such a significant portion of the states revenue, its unlikely the government would abolish them, but Cunningham said a reduction in the cost each property transaction carries would result in a more efficient system.We again call for the NSW government to review stamp duty. Based on its own research the government should immediately cut stamp duty to encourage economic activity and address the inequities of bracket creep of this inefficient tax, he said.The state government have openly admitted that additional transactions would result from a reduction in stamp duty and given that stamp duty would be levied on these additional transactions government revenue will not suffer. In-fact it would most likely improve based on similar changes that occurred in Western Australia and the Northern Territory when those states reformed their rates of stamp duty.
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Authorities launched a massive manhunt for a missing person after locals discovered an empty kayak and lifejacket on the rocks off Dumbo on Wednesday, but it turned out the vessels out-of-towner occupant was safe and dry all along he had just ducked into the neighborhood for a slice.
I wanted a piece of pizza from Brooklyn, said Tyler Jordan, who travelled from Virginia to kayak 38 miles around New York. I hadnt had a good slice in a long time.
Around 30 officers from the police, fire, and parks departments, swarmed the waterfront adjacent to Main and Plymouth streets with four boats and several ambulances, searching for the kayaks owner after receiving a dozen calls from people worried about the abandoned kayak, which also contained energy bars, a water bottle, and an empty container of trail mix, according to Jordan.
But it was much ado about nothing, Jordan says he had just docked his ride there at around 1 pm so he could sate his craving for an authentic Kings County pie at Dumbos best pie joint, Front Street Pizza.
In fact, the pizzeria is such a neighborhood institution, it should have been the first place the cops looked, according to the proprietor.
The cops should have just come here to find him! said pizzaiolo Larry Leonardi (nee Leonardo). We were very happy to have him here and were satisfied he chose us to have pizza.
Jordan indulged in two hard-earned pepperoni slices, but sadly missed out on tasting the Gersh an inexplicable combination of chicken parmigiana and spinach named for former Brooklyn Paper editor Gersh Kuntzman.
He then walked over the Brooklyn Bridge to check out the 911 memorial, planning to make it back within an hour-and-15 minute-window before the tide rose.
But as he was walking back over the Brooklyn Bridge, Jordan noticed his kayak parking spot had turned into a crime scene. He thought perhaps someone had gotten into his boat and accidentally injured themselves only to find that he was the man they were searching for.
I saw all of the lights, all of the trucks and boats swirling around while I was going over the Brooklyn Bridge, he said. I saw tons of people there and thought, Uh-oh, maybe theyre actually looking for me
Jordan spoke to officers at the scene who eventually saw the funny side of the incident for about 20 minutes before climbing back into his kayak to complete his journey.
He said he was happy that people came to his rescue, but didnt regret a second of his excursion to Front Street Pizza.
I thought it was good citizenry, people were concerned, he said. But it was definitely worth it.
A Police Department spokeswoman said it had no record of the search.
The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) is leading calls for urgent talks with the government over the impact of Brexit on the construction industry.
Following the appointment of the new Prime Minister, Theresa May and her Cabinet, the BMF has written to key Ministers to highlight the urgency and importance to the UK economy and jobs of the construction sector in the context of Brexit.
The BMF has welcomed the Prime Ministers early pledge that the new government will prioritise housebuilding, which is recognition of both the importance of the sector and the current uncertainty in the economy.
The Federation represents well over 500 companies who supply materials to 80% of Britain's builders, plumbers, joiners and decorators. Merchants are the barometer of the health of the construction industry.
BMF has called for a clear plan from the new Prime Minister and the government that includes:
Assurances of continued support for housebuilding, investment in infrastructure to unlock sites, and further reforms to speed up the planning process
Recognition of the importance of investing in apprenticeships and other skills development in the industry to build a workforce for the future, taking account of the impact of the possible end of free movement
Guarantees that the construction industry will be consulted about the impact of the transition to operating within a potential UK only framework, including new product standards and a possible return to the emphasis on the British Kite Mark
Confirmation that the BMF along with other key industry bodies, including the Federation of Master Builders and the Construction Products Association, will be consulted and involved in a dialogue with the government as Brexit talks and negotiation develops.
John Newcomb, managing director of the BMF, said: Construction is hugely important for the UK economy and it is vital that the industry is prioritised and consulted by the government as Brexit plans develop.
We want to hear concrete commitments from the government to support housebuilding. It is also critical that we are involved in planning for the potential end of free movement, so that we have the skilled workforce ready that we will need for the future.
We have had very constructive relations with David Camerons government and we are looking forward to working closely with the new government.
Expectations were high as over 600 people arrived at the Honorary Artillery Company in the heart of London to celebrate the Lighthouse Clubs 60th anniversary at this years Summer Ball on 9 July.
The occasion was marked in style along with long-term supporter the Construction Plant-hire Association, which was also celebrating its 75th anniversary. An online silent auction fuelled everyones competitive nature and the star of the show, a gold digger donated by Kubota raised 26,000.
In total the evening raised 75,000. Bill Hill, chief executive of The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, said: We would like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors, everyone that assisted in the organising of the event and helped on the night and of course, all our guests who dug deep to make our 60th Anniversary Ball such a huge success. We cannot thank you enough,
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The promoters of AirAsia India will infuse Rs 234 crore in the airline as it plans to grow its domestic footprint and prepares for foreign flights.
Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal has refuted the report by Amnesty International alleging human rights violation at . Goyal said that the report is completely baseless and is "floated by elements which do not want to see India's development and prosperity"."I think it is a completely baseless report and I think it is floated by certain elements who cant see the development and prosperity of India and the need for India's poor to get affordable power and the need of India's people to get new job opportunities," he said, stating that the ministry has already issued its statement on this.
According to reports, the global NGO has alleged that the the land acquisition process for the coal mining operations has resulted in human rights violation on the people in some of the Indian States.
Both Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys say that the implication of Brexit is a wait-and-watch situation. But, there is no denying that Brexit is one of the strongest headwinds for FY17 for these two firms, and there will be implications. In the case of Infosys, Brexit uncertainties and low visibility were two of the reasons for it to reduce its revenue growth targets for FY17.
A start-up wants to end our addiction to unsafe and unhygienic chicken by providing a sustainable alternative a kind of super meat created in a machine. The team, based in Israel, is developing tech which can create cultured meat from chicken cells in a safe environment, completely independent from the animals body.
Pune-based retail tech startup has raised $1.07 million in its first equity round of funding, led by Plug and Play Tech Center and Steelhead Ventures. will use the funds to get more retailers on board, product development and brand building in India.
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Reliance Industries has done it again. After reporting a seven-year high gross refining margin (GRM) of $11.5 a barrel in the December 2015 quarter, the company topped this metric in the June 2016 quarter (Q1) as well.
The decision of the high court here to ask Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to form a committee of stakeholders to consider the problems of a South Delhi residents group trying to stop (RIL) from constructing a proposed mega-mall has re-kindled an old debate over judicial overview in the construction industry.
According to Citizen Alliance, a group of residents from the area which has been fighting a DDA decision to sell the land to RIL for this purpose, it is a victory of sorts. "Our fight is not against RIL but DDA, which should have protected (our) rights...We believe DDA not only misled us but the buyer of the land as well," said Ashutosh Dikshit, president of the Alliance.
They allege group land use norms were changed for the sale to happen. The area in question is surrounded by the major localities of Alaka nanda, Greater Kailash-2 and Chittaranjan Park. It also has more than one major school and, says the group, the proposed development would cause a traffic and logistical nightmare.
The proposed mall, in Alakananda, has been opposed by residents since its initial allotment by the DDA. Area denizens went to the HC in 2013, claiming irregularities in converting the previously earmarked community land into commercial property and allowable for sale through auction. RIL has consistently maintained the allotment was through a valid auction process and all necessary legal permissions have been complied with.
It had purchased a four-acre plot in 2007 through an auction from DDA for Rs 304 crore. While the company obtained all the licences necessary to build the mall, slated to be a six-storied building with a three-floor basement, it faced a lot of opposition from area residents. The mall was supposed to be opened in 2014.
The interplay of courts and the realty sector is not new. Earlier this year, the HC in Mumbai ordered demolition of the multi-story Adarsh Housing Society in the affluent Colaba area. The site was originally proposed for a six-story Kargil war widows' complex and was eventually converted into the 31-storey luxury apartment. The lack of proper environmental clearances and other minuses culminated in the Union government's order of demolition, upheld by the HC in April. The matter has now been appealed before the Supreme Court (SC).
Another instance of conflict in the recent past was regarding construction activity in the Greater Noida corridor near the Okhla bird sanctuary. Activists had approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2014, over concerns to the impact on the eco-sensitive area and demanded cessation of ongoing developments in the area. The NGT followed a former SC ruling, which mandated a 10-km prohibitory radius for construction in cases where no specific rules were in force and denied completion certificates to over 100,000 home buyers. After which the state authorities made a reclassification of the eco-sensitive zone, subsequently approved by the Union ministry of environment and forests; the situation was then legally resolved.
Last month, telecom operators in Gujarat got an unusual diktat from district magistrates (DM): Stop internet access and bulk short messaging services (SMS) for a month. Reason: Students have to be stopped from cheating during exams.
United Spirits Ltd (USL), majority owned by British liquor major Diageo, will do away with 300 jobs by making these roles redundant and by removing under-performers as part of a restructuring exercise in the company.
Five people were injured when a vehicle in President Pranab Mukherjee's convoy skidded off the road this morning and went down a cliff, 30 kms from here, while he was on his way to Bagdogra to catch a flight to Delhi.
The accident happened near Sonada when the third vehicle in the Presidential convoy slipped off the road and fell down.
The convoy also had West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was also travelling along with the President to Delhi to attend the Inter state council meeting on Satruday.
Among those injured was A P Singh, Chief Security Liaison officer of the President.
Pre heavy rains and thick fog had led the President to take a road trip on his return leg as Indian Air Force helicopters could not operate.
Army personnel along with those working in the Presidential Secretariat were engaged in the rescue operations.
Banerjee was personally supervising the operation while the President had been halted at a safe location ahead.
His Press Secretary Venu Rajamony said the "the President is safe".
Member Parliament and the President's son Abhijeet Mukherjee also assisted in the rescue operation.
The Supreme Court on Friday disposed off a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking court monitored investigation in scam case.
Solicitor General Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court that the investigation is already underway and the authorities are taking appropriate action.
The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that the chargesheet in the helicopter deals will be filed this year and the matter is being investigated by the SIT.
Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra that a FIR was registered in 2013 and a Special Investigation Team was formed this year.
The court also expunged the names of four of the five people mentioned in the PIL as the Solicitor General told the bench that they were occupying constitutional positions.
Urging the court to dispose off the PIL by advocate ML Sharma, the Solicitor General said nothing was left in it to be addressed.
Sharma told the court that the names of five people who were named in the judgement of the Italian court were not in the FIR.
Disposing off the PIL, the bench said that after the filing of the chargesheet, if petitioner advocate felt that the names of some people had not been included, then he can approach the court with material supporting his contention.
The trade union wing of CPI(M) today opened its three-day meet, where various issues related to the working class and labour policies of the Modi government will be discussed.
The Centre of Trade Unions of India is holding the meeting of its All-India Working Committee at Bhawan in Satpur area.
Various issues, especially the labour policies of the BJP-led NDA government will be discussed at the conclave, senior leader D L Karad said.
President A K Padmanabhan inaugurated the meet being attended by its senior functionaries like Basudev Acharya, Manik Dey, Tapan Chakraborty and Shankar Dutta, among others.
Patidar leader emerged from the Lajpore Jail here on Friday after over nine months to a hero's welcome by hundreds of supporters, some holding posters that read "Gabbar is Back".
Patel was released after the Gujarat High Court granted him bail in two sedition and one arson-related cases that were slapped when he lead a mass agitation demanding job quotas for the Patel community.
His bail was approved on the condition that he stays out of Gujarat for six months and for three months after that in another case.
Hardik, after stepping out of the jail, told reporters that he has vowed to continue his agitation to get reservation for his community under the OBC quota.
In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's '56-inch-chest' remark made during 2014 election campaign, Hardik said, "I want to say that I don't want height, weight or a 56-inch chest. All I want is rights for my community."
"Our agitation will continue in coming days. Our demand for OBC status for Patels is still there. In coming days, there will be a change in the style of our working, but, our attitude (tevar) will remain the same," Hardik said.
"This agitation is not a property of any political party. No party should think of taking political benefit out of this. This agitation will not stop just because I or someone else wants. It will only end when Patel community gets their right," he said.
According to Hardik, the doors for discussion with the state government is open.
Commenting on the 10% EBC quota for all the unreserved category granted by Gujarat government recently, Hardik indicated that it is still not enough.
The Patel quota agitation leader also hinted at taking the agitation on a scale by involving the Kurmi community, which the Patels consider as their off-shoot.
"We will also involve our Kurmi community in this agitation and try to get our rights," he said.
Hardik, who had spearheaded the agitation for quota for inclusion of the Patidar community in OBC category, was arrested in October last year.
He was accused of inciting violence to put pressure on the government to accept the demand for granting reservation to Patels under the OBC category.
Hardik's mega rally on reservation held in Ahmedabad on August 25 last year had sparked violence, in which 10 people, including a policeman, were killed and public properties and vehicles destroyed across Gujarat.
Dinesh Bamaniya, a leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti and a close aide of Hardik Patel, said had decided to spend the next six months at Udaipur in Rajasthan since it was closer to Gujarat.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by his supporters to make the most of the two days has been allowed to stay in Gujarat after release.
The 23-year-old is expected to cover 2,150 km in the next 48 hours, addressing 12 public meetings, seven roadshows and two major rallies, PAAS spokesperson Brijesh Patel said.
"He will roughly address 1.5 million people in these two days in Surat, Rajkot, Botad and Viramgam, his hometown," Brijesh Patel said.
Hardik was booked in two cases of sedition in Surat and Ahmedabad, besides under various sections of IPC along with his supporters.
In Visnagar case, Hardik and 17 others were accused of ransacking the office of Visnagar MLA Rishikesh Patel during one of the Patidar community's reservation rallies.
Maintaining that has no locus standi to interfere in India's internal affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday lashed out at Islamabad for declaring Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani a martyr.
MEA official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India completely and unequivocally rejects in the entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We are dismayed at the continued attempts by to interfere in our internal matters, where we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi," he added.
Swarup said the continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistan's sympathies continue to lie.
"The self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the international Boundary," he added.
Asserting that the attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistan's illegal occupation won't succeed, Swarup said New Delhi hopes Islamabad will desist from further interfering in India's internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
"We also hope that Pakistan will respond constructively to India's initiatives for peace and normalising the India-Pakistan relationship," he added.
On the call of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Federal Cabinet earlier on Friday decided that the country will observe July 19 as 'Black Day' against the Indian "barbarism in the Kashmir Valley."
The decision was made at a special Cabinet meeting preceded over by Prime Minister Sharif, who on Friday termed the movement of Kashmiris as a 'movement of freedom' in Lahore, reports the Radio Pakistan.
Prime Minister Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for "right to self-determination."
He added the "Indian brutalities" will give impetus to the freedom struggle, which even the seven hundred thousand Indian soldiers deployed in the Indian side of Kashmir could not suppress.
He went on to call the 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani as "martyr" of the independence movement.
Prime Minister Sharif said that Kashmiris will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them.
He also directed all the relevant departments to highlight "Indian atrocities" by armed forces in the valley at international fora.
The meeting also condemned the recent terrorist attacks in France, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia.
Prime Minister on Friday condemned the "terror" attack in Nice, saying India stood with France in this hour of sadness.
"Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased," Modi said in a tweet on Friday morning.
"India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters and brothers in this hour of immense sadness," Modi said.
At least 80 people were killed on Thursday night when a large truck mowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.
French President Francois Hollande said the truck attack was of a "terrorist character".
Modi hoped for early recovery of the injured people. Over 150 people were injured in the mayhem.
Home Minister on Friday thoroughly reviewed situation in the Kashmir Valley at a high-level meeting attended by Security Advisor, Home Secretary, chief of intelligence security agencies and senior officials.
The meeting is also being considered significant in the backdrop of terror attack in France, which claimed at least 84 lives and injured dozens of people.
Meanwhile, curfew remains imposed in eight districts in Kashmir valley.
Normal life across Kashmir is paralysed since last Saturday.
Instructions have been issued to security forces to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further loss of lives or injuries to the people.
Except BSNL post paid service, other mobile telephone services have been snapped.
The mobile internet services continue to remain suspended across the valley for the past seven days now.
No untoward incident was reported from any part of the valley so far.
Congress President on Friday "strongly" condemned the "terror" attack in Nice in France and called for strict action and harsh punishment against those behind it.
Expressing grief Gandhi said: "This deadly attack reflects deep resentment to peace and democratic values."
She also expressed deepest condolences to the families of those killed and called for a "strict action and harsh punishment against those who are behind the attack."
"The Congress party stands firmly with the people of France in these difficult times," Gandhi said.
At least 80 people were killed on Thursday night when a large truck mowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.
French President Francois Hollande said the truck attack was of a "terrorist character".
Over 150 people were also injured in the mayhem.
This was the second major terrorist attack in France after the November 13 attacks last year that left at least 130 people dead and over 250 others injured.
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, facing multiple probes over his alleged provocative speeches, on Friday said he had no plans to return to India this year. He claimed his remarks were blown out of context and that he had never inspired any terror activity.
The televangelist, who had cancelled press meets thrice citing pressure from authorities of the venues where they were planned, had an interaction with media via Skype from Saudi Arabia, rubbishing the charge that his sermons had inspired terror activities, including the Dhaka attack.
Stating he was a messenger of peace, Naik said, killing innocent people is prohibited in Islam and I condemn all terrorist attacks. He said he was a victim of media trial.
Referring to the footage of some of his speeches shown by media following the Dhaka carnage, he said, Indian media is running a trial against me because of unverified reports. Half sentences being shown, clips being doctored and statements being shown out of context to malign me.
It is unethical for the media to not take my answers on face value and doubt me. There are 2,000 sentences in which I condemned terrorism... there may be 10 sentences in which one may take out a double meaning...videos are being doctored for ulterior motives..., he said.
To a query on the probe by Mumbai police into his speeches, he said, So far no official government agency has approached me in the last 8-9 days to ask me to cooperate in their investigations. If they do, I will welcome it.
Meanwhile, the government dismissed as wrong Naiks allegation that Peace TV was denied broadcasting rights for being Islamic adding such discrimination never existed in the country and will never be there in the future.
Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the channel, run by Naiks Islamic Research Foundation, was denied the rights for not fulfilling due conditions.
(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.)
You have just received cash as gift on your wedding and decide to buy that Rs 3.5-lakh Chanel bag you have been eyeing for a while. You walk into a store at a five-star hotel and pull out a wad of cash. But the salesperson refuses to accept it and insists that you either pay by card or transfer money online.
India hopes to produce a record 270.10 million tonne of food grains in the 2016-17 crop year that started in July, which will be around 2% more than the previous record and almost 7% more than grain output of 2015-16, on the back of best performance of southwest monsoon in the last more than two years.
Around 200 non-government organisations (NGOs) held a meeting on Friday to discuss their strategy on the central governments recent notification declaring them public officials and asking them to declare their assets and income details by end of this month.
A team of officials from the Tamil Nadu headed by state Electricity Minister P Thangamani will visit New Delhi to pursue Tamil Nadu's request with the Centre on the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) debt restructirng scheme for power distribution companies. The central government has been requesting the state to join the scheme, though the state government has expressed its reservations on joining it.
The decision to send a team to New Delhi for detailed discussion was announced by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa after Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines (Independent Charge) met her in Chennai today.
In the august presence of Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Minister of Railways a Joint Venture Agreement was signed between Ministry of Railways and Government of Haryana. In order to expand Railway network in State of Haryana signing programme was held today i.e 15.07.2016 at Rail Bhawan. Member Engineer Shri A. K. Mittal and other Railway Board Members, several other dignitaries and senior officials were among those present on the occasion. Shri Hardeep Kumar, IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary, Government to Haryana was also present on the occasion on behalf of Govt. of Haryana who signed the agreement.
The agreement was signed after the completion of the Workshop organized by the Railways on JV Companies with the concerned States. .
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Ministry of Railways has taken initiative for formation of JV Companies with States. 17 States have consented for formation of such companies and 8 states have signed MOUs with Ministry of Railways in this regard. .
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In this reference, a Workshop was held today in the Ministry of Railways Rail Bhawan, in connection with formation of JV Companies with State Government. Around 70 officers from State Government, Zonal Railways and Railway Board have participated in the Workshop. .
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The representatives from different states i.e. Kerala, Gujarat, Mahrashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand participated in the Workshop. .
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Indian Railways continue to invest in building the commission of BG Lines in the infrastructure at a faster pace. The years 2005-2009 it was 4.04. km per day, while 2009-14 it was 4.18 km per day. In 2014-15 it was 5.43 km per day in 2015-16 it was 7.7 km per day. The future plan is by 2019 it should reach 19 km per day. With State JV in place target could rise to 25 km per day. .
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The Excavated Remains at Nalanda" got included in the Tentative List of World Heritage on 09.01.2009. The nomination dossier for Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara was prepared by the ASI and submitted in January 2015 to the World Heritage Committee for the purpose of its inscription in the year 2016 and on 15 July 2016 it has got inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. .
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The Excavated remains of Nalanda Mahavihara", the great monastic-cum-scholastic establishment are located around 88 km away from Patna, state capital of Bihar in India. It presents a key archaeological evidence of a truly international centre for organised learning. Nalanda Mahavihara was founded by Kumargupta I of the Gupta dynasty in 5th century CE. It was patronized by various rulers including King Harshavardhana of Kannauj (7th century CE) and the Pala rulers (8th 12th century CE) as well as various scholars. Later, number of factors spread over centuries caused the decline of this famed institution. The same region, later, saw emergence of a number of reputed educational institutions like Vikramshila and Odantpuri but the eminence of Nalanda remains unrivaled. About six centuries after Nalandas decline, the site was first discovered and reported by Sir Francis Buchanan. The site was systematically excavated and consolidated by Archaeological Survey of India from 1915 to 1937 and again from 1974 to 1982. .
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Nalanda is a rare combination of outstanding achievements in institution-building, site-planning, art and architecture. Nalanda symbolized the multiplicity of knowledge production, the innovative processes of the organized transmission of ideas through education, and a shared heritage of people living in multiple regions of Asia. .
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Built ensembles in Nalanda are physical manifestation of influence of ancient Indian pedagogy where planning, architecture and artistic traditions of Indian sub-continent and beyond developed into subsequent architectural and artistic prototypes. Nalanda distinguished itself as the earliest planned university of the Indian subcontinent. Thematic and iconographic assimilation of features from major art-centres of the sub-continent with local practices is evident in art of Nalanda. While Nalanda stucco influenced practices in Thailand, its metal art influenced art of the Malayan archipelago, Nepal, Myanmar and Tibet travelling out through scholars. .
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Nalanda attracted scholars from the Indian subcontinent and beyond and received patronage of local rulers and foreign kings for unbroken period of 800 years. Students were admitted after rigorous evaluation only. Apart from teaching of topics related to Buddhism, contemporary texts and philosophies, logic, grammar, science, and medicine were also part of the knowledge imparted at Nalanda. Earning the title of Medieval School of Discussion and Logic, Nalanda's scholars mastered the art and science of debate developing it into a critical tool for higher learning. Today, the continuity of its systems is also evident in contemporary monasteries in Sri Lanka, Tibet and Nepal. In fact, the term Nalanda has become synonymous with aspired standard of education as evidenced in several 21st century namesake institutions all over the world. .
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All surviving remains of Nalanda Mahavihara in the proposed property area demonstrate amply the attributes of the property such as its planning and layout, its architectural manifestation and extant building materials and applied ornamental embellishments. Preserved in-situ is structural remains of viharas (residential-cum-scholastic structure) and chaityas (temple-like structure) whose layers of construction show evolution of the respective forms. The positioning of these structures over the length of the site shows the planned layout unique to Nalanda. The viharas retain infrastructure for residential-cum-scholastic functions. The quincuxial or five-fold plan-form characteristic of a Nalanda chaitya is evident in the temple within the property. The site also retains a corpus of moveable and immoveable artefacts and artistic embellishment that shows iconographic development reflecting changes in Buddhist belief system. While stucco and engraved art are conserved in-situ, metal and stone objects are exhibited today at the adjoining Site Museum. .
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The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri. Radha Mohan Singh today addressed the 28th Annual Meeting of the Poultry Federation of India in Hyderabad. Speaking on occasion, Shri Radha Mohan Singh expressed his views in detail regarding increase in business, problems associated with farmers and traders, and assistance given by Government of India. Besides this programme, the Union Minister also addressed the State agriculture scientists. In this meeting the State Agriculture Minister and Officers of Government India, I.C.A.R. and Agriculture University were also present. .
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Regarding poultry production, Shri Radha Mohan Singh stated that during 2014-15, the egg production with an annual growth rate of nearly 5% has reached 78 billion egg production. The poultry meat production is estimated to be 3 million metric tonne. At present the poultry products export is around Rs. 768 crore in 2015-16. Along with increase in poultry production, there is increase in income of poultry farmers. Shri Singh said that there are also problems associated with this industry and the small and large farmers have to grapple with them from time to time. One of the issues is spread of avian influenza which is a serious impediment to the development of this industry. Despite this, timely intervention by the Government and efforts of private sector has enabled development in this sector. .
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The Minister said that poultry production is not only an important source of subsidiary income generation for many landless and marginal farmers but also provides nutritional security to the rural poor. However, compared to the organized sector, this backyard unorganized sector needs efforts at different levels to grow. The Government of India under its initiative programme of National Livestock Mission aims at sustainable growth and development of livestock sector including poultry. Under the National Livestock Mission there are provision for a number of poultry farming and allied activities. We also need to pay attention to the global market challenges. Shri Singh stated that there are possible solutions for meeting challenges, whether at domestic or global level. Government has taken several steps in this regard. Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries has launched a dedicated website on Sanitary Import Permit for online receipt and processing of SIP applications for import of livestock and livestock products including poultry and implementation of Single Window System for online clearance of livestock and livestock products by all Animal Quarantine and Certificate Services Stations. In another programme held at National Academy of Agriculture Research Management, Hyderabad during interaction with agriculture scientist Shri Radha Mohan Singh placed in detail the programmes implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Shri Singh said that farmers population is nearly 55% of the total population of the country. Keeping in view the importance of farmers in the nations health and resources, the Farmers Welfare is added to the name of Agriculture Ministry. .
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In order to give importance to agricultural sector, Government of India has initiated several initiatives for sustainable development of agriculture in Central Budget for the year 2016-17. The Government has already taken initiatives for the solution of two important factors (soil and water) relating to improvement in agricultural production. Steps have been taken to issue Soil Health Card Scheme and to improve soil fertility on a sustainable basis through traditional agricultural development and planning to promote organic agriculture. Also, to improve farm income of farmers and to improve use of water effectively through irrigation system under Prime Minister Irrigation Scheme, creation of a integrated national agriculture market has also been included so that per drop, more productivity is achieved. In addition to this, greater emphasis is being given to implement Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme on a priority basis so that it is ensured that from field to ground, farmers are protected. Our premier institutes engaged with agriculture, like Indian Agriculture Research Council, Agricultural Universities and other departments of Government of India are also implementing Soil Health Card Scheme at grass root level. .
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Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has signed MOU/contracts with 52 countries, which includes United State of America. Further, Departmentof Agricultural Research and Education Department (DARE) and Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries have also signed MOU/contracts with other countries, which have resulted into our participatory development with total 63 countries. With these agreements/MOU there will be improved facilities available in several sectors. .
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Todays world is of information. In the present scenario, Information and Communication Technology has a significant role not only in dissemination of knowledge, but also to achieve economic gains. For distributing digital data and to provide access to farmers to information through mobile and internet connectivity, the Ministry has started wed enabled Farmer Portal and Mobile enabled M-Farmers SMS Portal, Farmers Call Center and DD Farmer Channel and two Mobile Apps. (Farmer facility and Pusa Agriculture). .
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In order to help our farmers to get benefit of market, an initiative has been taken, namely National Agriculture Market in which a common E-Market Platform of 585 regulated markets of the country will be set up so that farmers can sell their products through E-Marketing. We have to also face the several challenges of changing climate. There are many challenges before our scientistssuch as land degradation, water, climate change, emerging diseases and energy. To overcome these new areas of research are being explored. We havefixed a target to resolve major challenges like sustainable production system, food security, health and nutrition, environment and organic diversity and we have proving successful in addressing them through agriculture research. We believe that we can resolve complex challenges through our young scientists and agriculture research. .
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Shri Singh also said to the students that young scientists like them will be very successful to resolve problems relating to farmers and agricultural development through the knowledge they have gained during their study. .
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SS/AK
Post Brexit, India was happy to receive the Chief negotiator of European Union for India EU Broad Based Bilateral Trade & Investment Agreement (BTIA) negotiations. Chief Negotiators of India & European Union held a meeting today in New Delhi to discuss the status of the on-going negotiations for BTIA. .
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Since 2007, when the India-EU BTIA negotiations started, 16 rounds of negotiations have been held at the level of Chief Negotiators. The last round of negotiations was held in 2013 and thereafter negotiations had been suspended. .
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In todays meeting, negotiating positions were established on a few pillars that are critical components of BTIA . The language of Indian negotiations reflected the concerns of Indian industries in some sectors and expressed willingness to address outstanding issues as an integral part of the negotiations. India is committed to proceed with the negotiations with a hope to conclude the FTA as early as possible. .
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MJPS
The Major Ports of India witnessed a positive growth of 6.2% in the first quarter (April-June) of 2016 as compared to the same period last year. This information was shared by Joint Secretary (Ports) Shri. Prvir Krishn. According to Mr. Krishn, the cargo traffic handled by Indias Major ports was 159.0 Million Tonnes during the first quarter of 2016. This is significantly higher than what the Major Ports achieved during the same period last year where the growth was 4.5% and the Major Ports handled total cargo traffic of 149.74 million tonnes. .
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During the first quarter of 2016-17, Mormugao Port recorded the highest growth in traffic (104.5%) mainly due to steep increase in Iron Ore traffic. It increased from 0.2 million tonnes in 2015 to 3.9 million tonnes during the first quarter of 2016. This was followed by Vishakhapatnam (17.1%), Paradip (12.9%), Cochin (9.4%), Kandla (5.7%), V. O Chidambaranar (1.4%) and Kamarajar (0.2%) over the corresponding quarter of 2015-16. .
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Overall seven Major ports registered positive growth. Major Ports, which showed decline in traffic during the first quarter of 2016 were Haldia Dock Complex (-3.6%), New Manglore Port (-3.6%), Kolkata Dock System (KDS 2.9%), JNPT (-2.7%), Mumbai Port Trust (-2.1%) and Chennai Port (-19%).
Decline in New Manglore Port and Kolkata Port can be attributed to the reduction in traffic of fertilizer, thermal and steam coal, coking and other coal, liquids, Iron ore etc. In JNPT the decline was witnessed in other liquids and slight decrease in container traffic. Similarly, in Chennai Port and Mumbai Port the decline was due to decline in POL, fertilizers, thermal and steam coal. .
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Kandla Port handles maximum cargo during the first quarter (April-June) of 2016 .
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The laurel for handling the maximum cargo during the first quarter of 2016 goes to Kandla Port which handled 26031 million tonnes of cargo with the majority share of 16.4% amongst the Major Ports. This was followed by Paradip Port which handled 20599 million tonnes of cargo (13.0%) and JNPT which handled 15909 million tonnes of cargo (10.0%). .
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Visshakhapatnam Port (15602 MT 9.8%), Mumbai Port (15140 -9.5%), Chennai Port (13145 MT-8.3%), Chidambaranar (9603 MT-6.0%), New Mangalore Port (8483 MT 5.3%), Mormugao (8462MT 5.3%), HDC (8243 MT 5.2%), Kamarajar (7745 MT-4.9%), Cochin Port (6061 MT 3.8%) and KDS (3999 2.5%) formed the rest of the table. .
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(* Note: The numbers are total cargo handled in million tonnes by various ports and their percent share in total cargo handled) .
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Commodity-wise growth of cargo traffic at Major Ports .
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Commodity-wise, Iron Ore showed the maximum growth, Iron Ore handled by all the Major Ports showed a phenomenal growth of 416.1 % during the first quarter (April-June) of 2016. The total quantity of Iron ore handled by Major Ports grew from 1863 million tonnes in April-June 2015 to 9515 million tonnes this year during the same period. .
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Other commodities which showed positive growth were Container, POL (Petroleum, oil and Lubricants) and Coal. They showed a positive growth of 2.8% (31120 MT), 2.4% (56456 MT) and 1.4% (40218 MT) respectively. Commodities which registered negative growth during the same period are Fertilizer & FRM at -9.3% (3415 MT) against a growth of 0.9% during April-June last year. In liquid bulk category, Crude & Petroleum cargo handled by Major Ports in the first quarter of 2016-17 decelerated to 2.4% compared to a growth of 17.8% in the same period last year. .
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In terms of composition of cargo traffic handled at major Ports during April-June 2016-17, the largest commodity group (with share in percent of the total cargo handled) was POL (35.5%) followed by Coal (25.3%, Container traffic (19.6%), Other cargo (11.4%), Iron ore (6.0%) and Fertilizer & FRM(2.1%)..
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The Ministry of Shipping in a constant endeavor to increase the efficiency of Major Ports and to enhance their performance has undertaken a slew of reforms. These include mechanization of the terminals, improving the TAT (turn-around time), quick evacuation of cargo, expansion of infrastructure and skill development of employees. These initiatives taken by the Ministry of Shipping has yielded positive results in terms of the performance of the Major Ports. .
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President of India writes to President of France conveying condolences on loss of lives in terrorist attack in Nice
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The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has written to the President of the Republic of France, His Excellency Mr. Francois Hollande, conveying condolences on the loss of lives in a heinous act of terror last evening in Nice. .
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In his message, the President said, I am deeply pained to learn that France is once again afflicted by a major tragedy caused by a heinous act of terror last evening. The pre-meditated massacre of innocent people as they were participating in Bastille Day celebrations - including, sadly, many children, is an unspeakable crime. .
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Please accept my heartfelt condolences on this shocking incident. The people of India stand beside the people of France with solidarity and sympathy. We share your grief at the loss of lives and pray for the swift recovery of the injured". .
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The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will chair the eleventh meeting of the Inter-State Council here tomorrow. The Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of all states are expected to attend the meeting. .
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The Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Inter-State Council. During the eleventh meeting of Inter-State Council being held tomorrow, following issues will be discussed: .
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i). Consideration of the recommendations of the Punchhi Commission on Centre-State relations, .
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ii). Use of Aadhaar as an identifier and use of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for providing subsidies, benefits and Public services, .
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iii) Improving quality of school education with focus on improving learning outcomes, incentivising better performance, and.
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iv). Internal security.
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The Inter-State Council Secretariat, under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, also organises the Zonal Council meetings under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister. During the year 2015, all the five Zonal Council meetings namely East, Central, North, West and South have been held in that order.
Apart from this, the meeting of North Eastern Council (NEC) with all the Chief Ministers of the North Eastern States was held under the Chairmanship of Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh. During the current year, the Eastern Zonal Council meeting was chaired by Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh in Ranchi, Jharkhand on June 27, 2016. During these meetings, the subjects such as economic and social sectors, infrastructure, health, security related matters and various other developmental schemes were discussed by Shri Rajnath Singh with the concerned Chief Ministers and other participants. .
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The members of the Inter-State Council consist of Chief Ministers of all states, Chief Ministers of Union Territories having a Legislative Assembly and Administrators of UTs not having a Legislative Assembly, Six Union Ministers and eleven Union Cabinet Ministers/Minister of State (Independent Charge) as permanent invitees. The six Union Ministers Shri Rajnath Singh, Smt Sushma Swaraj, Shri Arun Jaitley, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari and Shri Manohar Parrikar are the members of the Inter- State Council. Union Ministers Shri Suresh Prabhu, Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda, Shri Ramvilas Paswan, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Shri Jual Oram, Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Smt Smriti Zubin Irani, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Shri Piyush Goyal and Smt Nirmala Sitharaman are the permanent invitees to the Inter-State Council. .
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The tenth meeting of the Inter State Council was held on December 9, 2006 in New Delhi. .
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Shri Jual Oram, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs met Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, here today. Shri Jual Oram expressed concern about the rising cases of Jaundice and Dengue in Barbil and neighbouring areas in Keonjhar district of Odisha, which have reached more than 600 cases, and requested for a team of doctors to be sent to the State to assist it in managing the situation. .
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Responding to the request, Shri J P Nadda spoke to the Health Minister of Odisha, Shri Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and discussed the Dengue situation in the State. He assured the State Health Minister of full cooperation and Central Government support in its efforts. Shri Nadda stated that the Health Ministry is geared up to send a team of doctors to Odisha to extend all necessary support to strengthen its efforts towards management of Dengue in the State. The Union Health Minister stated that the Centre is ready to extent all assistance to the State in terms of preventive and curative measures for managing the situation in Odisha. .
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Shri Nayak, Health Minister of Odisha thanked Shri Nadda and informed him that presently the situation was under control and he would request for the Health Ministrys assistance if and when the need arises. .
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The Union Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley said that Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a very important scheme as it transfers the benefit to the intended targeted beneficiaries. He said that Direct Benefit Transfer ensures that benefits reach the targeted population and helps in reducing leakages. The Union Finance Minister was addressing the members of Consultative Committee attached to Finance Ministry discussing the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) at New Delhi today. The Finance Minister also took the opportunity to introduce the new Ministers of State for Finance Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar to the Consultative Committee. .
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DBT is a major reform initiative, involving process re-engineering in various Government welfare schemes/programs for better delivery systems.DBT attempts to use technology in Government processes so that citizens are engaged in meaningful manner.DBT aspires to achieve accurate targeting of beneficiaries, de-duplication, efficiency in delivery process, ensuring greater inclusion, elimination of waste, curbing leakage thereby controlling expenditure and greater accountability and transparency. As on 31.5.2016, 74 schemes of 17 Ministries/Departments are being reported on DBT. .
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The Consultative Committee meeting started with a presentation on Direct Benefit Transfer by Ministry of Finance officials. The presentation outlined the evolution of Direct Benefit Transfer, various features of the scheme, DBT Mission, key components of DBT, progress of Aadhar card, the challenges ahead and the way forward. .
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Members of the Committee also gave various suggestions with regard to Direct Benefit Transfer. Most of the members congratulated the Government and the Finance Ministry on the work done on Direct Benefit Transfer and said that it will help in reducing leakages. Members gave their valuable suggestions to further improve the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme. One member suggested that regular discussions be held with State governments to improve the implementation of the DBT scheme. Some members suggested that Banking Correspondents scheme should be further strengthened to ensure that there is last mile coverage of beneficiaries. Suggestions were also given to ensure that the genuine beneficiaries are not left out of the DBT scheme. .
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Responding to the suggestions and queries raised by the Consultative Committee members, Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said that the Parliament has passed the Aadhar Act and there are provisions in the legislation to take care of the issues raised. Chief Economic Adviser Shri Arvind Subramanian talked about the steps taken to increase the banking coverage so that DBT can work seamlessly. .
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Along with the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley and Ministers of State for Finance Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, the Members of the Parliament and the Consultative Committee who attended the aforesaid Meeting today included Shri Anirudhan Sampath, Shri Baijayanta Jai Panda, Shri Dilip Kumar Mansukhal Gandhi, Smt Poonam Mahajan, Shri Ram Charitra Nishad and Shri Subhash Chandra Baheria ( all Members of Lok Sabha); Shri Anil Desai, Kumari Selja and Shri Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, (all Members of Rajya Sabha). .
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Among the officers present during the aforesaid Consultative Committee Meeting included Shri Ashok Lavasa, Finance Secretary, Ms Anjuli Chib Duggal, Secretary (DFS), Dr. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser and senior officers of the Ministry of Finance among others. .
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The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has condemned the attack in Nice, France. He also referred to the incident during his remarks at the Plenary Session of the 11th ASEM Summit being held in Ulaanbaater, Mongolia today stating that India joined others in offering its condolences to the Government and people of France on yesterdays happening. .
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Following is the text of Vice Presidents message: .
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I am pained by the terrible attack in Nice, France. My thoughts are with those whose loved ones have been killed in the attack. No grievance can justify such dastardly acts. .
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International Terrorism threatens all open and plural societies and we need concerted international efforts to face this challenge. .
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We stand with the people and Government of France in their hour of grief and pray for the bereaved families and the early recovery of the injured." .
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Cambodia's prime minister announced Friday that will give his government nearly $600 million in aid to support the country's election infrastructure, education and health.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said in a statement that the aid was finalised after he met with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang at an Asia-Europe meeting in Mongolia.
"At my request, our Chinese friends have agreed to provide fund for supporting the election process, health care, education and clean water," Hun Sen said.
is a key ally and economic partner of impoverished Cambodia. It has provided millions of dollars in aid and investment over the past decade, granted it tariff-free status on hundreds of trade items and written off its debt.
In return, Cambodia supports in forums, including in Beijing's ongoing dispute with other Southeast Asian countries in the South China sea.
Last month, Cambodia deported 39 suspected criminals to China, including 25 Taiwanese, over whom Beijing insists it has jurisdiction despite protests from self-ruled Taipei.
Iraqi security forces on Thursday were preparing to free two towns from the Islamic State (IS) militants in south of the IS stronghold in Mosul, while a senior IS leader and two of his aides were killed in airstrike by the US-led coalition aircraft in south of Mosul, security sources said.
The troops took control of the areas of Dawajin and Mahha in west of the IS-held town of Shirqat after the withdrawal of the IS militants, bringing the troops to new positions close to the edges of Shirqat, which located some 280 km north of Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The security forces and allied paramilitary units, known as Hashd Shaabi, are preparing to wage an operation to liberate Shirqat soon, the source said, adding that the town is the last IS stronghold in north of Iraq's northern central province of Salahudin.
Meanwhile, the security forces fought the IS militants and drove them out of an abandoned residential district belonging to Qayyara airbase, just east of the militant-seized town of Qayyara, some 50 km south of Mosul, leaving at least 18 IS militants killed, along with destroying two car bombs and a vehicle carrying heavy machine gun, the source said.
The battle in the district brought the troops to new positions closer to the outskirts of Qayyara, and they are now ready to carry out operation to drive out IS militants from the town, the source added.
The advance towards both towns of Shirqat and Qayyara are part of a major offensive aimed at liberating the last major IS stronghold in Mosul, some 400 km north of Baghdad.
Separately, a security source in Salahudin province told Xinhua that Muwafaq Hawijah, leader of the IS group in the town of Shirqat was killed with his two aides when the aircraft carried out an air strike on their car near the village of al-Mrear outside the town of Shirqat.
"The bodies of the IS leader and his aides were evacuated Shirqat hospital," the source said, citing intelligence report.
In addition, a roadside bomb went off near a vehicle carrying Shakir Amerli, leader of a Shiite paramilitary Hashd Shaabi paramilitary unit, near the town of Tuz-Khurmato, some 90 km east of Salahudin provincial capital city of Tikrit, killing him and one of his guards and wounding two more guards, the source added.
Iraq's security situation has drastically deteriorated since June 2014, when bloody clashes broke out between Iraqi security forces and IS militants.
The IS took control of the country's northern city of Mosul and later seized territories in Nineveh and other predominantly Sunni provinces.
A US-led coalition has been conducting air raids against the IS targets in both and Syria.
Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the US that invaded and occupied in March 2003 under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the country.
The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but no WMD was found.
Pakistan on Friday condemned the terrorist attack in France that killed 84 people as "barbaric and cowardly".
"The Government of Pakistan condemns, in strongest terms, the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack on men, women and children who were celebrating their National Day in the French city of Nice that resulted in the loss of tens of innocent lives and injuries to scores of others," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said in a statement.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and we wish a speedy recovery to the injured. Pakistan stands in solidarity with the French people in this hour of grief," he said.
The US has expressed concern over the free movement of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief in Pakistan despite his being designated as a terrorist by the UN.
"As we've said from this podium many times, we remain concerned about his activities," Elizabeth Trudeau, Director in the US State Department press office, said at the daily press briefing on Thursday.
She was responding to a question on Saeed moving around freely in Pakistan and giving interviews.
Saeed reportedly said the US was giving India a free hand by not condemning the ongoing violence in Kashmir.
At least 38 people have died in large-scale violence in Kashmir following the killing of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani, 22, in a gunfight on July 8.
Trudeau pointed out that Saeed has been listed by the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee and is also on the US rewards for Justice Program.
"Obviously we disagree with his premise (Saeed's statement on US position on India), but we've also been very clear with the government of Pakistan that they must target and root out these extremist groups, all militant groups and Taliban," she stated.
On the current situation in Kashmir, Trudeau reiterated that the US would "encourage all sides to make efforts to finding a peaceful resolution".
"The situation on the ground from what we understand is very complex, it remains fluid," she said.
"In terms of clarity on what's going on, in terms of the protests as well as the security force reaction, we're still trying to get it," she added.
US and Cuban officials held another round of talks on migration issues in Havana to further discussions last held in December, but no new agreements were announced to advance the diplomatic thaw begun a year and a half ago by presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro.
The US State Department yesterday said in a statement that the talks covered bilateral migratory accords, migration trends on sea and by land, as well as cooperation between medical officials in the two countries and between the US Coast Guard and the Cuban Border Guard.
"The US delegation restated its position that the Government of Cuba should accept the return of Cuban nationals who have been removed from the United States," it said.
A Cuban Foreign Ministry statement said its delegation again voiced its "high concern" about US rules that let islanders who reach American soil stay, and also a US policy of granting entry to Cuban medical professionals on overseas missions.
Havana complains that the policies encourage Cubans to make risky sea and land voyages and also feed crimes such as people smuggling and migration fraud. It called the doctors programme "reprehensible" and said it hurts health initiatives in third-world countries where they are working.
In recent months, thousands of Cuban migrants have been stranded in countries such as Costa Rica, Panama and Ecuador after borders were closed to them, cutting off their overland route to the United States. Many have been airlifted to Mexico, where they travel to the US border and are admitted.
This week, Ecuador deported to Cuba 122 islanders who had been protesting there to demand humanitarian visas to Mexico.
Washington and Havana have repeatedly sat down to discuss both matters of mutual interest and points of contention in the months since they announced they would move toward normalising ties after over 50 years of open hostility. Last year they opened embassies in each other's capitals.
The Cuban Foreign Ministry said both sides at the talks acknowledged "positive results" of two meetings held earlier this year in Miami. US and Cuban delegations also held regular meetings this week in Havana.
The US is not coordinating its military operations in with Russia, the White House said today amid reports that America is offering Russia some sort of military deal to go after the Islamic State and Al Qaida in the war-torn country.
"The United States is not conducting or coordinating military operations with Russia. I know there are some speculation that an agreement may be reached to do so. But it's not clear that will happen," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
"The case that we have made for more than a year now, or at least a year now, is that Russia should use the influence they have with the Assad regime to expedite a political solution to the situation inside of Syria," he said adding that the political solution involves a transition moving Assad out a power in .
"That's something that will only happen once we have been able to bring some stability to the rampant violence on the ground," he said noting that earlier this year, there was some progress made in getting many parties to agree to a cessation of hostilities.
"And at the beginning of the implementation of that deal, it exceeded our expectations in terms of the security situation on the ground. That was a positive development.
"Since that time we have seen the security situation stability erode and that has dealt a setback to efforts to reach up political agreement," he said.
Earnest said the US would welcome a military contribution from Russia, as long as they were focused on ISIL and Al Qaeda's presence in .
"Unfortunately, we've sent seen them devote too much of their attention to using their military might to prop up the Assad regime," he observed.
In this photo made from the footage taken from Russian Defense Ministry official web site, Russian Tu-22 bombers escorted by the Su-27s fighter jets drop bombs on a target in Syria. Photo: AP/PTI
President Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State John Kerry did not discuss direct military cooperation in Syria during talks aimed at reviving the stalled peace process in the war-torn country, the Kremlin said today.
"The topic of direct military cooperation in the fight against terrorism did not figure" in the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters after a leaked document revealed Washington was set to offer Moscow closer military cooperation against jihadist groups in Syria.
"An exchange of information is occurring but, unfortunately we have not begun real cooperation to significantly improve the effectiveness of efforts in the fight against terrorism," the spokesman said.
According to a leaked document seen by the Washington Post, Kerry's key proposal is to offer Russia closer US military cooperation against the Al Nusra Front jihadist group.
In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally, Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition.
On the second and final day of his visit to Moscow today, Kerry is meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss ways to resolve the bloody five-year-long conflict.
Kerry's spokesman said that he would "explore initiatives in more detail" with Lavrov following a yesterday meeting with Putin, which Kerry said had been "serious and frank".
This diplomatic push comes as ferocious bloodshed in Syria persists following a series of failed ceasefires, and Russia and the United States appear increasingly at odds over the way forward amid heightened diplomatic tensions.
Meanwhile, there has been no sign from Damascus that Assad feels under any pressure to agree to talks on a new government, the next stage in the process if a ceasefire is restored.
Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, in an interview broadcast yesterday, Assad insisted Putin and Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure or a political transition.
"Russia's position regarding Assad's fate is well-known and has not undergone any kind of change," Peskov said today.
A 10 per cent crack in shares of IT (information technology) firm Infosys in Friday's trade is likely to impact the investment portfolios of equity schemes. The Bengaluru-based software exporter is the second most-owned counter in equity mutual fund managers' portfolios.
has dipped nearly 10% to Rs 1,060, its sharpest intra-day fall in past three years on the BSE, after the company cut full year revenue outlook for the financial year 2016-17(FY17).
Benchmark share indices recovered from their intra-day lows after gains in HDFC twins helped offset some of the losses in Infosys after the IT major posted weak first quarter earnings and lowered its guidance for the current fiscal.
Benchmark indices snapped their four-day winning streak weighed down by IT majors like Infosys and TCS post their first quarter earnings. Further, weakness in Europe in wake of the deadly terror attacks in Nice, France also dented investor sentiment.
The Indian Air Force aircraft C-17 carrying Indian citizens from war-torn South Sudan landed at Thiruvananthapuram this morning.
The evacuation operation named as 'Sankat Mochan' is being headed by Minister of State for External Affairs General (Retd.) VK Singh.
In a tweet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that both the aircrafts will be reaching Delhi via Thiruvananthapuram.
In a series of tweets, Swaraj further stated that Indian Air Force is carrying out the operation along with the Indian Railways and Air India, who will facilitate the onward journey.
"Indian Railways and Air India will facilitate their onward journey," she tweeted.
"Indian Air Force is carrying out OP," she tweeted.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup in a tweet said, the first aircraft has 143 Indian citizens including 10 women and three infants.
The second aircraft is carrying nine Indian nationals and two Nepalese citizens as reportedly said by the Indian Ambassador in South Sudan, Srikumar Menon.
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has ordered a ceasefire after days of intense fighting in Juba which left more than 150 dead and many more injured since fighting broke out on Thursday.
The ceasefire announcement came as United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called on the Security Council to impose an "immediate arms embargo" and targeted sanctions on leaders and commanders blocking implementation of the peace deal.
There was renewed fighting between the government and former rebel forces since Thursday in Juba.
The latest exchanges were apparently sparked by a shootout between President Kiir's and Vice President Riek Machar's bodyguards.
Following the horrific Bastille Day attack in the French Riviera city that killed at least 80 people on Thursday night, Bollywood took to their respective Twitter handles to condemn the terror attack in Nice, France.
"The world is turning so cruel...How do human beings do this to each other.My heart bleeds for the victims of the Nice attack #PeaceForNice" wrote Priyanka Chopra.
Akshay Kumar tweeted, "Sad 2 wake up 2 the news of the #NiceAttack! Heartbreaking!Was there last yr,beautiful place & people. Prayers 4 the families of the victims."
"Heartbreaking!! How many more times will we witness horrific attacks against humanity?cannot express the anger #NiceAttack ," posted Anushka Sharma.
"Omg ! Praying for everyone involved in the #NiceAttack," wrote Preity Zinta.
"Was at this very #Nice promenade, on the phone with a friend who was hurt in Istanbul airport attack, 2 weeks ago. Now this? #PrayForNice," tweeted Boman Irani.
"Heart goes out to all the victims of yet another shocking and brutal act of terrorism #NiceAttack," said Bipasha Basu.
Athiya Shetty posted, "What is happening to this world. So heartbreaking. #NiceAttacks."
"More innocent lives lost..Shocked, angry, heartbroken! Was in #Nice last month! All my prayers for the families. Restez fort. #NiceAttack," wrote Sophie Choudry.
A truck ploughed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, leaving at least 80 dead and scores injured in an attack after a Bastille Day fireworks display.
Estrosi said flags would be lowered across the city on Friday.
The truck driver has been identified as Nice Matin, a man of Tunisian origin from Nice. His identity papers were found in the cab of the lorry, Sky News reported.
Reportedly, the man, believed to be 31, fired on crowds of people before he was shot dead by police.
Residents have been told to stay indoors as the emergency services work at the scene.
"If the terrorists say that they are inspired by him then how can he be messenger of peace? There was a terror attack in Bangladesh and two terrorists said that they were inspired by Zakir Naik...So, now that he is assuming an investigation against him that is why he is calling himself as the messenger of peace," Singh told ANI.
Justifying his stand, Singh said it is impossible to believe that a person, who has been showering praises on Osama Bin Laden, has condemned terrorism.
"According to reports published in some newspapers on his speeches, he has been praising Osama Bin Laden, who is amongst the world's number one terrorist and the founder of al-Qaeda. Then how can we say he condemns terrorism and how come terrorists get inspired by him, this is not worth believing," Singh said.
The former home secretary demanded that an investigation should be done with regard to whatever Naik has said, adding strict action should be initiated if he has violated the law.
Pleading innocence, Naik has alleged that the Indian media started trying him just because one of the Bangladesh newspapers reported that one of the terrorists involved in the Dhaka cafe attack was inspired by him.
"I am seeing that there is an India media cry on me just because a report came in one of the Bangladesh newspapers 'The Daily Star' that one of the terrorists who was involved in the attack was inspired by me, and the media trial started. On July 29, the newspaper corrected themselves that they never said that Dr Zakir inspired him and Dr Zakir did not inspire any terrorist to kill innocent people," he told a press conference in Mumbai via Skype from Medina.
Naik said that his answers were altered and misguided people, adding those who did that shall be held responsible.
"Media for ulterior motives change meaning of my statements," he said.
Naik said he condemns all terror attacks anywhere in world and will speak for hours if needed.
"Suicide bombings where innocents are killed is 'haraam'. But as tactic of war it is permitted say many scholars," said Naik, who began his press conference by condemning the France terror attack.
Naik further said Verse 32 in Chapter 5 of the Quran says killing innocents is crime.
"No scripture other than the Quran says one innocent killed is killing of the humanity," he added.
He also stated that he has never met any terrorist knowingly.
"But if some people stand next to me to take photographs, I smile. I don't know who they are? I am a messenger of peace. I do not criticise any sect of Islam, I may disagree on interpretations," he said.
Members of regional Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) party has held protest in Chennai against the Central Government for selling 'Gangajal', water from the holy river Ganges.
The Indian Postal Department began sale of 'Gangajal' water for religious purposes on Monday under a new scheme launched by the Centre.
Scores of protestors gathered outside the Anna Salai post office and shouted slogans against the Central government.
The protesters said that the holy Ganges River was highly polluted and its water could lead to fatal diseases.
"The ganga water is entirely fully impurity water.selling impure water.the World (Health) Organisation has also certified that this water is highly impurity water. It cannot be used anywhere. So a lot of people sustained cancer and other disease because of the drinking of Ganga water," said a protester, V. Elangovan.
The protesters were later detained by the police.
Under a Centre-sponsored scheme, holy water- drawn from two river sources at Gangotri and Rishikesh in the northern Uttarakhand state- were made available at 809 post offices across the country.
As per reports, the plan to provide the holy water has already been implemented by some of the e-commerce websites and for a litre bottle sourced from Gomukh, the e-commerce company charges Rs 299.
Rubbishing Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's assertion that black day must be observed on July 19 in wake of the killings in Kashmir, Defence Expert Raj Kadyan on Friday said that political dialogue between the two nations must start.
"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has just concluded holding a Cabinet meeting, basically has highlighted three things. Firstly, next Tuesday they will observe a black day in solidarity with the Kashmir militancy. Secondly, they will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the militancy in Kashmir. Thirdly, he has asked all the instruments of Pakistani state to highlight the situation of Kashmir in all the international fora," Kadyan told ANI.
He said what Sharif has said is nothing new, adding it makes no difference to New Delhi.
"Pakistan supports not only political, moral, diplomatic, but also material and financial including human material like Jihadists. So, what he says now is nothing new, it makes no difference to us. We have to ensure that our people in Kashmir who for the last six days now have been upset over the death of terrorist leader calm down and accept the reality so that further talks can carry on," he added.
Asserting that political dialogue ultimately must start, Kadyan said India must talk to the people, who matter and find an amicable solution.
"Till that time the security forces will continue to do their jobs. Very unfortunate that 37 people have died. Today is Friday.today is a crucial day when a last congregation is expected. Whether they will do their congregation peacefully or they will again resort to some kind of stone pelting or violence, we are yet to see," he added.
Sharif has said that Pakistan will observe July 19 as a 'black day' to protest against what he described as 'Indian barbarism' in Jammu and Kashmir following the protests over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani.
Sharif proposed the observance of 'black day' while chairing a special meeting of his Cabinet in Lahore to discuss the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. His proposal was accepted by the Cabinet, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
Sharif and Pakistan's Foreign Ministry recently angered India by referring to Wani, a commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, as a 'Kashmiri leader' and describing his death as an 'extrajudicial killing'.
At least 37 people have died in the protests following Wani's killing last week.
India dismissed Pakistan's criticism of its handling of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and accused the Asian neighbour of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.
Once again, the power-and-blood fantasy saga 'Game of Thrones' hails with 23 Nominations in the 68th annual Prime time Emmy Awards.
While the show received a record 12 Emmys last season, this year too it bags nominations for an array of categories including outstanding 'Dramatic series' and 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama' for Emilia Clark, reports the New York Times.
The HBO's fantasy epic that completed its sixth season, received 24 nominations last year and won its first Emmy for 'best drama.'
With 23 nominations this time the total number of nominations for the series presently has gone up to 104.
Along with GoT, 'Modern Family' and Julia Louis-Dreyfus once again bagged most number of nominations.
'Veep' with 17 nominations, was the comedy leader.
Popular shows like 'The People v. O.J. Simpson,' 'Roots' and 'Fargo' pulled drew attention to the limited series category.
James Corden appeared to be a competition in the late-night shows and widely praised 'The Americans' got recognised in the 'best drama' category.
With a total 94 nominations, HBO, for the 16th consecutive year receives highest number of nominations among all other networks.
The 2016 Emmy Awards ceremony will take place on September 18 in Los Angeles.
Asserting that the Centre is keen to have a fruitful and meaningful discussion in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Friday expressed hope that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill would be passed this time in the larger interest of the country.
Naidu said the GST Bill will be an important initiative in the all-party meeting called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Sunday to discuss all issues ahead of the Monsoon Session.
"We also have Medical Council of India ordinance, Dental Council of India ordinance, both of them have to be approved," Naidu said, adding there are important legislations before the Parliament.
Stating that the government is keen to have a fruitful and meaningful Parliament session, Naidu said he is hopeful that the important legislations pending for long will be approved in this session.
"The Parliamentary Affairs Minister is consulting all other ministers and we'll be able to know by Sunday what are the important bills," he added.
Naidu further said that he had a telephonic conversation yesterday with the opposition leaders Gulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, adding the duo appeared to be positive about the GST Bill.
"They said they will discuss in their party forums. I may recall, earlier Shri Narendra Modi ji, honorable Prime Minister, had called even Sonia ji and Manmohan Singh ji for discussion on GST. They raised some three issues and those issues are mostly addressed by the Finance Minister," Naidu stated.
The Urban Development Minister said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also had a number of rounds of discussions with the Chief Ministers of various states, adding most of them are on board with regard to the GST.
"And I also in between as the Parliamentary Affairs Minster have talked to all the parties earlier and most of them are positive. When you are going for a major reform, there will be some problem or the other but these problems can be addressed during the course of time. And I only appeal to all the political parties to see in the larger interest of the country that the GST Bill is passed," he added.
The proposed tax reform, India's biggest revenue shake-up since independence, seeks to replace a slew of federal and state levies, transforming the nation into a Customs Union.
The Congress Party, the original author of the tax reform, has said that it would back the GST if the government agreed to cap the tax rate at 18 percent and create an independent mechanism to resolve disputes on revenue sharing between the states.
Security, safety and environment protection are some of the prime challenges the civil aviation sector has been facing globally.
India has the fastest growing domestic aviation market in the world, where domestic air passenger demand grew by 28.1 per cent in July 2015 as compared to a year ago.
This growth is almost three times that of China (10.9 per cent) and five times that of the United States (5.9 per cent) during the same period.
To help this fast-growing sector deal with operational and management challenges, the Indian Aviation Academy has been providing training to officials of Airports Authority of India (AAI), Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
The academy in New Delhi was set up jointly by these departments under the aegis of NIAMAR Society which was formed in July 2010.
Sudhir Raheja, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, said, "They are adopting the best practices. In fact, they are recently awarded as best course developer unit by ICAO, from where all over the world the officers can come and get trained in that particular course. For example: payment design and friction testing at the runaway. These are the places where we have recognition from ICAO."
The academy has trained thousands of aviation professionals in the last few years, helping to boost performance especially in the domestic sector. The AAI also collaborates with other institutes to provide the best training possible to employees.
Anuj Aggarwal, Member (HR), Airports Authority of India, said, "During last few years we have been able to train almost 2,500 to 3,000 officers every year. Besides this, we have tied up with few other organizations and other training institutes to provide training to our officers. Through NPC we have provided a soft skill training, through NIIT we have provided training on computers' application and computer related training. We had also engaged the IDTA for online training for airport operations and airport management. ICAO based training of airport management that is called AMPAP (Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme), our officers are being nominated for this training. We have a good number of officers who have been certified International airport professionals."
Besides launching soft skill development for managerial effectiveness in collaboration with the Productivity Council (NPC), the academy successfully completed the development process of Standardized Training Packages on "Runway Rubber Removal" in May 2016 which was duly approved by the ICAO.
Seeing the growth of aviation sector in the country and rising concerns about security and environment protection, the Academy has been introducing many new courses.
Pankaj Gupta, Joint General Manager, Head-CDU, Indian Aviation Academy, said, "We have plans to develop more STPs (Standardized Training Packages). One is on facilitation for physically challenged people at airports and the other one is on airport signage. It's a long pending demand of civil aviation customers that they find difficulty in finding the convenient places conveniently. So, development of these two training packages will be taken up very shortly."
The academy has been awarded full membership status by the ICAO under the TRAINAIR PLUS programme.
The programme was established by the ICAO to ensure higher training standards for aviation professionals globally.
The academy will soon shift to a state-of-the-art campus where more employees in the civil aviation sector will be able to avail specialized training.
Tom Hiddleston has finally broken his silence and said that his newly-bloomed relationship with Taylor Swift is not a publicity stunt or hoax.
Following a widespread speculation, he clarified in a recent interview: "That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt," reports News.com.au.
Further confirming his relationship with the pop-star, the 35-year-old actor stated, "The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we're very happy. Thanks for asking."
Earlier this week, when Channel 9 reporter quizzed the 'Crimson Peak' actor on their romance, he squirmed his way out of even acknowledging that his very girlfriend is visiting Australia with him.
Basically, Hiddleston was filming ' Thor: Rangarok' in Gold Coast, Australia where he was joined by Swift earlier this week.
In a joint statement issued by the Hurriyat Leadership, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik have extended protests and complete shutdown for the next 72 hours starting from Saturday morning till Monday evening.
"On 16th of July, the people are appealed to observe protests after Maghrib prayers and raise pro freedom slogans of right to self determination," the statement said.
"While continuing the protest strike on July 17, the people of the valley are asked to visit the families of recent martyrs and injured in order to pay tribute to their courageous roles in the on-going freedom struggle of Kashmir," it added.
Furthermore, on July 18, the people of Kashmir will organize a freedom march on their respective district headquarters.
"Hurriyat leadership and Kashmiris are thankful to the Government and people of Pakistan for their unflinching support for the freedom struggle of Kashmiris. We welcome the call from Government of Pakistan call to observe July 19 as 'Black Day' to apprise the world about the ongoing genocide of Kashmiris by Indian forces and to aware them about the struggle of Kashmiris for right to self determination," it added.
In resolve to the black day call, the separatists appealed to the people of Kashmir and Kashmiris living abroad to observe July 19 as a 'Black Day'.
The shutdown call comes in wake of protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani earlier on July 8.
At least 37 people have died in the protests following Wani's killing last week.
India has slammed Pakistan for glorifying terrorists and also for declaring Wani a martyr.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Vikas Swarup earlier today said India completely and unequivocally rejects in the entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
On the call of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Federal Cabinet earlier today decided that the country will observe July 19 as 'Black Day' against the Indian "barbarism in the Kashmir Valley."
Prime Minister Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for "right to self-determination."
He added the "Indian brutalities" will give impetus to the freedom struggle, which even the seven hundred thousand Indian soldiers deployed in the Indian side of Kashmir could not suppress.
He went on to call the 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani as "martyr" of the independence movement.
Blaming the Centre's lack of farsightedness for the deteriorating situation in Kashmir of which Pakistan is taking advantage, Janata Dal (United) spokesperson K.C. Tyagi on Friday said if given any more space, the situation might turn worse giving Pakistan further opportunity to cash in on it.
"Centre's lack of farsightedness is to blame for the deteriorating situation in Kashmir, of which the neighbouring country Pakistan is taking advantage. If given any more space, the situation may become worse and will give Pakistan an opportunity to further comment on," Tyagi told ANI.
Commenting on India's Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin remarks on Pakistan, he said, "I agree with Indian's Representative's remarks that Pakistan is exporting terrorism through tour, and is responsible for the upswing in violence."
He said Pakistan is taking advantage of the Kashmir situation, and thus, the Indian government must be conscious about it.
Talking about controversial Islamic Zakir Naik, he preacher "Zakir is infamous for his aggressive and provocative statements, he doesn't have any space left except for jail and does not sympathise with Muslims," he said.
"I Welcome Venkaih Naidu's progressive approach, where they held talks and enrolled the opposition parties to pass GST, JD(U) has already extended its support in favour of GST," he said.
Talking about black money, he said, "Even after SIT submitting its fifth report on black money case, the centre has failed to initiate any action."
Welcoming the release of Hardik Patel, Tyagi said, "Several people from patel community died because of Gujarat's government ruthlessness and because of this unemployment and law and order situation in Gujarat was also surfaced.
Leonardo DiCaprio has long been a champion for environmental causes, now he has announced 15.6 million dollars in grants for conservation efforts.
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which boasts donations of more than 59 million dollars since it was founded in 1998, claims it to be the largest series of donations, reports Channel24.
'The Revenant' actor has lobbied world leaders about climate change, protecting wildlife and more.
In a recently statement released, the Oscar-winning actor said he was increasing the level of grants "to help solve some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges.
At least six people were injured after a car in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's convoy fell into a gorge in Gorabari near Sonada in Darjeeling hills on Friday.
President Pranab Mukherjee was also accompanying Mamata Banerjee when the incident took place. State governor Kesarinath Tripathi was also in the convoy.
However, both of them did not sustain any injuries and are reported to be safe.
It is reported that five security personnel of President Mukherjee, who were in the first escort, are among the six injured in the accident.
The incident took place when the convoy was on its way to the Bagdogra Airport.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) on Friday decided to block three major bills related to the annual budget announcement at the Parliament until the House voted on a 'no-confidence motion' filed against present Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli-led government.
The Maoist Centre had earlier filed a 'no-confidence motion' against Prime Minister Oli after withdrawing its support from the Union Government post which the ruling party is now a minority in the Parliament.
Meanwhile, the CPN Maoist Centre is also holding its Central Office meeting to discuss contemporary political issues including formation of a new government under its leadership, reports the Himalayan Times.
According to the party sources, the meeting would discuss taking other fringe parties into confidence to endorse its 'no-confidence motion' against Prime Minister Oli and government formation in alliance with the Nepali Congress, among other issues.
The meeting is taking place at the party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's residence in Lazimpat.
On the call of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Federal Cabinet today decided that the country will observe July 19 as 'Black Day' against the Indian "barbarism in the Kashmir Valley."
The decision was made at a special Cabinet meeting preceded over by Prime Minister Sharif, who on Friday termed the movement of Kashmiris as a 'movement of freedom' in Lahore, reports the Radio Pakistan.
Prime Minister Sharif said that Pakistan will continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for "right to self-determination."
He added the "Indian brutalities" will give impetus to the freedom struggle, which even the seven hundred thousand Indian soldiers deployed in the Indian side of Kashmir could not suppress.
He went on to call the 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani as "martyr" of the independence movement.
Prime Minister Sharif said that Kashmiris will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them.
He also directed all the relevant departments to highlight "Indian atrocities" by armed forces in the valley at international fora.
The meeting also condemned the recent terrorist attacks in France, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia.
Nepal Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli will face the floor test rather than resigning, as he is riding on what he calls "constitutional complexities" to buy time.
Prime Minister Oli, who faces the challenge of proving majority in Parliament following a no-confidence motion brought against him, said at a Parliamentary Party meeting of the CPN-UML on Thursday that constitutional complexities will prevent the formation of a new government, reported the Kathmandu Post.
Citing Article 298 of the Constitution, which reads: "The Council of Ministers existing at the time of commencement of this Constitution shall remain until the transformed Legislature-Parliament constitutes a new Council of Ministers;" Prime Minister Oli insisted on facing the House instead of resigning.
At the meeting, the Prime Minister also briefed his parliamentarians about the latest political situation after the Maoist Centre withdrew its support from the coalition government. He told the lawmakers that "as per Article 298 of the Constitution, (the government) will remain until next parliamentary elections take place".
"Prime Minister Oli will not resign but will face no-confidence motion in Parliament," said Minister for Information and Communication Sher Dhan Rai after the meeting.
According to Minister for Industry Som Prasad Pandey, Prime Minister Oli also hinted that "some foreign forces" had played a role in forcing the Maoist Centre to pull out of the left coalition.
The Supreme Court on Friday directed the government to bring clarity to the rules of government employees, paramilitary forces and the army.
The apex court asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to re-look into the rules that concern service terms related to disbursement of .
"There is too much confusion regarding related rule. The government must assess implications of rules for the army, paramilitary, other services," the apex court observed.
The Attorney General, however, appealed for three months time from the apex court to address the issue.
"Similar issues pertaining to pension are arising in the army, paramilitary forces and other government services. We will sit with the relevant authorities and see if any immediate action can be taken. It is true that rules are confusing and there is a need for more clarity," Rohatgi said.
European Parliament Vice-President Ryszard Czarnecki has said Pakistan is violently crushing dissent and indulging in human rights violations of the Balochistan people as the 'China-Pakistan Economic and Defence Cooperation (CPEC)' project is being constructed against their will.
"The grievances of the local Baloch community were being completely ignored, and anything interpreted as dissent, was being violently crushed," said Czarnecki at an event on the 'China-Pakistan Economic and Defence Cooperation, Global and Regional Impact', in the US Congress on Thursday, reports the Nation.
Along with Czarnecki, other speakers at the event included Dr. Walid Phares, Co-Secretary General of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Group on Counter Terrorism and Paulo Casaca, Executive Director of Arc humankind.
In his remarks about the CPEC, Czarnecki highlighted the manner in which this project was being constructed against the will of the local population in Balochistan, leading to the heavy presence of Pakistani military and police apparatus in the area.
He said while the security deployment was apparently for the safety of the Chinese personnel and infrastructure, it had resulting in a situation where the human rights of the local population were being frequently violated.
Moreover, the Pakistani Army was engaged in forceful evacuation of people from their traditional homesteads and farmlands in several areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan, so as to make land available for the CPEC, he added.
He also highlighted that the failure of the international community to intervene and check atrocities by the Pakistan army in the areas proposed for the CPEC, would result in the escalation of human rights violations of innocent civilians in Pakistan.
Echoing similar sentiments, Casaca mentioned that while the CPEC was a good initiative, it was going through disputed territory and was being completely controlled by the Pakistan army with no local governance participation being allowed.
Local inhabitants in the areas of Gilgit Baltistan and Baluchistan were being forcefully cleared for the project, rendering people homeless and depriving them of their sources of livelihood.
He also referred to the aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea, and lamented that while the US, along with its allies, was trying to maintain freedom of navigation in the area, Pakistan, the foremost beneficiary of US largesse over the years, was now supporting the Chinese regime.
The CPEC project comprises a network of railways, roads and pipelines that would connect Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the province of Balochistan, with the Chinese city of Kashgar in landlocked Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
Uttarakhand Congress MLA Ganesh Godiyal on Friday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre to arrest him with regard to the establishment of a college.
"The government included my college in the grant list in March 2015. They are trying to portray that some MLAs got benefit by this and I am also included in that. I want to challenge the Central Government to arrest me. Why are they harassing me? They are trying to punish those who haven't cheated with their own parties. If I have done anything they should prove it," Godiyal told ANI.
He said that he hasn't cheated the Congress Party when he was asked to do so.
"I have been pressurized to topple the Congress Government and come along with the BJP. I didn't support them and this is the result..I am being harassed. I called up the officials of the CBI yesterday and asked them to arrest me," he added.
Stating that he didn't have the intention to gain money from the college which he established in the year 2000, Godiyal said that he would have instituted it in Dehradun, Mumbai or Delhi if he had that intention.
"Now, the girls after their Class 12 can come there and pursue further education. After making 80,000 square feet in 2011, I resigned from the organisation. Neither am I related with the organisation nor any of my family members," he added.
The Congress leader said he had revealed earlier on March 18 that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had offered him Rs. five crore to topple the Uttarakhand Government and come along with them.
"When I didn't support them, they targeted me. They got a brazen defeat both in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. In their attempt to make me a victim of the CBI, they will again be defeated," he added.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Godiyal with regard to government's help in constituting the Raath Degree College in Paithani village of Uttarakhand and also with regard to a sting CD case involving another Congress MLA Madan Bisht in alleged horse-trading.
Godiyal had earlier on March 18 claimed he and his legislator friends had been approached by state BJP leaders with 'hefty' offers to help trigger the collapse of the Harish Rawat government.
Flesh-eating Tyrannosaurus rex may be the most well-known and iconic dinosaur, but it turns out some of the most successful of these prehistoric reptiles were actually vegetarian.
A new study from the University of Bristol, led by Eddy Strickson, has presented clear evidence about how plant-eating dinosaurs evolved.
In the rich dinosaur deposits of North America, hundreds of skeletons of plant-eaters are found for every T. rex. But how did they survive and proliferate? Was it down to innovation or stimulus by plant evolution?
Eddy Strickson said: "The plant-eating ornithopods showed four evolutionary bursts; one in the middle of the Jurassic, and the other three in a cluster around 80 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous. This was down to innovation in their jaws and improved efficiency."
Plants were evolving fast during the Mesozoic, with the rise of cycads, conifers, and especially the angiosperms or flowering plants in the Cretaceous. However, the evolution of ornithopod dinosaur jaws and teeth did not show any response to these changes in availability of plants.
Co-leader Albert Prieto-Marquez said: "Some of the immensely successful duck-billed hadrosaurs of the Late Cretaceous might have been eating flowering plants, but their tooth wear patterns, and especially close study of their coprolites - that's fossil poops - shows they were conifer specialists, designed to crush and digest the oily, tough needles and cones."
Co-leader Tom Stubbs added: "Our work has been done using new methods of evolutionary analysis. Up to now, many evolutionary studies of this kind have been quite circumstantial, but we have been able to identify times of intensive evolution using objective, numerical methods."
Over 150 million years, many hundreds of dinosaurs came and went, but in the end they all died out 66 million years ago. The new work helps confirm another recently published, and controversial, claim that most dinosaurs were already in decline 40 million years before the meteorite struck and finished them off.
The research is published in Scientific Reports.
Rubbishing allegation that Peace TV was denied broadcasting rights because it is 'Islamic', Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Friday termed it as 'false'.
"Allegation that Peace TV was denied broadcasting rights because it is 'Islamic' is completely false. In India there has not been discrimination on the basis of religion and will not be in the near future as well. The accusation is completely false," Naidu told the media here.
He said that Peace TV was banned because it did not have the permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
"If channel does not have permission, then there is no questioning of banning it," he added.
Naidu further said that in 2008, the MHA had denied broadcasting rights to Peace TV after the channel failed to provide its funding details.
"In 2008, Peace TV filed an application requesting for broadcasting license in India. In 2009, Ministry of Home Affairs, after detailed analysis, rejected their application," he added.
He said the application was again referred to the MHA, following which the ministry sought details about its funding and source to which they failed to provide.
The minister's comments comes days after India decided to ban the unauthorized channel, which is not licensed in India and is uplinked from Dubai, after one of the militants of Holey Artisan Bakery terror attack in Dhaka, was inspired by Naik's preaching's.
Taking cue from India, Bangladesh also decided to ban the airing of Peace TV.
However, there is no substantial evidence that suggests that Naik through his preachings indoctrinated or radicalised any of the youths linked with terrorism.
His name first appeared in 2002-2003 amid a series of blasts in Mumbai and led Mumbai crime branch to Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) founded by him. But no evidence was found against him.
While he claims to be an advocate of interfaith dialogue, his preachings reinforce otherwise.
He opposes propagating any other religion and says that non-Muslims should not be allowed to have places of religious worships in an Islamic country.
The War on Drugs, mass incarceration of drug users and the failure to provide proven harm reduction and treatment strategies have driven up global epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis B and C, reveals a new study.
According to the major six-part Series on HIV and related infections in prisoners, levels of these three diseases among inmates are far higher than in the general population.
With an estimated 30 million people passing in and out of prisons every year, prisoners will be key to controlling HIV and tuberculosis epidemics worldwide, as per the study.
"Prisons can act as incubators of tuberculosis, hepatitis C, and HIV and the high level of mobility between prison and the community means that the of prisoners should be a major public- concern. Yet, screening and treatment for infectious diseases are rarely made available to inmates, and only around 10% of people who use worldwide are being reached by treatment programmes," said lead author Chris Beyrer of the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA.
He added, "The most effective way of controlling infection in prisoners and the wider community is to reduce mass imprisonment of injecting drug users."
Data presented in the Series show that with growing numbers of injecting drug users in prison, the prevalence of infectious diseases has also increased.
Levels of HIV infection are 20 times higher among prisoners in Western Europe than the civilian population and around three times higher among prisoners in eastern and southern Africa and North America.
While most prisoners are men, women and girls are the fastest growing imprisoned group worldwide, and in most regions of the world, levels of HV infection are higher in female inmates than male prisoners including Eastern Europe and central Asia.
High rates of hepatitis C are also seen among prisoners, with 1 in 6 inmates in parts of Europe and the USA carrying hepatitis C virus.
Prevalence of active tuberculosis is higher in prisons than the general population in all settings. One study demonstrated that prevalence was 40 times higher in one prison in Brazil than the general population.
Moreover, new estimates produced for the Series suggest that up to half of all new HIV infections over the next 15 years in eastern Europe will stem from increased HIV transmission risk among inmates who inject drugs; and imprisonment could be responsible for three-quarters of new tuberculosis infections among people who inject drugs, and around 6% of all yearly tuberculosis infections.
The Series brings together a wealth of evidence to show that countries can reduce and even reverse infectious disease transmission by scaling up proven harm reduction and treatment strategies in prisons like opioid agonist therapy (OAT), antiretroviral therapy (ART), hepatitis B vaccination, condom distribution, and sterile needle and syringe exchange.
Modelling conducted for the Series suggests that reducing mass incarceration of people who use drugs, in this case lowering the number of prisoners who inject by 25%, could result in a 7-15% drop in new cases of HIV among injecting drug users in the community over 5 years. Similarly, scaling up OAT (eg, methadone and buprenorphine) to all those in need in prison, and after release, could prevent over a quarter of new HIV cases in people who inject in just 5 years.
The study is published in The Lancet.
Pleading innocence that he never encouraged terrorism, controversial Islamic preacher on Friday alleged that the Indian media started trying him just because one of the Bangladesh newspapers reported that one of the terrorists involved in the Dhaka cafe attack was inspired by him.
"I am seeing that there is an India media cry on me just because a report came in one of the Bangladesh newspapers 'The Daily Star' that one of the terrorists who was involved in the attack was inspired by me, and the media trial started. On July 29, the newspaper corrected themselves that they never said that Dr Zakir inspired him and Dr Zakir did not inspire any terrorist to kill innocent people," Naik told a press conference in Mumbai via Skype from Medina.
He said that his answers were altered and misguided people, adding those who did that shall be held responsible.
"Media for ulterior motives change meaning of my statements," he said.
Naik said he condemns all terror attacks anywhere in world and will speak for hours if needed.
"Suicide bombings where innocents are killed is 'haraam'. But as tactic of war it is permitted say many scholars," said Naik, who began his press conference by condemning the France terror attack.
He said, "Verse 32 in Chapter 5 of the Quran says killing innocents is crime. No scripture other than the Quran says one innocent killed is killing of the humanity."
"Knowingly I have never met any terrorist, but if some people stand next to me to take photographs, I smile. I don't know who they are? I am a messenger of peace. I do not criticise any sect of Islam, I may disagree on interpretations," he said.
Meanwhile, there was utter chaos during the press conference after Naik accused a reporter of Zee News of not having 'tameez' (discipline) after he posed a question to the controversial Islamic preacher.
He said he has replies to all allegations made on TV, adding they are available on pen drives for reporters.
"I challenge you to show me any unedited answer of mine where I have not condemned suicide bombing of the kind that is happening. Why are you relying on a doctored clip or an answer which is out of context? I challenge you to show my any unedited clip," said Naik.
Naik claimed that no official or government authority has approached him with any question, adding that he has no problem with the Indian government or police so far.
"I will cooperate 100 percent with any government authority, which wants to speak with me," he said.
He claimed that Peace TV had in 2008 applied for downlinking permission, which was denied by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
"The only reason I can think of why I&B Ministry had not given permission to Peace TV for downlinking in India is because it is a Muslim channel," he added.
Infosys fell 8.67% to Rs 1,073.95 at 10:53 IST on BSE after the company trimmed its revenue growth guidance for the year ending 31 March 2017.
The result was announced during trading hours today, 15 July 2016.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 124.36 points, or 0.45%, to 27,817.75 .
On BSE, so far 14.65 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 1.67 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,195 and a low of Rs 1,060 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,278 on 3 June 2016. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 969 on 15 July 2015. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 14 July 2016, rising 0.06% compared with 5.86% decline in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 0.32% as against Sensex's 9.03% rise.
The large-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 1148.47 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5.
Shares of IT major Infosys tumbled after the company pared its revenue growth for the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017) at the time of announcement of its Q1 June 2016 results today, 15 July 2016.
In constant currency terms, the company has forecast 10.5%-12% growth in revenue for FY 2017. At the time of announcement of Q4 March 2016 and FY 2016 results, the company had forecast 11.5%-13.5% growth in revenue for FY 2017 in constant currency terms.
On a consolidated basis, Infosys' net profit fell 4.5% to Rs 3436 crore on 1.4% growth in revenue to Rs 16,782 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q4 March 2016. The results are as per International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka said in a statement that the company witnessed unanticipated headwinds in discretionary spending in consulting services and package implementations as well as slower project ramp-ups in large deals, resulting in a lower than expected growth in Q1 June 2016.
Infosys is one of the leading information technology outsourcing services providers. The company provides business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services.
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Net profit of Jay Bharat Maruti declined 11.67% to Rs 7.04 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 7.97 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Sales declined 7.01% to Rs 282.49 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 303.80 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.282.49303.808.448.6119.7421.3810.1111.967.047.97
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The massacre of 42 young Muslims at Hashimpura in Uttar Pradesh in 1987 was masterminded by some police and civilian officials, says a former senior police officer in a new book.
Vibhuti Narain Rai also says that the crime could not have been committed if the killers had not been assured by "a very senior officer or some powerful politician" that they could get away with it.
Rai was the Superintendent of Police in Ghaziabad, where Hashimpura was located, and was the first to uncover that the massacre was the work of a rogue unit within the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).
The cold-blooded murders took place in an isolated part of Ghaziabad district bordering Delhi on the night of May 22, 1987 -- when Meerut, not far away, was in the grip of communal violence.
In his just released book "Hashimpura 22 May" (Penguin), Rai says there have been references "of some mysterious meetings on 21 and 22 May where all the top civil and police officers of Meerut were present along with some army officials.
"I have reason to believe that it was in one of these key meetings that the two groups - those who would identify the victims and those who would execute them - were finalized."
Rai, who broke the news of the massacre to then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Veer Bahadur Singh, recalls that soldiers, CRPF, PAC and police dragged 600 to 700 people from Hashimpura in Meerut from their homes.
Of this, 40 to 45 young men were picked, pushed into a PAC truck (URU 1493), driven to a canal near Makanpur village along the Delhi-Ghaziabad border and shot dead one by one by 19 PAC men.
The bodies were then pushed into the canal. Unknown to the killers, a handful survived the massacre and helped Rai and his police force to stitch together the gruesome saga when they reached the spot at night.
This came to be known as the "Hashimpura massacre". Rai calls it "the countr's biggest custodial killing after independence".
Rai, who joined the Indian Police Service in 1975 and served it for 36 years, says the CID that was asked to probe the killings ended up siding with the killers.
"I have no hesitation in saying that right from the day the investigation began, the CID was engaged in a virtual mission to save the culprits. The investigation's focus was not on proving the charges against the accused but to botch up the inquiry and create such confusing circumstances that no court would have been able to pronounce them guilty."
Indeed, 28 long years later, all the accused were acquitted by a court for lack of evidence. By then, Platoon Commander Surendra Pal Singh, "the man behind the carnage" as Rai says, was already dead.
Looking back, Rai feels that murder charge should have been immediately slapped against the guilty PAC personnel, the truck into which the victims were stuffed should have been quickly seized and the weapons held by the guilty PAC men should have been confiscated.
Winner of the Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Services and the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Services, Rai says the conduct of the army during the Meerut riots of 1987 "was a breach of their official boundaries and a gross violation of the laws of the country".
According to him, when the PAC seized the Muslims at Hashimpura, the area was under army control.
The book says: "Hashimpura is not just one instance that can be summarily dismissed. Hashimpura is a phenomenon that goes deep into the mindset of the Indian society - a mindset that leads to communal violence."
He says that the mindset of police and administrative officials was often deeply anti-Muslim. "Most police officials and magistrates refer to Hindus as 'us' and to Muslims as 'them'.
"It is not surprising that communal riots in India often happen between the Muslims and police, and not versus the Hindus."
Rai adds: "Hashmpura was an integral part of this design, to show the Muslims their place."
--IANS
mr/rak/vd/ky/tb
At least 62 militants were killed in a day in Afghanistan by security forces, who pressed on to clear out the terrorists in their latest operations in restive provinces, officials said on Friday.
"Afghan National Security Forces conducted military operations in Nangarhar, Paktika, Wardak, Ghazni, Kandahar, Farah, Badakhshan, Takhar and Helmand provinces, killing 62 armed insurgents, wounding 28 and detaining two others," Xinhua news agency quoted the Defence Ministry as saying.
Five local insurgent commanders were among the killed, the ministry added. The ANSF also seized weapons.
Seven Afghan army personnel were also killed over the same period, officials said.
--IANS
ask/py/bg
Eighty-five Indians, including 46 Keralites, evacuated from strife-torn South Sudan arrived here by a special Indian Air Force aircraft on Friday.
Among those rescued from the conflict zone were also two Nepalese nationals, seven women and three children.
A total of 156 Indians were evacuated in two C 17 Globemaster flights of the Indian Air Force, one of which landed in Delhi carrying 71 Indians.
The Kerala government has made special arrangements for the onward journey of the persons belonging to other southern states who landed here early in the morning.
Anil Kumar, one of those who returned here, told reporters that firing had intensified in South Sudan early this week.
"For almost five days there was heavy firing and it was then that we decided to return. Yesterday it was a quiet day, that made our movement to the airport easy," said Anil Kumar.
Another relieved Keralite said that it was pretty scary in South Sudan where clashes between rival factions have broken out.
"Right in front of our gate one person was shot dead and many of us thought that we will never see our homeland again. There was heavy firing and for four days we were inside our home, without coming out even once," said another relieved Keralite.
"We are thankful to the government and the Indian embassy there which rose to the occasion and acted. The present situation is due to the differences of opinion that have broken out between two tribes in Sudan. If things are back to normal there, I wish to return," said another Keralite.
The evacuation of Indians from the African country was part of the 'Operation Sankat Mochan' initiated by the Indian government and was led by Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh.
The flight touched down here around 5 a.m.
Speaking to reporters at the airport, Singh said two aircraft were involved in the evacuation operation.
"Over 300 Indians will continue to stay in South Sudan for their business interests. About 150 Indians work in the oil wells, and for them it's easier to go towards Sudan where there are not much issues," Singh said.
"While I was there, I spoke to the Vice President of South Sudan and he told me what they are doing with regard to the safety of the people there," added Singh.
State Minister for Electricity Kadakampally Surendran and district officials received the evacuated Indians at the airport on behalf of the Kerala government.
--IANS
sg/rn/vt
A middle-aged Muslim woman was among the first to be killed when a trucker mowed down 84 people here in a terror attack.
The woman was run over by the speeding white truck on the sidewalk next to Lenval beach during Bastille Day celebrations on Thursday night. She was killed instantly.
The New York Times reported on Friday that two of her sons and other family members stood weeping or frozen in stunned silence around her body that was covered in a pale blue tartan blanket.
The man who drove the truck through thousands massed at the beachfront is believed to be a French citizen of Tunisian origin. French authorities have called it a terror attack.
--IANS
mr/rn
Bangladesh Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon on Friday batted for visa-on-arrival for Indian and Bangladeshi tourists and opened up all the closed border checkpoints for tourists.
"Introducing visa-on-arrival at the border checkpoints will go a long way to develop tourism especially between India's northeastern states and Bangladesh. The present practice of granting visas and the sufferings there off are not conducive to tourism expansion in these two countries," Menon said at the inaugural session of the Nadi (river) festival 2016 here in Meghalaya.
"We have to explore the opportunities for creation of more border check posts and developing the infrastructural facilities including road and rail connectivity. Our international airport in Sylhet can serve as the passageway for the isolated the northeastern people towards the rest of the world," he said.
Menon said Bangladesh is also planning to introduce Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight connecting Dhaka to Guwahati international airport in Assam to promote tourism and trade in the northeastern states.
"We can also the plan to have air connectivity between Dhaka and Shillong if an airstrip is extended," he said.
--IANS
rrk/pgh/vm
In the wake of "acute food shortage" in violence-hit Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Food Ministry on Friday assured the state authorities that it will provide advance three-month rations for public distribution in the valley.
The Food Ministry officials said here that a team of officials of the state government and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will be set up for assessing the feasibility of establishing modern foodgrain storage system in the state.
"As is facing acute food shortage, the Centre has assured to provide an advance three-month ration for public distribution in the valley," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said in a series of tweets.
He said the central government will examine the state government's demand for allocation of extra 4.30 lakh million tonnes of foodgrains "at lower rates".
Officials in the Food ministry said the state has currently been supplying food grain through public distribution system (PDS) on a monthly basis.
"J&K had launched a new scheme in which five kilogram foodgrain are distributed to each ration card holder over and above current entitlement under the Food Security Act (NFSA)," Paswan said.
Paswan held a meeting on Thursday with Jammu and Food Minister Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali.
Officials said the state needs annually 7.51 lakh tonnes of foodgrain under the Food Security Act.
It has sought an additional 4.30 lakh tonnes of grain at lower rates.
Henceforth, about 1.87 lakh tonnes of foodgrain will be supplied three months in advance to PDS beneficiaries in .
Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said expanding the Green Corridor a power transmission corridor for renewable power is the central government mission and the per unit cost of solar power is now comparable with that of traditional power sources.
Queried about the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's request to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dedicated transmission capacity for wind power, Goyal said: "Expanding the Green Corridor is the mission of our government."
Recently Jayalalithaa had written to Modi to direct Power Grid Corporation to allocate dedicated transmission capacity to evacuate surplus wind power from the state. She had stressed the importance of setting up a dedicated inter-State Green Energy Corridor so that the surplus wind energy from Tamil Nadu can be successfully evacuated and sold to other States.
Goyal, who also handles the coal, new and renewable energy portfolios independently, said he had fruitful discussions with the Karnataka government on expanding the transmission capacity in South India.
He said that the Narendra Modi government has brought the cost of solar power to around Rs 4 per unit which is at par with that of other traditional sources of power, and the days when renewable power was unviable are gone.
On the Amnesty International's charge of human rights violations by Coal India Ltd, he said the charges are baseless and motivated by vested interests that do not want India to progress.
Earlier at a function in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras, Goyal said over the next three years no Indian home will be without power throughout the day.
Referring to his father who studied under street lights, he said no Indian child should be forced to read under poor lighting.
He also inauguratged the innovative solar-DC products and appliances developed by the IIT-Madras and its incubated renewable energy companies.
In a late development, the offices of a local English daily and its printing press were raided by the Crime Branch of the Goa Police in connection with an allegedly illegal housie lottery operation.
According to Crime Branch officials, the raids were conducted late Thursday following a complaint filed by Rajeev Gomes, a lawyer based in Margao town in South Goa, who alleged that the lottery operation is illegal.
The newspaper Herald said that the management "cooperated with the search party" and added that they were not questioned or their statements were recorded.
Crime Branch officials raided the newspaper's headquarters in Panaji, from where the lottery operation was being conducted, the printing press, where the lotteries were printed and four other places were the tickets were being sold.
A First Information Report has been filed under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), Section 3 and 4 of the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act 1976.
Speaking to reporters Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Karthik Kashyap confirmed the raids. "We are in the process of conducting the raids at Panaji, Margao, Vasco, Porvorim where the German Housie and Mexican Housie operations were being conducted," Kashyap said.
The newspaper management assured the Crime Branch of complete co-operation and assistance.
"It is important to note that the Crime Branch had conducted a preliminary inquiry a month ago which revealed that no technical offence was made out in the gaming operations of HCN. The management of Herald has assured the Crime Branch of complete cooperation and assistance in the operation," the newspaper said in a comment on its website.
--IANS
maya/vr
Popular Hollywood celebrities like Kris Jenner, Miley Cyrus, Amy Schumer and Josh Gad have mourned the death of people killed in the terror attack in Nice, France.
A terrorist ploughed with his truck through a crowd of thousands enjoying Bastille Day celebrations in the French city mowing down at least 84 people and injuring over 150.
Celebrities took to social networking sites like Twitter and Instagram to strongly condemn the attack.
Here's what they have tweeted:
Miley Cyrus: Sending love to Nice and especially to those who lost a loved one today. We must keep up the fight for a more peaceful, understanding world without this senseless violence.
Kris Jenner: Our prayers are with you. We must continue to spread love in the face of hate. Pray for Nice.
Amy Schumer: Enough. Pray for Nice.
Ariel Winter: Pray for Nice. Pray for France. Pray for our world. My heart is broken.
Josh Gad: To our brothers and sisters in Nice, we stand with you, we pray for you, we mourn for you. Pray for Nice.
Shawn Mendes: Pray for Nice with all my love.
Blake Shelton: Sickening to see what has happened in France. This was with a truck. This new normal is unacceptable. Time for some hard decisions.
Simon Cowell: Just heard the terrible news from Nice. I am shocked. My thoughts and prayers to all affected.
Rachel Zoe: My heart aches. My thoughts are with everyone in Nice and the rest of the world. Pray for Nice.
Justin Long: The victims were celebrating 'liberty, equality and fraternity'-- France's motto and virtues that will thrive long after today. Pray for Nice.
Boy George: My heart breaks for France. How do we stop this? Pray for peace.
--IANS
sas/rb/bg
In a bid to bolster India's bilateral military relations with Malaysia and demonstrating India's operational reach, three Indian warships arrived on Friday at Malaysia's Port Kelang in Malaysia, as part of a deployment to the South China Sea and Western Pacific.
The three vessels INS Sahyadri, INS Shakti and INS Kirch, under the command of Rear Admiral S.V. Bhokare are on a four-day visit, a defence ministry statement said.
"During the visit, the IN ships will have professional interaction with the Royal Malaysian Navy towards further enhancing co-operation between the two forces," it added.
INS Sahyadri is commanded by Captain K.S. Rajkumar, INS Shakti by Captain Gagan Kaushal and INS Kirch by Commander Sharad Sinsunwal.
The current visit seeks to enhance maritime cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy, the statement said.
"It will further bolster the strong bonds of friendship between India and Malaysia and contribute to security and stability in this vital part of the world," it said.
"The visiting IN ships are also likely to conduct exercises with the Royal Malaysian Navy, aimed at enhancing interoperability in communication as well as Search and Rescue procedures, post departure from Port Kelang," it added.
The Indian Navy has been a regular participant at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia. The last visit by an IN ship Malaysia was in May 2015, when INS Saryu berthed at Penang.
China recently suffered a major diplomatic blow when an international tribunal ruled that it violated the Philippines' rights in the South China Sea. Beijing refused to accept the verdict, calling it "null and void".
Meanwhile, India and Japan urged all parties "to show utmost respect for the Unclos" in the wake of an international tribunal ruling against China's claims to rights in the South China Sea and laid emphasis on freedom of navigation and overflights in international waters.
--IANS
sid/vm
Attrition rate in IT major Infosys Ltd has climbed up again in April-June quarter of fiscal 2016-17 after declining over the quarters since its first non-founder Chief Executive Vishal Sikka joined on August 1, 2014.
According to the employee metrics the global software major released on Friday, 10,262 techies left the company in the first quarter as against 8,373 quarter ago and 8,553 year ago.
"Attrition rate increased to 15.8 per cent in Q1 from 12.6 per cent in January-March quarter (Q4) of fiscal 2015-16 and 14.2 per cent in like period year ago on annualised standalone (Infosys)," the company said in a statement.
On consolidated basis, attrition rate went up to 21 per cent in Q1 from 17.3 per cent quarter ago and 19.2 per cent year ago, as more employees left its subsidiaries, especially its back office (Infosys BPO).
"Attrition was more in subsidiaries like Infosys BPO and at entry level in the parent company (Infosys). Retention at higher performers level has been good," said Infosys human resources head Krishnamurthy Shankar at a news conference here.
Though the outsourcing major hired 13,268 techies, including 5,260 laterals in the quarter under review, net addition was only 3,006 due the exit of 10,262 employees.
In January-March quarter, net addition was just 661 though gross addition was 9,034, including 5,266 laterals, as 8,373 employees left the parent company.
In a related development, Infosys allotted restricted stock options (RSUs) at par value (Rs.5 per share) to 7,898 high-performing employees up to mid-level managers in the parent company and subsidiaries under the 2015 employee stock compensation plan.
"The RSUs shall vest over four years from the date of grant," the statement said.
The company has also allotted RSUs of $2-million value with effect from August 1 to Sikka as approved by the shareholders through postal ballot on March 31, with four-year validity.
--IANS
fb/vd
Filmmaker Ankoosh Bhatt, who has roped in Kay Kay Menon for "3 Dev", says he will surprise a lot of people with his performance in the film.
"Kay Kay Menon is a director's delight. He will surprise a lot of people by his performance in '3 Dev'. He is by far one of the best actors Bollywood has," Bhatt told IANS.
"3 Dev" is the story of a couple played by Tisca Chopra and Kay Kay, where the wife is extremely religious and the husband is not.
They rent out their house to three youngsters and certain situations lead to the trio being termed as 'god', leading to hilarious situations of lies, mistaken identity and chaos.
"We have all been told what kind of rituals to do or not to do for god but we have never been told what is god. '3 Dev' very humorously tells you what is god and why we should believe in god," said Bhatt.
"However simple it might seem, but actually '3 Dev' is the most difficult script to execute," he added.
The three youngsters are played by Karan Singh Grover, Kunal Roy Kapur and TV actor Ravi Dubey, who marks his big screen debut with the film.
Sajid-Wajid are the music-directors of the film. The film also stars Raima Sen, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Priya Banerjee among others.
--IANS
uma/nv/vt
Delhi Chief Minister on Friday asked his Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar to stop his 'anti-begging' drive. He called the drive "inhuman" and a "futile" exercise.
"Most inhuman and futile exercise that social welfare department could think of. I am directing them to stop it immediately," Kejriwal tweeted.
Kumar has been pushing for the drive over the last few weeks and it was to begin from Monday.
According to sources, after Kejriwal's reaction on the microblogging site, Kumar has directed his team to wind up the proposal.
Sources said Kumar had not even consulted the Secretary of the department before charting out the roadmap of the drive to make Delhi beggar-free.
The social welfare department had formed several teams which were to pick up beggars from across the city and bring them to the Reception-cum-Classification Centre in Kingsway Camp, Delhi, before presenting them before a Metropolitan Magistrate.
The Metropolitan Magistrate was then to decide if the beggars should be sent to shelters or let off with a warning.
The Congress on Friday condemned Pakistan's attempt to intenationalise the sensitive issue of and accused the Narendra Modi government of failing to craft a coherent policy towards the neighbouring country.
Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said in New Delhi that Pakistan's stance raises a question about the complete absence of not only a strategy, but even a tactical approach which the Modi government has regarding Pakistan.
"It is absolutely a flagrant violation of the position that India has consistently taken, that all issues with Pakistan will be sorted bilaterally," Tewari said.
Pakistan on Friday demanded a UN-backed independent and transparent probe into what it called the "extra-judicial" killings in and termed the situation in the state a grave threat to peace and security.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday also said Pakistan will observe July 19 as Black Day against killings.
Tewari said the belligerence and impertinence which is emanating out of both the security and political establishment of Pakistan is to a large measure because of the failed coherent policy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Modi.
"When was the last time India heard a statement from the UN Secretary General on Kashmir? Throughout the 10 years of the UPA government, there was never an attempt to interfere," said Tewari, adding, "When was the last time that you heard the US talk about resolving Kashmir through talks between India, Pakistan and Kashmiri people."
Sharif on Monday called for a plebiscite in an occupied Jammu and Kashmir to let its people decide if they want to be with India or align with Pakistan.
In a statement on Friday, Sharif also voiced concern and deep sorrow over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by security forces that triggered widespread violence in the Kashmir Valley.
In a first of its kind, the Madhya Pradesh government on Friday approved a proposal to constitute a Department of Joy, which would work towards making a common man happy.
In a meeting of the council of ministers, chaired by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, it was also decided that the proposed department would work as a knowledge resource centre on joy.
An Institute of Joy will also be created under the department, official sources said.
The state government studied new parameters set by the United Nations, US and Bhutan in this regard before deciding to set up such a department, they added.
The Department of Joy will study and identify new parameters of joy and well-being. It will also help spreading happiness among various departments of the state government, and prepare guidelines in this direction, said the sources.
The new department will also prepare an action plan for the feeling of joy and will study mental state of the common people.
The proposed department has a budget of Rs 6,08,000 to start with.
--IANS
hindi/sk/vd
The external affairs ministry on Friday said there were no reports of any Indian being affected in the "terror" attack in Nice city of France, which left at least 80 people dead. Indian Embassy in Paris opened a helpline number: +33-1-40507070.
"Our ambassador in Paris is in touch with the Indian community in Nice. So far no report of any Indians affected. Our embassy in Paris has opened helpline +33-1-40507070," tweeted Vikas Swarup, Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.
At least 80 people were killed on Thursday night when a large truck mowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. French President Francois Hollande said the truck attack was of a "terrorist character".
"We condemn the attack. We are monitoring the situation. There are no reports of Indian affected so far," Swarup told a news channel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the "terror" attack in Nice, saying India stood with France in this hour of sadness.
Modi hoped for early recovery of the injured people. Over 150 people were injured in the mayhem.
--IANS
sid/py/
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday chaired a cabinet meeting in which top government officials condemned the labelling of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as a terrorist by the Indian government.
Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo told the media that cabinet members agreed that all Pakistani embassies located worldwide as well as the Foreign Office should register a protest against "Indian atrocities" in Jammu and Kashmir by submitting resolutions to the UN, Dawn online reported.
Members of the cabinet also decided to call a joint session of parliament to discuss the Kashmir issue, but a date for the session was not agreed upon, Bizenjo said.
The government also announced that Pakistan would observe a Black Day over violence in Kashmir on July 19.
Wani was killed on July 8 in the southern Kashmir's Kokernag area along with two other militants in a gun battle. His death has led to widespread protests and clashes in the Kashmir Valley, leading to over 35 deaths.
Pakistan on Sunday condemned what it termed Wani's "extra-judicial" killing.
Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup asked Pakistan to refrain from issuing statements on the Kashmir unrest, terming it an interference in India's internal affairs.
--IANS
ask/rn/vm
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ruled out war with China over the South China Sea dispute and said he would like to send former President Fidel Ramos to China for peaceful talks on the issue, the media reported on Friday.
"War ... is not an option. So what is the other side? Peaceful talks," Efe news quoted Duterte as saying.
"I would like to respectfully ask him (Ramos) to go to China and start talks," he added.
Duterte's remarks come two days after The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favour of the over its South China Sea dispute with China.
The PCA concluded that China has no historical rights over the resources in many parts of the disputed region that it claims, and that it aggravated the situation by constructing artificial islands in the area.
Manila has reacted cautiously to Tuesday's ruling, calling for "restraint and sobriety", and said it will not respond till the country's experts have analysed it carefully.
China, however, rejected the ruling, calling it "null and void", and inaugurated two airports in the disputed reefs in the South China Sea and threatened to establish an air defence zone in the region.
In January 2013 the had filed a complaint before the PCA alleging that China, which had begun its expansion in several areas of the South China Sea region, was occupying territories that belonged to the exclusive economic zone.
The court announced its decision on the conflict that centres on the Scarborough atoll and part of the Spratly Islands, a group of more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls and cays whose total or partial sovereignty is also being claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, after more than three years of judicial process.
Tension in the South China Sea has increased in recent years with governments trading constant accusations and a rise in Chinese military presence in the area.
The Philippines has also signed strategic agreements with the US, Japan and Vietnam to counter China's presence in the area.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will raise the issue of sanctioning Colachel port in Tamil Nadu with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Inter-State Council meeting on Saturday.
The Chief Minister and his Kerala Ports Minister Kadanapally Ramachandran left for Delhi on Friday to attend the Inter-State Council meeting that has been convened after a gap of 10 years.
Speaking at the Kerala Assembly on Friday, the Chief Minister said the Centre's decision to give clearance for the Colachel port was not justified.
"This is in not acceptable to Kerala and we would tell this to the Prime Minister," Vijayan said.
In Delhi, Vijayan would also meet MPs from Kerala and the issue of Colachel port would be discussed, sources told IANS.
The Vijayan government is opposed to the building of Colachel port which is barely 25 km from the Vizhinjam port in Kerala. The Vizhinjam port is being constructed by the Adani group.
The Colachel port project was pending for the last 17 years. The central government gave the go ahead to the project earlier this month.
--IANS
sg/bim/dg
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, at a roadshow here to promote the auction of 67 discovered small hydrocarbon fields in the country, has assured a transparent regulatory regime and greater ease in doing business with India.
"We recognise that the need of the hour is to increase the domestic energy production by unlocking India's hydrocarbon potential," Pradhan said in his address at the event on Thursday, promising a "transparent regulatory regime" and greater ease of doing business.
As many as 50 international companies in the sector, including Magna Energy, BP, IHS Energy, Texas Oil & Gas Technology, Nabors, McDermott, Reliance Exploration and Production DMCC, KPMG, Halliburton, Joshi Technologies International, Vega Energy and Schlumberger, attended the road show here.
Assuring all possible support from the Indian government, Pradhan pointed to the steps already taken such as easier regulatory administration and pricing freedom for crude oil and natural gas produced from the new fields.
The Houston roadshow consisted of detailed presentations and one-on-one meetings with the companies.
"The bid timelines are stringent and my team is geared to ensure a smooth process. I look forward to an encouraging participation in the bidding from you all. We have also set up a facilitation cell for assisting you throughout the bid process," the minister said.
The 67 Discovered Small Fields (DSF) being offered for international bidding are those of the Oil and Natural Gas Corp and Oil India that could not be monetised during the previous years.
Bidding will open between July 15 and October 31.
The previous exploration licensing round ended in March 2012.
The auction will be under the new Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) approved in March, based on a revenue-sharing model as opposed to cost-and-output-based norms earlier.
The new model will replace the controversial production sharing contracts -- by which oil and gas blocks are awarded to firms which show they will do maximum work on a block -- that has governed the bidding under the earlier nine NELP rounds.
The government is offering bids for the 67 discovered small fields in 46 contract areas spread over nine sedimentary basins on land and in shallow and deep water areas. The offered fields hold 625 million barrels of oil and gas reserves.
Of the 46 small fields, 26 are on land, 18 offshore in shallow water and two in deep water.
While 28 discoveries are in the Mumbai offshore, 14 others are in the east coast's Krishna-Godavari basin.
Eventual operators will be issued a single licence for exploration of conventional and non-conventional hydrocarbons and will have the freedom to sell oil and gas at "arms length" market prices. There would be no cess on crude oil.
The production sharing contracts regime, which allows operators to recover all investments made from sale of oil and gas before profits are shared with the government, was criticised by India's official auditor, who said it encouraged companies to keep inflating costs -- "gold plating" -- so as to postpone giving higher share of profits.
The change in model is designed to help keep the government share in cases of windfall from both steep rise in prices as well as quantum jump in production.
The ministry's next North American roadshow will be held in Calgary, Canada on July 18-19.
Pradhan is on an official visit to Houston and Washington D.C. In Washington, he will meet US Secretary of Energy Ernest Jeffrey Moniz on July 18.
--IANS
bc/bim/vt
President on Friday condemned the "terror" attack in Nice, saying India stood with France in its fight against terrorism.
"I am shocked to hear about the terrorist attack on an innocent crowd of people gathered to celebrate the Bastille Day in Nice city of France. I strongly condemn the perpetrators of the terrorist attack," Mukherjee said in a tweet on Friday morning.
"India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people and the government of France as it responds to this attack. We will strengthen our cooperation with France and other countries in the fight against terrorism," Mukherjee said in a series of tweets.
At least 80 people were killed on Thursday night when a large truck mowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.
French President Francois Hollande said the truck attack was of a "terrorist character".
Mukherjee also prayed for early recovery of the injured people. Over 150 people were injured in the mayhem.
"Heartfelt condolences to families of bereaved and prayers for speedy recovery of injured in attack," he said.
President Pranab Mukherjee's convoy on Friday was involved in an accident when one of the escort vehicles slipped into a ditch while on its way to Bagdogra in northern West Bengal.
Both Mukherjee and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was part of the convoy, are safe. The President is on a three-day visit to Darjeeling.
The accident happened when the convoy was heading towards the Bagdogra airport from Darjeeling. At least five security personnel sustained minor injuries in the accident.
"There is no reason to worry. Everybody is safe. The President is safe," said Banerjee, who herself supervised the rescue work.
"Car in President's carcade from Darjeeling to Bagdogra goes off road, minor injuries to security personnel," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in tweets.
"Unfortunate accident involving escort vehicle in convoy enroute to Bagdogra. Everybody is well by grace of God," it added.
--IANS
and/rn/vt
More than 100 activists and ethnic Rohingya refugees joined a protest near the Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, calling on Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy to end discrimination of the minority group.
Protestors held up placards emblazoned with messages for Suu Kyi, EFE news reported.
"Dear Suu Kyi, we are all the same," read one of the signs.
Demonstrators also ripped up a poster displaying a portrait of ultra-nationalist Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu, who has been a leading anti-Muslim voice in Myanmar.
The protest was overseen by a heavy security presence, and there were no instances of violence.
Three of the protestors were granted permission to deliver a petition to the embassy, which detailed the group's demands for the Myanmar government to stop the persecution of the Rohingya people.
Human rights advocates have long condemned Myanmar's treatment of its estimated 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims, who have for decades suffered from discrimination and restrictions on movement.
NGO Fortify Rights has said the minority group, which has been targeted by waves of violence since 2012, forcing many to seek refuge abroad, or to live in camps for internally displaced people, survives "in conditions that appear to have been calculated to bring about their destruction."
During Suu Kyi's first few months in power she has faced criticism from activists for failing to address religious intolerance, which has included the recent destruction of two mosques by Buddhist mobs.
Actor Adil Hussain has heaped praise on Rajinikanth, with whom he has starred in Tamil actioner "2.0". The "Life of Pi" star said that the superstar is humble and doesn't care about his appearance which is "very inspiring".
Adil began shooting the film earlier this week in Chennai. Though he is yet to act with the superstar, he has only good words to say about the star, who is lovingly called 'Thalaiva'.
"I have been watching his (Rajinikanth) films since childhood and I am fascinated by his action. I've heard from people who have closely worked with him and some of his relatives that he is an amazing human being. So I know a lot about his humility which I think is more interesting," Adil, the brand ambassador of the upcoming fashion gala North East India Fashion Week, told IANS here.
"Just to meet this person who is hugely popular... He is humble and doesn't care how he looks like in everyday life which is very inspiring. He doesn't give a damn about it. He is an actor and he plays his characters and does a good job," said Adil, who hails from Assam.
Adil, who featured in "English Vinglish" and has done a variety of roles, did not give out much about his role in "2.0".
"I can't talk about my role in the film. I will go back to the film's shooting in Chennai this month. I am not sure about the exact dates. They took my dates in February, but Chennai floods happened, so they are organising dates again," he said.
--IANS
nn/rb/bg
Relationship status can affect who and what we find attractive. A new study has found that if we are in a relationship, we are more likely to be attracted to faces resembling our own, but for single people opposites attract.
"For the first time, we have observed how our partnership status affects who we find attractive," Jitka Lindova from Charles University in the Czech Republic.
The team showed a series of photographs of faces to university students and asked them to rate their attractiveness.
The photographs were digitally manipulated so that the resemblance to the student was modified.
Images were of an individual of the opposite sex, whose face had been manipulated to look either more or less similar to the student.
They were also presented with images of a same-sex individual manipulated in the same way.
"We found that single participants, those not in relationships, rate dissimilar faces as more attractive and sexy than self-resembling faces," Lindova said.
This was observed when participants rated both same-sex and opposite-sex faces.
"Our interpretation is that attractiveness perception mechanisms that give us a preference for a genetically suitable partner may be suppressed during romantic relationships," she explained.
The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.
"This might be a relationship maintenance strategy to prevent us from finding alternatives to our own partner, or perhaps self-resemblance becomes more important in terms of the social support we expect receive from relatives, which are known as kinship cues," Lindova explained.
--IANS
gb/vt
Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq invokes former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to restore peace to the troubled Kashmir Valley.
The head Muslim preacher of Jammu and Kashmir said there were "many factors", including the alleged RSS and BJP plans of enforcing demographic changes, that contributed to the current turmoil in the Kashmir Valley.
The governments in both New Delhi and Srinagar, Mirwaiz told IANS in an interview, have "completely closed their eyes to the reality" in Kashmir.
"There was a time when Vajpayee came to us. I remember when he came here, he came with a political package. He recognized (Kashmir) is a political problem. He said we have to address the issue with humanity. He said we have to shed the stated positions and look for new openings. We started engaging with him and the dialogue process started."
The "saddest part today", the Mirwaiz said, "is that New Delhi is in a denial mode".
"This government talks about the vision of Vajpayee. And the basic element of 'insaniyat' is quite visible on the ground with nearly 40 deaths, hundreds injured, pellets, small children in hospitals."
He said Kashmir was "never a law and order issue, a problem of good or bad governance, of economic incentives, jobs" and separatist groups have been "trying to bring this point home that it is a political problem that needs a political solution".
As step one, New Delhi should shun its "military approach" and address Kashmir with "a human face", he said.
"But that is nowhere visible. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) doesn't even condemn civilian killings. He doesn't even have a word of sympathy for Kashmiris."
The 43-year-old separatist leader - who heads his faction of the divided Hurriyat Conference - an amalgam of Kashmiri separatist groups - has been detained in his house since the current unrest, triggered by the July 8 killing of rebel commander Burhan Wani, 22. At least 38 people have been killed and hundreds injured in subsequent street clashes.
The Mirwaiz said Wani and the protests were a manifestation of years of anger among Kashmiri youth that remained unaddressed.
"Many factors have contributed. The BJP-PDP coalition has been one of the sources of anger in Jammu and Kashmir.
"At the end of the day this is a Muslim majority state and many people are disturbed by the fact there seems to be a deliberate attempt to undermine the majority status of Jammu and Kashmir. And the BJP and the RSS are not hiding their intentions on that."
He denied Pakistan or even the Hurriyat Conference was stoking the trouble and called the street protests as "spontaneous, not sponsored".
"Delhi is trying to blame everybody else except themselves. Sometimes Pakistan and sometimes Hurriyat. Hurriyat is nowhere in the scene. It is the people. It is the youth of Kashmir."
He said the Indian government wasted six years after the 2010 Kashmir unrest by doing "nothing to resolve the issue" and instead created further problems by pushing "Kashmiris to the wall".
"Whether it is so-called Sainik (soldier) Colonies or separate townships for Panidts. There has been provocation from Delhi on every issue. It was a pressure cooker situation and it exploded."
He said Kashmir needed "political space" and asked the state and central governments to understand "why the youth relate to this young man who got killed".
"Every (Kashmiri) family has a story to tell, of tragedy, of pain, of suffering, and relate to Burhan. He never went to Pakistan. He left his career, his good family, and his comfortable home to challenge the might of India knowing well he won't succeed in countering the military might."
Asked if the Hurriyat would talk to India if invited, the Mirwaiz said: "I personally believe there is always a strong constituency of dialogue in Kashmir to address the issues. But New Delhi has discredited that constituency.
"First of all they have to show the human face. Stop this madness, stop these killings."
(Sarwar Kashani can be contacted at sarwar.k@ians.in)
--IANS
sar/mr/tb
A terrorist sped a rented truck through a crowd of thousands enjoying Bastille Day celebrations in this French city, crushing 84 people and injuring some 150, a third of who were battling for life.
As global condemnation poured in, French President Francois Hollande flew to Nice, met the wounded and said the trucker struck men, women and children who had come to enjoy fireworks and music "merely to satisfy the cruelty of an individual -- and maybe a group".
No group claimed responsibility but channels known to support the Islamic State were jubilant.
The heavy duty white truck driven by a 31-year-old French of Tunisian origin drove into the crowd for two kilometres an hour before midnight on Thursday, crushing unsuspecting people before police shot him dead.
Survivors said bodies flew "like bowling pins" and people screamed in terror and ran in every direction as the killer truck, its lights switched off, ploughed through the crowd, picking up speed.
The horrific incident took place along the Boulevard des Anglais, the main street in Nice, where thousands were massed on both sides to enjoy July 14 celebrations, authorities and international media reported.
Besides driving over people, the killer trucker, identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel who was known to police but not to intelligence agencies in France, fired at the crowd, creating more mayhem.
Firearms, explosives and grenades were found in the truck.
It was the worst terror attack in France since terrorists struck in Paris in November 2015, killing 130 people and injuring over 250 near a stadium.
Hollande extended the state of Emergency in France for three more months beyond July 26 and called in the reservists. A three-day national mourning was announced from Saturday.
Hollande declared that the fight against terrorism would be long because "we have an enemy that will continue to strike all people, all countries that have liberties and essential values".
In the footage captured by terrified bystanders, the sound of several gunshots could be heard. Witnesses said they watched the scene in disbelief.
"We see this truck along the boardwalk, just ploughing through people, bodies getting hit and people running in all directions," Tony Molina, who viewed it all from his apartment, told CNN.
Journalist Damien Allemand saw the truck plough into the crowd and tossing bodies "like bowling pins along its path".
When he first heard screams from a distance, Allemand thought some fireworks may have gone out of control. Suddenly, "a huge white truck flew by at a crazy speed, driving over people, twisting the wheel to cut down the maximum number...
"I saw bodies fly like bowling pins along its path. Heard noises, screaming that I will never forget."
In no time, there were bodies everywhere besides limbs and blood on the street. Nice beach attendants were the first to reach the scene, bringing water for the wounded and towels to spread over the dead.
Some in the crowd jumped into the sea to save their lives. An American saw the truck "mowing bodies over" and accelerating as it hit the victims. Among the first to die was a middle-aged Muslim woman. Two of her sons and other family members stood around her body, weeping.
India joined the international community to denounce the horror.
"France was struck on its National Day ... the symbol of freedom," said Hollande. "This is France, which is under the threat of Islamist terrorism."
President Barack Obama said the US stood "in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally". The UN condemned what it termed a "barbaric and cowardly" terror attack.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee said he was shocked. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters and brothers in this hour of immense sadness."
--IANS
team-mr/rn/vd
Thousands of Iraqis rallied in Baghdad on Friday in response to a call by popular cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to protest against corruption and sectarianism.
The demonstrators gathered in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, waving Iraqi flags and chanting: "No, no to corruption. No, no to sectarianism. Yes, yes to reform. Yes, yes to Iraq," Xinhua news agency reported.
Moqtada al-Sadr participated in the protest and chanted slogans along with the other protestors, before one of his aides read his speech.
Sadr demanded that all corrupt people in government institutions, including high-ranking officials, be sacked.
He also warned that if the government failed to meet this demand, the protestors would go further and demand resignation from the President of Iraq, the Prime Minister and the Parliament Speaker -- the three top leaders in the country.
--IANS
ask/pgh/dg
Presumptive Republican nominee for Presidet Donald Trump called Indiana Governor Mike Pence and offered him the vice presidential slot on his ticket -- and Pence has accepted.
He told Fox News earlier on Thursday that: "I think Newt (Gingrich) is a fantastic person. I think Chris Christie is a fantastic person, been a friend of mine for 15 years. And there's Mike, and Mike has done a great job as Governor of Indiana. You look at the numbers, and it's been great -- he's done really a fantastic job. But I haven't made a final, final decision."
On Wednesday, Trump held a series of auditions with Pence and other top contenders, including Christie and Gingrich.
On Thursday, despite sources indicating to CNN that Trump was strongly leaning toward Pence, others in his inner circle -- including Trump's son, Donald Jr. -- repeatedly urged caution.
Trump initially suggested he would wait until the Republican National Convention to unveil his vice presidential choice, but Indiana law forced his hand and made the announcement in this regard late on Thursday.
Pence's selection gives Trump a running mate with strong ties to the Republican base -- particularly social conservatives.
Pence is seen as a safe political option for Trump, who also considered candidates who mirror his big personality such as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
But Pence made clear this week that he's more than willing to play the role of attack dog, strongly criticising Democratic Hillary Clinton during a rally with Trump.
Pence had endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz over Trump before Indiana's crucial early May primary -- a contest Trump won, knocking Cruz from the contest and clinching the nomination.
He has not avoided criticising Trump, though. He called Trump's attacks on an Indiana-born judge of Mexican heritage "inappropriate", and said his proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US was "offensive and unconstitutional".
Recently, after meeting Trump on July 2, Pence said: "I'm supporting Trump because we need change in this country, and I believe he represents the kind of strong leadership at home and abroad that will, to borrow a phrase, make America great again."
Pence, a social conservative, stepped into a series of controversies over LGBT rights.
Indiana became the subject of a media storm in 2010 when Pence signed into law a "religious freedom" measure that would have allowed companies to assert that their exercise of religion had been violated as a defence if sued for turning away customers.
--IANS
py/dg
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki met Governor Tathagata Roy on Friday and sought ten days time for the floor test to prove his majority in the house.
"I have met the Governor today and appealed to him to give me at least 10 days time to prove my majority in the floor test. Its a landlocked state and its also monsoon season. Most of my MLAs are out of the state and they would not be able to attend the session on Saturday," he told waiting journalists after coming out of the Raj Bhavan.
On Thursday night, Tuki had also sent a letter to the Governor saying that he has got only 48 hours to prove his majority in the house since his arrival in Itanagar. "Many of my MLAs/ colleagues are out of station and I am trying to contact them," he said, noting most were unaware as he had taken charge of the office only on Thursday.
In his letter, he had also cited the Sarkaria Commission's recommendations on holding floor test, which held "reasonable time" must be given to the Chief Minister to prove his majority, and that it had mentioned "30 days" as "reasonable time" unless there is very urgent business to be transacted.
Talking to media persons after his meeting with Roy, Tuki said: "The Governor has told me that he would consult legal experts and then take a decision. I hope he would be kind enough to consider my appeal."
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, who had unseated Tuki in February this year with the help of a faction of dissident Congress legislators and BJP members, claimed that he has got the support of 42 legislators in the 60-member house, whose effective strength is 58 now after two members resigned earlier.
Pul, who is camping in a hotel in Guwahati since last two days with 42 legislators, also expressed fear that Tuki might try to resort to "horse trading" if more time is given for the floor test.
He, however, expressed his confidence over the support of 42 legislators backing him and said that he would defeat Tuki easily in the floor test.
In obedience of the Supreme Court judgment on Wednesday, Roy has reinstated Tuki as the Chief Minister of the state and asked him to call a session of the state legislative assembly on Saturday (July 16) to prove his majority.
In the Arunachal Pradesh assembly, there are 30 Peoples' Party of Arunachal Pradesh (PPA) members, 11 of the BJP, 15 of the Congress and two Independents. Pul claims that he has the support of 29 PPA legislators, 11 BJP and two Independent legislators.
--IANS
ah/vd
The Turkish military late on Friday night released a statement claiming to have taken over and martial law has been imposed, the Independent online reported.
A "Peace in the Nation" council has been established, claiming to be a response to the erosion of liberties and rising terrorism.
The army has seized media outlets, including the state-run TRT channel. The channel has broadcast a statement on the orders of the military.
It said: "Turkish Armed Forces have completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and general security that was damaged."
"All international agreements are still valid. We hope that all of our good relationships with all countries will continue."
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone interview on broadcaster CNNTurk that a "minority group" in the military has attempted a coup.
Erdogan said the parallel state, referring to the followers of the US-based scholar Fethullah Gulen, has promoted the attempt.
"We will not leave the ground to them," Hurriyet Daily News online quoted him as saying. Vowing to end the "occupation" by the group, he called on nation to unite at squares and airports.
Erdogen said he would also be on the streets.
The move is not as part of the chain of command, he said.
"I am the chief commonder," he said.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said earlier that Turkey is facing an uprising attempt from inside the army, with the state-run Anadolu Agency reporting that Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar is being kept as a hostage with a group.
Erdogan neither confirmed nor denied the information, telling that there was an "obscure atmosphere" of information.
--IANS
lok/
Internationally acclaimed Indian actor Irrfan Khan who grabbed headlines when he questioned the Ramadan fast and how Muslims had made a "mockery" of Muharram, says he believes that one's work speaks louder than any buzz created in news.
The actor, who will soon be seen in "Madaari", was asked during an appearance at the launch of Zee classic's new show "India's Finest Films" -- for which the channel has acquired path-breaking movies from the National Film Development Corporation -- about how much media limelight means to him.
He said: "Sometimes I do feel that being media savvy is important and I think media plays a vital role in shaping your perception, (in) both positive and negative ways.
"But I think the relationships that you maintain from your work matter more. Personally, I think your work speaks more than being in news or creating news does."
Well known for his versatile and natural acting in movies like "Paan Singh Tomar" and "The Lunchbox", Irrfan says acting caught his fancy when he was all of 15.
"Nobody from my family is particularly involved in acting. People around me used to tell me I am shy and I wanted to change that impression. I experimented with business for a while but I figured I wanted to do something else.
"I came across certain films where some actors were involved in what was termed as 'parallel cinema' and they were doing some amazing and completely new things. I was 15 at that time and I was floored by it, it was so fascinating! They were experiencing something completely beyond their own personalities. And I wanted to do that. That was the start," he recounted.
Now he is one of the most formidable Indian actors, who has also featured in foreign movies like "Life of Pi" and "Jurassic World", and stars with Tom Hanks in "Inferno". One thing the actor is not worried about is competition.
"I have not thought a lot about competition in life. I have observed that in the film industry, people with varied talents come together and work towards a common goal - which is to make the story come alive on screen," he said.
As for his own acting style, Irrfan said he always makes sure to "personalise the character, give the character something from my life".
"It is the only way I can make the character my own. If I have my own story to tell, I have to add that to the director's story without getting intrusive. I try to bring my own colours into the role without losing sight of the director's palate," he said, adding that he accepts only about five per cent of the scripts offered to him.
However, he feels "dedication should come naturally to an actor".
"If the work is not worth your dedication, then you are not doing it right. I don't force this dedication on me, but select roles that make me feel that way towards my work. And I don't think anyone has to replace me.
"Everyone should make their own mark. I don't believe in the concept of replacing people."
--IANS
ayushi/rb/bg
A young man tried to immolate himself outside the official residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav here on Friday, police said.
As Pankaj, 25, drenched himself with petrol and was about to set himself on fire, the security personnel manning the high-security residence overpowered him, after which he was arrested.
He told police that he hails from Aligarh and took the step because he was angry with the police as they were not helping him in a case against some local goons who had attacked him some time back.
Pankaj informed police officials that though he had registered an FIR, police refused to pursue the matter.
With his life at risk after the goons began to threaten him, he informed senior officials in Aligarh but to no avail.
He also said that he wanted to meet the Chief Minister and apprise him about his ordeal but was not allowed to. This angered him and he attempted self-immolation.
--IANS
md/pgh/bg
Claiming that his statements were "doctored and tampered out of context", controversial NRI televangelist Zakir Naik on Friday asserted that he was a "messenger of peace" and unequivocally condemned all terror and terrorist activities.
He also revealed that he was a "Non-Resident Indian", enjoying residential status in Dubai, Saudi Arabia plus some other countries, and visited India occasionally, including during the holy Ramadan month.
Condemning in his opening remarks Thursday night's terror attack in Nice, France, which claimed at least 84 lives, Naik termed as "misinformation" that he had ever advocated suicide bombings.
"I have been preaching for 25 years and I have always condemned terror attacks, suicide bombings since in this innocent people are killed and it is 'anti-Islam'," the Mumbai-based preacher said, addressing the media via Skype from Saudi Arabia, where he currently is.
"However, it (suicide attacks) may be used as a tactic of war to save the country, but in all other circumstances where innocents are targeted, it is 'haram' in Islam and condemnable," Naik explained.
Claiming that his speeches have been "purposely quoted out of context", Naik rejected outright the contention that he supported terror and said he was being subjected to a media trial.
He challenged the media persons to prove him wrong since he had the original recordings and could easily verify the doctored tapes doing the rounds on social media networks.
"There are some other speakers on Islam who preach that when you kill others or non-Muslims, you will attain paradise. But such speakers are actually misguiding the people, misrepresenting facts and are anti-Quran," Naik said.
To a question, he said he had never been summoned by the police anywhere but was prepared to cooperate with them for any kind of investigations.
"I am an NRI but when my media team informed me of the developments, I decided to come here for a few days to clarify my position," he said.
Naik's Peace TV and Peace mobile have been banned in Bangladesh following revelations that two of the young Islamist attackers who killed 20 hostages, mostly foreigners, during a Dhaka cafe siege on July 1 drew "inspiration" from his speeches.
--IANS
qn/rn/vt
After injecting life into Mumbai's Prithvi Theatre and running it for years, Kapoor tells Anjuli Bhargava that she is consumed by a new passion - Junoon
Even in a room full of people, Sanjna Kapoor stands apart. We are meeting for lunch at the Delhi Club House in the spanking new Sangam Courtyard at R K Puram - the new gourmet hot spot - and I spot her almost as soon as I step in, seated calmly and absorbed in her reading.
Delhi PWD Minister Satyendar Jain alleged that instead of addressing graft issues, Anti-Corruption Branch is busy running after leaders and now "trying to summon" Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia in connection with the alleged Rs 400-crore water tanker scam.
"ACB is busy running after leaders. Gopal Rai and Kapil Mishra have been summoned by it in the last one month. Now, they are trying to summon Kejriwal and Sisodia," Jain said.
The minister's remark came a day after ACB raided offices of PWD and transport departments acting on city BJP MLA O P Sharma's allegations of irregularities in dismantling of the BRT corridor.
Sharma along with party worker and advocate Vivek Garg, had lodged a complaint with ACB alleging a scam of nearly Rs 15 crore in the project.
Jain, however, refuted Sharma's allegation, saying the tender for the project was worth Rs 3.91 crore but the BJP MLA sniffed a Rs 15 crore scam in it.
He said leaders were not scared of ACB and dared it to send them all to jail.
The probe agency is "demoralising" bureaucrats working with the Delhi government by launching probes against them, he said.
Last month, ACB had registered a case on a complaint filed by BJP MLA Vijender Gupta who had accused Kejriwal of "suppressing" the find-fact committee's report for 11 months on the alleged water tanker scam linked to former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Finance Minister and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Friday walked to the room of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, in the Parliament House premises to discuss a possible thaw on the goods and services tax Constitution amendment (GST) Bill.
Over 1.20 lakh suspects have been arrested in China in a nationwide campaign against theft, robbery and fraud since April, an official statement said today.
Chinese police have uncovered more than 3,33,000 such cases, busting more than 9,800 criminal gangs and confiscating about 640 million yuan (USD 96 million), the Ministry of Public Security said in a statement.
The ministry has issued the highest-level arrest warrant for 10 fugitives suspected of theft, robbery or fraud.
Police have promised rewards for tip-offs leading to the fugitives' arrest, state-run Xinhua agency reported.
The campaign is due to last for three years, cracking down on crimes which "severely infringe upon people's interests, jeopardise economic and social development and reduce people's sense of security," according to the ministry.
At least 13 people including 12 policemen were injured today in clashes between police and protesters who were demanding shifting of AIIMS in Assam from Changsari to here, about 130 km from Guwahati.
As protesters pelted stones on security personnel injuring at least 12 policemen including two additional superintendents of police, the force resorted to tear-gassing, lathicharge and blank firing to disperse the agitating crowd, Nagaon superintendent of police Yshey Tshewang Gyatso told PTI.
Gyatso said at least 12 police personnel were injured in the stone throwing. "Our two Additional SPs -- Hiranya Kumar Barman and Abdel Quadir Arief were also injured. Thankfully all of us were wearing helmets and so there was no serious injury."
The protesters were demanding shifting of AIIMS in Assam to Raha in Nagaon district from Changsari in Kamrup.
Only one protester was injured in the incident when he fell down while running and people ran over him, Gyatso said, adding that the man was sent to a nearby hospital.
Protesters have, however, claimed that more than 50 of them were injured.
Trouble began in the morning when about 2,000 people under the aegis of a newly formed body blocked NH 37 at Raha to press their demand for setting up AIIMS there instead of at Changsari.
"The highway is the only link between lower and upper Assam and other NE states. So we requested them to at least clear the highway so that traffic could move. However, they did not listen and started throwing stones at us," Gyatso said.
The police were left with no option but to use force to evict them. They resorted to lathicharge, tear-gassing and fired in the air to disperse the crowd, he said.
The clash left thousands of vehicles stranded on the highway for hours.
Assam government had on June 28 handed over more than 571 acres of land at Changsari to the Centre to set up the 750-bedded super-speciality hospital at an expenditure of around Rs 1,000 crore. This triggered strong protests here and at other places and senior citizens of the area had gone on a hunger strike.
Many parts of Kashmir on Friday saw clashes as mobs defied curfew to indulge in stone-pelting, along with which a police station was attacked with grenade and firing, leaving 15 people, including eight security personnel, injured in the incidents.
Due to trouble in Kashmir, the Amarnath yatra continued to be suspended for the second consecutive day.
Authorities had imposed curfew in all the 10 districts of Kashmir valley apprehending trouble since it was the first Friday after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani on this day last week.
However, mobs defied curfew at many places, including in Baramulla, Sopore town, Rafiabad, Bandipora district, Kulgam district and Pulwama district, a police official said, adding 10 people, including three security personnel, were injured in these incidents.
A patrol party of security forces was attacked by a mob with stones at Delina in Baramulla district this morning, injuring three security personnel, the official said.
In retaliation, security forces opened fire in which three civilians were injured. Condition of all the injured is stated to be stable, he added.
A mob indulged in stone-pelting in Sopore and in the retaliatory action, four persons sustained pellet injuries.
Yaripora area of Kulgam in south Kashmir saw a grenade attack followed by firing on a police station during stone-pelting, resulting in injuries to five police personnel, the official said.
"Someone from the mob hurled a grenade towards the police personnel during stone pelting on police station Yaripora. The grenade attack was followed by firing also," he said.
Police has been saying that militants merge with stone-pelters to carry out attacks on security personnel, using civilians as a shield.
Curfew had been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the valley where 36 people have died and over 3100 others, including 1500 security personnel, injured in the week-long clashes following Burhan's killing in an encounter in Tral.
The decision to impose curfew was taken as there were apprehensions that vested interests might exploit the large gatherings at Friday prayers to instigate fresh violence, an official said.
Due to curfew, friday prayers could not be offered in many prominent mosques in the valley. The mosques where prayers could not be offered included the historic Jamia Masjid, Naqshband Sahib shrine and Dastageer Sahib shrine in Srinagar.
Police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength across the valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, the official said.
The first batch of 156 people, including nine women and three children, evacuated from war-torn South Sudan arrived in India today on board an Air Force plane.
The C-17 plane from South Sudan's capital city Juba with Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh escorting the evacuees, including two Nepali citizens, made a brief halt in Thiruvanathapuram where passengers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu disembarked before leaving for Delhi.
The IAF plane landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi this morning.
"The flight from South Sudan has landed in Delhi. My colleague Shri Vijay Goyal is at the airport to receive them," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted today.
"I welcome our brothers and sisters on their safe return from strife torn South Sudan. Your country is always with you in hour of crisis," Swaraj said in another tweet.
She expressed her gratitude to the Indian Air Force and its officers for safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the strife-torn territory.
"Our heartfelt gratitude to the Indian Air Force and their brave officers who carried out this mission," the External Affairs Minister said in here tweet.
"I appreciate my MEA officers, Indian Ambassador to South Sudan and his team for their meticulous work," she further tweeted.
There were over 550 Indians in Juba and another 150 in areas where the oil wells are located.
MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had yesterday said that the aim is to evacuate all the Indian nationals who have expressed their interest in leaving.
The evacuation exercise faced a hurdle when several Indians, after registering with the External Affairs Ministry for leaving South Sudan, refused to return, despite an appeal by Swaraj on Twitter asking them to move out.
"When we landed, 156 came out with us. There were 30-40 people who had already booked their tickets when the commercial flights started and 300 people did not want to be evacuated due to their business concerns and other activities. There are nine women and three children among those evacuated," Singh told reporters at Thiruvanathapuram airport.
On those who turned down the government's plea to be evacuated, Singh said, "We tried to convince them. I suppose business comes first, life comes later (for them)...."
"After fighting broke out in Juba and its outskirts, our aim was to evacuate our people who were in danger. As per our information, there were 550 plus people in Juba itself with another 150 Indians in areas where the oil wells are," he added.
Singh said he had met Vice President of South Sudan on the situation there.
The C-17 aircraft was brought via Uganda and the minister also met Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who on his part assured India of all help.
South Sudan is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city.
Kerala Power minister Kadakkampally Surendran and Thiruvananthapuram district collector Biju Prabhakar were among those who received the travel weary passengers when they arrived in the city.
(REOPENS DEL24)
Southern Railway and IRCTC provided free train tickets to the Indians who arrived here by a special IAF flight from South Sudan early this morning.
S S Jagannathan, General Manager and Sam Joseph, Deputy General Manager, IRCTC werepresent at the airport to provide all help to the passengers.
Free train tickets with confirmed reservations and accommodation were provided to two of the evacuees from Kerala for their onward journey to their respective destinations and 15 others from neighbouring states, a railway press release said.
Two Indian men, who were detained for over a week in China for allegedly molesting a Taiwanese tourist in a lift of a hotel here, were on Friday deported to India.
"They have left for home today," a senior official of the Indian Embassy said here.
The two men from Haryana, aged around 50 and 28, who were part of traders tour party of a top Indian tea firm, allegedly attempted to molest a 17-year-old Taiwanese tourist on July 7 in the lift after requesting her to pose for photos with them.
After the girl complained to the hotel authorities soon after the incident on July 7, police detained the two men for interrogation during which they initially denied any such attempt. But later admitted their disgraceful act when police showed them the footage of the CCTV camera in the lift, official sources said.
The girl, who rushed out of the lift and complained to the hotel authorities, had reportedly not pressed for charges against them.
The two were kept in a detention camp in the outskirts of the city and sent home on Friday.
Amid speculation that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita may be roped in ahead of next year's Punjab Assembly polls, AAP MP Bhagwant Mann today said the party's constitution does not allow responsibility be given to two members of a family.
"There is no such thing. The party's leadership in Punjab is capable of handling its matters. She (Sunita) just took retirement. Media is free to make any guess...AAP constitution states that two members of same family should not be given responsibility," he said.
Sunita has taken voluntary retirement from Indian Revenue Service, after serving for nearly 22 years in the Income Tax department.
On who will be the party's chief ministerial face, the Sangrur MP said the party had made it clear that the candidate will be from Punjab only.
To a question if he is in the race, he said, "I became famous at the age of 17 years. I do not have any wish to become the CM, MP or MLA. I am not after this. We have no greed for position."
AAP said it will release its first list of candidates for the Punjab Assembly polls in the next 10-15 days.
Mann said party's volunteers will recommend names of probable candidates which will go to the screening committee.
On suspended Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi's reported move of bringing a private bill in the Parliament to legalise poppy husk, opium and marijuana, the leader said he does not have information in this regard.
"Gandhi is a suspended MP. If he wants to being such a bill, then the party will discuss it. Personally I do not want that the use of any kind of intoxicant be legalised," he said.
On the proposed visit of Kejriwal to the Golden Temple on July 18 in the wake of the manifesto row, Mann said the Delhi Chief Minister would come as a 'sewak' to perform 'sewa' (volunteer service) at the temple.
He said Kejriwal will hold an interactive session, 'Talk to AK', with people on July 17 through social media, phone calls and SMS to allow people to talk directly with him about their problems and give suggestion.
He said this should not be compared with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' as here, "Kejriwal will listen to people's Mann Ki Baat".
Terming Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's Sangat Darshan Programme, as "Akali Darshan" Mann claimed, "Congress and Akalis will not be able to cross the double figure. We will repeat history which we created in Delhi Assembly polls."
Accusing Punjab Congress chief and Amritsar MP Amarinder Singh of not raising voice of the people of Punjab in Parliament he claimed, "He had not attended the last three sessions of Parliament. People from Amritsar raise their issues with me.
Supreme Court today refused to order a court-monitored probe into the alleged role of political leaders, including UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in the Augusta westland chopper scam, as the Centre said a SIT probe was already on and the charge sheet is likely to be filed this year.
A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, which had earlier issued the notice to the Centre and others including CBI, disposed of the PIL that sought a probe against political heavyweights whose names were allegedly referred to in the Italian court's verdict.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar said the petition was infructuous as the relief sought in it has already been addressed by lodging of an FIR in 2013.
A Special Investigating Team (SIT) has been set up and the chargesheet in the case will be filed soon, he added.
Taking the submissions of Solicitor General on record, the bench disposed of the PIL and also directed expunction of remarks made in the petition that some alleged accused were awarded constitutional posts.
Petitioner advocate M L Sharma alleged that FIR was not lodged against persons whose names have been referred to in the Italian court's verdict and no investigation was done against those who were allegedly involved in reducing the ceiling height of VVIP chopper.
To this, Solicitor General said the investigation was still on and no accused against whom there is evidence will be spared.
"Nobody is above law. If there are evidence against anyone in the case, he or she will be booked as per law. Charge sheet is likely to be filed this year against the accused," Kumar said.
The apex court, however, granted liberty to Sharma to approach it again if the CBI does not book any accused in the case despite having evidence against him or her.
The court had on May 6 sought the Centre's reply on the PIL. CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister.
The plea, which has made Ministry of Defence and CBI as
parties, had sought registration of FIR against those persons whose names figured in the judgement delivered by the Italian court in Milan on April 7 this year.
It had sought a court-monitored SIT or CVC probe and also raised legal questions including whether the Italian court's decision was "not enough" to initiate prosecution.
The plea had said the probe began in Italy in 2011 into the allegation that AgustaWestland paid a commission of Euro 51 million (over Rs 350 crore) to Switzerland-based consultant Guido Ralph Haschke to facilitate the deal.
"The scope of the Italian probe will end at the point where the alleged commission money reaches India. The probe will not go into who was paid the money in the Indian establishment or how the funds were worked around within the power circles of New Delhi," it had said.
"That action has been taken in Italy on VVIP helicopter scam. The CEO of the company has been arrested. But no action has been taken here. The country which would have benefitted from the deal has taken action while the country which lost money has not done anything," it said, adding the petitioner apprehended that the case may meet the same fate as that of the Bofors scandal.
CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister.
A case was lodged for alleged cheating, corruption and criminal conspiracy in the Rs 3,600 crore deal, in which Rs 360 crore is alleged to have been paid as kickbacks.
Air raids today killed at least 11 civilians in a region of eastern Syria controlled by the jihadist Islamic State group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
"At least 11 civilians -- among them four women and four children -- were killed in Syrian or Russian air raids on the Al-Boulil region that is controlled by the Islamic State group in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor," the Britain-based monitor said.
The area is some 30 kilometres southeast of the provincial capital Deir Ezzor city, which has been largely under IS control since 2013.
Syria's state agency SANA reported that government aircraft destroyed "two sites containing weapons and military equipment of the Daesh (IS) terrorists" southeast of Deir Ezzor.
IS has been trying to take the entire province, where part of the capital and the military airport are still under the control of government forces.
Yesterday, the jihadist group said it had shot down a regime MiG warplane south of the provincial capital, killing its pilot.
It said the jet had attacked several villages before being targeted and crashing.
The Observatory -- which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information -- said the plane downed on yesterday was the fourth shot down by IS since April.
The Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Association of India (AMMAOI) has demanded that the Ayush department initiate necessary procedures to provide health insurance policy holders access to ayurveda care.
The AMMAOI delegation, which met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sought the Centre's help in addressing issues faced by the Ayurvedic sector in the country.
"The Ayush department had initiated talks with almost 11 national insurance companies in the country to include Ayurveda under their insurance cover," AMMAOI patron Padmashree P R Krishna Kumar told reporters here.
The delegation led by Krishna Kumar, AMMOI General Secretary D Ramanathan, and President S G Ramesh Warrier had apprised Modi and of the challenges in the Ayurvedic sector including the lack of industrial subsidy, issues pertaining to sale licence, export and others.
"Prime Minister Modi assured all help in improving the Ayurvedic sector including in the manufacture of drugs and its export," Kumar said, adding that Modi was very encouraging and enthusiastic in promoting Ayurveda to the world.
The delegation also discussed the need to revamp Ayurvedic education and syllabus in the country.
"In the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery (BAMS) course, Ayurveda is only 35 per cent of the syllabus. 65 per cent of the syllabus of BAMS comprises chapters of modern system of medicine (allopathy)," Kumar said.
"Western nations are looking towards India and Kerala to understand the various aspects of Ayurveda, especially for the 'management' of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension etc," said Dr S G Ramesh Warrier adding that they even have started research in combining modern medicine with Ayurveda for various treatments.
"Judicious combination of different systems of medicine is absolutely necessary in the modern era to address the chronic non-communicable lifestyle disorders of the world," said Warrier.
The ayurveda industry in Kerala is facing a major challenge as the tonics (arishtam) which we make are considered as beverage by the government, Ramanathan said.
"The Ayurvedic tonics are made normally under the Medicinal and Toilet Preparations (Excise Duties) Act (MNTP) but in Kerala it has been brought under Abkari Rules, and we have expressed our reservation over this practise," Ramanathan added.
"We had earlier requested the Prime Minister to promote Ayurveda on the lines of Yoga. But now the problem with us is that if a demand arises, we may not be able to meet the same as the infrastructure, quality practioners etc are not up to the mark," Krishna Kumar said.
All these matters are being considered by the Prime Minister and he has assured action being implemented, said the AMMOI office bearers.
The press meet which was held at Kerala House here was attended by Ashta Vaidyan Dr E T Neelakandan Mooss, A V Anoop from Cholayil healthcare and others.
Vice President Hamid Ansari today held talks with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and other top leadership on a host of bilateral issues.
During meetings with President Elbegdorj, new Prime Minister J Erdenebat and new Speaker M Enkhbold on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Summit here, the issue of USD 1 billion Line of Credit offered to Mongolia by India was also discussed.
The Mongolian side informed India that they would come up with specific projects once the new leadership in the country settles down.
"In all the three meetings, the Vice President was very warmly received. All the three leaders unanimously conveyed their warmth towards India and recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's very successful visit to the country in May last year which was a landmark visit in our bilateral relations," Preeti Saran, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters.
Ansari was gifted a horse by President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.
Ansari also held talks with a host of Asian leaders, including Prime Ministers of Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
He also had brief discussion with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Vice President held bilateral meeting with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev during which the latter invited him to visit his country, which is keen to boost trade ties with India, Saran said.
At the first day of the ASEM Summit, Asian and European leaders condemned the terror attack in the French city of Nice and reiterated the need to tackle terrorism.
During the Summit, the leaders also talked about the South China Sea issue, days after a UN-backed tribunal struck down China's claims of "historical rights" in the disputed waters in a case brought by the Philippines.
They also voiced their opposition to the use of force and the need for freedom of navigation in international waters.
Vice President Hamid Ansari today exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan Prime Minister's Foreign Advisor Sartaj Aziz here during the 11th Asia Europe Summit amid a war of words between the two countries over the situation in Kashmir.
"Vice President said hello to Pakistan Foreign Advisor Sartaj Aziz and greeted him," Preeti Saran Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs told reporters on Ansari's meetings today on the sidelines of the multilateral summit hosted by Mongolia.
The greetings came even as India and Pakistan remain locked in a war of words over the deadly unrest in Jammu and Kashmir that was triggered by the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8.
Pakistan has termed Wani's killing as "extra-judicial" and summoned the Indian envoy in Islamabad. India has hit back, saying Pakistan was fanning discontent within the Valley by providing support to terrorist outfits.
At a time when Bollywood actors are going to Hollywood, Arjun Kapoor feels he is too new to go and venture in the West as he wants to make a mark in the film industry here.
Actresses like Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Nimrat Kaur and others have got work in the West, but the other mainstream actors, like the Khans and the newer generation, have not ventured there.
"To each his own. I can't speak on behalf of anybody. Right now I am trying to build my audience here. As an actor you need to be in a secure place to move bags there. I feel I have to achieve a lot here," Arjun told PTI.
"I don't think it's about heroes and heroines, it's about what you feel like doing. There are people who get happiness by being here in India," he said.
The "Ishaqzaade" actor feels there should be a desire to go and work in another film industry.
"The desire has to be there. I don't know if I have the desire still or not (for going to the West) as I am still new here, I am discovering myself here. I am very new, I have done seven films," he said.
"I am too new to be thinking of going anywhere else (referring to going to Hollywood). I have not thought about it yet. I would say never say never, if something comes up I will consider it. I am not somebody who would not consider the possibilities," the 31-year-old actor said.
Arjun feels actresses like Priyanka and Deepika have achieved immense success in Hindi film industry and then they have explored Hollywood.
"Priyanka and Deepika have achieved a lot here (in India). They (Priyanka and Deepika) have not gone there (Hollywood) for a day, they have gone there for months and for that you need to be in good place in your professional life. One just can't leave everything midway," he said.
The "Gunday" actor will be making his voice over debut
with the character of Buck in the Hindi dub of the Hollywood adventure "Ice Age: Collision Course".
He was thrilled to do the voice over for the character of Buck, a weasel, who first appeared in 2009 film "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs".
"It's interesting to do a voice over for a film. I wouldn't know it's easy or difficult as you make it (character) yours. For this film ('Ice Age'), it took me first few hours to set in, as the rhythm is already set (for the character). I had to then add my graph and energy. It was a learning curve for me and I enjoyed it," he said.
When Arjun came on board for "Ice Age", he just followed the instructions of the makers.
"I did not bring any baggage, I came with open mind. They (makers) decided to make the character 'tapori', it worked well for humour. It added a nice fun element to the character," he said.
The "Ki and Ka" actor feels animated films today are not just limited for children to enjoy.
"Today animated films are not restricted to kids any more, it's family audience and even youngsters go and see it (films). These are sweet fun films which appeal to all age groups," he said.
"Ice Age: Collision Course", which releases today in India, is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated family adventure movie - the fifth instalment in the "Ice Age" film series.
The 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit commenced here in the Mongolian capital today with top leaders from 49 nations, including India, observing a minute of silence following the deadly truck attack in the French city of Nice that killed over 75 people.
The ASEM member countries were welcomed by Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.
India is represented by Vice-President Hamid Ansari.
The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an informal inter-regional dialogue that addresses political, security, financial, economic, social and cultural issues.
This year's summit is bringing together high-level delegation from 51 ASEM partners 30 European and 21 Asian countries and two intergovernmental organisations-under an overall theme of "20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity".
Presidents of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Myanmar, South Korea, and Switzerland are attending the summit.
23 countries, including Japan, China, Finland, Luxembourg, Russia and the Netherlands, are attending the summit on a head-of-government level, whereas the remaining 16 country attendees are foreign ministers.
Additionally, the European Union is represented by Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by Le Luong Minh, Secretary General of ASEAN.
The summit was opened by Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj who extended his welcome to the leaders.
"The people and the state of Mongolia have been placing a paramount importance on the ASEM Summit, which is currently on the global spotlight," said President Elbegdorj.
"Indeed, the political leaders of ASEM partners, who make two-thirds of the global economy, have gathered here in our Ulaanbaatar city today," he noted.
"This year marks the 20th anniversary of ASEM. It coincides with the historic 810th anniversary celebration of our Great Mongolian State, and we place special significance to hosting the Summit in our country this year," he added.
ASEM comprises of 53 entities 51 countries from Asia and Europe and two regional bodies the European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat.
It represents around 62.3% of the world's population, 57.2% of the global GDP and almost 60% of the world's trade.
Earlier, European Council president Tusk today described as a "tragic paradox" that over 75 people were killed in Nice when French people were celebrating "liberty, equality and fraternity" the country's motto on its National Day.
"European and Asian leaders pay respect to victims of #Nice attack. We stand united against violence and hatred," Tusk tweeted.
A truck ploughed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, leaving at least 60 dead and scores injured in an "attack" after a Bastille Day fireworks display, prosecutors said.
Local government official Sebastien Humbert told BFMTV that the driver of the truck was shot dead after barrelling down the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais in what he called "a major criminal attack".
"We saw people hit and bits of debris flying around," said an AFP reporter who witnessed the white truck driving at high speed onto the seaside road.
Hundreds of terrified pedestrians screamed as they fled the area. "It was absolute chaos," he added.
Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Pretre said at least 60 people were killed after the truck drove two kilometres (1.3 miles) through the crowd.
Witnesses speaking to local television stations described bodies lying on the promenade covered in sheets.
While officials referred to an "attack", the incident had not been claimed by any group.
The bloodshed comes eight months after Islamic State jihadist attacks on Paris nightspots left 130 people dead.
France has repeatedly been singled out as a prime target of the group, and has been under a state of emergency ever since, boosting security across the country.
The apparent assault came just hours after France announced that a state of emergency declared after last November's attacks would come to an end later this month.
President Francois Hollande said the decree after the November 13 attacks would not be renewed beyond July 26, because a law bolstering security in France was adopted in May.
The incident comes after a day of revelry as France celebrated its national day, Bastille Day, which began with military pomp and ceremony as its armed forces, tanks and fighter jets swooped down the Champs-Elysees avenue.
The holiday typically ends with spectacular fireworks over the Eiffel Tower in Paris, as well as cities around the country.
However celebrations were quickly overshadowed.
Images on television showed the Promenade Des Anglais sealed off, crawling with police and ambulances and authorities from the local Alpes-Maritimes prefecture urged residents to stay indoors.
"The driver of a van appears to have killed dozens. Stay in your homes for now. More info to follow," said Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi.
A large section of the city - extremely popular with sun-seeking tourists - was cordoned off.
French President Francois Hollande rushed back from the southern city of Avignon for crisis talks, his office said.
At least 80 people were killed and scores injured in the French resort of Nice when a truck ploughed into a crowd on Thursday. The attack took place after fireworks display on Bastille Day, a French national holiday, officials have said.
The driver of the truck was shot dead after barrelling two kilometres (1.3 miles) through the crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais yesterday, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies.
"An individual drove a truck into the crowd.
He was killed by police," said interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet.
A photograph showed the front of the truck riddled with bullet holes and badly damaged, with burst tyres.
US President Barack Obama condemned "what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack", although no group had claimed responsibility for the incident.
Robert Holloway, an AFP reporter who witnessed the white truck driving at speed onto the seaside road, described scenes of "absolute chaos".
"We saw people hit and bits of debris flying around. I had to protect my face from flying debris," he said.
A lawmaker for the Alpes-Maritime region, Eric Ciotti, said at least 75 people had been killed and another 15 were in a "critical" condition.
Hours after the attack, dozens of bodies lay on the ground covered in white sheets.
Prosecutors said the probe would be handled by anti-terrorist investigators.
"Investigations are currently under way to establish if the individual acted alone or if he had accomplices who might have fled," the interior ministry spokesman said, but he denied reports that a hostage-taking incident had taken place.
President Francois Hollande's office said he would preside over a meeting of the country's defence and security chiefs today.
UPDATE: French President Hollande extends state of emergency for three months after Nice attack Reuters Top News (@Reuters) July 15, 2016
BREAKING: French President Hollande says it cannot be denied that Nice was a terrorist attack Reuters Top News (@Reuters) July 15, 2016
The bloodshed comes eight months after Islamic State jihadist attacks on Paris nightspots left 130 people dead, dealing a hard blow to tourism in one of the world's top destinations.
Islamic State has repeatedly singled out France as a prime target, and the country has been under a state of emergency ever since the November 13 Paris attacks.
The Mediterranean city of Nice, with its pebble beaches and clear blue water, has been a magnet for sun-seekers and the jetset since the 19th century.
An Australian citizen, Emily Watkins who was caught up in the chaos told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that while she saw the truck, she did not realise what had happened.
A Tunisian-born man zigzagged a truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing at least 84 and injuring dozens of children in what President Francois Hollande today called a "terrorist" attack.
One witness said a motorcyclist tried to stop the rampage by drawing level with the truck and attempting to open the door of its cab before he fell and ended up under its wheels.
Two children were confirmed among the dead and another 50 were being treated in hospital after the attack that left bodies strewn over the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais in the French Riviera resort.
Some of the dead, covered with sheets, remained on the promenade in the bright sun on Friday.
Two US citizens and a Ukrainian were among those killed, their countries said.
Witnesses said the white truck drove at speed into a crowd over a distance of two kilometres (1.3 miles) after they had been watching a fireworks display on France's national day. City authorities said Friday that some 30,000 people had watched the display.
Details meanwhile began to emerge about the driver, identified as 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel.
Neighbours described him as a loner who never responded to their greetings.
Witnesses said he had also fired at police before officers shot him dead.
Hollande declared three days of mourning after the assault, as shellshocked France found itself again mourning its dead after attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015 and the November 2015 massacre in Paris.
"France was struck on its national day... The symbol of freedom," said Hollande in a sombre televised address in the early hours today.
The attack was of an "undeniable terrorist nature", he said.
Around 50 children were being treated at a paediatric hospital close to the scene of the attack. Some were "hanging between life and death", a hospital official said.
The State Department said two American citizens were among the dead. A Texas-based newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, named the victims as 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie.
A Ukrainian citizen was also killed, the country's foreign minister said on Twitter, without giving more details.
A German freelance journalist who witnessed the attack said he saw a man on a motorbike chase the truck.
"The motorcyclist attempted to overtake the truck and even tried to open the driver's door, but he fell and ended up under the wheels of the truck," Richard Gutjahr, 42, told AFP today.
European Council president Donald Tusk today described as a "tragic paradox" that over 77 people were killed in Nice when French people were celebrating "liberty, equality and fraternity" - the country's motto - on its National Day.
Tusk tweeted a photograph of himself and other European and Asian leaders standing in tribute to the Nice victims at the Asia-Europe meeting here in the Mongolian capital.
"European and Asian leaders pay respect to victims of Nice attack. We stand united against violence and hatred," Tusk tweeted.
He said the attack was a "tragic paradox" that the victims of the attack in Nice were celebrating "liberty, equality and fraternity" - France's motto - on the country's national day.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also condemned "terrorism in all forms" and extended condolences to the victims and their families in the attack in the French city of Nice.
Li made the remarks while attending the two-day 11th ASEM Summit held in Ulan Bator in Mongolia.
Two Chinese nationals were injured in the deadly attack in the French resort of Nice last night, which killed 77 people, the state-run Xinhua agency reported.
The attack comes eight months after Islamic State terrorists attacked Paris nightspots, killing 130 people and dealing a hard blow to tourism in one of the world's top destinations.
Australia hascondemned today's deadly terror attack in the French resort city of Nice that killed 84 people and confirmed that three of its nationals have beeninjured in the incident.
Described the attack on Bastille Day as a "murderous act of terror", Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said, "The ANZACS of today were leading the Bastille Day Parade in Paris - a recognition of the sacrifice and heroism of a century ago and also of our resolute solidarity with the people of France in the struggle against Islamist terrorism today," he said in a statement.
"Our deepest sympathies and condolences are with the people of France. Our nations are united in freedom's cause today, just as we were a hundred years ago," he said.
Issuing an official statement, foreign minister Julie Bishop said "Once again we stand resolutely with the people of France. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims and their families".
The statement said that the governmentre-issued the travel advice for France to reflect the attack but keptthe overall level of advice same.
"We continue to advise Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in France. Australians in Nice should remain attentive to their surroundings, avoid affected areas and follow the instructions of local authorities," it said.
Media reports said Bishop also confirmed thatthree Australians wereinjured attempting to flee the scene of the attack, but could not provide further details.
"Every indication is that this has the hallmarks of a terrorist attack," she said.
"But the details are still to be made clear and at this stage, I'm not aware that any group or individual has claimed responsibility for it," she said.
Australian Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull has asked China to refrain from "coercive behaviour" following an international tribunal ruling that struck down Beijing's claims over the strategic South China Sea.
"As I have said many times, every nation in our region has benefited enormously from the many, many decades of relative peace and tranquillity in this region. It is vital that that is maintained," he said.
Turnbull yesterday asked China to"refrain from coercive behaviour and any unilateral actions designed to change the status quo in the disputed areas."
He asked all parties and claimants to respect the decision made in accordance with international law, saying "there is so much at risk in the event of conflict, in the event of heightened tensions, so this is an important decision."
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said, "Australia has consistently said that we take no position on the competing claims. On the issue of sovereignty of course this decision did not relate to sovereignty, it's about maritime rights."
"We do however have a deep interest in the peace and stability of the South China Sea and it is an important trade route for Australia," she said.
"It is also a very important maritime route globally and so we urge all claimants - because there are a number of competing and overlapping claims in relation to the South China Sea - to resolve their differences peacefully, to negotiate and in the case of the Philippines arbitration, for both parties, China and the Philippines, to respect the outcome of that decision," Bishop said.
She said Australia is likely to discuss the matterat the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum this month.
"I intend to attend that meeting or that series of meetings where this discussion will take place. In the meantime we urge all parties to de-escalate tensions, not take any action that would provoke or increase tensions," she said.
Delhi Police today claimed to have busted a gang of auto-lifters active in Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh with the arrest of three persons, including two dental students.
The gang used to transport stolen vehicles to Manipur through Nagaland, police said.
The accused, identified as Hafiz Zakir Hussain (21), Akhtawar (22) and Kanta Singh (23), were arrested between July 5 and July 14, a senior police official said.
Hussain was the first to land in the police net and spilled the beans about his accomplices living in the hostel of a dental college in Bareily in UP. The students were later arrested during a raid at their hostel.
During interrogation, the trio told police that they were active in Delhi-NCR and UP for the past four months. They said that they have sent 10 stolen bikes from Delhi via Bareilly to Manipur and then to Dimapur in Nagaland, the official added.
Clerics today delivered an identical sermon in hundreds of thousands of mosques across Bangladesh condemning terrorism as part of a beefed-up campaign to combat extremism in the wake of recent terror attacks in the country.
The clerics read out a two-page special sermon ahead of the weekly Friday prayers denouncing violence and extremism in the name of religion citing verses from the Holy Quran and sayings of the Prophet, officials said.
"Whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all mankind," it read, citing a verse from the Quran.
It quoted the Prophet as saying the killing of a human being is the biggest sin and urged parents to take good care of their children so they cannot be "brainwashed".
"A human being, no matter what his faith is, has been secured with the right to live a safe life...The Prophet says the greatest of all sins is to kill a human being while he made no distinction between Muslim or non-Muslim in his directive," it said.
The move comes after the deadly attack in an upscale Dhaka cafe in which 20 hostages, including an Indian girl, were brutally hacked to death in Bangladesh's worst terror attack by suspected Islamist militants. A subsequent army-led security clampdown killed six militants next morning.
The state-run Islamic Foundation earlier said it prepared and disseminated the special sermon in Arabic and Bangla to be read out alongside the routine Friday sermon.
"We have distributed the special sermon both in Arabic and Bangla to more than 300,000 mosques...We requested the police and district administrations at grassroots to encourage imams to deliver it properly during the Friday prayers," an Islamic Foundation spokesman told PTI.
On the Eid day, the terrorists tried to attack the country's biggest Eid congregation at northern Sholakia where they killed 2 policemen before one of the attackers was gunned down.
A high-level cabinet committee last week decided to enforce a vigil on sermons during Friday prayers in mosques so no provocative sermons were delivered inspiring extremism while the government issued a clarion call on imams and religious leaders to use their influence in uprooting militancy.
Newly appointed chief of Uttar Pradesh Congress Raj Babbar is set to take over his new assignment on Sunday in Lucknow.
Babbar will take over along with the other appointees, including party's chief ministerial candidate Shiela Dikshit, in the presence of senior Congress leaders in the state capital, party sources said.
This was decided after a meeting of the newly appointed leaders of state unit of Congress with the party's general secretary in charge of UP affairs Ghulam Nabi Azad here today.
However, they said whether Azad would attend the event is not confirmed yet as he may have to attend the all-party meetings convened by the government and Lok Sabha Speaker in Delhi on Sunday, ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
During the meeting with Azad, Congress leaders also discussed the party's strategy for UP polls, slated next year.
The Bombay High Court on Friday commenced the final hearing on the appeals filed by 11 people convicted in the 2002 and also on the petition by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking death penalty for three of them.
Eleven men, who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court on January 21, 2008 for gangraping Bilkis and murdering seven of her family members in the aftermath of the 2002 Godhra riots, had approached the high court challenging their conviction and sought quashing of the trial court's order.
The prosecuting agency CBI had also filed an appeal in the high court seeking death penalty for three of the 11 convicts.
A division bench of Justices V K Tahilramani and Mridula Bhatkar started final hearing on the appeals while rapping the CBI counsel Hiten Venegaonkar for not being prepared.
"You (Venegaonkar) are not prepared. Please take proper charge of the case. Read the case papers over the weekend. Prepare a chart of witnesses, victims, deceased persons, convicts and acquitted accused," the bench said.
The rap came after Venegaonkar while arguing kept fumbling and confusing names of witnesses, victims and convicted people.
During arguments when the court sought to know the cause of death of the seven people, he said he did not know as the post-mortem report was in Gujarati.
"How can you (Venegaonkar) say so? You should have prepared yourself before we start hearing the appeals," the court said.
According to the prosecution, on March 3, 2002, Bilkis Bano's family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village near Ahmedabad during the post-Godhra riots and seven members of her family were killed.
Bilkis, who was five months pregnant at the time, was gangraped while six other members of her family managed to escape from the mob.
The trial in the case had begun in Ahmedabad. However, after Bano expressed apprehensions that witnesses could be harmed and the CBI evidence tampered with, the Supreme Court had transferred the case to Mumbai in August 2004.
CBI's case is that convict Shailesh Bhatt snatched and killed the three-year-old child of Bilkis Bano, while Jaswantbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai and Naresh Mordhiya caught hold of Bilkis, forcibly dragged her to a tree and gangraped her.
The prosecution had alleged that the convicts had also assaulted other relatives of Bilkis physically and sexually.
The convicts are Jaswantbhai, Govindbhai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhyesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana.
The convicts have challenged the order on three main grounds, that all evidence in the case was fabricated by CBI, that Bilkis was not gangraped and that bodies of some of her family members were not found which proved they were not killed.
CBI sought enhancement of punishment for three of them Jaswantbhai Nai, Govindbhai Nai and Radhyesham Shah on the ground that they had raped Bilkis.
Five police officers Narpat Singh, Idris Abdul Sayed, Bhikhabhai Patel, Ramsingh Bhabhor, and B S Bhagora who allegedly refused to take down the complaint of Bilkis and her relatives and instead forced them to sign some papers and threatened them not to disclose the offence of gangrape and assault, were acquitted by the trial court.
After facing flak from the Bombay High Court for using sub-standard materials for repairing pothole-ridden roads, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) today said it has shortlisted five companies whose material will be used on a trial basis to repair potholes.
BMC counsel Anil Sakhre told the court that the materials supplied by the five companies will be used on trial basis as per technology suggested by the Indian Road Congress and Central Road and Research Institute (CRRI).
"We have shortlisted five companies who supply materials keeping in view with the technology suggested by the Indian Road Congress and CRRI. These materials will be used on a trial basis to repair potholes. After observing the repaired roads, the civic body will finalise one company," Sakhre said.
The high court had on July 8 rapped the civic body for repairing potholes in an adhoc manner and said the BMC seems to be using sub-standard materials due to which the potholes keep re-appearing.
A division bench of justices Shantanu Kemkar and M S Karnik was hearing a suo-moto public interest litigation on the issue of increasing number of potholes in the city which was leading to accidents and deaths of motorists.
The bench today also directed the corporation to publicise in newspapers the mobile numbers of road engineers of each of the 24 wards so that citizens can send their complaints about potholes via WhatsApp.
"Since the civic body's mobile application MCGM24*7 is not functioning we feel it appropriate to direct the BMC to publish the mobile numbers of each road engineer of each ward in newspapers. People can send their complaints regarding potholes to these numbers," the court said.
"We hope and trust the whatever complaint is received by the Corporation is forwarded to the authority concerned and necessary action is taken," the court said.
Advocate G W Mattos, appearing for MMRDA, told the court that the roads which falls under the MMRDA jurisdiction are potholes-free. To this the court in a lighter vein said the MMRDA should tell the BMC what material it uses to repair.
The court also directed an officer concerned from the state government's Public Works Department to inspect the Western Express Highway as there were several complaints of potholes in that stretch.
The court has posted the petition for further hearing on July 29.
Bollywood celebrities Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Aanand L Rai, Anushka Sharma among others have offered their condolences to the victims and survivors of the truck attack in Nice, France.
A truck ploughed into a crowd in Nice, killing at least 84 people and injuring many after the Bastille Day firework display.
The driver was shot dead after barrelling the truck two kilometres through the festive crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies.
"Quantico" actress Priyanka wrote, "The world is turning so cruel... How do human beings do this to each other. My heart bleeds for the victims of the Nice attack #PeaceForNice."
Johar posted, "This is just deeply tragic....#NiceAttack ...Prayers and prayers for the loved ones of so many innocent lives."
Anushka called the incident "heartbreaking".
"How many more times will we witness horrific attacks against humanity?cannot express the anger #NiceAttack."
"Another sad day for humanity. A helpless feeling. Prayers for the people of #France. Condolence #NiceAttack," Rai said.
Shahid wrote, "Shame shame shame. Inhuman and cowardly. #NiceAttack."
Madhuri Dixit-Nene said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives. My thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved families. #NiceAttack."
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Mindless. Sad. Only when every human life will be equally precious can it all stop #NiceAttack," actor Randeep Hooda tweeted.
Shirish Kunder posted, "#NiceAttack If all the powers in the world come together, they can easily end terrorism. But they won't. Because..."
"Was at this very #Nice promenade, on the phone with a friend who was hurt in Istanbul airport attack, 2 weeks ago. Now this? #PrayForNice," Boman Irani said.
Actor Siddharth tweeted, "Nothing to do but mourn. #NiceAttack".
Australia-based Boost Juice, which operates Joost Juice Bars, is expanding sales network here and aims to have 100 stores by 2020.
As per its strategy, the company would primarily target the metros and airports.
"In next four years, which is 2020, we are thinking of 100 stores. By 2017, it would be around 30 by adding 17 new Joost juice Bars across the country and from there it would grow further," Boost Juice Bars Australia Founder Janine Allis told PTI.
At present, Boost Juice operates 14 Joost Juice Bars in Delhi NCR and Mumbai.
It specialise in making fresh juices, smoothies, crushes and healthy F&B alternatives.
The company, which was setup in Adelaide in 2000, is operating 350 stores globally in 14 countries.
"We are adding 1.5 stores every week and by the end of 2020, we are quite sure to have at least 1,000 stores," said Allis.
According to Joost Juice Bars India Founder Rivoli Sinha the next wave of expansion of the company would be mostly on franchise model.
"Till now all Joost Juice Bars are on company-owned and company operated model and now the most of the future juice bars would be on franchise model," said Sinha, who is the master franchisee for Boost Juice in India.
On being asked whether, the company would launch its packaged juice here, Allis said: "In future, we may do it here also".
The company sells packaged juice in Australia under the brand 'Boost'.
The United States and the European Union said they were forging ahead with trade talks today despite the shock setback of Brexit and rising opposition to the deal in France and Germany.
Negotiators met this week in Brussels for the 14th round of negotiations on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that would create the world's largest free trade area.
US chief negotiator Dan Mullaney said that Britain's decision to split from the EU raised questions around the deal as Britain represents 25 percent of US exports to the EU.
"The economic and strategic rationales remain strong, but at the same time a withdrawal of the UK from the EU market would affect the value of the EU market," Mullaney said in Brussels.
"The UK is also our largest market globally for services," he added, referring in large part to the huge presence by US firms in the UK's City of London financial hub.
The EU's chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero agreed.
"The decision by the British people in no way delays our determination," said Bercero. "We are now in an advanced stage of negotiations, but of course a lot of work needs to be done."
Both negotiators maintained that the objective was to complete the talks by the close of the Obama administration at the end of the year.
But top diplomats in the EU believe that a suspension of talks until after major elections in the US, France and Germany will be required, though refuse to say so publicly.
Mullaney strongly warned against a suspension of talks.
"It could be quite a while before you could pick up negotiations again," he said.
Mullaney's comments reiterated doubts raised Thursday by the top US trade official.
Britain "is a very significant part of what makes TTIP attractive," said US Trade Representative Michael Froman yesterday in Washington.
"You have just taken the fifth largest economy in the world... Out of the equation," Froman said.
This added to the increasing headwinds in major EU powers Germany and France, where negative attitudes to globalisation are on the rise.
The five days of meetings were often met by anti-globalisation trade activists who protested outside the negotiation venue in central Brussels, drawing a heavy police presence.
Activists have opposed TTIP since negotiations began in 2013, believing it will only benefit multinationals and harm consumers.
Remarking that building a Capital (city) was a "crisis", Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu tonight said Indians could build only slums and hence he was touring different cities of the world so as to adopt the best practises in building Amaravati.
"I need not go anywhere if I am to build a slum. Our people can do it. They can only build slums. Building a capital is a crisis. I have no money but have an iron will," Chandrababu told a press conference, expressing pain over the criticism.
He was referring to criticism that he was promising to build a Singapore, Astana or any other city he visited, in Amaravati, the new capital of AP.
"To build the Hyderabad International Airport, I visited at least 25 airports. I told GMR (the developer) that a world-class airport should be built in Hyderabad. Likewise, I rejected 20 designs submitted by L&T before finalising the current design of the Cyber Towers in Cyberabad. Now it has become the icon of IT in the country," Chandrababu recalled.
"If we have to build monuments, a thorough study is essential. That is the reason I am visiting different cities. Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, is a beautiful and planned city. They have come forward to help us in building Amaravati," said the Chief Minister, who returned from a trip to Kazakhstan and Russia today.
Even Moscow was ready to help in building the new AP capital city, he added.
Chandrababu said AP would soon enter into a sister city relationship with St Petersburg.
"During a meeting, Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev wanted cooperation not only between Moscow and New Delhi but also provinces of the two countries. I have invited him to visit Amaravati and he accepted it," the Chief Minister said.
Stating that his six-day tour of Kazakhstan and Russia helped build a "positiveness" about AP, Chandrababu said he asked Russia to set up an industrial cluster in AP, particularly in aerospace and defence manufacturing under the 'Make in India' programme.
"I told them it is the right time for them to enter Indian market. Otherwise they will miss out on a great opportunity," Chandrababu added.
Delhi High Court today said it would not give an ex-parte order against AAP government's decision asking Dharamshila Cancer Hospital here to deposit over Rs 19 crore for allegedly refusing to provide free treatment to poor patients as per land lease condition.
"I am not granting an ex-parte order at this stage," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva told the counsel for the hospital.
The court's oral observation came when Delhi government's counsel sought a pass over in the matter. However, when the matter could not be taken up by the bench due to paucity of time, it listed the case for further hearing on July 18.
Dharamshila hospital has moved court seeking stay on AAP government's decision, claiming they were not given proper hearing by the health department before issuing the show cause notice. It also said the department should explain how they had arrived at the figure of over Rs 19 crore.
"It (order) is non-application of mind and the order is non-speaking," the counsel for the hospital submitted during the brief hearing.
Earlier, the court had refused to grant immediate relief to Fortis Escorts Heart Institute here against the imposition of fine of over Rs 100 crore by the government.
It had told the hospital that it cannot pass any "blanket stay order" and they will have to deposit Rs 105 crore as an "ad-hoc basis" if it wished to insist on a stay on the order.
As per the special committee appointed to look into the affairs of the hospitals, over Rs 32 crore fine was imposed on Max Super Specialty Hospital (Saket), Rs 105 crore on Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, Rs 19.48 crore on Dharamshila Cancer Hospital, Rs 36.30 on Shanti Mukand Hospital and Rs 10.6 on Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute.
These Delhi-based private hospitals were asked to deposit the "unwarranted profits" got out of allegedly refusing free treatment to the poor.
The health department had said these hospitals were provided land at concessional rates between 1960 and 1990on condition they will treat the poor free of cost, but they did not abide by it.
"The penalty has been imposed on the basis of a High Court order passed in 2007 on a PIL demanding implementation of the provision of free treatment to poor and action against the erring hospitals. And the fine amount has been calculated accordingly," the health department had said.
43 private hospitals in Delhi were allotted land at concessional rates on condition that they will keep 10 per cent of their in-patient department capacity and 25 per cent of out-patient department capacity to treat economically weaker section patients free of cost.
A central team, which visited Punjab to assess the impact of whitefly attack on cotton crop, today asked the state government to be watchful and continuously monitor the crop to prevent damage.
However, the team led by Plant Protection Advisor S N Sushil while visiting the affected villages observed that there was no need to panic as situation was under control.
The team visited Abohar, Muktsar, Bathinda and Mansa areas of Punjab where whitefly pest attack has been spotted.
"We found two blocks in Abohar where the economic threshold limit in the current whitefly attack was more," Sushil said today.
"Out of 36,000 hectare of cotton area in 10-15 villages in Abohar, the whitefly attack was on 4,400 hectares which is about 10 per cent of the area," he said.
But the situation in Mansa, Bathinda and Muktsar areas was normal, he said.
"There was no need to panic at this stage as situation has not gone out of control," he said.
He emphasized that the state government should regularly monitor the crop.
"The state government has been asked to monitor the crop regularly. It should be monitored even after spraying affected areas with chemicals to see whether there is decline in population of whitefly with these measures. The government has to be watchful," Sushil said.
The team found that lack of rain in the affected areas also led to rise in population of pest. "Had there been rains, the population of whitefly must have come down. Now there is forecast that rain will occur here which will be beneficial," he said.
The team was also impressed with the steps taken by state government as scouts were deployed in villages to get latest information about the attack.
Central team which talked to growers also found that unlike last year, farmers did not resort to heavy used of insecticides.
"Farmers went for neem based biopesticides' which gave good results in tackling whitefly pest," he said. Sushil said the team will submit report to the Centre within a week.
"To prevent damage to the crop, farmers have been advised to spray chemicals to get rid of whitefly pest," said Punjab Agriculture Director J S Bain who was also part of the team.
He said though crop might not get damaged but the input cost of farmers would rise.
Whitefly pest has again attacked cotton crop in Punjab,
threatening the kharif crop.
The whitefly attack on cotton crop which is now on flowering stage was visible in about 15 villages of Khuian Sarwar block of Abohar in Fazilka district.
Notably, the pest attack had caused widespread damage to Bt cotton varieties in Punjab and Haryana last year.
In Punjab, 1.36 lakh hectares out of total 4.50 lakh hectares of cotton acreage was ravaged by whitefly attack last season and the output had dropped by 40 per cent due to large scale pest attack.
This time the whitefly attack was spotted on cotton crop which was planted near orchards in Abohar which is known for Kinnow fruit.
With dengue cases on the rise in Odisha, the Centre today assured the state of providing assistance in taking preventive measures to tackle the disease and said it is even prepared to send a team of doctors.
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram today met Health Minister J P Nadda and MoS for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste and expressed concern over the rising jaundice and dengue cases in Barbil and neighbouring areas in Keonjhar district of Odisha.
Nadda spoke to Odisha Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and while discussing the situation said his ministry is ready to send a team of doctors to the state.
Nayak, however, told Nadda that at present the situation is under control and a request for assistance would be sent to the Centre "if and when the need arises", an official statement said.
"The ministry is geared up to send a team of doctors to Odisha to extend all necessary support to strengthen its efforts towards management of dengue in the state.
"The Centre is ready to extend all assistance to the state in terms of preventive and curative measures for managing the situation in Odisha," the statement said quoting Nadda.
During the meeting with the Union Health Minister, Oram expressed concern over the rising jaundice and dengue cases which have reached more than 600 and also requested that a team of doctors be sent to the state to assist it in managing the situation.
Nadda had recently reviewed the dengue situation in the states and asked them to develop micro-plans for endemic districts and underlined the need for undertaking house-to-house surveillance for its prevention.
The ministry had also asked the states to review and strengthen coordination between municipal bodies and other departments to keep public and private buildings vector free.
According to National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme data till June 28, around 8,307 dengue cases have been reported throughout the country, 10 people have lost their lives due to the disease.
The Centre would support local self governments under the Swachh Bharat Mission to decentralise and strengthen solid and liquid waste management systems, Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi said here today.
"The Centre will support Local Self governments under the schemes of Swachh Bharat Mission to decentralise solid and liquid management systems which have to be strengthened," he said.
The Centre would extend financial aid to panchayats to provide drinking water and to take up sanitation work, Chandappa said after inaugurating a two-day national workshop on Solid and Liquid Waste Management here.
Kerala Minister for Local Self Governments K T Jaleel said the state was moving towards its goal of achieving open defecation free state by November 1 this year.
"Kerala will become the first open defecation free state in the country with considerable population by November 1, the state formation day," he said.
Jaleel said government has issued directions to civic bodies to earmark 10 per cent of their development fund allocation for sanitation and waste management activities this year.
"Along similar lines of the campaign we did for literacy and decentralisation, a new people's movement will be launched from November 1 next for participatory and people owned solutions in the waste management sector," he said.
New initiatives under Liquid Waste Management are also in the pipeline, Jaleel added.
Later speaking to reporters, Chandappa said one of the main aims of the Swachh Bharat Mission was to make India an open defecation free country by October 2, 2019.
"It is a challenging task," he said.
More than 600 million people in country lacked access to toilets and 90 per cent of this was in rural areas, it was pointed out.
In the last 18 months, much progress has been achieved in providing households individual under Swachh Bharat Mission, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation Parameswara Iyer said.
To increase bilateral cultural exchange between Kolkata and Beijing, a Chinese film festival will be held here.
Chinese consul-general Ma Zhanwu said this is the first time that the consulate is working with the West Bengal government to work out an exchange of films and delegation of filmmakers and actors.
"We want a group of around 10 directors and actors from Tollywood to visit China in the coming months and do an exhibition of Bengali films in one of our cities like Beijing or Shanghai.
"We will select 4-5 good Bengali films which will be screened during their visit," the envoy told reporters here today.
Later this year, Bengali films will also be screened in China. Ma Zhanwu said movies from Kolkata would have a special appeal for Chinese as the city has a unique culture.
This is first time the Chinese government is organizing a film festival at the state-run multiplex Nandan for three days, starting from July 17.
Total seven films will be screened out of which two will have an Indian connect.
The first is 1981 animation film "Nine-coloured deer," based on the Buddhist Jataka tale and the other is "The Monkey King: Uproar in heaven" (1964) which also has an Indian element, the consul-general said.
Films like "Shanghai Calling," "Fleet of Time," "So Young', "Not one less" and the Oscar winning movie "The Last Emperor" will also be screened.
A group of Chinese filmmakers and actors will be flying down to the city to attend the Kolkata International Film Festival.
China's economy expanded more than expected in the second quarter of the year, Beijing said today, fuelling hopes growth may be stabilising, but analysts warned private investment was worryingly low.
The world's second biggest economy grew 6.7 per cent year on year in April-June, slightly quicker than forecast in an AFP survey and the same as the year's first quarter.
The result is also in line with the government's 6.5-7.0 target for the full year and will provide some relief as China -- and key driver of the global economy -- suffers its worst rates of growth for 25 years.
"The national economy has achieved moderate but steady and sound development," National Bureau of Statistics spokesman Sheng Laiyun said.
However analysts said much of the expansion was driven by state investment in infrastructure and credit growth, suggesting it may be hard to maintain in the longer-term.
Markets were unmoved by the figures, with Shanghai's composite index ending the day flat.
"China is on track of achieving this year's growth target," said Zhu Haibin, JP Morgan China chief economist. But he added that "investment continues to be on the weak side, especially private investment".
After decades of breakneck growth policymakers claim to be embracing weaker expansion as a trade-off for structural reforms to wean the country off cheap exports and massive government spending in favour of domestic consumption.
But the latest figures show the transformation is proving tough, with mounting debt a key concern for global investors.
Fixed asset investment, a gauge of infrastructure spending, rose nine per cent in the first half of the year following a record credit binge in the first quarter aimed at stimulating the economy.
New bank loans jumped to nearly 1.4 trillion yuan in June, the central bank said today, up dramatically from around one trillion the previous month, as borrowers took advantage of loosened lending standards put in place by Beijing.
Investment by private businesses grew by less than three percent in the first half of the year, the data showed, with Sheng blaming overcapacity in traditional industries, barriers for private firms to enter some sectors, and limited access to loans.
Tom Rafferty of the Economist Intelligence Unit said the "greatest concern" is the slide in investment by private firms, in a sign businesses are worried about the wider economy and Beijing is "failing to deliver on promised market reforms".
"Levels of state investment we have seen are not sustainable if the authorities are at all serious about curbing debt risks.
(Reopens FGN 22)
"More importantly, China has created over 50 million urban new jobs in the past four years," Li noted.
He also said China will not see nor allow massive unemployment of particular groups.
He admitted that the country, which has successfully created over 13 million new urban jobs annually for four consecutive years, does face significant pressure from job creation this year, and underscored that ensuring employment was of paramount significance to a country of 1.3 billion population.
The government has set a higher employment target of 11 million new urban jobs this year, one million more than last year's target.
Li said that some 7.95 million students will graduate from Chinese universities and colleges and some five million from secondary vocational schools.
He drew particular attention to laid-off workers resulting from efforts to address overcapacity, which could near one million this year, as the process moves from the sectors of coal and steel to thermal power.
He also said workers who lose their jobs due to overcapacity cuts to explore the opportunities in emerging sectors.
The government helped some 720,000 laid-off workers find new jobs last year, he said.
"The government's job is to create a good environment and the necessary conditions for people to use their own wisdom and hard work to generate golden opportunities for themselves," he said.
He also promised government assistance to help meet the basic needs of those struggling to find work.
A total of 100 billion yuan (about USD 14. 5 billion)of special funds have been allocated from the central fiscal to assist the resettlement of those laid-off workers.
Li also said China's mass entrepreneurship and innovation initiative has a strong vitality as in the last three years over 40,000 new market entities got registered every day on average.
The government needs to exercise careful regulation in an open-minded and accommodating way to enable the healthy development of new business forms boosted by the initiative, he said.
China has a labour force of 800 million, among whom 170 million have received higher education or possess high professional skills.
They represent a tremendous source of generating wealth and energy, and represent enormous opportunities for China itself and the international market, Li said.
In the wake of the tribunal rejecting its claims in the disputed South China Sea, China today said that the issue of sovereignty was the nation's "bottom line" and the country "cannot loose one centimetre" of the area it claims.
"The sovereignty issue is China's bottom line," China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi said.
"Though China is large, we cannot lose one centimetre of inheritance left by the ancestors," said Yang, who is the state councillor, a rank higher than foreign minister, while commenting on the ongoing row over the verdict delivered by an arbitration tribunal which quashed Beijing's claims of historical rights over the South China Sea.
Yang's comments also carry significance for India as he is China's designated special representative for boundary talks along with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
India and China have so far held 19 rounds of talks to resolve the boundary dispute. At the centre of the dispute is China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, which it regards as part of southern Tibet.
China regards the boundary issue as a legacy from history and refuses to recognise the McMahon Line as the effective boundary between the two countries.
While both sides in recent years managed to reduce tensions between troops patrolling disputed areas with various dialogue mechanisms, China has not responded positively to India's proposal to demarcate the 3,488-kilometre Line of Actual Control to avoid border tensions.
China is currently mustering all its resources to counter the South China Sea judgement by a five-member global tribunal appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which has struck down its 'nine-dash line' claim on almost all of the South China Sea that was based on its arguments that the islands and reefs were discovered and administered by the Chinese for over 2,000 years.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei counter China's claims in the resource-rich waterway as it falls in their own Exclusive Economic Zones.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang warned yesterday saying that "if anyone wants to take any provocative action against China's security interest based on the award, China will take a decisive response".
China has also lodged a diplomatic protest with Australia after its Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the South China Sea verdict is legally binding and Australian ships and aircraft would continue to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight rights over the area.
"We will take decisive measures in response to any provocative action attempting to harm China's sovereignty and security interests under the pretext of freedom of navigation," Lu said.
China today welcomed the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's plan to send a special envoy to Beijing for talks after winning the South China Sea international tribunal award, which struck down China's historic rights over the area.
Duterte said yesterday that he was asking former President Fidel Ramos to go to China to open bilateral talks, after a ruling by a tribunal on the South China Sea issue two days ago.
"We have noted the remarks by Duterte. Following his inauguration as President, he is saying that the Philippines is ready to properly deal with the South China Sea issue with China through bilateral negotiations and improve the relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang told media briefing here.
"China welcomes his remarks of sending an envoy to China to discuss the South China Sea issue," Lu said.
China has rejected the award saying that it is illegal and expressed willingness to hold direct talks with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei which contests Beijing's stand that 90 per cent of the South China Sea belongs to it.
"The door to settle the issue through dialogue and negotiation has never been closed," Lu said.
Commenting on the arbitration filed by the previous Philippinesgovernment, Lu reiterated China's position that it will not recognise and accept any proposition and action based on the award.
He expressed the belief that bilateral ties will be bright if the two sides try to solve their differences through dialogue and consultation.
"It is China's hope that the two countries will return to the consensus of settling related issue through dialogue and consultation, and work together to improve bilateral relations," Lu said.
"War is not an option. I will ask President Ramos to go to China and start the talks," Duterte was quoted as saying.
Bobby Tuazon, Director of Policy Studies at the Centre for People Empowerment in Governance, told the China's state-run Global Times that he thinks Duterte is committed to bilateral talks.
"Duterte's government will hold on to the arbitration ruling but will avoid using it as the leverage in negotiations with China, aware that the Beijing government will hedge on this point," he said.
Jin Canrong, deputy director of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times the arbitration ruling is unacceptable to China and respecting historical facts is China's "bottom line" which cannot be compromised.
Top officers of the Kolkata Police today held a meeting with officials of five consulates in the city to review their security system.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and others held the meeting with officials of consulates of Japan, Germany, Russia, France and Italy to have a review of their security system at their respective consulates in the city, a senior police officer told PTI.
Asked if it was done in the wake of the terrorist attack in France, the officer said, "The unfortunate incident in France is just a co-incidence. This meeting was pre-scheduled.
A ring of steel will descend next week around the Republican National Convention, transforming Cleveland into a fortress as it prepares to welcome Donald Trump with political pomp and angry protests.
Authorities overseeing and protecting national party conventions in the United States are always on high alert for disruption, or worse -- they are dubbed National Special Security Events by the Department of Homeland Security, and federal agencies pour in resources to ensure a safe event.
But extraordinary circumstances surround the July 18-21 Republican confab, where Trump is set to become the party's standardbearer to face Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election.
It comes less than two weeks after a gunman bent on killing white policemen murdered five Dallas officers, and a month after 49 died in a nightclub massacre carried out by a man authorities said was radicalized by Islamist propaganda.
As Cleveland prepared for the spotlight, a suspected terrorist attack yesterday killed at least 77 people in Nice, France when a man drove a truck into a crowd at Bastille Day celebrations.
Trump dominated a divisive and unruly primary season, infuriating minority groups, antagonizing many people within his own party, and drawing violence to his campaign rallies.
His hostile takeover of the Republican Party may provoke a rough reception from some disgruntled delegates inside the convention hall. Trump critics outside could well prove chillier than the midwestern city's "lake effect" snow.
Complicating matters, Ohio's open-carry laws mean the public will be legally allowed to bring their guns to convention events downtown, although not inside the hard security perimeter around the convention itself.
"We'll take care of what we need to take care of," Cleveland patrol officer Paul Fronckowiak told AFP.
Several thousand officers from Ohio and beyond will be engaged in protecting the convention.
FBI Director James Comey said his department had hundreds of personnel focused specifically on anti-terrorism intelligence gathering in Cleveland.
"Any time there is a national spotlight on a political event there is a risk that groups that aspire to do just that, to engage in acts of domestic terrorism, will be attracted," Comey testified yesterday before the House Homeland Security Committee.
DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson acknowledged demonstrations could get out of hand.
"I am concerned about the possibility of violence," he told lawmakers, adding that DHS is sending more than 1,000 agents to Cleveland, including Secret Service officers.
Security experts have advised organizations to bring protective gear like helmets, bullet-proof vests and gas masks.
ALEX GOLUB | Savage Minds Blog
I SPEND A LOT OF TIME on Savage Minds extolling the virtues of open access publishing, so I thought I should take a minute to extol the virtues of for-profit publishing and the role they play in the scholarly endeavour.
As scholars, we anthropologists subscribe to the idea that knowledge should be free and spread as widely as possible. Of course, there are important qualifications to this: we understand that anonymity and confidentiality are important when we right and do research, and so forth. But overall, the goal is to make our work universally available.
The problem with contemporary publishing, we claim, is that too many people put profits ahead of accessibility; costs are high because production methods are outdated and publishers cant or wont innovate, and the social system of prestige and career advancement tied to publishing disincentives open access.
Publishing, we argue, needs to be done for a wider audience, for the right reasons, and in a way that gets the information out there. The successful open access projects in anthropology today demonstrate that this can be done. But it cant be done all the time.
I was absolutely delighted to meet the people behind the University of Papua New Guinea Press when I visited Port Moresby recently. The Press has done absolutely fantastic work bringing back into print important work from the independence era of Papua New Guinea, such as the Pocket Poets series.
It is republishing work in the public domain one small piece I saw was a missionary-produced ethnography. A staff member told me there was four of the original print run left, mostly in libraries.
The university press is not only making the piece available to modern readers, theyre saving it from extinction. They are publishing new books, aggressively seeking subventions to support new authors and scholarship.
Their authors are academics and amateur scholars, priests and activists. I was incredibly impressed by the quality and amount of work they were bringing out.
All of this work is valuable, but none of it is free. The press is very smart about outsourcing publishing to companies in Singapore and India (PNG doesnt have a publishing industry to print their stuff), balancing their list to include textbooks (which sell) and rarer works (which dont), making their works available on Amazon.
But theres no way around that fact that, for them, for-profit is the only way to go. They simply dont have the resources to go open access.
Sometimes people like to pummel a straw man version of open access which holds that any attempt to ever make money is an evil obsession with filthy lucre. Clearly, few actual people take such an uncompromising stance. There are many situations when the right business model is to charge money to keep your head above water.
Now, perhaps I dont understand the UPNG Presss business model and history I was only there for a weekend. But it seems to me that the example of this successful, small, boot-strapped press should make us think: just how much like the UPNG Press are closed-access publishers?
If a third-world university with few resources can get things off the ground, then what does it say about first-world publishers who claim there is no cheaper way to get their works available than to charge US$100 for a monograph? If Papua New Guineans can do it well and on the cheap, we ought to be able to do so as well.
Alex Golub is an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He studies mining and petroleum development in Papua New Guinea, as well as American culture in to the online game World of Warcraft. You can contact him at rex@savageminds.org
Alarmed by the treatment of journalists by presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, an organisation representing White House correspondents said the US will not have a free press if its President gets to choose journalists and media organisations.
In a joint op-ed published in The USA Today, the outgoing president of White House Correspondents Association Carol Lee, and its incoming president Jeff Mason, said that they are concerned both with the rhetoric directed at the media in this campaign and the level of press access to the candidates.
"Both Clinton and Trump can do better," they wrote.
Lee and Mason pointed out that Trump has banned reporters and media outlets if his campaign does not like a story.
"Similarly, refusing to regularly answer questions from reporters in a press conference, as Hillary Clinton has, deprives the American people of hearing from their potential commander-in-chief in a format that is critical to ensuring he or she is accountable for policy positions and official acts," the joint op-ed said.
"We believe that whenever media access is restricted, the public's right to know is restricted. Transparency is the key to a well-informed electorate, and without a well-informed electorate, our democracy is put in jeopardy," they said.
"The United States will not have a free press if its president gets to choose which journalists and which media organisations are allowed access to the executive branch. We will not have a truly free press and an informed electorate if the president doesn't believe he or she should be held accountable to enquiries from the media," they wrote.
It is a reporter's job to cut through the rhetoric from candidates, scrutinise whether their policy proposals would benefit Americans in the way they claim and question the viability of their promises, the op-ed said.
"If we cannot do our job, then the American people cannot do theirs," they wrote.
A Congress team today undertook a fact-finding tour of Kandhamal where five civilians were killed last week during anti-Maoist operation even as protesting party workers clashed with cops near the state police headquarters in Cuttack today.
The clash between Congress workers and police personnel took place when demonstrators protesting against the Kandhamal incident of July 8 were prevented from entering the high security office premises.
Congress workers under the leadership of PCC treasurer and party's city chief Md Moqim went in a rally to submit a memorandum to DGP K B Singh demanding action against southern range IGP and Kandhmal SP for the Gumudumaha incident.
As the sloganeering rally reached the main gate of the police headquarters, jostling and pushing between the deployed policemen at the closed gate and a group of Congress workers began leading to a clash when tomatoes and water pouches were hurled at the policemen from behind.
While Congress leaders alleged that a woman protester was injured in police action, the police denied it.
The situation was brought under control and a delegation headed by the City Congress chief was allowed inside the headquarters to submit their memorandum to the DGP.
"The DGP has assured us that he will take appropriate action on our demands," Moqim said.
Meanwhile, a Congress team led by Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Narasingha Mishra visited Kandhamal and took stock of the situation in the area where the incident had taken place on the night of July 8.
The team, which also included some MLAs, met the family members and relatives of the victims.
Mishra said the focus of the visit was to try and find out the reason behind the incident. An on the spot stock taking of the episode was conducted, the Congress leader said, hitting out at the state government for the incident.
Terming the judicial inquiry and probe by a special investigation team (SIT) ordered into the incident as simply an eyewash, Mishra said strong action should be taken against those responsible for the tragedy.
Congress today welcomed the National Commission of Scheduled Castes (NCSC) order saying amendments to panchayat acts of Rajasthan and Haryana mandating education qualifications to contest polls have "adversely impacted SCs" and urged BJP governments in both states to repeal the amendments forthwith.
"Congress Party welcomes the order of National Commission of Scheduled Castes (NCSC), wherein it has observed that the amendments to panchayat acts of Rajasthan and Haryana mandating education qualifications to contest elections have 'impacted adversely on the SCs' by depriving them of 'right to contest elections' and the 'right to vote for a candidate of their choice'.
"Congress Party urges the BJP-led Governments of Rajasthan and Haryana to repeal these amendments forthwith," Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
In a statement, he said the Congress Party opposed these "anti-dalit, anti-women and anti-poor" amendments from the start because they nullify the 73rd amendment which sought to include SCs in self-governance through mandatory reservation.
It also denies marginalised social groups their right to political participation in democracy and state institutions through the democratic process of elections, he said.
"The Congress Party opposed the amendments not just in the respective states but also moved an amendment to President's address in the Rajya Sabha during the budget session in March 2016 wherein it was passed with cross-party support in an act of censure to the Government - one of the only five times in the history of Parliament - despite the personal intervention of the Prime Minister," Surjewala said.
Quoting the Commission order, he said it notes that unless "universal literacy is achieved, there will always be large scale deprivation of opportunity to contest" [elections] and has recommended to the state governments to "reconsider the criteria of minimum education qualifications for the SC reserved seats".
Surjewala said the NCSC has expressed displeasure at not being consulted by state governments prior to the amendments despite Constitutional provision for mandatory consultation with the Commission (Art 338, Clause 9) on all major policy matters affecting Scheduled Castes.
The Congress leader said as per the 2011 Census, the amendments exclude 75 per cent of the rural population above the age of 20 years from contesting panchayat elections in Rajasthan and Haryana. 93 per cent and 83 per cent of SC women above the age of 20 years have been disqualified in Rajasthan and Haryana respectively.
West Bengal state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury today accused the ruling Trinomool Congress of trying to "poach" Congress MLAs, councillors and civic body representatives by using either "fear or money".
"Trinomool Congress is using its money power, muscle power and police administration to lure away our MLAs, councillors and civic body representatives. They are sending police officers to our MLAs and councillors and asking them to join Trinomool Congress or face dire consequences. This tendency of TMC is undemocratic and against the principles of democracy," Chowdhury told reporters here.
When asked whether he has any specific information about the MLAs on whom TMC was trying to poach, Chowdhury didn't reveal the names.
The Congress with 44 MLAs is presently the main opposition party in the state Assembly.
BSP today took a dig at Congress over appointment of actor-turned politician Raj Babbar as UPCC chief and naming of Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial candidate for next year's Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, saying these were "shots in the dark" which "are sure to miss the target".
"Appointing party-hopper Raj Babbar as UPCC chief and Sheila Dikshit as Congress' chief ministerial candidate are shots in the dark and sure to miss the target," BSP supremo Mayawati said in a release.
Asserting that Congress is "nowhere near power" and all this is just to "hoodwink" people, she claimed, this is an attempt by Congress not only to hoodwink Brahmin voters but also the 'sarva samaj' (all sections of the society) and the move is not going to impress the voters.
"Dikshit, who has spent most of her political life in Delhi and is facing probes in several corruption cases, has been projected as the CM candidate to appease the Brahmins who are not happy with the party," Mayawati claimed.
Alleging that not only Congress but also BJP and Samajwadi Party have neglected the Brahmins, she claimed only BSP has given due respect to the upper castes, especially Brahmins in the organisation and government.
She further claimed Brahmins rely more on BSP leadership which follows the principle of "sarvajan hitay, sarvajan sukhay" more than any other party and it is totally clear that the interest of Brahmins and "sarv samaj" are fully safe in the hands of her party.
Alleging that the former chief minister of Delhi had diverted funds earmarked for schemes meant for welfare of Dalits, backwards and poor, Mayawati asked what benefit can such a leader, who also faces corruption charges, do to the people.
The BSP chief also accused the BJP government in Gujarat of being anti-Dalit over an incident in which seven members of a Dalit family were allegedly beaten up by some persons for skinning a dead cow in Una town of Gir Somnath district.
"The sordid incident vindicated BSP's stand that ever since the formation of BJP government at the Centre, atrocities on Dalits, backwards and religious minorities especially Muslims have increased manifold," Mayawati said.
An influential American Congressman has asked the overseer of the Voice of America to initiate native-language broadcasting to the Baloch people living in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
"The Baloch people occupy homelands that stretch across the borders of the three countries and their secular, tolerant and liberal tradition is now in danger of being deprived of access to independent media," said Congressman .
In a letter to John Lansing, chief executive officer of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, Rohrabacher said, "[N]ative language broadcasting could help to provide Baloch with non-biased news and liberal and democratic values. It would also help to preserve Baloch people language and its secular culture."
The three dominant states are attempting to create a "single-state identity" Persian, Punjab and Pashtun and impose the values of their respective religious sects, he added.
Curfew was clamped in in view of Friday prayers which see large congregations as authorities apprehended fresh violence in the Valley where 36 persons have died and over 3,100 injured in clashes following the killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani last week.
"Curfew has been imposed in all 10 districts of Valley today as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order," a police official said.
No major clash was reported on Thursday from anywhere in where uneasy calm prevailed with normal life remaining disrupted since last Saturday.
The official said the decision to impose curfew was taken as there were apprehensions that vested interests might exploit the large gatherings at Friday prayers to instigate fresh violence.
Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley for strict implementation of the prohibitory orders, the official said.
Authorities have also pulled the plug on mobile telephone services in the Valley to prevent any rumour-mongering.
"Only postpaid connections of BSNL are working," the official said.
Although the official did not assign any reason for allowing the BSNL postpaid connections, it is believed that the comparatively small number of mobile phones were kept functional as most of the government and police officials use this service.
Mobile Internet services continued to remain suspended for the seventh day on Friday, while trains are also off the tracks in the Valley.
Violent protests rocked Kashmir last weekend following killing of Burhan Wani and two of his associated in an encounter with security forces on July 8 in Kokernag area of Anantnag district.
In the ensuing clashes with security forces, 36 persons including a policeman have been killed while 3,140 persons including 1,500 security personnel.
Normal life has remained paralysed since Saturday in Kashmir on account of separatist sponsored-strike and curfew-like restrictions imposed by authorities.
The separatists groups both factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have been issuing strike calls two days at a time, as they did during the 2010 summer agitation which left 120 people dead.
A day after a court ordered registration of a case against Mohammed Akhlaq's family for alleged cow slaughter, BJP today questioned the "silence" of intellectuals who had returned their awards after the lynching incident and demanded an apology from them for "defaming" the country.
The party said it was defamed across the world and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was projected as a "villain" even though Akhlaq's murder was a failure of the Uttar Pradesh government.
"The court has ordered registration of an FIR. Law will take its own course. We have condemned Akhlaq's murder and are against any sort of violence. But the incident was used by some so-called intellectuals to defame BJP and the country in the world. Modi was projected as a villain.
"Where are those people now who had returned awards? Why are they silent? If they have any morality, they should apologise to the country for bringing it a bad name," BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said.
Akhlaq was killed by a mob on September 29 last year on the suspicion that his family had stored and consumed beef at their home.
A court has now ruled that an FIR be registered by police and his family be probed for allegedly slaughtering a cow, a crime in Uttar Pradesh. The family had earlier denied the charge.
The Rajasthan High Court today granted bail to suspended IPS officer A Ponnuchami in the Dara Singh encounter killing case.
Justice Banwari Lal Sharma granted bail to Ponnuchami, who was posted as IG of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police at the time of the encounter, considering the fact that only one of the 13 prosecution witnesses has been examined so far.
The charge sheet has been filed and he is unlikely to influence the witnesses, the court said, adding that other key accused in the case have already been granted bail.
The court gave him bail on a bail bond and surety of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively. Ponnuchami, a 1991-batch IPS officer, was arrested in May, 2011.
A liquor smuggler of Jhunjhunu, Singh was killed by the SOG of Rajasthan Police in an encounter on the outskirts of Jaipur on October 23, 2006.
The case drew wide attention after BJP leader and Rajasthan Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore was named an accused in the case and was arrested by CBI, which was investigating the case. Rathore was later acquitted by a lower court.
Besides Ponnuchami, another IPS officer, A K Jain, and several other police officers were accused in the case.
Delhi government has decided to inspect those private schools in the national capital which have submitted proposals seeking sanction for fee hike.
After distressed parents approached Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia complaining about fee hike by private schools ranging from 20 to 55 per cent, the government had in April asked the institutes to seek prior sanction from the Directorate of Education (DoE) before increasing student fee and submit detailed proposals in this regard.
"On scrutiny, discrepancies have been found in the proposals uploaded by the schools. Some of the documents were incomplete, illegible or not in specified format," DoE said in a communication to schools.
"The directorate has decided that a team of empanelled CAs would carry out an inspection of these schools and verify their accounts books and other records maintained by them," it added.
The schools have been warned of strict action in case of non-cooperation with the inspection team.
LINDSAY BOND
IN ORO Province, this coming Monday will be a day of heartfelt celebration with the opening of three bridges over the rivers Eroro, Girua and Ambogo.
The Ambogo is also known as Doublecross, a name taken from a different location, a much earlier double crossing.
The bridges are funded by Australia and were announced back in 2007-08 following the severe flooding throughout Oro of November 2007.
There had been much delay in the planning until the election of Gary Juffa as governor.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today approached Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to take any coercive step against him in the wake of the arrest of an LIC agent in an alleged money laundering case.
The plea came up for hearing before Justice A K Pathak who recused from hearing the matter and listed it for July 19 before another bench.
In his plea, Singh said he apprehended that the ED might arrest him on the basis of alleged disclosure statement of insurance agent Anand Chauhan, who was recently arrested from Chandigarh in connection with the case.
Chauhan, currently in judicial custody, was arrested by the ED under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating with the investigating officer of the case.
The probe agency had alleged that Singh, while serving as Union Steel Minister, had invested huge amounts in purchasing LIC policies in his and his family members' names through Chauhan.
Singh's separate plea seeking quashing of the money laundering proceedings was also pending before the high court and would come up for further hearing on July 29.
ED had earlier termed as "premature" the plea filed by Singh and others seeking quashing of the money laundering proceedings.
It had said the plea seeking stay on the proceedings was "not maintainable" as the inquiry into the matter was in a preliminary stage.
ED had last year lodged a money laundering case against Singh and others under the PMLA after taking cognisance of a criminal complaint filed by CBI in this regard.
CBI had lodged a separate disproportionate assets case against Singh and others alleging that he and his family members had amassed wealth of Rs 6.1 crore between 2009 and 2011 disproportionate to the known sources of income.
Earlier, CBI had moved Delhi High Court seeking vacation of the Himachal Pradesh High Court's interim order restraining it from arresting, interrogating or filing a charge sheet against Virbhadra. The Supreme Court had earlier transferred the matter to the Delhi High Court.
During the hearing today, Sibal also asked how CBI could
register a PE without taking any consent of the state.
"This means the CBI will start conducting a PE without anybody's consent. They should have reported the information received by them to the concerned authority in the state," he said.
"Court has to look at the ramification of this probe. They (CBI) can keep on doing the investigation....My (Virbhadra's) political career may be finished," Sibal said.
To this, the court observed "history has shown that no politician has been indicted due to prosecution."
Sibal responded saying, "I (Virbhadra) am not saying that I am immune. What prevents the state from investigating me? This is not a case of corruption."
The matter, in which Himachal Pradesh HC had passed the interim order, was transferred by the Supreme Court to the Delhi High Court, but the interim order has not yet been vacated or stayed.
The Delhi High Court on April 6 this year had directed CBI not to arrest Singh while asking him to join the probe.
The direction had come when the court was disposing of CBI's application seeking vacation of the Himachal Pradesh High Court order, which, the agency claimed, had "seriously held up" its investigation in the case.
On November 5 last year, the apex court had transferred Singh's plea from Himachal Pradesh HC to Delhi HC, saying it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, but "simply" transferring the petition "in interest of justice and to save the institution (judiciary) from any embarrassment".
CBI had moved the apex court seeking transfer of the case to Delhi High Court and setting aside the interim order granting protection from arrest and other relief granted to Singh.
A DA case was lodged against the Chief Minister and others by CBI under sections 13(2) and 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 109 (punishment for abetment) of IPC.
DMK today objected to Kerala's stand on the Mullaperiyar dam controversy, as party chief M Karunanidhi questioned the 'political contradiction' of the neighbouring state's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
His remarks came a day after the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala favouring construction of a new dam in place of the existing Mullaperiyar reservoir.
Karunanidhi recalled that Vijayan had earlier said that his government did not believe in the previous Congress-UDF dispensation's stand of a new dam in place of the existing structure and that he batted for talks with Tamil Nadu to amicably settle the interstate row.
Vijayan's latest statement was "contradictory" to what he had stated earlier even as a central team had recently vouched for the strength of the dam, Karunanidhi said.
"What explanation are the Leftist comrades, who discuss in detail about every social and economic contradiction, going to give to this political contradiction created by the Kerala Chief Minister?," he said while replying to a set of queries in the party mouthpiece 'Murasoli.'
Vijayan's statement in the Assembly amounted to creating "unnecessary problems", the DMK leader added.
In reply to an 'unstarred question' in the assembly, Vijayan had said the new government's policy was also for construction of new dam by examining the legal and technical feasibility.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu have for long been at loggerheads over raising the water level of the dam.
The Supreme Court on May 2, 2014, had held that the 120 year old dam is safe and allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level to 142 feet. It had struck down a law promulgated by Kerala, declaring the dam as endangered and fixing the water level at 136 feet.
The dam is situated in Thekkady district in Kerala and is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu government.
Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has caught one of its conductors selling fake tickets to passengers and lodged a complaint against him.
Disciplinary authority will initiate stern action against Madan Mohan as per laid down rules, a senior DTC official said.
The matter came to light on July 12 when a team of ticket checkers at Phase-II, Noida found Madan issuing fake tickets to passengers.
"The team found that the tickets of Rs 10 and 15 denomination issued by the conductor were fake," the official said.
Immediately, the conductor's bag and hand blocks were seized and excess case of Rs 1,500 was found.
Later, he was handed over to Noida Police for further action and on the basis of the DTC's complaint, Madan was booked under sections 420 (cheating) & 406 (criminal breach of trust) of IPC.
According to officials, DTC management has directed disciplinary authorities to take exemplary action in such cases.
Recently, services of nine employees involved in the cases of cheating were terminated. DTC's Vigilance Department has intercepted 22 cases of cheating /financial embezzlement between April and June.
As the standoff over the alleged suicide by a Deputy Superintendent of Police persisted, Opposition parties continued their protests in the Karnataka Assembly for the fifth day today, sticking to their demand for sacking Minister K J George and a CBI probe into the incident.
Continuing their overnight dharna in the House for the second day, BJP and JDS members shouted anti-government slogans from the well, refusing to settle for anything less than meeting their twin demands by the government.
As soon as the Assembly met, Opposition members entered the well of the House and raised slogans against the government for its "adamant" stand in protecting George.
Speaker K B Koliwada appealed to the members to maintain order and allow him to conduct Question Hour but it went unheeded.
As pandemonium prevailed, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon. As it re-assembled, the Opposition resumed protests.
Sensing the belligerent mood of the Opposition, government managed to secure passage of five bills, including Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill 2016, without any debate amid din.
As the bills were being put to voice vote, Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar said the government has thrown all Constitutional norms to the winds by introducing the bills and passing them today itself.
He also said it is ironical that the government is passing the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, even as the entire state is "gripped" with Deputy SP M K Ganapathy's suicide.
"Nothing is as shameful as this, that the government is introducing the bills and passing them in few minutes."
"Itis also ironical, it is passing police bill even as the stateis gripped in Ganapathy's suicide case," he added.
JDS member Y S V Datta also demanded the resignation of George.
Even as the Opposition raised slogans against the government, the Speaker after passage of the bills adjourned the proceedings to July 18.
Meanwhile speaking to reporters after the session, Shettar said BJP would continue its overnight dharna fromMonday.
BJP and JDS launched a day-night protest in the House on Wednesday, insisting on a CBI enquiry and sacking of George, named by deceased official Ganapathy along with two top police officials for his extreme step.
Ganapathy (51) was found hanging from the ceiling fan in a room at a lodge in Madikeri on July 7, prior to which he gave an interview to a local TV channel, saying the minister and A M Prasad (IG-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP- Lokayukta) would be responsible "if anything happens to me".
The government is taking many initiatives to educate the farmers and remains committed to set up e-platforms in 585 markets across the country, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said.
"The National Agriculture Market is yet another recent initiative of the government, where Common eMarket Platforms would be set up in 585 regulated markets in the country," Singh said at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (ICAR-NAARM) here.
"These digital platforms would enable farmers to sell produce through e-marketing. You, the young scientists, being digital-savvy, I would urge you to contribute to all such ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) initiatives by popularising them with the farming community," he added.
The NDA government has developed web-based farmers portal and mobile-based mKisan SMS portal, besides disseminating information to farmers through Kisan Call Centers and DD Kisan Channel, the minister said.
"Two mobile Apps (Kisan Suvidha and Pusa Krishi) have been launched for farmers," he said.
Agriculture and allied sectors contribute 18 per cent to the Gross Value Added (GVA) as the foodgrains production of about 260 million tonnes is possible with availability of technologies like quality seed and associated services to the farmers, the Minister said.
Singh also lauded the research efforts of ICAR institutions and agricultural universities across the country.
Since 1951, foodgrain production in the country has increased five times, while that of horticultural produce by 9.5 times, fish by 12.5 times, milk production 7.8 times and eggs 39 times, he said.
In 2016-17 Budget, the government proposed a number of
measures for agriculture and farmers' welfare, such as plan to bring 2.85 million hectares of land under irrigation, Rs 2,87,000 crore (USD 42.1 billion) grant-in-aid to gram panchayats and municipalities and the goal of 100 per cent village electrification by 2018, he said.
Earlier, speaking at the 28th AGM of the Poultry Federation of India, the Minister said the poultry meat production was estimated to be nearly 3 million tonnes and exports of poultry products was at around Rs 768 crore in 2015-16.
"These achievements and growth rates are still being sustained despite the ingress of avian influenza which is a severe setback for the industry, showing the resilience of the subsector, perseverance of the private sector and timely intervention by the Government," Singh said.
Stressing the importance of role models in societies, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said more and more people are achieving excellence at young age and the "era of grey eminence is gradually coming to an end".
"Achievers also act as a role model in aspirational society...Role models are essential for society," he said at Lakshmipat Singhania - IIM Lucknow National Leadership Awards here.
Such recognitions should encourage the role models to occupy the centre-stage of public discourse, he said.
Jaitley further said increasingly people are acquiring excellence at young age and that the "era of grey eminence is gradually coming to an end".
Citing an example, the Finance Minister said, no longer a physician with 40 years of experience is considered best.
The award in fields of Business, Science & Technology, Community Service and Social Upliftment were given by the Finance Minister.
An Ex-Servicemen (ESM) Rally organised for three districts of Nagaland - Kohima, Phek and Kiphire by Headquarters 44 Mountain Brigade in coordination with Rajya Sainik Board (RSB) Nagaland was attended by 168 ESMs at Zakhama Military Station today.
Commander 44 Mountain Brigade, Brigadier H S Cheema while addressing the ESMs and their families, emphasised on the schemes of the Army and the state government tailored exclusively for the welfare of the ex-servicemen and their families.
He said till date pension anomalies of ESM of Nagaland amounting to Rs 48 lakh have been resolved through such rallies and complimented RSB Nagaland for addressing the issues of welfare of veterans and bringing all the stakeholders under one roof.
RSB Nagaland Secretary, Brig (retd) K K Roy Choudhary highlighted the efforts by the state government to alleviate the conditions of ex-servicemen.
Numbers of stalls were put up to educate and address the concerns of the veterans and veer naris, the most important being the 'Pensioner Grievance Cell' activated to address pension related issues of the ESMs.
The 'Suvigya Portal' along with OROP calculator was instrumental in resolution of many ESM pension issues with continuous efforts of a dedicated team.
A medical camp was also organised to provide medical aid to the veterans.
European Union foreign ministers will discuss the fight against terrorism at talks in Brussels on Monday after the deadly Bastille Day lorry attack in Nice, the EU said.
"Upon request of France, EU ministers to add fight against terrorism on their agenda on Monday," the European Council of leaders from the 28 EU countries said today.
France's embassy to the EU confirmed on Twitter that it had made the request.
The EU is increasingly worried about the threat posed by the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.
The attack by a Tunisian-born man in Nice in which 84 people were killed is the latest in a series of terror strikes in Europe in recent years, especially in France and Belgium.
The EU foreign ministers will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry for breakfast on Monday before holding talks among themselves on issues including Syria and Libya.
The talks will also be the first in Brussels for new British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who supported Britain leaving the EU in a referendum last month.
An Excise Inspector and a constable were today arrested by the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 9,000 in Churu district of Rajasthan.
Acting on a tip-off that Excise Inspector Vidhyadhar was demanding Rs 9,000 monthly from a liquor shop owner, ACB sleuths laid a trap, said IG, ACB Sachin Mittal.
"The shop owner, Surendra Singh, paid the amount to the Inspector, but he asked him to hand it over to a constable, also named Vidhyadhar. After the amount was handed over, our team raided the place and arrested both," he said.
The accused have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The number of farmers' suicides in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, has declined compared to the last year, the district administration said said.
There have been 100 suicides between January to June 2016 against 184 in the same period last year, said Rajesh Khawle, project director of a campaign implemented in the district to curb suicides.
Collector Sachindra Pratap Singh said it was the effect of the 'Balirja Chetana Abhiyan'.
This campaign was being run in Yavatmal and Osmanabad districts on pilot basis with the objective of making them suicide-free within two years, as announced by the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said.
"I think the current situation in PNG is crying out for a change, Basil told RNZI. O'Neill is a fighter, he will not go down without fighting but we are very adamant that he has done enough damage to this country and he has to go.
Basil said that with universities shut down by protests and other services threatening to strike if prime minister Peter O'Neill doesn't step down, the country is in crisis.
Papua New Guinea's deputy opposition leader Sam Basil (pictured) told Radio New Zealand International he believes the no confidence motion will be successful even though he didnt know if his alliance had the numbers.
AS THE day dawns on the much thwarted and ultimately court-ordered no confidence vote in the ONeill government, both sides have predictably expressed great confidence in their prospects of victory.
Papua New Guineans all over are now asking for the prime minister to step down."
The no confidence move is expected from the opposition when the PNG parliament sits this afternoon after the supreme court ordered it to reconvene to hear the opposition's motion.
The Polye-Basil opposition bloc has only 15 members in the 111 seat parliament but Basil believes it has a good chance of rallying a majority.
"In PNG politics it's always determined at the eleventh hour, he said. All political parties are talking to each other right now."
A high-profile member of the governing coalition, People's Progress Party leader Ben Micah, told the ABC he had already urged the government to find a solution to defusing tensions that have arisen over calls for the prime minister to stand down and which Micah said now posed a potentially bigger threat to our safety and security."
Micah, whose party holds seven seats, did not say if he would be asking O'Neill to resign. But he said the government needed to respond to civil unrest before things got worse.
Opposition leader Don Polye said the opposition is confident of its motion to remove ONeill and has immediate plans to address urgent national issues if it can form a government.
The opposition went into camp earlier this week and it is negotiating with other backbenchers and government MPs to oust the government.
It will need at least 56 votes this afternoon to successfully secure the no-confidence motion.
France presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that calls for deploying up to 228 UN police to Burundi to monitor human rights and help quell violence in the African country.
The draft measure, obtained by AFP yesterday, said the force would be deployed in Bujumbura and throughout Burundi for an initial period of one year, but that the size and mandate could change if violence worsens.
It remains unclear whether the government of Burundi would give its consent for the deployment, which would be required for the UN force to be dispatched.
Bujumbura has said it would not accept more than 50 UN police officers, but negotiations are ongoing on the proposed larger force.
Russia and Egypt have said they will support a UN police force only if the Bujumbura government agrees to its deployment.
The UN police force would be tasked with monitoring security and human rights in coordination with African Union rights observers and military experts.
Burundi has agreed to allow 100 AU rights observers and 100 AU military experts into the country to monitor the crisis, but fewer than 50 have in fact begun work on the ground.
The draft resolution urges the government to speed up the deployment of the AU monitors and to enter into dialogue with all opposition groups including "those outside the country" to end the crisis.
Political talks scheduled to open this week in Tanzania collapsed when the government refused to sit down with some opponents in exile.
The Security Council is under pressure to take action in Burundi, where the descent into violence has raised fears of mass atrocities, similar to those that convulsed neighboring Rwanda in 1994.
Burundi has been in turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans in April last year to run for a third term, which he went on to win.
More than 500 people have died, many of them in extrajudicial killings blamed on Burundian police, security forces and militias linked to the ruling party, according to the United Nations.
At least 270,000 people have fled the country.
The family of one of the most notorious Islamic State jihadist group commanders, Omar al-Shishani, today received condolences from locals in his home village in ex-Soviet Georgia, apparently confirming reports of his death.
Dozens of mourners flocked to the house of Shishani's brother Tengiz Batirashvili in the village of Birkiani, telling AFP there was no doubt of the death of the warlord nicknamed "Omar the Chechen."
Amaq, a service linked to the Islamic State group, announced this week that Shishani died while defending Mosul, the principal city held by IS in Iraq.
The Pentagon yesterday acknowledged targeting Shishani in an airstrike near Mosul on Sunday, but stopped short of confirming his death.
"Tarkhan made a mistake and took a wrong path but his death is a tragedy nevertheless," Natia Tsatiashvili, a Birkiani resident, told AFP, using Shishani's real name.
"I watched him growing up and will always remember him as a quiet and kind young man," she said.
Shishani was born Tarkhan Batirashvili in the village in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge which is inhabited by Muslim Kists, descendants of Chechens who migrated to Georgia in the 19th century.
His nom-de-guerre means "the Chechen" in Arabic and he was among dozens of Kists reportedly fighting in Syria and Iraq for the IS group.
"Tarkhan was my sworn brother, I am sure that he couldn't have committed an atrocity," said another villager, Beslan Margoshvili. "His death brings grief to the whole of Pankisi."
A hardened fighter with a distinctive bushy red beard, Shishani had been in the crosshairs of US officials who portrayed him as an experienced warlord and a kind of "minister of war" within the Islamic State group.
The United States put a USD 5 million bounty on his head.
Shishani has been wrongly reported dead numerous times before, most recently in March when the Pentagon said he had been killed in Syria.
The coalition against the Islamic State has mounted a campaign to eliminate the top commanders of the jihadist group.
President Barack Obama's anti-Islamic State envoy Brett McGurk recently said that the coalition was killing them at a rate of one every three days.
France's Prime Minister Manuel Valls said today that the military resources of the international coalition battling the Islamic State group would be boosted after the truck attack in Nice.
"Next week there will be a big meeting" in Washington, Valls told France Television the day after 84 were killed during the attack in the French Riviera city.
"We are going to reinforce the coalition's reosurces" to fight against IS in Syria and Iraq, he added.
US investment bank Goldman Sachs said today that its hiring of former European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso was not related to Britain's decision to exit the European Union.
A day after French President Francois Hollande labeled Barroso's new job as "morally unacceptable" because he would be advising the bank on Brexit issues, Goldman stressed that the recruitment was done prior to the June 23 British referendum.
"That decision had nothing to do with the outcome of the Brexit vote," the bank said in a statement.
"Indeed, we began our discussions at a time when the prevailing view was that the Remain campaign would succeed, an outcome we would have preferred and publicly supported."
Since Goldman announced on July 8 that Barroso would be non-executive chairman of Goldman Sachs International, the former Portuguese prime minister has come under withering criticism.
Barroso headed the executive arm of the 28-nation EU from 2004 to 2014. European politicians say that his inside knowledge of EU affairs, in light of Britain's shock vote to break with the union, could lead to potential conflicts of interest.
The US bank stressed today that Barroso would help advise its clients in Europe and around the world on a range of issues.
Hollande's condemnation was the strongest yet. Barroso would be assisting a bank which "advised the Greek government and dressed up the deficit figures it gave to the European Union several years ago," he said.
Barroso, Hollande also recalled, was in charge of the EU's executive arm at the time of the subprime crisis "of which Goldman Sachs was one of the main banks (responsible)".
France's Minister for Europe Harlem Desir said on Wednesday Barroso was "helping anti-Europeans".
"I solemnly appeal for him to give up the post," Desir told the French parliament.
Nabam Tuki, who was reinstalled as Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister on Wednesday, will have to take the floor test tomorrow as directed by the Governor, who rejected his plea and also a Cabinet resolution to defer the exercise to prove his majority that could be an uphill task.
As the remote northeastern state appeared headed for another round of political standoff, Tuki, who led a Congress government that fell in January after the controversial role played by then Governor J P Rajkhowa, met acting Governor Tathagata Roy today and sought postponement of the floor test by at least ten days. Tuki was restored as the Chief Minister by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
The numbers game tonight did not appear to favour Tuki since ousted Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, who is backed by BJP, has claimed the support of 43 MLAs, including 11 BJP and two independent members, in the 60-member Assembly.
Pul heads the People's Party of Arunachal(PPA), which also includes Congress rebels. Tuki has appealed to the Congress rebels to return to the party fold.
The district administration has also made elaborate security arrangements with the Governor asking it to ensure that the Legislative Assembly, important routes, private residences and other properties of all stakeholders are secured.
Tuki told reporters after meeting the Governor, who yesterday gave the direction for taking the floor test by July 16, that he had requested 10 more days time, since it was not possible to hold it at a short notice.
Citing apprehension that the present government does not command required majority in the Assembly, the Governor asked Tuki to prove his majority on the floor of the House tomorrow, a Raj Bhavan communique here said,rejecting the Cabinet resolution and Tuki's plea.
The Governor also emphasised that a sense of security among the people must prevail and deterrent action must be taken to ensure foolproof law and order arrangement in the state, the communique added.
The state Cabinet at its meeting also resolved to request the Governor to defer the proposed floor test by at least ten days and the decision was conveyed to him.
The Cabinet in its resolution observed that being monsoon period, many of the MLAs are out of station and would not be in a position to attend the session for holding the floor test in such a short period of time.
The Cabinet decision also stated that Saturday being a holiday in the state, it would not be proper to summon the Assembly.
Assembly Speaker Nabam Rebia said it would not be possible to convene a session of the Assembly at such a short notice.
Meanwhile, the state unit of BJP adopted a resolution to extend full support to PPA during the floor test.
"The regional party PPA is a core constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA)," BJP state unit president Tapir Gao said in a statement, adding the party would extend outside support to the PPA.
The party further adopted a resolution seeking graceful exit of Tuki.
Casting its net wide in search of the fittest candidate, the government has come out with fresh recruitment rules for the post of Director General of Civil Aviation.
Now, officers from various streams can be considered for the top position at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on deputation, including for short-terms.
A crucial clog in the domestic aviation space, DGCA regulates the air transportation system to ensure overall safety. The watchdog, which comes under the Civil Aviation Ministry, has wide ranging powers, including that to penalise as well as suspend entities for violations.
A senior ministry official said that with the new rules in place, candidates from more number of areas, including Indian Air Force, can be considered for the top post at DGCA.
Such candidates would be roped in on deputation basis, the official added.
Officers under the central government, including those in All India Services with a certain level of experience, would be eligible for the DGCA post on deputation.
The maximum age limit for appointment on deputation has been set at 56 years as on the closing date of receipt of applications.
The new rules replace the previous hiring norms, issued in 2005.
As per the DGCA organisation structure, there are four joint director generals under the director general.
Delhi government today ordered the Directorate of Education to investigate a complaint against a private school for allegedly torturing a girl for not paying the fees on time.
Parents of a five-year-old girl have alleged that the officials at Bal Bhavan School in Mayur Vihar locked her in a room for four hours for not paying the fees on time.
"Have directed to conduct an enquiry into torture of a five-year-old girl in Bal Bhavan School in Mayur Vihar. It has been alleged that she was made to sit in a separate room for whole day for non payment of fees on time," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in a series of tweets.
"The parents have alleged that the girl had gone to school yesterday after vacations and the fees was deposited yesterday only," he added.
Meanwhile, the school authorities could not be reached for comments on the issue.
Officials at the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said they are verifying the claims made by girl's parents and notice will be issued to the school if the complaint is found valid.
Intensifying Government's efforts to bring the opposition around on the crucial GST bill ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament, Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar today met Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma to help break the impasse on it.
During the meeting, that lasted about 45 minutes, the two sides put forth their points of view and after discussing the issue with their respective parties, decided to meet again once the Monsoon session starts on July 18.
Asked if the meeting was positive and if the issues have been resolved, both sides were non-committal and said only preliminary discussions were held today. They also did not comment on whether the bill will see its passage or not.
"We are trying to build consensus on GST. We have discussed all the points. Once the session starts, we will meet again after discussing the issue within our respective parties," Jaitley said after the meeting, which was held in Azad's room in Parliament.
Azad, who is leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said this was a preliminary meeting where the two sides presented their points of view and will meet again after discussions with the respective leaderships of government and Congress.
"We had an in-depth discussion. We gave our point of view, they gave theirs. We put forth our apprehensions and suggestions. We will get back to our leadership and they will get back to their leadership and then we will meet again," he said.
Sharma said the two sides sensitised each other on their respective positions on the issue.
"The talks are on. We will brief our leadership and will meet again after the session starts," he said.
Sharma added that it is in the interest of the government and the Congress party to put forth each other's position in the preliminary discussion on the issue and then discuss it with our leaderships and then meet again.
Asked if Congress would stick to its stand that the constructive dialogue with the government will not be on the passage of one bill, the Congress leaders said it is a larger issue that would be discussed with other opposition parties also, but today's meeting was on a specific issue.
"Constructive engagement between government of the day and opposition as a whole cannot be limited or made conditional upon passage or non-passage of one bill," Sharma said.
The government had yesterday reached out to the opposition party with Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu calling up Azad and Sharma to seek Congress' backing for the bill.
The GST bill has been hanging fire for a long time due to stiff opposition from Congress.
The Constitution amendment bill for roll-out of GST is pending in Rajya Sabha for a long time and the government is keen to ensure its passage. The Goods and Services Tax seeks to bring a uniform tax structure subsuming a number of imposts and the government claims that it will help add 1 to 2 per cent to the country's GDP.
Top Congress leaders had yesterday deliberated on the strategy for the session with party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence where GST was also discussed.
Congress has been pressing for a GST cap of 18 per cent as part of the Constitutional Amendment bill with which the government is not in agreement.
Insiders say the demand has become a sticking point, but Congress may relent and agree to a cap in the statute and not as part of the Constitution bill.
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Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu
told reporters that the government is "very keen" to take the GST bill forward during the ensuing Parliament session and exuded confidence that it will be approved.
"The government is very keen to take the GST forward. We are holding discussions with all our friends. We are confident the GST will be approved," he said.
Days after asserting that joining the Uday (Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana) scheme could help the Tamil Nadu government, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal today called on Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at the Secretariat and held discussions over it.
Jayalalithaa told Goyal that a Tamil Nadu team comprising state power minister and top officials would visit Delhi to hold detailed discussions with him over the issue. Top officials including Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance), CMD, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd (TANGEDCO) would be part of the team.
The meeting between the two is the first after several claims and counter-claims over the past several months with regard to Uday between the State and Union governments over the Centre's debt restructuring scheme for state discoms.
Also, today's meeting comes months after Goyal's "Jaya is inaccessible" remark ahead of the May 16 Assembly election which was vehemently countered by AIADMK leaders and Tamil Nadu Ministers.
On the meeting, an official release here said, the Chief Minister told Goyal that she had already requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her letter of October 2015 to consider the state's request to ensure that Tamil Nadu finances are not adversely affected while taking over TANGEDCO's debt.
Such points were also reiterated in the memorandum given by her to PM Modi last month, the release said.
The Chief Minister requested that the government of India should consider the request of Tamil Nadu government "positively" over the Uday scheme.
She also requested Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and Power Finance Corporation (PFC), Central PSUs to provide loans for revenue and capital expenditure, and also for new power projects proposed by the state.
On July 11, Goyal had said in Delhi that Centre will not be in a position to accede to the state's demand for special concessions to join Uday.
Conditions that Tamil Nadu had indicated for taking up Uday include writing off 50 per cent outstanding debt of Rs. 68,000 crore, he had said, adding, Tamil Nadu was the only State to have sought such concessions. The Centre had extended till next year the date for joining Uday.
Power Ministry will hold a two-day conference of state
Power, Coal and Mines ministers after Switch expo.
"The NDA government at Centre effectively increased transmission capacity to south India which has perennially faced shortage of power by 71 per cent in last two years," Goyal said.
"In the next 18-24 months, we will expand it (transmission capacity) further. So effectively in three years of Modiji's government we would see 400 per cent (four-fold expansion) in transmission capacity to south India," he added.
Congress today criticised acting Arunachal Pradesh Governor Tathagata Roy for rejecting Chief Minister Nabam Tuki's plea for more time to prove his majority saying he cannot unilaterally convene an assembly session on his own.
Ahead of the crucial floor test tomorrow, Congress leaders cited past Supreme Court judgements and Sarkaria Commission report and said The Governor is required to give at least 30 days time before holding the majority test.
Sources, however, said Congress has prepared its strategy and will not let the floor test to be held tomorrow. They also said that Congress may seek a clarification from the court on Governor's powers.
"The Governor cannot convene a session unilaterally. There are Supreme Court judgements in this regard. The Sarkaria Commission says at least 30 days have to be given for holding such a test. The Governor can only advise the chief minister, who in consultation with his council of ministers, can convene an assembly session," a senior Congress leader said.
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said the party is ready for a test but the session has to be convened on government's advice. Asked if Congress was ready for a floor test tomorrow, he said the Governor cannot dictate on when to convene the assembly session.
"The Supreme Court has said that it has to be decided between the chief minister and the Speaker and advise the Governor when to call the House. It is not the Governor's prerogative to call the House," Sibal told PTI.
"We are ready for a floor test on July 24 or 25," he said, adding that it cannot be held tomorrow.
Tuki told Roy that he needs 10 days to call the session and in doing so has cited the Sarkaria Commission report which speaks of granting 30 days to the chief minister to prove majority.
For a session to be convened, a notification has to be issued by the government and the Tuki government is not inclined to do so.
In the 60-member house, Congress is precariously placed as 21 of its MLAs continue to be rebels and are with the ousted Chief Minister Kalikho Pul.
But Congress leaders claimed that as on December 15, 2015, the date to which the Supreme Court has restored status quo ante in the state, the party had 45 MLAs in a 58-member House where two seats were vacant, BJP had 11 and two were independents.
"On December 15, 2015, rebel MLAs of the Congress had not defected from the party as per the Anti Defection Law and were hence technically with Congress," a party leader said.
Asked about the issue, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the situation reinforces that Narendra Modi government has "absolutely no respect for democracy".
"They have misused and abused the instrumentalities of the State including the Office of the Governor in order to undermine democratically elected opposition governments.
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"Now, when for the first time, the Supreme Court actually restored the clock back to 15th of December 2015 and put the incumbent Chief Minister back into office, the central government again, through the Governor, is now trying to undermine the essence and the spirit of the Supreme Court judgment," Tewari said.
He said reasonable time must be given to the Chief Minister or to a political party to prove its majority on the floor of the House.
"The manner in which the Governor is trying to hasten the decision, ostensibly on the instructions of the Central Government, again orchestrating a command performance, is nothing but a very crude attempt to undermine the very strong indictment of the Government by Supreme Court," Tewari said.
The Congress leader said, "First you use the number game, misuse the office of the Governor to topple a democratically elected Government, then you mis-use the instrumentalities of the State in order to change the facts on the ground and then you claim that you are democratic."
He termed the entire Arunachal episode as "the most flagrant attempt at subverting the Constitution repeatedly ad-nauseam".
Auburn Mayor Michael Quill has invited Gov. Andrew Cuomo to visit Auburn and discuss how the state can join forces with federal and local officials to establish the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn.
In letter provided to The Citizen Thursday, Quill expressed his hope that Cuomo would meet with city officials.
"This is an iconic project and we believe with the partnership of the state of New York it can have a significant regional economic development impact," Quill wrote.
"We look forward to scheduling a time that you can visit Auburn to learn more about our plan to move forward with the establishment of the park and hope that you recognize that the state of New York has an opportunity to partner with us to maximize its economic potential."
Quill's letter was released hours after Cuomo appeared in Oswego Thursday to announce that city's win in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, a program launched by the governor to invest in downtown corridors throughout the state.
With the victory in the DRI, Oswego will receive $10 million to fund projects in its downtown area.
Auburn competed with Oswego for the DRI funding. The city submitted a six-point plan which included a welcome visitor that would highlight the Tubman park and other historic sites.
While Auburn didn't win the competition, city officials could submit a consolidated funding application to secure grants for any of the proposals outlined in their DRI plan. The consolidated funding application is how entities access funds available through the state's regional economic development council program.
The deadline for applications is Friday, July 29.
Central New York's Upstate Revitalization Initiative plan, which won the region $500 million over five years, lists the Tubman park visitor's center as a future priority. A dollar amount hasn't been determined for that funding, but its inclusion means that it's in line for state support.
Auburn, though, is looking for the state to play a bigger role.
Before federal legislation was adopted to establish the Tubman parks in Auburn and Maryland, state officials in Maryland supported efforts to construct a visitor center for a state park honoring the abolitionist.
The $21 million project was funded with federal and state dollars. The facility is scheduled to open in March 2017.
Auburn's park isn't as close to opening as Maryland's. The sites in Auburn, including Tubman's residence and the Home for the Aged on South Street, are in need of rehabilitation. And the National Park Service, which will have a major presence at the landmarks, still needs to establish a budget for the park and provide staffing.
Quill estimates that the park in Auburn will open by 2020.
"This will be a methodical process that will likely come to fruition over the next 3-5 years," he wrote.
Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel today walked out of the Lajpore jail here after nine months of confinement following bail granted to him by Gujarat High Court, and vowed to continue agitation, saying he does not want a "56-inch chest, but rights for his community".
Hardik, after stepping out of the jail, told reporters that he has vowed to continue his agitation to get reservation for his community under the OBC quota.
In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's '56-inch-chest' remark made during 2014 election campaign, Hardik said, "I want to say that I don't want height, weight or a 56-inch chest. All I want is rights for my community."
"Our agitation will continue in coming days. Our demand for OBC status for Patels is still there. In coming days, there will be a change in the style of our working, but, our attitude (tevar) will remain the same," Hardik said.
Last week, the High Court paved the way for the 22-year-old leader's release after granting him bail in two cases of sedition and a case related to violence at Visnagar MLA's office.
While granting him bail in the sedition cases, the HC had set a condition that Hardik will have to stay outside Gujarat for next six months. As per the HC direction, Hardik will have to leave Gujarat within 48 hours of his release from jail.
Talking to reporters before embarking on a roadshow with his supporters through Surat city, Hardik warned all political parties against taking political benefits out of the agitation.
"This agitation is not a property of any political party. No party should think of taking political benefit out of this. This agitation will not stop just because I or someone else wants. It will only end when Patel community gets their right," he said.
According to Hardik, the doors for discussion with the state government is open.
"During the next six months, we will engage in talks with the government on this issue. Our demand is still the same, that is reservation under the OBC quota. When time comes, we will analyse what we have lost and what we have achieved during the agitation and then respond in a proper manner," he said.
"In coming days, we will take a proper decision in the interest of our community. We don't mind if we have to sit and talk with government for arriving at a solution," said Hadik, who thanked the judiciary for his release.
Commenting on the 10 per cent EBC quota for all the
unreserved category granted by Gujarat government recently, Hardik indicated that it is still not enough.
"We indeed want to fully utilise whatever we have received (from government) till now. But, we are not given what we demanded (OBC status for his community). Thus, we will first request the government to give it. We will first ask it nicely. We may also sit with government to solve this issue," he said.
The Patel quota agitation leader also hinted at taking the agitation on a national scale by involving the Kurmi community, which the Patels consider as their off-shoot.
"We will also involve our Kurmi community in this agitation and try to get our rights," he said.
Hardik, who had spearheaded the agitation for quota for inclusion of the Patidar community in OBC category, was arrested in October last year.
He was accused of inciting violence to put pressure on the government to accept the demand for granting reservation to Patels under the OBC category.
Hardik's mega rally on reservation held in Ahmedabad on August 25 last year had sparked violence, in which 10 people, including a policeman, were killed and public properties and vehicles destroyed across Gujarat.
Hardik was booked in two cases of sedition in Surat and Ahmedabad, besides under various sections of IPC along with his supporters.
In Visnagar case, Hardik and 17 others were accused of ransacking the office of Visnagar MLA Rishikesh Patel during one of the Patidar community's reservation rallies.
The Madras High court today issued notice to CBI on a petition seeking a probe by the central agency into alleged collusion of vigilance authorities on a complaint of corruption in Power Purchase deals under former Electricity Minister Natham R Viswanathan.
Justice R Subbaiah before whom the writ petition filed by one S P Sreenivas came up for hearing, directed CBI to file its response within two weeks.
The petitioner alleged that the former minister had abused his position in power purchase deals and with the help of the state-run TANGEDCO officials, caused a loss of around Rs 25,000 crore.
He submitted that he had already given a complaint on March 1 this year to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) to prosecute the offenders. A criminal original petition was also filed in this regard in HC.
However, DVAC 'colluded' with the accused and it was "attempting to close the file" and hence he moved the court for a direction to CBI to probe the matter.
The petitioner alleged that to favour solar power generators, the former minister had allowed power purchase at the rate of Rs 7.01 per unit instead of Rs 5.01. He claimed that adjacent states purchased power at Rs.5.01 per unit.
The rate of Rs 7.01 fixed by the Tamil Nadu power regulatory body TNERC (Tamil Nadu Electriciy Regulatory Commission) was dissented by Nagalsamy, then member of Commission, he said.
Hence, the tarrif order of TNERC should have been challenged by the state-run TANGEDCO, he contended.
The judge also said the present petition be clubbed with the criminal original petition already pending before the high court after taking permission from the Chief Justice.
The direct sales nutrition company Herbalife was cleared by the US Federal Trade Commission today of accusations that it is essentially an illegal pyramid scheme.
But the company still must pay USD 200 million to settle complaints that it deceived consumers over the potential gains for selling its products, the FTC said.
The decision cleared the air for Herbalife, which has been the focus of a multi-year open battle between powerful Wall Street activist investors including Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman, and sent its share rocketing more than 18 per cent to USD 70.07 in early trade.
The FTC investigation focused on how Herbalife's sales structure depended on multiple levels of people buying its products and finding others to further redistribute them. That created a chain of distributors without clear evidence of actual retail demand for the products.
The FTC had charged that Herbalife had deceived consumers to believe they could make substantial profits bringing their products to market.
It also charged that Herbalife's compensation structure essentially rewarded distributors for recruiting other distributors in ways that did not relate to actual retail demand.
The FTC said the average amount that more than half of its distributors earned in 2014 was under USD 300, at odds with marketing promises that people earn thousands of dollars each month.
In the settlement, Herbalife was required to restructure its compensation system to reward actual retail sales to users of its nutritional supplements and protein shakes.
Funds from the USD 200 million settlement will go to distributors in Herbalife's "Nutrition Club" who bought large volumes of products and lost money.
"Herbalife is going to have to start operating legitimately, making only truthful claims about how much money its members are likely to make," said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez in a statement.
In a statement, Herbalife said it considered many of the FTC's allegations "factually incorrect" and stressed that the conditions it agreed to "do not change Herbalife's business model as a direct selling company."
"The settlements are an acknowledgement that our business model is sound and underscore our confidence in our ability to move forward successfully, otherwise we would not have agreed to the terms," said chairman and chief executive Michael Johnson.
The US government's decision to hike anti-dumping duty on shrimp imports is expected to hit exporters hard, says a report by rating agency ICRA.
"Hike in anti-dumping duty (ADD) by USA for shrimp exports may lead to higher prices and making Indian shrimp un-competitive," it said.
The US Department of Commerce (US DoC) in its 10th annual review has increased the weighted average ADD on shrimp imports from India to 4.98 per cent up from 2.96 per cent.
India has emerged as the largest exporter of shrimp to USA following the disease hit (Early Mortality Syndrome) on Thailand's shrimp production; Indian cultivation has over the past five years moved largely from low volume-high value Penaeus Monodon (Black Tiger) to high volume Penaeus Vannamei. Nearly 39 per cent of the value of shrimp exported from India lands in USA, making it the largest consumer of Indian shrimps, it added.
ICRA believes that the higher reliance on the USA as the destination market and the ability to squeeze the input supply chain would lead to the processors/exporters passing on increase in costs to farmers, as has been witnessed in the past.
Typically, processors enjoy a superior bargaining power with the farmers considering the limited shelf life of un-processed shrimp, the bulk sourcing by domestic processors and given that some of the large processors finance the farmer's working capital requirements, in exchange for contracted supply.
Hence, ICRA believes that the impact of any hike in duty/tax will be passed on to the farmers, and not to the end customer, given the need to maintain international competitiveness.
Farmers bear the price-risk and stand to benefit when there is fall or increase in duties, taxes and global prices given the intensely competitive and highly fragmented nature of the shrimp processing industry (223 entities exporting to the USA alone).
As per the report, during the period January 2013 to December 2014, when the global prices had increased steeply due to concerns of constrained global supply on isolated incidents of disease outbreak, the benefits were reaped by the farmers.
However, when processed shrimp prices started declining sharply from January 2015 due to higher stocks with wholesalers in the consuming countries, amidst increase in global supply with the South East Asian countries gradually recovering from disease outbreak, farmer's profits were impacted while the processors remained insulated.
The industry majors remain skeptical about backward integration owing to the susceptibility of margins in the farming business to the volatility in processed shrimp prices, it added.
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a plea filed by a man, who was injured in the 2002 involving actor Salman Khan, challenging the Bollywood star's acquittal by the Bombay High Court.
A bench, comprising Justices J S Khehar and D Y Chandrachud, dismissed the plea filed by petitioner M Niyamat Shaikh and his family seeking setting aside of the high court judgement and a direction to the 50-year-old actor and Maharashtra government to pay compensation for their survival.
"The matter is before us. The state of Maharashtra is already in appeal before us," the bench said.
When lawyer Shiva Kumar Tripathi, appearing for Shaikh, said the victim had not been paid any compensation, the bench responded by saying that filing an appeal for that, is not a remedy.
The special leave petition (SLP) filed by the injured man had claimed that the high court has wrongly acquitted Salman by "ignoring the material points with regard to the statement of the petitioner before the police and the trial court" which had sentenced him to five years rigorous imprisonment.
The petition had said the high court was not justified in not attributing knowledge on part of Salman in driving the vehicle at a fast speed and under the influence of liquor, treating it as a pure and simple accident and not considering it as a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304 Part-II of the IPC.
The Maharashtra government has already challenged Salman's acquittal and sought restoration of trial court's decision.
The high court, in its verdict passed on December 10 last year, had held that the prosecution had failed to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that the actor was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident and was drunk.
The high court judgment had come on an appeal by Salman, seven months after he was pronounced guilty by trial court of running over five people sleeping on a pavement outside a laundry in suburban Bandra with his Toyota Land Cruiser, killing one and injuring four others on October 28, 2002.
On May 6 last year, a sessions court had convicted Salman in the case in which one person was killed and four others injured after his vehicle crushed them when they were asleep on a pavement.
Indian Institute of Management (Indore) will kick off a certificate programme for MSMEs and family-run businesses from August or September.
Moreover, with a focus on entrepreneurs, the institute will also start an incubator in its Indore campus within next couple of months.
"We are starting a certificate programme at our Indore campus from August or September for local MSMEs and family-run businesses," IIM (Indore) director Rishikesha T Krishnan told PTI here today.
He was speaking on the sidelines of inauguration function of the 2016-18 Batch of IIM Indore, Mumbai Campus.
"We have received a good number of enquiries from various business houses locally for the forthcoming certificate programme which will be held on the weekends. In fact, the very demand for starting such programme had come to us by the local industries tehmselves," he added.
On the forthcoming incubator in the Indore campus of IIM, he said, "We are likely to start incubator by September as we are trying to focus on entrepreneurship. As per the plan, the option will be given to those students who have entered second year of the regular course at the institute and are willing to do entrepreneurship."
Talking about the five-year integrated programme, which was launched by IIM (Indore) five years ago, he said, "The first batch of the pass-outs from the programme comprising 106 students have already graduated in March."
A Bill has been drafted by the government in connection with allowing the IIMs to give degrees to their students which will be put on the floor of Parliament in its forthcoming session.
Welcoming the government's move, he said, "Currently we provide Diplomas only to our students and hence our students face difficulties when they go abroad in search of job or even pursuing higher studies. So, once passed, the Bill will provide solution to all those problems.
Aiming to bring technical skills and aesthetics closer, IIT Delhi is planning to start a full fledged department on design.
Interacting with reporters here, Director of the Institute Prof V Ramgopal Rao said consultations are already on and the Institute in the coming days may approach the HRD ministry for starting the Department and the Senate for approving the programmes.
It is being planned that Bachelor as well as Masters level programmes will be offered and the department could have upto 300 to 400 students, he said.
Officials said that the plan is to bring both technical aspects as well as those related to aesthetics and ergonomics closer.
There could be a separate entrance test for these courses and even students with non science background may be eligible, IIT official said though adding that the plans are yet to be finalised.
Presently IIT Guwahati has a Department for Design while some others runs some programmes.
Rao also told reporters that a lot of students who join IITs for Masters' courses through GATE exam leave mid-way as the same test is used for recruitment to some government agencies.
We are looking into this issue, he said.
Speaking about the nearly 1000 start up companies that are functioning from IIT hostel, Rao said that most of them are related to software and Information and Technology.
Asserting that India and Pakistan must engage in "direct dialogue" to reduce tensions, the US today said it is for the two countries to determine the pace, scope and character of talks on the Kashmir issue.
"India and Pakistan stand to benefit from practical cooperation, and we encourage them to engage in direct dialogue aimed at reducing tensions," a State Department spokesperson told PTI.
"The pace, scope, and character of any discussions on Kashmir is for the two sides to determine, but we support any and all positive steps India and Pakistan can take to forge closer relations," the official said.
The spokesperson said the US has seen reports of clashes between protesters and Indian forces in Kashmir and are concerned by the violence.
"We encourage all sides to make efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution," the official said.
The spokesperson, however, refrained from responding to the allegations of the Union Transportation Minister Nitin Gadkari that Pakistan is exporting terror to India with the sinister design of vitiating the favourable climate which the Narendra Modi government has successfully created for global investors.
"We remain concerned about the violence in Kashmir and refer you to the Government of India on statements made by its minister. We encourage all sides to make efforts towards finding a peaceful resolution," the spokesperson said when asked about Gadkari's accusation.
Speaking at a reception organised by the Overseas Friends of BJP in New Jersey, Gadkari warned Islamabad that its policy of putting road blocks in the economic growth of India through cross-border terrorism will never succeed.
Instead, both India and Pakistan should fight the common enemy - poverty, backwardness and unemployment - through collective efforts and cooperation in socio-economic fields, Gadkari said.
India today pressed the international community to work together to erase the scourge of terrorism by taking speedy action against the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism in the wake of a deadly truck attack in France that killed 80 people.
Addressing the plenary session of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit here in the Mongolian capital, Vice President Hamid Ansari said, "all our societies today face unprecedented levels of threat from terrorism in all its manifestations. The most recent example is what has happened, most unfortunately in France."
"We need to cooperate meaningfully to deal with this threat. Let us pledge today to work together to erase the scourge of terrorism by taking speedy action against the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terror," Ansari said.
Earlier today, a truck ploughed into a crowd in the French city of Nice, killing at least 80 people in what President Francois Hollande called a "terrorist" attack on revellers watching a Bastille Day fireworks display.
The ASEM summit, attended by a number of European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council Donald Tusk, observed a minute of silence to mourn the death of innocent people in the French city.
Ansari said the "early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the aegis of the UN is an imperative today. I urge ASEM support for it."
The Vice President also called for collaboration to protect "our global commons such as the seas and oceans in accordance with international conventions".
"Let us resolve disputes peacefully, without threats or use of force, and exercise self restraint in the conduct of activities that could escalate disputes effecting peace and stability. As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans," Ansari said, days after a UN-backed tribunal struck down China's claims of "historical rights" in the disputed South China Sea on a case brought by the Philippines.
Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan challenged China's claims.
Among those present at the summit was Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
The Vice President noted that the ASEM today marks two decades of multilateralism between Asia and Europe.
"ASEM today is a dynamic bridge between Asia and Europe.
Our shared endeavour has been to promote multi-dimensional connectivity between our continents. The theme of ASEM 11, '20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity,' is, therefore, pertinent," Ansari said.
He noted that connectivity is an enabler - for development, for improving the quality of life of people, for encouraging greater people-to-people exchanges, for stimulating trade and investments, and indeed for building peace, stability and security.
"Physical connectivity is merely the means to meeting the aspirations of our citizens; to building mutually beneficial partnerships, and to collectively addressing our regional and global challenges. The networks of connectivity that we build must be all-encompassing- not merely physical. It must also include institutional, digital, economic and socio-cultural aspects," he said.
Ansari said all countries should work to facilitate trade and commerce, and build integrated production networks and value chains for mutually beneficial development.
"Let us create energy alliances, such as the International Solar Alliance of solar rich countries, to enable energy security for all. Let us build networks of partnership between our business communities as also among our universities, cultural and civil society organisations. Above all, let us create connections of the heart and mind, to make ASEM a shared space of peace and harmony," Ansari said.
"For us in ASEM, democracy and liberal human values is an important ingredient. Our host, Mongolia, is a recent and successful example of the democratic experience and we congratulate them on their success," he said.
The Vice President said that as ASEM steps into the third decade, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that ASEM remains a responsible and positive forum.
ASEM must not only shape the global agenda but also move towards concrete action. A start, in this direction, was made at the New Delhi Foreign Ministers Meeting in November 2013. India will continue to be a constructive partner in this endeavour, he said.
"As we look ahead, ASEM's inherent strengths - in the diversity of its membership, the complementarity of its capacities, the strength of its political leadership and robustness of its economies, must reflect in its ambition for the third decade," he said.
Ansari said that he was confident that together all members of the ASEM will elevate the group's role to harness the collective capabilities of the two dynamic continents - Asia and Europe - for the shared peace, progress and prosperity of our countries and regions.
ASEM comprises of 53 entities - 51 countries from Asia and Europe and two regional bodies - the European Union and the ASEAN Secretariat. It represents around 62.3 per cent of the world's population, 57.2 per cent of the global GDP and almost 60 per cent of the world's trade.
India today dismissed reports that it was involved in any attempts to destabilise Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, whose government is facing a no-confidence motion in Parliament.
Highly-placed sources in the government said that Oli's problems are of his own making and India does not believe in interfering in the internal affairs of another country.
The government has been reduced to a minority because of withdrawal of support from political parties including the CPN(M) headed by Prachand.
"India did nothing to destabilise Nepal. It is all internal problems of Nepal," the sources said adding it was all because of governance issues the government was facing a tough time.
The government's perspective was put out by the sources in the wake of reports from Kathmandu yesterday that Oli making a veiled attack on India suggesting it was involved in ousting him from office.
They said New Delhi was only concerned about the interests of Madheshis, who are people of Indian origin mainly living in the Terai region of Nepal bordering India.
Any fair and reasonable democratic Constitution, the interests of every community should be protected and that is what the Modi doctrine also favours.
They said Indian government had no role in the economic blockade of Nepal which prevented supplies reaching the neighbour because of unrest along the border with India.
The present prime minister's problems mainly arose out of internal dynamics of Nepal politics for which India cannot be held responsible, they said.
The sources said actually China's involvement in the internal affairs of Nepal was a matter of concern. China was involved in propping up the Oli government for which it has sent three people to persuade every political party and MP to ensure that the government does not fall, at least till the visit of President Xi Jinping expected shortly.
"There is a groundswell of public opinion against Oli and the government is unpopular," the sources said adding that he was surviving on stoking feelings of Nepali patriotism and anti-India sentiments.
SYRACUSE For nearly two years as a candidate and then as a congressman, U.S. Rep. John Katko has urged House Republican leaders to take action and address the problems caused by heroin and opioid abuse.
On Friday at the Prevention Network in Syracuse, Katko, R-Camillus, and local stakeholders celebrated progress made in that fight.
Congress approved the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act this week and the bill will be sent to President Barack Obama's desk for review. The president is expected to sign the measure.
The legislation contained several provisions to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic, including the creation of grant programs to address alcohol and drug abuse, increasing treatment options and expanding the availability of drugs such as Naloxone that can be used to reverse overdoses.
A bill sponsored by Katko was included in the larger legislative package. His measure would allow U.S. Treasury officials to submit classified information in a non-public setting when the agency is defending kingpin classifications for drug traffickers.
Katko has made combating the heroin epidemic a top priority since he became central New York's congressman in 2015. He's held public hearings, including one in Auburn, and he's advocated for legislative solutions.
His work was recognized by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy during a press conference Thursday in Washington. McCarthy, a California Republican, said Katko "has been on this issue from before he even came to Congress."
"Right when I was getting started to run it seemed the heroin epidemic really seemed to explode here in central New York," Katko said at Friday's event. "I was bound and determined to do something about it."
Katko said he wasn't working on this issue for himself, but for the families he met at various events and town hall meetings. He singled out Deanna Axe, whose daughter died of a heroin overdose, and the Soccis, a Cayuga County family whose son Christopher died after overdosing on heroin 2013.
When talking about these families and the impact they had, Katko grew emotional and held back tears.
"You deeply affected me in a way that I understood and in a way that I saw and I was excited to try and make a change," he said. "Together, we did."
But Katko and advocates agree that the legislation is a first step. One question that needs to be addressed is funding. There will be $181 million allocated for new programs established by the anti-opioid bill.
More money could be provided through the appropriations process, Katko said.
John Socci, who represented Cayuga County's Heroin Epidemic Action League, added that it's going to take more than the federal government to combat the epidemic. Local and state leaders must act and medical professionals have a role, he said.
He acknowledged that there's a long way to go, but he's confident they can achieve the goal they're aiming for: To end the heroin epidemic once and for all.
"It's not going to happen fast enough, but it'll get done," he said.
India and Mexico have set strategic guidelines for promoting bilateral trade and investment.
A high-level group on trade, investment and economic cooperation at the 4th meeting in Mexico City set strategic guidelines for promoting trade and investment. The agenda included topics related to intellectual property and environment.
"The objective of the high level group is to create conditions that increase trade and investment flows and to strengthen the economic relation between Mexico and India, following up on the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," an official statement said.
Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia and the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade of Mexico Francisco de Rosenzweig chaired the meeting, which held on July 13-14.
The group is an instrument to identify areas of opportunity and complementarity in both markets, as well as to work on actions that strengthen the bilateral relation on trade and investment.
The release further said the parties established mechanisms for sharing statistical information on goods, as well as a road map towards the signing a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation for SMEs, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding between ProMexico and Invest India.
The bilateral trade has increased substantially from USD 1.8 billion in 2006 to USD 6 billion in 2015. For the first time ever, Mexico has overtaken Brazil as the top destination of Indian exports to Latin America.
Mexico is also a favoured destination of Indian investments in Latin America with more than USD 2 billion dollars invested in about 60 companies.
On the other hand Mexico is the largest Latin American investor in India with more than USD 800 million.
India is looking for increasing its cooperation with Egypt in tourism sector as the number of Indian tourists travelling to the country is going up due to a relaxed visa regime, the Indian envoy here has said.
India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya comments came during a brief session entitled 'Tourism in India', which was held in the Tagore Hall in the Indian Embassy in Cairo yesterday.
"We are looking for more cooperation between Egypt and India in the field of tourism," he said.
The session was aimed at boosting tourism between the two countries.
"If you ask for a tourism visa, you get it the next day," said the Ambassador, who also mentioned that he hopes Egypt will do the same.
The Ambassador said that number of Indian tourists coming to Egypt is going up, while the number of Egyptians going to India remains the same.
"Indian tourists have continued to come to Egypt through the last few years and the numbers have actually been going up, he said.
The session was attended by a group of Indian and Egyptian businessmen as well as representatives from the Egyptian tourism authority.
"Last year the number of Indian tourists to Egypt was increased by 27 per cent," Bhattacharyya said.
Bhattacharyya said there is a great recognition between both countries because Indian people study about Egypt, pharaohs, Pyramids and the ancient city of Luxor in their school life while Egyptians know about India from the Bollywood movies.
"Studying about Egypt at schools makes a lot of Indian tourists come to Egypt to see the sites they had learned about," he said.
Mahmoud Abdel Wahab, representative of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, said that both countries have rich experiences to offer to the tourists.
Abdel Wahab also urged the representatives of EgyptAir, who were attending the session, to start activating direct flights from Cairo to Delhi as the country's state-run airline has only direct flights from Cairo to Mumbai.
Two short movies on tourism in India were also screened during the session.
Infosys shares today plunged nearly 9 per cent, wiping out Rs 23,459 crore from its market valuation, after the company's June quarter result failed to enthuse investors following a cut in annual sales forecast.
The stock plummeted by 8.81 per cent to settle at Rs 1,072.25 on BSE. During the day, it tumbled 9.99 per cent to Rs 1,058.30.
On NSE, it tanked 8.81 per cent to end at Rs 1,072.55.
Led by the steep fall in the stock, the company's market valuation declined by Rs 23,459.11 crore to Rs 2,46,289.89 crore.
During the day, the stock was the worst performer among the bluechips on both Sensex and Nifty.
On the volume front, 27.11 lakh shares of the company were traded on BSE and over 3 crore shares changed hands at NSE during the day.
"Infosys posted numbers lower-than-expected," said Sarabjit Kour Nangra, VP Research- IT, Angel Broking.
"Q1 FY17 has been disappointing but this has come after couple of good quarter," brokerage firm Prabhudas Lilladher said in a report.
India's second-largest IT company Infosys today reported a 13 per cent jump in its June quarter net profit on new client addition, but cut its annual sales forecast.
Consolidated net profit of Rs 3,436 crore in the April-June quarter was 13.4 per cent higher than Rs 3,028 crore in the same period a year ago.
Infosys forecast a 10.8-12.3 per cent sales growth in the US dollar terms for 2016-17, down from the previous forecast of 11.8-13.8 per cent as companies worldwide rein in IT spending and shift to cloud-based software services.
The full-year revenue guidance to 10.5-12 per cent in constant currency terms is lower than April forecast of 11.5- 13.5 per cent.
Industry body Nasscom also had recently lowered its growth forecast for software exports to 10-12 per cent in the year to March 31, 2017, down from 12-14 per cent in 2015-16.
Infosys' consolidated revenue for April-June was up nearly 17 per cent year-on-year at Rs 16,782 crore.
Meanwhile, selling was also seen in other IT stocks, where Hexaware Tech tumbled 3.72 per cent, TCS (3.11 per cent), Wipro (2.81 per cent), Tech Mahindra (2.72 per cent) and HCL Tech (1.44 per cent) on BSE.
Consequently, the BSE IT index fell 5.35 per cent to end at 10,608.40.
Police today claimed to have busted a gang of interstate arms suppliers with the arrest of three men from New Mandi area here.
Police have also seized seven pistols, a large number of magazines and cartridges from their possession, Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar told reporters.
Shoib, Shehzad and Khalid were arrested from near A to Z colony by a team of policemen led by New Mandi police station SHO Rojen Tyagi, the SSP said.
Kumar said the gang was supplying arms to different parts of the country.
Seeking to break the impasse over the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar on Friday met senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma. Jaitley said, the government is trying to build a consensus on it.
"We are trying to build consensus on GST. We have discussed all points. Once the monsoon session starts, we will meet again after discussing the issue within our respective parties," Jaitley said after the meeting.
The monsoon session of Parliament begins on July 18.
The government had on Wednesday reached out to the opposition party with Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu calling up Azad, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, and Sharma to seek Congress' backing.
The bill has been hanging fire for a long time due to stiff opposition from the Congress.
Private carrier Jet Airways today said it will operate one of its daily flights to Dubai from here with a wide body Boeing aircraft to meet growing demand on the route, starting next month.
The change in aircraft type will help Jet Airways fly an additional 178 seats on the route.
The city-headquartered full service carrier currently operates 10 daily flights between India and Dubai or 70 flights per week on this high traffic density route.
Starting August 6, Jet Airways flight 9W 544 from Mumbai to Dubai and the return leg flight 9W 543 from Dubai to Mumbai will be operated on the wide-body jetliner, Boeing 777-300ER, replacing the narrow-body B737-800, Jet Airways said in a statement.
"Dubai is amongst our most popular destinations for business and leisure travellers and it was only logical to increase capacity on flights to this key market. Deploying the 777-300ER aircraft will give our guests flying on the Mumbai-Dubai route the opportunity to sample our signature First Class hospitality for the first time, while also delivering a more superior flying experience for guests in all classes," Jet Airways whole Time Director Gaurang Shetty said.
Jet Airways B777 in three class configuration offers offers a total of 346 seats with eight first class suites, 30 premier (business) seats and rest 308 in economy.
Deploying a Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft with a bigger belly space, enables uplifting double the cargo consignments daily, on the route, it added.
Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan-backed JetSynthesys Ltd today announced the launch of 'Garage', a unique infrastructure based concept that offers to provide a perfect eco-system for start-ups.
JetSynthesys has already invested over USD 3 million in creating this first 'Garage' facility and several start-ups that are being accelerated through JetLabs.
Inspired by the fact that some of the world's largest companies today - Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Disney all started out in rented garages, the first 'Garage' facility was today inaugurated in Mumbai. It is modelled on the very successful Silicon Valley style of co-working spaces and is developed by JetLabs, the accelerator division of Pune based JetSynthesys Ltd.
"To succeed, startups need a holistic ecosystem - from mentors to capital, from technology to design, from market access to legal and HR support, from learning to an inspired workplace. That's what we have tried to build through Garage and Jetlabs," Jetsynthesys Non Executive Chairman, Kris Gopalakrishnan said in a statement here.
Describing 'Garage' Rajan Navani, MD and CEO of JetSynthesys said, "It is a co-working space ideal for entrepreneurs that takes collaboration to a new level with creators, innovators and passionate learners. Having a capacity of about 170 seats, 'Garage' will also work with digital transformation teams of large Indian traditional businesses."
Garage will house small teams from large internet businesses making it a very unique collaborative workspace that provides infrastructure, allied services, training and networking events, mentoring sessions, meetups with VCs and leading technology capabilities so that the members of the start-up community can completely focus on doing what they love and quickly grow into larger, sustainable businesses, Navani said.
About 10 start-ups, which have been incubated, accelerated or invested in by Jetlabs and Jetventures in India or Silicon Valley, have started using this facility.
Hollywood star Johnny Depp is reportedly selling his Venetian mansion for USD 10.9 million.
The 53-year-old actor, who is in a bitter legal battle with estranged wife Amber Heard, has put the seven-bedroom palace on the market five years after purchasing the plush property which overlooks Venice's Grand Canal, reported Female First.
The "Black Mass" star's decision to offload the picturesque pad is apparently connected to his ongoing divorce from the 30-year-old actress.
Depp splashed out USD 10 million on the property when he was in the area filming "The Tourist" alongside Angelina Jolie in 2011.
The Italian mansion comes complete with nine bathrooms and is ideal for sailors or water lovers as it even features a private area to dock boats.
Observing that even some judges are victims of a widespread 'syndicate raj' which controls construction work illegally, the Calcutta High Court today asked the West Bengal government what steps it has taken to control the menace.
Hearing a PIL by social worker Biplab Raychowdhury, a division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Arijit Banerjee said even their colleagues have become victims of the problem.
They asked the state government to file an affidavit before the court within three weeks on steps it has taken against 'syndicate raj'.
The bench said the issues raised in the PIL like hazard to common people and infringement of water bodies are only a tip of the iceberg.
The problem is widespread across the state and common people have been affected. Even judicial academies have not been spared as their work in Asansol and New Town has been affected, the bench said.
During the hearing, the judges, however, appreciated the state government's move to tackle the problem and said the 'syndicate raj' should be ended completely.
Syndicates are a sort of politician-contractor nexus and a loose consortium of people who operate as extortion agents in the real estate industry in the state.
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Assam government to expeditiously prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on measures to curb growing wildlife casualties due to vehicular movement on the National Highway-37 passing through the Kaziranga National Park.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also summoned top officials of state government and Kaziranga National Park to inform it about compliance of its earlier orders on the issue.
"The concerned Secretary of Government of Assam, Director of Kajiranga National Park, officers from Ministry of Road Transport and Highway, National Highway Authority of India, Secretary, Public Works Department and Ministry of Road Transport shall be present before the Tribunal and submit compliance report with regard to the directions of the Tribunal passed earlier.
"Tribunal shall also be informed as to what is the status of DPR. Whether any DPR in relation to construction of fly over is there or not," the bench said while posting the matter for next hearing on August 24.
The NGT had earlier directed Ministry of Environment and Forests to take clear instructions as to whether or not it proposed to issue any draft notification in relation to Kaziranga Eco Sensitive Zone.
The Assam government had earlier told the bench that DPR is to be prepared in consultation with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and the Director of Kaziranga park, which is home to the famous one-horned rhinos.
The tribunal's direction came during a hearing on a plea filed by environmentalist Rohit Choudhury opposing expansion of NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat through the Kaziranga Park.
It had earlier ordered demolition of roadside shops and eateries along the animal corridors near Kaziranga, among a slew of directions in the wake of increasing wildlife casualties due to vehicular movement on the adjacent highway.
Gauhati High Court, however, had stayed the order on demolishing shops and dhabas located within 100 metres of National Highway 37.
The green panel had also asked the Assam government to ensure fixation of sensor-operated automatic barriers at the animal corridors and ascertain whether speed-check cameras were in working condition or not.
Every Friday, The Citizen features a pet available for adoption from the Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York.
This week, we spotlight Lizzie.
Q: Who is your best friend?
A: That would be my BFF Maddox. He is a very nice, very handsome American Bulldog mix and he is in a kennel near me. We all wonder why Maddox is still here because he is such a nice boy. He's my BFF and I would miss him terribly but I would be so happy if his new family found him very soon and took him home. Sadly, there will always be more BFFs to choose from.
Q: What has been your worst experience?
A: Well, you see I came here because the nice dog catcher man found me wandering around and lost with no place in particular to go to. I waited and waited for my family to find me but no one looked for me. Not only is that my worst experience, but it is also very sad. I think I might have cried a little.
Q: If you could have a job, what would that be?
A: I would like to be a professional magician! I'm not sure how lucrative that profession is but it would be worth a try.
Q: If you could visit any place in the world, where would that be?
A: I have to tell you a funny story! Last week I made the great escape out of here. I managed to open my kennel door and I found a way to open another door and I was looking freedom in the face. I even made it across the street and I was on my way to a really nice building when I got caught. My shelter people persuaded me to come back. Long story short at that time the only place I was interested in visiting was the nice building across the street and I almost made it.
Q: If you could meet someone famous, who would that be?
A: That would be Mr. Harry Houdini who was born Ehrich Weisz! I'm sure you have heard of him. He was a very famous magician and an especially good escape artist. He challenged police forces all over the world to cuff him up and bury him but he always escaped. I would have liked to have met Mr. Houdini perhaps he could have given me some pointers!!
Q: Do you have an interesting fact to share?
A: I'm sure you will recall the very famous Cary Grant, Jackie Gleason, Jimmy Stewart and Boris Karloff. Did you know that they were all very accomplished magicians? And, Dick Cavett and Jason Alexander are also magicians. This is true!
Q: Do you have any advice for our good Citizen readers?
A: I do! My shelter people are working like crazy to get ready for the 12th annual Hogs for Dogs ride and the fabulous fundraiser that will take place afterwards. This is all happening on Sunday, July 31. All the information you need to know is on our Facebook page, or you can call my people at (315) 253-5841. Advance sale tickets ($15) for the ride and/or the fundraiser are now available at the shelter. Don't miss this incredible event and a chance to help me and my shelter friends! Thank you and love, Lizzie and friends.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao left for New Delhi this evening to attend the interstate council meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow, a senior official said.
Rao may meet half-a-dozen Union Ministers to take up issues related to bifurcation of institutions listed in Schedule X of the AP State Reorganisation Act, bifurcation of the High Court and the recent strike by advocates and suspension of judges and necessary environmental clearances for various projects coming up in the state, the official said.
Rao may also take up issues of water dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana with the Ministry of Water Resources, the official said, adding he may take up the issue of raising FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management) limit.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express the state's concern over the Centre's in-principle nod to the Colachel port project in Tamil Nadu, which is hardly 30-km from Vizhinjam port here.
He also described the Centre's decision to give nod to another "unviable" port near Vizhinjam as "not logical".
"The Centre has given in-principle nod to the Colachel project. This project will also need viability gap funding, perhaps more than Vizhinjam," Vijayan said, replying to a submission on the issue raised by Congress MLA M Vincent in the state Assembly.
"There is no logic in setting up another unviable port project, hardly 30-km away from Vizhinjam. This kind of illogical way of utilising the tax payer's money cannot be accepted," he said.
The Kerala government had already written to the Prime Minister on the state's anxieties over Colachel, he said.
"I have also sought time to meet PM. I hope we will be able to meet him personally this month itself and inform him about the state's concerns in this regard," he said.
The Chief Minister also said Kerala MPs would be meeting on July 17 to discuss this issue, which would be raised by them in Parliament.
Alleging that the union government had earlier showed "lukewarm" response to the state's plea for the Vizhinjam project, he said the state government was committed to completing the project in a time-bound manner.
"But the government has its own limitations as the port is being built by the Adani group," Vijayan said.
Taking up the issue in the House, Vincent alleged that there was a 'calculated' move by the BJP-led NDA government to destroy the Vizhinjam project by giving nod to the Colachel port, where the construction work is yet to begin.
While Colachel has been brought under the Sagarmala Project of the Centre, the Vizhinjam project, where the work has already begun, has been sidelined, he said.
"Colachel will ring the death knell of the Vizhinjam project," the Congress MLA said urging CM to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.
The Centre recently approved the proposal to build a major port at Enayam near Colachel in Tamil Nadu, which was pending for 17 years. The port would entail an investment of about Rs 25,000 crore.
The Rs 7,525 crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose seaport is being developed by the Gujarat-based Adani Group.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife Amruta performed a maha-puja (grand prayer) at the Lord Vitthal temple in Pandharpur on 'Ashadhi Ekadashi' early today.
Lakhs of devotees gathered at Pandharpur, located in Solapur district of western Maharashtra, on the occasion.
"Feeling blessed and positive," Fadnavis said, after the early morning ritual.
Ekadashi marks the culmination of pilgrimage, called 'waari', that devotees undertake from across the state on foot to reach the temple town.
In Mumbai, large crowds gathered at Vitthal temple in Wadala to perform puja on the auspicious occasion.
Arrangements were made to ensure smooth traffic flow in the area.
Sri Lankan police today sought a court order for getting Interpol's assistance to arrest a cousin of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's, who also served as the country's Ambassador to Russia, for graft charges.
Financial Crimes Division (FCID) of the Lankan police sought the order from the court for assistance from Interpol to arrest Udayanga Weeratunga, former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, on corruption charges.
The Colombo magistrate, however, deferred issuing the ordertill Monday.
Weeratunga, a Ukranian resident faced corruption charges during the purchase of fighter aircraft for the Lankan army, after his cousin Rajapaksa was defeated in presidential elections in January last year.
The FCID wanted him in the country for questioning.
Weeratunga has denied all charges levelled against him in a press statement issued recently.
Other members of the Rakapaksa family are also facing police investigations for alleged financial crimes. They include Rajapaksa's brothers Basil and Gotabaya, and his wife Shiranthi.
The Rajapaksas claim that the investigations are a political witch-hunt against them and their sympathisers believe these allegations were brought to tarnish his name after he led Sri Lankan forces to victory over the LTTE rebels in 2009, ending a three-decade civil war.
President Maithripala Sirisena, who came to power on a pledge to eradicate corruption, is under pressure to act on the allegations against Rajapaksa and those who served in his administration.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today said prohibition was not feasible and practical in the state even as he rejected comparing consumption of liquor with drugs.
Stating that banning liquor in Punjab was "neither feasible nor practicable" he claimed that the states where prohibition was imposed, the exercise has not worked effectively and led to smuggling and production of illicit liquor.
He said consumption of liquor cannot be compared with drugs and noted that the sales of liquor was an important source of revenue for the state.
The PPCC president also welcomed the announcement of Sheila Dikshit's name as the Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year.
He said the name of the CM candidate for Punjab, which also goes to polls in 2017, will be announced soon.
On who could be the CM face of the party in Punjab, he said it was the sole discretion and prerogative of the party high command.
Condemning the arrest of Ardasiya Balbir Singh, who had refused to offer Siropa to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal recently, he alleged "it was a clear case of victimisation and vendetta done at the behest of Badal and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar."
Addressing workers meeting and interacting with the people of Malout assembly segment during 'Halqe-vich-Captain' programme here, the former Punjab chief minister underlined the need for reviving the agriculture in the state, saying it will have an overall impact on economy.
Referring to Enforcement Directorate's notice to his son Raninder Singh, Amarinder said his son will make himself available to the department.
However, he added, while on the first date of summoning, he was down with fever on the second day he was busy with the preparations for the national shooting team for the Olympics.
Pointed out that Raninder was the president of the National Rifle Association of India, he said his son was busy in facilitating and completing all the formalities of the Indian contingent going to Rio.
He said before leaving for Rio, where the Olympics are being held, Raninder will make himself available to the ED.
Malaysia today said it will implement the Advance Passenger Screening System (APSS) which will allow acess to complete information on foreigners, including tourists, at their places of departure and entries in "real time".
Via the APSS, data from Interpol, the Civil Aviation Department and the airlines will enable the authorities to detect false passports and travel documents.
"We are at the formality stage of implementation. Three quarters of countries in the world have implemented this system. We will bring it before the National Economic Council and the Cabinet to decide on the date of implementation," Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
On Wednesday, the Cabinet rejected a proposal by the National Security Council to impose visas for Middle Eastern citizens.
Hamidi said it was unfair to impose the visa as travellers from the Middle East contributed millions of dollars to the country's foreign exchange.
"Moreover, the Immigration Department had its own ways to curb the Daesh (IS) extremists," he said, adding that the militants also came from neighbouring countries.
Holders of passports issued by 58 countries are currently granted visa-free entry to Malaysia for 90 days, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman.
Visitors from Iraq and Syria, -- where ISIS continues to wage a bloody campaign of terror are granted 30 days visa-free entry, while Iranians are given 14-days.
A total of 138 militants were detained in prisons and detention centres following police cooperation with Interpol and other agencies.
A leading Malaysian University has sacked a lecturer responsible for developing a controversial teaching module that disparaged Hindus and Sikhs triggering outraged among the minority communities in the Muslim-majority country.
The lecture slides from the module of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), which went viral online, had portrayed Hindus in India as "unclean and dirty" and misrepresented the history of Sikhism.
India had expressed concern over the "negative and incorrect" picture conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism, following which the varsity had also issued an apology.
UTM vice-chancellor Dr Prof Wahid Omar said the lecturer responsible for the controversial slides has been sacked and his 30-day dismissal notice came into effect yesterday.
"He is still at the university as he still needs to serve the one-month notice," he was quoted by Star daily as saying.
Asked why the dismissal was not immediate, Dr Wahid said the procedure had to be done according to the contract, which meant giving the staff a month's notice.
The Higher Education Ministry had viewed the matter seriously and had called for "stringent action".
The slides were part of a university course mandatory for tertiary students.
Theuniversity is currently reviewing the course module, which includes appointing experts in Indian, Sikh and Chinese civilisation studies.
Meanwhile, the youth wing of the country's largest ethnic Indian based political party, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) welcomed the sacking of the lecturer.
Youth chief C Sivarraajh said the lecture materials should never have been made in the first place.
"The slides were likely made with an intention to ridicule and downgrade Hinduism and Sikhism," he said in a statement.
Sivarraajh hoped such an incident would not recur, especially by educationists from a university that should place value on learning.
Muslim-majority Malaysia's 28 million population include 60 per cent Malays who are all Muslims, 25 per cent ethnic Chinese mostly Christians and Buddhists and eight per cent ethnic Indians, a majority of whom are Hindus.
Vijay Mallya was not involved in day-to-day affairs of Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) and cannot be held liable in several cheque-bouncing cases filed against him by Delhi airport operator DIAL or Delhi International Airport Ltd, his counsel told the Delhi High Court on Friday.
The submission was made before a bench of P S Teji where Mallya's counsel sought setting aside of trial court orders summoning him as an accused in the cheque bounce cases by citing that there was a full-time chief executive. "It is an admitted fact that respondent (DIAL) was well aware about the status of petitioner (Mallya) qua KFA and still chose not to proceed against him (earlier).
"It was because DIAL was aware that he was a non-resident Indian for the purpose of tax and foreign exchange regulations in India and his role was restricted to directing matter of policy on behalf of KFA and he was not involved in day-to-day operations of KFA as there was a full time CEO (accused No 2)," advocate Ramesh Gupta, representing Mallya, filed.
The trial court had summoned Mallya as accused following a complaint by Delhi International Airport Ltd, which operates the capital's IGI Airport, claiming that a cheque for Rs one crore issued by KFA on February 22, 2012 was returned to them a month later containing the remarks "fund insufficient".
DIAL has filed four cases in June 2012 against Mallya over KFA's cheques totalling Rs 7.5 crore not being honoured.
The grounded airline had issued the cheques towards payment for services availed by them at the IGI airport here.
A 30-year-old man was today run over by a train here, police said.
Umesh lost his life after he was smashed by the train near Arthala Raiway crossing, SHO Gorakh Nath Yadav said.
The body has been sent for postmortem to a nearby hospital.
The family members of Umesh, who hailed from Bulandshahr district, have been informed.
It was not immediately known how the deceased met with the accident.
In a separate incident, 50-year-old V K Unni died after he came in contact with a live electric wire in Indirapuram.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
Challenges posed by high cost in popularising hybrid and electric vehicles in India can be overcome with a focus on manufacturing components and the vehicles in India, a senior government official today said.
"The biggest challenge is cost and all of us would have to work on it so that people can afford and easily adopt this new technology. To make it cheaper, we would have to work for Make-in-India and (that) is the solution for making electric vehicle affordable," said Girish Shankar, Secretary, Ministry of the Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
He was addressing the National Workshop & Exhibition of FAME India.
Assuring the gathering the government's commitment towards electric mobility under its FAME India scheme, he sought feedback from the industry, saying it would help them create market and a self-sustainable model.
"There are complexities and challenges, but still we can address them... In this, not just the government, but OEMs would have to come up with firm plans," he said, adding that he expects forums including the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) to play a crucial role in it.
FAME India - Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India - is part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. The scheme envisages Rs 795 crore support in the first two fiscals that started last year.
According to Shankar, globally, hybrid models are being accepted and consumers are now able to afford it. In Europe, two lakh hybrid vehicles are self-sustainable without any government's support.
He cited China as a good example of "shifting very fast to hybrid and now moving towards electric mobility". "It's a very good example for us to follow," he said.
In Japan, there are more charging stations than petrol pumps, Shankar added.
"Apart from technology, we should take examples from other countries, and let us leapfrog and take advantage of available technology and guidelines from other experiences where we can move much faster than others," he said.
July 15, 1936
All-time records were set along four major fronts and several minor ones as Auburn and Cayuga County today passed through the seventh consecutive day of sizzling weather, humid atmospheric conditions and protracted drought. To-date in the Auburn area, four deaths have been attributed to the intensive heat and humidity, the damage to crops from the torrid wave and drought throughout the county will run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Farmers throughout the county are looking skyward and hoping for a termination of the drought as they scan their scorched acres and rapidly vanishing fruits under the sun's sizzling rays.
July 15, 1961
Construction of a waterfowl haven will begin soon on Bluefield Road. A stream will be dammed up, a pond dug and an area created where ducks and other waterfowl can find cover and take protection. Planning and surveying are expected to begin tomorrow. Cayuga Lake Diving Duck Association members hope to introduce Pintail and Redhead duck there as a step in promoting the species.
The duck conservationists hope to flood about four acres along the little stream near Experimental Road, a mile or so from West Genesee Road. The stream feeds into Crane Brook. It will be shallow, perhaps a foot or two deep around the edges and deeper in the middle. A secondary use for the pond might be neighborhood fire protection, according to the planners.
July 15, 2006
A unit stationed at Auburn's National Guard armory is preparing to ship overseas to serve in the war in Iraq, a spokesman for the New York National Guard confirmed today. Maj. Rich Goldenberg said that further details about the number of soldiers, where they will be sent in Iraq, and how long they will serve there would not be released until "the unit finally gets closer and actually prepares to move." The unit is not scheduled to move until next month, Goldenberg said.
Duties at the Auburn armory changed last year to update for modern warfare. The historic 108th Infantry Battalion was retired at a Sept. 11 ceremony, and a new military police unit moved into Auburn. Military police are responsible for functions like escorting convoys, guarding prisoners or protecting government facilities. The new structure in the Guard provides for units with more specialized functions.
July 15, 2011
Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) have inked an Addendum to the MoU providing for details of programme of cooperation.
V S Oberoi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MHRD and Professor Suchorita Chattopadhyay, President, SICI have signed the Addendum X to the MoU, an official release said.
Earlier, the Union Cabinet in its meeting held on June 29, approved MHRD's proposal for further continuation of MoU up to March 31, 2021.
SICI was formed in 1968 for promoting understanding between India and Canada through facilitation of academic exchange between the two countries.
Its membership has expanded from the original 4 founding members to 35 Canadian Universities and 54 Indian Institutions including some of the Indian Institutes of Management(IIMs) and Indian Institute of Technology(IITs).
The organization, in the past, had focused in the fields of Humanities, Social Sciences and was offering fellowships and distributing books and journals to the libraries of Canadian and Indian Universities to promote Indian studies in Canada and Canadian studies in India, the release said.
Extension of MoU will facilitate SICI to continue with promotion of knowledge and understanding between Canada and India in the areas identified earlier and in the new areas as identified by India which include Faculty-in-Residence Programme, Faculty Development Programme for vocational Education and Facilitation cum information services, it added.
Dancer Misty Copeland has landed her first major movie role as Disney signed her for its new "Nutcracker" film.
The 33-year-old dancer, who became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, is expected to play the lead ballerina in the project, reported Ace Showbiz.
It was Copeland herself who broke the on her Instagram.
"I'm thrilled to be a part of this amazing project with Disney and the wonderful Lasse Hallstrom #TheNutcracker #MoreToCome," she captioned a picture of "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" script.
The film will be a live-action adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffman's Christmas Eve tale about a girl who finds a Nutcracker doll.
At night, the Nutcracker comes to life along with an evil Mouse King. It leads the girl to the magical world of toys that will change her life forever.
Narendra Modi is the "best face" to promote 'Incredible India' campaign, Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma has said, claiming that the country has witnessed jump in tourists inflow from the nations the Prime Minister has visited so far.
Therefore, the ministry does not need any Bollywood face for the campaign to attract tourists from overseas, he opined.
"The perception about India has changed significantly in the last two years with Prime Minister Modi visiting a host of countries during the period. So, who else could be the better face for Indian tourism than our prime minister," Sharma said.
There has been a growth in number of tourist arrivals from the nations where he has toured after assuming office, he added.
Backing the minister's position, a senior tourism ministry official said tourist inflow from countries like the US, Germany, Fiji, Brazil, Australia, the UK, Canada and Myanmar, among others, has witnessed a significant jump after Modi's visit to these nations. However, the ministry could not provide immediately the exact data on the arrivals from these countries.
Sharma's comments came in the background of reports about megastar Amitabh Bachchan's nomination as the brand ambassador of 'Incredible India' campaign not being firmed up after his name figured in the Panama papers.
Actress Priyanka Chopra name was also doing the rounds for the campaign aimed at promoting India as a favourite tourist destination abroad after popular actor Aamir Khan's ouster from it as brand ambassador.
Though it was believed that Khan was eased out of the campaign in January after being associated with it for several years for his remarks on perceived intolerance, the tourism ministry had said he was not hired by the government and that the contract with the advertising agency which engaged him had expired.
Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi has also exuded confidence of achieving over 10 per cent growth in foreign tourist arrival by the end of the year.
In a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over handling of the Kashmir situation, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh today compared him with Roman emperor Nero, saying Modi was "busy in blowing trumpet in Tanzania" when Kashmir was burning and chose to continue his tour.
"It has been last two years that the condition in Kashmir is deteriorating, however, the kind of seriousness and sensitivity (being) warranted by government is not there as the government is completely insensitive towards the core issue," Singh told reporters here.
Giving the example of US President Barack Obama, Singh said after the shooting incident in Dallas, Obama cut short his trip to Spain and returned to the US to deal with the situation.
"Like the way when Rome was burning and the emperor was busy playing fiddle, our Prime Minister was busy blowing the trumpet in Tanzania and did not pay any seriousness towards the situation in Valley and continued his trip," Singh alleged.
He claimed the Kashmir strife was waiting to happen because BJP, which has the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir with PDP, "is not sensitive and serious towards Kashmir and the core issue".
"Before elections, the PDP was against BJP and BJP too had labelled PDP as a separatist party, however, after polls both the parties joined together, compromising their party principals," the AICC general secretary said.
Singh praised former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for initiating talks with Kashmiri people.
"After Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh (who headed the Congress-led UPA government) too adopted the same path and worked towards the core issue of Kashmir. We need to understand the core issue of the Kasmhir and then only it can be resolved," he said.
Singh referred to a letter written by former BJP MLA from Gujarat Yatin Oza in which the latter claimed that BJP chief Amit Shah and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi had "struck a secret deal" ahead of Bihar polls to polarise Muslim votes.
The letter was written by Oza addressed to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on July 4.
"When Obama came to India, it was the first time in the history of India that someone from the outside country had reminded us about Article 25 of Constitution which says all people are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion, and it was a slap on Modi government," Singh said.
The Congress leader expressed the need for having a united front of secular forces against BJP, and also appealed to NCP chief Sharad Pawar to work towards the cause.
"There are several like-minded people and they should come together and form a secular force against BJP at national level," he said.
A total of 738 men and boys remain missing after they were detained by militias backing the Iraqi government offensive to retake Fallujah from Islamic State jihadists, a UN envoy said today.
Jan Kubis told the Security Council that the UN mission in Iraq had received credible reports of torture, killings and disappearances by the militias and Iraqi security forces during the Fallujah offensive.
Iraqi forces seized control of Fallujah, a longtime jihadist bastion, in late June, a month after a vast operation was launched.
UN officials have determined that 95 men remain unaccounted for after they were detained by the Shia militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on May 25 in the Al Sejar area of northeast Fallujah, Kubis said.
An additional 643 men and boys remain missing after they were picked up by PMF-affiliated forces on June 5 while leaving Saqlawiyah, north of Fallujah, he added.
Kubis said Iraqi authorities must take swift action to identify the whereabouts of these missing men and boys and ensure those responsible for rights violations face justice.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi last month announced the creation of a committee to investigate the allegations of rights violations and serious crimes in Fallujah.
The envoy stressed that "these lessons from Fallujah" must be taken into account as preparations gather steam to retake Mosul, Iraq's second city which has been under IS control since June 2014.
The United Nations estimates that the humanitarian effort from the campaign to retake Mosul will cost up to USD 1 billion and "will be the largest and most sensitive humanitarian crisis in the world in 2016," said Kubis.
The Fallujah operation displaced 640,000 people in the Anbar governorate alone, on top of the 3.4 million Iraqis who have been driven from their homes since the rise of IS in 2014, according to the United Nations.
A hardened criminal, who was allegedly involved in the murder of two women in Nizamuddin area in 2012 and was on the run after escaping from police custody in Ghaziabad, was today arrested from Shahdara in east Delhi.
The 'most wanted' criminal, Salman alias Zaki (23) was arrested by a Special Cell team from Idgah Road in Shahdara. He had escaped from police custody on July 4 while being taken to Ghaziabad court in connection with a 2015 murder case, Manishi Chandra, Additional DCP (Special Cell), said.
In 2012, Salman and his associate Javed had allegedly killed a woman and her daughter in Nizamuddin area, when they objected against the duo for urinating before them, he said.
A year earlier, he had allegedly tried to kill one Sachin in Gulawathi (Bulandshahar) and was arrested by the police. After coming out on bail he fled to Delhi and took admission in Zakir Hussain College, around 2011, the officer said.
Salman and his associates had allegedly killed one Arif and injured Sheru in in Gulawathi in a rivalry, in 2015 following which they were arrested and lodged in Dasna jail.
Leading Muslim clerics joined Arab leaders today in condemning a truck attack that killed at least 84 revellers in the Mediterranean resort of Nice on France's national holiday.
Sunni Islam's leading centre of learning, Al-Azhar, said the "vile terrorist attack" contradicted Islam and called for "uniting efforts to defeat terrorism and rid the world of its evil."
Tunisia said that the attacker, who police said held joint French-Tunisian citizenship, had committed an act of "extreme cowardice" and expressed solidarity with France against the "scourge of terrorism."
At least 84 people were killed when the gunman rammed a truck through a crowd of thousands celebrating Bastille Day on the French Riviera last evening. Scores more were wounded, 50 of them children.
Prominent Egyptian Muslim cleric Shawki Allam condemned the assailant as an "extremist."
"People who commit such ugly crimes are corrupt of the earth, and follow in the footsteps of Satan... And are cursed in this life and in the hereafter."
The six Gulf Arab states issued a joint statement saying that they "strongly" condemned the "terrorist" act in Nice.
"The Gulf Cooperation Council states stand in solidarity with the French republic following this cowardly criminal incident whose perpetrators have been stripped of all moral and human values," the bloc's secretary general, Abdullatif al-Zayani, said.
Regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia issued its own statement condemning the "heinous terrorist" act, adding that it stands in "solidarity" with France and will "cooperate with it in confronting terrorist acts in all their forms."
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said: "This heinous terrorist crime makes it imperative for all to work decisively and without hesitation to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are members of a US-led coalition which has carried out an air war against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria alongside France.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi condemned "in the strongest terms the vile terrorist attack," his office said.
Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit denounced the "craven terrorist attack," his spokesman said.
Leading Muslim clerics joined Gulf Arab leaders today in condemning a truck attack that killed at least 84 revellers in the Mediterranean resort of Nice on France's national holiday.
Egypt's top Muslim cleric Shawki Allam condemned the assailant as an "extremist" who "follows in the footsteps of the devil."
"Islam never called for the spilling of blood," Allam said in a statement.
"People who commit such ugly crimes are corrupt of the earth, and follow in the footsteps of Satan... And are cursed in this life and in the hereafter."
The six Gulf Arab states issued a joint statement saying that they "strongly" condemned the "terrorist" act in Nice.
"The Gulf Cooperation Council states stand in solidarity with the French republic following this cowardly criminal incident whose perpetrators have been stripped of all moral and human values," the bloc's secretary general, Abdullatif al-Zayani, said.
Regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia issued its own statement condemning the "heinous terrorist" act, adding that it stands in "solidarity" with France and will "cooperate with it in confronting terrorist acts in all their forms."
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said: "This heinous terrorist crime makes it imperative for all to work decisively and without hesitation to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are members of a US-led coalition which has carried out an air war against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria alongside France.
At least 84 people were killed when a gunman rammed a truck through a crowd of thousands celebrating Bastille Day on the French Riviera on Thursday evening. Scores more were wounded, 18 of them critically.
The archaeological site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) in Bihar has been included in the UNESCO's World Heritage List, which also featured three new sites from China, Iran and Micronesia.
The inclusion of the four new sites was announced at the 40th session of The World Heritage Committee meeting in Istanbul in Turkey.
"Congrats...! Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara is now a #WorldHeritageSite. Thank you @UNESCO @IrinaBokova," India's Culture Ministry tweeted today.
Irina Bokova is Director-General of Asia, UNESCO.
Nalanda stands out as one of the most ancient universities in South Asia, UNESCO said in a release.
"Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) comprises the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE," it said.
The site includes stupas, shrines, viharas (residential and educational buildings) and important art works in stucco, stone and metal.
"The University engaged in the organised transmission of knowledge over an uninterrupted period of 800 years. The historical development of the site testifies to the development of Buddhism into a religion and the flourishing of monastic and educational traditions," the release said.
The Nalanda archaeological site got included in the Tentative List of World Heritage on January 9, 2009.
The nomination dossier was prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and submitted in January 2015 to the World Heritage Committee for the purpose of its inscription in the year 2016.
Besides the site of India, the other names included in the UNESCO World Heritage List are 'The Persian Qanat' of Iran, 'Nan Madol'-- ceremonial centre of Eastern Micronesia -- and 'Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape' of China.
The Centre had "pulled out" Delhi from the race for the
UNESCO Heritage List, arguing that such a prestigious tag for the city will put "a lot of restrictions" on carrying out infrastructure works in the national capital.
Nalanda was the 2015 entry from India for the UNESCO World Heritage tag in the 'cultural heritage segment' in pursuance of which the Ministry of Culture through the Archaeological Survey of India had sent an over 200-page-long nomination dossier on January 23 last year.
The University's construction began in 6th century AD and it flourished under the Gupta Empire. Its end came in 12th century when it was ransacked, looted and burnt in 1193 AD by the invading Turk Army led by its commander Bakhtiar Khilji.
An expert from Paris-based International Council of Monuments and Sites visited the ruins of the University, situated in Nalanda district, about 90 km from Patna, to evaluate India's bid for the coveted tag.
Bihar currently has over 70 ASI-protected heritage monuments and sites under the Patna Circle. The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in Gaya district of the state is under the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Nalanda ruins, which fall under this Circle, is spread over 23 hectares.
With its entry into the coveted UNESCO list, Nalanda University has become the 26th 'cultural site' of India to get the prestigious status, a statement quoting Chaitnya Prasad, Principal Secretary to the art and culture department, Bihar government said.
Narcotics Control Bureau has seized 20.650 kg of Ketamine, a psychotropic substance, worth about Rs four crore in the illegal market and arrested two men.
The NCB, which conducted raids to seize the contraband, also stumbled on 100 kg of Red sanders logs and handed it over to local police.
Based on a tip-off that Ketamine was being smuggled to Bangkok from here via Kolkatta, NCB sleuths apprehended Siccandar Ali at the airport yesterday and seized 9.8 kg of Ketamine concealed in a ladies' bag, an NCB press note said.
During questioning, Ali, a native of Sivaganga district in Tamil Nadu, disclosed that the remaining narcotic was hidden in a house of his associates.
A team immediately rushed there and carried out a raid with the help of local police and seized 10.850 kg of ketamine, as also red sanders and arrested one more man Md. Saddam Hussain, a local resident, the note said
NCB officials found that the house was being used as a centre for packing and concealing drugs.
Investigators are also ascertaining if there is any link between the seizure of 4.900 kg of Ketamine at the airport early this month. It was seized from one Shah Jahan and was to be sent to Malaysia.
AUBURN A public hearing held Thursday regarding proposed legislation to dissolve the Auburn Municipal Power Agency saw only one participant.
That was AMPA Chair Denny Zach, who appeared before the Auburn City Council at Memorial City Hall to encourage lawmakers to reconsider the termination of his board with a local law, which will be voted on next week.
The nine-member municipal power agency was first established in 2004 through a local law and a public referendum. However, officials believe the work done by AMPA members, who are all volunteers, can be done by city staff.
Citing advice from a municipal lawyer, Zach said a public vote is mandatory for local laws attempting to change statutes related to public utility agencies. He further requested a session for AMPA members to meet with city councilors to discuss some options related to the landfill gas cogeneration facility.
"The people put it in. I think the people should be able to vote it out," Zach said before adding, "You've got a lot of good people (on AMPA) that are trying to do something right."
Officials have said the operational losses and debt accrued by the cogeneration plant, which converts methane gas to electrical power, factored in the council's direction to dissolve AMPA. The plant was shut down last month.
Auburn councilors to consider breaking up city's power agency The Auburn Municipal Power Agency, a volunteer board that advises city officials on energy p
Corporation Counsel John Rossi, however, again cited an opinion from the state attorney general in stating that dissolving the agency would not require a public referendum.
"They made a remarkable commitment. The board members spent volunteer time and we do appreciate it," McCormick said. "But I think the right thing to do now is dissolve that commission and let our staff manage what we have."
In other news
The Auburn Police Department is one step closer to restoring its disbanded Emergency Response Team.
The U.S. Department of Justice officially approved the APD's request to spend federal asset forfeiture funds to purchase the equipment needed to get the team back online, Interim City Manager Jeff Dygert said Thursday.
The city's police department manages two forfeiture fund accounts composed of federally regulated proceeds from drug seizures. These accounts have been frozen since around December in the midst of a DOJ investigation into the accounting procedures behind the funds.
City officials had requested for the release of the $38,639.03 needed for tactical gear to restore the ERT, which was disbanded last May partially due to obsolete equipment.
"Based on some conversations today, the police department is optimistic that sometime next week, they will have full access to the equitable sharing funds that were subject to a recent audit," Dygert said.
A sub-sea gas pipeline planned to link Finland and Estonia moved closer to reality today as the European Commission promised to fund the project to ease the region's dependence on Russian gas.
"The allocated grants will cover, among others, the construction of the Balticconnector, the first bi-directional sub-sea gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland," the EU commission said in a statement.
The EU support for the project amounts to 75 percent or 187.5 million euros of the needed 250 million euros (USD 209 million of USD 278 million).
The pipeline, planned to be in use by 2020, is meant to link Finland to the European gas market while also reducing Finland's dependence on gas imports from its powerful neighbour Russia, currently its only gas supplier.
"This is a historic day for Finland's energy markets and I give my full support to the Balticconnector Ltd to carry the project through," Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn said in a statement.
The Commission said the three Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, would also benefit from the pipe.
"Balticconnector will enhance the security of supply in the Eastern Baltic Sea region. It will provide for the diversification of sources and routes," it wrote.
The Baltic states' dependency on Russian gas was partly reduced in January 2015, when Lithuania broke the Russian monopoly on gas deliveries by launching its first floating LNG terminal in the port of Klaipeda.
Gas is expected to account for some eight per cent of Finland's energy consumption this year, after gas consumption contracted by 16 per cent last year, mainly due to its high price.
But around 60 per cent of the value of Finland's overall energy imports still came from Russia in 2015.
The Ukraine crisis has prompted the EU to speed up its plans to cut dependence on Russian gas.
But the goal is undermined by German plans for a second pipeline, Nord Stream 2, to carry more Russian gas to Central Europe under the Baltic Sea.
US President Barack Obama has termed the terrorist attack in the French resort of Nice that killed over 80 people as "tragic and appalling" on freedom and has promised that America will stand firm to "destroy" all terror outfits, including the "vile" Islamic State.
"We come here with heavier hearts than normal. Overnight in Nice, we witnessed another tragic and appalling attack on the freedom and the peace that we cherish," Obama said at a diplomatic corps reception at the White House yesterday.
"Today, our hearts are with the people of France and with all the innocent men, women and so many children who were hurt or killed in this sickening attack," he said.
Obama said the victims included an American family from Texas - a father and his 11-year-old son - who were there on vacation.
"Their family, like so many others, are devastated. They're grieving. They need all the love and support of our American family as they grapple with an unimaginable loss, and try to get through what are going to be very difficult days," he said.
Obama said the terror attacks are a threat to all.
"We don't know all the details, but what we know is the capacity of even a single individual to do extraordinary harm to our people, to our way of life," he said.
Obama said that in recent weeks there had been heinous attacks inspired or directed by the ISIS in the US, Turkey, Iraq, Bangladesh and in Saudi Arabia.
"We are going to keep taking out ISIL leaders and pushing ISIL back in Syria and Iraq. We're going to keep standing with our partners, from Africa to Afghanistan. We are going to destroy this vile terrorist organisation," he said.
"These terrorists are targeting and killing innocent people of all backgrounds and all faiths, including Muslims. And I know I speak for all of us when I say that these individuals and these networks are an affront to all of our humanity," he said.
Obama exuded confidence of winning this war against terrorism.
"I want to take this opportunity to say once more: We will not be deterred. We will not relent. We're going to keep working together to prevent attacks and defend our homeland," Obama said.
"In contrast to these terrorists who only know how to kill
and destroy, we're going to win this fight by building; by never giving up on diplomacy to end the Syrian civil war; by working with partners around the world, including Muslim communities, to push back against hateful ideologies that twist and distort Islam - a religion that teaches peace and justice and compassion," Obama asserted.
"We will defeat these ideologies by offering a better vision of development and economic progress, so people, especially young people, have more hope and opportunity and are less susceptible to extremism and violence in the first place. And we will continue to promote political opportunity and democracy so citizens have a say in their future," he said.
At least 84 people were killed and dozens of others injured when a Tunisian-born man ploughed a truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.
In striking the jewel of the French Riviera on a national holiday the truck attack on Nice delivered a new blow to France's tourism sector already reeling from repeated terror attacks.
Today, several cultural events across France were cancelled or postponed as a mark of respect for the 84 people killed when a gunman drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of revellers following Bastille Day fireworks the previous evening.
President Francois Hollande declared the incident a "terrorist" attack.
The place of the attack was a top tourist destination: the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais along the Mediterranean coast in the city which is the number two destination in France behind Paris.
The attack was the third major strike against France in less than 18 months. It comes eight months after Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers attacked bars, restaurants, a concert hall and the national stadium in Paris, killing 130 people. In January last year 17 were killed in another attack at various sites including the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket in Paris.
Georges Panayotis, head of the MKG hotel and tourism consultancy, expressed concern about the effect the repeated attacks were having on the industry.
"This is no longer a classic terrorism situation where a couple of months is enough following an attack for economic activity to recover," said Panayotis.
The successive attacks and high number of victims "will dissuade tourists for a certain time".
The French government had just held this week its first meeting of a special government-industry committee headed by Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to try to find ways to help the sector recover.
The number of tourists arriving on regular flights has fallen by 5.8 per cent since January, including by 11 per cent in Paris.
The number of hotel nights foreigners spend in Paris is expected to be down around 20 per cent for the prime summer season, tourism minister Matthias Fekl said in a recent interview with TourMag.
The tourism industry is critically important for France, the world's top tourism destination that welcomed nearly 84.5 million visitors last year. The sector accounts for 7 per cent of the economy and directly and indirectly employs two million people.
Travel sector shares took a beating today, including shares in hotel group AccorHotels and Europcar rental agency, which both fell around 4 percent in a Paris market down around 0.8 percent overall.
NIIT Technologies today reported 47.5 per cent decline in net profit to Rs 28.6 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, on account of a one-time provision of Rs 36.1 crore.
NIIT's net profit stood at Rs 54.4 crore in the year-ago period.
The company saw its revenues growing 4.5 per cent to Rs 670.7 crore in the said quarter from Rs 642.1 crore in the April-June 2015 quarter, as per Indian Accounting Standard.
"We have made a provision of Rs 36 crore for amounts outstanding in respect of a government contract, where the programme has been put on hold to resolve project issues," NIIT Technologies CEO and Joint MD Arvind Thakur said.
During the quarter, NIIT Tech's domestic business declined 26.5 per cent due to seasonality in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and lower revenues from government clients.
It represented 8 per cent of the company's overall revenues.
The company's international business grew 0.5 per cent during the quarter. Americas accounted for 48 per cent of the revenues with strong growth coming from banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI).
Europe, the Middle East and Africa's (EMEA) share declined to 32 per cent mainly due to reduced business in the UK insurance sector, while Asia Pacific accounted for 12 per cent of the revenues.
Digital business witnessed strong traction and contributed to 18 per cent of revenues, Thakur said.
Asked about the impact of Brexit, Thakur said the company is seeing impact on the insurance vertical.
"We do not anticipate much impact but about seven per cent of our business in the UK, which is insurance, will be impacted," he added.
BFSI grew 3.2 per cent sequentially during the quarter increasing the revenue share to 42 per cent, while travel and transportation accounted for 32 per cent share.
Manufacturing, media and others contributed to 24 per cent, while that from government was 2 per cent during the quarter.
"Order intake during the quarter was USD 101 million resulting in USD 307 million of order book executable over the next 12 months," he said.
The company added 4 new customers during the quarter, including a tier I airline and a regional insurer in the US. In EMEA, the company secured an IMS engagement with a digital security firm.
The company had a total head count of 9,022 at the end of the said quarter, while the attrition was 13.4 per cent.
The Commerce Ministry has pitched for an easier visa regime to promote tourism including medical tourism and boost service sector exports.
"We wanted e-visas and visa on arrival to be provided, so that it becomes less cumbersome. That is the recommendation which has gone from our ministry," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told PTI.
Citing an example, she said if a tourist is going to Bodh Gaya in Bihar and then to Nepal and wants to come back to visit Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh, a single entry visa will not be helpful.
"It should be a multiple entry visa otherwise the tourist will have to once again obtain a visa. So these kind of anomalies, we wanted to be sorted out," she said.
The main idea of these recommendations is to promote tourism and other services.
"We have sent it off to the Home Ministry because they have to consider it from internal security point of view and so on," Sitharaman said.
The proposal is part of the ministry's initiatives to boost India's services trade.
According to an industry expert, India is missing out on a huge opportunity worth about $80 billion annually in terms of attracting overseas tourists and foreign exchange.
Small countries like Thailand attract millions of people whereas tourists flow in India is far less.
The move assumes significance as the services sector constitutes about 60% of India's gross domestic product, but its share in global exports of services remains at a lowly 3.15%.
The area has emerged as a prominent sector in India in terms of its contribution to national and state income, trade and foreign direct investment inflows.
The sector contributes around 28% to job creation. Its contribution to total trade is 25%, around 35% to exports and 20% to imports.
US President Barack Obama today spoke with his French counterpart Francois Hollande and offered "significant security cooperation" in the probe into the terror attack in Nice as he condoled the loss of innocent lives in the carnage.
"President Obama had an opportunity earlier today to telephone President Hollande and relay his condolences to the people of France on behalf of the American people," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
"France is after all our oldest ally. So it should be no surprise that President Obama didn't just offer condolences, he offered significant security cooperation and any assistance that they need to conduct their investigation and to take steps to try to prevent something like this from happening again," Earnest said.
In addition to this, Obama's top counter-terrorism adviser, Lisa Monaco, telephoned her counterpart today and US Defense Secretary Defense Ash Carter was also in touch with his French counterpart.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has been in touch with the French ambassador to the United States.
"A range of US officials, and law enforcement, and intelligence community and a variety of homeland security agencies have been in touch with their French counterparts to discuss the situation and to pledge a cooperation. So this is obviously something that the US government will be monitoring closely in the days ahead. And we will be offering our strongest support to the people of France in this very difficult time," Earnest said.
A truck driven by a Tunisian rammed into a crowd killing more than 80 people in Nice, France, last night.
France has described this as an act of terrorism.
"There's more about this individual that French authorities have identified as the perpetrator. There's more that needs to be learned about his background, about other people that he may have associated with; anything that would provide some insight into how the attack was planned, how was carried out, and whether or not he received any instruction or direction about doing so," Earnest said.
"We are in the early stages the investigation, but as French authorities begin to collect the information that could help answer those questions, they'll be able to rely on the strong support and the capabilities of the United States government," he said.
Meanwhile, Obama in a proclamation ordered that all US flags be flown at half-staff at White House and other federal buildings.
Earnest said French investigators are still looking very closely at what sort of connections this individual may have to extremist organisations.
"There been no claims of responsibility that we have seen thus far, but we'll obviously look to that as a potential clue about what may have contributed to this particular terrorist attack. But at this point it's too early to draw any firm conclusions about whether or not this individual had ties to a broader terrorist network, or was part of a broader terrorist conspiracy," he said in response to a question.
Continuing to needle India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today declared slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a "martyr" and said July 19 will be observed as 'black day' to protest "atrocities" against Kashmiris by Indian security forces.
Addressing a special cabinet meeting here to discuss the situation in Kashmir, Sharif termed the "movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom".
"The whole Pakistan is standing by Kashmiris. Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination," the prime minister said.
"The Prime Minister termed Burhan Wani as martyr of independence movement," Radio Pakistan reported.
He said, the "Indian brutalities will give impetus to the freedom struggle and Kashmiri people will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them."
The prime minister directed all the relevant departments to highlight the Kashmir issue at international fora.
The cabinet decided that "black day" will be observed on Tuesday (July 19).
An official statement released after the meeting said, "July 19 will be observed as a black day in the country so that the attention of the international conscience can be drawn towards the atrocities of Indian forces in Kashmir."
The cabinet asked the United Nations to renew its efforts to complete its "unfinished agenda" and ensure implementation of its resolutions "so that Kashmiris get their right of self determination."
It said the Kashmiri leadership should be involved in the talks between Pakistan and India over Kashmir issue.
Sharif also announced to convene a joint session of the parliament to discuss the situation in Kashmir.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashidsaid the cabinet meeting was exclusively called to develop a consensus on extending full support to the Kashmiris.
Meanwhile, Pakistan briefed the ambassadors of African and Middle Eastern countries over the tense situation in Kashmir.
"Pakistan's serious concern over the brutal killings of innocent civilians and violation of their fundamental human rights by the Indian forces was conveyed," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said in a statement.
Sharif had earlier deplored "excessive" force against civilians in the latest wave of violence in the Valley while expressing "deep shock" over the killing of Wani.
The Prime Minister, who recently returned from London after an open-heart surgery, had said that it was "deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against the civilians" who were protesting against the killing of Wani.
Pakistan has shot off letters to the UN Secretary-General, the Security Council President, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Secretary- General of the OIC, expressing "serious concern" over the violence in Kashmir.
Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz has addressed letters to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of the UN Security Council Koro Bessho, Secretary- General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Iyad bin Amin Madani and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein to express Pakistan's "serious concern on the alarming situation" in Kashmir.
An official statement said today that the letters were written to draw "attention to the brutal killings of innocent civilians and grave violations of the fundamental human rights of the Kashmiris...."
"In his letters to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, the Adviser noted that in these times of democracy and accountability, the international community, led by the United Nations, cannot remain passive to the callous behaviour and grave violations of human rights by India" in Kashmir over the last many decades, the statement said.
Aziz noted that non-resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was a constant source of tension and instability in the region and a threat to international peace and security.
Continuing to needle India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today also declared slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a "martyr" and said July 19 will be observed as 'black day' to protest "atrocities" against Kashmiris by Indian security forces.
Taking strong umbrage to Pakistan declaring July 19 as "black day" to express solidarity with Kashmiri people over killing of Burhan Wani, India on Friday asked it to desist from further interfering in its internal affairs and destabilising the situation in the region through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
External Affairs Ministry also hit out at Pakistan for continuing to glorify terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations, saying it makes it amply clear where Pakistan's sympathies continue to lie.
"India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and .
"We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where, we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Further needling India on the issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday declared Wani, the slain Hizbul commander, as a "martyr" and said July 19 will be observed as black day to express solidarity with people of . He was addressing a special cabinet meeting in Lahore to discuss the situation in the state.
"Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination," Sharif was quoted as saying by Radio Pakistan.
India also asked Pakistan to desist from further interfering in its internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
"The self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in J&K follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the International Boundary.
"The attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of J&K in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistan's illegal occupation will not succeed," Swarup said.
India also hoped that Pakistan will respond constructively to its initiatives for peace and normalising bilateral relationship, Swarup added.
Auburn officials have disclosed the reasoning behind a nearly $50,000 payout given to Brian Neagle, the city's former police chief, after he retired in May.
The 31-year veteran of the Auburn Police Department was paid $49,943.08 after his retirement on May 31. A total of $10,000 accounted for a retirement incentive offered to eligible senior management staff, while another $2,625.78 was earned through his last days of official employment.
The remaining amount was accumulated from accruals of any time off entitled to Neagle. Half of the total paycheck accounted for remaining vacation hours accrued during Neagle's employment, which amounted to to $24,225.98.
According to Comptroller Laura Wills, Neagle earned 280 vacation hours at the start of the new year on Jan. 1, 116.67 hours for his 2016 employment and another 120 hours, the maximum amount Neagle could carry over from his employment through 2014.
Wills and Interim City Manager Jeff Dygert disclosed the information on Neagle's accruals after city officials initially declined its release.
The Citizen had previously sought details of the accruals through a state Freedom of Information Law request filed in June. However, the request and a subsequent appeal were denied by Corporation Counsel John Rossi and Mayor Michael Quill, respectively, reasoning that disclosure would constitute an invasion of privacy. Quill serves as the city's FOIL Appeals officer.
Robert Freeman, executive director of the Committee on Open Government, disagreed with this determination, saying the categories of accrued leave are public information.
Dygert said Thursday that he wanted to research further without releasing information that could warrant any potential liability for the city.
"It does get into being a very personal thing. When some of the stuff hits the media, it can have a very dramatic effect on peoples' relationships or standing in the community," he said. "I will say that I am sometimes hesitant to see certain information just get put out there."
Wills said that while Neagle's payout was higher than average, the calculations were not out of the ordinary. As a longtime staffer and a department head, Neagle was paid on the highest step of the city's wage schedule.
Further, Neagle did not use any accrued time off as he spent the last six and a half months of his tenure on duty injury, Wills said. The former chief was on leave to recover from complications with a past duty injury to his wrist.
Neagle did not use any vacation time in 2016 despite going to Aruba with his family earlier this year a trip city officials acknowledged on Thursday.
Dygert said the city is restricted on what administrators can and cannot mandate in regards to employee actions during time off. An employee on duty-related medical leave can be required at a reasonable rate by the city for medical updates, he said.
"We really don't have any authority to do anything," Dygert said. "Whether we agree with that or not is completely irrelevant."
Of the remaining accruals, Neagle was paid through the following sources, each calculated through the hourly rate of his $97,529 salary, or $46.889 per hour:
Terminal leave: City police officers with over 20 years of service are entitled to an additional 28 consecutive days of vacation upon retirement with 45-day notice. Wills said the accrual is contractual; similar measures exist in other employee contracts
Longevity days, which serve as personal days that are awarded based on the length of the employee's tenure. Wills said Neagle accumulated five days, the maximum amount possible, with more than 20 years of service
Personal days
Uniform maintenance, which covers out-of-pocket expenses for uniform degradation; officers are granted a $450 stipend, and Neagle's accrual covered 3/4 of the fiscal year
Holiday days: Wills said Neagle was paid for six of these days, which were earned when he was a captain in around 2008 under ex-Chief Gary Giannotta. The comptroller said Giannotta authorized a deferral of Neagle's holiday pay for working holidays in favor of spending a day off in the future
Though Neagle was out much of the fiscal year (which runs from July through June), Dygert said the contractual duty injury policy for police and fire personnel is to continue accruals, including uniform maintenance, as if the injured individual was on active duty.
As for the retirement offering, Dygert said the city utilized the $10,000 payment to incentivize Neagle's decision-making process as his absence caused some confusion with the interim chain-of-command. Shawn Butler, a former lieutenant, was promoted in early June to replace Neagle.
"It was utilized as an incentive to try to move on, bring some closure to a situation, avoid some conflict and potentially shorten the length of time it took for that particular individual to make that decision," Dygert said.
Retirement-eligible management personnel were offered the incentive earlier this year, though the Auburn City Council established a deadline of Feb. 29. Neagle's retirement was announced at the end of April.
The city manager said making an exception for Neagle, as it is with any exception for any employee, was a difficult decision.
"You have to be able to defend that exception amongst other people that may want that same treatment," Dygert said. "In this case, I think that if other people were in that same situation here their medical situation was in a state of limbo, we would give them the same consideration."
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh today said NCP chief Sharad Pawar should take the lead to unite secular parties against BJP.
Speaking to reporters here, Singh said Pawar is a widely accepted leader in the country.
"During his birthday event in New Delhi, all the political leaders irrespective of parties and ideologies attended the function, which shows how acceptable and a tall leader he is," Singh said.
Pawar should "take a lead to unite all the secular parties" to fight against BJP which indulges in "politics of polarisation", the senior Congress leader said.
BJP and other right-wing organisations eulogised Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, and books and plays were being written to turn him into a hero, Singh said.
"We should always remember that he had killed Mahatma Gandhi," he said.
The Philippines will concede nothing to China as it seeks to implement an tribunal ruling against Beijing's claims to most of the South China Sea, its top lawyer said today.
The UN-backed tribunal on Tuesday ruled against China but Beijing rejected the decision, warning of a "decisive response" to provocative actions against its security interests based on the verdict.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Thursday he would send a former president, Fidel Ramos, to China to start talks on the ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Manila's top government lawyer, Jose Calida, stressed on Friday there would be no concessions to China.
"We value the award given by the (tribunal), and the Philippines will not concede any of the awards given to us," Calida said, using the legal term for the ruling.
The tribunal found there was no legal basis for China to claim historical rights to resources in areas falling within its nine-dash line, which is based on a vague map that emerged in the 1940s.
The nine-dash line overlaps with waters also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The tribunal also ruled Beijing had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights to exploit resources in waters up to 340 kilometres (230 miles) beyond its coast, called its exclusive economic zone.
China had built artificial islands atop seven reefs in the area, inflicting severe environmental damage, the tribunal said.
"We will use diplomacy. I believe this is the most peaceful way of settling this," Calida said, adding Duterte had set no timeframe for achieving results.
"We will be patient of course and hopefully China will show the same grace that we have shown," Calida added.
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has said he wants better relations with China and to attract Chinese investment for major infrastructure projects.
Ramos, who served as president from 1992 to 1998, is also known to favour close ties with China. However he has yet to accept the mission.
Sino-Philippine relations plummeted over the maritime row under Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino, whose government filed the arbitration case in 2013.
Senior Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio warned today it would be illegal for Manila to jointly develop with China or any other country the resources in the areas adjudicated as part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called up President Pranab Mukherjee and enquired about his well being after a vehicle in his convoy met with accident near Darjeeling.
The President was on his way to Bagdogra airport to fly back to Delhi after a four-day trip to the region when the third car in his convoy skidded off the road and went down a 100-feet gorge, injuring six persons.
"The President is safe," Mukherjee Press Secretary Venu Rajamony said.
Due to poor visibility, the car carrying Security Liasion Officer of the Intelligence Bureau and local police officials--skidded off the road while negotiating a bend and hurtled down a 100-feet deep gorge before being stopped by two trees, police.
The personnel were rescued after a 45-minute operation and Mukherjee briefly halted at a safe location.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted, "Car in President's carcade from Darjeeling to Bagdogra goes off road, minor injuries to security personnel; #PresidentMukherjee safe".
Mukherjee, 80, later proceeded towards the airport.
A local court today remanded Divya Pahuja, who was with Haryana-based gangster Sandeep Gadoli when he was killed in an encounter at a city hotel, and her mother in the custody of Mumbai police till July 20.
Mumbai police is probing the encounter which Gadoli's relatives allege was fake. Divya and her mother were arrested in this connection yesterday.
The prosecution today told the court that Divya, Gadolee's friend, and her mother worked as informers for the Haryana Police and were paid for it.
When Divya travelled to Mumbai with Gadoli in February, she kept updating her mother about their whereabouts, and her mother passed on the information to the Gurgaon police who were looking for the gangster, prosecution said.
Police had obtained the call data record of conversation between Divya and Sonia, it added.
Outside the court, Divya said she was innocent.
Gadoli was shot dead by a team of Haryana police at a hotel near the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport here on February 7.
After his family alleged that it was a staged encounter and moved the high court, a special investigation team of Mumbai police started probing the case.
SIT earlier arrested three Haryana policemen: constables Vikram Singh and Jitendra Yadav and sub-inspector Pradhyuman Yadav who led the encounter team.
According to Haryana Police, Gadoli, a history-sheeter, was shot in retaliation after he fired at them when they went to arrest him.
Police used water cannons to disperse activists of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) heading towards Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's residence here to protest against the poor law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.
BJYM activists marched towards Yadav's residence this afternoon, as per a planned programme, but were stopped by the police which had barricaded the road near Raj Bhawan.
Police used water cannons to disperse the BJP workers, who were raising slogans against the Samajwadi Party government for its "failure" to maintain law and order.
The activists then sat on a dharna demanding that they be allowed to move towards his residence. Later the workers handed over a memorandum to the district administration and ended the dharna.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday promised a transparent regulatory regime and greater ease in doing business with India as he promoted auctioning of 46 discovered oil and gas fields in a roadshow here.
These fields, discovered by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and Oil India LTD (OIL), are envisaged to be put on production through expeditious efforts.
As many as 50 international oil related companies, including Magna Energy, BP, IHS Energy, Texas Oil & Gas Technology, Nabors, McDermott, Reliance Exploration and Production DMCC, KPMG, Halliburton, Joshi Technologies International, Vega Energy, Schlumberger attended the roadshow in Houston.
The Houston roadshow comprised extensive and detailed presentations and one-on-one meetings with companies.
Companies such as BG, Cairn Energy, ONGC, RIL shared their successful experience of working in the Indian exploration and production (E&P) sector.
Promising a transparent regulatory regime and greater ease of doing business, the minister in his plenary address said, "we recognise that the need of the hour is to increase the domestic energy production by unlocking India's hydrocarbon potential."
Easy regulatory administration, pricing freedom for crude oil and natural gas produced from new fields in a transparent manner to further promote oil and gas assets across the country, he said.
In fact, the current bid round is also being held under revised set of industry friendly bid guidelines and processes with the Discovered Small Fields Policy acting as the regulatory framework.
Under the bid round, 67 fields in 46 contract areas, across 9 sedimentary basins are being offered to potential investors through International Competitive Bidding in the oil and gas producing basins.
Of these 67 fields, 36 are located in offshore areas and 31 fields are in on land basins. The fields have estimated 625 Million Barrels of Oil and Oil Equivalent Gas in-place volumes, and are spread over 1500 sq km with 26 on land, 18 in shallow water and 2 in deep water areas.
Assuring the packed hall of attendees, that included heads of major energy companies, think tanks, analysts, Indian Americans with interest, oil lobbyist, diplomats and various technologists, Pradhan promised all possible support from his Ministry and the Government of India in fructifying investors endeavours.
"The bid timelines are stringent and my team is geared to ensure a smooth process. I look forward to an encouraging participation in the bidding from you all. We have also setup a facilitation cell for assisting you throughout the bid process," he concluded his speech amidst loud cheers and applause.
Indian leaders including President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, today strongly condemned the terror attack in France, saying the pre-meditated massacre of innocent people, including many children, was an unspeakable crime.
In a letter to French President Francois Hollande, Mukherjee conveyed condolences on the loss oflives in the heinous act of terror last evening in Nice and said Indian stands beside people of France with solidarity and sympathy.
Modi said the "mindless act of violence" was appalling and India shares the pain and stands firmly with France in this hour of "immense sadness".
"Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased," the Prime Minister tweeted.
"I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain & stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness," he added.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that the terrorist attack on a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice "reflects deep resentment to peace and democratic values".
The President, who is in Darjeeling on an official visit, said, "I am deeply pained to learn that France is once again afflicted by a major tragedy caused by a heinous act of terror last evening.
"The pre-meditated massacre of innocent people as they were participating in Bastille Day celebrations - including, sadly, many children, is an unspeakable crime."
The people of India stand beside the people of France with solidarity and sympathy. "We share your grief at the loss of lives and pray for the swift recovery of the injured," Mukherjee said.
"India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people and government of France as it responds to this attack.
"We will strengthen our cooperation with France and other countries in the fight against terrorism," Mukherjee said in a series of tweets.
A 48-year-old businessman from Pune, who shot into the limelight after buying a 'gold shirt' worth over Rs one crore some years back, was allegedly bludgeoned to death in front of his son, police said today.
Datta Phuge, the businessman from the industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad in the district, had become the talk of the town after he presented himself a 'gold shirt' weighing about 3.5 kg and worth Rs 1.27 crore in 2012.
At least 12 persons attacked Phuge at an open ground in Dighi area here at around 11.30 PM last night with stones and a sharp weapon, killing him on the spot.
"As per preliminary information, Phuge and his son were invited by one of the suspects, who know each other, to celebrate a birthday. However, we are investigating how Phuge reached the open ground where he was murdered," Dighi police station inspector Navnath Ghogare said.
Phuge's 22-year-old son, who too had reached the spot following a similar 'birthday' invitation and witnessed his father's murder, was spared by the attackers, police said.
Datta Phuge, the husband of a former corporator from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, was into money lending and chit fund business.
Police suspect that some dispute over a money transaction could be the reason behind the gory murder.
"We have detained four persons and suspect that dispute over a money transaction between them could be the motive behind his murder," said Ghogare.
In 2012, Phuge presented himself the glittering shirt made out of gold and as per the local jeweller who had crafted the piece, as many as 15 goldsmiths from Bengal had worked for 16 hours a day over a period of two weeks to make the shirt ordered by him.
Odisha government today claimed to have found a new evidence about the origin of 'Rasgulla' in the state to bolster its case for getting the GI tag for the sweet, for which West Bengal is also a claimant.
"Now we have collected authentic evidence about the availability of Rasgulla in Odisha prior to 1500 AD," Science and Technology minister Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi said.
The minister's claim was based on a report prepared by the expert committee set up to collect evidence in favour of Odisha's demand for geographical indication (GI) tag for the sweet, known in West Bengal as Rasogolla.
"Committee member Asit Mohanty has submitted evidence regarding existence of Rasgulla in Odisha before 1,500 AD. The department will examine the report and take appropriate steps within two weeks to present the evidence before the central government," Panigrahi said.
The Commitee has presented a 27-page research paper and a 100-page document comprising 75 points proving that Rasgulla originated in Odisha.
"Odisha will definitely get the GI tag on Rasgulla as the West Bengal government hasn't applied for the same due to lack of concrete evidence to support its claims," Mohanty said.
The committee in its report said Rasgoola as a sweet was cited in 'Dandee Ramayana', the Odia adaptation of the Valmiki Ramayana by sage poet Balarama Das.
Further, Dandee Ramayana has featured in World e-Book of 1921 published by Calcutta University which has mention of Rasgoola's association with traditions and practices associated with Lord Jagannath, Mohanty said.
He claimed that the sweet was being offered to gods in mutts and temples of Odisha for over 600 years.
The committee also refuted Bengal's claim that Rasgulla came to Odisha under the influence of Shri Chaitanya. The Mohanty committee in its report has also mentioned that selections from Odia literature published by Calcutta University in 1924 had references to the sweet's origin in Odisha.
The sweet traders in the state will observe a Rasgulla Day tomorrow on occasion of Lord Jagannath's "Niladri Vije" (return to the temple after annual ratha jatra).
Printed on computer paper and cut out ignoring the template's lines, the flier reads: "Save Our Land Join The Klan." A hooded white male rides a hooded brown horse, rearing up on its hind legs. The man holds a flaming torch and underneath reads in italicized, white letters: "For God, Race & Nation!"
Below the image appears contact information for the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan including an 800 number and a website.
The flier was placed on one man's car, and he discovered it as he was leaving the Finger Lakes Health & Fitness Center in Aurelius.
New York State Police said they did receive one complaint on July 13, and an officer investigated the incident. While there was no specific crime made because the words themselves were not threatening, police said the public should notify them of any other fliers or things related. Police said they are not aware of any other incidents.
Cayuga County Sheriff David Gould said people should call 911 if they get fliers on their cars, too. Cayuga County 911 will dispatch either a police officer or a sheriff's officer depending on who is closest to the location, so at least the incident is documented.
"We need to know if stuff like that is going to start around here," Gould said. "There's enough stuff going on around this country and in this world, and if stuff like that is starting around here, we need to stop it immediately."
It did not appear that any other cars had fliers on them in the parking lot. Gould said if that was the case, he'd be concerned that one person was targeted. A photo of the flier was posted on social media, and has generated a lengthy discussion.
"If anybody knows anything like that that's put stuff on Facebook, or a website, or social media, make sure they contact us so we can look into it," he said. "If there's a crime, we'll certainly make an arrest. It will not be accepted in Cayuga County, I can tell you that right now."
"Thor" star Tom Hiddleston has addressed rumours surrounding his whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift, saying their relationship is not a publicity stunt.
Ever since the duo started to date each other, fans have been less-than-impressed, accusing the pair of staging their romance for the cameras.
Some also suggested that the relationship between the two stars was fake and was actually part of her new music video.
"Well, um. How best to put this? The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we're very happy. Thanks for asking. That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt," Hiddleston, 35, told The Hollywood Reporter.
There were also reports that the actor was "planning to propose very soon" to the 26-year-old pop star.
And Hiddleston might even do "it on a whim," because "everything has been so random and spontaneous" with the couple so far.
However, the actor did not comment on those reports.
Russia will deploy its most advanced S-400 air defence systems to the annexed Crimea peninsula in August, a military official said today.
Russia is currently using its older S-300 systems on the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine in March 2014 in a move condemned by the West that led to the imposition of US and EU sanctions.
"In August 2016 the (S-400) systems are expected to be unloaded in Feodosia where they will be permanently located," Yevgeny Oleinikov, deputy commander of the Russian army's 18th surface-to-air missile regiment, told RIA Novosti state agency, referring to an eastern Crimean town.
The S-400 "Triumph" systems are Russia's most modern anti-aircraft and missile defence systems. They are being deployed in Syria, where Moscow is conducting a bombing campaign in support of long-time ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The system can track some 300 targets and shoot down around three dozen simultaneously over a range of several hundred kilometres.
Since Crimea's annexation Russia has stepped up its military presence in the peninsula, which is home to its Black Sea fleet.
The move comes as NATO is rolling out the biggest military build-up in eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War in response to a resurgent Russia and the United States has angered Moscow by installing a missile defence shield close to its borders.
Angry protestors threw eggs and water bottles at South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn today, demanding the decision to deploy a US anti-missile defence system in their hometown be scrapped.
Hwang was in Seongju to try and appease residents who are furious over the joint Seoul-Washington decision to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, in their town by the end of next year as a deterrent to repeated sabre-rattling by North Korea.
The mob of around 3,000 surrounded a bus that Hwang had taken refuge in to escape the projectile eggs, saying they would not let him go until he promised to retract the decision.
The ongoing standoff lasted several hours and it was unclear when-or how-a compromise would be reached.
The protesters also blocked the entrance to the government compound where Hwang was trapped with a tractor as security guards struggled to keep the crowd at bay.
It was the third consecutive day of protests in Seongju, about 200 kilometres southeast of Seoul, where residents say the THAAD deployment will ruin the town's economic mainstay, melon farming, and cause health and environmental hazards.
"We apologise for not giving you prior notice," the prime minister had earlier told the gathered protesters-who held banners that read "We absolutely oppose THAAD deployment".
"The government will do its best so the residents can live their daily lives without any concern," said Hwang, accompanied by senior government officials including Defence Minister Han Min-Koo.
But his speech was cut short as the mod started to pelt the prime minister with eggs and water bottles, TV footage showed.
"You bastard," a protestor shouted, according to Yonhap agency. "Why would you bring THAAD to Seongju?"
The prime minister's visit comes a day after President Park Geun-Hye told government officials to address concerns among Seongju's 45,000 residents over THAAD while calling for an end to "needless" squabbling within the country over the issue.
Seoul and Washington last week revealed their decision to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea in the wake of a series of missile and nuclear tests by North Korea.
Tensions are high since Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by various missile launches that analysts said showed the North was making progress towards being able to strike the US mainland.
North Korea yesterday accused Park of "offering the Korean peninsula to foreign forces as a theatre of a nuclear war."
"She unhesitatingly sold off the destiny and interests of the nation and undermined regional peace and stability," the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's KCNA agency.
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stall the proceedings in the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission's (CERC) in compensatory tariff case but said that the order will be subject to its scrutiny.
A bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman assured the power distribution companies that if they are not satisfied with CERC's decision, they are at liberty to approach the apex court.
Several power distribution companies of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Punjab have moved the apex court challenging the Electricity Tribunal's decision which had held that power producers are entitled to compensatory tariff and referred the case to CERC for calculating the compensatory tariff.
CERC is currently hearing the pleas by Tata Power Co Ltd and Adani Power Ltd in order to determine the amount of compensation under the force majeure or unforeseen circumstances clause of the power purchase agreement.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on September 15.
Tata Power's wholly-owned subsidiary Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd and Adani Power had originally moved the CERC seeking higher tariff on the grounds that their input costs had gone up due to devaluation in the rupee and higher costs of coal imported from Indonesia, owing to a regulation passed by the Southeast Asian nation.
After their plea was turned down in CERC, the two companies moved the Electricity Tribunal which ruled that they are entitled to compensatory tariff.
A 52-year-old teacher was today allegedly abducted in front of the school in the southern part of the city.
Nandita Ghosh, assistant teacher of the Kalidhan Institution at Southern Avenue, was abducted by two men and as many women who came in a car at around 6.40 AM, a senior police official said.
"As per some guardians who were at the spot, a small car suddenly appeared from nowhere and four persons forcibly took the teacher inside the car and drove away," he said.
They immediately informed the headmistress of the school who lodged a complaint with the Tollygunge police station, he said.
Preliminary investigation found that the teacher had taken loans from several people on behalf of the school allegedly forging the headmistress' signature, he said, adding police would scan the CCTV footage of the area.
"Nobody has got any phone call demanding ransom," the police official said.
A top American Senator has slammed India for allegedly being complicit in trafficking and questioned the recent decision of the State Department for placing India in Tier-2 list and not below that.
"The (annual Trafficking in Persons) report highlights some progress (by India), but official complicity in trafficking is widespread, victim protection is inadequate and inconsistent," said Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"The Indian government has not repealed its policy restricting travel of Indians identified as trafficking victims by the US. I mean, that's appalling," he said during a Congressional hearing this week on the report.
Welcoming the new leadership of India, he said, "We have great hopes for the way our relationship is going to evolve and their country and their country is going to evolve. They have an estimated 12 million slaves in their country - more than, by far, any country in the world."
"How in the world are they a tier-2 country? How can that be?" Corker asked.
Ambassador Susan Coppedge, Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, at Department of State, said India certainly has a significant human trafficking problem, and it extends across forced labor, bonded labor, sex trafficking of adults and children. The numbers are staggering.
"We continue to press the Indian government, through the report and through our diplomatic efforts, to make changes in their system to further address laws and also victim services and protection services," she said.
Not satisfied, Corker asked how India can possibly be a tier-2 company if such conditions exist in the country.
"So again, this is one that feels very much, somewhat like our civil nuke deal back seven or eight years ago where we broke rules to enter into an agreement that probably at the time was not appropriate, to be honest -- this feels very much like that in this report. I just want you to tell me why a country with the kind of record they have is a tier two country," Corker said.
Coppedge justified putting India on tier two and not any other ranking as New Delhi has taken several steps to address the problem of human trafficking.
"One of the things the government of India has done is provide repatriation paper, essentially, to those who are freed from bonded labor to certify that they are no longer indebted or in service to the person they were indebted to through the bonded labor," she explained.
"So they present that documentation; they provide
services and benefits to victims of bonded labor, and then they also help them with payments to get them back on their feet and back integrated into society. And we talk about those efforts with respect to bonded labor in the report and as being significant," Coppedge said.
"They have also changed a policy that we pressed them to change for years, and that was when they raided brothels they would arrest everyone in the brothel, including the victims. And now government officials that we met with in India have told us they now screen for trafficking indicators, they don't arrest the young women who may in fact be victims of trafficking," she said.
So they have made that significant effort to change their policy and better provide victim protection efforts once victims are identified. It is very challenging to screen for victims of trafficking because the trafficker has made them afraid to come forward. And so that change in government policy has helped, she said.
"This does not mean there aren't still areas for improvement in India. There certainly are," she said, adding that the US has pressed for them to reactivate and refund their anti-human trafficking unit.
Noting that those work very well in some parts of the country, but they don't work so well in others, she said, "we've asked them to rededicate their efforts in the areas where that is not working as well. So there are things we are still pressing on".
"One of the recommendations is that they establish special courts for human trafficking cases because the court system there is somewhat bogged down and slow-moving, as one would expect in a country of that size. So that's another recommendation for an area where improvement is needed. But we also take stock of improvements that have occurred," Coppedge said.
today extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till July 18 to protest against the killing of civilians and demanding lifting of curfew in the valley.
"The strike call has been extended for extra 72 hours till the authorities lift the curfew and restore the civil liberties including the right to protest against the recent killings in Kashmir," Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told PTI.
He said the should also be allowed political space to carry out peaceful political activities.
"The human rights and liberties have been suspended in Kashmir for one week now. This needs to end immediately," he added.
This is the fifth time that the have extended the strike which started since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Earlier, on July 8, they called for a one-day strike to protest his killing. The strike was then extended for two more days to protest the killings of civilians in firing allegedly by security forces.
The shutdown call was again extended on Monday. Then on Wednesday, the separatists asked people to observe the strike for two more days till Friday.
Over 100 activists of Punjab Shiv Sena were today detained while trying to enter Jammu and Kashmir to submit a memorandum to Governor N N Vohra in connection with security to Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.
"We have detained over 100 activists of Shiv Sena from Punjab who wanted to enter the state and proceed towards Kashmir," Additional SP Kathua, Khalil Poswal said.
The activists, who tried to enter the state through Lakhanpur check point, said they wanted to submit a memorandum to Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra to demand the smooth conduct of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
"The Amarnath Yatra is being hampered by Pakistan- sponsored terrorists. We wanted to meet the Jammu and Kashmir Governor to submit him a memorandum to provide tight security to the Amarnath Yatra so that the Yatra goes on without any hurdle," president of the Punjab wing of Shiv Sena, Yograj Sharma said.
The living held their hands. They knew they were dead, but they could not bring themselves to let go.
Hours after unspeakable horror was visited on families who had gathered to watch the Bastille Day fireworks on the Nice seafront, the dead still lay scattered across the Promenade des Anglais.
Here and there people sat with them, sometimes alone, sometimes in little huddles of family and friends.
Some had only the comfort of strangers in the aftermath of yesterday evening's massacre.
One victim, a small child who like so many others had been allowed to stay up late to see the fireworks, lay dead on the tarmac with a doll close by.
"You would think you could do something to help by being there. But we were useless," said Tarubi Wahid Mosta, who tried to do what he could in the aftermath of the attack.
"All these families who have already spent a long time at their sides are likely -- given the horrible number of the dead -- to spend hours on the ground holding the cold hands of bodies dismembered by the truck.
"You can't even speak to them or comfort them. That is the hardest thing, to be useless at such a horrible moment," the actor wrote on his Facebook page.
One photograph he posted showed a women wearing a headscarf kneeling over a body.
"In the middle of all this is a Muslim family... One of whom did not escape this crazy lorry," he said. "Once again everyone has been touched, whether they were believers or not."
Outside a Nice hospital a grieving family later told reporters that their mother, a devout Muslim, had been the first of the lorry's 84 victims.
Long after dawn broke some of the victims were still lying on the promenade covered with blue and white sheets as the first of the morning joggers set out along the Bay of Angels.
Nice is a town that likes to party and was built to a great extent as a playground for the European aristocracy and industrialists who wintered on the French Riviera in the late 19th century.
Its carnival is the third biggest in the world after Venice and Rio.
Like the carnival, the Bastille Day fireworks display is a huge family occasion, with children allowed to stay up well after their normal bedtimes to enjoy the spectacle.
Several children were among the dead, President Francois Hollande said. Authorities later confirmed that around 50 were hurt, many seriously.
Several leaders of Sikh groups who had planned to take part in a protest march in Faridkot district were taken into preventive custody in the wee hours today by Punjab police.
Though officials remained mum on the number of activists arrested, one of the leaders claimed nearly 100 people were taken into custody.
The Sarbat Khalsa Jathedars had given the call for the protest march from Bhagta Bhai Ka to Bargari against the "failure" of the government to arrest those involved in alleged acts of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib reported from various places in the state.
The march was scheduled for July 17.
Those arrested include SAD leaders of Amritsar, United Akali Dal and various other Sikh organisations.
Police have surrounded the Dera of Bhai Amrik Singh Ajnala, the Sarbat Khalsa-appointed Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur.
Meanwhile, All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) president Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad condemned the arrests and said that this was akin to curbing democratic rights.
With a winning bid decided upon, the Seneca County Industrial Development Agency released details on the full 16 proposals submitted during the bidding process for the former Seneca Army Depot land on Thursday after The Citizen filed a Freedom of Information Law request.
Proposals ranged from requesting the full 7,000 acres of land to parcels as small as 18 acres. The bids ranged from $1 to $1,243,375, and included next door neighbors of the land, and groups from as far away as North Dakota.
The majority of the proposals included some mention of the Seneca white deer herd, which many, including the nonprofit organization, Seneca White Deer, Inc., wished to see conserved once the army left the site.
The highest bid submitted to the IDA came from Steve Hoberman, manager of Technics Publications based out of New Jersey. His proposal centered around a book publishing house in addition to creating a conference center focused on data technology. He planned to keep the deer population at its current levels, and relocate the deer should they become overpopulated.
The lowest bids of $1 came from the Seneca White Deer, the town of Varick and Seneca County. The town of Varick and Seneca White Deer had combined forces in one of the proposals, focusing on rehabilitating the declining white deer population and creating ecotourism opportunities. Seneca White Deer also submitted its own proposal, which included the same information as with the town of Varick's proposal.
Seneca County's proposal was only for the airfield space. The county hoped to continue its current purpose as a fire training facility and a state police training facility.
Finger Lakes Railway also put in a bid of $110,000 for about 500 acres plus about 20 miles of railroad track. The railway's idea was to support the nearby business Anderson Romulus Car Shop, while increasing its reach making the land attractive for new economic development.
Several people who own adjacent parcels to the depot, bid on parts of the land. Others bid from afar, including the Nokota Horse Conservatory. The nonprofit organization based out of North Dakota, planned to house some of its wild horses on the property, which they felt would cohabit with the white deer. The IDA deemed its bid incomplete, however. The conservatory did not include a bidding price.
Ultimately, the IDA chose Earl Martin, owner of Seneca Iron Works, as the winning bidder. For $900,000, Martin will be transferred all the depot land, which he will use to preserve the white deer, bolster his own business, and create a cultural tourism complex. That complex will feature a Cold War museum, horse and wagon tours of the depot, Amish and Mennonite attractions and bird watching opportunities. Martin will also lease or sell the airfield space so police and fire departments can continue to utilize it.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha today made a "surprise" visit to domestic terminal of the GMR-run Delhi Airport, where hundreds of fliers had to sweat it out due to the malfunctioning in the air-conditioning system earlier this month.
"Surprise visit to the T1 terminal of Delhi airport. Closely studied infrastructure and facilities for passengers," Sinha tweeted today after the visit.
The Delhi airport is operated under the joint venture company, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), in which diversified group GMR, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Germany's Fraport are the stakeholders.
Sinha, who moved to Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan from North Block following the July 5 Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had last week conducted review meetings with the ministry officials to understand the opportunities and challenges in domestic aviation sector.
Significantly, hundreds of passengers had to sweat it out at the domestic terminal of the Delhi Airport last Friday as its air-conditioning system failed during excavation work at the adjacent construction site of Delhi Metro's Terminal 1 station.
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) authorities had said the incident happened when a portion of the pipe that supplies water to the cooling system was damaged during the construction work for the upcoming station's entry and exit points.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today held a meeting with officials to discuss the implementation of the 'Mohalla Sabha' project in the national capital city.
Last month, the AAP government had approved formation of 2,972 mohalla sabhas across 70 Assembly constituencies in Delhi for encouraging people's participation in governance at the local level.
"The Deputy CM held a preparatory meeting with officials concerned to discuss the implementation of the Mohalla Sabha project," said a senior government official.
According to the government's plan, development work worth Rs 350 crore under the Citizen Local Area Development (C-LAD) will be decided through these sabhas.
Besides choosing development projects, mohalla sabhas will coordinate with different government agencies for the execution of developmental work, identify and facilitate beneficiaries for different social sector schemes such as old age pension, and address local grievances with the help of local officers.
Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigating Team (SIT) on black money today said that around Rs 133 crore cash was recovered from three educational institutions in the last fortnight.
Its deputy chairman Justice Arijit Pasayat did not disclose details of the recovery but said the SIT is likely to submit its fifth interim report to the apex Court in the first week of August.
The SIT has made certain recommendations to the Union government to tap the black money inside the country, he told newsmen here.
Justice Pasayat said at least 120 people whose names had appeared in Panama Papers' list have already deposed before the SIT after they were issued notices.
"Recording of statements of around 250 NRIs, whose names have appeared in the list, is taking time", he said.
After meeting the SIT deputy chairman, Odisha DGP K B Singh said the state police will continue its offensive against organised crime syndicates who are dealing mostly with black money.
Singh said he had made some presentations about it before the SIT deputy chairman.
Six policemen were injured today as a police station in Kulgam district, about 75 kms from here, was attacked with a grenade and firing by suspected militants who had mixed with a mob of stone-pelters, a police official said.
"Someone from the mob hurled a grenade towards the police personnel during stone pelting on police station Yaripora. The grenade attack was followed by firing also," the official said.
At least six policemen were injured in the attack, he said, adding condition of one of them is stated to be critical.
Earlier, police officials had said one policeman was killed in the attack. However, as the injured were evacuated from the police station premises, all the six injured cops were found alive.
Apprehending mob attacks on the ambulance en route to a hospital here, the authorities used a helicopter to evacuate the injured policemen, the official said.
He said the critically injured cop has been admitted to the 92 Base hospital of the Army here.
Stressing the need for making youths employable, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the state government will provide skill development training to one crore people in the state by 2020.
"The state government will provide skill development training to one crore youths of the state by 2020 in order to make them self-dependent. Our youths are meritorious and they just need opportunity ... I am quite confident we will achieve our goals," Kumar said.
He was addressing a function organised by Bihar Skill Development Mission (BSDM) on the occasion of 'World Youth Skill Development Day' here.
Skill development figures in Bihar government's ambitious 'seven resolves' which talks about overall development of the state and its people.
State's labour resources department along with BSDM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Ltd (MKCL), Kumar said, adding MKCL would be the state government's knowledge partner in the field of skill development.
The MoU, which was signed by state's Labour Resources Department's Principal Secretary Dipak Kumar Singh and MKCL's Chief Executive Office Vivek Sawant, aims to carry out skill development of the youths of Bihar.
"There is a need for good and quality institutions and centres for carrying out skill development in the state so that youths get proper training and not certificates in the name of training," Kumar said.
The chief minister added that the state government has focused its attention towards skill development of youths under its 'seven resolves'.
Youths in the age group of 20 to 25 years searching for jobs would be given skill development training and allowances.
To provide skill development, the government plans to set up 'Skill Development Centres' in every block, besides imparting the youths with communication skill, soft skill and IT training.
The state government has already taken a decision to open Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) at sub-divisional level, besides opening ITIs in every district for women, Kumar said.
Engineering colleges would be opened in every district and nursing colleges would be opened in all medical colleges of the state, he said.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were state water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, labour resources minister Vijay Prakash and education minister Ashok Choudhary.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to submit a detailed status report on the installation of rain water harvesting systems (RWHS) in residents welfare associations in the state.
A bench headed by Justice M S Nambiar also pulled up the DJB for delay in compliance of its April 18 order that had sought information on RWHS and directed it to submit the report in three weeks.
It said a petition seeking the installation of rainwater harvesting systems in hotels, hospitals and malls in the national capital has been pending before it for the last three years and added that the process in housing societies should be pursued simultaneously.
"DJB is directed to submit a detailed status report on the progress made on this aspect within three weeks before the tribunal. List the matter on August 4, 2016, for submitting the status report," the bench said.
During the hearing, an assistant engineer of the Delhi Jal Board told the green panel it has started three rain centres at Dwarka, R K Puram and Lajpat Nagar.
The tribunal also dropped proceedings against Jaypee Sidharth Hotel after it was informed that the design of the rainwater harvesting systems was duly-approved by the DJB and was functioning properly.
Taking several hospitals, malls and hotels to task for not complying with its orders on rainwater harvesting, NGT had last year imposed fines and issued warrants to many of them for not installing these systems.
The NGT was hearing a petition by Noida resident Vikrant Kumar Tongad who had sought directions to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to install proper rainwater harvesting systems on all its existing, proposed and under-construction metro stations, tracks and depots.
The green panel has widened the ambit of the petition and incorporated various other establishments like hospitals, hotels and malls.
Republic of Suriname today announced opening of its Honorary Consulate office here and appointed Asif Iqbal as the Honorary Consul.
The Honorary Consulate, which will have consular jurisdiction over Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, will work towards strengthening the educational, scientific, cultural and economic ties between the two countries, according to an official release.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Suriname, Winston Lackin announced the appointment of Iqbal as the Honorary Consul and the Ministry of External affairs in India has conveyed the concurrence of the Indian President to the appointment, it said.
Suriname's Ambassador in India, Aashna Wandana Kanhai, said the South American country is 80 per cent filled with rain-forests and is the largest exporter of bauxite to India.
Iqbal said there will be trade delegations and official exploratory trips to Suriname organised by the Honorary Consulate in October 2016 from here.
The Indo Suriname Chamber of Commerce in India has taken delegations to Suriname in the last two years and invited many investors for investment in Telangana focused on agricultural cooperation and food processing, it further said.
Delhi High Court today granted a last opportunity to the Aam Aadmi Party government to respond to the plea of Sushil Sharma, former youth Congress leader convicted in the 'Tandoor murder' case, for his premature release from Tihar Jail here.
Justice Vipin Sanghi made it clear that if the Delhi government does not file its counter affidavit stating the reason for rejecting Sharma's plea for premature release, then its Deputy Secretary, Home Department would have to be present in court on the next date of hearing.
With this direction, the court listed the matter for further hearing on September 20.
The court had earlier directed the government to also place on record the decision, if any, passed by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) in Sharma's case.
Despite the decision taken by the Sentence Reviewing Board (SRB) headed by the Delhi Home Minister, premature release is subject to approval of the LG.
In his plea filed through advocate Sumeet Verma, Sharma has alleged that without any communication from the competent authority (the LG) about finality of the decision, he was forced to return to jail on April 12.
The government's home department had informed them on May 2 about the LG's decision which was not on record, Verma had told the court earlier.
The high court had on September 15 last year said Sharma will remain out of jail on parole till the competent authority decided his plea seeking remission and premature release.
Sharma in his application has contended that he has remained in jail for over 25 years, which is maximum as per SRB guidelines and hence should be released from jail.
Sharma was convicted for the sensational murder of his wife Naina Sahni. He had shot her with his licensed revolver on July 2, 1995, took her body to a restaurant, chopped it into pieces and tried to burn them in the oven (Tandoor). The case then came to be known as 'Tandoor murder case'.
The Supreme Court had commuted to life imprisonment the death penalty awarded to Sharma by a trial court in 2003 and upheld by the high court in 2007, saying the murder was the outcome of "strained personal relationship" and the convict was "not a confirmed criminal".
While reducing the sentence, the apex court had said "life sentence is for the whole of remaining life of Sharma subject to remission granted by the appropriate government under Code of Criminal Procedure.
Ten children and teenagers were among those killed by a Tunisian-born man who drove a lorry into crowds at a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, a prosecutor said today.
As well as the 84 dead, 202 people were hurt in last night's attack, anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters, "of which 10 were children and adolescents".
Thousands of protesters marched in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir today to denounce recent deadly clashes with Indian security forces, with some calling for war over the disputed frontier.
About 4,000 people gathered in Muzaffarabad, some carrying photos of slain rebel leader Burhan Wani, whose killing last week sparked unrest that killed 32 people -- the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010 when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule.
Students, lawyers, traders, political activists and members of militant groups gathered at today's protest, where the local head of hardline militant group, Jamat-ud-Dawa, issued a call to arms.
WASHINGTON With all the frightening stories of gun-inspired mayhem recently, it may seem odd that I choose to lead off my humble column with stories of hope and moral change that many of us lived through 50 years ago in Chicago.
I was working for The Chicago Daily News then, and two of our best reporters wrote a spectacular series called "The Panic Peddlers," which was the story of how unscrupulous white real estate agents on the South Side of Chicago were sowing fear of "black takeover" in white neighborhoods and getting whites to sell on the cheap to middlemen who then sold to blacks at exorbitant rates.
The series was brilliant but, in fact, the ideal of integration had no chance of progressing. I know because my family lived in the Gresham neighborhood, one of the neighborhoods so "threatened." Today, on the blocks where I grew up, the bungalows are perfectly well-kept by their black owners, but the neighborhood and schools are now where black youngsters are murdered every day.
We young journalists tried other ways to break up the logjam of racial cement that seemed to deny any change in race relations. I went to our editor one day and said angrily that we weren't covering a third of the city. He was bewildered. But when I told him I was talking about black Chicago, he authorized a 30-part series on the subject. It, too, helped a little.
Today one wonders what has happened to those years gone by, when many Americans, of all colors, were sure that racial change was well on its way.
Instead, we see, as The Washington Post headlined this week, echoing Barak Obama's thoughts, "The hopeful vision of a post-racial America was a fantasy."
Well I, for one, do not agree with that. I tend to think, rather, that we have entered a new phase of the problem. How can anyone miss the changes? African-Americans are all over the media, in great numbers and class; a black man was elected president and there are elected black officials in every corner of the nation; blacks and whites socialize together in ways only dreamed of back in those days I remember.
That the future we are living is not perfect is too bad, but it is typical of nonviolent change. And if we do something REALLY terrible, shortsighted and unjust if we keep repeating that nothing has changed then we cut ourselves off from future change, which must have the achievements of my generation to build upon.
Some thoughts:
It seems that many African-Americans (and whites, as well) thought the election of Barack Obama would so excite and invigorate the black community that we would see massive changes in race relations. But that was never in the cards.
For poor, uneducated African-American young men, I sense that the president has been a terrible disappointment because his election did not really change THEIR lives at all. It was just the opposite of what had been expected.
America's attention over the last eight years and more has not been on race relations for the simple fact that we have been too busy fighting overseas wars that we were obviously not going to win.
I find it impossible to believe that there is not some oddly calibrated connection between the hideously violent news reports from Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Somalia and Mali every night and the murderous shooting of African-American young men and/or white policemen every day.
In short, the wars fought so viciously in the greater Middle East, the resorting to torture, and America's strange lack of interest in or shame about these wars can only have been inspiration for young killers like the disgruntled former serviceman in Dallas for bringing the violence of the battlefield home with them.
The African-American community has had to bear the largest burden of white policemen who obviously are too quick on the draw and not at all quick enough to understand the communities they police. Policing in many places, starting with Chicago, MUST be reformed.
But the blame here is not merely on white America. Nothing will be accomplished until black America begins talking turkey to its own. We should all know the story by now: African-American boys with no fathers are a central problem of race relations today. Yet even the most cultured and prominent black American leaders and thinkers seem unable or unwilling to deal with this complex subject, still choosing to blame everything on white authority figures.
In short, the idea that there is no "post-racial society" is bunk. We have made enormous strides forward. No other society even comes close. But there is never a perfect ending, despite what the movies say.
We should be celebrating our victories of 50 years ago and then, identifying the new problems, keep going.
Thousands of people rallied in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok) today to protest the deadly clashes between the people and Indian security forces in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.
The biggest protest was organised in Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, where nearly 5,000 people marched shouting slogans against India after the Friday prayers.
"About 5,000 people protested in Muzarrafabad, while small rallies were held at other places," a police official said.
People chanted slogan against India and its security forces, while demanding UN intervention to organise a plebiscite in the state.
They also carried posters of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani, whose killing last week sparked the current unrest in Kashmir in which 38 people have lost their lives.
The activists of various religious groups and civil society, including supporters of Jamat-ud-Dawa, took part in the protest.
In the speeches the leaders of the participants criticised India.
"India only understands the language of bullets and not the voice of peaceful people. We have no other option, just to start an armed struggle for freedom of Kashmir," said Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi.
Later, the protesters dispersed peacefully.
More violent and bigger protests are expected next Tuesday which has been officially declared by Pakistan as 'black day' to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today paid floral tributes to the statue of veteran Congress leader K Kamaraj here on his 113th birth anniversary.
Addressing celebrations, organised by the Directorate of School Education he said the territorial government was keen on providing quality education as visualised by the late leader Kamaraj.
"We have sought sufficient funds from the Centre for development of education," he said, while stressing that the Centre should ensure that all states had balanced development.
He also said that Puducherry government would spare no efforts to ascertain its rights.
Ministers, ruling Congress party legislators and functionaries of different wings ofthe party were among those who paid respects to the statue.
Former CM and founder of the opposition AINRC N Rangasamy accompanied by his party legislators paid tributes to the portrait of Kamaraj on the premises of the AINRC party office.
The TRS would take up the issue of bifurcation of High Court here from the opening day of Parliament session itself to press the Central government's intervention on the issue, a key party leader said today.
"Main issue will be bifurcation of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. We will take it up from day one," Kalvakuntla Kavitha, Nizamabad Lok Sabha member and daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, told PTI here.
The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad is currently serving both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
She said Parliament members of TRS would meet in New Delhi on July 17, a day before the commencement of the Monsoon session of the House, to decide the strategy but added that the party's protest on the issue would be "serious".
In addition, many lawyers from Telangana would come down to New Delhi on various days of the session and stage protests in Jantar Mantar in the national capital to exert pressure on the bifurcation issue.
"We will be expressing our solidarity with them and constantly keep the pressure on so that the government will intervene and bifurcate the High Court," Kavitha said.
Meanwhile, she said the Chief Minister would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate "Mission Kakatiya", a programme to rejuvenate water tanks and lakes in the state, slated next month.
On GST, Kavitha said TRS has always been supportive of it as it believes its good for the country but added that her party has reservations on one or two issues.
Arunachal Pradesh appeared headed for another round of political turmoil with the Governor today rejecting resinstated Chief Minister Nabam Tuki's plea for deferring the floor test which he was directed to take by tomorrow to prove his majority in the Assembly.
Tuki, who was reinstalled by the Supreme Court on Wednesday, met acting Governor Tathagata Roy today and sought postponement of the floor test by at least ten days.
Tuki could face an uphill task to prove his majority since ousted Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has claimed the support of 43 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.
Pul, accompanied by 43 MLAs including 11 BJP and two independent members, are slated to arrive here from Guwahati late night, sources said. Pul heads the People's Party of Arunachal(PPA), which also includes Congress rebels.
Tuki told reporters after meeting the Governor, who yesterday gave the direction for taking the floor test by July 16, that he sought more time on the advice of legal experts.
The Governor, however, rejected the plea of Tuki, who led a Congress government that fell in January after the controversial role played by the then Governor J P Rajkhowa.
Citing apprehension that the present government does not command required majority in the Assembly, the Governor asked Tuki to prove his majority on the floor of the House tomorrow, a Raj Bhavan communique here said.
The Governor also emphasised that a sense of security among the people must prevail and deterrent action must be taken to ensure foolproof law and order arrangement in the state, the communique added.
Tuki, accompanied by Home Minister Tanga Byaling, called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan during the day and requested him to defer the show of strength by 10 days, saying that it was not possible to hold it at a short notice.
"I requested time for 10 days at least to prove my majority on the floor of the House. Governor said he will consult with legal experts, take advice of the Advocate General and decide appropriately," Tuki said when asked about the Governor's response to his plea. Tuki yesterday appealed to the Congress rebels to return to the party fold.
Assembly Speaker Nabam Rebia said it would not be possible to convene a session of the Assembly at such a short notice.
"There is an established system (for convening a session. A letter has to come from the parliamentary affairs department and we will have to issue summons," he said.
The district administration has made elaborate security arrangement for the proposed floor test.
A Tunisian-born man zigzagged a truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing at least 84 and injuring dozens of children, an attack that plunged the country again into grief and anger.
At least 10 children and teenagers were among the dead, mown down as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel ploughed his lorry through the festive crowd of thousands watching a fireworks display for France's national day.
France's anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins said the 31-year-old Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was "completely unknown" to the intelligence services but that the attack was "exactly in line with" calls from jihadist groups to kill.
As France was left reeling from its third major attack within 18 months, President Francois Hollande warned that the toll could rise further, with more than 50 people fighting for their lives.
The attack left a scene of carnage on Nice's famous Promenade des Anglais, with mangled bodies strewn over the palm tree-lined walkway.
AFP reporter Robert Holloway witnessed the white truck driving at speed into the crowd, causing "absolute chaos".
"It was hurtling towards us and we had just enough time to yell at each other 'get out of the way!'," he said.
One witness said a motorcyclist tried to stop the rampage by drawing level with the truck and attempting to open the door of its cab before he fell and ended up under its wheels.
Dramatic video footage showed police surrounding the heavily damaged truck and firing through the windscreen to kill the attacker.
The massacre again prompted questions as to why France is such a persistent target for such attacks and what can be done to prevent such a unsophisticated assault.
Hollande's political opponents were already asking questions as to how such a tragedy could strike France again, with French presidential contender Alain Juppe saying it could have been avoided if "all measures" had been taken.
Hollande said many foreigners were among the dead and injured in what he described as a "terrorist attack."
"France was struck on its national day... The symbol of freedom," Hollande said in a sombre televised address.
Two US citizens, a Ukrainian and a Russian woman were killed, their countries said.
Hollande said France would observe three days of national mourning tomorrow, Paris city hall said the Eiffel Tower will be lit in France's national colours today in tribute to the victims.
A shellshocked France found itself in mourning again after attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine in January 2015 and the shootings and suicide bombings in Paris last November left a total of 147 dead.
The country has been in a state of emergency since November with heightened security, but the Nice carnage showed how vulnerable it remains to an attack by what appeared to be a determined individual.
A Tunisian-born man zigzagged a truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing at least 84 and injuring dozens of children, an attack that plunged the country again into grief and anger.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls today called the man who rammed his truck into the crowd in Nice a 'terrorist' with probable links to radical Islam.
At least 10 children and teenagers were among the dead, mown down as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel ploughed his lorry through the festive crowd of thousands watching fireworks for France's national day last night.
Anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins said the Tunisian attacker was "completely unknown" to the intelligence services but that the assault was "exactly in line with" calls from jihadist groups to kill.
Valls said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, was "probably linked to radical Islam in one way or another".
As France was left reeling from its third major attack within 18 months, President Francois Hollande warned that the toll could rise further, with more than 50 people fighting for their lives.
The attack left a scene of carnage on Nice's picturesque Promenade des Anglais, with mangled bodies strewn over the palm-fringed walkway.
AFP reporter Robert Holloway witnessed the white truck driving at speed into the crowd, causing "absolute chaos".
"It was hurtling towards us and we had just enough time to yell at each other 'get out of the way!'," he said.
Dramatic video footage showed police surrounding the heavily damaged truck and firing through the windscreen to kill the attacker.
The massacre again prompted questions as to why France is such a persistent target for such attacks and what can be done to prevent such an unsophisticated assault.
Hollande's political opponents were already pointing the finger, with presidential contender Alain Juppe saying the carnage could have been avoided if "all measures" had been taken.
Hollande said many foreigners were among the dead and injured in what he described as a "terrorist attack".
"France was struck on its national day... The symbol of freedom," the president said in a sombre televised address.
Two US citizens, a Russian woman, a Ukrainian, two Swiss nationals and three Germans were killed.
A Texas-based newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, named the American victims as Sean Copeland, 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie.
Hollande said France would observe three days of national mourning from tomorrow and Paris city hall said the Eiffel Tower was to be lit in France's national colours today in tribute to the victims.
Two American citizens were killed in the truck attack in Nice, which has left at least 84 people dead, the US State Department spokesman said today.
"At this time, we are aware of and can confirm two US citizens were killed in the attack in Nice on July 14, 2016," spokesman John Kirby said.
"We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of those killed."
The statement was issued as US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Moscow for talks on Syria with his Russian counterpart.
Kirby did not identify the two dead but added the United States was providing "all possible consular assistance" to its citizens.
A Texas-based newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, reported that 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were among those killed in Nice, citing their friends and relatives.
A gunman drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day last night in the French Riviera city of Nice in what authorities have called a "terrorist" attack.
Kirby's announcement came after US President Barack Obama strongly condemned what he said was a "horrific terrorist attack" and said the United States stood "in solidarity and partnership with France."
"Our embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for the welfare of US citizens in Nice," Kirby said. "Any US citizens in Nice should contact friends and family directly to inform them of their well being.
Two persons were allegedly killed by their brothers in two separate incidents over petty disputes in the national capital, police said today.
In the first incident, a 30-year-old autorickshaw driver Sukhwinder--a resident of Anand Parbat in central Delhi, was hit with an iron rod by his elder brother Dharam Singh, 35, last night.
Sukhwinder was admitted to a hospital where he succumbed to his injury this afternoon, police said.
Both the brothers worked as autorickshaw drivers.
Dharam used to live in Burari and last night he visited his younger brother. They had some dispute during which the accused hit the victim with an iron rod, a senior police officer said, adding Dharam has been arrested.
He alleged that Sukhwinder had grabbed his property as a result of which he was depressed, said the officer.
In another incident, 20-year-old Jane Alam was stabbed multiple times by his elder brother over a petty dispute in Nand Nagri area of east Delhi on Wednesday night.
Jane succumbed due to excessive bleeding while undergoing treatment at GTB hospital last evening.
The victim and his elder brother Shah Alam, 20, had a fight over some issue while they were at their home in Sundar Nagari on July 13, police said.
When their father Mehrajuddin admonished them, they went out of their house and later family members were alarmed by the shrieks and cries of help by the younger sibling, they said.
Family members found Jane swathed in blood and rushed him to hospital. He was stabbed seven times allegedly by Shah who escaped after the incident, said a senior officer.
The stab wounds, confined mostly to the arms and legs of Jane, led to excessive bleeding and he died undergoing treatment at GTB hospital, said the officer.
A case was registered against Shah and now the charge of murder has also been added. He is absconding and efforts are being made to arrest him at the earliest, he added.
Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May today said the country must "redouble" its efforts against terrorism in the wake of the Bastille Day attack in the French city of Nice in which at least 84 people were killed.
Downing Street said a "small number" of British citizens were injured when a Tunisian-born man ploughed a lorry through crowds in the beach town.
"If, as we fear, this was a terrorist attack then we must redouble our efforts to defeat these brutal murderers who want to destroy our way of life,"May said.
She said she would speak to French President Francois Hollande "and make clear that the United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with France today as we have done so often in the past".
A meeting has already been called of senior officials in the UK government's emergency Cobra committee to see what Britain can do to help, May indicated before heading to Scotland for Brexit talks.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he would review the capital's safety measures in light of the attack along with the Scotland Yard.
"I and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will do everything possible to keep Londoners safe. The Met police services and security services do an amazing job every day keeping us safe. They regularly review security measures but clearly as the terrorists evolve the way they try and hurt us we've got to evolve how we keep ourselves safe.
"It's really important we don't allow these terrorists, those involved with this evil and cowardly attack, to allow them to change the way we live our lives," he said.
The National Police Chiefs' Council is asking all UK forces to review major events over the next week to ensure "appropriate" security is in place.
Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain's new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador's Bastille Day party here yesterday, tweeted: "Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life."
French media reports say the attacker has been identified as 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who lived locally. The attack in Nice's Promenade des Anglais occurred at about 2300 local time during celebrations to mark Bastille Day - France's national day.
Meanwhile, May made Scotland her priority as Britain's new Prime Minister as she travelled to Edinburgh to hold talks with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The two leaders discussed the future of the UK and its relationship with the European Union (EU) after Britain voted to exit the economic bloc even though Scotland had voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining within the EU.
May left Sturgeon's official residence, Bute House, after about 45 minutes, following a meeting she described as "positive". "I'm willing to listen to options and I've been very clear with the first minister today that I want the Scottish government to be fully engaged in our discussion," she said after the meeting.
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"I have already said that I won't be triggering Article 50 until I think that we have a UK approach and objectives for negotiations - I think it is important that we establish that before we trigger Article 50," she added in reference to the official process that will kick-start post-Brexit negotiations with the EU.
Asked about the possibility of a second referendum on Scottish independence, May said Scottish people had sent a "very clear message" in the referendum held in 2014.
"Both the United Kingdom government and the Scottish government said they would abide by that. We now have the challenge though as the United Kingdom, to ensure that we can get the best possible deal for the whole of the United Kingdom from the EU negotiations when the UK leaves the EU. I'm very clear that the government I lead will be for all parts of the United Kingdom and for all people," she said.
Sturgeon said she was "very pleased" that May would be willing to consider any options that the Scottish government now bring forward to secure Scotland's relationship with the European Union.
"I have been very clear that we have to make sure that Scotland's interests are protected and I want to examine every option of doing that," she said.
The First Minister has said she wants to find ways to protect areas including trade, university research, the rights of workers and influence on global policy, such as climate change.
Condemning the terrorist attack in the French city of Nice that killed 84 people, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed onthe need to intensify "regional and international efforts" to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
Ban, in astatementissued by hisspokesperson here, expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims of the "horrific act.
"The Secretary-General hopes that all those responsible for this massacre will be rapidly identified and brought to justice. He stands firmly by the French Government and people as they confront this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism," the statement said.
Late last night, the UN Security Council also condemned in the strongest terms the "barbaric and cowardly" terrorist attack that killed over 84 people, including children, and injured several others, underlining the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice.
In a press statement, the 15-member Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.
"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack" on Bastille Day.
Over 84 people were killed and dozens injured when a truck mowed into a crowded street of revellers in thesouthern French city of Nice.
The driver of the truck wasshot to death by the police
This was the third major terrorist attack in France after the horrific Paris terror attacks in November last year in which130 people were killed. Also in January last year, a mass shooting at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo office in Paris, carried out by two Islamist gunmen, killed 17 people, followed by another terror attack next day in a Jewish grocery store, where four people were shot dead.
Expressing deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, the Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable,regardless of their motivation and by whomsoever committed.
President of the General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft expressed "horror" at the "carnage" during the Bastille Day celebrations.
"This slaughter of innocent civilians is yet another horrific example of the terrorist movement's total contempt for any kind of humanity. We have seen a number of these mass killings across the world in recent weeks and it is a dire call for even stronger international counterterrorism cooperation," he said in a statement.
He expressed condolences to the people and government of France "who have born the brunt of so much carnage recently".
The United Nations said Yemen's peace talks were expected to resume later today or the next day despite a threat by the government to boycott the negotiations.
The rebel delegation of Shiite Huthis and representatives of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's General People's Congress party was on its way to Kuwait City for the talks, a rebel spokesman said.
UN special envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed arrived in Riyadh for talks with Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in an apparent last-ditch effort to convince the government to attend the talks.
Ould Cheikh Ahmed "will leave to Kuwait along with the government delegation", a spokesman for the UN envoy told AFP, adding that the talks were scheduled to resume later in the day "or tomorrow".
The rebel delegation left for Kuwait after a day-long stop in Oman during which they said they met Foreign Minister Yussef bin Alawi.
Unlike its Gulf neighbours, Oman maintains good ties with Shiite Iran, a key backer of the Huthi rebels in Yemen.
"We are committed to the time" for the resumption of talks and "to everything we had (previously) agreed on", media adviser to the rebel delegation Ahmad Ghilan told AFP in a text message.
Sources close to the Yemen government told AFP Ould Cheikh Ahmed was to brief Hadi and the government delegation on the outcome of his talks with the rebels.
Hadi formed a committee of advisers and delegates to the talks to "prepare a document containing the government's view on resuming its participation" in the negotiations, a government official told AFP.
Abdullah al-Olaimi, deputy manager of Yemen's presidential office, tweeted that the government delegation will not be in Kuwait today.
More than two months of negotiations between Hadi's Saudi-backed government and the rebels have failed to make any headway.
The government is calling for implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2216 which requires the rebels and their allies to withdraw from areas they have occupied since 2014, including the capital Sanaa, and hand over heavy weapons.
Hadi on Sunday warned that his government would boycott the talks if the UN envoy insists on a roadmap stipulating a unity government that includes the insurgents.
The United States offered Russia a broad new military partnership in Syria, hoping the attraction of a unified campaign against the Islamic State (IS) group and Al-Qaida and a Russian commitment to ground Syria's bombers could end five years of civil war. If finalised, the deal could dramatically alter America's role in the conflict.
US Secretary of State John Kerry met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin yesterday to present him the new ideas. The eight-page proposal, which The Washington Post published on its website, shows the US offering intelligence and targeting sharing, and even joint bombing operations. It is a pact Moscow long had wanted, but the Obama administration had been resisting.
"Hopefully we'll be able to make some genuine progress that is measurable and implementable and that can make a difference in the course of events in Syria," Kerry said. Putin said he was looking for "tangible results".
The proposal would undercut months of US criticism of Russia's military actions in Syria, and put the United States alongside Syrian President Bashar Assad's chief backer, despite years of American demands for Assad to leave power.
Russia would get what it has wanted since intervening in Syria on Assad's behalf last September: Leadership of an anti-terrorism alliance.
Much of Washington is wary about working too closely with Russia. A dissent cable signed by 51 State Department officials last month showed a sizable part of America's diplomatic establishment believing a US military response against Assad's forces was necessary.
Opposition to this latest Syria plan is shared by a significant number of officials at the State Department and the Pentagon and among US intelligence agencies, according to several American officials.
In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Russia had to limit its targeting to extremist groups such as IS and the Nusra Front, Al-Qaida's Syrian affiliate, and not the more moderate opposition forces fighting Assad's government.
"There's a clear contradiction in Russia's approach to this situation," Earnest said. While Moscow often talks about terrorism, he said it uses its "military might to prop up the Assad regime at the expense, or in some cases even to the detriment, of our efforts to go after extremists".
The UN today condemned the "barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack" in France that killed at least 84 people, including children, and underlined the need to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The 15-member UN Security Council reaffirmed that, "terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security".
"The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack on Bastille Day," the UNSC said in a statement.
At least 84 people were killed and dozens injured when a truck mowed into a crowded street of revelers in thesouthern French city of Nice. The driver of the truck wasshot to death by the police.
The attack came just eight months after the horrific Paris terror attacks in which130 people were killed.
Expressing deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, the Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable,regardless of their motivation and by whomsoever committed.
"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice,' the UNSC said in a statement.
President of the General Assembly Mogens Lykketoft also "horror" at the "carnage" in Nice during the Bastille Day celebration.
"This slaughter of innocent civilians is yet another horrific example of the terrorist movement's total contempt for any kind of humanity. We have seen a number of these mass killings across the world in recent weeks and it is a dire call for even stronger international counterterrorism cooperation," he said.
He gave his condolences to the people and government of France "who have borne the brunt of so much carnage recently".
The top diplomats of Russia and the United States today joined forces to pay tribute to the victims of the Nice attacks but remained divided on how to deal with the war in Syria.
Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov took a break from their talks to visit the French embassy in Moscow to sign a book of condolences, before returning to their discussions.
A Russian delegation official told reporters that a planned conference had been postponed for at least two hours while the two sides separated to confer privately.
After observing a minute's silence for the victims ahead of the talks, Kerry stressed the urgency of closer cooperation in Syria after the Kremlin said today a US proposal for direct military cooperation in the war-torn country had not been addressed in earlier talks with President Vladimir Putin.
"Nowhere is there a greater hotbed and incubator for these terrorists than in Syria," Kerry said.
"And I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way" to fight terrorism, Kerry said.
"And you and I and your teams are in the enviable position of actually being able to do something about it," he added, addressing Lavrov.
Kerry's meeting with Lavrov -- which had been expected to finish earlier -- follows what the top US diplomat said were "serious and frank" talks with Putin yesterday.
But the Kremlin said today that direct military cooperation between Moscow and Washington in Syria, a proposal Kerry was set to make, had not been addressed in yesterday's talks.
According to a leaked document seen by the Washington Post, Kerry's key proposal is to offer Russia closer US military cooperation against the Al-Nusra Front jihadist group.
In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that the talks between Putin and Kerry had not marked the start of cooperation "to significantly improve the effectiveness of efforts in the fight against terrorism".
US officials were careful not to call the talks a last chance for diplomacy to resolve the bloody five-year-old conflict, but they warned time was running out.
Washington blames the failure of the peace process on Assad's ceasefire violations and on Al-Nusra's increasing influence among the surviving rebel factions.
Echoing the views of the two presidential candidates -- Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton -- that the US is at war with terror groups, the White House today said the country has been at war with al-Qaeda since 9/11 and important progress has been made on that front.
"The (US) President has said on a number of occasions that terrorists and al-Qaeda declared war on the United States on 9/11, and we have been at war with them ever since. And we have made important progress in that war," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
Earnest made the remarks while responding to questions from reporters on remarks made by both -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump -- after the terrorist attack in France on Thursday that the US is at war against Islamic extremists.
The two candidates meant ISIS and did not mention al- Qaeda in their interviews.
The White House said core al-Qaeda that previously used to operate and live with impunity in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region has been decimated.
There are al-Qaeda affiliates in other parts of the world that are the source of ongoing concern.
"There are also organisations like ISIL that trace their roots back to al-Qaeda, and obviously, that's one extremist organisation that does pose a threat and has attracted the intense attention of the United States and the international coalition that we lead," Earnest said.
Earnest said Obama has been pretty
unequivocal about all of that.
"We've also been quite unequivocal about the fact that we're still waiting on Congress to pass an authorisation to use military force against ISIL. I know there are some critics of the administration who like to talk tough and suggest that somehow we need to declare war on ISIL. I would encourage those individuals to consult a copy of the United States Constitution that many of them carry around in their suit pocket," he said in an apparent criticism of Trump saying that he would approach the Congress to declare war against such groups.
"They often wield that as evidence of their patriotism. Well, I would encourage them to consider that document carefully and actually remind themselves that it's Congress who has the authority to declare war," he said.
It is now been almost a year and half since Obama sent up legislative language for an authorisation to use military force that the Congress should pass.
"And passing that authorisation to use military force would send a clear signal to the American people, to our allies, and yes, to our enemies that the United States is united behind the President's strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL," he said.
"The truth of the matter is, our men and women in the intelligence community and our men and women in the military are doing their part to take the fight to ISIL, and it's time for members of Congress to do their job," Earnest said.
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"In Pakistan, in Western Pakistan, it's interesting. We haven't had soldiers there in over 10 years, yet we continue to diminish and degrade the capability of al-Qaida central to reach us strategically. I worry about this all the time, that without that presence there and the Pakistani army isn't in there very often either. Once in a while they come rumbling through, but that's not really that effective," Sheehan said.
"That they're there in those mountainous regions and what's interesting is we need Afghanistan almost as much as a base to attack the FATA than we need Afghanistan itself. Afghanistan has no strategic importance to the United States. However, the importance is that al-Qaida is there and blew up the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We can't allow that to come back again," Sheehan said.
"They are in Western Pakistan and for a variety of political reasons we can't put troops on the ground there so we've had to come up with a solution to diminish AQ in Pakistan without one soldier on the ground. So sometimes you have to come up with solutions with no troops on the ground.
"Other times if you have the ability to send 100,000 there it doesn't mean you should. So it's a matter of finding the right solution commensurate with the threat," Sheehan said.
The US Navy's top admiral is making a three-day visit to China and meeting with his Chinese counterpart at a time when Beijing has rejected an tribunal's ruling that invalidated its expansive claims in the .
Adm John Richardson, chief of naval operations, will meet the commander of the People's Liberation Army's Navy, Adm Wu Shengli, during his trip to Beijing and the port city of Qingdao starting Sunday.
They will discuss the South China Sea, ongoing Rim of the Pacific also called RIMPAC , military drills, and ways to boost interactions between the two militaries.
The visit comes as China has warned other countries against threatening its security in the .
The US Justice Department announced plans to launch an inquiry into the police response that followed last month's Orlando gay nightclub massacre that left 49 dead and 53 wounded.
The agency's unit dedicated to supporting community policing through grant funding and other assistance yesterday said it would conduct a "comprehensive after-action assessment" of the Orlando Police Department's response to the June 12 mass shooting, after a request by its chief, John Mina.
"The lessons learned from this independent, objective and critical review of such a high-profile incident will benefit not only the Orlando Police Department and its community," said Justice Department Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) chief Ronald Davis.
"It will also serve to provide all law enforcement critical guidance and recommendations for responding to future such incidents."
Lone gunman Omar Mateen - a 29-year-old American of Afghan descent - opened fire at about 2:00 am in the Pulse nightclub before taking hostages in a bathroom.
After Mateen took the hostages, three hours passed as he remained in contact with police negotiators, who blasted their way into the club around 5:00 am.
Mateen was ultimately killed in the crossfire.
Five weeks following the attack, several questions are remain unanswered concerning the police intervention. It is still unclear whether law enforcement inadvertently caused casualties after ramming the outside of the club with an armored vehicle and setting off explosives.
The Justice Department announcement refrained from suggesting that police may have wounded or killed any of the victims.
After a 13-year wait, the US on Friday published a redacted version of the 28-unreleased pages from the 9/11 report that show that the probe into the links between Saudi Arabia and the attacks found multiple suspicions but no proven ties.
The report indicates links between Saudi Arabian government and those behind 9/11 but such links have been dismissed as preliminary allegations which could not be corroborated by subsequent investigations.
The findings however showed an inability to "identify definitively" Saudi links to attacks on US soil and global terror.
"While in the United States, some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government," the declassified document said.
"These pages, while they don't shed any new light or change any of the conclusions about responsibilities for the 9/11 attacks, they are consistent with the commitments to transparency that the administration has tried to apply to even sensitive national security issues," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
"This material was investigative material that was reviewed and followed up on by the independent 9/11 Commission that was formed outside of the US government to take a look at the attacks of 9/11. The conclusion of the 9/11 Commission is or was, as they wrote, they found, quote, 'no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded al-Qaeda," Earnest said in response to a question.
The redacted version of the unreleased-28 pages of the 9/11 report were released by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
"However, it's important to note that this section does not put forward vetted conclusions, but rather unverified leads that were later fully investigated by the Intelligence Community," said its Chairman David Nunes.
Ranking member Adam Schiff hoped that the release of these pages, with appropriate redactions necessary to protect our nation's intelligence sources and methods, will diminish speculation that they contain proof of official Saudi government or senior Saudi official's involvement in the .
Simultaneously, the Office of Director of National Intelligence released a declassified executive summary of a 2005 joint CIA-FBI memorandum prepared in response to a congressional directive on the same topic.
The publication of the report brings to an end years of effort to declassify these documents.
"As someone who has always advocated for providing as much transparency as possible to the American people consistent with protecting our national security, I am pleased that these documents looking into the have finally been declassified and made public," said Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
Pelosi, the longest serving Member of the House Intelligence Committee, is a former Ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and was the top House Democrat on the Joint Congressional investigation looking into the 9/11 attack.
With West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cracking the whip on extortion, a person was arrested from New Town area in the northern fringes of Kolkata for allegedly involvement in obtaining money by threatening people.
Accused Md Muzammal Mollah was arrested for allegedly threatening and demanding money from a person on June 18, police said.
Mollah was charged under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder), they said.
Deputy Commissioner, Detective Department, of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate Santosh Pandey said 40 people have been arrested in the past 15 days from the area under their jurisdiction.
A councillor of the ruling Trinamool Congress in Salt Lake area was arrested on July 12 for his alleged involvement in extorting money from locals.
Growing bottled water market still needs one thing
Bottled waters popularity continues to grow globally, particularly in Asia. Last year, China overtook the USA as the worlds No.1 consumer of bottled water, while India sits at 10.
As with many foods and beverages, the drawcard is product purity. This years China-Australia trade conference heard of an increasing Chinese desire for Australian products, and while one of those was dairy, another stand-out was bottled water. But with all the interesting innovations discussed, theres still one basic that needs to be covered.
According to Zenith International, the Asian share of the bottled water market was 41% in 2015, up from 35% in 2011. That figure highlights the double-digit growth of the past five years, yet consumption per person (at this stage) is relatively low. This is the opposite to the Western European and North American markets, which have high per-capita consumption, yet much lower growth.
According to Zenith International, the Asian share of the bottled water market was 41% in 2015, up from 35% in 2011. That figure highlights the double-digit growth of the past five years, yet consumption per person (at this stage) is relatively low. This is the opposite to the Western European and North American markets, which have high per-capita consumption, yet much lower growth.
The China-Australia Agribusiness Trade and Investment conference, held in Australia earlier this year, heard Bank of China executive vice-president Gao Yingxin signpost an increasing desire for Australian products particularly bottled water, although dairy, beef and wine were also very popular.
More than 600 people (including from 120 Chinese businesses) attended the Sydney trade conference, which was hosted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bank of China. Among them was Henry Heng, CEO of Australian bottled water company Refresh Group, based in Western Australia, in Perth.
Mr Heng told Australias ABC radio that many Chinese people drank bottled water, but the growing middle class was increasingly leaning towards imported products and didnt mind paying a bit more for them. He said the although it was a niche market, there was a fair bit of imported bottled water in China.
Innovation
Established in 1997, Refresh is Australias largest producer of distilled drinking water under its brand Refresh Pure Water. However the company also produces a super-oxygenated water, called Oxyfresh, which has Himalayan crystal salt and up to 700% more oxygen than normal water. The manufacturer also produces other brands to fit different markets.
Such innovation is key to the growing bottled water market as evidenced by another Australian producer, AquaBotanical, which is bottled water made from rejected carrots. Former wine industry chemist Dr Bruce Kambouris, based in Mildura (in north-west Victoria), developed the product, which last year was a finalist in the Global Bottled Water Awards and won the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technologys innovation award.
Institute CEO Georgie Aley said AquaBotanical was different because it was a by-product of another food application. The innovative product is already being served in high-profile Sydney restaurant Gastro Park, where it has replaced established international brands.
Doing the basics
No matter how innovative the product, it wont go anywhere if it doesnt meet the basics in coding and labelling.
There are five main codes for beverage and food processors to be aware of:
Date codes: either use-by (the day and/or month by which the product must be consumed) or best-before (indicates when the product will begin to degrade from its optimal quality) Batch codes: all packages with the same batch number are considered to be the same in all respects (raw ingredients from the same supplier, manufacture time, and so on); this is critical for traceability Identification codes: can be in the form of barcodes or alphanumeric codes, and are also used to trace a product through the supply chain; they can be printed on labels that are affixed to the product, or printed or engraved directly onto it Barcodes: are used to identify food and beverages at product level, or at logistic levels on cartons or pallets QR codes and promotional codes: QR codes are two-dimensional, computer-generated images that can be scanned by smartphones or tablets to generate an action; the biggest benefit is the ability provide extra information to consumers without using up valuable packaging space
As well as offering product information, codes are also important for product traceability.
Product traceability is vital throughout the supply chain particularly with stringent product safety guidelines. But its also important to create a supply chain that does this cost effectively.
To be able to efficiently track and trace a product, it needs to be coded correctly. An integrated software solution, such as iDSNet, automates product coding, ensuring the right code is always applied be it date code, batch code, barcode or whichever other type of code and because its automated, the integration software enables faster product change-overs.
Having the correct code applied without the need for rework is critical for lean manufacturing processes, which are essential to creating and maintaining a cost-effective supply chain.
Specifically designed technology
There are several technologies that can be used in food and beverage coding and labelling.
Small Character Continuous Inkjet Coders ( CIJ ): these highly versatile, precise coders are ideal for high-speed lines and irregular products. They are well suited to coding variable information (such as: date codes, batch numbers, promotional codes, serialisation codes, product-identification codes, logo graphics and text.
these highly versatile, precise coders are ideal for high-speed lines and irregular products. They are well suited to coding variable information (such as: date codes, batch numbers, promotional codes, serialisation codes, product-identification codes, logo graphics and text. Lasers: are an extremely fast, cost-effective way to mark permanent codes onto food and beverage products. They can apply human-readable text (such as date and batch codes), as well as barcodes and graphics. Lasers can code onto glass, plastics (such as PET, polystyrene and polypropylene), metal and cardboard, and are often used in anti-counterfeiting and brand protection. They are suited where presentation is very important (g. wine), and on high-speed lines. (Lasers can also code onto cartons and other secondary packaging.)
are an extremely fast, cost-effective way to mark permanent codes onto food and beverage products. They can apply human-readable text (such as date and batch codes), as well as barcodes and graphics. Lasers can code onto glass, plastics (such as PET, polystyrene and polypropylene), metal and cardboard, and are often used in anti-counterfeiting and brand protection. They are suited where presentation is very important (g. wine), and on high-speed lines. (Lasers can also code onto cartons and other secondary packaging.) Inline labelling: suits a variety of applications and needs, including top, side or under labelling; wrap labelling; wrap labelling with seam orientation; front and back; a combination of front & back and wrap; wrap labels oriented to flip marks on different types of bottles; and wrap labelling or partially wrap labelling cones. Inline labellers are also perfect for promotional labelling.
suits a variety of applications and needs, including top, side or under labelling; wrap labelling; wrap labelling with seam orientation; front and back; a combination of front & back and wrap; wrap labels oriented to flip marks on different types of bottles; and wrap labelling or partially wrap labelling cones. Inline labellers are also perfect for promotional labelling. Label Printer Applicators (LPA): print onto pressure-sensitive labels then automatically apply those labels to a product, using a pneumatic applicator. (LPAs differ from Label Applicators (LAs), which apply pre-printed pressure-sensitive labels.). Labels can be thermal direct (which are thermal sensitive) or thermal transfer labels (which use ribbons to transfer ink onto the labels). LPAs are used for applying human-readable and barcode information to many different products, generally cartons or pallets. Because LPAs have excellent print quality, the barcode labels are fully compliant with all GS1 and retailer quality standards. LPAs are easy to-use, with integrated software allowing them to be programed without a PC on the production line (g. logic programming), such as dates.
Packaging innovation is excellent for creating shelf appeal, but it must also meet all coding requirements. The right coding technology can help meet all compliance regulations, without compromising on the product look. For instance, laser coding can nonintrusive, and help with overall shelf appeal.
Need help on mitigating risk and continuing to build consumer trust in your brand? Speak to our experts.
Mark Dingley is General Manager of Matthews Australasia and Chairman of the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA). With 20+ years of experience in the product identification industry and the wealth of knowledge gained from working closely with manufacturers and industry associations, Mark actively contributes to industry forums, magazines and the Matthews blog.
A woman found she was pregnant despite undergoing a sterilisation operation, following which a fine of Rs 1,12,000 has been slapped by the consumer court on the doctor who carried out the procedure.
The forum found the doctor Manju Aggarwal, who performed the operation, guilty of negligence, and directed her to pay the sum within a month to the aggrieved, Sunita Devi.
The woman had filed a complaint saying that she became pregnant and gave birth to a child despite undergoing a sterilisation procedure carried out by the doctor in 2013.
Government is working on granting deemed university status to Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) whose students have been demanding they be awarded degrees instead of diplomas.
Commerce and Industry Minister said talks are on with Human Resource Development Ministry and advice has been sought from Prime Minister's Office on the issue.
"I want this issue to get a fair solution, student should not be put to difficulties, but this is an inherited problem... We are working to have a deemed university status for them," she told PTI in an interview.
The minister said the rules governing the status and "everything about who can qualify for deemed university is being looked into by HRD ministry. They are guiding us... So work is happening".
Keen to resolve the issue, Sitharaman had conducted about a dozen consultation meetings with the concerned ministries, departments, students and their parents.
Around 200 students of FDDI in Noida went on a rampage last month, ransacking the premises and damaging two buses, in protest against alleged failure of the institute to give them degrees, instead of diplomas.
FDDI had signed an MoU with Mewar University in 2012 for awarding degrees. But last year, UGC had termed the MoU as illegal, triggering protests by students.
From 2012 to 2014, around 3,609 students had taken admission in the institute.
Sitharaman had said the matter is an "issue in legacy. We inherited something which was not of our making."
The issue cropped up after the University Grants Commission (UGC) declared that Mewar University cannot award degrees to FDDI students.
The Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU) used to grant degrees for all courses at the institute, but it discontinued the same in 2012 academic session, even as 1,250 students were enrolled for various graduate and post-graduate programmes.
FDDI roped in Mewar University of Rajasthan to offer degree programmes from academic session 2012. However, UGC in September 2014, questioned the MoU between FDDI and Mewar University for grant of degree to FDDI students registered for 2012, 2013 and 2014 in light of the AICTEs non-recognition of these degrees.
In the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack in France that killed 80 people, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton today said the international community is at war against radical jihadists who use Islam to recruit and radicalise others.
"I think it's clear we are at war with these terrorist groups and what they represent. It's a different kind of war. We need to be smart about how we wage it and win it. So, I think we have to look at all possible approaches to doing just that," Clinton told CNN in an interview.
Clinton's remarks on this came soon after her Republican presidential rival Donald Trump said that the US is at war against these terrorist groups.
"We are at war against radical jihadists who use Islam to recruit and radicalise others in order to pursue their evil agenda. It's not so important what we call these people as to what we do about them," Clinton said.
"I think back to our success in getting bin Laden. It was important that we built the case, we got the information and that the President ordered the raid. Well, here, we have an ideology, it's not a nation state, and when people draw comparisons with World War, and even call this World War III, it's a very different kind of war. And we could be easily misled," she observed.
In a statement issued by her campaign, Clinton said the France terrorist attack shows that terrorists have struck at one of the closest allies in Europe, attacking families celebrating the history and culture of their country on Bastille Day.
"Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: we will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life," she said.
"This cowardly attack only strengthens our commitment to our alliance and to defeating terrorism around the world," Clinton said.
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Clinton said clearly what is happening is terrorist groups are seeing that they have opportunities inside France or both home-grown terrorism and importing terrorists.
"I have proposed a series of measures to combat these kinds of attacks, including launching an intelligence surge and the French and our European friends through the EU, through NATO, individual nations, have to be willing to work with us to try to get better intelligence that will help them and also help us prevent attacks," she said to a question.
"I would point people to read more about what the hopes and ambitions of ISIS happen to be. They would love to draw the United States into a ground war in Syria. They actually think the end times could be hastened if we had some great confrontation in that region," she said.
"So, we've got to be smart about this, not get pushed or pulled into taking action that doesn't have some positive effects it needs to have. So, I would be very focused on intelligence surge, I would be very focused on working with our partners and allies and intensify our efforts against the ideologues who peddle radical jihadism online," Clinton said.
She acknowledged that there has been progress on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq, territory is being taken back and the air strikes have been consistent, relentless.
"But I think it's also clear that as a result, of these advances against ISIS, and their main headquarters in Raqqah, their urgent desire to inflict terrorist attack elsewhere has led them to accelerate, reaching out not only directly but indirectly through the radicalisation online," she said.
"I have been saying for months, we have got to do a better job combating them and their hateful ideology online. We need to enlist the help of more nations and institutions to do that," Clinton said.
The World Bank announced today it had barred four companies, including a former unit of Daewoo, from future contracts after finding serious misconduct in projects around the world.
The development lender said its investigations found fraud and corruption related to projects in Mongolia, Vietnam, Peru and Kenya that involved the companies.
Daewoo Information Systems, a former branch of the sprawling South Korean conglomerate Daewoo, was debarred for engaging in "corrupt misconduct" to win a Bank-financed contract in Mongolia.
The company is frozen out of World Bank projects for two and a half years.
The other three companies were put on the black list for submitting false information in bidding for contracts: Thang Loi Group, over a Vietnam project; Consorcio Ocongate, for a Peru project; and Minimix Agencies, related to a project in Kenya. They were debarred from two to four years.
"The outcome of our investigations during this last quarter speaks to the sustained commitment of the World Bank Group to respond to allegations of fraud and corruption while working closely with member countries and companies to strengthen governance systems and raise compliance standards," said Leonard McCarthy, a World Bank vice president, in the statement.
Under the terms of the sanctions, the companies must adopt and implement Bank-approved integrity compliance programs.
In late 2013, the president of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, declared corruption "public enemy number one" in developing countries.
The World Bank faces repeated criticism that it turns a blind eye on abuses committed by companies working on its development projects.
World leaders are expressing dismay, sadness and solidarity with France over the attack carried out by a man who drove truck into crowds of people celebrating France's national day in Nice, killing at least 84 people.
US President Barack Obama condemned what he said "appears to be a horrific terrorist attack" in Nice.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved-ones of those killed."
Noting that the attack occurred on Bastille Day, Obama praised "the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world." Secretary of State John Kerry called it a "horrendous attack in Nice. I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy."
Both presidential candidates also condemned the attacks, with Republican Donald Trump declaring "this is war" and Democrat Hillary Clinton vowing "we will not be intimidated.
Clinton said that "every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: We will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life."
Trump, who postponed plans to announce his vice presidential pick because of the attacks, said "this is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war and we're dealing with people without uniforms."
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has been "shocked by the violence and exceptional cynicism" of Thursday's attack in Nice.
Although the cause of the attack has not been officially confirmed, Putin said today in a message of condolences to French President Francois Hollande that terrorism can be defeated only if "all civilized mankind pulls efforts together" to fight militants, their leaders as well as targeting their financial backers "wherever they are hiding."
Putin said Russia is willing to work closely with France and other countries to fight terrorism which is "devoid of any human moral."
European Council president Donald Tusk expressed consternation that France was attacked on its national day and said the world stands united with the French people.
Japan expressed "strong shock and anger" following the truck attack in Nice.
Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan also aims to strengthen its counter-terrorism measurements to ensure safety of Japan.
Republican presidential candidate today said if elected he would go to Congress and seek declaration of war against the Islamic State terror group and would involve North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in the effort.
"I would. I would. This is war," Trump told Fox News in an interview when asked if he would go to the Congress and ask for a declaration of war.
"If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war, and we're dealing with people without uniforms. In old days you would have uniforms. You knew what you were fighting," he said.
"We are allowing people into our country who we have no idea where they are, where they are from, who they are, they have no paperwork, they have no documentation in many cases and Hillary Clinton wants to allow 550% more than even Obama and he is letting them in by the thousands," he said.
"We should use the NATO for a purpose. I mean, we're spending a fortune on the NATO. We have countries in the NATO that don't make a fair contribution," he said.
"We are supporting the NATO and we should at least get something out of it and getting rid of the ISIS and getting rid of this cancer that we're watching all over the world, that certainly would be a good thing, a good thing for the NATO to be involved in," he added.
Trump criticised the President Barack Obama for not using the words radical Islamic terror.
"Why he refuses to use the term radical Islamic terror and frankly in this case wait a little while and let's see what happens. Who knows? Maybe you will be surprised and maybe we will all be surprised," he said.
"It's possible but let's just wait. It won't take long to find out," he added.
Trump said he would make it difficult for people to come into the US from countries where terrorism prevails.
"I would be making it very, very hard for people to come into our country for one thing from terrorist areas. I would be so extreme in terms of documentation," Trump said.
"Obama is allowing a lot of people to come in. We have no idea who they are. If they are from Syria, maybe, but they have no paperwork many times. They don't have proper documentation," he alleged.
"I would not allow people to come in from terrorist nations. I would do extreme vetting. I would call it extreme vetting too," he said.
Referring to today's terrorist attack in Nice, France he said it sounds like "here we go again".
"We're living in a whole different world. That there is no respect for law and order. There is no respect for anything or anybody. And this has to be dealt with very harshly," he said.
"When I come out with my non-politically correct statements that a lot of people love and some people think are so terrible, and then you have attacks like this and so many other attacks, I mean, let's see what happens with this one. It's early to tell," Trump said.
People who are in a relationship are more likely to be attracted to faces which resemble their own, but for those who are single, opposites attract, a new study suggests.
"Relationship status affects who and what we find attractive," researchers said.
Jitka Lindova and colleagues from Charles University in the Czech Republic showed a series of photographs of faces to university students and asked them to rate their attractiveness.
The photographs were digitally manipulated so that the resemblance to the student was modified.
Images were of an individual of the opposite sex, whose face had been manipulated to look either more or less similar to the student. They were also presented with images of a same-sex individual manipulated in the same way.
"We found that single participants, those not in relationships, rate dissimilar faces as more attractive and sexy than self-resembling faces," said Lindova.
This was observed when participants rated both same-sex and opposite-sex faces.
"For the first time, we have observed how our partnership status affects who we find attractive," she said.
Researchers' interpretation is that attractiveness perception mechanisms that give us a preference for a genetically suitable partner may be suppressed during romantic relationships.
"This might be a relationship maintenance strategy to prevent us from finding alternatives to our own partner, or perhaps self-resemblance becomes more important in terms of the social support we expect receive from relatives, which are known as kinship cues," said Lindova.
The findings may also might help to explain social phenomena such as parent and adolescent disaffection, she said.
The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.
Former Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga, president of the Opposition Mizo National Front, today said that while the MNF was one of the constituents of the newly-launched North East Democratic Alliance, the party did not join the BJP.
At a press conference in Aizawl, Zoramthanga said NEDA was formally launched on Wednesday in Guwahati to reconstruct the Northeast that has been neglected by the Congress.
"The non-Congress alliance will launch a movement to decimate the Congress in the region and bring about all-round development in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Act East Policy'", he said.
He accused Congress of spreading the misinformation that MNF has joined BJP and agreed to the saffron party's 'Hindutva' policy.
"Smaller church denominations in the state did not necessarily subscribe to the doctrine of bigger churches like the Presbyterian and the Baptist Churches when they joined the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC) a conglomerate of major church denominations," he said.
"The MKHC is merely a forum for churches," he said.
It was, till recently, on the must-buy list of every fashionista headed abroad. The ubiquitous Le Pliage - the iconic, foldable nylon and leather travel bag by simply had to find its way into one's closet. Today, there's no need to cross the oceans. The French luxury brand has set up its first India showroom at DLF Emporio in Delhi as a franchise of Radha Kapoor's business venture, Do It Retail.
The New Zealand government has just granted a large tract of forest land, which was formerly a national park, the rights of personhood. The decision, the result of protracted negotiations with the Maori people, gives the park a voice. In a similar agreement a few years ago, the country had given citizenship rights to its rivers. In 2008, Ecuador adopted a new constitution in which it instituted citizenship rights for rivers, forests and lakes. These orders, radical and new-age though they seem, are ironically being driven by a small and dwindling portion of these countries' tribal populations, and are the result of extremely ancient belief systems.
Expect kilts, whiskey, bagpipes and more at this weekend's Arizona Highland Celtic Festival. The annual event put on by the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society will be held at Foxglenn Park, 4200 E. Butler Ave., Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Workshops will be offered on learning to play traditional instruments (musical bones, the bodhran and spoons), on Celtic poetry and symbols, Celtic dance, and more. A whiskey tasting will be available for the 21 and older crowd. Educational displays will cover Celtic regions, history, geology, plants and more. For kids, a special area will include a labyrinth, crafts and games, face painting, a pirate ship of straw bales and the ever-popular oatmeal toss.
Live music will be provided by the Knockabouts, Cassie and Maggie MacDonald, Gypsy Chicks, Wicked Tinkers, Highland Way and Robert Watt Bagpiping. Competitions include Highland Games events, a bagpipe competition and a Highland dance competition.
Single day tickets are $15 for adults ($25 for both days), $12 per day for active military with an ID, $5 per day for children ages 312, and children under age 2 are free. For more information, call 556-3161 or visit www.nachs.info.
County hosts USS Coconino County ceremony
A ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the recommissioning of the USS Coconino County will take place on the Coconino County courthouse lawn (at the corner of Birch and San Francisco) today at 10 a.m. The event is a gathering of Vietnam-era crew members to honor the anniversary and to turn over ship memorabilia to its namesake county.
The ceremony will include raising the ships flag and a color guard presentation. There will be comments by Captain Timothy Dugan, Coconino County supervisors and other elected officials. The public is invited to attend.
Coconino County Courts will host a luncheon for the ships crew of 35 veterans and their families following the ceremony.
Gurgaon-based online marketplace ShopClues has acquired Bengaluru-based mobile payments platform Momoe, in a bid to build its payments business. The company did not disclose the financial details of the deal.
"The ever-increasing Internet penetration and adoption of smartphones in India has created a ready ground for an app like Momoe to flourish. As a mobile payments app, Momoe allows users to pay offline merchants like restaurants, grocery stores, electronics, pharmacies, spas, salons etc. Using the app, customers can pay for products and services using credit cards, debit cards, net banking and mobile wallets," the company said in a press release on Friday.
"Thanks to this acquisition, the portal will now use Momoe's technology to boost its payment network for merchants and will look to tie this in its hyper local commerce business," it added.
Founded by Utkarsh Biradar, Karthik Vaidyanathan, Ganesh Balakrishnan, Neelesh Bam and Aiman Ashraf, Momoe had raised $1.2 million in seed funding in December 2014 from three investors - IDG Ventures, Jungle Ventures and India Quotient and is planning to build emerging payment methods such as IMPS and UPI to bring a hassle free shopping experience to consumers.
"We will continue our focus on innovative merchant solutions, extending our payments proposition to a broader array of merchant services for online and offline commerce," Utkarsh Biradar, CEO, Momoe said, commenting on the development.
Earlier in the month, ShopClues had announced that it has grown to half a million sellers on its platform. The company had about 300,000 sellers in 2015, which has now grown to 500,000. It is targeting 1 million sellers by the end of this year on its platform.
In the esoteric world of venture capital, it is rare for associates and partners - accustomed to making investments in companies and earning handsome returns - to get back to the grind of building a single company. However, that is exactly what Abhishek Goyal and Neha Singh chose to do. They quit their investment roles to build Tracxn, which is into market research and data analytics. It provides actionable intelligence on start-ups to venture funds, corporates as well as other investors.
The genesis of Tracxn actually was based on their own need, when both of them were working at venture firms. Goyal says he was part of the core team at Accel Partners handling investment into the likes of Flipkart and Commonfloor (eventually acquired by Quikr). Neha, an investment analyst at Sequoia's Indian operations, was part of the team, which invested in the likes of Practo and Freecharge (acquired by Snapdeal).
While their investment careers were chugging along, Goyal says they realised that by following the conventional VC route, they could impact probably 10 companies on a substantial scale. "Whereas through an idea like Tracxn, we could potentially impact thousands of start-ups. We wanted to bring efficiency to the start-up eco-system. One of the biggest pain points for start-ups was fund raising. By our work we could enable a lot more of them to do that by matching them to potential investors."
Both Goyal and Singh worked for competing firms. They scouted for investment opportunities in the same technology space. However, what brought them together was their love for coding. Not many hands-on coders end up being VCs. Singh had written a software program to shortlist companies at Sequoia based on certain metrics. "The VC community is fairly small and I discovered that Abhishek had similarly written code to help him scan companies, which led to commonality of interests."
So, when Singh quit Sequoia in 2012, they agreed it was time to leverage their expertise in identifying emerging areas and start-ups in that space. The revenue model evolved itself fairly simply from there. They sell on a 'subscription basis' reports to venture capital firms, corporates and investment banks looking for curated information on start-ups.
In June 2013, they launched Tracxn, which bills itself as a "start-up intelligence platform" and today tracks 230-plus sectors, including enterprise infrastructure, digital marketing, consumer, mobile, health and education. Tracxn was initially incubated in the Bay Area as a part of Lightspeed Ventures, incubation programme, but later moved bulk of its operations to India, given the cost advantage and "more importantly, the availability of talent here".
Tracxn focuses on emerging sectors. Goyal points out, for example, companies working in and around blockchain technologies or virtual reality gaming are currently hot in the US. If a VC firm was looking to invest in these areas, it would need to have an overall view of the sector, the key players involved and investment opportunities. This is where somebody like Tracxn comes in. It screens and filters and puts together all relevant information based on which the VC firm or a corporate can take an investment decision.
Zeroing in on the hot and upcoming sectors is a continuous and moving process dependent on data, which is where the expertise of Tracxn's 400 plus analysts comes into play. "We identify to our clients the investable space, the investable start-ups, even competitors, and can even provide landscape of a particular company if they are interested, etc.," claims Goyal.
Singh concurs that unlike a Venture Source or a Pitch Book, which collate information on investments made and happenings in the start-up world, Tracxn uses a combination of automated solution (including machine learning) and human intelligence to track developments across the world. "This is not historical information. This is current, actionable intelligence," she adds.
The company says it tracks thousands of companies across all geographies. Each of its analysts has developed expertise in a particular area and has knowledge of developments in that space. "Since that kind of expertise was not available globally, we had to build it," says Goyal.
Tracxn till date has attracted investments from angels like Ratan Tata, Sachin Bansal, Nandan Nilekani, Neeraj Arora (WhatsApp fame) and Mohandas Pai. Apart from this, SAIF Partners has also put money into the company.
Tracxn has 'disclosed funding' of $3.7 million publicly to date, but CrunchBase, the start-up database service, estimates that it has raised $13.5 million in four rounds of funding. The company counts the likes of Google Capital, EY, Andreesen Horowitz, Matrix Partners, Nexus Ventures, Microsoft Ventures, Westbridge Partners and Kalarri Capital among its 200-plus clients. Amongst corporates, Tracxn sells its research to Flipkart, Snapdeal, GE, IBM, Aditya Birla, Coca Cola, VMWare, Target and Bertelsmann. More than 30 of the Fortune 500 companies are its clients, says the company.
Each customer pays a minimum of $1,000-2,000 per month. Also Tracxn takes on customised research service requests from their clients. Former Infosys co-founder Nandan M. Nilekani, who is an angel investor in Tracxn, says that the company has a unique edge in its space and given the pedigree of its founders will go a long way. "They are doing a fabulous job in terms of execution."
Tracxn is now expanding its global footprint beyond the 20 countries where it already has a presence. This year it launched in Israel, South Korea, China, South-East Asia and Australia. The company says the eventual goal is to aim for 90 per cent gross margins. Data business is very lucrative and the promoters of the company say their intention is to build a global SaaS enterprise business in this space from here. They seem to be succeeding.
Once called the pensioners paradise due to its beautiful landscape & enchanting weather, present day Pune is one of the leading realty markets of India. The real estate market of Pune in the recent past has been clocking significant growth velocity, driven by large IT/ITeS crowd, relatively economic prices & upcoming infrastructure development. Similar positivity & euphoria has continued in the 1st half of 2016 that has been further augmented by its selection as one of the smart cities.
Micro Marketwise Analysis
According to the data revealed by the Square Yards GIC, mentioned below are the micro marketwise price movements in Pune over the last 12 months. Over the last 12 months, prices have appreciated in the range of 1 to 9%.
As a bullish market Pune has witnessed a decent number of new launches over the last 6 months. According to estimates by Square Yards, there has been nearly 6000 apartments launched in the city over the last 6 months. The new launches have been in both luxury, mid -income & affordable apartment section.
Upcoming locations like Bavdhan, Balewadi&Wakad on the western front of the city &Lohegaon&Dhanorion the Eastern frontiers are witnessing large volume of prelaunch projects to feed the new demand paradigm. For instance, in Bavdhan, Puranik have launched Avitante comprising of 2 & 3 BHK units. That is receiving good response. Starting at 44 lacs, the Avitante could be a perfect fit for both end users as well investors. Due to high demand from Hinjewadi & other IT hubs, properties in Bavdhan are expected to reflect better capital appreciation & rental yields.
Pune Future Outlook
Compared to other major cities, Property in Pune is expected to demonstrate higher capital appreciation in the coming time. In addition to the factors mentioned above, the expanding job market of Pune should add to the ongoing high octane growth of the residential markets of the city. Major high profile leases have taken place in the city. In Hinjewadi Phase III, Indian IT giant Infosys have leased a massive space of 620,000 Sq. Ft. Hinjewadi, a major IT destination in Pune is expected to add over 500,000 new jobs in the coming time. This will give a major boost to nearby residential markets such as Wakad, Baner, Balewadi, Pimple Saudagar&Pimpri etc.
As a part of the Smart city project, Pune has started undertaking strong initiatives. It has announced to develop a state of the art bus transit system in Balewadi. Technical hurdles related to the metro project has been cleared & it is expected to start very soon. Once completed, Pune metro will connect central parts of the PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Like other cities, the metro line once operational is expected to give a major boost to the real estate activities in the vicinity.
Ranen Banerjee, Partner, Government Reforms & Infrastructure Development, PwC and Shivanshu Chauhan, Executive Director, Government Reforms & Infrastructure Development at PwC tell Sarika Malhotra that despite the growing interest, private players in water business are facing teething troubles in India.
Some big foreign players are trying to entre Indian water treatment and supply space. For example Degremont etc what are the reasons of this growing interest?
Banerjee : The growing interest of foreign multinational companies for entering into Indian water treatment and supply space stem from the fact that India is among those regions of world where the awareness and emphasis on improvement of public utilities like water supply has increased in recent years. There is an increasing demand for high-end technology equipments with limited capabilities of indigenous companies to address the same. Also, there is a high potential in advanced water and wastewater system due to introduction of schemes like Smart City Mission, AMRUT, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Yamuna Action Plan(s) etc. Further, plans of Central and State governments to establish large-scale sea water desalination plants across coastal regions of potable water deficit states have made India an attractive destination.
What are the biggest challenges faced by water businesses in India?
Chauhan : The water businesses in India can be broadly segmented into municipal and industrial business. Municipal segment constitutes majority part of the overall business, in terms of proportion of envisaged investment. The key challenges being faced by municipal segment range from large lead time between projects conceptualisation and their actual implementation. Delay due to slow decision making for project approval and execution; limited PPP potential due to inherent regulatory/policy issues and the resultant viability issues; financing challenges specially in sewerage/ wastewater sector trouble are some other factors which affect the sector. Also, price sensitivity of large scale municipal projects, awarded purely on financial quotes, is a challenge too. Besides that, the impact of a better technical solution is not taken into account and there is lack of willingness to pay more for better supply of water and sewerage management, still considered as freebies.
In the past few years, orders for many water companies are increasing and projections are that Indian market will grow four-fold by 2025. Is it real or a hype?
Chauhan : Due to various plans to improve river water quality and improvement in city utility infrastructure, the government has announced large scale plans for water and wastewater sector. This is expected to give rise to the investment across the value chain and is expected to have a positive impact on the order book position of companies. Some companies such as L&T, VA Tech Wabag, ShapoorjiPallonji have witnessed increase in their order books. However, there are several multinational companies that have faced difficulties developing order book, with some even shutting operations in India. It is likely that the domestics companies would continue to be the primary beneficiaries of the increased investment. This is primarily due to the traditional procurement models where price plays a critical role. Eventually, water business will grow but it will depend primarily on the government policies and the timing of on-ground implementation.
Any international examples that India should learn from?
Banerjee : PPP-based water treatment plant in Mundaring, Western Australia, with a capacity of 165 MLD (million liters per day) is a very recent example of a successful PPP (public private partnership) model in which many international firms collaborated to execute the project. The project, first PPP in the Western Australian water industry, included financing, designing, construction and operation and management of new plant for 35 years and the approximate value of contract was around AU$ 300 million. The execution of project started in July 2011 and its commercial operation started in December 2013. The Mundaring PPP example shows how international firms from different countries can collaborate their competencies to deliver a successful PPP project within the desired timeframe. The contract in this case addressed most of the policy and regulatory impediments that are faced in India.
Infosys, country's second largest software services firm, reported 4.47 per cent fall in consolidated net profit at Rs 3,436 crore in the June quarter of fiscal year 2016-17 against Rs 3597 crore in the March quarter of fiscal year 2015-16, which came in way lower than Street expectations.
The IT giant had reported Rs 3028 crore net profit in the corresponding quarter a year ago.
"We had unanticipated headwinds in discretionary spending in consulting services and package implementations as well as slower project ramp-ups in large deals that we had won in earlier quarters, resulting in a lower than expected growth in Q1," Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka said.
He added that the company continued to see strong momentum in large deal wins.
"Q1FY17 has been disappointing but this has come after couple of good quarters and YoY CC growth of 10.9 per cent is healthy and FY17 growth guidance also implies above industry growth rate. After a initial disappointment, we believe Street will look at the positives in the results which are CC YoY growth of 10.9 per cent," said brokerage Prabhudas Liladhar in a research note.
Below are 10 key takeaways from the Infosys' June quarter earnings:
Cut in revenue guidance
For the full year 2016-17, the country's second-largest software services firm slashed its revenue forecast to 10.5-12 per cent in constant currency terms, lower than the previously estimated 11.5-13.5 per cent.
The outlook translates into 11.7-13.2 per cent revenue growth in rupee terms and 10.8-12.3 per cent in dollar terms.
Dollar revenues below expectations
In US dollar terms, the company's revenues grew 2.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter to $511 million in the June quarter. Brokerage Prabhudas expected Infosys to report revenue growth of 4.1 per cent QoQ in dollar terms.
Margins
On the operating front, EBDITA and EBIT margins dipped by 121 bps QoQ bps and 138bps QoQ respectively to end the period at 26.5% and 24.1% respectively. These numbers are better than the peer group.
Earnings per share
The IT major's earnings per share (EPS) stood at 15.03 against for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, against 15.74 for the quarter ended March, 2016.\
Attrition
Quarterly annualized attrition has increased to 15.8% for the quarter vs 12.6% last quarter.
Investments
This quarter the company made an investment in Trifacta, a leading provider of data wrangling software that enables non-technical users to easily transform data for analysis. As part of this investment Trifacta will provide a data wrangling solution for the Infosys Information Platform (IIP) and Infosys' other platforms and offerings.
Purposeful Artificial Intelligence
The company launched Infosys Mana, a knowledge-based AI platform that brings machine learning together with the deep knowledge of an organization, to drive automation and innovation - enabling businesses to continuously reinvent their system landscapes. We are already working with a number of clients including JCI and Syngenta.
Geographical segment
North America grew by 2.5 per cent sequentially; and 2.4 per cent in constant currency terms. Europe grew by 0.6 per cent sequentially; and declined by 0.3 per cent in constant currency terms. India declined by 7.6 per cent sequentially; and 8.2 per cent in CC terms, while rest of the world grew by 6.9 per cent sequentially; and 4.9 per cent in CC terms.
Industry segment
FSI grew by 2.2 per cent sequentially and by 1.7 per cent in constant currency terms. MFG & Hi-Tech grew by 2.9 per cent sequentially and 2.4 per cent in constant currency terms. RCL grew by 1 per cent sequentially and 0.7 per cent in constant currency terms, while ECS grew by 3.1 per cent sequentially and 2.4 per cent in constant currency terms.
Client addition
The company added 3 clients to $100 million category taking total count to 17.
EU regulators have brought a third antitrust charge against Alphabet Inc's Google, accusing it of blocking rivals in online search advertising, a move that raises the pressure on the company to modify its practices or face hefty fines.
The European Commission on Thursday also reinforced an existing charge against the world's most popular Internet search engine that its search results favour Google's own shopping service over those of rivals.
"Google has come up with many innovative products that have made a difference to our lives. But that doesn't give Google the right to deny other companies the chance to compete and innovate," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager told a news conference in Brussels.
The Commission said it had sent two charge sheets known as "statements of objections" to Google.
The first accuses Google of having abused its 80% market share in the placement of search advertising on third party websites.
This relates to Google's "AdSense for Search" platform, in which Google acts as an intermediary for websites such as those of online retailers, telecoms operators or newspapers, with searches producing results that include search ads.
"We have also raised concerns that Google has hindered competition by limiting the ability of its competitors to place search adverts on third-party websites, which stifles consumer choice and innovation," Vestager said.
The second accusation, which built on a charge sheet sent to Google in April last year, rejected the company's claim that the EU watchdog had failed to take into account competition from online retailers Amazon and eBay.
Google has 10 weeks to respond to the AdSense charge and eight weeks to the shopping service case.
The company could face fines up to 10 percent of its global turnover for each case if found guilty of breaching the bloc's antitrust rules.
Google said it believed its innovations had increased choice for European consumers and promoted competition.
"We'll examine the Commission's renewed cases and provide a detailed response in the coming weeks," a Google spokesman said.
British price comparison site Foundem, whose complaint triggered the EU investigation, urged the Commission to take speedy action.
"We are concerned that if it does not act conclusively in the near future there may be little competition left to protect," Foundem CEO Shivaun Raff said in a statement.
Lobbying group FairSearch, whose members Expedia and TripAdvisor complained about Google, said the issue is global.
"At stake is fair competition across Europe and beyond, because the on-line market and innovation are global," FairSearch lawyer Thomas Vinje said in an email.
The EU's pursuit of Google, along with probes into other U.S. multinationals over tax issues and control of personal data, has caused irritation in Washington, with President Barack Obama last year accusing Europe of veering toward protectionism.
Vestager, a former Danish economy minister who took over as the EU's powerful antitrust commissioner in late 2014, insists she is simply applying the law and promoting free competition.
Google's AdWords and AdSense programmes have been on the Commission's radar since 2010, under Vestager's predecessor, after rivals complained about unfair advertising exclusivity clauses and undue restrictions on other advertisers.
They form the core of Google's business which posted about $75 billion in revenue last year, generating 90 percent of Alphabet's total annual revenue.
The latest round of charges underscores the European Commission's commitment to the case and signals that serious penalties against Google are likely, said Albert Foer, a senior fellow at the American Antitrust Institute.
"My sense is that we are talking about something more substantial than a slap on the wrist, and also that's why this has been going on for so long," he said.
The investigation has been dragging on for so long that more serious action will be needed to restore competition in the market, said Gary Reback, an of counsel at Carr & Ferrell LLP, who represents complainants in the EU case.
"If you step in rapidly, you can take a rifle shot, you can make a surgical incision and stop the bad behavior before it causes enormous harm," he said. Now, he said, "just stopping the harm is not good enough."
Enough competition remains that rivals could step in to deliver ads alongside search results on third party sites, Reback said. But there are few European alternatives for comparison shopping, he added. (Reuters)
Source: www.businessworld.ie
About us
It has been announced today that researchers and companies in Ireland have won a total of 274.7 million in funding from the EU Horizon 2020 programme for research projects.
The Higher Education system accounted for 172.5 million of this total and companies secured 79.2 million including 54.3 million for SMEs.
This funding was secured from Horizon 2020, the EU programme to support research and innovation. Horizon 2020 has a total budget of 75 billion and will run until 2020.
The Horizon 2020 benefits for companies include access to competitive EU funding for research and innovation activities and opportunities to collaborate with the best researchers and leading companies in the EU.
Minister for Training, Skills and Innovation, John Halligan commented, "Ireland is continuing to perform very well in Horizon 2020 and we are competing successfully with the best researchers and most innovative companies in the EU for funding."
He added, "I particular welcome the fact that SMEs have been so successful in Horizon 2020, winning 54 million in funding. Horizon 2020 is helping these companies to innovate, which is vital for creating high-quality and sustainable jobs. It is also clear that the research being carried out in Ireland is in the top-tier of EU research and this is a key factor in the companies success in Horizon 2020."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
About us
Science Foundation Ireland have today published their 2015 annual report which highlights the significant economic impact achieved from the 154 million investment by the agency across its research programmes.
The investment by Science Foundation Ireland to Irish researchers secured 130 million of competitive non-Exchequer funding which includes 79 million of EU Horizon 2020 funding and 38 million of industry co-funding for research projects.
Furthermore, the data shows that Ireland moved up the international rankings for the quality of its scientific research for the second year in a row from 16th to 14th.
There were 4,040 people working on Science Foundation Ireland supported research projects in 2015 and more than 1,300 post graduate students were supported by the organisation. The investment by the agency directly and indirectly supports up to 28,000 high value jobs in Ireland.
In addition, Science Foundation Ireland researchers were engaged in 2,081 international academic collaborations in 62 countries last year.
Commenting on the Report, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell OConnor said, "This ranking demonstrates Irelands respected international position among the global science community and shows clear value and recognition of the research being funded."
She added, "It is vital for Ireland to continue on this upward trajectory in order for us to secure industry research investment, build strong international partnerships and attract research talent to Ireland."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
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A Flagstaff Police Department officer shot and killed a man Wednesday morning while trying to take him into custody on a warrant.
According to information from FPD, officers responded to the 1500 block of East Route 66 at approximately 4 a.m. to investigate a 911 call. The person who had dialed 911 left the line open and did not speak.
When the officers arrived in the area, they contacted a Caucasian man identified as Donald S. Myers, 32, of Flagstaff, who had a warrant for his arrest after failing to pay his fines in a 2014 domestic violence disorderly conduct case in Coconino County Superior Court. He fled from the officers.
The officers followed Myers on foot into a mobile home park off North Switzer Canyon Drive.
"They pursued and attempted to take him into custody," said FPD Sgt. Cory Runge.
At that point, one officer fired multiple shots at Myers. He was struck an undisclosed number of times and died at the scene. No officers or other civilians were injured.
FPD officers noted that Myers had a firearm. However, Runge was unable to say if Myers pointed the gun or fired it at the officers. He also could not confirm whether the firearm was recovered from the scene.
"That is under investigation at this time," Runge said.
The FPD officers were wearing body cameras during the fatal shooting. Runge said FPD is reviewing the footage to determine what can be released based on Arizona's public records laws.
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office is leading a multi-agency officer-involved shooting investigation team. More information is expected to be released as it becomes available.
This marks the 10th time Flagstaff police officers have exchanged gunfire with suspects. In five cases, suspects were killed by the police. The most recent was Verl Bedonie, a 26-year-old Kaibeto man who died in a shootout after he pointed a gun at officers twice and attempted to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint in the Plaza Vieja neighborhood May 23.
Two police officers have also been shot to death in the line of duty. In 2000, FPD Officer Jeff Moritz died in a shootout with a schizophrenic suspect during a traffic stop in the University Heights neighborhood. The shooter was later convicted of murder. Officer Tyler Stewart was gunned down while investigating a domestic violence case in the Plaza Vieja neighborhood in 2014. The gunman committed suicide.
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10:45 a.m.: Flagstaff police shot and killed a man following a foot pursuit at about 4 a.m. Wednesday in the 1300 block of East Circle View Drive near North Switzer Canyon Drive.
The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Donald S. Myers of Flagstaff. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers or other civilians were injured.
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8:37 a.m.: There was an officer-involved shooting in Flagstaff Wednesday morning.
The shooting occurred before 5 a.m. in the 1300 block of East Circle View Drive. The Flagstaff Police Department said a multiagency officer-involved shooting team is investigating.
Tommy Rock lives on top of McMillan Mesa. He said he woke at about 5 a.m. to the sound of sirens. At one point, he said he heard three to four gunshots. About 30 minutes later Rock said he heard one last shot. Another local resident Eugene Office also estimated he heard five shots.
Rock said it is usually quiet in the area around his home.
"I've never seen anything like this before, especially in this neighborhood," he said. "It's a wake up call that anything can happen, even in a good neighborhood."
More details to follow.
Like other areas, issues about growth and how to attract businesses into the region are concerns for Kathy Ray, executive director of The Four County Alliance of Southeastern Idaho, an organization whose goal is economic development. Those counties are Franklin, Bear Lake, Oneida and Caribou Counties. On this past Mondays For the People program, Ray gave a rundown on how those counties are doing.
Not all of my counties have seen a significant growth rate. Oneida County is pretty flat, we gain some and we lose some, said Ray. Franklin County is our strongest component as far as a continuous, steady growth rate. And, of course, theyre connected to Cache Valley. And Bear Lake, theyve seen just kind of a steady decline in population.
Ray said they are finding that more people are migrating towards larger population areas mainly for work and plus not everyone likes to live in a rural area. But she also said some of the industries drawing people to southeast Idaho include mining and agriculture-based companies.
Phosphate and pumice industries have made significant increases in employment in the area. Ray said in addition to trying to attract new business, theyve had quite a bit of success in expanding existing businesses such as Valley Wide Cooperative and trailer businesses.
She said a great resource for businesses seeking skilled workers and also job seekers is the Idaho Labor Employment office in Pocatello. Also word-of-mouth is quite effective in helping people find work in small communities.
Local fire departments are mandating restrictions throughout the county because of hot and dry weather the past month which is forecasted to continue. The restrictions, which began July 15, prohibit the use of fireworks, campfires, target shooting and smoking, in many unincorporated areas.
Cache County Fire Marshal Jason Winn said the four restrictions come from the Utah State Forester, who by law can impose limitations in an effort to prevent forest and rangeland fires.
Number one is any use of campfires needs to be within an improved campground, picnic, or a permanently improved place of habitation, said Winn.
The second restriction limits smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or in a barren area, at least three-feet in diameter.
Winn said the third restriction involves firework limitations and target shooting.
No fireworks in unincorporated part, tracer ammunition if you are into shooting and no explosive targets.
The firework restrictions generally apply to the east and west benches near the mountains. Residents are encouraged to contact their local fire department for specific locations.
Winn said there were several fires caused by fireworks, during the 4th of July holiday and because of the hotter and dryer weather, the possibility of fires are increasing.
If everybody would just think about things before they do them, it would definitely help out the situation.
The restrictions also prohibit cutting, welding, or grinding metal in areas of dry vegetation.
will@cvradio.com
LOGAN There is one major difference between cities and counties when it comes to fire restrictions fireworks are never allowed in the countys unincorporated areas.
Cache County Fire Districts chief Rod Hammer said Friday is the days the county restrictions go into effect.
They are actually put out by the Utah state forester for any unincorporated land in Cache County, he said. There is no setting, building or maintaining any open fire of any kind, unless its a campfire in an improved campground or in permanently improved places of habitation.
Hammer said that would be limited to places such as peoples backyards.
The fire chief told Cache County Council members this week there is plenty to do for the 240 volunteer firefighters who are all dedicated and well-trained. He said it is getting more difficult to take off from their day jobs when a fire occurs. There were 156 fire calls in 2015 and so far this year 84 calls have come in.
Hammer said unfortunately two members of his staff have died of cancer this past year.
War memorial vandalism
An unidentified suspect vandalized the Vietnam War Memorial at Wheeler Park in Flagstaff Wednesday.
According to the Flagstaff Police Department report, officers responded to 204 W. Birch Ave. at about 5:30 p.m. for a report of spray paint on the memorial. A witness told police he first saw a young man holding a can of blue spray paint. He then noticed blue graffiti on the memorial. He did not see the suspect vandalize the memorial.
The witness said he confiscated the spray paint can from the suspect, who was last seen walking south away from the area. The witness described the suspect as a Native American man in his mid 20s. He was wearing wire rim glasses and carrying a black backpack with a skull on it. The investigation has been closed with all leads exhausted.
John "JT" Thompson, commander of the American Legion Post 3 said he was not aware of any other time the memorial had been vandalized. A Google search didnt come up with anything either. Thompson said he couldn't decipher any recognizable words or symbols in the graffiti markings on the memorial.
City and county residents who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may call Silent Witness at 774-6111 or (877) 29-CRIME, submit a tip online at www.coconinosilentwitness.org, or text the word Flagtip along with your information to 274637 (CRIMES). Rewards of up to $2,000 are given for information that leads to an arrest.
Chance Komalestewa was last seen at his residence on Third Street on Thursday at 11 a.m. and his whereabouts were unknown. He had been riding a small BMX bike when he disappeared.
State regulators have fined a subsidiary of the biggest contractor on the Four Forest Restoration Initiative more than $9,000 after a worker caught and nearly severed his arm in a wood chipper at the companys Williams sawmill in February.
At its June meeting, the Industrial Commission of Arizona approved a $9,200 fine recommended by the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health after a February inspection of the mill.
The inspection was prompted after 19-year-old employee Marshall Ciampi got his sleeve or glove caught in the chain of a milling machine as he was clearing an area of wood chip debris. Ciampis arm was pulled into the sprocket of the running machine, rolled around and broken several times and nearly severed from his body, according to a report from the Williams Police Department.
The state inspectors reported a total of seven serious citations against mill owner Lumberjack Timber LLC but reduced fines on six of them based on factors like the companys smaller size, evidence of an existing health and safety system and a clean record, according to ADOSH spokesperson Bob Charles. It was only for the citation that resulted in Ciampis arm getting caught in the machine that ADOSH recommended the full $5,000 fine.
The report said that Lumberjack left power transmission sprockets exposed on a waste chain conveyor, which failed to protect the operators hands or clothing from getting caught between the chains and sprockets.
The other serious violations included hazardous conditions from hydraulic and motor oil on the floor, a lack of covers on rotating belts and pulleys on air compressors and employees operating forklifts without proper training or functioning seatbelts.
Lumberjack Timber is a subsidiary of Good Earth Power AZ, which holds a contract to thin up to 300,000 acres across the Coconino, Kaibab, Tonto and Apache-Sitgreaves national forests. Charles said that officials from Lumberjack were not in attendance at the commission meeting and Good Earth Power AZ representatives did not respond to requests for comment for this article.
A statement provided by the company after the incident in February stated that Ciampi was sent to surgery at Flagstaff Medical Center and was recovering well at the time.
Operations continue at the mill. GEPAZ has safety policies and procedures in place, which all of our employees are aware of. They are reviewed regularly," the statement said.
JULIE GARCIA/CALLER-TIMES Area leaders break ground on oil dock 15 on Thursday, July 14, 2016, on the northern side of the inner harbor at the Port of Corpus Christi.
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By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times
Months after the federal government lifted a ban on crude oil experts, the Port of Corpus Christi broke ground on a new oil dock.
The port and Martin Midstream Partners announced Thursday the construction of oil dock 15 on the north side of the inner harbor. The new dock is designed to accommodate up to 52 feet of draft and will feature an 1,100 foot slip, according to a news release.
The dock will be able to load 30,000 barrels of crude oil per hour and will have three loading arms to accommodate inland and oceangoing barges, the release stated.
"The success of Martin Midstream is a reflection and foreshadowing in this region and globally of what is to come," Corpus Christi Mayor Nelda Martinez said. "We will be the epicenter. From the city of Corpus Christi, we're behind you."
Since becoming a port customer in 2010, Martin Midstream has added new crude oil storage tanks and loading capabilities. They have been operating out of oil dock 1 and a separate corridor dock. In 2014, Martin Midstream moved 8 million tons of product, said Charlie Zahn, chairman of the port commission.
"What's exciting about this opportunity is moving away from those docks into one that is much bigger with more capabilities," said Scott Southart, vice president for commercial development for Martin Midstream. "We're looking forward to the resurgence of Eagle Ford and will be prepared with this facility here."
Zahn said newly built docks will allow the port to bring in new partners to Corpus Christi.
"That means new jobs, which will enhance the economy," Zahn said. "If our industrial partners are successful, the port is successful."
GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES
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By Jamil Oakford, jamil.oakford@caller.com
A man's attempt to discuss divorce with his wife turned dangerous and ended in her arrest.
About 3 a.m. Thursday, Corpus Christi police responded to a call in the 300 block of Stages Drive, between South Alameda Street and Ocean Drive. When they arrived, officers heard yelling coming from the home, according to the police news release.
The husband, 49, told police he started to talk to his wife, 48, about divorce. She began to throw his belongings and wanted him to leave. The release states that things became violent when she gabbed him and held him. When he pushed her away, she slapped him.
He said his wife went upstairs and grabbed a .38 caliber handgun and pointed it in the air. The two began fighting over a computer when she accidentally fired a round into the ceiling.
The woman was arrested under suspicion of assault family violence and discharging a firearm.
The Caller-Times typically does not name people facing misdemeanor charges.
As of Thursday afternoon, she remained in the Nueces County Jail, charged with discharging a firearm and assault causing bodily harm family violence. Her bail is set at $2,000.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO After allocating about $35,000 for school supplies, Freer ISD received a boost from a Corpus Christi business in providing the supplies year-round. On Wednedsay, H&H Towing provided $14,000 in binders.
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By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times
Bonnie Moreno's husband was laid off in January.
He was earning triple her insurance agent salary the past six years as an operations manager for a refinery.
She's been in "bare necessities" mode since, she said. So when she found out the Freer Independent School District was providing required school supplies to students this coming school year, she was relieved.
"With the oil field the way it is, (Freer) got hit pretty hard financially," the 36-year-old Freer native and mother of four said. "It has hit home."
Three of Moreno's children will benefit from the district's move to purchase all school supplies using about $35,000 in federal allocations. The about 800 student district operates on an about $8.6 million budget and receives about $300,000 in federal allocation annually. The funds are usually spent on supplemental staff, new programs or new technology, but Superintendent Steve VanMatre said a growing percentage of students being identified as economically disadvantaged prompted a different approach.
"Many parents are losing their jobs ... it becomes a very anxious time of year when you have an elaborate school supply list, multiple children and are not able to meet those needs," he said.
VanMatre said the district for the first time this year applied and qualified for the federal Community Eligibility Provision, which enabled all students to receive free meals at Freer schools. The provision from the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 allows qualifying schools with high poverty rates to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. Schools are selected based on the number of students' families receiving benefits, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
In looking at the data to apply for the federal program, VanMatre said he noticed a 20 percent hike from last year in the number of students identified as economically disadvantaged.
For the 2014-15 school year, about 57 percent of Freer ISD students were identified as economically disadvantaged, according to state data. This coming school year, that number is totaling about 80 percent, VanMatre said of preliminary estimates. Overall, 60 percent of the students in Texas public schools are classified as economically disadvantaged. An economically disadvantaged student is defined as one who is eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Program.
VanMatre said the district also received a boost from a Corpus Christi business in providing the school supplies year-round for students. H&H Towing on Wednesday provided $14,000 worth of binders.
Freer Mayor Fabian Bazan commended the district's move. He said on the city level, it's also been a matter of adapting to the economic downturn similarly to families. It's been more than a year since sales tax revenues began to decrease, which the city relies on heavily as a source on income. The monthly average is 57 percent lower than revenues during a more prosperous time for industry in the area. The city's payroll also was gradually halved over time and city jobs dropped from 28 to 15 in the past year.
"Families are having to do the same thing. That ball only rolls downhill," Bazan said of the cuts. "What the school has done is going to be great for families. They are already doing their best to survive."
Twitter: @CallerBetty
Beatriz Alvarado/Caller-Times La Hacienda Clinic and Nursing Home may house a ICE detention center in the future.
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By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times
Bishop Michael Mulvey urged Duval County officials Thursday to halt plans for a family detention facility condoned by commissioners Monday.
Mulvey states family detention goes against human decency and asked commissioners to gather public input on the matter.
Duval County Judge Ricardo O. Carrillo said Monday there was no public hearing set on the matter because "the time line didn't allow it," adding the deadline to submit the application to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is Friday.
Very few community voices were heard from on Monday, Mulvey said of the about 10 attendees for a commissioners meeting during which commissioners voted to begin contract negotiations with Serco and to submit the application to ICE by tomorrow. The one person who made a public comment was in favor of the facility.
"I feel that if there is time to put forth a proposal and hold a vote, there is certainly time to hold a hearing," Mulvey states in the release. "I think Duval County commissioners need to hear what the community has to say."
A similar statement was issued for Jim Wells County officials before they scrapped plans last month to partner with Serco Inc. to transform the former nursing home into a family detention center. Mulvey also reminded commissioners the community has already weighed in on the possibility of operating a family detention center in San Diego.
"(If a hearing is held) I believe that the Duval County commissioners would hear similar things to what the Jim Wells and Dimmit county commissioners heard: that our communities do not want to build facilities that incarcerate vulnerable women, children and babies," Mulvey states. "I have publicly stated that family detention is against the tenets of Catholic Social teaching."
Mulvey states the Monday vote, which excluded input from San Diego officials, also violates the Catholic principle of subsidiarity.
"The facility will actually be in Jim Wells County and the local people in Jim Wells County rejected the facility through strong public opposition and a vote of the county commissioners," Mulvey states. "Now, Duval County is acting against the will of the people of Jim Wells in their own county."
Twitter: @CallerBetty
Beatriz Alvarado/Caller-Times La Hacienda Clinic and Nursing Home may house a ICE detention center in the future.
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By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times
Duval County Judge Ricardo O. Carrillo and Catholic Bishop Michael Mulvey have a "better understanding of (each other's) positions," Carrillo said, after an about 30-minute discussion of a planned family detention center in San Diego.
But nothing's changed. Carrillo said later Friday he submitted a preliminary technical and price proposal for the San Diego project to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement without a preceding public hearing on the matter.
Mulvey issued a statement Thursday condemning the practice of family detention and the use of for-profit contractors to incarcerate undocumented families some of whom are fleeing violence in their country and asked Duval County officials to consider gathering input before petitioning for the opportunity.
Carrillo said there was no public hearing set because "the timeline didn't allow it." County commissioners voted Monday to move forward with submitting the preliminary proposal to ICE by 5 p.m. Friday.
On Monday, Duval County commissioners voted to partner with Serco Inc., the American division of Serco Group one of the world's largest service companies to operate the facility in San Diego. The 3-0 vote approved the submission of the preliminary proposal to ICE for the site to be considered to house undocumented immigrant families. A separate vote authorized county officials move forward with negotiations to enter an intergovernmental service agreement between Duval County and ICE with Serco as the service provider. The contract won't be finalized until the preliminary technical and price proposal is approved by ICE.
Technical Price Submission Instructions
ICE issued a request for proposal in May for one or more family residential centers, said Jennifer D. Elzea, who is the ICE press secretary for public affairs. The federal agency plans to establish an intergovernmental service agreement to meet the requirement of 1,000 family residential bed spaces by October 1.
If Duval is chosen as a site, the facility would be at 4410 E. State Highway 44, the location of the now shuttered La Hacienda Nursing Home. The nursing home was licensed for 114 beds, according to the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. It closed in January 2014. It's priced at about $524,000 and owned by a San Antonio-based developer.
Requests for information for potential family detention centers in South Texas were posted by ICE in April and March. The requests did not constitute a request for proposal or a promise to issue such a request, according to the post on FedBizopps.gov.
"This (May) request for proposal was sent directly to a limited number of organizations whose responses to the recent ICE request for information demonstrated their potential to move forward in the intergovernmental service agreement contracting process," Elzea said. "The request for proposal (was) not posted publicly."
Grassroots Leadership on Monday launched a petition asking officials to halt negotiations with Serco until a public hearing "with adequate advanced notice" is provided. A form email against the move is automatically sent to Carrillo and commissioners when a signature is submitted.
Duval County officials have received about 40 emails per day since Monday, Carrillo said Thursday. The emails were submitted by people from throughout the state and country, he said, adding the economic impact the facility would have on the county outweighs backlash from those who won't be directly impacted by the decision.
"They aren't from the area," Carrillo said. "And even though we are taking (the emails) into consideration, it's one letter copied (several) times."
Grassroots Leadership is an Austin-based nonprofit that advocates against for-profit, private companies' role in the criminal justice and immigration systems.
The organization, along with detained mothers and their children, is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services that resulted in a temporary injunction blocking the agency from issuing a child care license to the nation's largest immigration detention center the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley.
The Dilley facility and the Karnes County Residential Center two of three family detention centers in the nation hold women and children, many of whom are asylum seekers and refugees from Mexico and Central America.
Rene Vela, who runs a dental practice in Alice, praised Carrillo and commissioners for pursuing the opportunity. Vela grew up in Duval County.
Close to half his staff's domestic partners were laid off the past year from jobs supported by Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas activity, he said. Vela echoed a similar sentiment to Carrillo's discrediting backlash by outsiders.
"It's not the local people who are against this," Vela said. "Duval County is suffering."
In Duval County, the unemployment rate was 10.9 percent in May, compared with 8.4 percent in May of last year, according to data from Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend.
The proposed facility would provide potential for about 200 new jobs to the area and $90,000 to $100,000 in annual revenue for Duval County.
The Diocese of Corpus Christi issued a statement Friday after Mulvey met with Carrillo in the morning.
"The position of the diocese has not changed, but Bishop Mulvey was encouraged by the dialogue with Carrillo, and felt that they shared many of the same concerns regarding the need to respect the dignity of each person," the statement reads. "Should this family detention facility ultimately reflect the will of the county, the diocese will keep the dialogue open and engage where it can to help protect the dignity and safety of all persons who are affected."
Twitter: @CallerBetty
SHARE Mancillas is accused of raising a gun at police in May 2015. Police shot him seven times.
By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times
Ray Mancillas, accused of pointing a gun at police, will have his day in court despite trying to avoid it.
Mancillas, 22, agreed to plead guilty to third degree felony assault and unlawful possession of a firearm in a hearing Thursday in exchange for two years in prison with credit for time served, according to court officials. However, 105th District Judge Jack Pulcher rejected the deal and ordered Mancillas go to trial Aug. 15.
Officers were called to the Mancillas' home in the 3800 block of Brookside Drive in May 2015. Mancillas' mother told officers her son needed to go to the hospital after having adverse reactions to drugs.
Police said Mancillas raised a gun at officers in his home. Mancillas did not injure officers and suffered multiple gunshot wounds, needing surgeries on his stomach, bowel, arm and hand. Mancillas also had a foot and three of his fingers amputated.
Mancillas' lawyer, Amie Pratt, denied Mancillas is guilty of his charges.
"We agreed to this ... to get (Mancillas) the medical treatment he needs," Pratt said.
Twitter: @Caller_Fares
Krista M. Torralva contributed to this report.
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By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times
A Driscoll police sergeant was dismissed Tuesday after bringing the wrong dog into work.
Sgt. Ernest Martinez was responsible for handling Easter, a K-9 unit that was trained and sold to the city's police department, Driscoll Mayor John Aguilar said.
A few weeks ago, Aguilar said he asked Martinez about the dog and called Martinez's reaction "strange."
Aguilar said when Martinez finally showed him the dog July 8, Martinez indicated he did not want to be responsible for the dog any longer. Martinez also claimed the dog had forgotten its training.
When city officials temporarily returned the dog to the trainer, the trainer told them the dog was not the same dog sold to the city. Veterinary observations Thursday confirmed the trainer's claim, Aguilar said.
City officials are continuing to gather evidence, but Aguilar said it's unclear if they will pursue any criminal charges or ask the Texas Rangers to investigate.
Twitter: @Caller_Fares
Editor's note: Last in a series of profiles on the candidates for Flagstaff City Council and mayor.
Coral Evans:
Heritage, housing
and local control
Coral Evans, a third-generation daughter of Flagstaff, said shes running for Flagstaff mayor because the city needs new leadership.
The city is at several crossroads, she said. Growth is stretching the citys housing resources, threatening its character and its leadership.
The Flagstaff area is expected to have more than 100,000 people by 2030. Elected officials are the stewards of a community and its the mayors duty to hold onto the communitys sense of place and protect the areas resources, parks and safety of its citizens.
We need to address these issues now, Evans said. We need a way to accommodate these people.
High-occupancy housing, such as some of the new apartment buildings geared toward college students like The Standard and The Hub, is different from the high-density housing that is described in the citys Regional Plan, she said. The former didnt become a concept until the Arizona Board of Regents required Arizona colleges and universities to increase the number of students they were taking in.
The city needs well-planned, regulated growth, she said. No growth is not realistic or appropriate. The city has benefited greatly from growth through its arts, parks, culture and Northern Arizona University.
However, city officials and residents need to find a way to protect the historic urban core of the city. If the city doesnt have a sense of place or character, then people wont come and thats not good for anyone.
The city also needs more workforce housing, Evans said. A private/public partnership with NAU to provide housing for its staff on campus, similar to what the University of California at Berkeley provides, might be one way. Partnering with some of the citys largest employers, such as Flagstaff Medical Center or W.L. Gore, might be another option.
At the same time, growth has to be done in an open and transparent way, she said. Residents need to have access to their elected officials. What could be more important than to listen to the people you represent, Evans asked.
City officials also have to stand up against the state to preserve the citys rights as a charter city. The law gives charter cities, such as Flagstaff, the right to decide some things for itself.
For example, the plastic bag ban, which was designed to help the city save dollars picking up plastic bags around the city landfill, she said.
It should also go after the state for its fair share of state revenues, Evans said. The state swept money from state-shared revenue accounts such as the Highway User Revenue Fund, which is used by cities to pay for road repairs, during the recession and has never made the cities or counties whole for the funds they lost.
We know whats best for our community, especially when it comes to spending our tax dollars, she said.
Jerry Nabours:
Jumpstart roads,
workforce housing
housing,
Housing is also a main concern for incumbent Mayor Jerry Nabours and not only high-occupancy housing.
The high cost of housing is pricing people out of the rental and home-buying markets, he said. The best way to combat this problem is to increase the amount of housing available in the market. One way of doing this is to encourage new development.
Nabours wants to entice developers by offering to build roads and infrastructure for new development and then having the developers reimburse the city when their project is finished.
One of the best locations for this work would be the area between Fourth Street and J.W. Powell Boulevard, he said. If the city could connect those two streets, it would open up a lot of land for development, including workforce housing. Theres such a demand for workforce housing and so little demand for luxury housing that Nabours said he is confident that most home developers in the city are aiming their new products to that workforce housing market.
Nabours is also looking to improve the traffic situation around the city. He wants to get started on implementing parts of the Flagstaff Regional Transportation Plan as soon as the plan is approved by the Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization.
A traffic interchange at Interstate 40 and Lone Tree Road probably isnt feasible due to the high cost and the likelihood it wouldnt pull very many cars off Milton Road, he said. But other projects such as connecting Lone Tree Road with J.W. Powell and expanding the bridges over I-40 on Fourth Street would give some congestion relief.
Nabours also wants to continue his relationship with the Arizona League of Cities and Towns and the members of the Arizona Legislature. The citys membership in the League has helped in the fight to keep state-shared revenues and with public safety pension reform.
His relationship with various members of the Arizona Legislature and the governors office have helped to get funding and support for a veterans home in Flagstaff and permission to build the future Red Gap Ranch pipeline in the I-40 right of way.
Other partnerships with the federal, state and county governments have helped thin the forest surrounding the city to reduce wildfire risks and helped save costs on a new joint municipal/county courthouse.
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By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times
Two weeks ago, the Ingleside City Council hoped they found City Manager Jim Gray's interim replacement.
On Tuesday, that plan fell through. After the council was unable to reach an agreement with former Corpus Christi Assistant City Manager Carl Crull, they appointed Ingleside Police Chief Stan Bynum as temporary interim city manager.
Bynum, who also serves as the city's emergency management coordinator, is familiar with the position's responsibilities, council member Steve Diehl said.
"If a city manager was gone on vacation, he would be the go-to guy," Diehl said.
Diehl said the council plans to work with an outside agency not only to find an interim city manager, but to help in the search of the next permanent city manager. Using an outside firm would make the process impartial and expedient, Diehl said.
Twitter: @Caller_Fares
Contributed photo Police raise funds for Special Olympics Texas athletes by waiting on tables at Texas Roadhouse.
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By Esther Hackleman, Esther.M.Hackleman@caller.com
Police will be handing out tickets for four hours Thursday, July 21. But instead of with flashing lights they'll hand out tickets to settle the bill for dinner at Texas Roadhouse.
Officers and Law Enforcement Torch Run members will be waiting tables from 5-9 p.m. that night and collect tips during the annual Tip-A-Cop at the restaurant, 2029 S. Padre Island Drive. The funds will be donated to Special Olympics Texas athletes.
Contributions can be made with cash, check or credit card.
Twitter: @Caller_Esther
COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Alex Koeing, 10, jumps onto a surf board as volunteer Walker Pyron holds it Thursday during the Learning Through Sun, Sand and Surf summer camp on Mustang Island.
SHARE COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Will Gibson surfs Thursday during the Learning Through Sun, Sand and Surf summer camp on Mustang Island. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Emily Jonson, 16, and volunteers walk into the water with a surf board Thursday during the Learning Through Sun, Sand and Surf summer camp on Mustang Island. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Will Gibson surfs during the Learning Through Sun, Sand and Surf summer camp Thursday on Mustang Island. COURTNEY SACCO/CALLER-TIMES Alex Koeing, 10, surfs during Thursday's Learning Through Sun, Sand and Surf summer camp on Mustang Island.
By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times
Alex Koenig, 10, isn't typically confident when it comes to trying new things. He's mostly afraid, his mother said.
Alex, who is autistic, usually responds with, "I can't."
But on Thursday Alex stood up on a surfboard and raised his arms in a sign of victory.
In that moment, out in the ocean, he was confident and did what he once thought he couldn't.
Alex, of Argyle, was among dozens of kids who spent a few days on Mustang Island as part of the Learning Through Sun, Sand and Surf summer camp for students with autism and their families.
The camp allows the kids to practice speech, communication, motor and social skills through surfing.
Lauren Koenig, Alex's mother, said it's the third time her son has attended the camp.
"The first time we came Alex did not even want to get out of the car," Koenig said. "But then I saw him stood up on that surf board. He brightened up and this is what he looks forward to every year."
For about eight years the staff and campers have traveled to South Texas for the camp, which is part of the IASIS Learning Center and is provided at no cost to the families.
The camp is made possible through volunteers, year-round fundraisers and sponsors in North Texas, said Peggy Ashley, a camp organizer.
"The kids get to practice those social skills, they interact so much with the volunteers out in the water and their families love seeing that change in their kids," Ashley said. "This is a way for the families to also network with other parents who are going through the same things they are."
The kids also participate in other activities including, arts and crafts, a dolphin watch tour, beach yoga, paddle relays, sand castle building, a teen pool party and a closing awards ceremony.
Volunteers are recruited from school employees and several college students from Texas Woman's University in Denton and Canisius College in upstate New York.
Jessica Whipple has been a volunteer at the camp for eight years. Her favorite part is watching the kids' build confidence and the impact the camp has in their lives.
"It's overwhelming to see them being scared of the water and then later see them standing on the surf board and not afraid anymore," Whipple said.
The kids bond and interact.
"It's great to see them bond with us, but it's even better to see them bond with each other, which is something they would not typically do if they weren't here."
Twitter: @CallerNatalia
Take a look at Corpus Christi's $125 million bond program in 2022 election
There's more than political hopefuls appearing on this year's crowded ballot. For Corpus Christi residents, there's also $125 million.
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Bright red road markings designed to get drivers in Cambridge to slow down to 20mph have come under fire with one resident likening them to casual vandalism".
The signs have been painted on roads across Cambridge as the city council's 20mph project enters its final phase.
But residents have hit out at the markings, raising concern over their visual impact and ludicrous" locations.
A marking painted on the junction of Newnham Road and Malting Lane has garnered particular criticism.
Cambridge resident Simon Ruffle said: I don't have a problem with the 20mph scheme as an idea, and in many cases it makes sense to have clear road markings at the entries to the scheme.
However, in this case the road marking is clearly ludicrous. You can hardly fit a car into this narrow lane."
Mr Ruffle criticised the decision to paint the sign in such a picturesque spot oblivious" to its visual impact.
He added: We are seeing this disregard for the environment by county highways and their consultants all over the city at the moment, as demonstrated by plans to tarmac over common land beside Trumpington Road or cutting down trees in Milton Road, Histon Road and Queen Edith's Way."
Wendy Blythe, chair of the Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations (Fecra), echoed Mr Ruffle's concerns.
She said: New 20mph signs hit city neighbourhoods with the casual vandalism of a tornado. We need the right mindset and design skills to take this beautiful city into the 21st century."
However, John Richards, senior engineer for the city's council's environmental services, said the markings were needed at all entry points to make the 20mph zone compliant.
He said: Cambridge City Council is implementing 20mph speed control across most residential and shopping streets in Cambridge with the support of the county council who are the highways authority for local roads.
The third and final phase of the three-year project, covering the southern and western areas of the city, is currently being implemented.
Malting Lane forms one point of entry to the new west Cambridge 20mph zone, with each being signed in this standardised way. It is the effectiveness of the zones as whole that is paramount, rather than individual streets.
Nevertheless, mindful of concerns raised by some residents, city council officers are reviewing with councillors and county council colleagues whether the speed reduction affect can be achieved in a more sympathetic way."
The General Delegation for National Security has produced 100,000 leaflets guiding citizens on how to be security-conscious.
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The Communication and Public Relations Unit of the General Delegation for National Security has published 100,000 flyers with practical security attitudes citizens should adopt in public places, travel agencies and neighbourhoods within the present context of rising insecurity posed by Boko Haram threats.
At public places, the Police call on the population to remain vigilant and observe attentively what is happening around them. The guide also cautions denizens to avoid getting closer to abandoned luggage and rather alert the police. While urging for the strict respect of emergency security measures put in place by the authorities, the population is called upon to always carry along their identification documents and present them to the forces of law and order whenever they are requested.
At the travel agencies, the Police practical guide recommends that all passengers should have their names registered on the vehicles manifesto and avoid transporting luggage whose content they do not know, avoid accepting gifts from strange persons amongst others.
In the neighbourhoods and homes, the population is challenged to take interest on the activities of their neighbours while landlords are urged to identify their tenants. The Police practical guide also advises family heads to exchange telephone numbers with their neighbours for mutual assistance and shun the attitude of quickly opening their doors to visitors who pretend to be pastors, vendors and cable TV technicians.
While the security authorities warn denizens not to engage in any initiative without alerting the forces of Law and Order, they call on strict collaboration between security operatives and the population by giving intelligence services to the Police through the toll free number 1500. The flyers which are being distributed nationwide according to the Head of the Communication and Public Relations Unit, Senior Superintendent of Police Cecile Mandeng, also have useful telephone numbers of security offices in the regions.
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The Havasupai Tribe is set to create new standards for the use of pack horses to haul tourists gear back and forth to Havasupai Campground and the highly visited Havasu Falls.
A goal is to prevent malnourished, overworked or injured horses from being allowed to carry packs laden with gear up and down the steep canyon trail, said Abbie Fink, a spokesperson with a public relations firm hired by the tribe.
As part of the effort, the tribe announced this week that it has temporarily barred private trekking companies from leading trips to the canyon, though individuals are still allowed to make the trip and arrange for pack horses.
The guiding companies frequently make independent arrangements with tribal horse and mule owners to pack their clients gear up and down the 10-mile trail to the turquoise-colored waterfalls.
New regulations would require that all those pack horse reservations instead go through the tribes tourism office, according to a statement from the tribe released this week.
The tribe also will look at requiring that all pack horses owned by tribal members meet certain body condition score standards set by the Animal Control Office, Fink said. Currently, only horses used by tribal entities like the tourism office, the cafe or the school must meet those standards, she said.
She also said the tribe already has regulations that the total weight placed on any pack animal shall be no more than 130 pounds.
In addition to reworking its pack horse reservation system, the tribes statement said it will create new regulations around group size and permit fees.
The announcement comes amid mounting complaints and news reports about Havasupai pack horses that are overworked and malnourished and fail to receive proper care.
In April, federal authorities arrested tribal member Leland Joe and charged him with felony animal abuse after finding four of his horses were severely underweight and had sores from the packs constantly rubbing against their skin. Joe was required to give up the horses and was sentenced to three years of supervised probation after he pled guilty to a lesser charge.
Susan Ash, whose work with the nonprofit Stop Animal ViolencE Foundation helped spur the federal case, said the tribes announcement was putting the cart before the horse.
Lets get them fed and watered, then we can talk about body scoring, she said.
Fink said the tribes animal control office has received offers for donations of water, hay and other items and is working on a process to accept those donations.
Stephen Hirst, who authored a 2006 book about the Havasupai and lived with the tribe for 11 years, called the tribe's announcement a great decision.
I support it 100 percent, he wrote in an email. This is what everyone wanted, wasn't it?
| BY Lynchy |
Today, Australia and especially Melbourne was celebrated as a leading city for design and innovation, with executives from top start-ups hosted at Isobars newly transformed work space.
Culture Amp, Moose Toys and Unlockd, joined Isobar, a leading design and digital agency, to discuss their global expansion and the role innovation, design and culture are playing in Australias growth, economic prosperity and competitiveness.
All three organisations share Melbourne as a home base and spoke on what it has been like to gain momentum internationally.
As a Melbourne-based fast growth start up that is changing the way people around the world use and pay for their mobile phones, we are proud to export our local innovation globally, says Unlockd chief operating officer, Matt Von der Muhll.
We now have a growing team of 40 working with Isobar to develop world-first technology that is making mobile access more affordable while helping brands build their businesses, Matt said.
Says Belinda Gruebner, marketing director of Moose Toys, a Melbourne based toy company and the fourth largest toy company in the US: Working with Isobar has allowed us to deepen our connection with our social fans and reward them with more personalised content.
The constant shift for greater innovation has seen these companies encourage creative thinking and recognise the importance of culture in delivering great customer experiences.
Isobars executive creative director Dave Budge says they are proud to be consistently developing strong working partnerships with companies, such as Culture Amp, Moose Toys and Unlockd.
Its great to host these world class innovators together in our newly developed space to showcase where the conception, creation and optimisation of ideas happen, Budge said.
You can really tell that culture is at the heart of Isobar and the work that is produced. We are proud to be a key partner of Isobars to help drive further development and collaboration said Culture Amp chief scientist, Jason McPherson.
| BY Lynchy |
SKY TV, via agency DDB New Zealand, has launched Tiny Trailers, a Snapchat campaign comprised of 40 mini-trailers, each showcasing a piece of content coming soon on SKY.
The campaign enlists the help of emerging comedian Melanie Bracewell, whose quirky riffs on SKYs latest content are aimed squarely at the broadcasters younger audience.
The Tiny Trailers, filmed on an iPhone, have a distinctly homebrew feel and run the gamut from Batman vs Superman to The Great British Bake Off, with each lasting for just a handful of seconds.
All followers of SKYs Snapchat Channel (SKY_NZ) will receive the Tiny Trailers, rolled out over the course of a week. The campaign is also supported through a series of Facebook posts including video, carousels and link ads.
DDB chief creative officer Damon Stapleton says the idea of turning the concept of traditionally big-budget trailers on its head for a young, socially engaged audience was an instant winner.
This campaign is fast, its fun, and it tells you everything you need to know in ten seconds or less, says Stapleton.
Mike Watson, Director of Marketing at SKY, says he is thrilled with the initial response to the Tiny Trailers, and sees Snapchat as the perfect medium for the brief.
Weve created a new way to let our audience know whats happening on SKY, and were reaching a demographic that we perhaps werent talking to through our other channels, he says. Our snapchat audience, while not always account holders, are active SKY viewers and influencers of household spend.
DDB NEW ZEALAND
Chief Creative Officer: Damon Stapleton
Executive Creative Director: Shane Bradnick
Creative Director: Haydn Kerr
Creatives: Liz Richards & Nick Dellabarca
Lead Business Partner: James Blair
Business Director: Katya Urlwin
Business Manager: Trinity Lawry
Digital Strategist: Aoife Murphy
Head of Digital PR: Dean Taylor
DDB DIGITAL
Illustrator: Jim Pachal
Digital Producer: Alana Stretton
SKY TV
Digital Marketing Director: Felicity Christie
Online and Social Media Marketing Manager: Tenani French
| BY Lynchy |
Lindemans and J Walter Thompson Melbourne have searched the world to discover what makes people smile in a new campaign that features universally relatable stories of friendship and positivity.
Celebrating Lindemans remarkable global popularity in over 100 countries, The World Smiles with Lindemans campaign was created by J. Walter Thompsons Melbourne team and will launch globally from this month, across digital, still and video/TVC, in-store activation and limited edition bottles.
The campaign provides a snapshot of people from all walks of life, capturing candid interactions and the moments that make them smile. While every story is individual and each location has a character of its own, the spirit of connection and positivity that unites them has no boundaries.
Lindemans has been making people smile for over 170 years, says J. Walter Thompsons Paulina Embart. And this campaign celebrates those little, everyday things that make us happy. Inevitably, its a real sense of social connection that lies at the heart of joyful moments.
Adds Lindemans global marketing manager, Tasha Harp: This campaign is a modern interpretation of Lindemans positive philosophy, which was first expressed by founder Dr Henry Lindeman in 1843 and has been a consistent value of the brand ever since. Lindemans is available in 100 countries around the world, so we sought to capture just some of the locations and moments where Lindemans is enjoyed.
The campaign was shot in four locations around the world London, Stockholm, Guangzhou and Sydney by internationally renowned photographer, Sophie Ebrard. Ebrard took a journalistic approach to subject and story, scouring each location to uncover interesting stories from real people who enjoy Lindemans and capturing these in her customary visual style, both on film and through still photography.
Agency: J. Walter Thompson Melbourne:
Creative Director: Tim Holmes
Senior Writer: Michael Mulcahy
Senior Designer: Chris Lewis
Designer: Monica Placella
Agency producer: Lauren Napthine
Planning: Simon McCrudden
| BY Lynchy |
Whybin\TBWA Sydney and Global DJ duo sensation NERVO have today launched a new track and music video as part of Made By Me, a collaborative project between eight leading Australian universities and Engineers Australia, which aims to help address the gender disparity and skills shortage in the field.
The music video for People Grinnin ft The Child of Lov, features female engineers creating android versions of NERVO. The music video is interactive, encouraging the viewer to discover how engineers created various objects in the film, from the shoes the girls wear to the bottled water they drink. It draws attention to how engineering applies to everyday life beyond just roads and buildings in a bid to attract more diverse students to the discipline.
Chloe Saintilan, writer at Whybin\TBWA Sydney, says she hopes young girls are inspired by the music video. Says Saintilan: By reaching out to young women through something they already love music were hoping to surprise them by showing how engineering is truly everywhere.
Having studied sound engineering, Miriam and Olivia NERVO said the idea of the project immediately resonated with them. Says NERVO: When we did engineering, we were the only girls in the class. So when we were approached to get behind this project it just made sense. We loved the chance to show the world that there is engineering in every aspect of our lives.
Says Dr Alex Bannigan, Made By Me spokesperson and Women in Engineering Manager, UNSW Engineering: The project highlights the far-reaching career prospects of engineering in response to a real need for more women to participate in the field.
Adds Wesley Hawes, joint-executive creative director of Whybin\TBWA, Sydney: This is another fantastic example of the agency producing work that breaks into culture. Its a tough audience to engage, but by creating a music video and using Nervos influence were not only breaking through the clutter, were repositioned engineering as a career with endless possibilities.
Agency: Whybin\TBWA, Sydney
Executive Creative Director: Wesley Hawes
Executive Creative Director: Gary Maccreadie
Creative Director: Craig Brooks
Writer: Chloe Saintilan
Art Director: Andrew Torrisi
Managing Director: Nitsa Lotus
Group Account Director: Erin Kelly
Senior Account Manager: Alex Stickler
Talent Manager: Russ Tucker
Campaign Manager: Dave Matthews
Senior Planner: Maria Gioffre
Broadcast Content Directors: Amy Friend, Rachel Solomon, Christina Wilmot, Kate Collings
Sound: Beau Silvester
Design Director: Chris Mawson
Designer: Jessie Dang
Developer: Robert Harris
Developer: Ben Tan
Digital Producer: Johan Risselborn, Kristoffer Magadia
Production Company: Finch
Director: Luke Bouchier
Executive Producer: Corey Esse
Producer: Amy Dymond
DOP: Jordan Maddocks
Editor: Finch
Photography
Photographer: Kit Baker
University of New South Wales
Women in Engineering Manager: Dr Alex Bannigan
He found out about the appointment at 9am on Friday, he said. Asked whether he had any concerns about Mr Smyth's denial to his office on Thursday, Mr Hanson said it had been handled appropriately by Mr Smyth. "He's played it straight. He's played it very straight and that's the right way to do it. There's no backroom deals here. This is a straight offer. I accept that ... I'm comfortable with this process."
"The aim of it originally was to categorise because we had quite a lot of donations already so we put out a call for people to come and sort out the donations but if they wanted to bring more donations with them we would accept those and it just turned out to be another success."
"Both the kids were really great when it happened. It's a time when it would be easy to say, 'What about me?'. All the attention is elsewhere and they weren't really aware of what was going on in the hospital and they were so easy and just adapted to the people who came and helped."
He passed the test and returned to the ground five minutes later, but under league rules Port staff should have notified game officials they were doing the assessment and kept Hartlett on the sidelines for 15 minutes.
A significant number of voters know the views held by their local member and a lot of them vote accordingly. The result has been that MPs in the centre and left of the Liberal Party did better than those on the right. Indeed, Julie Bishop got a swing towards her of 2.7 per cent.
In Dallas this week, President Barack Obama spoke movingly of the five officers killed after a protest. The president spoke beautifully of these officers acts of service, charity and good will, and he honored them for bravely placing themselves between a gunman and the people who were demonstrating to defend constitutional rights.
Then, while discussing the increased burdens placed upon officers by our society, the president said that in some neighborhoods it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than a book.
That line was uttered in the context of the burdens facing police, but many of the officers watching were taken aback: Although we had lost five brothers, Texas law enforcement had never blamed the gun.
Obama was making an unmistakable reference to the gun-control agenda he has passionately advocated since the horrors at Sandy Hook. Cops, such as Dallas Police Department Chief David Brown, recognize Americas serious gun-violence problem. But many of the Dallas-area cops I know felt the line foreshadows a renewed push to restrict assault rifles, this time, in the names of our fallen brothers.
And the political morass created every time such measures are put forth has not improved anything. Again and again, calls to increase restrictions on assault rifles and magazines get nowhere, despite bipartisan agreement on what I believe is the most important thing: We all want to reduce gun violence.
We need to think of different ways to accomplish that goal.
I and many of my fellow officers believe reducing the oppressive levels of daily gun violence that plague American cities is possible without even raising the question of new gun-control legislation.
While they grab attention, justifiably, mass shootings remain outliers. Two-thirds of gun deaths are suicides. The tyranny of everyday shootings the 12,000 homicides a year that happen so regularly that some people dont even call 911 anymore follow patterns completely divorced from the weapons used. These shootings have much more to do with the realities of life for the poor, the drug-addicted, the mentally ill and the criminal.
Gun violence is most acute among young black men. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency says the homicide rate per 100,000 of white males between 15 and 19 years old is 1.8. For Hispanic males, its 14.6.
For African-American males, its a staggering 50.6 per 100,000.
Only recently, Richmond, Calif., had one of Americas highest per capita rates of gun violence. In 2009, there were 47 homicides among 100,000 residents. Officials there theorized that a few bad actors caused most of the problem. As it turned out, 70 percent of their gun violence in 2008 was caused by fewer than 1 percent of the citys residents. This isnt unique: in Cincinnati, less than 1 percent of the citys population was responsible for 74 percent of homicides in 2007.
Richmond developed an innovative, controversial program: They identified the 50 people most likely to shoot someone and engaged with them, even paying them to participate.
The city provided career help, training, resume writing and health care. It asked people what they feared and helped them create plans to mitigate those fears.
Critics called it paying gang members not to shoot people. It was more than that. And it worked.
From 2007 to 2012, the city experienced a 61 percent reduction in homicides. It turned out that the money was nowhere near as important as people had thought people still show up to the meetings even though no one is paying them anymore. The interventions steered potential killers onto a better path.
We dont ask them to turn in their guns, Devone Boggan, the neighborhood safety director of Richmonds Office of Neighborhood Safety, told me. Considering we arent negotiating the war zones they do daily, it would reek of privilege for us to make that request.
The program aims to teach participants that they dont have to settle their conflicts with guns. Boggan says the process has repeatedly demonstrated that most put their guns down themselves.
Through data-driven decision-making, public-private partnerships and other new methods, the program is expanding. Cities around the United States have taken note. Toledo, Ohio, Washington and several cities in California are considering the model.
Others are developing their own innovative programs. Chicagos Strategic Subject List seeks information about those at risk of gun violence through who they know actual social networks. Albany, N.Y., implemented the Violent Offender Identification Directive tool, which has shown predictive accuracy.
These programs successfully save the lives of young black men by reducing gun violence. And none of the programs depend on passing new gun laws. Americans need to think beyond guns and to confront the underlying social and economic problems that cause gun violence.
Admittedly, the prospect of police using data-driven solutions is the specter of the government gathering civilian data. When civil libertarians hear phrases like data-driven crime-reduction, their ears perk up because it usually means government will be increasing the kinds of data officials access and the ways data will be used. Americans are right to view such measures skeptically.
Regardless of politics, I believe all Americans truly want to reduce the number of people killed every year by guns. So we should consider programs that are much easier for elected officials to pass, and have a much higher chance of success. We owe at least that to our children, and to the officers killed and wounded in Dallas.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Nick Selby is a Texas law enforcement consultant and the lead author of In Context: Understanding Police Killings of Unarmed Civilians. He wrote this for the Dallas Morning News.
Telebras is presently constructing a submarine cable that could potentially connect with both the station and data centre.
Angola Cables and Telebras previously partnered in South Atlantic Cable System (SACS) but the latter pulled out as a result of a limited budget as well as a change in its strategic priority moving from Africa to Europe.
Angola Cables CEO Antonio Nunes said: "It was a natural process of financial prioritisation [by Telebras]. They pulled out from the Brazil-US and the Brazil-Africa projects, prioritising the route to Europe. We carried on with our own project. There was no incompatibility, nor does this means we cannot work with Telebras again.
Nunes added that its offer to co-share with Telebras is presently under review and a deal has yet to be confirmed.
The report states that two men driving on State Route 87 detect what they believe to be a drunken driver in the car behind them. They call 911 to report this, apparently their only sensible act in the incident. Somehow the car with the suspected DUI ends up in the ditch. In an attempt to keep it there, one of the would be heroes (both of whom are armed with Glocks) fires several shots into the engine block of the car. The other fires multiple rounds at the driver, hitting him only once. Both gunmen were arrested.
Today, I listened to Bassem Youssef plug in his new web series Democracy Handbook on the program Q on CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He was speaking from the Bay Area in California.
Bassem Youssef came across as funny, entertaining, and personable. His demeanour left the presenter chuckling. Interjecting the serious discussion with wisecracks and jokes, he spoke affectionately of his daughter, having no thick accent like his and stealing his spotlight by posing for photographers; and of his trooper wife who had married a respectful heart surgeon only to end up with a satirist whose head is wanted by authorities.
When asked what he misses most about Egypt, his response was Egyptian mangoes! He then goes on to call on the US, being the biggest military power, to do something about the cucumber-tasting mangoes of the US.
As a preamble to the interview, the presenter plays a brief section of a Charlie Rose interview with President El Sisi where Rose asks why Bassem Youssefs program was taken off the air. President El Sisi responds, I hope you believe me; we had nothing to do with it.
Implying that President Sisi is in denial or lying, Youssef, tongue in cheek, says: Yes, I woke up in the morning; i shut down my show all willingly, the most successful in the history of the Arab World, because i just needed to be unemployed.
He neglects to say that, in all fairness, he was shut down by CBC (Egypt) and later MBC (Egypt) because no channel would keep a show that has brought about so much fury from the public alive, that so many Egyptians had detested his western satire and his inability to avoid belittling what they hold dear. Egyptians appreciated the ridicule against Morsi and his clan, but once he hit on Egyptian elders and idols, and Egypt, itself, he crossed into treacherous waters.
Youssef goes on to say that, when he made the decision to flee Egypt, he ran to the airport with a couple of suitcases and without his family. CBC Egypt, and based on orders from the regime, had taken Youssef to court. It won the case in arbitration, and the channel was rewarded one hundred million pounds.
That orders came from the government, or El Sisi, is very unlikely. Dozens of media commentators criticize and often slam the government and leader, and they are still operating on Egypts air waves today. But I can understand Youssefs fury when he is asked to cough up 100 million pounds. This doesnt sound very logical.
He then hits hard against the regime. He says that since he left many others had their assets confiscated, were prevented from travelling, and arrested. He believes he took the right decision when he fled.
But then he contradicts himself. He says, The orders [of detaining a person or confiscating his assets] dont necessarily have to come from above. it could be someone low down who thinks he is doing the regime a favour because of his nationalism.
When asked, Seriously though, if you could go back, would you go back? Youssef responds, I think it is closed. Major changes have to happen not in Egypt but in the region. According to Youssef, military regimes in the Middle East are having the blessing of the neighbouring regional powers, the rich powers, Israel, and the US because of the stability they provide.
Again, this is confusing. Which military regimes exactly are being blessed in the Middle East? Does he consider stability a bad thing when Egypt is surrounded by fallen countries? Doesnt he see the cold shoulder that the US has been giving Egypt lately? And does he see Israel and Egypt as close counterparts in anything?
Again, Youssef fails to add that the chance of him having a program today in Egypt is nil. This is why it is closed, but then he brought it upon himself.
Discussing the web series, Democracy Handbook, Youssef is more wary and careful. The presenter asks about the difference between his program in Egypt and the one in the US.
The differences are in the ability to say what you really want here without fear of being arrested or persecuted. You can say anything about the president and the administration. Of course, having said that, the American political culture has its sensitive areas and red lines, that people can lose their careers for, but no one would come to your house and take you. It is not going to be coming from the government but from social pressure. And social pressure it is which ended Youssefs program in Egypt, surprisingly.
The similarities Youssef sees are in the right wing rhetoric that, according to him, resembles the empty rhetoric in the Middle East, empty nationalism, fake patriotism, us-or-them rhetoric, the strategy of fear and the strategy of hate.
I do agree that the us-and-them rhetoric exists, but I see it goes both ways. Youssef never hid his hatred of the regime, so when he attacks Egypt and Egyptians, they retaliate as openly. And why does he consider true emotions fake patriotism?
Ill leave you to listen to more on his web series here.
Bassem Youssef, you may take on America, but I guess you may not take on Egypt again. Enjoy your western limelight since your Egyptian one has dimmed.
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The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has given a green signal for the Indian Institute of Mass Communication's (IIMC) bid to apply for a deemed university status.
According to sources, the IIMC can now seek permission from the University Grants Commission (UGC) for a change in status. The IIMC is now an autonomous institute under the I&B Ministry.
Obtaining are deemed university status by the IIMC means that it does not have to seek consent from the Parliament or the ministry for its elevation.
Currently, IIMC is offering post-graduate diploma coures, which are not counted as a degree for pursuing higher education, research or a career in academics.
Information and broadcasting minister Venkaiah Naidu has agreed in principle to the institute's request. "It has been proposed that instead of introducing a bill in Parliament for seeking an institute of national importance status for it as was suggested earlier, IIMC will be a deemed university with Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI) and the National Centre of Excellence in Animation, Gaming and Visual Effects affiliated to it," an official said.
List of Top 10 Deemed Universities Across India
According to HT, while resenting the general budget for 2014-15, finance minister Arun Jaitley had said both FTII and SRFTI will be accorded the status of institutes of national importance.
IIMC has been receiving requests from students to offer them a degree as a post-graduate certificate made them eligible for pursuing higher education and government jobs.
IIMC director KG Suresh said: "We are in an expansion mode and this will help us prepare students for higher education and career options other than journalism, advertising and public relations."
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Thanks to FCA Fleet Operations, law enforcement agencies in the state of California can now experience the Dodge Charger Pursuit police sedan through real-world simulations.
On Tuesday, July 19, FCA Fleet is holding a Charger Pursuit Experience event at the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) in Santa Rose, California. It will be followed by another, held on July 21 at the Alameda County Sheriffs Office Regional Training Center in Dublin, California.
This is the most unique test drive in the industry, allowing you to get behind the wheel on courses specially engineered to challenge both you and the vehicle, said Bick Pratt, head of government sales & operations at FCA US. You can experience firsthand the top-selling, pursuit-rated police sedan in the country on these courses.
The Charger Pursuit Experience is specifically designed for law enforcement command staff, EVOC instructors, fleet managers and other law enforcement personnel.
According to Dodge, the Charger Pursuit, dubbed Americas high-performance police vehicle, is capable of delivering world-class safety and security, while offering 370 HP (best in class), factory-installed Mopar upfit packages as well as an advanced all-wheel drive system.
It also comes with the segments largest Uconnect 12.1 built-in touchscreen system, enabling a segment-exclusive integration of law enforcement computer systems.
PHOTO GALLERY
According to fresh reports, the G30-generation BMW 5-Series will arrive at the Detroit Auto Show 2017 rather than the impending Paris show as previously speculated.
BMW Blog claims that the new 5-Series will celebrate its online debut in just a matter of weeks, prior to the Paris Auto Show which will instead host the world debut of the BMW X2.
Underpinning the new 5-Series will be the German firms CLAR platform, set to also be used in the future 3-, 6- and 7-Series models. Constructed from a mixture of aluminum, carbon fiber and high-strength steel, it alone should save some 80 kg (176 lb) from the outgoing model. When complemented with carbon fiber across the body, the new car should weigh at least 100 kg (220 lb) less than before.
To help it rival the latest Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the G30 5-Series will borrow a plethora of technology from the range-topping 7-Series. This will include laser headlights, gesture control and most importantly, autonomous driving functions said to be even more advanced than those of the 7-Series.
Power for the model is speculated to come from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 3.0-liter straight-six diesel and petrol units as well the 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 of the 750i. A diesel six with electric turbochargers is also on the cards as is a plug-in hybrid model. The future M5 will then adopt a new engine, retaining the twin-turbo V8 setup of the current car but with some new tech and a boost in power.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer
Seasoned cherry pit spitters competed against novices at an annual event held at the Wednesday market in Naramata this week.
The Great Cherry Pit Spitting Contest, held every year during the cherry harvest, kicked off with local media people puckering up and spitting pits as far as they could.
There were several good participants, but first prize went to Jon Ferebee, program and news director for Sun and EZ Rock in Penticton, with a spit of 26 feet.
"I won once before three years ago, and the height is never a bad thing. Being six foot, five inches never hurt me in this event," he said.
Ferebee added he has been experimenting with chapsticks this year to find the perfect one to create less lip resistance.
Second place in the media category went to Doug Brown of go-Okanagan on Shaw TV.
Colin Lacey of Edmonton retained the title of champion of the contest in the adult category.
His effort sent the pit to the 33-foot mark, two feet short of his 2015, 35-foot record, but good enough to retain his title for a second year.
Rob Van Westen placed second at 26 feet and Naramata's Lynn Cook, a first time cherry pit spitter, placed third at 19.5 feet.
Other winners included: West Kelowna teen Alexis winning the age 14 to 17 category; Micah of Vancouver taking the age 10 to 13 challenge; Naramatas Olivia Van Westen prevailed in the age 6 to 9 category; and Xavier from Whitehorse had an impressive finish in the kids under age 6 division.
Prizes included wines from Ruby Blues Winery and market bucks from the Community Market merchants.
The fresh cherries for the contest were provided by Van Westen, a third-generation Naramata cherry farmer.
The market is open from 3 to 6 p.m., every Wednesday, June to September, at Wharf Park in Naramata.
Photo: Contributed
Thank you Independence Day Resurgence for helping us invent a new word regurgence.
The definition is an odious regurgitation operating under the pretense of originality.
With a budget of $165M, it is perplexing that virtually no money was allocated to hire a competent writing team or even on seducing Will Smith to return and potentially save the story.
Does Hollywood really think so little of the average movie-going patron that important details such as plot, character development and dialogue now take a back seat to CGI explosions and gimmickry?
Unlike in 1996 when the first Independence Day wowed us with its effects, it is now 2016 and we are all quite used to CGI.
Its time you got back to the business of good, old-fashioned story telling.
The story (as it is) begins in a Utopian 2016 two decades since the last Independence Day film ended. Since the failed alien invasion, all nations of the Earth have banded together, created global harmony and harnessed the technology they found on the alien ships that crashed.
So far, so good.
However, those darned magma-sucking aliens are coming back and they wont be satisfied until theyve taken our molten core to fuel their 3,500-mile wide mother ship.
For fans of the original Independence Day, you will be happy to see some characters from the previous film.
Jeff Goldblum returns as Dr. David Levinson, the (oh, so smart) scientist who saved the day the first time and has now been promoted to head of global alien invasion security.
Bill Pullman returns as the former president of the United States (now a shell of his former robust self and plagued with visions of another alien return).
Judd Hirsch returns as Julius Levinson, Davids father, who has been making the senior citizen home round hawking his book, How I Saved The World, and Brent Spiner returns as the quirky scientist, Dr. Brakish Okun, from Area 51 who has been in a coma for the last 20 years.
No action-packed blockbuster would be complete without a bandy crew of 20 somethings loaded with capped teeth and testosterone who takes themselves far too seriously.
This crew is just itching to go kick some alien butt back to where the sun dont shine and they all have the gritted perfect teeth to do it.
Liam Hemsworth plays bad boy pilot Jake Morrison who was orphaned in the first alien attack. Travis Tope plays Charlie Miller, Liams long time childhood friend and less confident fighter pilot.
Jessie T. Usher plays Dylan Hiller (the deceased Will Smiths characters step-son) who is now head of the elite fighter squadron mysteriously stationed on the moon.
Maika Monroe plays Patricia Whitmore, presidents daughter, fighter pilot and love interest of bad boy Morrison.
And Chinese pop star Angelababy plays expert fighter pilot Rain Lao. OK. Seems legit?
Five writers are credited with the screenplay, which makes you wonder if they discussed or even consulted with each other during the writing process.
The dialogue is insultingly simple and so rife with cliches that it could have been written by a group of eighth graders online playing Warcraft.
There is an assumption that when a story is science fiction that any semblance of logic can go out the window. Science fiction is simply another set to tell a story and things do still need to make sense for us to willingly follow and believe.
There are so many things in this movie that defy common sense it becomes more than just a distraction, its downright annoying. None of us are rocket scientists, but wouldnt a ship the size of the Atlantic Ocean landing on the Earth destroy the planet?
Resurgence is a rambling and meandering CGI slugfest, but I did find one interesting thing in this film: the notion of a utopian future based on a common alien enemy.
The premise that in the face of global annihilation leaders could set aside their petty differences, unite and work together to save the human race is perhaps the most compelling idea that is presented in this movie.
While this lofty ideal is never discussed or explored after the beginning of the film, in the interest of not writing an entirely negative review, it did set a positive tone that is worth mentioning.
Everything about this Independence Day is bigger than the original. The explosions are bigger, the cast is bigger, the loss of human life is bigger, even the alien ship is bigger.
In this case, bigger isnt better. Its just bad.
I give this film 1 out of 5 hearts.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Contributed
A unique event focused on snake conservation will take place in Osoyoos on the weekend.
A celebration of World Snake Day is happening Saturday at the NkMip Desert Cultural Centre in Osoyoos.
"This facility itself is on a very fragile ecosystem that is part of the Osoyoos Indian Band reserve and we want to bring awareness of the significance of the land and the species at risk that inhabit the land," said Barbara Sabyan, event coordinator for the cultural centre. "The event is geared toward awareness, education, conservation and preservation."
The event starts at 10 a.m. with an outdoor guided interpretive snake presentation with snake biologist Jared Maida.
At 11 a.m., there will be a snake laboratory open house, where visitors can go behind the scenes and see the laboratory where research and preservation begin.
This is followed by a snake presentation.
There is an admission fee for the cultural centre, which is located at 1000 Rancher Creek Road in Osoyoos.
For more information, head to their website here.
Photo: Darren Handschuh
A $9.5 million plan to improve safety around the Stickle Road turnoff at Highway 97 north of Vernon is moving forward at this time, said Vernon Monashee MLA Eric Foster.
City (of Vernon) and Ministry officials are putting the plan together, said Foster. It is pretty much done.
Last month, following a May 26th open house, provincial officials acknowledged that a traffic signal at the notoriously dangerous turnoff was the preferred option among members of the public.
However the ministry plan, which does not include a light, has won the reluctant backing of some key politicians in the area, including Mayor Akbal Mund and Bob Fleming, electoral area B director.
Foster believes that safety is key to the plan, pointing to two fatal accidents at the turnoff as well as other crashes.
He stressed that lefthand turns off Stickle onto the highway heading south are fraught with difficulty.
The plan includes long acceleration lanes for people turning right off Stickle and turning right from the campground on the west side of the highway, said Foster. That's a big part of this.
He said currently, drivers turning right had to move into highway traffic from a dead stop.
The ministry plan will extend 20th Street from behind the Rona store through to Stickle Road, allowing drivers to head south to Vernon that way rather than turning left onto the highway.
While a ministry spokesperson has said that once all the input was reviewed, the next steps would be considered, Foster is adamant that the plan will proceed.
As soon as the engineering is all done, it will move on to tendering for construction of the project, said Foster.
Photo: Steve Saba/trekearth.com
Kamloops Search and Rescue, additional volunteers and a former Mountie will converge on Stump Lake Ranch, Saturday, in search of new clues to the disappearance of Dean Kelly Morrison.
Were still at the embryo of a complex investigation of someone who suddenly went missing in the middle of the day three years ago, said Dennis Gagnon, an ex-RCMP officer with BCSI Investigations in Vancouver.
Two search and rescue teams, as well as a dog team and a drone team will be part of the weekend search, which will focus on the ranch property, lakeshore and roadsides. They gathered for a briefing at 8:30 a.m. and additional volunteers are welcome to join in, Gagnon said.
The private sleuth said he cant disclose more details at this stage but indicated that he believes the renewed investigation will provide new information on what became of Morrison.
No possibility has been ruled out, including that Morrison is still alive.
Morrison, a father of three and a former editor of the Merritt Herald newspaper, was 44 years old when he vanished without a trace on Oct. 22, 2013. He was last seen at Stump Lake Ranch, located at the southern end of the lake off Highway 5A, about 25 kilometres south of Kamloops.
Were dealing with the wilderness and were still 50-50 on what happened, Gagnon said. It remains unknown whether Morrison disappeared in the area of the ranch or went missing after leaving the lake. His truck was broken down at the time and he was in the process of moving to his sisters house.
Morrison has not been heard from since and his family doesnt believe his disappearance is consistent with his character.
Gagnon is providing his services free of charge.
I have a lot of respect for the mother, he said. In a sense, thats what got my attention. I put myself in her shoes. He could still be alive, he added.
NewsKamloops.com
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CDC Joins Global Leaders in New Partnership to End Violence Against Children
Media Advisory For Immediate Release: Friday, July 15, 2016
Contact: CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week joined world leaders to launch the Global Partnership and Fund to End Violence Against Children. The new partnership supports individuals and groups working to prevent and respond to violence; protect childhood; and make societies safe for children.
The collaboration showcases INSPIRE: Seven Strategies for Ending Violence Against Children, a new evidence-based best-practices package of strategies that has shown success in reducing violence against children.
The new partnership also premiered a public service announcement featuring Liam Neeson, actor and goodwill ambassador; Susan Bissell, director of the Global Partnership; Carolyn Miles, CEO of Save the Children; Elaine Weidman-Grunewald, vice president of sustainability and corporate responsibility for Ericsson; Asa Regner, minister of children, elderly, and gender equality for Sweden; children from Holland and the Philippines; and others. In the video, the champions call on all governments to #EndViolence against children.
The collaboration includes 10 agencies: the World Health Organization, CDC, End Violence, the Pan American Health Organization, the Presidents Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, Together for Girls, The United Nations Childrens Fund, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United States Agency for International Development, and the World Bank.
CDCs Injury Center and its partners reduce injuries, violence, and disability by identifying priorities, promoting prevention strategies, developing useful tools, and monitoring the effectiveness of injury and violence prevention program activities.
For more information about the Global Partnership and Fund to End Violence Against Children, visit http://www.end-violence.org/.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESexternal icon
Adoption of a Tai Chi Intervention, Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance, for Fall Prevention by Rural Faith-Based Organizations, 20132014
Dina L. Jones, PhD, MS; Rachael W. Starcher, MA; Jennifer L. Eicher; Sara Wilcox, PhD
Suggested citation for this article: Jones DL, Starcher RW, Eicher JL, Wilcox S. Adoption of a Tai Chi Intervention, Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance, for Fall Prevention by Rural Faith-Based Organizations, 20132014. [Erratum appears in Prev Chronic Dis 2016;13. http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2016/16_0083e.htm.] Prev Chronic Dis 2016;13:160083. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd13.160083external icon.
PEER REVIEWED
Abstract
Background
Translating evidence-based, community-delivered, fall-prevention exercise programs into new settings is a public health priority.
Community Context
Older adults (aged 65 y) are at high risk for falls. We conducted a community engagement project in West Virginia to evaluate the adoption of a tai chi exercise program, Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance, by rural faith-based organizations (FBOs) and exercise instructors by recruiting 20 FBOs and 20 or more exercise instructors and by obtaining input from key stakeholders (representatives of FBOs, community representatives, exercise instructors) regarding potential barriers and facilitators to program adoption.
Methods
We used both multistage, purposeful random sampling and snowball sampling to recruit FBOs and exercise instructors in 7 West Virginia counties. Two forums were held with stakeholders to identify barriers and facilitators to program adoption. We calculated separate adoption rates for organizations and exercise instructors.
Outcome
It took up to 3 months to recruit each FBO with an adoption rate of 94%. We made 289 telephone calls, sent 193 emails and 215 letters, distributed brochures and flyers to 69 FBOs, held 118 meetings, and made 20 trips over a period of 31 days (8,933 miles traveled). Nineteen of 22 trained exercise instructors started classes, an instructor adoption rate of 86%. Key issues regarding adoption were the age requirement for participants, trust, education, and competing priorities.
Interpretation
Although we had recruitment challenges, our adoption rates were similar to or higher than those reported in other studies, and the objectives of the community engagement project were met. Clustering the FBOs and having them located closer geographically to our location may have reduced our resource use, and using a recruitment coordinator from the local community may have enabled us to gain the trust of congregants and clergy support.
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Background
Falls are the leading cause of injuries in older adults (aged 65 y) (1). Participation in balance exercises, moderate-intensity muscle strengthening exercises, and moderate-intensity walking can reduce fall rates among this population by 30% (2). Thus, translating evidence-based physical activity programs for fall prevention into practice is a public health priority. The Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB) tai chi exercise program is an evidence-based, community-delivered, fall-prevention intervention for older adults (3). There is a need for translation of the program into diverse community settings, such as faith-based organizations (FBOs).
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Community Context
Falls are a leading cause of death among older adults in West Virginia (4). West Virginia is the second most rural state in the United States and has the second oldest population (4,5). The prevalence of unintentional injuries is higher in older adults and in rural areas (4,68). Over 90% of West Virginias 55 counties contain medically underserved areas where older adults are at greater risk for falls (4,911). West Virginia also has high rates of physical inactivity and chronic conditions, both of which increase fall risk (12). Hence, fall-prevention interventions are needed in rural West Virginia. FBOs may be efficient, effective, and low-cost venues to deliver fall prevention interventions to rural older adults because of the cultural value rural adults place on religion, because of religions positive effect on health, and because church attendance increases with increasing age (1315). FBOs are also one of the few institutions found in every rural area.
The overall objective of our project was to implement TJQMBB in FBOs in selected rural West Virginia counties and to evaluate adoption of this community engagement project by FBOs and exercise instructors. The adoption process involved 1) recruiting 20 FBOs, 2) recruiting 20 or more exercise instructors, and 3) obtaining input from key stakeholders (representatives of FBOs, community representatives, exercise instructors) on the potential barriers and facilitators to adopting TJQMBB. We considered each county and its FBOs as a community. The project was evaluated using the RE-AIM Framework (16).
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Methods
We began recruiting FBOs in May 2013. The TJQMBB intervention was delivered in 2 rounds (March to August 2014 and July to November 2014). In round 1, we identified 3 rural counties from among the states 55 counties that had a population density of fewer than 20 people per square mile, had high fall injury rates, and were close to West Virginia University in the northern part of the state. We intended to choose round 2 counties in the same manner; however, a colleague introduced us to an FBO in southern West Virginia, which led us to include that county and 2 bordering counties in the project. A seventh county was included in Round 2 because the pastor volunteered the FBO for the project. This project was approved by the West Virginia University institutional review board.
In Round 1, we purchased a mailing list containing 74 FBOs from www.infoUSA.com. Internet (n = 48), newspaper (n = 23), and Chamber of Commerce (n = 25) searches identified 96 additional FBOs for a total of 170. The list was sent to our universitys Extension Service agents in each county for verification. The list was next reviewed by 2 project partners, our faith-based consultant and members of our universitys Prevention Research Center Community Partnership Board, who added 18 and 6 more FBOs to the list, respectively. The list for Round 1 contained 194 FBOs, of which 30 were deemed inactive, leaving 164 FBOs in the sampling frame.
We made the intervention available to FBOs that could 1) secure space for the class, 2) identify an exercise instructor(s), 3) host at least one 16-week class, 4) recruit up to 15 congregation or community members for the class, and 5) who wanted to continue the class after the project concluded. Small FBOs were encouraged to partner with other FBOs or use community sites other than their church for the class.
In round 1 we used multistage, purposeful random sampling to select 50 FBOs (30%) from the sampling frame of 164 (17). We then purposively sampled 5 more FBOs to ensure diversity in denomination and size, which increased the list to 55 FBOs. A recruitment mailing was sent to these 55 FBOs in May 2013, which coincided with 3 rounds of press releases. A follow-up mailing was sent to nonresponding FBOs and FBOs not targeted in the initial mailing (n = 152). Because of a low response rate, we switched to a nonprobability sampling method in July 2013, snowball sampling, relying on networking and word-of-mouth to identify and gain access to the FBOs. We contacted various community constituents such as clergy, church congregants, health departments, fitness centers, ministerial associations, senior centers, civic leaders, and local news media (Table 1) (18,19). We also attended church services, prayer groups, ministerial association meetings, potluck dinners, and community festivals; volunteered at food pantries; and canvassed communities with brochures. We asked each person we spoke with to name other people we could approach about the project; these others were asked in turn to name other people we could approach and so on, in an ongoing process. We tracked the number of days, communications, meetings, trips, and miles traveled to recruit the FBOs. Our FBO adoption rate was the proportion of FBOs with trained instructors who started a class, multiplied by 100 (20).
The FBOs were asked to recruit instructors for exercise groups with help from the project staff as needed. We asked instructors to 1) attend 1 of 2 free, 2-day, TJQMBB trainings; 2) assist with participant recruitment; 3) teach at least one, 1-hour class twice weekly, for 16 weeks; 4) maintain program fidelity; and 5) continue class after the project concluded. Our instructor adoption rate was the proportion of trained instructors who started a class, multiplied by 100 (21).
Once all FBOs and instructors were recruited, a 5-hour forum was held with key stakeholders before each intervention round to identify barriers and facilitators to program adoption. The forums consisted of group discussions about the 8 stages of an intervention (22). Feedback from the forums was used to inform implementation of the intervention. Discussions were audio-recorded and moderated by the project leader who used a flipchart to record responses while an assistant took field notes. The assistant transcribed the recordings and assigned participant responses to the appropriate intervention stage. Responses were then added from the flipchart and field notes to produce the final document. The project leader reviewed all sources of data and the final document, discussed any discrepancies in stage assignment with the assistant, and summarized the results. At the end of each forum, the stakeholders completed a 10-item satisfaction survey. Survey items were rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree or unproductive) to 7 (strongly agree or very productive). The survey evaluated the 1) forum location and schedule, 2) opportunity for taking ownership of the project, 3) stakeholders ability to network with other stakeholders, and 4) productivity of the discussions about the 8 stages of the intervention. Medians and interquartile ranges were calculated for the nonnormal data.
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Outcome
Participating counties
The 7 project counties had a higher proportion of adults aged 65 years or older (17.8%) than the state (16.8%), but they were representative of the state population with respect to sex (50.6% female), race (96.1% white), and ethnicity (0.7% Hispanic) (23). The counties were diverse in size (range, 7,60762,523 residents), industry (mining, manufacturing, and service), and fall rates (range, 5.036.97 falls/100,000 population) (23,24). Four counties (57.1%) were classified as low education (25% or more residents aged 25 to 64 years without a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma), 6 (86%) as low employment (fewer than 65% of residents aged 21 to 64 employed), and 2 (29%) with persistent poverty (20% or more of residents had incomes below the federal poverty level) (25). Six (86%) counties were ranked in the lower half of all state counties for health outcomes and had higher rates of physical inactivity and chronic diseases (ie, fall risk factors) compared with the United States overall (12,26). The most prevalent religious denomination among the FBOs was United Methodist.
Recruiting FBOs
From the letters sent to the initial 55 FBOs sampled, 3 (6%) FBOs responded and 43 (78%) did not respond; recruitment letters sent to 9 (16%) FBOs were undeliverable. One of the 3 responding FBOs enrolled in the project; the other 2 declined. Of the 152 FBOs that were sent the follow-up letter, 3 (2%) FBOs responded and 122 (80%) did not respond; recruitment letters sent to 27 (18%) FBOs were undeliverable. Two of the 3 responding FBOs enrolled in the project; the other one was too small to warrant training an instructor and holding a class and could not find another FBO to partner with. This recruitment strategy took 2.5 months to recruit 3 of the 20 FBOs.
Snowball sampling required 11 months to recruit the 17 remaining FBOs. We made 289 telephone calls, sent 193 emails and 215 letters, distributed brochures and flyers to 69 FBOs, and held 118 meetings. We made 20 trips over 31 days for a total of 8,933 miles traveled.
Eight of the FBOs were identified through word of mouth. Contacting clergy and church offices and congregants were the most successful methods of outreach. The number of days from first contact with an FBO to an FBO agreeing to join the project ranged from 1 to 280 days (mean, 62; SD, 65; median, 40). Excluding one FBO (an outlier) that took 280 days to recruit (the FBO joined and withdrew twice), it took between 1 and 119 days to recruit the FBOs (mean, 50; SD, 41; median, 35). The FBO denominations were Mainline Protestant, Evangelical Protestant, and multidenominational ( Table 2). Two-thirds of the FBOs were small, with fewer than 100 members. Two of the 20 FBOs partnered with another, leaving 18 FBOs as the denominator for the FBO adoption rate. Two of the 18 FBOs withdrew (one because the instructor was ill and another because of competing projects). Sixteen FBOs had trained instructors; 15 of these began classes. The FBO adoption rate was 94%.
Recruiting instructors
Twenty-eight of 38 people who were invited agreed to serve as an instructor. Ten declined, 3 because they did not have enough time, 4 for unknown reasons, 1 for philosophical disagreement with tai chi, 1 for health reasons, and 1 because of no access to an FBO. More than one-half of the instructors for whom we had data were members or pastors of their FBO (Table 2). The most common method for recruiting instructors was outreach by the church clergy or congregants (39%).
Six exercise instructors withdrew (3 for health reasons, 2 for unknown reasons, and 1 because the FBO withdrew), leaving 22 instructors to undergo training. We trained one instructor at 11 FBOs, 2 at 4 FBOs, and 3 at 1 FBO. After training, 3 instructors withdrew (2 for unknown reasons and 1 because the class didnt have enough participants). Therefore, 19 of the 22 trained instructors started 16 classes, an adoption rate of 86%. Instructors ranged in age from 27 to 75 years (mean, 55 y; SD, 14.3 years). Of the 17 instructors for whom we had data, none had experience with tai chi, only 6 had ever led a group exercise class before, and only 3 had other exercise certifications (eg, Pilates).
Stakeholder forums
Twenty-two stakeholders, 18 women and 4 men, attended 1 of the 2 forums that were held in November 2013 and April 2014. Eight attendees were FBO representatives and 14 were exercise instructors. Four attendees were also clergy. On the satisfaction survey, participants viewed the discussions as very productive and the networking opportunities as beneficial (all medians = 7, interquartile range = 1). The Figure lists barriers and facilitators identified by forum participants. For the planning phase, stakeholders recommended lowering the entry age for participants from 65 years or older to 55 years or older because some smaller FBOs did not have enough people over age 65 to make up a class, and younger participants could transport older ones to class. Offering FBO-sponsored classes was a barrier for some stakeholders with respect to recruiting participants in the larger community to take the class. They felt that people might be hesitant to attend activities at a church other than their own and suggested offering classes at more neutral sites, such as senior centers.
Figure. Key barriers and facilitators by intervention stage from stakeholders who attended project forums before adoption of the Ti Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance program in rural faith-based organizations, West Virginia, 20132014 [A text version of this figure is also available .
Stakeholders suggested the need for education about what tai chi is and demonstration of the exercise in the promotion phase because some may fear the word tai chi and confuse it with more vigorous forms of martial arts. One suggestion was sending a video to FBOs to demonstrate that the program was not a high-intensity, high-impact martial art.
Stakeholders identified distrust of outsiders (eg, nonmembers, researchers) as a major barrier for the recruitment phase. We were encouraged to attend church services and activities to become insiders. Stakeholders also felt that some participants might be uncomfortable traveling outside of their comfort zone (ie, their own FBOs) to other FBOs. Pastors could create a comfort zone by emphasizing the social bonding that could occur and by offering teaching and prayer in association with the exercise. In addition, those with the most need may be the hardest to motivate and thus, may need incentives to participate.
For the implementation phase, scheduling and transportation were identified as key barriers, as was participants expectation that the program would have a religious component. Stakeholders suggested using sensitivity when scheduling classes, for example, avoiding night classes and allowing participants to attend classes at other locations when needed. In addition, incorporating prayer into the exercise program may satisfy those expecting the program to have a religious component. The primary barrier identified for the retention phase was competing activities and issues such as other exercise programs, vacations, bible school, and family health issues. Recommended facilitators were sending class reminders, offering door prizes or gas gift cards, educating people about the program and holding potluck dinners.
Regarding the evaluation phase, stakeholders were asked How would you measure success in this project? They responded that instructors would measure success by the self-satisfaction they would feel in seeing participants health improve and the program continue after the initial project concluded. Participants would measure success through the physical, social, and spiritual benefits obtained from the exercise and by seeing the program grow. Finally, FBOs would gauge success by witnessing a growth in membership (ie, bringing more people into the church) and by seeing participants gaining health benefits.
Regarding the outcomes phase, stakeholders were asked What needs to happen for the program to continue after the project concludes? Their responses focused on ensuring that participants remained interested and satisfied, that the instructors advanced the exercises so that the participants felt challenged, and that exercise instructors were satisfied and compensated. Finally, suggestions for disseminating the results of the project included hosting community exercise demonstrations, having physicians prescribe the class, and writing articles for publication on how to start a class.
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Interpretation
The objectives of the community engagement project were met. Several lessons were learned along the way that may inform future community engagement projects. We had to contact more FBOs than expected to reach our recruitment goals. Other studies used similar recruitment methods but did not have to contact as many FBOs. For instance, Lasater et al (27) recruited 20 of 31 churches in Rhode Island. The churches in that study, however, were larger (between 250 and 5,000 members) than the ones in our project, had a printed publication for communication (eg, newsletter), and were in middle-class urban areas. Our FBOs were mostly small, rural congregations with little or no formal means of communication and were in economically depressed areas (27). We also had to allow more time than anticipated for recruiting FBOs. The 3 months that we needed to recruit each FBO, however, was consistent with a study by Campbell et al (17) in which 3 to 6 months were required to recruit one church in rural North Carolina.
Switching from a scientific sampling process to snowball sampling allowed us to reach our recruitment goal; however, this approach was more costly in time and travel. We could have shortened our recruitment period had we planned to use snowball sampling from the outset. In addition, being from the university, we were considered outsiders, which was a disadvantage. Hiring a local resident as a recruitment coordinator may have helped overcome this barrier and reduced travel costs. We also could have saved time by limiting our project to the largest religious denominations in the state that had prominent state-level organizations; however, we wanted our FBOs to be as representative as possible of all FBOs in West Virginia. Researchers may want to factor in these issues when recruiting FBOs in rural areas.
Once FBOs were recruited, the FBO adoption rate for starting classes was high. On the basis of a previous study (20), we anticipated FBO adoption rates of between 52% and 80%. Our FBO adoption rate was higher than expected (94%), perhaps due to the small size of our FBOs, where information sharing may have been simpler and faster once the challenge of getting the information to the FBOs was overcome.
We worked closely with FBOs to recruit exercise instructors. It was challenging to find experienced instructors in rural areas, and as a result, only a few of our instructors had ever led group exercise classes. This highlights the need at the state or county level for a central repository that can identify exercise instructors who have been trained in evidence-based exercise programs. We experienced instructor attrition before and after the training sessions. Ideally, we would have trained at least 2 instructors per FBO, as recommended by Bopp et al (20); however, in some areas we had difficulty recruiting even one instructor, let alone 2. Therefore, researchers may want to plan to overrecruit instructors to account for attrition. Despite these difficulties, our instructor adoption rate was good at 86%, which was similar to the rate (83%) reported in a cardiovascular disease prevention program with aerobic exercise (21).
We struggled some with gaining clergy support, which has been shown to be essential for retaining faith-based partnerships (18). Our experience was consistent with results from a nationwide survey that reported a low level of involvement by faith leaders in action-oriented, health-related activities (eg, physical activity clubs, health screenings) (28). In that survey, faith leaders from rural or small congregations reported a lack of lay leadership and volunteers to organize activities as the most common barrier to implementing health and wellness activities (28). The FBOs in our project were mostly small, with few or no staff members, and had competing priorities in their communities, such as concerns over increasing rates of unemployment, substance abuse, and crime. Therefore, fall prevention and physical activity promotion were not high priorities. A lack of staffing and competing priorities may explain why, once clergy gave approval for the project, the exercise instructors and congregants became the program champions.
Hippolyte et al (18) used referral networks to recruit 5 FBOs in New York City by using motivational interviewing techniques. Those researchers had a stronger consistent presence at the FBOs in their study given the close proximity of the FBOs to the project staff. Thus, incorporating a behavior change strategy such as motivational interviewing, clustering the FBOs closer geographically, and using a recruitment coordinator from the local community may have reduced our resource use and provided an insider to gain more clergy support.
Some of the barriers (eg, lack of transportation, loss of interest, competing activities) and facilitators (eg, offering classes at convenient times, educating the community about tai chi) discussed at the stakeholder forums were consistent with those found in previous studies (29,30). A few stakeholders suggested that conducting classes at FBOs could be a barrier. One person commented, She wont come to my church; I wont go to hers. The stakeholders recommendation to hold classes at more neutral sites was in contrast to studies where churches were viewed as a facilitator for physical activity programs (29,30). Thus, we permitted FBOs to choose where to hold the classes. Furthermore, some of our FBOs were so small that the local senior centers were viewed as having more resources (eg, transportation) to support programming than rural churches, and partnering with them was encouraged.
Our project had several limitations. First, we were not able to ascertain why FBOs did not respond to our recruitment efforts, and consequently, we do not know if any FBOs had a philosophical disagreement with tai chi. Of all our interactions, only one person express a religious objection to tai chi. Second, our counties were of small to medium population size with residents who were older, unhealthier, and of lower socioeconomic status than most other US states. Thus, our results may not be generalizable to larger urban counties with better health profiles.
We successfully recruited FBOs and instructors for a translational study of a tai chi fall-prevention program in rural FBOs. We accomplished our objectives in a state that was ranked last in the nation for physical health, emotional health, and overall well-being (31,32). Translating evidence-based programs into practice in new settings, such as FBOs, in rural states is imperative to address critical health disparities.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by grant no. 1R49CE002109 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, to the West Virginia University Injury Control Research Center. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Author Information
Corresponding Author: Dina L. Jones, PhD, Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Physical Therapy and WVU Injury Control Research Center, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr, PO Box 9196, Morgantown, WV 26506. Telephone: 304-293-1078. Email: dljones@hsc.wvu.edu.
Author Affiliations: Rachael W. Starcher, Jennifer L. Eicher, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia; Sara Wilcox, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
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References
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Tables
Table 1. Characteristics of People Contacted (N = 218) to Recruit 17 Faith-Based Organizations by Using Snowball Sampling Methods, West Virginia, 20132014
Table 1. Characteristics of People Contacted (N = 218) to Recruit 17 Faith-Based Organizations by Using Snowball Sampling Methods, West Virginia, 20132014 Characteristic N (%)a Clergy and church offices 68 (31) Congregants 45 (21) Physical therapy and fitness centers 19 (9) Civic leaders 17 (8) Community members or organizations 16 (7) Extension agents 12 (6) Senior centers 11 (5) Health clinics and departments 10 (5) Ministerial associations 7 (3) Faith-based organizations other than churches 6 (3) Local news media 4 (2) Other 3 (1)
Table 2. Characteristics of 20 Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) and 28 Exercise Instructors in Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance Program for Fall Prevention, West Virginia, 20132014
Table 2. Characteristics of 20 Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) and 28 Exercise Instructors in Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance Program for Fall Prevention, West Virginia, 20132014 Characteristics N Faith-based organizations (FBOs) How FBO was identified Extension agent 1 Internet search 2 Ministerial association 1 Newspaper 1 Purchased mailing list 7 Word of mouth 8 Outreach effort that resulted in FBO joining project Clergy or church office 6 Congregant 5 Extension agent 1 Ministerial association 3 Physical therapy or fitness center 1 Recruitment mailing 3 Senior center 1 Religious group and denomination Protestant Evangelical Church of God 1 Protestant Evangelical Church of God in Christ 1 Protestant Evangelical Nondenominational 1 Protestant Evangelical Southern Baptist 1 Protestant Evangelical Assemblies of God 1 Protestant Mainline Episcopal 1 Protestant Mainline American Baptist 5 Protestant Mainline Presbyterian 3 Protestant Mainline United Methodist Church 4 Protestant Mainline Christian Church 1 Multidenominational 1 Number of members (n = 15)a 199 10 100199 2 200499 3 500999 0 =1000 0 Church members (n = 15)a,b 199 12 100199 2 200499 0 500999 0 =1000 1 Exercise instructors Relationship to congregation Member 13 Active nonmember 1 Friend or family of member 2 Pastor 2 No formal connection 3 Other 3 Do not know 4 Outreach effort that resulted in instructor joining the project Church clergy or congregants 11 Community members 4 Newspaper article 1 Ministerial association 2 Volunteered 4 Family member or friend 1 Other class instructor 3 Extension agent 2
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India: Kerala businesses protest high cement prices
ICR Newsroom By 15 July 2016
The Government Contractors Association (GCA) in Kerala has hit out at the state governments failure to control cement prices, which have reached INR430 (US$6.40) for a 50kg bag, the Deccan Chronicle reports.
The head of the GCA in Kerala, Varghese Kannampally, noted that production costs for a bag of cement are about INR70 (US$1.04). Mr Kannampally observed that in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the state government had reached an agreement with producers to supply agreed quantities of cement for INR190 (US$2.83).
The GCA head noted that the Keralan government was reluctant to cut prices as they currently helped to support the publicly-owned producer Malabar Cements and brought in tax revenues.
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Sri Lanka: Tokyo Cement Company calls for end to price controls
ICR Newsroom By 15 July 2016
Tokyo Cement, the largest cement producer in Sri Lanka, has called on the government to end controls and allow the market to set prices, Colombos Daily Mirror reports.
In 2015 the government introduced a price ceiling of LKR870 (US$6.00) for a 50kg bag of cement, at a time when local prices were LKR930-940.
Since last year the Sri Lankan rupee has depreciated in value, raising the cost of clinker imports and raising costs further down the supply chain.
Managing director of Tokyo Cement, SR Gnanam, said: An unequal playing field has been created through the current national policy that imposes price controls on cement, while allowing unlimited, duty-free entry for imported varieties.
The price ceiling and the availability of imported cement has contributed to a boom in demand, especially from residential consumers. In FY15-16, Sri Lankan consumption reached 6.0Mta, up from 5.4Mta in FY14-15. At the beginning of June, LafargeHolcim announced that it was to quit the Sri Lankan market with the sale of Holcim Lanka.
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Ghana: government blamed for Diamond Cement downsizing
ICR Newsroom By 15 July 2016
The Afloa Youth Association in the Volta region have accused the Ghanaian government of being insensitive towards the downsizing of local cement manufacturer Diamond Cement as a result of competition with Dangote Cement.
Diamond Cement has repeatedly voiced concerns regarding Dangotes involvement in the retail of cement in Ghana, saying it is unfair competition. Dangotes presence in the country is speculated to have reduced Diamond Cement's annual production from 1.8m bags to 1.3m bags.
The Alfoan youth group, predominantly made up from casual workers of Diamond Cement, said the situation is threatening their livelihoods as local cement businesses cannot compete. The group said, hundreds of our brothers and sisters have been directly employed by this company, thousands indirectly and the clear and present danger posed by cement importation to the continued existence of Diamond Cement, has created some uneasiness among those who directly and indirectly earn their upkeep from the company and their dependents.
The group have continued to question the governments resolve to create jobs for the unemployed youth of Ghana.
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Would you trust a robot to help deliver your baby?
Robots could eventually play integral roles in labor wards, according to findings from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
Robots are currently employed in hospitals to carry out simple actions, like dispensing medication. But can they understand patient needs and make scheduling decisions?
The researchers have been working for the past two years to determine whether robots can be more than just helpful companions.
They've been conducting experiments to see if a robot can serve as an effective "resource nurse." That's the nurse in the labor and delivery unit that's in charge of assigning other nurses to care for patients.
Related: 'AI can solve world's biggest problems' says Google Brain's Quoc Le
"It is really one person making these decisions. It's a very complex environment and a very hard job," said MIT professor Julie Shah, the senior author of the study. The job requires effective decision making -- which room should a patient be assigned to? Which nurse should perform a C-section? -- in a fast-paced, often unpredictable environment.
To conduct the study, the researchers trained a Nao robot to learn from nurses' scheduling decisions and to understand why they made those decisions opposed to the alternatives.
The robot takes into account the complexity of patients assigned to particular nurses, break schedules and more. It can also determine nurses' availability on the floor.
The researchers then had the robot make suggestions for doctors and nurses in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. At Beth Israel, the resource nurse coordinates 10 nurses, 20 patients and 20 rooms at the same time, according to the study's authors.
Related: New AI can predict when two people will kiss
90% of the time, the Nao robot made suggestions that doctors and nurses carried out, the study found.
According to Shah, there are two important use cases for the technology. It can be an effective training tool for novice nurses and can help make better decisions in the labor ward.
The researchers performed the experiment first with a computer-based support and then with a robot to compare whether nurses complied differently with the suggestions of robots versus computers.
They didn't see an over-reliance on the robot, according to Shah, who also led a similar studythat applies the same system to missile-defense scenarios.
Next up for the labor robots, Shah said, is to expand the research to other labor units in more hospitals.
"We are looking to scale this, but this is a safety critical domain so we're making sure we take measured steps," Shah added.
OMAHA -- Investigators believe Timothy Clausen set up plans to escape from the Lincoln Correctional Center by using a cellphone smuggled in for him by a prison caseworker.
Clausen and Armon Dixon left the prison on June 10 in a laundry truck. Dixon was caught the next day in Lincoln, but Clausen managed to stay out for five days until he was arrested in Omaha.
New details in the case appear in a search warrant written by Nebraska State Patrol Investigator Nathan Malicky and obtained by the Journal Star.
A caseworker at the prison is accused of giving Clausen the cellphone about a month before the escape, according to the document filed in Douglas County Court. She has not been criminally charged.
An inmate told investigators he saw Clausen with a black smartphone with the letter G on it. Investigators believe the caseworker was paid $500 to bring in the phone, documents say.
The caseworker was living beyond her financial means and may have been smuggling other contraband into the prison as well, documents say.
Investigators are trying to identify a woman on the outside who called LCC about 15 minutes after the escape to say Dixon had called her asking for a ride. The woman thought it was a joke and asked if Dixon had escaped. The correctional officer in charge of the housing unit in which Dixon lived told her he had not.
Clausen and Dixon's escape from LCC triggered a massive manhunt in Lincoln and Omaha that has cost at least $34,400.
Court documents filed recently in Omaha also offer new details on how Clausen was found.
On June 12, the state patrol got an anonymous tip that he was staying in a garage in the 2600 block of Patrick Avenue in Omaha with the permission of the person who lived there. Officers spoke with a witness who said she saw Clausen nearby, documents say.
Police talked to another man at the home who said Clausen was sleeping on his bed and he was upset about it but had not called 911.
Three days later, the U.S. Marshals Metro Area Task Force got additional information that Clausen was at 3226 N. 26th Ave. When officers knocked on the door there, a woman answered and they saw Clausen close the bathroom door, documents say.
They found him in the apartment with at least three other people.
Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver on the toilet in the bathroom. The gun was not registered or reported stolen, documents say.
After he was arrested, Clausen acknowledged having the cellphone and said Dixon also used it. He said Dixon was supposed to make arrangements for a ride with the woman he called after the escape.
Prosecutors have charged an Omaha woman with helping Clausen escape. They believe Wanda Minor, 51, picked him up in Lincoln and drove him out of the city.
State officials called in help from out of state to investigate the escapes, and Gov. Pete Ricketts and Corrections Director Scott Frakes vowed to track down and fix errors that led to two dangerous inmates being on the street.
Clausen and Dixon, both convicted sex offenders, have been taken to Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.
Gov. Pete Ricketts is asking state agencies to control spending because of reduced tax revenues flowing into state coffers.
Agencies are being asked to:
* Review vacant positions and, where possible, postpone or eliminate hiring. The governor emphasized no hiring freeze was in place;
* Prioritize essential travel necessary for public safety and explore alternatives such as video calls and web meetings;
* Coordinate purchases to identify the greatest savings and shared use possible, and limit equipment purchases to those necessary for process improvement or to maintain services;
* Work with political subdivisions or other organizations to find savings in providing state services.
Now, the state allots 25 percent of appropriations each quarter to agencies, boards and commissions. Those allotments will be reduced 1 percent to prompt additional spending restraint and to prepare for possible budget reductions, Ricketts said. The overall appropriations will not change.
"That's a way to really send the message that we ought to be watching our dollars, tightening our belts, and making sure we're doing a good job for the taxpayers," he said.
The state just started the second year of its 2015-17 budget. The governor will begin work on the next two-year budget and announce his proposals in January.
The state's Tax Rate Review Committee will meet July 25, and could recommend then that a special session of the Legislature be called to address current budget issues.
"There is no need to recommend a special session," Ricketts said on Thursday.
And, he added, any revenue shortfall the state is experiencing does not dissuade him from his goal of looking for tax cuts.
Instructions for preparing the 2017-19 budget require state agencies, boards, and commissions to identify general fund budget cuts adding up to 8 percent, to be individually considered by the governor and the Legislature before the session that begins in January.
Any money that went unspent in fiscal year 2016 should not be available for spending in 2017 without an exception from the budget office, Ricketts said.
"This is not a crisis," he said, "but ... what we get paid to do is manage our budgets within the constraints of the revenues we project."
The past two months' tax receipts have been below projections made by the Nebraska Economic Forecasting Advisory Board, falling short by $71 million in May and $24 million in June. That's about 2.2 percent off the forecast for the fiscal year.
State Tax Commissioner Tony Fulton said an analysis showed the agricultural economy contributed to the shortfall in taxes.
"Commodity prices were at an all-time high in 2013, and those have come down," he said.
That has a direct effect on farmers' abilities to make a living, and spending by those families is down, which affects sales tax receipts, he said.
Even though net tax receipts are below the forecast, they have actually increased over the past three years.
Net receipts were $4.117 billion for fiscal year 2013-14. In June 2015, receipts were up to $4.305 billion for the year.
The state brought in $4.308 billion in 2015-16. But the amount was below what forecasters projected -- $4.403 billion.
The forecasting board will meet again in October.
Fulton said he could not speculate on whether tax receipts will continue to fall below projections, but will closely monitor them.
Ricketts said memorandums will also be sent to the state agencies that are not under his direct control, including the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, telling them they should be looking for opportunities to reduce fees and balances.
"If we can reduce fees, return those fees back to the taxpayers, the Nebraskans that generate those fees ... that gives them more money in their pockets to go out and spend and create economic activities," he said.
The Legislature's Appropriations Chairman, Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha, said in May that crafting a state budget with minimal growth should be the focus of Ricketts and the next Legislature.
This unforeseen revenue shortfall requires all state agencies to begin reevaluating priorities for the upcoming two-year budget, he said Thursday.
Nebraska, unlike many others, has maintained a rainy day fund over the past five years to help weather unforeseen revenue declines like in the past year, he said.
"This conservative approach positions the state to protect key investments in education and infrastructure despite revenue volatility," Mello said.
Longtime legislator notes that General Assembly lawyers were not allowed to defend local districts at appeals court
Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam, R-Wake, shown at a November 2015 forum on redistricting reform at N.C. State University (CJ file photo)
RALEIGH While officials are mulling a request from a federal judge to submit new district maps for Wake County commissioner and school board elections, one longtime lawmaker says the U.S. Supreme Court could allow this year's elections to be held under the disputed plans.said Rep. Paul "Skip" Stam, R-Wake.Stam noted that House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, previously had been listed as defendants in the lawsuits challenging the maps. However, Stam said Moore and Berger were "involuntarily dismissed" as defendants by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.In 2013, the General Assembly redrew Wake County's school board districts. The plan included two "super districts" and seven smaller districts. The same map was used when lawmakers redrew Wake County's county commissioner districts in 2015.Primaries for the county commissioner districts were held on March 15.On Feb. 26, Dever ruled that the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the maps had not proven their case. The plaintiffs appealed, and the 4th Circuit ruled in their favor on July 1, the day that filing closed for the school board elections.Stam said, adding that the commissioner candidates in the March 15 primaryNow that the appeals court has ruled, Dever will have the task of carrying out the ruling unless a higher court delays the effect of the 4th Circuit's ruling.Dever has asked the State Board of Elections and leaders of the General Assembly to respond to him by July 18 regarding new redistricting plans.Shelly Carver, a spokeswoman for Berger, and Andy Munn, a spokesman for Moore, said their legal teams are reviewing Dever's order.Dever also suggested that if the General Assembly was unwilling or unable to redraw maps for the 2016 elections, state law may permit the State Board of Elections to make temporary rules allowing for an election under new maps.Jackie Hyland, a spokeswoman for the State Board of Elections said in a statement.The Wake County Board of Elections will meet Wednesday to discuss the court order.Stam also noted that when the case went before the 4th Circuit, the office of state Attorney General Roy Cooper no longer was defending the districts since Berger and Moore had been dismissed as plaintiffs. That meant no one went to bat in the court for lawmakers who redrew the districts.Stam said.But since legislators' attorneys weren't there, they weren't represented, Stam said.According to Dever's order, the 4th Circuit found that the maps contained an "improper partisanship" which it considered an illegitimate reapportionment factor, even though the districts were well within 10 percent of each other in population - the acceptable standard deviation in an ideal district.The 4th Circuit also remanded the case back to the District Court, saying that it sawIf the Supreme Court stays the 4th Circuit's order, the November election could occur on schedule with the 2013-drawn districts in place.
State Sen. Tillman expects constitutional measure to be revived in 2017 General Assembly session
UNC-Chapel Hill business school professor Brent Lane, pictured here speaking Monday at the John Locke Foundation, has taken no position on reducing the cap on the state's income tax rate, but he says shifting toward taxing consumption would be a positive move. (CJ file photo)
RALEIGH - State Sen. Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph, said the Senate will push again in the next legislative session to pass a constitutional amendment lowering the cap on the personal income tax rate from 10 percent to 5.5 percent.Imposing a 5.5 percent income tax ceiling was one of three constitutional amendments in House Bill 3 . It passed the Senate 31-18, but the House failed to act on it in the recently concluded short session. The current cap is 10 percent.The tax cap in H.B. 3 was combined with a provision creating an Emergency Savings Reserve Fund along with two other constitutional amendments - one barring the public taking of private property for transfer to another private person for economic development, and a third enshrining the right to hunt and fish.Tillman said of House inaction by referring H.B. 3 to the House Rules Committee, which often is a legislative graveyard.Tillman said.While there were three constitutional amendments under consideration, Tillman said the other measures in H.B. 3 "pale in comparison" to capping the income tax rate. "Eminent domain will come back, I feel sure," and would be his second priority, followed by the hunting and fishing amendment."Nothing to me is as important as saying this is the maximum amount we'll take from taxpayers, and let individuals and businesses know how to plan their budgets, family budgets, business budgets, and everything else," Tillman said.The Office of State Treasurer opposed the income tax cap, saying that could have a negative impact North Carolina's AAA bond rating, the highest possible, which would drive up state costs for borrowing money.During floor debate in the Senate, Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, former general counsel for the state treasurer, said that agency's strategic plan has been "to apply conservative debt management practices to maintain the state's AAA bond rating," and has challenged both Democratic and Republican governors and legislatures on their fiscal policies.governance and financial strength, Chaudhuri argued, and rating agencies could downgrade the state's bond ratings because the capTillman said.with the state running surpluses between $200 million and $400 million a year, he said.Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Brunswick, was another critic of State Treasurer Janet Cowell's letter, pointing out that she mentioned five states negatively affected by lowered income tax caps, but omitted Georgia, where the constitutional limit of 6 percent was passed in 2014, and has been successful.Sen. Mike Lee, R-New Hanover, made the same point during floor debate that Georgia did not suffer a credit downgrade. Republicans countered Cowell by noting she cited states that did not control spending while cutting taxes, causing the income tax caps to backfire.The Republicans' position has now been supported in an investigation by Ballotpedia, a nonpartisan political and electoral online encyclopedia."Rabon is correct," wrote Paul Brennan. "All three major ratings agencies - Standard and Poor's Rating Services, Moody's Investor Services, and Fitch Ratings - gave the bonds their highest ratings both before and after the introduction of the income tax cap" into 2016.In 2015 Moody's described Georgia as having a "strong governance framework and financial management practices [that] have helped to support the state's Aaa rating over many years," and issued Georgia its highest rating, AAA, Brennan wrote.Standard and Poor's 2015 report said Georgia's amendment hadBrennan wrote.Fitch's 2015 report said Georgia's income tax ceilingBrennan wrote.North Carolina's Republican leadership has pushed to lower the income tax while expanding the sales tax base.said Brent Lane, director of the UNC Center for Competitive Economies at the Kenan-Flagler business school on the Chapel Hill campus.Lane said.Lane said.He said if he were to propose a constitutional amendment,The state's goal should be "to make tax policy as irrelevant as possible in people's day-to-day and market decisionmaking," not by eliminating the income tax, but in applying it" Lane said.He believes all income ought to have the same tax rate, whether it's high or low,
I am about to begin my freshman year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and I recently attended college orientation. As an Eagle Scout, I learned orienteering, the skill set used to navigate in new or unfamiliar territory. I noticed the shared root word and expected orientation to show me how to navigate my way through my freshman year.At first, my expectations were met. My classmates and I learned how to register for classes, a few of the Carolina fight songs ("I'm a Tar Heel born and bred!"), all the different extracurricular activities at UNC, and the opportunities we will have to study abroad. We walked around campus for two days learning about all that Carolina has to offer and the Carolina community.But then things took a new direction: we were treated to an interactive theater experience focused on diversity and inclusiveness. The actors performed four skits, each addressing a cardinal sin of the liberal perspective-racism, sexism, heterosexism, and class politics. For each skit, the overarching theme was avoiding offense. But they also displayed an ironic cluelessness: the skits were themselves narrow-mindedly offensive for their clumsy portrayal of people conducting these supposedly daily interactions.Furthermore, the skits forced me to ask: "to what end is UNC orienting her students?"The skits set forth various scenarios. The first showed an Indian woman talking to a white friend, who unintentionally acted racist. In another, a man aggressively flirted with a woman who was clearly uncomfortable. The next skit showed two friends asking another friend of lesser means to go out to lunch and immediately assuming he had the means to do so. The final skit showed a gay man react with offense at the use of the word "gay" as a derogatory term.Instead of showing that all people are equally deserving of human dignity, the theater group created its own caricatures: the "villains" in each of the skits were either white, male, heterosexual, middle class, or some combination of the four. Perhaps, if the objective had been solely to learn how to navigate a community whose citizens hail from increasingly diverse backgrounds on ethnic, religious, and cultural lines, this exercise would have been helpful, if ham-handed.However, learning to get along wasn't the real purpose. The actual intent was revealed in the discussions that took place afterwards. We were given an opportunity to ask the characters from each scenario and the event leaders questions. Most of them weren't memorable ("how did that make you feel?" and "why did you think that was okay?") but a few of them brought the real direction (not to mention, hypocrisy) of the program to light.One question touched on the "objectification" of men. Instead of using the opportunity to speak to how men are objectified in popular culture (the most obvious and recent example being the Magic Mike male stripper films), the event leaders changed the subject to gender norms. The event leaders brought back the characters from the sexism skit, a big, strong looking man, probably over six feet, and a petite woman. The actors were told to go back to a scene where the man had his arm on the woman, clearly checking her out, while the woman looked uncomfortable. Then they switched roles. This caused some laughter, which disturbed the event leaders so much they reprimanded the crowd. They failed to see the humor in this unlikely situation, a large, strong man in an atypically submissive situation.The leaders proceeded to say that what society tells us about gender is wrong-that gender is fluid and so are the characteristics typically associated with genders. They went so far as to refer to audience members as "those who identify as male" and "those who identify as women."I found this viewpoint to be disturbingly nonscientific. There are obviously inherent biological and psychological differences between men and women. The differences between men and women don't make one gender better than the other; it seems to me that where women are strong, men are weak and vice versa. If anything, the differences enable the two genders to rely on each other and permit them to work cooperatively using different capabilities to improve human existence.As bad as that incident was, orientation got even worse. One of my fellow students stood up and questioned how affirmative action is not inherently discriminatory. This student was a white male, and he shared his view (in an allegedly open forum) that it seemed wrong for race and gender to be a factor in college acceptance. What would it mean if, after all his hard work, he missed an opportunity because he was a white male?His question was beyond the pale. The room gave a collective gasp and started murmuring darkly. The event leaders swiftly shut down the offending student's line of questioning, evasively answering that affirmative action was very "loose" and the quotas weren't stringent.The incident with the student who questioned affirmative action revealed an unspoken campus rule that we never discussed: not everybody has the ability to say when he or she is offended or upset without fear of reprisal, social or otherwise.In a truly open-minded community, dedicated to our school's motto(Light and Liberty), all people would have this ability to speak their minds. What I learned that day at UNC, however, is that free speech, so fundamental to the academy, is only permitted to those who toe the "progressive" line. This exercise could have looked at our different backgrounds in an effort to cultivate true community, built on respect and politeness. Instead, we were "asked" to accept a perversion of true open-mindedness. Instead of encouraging us to each bring ourselves to the table and explore our differences cordially, we were told that some differences, namely non-"progressive" beliefs, were unacceptable. In order to be accepted, we must make our views uniform.When it comes to the question of orientation, is that really the direction to which UNC wants to point?
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Ross, Democratic Senate nominee and former state ACLU director, silent on "Web of Denial" campaign by Democratic U.S. senators targeting JLF, other groups
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., singles out the John Locke Foundation's work in a Tuesday speech on the Senate floor as part of the Democrats' coordinated "Web of Denial" campaign. (Image from C-Span)
RALEIGH Spokesmen for North Carolina Republican U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr condemned Senate Democrats' attacks on the John Locke Foundation, Carolina Journal, and 47 other organizations that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., accused of concocting a "Web of Denial" through research and reporting that creates a skeptical view of climate change alarmism.In an orchestrated campaign, 19 Democratic senators have been pushing a concurrent resolution hoping to compel the free-market organizations to participate in unspecified investigations that the senators contend would show the groups deceived the public about the putative dangers of manmade climate change, a theory many scientists have challenged.The measure condemning the 48 organizations is considered to have little chance to pass in the Republican-controlled Senate.said Tillis press secretary Daniel Keylin.Senate Democrats are using a filibuster to block the $575 billion 2017 Defense appropriations bill that funds military operations, while spending two days in a series of floor speeches pushing the concurrent resolution.said Tillis in a Republican press release.Burr chastised the Democrats' campaign against JLF and other organizations through press secretary Taylor Holgate."Senator Burr does not believe it is the role of the United States Senate to silence free speech or involve itself in academic research," Holgate said.Deborah Ross, Burr's Democratic opponent in this year's general election, and former N.C. state director of the American Civil Liberties Union, did not respond to multiple attempts seeking comment.But Sean Haugh, a Libertarian challenging Burr for his seat, called the "showboating" action by 19 Senate Democrats to spur a Senate condemnation of JLF and the other organizationsHaugh said. Democrats arehe said.There needs to beon topics such as climate change becauseHaugh said.The Democrats' concurrent resolution alleges fossil fuel companies "developed a sophisticated and deceitful campaign that funded think tanks and front groups, and paid public relations firms to deny, counter, and obfuscate" studies purporting to show climate change is caused by human activities and will have catastrophic consequences. JLF neither markets nor produces fossil fuels.Haugh said.Aside from basing their condemnation on unsettled science, Haugh said the Democrats' call for action against the 48 organizations is duplicitous.Democrats, particularly, arethat do not address or abate the speculative problems they rail against, Haugh said.Speaking from the Senate floor on Monday, Whitehouse took aim at billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch, who have become the bogey men of the left for their political funding of many conservative groups and causes.He said 43 of the 48 groups Democrats are condemning areand 28On Tuesday Whitehouse became even more direct and accusatory, using charts during his floor remarks to describe what he sees as a web of climate change denial, and naming donors to free market organizations.He specifically and repeatedly accused the John Locke Foundation and CJ of being key agents in what he called theWhitehouse has compared the potential dangers of "climate fraud" to the "scheme of fraud" perpetrated by tobacco companies on smokers, and has called for civil lawsuits, seeking financial penalties against fossil fuel producers much like the $246 billion global settlement in 1998 between tobacco companies and state governments."The insertion of this authoritarian narrative - that climate change hysteria is the final word, and that to exercise your First Amendment rights to question such claims may make you subject to government surveillance - is an assault on the idea and practice of democracy in the United States," JLF's CEO and President Kory Swanson said on Tuesday.Whitehouse was among a cadre of Democrats who last year sent a demand letter to JLF and 106 other groups ordering, without authority, that they surrender 10 years of voluminous records about research, funding, activities, donors' names, and a broad array of other documents. JLF refused, and Senate Republicans roundly condemned the Democrats' overreach.David Legates, a University of Delaware professor and former Delaware state climatologist who has been targeted by left-leaning climate activists for his research, has argued there is no convincing evidence that human activity is causing catastrophic change to the climate.In a previous interview with CJ, Legates said that political interference in the scientific method, and attempts by government and its vested researchers to shut down conflicting ideas and findings, are both real, and harmful to pure science and public policy development.Legates said President Eisenhower warned in his farewell address against creating a scientific technological elite,That approach, along with intimidating research professors and others whose research findings differ, "stifles science," Legates said.
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 of 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."
For the past thirty years Chattanooga State Community College has provided adult education services to the citizens in Hamilton County. As of July 1, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens has been entrusted and challenged by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to continue offering these services.
"Times of transition and change bring about a plethora of questions and concerns, and in regards to Hamilton County adult education, the primary concerns revolve around accessibility and quality of services for citizens in need of the diploma necessary for entering the workforce or earning a postsecondary credential," officials said.
In light of these concerns, Stewart Smith, director of the TCAT Athens, said, The TCAT Athens is committed to providing quality education services to the citizens of Hamilton County. We appreciate the years of quality service that Chattanooga State has provided in Hamilton County, and we intend to work with them in providing a direct pathway for our graduates to become their graduates.
"The TCAT Athens has a proven track record of providing quality services leading to a high success rate in graduates earning their high school equivalency diploma in Rhea, McMinn, and Meigs Counties, and is now focused on bringing this same level of success to Hamilton County," officials said.
District 4 is comprised of the 10 counties making up the Southeast region of the state, with Hamilton County representing nearly half of the total potential to serve. Hamilton County is by far the largest population in the region and as such will receive the lions share of available funding, said Mr. Smith. Funding has been utilized to hire an assistant district coordinator and support and instructional staff whose primary focus will be on Hamilton County. In addition, Hamilton County will be the central location for ESL classes.
"AE District Coordinator Leslie Travis has worked diligently putting together a team of qualified professionals to develop a strategic plan to ensure that the citizens of Hamilton County receive quality preparation to successfully pass the high school equivalency exam (HiSET), which are still being offered at Chattanooga State," officials said.
Beginning on July 11, we will have classes at the Eastlake Salvation Army location on 28th Street, The American Job Center at the Eastgate Town Center on Brainard Road, and in Soddy Daisy, said Ms. Travis. The TCAT Athens continues to pursue additional locations within the community to expand the offering of services, focusing primarily on locales accessible by way of public transportation in areas with the highest concentration of need.
We ask the community to please remain patient as we seek to ensure that services offered in Hamilton County are of the highest quality. Rest assured that we will do our best to move the process along as quickly as possible, said Ms. Travis.
All adult education teachers and staff will be attending a statewide training in Memphis the week of July 17. The purpose of this training is to bring all eight Districts together in order to better understand the goals of the restructuring and to enable each adult education representative to successfully provide quality services in each community, according to officials. New student orientation will begin on Aug. 1 across the District 4 area, which includes: Hamilton, Marion, Sequatchie, Grundy, Bledsoe, Rhea, Meigs, McMinn, Polk, and Bradley Counties.
"Adult education takes a collaborative effort, and the TCAT Athens will work tirelessly to partner with individuals, business and industry, education and governmental entities in Hamilton County to develop the most effective plan to provide quality services," officials said.
Anyone interested in partnering with the TCAT Athens or receiving adult education services can call the toll free number, 1-844-688-7944. "The Tennessee Adult Education District 4 Facebook page will be frequently updated with dates and locations, making it a great resource to remain current on adult education in District 4," officials said.
Tom Campbell
The halfway mark of this event-filled year is a good time to reflect on the first six months in North Carolina. We would say the year's theme to date has been protest.North Carolina's economy has outperformed our neighboring states (and much of the nation) for the past several years, fueled by business relocations and expansions, new jobs and new people moving here, but NC State economist Mike Walden says there are warning signs.While urban counties are improving, rural areas continue their decline. Employers report a gap of needed worker skills to fill available jobs. The Middle class continues to be squeezed and poverty is unabated. Further, our strong population growth is slowing, meaning fewer new people to take jobs, produce and spend.Nobody could have predicted such a contentious political climate, starting with HB2. This lightning-rod legislation brought attention to our state like none we've seen recently, with economic, corporate and political protests costing our state dollars and stature. Our angst is manifested in protests from Moral Monday, LGBT, teachers and racial groups fueling increased partisanship and unrest. Overlay these protests with the controversial Trump-Clinton presidential battle and what is already shaping up to be ugly and contentious races for U.S. Senator, governor and other down ballot races and you can understand the protests of average citizens. They are fed up, have turned off and tuned out before the main election contests really begin.Court battles and verdicts on separation of powers, voter ID and election laws, redistricting, teacher tenure, judicial retention, cyber-bullying and eminent domain, among others, further demonstrate widespread protests and demonstrate the courts' increasing role in our lives.Our General Assembly's "short session" passed a record state budget but likely will be remembered by what didn't pass. Lawmakers continued the fundamental shift in state tax policy away from taxing income to sales taxes, a scheme that disproportionately impacts lower and middle-income earners. They continued an obvious movement toward school choice by increasing vouchers for private schools while capping tuition at public universities. After a sit-in at the state capitol the legislature gave teachers needed pay raises and rank and file state employees received overdue raises.But since most legislative business is done behind closed doors most of us were unaware of growing dissension between our House and Senate, a schism that brought some good news. They failed to reach agreement to put on November's ballot some unwise and unnecessary proposed constitutional amendments. They were unable to pass a poorly designed mandate regarding the teaching of math in public schools or more regulatory or environmental reforms. While stashing more in reserves for the next economic downturn, they diverted $500,000 of those dollars to defend HB2 in court and then allocated $47 million for pork-barrel projects for their leadership.The first six months have left us somewhat shell-shocked and we find ourselves protesting the prospect of more of the same. We long for more civil discussions, better understandings, increased unity and a renewed purpose to work for the common good. We especially pray for honorable and trustworthy leaders.
LAHORE, Pakistan The United States has put a $10 million bounty on his head, labeling him a terrorist. He is one of the most wanted men in India. Yet, Hafiz Saeed walks free in his home country of Pakistan, denouncing Washington and New Delhi in public speeches.
Now the man identified by the U.S. as a founding member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group is weighing in on the flare-up of violence in Kashmir, the mountainous region divided between Pakistani and Indian control, where dozens have died in clashes with protesters after Indian security forces killed a top rebel leader.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Saeed accused the U.S. of giving India a free hand to crush the anti-India protests in its Himalayan territory, warning that will only lead to an escalation of violence.
"America is supporting this oppression by India by saying it is an internal matter," the 66-year-old Saeed said in the interview, which took place Wednesday at his two-story home behind a steel barrier separating it from the narrow streets of the eastern city of Lahore.
"This has given India encouragement, and because of this, the killings and violence" will continue, he said.
He said he will lead nationwide demonstrations in Pakistan to force its government to sever ties with the U.S. if it cannot convince Washington to intervene in the decades-old Kashmir dispute. The two countries, which also possess nuclear weapons, have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir.
Militants demand that Kashmir be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. At least 31 people have been killed in Kashmir in street protests after Indian troops last week killed Burhan Wani, a charismatic Kashmiri insurgent.
Washington has said it will not intervene, adding that Kashmir's future is a problem for Pakistan and India to work out. As recently as Wednesday, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. wants to see "dialogue between India and Pakistan on how to resolve the conflict in Kashmir, and our policy hasn't changed."
India declared the death of the 22-year-old Wani to be a major victory over the insurgency. But his killing has galvanized young Indian Kashmiris to stage daily protests. It has also sparked massive demonstrations in Pakistan and forced Pakistan's government and military to make daily statements in support of demonstrating Kashmiris.
"When India martyred him, then the common Kashmiri joined the movement," said Saeed, who has been a key figure in the often-brutal insurgency in Indian-ruled Kashmir.
On Pakistan's side of the disputed border, residents say Saeed is the only force who can "liberate" the territory from Indian rule. One resident, Muhammad Ishaq of the capital of Muzaffarabad, said Lashkar-e-Taiba is more of a threat to India than any other group, including Wani's organization, which is called the Hezbul Mujahedeen.
Human Rights organizations have accused Indian soldiers of widespread abuse, including forced detentions, rape and torture. India, meanwhile, has repeatedly assailed Pakistan for sending fighters over the border to incite violence.
The United States identifies Saeed as a founding member of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a U.S.-declared terrorist group that is widely believed to have been a creation of Pakistan's military and intelligence service, known by its acronym ISI, to wage a proxy war against India. It is considered one of the largest and most effective of the insurgent groups fighting in Indian-ruled Kashmir.
Lashkar-e-Taiba is often referred to as an al-Qaida affiliated group whose name means Army of the Pure and it belongs to the Salafist movement, an ultra-conservative branch of Islam. It has plotted to blow up sites in Australia, recruited from existing terrorist groups in Europe and has been a source of inspiration for radicalized Muslims in the West, according to intelligence officials in the U.K. and France.
It is suspected of carrying out the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, that targeted a Jewish Center, the main railway station and a five-star hotel frequented by foreigners. The attack killed 166 people.
The only person arrested in the Mumbai attack was Ajmal Amir Kasab, a Pakistani national who testified he was trained at a Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Muridke, outside Lahore. He also said Saeed was among the inspirational speakers who would visit the training camp. Kasab was hanged in India in 2012 for his part in the attacks.
The $10 million bounty on Saeed was imposed by the U.S. State Department's Rewards for Justice Program. India has issued an Interpol Red Corner Notice for his capture, accusing him of offenses including masterminding the Mumbai attack.
The Indian government has long demanded that Pakistan arrest Saeed, but when he has been detained, his incarceration has been brief, and Pakistani courts, including its Supreme Court, have cleared him of terrorism charges.
"Many times I have been arrested on the order of America and India ... (but) the Lahore high court freed me and also my organization, saying we were innocent of terrorism charges and did not participate in any terrorist activities," Saeed said.
Pakistan outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba after Washington declared it a terrorist group. However, its charity wing Jamaat-ud-Dawa still operates, even though both the U.S. and the United Nations also declared it a terrorist organization, describing it as a radical Islamist group.
Jean Louis Bruguiere, a former French magistrate who had spent more than two decades investigating terrorism and is credited with hundreds of arrests and convictions, has said he found evidence of Lashkar-e-Taiba's network in East Asia, Australia, the United States and Europe.
Saeed said he has written to the State Department, complaining about the $10 million bounty. He denies any connection to Lashkar-e-Taiba, despite having given interviews as its chief at its headquarters in Muridke before it was outlawed.
Security remains a concern for Saeed, and the interview only took place after a series of phone calls that increased in frequency as a reporter was driven to his home that was guarded by several men with long beards, although only one displayed a weapon.
Inside, the heavyset, wispy-bearded Saeed sat amid other men in a small room stuffed with couches. Most of his entourage chatted together in small groups, while others were on their mobile phones throughout the interview.
Saeed dismisses the allegations against him as "India propaganda." He traced the troubled history of Kashmir and blamed the U.S. and India for the violence but denied his own role or that of Pakistan in the insurgency.
Saeed also expressed concern about the growing influence of the Islamic State group in Pakistan, where several arrests have been made both in eastern Punjab province and in the southern port of Karachi.
"I am highly worried about Daesh ... with their particular focus on Pakistan and Saudi Arabia," he said, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. He said the group was trying to divide the Muslim world.
Associated Press
Mourners carry the coffin of a man who died during the coup attempt at a funeral ceremony at Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara, Turkey. Support from the highest ranks in the army helped keep President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in power. (Dimitar Dilkoff / AFP/Getty Images)
Washington The sprawling nation of Turkey is one of the United States' most important and critically strategic allies, straddling the divide between the Middle East and the West.
As the only majority-Muslim member of NATO, Turkey has lent its soil to U.S. air bases, supported American military operations in key conflicts such as Syria today and the Balkans in the 1990s and served, until recent years, as a rare friendly interlocutor between Muslim nations and Israel.
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But Turkey has also been a complicated and prickly ally, and more so as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan deepened his autocratic hold on power.
[ Turkey coup attempt live updates: Gunfire, explosions break out as president urges citizens to take to the streets ]
Turkey's stability and the friendliness of its military toward the West are also of vital importance to the U.S. and for countries throughout Europe.
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Turkey has been a NATO ally since 1952, and U.S. warplanes have used Incirlik Air Base in the south during the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
An estimated 1,800 U.S. military personnel are assigned to the base and the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, the capital.
Security at Incirlik is of critical importance for the U.S. military because there is a stockpile of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons at the base.
The B61 thermonuclear weapon is the last of its kind, the only tactical nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal. Unlike strategic weapons, designed to destroy cities and hardened military targets, the tactical weapons are intended for use on a battlefield, delivered by aircraft at treetop level or from high altitudes.
The exact number of B61 bombs at Incirlik is classified, but arms control analysts estimate there are about 50 deployed there.
With the second largest army in NATO, Erdogan was initially hesitant to take part in the U.S-led effort against Islamic State militants in Syria. For Erdogan, the greater goal was ousting Syrian President Bashar Assad, and Erdogan was accused in some U.S. circles of turning a blind eye toward the threat of Islamic State.
However, after a series of high-profile suicide attacks in Turkish cities, Erdogan agreed a year ago to allow U.S. warplanes to fly combat sorties from Incirlik.
Since then, the intensity of the U.S.-led air war in Syria increased sharply because the flight time into Syria was drastically reduced compared with using other, more distant U.S. bases. The Pentagon in March ordered military family members to leave Incirlik due to the rising risk of possible terror attacks against Americans at the base.
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Turkey has also begun to clamp down on smuggling routes along its 500-mile border with Syria that Islamic State militants use to move fighters, money and weapons -- especially along a porous 60-mile stretch known as the Manbij Pocket.
Thousands of foreign fighters have slipped across the border amid the maze of supply lines that go through Turkey to join the various militant factions in the multi-sided Syrian war.
The U.S.-led coalition, with Turkey's help, is in the midst of a massive, months-long operation to close the Manbij Pocket. Since the operation began, coalition warplanes have launched about 400 airstrikes to support ground forces known as the Syrian Arab Coalition to push the last remaining Islamic State fighters from the area.
The complications for Turkey, however, and Erdogan especially, persist. Erdogan sees Turkey's greatest threats as Assad, who has generally managed to hold on to power, and the array of armed Kurdish forces, some of whom have proven to be the United States' best-trained allies in fighting Islamic State. Erdogan sees most of the armed Kurdish groups as terrorists and chafes at their relationship with the U.S., which only regards one faction the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) as a terrorist group.
Instability in Turkey introduces yet another element of uncertainty into the U.S. fight against Islamic State, said Nicholas A. Heras, a Middle East researcher and the Bacevich fellow at Center for a New American Security, a think tank in Washington.
"We don't know if a coup government would honor the agreement the U.S. worked out with Turkey" which has allowed the U.S. military to work with Kurdish militants in northern Syria to push back Islamic State fighters, Heras said. The Turkish military has fought against a Kurdish independence movement inside the country for years, and getting Turkish officials to allow the U.S. to arm and train Kurdish militants in northern Syria was a major diplomatic challenge. A new set of leaders in Turkey could upset that balance, Heras said.
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"The ball would be in the court of the coup government, they would have to determine if they would continue," he said.
One major challenge will be whether the U.S. could continue to provide billions in military and counter-terrorism funding to Turkey under a new government. Under U.S. law, if a coup government took power, the U.S. wouldn't be able to provide military aid, Heras said.
"Turkey is the essential state in the counter ISIS fight on the ground," Heras said, using an acronym for Islamic State. Getting locked out of the Incirlik base would be a major setback in the U.S. effort against the militant group, he added.
Turkey has also been instrumental in absorbing the brunt refugees from Syria and Iraq. More than 3 million are believed to be living in Turkey, and many more cross its borders.
As such, Turkey's geographic position and its flexible government have served as something of an escape valve for besieged nations on both sides of the exodus.
Turkey also became the first Muslim country to recognize Israel. Turkey was long seen as a potential bridge between Israel and the Arab world and, more importantly, as a possible mediator in U.S.-led peace talks to end the conflict with Palestinians.
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But Turkey-Israeli diplomatic relations broke down in 2010 after Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists aboard the Mavi Marmara protest flotilla that was seeking to break the Israeli naval blockade around the Gaza Strip. Turkey recalled its ambassador and downgraded diplomatic ties.
Despite efforts by the Obama administration to mend relations between its two most important allies in the region, tensions only began to lift recently with a June reconciliation agreement.
Through its history, geography both blessed and cursed Turkey. As the vast Ottoman Empire, what would become Turkey was for centuries a prosperous crossroads for merchants bearing silk and spices and other riches, flourishing under Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century.
And it was the site of brutal battles of conquest and territorial supremacy waged with Persia and the Christian armies of Spain and Venice.
Modern Turkey emerged from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire and the ashes of World War I. A nationalist leader named Mustafa Kemal, known as Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks," molded the nation, and its military, based on a staunchly secular Islamic faith and a deeply held Turkish national identity.
Erdogan's recent move toward a more prominent presence of Islam in Turkish life and in the government may have made the army increasingly nervous.
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Staff writer Brian Bennett in Washington contributed to this report.
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UPDATES:
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5:10 p.m.: The story was updated with more background.
4:14 p.m.: This story was updated with additional background and reaction.
This story was originally published at 3:30 p.m.
WASHINGTON After frenzied, final decision-making, Donald Trump announced Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate Friday, adding an experienced politician with deep Washington connections to the Republican presidential ticket.
Trump's pick was aimed in part at easing some Republicans' concerns about his temperament and lack of political experience. Pence spent 12 years in Congress before being elected governor and his demeanor is as calm as Trump's is fiery. While some conservatives are skeptical of Trump's political leanings, Pence has been a stalwart ally on social issues.
Yet Pence is largely unknown to many Americans. And his solidly conventional political background runs counter to Trump's anti-establishment mantra.
The two men scheduled a news conference for Saturday in New York to present themselves to America as the Republican team that will take on Hillary Clinton and her Democratic running mate in November. The duo will head to Cleveland next week for the Republican National Convention.
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016
As Pence arrived for a private meeting with Trump Friday, he told reporters he "couldn't be more happy for the opportunity to run with and serve with the next president of the United States."
In choosing Pence, Trump appears to be looking past their numerous policy differences. The governor has been a longtime advocate of trade deals such as NAFTA and the Trans Pacific Partnership, both of which Trump aggressively opposes. Pence also has been critical of Trump's proposed temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States, calling the idea "offensive and unconstitutional."
The reaction to the Pence choice from Republican officials was overwhelmingly positive no small feat for Trump, given how polarizing he's been within his own party.
"It was a pick that clearly shows he is pivoting to the general election," said GOP chairman Reince Priebus, who was in the midst of an interview with The Associated Press when Trump announced his decision. "He is choosing a person who has the experience inside and outside Washington, Christian conservative, very different style that I think shows a lot of maturity."
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Pence, a staunchly conservative 57-year-old, served six terms in Congress before being elected governor and could help Trump navigate Capitol Hill. He is well-regarded by evangelical Christians, particularly after signing a law that critics said would allow businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Clinton's campaign moved quickly to paint him as the "most extreme pick in a generation."
"By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate," said John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman.
Clinton spent Friday holding meetings in Washington about her own vice presidential choice. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of liberals and one of the Democrats' most effective Trump critics, and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, were seen in separate cars that left Clinton's home. Housing Secretary Julian Castro also met with Clinton, according to a person familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private gathering.
Trump spent weeks weighing vice presidential contenders, including former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and only zeroed in on Pence in recent days. In fact, the selection process appeared on the verge of sliding out of control in the final hours before the announcement, sparking speculation that Trump might be changing his mind.
Word that Pence would be joining the Republican ticket began trickling out in news reports Thursday before Trump had made a final decision or called Pence to offer him the job, according to a Republican familiar with the situation. Trump was in California for fundraisers, separated from his closest aides, and was fuming about leaks that he viewed as an attempt to pressure him into the decision.
Still, Trump called Pence Thursday afternoon to offer him the job and ask him to fly to New York for a Friday morning news conference. Pence accepted and boarded a private plane, along with his wife.
A few hours later, a huge truck barreled through a crowded holiday celebration in Nice, France, killing more than 80 people. With Pence sitting in a New York hotel, Trump decided to postpone the announcement.
The billionaire businessman then went on Fox News to say he had not yet settled on his "final, final" choice. He also held a midnight conference call with his top aides to discuss the situation, according to two people with knowledge of the call.
By Friday, plans were back on track.
Trump sent out a Twitter message saying he was pleased to announce Pence as his running mate. Moments later, one of Pence's aides filed paperwork with the Indiana Secretary of State's office withdrawing him from the governor's race.
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Pence was up for re-election, and state law prohibits candidates from being on ballots in two contests. Trump's formal announcement came about an hour before Pence's noon Friday deadline for withdrawing.
Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign chairman, strongly rejected suggestions that the candidate considered changing his mind about Pence.
"Never waffled once he made his decision," Manafort wrote in an email.
Gingrich, one of the finalists for the vice presidential spot, said he was "very comfortable" with Trump's decision and praised Pence as someone who could help unite the party.
But as of Friday afternoon, Gingrich had yet to share his support with Trump himself. He told The Associated Press he had not received a call from Trump telling him he wasn't getting the job.
Associated Press
FBI Director James Comey, right, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, center, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence National Counterterrorism Center Director Nicholas Rasmussen testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 14, 2016, before the House Homeland Security hearing on "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland: ISIS and the New Wave of Terror." (Evan Vucci / AP)
WASHINGTON U.S. national security officials said Thursday they're concerned about the potential for violence at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland as tensions run high around the country after the recent police shootings of unarmed black men and the deadly ambush of police officers in Dallas.
During congressional testimony, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he's worried demonstrations outside the convention hall next week may get out of hand. He told lawmakers that roughly 4,000 U.S. government personnel will be based in Cleveland to ensure the safety of people there.
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"I am concerned about the possibility of violence," Johnson told the House Homeland Security Committee.
He added that in Ohio it is legal to openly carry firearms. "So that obviously is something that someone under state law, and I suspect the Second Amendment, has a right to do, but it does present a challenging situation very plainly," Johnson said.
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Johnson said he will be inspecting security in Cleveland during a visit Friday. He also said he has similar concerns about the possibility for violence at the upcoming Democratic convention in Philadelphia. He said he plans to visit that site next week for review security preparations.
FBI Director James Comey said there will be "hundreds of people" from the bureau focused on assessing intelligence related to groups that aspire to commit acts of domestic terrorism.
"Anytime there's a national spotlight on a political event in the United States there's a risk that groups that aspire to do just that, to engage in acts of domestic terrorism, will be attracted," Comey said. "It's a threat we're watching very, very carefully."
Among the government personnel in Cleveland will be Secret Service agents, Homeland Security investigators, Customs and Border Protection personnel, and Coast Guard members, according to Johnson. They will be augmented by the Ohio National Guard and state and local law enforcement.
"We have been planning and preparing for both conventions for over than a year," he said.
During a wide-ranging hearing, Republican members of the committee pressed Comey on the Justice Department's decision last week not to criminally charge Hillary Clinton over her emails and use of a private server during her tenure as secretary of state.
Comey largely stuck to answers he gave during testimony on Capitol Hill last week and avoided being drawn into debates over what he described as hypotheticals.
Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, asked Comey to describe a meeting he, other FBI officials and federal prosecutors had with Attorney General Loretta Lynch on July 6, one day after Comey recommended against prosecution for Clinton and her aides.
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Ratcliffe asked whether Lynch, during the meeting, read the 110 emails the FBI found that were sent or received on Clinton's server and contained classified information.
"I don't think it's appropriate for me to talk about the specifics of that meeting," Comey said.
Rep. William Keating, D-Mass., used his time for questions to ask "how important is it that we come together as a country" when divisions run so deep in the wake of the police shootings and the ambush in Dallas.
Johnson said there are "some awful loud voices on both ends of this debate" but he believes the great majority of Americans respect the role of law enforcement. "I also believe that most people recognize that the shooter in Dallas is not representative of the broader movement to see change in certain law enforcement practices," he said.
Comey said people need to become more connected.
"I've long believed it's hard to hate up close," Comey said. "We've got to let people see the true heart of law enforcement, what we're really like."
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Associated Press
Architects Tod Williams, left, and Billie Tsien, designers of the University of Chicago Logan Center for the Arts. (Jason Smith )
WASHINGTON The Obama Foundation, which is raising money for the presidential museum and library to be built on Chicago's South Side, posted its latest round of contributions on Friday.
The foundation's donations are made public quarterly but only in broad dollar ranges so the total amount raised so far for the Obama Presidential Center could not be determined. The foundation, created early in 2014, had taken in $7.35 million by the end of 2015, tax returns show.
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Among new donors to the foundation is John Doerr, a billionaire venture capitalist from California with an estimated net worth, according to Forbes, of $4.9 billion. The donation from Doerr and his wife, Anne, was in the range of $500,000 to $1 million.
A repeat giver is Ian Simmons, the husband of Liesel Pritzker Simmons, one of the Hyatt Hotels heirs. His overall giving is in the range of a half-million dollars to a million dollars.
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Other donors include Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling, of Ann Arbor, Mich. He is a professor at the University of Michigan and director of its Center for Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics, and she is a retired Boeing executive. Their gift was in the range of $200 to $100,000.
Three other donors were Sheila Anderson, Theodore Hart and the Penny Norman Trust. Public records searches did not disclose their occupations or location and the foundation declined to give them. Each has given between $200 and $100,000.
The presidential center will feature Barack Obama's archives, a library, museum and foundation offices. It is expected to open in 2021 and is expected to cost at least $500 million. A husband-and-wife team of New York architects, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, was selected last month as architects for the project.
Yet to be announced is where the center will rise, in Jackson Park or Washington Park.
Before Friday's release, contributors known to have given $1 million to the foundation were Chicago media tycoon Fred Eychaner; the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation; and Michael J. Sacks, with his wife and family foundation.
Sacks is chairman and CEO of the investment firm GCM Grosvenor Capital Management. He sits on the Obama Foundation's board and is a close ally of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The Obama Foundation posts on its website the names of donors who have given $200 or more. There are four categories of donors listed, and the lowest level is from $200 to $100,000.
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Foundation officials have said the early fundraising is intended to bring in money for operational purposes and that fundraising will ramp up after Obama's term ends.
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Chicagoan Martin Nesbitt, the president's friend and chair of the foundation board, said in June that he could not put a price tag on the center since a site and design had not been chosen.
Donor rules now in place will be modified after Obama leaves office, Nesbitt said. Donations now are not accepted from corporations, lobbyists, foreign agents and foreign nationals.
"We are limiting our fundraising now to a group of longtime supporters of the president and limiting the amount that they can contribute," he told reporters on June 30, when the architects were announced.
"But when the term is over, we will modify that in a way that facilitates us getting to our fundraising goals, whatever they happen to be."
kskiba@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @KatherineSkiba
In agreeing to be Donald Trumps running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has shown himself to believe little of what he once said were vital qualities for a president. (Michael Conroy / AP)
In November 2010, Mike Pence gave a lecture at The Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention, and I happened to be there for my first exposure to his oratory. I remember the speech because it was an exercise in pomposity and sanctimony so insufferable that I walked out before he was done. Only now do I realize it was also a towering specimen of hypocrisy.
Pence's subject that day was the presidency, a topic on which he had I can't say "has" uncompromising opinions. His mission was to instruct his audience on the proper characteristics and conduct of anyone holding the office. Though he largely avoided the name "Barack Obama," it was clear he thought the 44th president is an affront to the Framers.
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The presidency's "powers are vast and consequential, its requirements from the outset and by definition impossible for mortals to fulfill without humility and insistent attention to its purposes as set forth in the Constitution of the United States," declared Pence, his gaze steely and his jaw firmly set. Of power, he said, "Those who are entrusted with it must educate themselves in self-restraint."
"A true statesman lives in what Churchill called a continuous 'stress of soul,'" Pence informed his audience. "And that's why you must always be wary of a president who seems to float upon his own greatness."
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Pence told a story to illustrate the humanity and humility of Calvin Coolidge. "A sensibility like this and not power is the source of presidential dignity, and it must be restored," he said. "It depends entirely upon character, self-discipline and an understanding of the fundamental principles that underlie not only the republic but life itself.
"It communicates that the president feels the gravity of his office and is willing to sacrifice himself, that his eye is not upon his own prospects but upon the storm of history, through which it is his responsibility to navigate with the specific powers accorded to him and the limitations placed upon them not merely by man but by God."
For those who feared Obama's presidency would bring about the destruction of America, Pence solemnly invoked the "great generations" that have gone before us: "They are silent now, but from the eternal silence of every patriot grave, there is yet an echo that says, 'It's not too late. Keep faith with us. Keep faith in God. And do not, do not ever despair of this republic.'"
I had interviewed Pence once and found him mild and affable, so the fire and brimstone surprised me. At the Federalist Society convention, he sounded like a politician slightly unhinged by Obama and trying to establish a reputation as a profound thinker.
But when Pence accepted the second spot on a ticket with Donald Trump, he made clear that he didn't believe a word he said. The address is full of lines that would disqualify Trump from a moment's consideration.
Trump has not the slightest trace of the humility and dignity Pence once deemed essential, and it's hard to imagine his being constrained by the limits of presidential authority. As for the Constitution, Trump thinks it contains an "Article 12" and wants to censor the internet without regard for the First Amendment. "Somebody will say, 'Oh, freedom of speech, freedom of speech,'" he snorted. "These are foolish people."
Does Pence think Trump has ever endured "stress of soul" or even has a soul to be stressed? Does he think Trump has "character, self-discipline and an understanding of the fundamental principles that underlie not only the republic but life itself"?
Pence warned us against any "president who acts like, speaks like and is received as a king" a contemptuous description he used with Obama in mind. But no candidate has ever behaved with a more brazen air of royal prerogative than Trump. And a party whose principles have almost nothing in common with his views has meekly submitted to his majesty.
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Does Pence think Trump would be a president who "feels the gravity of his office and is willing to sacrifice himself"? Does he believe Trump would exercise his powers with respect for "the limitations placed upon them not merely by man but by God"? It's enough to make a cat laugh.
If Pence would listen for the words echoing now from those patriot graves, this is what he would hear: "OK, now despair for the republic."
Steve Chapman, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/chapman.
schapman@chicagotribune.com
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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is introduced with Chris Cox, left, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, and Wayne LaPierre, right, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, during the NRA Convention on May 20, 2016 in Louisville, Ky. (Scott Olson, Getty Images)
The NRA is not only a constituent part of the Republican Party. It is in some ways a microcosm of it. Its demographics: an aging, male, non-urban, racially anxious, white base. Its policy prescriptions: outlier positions unsupported by science. Its politics: defensive and bitterly opposed to compromise.
Like the GOP, which dominates state governments and has reached peak numbers in Congress, the National Rifle Association appears to be at the height of its considerable powers. It is well funded, professionally staffed and deeply entrenched in U.S. politics, having fully hitched a major political party to its single cause.
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NRA ideology is popular, often intuitive and packaged in easily digested talking points and aphorisms "good guy with a gun," "if guns are outlawed ..." that are widely repeated by millions of gun enthusiasts.
The group has been racking up victories in conservative states that have adopted wholesale the movement creed that guns on campus, in bars, at church, in cars guns everywhere constitutes both a rational public policy and an extension of liberty.
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Still, it's more than likely that, for the NRA, it's downhill from here. In fact, some of the organization's strengths may prove to be its undoing.
Having abandoned even a pretense of bipartisanship, the NRA benefits from a conservative network of allies, including the religious right. But it has completely forfeited influence with Democrats, who have concluded that they have nothing to lose in becoming a party fully devoted to gun regulation. With the GOP publicly unraveling, congressional Democrats appear poised to grow stronger. That's not good for the NRA.
Similarly, extremism has been profitable for the NRA. But as the GOP is learning, there is no easy route back from the fringe.
First, the NRA's political power and fundraising depend on maintaining paranoia at a screaming pitch.
Second, the NRA has its own tea party problem. Gun groups that are even more extreme are ever eager to label the NRA a sellout too willing to appease liberals or compromise freedom or indulge the girly-man politics of the mainstream.
When Open Carry Texas, a band of gun extremists, first began terrifying patrons and workers in Texas restaurants, the NRA mumbled disapproval. Under pressure from its fringier rivals, the NRA quickly reversed itself.
Extremism, of course, is a tricky game. If you don't convert the country to your cause, you risk being marginalized. That's already happening to the NRA in liberal states. The trend may expand.
Like open carry, NRA ideology doesn't hold up well in real life. "Good guys with guns" too often turn out to be bad guys who kill. And what are the chances that a very stupid, very reckless "good guy" will eventually shoot an innocent person while trying to be a hero? I'd guess the chances are quite high. Meanwhile, social media readily spreads news stories of foolish gun owners leaving senseless destruction in their wake.
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Demographic decline also beckons. As Adam Winkler explained in The Washington Post, the growing parts of the population Hispanics and Asians generally support gun regulation, as do blacks. The NRA's old, white base is in steady decline as both a portion of the population and electorate.
It's true that the NRA retains cultural resonance as well as political power. Writing in the Economist, Will Wilkinson noted that the group is no outlier in American culture. "It is," said Wilkinson (no relation), "an organic symptom of a widespread and deep-seated aspect of the American character."
Wilkinson is correct, of course. Perhaps Americans will gradually accede to the radical expansion of gun-movement ideology even to the sight of strange men walking grocery aisles with loaded weapons of war on their backs, muzzles dipping menacingly as they reach for the milk. Surely the tribalism and apocalyptic fetishism promoted by the NRA are secure in the GOP of Donald Trump.
But the aggressive crouch that defines the gun movement is a defensive one. Like Trump's troops, the movement perceives itself perpetually under siege. In places such as California and Hawaii, which continue to strengthen gun regulation, it pretty much is. (Question: What are the demographics of those two states like? Answer: The future.)
Demography may be the NRA's most obvious source of insecurity. But the American body count may also prove unsustainable. Guns are used in 100,000 shootings annually, causing more than 30,000 deaths. That's a staggering price to pay for policies specifically designed to facilitate gun possession, willy-nilly.
On some level, those most enamored of firearms must sense that their victories, including a highly qualified 5-4 Supreme Court ruling written by a Supreme Court justice who is now deceased, are fragile. Technology, politics, demography and reason itself will eventually gang up to defeat a movement that demands guns for everyone, anywhere, all the time, for any reason, regardless of the consequences and in defiance of every civilized norm the world over.
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In other words, maybe the NRA isn't crazy to be paranoid.
Bloomberg View
Francis Wilkinson writes on politics and domestic policy for Bloomberg View.
Secretary of State John Kerry, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin as they meet July 14, 2016, at the Kremlin in Moscow. (VASILY MAXIMOV / POOL / EPA)
WASHINGTON "The most significant reinforcement of our collective defense any time since the Cold War," President Barack Obama called it. A bit of an exaggeration, perhaps, but it was still an achievement: The recent NATO summit in Warsaw ordered the deployment of troops to Eastern Europe, the alliance's most serious response yet to Russia's aggression and provocations on its western frontier.
The post-Ukraine economic sanctions have been weak; the declamatory denunciations, a mere embarrassment. They've only encouraged further reckless Russian behavior the buzzing of U.S. ships, intrusions into European waters, threats to the Baltic States.
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NATO will now deploy four battalions to front-line states. In Estonia, they will be led by Britain; in Lithuania, by Germany; in Latvia, by Canada; in Poland, by the United States. Not nearly enough, and not permanently based, but nonetheless significant.
In the unlikely event of a Russian invasion of any of those territories, these troops are to act as a tripwire, triggering a full-scale war with NATO. It's the kind of coldblooded deterrent that kept the peace in Europe during the Cold War and keeps it now along the DMZ in Korea.
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In the more likely event of a "little green men" takeover attempt in, say, Estonia (about 25 percent ethnically Russian), the sort of disguised slow-motion invasion that Vladimir Putin pulled off in Crimea, the NATO deployments might be enough to thwart the aggression and call in reinforcements.
The message to Putin is clear: Yes, you've taken parts of Georgia and Ukraine. But they're not NATO. That territory is sacred or so we say.
This is a welcome development for the Balts, who are wondering whether they really did achieve irreversible independence when the West won the Cold War. Their apprehension is grounded in NATO's flaccid response to Putin's aggressive revanchism, particularly in Ukraine. Obama still won't provide Ukraine with even defensive weaponry. This follows years of American accommodation of Putin, from canceling a Polish-Czech missile defense system to, most recently, openly acquiescing to Russia's seizure of a dominant role in Syria.
And what are the East Europeans to think when they hear the presumptive presidential candidate of the party of Reagan speaking dismissively of NATO and suggesting a possible American exit?
The NATO action takes on even greater significance because of the timing, coming just two weeks after Brexit. Britain's withdrawal threatens the future of the other major pillar of Western integration and solidarity, the European Union. NATO shows that it is holding fast and that the vital instrument of Western cohesion and joint action will henceforth be almost entirely trans-Atlantic meaning, under American leadership.
The EU, even if it doesn't dissolve, will now inevitably turn inward as it spends years working out its new communal arrangements with and without Britain. Putin was Brexit's big winner. Any fracturing of the Western alliance presents opportunities to play one member against another. He can only be disappointed to see NATO step up and step in.
After the humiliating collapse of President Obama's cherished Russian "reset," instilling backbone in NATO and resisting Putin are significant strategic achievements. It leaves a marker for Obama's successor, reassures the East Europeans and will make Putin think twice about repeating Ukraine in the Baltics.
However, the Western order remains challenged by the other two members of the troika of authoritarian expansionists: China and Iran. Their provocations proceed unabated. Indeed, the next test for the United States is China's furious denunciation of the recent decision handed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague a blistering, sweeping and unanimous rejection of China's territorial claims and military buildup in the South China Sea.
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Without American action, however, The Hague's verdict is a dead letter. Lecturing other great powers about adherence to "international norms" is fine. But the Pacific Rim nations are eager to see whether we will actually do something.
Regarding Iran, we certainly won't. Our abject appeasement continues, from ignoring Tehran's serial violations of the nuclear agreement (the latest: intensified efforts to obtain illegal nuclear technology in Germany) to the administration acting as a kind of Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the sale of about 100 Boeing jetliners to a regime that routinely uses civilian aircraft for military transport (particularly in Syria).
The troop deployments to Eastern Europe are a good first step in pushing back against the rising revisionist powers. But a first step, however welcome, 71/2 years into a presidency, is a melancholy reminder of what might have been.
Charles Krauthammer is a syndicated columnist.
letters@charleskrauthammer.com
Washington Post Writers Group
Dallas police officers comfort each other after the funeral services for Dallas police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, on July 13, 2016. (LM Otero / AP)
Given the horror of the murder of the five police officers in Dallas on July 7, it may seem absurd or distasteful to ask whether it was a good idea to kill the sniper with a bomb mounted on a robot. Surely anything that stopped the carnage was justified in the moment, and the police seem to have had no clear shot at the sniper.
But the issue is more complicated, and it deserves to be considered carefully. There's a legal difference between targeting a crime suspect and targeting a wartime enemy. There's also a difference between using a weapon that can be aimed and using one that puts bystanders at greater risk. And a precedent set under emergency conditions can easily expand in future cases. The step from the robot bomb to a drone strike is barely even incremental: morally and technologically, they're basically the same.
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Bombs and missiles aren't new. There are reasons they are hardly ever used for domestic law enforcement in the U.S. Those reasons have to do with precision, scale, and the difference between apprehending criminals and fighting wars.
We should be cautious and thoughtful about the expansion even when we're using the tools of war to save innocent lives. We need rules and protocols to govern their use, both to protect the public and to make sure the police have guidance and don't have to improvise under extreme pressure.
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We don't yet know exactly the circumstances that led the Dallas police to resort to use of the bomb. But we do know that the sniper was by legal definition a suspect. He hadn't yet been arrested or convicted. He could have been legally insane, or he might not have been the shooter at all. The police were operating under emergency conditions, trying to save innocent lives.
Lethal force is legally justified in trying to stop a suspect who is using lethal force. That's why it would have been perfectly acceptable for police sharpshooters to shoot the sniper in the head or heart. And it's the reason that, on the surface, there seems to be nothing troubling about killing him with a bomb.
But there's an important caveat to the principle that a suspect may be stopped with lethal force. The legal force has to be necessary to stopping the suspect.
It would almost always be more convenient for police to kill a violent felon in the course of committing a crime than to apprehend him. But a police force that systematically and intentionally killed all such suspects would be guilty of executing them extrajudicially. The United Nations would investigate, and international law, which prohibits extrajudicial killing, would be invoked.
Nobody is accusing the Dallas police of extrajudicial killing; lethal force may well have been necessary to stop the sniper there. That is a judgment that's hard to make and only the authorities at the scene can make it.
Ideally, it would have been better to use a police shooter, who might have been able to wound or incapacitate the sniper without killing him, and might have been in the best position to determine whether killing him was legally necessary. Using a shooter would also probably have reduced the chance that others could be hurt. But it's quite likely that it wouldn't have been possible to put a shooter into position without endangering the lives of more officers.
If the police had a video camera on the robot that showed them that the suspect was alone, then the collateral damage worry may have been mitigated. In that case the bomb could have functioned just like a lethally aimed bullet.
In fact, sometimes technology might even allow deploying less lethal force than a bullet, in the form of a stun grenade, for example.
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So I'm not saying the use of the robot was legally unjustified here. I'm simply noting that the use of lethal force has to be necessary.
War is different from police work. Under the laws of war, a soldier is allowed to kill his enemy without worrying about trying to incapacitate him (unless he's in the process of surrendering). He or she must exercise proportionality with respect to collateral damage. But soldiers are entitled to what's called battlefield immunity when it comes to lethal force.
Then there's the question of the precedent created by the use of the bomb in Dallas. A robot with a bomb attached is no different from a drone that fires a missile. Law enforcement already has drones.
It's now only a matter of time until law enforcement uses a targeted drone strike to take out a suspect. That will happen, one hopes, when the danger of collateral damage is relatively trivial but who knows?
In future cases, the temptation to use bombs and missiles to take out suspected criminals who are killing innocent people will be great. After all, such technology will protect the lives of police officers and other innocent victims.
Before that happens, however, we need rules to determine when and whether such force should be used.
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Maybe there's nothing wrong with using bombs and missiles for domestic law enforcement. Once we go down that road, however, it will be easy to forget that the suspects being killed aren't wartime enemies, but people who are legally presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Bloomberg
Noah Feldman is a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard University.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on July 13, 2016. NATO and Russia remain at loggerheads over Ukraine but will consider a proposal to reduce the risk of an accidental military confrontation in Baltic airspace, NATO's chief said Wednesday. (Darko Vojinovic / AP)
Still reeling from Brexit's cold slap, Europe sought salve in the form of NATO's summit in Warsaw this month. The continent needed to show its resolve to unify in the face of Britain's decision to leave the European Union. As it happens, there's an adversary to the east that amply serves as an entity to unify against.
NATO decided to answer Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggressiveness in Ukraine with the deployment of 4,000 troops in Poland and the Baltic states along Russia's western border. The deployment begins in 2017 and includes a commitment from President Barack Obama of 1,000 U.S. troops. It's more of a tripwire than anything else NATO would need more than 20,000 troops in those countries to ably defend against a Russian incursion, according to the think tank Stratfor. But putting NATO troops in the Baltics and Poland sends a blunt message to the Kremlin: Attack Poland or any of the Baltic states, and you risk conflict with NATO as a whole.
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Think of it as a "Warning! Steep Drop-off!" sign plunked down in the path of the former KGB chief's military machine. Soft-sell diplomacy usually doesn't work with Putin, so we applaud the move. At the same time, NATO could help itself by getting just as blunt with 23 of its member nations who don't pull their weight in defense spending.
It's a problem that has vexed the alliance for much of its 67-year history. One of the guiding tenets of NATO asks member nations to spend at least 2 percent of their annual gross domestic product on defense. The idea is to ensure that the burden of providing military capability is spread out evenly among member countries and isn't just shouldered by a small subset. But today, only the U.S., Britain, Greece, Poland and Estonia meet or exceed the 2 percent mark. Getting free-riding European states to do their part makes the alliance more of a collective security pact rather than a predominantly U.S. project.
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NATO also announced that critical elements to its ballistic missile defense system, touted as a shield against an attack by rogue regimes such as Iran and North Korea, were now operational. The Kremlin has long believed that the shield is actually meant as a defense against Russia, and given Moscow's behavior in recent years, that's probably a fair bet.
In their post-summit communique, NATO leaders didn't hide their angst about Russian belligerence: "Russia's aggressive actions are a source of regional instability, fundamentally challenge the Alliance, have damaged Euro-Atlantic security, and threaten our long-standing goal of a Europe whole, free, and at peace."
Behind that veneer of solidarity, however, dissonant voices have emerged. "NATO has no role at all to be saying what Europe's relations with Russia should be," French President Francois Hollande said at the summit. "For France, Russia is not an adversary, not a threat." Germany's foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has also strayed from the script: He criticized recent NATO military exercises in Poland along Russia's western border as "saber-rattling."
Divergence within NATO plays into Putin's hands. Moscow welcomed the vote for Brexit, principally because a weaker, fragmented Europe hews tightly to the Kremlin's agenda. Driving wedges into Europe's collective clout can, for example, seed opposition to continued sanctions against Moscow for its annexation of Crimea. And a squabbling Europe is less likely to wean its dependence on Russian natural gas a commodity the Kremlin deftly wields as political leverage.
NATO owes its existence to the Cold War, so it was only natural that after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, questions grew about the alliance's relevance. Today's it's clear that Europe and the West again need a strong NATO. There's the Putin problem, of course, but there's also the conflict in Afghanistan 14 years and still unresolved and the Islamic State, with its solidified presence in Iraq, Syria and North Africa. With Europe weakened by Britain's decision to cut ties with the European Union, a strong, cohesive NATO is essential.
That's something our partners in France and Germany may want to remember as they balance economic tethers to Moscow with the need for European unity. And its something that should entice the 23 member countries that don't invest enough in defense to ante up.
Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen has delivered excellent news: He'll recommend a freshman tuition freeze for an unprecedented third year in a row. Killeen credits the tuition freeze with helping spur an overall increase in applications (up 13 percent) and acceptances, particularly from Illinois students.
That freeze is "dynamite in terms of not just letting parents know what they are getting into but also improving our competitive position vis-a-vis other states," Killeen told us during a visit to the Tribune Editorial Board.
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Dynamite? You bet.
Name a dozen other major state universities heck, any universities holding the line on tuition year after year.
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Killeen didn't mention Purdue, which started its own much-celebrated tuition freeze before Illinois'. But watch out, Purdue President Mitch Daniels. There's a new kid on the block and he's looking to poach some of your best students by offering a great deal at the U. of I.
The school's board of trustees won't vote until January on the proposal. But by going public with his recommendation early, Killeen has deftly boxed its members into a corner.
Board members, follow Killeen's lead: Extend the freeze. That's the best way to build buzz about the U. of I.
Killeen has spent his rookie year on a mission to do just that. He seeks to build the U. of I. brand via a fresh "strategic framework" for the university.
Typically we don't pay much heed to these airy groupthink exercises. But one sentence in this document stands out: "We will be relentlessly student-centered." That means offering students "accessible, affordable education," words that Killeen repeated again and again in his visit. That will sound good to many Illinois parents, frustrated by high tuition costs and what many consider admission policies too heavily weighted toward full-fare-paying foreign students.
The bad news: Budget brinkmanship in Springfield makes the university "look like low-hanging fruit" to other colleges eager to pick off star faculty members, Killeen says. You can bet that Daniels and savvy presidents in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and elsewhere across the country are circling overhead.
"It took 10 generations to elevate the U. of I. to its world-class status," Killeen notes. But it wouldn't take 10 generations to bleed a robust U. of I. into an also-ran. If that happens, every Illinois citizen suffers.
How to prevent that? We've been intrigued for a year by Killeen's plan to negotiate a compact with state lawmakers essentially, here's what you'll do for us, and here's what we promise to do for Illinois students and taxpayers.
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The proposed Grand Bargain would work this way: Springfield would grant the university a wish list, including predictable state funding and regulatory relief from state mandates and demands that impose significant costs without generating commensurate benefits. In exchange, the university would promise to enroll a minimum number of Illinois residents, provide a set level of need-based financial aid, and maintain at least a 76 percent, six-year graduation rate for undergrads. In other words, win-win. That's why other schools want to do something similar; the Illinois Board of Higher Education is developing a proposal that would apply statewide. (A little urgency, please?)
Killeen makes a strong case for this deal. With predictable state funding, the U. of I. can attract more top-flight talent and do a better job of educating students, helping them launch careers in Illinois.
State Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, is convinced. He tells us he is ready to push a bill that would enshrine a U. of I. compact with the state as soon as there's a full-year state budget deal.
That said, this compact can't be a license to lock in bloated payrolls and extravagant spending on, say, lavishly woven parachutes for departing employees. The goal should be to boost the U. of I.'s competitiveness against major colleges nationwide, not guarantee current staffing levels.
The challenge for Killeen and his team is the same facing every public school in the state: Find a way to better educate students in an era of shrinking state aid. A relentless focus on students? Absolutely. But also, President Killeen, a relentless focus on efficiency. That way, every college president across the country will hear footsteps from Urbana-Champaign.
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the chambers only black Republican, told his colleagues in a floor speech that he had been stopped by police seven times in one year as an elected official. (Alex Brandon / AP)
Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina was still learning the ways of Washington, he says, when he saw a police officer following his car near Capitol Hill.
"I took a left," he recalled in a speech Wednesday on the Senate floor, "and as soon as I took a left, a police officer pulled in right behind me."
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That was his first left turn. His second came at a traffic signal. The patrol car was still following him. Scott took a third left onto the street that led to his apartment complex.
It was his fourth left, turning into his apartment complex, that brought the blue lights on. "The officer approached the car," Scott recalled, "and said that I did not use my turn signal on the fourth turn. Keep in mind, as you might imagine, I was paying very close attention to the law enforcement officer who followed me on four turns. Do you really think that somehow I forget to use my turn signal on that fourth turn? Well, according to him, I did."
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Oh, did I mention that Scott is African-American? He's the only black Republican in the Senate and the first to be elected from the South since 1881.
He did not get there by being a liberal or a Black Lives Matter radical. He's a "pro-life," anti-Obamacare and NRA-endorsed conservative.
He is also, whatever else you may think of his politics which are more conservative than mine a very likable and thoughtful businessman from North Charleston, S.C., whose family, as he likes to say with patriotic pride, "went from cotton to Congress in one lifetime."
Yet, issues such as police conduct and public safety have become personal for Scott. It was in his hometown last year that a cellphone video showed Walter Scott (no relation), an unarmed 50-year-old black man, being shot to death by a police officer from whom he was running away.
Two months later a gunman fatally shot nine people, including friends of Scott, at Charleston's historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Scott calls for a halt to abuses by police, but he also wants fairness for police and improved law enforcement.
One tragedy illustrated the dangers of bad policing. The other illustrated why we need good police.
So when Scott stood on the Senate floor to declare and decry a "trust gap" between law enforcement officers and black communities, he was worth hearing.
"Please remember that, in the course of one year, I've been stopped seven times by law enforcement officers," Scott declared in the widely covered and retweeted speech. "Not four, not five, not six, but seven times in one year as an elected official.
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"Was I speeding sometimes? Sure. But the vast majority of the time, I was pulled over for nothing more than driving a new car in the wrong neighborhood or some other reason just as trivial."
"I do not know many African-American men who do not have a very similar story to tell," said Scott, "no matter the profession, no matter their income, no matter their disposition in life."
A young former staffer of Scott's grew so frustrated over being stopped by District of Columbia police, the senator said, that he replaced the car with "a more obscure form of transportation. He was tired of being targeted."
"There is absolutely nothing more frustrating, more damaging to your soul," said Scott, "than when you know you're following the rules and being treated like you are not."
On that note, Scott asked for nothing in his speech, except empathy, a sincere effort to understand what others are going through which in itself is asking a lot from some people.
"Today," he said, "I simply ask you this: Recognize that just because you do not feel the pain, the anguish of another, does not mean that it does not exist. To ignore their struggles, our struggles, does not make them disappear. It simply leaves you blind and the American family very vulnerable."
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Well said. Folks who respond to complaints of racial discrimination by police by bringing up black-on-black crime need to hear what Tim Scott is trying to tell them. Fighting crime without fighting police misconduct leads to more crime. We need to get rid of both.
Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.
cpage@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @cptime
After Chicago police repeatedly questioned Donny McGee about the murder of his elderly neighbor, a detective on the case asked him to "face the truth" and take a polygraph.
McGee was taken to the polygraph room but was never given the test.
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Instead, polygraph examiner Robert Bartik later testified, McGee stood up as Bartik opened the door and began confessing even before the examiner could say a word.
McGee denied he confessed. When the case went to trial, a jury found him not guilty in 90 minutes. DNA evidence would later exclude him.
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At the heart of McGee's case and others is whether Chicago police used their polygraph unit as a tool to obtain false confessions. At least five defendants four of whom were charged with murder have been cleared since 2002. In a sixth case, a federal appeals court threw out a murder conviction, leading to the release last month of a Chicago mother prosecuted in the death of her 4-year-old son.
A Tribune investigation found that Chicago police have long ignored voluntary standards for conducting polygraph exams, even as those methods and the examiners themselves have factored into cases costing the city millions of dollars in damages.
Court records, department documents and interviews show that Chicago police polygraph examiners have not followed key standards as published by national industry groups when administering the exams, which have long been controversial. The Chicago examiners' results don't have to be reviewed by a second examiner or supervisor. The unit has no continuing education requirements in place. And it records only a fraction of its polygraphs.
For decades, the department did not use numerical scoring for the tests, even though such scoring is strongly recommended by major industry groups. Police said in 2012 that they had recently moved to numerical scoring.
Also, one of the unit's three examiners said in a sworn deposition that he has not always taken notes in interviews before the tests, though state law requires it.
Mark Handler, the American Association of Police Polygraphists' research and information chairman, has not studied Chicago's polygraph unit but expressed concern that any department would disregard standards.
"By not following the standards, you place yourself at risk for errors, which can lead to an increased risk for a false confession," he said. "It's a very precipitous slope and a dangerous game to play because the ultimate harm is convicting an innocent person of a crime they didn't commit."
Chicago police officials said they follow state law and use validated techniques for doing polygraphs, though they would not say what techniques they use.
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Cmdr. Joseph Murphy, who oversees forensic services, the division under which the polygraph unit falls, said polygraphs have long been an important tool, particularly when detectives hit a dead end or need to check the veracity of a witness or suspect. He stressed that examiners tell their subjects the exam is voluntary, advise them of their rights and get consent before proceeding.
"Our guidelines to the examiners are to provide the best service they can, be professional, be fair and impartial," said Murphy, who is not himself a polygraph examiner. "You want to get the best evidence you can and the right evidence."
Though polygraph results are rarely allowed in state court partly because of concerns about reliability, many experts believe the tests can be useful, providing investigators with information, for instance, that can then be corroborated. In Chicago, the unit's written policy states that although polygraphs should be used as an investigative aid, they are not a substitute for thorough investigation.
But in the cases in which Chicago murder suspects went on to be cleared some after spending years locked up police polygraph examiners were accused of making up a confession, using "trickery" to get an admission and telling a suspect he failed a polygraph that an outside expert would later deem too poorly administered to determine its result.
In five of the six cases, suspects were taken to Bartik. Suspects said they were drawn in by the promise of the polygraph which they believed was a scientific test that would prove their protestations of innocence were true. Instead, they allege in court documents and interviews, Bartik obtained confessions from them by berating them, threatening them and lying to them.
Bartik said in court testimony that he got more than 100 confessions in a five-year period in pre-test interviews a number that strikes some experts as extraordinary. They said the pre-test is not a time to try to get confessions; it's when the examiner explains how the polygraph works, gets consent and reviews the questions.
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Craig Futterman, who represented one of the suspects who later sued the city, said he believes Chicago's polygraph unit has a systemic problem. "They're using the polygraph as an interrogation prop to try to overcome somebody's will and extract confessions, false or otherwise," said Futterman, a University of Chicago law professor.
Bartik did not respond to requests for comment.
In trials as well as in sworn depositions, Bartik has denied allegations of wrongdoing. Since he joined the police force in 1988, he has received numerous commendations, including more than 40 honorable mentions.
Murphy declined to comment on cases Bartik handled, but he called Bartik an excellent examiner "probably one of the most knowledgeable polygraph examiners I've ever met in my over 40 years on the job."
The debate over whether polygraph exams are science or quackery has raged since one of the earliest devices was developed in California in the early 20th century and later honed in Chicago. Polygraphs remain a common part of criminal investigations in Chicago and in departments throughout the country, as well as federal law enforcement agencies.
Even if the results are rarely admissible in state court, the confessions obtained by an examiner or by detectives after a polygraph are.
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Testifying as part of a lawsuit in 2010, Bartik said the 111 people who confessed to him during the five-year period ending in 2003 did so not after a polygraph, but before, in a pre-test interview.
Dan Sosnowski, who testified in the same lawsuit for the plaintiff, estimated in court that in his 30-year career that started in Chicago and took him across the globe on behalf of the U.S. government, no more than five suspects confessed to him during a criminal pre-test interview.
A past president of the American Polygraph Association, Sosnowski testified that Bartik's record of pre-test confessions was "unprecedented" and "highly improbable." He concluded that either Bartik used a "very accusatory, heavy-handed coercion method or (the confessions were) fabricated."
Illinois law prohibits a polygraph examiner from initiating an interrogation "for the purpose of eliciting a confession" during a pre-test interview. A polygraph examiner is supposed to remain objective and nonaccusatory. Only after the exam can an examiner interrogate a suspect.
Bartik has said in court records that he never interrogated a suspect during the pre-test interview, and his attorneys have argued that there is no evidence he fabricated any confessions.
Sgt. Chris Germann, who supervises the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department polygraph unit, said that while confessions more commonly follow a polygraph, they can occur during the pre-test.
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"If someone is good with people, and they're able to talk to people, yeah, people will confess to some people faster than others," he said.
Bartik has also said in court documents that there are times when he does not take notes during the pre-test interview, a red flag to Fred Hunter, a retired Hinsdale polygraph examiner who had served as a coordinator with the state agency that regulates examiners.
"This is basic polygraph procedure that is elementary to the law," Hunter said. " If you don't have the document, not only are you in violation of the law, it's open to speculation that you didn't do what you were supposed to do. ... It seems to me (Chicago police) are kind of flying by the seat of their pants."
Murphy would not explain what specific technique his department uses for forming its questions or the order in which it asks them. Because even word choice or inflection can affect results, national standards dictate that examiners use techniques that research has shown provide accurate results.
In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, Chicago police said they had no existing public documents that named or described their polygraph techniques or analysis. The department denied requests for documents from polygraphs conducted in 2012. Those documents could show the unit has moved to numerical scoring of exams.
Murphy said his unit's polygraphs are peer-reviewed at least weekly, and examiners often review each other's work informally. He said that since 2005, when a new law required police to record a homicide suspect's entire interrogation not just the confession polygraphs in those cases were recorded and reviewed.
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Of the 402 polygraphs in 2011, 85 were homicide cases, he said. The rest were not recorded.
"If you're going to do a polygraph test, one of the components should be video recording," said retired state Sen. John Millner, R-Carol Stream, a former Elmhurst police chief and longtime polygraph examiner. He said he began audio recording and numerically scoring his exams in the late 1970s.
Video recording might have made a difference in McGee's case.
After McGee's neighbor, Ethel Perstlen, had been found stabbed and burned in her bathtub in 2001, he agreed to take the polygraph, thinking, "'I'll do the lie-detector test and prove what I'm saying is true, and they'll let me go,'" he said.
Alone with Bartik, McGee said he asked about the exam. "He told me that we're not taking the test because he already knew how I committed this crime," said McGee, who claims Bartik interrogated him. His time in the polygraph room was not recorded
McGee spent 31/2 years in jail awaiting trial before he was cleared.
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DNA from a dark brown stain on a telephone found off the hook later excluded McGee.
Bartik testified that McGee confessed, which is why he didn't administer the polygraph, and that McGee then repeated the confession to the two detectives on the case. City attorneys argued that the confession contained details the officers could not have known.
McGee sued Bartik, the two detectives and the city, alleging they fabricated his confession.
In 2010, a jury awarded McGee $1.3 million. As part of that total, Bartik and the detectives, in a rare move, were ordered to personally pay $110,000 each in punitive damages. But the city appealed and was recently granted a new civil trial because of a procedural error.
"Know that every person who comes to Bartik has already been interrogated by detectives with experience," said Russell Ainsworth, who represents McGee. "They interrogate and they use the best techniques they know, and the person has not confessed."
Despite being taken to the polygraph room, Lamar Blount also was never given an exam while under suspicion in a home invasion and murder in 2003.
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Blount alleged in court records that Bartik tricked him into falsely confessing during the pre-test interview by telling him he had to admit being involved in the murder before he could take the polygraph exam. During the trial, a Cook County judge acquitted Blount without even requiring him to put on a defense.
Bartik is one of the unit's three full-time examiners. In two separate cases that led to a settlement, each of the other two examiners gave polygraphs.
Tina Figueroa-Mitchell was sued in 2006 for doing a polygraph inquiring about an infant's injuries that led to the Department of Children and Family Services wrongly removing the girl from her parents' custody for more than 8 months, according to a lawsuit.
She concluded that the parents failed the polygraph asking about their daughter's broken bones, but she did not numerically score the exam or conduct the mother's test in her native language, court records show. She also testified that she turned off the blood pressure cuff for part of one exam, though state law requires its use.
The city denied she acted improperly and argued that the polygraph was not an influential factor in DCFS' decision. The city settled with the parents for $2.5 million. Figueroa-Mitchell declined to comment for this story.
The third examiner in the unit, Kevin Howley, determined that Corethian Bell failed a polygraph asking if he killed his mother. Bell then falsely confessed and spent 17 months in jail until DNA evidence led to his release. He sued and received a $1 million settlement from the city, which did not admit wrongdoing. Howley did not respond to requests for comment.
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Bell and at least one other suspect said being told by Chicago police that they had failed what they believed was a scientific exam weakened them into falsely confessing.
Bell, then 24, was already vulnerable to pressure. He is mildly mentally disabled, and his interrogation in 2000 stretched over 50 hours and, Bell alleged, included threats, accusations and physical abuse by the officers, according to court records.
Charles Honts, a Boise State University professor and licensed polygraph examiner, issued a blistering report on the case for Bell as part of his lawsuit. He wrote that "the primary motivation for conducting this examination was to use a failure on the polygraph as a tool to extract a confession" and that the examiner was "clearly in violation" of published standards on several critical points.
One error was Howley's failure to use structured numerical scoring, Honts said.
In a 2005 deposition in Bell's suit, Howley said he never actually scores a test using a formal scale.
"That's just the way we do it. We globally assess it," he said.
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" Purely you eyeballing it?" Bell's attorney asked.
"Yes," Howley answered.
The city agreed to Bell's $1 million settlement the next year.
Experts say it's hard to overstate the despair that a truthful person experiences in the face of a polygraph they are said to have failed. Research, meanwhile, has shown that the innocent are more likely to agree to a polygraph.
"What makes the polygraph particularly powerful is that it's couched in science," said Saul Kassin, a psychology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. "When they say you failed the polygraph, and you think it's infallible, it has a very strong effect."
Nicole Harris, whose conviction for her son's 2005 death was vacated by a federal appeals court in October, was released last month after more than seven years in prison.
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She stepped into the polygraph room less than 24 hours after her son Jaquari was found with an elastic bedsheet cord wrapped around his neck. It was there, she said, that Bartik told her she failed the test a charge Bartik later denied. The exam was inconclusive, police records show.
"I was shocked," Harris said in an interview. "... It didn't make any sense to me because I knew I wasn't lying."
As in other cases, Bartik's role in the confession is vehemently contested.
Harris testified that, in the polygraph room, Bartik called her a "monster" and told her if she didn't cooperate, she would spend the rest of her life behind bars.
"'You were angry, Nicole, you were angry,'" Harris testified Bartik told her. She said he accused her of wrapping the cord around Jaquari's neck.
" I was just crying and crying, and I am just shaking my head," she continued from the witness stand. Then, she said, "I started agreeing."
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Bartik denied Harris' account in court, saying he explained his role to her, had her sign a consent form, administered the polygraph and confronted her afterward with information that was contradictory to what she had told him.
She repeated the confession on video, saying she was so angered by Jaquari's incessant crying that she silenced him by wrapping the bedsheet cord around his neck. A jury found her guilty of first-degree murder in two hours. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would later call Harris' confession "by far the most damning evidence" but one that the jury had "reasons to question," given that it followed 27 hours of interrogation, which Harris said included threats and a sleepless night, shortly after she lost her son.
In a unanimous decision, the justices said that had her other son, then 5, been allowed to take the stand, his testimony would have buttressed Harris' claim that Jaquari died accidentally while playing with the bedsheet cord.
The state has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. The state's attorney's office also could retry her.
Steven Drizin, legal director of Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions, which now represents her, contends that, among other police missteps, Bartik was central to getting Harris to confess.
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"He was the straw that broke her back in many, many ways," Drizin said.
deldeib@tribune.com
An undated photo of Anteleto Jones, who was convicted and sentenced to 44 years in prison for a gang-related shooting in West Englewood in 2000, when Jones was 19. (Illinois Department of Corrections)
A convicted murderer from Chicago who claims he was coerced into confessing by a polygraph examiner wins a round in court in his quest to get a new trial.
An Illinois court has granted a Chicago man a path forward to pursue claims that he was physically and mentally coerced by a Chicago police polygraph examiner into falsely confessing to murder.
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The confession led to Anteleto Jones' conviction and 44-year prison sentence for a gang-related shooting in West Englewood in 2000, when Jones was 19.
An eyewitness who moved out of state after the killing has emerged to say that he did not see Jones at the scene on the night of the slaying, according to a recent Illinois appellate court opinion that allows Jones to continue his effort to have his conviction reversed or get a new trial.
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The eyewitness is now the third person to claim that Jones was not involved in the killing, the justices wrote in the 64-page split decision handed down June 30. Immediately after his trial, two other men came forward to say Jones was with them elsewhere at the time of the murder of Jerry "Old Baby" Green, court records show. In addition, one of Jones' co-defendants previously filed a sworn statement saying he was "solely responsible" for the slaying of Green, who was shot multiple times outside of his friend's house, records show.
"The only evidence connecting defendant to this murder was his own confession, which he has consistently claimed was coerced and which is not corroborated by some of the physical evidence," according to the June 30 opinion.
Jones claimed in court records that after denying involvement in Green's slaying, he was asked if he wanted to take a polygraph exam sometimes called a lie-detector test and he agreed. Instead, Jones said, Chicago police polygraph examiner Robert Bartik "punched and shoved" him to get him to confess, before any polygraph exam was ever administered. Jones later repeated the confession in a video recording.
The appellate decision cited a letter Jones wrote to his parents in which he claimed that Bartik threatened him with "the death penalty" because Bartik allegedly said that he knew "for a fact" that Jones would fail the test. Jones wrote that "it was set up for (him) to fail," records show.
The court's decision referred to the Tribune's 2013 investigation into the role of Chicago police's polygraph unit in obtaining confessions that later were found to be false. The Tribune found that the city has paid millions of dollars in damages in polygraph-related cases. Several cases that involved the polygraph unit have unraveled.
One of the cases examined by the Tribune was that of Donny McGee, who also was taken to Bartik for a polygraph as part of a high-profile murder investigation. Bartik testified that McGee began confessing before he could say a word. But the jury found McGee not guilty, and DNA evidence later excluded him.
McGee alleged that Bartik fabricated the confession and filed a lawsuit against Bartik, two detectives and the city. A jury initially awarded McGee $1.3 million, but the case was appealed and sent back for a new trial after it was determined that a juror had improperly done internet research and brought it into the jury room. The city settled for $870,000 in 2014 without admitting wrongdoing.
The detectives in McGee's case Robert Lenihan and Edward Farley also were involved in investigating Jones. Jones, who submitted a copy of a Tribune story about McGee's case in an earlier court filing, alleged that his confession was "involuntary and the product of police misconduct and coercion" by Bartik, Lenihan and Farley.
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Bartik has previously testified that he obtained more than 100 confessions in a five-year period before administering polygraphs during what is known as the pretest interview. The figure has struck some experts as extraordinarily high, a point the court noted in Jones' case.
"This court does not have to turn a blind eye to the fact that it is odd that a defendant would volunteer for a polygraph examination and then confess to the examiner before ever receiving one," according to the decision. "... Not only is it odd, but using a pretest interview to elicit a confession is also prohibited."
Bartik has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Chicago police declined to comment on the ruling but confirmed that Bartik is employed as a sergeant in the department's Central Detention Section. The spokesman would not say whether Bartik still conducts polygraphs. Following the Tribune's 2013 investigation, the agency drastically scaled back its use of polygraph exams in criminal investigations. In a 2015 deposition, Bartik said he left the polygraph unit in 2014 after he was promoted to sergeant. Lenihan has retired and Farley has since died, police said.
Jennifer Bontrager, Jones' assistant appellate defender, said she was gratified by the appellate court's decision.
"I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled," she said. "I really think he is innocent."
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The ruling is a bright spot in a string of disappointments for Jones. In 2005, he filed his first post-conviction petition, which was dismissed. His appeal in 2010 also was denied.
The Cook County state's attorney's office likely will ask for a rehearing in wake of the appellate court's decision, spokeswoman Sally Daly said.
However, she said Jones' case is also being investigated by the state's attorney's Conviction Integrity Unit.
The dissenting judge in Jones' case wrote that he failed to present a clear claim of innocence and that the physical evidence in the case establishes that there was more than one shooter. The judge also said that, in her opinion, Jones' video confession shows "a calm and cooperative defendant, giving an articulate, intelligent, and detailed narrative statement confessing to his participation in the murder."
deldeib@tribpub.com
Twitter @deldeib
AURORA, Colo. Investigators say an off-duty Colorado sheriff's deputy fired a bullet straight down the barrel of a suspect's gun, a shot they called "one in a billion."
The detail emerged in a letter from prosecutors Wednesday announcing that Arapahoe County Deputy Jose Marquez was justified in shooting the attempted-robbery suspect, who survived. Marquez also was wounded in the January shooting and is still recovering.
The Aurora Sentinel newspaper in suburban Denver reports that Marquez was visiting his girlfriend's apartment when two suspects approached him in the parking lot with their guns drawn.
The off-duty deputy told investigators that one suspect told him to "give it up."
Marquez says the suspects fired first and he shot back. One was wounded in the leg and arrested, and the other got away.
Associated Press
Jefferson Middle School seventh-grader Yair Guerrero has a way with public speaking.
"It's important to stay focused the whole time you are speaking to an audience," the youngster from the West Aurora School District school said. "I actually feel a bit rattled when I step in front of the audience. Once I get past the first few words, the rest seems to come."
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Guerrero is a finalist in the 2016 Modern Woodmen of America national school speech contest.
The videos of contestants from across the country are being reviewed this month.
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The national winner will earn a $2,000 savings plan. The second-place and third-place winners will be awarded $1,500 and $1,000 savings plans, respectively. The top three finishers and their respective schools will each receive engraved plaques for their accomplishments as well.
Guerrero placed first at a speech contest at his school last spring. He advanced at the district level and won a regional contest with 11 other students from Illinois and Iowa. About 30 candidates are vying at the national level.
The Modern Woodmen financial services' speech competition was established 60 years ago to give students personal and academic experience. This year students were directed to write a speech addressing hunger in America.
"Initially I thought hunger affected large families, but I realized that children go hungry every day in the United States," he said.
West Aurora teacher Kelli Starck started a speech and debate club for the middle school last year and encouraged Guerrero to join them because she knew that he had potential as a speaker.
She said Guerrero is a charismatic speaker.
"Yair has a way about him that draws the audience in," the teacher said.
"He speaks beautifully," Starck said, adding the student personalized the issue of hunger by describing what is happening in his own city and how the efforts of the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry and Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry are helping to fight hunger.
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"He spoke about how people experience hard times in their lives and that it could be a mother struggling to work two jobs and feed her children," Starck said. "You walk away questioning whether you'll ever again throw away the food left on your plate."
Lidia Guerrero said her son inherited his gift for public speaking from his father, Fabian Guerrero.
"His father competed in speech contests in middle school," the mother said. "We are proud of our son."
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
Caleb Cole, 13, Commemorative Air Force cadet from Duncan, Oklahoma, sits in the flight engineer seat of the B-29 on display at the Aurora Municipal Airport. (Linda Girardi, The Beacon-News)
Aviation fans are getting a close look at some historic World War II planes at the Aurora Municipal Airport.
The Commemorative Air Force AirPower History Tour event began Thursday. It will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
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One of the stars of the show is the Boeing B-29 Superfortress "FIFI," which is the only one of its kind currently flying.
"I couldn't wait to see her. It's a pretty big bird," Marine Corps veteran Gerald Hosler said Thursday.
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Seeing the plane brought out some strong emotions.
"I think of the men who flew these planes and didn't return home," the 82-year-old lifelong Auroran said.
The B-29 Superfortress began active service in 1944. Those that toured inside the aircraft got to see a navigation map signed by the late Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, the U.S. Army Air Forces navigator of the Enola Gay that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
"This is an extremely rare World War II bomber," Ret. Air Force Master Sgt. Brad Pilgrim said. "It is a flying memorial to the men and women who built and flew the aircraft."
Pilgrim flew missions as a loadmaster on C-17s and C-130 cargo planes when he was deployed during his years of service from 1992 to 2002, including in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. He now is general manager of the B-29/B-24 squadron of the Commemorative Air Force, which brings the historic planes to locations around the country, with a volunteer crew.
The B-29 always draws a lot of attention, he said.
"We see every range of emotion when people see the airplane. There are people who never thought they would ever see one again," said Pilgrim.
The Commemorative Air Force found the plane in 1971 at the U.S. Navy Proving Ground at China Lake, California, where it was being used as a missile target, Pilgrim said. The airplane was restored and flew for more than 30 years until 2006. It underwent a four-year restoration which included replacing all four engines with new custom-built hybrid engines. She began flying again in 2010, Pilgrim said.
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This particular B-29 came off the assembly line in 1945 when the war was almost over. It was used as a military trainer until 1954, he said.
The plane burns 400 gallons of gas per hour. and it costs $10,000 an hour to fly the aircraft, he said.
Along with the B-29 Superfortress at the airport are a P-51 Mustang, C-45 Expeditor, T-6 Texan and PT-13 Stearman.
Beth Penesis, Aurora Municipal Airport interim airport manager, said airport officials are excited about being part of the tour.
"These grand World War II planes bring all of us a little closer to our nation's rich past," Penesis said.
Crowds started settling in Thursday afternoon shortly after the gates opened. One of the crowd was 82-year-old Gene Pfaff of Newark, who took photos of the B-29 Superfortress.
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"I am nutty about aviation," he said.
People at the event can be spectators or active participants. Tickets for rides start at $570 for the B-29 Superfortress and $1,795 for the P-51 Mustang. To schedule a ride go to www.airpowersquadron.org.
Pilgrim said the event is a way to preserve the memories and legends of World War II.
"It's a lot of fun to fly the aircraft when nobody is shooting at you," he said. "The guys who did this in World War II did it for real. They had to deal with enemy action on their missions and the operational issues.
"We get to bask in the glory for what our veterans did," he said. "They gave us the freedom to be able to do this."
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
The former director of the Kendall County Food Pantry died last month of a medication overdose, DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller said Friday.
Toxicology results for Maria Spaeth showed high levels of the drugs found in Tylenol, Xanax and hydrocodone, Miller said. Spaeth had prescriptions for all three medications, and it's unknown if the overdose was accidental or intentional, according to the coroner's office.
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Spaeth's autopsy was performed June 23, two days after she died in the emergency room at Valley West Hospital in Sandwich. Her family called 911 on June 21, and the Sandwich Fire Department transported her from a home on the Sandwich side of Lake Holiday to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 3:20 p.m., Miller previously told The Beacon-News.
Miller said then that Spaeth's body showed no signs of unusual physical harm.
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Spaeth's death last month came as a shock to some of her former colleagues, said Jeff Young, then serving as acting director of the food pantry.
Spaeth and her husband, Ken Spaeth, the pantry's former treasurer and board member, resigned from their positions June 7 and had stopped participating in pantry matters about a week before that, Young said.
Yorkville police began investigating the possible theft of up to $200,000 from the pantry in early June after more than one volunteer reported suspicious transactions and possible theft of funds from pantry accounts, according to a June 8 news release.
As part of the theft investigation, the Yorkville Police Department served search warrants June 1 on both the Kendall County Food Pantry building and a personal residence in Kendall County, according to officials.
Yorkville police are still interviewing people and investigating the theft, Yorkville police Deputy Chief Larry Hilt said Friday.
Such investigations can take a couple of weeks to a couple of months, Deputy Chief Terry Klingel previously said. Once they conclude, the state's attorney's office would need to approve and file any charges.
Spaeth became executive director of the food pantry in 2008 after volunteering with the pantry for only a few months.
Also on Friday, the food pantry announced an imminent change in leadership and name. The food pantry is "in the process of accepting" a proposal by a group of prominent community leaders to immediately assume the administration of the pantry and rename it to Kendall County Community Food Pantry, according to a pantry news release.
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hleone@tribpub.com
Twitter @hannahmleone
Plano residents will have the opportunity to have some fun while showing their support for local police officers and firefighters.
The Plano Community Heroes Appreciation Event will be held at the Party Lodge at 1312 Church St. in Sandwich from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 30.
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Kami Terry, the event coordinator, comes by her support of police officers naturally her father is retired from the Montgomery Police Department and her brother is a police officer.
"Most people don't realize the sacrifices made by these men and women. All the holidays missed with families, missed time spent with family, dinners missed, getting up in the middle of the night to rush to save someone else's life. These great heroes aren't appreciated enough. The community needs to stand up and show our appreciation," she said.
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At the event, children can have their face painted, explore a police car and chat with local police officers or enjoy a visit with the Paw Patrol. There will be a coloring contest for children ages 2 to 3 and 4 to 6. Wiener Waggin will be offering food and drinks and Butterfly Kisses Sweets & Treats will be making cake pops and sugar cookies to sell.
Project Blue Light will sell blue light bulbs and bracelets. This is part of a national project to raise awareness of police issues.
Approximately 30 vendors will be present and each will hold raffles with all of the proceeds going toward the Plano police and fire departments to buy employees a meal, specialty cakes and get gifts for personnel.
Vendors will include: Rachel's Custom Creations & Wood Art; Jamberry; Premier Jewelry; Thirty One; Signs of Time by Gramma Pam; Rodan & Fields; Avon; Paparazzi; Homes for Heroes Reality; Tastefully Simple; It Works; Nerium; Younique; Lularoe; Mary Kay; Take Shape for Life; Trades of Hope; Glitter N Disguise; Wildtree; Vibrant; Origami Owl; Lisner Photography; Pampered Chef; Norwex; Country Chic Crafts; Usborne Books; Salon 45:11; Doterra Essential Oils; Pampered Beauties and Why Knot massage.
For more information, go to the Plano Community Heroes Appreciation page on Facebook.
Susan Thanepohn is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
On the the one-month anniversary of the Pulse night club massacre in Orlando, Florida.,Mayor Buddy Dyer hands off one of the crosses made by an Aurora man to Michael Perkins, left, of the Orange County Regional History Center. (Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinal)
Aurora resident Greg Zanis built his largest number of memorial crosses ever for the victims of the mass shooting at the Orlando night club last month.
Now those crosses will be permanently displayed as part of the city's history.
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The city recently moved all 49 memorial crosses from the Orlando Regional Medical Center, where survivors of the shooting were treated, to the Orange County Regional History Center.
"I was flabbergasted when they suggested they were going to do this," Zanis said.
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He had been in contact with many of the families who lost loved ones in Orlando, and he spoke to them about the museum display, he said.
"Every one of them was crying. They loved the idea," Zanis said.
Zanis estimates he's handmade 15,000 white crosses for victims of tragedies across the country.
Zanis, 65, was a luxury custom homebuilder when he began using his carpentry skills for another purpose due to violence that occurred within his own family. Zanis discovered his father-in-law in a pool of blood in a robbery-turned-slaying in 1996 a few blocks from where he lives.
Zanis originally thought the Orlando crosses would be given to the families of victims. However, the city wanted to have the crosses in a central location for the public to experience, Zanis said he was told.
Zanis said he personally spoke with members of nine families to find out whether they would approve of having the crosses placed in the museum. Many of the families live in Puerto Rico and Mexico, he said.
"I understand their plight to come here to live the American dream to support their families abroad and then to have something like this happen," Zanis said.
Zanis declined an invitation from Orlando to be part of the police and fire department procession that escorted the crosses to the museum.
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He's not one to attract attention, he said.
"I sleep in my truck when I go to these places," he said.
Zanis invests his own resources for the crosses and trips to cities around the country, he said.
"This is very personal what I am doing," Zanis said, adding the purpose is to remember the lives of the victims and the survivors. "I am so impressed with Orlando wanting to do the right thing."
Zanis has already made five crosses this time with red hearts and blue figurines for the five police officers killed in Dallas, he said. He is not financially prepared to make the 925-mile trip to deliver them, he said Friday.
He has also made red hearts for the victims in Nice, France, that he was planning to deliver for a memorial in front of the consulate general of France on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
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"They will be quickly covered in flowers. I have done this enough to know what happens," he said.
Zanis, who still uses a land line to network with people, has gotten a little help from his daughter. Maria Raibley established a page at GoFundMe to help her father raise proceeds for his work. Even though he's a "master recycler" for wood, there are other costs associated with making the crosses and transporting them, she said.
"My dad has been putting up crosses for victims of tragedies since I was 14. I am now 35 and have seen him put up crosses for tragedies such as Columbine High School; the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooting; Sandy Hook Elementary; and so many more," she said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
There were plenty of compelling words expressed by police and pastors Tuesday at the community prayer vigil sponsored by the chaplains of the Aurora Police Department.
Most of those thoughts centered around the need for unity and understanding. And one statement that hit hard was spoken by Aurora police Cmdr. Keith Cross, who told the couple of hundred people gathered in the parking lot of the police station that change will not happen unless we're willing to have tough conversations about race relations.
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The following day, he and I had one of those discussions.
It started off with Cross, who has been an officer with the Aurora police for 23 years, telling me about one of the bad experiences he had with law enforcement as a young African-American male growing up in this community.
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About age 16, he and a buddy were coming out of a store, when suddenly an army of squad cars surrounded them, and police jumped out with guns drawn. "Staring down the barrel of a gun," Cross said he and his friend were thrown on the ground and handcuffed as a stream of profanities rained down on them.
Turns out there had been a robbery in the area, and the two teens, neither of whom had ever been in trouble, happened to fit the profile of the suspects.
"I felt violated. I was extremely angry," the commander said of that violent encounter. But Cross, who had wanted to become a police officer from the time he was in fifth grade, was not about to let the "unprofessional" treatment he received hijack his dream.
"Instead of complaining from a distance," he told me, "my mindset was to work toward the best way to change things from within."
Mindset. That's what Cross told me I needed to work on after I confessed to him that if I'm walking down a street alone, particularly at night, I become more nervous encountering a group of young minority males than a group of white teens or men.
That was a tough thing to admit, especially to an African-American man. But Cross gave me kudos for honesty and reiterated the fact we can't begin to change our mindset about ingrained prejudices until we stop denying they exist.
At the same time, he empathized when I told him why I felt this way. While I've never had a memorably bad encounter with a young black or Hispanic male, I can also honestly say in my two decades penning columns for this newspaper, many of the suspects I've written about fall into that category.
Cross rightly pointed out 95 percent of minority residents are law-abiding citizens. But he also understands how experience shapes perceptions, whether that experience comes from writing about crime or watching it on TV.
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Then he told me another story from his past: As a young officer working a high-crime area in Aurora, he encountered his share of African-American gang members. One day, he drove past a trio of black teens doing nothing more than walking down the street, sporting the kind of name-brand clothing most kids wear and he immediately began eyeing them with suspicion.
It wasn't until he reached a stoplight a mile or so later that he realized what he'd just done. And "it shocked me to the core," he said.
"If I had been driving down a street in White Eagle (subdivision) and came across three white teens, I would not have done the same thing," he said.
Yet only a few years prior, he himself had guns drawn on him for no other reason than the fact he was a young black male.
Cross said it took a full day of deep reflection to make him realize it was his own experience working with "African-American youth breaking the law" that gave him that negative reaction.
"It made me more self-aware of the way I policed," he said. And it also prompted him to work even harder at helping foster better dialogue, not just among his colleagues but in the community.
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Police and the public alike "tend to judge based on limited information," he noted. And until we begin having these tough discussions keeping the politics out of it, please about why we react the way we do, then we are never going to change that mindset.
My discussion with the commander, who says he's had many of these conversations in the past couple of weeks, was involved and enlightening. We talked about the fear felt by the young black man who sees flashing lights in his rearview mirror, as well as the cop who pulled him over and how recent headlines have ratcheted up that fear. We talked about how to react during a traffic stop; for instance, don't reach around for your ID because an officer can never be sure you'll pull out a driver's license or gun. We talked about the need for more training among law enforcement.
Just as critical: bringing back community discussion groups remember study circles? that forced us to look one another in the eye and have dialogues to help us better understand where the other person is coming from.
Deborah Tinsley Taylor, the African-American pastor of the mostly white Fourth Street United Methodist Church congregation, attended the vigil and applauds the progress made in society. But she noted, "there is still an undercurrent of racial divide we can no longer afford to ignore."
As police Chief Kristen Ziman pointed out, we are fortunate Aurora is a "healthy community" with a crime rate dramatically lower than past years and a department actively working toward better accountability and stronger relationships with those they serve. Still, she added, when it comes to race relations, we are only "scratching the surface" and "being polite."
Thankfully, despite the time change, there was a good turnout for the Tuesday gathering, so plenty of people heard that call for unity and understanding. But there were a whole lot more not there to hear it. And as police officers and their chaplains clearly understand, it takes only one unfortunate incident to turn tragedy into turmoil.
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One goal of this vigil was to start the public conversation in our community, and even more importantly, to keep it going. No matter what our mindset is or how uncomfortable it becomes, Cross helped me understand the need to face our fears and prejudices before we can erase them.
dcrosby@tribpub.com
Tanessia Ray, 31, of Alsip, in this July 4, 2015 photo. (Courtesy of Barbara Ray Dudley)
Approximately 40 people braved rain and wind Wednesday evening for a bittersweet candlelight vigil in Alsip marking the one-year anniversary of Tanessia Ray's stabbing death.
Family and friends began gathering at 6:45 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. ceremony on the 4300 block of West Park Lane Drive, where the mother of two was brutally stabbed to death in the street-level apartment where she and her two children had lived for nearly three years.
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"It was raining when we found her, remember?" Tanessia's mother, Barbara Ray Dudley, reminded those in attendance, who sought shelter as rain began drenching the cul-de-sac approximately 20 minutes before the vigil was to begin.
Gradually, the shower turned into a drizzle, allowing everyone to return to the street, bearing candles, purple balloons and posters showing Tanessia's photos.
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Felicia Smith-Brooks, a minister with the Shining Light Missionary Baptist Church, was the main speaker and reminded those at the vigil to trust in God for answers and mercy.
She also prayed that God would help Tanessia's killer "see the error of their ways" and confess. "We ask God that you send justice soon."
As Smith-Brooks concluded, participants released the balloons, which sailed into the western sky and the slowly parting clouds. Seconds later, a rainbow materialized in the eastern sky.
Dudley remained positive during the ceremony, but voiced frustration afterward about the lack of witnesses in Tanessia's slaying.
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The police "know who did it," she said. "They just need to prove it. They need neighbors and [the murderer's] family to come forward. I know somebody out there knows something, and I believe they are covering up."
Deputy Chief Jay Miller said Thursday that "the victim knew her assailant." He said the Cook County Major Crimes Task Force is assisting with the "ongoing" investigation.
Miller said investigators are still regularly submitting potential evidence to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for analysis and are routinely reviewing new leads and potential evidence.
He declined to discuss the motive for Tanessia's murder, or how the killer got into her apartment.
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"Our hearts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Tanessia Ray, and we are asking for anyone who may have information, no matter how insignificant they think it may be, to please contact us at the Alsip Police Department Tip Line: (708) 385-6902, ext. 246," Miller said.
Dudley, who has hired a private investigator to supplement the official investigation into Tanessia's killing, also set up a confidential line that isn't associated with the police: (847) 579-9771.
Dennis Sullivan is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Larry Matkaitis often joked that he never strayed far from his Mount Greenwood neighborhood, the community where he lived his entire life.
But he made a difference in the lives of people throughout Illinois in his years as a Chicago firefighter and state fire marshal, family members and colleagues said Thursday at his funeral service.
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Matkaitis died at his home July 9 following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 68.
"He was a first-responder before any of us knew what the word meant," said the Rev. Peter Kolb, the Matkaitis' family pastor.
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Matkaitis was instrumental in developing the Chicago Fire Department's paramedic program, and is credited with pioneering the concept of emergency medical services in the department.
"He loved what he did," said Matkaitis' son, Daniel. "He woke up and lived for the job. He's going to be missed."
Matkaitis was extremely devoted to his family and never was too busy to lend advice or help out in a crisis. His daughter, Amber Rivera, recalled running out of gas while driving in DeKalb and calling her father for help. Without hesitation, he came to her aid. When she lived in Alaska and saw the Aurora Borealis for the first time, she telephoned her father in the middle of the night to describe the phenomenon and he was happy to listen to every detail.
"He was never angry or yelled at me," Rivera said. "I would call him when I was lost downtown."
Matkaitis may have seemed intimidating at times, his daughter said, but he had a soft side.
"I always took pride in making him laugh," she said.
Matkaitis' began his career with the Chicago Fire Department in the 1970s shortly after earning his paramedic license and working as an emergency room technician. He was one of the first-responders to the emergency call for the death of the late Mayor Richard J. Daley.
He later served as the first director of emergency medical services for Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local No. 2.
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Matkaitis rose through the Fire Department ranks, becoming assistant deputy fire commissioner, emergency medical operations and executive assistant to the fire commissioner. He retired after 30 years of service. He then began his second career, taking a position in Chicago for the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office.
In October 2010, he was appointed state fire marshal. He served as an advocate for firefighters, paramedics and the residents of Illinois until his retirement in 2015.
His brother, Jerry, said Matkaitis had a passion for the Fire Department, his family and the State Fire Marshal's Office. But he had other interests as well.
"He liked weightlifting," Matkaitis said. "He liked playing on his computer."
He also loved a good cigar, and enjoyed talking about the fire service with anyone who would listen, family members said.
"Larry made a difference," his brother said. "I think the world is a better place because of him."
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George Korda, legislative liaison for the state fire marshal, recalled Matkaitis convincing him to take the position.
Korda was living in the Bahamas at the time and was not interested in going back to work. But Matkaitis was persistent, calling him several times to sell him on the job.
"There are very few people I would have left the Bahamas for," Korda said.
Matkaitis attended St. Christina's School and Brother Rice High School. He went on to Northern Illinois University until he entered the Army, where he served as a medic during the Vietnam War.
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One of his proudest accomplishments in his teen years was the acquisition of a pilot's license.
Matkaitis was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer in January 2010, and given a prognosis of two to three years. He swore his family to secrecy so he could complete his goals with as little distraction from the disease as possible.
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"He never complained," his daughter said. "He always had a positive attitude."
When a treatment didn't work, he looked forward to the next option rather than dwelling on his condition.
He is survived by his wife, Valerie; children Amber Rivera and Daniel Matkaitis; brothers Jerry and Jimmy Matkaitis; sisters Nancy Sorensen and Kathy Uhlir; and nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Camp "I Am Me" c/o Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, 426 W. Northwest Hwy., Mount Prospect, IL, 60056.
Bob Rakow is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
The loudest opposition voice on the Blue Island Park District Board of Commissioners has resigned, the district's executive director announced at its board meeting on Wednesday.
Joshua Tate, who had served on the five-member board since 2011, submitted his resignation about two weeks ago, after moving his family to another Chicago suburb in what he called a "life decision."
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In a statement read at the meeting, Tate thanked the "wonderful" park district staff and said it had been a privilege to serve the citizens of Blue Island for over five years.
"I don't want people to think that I don't like Blue Island," Tate, a lifelong resident, said in a phone interview earlier in the week, "but it's not the same place that it was, and it was just time for us to move on."
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In recent months, Tate had been a vocal critic of the board's majority, lambasting its decision-making and questioning its independence from the Blue Island Independent Party, to which Mayor Domingo Vargas and the city council belong.
Tate, a former board president, said he was proud of his time at the park district and felt that, outside of some recent developments, he and his colleagues had taken what had been a floundering public body with a tarnished reputation and transformed it into an asset for the community.
"I ran to keep the Chicago, Illinois machine politics out of the park district and tighten up our public image, given some unfortunate events, and I think for the most part I was successful in that," Tate said, referencing a boozy after-hours party in 2010 where a Calumet Township trustee drowned in a park district pool.
"When I started at the park district, every meeting there would be a half-dozen or more different residents who would come up to the park district and monitor the meetings and voice their complaints and voice their general grievances," he said. "We probably average 4-6 public comments per year at this point. The majority of our meetings go unattended by the public, and to me that's been a testimony to us doing a good job with the parks, satisfying the needs of the residents."
The outgoing commissioner then ran off a list of board achievements during his tenure that included completing multiple capital projects, expanding parks programming and getting the district's finances in order.
"All and all I believe we've done a great job, setting a good course for the park district," he said.
"However," he continued, "the [last] election seems to have changed that all. I hope that I'm wrong, I hope that they maintain the direction we've set, but I don't know if that's really going to be the case."
Tate said the board had been chugging along "business as usual" until a few months ago when a series of decisions by the majority commissioners attempting to bring in new legal representation, parting ways with executive director Bob Manthei and entering an intergovernmental agreement with the city to run its renovated recreation center set off some alarms for him.
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"Myself and [commissioner Brad St. Leger] were nowhere in the conversation until things landed on the agenda and we found out they're moving (ahead)," Tate said. "So they're acting as they have the right to do as the majority of the board, but they're definitely not being inclusive of the entire board in their conversations other than what's required at official meetings."
He fears that in his absence the board majority will grow even bolder in pushing what he believes is the city's will, at the expense of the park district.
"Obviously the vote majority is not going to change," he said, "but I think they're going to become much more active in pushing their agenda, as their agenda is pushed down, and they'll be doing it more actively as I'm not there as the lead voice of opposition in bringing attention to the things that they're doing."
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Board president Raeann Zylman, who ran with Tate in 2011 but has since aligned with the Blue Island Independent Party, countered his assertion that her recent votes had been influenced by outside actors.
"It's not true what he says about me," she said. "I know from my heart that I'm doing my best for Blue Island."
Zylman and the board's three remaining commissioners will now be tasked with filling Tate's vacancy.
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As of Wednesday, the board had yet to discuss possible replacements or how it might go about recruiting and selecting a new commissioner.
Zylman said she would seek to replace Tate with "someone that can provide and help the whole entire community."
zkoeske@tribpub.com
Twitter: @ZakKoeske
Restaurant mogul Dick Portillo and his wife Sharon have donated $1 million to their alma mater, Argo Community High School. Portillo sold his restaurant chain in 2014. (Terrence Antonio James, Chicago Tribune)
Before he was a hot dog mogul, Italian beef wizard or chocolate cake phenom, Dick Portillo was a student at Argo Community High School.
So was his wife Sharon.
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Come next June, the couple will return to their roots in a permanent way when their names are emblazoned on a new performing arts center at the Summit school.
The Portillos, both of whom graduated from Argo, Dick in 1957 and Sharon in 1960, have donated $1 million to their alma mater. It will be used to support construction and programming of a new 430-seat fine arts center.
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"It's huge," said Superintendent Kevin O'Mara, who reached out to the couple shortly after he became superintendent in 2008 in an attempt to build relations. "It means that we have a million dollars more to help kids learn, help them become better citizens."
The Portillos will attend a special groundbreaking ceremony at 11:30 a.m. July 21 at the school's campus on 63rd Street. The center will be formally dedicated as the Richard and Sharon Portillo Performing Arts Center when it opens in 2017.
"In the past six or seven years we've done a lot of upgrades to the campus," O'Mara said. "But the 48,000-square-foot center is our first real addition."
O'Mara said shortly after taking the superintendent's job, he learned of the school's famous alumnus who had gone on to build a fast food empire. So O'Mara said he invited the couple to Homecoming.
And then he invited them back for a private tour of the school after hours.
"We walked the campus and visited some of the haunts where he took classes and hung out with his buddies. It kind of sparked some memories and sparked some feelings that both he and his wife had lost, about where they came from," O'Mara said. "They realized Argo had been a platform for who they became."
After the $17.8 million fine arts project was approved by the Argo Board of Education in November, O'Mara again reached out to Dick Portillo.
"I asked if he'd like to be associated with it," O'Mara said. "He said he was not really interested."
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Then about four months ago, O'Mara sent the entrepreneur, who sold his restaurant chain in 2014, an artist's rendering of a limestone building with the Portillo name on the entrance.
"I emailed it to him and he said, 'OK, let's make this happen.'"
The donation, O'Mara said, came on the heels of more good news.
"We were lucky enough to apply for Qualified School Construction Bonds and get them. So the whole amount is based on an interest-free subsidy program. That will save our taxpayers $8 million over the life of the loan."
Construction began in June. In addition to the auditorium, the project calls for a prop shop, band and choral room, rehearsal rooms, theater classroom and green room with dressing rooms.
Private donations like that of the Portillos, O'Mara said, are perhaps the way of the future for public education.
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"I think if public schools and public school leaders are smart, they're going to look to find every different avenue they can to help their kids, especially in the State of Illinois, where funding can be dicey at times."
For the last three years, even though the student population is at 80 percent at or below the poverty line, O'Mara said, "We've been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top high schools in the nation."
With sizable African American, Hispanic, Polish and Arabic populations, O'Mara said, "Argo is a big district with lots of geography and diversity."
O'Mara said about half the student body participates in the fine arts curriculum, which includes band, chorus and theater.
"The existing auditorium was built in the '50s and couldn't hold a quarter of student body," O'Mara said. "We were either going to spend millions of dollars rehabbing that existing center, or build a new one that can grow and support our programs for many years to come."
dvickroy@tribpub.com
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After two decades in the music business, Rusted Root frontman, songwriter and founder Michael Glabicki, still feels the thrill and the fear of performing in small spaces.
For their Billings debut, Rusted Root will play the Pub Station on Monday, July 18, a place where Glabicki predicts the bands positive vibe and visionary lyrics will be well suited.
The show, which starts at 8 p.m., is for those 21 and over. Tickets are $25.
Rusted Root has played huge stadiums, opening for the Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews Band and Santana, but Glabicki said the small venues are where the flow of energy between musicians and the fans is best.
Their breakout hit in 1994, Send Me On My Way, threw the Pittsburgh band into the international music scene in a genre dubbed spiritual world music. In a telephone interview, Glabicki said its fun when he is surprised by the powerful sense of freedom when he lets the emotion flow.
Glabicki's tenor voice pairs smoothly with the richer vocals of percussionist Liz Berlin, yet it is eerily otherworldly. Glabicki is at his best when he breaks into a percussive yelp, driven by three rhythm players, on upbeat songs like "Sun and Magic."
After playing shows twice in Missoula, Glabicki said it will be nice to return to Montana where the audiences are not jaded like they can be in bigger markets.
Playing in Missoula felt like I was young again and we were doing our first shows. Its more real, more innocent and unveiled in places like Montana. I like that.
Glabicki and most of his bandmates grew up in Pittsburgh and still consider it home. Glabicki said he was political in high school and after traveling to war-torn Nicaragua in the late 1980s, he resolved to promote peace and spirituality in his lyrics, and find the rhythm in the music, styled after street musicians in Nicaragua.
Im still learning more and more about what we can do, emotionally and spiritually, with the music. As a songwriter, I feel like I have a lot to learn, crafting songs in different ways affects the spirituality, especially at the live performances.
Rusted Root's most-recent studio album, 2012's The Movement, was crowd-funded and dedicated to their community of fans. Glabicki still looks for truth and ways to express his feelings in new songs.
My natural state as a writer and performer is to connect to a place that is elsewhere. At times, it can be difficult to write something new, but I tend to think of the live performance when I write.
Performing music is a freeing experience where anything can happen.
Its like were all kids playing in the sandbox together, Glabicki said.
A waste hauler collects trash from in front of a home in the 14600 block of Linder Avenue in unincorporated Bremen Township. Gregg Greiner, who grew up there, says politicians are dragging their feet instead of fixing the road. (Ted Slowik / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)
You need a lot of patience to live on Linder Avenue in unincorporated Bremen Township.
For one, you need patience just to drive down your street. The road isn't maintained, so saying the street is filled with potholes is an understatement.
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These are craters. There are stretches where pavement ceased to exist long ago. Pioneers had an easier time navigating their wagons through the deep ruts of muddy trails across the prairie.
You must drive slowly. Anything more than a crawl, and you risk injuring yourself. At any significant rate of speed, you would bounce out of your seat and hit your head on the roof of your vehicle.
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You would also damage your vehicle if you tried to drive too fast on Linder Avenue. Not just low-riders or even ordinary sedans. I'm talking trucks. Pickup trucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks, all-terrain vehicles they all bottom out. Undercarriages scrape gravel as shocks squeal, struts squeak and springs scream.
"This has got to be one of the worst stretches of road in the state of Illinois," says Gregg Greiner, 58, who grew up in a home in the 14600 block of Linder Avenue near Midlothian and Oak Forest.
More importantly, to live on Linder Avenue you need patience for the politicians who drag their feet. Residents say they've appealed for years to municipal, township, county, state and even federal officials.
Yet nothing is done.
By rights, Linder Avenue shouldn't exist. It was built on private land. Not just one plot of land, either. The two-block stretch north of 147th Street crosses more than a dozen privately owned properties.
How the road got built in the first place, no one knows for sure. But there are stories.
The street is just a block over from the Midlothian Country Club, which opened in 1898. Legend has it that during Prohibition, Al Capone had a place there.
It's easy to imagine a powerful mob boss using his influence to get authorities to look the other way and avoid complications like permits, deeds and surveys when he needed a road to get to his place.
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No matter how the road got built on private land, the fact is it functions just like a public street, and has for a long time. All manner of vehicles use the road for a variety of purposes, including mail service, package delivery and waste hauling. Police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, school buses and landscaping trucks all drive down the street.
It's been that way for decades, residents say.
"If it's a private road, how come everyone uses it?" asked Linder Avenue resident Kevin McGrath.
Residents believe common law says after a road has been used as a public thoroughfare for many years, it becomes the public's responsibility to maintain it. They say Bremen Township used to maintain the road. Then the township stopped maintaining Linder Avenue several years ago.
"Why are we paying township taxes if we're not getting township services?" Greiner asked.
I asked Maggie Crotty, Bremen Township supervisor and former state senator, what could be done for the residents of Linder Avenue.
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"We've all tried to help them," Crotty said, meaning township officials, state elected officials and others. "According to the law, they'd all have to be willing to be annexed into one of the towns" for a municipality to assume ownership of a road on privately owned land.
Linder Avenue residents say they want to remain unincorporated, and there should be a way for the township to maintain the street in front of their homes without having to annex to Midlothian or Oak Forest.
Crotty says she agrees, but the law doesn't currently give townships that authority. She said she's working with 14th District state Sen. Emil Jones III to change the law.
"We're working on a legislative solution," Crotty said.
Residents say they've been told that for years. McGrath referred me to House Bill-0182, effective Jan. 1, 2016, that amends the Illinois Highway Code to allow townships to use motor fuel tax funds to fix privately owned roads.
Townships may use the funds "with the approval of the board of town trustees, for the maintenance or improvement of non-dedicated subdivision roads established prior to July 23, 1959. Any such road improved becomes, by operation of law, a part of the township and district road system providing such road meets standards as established by the county," the law states.
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"They get our hopes up. They tell us something's going to get done, then they just don't do it," McGrath said. "We've offered to donate the land."
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Who do you believe? Do you believe Crotty's version that public servants are doing all they can to solve a complicated problem, or do you believe residents who say politicians are dragging their feet? I think the truth is somewhere in between.
I understand how unusual the situation is, and that it takes time to find answers. I accept the township can't repair the street until Linder Avenue becomes a public road. I know real estate transactions take time, and that for Linder Avenue to get fixed more than a dozen deals have to get done to transfer land, even if the homeowners give away their property.
I realize this begs questions about who will pay for the work. Lawyers and surveyors have to get paid for the land deals. Engineers and contractors have to get paid for fixing the street. Who is going to pay for the improvements?
I also think residents have been putting up with the horrible condition of their street for far too long. I believe them when they say public officials have promised them solutions for years, even decades. I'm puzzled as to why it's taking so long to help the people of Linder Avenue.
Like I said, if you're going to live on that stretch of road of Bremen Township you need patience, and a lot of it.
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tslowik@tribpub.com
Twitter @tedslowik
The Elgin City Council Wednesday unanimously agreed to require boxes like this one to be licensed in an effort to curtail a recent rash of boxes popping up in Elgin. (Courtesy of City of Elgin)
The Elgin City Council Wednesday evening moved along approving new rules for putting up collection boxes in town, gave approval to conditional use zoning for a senior apartment complex and signed off on a new contract with the firefighters union all by unanimous vote.
The new rules would have it that such outdoor bins may "only be located in conjunction with uses to which such receptacles are customary and traditional: units of local government, churches and notforprofit organizations."
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Where permitted, and before placing the collection bin, the bin's owner would have to obtain a $75 annual license, which would be waived for units of local government and notforprofit organizations.
The application would require the property owner's written permission to locate the bin. The bin must display the name and contact information of the associated organization and whether the organization is forprofit or notforprofit, the meeting material states.
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A bin would not be allowed in a vacant lot, within a rightofway, or within the area between a building and the street. Bins would have to be placed upon a hard surface, but not within a parking space.
A license sticker would have to be attached to the bin, and the bins would be required to be serviced regularly, with no overflow of items allowed.
Maintenance failure would mean the bin license holder would be given 48 hours notice to address the issue. Failure to do so, would mean city staff would remove the bin and any contents and hold such for seven days.
Bins could be retrieved after the city receives payment of a $100 administrative penalty, plus $25 per day penalty charged for storage and other reasonable removal costs must also be paid. Citations in the amount of $50 to $750 per day per offense, could be issued to both the collection bin owner and the property owner.
Council member Rich Dunne said he noticed how bins were being dealt with when on the East Coast in 2012 in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy for his job with FEMA. Council member Terry Gavin said he and a resident spotted a bin near an east side grocery store almost a year ago. And Council member John Prigge paid compliment to Community Development Director Marc Mylott for staff being proactive addressing a spate in recent months where dozens of such bins have sprouted up across the city.
After the meeting, Mylott said one man had recently been written a citation for leaving such bins on private property and violating existing rules. However, the city still was unsure for whom the man was working, Mylott said.
The new rules are set for final approval at the Aug. 10 City Council meeting.
The unanimously approved request for conditional use zoning was granted to the developers of Fox River Crossing, a new, affordable apartment complex for those 55-and-older being planned for the northwest corner of Route 31 and Lawrence Avenue.
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The Ohio-based Buckeye Community Hope Foundation project calls for a 94,583 square-foot, 4-story residential apartment building that would have indoor parking on the first floor and 60 residential units on the second through fourth floors. The indoor parking would have 60 spots, and there also would be outdoor parking for 12 vehicles.
Council members noted the need for more senior housing in Elgin and that the building will bring life to a corner not far from downtown that has been an empty lot for more than almost a quarter century.
Council member Carol Rauschenberger, though, asked the city and developer to see if anything can be done to help make it easier for pedestrians to get from where the building would be across busy Route 31. The Gail Borden Public Library and The Centre of Elgin are just across the Fox River from the site.
The vice president of the foundation's housing division, David Petroni, told the City Council funding for the project would come through a highly competitive program using federal money run through the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
As such, Petroni said that if all goes well work probably wouldn't start until 2018 or late 2017 at the earliest on the project, which will house income-qualifying residents.
As for the fire contract, with no comments offered, the council unanimously approved the agreement.
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The last contract with the International Association of Firefighters Local 439 expired in 2013, and the new one covers 2014 to 2017. Per recession-related concessions, the old contract had no annual salary increases. The one the council OK'd has 2.5 percent annual pay hikes built into it.
According to the contract document, effective Jan. 1, 2017, the base pay range for union firefighters would range from $67,181 for those starting to $132,338 for those at the highest level of base pay for captains. The union ratified the agreement last Friday.
mdanahey@tribpub.com
Advocate Sherman Hospital photographer James Jordan attempts to wrangle all of the hospitals therapy dogs and their handlers this week at the programs 10th anniversary celebration. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News)
Shari Finger, who began volunteering in 2010 with her dog Draco as therapy at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, gets emotional when she tells the story of what those dogs can mean to patients there.
This week at a celebration of 10 years of animal assisted therapy at the hospital, she told the story of how her golden retriever, Draco, helped to spark something in a woman who was very ill.
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In 2012, Draco, and Finger asked a family if the dog could go into a room. She could tell the family was very upset, and the patient's son said his mother hadn't been able to speak with them that entire day.
But the granddaughter insisted that since their grandmother had always loved animals, rescuing dogs and cats, that the pair should go into the room, Finger said.
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Finger spoke to the woman, telling her what she was going to do and placed the woman's hand on Draco to pet the dog.
The woman spoke for the first time that day, saying "Oh, what a cute little dog," Finger said.
"She was looking right at me she is trying to sit up and pet Draco," Finger said. The family began putting up the bed so the woman could sit up, and were able to have a conversation with the woman while she kept petting Draco, she said.
"She kept repeating, 'What a cute little dog.' Draco was a big golden retriever," Finger laughed.
Draco has since died, but Finger is in the process of training a new dog to become a certified therapy dog at Sherman, the Algonquin resident said.
Sherman has had a dog therapy program for the past 10 years, and held an anniversary celebration for the program on Tuesday.
Currently, 16 dogs and their handlers visit Sherman, annually making about 4,000 visits to cardiac care, oncology, surgical, adult medicine, pediatric, the waiting areas and Sherman Westcourt, Finger said.
"I always tell the new recruits that the therapy dogs are the rock stars of the hospital. Visitors and patients want to take pictures with them. Staff yell their names from down the hall and take selfies with them and Snapchat them," Finger said.
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The hospital even made up trading cards with the dog's names and photos on one side, and information about the dogs on the back.
Sherman's dog therapy program was first brought up as an idea by Fran Teti-Teal, a nurse who was also the director of adult medicine and pediatrics there. She had come from another hospital with a similar program and had seen the benefits there, said Dina Lunceford, manager of volunteers at Sherman.
The program officially started in 2006, Lunceford said. The dog and handler teams must have certification from a nationally-recognized therapy dog organization, and dogs are also screened by Mary Mazzeri of Caredog Training, Inc., of Carpentersville.
Dundee Animal Hospital also provides cost-free veterinary care and vaccinations for dogs in the program, Lunceford said.
Finger came into the program a few years in, but with her dog training background helps out on the administrative side of the program, too.
Finger has worked with dogs since she was 13 years old training them for search and rescue work and as assistant dogs for people with Type 1 diabetes.
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She's even written a book "The Ping Project" that teachers families to train their own dogs to alert when a person with diabetes is experiencing high or low blood sugar, Finger said.
As the volunteer coordinator for Sherman's animal assisted therapy program, Finger recruits new candidates, trains the handlers on hospital protocol, and helps with animal behavior and training.
The benefit of dog therapy "is very well documented," Finger said. "Patients have an increase in alertness and socialization. While petting dogs their blood pressure decreases and their heart rate slows. It decreases pain and is also used to spark memory," she said.
There are other things that can't be explained in the research either, she said like how people perk up when a pet is brought into the room.
The commonality among therapy dogs is their temperament and love of humans, Finger added.
"They all have the same skill set. They are able to walk through crowds, have good doggie and good community manners. they have to have a bond between person and dog," she said.
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"The have to live to be petted by people," Finger said.
Information about the requirements for therapy dog teams can be found at: www.advocatehealth.com/sherman-pet-therapy
Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
The Hampshire Fire Department is hosting a blood drive for Heartland Blood Centers from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, at the fire station, 202 Washington Avenue.
Everyone donating a pint of blood will receive a free pint of Baskin Robbins ice cream. In addition, all donors between the ages of 16 to 21 years old will receive a free pass to Raging Waves Water Park in Yorkville.
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Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Donors are asked to bring photo identification and eat a healthy meal and drink lots of water before donating.
For information, call 847-305-9998.
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Denise Moran is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
Family Service of Glencoe, the village's social service agency, has elected a new president and brought in four new board members, according to FSG spokeswoman Sarah Scherdt.
Jennifer Stone, who had been the agency's vice president in the past year, moved into the top role at the June board meeting.
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"FSG is helping families with a variety of social-emotional needs through caring and confidential therapeutic services," Stone said in a statement. "It is an honor to lead the organization this year alongside this compassionate group."
Scherdt said Stone had been on the FSG board since 2013.
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FSG's top officers tend to first serve as vice president and then a year as president, according to Scherdt.
In addition, four Glencoe residents weer elected to the board of directors: Beth Karnes, a communications consultant, real estate brokers Karen Mason and Rick Richker, and attorney Carrie Rose.
"All four of our new board members bring talent, expertise and energy to the table," added FSG Executive Director William Hansen in the statement. "We are very fortunate to have them be part of the FSG family and are confident in their ability to have positive impact."
All four new members whose terms started July 1 will be eligible to serve up to three two-year terms, according to the statement.
The board currently has 15 members, Scherdt said.
FSG has been in operation since 1914 and has two locations in downtown Glencoe.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
WASHINGTON Sen. Steve Daines of Montana will be fly-fishing with his wife.
Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona said he has to mow his lawn (yes, he has one even in Arizona).
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska will be traveling her state by bush plane.
And Sen. John McCain of Arizona will be visiting the Grand Canyon, and joked that his friend Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina would be coming along and might even fall in (just kidding, an aide later clarified).
All are among the GOP senators who will be skipping next week's convention in Cleveland where Donald Trump will claim the Republican Party presidential nomination.
A majority of Republican senators do plan to attend, and it's not unusual for lawmakers to skip their party's convention, especially if they're up for re-election and need to spend time campaigning.
But the level of rank-and-file congressional defections from this year's Republican convention is unusually high. Perhaps that's unsurprising, given the GOP establishment's well-documented discomfort with the man who stands on the cusp of becoming their presidential standard-bearer. But in the halls of the Capitol this week, some senators seemed to visibly squirm when asked about their convention plans.
Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, a member of the GOP leadership, gave a lengthy series of responses to questions earlier this week that ultimately left his plans unclear.
"I think it's going to be a different and unique convention experience. You know I've been to a number of them in the past, and this year is different, and we'll see how it goes," Thune said. "For most people they go because it's the Republican convention, and it's our party's effort in a presidential election year to talk about what we're for and what we're about. So that will go on."
The next day, Thune said he was still "firming up" his plans.
Confronted for months with uncomfortable questions about Trump, some senators can still seem aggrieved to get asked about him, and uncomfortable giving an answer. But at this late date, just days from when the convention will start on Monday, nearly all have at least decided whether they're going to Cleveland.
Nearly all, but not quite all.
"I'm not sure yet," Idaho Sen. Jim Risch said Wednesday, adding there are "other things going on and I've got to weigh where I can do the most good."
Of the Senate also-rans in the White House chase, only Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas will attend the convention and deliver a speech. Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Graham are skipping the event.
Also on the list of convention speakers the party released Thursday: Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
For the nearly two dozen GOP senators up for re-election this year, the considerations are particularly sensitive, and that's especially true for the handful of vulnerable Republican senators in swing states. They must weigh sharing a convention hall with a nominee whose comments have offended women, minorities and others who can decide general elections. There are also concerns that given the "Never Trump" sentiments still nursed by some delegates, the convention could go off the rails and turn into a chaotic spectacle.
But few senators were interested in wading into such considerations on the record.
"No," Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri said tersely when asked if he was staying away from the convention out of a desire to distance himself from Trump.
Murkowski said she had only a month to visit the remotest areas of Alaska by plane before her Aug. 16 primary.
"For me this was an easy choice" and "nothing to do" with Trump, Murkowski said.
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, one of the most vulnerable members, said he could not go to Cleveland because "I've got to spend as much time in Wisconsin as possible."
As for his views on Trump, Johnson said: "I'm supporting him. Let's put it this way, I will not vote for Hillary Clinton."
Even Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, a vulnerable senator whose state is playing host to the convention, said he will only be dropping into the convention hall from time to time, but not delivering a speech or staying to watch speeches from others.
Instead he'll be spending his time on his own campaign events in and around Cleveland, including building a Habitat for Humanity home and holding a kayaking charity fundraiser, "Paddling with Patriots on the Cuyahoga River."
"I'm not going to have much time to listen to 'em because I'll be out and about," Portman said of the convention speakers.
The Glenview public works department is auctioning off these phone booths, which were once used as pay phones downtown. They were on display for residents to see on July 12. Bidding closes on July 22. (Alexandra Kukulka / Pioneer Press)
What's 8 feet tall, 35 inches wide, 35 inches deep and weighs more than 2,000 pounds? Each of the six red British telephone booths the Village of Glenview is selling to residents.
The booths, some in varying degrees of disrepair, were used as pay phones throughout downtown Glenview starting in the early 1990s before being pulled in recent years because, according to the village, they were no longer being used.
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They've since stood unused in the public works yard, said Brent Troxell, deputy director of public works. Officials decided recently to sell them while going through storage following the relocation of Village Hall late last year, and looking for items to put on the market, he said.
"We know that there are residents out there that are interested in the phone booths," he said.
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While Troxell said the village is uncertain about how the phone booths arrived in Glenview, Nancy Firfer, who was Board of Trustees president from 1993 to 2001, said the village decided to buy them because London officials were selling them at a reasonable price after replacing them with new ones.
"We wanted something that gave us a little character," she said.
The village restored the booths and put them throughout the then newly-rebuilt downtown Glenview for people to use as pay phones, Firfer said.
"Everybody loved them at the time because they were unique," she said. "[The booths] were used, and if people didn't use them they thought the booths looked cute."
Troxell said the last three phone booths were pulled out of service in 2015.
On June 7, the Board of Trustees voted to sell the phone booths to residents, said village spokeswoman Lynne Stiefel. The booths will be auctioned off from July 8 to July 22 to Glenview residents, and those that are not sold will then be auctioned off to non-residents, she said.
"These phone booths are so unique and distinctive, so the trustees wanted to give residents a first crack at them," Stiefel said.
To bid on the phone booths, which are being sold in "as is" condition, residents have to visit the village's website and place a minimum bid of $500, Troxell said. The money will go into the village's facilities and replacements fund, Troxell said.
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As of Friday morning, bids had been placed on only two phone booths one for $600, and one for $500.
If the booths are not sold after the auction to non-Glenview residents, officials will sell the booths for scrap metal, Troxell said.
On July 12, when the public works department let residents take a peek at the booths, Joe Whalen was the only person who stopped by.
Whalen said he's interested in bidding on one of the phone booths because he and his wife spent a year living outside London after they got married.
When they moved to Glenview, they liked seeing the phone booths around the downtown area because "it reminded us of the times we had in London," Whalen said.
Though he hasn't placed a bid yet, Whalen said if he were to take a phone booth home it would have to stand somewhere in the yard because it is so tall and heavy.
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"I think it's cool that the village is offering the phone booths to everybody," Whalen said.
akukulka@tribpub.com
Big Sky Economic Development will prepare an analysis to measure potential economic effects that would result if a proposed $120 million multi-use development is built in downtown Billings.
At Thursdays meeting, Big Sky EDs board of directors agreed to allow staff to compile the economic analysis for MontDevCo II LLC, a private developer of a project known as the One Big Sky Center. The multi-use development would be located on property at 29th Street and First Avenue North.
One Big Sky Center would include housing, a convention center and retail properties.
On Monday, the City Council approved a $250,000 loan from Downtown Revolving Loan Fund to help pay for the predevelopment phase for the proposed One Big Sky Center.
The information, to be prepared by Big Sky EDs staff, will provide information such as the number of jobs that would result if the center is built.
We have some tools and can do high level economic impact analysis for this project. We can provide the information to the City Council, said Steve Arveschoug, executive director of Big Sky ED.
So far, few details about the proposed development have been made public. Efforts to contact the principals werent successful on Thursday.
Greg Krueger, development director for Downtown Billings, said the developers have already made a financial commitment to downtown Billings by purchasing the 21,000-square-foot property for $840,000.
The principals in One Big Sky Center are experienced developers whose projects include the 56-floor Republic Plaza, Denvers tallest skyscraper, Krueger said.
Also Thursday, the EDA board received a $200,000 request from Billings Artspace, which hopes to develop 35 to 45 dwellings that double as studios for artists. Jack Nickels, a representative of Artspace, said the developers are seeking to locate the development within the Billings Urban Renewal District just east of downtown.
Also officials from the Billings Clinic Foundation asked the Big Sky ED board to help fund an expansion of the Billings Clinic's medical education center downtown. The money would help match grant funding from the Leona M. And Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust's Rural Healthcare Program.
With voter turnout lagging well behind that of other countries, Americans might want to try a different way of selecting their candidates, a Senior High School graduate and Fulbright Scholar told the League of Women Voters Billings on Thursday.
And while Americans might scoff at some reforms Australians are fined about $50 if they dont vote, and as a result 95 percent of them do vote Peter Miller, whos been teaching at the University of Pennsylvania, said an idea called the "ranked-choice electoral system" would at least ensure that candidates earn the support of a majority of voters.
Maine voters will vote on the reform in November.
Heres how the system works: Say three candidates seek office, and no one garners a majority in the first round of voting. The third-place finisher is eliminated, and that eliminated candidates voters are asked to choose between the other two candidates. The one who ends up with at least 50 percent plus 1 vote wins the election.
The reform would preclude a spoiler Ross Perot in 1992, or Theodore Roosevelt 80 years earlier from potentially turning the tide of an election.
In 1990, Mary Robinson won election as Irish president even though she came in second during the first round of voting under a ranked choice electoral system.
In Montana, such a reform would probably require only a statutory change, Miller said, and not a constitutional amendment. But the way we count votes would have to be drastically revised, he said.
Some California cities, including Berkeley, San Francisco and Oakland, already have the ranked-choice electoral system in place.
But national election reform could be a long way off, and Miller who spoke to a crowd of about 70 people at the Elks Club chalked it up, with tongue in cheek, to laws akin to Newtons Three Laws of Motion:
An electoral system in place tends to stay in place.
No electoral system exists in a political vacuum.
For every reason to like an electoral system, there is an equal and opposite reason not to like it.
Our system has a clear relationship between the person elected and the people who elected the candidate, he said. When Montanans write a letter to any of the three members of the states congressional delegation, they can expect a letter in return.
Not so in Holland, where elected officials owe their allegiance solely to the party, not the voters.
We like that strong relationship, that Americans feel with their elected officials, Miller said.
Miller noted that early on in the most recent GOP nomination process, the now presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, was winning a lions share of the delegates, but not a lions share of the votes.
In South Carolina, a winner-take-all state, Trump won 68 delegates by garnering 32 percent of the vote.
That told me that the Republican vote was very divided, especially with a field as large as 17 candidates. For academics, Miller joked, there was so much information overload that it came down to the color of their neckties.
The fact that Trump's polling has pulled even with that of the presumptive Democrat nominee, Hillary Clinton, indicates that Republicans have coalesced around their candidate, Miller said.
It was only after Trump won bigger primaries later in the schedule, including New York and Pennsylvania, that candidates including Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. John Kasich dropped out.
There could have been a spoiler in that race, but Im not sure who the spoiler was, Miller said. They were all splitting someone elses vote.
This fall, Miller will begin his work with the Fulbright Program by teaching courses in American politics and doing election research in Finland. He said he plans to focus his research on predictors of voter participation in both the U.S. and Finland.
They have a higher turnout in Finland, he said of the only other country in the world with an electoral college until it was scrapped in 1988. Maybe we can learn something about the conduct of their elections that will be helpful.
Miller said its not likely that American voters will be allowed, as their counterparts in Estonia are, to vote online.
While many reformers would like U.S. military stationed overseas to be allowed to vote using the internet, the security is difficult, because its open to manipulation from outsiders. If security challenges can be overcome and an online voting system works well for military voters, the rest of the electorate could well be next, Miller said.
A man arrested after driving erratically with drug paraphernalia and then attempting to enter a Billings residence while on a "scavenger hunt" appeared in Yellowstone County Justice Court on Thursday.
Seth Thomas Harrell faces one felony count of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, one count of misdemeanor criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of misdemeanor driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.
On July 13, the Billings Police Department responded to the area of 11th Street West and Avenue F at around 4 p.m. after receiving calls that the driver of a white GMC Envoy was yelling out of his window and stopping in the middle of the street before exiting his vehicle and looking into other vehicles.
A BPD officer was directed by a woman in a van toward the backyard of a nearby residence, where banging and screaming could be heard.
Harrell was found coming around the corner with his hands at his waist, so that the officer could not tell whether he had a weapon and ordered to the ground at gunpoint.
The woman inside the residence said she had seen Harrell try to enter her garage, which she shut. Harrell then entered her backyard after climbing a chain link fence. The woman then rushed inside and locked her door after which she said the suspect then began pounding on the backdoor.
According to court documents her daughters began screaming as they were frightened.
Harrells eyes were bloodshot and he was sweating profusely, according to court documents. He explained that he was in the backyard because he was on a "scavenger hunt" and was looking for his girlfriend. Harrell admitted his story sounded weird.
After a search of his vehicle, a spoon with crystal residue and two syringes in a white backpack were recovered, as well as another syringe in the glove box.
Harrell proceeded to score low on multiple field sobriety tests, after which he was taken to the DUI Center for further testing.
A blood sample was then sent to the Montana Crime Lab for analysis. The crystal residue on the spoon tested positive for methamphetamine.
Harrells bond was set Thursday at $25,000 and he was ordered to wear a drug patch. He is scheduled to appear again in court July 19.
The Barefoot Hawaiians bring hulas and other island dances to Lincolnwood on July 15. ( Lincolnwood Park District)
Take your family on a tropical staycation during Luau Night at the Proesel Park Family Aquatic Center, 7055 N. Kostner Ave., Lincolnwood, 7-8 p.m. Friday, July 15. The event is free with daily admission or a pool pass.
The highlight will be a performance by the Barefoot Hawaiian dancers, a professional touring company that performs more than 600 shows each year. Wearing colorful, authentic traditional costumes, they will perform Polynesian, Hawaiian and Tahitian dances as well as dances from other neighboring islands.
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There will also be games and food.
The Aquatic Center was designed to be enjoyed by all ages. There's a fenced children's area for ages seven and younger, that has interactive water toys and a miniature water slide. A zero-depth poll also has interactive water toys, as well as water sprayers and two full-size water slides. There's also a 50 meter by 25 meter main pool with two one-meter diving boards and one three-meter diving board.
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For details, call (847) 673-6870 or go to www.lincolnwoodil.org.
Jam with Jodi
Kids will get a workout during Jodi Koplin's Jigglejam, 11 a.m. Saturday, July 16 at WIP Theater, 6670 N. Northwest Highway, Edison Park. Koplin will be joined by the Jigglejam Band and the JiggleKids Chorus. The interactive show will feature tunes from Koplin's first two CDs, "Kangarooster" and "Jumpin' Bean," as well as from her soon-to-be-released album, "Shake, Rattle & Squirm." Tickets are $10.
For details, go to www.wiptheater.com/kids or www.jigglejamproductions.com.
Roaming reading resource
Stock up on vacation reading materials for your kids during Summer Splash with the Bookmobile, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 21 at Lawler Park, 10040 Lavergne Ave., Skokie. There will also be water games and treats at this drop-in family event, weather permitting.
For details, call (847) 673-7774 or go to www.skokielibrary.info.
Sing along to every song
Miss Lori will lead a sing-along 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 20 at Fleetwood-Jourdain Playground, 1655 Foster St., Evanston. The concert is the final event in the city's Starlight Junior Concert Series.
For details, call (847) 448-4311 or go to cityofevanston.org/starlight.
Chairman of the bored
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That's how parents sometimes feel during long car trips. Kids will hear a story about that problem at an, "Are We There Yet?" Storytime, 11 a.m. Saturday, July 16 at Barnes and Noble, 55 Old Orchard Center, Skokie. Dan Santat's book will be featured.
Now that Chicago has expanded its Divvy Bike Sharing program to include Evanston, could Skokie be next?
That's not likely to happen at least for now, village officials said, but it's possible that that the village could look into another bike sharing program for smaller communities in the future.
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At a recent Village Board meeting, Community Development Director Peter Peyer said he has researched the Divvy Bike Sharing program especially in light of the village's support for bicyclists and its expansion of bike lanes and paths in recent years.
Peyer said he spoke with Active Transportation Alliance, an organization he said is very active with Divvy, and with the administrator of the Evanston program.
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"The program is fairly costly," Peyer said. "It's several hundred thousand dollars. They got a grant, which was very helpful."
Peyer cited another reason it would be difficult to bring Divvy to Skokie right now.
Evanston is close enough to Chicago, he said, where the Divvy bicycle stations fall within the drivable distance that the company has set as a standard.
"Right now, Skokie is out of that driving distance," he said.
It's possible, however, that the close distance between Skokie and Evanston could open up some doors in the future, Peyer said.
If Evanston's bike system with Divvy were to expand and stations were located closer to the border, he said, Skokie could acquire some Divvy bikes as part of the program.
Along the same lines, Skokie's bike path that now travels north into Lincolnwood could eventually help that cause, he said.
"As the (Divvy stations) come up in Chicago closer to Lincolnwood and where our bike paths are connected, that possibility goes up very high," he said.
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Peyer said he is aware of another company similar to Divvy that looks for small towns to set up bike sharing. He said the village will be looking into whether there might be that kind of an alternative "that is not the heavy-duty Divvy type system."
"It's a smaller system meant for communities that do not have that heavy demand," Peyer said. "On the other hand, you still have to have an idea of where you want to do it and what you're real goals are in the program."
Divvy's expansion north will add 700 new bikes and 70 new biking stations in Evanston, Oak Park and Chicago neighborhoods, according to Bike Evanston.
"Bike sharing is an innovative new transportation system you can use without having to own your own bike," its web site states. "Through a bike sharing system, bikes are available on a short-term basis for residents, visitors and employees to travel throughout a community."
misaacs@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter @SKReview_Mike
State Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, pictured here on June 17, 2013, said she felt threatened after hearing a voice mail message left at her office by Stephen Bona. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
A former Chicago resident convicted for leaving an angry voicemail for a state representative from Wheaton three years ago as the state debated same-sex marriage was sentenced Friday to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service.
Stephen Bona, 52, apologized briefly to state Rep. Jeanne Ives before he was sentenced in DuPage County court for a felony count of threatening a public official.
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"It was never my intention to threaten Mrs. Ives," Bona told Judge George Bakalis. "I'm sorry for any disruption it caused in her life."
Ives gave a witness impact statement in which she said Bona's 2013 call had changed her sense of security for her family and made her more apprehensive.
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Bona, who is gay, had left a voicemail at her office in 2013 after he had heard comments that Ives, a Republican, made in opposition to same-sex marriage during a radio interview. On the message, which was played at his March trial, Bona reminded Ives that the assault rifle ban had lapsed, and it was something she should think about before she spoke.
He also told her "we know where you live," which Bona said referred to a controversial map that Sarah Palin had promoted on a website. The jury deliberated about 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict for threatening a public official.
Assistant State's Attorney Jim Scaliatine did not suggest prison time, in light of Bona's generally clean record, but said Bona should spend 90 days in the county jail. Bona's attorney, Stephen Richards, suggested conditional discharge for the comments, which his client said he did not intend as a threat.
"If Mr. Bona crossed a line and a jury said he did he was just past the line," Richards said.
Bakalis said he agreed that Bona did not intend to carry out a threat. However, the judge said he was troubled that Bona, via a threat, had tried to stifle Ives' free speech yet argued that his remarks were protected by the First Amendment.
"Threatening anybody, not just a public official that's not what this country's about," Bakalis said.
Bona, his attorney said, lost his executive post with a major sporting distributor as a result of his arrest. He and his husband, a retired Chicago police officer, have moved to California. Richards said he plans an appeal and will argue that Bona's comments were protected speech.
State's Attorney Robert Berlin said the prosecution was important because it supports the idea that public officials must be able to freely discuss issues without fear of retribution.
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"People have the right to express themselves under the First Amendment, but if it crosses the line, there will be severe consequences," he said.
After the hearing, Ives thanked police and prosecutors but had no comment about the sentence.
Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
European Union regulators brought a third anti-trust charge against Alphabet Inc's Google yesterday, accusing it of blocking rivals in the lucrative online search advertising market.
People visit the Google exhibition booth at the CeBIT IT fair in Hannover of Germany, March 6, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]
The European Commission also reinforced its existing charge against the world's most popular Internet search engine that its search results favor Google's own shopping service over that of rivals.
"Google has come up with many innovative products that have made a difference to our lives. But that doesn't give Google the right to deny other companies the chance to compete and innovate," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager told a news conference in Brussels yesterday.
The commission said it had sent two "statements of objections" to Google.
The new charge sheet accuses Google of having abused its dominant position by artificially preventing third-party websites from displaying search advertisements from its competitors.
This relates to Google's "AdSense for Search" platform, in which Google acts as an intermediary for websites such as those of online retailers, telecoms operators or newspapers, with searches producing results that include search ads.
"We have also raised concerns that Google has hindered competition by limiting the ability of its competitors to place search adverts on third-party websites, which stifles consumer choice and innovation," Vestager said.
The EU's pursuit of Google, along with probes into other US multinationals over tax issues and control of personal data, has caused irritation in Washington, with President Barack Obama last year accusing Europe of veering toward protectionism.
Vestager, a former Danish economy minister who took over as the EU's powerful anti-trust commissioner in late 2014, insists she is simply applying the law and promoting free competition.
On the radar
Google's AdWords and AdSense programs have been on the commission's radar since 2010, under Vestager's predecessor, after rivals complained about unfair advertising exclusivity clauses and undue restrictions on other advertisers.
They form the core of Google's business which posted about US$75 billion in revenue last year, the vast bulk of Alphabet's total annual revenue.
The commission also said it had reinforced its earlier preliminary conclusion that Google had abused its dominant position by systematically favoring its comparison shopping service in its search result pages.
Google could face fines up to 10 percent of its global turnover for each case if found guilty of breaching the bloc's anti-trust rules.
Google said it believes it increased choice for European consumers.
"We'll examine the commission's renewed cases and provide a detailed response in the coming weeks," a Google spokesman said.
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China will aim to keep its urban registered unemployment rate below 5 percent between 2016 and 2020, under a plan released on Thursday by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
It said the country will aim to create job opportunities for more than 50 million people in cities during the period.
China's urban registered unemployment rate stood at 4.05 percent at the end of June.
The ministry acknowledged that China would be under pressure to ensure employment as its policies to cut industrial overcapacity lead to job losses.
The plan promised employment more services and support, especially for college graduates and workers that have been made redundant in the industrial restructuring.
In the next four and half years, about 15 million young people, mostly college graduates, will be looking for jobs in cities every year, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yin Weimin said.
China has urged Brazil to stop using the controversial Surrogate Country approach in its anti-dumping investigation into Chinese high-carbon steel wire.
The Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday that Brazil planned to use the United States as an analogue country for a benchmark review to evaluate the Chinese product's normal price.
When the Surrogate Country approach is in effect, a third country or region's prices can be used to assess if a given country is exporting below market value or dumping.
However, in accordance with the accession protocol signed when China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, the Surrogate Country approach expires on December 11, 2016, the ministry said.
Frequent use of protectionist practices will not help solve global steel sector woes amid the economic slowdown, and Brazil should refrain from trade remedy measures, according to the ministry's statement.
It said China and Brazil, as BRICs members, should enhance communication and collaborate with each other to create a favorable environment for mutual benefit.
Chinese police said on Thursday that they have detained 12 people in Shenzhen suspected of smuggling gold bars worth 21 million yuan (3.1 million U.S. dollars).
Chinese police said on July 14 that they have detained 12 people in Shenzhen suspected of smuggling gold bars worth 21 million yuan (3.1 million U.S. dollars). [Photo / Chinanews.com]
Customs officers at Shenzhen Bay Port noticed several people with very little luggage at around 7 p.m. on June 28. They were eventually found to be carrying 76 gold bars, each weighing 1 kg, hidden in pockets, pants and dresses.
The group of six men and six women were all Chinese, five of them Hong Kong residents. Each was carrying six to seven gold bars and according to one of them, they expected to be paid 80 yuan for each gram.
The 12 are all in custody. The gold they carried has been found to have a purity of 999.9 per mille.
Travelers leaving the country with more than 50 grams of gold require certification from the country's central bank or a declaration form for a matching amount issued upon entering the country.
Smuggling of precious metals is subject to prison terms ranging from five years to life.
PORTLAND, Ore. As the battle over Oregon's recent delisting of the gray wolf as endangered is waged in a courtroom, the state's lone Republican congressman helped convince the House to approve a plan to remove all protections for the species at the federal level.
The proposal cleared the chamber Wednesday with a 223-201 vote and now heads to the Senate.
It was introduced Monday by Oregon Rep. Greg Walden and Washington state Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse as an amendment to a large federal appropriations package.
The plan would enable the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to move forward with its proposal made three years ago to delist the gray wolf under the federal Endangered Species Act by 2017.
Population management would instead be at the discretion of the lower 48 states, although it wouldn't directly impact state-level endangered species lists or wolf management plans in separate places such as Oregon.
"Oregon's wolf population has grown by more than 40 percent, and yet we have this divided management strategy in the federal government where in part of the state wolves are still listed and part of the state they're not," Walden said in a statement. "We need a single management strategy where we have local control under the Oregon state plan."
Gray wolves in the eastern third of Oregon are under state management but, as of last fall, are not considered endangered as they are by federal officials elsewhere in the state.
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission took the wolf off the state endangered list in November a decision wildlife advocates are currently fighting in appeals court and now revising its wolf management plan as required every five years.
With federal delisting in limbo as the wolf population keeps growing, Walden said there's little recourse for area ranchers and challenges for the five year review of the Oregon Wolf Plan.
Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, a Democrat and longtime wolf advocate who voted against Walden's amendment, said the issue stems from an irrational fear of wolves that farm and cattlemen's associations use to put "tremendous pressure" on conservatives.
"It's borne of some ancestral, irrational fear of wolves, which permeates the agricultural community and the Republican Party here in Washington, D.C.," DeFazio told The Associated Press, noting the gray wolf is already partially delisted at the federal level as of a few years ago.
The broader bill containing the wolf amendment won't clear the Senate, he said. But in year-end negotiations, "I assume the Republicans will assert, 'Oh gee, we got all these amendments and we want them in the year-end deal,' which (is) how they got the first partial delisting of the wolves," DeFazio said.
Nick Cady, attorney for Eugene-based Cascadia Wildlands, one of the groups fighting the state's delisting in court, also expressed concerns about how year-end wolf negotiations would play out.
"It is just so apparent that so-called 'local control' simply means an absence of protections for the species," Cady said.
Prosecutors should be prudent when dealing with cases involving scientific research so as to encourage technological innovation, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said on Thursday.
Researchers' legal income earned through consultancy services, equity dividends and intellectual property should be protected and distinguished from embezzlement and bribe-taking, the SPP said in a statement.
Prosecutors should also establish a clear line between well-intentioned research projects that fail to bear fruit and those that gain funds through deception, it added.
"The scientific research sector has its own operating mechanism and specialties, and prosecutors should be prudent in handling new issues such as financing of innovation and commercialization of research findings," said Song Hansong, an anti-corruption official with the SPP.
The procuratorate vowed to be tough on breach of intellectual property rights and corruption related with administration of science and technology research.
China said on Thursday that the tribunal which handled the South China Sea arbitration is not an international tribunal.
The constitution and operation of the arbitral tribunal, established by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), lacks legitimacy and representativeness, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a daily press briefing.
Therefore, the award rendered by the tribunal, without authority and credibility, is completely void and with no-binding force, he said.
The United Nations made it clear on Wednesday that it has nothing to do with the PCA in The Hague, which issued an award on Tuesday in the case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines in 2013.
In a post on its Sina Weibo account, the UN pointed out that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the UN's principal judicial organ.
In fact, the PCA in The Hague just happens to be the neighbor of the ICJ, both being in the Peace Palace in The Hague.
The ICJ also made clear on its website that it is a totally distinct institution and has had no involvement in the case.
The PCA, established in 1899, writes on its official website that "unlike the International Court of Justice," the Permanent Court of Arbitration "has no sitting judges" and its sessions "are held in private and are confidential."
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, said on Tuesday "The UN doesn't have a position on the legal and procedural merits" of the South China Sea arbitration case.
Some Western media had claimed that the court is backed by the UN. Lu said he hoped that the media mistakes were made out of mere carelessness.
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday encouraged young people to cultivate skills and promote the innovation strategy.
Li made the remarks in an instruction ahead of the World Youth Skills Day on July 15
"The youth are precious wealth of any country and are a core force that can promote the economic and social development," Li said.
By marking the World Youth Skills Day, the government aims to create a social atmosphere of respecting labor and admiring skills, and guide young people to gain more skills and carve out their careers, Li said.
Authorities should train more young people, optimize the employment structure and promote economic upgrading, he said.
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Two Chinese trains dashing at world-record speeds in opposite directions passed each other on parallel tracks on Friday, in the latest feat achieved by China in high-speed rail.
The train is ready to start at the Zhengzhou Railway Station, Henan Province, on July 15, 2016. [Photo by Wang Huairong/China.com.cn]
At about 11:20 am, the two trains, "Golden Phoenix" and "Dolphin Blue," traveling at 420 km per hour, crossed on lines between Zhengzhou in the central Henan Province and Xuzhou in the eastern Jiangsu Province.
The experiment set a world-first for trains traveling at such speed, Zhou Li, head of the technological management department of China Railway Corporation, told Xinhua.
Zhou said the achievement, using homegrown trains, demonstrated that China has fully mastered the core technology of high-speed trains.
Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) leader Liu Yunshan attended a graduation ceremony at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee on Friday.
Liu, president of the school and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, presented diplomas to 1,003 graduates of the 2016 spring semester.
Representatives of the graduates spoke at the ceremony, saying that their studies had changed their viewpoints, improved their theoretical understanding and leadership skills, made them more loyal to the Party and given them more of a sense of discipline and responsibility, according to a statement released after the ceremony.
Chinese police have arrested more than 120,000 suspects in a national campaign against theft, robbery and fraud since April, the Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.
They have uncovered more than 333,000 such cases, busting more than 9,800 criminal gangs and confiscating about 640 million yuan (96 million U.S. dollars), according to a ministry statement.
The ministry has issued the highest-level arrest warrant for 10 fugitives suspected of theft, robbery or fraud. Police have promised rewards for tip-offs leading to the fugitives' arrest.
The campaign is due to last for three years, cracking down on crimes the ministry said "severely infringe upon people's interests, jeopardize economic and social development and reduce people's sense of security."
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China is to introduce vocational school majors in eldercare nationwide, the Ministry of Education said Friday.
Over 140 schools have been chosen to pilot the program.
The ministry has asked local governments to support vocational schools as they adapt to meet the needs of China's aging society.
China had 222 million people aged 60 or above at the end of 2015, over 16.1 percent of the total population.
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Senior Chinese official Yu Zhengsheng on Friday called for development of the economy in regions with high concentrations of ethnic minorities, and greater unity among minorities.
Yu, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, made the remarks at a seminar following up a central work conference on ethnic issues in 2014.
New achievements have been made since the conference as ethnic regions have witnessed rapid economic development and exchanges among different ethnic groups have been strengthened, according to Yu.
He said precise poverty relief mechanisms should be built in these areas, and priority should be given to increasing employment and education.
People of ethnic minorities must be made to believe in the law, and the law should be fairly applied, Yu told the seminar.
Over 200 officials from central and local authorities joined the seminar, which was chaired by Liu Yandong, vice premier of the State Council.
Sun Chunlan, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee United Front Work Department, also took part.
A fugitive on a list of China's 10 most-wanted telecom and Internet fraud suspects has been detained by police, the Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.
Between April and July 2013, under the disguise of law enforcement personnel, Wang Wenlong, 27, allegedly conspired to defraud 3.88 million yuan (580,000 U.S. dollars) by luring victims to transfer money out of their accounts which Wang and his associates said were "being used for money laundering."
Wang was arrested on Friday early morning in southeast China's Fujian Province. He is now in custody, pending further investigation.
The ministry published the 10 most-wanted list on April 10, offering groups or individuals 50,000 yuan for information leading to the arrest of each suspect. Liao is the seventh suspect caught to date, according to the ministry.
Should a public school be required to accommodate the needs of a transgender student?
Not according to a lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court in Nebraska by Nebraska Attorney General Douglas Peterson. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox agrees, along with eight other state attorneys general who joined in the lawsuit. This filing is similar to a case brought earlier by Texas and a dozen other states.
President Obamas duty is to faithfully execute laws, not rewrite them, Fox said in announcing the lawsuit. He cannot enact by decree what Congress has specifically rejected. Thats precisely what he is attempting to do here.
The lawsuit that Fox joined makes no specific mention of Montana interests in the case. The state of Montana doesnt operate public K-12 schools. The public schools in our state are operated by locally elected school boards, hundreds of them. According to Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, those local schools havent complained about serving transgender students.
The Montana Office of Public Instruction reports that it has not received a single request from a public school asking that the agency or the state sue the federal government over the guidance letter that prompted the two federal lawsuits.
Attorney General Tim Fox has curiously joined a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, wasting taxpayers money, Juneau said in a written statement. Here in Montana, we believe in local control of our public schools and trust our educators to do the right thing for all students. Its wrong for Fox to politicize guidance on how schools should implement Title IX.
Shortly after the controversial federal guidance was released in May, Billings Superintendent Terry Bouck said that the states largest school district already has accommodated transgender students on a case-by-case basis.
Title IX is a 1972 federal law that prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of sex. The attorneys general contend that the Title IX definition of sex does not include transgender or sexual identity.
They say that the Obama administration illegally changed the definition of sex to include transgender in the May letter from the departments of Education and Justice. The petition points out that the U.S. House and Senate have repeatedly refused to change Title IX law. The attorneys general lawsuits seeks to specifically exclude transgender students from the protections of the law.
Transgender students were in public schools back in 1972, but they were less likely to be open about their sexual identity. In the past four decades, more Montanans and more Americans have come to understand that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is just as wrong as discrimination based on whether a person is male or female.
Public laws shouldnt encourage discrimination. The Nebraska lawsuit, like its Texas predecessor, seeks court authority to discriminate. Meanwhile, schools have been discreetly and appropriately working to meet all students needs gay, straight or trans for respect and privacy.
Even in Nebraska, the lawsuit says, state-operated high schools at youth rehabilitation and treatment centers have made accommodations for students who self-identify as the opposite sex. If these state-run schools already are providing restrooms and locker rooms that respect the privacy of transgender students, what is the problem the lawsuit seeks to resolve? Does the state want to stop accommodating those students?
This lawsuit is a detrimental answer in search of a problem. Its a court filing based on ideology rather than facts in schools.
The bathroom lawsuit contends that the federal government has overreached its authority. In fact, the attorneys general are overreaching to seek authority to discriminate, something Montana schools have not sought.
The timing of John Kerry's recent trips to Ukraine and Georgia as the U.S. Secretary of State can be understood as America's strategic plan to press Russia by supporting two of its neighboring countries which have allied with the U.S.
First, the visits highlight the U.S.'s support of Ukraine when the country is at the crossroads of a national crisis.
The negotiation aiming to solve the Ukrainian Crisis has been accompanied by gunshots and armored conflicts as disputes among the different parties of the country remain at large.
The forces either backed by Western society or Russia as well as those of Russia itself have shown differences when it comes to the implementation of the Minsk Protocol, a ceasefire agreement enacted on September 5, 2014.
Situations in the eastern region of Ukraine have been devastating as daily shootings hit 60 in July, and even heavy armaments which have been strictly prohibited were used during clashes.
In addition to the skirmishes, negotiations around the Ukraine Crisis have been increasingly frequent among the parties concerning the issue. In the middle of June, this year, Vladislav Surkov, the assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Eliseev, the deputy head of the presidential administration and a deputy head of the supervision sector of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), held relevant talks. Early this month, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko paid a state visit to Paris and also spoke about the issue with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel via a phone call.
According to German media outlets, heads from Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine will hold "Normandy Four" Talks after the conclusion of the NATO Summit to flesh out and clarify the provisions of the two Minsk Protocols passed respectively in 2014 and 2015 in order to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
The "Normandy Four" Talks are exclusive to the participation of the United States, which, unwilling to be absent from the critical moment, sent its State Secretary to the spot along with his high-profile presence.
During his visit, Kerry met Ukrainian President Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and other senior officials, proclaiming America's support of the Ukrainian government and calling Ukraine an important ally which the United States will always stand with. The State Secretary also pledged to provide weapons of mass destruction to Kiev and render humanitarian assistance worth US$23million in case any emergency occurred in the eastern region of the war-torn country.
Those commitments can help Ukraine keep on wrestling with Russia, making its gigantic neighbor's claims not easy to attain.
Ukraine is expecting the presence of the United States when solving the issues related to the crisis and Kerry's visit before the "Normandy Four" Talks can better vindicate this wish. Moreover, some experts in Ukraine even advised to give the United States a berth into the mechanism of the Normandy Talks.
Second, the visits consolidate the stance against Russia after the ice-breaking contact between Europe and Russia amid the impending transformation of the EU.
The Brexit has a great impact on the political landscape of Europe and adds uncertainties regarding the future of the European Union (EU). Some experts pointed out that Europe will concentrate more on its internal issues than on foreign affairs. At the same time, calls for improving diplomatic relations with Russia are growing louder inside the EU, as countries like Italy, Greece and Hungary have openly asked to lift the sanctions on Russia.
The French parliament also passed a resolution to end the sanctions and news from the EU suggests that the sanctions imposed on Russia will be gradually loosened by the end of this year.
The subtle change of Germany, the backbone of EU, has been much highlighted for its attitudes towards Russia. The German Chancellor Merkel has recently made proactive responses to the initiatives proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin for economic and humanitarian cooperation and integration across the Eurasian Continent extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. The Chancellor is expecting to work with Russia in building a common economic community from Lisbon to Vladivostok.
The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the G8 is expected to restart next year for the implementation of the Minsk Protocol and the cancellation of the sanctions step by step. The view is quite different from the European countries' previous hard-line stand which insists the sanction should not be lifted unless the Minsk Agreement has been fully carried out.
The compromise of the European standpoint upsets the United States. Kerry has made it clear during his visit to Ukraine that the U.S. insists on keeping the sanctions on Russia until it fulfills every provision of the Minsk Agreement, which in fact openly opposed Steinmeier's point.
The remark obviously shows that the United States can't let Europe lift the sanction so easily. It still wants Russia to yield and pay the price.
To keep tensions between Europe and Russia is conducive to the interests of the United States.
Third, the anti-Russia frontline was expected to be reinforced before the NATO Summit.
Different from the EU, which is led by major European countries, the dominance of NATO is in the grip of the United States with support of some eastern European countries having anti-Russian sentiments. Therefore, the NATO's anti-Russian resolution is stronger than that of the EU.
After Kerry's visit to Ukraine and Georgia, the NATO Summit, hosted in Poland, agreed to deploy a naval force of 4,000 into Poland and the Baltic Sea. It will also bring cyberspace into NATO's domains of operation and discuss strategies in dealing with mixed wars, which were all targeted at Russia.
Ukraine and Georgia are two important partners with NATO, both of which are considered prone to the threat of Russia and are expecting to join NATO. At the NATO Summit, the two heads of state took part in the meeting where they were supposed to attract sufficient limelight. The Ukraine and NATO Committee Meeting, as well as the United States, Germany, France, Britain and Italy plus Ukraine Summit, drew participation of state leaders. Additionally, during the summit, the U.S. President Barrack Obama held an exclusive meeting with Ukrainian President Poroshenko. Meanwhile, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili met with a certain number of state leaders of NATO.
During Kerry's stay, Ukraine and Georgia all touched on the issues of security cooperation. Despite his tentative rhetoric considering the two countries' intensions to join NATO, Kerry expressed the U.S.'s support and encouragement for the two countries to foster ties with NATO. NATO, backed up by the major force of the Untied States, will continue to increase its support for Ukraine and Georgia, considering them as daggers pointing to "the throat" of Russia.
Chen Yu is from the Institute of Russian Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.
The article was first published in Chinese and translated by Wu Jin.
Opinion articles reflect their views of the authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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A Chinese airline will launch its direct flights from Haikou city of south China's Hainan Province to Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh and Siem Reap city from later this month.
Luo Baoming, secretary of the Hainan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, unveiled the plan during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, according to Eang Sophalleth, a personal assistant to the prime minister.
Luo said Hainan wanted to increase cooperation with Cambodia in all fields, especially economics, trade, investment, tourism, education, health, and culture.
"In response, the prime minister welcomed the upcoming direct flights between Hainan Province and Cambodia, saying that air connectivity was very important to further promote people-to-people relations," said Eang Sophalleth.
Meanwhile, Hun Sen expressed his profound gratitude to the government and people of China for supporting Cambodia in socio-economic development.
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Vietnam's central coastal Da Nang city, a famous tourism destination, welcomed some 211,000 person-times of Chinese visitors in the first half of 2016, said the city's tourism department on Wednesday.
The figure posted an increase of 8.3 percent year-on-year, Da Nang tourism department told Xinhua over phone. Da Nang is located some 600 km south of capital Hanoi.
Chinese visitors accounted for over 26 percent of total foreign arrivals to Da Nang city, which has made contribution to the city's state budget revenue, Nguyen Xuan Anh, Secretary of the Da Nang city party committee, was quoted by local VNExpress online newspaper as saying on Tuesday.
In H1, Vietnam welcomed a total of some 1.204 million person-times of Chinese tourists, up 47.9 percent year-on-year, said Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
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China and Russia on Wednesday agreed to step up cooperation so as to improve their practical work in all areas.
At a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang said during President Vladimir Putin's visit to China last month, both countries reached fresh consensuses.
Wang, who is here attending the third China-Russia Expo, said governments and businesses on both sides should work harder to improve bilateral practical cooperation, which has huge potential.
Wang, who is also chairman of Committee of China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting on the Chinese side, named industrial capacity, high technology and innovation, infrastructure, logistics, as well as agriculture as the potential areas for cooperation.
Wang believed bilateral high-level political ties, support from both governments and the innovative work of their business communities will guarantee that bilateral cooperation will have a bright future.
Rogozin said Russia-China ties are at their best, and mutual trust can be found not only at the high levels of the two sides, but also in the particular fields of bilateral cooperation.
On Tuesday, Wang and Rogozin also discussed bilateral cooperation in nuclear energy, civic aerospace, aeronautic development and satellite navigation.
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Russia's Makeev Rocket Design Bureau is planning to develop new ballistic missiles, the country's Izvestia daily reported Thursday.
The ballistic missiles could be sea-based and replace Bulava, the submarine-launched ballistic missiles, first deployed in 2013 on the fourth-generation Borei-class submarines, it said.
The new ballistic missiles currently under development could be used on the fifth-generation nuclear submarines of the Husky-class, Izvestia said.
The Husky-class submarines are being developed as a successor to Russia's Yasen-class submarines.
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday said he was asking former President Fidel Ramos to help start talks with China over disputes in the South China Sea.
The president, during a testimonial dinner hosted by the San Beda College, reiterated that war was not an option and he wanted to pursue peaceful solutions to the maritime disputes with China like bilateral talks.
He said he would still consult Ramos about it and eventually asked him to "go to China to start the talks."
The announcement came after an arbitral tribunal in The Hague issued an award Tuesday on an arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines against China regarding their disputes in the South China Sea.
Dismissing the ruling "null and void with no binding force," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it will not accept any proposition or action based on the award.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said China will continue to endeavor to peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea with parties directly concerned through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law.
Ramos, who was the Philippine president from 1992 to 1998, acknowledged Duterte's decision, but did not say if he would accept the president's request.
Duterte earned his law degree from San Beda while Ramos is an honorary alumnus of the San Beda College of Law.
Earlier in the day, Duterte was reportedly ready to start direct talks with China on the South China Sea disputes.
"(Duterte said) we'll start the bilateral talks," Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno told reporters, saying the president made the remarks during a cabinet meeting shortly after the ad hoc tribunal's award on Tuesday.
He added that the president had said the country should avoid "taunting and flaunting" the decision if it favors the Philippines.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also confirmed that the president during the cabinet meeting mentioned about talking to China.
He said it was mentioned when the cabinet was talking about the different responses and options that the Philippines might do following the award.
Flash
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday that the South China Sea disputes should be settled through consultations.
"We believe that the involved parties must hold relevant consultations and negotiations in the format determined by themselves," Zakharova told reporters.
She said that Russia's "consistent and invariable" stance is that relevant countries should not resort to force but continue pushing forward a political-diplomatic settlement on the basis of international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
"We support efforts of China and member states of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) towards working out a code of conduct in the South China Sea," Zakharova said.
The spokeswoman meanwhile stressed that Russia in principle doesn't take any sides, as the country is not an interested party and would not be dragged into the dispute.
"We highly value the role of the UNCLOS in ensuring supremacy of law in the Earth's oceans. It is important to have the provisions of this universal international treaty applied consistently," Zakharova added.
On Tuesday, the arbitral tribunal issued an award over a case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government, denying China's long-standing historical rights over the South China Sea.
China had from the very beginning refused to participate in the proceedings, insisting that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence related to territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday said China will not accept any proposition or action based on the award, and that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea will under no circumstances be affected by it.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday during a visit to Mongolia that the South China Sea issue should be solved through bilateral negotiations by relevant parties on the basis of historical facts and in accordance with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Thursday accused the United States and South Korea of deploying heavy arms in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) next to the Military Demarcation Line, saying this would cause an "unpredictable military clash."
The state media KCNA reported that a spokesman for the Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People's Army said that according to a report made public by local South Korean media last week, the United Nations Command has revised the armistice rules to allow U.S. and South Korean troops to carry heavy weapons like machine guns, recoilless rifles and mortars into the DMZ and the revision went into effect on Sept. 5, 2014.
"Such undisguised breach of the armistice agreement has turned the DMZ into a heavily armed zone ... and this is a product of the ceaseless U.S. moves to ignite another Korean War," the spokesman said.
He blamed the United States for "paying lip service" to observing the armistice agreement signed in 1953 following the end of the Korean War and for aiming to incite military confrontation between the two Koreas.
The DPRK military is keeping a close eye on the military actions of the "enemies" along the demarcation line, he said.
The Korean Peninsula remains technically in a state of war because the 1950-1953 Korean War was ended with an armistice rather than a peace agreement.
The DMZ, 250 km long and four km wide along the demarcation line, serves as a buffer zone between the North and the South and originally, only small individual arms were allowed into the zone.
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A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100, local media reported early Friday.
The truck crashed into crowd over a long distance on the Promenade des Anglais, a celebrated seaside promenade, reported BFMTV.
"Dear Nice residents, the driver of a truck appears to have made dozens of deaths. Stay at the moment at your homes. More information to come," wrote on Twitter Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice.
The prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes took the incident as an attack, reported French media, adding that the driver was shot by the police.
Everyone in Montana is fully aware that our state is in need of greater access to mental health services, but many may not be aware that there are important reforms working their way through Congress right now to address this issue.
In early March each year the leadership of the American Psychological Association gathers in Washington, D.C., and takes the time to meet with their Congressional delegation. This year there was an exciting turn of events: bipartisan bills were introduced in both the House and Senate that could significantly improve mental health care in our nation
In visiting Capitol Hill, we looked forward to meeting with Rep. Ryan Zinke, as he had already signed on as a cosponsor of the House bill, the "Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act," H.R. 2646. In a later interview with Zinke, I asked how he got involved with this bill. He described relying on his Health care Advisory Board, and discussed his personal relationship with Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., the bills sponsor.
As Zinke said in his interview: We should be concerned that our largest mental health facilities are our prisons, and that were not helping people lead productive lives.
As a practicing psychologist for 20 years, I have seen the effects of inadequate mental health services on Montanans firsthand. Mental illnesses are every bit as deadly, disabling and damaging as physical illnesses, and the toll they take on our fellow citizens is with me every day. Murphy is also a practicing psychologist, and in addition to his work in Congress serves in the Navy Reserve Medical Service Corps at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.
Our Montana delegation of eight psychologists was hopeful after our trip to Capitol Hill, but none of us could have foreseen the swift action that has occurred since then. Just this week, the House passed H.R. 2646 by a vote of 422-2. A nearly unanimous vote on a health care policy issue is rare, but the need to substantially improve our nation's mental health system is one of the rare issues that almost everyone can agree on. This bill is an important first step to establish an effective mental health care system. We need to put more gas in the tank of our mental health system by spending more money on services, and H.R. 2646 is a long overdue tune up of federal programs and policies.
The bill takes several steps to improve our mental health system:
Strengthens enforcement of the federal mental health parity laws, so that health plans do not continue to discriminate in how they cover mental health and substance use services.
Requires closer coordination across federal agencies responding to mental illness, and a greater focus on helping those with serious mental illness.
Will clarify health information privacy regulations so they work better, and are easier to understand, for individuals with mental illness, their families, and health care providers.
Authorizes new programs focusing on infant and early childhood mental health promotion and intervention, and a new program on adult suicide prevention.
The bill would also establish new grants for developing statewide child mental health care access programs, and organized networks of child and adolescent psychologists and psychiatrists, to integrate behavioral health with pediatric primary care. These are just some of the bills provisions.
My colleagues and I applaud Zinke for cosponsoring and voting for H.R. 2646. Now we need the Senate to pass its mental health reform legislation early in September, so that a final version can be passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. It is my sincere hope that Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines continue the bipartisan example set by the House, and work with their colleagues to pass this legislation.
By the end of this year we can, and should, have a new road map to a mental health treatment system that actually works for the millions of our citizens, and our fellow Montanans, who need help.
Flash
The junior minister who pulled out of the government leadership race to pave the way for Theresa May to become British prime minister was Thursday rewarded with a big front-bench job.
Andrea Leadsom, former minister of state at the department of energy and climate change, was named as secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, giving her a major job in May's Downing Street cabinet.
Leadsom pulled out of the race over the leadership of the governing Conservative Party on Monday, leaving May as the only contender, effectively throwing the keys of Number 10 to her rival.
May spent her first full day as prime minister by appointing more politicians to her front bench, at the same time firing a number of well-known politicians, including Justice Secretary Michael Gove.
Johnson has been made foreign secretary, replacing Philip Hammond who was made Chancellor of the Exchequer replacing George Osborne.
It emerged Thursday that May had effectively fired Osborne by saying that she did not want him in her front bench cabinet team.
May continued to wield the political axe, giving a number of Cameron's ministers and secretaries their marching orders, in some cases to make space in the cabinet for more female ministers. Other ministers decided to leave the government.
Gove was replaced as Justice Secretary by Liz Truss while Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was also fired and replaced by the former international development secretary Justine Greening.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has also left the government, but Cameron's Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, caught up in a major wrangle with junior doctors over new working conditions in the NHS, has kept his job.
Chris Grayling, who ran May's leadership campaign, has also won a cabinet role as Secretary of State for Transport.
Earlier Thursday, the newly-appointed Chancellor Philip Hammond ruled out an emergency budget, which his predecessor Osborne had said would almost certainly be needed in the event of a vote to leave the EU. Hammond said there would be a normal autumn statement in the fall, and a regular budget next spring.
Hammond said in a media interview that the British economy was entering a new phase because of the vote to leave the EU, admitting the referendum decision of June 23 had had a chilling short-term effect on the economy.
"It has shaken confidence and caused many businesses to pause investment decisions that they were making," said Hammond, adding the government now needed to send signals of reassurance about the future as quickly and as powerful as it can.
The phone lines at Downing Street have continued to ring all day with messages of congratulation for May, who has become the second female prime minister in British history. Among the phone calls received by May were ones from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
May also had a 15 minutes telephone conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama. May's spokeswoman said the prime minister "underlined her commitment to be a key partner with the United States."
Meanwhile away from intense media spotlight, the troubles continue for the main opposition Labour Party over its leadership battle.
Leader Jeremy Corbyn faces a leadership challenge from two of his MPs, Angela Eagle and Owen Smith. Most of Corbyn's shadow cabinet quit after 172 MPs passed a vote of no confidence in the leader.
Flash
The Islamic State (IS) group downed a Syrian war jet in the country's eastern province of Deir al-Zour on Thursday, capturing and crucifying the pilot, a monitor group reported.
The terror group shot down the aircraft near the airbase of Deir al-Zour, which the group has for long been trying to capture from the Syrian government forces, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
After downing the plane, the IS militants hang the pilot on a cross, and crucified him, the UK-based watchdog group added.
It said the IS group has downed several warplanes in different parts of the country since April 2016.
The group has earned a reputation in befalling brutal punishment on the captured soldiers and those who don't abide by its ultra radical teachings.
The IS controls much of the countryside of the oil-rich province of Deir al-Zour, except the city, which is still under the government control, but besieged by IS.
Russian aircrafts frequently carry out airdrops of aid and food to the besieged people in that city.
Deir al-Zour holds a strategic importance to the IS, due to its proximity to the IS-controlled areas in neighboring Iraq.
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Pakistan's Army Chief General Raheel Sharif confirmed the death sentence on Thursday to another 12 "hardcore terrorists", who were involved in committing heinous offences related to terrorism, the military said.
An army statement said the terrorists were found guilty of "killing of civilians, attacking Armed Forces of Pakistan and Law Enforcement Agencies, destruction of schools and communication infrastructure."
These convicts were tried by military courts, a statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations said.
The army said all the men had admitted their offences before the magistrates and the trial court.
Eleven convicts belonged to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and one to sectarian group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
The army courts were set up after the terrorist attack on an army school in December 2014 for the speedy trial of the terrorism-related accused.
The convicts have the right of appeal to the president under the law, according to the legal experts. The President has previously rejected all mercy petitions in terrorism-related cases.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had advised the president to reject all mercy petitions of the militants as they have been responsible for the killing of the security men and civilians.
It is the second time in less than three months the army chief has confirmed the death penalty to the militants.
On May 12, Gen Raheel Sharif had confirmed the death sentence of a group of five "hardcore terrorists."
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday reiterated China's solemn position of non-acceptance of and non-participation in the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
Wang made the remarks while meeting with Federica Mogherini, the European Union (EU)'s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
Wang said the South China Sea arbitration is a politically manipulated case and China's position is in fact defending the solemnity of international rule of law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The disputes between China and the Philippines, he added, should be resolved through dialogue and consultation.
Prior to the meeting, Mogherini also stayed in Beijing and held talks with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan on the sidelines of the 18th China-EU summit from July 12 to 13.
Wang said China and the EU reached broad consensus on strengthening cooperation under the new circumstances.
China has sent a positive signal that it supports the European integration and is willing to see a united, stable and prosperous EU, he added.
Wang noted that China is ready to work with the EU to further promote the development of bilateral relations, have closer communication and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and jointly promote global trade liberalization and sustainable development of the world economy.
For her part, Mogherini said the China-EU summit has achieved positive results.
The two sides have conducted sound coordination and cooperation on international and regional affairs, she said, adding that the EU attaches great importance to China's role in settling the Iranian nuclear issue and issues concerning Afghanistan and the Middle East.
The EU is willing to continue constructive cooperation with China, Mogherini noted.
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Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said Thursday that Laos supports China's stance on the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government.
Thongloun made the remarks in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who expounded China's principle and stance on the arbitration case.
The Lao prime minister said his country stands ready to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region.
Li appreciated the efforts made by Laos, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, in boosting the development of ASEAN, safeguarding regional peace, and promoting regional cooperation.
China is willing to work with Laos to jointly push forward pragmatic cooperation within such framework as China-ASEAN dialogue relations, so as to make positive contributions to the welfare of the people in both countries and in this region.
Thongloun, for his part, said Laos is willing to join hands with all relevant parties to make the activities marking the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue relationship a success, and promote the development of ASEAN-China relations.
On bilateral relations, Li said China is ready to increase high-level exchanges with Laos, continue to firmly support each other, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various areas, and strengthen coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs, so as to further enrich the connotation of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
Li said the two countries should propel the comprehensive construction of a bilateral railway project, strengthen cooperation in production capacity and investment, and build more demonstrative projects in such areas as infrastructure, electric power and energy.
Thongloun spoke highly of the development of Laos-China relations and the sound communication and coordination the two sides kept in international and regional affairs.
The Lao side stands ready to work with China to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies and strives for a comprehensive construction of the Laos-China railway project within this year, he said.
The two prime ministers will join other Asian and European leaders on Friday and Saturday at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Ulan Bator.
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UN on Thursday evacuated its fourth injured Chinese peacekeeper and an Ethiopian peacekeeper who sustained serious injuries in the recent fighting between two South Sudan rival army factions in the capital, Juba to Uganda for further specialized treatment.
Chen Ying and Birhan Gabrekidan who were among the eight injured peacekeepers under the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in the fighting between government troops of President Salva Kiir and forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar in Juba were airlifted to Entebbe International airport and evacuated to Nakasero Hospital in the capital, Kampala, a UN Level three Hospital for further treatment.
Rosa Malango, UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda told Xinhua that her organization had to secure a specialized plane to airlift the two seriously wounded peacekeepers on Sunday after a armoured vehicle travelling on duty around UN compound in Juba was hit by a mortar shell.
"Their condition was very fragile. But now they are in better hands. They will get the best treatment and will recover,"said Malango.
Maj. Gen. Su Guanghui, Acting Director of the Peacekeeping Affairs Office of the Chinese Defense Ministry who arrived in the East African country on Thursday with his delegation, dispatched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in preparation for bringing back the remains of the two Chinese peacekeepers killed, paid a courtesy visit to the four injured Chinese soldiers at Nakasero Hospital.
The delegation, which includes officers from China's Central Military Commission, the Chinese Foreign Ministry as well as medical experts were received by Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Zhao Yali at Entebbe International Airport, about 40 kilometers, south of the capital, Kampala.
Three of the injured Chinese and Rwandan peacekeepers who were also wounded in the Sunday attack were airlifted to Uganda on Wednesday for further treatment.
South Sudan's Health Ministry says at least 271 people were killed in Friday's clashes. The exact number of those killed in fighting since Sunday to Wednesday is not yet known.
There are fears that the war-torn country could descend into civil war again.
President Kiir and former rebel leader Machar have fought a civil war which broke out in December 2013 and left tens of thousands of people dead.
A peace deal signed by the two men last August under UN pressure led to the formation of a national government in April with Machar returning to his old post.
The local media reports show that the Monday evening ceasefire ordered by President Kiir and Vice President Machar was holding.
President Kiir directed all commanders to cease hostilities, control their forces and protect civilians.
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A UN agency said on Thursday that it has started relocating non-essential staff from South Sudan following five-days of fighting that saw hundreds of people killed and more than 36,000 others displaced.
A statement from the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said some staff would stay behind to run critical operations to support South Sudanese who are in need of humanitarian assistance.
"Due to the recent fighting in Juba and subsequent associated operational challenges, the UNMISS and UN agencies, funds and programs in South Sudan have ordered the temporary relocation of some non-critical staff," the statement said.
"UNMISS and UN agencies, funds and programs will continue running critical operations to support the people of South Sudan, including protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance," it said.
The move comes as several countries have evacuated their cities from the world's youngest nation given the fighting which started last week between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar.
China, Italy, Germany, Britain, Japan, India and Uganda have already started evacuating their citizens from the country.
Aid workers said the humanitarian situation is dire and deteriorating. Food supplies were running low as tens of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes, taking refuge in UN bases.
Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday condemned the looting of its main warehouse in Juba.
WFP said the UNMISS peacekeepers at its request did an assessment of the warehouse on the western edge of Juba on Wednesday and reported extensive looting of food.
"WFP strongly condemns the theft of food intended for the poorest and most vulnerable people of South Sudan," said WFP Deputy Regional Director Vernon Archibald.
"While the extent of the looting is not yet clear, we fear that the loss of these vital food supplies will severely hamper WFP's ability to assist the tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes because of the violence," he added.
WFP said its staff have not yet been able to reach the warehouse to confirm the extent of the losses.
Before the fighting started at the end of last week, more than 4,500 metric tons of food was in the warehouse, enough to provide life-saving food and nutrition assistance to about 220,000 people for a month, it said. It also held trucks, generators and other relief items.
Regardless of the theft, Country Director Joyce Luma noted that the WFP has already provided urgently needed food assistance to thousands of displaced people sheltering at UN peacekeeping bases, using stocks from a smaller warehouse in another part of town.
"In addition to providing food assistance to displaced people in Juba, which is our normal role, WFP has also sheltered some 3,000 people in our main office compound, mostly women and children who fled for their lives as fighting raged around us," said Luma.
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The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and partners are providing urgent life-saving assistance to thousands of people displaced by last weekend's heavy fighting in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, UN officials said Thursday.
South Sudanese refugee children look through a window at the Nyumanzi transit centre in Adjumani on July 13, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
The fighting broke out on July 7 between rival army factions in the capital of the world's youngest country, reportedly killing more than 270 people, including 33 civilians, and displaced at least 36,000 civilians.
"The people hit hardest by this fighting are struggling to cope in appalling conditions," said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF's representative in South Sudan. "They are desperate for water, food and in need of medical assistance."
"We are responding and that response will continue to grow, but it is vital that we are able to reach everyone in need and for that we must have unrestricted humanitarian access," said Mdoe.
Fighting around Juba has subsided after five days of conflict between army factions, but aid workers attempting to help thousands of internally displaced people were hampered after discovering their warehouses looted, chief of the UN mission in the capital said on Wednesday.
"Shooting (Tuesday) was quite sporadic and (Wednesday) it has been even calmer," said Ellen Margrethe Loj, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), told reporters here at UN headquarters during a teleconference.
For the first time since fighting erupted a week ago, aid workers emerged from their shelters.
Also on Wednesday, the UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, Herve Ladsous, told the UN Security Council that the fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing First Vice-President Riek Machar made the movement of UNMISS difficult although the Mission was able to conduct limited patrolling.
Teams from UNICEF and partners are also working to assess the extent of humanitarian needs and have begun family tracing for children who became separated from their parents as families fled the fighting. Plans are in place to assist up to 50,000 people affected by the conflict.
South Sudan, which won independence from Sudan in July 2011, plunged into conflict again in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, which the latter denied, leading to a cycle of retaliatory killings.
President Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Machar signed a peace deal in August that paved way for the formation of the transitional unity government to end more than two years of civil conflict.
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Somali security forces foiled a suicide car bomb attack on a hotel in the Somali capital of Mogadishu on Thursday.
Somali military soldiers march during the 56th anniversary ceremony of the establishment of the National Army in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, April 12, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
Local government spokesman Abdifitah Omar Halane said the officers from the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) also arrested a terrorist suspect who attempted to carry out attack on Maka Al-Mukarama Hotel.
Halane told reporters that the security forces seized the vehicle with explosive devices after arresting the suspect who is now being interrogated.
"Security forces successfully foiled a planned suicide car bomb attack. NISA officers seized the vehicle filled with explosive devices and arrested an Al-Shabaab militant who was driving it and wanted to carry out suicide attack at Maka Al-mukarama Hotel in Mogadishu," Halane said.
He said the suspect admitted that he was planning to blow up himself at the hotel where a meeting of elders and politicians was underway. "The suspect is being interrogated over the incident," Halane said.
This is the second car bomb incident which has been foiled by security forces in less than 24 hours after NISA thwarted another attack in the outskirts of Mogadishu on Wednesday evening.
Al-Shabaab militants have been targeting African Union Mission in Somalia, government bases and social gathering places, mainly hotels, in Mogadishu.
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The South Sudanese government was committed to the peace agreement signed in August 2015 that ended nearly two years of civil war, said James Pitia Morgan, South Sudan's permanent representative to the African Union.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir looks on during a press conference prior to the shooting outside the presidential palace in Juba on July 8, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
"Our Government has agreed to implement the August 2015 agreement and we have welcomed the opposition to come home and we are working with them but I think this kind of agitations are what causes problem sometimes," he said in an interview with Xinhua at the sidelines of the on-going 27th AU Summit in Rwanda capital Kigali.
Morgan urged the country's opposition to work jointly with the government as stipulated in the peace deal so as to see lasting peace in the oil rich country.
"The future of south Sudan depends on the South Sudanese people. They have to be committed to peace," he said, while calling on the international community to scale up pressure on the Riek Machar-led opposition to work jointly with the government to avoid such ugly incidences.
Fierce fighting broke out Friday between troops loyal to South Sudan President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar.
More than 300 people were reportedly killed during days of fighting. On Monday evening, Kiir and Machar ordered respective ceasefire which appears to be holding.
The AU is holding its 27th Ordinary summit in Kigali Rwanda and is being attended by representatives from the 54 member states.
TWO DOT On the Crazy Mountains eastern foothills, even the grass struggles to survive winters bite and summers burn.
In a bad year, the spring green-up might not emerge until early May, only to go beige before Independence Day. A year with 10 inches of measurable precipitation is normal. Everything on this plain knows true thirst and the starvation it sires.
The challenge Jed and Annie Evjene faced when they assumed management of the 26,000-acre American Fork Ranch in 1998 was to keep the life on the land, not just for the livestock but for antelope and sandhill cranes, the black bear and the elk.
As the Evjenes saw it, if they were stewards of the grass, everything else would fall in line.
Grass is the main product. Its what were trying to grow. Were a grass factory, Jed Evjene said. And were using the cows to harvest that grass, and the end product is the safe product were using to feed the world.
That grass factory, nearly 20 years in the making, is now receiving a lot of attention from conservation groups not commonly associated with cattle ranching. The panda-logoed World Wildlife Fund was at American Fork earlier this week, along with Trout Unlimited and a host of the ranches interested in the conservation tale of rural Two Dot.
In 2015, the ranch won the Montana Environmental Stewardship award for conservation. The award this year went to Lon and Vicki Reukauf's Cherry Creek Ranch near Terry.
Grass restoration is the biggest cog turning American Fork conservation, but not the only one. The five hands working on this ranch pack thermometers with them as they work pastures that have been sectioned off to keep cattle from overgrazing. Stream temperatures are checked 72 degrees and cooler assures the eastern brook trout are safe. Headgates start opening if the water is approaching 80.
The Evjenes have spent years searching the hillsides for areas where water weeps, or even darkens the soil. In these areas theyve dug collection points, lined with plastic and filled with gravel to foster springs. Water from those springs is then pumped to watering troughs that serve a host of animals, particularly grassland birds.
Ranching is why we have grassland birds, said Jesse Tufte, who directs the World Wildlife Fund's Sustainable Ranching Initiative.
The initiative is focused on the grasslands of the Northern Great Plains, one of only four intact temperate grasslands in the world. American Fork Ranch is on the western edge of the Northern Great Plains. Here, and on 80 percent of the Northern Great Plains unplowed lands, ranchers manage the grass, Tufte said. The ranchers success determines the fate of wildlife habitat, water quality and even the survival of bees and other pollinators.
The American fork watering troughs have been modified to assure every animal has access to water. There are mesh ramps in the troughs so that small animals that fall in can climb out. The watering tubs have been threaded into the fencing so that two pastures can be served by the same resource. Any overflow water is fed back to the area of the original spring to feed the land.
Before there were troughs in these upper pastures of the American Fork, the cattle rarely traveled up this far to graze, Jed Evjene said. The herd congregated around the streams in the lowlands and chewed the grass to a nub. Now the lowland pasture gets a break. In conservation, the smallest changes can have significant impacts.
Many of the changes made to rejuvenate the ranch's native prairies started in 2008 when the ranch began partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service on separating pastures and developing water sources with the goal of moving cattle around enough to take pressure off the land. Ranch hands strung 25 miles of interior fencing and turned 23 large pastures into 49 pastures of 350 acres each so that cattle could be moved before the grasslands became tired.
Each pasture was then grazed for a week before the cattle were relocated. That meant the land had a 45-day break before the cattle returned. The grass did better and the calves were fatter.
When the Evjenes started making changes on the American Fork, they knew the owners would have to be aware of the exactly what was happening. They needed to be invested.
Jed Evjene got the idea of naming the new pastures after family members of the American Fork owners. He put the names on a map posted in the main utility building of the ranch. That got everyones attention.
When we were working in the summer, haying, he had it posted in the shop and we were really excited, said Liz Read, the latest generation of the ownership family. Thats just one example of what Jed and Annie did to give us a chance to actually feel like we were a part of this ranch.
There are 19 cousins and siblings with a share of the American Fork Ranch. They are all descendants of Col. Robert T. Stevens, who bought the ranch in 1945. Stevens was a textile magnate, who served as Secretary of the Army from 1953 to 1955.
Stevens wanted a working ranch where his family could experience hard work and understand the role of the ranch to the local economy. Read is the fifth generation of her family to work the ranch, which was first established by sheep herders in the 1880s.
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The United Nations has stated it has nothing to do with the South China Sea arbitral tribunal, in complete contrast to what some international media outlets have suggested.
Photo taken on May 12, 2015 shows the workboat of a Chinese archaeological team for the exploring of the Shanhu Island No. 1 shipwreck in the Xisha archipelago in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
On its official Sina Weibo account, the United Nations made it clear on Wednesday that it has nothing to do with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, which issued an award on Tuesday in a case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines in 2013.
The UN pointed out that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the UN's principal judicial organ located in the Peace Palace in The Hague. The Palace was originally built by the Carnegie Foundation and the UN has been making a donation to the foundation for the use of the building. The UN pointed out that the PCA is just another "renter" in the same building of the Peace Palace, but it has nothing to do with the UN.
Many western media such as AFP, Daily Mail, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times all mistakenly stated that the arbitral tribunal was a "UN tribunal" in their reports over the past several days.
The ICJ also posted a similar clarification on its official website, stating: "The International Court of Justice (ICJ) wishes to draw the attention from the media and the public to the fact that the Award in the South China Sea Arbitration (The Republic of the Philippines v. The People's Republic of China) was issued by an Arbitral Tribunal acting with the secretarial assistance of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)... The ICJ, which is a totally distinct institution, has had no involvement in the above mentioned case."
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, had already said on Tuesday that "The UN doesn't have a position on the legal and procedural merits" of the South China Sea arbitration case.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang stressed again on Thursday at a daily press briefing that the tribunal which handled the South China Sea arbitration is not an international tribunal.
The constitution and operation of the arbitral tribunal, established by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), lacks legitimacy and representativeness. Therefore, the award rendered by the tribunal, without authority and credibility, is completely void and with no-binding force, he said.
"I hope media outlets or some individuals in some particular countries will not negligently call it 'UN arbitral tribunal' or 'UN backed arbitral tribunal.' I hope the mistakes were made out of mere carelessness."
Liu Zhenmin, vice foreign minister, stressed at a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday that the arbitrary tribunal is not an international court and that its composition is actually the result of a political manipulation by Japan's diplomat Shunji Yanai, who is helping Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lift the ban on collective self-defense to challenge the international order formed after World War II.
Liu pointed out that the arbitrary tribunal was temporarily set up and arbitrators were doing their job simply for money.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called his French counterpart Francois Hollande to offer his condolences over a deadly truck attack in Nice.
Xi strongly condemned the "appalling brutality" that has killed 84 people so far, and expressed deep grief to the victims and sincere condolences to the injured and families of the victims.
Terrorism is a common threat for all countries, Xi said, adding that China firmly opposes terrorism in any form.
China staunchly supports the French government to defend its national security, and stands ready to work with France to deepen their cooperation in combating terrorism, so as to safeguard peace and security of the two countries and the world at large.
French officials said that earlier a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice on Thursday night. According to the latest report, 84 people have been killed and 18 others remained in "critical condition."
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Russia opposes internationalization of the South China Sea disputes or any interference from forces outside the region, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.
Medvedev made the remarks during a sideline meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in the Mongolian capital.
The Russian side supports the China-initiated principles of resolving the disputes, Medvedev said, calling for bilateral negotiations and consultations between directly relevant parties to solve the issue.
On bilateral relations, the two leaders agreed to strengthen economic cooperation and hold the regular prime ministers' meeting in the second half of this year in Russia.
With highly complementary economies, China and Russia should expand two-way investment, improve trade structure and financial services, Li said.
Trade between the two countries has shown positive signs, while major cooperation projects of strategic significance have seen great progress, the Chinese premier said.
To increase the trade volume, China and Russia should consolidate and expand their cooperation in the field of traditional energy based on the principle of sharing risks and benefits, Li said.
Li also called on the two sides to hold active discussions on industrial production capacity cooperation as well as seeking three-party cooperation so as to lift their win-win cooperation to a higher level.
As this year marks the 15th anniversary of Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, China stands ready to consolidate mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation with Russia and intensify interaction in international and regional affairs, Li said.
"China will collaborate with Russia within the frameworks of ASEM and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to safeguard common interests and promote peace and development in both countries, Eurasia and the world at large," Li said.
Medvedev said Russia and China enjoy a high-level comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, as evidenced by the unprecedented mutual political trust and frequent high-level exchanges.
He said Russia-China relations are in a great period with smooth progress in major projects and promising trade ties.
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Islamic Hamas movement which rules the Gaza Strip announced Friday that it agrees to join and hold municipal elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, in a statement, affirmed its keenness to rearrange the Palestinian home and boost the principle of partnership.
"In this delicate stage that our people and our cause pass through, the movement sees a necessity and importance to hold the local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip," it said.
The last municipal elections were held in the Gaza Strip in 2005, two years before the Islamic movement's violent control of the coastal enclave following weeks of infighting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party.
However, the municipal elections were held regularly in the West Bank that is under the control of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), while Hamas prevented holding the vote in the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas is concerned to respond to the people's free will through the ballots in order to improve and develop the services provided to our people," said the statement.
Hamas reiterated that called for holding the presidential and the legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.
The presidential elections have not been held since Abbas won in 2005 and so the parliamentary elections since Hamas won a vast majority in the Palestinian parliament in 2006.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday said NATO stood in strong solidarity with the people of France after the deadly attack in Nice, southern France.
"I am appalled and saddened by the terrorist attack in Nice. My thoughts are with the families and loved-ones of the victims and with all those affected," he said in a statement.
"This attack targeted innocent people and the core values for which NATO stands. But terrorism will never defeat democracy, freedom, and our open societies," he added.
Death toll has risen to 84, according to latest reports, after a truck Thursday night drove at high speed into a crowd who gathered on the promenade in Nice to watch a fireworks show marking the French national day.
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The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, on Friday extended solidarity with France on behalf of the bloc after an attack in Nice, France on Thursday night that has killed at least 80 people.
"France can count on the European Commission and the rest of EU countries for continued support in the fight against terrorism both inside and outside the European Union. Our determination will be as strong as our unity," a statement quoted Juncker who was attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) as saying.
Juncker said he was touched and saddened by the "terrible ordeal" faced by the city in the French Riviera. He expressed solidarity with the victims, their families, and the entire nation as the French mourn those who perished in "the cowardly act of terror."
Earlier on Friday, the heads of state and of government of Asia and Europe, the president of the European Council, president of the European Commission, and the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who are currently meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, released a joint statement condemning the deadly terrorist attack in Nice.
"Following the recent terrorist attacks in Europe and Asia and in many other places, as we have seen in Nice a few hours before our summit, we strongly condemn the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks perpetrated, resulting in the unacceptable loss of innocent lives and countless injuries," the leaders said in the statement.
The leaders attending ASEM expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, to the people and the governments of various countries which have suffered from terrorist attacks resulting in the loss of innocent lives.
Meanwhile, they reaffirmed their commitment to join forces to fight the plague of terrorism and underlined the need to bring to justice those responsible for the attacks in accordance with the United Nations Charter and other obligations under international law.
Latest reports put the death toll of the attack in Nice at 84. French President Francois Hollande has said the terrorist nature of the attack "can not be denied."
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Aid agencies on Friday launched a revised appeal for South Sudan, seeking 701 million U.S. dollars to help refugees which could pass 1 million mark this year if cross-border displacement trends continue.
Regional Refugee Coordinator for the South Sudan situation Ann Encontre expressed fears about the possibility fresh outflows of refugees in the wake of the recent military crisis in Juba and the dearth of funding for South Sudanese refugees.
"We have received 17 percent of the initial 638 million dollars that we had appealed for this year," Encontre said in a statement during the launch of the appeal in Nairobi.
"This has forced us to prioritize emergency response and life-saving activities, at the expense of critical water, sanitation, hygiene, health and shelter interventions for refugees," she added.
The revised appeal was launched by 46 UN partners along with national and non-governmental organizations in all of South Sudan's neighboring countries.
Encontre reiterated UNHCR's call on all armed parties to ensure safe passage for people fleeing fighting to seek safety and asylum.
She noted that while the security situation in Juba has improved since the declaration of a ceasefire on July 11, there are disturbing reports of increasing tension and sporadic fighting in other parts of the country, including in Wau (Western Bahr-Al-Ghazal), in Leer town (Unity), and in Yei (Central Equatoria).
There are also reports of civilians stranded at Nimule border town who failed to cross into Uganda.
The move comes after the UN on Thursday ordered the temporary relocation of some non-critical staff from Juba, South Sudan, given the operational challenges caused by the recent fighting there.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said some non-critical staff from the Mission, as well as from UN agencies, funds and programs, have been ordered to relocate temporarily "due to the recent fighting in Juba and subsequent associated operational challenges."
But UNMISS and UN entities "will continue running critical operations to support the people of South Sudan, including protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance," the spokesperson added.
The fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition, which backs First Vice-President Riek Machar, reportedly killed some 272 people, including 33 civilians, and displaced at least 36,000 civilians.
Encontre said that although children constitute 70 percent of the refugee population, child protection activities including in the education sector are severely compromised.
Noting that the overall planning figure had risen from 867,239 to 973,000, the regional refugee coordinator said that in the first four months of this year, countries like Sudan and Uganda received between 70 and 90 percent of their planned 2016 population.
Encontre lauded neighboring for keeping their borders open, noting that the number of countries hosting South Sudanese refugees has expanded to include the Central African Republic (10,454 refugees) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (11,966), in addition to Ethiopia (285,657), Kenya (103,104), Sudan (231,638) and Uganda (224,420).
She made a special appeal for the children, who are the worst affected by fighting in South Sudan, and of whom over half a million have been forced to flee the country.
"They are supposed to be the generation of tomorrow, the generation that will lead and rebuild their country, but right now, they are suffering enormously. They have been deprived of a normal life," Encontre said.
"Many of them are in camps or in settlements outside their country or internal displacement sites inside South Sudan. They cannot go to school, they do not have proper food, they cannot access health-care. We are doing what we can to keep them in good health, but the challenges to cater to their needs are really enormous," she added.
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The 2014 Nobel laureate Malala Yousafza, warns the world could lose future generation as the young generation, especially girls, are facing many challenges related to the refugeehood.
In Rwanda since Wednesday, Malala says international donors and all countries should make education a priority and should invest in refugee children.
She made the remarks Thursday while visiting Mahama refugee camp hosting over 49,000 Burundian refugees.
Her regional tour started at Dadaab Somalis refugee camp in Kenya, on Tuesday.
It is in part to advocate for refugees in Africa under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
While in Kigali, Malala met Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and other government officials on Wednesday, before visiting Mahama camp, in eastern Rwanda.
In the camp, the 19-year-old girl freely interacted with refugee children and women listening to their stories, challenges and future ambitions.
All the refugee children need, according to Malala, is quality education.
"Education is the only tool that can empower them but unfortunately in this refugee camp there are many students who cannot have access to education," she said.
Malala said the refugee girls especially in camps face many challenges such as sexual violence, poverty-but their voices need to be heard and their rights respected.
"Raising the voice for the young girls whether they are refugees or not is very important, the international community, media, leaders need to give importance to the voice of young girls, their voice matters, they are also individuals and human beings," she said.
There are over 15,000 refugee children in Mahama camp studying in nearby primary and secondary school but more than 2,700 do not have chance to go to school.
Accompanied by her father and government officials, Malala said she was impressed by the courage and ambitions after listening to the refugee girls.
But she noted it was unfortunate that some refugee children are not able to acquire quality education due to limited funding.
There are over 60 million refugees of whom 22 million are not able to go to school, according to the UNHCR.
The Pakistani activist for female education rose to international fame in 2012, when she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for her criticism of the Taliban and advocacy of girls' education.
She celebrated her birthday last year by opening a girls' school for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
The 2013, 2014 and 2015 issues of Time magazine featured Malala as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World."
Aged 17 at the time, she became the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.
July 12 was declared "Malala Day" by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2013 to coincide with her birthday.
Refugee girls expressed hope that Malala's advocacy would make their voices heard.
Rwanda Government officials and UNHCR also believe Malala's visit could bring more funders on board to support education for refugees.
A shop branch for auto rental of CAR Inc in Shanghai, Feb 16, 2015. [Photo/IC]
The ride-hailing firm UCAR Technology Inc is to list on China's New Third Board, the national over-the-counter equity market for small and medium-sized enterprises.
By becoming the first listed chauffeured-car service company in the country, the company will be able to raise capital to battle market leaders Didi Kuaidi and Uber Technologies Inc for higher-end passengers.
When reached by China Daily on Thursday, the company didn't say when it will list on the New Third Board, but said it will "proceed with the listing process in accordance with related regulations".
"Unlike Didi Kuaidi and Uber, which use private cars to offer rides for payments, vehicles on UCAR's platform are all from rental companies. So UCAR can better control the quality of its service, but the downside is the heavy cost to maintain such good service," said Zhang Xu, an analyst at Beijing-based internet consultancy Analysys International.
Statistics from the consultancy showed that UCAR is the third-largest car service provider in China in the first quarter of this year, with 10.7 percent market share, after Didi's 85.6 percent and Uber's 15.4 percent.
Both Didi and Uber operate on a one-stop service model, which means they offer various transportation options on one platform to attract massive number of customers.
But by targeting those customers who spend at least 60 yuan ($8.90) on a trip, UCAR enjoys unique strength among customers who value services and experience more than price, said Wang Xiaofeng, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc.
"What UCAR targets is practically a niche market. The market will not be as big as Didi's and Uber's, but it is still going to be good business," she said.
Zhang Zheng, a white-collar worker in Beijing, said that whenever she has something important to do, she uses UCAR. "The drivers on other platforms are not professionals."
"They sometimes get lost and take a longer time to pick you up. You don't want this kind of uncertainty when catching a flight or going for a job interview," she said.
Thanks to the high-quality service, statistics from UCAR showed that its daily orders had jumped from 37,600 in the first quarter of 2015 to 260,300 in the first quarter of 2016.
UCAR is still in the red, but, according to its filings to the New Third Board, it is expected to break even in the near future.
MIDWEST, Wyo. Authorities continued their investigation Friday into the death of a 28-year-old oil worker who fell to his death while working on a rig near Midwest.
The Natrona County Coroner's Office identified the worker as Dennis McCulloch of Casper. He fell 76 feet Thursday and died instantly, officials said.
Safety equipment was in place at the time of the incident, according to the coroners office. An autopsy will be scheduled next week.
McCulloch was a contractor with Rawlins-based C L Well Service Inc. The company was working with FDL Energy, which operates the oil field outside of Midwest.
An early report that the man was crushed by equipment was false, according to the Natrona County sheriffs office, which is investigating the incident.
FDL Energy and the state's Occupational Safety and Health Administration are also investigating the man's death.
Officials for the regulatory agency were on site Friday morning, interviewing employees. No one saw what took place before McCulloch fell, said John Ysebaert, DWS standards and compliance administrator.
The agency has 180 days to issue citations if any violations of safety protocol are discovered during the investigation.
"The biggest thing they are trying to do is find what caused the accident," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this point."
A workover rig was used recently to investigate a gas leak near Midwest Schools. Thursday's death was unrelated to that investigation and well closure, authorities said.
Customers buy smartphones at a China Telecom outlet in Shanghai. The telecom carrier is to launch a three-year plan to expand its presence in the countryside. LAI XINLIN / FOR CHINA DAILY
China Telecommunications Corp, the country's third-largest telecom carrier by subscribers, will devote more resources to expanding retail channels in the countryside.
The move comes as online sales of handsets hit a ceiling, and is part of the State-owned company's efforts to catch up with industry leader China Mobile Communications Corp.
Liu Ping, general manager of China Telecom's marketing department, said on Thursday the company will launch a three-year plan to expand its presence in the countryside, where many residents are still use 3Gor even 2G-enabled handsets.
"We will send 50,000 people to villages across the country to promote products and team up with local retailers to set up 50,000 sales sites within their stores," Liu added.
To covert older rural residents into its subscribers, China Telecom will also partner with handset makers to roll out tailormade smartphones that cost less than 700 yuan ($104).
In the first half of this year, the company spent 3.3 billion yuan on subsidies for handset makers and retailers.
"As a result, we sold 47 million smartphones in the first six months and the number of China Telecom's mobile subscribers exceeded 200 million," Liu said.
The company aims to sell more than 100 million handsets this year.
As China's smartphone market becomes increasingly saturated and mostly driven by replacement users, an increasing number of smartphone vendors are re-focusing on telecom carriers' retail channels.
Xiang Ligang, a telecom veteran and CEO of the industry website cctime.com, said e-commerce sites account for less than 25 percent of China's total smartphone sales, shrinking from the peak of more than 30 percent.
"It is a well-calculated decision for China Telecom to focus on the rural market, which may be one of the last big growth opportunities for smartphone makers. But it may take a long time before these efforts bear fruit," he added.
According to China Telecom, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is the most popular smartphone brand among its subscribers, accounting for 18.1 percent of handsets it sold in the first half of this year. Apple Inc and local rival Oppo Electronics Corp followed closely with shares of 15.9 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively.
The A-share market has reopened its doors to commercial banks after a regulatory halt from 2010, with 14 banks now waiting for initial public offerings.
Among these banks, five are rural commercial banks and nine are city commercial lenders. Most of them are small and medium-sized lenders whose total assets range from tens of billions of yuan to more than 1 trillion yuan ($150 billion).
Bank of Jiangsu Co Ltd, which received approval for its IPO on June 17, has announced that it will launch an online roadshow next week, as well as online and offline applications for purchasing its IPO stock, with an intended issue price of 6.27 yuan per share.
"The banks preparing for IPOs are all regional banks that rely heavily on regional development," Qiu Guanhua, an analyst at Guotai Junan Securities Co Ltd, said in a research report.
"Plowing deeply into the local market, they share the fruits of local economic growth on the one hand; but on the other hand, they have weaker risk resistance ability than national banks due to a high concentration of business, especially if the local economy is under downward pressure," Qiu added.
Among the 14 banks, Bank of Chengdu Co Ltd in southwestern China recorded a nonperforming loan ratio of 2.35 percent at the end of 2015, almost double the ratio of the previous year and much higher than the average of 1.67 percent for commercial banks.
Its net profit attributable to shareholders fell 20.6 percent to 2.82 billion yuan, according to its annual report.
In the Yangtze River Delta region, the NPL ratios of Jiangyin Rural Commercial Bank Co Ltd and Rural Commercial Bank of Zhangjiagang Co Ltd also reached nearly 2 percent, respectively, at the end of last year.
Banking analysts at Guotai Junan expect the increase in NPL ratios will become lower in the Yangtze River Delta region, as the banks gradually dispose of their bad loans.
The report also found that the asset quality of banks in the coastal areas already began to stabilize in 2015, as banks started tackling their risk exposures.
But in central, western and northeastern China, it found banks' asset quality is worsening.
The report found that asset growth diverged sharply among the banks planning to launch an IPO.
Last year Bank of Guiyang Co Ltd posted total asset growth of more than 50 percent, whereas those of the five rural commercial banks were below 15 percent. This was due to their insufficient ability to obtain assets, restricted by their operation only in limited regions.
For most of the 14 banks, investment-related businesses contributed more than 70 percent of their new assets. For instance, bond investments represented 83 percent of the new assets of Bank of Guiyang.
CANBERRA - Australia's visitor economy is on track to generate A$127 billion ($97 billion) by 2020 backed by a surging Chinese visitor market, the Tourism Research Australia (TRA) said Thursday.
The latest forecasts released by TRA has seen upward revisions in domestic and international visitors and expenditure over the 10-year forecast period.
TRA expects the international visitor growth rate to be at 6.7 percent in 2016-17 and 5.9 percent in 2017-18. It is within the target range of A$115 billion to A$140 billion ($88 billion to $107 billion) in overnight visitor expenditure set by the government's Tourism 2020 strategy.
By 2024-25, about 12.3 million international visitors are expected to travel to Australia each year.
According to TRA forecast, China is expected to overtake New Zealand as Australia's largest visitor source market by 2017-18, two years earlier than previously forecast.
Of Australia's total international visitors, Chinese visitors are estimated to increase from 13 percent in 2014-15 to 26 percent by 2024-25.
"Today's report should be a catalyst to spur the Federal Government into action to move the visitor economy to the heart of its economic plan for the nation. Tourism is a serious economic driver delivering jobs for Australians and wealth for the country," Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) CEO Margy Osmond said.
By 2024-25, one in every four international visitors travelling to Australia will likely be from China. But with more than 200 million Chinese travellers expected to be heading overseas by 2020, Australia will still be capturing less than 1 percent of this lucrative market.
"We shouldn't be willing to settle for this result. We can do much better than this if the Federal Government is willing to back our successful industry with an economic strategy that allows the sector to reach its full potential," she said.
COLOMBO - As China is becoming the largest tourists source country and still increasing, the whole world, especially including Sri Lanka should value Chinese tourist market, Taleb Rifai, the Secretary General of the UNWTO told Xinhua during an interview on Wednesday in Passikudha, the east coast of Sri Lanka.
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), an international travel and tourism body, jointly held the 2016 conference with Sri Lankan Tourism Ministry in Passikudha from 12-14th July.
Talking about the relation between tourism and development, Rifai said, since the country's conflict ended in 2009, Sri Lanka had achieved a lot in progress of economy, society and national reconciliation.
However, he said the tourism industry did not play its important role as supposed in this process. "Sri Lanka still has a long way ahead for tourism booming, which encourage this island present its best to attract more and more tourists." Rifai said.
"I have too many reasons to suggest that all the countries, especially Sri Lanka, value Chinese tourists," Rifai said, noting China is the largest tourists source country with gradual growth, and Chinese tourists are so loyal to the destinations that they will come back with family or friends once they love the place.
Last year, Sri Lanka was able to attract 200,000 Chinese tourists, with the total amount of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka reaching almost 1.8 million. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has targeted 2.5 million arrivals for 2016.
An increase in tourists mainly from China and India will help strengthen Sri Lanka's fragile economy as tourism is poised to become the No 1 foreign exchange earner, an official has told Xinhua in an recent interview.
Zhou Hao, associate dean of the PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua University, hosted the 2016 China Financial Research Conference in Beijing on July 2. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Changes in China's finance sector, including last year's stock market rout and sky-rocketing housing prices, have not only gained attention in the real world, but also thorough academic studies.
A total of 46 papers covering frontier issues such as shadow banking, foreign exchange rate reform and local government debts, out of 135 papers in English and 150 in Chinese submitted, were presented and discussed in Beijing during the 2016 China Financial Research Conference held between July 2 and July 3.
The conference was jointly organized by the PBC School of Finance, Tsinghua University, the National Institute of Financial Research, Tsinghua University and the Research Institute of Finance and Banking at the People's Bank of China, the central bank. Such a conference, serving as a communication platform between policymakers and scholars, will be held once each year starting from this year, according to the organizers.
Two scholarly papers in English and two in Chinese earned this year's best-paper honors.
The English paper Leverage Network and Contagion, collaborated between Bian Jiangze, Da Zhi, Lou Dong and Zhou Hao, examines the risk contagion of the Chinese stock market crisis in 2015 by taking advantage of unique account-level data.
The other English paper, Liquidity regulation and unintended financial transformation in China, co-authored by Kinda Hachem from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, along with Song Zheng, attempts to explain why the interbank market became tighter and more volatile and establishes a theoretical framework: shadow banking made China's small and medium-sized banks evade the regulation of cap rates and achieve earnings while large banks used their power in substantial interbank market to restrict credit to the shadow banks and increase their lending to non-financials.
The Chinese paper, Capital flow management and the prevention of financial crisis in China, jointly written by Ju Jiandong, Wei Shangjin, Lin Shu, Li Li and Nie Guangyu, emphasizes potential risks brought by opening capital accounts and policy instruments of capital flow management.
The other Chinese paper, The impact of CEO early-life experience on corporate polices: Evidence from the three years of Great Chinese Famine, co-authored by Peng Xiaopeng and Li Minwen, finds that early-life experiences of the three-year Great Chinese Famine has had a significant influence on companies' financial decision making, mainly manifested in lower long-term and short-term liability rates and less research and development investment.
Zhang Xiaohui, assistant governor of the People's Bank of China, made a keynote speech at the 2016 China Financial Research Conference in Beijing on July 2. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
In addition, in the sub-conference on Chinese credit markets, Gao Haoyu from the City University of Hong Kong and also co-author of the paper Contract Enforcement and Strategic Default: Evidence from China, shared an analysis on the repayment decisions of borrowing firms whose cash holdings are high enough to cover the matured bank debt. Findings revealed that poor judicial enforcement significantly increases the likelihood of default.
In the sub-conference on real estate in China, Han Bing, from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, and also co-author of Housing price and fundamentals in a transition economy: The case of Beijing market, shared their findings on the links between house values and fundamental economic variables such as income growth, demographics, migration and land supply.
Zhang Xiaohui, assistant governor of the central bank, said she was happy to see so many people were interested in China's financial problems and were willing to do academic studies in those areas.
She also made a keynote speech, titled On monetary policy: What we have achieved and what we should do next, to all the participants.
Zhang further expressed her hope that financial researchers could prioritize the concrete problems China was facing in the era of economic globalization provide suggestions to Chinese policymakers to aid the country's economic and financial development.
Guan Tao, an Academic Committee senior fellow at the China Finance 40 Forum, made a keynote speech during the 2016 China Financial Research Conference in Beijing on July 2. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
In addition to the assistant governor, Guan Tao, an Academic Committee senior fellow at the China Finance 40 Forum, also made a keynote speech titled Two impossible trinities and policy options addressing capital reversal.
He pointed out that economic stability and financial stability was key for maintaining a stable currency.
There should be no judgment on which is good and which is bad between the three foreign exchange policy tools, namely, exchange rateforeign exchange intervention and capital controls, Guan told the audience.
A Chinese worker installs signs on a giant rock in front of the headquarters building of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing, January 12, 2016. [Photo/IC]
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has appointed two former senior officials from Japan and the United States to its international advisory panel, a source from the bank told China Daily on Thursday.
The US and Japan have declined to join the Beijing-based bank.
Yukio Hatoyama, a former Japanese prime minister, and Paul W. Speltz, former US executive director and ambassador to the Asian Development Bank, will join the panel, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The panel will advise the bank's president on issues of strategy, policy and operation, the source said.
The panel will be made up of former senior government officials and international experts.
The move is the latest sign that the bank is seeking to strengthen its operational independence and transparency through a multilateral approach.
Meanwhile, the AIIB has posted four job vacancies on its website, including that of vice-president of finance and director general for risk management.
South Korean media, quoting government auditors, have reported that Hong Ky-ttack, the bank's current vice-president and chief risk officer, is suspected of involvement in an accounting scandal at Daewoo Shipbuilding&Marine Engineering while he was chairman of the Korean Development Bank. Hong asked for a six-month leave of absence, which started on June 27.
Hong's leave has stirred speculation that South Korea might lose its influence at the bank. The country is a major shareholder of the AIIB after China, India, Russia and Germany.
The appointment of the next vice-president will be based on merit, and the position is open to all member countries, according to the source.
The bank would consider the candidates' nationality only under the circumstance that all candidates are equally qualified, the source said. The deadline for application is July 29th, and the announcement of the new vice-president will be made in mid-August at the earliest, the source said.
Xu Hongcai, director of the economic research department at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said the AIIB will face a greater challenge appointing both professionally and ethically qualified officials in the future.
Children who have excessive bloodlead levels stand in front of Hengyang Meilun Chemical Pigment Co in Hengdong county, Hunan province, in April 2014.[YANG YI/CHINA DAILY]
Courts need more help to gauge compensation due to victims affected by environmental degradation, legal experts tell Cao Yin and Zheng Jinran.
Lawyer Dai Renhui won a major case when he represented 13 village children against the chemical pigment company accused of causing their excessive blood-lead levels. But he didn't feel like celebrating.
Despite a court in Hunan province finding in favor of his clients, just two of the children were actually awarded compensation, and the sums were far less than expected.
The families from Hengdong county had demanded just over 2 million yuan ($300,000) from Hengyang Meilun Chemical Pigment Co to cover their medical bills, but in the end the company was ordered to pay a total of 26,000 yuan.
"It wasn't even enough to cover the costs of bringing the lawsuit," Dai said.
After the initial judgment early last year, the families appealed to the municipal intermediate court but met with the same result. Some are now petitioning the provincial high court while others have given up.
"We have accepted materials relating to an appeal from one parent, but whether we retry it and when that would happen is still to be decided," said Li Yuxian, a spokesman for the high court.
Lawsuits brought by citizens against polluting companies have risen sharply in China, yet the Hunan case shows that courts lack guidelines on how to handle them and how to compensate those who win.
Dai, who works for the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims, said the children in Hengdong were all age 4 or 5 when they started to display symptoms of excessive blood-lead levels in 2014.
The families blamed emissions from Meilun Chemical for contaminating the soil and water supplies. The company's plant, which was just 30 meters from their village, was ordered to close in 2014.
Both courts heard that all 13 children had tested positive for excessive blood-lead levels. However, only two - identified as Yi and Huang - had readings of over 250 micrograms per liter, the threshold set by the national health authority to differentiate between high and severe. The judges ruled that only these two cases would receive compensation.
Siberian tigers scramble for a chicken at a breeding park in Hengdaohezi town in Hailin, Heilongjiang province, on Tuesday.[Photo/Xinhua]
As torrential rain wreaks havoc across southern China, the north is experiencing a heat wave, which has made life tough for endangered Siberian tigers.
While humans can escape to air-conditioned rooms, the endangered big cats are not so fortunate. At a Siberian tiger breeding park in Hengdaohezi township of Hailin, Heilongjiang province, more than 400 tigers must endure temperatures exceeding 30 C. They cannot remove their thick fur like a coat.
The tigers appear despondent and move around little, said Qiu Hongkun, an animal keeper at the park. "Some have even lost their appetites."
Around noon, the tigers can be seen panting. Many take cover from the baking heat in the shade of trees. They hardly react when feeders release live chickens into their enclosure, Qiu said.
Qiu and his colleagues have to bang on the fence and yell at the tigers to wake them at noon. If they fall asleep under the scorching sun, they will likely become ill from overexposure.
To provide sufficient water to drink and bathe, a river was diverted into the park.
"They like to soak in the water and only keep their heads above it," Qiu said.
"If a tiger gets heatstroke, we will treat it immediately," said Qiu.
Siberian tigers mostly live in eastern Russia, northeastern China and northern parts of the Korean Peninsula.
Mao Baozhu, 63, of Hengdong county, Hunan province, is the grandmother of one of the 11 children who received no compensation after the lawsuit against Hengyang Meilun Chemical Pigment Co.
Seeing my 8-year-old grandson feeling dizzy or nauseous, I just feel so upset. I can't help him, so I have no idea what to do.
He doesn't look any different from other children his age, but he has very bad memory. He can put a book on a table and then instantly forget where he's put it.
I attribute this to when he was 4, which is when a chemical pigment factory moved into our area. It was less than 30 meters from our home. At first, I didn't realize his abnormal behavior was down to the pollutants discharged by the plant; it was only when I heard one of my neighbors had similar symptoms that I put it together.
My son and daughter-in-law have spent a lot on treatment for my grandson, including taking him to Shanghai to see a specialist, who diagnosed him with excessive levels of lead in his blood. During the past four years, we've spent tens of thousands of yuan, but the doctor says the effects will be permanent.
Money has become a big problem for our family. My husband and I are out of work, and we have to rely on my son and daughter-in-law to work hard. They earn 4,000 yuan ($600) a month, which is hardly enough to cover our living costs, let alone the medical bills.
What I want is a healthy grandson, so I'll try anything. I asked the county government for help and told them how serious the pollution is, and I also went to court to get compensation from the factory. All my efforts have been in vain. But I can't give up. The boy needs me. He needs justice and a better life.
I've been to the provincial high court again and again with evidence and to share my experience with the judges. I just want them to know the effect pollution has had - not only my grandson, but on many others.
In October, I heard the factory will be relocated. It may not have had anything to do with parents and grandparents like me, but it's still good news.
Mao Baozhu was speaking to Cao Yin.
Hundreds of people paid their last respects to Ye Xuanning, former director of the Liaison Department of the People's Liberation Army General Political Department, in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Thursday.
Ye, the second son of late PLA Marshall Ye Jianying, died from an illness in Guangzhou on Sunday at age 79.
Ye Xuanning was born in 1938 and joined the Army in 1956. With his right arm disabled when he was 31, Ye still kept a positive attitude and worked hard, and was awarded the rank of major general. He was widely known as the "One-armed General" to the public.
The low-profile ex-PLA officer rarely appeared in public during his twilight years, but he had his calligraphy works displayed often in many places including Beijing and Guangdong.
Ye didn't give up calligraphy, a hobby he pursued since his childhood, after his right arm was injured. He learned to use his left hand to hold the brush, and his achievements were widely recognized in the calligraphy circles.
On the back of commemorative booklets handed out at the funeral was a photo of a calligraphy work by Ye. The platforms and stairs outside the mourning hall were crowded with people at 9 am on Thursday, an hour before the rite started. They all held the booklets and white roses in their hands, waiting under the summer sun.
Chen Zhizhen, a businessman in Hong Kong, came to pay his last respects to his "old friend for more than 20 years".
"Ye is highly respected by people in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and by overseas Chinese because he contributed a lot to friendly exchanges when he was in charge of liaison work," Chen said.
Ye Zhirong, a relative from Meizhou, Guangdong province, described Ye as being "forthright and helpful".
"One of the family rules that Marshall Ye Jianying set is, Remember what others have done to help you, and forget what you have done to help others. I think Ye Xuanning carried it out well," the 43-year-old said.
"Time will pass judgment on Ye Xuanning's achievements, but I think it proves he was well-liked with so many people coming from across the country to mourn."
The seven members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, including President Xi Jinping, sent wreaths.
The PLA, the provincial government of Guangdong and the standing committee of the provincial People's Congress also sent wreaths.
A Chinese official on Thursday denied Vietnamese allegations that a Chinese coast guard ship sank a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South Chinese Sea last week.
According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, China's coast guard found two Vietnamese boats fishing near Huaguang Reef of China's Xisha Islands on Saturday.
The coast guard urged the fishing boats to leave, but they turned a deaf ear, said the official.
The coast guard sent a law-enforcement ship to "board, inspect and drive away" the fishing boats, the official said.
The whole process was carried out in line with the law and with a video record, the official said, adding that there was no deliberate act to sink the Vietnamese boat.
According to the official, the Vietnamese fishing ships violated China's law and so it was quite natural that China took law-enforcement measures.
China has no idea how the Vietnamese ship sunk, and China dispatched rescue ships immediately after receiving notification from Vietnam, said the official, who urged the Vietnamese government to educate the fishermen to stop fishing in China's territory.
The Vietnam Fisheries Society said in a statement on Tuesday that two Vietnamese boats were chased by a pair of Chinese Coast Guard ships. One ship was boarded by the Chinese Coast Guard who forced the crew overboard, while a second vessel was prevented from reaching the stranded fishermen.
"Chinese men jumped onto fisherman Vo Van Luu's boat, struck the Vietnamese sailors and ... sunk the vessel," the statement alleged.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang refuted the allegation on Tuesday, saying that the Chinese Coast Guard offered timely help after receiving notification from its counterpart.
"China Maritime Search and Rescue Center was notified by its Vietnamese counterpart, saying that a Vietnamese fishing boat sunk 55 nautical miles to the southeast of Yongxing Island. All five fishermen on board fell into the water," Lu said.
"After receiving the notification, China immediately mobilized the coast guard to assist with the rescue," he said, adding that all the fishermen have been rescued.
The Foreign Ministry slammed a report by a US congressional committee blaming the Chinese government for hacking computers at a government corporation that insures bank deposits.
The Chinese government likely hacked computers at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp in 2010, 2011 and 2013, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Science, Space and Technology Committee of the US House of Representatives.
"We have repeatedly said that whoever puts forward an accusation should come up with concrete evidence instead of using easy, speculative words like 'possibly' or 'perhaps'," ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a news conference on Thursday.
He reaffirmed China's opposition to cyberattacks and said the accusations are not conducive to international cooperation in cybersecurity.
Shane Shook, a cybersecurity expert who helped investigate some of the breaches uncovered to date, was quoted by Reuters as saying he did not see convincing evidence in the report that the Chinese government was behind the FDIC hack.
Washington has accused Beijing of hacking into computer systems at a range of federal agencies in recent years.
Da Wei, director of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said cybersecurity issues should be discussed through the high-level mechanism for dialogue created by China and the US administration during President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington in September.
Members of Congress have accused the Chinese military or government of cyberattacks outside of that framework, Da said.
"Releasing reports unilaterally is not conducive to cooperation between the two major victims of cyberattacks," he said.
"The reason is that few congressmen can tell the differences between hacking 'from China' and 'by China'," said Wang Xiaofeng, an associate researcher at Fudan University's Center for American Studies. "They attempt to gain political capital and public support by hyping up cybersecurity threats from China."
The report shows that the US Congress is not sincere about solving cybersecurity issues, Wang said.
Public health issues regularly make headlines in China today, with each reported case of children sickened by pollution resulting in renewed calls for tougher prevention measures.
In April, hundreds of students at a high school in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, were found to have "abnormal" blood readings after moving to a new campus, which reportedly was built on land previously occupied by a chemical plant.
Residents in rural towns and villages with higher-than-average cancer rates also regularly attribute the problem to the air, water or soil pollution (or all three) caused by nearby industrial activities.
In May, international organizations including the United Nations Environment Program and the World Health Organization released a report that said 12.6 million deaths worldwide were linked to deteriorating environmental conditions in 2012, accounting for 23 percent of all deaths.
Air pollution alone killed 7 million people a year, with roughly 654,000 people dying from lead poisoning in 2010, it said. The report added that environmental degradation and pollution are also responsible for more than one-fourth of all deaths in children under 5.
The areas worst affected by these problems are in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific, it said.
According to Achim Steiner, executive director of the UNEP: "From air pollution and chemical exposure to the mining of our natural resource base, we have compromised our life-support systems."
Recognizing the importance of protecting public health, the central government included several stipulations in the revised Environmental Protection Law, which took effect on Jan 1, 2015. These included the need to improve monitoring of the environment and public health, improve the risk-assessment system and encourage more research on the effects of environmental degradation on humans.
More importantly, local authorities were urged to take measures to prevent and control pollution-related deceases.
However, officials have so far rarely mentioned these articles, let alone applied them, Lyu Zhongmei, a senior government adviser on social and legislative issues, recently told news website The Paper. She said authorities needed comprehensive data on the risks posed by various pollutants and suggested they set up teams tasked with coordinating the work of agencies responsible for environmental protection, healthcare and the private sector.
Wan Yue, director of environment and health management at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, agreed in The Paper report that government departments needed to work more closely together to overcome the hurdles in building monitoring and data-sharing networks.
"The central government needs a special mechanism and agencies to implement it," Lyu was quoted as saying.
Doctor Liang Yijian talks with one of his patients who suffers from scoliosis at No 3 Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Huang Zhiling / China Daily
Chengdu surgeon has treated curvatures of the spine previously thought incurable
When Xiao Qiang got married at his home in Zhengxing town, Chongqing municipality, last month, the 32-year-old was happy to have proved the doctors wrong.
Xiao was born with severe scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, and had been told from an early age that there was no cure.
Scoliosis is classified as a severe condition, and potentially damaging to a patient's lungs and heart, if the spine's curvature exceeds 100 degrees. Xiao's spine deviated from the norm by 190 degrees.
"I'd had it since birth," he said. "Surgeons in many major cities had told me there was no cure.
"Then, in March 2013, I went to No 3 Hospital in Chengdu, where doctor Liang Yijian treated me for two and a half years. Now I look normal when I wear clothes."
Liang, head of the hospital's orthopedics department, inserted four metal rods into the upper part of Xiao's torso to form a brace that helped straighten his back.
"The bars pulled my spine back into shape, and after two years the curvature was reduced to 70 degrees," Xiao said.
Liang then operated on Xiao to remove any protruding bones, without touching the spinal cord. After the operation, the curvature of Xiao's spine was less than 50 degrees.
Before undergoing treatment in Chengdu, Xiao had visited 27 leading surgeons in different parts of the country.
He found that most did little more than remove patients' rib bones to achieve a reduction in spinal curvature, and could only offer him a 40-degree reduction at best.
"Their goal is to stop the bones from damaging a patient's lungs and heart. Doctor Liang uses metal bars to pull the spine into shape before he operates. His methods can solve a patient's problem once and for all," Xiao said.
Nearly 1,000 patients with severe scoliosis have benefited from Liang's innovative methods, according to Liao Guanghua, an information officer at the hospital.
Liang was born into a coal mining family in Chongqing. His father was injured numerous times in mining accidents before dying from a brain tumor when Liang was just 11. These early experiences encouraged Liang to become a medic.
He graduated from the Chengdu Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1986 and has been an orthopedist for 30 years.
"Out of every 1,000 Chinese, three suffer from curvature of the spine," Liang said.
"Most of them live in rural and less developed areas with limited access to information. When they eventually seek treatment, they are often already very sick."
Treatment for scoliosis is most successful when performed on juveniles. However, many of Liang's patients are age 20 to 30.
There are 90 beds for scoliosis patients on his ward, which are always full, he said.
Only four surgeons, including Liang, are qualified to operate on scoliosis patients at the hospital. An operation can last up to seven hours.
For Liang, it is his patients' desire to survive and lead a normal life that inspires him.
One such patient was a taxi driver in Wuhan, Hubei province, who was 37 at the time.
In 2010, he sought Liang's help after having suffered from curvature of the spine for 20 years following a bout of myelitis in his teens.
The man was too embarrassed to collect his nine-year-old son from school, in case the boy's schoolmates saw him. He was concerned it might give his son an inferiority complex.
"To help patients like him, I would like to carry on and be a surgeon for as long as possible," Liang said.
Cao Yinpeng, eight, stands outside an intensive care unit of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College to talk with his father Cao Lei in sign language in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, on July 12, 2016. [Photo/VCG]
An eight-year-old boy gained 11 kilograms within a month in order to receive a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to save his father in Xuzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, and the surgery was carried out recently.
Cao Yinpeng stood outside an intensive care unit of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College to talk with his father Cao Lei through sign language on Tuesday, a week after the surgery.
Earlier this year, the father was diagnosed with leukemia, but there was no matched hematopoietic stem cell within the China Marrow Donor Program, a national marrow bank.
Cao Lei is the only child of his parents who are too old to donate. Doctors suggested that they could transplant the son's bone marrow, but the son's weight should be more than 45 kilograms.
Zhang Lin, Cao Yinpeng's mother, said that the son weighed 35.5 kilograms, but after he came to know that he could use his bone marrow to save his father, he ate a lot in a month to reach 46.5 kilograms.
His grandma said that she made all food Cao Yinpeng liked, especially meat. Knowing eating more would be helpful to saving his father, Cao Yinpeng ate a lot in every meal, the grandma said.
On July 6, doctors successfully collected 355 milliliters of hematopoietic stem cell from Cao Yinpeng and transplanted into his father's body.
The boy was happy that his body saved his father, and now he is trying to lose weight. He also dreams of travelling to Australia with his father in the coming winter, a plan that he and his father made before.
The surgery has cost the family more than 400,000 yuan ($59,879), and another 400,000 yuan is needed for future medical treatment, which the family cannot afford, said Zhang. The family has sold their apartment to raise the money for the surgery.
A man, alias Xiaoyu, from Xing'an county, Guilin of Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, along with his pet dog, cycled to 23 countries around the world to visit more than 100 stray pets rescue centers in a year.
He covered more than 70,000 kilometers, out of which 25,000km on bike. He concluded the journey by writing a travel book and donated all the earnings to a stray dog rescue organization.
Premier Li Keqiang told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday that Japan should "be cautious in words and actions" and "should not hype and interfere in the South China Sea issue".
Li and Abe met at the request of the Japanese on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, which will run from Friday to Saturday in Ulaanbaatar.
Observers noted that Li made the comments as Tokyo had publicly pressed Beijing recently to accept the Tuesday ruling of an arbitral case unilaterally raised by the Philippines about the South China Sea.
Li told Abe the two sides should properly manage and control contradictions and divergences, and Japan was not a country directly concerning the South China Sea issue.
Abe said although difficulties still clouded Japan-China ties, Tokyo hoped to reinforce exchanges and cooperation and appropriately manage divergences.
China's position on the South China Sea issue "completely abides by international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", Li said.
The Declaration, a document signed by China and all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2002, requires peaceful resolution of disputes through friendly consultation and negotiation.
On the two-way ties, Li Keqiang said: "In recent years, the China-Japan relationship initiated its process of heading toward improvement, but the pace is sluggish and has been disturbed by some complicated factors from time to time."
Japan should conduct positive and friendly policy towards China, and the two countries should gradually resume dialogues, Li said.
Abe voiced hopes about resuming bilateral high-level economic dialogues.
Both Li and Abe stated their readiness to boost anti-terrorism cooperation.
A mainland Chinese director is changing a main actor in her new film after netizens renewed calls to boycott the movie over the actor's support for "Taiwan independence".
The crew released an announcement on Weibo on Friday, saying that they will change cast member Leon Dai, since the actor didn't show a "clear" attitude toward whether he is a supporter of "Taiwan Independence".
The announcement said that there is no border in the arts society, but artists should maintain emotions for where they are from and the people who support them, and no hesitation can be allowed on this matter.
"I will never forget my identity as a Chinese person. To me, the State and national interests take precedence over anything else," said director Zhao Wei on her Weibo.
Dai was criticized for having participated in activities advocating "Taiwan independence".
Ma Xiaoguang, the mainland's Taiwan affairs spokesman, said last year that the central government never allows people on the mainland to make money supporting "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, or destroying relations across the Taiwan Straits.
Guzheng player Fan Weiqing (center) founds her chamber music group in 2011. The members are her colleagues from China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Next month, Fan Weiqing and 14 female students will play guzheng in Beijing. Here, she speaks about how she fell in love with the traditional instrument and what she is doing to share its music. Chen Nan reports.
Guzheng player Fan Weiqing can't forget the moment in 1987 when as a student at the middle school attached to the Central Conservatory of Music she attended a violin recital at the Beijing Concert Hall.
Listening to the music, Fan, who was 14 then, promised herself that she would one day perform solo at this venue.
At 22, she realized her dream when she was one of the top students at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
"When I perform and hold the attention of hundreds, even thousands of people with my music, it feels great," says Fan.
Now, decades later, the 43-year-old guzheng (Chinese zither) player still exudes the same excitement about performing when she does solo recitals not just in Beijing but also around China.
This summer, she and her students will perform at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing.
All the 14 female students who will perform with her were chosen by Fan three years ago from among those who are amateurs and had won awards at national guzheng competitions.
Their debut show was at Beijing's Zhengyici Theater in 2013, and they will perform at the National Center for the Performing Arts next year.
For the upcoming concert, Fan will lead them in playing classic guzheng pieces, including Along the River During the Qingming Festivala piece inspired by the famous painting of the same titlewhich was written by composer Lin Ling from the China Conservatory.
The guzheng, which is believed to have been born during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), is a Chinese plucked zither and is thought to be the precursor of several Asian zither instruments such as the Japanese koto, the Mongolian yatga, and the Korean gayageum.
Fan, who is known for her interpretation of classic guzheng pieces, says that unlike some traditional Chinese instrumentalists, who try to give their performances a contemporary twist she will keep playing the guzheng in the traditional way.
Born in Beijing, she was introduced to the guzheng at 4 by her parents. But she used to get bored with the long hours of practice and used to cut the strings of the instrument with a pair of scissors when her parents were at work.
Fan did not take her music seriously until she joined the primary school attached to the Central Conservatory of Music and won the first prize at a national guzheng competition at 9.
"I then started listening to lots of classic guzheng works performed by established masters, and this made me believe that the guzheng pieces should be performed as traditionally as possible. There is no need to cater to modern audiences," she says.
Patricia Yu speaks at the 2016 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]
Patricia Yu is a PhD candidate in the History of Art department at the University of California, Berkeley in the US. She shared her story with China culture and language as she took part in the 2016 Visiting Program for Young Sinologists in Beijing. You can contact her at patriciajyu@berkeley.edu.
My primary contact with "China" has been through learning its language, its history, and its material culture. I am a heritage speaker of Chinese; when I was growing up in Los Angeles, my weekends and summers were spent in Chinese school. In college, I continued Chinese as a foreign language and majored in the history of Asia.
I wrote my undergraduate thesis on the role of clothing and fashion in China's modern political transformations from empire to republic to socialist state. My interest in Chinese art history also began during undergrad. My art history professor would always take time during class to show us actual examples of Chinese artifacts from the college museum collection.
We looked at Chinese ancestor paintings, handled delicate porcelain, and examined the symbolism of Qing dragon robes. In our student exhibitions, we learned how to structure object-based narratives. I became very interested in the material culture of China, and applied to graduate school in art history at Berkeley.
Ding Wei, vice-minister of culture and chairman of Chinese Culture Friendship Association, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the "Guizhou-Taiwan Cultural Friendship Trip" on July 12. [Photo/Chinaculture.org]
"Love Colorful Guizhou - the Guizhou-Taiwan Cultural Friendship Trip" held its opening ceremony in Guiyang on July 12.
The event is sponsored by the Chinese Culture Friendship Association, Guizhou Provincial People's Government, and undertaken by Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Taiwan Affairs Office of Guizhou Provincial People's Government.
Ding Wei, vice-minister of culture and chairman of Chinese Culture Friendship Association; Chen Mingming, vice-governor of Guizhou Provincial People's Government; and Huang Biduan, head of Taiwan delegation; attended the ceremony and delivered speeches. More than 130 people from the fields of culture, art, education, and media from across the Taiwan Straits attended the event.
Ding Wei said in his speech that both sides of the Taiwan Straits share the same root and origin just as two biological brothers, whoes destinies are bound up closely with each other. The people of the two sides are siblings of the same blood and flesh. The Chinese Culture Friendship Association is willing to promote both sides' cultural communication and cooperation and help spread Chinese culture.
Chen Mingming introduced Guizhou's cultural resources, culture industry development, and the present condition of Guizhou-Taiwan cultural communication, conveying his hope that Taiwanese guests could know more about Guizhou's development and advance both sides' communication.
Huang Biduan, head of Taiwan delegation, said that Guizhou has a long history and colorful culture. He appreciated the opportunity offered by the Chinese Culture Friendship Association and Guizhou government, and he believed the event will open a new door for strengthening the cross-Straits relationship as well as future collaboration.
This year, various activities have been prepared for Taiwans guests during their eight-day stay, which include visits to Guizhou's cultural resources, ethnic culture and culture industry as well as participation in Guizhou Culture Promotion Meeting and Culture Forum of Guizhou and Taiwan.
The Chinese Culture Friendship Association has successfully held the trip 13 times with the help of local governments since 2001. It has become a famous brand of cross-Straits cultural communication and has contributed greatly to their cultural collaboration and to spreading Chinese culture.
Detective Conan. [Photo/IC]
"I know."
If you say this to most fans of the Japanese animation and comic series Detective Conan, he or she will laugh. It is what Conan says every time he finds the murderer, and must be the most frequently occurring line in each episode.
Yet they may not know an exhibition featuring series creator Aoyama Gosho's manuscript of this comic series will be held in Beijing from today to Aug 28. It is the first time the documents will be showcased in China.
Chinese actor Guo Tao attended the press conference for this exhibition yesterday.
"On behalf of my son, I come here. This is his 'order' I must obey," Guo laughed, "He asked me to shoot some interesting things at the exhibition."
"I wish my son could be wise and smart as Conan."
The animation series premiered in Japan in 1996, and was introduced to China the following year. In the past 19 years, many young Chinese people have become die-hard Conan fans.
You can find the latest episode, 837, on the Internet.
Book cover of Dream It! Do It!. [Photo provided to China Daily]
As the Chinese visitors enjoys the newly opened Disney's magic kingdom in Shanghai, Chinese edition of Dream It! Do It!, a book on the behind-the-scene history of the making of those theme parks, was released by Cheers Publishing in June.
Written by Marty Sklar, a former "Imagineer" who implemented creative ideas into practical form in Disney, the book is an retrospective account of his 54 years' work in the company.
"The book was written originally while Shanghai Disney Resort was beginning to be designed by the Walt Disney Imagineers," writes Sklar in his preface to the Chinese edition. "There are many lessons on these pages that were applied to this grand project by the Disney Imagineers."
The English edition of the book was published in 2013.
Being one of the oldest employees, the 82-year-old Sklar witnessed the opening of 12 Disney parks all over the world, and presented the opening of the park in Shanghai last month.
Sklar told China Business News that he thinks Disneyland in Shanghai is the best theme park ever with great efforts made on details and storytelling.
Nearly 1 million people have already visited the Disneyland Shanghai since its opening on June 16.
Related:
Top 10 classic Disney animated films
Disney visitors soak up a new experience
Tofu soup.[Photo provided to China Daily]
At Beijing Banquet, the ingredients get the royal treatment from a kitchen that celebrates freshness and tradition, Mike Peters discovers.
The ripe, purple-red waxberries are bursting with sweetness in their chilled bowlsso enticing that I fear I will get too full to eat anything else.
In the end, there was little danger of that. The onslaught of dishes that followed at Beijing Banquet, served traditionally on a lazy Susan-style tabletop that never seemed to stop turning, was just too tempting.
First came a distinctive smoked pork that was cooked so slowly it's almost gelatinous in texture. It starts with a soup based on pork fat, says restaurant group chairman Yang Xiulong, our host for the evening.
"The recipe is 100 years old," he says, leaning forward to confide that "Jackie Chan can eat 10 orders of this dish when he comes here."
Yang's bravado doesn't stop there. He tells us the waxberries are so fresh they were still on the tree in Zhejiang province this morning. The fish head and crab roe soup, he says, is so full of omega-3 goodness that "we are really eating medicine". (With black vinegar, cilantro, spring onion and finished with bean sprouts, it tastes a lot better than any cure-all my doctor would offer.)
Boschendals vineyard in a valley near Cape Town.[Photo provided to China Daily]
When thinking about wine-producing areas, many Chinese will most likely turn their minds to Europe, America or Australia. They are less aware of South Africa and its wines.
The country is the world's eighth-largest producer of wines, however, and brands like Boschendal, first established in 1685 and a top label of DGB, one of South Africa's leading wine producers and exporters, are eager to attract more Chinese wine drinkers.
The brand entered the Chinese mainland market about five years ago, and the company sells only to fine-dining restaurants.
Earlier this month, a group of DGB's top executives, including CEO Tim Hutchinson, came to Beijing for a dinner and wine-tasting event, as part of its global celebration of the winery's 300th anniversary, which fell in 2015.
"We get a lot of interest in China," he says.
"Drinking wine is not part of Chinese culture yet, but drinking wine is fashionable and trendy, and there are also health benefits."
Although the market is depressed due to the Chinese government's crackdown on taxpayer-funded banquets, individual wine lovers are not affected. Also, people are starting to drink more fine wines, he says, and Boschendal sees that as a huge opportunity.
The brand has wines in different categories - easy-drinking, entry-level and premium. Its wine making tradition spans three centuries to authentic French origins, with a terroir that is distinct and ensures that a variety of grape cultivars can flourish.
Leading international law experts said any verdict by the Arbitral Tribunal on the South China Sea will be of no legal validity, at a seminar on the South China Sea Arbitration and International Rule of Law in the Hague on June 26. [Photo by Fu Jing/chinadaily.com.cn]
From the onset, the conclusion of this international farce was already a given. The Hagues stubborn insistence to hear this case is enough to tell its motive and agenda.
An international court of jurisdiction is expected to be impartial, to uphold the law under its constitution if it wants to be respectable and seen as respectable as an international court of justice.
Without the consent of China, a party to a territorial dispute, the decision of the Court is meaningless, illegal and irrelevant. It has no legal status and is not binding.
The judicial committee has done wrong to the reputation and credibility of this Court. It undermines the reason for its existence when it crumbles to political pressure to hear a case it was not supposed to hear.
The Permanent Court went ahead despite objections by China and with China stating clearly that it would not acknowledge its arbitration and decision.
Why would this Court continue with this farce knowing that China did not give its consent to hear the case? It is political. Yes, the Court is making a political statement, not a decision based on law, in which it has no jurisdiction.
And ironically, as a key participant in this plot, the Americans are not even a signatory of UNCLOS, in other words, saying that they dont respect the rules and regulations of UNCLOS, but are demanding China accept an illegal political opinion from the agency?
So it is only right for China to ignore it as another political statement, or even tear it to pieces like the Americans did in the past. To China and the world, the whole drama is as good as a hoax, theater engineered and promoted by its perpetrators.
The pro-Western media would have a field day trying take down China as a rogue and recalcitrant nation, not playing by the rule of law. Western leaders are expected to make their political speeches to compel China to accept a farcical judgment that they too did not believe is legal. Some ASEAN states may want to believe that the Philippines had won a legal battle in the international court when it has not.
This theater has come to an end, with an applause and encore from the conspirators but nothing more. It is rubbish, not binding and an act of desperation to make something illegal, be legal. And the American camp can beat the war drum but nothing will change the status of the islands in the South China Sea.
Independent countries in the international community must stand up to this farce. They must stop it from becoming a precedent to decide the fate of their future that may be imposed on them by the abuse of power and trust of the international court beyond its jurisdiction.
The author is a political observer from Singapore.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and don't represent views of China Daily website.
Fishing boats anchor at the Tanmen port in Qionghai city, South China's Hainan province, May 16, 2016. China banned fishing from May 16 to Aug 1 in the South China Sea, a measure taken for the 18th consecutive year. [Photo/Xinhua]
China-Indonesia relations have been in the news since Indonesian navy ships fired warning shots at Chinese fishing boats in a disputed fishing ground in the South China Sea on June 17. So far, China has exercised utmost restraint in the case, reflecting its diplomatic maturity and the importance it attaches to Beijing-Jakarta ties.
Yet Indonesia's reaction to the incident shows it might be thinking differently. On Thursday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting on a navy ship that was involved in firing the warning shots and detaining Chinese fishing vessels and their crew. This suggests Indonesia has adopted a hard-line policy toward China. Also, Indonesian Security Minister Luhut Panjaitan told The Jakarta Post that Widodo's move was aimed at sending a "clear message" that Indonesia was "very serious in its effort to protect its sovereignty".
China and Indonesia have spats over fishing rights from time to time because Beijing and Jakarta are yet to sign a fishery agreement.
The June 17 incident, the third time Indonesian navy vessels confronted Chinese fishing boats this year, took place in a traditional Chinese fishing ground where China and Indonesia have overlapping maritime claims. Going by international practice, dialogue is the the best way to deal with skirmishes of such kind, simply because the use of force will not help resolve the issue; on the contrary, it could worsen the situation by driving a wedge into what generally is a stable and deepening bilateral relationship.
Thanks to the efforts of both China and Indonesia, the two sides have enjoyed fruitful cooperation in economic and trade in recent years, with bilateral trade and investment rising steadily.
At the second China-Indonesia high-level economic dialogue in Jakarta in May, the two sides broadly agreed to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, agriculture, fishery, infrastructure construction, energy and finance. And as Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi pointed out during the dialogue, Indonesia's Global Maritime Axis vision and China's 21st Century Maritime Silk Road have much in common strategically and offer enough space to the two countries to anchor their bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.
The two countries have already agreed to a number of major bilateral projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, and Indonesia has been actively involved in the development of the China initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. All this means the two sides are integrating their development strategies and policies.
On the regional front, Indonesia, a key member in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is considered by some as a bellwether of China's relations with the 10-member bloc. A sound relationship between Beijing and Jakarta not only contributes to the interests of the two countries but also will be a stabilizing factor for regional peace and stability.
The disputes between China and a few ASEAN member states in the South China Sea have raised tensions in the region. And the Philippines has unilaterally filed an arbitration case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which is expected to pass its ruling soon.
Under such circumstances, the spat between Indonesia and China could be misinterpreted by some as Jakarta's intention to side with the Philippines to confront China over maritime disputes.
As a country that too has a stake in peace and stability in the region, Indonesia should soften its stance against China and resolve the fishery dispute through talks to prevent vested interests from exploiting the situation. And as two major developing countries, China and Indonesia need to overcome the spat so that they can work for economic integration and common prosperity of the entire region.
The author is deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific.
jasmine@chinadailyhk.com
Recently, the Philippines called for international arbitration to resolve the conflict, which will be launched soon. However, China unequivocally declined to take part in it, labeling the event as illegitimate and against the previous agreement between China and the Philippines, which articulated the fact that disputes, including the South China Sea conflict, will be resolved through bilateral negotiation and through constructive dialogue between the two neighboring nations.
The Chinese government stated clearly its reasons for refusing to participate in the arbitration.
First of all, the Philippines action has no basis in international law, which puts its legitimacy into question.
Secondly, the international arbitration tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case. Consequently, the logical measure that should have been taken was declining to get involved in the dispute.
Furthermore, the consequences of its decisions are not binding due to its lack of legitimacy.
Another important provision of the international law upon which the UN bases its decisions dictates avoiding getting involved in territorial disputes.
Therefore, the dispute is beyond the scope of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), since the arbitration is over the sovereignty of some islands in the disputed waters.
Another fundamental point that weakens the Philippines call for arbitration is the fact that arbitration must be discussed by and called for by both the parties involved in the dispute.
The international reaction to the prospective launching of the arbitration varied from one nation to another.
Many nations believe that China has the legal and moral right to decline participating in the arbitration.
Some countries with hidden ulterior motives and devious political agendas called Chinas refusal "despising international law" or "fearing to lose".
Of course, using slanderous words to label Chinas legal rights to participate in the arbitration, which would lead to nothing but escalating the conflict, is motivated by Western countries illogical fear of Chinas rising power. Issuing such irresponsible statements accomplishes nothing but demeans their sources.
For certain, Chinas stand and handling of the conflict could set a precedent to resolving future territorial disputes.
There is no doubt in my mind that the conflict should be resolved through bilateral constructive dialogue between China and the Philippines, as Chinese leaders have emphasized on several occasions.
Everyone, including myself, hopes that the conflict will be resolved peacefully and the South China Sea will become a sea of friendship and peace, and that the neighborly relations between the countries involved in the conflict will be restored to its historical strength.
Sava Hassan is a Canadian Egyptian educator.
Leading international law experts said any verdict by the Arbitral Tribunal on the South China Sea will be of no legal validity, at a seminar on the South China Sea Arbitration and International Rule of Law in the Hague on June 26. [Photo by Fu Jing/chinadaily.com.cn]
Expected on July 12, the ruling by the Hague-based arbitral tribunal on a case filed by the Philippines in 2013 will be ultra vires. It will also open a can of worms, triggering a floodgate of abusive lawsuits by many countries. It will take the luster off the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea's till-now growing cachet. More alarmingly, it will put peace in the South China Sea at risk, and potentially destabilize the astoundingly successful Asia-Pacific region.
And being ultra vires, the ruling will be null and void. UNCLOS specifically excludes from its jurisdiction all issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime demarcation, restricting itself to interpretation or application of its regulations. That the Philippines has camouflaged its case under the cloak of generation of entitlements to islands does not hide the fact that its dispute with China is indeed about territorial sovereignty and maritime demarcation. Legally speaking there is no dispute as Beijing and Manila have not even formally discussed the specific claims raised in the latter's submission to the tribunal.
Besides, Article 281 of UNCLOS clearly mentions that the convention applies only if the parties have not agreed to seek settlement of the dispute. While the Philippines has not formally discussed with China the claims it has submitted to the tribunal, it has jointly issued a series of bilateral agreements with China and signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, affirming that disputes will be settled through negotiations. The tribunal's opinion that the above does not constitute an agreement is deeply flawed.
The above ruling will not help Manila. Beijing has repeatedly made it clear it will neither participate in the proceedings nor accept the ruling. In fact, far from reaching an agreement with China over its disputes, the Philippines will only succeed in plunging its long friendly relations with the economic powerhouse to a nadir and lose the golden opportunity to develop its economy. It will also lose the chance to jointly develop with China many of the disputed areas in the South China Sea.
The ruling will also destabilize the South China Sea by encouraging its militarization. The United States has begun monitoring it with the help of guided-missile destroyers, even as it has deployed two aircraft carriers in the Philippine Sea.
China's Defense Ministry has termed the US' attempt to militarize the region as "miscalculating". There is always a chance of error and history provides ample examples of small incidents leading to major consequences. The Asia-Pacific region, brought to its knees by Japanese aggression in World War II, has taken 70 years to rise again and achieve unparalleled economic growth. It will be heartbreaking to see this reversed.
Manila has strengthened its relations with Washington. But Washington may have its own perceptions and misperceptions, especially in its post-"pivot to Asia" phase, which may not match the long-term interests of the Philippines. China's Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai recently said China's maintaining of its legitimate position has been grossly misperceived as a strategic move by China to challenge US dominance. The US' responses to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, are similar examples of misperceived intentions. Cui could have added that misperceptions can turn into self-fulfilling prophecies.
What can be done now? The US' decisions to invade Iraq and Afghanistan and to intervene in Libya and Syria have destabilized the entire Middle East. Its recent egging of NATO to position itself on Russian borders is reckless. And its deployment of THAAD in the Republic of Korea and sending destroyers to patrol the South China Sea will destabilize the Asia-Pacific. Well-wishers of the US will want it to resume the role of a "wise leader" and jointly enact with China crisis management mechanisms and a more inclusive security structure to help maintain peace and stability in the region. And well-wishers of the Philippines would advise President Rodrigo Duterte to withdraw its case before it is too late and return to the negotiating table.
The author is a visiting faculty at Beijing Dublin International College at Beijing University of Technology.
Chen Guangyu sits merrily in his cave dwelling in Xiwan village, surrounded by mountains, near the Yellow River in Shanxi province. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)
Xiwan is a rural village in Qikou town of north China's Shanxi province, only a few hours from Beijing on the high-speed train. It is currently off the beaten track. However it is fast becoming another spot on Shanxis long list of impressive scenic sites.
When arriving along the dusty road, the first glimpses of the village are of the steeply pitched roofs that cascade down the hill, looking almost as ancient as the surrounding mountains.
A plethora of arched doorways are visible, each adorned with strings of red lanterns. The village is a labyrinth of small courtyards and single-room homes. It was in the first of these courtyards that Chen Guangyu anticipated the arrival of guests.
The summer sun beat down, drying the bulbs of corn that hung from the old roofs, providing a perch for the singing sparrows. Stepping into Xiwan village feels like stepping back in time. The place is well preserved, although the small carvings etched into panels across the windows and on the roof peaks are well worn. A large store of coal and wood is stowed away in the corner, used for cooking and heating. This is juxtaposed by the newly-installed solar panel, giving the village heated water.
Chen opened the door to his home, decorated with gourds and spring couplets. The entrance revealed a room with a bed, a coal stove and a framed portrait of Mao Zedong.
Chen Guangyu, 67, is the head of a family with 7 members including three grandsons who are the 16th generation of the Chen family to live here since their ancestor, Chen Shifan, moved into Xiwan around 300 years ago.
All 480 residents with the surname Chen in the village are descendants of Chen Shifan. He first worked as a dockwalloper in a nearby port and then got rich gradually and finally built a house in today's site of Xiwan. From generation to generation, his offspring built Xiwan village. These days most of the youth in the village are migrants themselves, trying to improve their quality of life by working in nearby cities. However, for Chen Guangyu, this is home, after living here all his 67 years.
Apart from the first generation's startup story, Chen reminisces about the stories his elders told him, perhaps the most intriguing of which occurred around the Kangxi period (1654-1722) during the 10th generation of his ancestors, when the town was used as a battle ground, to defeat rebels, thanks to the organization of Chens ancestor, who was greatly honoured by the government then.
Energetic and animated, Chen shares the tales of the past, but when asked about the future he immediately becomes more thoughtful and reflective. He is unsure whether future generations will continue to live in this 300-year-old village since the bigger cities could provide an easier life and higher paying jobs.
Many people just like Chen sweep their own courtyards in rural Shanxi, filled with tales of times gone by, and insights into the fascinating past of the province. Discovering Shanxi province is to discover these people whose stories of culture and history paint an authentic picture of ancient China.
Nowadays Chen hopes his village could attract more tourists and thus the government could issue an overhaul plan for the village which could ensure the beauty of Xiwan can be better preserved, and enjoyed for many more generations.
WASHINGTON -- Nearly one in six jobs at North Dakota's international ports of entry are vacant, and the states junior senator hopes a new federal bill will help hire and retain workers along the border and in the oil patch.
U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said she introduced the Flexible Hire Act on Wednesday with the intent that it would use federal resources to find the effective, vibrant workforce needed to support local communities and businesses across the nation, particularly in areas where remoteness or unique economic circumstances create hiring challenges.
Specifically, Heitkamp points to workforce shortages in the Bakken and along the northern border as issues impacting North Dakota.
Its a problem for all of us when Customs and Border Protection cant recruit agents to patrol our northern border, and when there arent folks to permit wells in the Bakken, she said in a news release. The growth in the Bakken is not the last time the federal workforce will respond to such a unique situation, and the remoteness of many rural communities isnt going away. Its critical that, as a nation, we prepare for the next time these challenges come up so federal workers are in place to support business and families.
Federal agencies have struggled to recruit and retain workers in North Dakota because of the high cost of living, housing shortages and competitive wages offered during the oil boom. Heitkamp said border agents have informed her of problems hiring for remote areas in the state, causing security risks that come with an understaffed workforce.
Nationwide, vacancy rate at Customs and Border Protection ports of entry is 4.5 percent; but 28 ports, including six in North Dakota, have vacancy rates of more than 15 percent, according to the release.
The Grand Forks sector covers 861 miles of international border in North Dakota and Minnesota.
"Working on the northern border is rewarding, but also comes with its own set of challenges, Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said in the release. To protect our borders in these dangerous times, we need to retain and recruit the best, and the Flexible Hire Act of 2016 is a critical part of these efforts.
The bill will give federal agencies additional authority to hire employees quickly while prioritizing veterans. Agencies also would be able to offer higher pay for certain occupations, as well as recruitment, relocation and retention bonuses.
Former State councilor Dai Bingguo delivers a speech at China-US Dialogue on South China Sea between Chinese and US think tanks on July 5 in Washington. Photo by Ji Tao/China Daily
The frequency and destructiveness of terrorist attacks have increased. The world was still reeling from the devastating Istanbul airport attacks which killed at least 43 people on June 28, when just a few days later, Baghdad became the target of terrorists again as suicide bombings on Sunday killed some 250 people and wounded 200 more.
The Islamic State terrorist group, which is rampant in Iraq and Syria and responsible for a great number of terrorist attacks happening across the globe this year, has claimed responsibility for masterminding both attacks.
A stronger political will and greater cooperation from the international community have become the only hope for the world to eliminate the IS group, or at least to keep its threat at bay.
Last month, Iraqi officials announced they had retaken the city of Fallujah from the IS fighters after a month long military operation backed by US-led coalition airstrikes. The battle marks a turning point in the international campaign to fight the terrorist group.
In Syria, similar progress has also been made, although not as much as in Iraq, amid the Syrian government's efforts to reduce the sphere of influence of the IS group.
Yet, what we have seen these days tells the hard truth that IS terrorists may be contained in Iraq and Syria, but they are capable of wreaking havoc elsewhere and sowing the seeds of fear and panic in many places around the world.
So many innocent lives have been lost, and so high a price has been paid with the rise of the IS group. There is no reason why the world should not unite and concentrate on the anti-terrorism campaign, because terrorism and extremism have no boundaries and no country could remain immune from the scourge.
In the anti-terror campaign, the United States has played an important role, spent a lot of money and even made sacrifices. But, at the same time it is also under constant criticism for not devoting more energy and resources to fighting the terrorists in the Middle East.
If traced deeper, of course, the chaotic situation in some Middle East countries today has been the result of the US-led West's intervention policy in the region in recent years.
Some in the world arena believe US President Barack Obama, who will leave office in a little more than six months, will step up anti-terror efforts in the Middle East so as to leave it as part of his legacy as president. As the world's sole superpower, the US seeks to maintain a leading role in the Middle East, so if he is to leave the White House with a better record in the Middle East, he should coordinate more with Russia and all other forces that are fighting with the IS group now.
More importantly, the US itself should adjust its strategy. For one thing, Washington still lacks a comprehensive plan and both long-term and short-term aims for the war against the IS group.
But its constant meddling in the South China Sea issue has raised tensions in the region and offers proof for the rest of the world to recognize the US' real intention: It now has far more interest in stirring trouble in the waters of the South China Sea than helping the world make a major breakthrough in the war against terror.
The maritime disputes have nothing to do with the US, and there is no single case in which freedom of navigation has been impeded in anyway. Hence, the more the US involves itself in the South China Sea issue, the less people will believe the US remains committed to world peace and stability.
The author is deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific. jasmine@chinadailyhk.com
File photo of South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
The South China Sea has been an inalienable part of Chinese territory historically. China has the clear and undeniable historical evidence to back its position in the South China Sea, which is the most important legal ground for a countrys territorial claim according to international law. Throughout history, Chinese people have been fishing in the South China Sea. As recently as in 1943, Chinas Nationalist Government declared the Nine Dash Line as the demarcation of its territory. Until recently, nobody, including the US, the sole superpower in the world, had openly challenged Chinas position on the South China Sea.
As the US reached the peak of its power at the end of WWII, it lost its cool, and began to mess in other countries internal affairs. First, it got involved in Chinas civil war, ending up on the wrong side of history. But it refused to learn the lessons, and continued to mess illegally with the Korean civil war and Vietnam civil war, with heavy financial and human losses. Recently, the US illegally invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, bombed Libya and got deeply involved in the Syrian civil war, causing tremendous destruction and suffering in the world.
While the US has been messing in other countries internal affairs, causing trouble everywhere it was involved, China has been developing peacefully, bringing prosperity not only to its own people but also to the South East Asian Nations including Philippines and other parts of the world. The whole world has come to recognize China as the most important economic engine of the world, bringing peace and stability everywhere China is involved.
As China rises in the world through peaceful development, the US began to worry about its status as the sole superpower in the world. Instead of concentrating on developing its own economy, the US has been looking for ways to undermine Chinas peaceful development and its rise in the world. Encouraging the Filipino Government to seek arbitration of the Permanent Court on the South China Sea, and sending gunboats and carriers to the South China Sea to defend the so called freedom of navigation in the South China Sea are parts of its strategy to undermine Chinas development and its rise in the world.
We are still living in the post WWII world. The Chinese people made the greatest sacrifices during WWII for world peace. That is one of the most important reasons that China is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. As such, China is one of the most important pillars of world peace in the world. But China is the only permanent UN Security Council member which still has territorial integrity issues in the world. That is one of the biggest injustices in our world today.
China must spare no efforts in telling the world that China will not allow anybody or any organization to arbitrate its territorial integrity. The Arbitration Panel has no legal authority to arbitrate on a countrys territorial integrity. There is no historical precedent in international law. China must let the Filipino Government and others know its determination to defend its territorial integrity.
For its own good, the Filipino Government must stop serving as a paw in US strategy in undermining Chinas development. China and the Philippines are important neighbors. The Philippines should join China in its efforts to maintain peace in the South China Sea and bringing development and prosperity to the region which will benefit every country in the region including itself.
The US has been wasting its resources in sending gunboats and carriers to the South China Sea, creating military tension there, which does no good to itself. More and more people in the world, including American people, have realized that US military intervention in the world has been the cause of constant destruction and suffering in our world. The American people do not want to bear the financial burden and human casualties in these military adventures. It is time that the US focus its attention on its fiscal health and stop wasting its resources messing around in other peoples affairs.
The author is a professor at Warren Wilson College, North Carolina, and a guest professor at Hebei University.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and don't represent views of China Daily website.
File photo of South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
The South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines against China in The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration has violated many international standards of law and rules. To begin with, the arbitral tribunal does not properly identify or prove the existence of a real dispute. Also, the tribunal does not follow the world's principal legal systems.
The award on jurisdiction does not take proper cognizance of China's position. For example, China treats Nansha Islands as one single unit for the purpose of sovereignty, maritime rights as well as delimitation, but the tribunal has changed the singular "is" into the plural form "are", treating the islands and reefs in the Nansha Islands as separate units.
The award does not consider China's positions either, although it summarizes some of them superficially. For example, the tribunal summarizes China's argument that a 1995 joint statement saying the two countries would take measures with a view to "eventually negotiating" a settlement of their disputes as evincing an intent to choose negotiation only as the means to resolve disputes, but this point is absent from the part of the award called "the tribunal's decision".
Besides, the award accepts the Philippines' assertion without analyzing why its claims would not detract from China's sovereignty. The detraction is obvious from the treatment of the components of China's Nansha Islands as separate features, which would divide that archipelago into smaller units, and from a ruling that the low-tide elevations at issue, which are part of the Nansha Islands, are not subject to appropriation.
The award also superficially claims maritime entitlement and delimitation are distinct, without considering the delimitation of geographical framework and situation in the South China Sea and the associated effect of fusing distinct issues of entitlement and status of various features into a big delimitation complex, rendering these issues concerning delimitation.
Finally, the award does not respect the consistency requirement in international law. The tribunal completely ignores the "Louisa case", which is favorable to China and is directly applicable to the interpretation of China's exclusion of disputes "concerning" or "relating to" maritime delimitation as disputes over matters broader than the drawing of the line of delimitation. The arbitrator has completely changed, without offering any explanation, his previously published positions which were favorable to China. All this violates the fundamental requirement of consistency in international law and shows that the tribunal only pays lip service to its duties in arbitration.
The tribunal adopts an excessively expansive interpretation of the jurisdictional grant and distorts the text of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This wrongful exercise of the "competence-competence" principle, which empowers an arbitration tribunal to rule on its jurisdiction, causes substantial damage to the international rule of law.
The competence to decide the tribunal's jurisdiction is not absolute power, and can only be exercised with genuine concern and respect for the limitations imposed by UNCLOS and for China's intents and purposes in invoking its explicit right under the convention to exclude disputes concerning maritime delimitation and historic titles.
This excessively expansive interpretation of the jurisdictional scope will present great difficulty in persuading other non-parties such as the United States to ratify UNCLOS in the future, because their greatest fear is that a court or tribunal may abuse its jurisdictional competence. This interpretation will also greatly harm the international legal system and its legitimacy.
If the tribunal and arbitrators are rational and serious, they should correct their mistakes and make up for what they have neglected to do. For example, they should correct their deliberate alteration of singular "is" used by China to describe the Nansha Islands into the plural "are", correct their mistake in not considering the delimitation geographical framework and situation in the South China Sea and the associated effect, and rectify their mistake of ignoring the rule of law requirement of consistency and in disregarding the word "concerning" in appreciating the proper scope of China's exclusion of disputes on or relating to maritime delimitation.
The author is a professor of international law and chief expert at Wuhan University Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies.
Photo shows an old door in Shanxi. [Photo by Jon GeldIart]
I like doors. Old doors generally and wooden doors specifically. They have a texture and solidity modern doors of often plastic and glass don't have. Doors speak to me of opportunity and intrigue me in imagining what lies behind them. When usually encountered doors are tight shut, often locked and bared. Doors can separate us yet connect us when opened and stepped through. It was the doors of Shanxi province in the heart of China that spoke to me most eloquently on my recent five day trip there as a guest of the Shanxi provincial government and China Daily.
Other people take photographs of views, of people or even of the food they eat. I have to admit I do too. But my favourite subject is doors.
Shanxi is a very old province, very old indeed. There is a saying in China: 'To experience the last 30 years of China, go to Shenzhen, the last 100 years go to Shanghai, for the last 1000, Beijing, for the last 3,000 go to Shaanxi but for the last 5,000 go to Shanxi.
Needless to say the doors are old too. There was still paper, tattered and frayed, in many of the merchant shop doors of Qikou township on the banks of the great Yellow River at the far western edge of Shanxi. Here the mighty Yellow River surges past you, first to the North and then East to empty into the Bohai Sea. It was along side this river that the Chinese civilisation began and Qikou was a major crossing point for merchant traders who opened up China and at one time commanded the total monopoly over that essential and valuable commodity of salt. The trading halls are still preserved there, dimly lit through the wafer thin beige coloured, now torn and tattered, paper 'glass'.
False stone doors separated the wealthy merchant owners of the Qiao and Wang great family courtyards from their servants, allowing quiet access routes behind the scenes to support the daily necessities of business and family life. This was all brought into stark relief for me whilst watching the famous (in China at least) old film 'Raise the red lantern' directed by Zhang Yimou which was shot in the Qiao Grand courtyard. The doorways were where the concubines stood to hear which one would be chosen for that night and stand the chance of bearing a son and so secure her, and her own family's, future status. I stood there too and tried to imagine the scene as they stepped in, or out, of favour.
A short drive South West from the Qiao family courtyard brings you to the amazing old town of Pingyao. With walls that date from 1370 and which stretch, at a height of around 12m, for a distance of 6.4 km, it is a truly astonishing place and a UNESCO world heritage site. It was here that the first true banks emerged in China and stepping through the door into the old trading office is a time warping experience.
The furniture and fittings are still there but much is reconstructed, except the doors, which appear to be original. As I ran my fingers over the wood I could imagine the hustle and bustle of the Ming Dynasty traders and bankers. These doors would have opened and shut on so many transactions and seen such immense trade. It takes only a little imagination to counjour up images of silk garbed merchants stepping through the low portal and over the omnipresent door board to do business.
With over 4,000 well preserved buildings from the Qing and Ming dynasties (1368 - 1911) old and older merge in the streets to make for a mind blowing sense of history. Needless to say, there are lots of doors, many, inevitably new as the reconstruction, so common in Chinese archaeological sites of significance, continues.
However, down the back streets and away from the tourist honey pots lie old and original doors from the early Qing period. No hinges, but wooden plugs, integrated into the doors themselves, slot into neatly carved holes in the upper lintel and lower step board. This 'swing hinge' design can be found all over China but it was in such profusion, scale, and size here that I was transported back to the days of Qing and Ming when hand carts and pole carriers teemed through the streets whilst merchants and traders rubbed shoulders with ordinary townsfolk.
The trip was memorable in so many ways but I am left with the feeling that Shanxi is a misunderstood and missed out province. It's only a short train ride from Beijing and now an even shorter flight since the opening of the new airport at Luliang. At a pinch it could be a long weekend away from Shanghai or Beijing and there are also flights to Hong Kong. I know we all focus on the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an for our history 'fix' but divert your gaze to Shanxi as a genuine alternative. You may be surprised at what doors open for you!
Jon Geldart is the Executive Director of Grant Thornton International Ltd. in Greater China and author of two books on China: 'The Thoughts of Chairmen Now' 2012, and 'Notes from a Beijing Coffee Shop' 2015.
Tourists take a photo in front of a sightseeing spot in north China's Shanxi province. [Photo provided to Chinadaily.com.cn]
Let's set ourselves in Shanxi Province in the northern part of the country and go through some of the wondrous sightseeing spots this province has to offer. We'll also look at the influences in this charming land and the people who offer a lifetime of memories.
It's a land of striking sites, including underground tunnels built to protect a village in times of war with the capacity to shelter a whole settlement, as in the fortified town of Zhangbi in the heart of the province, to outstanding buildings at the top of remote mountains like Mianshan Mountain in Jiexiu county. These mountain homes and temples seem to defy gravity as they hug the ledges and rocky outcroppings of these majestic peaks.
In China doing one's best with a thought for future generations has been ingrained in families for centuries. An example can be clearly seen in the Wang family's courtyard home in Lingshi County, built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
An ancestor in the tofu business invested his life in building the best business possible to leave to the next generation. Upward mobility was achieved through success in the tofu business, and eventually lead descendents to positions as government officials. Values and the arts were taught to children, which guaranteed they would be able to carry on with the responsibilities that great power entailed. Seventeen prosperous and virtuous generations lived in that traditional style courtyard estate, with two big palaces that showcased the familys glory and hopes for future offspring.
Similar glory can be seen in the Qiao family courtyard compound in Qi county, captured on film in Raise the Red Lantern by director Zhang Yimou. The beauty and magnificence of the details in the compound transport us to the 1920s Warlord Era.
Next we go to Pingyao City, named by UNESCO World Heritage as the best preserved ancient city in China. Walking here is like walking in the last century in the latter part of the Qing Dynasty: there are big stone walls and streets that bring to mind a picture of qipao-clad women of that long ago era.
A visitor can eat distinctive Shanxi noodles with fountains of bittersweet vinegar and see a show where the noodles are stretched as thin as hair or the noodle dough is blown into big balls. There is the opportunity to sleep in a traditional courtyard home that gives the sensation of being completely immersed in the ancient, mystical flavor of this culture. This town has everything to experience traditional China.
It is also impressive to see how whole cities were transformed to become economic hubs in their times, such as the town of Qikou. There, one can see that due to its location on the banks of the Yellow River, the city emerged to become one of the main routes for economic development. When we walk through the city's streets, we can touch history and feel it deeply within ourselves. A visitor can imagine the last century, as posters remain, reflect the values of many decades ago and invite us to sample a bit of that era. Qikou offered glimpse of history and an eye-opening experience to the wonders of the ancient world.
In rich contrast to ancient China, Taiyuan City, the province's capital, is a thriving, modern city with high skyscrapers, big avenues and neon lights. It's known as a top coal Industrial city and year after year attracts more people who want to settle here, showing that Shanxi offers a wide range of places to visit.
File photo of South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
The long awaited, though illegal, ruling of the Arbitration Panel of the Permanent Court is out finally. In response, the Chinese government has issued a strong statement reiterating Chinas position that it will defend its territorial integrity in the South China Sea. The Filipino government sought the ruling of the Arbitration Panel of the Permanent Court to gain some advantage in its dispute over the South China Sea. Now it seems that the ruling will backfire in the end, and will only stiffen the Chinese governments will and determination to defend its territorial integrity in the South China Sea.
The ruling has violated the established practice of the international law from the very beginning. When China expressed its opposition that it would not participate or accept its ruling, the panel lost all legal basis to exist, let alone make the ruling.
The reason that the panel dared to continue its existence and make the ruling, and challenge the territorial integrity of China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, despite Chinas repeated announcement of its position of non-participating and non-accepting its ruling, is because it served the strategic interests of the United States in the region.
Ever since the end of the Cold War, the US has been trying to undermine Chinas rise in the region and in the world by encouraging the Philippines and other countries to challenge Chinas long-established sovereignty over the South China Sea and occupy some of the islands claimed by China. The Philippines decision to seek the ruling through the panel would prove counter-productive. Apparently, it underestimated Chinas determination to defend its territorial integrity, and at the same time overestimated the US ability to help Philippines gain territorial advantage. It is in the US strategic interests to see Philippines challenge China and cause trouble for China. But it is not in the US national interests to fight for Manilas territorial gain. Philippines cannot count on the US support in its disputes with China in the long run.
The US instigation of Philippines and others to challenge Chinas territorial integrity will become a case of lifting a stone to strike its own foot in the end as well. The US hoped to intimidate China into submission by sending gunboats and carriers to the South China Sea to challenge Chinas territorial claims there. But US threatening activities at Chinas front door has aroused Chinese peoples anger and indignation. The Chinese people want the government to respond firmly to the American threat. In response to the popular demand, Chinese government has been building its military capabilities in the South China Sea ever since Philippines unilaterally sought arbitration on the South China Sea disputes.
Apparently, the US also underestimated Chinas determination to defend its own territorial integrity. The current Chinese government under President Xi Jinping will not allow the US to blackmail Chinese people through its policies of sending gunboats and carriers to the South China Sea. As Dai Bingguo, the head of the Chinese government delegate to Washington, said recently that US policy of sending gunboats and carriers to the South China Sea will not intimidate China. Even if the US sends all its ten carriers to the South China Sea, it will not be able to scare China into submission.
Now the ball is back in Philippines and US court. What can Philippines and US do in face of Chinas strong defiance? In todays world, a country can only claim a territory when it can effectively defend it. As China builds up its military capability in South China Sea, Chinas will and ability to defend what it considers its territory will force any country, including the US, to think twice before they take any action. The age of using gunboats and carriers to scare China and the Chinese people is over. The ruling of arbitration panel of the Permanent Count will go down in history, as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated, simply as a joke, and inadvertently strengthen Chinas position in the South China Sea.
The author is a professor at Warren Wilson College, North Carolina, and a guest professor at Hebei University.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and don't represent views of China Daily website.
Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States beware: A number of the islands you claim as your islands may not be islands at all in the legal sense, because the South China Sea arbitral tribunal in The Hague takes them as just rocks!
You may take it as a joke, like some Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Straits do.
But certainly the five judges of the tribunal on the South China Sea Arbitration (The Republic of the Philippines v. the Peoples Republic of the China), formed upon unilateral initiation of the arbitration by the Philippines, should be serious in writing down their arbitral award and showing it off to the world on Tuesday, after years of scrutinized preparations. And at least the Japanese government did announce on Tuesday it will follow the tribunal.
Listen to what the tribunal claims: the Tribunal concluded that all of the high-tide features in the Spratly Islands (including, for example, Itu Aba, Thitu, West York Island, Spratly Island, North-East Cay, South-West Cay) are legally rocks that do not generate an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
Among the high-tide features hereby cited, Itu Aba Island, or Taiping Island in current Chinese writings, is the largest and now hosting hundreds of people under Taiwans administration. It is about 0.44 square kilometers and 3.8 meters above sea level.
And why the islands are not islands any more legally? The judges said: The Tribunal concluded that temporary use of the features by fishermen did not amount to inhabitation by a stable community and that all of the historical economic activity had been extractive in nature.
So indeed the five judges of the tribunal have their opinion, and unanimously.
But the judges are not answering to the voices of the Chinese fishermen who have been fishing for generations in the South China Sea, and are ignoring historical facts.
Chinese fishermen had long named Itu Aba feature as Huangshan Mazhi, used it as a base for livelihood, dwelling in own houses, catching sea turtles, sea cucumbers and fish for a living and raising families for long. Of course they would sometimes leave the island, but their living there could not be forgotten simply because there was no apparent physical evidence that satisfied the judges mind. They in fact sacrificed lives, not to mention any belongings, when the Japanese took Itu Aba away in 1907.
Then by 1933 the French forced the Japanese out of the island, only to find Japanese retaking it in 1939. After World War II, the occupants of the island changed a couple of times until the Chinese successfully returned in 1946 in accordance with Cairo Declaration inked by the allied countries.
And certainly the judges of the tribunal are defying the definition of island in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The first clause of article 121 of UNCLOS says: An island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide.
Moreover, Clause 3 specifies on rocks: Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
Now things are clear. By depriving Itu Aba and other islands the status of islands, the tribunal intends to authorize no legal status for its right to either exclusive economic zone or continental shelf! How political the whole farce is!
Yet worldwide, if this award is to be observed, many similar islands in a number of countries will be turned into legal rocks as well, unable to enjoy the rights to either exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
So countries from Australia to the United States will have to think twice about this tribunals award before they decide to declare a yes to its legality.
The author is a writer with China Daily.
The photo shows Mianshan Mountain in Shanxi province. [Photo provided to China Daily]
"They look so beautiful, so peaceful. It could be a Greek Island - is it Mediterranean or Middle Eastern?" These were the responses to images of three villages Zhangbi, Qikou and Xiwan I shot during a recent visit to western Shanxi.
There, in the land of the Yellow Earth, bordered by the Yellow River, was history set in stone, for indeed stone featured prominently - narrow sometimes covered alleys were paved in stone blocks.
Stone and local brick lined the exteriors of homes, temples and commercial premises along with outer walls partially enclosing the villages. If only stones could talk what a story they could tell for the townships regionally were within the 'Cradle of Chinese Civilisation', at the crossroads of dynasties, armies, traders, pastoralists and now travellers finding something unique beyond mass-tourism destinations. Imagine the people over many generations who have walked through these villages!
Zhangbi, at 1040 metres above sea level on the lower slopes of Mianshan Mountain, traces itself back to the ancient Xia that originated in today's Ningxia - a region easily reached by expressway though historically the Yellow River formed a water route from northwestern China for sheepskin rafts as far as Qikou where cataracts prevented onward passage.
Sitting high on an artificial platform above potential flooding Qikou thrived for centuries as a transshipment point before the advent of modern transportation. Merchants prospered, their wealth spreading along nearby Qiushuihe River to smaller more inland settlements such as Xiwan.
Walking through seemingly timeless alleys it became obvious to me that the villages shared a problem common across China, and indeed worldwide - few young people, the seemingly inevitable drift to the cities. Too often a self-fulfilling cycle sets in - a feeling of hopelessness, that the villages are dying. The temptation is to pull down, abandon, rebuild or go for mass-tourism projects.
However this does not have to be the case, as examples around Beijing have shown. Preservation and indeed restoration of historic villages requires a careful balance.American planner and architect Jim Spear transformed declining villages at Mutianyu and Yanqing into nationally and internationally acclaimed examples of sustainable development while stimulating local growth.
Utilising nearby resources, the concept is to employ and motivate locals into feeling they have a stake in the development - that small can be beautiful, can be successful and can work.
File photo of South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
Wikipedia has this to say about the PCA.The PCA is not a court" in the conventional understanding of that term but an administrative organization with the object of having permanent and readily available means to serve as the registry for purposes of international arbitration and other related procedures, including commissions of enquiry and conciliation. The judges or arbitrators that hear cases are officially called "Members" of the Court.
The public at large is usually more familiar with the International Court of Justice than with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, partly because of the closed nature of cases handled by the PCA and also the small number of cases dealt with between 1946 and 1990. Sometimes even the decision itself is kept confidential at the request of the parties.
To simplify, this is a private entity established to facilitate arbitration by member states on a willing buyer willing seller basis. It is quite like a commercial establishment, any member state can come to seek help to arbitrate their disputes. It is not a court! It is not a world body like the UN or sanctioned by the UN. Its jurisdiction and ruling are as good as the disputing parties want it to be. It has no authority and no legal status if a disputing party is not willing to subject itself to its arbitration. The closest example of such a court is the international court in Tanjong Pagar in Singapore, a convenient store for customers to avail themselves of its facilities.
I hope this is clear and no one should go on to believe that it is akin to the International Court of Justice, a UN organization. This South China Sea dispute that the PCA was hearing has no credibility and legal standing as the other party did not oblige or agree to the arbitration. What China said, that it is piece of waste paper is as good as it could be.
The Americans and its allies have tried to deceive the world that the PCAs rulings on the Philippines submission are binding and legal. This is hogwash. How could it be when it is not a court of law? How could it be when it is a tribunal for willing parties to seek arbitration when there is an unwilling party (China) that refused to participate and did not even make any representation on the case?
Having established the basis and nature of the PCA, it would be interesting if the Philippines would to file another case to claim the state of Sabah as part of the Philippines. And it is expected that Malaysia would object and would decline to participate in such a trial settlement. But given the support of the Americans, the PCA could go ahead to appoint a panel of judges without the consent of Malaysia and come out with a judgment in favor of the Philippines. And the PCA could then declare that its judgment is final and binding on Malaysia.
Would Malaysia agree to the judgment, would it be legal and binding on Malaysia? Many similar cases and judgments could be brought to and decided by the PCA which the Americans would like the world to believe is a world body with the authority to impose its judgment on unwilling nation states and expect them to abide by it.
The most dangerous implications arising from this precedent, if it can be called a precedent, would be on countries agreeing to the Trans Pacific Pact (TPP) that the Americans are proposing. The members of this TPP would come under the jurisdiction of the PCA for obvious reasons and they have no rights to be excluded from its judgment, and its decision would be final and binding.
This could be a test case and a precedent that the Americans are trying to set to impose on the members of the TPP with the PCA doing its bidding like in this South China Sea case. Can members of the TPP and members of the PCA expect a fair hearing when they can be put on trial against their objections? Would any country be willing to be ruled by an organization like the PCA to determine the fate of their disputes, even their sovereignty without their consent?
The PCA cannot be seen to be an authority or a court to rule over nation states. It is a miscarriage of justice and an attempt to usurp the rights of a nation state in matters of the state and sovereignty if the PCA, a commercial organization, is deemed to have such authority.
Can a commercial tribunal rule over nation states and its judgment be binding against the objection of nation states?
The author is a political observer from Singapore.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and don't represent views of China Daily website.
A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the US Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. [Photo/Agencies]
What has historically been ours is ours. Even if others say it is not. That is why, annoying as it is, the Philippines-initiated South China Sea arbitration is actually not worth the limelight it is being given.
It is time for Beijing to get down to real, serious business. It has bigger issues to attend to, the most imperative of which is the anti-missile system being deployed on its doorsteps. Because, while it was coping with the worthless arbitral award from The Hague, Washington and Seoul finalized their plan for the deployment of the US' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile system in the Republic of Korea.
The arbitral ruling, which is null and non-executable, will have little effect on China's interests and security in the South China Sea. But not THAAD, which is a clear, present, substantive threat to China's security interests.
The installment of the US system in the ROK should be of far greater concern to Beijing, and warrants a far stronger reaction. Or should we say retaliation?
The ROK has legitimate security concerns, especially with Pyongyang constantly threatening nuclear bombing. With that in mind, Beijing has been adamant about de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and worked closely with Seoul and Washington in implementing and upgrading United Nations sanctions, and appealed tirelessly for restarting the Six-Party Talks.
But Seoul has brushed aside Beijing's security interests while pursuing those of its own.
Washington and Seoul did claim that THAAD would be focused "solely" on nuclear/missile threats from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and would not be directed toward any third-party nation. But THAAD far exceeds such a need. Besides the far more credible threat from Pyongyang's artillery, short-range and lower-altitude missiles is simply beyond the system's reach.
While it will deliver a limited security guarantee to the ROK, THAAD's X-band radar will substantially compromise the security interests of China and Russia, no matter how the United States shrouds its purpose.
Yet having made such a beggar-thy-neighbor choice, Seoul has in effect turned its back on China. By hosting THAAD, it has presented itself as Washington's cat's-paw in the latter's strategic containment of China. All rhetoric about friendship is meaningless lip service with the deployment of THAAD.
Beijing must review and readjust its Korean Peninsula strategies in accordance with the latest threat from the peninsula, including its ROK policies.
That does not mean forsaking its commitment to de-nuclearization, or UN resolutions. But Beijing must concentrate more on safeguarding its own interests, both immediate and long-term.
The North Dakota State Railroad Museum will host its annual Watermelon Day from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The museum has held the free event for the last seven years and accepts donations for the museum and event.
The museum opened in 1982 and is completely operated by volunteers, Wes Wenger, of Mandan, the museum president said.
Wenger, who has been president for a year and a half, started working in the railroad industry in 1976 and made a 25-year career out of it.
The museum provides a rich history of the North Dakota railroad with many items including train seats, old uniforms and lanterns that have been donated over the years.
There is one small mobile train at the museum that is operated by engineer Ed Duke. The ride can fit up to four children at a time and will be running during Sunday's event.
Wenger said hes expecting 300 people on Sunday to enjoy free watermelon and learn about the history of railroads and their significance in North Dakota's past, present and future.
The museum is located at 3102 37th St. N.W. in Mandan and is open seven days a week from 1 to 5 p.m., from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Admission is free.
For more information on Watermelon Day, visit www.ndsrm.org or call the North Dakota State Railroad Museum at 701-663-9322.
Customers come to visit Ikea's new store in Beijing, Nov 4, 2013. [Photo/icpress.cn]
After having a "meeting and talk" with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, IKEA is recalling 1.66 million chests of drawers sold on the Chinese mainland between 1999 and this year.
The Swedish furniture retailer had already recalled this type of chest of drawers in North America because it said there was a risk they might be dangerous to children. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission found the Malm drawers could topple over and crush children if they were not anchored to walls.
IKEA's reversal of its position in China is not based on its own decision-making, but is a passive response to the strong dissatisfaction from consumers and pressure from Shanghai's quality watchdog, the Shenzhen Consumers' Association, and particularly from the country's top quality watchdog.
However, IKEA's previous refusal to recall these problematic products on the mainland should not be viewed as the company intentionally ignoring the interests of Chinese consumers. As the company previously stated, there have not been any cases of the chests of drawers causing injury in China and the quality of the products it sells in the country conforms to the national safety standards.
The company recalled the chests of drawers in North America because the product did not meet industry standards in the United States. This raises the question of whether our national quality standards are too low.
Out of cost-saving considerations, no enterprise is motivated to recall sold products if it does not face enough pressure to do so. IKEA's " recall " demonstrates that the relevant State departments should not remain indifferent or absent when it comes to protecting consumers ' legitimate rights and interests. At the same time, they should also try to improve national institutions on product quality and leave no institutional loopholes that may be exploited by producers.--Beijing Times
People watch a house being demolished in Wenling cityk, Zhejiang province, after its owner reached an agreement with the local government. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Three weeks after her home was forcibly demolished in Yuelu district, Changsha, capital of Central China's Hunan province, the homeowner's body was found buried in the rubble. The absurd case is a test of Changsha government, which has vowed to fully implement rule of law in the city by 2020, says an article of the Southern Metropolis Daily on Thursday:
It is not big news in China that homeowners will risk their lives to try and stop their homes from being demolished. It is not unheard of for some of them to lose their lives in doing so.
However, the death of the woman in Changsha is uncommon. The Changsha government said in its latest investigation report the grassroots officials' "carelessness" caused the woman's death, without explaining whether the woman returned to her home after she had been evicted by officials in one last bid to stop the demolition of her home, which is what most people believe, or the officials failed to find her in the final evacuation of the building.
The city government has classified the case as a forcible demolition organized by the residential community office. But the tricky thing is forcible demolitions are illegal according to Chinese law.
As the officials engaged in an illegal action in the first place, the government's report should not explain the woman's death as being the result of officials' "carelessness" any more. There is no difference between carefulness or carelessness in a case in which they are suspected of breaking the law.
According to the report, Yuelu district Party chief, and other district officials will receive punishments and warnings. Seven lower-level village and residential community officials are being investigated by prosecutors.
But people have enough reasons to question whether the city government has the power to limit the case's judicial investigation and the following punishment meted out in light of criminal law to only grassroots officials.
It is known that the city government, instead of a residential community office, is the main beneficiary in selling land, and the lower-level officials are only executors of decisions made by their superiors.
British Home Secretary Theresa May speaks to the media outside The Houses of Parliament in central London, Britain, July 7, 2016. [Photo/IC]
Former Home Secretary, Theresa May, has become the United Kingdom's 54th prime minister and its second female leader. Some people have suggested that overseas students in the UK may now face harsher restrictions. Beijing News commented on Thursday:
Known as a hardliner on immigration issues, home secretary May gave many non-EU students a hard time when they attempted to prolong their stay in the UK. She abolished not only the work visa of the country's Highly Skilled Migrant Program in 2011, but also the post-study work visa in 2012, just four years after its issuance.
Before these visa arrangements were scrapped, overseas students could stay in the UK after graduation to gain work experience for two years. May even tried to press ahead with a new set of visa policies in 2014, which would require non-EU students to leave the country after graduation. This did not work out as then Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne opposed it.
It is estimated that more than 120,000 students outside the EU choose to study in the UK each year, contributing about 10 billion pounds ($13 billion) to its economy. About 80,000 of them are Chinese.
However, the UK is expected to tighten its control over immigrants under May's watch, making it harder for Chinese students to find a job there after graduation. But the extent will depend on the country's economic well-being, as a bad economy always leads to stricter immigration policies and vice versa.
It is natural, therefore, that many have begun to worry about the fate of Chinese students in the UK, as they may face harsher restrictions now that May has become prime minister.
In fact, no immediate changes are expected in this regard.
On the one hand, the new British government will have to deal with Britain's exit from the European Union, and visa and immigration policies are unlikely to be a priority before then.
On the other hand, EU students may find the UK universities less attractive if after the Brexit they are no longer entitled to the previous privileges they enjoyed. This would hit the country hard economically, especially as the fallout from the Brexit vote could tip the country into recession.
An ambulance is seen in a traffic jam during the morning rush hour in Beijing on Monday. [Photo by Yang Yi / For China Daily]
The family members of an 80-year-old Beijing resident who required an emergency ambulance were asked to help carry the stretcher. The Beijing Times comment-ed on Thursday:
An ambulance responding to an emergency should contain at least five people: a doctor, nurse, driver and two stretch-er-bearers.
But that is very rarely the case in China.
In recent years, some Chinese cities including Kunming, Nantong and Beijing, have tried to ensure ambulance teams include full-time stretch-er-bearers. But it is difficult to find a balance between cost and income, so few people are willing to do the job.
In this instance, the ambulance had a four-person team, as there was only one stretch-er-bearer. When there aren't two stretch-er-bearers the question is who will carry the stretcher.
In China, it's mainly family members who have to fill those shoes.
Although stretcher-bearing does not require any technical knowledge, it does involve considerable responsibility, especially in older buildings with no elevators and where the staircases are narrow and steep.
Letting family members be involved in handling the stretcher means they assume shared responsibility.
Of course, this is only in an emergency, and it should not be required of elderly family members.
File photo of South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]
The basic logic of interaction between a rising power and an incumbent power is worth examining. Throughout history, rising powers have tended to benefit from limited prods and have therefore shown no willingness to reduce the momentum toward an ultimate conflict. And incumbent powers, with their strength in decline, have tended to act withdrawn or make limited concessions but, in many cases, they have eventually fought back.
Rising powers have inclined toward disregarding or making light of what Karl von Clausewitz called "culminating point of victory", incumbent powers, on the other hand, have tended to ignore or procrastinate defining "bottom lines for concession".
Such a scenario may begin to emerge over the South China Sea issue.
China has an overall strategic environment and task that are much bigger than the South China Sea issue. So it should make its best effort to deliberate on and handle the South China Sea issue in the context of its overall strategic situation. In such a situation, a matter of outstanding significance is China's foreign relations and diplomacyand no matter how multifarious and complicated the reasons are, China's relations with neighbors have been less than desirable in recent years.
Besides, China-US relations, to maintain which has cost Beijing dearly over the years, have also yielded some frustrating, disappointing aspects. The aspects have a lot to do with each other: The turbulence in China-US ties owes much to the developments on the Korean Peninsula, Japan's actions, and the South China Sea issue in particular.
Given this fact, Beijing should keep its strategic situation in mind, and proceed to make peace with neighbors, and finally persuade and compel Washington to accept China's role in Asia as well as its strategic status as a world power.
China should adhere to its strategic principle on the South China Sea issue, the principle of safeguarding its rights and maintaining regional stability. It is important for China to safeguard its rights, but it is also important for it to maintain regional stability.
Whatever happens, it is necessary to prevent drastic escalation of strategic competition and rivalry between China and the United States, and to continue improving all-round relations with Southeast Asian nations as a very significant component of Chinese diplomacy. China should also try to maintain good relations with all the maritime nations in the region.
In the South China Sea, however, Beijing needs to upgrade its military capabilities, and consolidate its sovereign presence, while taking care to avoid a major conflict with the US.
In the aftermath of the arbitral tribunal's ruling on the Philippines' appeal against China in the South China Sea dispute, the US, Japan, some European Union countries and many maritime nations in Southeast Asia will question and deny the legitimacy of China's claims of sovereignty, maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. To counter this, Beijing has to go out of its way to seek foreign governments' endorsement of its basic stance on the South China Sea issue.
China has already managed to convince a number of countries to support the proposal that the South China Sea disputes be settled through talks between the countries directly involved. But it should be prepared for a long-term struggle to fulfill its wishes in the South China Sea.
The author is a professor at the Institute of International Relations, Renmin University of China.
[2016-07-08 16:22]
Let's set ourselves in Shanxi Province in the northern part of the country and go through some of the wondrous sightseeing spots this province has to offer. We'll also look at the influences in this charming land and the people who offer a lifetime of memories.
[2016-06-30 15:13]
Recently, the Philippines called for international arbitration to resolve the conflict, which will be launched soon. However, China unequivocally declined to take part in it, labeling the event as illegitimate and against the previous agreement between China and the Philippines, which articulated the fact that disputes, including the South China Sea conflict, will be resolved through bilateral negotiation and through constructive dialogue between the two neighboring nations.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his wife, Yoo Soon-taek, learn about Suzhou Industrial Parks rapid development. [Photo by Xu Zhiqiang/subaonet.com]
Suzhou will play a more important role in global sustainable development, according to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who visited the Jiangsu city with his wife on July 10.
Zhang Lei, vice governor of Jiangsu, welcomed Ban Ki-moon in Suzhou and introduced cities in the region with more than 2,000-year histories. Zhang also talked about Jiangsu's developed economy, technology and education system.
Ban Ki-moon said that Suzhou is an industrial powerhouse of Jiangsu and is home to beautiful natural landscapes and innovative industries.
"Suzhou has set a good example in developing low-carbon economy and environmental protection, which conforms to our target of realizing sustainable development," he said. Ban also spoke highly of Suzhou's creative achievements in selecting high value-added and low-energy consumption enterprises to the city after learning about the Suzhou Industrial Park's strategy of attracting investment.
The 61-year-old man murdered in his low-income apartment in downtown Bismarck in April was a highly skilled engineer, who struggled with medical issues and alcoholism.
Greg Comes was a Western-styled guy with a stoic philosophy, said John Metzger, a friend and former colleague.
Have it all, lose it all, figure out what's next.
"We used to joke about it," Metzger said. "But in the end, it wasn't much of a joke."
Comes had a promising start to life. The oldest of three, he was president of his senior class in Belle Fourche, S.D.
He studied at the South Dakota School of Mines and later got a master's degree in geotechnical civil engineering, according to a resume provided by his family. He held numerous jobs in Colorado, Virginia, Texas and Wyoming.
In one role, he traveled the world Africa, South America managing radar systems that warned of potential rockfall in mines, Metzger said. In another, he did tunnel monitoring in South Korea for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
"He was very good with people," Metzger said. "He was a problem solver."
Greg Comes loved to ski and ride motorcycles, his sister-in-law Carolyn Comes said. He was always messing with computers and once owned an old Corvette.
He was also devout and considered becoming a priest, according to Carolyn Comes.
"He was a Christian for sure. I know he was," said Carolyn Comes, adding he was married twice, but never had kids.
Family and friends pinpoint the start of Greg Comes' troubles differently.
Carolyn Comes said he fell off a horse in the early 1990s. He passed out, and, when he woke up, he didn't know where he was. His mind was never quite as good after that.
Metzger said Greg Comes developed knee problems from working in the field and did not take care of his health. Metzger also described an odd incident in which Greg Comes said he was shot in the shoulder when he lived in Dickinson.
Carolyn Comes said she could never confirm the gunshot story.
"He often had incidents that were difficult to believe," she said.
But family agreed he struggled with drinking for some time. In 2007, Greg Comes was hospitalized for alcohol-related disease, Carolyn Comes said. He went to treatment in 2011, his sister, Marybeth Jaeger, said.
"Even in the last 10 years, he was still getting jobs as an engineer," Jaeger said. "It became worse as he got older."
Greg Comes moved to Dickinson about two years ago to work as an engineer in the oil industry, Carolyn Comes said. After he lost his job, a friend took him to the Ruth Meiers homeless shelter in Bismarck. He got on disability, because of deteriorating eyesight, and moved into the Patterson Place apartments.
"He lived in a (nearly) million-dollar house in Colorado and ended up in a Section 8 apartment," Metzger said.
Jaeger said she believed Greg Comes' life was improving when he died.
"It sounded like he was getting back on his feet as best he could," Jaeger said. "At least he was out of the homeless shelter."
Family said they think Greg Comes met Morris Pederson, who is charged with his murder, when he was homeless. They worry Greg Comes' generosity might have been his demise.
"I could see him opening his door. I could see him befriending someone and letting him in," Jaeger said.
China's Global Newspaper
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Updated: 2016-7-15 23:33
Highlights of French prosecutor's speech to the press
*The death toll remains 84, and "202 people were injured including 52 who are now in critical care". Ten children and teens were among the dead.
*Nobody has claimed responsibility, but Nice attack bears hallmark of terrorist organization.
*Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel has been confirmed as attacker. He was a chauffeur and delieveryman.
*Attacker's ex-wife has been detained.
*Attacker has violent history. He was "detained on the 23rd of March on 2016" and sentenced to six months, for a crime, and had been convicted of "voluntary violence with weapon and that was in January 2016".
*What the attacker did in the past few days:
-The truck was rented on 11 July, and was due back on the 13th.
-Inside the cabin, there were automatic fire weapons, two Kalashnikov rifles, bullets and a grenade.
-A mobile phone, a driver's licence and bank details were also found.
Updated: 2016-7-15 22:30
UN Secretary-General condemns attack in Nice
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attack in Nice, calling for intensified efforts to fight terrorism.
In a statement, he said he stands firmly by the French government and people as they confront this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
Updated: 2016-7-15 21:45
Hollande says dozens still fighting for their lives after Nice attack
French President Francois Hollande said about 50 people were still fighting for the lives after visiting victims at a hostpital in the French Riviera city.
"About 50 people are in an absolute urgency between life and death," Hollande said, adding that among the dead there were a lot of foreigners and children.
Updated: 2016-7-15 20:55
Rihanna cancels Nice concert after attack "Due to the tragic events...my concert...will not be going ahead as planned," Rihanna wrote on her Instagram page. "Our thoughts are with the victims and their families." The Nice Jazz Festival, due to start on Saturday, was also cancelled, according to an announcement on its website.
Updated: 2016-7-15 20:14
Nice truck attacker from Tunisian town of Msaken
The attacker, identified by French police sources as 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, came from the Tunisian town of Msaken which he last visited four years ago, Tunisian security sources said.
He was not known by the Tunisian authorities to hold radical or Islamist views, the sources said.
Bouhlel was married with three children, they said. The sources did not say when he had last been resident in Tunisia. Msaken is about 10 km (six miles) outside the coastal city of Sousse.
Updated: 2016-7-15 19:00
Russian student killed in attack
A female Russian student was among those killed in the truck attack in Nice, the Moscow-based Academy of Finance where she studied said on Friday.
The academy identified her as Viktoria Savchenko.
Updated: 2016-7-15 18:48
Two US citizens among the dead
Two US citizens are among those killed in the truck attack in Nice, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
Updated: 2016-7-15 18:26
Germany boosts border controls with France
Germany will boost border controls at airports as well as road and rail crossings into France, the Federal Police said on Friday.
"In coordination with the French security authorities the federal police are strengthening their control in the area of cross-border traffic into France," the police said in a statement.
Updated: 2016-7-15 16:40
French Prime Minister:"France will not allow itself to be destabilised"
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says on Friday that terrorism is a threat that is "weighing heavily on France".
He said: "The goal of terrorists is to instill fear and panic."
"But France is a great country and a great democracy that will not allow itself to be destabilised."
Updated: 2016-7-15 16:30
Nice mayor: About 10 children killed in attack
Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, has told local media in France that about 10 children were killed in the Nice attack.
Updated: 2016-7-15 16:00
More than 50 children admitted to hospital: French newspaper
According to French newspaper Nice-Matin, 54 children have been admitted to the Lenval hospital in Nice since Thursday evening.
Several children are reported to be among those killed in the attack.
Updated: 2016-7-15 15:30
European shares fall, travel stocks hit by attack in France
European stock markets fell on Friday, with the shares of travel and leisure companies dropping after the attack in the French city of Nice.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.3 percent, with France's CAC equity index down by 0.5 percent. Shares in French hotels operator Accor fell 4 percent, while shares in airlines such as Air France-KLM , easyJet and British Airways' owner International Consolidated Airlines Group also fell by between 1.6 to 3 percent.
Updated: 2016-7-15 14:15
China stands against all kinds of terrorism: President Xi
Chinese President Xi Jinping has extended his condolences to his French counterpart Francois Hollande, over the truck attack in Nice. Xi said China stands against all kinds of terrorism and wish to cooperate with France to safeguard world peace.
Updated: 2016-7-15 13:45
Death toll rises to 84 Death toll in Nice truck attack rises to 84, with 18 in critical condition, according to French interior ministry.
Updated: 2016-7-15 13:35
French CRS and judicial police work near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais killing 80 people in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
Updated: 2016-7-15 13:20
"Je Suis Nice"
The message "Je Suis Nice" or "I am Nice" is spreading on social media after the attack in Nice. It is based on " Je suis Charlie", which was cried out by Internet users after the 2015 terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo, the Paris satirical newspaper that had lampooned Islam.
Updated: 2016-7-15 13:10
Nice truck attacker was known to French police for common law crimes, but not to intelligence services:police source.
Updated: 2016-7-15 13:00
Eyewitness:I saw bodies flying like skittles
"I saw bodies flying like skittles as it drove along," said local journalist Damien Allemand on the Nice-Matin newspaper's web site. "I just froze ... The beach attendants were the first on the scene. They brought water for the wounded and towels that they placed over those for whom there was no hope."
Updated: 2016-7-15 11:20
Leaders stand for a minute of silence for the victims of a deadly attack in the French city of Nice, before the opening session of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Ulaanbaatar.
Updated: 2016-7-15 10:05
Chinese Premier slams attack in France, expresses condolence
China opposes terrorism in all its forms, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday morning in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, while attending the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit.
The premier expressed his condolence to the victims of the attack, and extended his sincere regards to the injured and the families of the victims.
Updated: 2016-7-15 09:50
Hollande: Nice was "terror attack", children killed
French President Francois Hollande says the incident in Nice was a terror attack.He also extends state of emergency for three months after the attack. Children were among those killed in Nice. France "will reinforce operations in Syria and Iraq" says Hollande.
Updated: 2016-7-15 09:28
Death toll rises to 80.
Updated: 2016-7-15 09:28
According to the local newspaper Nice Matin, the driver of Nice attack was "a 31-year-old Tunisian man from Nice. With his truck loaded with weapons and grenades, he also fired at the crowd. The driver was shot dead by the security forces".
Updated: 2016-7-15 09:15
EU's Tusk says stands with France
Europe stands united with the French people and government in the fight against violence and hatred, European Council President Donald Tusk said.
Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders described the attack as "barbaric".
Updated: 2016-7-15 09:00
Obama condemns the attack in Nice
US President Barack Obama said he condemned the deadly attack in Nice and offered any assistance France needs to investigate.
"On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians," Obama said in a statement.
Updated: 2016-7-15 08:58
Exclusive:Two Chinese tourists injured
Two tourists holding Chinese passports were injured in the incident, one of which is severely injured, according to China's General Consulate in Marseille. Both of them have been hospitalized.
Updated: 2016-7-15 08:20
No Chinese ethic are reported to be injured or dead as of now. The emergency number to call in Nice, France, is: 0493 7222 22.
Updated: 2016-7-15 08:20
Death toll rises to 77. Forty-seven are severely injured, with 16 of them in critical condition. French President Francois Hollande announces that an urgent conference on security will be held in Elysee Palace,the residence of French president, at 9:00 am (local time)on July 15, according to China Daily reporter Tuo Yannan in France.
Updated: 2016-7-15 08:10
Video from the site, according to China Daily reporter Tuo Yannan in France.
Updated: 2016-7-15 07:50
French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, left Paris on Thursday to reach the scene at Nice where a truck drove through the crowd and caused more than 70 death. He is expected on site at around 2 am, according to China Daily reporter Tuo Yannan in France.
Updated: 2016-7-15 07:40
Video from the site, according to China Daily reporter Tuo Yannan in France.
Updated: 2016-7-15 07:30
Several weapons, guns and grenades were found inside the truck that crashed into the crowd,said a local source , contacted by Le Figaro, according to China Daily reporter Tuo Yannan in France.
Updated: 2016-7-15 07:10
At least 73 dead in Nice attack, Xinhua quoted Itele TV which cited prosecutor.
Updated: 2016-7-15 06:50
A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100, local media reported early Friday.
The truck crashed into crowd over a long distance on the Promenade des Anglais, a celebrated seaside promenade, reported BFMTV.
"Dear Nice residents, the driver of a truck appears to have made dozens of deaths. Stay at the moment at your homes. More information to come," wrote on Twitter Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice.
The prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes took the incident as an attack, reported French media, adding that the driver was shot by the police.
While pressing China to obey the "ruling" over the South China Sea issued by the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday, Japan presses on with a questionable "island" claim.
"The next flash point could be a bit closer to home," Japan Times said on Wednesday, in reference to Okinotori, two rocky outcroppings measuring 9 square meters in all upon which it bases its claimed exclusive economic zone.
The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf has dismissed that the Okinotori outcroppings constitute an "island".
At a news conference on Thursday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga argued that the tiny Okinotori, which lies about 1,700 km southwest of Tokyo, is an island.
Yet Tokyo urges China to accept the ruling of the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague that China's 500,000-sq-m Taiping Island is a "rock", not an "island."
Japan has been spending large sums of money for more than two decades on buttressing Okinotori - now circled by concrete sea walls - from further erosion.
It maintains that as an "island", Okinotori can be used to map its exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea.
But in April 2012, in its recommendations on Japan's submission on the limits of its outer continental shelf, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf questioned Japan's claims based on Okinotori.
By defining the uninhabited rock as an "island", Japan illegitimately claimed an approximately 400,000 sq km exclusive economic zone, larger than the area of Japan itself.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which Japan signed in 1983, rocks that cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own may have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
Okinotori has never been inhabited, and its economic life is disputable.
To substantiate the claim to the large EEZ around Okinotori, the Japanese government reportedly set aside 13 billion yen ($123 million) early this year for rebuilding storm-damaged facilities on the rock.
Zhao Jianwen, a researcher at the Institute of International Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that fact Okinotori is just a rock cannot be changed "in any sense" by any kind of excuse.
Contact the writers at caihong@chinadaily.com.cn
Taiwan's major political parties have voiced their strong opposition to the ruling in the South China Sea arbitration and called for safeguarding China's sovereignty.
Taiwan's Kuomintang party said that the South China Sea islands are the inherent territory of China and that China has clear strategic interests there and should not give up any sovereignty.
The Kuomintang called the arbitration "deceitful and shameful", saying that the party was absolutely dissatisfied with it, and will not accept nor recognize it.
People First Party issued a statement saying that it will not accept the ruling, and it called for enhanced military preparations in the South China Sea.
New Party chairman Yok Muming said that the arbitration ruling is not legally binding. He said the two sides of the Taiwan Straits should join hands to safeguard China's inherent territory.
The Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague issued its ruling on Tuesday, despite a global chorus of objections that it has no jurisdiction.
The ruling said the South China Sea formations, including Taiping Island, which is garrisoned by Taiwan military forces, are rocks, instead of islands, which cannot demand the rights of special economic zones.
Taiping, a 0.49-square-kilometer island about 1,600 km southwest of Kaohsiung, is the largest of the Nansha Islands.
In response, Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen said on Tuesday the ruling was "completely unacceptable" and had no legally binding force.
She boarded a warship steaming for a South China Sea patrol mission on Wednesday and addressed its crew during a tour of a naval base.
Kuomintang caucus leader Lin Te-fu demanded on Wednesday that Tsai personally visit Taiping Island, pointing out that former Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou had visited the island during his term.
The International Court of Justice rushed to dispel the myth that it was involved in the South China Sea arbitration case filed by the Philippines, just as the United Nations made a similar online clarification.
The ICJ, the UN's principal organ of justice, issued a notice on its website that it is "a totally distinct institution" from the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which offered secretarial assistance to the Arbitral Tribunal that ruled on the case. The ICJ said it "has had no involvement in" that case.
It pointed out that it has posted no information about the case on its website and said that anyone seeking such information must refer to the PCA's website.
On Wednesday, the UN said on its Sina Weibo micro blog that it "has nothing to do with" the PCA, though the ICJ is located in the Peace Palace in The Hague, as is the PCA.
Foreign Ministry spokesman LuKang said on Thursday that these clarifications "show there is no legitimacy or representativeness to how the temporary tribunal was composed and operated, as well as show that its so-called ruling has no authority or credibility at all, and is totally invalid and not binding.
"It seems that this also is the reason why after this illegal ruling came out, only three or four countries wishfully claimed that it was 'legally binding'," Lu said.
Zhao Jianwen, a researcher at the Institute of International Law of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the reason the UN and the ICJ made such statements is that they "want to stay clear" of the ruling in the arbitration case, which, as Zhao said quoting Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin, might become "a notorious case".
Zhao said "All of the tribunal's expenses were paid by the Philippines, including its arbitrators' wages, and these experts' opinions are not neutral". Also, the tribunal has no substantive relation with the PCA, he added.
The only relation between them is that the PCA offered secretarial service to the tribunal and the tribunal was held in the PCA's hall, Zhao explained.
Zhao pointed out that the Arbitral Tribunal was a temporary one set up specially for proceeding the South China Sea case, and its work was "virtually done" once the ruling was issued.
wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese Navy personnel engage in an emergency rescue drill off the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea on Thursday. QI MIAO / FOR CHINA DAILY
Editor's note: Following is the full text of a statement by the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress, issued on Thursday, on the award of the Arbitral Tribunal on the South China Sea issue.
On the award of 12 July 2016 of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Republic of the Philippines, the Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress solemnly states as follows:
1. The Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China on the Award of 12 July 2016 of the Arbitral Trbunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines and the Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea have already stated China's position that the relevant award has no binding force on China. The Foreign Affairs Committee of China's National People's Congress firmly supports this position.
2. China has sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands, consisting of the Dongsha Islands, the Xisha Islands, the Zhongsha Islands and the Nansha Islands. In the South China Sea, China has internal waters, a territorial sea, a contiguous zone, an exclusive economic zone and a continental shelf, based on the South China Sea Islands. China has historic rights in the South China Sea. No country, organization or institution is entitled to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
3. The Philippines' unilateral initiation of arbitration breaches the agreement between China and the Philippines to settle the relevant disputes through negotiation, violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, goes against the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), abuses the arbitration procedures under UNCLOS, severely infringes on China's right as a sovereign state and a State Party to UNCLOS to seek means and procedures of dispute settlement of its own choice, and seriously undermines the integrity and authority of UNCLOS.
The Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration established at the unilateral request of the Republic of the Philippines has no jurisdiction over the relevant matters. Disregarding the history of and basic facts about the South China Sea, the Arbitral Tribunal misinterpreted and abused the power given by UNCLOS, and arbitrarily expanded and exceeded its jurisdiction by hearing the merits of the case. Such acts violate the general legal principles of international law and arbitration including UNCLOS. The award of the Arbitral Tribunal is thus invalid and China does not recognize the award.
Leaders stand for a minute of silence for the victims of a deadly attack in the French city of Nice, before the opening session of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Ulaanbaatar.[Photo/Agencies]
China opposes terrorism in all its forms, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday morning in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, while attending the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit.
A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100 others, local media reported early Friday.
The premier expressed his condolence to the victims of the attack, and extended his sincere regards to the injured and the families of the victims. Li is in the Mongolian capital attending the biennial meeting of the Asian and European leaders, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Late on Thursday, the premier said the refugee crisis in Europe, and the spread of terrorism in some parts of the world is wrecking havoc in both Europe and Asia.
He said China would join with the participants of the summit to ramp up cooperation between the two continents and cope with challenges together.
MANILA - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday said he was asking former President Fidel Ramos to help start talks with China over disputes in the South China Sea.
The president, during a testimonial dinner hosted by the San Beda College, reiterated that war was not an option and he wanted to pursue peaceful solutions to the maritime disputes with China like bilateral talks.
He said he would still consult Ramos about it and eventually asked him to "go to China to start the talks."
The announcement came after an arbitral tribunal in The Hague issued an award Tuesday on an arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines against China regarding their disputes in the South China Sea.
Dismissing the ruling "null and void with no binding force," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it will not accept any proposition or action based on the award.
China has pointed out that the South China Sea Islands have been its territory since ancient times.
Ramos, who was president from 1992 to 1998, acknowledged Duterte's decision, but did not say if he would accept the president's request.
Duterte earned his law degree from San Beda while Ramos is an honorary alumus of the San Beda College of Law.
Earlier in the day, Duterte was reportedly ready to start direct talks with China on the South China Sea disputes.
"(Duterte said) we'll start the bilateral talks," Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno told reporters, saying the president made the remarks during a cabinet meeting shortly after the ad hoc tribunal's award on Tuesday.
He added that the president had said the country should avoid "taunting and flaunting" the decision if it favors the Philippines.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also affirmed that the president during the cabinet meeting mentioned about talking to China.
He said it was mentioned when the cabinet was talking about the different responses and options that the Philippines might do following the award.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at 10 Downing Street, in central London July 13, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
LONDON - The junior minister who pulled out of the government leadership race to pave the way for Theresa May to become British prime minister was Thursday rewarded with a big front-bench job.
Andrea Leadsom, former minister of state at the department of energy and climate change, was named as secretary of state for environment,food and rural affairs, giving her a major job in May's Downing Street cabinet.
Leadsom pulled out of the race over the leadership of the governing Conservative Party on Monday, leaving May as the only contender, effectively throwing the keys of Number 10 to her rival.
May spent her first full day as prime minister by appointing more politicians to her front bench, at the same time firing a number of well-known politicians, including Justice Secretary Michael Gove.
Johnson has been made foreign secretary, replacing Philip Hammond who was made Chancellor of the Exchequer replacing George Osborne.
It emerged Thursday that May had effectively fired Osborne by saying that she did not want him in her front bench cabinet team.
May continued to wield the political axe, giving a number of Cameron's ministers and secretaries their marching orders, in some cases to make space in the cabinet for more female ministers. Other ministers decided to leave the government.
Gove was replaced as Justice Secretary by Liz Truss while Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was also fired and replaced by the former international development secretary Justine Greening.
Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has also left the government, but Cameron's Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, caught up in a major wrangle with junior doctors over new working conditions in the NHS, has kept his job.
Premier Li Keqiang meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit.[Photo provided to China Daily]
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday that Cambodia has upheld objective and fair stance in the so-called arbitration case of the South China Sea disputes.
Cambodia has safeguarded international justice and regional order, and the country has played an irreplaceable role in maintaining the China-ASEAN relationship, Li said.
The premier made the remarks while meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen during the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit.
China will remain committed to resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation with relevant countries, and safeguard the peace, stability and free navigation of the South China Sea region, Li said.
Hun Sen said that Cambodia will continue to uphold justice and objective stance, and support relevant countries resolve disputes through dialogue.
Cambodia would like to make joint efforts with relevant parties to maintain the friendly and cooperative relationship between China and ASEAN countries, he said.
During the meeting, Li also said that China would like to push forward cooperation with Cambodia in areas including trade, investment, infrastructure, and tourism.
Morris Pederson, 55, pleaded not guilty Friday to murdering Greg Comes, a man he allegedly said was "like a grandfather to him," more than three months ago in an apartment at Patterson Place in Bismarck.
South Central District David Reich scheduled a jury trial for Dec. 12-23.
At the hearing, Detective Jeremy Seeklander testified that the property manager at Patterson Place called 911 to report the 61-year-old resident was dead, lying in blood on the living room floor of his eighth-floor apartment. The Patterson Place, 420 E. Main Ave., is a 117-unit apartment building for low-income and disabled adults.
Prior to Pederson's preliminary hearing, it wasn't clear how Comes died. An autopsy showed Comes died from several stab wounds to the neck and chest, Seeklander said.
Officers found three knives out on the kitchen counter in Comes' apartment. They had remnants of blood on them, but appeared to have been wiped off or cleaned.
There was just spots of blood on the knives, Seeklander said.
One of the knives had a fingerprint on it and was sent to the North Dakota Crime Laboratory, but no results have come back.
In addition to the call from the property manager, police also heard from the Burleigh County Sheriff's Department on April 5.
A deputy with the Burleigh County Sheriff's Department told police Pederson came to the Burleigh County Courthouse where the Sheriff's Department is located seeking help. Pederson told the deputy he had been at Comes' apartment and that Comes was dead.
The deputy told Pederson to go back to the Patterson and wait for law enforcement. He did, and once officers arrived he was detained and brought to the police department for questioning.
Seeklander and another officer interviewed Pederson, who said he had met Comes at the Ruth Meiers Hospitality House in Bismarck. Pederson said that they were friends and, at one point, referred to Comes as being like a grandfather to him."
Surveillance footage obtained by police show Pederson and Comes walking into the Patterson around 11 a.m. the day before Comes' body was found. Later that afternoon, Pederson is seen leaving the apartment building.
During cross-examination, Pederson's public defender Travis Finck asked Seeklander whether residents of the Patterson saw anyone else go into Comes' apartment around the time he was murdered.
Residents said there might have been other people coming in and out of the apartment. Seeklander also conceded that multiple types of cigarettes were found in the apartment.
Courthouse surveillance video shows Pederson wearing a white, long-sleeved button-up shirt with a blood stain on the back of it.
When officers detained Pederson at the Patterson, he wasn't wearing the button-up, Seeklander said. Officers later found the shirt folded up and hidden underneath a decorative plant in the Patterson Place, and it was sent to the state lab for analysis. Preliminary lab results confirmed the blood is human, but DNA results are still pending.
Pederson is charged with felony murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole.
Prosecutor Julie Lawyer said she hopes any evidence sent to the state lab will be expedited now that a trial has been scheduled.
Yongxing Island is home to the government of Sansha, China's southernmost city. [Photo/Xinhua]
Russian and Cambodian leaders voiced support for China on the South China Sea issue during a summit on Friday, and Beijing said it was willing to hold talks with an envoy of the Philippine government.
Moscow respects Beijing's stance on the South China Sea, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said while meeting with Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. The countries involved should resolve disputes through bilateral negotiations, Medvedev added.
Russia opposes interference by other countries in South China Sea disputes, and the issue should not be internationalized, he said.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told Li that Cambodia will continue to support dialogue as a means for countries to resolve such disputes.
Cambodia would like to work jointly with relevant parties to maintain a friendly and cooperative relationship between China and the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he said.
Li said China will remain committed to resolving disputes through negotiations and consultations and to safeguarding peace, stability and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Friday that China welcomes the Philippine president's reported decision to send an envoy to Beijing for talks on the South China Sea issue.
"China has never closed the door on dialogue and negotiation with the Philippines," Lu said during a regular news conference.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reportedly said on Thursday that he would send former president Fidel Ramos to China. Ramos maintained close ties with China during his term as president from 1992 to 1998.
"War ... is not an option. So what is the other side? Peaceful talks," Duterte said at a college alumni meeting that was also attended by Ramos, Agence France-Presse reported.
Contact the writers at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
One of the injured victims leaves the hospital in Nice, France after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing 84 who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in the French resort town on July 15, 2016. [Photo by Angus McNeice/China Daily]
Walking along the Rue de France, which runs parallel to the chic Promenade des Anglais, it seems to be business as usual - people sitting under canopies at bars and brasseries on the side of the road - tourists and dog walkers strolling past shops, enjoying the summer sun.
But the dozens of people filing down the Rue Cronstadt, toward the sea, tell another story.
They are heading to lay flowers at the site of France's latest terror atrocity.
A total of 84 men, women and children were killed when a 31-year-old Tunisian-born man drove a rented 19-tonne truck for over a mile through crowds who had gathered on the coastal road in central Nice to watch the annual firework display marking Bastille Day, France's national celebration of Liberte, Egalite and Fraternite (Freedom, equality and brotherhood) last night.
Another 202 were injured, 50 of them critically, as the driver, named as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, exchanged gunfire with police before he was shot dead at the wheel.
Police found two automatic pistols, two Kalashnikov assault rifles, two US-made M16s, ammunition and a grenade, as well as a mobile phone and identity papers.
French President Francois Hollande immediately summoned 3,000 army reservists to join the 7,000 police, paramilitaries and soldiers who have been protecting France since last November's gun and suicide bomber attacks killed 180 people and wounded over 360 in the Paris region. He also extended the state of emergency by three months, making it nine months in all.
Prime minister Manuel Valls said in a statement before flying to Nice with Hollande: "Terrorism is a threat that is weighing heavily on France."
"We're faced with a war that terrorism has brought us. Times have changed, and we should learn to live with terrorism."
Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said the driver's ex-wife, also 31, had been detained and was being questioned. He did not name her.
A woman places a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
In Nice, most people trying to lay flowers were told to stop by a policeman at the flimsy checked tape at the end of the road, though some were allowed to pass on to the Promenade to lay down their offerings.
"We came here to show that we care," Theresa, a tourist visiting from Switzerland in town with her daughter, said. "We arrived the day before it happened. It's terrible."
Guests with ocean front rooms at La Negresco hotel had explicit views of the attack and its aftermath.
"There were about 30 people on the street I could see from my balcony that looked deceased, there was blood everywhere," said an Australian visitor at the hotel who requested anonymity. "The ambulances were having trouble getting to them."
Following the attack, taxi drivers offered free service to those that needed to get home or to the hospital.
"I wasn't working but my son was," taxi driver Jaime Calaharro, 63, said. "He worked until 4 a.m. taking people to the hospital. One family needed help - a woman and a man and a child - but they couldn't leave because they couldn't find their other child."
Friends and family, their eyes red from a night of crying, huddled on concrete benches outside the Hopital Pasteur, one of Nice's two main hospital where scores of injured were transported.
"Nice is a bubble - it's a nice town, nothing happens here," Christian Paoli, 45, a taxi driver from Corsica, said. "Tourism is important for the town. I don't know what's going to happen - it's action then reaction - I don't know what for the economy."
"I think people are fed up, I've heard people saying 'OK, we will cry another time, we will put flowers and candles another time, but what? We must act.' They want the government to make a decision, to not comment any more but to do something, but what can we do against ideology? The problem is ideology."
"An extreme brings another extreme - that is the risk."
Officials said the dead included 10 children, and amongst the casualties were a number of foreign nationals. Two Chinese nationals are being treated in hospital.
Diego Arribas from Barcelona in Spain said he had a friend who was being treated in hospital.
"We saw the truck coming, but we couldn't get out of the way my friend was hit and we saw a small kid go under the truck. We picked up him, and another, and my friend."
"We didn't know where to go that was safe. Everyone was screaming. It was a madhouse," he told China Daily.
Zhun Jun, a Chinese tour guide in Nice, told China Daily he was looking after six Chinese customers from Henan Province, who elected to continue their visit to France and not head back to China yet.
Zhu, who has worked in Nice for several years, said the number of Chinese visitors to the area had dropped in the past 12 months because of security concerns.
To contact the reporter: angus@mail.chinadailyuk.com
Turkish military block access to the Bosphorus bridge, which links the city's European and Asian sides, in Istanbul, Turkey, July 15, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
Turkish military says it has taken power in the country, with reports of gunfire and television footage of tanks at the airport and key bridges over the Bosphorous, BBC reported.
Turkish prime minister dismisses talk of a coup and describes it as "unauthorised" actions by a section of the military. Airlines report all flights in and out of Turkey, a member of NATO, have been suspended.
Some senior military figures taken hostage in Ankara in what it describes as a rapidly changing situation, according to BBC and Sky news.
A woman cries and asks for her son as she walks near the scene of the attack on Friday. [Photo/Agencies]
Nation 'at war', French PM says following attack in Nice
European governments moved to tighten security on Friday in the wake of a truck terror attack the night before in the southern French city of Nice that killed at least 84 people and critically injured 50.
Security officials warned of the possibility of a second "lone wolf attack".
Men, women and children were in the crowd when a white, 20-ton panel truck zigzagged through the crowd at high speed on the Promenade des Anglais as they watched a fireworks display celebrating Bastille Day, which is France's National Day.
Police shot and killed the driver.
French President Francois Hollande immediately labeled the incident a terror attack.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls told reporters: "We are at war." Three days of national mourning were declared by the government.
The driver was identified as a 31-year-old French-Tunisian. The BBC said his name was Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel and that he was a Nice resident. There were unconfirmed reports that two other suspects were at large.
Police in Nice said the driver, who was known for petty criminal offences, had started his journey in the mountains behind Nice.
Guns and a grenade were found in the vehicle. Eyewitnesses said the driver pulled out a handgun and was exchanging gunfire with police before he was killed.
Germany immediately tightened security along its borders with France. Both countries are part of the Schengen Area, which constitutes European countries that have agreed to abolish passport and customs controls among one another.
Premier Li Keqiang told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday that Japan should "be cautious in words and actions" and should not "hype and interfere in the South China Sea issue".
The meeting took place at Japan's request on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit, which is being held on Friday and Saturday in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital.
Observers noted that Li made the comments after Tokyo publicly pressed Beijing to accept Tuesday's ruling in an arbitration case on the South China Sea dispute that was unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
Li told Abe that the two sides should properly manage and control differences, and he said Japan is not a country directly involved in the South China Sea dispute, according to a news release by the Chinese side after the meeting.
Abe said that although difficulties still cloud China-Japan ties, Tokyo hopes to reinforce exchanges and cooperation and properly manage differences, the release said.
Li said China's stance on the South China Sea conforms with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
The declaration, signed in 2002 by China and all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, calls for peaceful resolution of disputes through consultation and negotiation.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Friday that Japan "has reacted with greater excitement" to the arbitration case than other countries in the region.
Tokyo knows clearly its "inglorious past in the South China Sea", Lu said, referring to World War II, when Japan illegally seized China's islands and reefs there.
Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said Tokyo has stirred the South China Sea issue as it seeks alignment with ASEAN member states to antagonize China and boost its military presence in the South China Sea.
Yang Bojiang, deputy director of the Institute of Japan Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said one of the problems threatening the long-term development of Sino-Japanese ties is Japan's involvement in the South China Sea issue.
"If Japan's interfering actions cross China's bottom line, the country will certainly take powerful countermeasures," Yang said.
Contact the writers at zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn
Premier Li Keqiang waves to Chinese and foreign journalists while walking by the national flags of the member states on the red carpet at the welcome ceremony of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in Ulaanbaatar on July 15, 2016. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit opened in Ulaanbaatar on Friday morning.
Under the theme of "20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity", the biennial meeting brings together high-level delegations from 51 ASEM partners - 30 European and 21 Asian countries, and two intergovernmental organizations.
Premier Li Keqiang is scheduled to address the First Plenary Session of the summit on Friday morning.
Li is expected to elaborate China's proposition on ASEM's future development, Asia-Europe cooperation, as well as major international and regional issues, according to Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou.
Attending the summit are presidents of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Myanmar, South Korea, and Switzerland; and vice-presidents of India and Indonesia.
China and another 22 countries are attending the summit on a head-of-government level, whereas the remaining 16 country attendees are foreign ministers, according to a press release.
"The people and the state of Mongolia have placed paramount importance on the ASEM Summit, which is currently under the global spotlight," said Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of the Mongolia, the host country.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of ASEM.
From enhancing the strategic synergy of development plans, to launching farm produce processing and house building projects, Premier Li Keqiang's two-day visit to China's northern neighbor has pushed forward pragmatic cooperation between Beijing and Ulaanbaatar.
Mongolia is the host of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit, scheduled for Friday and Sunday in Ulaanbaatar.
Li said the refugee crisis in Europe, and the spread of terrorism in some parts of the world, is wreaking havoc in Europe and Asia.
Li and his counterpart, Jargaltulga Erdenebat, agreed to "speed up the dovetailing of China's Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Steppe Road Program", and carry out cooperation in key areas.
China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, which is aimed at promoting policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade and financial integration as well as cultural exchanges in Asia, Africa and Europe.
The Steppe Road plan is an infrastructure construction proposal aimed at boosting the Mongolian economy through trans-border transportation.
Li proposed a joint feasibility study for a free-trade area be done as early as possible. Erdenebat said Mongolia welcomes Chinese investors, and adopted a positive attitude toward the FTA proposal.
Erdenebat, who was appointed Mongolia's new prime minister recently, said the new government is committed to maintaining the traditional friendship between the countries.
During their meeting on Thursday morning, Li said the countries could make breakthroughs in projects such as the processing of farm and pasture products, infrastructure and building residential houses for Mongolians.
"This will give full display to Mongolia's advantage in animal husbandry, and also satisfy the rising demands for meat and related products in China," Li said.
He added that housing projects will improve the living conditions of Mongolians, while facilitating Chinese building suppliers.
Li also suggested the two sides strengthen financial cooperation and expand currency-swaps, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.
The premiers witnessed the signing of 15 agreements in areas including trade, technology, infrastructure, and TV and broadcast services. The total value of the deals was not immediately available.
Guards of honor dressed in traditional costumes and two dozen cavalry troops were part of a ceremony Erdenebat led at Chinggis Khaan Square to welcome Li before their formal meeting.
Li also met with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Chairman of the State Great Hural Miyegombo Enkhbold.
China would join Mongolia and other participants to ramp up cooperation between Asia and Europe to cope with the challenges together, Li told Elbegdorj.
"China and Mongolia have signed many documents, but the implementation should be speeded up. Agreements signed today show the two countries have entered a period of pragmatic cooperation, which is very exciting to me," said Gao Shumao, former Chinese ambassador to Mongolia.
Gao said the agreements signed on Thursday will boost cooperation in the mining sector and the cooperation is expected to create a free-trade zone, which will benefit social and economic development in Mongolia.
Contact the writers at zhaohuanxin@chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang addresses the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in Ulaanbaatar on July 15, 2016. [Photo/provided to China Daily]
At the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, on Friday morning, Premier Li Keqiang said this year marks the 20th anniversary of ASEM, and all parties should uphold the meetings consensus of mutual respect and friendly consultation, explore new ways to promote comprehensive cooperation of Asia and Europe, and enhance the scope of cooperation.
In this regard, he put forward three suggestions: innovate ideas, accumulate momentum and lay a humanistic foundation for Asia and Europe cooperation.
Colleagues who knew Charles Chuck Fleming say he was full of energy in the political sphere and a compassionate individual who worked hard for others.
With a resume of Democratic-NPL Party lawmaker, campaign manager and chief of staff for former Gov. George A. Sinner, farmer and businessman, he was an active North Dakotan.
Fleming died Wednesday in Bismarck. He was 70.
Public service was his calling, and he was never shy to take on the big ideas. He was true to his beliefs, loved a healthy debate and was always looking forward to the next challenge. Throughout his work, he had the best interest of North Dakota at heart, Arliss Fleming, his wife, said in emailed comments to the Tribune. He believed that the people of North Dakota were what made it so great. As a family, we will miss his contagious and fun loving spirit, positive outlook and zest for life.
Fleming served in the North Dakota Legislature from 1970-80, and was caucus chair for the House Democrats in the 1977 and 1979 sessions.
After working as campaign manager for Sinners 1984 gubernatorial campaign, he became Sinners chief of staff through 1992.
Charles was a very energetic person who was always thinking ahead, said Lloyd Omdahl, a political scientist, columnist and former lieutenant governor. He was a really good administrator.
Bruce Hagen, who was a North Dakota Public Service Commissioner from 1961 to 2000, said coordination within the governors office was strong under Fleming's guidance in the Sinner administration.
He was really committed to having a good solid Dem-NPL government that worked for the people of North Dakota, Hagen said.
Flemings health became a concern during the first day of the partys state convention in Bismarck this past spring. Hagen said Fleming wasnt feeling well and went to the hospital, and was eventually diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
North Dakota Dem-NPL Party chairwoman Kylie Oversen praised Flemings decades of work.
Chuck was an institution within the Democratic-NPL, she said. He cared deeply for the party and for the people of the state. He was actively involved through his final days. His knowledge, passion and his presence will be missed.
Omdahl said Fleming was a great organizer, both within and outside the political realm.
He would unabashedly get into causes and see them through to completion, Omdahl said.
Gov. Jack Dalrymples decision to call a special legislative session to deal with the budget shortfall makes sense. The governor and Republican leadership also are right in asking for a session focused on the shortfall.
Theres plenty to debate when dealing with the shortfall. Even with Dalrymple saying human services and K-12 funding are off the table when it comes to cuts, not everyone will agree on what and how much should be trimmed. The governor said he expects there will be short-term budget adjustments and some contingency funds tapped to make sure the budget is balanced on June 30, 2017.
In some ways the special session will be setting the stage for the 2017 legislative session that begins in January. After completing their work in August, lawmakers will have a better idea of the challenges theyll face in 2017. It doesnt look like it will be easy during either session.
An updated budget revenue forecast released Wednesday predicts a general fund shortfall for the biennium just short of $310 million. General fund revenues for 2015-17 are estimated at $4.25 billion. The governor already has taken two steps to address the shortfall. In February, Dalrymple ordered a 4.05 percent across-the-board budget cut to agencies that use general fund dollars. About $497.6 million from the Budget Stabilization Fund's $572 million balance was approved for future use at that time, along with ending balance dollars from the previous biennium. Then in May, Dalrymple ordered state agencies to create 2017-19 budgets at 90 percent levels of ongoing spending approved for the current biennium.
The continued drop in revenue, in large part due to declining sales tax collections, much of it related slumping energy production, made it apparent a special session is needed.
Lawmakers need to look at ways to minimize the pain by spreading out the reductions. Human services took a big hit in February and the governor wants to exempt them at the special session. However, legislators should revisit the February cuts to see what, if anything, can be restored.
The Bank of North Dakota no doubt will provide some help. The bank has enjoyed record profits for 12 straight years, posting profits of $130.7 million in 2015. Bank of North Dakota President Eric Hardmeyer said hes unsure how much capital the bank might be asked to provide.
Its difficult to take the politics out of a legislative session, but the three days in August need to be as smooth as possible. Many North Dakotans are nervous about the fiscal situation. No one knows when oil prices will rebound and an uncertain harvest combined with low commodity prices add to the concern.
So along with coming up with a budget plan, lawmakers need to provide some assurance to North Dakotans that the state has set a course for success.
I have many qualms about Barack Obamas presidency. I worry that he exhausted too much political capital too soon on Obamacare. That he overcorrected for his predecessors foreign debacle. That he wore his disdain for Congress too conspicuously.
But I cry foul at the complaint that he has significantly aggravated racial animosity and widened the racial divide in this country. Its a simplistic read of whats happening, and it lays too much blame on the doorstep of a man who has sought imperfectly on some occasions, expertly on others to speak for all Americans.
That complaint trailed him to Dallas, where he appeared on Tuesday at a memorial for the five police officers killed by a sniper last week. He was there not just to eulogize them which he did, magnificently but to try to steady a nation reeling from their deaths and the ones just beforehand of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota.
He painted a profoundly admiring portrait of cops, asking their detractors to consider how it feels to be unfairly maligned by hyperbolic cries of pervasive police misconduct. Then he painted a profoundly sympathetic portrait of protesters, explaining why so many African-Americans feel unfairly targeted.
Can we find the character, as Americans, to open our hearts to each other? he said. He may not have phrased the question that way before, but to my ears, its what hes been asking all along.
His sternest critics have decided to hear something different, homing in on his references to racial disparities in criminal justice to charge that he has brought the country to a boil.
In the last few days alone, he has been accused of abetting a fundamental misreading of American society as irremediably racist; of consistently choosing to see things through the eyes of an aggrieved black activist"; and of being possibly the worst president in U.S. history specifically because he set back American race relations by 50 years.
Its true that Obama has sometimes spoken of discrimination before all the facts of a given killing were known. But those remarks touched on wider realities and were usually important acknowledgments of the fury that many Americans were feeling.
Besides which, he hasnt discussed only discrimination. In Warsaw, Poland, last week, when he expressed concern about the deaths of Sterling and Castile, he repeatedly mentioned the fine work of most police officers and the need to keep them safe.
When people say black lives matter, that doesnt mean blue lives dont matter, he said, and this was before the Dallas carnage. His critics edit that out.
They point to data like a Gallup poll from three months ago in which 35 percent of Americans said that they worried a great deal about race relations. That number had doubled over the prior two years, a period coinciding with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. It was also the highest number since Gallup first began asking this question 15 years ago.
But it may well reflect alarm about how we navigate an overdue conversation rather than a belief that the conversation lacks merit. Its surely the outgrowth of technological advances. Ask yourself: Are these protests the consequence of Obamas words or of smartphone images and their documentation of events never glimpsed so intimately and immediately before? Theres no contest.
Its also possible that the election of the first black president gave some wishful Americans hope of suddenly perfect racial harmony and that the current bitterness grew in the gap between expectations and reality. Thats not Obamas fault.
If he were an aggrieved black activist, he wouldnt have been able to shrug off Joe Bidens 2007 comment that he was the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and then make Biden his vice president and friend.
If he were an aggrieved black activist, he wouldnt have used his graduation speech at Howard University in May to caution its black students not to ignore enormous racial progress and to assure them that if they could choose a time to be young, gifted and black in America, youd choose right now.
If he were an aggrieved black activist, he wouldnt have pulled off what he did in Dallas on Tuesday, a nuanced balancing act in an era without much nuance or balance.
Just before his speech, Michelle Obama bent toward and reached out to the person seated to her right. That tender image of her hand on George W. Bushs is one Ill hold on to, and its a fitting retort to the nonsense that Obama is sowing hate.
(Photo : Getty Images) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is on a diplomatic visit to Mongolia, where he will also be attending the 11th Asia-Europe Summit.
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Mongolia's capital city Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday to start his diplomatic visit to the land locked country, where he will also be attending the 11th Asia-Europe Summit later this week.
Premier Li was greeted with a traditional Mongolian ritual at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport. Li was received with hada, a silk scarf and tasted dried milk upon his arrival, according to China Daily.
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Li is set to meet with Mongolia's top leadership including the newly appointed Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat. He would also hold discussions with President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and the speaker of the Mongolian parliament, Miyegombo Enkhbold.
"The bilateral relationship has entered a stellar period, and I hope my visit will deepen cooperation in various fields and bring closer the bonds between our two countries," Li said in an article that was published in Mongolian local newspapers on Wednesday.
The Chinese Premier added that people-to-people contact and cultural exchange programs would bring two countries further closer. Li claimed that nearly 1 million Mongolian citizens visited China last year.
Speaking on economic cooperation, LI said China and Mongolia have agreed to create strategic synergy between China's One Belt One Road initiative and Mongolia's Steppe Road Program. Just like China's One Belt Road, the Steppe Road Program is aimed at boosting Mongolia's economy through cross-border connection.
Li is accompanied by China's Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu, Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng and Zhang Yong, who are expected to hold high-level talks on agriculture, husbandry cooperation, and other important trade issues.
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TagsChinese Premier, Li Keqiang, china, Mongolia
(Photo : VCG/VCG via Getty Images) The technicians install self-developed prototype aeroplane to be shown at 2014 China International Industry Fair on Nov. 3, 2014 in Shanghai, China. .
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China has employed the services of a high-tech space tracking ship as part of the nation's efforts to boost its space exploration program.
According to the China Satellite Maritime Tracking and Control Department, the vessel has been tapped specifically to provide support to the Shenzhou XI manned mission, China Daily reported.
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The 220-meter-long, 40-meter-high Yuanwang 7 has a displacement of 30,000 metric tons, is capable of resisting strong typhoons, and can operate for at least 100 days at sea, the department said in a statement.
The proposal to build the ship was approved by the State Council in September 2012. Its construction by Jiangnan Co. started in October 2014.
China's space tracking ship is considered the most technologically advanced seacraft the nation has built primarily for the purpose of tracking and controlling spacecraft.
The department noted that the ship will extensively boost the country's space exploration capabilities.
To recall, China assembled its first tracking ship, the Yuanwang 1, in the late 1970s.
This made China the fourth nation in the world - after the United States, the former Soviet Union and France - to operate such a vessel.
To date, the Yuanwang fleet has completed around 100 expeditions, travelling millions of kilometers across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
So far, China is operating four space tracking ship, which include the Yuanwang 3, Yuanwang 5, Yuanwang 6, and now the latest one, the Yuanwang 7.
The Yuanwang 7 will form part of the Tiangong II space laboratory mission and the Shenzhou XI manned mission that are set to be launched this coming fall.
Meanwhile, the Tiangong II will be launched in mid-September, while the Shenzhou XI, with two male astronauts, will dock at the space lab one month later.
The Shenzhou was the nation's last manned mission, as it transported in June 2013 three astronauts to the Tiangong I space laboratory.
China's latest space tracking ship is expected to significantly contribute to the country's space exploration program.
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Tagschina, China Space Tracking Ship, China Satellite Maritime Tracking and Control Department
(Photo : Getty Images) Missile destroyer Guangzhou launches an air-defense missile during a military exercise in the water area near south China's Hainan Island and Xisha islands, July 8, 2016
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Naval commanders from the U.S. and China will meet for discussions amid growing tensions between both countries over China's claims in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday.
The U.S. Navy's top admiral, John Richardson, will travel to Beijing and the coastal city of Qingdao during a three-day visit starting Sunday to sit down with his Chinese counterpart Wu Shengli, according to Agence France-Presse.
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The meeting comes in the wake of China's rejection of the international tribunal ruling, which ruled against China and invalidated its claims in the maritime region. In response, Beijing has threatened to respond decisively to any "provocative action" in the waterway.
Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said on Wednesday that Beijing would declare the disputed territory an air defense identification zone should it feel threatened.
The United States has continued its military presence in the South China Sea and has also been carrying out "freedom of navigation" patrols in the territory over the past year, sending vessels within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands built by China in the maritime region as a show of its disapproval of Beijing's territorial claims.
Beijing has laid claims on about 90 percent of the South China Sea, incensing its South Asian neighbors including Vietnam, Malaysia and Philippines, which are allies of the United States.
In spite of the mounting tensions between China and the U.S., sailors from both countries have maintained navy-to-navy relations in order to reduce the risk of any misinterpretations.
China has also been invited to join U.S. in this year's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercises taking place in the waters between Hawaii and California.
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TagsUS, china, naval commanders, South China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, South China Sea claims, RIMPAC
(Photo : Getty Images.) Chinese economy grew at 6.7 percent in second quarter of this year, narrowly beating the target of 6.6 percent set by most analysts.
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The Chinese economy grew by 6.7 percent in the second quarter of the current financial year, according to data released by National Bureau of Statistics. The growth rate narrowly beats the expectations set by most analysts, who had pegged the growth rate at 6.6 percent.
The growth rate of 6.7 percent is well in line with the government's growth target of between 6.5 percent and 7 percent for the full year.
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The series of stimulus packages announced by the government and increased consumer spending have spurred the Chinese economy, according to Bloomberg. However, analysts now feel that the Chinese government may not announce any further stimulus packages.
Friday's data also showed that many other important economic indicators beat expectations of most analysts. Retail sales grew at 10.6 percent, as against 9.9 percent forecasted by most analysts. Industrial production jumped 6.2 percent, beating the forecasted estimate of 5.9 percent. However, Fixed-asset investment managed to grow by only 9 percent, as against the expected 9.4 percent.
Earlier this week, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang expressed assurance that overall condition in the Chinese economy is "basically stable." This made many economists believe that GDP figure would be much better than expected.
Despite Friday's GDP figures, most economists claim that economic recovery in world's second largest economy is still very far away.
Bloomberg quoted National Bureau of Statistics spokesman saying that economic environment remains "complex and grim." China's current economic crisis has been described by many economists as the worst crisis that the country has experienced in over two decades.
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TagsChinese Economy, china growth rate, China GDP, China GDP Projections
(Photo : Getty Images) Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull shakes hand with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Beijing has lashed out at Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop after she issued a statement urging China to accept the Hague court ruling and announcing that Australia would continue its patrols in the South China Sea
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China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday warned Australia that Beijing would sever bilateral relations with Canberra if it continues to conduct freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea.
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Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop released a statement calling on China to respect the Hague court ruling and announcing that Canberra would continue its freedom of navigation patrols.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Beijing was "shocked" by Bishop's statements on Wednesday. He noted that Australia was not a party to the case and should not, in any way, intervene in the dispute.
Irresponsible statements
Lu slammed Bishop for her "irresponsible statements," after she said that the arbitral court ruling was final and legally binding on China.
"Ms. Bishop's assertions are completely wrong. Australia should not treat the illegal ruling from an illegal arbitration court as international law," Lu pointed out.
Lu warned Bishop that if Australian forces continue to conduct aerial and naval patrols in the South China Sea, it would seriously damage bilateral relations between the two countries.
"Australia is not a party to the South China Sea issue,' Lu emphasized.
Diplomatic protest
Lu said Beijing has already lodged a diplomatic protest with the Australian Embassy for the "wrongful statements" issued by its leaders about the recent ruling on the South China Sea.
"We are firmly against this," he said.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) handed down its ruling on Tuesday on a territorial case in the South China Sea filed by the Philippines against China in 2013.
The arbitral court ruled that China has no legal basis for its expansive claims in the disputed waters. The court added that China's nine-dash line violates the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Philippines' rights to explore its exclusive economic zone.
Third party
Lu said Beijing was expecting Australia not to take any position in the case being a third party in the dispute.
"We hope Australia should firmly abide by the promise not to hold a position when there is a territorial dispute," he said.
Earlier, Beijing said its military was fully prepared to protect its security interests in the South China Sea region and defend its sovereignty.
Chinese military officials said Beijing could declare an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the disputed waters to protect its interests.
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TagsChina-Australia bilateral relations, Hague court ruling, Freedom of Navigation, naval patrols, South China Sea, Philippines, china
(Photo : US Army) GMD interceptor in Alaska.
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The U.S. Army's troubled Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) missile system assailed by U.S. federal auditors in 2014 as a system that doesn't work and probably never will has again been attacked as next to useless in protecting the continental United States against ballistic missile attacks from North Korea, Russia and China.
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GMD is the United States' anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system that intercepts attacking warheads in space during the midcourse phase of ballistic trajectory flight. GMD's missile is a ground-based interceptor with an Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) that destroys an incoming warhead by ramming it, a tactic called "hit-to-kill."
GMD is administered by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) but operational control and execution is ceded to the U.S. Army. There are 26 interceptor GMD ABMs currently deployed at military bases in Alaska and California.
The federal government has asked funding to produce 14 more interceptors. MDA has described the GMD as the U.S.' only ground-based defense against limited ICBM attacks.
A new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a nonprofit science advocacy organization based in Massachusetts, claims GMD has failed to destroy its targets two-thirds of the time in tests conducted since 2004.
"After nearly 15 years of effort to build the GMD homeland missile defense system, it still has no demonstrated real-world capability to defend the United States," said Laura Grego, a UCS physicist who co-authored the report.
The report noted that deficiencies in the GMD program are due mainly to a Bush administration decision to exempt GMD from normal oversight and accountability so as to rush the system into service by 2004, said Grego.
"Instead of getting something out to the field that worked well or worked adequately, in fact this has been a disaster. It's done the opposite," she said.
The scathing UCS report is almost similar in tone and findings to a 2014 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) stating that GMD might not be operational any time soon because "its development was flawed."
GAO also pointed out the GMD missile is "capable of intercepting a simple threat in a limited way."
The ineffectiveness of GMD is telling. As of June 2014, 9 of the 17 hit-to-kill intercept tests succeeded, giving the system a success rate of just 53%. Worse, the flight intercept tests from 2010 to 2013 were all failures.
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TagsGround-based Midcourse Defense, GMD, U.S. Army, Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Union of Concerned Scientists
(Photo : Getty Images) Pope Francis
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Pope Francis has begun a concerted effort to mend the Vatican's ties with China as a prelude to restoring diplomatic relations severed in 1951 after the communist takeover of China.
As a gesture of goodwill, Pope Francis is believed to be seriously considering pardoning the eight "Catholic" bishops appointed by the Communist Party of China to lead the party's "official version" of the Catholic Church called the "Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association."
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There are some 10 million Catholics in China split between communist Catholics and real Roman Catholics that owe allegiance to Rome and who are derided as the "underground Church" by the communists. Rome has never recognized the eight communist bishops as true bishops of the Catholic Church.
"The aim of the contacts between the Holy See and Chinese representatives is not primarily that of establishing diplomatic relations, but that of facilitating the life of the Church and contributing to making relations in ecclesial life normal and serene," said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.
On the other hand, China is willing, "on the basis of the relevant principles, to continue having constructive dialogue with the Vatican side, to meet each other halfway and jointly promote the continued forward development of the process of improving bilateral ties," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.
The ministry hopes "the Vatican can likewise take a flexible and pragmatic attitude and create beneficial conditions for improving bilateral relations."
Observers noted that a Vatican pardon for the eight communist bishops will advance the brewing detente between the Vatican and Beijing.
While full diplomatic relation between both states isn't being contemplated at this time, this aim is the end game desired by the Church. A restoration of diplomatic ties will allow the Catholic Church to establish a regular presence in China free of persecution, which is its greatest prize.
Some of China's communist leaders, however, fear allowing the Catholic Church to return will give it a powerful foothold on the mainland and challenge the Communist Party's absolute authority.
Spokespeople for both sides affirmed that talks are continuing but refused to provide details.
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TagsPope Francis, Roman Catholics, china, Vatican
(Photo : Reuters) A farmer carrying fertilizer walks on a farmland in the outskirts of Anshun, Guizhou province.
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A Beijing-based tech startup called Gago is currently addressing some of China's agricultural problems with the power of technology.
Gago founder and chief executive officer Zhang Gong told Tech Node that "Compared with the U.S., China's farm fields are more scattered in nature. For example, the total land for each farmer in the U.S. is around hundreds or thousands of acres, it's large but it's relatively easy to manage because it's usually one piece of big land."
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Zhang said it is not the same in China because the country is divided into hundreds of blocks. Zhang said that its first step is to define the boundaries of each of these blocks and evaluate the metrics of each zone.
The company has created a new intelligent agricultural solution called Wonderland. It is a cloud-based platform which can be used by farming companies. It has the power to monitor agronomic data in real time and create intelligent and logical decisions.
Gago has a self-developed algorithm which can be used to create customized farm management solutions for different types of fields. The platform created by the company can give farmers logical advice about pest control and disease forecasts for certain types of crops. It can also create plans for irrigations, farming machines, and intercropping schemes.
Zhang Gong is an ex-NASA scientist and founded Gago along with his fellow researcher Gu Zhu in 2015. Right now, the main focus of the company is in China, but it is still planning to implement successful models in other countries that have the same agricultural situation as China.
Interested groups can visit the company's website for more information.
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Tagschina, agriculture, Gago, startup, tech startup, China agriculture
(Photo : US Navy) Adm. John Richrdson and Adm. Wu Shengli
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The U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral John Richardson will visit China from July 17 to 20 to meet with Admiral Wu Shengli, commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
It will be the first person-to-person meeting between the two leaders whose navies teeter on the brink of war over China's illegal claim to own most of the South China Sea. A United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration last July 12 declared illegal China's claims to the South China Sea and found China had infringed the territorial rights of the Philippines.
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The goal of Adm. Richardson's three-day visit to Beijing and Qingdao (headquarters of PLAN's North Sea Fleet defending Beijing) is to improve mutual understanding and encourage professional interaction between the U.S. Navy and the PLAN.
High on their agenda will be tensions in the South China Sea; the ongoing Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise and future opportunities for the two navies to operate together.
This is Adm. Richardson's first visit to China as CNO. Over the last year, however, the two admirals have held three discussions via video teleconference to ease tensions.
The U.S. Navy CNO is the most senior naval officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. He is a military adviser to the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense.
"I have been looking forward to this trip and to meeting Admiral Wu for some time," said Adm. Richardson, 55.
"These are important times for our two navies and for maritime forces throughout the region. As we seek to learn from each other, there is no substitute for these types of face-to-face meetings."
While in Beijing, Adm. Richardson will visit PLAN headquarters and meet with senior Chinese defense officials. In Qingdao, he is scheduled to visit the PLAN's submarine academy and tour the aircraft carrier Liaoning (CV-16).
Adm. Wu, 70, was appointed Commander of the PLAN in August 2006. He took charge of expanding the PLAN from a brown water navy confined to coastal patrols to a blue water navy with worldwide reach.
Under his watch, the PLAN first deployed a counter-piracy task force overseas, to the Gulf of Aden in 2008, and conducted the successful 60th Anniversary Fleet Review in 2009. He also oversaw the commissioning of Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, in 2012.
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TagsAdmiral John Richardson, Admiral Wu Shengli, U.S. Navy, Chief of Naval Operations, People's Liberation Army Navy
'Our blood is the same color,' black Dallas pastor tells broader community in plea for unity 15 July, 2016 by Tammi Ledbetter/Norm Miller , |
DALLAS (Christian Examiner) In a candid and controversial radio interview featuring several civic leaders in Dallas, a police sergeant and Methodist pastor said everyone has bias toward one another.
Dallas Police Association vice president Michael Mata, and Richie Butler, senior pastor of St. Paul United Methodist Church -- an African-American congregation located about a mile from the July 8 protest and shootings -- gave perspectives from the badge and the Bible on KERA's hour-long THINK talk show July 11.
Asked if Dallas has a race problem, Mata took time to explain it's not specific to just Dallas, but that every city does.
"Every person has something in them that is biased toward another person," said Mata, admitting there is racism in the police profession.
"We're humans," he said, noting there is racism in other professions, too. "In any hi-rise downtown, there is racism on every single floor."
Rev. Butler agreed with Mata: "We all bring biases to the table" and we need to be honest about them or we will "get the tragedies and the issues that continue to perpetuate in our society."
Racial reconciliation is not exclusively a "Black matter," but it is a "human issue," Butler said, adding that differing ethnicities need to "partner and team-up at every opportunity to walk hand-in-hand."
"When we are not intentional about coming together, then the unintentional consequence is that we stay divided," Butler said.
Following the Baltimore riots of last year, Butler said God led him to call Andy Stoker, the pastor of First United Methodist Church in Dallas to co-convene a clergy prayer meeting for racial reconciliation.
"We have to be intentional and conscious about making a paradigm shift and change," Butler said. "And I think it starts in some of the places that are most sacred and most important to us -- like housing, where we live, and even where we worship. It is easy and very comfortable for us to go to our segregated neighborhoods and live in peace and not expose ourselves to others who may not look like us and even think like us. And therefore I think we rob ourselves of the blessing of diversity that I think our Creator provided for us as a community. I think it's a clarion call for us as a faith community to respond."
Butler suggested that pastors of differing ethnicities should swap pulpits and preach in each other's churches occasionally as community examples of inter-racial acceptance.
Grateful for many colleagues from the trans-denominational faith community in Dallas, Butler said this is not an issue of "analytics," but one of "heart and faith."
"When we realize the only difference is the color of our skin, and realize what we really do have in common is that we all bleed. And our blood is the same color," Butler said. "What that suggests is ... Black folk are not just my people. White folk are my people. Asians are my people. People are my people."
MULTI-COLORED BIAS
It's not only about skin color. It's also about the color blue.
Mata recalled days past when citizens would rush to help the police.
"But what happens now is we have citizens that are more engaged in getting that 10-second video to throw on Facebook. And they're hoping, they're wishing, that it becomes a violent encounter so their video goes viral," Mata said. "We have a society problem."
Though Mata mentioned some upsides to Facebook, conversely he said many would agree "Facebook is the devil ... We are seeing way more negativity on social media than positivity, and it's sad."
"Violence is not supposed to look good," Mata said of violent videos. "There is nothing pretty about violence. It's a form of intimidation. Any shooting, any shooting is a horrible waste of life. And there's nothing pretty about a shooting either. So, any time you look at it, it looks horrible."
"You cannot look at a 10- 20-second video clip and say 'that is a crime,'" Mata continued, noting that a video snippet does not meet what "we call and what the court system calls the totality of the circumstances."
Mata said a suspect's "cooperation and compliance" would prevent many police encounters that turn violent "because you cannot argue the arrest, sometimes, in the street. That's not the place to argue it."
Both parties must "be willing to de-escalate a situation. It doesn't work with just one person." In that situation, "no matter what you say, you cannot convince somebody to put handcuffs on."
For police who handle a variety of issues, including drug addiction and mental health, Mata said it gets dicey because police requires all suspects be handcuffed while being transported.
In handling some of the population, Mata insists the government has failed medical and mental health professionals, who have in turn failed their patients. "And all of them have failed the police in this nation because you have put so much responsibility on somebody who is not a doctor," he said.
Yet those police who regularly deal with members of the community who suffer from mental illness are "making physician decisions," Mata continued. "So, it's a no-win for us. And a lot of those situations escalate into use of force, and, unfortunately, into deadly force. But those things don't get put on a 20-second video. And that's what the community doesn't understand. And that's why nobody wants to be a cop anymore."
When asked if he and his colleagues had an elevated sense of fear since the sniper attacks, Mata said, "Absolutely. I mean, come on. We just had five people shot dead in the street."
But every officer went to work the next day. "We were mourning. We were crying. We were hurting. But what did we do? We got out of bed, we put on that vest, put on the blue uniform, strapped on our boots, and we went back out to serve the community," Mata said.
"You didn't see us hate on them. You didn't hear us say 'Hell, no, we're not going back to serve the people that just murdered us.' No, because 99.9 percent of the community want us, needs us and appreciates us. But those aren't the ones that you hear. And that's what's killing the law enforcement community."
Mata said if his 12 year-old son ever asked if he can be a cop, "I will tell him, 'No.'"
Why?
"I do not want him to have to go through what I see officers going through today. He doesn't deserve it."
SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL ANSWERS KEY
"Denial is what the problem is, Mata said. "Lack of communication is what the problem is. The citizens need to see what we're going through, and we, in turn, need to explain to the citizens what we do and why we do it. That's how you get rid of racism."
Mata encouraged citizens to take advantage of the "ride-along" programs that most police departments have so the community can get the best perspective of what police officers do on their respective shifts.
Mata said he doesn't regret his service "because in my 22 years, I have done a lot of good in this city. And if I die tomorrow, I can look into the face of Jesus Christ ... and say that I left this world better than when I came into it. I saved lives."
"The broad paint brush we are painting our profession with has got to stop," Mata said.
THE ROLE OF FORGIVENESS IN TRAGEDY
Rev. Butler called for forgiveness, saying it plays a role in the tragedy and is appropriate.
"When Jesus was on the cross, there was a thief next to Him whose life was committed to crime and doing wrong, and Jesus offered the Kingdom to him ... But he sought forgiveness, and I think that is an important point," Butler said. "It is not the enemy, but the inner-me that keeps us from being all that God has called us to be."
"If we don't forgive, we allow people power over us that they don't deserve." Similarly, the sniper Micah Johnson "doesn't deserve the kind of power" in radio air time given to him.
Forgiveness does not negate accountability, Butler added. "Many people are trying to push for a justice system that addresses those inconsistencies and those wrongs."
"Millennials at our church say they want to do more things that bring us together and not divide us."
Butler said Dallas is a leader in job growth and other areas of business. "But now we have an opportunity to lead our nation in this area called racial reconciliation."
"The Bible says that what some intended for evil God used for good," he added. "And I believe that God is going to use this for our good, and we're going to be a better people, we're going to be a better family and a better community as a result of this tragedy."
Church youth choir called 'Nazis' in Scottish media 15 July, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |
EDINBURGH (Christian Examiner) The youth choir of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, has a menacing agenda, according to Scottish secularists who objected the choir's performance at a shopping center in Edinburgh earlier this week.
The Herald reports that the choir's visit was condemned by the Scottish Secular Society (SSS), which claimed the teenagers were on a mission to push their anti-gay, anti-abortion message on unsuspecting Scots. They also are planning to push to change laws in the Scottish realm that protect the consciences of secularists and other religious dissenters, the group said.
Megan Crawford, who claims to be a "Texan" raised in a Baptist church, is chair of the secular society. She said the group was "very concerned about megachurches who have a growing interest in coming over to Ireland, Scotland and England and pushing their extremely fundamentalist agenda. Why are they even allowed here to try to affect our laws and lives?"
For many who commented on the story, the answer to that question was obvious.
"Because we supposedly live in a tolerant society respecting the right to free speech," one person wrote. "Until this article and shouting by the SSS I'd never heard of this crowd. Knicker wetting and foaming at the mouth with faux outrage are usually counterproductive."
Most people don't appreciate these megachurches with their seemingly unlimited amounts of tax-free money coming over here and being allowed to attempt to affect our lives. ... They are extremely fundamentalist, with a view that marriage should be one male and one female, with sex only for procreation and anti-abortion rights, and with a lot of young creationists in there.
Another reader wrote, "Maybe the choir should display a 'trigger warning,' and a safe space could be set up (out of sight and earshot), with cuddly toys and Enya playing in the background for those traumatized by exposure. Banning people whose message is distasteful solves nothing."
The youth in the church choir are part of "The King's Project," the paper said, and is on a weeklong tour of Scotland and Northern England and assisting with evangelism in rural Scotland.
"But on Saturday, the 100-strong youth group were brought to Edinburgh's Waverley Mall, in Princes Street, where they sang, performed and handed out prayer cards," the paper said.
"However there was no outward sign of what the church really stands for. In Texas, Jack Graham the head of the church has backed Donald Trump's presidential election campaign and refuses to accept gay marriage laws. "The Scriptures' teaching on marriage is non-negotiable... we cannot and will not affirm the moral acceptability of homosexual behaviour," he said.
The paper then hit at Prestonwood Christian Academy, the church's private school, for its emphasis on biblical teaching and parental discussions about homosexuality. It also said the church also funds a crisis pregnancy center which has helped more than 3,000 women "choose life" for their unborn children.
A spokesman for the open air mall where the youth choir sang said there were no complaints the mall was full of people watching the young people sing. He said his views were different from the Christian choir's, but Crawford panned the performance.
"Most people don't appreciate these megachurches with their seemingly unlimited amounts of tax-free money coming over here and being allowed to attempt to affect our lives," she said.
"They are extremely fundamentalist, with a view that marriage should be one male and one female, with sex only for procreation and anti-abortion rights, and with a lot of young creationists in there."
Shona Craven, a columnist for the Herald, lamented the visit from the choir. She wrote that the church the young people represent "ticks every box on the Ugly Religious Fundamentalism checklist: homophobia and transphobia, an obsession with sexual purity, and a firm anti-choice agenda thinly disguised as concern for women's wellbeing."
She then called the group a "Trojan horse" let in to deceive innocent Scots. She asked where the people would draw the line?
"A neo-Nazi puppet show at the Gyle Shopping Centre? Magic tricks by Islamic State at Buchanan Galleries? I'm sure most Scots are far too savvy to be taken in by evangelical showmanship, but that's not really the point. As a nation we should be stating clearly: bigots are not welcome here," Craven wrote.
Some California hospitals are opting out of the states new assisted suicide law, which allows qualifying adults diagnosed with a terminal illness to request a lethal drug from their doctor.
The End of Life Option Act, signed in October and effective since June 9, made California the fourth statealong with Oregon (1997), Vermont (2013), and Washington (2008)to legalize some form of assisted suicide.
Euthanasia advocates applauded the bill, while critics warned it might encourage physicians and family members to pressure patients to end their own lives.
Hospitals are caught in the middle, but those with moral qualms about assisted suicide, or that dont have the resources to cater to it, are opting out of the lethal network.
Enloe Medical Center in Chico, Calif., is one of several hospitals choosing not to offer assisted suicide because the facility is not equipped to help someone make the decision to end his or her life.
Enloe believes that the personal choice to end life, as well as the complexity of the process, often do not involve a stay in the hospital and are best and most appropriately made in a personal setting, in consultation with a family physician and trusted friends and family, hospital administrators told me in a prepared statement.
Hospital staff will not be allowed to evaluate someone seeking assisted suicide or prescribe lethal drugs. Instead, Enloe will continue offering pain relief and hospice care to enhance the quality of remaining life.
Feather River Hospital in Paradise, Calif., affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, opted out based on a respect for all human life, administrators told the Chico Enterprise-Record.
Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., a top-rated hospital in Los Angeles County, is still evaluating whether or not to provide the lethal drugs.
This is a complicated issue and we understand our community is invested in this decision, so we are being thoughtful and deliberate in our process, administrators told me via email. We continue to assess whether our inpatient facility is the right setting for aid-in-dying procedures.
Doctors at Huntington voted behind closed doors to opt out, the Los Angeles Times reported in early May. But the final decision rests with the board of directors, which hasnt made a move either way.
Until such time, Huntington Hospital will fully comply with the act regarding its patients and will ensure patients are made aware, as appropriate, of the full range of end-of-life and palliative care options available to them, both from our hospital and from other providers, the statement said.
Other major hospitals have opted in, including Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health, and The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The California Department of Public Health has refused to say how many hospitals have already opted out of the law. The agency wont have to release the numbers until it issues its annual report in July 2017.
Californias law was based on Oregons Death With Dignity Act, the nations first assisted suicide law. Last year, 132 persons in Oregon took their lives with legal drugs, according to a 2015 report. The number of Oregonians opting for assisted suicide has steadily increased from 16 in 1998, and now totals 1,545 persons.
While Californias hospitals grapple with whether to provide lethal drugs, doctors must make their own decision. Individual doctors can always opt out, even if the hospital where they work has embraced the law. The California Medical Association, after opposing a similar bill in 2007, withdrew its opposition to the current law shortly before it passed. But the American Medical Association still opposes assisted suicide, calling it fundamentally incompatible with the physicians role as healer.
Courtesy: WORLD News Service
Publication date: July 15, 2016
Christian children in China have reportedly been banned from attending church, according to ChristianToday.com.
Texas-based Christian humanitarian organization China Aid reports that all children under the age of 18 in China are barred from receiving any religious education, including even in government-sanctioned churches.
Specifically, children have been banned from attending Hauqui, a house church in Guizhou province. The government has also threatened parents of the children that their children will not be allowed to attend college if they continue to bring them to church services.
In addition, legal action will be taken against anyone who brings a minor to a church service.
"They intend to cleanse us and ask us to join the Three-Self Church [China's state-approved church], stated Mou, a Huaqui Church leader.
Huaqui Church has also been prevented from holding services for the past two weeks. Huaqui is in a dark place, said Mou.
The Chinese government, under President Xi Jinping, has been becoming increasingly hostile toward Christianity and any religion that is not overseen by the government. More than 1,500 churches have either been demolished or have had their crosses taken down in Chinas so-called beautification campaign.
Publication date: July 15, 2016
North Korea is threatening the United Statesagain. On July 11 the hermetically sealed nation vowed to sever its only diplomatic communication line and stage powerful counter-action over new sanctions on its leader and a planned missile detection system meant to prevent the totalitarian regimes abuse of nuclear weaponry.
North Korea has been under strict sanctions for years, but the United States last week personally penalized Kim Jong Un for the first time, accusing the 32-year-old dictator and 10 top officials of human rights abuses. It is estimated the country holds up to 120,000 political prisoners.
Under Kim Jong Un, North Korea continues to inflict intolerable cruelty and hardship on millions of its own people, including extrajudicial killings, forced labor, and torture, said Adam Szubin, in a Treasury Department report released this month.
Pyongyang claimed the blacklisting equaled a declaration of warand promised to retaliate.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby urged North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that only further raise tensions in the region, but declined to comment further on the situation.
In response to the Norths penchant for unauthorized weaponry testing, the U.S. and South Korea have collaborated to develop the Terminal High-Altitude Air Defense (THAAD), an elite missile detection system. THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy enemy warheads in the terminal stage of flight, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Today, Seoul officials announced THAAD will be deployed in Seongju, a southeast farming town where most locals grow yellow melons for a living. Afraid the radars electromagnetic waves could cause health hazards, Seongju residents reacted with bitter opposition, and a group of local leaders immediately delivered complaint letters, written in blood, to South Koreas Defense Ministry.
But South Korean Deputy Defense Minister Ryu Je Seung stood by the choice of Seongju as a missile-hosting town, claiming the placement would maximize THAADs military effectiveness while posing no danger to the environment or locals health and safety. Ryu said the system would be in place by the end of next year and would cover up to two-thirds of the nations territory from North Korean nuclear and missile threats.
Just days after the U.S. announced the impending placement of THAAD, North Korea reacted by threatening to terminate the nations single diplomatic contact line. The New-York based channel allows North Koreas United Nations diplomats to communicate, which could be crucial in the face of ever-deepening animosity over the Norths missile and nuclear programs.
North Korea isnt the only nation mad about THAAD. Officials in China and Russia complain the defense system could make it easier for the U.S. to spot their missiles. Chinas Foreign Ministry last week expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute objection, to THAAD.
The North Korean military this week denounced THAAD as an invasionary tool for U.S. world supremacy, and promised a ruthless retaliatory strike [that will turn South Korea] into a sea of fire and a pile of ashes. North Koreas claim to reduce its southern counterpart to flaming rubble is a threat well-wornthe totalitarian regime has been using it since 1994.
North Koreas statement was characteristically belligerent and overblown, but experts say a direct attack from Pyongyangs impoverished military is unlikely.
If you follow North Korean media you constantly see bellicose language directed against the U.S. and South Korea. Its hard to know what to take seriously, professor John Delury of Yonsei University in South Korea told the BBC.
North Korea is still holding two American hostages for alleged espionage and subversion, and local officials implied the detainees would be treated under wartime law, which could complicate U.S. efforts to secure their release.
Courtesy: WORLD News Service
Publication date: July 15, 2016
Ten more states signed on to sue the Obama administration over its transgender directive that forces schools to allow students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their gender identity, not their biological sex.
Its putting school districts in a terrible position, said Doug Peterson, Nebraskas attorney general, who took the lead on the new round of lawsuits. Its trying to push a certain agenda through our school systems, and we need to simply stand up and say this does not make sense.
Nebraska, along with nine other states, filed an injunction in federal court in Nebraska on July 8 against the joint mandate from the Department of Education and the Department of Justice. The complaint says the new instruction came without an observance of procedure required by law and disregards efforts from school districts to develop individualized plans that best serve their students.
On May 13, the Obama administration sent a directive to every school district in the country saying Title IX, a federal law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex for federally funded education programs, included gender identity and schools needed to update their policies to reflect the new interpretation.
That means once a parent or legal guardian says a student identifies with a different gender, schools have to treat them as such.
Peterson said the directive defies common sense and standard due process for such a sweeping change.
When a federal agency takes such unilateral action in an attempt to change the meaning of established law, it leaves state and local authorities with no other option than to pursue legal clarity in federal court in order to enforce the rule of law, he said.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, applauded the lawsuit.
The guidance promulgated by the presidents agencies represents his political views and does not carry the weight of law, the governor said in a statement Friday.
Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming joined Nebraska in the lawsuit. The new court action follows a Texas-led coalition of 13 states that filed suit against the federal government over the same directive in May.
President Barack Obama explained to BuzzFeed News he made the change because transgender students are a vulnerable minority subject to harsh bullying. Denying them use of facilities matching their gender identity is discriminatory, he said.
We are talking about kids, and anybody whos been in school, been in high school, whos been a parent, I think should realize that kids who are sometimes in the minoritykids who have a different orientation or are transgenderare subject to a lot of bullying. Potentially they are vulnerable, Obama said.
But with the new action, a total of 23 states disagree with Obamas interpretation and claim the school directive violates the Constitution.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who headed the first lawsuit, said at the Heritage Foundation last week hes confident courts will agree the directive is an obvious executive overreach.
How you feel about your gender does not change your sex at birth, Paxton said. And how the president feels about his authority to write laws cannot change the fact that the Constitution grants that power to Congress.
Courtesy: WORLD Newes Service
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: July 15, 2016
W
hen I am around children, I enjoy asking what they want to be when they grow up. This exercise fascinates me. It offers a rare opportunity in life: the freedom to spell out whatever the imagination dares to dream, uninhibited by other peoples expectations or fears. Usual replies include, I want to become a ballerina, I want to be an astronaut, and my favorite, I want to be a princess!
The purity of these moments has the brevity of the morning dew, before reality rises with its harsh interrogating light to dry up each trace of these jewel-like droplets. Lets get serious now, says reality, clearing her throat like a strict governess with no time for silly games that deliver no tangible returns.
I remember my shock a few years ago when I put this question to a ten-year-old boy, and he declared boldly: an actuarial analyst. I had no idea what that was, and I doubted whether he did either. Now, I have nothing against actuarial analysts, and I am sure they perform an important service, but it requires little effort to see this as a foreign voice. This was not a childish imagination roaming free, envisioning the wildest possibilities. Instead, this was a schooled voice representing someone elsesprobably the parentsmore sensible approach to his future.
One could argue that the parents were acting wisely. The chances of their son becoming, say, a successful knight are fairly bleak. Surely, one has to be prudent about the future and avoid launching into unrealistic endeavors that will probably end in tragedy.
Putting too much stock in prudence, though, sets up an opposing danger: you can end up paralyzing ...
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Following her fathers suggestion in early 2013, a Christian university student contacted China Soul for Christ Foundationa top evangelistic organization for the global Chinese churchasking to apply for an internship.
Across two days in September, she met in Paris with China Souls famous founder Yuan Zhiming, expecting an interview. But the first time they met, the 23-year-old student alleges she found herself in bed with Yuan, watching a soft porn movie in an airport hotel room. She realized something had gone horribly wrong and left the hotel.
This womans story of surviving sexual misconduct is laid out in a new independent investigation from GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment), which has produced other reports about abuse at Bob Jones University and New Tribes Mission.
The investigation was undertaken at the request of Chinese Christian Life Fellowship (CCLife), a publishing and discipleship ministry founded in 1996. An earlier ...
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Perry Noble asked his supporters at NewSpring Church to stand down this week.
If you love me, be at NewSpring on Sunday, and the next Sunday, and the next Sunday, said the founder and former senior pastor of the South Carolina megachurch, which claims 30,000 members across 17 cities.
He was addressing congregants upset that he was terminated on July 1 after a year of struggling with alcohol abuse. A petition to reinstate him garnered 573 signatures and 259 comments before it was shut down yesterday.
I love my church, Noble said. The leadership of NewSpring Church made the right decision. God has gotten my attention. Im focused on getting better.
The churchs executive pastors met with Noble over the course of several months to discuss their concerns about his dependence on alcohol, which eventually resulted in his removal.
In my opinion, the bible (sic) does not prohibit the use of alcohol, but it does prohibit drunkenness ...
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Terror in Nice: Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains Return to France Following Latest Attack Contact: Lisa Moseley, 704-401-2116, lmoseley@bgea.org
CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 15, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- An international coalition of crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team are returning to France to offer emotional and spiritual care on the streets of Nice following last night's horrific terror attack.
Though the situation continues to develop and unfold, the latest news reports indicate that more than 80 people died in the violent Bastille Day attack. Dozens more were injured.
"Once again we find ourselves staring into the face of terror and evil," said Jack Munday, international director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. "We will bring a light of hope into a very dark situation, providing a ministry of presence for those who want to talk, pray, or grieve. So many need our prayers right now."
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, used Twitter to ask for prayer following the tragedy: "Pray for France as the country grieves the loss of 84 people and many more wounded in the terror attack in #Nice."
The joint effort of the U.S., Canada and U.K. Billy Graham Rapid Response Teams includes French-speaking chaplains. It is anticipated that they will be joined by newly-trained chaplains from Paris and Brussels, cities that have also weathered terrorist attacks in recent months.
The deployment to Nice marks the seventh time in the last 10 months that the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has sent chaplains into areas involved in mass shootings or terror attacks. Chaplains are currently ministering in Dallas following the shooting deaths of five law enforcement officers last week, and they recently completed their ministry in Orlando after the massacre of 49 people in the Pulse nightclub.
The group also responded to Brussels, Belgium (March 2016), San Bernardino, Calif. (December 2015), Paris, France (November 2015), and Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. (October 2015).
Additionally, chaplains continue to minister in Baton Rouge, La., Brazoria County, Texas, Kanawha County, W.Va., and Greenbrier County, W.Va.
For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found at www.facebook.com/RRTChaplains.
About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team:
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into a nationwide network of chaplains in 48 states who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 225 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
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Three Affiliated Tribes chairman Mark Fox says the acreage on Lake Sakakawea that is to be transferred back to his people represents a very small return on loss that started with the broken 1851 Fort Laramie Treaty and continued with the massive taking for the construction of Garrison Dam.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans sometime later this year to return 30,000 acres of high ground it doesnt need to operate the dam reservoir. Congress authorized the transfer in 1984, but only in the past two years has the corps signed a memorandum of understanding to put the land into tribal trust through the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Fox said its worth remembering that at one time, Plains Indians were given 12 million acres in the treaty, and that has dwindled to 500,000 acres for the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation.
In the 40s, the corps took 152,000 of the tribes most fertile acres to flood the lake behind Garrison Dam, and the transfer will restore about 20 percent of that land. None of it is the rich Missouri River-bottom soil that's now under the deepest waters of the lake; instead, the transfer involves a fringe of land at elevations above 1,854 feet that rims the reservation.
In the context of what happened 70 years ago, this is a very, very small chunk of land, said Fox, adding that the transfer -- which has set off alarm bells clear to the governors office -- seems far out of proportion to the situation. Its kind of crazy."
Gov. Jack Dalrymple told the corps hed like more assurance about public access for recreation, road travel and hunting, among other concerns, before the transfer is completed.
Fox said he attended a meeting July 7 with Dalrymple, the corps and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the interest of good government relations, but nothing more.
As far as were concerned, there is a law providing for the return of the land, and we dont expect anything will impede that process, Fox said this week. Were meeting out of courtesy, but the transfer will occur, most likely by the end of the year.
He said the transferred land will still be titled to the United States of America, so public access is assured and required.
Our goal in this is to maintain access because its also related to economic development. Recreation and tourism bring dollars, and we want people to come, said Fox, pointing out that the tribes and the State Game and Fish Department have agreements for hunting licenses and sportsmen can be assured that the how to is already figured out.
Andrea Travnicek, the governors natural resources adviser, said the meeting left many questions without answers.
Nothing was nailed down, she said. On those acres, you need a state hunting license. If its transferred, will you need a tribal license? We dont have the answer to that. For permits for docks, will there be another permit or fee? We dont have the answers.
Fox said he has demonstrated that he is willing to sit down and talk. "We will have dialogue about what we are doing," he said.
Larry Janis, the corps chief of recreation and natural resources, says land already leased for recreation and wildlife management isnt included in the transfer, and such things as dock permits wont be affected because theyre on the shoreline well below the transfer boundary.
A final letter of transfer containing all the relevant details legal descriptions, maps, a title report and third-party interests could be done this year, according to Janis.
The decision to transfer has been made. Its just a question of when, he said.
CLI Welcomes Public to New Office
RALEIGH, N.C., July 14, 2016 /
CLI sends donated Bibles and Christian books to 1,450 correctional facilities in all 50 states. The ministry also answers inmate letters and offers a free Bible study to inmates through the mail.
Former inmate John Reutcke will be in attendance to share how the ministry helped him during his incarceration.
"The ministry gave me the opportunity to learn a new way of life while I was incarcerated," Reutcke said. "Upon leaving prison I started volunteering for the ministry and will continue to do so here in Raleigh."
Volunteers who write letters to inmates, review inmate lessons, and pack boxes of Christian books will also be on hand. Guests will have the opportunity to write notes to inmates and decorate a huge map of prisons CLI serves. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.
This year marks CLI's 20th anniversary. Executive Director Kathleen Skaar started the ministry in 1996 with a single bookcase at the A.E. Finley YMCA in Raleigh.
CLI initially sent Bibles and Christian books wherever they were needed in 42 countries around the world.
But in 2004, the ministry later narrowed its focus to prison ministry because of the tremendous need for donated Christian materials in the prisons.
More information can be found on CLI's website,
Share Tweet Contact: Jeremy Watson, Christian Library International , 919-790-6987RALEIGH, N.C., July 14, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Christian Library International, a Raleigh-based national prison ministry, invites the public to attend an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19. The new ministry's office is located at 4724 Hargrove Rd., Ste. 100, Raleigh, NC 27616.CLI sends donated Bibles and Christian books to 1,450 correctional facilities in all 50 states. The ministry also answers inmate letters and offers a free Bible study to inmates through the mail.Former inmate John Reutcke will be in attendance to share how the ministry helped him during his incarceration."The ministry gave me the opportunity to learn a new way of life while I was incarcerated," Reutcke said. "Upon leaving prison I started volunteering for the ministry and will continue to do so here in Raleigh."Volunteers who write letters to inmates, review inmate lessons, and pack boxes of Christian books will also be on hand. Guests will have the opportunity to write notes to inmates and decorate a huge map of prisons CLI serves. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.This year marks CLI's 20th anniversary. Executive Director Kathleen Skaar started the ministry in 1996 with a single bookcase at the A.E. Finley YMCA in Raleigh.CLI initially sent Bibles and Christian books wherever they were needed in 42 countries around the world.But in 2004, the ministry later narrowed its focus to prison ministry because of the tremendous need for donated Christian materials in the prisons.More information can be found on CLI's website, www.cli.world . Please call 919-790-6987 to RSVP.
home Faith T.D. Jakes gathers Dallas officers and families of shooting victims to foster healing
Bishop T.D. Jakes facilitated an event that hoped to bring about healing among those affected by the recent Dallas shooting and the protests that ensued.
The event, called "Conversation with America," was held to help address "the fear and hurt Americans are experiencing on both sides of the recent tragedies."
It was also meant to be a step toward reconciliation for those involved.
The Dallas shooting, which was carried out by 25-year-old Micah Johnson out of anger toward the recent deaths of black men at the hands of white police men, resulted in the deaths of five police officers in Dallas.
Johnson was also reportedly disappointed with the U.S. military, which could have been part of the reason for the shooting.
The tragedy, followed by the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, has erupted into various divisive protests and increasing tension regarding the issue of racial discrimination in the U.S.
Jakes said the event, which was held during the Sunday service, was intended to help close the gap between the two conflicting sides.
"I don't want to be on this side or that side. I just want to stand for what is right," the bishop said, according to CBN News.
Sterling's aunt, Saundra, was among those who attended the three-hour event at The Potter's House. She said she went to send the message that she is not for violence.
"When I saw what happened here, I just had to come," Saundra said, according to The Dallas Morning News. "Let them know: We don't promote violence."
Several Dallas police officers also went to the service, as well as Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.
Rawlings said the issue is not just about race but also about "the economic disparity and the education disparity."
"The medicine we are taking right now is separatism and that is not going to work," CBN News quoted him as saying.
home World China clamping down on Christian churches refusing to join state-led Protestant church
Christian churches in Guangdong province are made to choose between joining Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), the state-run Protestant church, and suffering continued harassment amid China's ongoing religious persecution.
According to China Aid, a publication watchdog for Christian persecution in China, the Communist state continued to grip on the country's Christian community in the southern province last month.
A Christian member of Foshan's Vineyard Church, who spoke in anonymity, reported that authorities attacked the church and even took away their religious materials on June 19. They also disconnected the church's access to water and electricity.
"We never have freedom, and we're always attacked [by the government]," the unidentified Christian told China Aid. "What we came across [on June 19] wasn't just a one or two day incident. We have endured this for a long time."
"We served in this place for decades and experienced very many hardships," said another anonymous Christian member. "It wasn't just once or twice. A few years ago, we renovated a place that could seat 300 people. After only a month, we received pressure [from the authorities] and had no choice but to move. If we didn't move, we would have been banned...."
Pastor Zhang of Zhongfu Canaan Church also reported a similar harassment. He said that authorities regarded their church as an "illegal gathering" before asking him to join the state-recognized TSPM, also the counterpart for Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
The pastor refused but said authorities had already made their move on their church building's landlord. The landlord received pressure from the authorities and subsequently cancelled the church's contract five years ahead of its expiration and gave the church members 15 days to move out.
Authorities also handed Zhongfu Wanmin Church the same choice of either joining TSPM or forced closure. In addition, they also stole 2,888 Yuan from the church which prompted Pastor Li Peng to go to the provincial complaints office to demand the stolen money.
home Entertainment Christian artist Lecrae slams #AllLivesMatter as 'insensitive'
Christian rapper Lecrae blasted the "All Lives Matter" hashtag on social media as "insensitive" to the black people since it doesn't ring true for the black lives in America.
"#AllLivesMatter hashtag is like spitting in the face of black folk," wrote Lecrae Devaughn Moore, better known as Lecrae, in a passionate post on Instagram.
The Reach Records founder added, "It comes off as extremely selfish and unsympathetic to a mourning person. Not because all lives don't matter. Of course they do. But it's very clear that black lives don't to many in this country."
Lacrae started his post with the hashtag #philandocastile, the name of one more African-American shot dead at the hands of the police. Castile's killing is only one of a series of gun shooting violence that recently grappled the country and revived the fervor of the Black Lives Matter movement and sparked protests in a nationwide scale.
The Grammy winner pointed to "racism and abused authority" as society's culprits and blamed the blindness on those who are "privileged to not see it." Lacrae, co-founder and president of the ReachLife Ministries, also didn't hold back on his tirade from including fellow Christians.
"Christians saying that 'preaching the Gospel is all we need' ignores how sin affects infrastructures and societal systems," he said.
He also clarified that his anger is not directed toward those privileged to be born white but rather toward "white supremacy."
As the country faced heightened racial tension, the 36-year-old musician-actor continued to speak out against racism and injustice based on one's skin color.
He celebrated the Fourth of July by posting a photo of statesman-abolitionist Frederick Douglas and his speech "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" delivered at Rochester, New York in the 19th century.
He followed this up with another post that sparked a Twitter furor among his white American fans.
"There's a difference between creating division and exposing the division that's being ignored," he tweeted.
home US Chi Phi fraternity to accept transgender men: One of America's oldest fraternities amends membership policy
Chi Phi, one of the oldest fraternities in the U.S., announced last month that it is opening its doors to transgender men.
The fraternity voted to amend its membership policy in order to allow transgender students during its recently held 151st congressional meeting.
Sam Borchart, chairman of the organization's Committee of Membership, said the move would address questions about whether transgender men should be accepted in the fraternity.
He said the voting results proved the fraternity's desire to be more inclusive.
"The fact that this change comes as a result of Congressional vote is a testament that our Fraternity and its individual members want to make Chi Phi more inclusive," Borchart said in a statement. "One change is never a stopping point, and we hope this opens the door to further discussion about inclusivity, particularly for transgender men who want to join us in brotherhood."
The new membership policy was approved following a petition on change.org urging the fraternity to "allow trans men to be brothers." The petition said the organization does not have a definition of "male" in its constitution, and it's time to give a definition for it.
"We want Chi Phi to define 'male' as an inclusive concept based on self-identification regardless of the sex they were assigned at birth, rather than having specific genitals as a prerequisite to be considered a man," the petition read.
Chi Phi's new membership policy is effective immediately.
The National Center for Transgender Equality was pleased with the fraternity's decision to include transgender male in its membership. However, it pointed out possible problems involving legal requirements.
Mara Keisling, the organization's executive director, said Chi Phi should watch out against possible limitations of membership for transgender persons by requiring "valid legal documentation" from those who want to join them, ABC News reported.
The Chi Phi Fraternity, which was founded in 1824 at Princeton University, states that its mission is to build better men through lifelong friendships, leadership opportunities, and character development.
home US Baton Rouge Black Lives Matter photo: Woman behind iconic image says she's a 'vessel' of God's work
The powerful image of a black woman standing firm as armored cops appear to hurriedly approach her during the Black Lives Matter protest is "God's work," said Ieshia Evans.
The 28-year-old mother of a 5-year-old boy also claims to be a "vessel" after the moving photo captured the general public's attention in the midst of America's heightened racial tension.
"This is the work of God," wrote Evans on Facebook. "I am a vessel! Glory to the most high! I'm glad I'm alive and safe. And that there were no casualties that I have witnessed first hand."
Reuters' New Orleans-based Jonathan Bachman stood at the right side of the road and captured the iconic photo just in time as the police tried to clear the Airline Highway of protesters. Unlike other demonstrators, Evans stood her ground and refused to move until the police detained her.
"I went into the street with my arms crossed and just stared at them," Daily Mail quoted Evans as saying to a friend. "I guess they didn't like it because they detained me."
She spent about 24 hours in detention after her first protest venture along with 131 other detained protestors.
Evans works as a licensed practical nurse in New York where she lives with her husband and young son but decided to travel to Baton Rouge to join the protests held July 8-9 for the killing of African-American Alton Sterling. Sterling's death on July 5 catapulted the nation into a series of gun shooting violence and public demonstrations.
Shaun King, a prominent journalist for New York Daily News, shared the viral photo on his Facebook page that garnered more than 3,000 likes.
A user named Jami West commented on King's post, describing the photo as "legendary" that "will be in history and art books from this time." He also highlighted Evans' composure as "balanced, powerful, upright and well-grounded with both feet firmly planted on the earth" with the sole protection of the "force of her own personal power."
West contrasted this to the officers he described as "rocked back on their heels, knocked off balance, and appear about to fall over backward, just from the power of her."
Catholic priest charged with stealing $500,000 meant for refugees
A Catholic priest in Canada has been charged with fraud over the alleged theft of more than $500,000 which was meant to be raised for refugees.
Fr Amer Saka of St Joseph Chaldean Church in London, Ontario, is said to have obtained the funds from more than 20 people who believed they were giving to a sponsorship programme to bring refugee families to Canada.
Local police said that the Hamilton Catholic Diocese cooperated in the ongoing investigation, which began in February and spanned Ontario.
51-year-old Saka was arrested on Wednesday and faces two charges of fraud.
The Bishop of the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto has suspended Saka from his parish.
Bishop Douglas Crosby of the Hamilton Diocese issued a brief statement to The Hamilton Spectator, saying: "I wish to affirm that the Diocese of Hamilton remains committed to the continuing care and support of all refugees under the Diocese's refugee sponsorship program, including those whose sponsorship may have involved Father Saka."
The Hamilton Spectator reported that the Hamilton diocese knew there were about 10 or 11 refugees who had arrived in Southern Ontario sponsored by Saka within the past few months, and one or two of those could be living in Hamilton. The Hamilton diocese had filed up to 20 applications for refugees from Iraq.
Hamilton Msgr Murray Kroetsch said Saka had been with the refugee programme for about eight or nine years.
Kroetsch said Chaldean Bishop Emanuel Shaleta believed Saka may have had a "gambling problem" for which he was receiving treatment, the Hamilton Spectator said.
China: Christian children forbidden from attending church; parents threatened
Church members in China have been threatened with being sued and their children barred from college, a persecution charity has said.
According to Texas-based China Aid, parents who attend Huaqiu Church, a house church in central Guizhou province, were told if they didn't stop bringing their children to church, they would not be allowed to attend college or a military academy.
In addition, anyone who brings a minor to church will be sued.
Huaqiu Church leader, Mou, said a notice detailing these rules was send to all the schools in the local town. "They intend to cleanse us and ask us to join the Three-Self Church [China's state-approved church]", he explained.
The church has also been prevented from holding its Sunday services over the past two weeks. "Huaqiu is in a dark place," Mou said.
China Aid said that Chinese legislation forbids children under the age of 18 from receiving any religious education, and that children may not attend even state-approved churches.
The Chinese government has been taking an increasing hard line on religion, particularly against Christianity which is experiencing dramatic growth in the country. More than 1,500 churches have been demolished or had their crosses removed in Zhejiang province over the past three years, and pastors and lawyers who opposed the campaign have been imprisoned on charges widely regarded as concocted by the authorities.
Christian refugees face death threats from Muslims in camps, say German churches
Christian refugees face discrimination and even death threats at the hands of Muslims in German refugee centres, according to a joint statement issued by the country's evangelical and Catholic Churches.
Cardinal Marx, chair of German Bishops' Conference and Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, head of the Protestant Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), united to condemn the attacks on Christians and other religious minorities in camps.
The statement urges protection for minority groups in refugee camps, specifically Christians and Yazidis.
The two churches have conducted a survey together across their dioceses and regions to highlight the Church's role in helping refugees. In a series of recommendations, the Church leaders suggest how authorities could ensure peace within camps.
Germany received more than one million refugees and migrants in 2015, the highest in the country's figure. In the first half of 2016, 222,200 entered Germany, according to figures released by the Interior Ministry.
This dramatic fall is partly due to a U-turn in approach by Chancellor Angela Merkel. She initially opened the country's borders and allowed anyone to enter but backtracked on that policy in the wake of heavy criticism within Germany, whose authorities are overwhelmed by the situation.
The numbers arriving have also been reduced by the deal between the EU and Turkey to deport anyone who has illegally arrived in Greece.
Crackdown on Christians, Muslims and Jehovah's Witnesses in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has misled the human rights watchdogs about its record on freedom of religion, according to a report today.
Four days after the UN Human Rights Committee examined the country, Kazakhstan fined three more people for exercising their freedom, according to Felix Corley of Forum 18.
Delegates from Kazakhstan to the committee claimed last month just eight people had been punished this year for violating the country's strict laws on religion, but the true number is believed to be more than twice that at about 20.
Kazhakstan introduced strict restrictions on practising non-recognised faiths and in 2012 cut the number of recognised faiths from nearly 50 to just 17.
Those most affected are Muslims, Protestant Christians and Jehovah's Witnesses who can be punished for offering religious literature the state has not approved in places the state has not permitted, talking about their beliefs with other people without state permission, or meeting for worship without state permission.
Among those penalised in the latest actions, two shop owners were fined for having religious literature in their shops without state permission and banned from running their businesses for three months. A Baptist has been jailed for refusing to pay a fine imposed earlier. Increasing numbers of Muslims and Christians are in jail and have had their bank accounts blocked. Three Muslims were fined in the last few days for going door to door to talk to people about their beliefs and inviting them to a mosque.
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Don't fight hate with hate: Tributes pour in for Jo Cox funeral
Tributes have flooded in for MP Jo Cox whose funeral was held on Friday morning.
The private service for family only was held in her local constituency of Batley and Spen. Hundreds lined the street in Heckmondwike and Batley as the cortege passed. In a statement, her family said they had been "overwhelmed and touched by the love and support people have shown us".
Cox died on 16 June after she was attacked in her constituency.
Brendan Cox, the MP's husband, issued a message of hope to those grieving the Nice terror attack, details of which emerged hours before the funeral began. 84 people were killed on the French riviera and 18 people critically injured.
Cox posted on Twitter saying he was "thinking of all victims of hatred today".
He said: "Jo would ask us not to fight hate with hate but draw together to drain the swamp that extremism breeds in."
Jo wld ask us not 2 fight hate with hate but draw together 2 drain the swamp that extremism breeds in.Thinking of all victims of hatred 2day Brendan Cox (@MrBrendanCox) 15 July 2016
Christians on the Left, a campaign group affiliated to Cox's own Labour party, called on people to "breathe deep before we tweet or speak".
On the day of Jo Cox's funeral, let's take a breath, & pledge in this strange season to breathe deep before we tweet or speak #disagreewell ChristiansontheLeft (@ChrLeft) 15 July 2016
A number of Cox's colleagues in the Labour party paid their tributes to her. David Lammy, MP for Tottenham and a Christian, said:
An important message on the day of Jo's funeral. All my thoughts and prayers are with you Brendan and your family. https://t.co/LCYtjOqNju David Lammy (@DavidLammy) 15 July 2016
A number of other Christian MPs also tweeted their condolences:
Today we say goodbye to Jo Cox. I shall remember her laughter, energy &courage, not how she was taken from us.#moreincommon #LoveLikeJo Mary Creagh (@MaryCreaghMP) 15 July 2016
Evangelical victimhood: Why we should challenge the narrative
Is it really harder to be an evangelical Christian than it used to be? They think so in the US, certainly. According to a Pew Research survey, 41 per cent of 'evangelical or born-again' Protestants say it is. This marks a considerable leap since the same question was asked in 2014, when only 34 per cent said so.
The figure for white evangelicals is consistently higher (46 per cent compared to 42 per cent in 2014), but it's up for non whites as well, to 31 per cent from 22 per cent.
It's easy to see what's made the difference: the decision by the US Supreme Court to effectively legalise same-sex marriage. This was a shattering blow to evangelical social conservatives who'd elevated it into a struggle for the soul of the nation. The implications are still being worked out in anti-discrimination court cases up and down the land, each of which generates publicity for the cause.
Couple this with the ongoing struggles over the Obama administration's transgender bathroom law, and the evangelical narrative that it's harder to have faith strikes ever-deeper roots.
Whether it's true depends on what you mean by evangelical. It's no harder to preach the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. Christians are entirely free to do that. But among many evangelicals not by any means all that message has become identified with a socially conservative, imperialistic agenda that's perceived as seeking to impose a particular set of behaviours on an entire society.
And it's patchy, but like it or not, most Americans are basically OK with LGBT people having equal rights and transgender people being allowed to live without facing hostility and discrimination. How that works out in practice is debatable and debated. But Christians need to be very sure that when they say it's harder to be an evangelical, they aren't just saying "It's harder to discriminate against gay people" or "It's harder to get away with saying hateful things about transgender people."
America, like the UK, is living in an in-between time, when the old consensus about right and wrong has vanished and a new way of ordering relations between the Church and society has yet to emerge. The only certain thing about it is that the die-hard culture warriors will lose.
But whether evangelicals are right or wrong in their beliefs isn't the most interesting question about Pew's findings. There's another perspective that holds for evangelicals on both sides of the Atlantic, and it's that the sense of being embattled victims, surrounded by the forces of godless liberalism, actually works in our favour.
A just-published book by Andrew Brown and Linda Woodhead, That Was the Church That Was: How the Church of England Lost the English People, makes the point rather well. In a chapter entitled 'A brief theory of religious decline', Woodhead draws the distinction between 'societal' churches like the CofE, embedded in society at every level, and 'congregational' ones that find their identity in opposition to society rather than within it. "Societal churches are sustained by the sense that they reinforce society; congregational ones by feeling in conflict with it," she says.
Woodhead puts the decline of the CofE down to the congregational approach becoming dominant as the Church lost its grip on the everyday rituals and habits of ordinary people: "Rather than engage with what was happening, it started to mutter threats against the society of which it had been part, and to turn inwards."
It's an engaging book with lots of spicy gossip, and by no means everyone would agree with the authors' thesis. But clearly that sense of being under threat us against the world, fighting in the cause of truth and righteousness generates passionate loyalty, commitment and revenue. It fills churches with prayer warriors who truly believe they're on the right side in an End-Times battle against the forces of darkness. It creates ever-tighter groups of believers loyal to each other and to the gospel, whose churches grow by recruiting more and more people. And in doing so they become more and more detached from wider social currents, and more and more exclusive.
What's happening in the US among many conservative evangelicals fits this pattern exactly. And Christians need to acknowledge the dynamics of all this, and question it. Yes, there'll be points at which Christianity and culture are absolutely irreconcilable, and at which bad laws need to be fought to the last ditch. But there'll be others at which Christians need to be able to say, "The Church doesn't agree with this, but we don't run the country and we won't oppose it." Or, "We oppose this because we think it's bad for society, but if you decide to do it we'll be around to pick up the pieces." Or even: "Actually, you're right and we got this wrong."
What evangelicals should not do is hitch the gospel wagon to political causes and ideologies of whatever stripe. The Church that marries the spirit of this age will be a widow in the next, said Dean Inge. But churches that jump into bed with right-wing conservatism risk widowhood too.
Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
'Godspot': Churches in Germany offer free Wi-Fi to attract millennials
Protestant churches in Germany are offering free Wi-Fi in order to attract more millennials to their churches and get them interested in the Word of God.
These churches have dubbed the free Internet connection as "Godspot," and it is made available in areas where there are large populations of atheists and agnostics, according to the Gospel Herald.
The Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Oberlausitz (EKBO) from East Germany is planning to provide free Internet connection to more than 3,000 churches and religious buildings across the region.
There are no strings attached to the connection, since the EKBO assures that Godspot will be a secure connection that will not require users to provide any personal information. At the same time, there is no registration required.
The free Internet connection is not just for luring new possible churchgoers, since it can also be utilised by worshippers inside church buildings and also by people who are simply passing by.
Godspot will not require any registration, but after connection, users will be redirected to a landing page that will share information about the church and its history. The same page will discuss topics such as "faith and life" in order to inspire people to get to know God more.
Should users choose not to read about church topics, developers of Godspot have given their assurance that they will no longer be bombarded with any kind of church advertising, including information about the church.
As of the moment, Godspot is available in more than 220 churches in Berlin and Brandenberg, such as the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Charlottenburg and the French Friedrichstadt Church in Gendarmenmarkt.
Justin Welby on Nice terror attack: 'Let us weep with them, let us stand with them'
In the wake of the terror attack that left more than 80 people dead in Nice last night, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has issued an urgent call to prayer.
"As the French rejoice in their liberty, human evil kills the innocent cruelly," he wrote on his Facebook page.
"Let us weep with them, let us stand with them. #PrayForNice."
The Vatican also released a statement condemning the attack, which occurred as the French celebrated Bastille Day on Thursday.
"We have followed during the night, with the greatest concern, the terrible news which has come from Nice," said papal spokeman Fr Federico Lombardi.
"We want to make known, on the part of Pope Francis and ourselves, our sharing and solidarity in the suffering of the victims and all the French people, in what was supposed to be a great day of celebration.
"We condemn in an absolute manner every manifestation of homicidal folly, hatred, terrorism, and attacks against peace."
Bishop Robert Innes, the Church of England's Bishop in Europe, assured the people of Nice and France of his prayers.
"The terrible events of last night, which was to have been a day of national celebration, have reminded us that we must yet again stand together as men and women in the face of violence. I continue to pray for peace and, today in particular, we hold in our prayers the victims of this attack and their families," he said.
"We also pray for Fr Peter Jackson and the people of Holy Trinity, Nice, situated so close to the Promenade des Anglais who, along with all faith communities of the city, will minister to all affected by this tragedy. May you be strengthened by the prayers of the whole Diocese, your brothers and sisters in Christ."
The Church of England on Twitter offered a prayer for Nice:
The official death toll climbed through the night, but the current figure is at least 84 people killed, including many children.
A gunman drove a 19-tonne lorry into a crowd that had gathered to watch fireworks in Nice, also injuring hundreds, 18 of them critically.
French president Francois Hollande said in a national address "We cannot deny that it was a terror attack" and extended the country's state of emergency by three months. "France has been hit on the day of celebration. This is a form of sabotage. Human rights are not respected by these fanatics," he said.
The UN Security Council branded the attack "barbaric and cowardly", while US President Barack Obama called it "horrific", and said in a statement: "We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack."
New British foreign secretary Boris Johnson said on Twitter: "Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life."
According to the Telegraph, the lorry-driver was a 30-year-old French-Tunisian "well known to the police for armed attacks".
He was shot dead by police officers after exchanging fire.
Love your neighbour: Three ways to serve your local community
Jesus commands us to love God first and to love our neighbours as ourselves. He says no other commandment is more important, and that all others can be summed up by these two. A "neighbour" doesn't have to be someone that physically lives in your neighbourhood, but it's not a bad place to start.
In Acts 2, the picture of church is one of close community so close that they would pool their resources and share their things. While this is not what all communities have to look like, it does provide a paradigm to look to and work towards.
As Christians, how are we proactively looking to serve the communities we find ourselves in? Here are three practical ways that might bring the Acts 2 ideal a little closer to reality:
1. Get down to your local community centre
Community centres are often the hub of local goings-on. They might not be the most glamorous places, but you're sure to find ways to both serve and get to know other locals. Often with a full schedule of classes and activities, you could offer to teach or learn a skill, and in the meantime meet people who might live down your road. They are also a great starting point for other more specific services you might like to use or volunteer with.
2. Get to know people
Community requires commitment. Don't just sleep in your flat and spend the rest of your time elsewhere, intentionally choose to spend time in the area you live. Go to the local shop, have a coffee in the local cafe, knock on a neighbour's door. It might seem a bit basic, but it works. If a more structured way of getting to know your neighbours is more up your street, then there are plenty of local befriending services, where you can volunteer to hang out with older or more vulnerable members in your neighbourhood.
3. Advocate for people
Get involved in community organising work with local people to advocate for and create social and political change through collective action. There are community organisers all over the UK and their aim is to find out what is needed and wanted in a local community, build relationships and create effective action to shift power and enable social change. Get involved and you can collaboratively make a difference in your local political and social environment.
Christianity is a practical faith. We are commanded to love our neighbours, and that looks like something. Serving our local community outside of our Christian communities is key to bringing the Kingdom of God as it can help reveal glimpses of God's love to people who don't know him.
Newt Gingrich says people of 'Muslim background' who believe in Sharia law should be deported
A row over the place of Muslims in society and Sharia law has erupted in the US after last night's apparent terror attack in Nice which left over 80 people dead.
Newt Gingrich, a senior Republican and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has said that anyone of "Muslim background" who is found to believe in Sharia law should be deported.
Gingrich, who has endorsed Donald Trump as the Republican presidential candidate, told Fox News: "Western civilisation is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilisation. Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizen... But we need to be fairly relentless about defining who our enemies are."
Reaction in the UK is, not for the first time, very different.
Paul Hendricks, the Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, told Christian Today: "The thought that is going through my mind is how I'd feel if some lunatic did something like that and it was automatically blamed on Christians. It must make Muslims very anxious about the conclusions that people draw."
Bishop Hendricks said of Gingrich's comments: "It is easy to understand people overreacting but that does seem over the top to me." He added that the remarks "equate Sharia law with Islamic terrorism" and cited the row over Rowan Williams's comments on Sharia law in 2008.
Dr Williams, then Archbishop of Canterbury, was engulfed in a controversy of a different sort when he suggested that aspects of Sharia relating to tribunals might be incorporated into civil law, providing an alternative means of addressing civil law disputes, as is the case with Jewish law.
Dr Williams has since reflected on the row, saying in comments that resonate today: "I think what it did bring home to me was the degree to which we love to have people making our flesh creep. The scapegoating, the anger. It's a worrying thing because it depends on keeping crisis at the forefront of everybody's mind. And actually it blocks out the ordinary, prosaic continuities. You know, ask a churchgoer in, say, a northern town what he or she thinks of their Muslim neighbours in the same street or the next street, and I should think in nine out of ten [cases] people say: 'Well, they're our neighbours - we do these things together; we don't do these things together.'"
In the US, discussing the Nice attack, Trump himself told Fox News: "If it is indeed radical Islamic terrorism, it's about time that [President Barack Obama] would say so, OK? It's about time, because you're never gonna solve this problem unless you're gonna define it. People would sigh with relief. If it's radical Islamic terrorism, he oughta say it."
But a spokesman for the British inter-faith organisation Faith Matters struck a very different note, saying this was a time for different faith groups to unite. "We hope that communities may come together and re-enforce the very values that were being celebrated in France," the spokesman said. "Equality, liberty and fraternity underpin all that we regard as being central to our societies and communities and this means that we cannot allow extremists and terrorists to divide us. When we grieve for those who have died and suffered in Nice, we must honour them by holding onto these values and cherishing them, whilst we redouble our efforts against extremism and terrorism. Our thoughts are with those in France and those in Iraq, Turkey and the many countries that have been affected by terrorism."
Pastor Saeed Abedini says God is 'always close to the oppressed'
Pastor Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for over three years because of his Christian faith, spoke before hundreds of thousands of people in Paris at the National Council of Resistance of Iran rally last Saturday, telling them that the "resurrection of the Iranian people" is coming soon, just as long as they remain committed in Jesus Christ, according to The Christian Post.
Abedini said he is a living proof that "each act of resistance [for God] will be a victory, since "the message of God in the Bible says that we should resist in the face of tyranny."
To give comfort for those who are currently facing tyranny, Abedini assured them that God is "always close to the oppressed."
"Whoever opens his heart, he will be His friend. The message of the gospel is the message of the love of God. He sent His Son to earth, and whoever is faithful, will have eternal life," he said. "We will soon see this rebellion in our country, in our hearts, and in our world, because Jesus Christ is bringing this message. The resurrection of the Iranian people shall arrive very soon."
The pastor then recalled his time in prison, where he was told, "For you it's the end, you will never get out of this prison." It almost seemed like the threat would materialise, but Abedini knew in his heart that "evil will never win."
Abedini did not waste his time in prison, because he would often read passages from the Bible to his prison guards. Sometimes, his fellow inmates would join in his Bible reading, too. Even though he and other prisoners came from different walks of life and backgrounds, Abedini said they shared a sense of unity and common understanding.
"The Iranian people are much more modern and ahead of [their] leaders. The people should be able to choose their friends, their religion, and it's time to stop the slogans against America and Israel. We love them both," he said.
Target fitting room controversy: Man, transgender woman arrested for filming girls in dressing rooms
Target has been warned many times that bad things could happen if it persists on implementing its transgender bathroom and dressing policy. But the retail giant remained firm on its decision to let customers use the facilities based on their preferred gender.
Now, Target might come to regret its decision after a 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with violation of privacy last week after he reportedly took a video of underage girls while they were inside a Target changing room.
The incident allegedly took place at a New Hampshire Target store on June 22, according to Life Site News. The man arrested was identified as Zachary Bishop of Raymond, New Hampshire.
After he was caught filming the underage girls, Bishop immediately fled the Target store before police could apprehend him. However, Bishop seemed to have a change of heart since he later turned himself in after police issued a warrant for his arrest.
Bishop is not the only one caught taking advantage of Target's pro-LGBT bathroom policy to commit indecent acts. A transgender woman from Idaho Falls was also arrested after she took photos of a woman who was trying on clothes inside a Target dressing room in Ammon, Idaho on Monday, according to Snopes.
The victim caught the woman reaching over the wall with a cellphone, so she confronted her. Guilty, the transgender woman fled the store on foot but was eventually apprehended.
A Bonneville County Sheriff's Office news release reads, "Detectives were able to review witness information and security footage from Target that led them to come in contact with 43-year-old Sean Patrick Smith, who also identifies as Shauna Patricia Smith, a transgender female."
Trident: UK Churches united in opposition as Labour's turmoil continues
Church leaders have offered unanimous opposition to the renewal of the UK's nuclear weapons ahead of a key House of Commons debate on Monday.
Representatives from the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church, the Baptist Union, the Methodist Church, the United Reform Church and the Quakers have all voiced their dismay in a resounding cry against nuclear weapons.
The vote on July 18 will ask MPs to approve the replacement of the UK's four Vanguard submarines which can carry nuclear missiles. They are based in western Scotland on the Clyde and one submarine is constantly on patrol maintaining a "continuous at-sea deterrence". A full replacement would take 20 years and cost at least 31bn.
Although some individuals dissent, Trident appears to be one area of consensus across the Church's denominations in the UK.
All eight Catholic bishops of Scotland have issued a joint statement to call for "decisive and courageous steps" towards nuclear disarmament.
"The bishops of Scotland have, for a long time, pointed out the immorality of the use of strategic nuclear weapons due to the indiscriminate destruction of innocent human life that their use would cause," they said.
"Lives are being lost now because money that could be spent on the needy and the poor is tied up in nuclear arsenals," the bishops added as they endorsed the words of Pope Francis who said, "spending on nuclear weapons squanders the wealth of nations."
The response from the joint public issues team, a body that represents the Baptist Union, the Methodist Church, the United Reform Church and the Quakers, was equally strong. They urged Christians to write to MPs as they condemned the government plans as "unwarranted" and "unethical".
Rt Rev Dr Russell Barr, Moderator of the Church of Scotland, said his Church had opposed nuclear weapons for 30 years. "Attempts to sustain peace through the threat of indiscriminate mass destruction could not be further from the peace to which Christ calls us," he said.
Alan Yates, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church, said global threats were "diverse and nuclear weapons simply cannot offer security" and Rachel Lampard, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, added the vote was "ill-timed".
Rev Stephen Keyworth, Faith and Society Team Leader, the Baptist Union of Great Britain said: "We will never achieve the peace which Scripture encourages us towards with a defence policy built on fear". Paul Parker, Recording Clerk of Quakers in Britain, added loving your neighbor meant "we cannot threaten others with weapons of mass destruction".
The Church of England, historically more nuanced in its interventions, has also been forthright on Trident renewal. In their pre-election letter, the Church's bishops called for a debate as they acknowledged in the past "many Christians" had been "prepared to live with Trident" but now "the traditional arguments for nuclear deterrence need re-examining".
The CofE's national governing body debated the question in 2007 and passed a motion that said Trident replacement was "contrary to the spirit of the United Kingdom's obligations in international law and the ethical principals underpinning them".
More recently the Bishop of Chester, Rt Rev Dr Peter Forster, questioned why the UK had a nuclear deterrent in a debate in the House of Lords on Tuesday. "Our continued and very expensive possession of an independent deterrent will need a justification that, I believe, will need to be kept under continual review," he said.
As Church leaders are united in their opposition, Tory MPs are united in favour. Their 2015 manifesto promised to "retain the Trident continuous at sea nuclear deterrent" and "build the new fleet" to replace the old four submarines. SNP, like the Church, are unanimously opposed. But the same cannot be said for Labour.
In the past Labour have backed Trident renewal but current leader Jeremy Corbyn is a longstanding opponent. The issue is one that is likely to split the party down the middle and comes at a time of already intense divisions.
Trump expected to name conservative Catholic as VP running mate
Donald Trump is expected to name a conservative Catholic as his vice-presidential running mate following intense media speculation.
Indiana governor Mike Pence is regarded as a safe pick for Trump, whose unpredictability and frequently outlandish statements have alarmed the Republican establishment and led to many senior figures disowning him.
Pence served for 12 years in the US House of Representatives and has solid legislative experience and Trump's team will hope he will bring votes from the crucial Mid-West battleground states.
Pence is one of three candidates thought to be on Trump's shortlist, with former House speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey governor Chris Christie. He had not been confirmed as Trump's pick at the time of writing, but sources close to the Trump campaign said he had accepted an offer to run.
Pence backed Ted Cruz during the primaries. He is a committed believer, describing himself as a "pretty ordinary Christian" and as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." Pence grew up in a Catholic family and served as an altar boy, but also attended an evangelical megachurch before returning to Catholicism.
He backed conservative causes during his time as a congressman, opposing an extension of abortion rights and federal spending on stem cell research and cutting off funding for the controversial Planned Parenthood organisation.
Pence clashed with Catholic authorities when as governor of Indiana he halted state support for relocating refugees. The archdiocese of Indiana welcomed a Syrian family to the city anyway.
He was also caught up in the contentious religious freedom issues that have affected several US states because of his support for his state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, billed as protecting religious rights against those of LGBT people. After major businesses and organisations threatened to boycott the state he was forced to sign a revised version.
David Schelhaas, Professor Emeritus of English at Dordt College, recently published an article titled What Does Social Democrat Mean? Schelhaas suggests that Christians should seriously consider the merits of social democracy. Schelhaas is quick to point out that he does not advocate socialism, with state control and management of the means of production, coupled with the redistribution of wealth. Instead, he advocates for the lighter social democracy.
Schelhaas goes on to outline his vision of social democracy, including the states role in creating a good and just society and using taxes to pay forother social changes they desire. His chief concern is wealth inequality, and claims it is the underlying cause of virtually all social problems that plague a society, things like infant mortality, life expectancy, criminality, mental illness, etc.
The crux of Schelhaas argument rests in his endorsement of the moral creed of socialism, from each according to his ability, to each according to his need. He rightly rejects the traditional means of socialism as wrong, but accepts the ends. This is itself a dangerous error. Accepting the morality of socialist ends opens the door to more brutal means in the future, as history has shown us time and time again.
God calls Christians to care for the poor and the needy, to administer charity and to help the less fortunate. Notably, Scripture does not say that government should be the great instrument of charity, as Schelhaas advocates, saying that the social democrat credo might be from each (often via taxes) according to his ability, to each according to his need.
The beauty of charity, like neighborly love, is in its voluntary nature. What virtue is there in forcing one to help the less fortunate? 2 Corinthians 9:7 reads Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. [emphasis added]
Schelhaas makes wealth inequality the central moral issue that Christians should be concerned with. Not the violence that plagues the world, not theft, not pride, but the simple fact that some have more than others. He justifies his concern by quoting 2 Corinthians 8:13-14:
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality.
Schelhaas refers here to John Calvin, both as he interprets this passage in 2 Corinthians and as Geneva in the sixteenth century was organized. Even though some have referred to Calvins Geneva as embodying a kind of Christian socialism, it is highly problematic to read contemporary political philosophy into civil societies of bygone eras. And as Calvin relates to the question of equality, it is worth noting what he says elsewhere in relation to this passage in the second volume of his commentary on Corinthians:
Equality may be taken in two senses, either as meaning a mutual compensation, when like is given for like, or, as meaning a proper adjustment. I understand simply as meaning an equality of proportional right, as Aristotle terms it. In this signification it is made use of, also, in Colossians 4:1, where he exhorts masters to give to their servants what is equal. He certainly does not mean, that they should be equal in condition and station, but by this term he expresses that humanity and clemency, and kind treatment, which masters, in their turn, owe to their servants.[emphasis added]
Humans should be treated equally in the eye of the law. They should all be treated equally in terms of dignity, humanity, and respect. But Christians are not called to enforce a radical material and wealth equality. They are called to love, to respect, and to give cheerfully to those in need. This is far different from a social democracy trying to change and guide society through the state, as Schelhaas advocates.
Schelhaas correctly points out to the pressing moral concern over several societal issues, like infant mortality and crime. Schelhaas mistake is claiming wealth inequality is at the root of all of them. Wealth inequality is not the problem; poverty is. Though this may seem like mere semantics, they are not synonymous. The root cause of societal issues are enormously complex, and caused by a multitude of factors beyond simple material poverty. These other realities cannot be ignored, and social democracy taken as primarily oriented toward material redistribution is ill-equipped to address them.
Ultimately, social democracy is not the best route to human flourishing. Alleviating poverty and trying to solve social issues dont primarily come from government action. It comes from individuals working together through markets and civil society. Instead of relying on social democracy to deliver us from worldly evil, Christians should consider the merits of markets, charity, and churches.
What to #PrayForNice - a few simple ideas
For many of us, it's hard to know what to say in the light of the appalling terror attack in the French city of Nice. Yet another atrocity has struck a nation still reeling from the horrors of Paris, and a world that is now becoming painfully used to hearing the sort of breaking news which has just emerged. The sheer brutality involved, particularly in this case, where it's thought the driver of the truck kept going for around 2km as more and more people died, leaves us speechless. Death tolls; merciless innocent slaughter - it's hard to take that these have become the signs of our times.
It's also becoming understandably difficult to know what or how to pray in the aftermath of such incidents. We know that God is still good, that he is love, that his light still shines in the darkness, that he mourns over this kind of outrage more than any of us. Yet if we're honest, the frequency and scale of terrorist activity can have a gruelling effect on our faith. Just last week, more than 200 people were killed in an ISIS bombing in Baghdad; a month ago we were processing the disgusting mass-murder in an Orlando nightclub. Each time we come together to pray; still evil keeps advancing.
And yet we know that as people of faith, it's our responsibility to dig deep, to keep looking to our God, and to follow Paul's words in Galatians 6:9: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Right now many of us feel incredibly weary, and most of us can't even imagine what the loved ones of those who have died must be going through.
So, taking Paul's lead and asking God for his help in picking us up off the floor, we turn to the most powerful resource that we have: prayer. Even if like me, you find it incredibly difficult in the context, I believe that God hears and responds to our prayers; they really matter. If we want to do something positive; if we want to help, prayer has got to be our first response. Here are just a few thoughts about the specific things we could be praying for as this awful story continues to unfold.
For the families and friends of those killed
Pray that somehow the peace of God, which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7) will be deeply tangible for those who have just had to face their worst nightmare. Pray for those parents who've just lost a child; for family members and friends just receiving terrible news. Pray too for those who face anxious wait while their loved ones are in hospital among the many seriously injured.
For the doctors and other medical staff working with the injured
Medical teams will we working around the clock to help the estimated 50 injured, many of whom are children. Pray for skill, sustenance, and strength, especially as they are repeatedly faced with awful scenes. Pray too that they would have divine help when communicating bad or difficult news to families.
For the political and social fallout
There is significant tension in France and throughout Europe between different ethnic and religious communities, and this will only be heightened further by early suggestions of a connection to terror group Islamic State. Pray that people will be able to tell the difference between radicalised terrorists and faithful Muslims, and pray against misguided social unrest or further violence in response.
For media reporting
Pray that the media report sensibly, responsibly, and respectfully. There is so often a haze of misinformation, incorrect allegations and assumptions created by the worldwide appetite for 24-hour rolling news. Pray that the media behave more responsibly this time, and don't look to sensationalise or speculate both of which can lead to the kind of social problems described above.
Pray for the perpetrators
No-one is going to pretend this is easy, but Jesus who in the middle of the agony of crucifixion was able to ask for the forgiveness of his torturers tells us "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). This feels especially raw, yet it chimes with our experience that further hatred does not solve the problem of hate. The man who carried out the awful attack may be dead, but it's unlikely that he operated alone; so pray for those who were part of this, and whatever wider network is behind it, that they would somehow be reached by the love of God and the conviction that this violence and bloodshed must end. And perhaps more palatably, pray that they see hope emerging where they sought to cast despair; love and compassion where they aimed for chaos.
Against desensitisation
Pray that you will not become less aware of the awful horror of what has happened, just because it has happened yet again. Take time to identify with the families of the victims, and to 'mourn with those who mourn'. (Romans 12:15)
It's not easy. But we must continue to pray; we simply must not give up. If we do, terrorism simply claims another victory. Let us not become weary.
Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape.
Why Christians need to be taught Christianity
"Can you teach yourself Christianity? Yes. Can you teach yourself to be a Christian? Probably not."
This opinion comes from Rev Greg Hoyland, author with Rev Canon John Young of Christianity: A complete introduction (Hodder, 14.99, 9.99 e-book). Now on its sixth edition and largely rewritten, it's part of the Teach Yourself series, so Hoyland might be thought to have an axe to grind but he's clear that the book is more than just a dry outline of facts. "There are clues to faith in the book," he tells Christian Today. "It isn't just intellectual content."
There is, however, a lot of intellectual content in its more than 300 pages. It's designed for two reader groups, the general public and serious students. Hoyland says: "As I was writing I had in mind both the insiders and the outsiders. For the general public, someone working in healthcare or teaching will encounter Christians and find it useful to understand their beliefs and practices. Undergraduates doing literature, theology or history will find it useful too you can't assume they know all this."
However, there's another group Hoyland believes might benefit from reading Christianity: A complete introduction and that's Christians. A lecturer in theology for more than 25 years, he's found that many Christians today, particularly in the new and emerging Church movements, have little sense of their history or how their faith came to be what it was. But rather than rejecting tradition and history, he wants them to understand and own it.
He's now writing about "tradition as a reservoir of memory, rather than a prison cell or a cage". A reservoir, he says, "slows the water down so it can be used for creative purposes", and a richer understanding of the origins and scope of the Christian faith can do the same. He's critical of those who think they can ignore the last 2,000 years and just go back the Bible: "Try to go straight back to the early Church and it's a massive leap a lot of beliefs were still coalescing."
The book is a fascinating combination of history, biblical studies and cultural references that provides an overview of Christianity, in its theological and global development, from the earliest times to the present day. It isn't quite a complete introduction Hoyland comes across as a little embarrassed about the title but it does give an excellent sense of how the faith began, spread and deepened over the centuries.
There are chapters on the life and teaching of Jesus, the Bible and how to read it, Christian belief and practice and how the Church became different Churches. There's also a section on 'The modern world', which deals with secularisation, Church and society, science and cyberspace and the challenge of other faiths.
Each section has quotations from key sources, in-depth introductions to topic, 'spotlight' boxes with illustrations and anecdotes and 'fact-check' multiple choice tests at the end. And while the scholarship is rigorous and detailed enough to satisfy any enquirer, the book's clearly written from a position of faith though it's a questioning and enquiring faith. So, for instance, when writing about the atonement, the range of views about how the death of Christ has been understood is laid out challengingly, to Christians who might have taken the idea of substitution as a given. The book challenges the Western-oriented view of Christianity, too Hoyland says the authors have tried to reflect the fact that it's a global faith.
As part of that they've tried to be "broad and even-handed" in their treatment of different Church streams. "In the West we get Protestantism, Catholicism and evangelicalism and miss out Orthodoxy," Hoyland says. "But Orthodoxy has some very interesting things to say. It's less hell-bent on being relevant to the modern world."
If someone really wants to be a Christian, there's no substitute for meeting with God in the company of believers. But learning about the way he's revealed himself through the Church down the centuries is a good place to start, and this is an accessible, challenging and helpful introduction.
What constitutes a just war?
Western diplomatic efforts over Russia's annexation of Crimea can impact the most unlikely areas, as Justin Timberlake and Miley Cyrus found out a few days ago when forthcoming gigs at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki were put at risk because the venue is owned by three Russian businessmen who have been prohibited by the US from undertaking any financial transaction with US citizens or companies.
Unless special dispensation is granted by the US treasury, no American can play at Hartwall Arena until Russian forces leave Crimea. In the end, the gigs are going ahead. "The sanctions will not have an impact on Hartwall Arena nor our business there," Nina Castren, the chief executive of Live Nation Finland said.
Pop concerts aside, the question for us is, are diplomatic efforts enough, and if the West chooses to go to war over the question of the Crimea or any further Russian ventures into Ukraine, will it be right to do so?
To help answer that question, Christian Today spoke three leading scholars of the Christian 'just war' tradition and whether it applies in this context.
Robert J Delahunty is a law professor at the University of St Thomas School of Law and co-author of the paper 'From Just War to False Peace' published in the Chicago Journal of International Law.
Brian Orend is the Director of International Studies and a professor of Philosophy at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario.
Gregory M Reichberg is the head of the Olso based Peace Research Institute and co-editor of the text "The Ethics of War: Classic and Contemporary Readings"
Christian Today: Do you believe that an intervention by Western forces to return the Crimea to Ukraine could be regarded as a just war?
GR: No, this would not be a just military action on the part of the Western forces.
Russia may have a legitimate claim on Crimea, only by a fairly recent historical accident Khrushchev's "gift" gave Crimea to Ukraine; the vast majority of citizens living there are ethnic Russians; and Russia has its major Black sea naval base in Crimea, which it perceived to be threatened by political developments in Ukraine.
However Russia pressed its claim in the wrong way. Instead of invading Ukraine, they should have negotiated. By invading Crimea and pressing for a referendum under these circumstances, Russia violated international law.
This violation would provide insufficient just cause for a military reaction on the part of Western powers. On prudential grounds, such a reaction would be disproportionate, with little hope of success.
Since Russia broke an important norm of the international community when it resorted to force rather than negotiating over its claim, there is a basis for applying economic sanctions against Russia, but no necessity for using armed force in this instance, since it is not a last resort.
RD: Just wars have four main elements. The party going to war must (1) act under rightful authority, (2) have a proper intention, and (3) possess a just cause. Also, some just war theorists include (4) proportionality i.e. that the good outcomes of the war outweigh the likely harm the war will cause.
1) The first test ("rightful authority") distinguishes public wars from private violence like feuds or vendettas. A Western intervention would be authorised by sovereign governments, so this test would appear to be satisfied.
2) The second test ("proper intention") also appears to be satisfied. A Western intervention's purpose would be to restore Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea.
Before the Russian invasion, conquest and annexation of the Crimea, Ukraine was the internationally recognized sovereign over that territory, even Russia did not contest that.
The West would have less creditable purposes for intervening, such as extend its sphere of influence further eastward, or thwarting Russia's emerging challenge to its aim of retaining global leadership.
However, given the West's extreme reluctance (so far) to take or even to contemplate military actions against Russia provides strong evidence that these are not its objectives.
3) Restoring territory wrongfully taken to its rightful owner is a perfectly classic example of "just cause". But for this to be a just war, the West would have to limit itself to only liberating Crimea.
Destruction of Russian military power, occupation of Russian territory or destruction of the Russian economy beyond what was necessary to recover the Crimea would bring doubts over the justice of the Western "cause".
4) Proportionality is a requirement for a just war in international law, and here is where we see a Western intervention in Crimea probably not being just.
Forcible removing Russian forces from the Crimea would accomplish some good - restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty, and discouragement of future aggression by Russia or other powers.
But intervention carries enormous risks of a larger conflict between Russia and the West. Armed conflict would probably not be confined to the Crimea. The Putin government would likely believe that its survival was at stake if it lost the Crimea, and so would throw all the resources available to it into the conflict.
A Russian invasion of eastern (or even western) Ukraine would seem very likely. Russia could well seize the occasion to invade other neighbouring states that were once part of the Soviet Union or Russian Empire, including Moldova, the Baltic States, or Finland.
We should also not neglect economic issues. The West has not recuperated fully from the financial crisis of 2008. A war even a short and successful one could wreck the recovery.
The West might also find itself paying for post war reconstructions. Given the extensive harm that would likely ensue even from a "conventional" war over the Crimea, it would seem that the "proportionality" condition would not be met.
CT: Can Russia defend its actions in the Crimea using the just war tradition?
BO: The claims here are murky. The Russians would say that Crimea has this Russian majority, who want to be with Russia, and they ran this referendum to show the West this.
Plus, there's this huge Russian naval base which has been there for ages, and the whole issue of how Ukraine used to be part of the Soviet Union for a long time, and used to be run by Russia. Thus, there's a contestedness about who "owns" the Crimea.
Borders only have clear moral importance when they establish the limits of a clear and separate political community. If they don't - if they are deeply contested - then we have reduced grounds for viewing them as being sacred or inviolable.
If re-drawing the borders helps keep the peace, then that doesn't have to be irrational, or cowardly capitulation. Here, it may allow western/central Ukraine to pursue the deeper ties to the West (EU) that it wants, whereas the Crimea and perhaps the East are allowed to retain the traditional links to Russia.
RD: If Russia's actions had been limited to protecting the lives and safety of ethnic Russians living in the Crimea from the (alleged) dangers to which they were exposed by the collapse of the pro-Russian Ukrainian government, the case for Russian intervention would have been stronger.
In his speech of March 18, President Putin emphasised this purpose, claiming that "those who opposed the coup [against deposed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych] were immediately threatened with repression. Naturally, the first in line here was Crimea, the Russian-speaking Crimea. In view of this, the residents of Crimea and Sevastopol turned to Russia for help in defending their rights and lives."
However, by annexing the Crimea, Russia went well beyond such limited and temporary action. In other words, annexation was disproportionate.
CT: If Russia had more territorial ambitions, (such as has been rumoured with Finland) would that change the just nature of any potential war?
RD: The question can be understood in two distinct ways.
If the question is whether a war to defend those countries against a Russian invasion would be just, the answer is 'yes'.
Russia has no valid claim whatsoever to Finland, Moldova, the Baltic States or (at least the western half of) Ukraine. If those nations resisted Russian invasion by force, they would be acting in justified self-defence. If the West assisted them militarily, it would be acting justly.
The question might also be interpreted to be: would Western intervention in the Crimea be just if it is true that Russia has territorial ambitions it has not yet acted upon against Finland or other nations.
While that supposition about Russia's longer-range intentions would affect the proportionality analysis outlined above, I do not think it would alter the outcome of that analysis. In other words, it would not justify Western intervention in the Crimea.
BO: With Finland you are talking about a settled political community, with very few ethnic Russians living there. The border means much more, and thus an armoured crossing of it by the Russians would be much more clearly objectionable.
I'd be very surprised if Putin decided to go that route - he's more likely to go after eastern Ukraine, I'd think - but, I suppose one never knows. So, in the case of something like Finland, the West's case in terms of just cause would be impeccable - resisting an aggressive invasion across a settled border - but, I fear, the issues of consequences and probability of success would still arise, and sharply.
CT: Does the fact that the UK, France, the US, and Russia are all nuclear powers alter the just war question?
GR: Yes, it can affect the proportionality calculation. Any direct confrontation between states possessing nuclear weapons carries the risk that such weapons will be used. The side-effect harm would be massive.
From another perspective the nuclear question can affect our assessment of whether or not Russia had a just cause to annex Crimea. Ukraine's agreement to divest itself of its Soviet nuclear weapons was conditional upon its territorial integrity being respected by nuclear states.
Now countries that are developing or already have nuclear weapons can see the downside of disarming. Would Russia have invaded Crimea if Ukraine still had nuclear weapons?
A strong reaction, even if not military, is justified also because of the danger that Russia might seize further territory where numerous Russians live (Eastern Ukraine and Transnistria). It needs to be put on notice that such action is unacceptable and that serious consequences will result.
CT: If Ukraine had been a member of NATO would that change whether the war would be just for the West to fight?
RD: Yes. In that circumstance, even the proportionality condition would be likely to be met. The peace of Europe (and of the world) depends to a very considerable extent on the credibility and vitality of NATO.
If NATO were to stand by as a Member State was invaded and its territory wrongfully seized, the alliance would be shattered. That in turn would magnify the risk of further Russian encroachments in Europe; indeed, it could raise the chances for future conflict between (say) Greece and Turkey or even Germany and Poland.
CT: In your opinion, what is the most important question to ask when considering whether a conflict can be just?
RD: Really, all of the questions posed by the just war theory are essential. But decision-makers should concentrate on the question, what will the post-war consequences be? Studies show that wars often begin in a state of extreme over-confidence: both leaders and peoples are prone to believe that the war will be short and victory swift. That belief is routinely disappointed.
Further, the recent experience of the Second Gulf War shows that even when a military "victory" is achieved, it may be merely the prelude to further, prolonged conflict (the Iraqi insurgency). "Victory" may also leave the "victor" with the intractable tasks involved in a post-war reconstruction of the enemy's society, economy and polity.
Finally, the political leadership should also reckon with the consequences of war for its own people, including, not least, its soldiery. David Finkel's 2011 book 'Thank You For Your Service' graphically demonstrates the horrifying effects of combat on the lives of wounded American veterans of recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Their injuries were not only physical, but often mental and even moral. The justification must be substantial before a government can ask such sacrifice from those who fight its wars, and from their families.
Businesses regularly experience PR nightmares, like Target and the super-photoshopped thigh gap or Houston's Roots Bistro making a joke out of domestic violence.
While some of these blunders can result in extreme outrage, there will occasionally be one that you can't help but laugh at.
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The FBI is searching for a man who is accused of killing his wife while she was enlisted in the U.S. Army.
Jason Earl Armstrong Jr., 27, is accused of killing his wife, Iris Armstrong, July 1 in their home on the Fort Bragg Army Base in Fayetteville, North Carolina, according to the FBI.
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(Note: Take a look at the slideshow above for the brunch deals going on during 2016's Houston Restaurant Weeks.)
Get your calendar out and start planning your meals: The 2016 Houston Restaurant Weeks list of participating restaurants is now ready for you to organize visits to the city's best restaurants with the hottest meal deals.
On Friday the Houston Restaurant Weeks website, HoustonRestaurantWeeks.com, went live with the list of brunches, lunches and dinners available during the annual dining extravaganza that runs Aug. 1 through Labor Day, Sept. 5.
Participating restaurants donate a portion of HRW sales to the Houston Food Bank. Last year's event raised a record $1.9 million. Since its inception in 2003, the event, founded by Cleverley Stone, has raised more than $7.6 million. The sum raised by HRW has enabled the nation's largest food bank to provide about 23 million meals for food insecure Houstonians.
Foodies will have 36 days to enjoy prix-fixe meals at participating restaurants offering dinners in three price categories ($45, $35 and $25); brunch at $20 and lunch at $20. New this year is the $25 dinner. Restaurants will be added to program through Aug. 1 so it's wise to check the site frequently. Some of the participating restaurants require reservations and some accept walk-ins; the information is noted online.
For many, HRW allows Houstonians to enjoy some of the city's best restaurants at discount prices. Longtime restaurants and hot newcomers alike participate in the event which includes restaurants in the Woodlands, Sugar Land and Galveston areas. Overall, more than 200 restaurants are involved.
Restaurants include mainstays such as Americas River Oaks, Arcodoro Ristorante Italiano, Armandos, Brennan's of Houston, Cafe Annie, Glass Wall, Grotto, Ibiza, La Grigila, Le Mistral, Post Oak Grill and Rainbow Lodge.
And plenty of other options:
Newcomers: 51Fifteen Restaurant & Lounge, Agave Rio Restaurant & Patio Oasis, Ginger & Fork, Ritual, Restless Palate, Toulouse and Taverna
Hot spots: B&B Butchers and Restaurant, Bistro Menil, Brasserie 19, Caracol, Etoile Cuisine et Bar, Foreign Correspondents, Hugo's, Indika, State Fare, Peska Seafood Culture, Tony's, Ciao Bello and Triniti Restaurant & Lounge
Neighborhood favorites: Canopy, Charivari Restaurant, Danton's Gulf Coast Seafood Grill, Latin Bites, Lucille's, Max's Wine Dive, Ouisie's Table, Roost, Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen and Shade
Biggies: Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, III Forks Steakhouse, La Table, Masraff's, Morton's the Steakhouse, Perry's Steakhouse and Grille, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille and Vic & Anthony's
First timers: Bistecca Italian Steakhouse, El Tiempo Cantina, Hunky Dory, Mascalzone's, Local Pour, Midtown Barbecue, MKT Bar, Skinny Rita's and Weights & Measures
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One of Midtown's most promising nightlife businesses has closed.
Tarakaan, the restaurant and lounge that sported a gorgeous interior and attracted pretty young things to its Asian-inspired lair, has permanently shuttered according to its Facebook page. The closure was confirmed by a party familiar with the operation.
The posh restaurant/bar opened to great fanfare in September 2015 at 2301 Main with a space designed as a modern take on a 1920s Shanghai speakeasy. A large Buddha sculpture set in front of a wall of flickering candles dominated the dining room. Owner/operator Piran Esfahani, working with partner Pemjan Jamea, modeled the business on concepts such as Tao (New York, Las Vegas, Sydney), Buddakan (New York, Philadelphia) and Hakkasan (Shanghai, Miami, Dubai, Las Vegas and Doha, to name a few).
And while Tarakaan had a great start with its cocktail program and a pan-Asian menu from chef Micah Rideout, things began to unravel months later. By February 2016 Tarakaan and Rideout parted ways and Esfahani suspended restaurant operations in order to concentrate on liquor sales.
A month later Esfahani reconsidered his move and decided to restore food service. He later brought in chef Rob Frias, a partner in the high-end catering company Eminent Events, to create a sushi-centric menu augmented by dishes such as pork belly bao, beef tenderloin carpaccio, gochujang-glossed fried prawns and butter/Champagne-poached lobster wontons.
But now, apparently, the candles on the Buddha wall have stopped flickering.
Esfahani confirmed Friday that Tarakaan has closed. He said he would not be offering a statement.
A 27-year-old man has been accused in a robbery Tuesday at a credit union in northwest Harris County.
Bradley Edward Small was arrested for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in the heist about 10:15 a.m. at the Members Only Credit Union in the 15700 block of Kingfield near Texas 6, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies said Small was wearing a black hoodie, sunglasses, a half skull mask, gloves and blue jeans when he walked into the credit union. He pulled out a gun and forced three workers and a security guard into the vault. Then he snatched cash from the teller tills and dashed outside.
No injuries were reported.
Investigators later identified Small as a possible suspect. They went to his home and spoke with him. Inside the residence they found a large amount of money allegedly taken from the credit union as well as an air gun used in the heist and the clothes the suspect wore.
Small was taken into custody. He was released Thursday on $30,000 bond and is scheduled to appear Sept. 8 in the 178th State District Court, according to online court documents.
Christian Group Accuses WCCs Peace Activists of Violating Israeli Law | Main | Updated: Is Yohanna Katanacho Telling the Whole Story About West Bank Travel Restrictions?
July 15, 2016
List Ignoring Israeli Terror Victims Will Be Updated, CNN Assures CAMERA
July 17 Update Appended to Bottom of Post: CAMERA Success CNN adds fatal attacks on Israelis
After the deadly terror attack in Nice, France, CNN posted an online feature entitled "30 Days of Terror Around the World," which offered readers "a look at the attacks that have happened from June 14 through July 14."
Glaringly absent from CNN's list, though, were any Israeli victims of Palestinian terror during that time period.
Readers were understandably outraged. Did CNN not consider Hallel Yaffa Ariel, a 13-year-old girl who was murdered in her bed, to be worthy of mention in this discussion of recent terror attacks? And what of Michael Mark, a rabbi killed in front of his wife and two children?
While these attacks were ignored, CNN did make sure to include even attacks that caused no fatalities, such as an attack on a police station in Indonesia
and an attack in Malaysia:
CNN has told CAMERA that the omissions were not intentional, and that it will be updating the feature with the attacks against Israelis. Stay tuned.
July 17 Update
As of Friday evening, CNN has included information on the Palestinian terror attacks in which 13-year-old Hallel Ariel and Rabbi Michael Mark were killed. Screen shots of the additions, which CNN included after CAMERA staff contacted editors, appear below.
Posted by GI at July 15, 2016 02:46 PM
Thank you to CAMERA for making sure that CNN treats Israeli victims of terror with the same respect. CNN seems to think that dead and injured Israelis are less than human and not deserving of mention.
Posted by: Judith Levine at July 15, 2016 06:03 PM
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There's a loyalty that comes with weekly grocery shopping. You may drive by two grocery stores before pulling into the parking lot of the one you feel has the best food, prices and customer service. For Houston residents, a few grocery stores are making sure they're predominant in the community so they can be your choice.
Fifteen stores were named on the Chronicle 100 list of the region's largest grocers. The stores were determined by the number of locations in the Houston area.
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NEW YORK - Alicia Keys and a host of other stars, including Beyonce, Bono, Rihanna, Taraji P. Henson and Chris Rock, appear in a powerful video released Wednesday that describes "23 ways you could be killed if you are black in America."
The video made the social-media rounds after its release on Mic.com, spawning its own hashtag, 23Ways, and thousands of shares and comments. In black-and-white, it juxtaposes 23 artists with photos of 23 black victims of violence, with each star noting the acts that led to their deaths, mainly after interactions with police.
Many of the deaths led to intense anger and frustration among African-Americans, and kicked off protests that grew into the Black Lives Matter movement.
In an interview Wednesday, Keys said she was inspired by a Mic.com story earlier this month written by Jamilah King under the headline: "23 Everyday Actions Punishable by Death if You're Black in America."
More Information Information The video: youtube.com/watch?v=U_VaNhI4CLo Jamilah King's Mic.com story: bit.ly/29JYmiE See More Collapse
It was written after Alton Sterling was killed by police in Baton Rouge, La., after an altercation caught on video by a bystander. The story's approach, listing everyday things like laughing, sitting in your car, attending a birthday party, was Keys' call to action.
"It was just so powerful because it was all just so trivial," she said. "I just felt so devastated and frustrated and angry, saddened and disappointed. Those are the same feelings that we all feel."
Keys said it was easy to round up enough of her famous artist friends to hit the 23 mark.
"Each and every person I reached out to responded so quickly," she said. "They were feeling exactly how I'm feeling, and they were just ready."
Keys begins the video with "Failing to signal a lane change," followed by a photo of Sandra Bland, who died in jail after being stopped by police during a traffic stop (authorities ruled it a suicide). Beyonce is next up with "Riding in your girlfriend's car with a child in the back," and an image appears of Philando Castile, who was shot by police last week in Minnesota; his girlfriend livestreamed the aftermath.
Rock stares into the camera to say, "Running to the bathroom in your own apartment," followed by the face of Ramarley Graham, an 18-year-old shot in the Bronx by a police officer in 2012.
Pink, Bono, Janelle Monae, Adam Levine, Common, Queen Latifah, Kevin Hart, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Hudson and Keys' husband, Swizz Beatz, are among the other artists to appear.
Keys and her We Are Here organization call at the end of the video for signatures on a petition demanding President Barack Obama and Congress to work for "radical transformation to heal the long history of systemic racism so that all Americans have the equal right to live and to pursue happiness."
In a few hours, the online petition had nearly 50,000 signatures.
"When we get 100,000 we're going to walk that petition directly to the White House," Keys said. "I'm going to get as many as those 23 as possible."
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The Houston metro area is about 8,778 square miles. But if you're the owner of a lucky $49 raffle ticket, you could give up the heavy traffic and smoggy skies for a resort located on a 42.9-square-mile island.
Seriously, this isn't a joke.
Doug and Sally Beitz have spent the past 24 years running their self-made resort, Kosrae Nautilus, on the Micronesia island of Kosrae. They have now decided to trade in their lives of islanders to be full-time grandparents in their native Australia.
"We are ready for a change in our life," Doug said over a phone interview.
He and Sally are in the process of raffling off their resort to one lucky winner. "We're happy to hand it off to someone and give them a fresh start."
Resort-owning hopefuls can purchase a raffle ticket for a mere $49. The deadline to buy one is July 26. The Beitzes will draw the winner's name and hand over the entire resort to them. You can read more about it by clicking here.
There must be a catch, right?
"I'm the biggest skeptic in the world," Doug said. "We've had this question so many times, but it's because we've got an out-of -the-box idea. If we sold it any other way, no one would care, but because it's so out of the box, people are weary of it."
Let us break it down for you:
- The three-acre resort is debt free
- The winner receives 100 percent of Kosrae Nautilus Resort Inc.
- Solar panels cover about $1,000 of the monthly electricity
- A four-bedroom family home is included
- 16 resort rooms
- Two apartments (one one-bedroom and one two-bedroom)
- Swimming pool
- Private beach
- Eight vehicles
- Over $15,000 in restaurant, stock and cash
- Two dive boats
If you were to win, you'd have to either work to sustain the property or hire a staff to do it for you.
Leaders of the island states of Micronesia have expressed concerns about global warming affecting their island populations, according to a 2009 report from ABC News.
"The threat is to our existence, survival, not only as a people, as a culture," Micronesia's 2009 ambassador to the U.N. told ABC News. "We now have just flat beaches - the wash comes in and hits the roots of coconut trees."
Doug says he hasn't heard of any concerns in Kosrae, other than spotting erosion around the island.
"The geologists that have stayed with us believe that our island is much younger than the surrounding islands, so we are still thousands of feet out of the water," he said.
A dog found hanging by its leash from a pickup truck in a Kansas Walmart parking lot was saved by some quick thinking police officers.
On July 8, Sgt. Jason Legleiter and Officer Wade Hammond of the Arkansas City Police Department in Arkansas City, Kansas, were alerted to a dog that was hanging from a leash in a pickup truck, according to the police department's Facebook page.
Bay Village sign.jpg
A partial sign is the only visible evidence of the Bay Village project -- a $30 million development originally announced in early 2011.
(Warren Kulo/The Mississippi Press)
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- In February 2011, Mayor Connie Moran announced during her quarterly "Breakfast With The Mayor" that Thrash Development of Hattiesburg would build a $20 million (later $30 million) mixed use development on U.S. 90, along with a $4.3 million boutique hotel downtown on Government Street.
More than five years later, not a single shovel of dirt has been turned. The hotel project, in fact, was long ago scrapped in favor of a public parking lot -- this after the City rezoned the property for a hotel and the Public Works department spent roughly $25,000 in labor and materials on infrastructure to support a hotel.
Thrash had also promised, according to Moran, to donate $25,000 for construction of a neighborhood park near the hotel property.
Apparently undaunted, Moran touted the Bay Village project again at her Breakfast With The Mayor event earlier this week, saying Thrash Development had gone out for bids on the project and work could start later this year.
A public parking lot was ultimately constructed where a 30-room boutique hotel had been planned on Government Street in Ocean Springs.
Attempts to reach Moran and Thrash Friday were unsuccessful, but The Mississippi Press did speak to six of the seven members of the Ocean Springs Board of Aldermen.
To a man, not one of them knew anything about progress on Bay Village.
"First I've heard of it," said Jerry Dalgo. "It hasn't been brought up in a meeting, not even in executive session."
Dalgo did recall Thrash going through preliminary planning steps in the beginning "and then nothing."
"We waited and waited," John Gill said. "Never heard a thing."
"I don't know anything, either," said Chic Cody. "I did see him (Thrash) going into City Hall recently, but I have no idea what he was there for. Connie hasn't been here much, so we haven't had much time to talk."
Fellow aldermen Bobby Cox and Greg Denyer said they knew of no new developments with Bay Village, nor did they have any information on an amusement park being built in Ocean Springs -- another project Moran touted Wednesday.
When Bay Village was announced in February 2011, Moran said it would be a $20 million mixed-use development consisting of two five-story buildings and one two-story building, all with retail, office and residential space.
Two years later, in February 2013, Thrash discussed the project with The Mississippi Press, describing it as a $30 million mixed use development to be built in two phases covering 25 acres.
Phase I would be a $10 million development resulting in a 70,000 square foot building with retail space in the first floor, office space on the second and four floors of condominiums above.
Condominiums would sell for $200,000 to $400,000 and Thrash said he already had a tenant lined up for some of the office space.
Phase II would involve construction of additional mixed-use space, with some custom design to meet the needs of potential clients. There were also be three out parcels for development of restaurants or other commercial interests which would represent an additional $2.5 million investment.
All told, Bay Village would ostensibly result in 200,000 square feet of mixed use space and create 80-100 jobs.
Roughly five and a half years later, however, the only evidence of the Bay Village project is a sign -- about half of which is missing.
Which leaves aldermen wondering what -- if anything -- is actually going on with the project?
"What we need to know is are they going to go forward with it? What are they going to do? What impact will it have on the city?" Cody said.
Ward II alderman Matt McDonnell, who also said he was unaware of any new developments with the project, echoed Cody.
"I don't know where they've been, where they're going or even what they're planning to build," McDonnell said.
McDonnell, however, also pointed out that it would be premature to point fingers at Thrash Development.
"Development is sometimes a very tricky endeavor," he said. "It requires a lot of moving pieces to fall into place to move forward. I don't know all the challenges the Bay Village developer has or is facing, because we've never been made privy to that information."
Gill also noted that Thrash wanted to deed 17-acres of wetlands included in the Bay Village property which run along Fort Bayou, but aldermen voted to decline the offer and instead the property was deeded to the Mississippi Coastal Trust.
"In my opinion, he just wanted to get it off his taxes, because he couldn't use it," Gill said. "If this guy's resurrecting the project, it's news to me."
Leaders of the Canadian Anglican church this weekly narrowly have provisionally authorized clergy to perform same-sex weddings, following the lead of the Episcopal church in the United States and risking the ire of conservatives in the Church of England.
Religion News Service reports the measure passed by one vote after church General Secretary Michael Thompson said his vote favoring the change in denomination rules had not been properly counted.
The motion to approve same-sex marriages provisionally was approved on Tuesday, one day after its defeat. To become fully accepted as denominational policy, the measure must be read and approved a second time when the church's General Synod meets again in 2019.
After the measure's initial defeat, a number of delegates, including the archbishop of Toronto, proclaimed they were performing same-sex weddings despite the prohibition.
With 1.6 self-professed members, Anglicans comprise the third-largest Canadian Christian denomination.
"This vote has been difficult for man, and no outcome can address all of our church's need to live and work together," Thompson said in a statement. "We have a long road ahead to restore our common life."
In 2004, the Canadian church affirmed the "integrity and sanctity of committed adult same-sex relationships." Canada legalized same-sex marriage in 2005. In the United States, the Episcopal church authorized clergy to perform same-sex weddings in 2015, leading to a rebuke from the international Anglican Communion.
Communion chief Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had no immediate comment regarding the Canadian church's decision.
Religion News Service reports moves toward same-sex weddings have been taken by Anglican churches in Brazil, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa.
You can read the entire RNS report here.
been "miscoded." The
Two Nigerian citizens pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to their roles in a Facebook romance scam aimed at defrauding a Houston-area woman of $2 million.
The scam is one of a growing number schemes turning up across the country on social media sites that cost victims nearly $200 million in 2015, federal officials said.
DALLAS Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the country, including dozens from Harris County, turned out in force to join residents in mourning the loss of five Dallas officers from a sniper's ambush.
Officers came from Boston and Braintree, Miami and Tucson, Allentown and New York, from Las Cruces and Evanston and San Antonio and as far away as Canada.
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A protest in support of Black Lives Matter drew more than 50 people and heavy police presence in south Houston on Thursday.
Assistant Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said the demonstration near Texas 288 ended without incident.
Protests and rallies have led to arrests and chaos in other cities after the police killings of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, and the sniper attack that left five officers dead in Dallas.
Houston, however, has avoided trouble at its demonstrations. Before Thursday's rally, a small crowd gathered in front of Houston police headquarters downtown.
RELATED: Houston mayor asks feds to review fatal HPD shooting
"Officers are professional and they remain professional; yet we're not going to allow people to push us and we're not going to allow people to assault other people," Finner said. "When there's contact and start pushing up against officers, that's when we're going to have a problem. Everything was able to get resolved and everything was good."
More than 20 police officers were at the scene near the 2300 block of Southmore around 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The event comes after the death of 38-year-old Alva Braziel, who was fatally shot by Houston officers after waving a gun when he was approached by policemen.
OUTRAGE AT UH: Student leader's 'All Lives Matter' post sparks trending hashtag
Alton Sterling, 37, was killed by police outside a store in Baton Rouge, La., on July 5. In a graphic video that streamed live on Facebook, officers opened fire on Philando Castile, 32, fatally shooting him as he sat in a car with his girlfriend and a child.
Two days later, five officers in Dallas were killed by a sniper at a protest against police brutality.
"I think there's work to be done on all sides, with community members and police," Finner said. "The work starts with just sitting down at the table and talking."
A Houston judge on Friday denied bail for an accused shoplifter who is facing a murder charge as a habitual offender in the death of a Bellaire motorcycle officer during a high-speed chase earlier this week.
Dante Jerel Moore, 27, appeared before state District Judge Maria Jackson who denied a request for bail after hearing that Moore had several convictions, including a charge of evading police.
Moore is accused of felony murder - causing the death of someone while committing another felony, which in this case is evading a police officer. Because of his criminal history, if he is convicted of the first-degree felony, he faces a punishment range from 25 years to life in prison.
Prosecutor Britni Cooper said Moore turned himself in to authorities late Wednesday and admitted to driving the vehicle Tuesday that led police through residential areas of Bellaire at speeds of up to 80 mph.
Bellaire Officer Anthony Zarate, 52, crashed into a trailer during the chase and died later at a nearby hospital.
Moore and a friend were allegedly shoplifting at a Bellaire Target when they were chased out of the store by a loss prevention officer.
The officer flagged down Zarate in the parking lot. He stopped the vehicle Moore and his friend were in, but they sped away when Zarate approached them on foot, police said.
Zarate jumped on his motorcycle and followed them along the narrow streets of Bellaire.
Landscapers said they saw Zarate loose control of the motorcycle and hit the right rear section of the trailer.
Cooper said the man Moore was with has not been charged, but the investigation continues.
brian.rogers@chron.com
twitter.com/brianjrogers
Months after being forced into closure by Houston's historic "Tax Day" flood, the Johnny Steele Dog Park is back open again on Buffalo Bayou.
The reopening was announced Friday afternoon on Buffalo Bayou's Twitter page.
Portions of the park including the ponds and water fountains are still being worked on, but other parts of the park will be open this weekend.
Massive flooding April 18 devastated the park. Cleanup was then further complicated by two additional spring flooding events.
Johnny Steele Dog Park opened at Buffalo Bayou Park in January 2015.
The $1.5 million, 2-acre park features sturdy fencing, those two large ponds, shade structures, a place for dogs to wash off from a day of play, plus seating and lighted areas to accommodate human visitors.
There is a limit of two dogs per person per visit to the park and one hour for each dog. Dogs taller than 15 inches may not use the small dog area.
The park, named for a noted Houston landscape architect, is a part of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's $58 million transformation of Buffalo Bayou Park.
Houston Chronicle's Craig Hlavaty contributed to this report.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy, Governor Greg Abbott / courtesy Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Tony Gutierrez, STF / Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3
AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott was discharged from a San Antonio military hospital Friday, just over a week after he sustained severe burns on a vacation trip to Wyoming.
The governor received second- and third-degree burns to his lower legs and feet on July 7 after being scalded while on family trip to Jackson Hole, according to his office.
PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Curley Clark of the Moss Point chapter of the NAACP met with media on Friday in light of recent Black Lives Matter protests in Pascagoula. Clark's message was asking of protesters to remain calm and to not let shootings in Baton Rouge, Minnesota, and Dallas to ignite unrest on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
"The NAACP was responding to the Black Lives Matter protests that were recently held in Pascagoula a few days ago," Clark said. "There was a lot of interest as to wondering if the community supported the protests and indeed there are, but we believe this shines a light on much needed criminal justice reform."
Clark stated Friday's press conference was to simply alert the community to the actions the NAACP were taking regarding police brutality. Deescalation tactics and the use of excessive force of black and brown bodies is at the forefront of the resolution the NAACP is looking to have passed by law enforcement across the country.
While Clark made it clear that he supports the efforts of Black Lives Matter, violence of any sort to achieve the goals of the movement are not condoned by the NAACP.
"We are in agreement that deescalation tactics and training need to be reinforced by police departments around the nation," Clark said, "but we do not condone violence that is associated to get points across."
So what should black and brown men and women do when approached by police officers? Clark says comply.
"We are calling on the community to show restraint and if in fact a situation occurs where a young black male or female was stopped by police, we would suggest they would comply," Clark said.
"Comply to the directives law enforcement gives you and be respectful. After doing what is told of you and you feel that your rights were violated, let the NAACP, the ACLU, or any other legal group fight that battle for you. Do not try to fight that battle on the street," Clark said.
Clark is also asking for officers to be held accountable for their actions and was reassured by Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell that if in fact wrongdoing by an officer is shown, it would be handled appropriately.
"Sheriff Ezell assured me that in Jackson County that any type of impropriety by law enforcement would not be tolerated," Clark said. "We are speaking to both sides -- law enforcement and the community to ensure that both sides make sure that the Mississippi Gulf Coast does not turn into a scene such as the one in Baton Rouge, Minnesota, or Dallas."
Flying through the clouds have been a thing of wonder for many, and thanks to the Wright brothers, we've been pushing the engineering envelop ever since.
With grand performances and awestruck audiences, the pilots' maneuvers have stunned many.
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St. Martin burglary suspects Joshua Patrick (left) and Dillon Quinn.
(JCSO photos)
ST. MARTIN, Mississippi -- Jackson County investigators have arrested two more suspects in connection with the burglary of Sicily's Pizza in the St. Martin community, as well as other residential and vehicle burglaries.
A search warrant was executed Thursday at 7120 Melon Drive in St. Martin. During the search, investigators recovered items stolen from Sicily's during Tuesday's burglary, along with a 12-gauge shotgun and ballistic vest stolen from a Gautier police unit on July 4 in the Savannah Pines subdivision in St. Martin.
A juvenile was arrested at the scene, along with 19-year-old Joshua Antonio Patrick, for their involvement in the Sicily's burglary, along with a residential burglary at 7217 Oak Cove in St. Martin on Thursday.
In addition, 21-year-old Dillon Quinn of 16209 Seville Court in Biloxi was arrested on two counts of commercial burglary for his role in the vehicle burglaries in the Savannah Pines subdivision. Another juvenile suspect was identified in the auto burglaries, as well.
A 17-year-old juvenile suspect in the Sicily's burglary was already in custody after his arrest on Wednesday.
Quinn and Patrick were transported to the Jackson County Adult Detention Center, while the juvenile suspects are in the custody of the Jackson County Youth Court.
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.
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The Lee and Booker legislation will do a lot of good for family farmers, and not industry operatives who are working against family farmers's interests and are often obsessed with fighting animal welfare or environmental standards and lobbying to secure additional subsidies from Congress. Photo by iStockphoto
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Two of the youngest members of the Senate, who often come at the nations business from opposite ends of the political spectrum, Senators Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, have found common purpose in the drive to reform a series of federal government programs that have too often taken on the character of a slush fund for some agricultural commodity organizations. Their legislation, the Commodity Checkoff Program Improvement Act of 2016, introduced yesterday as S. 3201, seeks to stop big agriculture groups from using check-off programs financed by taxing the sale of every slab of pork, carton of eggs, or other agricultural product from using the funds generated by the program like a bank account to finance their daily operations and even their lobbying activities. Lobbying activities, importantly, that are often aimed at undermining critical protections for animals.
The senators proposal would strengthen prohibitions against using checkoff funds to engage in government policy advocacy, and against conflicts of interest or anti-competitive activities that harm other commodities or consumers. It would also require that checkoff programs publish all budgets and disbursements of funds for the purposes of public inspection, and submit to periodic audits by the USDA Inspector General.
Take the beef checkoff program. The industrys biggest trade association, the National Cattlemans Beef Association (NCBA), is the primary contractor for beef checkoff advertising efforts, despite the fact the group claims membership of only 3.1 percent of Americas cattlemen. NCBA receives the majority of national checkoff fees, making up most of NCBAs total budget. Thats almost every beef checkoff dollar, paid by many of the smallest farmers, going to a lobbying group that typically represents interests of the biggest producers and against interests of independent cow-calf operators. A 2010 audit of NCBA expenditures of beef checkoff dollars uncovered gross misuse of funds, resulting in an agreement by NCBA to return $216,000.00.
The pork checkoff has become the most outrageous example of abuse. Years ago, the Pork Board developed the memorable Pork: The Other White Meat campaign. Yet, despite its development with checkoff funds, title to the trademark was claimed by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) the trade association that defends keeping pigs in lifelong inhumane confinement in small cages, the overuse of antibiotics, and so many other retrograde policies free of charge. Then, after the trademark had near exhausted its market value, the Pork Board bought back (with checkoff dollars) its own unlawful gift from the NPPC for $60 million dollars! These federal funds are now being paid out every year in $3 million installments, and they make up a third of the NPPCs annual budget. The HSUS, along with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and an individual pig farmer, have sued over this gross abuse of the checkoff program and the pending lawsuit threatens to eliminate NPPCs use of the checkoff as an illegal slush fund.
In some instances, checkoff boards have engaged in outright market manipulation, attempting to keep products that might be viewed as competitive off the shelves. In 2013, the Egg Board tried to get government regulators and retailers to take action to halt sales of Hampton Creeks egg-free Just Mayo brand products, clearly worried that the widespread availability of humane alternatives would reduce their market share.
The Lee and Booker legislation threatens to upend this set of sweetheart deals for the trade groups that tend to treat checkoff dollars as a pot of gold.
At the same time, Senator Lee also introduced S. 3200, which would amend the authorizing checkoff laws to make producer participation in the program voluntary. If passed, this bill would mean that producers who dont benefit from checkoff programs would not be obligated to pay into the scheme.
Both bills will do a lot of good for family farmers, who will no longer have to hand over their hard-earned cash to industry operatives working against their interests operatives, moreover, they know to be disconnected from the realities of family farming, and who are often obsessed with fighting animal welfare or environmental standards and lobbying to secure additional subsidies from Congress. Its no surprise, then, that this legislation has already garnered the support of dozens of state and national farming groups. Senator Lees press release lists 37 separate agriculture groups as backers of the legislation. Also in support is the Organization for Competitive Markets, the national non-profit that works to restore supply and demand based competition in the commodity sector.
In my recent book, The Humane Economy, I talk about the wave of animal-friendly reforms happening throughout so many sectors, including food and agriculture, and driven by conscious consumers and forward-thinking entrepreneurs. But I note that we have a lot more work to do, and uprooting the government subsidies to agribusiness interests is at the top of the list. That effort starts right here with the Lee and Booker bills.
Lets pass this common sense legislation, restore fair play and free markets, and stop making things even more difficult for family farmers and for animals.
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From left, Jeff Smith and Cody Boyce watch at John Smith of Smith Ford Motor Co. presents a check to Tim Lonacre of the Warren Tech automotive program. Boyce is a recent grad of Warren Tech and now a technician at Smith Motors.
(Special to Lehighvalleylive.com)
John Smith of Smith Ford Motor Co., in Washington, recently presented Tim Longacre, of the Warren Tech automotive program, with a check for $1,740, the proceeds from the recent "Drive 4 UR School" fundraiser held at Warren Tech.
Smith Ford, in association with Ford's national fundraising program for schools, hosted "Drive 4 UR School" when for every test drive, Ford Motor Co. donated $20. This was the fifth year that Smith Motors, which celebrated its 90th anniversary this past year, has participated in the program.
Previously it has partnered with Belvidere, Warren Hills, Hackettstown and North Warren high schools.
Smith Ford also participated in Ford's sister program, Drive 4 UR Community, which raises money for community-based nonprofit organizations.
Ford Motor Co. first developed Drive 4 UR School in 2007, creating an opportunity for schools and their clubs, groups and extracurricular activities to raise money to continue or expand their operations.
Do you have education news to share? To see it posted here and possibly in The Express-Times and Warren Reporter, send me an email.
Last night, during festivities to celebrate Bastille Day in Nice, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlelonly one terrorist has so far been identifiedkilled 84 people, including ten children, and left 18 more in critical condition. It was the seventh terrorist attack in France in 18 months.
People had gathered on the popular Promenade des Anglais. As soon as the fireworks finished, a white van plowed into the crowd. The driver continued for more than a mile, mowing down everyone in his path, until he was shot dead. A witness described bodies flying like bowling pins. Documents found in the truck show that it belonged to a French national who was born in Tunisia. He was known to the police as a petty criminal, but unknown to the anti-terrorist service.
At 3:30 A.M., French president Francois Hollande announced that next week he will submit to parliament legislation to extend the state of emergency. All of France is under the threat of Islamist terrorism, he said. Our vigilance must be relentless. Operation Sentinel, he said, which provides for the permanent deployment of some 7,000 soldiers in France, will be maintained at a high level. He has also decided to call up the operational reserve: all those who once served in the armed forces or police have been asked to relieve the burden on police staff and the gendarmes. We can deploy them everywhere we need them, and in particular at the borders, Hollande said. The dream of a Europe open from the Baltic to the Adriatic is dying. Hollande vowed to strengthen French operations in Syria and Iraq. We will continue to strike those who attack us in their lair, he said, without explicitly assigning credit to the Islamic State.
The attack came at the end of a day in which FBI director James Comey told the House Homeland Security Committee, We all know there will be a terrorist diaspora out of the caliphate as military forces crush the caliphate. Last month, ISISs cyber-caliphate channel reminded its followers that vehicles can be used as weapons. Though Islamic State social media accounts celebrated the Nice attack, ISIS itself has not yet claimed credit.
No one is surprised. Depressed, yes, but not surprised. French officials have repeatedly warned that there will be more attacks. ISIS has made its strategy explicit: exhaust the police and push France into civil war. Two days ago, testimony from Frances intelligence chief, Patrick Calvar, was made public by a parliamentary commission on terrorism. Calvar predicted that Islamic extremists would attack with booby-trapped vehicles and bombs. He raised as well the possibility of radiological attacks and the use of ricin. Further attacks were, he said, inevitable. He also said that he was concerned about the radicalization of society. Confrontation between the ultra-right and the Muslim worldnot the Islamists, but the Muslim world, was also inevitable, he said. He warned of the risk of civil war. In May, Calvar had suggested that France was only one or two more attacks away from this.
This is, of course, what ISIS hopes to achieve. Its propaganda relies on the narrative that Muslims cannot live amid Crusaders, and must take sides. Their strategy, as the Marxist dialecticians used to say, is to heighten the contradictions.
Theres little more to say. Were all demoralized by it.
Photo by Patrick Aventurier
There were a number of big CLECs (over $500M in revenue) just 6 years ago - PAETEC, Windstream, Qwest, Cbeyond, XO, Level3, Global Crossing, TW Telecom, EarthLink, AboveNet, Zayo, and TelePacific.
By 2012, half were gone, swallowed up by acquisitions. [CBEY-Birch, Qwest-CLink, Paetec-WIND, L3-GX, L3-twt, Zayo-ABoveNet]. Today, with XO going to Verizon next year, there are really only a handful left. And they don't look like what a CLEC looked like 6 years ago.
Wireline Copper is in decline in large part to fiber, Google and cable, but to no small extent by the ILECs not wanting to be in that business anymore. They don't have to share fiber assets like a UNE. They do wholesale it, but since the ILECs are getting beat by the cablecos, the wholesale ILEC fiber isn't an awesome deal.
Buying wholesale from cable is resembles punching yourself in the face. They don't want to sell wholesale. I have heard this from them repeatedly. They make Verizon look like a generous wholesale partner. They will snake your customer out from under your contract. )I have heard these stories repeatedly as well.)
After you have done this for a while, you want a change. Who wouldn't? Telco is to gastroenterology what candy is to dentistry.
TelePacific has made a shift. With its acquisition of DSCI, TelePacific is taking managed services, UCaaS and SD-WAN nationwide. I have been known to say, Layer 1 or Layer 7 - either own the network or own the app. With managed services, UCaaS and SD-WAN, TPAC is betting on being a business technology partner at Layer 7 (of the OSI Model). Congrats, to one of my favorite clients (for full disclosure to my readers).
The other final pivot occurred in Atlanta, where EarthLink "acquired Boston Retail Partners, LLC ("BRP"), a highly regarded management consulting firm focused on the retail vertical. BRP's experienced consultants work with leading retailers to deliver strategic solutions that address the business and technology challenges unique to the industry." This might be the final note of the retail song that ELNK has been playing. Retail is a vertical they decided to attack and own and this might be the final piece needed.
It reminds me of CapGemini a little in that CapGemini is a consulting firm that partnered with VMWare and their AirWatch division to offer mobile desktop mixed with MDM. A consulting firm being a service provider like an MSP.
This ELNK acquisition makes me wonder if they will spin-off their network assets - Deltacom/IFN fiber, ONE Comm fiber in the northeast and New Edge Networks - to a REIT or other entity. It would make sense IF the revenue of the CLEC could stand up to scrutiny by itself. We'll see, but it is definitely a different looking CLEC. I'm not even certain that term applies to them any more.
After 28 acquisitions, Birch has a new CEO and mission for organic growth predicated on a fiber lit building strategy and Cbeyond's cloud portfolio. They still look and act like a CLEC.
Zayo is all fiber all day. Pipe, pipe, pipe. Oh, yeah we have some data center stuff from a Latisys acquisition but fiber, fiber, fiber.
And Level3 is still plugging away at its own triple play: the voice network that more than 70% of the VoIP providers rely on; a very well connected network with a top looking glass that is connected to content engines as well as enterprises, government and carriers; and fiber. The next step for Level3 is to connect their young security services department into their well-connected market. This would get them up the stack a little too.
Rumor today is that Comcast wants to buy Level3 to compete eye to eye with AT&T and VZ.
Network is the main play but no one can survive forever on just selling network - unless you have many unique routes, you run your network flawlessly and you know where the assets are. There has to be a layer beyond just pipe. That's what everyone is working on.
Achizitie de Servicii Tehnice de creare a plantatiilor forestiere de protectie din cadrul primariei Andrusul de Jos si a primariei Vadul lui Isac, r. Cahul
As Edward R. Murrow wrapped up his now-famous special report condemning Joseph McCarthy in 1954, he looked into the camera and said words that could apply today. He didnt create this situation of fearhe merely exploited it, and rather successfully, Murrow said of McCarthy. Most of Murrows argument relied on McCarthys own words, but in the end Murrow shed his journalistic detachment to offer a prescription: This is no time for men who oppose Senator McCarthys methods to keep silentor for those who approve, he said. We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.
After months of holding back, modern-day journalists are acting a lot like Murrow, pushing explicitly against Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. To be sure, these modern-day Murrow moments carry less impact: Long gone are the days in which a vast majority of eyeballs were tuned to the big-three television news programs. But we nonetheless are witnessing a change from existing practice of steadfast detachment, and the context in which journalists are reacting is not unlike that of Murrow: The candidates comments fall outside acceptable societal norms, and critical journalists are not alone in speaking up.
Its difficult to find a single launch moment for the change in coverage, but perhaps it started with a question from Fox Newss Megyn Kelly during the August 2015 GOP presidential debate. Kelly simply listed some of the awful things Trump has said about women; the power of her question was her use of the candidates own words. As effective as Kellys question wasprovoking Trumps ire and countless tweetsjournalists began to become more adversarial. The new tone began to ramp up in March when CNNs Anderson Cooper took Trump to task. Trump, in defending himself after a squabble with fellow candidate Ted Cruz involving photos of each of their wives, explained to Cooper that Cruz had started it. With all due respect, sir, that is the argument of a 5-year-old, Cooper replied.
Others followed suit. In June, CNN fact-checked Trump in real-time with the caption TRUMP: I NEVER SAID JAPAN SHOULD HAVE NUKES (HE DID). And it was extraordinary to see CNNs Jake Tapper asking Trump about his objections to US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in the United States to Mexican parents. Trump contended Curiels background prevents him from making a fair judgment in a case involving Trump. Is that not the definition of racism? Tapper asked the candidate.
Last month, Trump sent a self-aggrandizing tweet about Orlando (Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism.) and intimated in an interview with Fox News that Obama may have had a role in the attack. (Were led by a man that either is not tough, not smart, or hes got something else in mind.) In response, Stephen Colbert took to his chalkboard on The Late Show to diagram Trumps logic. The diagram was a swastika, a joke on a major network show that would have been inconceivable even a few months ago. After Orlando, the Los Angeles Times called Trump a loose cannon who was stooping to a new loweven for him.
The American journalistic goals of detachment and objectivity are long held. Until the mid-19th century, most newspapers were directly funded by political parties. As that started to change and the commercial model began to emerge, newspapers started to shed their partisan baggage. For much of the last 150 years the trade-off was a good one: Journalists would avoid taking sides, and they would be given access to newsmakersand news consumersfrom both parties.
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Playing it straight can still be effective. Trump mocked a disabled New York Times reporter, revoked the credentials of The Washington Post, and insulted Megyn Kellyresponding, in each case, to straight reporting of facts. But facts alone may be a poor weapon against a campaign that rarely admits errors, choosing instead to double down on dubious claims.
So why the change in coverage? To understand this moment, and what it says about journalisms place in our democracy, we need to explore two things that trigger journalists to call speech dangerous. The first is that journalists rarely shed their detachment in a vacuum. Murrow, the most respected television journalist of his day, wasnt the first to criticize McCarthy. The Milwaukee Journal and other newspapers led the charge, and The Washington Posts Herblock made McCarthy the subject of many of his cartoons. And while President Dwight D. Eisenhower resisted criticizing McCarthy forcefully, other politicians began to, particularly when McCarthys targets included Protestants and the military, as the Army-McCarthy hearing would reveal.
Throughout American history, journalists have been more likely to become advocates when they see others, like politicians and protesters, speaking loudly in dissent. When Walter Cronkite went on television in 1968 after the Tet Offensive to conclude that we are mired in stalemate, he did so after much of America had come to the same conclusion.
That the vast majority of Democrats and quite a few Republicans (some of whom will boycott their convention) speak out publicly against Trump gives cover to journalists who choose to depart from the usual practice of studied balance. When you have the Bush family boycotting the GOP convention and George Will, the leading conservative journalist of the past four decades, leaving the party over Trump, it is easy to see that the political world has been overturned.
The second condition for mainstream journalists to abandon their detachment is when a politicians words go way beyond the pale. More than his vocal critics, the words and ideas of Trump himself are causing journalists to change their role. To understand this, it is useful to look briefly at a theoretical construction of objectivity by a leading journalism historian, Daniel Hallin, who sees the world of political discourse as falling into three concentric spheres: consensus, legitimate controversy, and deviance.
The sphere of consensus is the inner circle, the place in which most people tend to agree. Most American journalists and news consumers would agree on the legitimacy of the government as embodied in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Amendments.
The sphere of legitimate controversy includes the questions within the standard political debates: How much should the rich pay in taxes? Should the US expand offshore drilling? Is universal health care a desired outcome?
Then we have deviance, the place in the diagram which falls outside the bounds of journalistic conversation. This includes issues such as: Should the US be violently overthrown? Should we ignore the Constitution? Often, as in the above example, the first and last spheres operate as opposites: Everyone agreeing with the sphere of consensus would uphold the Constitution; the deviants might overturn it. These spheres also shift from time to time, as politicians and journalists and the public shift their views. The support of two issuesthe full citizenship of African Americans and a womans right to votemoved over time from deviance to legitimate controversy to its present position: deeply embedded in the sphere of consensus. In the span of about 20 years, same-sex marriage evolved from legitimate controversy and is well on its way to consensus.
Where does Trumps speech fall? Some predicted that his opening announcement, with its salvo about Mexicans, represented a descent into deviance that would be unpalatable to the voters. Some observers assumed that labeling Senator John McCain and other POWs losers would finish him. I like people who werent captured, he said in July 2015. But the stakes werent high yet, and Trump brought in skyscraper-sized ratings. It may not be good for America, but its damn good for CBS, said Les Moonves, that networks CEO.
The declining audience for traditional news is well documented and creates twin pressures. First, the desperation for audience sharean estimated 80 million viewers tuned into the networks coverage of McCarthys hearings about the Army following Murrows show. These are ratings numbers that the networks cannot replicate now. Second, networks cannot replicate the influence that Murrow, Cronkite, and others hadon Election Day (November 8), we will be eager for signs to see if todays journalists pushing back against Trump actually stop him. Specifically, well want to look at whether journalists are still able to set the tone, despite the diminished audience. And what role do Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms play in multiplying the national conversations that once raged around actual water coolers?
Weve reached a turning point, and the two criteria for journalists to abandon their objectivity have come to pass: Trump is widely criticized, even by his own party, giving journalists a lot of company in their criticism of him. When Trump suggested that Judge Curiel was incapable of trying a case because of his parents birthplace, even House Speaker Paul Ryan, a fellow Republican, called the comments racist.
And Trumps views appear increasingly deviant. No respected journalist would seek a balancing quote from someone who held such a view about a judge or who suggested, as Trump did last month after the Orlando shootings, that a sitting president was in cahoots with a mass murderer.
Murrow felt compelled to end his broadcast by warning his audience about the dangers of staying neutral, as journalists too often do, when the stakes are high: Cassius was right, said Murrow. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves. If a politicians rhetoric is dangerous, Murrow implied, all of us, including journalists, are complicit if we dont stand up and oppose it.
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David Mindich is a professor of media studies, journalism, and digital arts at Saint Michaels College in Vermont. A former assignment editor for CNN, Mindich is the author of Just the Facts: How Objectivity Came to Define American Journalism.
Homeowners whose property sits atop former industrial cesspools that leach chemicals into the ground and water and give off harmful vapors could have their houses purchased by the state.
New Jersey would be required to buy homes built on contaminated sites under a measure advancing in the Legislature.
A state Senate committee advanced legislation Monday requiring the Department of Environmental Protection to buy homes built on contaminated sites.
The Assembly passed the bill 60-13 last month. The legislation now goes to the Senate budget committee for consideration.
The idea for the legislation stems from Sayreville homes built on a former ironworking site that tested positive for contamination.
The pollutants went unnoticed by the state and developers until a 2011 earthquake resulted in water spewing into the basement of Sayreville resident Herve Blemurs home.
The property tested positive for contaminants, including tetrachloroethylene, a chemical used by industrial businesses as a degreaser. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has linked the chemical to certain kinds of cancers.
Before it was a residential community, Scott Avenue in Sayreville was home to a toy store, which was not required to undergo a check for industrial contaminants because none were used there. But before it became the Melrose Toy Store, the property was home to a welding and ironworking company.
Under current law, the Department of Environmental Protection is required to help Blemur remediate the property and has spent about $500,000 removing soil and building a shed that houses water-treatment equipment.
Blemur, a father of six whose house is on the spot the chemicals had been dumped, testified before the Assembly in May that hes concerned about the well-being of his children.
I feel like Im killing them slowly, he said.
Lawmakers say the legislation is needed because its inefficient for the state to carry the burden of remediation indefinitely and unfair to residents like Blemur who will undoubtedly have trouble selling a contaminated home.
He has an environmental dead end a financial dead end, said Democratic Assemblyman John Wisniewski, who sponsored the bill.
Its unclear how many homes would be affected by the legislation, but the DEP said in a letter dated Friday that it opposed the legislation and cited the cost of buying homes as burdensome.
A fiscal estimate prepared by the Democrat-led Legislatures Office of Legislative Services said the Department of Environmental Protection estimates it could be hundreds of homes annually.
But the agency said that it disagreed and that the number of homes purchased would vary annually. It estimated the average home price to be $397,500 and suggested that if 40 homes were bought by the state, that would cost $15.9 million.
The legislation would require the state to tap into the Spill Fund, an account set up in 1976 for cleaning up contaminated sites. For the current fiscal year, the fund has $28.4 million.
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For purposes of an intentional injury exclusion, the intent to cause injury may be established by proof of actual intent to injure or when the character of the act is such that an intention to inflict the injury can be inferred. Under the inferred-intent rule, courts conclusively presume intent to harm as a matter of law for liability coverage purposes based on the nature and character of the insureds alleged act regardless of whether the insured asserts that he or she had no subjective intent to injure. While courts may infer intent to injure as a matter of law only in narrow circumstances, for purposes of liability insurance coverage, the courts may do so if the degree of certainty that the conduct will cause harm is sufficiently great to justify inferring intent to injure as a matter of law. There is no bright-line rule as to when a court should infer intent to injure as a matter of law; rather, the determination is made through a case-by-case factual inquiry.
The Ohio Supreme Court recently considered application of the inferred-intent doctrine in a federal fair housing discrimination lawsuit. Granger v. Auto-Owners Ins., 144 Ohio St.3d 57, 40 N.E.3d 1110 (Ohio 2015). In Granger, the insured owned various rental properties. Those properties were insured by Auto-Owners Insurance Group with a primary dwelling policy that included landlord-liability coverage and a second umbrella policy. The primary policy was issued by Auto-Owners Mutual Insurance Company and the second policy was issued by Owners Insurance Company. Both policies covered personal injuries. However, the definition of what constituted a personal injury differed between the policies. The primary policy defined personal injury in terms of causes of action, i.e., libel, slander, defamation, false arrest, invasion of privacy, wrongful eviction, etc. The definition of personal injury contained within the umbrella policy was broader in scope. The umbrella policy definition included reference to particular types of damages rather than only particular types of causes of action. The broader definition of personal injury in the umbrella policy included within the definition humiliation.
The insured refused to rent one of the insured properties because the proposed renter was African-American and had a six year old son who would be living with her at the property. It was determined that the insured had discriminated against the tenant on the basis of familial status and race in violation of 42 U.S.C. 3604 and R.C. 4112 .02(H). Part of the damages sought by the putative tenant was emotional distress.
The umbrella policy also contained an intentional act exclusion. Specifically, the policy excluded coverage when the personal injury was expected or intended. Auto-Owners asserted that the exclusion was applicable. Auto-Owners argued that discriminatory intent is inferred as a matter of law for purposes of an intentional act exclusion under an umbrella policy of insurance on a claim for pre-leasing housing discrimination. 144 Ohio St.3d at 64, 40 N.E.3d at 1117. Auto-Owners was seeking application of the inferred-intent doctrine. Under the inferred-intent doctrine, when there is no evidence of direct intent to cause harm and the insured denies the intent to cause any harm, the insureds intent to cause harm will be inferred as a matter of law in certain instances. Auto-Owners argued that it could be inferred as a matter of law from the nature of the insureds actpre-leasing housing discriminationthat the insured intended to cause the putative tenants personal injuries and, therefore, the exclusion applied. The Ohio Supreme Court in Granger disagreed.
Previously, the Ohio Supreme Court had rejected the substantially certain test in inferred-intent cases. 144 Ohio St.3d at 65, 40 N.E.3d at 1118. Under the substantially certain test, any harm that was substantially certain to result from an intentional act would fall under the intentional act exclusion of the policy. The Ohio Supreme Court adopted a different test for application of the inferred-intent doctrine. Under Ohio law, the doctrine of inferred intent applie[d] only in cases in which the insureds intentional act and the harm caused [were] intrinsically tied so that the act [had] necessarily resulted in the harm. 144 Ohio St.3d at 65, 40 N.E.3d at 1118.
The Ohio Supreme Court then found that humiliation was not so intrinsically tied to pre-leasing discrimination that the insureds act necessarily resulted in the harm suffered by the putative tenant. While acknowledging that emotional distress damages were available under the law to victims of housing discrimination, the Court found that such damages were not automatically awarded. Therefore, the Court remanded the case to the trial court so that the trier of fact could determine whether the insurance company was able to demonstrate that the insured intended to cause humiliation to the putative tenant without the benefit of the inferred-intent doctrine removing that burden of proof.
Justices Kennedy and ODonnell dissented. First, they reiterated their belief that the Court had erred previously in rejecting the substantial certainty test in lieu of the intrinsically tied test. Nevertheless, these Justices would have ruled in favor of Auto-Owners even under the stricter test for application of the inferred-intent doctrine. The dissent cited to numerous authorities which had recognized that injury is inherent in the act of discrimination and that inherent injury included humiliation. Because the lawsuit claimed discrimination, because discrimination and injury were intrinsically tied, the dissenting Justices concluded that the inferred-intent doctrine applied which meant that when the insured acted in a discriminatory manner, the insured inferentially intended injury as a matter of law.
Connecticut Man Admits to Role in Staging Car Crashes
A Connecticut man who authorities say conspired to stage about 50 car crashes in an insurance scheme has pleaded guilty to a federal charge.
Carlins Calixte of Norwich entered the plea Thursday in New Haven to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He faces up to 20 years in prison when hes sentenced Sept. 30.
Federal authorities say 32-year-old Calixte and others conspired to stage car crashes in Connecticut to fraudulently collect insurance money between 2011 and 2014. Many of the crashes were single-car incidents on remote roads with no witnesses other than the occupants of the crashed vehicle.
Authorities say the defendants filed fraudulent property damage and injury claims with different car insurance companies. They then collected payouts ranging from about $10,000 to $30,000 per incident.
GEICO Files RICO lawsuit in Florida
Last month, GEICO filed a lawsuit in Florida aimed at five companies and six individuals suspected of submitting fraudulent glass repair bills. The company wants to recover damages under both the Florida Consumer Protection Statues and the Civil RICO statutes. The insurer says the Florida action is also a preview of future lawsuits in other states across the country.
GEICO alleges that its customers information was taken or used without their knowledge or consent in order to create invoices for non-existent repairs which were then submitted to GEICO. In addition to billing for services not provided, the suit alleges that GEICO was billed for services that had no repair value and were unnecessary.
Wed like to see legislative reform in this area, said Ryan West, GEICOs vice president of claims. Its overdue. These incidents of fraud hurt consumers because they cause premiums to increase. West went on to say that GEICO has a long history of seeking out individuals willing to commit fraud. GEICO intends to file future lawsuits to continue making every effort to protect its customers and the public from fraudulent glass repair operators.
GEICO filed its case Government Employees Insurance Company, et al. v. Jason Fry, et. al. in the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida. GEICO also seeks a declaration that any pending claims are not owed.
New Mobile App Eases Access to Insurance Fraud Information
Regularly updated fraud news and trend information are accessible for the first time to smartphone and iPad users through a new mobile app from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.
The new app FraudWire allows convenient viewing of regularly updated Coalition information thats in high demand within the anti-fraud community.
Available are daily and weekly fraud news, including weekly blogs, podcasts, videos and trend articles by noted experts, as well as other fresh insurance fraud information.
FraudWire is available in the Apple store for iPhone and iPad users, and from Google Play for Android users.
Users can navigate the Coalition app by information category, tag and a search tab. Real-time notifications of late-breaking fraud news are also available.
Florida Woman Sentenced to 4 Years in BP Oil Spill Fraud Case
A Florida woman has been sentenced to four years in prison after filing a false claim in connection with the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release Tuesday that 50-year-old Caridad Rioseco Alejandrez has been sentenced to 48 months in prison. She previously pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.
Her father was sentenced to a year in prison in connection with a similar case. Authorities say both filed fraudulent claims against a fund created to reimburse people for costs and damages incurred after the BP well blowout.
The blowout killed 11 workers aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and leaked millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf over 87 days in the nations worst offshore spill.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
U.S. safety officials said Tuesday theyve seen slow progress in efforts to upgrade or replace tens of thousands of rupture-prone rail cars used to transport oil and ethanol, despite numerous fiery derailments that prompted new rules for the industry.
Figures provided by the Association of American Railroads indicate just over 10,000 stronger tank cars mandated by the new rules are available for service.
Thats equivalent to roughly one-fifth of the 51,500 tank cars used to haul crude and ethanol during the first quarter of 2016.
Fiery accidents and spills involving the older tank cars have occurred in Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, Illinois, West Virginia and Lac-Megantic, Quebec, where 47 people were killed when a runaway oil train derailed in 2013.
The most recent accident occurred last month in Oregon, where 42,000 gallons of crude oil spilled, sparking a massive fire that burned for 14 hours near the small town of Mosier in the Columbia River Gorge.
National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt told The Associated Press on Tuesday that federal regulators need to set milestones to hold the industry accountable for getting unsafe cars off the tracks.
Theres been 28 accidents over the past 10 years. Thats almost three accidents a year, Sumwalt said. Unfortunately, history shows we probably will have more accidents involving flammable liquids.
Sumwalt spoke ahead of a planned meeting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, where government and industry officials were to update the safety board on progress addressing the issue.
Tom Simpson with the Railway Supply Institute says the industry is committed to putting stronger cars in place but demand has eased as shipments have decreased with lower oil prices.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Federal safety investigators are asking electric car maker Tesla Motors for details on how its Autopilot system works and why it failed to detect a tractor trailer that crossed its path in a Florida crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in a letter to Tesla posted Tuesday, also requests data on all crashes that happened because its system did not work as expected.
The agency is investigating the May 7 crash in Williston, Florida, that killed 40-year-old Joshua Brown, of Canton, Ohio. Tesla says the cameras on his Model S sedan failed to distinguish the white side of a turning tractor-trailer from a brightly lit sky and didnt automatically brake.
The agency gave Tesla until Aug. 26 to fully comply with its request. The company faces penalties of up to $21,000 per day, to a maximum of $105 million if it doesnt comply.
Although the agency called the problem with Teslas Autopilot system an alleged defect, a spokesman said in a statement that it hasnt determined if a safety defect exists. The information request is a routine step in an investigation into the crash, spokesman Bryan Thomas said.
The investigation could have broad implications for the auto industry and its steps toward self-driving cars. If the NHTSA probe finds defects with Teslas system, the agency could seek a recall. Other automakers have or are developing similar systems that may need to be changed as a result of the probe.
Teslas system uses cameras, radar and computers to detect objects and automatically brake its vehicles if theyre about to hit something. It also can steer the car to keep it centered in its lane. The company says that before Autopilot can be used, drivers have to acknowledge that the system is an assist feature that requires a driver to keep both hands on the wheel at all times. Drivers are told they need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle while using the system, and they must be prepared to take over at any time, Tesla has said.
In the letter, which was dated July 8, NHTSA also asked Tesla for results of its own investigation into the May 7 crash, and for all consumer complaints, field reports from dealers, reports of crashes, lawsuits and all data logs and images from problems with the Autopilot system. It also seeks details on any modification to the Autopilot system that Tesla has made.
Describe all assessments, analyses, tests, test results, studies, surveys, simulations, reconstructions, investigations, inquiries and or evaluations that relate to or may relate to the alleged defect, the letter says.
Investigators also want to know how the system recognizes objects and decides whether they are crossing the path of a Tesla. They also asked the company to describe how the system detects how signals from cameras or other sensors have been compromised or degraded and when that information is communicated to the driver.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
After two confirmed U.S. cases of a superbug that thwarts a last-resort antibiotic, infectious disease experts say they expect more cases in coming months because the bacterial gene behind it is likely far more widespread than previously believed.
Army scientists in May reported finding E. coli bacteria that harbor a gene which renders the antibiotic colistin useless. The gene, called mcr-1, was found in a urine sample of a Pennsylvania woman being treated for a urinary tract infection.
On Monday, researchers confirmed preliminary findings that E. coli carrying the same mcr-1 gene were found in a stored bacterial sample of a New York patient who had been treated for an infection last year, as well as in patient samples from nine other countries.
The report came from a global effort called the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, led by Mariana Castanheira of JMI Laboratories based in North Liberty, Iowa.
The mcr-1 superbug has been identified over the past six months in farm animals and people in about 20 countries, including China, Germany and Italy.
The bacteria can be transmitted by fecal contact and poor hygiene, which suggests a far wider likely presence than the documented cases so far, according to leading infectious disease experts.
Health officials fear the mcr-1 gene, carried by a highly mobile piece of DNA called a plasmid, will soon be found in bacteria already resistant to all or virtually all other types of antibiotics, potentially making infections untreatable.
You can be sure (mcr-1) is already in the guts of people throughout the United States and will continue to spread, said Dr. Brad Spellberg, professor of medicine at the University of Southern California.
Dr. David Van Duin, an infectious disease expert at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, said he expects more documented U.S. cases of mcr-1 in coming months because it is already here and will spread from abroad. We will see a lot more of this gene.
Colistin causes kidney damage, but doctors have opted for it as other antibiotics increasingly fail. Its overuse, especially in overseas farm animals, has allowed bacteria to develop resistance to it.
PAST AND PRESENT INFECTIONS
To track the mcr-1 gene, U.S. hospitals are working together with state and federal agencies to test bacteria samples of patients that have recently been treated for infections. Many of the largest research hospitals are examining samples of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have long been stored in their freezers.
Gautam Dantas, associate professor of pathology at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, has tested hundreds of U.S. samples of archived bacteria in recent months and has not yet detected mcr-1. But he expects dozens of confirmed cases of the gene will be documented by next year in the country, mostly among current patients.
The concern of many disease experts is that mcr-1 could soon show up in bacteria also resistant to carbapenems, one of the few remaining dependable classes of antibiotics. In that event, with colistin no longer a last-ditch option, some patients would have to rely on their immune systems to fight off infection.
Within the next two to three years, its going to be fairly routine for infections to occur in the United States for which we have no (effective) drugs available, Dantas said.
Castanheira also believes mcr-1 will find its way into carbapenem-resistant bacteria, formally known as carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE).
In an interview, she said the resulting virtually impervious bacterium would likely spread slowly inside the United States because CRE themselves are not yet widespread in the country, giving drugmakers some time to create new antibiotics.
Beginning in August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will use $21 million to expand surveillance at laboratories operated by all 50 state health departments and seven larger regional labs. The federal funding will help pay for more-sensitive equipment to test for antibiotic resistance in bacteria samples provided by hospitals.
Jean Patel, deputy director of the CDCs Office of Antimicrobial Resistance, said the effort will provide the CDC improved national surveillance of antibiotic-resistance trends, including any spread of mcr-1.
This is data for action, she said, adding that special procedures to prevent infections from spreading in hospitals could be taken once a patient is identified with mcr-1 related infections or with multidrug-resistant bacteria.
(Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
A state judge has refused to dismiss the city-parish from a lawsuit by the mother of a 4-year-old Baton Rouge, La., boy who drowned in an abandoned sewer hole near his home in 2014.
The East Baton Rouge City-Parish government contends it isnt liable in the death of Jassiah Clark because it didnt perform any of the work associated with demolishing the pumping station or filling the abandoned sewer hole.
The Advocate reports District Judge Mike Caldwell, after hearing brief arguments on Monday, decided to keep the city-parish in the suit for the time being.
Caldwell noted that the hole in which the boy drowned was 20 feet deep.
Other defendants are Grady Crawford Construction, of Baton Rouge, and CH2M Hill Inc., of Englewood, Colorado.
Grady Crawford was the independent contractor hired by the city-parish to demolish the pumping station. The city-parish contracted with CH2M Hill to be the project manager over the upgrading of the citys pumping stations.
Clark was reported missing the night of Dec. 20, 2014, and his body was recovered two days later following a massive search involving about 100 officers from several agencies, including the FBI.
An attorney for the boys mother, Brittni Clark, has said the hole was first reported by city-parish inspectors in October 2014 and again by project inspectors two weeks before the fatal accident.
A contractor filled the opening with flowable fill and sand two months before the boys death, a city-parish official has said, but a migration of soils occurred sometime between September 2014 and the time of the tragic accident.
Lewis Unglesby, one of Clarks attorneys, said the hole resembled a typical mud puddle. There were no signs, barricades or fencing around it at the time of the accident.
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UPDATED
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate, Trump announced on Twitter Friday. So whats Pences record on education? Its clear the Republican governor has quite a bit in common with the man at the top of the ticket, at least when it comes to school choice and academic standards, in particular.
Common Standards
For instance, Trump campaigned vehemently against the Common Core State Standards. Indiana, under Pence, was the very first state to ditch them. And before that, the state backed out of federally-funded PARCC tests aligned to the standards.
School Choice Support
Trump has also voiced support for school choice, without getting into specifics about exactly how hed expand it.
But Pence has a robust record on the issue. As governor, he pushed through the most significant increase in charter school funding in years, according to Chalkbeat Indiana . Pence worked with the legislature to create a $10 million grant fund that would offer an extra $500 per student to charters that post better outcomes than traditional public schools. And if Pence had his way, the funding would have been even more robusthe initially pitched a $1,500 per charter school student increase.
Pence also gave charter schools access to a $50 million fund to help cover the cost of loans for school construction or the purchase of educational technology. And he successfully called for lawmakers to raise the $4,800 cap on vouchers for elementary school students. (Now the cap will be dependent on family income and local school spending, as high school vouchers already were.) Pence also persuaded lawmakers to approve bonus pay for highly effective teachers.
Jeanne Allen, the founder of the Center for Education Reform, which supports choice, called Pence, an outspoken supporter of the critical right of parents to choose the school that is best for their children, in a statement Thursday.
But the National Education Association is less enthusiastic about the pick.
A darling of the extreme Republicans and the Tea Party, Mike Pence has been terrible for Indianas students, families and public schools. As an unpopular and divisive governor, he pushed for draconian cuts to K-12 public schools at the same time that he diverted funds via private vouchers schemes from public to private schools and significantly expanded the number of corporate-run, unaccountable charter schools, said the unions president, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, in a statement.
Early-Childhood Record
In 2014, Pence helped start a $10 million preschool program in Indiana, but demand has far outstripped the programs capacity. Pence had initially refused to apply for up to $80 million in federal funds, through the Preschool Development Grant program, that would have allowed the Hoosier State to create more slots. After serious criticism, he reversed course earlier this year , writing to federal Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell asking for details on how to apply for the funds.
Hoosier State Tensions
Trump is known for his combative streak. Pence is seen as more mild-mannered, but he has clashed with repeatedly with Indianas elected superintendent, Democrat Glenda Ritz. For instance, Ritz wasnt happy when he created a new Center for Innovation and Career Education, aimed at strengthening ties between Indianas schools and the private sector. Ritz saw the new agency as stepping on her turf.
The agency creation led to tension between Ritz, Pence, and the state board of education, especially over Indianas A through F grading system. Pence ultimately dissolved the center, in part to smooth things over.
NCLB Opponent
As a member of Congress from 2001 to 2013, Pence was decidedly against a strong federal role in K-12 policy, even before it was cool. Back in 2001, Pence was one of just a handful of lawmakers to vote against the No Child Left Behind Act. The law, which was overwhelmingly popular at the time, represented a serious expansion of the federal footprint on K-12.
Later, as a leader of the Republican Study Committee , Pence continued to trash the law, telling National Journal back in 2006 that it seemed like something President Bill Clinton would have pushed through. (Ten years later, Clintons wife, of course, is Trumps competition for the presidency.)
Want more? Great tutorial on Pences record and approach to governing when it comes to education from some of the folks who know him best on education over at Chalkbeat Indiana.
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Three people were shot Thursday night in Akron's Lane-Wooster neighborhood, officials said.
(cleveland.com file photo)
AKRON, Ohio -- Three people were shot Thursday night in Akron's Lane-Wooster neighborhood, officials said.
First responders responded about 10:40 p.m. to the 900 block of Moeller Avenue, near Vernon Odom Boulevard, according to a press release from the Akron fire department.
The victims' ages, genders and conditions have not been released.
No further information about the shooting was immediately available. The incident remains under investigation, the news release states.
Cleveland.com will provide more information about the shooting when it becomes available.
If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
Disorderly conduct-resisting arrest, West Bagley Road: An intoxicated Berea woman, 22, was arrested at about 3 a.m. July 9 after she yelled at, and refused to cooperate with, police.
Police had responded to reports of a man passed out and lying on the ground outside Marc's Deeper Discount Store, 371 West Bagley. As an officer was interviewing a witness, the woman started yelling at the officer and "impeding his personal space," police said.
The woman reeked of alcohol. She demanded to know why the man on the ground, who was sick, was under arrest - even though he was not under arrest. The officer asked the woman to step back, but she refused. Her boyfriend pulled her away.
The woman yelled and cried and asked police if they were going to shoot her. She tried to break free from her boyfriend and approach the officer. That's when police handcuffed her.
The officer asked the woman several times to take a seat in his cruiser but she did not. Eventually, two officers forced her inside the police car. As one officer drove her to jail, the woman screamed and kicked the car windows and the divider between the front and backseats.
Outside the jail, the woman sat on the ground, then fought with officers escorting her inside. Jail guards placed her in restraints.
Controlling a vehicle while under the influence, West Bagley Road: A LaGrange man, 33, was arrested at about 3 a.m. July 10 after police found him passed out behind the steering wheel of a Chevrolet Blazer parked outside Grindstone Inn, 375 West Bagley.
The Blazer's front driver's-side door was open. Police woke up the man, who smelled of alcohol. He admitted he was intoxicated.
Police ordered the man out of the Blazer, and he nearly fell. A knife was attached to his pants pocket. Officers ordered the man to keep his hands away from the knife, but the man reached for the weapon. Police grabbed the knife and took it away.
As police drove the man to jail, the man yelled profanities at them. He threatened officers, saying, "Wait 'til I find you out on the streets."
Operating a vehicle under the influence, Front Street: A Berea man, 52, was arrested at about 12:20 a.m. July 9 after the Mazda he was driving sideswiped another vehicle on Interstate 71 near West 140th Street.
Another driver witnessed the incident and called police. The driver said the man's car almost hit additional vehicles, and that the man's head was bobbing inside the Mazda.
The witness saw the man drive onto state Route 237 southbound toward Berea. Police spotted the man on Front south of Bagley Road. As the Mazda passed North Rocky River Drive, it weaved into the bicycle lane to pass a left-turning car.
As police activated their overhead lights, the witness pulled his vehicle in front of the Mazda and blocked it, preventing the man from advancing farther.
Breaking & entering-vehicle theft, Depot Street: Two vehicles and more than $21,200 in tools and equipment were stolen from All Sides Construction, 154 Depot Street.
The business owner reported the crime at about 6:30 a.m. July 7. Someone had broken into a metal lock box, mounted on the building outside his office, and taken a key to the company's garage. Two of the man's pickup trucks and all of his equipment were missing.
Stolen items included an aluminum ladder, roofing equipment, a nail gun, gas compressor, an electric compressor and a hose.
Marijuana possession, Prospect Street: A Cleveland man, 24, was arrested after police saw him digging through bushes at about 11 p.m. July 10 near True North Shell, 20 Prospect.
Police suspected the man was hiding or retrieving drugs. The man stepped into a 2015 Audi, but before he could drive away, police asked him to roll down his window. When he did, the officer smelled marijuana.
When the officer asked the man why he was looking through bushes, the man said he was releasing a grasshopper into the wild. He denied smoking or possessing marijuana, but police found a plastic bag filled with the drug, along with marijuana shake, in his Audi.
Operating a vehicle under the influence, West Bagley Road: A Columbia Station man, 61, was arrested at about 2:35 a.m. July 9.
The man's Ford F-150 pickup truck drifted left of center and out of its lane. The man admitted drinking two beers earlier.
If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section.
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There's a great story about how Alaskan Brewing got started. The brewery enters the Ohio market officially Monday, July 18.
(Marc Bona, cleveland.com)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - If it weren't for making a deadline by 40 minutes, Alaskan Brewing Co. might never have been started 30 years ago.
The brewery - which might be the most interesting one geographically speaking to enter Ohio - began in 1986. Founders Geoff and Marcy Larson sought a bank loan, said Andy Kline, the brewery's communications director, and was given a financial challenge: Come up with $250,000 by 5 p.m. on a certain date, and we'll give you a loan. The catch was, if they couldn't come up with the money by deadline, the deal was off, and the cash collected - kept in escrow - would be returned to the investors.
At a time when the word 'kickstarter' applied only to motorcycles and 'crowdsourcing' wasn't coined, the Larsons decided to proffer loans from 88 people. At 4:20 p.m., on the final day, with 87 committed checks accounted for, the final check came in.
"It was the American dream personified," Kline said.
The brewery, located in the capital city nestled between the Gulf of Alaska to the west and British Columbia, Canada, to the east, will begin distributing beer in Ohio on Monday, July 18. Juneau is in the southeastern panhandle of Alaska.
Kline said Ohio is a logistical challenge, but it's worth it. The beer is brewed in Juneau, which has no roads in or out of the city. It's then shipped by water to Seattle - a 1,000-mile journey - where it's packaged and contained in refrigerated docks to await transport via truck. And truckers have to agree to the routes, because they need to be assured of cargo for the return trip.
"It's a reach for us - 3,400 miles," he said. "We have to anticipate orders. We have had to do a lot of forecasting to be anywhere on time." From Seattle it's about a 2,400-mile journey to Ohio.
For example, it's not like Great Lakes Brewing Co. sending beer to Cincinnati, he said.
"It (distance) makes a difference," he said. "Freshness matters, so we have to think about that a lot. ... Some regional breweries have solved that problem by building breweries on the East Coast, but we say 'Alaskan' on the label."
The beers, Kline said, are "not a smack in your face. That's not what we do." Here is the initial quartet slated for Ohio:
Amber Ale: The flagship ale accounts for 50 percent of the brewery's sales. 5.3 percent alcohol, 18 International Bitterness Units.
Kicker Session IPA: The boat on the label is Kline's. The analogy of boat power to session ales: "It has smaller horse power, but it will get you where you want to go," Kline said. "A trust companion." 4.5 percent, 45 IBUs.
Icy Bay IPA: A mid-range India Pale Ale, 1 percent of proceeds from the sale of this beer go to a non-profit to support coastline cleanup and preservation. 6.2 percent, 65 IBUs.
Hopothermia: A double IPA that will be available draft-only to start, with six-packs coming soon (the brewery is transitioning the packaging from four- to six-packs). 8.5 percent, 70 IBUs.
Initially, Geoff Larson, a chemical engineer by trade who studied brewing at the Seibel Institute, sought out advice from established brewers like Fritz Maytag in California and F.X. Matt of New York. Both said, 'Come on up; I'll show you around,' " Kline said.
The brewers were congenial and friendly. Larson was left with one simple, straightforward message: "Whatever you do, make good beer, because that reflects on our industry.' "
A year after the brewery opened, it won a Best-of judges' choice award at the Great American Beer Festival.
Alaskan is in 18 states, and maintains a sustainable approach, unique even for breweries who for years have been at the forefront of ecological business methods.
For instance, Alaskan can't give spent grain to livestock, which many craft breweries do, because there are no cows in Juneau. Instead, Kline said, it is the world's only craft brewery to dry its spent grain, giving it a sawdust-like feel. It's cycled through a furnace, resulting in what Kline calls "beer-powered beer." The process saves the brewery 60 to 70 percent from what it would order on diesel fuel.
How well Alaskan fares on Ohio shelves and on taps in bars is, of course, up to the consumer. If all goes well that distribution challenge could be solved down the road, Kline said.
"Maybe in the future delivery will be "beer by drone," he said.
Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown, along with two other Democratic senators are calling for Medicaid to do more to reverse the dismal number of children on Medicaid tested for lead poisoning. (AP Photo/Sait Serkan Gurbuz)
(Sait Serkan Gurbuz, Associated Press)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Sen. Sherrod Brown is calling for new measures to bolster chronically low lead poisoning testing rates in Ohio and nationwide.
In a letter to the head of the federal agency that provides health insurance to the needy, Brown and Democratic senators from two other states today asked to increase screening levels and improve the response when tests show a child has been poisoned.
Hundreds of thousands of children under the age of six are poisoned by lead each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Cleveland, more than 13,700 children had positive blood lead tests in 2014.
That number, though, is based only on children who are screened. Most who should be are not.
Children, particularly the poor, who live in older, badly-maintained housing are at the highest risk of poisoning from contact with deteriorating lead-based paint, lead dust, and soil contamination. Exposure to lead can lead to irreversible brain damage, behavioral issues, and educational delays.
"Children in Cleveland are being poisoned by their own homes - and those are only the children we know about," Brown told The Plain Dealer. "Too many are never tested for elevated blood levels, which means we can't identify opportunities to clean up these hazards or treat them."
The three-page letter sent to the acting director for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) by Brown and fellow Democratic senators Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan and Ron Wyden, of Oregon, calls for an overhaul of the current CMS testing system.
Read the full letter here or in the document viewer below.
Medicaid, the federal program that provides health insurance to low-income children and families, has required some level screening for Medicaid-covered children since 1989, though standards have changed.
Most states, including Ohio, are supposed to test all Medicaid-covered children twice before the age of two. The CDC in recent years has allowed for more targeted testing for children known to be at higher risk of poisoning due to the quality and age of their housing, among other factors.
Despite the standards, studies have shown that many children who receive Medicaid are not tested.
As far back as 1999, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found only 20 percent of Medicaid-eligible children were screened for lead.
Ohio State's Kirwan Institute calculated that figure based on state department of health data and predicted that as many as 40 percent of children under 6 in certain Cleveland neighborhoods were poisoned.
Ohio law also requires that children served by Medicaid be screened twice before the age of 2.
In the past seven years, only 21 percent of those children were screened through Medicaid providers, according to data reported by the state to the federal government.
Ohio Medicaid spokesman Sam Rossi told The Plain Dealer last year that Medicaid is required to pay for the screenings but isn't responsible for ensuring providers follow screening law.
In June, a Reuters investigation called "Unsafe at any level" examined testing in a dozen states, including Ohio. The news service found that fewer than half - only 41 percent of one- and two- year-olds-- got the mandated screening.
Cleveland has one of the highest lead poisoning case loads in the state. The city has struggled to keep up with investigating the roughly 400 or so cases a year considered severe enough to require an investigation of a child's surrounding to find the source of the toxin.
In a recent interview, Mayor Frank Jackson said more screening will help clarify the scope of the problem.
"Every child should be tested before they go to school," Jackson said.
The senators' letter asks Medicaid officials to:
By Daarel Burnette II. This story originally appeared on the State EdWatch blog.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, has asked the states supreme court to determine whether his recently adopted budget , which sets aside money for private schools, is constitutional.
The budget will send $2.5 million to private schools this year for costs associated with state-mandated requirements such as background checks on employees, immunizations, and compliance with state building, health, and fire codes, according to the Detroit Free Press .
Several public school advocates have argued that spending taxpayer money on private schools violates a clause in the states constitution that specifically bans public resources for private schools.
Supporters of the budget item, including state catholic and charter associations, argue that the money will only be spent on state-mandated requirements and wont be spent on curriculum or teacher salaries.
Amid lawsuit threats from the states ACLU chapter, Gov. Snyder wrote a letter to the court asking them to issue an opinion on the budget in the coming months. The states legal chief, Attorney General Bill Schuette was unable to definitely answer whether the budget item is constitutional.
In a first for the U.S., Vermont now requires communities to offer 10 hours a week of free preschool to 3- and 4-year-olds.
Funding for universal preschool has been available for some time in Vermont, but until July 1 it was up to local districts to offer it or not. Many did, and Vermont is one of the states with the highest rates of public preschool attendance among 4-year-olds, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.
The free care is still optional for families. That is, though it must be offered, attendance is not mandatory. (Kindergarten attendance isnt mandatory in most states either.) Still, 10 free hours of care can make a big difference to the monthly budget, even for middle class families. The average weekly cost of child care for a 3- or 4-year-old in a licensed center in Vermont was $192, according to The Vermont Department for Children and Families.
The program has been popular among school districts even when it was voluntary, according to an AP report:
More than a quarter of schools with kindergartens implemented universal pre-K last school year, said the Vermont Agency of Education. The rest of Vermont's schools were expected to comply by the start of this month.
A similar program, offering 15 free hours of care for 3-year-olds, is in place in England, but it is unusual in the U.S.
Adding a global dimension to the music classroom is easier than you might think according to Kate Mitchell , Department Chair, Director of Bands: PHS and Horizon Elementary , Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
By guest blogger Kate Mitchell
Falguni Shah , a musician born in India who now lives in New York, believes, If there is anything that brings together people and not divide them, it is music. When people of different backgrounds become united by valuing the same ideas, I think it is very easy to fight anything. Radicalism and racism can be fought with a message of peace through beautiful music and inspiring lyrics.
Isnt that the truth! So, how can we get our music students to dig deeper into making these global connections? How do we make it meaningful while still meeting the demands of rigorous rehearsal and performance schedules? Global education is a dimension that runs through all curricular areas; no more so than in music.
Over the past 13 years as an educator, I have witnessed more and more students travel abroad through family excursions, volunteer vacations, and study abroad opportunities. Most students have easy access to a world of information through the internet, with social media connecting people all over the world. Even with these experiences and access to technology, students still need to be guided through the process of discovery so they can have a deeper understanding of how other people experience the world as well as their own place in it.
I started the journey to globalize my classroom with my high school band students this past school year. After comments from school administrators like Doesnt that work belong in the social studies department? and Our students already learn that stuff in their foreign language classes, I forged ahead; one teacher to help make a tiny dent in teaching for global competence. It came in four parts: listening examples, composition projects, concert programming, and a virtual exchange with a school in Ramallah, West Bank, Palestine.
Starting Small: Listening, Reflecting, and What ... Is ... That?!
Each weekend, I listen to Higher Ground: World Music With African Roots and More , with Dr. Jonathan Overby, on Wisconsin Public Radio. Dr. Overbys wealth of knowledge about world music and broad programming is the perfect playlist for weekly listening examples. Students describe the musical characteristics of the pieces (tempo, melody, harmony, instrumentation), make hypotheses about the composers/performers intent, and deduct the country of origins based on their listening analysis and previous listening experiences.
Just listening to music from around the world can introduce students to different sounds. Its always fun when I get the question, Where is that? For example, I played a piece of techno music from Kampala, Uganda. Students were thinking it was from France, Germany, or the United States. When I told them it was from Uganda, they were shocked: Theres pop music in Uganda?! Interestingly enough, that particular techno group has become quite popular throughout the school.
Concert Programming: Growing Through Performing
Concert programming, rehearsals, and performances make up most of my job. I have found multiple ways to globalize our various concerts. In our winter 2016 concert, I chose music to represent a quote from Deepak Chopra:
Think for just a moment: If we looked around and could see the ribbons of people from every nation standing in unity. Smiling, hopeful, inspired. We are all one. With greater compassion, understanding, joy, love, equanimity, peace, abundance, we can have a more just and sustainable world community.
The concert, Conflict and Resolution , featured:
Mother Earth by David Maslanka: A piece to challenge us to be aware of the needs of our planet;
by David Maslanka: A piece to challenge us to be aware of the needs of our planet; Overcome by Bill Locklear, a piece based on We Shall Overcome, (75 percent of the students had never heard of that song).
by Bill Locklear, a piece based on We Shall Overcome, (75 percent of the students had never heard of that song). The Dream Catcher by W. Francis McBeth, a piece that celebrates the Native American traditions.
by W. Francis McBeth, a piece that celebrates the Native American traditions. Khan by Julie Giroux, a piece based on Genghis Khans words, It is not sufficient that I succeed-all others must fail.
by Julie Giroux, a piece based on Genghis Khans words, It is not sufficient that I succeed-all others must fail. Walking into History by Richard Saucedo, a piece based on the Clinton 12.
The full program included quotes for each piece and full program notes tying the theme together. The concert became a powerful message for both the students and the audience.
After sight-reading the music, students completed a Questions for Understanding worksheet, where they free-write questions they want to know about the pieces. Here is a compilation of the questions developed by the students for Khan. As a class, we used those questions to guide our study of the music. Students researched the works and the historical significances with each piece.
Using the same activity for Walking Into History, I discovered that only one student in the class knew about the Clinton 12. Through structural analysis, deeper historical understandings, and personal interpretations, the students became more engaged in the music and were able to perform with greater expression and intent.
Composing: Taking Action through Music
Surrounding the International Day of Tolerance, students began a year-long composition assignment. Students worked through the Beginning Activity document to gain a better understanding for how composers take a stand for peace, tolerance, and social-justice issues. I used a combination of folk, pop, and classical music/musicians to open the eyes of my students.
Once students worked through the document, each student chose an issue (e.g., discrimination, womens rights, education). Students researched their respective topics and wrote narratives reflecting on their research. From those narratives, students began to compose. Although some of the final compositions were stronger than others, all of the students gained new ways to listen to and appreciate music and alternate ways to express their beliefs.
Exchanging: My Go Big or Go Home Experience
In January, my high school ensembles were chosen to participate in a virtual exchange program with a school in Ramallah, West Bank, Palestine, with the goal to build mutual understanding and enhance student-to-student partnerships between the United States and the Muslim world. Since many schools outside of the United States and Canada do not have music classes as a part of the curriculum , our focus is a combination of multiple curricular fields with music as the underlining theme.
When I polled my students, only 42 percent of the students had heard of Palestine and only 2 percent could locate Palestine on a map. I also got comments and questions like:
I thought Palestine didnt exist.
How are we going to talk to them, they dont speak English?
Isnt that where terrorists come from?
We all have work to do as educators in an increasingly connected world.
Throughout the next eighteen months, students will learn about the social aspects of each others culture. Through video lessons, Skype, Google classroom, and a website I developed, students will explore popular and traditional music and the functions of music in society. Students will communicate and build connections with peers in Palestine and hopefully create lifelong friendships. The focus is on two main components:
Cultural connections
Through the virtual platform, my students will explore the complex social, political, economic, and religious divides in each area. Through sharing perspectives and engaging in dialogue, students will learn the political ideologies and complex religious and economic systems that drive each country. We will explore what connectedness looks like and what it will be in the future for social and economic global sustainability.
Social Responsibility
One of the main goals is to have our students define and model what it means to be a global citizen, whether they are in Ramallah or Pewaukee. I want to break down the stereotypes and encourage social entrepreneurship. Throughout the next 18 months, my colleagues in Ramallah and I will have students develop a proposal to solve global issuesperhaps in the form of a non-profit organization.
I hope this experience will encourage my students to travel abroad to learn more about people while giving them a sense of how much work still needs to be done around the worldthat they can be agents of change.
Does this process mean more work for me? Yes. Do I believe in the opportunities I am giving my students? Yes. Did I run into roadblocks with administrators? Yes. Did I ignore or not teach parts of my music curricula to do this work? No.
Global education is a way of approaching everything we teach and how we teach it. It broadens horizons and encourages exploration of all subjects from a global perspective. It contributes to the whole curriculum and enhances our understanding of the world. I want to be a part of bringing people together through music.
How do I top the 2015-16 school year? I am already starting to plan new global perspective lessons tied through music education. This process has renewed my energy in education.
Connect with Heather on Twitter.
Photo credit: Caleb Morris on StockSnap.io.
watch now
As Germany issued 10-year bonds with negative yield for the first time in history on Wednesday, Jim Cramer had a word of caution for Wall Street. "The German 10-year right now with its eyesore of a negative yield is therefore the WORST that money can buy. Whoever is pushing this lunatic piece of paper to people and whoever is buying them are making a huge mistake," the "Mad Money" host said. Approximately 33 percent of all government bonds worldwide now have negative yields, according to The Wall Street Journal. In other words, investors that hold these bonds until maturity will lose money. Cramer heard many investors use politics as an explanation, stating that negative rates reflect a failed tyranny of the European Union, or that Germany should be borrowing interest-free money to finance projects that could put people to work. "Forget the politics. A bad investment is a bad investment," Cramer said.
Brokers at the German Stock Exchange in Frankfurt, Germany. Daniel Roland | AFP | GettyImages
Cramer has a message for investors that believe current stock prices are unjustified: stop wasting his time. Earnings season kicked off with a bang this week, and Cramer liked what he heard from Alcoa , United Continental and Delta . "At a certain point the anecdotal evidence piles up until it's empirical, and I think these earnings reports potentially justify these prices," Cramer said. Central banks around the world attempted to debase their currencies in order to boost exports. As government bond yields around the world are hitting historic lows, the scarcity of U.S. bonds and prices being bid up create lower rates for the U.S. This influx of assets coming to the U.S. are what is keeping rates low and makes dividend yields in stocks much more attractive. Thus, many investors believe there is an unnatural floor supporting the market. While Cramer noted that it does support the argument that stocks don't deserve to trade at current levels, he dismissed the theory. Health care stocks didn't do much for the first half of 2016, but Cramer is ready for them to go into bull mode for the rest of the year. Many investors fled the faster growth pharmaceutical and biotech names, and the best performing health care stocks of the first half were medical device plays. "I think these patterns will continue through the second half, with winners staying winners all the way," Cramer said. The health care cohort was down 0.4 percent in the first half. This was partly due to companies taking the heat for higher drug prices as highlighted by Hillary Clinton last fall. Valeant and the dissolved merger between Pfizer and Allergan also contributed. HMOs, hospitals, laboratory service plays and medical device makers were all pockets of strength, which offset the weakness.
John Lund | Getty Images
It's that time again! Jim Cramer rang the lightning round bell, which means he gave his take on caller favorite stocks at rapid speed:
Johnson Controls: "No! That merger with Tyco is a buy, buy, buy, buy. I love it."
Rite Aid : "I am worried that Walgreen is not going to be able to close that deal with Rite Aid because of the FTC. That's why that spread is so big. I would be very careful."
JD.com : "I don't recommend any Chinese stocks on this show. It's just too risky for me. I don't need to make that kind of money for people. Or try, meaning I don't need to lose that money."
Vodafone Group PLC : "I think Vodafone is OK. I understand, and I'm very concerned about anything from Britain. I understand that the yield is good. I think Vodafone will be fine long term. It's not going to be fine short term."
Ship Finance International : "I have looked at Ship Finance, and I've got to tell you, I'm only recommending Nordic American Tanker. Even that one has got a great yield, but the stock has been a tough stock to own."
Plains All American Pipeline : "No, Plains All American is not one that I like. I know the stock looks like it's trading up. It's got a good chart, but that is one of the weaker ones in the business. Enterprise is better, absolutely."
Whole Foods Market : "The answer is that I think Whole Foods is a buy. Now, obviously we missed the $29-30 when I was recommending it. The company is in it, they're buying it back, I like 365. I'm a believer."
H&R Block : "No, I didn't like that last quarter. They are distinctly in the penalty box. I am much more a fan of Intuit."
Tim Kane, Hoover Institution Research fellow and economist, joins Rick Santelli for an exclusive discussion about what could get the U.S. economy really growing again. "Among all the 50 states, there's not one state where a governor or a legislator said: This is the state of entrepreneurship. Anybody can start a company here for free," said Kane, explaining the costs and hurdles business owners face throughout the country. "If there's one thing we should be subsidizing, it's lets help our entrepreneurs and nobody's doing it," he said. In the interview with Santelli, the economist also discusses: Why overregulation is hurting the U.S. economy. Trends in economic growth and productivity. The death of small business. Tax reform policies needed to jump-start the economy again. Kane was on Capitol Hill Thursday pitching these ideas to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress.
Tim Kane, Hoover Institution Research fellow and economist, joins Rick Santelli for an exclusive discussion about what could get the U.S. economy really growing again. "Among all the 50 states, there's not one state where a governor or a legislator said: This is the state of entrepreneurship. Anybody can start a company here for free," said Kane, explaining the costs and hurdles business owners face throughout the country.
"If there's one thing we should be subsidizing, it's lets help our entrepreneurs and nobody's doing it," he said. In the interview with Santelli, the economist also discusses:
Why overregulation is hurting the U.S. economy.
Trends in economic growth and productivity.
The death of small business.
Tax reform policies needed to jump-start the economy again. Kane was on Capitol Hill Thursday pitching these ideas to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress.
Chung Sung-Jun | Getty Images
The run-up in U.S. stocks may have pushed the desired mix of assets in your portfolio out of whack. If that's the case, you may need to rebalance. Rebalancing is an easy strategy that can cut risk. To rebalance, you sell assets that have appreciated and buy those have fallen in value. It's a counterintuitive process that forces you to buy low and sell high.
"The biggest mistake investors make with rebalancing is not doing it on a consistent basis," said Joel Cundick, a certified financial planner in McLean, Virginia. "They forget one quarter, or they look at their accounts and decide that they are not going to sell the high-performing asset class in exchange for buying an asset class that doesn't look attractive."
How rebalancing works
Let's say you have a portfolio with a target allocation of 50 percent in U.S. stocks and 50 percent in international stocks. Then U.S. stocks rise 10 percent and international stocks fall 10 percent over time. In this scenario, you would have a portfolio of 55 percent in U.S. stocks and 45 percent in international stocks. So you'd need to sell U.S. stocks and buy international stocks to rebalance the portfolio to the allocation you originally wanted. "The nice thing about rebalancing is that it is simple to understand and helps investors stick to their plan regardless of what the market does," said Charles Rotblut, vice president of the American Association of Individual Investors and editor of the AAII Journal. Rotblut conducts an on-going analysis of the benefits of rebalancing. He has tracked the performance of hypothetical portfolios based on the AAII's moderate asset allocation model since 1988. The model portfolios allocate 20 percent to large-company stocks, 20 percent to midsize-company stocks, 10 percent to small-company stocks, 15 percent to international stocks, 5 percent to emerging market stocks and 30 percent to bonds. From 1988 to 2015, the rebalanced portfolio generated an annualized return of 9.1 percent while the portfolio that wasn't rebalanced had an annualized return of 9.3 percent. Though the returns in both portfolios were similar, the rebalanced portfolio did so with 12 percent less volatility. The rebalanced portfolio's largest annual loss was 26.9 percent versus 32.8 percent for the portfolio with no rebalancing. "You look to rebalancing as a way to minimize risk, not maximize returns," said Colleen Jaconetti, a senior investment analyst with the Vanguard Group.
A 2015 Vanguard study by Jaconetti and two others analyzed the impact of rebalancing on the performance of several hypothetical portfolios from 1926 through 2014. Vanguard analysts concluded that "just as there is no universally optimal asset allocation, there is no universally optimal rebalancing strategy. The only clear advantage so far as maintaining a portfolio's risk-and-return characteristics is that a rebalanced portfolio more closely aligns with the characteristics of the target asset allocation than with a never-rebalanced portfolio."
When to rebalance
Finding your formula for rebalancing comes down to two factors: how often you rebalance your portfolio and how comfortable you are with your portfolio deviating from its target allocation. Some investors rebalance portfolios quarterly, semi-annually or annually. Others prefer to rebalance only when a portfolio mix strays beyond a by a predetermined minimum percentage, such as 1 percent, 5 percent, 10 percent, of a target allocation.
Many investors combine those two approaches by checking their portfolios on a set schedule and rebalance only when their portfolios deviate from target allocation by a preset percentage. For example, Rotblut reviews his portfolio twice a year and rebalances if assets have gone 5 percent above or 5 percent below their target allocations.
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Vanguard analysts found that a strategy that monitors a portfolio annually or semiannually and rebalances when assets move away 5 percent or more from target allocations works well for most portfolios. "This is a nice middle ground between the time and costs of keeping the portfolio within its target allocations and the benefits of rebalancing," Jaconetti said. "Rebalancing is not always free."
Annual rebalancing may work better for taxable accounts because rebalancing can come with some costs. For example, you may have to pay capital gains taxes if an asset has appreciated in value. You also may have to pay brokerage commissions to trade stocks, bonds and exchange-traded funds to rebalance your portfolio. Investors can get around some of the costs of rebalancing by using the portfolio cash flows to fund the rebalancing, Jaconetti said. To do this, put taxable portfolio cash from dividends, interest payments, realized capital gains or new contributions into a money market or checking account. Then use that money to buy assets to hit your target allocation.
Tools to help you rebalance
TMZ Counters Jared Leto Copyright Claim to Taylor Swift Dis Vid
Have you ever said something rude about someone and wished it hadnt been overheard? That is what happened to Jared Leto, actor and lead for the band Thirty Seconds to Mars.
The musician was caught on video listening to and critiquing Taylor Swift songs while in his home studio seeking inspiration last year. He liked some of what Swift did but ultimately dismissed her music with an expletive, a moment he later regretted when he learned it was recorded.
A Brouhaha
The Leto video, which is really not terrible -- he does express appreciation for some of what Taylor Swift does musically -- has caused a lot of trouble. Leto on video dissing Swift was sold to TMZ and the celebrity news site published the clip, which remains online. But the seller also sold to Leto.
Leto took back what he said about Swift on social media reportedly, then turned around and sued TMZ and Warner Brothers, its parent company, alleging that the TMZ published a sensational video after being warned that it was stolen, in violation of copyright. The claim seems somewhat strange because it means Leto is claiming to own the video he didnt know was being shot. But he did come to an agreement about it after and thats the basis for his argument.
Summary Judgment
TMZ is not buying it. The celebrity news site sued its source in January, Naeem Munaf, the guy who filmed the video and then made a deal with Leto. He reportedly urged TMZ not to publish the clip.
Yesterday the media company responded to the Leto lawsuit with a motion for summary judgment. It is saying Munaf was not an employee of Letos so the video wasnt a work for hire and the copyright belonged to Munaf when he offered it. The Hollywood Reporters account sounds slightly outraged by this argument but it seems on par with Letos retroactive agreement with Munaf that the work was made for hire.
TMZ writes, "Mr. Munaf already had assigned on December 4, 2015 ownership of the Taylor Swift Excerpt to TMZ," states the defendant. "The assignment to TMZ trumps any later attempt by Mr. Munaf to assign ownership to [Leto]. At a minimum, Mr. Munafs agreement with TMZ and his sending the Taylor Swift Excerpt to TMZ for its use creates an irrevocable implied license from Mr. Munaf to TMZ."
Meanwhile, Letos legal team also filed a motion for summary judgment, which means both sides at least see eye to eye on one thing. They each want the court to decide that the facts aren't in dispute and that it can come to a resolution on the basis of the filings. That seems unlikely.
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When Marc Gorlin launched his firm Roadie, he knew Georgia was the ideal place to find the talent he needed to launch his on-demand app. Gorlin, who previously co-founded the financing company Kabbage, says the attractive cost of living in the state and access to "smart, talented people in multiple industries" make it attractive. Abundant financing has also helped. His company, which lets consumers ship goods in the cars of people who happen to be driving to the intended destination, raised $15 million in venture capital in a Series B round in June that included Eric Schmidt's angel group TomorrowVentures.
Thomas Barwich | Getty Images
Georgia is among many states that are working hard to lure businesses of all sizes and entice them to stay put. The state, which finishes eighth overall in this year's America's Top States for Business rankings, also notches an impressive sixth-place finish in our Access to Capital category. Not only did Georgia businesses attract $837 million in venture capital financing last year but the state is also in the top 10 for small-business lending, according to 2013 figures from the U.S. Small Business Administration. There's no one set formula that makes a state business-friendly, say business owners and experts. Rather, it is a mix of ingredients that, when combined, make a state an attractive place to set up shop. Some states that look unfriendly to business on paper are actually doing quite well in attracting firms of all sizes. For instance, California has a high cost of doing business the second highest in the nation based on our study thanks in part to strict environmental and labor regulations. It can also be an expensive place for workers to live, given high housing prices. Its 13.3 percent state income tax is the highest in the country, according to the Tax Foundation. Nonetheless, the state is home to thriving start-up hubs in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. California finishes 32nd in our study overall yet manages second-place finishes for Technology and Innovation and Access to Capital. "If you talk with businesspeople, they'll say California doesn't have a particularly friendly business climate, but at the same time, it's still a huge economy, and there are a lot of really good companies out there," said Bob LaBombard, CEO of GradStaff, a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based staffing firm. "A lot of those economic factors outweigh the regulatory climate there." At the same time, states with generous incentives and tax breaks are sometimes less appealing to business than they seem. "Often, but not always, the states that offer the more aggressive incentives have to for some reason," said Katie Culp, the Indianapolis-based president of KSM Location Advisors, a firm that advises clients about economic development incentives, location analysis and economic development opportunities in 48 states. "They could be lacking in good infrastructure or in large or qualified labor pools. They need to offset some of the negatives on the checklist." Plus, some incentive programs are hard to tap into because they are so complex, according to Culp. Some packages offered in South Carolina and Tennessee "look tremendous," said Culp, "but when you dig into the details, there are a lot of caveats that limit the companies' ability to take full advantage of some of those programs." Here are five important factors that make states attractive to business, according to experts and entrepreneurs.
Brigham Young University George Frey | Getty Images
Vibrant college towns. States that are home to cities with a strong university network and a lifestyle that makes college graduates want to stay have an edge in attracting businesses that need talent, said LaBombard. California fares well in this regard, he said. "Los Angeles and San Francisco are go-to cities for college grads," he added, pointing to Texas as another example: "Austin and Dallas are very vibrant." That shows up in our Workforce category, where Texas finishes in eighth place a major factor in the Lone Star State's No.2 overall ranking. Utah's abundant talent pool of recent college graduates helped lure Nate Quigley to Provo three years ago to co-found Chatbooks, a site where users can create photobooks, with his wife, Vanessa. He moved from the Melbourne, Florida, area, where he launched his last start-up. With one of the most educated workforces in the nation based on U.S. Census data, Utah finished 12th for Workforce in our ranking. Salt Lake City is home to universities such as University of Utah, while Provo is home to Brigham Young University and Provo College. "That just fills the state with lots of great talent," said Quigley. As a result, Quigley has been able to staff up quickly to 30 full-time employees and 40 part-timers. The company hit $5.9 million in revenue in 2015, he said. Some states have created formal initiatives to connect local universities to employers. In Georgia, for instance, the High Demand Career Initiative, launched under Gov. Nathan Deal, connects Georgia's public university system and the Technical College System of Georgia so educators can hear from the private sector about what skill and degrees are needed. That way, they can create relevant programs, said Chris Carr, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. After finding out from the state's burgeoning film industry that there was a need for trained crew members, the state created the Georgia Film Academy to train workers with production skills in January 2015. "We've had 15 different companies locate in our state since 2011," said Carr. Abundant financing. Although venture capital deal-making has slowed down, states such as California which led the country in total venture capital invested in 2015, according to the Moneytree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association have an edge because of their vibrant investing scenes. So do New York, No. 2, and Massachusetts, No. 3. In terms of small-business lending the other key element in our Access to Capital rankings California is tops in overall dollars, and it is in the top third in terms of funds per employee. States with smaller entrepreneurship hubs also have an advantage. This is especially true in Colorado, where Boulder has an active investing scene, and Utah, where investors are abundant, thanks to the start-up culture in cities such as Salt Lake City and Provo. One draw for Quigley in launching Chatbooks in Provo was the lively venture capital scene in Utah. His firm has raised $8 million in seed and venture funding $2 million from two local institutional seed-stage investors, and $6 million from Signal Peak Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Salt Lake City. Utah businesses attracted $732 million in venture capital last year. "That's what I love about Utah," said Quigley. "We're able to attract the financing we needed to grow the company all right here in Utah." Low taxes. States that lower the tax burden on companies and individuals have a definite edge in attracting businesses, say experts. It's one of the things we consider in our Cost of Doing Business category, with the help of analysis from the Tax Foundation. For 2016 the top 10 states with the most business-friendly tax climate, according to the Tax Foundation, were, starting with the best: Wyoming South Dakota Alaska Florida Nevada Montana New Hampshire Indiana Utah Texas Texas has attracted many corporate relocations because of its tax climate, noted Holland O'Neil, chair of the board of directors at Gardere, a law firm based in Dallas. The state the second-biggest state economy in the United States after California doesn't have a corporate income tax, state property taxes or individual income taxes, O'Neil said, adding, "Texas is very attractive for business." Among the relocations are Toyota, which plans to establish its headquarters in Plano and move workers from locations in California, Kentucky and New York by early 2017, for instance. Meanwhile, Liberty Mutual Insurance, based in Boston, expects to open a campus in Plano in 2017. Some states are competing for the most favorable tax climate. Carr of the Georgia Department of Economic Development noted that Georgia eliminated the state's sales tax on energy use in manufacturing to bring new growth to that industry. "We've seen a real resurgence in manufacturing as a result," he said.
Becky Sturm, founder and president of StormSister Spatique Source: StormSister Spatique.
Support for Main Street businesses. Becky Sturm has moved around the United States, but when she decided to open StormSister Spatique in 2005, a business that sells beauty products, like her own vegan lipstick brand, she had no doubt that her home state of Minnesota was the ideal location. She sells her wares through an e-commerce store and pop-up retail. "They really took the shop local and shop small movement to heart," said Sturm. And it's not just government and larger businesses that are supportive of small firms, she said. "The shop local movement is really strong here with consumers." Tapping into that energy, Sturm has co-founded a pop-up market called The HAMMS Event, short for Help a Minnesota Maker Succeed, which just took place in June. She also founded Lower Town Pop, a market held in Union Depot in downtown St. Paul, an event that gets some city and state support that helps with marketing. "They were looking for someone to host markets or events," she said. "I pitched my idea to them, and they loved it." Even better, she has found there is money flowing to small businesses like her own. When Sturm needed funding, she was able to find two local investors. "There is a lot of VC money here in the Twin Cities," she said. With one employee other than herself, her business now brings in between $150,000 and $200,000 per year, she claims. Minnesota last year's Top State ranks fourth overall this year and 21st for Access to Capital.
Source: StormSister Spatique | Facebook
When the storm cleared, Christie, along with his wife and daughter, walked outside to survey the damage. He ignored shouted questions about potentially becoming Trump's running mate.
Christie's day went from bad to worse when a short but powerful storm rocked the quiet neighborhood where he lives in Mendham, New Jersey on Thursday. Strong winds and lightening left debris all over the governor's front yard and even toppled over a tree.
That's because, literally, he was. At least for a bit.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie may have felt powerless this week as Donald Trump passed on him as a running mate and a former aide and mentor pleaded guilty to bribery charges.
But when asked if he had electricity, he gave a definitive head shake and a thumbs down.
More from NBC News:
It's official: Trump announces Mike Pence as VP pick
Former Christie aide pleads guilty in United Airlines bribery case
Mike Pence's traditional GOP appeal cuts both ways for Trump
The afternoon storm hit shortly after news agencies began reporting that Trump has chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as the Republican vice presidential nominee, leaving Christie and Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich as runners-up.
Christie spoke to Trump Thursday afternoon in what sources described to NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell as a tense conversation in which the real estate mogul told Christie he still had not made up his mind. However, come late Friday morning the choice was clear when Trump tweeted Pence will be his No. 2.
It marks the second time in four years the outspoken governor has been passed up for vice president.
And the development came on the heels of another piece of bad news Christie's former aide David Samson pleaded to guilty to bribery charges stemming from the Bridgegate scandal.
Samson admitted to using his influence as the chair of the Port Authority in New York and New Jersey to pressure United Airlines to reinstate a rarely used flight from Newark airport to Columbia, South Carolina, near his vacation home.
Jamie Fox, a former Port Authority official with ties to Christie, was also charged Thursday in connection to the case.
Christie held no public events this week, keeping a relatively low profile. In an interview with MSNBC early Thursday, Christie said he had no inclination whether or not he would be Trump's pick.
"I'm a competitive person, so I'm not going to say it won't bother me if I'm not selected." Christie said. "Of course it bothers you a little bit. If you're a competitive person, like I am, and you're used to winning, like I am, again, you don't like coming in second."
Hillary Clinton met with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren Friday as the presumptive Democratic nominee held meetings at her Washington, D.C. home about her vice presidential selection.
Warren arrived at Clinton's residence around 1:30 pm and left about an hour later. She was accompanied by one staffer.
Clinton and Warren first met for a private conversation last month, also at Clinton's Washington home. The two campaigned together on June 27.
Read more from NBC News:
Nice Death Toll Rises as France Mourns After Truck Attack
Chris Christie's No Good, Very Bad Week
Mike Pence's Traditional GOP Appeal Cuts Both Ways for Trump
Next week the market will be in the thick of a busy earnings season, and Jim Cramer doesn't plan on sleeping for the next three weeks.
"Next week you need to be prepared for opportunities, most of which come after the quarters when the short-tempered hot-heads dump the stocks of perfectly good companies," the "Mad Money" host said.
With this in mind, Cramer shared the stocks and events on his radar next week:
Monday: Bank of America, IBM, Netflix, Yahoo
Netflix : No one is expecting much from Netflix this time around because it missed the last quarter badly, and Cramer thinks that is a positive. He expects it to get back on track for growth, but doesn't know when the increase will occur.
Yahoo : Cramer wants to hear that either the company is breaking up and has received some bids, or that Rick Hill will be appointed chairman. If the first situation occurs, he said to sell the stock. If Rick Hill is appointed, he recommended buying the stock. If nothing happens, do nothing.
The European banking sector is one of the worst hit sectors in the wake of the U.K. voting to leave the European Union. While most banks have seen their share prices fall, concerns over Germany's Deutsche Bank's performance had started to rattle both investors and financial markets well before the vote. The bank's shares are down nearly 43 percent since the start of the year and nearly 20 percent since the referendum results were announced. Billionaire investor George Soros had earlier made a $111 million bet that Deutsche Bank stock would fall in the wake of the Brexit vote. However, Deutsche Bank's shares were seen to be trading more than 3 percent higher at 12.9 euros on Friday. While the fall in Deutsche Bank's share price is not very different from some other banks like the Royal Bank of Scotland for instance, down nearly 40 percent since the beginning of the year, it faces regular comparisons with the ill-fated Lehman Brothers. Add to that the bank's falling market valuation, currently pegged at $18 billion, similar to that of social network company Snapchat, and investors are increasingly worried. Deutsche Bank declined to comment on the concerns surrounding the bank.
Troubling times ahead?
Photographer | Collection | Getty Images
The cost of insuring exposure to Deutsche Bank debt has risen sharply, signaling it as a risky asset and inviting further comparisons with Lehman Brothers. Five-year credit default swaps (CDS) are aaround 230 basis points currently, the highest among all investment banks, and a massive jump from 95 basis points at the start of the year, according to data from Markit. Reports have also pointed to Deutsche Bank's global derivatives risk in the range of $75 trillion which is 20 times greater than the German gross domestic product (GDP). However, sources close to the bank told CNBC that it has a very strong funding base of client deposits which puts it at a much better position when compared to Lehman Brothers. The bank has a strong retail operation globally with over $220 billion of liquidity and is headquartered in Frankfurt, putting it in a better position than other banks that may look at exiting the U.K. The bank has also restructured, cutting 80 percent of its risk weighted assets in non-core in 2012. But worries surrounding the bank persist.
In the past few months, one of its U.S. businesses failed a Federal Reserve stress test. Shares in the bank hit fresh lows after the International Monetary Fund branded Deutsche Bank one of the riskiest banks globally. Referring to Deutsche Bank as a "globally systemically important financial institutions," the report pointed to Deutsche Bank as the most important net contributor to systemic risks, followed by HSBC and Credit Suisse. "The relative importance of Deutsche Bank underscores the importance of risk management, intense supervision of [globally systemically important banks] and the close monitoring of their cross-border exposures, as well as rapidly completing capacity to implement the new resolution regime," the IMF said in its report.
Internal confusion?
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Critics of Deutsche Bank have also pointed to the management reshuffle and movement of personnel as one of the reasons for the bank's poor performance. Last year saw a change in Deutsche Bank's senior management team after Co-Chairmen Anshu Jain and Jurgen Fitschen stepped down, giving way to John Cryan, the former UBS boss, as the new CEO. Anshu Jain's decision to step down was followed by a number of high profile exits from the bank's key operations including Zar Amrolia, who was the bank's head of fixed-income and currencies business, Colin Fan, the bank's co-head of the investment bank and Michele Faissola, the head of the asset and wealth management business. While the new CEO, who had been part of the Deutsche Bank supervisory board since 2013, is said to have brought changes to the bank's overall strategy, investors nonetheless fear a repeat of September 2008, when Lehman filed for bankruptcy. Although a number of reports have pointed to the bank in a transition phase ever since the new management took over, sources told CNBC fixed income traders are not very happy with the appointment of Garth Ritchie, an equities specialist, as the new head of global markets. Ritchie was earlier the head of equities at Deutsche Bank and took over in December 2008. The bank's equities business was down nearly 60 percent in the first nine months of 2008 but Ritchie is said to have redesigned the business and changed it from a proprietary shop to a client-facing shop.
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Troubles however continue as analysts remain uncertain of the bank's future. Deutsche Bank's chief economist is nonetheless optimistic about his employer. Recently, in an interview with Welt am Sonntag, David Folkerts-Landau said he had bought 10,000 shares of the bank and was upbeat about the bank's future. He was less optimistic about the future of the banking sector in general. In the same interview, Folkerts-Laundau said Europe urgently needs a 150-billion-euro bailout fund to recapitalize its ailing banks, particularly those in Italy. "We are witnessing one crisis after another and I can, by no stretch of the imagination, make out growth prospects anywhere," Folkerts-Landau said.
Photographer | Collection | Getty Images
New U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May met the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh Friday, in what is seen as an attempt to cool talk of a potential breakup of Britain.
The visit to Scotland's capital marked May's first official visit to any other leader since becoming prime minister. After the 45-minute meeting May told reporters that the government would not be triggering the country's exit from the European Union until a U.K.-wide approach had been agreed upon. In the U.K's EU referendum on June 23, Scotland voted convincingly to stay a part of the European Union. But the wider U.K. voted to leave and Scotland's ruling nationalist party argues that the country should not be taken out of Europe "against its will."
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Prior to the Brexit vote, Scottish leader Sturgeon argued that such a scenario could necessitate another referendum, this time on whether Scotland should stay a part of the union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In a 2014 referendum on independence, Scotland voted by a margin of 55 to 45 to remain a part of the United Kingdom. Theresa May made the trip to demonstrate her "commitment to preserving the special union" and to affirm her government's commitment to fully engage with the Scotland in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations. She also told reporters that Scotland had their vote on independence in 2014, according to Reuters.
Speaking after the meeting, Sturgeon told reporters that it would be inconceivable for the United Kingdom to block a second independence referendum if the devolved parliament in Edinburgh voted for it, according to Reuters. "I think it would be inconceivable for any prime minister to seek to stand in the way of a referendum if that's what the Scottish parliament voted for," Sturgeon told broadcasters, according to the news agency.
Separate deal?
Google's antitrust problems in Europe are mounting. But now the search giant could be facing an even bigger concern: Scrutiny at home.
Officials from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission have met with multiple Internet travel and hospitality companies in the last couple weeks to talk about Google and gather information about the company's potentially anti-competitive practices on mobile, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The discussions center around issues the FTC has long considered but never acted upon with enforcement, said the sources, who asked not to be named because the talks are confidential. Specifically, the agency is asking for evidence proving that Google favors its own listings in mobile search to the detriment of consumers and competitors. Also, regulators want to know whether sellers of Android phones are forced to bundle in Google apps, giving them favorable treatment over rivals.
A spokesperson for the FTC declined to comment as did a representative from Google.
To date, the U.S. has been safe ground for Google and its parent Alphabet. The FTC has investigated Google in the past, closing its previous probe in early 2013 after Google agreed to change certain practices but was cleared of any claims that search results were biased.
Read More
Across the pond, it's a different matter. As part of a five-year investigation, the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, sent two statements of objection to Google on Thursday saying the company has "abused its dominant position."
The Commission reinforced the EU's position that Google has favored its own results in shopping searches. Separately, it said that Google has restricted third-party sites from placing search ads from competitors.
"The FTC is probably feeling pressure to look at Google again, even though they gave Google a clean bill of health on search in the past," said Michael Carrier, a professor of antitrust law at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "This is a high-profile issue in terms of the money at stake and the amount of time we all spend on search."
Google and Alphabet have 10 weeks to respond to the European Commission.
In a blog post regarding the Android complaint, Google said that it's built an operating system to give consumers choice at affordable prices, while also letting manufacturers choose which outside apps to pre-install.
"We take these concerns seriously, but we also believe that our business model keeps manufacturers' costs low and their flexibility high, while giving consumers unprecedented control of their mobile devices," the company said.
In Canada, an investigation was brought to a close in April. The country's Commissioner of Competition found Google was generally not engaged in anti-competitive practices and that consumers there can change the search engine on their device "if they prefer a different one to the pre-loaded default."
Even before the latest announcement out of Europe, U.S. regulators were showing more interest in the matter. Politico reported in May that FTC officials were talking to one company about Google's dominance in search. That followed an April story in the Wall Street Journal, which said that FTC staffers had met with companies about Android-related tactics.
Last month, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) gave a speech in Washington, D.C., slamming Google's practices and saying that Europeans may "soon enjoy better protections than U.S. customers."
Google has long been preparing for a fight in Washington. The Mountain View, California-based company spent $5.5 million in congressional lobbying in the first quarter, more than any other technology company. And Recode reported in April, citing the Campaign for Accountability, that Google's head of public policy Joanna Shelton has met with White House officials 128 times during President Barack Obama's administration, topping all visits from the telecommunications and cable industries combined.
The issue facing Google in mobile search is pretty straightforward.
The company has increased the number of ads on the top of some pages from two to three. Now, if you do a search on "hotels in San Francisco," you'll see ads occupying the whole first screen. After that, there's a map, followed by three listings, all with Google reviews. Not until scrolling down to the third page is there an organic result from another provider. In this case, it's Hotels.com, which is owned by Expedia , followed by Kayak, a property of Priceline Group .
The Republican National Convention may be struggling to make ends meet after a bevy of companies cut their contributions to next week's events, according to a new report.
Politico reported Thursday night that convention organizers had written to billionaires Sheldon and Miriam Adelson asking for $6 million. The letter, which Politico said it had obtained, reportedly acknowledges the event is facing a budget shortfall because more than two dozen companies have bailed on a cumulative $8.1 million in pledges because of presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
"Over the past couple months, negative publicity around our potential nominee resulted in a considerable number of pledges backing out from their commitments," the letter says, according to Politico. "We would greatly appreciate if you would consider a $6,000,000 contribution to the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee to help us cross the finish line."
As the drumbeat around artificial intelligence grows louder in the tech world, Wall Street will watch for IBM 's progress with Watson in Monday's earnings. The enterprise technology company is expected to report second fiscal quarter earnings Monday after the bell. Analysts expect IBM to report earnings of $2.89 per share on revenues of $20.03 billion, according to Thomson Reuters consensus estimates.
Scott Eells | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The earnings come as Big Blue, founded in 1911, continues its transition from a legacy technology company to the cloud. The company's data intelligence play, Watson, is branded as "cognitive," or artificial intelligence plus, and aims to add value compared with its cloud competitors. IBM has continued to push Watson: As of last quarter, there was a 300 percent increase, year over year, of developers on the Watson platform. It's also performed 25 acquisitions in the past 18 months, mostly around what CEO Virginia Rometty dubs "strategic imperatives": cloud, analytics, security, and social and mobile technologies.
IBM is closing in on a "crossover point," where its new fast-growing components set off declines in its mature businesses, said Greg McDowell of JMP Securities.
Meanwhile, the environment has shifted in the latest quarter, writes Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Joseph Foresi, who sees the "progression of the digital movement" and Brexit impact as the two biggest storylines for the period.
Challenges in the landscape
Executives from Google 's Sundar Pichai to Amazon 's Jeff Bezos have indicated this spring they are all-in on artificial intelligence. Amazon, already a leader in cloud, now has 1,000 people working on its Alexa platform, Bezos has said. Pichai sees AI hitting an "inflection point." Perhaps most notably, Microsoft announced its acquisition of LinkedIn and a partnership with GE, likely to provide Microsoft's data intelligence and industrial partners a big boost. About a third of IBM's revenues come from a division in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, regions whose economies have been under pressure after Britain's surprise vote to exit the European Union. And while that shouldn't have an impact on this earnings report, it could affect guidance going forward. Economic uncertainty in the region could leave IT spending budgets flat, Gartner told Cantor Fitzgerald in a separate note. "Brexit is expected to have an immediate currency impact," wrote Cantor's Foresi and colleague Michael Reid. "The UK is a small portion of overall IT spending; however, there is the possibility of contagion."
How IBM could respond
SCOTUS Citation Raises Concerns Over Potential 'Link Rot'
The recent SCOTUS decision of Utah v. Strieff was notable in at least two ways. First it was noteworthy because of Justice Sotomayor's almost Scalia-esque (in terms of passion, if not form) dissent. Some have called it the Court's "Black Lives Matter" moment.
But the Strieff opinion is also noteworthy because it may be the first time in the Court's history in which a URL-link "shortener" was used in place of the real address. Justice Kagan's separate dissent included a citation to http://goo.gl/3Yq3Nd, and that leaves some worried.
"Saves Space, Looks Nicer"
If you don't want to fill your emails, briefs, or even Supreme Court opinions with long, cumbersome internet addresses, you can use a URL-shortener to trim them down to size. And that's just what Justice Kagan did, cutting a link to an NBC report on unserved Pennsylvania warrants down from 116 characters to just 20.
There are a couple of clear advantages that a shorted hyperlink possesses over its more unwieldy counterpart, as Josh Blackman of Houston College of Law has noted. The first one is just that: length. The original link was more than five times longer than the abbreviated version.
So, the Court purposely availed itself of Google's "goo.gl" citation. Not only does this "save[] space" but it also tracks how many times a person visit a link.
It certainly looks much better. But at what cost?
"Link Rot"
The fact that a shortened link just became part of official record of the Supreme Court has some concerned. Google controls the link and Google is a private party. So what happens if Google decides to change a link? Or worse, to get rid of it altogether?
Links that garner no traffic may fade away into obscurity. There would be little incentive for companies to maintain shortened URLs that no one uses, after all, or for others to keep up websites that go unvisited. This is casually known within the internet community as "link rot" -- when links to older pages leading nowhere.
And it's somewhat concerning that SCOTUS has willingly placed itself in the position of having a citation within an opinion leading to... nothing.
But it's not the first time link rot has made its way into the Supreme Court. Adam Liptak's 2014 piece is illustrative of the problem. According to research, almost half of the links in Supreme Court opinions are broken.
Perhaps Liptak was dead on when he mentioned that the "modern Supreme Court opinion is increasingly built on sand." And silicon.
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In the wake of the attack in Nice on Friday, French President Francois Hollande has said the country will strengthen actions in Iraq and Syria in order to continue the fight against terrorism. Speaking in the early hours of Friday morning after a deadly attack in Nice killed 84 people, Hollande said all of France is under threat from Islamist terrorism. "Nothing will make us yield in our will to fight terrorism, Hollande said. "We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil." He added that France will always be stronger than the fanatics who want to attack it, and announced a number of military measures to ensure the fight against terrorism remains a top priority for the nation. Meanwhile, analysts have pointed out that increased air strikes by France in Syria and Iraq appear to be one inevitable French response. Alan Mendoza, Founder & Executive Director of the Henry Jackson Society told CNBC on Friday that France is hinting that the attack is ISIS-related. "Hollande is suggesting this has been directed by the dying embers of IS in Syria and Iraq, even if not directly planned by them, and as a result he intends to use France's full force to drive them off the territory they occupy in those countries," he said.
Heavy smoke rises following an airstrike by the US-led coalition aircraft in Kobani, Syria. (File Photo). Getty Images
The deadly attack on Nice, killing at least 84 people after a big truck drove at a high speed into dense crowds, has increased concerns among nations globally about the rise of terrorist activities and the growing role of ISIS. France has been battling terrorist attacks, with the Nice attack the second terror attack in a year. The Paris attack in November 2015 saw nearly 130 people killed.
Immediately after the attacks, the country launched fresh air strikes against Iraq and Syria with the support of British prime minister David Cameron. The air raids were launched from France's recently deployed Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier capable of supporting airstrikes against the Islamist State in Iraq and Syria. The country's ongoing military operation in the region, called Operation Chammal, was launched in September 2014 and has been backed by both the United States and the United Kingdom. While currently France has extended a state of emergency and has vowed to ramp up its military actions in Syria and Iraq, the two countries fighting Islamic State militants, other developed nations have also joined hands to launch a coordinated war. Condolence messages have been flowing in from around the world, condemning the attack and showing solidarity with France. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev tweeted earlier that Europe and Asia must unite against terrorism. "Terrorists and their sponsors only understand the language of force, and we may use it," he said in a tweet.
Photographer | Collection | Getty Images
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent messages of condolence to the French President Hollande over the mass killings in Nice. Additionally, President Putin also held talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on a proposed extensive military cooperation agreement that may see both countries coordinate air strikes on the Islamic State. While it is not clear if an agreement was reached, both the leaders said they were hopeful of reaching an accord. The proposed agreement involves closer military coordination involving airstrikes against militant groups Nusra Front and Islamic State in Syria. The agreement would mean Moscow using its influence to ground Syria's air force, which has resisted a ceasefire agreement and has continued to bomb civilian areas in the country. It would also mean Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stepping aside, a move that analysts have said may not suit Russia as it wouldn't want to be involved in a move with the West to bring change in the region. In an interview with NBC News in Damascus, the Syrian President, who has been accused of deliberately targeting civilians, executions, torture and crimes against humanity, said he never faced any pressure from his Russian counterparts to step aside. "Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the president, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this," he said. Calling himself a patriot, Assad told NBC news that history will see him as a man who protected his country from terrorism and from intervention, and saved its sovereignty. "When you protect your country from the terrorists, and you kill terrorists, and you defeat terrorists, you're not brutal. you are a patriot," he said.
Green, a 28-year-old intellectual property lawyer based in Washington, D.C., said he started buying the domains ClintonKaine.com , ClintonBooker.com and ClintonBiden.com as early as six years ago. He sold two other domains in the 2016 cycle, Cruz2016.com and BidenWarren.com, for $1,500 each.
Jeremy Green has filled three Hillary Clinton related domains with stories mashing up her search for a running mate with the Harry Potter universe. The sites each include a story about a potential Clinton vice presidential pick: Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Vice President Joe Biden .
Green, who said he has always done "little stunts" with domains he owns, supported Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the Democratic primaries but now supports Clinton. His ability to sell the domains now depends on who the former secretary of state chooses as her running mate.
"This is sort of an all or nothing thing at this point. My future depends on who Hillary Clinton picks," he said, adding that he could fetch $10,000 to $20,000 for a site featuring the eventual running mate.
The stories and cartoons on the sites put "Hillary Potter" at Hogwarts, the school for witches and wizards in the popular book and movie franchise. It lists Kaine as "Timotonous Kaine," a boring but loyal member of the Hufflepuff house in "Hillary Potter and the Boredom of the Phoenix."
In "Hillary Potter and the Prisoner of New Jersey," she debates picking the charismatic "Coriander Booker." The only problem, the story reads, is that Booker is from New Jersey.
"Joe Biding" could be asked to stay on as a "super-seventh year" in "Hillary Potter and the Half-Retired Prince."
Green wrote the stories and drew cartoons of the politicians himself.
Speculation is swirling around Clinton's vice presidential pick ahead of the Democratic National Convention later this month. Kaine, Booker, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro are among her possible picks.
People visit the scene and lay tributes to the victims of a terror attack on the Promenade des Anglais on July 15, 2016 in Nice, France.
Stocks are steady on Friday, in the wake of the tragic events in Nice, France Thursday night.
Jeff Carbone, managing director at Cornerstone Financial Partners, tells CNBC's "Power Lunch" that, "It's an unfortunate commentary that the markets are basically having no reaction to the terror attack that took place in Nice last night. As these horrific attacks occur, the markets have become prone to them and very little market reaction has occurred."
This tragic news, alongside the economic uncertainty, can created anxiety both at home and abroad. However, Carbone believes that the best thing investors can do during periods of uncertainty is keep a diversified portfolio. "A well-diversified portfolio is the best advice for investors at this point in the cycle because there are both risks from lower rates and lower economic growth."
Read MoreWhy this could be another historic moment for the market
Carbone said that one sector he currently favors is health care, with an emphasis on equipment and services, since this sector is less likely to be affected by a change in rates or an economic slowdown.
"People will continue to go to the doctor, seek out medical assistance and take medication whether or not rates rise and whether or not the economy slows." Carbone said.
Chad Morganlander, portfolio manager at Stifel, also recommended the health care sector. Speaking to CNBC's "Power Lunch" Friday, he highlighted Amgen, Abbot Labs . Aetna and United Health as his top picks.
CNBC's Jennet Chin contributed to this article
Alida Taylor Source: Go Fund Me
God and crowdfunders help those who help themselves. Alida Taylor of Clifton, N.J., couldn't join the Sisters of Life, a Roman Catholic religious community in the Bronx, until she paid off her student loan debt. Under Roman Catholic canon law, a person should not be admitted to a religious institute who has a debt that cannot be repaid. So she started a GoFundMe campaign on June 29 to raise $12,000 to pay down her student loans. As the news spread, donations poured in, including an anonymous one for $4,505. She surpassed her goal on July 14. Now her campaign has raised more than $14,500.
Crowdfunding student loans
It appears crowdfunders are sending Taylor, who could not be reached for comment, to the convent. It is not uncommon for student loan borrowers, even those with less religious callings, to ask friends, family and strangers for assistance online and otherwise. The average college graduate had $37,000 in student loan debt as of 2016, according to estimates by Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of strategy for Cappex.com, a college and scholarship search site. Taylor is not the first to turn to crowdfunding to reduce their student debts. For example, in 2012, Kelli Space, who graduated from Northeastern University in 2009 with an undergraduate sociology degree and more than $200,000 in debt, used her website to solicit donations to pay down her loans. She received $10,000.
"The most effective crowdfunding is to ask friends and family," Kantrowitz said. In his experience, borrowers may have more success asking face-to-face than by email or Facebook.
Tax implications
As long as crowdfunders donate less than $14,000 this year, they pay no tax on it. However, the tax implications for people who receive the money are murky, depending on how they use the funds. Crowdfunding campaigns for student loans may have the IRS asking questions about the money and how it was used. Accounting professors Cheryl Metrejean and Britton McKay at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga., who have studied the tax implications of crowdfunding, recommend people who use fundraising sites, such as GoFundMe, Indiegogo and Kickstarter, keep extensive records to show that the money generated by the campaigns are gifts, not income. Campaigners collecting gifts also should be careful not to offer any goods or services in exchange for donations. Money raised on crowdfunding platforms doesn't come for free. Many sites, including GoFundMe that Taylor used, charge fees. For example, GoFundMe automatically deducts 5 percent from every donation.
The church and debt
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The terror attack in Nice, France on Thursday has underlined the continued problems facing governments and officials despite a major increase in security and intelligence sharing following the atrocities in Paris last year.
French President Francois Hollande said the attack Thursday was undeniably of a terrorist nature. He extended the current state of emergency in the country for another three months which will see more police on the streets. But, security analysts have told CNBC that attacks of this nature are largely unpreventable.
"It's quite impossible to prevent this kind of thing. It could happen anywhere, in any country at any moment," Claude Moniquet, a former intelligence agent at the French Directorate-General for External Security, told CNBC Friday.
Security forces signal journalists to move back as they secure the area near the Bataclan concert hall following fatal shootings in Paris, France, November 13, 2015. Christian Hartmann | Reuters
Alan Mendoza. executive director and founder at The Henry Jackson Society, suggested that Thursday's attack could have been performed by a "lone wolf" rather than a terrorist cell, adding that the former were "very difficult to guard against."
"There's often, for example, no chatter about what someone might do," he told CNBC Friday.
At least 84 people were killed after the attacker drove a truck at high speed into crowds watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday. Police shot and killed the driver and there has been no confirmation of his motives or whether he was acting as part of a group. NBC News cited a source as saying that the driver, who has not yet been named, was a French national of Tunisian descent. Reuters added that he was known to police for common law crimes but not to intelligence services.
French Police and a forensic expert stand at the entrance of an apartment building after a raid in Argenteuil, a suburb in northern Paris, France, March 25, 2016 following the arrest of a French national suspected of belonging to a militant network planning an attack in France. Gonzalo Fuentes | Reuters
France and Europe as a whole have ramped up security measures following attacks in Paris last year. Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency, announced a strengthening of its response to terror in January and launched a special task force. In June, the French interior ministry launched a mobile phone app which alerts the public in the event of a terrorist attack. Data analysis has been another area of focus, which one analyst believes has been "amazingly successful."
"They are arresting people and disrupting all the time, but the truth is you cannot guarantee everything and you cannot guarantee the individual acting alone," Margaret Gilmore, a senior associate fellow at RUSI and an expert on government policy for counterterrorism, told CNBC Friday.
"I don't think we should underestimate how prepared the French were because although the carnage was absolutely appalling .... the truth is that it lasted a few minutes and within those few minutes French police were aware of the direction, there were armed officers who were brave enough to stand in front of him and fire at him," she added.
Shares of Rite Aid spiked more than 4 percent Friday after the New York Post reported Walgreens Boots Alliance is renewing talks with the FTC to seal a deal between the drug-store giants.
Walgreens Boots Alliance is negotiating what it would need to sell in order to gain FTC regulatory approval for a deal, a source told the New York Post. The divestiture talks, the source said, are a sign that regulators don't staunchly oppose the merger.
Walgreens originally announced an all-cash offer to buy Rite Aid for $9 a share in October 2015. The figure represented a 48 percent premium to Rite Aid's closing price. An approval of the deal would create the world's largest drug-store chain, topping CVS Health.
FTC reviews have put a stick in the spokes of other major deals. In May, Staples ' planned merger with Office Depot unraveled after a U.S. district court sided with the Federal Trade Commission against the $6 billion deal.
We propose looking at all lifetime earnings and using a proportional formula to calculate Social Security benefits. In other words, two workers with the same lifetime earnings one who has spent an entire career in Social Security-covered employment and another who has worked in both covered and non-covered work will receive a Social Security benefit that is calculated the same way. Instead of arbitrarily reducing benefits, if a public servant only spent half of her career paying into Social Security, she will receive 50 percent of her Social Security benefit just like someone who spent an entire career paying into Social Security receives 100 percent of his benefit.
By replacing the WEP, it will also become easier for Americans to plan for retirement. Workers receive a Social Security statement to help plan for retirement, but right now, when a teacher, firefighter or police officer receives his Social Security statement, it's wrong. It tells him what his benefit would be before the WEP is applied. Our bill will help ensure Social Security statements are accurate for public servants.
It's not enough to fix the WEP for future retirees; we have to help public servants who are already affected. Our legislation will provide relief for current Social Security beneficiaries subjected to the WEP by providing a restoration of benefits payment each year.
It's been 12 years since the first version of the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act was introduced, but our public servants have been calling on Congress to fix the WEP since it was put into place more than three decades ago. That means, for more than 30 years, our public servants have sat waiting to receive the benefits they deserve and that we know Washington can deliver. That's far too long
This commonsense solution has been embraced by our colleagues on both sides of the aisle including President Obama, who included the proportional approach in his fiscal 2017 budget. The bipartisan Social Security Advisory Board called for the proportional approach, and the Bipartisan Policy Center included it in its recent Retirement Security Commission recommendations. Our legislation enjoys broad support, from the Texas Retired Teachers Association, Association of Texas Professional Educators, Mass Retirees and AARP.
We can't ignore the problem any longer. As one of our witnesses so eloquently said at one of our hearings on this bill, "justice delayed is justice denied." Let's fix the WEP in order to better serve our teachers, firefighters and police officers. Now is the time to ensure these men and women who dedicated their lives to us receive the retirement benefits they deserve.
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Robert Mazur was a federal agent but not with the FBI like you might assume. He worked for the IRS, the United States Customs Service (now part of the Department of Homeland Security) and the Drug Enforcement Agency. And, he pulled off one of the biggest undercover operations of all time: He infiltrated Pablo Escobar's Colombian drug cartel for two years in the mid-1980s by pretending to be Robert Musella, a money-laundering, mob-connected businessman from New Jersey. It's the basis for the new movie "The Infiltrator," starring Bryan Cranston as Mazur/Musella. "My role was to come across to the cartel as a credible money launderer," Mazur said. "Well, in order to do that, I had to be embedded in real businesses. So, over a period of 18 months, we put the undercover operation together. I used informants and concerned businessmen to get into real businesses. So, when I met with the cartel, they knew that there was an investment company. I took them to it."
It was pretty eye-popping for people in the financial underworld to be with somebody who could take them right onto the floor of the [stock] exchange. Robert Mazur, former federal agent who infiltrated Pablo Escobar's drug cartel
He created an entire life and career as Musella, working at a mortgage-broker business that was based in Florida but had a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. He would entertain his "clients" (drug traffickers and corrupt bankers) at the most exclusive restaurants and clubs around the world and lavish them with other perks that came with the territory. This being the mid-1980s (pre-Sept. 11), he would even fly his clients up to New York on the company jet and take them right onto the floor of the stock exchange. "It was pretty eye-popping for people in the financial underworld to be with somebody who could take them right onto the floor of the [stock] exchange," Mazur explained. As an undercover agent, Mazur learned early on that the way to catch these guys was to follow the money not the drugs. In fact, the operation was dubbed "C-Chase" as in currency chase. There are more than $320 billion in illicit drugs sold worldwide every year, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The UNODC estimates that 30 percent to 40 percent of the cocaine and opiates being sold are intercepted but less than 1 percent of the money is recovered. "You can launder money so many different ways. It's as unique as snowflakes," Mazur said. Typically, Mazur said, the money moves around a lot through various businesses or offshore accounts in different jurisdictions to avoid being traced back to drug traffickers. That's a tactic in the drug business known as "layering." They're also big on using free-trade zones. Mazur never actually met Escobar in person (it was too dangerous to go to Colombia) but he became close with Roberto Alcaino, who is played by Benjamin Bratt in "The Infiltrator," and others who worked closely with Escobar. (Alcaino is portrayed as Escobar's No. 2, but in real life, Mazur said, he's just a high-level operative in the cartel.) Alcaino, Mazur said, used an anchovy-packing plant based in Buenos Aires to move the cocaine. They would fill some cans with anchovies and others would be filled with cocaine and balanced with lead ingots and sand to make them the exact same weight as the anchovy cans. Mazur said as an undercover operative, he was working with the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, a Luxembourg-based bank with branches in more than 70 countries, in order to launder the cartel's money. BCCI was known to have accounts of drug operatives, terrorists, dirty bankers and others who want to hide money.
Bryan Cranston stars as undercover U.S. Customs agent Robert Mazur and John Leguizamo as his partner Emir Abreu in THE INFILTRATOR Source: Liam Daniel | Broad Green Pictures
They might, for example, use the Bahamas branch of BCCI and book the cash as though it were coming from there. But the cash was never physically in the Bahamas it was in the U.S. and just logged as though it came from the Bahamas. (Escobar's Medellin cartel, at its height, was thought to have controlled more than 80 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the U.S.) Or they might take the money to Luxembourg and put it in an offshore account there. Then, a loan would be made in almost an equal amount in another part of the world in the name of another offshore entity. "Very similar to what you see in the Panama Papers today in the way this money moves around," Mazur explained. "These were off-book loans so that you couldn't directly tie it to the capital that was sitting in Luxembourg. The money would then be moved through two or three other offshore jurisdictions, ultimately into Panama, where it was placed into an account, from which we made payouts to the cartel, who received those funds into other Panamanian accounts at different banks that were in nominee names."
At one point, he was out at a social event in Miami with a senior bank officer at BCCI who asked him point blank, "You know who the biggest money launderer in the world is? It's the Federal Reserve, of course." That sounds like a crazy allegation, but Mazur said the banker connected the dots for him: In Colombia, it's illegal for anyone to have a U.S. dollar account. But at the state-run Bank of the Republic there is a window they call the "sinister window" or the "anonymous window." There, you can trade in as much U.S. currency as you want. The central bank exchanges it for Colombian pesos at a high rate immediately. Mazur recalls the banker asking: "What do you think happens with that cash? It gets put on pallets, they shrink-wrap it and they're sending hundreds of millions of dollars back to the Federal Reserve. Don't you think there's someone smart enough at the Federal Reserve who knows this is Colombia, they're not allowed to have U.S. dollar accounts and we're getting hundreds of millions of dollars in currency from their central bank? Why didn't anyone have enough common sense to ask where this money was coming from?" That banker was one of the more than 100 drug operatives and dirty bankers indicted (and he was later convicted) as a result of the sting operation. The big bust, where several arrests went down, happened at a bachelor party for a fake wedding planned for Mazur and another undercover agent playing his fiancee. The guests/suspects were ushered into Town Cars, thinking they were headed to a bachelor party instead, they were under arrest. (The wedding never occurred.)
Former federal agent Robert Mazur (right) shown here with a pilot Source: Courtesy of Robert Mazur
It's official Donald Trump has chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate. Pence may be lesser known than the other reported finalists, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, but he was a smart choice.
A key argument against Trump from the party establishment was that they cannot be sure Trump will make conservative-friendly choices as president. But Pence is a very conservative-friendly option in what's been the most important choice Trump has made since becoming the presumptive nominee.
Pence's conservative background, experience as a governor of a solid red state, and his years in Congress all make some kind of pure conservative revolt against Trump at the convention that much harder to pull off. That was validated late Thursday when a committee at the GOP convention voted overwhelmingly against unbinding the delegates, which would have allowed them to vote for any candidate they wanted to.
He won the early favor of House Speaker Paul Ryan, who said on Thursday before the announcement that Pence would be a "good movement conservative."
"I can think of no better choice for our vice-presidential candidate," Ryan said. " We need someone who is steady and secure in his principles, someone who can cut through the noise and make a compelling case for conservatism. Mike Pence is that man."
On CNBC's "Squawk Box" Friday, former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison went further, calling Pence a "perfect choice."
And despite all the talk about Republican ideals, the biggest reason Trump has been opposed by so many established Republicans is because so many of them thought he could not win. Many still don't believe it, but there are fewer skeptics now that Trump is closing in on Hillary Clinton in a lot of polls including the latest CBS/New York Times polls, which shows them tied.
With the intramural Republican wars all but completely over, Pence provides Trump with some unique advantages in the general election. For one thing, Pence has publicly opposed Trump's call to ban Muslims from entering the country. Last December, Pence tweeted, "Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional."
Former Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley even facetiously retweeted Pence's tweet on Friday, likely in an attempt to embarrass Trump and Pence. But, it actually served to remind everyone how Trump was willing to choose a less toxic candidate than himself for the ticket.
And, while some conservatives are angry with Pence for backing down in his battle last year over Indiana's "religious freedom" law, which would've allowed businesses to refuse to serve customers who were gay, his ability to compromise with big business without completely ditching his personal religious beliefs make Pence look a lot more reasonable to most voters outside the hard conservative base.
So where does the Trump-Pence ticket go from here?
Starting with the convention, all the Trump campaign needs to do is avoid the crazy and scary moments Trump himself has been responsible for over the past year. Keeping former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin away from the speaking schedule was one good move in that direction, and the inclusion of a lot of non-politicians like billionaire Peter Thiel was another. Pence will speak as well, of course.
Outside of the convention, Trump publicizing the names of more solid and respected people to be in his proposed cabinet is also more important than any policy statements or promises. Governor Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich may have come close to getting the VP nod, but that doesn't mean they should definitely be given promises of cabinet posts as some kind of consolation prize. The positive response Trump is getting for choosing Pence from most conservatives and just about all of the establishment Republican Party will serve as positive reinforcement and Trump will seek to repeat that with similar choices for the cabinet.
The most important job for Trump and Pence is to make sure their new partnership does not impede the successful aspects of Trump's campaign brand. Love him or hate him, (is there any other choice?), Trump commands much more attention than any candidate in this election. Even Hillary Clinton's most attention-grabbing comments are predictably about Trump. Trump achieves that by being at least entertaining and appearing emotionally authentic.
Pence could potentially water down that image down if he plays a traditionally restrained role on the campaign trail. Less toxic is good, boring isn't good. So for all the talk about how it would be good for Pence to help Trump "tone it down," the opposite is true.
Pence's greatest value will be working behind the scenes on conservative turnout while letting Trump continue being Trump.
The United States is better capable of preventing the sorts of attacks that rocked the French Riviera on Thursday in some respects, but remains vulnerable in other areas at a time of escalating terrorism, military and law enforcement experts said Friday.
At least 84 people were killed Thursday when a truck plowed into a crowded beachfront promenade in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations.
No organized group initially claimed responsibility, though the attack was celebrated on internet channels associated with the so-called Islamic State, The New York Times reported.
Retired Army Col. Jack Jacobs told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday the United States and its allies would face greater challenges at home as the terrorist group faces increased pressure in its stronghold.
Coordinated overseas strikes and lone wolf attacks have increased in the past year as IS has lost ground in Syria and Iraq, where it has established a self-proclaimed caliphate. Attacks planned or inspired by the militant group have claimed hundreds of lives in Belgium, France, Iraq, Turkey, the United States and elsewhere.
Jacobs said it was impossible to prevent these attacks outright, but their frequency and impact can be minimized.
On the one hand, Jacobs said it is uncommon to see an area where large crowds congregate unprotected by some sort of barrier during organized events in U.S. cities. But when it comes to airport security, the United States lags behind countries like Turkey, where stringent security inside and outside the main terminal minimized the number of deaths during last month's strike at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, he said.
In the United States, it is difficult to obtain the grenades that were reportedly found in the truck used in the Nice attack, but the country is unlikely to reduce access to all types of weapons, he said.
"If you can reduce the access to weapons, which we're not going to do here either, ... you reduce the carnage that occurs in each attack," he said.
The attackers in the San Bernardino, California, and Orlando, Florida, rampages used high-caliber semiautomatic weapons.
Although the U.S. is more likely than EU members to share intelligence among its law enforcement agencies, Jacobs questioned the ability of a "cumbersome" U.S. intelligence apparatus to adequately do so. He said Americans don't have much appetite for surveillance either.
The U.S. needs to organize an international coalition, including Muslim nations, to combat the "metastasized cancer" inside of Islam, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn told CNBC on Friday, in the wake of the deadly attack in Nice, France.
Flynn, formerly director of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Barack Obama, had been on presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's list for a running-mate.
"I was very hopeful that President Obama, when he first came into office, ... we would see a lot of change," Flynn said on "Squawk Box." But the ex-military intelligence chief said he became disillusioned by the administration's refusal to recognize radical Islam as the enemy.
"We have to get off this nonsense of what it is we are facing. And this is a very radical form, and I call it a sort of metastasized cancer, inside of the Islamic ideology," Flynn said. "We definitely have to challenge the doctrine, this evil doctrine. We have to challenge it. We challenged communism. We challenged fascism. We challenged Nazism."
At least 84 people, including two Americans, watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice were killed Thursday night, when a suspect drove a truck at high speed into the crowd. Police shot and killed the driver, who reports say was a French national of Tunisian descent.
French President Francois Hollande condemned the massacre, saying: "There's no denying the terrorist nature of this attack." He also said, "France as a whole is under threat of Islamic terrorism."
Flynn said the kind of attack in France is about an enemy who has "declared war on our way of life."
"Not just the U.S. way of life," he continued, "it's the way of life that we in the West accept and certain nation states, ... not tyrannical nation states, accept as internationally acceptable morals, behaviors, and principles."
France has been under a state of emergency since the Paris terror attacks in November. The state of emergency had been due to be lifted on July 26. But those plans have been put on hold.
"This vicious enemy that we are facing will continue to do this until we organize ourselves internationally, instead of having this very incoherent international strategic plan," Flynn said. "The United States of America is really the only country in the world that can organize the rest of the world."
Flynn called the current international strategy of pushing back terrorists in Iraq and Syria narrowly focused.
"Ours is this little narrow 'war' that we are fighting we're not even sure what to call it inside of a small contained area in Iraq and Syria," he argued. "They counterattack globally. Theirs is a global war."
"We have leaders in the Muslim world that ... are scared. They are afraid of what is happening," Flynn said. "But they need our leadership to be able to help them stand up and be counted. And right now, we are not doing that."
Following what he called the "horrible attack" in France, Trump postponed his planned announcement Friday morning of his vice presidential running-mate pick.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is widely expected to be Trump's choice, though Trump told Fox News on Thursday night he had not made "a final, final decision" yet.
Material to prevent Zika infection by mosquitoes are displayed at the 69th World Health Assembly at the United Nations
Health officials have identified what they suspect to be the first female-to-male sexual transmission of the Zika virus, in a young woman in New York and her partner.
The woman, in her 20s, had returned to the city from travel to an area with active Zika transmission and engaged in condomless sex with her partner, according to a report Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The next day, she felt symptoms including fever, rash and muscle pain. She subsequently tested positive for Zika.
A week later, her partner experienced similar symptoms, and two days later, the Zika virus was detected in his urine, the CDC said. He reported no other recent sexual partners or mosquito bites in the preceding week, and no travel outside the U.S. for the previous year.
"This case represents the first reported occurrence of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus," the CDC said. "Ongoing surveillance is needed to determine the risk for transmission of Zika virus infection from a female to her sexual partners."
It's been known that Zika can be transmitted from male sexual partners; for that reason, the CDC recommends pregnant women whose male partners have been in areas with Zika virus use condoms or abstain from sex during pregnancy.
The continental U.S. currently has no transmission of Zika through mosquitoes, the main source of the virus's spread. Of the total 1,306 cases of Zika reported in U.S. states, as of Wednesday, 14 have been sexually transmitted. Almost all the cases were travel-associated. However, in U.S. territories, there have been 2,916 cases of Zika, with nearly all of those have been locally acquired.
In New York City, 310 cases have been reported as of Wednesday, and in all of these cases the virus was contracted by visiting other countries.
The discovery of a new potential form of transmission, from women to their sexual partners, underscores what public health officials continually warn about Zika: that the more they learn about the virus, the more concerned they become.
"Zika is both unprecedented and tragic," CDC Director Tom Frieden said Wednesday at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It's "the first time we've identified a mosquito-borne disease that is sexually transmitted."
Zika is most dangerous for pregnant women because it's been proven to cause birth defects including microcephaly and other brain defects.
Public health officials have been pleading with Congress to provide funding for Zika efforts, including development of vaccines and better diagnostics, but Democrats and Republicans failed to reach a compromise before leaving for summer recess this week.
In the hearing Wednesday, Sen. Marco Rubio called the "inaction" on Zika funding "simply inexcusable."
"It's taken far too long already," Rubio said.
ROME, N.Y. The U.S. Air Force has awarded PAR Government Systems Corp. a $5.1 million contract award for research and development.
PAR Government is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corp.
PAR Technology (NYSE: PAR), based in New Hartford, is a provider of restaurant/retail management technology systems and government-contract services.
The company will service Rome Lab, the information directorate of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) under the five-year deal. The contract focuses on Newport radio frequency communications research and development (NewRAD), PAR said in a news release issued Tuesday.
Rome Lab, which operates at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park, focuses on communications and cyber technology.
Under the deal, PAR Government will perform research development test and evaluation (RDT&E) activities to meet radio frequency technical-program requirements for operational airframes, aircraft, vehicles, and weapon-systems tests in response to Air Force needs and other components of the U.S. Department of Defense.
PAR Governments intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sector will perform the contract work, the company said.
We are pleased that AFRL has chosen PAR Government to support the NewRAD program. PAR Government will draw upon our staffs extensive experience and in-depth knowledge in signals and antenna theory in the performance of this effort, Matt Cicchinelli, president of PAR Government, said in the companys release.
PAR Government, which is headquartered in Rome, provides ISR services to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. government agencies, and private industry.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
(Eric Reinhardt / BJNN file)
Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) is laying off 350 workers, including 69 employees at New York sites, in its mission systems and training business segment.
The 69 New York employees include workers at Lockheed Martin plants in both Salina and Owego. The firm couldnt provide site-specific data as not all employees have been notified yet, Greg Lester, Lockheed Martin spokesman, said in an email message to BJNN.
Although difficult, this action is necessary to ensure we remain competitive in the marketplace, secure future business opportunities, and keep our infrastructure appropriately aligned with customer demands, Lester said in the companys statement.
Lockheed Martin said it notified the majority of the affected 350 employees on Wednesday.
The Bethesda, Marylandbased defense contractor also indicated that it will continue to conduct a thorough analysis of its Sikorsky business.
Lockheed Martin aligned Stratford, Connecticutbased Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. under its mission systems and training (MST) business segment.
Lockheed on July 20, 2015 announced it had agreed to acquire Sikorsky for $9 billion, an acquisition that closed in November.
Sikorsky, which specializes in the design, manufacture, and service of military and commercial helicopters, was previously a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), the parent company of Carrier Corp., which has operations in DeWitt.
Lockheed will notify affected Sikorsky employees who will leave the company by the end of August, according to the Lockheed Martin statement.
Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 125,000 people worldwide.
The company has 4,200 workers between its location in Salina and Owego, according to the 2016 Book of Lists.
The defense contractor focuses on the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced-technology systems, products and services.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday delivered remarks in announcing that Oswego had won $10 million as the first-place winner in the Central New York region in the $100 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Cuomo made the announcement at the Lake Ontario Conference Center. Photo credit: Gov. Cuomos Flickr page.
OSWEGO, N.Y. Oswego is Central New Yorks winner in New York States $100 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).
Congratulations, you deserve it, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in announcing Oswegos win late Thursday at the Lake Ontario Conference Center. The competition was very very stiff. 122 applications, only 10 first place winners.
The Central New York regional economic-development council chose Oswego as part of a competitive process, Cuomos office said.
Under the DRI, Oswego will focus on projects in its downtown area that will leverage significant private investment and provide new housing opportunities, mixed-use development, a business incubator, commercial/retail development and community services.
Oswego will allocate the $10 million in state funding to revitalize the local neighborhood and generate new opportunities for long-term growth and prosperity, Cuomos office said.
The award will include up to $300,000 in planning funds for private-sector experts to work with a local planning committee to draft a strategic-investment plan that will identify specific economic development, transportation, and housing and community projects.
Plans will be completed by early 2017, Cuomos office said.
The DRI program seeks to transform communities ripe for development into vibrant neighborhoods where the next generation of New Yorkers will want to live and work, Cuomos office said in an April release outlining the program.
The program, first presented in Cuomos 2016 State of the State address, will invest $10 million into 10 downtown neighborhoods across the state.
Other winners in recent announcements include Elmira in the Southern Tier; Geneva in the Finger Lakes; Plattsburgh in the North Country; Westbury in the Long Island region; and Middletown in the Mid-Hudson area.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
The 1793 Flowing Hair, Chain cent is often considered ugly but charming by U.S. coin collectors and the designs chain held up well, even with heavy circulation.
The first issue produced in any quantity at the Philadelphia Mint, the 1792 half disme pattern, has a sturdy, rather manly looking Liberty and an oddly unmagestic eagle on the reverse.
Depictions of Liberty in late 18th century America were straightforward. This painting of Liberty and Washington may not conform to the rules of perspective or anatomy, but much like the earliest coins of the Philadelphia Mint, it has a certain charm.
The Anthony dollar of 1979 to 1981, revived in 1999, is often tops on collector lists of ugliest coins, but is the assessment fair? At least one respondent believes that criticism about Anthonys looks was misdirected.
The silver 3-cent piece, also known as a trime, is often called one of the uglier U.S. coins as collectors seem to dislike unimaginative and plain U.S. coin designs.
Depictions of Liberty in late 18th century America were straightforward and appeared in many forms, including paintings and coins. This painting of Liberty may not conform to the rules of perspective or anatomy, but much like the 1792 silver half disme and 1793 Chain cent, it has a certain charm.
It seems that among U.S. coin designs, some are universally praised and some seem to enjoy consistent disdain from collectors.
From the soaring heights of Augustus Saint-Gaudens 1907 High Relief double eagle considered by many to be the finest U.S. coin design to the lowly Anthony dollar, the more than two centuries of coins produced by the U.S. Mint have seen high points and low points.
Perhaps the finest text on the aesthetics of U.S. coinage is Cornelius Vermeules 1971 book Numismatic Art in America. Vermeule spent much of his career as a curator of Greek and Roman art at Bostons Museum of Fine Arts. In the first page of his book Vermeule writes, Most persons, including numismatists who specialize in other areas or ages, regard the United States Series as devoid of artistic interest. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
The high points of American coin design the period often called the Renaissance in American Coin Design in the first two decades of the 20th century is perhaps the most published area of American numismatics. We often celebrate the peaks of accomplishment, but what about the valleys?
Many collectors despise simplicity in their coin designs. The silver 3-cent piece of 1851 to 1873 is frequently noted as being plain and unimaginative, though with a diameter of just 14 millimeters and a thinness that allows even basic usage to render it bent, one wonders what a better design might look like on this denomination.
Whitmans publisher Dennis Tucker calls the issue something of a Sarah Plain and Small even in Mint State, and from there physical wear and tear takes them down a notch further. He acknowledges, though, that this opinion may make him unpopular with trime collectors.
Others point out the Anthony dollar as a missed opportunity in creating an interesting design. Orlando coin dealer Don Bonser calls Frank Gasparros portrait of Susan B. Anthony rather stern and grim. George Cuhaj, former editor of the Standard Catalog of World Coins added, The coin depicted her in older age, rather plainly.
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The American Numismatic Associations Money Museum curator Doug Mudd concluded, The portrait does no justice to the great lady she may not look like Elizabeth Taylor, but she did have character, and that does not come out in the portrait used on the coin, which likely contributed to its unpopularity.
The Anthony dollar has its fans. Sculptor Heidi Wastweet wanted to defend the small-sized dollar. She shared, I always thought it sad that this modest coin was that target of so much hatred. I dont think the coin was sculpted badly. I think people were, at that time, just used to the only women on coins being idealized and beautiful. Beauty doesnt seem to be a criteria of coin portraits of men. I say its time to let up. Susan had much more to offer than looks.
A look at the catalogue raisonne of any artist, even those considered to be at the top of their game, reveals they didnt always paint masterpieces. Just as the work of artists has ups and downs, so do American coin designs.
What follows is the result of an informal survey I conducted with more than 50 of my coin collecting friends. I asked a simple question: What is the least attractive U.S. coin. The results allow us to have a discussion on aesthetics and ways of seeing and helps us evaluate what design elements work on a coin (and what ideas dont work.)
Early efforts in Philadelphia
The first years of the Philadelphia Mint were busy ones as the United States transitioned toward producing its own money and away from relying on foreign money, copper pieces struck by states and tokens to meet the needs of commerce.
Among the first coins struck, and the only denomination struck in quantity, was the silver 1792 half disme. The portrait of Liberty labeled Parent of Science and Industry on the coin was described by Vermeule as an unflattering cross between Martha Washington and one of the wild-eyed harridans who knitted while heads rolled during the French Revolution.
He was no kinder to the reverse of the half disme, writing, The eagle on the reverse is an ailing barnyard fowl, with undersized wings spread at odd angles, curving neck, and oddly foreshortened body, a creature nowhere better than on the small surfaces of the dime and half dime.
The masculine quality of Liberty on these early issues is recognized by many observers, especially non-numismatists who arent swayed by the rarity or high price of these coins.
Perhaps tops on peoples list of the homelier 18th century U.S. coins is the 1793 Flowing Hair, Chain cent. The Chain cent was the first coin produced for widespread circulation by the Philadelphia Mint and a relatively substantial mintage of 36,103 pieces were struck by early March 1793.
The obverse depicts Liberty with wild hair and the chain on the reverse is spare and simple. From a circulation standpoint, the chain design held up well and it is visible on even the most-worn examples grading Poor. The design has European precedents, but is remarkable considering, as Vermeule points out, The men who cut Americas first dies were German bondsmen, local mechanics and watchmakers. Set within this framework, the ugliness of Americas first coins can be viewed as somewhat charming, in the way that we look at primitive and naive early 19th century painting.
As Tennessee collector Karen Rehder points out, While some folks may take issue with the chain on the reverse, I find the representation of Liberty on the obverse unappealing. First, shes either depicted with very mannish features or a very weak chin. Second, shes always having a very bad hair day. Maybe the flowing hair is supposed to represent a release from oppression or a nation in its youth (young girls didnt bind their hair); however, it misses the mark and makes Liberty seem frenzied. Perhaps her mannish countenance is supposed to represent strength of character and fortitude, but in my opinion, it just makes her look hard. Im glad that later versions and later designers did a much better job of softening Libertys portrait. Liberty should be beautiful because liberty is beautiful.
It is the very flaws in these earliest coins that make them charming for collectors today.
Keep reading our breakdown of the U.S. Mint's ugliest coins:
U.S. COINS MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE:
Susan B. Anthony dollar
Coin Values estimates (as of July 20, 2016): 1979-D EF-40 - $1; MS-65 - $15; MS-67 - $200
What U.S. coin can claim these firsts?: 1. The first circulating coin to depict an actual woman instead of an allegorical representation. 2. First circulating coin to bear a non-circular rim device. 3. First circulating dollar coin to bear the "P" Mint mark and only the second denomination to bear the "P" Mint mark. 4. First dollar coin struck strictly in a non-precious metal alloy. Read all about the Anthony dollar.
1792 half disme
Coin Values estimates (as of July 20, 2016): AG-3 - $12,000; AU-50 - $175,000; MS-63 - $550,000
If the United States Mint were to issue a coin today that bore absolutely no reference to its denomination, Congress would likely launch an investigation. However, the Mint did issue a coin that for its first nine years of production, despite several design changes, bore no denominational markings of any kind. It was the half disme.
1793 Flowing Hair, Chain cent
The American Numismatic Associations Worlds Fair of Money is headed to Anaheim, Calif., for Aug. 9 to 13. Both Stacks Bowers Galleries and Heritage Auctions will be official auctioneers for the massive coin show and while neither firm has announced a singular wow-level rarity, the diversity of offerings is staggering.
Among the Stacks Bowers highlights is an 1851 Seated Liberty silver dollar restrike that was overstruck on a New Orleans Mint Seated Liberty dollar, graded Proof 62 by Professional Coin Grading Service with a green Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker.
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The firm also will present the Bull Run Collection, a group that has been off the market for decades in old green-label PCGS holders. Among its high points is the single highest graded 1882 Coronet gold $10 eagle, graded PCGS Mint State 66, CAC, and an 1860 Coronet gold $20 double eagle graded PCGS MS-65, CAC, formerly in the collection of Louis E. Eliasberg Sr., the finest known example. An 1875 Coronet gold $2.50 quarter eagle is one of a reported mintage of 20 pieces. Graded PCGS Proof 65, CAC, it was formerly in the collection of Ed Trompeter.
What is Heritage selling?
Heritage will be selling two noteworthy pattern pieces from 1792 in its auction.
A 1792 Silver Center cent, listed as Judd 1 in J. Hewitt Judds book on patterns, is graded Specimen 35 by PCGS and is one of perhaps 14 known today. Heritage writes, Most numismatists believe it was the first coin actually produced inside the walls of the first U.S. Mint, although a few other patterns were struck earlier, before the Mint was actually ready for coinage operations.
The silver plug was intended to increase the intrinsic value of the coin, without making the cent unnecessarily bulky. The solution of inserting a silver center within a copper planchet proved impractical, but the patterns are reminders of the ambition and innovation inside the early Philadelphia Mint.
The offered coin was allegedly found in a pub in the 1960s and has been off the market since 1998.
Another key 1792 pattern in Heritages ANA auction is a Birch cent, Judd 5, graded MS-61 brown by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. One of just two known, it was offered last year by Heritage at its sale of the Donald G. Partrick Collection at the 2015 January Florida United Numismatists show where it realized $564,000. The other known example is graded NGC Fair 2.
The Mysterious William Russell Birch
While popularly named after its engraver, Birchs identity remains a mystery. Heritage writes, A long-standing speculation, and a natural guess, has been the miniature painter and enamellist William Russell Birch (17551834), although other researchers have come to different, plausible conclusions, which are explained in the lot description.
Both firms will also be offering choice U.S. and world paper money, and world and ancient coins, in separate ANA sessions held during and immediately after the show.
The Celts of Eastern Europe also issued coins, among them this silver tetradrachm, left, that was inspired by the designs on silver tetradrachms of King Philip II of Macedon, right.
This Roman denarius of 48 B.C. portrays a Gaul on its obverse and two Gauls in a chariot on its reverse. The portrait may represent the defeated Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix.
The Coriosolites of Gaul issued this billon stater using the gold coins of King Philip II of Macedon as a prototype. The contours of the portrait are graceful and imaginative.
The portrait of Apollo on this gold stater of King Philip II of Macedon is reduced to a grouping of abstract forms on a billon stater of the Durotriges of southwest Britain.
The ancient Celts are impossible to define in anything but the broadest of terms. The dearth of written records means that we must rely on secondhand accounts and archaeology to fill in the gaps. Even so, the Celts left a rich cultural legacy in the many objects that have been unearthed almost everywhere north of the Mediterranean basin, from Ireland to the shores of the Black Sea.
Although some of the most famous Celts are those of the British Isles, many modern scholars reject the long-held belief there was a mass migration of Celts onto the British Isles. They cite strong evidence that the Iron Age inhabitants of Britain were not Celts at all, but merely people who co-opted some customs of their Celtic neighbors on the European mainland.
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Of great importance to the study of the ancient Celts is their coinage, which from the late third century B.C. through at least the 1st century A.D., was issued in great quantity. These coins testify not only to the existence of various Celtic populations, but through their arresting designs they offer a glimpse of how the Celts perceived their world and how they wished to portray it.
Celtic coins imitate others
For all of the inventiveness of the Celts, it must be acknowledged that most of their coin designs are derived from coins of the Greeks and the Romans. But that is where the similarity ends, for the Celts took those designs and transformed them into images that often are far removed from their prototypes.
A perfect example is the portrait on the billon (debased silver) stater of the Durotriges of southwestern Britain illustrated here. When compared with the portrait of Apollo on the Greek gold stater of the Macedonian King Philip II (359 to 336 B.C.), the connection seems remote, for there could hardly be greater contrast in artistic approach.
The portrait on the stater of Philip II is naturalistic, as if the artist intended to copy the human image with great accuracy even if the result was idealized (as would be appropriate for a god). The billon stater of the Durotriges has broken that image down into a series of pellets, dashes, lines and crescents such that if the distant prototype were not known, one would not even associate the two designs.
There was considerable time and distance between these two coins. The gold prototype was introduced in the mid-fourth century B.C. in northern Greece, whereas the billon derivative was struck about three centuries later near the southern shore of Britain. Furthermore, the coin of the Durotriges is not a first generation derivative, but is several steps down the line.
To see something somewhat closer to the original of Philip II we may look to a billon stater issued circa 100 to 50 B.C. by the Redones of northwestern Gaul. In this case the portrait is far more intact, even if the hair is wild and the laurel wreath is highly stylized.
The reverse of the Redones stater shows a chariot, as appears on the Philip II staters. However, in this case the chariot is disassembled: an insect-like charioteer floats above a horse composed of long, curved shapes and pellets. Beneath is a wheel, completely divorced from the chariot, which has been lost in the translation of the design.
Design derivatives of Philip II
Another derivative of Philip II gold staters is a billon stater issued circa 100 to 50 B.C. by the Coriosolites (army of the sun), a tribe of northwestern Gaul. They lived in Brittany, lower Normandy, and also populated the Channel Islands; their coins often were imported to Britain as a result of strong trade relations across the English Channel.
In this case the interpretation of the Philip II gold stater is equally inventive, though the treatment of the hair is entirely different than that of the contemporary stater of the Redones. The hair of Apollo is more controlled, and instead of lashing outward in all directions it is tightly curled on the head and arranged in concentric curls.
On the Coriosolites stater some interesting curves represent the ear, and the hair takes on a snake-like form along the exterior, being especially visible on this example at the nape of the neck and at the forehead.
The portrait is further adorned with a pelleted decoration before the face. More arresting, however, is the streamlined rendering of the brow, eye, nose and mouth, which appear to be a unit separate from the cheek and the hair.
Greek, Roman influence
We may take pause to compare such Picassoesque portraits with an image from a contemporary Roman silver denarius. In this case the head is that of a Gaulish Celt as envisioned by a die engraver at the Rome mint in 48 B.C.
It was issued by the moneyer L. Hostilius Saserna not long after Julius Caesars defeat of a massive Gallic army in 52 B.C. at the fortified settlement of Alesia in central Gaul. Leading the army was the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix, and it seems likely that this vigorous portrait was intended to represent him specifically.
Celts also occupied the central and northern parts of Europe further east, all along the Danube to where it issued into the Black Sea. These Celts struck a great many coins, which are distinct from those of their western counterparts. One of their favorite prototypes was the silver tetradrachm of Philip II, which shows the portrait of the Greek god Zeus and a horseman.
The prototype issue is exactly what one would expect from a well-made Greek coin of the fourth century B.C.: it bears images meant to reproduce people, animals and objects in as lifelike a manner as possible. This tetradrachm of Philip II achieves its aim with a remarkable degree of refinement.
This tetradrachm of an uncertain Celtic tribe, seemingly issued in the second century B.C., retains the basic forms of the Philip II prototype, but whimsically alters the portrait to create an intriguing work of art. In doing so, it makes no pretensions of trying to depict things in the way the human eye perceives them.
Some films can feel out of the wrong era. Almost as if they're bathing in too much nostalgia for their own good. Whether intentional or not, these films feel like throwbacks to films that just aren't made anymore. Science Fiction / Fantasy veteran Nathan Juran's 1973 horror throwback 'The Boy Who Cried Werewolf' feels like it was made a couple of decades too late for its own good. While the film is a heck of a lot of fun, it's late 1950s early 60s style pacing and some very dated makeup effects keep it from feeling like a film that belongs to the 70s canon of horror films.
For young Richie Bridgestone (Scott Sealey), life is pretty hectic. His parents Robert (Kerwin Mathews) and Sandy (Elaine Devry) are getting a divorce. There is still a lot of love in the family and Richie's parents are doing their best to hide the stress and strain. Part of the way they do that is by Robert taking Richie out to his old cabin deep in the woods. On one such weekend excursion, Robert and Richie are attacked by a strange man! This man came out of nowhere but Robert was able to fight him off, sending him over a cliff and onto a fence post, instantly killing him. While Robert is reluctant to admit what he saw, Richie is more than willing to tell anyone and everyone who will listen that it was a werewolf that attacked them. A werewolf that bit Robert on the arm!
At first, everything is okay. Robert and Elaine try to tell Richie that werewolves don't exist. They even go as far as bringing in the family psychiatrist Dr. Manderosian (George Gaynes) to calm the child to no effect. Even if no one believes Richie that it was a werewolf, the local Sheriff (Robert J. Wilke) is having a difficult time finding a wild animal that is killing locals and travelers on a stretch of road that passes right beside Robert's old cabin. Richie doesn't want to believe it, but he's becoming more and more certain that his father has become a werewolf and no one, not even his mother, will listen to him!
Arriving in 1973, 'The Boy Who Cried Werewolf' feels like a time capsule of a horror movie. Its look, execution, makeup effects would be premier efforts had it been made fifteen to twenty years earlier. Granted, this is more or less a family-friendly style horror flick, it does look and feel like it would have been better suited as a low-budget Hammer production. The makeup effects make Kerwin Mathews look more like a wild beaver-man than a werewolf. It's some decent practical makeup work, but at the same time, it feels kind of dated. This is especially true when you look at the kinds of films that were coming out at the same time, movies like 'Night of the Living Dead,' 'Last House on the Left,' and 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' to name a few. Since the film isn't very bloody, 'The Boy Who Cried Werewolf' just feels like it got lost on a shelf someplace and was released in the wrong decade.
Part of the reason for that is that it was directed by the late great genre director Nathan Juran. Nathan Juran is the man behind such great titles as 'Attack of the 50 Foot Woman,' 'First Men In The Moon,' and '20 Million Mies To Earth.' Juran also had an established work history with lead star Kerwin Mathews as the pair collaborated previously on 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad' and 'Jack the Giant Killer.' As his last feature film directorial effort, Juran's 'Boy Who Cried Werewolf' is a solid final effort, but doesn't have very modern sensibilities. Its idea of what scares an audience feels right with a drive-in setting, which shouldn't come as much of a surprise as it was originally released as part of a double-billing with 'Sssssss.'
Light on true scares, 'The Boy Who Cried Werewolf' makes a cerebral effort. Most of what constitutes "horror" for the film isn't so much for the hairy beast or the people being killed, but a son watching his father slowly lose control of himself. Kerwin Mathews was always a great performer and committed actor. Whatever role he was playing, whether it be a swashbuckling seaman in 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad' or a coldhearted gunman in 'Barquero,' Mathews could be counted on to give it his all. Considering his longstanding relationship with Nathan Juran, it's a little bittersweet that this would also be one of his last film roles. He brings a genuine intensity to the part of a father knowing deep down that something is wrong with him and not wanting to hurt his family. His makeup may be more than a little bit goofy, but he gets the job done. That sentiment is certainly felt throughout the film. A good effort for what it is, but not the greatest movie, or even the greatest werewolf movie for that matter. It's certainly entertaining, a subplot involving a hippie convent is a nice touch, but the film may illicit more giggles than frights at times.
The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats
'The Boy Who Cried Werewolf' arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Scream Factory. Pressed onto a Region A BD25 disc, the disc comes housed in a standard Blu-ray case. The disc opens directly to a static image main menu with traditional navigation options.
Fresno cops pulled over Dylan Noble, an unarmed 19-year-old, and shot him because he failed to comply with orders to get on the ground. Then they approached him as he lay squirming on the asphalt, and executed him with a shotgun. The pretext: his continued failure to put his hands where they could see them.
California police were looking for a man in camouflage walking down the street carrying a rifle when they decided to pull over a man in a truck who was not wearing camouflage and not carrying a rifle. An unarmed man named Dylan Noble whom Fresno police shot and killed anyway. Today, after viewing body cam footage of the shooting, Noble's family filed a claim to sue the Fresno Police Department, stating that they had no justifiable reason to shoot the 19-year-old man on June 25.
Fresno's police chief, Jerry Dyer, was unable to explain to CNN why his officers killed Noble.
About the public administrator and circuit judge
Public Administrator
The Boone County Public Administrator manages estates for minors, people with disabilities or people who cant manage their estates on their own. This role also oversees a deceased estate if there is no will, no apparent heir or if family members are unable to agree who should be the primary person for taking care of the estate.
The public administrator, paid over $90,000 a year, is elected for a four-year term. Cathy Richards is the current Boone County Public Administrator. She is running for 46th State Representative in the August 2 Primary.
The democratic candidates running for the Boone County Public Administrator are Sonja Boone, the chief deputy public administrator, and Chimene Schwach, director of after-school care at Our Lady of Lourdes inter-parish school.
13th Circuit Judge
The circuit court is where nearly all legal cases originate, and it has authority or general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters. This includes:
all felony cases
misdemeanor cases that originate in circuit court
civil cases
equity cases
eases that require extraordinary remedies, like writs
traffic offenses
The 13th District includes Boone and Calloway Counties, and it has four circuit judges and four associate circuit judges. Circuit judges are elected for six years, and they are paid about $146,000.
Jeff Harris and Debrah Daniels are the democratic candidates running for an open 13th Circuit Judge position. Harris was appointed to the position by Governor Nixon in April after Gary Oxenhandler retired when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 70. Daniels is currently an associate circuit judge.
Boone County Fair
The Boone County Fair opens on Saturday in Sturgeon with a horse show at 8 a.m. and parade through town.
The carnival will open daily at 4 p.m. Tuesday through next Friday. The carnival will open at noon on July 23, the final day of the fair.
For a complete schedule, visit The Boone County Fair website.
Congress today publicly released 28 previously secret pages of its 9/11 inquiry that detail possible connections between officials in the Saudi government, and the hijackers who carried out the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"The 28-page document is a wide-ranging catalog of alleged links between Saudi officials and Qaeda operatives," reports Mark Mazzetti in the New York Times, "from contacts that Saudi operatives in Southern California had with the hijackers to a telephone number found on the first Qaeda prisoner in C.I.A. custody that the F.B.I. traced to a corporation managing a Colorado home of Prince Bandar bin Sultan, then the Saudi ambassador to Washington."
The document released Friday comes from a 2002 congressional inquiry into the Sept. 11 attacks, and was kept secret because U.S. officials feared it would strain U.S./Saudi diplomatic relations.
Lawmakers and families of the Sept. 11 victims fought for years to make public any evidence that suggested the Saudis were linked to the 9/11 attackers.
The Sept. 11 plot remains an open investigation at the FBI.
In its final report, released in 2004, the Sept. 11 commission said it had found no evidence that the "Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded" Al Qaeda. But some commission staff members point out that the wording did not rule out the possibility that lower ranking Saudi officials had assisted the hijackers and said that the commission operated under extreme time pressure and could not rundown every lead. In particular, some investigators remain puzzled by the exact role played by Fahad al-Thumairy, a Saudi consular official based in the Los Angeles area at the time of the attacks. They believe that if there had been any Saudi government role in the plot, it probably would have involved him. Mr. Thumairy was the imam of a mosque visited by two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, and some American government officials have long suspected that Mr. Thumairy assisted the two men Nawaq Alhamzi and Khalid al-Midhar after they arrived in Los Angeles in early 2000. An F.B.I. document from 2012, cited last year by an independent review panel, concluded that Mr. Thumairy "immediately assigned an individual to take care of al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar during their time in the Los Angeles area," but the F.B.I has been unable to piece together other details of the movement of the two men during their early days in the United States.
"28 Pages of the 2002 Congressional Inquiry into the Sept. 11 Attacks" [nytimes.com]
'Wendell & Wild' is great to look at, not much fun to watch
The Centers for Disease Control and Infection reported the first confirmed case of Zika transmitted from a woman to a man during sex. Previously, they thought that the disease was only likely to be sexually-transmitted from a male to female or male to male. The CDC will soon update their advisory "for sexually active people in which the couple is not pregnant or concerned about pregnancy and for people who want to reduce personal risk of Zika infection through sex." From CNN:
A non-pregnant woman in her 20s had unprotected vaginal sex with a male partner on the day she returned from travel to a country where Zika is circulating. The next day, she came down with Zika-like symptoms, including fever, rash, fatigue and muscle pain, along with numbness and tingling in her fingers and toes. On day three, she visited her primary care doctor, who took blood and urine samples, and sent them off to the NYC health department. Both tested positive for the virus.
On day seven after intercourse, her male partner, also in his 20s, began to show the same typical signs of Zika, such as fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes, despite the fact that he had not traveled outside the United States for more than a year
While this is the first documented case of female to male sexual transmission, it's not the first clue that the Zika virus might be hiding in the female genital tract. A case report published this week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal tells the story of a 27-year old Guadeloupean woman who came down with Zika in May. Even though Zika was absent from her blood and urine 11 days after she fell ill, her cervical mucus still tested positive for the virus. And recently, a study on rhesus monkeys showed that the virus remained in the vaginal fluid of three non-pregnant females.
Musket Corp., a subsidiary of the Love's truck stop chain, has purchased and is renovating this warehouse in Memphis. (By Thomas Bailey/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal
A company owned by Love's Travel Stops has bought a 100,000-square-foot warehouse in Memphis and is renovating it.
Musket Corp., a national fuel distributor based in Houston, Texas, will blend Love's diesel exhaust fluid in the facility off Interstate 55 at 2655 Riverport Road.
Diesel exhaust fluid, commonly called "DEF" within the industry, is an additive that helps break down emissions.
"We will ship the product to Loves Travel Stops in the region, as well as other customers,'' Kealey Dorian said Friday in an email to The Commercial Appeal. He is a spokesman for Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores.
The operation will employ two people.
Dorian described Musket as "the commodity supply, trading and logistics arm of the Loves Family of Companies.''
Although the new building is owned by Musket, Loves is the parent company.
Last month, Musket purchased the warehouse for $1.6 million. The 35-year-old facility on 12.7 acres had been owned by Archer Daniels Midland Co.
The beige building has loading docks and two rail spurs.
This week, Musket filed construction documents showing the company will build an office, men's and women's restrooms and a foyer in the warehouse. The construction is valued at $25,000.
W.B. Day Construction is doing the work, according to documents filed for a construction permit.
The company had posted a description of a Memphis job opening, describing the position as a DEF terminal operator.
The posting described the purpose of the job: "Position is responsible for supporting blending operations by conducting loading, unloading, storing, and mixing.''
There are 10 Love's truck stops around Memphis in a region bounded by Little Rock; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Jackson, Tennessee and Tupelo, Mississippi.
Nationwide, Love's has 380 locations in 40 states. Love's was founded in 1964.
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By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal
A man and a teen are in critical condition after police said gunmen opened fire on their car in Hickory Hill Friday.
Police responded to an aggravated assault call at midnight at a home in the 5700 block of French Market Circle South, said spokesman Louis Brownlee.
He said a 36-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were hit by gunfire when three men in a gray Infiniti opened fire on their car. The victims were taken to the Regional Medical Center.
No arrests have been made as the investigation continues.
John Ryder (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)
By Joel Ebert And Dave Boucher/USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee
As Tennessee Republicans head to Cleveland, Ohio, to attend the Republican National Convention, here are five Tennesseans to keep an eye on as the action-filled week unfolds.
John Ryder
In addition to being a Trump delegate, the Memphis attorney is also the general counsel for the Republican National Convention. He's already outlined arguments as to why, he believes, the party can't change rules so delegates could buck their affiliations and vote for any other candidate for president. Ryder, 67, is expected to play an influential role during the convention.
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker
Once considered a possible vice presidential candidate, Corkers star is clearly on the rise. In June, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman praised Trump for his comments on the historic Brexit vote in the United Kingdom. This month, Corker, 63, appeared with the real estate mogul at a campaign event in North Carolina. Theres talk hes being considered for a Cabinet position in a Trump administration.
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn
The 64-year old member of Congress, who was rumored to have been in consideration for Trump's VP pick, is slated to speak on the final day of the convention, the same day as Trump. That's prime placement for Blackburn, who also spoke at both the 2008 and 2012 conventions.
Gov. Bill Haslam
Traditionally, if the governor is a delegate at the national convention, they lead the party's delegation. But Haslam, 57, is a Rubio delegate in a state with far more Trump delegates, and therefore isn't Tennessee's delegation leader. Look for some interesting comments on Trump from Haslam, who has at times been critical of the party's presumptive nominee.
State Sen. Mae Beavers
The Mt. Juliet lawmaker is the state delegation's leader and one of the first in the state to publicly support Trump. Beavers, 68, is known for taking controversial stances on a host of issues, and could do so again during the convention.
Marsha Blackburn (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)
By Joel Ebert, USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee
Tennessee has a rich history of being involved in Republican National Conventions, dating back to the years of Andrew Johnson.
In 1864, when the third Republican convention was held in Baltimore, Johnson was named President Abraham Lincoln's vice presidential nominee.
More recently, Tennesseans have also had prominent roles in the party's national conventions.
During the 2012 convention in Tampa, Fla., U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, who served as co-chairman of the national party's resolutions committee, delivered a speech during which she said the GOP will be known as the "Great Opportunity Party."
That same year, then-state Rep. Joe Carr made national headlines when he suggested that he agreed with a Missouri Senate candidate's controversial remarks about rape and pregnancy.
Blackburn also spoke during the 2008 convention in Saint Paul, Minn., as did the late former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, who ran for president that year.
In 1976, U.S. Sen. Howard Baker, Jr., delivered a keynote speech at the convention in Kansas City, Mo., and was even considered a possible vice presidential pick for Gerald Ford.
Eight years later, Baker, who would later serve as chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan, was the RNC chairperson for the convention in Dallas.
This year, several Tennesseans are playing key roles in the convention and the lead up to it. Blackburn is once again scheduled to make a speech at the convention.
Memphis-based attorney John Ryder has been serving as the general counsel for the RNC, and has already outlined arguments as to why, he believes, the party can't change rules so delegates could buck their affiliations and vote for any another candidate for president.
U.S. Sen Bob Corker, who was once a vice presidential contender for Donald Trump, will likely play a role in the convention, given that he's offered praise and criticism of Trump, who could tap him for a Cabinet position if he wins in November.
A.B. Culvahouse, who grew up in East Tennessee but now lives in Washington, D.C., has played a crucial role in the vetting process for those being considered for vice president.
With 58 delegates and 55 alternates in the state's delegation, there will be no shortage of Tennesseans in the news as they gather for four event-filled days in Cleveland.
A worker is reflected in a mirror as preparations continue for the Republican National Convention, Friday, July 15, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
By Joel Ebert And Dave Boucher, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Political conventions typically provide a chance for parties to come together, particularly after bitter, protracted primary battles.
But this year's presidential race has been hardly typical, especially among Republicans including those from Tennessee.
With the Republican National Convention set to begin Monday, Donald Trump, the party's presumptive nominee, will have his work cut out for him to successfully unite Republicans on the state and national level.
Tennessee's GOP delegates highlight the divide within the Republican Party that Trump will have to bridge in Cleveland, Ohio.
On one end of the spectrum are U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, who is set to speak at the convention, and U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, who, until recently, had been considered a potential vice presidential candidate and could secure a Cabinet position in a Trump administration.
On the other side, there's outspoken conservative state Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, who had harsh words for Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
"And there you have it. Two of the most repulsive and divisive people in history are now running for president of the United States," Holt said. "God have mercy on us."
Although there have been few Tennessee politicos who have joined the Never Trump movement to try and formally stop his nomination, some including Gov. Bill Haslam and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander have taken a more tepid approach.
Haslam has frequently criticized Trump for comments he's made, while Alexander has occasionally refused to call Trump the GOP nominee until that's formally done at the convention.
"Typically, conventions rally their troops, give them a bump up in the polls, then after Labor Day real campaigns begin," said Tom Ingram, a longtime Tennessee Republican operative who worked for Jeb Bush and John Kasich during their presidential campaigns and has attended several conventions but will not be heading to Cleveland this year.
"The challenge this year, locally and nationally, is which candidate will project as the least unlikeable and untrustworthy," he said. Ingram said that whoever wins in November Trump or Clinton will immediately face their greatest challenge.
"Repairing a lot of damage done this political cycle and reaching across all kinds of social, political, ethnic and gender lines to try to unify a seriously divided and polarized state and country."
State Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, who is the chairman of the state delegation, said she is confident the convention will bring Republicans together.
"That will go a long ways toward healing the party at the national and state level," said Beavers, who was one of the first in the state to publicly support Trump.
The divisions among Republicans on the state and national levels are hardly new.
In Tennessee, the divide includes a lack of trust between Trump supporters and establishment Republicans.
During a raucous state Republican Party meeting in April, Trump delegates accused party leaders of trying to steal delegates from the presumptive nominee.
Mark Winslow, who recently resigned from the Tennessee Republican State Executive Committee after saying the party's "soul rotted away," is skeptical the convention will unite the party.
"These four days can be a papering over of problems within the GOP or the start of a new relationship between the party and its grassroots," Winslow said. "It's up to the leadership to decide which path we choose."
"When people who were openly and vocally critical of the nominee were installed as his delegates because they are party loyalists, it's easy to see how Americans can agree with Trump when he claims that the system is rigged," Winslow said.
Trump won 94 of Tennessee's 95 counties in the March 1 presidential primary. But he received only about 39 percent of the overall vote, a point that further signifies the fracturing that Trump has to overcome before November.
On the national level, the ideological division between Republicans was clear in the candidacies of Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush, said Vanderbilt University political science professor John Geer.
Geer called Cruz, a tea party darling, a purist, and Bush, who was supported by a more moderate base, a pragmatist.
Trump has only increased the divide among Republicans, Geer said.
"There may be some healing (at the convention)," he said. "But the divisions will remain. Trump rose on those divisions. They will not go away any time soon, especially as he exploits them in the coming weeks and months."
Beavers disagreed, saying that she believed Trump would be able to unite the party.
"I believe Trump is that leader, and I believe most in the party will rally behind him," she said.
Kent Syler, a political scientist at Middle Tennessee State University, said he will keep an eye on the energy level of those at the convention. He said the last two Republican conventions failed to excite people.
"It will be interesting to see the energy in this one," he said, adding that Trump drew out record numbers of Republican primary voters. "The question now is can he translate that Republican primary energy to a general election, and this convention is really the starting point of that effort."
Syler said he doesn't anticipate the more moderate members of Tennessee's delegation to ruffle too many feathers during the convention. He said he anticipates a "truce" among Republicans, at least until the November election.
However the convention unfolds, the results will not only have ramifications on the Nov. 8 presidential election but also on elections for the statehouse, where Republicans have a supermajority.
"The kind of tea party Trump faction feels that it is their turn to try to win a race," Syler said. "The establishment obviously doesn't agree with the selection of Trump and if Trump loses, the establishment will be saying, 'Hey, I told you so' and it's time to put the adults back in charge."
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USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee reporters will be in Cleveland, Ohio, all week covering the Tennessee delegation. Follow us for the latest news.
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July 12, 2016 Interim Police Director Michael Rallings (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)
By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal
6:40 P.M. UPDATE
Despite rumors that "Day of Rage" protests were planned around Memphis at 6 p.m. Friday, there wasn't much rage to be found at the purported protest sites.
Three people at Poplar Plaza were giving water and hugs to anyone who happened by. About a dozen people at Poplar and Highland held Black Lives Matter signs. Some stores at the shopping center had closed early in advance of any potential events.
At UT Health Sciences Park, about six people showed up at the Nathan Bedford Forrest statue confused because they had heard there was a protest happening. Aside from them, the only occupants of the park were police and media.
EARLIER
Memphis police say they are prepared if a possible Day of Rage protest happens Friday.
Since 2014, rumors of protests dubbed Day of Rage have surfaced.
This week, the rumors swirled again with news that the group Anonymous has possibly planned protests in 37 major cities across the country Friday.
We have been monitoring the possibility of additional protests and we fully anticipate more to come, said Interim Memphis Police Director Michael Rallings.
Memphis has seen Black Lives Matter protests throughout the city, including last Sunday when protesters shut down the Hernando DeSoto bridge for hours in response to the recent killings of two black men by police in Baton Rouge and Minnesota.
Rallings said they urge protesters to abide by the law.
Permits should be obtained and the demonstrations must remain peaceful and within the law, Rallings said. We have walked side by side with members of the Ku Klux Klan, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Black Lives Matter, and many more. We have never impeded on anyones first amendment right by stopping a protest to check warrants. As I have said many times, I would have walked with a grizzly bear off that bridge to get my officers and the participating civilians to safety.
He added this advice to protesters, take caution as to what demonstration you choose to participate with, sometimes individuals get involved with causes that they truly dont support.
In 1924, representatives of the world's leading lightbulb manufacturers formed Phoebus, a cartel that fixed the average life of an incandescent bulb at 1,000 hours, ensuring that people would have to regularly buy bulbs and keep the manufacturers in business.
But hardware store LED bulbs have a typical duty-cycle of 25,000 hours meaning that the average American household will only have to buy new bulbs ever 42 years or so.
The lighting industry is panicked about "socket saturation," when all household bulbs have been replaced with long-lasting LED bulbs. There's signs that they're moving to limit the longevity of LED bulbs, albeit without the grossly illegal cartels of the Phoebus era. Philipps is seling $5 LED bulbs that have a 10,000 hour duty-cycle. Many no-name Chinese LED bulbs are so shoddy that they're sold by the kilo, and buyers are left to sort the totally defective (ranging from bulbs that don't work at all to bulbs that give people electrical shocks) from the marginally usable ones.
JB MacKinnon's excellent New Yorker piece tells the story of planned obsolescence and home lighting, but only skims the surface of the Internet of Things future of "smart" bulbs. It's been less than a year since Philips pushed out a firmware update that gave its light fixtures the ability to detect and reject non-Philips lightbulbs and thanks to laws like the DMCA, which have metastasized in the IoT era, it's a potential felony to alter your light fixture to override this behavior and force it to work with non-Philips bulbs.
The IoT's twin dark patterns are control (forcing you to use original consumables, only get service from the manufacturer, and limiting features to those that benefit the manufacturer, at the owner's expense) and surveillance and that's the other side of this. As bulbs get smarter, they're being positioned as IoT hubs that do everything from relaying your wifi to connecting to your thermostat to serving and coordinating with your home security system. This gives them the power to gather farcical quantities of potentially compromising, sensitive information about your life inside your own home, and since a federal court just ruled that the Terms of Service accompanying these products have the force of law, there's little you can do (or sell) that will help people get out from under this kind of spying.
The "smart hardware" companies are operating on razor-thin margins, with less than a year of runway before they run out of investment capital, selling products with 42-year duty cycles. They face knockoff competition from China that can force them into negative margins selling at less than cost and their only hope of survival is to be acquired before the money runs out. They make themselves attractive to acquisition suitors by accumulating mountains of monetizable private information (and the more invasive that information is, the fewer competitors there will be selling the same data, and the higher the price it fetches will go) and setting up monopolistic "ecosystems" through which their customers are locked into paying premiums for service, features and consumables. Every dollar they spend on information security (beyond that which is needed to keep their data from leaking at this precise instant) is a dollar they don't have to keep their lights on while they hope for acquisition. Add to that the fact that the DMCA terrorizes security researchers who discover flaws in these products which can be used to violate customers' privacy in unintentional ways and you've got a perfect storm of awful, all in a cute LED bulb that will fester in your home for 42 years.
Watching companies that have been selling bulbs since before the Phoebus cartel turn their backs on the light-bulb business is startling, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're getting out of lighting entirely. Instead, a more sophisticated L.E.D. industry is under development, focussed on placing L.E.D.s in products where obsolescence remains the rule of the day, and on expanding the ways that lighting is used. Osram will continue to provide L.E.D. components, for example, in sectors such as the automotive and electronics industries. And while G.E. appears set to leave residential lighting behind, it will continue to develop its commercial-scale L.E.D. business with "smart" products, such as streetlights that alert authorities whenever a built-in sensor detects gunshots in the area. Smart lighting is buzzy in the household market as well. Philips was a pioneer here, with Hue, a system it introduced in 2012 that allows you to, for example, gradually brighten your room to wake you up or set off explosions of light to accompany your gaming, drawing on a palette of (allegedly) sixteen million colors. The newly independent Philips Lighting is planning to use earnings from the declining lamps market to fund further innovation in smart-lighting systems. Sony's recently released Multifunctional Light, meanwhile, turns fixtures into a locus for the Internet of Things, connecting to speakers, security systems, and other devices. Oh, and it also lights up a room. "Lighting is the perfect medium for you to insert the other connectivity products to fill the house, because you use light everywhere," Philip Smallwood, the director of L.E.D. and lighting research for Silicon Valley-based Strategies Unlimited, told me. He compared the direction that smart lighting is headed to the technological revolution that saw telephones turn into multitasking security blankets of connectedness.
THE L.E.D. QUANDARY: WHY THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS "BUILT TO LAST"
[JB MacKinnon/New Yorker]
(Image: E27 with 38 LCD, Ocrho, PD)
Fred J. Griffith/The Commercial Appeal files On July 14, 1979, 7,470 fans squeeze into 5,000 seats at Tim McCarver Stadium to watch as Rick Ramos and the Memphis Chicks outdueled Brent Strom and the Columbus Astros, 1-0. It was the second-largest crowd in the history of the stadium as 9,197 fans filled the stadium on opening night in 1978.
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July 15
25 years ago: 1991
RAMBOUILLET, France President Bush and French President Francois Mitterrand said Sunday they are prepared to attack Iraq if it continues trying to develop nuclear weapons. "I think it is very important to the security of the region and the whole world that he not go forward with a nuclear program," Bush said after meeting with the French leader. Mitterrand, in a press conference with Bush, said the two leaders ordered their military chiefs to step up consultations so that their governments could determine when use of force against Iraq might be justified.
50 years ago: 1966
CHICAGO A killer with an insatiable lust for blood invaded a dormitory Thursday and strangled or fatally stabbed eight student nurses. A ninth crouched under a bed, frozen with terror, and escaped the incredible massacre undetected. Police launched an intensive manhunt. Comdr. Francis Flannagan of the homicide bureau, whose home is two blocks from the murder scene, assigned 40 investigators to the case full time. In addition, Flanagan said, the FBI had offered its full resources and "has had an agent here all day long to assist in any way the bureau can." Police, beleaguered by nights of racial turmoil in another part of the city, were concentrating their search for suspects in the area surrounding the trim town house where the murders occurred.
75 years ago: 1941
ATLANTA Newly named regents shifted the balance Monday and brought Gov. Eugene Talmadge belated victory in his weeks-long fight to remove a university dean and a State College president. Dean Walter Cocking was charged with favoring racial coeducation, and President Marvin Pittman with partisan political activity.
100 years ago: 1916
With a promptness thoroughly appreciated by lovers and astronomers, as well as those occupying a neutral zone between science and romance, the moon eclipse took place last night on schedule.
125 years ago: 1891
On Thursday there will be held in Memphis a meeting of general freight agents and traffic managers of all roads entering Memphis, and of all contiguous lines, for the purpose of arranging a basis for cotton rates for the coming season.
Quinton Tellis gestures to his family as he is escorted out of the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando, Miss., on Friday, July 15, 2016. Tellis has pleaded not guilty in the 2014 burning death of a Mississippi woman. Panola County District Attorney John Champion said charging Tellis ended a lengthy investigation into the grisly burning death of the 19-year-old, who died in a Memphis, Tenn., hospital hours after being found near her burned-out vehicle on a road not far from her home. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
SHARE Circuit Judge Gerald Chatham, right, asks for the indictments be read for Quinton Tellis at the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando, Miss., on Friday, July 15, 2016 in Hernando, Miss. Tellis has pleaded not guilty in the 2014 burning death of a Mississippi woman. Panola County District Attorney John Champion said charging Tellis ended a lengthy investigation into the grisly burning death of the 19-year-old, who died in a Memphis, Tenn., hospital hours after being found near her burned-out vehicle on a road not far from her home. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Quinton Tellis walks into the DeSoto County Courthouse to enter a plea on Friday, July 15, 2016 in Hernando, Miss. Tellis has pleaded not guilty in the 2014 burning death of a Mississippi woman. Panola County District Attorney John Champion said charging Tellis ended a lengthy investigation into the grisly burning death of the 19-year-old, who died in a Memphis, Tenn., hospital hours after being found near her burned-out vehicle on a road not far from her home. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Alton Peterson, left, one of the attorneys for Quinton Tellis, a 27-year-old man, who plead not guilty to the 2014 burning death of Jessica Chambers, confers with the district attorney John Champion, right, at the DeSoto County Courthouse, Friday, July 15, 2016, in Hernando, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) Lisa Chambers, center, mother of Jessica Chambers who was burned to death in December of 2014, looks at the gathered media as she and her family await the DeSoto County Courthouse appearance of Quinton Tellis, Friday, July 15, 2016, in Hernando, Miss. Tellis has pleaded not guilty in the 2014 burning death of the Mississippi woman. Panola County District Attorney John Champion said charging Tellis ended a lengthy investigation into the grisly burning death of the 19-year-old, who died in a Memphis, Tenn., hospital hours after being found near her burned-out vehicle on a road not far from her home. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
By J.T. Mullen, joseph.mullen@commercialappeal.com
The man charged with capital murder in the December 2014 burning death of 19-year-old Jessica Chambers pleaded not guilty Friday during his first court appearance since being extradited from Louisiana.
Quinton Tellis, wearing an orange prison jump suit, entered the plea through attorney Darla Palmer before Circuit Judge Gerald Chatham. After the brief hearing, Tellis, 27, was led out of the courtroom and returned to the DeSoto County Jail.
The Chambers family was in the courtroom, as were members of Tellis' family. Family members did not speak to the media.
District Attorney John Champion, whose office will prosecute the case, said he wasn't surprised by the plea.
"Nine million times, you put 9 million defendants up there, they are going to plead not guilty," Champion said. "In 23 years, I've never had anybody plead guilty in an arraignment."
The case was moved to DeSoto County from nearby Panola County, where the crime occurred.
Tellis is accused of setting Chambers afire on a rural road near her Courtland home, about 70 miles south of Memphis, in December 2014. She was found badly burned near her burned-out vehicle, and later died at Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
A tentative trial date of September has been set, but Champion doesn't expect it to be that soon.
"Realistically, I think sometime in March, April or May somewhere in that range," he said. "It's now wait to the trial.
"The only other court appearances ... would be if there are motion hearings or things like that, but I don't anticipate any of that until well into the year if there are any motions."
Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby said he was ready to move forward.
"We're ready to go; it's just going to be awhile," Darby said. "Justice will be served, and I feel really good about the case because the investigators and the district attorney are happy with it."
Tellis was indicted by a Panola County grand jury and charged in February. He was charged as a habitual offender because of two previous burglary convictions and a felony fleeing conviction.
In Louisiana, Tellis is charged with first-degree murder in the 2015 death of Ming-Chen Hsiao, an exchange student attending the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Tellis is accused of stabbing Hsiao to death before stealing her debit card, according to the indictment.
He has already pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of the debit card.
Tellis will return to Louisiana to serve a 10-year sentence for the debit card fraud after the Mississippi trial, regardless of the outcome.
Tanger Outlets in Southaven, Mississippi (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal)
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By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal
A possible Black Lives Matter protest outside Tanger Factory Outlets in Southaven prompted a statement from Tanger, saying operators are working with authorities to avoid disruption.
A flier suggests a gathering at the mall about 2 p.m. Sunday.
Southaven Police Chief Steve Pirtle said earlier his department had not received a request from anyone for a permit, which he said would be required for a protest. He said, however, he had seen the same social media references to a possible gathering that others have cited.
Protesters will not be allowed on private property under any circumstances, Pirtle said.
The statement by Tanger read: "We respect the rights of people to demonstrate and voice their opinions in a lawful manner. We are working with local authorities to ensure that any potential activity will not obstruct Tanger customers or employees."
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Many Tennesseans surely were relieved to learn this week that the state's junior senator will not be campaigning across the land on the same ticket as one of the most divisive presidential candidates in history.
Bob Corker's departure from the list of Donald Trump's potential running mates frees Corker to retain, for now, his influential and prestigious role as the chamber's leading voice on foreign relations.
As soon as Corker ended his flirtation with second fiddle on the Republican ticket, in fact, he was back in the saddle as skeptic-in-chief with respect to the nation's warming of relations with Iran.
A new bill introduced this week by Corker would impose mandatory sanctions against individuals and entities involved with Iran's ballistic missile program, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and cyberthreats and espionage efforts.
ISA, the expiring Iran Sanctions Act, would be renewed through 2026, imposing trade, energy, defense and banking sector sanctions over Iran's nuclear and missile activities.
Iran's financial institutions would be prohibited from engaging in dollar-based financial transactions with banks in third-party countries.
Much of the proposal's impetus arises from the warnings issued by Corker and other critics of the nuclear deal negotiated last year by the Obama administration.
It has little bipartisan support, an unsurprising void during an election season that is accentuating the deep partisan split over the Iran agreement.
But it stands as an assertion by Corker and other leading Republicans that Congress has an equally important role with the executive branch in foreign affairs, which could become an even more important issue if the assertive Trump ascends to the presidency.
One of its provisions would make sure Congress has to approve any future deals with Iran before they can go forward.
Corker's departure from vice presidential consideration, of course, does not mean he could not put his considerable experience in state and local government as well as his strong business background to use as a member of a Trump cabinet.
It's difficult to argue with the assertion by the former Chattanooga mayor and state finance commissioner that the vice presidency is not the right job for him.
But his meetings with Trump and his team have well positioned Corker as secretary of state, Treasury secretary or other crucial role in a Trump administration, none of which would require him to defend the indefensible claims and proposals of candidate Trump.
And as the possibility of the Trump candidacy morphing into a Trump presidency becomes thinkable, it has become more apparent that the nation may need practical and energetic politicians such as Corker as part of the administration's inner circle.
That could become the most important part of the senator's distinguished career.
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Tony Hall
Southaven
I have never felt the need to carry a gun for personal protection, but if you do, thats your right as a citizen.
The Islamic State attacks in Paris last year, however, made me concerned about being in large groups of people in public places, the so-called soft targets. I took a gun training course and obtained my Mississippi Enhanced Carry Permit. I only carry when I consider myself at risk from IS, not street crime, or road rage, etc. I agree with folks who believe that if any of those 14 people slaughtered by IS in San Bernardino had been armed, maybe some innocent lives would have been saved. Can you agree that none of those gallant, highly skilled and trained police officers in Dallas were saved from death or injury by their guns?
I dont believe more guns is the simple answer any more than I believe that no guns is the simple answer. Lets all make our own protection decisions based on the laws, the facts and our own sense of whats right for us, our loved ones and this great country.
America has survived periods much more dangerous and trying than these: slavery, the Civil War, the rise and fall of the Ku Klux Klan, the Great Depression, two World Wars, the Cold War, etc., and is still the greatest country on Earth.
Lets all be proud Americans, not paranoid Americans.
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By Paul Gewirtz
The authoritative voice of law has now spoken clearly and decisively on a South China Sea churning dangerously with military maneuvers and heated rhetoric. But law's effects on the conflict are highly uncertain.
On Tuesday, a tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague announced a sweeping victory for the Philippines that found unlawful a broad range of Chinese claims and actions regarding the sea. The tribunal's words vindicate the Obama administration's admirable search for law- and rules-based answers to foreign policy disputes. Regarding the South China Sea, President Obama has emphasized our commitment to resolving the dangerous conflicts "peacefully, through legal means, such as the upcoming arbitration ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."
While this ruling offers a significant positive contribution, law cannot solve all the conflicts in the South China Sea. Tuesday's decision underscores the limits of law in resolving these disputes in practice, as well as the urgent need to move ahead with negotiations, supported by prudent power politics.
The tribunal's headline conclusion limits the legal scope of China's notorious "nine-dash line." At most, the tribunal said, this line can be a claim to sovereignty over the islands inside the line and maritime rights deriving from those land features as provided under the Law of the Sea Convention. Any pretense that the sea is a Chinese lake has been rejected, though sovereignty issues remain unresolved. Justas significant, and potentially creating more immediate tensions, are the tribunal's decisions that certain Chinese land reclamations unlawfully infringe on the Philippines' rights and the Law of the Sea Convention's environmental rules.
These are major legal conclusions, but they will produce no immediate resolution to the conflict. Despite being a signatory to the convention, China refused to participate in the arbitration and has denounced the decision as "null and void." China is clearly wrong. But its sweeping rejection reveals the practical limits of law in this context because the tribunal has no enforcement powers no police force, no sanctions system, no ability to levy fines.
Another fundamental limit is that the tribunal lacks legal power to resolve underlying and potentially explosive conflicts regarding sovereignty over land features, such as the dangerously contested Scarborough Shoal, and disputes over maritime boundaries. And of course, no court's decision can fully address the core geopolitical issues at stake: China's enormous new capacities, widespread uncertainty about China's regional intentions, and whether China and the United States can find terms of coexistence in the Asia-Pacific.
So what is the path forward? The United States and other countries should strongly support the tribunal's judgment as a binding decision in words and deeds. The United States should criticize China's statements that it will not comply with the tribunal's conclusions. And it should continue regular freedom-of-navigation operations, taking advantage of any additional navigation rights produced by the tribunal's decision.
But the Obama administration also must guard against escalation and reach out to other countries for quiet diplomatic discussions of our options. We cannot yet predict China's range of responses to the tribunal. The possibility exists that a rebuked China will launch new provocations, leading to a crisis that serves no one's interests and the United States and its allies must be ready if China seeks to use force to get its way. Additionally, a legally empowered Philippines might ask the United States to use its military to enforce what the tribunal cannot enforce, which would itself create major risks.
Instead, the United States should encourage our Filipino allies with their legal victory in hand to pursue direct negotiations with China as the best next step in looking for real-world, peaceful solutions. China has long demanded negotiations, so this is the testing hour for China's good faith.
Neither country should insist on preconditions to such talks. China should not insist that the Philippines renounce the arbitration award, and the Philippines should not insist that China accept the legal rights awarded by the tribunal. Such demands would doom negotiations before they started. The path of negotiations will be uncertain and difficult. But the Philippines' position will be significantly strengthened by the tribunal's award. Negotiations should begin with a focus on lowering tensions, looking for trade-offs and pursuing common development projects, even if ultimate questions of sovereignty are temporarily set aside.
The tribunal ruling will also be wind in the sails of other claimants in the South China Sea. Over time, China might conceivably accept terms similar to those it now denounces if they are the product of negotiations rather than a third-party tribunal. These are all potential contributions of legal rules even when legal judgments are not formally enforceable. Negotiating an enforceable, rules-based code of conduct among the ASEAN nations and China should also be a top priority.
Since the United States has not ratified the Law of the Sea Convention, it is in an awkward position in demanding Chinese compliance. The U.S. Senate should advance ratification as an urgent national security priority. For now, we should try to speak and act jointly with countries that have ratified the convention.
But we have our own national interests and alliances at stake in the South China Sea, and we need to exercise our power and demonstrate our resolve in advancing those. On these fronts, as on others, law will have a role to play, albeit a limited one. Diplomacy backed by power and law is still our best means of helping to shape the future of the Asia-Pacific.
Paul Gewirtz is a professor of constitutional law and the director of the Paul Tsai China Center at Yale Law School. He wrote this for the Washington Post.
Artist Dennis Cooper reports that Google shut down his website, without explanation, erasing 12 years of work.
Along with his blog, Google disabled Cooper's email address, through which most of his correspondence was conducted, he told me via Facebook message. He got no communication from Google about why it decided to kill his email address and blog. Cooper used the blog to post his fiction, research, and visual art, and as Artforum explains, it was also "a platform through which he engaged almost daily with a community of followers and fellow artists." His latest GIF novel (as the term suggests, a novel constructed with animated GIFs) was also mostly saved to the blog.
"It seems that the only option I have left is to sue Google," Cooper told Artforum. "This will not be easy for me for the obvious reasons, but I'm not going to just give up ten years of my and others' work without doing everything possible."
You're savvy, you know the drill. You don't have to blame the victim, a nontechnical person who had no idea how or why a data host could screw him. Just keep nagging everyone you know to keep multiple backups of everything and to be wary of becoming dependent on specific online services for reaching friends, colleagues, customers, and audiences.
Even people smart to these issues still get suckered, too. For example, consider your "cloud storage". Just as susceptible to Dennis Cooper's experience, which in the coming years many of us will also enjoy.
When Starbucks announced this month that its software had rolled out a price increase weeks before it was supposed to, it exposed how easily such a mistake can happen. That's a critical lesson for all of retail.
Let's start with how Starbucks described this incident. "On July 12, Starbucks is planning a small price increase on select beverages. Unfortunately, that price adjustment was prematurely entered into the point of sale systems in our U.S. company-operated stores. As a result, some customers were charged incorrectly. The maximum any customer could have been overcharged is 30 cents per beverage," Starbucks said. "The error has been corrected and we sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience. If a customer believes this mistake impacted the price of their beverage, we encourage them to please contact Starbucks Customer Service at 1-800-782-7282, and we will gladly make this right."
If there's one thing Starbucks customers love more than price increases, it's surprise price increases that they have to notice. Starbucks' response is less than optimal, too. If someone walked into a Starbucks and paid for a drink with cash and walked out, OK, for them, having to call customer service to "make this right" is reasonable. But what about loyalty customers who paid for the Starbucks app? Why isn't the chain automatically crediting all of those shoppers? It certainly has the ability to do so. No, it's counting on most customers not bothering.
This is actually a lost opportunity. If Starbucks automatically credited back everyone it could loyalty and app users this incident would have cemented in the minds of customers another great advantage of using the Starbucks mobile and loyalty systems, such as being alerted during a food recall. Instead, it is putting the onus on the shoppers to make the effort to make this right.
By the way, Starbucks' second error was being vague about "make this right." Is it refunding the amount of the price increase or insisting that it be a credit for a future purchase? I sincerely hope Starbucks won't use a pricing glitch as a future sales opportunity, but it's hard to draw any other conclusion.
It's not hard to read into the statement's reference to "prematurely entered" and conclude that Starbucks is suggesting that this was human error. But was it? These systems are typically designed for price changes to be programmed and then not launched until the desired date. Did a Starbucks employee or contractor instruct the software to make the price live too early or did the software ignore its instructions and launch prematurely? (You WordPress users in the audience have certainly seen your fair share of delayed launches not actually delaying.)
Another interesting phrasing in this Starbucks statement: "As a result, some customers were charged incorrectly." Does that mean that these changes were not universal? Did it only impact specific geographies? Or did it merely mean that not all products were subject to price increases?
This gets us back into transparency issues. Why didn't the statement list all of the products at issue and say what the old and new prices were? That way, people who may typically get those products could have the heads up to check and they'd know what they should have been charged.
This all seems to be the chain making it as challenging as possible for those customers who paid a premature price increase to get their money back. This move is not merely underhanded, but it could undermine the overall reputation of Starbucks. Is a 30-cent-per-beverage price increase really worth it?
Now for the opposite perspective. All of these concerns notwithstanding, the July 12 date was entirely under Starbucks' control. When the glitch happened, it could have simply chosen to make the price changes immediate, thereby making this a very different situation. No need to refund any money. It's absolutely common for chains to increase prices without announcing it.
So from that perspective, Starbucks deserves kudos (albeit limited kudos) for declaring this a glitch and offering any refunds (correction: unspecified making-this-right efforts) at all.
The European Union's European Commission has brought charges against Google. Again.
This is the third time the EC has filed an antitrust case against the search giant. Google's AdSense advertising business is the main focus of the case, and it has the potential to fit Google hard, since advertising is a big money maker for the company.
In IT Blogwatch, we search for justice.
The third case, huh? So what exactly is going on this time? Chris Mills gives us the background:
The European Commission...issued a statement of objections against Alphabet, Googles parent company. The...contract Google signs with third-party websites that use its advertising service...forces websites to put Googles ads front and center, and prevents them from using ads from non-Google services.
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According to the EU, Google abuses...power to prevent websites from showing ads from other ad companies. In the EUs opinion, that constitutes anti-competitive behavior, and Google could be facing sanctions or fines.
Sounds like pretty serious charges. But you didn't think that was the EC's only complaint, did you? Oh, no, there is more. Robert Cyran breaks it down for us:
The commission is confronting Google on other fronts. It accuses the company of forcing handset manufacturers using...Android...to install Google apps and bundle services and apps together...similar behavior landed Microsoft in trouble.
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Then theres the charge that Google favors its own comparison shopping services...Theres little evidence consumers were harmed...Yet regulators have pursued this charge since 2010.
So how could this affect Google? Natalia Drozdiak and Sam Schechner tell us what this could mean for the search giant:
Each of the charges aims at a relatively narrow slice of the internet behemoths $75 billion-a-year advertising business. But taken together, they are building into a broader threat to the...firm.
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Each case could lead to fines of up to 10% of Googles revenue and orders to change its behavior...perhaps just as damaging, each could be fought...over years, blunting Googles ability to offer -- or profit from -- new products across the EU, one of its largest markets after the U.S.
What could Google do about the charges? Joe Wilcox has an interesting suggestion:
Imagine this: Google shuts down operations across the entire Euro zonein a Brexit-like departure, but...with no preparations...the chaos...would lead to an outcry to restore services.
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I don't doubt that an hour outage would...lead to a backlash against the Competition Commission's case...Shut down Google and account end-user access stops...No more Gmail, Maps, or YouTube. Lost? Bye-bye location services, and Google search.
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Think Pokemon Go, which...suddenly wouldn't...function...because of dependence on services like Google Maps...The Pokemon Go obsessed are insane...their wail of frustration could cause earthquakes, switch the magnetic poles, or even stop global warming...Case closed, because Pokemon Go went away.
Privacy advocates, especially those outside the U.S., can rest a little easier now. A federal court has rebuked the U.S. governments attempt to access emails stored on a Microsoft server in Ireland.
But the legal battle may be far from over. Thursdays ruling could affect how the U.S. conducts surveillance over suspected criminals and terrorists overseas, so expect the government to appeal, said Roy Hadley, a lawyer at Thompson Hine who studies cybersecurity issues.
Theres a fine line between privacy and national security, he said. And its a difficult line to walk.
So far, the U.S. Department of Justice is remaining mum on what it might do. We are disappointed with the courts decision and are considering our options, the department said on Thursday, without elaborating.
Hadley thinks the government will probably appeal the decision to another circuit court or the Supreme Court. It might also explore other legal means to force Microsoft to quickly hand over the emails.
The U.S. government will always try to be in a position to gain access to that data, he said.
Thursdays ruling deals with a case that goes back to December 2013, when the U.S. government obtained a search warrant for emails belonging to Microsoft user who was under investigation. The subjects identity hasnt been revealed, but some news reports have said it was not a U.S. citizen.
The emails reside on a Microsoft server in Ireland. Microsoft objected to the search warrant and argued that the U.S. had no authority to conduct email searches in other countries.
On Thursday, Microsoft hailed the ruling as a win for privacy rights and said dozens of other tech and media companies have supported its legal battle.
The courts decision ensures that peoples privacy rights are protected by the laws of their own countries, Microsoft said in a statement.
Craig Newman, a privacy attorney at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, said the tech industry is no doubt breathing a sigh of relief. Many U.S. companies, including Microsoft, have data centers around the world and serve millions of foreign customers.
Handing over any of their data to U.S. authorities could violate the privacy laws of those countries and hurt business for the companies that store it, he said.
The tech companies have really been put in an uncomfortable position, he said.
Part of the problem is that some U.S. privacy laws may be outdated. At the center of Microsofts legal battle has been the Stored Communications Act, which the U.S. government argued gave it the authority to use a warrant to collect the emails.
The judges who ruled Thursday didnt agree. The law was enacted in 1986, long before the mainstream Internet or any remote computing, wrote judge Gerard Lynch.
To avoid these legal disputes with the tech industry, Congress should modernize laws on data privacy and clearly define them, Newman said.
Youre dealing with analog rules in a world that has totally changed, he said. Congress needs to roll up their sleeves and figure out the right balance.
Tesla Motors has been asked by a U.S. Senate Committee to brief it on the circumstances leading to a fatal accident that killed the driver of a Tesla Model S, while the vehicles Autopilot driver-assistance software was turned on.
The request by the committee on Thursday comes on the same day that Consumer Reports, a product-testing and rating nonprofit, called on Tesla to disable hands-free operation in its cars until it can be made safer. Though advanced active safety technology in vehicles could eventually make roads safer, today "we're deeply concerned that consumers are being sold a pile of promises about unproven technology, said Laura MacCleery, vice president of consumer policy and mobilization for the organization, in a statement.
The automaker holds that it disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit acknowledgement that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase before it can be enabled, with warnings to drivers that they should keep their hands on the wheel at all times and be ready to take over. But Consumer Reports said that Teslas messages "create potential for driver confusion."
Tesla is already under investigation about the accident by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and reportedly by the Securities and Exchange Commission, for a possible breach of rules relating to disclosures to investors.
In a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Senator John Thune, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, has said that he is particularly interested in the companys efforts to ensure that Autopilot technology was deployed safely in this instance. He said he was also interested in knowing about Teslas work in the area of educating customers on the use, benefits and limitations of the technology.
Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, asked the automaker to brief the committee by July 29.
Tesla said end June that it had learned that NHTSA had opened a preliminary evaluation into the performance of Autopilot in the impact of a Model S car with a tractor trailer. The accident reportedly happened on May 7 in Florida, killing the driver Joshua Brown. The impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S.
Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied, Tesla said in a blog post.
While investigations are still ongoing, questions remain as to whether the technology worked as it was intended to, and the accident and fatality of the driver, a former Navy SEAL, could have been avoided, according to Thune.
Tesla could not be immediately reached for comment on Thunes letter.
The accident is the first known fatality in just over 130 million miles where Autopilot was activated, in contrast to a fatality every 94 million miles among all vehicles in the U.S., according to Tesla.
On Thursday, Musk tweeted that another crash involving a Tesla in Pennsylvania would not have happened if Autopilot had been turned on. "Onboard vehicle logs show Autopilot was turned off in Pennsylvania crash. Moreover, crash would not have occurred if it was on," Musk wrote.
As smartwatches and other wearables gain popularity, experts are warning of potential data security risks in workplaces.
Some employees have begun connecting their personal smartwatches with corporate Wi-Fi networks, which could mimic the problems caused when personal smartphones started showing up at work several years ago. That earlier bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend fostered an explosion of software products from various vendors for managing devices securely, alongside laptops and desktops.
As wearables begin to flood the workplace, the risk to employers could begin to look like "BYOD on steroids," said Peter Gillespie, an attorney at Fisher Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm representing employers.
Gillespie is concerned that as smartwatches are allowed to attach to emails -- or internal productivity software in some cases -- vital corporate and personal data could be lost, stolen or corrupted.
The problem is only just emerging and few companies seem to understand the potential harms, Gillespie and others said.
"As of now, wearables and Internet of Things devices are not getting attached to employer networks and so it's not been viewed as a serious problem," Gillespie said in an interview. "But I do think employer IT and HR departments should be aware that the consumer rollout of wearables has not been designed with enterprise data security in mind."
He's unaware of even a single example of a user of a personally owned wearable device creating a data security problem for a company, but added: "It's something we're looking at in terms of anticipating potential problems before they happen."
Many smartwatches connect to data via a smartphone over Bluetooth, but some are being sold with cellular connectivity and can provide a user's GPS location and other data. If connected to a corporate directory and other corporate data, there's the potential, albeit small, that such data could be hacked. Or a user's health and fitness data could be hacked, depending on how a company configures its network security.
"It's very difficult to anticipate how creative folks can get about pulling off data and making use of it...and whether that turns into a problem," Gillespie added.
Phil Hochmuth, an analyst at IDC, said enterprises recognize the use of personally owned wearables on corporate networks as a potential security issue. "They are looking for solutions to get ahead of it, although not on a large scale," he said.
So far, typically only a handful of workers in a given company will use a wearable to gain access to email or customer relationship management tools like those available from Salesforce, Hochmuth said. "So far, it's not like businesses are deploying these kinds of wearables widely," he said.
Hochmuth said the corporate risk associated with a consumer wearable inside an enterprise is similar to the BYOD smartphone risk. "They're both connected devices, likely owned by a worker, and in some cases can store a lot of data or sync with corporate apps that contain sensitive information," he said. "A device like an Apple Watch could be seen as a risk if the phone is corporate-owned but the watch isn't."
Enterprise mobility management vendors like BlackBerry and others are creating software that applies specifically to wearables and require protections like passcodes. But so far, the productivity gains of using smartwatches and other wearables in the enterprise are still unproven; this has so far held back the security risk, Hochmuth noted.
Aside from consumer devices like the Apple Watch being used at work, the bigger productivity opportunities for enterprises come from specialized and industrial-focused applications, like augmented reality glasses or wearable data-input devices or sensors. "In industries such as medical, oil and gas, or law enforcement, these specialized devices will interact with sensitive data and the devices will be strictly controlled and managed," he added. "Strong authentication and even geo-fencing are some of the approaches businesses are considering to secure these types of devices."
Typically, such specialized wearable devices will be owned and under direct control of an organization, so a user doesn't take them home or have a chance to use them for personal tasks.
Several EMM vendors offer tools that manage wearables along with other computers like laptops, although it isn't clear the EMM tools are being applied by employers to wearables in any significant way. BlackBerry, MobileIron, Citrix and AirWatch are among the vendors offering mobile device management tools that govern various devices, including some wearable devices.
Such software could be used to both protect sensitive corporate data and data about individual workers -- including their health and whereabouts.
So far, the biggest consumer wearable segment is the fitness band, popularized by Fitbit and others. The demand for smartwatches hasn't reached the expectations of two years ago, but most analysts still predict a rosy future for smartwatch sales, albeit at a slower pace.
Despite some muted warnings by U.S. government officials to consumers about sharing their fitness data with vendors of wearable devices and others, one recent survey shows that consumers are less concerned about wearable privacy and security than they were two years ago.
That online survey of 1,000 U.S. residents, conducted in March by PricewaterhouseCoopers International (PWC), said: "One might have thought that privacy would be the biggest hurdle facing wearable technology today. Not only is this not true, but concerns around privacy have actually lessened for...smartwatches and glasses."
The PWC survey also found that 67% of consumers said their company should pay for their wearable, partly with the expectation that it could be used to increase workplace productivity. The report says 75 million wearables will permeate the workplace by 2020 and quotes Gartner that by 2018, some 2 million employees will be required to wear a health and fitness tracking device as a condition of employment.
"While the benefits of wearables in the workplace are indisputable, employee privacy can pose a challenge," PWC's report said. "Theoretically a company can track an employee's location, hours worked, breaks clocked and even steps taken. Personal time (such as late-night drinking for a friend's birthday) might well be monitored as part of the corporate wellness program. Conversely, employees who don't participate might be perceived as hiding something."
The report added: "Companies could be subject to data breaches, given the content and magnitude of the data. Wearables have the potential to capture/store more personal data than any other device that we've ever owned, including details about employees' every move, habits, interests, and health information."
The PWC reported concluded that questions about wearable security and privacy have yet to be resolved. "As wearable technology becomes ubiquitous in the workplace, transparency and employee education will got a long way toward resolving these issues."
This story, "Wearables could compromise corporate data" was originally published by Computerworld .
People arent stupid, but even smart people can be misled, and misleading is what the recent deluge of iPhone 7 will be boring nonsense will turn out to be, once Apple takes the wraps of its new, hyper-connected device. Heres what we know:
4 big talking points
The complex device is reportedly already in production, from here it seems likely the biggest iPhone 7 talking points will be:
Processor speed
Camera improvements
Headphones
Battery life
Processor speed
Apple is expected to shove a version of its new A10 series processor inside its new iPhone. This is going to be a very big deal indeed, as the A10 chip appears to be at least as fast as the A9X processor youll find inside an iPad Pro, itself a souped-up version of the A9 inside iPhone 6S phones. What this means is the new iPhones will be not only the most high performance smartphone you can get, but will stay that way for years as no one else has anything that comes close to this in real world tests. Take a look at these GeekBench figures for some indication of how much of a performance boost this provides. Then take an estimate at how much faster next-gen iPad Pro products might become while you think about what apps you need to use a Mac to run. These 64-bit performance demons will deliver plenty of horsepower, with the software and graphics you need to back that up.
Camera improvements
Graphics are already good enough, so how can Apple convince you its new improvements are essential? Simples. The new iPhones are going to carry all-new camera technologies combining third party and proprietary Apple imaging research in order that the iPhone 7 will remain the camera you want with you all the time.
Some expect an exciting dual lens camera (this new Huawei phone shows how this might look) with the camera lens(es) flush with the side of the smartphone, trimming the bump. Even those who dont anticipate this already see a bigger lens (and better images). This state-of-the-art camera will make use of some of the technologies Apple acquired with LinX Imaging in 2014, consolidating Apples leadership in the space. And when it comes to looking at those images, youll enjoy the fantastic display, not to mention some interesting new technologies for VR.
Out of your headset
Will they or wont they? Sundry reports claim Apple will abandon the headphone jack, remove the Mute switch and eradicate the Home button. I think all of this makes sense. Ultimately it seems clear iPhones will become a thin, light, glass sheet. There will be no moving parts. Wireless charging, Bluetooth headphones and haptic virtual buttons will define these products as they shrink. Eventually your iPhone will be your Apple Watch and youll wear a display on your sleeve. But I digress: I think it may be wisest to advise iPhone users to avoid buying headphones this side of September, given the strong and persistent claims the company plans to eradicate the port and ship Lightning EarBuds. The benefit will be a much more waterproof iPhone.
Battery life
A larger battery? 9to5 notes OnLeaks claim that iPhone 7 will carry a 1,960mAh battery, rather than the 1,715mAh battery found in the iPhone 6s. Its hard to tell how much additional battery life this will provide in normal use as we dont know how much power the new processor and other device components will require.
So, what do we have?
The iPhone 7 will be the latest articulation of the Apple smartphone. Based on what we saw at WWDC, software watchwords will include consistency, compatibility and most of all Continuity. The connected core of Apples ecosystem, the smartphone will let you logically work with any of the companys products in the most productive way, even as intelligence migrates from the device and, iteration by iteration, into the environment. Apple Watch is the future of the Mac, and iPhone is the prophet of such change. The hardware will remain true to the essential focus of the product it will still look like an iPhone, but an increasingly waterproof version, shorn of a few more ports and moving parts. Whats really critical is that the processors used inside these devices will soon be credible on other platforms and thats going to change everything.
What else do we know?
In previous episodes of the iPhone 7 speculation game, weve learned to expect the following:
Thinner (6.1mm and 6.3mm thin, half the thickness of iPhone 1)
We may see wireless charging a la Apple Watch.
Almost unbreakable hard body, much harder glass
Water resistant core internal components may be carried inside an enclosed System on Chip container as used inside Apple Watch.
Some claim it will be available in gold, rose gold, silver and space gray, but no black.
I guess we can expect to learn lots more this fall, when the company will also introduce all the new software it spoke about at WWDC.
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NASA is ready to wrap up the final design and begin building the next Mars rover, which is set to search, for the first time, for signs of past life on the planet.
The space agency announced Friday that plans are moving ahead for the robotic rover to launch in the summer of 2020 and land on Mars in February 2021.
The new rover also is designed to test the planet for usable resources, such as oxygen, that will be needed for future missions to Mars that will include humans.
The Mars Curiosity rover, which has been working on the Red Planet since August 2012, has been searching for evidence that the planet could have ever sustained life even in microbial form.
The new rover will take the next step, looking for evidence of life.
"The Mars 2020 rover is the first step in a potential multi-mission campaign to return carefully selected and sealed samples of Martian rocks and soil to Earth," said Geoffrey Yoder, acting associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, in a statement. "This mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's Journey to Mars to determine whether life has ever existed on Mars, and to advance our goal of sending humans to the Red Planet."
The new vehicle, unofficially dubbed the Mars 2020 rover, is expected to explore a region of the planet where NASA scientists expect that the ancient environment had been favorable to support microbial life.
The rover will drill into rocks, collect samples and ready them for a return trip to Earth as part of a future Mars mission.
In an attempt to save money on the project, NASA plans to base the rover's design on that of its predecessor, Curiosity.
However, the Mars 2020 rover will have a new array of scientific instruments.
For example, the rover is designed to carry two instruments on its robotic arm: one to search for signs of past life and one to determine where it should collect soil and rock samples. Other onboard instruments will be able to analyze the chemical, mineral, physical and organic characteristics of the samples.
The rover also will have scientific instruments mounted on its mast to provide high-resolution imaging, as well as three different types of spectroscopy to characterize rocks and soil from a distance. That information will help scientists determine which areas the robotic rover should investigate more closely.
A separate suite of sensors on the rover's mast and deck will be used to monitor weather conditions, while ground-penetrating radar will assess sub-surface geologic structure, NASA said.
The Mars 2020 rover will have a rack of tubes for holding soil and rock samples. According to NASA, 30 of those sample tubes will be left at specific locations where they can be picked up during future "retrieval missions" and sent back to Earth.
Scientists want to study the samples for evidence of past life but also for materials that could pose a threat to humans on a future Mars mission.
NASA is expected to send astronauts to Mars in the 2030s.
Robots are expected to be used to pave the way for those human missions, investigating the environment and even setting up a habitat and creating reserves of water and oxygen.
Cisco Systems released patches this week for several vulnerabilities in its IOS software for networking devices and the Cisco and WebEx conferencing servers.
The most serious vulnerability affects the Cisco IOS XR software for the Cisco Network Convergence System (NCS) 6000 Series Routers. It can lead to a denial-of-service condition, leaving affected devices in a nonoperational state.
Unauthenticated, remote attackers can exploit the vulnerability by initiating a number of management connections to an affected device over the Secure Shell (SSH), Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) or Secure FTP (SFTP).
Because it can affect the availability of a critical piece of equipment, like a router, Cisco has rated this vulnerability as high severity. There is no workaround and customers are advised to install the newly released patches.
Another flaw fixed in the Cisco IOS XR software could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the operating system with root privileges. This vulnerability affects IOS XR Software Release 6.0.1.BASE and was rated medium severity because the attacker needs to be authenticated as a local user.
A denial-of-service vulnerability was also fixed in the Cisco IOS Software. It can be used to crash devices running affected versions of the software by sending specially crafted Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) packets to them. Exploitation doesn't require authentication, but requires the attacker to be in a position to send LLDP packets.
The firmware of Cisco ASR 5000 Series carrier-class platform which is used in 3G and LTE networks, received an update that fixes an insecure SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) implementation. The weakness would have allowed attackers to read and modify the device configuration.
Cisco's meeting servers were also the focus of this week's patch releases. One vulnerability in the HTTP interface of the Cisco Meeting Server, formerly Acano Conferencing Server, could have allowed attackers to launch persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks against users of the interface.
Attackers could exploit this flaw by tricking users to click on maliciously crafted links and could then execute rogue JavaScript code in their browsers in the context of the Cisco Meeting Server interface. This could be used to steal authentication cookies or to force them to perform unauthorized actions.
Two XSS vulnerabilities were also fixed in the Cisco WebEx Meetings Server version 2.6, one in its administration interface and one in the user interface. Both could be exploited by tricking users to visit specially crafted links and could lead to further attacks.
The Cisco WebEx Meetings Server also received patches for an SQL injection vulnerability that could allow attackers to extract information from its database and for a command injection flaw.
Newt Gingrich, the best loser in the quixotic race to be Donald Trump's pick for Vice President, has a plan to make sure America is safe: make it a federal crime to read websites sympathetic to terrorism, test suspected Muslims on their religious beliefs, and deport all those who believe in "Sharia."
"We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported," Gingrich said.
He went on to say that even looking at websites that promote terrorism should be a felony and punished with jail time:
Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door. But we need to be fairly relentless about defining who our enemies are. Anybody who goes on a website favoring ISIS, or Al Qaeda, or other terrorist groups, that should be a felony, and they should go to jail.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan placed what appeared to be a Facetime call to a national news broadcast early on Saturday while the world tried to figure out if a military coup against him had succeeded.
Erdogan appeared on a journalist's iPhone, held up to the camera so viewers could see and hear what he had to say. He claimed that he remained in control and urged the public to take to the streets to oppose the coup attempt.
Erdogan's use of modern technology to speak to the nation comes with a heap of irony. He has been keen to shut off access to the Internet during sensitive times and go after those who try to get around such bans and those who insult him. Reporters Without Borders says Erdogan has "systematically" censored the Internet.
IDGNS An announcer reads out a military statement on state-run TRT1 TV on July 16, 2016.
The broadcast was aired on CNN Turk, one of a number of independent news channels serving the country. As it was being shown, the state-run station TRT was repeatedly broadcasting a statement from the military announcing it had seized control of the country.
Later in the evening Abdullah Gul, who served as the country's president from 2007 to 2014, made a video call into another broadcaster, NTV.
As with Erdogan, a reporter held the phone up to the screen and used a small microphone to relay what Gul was saying to the live broadcast.
IDGNS Abdullah Gul, former president of Turkey, makes a video call into NTV during a coup attempt on July 16, 2016.
What's actually happening in Turkey remains unclear at this point, but tanks are out on some streets and flights from Istanbul's international airport have been halted.
The U.S. State Department has confirmed gunfire in the capital and asked citizens to stay indoors.
US citizens in #Turkey should shelter in place & stay indoors. Update family/friends of your status when possible. Travel - State Dept (@TravelGov) July 15, 2016
IDGNS Turkish TV broadcasts show tanks on the streets after a reported coup on July 16, 2016.
Access to Twitter and Facebook was quickly cut soon after the first reports of an attempted coup began emerging from the country. Doug Madory, an analyst at Dyn Research in the U.S., said it appeared Turkish telecommunications authorities were blocking access to the sites.
Microsoft today acknowledged that it would not make its self-imposed goal of putting Windows 10 on 1 billion devices by mid-2018.
"We're pleased with our progress to date, but due to the focusing of our phone hardware business, it will take longer than FY18 for us to reach our goal of 1 billion monthly active devices," a Microsoft spokesman said in an emailed statement. "In the year ahead, we are excited about usage growth coming from commercial deployments and new devices - and increasing customer delight with Windows."
Microsoft's fiscal year 2018 -- the "FY18" mentioned in the firm's statement -- ends June 1, 2018.
Ed Bott of ZDNet first reported on Microsoft's admission.
The billion-or-bust goal was first breathed in May 2015, when Terry Myerson, the company's top operating systems executive, said, "Our goal is that within two to three years of Windows 10's release there will be one billion devices running Windows 10." Microsoft launched Windows 10 on July 29, 2015, putting the two- and three-year timelines at mid-2017 and mid-2018.
Microsoft's latest numerical claim for Windows 10 was 350 million at the end of June.
"The change we just saw was inevitable, not just because of Windows Phone but also because PC shipments are declining," said Merv Adrian, an analyst at Gartner.
As Microsoft mentioned -- the "focusing of our phone hardware business" -- the goal was predicated on a significant number of Windows 10-powered smartphones to add to the personal computers that will be upgraded or replaced. But Windows smartphones never captured more than a tiny fraction of the market. In response, Microsoft abandoned all but the enterprise market two months ago, albeit only after bleeding billions in losses and write-downs. And as Adrian noted, the PC shipment slump shows no signs of relenting, putting the squeeze on Windows' stronghold.
Still, today's admission was a public relations gaffe at the very least, said J.P. Gownder of Forrester Research. "It was probably not the wisest thing to set this expectation," Gownder said. "I think Microsoft saw it as more aspirational than as a metric, but once they put it out there, people tracked it as a metric."
But was it more than that? Not to Gownder.
"On some level, I don't think it's a huge deal," Gownder said, noting that with the demise of Microsoft's original smartphone strategy and the shrinking consumer PC market, it was simply realistic.
Meanwhile, Adrian argued that it was also indicative of the way Microsoft now does business.
"They've changed a lot of things [since Satya Nadella became CEO], broken down a lot of silos and opened the transparency gates," said Adrian. "They're more open than they used to be. This is a course correction, but in the public eye."
It's in the public eye because Microsoft put it there, of course, by openly drawing a line in the sand rather than keeping it internal. But it wasn't the end of the world.
"This needs to be put into context. All businesses have to do [course corrections]," Adrian said. Businesses constantly monitor internal goals and the milestones toward those goals, whether company-wide or on a project basis, whether financial performance or unit sales. They ponder what has been done, and if those actions haven't advanced toward the goal, they rethink.
That's what Microsoft has done, Adrian said. The difference? "They want to be public," he said, again hitting his theme of a more transparent Microsoft.
Yet Adrian also admitted that there is a public relations aspect to the goal being ditched. "It's about how well you recover," he said. In the early stages of Windows 10, Microsoft was slow to respond to criticism -- such as the charges of widespread data collection -- or even intractable, as with the aggressive, even deceptive upgrade tactics it has employed. Today's declaration was more preemptive; it may have been triggered by questions from people like Bott, but Microsoft could, as it often has, simply stonewalled.
Instead, Microsoft owned up. And learned a lesson.
"If you draw a line in the future sand, and that line is at the water line, the next wave can wash it away," said Adrian.
AT&T is now using drones to conduct aerial inspections of its cellular towers and foresees them as a way to beef up its wireless LTE network.
Down the road, the carrier said it might use a drone as a Flying Cell on Wings (COW) to enhance LTE coverage at a large concert or sporting event where thousands of fans can clog the network. Or a drone could be used in rapid disaster response, offering wireless coverage when a vehicle is unable to drive to an area hit by a storm or other catastrophe.
AT&T Future possible applications include turning a drone into a Flying Cell on Wings to beef up LTE coverage at a concert or to quickly set up LTE service in a disaster-ridden area.
Some of those ideas were laid out in a blog this week by John Donovan, chief strategy officer for AT&T.
The blog includes a video showing how drones are already being deployed to inspect tall cell towers. The inspection drones use live video fed wirelessly to an engineer in an office who can do up-close inspections of cables and components high above the ground. The process is quicker and safer than using humans and allows access to parts of a tower that a person could not access.
Drones can also be connected to an LTE network in a specific area to capture data for analysis through remote AT&T servers to allow for networking changes and fixes in real time if problems occur.
Art Pregler, drone program director for AT&T, said the drone inspection information tends to be more accurate than what's been available in the past. "This is exciting," he said. "We're in the infancy of drone use in the commercial sector. The sky's the limit."
As drones continue to evolve, so do robots and artificial intelligence, he noted. "We can see all of this coming together in a very interesting man-machine relationship," Pregler said.
AT&T is also exploring the use of drones for use by its business customers in developing Internet of Things (IoT) applications in insurance, farming, facility inspections and delivery service, Donovan said.
Interest in the commercial use of drones is quickly expanding. Google and Amazon have drone projects in the works as does Verizona direct competitor to AT&T.
Last December, Verizon announced a pilot project with drone partner PrecisionHawk to monitor a grape crop at Hahn Estate, a winery in Soledad, Calif. Verizon said it wants to the use the pilot to help develop mapping and analytics for agribusiness.
The interest by both major U.S. carriers in IoT applications for customers comes as wireless services revenues are on a steady decline. Carriers are seeking new areas of revenue with IoTincluding by using drones.
Samsung Electronics is on the verge of making a substantial investment in BYD, a Chinese manufacturer of electric cars and batteries.
The Samsung investment comes as its chief rivals are investing in car tech and the market for car battery technology continues to grow.
The investment was first reported by the Korea Economic Daily, which said Samsung will pay 3 billion yuan ($450 million) for a 4 percent share of BYD. BYD later confirmed the two are in talks but did not confirm the investment size.
"Going forward, the parties will jointly seize opportunities in the rapid development of the global electric vehicles industry and promote sustainable development of the parties electric vehicles related businesses," BYD said in a regulatory filing.
BYD is a well-known name in China and sold more than 60,000 electric cars last year. It's hoping to double that this year.
Samsung is far from the only tech company looking to gain a foothold in the automobile market.
Apple recently spent $1 billion to buy a stake in Chinese ride-hailing service Didi and is widely rumored to be developing its own car.
Nearby in Silicon Valley, Google is developing self-driving car technology and its prototype vehicles are a common sight on the streets around its Mountain View headquarters.
Traditional automakers like General Motors, Toyota, and Nissan are also investing heavily in new technology for electric cars and automated driving. Electric car maker Tesla is building a massive battery factory with Panasonic.
The Net Neutrality fight in Europe epitomises everything wrong with the EU: a decision that will adversely effect the lives of hundreds of millions of people being taken by unelected bureaucrats, working in obscurity, attended by the well-paid lobbyists of the telcoms industry, which will only make continental headlines when it is a fair accompli.
The European Parliament the elected part of the EU voted in pretty good Net Neutrality rules. The European Commission the unelected bureaucrats, who have a revolving door between regulating industries and getting high paid jobs in them, a rot that goes all the way to the top are crafting rules that will let telcoms companies decide whether Europeans get to see the services they ask for quickly and efficiently, or whether the best quality of service will be reserved for online services that pay fat bribes to the carriers.
You have until July 18 to submit comments to the European Commission on its Net Neutrality consultation. Let's overwhelm them with comments from Europeans who want to have a network operated to their benefit not one that uses Europeans as hostages, held to ransom by the carriers in their shakedown racket against online services.
BAN FAST LANES: Regulators need to close a loophole that could allow carriers to offer special "fast lanes" to normal websites and applications for a fee.
The telecom companies that connect us to the Internet want the power to charge websites extra fees to reach people faster. In a world where some websites can pay telcos to be in the "fast lane," anyone who can't afford the extra fees start-ups, small businesses, bloggers, artists, activists, and everyday Europeans will be left behind in the slow lane. Innovation and economic growth will suffer, and Europeans will be left with an Internet that is less vibrant, less diverse, and less useful.
Europe's net neutrality law stops telecom carriers from creating fast lanes online. But it contains an exception for "specialized services" that cannot work on the regular Internet. Carriers want to squeeze as much of a pay-to-play business model as they can into this exception, turning it into a giant loophole. Their stated goal: A world in which any application can buy a fast lane not just those that could not function without it.
Regulators need to close this loophole by clarifying that the "specialized services" exception cannot be used to create fast lanes for normal Internet content. And they should regularly review what qualifies as a specialised service remember that in the not too distant past, everyday services like web-based email or online video would have been seen as a specialized service!
BAN ZERO-RATING: Regulators need to ban harmful forms of zero-rating.
Carriers want to be able to exempt certain favored applications from users' monthly data caps, a practice called "zero-rating".
Like fast lanes, zero-rating lets carriers pick winners and losers by making certain apps more attractive than others. And like fast lanes, zero-rating hurts users, innovation, competition, and creative expression. In advanced economies like those in the European Union, there is no argument for zero-rating as a potential onramp to the Internet for first-time users.
The draft guidelines acknowledge that zero-rating can be harmful, but they leave it to national regulators to evaluate zero-rating plans on a case-by-case basis. Letting national regulators address zero-rating case-by-case disadvantages Internet users, start-ups, and small businesses that do not have the time or resources to defend themselves against discriminatory zero-rating before 28 different regulators.
The guidelines need a comprehensive, Europe-wide ban on harmful forms of zero-rating.
BAN DISCRIMINATION: Regulators need to prevent carriers from discriminating among classes of traffic to manage their networks.
Carriers would like to define classes of traffic to be sped up or slowed down, even in the absence of congestion. They say this will let them offer better quality Internet access. But class-based traffic management lets carriers discriminate against services at will. It allows carriers to distort competition, stifle innovation, and hurt users and providers who encrypt by putting all encrypted traffic in the slow lane.
The draft guidelines make clear that class-based traffic management can only be used as a last resort during exceptional or temporary congestion if less discriminatory methods cannot solve the problem. This is good, and ensures that the Internet remains a level playing field even during times of severe congestion.
But the guidelines are less clear for traffic management in the absence of congestion. This ambiguity could be misused as a loophole to allow carriers to discriminate in the name of addressing problems admittedly less severe than congestion, where discrimination can only be used as a last resort.
The draft guidelines should clarify that class-based traffic management can be used only if less discriminatory, application-agnostic methods cannot solve the problem, regardless of whether there is congestion or not.
PROTECT INTERNET ACCESS: Regulators need to prohibit new "specialized" services from taking over bandwidth that people bought to access the Internet.
Carriers want to offer new kinds of "specialized" services that need special handling not available on the Internet. People would buy these services separately, in addition to their normal Internet access. Carriers find these services attractive because they can charge the providers of these services extra fees for special treatment.
The draft guidelines allow these specialized services to take away bandwidth from people's Internet connection. In essence, telecom companies would take bandwidth that a customer bought to connect to the Internet and use it for a specialized service that the same person (and, potentially, the providers of these services) is paying for separately. That means people signing up for a specialized service would pay twice for the same bandwidth, and would have less bandwidth available for the websites and Internet apps of their choice. This harms people signing up for a specialized service, and makes it harder for Internet applications, content, and services to reach consumers.
The current version of the guidelines directly contradicts the law, which requires that specialized services be offered in addition to access to the Internet and must not reduce the quality of normal Internet access. Regulators need to correct the guidelines.
Lord Porter is Chairman of the Local Government Association.
I would like to offer my warm congratulations to Theresa May on her election as the Leader of our Party earlier this week and her appointment as Prime Minister this week. I would also like to thank David Cameron for the strong support that he has given to Conservative councillors over the past decade and for his championing of localism and devolution.
For Conservatives councillors it is particularly pleasing to have a former colleague Theresa served on the London Borough of Merton for eight years as our new Prime Minister. Theresa is well known to many of us due to her earlier roles as Party Chairman and Shadow Secretary of State for Local Government. Throughout her career in Parliament she has been a strong supporter of both the LGA Conservative Group and the Conservative Councillors Association and has regularly attended their events.
The impression that I have formed of Theresa is that she is personable, calm and fully in command of detail. She listens when you make a case but is unafraid to challenge you.These are traits that make her well qualified to be our new Prime Minister and I suspect that she will be a formidable Brexit negotiator.
Conservative Home readers would probably be surprised if I did not use this opportunity to outline some of the key issues that Conservative councillors would like to work with Theresa on over the coming months.
Firstly, whatever your views on Brexit, it will have a profound impact on local government since EU laws and regulations affect a wide range of council services. The LGA has made it clear that local government needs to be at the heart of the debate about what post-Brexit Britain looks like and there should not be a default assumption that powers repatriated to the UK from Brussels will automatically transfer to Whitehall.
Secondly, over the past year we have witnessed considerable progress in relation to the agreement of devolution deals around the country. This is resulting in more powers in key policy areas such as transport, skills and health being transferred to local communities. The LGA has supported areas in developing their devolution proposals and we hope that this process will continue, with both metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas benefiting.
Thirdly, following the announcement at last years Conservative Party Conference that local government will be able to retain 100 per cent of Business Rates by 2020 a longstanding LGA ask the LGA has been working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government on how this key reform will be implemented and DCLGs own consultation was launched at the LGA Conference last week. This is a key reform and I hope that we will be able to make further progress over the coming months to allow us to create a business rates system which is buoyant, responsive to local needs and which will promote local growth through incentives.
Theresa May has become Prime Minister at a time of profound change for our country. She has the respect and support of Conservative councillors throughout the country and we look forward to working with her to improve the lives of everyone in this country.
As our one-time columnist has departed for Number Ten, we highlight some of the ideas advanced by the man described in todays papers as the Prime Ministers political brain.
On Chinese Contracts
During Xis visit to London, the two governments will sign deals giving Chinese state-owned companies stakes in the British nuclear power stations planned for Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk. It is believed that the deals could lead to the Chinese designing and constructing a third nuclear reactor at Bradwell in Essex. Security experts reportedly inside as well as outside government are worried that the Chinese could use their role to build weaknesses into computer systems which will allow them to shut down Britains energy production at will.
For those who believe that such an eventuality is unlikely, the Chinese National Nuclear Corporation one of the state-owned companies involved in the plans for the British nuclear plants says on its website that it is responsible not just for increasing the value of state assets and developing the society but the building of national defence. MI5 believes that the intelligence services ofChinacontinue to work against UK interests at home and abroad. October 2015
ConHome summary: Compromising our security for the sake of trade is a fools bargain.
Iain Dale is Presenter of LBC Drive, Managing Director of Biteback Publishing, a columnist and broadcaster and a former Conservative Parliamentary candidate.
As I start writing this column, Theresa May is embarking on the second part of her reshuffle. Shes certainly hit the ground running and no one, can say, especially George Osborne, that she hasnt been decisive in her initial choices.
In her initial speech outside Number Ten I thought she was rather cursory in her comments about Brexit, but by picking the three Brexiteers Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox she has dispelled any doubts about her intentions. I have severe doubts as to whether Boris will play any meaningful part in the Brexit negotiations. Indeed, with trade and Europe being taken out of the Foreign Office, you could argue that May has done what Margaret Thatcher never achieved, and neutered it.
I imagine that it will be Davis who accompanies Theresa May to EU summits, with Johnson only playing a peripheral role, but well soon find out. There are bound to be one or two tensions between Fox and Davis too, I imagine, with Davis probably insisting on keeping EU trade negotiations to himself with Fox concentrating on building trade deals with non-EU countries. I suspect its called creative tension.
Theresa May is said to be naturally risk-averse. You wouldnt know it from her initial cabinet appointments. Any one of the three Brexiteers could, given their recent political histories, self-combust at any time. Shes trusted them not to do so, but I imagine there will be a fairly lively betting market on the first cabinet minister to quit. Johnson will probably be favourite, given his previous forays into foreign affairs. Or affairs full stop.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. The Lazarus-like rise of Davis has attracted much comment, given that David Cameron refused to bring him into government in 2010 following his resignation as Shadow Home Secretary in 2008 and his subsequent by-election. Cameron felt he couldnt trust him not to do it again.
A few weeks ago I suggested in this very column that he would be the ideal man to head up our Brexit negotiations in a separate government department. To be honest, it was more in hope than expectation, but others seemed to agree and there was quite a lot of press comment to that effect. Others were also in the frame Peter Lilley, Chris Grayling and Fox to name but a few.
In some ways Daviss entire political career has led to this moment. He was Europe Minister in the Major government, so he knows his way around Brussels. Hes also great friends with Jonathan Hill, our outgoing EU Commissioner, and is one of the few politicians on the Leave side to have a fairly clear idea of what Brexit looks like. Hes also a very experienced negotiator.
He and May will make a very good negotiating team. It wont be nice cop; nasty cop. Anyone whos been the other side of the table to May knows that she usually comes out on top. She has a particular talent of fixing her opponents with a gimlet stare, and crucially for a negotiator, she is unembarrassable. Shes very unlikely to give way at the last minute in the spirit of compromise. It should make for some interesting exchanges.
When you make an omelette you have to crack a few eggs. Theresa May hasnt been afraid to crack eggs, with George Osborne and Michael Gove being the two main yolks to have been disposed of.
Both are incredibly talented, but a new Prime Minister has to make the appointments she wants to make, and given her apparent views on Osbornes economic policies and their semi-public rows in recent years, his sacking (and thats what it was) was almost inevitable. What really did for him was the so-called punishment budget and his totally OTT dire warnings of economic collapse. There was no way back for him after that.
Similarly, Gove and May had some very public fallings out and, even had he not defenestrated Boris Johnson in such a public way, his card was already marked not least, I suspect, by Theresa Mays chief advisors Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy. I have always been a huge fan of Michael Gove, and genuinely hope we havent seen the last of him.
Sacked cabinet ministers are always the public casualties of a new government, but few people give a seconds though to their special advisors. They also lose their jobs with no notice at all. I know a lot of them and Im truly sorry for them. They have invested a lot in their respective bosses and now have nothing to show for it, beyond the glories of working in the upper echelons of government.
Consider the case of Osborne. He had built a team of advisors around him who were all being prepared to take over in Number 10. James Chapman had a great job as political editor of the Daily Mail. He was recruited by the then Chancellor to beef up his press operations and was joined by Sue Beeby more recently. Neil OBrien left Policy Exchange. Thea Rogers joined from the BBC.
Goves two loyal lieutenants Henry Newman and Henry Cook are now left without roles. In Number Ten all of David Camerons advisors have left their posts. Ive just heard that Nicky Morgan has been sacked, so her advisors, including Luke Tryl ,will have to find new roles. Its a cruel world.
New cabinet ministers are never as powerful as on their first day. Im told by a Whitehall source that David Daviss first act as Brexit Secretary was to demand that Ivan Rogers, the head of UKREP, the UKs Representative in Brussels, be summoned to meet him yesterday. An afternoon meeting was considered too tardy, so the poor man had to catch the first Eurostar out of Brussels heading for a mid-morning Cabinet Office meeting. I think its called starting as you mean to go on.
One of the great ironies of the last few days is that Davis will spend more time on the newly unveiled Cam Force One than Cameron ever did. The latter wont enjoy that at all. Not. At. All.
Overall, I think Theresa May has done an excellent job forming her first Cabinet. There are, however, a few appointments that leave me scratching my head. Take Liz Truss, for instance. On what planet is putting her at Justice a good idea? No legal background, no interest in prison reform as far as I can see, and no record of any strong views on human rights issues. A totally bizarre appointment. I do, however, love the idea of Priti Patel at Dfid a department I rather suspect shed be delighted to abolish. Her civil servants will be appalled by the appointment.
Patrick McLoughlin will be an excellent party chairman. There couldnt be more of a contrast with his old Etonian predecessor. I think that combined with the message of Mays appeal to working class voters in Downing Street, the move shows that the new Prime Minister is intent on parking her tanks on Labours lawn. Its a covert message to right wing Labour MPs too, that theres a home for them in the Conservative Party if the going gets too tough under Jeremy Corbyn.
Only eight female Cabinet ministers out of 25 by my count two ethnic minority cabinet ministers and two gay ones. Enough? Could do better? Dont give a toss?
There is a story about one of Tony Blairs reshuffles. Or it may have been one of David Camerons. The duplication suggests that the tale is apocryphal but illustrative, and it is about a post-it note. The shuffle in question was intricately worked out, with each would-be Ministers name written on such notes, all of which were stuck up on a board. One of them fell off. This wasnt spotted. The MP whose name was in the note was overlooked. Only later was it worked out that he (or she) had missed a governmental promotion and all for the want of a horse-shoe nail, sorry, post-it note.
I open with this cautionary tale simply to remind readers that all in reshuffles may not be as it appears to be. At one point yesterday, there was confusion about whether Jeremy Hunt was or wasnt staying as Health Secretary. Stephen Crabb has left the Government but it seems that he might have stayed on. It is a fair bet that at least one member of the Cabinet wasnt intended for the post he now occupies. None the less, we can learn a lot from what happened about the kind of administration Theresa May will lead.
Out goes Osbornes oligarchy The Chancellor is out fired by the Prime Minister in person. So is Oliver Letwin, Mr Institutional Memory and Fixer Supreme. So is Greg Hands, the former Chief Secretary. So is Matt Hancock. Osbornes SpAd empire will be dismembered. Downing Street Policy Unit members have been sent home (in most cases) and told that they must reapply for their jobs (in some cases). Other Osborne allies will be neutralised: Amber Rudd at the Home Office, Elisabeth Truss at Justice. The Crown Prince is dead: long live the Queen!
. ..And in comes Mays machine Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, is an ally and in effect, I think, Deputy Prime Minister. Damian Green is an old colleague from Oxford days. Two new members of the Cabinet, James Brokenshire at Northern Ireland and Karen Bradley, were Home Office Ministers and important May supporters. Gavin Williamson has effortlessly made the transition from Camerons PPS to Mays new Chief Whip. Other than Boris Johnson, I can only find one Cabinet member who backed Andrea Leadsom over May Leadsom herself. It is a ruthless makeover. Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill are joint Chiefs of Staff. Katie Perrior, who has worked with May before, is Director of Communications. Lizzie Loudon will be Press Secretary. Liz Sanderson will be Head of Features. (What?)
Grey hair Hammond is 60. Michael Fallon is 64. Patrick McLoughlin is 58. David Lidington is 60. The last three would have been vulnerable in the kind of orderly reshufle in which Cameron specialised, in which old stagers were told that they had to make way for young turks. The Prime Minister is demonstrating in spades that she values experience. McLoughlin and Lidington Party Chairman and Leader of the House respectively are not so much May men as Party servants, marinated in its ways and culture. The first will be a very popular appointment. To Lidington fell a duty of appearing at the despatch box for urgent questions about Europe when Hammond was unobtainable for one reason or another. David Gauke performed the same function for George Osborne, and he is now Chief Secretary another Minister respected for being decent, able, and straightforward.
State school kids Justine Greening is the first Tory Education Secretary to have been wholly educated at a comprehensive. Hammond went to a state school. So did McLoughlin. Only about a fifth of the new team were privately educated, compared with almost half under Cameron.
Brexiteers David Davis takes charge of the Brexit negotiations. The appointment is surprising. Davis has been pursuing May over civil liberties for the last six years, and is a spiky outsider by temperament. May must really rate him. Liam Fox may have run for the leadership himself, but he and May are on friendly terms. Priti Patel has spent quite a bit of her six years in the Commons sledging DfID. Now she is to take charge of it. One might almost think that shes been sent there to wield an axe. Chris Grayling is the new Transport Secretary. He knows a lot about it but, having chaired Mays campaign, might have expected a more senior post. Perhaps the most significant Leave appointment of all is Natalie Evans, the new Leader of the Lords, who steps up to the post after only a little time in the Upper House. At any rate, my sense is that Davis and Fox appointments send a message to the Brexiteers. You wanted it. Now you must deliver it. Which brings us to
Boris May has clearly decided that he is too colossus-like a figure to keep out, and he will now bestride the narrow world like one. His appointment to a great office of state shows a recognition that since, sooner or later, the ex-Mayor should be given a big job, there is no time like the present.
Fewer women than expected Eight out of 23, by my count, the same proportion as previously.
..And change, change, change as Government is reshaped for Brexit and Timothys Aston Villa Toryism Mays thinker-in-chief dislikes green taxes and high energy costs. Pow! DECC is merged with BIS. He wants an industrial strategy. Biff! In goes the courtly Greg Clark from CLG to deliver it, with Michael Heseltine doubtless in his wake. Oooof! Slices are torn off the Foreign Office and Defence to go into Foxs International Trade department. Whack! Universities go to Education. Timothys beard has left his face and is running riot through Downing Street. What will happen to Jeremy Heywood, who had a walk-on part in our former columnists unjust dismissal from the candidates list? Camerons new Government post the 2015 election felt like more of the same. This feels like a real changing of the guard.
With only four Cabinet members staying in the same post Fallon, Hunt, and the Scottish and Welsh Secretaries.
Out go Osborne, Theresa Villiers, John Whittingdale, Mark Harper and Nicky Morgan, who said that the Party should have a woman leader, but recommended herself rather than May. The new Prime Minister has a long memory.
Retentive enough, at any rate, to fire Michael Gove too. The message his sacking sends is plain. There will be reform, but on the Ladys terms. No opposition will be brooked. Slights will be remembered. Revenge will be served ice-cold. Those who fail the Party will be cashiered: their epaulettes stripped from their shoulders, their caps knocked away, their swords ceremonially snapped, their medals torn off and dashed to the ground before the one-way forced march to Devils Island. A bas le Gove! Le Gove a la lanterne!
One would almost imagine that May had a mandate from Party members, a majority of 150, money to spare for spending increases and tax cutsand no Brexit to manage. Were I the new Chief Whip, I wouldnt want Osborne and Gove roaming the backbenches at will. A very courageous reshuffle, Prime Minister!
Lord OShaugnessy is a Senior Fellow at the Legatum Institute and Baroness Stroud is the Executive Director of the Centre for Social Justice.
With the ruthless efficiency of which it is famed, the Conservative Party will have moved from one Prime Minister to another within the space of three weeks.
These are momentous times, and it is easy to get distracted by the extraordinary events occurring at Westminster. However, across Britain something even more important is happening.
While all eyes are on a future negotiation of our place in Europe, an even bigger negotiation faces the next Prime Minister healing the divisions that resulted in the referendum result.
The Brexit vote showed that many British people are unhappy with the status quo. Ahead of the vote people expressed frustration at feeling left behind and seeing things getting tougher for them and their children. Many live in communities directly affected by pressure on schooling, health services and wages.
But the early data is confusing how important was the seemingly arcane issue of Parliamentary sovereignty? Were people voting for 350 million a week more for the NHS, or was it concern about immigration that swung the vote? Is this a battle of young versus old, or North versus South?
The truth is we havent even begun to understand what motivated so many people to vote as they did, and unless we make that effort then we are destined to misuse the unique historic opportunity weve been given.
Whatever side we supported, it is essential to understand as Theresa May has done that Brexit means Brexit. Parliament has to deliver on its promise to the British people or we will face a constitutional crisis of the highest order.
But while it is tempting to start thinking about our strategy, and who will be leading it, the first response ought to be to pause and ask: why has this happened?
If it was anything, the vote to Leave was surely a silent, determined cry from a group of people who have felt ignored for too long.
Our belief is that too many people feel excluded from the world that is emerging. The globalised economy has failed to bring them economic benefits while fracturing the bonds that keep their families and communities together.
But even this is conjecture we need to seek the truth before we can act. To this end, our two think tanks, the Legatum Institute and the Centre for Social Justice, are joining forces in the 48:52 Project Healing a Divided Britain.
The project aims to build an understanding about why people voted the way they did in the referendum, drawing on the CSJs unique poverty fighting alliance and the analytical power of the Legatum Prosperity Index.
We want to allow the voices of the disenfranchised to speak, without the filter of imposed ideology. The 48:52 Project seeks to provide a robust analysis of voting behaviour within an economic, political and cultural context. This will provide a road map for Theresa May to meet the needs and quell the fears of many Britons.
As institutions we believe in helping people move out of poverty and into prosperity, and the first step in that journey is understanding where we as a society have been failing. We believe that each person is of equal value and has a unique contribution to make.
In this time of great change, we need to recognise the collective worth of all our fellow citizens if we want to build a united and prosperous society that is founded on wealth generation for all, social wellbeing, good government and civic virtue.
The 48:52 Project will be a joint project run by both think tanks. For more details about the project contact amelia.abplanalp@centreforsocialjustice.org.uk
Jan Chipchase has assembled a provocative, imaginative, excellent list of "driver behaviors in a world of autonomous mobility" that go far beyond the lazy exercise of porting the "trolley problem" to self-driving cars and other autonomous vehicles, including flying drones.
Chipchase, rather, explores the way that existing dysfunctions in our economic, legal and social relations will be affected by autonomous vehicles: for example, the problem of "Autonomously Driving While Black" ("The prevalence of in-car sensors and the ability to more easily create a persistent trace of police officers will shift accountability, as will the ways in which those officers side-step accountability") rather than ending the practice of racial profiling by police, self-driving cars could give it a veneer of empirical respectability (see also: machine-learning for parole; sentencing; and "predictive policing").
ConvoyAds: The coordination of autonomous vehicles by an advertising agency for the purpose of communicating lifestyle, and/or to engage pedestrians attention. As a simple example, a five car convoy, stereos tuned to the same content, windows wound down. More developed examples: vehicle displays and engagement with people in close proximity via social media; tightly choreographed driving to wow the audience. Already visible in a crude form in Tokyo, this will become more nuanced and globally mainstream. While ad agencies looking for an edge will get away with ConvoyAds for a while, in a race to the bottom, they will be rapidly become a social nuisance. However, over time the local authority's own urban sensing platforms will allow them to leverage retroactive fines to the advertisers based on annoyance/engagement, creating a viable ad platform. Long term, the authorities will view ConvoyAds as a consistent revenue stream, similar to parking and speeding fines today. Cities will legislate autonomous ad-free zones, where it is illegal to show advertising from moving vehicles. (Beijing has this already with ads banned from vehicles passing through Tiananmen Square). The prevalence of capatcha street furniture, itself autonomous and reconfigurable, introduced by residents looking to filter out autonomous vehicles from passing through their neighbourhoods. Introduced by one of the early pioneers of Baidu's Self Driving Car project, with an acute sense of algorithm. (The opposite will also be true, with human-drivers filtered out of many contexts, it will be interesting to see how our cities are carved up.)
Driver Behaviours In A World of Autonomous Mobility
[Jan Chipchase/Medium]
(via Beyond the Beyond)
(Image: Magic Highway USA, Disney)
Contributed photo Filming at Wink and Patty Sherrill's home for the documentary.
SHARE Contributed photo Nurse Practitioner Jessica MacLeod takes Ron Riordan's blood pressure at his residence. Roger Brown is one of several patients the MD2U nurse practitioners care for who are homebound. Contributed photo Jessica MacLeod and Roger Brown's mother, Shirley, discusses Roger's care. Contributed photos Jessica MacLeod was the first MD2U nurse practitioner in Evansville and now has three more nurse practitioners working with her and more than 450 patients who are homebound in the Evansville area.
By Kelly Gifford of the Courier and Press
Jessica MacLeod worked as a family practice nurse for 10 years before realizing she needed a change in her professional life.
She wanted to find a way to continue giving great care to patients and their families but wasn't sure what form that would take for her in a potential new job. That was until MD2U reached out to MacLeod about expanding its at-home primary care services to Evansville with her at the helm.
MD2U is a Louisville-based organization providing primary care to homebound patients who would otherwise be unable to visit a doctor's office. MacLeod's patients range in both age and illnesses, and many cannot perform everyday tasks on their own.
After learning more about MD2U's work and seeing first hand what nurse practitioners did on a daily basis, MacLeod knew she found her next move. She started working with the company almost four years ago with barely enough patients to see through the week. Now, she has three more nurse practitioners working with her, and they all cover about 456 patients in Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Gibson and Posey counties.
The growth of MacLeod's work was not lost on her friends and family, specifically longtime friend and filmmaker Pat O'Connor. Being familiar with the health care system through commercial work with Deaconess Health System, O'Connor asked MacLeod about her work and the hardships many of her patients go through, not only to get quality care but also to make ends meet.
The complexities of MacLeod's new professional endeavors and the potential stories of the patients and their families inspired O'Connor's recent documentary, "The Invisible Patients," making its premiere at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Indy Film Festival.
The documentary follows MacLeod, her colleagues and a few of their patients and families through their at-home care and the challenges they face with being homebound.
MacLeod said she is proud of O'Connor's documentary for highlighting an area of health care so many don't think about.
"Before I had this job, I never would have known there were this many people needing care at home. I see the struggles these patients have to go through every day just to get through the day in addition to the medical care that is needed," she said. "(O'Connor) did a beautiful job shining a light on really complicated circumstances and providing a platform for people to discuss and learn about our health care system."
O'Connor began shooting the documentary in the fall of 2014 and ended the following spring, nine to 10 months of shooting in all. He and his crew edited the film for another four or five months, he said.
He didn't go into shooting the documentary with any kind of agenda beyond wanting to show the relationship between MacLeod and her patients, which he said helped him be open to where the stories took him.
"Most people go their whole lives without wondering what someone else's life is like. You wouldn't know these people are your neighbors because they are housebound," he said. "We could all be walking past houses with people who need compassion and quality care, like any of us, who physically or by some other means cannot leave their home to get it. (MacLeod) basically said to me she wants other people to see what she sees every day because in some ways it is shocking and in others it shows the human spirit, too."
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Dear Jerry: Years ago you provided a list of 78 rpms that sold for big dollars.
Now what I'd love to see is a similar report for albums, regardless of style of music and country of origin.
You can ignore oddities, such as acetates and test pressings.
Dale Corday, Elko, Nevada
Dear Dale: I have done a few more of these market reports than just the one for 78s, but I have yet to include overseas albums in the mix.
Strangely, many top dollar LPs in recent years are ones made outside North America, especially the U.K..
Because there are so many high ticket albums, I had to set a $10,000 minimum.
Order is from highest amount down, and rounded up or down to the nearest $100:
$29,000
"The Beatles" (aka the White Album) (1968) Apple 7067/7068
Two monaural discs, U.K. first issue numbered edition. Making this copy so desirable is the front cover is stamped No. 0000005.
Since the first four copies went to John, Paul, George, and Ringo, none of which have been offered for sale, this one became the lowest number available. I'm surprised that George Martin didn't get it.
$24,300
"Please Please Me" Beatles (1963) Parlophone PCS-3042
First U.K. pressing, black label with gold print.
$20,300
"The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" (1963) Columbia CL-1986
Includes four tracks later deleted: "Let Me Die in My Footsteps"; "Talkin' John Birch Society Blues"; "Gamblin' Willie's Dead Man's Hand"; and "Rocks and Gravel." U.S.
$15,400
"Complex" self-titled LP by a U.K. psych band (1970) Complex CMPL-001
This is a private pressing by Complex, of which only 99 were made.
$13,900
"The Rolling Stones" (1969) Decca RSM-1
Promotional only compilation for Decca UK. Reportedly, 200 made, with an unknown quantity of those signed on the back cover by the entire band: Mick Jagger; Keith Richards; Bill Wyman; Charlie Watts; and Mick Taylor. This sale is for a signed cover.
$13,900
Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here" (1975) Harvest SHVL-814
The U.K. copy fetching this amount was in the original shrink wrap.
$13,000
"J.S. Bach Suites (Pour Violoncelle Seul)" Andre Levy (1960s) Lumen 3447/3448/3449
Three individual volumes, sold as a set. Levy, an esteemed cellist, is very collectible. Sold separately, each album can bring $3,000 to $4,000. France.
$12,900
"David Bowie" (1967) Deram DL-44
Other than being a pristine album, this Japanese pressing has its two original obis intact. That's what makes it a real rarity.
$12,900
"Mozart a Paris" Fernand Oubradous (1950s) Pathe DTX-191/192/193/194/195/196/197
Deluxe boxed set of seven LPs. Includes exquisite booklet. France.
$12,400
"A Hard Day's Night" Beatles (1964) Parlophone PMC-1230
First U.K. monaural pressing, black and yellow label.
$12,000
Pink Floyd "Entremeterse" (aka "Meddle") (1974) Odeon LDC-36879
Chilean issue released three years after the 1971 U.K. and U.S. versions.
$12,000
"Hear the Beatles Tell All" (1964) Vee Jay PRO-202
White label, promotional issue only. Less than two dozen are known to exist. Commercial pressings have a black label. U.S.
$11,000
"Ram" Paul & Linda McCartney (1971) Apple MAS-3375
Has "Monaural" printed on labels. One of a handful made for selected AM stations that had no need for stereo albums. U.S.
$10,900
"Led Zeppelin" (1969) Atlantic 588171
First U.K. pressing of the band's first album. Has "Led Zeppelin" and the Atlantic logo in turquoise lettering on the front cover. On later issues, those colors were different.
$10,900
"Hunky Dory" David Bowie (1971) Gem Records
Known in fandom as the "BowPromo," this U.K. promotional package predates the British RCA Victor version.
$10,800
"Johnny Burnette and the Rock'n Roll Trio" (1956) Coral 57080
Rockabilly from Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, and Paul Burlison. U.S.
$10,200
"Dark Around the Edges" by Dark (1972) SIS 0102
U.K. Progressive/psych rock.
$10,100
"Let It Be" Beatles (1970) Apple PXS-1/PCS-7096
Limited edition, U.K. boxed set with the LP and the 164-page book, "The Beatles Get Back." This set was factory sealed.
$10,100
"Apache (Soundtrack From Yosemite Dedicated to Jimi Hendrix)"/"Inca" Satya Sai Maitreya Kali (1972) Akashic 2777/2964
Double album. "Apache" (2777) and "Inca" (2964) were also issued separately. Includes inserts, booklet, and poster. Among the session personnel is Mike Love, of the Beach Boys. U.S.
$10,100
"Beethoven Violin Concerto" Leonid Kogan (violinist) with Constantin Silvestri conducting the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra (1960), from U.K. Columbia SAX-2386
$10,100
"Matt Covington" (1970s) Zip CJC-18686
Self-titled LP by little known soul singer. U.S.
$10,100
"The Man Who Sold the World" David Bowie (1971)
Reportedly, only 1,395 were sold in the U.S.
IZ ZAT SO?
While researching these pricey albums, I found some singles 45s and 78s that sold for as much or more than the LPs.
Here's hoping you have some in your vinyl vault:
$32,000
"Tar Road Blues"/"Flagin' It to Georgia" Jaydee Short (1930) Paramount 13091
78 rpm.
$30,000
"My Bonnie"/"The Saints" Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers (Beatles) (1962) Decca 31382
This is a black and multicolor commercial issue, not the more common pink promotional copy. 45 rpm.
$20,300
"Love in Vain Blues"/"Preachin' Blues" Robert Johnson (1939) Vocalion 04630
78 rpm.
$17,200
"Poor Me"/"34 Blues" Charlie Patton (1934) Vocalion 02651
78 rpm.
$17,200
"Street Fighting Man"/"No Expectations" Rolling Stones (1968) London 909
Fairly common 45 ($10), but with an incredibly rare picture sleeve.
$12,100
"Terraplane Blues"/"Kind Hearted Woman" Robert Johnson (1937) Vocalion 03416
78 rpm.
$10,300
"Lonesome Old Jail"/"Greyhound Blues" D.A. Hunt (1953) Sun 183
45 rpm.
Jerry Osborne answers as many questions as possible through this column. Write Jerry at Box 255, Port Townsend, WA 98368, email: jpo@olympus.net or visit his website: jerryosborne.com. Any values quoted in this column are for near-mint condition.
SHARE Mathew McCallister
By Tori Fater, tori.fater@courierpress.com / @vrfater
Forensic examiners from the FBI and Indiana State Police were called into Warrick County court Thursday to testify in the murder trial of Mathew McCallister, who is accused of killing Joseph Nelson in February 2014.
And the trial could go on longer than expected.
McCallister, 34, was one of four people charged in connection with Nelson's death and faces charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Codefendants Shawn Grigsby, David Lackey Jr. and Jade Stigall pleaded guilty to lesser charges and did not go to trial.
Stigall, McCallister's half-sister, testified earlier during the trial that she saw McCallister kill Nelson in a rural area near Liberty Mine in Warrick County, using a gun that she said belonged to Grigsby. Nelson's body was found in an Alcoa coal yard Feb. 17, 2014, by employees at the site.
On Thursday, the fourth day of the trial, Warrick County Prosecutor Mike Perry and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Levi Burkett called in law enforcement officials and forensic investigators to testify about DNA evidence and more found at the crime scene.
Investigators matched Nelson's DNA profile to blood found on gravel near the place police believe he was shot, according to state police investigator Kenneth Eilert. Daniel Colbert, also from ISP, testified that a shell casing found nearby was fired from the handgun used to kill Nelson.
On Wednesday, an Evansville Police Department Detective Todd Seibert had testified the gun had at least three owners before it was taken by police as evidence in the fatal shooting.
Seibert said he also is assigned to the ATF's local task force enforcing federal firearms laws.
He said Wednesday that the original owner traded it to a pawn shop, which sold it to a second person who in turn traded it to another person at a swap meet near Lexington, Kentucky. The gun's trail of ownership ran cold there.
The prosecution expected to rest its case Thursday afternoon, but had one more witness to call when court adjourned Thursday. The defense will likely start its case about noon Friday when the prosecution rests.
Judge Zach Winsett told the jury Thursday afternoon that they might have to return to court next week after hearing evidence on Friday.
If McCallister is convicted, the prosecution will seek a life without parole sentence.
Nelson's body was discovered by Alcoa Warrick Operations employees in a load of coal received by railroad from Liberty Mine.
Prosecutor Mike Perry is expecting to present additional firearms analysis evidence, as well as cell phone evidence on Thursday before the state rests its case.
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By John Martin of the Courier and Press
A proposed new four-story, 74-room hotel off South Red Bank Road is moving forward, but still has other hurdles to clear before dirt is moved.
The Area Plan Commission in June recommended a needed rezoning for the development. Its 8-4 vote came with conditions that the developer pay to widen South Red Bank Road, and that trees or other landscaping shield the property from neighbors.
On Tuesday, the Area Plan Commission voted in favor of a second request from developer Mohan Reddyreddy that a next-door parcel also be rezoned for commercial use. Reddyreddy's representative, engineer Jim Morley Jr., said rezoning that lot will allow more space for development of the hotel, while providing a larger buffer between it and the neighbors.
A single-family residence now on the lot would be razed.
The vote to rezone the next-door property was 7-1, with Vanderburgh County Commissioner Bruce Ungethiem abstaining. Ungethiem did not vote because both rezonings are subject to final approval by County Commissioners, who are to consider them Aug. 9.
Morley and Reddyreddy declined to say what brand the new hotel would carry, but they said it would be a national name. They said it's $7 million project that would employ about 30 people and produce substantial local tax revenue.
A neighbor, Melissa Long, said she opposes the development and is concerned about negative impact on her property's value. She also pointed to potential problems with noise and traffic.
"Mr. Reddyreddy has no intention to be a bad neighbor," Morley said.
Area Plan Commission members urged the developer, who lives in Greenfield, Indiana, to build the best possible buffer between the hotel and Long's property.
"Plant as many trees as you can," member Mike Rudolph said. "The idea is to make it as palatable as possible."
In addition to the Vanderburgh County Commissioners' final action on the rezonings, the hotel development plan also must still be heard by the Board of Site Review.
Also Thursday, the Area Plan Commission recommended three parcels in the 8300 block of Blessing Way at North Eickhoff Road go from agricultural to residential zoning. Haas Development Inc. plans a condominium project, with 12, two-unit buildings on almost 6 acres.
The vote was 9-0, with Ungethiem abstaining.
Eric Holcomb, left, is considered a top contender to replace Gov. Mike Pence as the Republican nominee for governor. (Photo: Robert Scheer/IndyStar)
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By James Briggs, IndyStar / USA TODAY Network
As Gov. Mike Pence traveled to New York to join Donald Trump, the field of candidates who want to replace him atop the Republican Party ticket in Indiana began to take shape Thursday.
Two of the biggest state GOP names have dropped out, leaving at least three prominent Republicans who are thought to be vying for the gubernatorial nomination: Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb, U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks and U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita.
With Pence expected to be announced as Donald Trump's running mate at 11 a.m. Friday, the Indiana Republican Party has 30 days to choose a new candidate to face Democrat John Gregg in November.
Any candidate already running for office who wants to be considered for the gubernatorial nomination must withdraw from their current race by noon Friday. Indiana state law does not allow political candidates to run for more than one office at a time.
Two would-be frontrunners made it clear Thursday they are not seeking to replace Pence. Purdue University president and former governor Mitch Daniels said he would not pursue the Republican nomination. Daniels said he had been recruited by "a large number and wide variety of people I respect deeply," but decided he's not interested.
Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma, who previously expressed interest in running, told Republican colleagues he plans to remain in the House, said Rep. Bob Cherry of Greenfield.
That leaves Holcomb, Brooks and Rokita as the best-known candidates.
Rokita has said he plans to run for governor. Brooks is planning to withdraw from her congressional race to pursue the nomination, said Murray Clark, the former state Republican Party chairman and a partner at the law firm Faegre Baker Daniels. Holcomb has not publicly stated his plans, but is widely assumed to be running.
Brooks' campaign officials could not be reached for comment Thursday. Neither Holcomb nor his spokesman immediately responded to phone calls or text messages seeking comment.
Whoever is chosen to succeed Pence atop the GOP ticket in Indiana could perform even better than Pence would have if he had remained in contention, said Andy Downs, director of the Mike Downs Center for Indiana Politics.
Pence was virtually tied with Gregg in a May poll, suggesting he faced a tough re-election bid. Although he was popular early in his tenure, Pence's approval rating suffered in the year since he signed the contentious Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
"This is a conservative state and it's a conservative state where Republicans are having success right now," Downs said. "The person who gets in will not necessarily have the baggage Pence has.".
Holcomb would have an especially seamless transition into Pence's organization because he's already serving as lieutenant governor, Downs said, adding all the Republicans being mentioned would be able to mount a competitive campaign.
"Obviously, if it's someone like Eric Holcomb, it's incredibly smooth," Downs said.
Pence and Holcomb were seen together Thursday afternoon outside the governor's mansion. Pence patted Holcomb on the back amid speculation that Trump had chosen Pence as his running mate.
Once the field is determined, the 22-member Republican State Committee will provide a 10-day public notice before holding a vote. Although the process to replace Pence could extend well into August, the party has incentive to select a candidate as soon as possible so the nominee can begin campaigning against Gregg.
Pete Seat, a Republican political strategist in Indiana, said he doesn't think the eventual nominee will need much time to pivot toward the gubernatorial election.
"If you look at the names already being discussed, they're all on the ballot (in other races) right now, so they already have a team," Seat said. "They would really just be changing the name on the yard sign and shifting the message a little bit."
Pence's absence from the race changes the complexion of the general election. Curt Smith, president of the socially conservative Indiana Family Institute, cheered Pences elevation to the national ticket, but said he will be missed by evangelical values voters in Indiana.
Most of the names I hear will be good leaders, but they may not be as aware as Mike was of the concerns of social conservatives, he said.
He said U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, who in May lost a primary bid for the U.S. Senate but has not been widely regarded as a potential candidate for the governor's race, would be a good choice. Stutzman campaign staff members could not be reached for comment.
The state central committee would be very wise to choose someone well outside of the Indianapolis market, Smith said. Stutzman is interested.
But no matter what, its going to be hard for any candidate for governor to be as reassuring to the faith community as Pence was, he said.
IndyStar reporters Maureen Groppe and Tony Cook, and Journal and Courier reporter Dave Bangert contributed to this report.
This photo combination of file images shows Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, left, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo: Michael Conroy and David Zalubowski, AP)
By Zach Osowski / Courier & Press
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has officially decided not to run for re-election, submitting paperwork to remove himself from the ballot.
The move means Pence will be the vice presidential pick of Donald Trump and opens up the governors race to a bevy of potential candidates.
Donald Trump took to Twitter Friday morning to officially declare Pence as his running mate.
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016
With Pence off the ticket, Rep. Todd Rokita, Rep. Susan Brooks and Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb all dropped out of their respective races to pursue replacing Pence to run against John Gregg in November.
Honored to join @realDonaldTrump and work to make America great again. https://t.co/J8esm9LU6g Mike Pence (@mike_pence) July 15, 2016
Also said to be among those interested in the governors job is state auditor Suzanne Crouch, an Evansville native. Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, whose name had been connected to a possible run, said he had no plans to pursue it shorty after Trump confirmed he had picked Pence.
"I am honored by all of the encouragement to run for Governor, but have no plans on entering the caucus," said Winnecke. "I am proud of the shining example that the City of Evansville has become for our great state and look forward to working closely with the next Governor of Indiana.
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This story will be updated.
SHARE March E. Ratney (Photo: Provided by IMPD)
By Kara Berg and Jill Disis/ USA Today Netowrk/ The Indianapolis Star
A week before March Ratney was accused of shooting at an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer's home and squad car, he told his parole officer that "you cops are the devil," according to court documents.
Days later, after Ratney was arrested, he threatened the IMPD officers walking him to Marion County Jail, saying they "better watch (their) a---s when I get out," according to court documents.
Now, Ratney, 27, is facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and criminal recklessness. Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry said the prosecutor's office also could pursue a habitual offender enhancement because of Ratney's criminal record.
Meanwhile, the case drew a response from a state lawmaker, who said the legislature should consider creating a new criminal enhancement for these kinds of attacks against police officers.
Police say Ratney, wearing a T-shirt with the words "F--- the police" on one side and "Black Lives Matter" on the other, went to the home of an officer early Tuesday and fired more than a dozen shots at the officer's home and car. The officer, his wife and their child were unharmed.
The shooting came just days after a sniper shot and killed five Dallas police officers.
The prosecutor's office won't pursue an attempted murder charge because there isn't any indication that Ratney had the intent to kill the officer or his family, Curry said.
In order to charge Ratney with attempted murder, prosecutors would have to have proof that he knowingly or intentionally tried to kill the officer, Curry said.
"We can't file charges because we're mad at someone," Curry said at a news conference Thursday morning. "But it should be obvious, we won't tolerate attacks on our officers.
"We will vigorously prosecute this case."
If convicted, Ratney could face up to six years in prison for the criminal recklessness charge and up to 12 years for unlawful possession of a firearm, Curry said. The habitual offender enhancement could add up to six years to his sentence.
Prosecutors likely will have to nail down Ratneys motive if they hope to land a harsh sentence, said Jack Crawford, an Indianapolis defense attorney and former Lake County prosecutor.
Theyre going to have to do a little more work on the evidence in this case to determine why this guy did this act, he said. Was he trying to kill cops like the shooter in Dallas? If you can present that to the judge, thats a serious aggravating factor.
The case also has drawn attention to how Indiana law allows prosecutors to pursue charges against people who threaten or harm police officers. Some charges, such as battery, allow the state to upgrade the charge to a more serious one if an on-duty officer is attacked. But the states criminal recklessness charge has no enhancements for when an officer is the target in any circumstance.
State Sen. Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis, said he'd support a change to that law next session. Merritt said police are especially vulnerable to such attacks because many officers drive their marked cars home and can be easily identified as targets by those who wish to hurt them.
"This is a very good opportunity for us to demonstrate that we need to protect our law enforcement officers," Merritt told IndyStar on Thursday. "I would be very interested in legislation that protects our police officers at home, or at least sends a strong message to those who might attack a police officer and his or her family in their home."
At a news conference Thursday, IMPD Chief Troy Riggs said Tuesday's shooting marked the first attack on an officer at his home.
"When an officer is attacked, it's my belief that the city of Indianapolis is attacked," he said.
Police have recovered two handguns, 15 fired 9 mm casings, two unfired 9 mm rounds and a box of 9 mm ammunition from Ratney's house. An investigation is ongoing.
Ratney was released from prison June 6 and was on parole after serving about six years of a 12-year sentence for being a serious violent felon in possession of a firearm, Indiana Department of Correction online records show.
His criminal background includes convictions for illegal handgun possession and battery. In 2010, he was charged with intimidation in connection with alleged threats to kill police officers and their families, court documents said. But the charge was dismissed when he pleaded guilty to gun charges.
In the 2010 case, Ratney was arrested after neighborhood residents called 911 to tell police he was riding a bike and firing a gun. Officers responded, and Ratney called them pigs and threatened them and their families, court documents said.
Because Ratney violated his parole, he might have to serve the remaining seven years of his sentence, Curry said.
Ratney's initial hearing in Marion Superior Court, originally set for Thursday, was rescheduled.
IndyStar reporter Madeline Buckley contributed to this story.
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Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is leaving Indiana politics for the national stage, heading to the campaign trail as Donald Trump's running mate.
Pence's departure creates a heck of a job opening: Who wants to convince voters they can handle the governor's office for another four years? As you can imagine, the list is long and many of the names are power hitters in the state Republican Party.
Congressman Todd Rokita, Congresswoman Susan Brooks and Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb, who took his job just a few weeks ago, all submitted paperwork Friday to be on the ballot for the governor's race.
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke said earlier this month that he was giving "due consideration" to the governor's office, but announced early Friday that he is not interested in the position.
Whoever lands on the Republican side of the gubernatorial ballot will face Democratic nominee John Gregg, himself a former speaker of the House in Indiana. But the biggest tests come not on the campaign trail or in $500-a-plate donor dinners in the post-Labor Day fracas.
While Indiana has enjoyed being in the political limelight the past few weeks, that attention shouldn't distract from Hoosiers' long-term needs.
The state is rushing to figure out a replacement for the ISTEP exam, which education officials used as a measure of student progress until administrative issues so badly damaged its credibility that it had to be discarded, finally killed by Pence and the Indiana Legislature earlier this year. A 23-member panel has been charged with making a recommendation to the state by Dec. 1 less than five months from now.
Whatever new test is selected or developed will have its own challenges, logistical issues and, as anyone in the tech community will attest, more than a few bumps in rolling it out to school computers.
There's also the question of jobs and wages. An IndyStar report in June noted that a survey found that two-thirds of Indiana residents say the state "offers a competitive and attractive climate for business" but only half of its residents say the "wages in Indiana are generally good and competitive with other states."
One area where pay has certainly been a point of criticism: education. Fewer people are applying for teaching licenses in Indiana, and money is a major reason why.
There are other major areas of concern, too: More Hoosiers are becoming addicted to painkillers. The drug abuse led to an HIV outbreak in one Indiana county. But it took weeks of discussion before the Pence administration finally declared a public health emergency that helped establish a needle exchange in Scott County in March 2015.
A recent release of annual state child abuse/neglect fatality statistics showed a 94 percent increase in such deaths in Indiana, from 34 in Fiscal Year 2012 to 66 in Fiscal Year 2014, according to the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette.
The state is still addressing infrastructure issues and who knows how long fallout from the Religious Freedom Restoration Act will continue to plague both Indiana's business community and the trust level between LGBT citizens and elected officials.
We mention all this not to cast a black cloud over the state, but to highlight that, as one Indiana leader leaves midstream, it's imperative that Indiana's 22-member Indiana Republican State Committee select a candidate who can bring to the table the kind of ideas and spirit that will lead to a meaningful showdown with John Gregg this fall.
Indiana voters deserve two candidates who are willing to engage the population not just the part of it they agree with on the campaign trail and, after November, in the governor's office, to come up with solutions that improve our state.
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Bob Barsumian
Evansville
I would like to propose an alternate viewpoint to that of U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon's Special to the Courier & Press from July 3, 2016, regarding the committee report on Benghazi being worth the time and effort to produce.
There have now been eight reports on Benghazi, primarily led by Republicans in Congress, the last alone costing $7 million. Not one has turned up any wrongdoing on behalf of the Obama administration or the then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Bucshon begins his attack by pointing out the incredible quantity of documents that this committee has obtained, the worth of which is dubious. Quality is what they should be looking for.
The 107 witnesses who testified, most who were not really witnesses to anything, and of the 81 who had never been previously questioned because they also knew nothing but were called for display, offer nothing to bolster Bucshon's argument. He offers numbers only. But quantity must be important here if we are to believe his rhetoric. Notice he goes to great lengths to say there were nine witnesses who were on the ground that night, but neglects to say they had anything of merit to contribute to his accusations or the specific conversation.
Next he invites the reader to witness two specific points, which do not include any real or anecdotal evidence from the witnesses.
His first point is the perpetual red herring that we are supposed to chase rather than think for ourselves: the President and the State Department blamed an anti-Islamic video for causing the attack. They did, primarily because this video had caused a reaction in Egypt, a natural supposition and convenient excuse to be utilized no matter how faulty it appears in retrospect. The problem with this diversion is that it really has nothing to do with anyone having failed his/her duty. Everyone, mainly the media, wants an explanation immediately. The truth is that was the best the administration could come up with at the time, and though faulty, seemed logical.
The second point he invites the reader to believe is that "government officials failed to secure the facilities, failed to provide the men and women on the ground the resources they needed and requested, and failed to properly prepare despite having intelligence reports outlining increased security threats."
Bucshon states that it was only through the grace of the Libyan Intelligence forces that any Americans from the attack that night in September survived. We are all grateful for the Libyan troops who came to the consulate's aid. However, there was no way the U.S. could have inserted troops to help the beleaguered consulate in a timely fashion to have been of any aid to the four Americans.
As far as failing to secure the premises of the "embassy" which in truth was merely a consulate (a building or group of buildings without a marine guard) there was an obvious failure, but not because of the administration or the state department.
The failure occurred when the Republican dominated House of Representatives declined to pass legislation to fund the administration's request for embassy security by cutting $330 million dollars from what was needed for security.
Before the attacks on the Benghazi consulate, Eric Nordstrom, regional security officer in Benghazi, asked for more funds to help make this consulate secure. He was denied.
The $7 million that was wasted in this eighth Salem witch-trial could have been better spent to provide security for an embassy or consulate somewhere rather than pouring it down the drain of personal vanity as displayed by Congress As far as the exercise being far from political in nature, the real truth of its basis slipped out of Republican Kevin McCarthy's mouth when he said the inquisition was "designed to go after Clinton." He was consequently backed up on his statement by Richard Hanna (R-NY) and Benghazi Committee staffer Major Bradley F. Podliska, an intelligence officer in the Air Force Reserve who describes himself as a conservative Republican and who stated that the committee trained its sights almost exclusively on Clinton after the revelation last March that she used a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state. This new information turned a broad-based probe of the attack into what Podliska described as "a partisan investigation."
I defy Bucshon to sweep these statements under the carpet. He should admit the entire probe, in fact all eight probes, were nothing more than partisan politics as usual. Even the outspokenly conservative news staff at Fox News including Bill O'Reilly and Brit Hume opined, "Nearly every investigation ever conducted by Congress is political."
I am not sure for whom Larry Bucshon is carrying water, but he'd better make sure his bucket is not as full of holes as his explanation of the Committee report on Benghazi being worth the time and effort to produce. It was not.
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Malee Burress
Dale, Indiana
Our America is in a sad state both morally and politically. Since our government has removed God from nearly every aspect of our lives, we're seeing the devastating results.
Federal judges continually rule against states that are trying their best to eliminate or restrict abortions. Our Attorney General completely ignored the judicial system in not indicting a person who by federal law committed a felony! And that person is now possibly our future president!!
The USA needs a fresh start, a leader who knows the "real" world, the "ins" and "outs" of business and how government rules and regulations affect our daily lives.
I feel that those who have been on the government payroll for nearly all their adult lives are part of the "entitlement program." We need reform limited terms of office for all forms of government so the elites and those who make their own laws will see what the average citizen's life is all about!
Most importantly, we need politicians who rule by our Constitution!
Business / Local
by Staff Reporter
American billionaire who is ranked among the top 105 in the USA Paul Tudor Jones II has returned to Malilangwe Conservancy, a popular destination for the World's billionaires.
Jones' visit comes hot on the heels of a visit by Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani, an Indian billionaire who was on a three-day safari.Jones is expected to spend two weeks on holiday. Unlike the previous year in which he brought a 30 member team of guests, this time around Jones was received at the airport by officials from Malilangwe Conservancy Trust with a team of only 12 people which includes his family, two pilots, a medical team and a few other staff members.With an estimated $5 billion net worth, Jones owner of the famed hedge fund Tudor Investment Corp is one of the most successful and legendary investors of the 20th century, and is still making money with profitable investments in the new millennium. He is ranked 108 on USA rich list and is 345 richest worldwide according to Forbes magazine.Jones landed at Buffallo Range airport in a private jet and was airlifted by a small plane to the exquisite Malilangwe Conservancy where he is believed to be the principal owner together with Singita Game Park in Tanzania.Sources told The Mirror that he is staying at the 5 star Singita Pamushana Lodge which costs over $5000 per night.
News / Local
by Staff Reporter
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has opened investigations on Bulawayo provincial winners of the Chibuku Road to Fame (CRTF), Kupenya Stars.The groups crime is for singing songs from their debut album.This is in violation of one of the rules of the competition."Only groups, individuals that have not recorded before are eligible to qualify to partake in the Chibuku Road to Fame competition," reads the rule.NACZ Bulawayo Provincial Arts manager, Charity Nyathi, confirmed that Kupenya Stars was being investigated."The group has not been disqualified as the Bulawayo provincial winners as investigations are still underway," said Nyathi.The group's manager, Kudzai Chikomo, said they are waiting their fate."I'm not sure what's really going on, but I'm waiting for a letter from NACZ about the issue. The local office just briefed me and told me their Harare office would communicate with me," said Chikomo.In 2014, a Bulawayo group, Sounds of Universe, was disqualified from the same competition after they took to social media to air their grievances.
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Credit Slips blogger Katie Porter has produced a new textbook in consumer law that anyone teaching the subject should consider adopting. Indeed, law professors not teaching consumer law should to take a look at it and consider whether they should add the class to their teaching portfolio. A 2013 poll on Brian Leiter's Law School Reports named consumer law as the number one "area of law which deserves more attention in the legal academy." Next academic year I will be picking up a new course, and the emergence of Porter's new text made the decision easy for me as to which course it will be.
In the preface, Porter makes explicit her three-pronged approach to the topic of consumer law:
The book situates consumer law within the business-law curriculum. "Consumer law is big business," she notes. Understanding the legal issues requires understanding the "deal," the information flow, and the market in which the transaction occurs. Porter expressly recognizes, "the world of consumer practice offers opportunities for lawyers to represent consumers (as government lawyers, policy advocates, and plaintiffs attorneys) and to represent businesses (as in-house counsel, defense attorneys, and
lobbyists)." The book provides a strong theoretical frame by situating consumer law at the intersection of tort and contract. The book does not present consumer law as a hodgepodge of cases and statutes loosely organized around the term "consumer." Rather it recognizes that a lot of what travels under the law of "consumer law" responds to the gaps that traditional contract and torts doctrines have when it comes to the issues that consumer transactions create. The book explores where the social-science literature has learning for consumer law. Porter looks to see what psychology, sociology, marketing, and economics can add to our understanding of the legal issues. By doing so, the book explores the difference between law on the ground and law in the books.
The book uses a problem-based method of instruction that will be familiar to users of Porter's co-authored bankruptcy textbook or my co-authored secured transactions textbook. The problems range from straight-forward statute readers to teach doctrine to tough client counseling problems that focus on real-world lawyering skills.
More information, including a table of contents and a sample chapter, can be found at Aspen Publishers.
News / Local
by Staff reporter
Please note @PastorEvanLive has not fled the country as some a purporting. Expect a new video from him very soon. #ThisFlag ConcernedZimCitizen (@ConcernedZimCit) July 15, 2016
Unconfirmed reports suggest charismatic #ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire has fled Zimbabwe after a failed abduction on Thursday and has already arranged to claim asylum in the United States."He is already in South Africa as we speak and headed to the United States where he is expected to be successfully granted political asylum, said a twitter account.Mawarire left Zimbabwe last night after surviving an attempt to abduct him in the same manner as journalist turned activist Itai Dzamara who has been missing for over 1 year 4 months.Mawarire confirmed on twitter that he has left ZImbabwe.Mawarire shot to prominence as the leader of #ThisFlag movement. His prolific Facebook video posts articulating the suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans thrust him to prominence.His stock grew even more when he was arrested on charges of inciting public violence and the charges were then upgraded to "attempting to overthrow a constitutional government."A record number of people attended the court hearing on Wednesday at the Harare Magistrates Court, singing and chanting in support.Although the magistrate dismissed the charges against him as unconstitutional, there was still a lingering fear he might be re-arrested and charged with treason.
NIT, a Finnish marine outfitter, has supplied select interiors to the new AIDAprima.
Our delivery included the main staircase and spa and it was mainly implemented as an EPS contract, said Jari Suominen, CEO of NIT. We finished the staircase 12 months after signing the deal with Mitsubishi. I think this is one of the fastest deliveries of its kind in the history of NIT, and I am very proud of our hard-working team.
Among the challenges was the location of the shipyard, some 5,000 miles from NIT's Finland offices.
It was absolutely necessary for us to look for new markets some years ago as the future of Finnish shipbuilding looked really worrisome, Suominen said.
Now the Turku shipyard has made a complete turnaround under the leadership of Meyer. Our competence has strengthened after projects with MHI and Meyer Werft in Papenburg, and this valuable experience is now available to all our customers.
Photo: Spa welcome area by NIT.
Its time to face facts: Attackers are stealthy enough to evade your monitoring systems. If youre sitting back waiting for alarms to go off, theres a good chance youre already hosed.
Despite spending more than $75 billion on security products and services, enterprises are frequently compromised, highly sensitive data is stolen, and the fallout can be devastating. Worse, enterprises dont discover theyve been breached for weeks to months after initial compromise, taking between 120 to 200 days on average to even detect an attack. Thats a six-month head start on reconnaissance and exploitation -- more time on your network than most of your recent hires.
Needless to say, existing approaches to threat detection arent working. Its time to strap on your threat hunting gear and proactively look for malicious activity in your environment. Heres a plan to track down threats.
Hunt in your own backyard
Threat hunting, or cyberhunting, is a set of technologies and techniques that can help you find bad actors before they cause too much damage to your environment. Although threat hunting can involve both manual and machine-assisted techniques, the emphasis is on investigators looking at all the pieces in context and uncovering relationships, says David Bianco, a security technologist at Sqrrl Data.
Security automation can help collect data from network and endpoint segments, and machine learning can speed up analysis, but in the end, its up to you to assemble a series of diverse threat hunting activities into a comprehensive process for sleuthing out your adversaries, says Kris Lovejoy, president and CEO of Acuity Solutions and former general manager of IBM Security Services.
Threat hunting is a defensive process, not an offensive one, Lovejoy adds.
While a successful hunt requires you to think like a hacker, that doesnt mean you should be tracing attacks back to the originating machine, immersing yourself in Dark Web forums, or engaging in questionable practices to uncover potential issues. That may be the case for investigators and hunters from the U.S. Department of Defense or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but cyberhunting is purely defensive in the enterprise. You hunt by forming hypotheses about how an attacker can get into your network, then you look for evidence within your environment to prove or disprove those hypotheses.
Build a baseline of knowledge
Assessing security risk is a central facet of threat hunting, and the process can be split into three phases. First, you must understand the threats most likely to target your organization, whether they be persistent adversaries, particular sets of malware, or a certain type of attack. Second, you must identify your vulnerabilities, such as unpatched software or processes susceptible to human error. Third, you must assess the impact a successful threat may have in targeting your vulnerabilities. Once you can calculate these risks, you can then prioritize your threat hunting activities to target them.
If Im a bank and I know that criminals are likely to go after my database to get at accounts, I need to protect that database first, Lovejoy says.
Before you can start hunting, you need to understand the environment you are hunting in. This goes back to basic IT administration, such as having a clear picture of the number of systems, what software and which version is running, and who has access to each one. The network architecture, patch management process, and kind of defenses you have in place are all critical pieces of information in understanding your threat landscape. IT teams need to know the weaknesses to identify potential points of entry.
Here, adopting an adversary mindset is key in determining your attackers' moves. Your attackers motivations may vary wildly, but they often have similar goals and frequently share similar techniques. An adversary intent on cybercrime will typically behave differently from one focused on economic espionage or sabotage, for example.
Threat intelligence is one way to receive information about the kind of attacks hitting similar-sized organizations in the same industry. If a number of competitors has been under attack by a gang using a Flash exploit, it makes sense to prioritize investigating potential Flash-based attacks over other types. Knowing exploit kits and other types of malware are all pushing the same dropper payload is helpful.
Its also essential to ascertain what might interest an attacker most about your organization right now. This could be a new product your organization is working on or rumors about a potential acquisition. When you know what might trigger interest from potential attackers, you can better predict what techniques they will use and how they will traverse your network to get what they want.
Map the kill chain
A few years back, Lockheed Martin put forth the cyber kill chain, which divides targeted attacks into seven distinct phases: reconnaissance, weaponization, delivery, exploit, installation, command and control, and action. Attackers typical move through each step, from initial compromise to theft, getting a lay of your environment well before exfiltrating any data. A targeted attack takes time to develop; detecting the breach and blocking the attack as soon as possible will minimize damage.
Cyberhunters assume that something has been exploited, and their job is to find the threat before they can actually cause an impact, Acuitys Lovejoy says.
During reconnaissance, criminals collect information about potential targets and avenues of attack. In the case of an acquisition, an attacker will collect information about executives and assistants who could potentially be working on the deal. Based on the information gathered, the criminals develop a course of action, such as creating a phishing campaign.
A successful hunt involves examining each phase of the kill chain and assessing specific tactics and techniques attackers may employ. That may involve mining social media postings to determine whether anyone working on a possible acquisition may have identified themselves as working on the deal and creating a list of employees who may be potentially targeted by a phishing email. If you believe phishing is the likely entry point of a targeted attack, then you can make assumptions about what the attack scenario will look like along each phase of the kill chain.
Actively hunt for threats
Your assumptions and hypotheses about potential attacks provide places to start your hunt. Successful hunting involves examining a specific segment of your network without trying to see everything that may go wrong. Its about closely scrutinizing an endpoint for specific indicators of attack rather than getting a birds-eye view of system security.
Most threat intelligence efforts focus on indicators of compromise that dont help with cyberhunting. The factors tend to be cheap, fragile, and inexpensive for adversaries to change. Consider domain names or the name of the weaponized Word document carrying the payload. It is trivial for attackers to generate new domain names and to change the messaging in an email accompanying an attack file to bypass security filters. Instead, hunters should focus on patterns of attack, Lovejoy recommends.
For example, you should look out for attempts to open a remote desktop session to create new admin accounts within Active Directory. It doesnt matter what the new accounts are called -- you should be searching for unexplained accounts.
Its trivial for an attacker to change the domain of a command-and-control server, but far more expensive to give up using a Flash exploit delivered via a malicious advertisement to remotely execute code and open a backdoor on the compromised machine. Look for attackers using legitimate tools such as PowerShell and WMI. See where account credentials are being used. Patterns of attack reveal more about attackers than indicators of compromise because they are relevant for a longer period of time.
Next-generation firewalls, anomaly detection platforms, and logs all provide a wealth of information, as do threat intelligence platforms and network threat detection systems. In many cases, there is a silo effect, with information locked within each system, making it difficult for defenders to see all the related pieces. Threat hunting forces defenders to break out of the tendency to consider systems in isolation. When a process touches different segments and systems, hunters must pay attention to how they relate to each other.
Build up security response
Once you find signs of a breach, threat hunters should step aside to let traditional incident response teams take over. The hunters job is to make guesses as to where the attackers may be within the network, but they arent necessarily those with the expertise to block attackers. Incident response will be in charge of mitigating the attack and remediating issues.
It may be tempting to create specialized hunt teams because they pinpoint problem areas and find the attacks, but that shouldnt be at the expense of basic IT administration, network monitoring, and defense-in-depth strategy. Cyberhunting starts with the assumption I have been breached and looks for evidence to support that assumption, and dedicated incident response and forensics kick in when that evidence has been found and the damage has to be contained. They are very distinct skill sets, and both are necessary. Defenders need all of these elements to work together.
Stop the cancer
Threat hunting isnt a new concept, and many organizations have already adopted some form of the practice as part of their overall security plan. In a recent SANS Institute survey, 86 percent of IT professionals said they had implemented threat hunting processes in their organizations and 75 percent claimed threat hunting had reduced their attack surface.
As with every other aspect of information security, theres a time and place for cyberhunting. Enterprises should look at the Hunting Maturity Model developed by Sqrrl Datas Bianco to judge if they are ready to begin hunting. The model defines maturity based on three factors: the quality of data collected, the tools available for accessing and analyzing that data, and the skills of those performing the analysis. A skilled enough analyst with high-quality data can compensate for deficiencies in the toolset, but for the most part, organizations should focus on all three factors.
In order to get anywhere, you must first know where you are and where you want to be, Bianco wrote in a blog post outlining the model.
Enterprises need to reduce the breach detection gap -- more than half a year to discover a breach is unacceptable. Start with the assumption that attackers are already present and keep looking until either the compromise has been found, or theres conclusive proof that your environment hasnt been compromised.
Think of the enterprise as a biological system that has been infected, and threat hunting as a way to discover how far the infection has spread and what kind of damage it is causing.
Threat hunting is catching cancer in the early stages, before it metastasizes and kills you, Lovejoy says.
Related articles
This story, "The threat hunter's guide to securing the enterprise" was originally published by InfoWorld .
Welcome to your weekly recap of news and other interesting items. This week's Rehashed includes a video, some great examples of counterfeiting, the Olympics, problems at the FDIC, and more.
So, let's start by talking about Ransomware. This topic has existed in the Rehashed column more than any other, but for good reason it isn't going anywhere and it's a serious threat to business. It's mainstream too, having made a solid appearance in season two's opening episode of Mr. Robot on USA Network. I talk about it in the Salted Hash video below.
Ransomware goes offline:
On Thursday, Lucian Constantin wrote a story about the latest variant of Locky, a nasty bit of Ransomware that's been around for some time now, which can operate offline. Great. That's just @@@@@@@ great. It's bad enough administrators have to deal with Ransomware that requires an outside connection, now they get to deal with variants that can operate even if you clip the cord.
Scammers cash-in on Summer Games:
Maria Korolov reported that scammers are offering fake tickets to the Olympics, and if that wasn't bad enough, malicious Olympic-related apps are being pushed to the public too. It's a real game of cat and mouse, because as soon as one scammer's domain falls or an app gets removed, others quickly take its place.
Chinese hackers blamed for three different data breaches at FDIC:
Hackers in China, allegedly with the backing of the government, have hit the FDIC on at least three different occasions. The FDIC knew about the incidents, but failed to report them properly. Breaches occurred in 2010, 2011, and 2013.
Counterfeiting ring has the goods:
Dr. Krypt3ia has discovered a counterfeiting group on the Darknet, and unlike some of the other fly-by-night operations, this one is about as professional as it can get. That isn't an advertisement, but more of a statement of complete awe, because most counterfeiting operations that operate on that part of the internet are complete garbage. "Thats right kids, this can pass the UV light test, it has the fiber/metal strip, it has the holographs, and has the look of a real bill. In fact I have at least one alleged user who has passed the hundos at a local establishment without issue," Kryp3ia wrote, discussing the quality of the fake bills.
Other items of note:
Due Diligence:
Security posture is still important when it comes to M&As, a recent report from West Monroe Partners says. Forty percent of the acquirers that took part in the study claimed to have discovered security problems at an acquisition after a deal went through, indicating low standards when it came to diligence.
Ransom without the ware:
Apple customers are reporting locked devices that are being held for ransom. However, the cause isn't software-based; it's recycled credentials.
Penton Technology suffered a massive data breach, keeps silent:
Three websites owned by Penton Technology, acquired in 2015 as part of the purchase of iNET Interactive MacForums.com, HotScripts.com, and WebHostingTalk.com have been compromised and their databases are now being sold on the Darknet. The company never responded to questions, or issued any statements. At this point, I'm not sure if they've noticed yet.
Seeking Alpha app vulnerable, discloses usernames and passwords:
Rapid7 released some research this week concerning the Seeking Alpha mobile application. The investment portfolio tool leaks personal details including usernames and passwords.
Salted Hash: The Movie!
Salted Hash has launched a YouTube channel, and if you'd like to help me out with it, I'll need two things. First, subscribe, that's how the powers that be know people are watching me. Second, send me suggestions on things to rant about.
The first video (filmed last Sunday) is below. If you haven't seen the first episode of season two of Mr. Robot, you might want to skip it. It has spoilers in it.
That's all for this week!
Remember, if you have thoughts on something that should be added to Rehashed, email me and let me know. Such additions can include links to news items, blog posts, code samples, cool scripts, etc.
News / National
by Staff Reporter
There are unconfirmed reports that Pastor Evan Mawarire has been freed after 5 hours in court.Mawarire was charged with subverting a constitutional government.According to Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights (ZLHR), the "Magistrate faults police for violating Pastor Evan Mawarire's constitutional rights and orders his release."More to follow...
When first entering into any field, most of us have our eye on the prize. I wanted to be a talk show host, so I started out as a communications major. I interned at a local news station, and when I saw myself on camera, I immediately determined that I would never again be on screen.
My point is that along the way toward that goal, everyone encounters some glitch, some bump in the road that might make them think perhaps this isnt the right path for me. Sadly, some of us even abandon that dream because the obstacles seem too formidable. We dont find that right cultural fit in the work place that inspires us and challenges us to be our best.
Allowing your vision to guide you to your goal, though, might remind you of the passion that delivered you to where you are. What if, at every obstacle, instead of finding a way out, you were to find a path upward. Im feeling a little like Dante here, but what if the challenges, the discomforts, the failures, the long hours, and all of the other negatives are exactly what you need to get you to that higher level?
John N. Stewart, chief security and trust officer at Cisco, is an adviser to and recently joined the board of directors at RiskSense. Stewart did not begin his career in the security industry at the executive level. No one does. As a veteran of the industry, Stewart now mentors young companies he considers innovative, and he has for some time been impressed by RiskSense, which has developed a visualization-based approach to manage cyber risks.
His own career in cyber, though, goes all the way to the late 1980's when he was in college at Syracuse. One of the reasons he became fascinated with cyber was a book, The Cuckoos Egg, written by Cliff Stoll.
The mystery revealed a captivating tale of chasing hackers, and Stewart was reading it in the right place at the right time. The Morris worm launched out of Cornell University in 1988, the year that Stewart was working at a computing center at SU.
People were very patient with me, and there were full-time employees that let me set up a security system. I learned on the fly a great skill set, said Stewart. After spending five years earning his dual BA/MA degrees at SU, Stewart landed himself an opportunity at the NASA research center during the nascent days of the internet, which prepared him for going on to do systems administration on computers at Cisco.
Throughout the 1990s Stewart honed his skills as an engineer as the technology world around him gave birth to more websites and ecommerce. I was an engineer, but there was a whole bunch of business acumen I was missing, Stewart said. Driven by the greater vision of what he could accomplish in the cyber world, he followed two business leaders to Honolulu, Hawaii, and worked with them putting a company together from 1997 to 2002.
After the company went public and was sold in 2001, Stewart continued with the parent company while also spending a year teaching part-time at various conferences and community colleges. I was teaching at a conference in 2002 and ran into a couple old Cisco colleagues, and in 2002, he returned to the company where his career began.
Stewart has been advising companies for more than 20 years. Im fascinated by the innovation speed at which small businesses grow, said Stewart who has been sitting on the boards of small companies and crossing paths with investors and advisers for year.
As so many leaders in the security industry realize, Stewart also recognized that there is a lack of available talents. The criticality of IT systems has now hit a peak. There is not a single business that doesnt use IT at a very core level. Computer security is equally as important. Service needs to run and be safe. With the total amount of data and the rate at which things change, the only one solution is technology. Even if you did have the people, you cant get them fast enough, said Stewart.
Now, more than ever, the security industry needs people whose skill sets are at the intersection between technology, business, and critical thinking. If you apply all three of those, thats the type of people we need tons of, said Stewart.
The level of critical thinking that requires taking the data and modeling it and knowing whats important still requires hands on operations and a knowledge of underpinning how the organization works and an ability to react dynamically to what you are told, he continued.
So if you are just starting out and feeling disenchanted, underappreciated, or hopeless, let those sources of frustration define your greater purpose. Become visionary, stay the course, and allow yourself to grow and evolve with the technology around you.
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BRIDGEPORT By next week, Jose Casco may no longer be a member of the City Council.
Casco is under pressure to resign his seat on that 20-person legislative body following his arrest Sunday night over an argument with his estranged wife.
State Rep. Christopher Rosario is head of the Democrats in Cascos City Council district. Rosario said Friday that he has encouraged Casco to step down from both the council and the Democratic Town Committee to deal with his personal issues.
If its going to impair him in any way of performing his duties, I think he should step aside, Rosario said, adding Casco needs to focus on getting help for himself and his marriage.
Rosario said the districts town committee members are meeting over the weekend to further discuss the situation.
Casco huddled Thursday evening with fellow Hispanic council members and council President Thomas McCarthy at the downtown government center. The meeting was in the councils office.
None of those present, including Casco, would comment. But sources said the meeting was about Cascos arrest.
According to police, Casco, 49, was charged with disorderly conduct after officers responded to a complaint of a loud argument at his Marrian Street home.
Police said they found an intoxicated Casco arguing with his wife. She alleged that Casco had tried to remove the television and cable box from her bedroom.
Casco was released on a promise to appear in court but the judge imposed a protective order barring the councilman from contact with his wife. The case was placed on the domestic violence court docket.
Court documents indicate the couple, married in 1999, have had marital problems for months. In mid-February, Cascos wife went to court to dissolve the marriage and seek sole possession of their home, stating there was no prospect of reconciliation.
Casco is being represented in the divorce by attorney and Judge of Probate Paul Ganim, Mayor Joe Ganims younger brother.
Cops also said a belligerent Casco repeated Im a city councilman over and over to them.
Casco was appointed to the council in March 2015 to fill a vacancy and elected to a full two-year term in November. He is a co-chairman of the Ordinance Committee and a member of the Budget and Education committees.
Casco has also been involved in immigrant issues, most recently lobbying successfully for Bridgeport to launch a municipal identification card program modeled on one operated by New Haven.
Rosario said he was disturbed that Casco did not reach out to him following his arrest. Rosario said he had heard rumors about the incident and ultimately contacted Casco for an explanation.
Its alarming. It really took me by surprise, Rosario said. If you asked me of 100 people, who would face those accusations, he wouldnt even be on the list.
Rosario declined to divulge the details of that private conversation. But, he said, Based on the information he told me and the issues hes going through, this isnt something you just sweep under the rug. ... Im very concerned about his well-being.
WASHINGTON Much like their House counterparts, Connecticuts Democratic senators pushed for immediate funding aimed at opioid addiction. But in the end, they settled for the Republican majoritys measure that puts the money on hold until later this year.
The bill the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act passed the Senate on Wednesday and is heading to the desk of President Barack Obama, who said he will sign it.
It authorizes about $720 million over five years in grants from the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services for treatment, education and law enforcement efforts to combat opioid abuse, which routinely starts with prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and Percocet, and often ends in heroin addiction.
The bill authorizes help for states in establishing or expanding prescription monitoring networks to pinpoint sources of abuse. It expands access to treatment drugs such as naloxone and buprenorphine, and makes it easier for the courts to divert low-level drug offenders from prison and into drug rehabilitation programs.
U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., voted for the final bill, which got a vote of 92-2. The House had previously approved it 407-5.
Were not sure where the money (will be) allocated, said Deb Dettor, managing director of Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery, which relies heavily on state grants and supports two locations in Bridgeport.
Dettor already has a wishlist: walk-in treatment facilities, low-cost counseling, and police-assisted recovery. CCAR is even proposing putting peer recovery coaches in emergency rooms.
Items on Dettors wishlist cost money, and Democratic lawmakers say that the bill will create enough grant funding for those types of projects.
Murphy and Blumenthal reiterated the Democratic view that the Republican-engineered bill lacked any immediate funding to deal with what all sides agree is a burgeoning crisis. Democrats had proposed an extra $920 million that would be available to fight the crisis right away.
Last month, the White House released an estimate that stated Connecticut would be eligible for $9 million over two years in emergency funding under Obamas budget proposal of $1.1 billion to expand access to treatment for opioid use disorders.
But Republicans who control Congress rejected all those approaches.
Instead, the bill that now goes to the White House simply authorizes money, but an actual appropriation will require separate votes later this year.
Blumenthal fought for provisions in the final bill that included drug monitoring and ways to curb overprescribing painkillers in the Veterans Affairs health system.
This legislation is barely a symbolic step, Blumenthal said. Until we commit resources, our words will be a glass half empty.
Yet local health advocates say that the filled part of that glass adds momentum to a growing shift to treat heroin addiction as a disease as opposed to just a moral and legal failing.
With increased authority to divert drug users from the criminal justice system, cities such as Bridgeport might shift their approach to enforcing drug laws.
I would say that it is always good for police to have options for drug users other than incarceration, said Av Harris, city spokesman and policy adviser. We do not need to be filling our jails and prisons with nonviolent drug offenders. This is both ineffective as a deterrent, and it is unsustainably expensive to city and state governments.
The opioid epidemic is nationwide, and Connecticut is no exception.
Last year, 729 people died in Connecticut from drug overdoses of all kinds. A Yale University chart of data drawn from the state medical examiners office shows opioid deaths in Connecticut at fewer than 300 in 2009 and nearly 500 by 2014.
There is a tidal wave of addiction, overdoses and deaths that is devastating Connecticut communities and families, Murphy said. Its inexcusable that Republican congressional leaders are shutting down for the summer without providing communities with the money they need to save lives.
But both senators accepted the half-a-loaf logic of approving the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, as did the White House.
While the president will sign this bill once it reaches his desk because some action is better than none, he wont stop fighting to secure the resources this public health crisis demands, said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.
dan@hearstdc.com; cattanasio@ctpost.com
Update: this article clarifies the priority for CCAR, which are peer recovery coaches.
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STRATFORDDriving east on I-95 just after sunset on Thursday some drivers might have noticed flickers of light as they soared through the overpass above Stratford Avenue.
The flickers came from the flames of 200 candles held by participants of a prayer vigil held at the First Baptist Church of Stratford in honor the five police officers slain in Dallas and the African-American men who have died in high-profile shootings in recent years.
The event brought together parishioners of different races and churchs, and included speakers from a cross section of religious and civic leaders. Organizers say that the event was an outgrowth of an interracial Christian dialog that brought together participants to speak about race relations over the past year.
Barry Stevens, a trustee of the First Baptist Church who is also a judge at the District Superior Court of Connecticut, recounted a conversation from the most recent interracial dialog sponsored by the Stratford Interfaith Clergy Association, who also organized the vigil.
How can I explain the frustration, the depression about this form of hate, this expression of racism? said Stevens said, recounting his own response to a fellow churchgoers question about his response to the killings of Alton Stearling and Philando Castile. How am I to explain being judged by the color of my skin (or) condemned or beat or killed because I am different?
Speeches at the vigil alternated between speakers of color and Caucasians. White speakers spoke forcefully, often with a sense of contrition, peppering their speeches with quotes from the late Reverend Martin Luther King.
Rev. David Spollett opened his remarks identifying himself as a member of groups which he described as holding automatic privilege in society; white, male and heterosexual. He said that his interactions with Stevens and other church members and leaders in the interfaith association had changed his life, and urged white churchgoers to confront biases and outright racism.
I am here to confess, Spollett said, adding that he relished the opportunity to confront the endemic racism within myself.
Participants sang hymns, driving away the drone of the overpass with their voices and filling the corner of Stratford Avenue and Hamilton Avenue with a biracial chorus of We Shall Overcome, the slavery-era spiritual that became a staple protest song of the Civil Rights Era.
Almost absent from the crowd were young black men and white police officers most affected by the nations ongoing debate over violence and racism. Churchgoers and police officers attending the event agreed that churches and police organizations need to increase outreach to youth.
There was one white officer present, Deputy Stratford Police Chief John Popik, who spoke between pastors about his commitment to community policing.
Tonight we stand in unity against violence, Popik said. The doors of the Stratford Police Department will always be open (to) cultivate the seeds of trust.
There was one young black man at the vigil, high school student Kelvin Newton, who stood apart from the middle-age pack on the lawn, closer to the street than the pulpit.
The candles went out, the din of I-95 reasserted itself over the night and the mosquitoes began to feast on the midsummer crowd as the returned to their cars.
Newton, 17, of Stratford, has followed the Black Lives Matter movement closely. He hopes that racism might be abolished in America in his lifetime, but it conscious of the past. What does he think of the Civil-Rights era activists who spoke on Friday, and the references to Rev. King?
It just shows that history repeats itself and so we need a big change, Newton said.
Like flickers of light far off in the darkness, the lyrics of that hymn echoed in the ears of the reporter as he drove away down Stratford Ave.
We shall overcome, some day.
Many people dream of quitting the 9-to-5 grind to start their own business. Success as an entrepreneur can mean a life of financial independence and freedom. But with all the added responsibilities of having to juggle kids and family, paying household bills, and not to mention the massive start-up costs involved, many are left dreaming from the sidelines.
Im not going to pretend that starting a business is easy or cheap, but there are cost-effective measures to jumpstarting a small business without breaking the bank. Here are three small business ideas you can start right now.
1. In-home tutoring business.
If youre passionate about education and love to be around kids, why not start a tutoring service in your community. There are plenty of parents looking for knowledgeable and affordable tutors to teach their children after school.
Related: 12 Low-Cost Business Ideas for Introverts
In fact, one of the first businesses I started was a math tutoring company in New York City. In addition to inspiring young kids to learn math and science, I was able to help struggling college grads pay off their student debts with good paying tutoring jobs. If youre looking to make a real positive impact in your community, then this is definitely a great business to start.
When beginning a tutoring business, you should try to recruit tutors at your local university campuses. To gain new customers, you can leave fliers outlining your tutoring services at nearby libraries, preschools, doctor offices, public schools and any other family-oriented places you can find. Make sure to also attend local school events and network with community leaders to build your reputation.
2. Ecommerce retail store.
Retail sales for ecommerce have been growing steadily year-by-year, while traditional retail has faltered. In a recent article by the Wall Street Journal, online retailers were found to be the overall drivers for retail sales for more than a year, while traditional department store sales declined.
So what does this mean for entrepreneurs? It means the playing field is leveling out, and there is a growing opportunity for small online niche brands to break into the competitive retail scene. As a manager at a digital marketing agency, Ive seen a considerable amount of capital poring into new ecommerce startups.
Its now easier than ever to import products from overseas and sell them online. Ever heard of Alibaba or Aliexpress? If you havent, they are the largest wholesale marketplaces on the internet. You can order custom goods securely on your computer and have them shipped free from China straight to your doorstep. Wish, one of the latest retail startups, is using a similar business model, but in the mobile commerce arena.
With the vast number of unique items available, you can virtually start any online retail business selling smartphone accessories, handbags, fashion jewelry shoes, clothing apparel -- the list goes on.
Related: The 6 Best Ecommerce Platforms for Small Businesses
3. Maid cleaning service.
This was actually a business I was interested in starting, but I eventually backed out after too many cleaning startups began raising overvalued evaluations. I hate to sound like Donald Trump here, but the market for cleaning services is huge.
Yes, the margins in this sector are razor thin, and the field is filled with plenty of competition to go around. However, the demand for cleaning services is still high and cash flows are relatively consistent. Think about it for a minute. Both households and businesses are in constant need of weekly cleaning services, and that can translate into generous customer-retention rates.
Although most of the current venture startups in this market are racing to become the next Uber of Cleaning, there are still opportunities for local cleaning businesses to carve out a small slice in this overwhelming market. Believe it or not, small businesses do have surprising advantages over well-financed startups. Call it a story of David and Goliath.
To jumpstart a local cleaning business, its important to recruit only experienced cleaning staff. Most freelance cleaning maids are hard-working immigrants who would be more than happy to join a company for a modest and consistent paycheck.
Although competition for cleaning services is stiff, there are still ways to advertise on a low budget. To gain customer traction, target middle-class to wealthy residential neighborhoods in your local area and leave your discount fliers on every doorstep.
Related: 10 Businesses You Can Start From Your Dorm Room
A second source of strategic revenue is to provide small businesses with cleaning services. Doctor offices, salons, preschools and tutoring centers are all examples of local businesses that can benefit from such a service. If you manage to sign a commercial building, then youve hit the jackpot. The most effective method to gain new business clients is by cold calling. Simply call a neighborhood business -- preferably right before closing time -- and ask if they might be interested in outsourcing their cleaning services to your company.
As you continually gain new customers, you will slowly receive referrals and, before you know it, your small business will be booming.
Related:
3 Small Businesses You Can Jumpstart Right Now
How to Avoid Failure When You Own a Contracting Business
How To Grow Your Business Effectively
Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
News / National
by Staff Reporter
A HIGH Court judge yesterday condemned people who fan tribalism in the country, saying such thinking should not be condoned as it belongs in the Dark Ages.Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Francis Bere made the remarks as he sentenced two men from Gokwe to 30 years in jail for participating in the brutal killing of a gold panner in a tribally-motivated fight for the control of gold pits in Shangani.The judge convicted McIntosh Nhawu (29) and Tapiwa Liberty Maupa (33), both from Zhomba area, of murder with actual intent.The pair was part of a gang that crushed Mandlenkosi Sibanda's head with a concrete block weighing 29kg in 2013.Justice Bere, in his judgment, said although Nhawu and Maupa did not directly attack Sibanda (27), they were accomplices by virtue of being part of the gang that executed the criminal enterprise.The judge also expressed concern over delays by law makers in aligning criminal laws with the constitution with regard to the imposition of the death penalty.In passing sentence, the judge described the murder as senseless and brutal, which called for a deterrent sentence."This is a bad case of murder and in aggravation we accept that it was senseless and brutal. Whenever death occurs, as the courts we've an obligation to continuously emphasise the sanctity of human life," Justice Bere said.He said the court was particularly concerned with the tribal undertones that characterised the murder."Anyone who advocates tribalism is an enemy of this nation and such thinking has long been thrown into the dustbin of history. As courts, we would be failing in our duties if we don't condemn such kind of thinking which must be nipped in the bud. There is no better way of doing so than imposing a deterrent sentence to discourage like-minded people. In the circumstances, accused persons are each sentenced to an effective 30 years in jail," ruled Justice Bere.The other three suspects who were allegedly linked to the gang, Admire Makoni (23) of Chitungwiza, Brighton Munyiri (27) and Peter Manyuchi (18) both of Buhera, were discharged at the close of the State case after Justice Bere concluded that the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against the trio and acquitted them.Prosecuting, Whisper Mabhaudi said on February 25, 2013, shortly after 10PM at Farai Munashe Bottle store, Tafadzwa Solo confronted Mlamuleli Tshuma and allegedly threatened him in Shona, saying, "nhasi maNdevere ese ndoda kumarova (today I want to assault all Ndebele speaking people)."The long standing dispute emanated from a feud between Shona and Ndebele gold panners over the control of gold fields in Shangani.Mabhaudi said Tshuma stood up and headed towards the exit and blocked the door. He said Solo threw an empty bottle of beer at Tshuma and hit him on the forehead.Mabhaudi said the accused persons grouped together and hatched a plan to assault the Ndebeles in the area. They chased Sibanda and caught up with him before assaulting him using stones and concrete blocks and fled from the scene leaving the body lying in a pool of blood.The owner of the bottle store, Ms Sikhanyisiwe Nkomo, told the court that she woke up after hearing noise which emanated from outside her house."I woke up and peeped through the window and saw about six men throwing stones at Sibanda. They were shouting in Shona saying, 'let us kill these Ndebeles.' After the mob had dispersed, I went to the scene and found Sibanda lying motionless and called the police," she said.According to a postmortem report, the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, homicide and subarachnoid haemorrhage. Both accused persons denied the charge, arguing that they were only innocent bystanders who witnessed the incident but did not participate in the commission of the crime.Maupa and Nhawu though their lawyers, Ms Tshimumoyo Ndlovu and Solomon Mguni, pleaded for mercy, saying they were breadwinners looking after minor children.
PDVSA: Oil exports to Cuba won't stop
Officials with PDVSA rejected allegations that the Venezuelan state-owned oil firm plans to lower crude exports to Cuba.
There has not been any issue or reduction with the supply of Venezuelan oil to Cuba. There is a technical and engineering difficulty at the Cienfuegos refinery, said Luis Morillo, PDVSA's general manager in Cuba, at a press conference on Tuesday.
"This is a technical problem all refineries are facing. We will close certain areas of the plant for 120 days over the course of the year to fix these issues and update certain processes," he mentioned.
Recent reports alleged that PDVSA in the first half of 2016 slashed oil exports to Cuba by 40 percent to some 53,500 barrels per day. Around 4 percent of Venezuelan oil exports are sent to Cuba, and the island is a member of the Petrocaribe alliance of nations receiving preferential terms for oil. Yet PDVSA has also purportedly lowered total shipments of oil to Cuba by 19.5 percent amid difficulties in the production of Venezuelan oil.
News / National
by Thobekile Zhou
Vendors in Harare clashed with armed riot police mid morning today in the central business district.About ten vendors where arrested at Harare Town.Arrested vendors where taken to Harare Central police station. However, by midday no charges had been laid.Bulawayo24.com understands that riot police with teargas canisters are patrolling Harare's CBD after vendors demonstration.
Windber-Portage renew rivalry in Week 10 Heritage-WestPAC crossover
Check out what to watch on Friday night in Somerset County as the high school football regular season comes to a close in Week 10.
News / National
by Staff reporter
AAG president Chamu Chiwanza described the stay-aways as domestic economic sanctions being imposed by people such as #ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire .Chiwanza said the AAG believes in dialogue between the civil society, all political parties and the legitimately constituted government in solving the problems affecting the generality of Zimbabweans.AAG noted that developments during the week are meant to destabilise the economy which militates against the concerted efforts for international multi-lateral re-engagement which government is pushing.Chiwanza said the AAG believes in dialogue between the civil society, all political parties and the legitimately constituted government in solving the problems affecting the generality of Zimbabweans.The empowerment group also notes that Zimbabweans cannot afford to hinder economic growth by participating in the so-called shutdowns which are being funded by foreign organisations that are against progressive government policies.Retrogressive forces within the country with the aid of foreign governments have been calling for stay-aways which were widely ignored by the country's citizens as they continued with their businesses.Street protests, national work boycotts and internet activism are on the rise in Zimbabwe - offering hints that opposition to ageing President Robert Mugabe could be building towards a boiling point.Public shows of dissent have been rare under Mugabe's decades-long oppressive rule, but they have erupted regularly in recent months as the battered economy has ground to a virtual halt.Banks have run short of cash, government salaries have been delayed and many basic imports banned at a time when the country has also suffered a severe drought that has left millions hungry.A national "shutdown" strike closed many businesses, shops and schools on Wednesday, with public transport and some government departments and courts also ceasing to function.The strike followed days of sporadic protests triggered by a sudden outbreak of demonstrations on the outskirts of Harare over police road blocks accused of extorting cash from motorists.That unrest, in which at least 113 people were arrested, started on a small scale among public minibus drivers but soon spread, with rocks thrown at police and tyres burnt in roads as unemployed young men joined in.
Check it out: Fun things to do this weekend in Lake County
This list of weekend entertainment includes festivals, Vet Fest and the premiere of 'The Diary of Anne Frank' on a local stage.
News / National
by Thobekile Zhou
MDC President Professor Welshman Ncube has warned Zimbabweans not to be consumed by current wave of protests to the extent of not carefully planning the aftermath era.Ncube said he fully backs the protests which he quickly said are not new in the country.Writing on his traditional Friday statement titled"Turning the Heat on Zimbabwe's PoT" Ncube said " Those that believe that the current civil disobedience and 'resistance' movement sweeping the nation are a new phenomenon in the Politics of Things (PoT) may need slight correction".He said Movement for Democratic Change was born out of "popular resistance against ZANU PF political hegemony that dates back to 1999".Ncube said "the question being asked by some in our body politic is: To what extent can the commendable efforts of #ThisFlag and #Tajamuka /Sesijikile in confronting Zanu-PF have an end game which will see the demise of ZANU PF? "What seems clear is that we appear to be entering unchartered waters in the history of our country. Only the bravest of the brave dare predict the outcomes".He added" My suggestion is that now it is time not only to think and plan hard but to learn from comparative history and also to seek the advice of peaceful civil disobedience experts"."Those who expect quick results from the efforts of #ThisFlag and #Tajamuka /Sesijikile have to study the democratic history of India, Serbia and Phillipines to name just a few countries. "Juvenile enthusiasm and bravado on their own are not sufficient,"He said as leader of MDC, "I can only be glad that #ThisFlag and #Tajamuka /Sesijikile have re-ignited the people's passion for freedom and democracy".
CYBERSPACEDDF Network is once again kicking off its Sex Goddess compeition, which offers fans a chance to help select the most delectable representatives in seven different categories.
The 2016 DDF Awards Sex Goddess selection process spanned across two months of pre-selections. First the girls were chosen according to their beauty, popularity and social engagement, as well as their special skills in each specific niche. The next phase was to put the selection out to the DDF Network members and social media outlets, where fans chose four final nominees in the categories of Glamour, Hardcore, Busty, Foot Fetish, BDSM, Newcomer and MILF.
The official Sex Goddess Nominees in the running this year for the 2016 DDF Awards are as follows:
GlamourAnissa Kate, Eva Parcker, Mia Malkova, Tracy Lindsay
HardcoreAmirah Adara, Mea Melone, Nikita Bellucci, Tina Kay
BustySensual Jane, Kira Queen, Alyson Tyler, Dolly Fox
Foot FetishAlexa Tomas, Stella Cox, Dolly Diore, Nesty
BDSMKayla Green, Misha Cross, Abbie Cat, Zara Du Rose
NewcomerInna Sirina, Nekane, Kristy Black, Rose Valerie
MILFCathy Heaven, Dona Bell, Stacey Saran, Ava Koxxx
To learn about the Sex Goddess nominees and sign up to be notified when official voting begins August 29, go to at DDFAwards.com. And fans can see a lot more of these ladies in scenes on DDF Network sites, where their beauty and raw sexual passion can be sampled before they choose their favorites.
Opinion Psychology
Its not enough for us to survive terrible experiences. Now were supposed to thrive because of them. Nonsense. Victims of trauma dont need to add a sense of failure to their burden.
How Laura Poitras Went From Filming Iraqi Prisoners To Helping Snowden: 52 Weeks Of Directors
Growing up in Boston, Laura Poitras planned to become a chef, spending years as a cook at LEspalier, a French restaurant. After high school, however, she moved to San Francisco and became interested in experimental filmmaking. After studying at both San Francisco Art Institute and The New School, she decided to pursue a life of filmmaking.
But like everyone else, she didnt know how much September 11, 2001, would change her life. Poitras said, living in New York at that time, there was a sense that people could have done anything. When her countrys choice became to invade Iraq, Poitras, who had no prior experience in conflict zones, decided to travel to Iraq in 2004 to document the occupation.
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Shortly into her visit, she was granted permission to visit Abu Ghraib to film a visit by Baghdad City Council members. A Sunni doctor, Riyadh al-Adhadh, was one of the Iraqis visiting the prison and Poitras filmed a powerful scene of him with prisoners who are shouting that they shouldnt be locked up.
Dr. Al-Adhadh invited Poitras to visit his clinic when they returned to Iraq. His familys struggles in Baghdad became the focus of her documentary, My Country, My Country.
I had come out of this very experimental background and I really felt like I would spend my career making small, essay-type films. Im a pretty shy person; its not that comfortable for me to enter into peoples lives and it never occurred to me that I could do this kind of documentary where youre really following someones journey very closely. I learned the magic of that during My Country, My Country, Poitras said.
The film was released in 2006 and earned an Oscar nomination. In June 2006, she was detained at Newark International Airport before boarding a flight to Israel, where she was traveling to speak at a screening of her film. Upon her return to the U.S., she was held for two hours before being able to re-enter the country. The next month, when she landed in Vienna on her way to Bosnia, she was paged over the airport loudspeaker and told to go to the security desk. From there, she was taken to another building nearby, where her luggage was examined.
They took my bags and checked them, Poitras told The New York Times. They asked me what I was doing, and I said I was showing a movie in Sarajevo about the Iraq war. And then I sort of befriended the security guy. I asked what was going on. He said: Youre flagged. You have a threat score that is off the Richter scale. You are at 400 out of 400. I said, Is this a scoring system that works throughout all of Europe, or is this an American scoring system? He said. No, this is your government that has this and has told us to stop you.
When she landed at JFK, she was met at the gate by two armed law enforcement agents and taken to a room for questioning.
Its a total violation, Poitras said. Thats how it feels. They are interested in information that pertains to the work I am doing thats clearly private and privileged. Its an intimidating situation when people with guns meet you when you get off an airplane. Poitras has never received an explanation for why she is on a watch list.
It is not a practice that has stopped or slowed for Poitras. In 2010, she made her second documentary, The Oath, the second filmMy Country, My Country being the firstof what is now dubbed as the 9/11 trilogy.
The Oath focuses on two Yemeni men caught up in Americas War on Terror. Both Abu Jandal and Salim Ahmed Hamdan worked for Osama bin Laden. Jandal, who is now a taxi driver in Yemens capital Sanaa, worked as a bodyguard to bin Laden. Hamdan was bin Ladens driver but was captured in 2001 during the invasion of Afghanistan. In 2002 he was transported to Guantanamo Bay and was the first defendant to be tried in the U.S. military tribunals established by the U.S. Department of Defense.
The two men became brothers-in-law after marrying sisters. Poitras shows both the action in Hamdans trial and Jandals life in Yemen, especially his conversations with his son and other young Muslim students.
The film premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Excellence in Cinematography Award. The film also played at the Berlin Film Festival and South by Southwest.
Prior to her 9/11 trilogy, Poitras co-directed, produced, and shot Flag Wars, which premiered in 2003. The film focused on the gentrification of a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. It earned a Peabody Award and Best Documentary at South by Southwest. Flag Wars was also nominated for a 2004 Independent Spirit Award and an Emmy.
Now, filming people is actually the thing that I live for. There is a kind of magic that someone like Albert Maysles talks about where theres just this incredible connection with your subjects and something profound is happening, a palpable human drama unfolding. That feeling is the compass for everything I do now. And when I get that feeling of knowing that that kind of moment is happening and it can be something as simple as someone making tea or as frightening as a judge coming to inspect a house and maybe getting evicted theres a definite pulse and you feel it. And that was something I discovered, really stumbled into, making Flag Wars. But its absolutely about that connection with people and capturing those moments on camera that guides my work, quite different from composing something beautiful in a more detached way. That was a transformative lesson for me, Poitras said.
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In the past few years, The New York Times started publishing op-docs, a new distribution format for short documentaries created by independent filmmakers. In August 2012, The Program premiered on the site. It was a small piece of a longer form documentary Poitras was working on. The Program was based on interviews with William Binney, a veteran of the NSA, who designed the Stellar Wind project and later became a whistleblower. Stellar Wind was designed for foreign espionage but in 2001 began being used to spy on citizens in the United States, prompting concerns by Binney and other NSA vets that the U.S. governments actions were illegal and unconstitutional.
When she began working on the surveillance project, she increased her own digital security to a higher level, using encryption software, cutting down on her use of a cellphone, and using separate computers for different tasks.
Her interest and knowledge of surveillance in the U.S. are what probably prompted Edward Snowden to seek her out. In January of 2013, Poitras received an email from an anonymous stranger requesting her public encryption key, which would allow the stranger to send her an encrypted email. Promising sensitive information, the stranger asked Poitras to take even more security steps to protect their communication. Assume that your adversary is capable of a trillion guesses per second, anonymous wrote.
Poitras then received a lengthy email outlining a number of surveillance programs run by the government. This I can prove, anonymous said.
I thought, O.K., if this is true, my life just changed, she told me last month. It was staggering, what he claimed to know and be able to provide. I just knew that I had to change everything, Poitras told The New York Times.
The anonymous stranger requested that Poitras get in touch with journalist Glenn Greenwald and include him in their communications. In June, Poitras and Greenwald traveled to Hong Kong to finally meet the anonymous source, who turned out to be NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Both of us almost fell over when we saw how young he was, Poitras said, still sounding surprised. I had no idea. I assumed I was dealing with somebody who was really high-level and therefore older. But I also knew from our back and forth that he was incredibly knowledgeable about computer systems, which put him younger in my mind. So I was thinking like 40s, somebody who really grew up on computers but who had to be at a higher level.
Poitras documented their meeting and the subsequent time spent with Snowden in her film, Citizenfour, the third piece of the 9/11 trilogy, replacing Poitras original idea of The Program.
After Snowden left Hong Kong, Poitras returned to her apartment in Berlin, where she had moved the previous fall to edit her documentary without worry that the FBI would bust in and raid her home. Im not stopping what Im doing, but I have left the country. I literally didnt feel like I could protect my material in the United States, and this was before I was contacted by Snowden. If you promise someone youre going to protect them as a source and you know the government is monitoring you or seizing your laptop, you cant actually physically do it.
Citizenfour premiered at the New York Film Festival in 2014 and among many other accolades, went on to win an Oscar for Best Documentary.
Despite all of the risks associated with the work she does, Poitras does not plan to let up on the difficult subjects she uncovers in her films. Next up is a documentary called Asylum, which will take a look at Julian Assange and Wikileaks.
This post originally appeared on laurencbyrd.wordpress.com.
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Lauren C. Byrd is a freelance writer and blogger. After leaving Tennessee post-college, she has lived in Los Angeles, update New York, Queens, and Los Angeles again. She loves to talk about women in film, but also cares about good TV, documentaries, podcasts, true crime, journalism and social justice.
Where is devout Theresa May to worship churches close to No10 and Chequers, preferably?
Might she, like Margaret Thatcher, choose the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace? The congregation always stood to greet the Iron Lady, who perched in the Royal Pew.
Asked why Methodist-raised Mrs T attended an Anglican service, the Queen's Domestic Chaplain, Prebendary Willie Booth, suggested it might be because he served her a generous measure of whisky in his sitting room afterwards.
Might Theresa May, like Margaret Thatcher, choose to worship at the Chapel Royal at St Jamess Palace?
Reappointed as Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt features on Sunday in a BBC1 documentary about the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. He is shown on the film complaining about a lack of Shakespeare. It was pointed out to Hunt Culture Secretary at the time that he had heard a section from The Tempest. Diplomatically (perhaps BBC wallahs don't yet know where they stand with the new PM), Hunt's faux pas has been removed from the film.
The sad disappearance of Michael Gove as Justice Secretary means court tailors have to produce a full set of ceremonial robes for the first female holder of the post, Liz Truss. Although official announcements call her Liz, she'll become Elizabeth in the presence of the monarch. Elizabeth II is never called Liz.
So-called glamour model Teresa May, 49, who informs Twitter followers she is 'not the Prime Minister', seeks meanwhile to exploit the commercial opportunities her No10 near-namesake has produced, telling fans: 'If you want to buy a topless signed selfie of me, email me I'm only doing these for a short while.' Normal life in modern Britain resumes
So-called glamour model Teresa May, 49, (pictured) informed Twitter followers she is 'not the Prime Minister'
Back in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox must ensure his official overseas trips are no longer a source of controversy. Almost forgotten is that he had to quit as Defence Secretary in 2011 after it emerged that he was accompanied on some trips abroad by his close pal and unofficial 'adviser', businessman Adam Werritty.
Writer Elizabeth Day mocks Labour leadership candidate Angela Eagle's promotional material 'featuring 'Angela' printed in loopy handwriting across a fragmented Union Jack in shades of orange and red so that the whole thing looked like a promotion for a new self-tanning vajazzle'. Vajazzle?! The OED says it's an adornment of a woman's pubic area with crystals, glitter or other decorations. Look out!
Labour leadership contender Angela Eagle (pictured) on College Green in Westminster on Thursday
Wrier and broadcaster Rod Liddle tells his audience at the pro-smoking Forest group's Freedom Dinner that lesbians are 'much scarcer than is popularly thought'. While the above-mentioned Miss Eagle is an out-and-proud sapphist as are the leaders of the Labour and Conservative parties in Scotland 'lesbians are almost endangered and we should perhaps consider a reintroduction policy in selected areas, much as has been accomplished with red kites in the Chilterns'. So thought-provoking!
Back in April, when she was still in favour of Britain staying in the EU, Theresa May gave a speech in which she said even if we voted to Remain it wouldnt prevent us pulling out of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Now that weve voted to Leave, whats she waiting for?
If Mother Theresa really believes Brexit means Brexit, she should immediately instruct her new Justice Secretary Liz Truss to give notice that we intend to withdraw from the Convention and replace it with a British Bill of Rights.
Now that Camerons gone, it is Theresa Mays chance to show that she meant at least part of what she said during the referendum campaign
After all, this was a Conservative manifesto commitment at the last General Election. The groundwork was prepared by Michael Gove and Chris Grayling, but Call Me Dave pulled the plug, claiming withdrawal would be too difficult.
Now that Camerons gone, it is Mays chance to show that she meant at least part of what she said during the referendum campaign. The Brexit vote has given us a golden opportunity to extricate ourselves not just from the EU but every single European institution which works against our best interests.
Although the Court of Human Rights is a separate entity from the EU, member states are obliged to obey its rulings. Yet despite this condition, Theresa believed we could disentangle ourselves without leaving the EU.
Now were heading for the exit, theres nothing stopping us.
The simplest way is for Parliament to repeal Labours 1998 Human Rights Act, which incorporated the Convention into British law described by Tony Blair as his greatest achievement in politics.
You dont need me to tell you that the yuman rites racket is the most pernicious piece of legislation ever to find its way onto the statute book.
As some of us warned at the time, it has proved to be a charter for crooks, terrorists, murderers, rapists and illegal immigrants as well as being a goldmine for lawyers, such as Blairs missus, the Wicked Witch, and her Left-wing colleagues at Matrix Chambers, aka Nonces R Us.
It has been used by politically motivated ambulance-chasers such as Birmingham-based Phil Shyster to hound brave British soldiers over fictitious claims of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other people have found themselves persecuted for their Christian beliefs.
And how many times have we been told we cant deport foreign criminals because it would be a breach of their human rights?
Abdi Waise was convicted of supplying class-B drugs, one count of kidnap and four counts of attempted kidnap
Take the latest case of an illegal Somalian immigrant, Abdi Waise, who was supposed to have been kicked out of Britain after serving six years of an eight-year sentence for raping a young woman he snatched off the street in 2008.
His deportation order was stayed in 2013 when lawyers paid out of legal aid, natch launched an appeal on human rights grounds.
Three weeks after he was released on licence, Waise struck again, posing as a police officer in an attempt to kidnap young children on their way to school in North London and ply them with drugs. One of his victims was an 11-year-old girl.
Waise has a string of convictions, including robbery, theft and possession of cannabis. He was also charged with two sexual offences, including an attempted rape involving throttling, both of which were dropped. A further charge of attempting to kidnap a 15-year-old girl was left on file.
Yesterday, at Wood Green Crown Court, he was convicted of supplying class-B drugs, kidnap and attempted kidnap. Judge Witold Pawlak expressed astonishment that the deportation order had not been enforced three years ago. If he had been deported then, all those children would not have gone through their unfortunate experiences.
Precisely, but this case is pretty much par for the course.
Ever since the yuman rites act was passed, this column has regularly reported on a procession of similar, outrageous abuses of justice involving foreign nationals who should have had no right to be here.
Thanks to the Act, terrorists dedicated to overthrowing our democracy and murdering as many British citizens as possible are not only free to walk the streets, theyre given rent-paid council houses and plied with benefits, including top-of-the-range TVs and family cars.
We cant even deport EU citizens back to their countries of origin. Remember the Mafia boss living in West London who successfully appealed against being sent back to Italy, on the grounds that he would be unfairly treated by the Italian justice system? Yet Italy is also a signatory to the human rights convention.
No wonder Britain has become a magnet for illegal immigrants and alleged asylum seekers from across the globe, such as those African migrants currently cluttering up Lake Como, near George Clooneys pad, and vowing: England, here we come! They know perfectly well if they can reach this country, the chances of them being booted out are less than zero.
Or, as Frank Sinatra almost sang in New York, New York:
If you can make it here,
You wont be sent ANYWHERE . . .
Ever since the Brexit vote, there has been an argument about the future status of EU citizens currently living here. Clearly it would be absurd and unfair to expel anyone who came here legally, is working, paying taxes and making a contribution to society.
But that shouldnt mean we have to continue to give houseroom to foreign undesirables, rough sleepers, welfare scroungers, gangsters, murderers, rapists, terrorists, beggars, muggers and cashpoint crooks who have set up shop here and who at present we seem powerless to deport.
Three weeks ago, Britain voted emphatically to leave the EU, to regain the right to make our own laws and control our own borders.
Our inability to manage immigration and kick out those who dont belong here was a decisive factor.
Leaving the EU will only partly solve the problem. Getting out of the European human rights stranglehold will be a major contribution to restoring our national sovereignty.
A glorious, independent future awaits once we are free of the shackles of foreign laws laid down by judges we cant name and didnt appoint.
So what are you waiting for, Theresa?
Heres something for you to contemplate if youre reading this at the airport, waiting for your holiday jet. Dont drink too much before boarding.
As a fairly frequent flier, Im well aware of the shortage of toilets on planes. I like to sip plenty of water on long-haul flights to stay hydrated, but sometimes have to limit my intake because of the inevitable queue for the loo, which often resembles the long line outside the Ladies during the interval at the theatre.
In pursuit of profit, some airlines would rather squeeze in more seats than provide an adequate number of lavatories.
Heres something for you to contemplate if youre reading this at the airport, waiting for your holiday jet. Dont drink too much before boarding
The problem is even worse when someone tries to flush a nappy down the toilet, putting it out of action for the rest of the flight, or an amorous couple decide to join the Mile High Club. Now manufacturer Airbus has come up with a possible solution for men, at least. It is proposing to install urinals on some flights to cut congestion.
Im sure it seemed like a good idea at the time, but have they thought it through properly? Urinals might optimise space, but they dont seem to have considered the possibility of, er, spillage, especially when the plane is experiencing turbulence. What if the pilot has to undertake an emergency nose dive?
Its bad enough when someone knocks over a can of beer on a plane. And by the end of most long-haul flights, traditional toilets can resemble the inside of a Portaloo after a four-day pop festival. A major urinal malfunction on a jumbo jet is too horrible to contemplate. Back to the drawing board.
A court martial was shown mobile footage of a woman performing a sex act on a man wearing a gas mask (file photo)
A 20-year-old woman went to Bulford Army barracks in Wiltshire for a threesome and ended up servicing seven soldiers.
A court martial was shown mobile footage of her performing a sex act on a man wearing a gas mask. Him, not her, that is.
Seems like a nice girl.
The orgy only came to light when the woman complained about being hit with the regimental cane, leading to charges being brought against a soldier who has since been promoted to Lance Corporal.
Defence counsel told the court martial that being hit with the cane was not particularly traumatic since she had intercourse with three of the squaddies simultaneously afterwards.
Case dismissed.
When I read this story, I was reminded of the time Del Boy saw Triggers birth certificate in Only Fools And Horses.
Under Fathers Name it read: Some soldiers.
Whats the worst job you ever had? An East London council is hiring staff to compile DNA profiles of dogs from the mess left in parks and on pavements.
Apparently, you can tell breed, gender, eye colour and even the texture of the dogs coat from stool samples. Once the animals have been identified, their owners will be issued with 80 fines. The scheme is being introduced in . . . the London Borough of Barking.
You couldnt make it up.
Remarkably, Tunisia is still claimed as a model for peaceful democratic transition by deluded champions of the 2011 Arab Spring that swept across North Africa.
However, the grim reality on the ground tells us a very different story. For that reason, it should come as little surprise that the perpetrator of the latest Islamic State-inspired atrocity, 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, held dual French-Tunisian nationality.
At break-neck speed, this tiny North African country once known only for its sun-baked beaches and liberal social mores has been transformed from a bastion of progressive secularism into a crucible of Islamist terror.
Nice truck attacker Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel held dual French-Tunisian nationality
The terrifying reality is that Bouhlels act of almost unimaginably brutal carnage is just the latest in a string of sickening attacks that highlight the role of young Tunisian-born men in orchestrating Islamist terror attacks at home and throughout the world.
Indeed, since the ousting of authoritarian President Ben Ali in a popular uprising five years ago, there have been no fewer than five major terrorist attacks claimed by Islamic State inside the country whose capital, Tunis, is located just 90 miles across the Mediterranean from Sicily.
The embattled government (the countrys first democratically elected president took office two years ago) says countless more major assaults have been foiled at the last minute.
Twenty-one mostly European tourists were massacred inside the capital citys most famous museum in March 2015.
And three months later, 38 more mostly British holidaymakers were mercilessly gunned down by another ISIS-brainwashed fanatic on a beach near the resort town of Sousse. That is also the place from which the Nice attacker Bouhlel reportedly hailed.
Small wonder Tunisia is now considered off-limits to all but the most intrepid European travellers.
If all that were not bad enough, despite having a population of just ten million, Tunisia has also been the leading supplier of Islamic State foot-soldiers in the terror groups self-declared caliphate, which straddles war-torn Syria and Iraq.
Some estimates suggest that as many as 7,000 Tunisians have left to fight for the jihadis.
The Tunisian government has also announced that up to 15,000 others have been banned from travelling because they were suspected of being ISIS sympathisers.
Unsurprisingly, Tunisians also form the vanguard of Islamic States increasingly menacing presence in Libya.
Thus when a US airstrike last year targeted a suspected Islamic State training camp near the capital, Tripoli, almost all of the 50 fighters killed were reportedly Tunisians.
Now, one of their countrymen has brought appalling bloodshed to the French Riviera and all the indications are that this attack is merely a harbinger of much worse to come on the European mainland.
While it is good news that Islamic State forces are being defeated and pushed back in Iraq and Syria, one knock-on effect is that thousands of battle-hardened Tunisians are now heading back to the Libyan training camps, or to their home towns.
This is particularly alarming because ISIS has spelled out, in newsletters and on social media, a very detailed plan, not only to flood Europe with Muslims by turning the Middle East into a war zone and thus displacing millions of people but also to exploit the resulting chaos by sneaking hundreds of jihadis into Europe among the refugees. One of their principal goals is to decimate the crucial tourism industries in countries like Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia.
Tunisian people revolution in 2011.After a short stand off, a few gunshots into the air, protestors took down the barriers and move into the centre of Tunis to outside the offices of the Prime Minister
This has been achieved with ruthless efficiency through bomb attacks on tourists in Istanbul, the downing of a Russian holiday jet over Egypt last year, and that beach attack in Tunisia.
As those tourist industries collapse, ever-larger numbers of young men find themselves unemployed and in despair and thus ripe for radicalisation.
The next stage of the ISIS plan is to recruit as many of them as possible, and launch them across the Mediterranean into Europe.
When they arrive, there instructions are simple: cause as much death and mayhem as possible.
Islamic State has called for all who pledge allegiance to its cause in Europe to attack infidels with whatever they can lay their hands on including vehicles, poison and even rocks.
That, of course, is exactly what Bouhlel did on Thursday night to such devastating effect.
ISIS has for some time used large trucks driven at high speed to recklessly kill civilians and sow continuous mayhem in Iraq and Syria.
It is terrifying to think that copycat attacks could now become a feature of life in Europe for they remove the need for terrorists to acquire bombs or guns. They simply need a driving licence.
At this stage, the only thing that seems certain is that ISIS has a clear plan to instigate an Islamic insurgency in the heart of Europe, and the steely determination to bring it to fruition. Their hope must be to sow intense discord between the Muslim and Christian populations until we move towards a kind of civil war that would sweep up ever-more people into its deadly embrace.
This is a chilling threat which our political leaders and security forces appear troublingly ill-prepared to acknowledge, let alone eradicate.
They say make-up has the power to transform, but can it turn you into a different person altogether?
Lucia Pittalis certainly thinks so. The Rome-born beauty guru, who dubs her work 'makeart', has built a huge social media following thanks to her scarily realistic celebrity makeovers.
The portrait painter uses make-up alone - no prosthetics, no camera tricks, just intricate application and extreme contouring - to turn herself into famous faces, from Sylvester Stalone to Iggy Pop.
Indeed, a recent video of her styled as Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow notched up more than 12,000 views in a matter of days on Instagram.
This week, Lucia is turning her attention to stars of the silver screen to support Sky Movies' transition into Sky Cinema.
So we challenged the talented artist to work her magic on FEMAIL writer Emily Hodgkin, 24, from south London, turning her into one of the most recognisable faces in British cinema.
Lucia decided to transform Emily into Kate Winslet as femme fatale Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage from the 2015 film The Dressmaker.
Slide me Lucia Pittalis transformed Emily Hodgkin into Kate Winslet as femme fatale Myrtle "Tilly" Dunnage from the 2015 film The Dressmaker, undergoing several hours of make-up and even donning a strawberry blonde wig
Before: How Emily looked before her dramatic transformation using make-up and props alone
After: Thanks to thick make-up, a wig, hat and some acting Emily is transformed into Kate Winslet
For this, she underwent more than four hours of heavy make-up and even donned a wig to get into character. Here's how she got on.
Lucia said: 'I really enjoyed transforming Emily into Kate Winslet. I began working on the shape of Emily's face, using my own method of extreme contouring.
'I am a professional make-up artist, but this for me is more like painting a portrait, using light and shade to build facial structure. I spent a lot of time studying Kate Winslet's face to get the features exactly right.
'She has such a strong look with distinctive features, especially her lips. And then I added finishing touches with costume and wig.'
Speaking of her tachnique, Lucia said: 'This for me is more like painting a portrait, using light and shade to build facial structure. I spent a lot of time studying Kate Winslet's face to get the features exactly right'
Lucia used an Italian product called IndioColor sticks to achieve the Kate look, saying: 'She has such a strong look with distinctive features, especially her lips. And then I added finishing touches with costume and wig'
Lucia holds Kate Winslet's picture in one hand so she can perfectly replicate the star's eyebrows on Emily's face
Emilly said: 'At first I was a bit anxious about just who Lucia might turn me into. I expecting to become Sylvester Stallone or Marlon Brando, so when I discovered she had chosen to transform me into Kate Winslet I was slightly relieved.
'Kate is one of the most beautiful women in the world so I was excited at the prospect of looking even remotely like her.
'However, the process wouldn't be as easy as I imagined.
We challenged Lucia to turn Emily into Kate Winslet. She said: 'I really enjoyed transforming Emily into Kate. I began working on the shape of Emily's face, using my own method of extreme contouring'
Lucia had to draw an entirely new lipline on Emily's face to create Kate Winslet's distinctive cupid's bow
'I spent hours under hot studio lights as Lucia painstakingly applied layer after layer of contouring make-up to my face from her huge supply of colours and products.
'She said she had chosen Kate as a match for me because of my strong eyebrows, but a lot of work would have to go into transforming my plump and rounded lips into Kate's defined pout with its high cupid's bow.
'Similarly Lucia explained she would have to work on making my almond-shaped eyes more cat-like - just like Kate's.
'A lot of dark make-up was used to give me the illusion of a slimmer jaw and the killer, Hollywood cheekbones that I am distinctly lacking.
With the wig over her natural fair hair and the heavy make-up, Emily doesn't quite capture Kate Winslet
But once she has her props - the outfit, cigarette holder and hat the look starts to come together
Lucia poses with Emily after working her magic on her using all the tools in her make-up toolkit
'Lucia explained to me that one of the most important parts of creating the illusion is mimicking the expression of the star. I'm a terrible actress so this was by far the most difficult part, but I did my best to imitate Kate's stern yet sultry expression - holding a cigarette in my hand.
'However, once I'd slipped into the fabulous white hat and gloves I finally felt a little like a screen siren.
'While Lucia is incredibly talented, I can't see myself rocking this look on a night out - even if I was able to blag my way into the VIP area with it. The layers of make-up are so thick that I felt like I was sweating them off. I was very glad to take it off and get back to my normal face - even if it's not one of a Hollywood star.'
This week, Lucia is turning her attention to stars of the silver screen to support Sky Movies' transition into Sky Cinema where theres a new premiere each day, in addition to over 1,000 movies on demand.
Two inspirational mothers have banded together to create a sunscreen applicator for children after becoming concerned about how their kids stay safe in the sun.
Kelli Aspland and Laura Griffin's children attend the same strict no-touch policy school, meaning their teachers aren't allowed to help them apply the protection.
With that in mind, the entrepreneurs, from Cwmbran, South Wales, who have seven children between them, set about coming up for an idea for a product in their living rooms - which they call their makeshift boardroom.
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Kelli Aspland and Laura Griffin's children attend the same strict no touch policy school, meaning their teachers aren't allowed to help them apply sunscreen
Kelli, 37, and Laura, 33, who have no previous experience of business, created the refillable, roll-on, mess free sunscreen applicator with product design students at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
And now Solar Buddies, a small roller-ball applicator which retails at just over 8, has been snapped up by JoJo Maman Bebe - loved by the Duchess of Cambridge and Victoria Beckham - and also a few smaller retailers around the UK.
Laura, who is mother to Emily, 15, Ffion, eight, and Ioan, five, and Kelli, who has Olivia, 17, Sam, 14, Charlie, nine and Harri, six, wanted the Buddies to be ergonomically designed for small hands as well as being easy to use and refill.
The pair were introduced when their three-year-old son and daughter met in nursery - and the children decided they wanted to get married.
Kelli, 37, and Laura, 33, created the refillable, roll-on, mess free sunscreen applicator with product design students at Cardiff Metropolitan University
Kelli said: 'Laura and I met at our children's school St David's RC school in Cwmbran. Our three- year-olds were in the same nursery class and they adored each other.
'Charlie, my son, and Ffion, Laura's daughter, fell in love and wanted to get married. We met up lots of times after being introduced through our children and we formed a great friendship.'
The mothers were aware there was nothing on the market which helped children independently apply sunscreen and that many of the traditional suncream bottles and applicators were very difficult for children to use on their own.
The two mothers from Cwmbran, who have seven children between them, set about to devise a product to help children apply their sunscreen independently (pictured: young boys using the product)
Kelli said: 'One of the teachers at our children's school had called me to tell me how my eldest son, Sam, had been asked to come help my middle son, Charlie, to apply his sunscreen at lunch time and how much of a mess they had both got into.
WHAT MAKES SOLAR BUDDIES DIFFERENT? The sunscreen applicator is lightweight, and designed to be easily used by children. The applicator can be used with your preferred sunscreen as it is refillable. The wide neck is designed to make it easy to fill and clean and the roller ball makes it easy for young children to apply. Advertisement
'The teacher was telling me because it was a humorous story, and yes I laughed too, but when I told Laura about the story she told me how one of her friend's daughter, who attended a different school, had been badly sunburnt whilst at school because the teachers were unable to assist the children in applying the sunscreen.
'We then discussed how it would be great to have a product which would help the children to be protected from the sun whilst at school and an easier way for them to put lotion on, if they aren't able to have assistance.'
This conversation lead onto further chats about the issue back in Lauras living room where they discussed what attributes would make a great applicator.
Kelli said: 'After our initial talk about what would make a great applicator we decided to have a bash at trying to design one ourselves.
'We went to our local healthcare shop and grabbed different types of applicator pads, roller balls products and small containers. We took all these items home and ripped them apart and then started to combine them to create our designs.'
From idea to product the process took a year, and the finished items were launched in July 2015
The mothers then bought different styles of sunscreen applicator and started pulling them apart and putting them back together to create new child-friendly styles.
From idea to product the process took a year, and the finished items were launched in July 2015.
So far the mothers, who go from school to school giving educational advice about keeping safe in the sun, have made a gross profit of 23,000 and work on the business full-time.
The two women had no experience in business before starting their Solar Buddies venture. Laura was a civil servant and Kelli was just about to enrol on a nursing course.
Laura and Kelli have invested their own money into Solar Buddies, but also secured investment and mentoring from Hayley Parsons OBE, the founder and former CEO of Gocompare.com.
Dream big and try your damned hardest
Kelli said: 'Genuinely the feedback has always been positive, everyone we speak to always says the same thing, they love the concept of the Solar Buddies and are delighted to see that they are not let down when they receive their Solar Buddies.
'Laura and I didn't have any business background or experience. We were mums who started a business out of concern for our children's safety, and that is what has given us this passion and drive.
'Dream big and try your damned hardest - there are people out there who are more than willing to bend over backwards to help you, all you have to do is ask.
Many women do not realise cosmetics like lipstick have use by date
Meanwhile, your bra may need to be replaced after six months
Experts say you should get new toothbrush every three or four months
Many of us are guilty of not replacing every day items until they really can't be used.
But experts have revealed why we should really get round to buying that new toothbrush, pillow, or lipstick - as our current ones could be damaging our health.
From cosmetics to razors, we should probably be replacing these items more regularly than you might expect.
Not changing your toothbrush regularly makes it much less effective, and could lead to the build up of bacteria
TOOTHBRUSH - EVERY THREE/FOUR MONTHS
We all know that brushing your teeth is crucial to dental hygiene, but not changing your toothbrush regularly enough can make the daily ritual much less effective - and lead to the build up of bacteria.
Experts advise that you should replace your toothbrush at least once every three or four months.
This is applies to electric toothbrush heads, as well as regular toothbrushes.
Michaela O'Neill, president of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, said: 'You should also look out for signs of wear, such as the bristles being splayed,' she said.
'This will reduce the effectiveness of the brush and can lead to debris getting trapped in the bristles.'
She says that if you become ill, you should change your toothbrush immediately after.
It may shock you to hear that lingerie experts say they should be replaced every six months
SIX SIGNS YOU NEED TO THROW YOUR BRA OUT Lingerie consultant Becky John, who runs SuperStylingUK, says you should replace your bra if any of the following apply. 1. The first obviously is if your bust is drooping and the bra no longer is doing its job. 2. Your body has changed and you definitely need a different size. 3. You have to wear your bra on the tightest hook and its not keeping firmly in place. 4. The fabric is so stretched it doesnt bounce back. 5. When moulded cups have lost their shape. 6. When wires are poking through and the hooks are broken. Advertisement
BRA - EVERY SIX MONTHS
Many women will have bras in the back of their drawer that they've had for years.
But it may shock you to hear that lingerie experts say they should be replaced around every six months, although it does depend how much you wear it.
Claire Franks, from Intimate Apparel Consultancy, said: 'Depending on how many bras you have available, three being the recommended amount, bras should be replaced every 6 months.'
'They should be replaced when the hook and eye adjuster cannot be tightened enough to give a snug fit around the body and the bra rides up the back.
'They need to replaced in order to maintain the best fit and lift and to continue to be comfortable as bras will stretch through wear.'
While many people wait for over a decade before getting a new mattress, experts say we should be getting a new one every seven to eight years
MATTRESS - EVERY SEVEN/EIGHT YEARS
Having a comfortable, supportive bed is crucial when it comes to having a good night's sleep.
And while many people wait for over a decade before getting a new mattress, experts say we should be getting a new one every seven to eight years.
If you take a 1,000 bed over seven years it only works out at 20p per night
Lisa Artis, from the Sleep Council, said: 'A bed with the correct support, comfort and space will ensure you wake less, move about less, are less disturbed by your partner and are less likely to wake up feeling tired or aching.
'We recommend replacing your mattress around every seven to eight years. We often find many people think replacing after this time is quite excessive but if you take a 1,000 bed over seven years it only works out at 20p per night.
'It's not a huge price to pay for getting a good night's sleep especially when we know how important sleep is to our health and wellbeing.
She says most people only replace their mattress when they find it uncomfortable. But even though your mattress may seem okay, it may not be supporting you correctly.
Meanwhile, experts say pillows should be replaced at least once every two or three years
PILLOWS - EVERY TWO/THREE YEARS
Pillows should be replaced at least once every two or three years, according to experts.
Lisa said: 'When they have lost their 'loft', or heigh, and become lumpy, discoloured or misshapen they should be replaced.
'A good pillow should hold your head in the correct alignment - that is, in the same relation to your shoulders and spine as if you were standing upright with the correct posture.
'It should also be tucked well into the neck and shoulder to support your head fully.'
One make-up artist recommends washing your make-up brushes every evening
MAKE-UP BRUSHES - WASH EVERY NIGHT
Dirty make-up brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria and can be the cause of adult acne.
Make-up artist Davinia Fermi, who is director of the DFMA make-up academy, runs the recommends washing your brushes every evening.
'Left over product in the brush can cause contamination, especially with liquid products,' she said.
She added that good quality make-up brushes that are looked after well should last a life-time, but said you should look out for signs of wear and tear.
'These include hairs falling out and uneven brush hairs,' she said. 'If not taken care off they can knot up and not give you the best application.'
Meanwhile, make-up sponges can last up to a month if you wash them weekly.
Many women don't realise that hoarding products for years could be harmful to their health
COSMETICS
Many women don't realise that cosmetics have expiry dates - and that hoarding products for years could be harmful to their health.
A recent study showed that old cosmetics harbour deadly bacteria and can lead to urine infections, gastroenteritis, and even meningitis.
Davinia says that mascara and eyeliner should be replaced every six months, while lipsticks last for about a year.
'Most products will show a small sign with a month recommendation. This symbol means once open use within this time,' she said.
'If you don't replace your products when suggested on the packaging then the product will go off and can cause infection on the skin.'
She added: 'You can smell it when a lipstick has gone off. It will cause damage to your lips if not replaced.'
RAZORS - EVERY THREE/SIX DAYS
Razor blades should be replaced every three to six days, or if there are any traces of rust
Razor blades can be expensive - but experts say you definitely shouldn't skimp on replacing them when necessary.
Dermatologist Dr Stefanie Williams says how often we should replace the blade depends on a number of factors, but a sensible approach would be to change it every three to six days.
She said: 'In general the sharper the blade, the better. The razor should slide smoothly over the skin.
'If it starts pulling, the blade is getting dull and should be replaced, as dull blades can increase the risk of nicks and other adverse effects.
'It goes without saying that any traces of rust on it should also prompt you to replace it. Ignoring to replace the blade regularly can also lead to bacterial growing on it.'
You should wash your towels regularly in order to stop bacteria from spreading, but experts say there is no set amount of time for when you should throw them out
TOWELS - NO SET TIME
You should wash your towels regularly in order to stop bacteria from spreading, but experts say there is no set amount of time for when you should throw them out.
Hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley, from the University of Salford, said: 'If everyone uses their own towels, washing bath towels once a week would be fine.
'Hand towels in cloakrooms should be changed once a day in busy households. Again if you live on your own and no one visits then the frequency is less.'
Gigi Hadid - yes, she of the tall, skinny supermodel variety - loves burgers. In fact, she loves them so much that she once sanctioned the saying 'Eat clean to stay fit. Eat a burger to stay sane,' on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
'It's something that I go by religiously in my life,' she told the talk show host prior to admitting that she spent the first year she lived in New York City trying a different burger each week in search of the best one.
Gigi's burger quest is the reason I find myself sitting at an old wooden table covered with a checkered cloth at JG Melon on a recent sunny afternoon in Manhattan. I am halfway through a day of trying to live like the 21-year-old model, and this is the place she found her favorite burger. I'm sure there are many days when Gigi eats a salad, but as a non-model, this seems like a much more appealing spot for lunch.
Eat your heart out, Gigi! Dailymail.com Beauty Director Lindsey Unterberger poses with male model Akin Akman in her own version of Tommy Hilfiger's The Girl fragrance campaign
The real deal: Supermodel Gigi Hadid, 21, on the set of the actual The Girl campaign shoot alongside Akin
'I'll have a cheeseburger, medium rare, hold the tomatoes,' I tell the waiter, after consulting my imaginary WWGD (What Would Gigi Do) bracelet.
At my feet sit two giant shopping bags from Tommy Hilfiger, filled with more of the iconic brand's fashion than I can ever imagine buying on my own. But as the fashion house's global ambassador, Gigi undoubtedly has unprecedented access to the designer duds, so I stocked up on striped shirts, a black leather jacket, a navy blue trench, crisp white sneakers and more.
Gigi's Hilfiger partnership is also the reason I'm spending my day pretending to live like her. In addition to the capsule collection she designed for the brand (available this fall), the elder Hadid sister is the face of the house's newest fragrance, aptly named The Girl, which hits stores in August.
In the campaign for the fragrance, Gigi stars alongside hunky male models dressed as sailors. For the purpose of this story, I've been invited to take her place on set and re-create the ads.
Aye, aye captain: Gigi looks all-American as she models pieces from her upcoming capsule collection with Tommy Hilfiger during a photoshoot in New York City
Eat like a supermodel: Gigi's favorite burger in New York City is from JG Melon - no tomatoes, please
As I mindlessly look out the window (maybe this experience is going to my head; I'm actually starting to think paparazzi are waiting for me), I find myself wondering if Gigi has to wait so long to get her hamburger. I'm ravenous.
At long last the burger comes and it is, as Gigi claims, phenomenal. I scarf it down in roughly four bites, along with an order of cottage fries, before realizing I probably should've waited until after the shoot to eat such a big meal. Oops.
I head off to meet my driver in the large, black SUV that has been hired to take me from the restaurant to the shoot downtown. Presumably Gigi doesn't take the subway to work like the rest of us.
I arrive at the fake Tommy Hilfiger set in a gorgeous loft space that I've only been to before for fashion shows and and am greeted with large gold Mylar balloons that spell out The Girl.
Racks of nautical-themed clothing line one corner of the loft, allowing me a sneak peek at Gigi's capsule collection. I want everything in it - most notably high black ankle booties with gold buckles and a cream-colored furry jacket.
Let us spray: Iconic designer Tommy Hilfiger spritzes Gigi with The Girl during a shoot for the campaign
Mark your calendar: The Girl by Tommy Hilfiger will be available in August, so you can spell like Gigi too
At ease, sailors! Gigi easily commands the attention of the men on her 'ship'
Much to my dismay, I was not allowed to actually wear anything from the capsule for the shoot. Instead, there was a rack of sea-worthy clothing from Tommy's current collection. I choose a long, double-breasted navy peacoat with gold buttons that looks similar to the coat Gigi wears in the ad campaign, and pair it with the white Tommy sneakers I purchased earlier in the day in lieu of those amazing black booties.
With my wardrobe sorted, I expect to be hauled off to hair and make-up. I soon learn that was not on the day's agenda. I was to be my own glam squad.
I could cover my hair with a cute sailor hat, so that part wasn't a big deal. As for the make-up, I thought to myself, 'I'm a beauty editor, surely I can do this'. I consult my imaginary WWGD bracelet once again and take a deep breath. In addition to her Tommy gig, Gigi is also a face of Maybelline New York, and in preparation for the day, I had stocked my make-up bag with a few of her favorite products.
She can rock a nude lip much better than I and has said she likes Maybelline's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color in Daringly Nude. In the hopes of not looking pale and potentially dead, I go with the same product in the more complexion-flattering-for-me Ravishing Rose.
I groom my eyebrows using the Gigi-approved Eyestudio Brow Drama Pomade Crayon and lengthen my lashes with The Falsies Push Up Drama mascara.
What's out there? Lindsey happily played the part of Akin's first mate on set
Tee hee: Lindsey giggled like a schoolgirl while modeling with handsome Akin
I take a large gulp of champagne (naturally, there was champagne on set) and pray to the Photoshop gods that my mini makeover is enough. Now I just have to get into the mindset of The Girl.
In the press release for the scent, Gigi said The Girl meant 'being true to yourself and having fun while you're at it.' Adding, 'for me, that's appreciating every moment, laughing at myself, and surrounding myself with everything that makes me feel happy.'
'I'm going to need loads more champagne for this,' I think.
Now, I don't know if Gigi actually does this, but in my head I picture her spritzing on The Girl right before she starts shooting, so I too spray myself with the fragrance.
The scent instantly takes me back to my high school days. It is more sophisticated than anything I wore back then - the original Tommy Girl included - but there is something about it that brings on a distinct sense of deja vu.
Later, when I read the notes in the fragrance I realize what it was: green pear. The note is undeniably there, paired with violet leaf, green fig leaves, jasmine petals and muguet, but it's tempered by the cedarwood and cashmeran, making it much more modern than anything I wore as a teenager.
The scent is supposedly inspired by Gigi's 'free-spririted and magnetic personality.' I don't know if it's just the effect of the champagne, but the longer I wear The Girl, the more I understand what that means.
Maybe she's born with it... Gigi is a face of Maybelline New York, so Lindsey used the brand's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lip Color (left and right) and The Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara (center) for her shoot
I pick up my sailor hat and step up on the rickety wood platform, there to mimic the planks on a ship. I'm met by a wind-machine and a 'sailor' named Akin Akman, who stars alongside Gigi in the real campaign. In his non-modeling life, Akin is a fitness instructor with a cult-like following known as Akin's Army. He's unnervingly handsome.
I have to give major props to Gigi - modeling is a lot harder than it looks. When we wrap for the day, I'm mentally and physically exhausted.
For the next 15 minutes I put on my best Gigi-model face and casually flirt with Akin. I look deep in his eyes while we arm wrestle on a wooden barrel, throw my arms around his muscular shoulders to demonstrate how close our bond has become on the high seas...
...Oh wait, that's the scene playing out in my head.
In reality, I'm trying hard not to fall through the cracks in the platform and furiously batting away my hair every time the wind machine blows it across my face. I'm sweating like a pig under my wool coat, and every time the photographer suggests a new pose for me to do with Akin, I feel the urge to giggle like a 12-year-old girl. Basically, I'm the physical embodiment of one of those 'what I think I look like versus what I actually look like' memes.
Somehow, I get through the shoot. But I have to give major props to Gigi - modeling is a lot harder than it looks. When we wrap for the day, I'm mentally and physically exhausted and beyond ready to crawl into bed.
Once upon a time: Gigi was hot and heavy with Joe Jonas (right) before she became romantically involved with current beau Zayn Malik
Just DNCE: During her day in the life of Gigi, Lindsey attended a Dailymail.com-hosted DNCE concert. The band's frontman is Gigi's ex, Joe Jonas (far left and right)
Thanks for the memories: This photo-op was as close to Joe (center) as Lindsey (left) got during the party
Off again, on again: Gigi is currently back together with former One Director member Zayn Malik (left)
But that's not what the real Gigi would do, so it's not what I do either.
Instead, I change into black high-waisted skinny jeans, a loose white cropped top and a pair of black ankle booties (I really can't get the #TommyxGigi ones out of my head). I touch up my lipstick with a red Maybelline shade and head off for a night out.
It just so happens that Dailymail.com is throwing a bash that includes a performance by DNCE, whose frontman is none other than Gigi's ex, Joe Jonas. I may not be able to spend the night with her current boyfriend, Zayn Malik, but this seems pretty damn close.
Of course, the closest I actually get to Joe is standing next to him and his bandmates for a photo-op.
In the cab on my way home, I mentally review the success of my day as Gigi. Driver? Check. Shopping spree? Check. Favorite meal? Check. Major modeling gig? Check, check. Wardrobe change? Check. Famous boyfriend? Close enough. Capturing it all on social media? Uh-oh, I realize I haven't documented a single moment of my day.
Gigi would never let down her 20 million+ followers like that. Luckily it'll be her, not me, unveiling the rest of The Girl campaign this month.
People in the comments section have been divided on whether to try it
She unveiled this in an Instagram video viewed more than 640,000 times
The acclaimed beauty blogger sets it with coconut oil on her cheeks
Huda Kattan of Huda Beauty has an unusual highlighter trick to set product
From smooth skin to white teeth and softer tresses, coconut oil has long been heralded as a beauty staple as well as something for your kitchen cupboard.
But one Dubai-based blogger renowned for her quirky but brilliant beauty tricks, Huda Beauty, has taken things one step further, with this novel use for the all-round-hero product.
Huda Kattan says that the Gwyneth Paltrow favourite also works as a set for your highlighter, which she reveals in a fascinating Instagram clip.
Tips and tricks: Dubai-based blogger renowned for her quirky but brilliant beauty tricks, Huda Kattan, has found an even more unusual use for coconut oil than most - with her highlighter (pictured)
Dewy skin: Huda Kattan says that the Gwyneth Paltrow favourite also works as a set for your highlighter, which she reveals in a fascinating Instagram clip (pictured)
'I know this is weird, but I love using a thicker oil to set in between my highlight,' she begins her caption to the accompanying video that has been viewed more than 640,000 times.
'Coconut oil is my favourite,' she continues.
'I used @beccacosmetics @jaclynhill highlight palette any coconut oil I can get my hands on [sic] @artistcouture highlighter from @mac_daddyy wearing our new @shophudabeauty Noelle Faux Mink lashes...'.
Wise words: 'I know this is weird, but I love using a thicker oil to set in between my highlight,' she begins her caption to the accompanying video that has been viewed more than 640,000 times
How it works: The video shows the blogger (pictured) applying the first highlighter initially, before picking up a jar of coconut oil and pressing it into her skin with her fingers - she then uses a second highlighter on top
The video shows the blogger applying the first highlighter initially, before picking up a jar of coconut oil and pressing it into her skin with her fingers.
She then uses a second highlighter on top of both products.
The result is highlighter that looks like it would gleam from outer space.
Dispute: While the coconut oil supposedly offers staying power, comments underneath the blogger's Instagram clip have been divided as to whether people will try the trick or not
Fan base: Huda Kattan has built up a loyal following of people who come to her blog for her tips and tricks - even if you think it's excessive using two highlighters and coconut oil, many have said it looks good
While the coconut oil supposedly offers staying power, comments underneath the blogger's Instagram clip have been divided as to whether people will try the trick or not.
'The only problem with using oil under makeup is it can clog up the pores and break you out,' one person writes.
Others say they can't wait to try the method for themselves, complimenting Ms Kattan on how great and dewy her complexion looks.
We have all heard of the Prince George effect but it seems when it comes to children's style influences, the young royal has competition.
Following the appearance of 12-year-old Nancy and Florence Cameron during their father David's resignation on Wednesday, a Notting Hill boutique has seen a boost in sales thanks to the girls' style choices.
Both the sisters looked charming in floral dresses from ilovegorgeous, which has a store in West London as well as online.
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Sisters Nancy (left) and Florence Cameron (right) have sparked sales at a Notting Hill boutique after they were pictured in their wears yesterday
Purchased in ilovegorgeous Nancy's Henry dress at 48.30 (left) is now low in stock and Florence's Hemmingway dress at 35.50 (right) is now completely sold out
And it seems other mothers are hoping to replicate their looks on their own children.
Nancy's Henry dress that retails at 48.30 in the sale, down from 69, is now low in stock only available in very small sizes, according to the Evening Standard.
But five-year-old Florence's pink Hemmingway dress, which retailed at 32.50, down from 65, is now completely sold out in every size.
Florence's outfit was finished with a pair of gold Mary Jane T-bar shoes also from the same shop, priced at 65.
Both the sisters looked charming in floral dresses from ilovegorgeous has a store in the London district as well as online
Florence's outfit was finished with a pair of gold Mary Jane T-bar shoes also from the same shop, priced at 65 (pictured with their brother Elwen)
Elwen was dressed in a white shirt, jeans and a pair of trendy high top Vans sneakers priced at 52 as he watched his father's historic speech
Their brother Elwen, 10, was dressed in a white shirt, jeans and a pair of trendy high top Vans sneakers priced at 52 as he watched his father's historic speech.
It is likely that their impeccably dressed mother Samantha Cameron had an influence over their dress sense, and she did not disappoint in the wardrobe department.
For her last appearance outside Downing Street as the wife of the Prime Minister, the ever immaculate and stylish 45-year-old was sure to leave a lasting impression in a striking 1,490 graphic print dress by Roksanda.
Mrs Cameron wore the elegant dress with a zip front from the designer's 10 year anniversary capsule collection, to accompany her husband to Buckingham Palace as he officially tendered his resignation yesterday.
Samantha Cameron gives her husband a loving smile after he described her as the most 'amazing wife, mother and businesswoman' in his final speech outside 10 Downing Street this afternoon
Samantha planted a loving kiss on Cameron's cheek before he headed to Buckingham Palace to officially tender his resignation
Samantha grips her children's hands during David's parting speech, as Nancy and Florence trying their best to maintain brave faces
The supportive family embraced their father as he prepared to give his final words as Britain's Prime Minister
And, like the Duchess of Cambridge who is also a fan of the Serbian-born designer, she pulled off the bold print with aplomb, pairing it with black suede pointed court shoes and a patent black belt.
David Cameron paid an emotional tribute to his family as he bid farewell to Downing Street last night, describing Samantha as 'the love of my life'.
He also said of Samantha - his spouse of 20 years - that she was the most 'amazing wife, mother and businesswoman'.
The decision to pose for photos in front of the world's media was an unprecedented first for the Camerons and their children stole the show as they tried to put a brave face on an emotional occasion.
Florence, who is just five years old, appeared to be a little camera shy this afternoon as she was pictured clinging to her mother
Samantha Cameron was prepared to give her daughter a supportive arm as she faced the world's media this afternoon
David Cameron gave his eldest child Nancy a supportive squeeze and a kiss on her head as she left her home today
The family then climbed into two cars and left Britain's most famous address - that Sam Cam admitted to being 'terrified' of before they moved in - for the last time
The husband and wife took one last look at their home of six years as they prepared to leave Downing Street
Florence clutched on to her big sister and clung on to her mother's dress.
The family then climbed into two different cars and left Britain's most famous address - that Sam Cam admitted to being 'terrified' of before they moved in - for the last time.
The Camerons could hardly have imagined the events of today when they celebrated the Conservative victory just over a year ago.
When they lost their first child in a terrible incident last November, Amber Scorah and Lee Townsend's world was turned upside down.
But less than a year on, the couple have a reason to smile again after becoming parents for the second time, recently welcoming a new daughter Sevi into the world.
Having taken three months maternity leave, Ms Scorah, from New York, dropped her three-month-old son Karl off for his first day at daycare only to return hours later to find him 'unconscious' and 'blue'.
Newborn miracle: Lee Townsend (pictured left) and wife Amber Scorah (pictured right) recently welcomed a new daughter Sevi into the world less than a year after their first son Karl died on his first day at daycare
Speaking to the Death, Sex and Money podcast the couple described their torturous twelve months and explained that welcoming a new child hadn't been easy.
'When we were pregnant with Karl we had a total sense of innocence about everything its been really hard to get as excited this time,' Mr Townsend said.
Ms Scorah said it had been difficult to get over the moment she walked into the daycare centre and found the 'daycare owner incorrectly performing CPR' on her son.
'I just like I remember its such a PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) kind of thing. Like I replay that moment over and over in my mind,' Ms Scorah she told the podcast.
'I mean, theres no words to kind of explain the turmoil the mental turmoil of that.'
In the days following her son's death Ms Scorah wrote a blog post about her devastation.
Beautiful pair: Karl (pictured left) was three months old when he died and would have been a big brother to young Sevi (pictured right)
Positive turn: Mr Townsend and Ms Scorah say they hope the birth of their new daughter Sevi will take some of the sadness away following the death of their first son Karl (pictured)
Devastated: Ms Scorah was unable to cope with living in her family home following the death of Karl (pictured) and so she and Mr Townsend moved in to a friend's apartment
Naturally, overcoming the death of their son proved an incredibly tough task for both Ms Scorah and Mr Townsend.
The pair were unable to stand living in their own home and ended up moving in with a friend for several weeks as they struggled to cope.
Ms Scorah recently posted an Instagram photo of their newborn baby and described Sevi as Karl's little sister.
And she said in the podcast that while the pregnancy has been difficult, overcoming their sadness had been made slightly easier by the arrival of their daughter.
'A little bit of the sadness is taken away,' she said.
Taken too soon: After being forced to check Karl (pictured) into daycare because they were financial strapped, Ms Scorah has been a fierce advocate for the introduction of paid parental leave since her son's death
Parenting support: Following Karl's (pictured) death, the couple launched a website in support of paid parental leave in the US called ForKarl
Tragedy: The daycare centre that Karl was attending was found to be operating without a licence and was shut down the day after his death
'Because at least you have a baby to hold at the beginning. Like, even if its just that, thats something.'
Ms Scorah had sent her son to daycare because of financial stress caused by being away from work.
Since her son's death she has been a prominent supporter of introducing a paid parental leave system in the United States, appearing on numerous media sites and shows.
Most of us would recognise a photo of a Pizza Hut deep pan pizza, but would we understand an entire menu written in pictures?
Customers are set to find out as the fast food chain launches a menu that's written entirely in emojis.
Without words helping to explain the dishes on offer, pizza fans will only have images including chillis, slices of cheese, cow's faces and mushrooms to help them understand their order.
To honour World Emoji Day Pizza Hut will be launching an emoji-fied its menu this weekend, above
But don't worry, if it all gets too difficult for some technophobes there is an option to read the usual menu which will be on hand.
The limited edition emoji menu will be on offer at six restaurants: The Strand London, Birmingham Bullring, Liverpool Paradise Street, Edinburgh Hanover Street, Manchester Fountain Street and Cardiff Queens Street.
And while emojis might look like child's play Pizza Hut required the services of an expert to devise the menu.
From Wednesday 13th July, Pizza Hut Restaurants' customers will be served the limited edition emoji menu
The chain's director of HR and marketing, Kath Austin, said the emoji menu was released to tie in with World Emoji Day and the release of 72 new emojis.
'We have a huge focus on menu innovation and having already launched a brand new menu recently, we hope customers enjoy decrypting the emoji version as much as we did creating it!'
New menu items such as Jalapeno Poppers, Hot Crisps, Frickles and Spicy BBQ ribs have all also been translated into emojis.
Customers will be required to decode the menu in the digital language before placing their order
Customers will be served the limited edition emoji menu while dining at six restaurants.
Many of the items look easy enough to translate, with one pizza option including pictures of a tomato, basil plant, a green heart and a mushroom with the vegetarian 'v' sign next to it.
A crown, chicken and drumstick is slightly more obscure.
One menu option which includes a chilli, a devil's face, flames and a crying emoji may not reveal the specifics of the ingredients but anyone will understand that it involves some eye-watering spice.
Pizza Hut Restaurants worked closely with social media expert, Geoff Desreumaux, Founder of WeRSM (We Are Social Media), to design and develop the menu
Pizza Hut say it released the emoji menu to tie in with World Emoji Day and the release of 72 new emoticons
Onion rings appear to be described using a crying face and an engagement ring on the emoji menu
The side dishes have been illustrated in a literal way.
Sweet potato fries have a a picture of a sweet potato next to some fries.
A wedge of cheese next to fries indicates a combination of the two ingredients are being served up in the final result.
A third of women with incurable breast cancer feel their worries were simply dismissed by doctors and nurses, a damning report reveals.
Some were sent away by GPs when they first sought help with symptoms, while others were told they needed to 'just get on with it'.
And when the illness was eventually diagnosed, women said they felt 'very alone' and were not offered vital information and support.
The damning report revealed that one in five women had to wait at least three months between first having symptoms and seeing a specialist doctor (file photo)
The report, which examined the experiences of nearly 850 women with incurable breast cancer, also found:
One in five of those who had previously had the illness were initially misdiagnosed by GPs when it returned;
Half were on their own when doctors broke the news they were not advised to bring a loved one;
One in five had to wait at least three months between first having symptoms and seeing a specialist doctor;
Some 8 per cent were only diagnosed in A&E often because their illness had been repeatedly missed by GPs.
Around 36,000 women in Britain have incurable or 'secondary' stage breast cancer and it claims 11,600 lives a year. It means that tumours have spread to the bones, brain or other organs and will never be completely eradicated.
Despite the prognosis, there are treatments which can slow the tumours' spread and many patients go on to live for years.
Yet today's report by the charity Breast Cancer Care reveals that these women are often treated worse by NHS staff than those expected to be cured.
One woman described feeling as though doctors and charities gave up on her when tumours returned more aggressively. She said: 'I have felt very alone. With the primary diagnosis there was so much information and help from the hospital and charities.
Some women were sent away by GPs when they first sought help with symptoms, while others were told they needed to 'just get on with it' (file photo)
'With the secondary diagnosis it's been all hushed.' The report also reveals that the illness is routinely missed by GPs even though many patients have had breast cancer before.
Unlike 'primary' breast cancer which typically appears as a lump in the breast secondary tumours cause vague symptoms such as back pain, sickness, and fatigue. But many women said they were initially sent away by GPs with painkillers. One, a mother of three, was denied a scan by her family doctor who diagnosed back ache and told her to 'just get on with it'.
PATIENTS 'TOO OPTIMISTIC' ABOUT PAINFUL TREATMENT Cancer patients may be enduring pointless treatment because they are too optimistic about their life expectancy, according to research. Seven in ten cancer sufferers had different views about their prognosis to their doctor, a US study found. Among those, 96 per cent were more optimistic than medics about how long they would live. Researchers from the Universities of Vermont and Rochester who questioned 236 late-stage cancer patients said this could lead people to opt for aggressive therapies instead of choosing more quality time with family. Experts said the study, published in journal JAMA Oncology, showed the need for clear communication from doctors. In the UK medics advise on treatments, but decisions on which are carried out are ultimately taken by the patient. Advertisement
It is not known how many of these women could have lived longer if the illness was picked up sooner. But the charity says that delays inevitably lead to needless suffering and pain.
Samia al Qadhi, chief executive of Breast Cancer Care, said: 'Our findings uncover the extent of inadequate care for people with incurable breast cancer from feeling they're not taken seriously, to facing avoidable delays. This is unacceptable.'
The charity is urging the NHS to introduce guidelines for GPs on the early signs of secondary breast cancer. Currently doctors are only told what to look for with primary breast cancer.
The report is mostly based on questionnaires of 841 women, as well an analysis of the NHS's Cancer Patient Experience Survey of 71,000 patients.
A total of 31 per cent of women said they felt doctors hadn't listened to their concerns either before or after the diagnosis.
Another 49 per cent said they were not told to bring a friend or relative to the appointment where they were told they had incurable cancer.
if they drink and their
If you need an excuse to crack open a bottle tonight, this could be the perfect excuse.
Couples with the same drinking habits tend to be happier than those where only one partner drinks, a study has found.
Whether they are heavy drinkers or tee-total, women in particular become dissatisfied if they drink and their husband doesn't, researchers said.
The amount people consumed was less important than whether both partners had the same habit of drinking or not drinking, they added.
When wives drank and the husbands didn't, wives reported they were more dissatisfied with their marriage, researchers from the University of Michigan found
The study's author, Dr Kira Birditt, of the University of Michigan, said: 'We're not suggesting that people should drink more or change the way they drink.
'We're not sure why this is happening, but it could be that couples that do more leisure time activities together have better marital quality.'
In other words, drinking may not be the only reason they're getting along, Dr Birditt said.
To come to their conclusions, the team analysed responses from 2,767 married couples who were involved in the long-term Health and Retirement Survey.
Between 2006 and 2016, the people in the study had a face to face interview with researchers and answered questionnaires about their drinking habits.
They revealed whether they drank, how many days a week they drank and how many drinks they consumed in a sitting.
Couples were married for an average of 33 years and about two-thirds were in their first marriage.
They also answered questions about the quality of their marriage, including whether they thought their spouses were too demanding or too critical, if their spouse was reliable when they needed help and if they found their spouse irritating.
The researchers found that in more than half of couples, both spouses drank.
Husbands were more likely to drink than wives. But particularly for wives, there was a problem when only one of the spouses drank.
When wives drank and the husbands didn't, wives reported they were more dissatisfied with their marriage.
The study also found that partners influence each other while they are together, especially when they are retired and spending more time together
'The study shows that it's not about how much they're drinking, it's about whether they drink at all,' Dr Birditt told Reuters Health.
But she claimed drinking is becoming an increasing problem among baby boomers as they 'seem more accepting of alcohol use'.
The study also shows partners influence each other while they are together, especially when they are retired and spending more time together, she says.
Dr Birditt suggests when one spouse has to stop drinking, it might be time for the other to consider taking the same action.
But an expert who was not involved in the study found the number of participants who were heavy drinkers more interesting.
Elaine Hindal, chief executive of the alcohol education charity Drinkaware said alcohol can have a negative effect on relationships if not drunk in moderation (file photo)
Dr Fred Blow, also from the University of Michigan, noted around 20 per cent of men and 6 per cent of women were classed with a significant drinking problem in the study.
Heavy drinkers are known to have disruptive relationships with people, in particular their partners, he says as he called for more research into the issue.
Commenting on the study, Elaine Hindal, chief executive of the alcohol education charity Drinkaware said: 'It is safest not to regularly drink more than the governments low risk guidelines of 14 units or around six pints of beer or six medium sized glasses of wine per week, in order to keep health risks from drinking alcohol to a low level.
'Alcohol can also have a negative effect on relationships if not drunk in moderation. Alcohol works on the brain to lower our inhibitions which can lead you to say something in an argument which you may come to regret.
Stress or an upsetting life event is unlikely to increase the risk of breast cancer, a study has found.
Women with the disease often think it was caused by stress - but researchers found no link between the two.
And going through a difficult period such as a bereavement or divorce does not increase the odds.
Cancer charities said maintaining a healthy weight, lowering alcohol intake and being more physically active are all known to help women lower their risk of breast cancer.
Stress or a difficult life event does not raise the risk of breast cancer, new research suggests (file photo)
The finding comes from the Breast Cancer Now Generations Study, which looked into the causes of breast cancer, following more than 113,000 British women for 40 years.
From 2003 onwards, the women in the study were asked how often they felt stressed.
They also noted whether they had experienced any of nine different types of stressful event over the past five years, such as bereavement, divorce, or loss of a parent under the age of 20.
Researchers then followed them for an average of six years to see how many of them went on to develop breast cancer.
They also collected data about other factors which make cancer more likely, including obesity, physical activity, alcohol consumption and family history of breast cancer.
The women were also asked about age at first period and menopause, number of children and the woman's age at their births and duration of breastfeeding.
This meant the scientists were able to account for the influence of these factors, to separate out any potential effect from stress.
The results found one in three women (34 per cent) reported frequent or continuous stress over the past five years.
Three out of four (74 per cent) reported at least one adverse life event.
Some 1,783 of the 106,612 women followed up went on to develop breast cancer (around 1.7 per cent).
No link was found between stress and the disease.
There was a weak association between one type of breast cancer and divorce - but researchers said this was likely a chance finding.
Women with the disease often think it was caused by stress - but researchers found no link between the two. Pictured are breast cancer cells beneath the microscope
The risk of breast cancer was also raised in women who were younger than 20 when they lost their mother.
But when mothers who had already suffered breast or ovarian cancer before their daughters were excluded, the risk stopped being statistically significant.
This suggests the increase in risk was down to a genetic predisposition towards the disease, rather than the effects of bereavement itself.
Dr Schoemaker, Staff Scientist at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: 'It's always a challenge to try to disentangle which of life's many experiences and behaviours might influence the risk of cancer.
'Our study has analysed very large amounts of data from women over many years, and has provided good evidence that stress is unlikely to increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
'Stressful life events are common and many women will have experienced them in the run-up to being diagnosed with breast cancer, but our results suggest that those stressful events are unlikely to be the cause of the disease.'
Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now advised women to maintain a healthy weight, lower their alcohol intake and get plenty of exercise in order to lower their risk of the disease (file photo)
Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now charity, said: 'Many women often question whether their breast cancer could have been triggered by stress or a particularly difficult experience.
'This ground-breaking study provides the most robust evidence to date that stress itself is unlikely to be a biological cause of the disease.
'As the Breast Cancer Now Generations Study continues to uncover more about the underlying causes of the disease, we need to turn this into practical guidance to help women reduce their risk.
'What we already know is that simple steps such as maintaining a healthy weight, lowering alcohol intake and being more physically active can help women lower their risk of breast cancer.
'It's important to remember that age and gender remain the most significant risk factors for breast cancer, which women cannot do anything about, and continued research into better diagnosis, treatments and support is therefore critical.'
Gonorrhea is rapidly becoming untreatable, health officials warn.
Antibiotic-resistant cases of the sexually-transmitted disease rocketed more than 400 per cent between 2013 and 2014, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Medics are trying to combat the issue by combining the only two drugs that kill Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria.
But in an ominous analysis released on Thursday, the CDC said there is a strong possibility this approach will soon become ineffective.
Antibiotic-resistant cases of gonorrhea (pictured) rocketed more than 400 per cent between 2013 and 2014
'The confluence of emerging drug resistance and very limited alternative options for treatment creates a perfect storm for future gonorrhea treatment failure in the US,' said Dr Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC's National Center for preventing HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, STD, and tuberculosis.
'History shows us that bacteria will find a way to outlast the antibiotics we're using to treat it.
'We are running just one step ahead in order to preserve the remaining treatment option for as long as possible.'
There are only two antibiotics remaining that can treat gonorrhea: azithromycin and ceftriaxone.
The infection has already become immune to penicillin, tetracycline and fluoroquinolones.
Increasingly, gonorrhea is building up a resistance to the individual drugs.
And in some cases, even a combination of the two is proving futile.
Last month British doctors revealed they have spent weeks trying to treat a man with gonorrhea in his throat using combination therapy - to no avail.
UK MAN STILL HAS GONORRHEA AFTER TWO WEEKS' TREATMENT Last month a British man with gonorrhea in his throat sparked fresh fears the STI is rapidly becoming a superbug. The patient, a heterosexual man who had just returned to the UK from Japan, was treated using a combination of antibiotics. But while there was no sign of the infection in his urine, tests showed he still had gonorrhea in his throat more than two weeks after he started treatment. It was only after doctors doubled the dose, the unidentified man finally became clear of the infection - three months later. The case was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. Experts at Public Health England (PHE) warned it was a clear case of 'treatment failure' and a further sign the infection was getting harder to treat. Advertisement
According to the CDC, multidrug therapy still works and American doctors have yet to report a failed case.
The concern, however, stems from the dramatic spike in cases where individual drugs are failing.
In 2013, 0.6 per cent of gonorrhea cases were resistant to azithromycin. A year later that figure leaped up to 2.5 per cent.
'If this becomes more widespread, it could jeopardize treatment of gonorrhea,' report author Dr Robert Kirkcaldy, an epidemiologist in the CDC's Division of STD Prevention, said.
Gonorrhea is incredibly common.
The CDC estimates more than 800,000 Americans contract the disease every year - but just 350,000 are diagnosed.
In the UK, there are around 35,000 cases a year - a proportionally high number.
With few symptoms many people go undiagnosed.
Those who do experience symptoms may have pain, burning, discharge in the uterus, anus, throat, mouth or penis - wherever they have contracted the infection.
Without treatment it can lead to chronic health problems.
If the bacteria gets in the blood stream it can cripple one's joints or even infect the heart.
Infected women can be left infertile, suffer an ectopic pregnancy, or suffer permanent chronic pelvic pain.
There are only two antibiotics remaining that can treat gonorrhea: azithromycin (pictured) and ceftriaxone
Pregnant women with gonorrhea risk passing the infection onto their baby during childbirth, potentially leaving the infant blind.
Men can develop persistant testicular pain and infertility.
The CDC did not offer an estimate of how long it could take for gonorrhea to become untreatable.
For now, they are urging Americans to take the threat of an untreatable STI seriously by using condoms.
Men who are yet to hit 50 are too young to teach girls in Haryanas government schools, according to the state's education minister.
Ram Bilas Sharma, known for his controversial remarks and decisions, has said male teachers in their forties or younger should not take jobs at girls schools, a move purportedly linked to womens safety.
The educational institutions for boys and girls were the same in the past, and were separated following the recommendations of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. He has written in his book Satyarth Prakash that schools of boys and girls should be different and it was followed across the country, Sharma said.
Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma says he wants to create a healthy atmosphere for female students, so they are not 'distracted'.
Sources say the decision is based on the natural Hindu philosophy of life, where a girl after a certain age needs special protection - and also on fears that they may be attracted to their teachers.
Sharma, an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), maintains that the idea is to create a healthy atmosphere for girls so they are not distracted.
The minister sparked a massive row last month when the state education department, on his orders, issued a directive to schoolteachers asking them not to wear jeans to work.
The logic was that teachers are expected to be role models for students and must display discipline and propriety in what they wear.
Three years ago, when Congress president Sonia Gandhi came to inaugurate an autism centre in the state, the BJP leader called it a mental hospital.
Running girls' schools and colleges is a very tough and responsible job for any state government. Girls after a certain age need special precautions and we need to take action on every aspect to make a foolproof and secure education system for them, Sharma said.
Any teacher who did not complete 50 years as on June 30, 2016, should not opt for girls schools. Even if any teacher still opts for girls schools, he would not be considered for transfer, according to the policy.
Sources say the decision is based on the 'natural Hindu philosophy of life' where girls after a certain age need special precautions - and also on fears that they may be attracted to their teachers. (File picture)
The education minister said the guidelines were not based on the assumption that male teachers have malicious intentions, and were an effort to create a healthy environment inside educational institutions.
There is no misapprehension on the part of the state government about discriminating between boys and girls. As we have a large number of schools only for girls, we have to think about the age of teachers as well, he said.
Sharma said the move will only be implemented in schools.
There is no need to apply such a decision at the college level as girls colleges mostly have female teachers. We have prioritised the transfer of female professors in girls colleges and we will do the same at high and middle school level, the Haryana minister said.
Critics, who termed the step short-sighted, say that since the BJP came to power in Haryana two years ago the states education system has turned into an RSS laboratory.
A debate was triggered by the decision to incorporate the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedas, as well as the importance of yoga, in books on moral education for Classes VI-XII.
The move to ban jeans for teachers was withdrawn after the state government faced widespread criticism.
The age bar for male teachers drew contrasting reactions from the opposition Congress.
Former state minister Captain Ajay Singh Yadav said: There is no harm in implementing such guidelines. Teachers over 50 years of age are more mature to tackle grievances of girl students.
Top intelligence sources say Pakistan pumped in around Rs 100 crore over the past year to fuel terror in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to reports, Pakistani intelligence agency the ISI has been sending the funds through its terror agents in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, who are being controlled by Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salauddin and Jamat-Ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.
The duo have also been given responsibility for keeping the pot boiling in Kashmir, after Burhan Wani - who had become a poster boy for militancy in the state - was gunned down by Indian forces.
Ongoing clashes: Protesters throw stones at security personnel, who responded with tear-gas shells
Wani used social media to inspire young men to take up arms.
The Pakistani money is spent on training, weapons, and ammunition, and was sent to local militants in Kashmir.
There has been a rise in the recruitment of locals in militant outfits in the past few years, Burhan Wani being one of them. There are around 145 militants active in Kashmir, and 91 local recruits.
Sources said Saeeds Twitter handle @HafizSaeedLive was suspended at Indias request. The account was being used for anti-India propaganda, posting pictures and comments that could trigger more tensions after Wanis death.
According to intelligence reports, terror bosses in Pakistan did not waste any time in appointing four new Hizbul commanders in the Valley.
In the last few days, when over 30 protesters have died in clashes, there have been at least five to six infiltration bids by Pakistan-based terrorists.
Skirmishes between police and protesters broke out a week ago in J&K, after Burhan Wani - who had become a poster boy for militancy in the state - was gunned down by Indian forces
Intelligence sleuths have also intercepted chatter from across the border about infiltration plans.
There have been close to 40 intercepts in the last few days about terrorists planning strikes at security forces after crossing the border, said an official.
Intercepts also indicate that Saluadin and Hafiz Saeed are in constant touch with terror handlers close to the border areas.
Pakistani groups have succeeded in pushing more terrorists through this year.
Intelligence reports added that there are 26 terror training camps across the Line of Control (LoC) being run by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujaihideen, and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
The specific locations of terror camps in Muzaffarabad, Muridke Mansera, and Bahawalpur where possible infiltrations can be launched are parts of the intelligence report
As well as crossing the LoC, terrorists are getting access through the international border in Jammu from where terrorists can find access too.
Bhutto assures Mirwaiz of Pakistan's support
By Naseer Ganai in Srinagar
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed concern over abject human rights and the deteriorating situation in Kashmir.
On Thursday the PPP chief phoned moderate Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and said India should stop killing Kashmiris.
According to Mirwaiz, Bhutto has condemned the killings of dozens of Kashmiris and injuries of hundreds at the hands of Indian forces.
He has assured Mirwaiz that Pakistan will stand with Kashmiris at this difficult time.
In fact the PPP is organising a Kashmir solidarity march on Friday in various parts of Pakistan.
Mirwaiz said Bilawal pledged that, like his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and his mother Benazir Bhutto, he and his party stand for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.
PPP and Pakistan, Bilawal told me, are duty bound to help in the resolution of this long-standing issue, Mirwaiz said.
They are making us blind with pellets and killing us with bullets. Thousands have got injured. We have lost count of dead. They dont allow us to even mourn our dead, Mirwaiz said.
With the Congress naming Sheila Dikshit as its chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh, the leadership line-up for the state is complete - barring the BJP, which is yet to declare its challenger in the multi-cornered contest.
The ruling Samajwadi Party will contest with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in the lead, and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati is a strong contender for the top post.
The Congress, which has been relegated to the periphery, has revealed its card. The development has put pressure on the BJP to identify a face to lead its campaign in the state.
Congress CM candidate Sheila Dikshit has a 15-year stint as Delhi's Chief Minister to her name
The Congress has banked on Brahmin votes by fielding Sheila Dikshit, whose 15-year stint in Delhi as chief minister was broken by AAPs Arvind Kejriwal.
The appointment of Dikshit did not come as a surprise, as chief strategist of the party Prashant Kishore had settled on a Brahmin chief ministerial face for the upcoming polls - and the former three-time Delhi chief minister was his first choice.
What worked for Dikshit was that she has connections with UP - her father-in-law Umashankar Dikshit is from Unnao - and that she is Brahmin, a community which the Congress is trying to woo in the state.
What you have speculated for so long is true this time. Sheila Dikshit is the CM face for UP, said senior Congress leader Janardhan Dwivedi.
According to Congress leaders, the aim is to capture about 12 per cent of Brahmin voters who have not shown loyalty to any of the four main parties in the state's past polls.
The ruling Samajwadi Party will contest with Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav (right) in the lead, and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati (left) is a strong contender for the top post.
While the BSP successfully grabbed Brahmin votes in 2007 when it won the state election, in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls it was the Congress which won a creditable 21 seats with sizeable Brahmin support.
Brahmin voters support was one of the reasons for the SP's 2012 victory in the UP polls, when it fielded 41 Brahmin candidates. In the 2014 general election, Brahmins and other upper castes went for the BJP - leading to a record victory for the saffron party.
Moreover, there has been a lack of leadership among Brahmins in the state in past polls.
With the projection of Dikshit, a Brahmin will be in the electoral race for the top post for the first time since 1988, when ND Tiwari was the Chief Minister.
There was no word from the Congress on whether party president Sonia Gandhis daughter Priyanka would play a more active role in the UP polls, but Dikshit said she would formally ask her as she could be a very big asset for the party in UP.
The BJP, which is yet to announce a face for the UP polls, said Dikshit has been projected so that she can be blamed for the certain losses of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in the state, and dubbed the Congress party a sinking ship.
Dikshits elevation has sparked a buzz in the BJP over whether it will name a chief ministerial candidate like all the other major parties.
BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said the BJP's face was development, and that other parties were sparking a debate on the chief ministerial nominee to dilute its plank of progress and good governance.
South Sudan, the worlds youngest nation, is back in the news again for the wrong reasons.
After landing at the international airport in Juba on Thursday morning, External Affairs Minister General VK Singh (Retd) posted pictures of himself meeting stranded Indians and kick-starting the effort to evacuate them - Operation Sankat Mochan.
The Indian governments move to ferry two IAF C-17 Globemaster aircraft to help those stranded in Juba has attracted attention - but the action of the other uniformed Indians already at work there hasnt gained as many headlines.
Indian Army jawans have been deployed across the country under the aegis of the UN Mission in South Sudan
The Indian Army has been deployed across the country under the aegis of the United Nations Mission (UNMISS) in South Sudan.
Troops are working in locations include Juba and provincial locations of Jonglei, Malakal and Pibor, among others.
The UNMISS estimated that over 270 people have died in the current round of violence, which began last week.
Indians arrive from Juba at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda
Reports of sporadic firing continue to emanate. UN compounds in Juba have been hit, prompting Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to condemn the 'indiscriminate attacks'.
According to a source, the fighting affected a camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Juba. This drove refugees to breach the United Nations House, a compound holding the residences and offices of UN officials.
The situation was quite bad. We heard firing from helicopters, tanks among others. Our men were kept in reserve at the UN House and were asked to take the charge, said a source.
Displaced South Sudanese families seen at a camp in Tomping, Juba
The peace keeping reserve troops from 7 Kumaon regiment of the Indian Army, operating as 'INDBATT-2', were the ones who accomplished the task over the next few days.
They curbed the inflow of displaced people, then escorted them back, as well as ensuring the evacuation of UN staff.
It was learnt that troops also secured the perimeter which was smashed by the displaced people, and ensured the armed militiamen were weeded out.
Several weapons including machetes and guns were recovered from the army of people who had broken into the UN House, said a source.
Outside the camp, violence has subsided.
A few days back in Juba, we had drastic scenes where we found military vehicles were burnt, civilians killed indiscriminately, residential spaces charred. Things seem to have cooled down, but there is uncertainty, explained a source.
The Ambassador refused to comment on the matter.
It was learnt that the UNMISS Force Commander had personally congratulated the Indian contingent on their response.
To date, 10 Indian personnel have been killed while deployed under UNMISS.
A total of 2249 personnel from the Indian Army have been deployed in South Sudan.
The deployment includes troops from the medical corps, engineering corps, army supply corps, and other infantry units.
British politics has entered uncharted territory, and is changing at an unprecedented pace.
There has been turmoil since last week, when Prime Minister David Cameron decided to call it quits after being defeated in the EU referendum, which he had called hoping to win and silence Tory Euro-sceptics, perhaps forever.
Now he has resigned, saying it will be for the new prime minister Theresa May to carry out negotiations with the EU in the months that follow.
Referendum
Cameron is right in this graceful acknowledgment of his failure. He had asked Britons to vote Remain, but was defeated by 52 per cent to 48 per cent despite London, Scotland, and Northern Ireland backing his position.
David Camerons departure from Downing Street will be a significant loss for Indo-UK ties
On the other side, the opposition Labour partys leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is also coming under attack from all sides - with his critics accusing him of being half-hearted in calling for Labour voters to unite behind Remain.
The divisions within the United Kingdom are as stark as ever. Scotland voted in favour of the UK staying in the EU by 62 per cent to 38 per cent. Scotland's first minister now views a second independence referendum as highly likely after the UK voted to leave, and has said it is democratically unacceptable that Scotland faces the prospect of being taken out of the EU against its will.
The European leaders have called for the UK to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be, as a delay will prolong uncertainty unnecessarily.
The remaining 27 members of the European Union would now like to get over this shock as early as possible and not give the UK any more special privileges, for fear of similar demands from other nationalistic parties across the continent.
Legacy
There will be both opportunities and challenges for India as the new European order shakes down. But in the short term, Camerons departure will be a significant loss for Indo-UK ties. He has championed Indian interests like few British Prime Ministers in recent years.
The UK is the largest European investor in India, and India is the second-largest investor in the UK.
There are significant historical, linguistic and cultural ties that remain untapped. But the Labour governments legacy on India was very complex, and Camerons government needed great diplomatic finesse to manage the challenges.
This was particularly true of the issue of Kashmir, where the Labour government could not help but irritate New Delhi. As late as 2009, the former foreign secretary, David Miliband, was hectoring the Indian government that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute is essential to solving the problem of extremism in South Asia.
Transition
Milibands ill-informed pronouncements and complete lack of sensitivity to Indian concerns raised some fundamental questions in New Delhi about the trajectory of British foreign policy.
Miliband was merely trying to assuage the concerns of the Labour Partys domestic constituents, in particular the Pakistani Muslims who form the largest share of British Muslims. But such an approach has left an indelible impression on the Indian psyche of Britain being on the side of Pakistan.
Camerons government has made a serious effort to jettison the traditional British approach towards the sub-continent, insofar as it has decided to deal with India as a rising power, not merely as a South Asian entity.
Cameron himself made all the right noises when he came to India. He warned Pakistan against promoting any "export of terror", whether to India or elsewhere, and said it must not be allowed to "look both ways".
He proposed a close security partnership with India and underlined that Britain, like India, was determined that groups like the Taliban, the Haqqani network, and Lakshar-e-Taiba should not be allowed to launch attacks on Indian and British citizens, in India or in Britain.
More significantly, the British Prime Minister has also rejected any role for his country in the India-Pakistan dispute.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis successful trip to the UK last year was a reflection of the transformation in Indo-UK ties under Cameron.
As Britain undergoes a leadership transition, India will be hoping that the new Prime Minister will build on the legacy of Cameron.
The super success of his latest release Sultan has clearly failed to cure Salman Khan of his politically incorrect attitude.
The Bollywood superstar has refused to apologise for his insensitive raped woman analogy, which raised a nationwide storm.
The actor has also refused to appear before the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) over the controversial comment, saying that the womens organisation has no authority in such issues.
Salman Khans latest release Sultan has raked in nearly Rs 412 crore in one week
Sources at MSCW confirmed receiving Salmans reply on Thursday, and said they would decide on further action soon.
The womens panel had initially given Salman a week to apologise after his comment, failing which they have been serving him repeated notices.
The superstar, however, has ignored the summons. He was supposed to appear before the panel on Thursday.
The saga began last month when, during group interviews to promote Sultan, Salman compared the grueling shooting schedule to the condition of a raped woman.
When I used to walk out of that ring, it used to be actually like a raped woman walking out, were Salmans exact words. He made a hasty bid to retract, saying, I dont think I should have (said that), and adding: It feels like the most difficult I couldnt take steps. I couldnt take steps.
As news spread, #InsensitiveSalman trended on social media. Soon, Salmans father Salim Khan was tweeting an apology on his sons behalf.
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, tweeted @luvsalimkhan.
The controversy had a positive impact on Sultan, considering the film looks set to become the biggest hit of Salmans career.
Produced by Yash Raj Films on an estimated Rs 70-crore budget, Sultan opened on Eid. The film released on a Wednesday instead of the regular Friday, to cash in on an extended festive weekend. Being a solo release across India, it saw a five-day domestic gross of Rs 305.06 crore.
Sultan has garnered nearly Rs 412 crore in one week.
Salman inks Rs 1,000 crore deal with a top TV network
Unconfirmed reports on Thursday stated that Salman Khan has inked a Rs 1,000 crore deal with a top television network, in return for exclusive telecast rights for 10 upcoming films, as well as appearances he will make on the channel.
While the networks name is being kept under wraps, the deal will reportedly start with Kabir Khans upcoming Tubelight and Raj Kumar Santoshis yet-untitled venture, which are Salmans next releases after Sultan.
The deal will come into operation once Salmans Rs 500-crore deal with Star India ends. The agreement with Star India started in January 2013 and gave the network exclusive rights to all of Salmans releases between then and December 2017.
An intelligence warning of a Nice-like terror attack using oil tankers or trucks targeting the convoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other VVIPs has alarmed Indian agencies, and Delhi Police have been instructed not to allow any heavy vehicles in close proximity to the PMs route.
The alert was issued several weeks ago but a fresh advisory is expected after an attacker in a lorry ploughed into hundreds of revellers as they gathered to celebrate Bastille Day in the French city on Thursday night, killing dozens of people, many of them children.
Various groups, including the Indian Mujahideen and other fundamentalist outfits may use heavy vehicles, especially oil tankers, to attack VVIPs including the Prime Minister, a senior official responsible for the security of such dignitaries said quoting the alert. The movement of such tankers and vehicles have to be stopped during the travel of any VVIP.
An attacker in a lorry ploughed into hundreds of revellers as they gathered to celebrate Bastille Day in the French city on Thursday night, killing dozens of people, many of them children
According to sources, the Intelligence Bureau has said in an alert that heavy vehicles should not be allowed anywhere near the route taken by the PM.
This procedure was started after a truck filled with explosives was detonated in front of Islamabads Marriott Hotel in 2008. Later, when Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister, security procedures were enhanced with some changes as he faces a threat from various terror organisations, an official said.
It is the responsibility of local police to make sure that no such vehicle is spotted in close proximity to the route which the PM or other VVIPs will take. Also, at the airport, fuel tankers which are close to the movement have to be stopped.
An intelligence warning of a Nice-like terror attack using oil tankers or trucks targeting the convoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Central intelligence agencies have earlier too warned security forces and states about the possibility of lone wolf attacks in the country.
With the internet diminishing geographical distances, Islamic State sympathisers getting radicalised online are considered potential threats for such strikes where a man commits violent acts in support of a group, movement, or ideology, but does so alone, outside of any command structure.
In another 48 hours, an alert will be issued along with guidelines related to the latest upgrade in the security of the PM and others, the official added.
Terrorist organisations such as the Indian Mujahideen and fundamentalist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir have failed to even attempt attacks in India and are desperately looking to change tack, he said.
Apart from heavy vehicles, according to sources, intelligence officials have alerted local cops and other security agencies to keep a check on cars parked close to the areas through which the PM travels.
IB has got a specific report that militants are preparing attacks with car bombs, sources added.
Officials say Modi has always been on the radar of terrorist outfits and other fundamentalist groups. His security has been intensified in the past few months.
He is a prime target of the terror groups. Also, high-quality CCTV cameras have been installed on his regular routes, like from his house, a senior official associated with the PMs security said.
At the same time, the waiting period for the general public during the PMs travel has been reduced to 10 minutes.
Assembly elections were held in Bengal in six phases from April 4 to May 5 and the counting took place on May 19
Call it a coincidence or matter to be given a serious thought.
The unprecedented spurt in the number of tourists from Bangladesh between February and May this year sent the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) officials in a tizzy.
According to sources, the chart of tourist arrival is mostly dominated by the US and the UK throughout the year.
But interestingly, this year, Bangladesh accounted for the highest share of tourist arrivals followed by the US and the UK between February to May.
The neighbouring nation, which recently witnessed a deadly terror attack at a cafe in Dhaka, topped the chart in four consecutive months.
The percentage share of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India during February among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh that stood at 12.96 percent, followed by the US (12.94 percent), the UK (12.45 percent) and Canada (4.71 percent).
In March too, the percentage share of FTAs among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh (14.07 percent), followed by the UK (13.16 percent), the US (11.84 percent) and Germany (3.74 percent).
Sources at the ministry said the record rise in Bangladeshi tourist footfall coincided with the West Bengal Assembly polls in which the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress stormed to power for the second time with a thumping majority.
Assembly elections were held in Bengal in six phases from April 4 to May 5 and the counting took place on May 19.
Asked if there was any connection between the rise of tourists and the polls, the official said the development was immediately communicated to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
It was not something normal. It was quite strange as why such huge number of tourists from Bangladesh came to India only in those four months where as such trend is never visible throughout the year or even in the corresponding period last few years, an official said.
As per statistics, Bangladesh also accounted for about 18.09 per cent and 20.48 per cent of tourist arrival respectively in April and May this year, respectively.
Movements of visitors from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be under a hawk eye as growing radicalisation in neighbouring nations has emerged as a major threat making intelligence agencies jittery about its impact on India.
The MHA has already asked intelligence agencies and states to chalk out a strategy to combat the danger of radical elements spilling over from neighbouring countries and influencing Indian youth, especially at a time when the region is becoming a hotbed for ISIS sympathisers and increasing extremism.
The counter radicalisation strategy adopted by the government, in the wake of growing attraction to ISIS, needs to keep pace with changing dynamics of the threat from the sunni jihadi group.
The plan should take into account the spread of radicalisation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, a home ministry note said.
The British Bankers Association are urging JP Morgans hard-nosed boss Jamie Dimon to strike a more positive tone over Brexit.
Theyre being led by Baroness Vadera, Gordon Browns ex-aide whos now chairman at Santander. Known as Shriti the Shriek on account of her hair-trigger temper, high-borne Indian Vaderas forthright manner while in Downing street reduced male civil servants to blubbering wrecks.
Appeal: JP Morgans hard-nosed boss Jamie Dimon is being urged to strike a more positive tone over Brexit
One claimed to have seen her maniacally smash her mobile telephone on her desk repeatedly, causing herself injury.
The prospect of rough Dimon, 60, getting rollocked by the formidable Baroness, 54, is too delicious to contemplate.
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Marks & Spencer is under pressure not to stock grouse this Autumn from oddball Springwatch presenter Chris Packham, 55, who abhors blood sports. Does he suspect M&Ss starchy boss Steve Rowe is sympathetic to his cause?
Rowe, 49, is a metropolitan sort, whose ideal weekend is spent on the gritty terraces of Millwall FC. His recently departed predecessor Marc Bolland, 57, by contrast, loved nothing more than a days blasting on the grouse moor.
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Burberrys boardroom shakeup, which led to the brutal axeing of its out-of-his depth design guru Christopher Bailey as chief executive, also sees its redoubtable Chief Finance Office Carol Fairweather, 55, depart next April.
Bottle blonde Carols most enduring legacy will be her fondness for irritating corporate gobbledygook she was forever heightening this, or leveraging that which appears to have stuck. Yesterday, ee-by-gum carpenters son Bailey, 45, spoke of his excitement at transitioning to his new (lesser) role as company president.
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Chinas richest man, workaholic Wang Jianlin, 61, has snapped up Odeon Cinemas for 920m. His Winchester-educated son, Wang Sicong, 28, meanwhile, attracts disgust for his bawdy behaviour.
Last year he bought two gold, limited edition Apple wristwatches costing 13,000 for his pampered pet husky. Isnt the scamp a gift to opponents of the hereditary principle?
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Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold, whose saucy sex shop has netted her a 250m fortune, welcomes Theresa May to Downing Street: Im hoping having a female Prime Minister is really going to inspire women.
David Pearce's devotion to his seriously ill brother Mark knows no bounds - including twisting the arm of motor registry officials to track down the car their father bought 40 years ago.
Mark, 30, has endured a life-long battle with the genetic disease Cystic Fibrosis, and his health has been deteriorating.
Memories of their family road trips set David, 41, off on a quest to locate the 1978 Ford Falcon XC for his young brother - a journey which would take him across the state and cost him $20,000.
Then: Mark Pearce pictured with the family Ford Falcon near their Hurstville home when aged eight. His brother David tracked it down 40 years after their father Frank first purchased the vehicle and bought it again for $20,000
Now: David (left) and Mark (right) step back inside the 1978 Ford Falcon XC at their mechanic's workshop in Peakhurst in Sydney's southern suburbs
'I just had to get it (the car), he really loves it, it was the car he learned to drive in,' he said.
Their father Frank sold the XC in 1997 and David remembered seeing it while driving to the Blue Mountains years later.
'I put advertisements in magazines and papers and they even kicked me off eBay after I put ads on there three or four times,' he admitted.
'I got bits of information through the motor registry a few times, one of them did me a favour and gave me the guy's last name.'
But the search hit a snag last year when David rang the owner in Kellyville.
'He really wasn't interested in selling it but it was just sitting there gathering rust and without rego so I left him with my contact details,' he said.
The family Ford which David Pearce spent years looking for pictured on the day it was sold in 1997
20 years apart: The Falcon (left) on the day it was sold in 1997 and the car (right) on the day it was returned to the Pearce in 2015
This is the moment David (left) lifted the garage door and revealed to his father Frank (right) that he'd bought back their old family car
Several months later he received a phone call at home in Cronulla, in the city's south.
'He rang me, my heart just jumped and I went out there to talk to him again,' David added.
'He wanted $20,000 for it - a lot of money, it had quite a bit of rust and all that so I said I'd give him $15,000 and we left without the car.
'When we got home my wife said "just go pay the extra $5000" and I did.
'It was worth every cent when I told Mark - he was getting down a bit and it lifted his spirits.'
David also revealed the price his father paid for the car remains a complete mystery.
'We know it was $16,000 back in 1978, which is a lot of money back them but my dad always refused to tell me why it was much.'
The brothers have had the prized possession being rebuilt in the Peakhurst workshop of their mechanic since last year.
David hopes to have it roadworthy in time for his brother's birthday in December.
'His lungs and liver are letting him down, we were watching the footy together recently and he had to keep going to the bathroom and his lungs are at 18 per cent now,' David told Daily Mail Australia.
'Don't know how it does it, I cant even take a needle, he gets needles all the time, long lines put into him.'
CF is Australia's most common life-threatening genetic condition primarily affecting the lungs and digestive system.
Sydney man David Pearce added to his brother's car collection by buying the first 'last-run' Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint - number one of only 750 - for $92,500 at auction. All the money will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) assisting young diabetes sufferers like Carter English who is pictured inside the car
But David's good deeds didn't stop there.
He paid almost $100,000 at an auction for the first limited-edition Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint, to add to his car enthusiast brother's garage.
The car was put up for auction to raise funds for Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF).
He apparently targeted the house of the married couple who also worked as nurses at the hospital, one of them as the nursing director
The man killed by the bomb was described as a disgruntled former night nurse at Grover C. Dils Medical Center
Lincoln County Sheriff Kerry Lee said investigators believe they know who the bomber was and that he knew the family
Neighbors identified family as Joshua Cluff, a former hospital official, Tiffany Cluff, a nurse, and their three young girls
Officials said a man with powerful bombs killed himself when he detonated an explosive in his car and inside a home on Wednesday
A family of five in Nevada were almost killed when a bomb allegedly planted by the parents disgruntled colleague obliterated their home.
Tiffany Cluff and two of her young daughters fled for their lives moments before a man with two powerful bombs killed himself when he detonated an explosive in his car and inside the family's home late Wednesday night, officials said.
Her husband, Joshua Cluff, and another daughter were not home at the time.
The bomb was believed to have been put inside their home by a man who worked at Grover C Dils Medical Center as a nurse, where the married couple also worked as nurses.
He was killed when a bomb exploded in his car, according to authorities.
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A Nevada mother and her two daughters fled for their lives moments before a man with two powerful bombs killed himself when he detonated an explosive in his car and inside their home, officials said on Thursday. The family of five whose house was decimated is pictured above
Scenes in the aftermath of the twin blasts pictured above. The blasts hurled car parts, building materials and bomb fragments in all directions
The precise circumstances behind the twin blasts that occurred only seconds apart late on Wednesday night were not immediately clear. Remaining parts of a car burn in flames
'There were people in the home. But before the explosion they were able to get out,' said Kerry Lee, sheriff of Lincoln County, who was outside his nearby home in Panaca when the first blast erupted at around 8pm on Wednesday.
'It literally took my breath away, the concussion,' Lee told reporters at a briefing on Thursday.
'I looked up and saw the fireball, grabbed my keys... and heard the second explosion.'
The precise circumstances behind the twin blasts that occurred only seconds apart late on Wednesday night were not immediately clear.
The only person reported to have been hurt was a boy age six or seven who Lee said was riding a bicycle nearby and was struck in the chest by flying debris. He was not seriously injured.
The sheriff said a mother and two daughters were in the home when the bomber arrived late on Wednesday, but they fled before the blasts destroyed the vehicle and devastated the house.
A father and another daughter were not home, but they are safe, according to authorities.
While all five family members are accounted for, their house was deemed unsafe as soon as firefighters determined there was no one inside, Lee said.
Neighbors identified the family as Joshua Cluff (left), a former official at a hospital in nearby Caliente, Tiffany Cluff (right), a nurse at the hospital, and their three girls ranging in age from about eight to 12
The family pictured standing on the porch of their home following the blasts. Authorities declined to immediately identify the suspected bomber or say more about his relationship with the family
Neighbors identified the family as Joshua Cluff, a former official at Grover C. Dils Medical Center in nearby Caliente, Tiffany Cluff, a nurse at the hospital, and their three girls ranging in age from about eight to 12.
Lee noted that it was amazing no one else was injured in the blasts and that there is no reason to suspect terrorism.
The man killed by the bomb he was carrying in his car was described as a disgruntled former night nurse at the hospital who was fired from his job.
He apparently had targeted the house of the married couple.
The sheriff said investigators believe they know who the suspected bomber was, and that he knew the family.
However, Lee declined to immediately identify the man or say more about his relationship with the family.
The sheriff told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview that investigators were also checking an Arizona address with links to the man.
The only person reported to have been hurt was a boy age six or seven who Lee said was riding a bicycle nearby and was struck in the chest by flying debris. He was not seriously injured
Several neighboring homes are damaged and four remain evacuated while federal, state and local investigators comb the area just off Main Street for other explosives and for clues about what led to the bombing
Authorities said the bombs were powerful devices and that some debris landed up to a mile away
'We're a close community. This kind of thing, it'll pull this community together,' said neighbor Richard Katschke, who told The Associated Press he attends a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stake with the family.
Messages left for the parents by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.
'I think the threat is over,' Lee said during an afternoon news briefing.
'The decedent is probably our suspect. We have to make identifications and look into the background of this gentleman and look at what went into this.'
'This was not an amateur,' the sheriff added. 'It's not some homemade pipe bomb. This was really devastating.'
Neighbors told KTNV the suspect pulled into the victims' driveway and as the family members who were home at the time ran out, he put a bomb inside their home and another in the trunk of his car.
The man killed by the bomb he was carrying in his car was described as a disgruntled former night nurse at the Grover C. Dils Medical Center (pictured) who was fired from his job. He apparently had targeted the house of the married couple
Floyd Jackson, a friend of the suspected bomber, told the station the blasts might have been the result of a business deal gone bad.
When asked how the suspect would know how to make bombs, Jackson told KTNV that to his knowledge, the suspect was ex-military and set up military exhibits.
He also said prior to the blasts, the man had told him he was heading to Ely and about an hour later, Jackson heard the explosion, according to KTNV.
Jackson said the suspected bomber did not appear to be stressed out or upset when he last saw him. He said he is shocked by the incident
Scenes in the aftermath of the blasts showed firefighters working to put out a fire as a telephone pole was left in flames.
The blasts hurled car parts, building materials and bomb fragments in all directions.
Electric lines were severed, and underground water lines broke. Lee said some large pieces landed up to a mile away.
'My neighbor says there's a three-foot crater where the car was parked,' Katschke said in a telephone interview. 'The car is in pieces around town.'
Gov. Brian Sandoval called the blasts a shocking event.
Above, police investigate shrapnel from the bombing on 5th Street in Panaca, Nevada
Scenes following the blasts shown on Thursday. Authorities said a mother and two daughters were in the home when the bomber arrived late on Wednesday, but they fled before the blasts destroyed the vehicle and devastated the house
'Details from the incident last night in Panaca are still emerging, but I am fully committed to helping assist the victims, residents and Lincoln County community as they respond to this shocking event,' he said in a statement.
Sandoval is set to come back early from the National Governor's Association conference in Iowa for a briefing and to tour the site of the explosion on Friday.
'The sound was just horrendous. It was really quite a force,' said Jeanett McCrosky, who lives about a block away.
She said her house shook and a light fixture fell from the ceiling.
Another neighbor, Dave Free, said he had broken windows, car parts in his driveway and shrapnel next to his horse feeder.
The animals and his grandchildren, who feed the horses, escaped injury.
'It could have been a real bad deal,' he said.
FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents joined Nevada Department of Public Safety, state fire officials and other investigators at the scene.
Most drove a circuitous two-and-a-half hours from Las Vegas, about 120 miles away.
Lincoln County Sheriff Kerry Lee, center, and Director of the Nevada Department of Public Safety James Wright, left, hold a briefing about the Wednesday night bombing on Thursday
Officers from the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office, Nevada Highway Patrol and the Red Cross stand outside a fire station after the briefing
Lee said 30 people were unable to return to their homes on Thursday, and four neighboring houses remained evacuated while investigators combed the area just south of Main Street for other explosives and for clues about what led to the bombing.
Authorities pleaded with residents to leave pieces where they landed, until investigators can retrieve them.
'These pieces are very important,' Nevada state public safety Director Jim Wright said.
'It's like putting pieces of a puzzle back together. It'll take time... to put the pieces together to find out exactly what happened and why.'
Panaca began as a Mormon settlement in 1864, before Nevada became a state.
It is now home to about 900 people and Lincoln County High School. It bills itself as a tourism gateway to several state parks.
Lee said his local patrol force of about 11 officers was quickly overwhelmed by 911 calls.
King Willem-Alexander is 49 and ascended to the Dutch throne in 2013
Judge Sylvia Taalman said he had 'damaged the dignity of the king'
He was sentenced to 30 days in jail under the 'Insulting the Majesty' law
A Dutchman has been sentenced to 30 days in jail under a rarely enforced 19th century law for insulting King Willem-Alexander.
The 44-year-old, whose name has not been released, posted a message on Facebook in April 2015 branding the king a murderer, rapist, 'oppressor' and thief.
In a written verdict, judge Sylvia Taalman said he had 'damaged the dignity of the king' and that his behaviour 'is not acceptable in our society'.
Unnamed 44-year-old branded King Willem-Alexander (pictured) a murderer, rapist, 'oppressor' and thief
It was not clear from the ruling whether the man, from city of Kampen, had any particular reason to dislike the king, who is 49 and ascended to the Dutch throne in 2013 after his mother Queen Beatrix abdicated.
Willem-Alexander is not yet as highly regarded as his mother, who reigned for 33 years, or as his glamorous Argentinian-born wife, Queen Maxima
His posting attracted the attention of authorities because it came shortly before a royal visit to the neighbouring city of Zwolle.
The royal family is generally popular among the Dutch, even though many consider the law 'Insulting the Majesty' to be an antiquated relic that should be scrapped.
The crime carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Australian, American and New Zealand tourists were on board the boat
They robbed passengers and crew of goods worth about $26,000
Gunmen robbed a luxury cruise boat on the Amazon in Peru on Thursday
Eight masked bandits have attacked a luxury Amazon cruise boat armed with guns and robbed over $20,000 worth of goods from Australian, American and New Zealand tourists on board in Peru, Peruvian authorities said.
The gunmen used a small craft to reach the Amazon Discovery tour cruise, boarded it and robbed passengers and crew of goods worth about $26,000 while passengers slept early on Thursday morning.
The boat had left the river city of Iquitos on Wednesday with about 30 tourists on board, according to local reports.
Attackers used a small craft to reach the Amazon Discovery (pictured) tour cruise, boarded it and robbed passengers and crew of goods worth about $26,000 while passengers slept early on Thursday morning
Masked gunmen have attacked a luxury Amazon (pictured) cruise boat and robbed over $20,000 worth of goods from Australian, American and New Zealand tourists on board in Peru
The boat had been anchored for one stop.
Iquitos Port Captain Oscar Garrido-Lecca said police are hunting through the area to find the culprits.
The attackers threatened the tourists and crew with small calibre weapons, BBC News reported.
The captain was struck with a gun handle but was not seriously injured.
Passengers were evacuated to a safe location when police arrived shortly after the incident.
The tourists included 21 Americans, six Australians and two from New Zealand. None of them were injured.
There were 25 Peruvians working on board.
The boat had left the river city of Iquitos (pictured) on Wednesday with about 30 tourists on board
He was arrested on securities fraud charges in December 2015
Cops say Shkreli took the money from 2009-2014 to pay off debtors
They are accused of stealing $11million from drug company Retrophin
Shkreli and co-defendant Evan Greebel just had their trial set for June 2017
The pair were exiting a federal courthouse in NY on Thursday
Martin Shkreli was heard asking his lawyer if he could play Pokemon Go
Alleged pharmacy fraudster Martin Shkreli seemed to be more worried about trapping Pokemon than being trapped himself Thursday, when he was in court to hear the date set for his fraud trial.
The controversial businessman, best known for buying antiparasitic drug Daraprin then raising the price by 5,556 per cent to $750 per pill, asked his lawyer if he could play smartphone game Pokemon Go as they left the hearing.
The pair were seen exiting the US Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, after his trial for allegedly defrauding pharma company Retrophin Inc of $11million was set for June 26, 2017.
Pokemon addict: Martin Shkreli (right) asked lawyer Benjamin Brafman (left) if he could play Pokemon Go as they left the New York courthouse where a date for Shkreli's fraud trial was set for June 2017 Thursday
Co-defendant: Evan Greebel (center, with glasses), also pictured Thursday, is a co-defendant in the trial, which claims the pair conspired to steal $11million from drug company Retrophin from 2009-2014
Shkreli, 33, was arrested on securities fraud charges in December 2015. Police claim he took $11million from Retrophin to pay back victims from an alleged earlier Ponzi-scheme-like scam.
US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto set the 2017 date for both Shkreli and co-defendant Evan Greebel, a former lawyer for Retrophin, which Shkreli founded and headed until 2014.
Prosecutors had sought to have the four-week trial take place as soon as February. But Benjamin Brafman, Shkreli's lawyer, pushed for a June date, citing his schedule in other cases and complex motions he planned.
'We're not just going to be sitting on a beach waiting for the June trial date,' Brafman said.
The judge also set October 2, 2017, for a potential second trial, after Brafman said he expected to file a severance motion so that Shkreli and Greebel could be tried separately. Greebel had been seeking an October trial date.
Brafman argued that separating the two defendants at trial was necessary, as Shrekli's defense would turn in part on legal advice that Greebel had provided him in undertaking some of the central actions in the case.
Outside of court, Brafman said Shkreli was not accusing Greebel of wrongdoing, and that pursuing an advice-of-counsel defense did not mean either man committed a crime.
'I don't think there's a finger of blame to point in this case,' he said.
Shkreli, after leaving Retrophin, ran Turing Pharmaceuticals, where his actions with Daraprim sparked outrage among patients and US lawmakers.
His criminal case arose from alleged conduct between 2009 and 2014, during Shkreli's management of Retrophin and the hedge fund MSMB Capital Management.
Prosecutors said Shkreli engaged in a Ponzi-like scheme in which he defrauded investors in MSMB and misappropriated $11million in assets from Retrophin to repay them.
Shkreli has pleaded not guilty to charges that include securities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He has said he did not commit a crime.
Deputy Jose Marquez fired a 'one in a billion' shot into a suspect's gun
An off-duty police officer who fired a 'one in a billion' shot into a suspect's gun has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Investigators have found that deputy Jose Marquez, a cop in suburban Denver, used appropriate force when he was allegedly attacked by two would-be robbers.
Marquez was shot in the shoulder and the stomach in a parking lot outside his girlfriend's apartment building on January 26.
The police officer, who was not in uniform, returned fire - and incredibly one of his bullets shot directly down the barrel of one of the suspects' gun, causing it to jam.
Marquez said he went outside his girlfriend's home to fetch something from his car when he was approached by two masked men, the Aurora Sentinel reported.
The officer told police that one of the men told him to 'give it up' before pulling out a handgun and opening fire.
Marquez shot back, hitting one of the suspects in the leg as well as his .40 caliber gun.
Arapahoe County deputy district attorney Rich Orman said it was a 'one in a billion' shot.
Police and SWAT teams rushed to the scene and arrested Jhalil Meshesha, who had a gunshot wound to the leg, not far away.
The other suspect fled and has not been identified.
Orman said Meshesha, 17, was found after he called 911 to report that he had been shot.
One of Marquez's bullets shot directly down the barrel of one of the suspects' gun, causing it to jam. Marquez's bullet is seen inside the suspect's gun
Officers found black gloves a gun with bullets matching those used to shoot Marquez in a nearby yard, the Denver Post reported.
A face mask was found in the seat of a stolen Chevrolet Equinox linked to Meshesha.
Meshesha has been charged with attempted murder, assault and felony menacing, among other charges.
Arapahoe County deputy district attorney Rich Orman said Marquez was right to open fire.
'Deputy Marquez reasonably believed that his life was in danger and acted reasonably in shooting Meshesha, and that he used an appropriate level of physical force,' Orman said.
'I further find that Deputy Marquez's actions were justified and he did not violate Colorado law,' he added.
A Florida widow who refused a payout from one of the country's largest timeshare companies has won a major victory over the multi-billion dollar firm.
Julieta Corredor, 81, has spent the past decade turning down offers made by Westgate Resorts for her two-bedroom condo in Orange County, which she and her late husband purchased over 30 years ago so they could take their children to the local parks and attractions.
Westgate then made the decision to go ahead with the planned construction on their new $24million resort despite not owning Corredor's property, with crews bulldozing around the home daily and even erecting a construction fence around Corredor's property.
In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, Corredor's son William claimed that one bulldozer on the site actually caused damage to his mother's home when it hit the structure, adding that soon after the townhouse was deemed unsafe by the county.
It seems however that Westgate may have misled Orange County when they applied for their work permits, leading officials to believe that they did in fact own the entire lot on which they would be building the resort.
Now, the company - whose billionaire owner David Siegel was featured alongside his wife Jackie in the 2012 documentary The Queen of Versailles - has been ordered to immediately halt work on the project.
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Warrior: Julieta Corredor (above) has refused to take a payout from Westgate Resorts for her two-bedroom condo in Orange County, Florida for over a decade
Site: Despite this, the multi-billion dollar company began work on their new $24million resort property, enclosing Corredor's property with a fence (above)
Rough scene: Corredor, who bought the property for $154,000 31 years ago with her late husband, also had her home damaged by one of the bulldozers on the site
No more: Westgate has had their permits revoked and a stop order has been issued after it was learned they misled county officials about owning the entire lot
This stop order comes just days after Orange County officials approved a plan that would have allowed Westgate to build their new resort around Corredor's condo following her repeated refusal to sell.
An attempt to reach an agreement between both sides failed when Corredor's son refused to give a payout price to Westgate for the property and the timeshare company scoffed at his request that they rebuild the widow's damaged townhouse.
Westgate has reportedly offered Corredor $150,000 for her condo, which has seldom been used by the family in recent years.
That amount is far more than the $69,000 her neighbors were given for their condos on average, but also a bit less than the $154,000 she paid for the property when she purchased it back in the early 1980s.
Westgate will now have to go apply for new building permits as their current ones have been deemed not valid, something they will not be able to do until July 27, meaning that work will be shut down for two weeks at the site.
There was also a problem with a permit to bulldoze the area that had reportedly expired according to county officials.
It is unclear where Westgate will go from her, but it seems certain that Corredor will not be changing her mind any time soon, at least according to her son.
'She doesn't want to sell,' he told the Orlando Sentinel back in May.
'It's not like you can tell her what to do.'
Main man: Westgate Resorts is owned by billionaire David Siegel (above with wife Jackie in May 2015)
Masterwork: Siegel's quest to build a 90,000-square-foot home (above) was depicted in the documentary The Queen of Versailles
Construction problems are nothing new for Siegel, as was seen in Versailles.
The documentary detailed the building of his $100million, 90,000 square-foot home in Windermere, which endured endless delays due to the crash of the real estate market and other factors.
Construction began in 2004 and was paused in 2009 due to financial issues, at which point it was put on the market for $65million.
Siegel was able to get the project back on track in 2013 and the home is expected to be finished later this year, at which point it will likely become one of the most expensive houses in the country.
Donald Trump said if elected president, he would declare war on the Islamic State - hours after quickly seizing on horrific reports of another deadly attack in France to ask his Twitter followers: 'When will we learn?'
Trump was responding to reports that 80 people had been killed and more than 100 injured when a truck carrying weapons and hand grenades plowed into people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice on Thursday evening.
Although it was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor, Trump said: 'This is war.'
He said if he's elected president, he would ask Congress for a declaration of war on ISIS as unconfirmed reports claimed the terror group had claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Quick: Donald Trump seized on horrific reports of another deadly attack in France, asking his Twitter followers: 'When will we learn?'
The 70-year-old said that to fight the terror group, which he called a 'cancer,' NATO should be used 'for a purpose.'
In another interview, Trump called for President Obama to acknowledge the problem was 'radical Islam.'
He also reiterated his call for the United States to tighten its borders and brought up his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country as a solution.
As news broke of the attack, the billionaire real estate mogul tweeted: 'Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse'.
In an interview with Fox News' Great van Susteren later on Thursday night, Trump said 'it's about time' Obama used the term 'radical Islam.'
Although not much is known yet about the attacks in Nice, Tump said: 'Generally speaking, I don't think the people come out of Sweden, OK?
Vocal: Trump, who is in the process of vetting his Vice-Presidential running mate, was a loud voice in the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks
'It's probably, possibly, but if it is indeed radical Islamic terrorism, it's about time that [Obama] would say so, OK?
'It's about time, because you're never gonna solve this problem unless you're gonna define it. People would sigh with relief. If it's radical Islamic terrorism, he oughta say it.'
Meanwhile, President Obama condemned what he said 'appears to be a horrific terrorist attack' in Nice.
Noting that the attack occurred on Bastille Day, Obama said: 'We are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life.'
Obama said the U.S. has offered French officials 'any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice.'
But Trump used the attacks as an opportunity to reiterate his plan of solving the problem of terrorism by placing a ban on Muslims coming into the country.
'We have to tighten things up. Look at San Bernardino, what happened there.
'You look at Paris, prior to this, 130 people dead. Hundreds of people still in the hospital. I mean, what are we doing? We're trying to be so nice. We're trying to be so civil.
'We're so weak, the world has got to strengthen up and we have to be very tight with our borders.'
On the attacks in Nice, Trump said: 'We're living in a whole different world that there's no respect for law and order. There's no respect for anything or anybody.
'This has to be dealt with very harshly. When I come out with my non-politically correct statements that a lot of people love and some people think are so terrible and then you have attacks like this and so many other attacks
Terror: A truck reportedly mounted the curb in Nice, plowing directly into dozens of people watching a fireworks display in the city
'We have to get awfully tough and we have to get very, very smart and vigilant. And if we don't, we're just not going to have a society, we're not going to have a world anymore.'
Asked what he would do to address the problem of terrorism if he was president, Trump replied: 'Well, I'd be making it very, very hard for people to come into our country, for one thing, from terrorist areas.
'I would be so extreme in terms of documentation. Obama's allowing a lot of people to come in. No idea who they are. They're from Syria, maybe, but they have no paperwork.
'I would not allow people to come in from terrorist nations. I would do extreme vetting, I would call it extreme vetting too.
'Our country has tremendous problems. We don't need any more of the problems.'
In a separate interview on Fox, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said the U.S. needs to 'stand strongly' with France and strengthen alliances, including with NATO, in order to ferret out terrorism and prevent future attacks.
Clinton says she would intensify efforts to put together a more effective coalition against terrorism.
In the wake of a series of co-ordinated terror attacks that left 130 people dead in Paris on November 13 last year, Trump similarly seized the opportunity to blame stringent gun laws for the massacre.
At a campaign rally shortly afterwards, he told his supporters that it would have been a 'much different situation' if the victims had been armed.
He also said he would close some mosques to stop extremist attacks in the United States.
'You're going to have to watch and study the mosques because a lot of talk is going on at the mosques,' Trump said during an interview with MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' program in November last year.
Then, after a radicalized Muslim couple opened fire and killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, Trump controversially proposed a ban on all Muslim immigrants into the United States.
'Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on,' his campaign said in a release last December.
Despite a backlash, Trump stuck with his proposal. During Fox Business Network's GOP debate in January, Trump said: 'Look, we have to stop with political correctness.
'We have to get down to creating a country that's not going to have the kind of problems that we've had with people flying planes into the World Trade Centers, with the with the shootings in California, with all the problems all over the world. ... We have to find out what's going on.'
Attack: Gunshots rang out in the streets, with gunmen reportedly targeting hotels and cafes in the port city with residents warned to lock themselves inside
Standing guard: A soldier is seen near the site of the attack on the French Riviera town of Nice after a van plouwed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display
Later, Trump began to stress the 'temporary nature' of his proposed ban.
'This is just a suggestion until we find out what's going on,' he said on Fox News radio in May.
But then, in a speech reacting to the massacre in Orlando in June, Trump reiterated his proposed Muslim ban despite the fact that the gunman was an American citizen, born in New York to Afghan parents.
'I called for a ban after San Bernardino and was met with great scorn and anger,' Trump said during a speech the day after the shooting.
'But now ... many are saying that I was right to do so. And although the pause is temporary, we must find out what is going on. We have to do it,' he said.
'It will be lifted, this ban, when and as a nation we're in a position to properly and perfectly screen these people coming into our country.'
Gunman Omar Mateen opened fire inside a gay nightclub on June 12, killing 49 people in what became the worst mass shooting in the United States.
ISIS quickly claimed credit for the attacks and authorities said Mateen called 911 during the massacre to pledge allegiance to the terror group.
Hours after the massacre, a gloating Trump took to Twitter to say: 'Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism. I don't want congrats. I want toughness and vigilance. We must be smart!'
Meanwhile, Trump said that in light of the attack in Nice, he will postpone a news conference scheduled for Friday in New York concerning his Vice-Presidential announcement.
After a day of speculation about who will join Trump on the GOP's presidential ticket, Trump wrote on Twitter: 'In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement.'
On Thursday, Obama (pictured on Wednesday) condemned what he said 'appears to be a horrific terrorist attack' in Nice
Trump was set to formally announce the decision on his choice of running mate at an 11am news conference at a hotel in midtown Manhattan on Friday, with just three days to go until Republicans gather in Cleveland, Ohio, to officially select their nominee for the White House.
Trump's campaign advisers told Republican officials that the 70-year-old has picked Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate, two Republican sources told Reuters.
However, Trump officials said he had not yet made a final decision.
On Thursday, CNN and ABC both reported, without naming their sources, that Pence, a 57-year-old Christian evangelical and stalwart of the American right, had accepted the vice presidential slot.
But the announcement will now be delayed, Trump said on Thursday.
Late on Thursday, a truck drive onto the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd been gathered to watch Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, France.
At least 80 people were killed and dozens injured, authorities say. The truck reportedly mounted the pavement at approximately 40mph and steered directly towards people watching a fireworks display in the city.
'We were at the Neptune beach and a firework display had just finished,' a witness called Antoine said. 'That is when we saw a white lorry. It was going quickly at 60-70 kilometres an hour.'
Gunshots rang out in the streets, with gunmen targeting hotels and cafes in the port city as residents were warned to lock themselves in doors for their safety.
The RAID anti-terror squad has been deployed to the city.
Hundreds of people were watching fireworks along the promenade when the attack began.
The gunman jumped out of the truck after plowing through the pedestrians and started opening fire.
Kimutai was arrested in the sand dunes when police were called to beach
between Warnbro and Port Kennedy in WA on April 22
A woman sunbaking naked was sexually assaulted by a Kenyan migrant who attacked her as she lay on a nudist beach with a hat covering her face.
Nicholas Kimutai, 24, pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault at a nudist beach south of Perth on April 22, Weekend Courier reported.
Magistrate Leanne Atkins considered a prison sentence for Kimutai but decided on 180 hours of community service work and to be subjected to an 18-month 'Intense Supervision Order.'
Nicholas Kimutai, 24, pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault at a nudist beach south of Perth (pictured) on April 22
A woman sunbaking naked was sexually assaulted by a Kenyan migrant who attacked her as she lay on a nudist beach with a hat covering her face- The assault occurred at a beach between Warnbro (pictured) and Port Kennedy in WA
Kimutai, who reportedly moved to Perth from Kenya a year ago, was studying arts, politics and international relations at Edith Cowan University.
His victim, who was not identified, was sunbaking naked at the beach when Kimutai, who was also naked, approached her, the police prosecutor told Rockingham Magistrates Court.
The woman moved away but Kimutai followed her into the ocean.
While swimming near her she told him to 'go away and leave me alone'.
The woman moved back to the beach where she was sunbaking naked with a hat over her face when Kimutai indecently assaulted her, the court heard.
She screamed and told her attacker to leave her alone.
Kimutai was sentenced to 180 hours of community service in Rockingham Magistrates Court on Monday
Police were called to the beach and Kimutai was arrested in the sand dunes.
The duty lawyer said that Kimutai had previously had consensual sexual involvement on the same beach with a different woman.
She added that he had been suffering depression and was unable to get back to Kenya to see his family.
He drank heavily the night before the assault and believed he knew the woman, the court heard.
'He was looking for support; looking for intimate behaviour to get support,' the duty lawyer said.
Attending a top university does not always give you the best chance of securing a job after you graduate, new statistics suggest.
Data published yesterday showed all of the UK's best known universities failed to make it into the top ten for employment rates with one actually among the worst.
The London School of Economics was tenth from the bottom in a league table of employment chances, despite being part of the elite Russell Group.
Data showed all of the UK's best known universities failed to make it into the top ten for employment rates (file photo)
Other top universities faring worse than average were Edinburgh, Bristol, Warwick, Queen's University Belfast and Imperial College London.
The employment records from 151 institutions were gathered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, which recorded the percentage of graduates in work or further study after six months.
The Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey collected responses from those graduating from the class of 2014-15.
However, it did not record whether jobs were 'graduate level', meaning many of the jobs could be low-paid and low-skilled.
Top institutions said yesterday many of their graduates wait for the 'right job' in their chosen sector which is why they might be unemployed after six months. And a number have primarily vocational degree courses, which lead directly to jobs rather than subjects such as the classics, English or history.
The data is significant because employment statistics will used to help the government to assess institutions' teaching quality, which in turn will determine which ones can raise fees.
Among institutions with more than 500 respondents, Keele University performed best, with 97.5 per cent of its graduates in work or further study six months after leaving.
Among the bottom ten scorers were the University of Bolton, with 85.9 per cent, the University of Salford with 87 per cent, and Staffordshire University with 88.2 per cent.
The London School of Economics, despite being world-famous, was among those bottom scorers with 89.8 per cent.
The employment records from 151 institutions were gathered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, which recorded the percentage of graduates in work or further study after six months (file photo)
One of the largest drops on last year was at the University of Oxford, which was 2 percentage points down year-on-year, hitting 92.7 per cent.
Six Russell Group institutions had scores below the 94 per cent average: the universities of Edinburgh, Bristol and Warwick, plus Queen's University Belfast, Imperial College London and the LSE.
Overall, 128 had a graduate employment rate above 92 per cent, with 28 achieving a score in excess of 96 per cent.
But 14 institutions scored below 90 per cent.
It comes amid a growing row over the value of a degree and the purpose of university.
Earlier this year, the Institute for Fiscal Studies and academics at the universities of Cambridge and Harvard found graduates of some universities have worse employment chances than non-graduates.
The research revealed men who studied at any of 23 of the lowest-performing British universities went on to earn less than those who did not enter further education.
The study, the first to match tax data with student loan records, also highlighted those who studied creative arts had the lowest earnings.
The government wants to make employment statistics more widely available to help students choose degrees which are a good investment in their future.
Top institutions said many of their graduates wait for the 'right job' in their chosen sector which is why they might be unemployed after six months
Institutions which churn out too many unemployable graduates have the potential to be penalised by having their fee-charging powers limited.
Advocates say taxpayers should not be providing money for student loans for courses which do not produce employable graduates because the funds will never be paid back.
But critics say university is about learning interesting new things and enjoying a unique experience rather than simply enhancing job opportunities.
The LSE said the responses submitted from their institution was only from UK undergraduates, which make up a small proportion of their total population.
They added: 'LSE graduates perform exceptionally well in securing professional level employment and have some of the highest average starting salaries out of all UK universities. Our students commonly go on to work in competitive fields such as financial services, law, government and development.
Mum of one-year-old William Mead says if one life is saved it will be worth it
Peter Congdon paid the 5,700 printing costs for the leaflets
Donation: Lottery winner Peter Congdon came forward to pay the printing costs for leaflets about sepsis in memory of one-year-old William Mead
A lottery millionaire has donated thousands of pounds to pay for sepsis warning leaflets in memory of tragic one-year-old William Mead, who died of the condition in 2014.
Copies will now be handed out to nearly a million new parents throughout the UK, in the latest step to raise awareness of the deadly condition.
Millionaire Peter Congdon, from Truro in Cornwall, came forward to pay the printing costs, after Melissa Mead, Williams mother and a tireless health campaigner, appealed on social media for a backer.
Just this week, the NHS watchdog ordered doctors and nurses to treat sepsis in the same urgency as heart attacks, in a major victory for the Mails campaign against the infection.
Mrs Mead told the Mail that Mr Congdons gesture was humbling.
It means nearly a million new parents will know the signs and symptoms of sepsis and also what it is.
If we can save just one persons life it is all worth it, Mrs Mead added.
Mr Congdon said he was pleased to be in a situation to help.
He paid 5,700 to print the leaflets, which have been created by the Sepsis Trust, while the company that provides packs for new mothers in the UK has undertaken to insert the material free of charge.
The generous great-grandfather has previously funded a building for people who suffer with MS, as his late wife suffered from the condition.
William Mead died from sepsis at his home in Penrith, Cornwall, following a litany of failures from GPs, the out-of-hours services and a 111 call handler who failed to spot he was in mortal danger.
An independent report into Williams death, uncovered by the Mail, concluded that he would be alive today had symptoms not been repeatedly misdiagnosed.
There are 150,000 cases of sepsis - known as the silent killer - in the UK each year, resulting in 44,000 deaths.
It occurs when the immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight a previously minor infection.
This can reduce the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys.
Tragic: William Mead (pictured with his parents Melissa and Paul). He died of sepsis following a litany of failures from GPs, the out-of-hours services and a 111 call handler
Without quick treatment, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death.
The condition can strike fit and healthy patients of all ages but is most common in children under one, pregnant women, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses.
Sepsis is most commonly triggered by chest, skin and urinary infections but can also develop following routine surgery, including caesareans, or having a drip inserted.
The initial warning signs include fast breathing or a fast heartbeat, high or low temperature, chills and shivering.
Severe symptoms can develop soon after, and include low blood pressure, dizziness, disorientation, slurred speech, mottled skin, nausea and vomiting.
His marriage has appeared to be in hot water after he was ordered to stay 50 metres away from his glamorous wife for the next five weeks.
But controversial former councillor Salim Mehajer, from Sydney's west, has not let his highly publicised marital problems with Aysha get in the way as he seeks solace with one of his 'many orphan friends'.
Photographs have emerged on social media of the suspended deputy Auburn mayor sharing a loving embrace with his 'true brother', known only as Rafeal, who goes by the name 'Rif Raf'.
'Rafeal is an orphan who I have accepted as not only as a friend but as a "young brother" like figure - with my arms open,' Mr Mehajer told Daily Mail Australia.
'Rafeal is one of many orphans I keep close to me; "one should not do my good deeds publicly to be admired by others for it to lose the reward from the creator".'
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Controversial former councillor Salim Mehajer has been spending more time with his close friend, known only as Rafeal, who goes by the name 'Rif Raf' (left), just days after he ordered to stay away from his wife
The suspended deputy Auburn mayor, from Sydney's west, was this week slapped with an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) filed by police on behalf of his wife Aysha Learmonth (right)
The Sydney property developer was this week slapped with an Apprehended Violence Order filed by police on behalf of his wife, whose maiden name of Learmonth was on the application.
However, the property developer has not let his court order deter his social life as he seemed to be spending more time with his close friend in recent weeks.
The pair's bromance has been visibly clear on social media, with a string of photographs captioned with affectionate words including #truebrother, #soulmate and #mybestfriendforever.
The pair, who are believed to have worked together at Mehajer's SM Engineering company, have been inseparable, posting several photos together, ranging from car selfies to flaunting in suits.
Rafeal seems to be a long-time friend to the Mehajer family, with one photo showing him posing alongside Mr Mehajer's sister Aiisha (pictured), with the caption: 'With the little sister'
The close family friend also attended the extravagant wedding of Salim and Aysha last year, as he appeared in a photo with Mary (Mariam) Mehajer (right), who was crowned Miss Lebanon Australia 2016
Rafeal was also snapped next to American rapper Tyga at the couple's lavish mansion on April 11 this year
Mr Mehajer appeared in a photo holding a birthday cake for his wife Aysha with American rapper Tyga and singer Omarion in April this year
And Rafeal seems to be a long-time friend to the Mehajer family, with one photo showing him posing alongside Mr Mehajer's sister Aiisha, with the caption: 'With the little sister'.
The close family friend also attended the extravagant wedding of Salim and Aysha last year, as he appeared in a photo with Mary (Mariam) Mehajer, who was crowned Miss Lebanon Australia 2016.
He was also snapped next to Tyga at the couple's lavish mansion on April 11 - the same day Mr Mehajer was pictured holding a birthday cake for his wife alongside the American rapper and singer Omarion.
Mr Mehajer uploaded the photo to his Facebook page with a caption saying the tribute for his 'beautiful wife Aysha' was 'just the beginning to an eventful week'.
The images emerged in the same month amid allegations the pair were living separately as rumours swirled over the status of the Mehajer couple's high-profile marriage.
The property developer has been spending more time with his close friend in recent weeks
The suspended deputy Auburn mayor was this week slapped with an AVO filed by police on behalf of his wife
In one Facebook post, Rif Raf wrote: 'True best friends never fail on understanding, forgiving, and being there for one another no matter what situation that they might be in or having with one another because of the fact of that no matter if its two males or females love should always be there as if brothers or sisters if their what we call best friends.'
This comes after police applied for AVO on behalf of Mr Mehajer's wife following allegations of a confrontation at the Wollongong home of her sister.
However, Mr Mehajer has denied his wife is behind the application, telling reporters it came about because of 'alleged complaints by neighbours'.
One Wisconsin teen has a typical summer planned for a 14-year-old girl. There will be fireworks with grandparents, trips to the movies with mom and a dance with all of her closest friends.
But this will be Jerika Bolen's final summer. She has chosen to die.
Jerika was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2, an incurable genetic disease, when she was only eight months old.
She has had more than 30 operations and spends 12 hours a day hooked up to a ventilator. Nurses are at her home for the majority of the day.
Jerika Bolen, 14, suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2, an incurable genetic disease that causes muscles to waste away. After years of chronic pain, Jerika has decided to end her life
Jerika, pictured with her mother Jen, said she knew after her most recent operation that the physical pain was too much to bear, and that she wanted to be taken off her ventilator at the end of August
The only physical strength the teen has left is in her hands, enough to control her power wheelchair and a computer mouse.
The teen often spends her time playing The Sims, a life simulation video game that allows a user to create people and manage their mood, families and experiences
She said it allows her to imagine a more normal life.
But it was after her most recent operation that Jerika knew the pain - which she describes as a seven out of 10 on a good day - had become too much to bear.
'I was ready then. I was ready a long time ago,' Jerika told The Post-Crescent.
The teen had her spine fused, but her pain only got worse.
'After that surgery...I kind of sat down and thought, "Am I doing this for me or for my family?'"
'I kind of realized I was doing it for my family.'
Jen Bolen had long promised her daughter that she would honor her wishes to end the chronic pain that she must live with every day. But that hasn't made Jerika's choice any easier to swallow.
'If she's at peace with it, I have to find a way to make peace with it,' she said.
'She has endured more in her 14 years of life than most adults will ever have to. She's old enough to decide. It's her body and it's her pain.'
Jerika, who was diagnosed when she was eight months old, has had more than 30 operations and spends 12 hours a day on the ventilator. She now only has enough physical strength to control her power wheelchair
Jen Bolen had long promised her daughter that she would honor her wishes to end the chronic pain that she must live with every day. But that hasn't made Jerika's choice any easier to swallow
When doctors first gave Jen the news about her baby's diagnosis, the prognosis was bleak.
The disease, which affects the nerves that control voluntary muscle movement, often results in early death.
But the single mother, who works as a nurse, refused to give up.
'I refused to listen to the doctor tell me that I was going to lose the best thing that ever happened to me,' she wrote on a GoFundMe page for Jerika.
WHAT IS SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY TYPE 2? Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 is an inherited genetic disease that affects motor neurons, the nerves that control muscle movement. SMA Type 2 symptoms typically appear between seven and eighteen months. Symptoms include muscle weakness, scoliosis, deformities of the hands, feet and chest. In most cases weakness and disability increases with age as the muscles waste away. Severity and prognosis of the disease depends on the age it was diagnosed. Many who suffer from SMA die prematurely, but others - especially those diagnosed after 18 months - live well into adulthood. Source: Muscular Dystrophy Association Advertisement
Jen immediately began doing research, and found families raising children with the disease who were 'living and happy'.
She was put in contact with specialist Dr Kari Stampfli, the director of the pediatric palliative care program at UW Health in Madison, and together they worked to give Jerika the fullest possible life.
The treatments extended Jerika's life and Jen said she was a 'happy girl' despite the fact that she 'never crawled, walked or rode a bike'.
But the pain has only increased as Jerika, who was once able to life her arms over her head, has gotten older.
She suffers from a persistent ache, as well as sharp pains that come suddenly. The painkillers she takes when it becomes too great have damaged her body.
'There is no doubt they've turned over every stone and tried every treatment to make things better for her,' Stampfli told the Post-Crescent.
'But we really haven't been able to help her pain.'
Stampfli said treatment for spinal muscular atrophy is always about comfort from the very beginning, and the option to stop is always there if 'it isn't offering the quality of life that was hoped'.
Jen and her family have tried to give Jerika as normal a life as possible as she battles through the pain
Jerika received treatments for years that extended her life. Jen said she was a 'happy girl' despite the fact that she 'never crawled, walked or rode a bike'
'We know we've literally done everything we can do,' said Jen. 'People don't realize what it takes to keep her alive.'
As she comes to terms with the fact that she is losing her baby girl, Jen has become focused on giving Jerika the final summer of her dreams.
Jerika has requested a prom, now called 'J's Last Dance', that will be held at a nearby banquet hall on July 22.
The entire community has been invited for a night of hors d'oeuvres, black and lime decorations, cake and lots and lots of dancing.
Jerika has already picked out a dress in shades of green and blue for the occasion.
The purple-haired teen said the prom planning has made her 'super happy'.
'I don't have to think about anything bad at the moment,' she added.
Hospice care plans have been put in place and Jerika will go off her ventilator in late August, at summer's end.
It's impossible to know just how many days the teen will be able to survive without it, but her mother hopes the pain doesn't last for long.
Jerika said she felt both 'extremely happy and sad' when she made her fateful decision.
'There were a lot of tears, but then I realized I'm going to be in a better place,' she said.
'And I'm not going to be in this terrible pain.'
Just like she has through all her life, Jerika is still trying to remain as happy as possible through the pain.
'I still wonder why God picked me to have this disease and I know I can never know the reason,' she said.
'Maybe because I'm strong, I guess.'
The price of some vegetables has doubled over the last few weeks following freak storms and unusually cold weather which has damaged crops.
Chris Cope, owner of Sydney Market Reporting Service, told Daily Mail Australia the price of zucchinis, capsicums and tomatoes is expected to rise even more over the coming week due to an anticipated short supply.
'Most of our vegetables are coming out of Queensland at the moment, and the cold weather and heavy rain has stopped production and picking, which leads to short supply,' he said.
'The prices are already very expensive at the moment, and they're going to go up.'
Due to heavy rains and cold snaps in eastern Australia, vegetables are in short supply, which has sent prices skyrocketing
The worst affected vegetables are green beans, zucchinis, capsicums and tomatoes, as heavy rain has affected production and harvest, and cold weather has affected the quality of the crop
A market update posted by Sydney Fresh, a fruit and vegetable delivery service which works closely with growers, says string beans are the worst affected crop, shooting up in price and declining rapidly in quality.
Iceberg, snowpeas, cucumbers and even berries have declined in supply due to the cold weather, with lettuce taking a hard hit.
A note above the update says farmers have told Sydney Fresh their crops have 'virtually stopped growing all together'.
Even retail giant Woolworths has felt the strain of the bad weather.
'Currently our stores are experiencing a shortage of lettuce as a result of wet weather in the growing regions of NSW, Victoria and Tasmania,' a spokesperson said.
'There is also a shortage of vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower due to the cold weather in the east coast growing area.
'Woolworths proudly sources 96 per cent of our fresh fruit and vegetables from domestic growers, and we are working with our local producers to ensure we can return to normal supply levels as quickly as possible.'
Mr Cope said the crops were struggling to thrive as they couldn't absorb nutrients as effectively from the cold ground.
Central Queensland, a popular farming area for green beans at this time of year, has seen an average temperature drop of two degrees, and northern parts of the state have already seen rainfall up to 15 times the average for July.
While it's normal for there to be a slow in growth as the weather gets colder, the market reporter said 'we haven't had a year like this in a long time'.
'That said, we've seen this all before, and we'll see it again,' he said.
'Droughts to floods to snow - Australia is a country of extremes.'
It's not all bad news for shoppers. Mr Cope reports that due to a bumper crop of bananas, the price of the popular fruit should stay quite low for the foreseeable future, and the sky-high vegetable prices could start to come down again as little as two weeks from now.
Coles have been contacted for comment.
Prices are expected to continue rising as rain continues in Queensland, but should begin to drop if the weather warms up
Theresa May was hailed last night after appointing a Cabinet containing more State-educated ministers than at any time in Tory Party history.
The new Prime Minister brushed aside the David Cameron regime in less than a day. Only 30 per cent of her top-rank ministers went to private schools the lowest proportion for a new Cabinet since Labour PM Clement Attlees ministers in 1945.
Only one Old Etonian new Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson remains. Seven members of the new Cabinet went to grammar schools, while Justine Greening, the daughter of a steel worker, becomes the first Education Secretary who went to a comprehensive.
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Theresa May was hailed after appointing a Cabinet containing more State-educated ministers than at any time in Tory Party history
The Cabinet was formed amid the bloodiest clear-out in modern history, with 11 top ministers, including Michael Gove, ousted in 24 hours. Bringing a brutal end to the Notting Hill set years, a string of allies of Mr Cameron and George Osborne were either sacked or quit.
The total exceeded Harold Macmillans night of the long knives reshuffle in 1962, when seven ministers were sacked in an evening. On yet another day of drama at Westminster:
US President Barack Obama rang Mrs May and assured her the countries special relationship would be unharmed by Brexit;
Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne were pictured looking glum outside a West London cafe as their closest political allies were culled;
Mrs May will travel to Scotland today to show her commitment to preserving the UKs special union;
New Chancellor Philip Hammond ruled out an emergency Brexit Budget but hinted at borrowing billions to fund infrastructure projects;
The Bank of England defied gloomy predictions and kept interest rates unchanged.
Tory MP Nadine Dorries said she was thrilled with every appointment. In a dig at Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne, she added that not one was made because they were once at school, university or shared a flat with the PM. A Cabinet of sheer talent.
Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne were pictured looking glum outside a West London cafe as their closest political allies were culled
Newly axed Justice Secretary Michael Gove sits alone at La Caffettiera on Kensington Church Street
MAY'S MERITOCRAT CABINET - WHERE THEY WENT TO SCHOOL GRAMMAR SCHOOL: Priti Patel, Andrea Leadsom, David Davis, Baroness Evans, Chris Grayling, Damian Green and James Brokenshire COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL: Justine Greening, Patrick McLoughlin, Liz Truss, Philip Hammond, Liam Fox, Sajid Javid, Alun Cairns, David Mundell, Karen Bradley and Greg Clark PRIVATE SCHOOL: Boris Johnson, Amber Rudd, David Lidington, Jeremy Hunt and Michael Fallon Advertisement
The state-educated ministers promoted yesterday include Patrick McLoughlin, an ex-miner, who was moved from Transport Secretary to the crucial post of Conservative Party chairman, charged with rebuilding shattered relations with the Tory grassroots. The post had been held by Mr Camerons university friend Lord Feldman.
With 44 per cent educated at non-selective State schools, the new Cabinet has a higher proportion of comprehensive-educated ministers than Mr Camerons 2015 cabinet (43 per cent) or the 2010 Coalition Cabinet (21 per cent). With the addition of grammar school alumni, 70 per cent are State-educated.
The appointments delighted social mobility campaigners. Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: I was heartened by the new Prime Ministers declaration on the importance of social mobility.
Mixed backgrounds: Mrs May's cabinet features former private school pupil Amber Rudd (left), grammar school student Andrea Leadsom (centre) and comprehensive pupil Justine Greening (right)
She was absolutely right to highlight the importance of ensuring everyone should get as far as their talents can take them. Anyone should be able to become a minister, regardless of social background.
There are eight female Cabinet ministers equal to the record set during the Blair years and one more than under Mr Cameron. In addition to Amber Rudd becoming Home Secretary, Liz Truss became the first female Lord Chancellor in the near 1,000-year history of the role.
Former Conservative Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind praised the ruthless way in which Mrs May appointed her top team, after Justice Secretary Mr Gove who paid the price for knifing fellow Brexit campaigner Mr Johnson during the leadership race Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, Oliver Letwin and Chief Whip Mark Harper were cast aside.
Changes: In May's new cabinet Greg Clark (left) is the new Business Secretary, while Chris Grayling (centre) has become Transport Secretary and Jeremy Hunt (right) will remain Health Secretary
Old Etonian and new Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is one of only five Cabinet members to have gone to a private school
Work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb stepped down from government in the best interests of my family after he was caught sending sexual messages to a woman.
Sir Malcolm told the BBC: She has not only got a strategy to balance the Leave and Remain sides, she is trying to eliminate these distinctions because we are all now aiming for the same objective.
She has appointed with a ruthlessness that has been impressive to look at.
Only four Cabinet positions have remained unchanged: Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns and Scottish Secretary David Mundell.
Green campaigners complained about Mrs Mays decision to axe the Climate Change department, which is being merged into a Business and Industrial Strategy department. Former Labour leader Ed Miliband who saddled Britain with a string of controversial green taxes said it was just plain stupid.
In and out - pictured is a graph of the ministers who are coming and going in Theresa May's new Cabinet
In a series of congratulatory phone calls, Mrs May spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Mr Obama called with a message of congratulation yesterday afternoon.
He discussed security and assured Mrs May there would be no change to the special relationship, No 10 said.
In his first comments since becoming Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson set out his vision for Britain to be a more global player, and he said Brexit did not mean the UK was leaving Europe.
But Liberal Democrat leader Mr Farron predicted the new Foreign Secretary would spend more time apologising to nations hes offended than doing his job.
The aunt of a toddler who was found dead at his stepfather's home said she reported the family to child services because the 21-month-old boy was living 'in pure filth'.
Mason Jet Lee's aunt, Shuntel, told A Current Affair it was a 'very hard' decision to report her own sister to authorities, but she felt she had no choice because she was concerned for the boy's welfare.
Mason, 21 months, was found dead in stepfather Andrew O'Sullivan's home in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, on June 11.
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Mason Jet Lee's aunt, Shuntel, said she made the 'very hard' decision to alert authorities but she was left with no choice after she tried to help her sister, Ann-Marie Lee.
Mason Jet Lee was found dead at his stepfather's home last month. The 21-month-old suffered 'horrific' injuries across his entire body and had been gravely unwell for a week beforehand, police said on Monday
'I had to take it upon myself to contact child services because nobody else would do it and it was my responsibility, and duty as an aunty,' Shuntel said.
'The way she was living in pure filth [concerned me].'
Shuntel also expressed her anger at child services after they did not take any action.
She claims they did nothing about Mason because they did not have an address for his mother, Ann-Marie Lee, who had been evicted from her home.
'I'm very angry that they have released this boy to the mother, who has then released him to the stepfather and now he is deceased,' Shuntel said.
'Shame on all of them, all of them. The mother and child services for not doing their job.'
A Current Affair attempted to speak to Ann-Marie but was unsuccessful.
Queensland's Child Safety Minister Shannon Fentiman has announced an investigation into Mason's death.
'Masons death in suspicious circumstances is a devastating tragedy and my heart goes out to this little boys family,' Ms Fentiman told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.
'I know the people of Queensland want answers. So do I. This is why Masons death will be investigated by an independent and expert review panel that will look at every detail of this case.
'I have already committed to implementing all of the expert panels recommendations in relation to this case. At this time, our immediate priority is the ongoing police homicide investigation.'
Ms Fentiman said she was 'absolutely determined' to keep children safe.
The toddler may have been dead for hours before his death and some of his injuries were six months old
Police are treating Mason's death as murder and say he had suffered 'horrific, head-to-toe injuries' when he was found in his bed by paramedics shortly after 12.30am.
They also revealed the injuries found all over his body were deliberate and some had been there since January.
The 21-month-old had been dead for 'some time' before paramedics arrived and had been gravely unwell for a week beforehand, they said.
Mr O'Sullivan was arrested last month and released without charge.
Afterwards he described finding his stepson 'blue' and unresponsive in his bed after what had been a 'normal night'.
Ann-Marie was at a house a kilometre away when he was found dead and had not been looking after him on the day he died.
There were other people in the house on the day Mason was found dead but it is not clear what their relationships to the child were.
On Monday Moreton District Crime Group Detective Acting Inspector Ben Fadian said Mason's death was not likely to have been an accident and he was dead for 'hours' before he was found.
'Triple 0 calls were received on June 11 at around 12.30am however we believe he may have been deceased for some time before those calls,' Detective Acting Inspector Fadian said.
'He suffered extensive injuries, they were horrific and they were visible from head to toe.
'While we are awaiting a pathology report we can say Mason may have been sick or injured for up to a week before he died.
The boy was being looked after at his step-father Andrew O'Sullivan's house. Police said there were others inside the house on the day he died. Mr O'Sullivan was arrested but released without charge last month
Queensland Police detectives said they were 'determined' to solve the toddler's death which they described as a tragedy. Above, officers search Mr O'Sullivan's home after Mason was found there
'Some of his injuries would have included him being lethargic, vomiting, not eating his food and general unwellness,' he told a press conference.
Mason's injuries would have been visible to 'anyone who saw him', he added as he said the child had been suffering injuries since January.
'There's evidence to indicate this year is when he began to sustain injuries,' Detective Acting Inspector Fadian said.
'We're appealing to anyone who may have interacted with Mason between January 1 and June 11 this year, anyone who may have interacted with his carers, who has come into contact with him.
'They may not think the information is relevant but it may be the piece of information we need to progress our investigation.
'We need to know if he was harmed, sick or injured. We believe there are people out there who have information.
'We can't say specifically what time mason died however there were a number of people inside the house,' he continued, adding that some of those there were children.'
As part of the investigation officers retrieved puppies from the house in Caboolture, Queensland (above)
The Detective Acting Inspector added Mason was part of a 'large' family and was known to many people in the Caboolture area.
Describing the boy's death as a 'horrific tragedy', Detective Acting Inspector Fadian said he police were 'determined' to resolve the investigation.
Paramedics who responded to Triple 0 calls made on the day of the boy's death were seen sobbing in the street after finding his tiny body inside.
One neighbour told The Courier Mail they 'could not deal with what they had seen'.
Mr O'Sullivan was released without charge after 36 hours of questioning last month.
At the time he said it had been a 'normal' night and that he had given Mason a bottle before putting him to bed.
The 35-year-old is expecting a baby with the infant's mother.
He said he tried to perform CPR on the child after finding him unresponsive.
Mr O'Sullivan told A Current Affair said he loved Mason like a son, and the toddler was always getting 'little tiny bruises'.
A 42-year-old man has been arrested in an online sting which caught him trying to lure a 14-year-old girl to have sex.
The Sydney man was caught after sending sexually explicit messages to an undercover officer he believed was a teenage girl.
Undercover officers swooped on the man on Thursday and arrested him outside a cinema in Western Sydney.
A man, 42, (pictured) was arrested on Thursday after sending sexually explicit messages to an undercover officer he thought was a 14-year-old girl
Photos show the man being handcuffed outside of a Hoyts movie theatre inside a Penrith mall.
He was then led through the mall to a waiting police vehicle outside.
The 42-year-old was taken to Penrith Police Station, where he was charged with using a carriage service to procure person under 16 years of age for sexual activity.
He was also found to posess a prescribed restricted substance when arrested.
The Sydney man was arrested by undercover officers outside a Hoyts movie theatre in Penrith. He was in possession of a restricted prescribed substance at the time of his arrest
TIPS FOR PARENTS ON SAFE INTERNET USE BY NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE Be aware of how much time your child spends on the internet and spend time talking to your child about the dangers associated with online conversations, particularly when communicating with someone that they have only ever met on-line. Spend time exploring the internet with your children and let them teach you about their favourite websites and applications. Keep computers or internet-enabled devices in a room the whole family can access, not in your child's bedroom or monitor internet access on those devices. Check your phone bill for unusual outgoing calls and consider using 'caller ID' to identify incoming calls and consult your telephone company for options designed to ensure privacy and security. Source: NSW Police Advertisement
He was arrested as a part of NSW Police's Strike Force Trawler operation and refused bail.
The man will appear in Penrith Local Court on Friday.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the Child Exploitation Internet Unit and police in New South Wales who work closely with authorities interstate and overseas.
Meanwhile, police are urging parents and children to be mindful of the dangers associated with using the internet.
Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.
The man was handcuffed by officers before he was led to a waiting police car outside
Donald Trump Jr trolled Twitter on Thursday as the nation awaited his father's running mate pick by joking that sister Ivanka had won the spot
As the nation waited on tenterhooks to find out who Trump was going to name as his running mate, his eldest son couldn't resist having a joke at Twitter's expense.
Messaging his almost half-a-million followers on Thursday afternoon, Trump Jr wrote: 'Breaking news... VP pick is actually Ivanka Trump.'
The message came around an hour after he fended off comments from a reporter about 'drama' within the campaign over the VP pick, saying the choice is 'my father's alone to make'.
Sending out to two memos so close together seemed to have fooled at least some of his online fans, who liked the tweet almost 3,000 times, and retweeted it 1,000.
However, after an hour passed he messaged again saying 'couldn't resist' with three laughing faces, revealing he was joking.
Ivanka, who is believed to be offering Trump campaign advise behind the scenes and helping to direct his policy on women's issues, had been touted as an early choice for running mate.
When Tennessee senator Bob Corker took himself out of the running last week, he recommended Trump's eldest daughter take the position, saying she is the 'most impressive' candidate.
Eric Trump, Ivanka's biological brother, also lauded her for the position, telling Fox News: 'She's got the beautiful looks. She's smart, smart, smart. She's certainly got my vote.'
Trump Jr sent out a tweet naming Ivanka shortly after discussing the VP choice with a reporter, fooling people into thinking it was genuine, before later revealing it was not
However, Ivanka was never seriously considered to be in the running for the position, which was narrowed down to Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie and Mike Pence this week.
Trump had been expected to announce his choice at a news conference tomorrow in Manhattan - now suspended because of the terror attack in Nice.
While the choice has not been officially confirmed, it has been widely reported that Trump has chosen Indiana Governor Pence.
Pence is a staunch social conservative who has been married for more than 30 years to wife Karen, who was a schoolteacher at Rosa Parks Elementary School in Indianapolis before she became the state's first lady.
His appointment, over Gingrich and Christie, is being interpreted as an appeal to traditional conservative voters who initially backed the likes of Rubio and Cruz.
Ivanka, who is widely thought to be advising Trump's campaign on women's issues, had been touted as a potential pick by brother Eric and Tennessee senator Bob Corker
Pence is a low-key evangelical Christian who lacks Trump's showman's flair. But his cautious demeanor is unlikely to produce negative headlines in the nearly four months remaining before voters choose their next president.
He has pressed unapologetically conservative views on some social issues, including gay rights and abortion, which could both alienate Trump from centrist voters and give the party's right wing less reason to oppose him at next week's nominating convention.
Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky native and U.S. Senate Majority Leader seen as a moderate, told CNN that picking the Indianan is 'a good move by Donald Trump. We look forward to enthusiastically supporting the ticket.'
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Thousands of people from across the world have taken to social media to remember those killed and injured in last night's terror attack in France using the hashtags #JeSuisNice, #PrayerforNice or #nice06.
Celebrities and politicians have now taken to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to pay tribute to those who were killed last night and to call for an end to such atrocities.
The #PrayForNice tag quickly began trending worldwide on Twitter with thousands of people including French DJ David Guetta and American socialite Paris Hilton, all posted about the incident.
That hashtag was joined by #nice06 - a reference to the city's postcode - and #JeSuisNice, a reversioning of the #JeSuisCharlie first used after the attack on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in January 2015.
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Retired Portuguese international footballer Luis Figo tweeted this message this morning
Several others posted memes on the same issue, including this one from a motorcycle racing team
Using the #PrayForNice tag, which quickly began trending worldwide on Twitter, thousands of people including French DJ David Guetta and American socialite Paris Hilton, all posted about the incident
A Japanese Twitter user posted this plaintive message with a manga character and an image of the White House lit up with the tricolour
Thousands of people from across the world have taken to social media to remember those killed and injured in last night's terror attack in France using the hashtag #PrayForNice
Many of the people on Twitter posted messages which showed their impatience and exhaustion
Celebrities and politicians have now taken to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to pay tribute to those who were killed last night and to call for an end to such atrocities
The Huffington Post posted this message which ends with 'I am exhausted...'
The crazed lorry driver killed 84 in the attack yesterday evening after a white lorry was driven for over a mile along a promenade packed with revellers watching the annual Bastille Day fireworks
This meme captured the zeitgeist nicely, with numerous voices shouting out 'No' in French
A further 70 people were injured, although both figures are expected to rise as authorities continue to ferry the dead and injured to hospitals in the city. Social media users have posted about the atrocity online
Many of the images users have uploaded show the French flag in various guises and call for peace
One of the posts shows the port city of Nice, which is in the south of France, overlaid with the flag
Other social media users have posted artwork, like this one, showing a bloodied French flag on the floor
A popular picture which has been posted online reads: #Pray for Nice. 14 Juillet 2016'
One social media users posted this photo and said: 'I have no words, this has to stop! #PrayForNice'
Another picture posted online showed a peace symbol dripping in blood with the caption 'Stop!'
Peter Gandolfi's posted a very anti-religious message, followed by a meme which included the Nice attack's date along with those of the Charlie Hebdo killings and the Paris attacks on the tricolour
One moving image posted on Instagram read: 'Nice' with tricolour tears dripping from it over the flag
A restaurant in Nice posted this image on Instagram, which became an instant hit
This message was posted by an evangelical pastor in the United States
By BELINDA BROWN FOR THE DAILY MAIL
Striding down the avenues and boulevards of Paris in my early 20s, I regularly found myself receiving verbal advances from men. Working as a model in that cosmopolitan city I suppose it wasnt surprising that I attracted attention from the opposite sex, whether it was wolf whistles or appreciative comments.
Sometimes I found it flattering, sometimes - like the man who groped me in when I was travelling on the Metro - the attention was most definitely unwanted.
But did it ever occur to me to call the police? Of course not.
This was normal social intercourse and if I felt the men were a nuisance I had the nous tell them to get lost, often in their native language. And I can promise you they all did. Without exception. Even the man on the underground. After Id whacked him with my handbag and told him loudly to get lost, he did just that. While his behaviour was odious, it was not beyond my wit to deal with it. I certainly didnt consider it necessary to call in the authorities.
And yet, according to one British police force, because Id been singled out on account of my sex, thats exactly what I should have done on all of these occasions.
Intimidating? Anne Heywood (Catherine Murphy) is 'admired' in the 1958 film Violent Playground
Nottinghamshire Police Force, we learnt this week, has become the first in the country to categorise wolf whistling as both misogynistic and a hate crime and urges women who are victims of such unwanted attention to muster their courage and report it.
It has grimly decreed: Unwanted physical or verbal contact or engagement is defined as exactly that and so can cover wolf whistling and other similar types of contact. If the victim feels that this has happened because they are a woman then we will record it as a hate crime.
The definition includes street harassment, verbal abuse, unwanted physical approaches and taking photographs without consent. Also included are using mobile phones to send unwanted messages, unwanted sexual advances and unwanted or uninvited physical or verbal contact or engagement.
Moreover, the forces chief constable, Sue Fish, added the weight of her approbation, declaring: Im delighted that we are leading the way towards tackling misogyny in all its forms.
Its a very important aspect of the overall hate crime work being conducted and one that will make Nottinghamshire a safer place for all women.
Im now a middle-aged mother and academic, and in the years since my modelling days, attitudes have changed. Much behaviour that was acceptable even 20-odd years ago is now definitely not, and rightly so in many cases, but, far from welcoming this new initiative, Im appalled.
It does neither men, or women, a favour but only further entrenches the gulf between the sexes.
For a start, I have to take issue with Ms Fish, and Nottingham Womens Centres manager Melanie Jeffs, who says she is pleased that the police recognise the breadth of violence and intimidation that women experience on a daily basis in our communities.
Do most women actually experience deplorable levels of aggression from men on a daily basis? Should we be making the sweeping assumption that males are inherently all heinous predators? From my own recent experience and those of other women - of all ages - I know I dont think so.
In any case, I think its utterly wrong to assume that men are invariably boorish brutes who fail to get the message when theyre asked to back off. If we cast them as such were heading for trouble.
By running to the police and reporting a hate crime, we run the risk of making the unfortunate chap who happened to wolf whistle a passing girl angry and hostile. Result? Growing animosity between the sexes.
And instead of protecting women, I think Nottinghamshires new policy infantilises and patronises us. It is, I believe, deeply demeaning to suggest that we are too weak and enfeebled to deal with a casual remark or an unwanted advance.
Todays youth must be wary: telling a teenage girl she looks lovely could lead to a reprimand; even a criminal record. Rather than encouraging young men and women to understand each others point of view and open up lines of communication this new initiative surely encourages a mentality that shuts down social interaction.
Vitally, we need to stop casting women as helpless and hapless. Instead of telling our daughters to run to the police, we need to encourage them to learn how to deal with these low-level irritations that should barely cause consternation, let alone be catalogued alongside serious assaults. Elevating such trivial annoyances as wolf whistling to hate crimes distorts our view of what a real crime is, and who the real criminals are. If you treat something as trivial as wolf whistling as a hate crime then people who are victims of more serious and devastating abuse may struggle to be taken seriously because people will no longer be able to differentiate whats really unacceptable.
In my grandmothers era a young man who complimented a woman on her appearance would not have been treated as a pariah. Often it signalled the first tentative stage of courtship.
When I was in my 20s, would I have reported the stranger who invited me out to supper to the police for misogynistic behaviour had this new hate crime existed then? Of course I wouldnt. I would have considered it a waste of both my time and that of the constabulary.
Yet todays youth must be wary: telling a teenage girl she looks lovely could lead to a reprimand; even a criminal record. Rather than encouraging young men and women to understand each others point of view and open up lines of communication this new initiative surely encourages a mentality that shuts down social interaction. Youths are often gauche, but criminalising awkward, or misguided, advances doesnt help them learn whats appropriate - and whats not.
Ultimately I believe the streets will become less safe, not more so, if hard-pressed police are so busy investigating the building site Lothario who has whistled at a passing woman that they dont have time to deal with the rapist. Surely common sense dictates - especially in a time of limited resources - the police would be more profitably engaged in investigating serious offences of violence against women.
And yet we learn that three months of valuable police time and doubtless thousands of pounds from already strained budgets have already been frittered away in training Nottinghamshires bobbies to recognise the crime of misogyny.
It all seems a ludicrous over-reaction. As a social anthropologist and writer I have considered the insidious way strident feminism - essentially turning the opposite sex into our enemy - has poisoned relationships between men and women. I believe the female chief inspector of police, who instituted this absurd new crime, is enforcing the presumption that the actions of all men should be viewed through the prism of our paranoia: they must be all be demonised.
Consider the case of marketing co-ordinator Poppy Smart, 23, from Worcester. Wolf whistled every day for a month as she past builders on a site, justifiably she found the behaviour so intimidating, humiliating and insulting she felt she had no alternative but to go to the police. And I have great sympathy for her.
Although the West Mercia force investigated Miss Smarts complaint she said the wolf whistling was akin to racial harassment no action was taken. Presumably had the incidents happened in Nottinghamshire the result might have been different. Still I feel an acerbic put-down, or witty remark would have nipped this whole unpleasant business in the bud more effectively than any police report.
Of course I deplore any conduct that becomes irritating or irksome, but being wolf whistled is not the same as being racially abused. Surely the problem here is not really the mens behaviour. Rather it is the way it is understood. Men find pretty young women attractive, and we want them to find us attractive. They respond more strongly than we do to visual stimuli, and do so in a very visceral way. This does not mean they would threaten us. Simply that they are too busy working on building sites to pick up messages of political correctness.
I suspect there are some countries where men are more circumspect about expressing their appreciation of female beauty.
When I lived in Poland in the 1990s, I was never wolf whistled; possibly because the beauty, slenderness and impeccable grooming of Polish women rather put me to shame. But I also suspect it was because Polish men had been brought up by mothers whose fierce work ethic and self-sacrifice in both supporting and running their families instilled in their sons an ever so slightly fearful respect for both their mothers and women in general.
And if it is respect that we women want, we will not get it by constant complaints, carping and demands for special privileges. Neither will we achieve it if every time a man expresses his appreciation of our beauty, we run to the police.
It seems to me, too, that while women are prepared to emasculate men with these new powers, the same females accord themselves the right to be more predatory themselves.
In this new era of draconian rules and regulations, it is considered perfectly politically correct for a woman to ogle a mans muscular physique, while he has no right to compliment her on her figure. And who would have a scintilla of respect for a man who rushed to log a complaint against a woman merely because shed said he looked good? Equality works both ways.
Actually, I think life is infinitely poorer and drearier for these po-faced new directives. Today, in mid-life, I would feel hugely gratified if a stranger man or woman told me I looked lovely. Now that Im older, a wolf whistle would actually make my day.
It is not an insult to be found attractive, actually there is something reassuring and confidence-boosting to be appreciated for our looks.
And while we rightly strive to be women of substance, an appreciation of our appearance need not detract from that.
So I would say to all young women, as I do to my own ten-year-old daughter: accept compliments graciously, but if you are offended have to courage, not to rush off and tell tales, but to confront the person who has caused offence.
He r ejected idea Emergency Budget would be needed in wake of EU exit
Philip Hammond said the extra cash could be ploughed into infrastructure projects in a sharp change of course from the George Osborne years
Philip Hammond yesterday dropped a heavy hint that the Government was prepared to borrow billions of pounds extra to help the economy adjust to the 'shock' of Brexit.
The new Chancellor said the extra cash could be ploughed into infrastructure projects in a sharp change of course from the George Osborne years.
In his first comments since replacing Mr Osborne in No11, he also confirmed that the May Government had junked the target of eliminating the deficit by the end of the current Parliament.
And he flatly rejected the idea that an Emergency Budget would be needed in the wake of the vote to leave the EU.
At the height of Project Fear, Mr Osborne claimed tax rises and spending cuts totalling 30billion would be needed within weeks if the nation voted for Brexit.
But Mr Hammond said no hasty action was needed before the autumn statement, which is four months away. Theresa May has already said there will be no tax rises to fill any hole in the nation's finances.
In his first full day as Chancellor, Mr Hammond met Bank of England chief Mark Carney. He said he hoped to work with him over the summer and reassured companies that the Government would take a 'pragmatic approach' to Brexit that would 'protect the British economy'.
He sketched out how the Government plans to support the economy if there is a downturn in coming months including borrowing more.
The Chancellor, who has been a staunch advocate of austerity, said: 'Borrowing when the cost of money is cheap has some great attractions, but this country is already highly indebted and we need to be very careful about the signal we send to markets about our intentions.
'It's about getting the balance right and making sure that we borrow and invest wisely where we can make big impacts on Britain's productivity and thus get a return on that investment that will be to the benefit of the Exchequer.
'We've said we are no longer tied to the commitment to bring the public finances into balance by 2020.'
The new Chancellor confirmed that the May Government had junked the target of eliminating the deficit by the end of the current Parliament
Mr Hammond, who voted to Remain, said the Brexit result had led to some businesses putting off decisions. He said the best way to deal with this was to set out clearly and quickly how Britain planned to continue trading with the EU.
The former Foreign Secretary said: 'There's no doubt the shock, the surprise of the decision taken by the British people has had a dampening effect on the economy. It's caused at least a temporary loss of confidence, it's caused investment decisions to be put on hold.'
Tory MPs who voted for Brexit are watching Mr Hammond's language closely. They insist the Government should not backslide on the wishes of the British people to end the free movement of EU migrants in order to gain access to the single market.
The Chancellor told Sky News the UK would leave the EU single market but negotiate access to it.
Mr Hammond flatly rejected the idea that an Emergency Budget would be needed in the wake of the vote to leave the EU
He added: 'There's a lot of work now to do. The Prime Minister made clear we will do an autumn statement in the usual way and look carefully over the summer at the situation.'
Owen Paterson, the former Cabinet minister, yesterday warned there should be no watering down of the public's desire to quit the Brussels club.
'Public faith in political establishment now depends on delivering full Brexit,' he said.
Mr Osborne made eliminating the deficit by 2020 central to the Government's economic strategy. Originally, he had planned to get the nation's current account back in the black by 2015 but the target kept drifting backwards.
A real estate agent has been fined $8000 after she sold her parent's home to a young couple without telling them their sea views would soon be blocked.
Tanya Dunham sold a home to Jared and Rosalie Ogilvy in without informing them that their neighbour was building an extension which would block their sea view
Dunham, of LJ Hooker Tauranga in New Zealand was this week found guilty of unsatisfactory conduct at the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal.a $380,000
A real estate agent has been fined after she failed to tell the new owners of the home that their sea views would be blocked after the neighbours' renovations (pictured is the view before)
Tanya Dunham of LJ Hooker Tauranga in New Zealand sold the home to Jared and Rosalie Ogilvy (pictured is the view after the extension)
According to court documents, Dunham also failed to mention that her parents owned the house she was selling.
The tribunal heard that the owner of the property across the road had informed her of their proposed renovations and asked her to inform any potential buyers of these.
He even offered to send across a copy of the building plans showing how the double garage would be reconstructed and have a granny flat built on top of it, partially obstructing the view from the Ogilvy's new home.
However Dunham 'never obtained the building plans' and 'altered marketing material for the property so as not to include a picture of the view from the property that would be affected.'
Tanya Dunham of LJ Hooker Tauranga in New Zealand was this week found guilty of unsatisfactory conduct at the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal
Dunham also failed to disclose that the house she was selling (pictured) belonged to her parents
It was also claimed that throughout multiple viewings of the home the real estate agent did not tell the buyers that the home was her parents' house, but just that it was a relative's property.
It was not until Mr Ogilvy's father went with the couple to inspect the home after they bought it in August 2013, did Dunham reveal the house on the market belonged to her mother and father.
This week Dunham was fined $8000, for her misconduct, however new owner Jared Ogilvy was still angry with the result.
'It's a ridiculous amount of equity we've lost - at least $60,000,' he told the NZ Herald.
'We purchased the house in good faith, ticking all the boxes and she knew full well and she knew the importance of buying that property for the view,' Ogilvy said.
Tax ruse? Francois Hollande's personal barber is being paid 99,000 a year by taxpayers
French fraud detectives are set to comb through government contracts after it was revealed that Francois Hollande's personal barber is being paid 99,000 a year by taxpayers.
In what has been dubbed Shampoogate, it has been claimed the balding socialist president has his hairline trimmed and coloured by a private stylist every day.
While sceptics doubt this is the case, given Mr Hollande's struggling coiffure, the deeply embarrassing 8,000-a-month, five-year deal for his personal barber has been confirmed.
But now there are fears fraudsters may have set up a bogus contract to rake in hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Even Valerie Trierweiler, Mr Hollande's ex-lover who was ignominiously ejected from the Elysee Palace when he was caught cheating on her with another woman, expressed her horror.
Miss Trierweiler, 51, said yesterday: 'Let's be fair. Francois Hollande was not aware of the hairdresser's salary. I can attest to his anger when he heard about it.'
The Mail has learnt that Olivier Benhamou, the in-house barber, was appointed to the Elysee Palace by one of Mr Hollande's disgraced aides. Faouzi Lamdaoui, 53, resigned from the president's personal staff in December 2014 after prosecutors demanded he be sent to prison for 18 months for fraud.
Mr Lamdaoui, who was also a Socialist Party 'diversity and equality adviser', apparently told Mr Benhamou: 'If Mr Hollande is elected in 2012, you'll be his hairdresser.'
Joao Da Silva, a leading Paris hairdresser who once worked with Mr Benhamou, added that his old colleague would be 'massively happy' with the 99,000-a-year contract.
Mr Da Silva said he knew nothing about Mr Benhamou's work for the president, and was no longer in touch with him. There are no publicly available photographs of Mr Benhamou something that is almost unheard of as far as presidential civil servants are concerned and he has not yet commented on Shampoogate.
In 2014, fraud squad officers raided Mr Lamdaoui's home and found evidence of vast sums of undeclared income, as well as forged business contracts. He denied all the charges against him, and following his resignation from the Elysee, the prosecution case was dropped. He was unavailable for comment last night.
Now there are fears fraudsters may have set up a bogus contract to rake in hundreds of thousands of pounds
An Elysee Palace source said: 'The president wants a fraud investigation into the whole affair. He considers it unacceptable.'
The nominally Left-wing Mr Hollande had pledged to break with the 'extravagance' of his conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy and his supermodel wife, Carla Bruni.
But accusations about shampoo socialism started on Tuesday when a leaked contract revealed that Mr Benhamou was earning as much as a government minister.
Mr Benhamou also enjoys a housing allowance and family benefits, as officials said the 24/7 barber was required to travel with Mr Hollande on all trips, and had no stand-in.
'He missed the birth of his children, their broken bones, their operations,' said his lawyer, Sarah Levy.
A British backpacker who became a quadriplegic while working on a dairy farm in Australia has been awarded almost $12 million compensation because she was not properly trained or given a helmet.
The money is less than half the amount Holly Raper's family was seeking from the farm's owners to help pay for the care she will need for the rest of her life.
Ms Raper was 23 when she suffered severe physical and brain injuries after rolling a quad bike while she was working on Tasmania's King Island in 2011.
The Hobart Supreme Court ruled Ms Raper was inadequately trained to use the quad bike, which had faulty brakes and faulty steering, and was not given access to a helmet.
Holly Raper (pictured) has been awarded almost $12 million compensation for a quad bike accident which left her a quadriplegic
The money is less than half the amount Holly Raper's family was seeking to help pay for the care she needs for the rest of her life
Justice Stephen Estcourt suggested a figure of almost $12 million, which will be open for further legal submissions on Monday, but did not agree with the $40 million amount Ms Raper's family lodged to cover the cost of her lifelong care.
'The amount of money is extremely large and (submissions) on judgment must be entered into,' the judge said, citing his 116-page draft ruling.
The case was adjourned until Monday, when the final compensation order will be issued after hearing the legal arguments on costs.
Ms Rapser sued the owners based on the severity of her injuries, her need for 24 hour care and her loss of income.
Ms Raper was awarded $290,000 in compensation by the Workers' Rehabilitation and Compensation Tribunal in October 2013.
The farm operator was fined $3000 under the Workplace Health and Safety Act, along with a farm supervisor who was fined $1200.
The Court ruled Ms Raper was inadequately trained to use the quad bike, which had faulty brakes and a faulty steering, and was not given access to a helmet
Ms Rapser sued the owners based on the severity of her injuries, her need for 24 hour care and her loss of income
She rolled a quad bike on Tasmania's King Island (pictured), located in the Bass Strait, off the northwestern tip of Tasmania
It seems as if this really isn't Chris Christie's week: First he was widely rumored to have been dropped from the race to be Trump's VP, and now a tree has fallen and cut power to his house.
The New Jersey governor was pictured giving a thumbs down on his lawn on Thursday after a tree fell and cut the power line leading to the property.
The unfortunate incident comes just hours after Indiana governor Mike Pence was tipped to become Trump's running mate instead of Christie, who said: 'You don't like coming in second.'
Chris Christie's week seemed to have gone from bad to worse on Thursday - hours after he was rumored to have been dropped from the race to be Trump's VP, a storm cut power to his house
Around 28,000 people across New Jersey were left without power following a storm on Thursday, including the governor, with sparks from the cable also starting a fire in the vacant lot next door
Christie told MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace: 'I mean, obviously, I'm a competitive person. So I'm not going to say it won't bother me, if I'm not selected.
'Of course it bothers you a little bit. 'Cause if you're a competitive person, like I am, and you're used to winning, like I am again, you don't like coming in second, ever.'
Christie's house was damaged as part of a storm front that drenched the tri-state area on Thursday, in some places bringing down trees and power lines and flooding homes.
More than 28,000 people were left without power across New Jersey as a result of the weather, with Christie being among them.
He was pictured walking out on to the front lawn of his home to inspect the damage with wife Mary Pat and one of his daughters.
Christie was pictured assessing the damage alongside wife Mary Sue, which came just hours after he was rumored to have been dropped from Trump's VP shortlist
Asked by photographers whether he had power, Christie answered by giving a thumbs down sign.
Sparks from the severed power line are also thought to have caused a fire in the vacant lot next door after setting light to it.
Yesterday The Donald spent time with Pence and former Speaker Newt Gingrich, who said on Fox News last night that he believed that the choice was down to two Pence and himself.
But by gauging Christie's reaction to the news that was slipping out, the New Jersey governor, who endorsed Trump early and is now in charge of the Republican's transition if he wins in the fall, believed he was still in the running too.
A North Korean defector has 'confessed' to plotting to kidnap two orphans and take them to South Korea at a news conference that was carefully orchestrated by Pyongyang.
Ko Hyon-Chol, who fled the North in 2013 and was granted South Korean citizenship, wept and buried his head in his hands as he was paraded in front of state media reporters in the capital.
Seoul demanded the immediate release of the 53-year-old, who was arrested over an alleged child abduction plot that North Korea claims was masterminded by South Korean agents.
Ko Hyon-Chol, 53, 'confessed' to attempting to kidnap two orphans and take them to South Korea
Ko wept and buried his head in his hands as he described his involvement in the alleged abduction plot
Ko was marched into the room by soldiers and put in a chair under photos of Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il
It's common practice for foreigners or North Koreans to be paraded in front of the media and deliver choreographed and apparently scripted public confessions after they have been arrested for subversive activity.
Ko was marched into the People's Palace of Culture by two uniformed soldiers and put in a chair beneath two large photos of former leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il.
During his 30-minute statement he called himself a 'traitor of the fatherland', claimed he was recruited by South Korean spies and discussed the alleged child abduction plot.
'I committed the unpardonable crime of being involved in attempted child abduction,' he said.
Ko said South Korean agents told him in May to arrange the abduction of orphans, promising 7,500 for each child.
His case comes after a dozen North Korean women, who worked in a restaurant in China, defected to the South last April.
North Korea claims the women were kidnapped by South Korean spies, but Seoul said they fled of their own free will.
In his statement, Ko suggested that South Korean agents were involved in the case of the women.
'They asked me if I knew about the 12 women who defected as a group and said that was just the beginning,' he said. 'So I set about abducting children but it wasn't easy.'
Ko Hyon-Chol bows as he is escorted to a press conference at the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang
Ko claimed South Korean agents told him in May to arrange the abduction of orphans in exchange for cash
Ko claimed he decided to abduct two orphaned girls, aged eight and nine, and crossed the river from China into North Korea in an inflatable boat in the early morning hours of 27 May.
He said he planned to take the girls back by boat, but was arrested.
Ko told reporters he fled North Korea in January 2013 to escape authorities who were investigating him for smuggling.
After living in China for a year he moved to South Korea in 2014 via Laos and Thailand, and claimed he sought out a defectors' organisation after struggling to adjust to his new life and being unable to find work to support himself.
He claimed he was introduced to South Korea's spy agency through the defectors' organisation last December.
Seoul, however, called it an 'illegal arrest' and said Ko was being used for a 'war of propaganda'.
The State Department confirmed Friday morning that at least two Americans are among the dead in the Nice, France Bastille Day attack.
State Department spokesman John Kirby did not name the two victims, but friends on social media identified them as father and son Sean and Brodie Copeland of Lakeway, Texas.
Sean, a 51-year-old Lexmark Corporation executive, and his 11-year-old son were watching the Bastille Day fireworks on the Nice waterfront on Thursday when a terrorist drove a truck through the crowds and opened fire - killing at least 84.
A family friend said that Mr Copeland's wife Kim, 39, and his two adult children from another marriage, 21-year-old Austin and 29-year-old Maegan, 'witnessed the horrible tragedy but were able to get out of harm's way'.
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Father and son Sean, 51 (right), and Brodie Copeland have been named as the two Americans killed in the Nice, France terror attacks. Eleven-year-old Brodie is pictured on the left playing in the sea in a photo sent to a friend the day of the attack
The father and son were on a family vacation with Mr Copeland's wife Kim, 39 (right), and his two adult children from a prior relationship, 29-year-old Maegan (second left) and 21-year-old Austin (second right)
'My heart aches right now. Lost a really good friend and his son in the Nice, France terror attack. Please pray for the Copeland family. Especially for Kim, Austin and [Maegan] as they witnessed the horrible tragedy but were able to get out of [harm's] way. I know both Sean and Brodie knew and loved Jesus and that is comforting but it still hurts to the core,' friend Jason Granger wrote on Facebook.
Another family friend, Jess Davis, told the Texas Statesman that the Copelands and their three children were on a family vacation 'when this unthinkable and unfair act of terror took Sean and Brodie from the world far too soon'.
'We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean Copeland, a wonderful husband and father. They are so loved,' the Copeland family said in a statement issued through Davis.
The family reportedly started their vacation in Pamplona before journeying on to Barcelona and Nice. Adult children Maegan and Austin pictures above at the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona last week
Family friend Jason Granger says Kim Copeland and her two step-children witnessed the horror but were able to escape to safety
The family of five started their journey in Pamplona, Spain then continued on to Barcelona before crossing the border into France to celebrate Bastille Day in Nice.
Eldest child Maegan, a technical recruiter for Uber, posted a picture on Instagram of her and her brother Austin, a Texas State University senior, dressed in white for the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona last week.
We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean Copeland, a wonderful husband and father. They are so loved. Statement from the Copeland family
Mr Copeland, an alumni of the University of North Texas in Denton, was the vice president of North and South America for Lexmark Corporation's Kapow Software Division. He also served as an administrator on his youngest son's baseball team.
Relative Haley Copeland wrote on Facebook Friday morning: 'By now many of you have heard about the 80 people that have died in Nice, France today from a terrorist attack driving through a parade.
'[Two] of those 80 people were American and those 2 people happen to be uncle Sean and 11 year old cousin Brodie. They were there on vacation with my two other cousins and aunt celebrating a birthday.
'This is an extremely difficult time for my family and anyone who knows Sean and Brodie Copeland. Losing a loved one is hard no matter the circumstances but losing a loved one in such a tragic and unexpected way is unbearable. Prayers are much appreciated. #CopelandFamily #nice.'
Sean was believed to be taking part in a 'dream holiday' to the Riviera when he was killed by terrorists believed to be affiliated with ISIS. His son Brodie is pictured on the left in his baseball portrait. Father and son pictured on the right after a trophy ceremony
Relative Haley Copeland was one of the victims' family members to confirm their deaths online after the attack
Hill Country Baseball, where Brodie was a player, messaged saying: 'This evening we would like to ask that the HC family keep the Copelands in your prayers.
'This afternoon our very own Brodie Copeland, as well as his father Sean Copeland, were killed during the terrorist attack in Nice, France.
'Nobody deserves this type of fate, especially not such a wonderful family. You are in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers. Rest in peace, Brodie and Sean, you will be remembered by many.'
Friends of the family paid tribute to the father and son on Facebook following their deaths on Thursday night.
Victor Flores wrote: 'I'm in complete shock! Some of the best people I've had the privilege to know. You will definitely be missed Sean and Brodie.
'Kim, I do not have the words nor know what you are going through. I'm truly sorry for your loss. On behalf of Gio and the rest of my family, we love you!
Jeff Petry said the father and son touched our lives in so many ways, adding: No words can describe how we feel. Such a good man and a great kid and teammate.
Joshua Sanders wrote: Just terrible news. Kim and family are in our prayers. Brodie was such a lovely young man, and Sean an equally great guy.
A fund has been set up to benefit the family on Go Fund Me. As of Friday afternoon, the fund had raised over $15,000.
Friends paid tribute to the father and son (pictured), saying they were 'some of the best people I've had the privilege to know' who 'touched our lives in so many ways'
The Copeland children pictured from left to right in a photo from 2014: Austin, Brodie and Maegan
Another 18 people are believed to have been seriously injured as attackers, thought to be affiliated with ISIS, drove a truck packed with weapons and explosives into holiday crowds.
One eyewitness described seeing 'bodies flying like bowling pins' and 'hearing noises, cries that I will never forget' as the horror unfolded on a busy promenade at around 11pm last night.
Secretary of State John Kerry's office confirmed that two Americans were dead in the attack from Moscow, where he is speaking with his Russian counterpart this week about Syria.
'At this time, we are aware of and can confirm two US citizens were killed in the attack in Nice on July 14, 2016,' State Department spokesman Kirby said in a statement.
'We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of those killed.'
Kirby added that the State Department is providing 'all possible consular assistance' to its citizen.
Kirby's announcement came after President Barack Obama strongly condemned what he said was a 'horrific terrorist attack' and said the United States stood 'in solidarity and partnership with France'.
'Our embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for the welfare of US citizens in Nice,' Kirby said. 'Any U.S. citizens in Nice should contact friends and family directly to inform them of their well being.'
At least 80 people have died and another 18 are reported to be severely injured after attackers, believed to be affiliated with ISIS, drove a truck packed with explosives into crowds celebrating Bastille Day
Vice President Joe Biden issued a statement saying: 'Today's horrendous attack in Nice is an attack against innocent people on a day that celebrates Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.
'On behalf of all Americans, and especially the great many with close ties to France, I offer our deepest condolences to the friends and family of those who were killed and our hopes for a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
'I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed.
'Our embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for the welfare of U.S. citizens in Nice. Any U.S. citizens in Nice should contact friends and family directly to inform them of their well being.'
Hillary Clinton also issued a statement saying that 'we will not allowed ourselves to be intimidated' by attacks that 'seek to undermine our very way of life'.
Meanwhile Donald Trump announced he is postponing a long-anticipated press conference originally scheduled for tomorrow announcing his VP pick, before adding an hour later: 'My prayers and condolences to the victims and families of the terrible tragedy in Nice.'
Identity documents belonging to a 31-year-old French Tunisian were later found in the bullet-riddled truck after the gunman at the wheel was shot dead by police, security sources said.
The shocking attack, the latest to rock France in the recent months, came just hours after President Francois Hollande discusses downgrading the country's state of emergency
The source added: 'The identification of the truck driver is still underway.' The recovered papers indicate the man is a resident of Nice.
The truck driver was said to have shouted 'Allahu Akbar' God is greatest before being killed. Pro-ISIS groups have been celebrating the attack but as yet the terror group has not officially claimed responsibility.
A huge cache of guns, grenades and 'larger weapons' were later found inside the lorry, which mounted the pavement at approximately 40mph and steered directly towards hundreds of people watching a fireworks display.
Around 100 revellers are then said to have dived into the sea as panic ensued and holiday crowds desperately ran for their lives.
Anti-terror police swooped in as the city was put on lockdown and residents were warned to stay indoors for their safety.
Addressing the nation, French President Francois Hollande said several children were among the dead, with 80 victims confirmed so far and a further 20 people gravely wounded.
A British tourist has described how panicked people 'ran over dead bodies' to escape as terror unfolded at a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice.
Esther Serwah, 59, was on her way to dinner on the Promenade de Anglais when a terrorist gunman killed 84 people and seriously injured 50 more after he used a 25-tonne lorry to go on a mile-long killing spree by mounting pavements at high speed and ploughing through crowds.
Fifty children were taken to the Lanval Foundation Childrens Hospital, in Nice. Two died on Friday morning during surgery and others are still between life and death, the hospital's head of communications said.
Mrs Serwah, from Surrey, was walking along the promenade with her daughters when screaming broke out.
'I saw everybody running and I just didn't know what was going on. People were screaming at me in French but I didn't understand,' she said.
'Some people were lying on the streets dead and people were running over the bodies.'
Another British woman in Nice, Sally Gardiner, 75, from Wiltshire, has told how she was crushed in a stampede of men running down the street as she tried to escape the chaos on the Promenade de Anglais.
Distraught parents of victims embrace each other near the scene of the truck attack in Nice on Friday
British grandmother June Murphy (right) in a Nice hotel with Swedish, German and Chinese students after the terror attack. She calmed frightened tourists in Nice - with cups of English tea
British nationals in the south of France are being told to follow the instructions of the French authorities after a Bastille Day attack in Nice killed dozens of people, including children (Pictured: People cross the street with their hands on their heads as a French soldier secures the area)
Ms Gardiner, who owns a studio flat behind the famous street, was left with a broken arm and black eye when a large man landed on top of her in the rush for safety.
She narrowly escaped being in the path of the lorry when she made a decision to listen to a jazz band rather than go straight home after the fireworks.
I saw all these dead bodies lying around it didnt seem real, it was like something out of a film, Ms Gardiner told MailOnline.
She bravely took a French family and a Turkish couple into her home that evening after they were left stranded due to the attack and said the company helped her deal with her own emotions.
Im 75 and Ive never seen a dead body before, she said.
A British national was injured in the attack in Nice, France, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has confirmed.
An Irish barman has told how he was just 10ft from the bloody carnage as he watched a truck driver plough through men, women and children.
Robert Greene, from Coolock in Dublin, saw one man's body torn in pieces on the Promenade des Anglais as a woman cried over him, while the shattered remnants of a child's bike were strewn across the road.
The 33-year-old had just got off a bus with a group of friends as the Bastille Day celebrations and firework display drew to a close.
Barman Robert Greene who was 10 feet from the carnage in Nice as he watched the truck driver plough through men, women and children
Mr Greene said of the truck driver's progress: 'He came behind us and beside us as he was cutting through people.
'He was as close as 10ft away.
'I saw this truck and he cut through three or four people, he was already missing the bumper. It was horrific.'
Some of Mr Greene's friends ran down a flight of steps to the beach below the promenade as the driver weaved along the road with the lights of the truck off, running over people indiscriminately.
Still in deep shock after witnessing the deaths, he described the carnage the truck left in its wake.
'A woman dropped to her knees, someone in her family had been killed, just lying there. There was not even a thing anyone could do, there was no CPR, bits of him were lying around,' he said.
'It was horrific.'
The barman added: 'There was a young child's plastic tricycle, smashed up and left in bits.
'I stayed on top of the stairs looking around. It was surreal. People screaming, children crying, young children running around the place alone, a woman on roller blades screaming for her child. She found him.'
Forensics officers and policemen look for evidences near a truck on the Promenade des Anglais seafront on Friday
Forensic police stand on the Promenade des Anglais collecting evidence after the horrific attack
Bodies of victims were covered by sheets at the scene of the truck attack in Nice
Mr Greene arrived in Nice in the middle of May to work in Ma Nolan's Irish bar and to soak up the atmosphere at Euro 2016.
He was returning to the city with friends after a pool party at a hotel on the outskirts of Nice and said he thought the attack began close to where his group had got off the bus.
'There was no noise. He came in between us and the beach. I remember turning around and then hearing noise but there wasn't a huge amount of noise. We must have been close to the start,' he said.
'Some people pushed their youngsters out of the way, we ran to the beach.'
Two of their group went missing in the immediate confusion, one of whom was on crutches, but they were reunited a short while later.
Mr Greene added: 'It doesn't seem real. When it was happening I remember thinking: why is he not stopping? He was starting to come closer. Then he started to veer in and veer out.
Eyewitness Robert Greene described how the driver weaved along the road with the lights of the truck off, running over people indiscriminately
Two young French students on holiday from Paris stared into the face of the driver who seemed to be having fun
'I was not really looking at the driver at the time. I was more fixated on the truck and the people, the bumper was gone. That's when I thought, he's not just going to stop, this isn't an accident, he was ploughing into people.
'His lights were out. There was no noise.'
British man Alec Bates, who was on holiday with his wife Jo, has described the terrifying moment he thought he was going to be shot dead amid the chaos of the attack in Nice.
The 69-year-old said: 'After the firework display had finished we walked up to the square and within literally minutes there was absolutely panic - there was a mass of people, hundreds of people, who came screaming into the square.
'We did hear noises which we thought may have been fireworks after the firework display by individuals, but it may have been the shots that we heard and certainly not the fireworks.
'We could see the terror on people's faces and we then decided that there was no option but to run right out and get shelter."
Mr Bates, who lives in Hua Hin, Thailand, but is originally from Stanwick, Northamptonshire, said he thought he was going to be killed.
'We actually thought that we were going to be mowed down by gunfire - we expected something like that because of the way people were moving.
Alec and Jo Bates in Nice, France, just hours before the Nice terror attack. Mr Bates has described the terrifying moment he thought he was going to be shot dead amid the chaos of the attack
'There were literally so many people - hundreds of people - terrorised, and in a situation like that you don't really know what's going on, you just don't know where to go.
'It was the worst moment of my life, without any doubt, because you really did think you were going to be killed and that's the bottom line. That's the terrible part of it all.'
Two young French students on holiday from Paris, have also given a graphic description of the horror around them as one stared into the face of the driver who seemed to be having fun
Speaking to the Nouvel Observateur, Helena, said the truck halted beside her as people fled.
I thought the brakes had seized. I stood there unable to move, paralysed, watching people screaming and pushing, bodies going down. It was like I was in a movie.'
But her friend Cyprian said: The truck was almost upon us. I even had time to see the drivers face. He was bearded and he seemed to be having fun.
A man on a scooter tried to stop the driver.
Helena watched as an old lady was sucked into the wheels of the lorry. She was lying, her head bleeding, he leg completely dislocated at an odd angle. She said Im dying. I wanted to help but was pulled away.
The pair took refuge at the West End Hotel. Inside a young boy of about five was dragged in.
We saw him die in his mothers arms. Then we heard her scream, said Helena.
Another British witness, Lucy Nesbitt-Comaskey, told Sky News that restaurants along the promenade urged everyone to come inside.
'I said to my friend 'This doesn't sound like fireworks, it sounds like Beirut when it's under fire',' she recalled.
Three survivors of the terror attack cling to one another as they try to come to terms with what happened and pass the body of someone whose life was taken
A shocked woman in yellow sits on the phone next to the body of a loved-one, surrounded by debris, as ISIS terrorists again struck in France, this time on Bastille Day, killing at least 84
A group of people attend to someone injured by the seafront in the terrorist attack
She was planning to go to the fireworks but had stopped to find a toilet on the way when the horror broke out.
Roy Calley, a BBC journalist who lives in Nice, said: 'I heard what at first I thought was a bit of an explosion, though maybe that was my imagination.
'Almost instantaneously people started to scream and run in all directions it was a case of panic for a good 10 to 15 minutes following,' he said.
Briton Will Shore was in a nearby bar and ran towards the city centre when he heard gunfire to find the military and the local police ushering absolutely everybody out of the area.
'It was quite chaotic really. There was a lot of people screaming, running around and people were kind of being pushed over, I think, from people just being so frightened about what was going on, especially after hearing the gunshots,' he told the BBC.
'I had to help a couple of people up who were in distress on the floor because everyone was in such a panic.'
Two bereft women sit by a victim of the attack. Eyewitnesses saw people 'running over dead bodies'
The popular tourist area was shutdown after the tragedy unfolded. The travel alert on the Foreign Office's site says there is a 'high' threat of terrorism in France
Kevin Harris saw the horrific attack from his balcony, he told Good Morning Britain that he had just returned to his room after the Bastille Day firework display when the attack happened.
Mr Harris said: 'About a minute after being in the room I heard some gunshots, went out onto my terrace and just looked and saw this dreadful scene of lots of bodies just lying in the middle of the Promenade and a truck which had sort of crashed into a tree on the right hand side.'
'The strange thing was that these poor people just werent moving, there wasnt anybody who seemed to be injured, they had just been hit so hard that everybody was dead. I realised that when they started bringing towels off the beach club thats very close to it and laying these towels over these people,' he said.
'There was a separate body which was behind the truck which they didnt cover and I assumed that that was probably the driver,' he added.
Kartik Bhanot, 26, from Essex said at first he thought it was a drunk driver as he walked along the promenade with his parents and sister.
He described 'swathes' of bodies lying by the road after the lorry had driven through, 'flipping' people as it went.
British witness Kevin Harris saw the horrific attack from his balcony and saw bodies 'lying in the road'
The Foreign Office has confirmed a UK national was caught up in the terror attack. The area on the French Riviera is a popular holiday destination for British tourists
He was walking with his mother, who has cancer, behind his dad and sister when the terrorist struck.
He said: 'The beach was on our left, the other side of the road, and the area was full of happy families and kids, who just enjoyed the firework display.
'Suddenly as we crossed the junction, we heard screams and loud bangs. I looked for my Mum and she was sprinting away... I was puzzled. I looked back and saw on my left this huge grey lorry, travelling at least 60mph, about five to 10 metres from me.
June Murphy (pictured) was on the promenade to watch the fireworks but rushed back to her hotel when 'total panic broke out'
'It was ploughing through people. I saw bodies flipped and continuous loud bangs.'
He said the family had enjoyed a meal at Les Jardins du Capitole and were strolling back to their hotel after the fireworks when it all happened.
'I'm still shaking. My last memory of the incident is of a young guy in a blue shirt lying crooked on the ground after the lorry raced past him and through him.
'I don't know if he was shot or run over, or just fell over, but I'm praying he is fine as is everyone else involved.
'My heart goes out to everyone who is French. I'm just a tourist here, but I pray that these unjust, heinous, sick and sadistic attacks on you never happen again.'
Meanwhile, a British Gran has told how she calmed frightened tourists in Nice - with cups of English tea.
June Murphy and her friend Kate Lumbers, both 70, were on the promenade to watch the fireworks but rushed back to the their hotel when 'total panic broke out'.
June, from Dover, Kent, described the moment people began screaming and running for their lives at around 10.30pm as 'pandemonium'.
She said: 'People started screaming and running. We ran with them to get out of the way. It was just total panic - pandemonium.
'All you could hear was screaming as people were running to safety. It was total carnage.'
The pensioners raced back to their hotel, the Compte De Nice, quickly called her husband Nev back home to let him know they were safe.
She then busied herself making tea for tourists and locals taking cover inside the hotel.
June said: 'There was a little lad at the hotel - a 17-year-old student from Germany. He was hiding in a garage terrified.
'Some local people took him in to the hotel because he was on his own and scared.
'I'm a mum and a gran. My first thought was the kids.
'I was trying to pacify them. We were drinking English tea with them.'
Police hold up a group of people outside the hotel Le Negresco, a grand beachfront hotel in Nice
'There wasnt anybody who seemed to be injured, they had just been hit so hard that everybody was dead,' Mr Harris said
On Friday morning, a security guard walks near the scene of an attack after a truck drove onto the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd who'd gathered to watch the fireworks
A Labour MP has revealed how he and friends fled in fear down Nice's Promenade des Anglais - as the terrorist truck ploughed through the helpless crowd.
Father-of-two John Woodcock, 37 - MP for Barrow and Furness - even later gave shelter overnight to a frightened Parisian family in his flat as the city lay in fear of more attacks.
Mr Woodcock had jetted over to Nice earlier this week to enjoy the famous Bastille Day celebrations on the seafront, when terror struck on Thursday night.
Father-of-two John Woodcock, 37 - MP for Barrow and Furness - gave shelter overnight to a frightened Parisian family in his flat in Nice
Yesterday morning(Fri) he tweeted: 'Tragedy in Nice is devastating. I happen to be in the city at the moment. On Promenade with celebrating crowd last night, now safe indoors.'
After making his way back to his holiday apartment in a gated complex, Mr Woodcock gave shelter to a young Parisian couple with their three-year-old son.
The French family stopped in Mr Woodcock's flat that night while the MP slept in the bathroom.
Mr Woodcock, who is due to fly home on Saturday, said he had contacted his family to let them know he was safe and well.
Luckily neither of his two daughters Maisie and Molly, aged four and seven, were with him on the holiday.
It has been confirmed a 48-year-old high ranking policeman was among those killed on the Promenade des Anglais.
Christian Estrosi, former Mayor of Nice and Regional President, confirmed that the Deputy Director of Police and Border (PAF) Nice, in charge of airport security, was among those killed when the truck struck.
He had gone to the Bastille display with his girlfriend, also a high ranking officer and her daughter.
No name has been given yet.
The eyewitness accounts come as tourists are urged to continue to take care in France.
The travel alert on the Foreign Office's site has remained at a 'high' threat of terrorism in France since the November 2015 attacks.
The area on the French Riviera is a popular holiday destination for British tourists.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are in touch with the local authorities and seeking more information following an apparent attack on a Bastille Day celebration in Nice.
'If you are in the area follow the instructions of the French authorities.
'Our thoughts are with those affected and we stand by to help any British nationals.'
The Association of British Travel Agents also said in a statement that travellers in Nice are advised to follow the instructions of French authorities, who are at present advising people to stay indoors at this time.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the government is declaring three days of national mourning after a truck attack in Nice
French President Francois Hollande, left, leaves the Elysee Palace after a security meeting in Paris
'ABTA would recommend that all visitors read and follow the latest travel advice for France by talking to their travel agent or tour operator and following Foreign Office advice.
WHAT DOES THE ATTACK MEAN FOR FRANCE? Dr Natasha Underhill, a terrorism expert at Nottingham Trent University, said: 'Now, more than ever, the European Union security community needs to work in unison to try to prevent, as best as possible, this style of individual-led violence. 'The danger of "lone-wolf" style attacks, however, is that the intelligence community no matter how well-prepared cannot monitor all individuals who become self-radicalised and choose to carry out an act of this kind. 'Although there have been no claims for this attack as yet, linking it to Islamic State at this point means that the French government have given the organisation the "glory" of this act of violence. 'The impact for France is likely to be one of a greater security-focused state, but the dangers of doing so play into the hands of groups such as Islamic State. 'Fear is the strongest influence terrorists have over us, and if the French government in some way infringe on their citizens civil liberties and freedoms in the fight against terrorism, the terrorists win. 'The French need to stand strong, not falter in their campaign against terrorism and use this horrific act of violence to make their country and the world a safer place through logical and calculated reactions.' Advertisement
'As in the UK where the terrorism threat level is severe, travellers should remain alert and vigilant, especially in places where there is a high concentration of people,' the association said.
When the vehicle, which was packed with guns and grenades, struck crowds it travelled for over a mile down the Promenade des Anglais before police managed to kill the driver.
One eyewitness described seeing 'bodies flying like bowling pins' and 'hearing noises, cries that I will never forget' as the horror unfolded on a busy promenade in the southern city of Nice at around 11pm last night.
Identity documents belonging to a 31-year-old French Tunisian were later found in the bullet-riddled truck after the gunman at the wheel was shot dead by police, security sources said.
The killer was named by local newspaper Nice Matin as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.
A huge cache of guns, grenades and 'larger weapons' were later found inside the lorry, which mounted the pavement at approximately 40mph and steered directly towards hundreds of people watching a fireworks display. Around 100 people are then said to have dived into the sea as panic ensued and revellers desperately ran for their lives.
Anti-terror police swooped in as the city was put on lockdown and residents were warned to stay indoors for their safety.
Eyewitnesses say there was an exchange of gunfire in the aftermath of the incident before the driver was shot dead.
Police are investigating after a young woman allegedly fled her hairdresser without paying after spending four hours in the salon getting $750 worth of hair extensions and colour corrections.
Mia Buchanan, owner of Uniq Hair in Brisbane's Kelvin Grove, said the young woman ducked out for a second time claiming she needed to 'to quickly move her car again'.
Instead, she drove off without paying the single mother for her hours of work.
'When this happened, I had blood rush to my cheeks. I can't afford that,' Ms Buchanan told Daily Mail Australia.
She turned to social media to identify the woman after realising she gave a fake name and phone number for her session on Wednesday.
And her hunt appears to have had results - with Queensland Police confirming officers were looking into the incident.
A young woman (pictured) has allegedly left a hair salon without paying for the $750 worth of hair extensions and colour corrections in Brisbane on Wednesday
Owner Mia Buchanan said: 'She was even saying to me: "Oh my god, I love it. I've found my new hairdresser".' The young woman is not pictured - other staff and clientele are pictured
A police spokesman would not confirm whether investigators had a particular culprit, but shopping centre management were preparing to hand over CCTV of her black Hyundai 'getaway car'.
Ms Buchanan has been told on social media the woman had been responsible for a string of offences.
The fuming Ms Buchanan recalled: 'She was even saying to me: "Oh my god, I love it. I've found my new hairdresser".'
She said she was grateful from the support from everybody. 'All our clients have been quite joking this morning.'
This week, Ms Buchanan also shared pictures of the young woman with the world - the 'before' shots she always takes of customers.
Hundreds have commented on the post and 20 people have provided the same name for the woman.
'When this happened, I had blood rush to my cheeks. I can't afford that,' Ms Buchanan (pictured), the owner of Uniq Hair and a single mother-of-two, said
Owner Ms Buchanan has turned to social media to identify the young woman
While she has reported the alleged theft to police, she said she will not press charges if the young woman turns herself in to pay by 5pm on Friday.
The client was parked in an area with a two-hour limit, and had gone to move the car to avoid a fine.
When she didn't return the second time, Ms Buchanan said she waited 20-minutes before she started to panic.
'Forty-five minutes later I went and saw the centre manager to see the CCTV footage,' she told Courier Mail.
The footage showed the woman leaving the salon and driving out of the village centre carpark.
A 19-year-old Queensland boy was killed in a freak accident when a piece of heavy machinery he was operating rolled over on him in a remote town in Canada.
Country Queensland boy David Vinnicombe is thought to have been on a working holiday in Invuik, a remote part of Canada that touches the Arctic Ocean.
He was working on a construction site, helping to build an access road for a new satellite in the area.
The director of Protective Services for the Town of Inuvik, Jim Sawkins, told CBC News the boys dead body had been freed from the machine by his workmates when he and 12 firefighters arrived at the construction site.
David Vinnicombe (pictured) was killed when a piece of heavy machinery he was operating rolled on top of him at a construction site in a remote arctic town in Canada
David was building a road in Inuvik (pictured) when the machinery rolled over. His workmates managed to free his body from the machine though he died at the scene
Inuvik is a remote town in Canada which touches the Arctic Ocean. It has a population of 3,265
David's aunt said he had a 'beautiful smile, wicked sense of humour and an infectious laugh'
'Upon arrival at the scene, it became evident that a piece of heavy machine had rolled over on the sole occupant of the vehicle,' he said.
It is not known which piece of heavy machinery caused the 19-year-old's death.
An investigation into David's death by Royal Canadian Mountain Police, the Worker's Safety and Compensation Commission and the North West Territory's chief coroner is ongoing, though the death is not considered suspicious.
A friend of the Vinnicombe family set up a GoFundMe account to help parents Robbie and Renee with the costs of bringing their son's body home, and has raised almost $25,000.
His funeral was held on Friday afternoon at the Longreach Civic Centre.
'The world will be a far lesser place without our boy,' Nikki Gay, David's aunt told the Courier Mail.
'David's signature was his glorious blonde locks, his beautiful smile, his wicked sense of humour and that infectious laugh.'
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A young mother who died while in Mexico desperately seeking a cure for her cervical cancer has been farewelled by her husband, two-year-old son, and their friends and family.
Jessica Gall, 26, from the Gold Coast in Queensland, died in Mexico on July 5 while undergoing a radical treatment known as ablation immunotherapy.
On Friday her husband Eden, son Easton gathered with loved ones to remember Mrs Gall who friends have described as 'a beautiful mum and a beautiful wife'.
On Friday Jessica Gall's husband Eden and son Easton (pictured) were surrounded by friends and family at her funeral after she died getting treatment for cerival cancer in Mexico
Her husband kept the couple's young son close after the memorial (left), and later he was held by a friend (right)
Jessica Gall, 26, from the Gold Coast in Queensland died in Mexico while undergoing radical treatment for cervical cancer
About 100 people packed into the Miami Catholic Church on the Gold Coast, on a cold and grey winter's day.
A guitarist sang Neil Young's Heart of Gold as mourners took their seats, and Mrs Gall's euology was delivered by her grandfather John.
Other family members and friends gave their reflections on her life during the funeral before the church sang Amazing Grace.
Mourners released balloons following the service, and a white dove was also set free to remember the young mother.
Her husband kept the couple's young son close after the memorial, and was comforted by loved ones outside the church.
Friends are currently fundraising for the family after Mrs Gall's numerous treatments both in Australia and abroad cost her around $600,000.
About 100 people packed into the Miami Catholic Church on the Gold Coast to farewell her
A white dove was released by mourners following the service
Family members and friends gave their reflections during the funeral before the church sang Amazing Grace
Friends are currently fundraising for the family after Mrs Gall's numerous treatments both in Australia and abroad cost her around $600,000
After seeking treatment first in China then in Germany Ms Gall's last attempt to beat the cancer was a radical treatment called ablation immunotherapy in Mexico, which is where she died.
Ms Gall was first diagnosed with cancer two years ago after a test in October 2014 showed abnormalities in her cervix.
However the cancer returned in July last year, just a month after her own father lost his seven-year long battle with cancer.
When conventional treatments in Australia such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy didn't work for Ms Gall, she sought help overseas.
After researching alternative treatments outside Australia, Ms Gall travelled to Renkang Hospital in China in late 2015 with her husband and son.
Mourners released balloons following the service and Mr Gall was comforted by friends outside the church
The young mother, from Queensland's Gold Coast, leaves behind her husband Eden and their son Easton, two
Ms Gall was first diagnosed with cancer two years ago after a test in October 2014 showed abnormalities in her cervix
When this failed and Ms Gall was 'sent home to die', she learned of a radical treatment in Mexico called ablation immunotherapy.
This time her husband stayed in Australia so he could care for their child and continue working in order to pay for the treatment.
WHAT IS ABLATION IMMUNOTHERAPY? Ablation treatment for cancer involves injecting needles into the tumor and blasting it with extreme heat or cold. The concept behind the therapy is that ablation acts like a vaccine against the tumor, kick-starting the body into generating an immune response. This is then paired with a type of immunotherapy which aims to get the immune system to attack the cancer itself, supposedly making the treatment more effective. Advertisement
Ablation treatment for cancer involves injecting needles into the tumor and blasting it with extreme heat or cold, while using the bodys own immune system to fight the disease.
The concept behind the therapy is that ablation acts like a vaccine against the tumor, kick-starting the body into generating an immune response.
Nine weeks ago the 26-year-old left her young family once again in pursuit of a cure with her sister Sacha, but the alternative therapy left her so unwell she was placed into in intensive care.
Friend Brooke Chamberlin has started a fundraising page to help out in such a difficult time.
'She was a beautiful mum, she was a beautiful wife to Eden', Ms Chamberlin told Daily Mail Australia.
She has urged anyone who can help out to do so, as 'every little bit counts'.
A young boy who went missing after he was last seen boarding a train from Sydney Airport on Friday has been located safe and well.
Ben Hall, aged 12, was last seen getting onto the city-bound train at the domestic terminal at about 12.30pm.
His family alerted police when they were unable to locate or contact him - NSW Police say Ben has since arrived at his family's home on the northern beaches.
Ben Hall, aged 12, was last seen boarding a city bound train at the domestic terminal about 12.30pm Friday. He has since been located safe and well
A search began for the child missing from the Sydney Airport train station earlier today. He has arrived at his family's northern beaches home unharmed
Serious concerns were held for the boys welfare, at one stage, due to a medical condition.
Salem, Oregon, is all about the Benjamins thanks to 'Benny,' a mystery philanthropist who has left more than $51,000 around the city for strangers to find since 2013.
The unknown gift-giver has been quietly hiding signed $100 bills in cereal boxes, baby strollers and other everyday items since at least the fall of 2012, when the first reported find occurred.
Those notes are then found by delighted members of the public - nicknamed 'Benny-ficiaries' - with many choosing to spread Benny's kindness to those around them, USA Today reported.
Benny-fits: Mysterious philanthropist 'Benny', named after Benjamin Franklin, has left $51,500 in $100 bills around Salem, Oregon, in cereal boxes, strollers and - in Scott Stolberg's case, his cash register (pictured)
Benny-ficiaries: Volunteers Brian and Estelle - and Cosmo the dog - show off the 'Benny' donated to Marion County Dog Shelter, one of the 47 organizations re-gifted one of the Bennies found by Salem residents
The first known Benny-ficiary was a Cub Scout who was given $100 while selling popcorn and candy at a Fred Meyer store in the city in the fall of 2012.
Two more Cub Scouts received the hefty bills in similar fashion in March and April of 2013.
Then, in December of that year things took off. The discovery of a note - signed 'Benny' - in a cornflakes packet in Wal-Mart began a stream of finds that saw 12 others found in that month alone.
The run has continued almost unabated to the modern day. The latest bill was uncovered in a thermal mug in that same Wal-Mart on July 11, bringing the total to $51,500.
What motivated Benny in the first place - a whimsical spirit of sharing, perhaps, or the secret pleasure of doing a good deed unthanked - remains unknown, but whatever it is, it's infectious.
Because pretty soon, Benny's Benny-ficiaries became 'Benny-factors', giving to those in need rather than holding onto their cash.
So far, 238 of the total 515 Benny-ficiaries to date having reported 'passing it on.'
One of those men is Jeff Phillips, who found a Benny in a box of Almond Nut-Thins and donated it to victims of the Orlando shooting.
And USA Today reported on two boys - names not given - who bought toys for other children with the note they found.
So far 47 non-profits and organizations have had Benny's good fortune passed on to them, with the top three choices being animal rescue groups (17), food banks (17) and schools (13).
And even when someone has decided to keep the money, there's still a happy ending.
Benny-factor: A 'Benny' was found in a donation box for a Salem Lions Club in July 2015. The Clubs help local communities, so the Benny seems appropriate, given the positive effect the spree has had on Salem
Often the notes have found their way into the hands of people who were desperate for money, and used the much-needed windfall to pay for medication or bills, USA Today reported.
Whoever Benny is, he - or she - has brought out the very best in those the bills have graced.
Not that they'll be able to thank the philanthropist any time soon; Benny takes privacy very seriously, only communicating to local newspaper The Statesman Journal through a friend, who confirms which notes are official Benny finds.
In fact, 'Benny' isn't even the person's real name: That title was given by the Journal, who named the mystery gift-giver after Benjamin Franklin, the president featured on $100 bills.
Only then did the notes start being signed.
So for now Benny's true identity remains a mystery. But given the hope and goodness he's inspired in the people of Salem, perhaps that's for the best.
After all, if anyone could be Benny, then anyone can be Benny. He is, quite literally, the gift that keeps on giving.
The mother of cop murderer Micah Johnson said his son couldn't have slaughtered five police officers because he got upset when he ran over a squirrel.
It has been revealed the disgraced former U.S. reservist was kicked out of the army for stealing a female soldier's panties that had not been washed for five weeks.
The 25-year-old behind the Dallas attacks was disarmed and put under 24-hour surveillance by his superiors, meaning he could not go the the bathroom without being watched.
He was eventually kicked out of the Army in April 2015, a year after the woman lodged a sexual harassment claim against him, urging him to seek help.
Comrades described him as a bad soldier, and during a shooting test, he returned the lowest possible rank.
His inadequacies started at school, where he was a lousy student, with his results graded 430th out of the 453 people in his class.
Twisted Johnson murdered five police officers and injured seven more during Black Lives Matter in Dallas on July 7 after walking out of his house saying, 'I love you' to his mom.
Later questioned by police, Delphine Johnson, 49, said: 'Not my son. He got upset when we ran over a squirrel.'
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The mother of cop murderer Micah Johnson said his son couldn't have slaughtered five police officers because he got upset when he ran over a squirrel
Micah Johnson (pictured, left and right), 25, from Mesquite, Texas, shot 12 police officers, killing five, before being killed by a robotic bomb detonated by police after a four hour standoff on July 7
Authorities have described Johnson as a loner who shot and killed five officers in downtown Dallas during last week's peaceful protest over police shootings nationwide.
President Barack Obama, at a memorial for the victims, called him 'demented.'
But in multiple interviews, the Mississippi-born, Texas-bred 25-year-old was remembered by friends, comrades and acquaintances as a gregarious, even 'goofy' extrovert.
Johnson wasn't the best marksman, a fellow Army Reserve buddy recalled, and his former squad leader described him as less than motivated during training.
But he showed brutal tactical effectiveness when he callously killed five officers in Dallas, moving stealthily, using columns for cover and swiveling his head to watch corners for threats.
Such was the sophistication in his maneuvers, police initially thought they were taking fire from multiple snipers.
Retired Army Sgt. Gilbert Fischbach, Johnson's former squad leader in Texas, said the Johnson who craftily changed locations to confuse his targets was not the same soldier he trained.
'He didn't seem to be motivated or enthused to learn those types of tactics,' he said.
'These are things he was trained on but never seemed to really care about.'
An FBI evidence response team are pictured working at the scene of the shooting on Sunday
As a boy in a Dallas suburb with friends of all backgrounds, Johnson dreamed of being a police officer or a soldier, relatives said.
His school transcripts show he struggled academically when he changed school districts a decade after his parents' 1996 divorce.
He failed some courses but graduated in 2009 with a 1.98 grade-point average, ranking 430 out of 453 students in his class.
But in ROTC, he was serious, said Latisha Boyd, who enrolled in JROTC with Johnson in 2009, when she was a freshman and he a senior.
'He was really friendly and passionate about the Army,' she said.
'I wasn't really into it, but he was. If I had a problem or needed help with an exercise, he's the one I'd go to.'
Other close high school friends also described a different Johnson than the shooter in the shadows.
'He was the goofy guy. He always had something funny to say. He didn't have a care in the world,' said Stanlee Washington, who now lives in California.
Johnson cared deeply about his friends and family, especially his younger brother who had autism, Washington added.
Johnson would sometimes try to talk politics, said Jake Hunt, who became friends with Johnson shortly after transferring to Dr. John D. Horn High School in Mesquite when he was 17.
'We weren't big partiers. We just hung out with each other,' he added. 'If something happened in the news, he'd try and talk about it. But we tried to stay away from it.'
The casualties include Dallas police officers Patrick Zamarripa (center), Michael Krol (right), Lorne Ahrens and Michael J. Smith, as well as DART Officer Brent Thompson (left)
Fallen Dallas police officer Lorne Ahrens pictured on the left. On the right, murdered Dallas officer Michael J Smith
Toward the end of Johnson's senior year, he became friends with a classmate, Justin Garner, who was assigned to the same skill trade, carpentry and masonry, in the same Army Reserve unit, the 284th Engineer Company of the 420th Engineer Brigade.
The pair often worked out together to prepare for the Army's physical tests.
Afterward they played Xbox, Garner said.
'I loved him to death, but that guy was not really a good soldier. There were certain technical skills you need as a soldier that he was lacking, like shooting, if you can believe it,' Garner said.
Johnson did poorly in the required rifle test, scoring the lowest rank of 'marksman' after shooting at silhouetted targets from as far away as 300 meters, according to Garner, who said he got the highest ranking.
They soon bonded with other young soldiers in the Army Reserve in Texas and formed a clique of mostly white and Latino reservists.
He recalled an incident in spring 2010 that gave him pause about Johnson.
It was around 2 a.m. and Johnson called him from a party at a friend's house, asking to be picked up.
Johnson told him, ''I was about to get into it with this guy, and I felt like I was going to do the wrong thing so I needed someone to get me out of there,'' said Garner, who calmed him down.
'It kind of freaked me out a little bit,' Garner added. 'I didn't think this guy was off the deep end, but I felt like I didn't want to be on the wrong end of his sword.'
Comrades described Johnson (pictured, right) as a bad soldier, and during a shooting test, he returned the lowest possible rank
Fischbach said Johnson developed a crush on a squad mate when the two met in 2009 in Texas.
They became best friends, but she made it clear that it would not grow into anything more intimate, he said.
'They were very good friends. Pretty much inseparable,' he said. 'We even had to break them up a few times' because it was distracting others.
Johnson's mother, Delphene, recalled that the young woman had visited and stayed overnight at the family's house in Mesquite numerous times over two years.
Johnson and the woman even 'slept in the same bed,' his mother told TheBlaze, a news site founded by conservative talk show host Glenn Beck.
But the relationship took a sharp turn after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Johnson while they were in Afghanistan.
The AP is not identifying the woman because of the complaint, but it has made repeated efforts to talk to her and Johnson's family.
'She bought me gifts, birthday and Christmas gifts,' Delphene Johnson said in the only interview she has granted.
The two deployed to an area of Afghanistan that had seen heavy combat but that was relatively quiet when the 284th arrived in November 2013, said Fischbach, who left the unit just before it deployed.
Micah Johnson pictured in his military uniform while he was still in the US Army
The unit built a gym for Special Forces and was largely confined to base, Fischbach said.
At one point, the base lost access to potable water and went nearly five weeks without laundry or showers.
Afghan contractors did the wash, and Johnson took the woman's laundry along with his to be washed, but when it came back, some panties were missing, Fischbach said.
At first, the woman thought it was the Afghans. But they denied it.
So the soldiers' quarters were searched and, according to Fischbach, Johnson was caught red-handed trying to dispose of her dirty underwear.
'She was just torn apart,' he said. 'Not only had her best friend betrayed her trust but had done something that was extraordinarily out of character.'
Fischbach said he thought the incident revealed 'something deeply rooted in him that was wrong.'
The woman filed a complaint against Johnson with the Army in May 2014 and sought a protective order against Johnson 'pertaining to myself, my family, home, restaurant and any other place of residence I may reside at,' according to a military lawyer assigned to the case.
She also asked that Johnson receive 'mental help.'
This is the mother of cop killer Micah Johnson as she emerged from hiding today refusing to talk about what led to her son's murder spree in Dallas (pictured right, Delphine Johnson, 49, with son Tevin)
Johnson's mother gave a different account of the fractured relationship between her son and the woman.
Once overseas, the woman had done 'things that she should not have been doing with someone in a higher ranking. He called her out on it,' the mother said in TheBlaze interview.
Fischbach said he knew of no evidence to substantiate that claim.
Once Johnson was accused, per protocol, he was disarmed and assigned a non-commissioned officer to accompany him 24 hours a day to the bathroom, to the shower, everywhere.
'It prevents him from committing suicide if he's suicidal,' said Fischbach, or striking out at others.
In July 2014, Johnson was sent home from Afghanistan.
Johnson originally faced removal from the Army altogether, said Texas-based defense attorney Bradford Glendening, which was 'highly unusual' since sexual harassment cases typically wind up with a soldier receiving counseling.
The case ended in September 2014, when Johnson signed paperwork agreeing to receive a 'less than honorable' discharge from the Army, Glendening said.
But Johnson wasn't discharged until April 2015, and Glendening said last week he was told that Johnson received an honorable discharge.
The Army has not released Johnson's discharge forms and has refused to answer any questions while it reviews the case.
Glendening is no longer discussing the case either, saying he could face military prosecution if he violates a gag order.
The Dallas police department has since defended the decision to use a bomb after Johnson killed five officers at a Black Lives Matter protest on Thursday, saying it was a 'last resort'
Johnson returned home deeply changed, his mother told TheBlaze.
His father, James, said he 'became a loner' and 'didn't like people.'
He sought medical care from the Veterans Health Administration for a back injury, but got no help after filling out forms and going to meetings so he 'just finally gave up,' his mother said.
VA spokesman James Hutton told the AP Johnson accessed care three times at Dallas VA Medical Center, for the last time in September 2014.
Johnson began receiving payments from the state to help care for his disabled younger brother through a company called Touch of Kindness, which has a contract with the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.
By April 2015, Johnson headed to the streets of downtown Dallas for a protest that brought many anti-police brutality groups together over the death of Freddie Gray, who died after his neck was broken inside the prisoner compartment of a Baltimore police van.
Yafeuh Balogun, who helped found the Dallas-based Huey P. Newton Gun Club, said he met Johnson there through a mutual friend, but that they didn't discuss much beyond the day's protest.
The gun club presses for accountability reforms at the Dallas Police Department and has carried out armed citizen patrols of Dallas neighborhoods, Balogun said.
Balogun came away with an impression that Johnson was a 'cool, level-headed person' who was exploring contemporary black nationalism.
'When you are in the beginning phase of consciousness, you go to a lot of lectures because you are looking to find someone to follow,' he said. 'That was what Micah was doing.'
But Johnson never joined the gun club, Balogun added.
In May 2015, a month after Johnson was discharged, he and three other men were questioned by police in suburban Richardson responding to a 'suspicious person' report while they were sitting in a black Chevrolet Tahoe, according to a police report.
Johnson explained he was waiting for his dad to arrive to pick up his brother, the report shows, and that he'd 'just gotten out of a class at a nearby self-defense school.'
The school, just a few doors down from where he was stopped, touts courses that include special tactics such as 'shooting from different positions,' ''shooting around barriers' and 'speed & tactical reloading.'
Justin J. Everman, owner of the Academy of Combative Warrior Arts, said Johnson took hand-to-hand combat classes but 'did not train any firearms with us' and 'didn't learn any tactics from us.'
Johnson's father recalled conversations with his son about police brutality, the distrust he had of officers and injustice he perceived in the world.
Johnson told hostage negotiators that he targeted white officers during his shooting rampage in Dallas Pictured: Johnson (right) pictured with his brother Tevin (left) and sister Nicole (center)
But neither of Johnson's parents said he talked about killing police.
'My message to him,' his father said in TheBlaze interview, 'was that there's good and bad in everybody, every race. But law enforcement is the law, and ultimately you have to obey it.'
As videos of black men killed by police under suspicious circumstances continued to surface, authorities said, Johnson made plans for an assault, keeping a journal of combat tactics and gathering bomb-making materials.
By late May, Johnson went to a vibrant festival at the Pan-African Connection Bookstore in Dallas celebrating Malcolm X's birthday, where he met the shop's owner.
'He said he'd never seen anything like this. He was glad to be here, to know there was a place like this to come and learn,' said owner Akwete Tyehimba, whose shop promotes global unity of African people and disavows violence.
He gave 'no indication that he would even have this train of thinking. He was just a nice, handsome, polite young man.'
Then, on July 5 came the death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling, as two white officers pinned him to the pavement outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, one of more than 500 fatal police shootings by on-duty officers in 2016, according to The Washington Post.
Sterling's death was followed the next day with a Facebook livestream video of 32-year-old Philando Castile being shot and killed by an officer during a traffic stop in suburban Minneapolis.
On the evening of July 7, a diverse crowd of hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Dallas for a Black Lives Matter march, just blocks from where President John F. Kennedy was slain in 1963.
Johnson left his home at some point before the rally, his mother said in TheBlaze interview.
She asked what he was protesting and he mentioned the shootings, telling her, 'Mom, you've got to listen to the news.'
'I told him to stay out of trouble ... and he said, 'I will,' ' she recalled. His last words were 'I love you.'
Leaked images appear to show Dallas gunman Micah Johnson (left) along with a semi-automatic rifle among the rubble after he was killed by a remote controlled robotic bomb in a parking lot at El Centro College
Authorities said Johnson arrived downtown in a black Chevrolet Tahoe, parked and took up sniper positions.
He wore a protective vest and carried a Russian-made Saiga semi-automatic rifle and two handguns, they said.
As the protest march was winding down, Johnson opened fire.
Panicked protesters fled, as additional police rushed in.
Hours later, on the morning of July 8, authorities isolated Johnson on the second floor of the El Centro community college downtown and began negotiating with him.
Johnson insisted on speaking with a black police negotiator, police said, laughed at authorities, sang, talked about killing whites and asked how many officers he had shot.
'We're convinced that this suspect had other plans and thought that what he was doing was righteous and believed that he was going to target law enforcement make us pay for what he sees as law enforcement's efforts to punish people of color,' Dallas Police Chief David Brown said in a lengthy interview on CNN's 'State of the Union' Sunday.
The standoff ended when police sent in a bomb-carrying robot.
Johnson died in the blast.
In all, he killed five police officers and wounded nine others and two civilians.
Police later questioned Johnson's mother about whether he hated cops or ever spoke about killing officers, she said. When she learned what had happened she was stunned.
Lena Dunham has spoken out in support of her alma mater Oberlin College, where the dining hall has been accused of 'cultural appropriation' for serving the likes of sushi and Banh Mi sandwiches.
Students began protesting the liberal Ohio college's incorporation of Asian cuisine on the cafeteria menu in November.
They found some dishes 'offensive' because it messed with the original recipe and felt 'wronged' by others for not tasting good.
Lena Dunham has spoken out in support of her alma mater Oberlin College, where the dining hall has been accused of 'cultural appropriation' for serving the likes of sushi and Banh Mi sandwiches
'There are now big conversations at Oberlin about cultural appropriation and whether the dining hall sushi and Banh Mi disrespect certain cuisines,' Dunham told Food & Wine.
'The press reported it as, "How crazy are these Oberlin kids?" But to me, it was actually, "Right on.'"
One of the students' biggest gripes was with the Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich that swapped the traditional baguette with ciabatta bread and used coleslaw and instead of pickled vegetables.
'It was ridiculous,' Diep Nguyen, a freshman from Vietnam, told The Oberlin Review in November.
'How could they just throw out something completely different and label it as another country's traditional food?'
Prudence Hiu-Ying, a sophomore from China, felt the same way when the cafeteria served General Tso chicken that was steamed instead of deep-fried.
Dunham said she didn't think the Oberlin students were crazy but instead thought 'Right on' when she heard news of them protesting the menus at the dining halls (pictured)
Students began protesting the liberal college's incorporation of Asian cuisine on the menu back in November. Dunham said she was happy 'conversations' about cultural appropriation were happening at the school
But it's the Dascomb Dining Hall's sushi bar that many students find most offensive.
Tomoyo Joshi, a junior from Japan, said the sushi's undercooked rice and lack of fresh fish is downright disrespectful.
'When you're cooking a country's dish for other people, including ones who have never tried the original dish before, you're also representing the meaning of the dish as well as its culture,' she said.
'So if people not from the heritage take food, modify it and serve it as "authentic", it is appropriative.'
Oberlin's Campus Dining Services said that Bon Appetit, the food service management company contracted by the school, had decided to increase their output of cultural dishes.
The CDS said this was in attempt to give students more diversity in taste and flavor profile when it came to their lunches and dinners.
Michile Gross, director of Business Operations and Dining Services, set up a meeting with students after the issues were raised and said changes would be implemented.
'It's important to us,' she said, 'That students feel comfortable when they are here.'
One of the students' biggest gripes was with the Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich (file photo) that swapped the traditional baguette with ciabatta bread and used coleslaw and instead of pickled vegetables
A young nurse confined to a wheelchair after plunging 11 metres headfirst from the top of a shopping centre escalator was celebrating her birthday at the time of the freak accident.
Nikeea Killick, 29, from Penrith in western Sydney, remains unable to walk in hospital almost three weeks after plummeting two stories and crashing onto her head inside a Gold Coast shopping centre.
After spending six days in a coma in Gold Coast University Hospital she is awaiting reconstructive surgery fractured her eye sockets, cheekbones, broke ribs and also suffered a shattered pelvis.
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Nikeea Killick (pictured with boyfriend Braeden Flynn) has suffered horrific injuries after falling two floors from an escalator at a shopping centre on the Gold Coast
She toppled from the second floor escalators and fell on her head suffering shocking injuries
The incident occurred inside the Oasis Shopping Centre at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast
A GCUH spokesman confirmed the woman remained in a stable condition on Friday morning, reports Brisbane Times.
Shoppers rushed to her aid after she'd toppled from the top of the escalators and assisted Nikeea until paramedics arrived.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Ambulance Service told Daily Mail Australia it was 'a very unfortunate random accident'.
Doctors at the Gold Coast University are still to decide when they can remove a surgically inserted filter which help prevent further blood clots, according to a close friend.
She will also face further surgery to remove screws in her broken pelvis.
Her partner Braeden and family members have been by her bedside throughout the ordeal.
Nikeea is likely to need many months of rehabilitation and require full-time care when she is finally able to return to home.
A GoFundMe fundraising campaign to help with her medical bills is seeking $15,000 in pledges.
One of her closest friends, Megan Bowness, wrote: 'During this time, Nikeea has had her family by her side, as well as her loving partner, Braeden.
'This horrific accident has understandably left her family both mentally stressed and distraught.'
It's understood her family has retained the services of a legal firm on the Gold Coast.
Oasis Shopping Centre management would not make comment on the matter but the parent company did release the following statement.
'Abacus (Property Group) is working closely with both Queensland Police and Work Health Safety Queensland to ascertain the full sequence of events,' said the statement.
Nikeea Killick (rigjht) is pictured with her partner Braeden Flynn before the fall on 26 June. He has been by her side as she recovers from the horror fall on the Gold Coast
Friends have begun a fundraising campaign to help the badly injured Sydney woman with her increasing medical expenses while in hospital on the Gold Coast
The boy's distraught father described him as his 'only beloved son'
It is understood the gum came from a bag of lollies inside his stroller
By the time paramedics arrived the boy had stopped breathing
The boy turned blue in the face and passed out in front of a horrified crowd
The toddler who choked to death on a piece of bubblegum in front of horrified shoppers at a Perth Kmart can be named as two-year-old Essa Rahman.
Essa was with his mother at the Kmart in Joondalup, Perth, on Monday afternoon when he accidentally swallowed a piece of bubblegum and started choking.
The little boy turned blue in the face as a screaming woman ran into a chemist next door and pleaded for help, witnesses said.
Two-year-old Essa Rahman (pictured) choked to death on a piece of bubblegum at a Perth Kmart. His father described the boy as his 'only beloved son'
A stunned crowd watched on helplessly as bystanders attempted to rescue the child, described by his father as his 'only beloved son'.
By the time paramedics arrived he was unconscious and had stopped breathing.
He was rushed to the nearby Joondalup Health Campus where he was pronounced dead.
It is understood the boy choked on bubblegum which came from a bag of lollies placed next to him in his stroller.
A two-year-old boy died after choking on a piece of bubblegum at a Kmart in Joondalup, Perth (pictured)
Essas father Shams Rahman thanked the community for its support following the tragedy.
In a Facebook post he said: Thank you for your heartfelt sympathy with which you shared your great love.
My only beloved son Essa Rahman Siddiqui was only two and a half years old.
Paramedics rushed the boy to the Joondalup Health Campus (pictured) where he was pronounced dead
Kmarts head of corporate affairs Tracie Walker said the incident was a tragedy and her thoughts were with the grieving family.
She said: We are all devastated by what has happened.
In respect for the family we will not be commenting further.
The boy turned blue in the face before he passed out. By the time paramedics arrived he had stopped breathing (stock photo)
The incident has been referred to the Coroner's Court of Western Australia for further investigation.
A spokeswoman for Western Australia Police said: 'Police were called to Joondalup Health Campus at 5pm on 11 July 2016 in relation to the death of two-year-old boy.
'The child had been taken to hospital after an incident at a shopping centre in Joondalup in which the child was found to have trouble breathing and was possibly choking.
That flight would connect with another bound for Jordan and from there Farrokh planned to cross the border into Syria
Farrokh was arrested at the Richmond, Virginia airport on January 15, 2016, trying to board a flight to Chicago
In Virginia court on Friday, the Woodbridge man apologized for his actions and denounced ISIS
Joseph Farrokh, 29, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison on Friday, after he was caught trying to join the Islamic State
A northern Virginia man caught in a government sting trying to join the Islamic State group has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison.
Twenty-nine-year-old Joseph Farrokh of Woodbridge was sentenced Friday in federal court in Alexandria.
He is one of about a half-dozen men from the region arrested this year on terror-related charges arising from government sting operations.
A Virginia man caught trying to join ISIS was sentenced to more than eight years in prison on Friday. Above, ISIS fighters in Syria
In Farrokh's case, he pleaded guilty to trying to travel to the Islamic State to join fighters there. He was arrested in January at the Richmond airport.
His plans were to board a flight to Chicago where he would fly to Amman, Jordan and find a way to cross the border into ISIS-controlled Syria.
At Friday's hearing, Farrokh apologized and denounced the Islamic State group. Court papers spell out in detail how the Pennsylvania native quickly became radicalized.
But he would have never made it that far, since the U.S. government was keyed into his plans from the beginning.
After deciding that he wanted to join the terror group, Farrokh approached a friend for contacts in the region.
That friend, Mahmoud Amin Mohamed Elhassan, 25, referred him to a friend he believed knew overseas jihadist - but that friend turned out to be an FBI informant working with the government as part of a deal to get a criminal sentence lowered.
In other recorded conversations between Elhassan and Farrokh, the latter said that he 'wanted to go right way and "chop their heads"' - 'their' apparently meaning non-Muslims.
Elhassan responded that that was 'extremist' and Farrokh said that he just 'belongs on the battlefield and would rather go by himself'.
Records show that Farrokh had been plotting to leave the country since November 20, 2015, and that he bought his flights to the Middle East on December 21, for a journey starting January 15.
The day of his first flight, Elhassan drove Farrokh to the airport, dropping him off about a miel from the terminals where Farrokh took a cab the rest of the way.
It was after he passed through security and was approaching his gate that law enforcement officials stopped Farrokh and took him into custody.
Meanwhile, Elhassan returned to him home in Woodbridge and was confronted by police as well.
He then proceeded to lie about when he last saw Farrokh - saying he had seen him in town that day and that he was flying out of Dulles to California for a funeral and would be gone for several weeks.
At the end of the interview, police arrested Elhassan of aiding and abetting Farrokh's attempt to provide material support and resources to a terror organization.
Elhassan, a permanent resident born in Sudan, awaits trial.
A motorist was filmed driving on a road seemingly unaware that under the tarmac was a sheer drop which would plunge them to their death hundreds of metres below.
In the tense footage, the driver can be seen approaching the part of the motorway which had collapsed in Tenerife.
The motorist appeared to slow down as they crawled towards the gaping gap which had emerged in the road.
During the clip, the driver appears to slow down as they crawl towards the gaping gap which has emerged in the road
Part of the road in Tenerife had crumbled and a gaping gap had emerged which started a long traffic jam
But it seems the motorist wasn't fully aware of the extent of the danger which lied below as they leisurely drove past it - narrowly avoiding plummeting off the side of the cliff.
Later in the day motorists realised they could go no further and a traffic jam quickly formed, which prevented cars from travelling over the dangerous section.
In the end helicopters had to save almost 200 motorists who were stranded.
The cliff bedrock under an eight by four metre stretch of motorway in the north of the island caved in on Tuesday night leaving just a thin strip of tarmac in place.
Underneath the road - between Buenavista del Norte and Punta de Teno - there was nothing but a dizzying drop into the Atlantic Ocean.
Spanish air sea rescue teams using three helicopters, lifeboats, fire service experts, and police first tried to land by sea.
Underneath the road - between Buenavista del Norte and Punta de Teno - there was nothing but a dizzying drop into the Atlantic Ocean
In the end, helicopters were forced to rush to the scene and saved almost 200 motorists who were stranded
But choppy waters left them unable to get close so 174 stranded motorists and their passengers were finally plucked from the cliff-side by helicopters.
The 174 trapped people were eventually evacuated by helicopter after choppy seas prohibited boats from reaching the scene.
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The world united last night as iconic buildings around the globe were lit up in the colours of the French tricolour to show solidarity following the tragic Bastille Day attack.
Famous landmarks including the London Eye, the Eiffel Tower and the Helmsley Building in New York City were illuminated in blue, white and red - the colours of the French flag.
The unity was shown after an ISIS trucker killed at least 84 people - including 10 children - by ploughing into those who had gathered to celebrate France's National Day in Nice.
Buildings in Dallas, New York, Mexico City, Brisbane and Istanbul were lit up while an emotional vigil was held close to where the attack took place on the famous Promenades des Anglais.
The London Eye was illuminated in the colours of the French flag to show solidarity with victims of the Bastille Day tragedy this week
The French National Assembly in Paris was lit up in blue, white and red following the atrocity which took place in Nice on Thursday night
The famous Eiffel Tower in Paris lit up the French capital after being illuminated with the blue, white and red colours from the flag on Friday night
Wembley Stadium in London was also lit up by the colours of the French flag to show support for the victims of the horrific attack in Nice
People gathered to look at Istanbul's skyline in Turkey and to show support for France as the Bosphorus Bridge was lit in the colours of the French flag
Manchester Town Hall was also lit up in the French tricolore on Friday night in a show of solidarity with the people of France
The Helmsley Building in New York City was also lit up by the colours of the French flag to show solidarity with the people of France following the attack in Nice on Thursday night
The City Hall in Poznan, Poland, was illuminated in the colours of the French flag on Friday night in tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day attack in Nice, France
The French national colourrs were projected onto the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland, to show support for the victims in Nice
The Tbilisi TV Broadcasting Tower in Georgia was illuminated in the French national flag colours to pay tribute to the victims of the attack in Nice
Two people were sat down as they looked at the the French flag which had illuminated the Tel Aviv City Hall in Israel on Friday night
The Penshaw Monument in Sunderland shows its support for the victims of the Bastille Day attack with after the landmark was illuminated by the colours of the French flag
Two men walk past the Athens' town hall, illuminated in the colours of the French flag, in Greece on Friday night
The Gateshead Millennium bridge over the river Tyne in Newcastle was lit up in the colours of the tricolore, showing support and solidarity for the victims of the terrorist attack in Nice
Rome's city hall, Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill), is lit up in blue, white and red - the colours of the French flag - in tribute to the victims of Nice
The Senate building in the Mexican capital, Mexico City, was lit up in like the French tricolour to show support for the Bastille Day victims
Germany paid tribute to the victims of the Nice terror attack outside the French Embassy in the country's capital of Berlin
People attend a vigil held for the victims of the attack in the French city of Nice, in Hong Kong on Saturday
A giant tricolour flag was spotted being flown at half mast at the French Embassy in London to remember the victims of the Bastille Day attack on Thursday
A cinema in the Belgian capital, Brussels, put up a special message on its electronic noticeboard, usually used to advertise films
Meanwhile, part of the normally bustling city of Nice fell almost silent as mourners came together last night, exactly 24 hours after the latest terror attack to hit the country.
The mood was sombre as people stood or knelt around a makeshift memorial dotted with candles and messages of solidarity with the dead and injured.
With the Promenade des Anglais - the scene of the attack - closed to the public and police standing guard, people gathered nearby in remembrance.
In an apparent show of defiance, some broke into an impromptu rendition of the French national anthem La Marseillaise, holding their hands in the air as they sang.
Among the messages left at the memorial were 'We are not scared' and 'Love conquers hate'.
Some people wiped away tears while others simply stared at the flowers and tributes before moving on in silence.
The surrounding streets, where there are many hotels and shops, were quiet, with a taxi driver saying it was 'much calmer' than normal for a Friday evening.
The show of solidarity for the victims in Nice comes as world leaders condemned the shocking attack, carried out by 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.
US President Barack Obama has condemned 'in the strongest terms' the 'horrific terrorist attack'.
Obama said: 'On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France and inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life.'
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain would redouble its efforts to defeat 'brutal' terrorist 'murderers' after the 'horrifying' attack in Nice and she said Britain stood 'shoulder to shoulder' with France.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump postponed plans to announce his running mate because of the attack and said: 'This is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war and we're dealing with people without uniforms.'
His rival for the White House, Hillary Clinton reacted more soberly, saying it was an assault on 'one of our closest allies in Europe, attacking families celebrating the history and culture of their country on Bastille Day'.
People attended a candle-lit vigil on the Promenades des Anglais in Nice last night, little more than 24 hours after terrorist Mohamed Bouhlel massacred more than 80 in a truck
An emotional man attended the vigil in Nice on Friday night and looked down at the flowers which had been left near the scene
Women lit candles as they sat down near the scene in Nice - close to wear a terrorist killed more than 80 people on Thursday night
One woman began crying after attending the vigil in Nice to show support for the victims who were killed on Thursday evening
People attended a candle-lit vigil on the Promenades des Anglais in Nice and left flowers and messages following the brutal attack
Mourners are seen at a candlelit vigil at a memorial in Nice after Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel killed more than 80 people on Thursday night
She said: 'This cowardly attack only strengthens our commitment to our alliance and to defeating terrorism around the world.
The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said on Twitter it was a 'tragic paradox' that the victims of the attack in Nice were celebrating 'liberty, equality and fraternity' - the founding values of the French Republic - on the country's national day.
Mr Tusk, a former prime minister of Poland, tweeted a photograph of European and Asian leaders standing in tribute to the Nice victims at a meeting in Mongolia.
The Belgian prime minister Charles Michel said they would take into account the attack in Nice when planning for next week's national holiday.
He said: 'We have already taken a certain number of steps in connection with preparations for July 21, as you can imagine, and our security services are permanently evaluating the measures that are necessary.
'It's certain that our security services are going to include information resulting from this act committed last night in Nice in their analyses.'
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: 'Obviously our thoughts are very much with the people of France and Nice after this absolutely appalling incident.'
He said he planned to speak to his French counterpart today and he said: 'Clearly this is a terrorist incident and represents a continuing threat and we must meet it together.'
David Cameron, who stepped down as Britain's prime minister earlier this week, tweeted: 'A sickening and dreadful attack in Nice. I know we stand with the French people and share their values. They (the terrorists) will never defeat us.'
Meanwhile, a host of celebrities including actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Gerard Butler tweeted their support for the victims.
MAN WIELDING A HUGE MACHETE-BLADE IS ARRESTED AT A VIGIL FOR THE 84 VICTIMS OF THE NICE ATTACK The machete carried by the man when police arrested him at a vigil A man wielding a huge machete-like blade was arrested on Friday night at a vigil for victims of the Nice attack. Terrified mourners drew back in horror as police quickly apprehended the man and secured the hooked 18 inch weapon. Eyewitnesses said that although the man did not make to attack any of the locals who had been gathering, the arrest had added to the still tense atmosphere. France declared three days of national mourning following the atrocity, which comes after attacks in November in Paris in which 130 died and in January 2015 that killed 17. A vigil was also taking place at Nice Cathedral on Friday night. French President Francois Hollande said: 'France has been hit by a tragedy once again. This monstrosity of using a lorry to deliberately kill people, many people, who only came out to celebrate their national day. 'France is in tears. It is hurting but it is strong, and she will be strong, always stronger than the fanatics who wish to hurt us.' Eyewitnesses said the Nice attacker - 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a man of French-Tunisian origin not known to intelligence services - swerved from side to side to kill as many people as possible as he drove for a mile along the Promenade des Anglais on the seafront of the city on the French Riviera. Advertisement
David Cameron, who stepped down as Britain's Prime Minister earlier this week, tweeted a message and said the terrorists 'shall never defeat us'
Oscar-winning Actor Leonardo DiCaprio also tweeted his support for the 'victims and families' of Nice and added the 'we stand with everyone in France'
Pop star Cheryl Fernandez Versini tweeted that she was 'so shocked and saddened' and that her 'heart hurts' following the attack
Actor Gerard Butler also posted on social media that he is 'dreaming of peace and an end to violence around the world' after the attack
Singer Ellie Goulding posted that she was 'sending love to Nice, France' after the horrific attack which left more than 80 people dead
Socialite Kim Kardashian West wrote on Twitter that her 'heart goes out to everyone in Nice' after seeing the news about Thursday attack
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a video message that Germany stood on the side of France and her Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the attack was 'incomprehensible and simply awful'.
He said: 'Our friendship with the French people will become even deeper in mourning, anger and determination.'
A French tricolour was flying from the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge this morning and Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said: 'We mourn for the victims of another murderous act of terror in France overnight, on Bastille Day.'
The United Nations Security Council issued a statement condemning the 'barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack' and underlined 'the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice'.
US secretary of state John Kerry said: 'I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed.'
Brendan Cox, the husband of British MP Jo Cox, whose funeral is taking place today, tweeted: 'Jo would ask us not to fight hate with hate but draw together to drain the swamp that extremism breeds in. Thinking of all victims of hatred today.'
Armed police stand guard outside the French embassy in London (left) as a woman lights a candle at a makeshift shrine to the victims of the Bastille Day massacre in Nice (right)
French citizens in Australia wept as they sang their country's national anthem, the Marseillaise, during a vigil in Sydney in honour of those who died in Nice
European Union flags are flying at half mast at the European Commission building in Brussels to honour the victims of the Nice massacre
A young woman weeps (left) outside the French embassy in Berlin, where someone left flowers in the colours of the French flag (right)
People lay flowers outside the French consulate in Manhattan, New York City, as a tribute to the Nice victims
The terrorist gunman who murdered 84 people in Nice has been named as 31-year-old French-Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, according to local media.
A married father-of-three, he is claimed to have been a professional delivery driver living in the southern French city.
He was already known to police before the attack for allegations of domestic abuse, theft and 'use of weapons', and had been arrested following a pub brawl on January 27.
His last appearance in a criminal court was as recently as March, when he was found guilty of violent contact.
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Terror: The 31-year-old killer, a French Tunisian, had already come onto police radar for 'acts of violence and use of weapons' after violence following a pub brawl in January
Chaos: Pictures from the scene of the deadly carnage show the lorry still standing whether the driver abandoned it, riddled with bullet holes
Probe: Police have raided this block of flats in Nice in connection with French-Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a father-of-three and professional delivery driver
He had also recently been put under probation after he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into four vehicles on a highway, it is claimed in Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
However the man had never been associated with any acts of terrorism before the Bastille Day slaughter, and he was not under surveillance.
Several of his relatives and close friends have been taken into police custody for questioning and simultaneous raids are continuing in the Abattoirs area of Nice.
Neighbours of Bouhlel described him as a 'lonely' and 'silent' man, with one saying he never returned their greetings.
Meanwhile, investigators are using the city's 1,200 surveillance cameras to track the route of the lorry before the attack.
It is understood that Bouhlel had rented the truck on Wednesday from a specialist garage at Saint Laurent du Var by Nice Airport.
Police have discovered CCTV footage of the moment he boarded the lorry in the hills around Nice, according to reports.
It has also been claimed he was parked on the promenade for nearly nine hours before the attack, but was allowed to stay because he told police he was delivering ice cream.
Documents found in the cab included an ID, a mobile phone and a credit card.
He used the 25-tonne lorry to go on a mile-long killing spree, ploughing through crowds during Bastille Day celebrations on the Promenade des Anglais.
Witnesses described how the lorry 'zigzagged' in order to create maximum chaos in the celebrating crowd.
'We almost died. It was like hallucinating,' a witness told i-Tele.
'The lorry zigzagged you had no idea where it was going. My wife, a metre away, she was dead.'
Another witness said: 'I even had time to see the driver's face. He had a beard and appeared to be having fun.'
Attack: The Frenchman used the 25-tonne lorry to go on a mile-long killing spree, ploughing through crowds during Bastille Day celebrations
The driver then got out of the vehicle and sprayed bullets into the terrified and fleeing people.
The driver was said to have shouted 'Allahu Akbar' God is great before being shot dead by a police officer, believed to have been female.
Pictures from the scene of the deadly carnage show the lorry still standing whether the driver abandoned it, riddled with bullet holes.
Security sources said a huge cache of guns, grenades and 'larger weapons' were later found inside the lorry.
There have also been unconfirmed reports that a second gunman was involved in the attack, prompting fears that there could still be an attacker on the loose.
A spokesman for the Interior Ministry, Pierre-Henri Brandet, said the man 'neutralised by the police' was the only one who was in the lorry and that there was no bomb inside.
President Francois Hollande said that the 'terrorist' nature of the attack 'cannot be denied', in a live speech following the horrific incident.
Fear: President Francois Hollande said that the 'terrorist' nature of the attack 'cannot be denied', in a live speech following the horrific incident
The premier pledged to 'hit' ISIS in Syria and Iraq 'even harder' after the devastating attack, saying: 'France is in tears, it is hurting but it is strong and she will be stronger always stronger than the fanatics who wish to hurt us.'
So far there have been no claims of responsibility for the deadly attack. Reports that a number of grenades and other weapons in the lorry turned out to be fake have raised questions about how much support he might have received from a jihadist group.
Belgium will beef up security for national day celebrations on July 21 after the truck attack in Nice, the country's Prime Minister Charles Michel said today.
'We are determined to show that democracy is stronger than the terrorists,' Mr Michel said in Brussels.
'We of course intend to take extra measures for events linked to the national holiday,' Michel said.
Mr Michel said that despite the Nice attacks Belgium was keeping its terror alert level at the second-highest level of three, which means a threat is possible and likely.
Belgian authorities had previously anticipated a possible truck-style attack before the Nice carnage, in which at least 84 revellers were killed, he added.
A British woman has claimed her shopping trip to Nice was 'spoiled' when a terrorist gunman killed 84 people and seriously injured 50 more after he drove a 25-tonne lorry into crowds celebrating Bastille Day.
The tourist, named as Lucy Nesbitt-Comaskey, told Sky News: 'Maybe this is awful and maybe a bit selfish but it did spoil our shopping trip.
'We bought all this lovely shopping and now I cant be bothered with it. It doesnt mean anything now,' she said.
On Friday morning, Nesbitt-Comaskey issued a grovelling apology for her remarks via Facebook. She claimed that she was understandably 'in shock' at the time after witnessing the horrific events and misspoke while speaking to journalists.
British tourist Lucy Nesbitt-Comaskey said the Nice terror attack 'spoiled' her shopping trip
'My sincere condolences to the French people who have lost their loved one's today in Nice.
'I'm deeply sorry if my interview with Sky News sounded uncompassionate. I was totally distressed and shocked. My words came out wrong. Once again sorry,' she said.
Nesbitt-Comaskey was planning to go to the fireworks display on the promenade but had stopped to find a toilet on the way when the horror broke out.
She said restaurants along the promenade urged everyone to come inside.
I said to my friend This doesnt sound like fireworks, it sounds like Beirut when its under fire, she recalled.
Lucy Nesbitt-Comaskey was understandably distressed when she made her remarks. On Friday morning she issued a grovelling apology via Facebook
Lucy Nesbitt-Comaskey planned to watch the Bastille Day fireworks display but had stopped to use the toilets on the way when the terror broke out
The British tourist was interviewed on Sky News after the horrific attack and said the gunfire 'sounded like Beirut'
Forensics officers and policemen look for evidences near a truck on the Promenade des Anglais on Friday morning
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The mysterious underwater ecosystem surrounding a 650 foot underwater rock in the Pacific ocean has been captured by Swiss adventure photographer Franco Banfi.
The massive Dirty Rock is found just off the coast of the Revillagigedo Islands, near Mexico.
From the surface of the ocean, the white tip of the massive rock is barely discernible but Banfis photos reveal the host of underwater creatures that call the rock home.
This is Banfi's second trip to the massive rock, which is home to a unique collection of underwater wildlife: 'I just love the incredible visibility and the amazing animals that surround Dirty Rock'
A massive shoal of shimmering Black Jack fish swims near the imposing underwater rock
An effervescent shot of a bright yellow trumpetfish, a family of fish known for their vibrant color, long bodies and upturned mouths
Five whitetip reef sharks - recognizable by their diminuitive size - swim tightly together alongside the massive rock's edge
They include bottlenose dolphins, vibrant trumpet fish, and schools of hammerhead sharks.
Banfi, 57, first discovered the rock, which measures 160 feet wide, on a diving cruise 10 years ago.
He said: The place is still magical just like it was when I first visited ten years ago.
Banfi was lucky to catch this shot of a snake-like Panamic Moray eel - the secretive animal spends much of its time hiding in holes and crevices in rocks and coral
A beautiful coral and yellow Mexican hogfish swims near Dirty Rock
Banfi captured a photo of a Spiny lobster, known for their distinctive long, thick, spiny antennae
So many animals surround Dirty Rock because it is in the middle of the Pacific, far away from the coast.
The Cardo, Switzerland native said that the rock is not accessible via regular boat, so intrepid explorers can only visit when the weather is stable.
Some of the creatures were just swimming around, others were hunting - so they'd come close to the rock and then go away again - and others came close because they were curious about us, he said.
The animals are not afraid of the divers so they get quite close.
Another spectacular photo reveals a shoal of Whitetip reef sharks resting together on a rock ledge
A close-up of a Black jack fish with a unique trail of diamond-shaped marks along its spine
Germany says it will formally apologise for the genocide of tens of thousands of indigenous Namibians while they were under colonial rule more than 100 years ago.
Up to 100,000 Herero people and around 10,000 Nama people died in a systematic extermination by German troops in modern-day Namibia from 1904 to 1908.
Lothar von Trotha, a brutal imperialist general, was in charge of crushing rebellions in what was then known as German South-West Africa and ordered his troops to wipe out the tribes in what is widely seen as the 20th century's first genocide and a precursor to the Holocaust a few decades later.
Herero men are chained together by colonial forces in what was then known as German South West Africa
German troops pose for a photo with tribe members during the genocide from 1904 to 1908
Imperialist German General Lothar von Trotha was in charge of crushing rebellions during colonial rule
The Herero tribe launched an uprising in 1904 and killed more than 100 German civilians after German settlers stole their land, cattle and women.
The Nama joined the revolt a year later.
In response, the Germans were ruthless and drove men, women and children further into the desert, where they were killed by troops or died of starvation.
Many others were put in concentration camps and executed or left to die of disease or malnutrition.
Dozens of victims were beheaded after their deaths and their skulls were sent to Berlin for 'scientific' research. Since 2011 Germany has returned dozens of skulls.
Germany ruled South-West Africa from 1884 to 1915, when it fell under South African rule following World War I. Namibia gained its independence in 1990 following a decades-long guerrilla war.
Dozens of victims were beheaded after their deaths and their skulls were sent to Berlin for 'scientific' research
German troops drove the Herero and Nama into the desert or rounded them up in concentration camps
While it has revealed plans to offer a formal apology to Namibia for the massacre, Germany still has not committed to reparations, instead choosing to point out that it has provided millions in development aid.
'We are working towards a joint government declaration with the following elements: common discussions on the historical events and a German apology for the action in Namibia,' said Sawsan Chebli, a spokeswoman for Germany's foreign ministry.
She said the joint declaration with the Namibian government would not translate into legal repercussions for Germany.
Germany ruled South-West Africa from 1884 to 1915, when it fell under South African rule following the war
'On the question of whether there could be reparations or legal consequences, there are none,' she added. 'The apology does not come with any consequences on how we deal with the history and portray it.'
Germany previously apologised for the genocide in 2004 but that apology was not adopted as state policy.
Last month, Germany passed a resolution recognising the World War I massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces as genocide.
Texting parents about their children's progress may improve exam results, a study has found.
A trial asked 36 English secondary schools to send one text a week to parents about upcoming tests, missed homework and what their children were learning.
Pupils who had the intervention experienced about one month of additional progress in maths and were less likely to skip school.
Texting parents about their children's upcoming tests and homework improves exam results, a study has found (stock image)
The scheme called the Parent Engagement Project was developed by teams at the University of Bristol and Harvard University and costs schools just 7.55 per pupil for the year.
The intervention was cheaper and more effective at improving performance than other methods such as children taking part in Scouts or Sea Cadets or being exposed to classical music.
'The positive effects of the programme in relation to a reduction in absenteeism was surprising given that no texts related to attendance were sent, and is perhaps related to the increased monitoring by parents of childrens school-related activities overall, creating an environment in which pupils felt less able or willing to truant,' researchers wrote.
The report, co-funded by the Education Endowment Foundation, added that vast majority of parents were accepting of the programme, including the content, frequency, and timing of texts.
It also stated that children who had the intervention appeared to experience about one month of additional progress in English, but this finding was compromised by missing data.
Pupils who had the intervention experienced about one month of additional progress in maths were less likely to skip school (stock image)
The trial involved 15,697 students in Years 7, 9 and 11 from 36 English secondary schools, with schools sending an average of 30 texts to each parent over the period of the trial.
Sir Kevan Collins, Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: 'We know that it can be very difficult to get parents more involved, particularly when their children get older.
'It would seem that the simple and cheap approach of regular texts could be a better bet for schools than expecting parents to turn up at school for classes of their own.'
'Taken together, these three results give us hugely useful insights into how we can better engage parents with children's learning which has the potential to have a significant impact on their results.'
A project run by Manchester's Halle Orchestra found that exposing children to classical music with out-of-school lessons did not improve pupil's academic ability - although it did improve their social skills.
Barack Obama and Theresa May began their own 'special relationship' as they shared a 'warm' 15-minute phone call.
The US President rang to congratulate her on becoming Britain's second female Prime Minister yesterday afternoon.
The pair discussed the importance of sustaining the 'special relationship' between Britain and the US and Mrs May told the President she would pursue 'constructive and positive talks' with European leaders over the details of Brexit.
But she did not discuss the prospects of the UK securing a trade deal with the US - a thorny subject given Mr Obama warned in April that Britain would be at the 'back of the queue' for striking a trade deal if it left the EU.
Barack Obama (pictured) rang Theresa May to congratulate her on becoming Prime Minister in what was described as a 'warm' discussion yesterday
Theresa May (pictured arriving at No 10 yesterday) discussed the importance of sustaining the 'special relationship' between Britain and the US as she spoke to President Barack Obama for the first time since becoming Prime Minister
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also phoned Britain's new premier to congratulate her.
The pair's relationship could be key in the upcoming Brexit negotiations but their call yesterday did not go into specifics.
Mr Juncker, speaking from Mongolia during an EU-Asem summit, is under pressure to quit for failing to prevent Britain from leaving the EU, his handling of the EU's response to the refugee crisis and the Greek debt crisis.
Mrs May told Mr Juncker she wanted to continue working closely with the commission on EU issues as well as British withdrawal from the union.
The Prime Minister explained that Britain would need some time to prepare for the negotiations on how Brexit would be achieved.
Mrs May also spoke to Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi and the First Minister of Northern Ireland Arlene Foster.
On her first evening in No 10 Mrs May took congratulatory phone calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande
Today Mrs May is planning to travel to Edinburgh to meet First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
It is a sign of the importance the new PM is placing on preventing Scotland splitting from the United Kingdom that she is making it her first official trip of her premiership.
The pair will discuss last month's vote to leave the EU, with Ms Sturgeon determined to stop Scotland cutting ties with Brussels after a majority of Scots voted in favour of staying.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured at the EU-Asem summit in Mongolia yesterday) also phoned Theresa May to congratulate her on becoming Prime Minister
Theresa May, Britain's new Prime Minister, will make Scotland her first official trip when she meets Nicola Sturgeon (pictured at the Royal Troon Golf Club today, right) in Edinburgh today
The SNP leader said she hoped to have a 'constructive' relationship with Mrs May but their relationship will be tested by her pledge to do everything she can to maintain Scotland's EU membership.
She has already pledged to lay the groundwork for holding a second Scottish independence vote after last month's EU referendum saw just 38 per cent of people north of the border back Brexit.
More than six in ten [62 per cent] of Scots voted for the UK to remain in the EU.
In her first address to the nation as Prime Minister outside No 10 yesterday, Mrs May said the 'union of the nations of the United Kingdom' would be pivotal to her premiership.
'Not everybody knows this, but the full title of my party is the Conservative and Unionist Party and that word unionist is very important to me.
'It means we believe in the union, the precious, precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
'But it means something else just as important, it means we believe in a union not just between the nations of the United Kingdom, but between all our citizens, everyone of us, whoever we are and wherever we're from.'
Her comments were reiterated by her new Chancellor Philip Hammond, who dismissed the idea that Scotland could somehow forge a separate deal with the EU so it remains in the EU.
BORIS REVEALS HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART WHO BRANDED HIM A LIAR SENT 'CHARMING' LETTER Boris Johnson grimaced as he was told of international criticism aimed at him today but said he was confident of building 'intergovernmental level' partnerships Boris Johnson dismissed criticism from his international counterparts today following his shock appointment as Foreign Secretary as he revealed he had won the backing of US Secretary of State John Kerry. He said the French foreign minister who had branded him a 'liar' had today sent him a 'charming' letter saying he was looking forward to working together. Mr Johnson played down criticism aimed at him from European leaders, saying it was 'inevitable' there would be 'a certain amount of plaster coming off the ceiling of the chancelleries of Europe' after he led the successful campaign to leave the EU. Setting out his vision for post-Brexit Britain, he said he wanted to focus on 'reshaping Britain's global profile and identify as a great global player'. The former Mayor of London said Mr Kerry had phoned to congratulate him on his new job and agreed with his analysis that he wanted 'more Britain abroad'. Today German foreign minister Frank-Walter labelled Mr Johnson an 'irresponsible politician' who 'bolted' after the Brexit vote. And French Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, said Theresa May had appointed a Foreign Secretary who had 'lied' to the public during the EU referendum campaign. It was an extraordinary attack on Britain's ambassador appointed to represent Britain on the world stage. Advertisement
He said Scotland's best interests were served by staying within the United Kingdom.
He told BBC Scotland: 'Let's make this United Kingdom economy work for all of us and let's negotiate with the European Union from outside the European Union a relationship which works for Britain and works for Europe so that we can have as close a relationship in trade and commerce as we possibly can, while being outside the European Union as the British people determined we should be.'
But Ms Sturgeon is determined to do all she can to make sure Scotland is not dragged out of the EU against its will.
'The Scottish government is pursuing every possible avenue to protect our place in Europe - which of course means protecting businesses' freedom to trade, the ability of workers to be protected and our right to continue to influence EU decisions.'
She added: 'We will continue to explore all options to protect Scotland's place in Europe - and I have made clear that the option of an independence referendum must be on the table if it becomes clear that that is the best or only way of preserving our EU status.'
Mrs May finishing forming her first Cabinet yesterday less than 24 hours after being sworn in as Britain's second female Prime Minister.
She brought her allies into Government with her and equalled the record for the number of women in Cabinet - hours after brutally sacking four David Cameron loyalists.
Mrs May's campaign manager Chris Grayling is Transport Secretary, while Damian Green, for four years her deputy at the Home Office, is work and pensions secretary.
There are eight female members of the Cabinet, including Mrs May - more than at any time since Tony Blair's final year in office - after promotions to the Cabinet for Andrea Leadsom, Priti Patel, Karen Bradley and Baroness Natalie Evans.
In a clear break with the Cameron administration, former miner Patrick McLoughlin was appointed party chairman - replacing Lord Feldman, who quit alongside his old school friend Mr Cameron.
Stephen Crabb quit the Government this afternoon in the 'best interests' of his family days after he faced allegations of sexting.
Theresa Villiers, who was Northern Ireland Secretary, resigned at lunchtime after being offered a new job and turning it down. Mark Harper also resigned yesterday.
In a major Whitehall shake up, Mrs May created a Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department - handing the large and powerful brief to Greg Clark.
Mrs May met MPs she was firing in Parliament to carry out the sackings and No 10 confirmed the departures of Mr Gove, Mr Letwin, Mr Whittingdale and Mrs Morgan from Government. The new PM then travelled to Downing Street to make her appointments at No 10.
In other appointments, Liz Truss was made Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary while comprehensive school educated Justine Greening was installed as Education Secretary and minister for women.
Gavin Williamson, the long term Parliamentary aide to David Cameron, was made chief whip in a huge promotion. Patrick McLoughlin was moved from transport to be party chairman and the new Duchy of Lancaster - effectively a fixer helping the Government run.
Jeremy Hunt is staying on as Health Secretary after three controversial years and Baroness Evans becomes Leader of the House of Lords - replacing Baroness Stowell.
Mr Gove ran against Mrs May for the Tory leadership - exploding Boris Johnson's hopes for No 10 in the process - with the backing of Mrs Morgan, who signed his nomination papers. Mr Whittingdale had also supported Mr Gove for the top job.
Yesterday's sackings came the morning after Mrs May disposed of George Osborne's services as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
He then took the 40-year-old victim back to his room where he raped her
A U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced Friday to two-and-a-half years hard labor for raping a Japanese tourist in Okinawa.
Justin Castellanos, 24, who was based in the district's Camp Schwab, pleaded guilty in May to raping the 40-year-old victim in his hotel room in Naha, south Japan on March 13.
The serviceman had found the woman, who was drunk and asleep in the hotel lobby, and taken her up to his room where he assaulted her.
'I am sorry for what I have done,' he told the court. 'My heart is filled with regret,' Stars and Stripes reports.
Justin Castellanos, 24, (pictured )who was based in the district's Camp Schwab, pleaded guilty in May to raping the 40-year-old victim in his hotel room in Naha, south Japan on March 13
Justin Castellanos, 24, was sentenced to more than two years in jail for raping a Japanese tourist. The incident has inflamed tensions and anti-American military feeling in the area (pictured is a protest against the military)
Prosecutors had sought a four-year jail sentence but sentenced the sailor to the lesser sentence for his early guilty plea.
His family was also ordered to pay $21,789 in restitution to the victim, while the US military was also told to pay $2,842.
Okinawa governor, Takeshi Onaga, said at the time: 'It is a crime which seriously violates human rights of women and should never be tolerated.'
The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo declined to comment about the incident.
Today the 24-year-old was sentenced to spend more than two years in jail, at the district court in Naha, the capital of Okinawa.
But his arrest, and that of an American military contractor on charges of raping and killing a 20-year-old woman, have inflamed anti-U.S. base sentiment on Okinawa.
Kenneth Shinzato, a former U.S. Marine, was arrested in May after the woman's body was found in a wooded area.
His arrest, and that of an American military contractor on charges of raping and killing a 20-year-old woman, have inflamed anti-U.S. base sentiment on Okinawa
Tens of thousands of people rallied last month against the presence of U.S. military bases, many wearing black to mourn the dead woman.
A major focus of the protest was a plan agreed to by the Japanese and U.S. governments to move a Marine Corps air station to a less-populated part of Okinawa. Opponents want the base moved off the island entirely.
Okinawa has a complicated relationship with the U.S.
For over 70 years, since the WWII, American military bases have been stationed in the area to help deter attacks on both Japan and Okinawa.
However, with more than 25,000 members of the U.S. military stationed there, American security takes up around 18 per cent of the island.
This has caused tensions to rise as local people complain that the military presence is unfair and puts their lives in danger.
But their concerns are not without reason as U.S. troops stationed there have previously been convicted of numerous crimes, including assault.
In a Time magazine article from 1949 it was recorded that between March and September 1949, U.S. service members had committed 29 murders, 18 rapes, 16 robberies and 33 assaults against the island's 600,000 residents.
More recently, in 1995, three U.S. servicemen, Rodrico Harp, Kendrick Ledet and Marcus Gill who were stationed in Okinawa, were convicted of raping and abducting a 12-year-old girl.
The case could further fuel anger towards U.S. military in the midst of an ongoing battle regarding plans to relocate the American air base of Futenma (pictured) within Okinawa
And in 2012, two American soldiers were found guilty of raping a Japanese woman who they followed out from a bar.
The new case could further fuel anger towards U.S. military in the midst of an ongoing battle regarding plans to relocate the American air base of Futenma within Okinawa.
The base is currently located in an urban area containing 19 schools and both the U.S. and Tokyo have been trying to move the camp to the coastal area of Henoko on the island.
The Okinawa government recently won a court case with Tokyo over the creation of an alternate base at Henoko.
She is at first confused but slowly realises what is happening
that she's going to New York is only
An Irish grandmother was moved to tears when her granddaughter revealed - at the airport - that she was whisking her off to New York for her 80th birthday.
The old lady was at the check-in desk - believing she was heading to London - when the Aer Lingus employee revealed to her that her ticket was actually to the Big Apple.
Olive Chester stands with granddaughter Lorraine Butler at Shannon Airport as the lady explains, 'So you're boarding OK? Shannon to JFK.'
'You'll be clearing US customs,' the lady at the desk continues - but still the octogenarian says, 'OK'. 'For your flight to New York,' the airport worker adds. And finally something clicks. 'Huh?' says Chester
But instead of registering the significance of the American airport, Chester - wearing a purple anorak - simply nods, and says, 'Yeah.'
Butler can be seen carefully watching her grandmother to see when the penny will drop.
'You'll be clearing US customs,' the lady at the desk continues - but still the octogenarian says, 'OK'.
'For your flight to New York,' the airport worker adds.
And finally something clicks. 'Huh?' says Chester.
She looks to her granddaughter in confusion. 'Where?' she asks and Butler leans forwards and gently explains, 'You're going to New York.'
The elderly lady stands with her mouth open as she realises what is happening before letting out a little cry of surprised delight and reaching out for Butler and embracing her.
'My God,' Chester says, burrowing her head in her hand she is so overwhelmed at the amazing surprise.
The other two women laugh as they see tears in the old lady's eyes.
'So you're on flight 111 to JFK, not London,' the check-in worker reminds her as Chester laughs and again puts he head in her hands.
Butler uploaded the sweet video to Facebook - where it has garnered thousands of likes - writing, 'She thought she was off to London town, She's not. It's cocktails in Manhattan for this lady's 80th!'
The elderly lady stands with her mouth open as she realises what is happening before letting out a little cry of surprised delight and reaching out for Butler and embracing her
'My God,' Chester says, burrowing her head in hand she is so overwhelmed at the amazing surprise. The other two women laugh as they see tears in the old lady's eyes
'There's going to be plenty of shinanagans' (sic) - she later added after they touched down in New York.
Friends have loved the footage. 'That's so sweet. A tear came to my eyes,' one wrote.
Another commented: 'That is the most beautiful surprise I have ever seen! No one deserves it more than Olive, such a wonderful woman! Hats off to you Lorraine Butler, amazing.'
Even Shannon Airport's Facebook account got involved, writing, 'This video made us all smile so much. What an amazing surprise! Happy 80th Birthday Olive, we're sure you've taken Manhattan by storm'.
Lorraine replied: 'She is utterly overwhelmed. We read the wishes and comments over cocktails this afternoon and they have made this trip even more memorable and she appreciates every one.
A dog was left with horrific facial injuries after its lips and nose were ripped off when it was maimed by a badger.
Black Patterdale terrier Teddy, six, suffered the gruesome injuries after being used for badger baiting, a blood sport which has been illegal in the UK since 1830.
Now the unlucky former stray - who is also missing half an ear - has found a new home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, after being rescued by animal lovers Aly Parsonage, 29, and Paula O'Connor, 35.
Aly Parsonage, left, took in Black Patterdale terrier Teddy after his nose and lips were ripped off in a badger attack, with the dog thought to have been used in the illegal baiting bloodsport
Teddy, pictured, has 'learned to live' with his condition according to vets, who say reconstructive surgery would only cause him more pain
Ms Parsonage, who helps run an animal rescue, rehoming and fundraising Facebook page, said: 'Teddy had definitely been used for hunting.
'His face looks like he has definitely been down numerous badger holes - the wounds are not just from one bite, he has been bitten a few too many times.
'Part of his nose and the top of his mouth are completely gone.'
She added: 'It is awful - I didn't really know badger baiting was still something that went on until I met Teddy.
'I never thought of badgers as being particularly aggressive but when I saw Teddy's face I realised what they could do.
'The fact people could do that is just horrible - it is disgusting.'
Teddy was left as a stray at Leigh Cats and Dogs Home at the beginning of June before Ms Parsonage and Ms O'Connor offered to give him a home in case he needed specialist surgery they could raise money for.
Vets have confirmed a badger is likely to have caused the wounds on his face and said the healing suggests these were obtained several years ago.
Most of Teddy's nose, all of his top lip and some of his bottom lip are missing and he has no bottom teeth.
But Ms Parsonage said vets told her because the dog has now learned to live with his unusual face and that reconstructive surgery is not necessary as it would cause him more pain.
Teddy was taken in by Ms Parsonage and Paula O'Connor, far left, who say his injuries, right, have not stopped him being a 'cheeky and loving' dog
Teddy has recently been rehomed again with fellow animal lover Pauline Freeman, who is also from Rochdale, after clashing with one of Ms Parsonage's ferrets because of his hunting background.
But she insists the pair have been keeping in touch with Ms Freeman and the 'loving and cheeky' mutt to find out how he is doing and still visit him regularly.
Ms Parsonage said: 'When we first took Teddy to the vet we asked if any reconstructive surgery was necessary, but we were told he has learned to live with it now and having multiple operations would be more painful for him.
'His wounds are not recent and he has been living like this for years.
'He has no bottom teeth so finds certain things hard to eat, but has adapted.
'When we have taken him for walks some people stop and stare, but others say he is cute and feel sorry for him.
Police have confirmed killing more than 110 drug suspects since the president came to power
After winning elections in May this year he has urged citizens to kill suspected drug users and dealers
Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, dubbed 'The Punisher', has waged a war on drugs throughout the country
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Nearly 60,000 Filipino drug addicts have surrendered themselves to the government after President Rodrigo Duterte urged citizens to 'go ahead and kill' drug dealers and users.
Mr Duterte, dubbed 'The Punisher', won elections in May and promised a law-and-order crackdown on drugs.
'These sons of w****s are destroying our children. I warn you, don't go into that, even if you're a policeman, because I will really kill you,' the president told an audience during a speech in the country's capital, Manila.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said close to 60,000 drug dependents have surrendered to authorities since the administration began its intensified campaign against drugs.
Nearly 60,000 drug addicts across the Philippines have handed themselves in to authorities after president Rodrigo Duterte promised a law-and-order crackdown on drugs
Filipinos allegedly involved in illegal drugs handcuffed together inside a police headquarters in Manila. Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said close to 60,000 drug dependents have surrendered to authorities
Filipino inmates are seen inside a jail in Manila. President Rodrigo Duterte has urged citizens to 'go ahead and kill' drug dealers and users
Police officers remove packing tape wrapped over the lifeless head of an alleged drug dealer on a street in Manila
Police have confirmed killing more than 110 drug suspects since the president came to power, while local news reports suggest that figure is around 200.
At least 43,000 alleged drug traffickers have been 'neutralised' and 300kg of shabu, a highly addictive methamphetamine, has been confiscated, according to local reports.
President Duterte has warned of widespread bloodshed as part of the government's war on drugs.
He vowed on one occasion during the election campaign that 100,000 people would die, and so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish there would grow fat from feeding on them, according to the South China Morning Post.
Duterte has also told police he would protect them from legal consequences if they killed drug dealers, the Post reported.
Picture shows the body of a killed Filipino allegedly involved in illegal drugs. Police have confirmed killing more than 110 drug suspects since president Duterte came to power
Police officers investigate the body of an alleged drug dealer, his face covered with packing tape and a placard reading 'I'm a pusher', on a street in Manila
At least 43,000 alleged drug traffickers have been 'neutralised' and 300kg of shabua, a highly addictive methamphetamine, has been confiscated
Pictured, arrested Filipinos allegedly involved in illegal drugs resting inside a shanty in Manila. President Duterte has warned of widespread bloodshed as part of the government's war on drugs
President Duterte vowed on one occasion during the election campaign that 100,000 people would die, and so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish there would grow fat from feeding on them, according to the South China Morning Post
Last week, gruesome images showing slain drug dealers with 'I'm a pusher' signs covering their chests emerged.
The grim scenes of alleged drug dealers found shot dead in Manila last week are growing increasingly common as police wage a bloody war on narcotics.
The government's top lawyer called for police to kill more suspected drug criminals, as he defended president Duterte's brutal war on crime against mounting criticism.
As the official death toll has mounted, and other bodies not confirmed killed by police have been found with placards declaring them drug traffickers, human rights lawyers have expressed deep concerns about the war on crime spiralling out of control.
Filipino suspected drug users and pushers participate in exercises after voluntarily surrendering in Manila
Grim scenes of alleged drug dealers found shot dead in Manila last week are growing increasingly common as police wage a bloody war on narcotics.
A Filipino allegedly involved with illegal drugs standing on top of an electric post as rescuers try to convince him to get down
The Filipino man allegedly involved with drugs is arrested by policemen after clinging on top of an electric post for hours
In response to the criticism, Solicitor General Jose Calida held a press conference on Monday at national police headquarters to insist on the legality of the police killings and to encourage more deaths of people suspected of being involved in the drug trade.
'To me, that is not enough,' Calida said of the killings so far.
'How many drug addicts or pushers are there in the Philippines? Our villages are almost saturated (with drugs).'
A lawyer and a former prosecutor, Duterte has urged law enforcers to kill those they believe are involved in the drug trade, as well as other criminals.
Members of the Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives conducting investigation following a police operation against illegal drugs
Pictured, the body of a killed Filipino allegedly involved in illegal drugs lying in a pool of blood in Manila
A member of the Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives examining recovered evidence in Manila.
The government's top lawyer called for police to kill more suspected drug criminals, as he defended president Duterte's brutal war on crime against mounting criticism
In one of the deadliest single incidents, police reported killing eight 'drug personalities' during a pre-dawn raid on Saturday in a small southern town.
One of the nation's top human rights lawyers, Jose Manuel Diokno, warned last week that Duterte had 'spawned a nuclear explosion of violence that is spiralling out of control and creating a nation without judges'.
Former senator Rene Saguisag, a prominent human rights lawyer during the regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, also criticised Duterte's statements naming and shaming alleged drug lords and police officers ahead of a formal investigation.
As the official death toll has mounted, and other bodies not confirmed killed by police have been found with placards declaring them drug traffickers, human rights lawyers have expressed deep concerns about the war on crime spiralling out of control
Solicitor General Jose Calida held a press conference on Monday at national police headquarters to insist on the legality of the police killings and to encourage more deaths of people suspected of being involved in the drug trade
Pictured, a Filipino suspected drug user takes his oath taking after voluntarily surrendering
Filipino suspected drug users and pushers take their oath taking after surrendering. One of the nation's top human rights lawyers, Jose Manuel Diokno, warned last week that Duterte had 'spawned a nuclear explosion of violence that is spiralling out of control and creating a nation without judges
'Do we still probe and have a trial as part of due process? Useless, it seems to me,' Saguisag wrote in an online column last week.
Some opposition lawmakers have also called for a congressional investigation into the spate of killings.
Calida, a Duterte appointee, said he would protect police from or during congressional probes, while emphasising it was up to critics to prove allegations of abuse rather than base inquiries on speculation.
'I am here to encourage the (police) not to be afraid of any congressional or senate investigations. We will defend them ... I am the defender of the (police),' he said.
Filipino police officers lineup for a drug test in Manila. Some opposition lawmakers have also called for a congressional investigation into the spate of killings in the country
A Filipino suspected drug user gets a haircut after surrendering in Manila. Calida, a Duterte appointee, said he would protect police from or during congressional probes into the killings
Filipino police officers submit urine samples during a drug test
Pictured, Filipino police officers lineup for a drug test. 'I am here to encourage the (police) not to be afraid of any congressional or senate investigations. We will defend them ... I am the defender of the (police),' Calida, a Duterte appointee, said
Heartbreaking footage shows a Russian woman who has lost her family walking the streets of Nice alone, moments after the attack which left at least 84 dead.
Amina Ivleva posted a live video of her desperate search for her mother and brother as she gives a harrowing account of how the terror unfolded in Nice late last night.
In tears after losing her relatives, she said: 'I released my mother's hand and lost sight of her.'
Amina Ivleva posted a live video (pictrued) of her desperate search for her mother and brother as she gives a harrowing account of how the terror unfolded in Nice late last night
In tears after losing her relatives, she said: 'I released my mother's hand and lost sight of her.'
The truck ploughed through crowds celebrating Bastille Day last night, driving for more than a mile before the gunman got out and sprayed the crowd with bullets.
So far, 84 have been confirmed dead, 20 are thought to be gravely injured and 54 children have been hurt, along with scores of adults.
Talking of the horrific experience, Miss Ivleva added: 'Tomorrow it will be all over the news, but let me tell you what I saw today.
'Today, France has been celebrating Bastille Day and the French people will remember this day for a very long time because everyone who was out on the street celebrating the holiday stood and witnessed a lorry driving into people and people getting shot.
'I was about 10 metres away and these images will stay with me until the end of my life.
'I will never again go out into a crowd like that. I will just sit at home and be haunted by this.
Police were today looking at the lorry, which was riddled with bullets by French police in a gun battle that ensued after it ploughed through crowds
Relatives of hundreds of people caught in the violence last night (pictured) are now desperately trying to get in touch with loved ones who have been unreachable
'Tomorrow we'll know how many dead there will be... enough.'
In the caption with the video, she wrote how she will never forget the 'frightened eyes of a woman', the 'wild screams of children' and the 'sound of bullets'.
She adds: 'You run and you do not understand what to do, looking back you see bloody bodies.'
Dozens of pictures have been posted on social media in a desperate bid to find loved ones who have been missing since the devastating terror attack.
People posted images of friends, brothers and sisters, mothers and numerous young people who they have been unable to reach.
The Embassy Crisis Centre has been activated and a 24 hr service no at : +33144513100.
A schoolboy and his cousin arrived at their prom in style after his desperate father booked a helicopter because there were no limos available.
Taylor Duffy, 16, and 15-year-old Caoimhe Halford made a big entrance to the Gloucester Academy prom due to Michael Duffy's bright idea.
Mr Duffy, 37, was mortified when he found out there were no limos free just days before the party and called a up a helicopter hire company in desperation.
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Taylor Duffy, 16, and 15-year-old Caoimhe Halford made a big entrance to the Gloucester Academy prom due to Michael Duffy's bright idea
The father of five managed to book a chopper for 250, making him the most popular dad on the playground.
Caoimhe, said: 'We didn't know about the helicopter until the day before, it was a huge surprise.
'It was my dream to go in a helicopter, I couldn't stop smiling.
Little did they know Mr Duffy thought the prom was still a month away and only booked their transport with days to spare.
The delivery driver originally from Belfast, Ireland said: 'I thought their prom was still a month away, I didn't have a clue.
'I rang round every limo company and even tried to get a horse and cart, but I couldn't get anything for love nor money.
'I had to drive to the airport for a job, and I saw a company offering helicopter rides.
Caoimhe, who enjoyed with ride with her cousin Taylor said: 'We didn't know about the helicopter until the day before, it was a huge surprise
'I was desperate, so I thought 'I'll just ask. I explained the situation, and they said they could do it for 250.
'I couldn't believe my luck. People thought I was doing it to be extravagant, but we're not posh.
'We're just a common family really, we don't have any money. They couldn't believe it when I told them how much it cost.'
We're just a common family, we don't have any money
Taylor said he 'felt like James Bond' arriving in a helicopter. 'Everyone was jealous, it was unreal.
'I was just expecting a fancy car or something, but the helicopter just blew my mind. I felt like James Bond,' he said.
Caoimhe said: 'I couldn't have asked for a better experience. It was a dream come true.'
The trip was almost scuppered when Mr Duffy booked the helicopter ride for 6pm - an hour before everyone was due to arrive at the prom.
Taylor Duffy and Caoimhe Halford with their family. Taylor said he 'felt like James Bond' arriving in a helicopter
Caoimhe said: 'When I found out Uncle Michael had booked it an hour early and no one was going to see us arrive, I was devastated.'
A panicked Mr Duffy offered the pilot 'any amount of money' to delay the flight, and was overjoyed when the hero said he'd do it for a bottle of Jameson's.
He said: 'I'd driven them to the airport and Caoimhe's mum rang me from Cheltenham Chase Hotel where the prom was to say no one was there.
'Caoimhe was in tears. The whole point was for everyone to see them arriving in a helicopter.
Mr Duffy, 37, was mortified when he found out there were no limos free just days before the party and called a up a helicopter hire company. The father of five booked a chopper for 250, making him the most popular dad on the playground
'I'd made a huge mistake, the prom didn't start for another hour.
'I was already putting the helicopter company out as they usually finish at 5pm, so they'd waited an extra hour on top of their usual day any way.
'I begged them to delay the flight by an hour, and the pilot agreed.
'I would have paid anything, and they know that.
'Even if it was an extra 400, I would have paid any amount of money so I didn't let the kids down.
'The pilot said he could see how stressful this prom had been to organise, and just asked for a bottle of Jameson's to say thank you.'
At least one Briton has been injured in the horrific attacks in Nice last night, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said this morning.
Facing a baptism of fire in only his second full day in his new job, he said Britain stands side-by-side with France and said Europe must tackle the threat of terrorism together.
A terrorist gunman killed 84 people and seriously injured more than 100 more after he used a 25-tonne lorry to go on a mile-long killing spree by ploughing through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice last night.
A 'small number' of British nationals have been injured in the attack, Downing Street said and Mr Johnson is meeting ministers and officials as part of Britain's response to the deadly attack.
The new Foreign Secretary was attending a reception to celebrate Bastille Day at the French ambassador's residence just a few hours before the attacks and sang La Marseillaise.
Theresa May, the new Prime Minister, said Britain stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with France today after the 'horrifying' events in Nice last night saw several children among the victims.
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Facing a baptism of fire in only his second full day in his new job, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (pictured in Whitehall this morning) said Britain stands side-by-side with France and said Europe must tackle the threat of terrorism together
Boris Johnson (pictured leaving his north London home this morning, left and arriving at the Foreign Office, right) said it was too early to say how many British nationals were caught up in the attacks but said the Government knew of one who had been injured
She said the 'full picture is still emerging' and officials are working 'urgently' to establish the full extent of British nationals caught up in the attack.
The Prime Minister, who has vast experience of responding to terror threats having served as Home Secretary for the last six years, said the security threat in the UK remains at 'severe' - meaning a terror attack is highly likely.
Her deputy national security advisor chaired a meeting of senior officials in the Government's emergency Cobra committee today, which lasted around 45 minutes.
The deadly attack on the promenade in Nice late last night was carried out by a 31-year-old French Tunisian named by local newspaper Nice Matin as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.
He mounted pavements at high speed and ploughed through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice last night.
One eyewitness filmed armed officers approaching the cab of the lorry and firing repeatedly through its windscreen and doors before it appears Bouhlet can be heard screaming after being hit by a police bullet.
The shootout came after his 30 minute rampage where he aimed at crowds watching firework and sent 'bodies flying like bowling pins' and left others 'jammed' under the lorrys wheels at around 10.30pm local time last night.
Theresa May, pictured meeting Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Bute House in Edinburgh today, said Britain stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with France today after 84 people were killed and more than 100 injured as a Tunisian killer ploughed a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day
Aftermath: This photograph was taken in the moments after the lorry crashed through crowds of people in the devastating terror attack
Path of destruction: After spending several hours parked up the killer went on a half hour rampage along the world famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice before he was shot dead by a hero policewoman
Horrifying: Police and forensics teams inspect bodies in the French sunshine where at least ten died - many of them in buggies left abandoned today
A terrorist gunman killed 84 people and seriously injured more than 100 more after he used a 25-tonne lorry to go on a mile-long killing spree by ploughing through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice last night.
Speaking as he left his north London home this morning, the new Foreign Secretary said the attack represented a 'continuing threat to us in the whole of Europe and we must meet it together'.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced this morning he will be 'reviewing our own safety measures following the attack in Nice.
He declared that the capital would 'stand united' with France and insisted the 'poisonous and twisted' terrorists would be defeated.
The Tricolour, the national flag of France, was flown at half mast over Downing Street to show solidarity with the French.
It was also flown at the Open Golf Championships in South Ayrshire today.
Mrs May, who is due to travel to Scotland later today, was unable to give details of how many British nationals were caught up in the attack.
She said: The full picture is still emerging and Im aware of the reports that there has been a Briton involved but we are working urgently to establish if there are British nationals involved who have been caught up in this attack.'
Terror attack: At least 84 people were killed and dozens more critically injured last night when a terrorist killer, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, drove this truck, riddled with bullets, through crowds celebrating Bastille day in Nice
Theresa May (pictured) said a meeting of senior officials would take place today to review security in light of the Nice attack
Atrocity: At least a dozen bodies of victims covered by sheets remain at the scene of the terror attack today as the authorities try to identify them
The Tricolour, the national flag of France, was flown at half mast over Downing Street (pictured this morning) to show solidarity with the French. Theresa May (pictured meeting Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh today, right) said Britain stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with France after the 'horrifying' attack in Nice last night
Mr Johnson is holding emergency meetings with ministers and officials today and will also speak to his French counterparts, but he said he knew of no 'read across' implications for the UK.
He told reporters this morning: 'Obviously our thoughts are very much with the people of France and Nice and absolutely appalling incident.
'I think there will be ministerial meetings later on today to discuss the implications for this country. I don't at this time know any read across or implications for the UK.
'Clearly this represents a continuing threat, this is a terrorist incident - as it appears to be - this represents a continuing threat to us in the whole of Europe and we must meet it together.'
Asked whether there were any British victims in the attack, Mr Johnson said: 'The only information that I have is that there is one UK national who is injured but it's too early to say at the moment.'
David Cameron, who stood down as Britain's Prime Minister on Wednesday, took to Twitter this morning to share his thoughts with the French after the 'sickening and dreadful attack in Nice'.
'I know we stand with the French people and share their values. They shall never defeat us,' he wrote.
Briton Laurence Holding was one of those injured in the Nice attack and pictured, he leaves Pasteur Hospital after receiving treatment
Shootout: Police approach the cab where the gunman went on his rampage. It is not clear if this was taken as he was killed or beforehand
London's mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured speaking at Gatwick Airport this morning) said 'safety measures' were being reviewed in the capital today after the Nice attacks
David Cameron, who stood down as Britain's Prime Minister on Wednesday, took to Twitter this morning to share his thoughts with the French after the 'sickening and dreadful attack in Nice'. 'I know we stand with the French people and share their values. They shall never defeat us,' he wrote
Mr Khan, speaking on a visit to Gatwick Airport, sought to reassure Londoners following the attack in the South of France as he offered his 'deepest sympathies' to the people of Nice.
'I will reassure all Londoners that today we will be reviewing our own safety measures in light of this attack and that I and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will do everything possible to keep Londoners safe,' he said.
He described the attack as 'a horrific and unspeakable act of terror on a day of celebration'.
The French people 'have suffered so much pain in recent times', he said. 'Londoners today stand united with Nice and all of France in our grief.
'We're also united in our determination to root out and defeat the sick and evil individuals who have tried to divide us with this cowardly act of terror.
'They will not win. Not in France, not in London, not anywhere. We will defeat their poisonous and twisted ideology.'
Police forces have been asked to review security at major events across the UK following the deadly attack in Nice last night, which killed 84 people and left more than 100 injured.
The Tricolour, the French national flag was flown at half mast at the Open Golf Championships in South Ayrshire, Scotland today
Downing Street said the precautions are 'to ensure the appropriate security is in place' as Theresa May vowed to increase efforts to defeat the 'brutal' terrorist 'murderers'.
The British Government dispatched an eight-man Consular team to Nice overnight and four more staff are on their way. The British ambassador is on site already.
Britain has police investigative support to France as required to help find out what happened.
Todays Cobra meeting lasted around 45 minutes and was chaired by the deputy national security advisor, Paddy McGuinness.
There was discussion about the situation in the UK and major public events taking place over the next seven days will be reviewed to ensure any lessons are learned in time.
The Prime Ministers Officials spokeswoman said: When there are large scale events in the UK, police already look very carefully at security arrangements around them.
They are reviewing those arrangements in light of the attack in Nice.
The security threat level in Britain remains unchanged at Severe meaning an attack is highly likely but not expected imminently.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to French Ambassador Sylvie Bermann to express his 'huge sadness' at events in Nice.
He wrote: 'Those killed yesterday will doubtless have been of different religions, ethnicities and nationalities. It was an attack on us all, attempting to set people against each other.
'That is why instead, we stand together, now and always, in defense of tolerance, peace and justice.
'Today and in the coming weeks and months, we and others across the globe, stand in solidarity with you and the people of France.'
Ukip leader Nigel Farage (pictured on ITV's Good Morning Britain) condemned the attack in Nice as 'horrendous' but blamed it on Europe's open borders
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the outgoing Ukip leader Nigel Farage (pictured speaking to presenters Ranvir Singh (middle) and Kate Garraway (left) said last year's refugee crisis had led to 1.8million people entering the continent without being subject to security checks
Ukip leader Nigel Farage condemned the attack in Nice as 'horrendous' but blamed it on Europe's open borders.
He said last year's refugee crisis had led to 1.8million people entering the continent without being subject to security checks.
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the outgoing Ukip leader said: 'This is a horrendous event. Obviously I need to say it's a horrendous event, but unfortunately not isolated.'
Asked what he believed was the cause of such tragic incidents, Mr Farage added: 'I've tried to avoid things like this, what I've said is that if you have sensible border controls you will have good relationships between all communities.
'The big problem in much of France is last year, 1.8m people came into the EU without one of them being security checked.
'ISIS said a year ago that they would use the migrant refugee crisis as a means of flooding the continent with their jihadis - that's the problem.'
David Cameron personally intervened to overrule civil servants on his last day in No 10 to order his special advisers get higher pay offs for leaving their jobs early after he was booted out of office.
Following Mr Cameron's intervention - known as a ministerial direction - the severance bill for special advisers leapt by 282,892 to just over 1million.
The orders, written on Wednesday shortly before Mr Cameron resigned, were quietly published on the Government website yesterday while attention was focussed on Theresa May's Cabinet appointments.
Special advisers are political appointees paid for by the taxpayer to help politicians by providing advice free of civil service impartiality rules.
David Cameron pictured back at his constituency for a Conservatives Association Summer Garden Party, in Fulbrook, Burford
Mr Cameron resigned as Prime Minister on Wednesday afternoon, some nine weeks earlier than expected after the Conservative leadership contest came to an abrupt end on Monday with the withdrawal of Andrea Leadsom from the race
David Cameron walked away from No 10 this week and resigned - but not before ordering extra severance pay for his team of special advisers at a cost of 282,000
Cabinet Office chief executive John Manzoni had protested the higher payments, equivalent to six months pay, in a strongly worded letter to No 10.
He insisted the advisers' contracts specified severance pay of four and a half months and that this was clear when the deals were signed even if the political situation meant their departure had been brought forward.
Mr Cameron resigned as Prime Minister on Wednesday afternoon, some nine weeks earlier than expected after the Conservative leadership contest came to an abrupt end on Monday with the withdrawal of Andrea Leadsom from the race.
Mr Cameron had asked officials to look into the severance pay of special advisers with 'long service' - particularly those who had worked for him before the last election and were then reappointed after the poll.
But of the proposal to pay six months severance, Mr Manzoni said in a letter: 'I do not believe there is a case for awarding higher sums than those for which the contract allows.
'Legal advice supports this position and lawyers have been clear that awarding a further month's salary for special advisers in this position would constitute a payment above their contractual entitlement.'
In a strongly worded letter to No 10 protesting higher payments, Cabinet Office chief executive John Manzoni said he did not believe there was a 'case for awarding higher sums' at an additional cost of 282,892 to taxpayers
Mr Manzoni said he recognised it was a 'difficult time' for the individuals involved whose 'employment is terminating more quickly than they had originally envisaged'.
But he warned about the cost across government, assuming the new policy was then applied across all departments - pulling another 30 people into the higher payout.
Simon Case, the principal private secretary at No 10, replied with Mr Cameron's instruction, which he said 'noted' the concern.
But he said: '(The Prime Minister) is mindful of the loyal and dedicated service that has been provided to him over the past six years by his team of special advisers and he is conscious the situation they find themselves in is through no fault of their own.
'The termination of their employment has been sudden and unexpected and he does not wish to exacerbate an already difficult and uncertain time for them by inferring their long and loyal service is not fully recognised.
But in reply, Simon Case - Mr Cameron's principal private secretary - spelled out orders to pay the extra cash to departing special advisers on Wednesday
'The Prime Minister has therefore decided the Department should proceed with providing additional severance payments to the special advisers that were reappointed following the General Election of 2015.
'Severance should be calculated based on six months' salary for each of the eligible individuals.'
A Public and Commercial Services union spokesman said: 'We're appalled that Cameron would seek to reward his political staff in this way, as civil servants have been told they must face further cuts to their redundancy terms.
'It's that kind of cronyism that gives politics a whiff of corruption and erodes public trust.'
Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance: 'The contracts for these advisers evidently took account of the possibility of sudden loss of employment and their terms were written accordingly.
'There is no case for increasing the pay-offs in this way. It is sad to see a Prime Minister who pledged to cut the cost of politics digging deeper into taxpayers' pockets to fund bumper pay-offs for his staff as one of his final acts.'
Last night, Garry Graham, deputy general secretary of the Prospect trade union, said it showed a 'breathtaking arrogance, hypocrisy and disdain for civil servants'.
He added: 'Cameron clearly feels guilty that his staff are losing their jobs because of his failures. Perhaps he could explain why he didn't make a special case for the thousands of civil servants who have lost their jobs since 2010 and left on reduced terms that were not as high as they expected?'
The Cabinet Office said the arrangement was a one-off.
Two Siberian Husky pups stolen from a pet store by a group of brazen teenagers have been returned.
The puppies worth about $2,000 were stolen in full view of the public from a store in a shopping centre on Swanston Street in Melbourne's CBD on Monday at around 2.25pm.
A staff member approached the men after they realised they had walked out with the canine to confront them.
The two Siberian huskies have since been returned. One Husky was returned on Friday just after 5pm
The shop attendant managed to take back one of the puppies but was unaware the teenagers had taken both the pups from the glass cabinet.
CCTV footage and images of the teenagers police wanted to question over the incident was later released.
'It's not a joke and we're telling the males, if it's a joke we certainly don't find it funny,' Sergeant Higgins said.
One of the teenagers allegedly distracted the staff while the group of men stile the puppies from the glass cabinet.
A staff member chased after the group of teenagers and confronted them before taking back a Husky. They were unaware both huskies had been taken from the glass cabinet
A 17-year-old who returned the Husky is being interviewed by police over the alleged theft
A group of teenagers were caught on CCTV footage walking in to a pet store before brazenly stealing two Siberian Husky puppies
On Friday a 17-year-old male attended Broadmeadows Police Station to return the dog just after 5pm.
The teenager is currently being interviewed in relation to the alleged theft.
The puppy was left playing with staff members at the police station as he waited for his owners to pick him up.
Police released CCTV footage of the incident which occurred on Monday in hopes of identifying the group of teenagers they wanted to question over the alleged theft
The group of teenagers allegedly stole the puppies in full view of other shoppers
As St Swithin's Day returns the people of Britain will be forgiven for turning their attention to the clouds in the sky.
According to legend, the country will enjoy or endure whatever weather happens to arrive on July 15 for 40 days and 40 nights.
And this year the nation seems to be divided, with north England and Scotland set for rain today while the south basks in sunshine ahead of a scorching weekend.
But experts at the Met Office have assured northerners the legend isn't true - as the south will soon have to put up with just as much rain.
The sun breaks through the clouds over a field in Dorset this morning, with temperatures set to soar across the south this weekend
Much of the north and Scotland are set for heavy rain this weekend, including today, St Swithin's Day, which is said to foreshadow the weather for the next 40 days (file picture)
Temperatures are expected to reach 80F across the south coast on Saturday and Sunday, although the sun will be hidden behind clouds for much of the weekend making for humid conditions.
A spokesman for the Met Office said: 'We have a weather front moving through north England and Scotland, which could see heavy showers and an inch of rain falling over the next 24 hours.
'The cold front is trying to move down across the UK but it is being blocked by a spell of warm air in the south.
'That will mean temperatures in the south will reach around 80F but it will be largely overcast so there could be some real humidity.
'By Sunday there will be some showers in the south but most of the rain will stay up north.'
The spokesman added: 'St Swithin's Day is a well-known folklore but the science just doesn't back it up I'm afraid.
Satellite images show a huge front of rain moving across north England and Scotland today, pictured
Although temperatures will be high in the south, there will be plenty of cloud cover blocking out the sun
'For instance, it's going to be dry in the south today, but by the middle of next week a band of heavy and thundery rain will come into southern Britain.'
He added the 'changeable pattern' of weather meant Scotland won't be set for a complete washout this summer either.
There is expected to be some sun breaking through the clouds around coastal areas in the south this weekend, prompting thoughts of the beach.
But overall the stop-start summer is set to continue, with a prolonged period of sunny days still no nearer.
Theresa May (pictured in Edinburgh today) said Britain stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with France after the 'horrifying' attack in Nice last night
Theresa May vowed to increase efforts to defeat the 'brutal' terrorist 'murderers' today as she ordered police forces to review security at major events across the UK following the 'horrifying' attack in Nice last night.
The new Prime Minister, who went ahead with a planned visit to meet Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh today, said Britain stands 'shoulder to shoulder' with France today after 84 people were killed and more than 100 injured as a Tunisian killer ploughed a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day.
Mrs May said the security threat in the UK remained 'severe' - meaning a terror attack is highly likely - but Downing Street said police had been told 'to ensure the appropriate security' at upcoming major events.
She said she was 'shocked and saddened' by the attack in South France, which saw several children among the victims of the terrorist who drove a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day.
A 'small number' of British nationals have been injured in the attack, the Prime Minister's spokesman said today.
The Government's emergency Cobra committee met this morning, while Mrs May said the UK's security threat remained at 'severe' - meaning a terror attack in Britain is highly likely.
The new Prime Minister, who was installed in No 10 on Wednesday, said the full picture in France was still to emerge.
Mrs May, who has vast experience of responding to terror threats having served as Home Secretary for the last six years, pledged to step up efforts to defeat terrorism to 'stand up for our values and for our freedom'.
She went ahead with a planned visit to meet Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh today.
The deadly attack on the promenade in Nice late last night was carried out by a 31-year-old French Tunisian named by local newspaper Nice Matin as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.
He mounted pavements at high speed and ploughed through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice last night.
One eyewitness filmed armed officers approaching the cab of the lorry and firing repeatedly through its windscreen and doors before it appears Bouhlet can be heard screaming after being hit by a police bullet.
The shootout came after his 30 minute rampage where he aimed at crowds watching firework and sent 'bodies flying like bowling pins' and left others 'jammed' under the lorry's wheels at around 10.30pm local time last night.
Mrs May said she would try to speak to French President Francois Hollande today as France scrambled to respond to the latest terror attack on its soil
Aftermath: This photograph was taken in the moments after the lorry crashed through crowds of people in the devastating terror attack
The British Government dispatched an eight-man Consular team to Nice overnight and four more staff are on their way. The British ambassador is on site already.
Britain has police investigative support to France as required to help find out what happened.
Today's Cobra meeting lasted around 45 minutes and was chaired by the deputy national security advisor, Paddy McGuinness.
There was discussion about the situation in the UK and major public events taking place over the next seven days will be reviewed to ensure any lessons are learned in time.
The Prime Minister's Officials Spokeswoman said: 'When there are large scale events in the UK, police already look very carefully at security arrangements around them.
'They are reviewing those arrangements in light of the attack in Nice.'
The security threat level in Britain remains unchanged at Severe meaning an attack is highly likely but not expected imminently.
The Tricolour, the national flag of France, was flown at half mast over Downing Street to show solidarity with the French.
It was also flown at the Open Golf Championships in South Ayrshire today.
Horrifying: Police and forensics teams inspect bodies in the French sunshine where at least ten died - many of them in buggies left abandoned today
Path of destruction: After spending several hours parked up the killer went on a half hour rampage along the world famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice before he was shot dead by a hero policewoman
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced this morning he will be 'reviewing our own safety measures following the attack in Nice.
He declared that the capital would 'stand united' with France and insisted the 'poisonous and twisted' terrorists would be defeated.
Speaking ahead of her visit to Scotland, the Prime Minister said: 'I have asked my deputy national security adviser to chair a Cobra meeting of senior officials to review what we know and what we can do to help and I will speak to President Hollande today and make clear that the United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with France today as we have done so often in the past.
'If, as we fear, this was a terrorist attack then we must redouble our efforts to defeat these brutal murderers who want to destroy our way of life.
'We must work with France and our partners around the world to stand up for our values and for our freedom.'
Mrs May said the Government was working to establish whether any British nationals were caught up in the attack.
'Our hearts go out to the French people and all those who have lost loved ones or been injured,' she said.
The Tricolour, the national flag of France, was flown at half mast over Downing Street (pictured this morning) to show solidarity with the French. The new Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (pictured arriving at the Foreign Office this morning) said the attack represented a 'continuing threat to us in the whole of Europe and we must meet it together'
Terror attack: At least 84 people were killed and dozens more critically injured last night when a terrorist killer, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, drove this truck, riddled with bullets, through crowds celebrating Bastille day in Nice
Atrocity: At least a dozen bodies of victims covered by sheets remain at the scene of the terror attack today as the authorities try to identify them
'While the full picture is still emerging, it seems that at least 80 people are feared dead and many others have been injured.
'It was innocent victims enjoying a national celebration with their friends and families.
'We are working urgently to establish whether any British nationals were caught up in the attack.
'Our ambassador is travelling to Nice today with consular staff and they will be doing all they can to help anyone affected.'
The attack saw Boris Johnson facing a baptism of fire in only his second full day in his new job as Foreign Secretary.
He revealed the Government knew of at least one Briton injured in the attack but said it was too early to establish if there were more caught up in the horrific scenes in the South of France.
Speaking as he left his north London home this morning, the new Foreign Secretary said the attack represented a 'continuing threat to us in the whole of Europe and we must meet it together'.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced this morning he will be 'reviewing our own safety measures following the attack in Nice.
He declared that the capital would 'stand united' with France and insisted the 'poisonous and twisted' terrorists would be defeated.
Panic: People were seen running for their lives after a suspected terrorist drove through crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day then got out and opened fire
Facing a baptism of fire in only his second full day in his new job, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (pictured in Whitehall this morning) said Britain stands side-by-side with France and said Europe must tackle the threat of terrorism together
Shootout: Police approach the cab where the gunman went on his rampage. It is not clear if this was taken as he was killed or beforehand
Last stand: One eyewitness filmed armed officers approaching the cab of the lorry and firing through its windscreen and doors before it appears Bouhlet can be heard screaming after being hit by a police bullet
The Tricolour, the national flag of France, was flown at half mast over Downing Street to show solidarity with the French.
Mr Johnson is holding emergency meetings with ministers and officials today and will also speak to his French counterparts, but he said he knew of no 'read across' implications for the UK.
He told reporters this morning: 'Obviously our thoughts are very much with the people of France and Nice and absolutely appalling incident.
'I think there will be ministerial meetings later on today to discuss the implications for this country. I don't at this time know any read across or implications for the UK.
'Clearly this represents a continuing threat, this is a terrorist incident - as it appears to be - this represents a continuing threat to us in the whole of Europe and we must meet it together.'
Asked whether there were any British victims in the attack, Mr Johnson said: 'The only information that I have is that there is one UK national who is injured but it's too early to say at the moment.'
David Cameron, who stood down as Britain's Prime Minister on Wednesday, took to Twitter this morning to share his thoughts with the French after the 'sickening and dreadful attack in Nice'.
'I know we stand with the French people and share their values. They shall never defeat us,' he wrote.
London's mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured speaking at Gatwick Airport this morning) said 'safety measures' were being reviewed in the capital today after the Nice attacks
David Cameron, who stood down as Britain's Prime Minister on Wednesday, took to Twitter this morning to share his thoughts with the French after the 'sickening and dreadful attack in Nice'. 'I know we stand with the French people and share their values. They shall never defeat us,' he wrote
Mr Khan, speaking on a visit to Gatwick Airport, sought to reassure Londoners following the attack in the South of France as he offered his 'deepest sympathies' to the people of Nice.
'I will reassure all Londoners that today we will be reviewing our own safety measures in light of this attack and that I and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will do everything possible to keep Londoners safe,' he said.
He described the attack as 'a horrific and unspeakable act of terror on a day of celebration'.
The French people 'have suffered so much pain in recent times', he said. 'Londoners today stand united with Nice and all of France in our grief.
'We're also united in our determination to root out and defeat the sick and evil individuals who have tried to divide us with this cowardly act of terror.
'They will not win. Not in France, not in London, not anywhere. We will defeat their poisonous and twisted ideology.'
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to French Ambassador Sylvie Bermann to express his 'huge sadness' at events in Nice.
He wrote: 'Those killed yesterday will doubtless have been of different religions, ethnicities and nationalities. It was an attack on us all, attempting to set people against each other.
'That is why instead, we stand together, now and always, in defense of tolerance, peace and justice.
'Today and in the coming weeks and months, we and others across the globe, stand in solidarity with you and the people of France.'
Ukip leader Nigel Farage (pictured on ITV's Good Morning Britain) condemned the attack in Nice as 'horrendous' but blamed it on Europe's open borders
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the outgoing Ukip leader Nigel Farage (pictured speaking to presenters Ranvir Singh (middle) and Kate Garraway (left) said last year's refugee crisis had led to 1.8million people entering the continent without being subject to security checks
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured earlier this week) wrote to French Ambassador Sylvie Bermann to express his 'huge sadness' at events in Nice
Ukip leader Nigel Farage condemned the attack in Nice as 'horrendous' but blamed it on Europe's open borders.
He said last year's refugee crisis had led to 1.8million people entering the continent without being subject to security checks.
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the outgoing Ukip leader said: 'This is a horrendous event. Obviously I need to say it's a horrendous event, but unfortunately not isolated.'
Asked what he believed was the cause of such tragic incidents, Mr Farage added: 'I've tried to avoid things like this, what I've said is that if you have sensible border controls you will have good relationships between all communities.
'The big problem in much of France is last year, 1.8m people came into the EU without one of them being security checked.
'ISIS said a year ago that they would use the migrant refugee crisis as a means of flooding the continent with their jihadis - that's the problem.'
Clothing with Western slogans or words in English is apparently causing anger and alarm in Iran.
That's the suggestion of a state-run broadcaster, which condemned the growing trend of men and women wearing shirts or other clothing displaying words or messages such as 'Love', 'Not Normal' or 'Keep calm I'm Queen'.
Set to dramatic music and featuring a number of interviews on the street, the report on IRIB TV2 said there has been an increase in 'obscene', 'satanist' and 'anti-religious' English-language messages on T-shirts and other clothing.
One shot in the report showed a woman wearing an outfit with 'Keep calm I'm Queen' on the back
The report, translated by BBC News, shows a number of people walking in the streets of Tehran with shirts that are apparently causing offence, including one reading 'Don't ever say you're not good enough'.
Another shot shows a woman in an outfit with 'Keep calm I'm Queen' on the back - a play on Birtain's famous 'Keep calm and carry on' wartime slogan.
In the report, viewers are told the word 'queen' is a US slang term to describe 'men who look like women', BBC News reported.
Local retailers were defiant, telling the station the clothing is in high demand and blaming 'import mafia' for bringing it into Iran, an overwhelmingly Muslim country.
Local retailers were defiant, telling the station that clothing with English words is in high demand
Foreigners who are planning a trip to Iran may want to take the report into consideration when they are packing their suitcase.
It comes as tourism experts are expecting a surge in holiday bookings after the international community lifted sanctions in January that were intended to curb Iran's nuclear programme.
The sanctions were dropped after a watchdog confirmed Iran had complied with a deal designed to stop it from developing nuclear weapons.
Since then a number of tour operators and airlines have resumed operations in the country, although tourists are being encouraged to keep a 'low profile' if they visit.
British Airways plans to relaunch its almost-daily flights between London and Tehran in September.
Holidaymakers should check their government's advice for Iran before travelling, as many Western governments, including Britain, the US and Canada, outline risks or special requirements for visitors.
On its website, Britain's Foreign & Commonwealth Office said British nationals, including dual British-Iranian nationals, face greater risks than nationals of many other countries.
It said: 'The security forces may be suspicious of people with British connections. The risks are likely to be higher for independent travellers or students than for people travelling as part of an organised tour or business people invited by the Iranian authorities or companies.
Newt Gingrich called for the monitoring of all mosques and testing of Muslims in an interview with Fox News on Thursday night.
'Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported,' Gingrich said in an interview with Sean Hannity.
'Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door.'
Gingrich went on to say that the internet usage of Muslims should also be monitored by the government.
'It's not that Islamists are necessarily evil, but they're not necessarily a religion of peace,' said Gingrich at one point during the interview.
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Speaking out: Newt Gingrich said in an interview Thursday (above) that all Muslims in the United States should be tested to see if they believe in Sharia Law
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
Gingrich made these comments in the wake of Thursday night's terror attack in Nice that killed over 80 people, including 10 children.
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old French Tunisian, has been named by local media as the man who drove a 25-ton truck through crowds gathered in the popular French tourist destination while they were out celebrating Bastille Day.
He then took at a gun and began to open fire on the hundreds of bystanders before being killed in a shootout with police.
Hannity asked Gingrich during the interview how he planned to test Muslims to see if they did in fact want to 'assimilate' and not 'expand that caliphate.'
Gingrich responded to the question by telling the Fox News host: 'The first step is you have to ask them the questions,. The second step is you have to monitor what they're doing on the Internet. The third step is, let me be very clear, you have to monitor the mosques.'
He went on to say: 'I mean, if you're not prepared to monitor the mosques, this whole thing is a joke. Where do you think the primary source of recruitment is? Where do you think the primary place of indoctrination is? You've got to look at the madrassas, if you're a school which is teaching Sharia, you want to expel it from the country.'
One resident said that the signs are painted in '
Cambridge residents are up in arms after a huge 20mph speed limit sign was painted on a quaint side road that cars can barely fit down.
The bright red warning was among other fresh road markings painted in the picturesque market town to encourage drivers to slow down.
But yesterday they came under fire with some residents describing them as acts of casual vandalism.
One angry Cambridge resident, Simon Ruffle (pictured), said he had concerns over the visual impact on the city when the signs are painted in 'ludicrous' locations
The city council's three-year 20mph project, which has an approved budget of 600,000, has meant a painting has been placed at all entry points to the zones.
One angry Cambridge resident, Simon Ruffle, said he had concerns over the visual impact on the city when the signs are painted in 'ludicrous' locations.
He was particularly aggrieved about one sign painted on a charming narrow street opposite the River Cam where students and tourists enjoy punting in the summer sun.
He said: 'I don't have a problem with the 20mph scheme as an idea, and in many cases it makes sense to have clear road markings at the entries to the scheme.
'However, in this case the road marking is clearly ludicrous. You can hardly fit a car into this narrow lane.'
Mr Ruffle criticised the decision to paint the sign in such a picturesque spot 'oblivious' to its visual impact.
The city council's three-year 20mph project, which has an approved budget of 600,000, has meant a painting has been placed at all entry points to the zones
He added: 'We are seeing this disregard for the environment by county highways and their consultants all over the city at the moment.'
Wendy Blythe, chair of the Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations, echoed Mr Ruffle's concerns.
She said: 'New 20mph signs hit city neighbourhoods with the casual vandalism of a tornado.
'We need the right mindset and design skills to take this beautiful city into the 21st century.'
However, John Richards, senior engineer for the city's council's environmental services, said the markings were needed at all entry points to make the 20mph zone compliant.
He said: 'Cambridge City Council is implementing 20mph speed control across most residential and shopping streets in Cambridge with the support of the county council who are the highways authority for local roads.
Mr Ruffle was particularly aggrieved about one sign painted on a charming narrow street opposite the River Cam where students and tourists enjoy punting in the summer sun
Wendy Blythe, chair of the Federation of Cambridge Residents Associations, echoed Mr Ruffle's concerns. She said: 'New 20mph signs hit city neighbourhoods with the casual vandalism of a tornado
'The third and final phase of the three-year project, covering the southern and western areas of the city, is currently being implemented.
'It is the effectiveness of the zones as whole that is paramount, rather than individual streets.
China has told Japan to stop interfering in the dispute over the South China Sea, but is likely to stoke further tension after restating its plans to build offshore nuclear power platforms in the contested waters.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to stay out of the issue as they met at a regional summit in Mongolia just days after an international court ruled Beijing had no historic claims to most of the sea.
China has refused to recognise Tuesday's ruling by an arbitration court in The Hague and reacted angrily to calls by Japan and Western countries for it to abide by the ruling.
This file aerial photo taken in May 2015 from a military aircraft shows alleged on-going reclamation by China on the Mischief Reef in the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea, west of Palawan
According to a report by Chinese state media, Li told Abe that China's stance on the South China Sea was completely in line with international law.
'Japan is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and thus should exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering,' said Li, according to the Xinhua report.
In response, Abe told Li that a rules-based international order must be respected, and he was supported by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, reported Japan's Kyodo news agency.
Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said Abe "reiterated the fundamental positions regarding the South China Sea" in his meeting with Li.'
Chinese troops have been been sent to patrol areas of reclaimed land just a few feet above the waves
Kawamura added: 'The situation of the South China Sea is the concern of the international community. The tribunal award of 12 July is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute.'
China claims 85 per cent of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.
The state-run China Securities Journal said 20 offshore nuclear platforms could eventually be built in the region as the country seeks to 'speed up the commercial development' of the sea.
It said the project - first announced last April - would provide energy and freshwater to the Nansha Islands, referring to the disputed Spratly Islands.
The newspaper cited a social media post by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), which has since been deleted.
An expert with the China Nuclear Energy Association, however, told Reuters the news was old and 'little progress has been made on building such a small reactor.'
The US proposed floating reactors in the 1970s but abandoned the plans. The first demonstration of the technology is due to be launched in Russia next year.
Meanwhile, speaking at the meeting of Asian and European officials in Mongolia, Philippine Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay said Manila 'strongly affirms its respect for the milestone decision' on the South China Sea while reiterating his call for 'restraint and sobriety'.
China's Foreign Ministry said Beijing's position on the case had the support of Laos, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional bloc long dogged by discord over how to deal with China's maritime assertiveness.
The verdict was discussed on Thursday between Li and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith before the summit began.
'Thongloun said that Laos supports China's position, and is willing to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region,' the ministry said in a statement.
The statement did not elaborate. Laos' foreign ministry did not responded to a request for comment and its state media made no mention of Thongloun's comments to Li.
Land-locked Laos, which is boosting economic ties with China, will be hosting a security meeting later this month at which the South China Sea is expected to dominate.
ASEAN has not issued a statement about the ruling and its members have not said why.
China's Foreign Ministry later said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had told Li that Cambodia would uphold a 'fair and objective stance' on the South China Sea issue and work to maintain friendly China-ASEAN relations, according to a statement.
Asked about Cambodia's position, Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn said: 'We are not involved in this arbitration case and just wish to stand by our policy of neutrality.'
The court decision invalidating China's claims was a 'crowning glory' that renews faith in international law, the Philippines' top lawyer said on Friday, in Manila's strongest comment yet on its sweeping win.
The remarks by Solicitor General Jose Calida follow two days of carefully calibrated responses from the Philippines and are almost certain to irritate China further.
Manila has so far been keen not to rock the boat in the hope of starting dialogue towards Beijing allowing it to exercise what the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled were its sovereign maritime rights.
'It confirms that no one state can claim virtually an entire sea. The award is a historic win not only for the Philippines ... it renews humanity's faith in a rules based global order,' Calida told a forum.
'The award opens a horizon of possibilities for all stakeholders. The award is a crowning glory of international law.'
China has previously said it has widespread support for its rejection of the case but many countries have stuck to cautious comments about resolving disputes peacefully and respecting international laws.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ended his unusual silence at a private function late on Thursday and said he wanted dialogue with China and was considering sending former President Fidel Ramos to Beijing to get the ball rolling.
'War is not an option,' he said. 'So, what is the other side? Peaceful talk.'
Immediately after the ruling, the normally brash and outspoken Duterte privately told his ministers to be magnanimous and not to pique Beijing, according to one minister.
But the cautious tone appears to be changing in the Philippines, where there are signs of public disgruntlement with the subdued government response to a decision that most of the country was celebrating.
The United States, a key Philippines' ally, is urging Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalize on the court ruling, according to U.S. administration officials.
The chief of its naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, will discuss the South China Sea among other issues when he meets China's navy commander, Admiral Wu Shengli, from Sunday on a three-day trip to 'improve mutual understanding', according to a U.S. Navy statement.
An abandoned babys stroller lay by the promenade in Nice this morning.
The TV news cameras caught it twinkling in the morning sunshine; a symbol of innocence in the aftermath of an unimaginable horror.
A few hundreds away, a large bullet-strewn truck still lurked in the shadows.
You dont need two more starkly hideous images to understand what happened in that beautiful French city last night.
This was an attack on children and families as they celebrated Frances most important national holiday, Bastille Day.
The day that celebrates the most significant moment of the French Revolution, the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris in 1789 by angry crowds.
The day that commemorates the French people seizing back their country from its out-of-touch Monarchy and elites.
The day that personifies those three pillars of French independence: Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite (Freedom, Equality, Fraternity).
This is Frances July 4, and now its 9/11 too.
An abandoned babys stroller lay by the promenade in Nice this morning - a few hundreds away, a large bullet-strewn truck still lurked in the shadows
Cameras caught the pram twinkling in the morning sunshine; a symbol of innocence in the aftermath of an unimaginable horror
So this act of despicable atrocity is not just an attack on France, its an attack on all of us who care about freedom.
As I write this, hard facts are still being determined about exactly what happened in Nice, and why.
But it is logical from what we do know to conclude it was perpetrated by another crazed, lone wolf assailant in the name of ISIS.
It has all the hallmarks of those medieval monsters: a creative new eye-catching method to murder lots of people, the choice of an easy well-populated target, and a staggeringly callous disregard for human life.
The use of a vehicle to commit terror was also actively encouraged by terror chiefs.
Last September, ISIS spokesman Mohammad al-Adnani instructed supporters: If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run over him with your car.
Another ISIS video in 2014 urged French-speaking recruits to attack people in France specifically with cars: There are weapons and cars available and targets ready to be hit. Kill them and spit in their faces and run over them with your cars.
Al-Qaeda, the other main Islamist terror group, has separately urged: Use a pickup truck as a mowing machine, to mow down the enemies of Allah.
At least 84 people were killed and dozens more critically injured last night when a terrorist killer, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, drove this truck, riddled with bullets, through crowds celebrating Bastille day
Police approached the lorry from all sides and fired through the windscreen and and side doors before he was killed
The Nice killer, a local man of Tunisian descent named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhel, drove his truck deliberately and methodically into anyone he could find. Pictured, police approaching his cab
The Nice killer, a local man of Tunisian descent named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhel, did precisely that, driving his truck deliberately and methodically into anyone he could find.
He was armed with assault rifles and grenades and didnt care if he lived or died. He just wanted his moment of miserable martyrdom and he got it.
Whether he was part of an organised terror cell or just inspired by ISIS may never be known.
But it is reasonably safe to assume this was another deluded, impressionable, disturbed young man whose head was turned by the sickening, twisted faith-pirates of Islamic State.
Nice, like many French cities, has a large Muslim population and has had a lot of issues with radicalised Islam.
But, as always with these ISIS attacks, Muslims were also victims. Eye-witnesses have said they saw numerous Muslims among those hit and last night, identifiable by their head scarves and Arabic voices.
Theres no point trying to rationalise what happened.
How can you explain the thought process of a man who purposefully runs over children in strollers?
Nor is there any simple answer to stop it happening again.
Many, like me, will have a sense of helplessness and foreboding this morning.
These brutal barbarians strike with impunity at the weakest, softest, most gentle of targets.
They dont care who they kill, they want death to all the infidels as they see anyone who doesnt share their vile ideology, and a global Caliphate where only Neanderthals like them exist.
Its a complex, multi-faceted threat which cannot be beaten with conventional warfare alone.
This was an attack on children and families as they celebrated Frances most important national holiday, Bastille Day. This is Frances July 4, and now its 9/11 too
But I do know this:
Its not good enough any more just to shed our tears, say how sorry we are, recite our prayers and bash out social media hashtags. None of that, well intentioned though it is, will stop more of these attacks happening.
We need real action and real leadership from those we have elected to deal with this kind of thing but who have so far singularly failed to properly combat it.
There has to be a redoubling of the global effort to root out and destroy those who seek to destroy us, a far greater investment in police, intelligence officers and community leaders, a significantly more effective sharing of information between countries, and a substantially more tangible will amongst those who live among these killers to identify and expose their danger before they can carry out their evil acts.
We also need a more concerted, unified commitment to wiping out ISIS on the battlegrounds of Syria and Iraq where they still fight in large numbers, and where they have recently suffered a series of setbacks.
Cut off the heads of these groups - as they so love to do to people on an international and local level, and we can go a long way to ultimately defeating this vicious enemy.
It wont be easy and there will be much more bloodshed.
But weve faced worse, and weve beaten worse.
ISIS, as Ive said before, are the new Nazis: a bunch of genocidal, racist, homophobic, misogynist maniacs intent on taking over the world.
The only difference is that ISIS commits their atrocities in the name of Islam, hi-jacking the real nature of that peaceful religion for their own nefarious, evil purpose.
As our leaders strive to work out what to do, we can all, in the meantime, support the French in our own personal way.
Three times theyve been attacked on a mass scale in the past 18 months, twice in Paris and now in Nice.
Three times theyve responded with extraordinary courage and heroism.
They will be attacked again.
As will America, and Britain, and many other countries.
ISIS want us ALL exterminated.
But they will fail in that mission.
France is crying, she is hurting, but she is strong and she will always be stronger than those fanatics who want to hit us, said Francois Hollande this morning.
Yes, she is.
And so are we all who believe in freedom.
This is a style of life which ISIS is trying to obliterate - so, in August, I will now make a point of going to Nice. Ill walk along the promenade and remember those poor children, women and men who lost their lives last night
The aftermath: This act of despicable atrocity is not just an attack on France, its an attack on all of us who care about freedom
I have a vacation booked on the Cote dAzur for later this summer.
Its my favourite part of the world, and Ive already been down there three times this year.
Its a place to drink great coffee as you read the morning papers, to lunch extravagantly in restaurants of sumptuous gastronomic splendour, to devour Rose as the sun goes down, to dine and dream under the stars and to romance those you love.
If you dont love the South of France, you dont love life itself.
But its a style of life which ISIS is trying to obliterate.
So, in August, I will now make a point of going to Nice.
Ill walk along the promenade and remember those poor children, women and men who lost their lives last night.
Ill also remember those astonishingly brave policemen, and the heroic civilian on the motorbike, who did what they could to stop that truck.
Then Ill seek out one of the myriad restaurants which line the seafront, order a bottle of Chateau Margaux, and toast the ferocious, indomitable spirit of the French people: VIVE LA FRANCE! VIVE LEGALITE'
And then, at 11.10pm local time at the precise moment this attack began - Ill order a large cognac, light a cigar, and toast those intent on crushing that spirit: F**K YOU, ISIS, YOU COWARDLY BASTARDS. YOU WILL NEVER WIN.
In other words, I will continue to lead the very kind of life which so infuriates and offends them.
The french flag was flying 'proudly and defiantly' above the Sydney Harbour Bridge as Sydneysiders and tourists held a candlelight vigil in solidarity with the French following the horrific terrorist attack.
A terrorist gunman killed 84 people in the French city of Nice and injured 50 more, three of whom were Australian, after he used a 25-tonne lorry to go on a killing spree.
NSW Premier Mike Baird offered his condolences to the people of France as the flag was raised and took to Twitter on Friday to say: 'We stand with you. And our hearts grieve with yours'.
The Bleu Blanc Rouge Festival at Circular Quay in Sydney's CBD also came to a standstill during a vigil that saw Hundreds gather around each other.
Tears flowed as Members of the Australian French community sung the French national anthem.
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Members of the Australian French community stand around candles during a vigil in central Sydney
The french flag was flying 'proudly and defiantly' above the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has confirmed three Australians were injured in the Bastille Day terrorist attack (pictured) in Nice
As part of the annual BBR Bastille Day French cultural festival near Circular Quay, a vigil was organised
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said one of the three people injured was a woman but details are not known about the other two.
'They have suffered minor injuries, seeking to flee the scene, to get away from the scene,' she said on Friday. 'We are working to provide consular assistance to all three.
Ms Bishop said the Australian ambassador had spoken to her about how the attacks had 'rocked France to it's core'.
One of the injured Australian women, who was on a Top Deck tour, injured her leg and was taken to the hospital but is in stable condition, according to her friend, Hannah Ellison, 18, who had been travelling with her.
The Bleu Blanc Rouge Festival at Circular Quay in Sydney's CBD also came to a standstill
Sydneysiders, members of the Australian French community and tourists sung the French national anthem
Candles were positioned in a circle as the public stood in solidarity with the French
Sydneysiders have gathered for a solemn vigil in the wake of a terror attack in France
A terrorist gunman killed 84 people in the French city of Nice and seriously injured 50 more
Hannah, from Tamworth in north-west NSW, was watching the fireworks when she heard people begin to scream, saw the truck heading for the crowd and jumped out of the way, her mother Shirley Ellison told Daily Mail Australia.
Ms Ellison said her daughter and the group of girls she had become friends with on the tour jumped out of the way of the truck 'just in time.'
'She was crying on the phone, she could see dead people everywhere, all over the road. I think she was still in shock,' Ms Ellison said.
'At that point I thought it was just a car accident, I thought maybe the driver had a heart attacked. It wasn't until later we realised it was a terrorist attack.'
NSW Premier Mike Baird offered his condolences to the people of France. He took to twitter offering his condolences
Wrapped in the French flag a moment of silence was held for those who lost their lives
Tears flowed as people set down candles and sung the French national anthem, in the wake of the horrific truck attack
'They have suffered minor injuries, seeking to flee the scene, to get away from the scene,' Ms Bishop said on Friday. 'We are are working to provide consular assistance to all three'
'We stand with you. And our hearts grieve with yours,' said NSW Premier Mike Baird
Stalls stopped serving customers as the hundreds of people gathered around candles in honor of the victims
Ms Ellison said her daughter has worked part-time at a chemist and saved for two to three years for her trip to Europe.
She travelled to Europe only eight days ago and quickly made friends with a group of girls on a Top Deck Tour, she said.
'You do see the Paris thing last year and it is in the back of your mind but you always think it just wont happen to her. She's been enjoying it so much before this,' Ms Ellison said.
Fellow Australian Bridget De Jong, a 22-year-old from Sydney, was in the same crowd watching the firework show and had to run past dead bodies in the street as she tried to hide in a side street.
The Australian embassy in Paris is urgently trying to find out if how many Australians have been caught up in the Bastille Day terror attack in the French city of Nice.
Anyone who believes they have Australian family and friends in the region are being urged by the Department of Foreign Affairs to contact them directly and Australians in Nice are asked to contact the Australian Embassy so DFAT can estimate how many people are in the country.
A female Australian travelling companion (not pictured) of Hannah Ellison (right), 18, from Tamworth, NSW, was injured during the attack and is in stable condition, her mother Shirley Ellison (left) said
Ms Bishop's comments come as it was revealed 22 Australian students previously unaccounted for have been found and are safe, according to web developer Rhys Lawry, 23.
'We're incredibly lucky to be alive,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
Mr Lawry said he and the group, which he had attended the 32016 European Innovation Academy with, had been celebrating Bastille Day.
'We heard the screams, people screaming and everyone was running in one direction. We thought we'd better start running too and it just got faster and faster and you've just got this panic,' Mr Lawry said.
'There were just hundreds of people running and it became a massive stampede. The cops were yelling, 'Run! Run! Keep going!'
Australia's Governor General Peter Cosgrove is in Paris and released a statement following the attack.
'We are in shock tonight in Paris as we learn about the tragic events unfolding in Nice. On a day where Australians marched alongside their French counterparts this cruel attack has struck innocents celebrating their national day. Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with the government and people of France,' he said.
If unable to reach them, Australians should call the 24 hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 or +61 2 6261 3305 if calling from overseas.
Web developer Rhys Lawry, 23, (pictured) was frantically trying to get in touch with a group of 22 students he had is attending an innovation conference with in Nice
Rose qualified as optometrist in India before coming to the UK to work
Optometrist Honey Rose, 35, missed the fatal condition that killed Vincent Barker, eight, during an appointment in Ipswich
An optometrist accused of missing 'obvious' signs of a lethal build-up of fluid on a boy's brain has been found guilty of manslaughter in a landmark case.
Prosecutors said Honey Rose, 35, should have spotted the life-threatening condition which killed eight-year-old Vincent 'Vinnie' Barker when he was examined during a routine eye check.
His mother was was told he required 'no treatment whatsoever' following an appointment with the locum Boots optometrist in February 2012.
But he collapsed at his home in Ipswich, Suffolk, five months later in July and later died in hospital from an increased pressure on his skull.
Rose, of Newham, London was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence at Ipswich Crown Court today.
A jury of eight men and four women were told during the trial that Vinnie's life could have been saved if she had noticed 'obvious abnormalities' in both of his eyes.
The court had heard from prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC that Rose failed to act on evidence of bilateral papilloedema - swelling of the optic disc at the back of the eye due to raised pressure in his skull.
She failed to give Vinnie an urgent referral and according to the prosecutor, his death was entirely preventable.
Mr Rees said: 'This conduct was so bad, it fell so below the expected standard of a competent optometrist that it was criminal, that is the heart of the case.'
'Had he (Vinnie) been urgently referred for further investigation, then the evidence establishes that his hydrocephalus would have been identified and successfully treated by a neurosurgeon using a surgical procedure that would prevent fluid from accumulating.
'This procedure would have prevented him from dying on July 13, 2012, and he would have continued to enjoy a normal life as a young boy.
'Put another way, the defendant's failure to detect the swelling of Vinnie's optic discs was a significant contributory factor to his premature death.'
The court heard Vinnie was taken to the Boots opticians In Upper Brook Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, with his mother Joanne Barker and younger sister, Amber, where Rose, a locum, examined him and deemed he needed no treatment.
Vincent had bilateral papilloedema, a life-threatening condition involving fluid on the brain, causing swelling
Vincent, known as Vinnie, left and right, was taken home from school sick on July 13, 2012, but his condition deteriorated and he was pronounced dead after failed resuscitation attempts at Ipswich Hospital
Rose claimed she had been unable to properly examine the back of Vinnie eyes with an opthalmoscope because he had photophobia and shut his eyes when she shone a bright light into them at close range.
She also said when she tried to examine him with the opthalmoscope, Vinnie had not looked in the direction she wanted and had what she described as 'poor fixation'.
She said she that after 'a couple of minutes' of trying she had abandoned examining Vinnie's eyes with the opthalmoscope.
Rose denied she failed to properly examine Vinnie's eyes and said she 'did the best' she could.
She accepted that if she had been able to see his optic discs she would have spotted there was a serious problem and immediately referred him to hospital.
In the early hours of July 13 2012 the day of Vinnie's death he went to his parent's bedroom complaining of headache.
His father, Ian Barker, gave him Calpol and he went back to bed and the following morning he ate a breakfast and went to school and he seemed fine.
However around 2.50pm the school called Mrs Barker to report Vinnie was sick..
She collected him and took him home where he deteriorated.
By 8pm Mr Barker discovered Vinnie was cold to the touch and very sick so he called 999 and paramedics came to resuscitate him before taking him to the A&E department at Ipswich Hospital.
At 9.27pm Vinnie was formally pronounced dead after 40 minutes of attempts to resuscitate him.
Today a joint statement was issued on behalf of his parents and his four siblings.
They said: 'The outcome of this case does not change our life sentence; we will never be able to fully accept that our special little boy is never coming home.
His parents Ian, left, and Joanne, right, said the 'void in their lives could never be healed' following his death
'The void left in our lives will never heal and the ripple effect to those around us is immense.
'As parents the distress of witnessing your child's life from start to end in just 8 short years is excruciatingly hard and nonsensical.
'The decision of a jury or judge cannot bring Vinnie back or undo the devastation of his death.
'A guilty verdict would never make us winners, our loss is simply too great.
'Our main concern has always been the accountability of those we entrust with our own health and the health of those we love.
'It is the responsibility of individuals and the organisation they work for to perform their duties to the expected levels of good practice without exception.
'The actions of professionals or their failure to act to a standard at which they are required to perform should not go without consequence.
'We have a duty to our son to ensure that his precious and wonderful time with us is celebrated.
WHAT IS PAPILLEDEMA? This is a rare condition which causes the optic nerve to swell and if left untreated, can lead to brain damage and blindness. Papilledema is where the optic disc located at the end of the optic nerve becomes swollen. The swelling means the pressure in the brain becomes dangerously high. It is one of several conditions listed by the College of Optometrists as requiring emergency referral within 24 hours. People with papilledema will suffer symptoms due to the raised pressure in their skull, including headaches which become worse when they wake up, strain or bend. They may also suffer nausea and vomiting and a 'whoosing sound' in their ears. A quarter of people with it suffer visual symptoms - usually vision turning black or grey as if a veil has fallen over the eyes - for 30 seconds at a time. Over time, the field of vision can become smaller with a blind spot growing. Left untreated, the condition causes loss of vision. Advertisement
'Once every formality is dealt with, as a family we can then begin to move forward and build something positive in his memory.
'Our intention is not to damage the reputation of optometrists, but actually to raise awareness and promote the health benefits and value of good optometry.
'Because, we believe without doubt that if our son had received the duty of care he was owed on 15th February 2012, he would still be with us today.
'Our thoughts as always are with those like us who have experienced the death of a child and the overpowering and overwhelming whirlpool of grief that your life becomes.
'We know only too well time does not heal the pain. Time just provides a way to begin anticipate and manage the raw emotions that are everlasting.'
Ian Barker is Operations Manager at Trade Counter Distribution Ltd and Joanne Barker works for local charity Ormiston Families.
Vinnie leaves behind a sister aged 23, a sister aged 9, a sister aged two and a one-year-old brother.
Suffolk Police Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Tonya Antonis said;
'This has been a complex enquiry that initially came into police as the sudden unexplained death of a child.
'In these circumstances we start a full investigation to understand why that child has died and if we believe there are criminal acts involved we aim to put the facts before a court to bring those responsible to justice.
'During the course of this enquiry we discovered that, in our view, there was a criminal case to answer, leading to Honey Rose being charged.
'However this case was about much more than justice for Vinnie's family.
'Whatever the outcome of the trial it was never going to bring Vinnie back and it was never their aim to see Honey Rose imprisoned, they only want to raise awareness of the issue so that something positive can come from his death.
'If this case makes the optometry profession reflect on their practices and review their policies to prevent it happening to anyone again, or encourages other parents to take their children to get their eyes tested with the knowledge that any serious issues would be picked up, then it will be worthwhile.
The Boots in Ipswich where Rose was working as a locum optometrist when she saw Vincent
'Vinnie's family have been amazing throughout this process. We have been working with them for four years and all they have wanted is for this not to happen to another family.
'I would like to thank them for their support and pay tribute to their courage.'
Rose, who will be sentenced at a later date, was born in India and qualified as an optometrist in her country of birth in 2005 before passing exams in the UK to allow her to practice here.
She registered with the General Optical Council in 2010.
The College of Optometrists today issued a statement and said optometrists played an 'important role safeguarding the nation's eye health'.
It read: 'The College of Optometrists wishes to extend its deepest sympathies to the family of Vincent Baker.
'We understand that no outcome from these proceedings could bring any consolation to the family for their loss.
'All optometrists practising in the UK must be registered with the General Optical Council (GOC), the profession's regulatory body.
Despite bizarre fall-out, he tried to give her his
Racing legend and former tyre king Bob Jane is struggling to pay a huge load of debts after an ongoing financial feud with his son and a spectacular fall-out with his ex-wife.
The 86-year-old motorsport champion has been locked in a bitter dispute son Rodney, who took over the family's iconic business in 2006.
The pair have been battling for control of the family's wealth for several years, with Jane Sr launching several unsuccessful court actions.
Former tyre king Bob Jane (pictured) has filed for bankruptcy after an ongoing financial feud with his son and a spectacular fall-out with his ex-wife
Rodney Jane, pictured, has been locked in a bitter financial feud with his father was several years
Mr Jane has now filed for bankruptcy and is being pursued by the Australian Tax Office for more than $100 million in capital gains tax bills, the Herald Sun reported.
Bankruptcy papers show Jane owes creditors $2.51 million on his Diggers Rest home in Melbourne's north-west - which is valued at just $2.2 million, according to the newspaper.
It is believed the property is being sold by the mortgagee to try and get back the funds.
Mr Jane's financial difficulties stem from the ongoing dispute with his son and a bizarre fall-out with his ex-wife Laree.
The couple met in the mid 1980s when Mr Jane was a 58-year-old and she was an 18-year-old beauty queen.
She was accused in 2006 of threatening to kill the former racing champion with a knife, but was later cleared.
Laree Jane, pictured, was accused in 2006 of threatening to kill the former racing champion with a knife, but was later cleared
Mr Jane tried to transfer his beloved Diggers Rest farm to his estranged wife (pictured)
She also argued in court during the divorce process that she couldn't live on less than $800,000 a year.
Despite the dramatic fall-out, Mr Jane tried to transfer his beloved Diggers Rest farm to his estranged wife.
Rodney Jane claimed at the time that his father had given the multimillion dollar farm to his ex-wife to avoid creditors.
The ongoing family feud has reportedly sent the former multimillionaire broke, and he now claims he has $15 to his name.
Court papers show the Australian Touring Car champion owes a total of $1,029,282 to creditors for unpaid wages, court costs and credit cards.
The papers said Jane also has a single car in his name worth $80,000, earns $50,000 per month from the tyre company he started and is owed $5 million by the AFJ Property Group.
The Federal Court has ordered Jane's home to be sold without a reserve price after a previous attempt to recoup funds by selling the property at auction failed.
The former race car driver has in the past claimed his son seized control of the company when he was ill.
But News Corp reported he has been 'unable to produce any evidence to substantiate the claims'.
The ongoing family feud has reportedly sent Mr Jane (pictured) broke, and he now claims he has $15 to his name
Rodney Jane arrives at the Melbourne Supreme Court in Melbourne in 2013
The tyre-king is being chased by creditors and the taxation office for more than $100 million
Jane was a company director and shareholder of the tyre empire he founded in 1965 until 2011, when his son took over as the chief executive officer.
In November 2013, the Federal Court ruled Jane was not allowed to use his own name to sell wheels, tyres, batteries and car accessories because it infringed Rodney Jane's trade mark.
'I want to keep working, I have ambition,' Jane said in an interview with A Current Affair earlier this year.
Fishermen are used to waiting hours for a catch, with a flask of tea and a transistor radio on hand to while away the time.
But the sudden influx of 60,000 rainbow trout into a renowned river has meant anglers are reeling in fish every few seconds.
And theyre not happy about it. They say that the trout are so numerous and so easy to catch that their sport which normally requires guile and patience has been totally ruined.
Dedicated anglers have been left frustrated after 60,000 farm trout escaped into one of Britain's best fishing rivers, making their hobby too easy
One angler caught 52 of the farmed fish in a single morning, with 20 from consecutive casts
Anglers have reported catching more than 50 rainbow trout in one morning. The suicidal invaders are believed to have escaped from a fish farm and as they are not a native species, anglers are not allowed to throw them back.
Instead, theyve been forced to load up their car boots with their unwanted hauls and fill up their freezers at home.
Fishermen, who were looking forward to getting back on the banks of the Avon in Hampshire following the end of the close season on June 16, traditionally target native species such as chub and barbel, which are an elusive quarry requiring specialist tactics.
But the farmed trout are so gullible that anglers are hooking them almost as soon as their bait touches the water.
There are also concerns the trout are eating and endangering the populations of smaller native species such as the roach, which is already said to be in perilous decline in the Avon.
Andy Browne, who caught 52 of the trout in one day, said: Im not a huge lover of trout so I gave them to my neighbours and my cats have had a few good dinners.
Fishermen who have returned to the banks for the new season are unable to catch their targets in Hampshire's River Avon
The spotty trout are believed to have escaped from a local fish farm. Because they are a non-native species, anyone who catches one is not allowed to return it to the waterway so has to take it home
We have been told there is possibly in the region of 60,000 of them. Anglers have been catching them left, right and centre. We have been told to catch as many as we can for the good of the river.
Writing in Anglers Mail, he added: I spoke to loads of other anglers and it was happening to everyone. They werent happy as they dont want to catch suicidal rainbow trout.
The Environment Agency has previously stepped in to remove non-native fish from waterways but it is thought the trout have spread for several miles up and down the river, meaning it is impossible to recover them.
Andy Walker, of the Christchurch Angling Club, Dorset, whose 900 members use the Avon, said: We have been chomping at the bit to get back out on the river only to find it packed full with rainbow trout.
He added: There are so many of them that anglers cant get through to the traditional target species they want to catch like chub and barbel.
Andy Walker, of the Christchurch Angling Club whose 900 members use the Avon, said: 'Anglers have been chomping at the bit to get back out on the river only to find it packed full with rainbow trout'
The Environment Agency says it is impossible to recover all the trout which have spread for several miles up and down the Avon at Fordingbridge
Officials have advised members of Christchurch Angling Club to hook out as many trout as possible in a bid to resolve the problem before they can spawn next spring
A lot of these fish are quite wily and anglers enjoy trying to outsmart them to catch them whereas farmed fish like these trout have got no sense whatsoever and dont think twice about taking your bait. It is very frustrating.
He added: The pike are having a field day and Im sure many anglers freezers and those of their neighbours are full to the brim with rainbow trout because there is no limit on how many you can catch.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency confirmed they were investigating where the trout have come from.
Anglers should not release any rainbow trout they catch back into the Hampshire Avon, he added.
frontrunner for the position, and many expected him to be named by Trump in an announcement Thursday night
The men most likely to be named Donald Trump's second in command are waiting on word as to who will be his vice presidential pick after he made the decision to delay his announcement in the wake of the Nice terror attack.
Presumptive frontrunner Mike Pence flew into New York City by private jet on Thursday ahead of Trump's planned announcement on Friday morning, and now the Indiana governor and his staff are hunkered down at the InterContinental Barclay Hotel hoping for some good news ahead of next week's Republican National Convention.
Across the Hudson River, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is also patiently waiting, and dealing with a bit of yardwork after severe weather took down some trees near his property in Mendham Township and caused him to lose power.
And last, but not least, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich used the postponement to his advantage by appearing on Sean Hannity's Fox News show on Thursday night in an interview where he called for all Muslims in thew United States to be tested to see if they believe in Sharia Law, stating that if they do they should be deported from the country.
Trump's campaign adviser, Paul Manafort, said in an interview on Fox News Friday that the announcement would be made over the weekend.
He was then spotted heading into Pence's hotel.
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Waiting game: Donald Trump's potential pick for vice president are awaiting his announcement about who he has selected for the post (Mike Pence above on Thursday entering his hotel in NYC)
New York state of mind: Indiana Governor Mike Pence is spending the day in his New York City hotel with staff after landing in the city on a private jet Thursday (above)
In conversation: Trump had breakfast with pence on Wednesday at the Indiana governor's mansion (above after their meeting)
Trump seemed to suggest that he was set to name Pence after he was seen meeting with him at his Indiana governor's mansion on Wednesday morning and bringing along his three oldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, along with Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner.
Pence and Trump appeared alongside one another at a rally the night before, with Trump saying of the governor: 'I don't know whether he's going to be your governor or your vice president. Who the hell knows! Good man.'
The staunch conservative served in Congress for six terms before becoming governor, and has the support of major GOP leaders along with deep ties to evangelical Christians.
There are reports however that some of Trump's children, who in many ways have been his closest and most trusted advisers throughout his campaign, favor other candidates.
Of the three men, Christie has been the most vocal about how much he wants the position.
In an interview with Nicolle Wallace Thursday on MSNBC, Christie said: 'I mean, obviously, I'm a competitive person. So I'm not going to say it won't bother me, if I'm not selected.'
He then added: 'Of course it bothers you a little bit. 'Cause if you're a competitive person, like I am, and you're used to winning, like I am again, you don't like coming in second, ever.'
Christie confirmed he had been vetted by Trump in that interview and stated that no matter what he would offer his support to the billionaire businessman if he was elected to the White House.
'After he wins on November 8th, on November 9th, I'm going to be sitting at a table somewhere across from him, and he's going to look at me and say, "OK, what's next?" And - I'll be ready to give him some answers and suggestions,' said Christie.
He is also the first of the three men to publicly endorse Trump, with pence supporting Ted Cruz during the primary.
Taking a beat: Trump delayed the announcement, which had been scheduled for Friday, in the wake of the Nice terror attack, and will now announce this weekend
Thums down: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is in his home state dealing with fallen trees near his property in the wake of a severe storm on Thursday (above with wife Mary Pat and his daughter)
Speaking out: Newt Gingrich used the delay to appear on Fox News (above) and call for the deportation of all Muslims who believe in Sharia Law
Gingrich meanwhile hit on some key Trump talking points Thursday night in an interview on Hannity in response to the Thursday night's attack.
'Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported,' Gingrich said in an interview with Sean Hannity.
'Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door.'
Gingrich went on to say that the internet usage of Muslims should also be monitored by the government.
'It's not that Islamists are necessarily evil, but they're not necessarily a religion of peace,' said Gingrich at one point during the interview.
He later explained how he thinks Muslims should be tested, stating: 'The first step is you have to ask them the questions,. The second step is you have to monitor what they're doing on the Internet. The third step is, let me be very clear, you have to monitor the mosques.'
Earlier in the week, Gingrich compared being up for the post of Trump's vice president to being on his reality show.
'It's a little bit like The Apprentice,' he said in an interview with Fox News. 'You find out sooner or later who the last one standing is.'
Helping hand: Trump met with Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions in Indiana on Wednesday (above), but many view him as an adviser to Trump and not a potential pick for vice president
Trump appeared on Greta Van Susteren's show On the Record Thursday, and told the host: 'I havent made a final, final decision.'
He then said: 'I think Newt is a fantastic person. I think Chris is a fantastic person. Mike has done a great job as governor of Indiana. He has done a really fantastic job.'
Trump met with Gingrich in Indiana on Wednesday after his breakfast with Pence, and Christie met with the Trump children on Monday.
There was also a meeting with Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions in Indiana on Wednesday, but many view him as an adviser to Trump and not a potential pick for vice president.
Sessions previously ran into problems after being nominated to the US District Court for the Southern District of Alabama by President Regan in 1986 when multiple lawyers he had worked with testified to racist remarks he had made in the past.
The most damning testimony came from Thomas Figures, who said under oath that Sessions had once said he thought the Ku Klux Klan were 'OK' until he learned some were 'pot smokers.'
Multiple reports have suggested that Kushner favors Gingrich as does Donald Jr. while Manfaort wants Pence to be pick.
Manafort said on Friday morning that even he was not positive about where things stand, saying on Fox News: 'I think that Mr. Trump has reached a decision, but he hasn't, he isn't, prepared to announce it yet.'
He also stated when asked if his boss had a final pick: 'Well, until he announces it he hasn't. Whether he wants to announce, or hasn't made up his mind, I guess are two different questions.'
Donald Jr. meanwhile had a bit of fun on earlier in the week by joking that Ivanka was the pick for vice president.
Hillary Clinton says the Bastille Day attack in Nice as 'cowardly' and demonstrates the need for an 'intelligence surge' between the United States and its allies.
The former secretary of state said in a phone interview with CNN that terrorist groups are taking advantage of the security situation in France to mount homegrown attacks in an attempt to draw the U.S. into a ground war.
'It's clear, we are at war with these terrorist groups and what they represent,' the White House contender said after CNN's Anderson Cooper asked if she, like Donald Trump, believes America is at war with the extremists and should say so through a formal declaration of war from Congress.
Pressed by Cooper to define the enemy Clinton said, 'We are at war against radical jihadists who use Islam to recruit and radicalize others in order to pursue their evil agenda.'
But she quickly added, 'Its not so important what we call these people as to what we do about them.'
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Hillary Clinton says the Bastille Day attack in Nice was 'cowardly' and demonstrates the need for an 'intelligence surge' between the United States and its allies
She called into CNN and Fox News, during the O'Reilly Factor, to discuss the terrorist attack. She told Fox host Bill O'Reilly that as president, 'One of my priorities is to launch an intelligence surge'
A truck mowed over 84 people, 10 of them children and two of them American, last night in the French town as it was celebrating the country's independence day.
A fireworks show had just finished with the truck, driven by a 31-year-old French Tunisian man, according to local reports, came barreling down the promenade in an apparent attempt to maim as many people as possible. Police shot and killed the driver after an estimated 1.1 mile-long killing spree that last 30 minutes.
The shooter was said to have shouted out 'Allahu Akbar' 'God is great' in Arabic before he was taken out by police. A suspected accomplice is still missing.
Clinton said late Thursday night in a statement, 'Once again, it appears that terrorists have struck at one of our closest allies in Europe, attacking families celebrating the history and culture of their country on Bastille Day.
'Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: we will not be intimidated,' she declared. 'We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life.'
The Democratic presidential candidate said, 'This cowardly attack only strengthens our commitment to our alliance and to defeating terrorism around the world.
'Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured, and with all our friends in France.'
Before releasing the statement Clinton called into Cooper's show on CNN and The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News.
She told host Bill O'Reilly that as president, 'One of my priorities is to launch an intelligence surge.
'We still do not have enough intelligence cooperation between our agencies and those in other countries, including in Europe, and we need to have a focal point...in NATO.'
That hasn't happened so far, she said, because of a 'reluctance' by European countries to be 'as forthcoming in sharing information' like airline passenger manifests.
'In Europe one of their problems has been, and they better address this, and it affects us, too, they don't share enough information even across their borders,' she said, advocating for additional bilateral talks that would open up information sharing.
Shootout: Police approach the cab where the gunman, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, went on his rampage
Terror attack: At least 84 people were killed and dozens more critically injured last night when a terrorist killer, drove this truck, now riddled with bullets, through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France
Trump wants to scale back the United States' involvement in NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, unless it refocuses its efforts on terror.
Clinton said Thursday she'd rely on the 28-nation alliance even more, while asserting that she, too, believes it needs to be 'modernized to take on the threat that terrorism poses.'
'Events like this remind how vital it is in every way not to abandon them. We need to strengthen our alliances, and I include in NATO in that.'
Clinton said the U.S. is at war with the terrorists and 'radical jihadist groups' although 'it's a different kind of war' and the U.S. must be 'smart about how we wage it, but we have to be determined that we're going to win it, and that's going to require working with other people.'
She told the Fox host 'it is a dream of ISIS' for the U.S. to deploy more troops to Iraq and Syria unilaterally or through NATO. 'Let's not kid ourselves, America leads,' she said of a NATO-led charge.
Iraqi and Kurdish soldiers have successfully been pushing them back, she said as she cited experts who believe that degradation of their forces on the homefront will incite them to carry out attacks in other places.
'That's what they're doing now,' O'Reilly said.
Clinton agreed, and told him that the coalition must not let up, pushing them into a smaller and smaller territory so that it can take out their leaders and infrastructure.
'I would intensify those efforts,' she said, telling the host she would have 'no problem' with having a worldwide summit to talk about defeating ISIS, as well. 'I think we've got to elevate this, make it a very high priority, and I would.'
She said on CNN, 'It is true that there has been progress on the battle field in Syria and Iraq, territory is being taken back, airstrikes have been consistent and relentless.
'But I think its also clear that as a result of these advances against ISIS and their main headquarters in Raqqa, their urgent desire to inflict terrorists attacks elsewhere has led them to accelerate, reaching out, not only directly, but indirectly through the radicalization online.'
She told Cooper as she did O'Reilly that the terrorists 'would love to draw the United States into a ground war in Syria.
A doctor has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill his wife by smothering her with a pillow, despite shaking his head as the prosecution summary was read out in court on Friday.
Neville Kitchen, from Melbourne, was given a two-year community corrections order in the Victoria County Court, after Judge Mark Dean took into account his history of mental illness, reported The Age.
Kitchen pleaded guilty to one count of threat to kill and one count of intentionally causing injury.
Neville Kitchen (pictured) was given a two-year community corrections order in the Victoria County Court, after he pleaded guilty to threatening to kill his wife
The court heard that Kitchen had struggled with his mental health for all of his adult life.
Kitchen and his wife, who owned a three-bedroom mansion above Toorak Valley, had been married for 31 years when their marriage reportedly started to fall apart in October 2015.
His wife moved out of the family home, which they shared with their daughter, and Kitchen stayed behind.
According to a summary read at the trial, Kitchen's wife was staying at the couple's beachhouse near Blairgowrie when she was woken on Sunday December 6 at 3.26am by light flooding into the room, and Kitchen standing in the doorway holding a pillow.
Kitchen reportedly said to her 'Die you b****' before walking towards where she lay and pressing the pillow on top of her face.
She struggled and they both rolled over and fell off the side of the bed, before he managed to get on top of her and continue to press the pillow over her face.
The Kitchens shared a home above Toorak Valley (pictured) which they bought for more than $4 million in 2010
The pair then struggled into the living room where Kitchen was on top of her, pinning her down.
She reportedly thought the was about to die, and said she thought of their daughter, saying to him 'You can't hate me so much that you want to do this to her.'
Kitchen said: 'I don't hate you, I love you so much I can't live without you - but I have to see this through now because you will get me locked up', according to an agreed prosecution summary of the case.
Kitchen pleaded guilty to one count of threat to kill and one count of intentionally causing injury. He tried to smother his wife with a pillow at their holiday house, before stopping and becoming emotional
However, after this Kitchen reportedly burst into tears, got off her chest and put down the pillow, offering his wife a knife and saying he wanted her to take it to she would feel safe.
Kitchen's wife, who said she was terrified of provoking him, stayed with Kitchen for the rest of the night until the early hours of the morning.
She is said to have dropped Kitchen off at another location, before going to a local police station to report the matter.
Kitchen's wife stayed with him until the morning and dropped him off at another location, before going to a local police station to report the matter
When police arrested Kitchen he was in a depressed and suicidal state, with a police doctor ruling he was unfit to be interviewed.
At a later court hearing he was bailed to a psychiatric hospital.
Kitchen's barrister said his client had no criminal history, but had longstanding dysfunctional personality traits and bipolar-like symptoms, due to a traumatic childhood in orphanages.
In the past he had also been treated with electro-convulsive therapy.
Unusual collection of rare paintings worth 125,000 sketched on everyday objects like cigarette packets, a trunk lid and even a blow torch were hidden away in an attic for half a century
Impoverished Cornish artist Alfred Wallis painted on whatever he had to hand as he had so little money for materials
He was a semi-literate fisherman whose talent caught the eye of art dealers in St Ives in the late 1920s
Wallis sold few paintings during his lifetime but they now sell for tens of thousands of pounds
A collection of his work lay hidden in an attic in Falmouth for 45 years but is now up for auction in Dorchester
An unusual collection of rare paintings on everyday objects that were hidden away in an attic for half a century are expected to fetch 125,000 at auction.
The 11 previously unseen pieces were created by Cornish artist Alfred Wallis on the back of cigarette packets, a trunk lid and even a blow torch.
The artist, who lived in poverty and painted on whatever he had to hand, gave them to a close friend.
However, they lay hidden away in a wooden chest in a family member's attic from 1961 onwards and were only discovered again in 2006.
A painting of a brigantine leaving Hayle harbour in a wooden chest is expected to sell for 40,000 when it is auctioned later this year
This oil painting of a schooner in St Ives Harbour that was created by Alfred Wallis on the back of a tea chest, which measures 15 inches by 20 inches, is expected to fetch 50,000
Paintings by Wallis sell for tens of thousands and can be found in collections and art galleries across the world, including the Tate Gallery in London.
An oil painting of a schooner in St Ives Harbour that he created on the back of a Liptons tea chest, which measures 15 inches by 20 inches, is now up for auction and is expected to fetch 50,000.
A wooden chest, 11 inches by 28 inches, which Wallis painted on the inside of the lid is expected to sell for 40,000.
The other smaller paintings on the back of cigarette packets, Oxo cube tins, tobacco tins and a blow torch were all found inside the chest and have estimates ranging from 2,500 to 5,000.
A steamer and two sailing ships painted on an blow torch are expected to fetch 5,000. Wallis displayed his talent on a range of unusual objects as he struggled to afford materials and had to use leftover paint that he got from ships' chandlers in Cornwall, where he lived
Wallis was a poor, semi-literate fisherman and scrap merchant who took up painting 'for company' in his late 60s after the death of his wife in 1922.
He was self-taught and never had an art lesson but his naive, child-like style attracted the attention of Ben Nicholson and Kit Wood when they established an artist colony in St Ives in 1928, propelling him into a circle of some of the most progressive artists working in Britain at the time.
Wallis had little money and improvised with materials - painting on whatever he could find, like cardboard ripped from packing boxes, and his palette was limited to the leftover paints he could get from ships' chandlers.
Despite being introduced to a London art dealer and much admired by artists of his time, he continued to live in poverty until he died in a workhouse in Penzance in 1942, aged 87.
This painting by Wallis shows a brigantine leaving Hayle harbour in Cornwall. It was painted on the lid of a wooden tool chest, again demonstrating how the artist, who had little money and few materials, worked with what he could get. It's expected to sell for 40,000 at auction
Although he sold few paintings during his lifetime, he often gifted them to friends.
The pieces now being auctioned were given to a young girl called Emma Perkin, who was a close neighbour of Wallis and whose aunt, Alice Lugg, cared for him in his old age.
The pair developed a friendship and he gifted her many of his paintings and sketches, often inscribing them lovingly to Emma from Uncle Alfred.
The collection remained intact and was kept in the attic of a family member in Falmouth, Cornwall, from 1961 until Emma's son David Perkins, who had been living out of the area, returned to collect them in 2006.
Two fisherman in a boat casting a net, as painted on a flattened Oxo tin lid. It's expected to fetch 4,000 at auction later this year
Auctioneers Duke's of Dorchester in Dorset are exhibiting the artworks from Monday until July 29.
The paintings will be auctioned on September 15.
Matthew Denney, from Duke's, said: 'The name Alfred Wallis is one of the most important in 20th century British art history.
'His iconic depictions of early 20th century Cornwall are as sought after as they are simple, and still hold an enduring appeal for painters and art lovers alike.
'Once discarded they can now be found in collections and art galleries across the world.
'With Wallis' works, it is crucial to trace them back as close to the artist as possible.
'We understand that this collection has been kept intact since its first owner, giving an almost tangible connection to Wallis himself through his touching relationship with the young Emma.
'Work by Wallis is rare and we are delighted to be exhibiting this work and then offering for sale later in the year.'
An Indian man who paid 14,000 for a solid gold shirt, earning him the nickname gold man, has allegedly been beaten to death.
Money-lender Datta Phuge, 48, from western Pune, was reportedly set upon by 12 people on Thursday night, who hit him with a sickle and stones.
Mr Phuges 22-year-old son witnessed the attack but was not harmed, according to the police, who are questioning four people in connection with it.
Money-lender Datta Phuge, 48, from western Pune, was reportedly set upon by 12 people on Thursday night, who hit him with a sickle and stones
The alleged killers had invited the pair to a birthday party in Dighi area the police said, according to the BBC.
The murder being the result of a dispute over money is one line of enquiry that the police are pursuing.
Dighi police station inspector Navnath Ghogare told the Press Trust of India news agency we are investigating how Mr Phuge reached the open ground where he was murdered, the BBC reported.
Mr Phuge, a member of Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, shot to fame in 2013 after commissioning the gold shirt, which took a team of 15 goldsmiths two weeks to make working 16 hours a day.
Mr Phuge, a member of Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party, shot to fame in 2013 after commissioning a gold shirt, which took a team of 15 goldsmiths two weeks to make working 16 hours a day
Mr Phuge said he had the shirt made to attract women, claiming that 'no woman could fail to be dazzled by it'
He explained that he bought it to attract women.
'I know I am not the best looking man in the world but surely no woman could fail to be dazzled by this shirt?' he said at the time.
'The gold shirt has been one of my dreams,' Mr Phuge told Indian newspaper the Pune Mirror. 'It will be an embellishment. It will be an embellishment to my reputation as the Gold man of Pimpri.
John Wayne Conner was put to death early Friday morning for murdering a friend in 1982
Georgia executed its sixth inmate of 2016 on Friday, the most in any calendar year in the state since the death penalty was reinstated 40 years ago.
John Wayne Conner, 60, was put to death in Jackson for beating a friend to death during an argument after a night of partying in January 1982.
Warden Eric Sellers told witnesses the time of Conners death was 12:29 a.m.
Conner didn't make a final statement and declined his right to have a prayer said for him.
His last meal was fried fish, hush puppies and two deluxe hamburgers.
The warden left the room at 12:15 a.m. Records from past executions show the lethal drug generally begins to flow within a couple of minutes of the warden leaving the room.
Georgia executed five inmates last year and in 1987.
Only five states have carried out death sentences this year, bringing the total number of executions carried out in the US this year to 15.
The inmate, who is now 60, (pictured in a younger mug shot, right) was convicted of fatally beating his friend J.T. White (left) during an argument after a night of drinking and smoking marijuana
Aside from the six in Georgia, six inmates have been executed in Texas and one each in Alabama, Florida and Missouri.
Lawyers for Conner had argued that imposing the death penalty after he's spent 34 years on death row was unconstitutional, and cruel and unusual punishment.
They argued that his treatment amounted to double jeopardy when someone is punished twice for the same crime.
In a court filing, his lawyers wrote: Due to the extraordinary delay in this case, Mr. Conner has already been subjected, in effect, to a life sentence under exceptionally severe penal conditions.
The lawyers called the states choice to go through with the death sentence excessive and disproportionate punishment.
They said Conner was raised in a poverty-stricken home, where extreme violence and drug abuse was the norm.
He exhibited signs of mental incompetence, and his teachers believed he was mentally impaired from an early age.
In a clemency petition, Conners lawyers wrote that his father regularly cut his wife and children with knives and fired a gun at them.
Conner, as a result, fell into the pattern modeled by those in his family.
The gurney used for lethal injections is pictured above in a small cinder block building at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, Georgia
His lawyers argued that Conner did not have a fair trial because his prior lawyers were incompetent.
They asked that the State Board of Pardons and Paroles take his familial history and mental issues be taken into account, but they refused to commute Conners sentence.
While Conner's execution was the sixth in 2016, he was also the ninth inmate put to death by the state since Sept. 30 -- the most in a 12-month period since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
They began torturing the girl when parenting became 'over whelming'
The woman is the child's mother and the man is her step-father
The parents of a five-year-old girl who exposed her to barbaric boot-camp torture and locked her in her room without toilet breaks will spend less than a year in jail.
The Caboolture-based mother, 26, and step-father, 30, of the young girl executed a bizarre torture regime after they became 'overwhelmed' by the task of parenting, Brisbane District Court heard.
The five-year-old was forced to run up to 6km, in bushland behind her parents car which would pull away whenever she got close.
The parents of a five-year-old girl who was tortured with an extreme exercise regime and locked in her room for up to 24 hours at a time will see less than a year behind bars
This bizarre method of punishment was supposed to make the child feel like she was being abandoned and was a 'corrective treatment' for her behaviour.
Sometimes she would be joined by two other children on these runs.
She was also forced to undertake up to four hours of other exercises including situps and stand ups,the Courier Mail Reports.
The abuse started after the parents turned to an older man for guidance and would be administered as a form of punishment when she misbehaved.
The parents appeared before Brisbane District Court where they were sentenced for the torture and abuse of the girl
This older man would force the girl to eat curry powder if she did not exercise fast enough.
When the girl was at home she would often be sent to her room where the door handles would be removed so she couldn't escape.
'This is not my room, this is not my house,' she wrote on the walls of her room.
The words were a 'sad and poignant' feature of the shocking case, Judge Craig Chowdhury said in a hearing on Friday.
'The girl had also smeared her own excrement around the room and suggested her spartan room had become her personal prison,' he said.
The step father was ordered to spend eight months behind bars and the girl's mother was given three months.
The girl wrote harrowing messages on the walls and also smeared excrement around the room
The couple, who are no longer together, had their full four and three-year terms suspended.
The court heard the woman had also admitted to police she struck the girl across the face on several occasions - once so hard it had hurt her own hand.
Summarising her treatment, which also included being forced to exercise excessively and being left outside with pet dogs, Judge Chowdhury said: 'The mind boggles'.
'These acts can only be designed to humiliate, demoralise and destroy whatever happy childhood this girl was ever going to have.'
It comes after the MP's office was vandalised and staff abused
The 44-year-old has since been subjected to a barrage of abuse by thugs
Wallasey MP has announced she will stand against Corbyn for leadership
A man has been arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill Labour Party leadership contender Angela Eagle.
Police said a 44-year-old suspect is being questioned following an arrest in Paisley, Renfrewshire on Friday.
It comes after the MP was subjected to a barrage of hate after she said she would stand against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
A man has been arrested over death threats made against Labour leadership candidate Angela Eagle
The arrest comes on the day of the funeral of Ms Eagle's colleague, Jo Cox, who was stabbed and shot in her constituency of Batley and Spen last month.
A Merseyside Police spokeswoman said: 'A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill.
'Officers from Merseyside Police executed a warrant in Paisley, Scotland, this morning, Friday July 15, and arrested the man.
'He will be questioned by Merseyside detectives today. The arrest comes after an email was sent to the account of Wallasey MP Angela Eagle.'
Earlier this week, vandals smashed a window of Ms Eagle's constituency office in Wallasey in the Wirral.
Staff said they could not answer phones in her office because they are receiving so much abuse, while a hotel in Luton was forced to cancel a planned campaign event for Ms Eagle after receiving threats.
Ms Eagle's constituency office was vandalised after she said she would stand against Jeremy Corbyn
The arrest was made on the same day as the funeral was held for murdered Batley and Spen MP Jo Cox
Following the office incident, Paul Stuart, co-vice chairman of the Wallasey Constituency Labour Party (CLP), said it was not isolated and that Ms Eagle had been on the receiving end of a series of 'really vile' homophobic emails and telephone calls.
Merseyside police and crime commissioner Jane Kennedy said members of the 'hard left' were creating a climate which encouraged such attacks and said the building - which also houses other businesses - would be given 'special attention' by police.
In response to the criminal damage, Ms Eagle said Mr Corbyn needed to 'get control' of his supporters.
Speaking earlier this week, Mr Corbyn: 'It is extremely concerning that Angela Eagle has been the victim of a threatening act and that other MPs are receiving abuse and threats.
'As someone who has also received death threats this week and previously, I am calling on all Labour Party members and supporters to act with calm and treat each other with respect and dignity, even where there is disagreement.
'I utterly condemn any violence or threats, which undermine the democracy within our party and have no place in our politics.'
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A holidaymaker has captured hilarious footage of an elephant using a concrete water pump cover to scratch an itch on its backside.
Anyone who's ever had an itch they can't scratch will sympathise with the giant animal, which was stuck between a rock and a hard place at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
The circular piece of concrete seemed to do the trick for the elephant as it squatted on top of it and moved its bottom from side to side for nearly half a minute.
Photographer Dereck Hindry was travelling through South Africa's Kruger National Park with his wife when they came upon the elephant
The concrete water pump cover seemed to do the trick as the elephant squatted on top of it and moved its bottom from side to side
The amusing video was captured by Dereck Hindry, 63, while on a trip to Kruger with his wife, Jennifer.
Hindry said they were driving through the park when they stopped to snap some images of a herd of elephants at a watering hole.
He said: 'I was actually taking photographs of the antics of some young elephants playing in the water, when one wandered off.
'I didn't take much notice, until it put a foot on what looked like a rock but was actually a concrete water pump cover.'
Hindry said they were driving through the park when they stopped to snap some images of a herd of elephants at a watering hole
Hindry said one of the elephants put its foot on top of the concrete cover, apparently to test its strength, before scratching its bottom
Hindry said it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment and he and his wife, Jennifer, battled to contain their laughter afterwards
Hindry grabbed his camera, thinking the elephant was looking for water, and soon realised it was testing the strength of the structure with its foot and trunk.
He said: 'Then, to our surprise, he turned around sat down on it and started to scratch his rear. It was probably something only video could bring to life - the expression and antics, and the humour not always captured in wildlife.
'We truly battled to contain our laughter, only because it was difficult enough to hold the camera still. I think this is a once-off wildlife video, it was a case of right place, right time.
The ex-partner of a British billionaire has complained that the Nice terror attack has ruined her yacht trip to the south of France.
Russian Christina Sysoeva, 35, who has a child with the British man, said she was disappointed that she and her friends had missed out on the fireworks.
Local media quoted her saying that she had been on the yacht and posted on social media to tell friends she had survived after 84 people were killed on the shore nearby.
Russian Christina Sysoeva, 35, who has a child with a British man, said she was disappointed that she and her friends had missed out on the fireworks
Local media quoted her saying that she had been on the yacht and posted on social media to tell friends she had survived after 84 people were killed on the shore nearby
The woman, who regularly posts pictures of her lavish lifestyle on social media, told friends that it was 'a shame the fireworks were cancelled' as the terror attack took place
Sysoeva is not afraid to flaunt her glamorous life in London, where she parties with wealthy friends
She claims to be the girlfriend for a very wealthy businessman in Britain on the TV show from 2013
In an interview at the time, Ms Sysoeva said: 'I'm not guilty that someone doesn't have furs or diamonds'
Here she is pictured on her luxury megayacht, which she claims was a gift from an ex-lover
However, she also seemed to complain that the attack - in which a 31-year-old man ploughed through crowds for over a mile then opened fire on people - had ruined her trip.
Although the fireworks that she missed did actually go ahead, with the attack happening as the spectacle drew to a close.
She said: 'I'm doing fine, but it's a shame that the fireworks were cancelled. We have lots of security, so we're okay!
'We were relaxing on a yacht, having a dinner, when a Frenchman came and said there was some kind of terrorist attack, that's why we have to leave, return to the coast.
'And the weather was also bad. We were so upset, we wanted to see the fireworks, but then this horror happened, and everything was cancelled!
'I'm under great protection, nowadays can't go anywhere without it. Can't go to the streets with the diamonds I have. I need at least two bodyguards to protect the jewelry.'
The famous Russian it-girl, posing in a bikini, says that she enjoys being thin, wild and desirable to men
She wrote: 'We were relaxing on a yacht, having a dinner, when a Frenchman came and said there was some kind of terrorist attack, that's why we have to leave, return to the coast'
She also said: 'I'm under great protection, nowadays can't go anywhere without it. Can't go to the streets with the diamonds I have. I need at least two bodyguards to protect the jewelry'
Ms Sysoeva and her friends like to take photos of themselves in luxurious surrounds
Ms Sysoeva has posted pictures of her luxury adventures around the world on social media websites
She became famous after appearing on Meet the Russians, a 2013 British reality show produced by Fox about wealthy exiles living in London.
In an interview at the time, Ms Sysoeva said: 'I'm not guilty that someone doesn't have furs or diamonds.
I need at least two bodyguards to protect the jewelry ChristinaSisoyeva
'Yes, it happened so that I have this, but why should I feel guilty about it? I stopped reading negative comments.'
She added: 'I have the right not to be liked. I don't have to be liked by everyone. If I wanted everyone to like me, I'd go to Africa and made a big campaign to support the starving.'
Of her partner she said: 'My man loves me. The thing is that even when I look this way, my beloved looks at me with admiration.
'It's stimulating.. I like being thin, long-haired, beautiful, crazy for him. I like being his muse. I don't need to work, to live at work, and for him not to see me. It won't happen.
'I'm happy, well-groomed, with diamonds, sitting at home. If I want Chanel - he'll buy it for me, the most important is to have a smile to be on my face.'
The billionaire's ex-partner added: 'We were so upset, we wanted to see the fireworks, but then this horror happened, and everything was cancelled'
After the story was published there was a storm of protest online, with people hurling abuse at the wealthy socialite
In another photo, she shows off her glamorous lifestyle, posing as she and a friend get out of a helicopter
Christina posing outside a private jet on Facebook, as she shows off her lifestyle to her online followers
Always fashionable, Ms Sysoeva has faced a storm of protest after her comments about the Nice attacks
She said: 'I'm doing fine, but it's a shame that the fireworks were cancelled. We have lots of security, so we're okay!
However after the story about her Nice trip was published there was a storm of protest online, with people hurling abuse at the wealthy socialite.
User 'Alexander Sulikov' wrote: 'Silicon animal.'
And user 'Anonym' wrote: 'I'm not even mad. I'm just shrugging my shoulders. Mother nature made a mistake, it happens.'
'Are you a stupid blonde for real?,' asked one. 'People died and you're thinking about jewels and fireworks?'
Another wrote: 'She should burn in hell.'
Deputies were allegedly told to stay away from local teriyaki restaurant
A restaurant in Sedro-Woolley, Washington came under fire after a county sheriff wrote a claimed his deputies - and other law enforcement - were asked not to eat there.
Skagit County Sheriff Will Reichardt wrote on Facebook that after four deputies finished eating lunch at Lucky Teriyaki's on Thursday, the owner's son asked them not to eat there anymore.
He allegedly said the police presence was making customers uncomfortable.
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Lucky Teriyaki owner Xuechuang Li broke down crying on local news - he said he never meant for local law enforcement to feel unwelcome
Reichard wrote: My chief deputy spoke to the owner to confirm this because he simply could not believe what he was hearing.
The owner not only repeated the request but asked that we spread the word to other law enforcement that they were no longer welcome either
The Facebook post, which has been shared more than 12 thousand times, inspired a flurry of angry phone calls to the restaurant.
The owner, Xuechuang Li, and his son, were hit by a barrage of boycott, revenge and death threats.
Xuechuang Li, the owner of Lucky Teriyaki, insists that he never meant to deter any law enforcement from visiting their restaurant - he and his son just have a poor command of English
Li's restaurant faced a flurry of abuse online after County Sheriff Reichard's post went viral , and they received menacing phone calls
Li insists the whole thing is just a misunderstanding. He said his son conveyed the wrong message because of his poor grasp of English.
Local reporter Natasha Chen, who speaks Mandarin, called the family to clarify the sheriffs story.
Li told Natasha that the restaurant never had any intention of banning law enforcement.
A plastic surgeon in Texas broadcasts graphic videos of his operations on Snapchat and Facebook Live - and they are so popular he has had to hire a full-time social media manager to help.
Dr Thomas Jeneby, from San Antonio, streams videos of boob jobs, liposuction and tummy tucks online.
The videos - which the surgeon claims are often watched by more than 24,000 people a day - are not just to promote his practice, but also to reassure people that the operations are safe.
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Plastic surgeon Dr Thomas Jeneby (pictured with some of his clients) broadcasts graphic videos of his operations on Snapchat and Facebook Live
The footage is often graphic, but that does not seem to put people off watching. Pictured, Dr Jeneby giving a woman breast augmentation surgery
'It's great for marketing but it's wonderful for alleviating fears and patient education,' Dr Jeneby told the Houston Chronicle.
The surgeon, who has also worked in Philadelphia and Washington, DC, during his 14-year career, started out broadcasting the procedures on Facebook Live and Snapchat.
But as his online profile grew, Dr Jeneby was left with no choice but to hire a professional social media manager to record and publish the videos.
The footage is often graphic, but that does not seem to put people off watching.
The physician claims his videos are often seen by 17,000 people in the first hour after they are posted online.
By putting himself in the shop window, Dr Jeneby has seen an increase in work.
Dr Jeneby (pictured) was left with no choice but to hire a professional social media manager to record and publish the videos after his popularity grew
The physician claims his videos are often seen by 17,000 people in the first hour after they are posted online. Pictured, Dr Jeneby preparing a woman for breast augmentation surgery
He also uses the videos as an opportunity to speak with commenters watching the videos who are interested in having surgery themselves.
Those who appear in the Facebook Live videos and Snapchat clips sign waivers consenting to their operations appearing online.
Dr Jeneby's most popular package is the 'Mommy Makeover', which sees patients have breast augmentation and liposuction.
The surgeon also specializes in inserting adjustable implants, which allow women to increase their breast size by having more saline pumped into it.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke by phone to a group of supporters in Angela Eagle's constituency
Jeremy Corbyn has 'addressed' a meeting of activists in the constituency of his Labour leader rival Angela Eagle and urged them 'stand firm in the face of bullying'.
Mr Corbyn spoke via speaker phone to the group of his supporters in a pub despite Ms Eagle's Wallasey constituency having been at the heart of fears over intimidation by supporters of the Labour leader.
Ms Eagle's constituency office was bricked this week after she launched a leadership challenge and she has also been subjected to online harassment, including alleged death threats.
Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) ruled on Monday night that formal constituency meetings should be suspended for the duration of the leadership contest, which is due to end on September 24.
A spokesman for Ms Eagle today claimed the banned meeting had been organised by someone who until recently had been barred from the Labour Party.
Sources in the Labour leader's office denied there was a formal meeting but said Mr Corbyn had called a friend and spoke to supporters.
A spokesman for Angela Eagle said: 'The meeting in New Brighton was not an official Labour Party branch meeting as all Labour Party meetings have been suspended for the leadership election.
'We do not know who was invited to the meeting and if the attendees were selected by the meeting's organiser.
'The meeting's organiser is a known disruptive influence in the Labour Party, who deselected another sitting Merseyside MP, Frank Field in the 1990s. He had been expelled from the Labour Party until around a year ago.
'In attendance at the meeting, having brought a Guardian journalist to the meeting, was Carmel Nolan, a former Head of Press for Jeremy Corbyn. She still works closely with members of Jeremy's office.
'Jeremy Corbyn addressed the meeting of activists in Angela's constituency by speakerphone.
'One witness to the meeting told Angela's constituency staff that Jeremy told the group to 'stand firm in the face of bullying.'
A source close to Mr Corbyn said: 'It was a friend, on her phone and a small number of supporters in a pub. It wasn't a meeting and he didn't address them.
'She called him, they were having a chat and she said I'm some friends, and they all had a conversation.
'It's nonsense.'
Angela Eagle has complained to police about harassment she has received since announcing her challenge and her team today accused Mr Corbyn of telling his supporters in Wallasey to 'stand firm'
Owen Smith, the other contender for the Labour leadership, today postponed launching his challenge against Mr Corbyn.
In words released ahead of the cancelled speech, Mr Smith said: 'This is a moment of deep peril for Labour, if we carry on as we are the party I love will end up in a disastrous spilt. I am not prepared to let that happen.
'The Labour Party must pull through this crisis and unite. We owe it to the millions of people across Britain who look to the Labour Party to provide hope and optimism for their lives.'
In a swipe at his rival Ms Eagle, the former shadow work and pensions minister will say that only he can unite the fractured party.
'So now it falls to a new generation of Labour MPs to step forward and secure Labour's future. I am the only person in this race than can do that.
'It's not enough just to talk about being anti-austerity. Labour needs to set out the details of how we overcome Tory austerity and secure the next Labour government that delivers investment, not cuts.
'That's what I will be doing throughout this campaign; setting out the vision and policies that can unite the party and lead us into government.'
Britain could continue to take advantage of a ground-breaking EU trade deal even after it has left the Brussels club, Canadas trade minister said today.
Chrystia Freeland said Ottawa was keen for the UK to piggyback on a comprehensive free trade deal between the EU and Canada, which is set to be implemented early next year.
And she made it clear that Canada had no interest in punishing the UK for leaving the EU, saying: We have a very robust relationship we are not just friends, we are family.
Chrystia Freeland (pictured) said Montreal was keen for the UK to piggyback on a comprehensive free trade deal between the EU and Canada, which is set to be implemented early next year
Her call came as former Bank of England governor Mervyn King hit out at hysterical warnings about the potential impact of Brexit on the economy and said Britain could certainly make a success of leaving the EU.
During the EU referendum, Remain campaigners warned repeatedly that Britain would have to start from scratch in negotiating trade arrangements with the 50 countries Brussels has already struck trade deals with.
But Miss Freeland, who was in London for talks with new International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and current Bank governor Mark Carney, said Canada was keen to ensure a seamless transition in its dealings with the UK.
She said there was no reason why the UK could not remain part of the new Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta) between Canada and the EU even after it left the Brussels club.
We are already on track to have the UK and Canada have an even closer foundation for our trade relationship, and that will be quite soon, she told BBC Radio Fours Today programme.
Former Bank of England governor Mervyn King (pictured) hit out at hysterical warnings about the potential impact of Brexit on the economy and said Britain could certainly make a success of leaving the EU
It is something that the UK would be party to as a member of the EU.
'Then the issue will be for the UK and the EU to figure out their new trading relationship. Part of that figuring out will be figuring out how Ceta will work between all three parties.'
Miss Freeland said it was not in Canadas interests to impose trade barriers with the UK.
The UK-Canada relationship is really, really strong, she said. We export about 11 billion-worth to the UK and we import about 8 billion-worth. Canadian investors put about 45.5 billion into the UK every year. We have a very robust relationship.
Canada's trade minister Chrystia Freeland was in London for talks with new International Trade Secretary Liam Fox (pictured)
Miss Freeland said the EU-Canada trade deal, which has taken seven years to negotiate, was one of the most comprehensive ever struck, and went even further than the arrangement it has with the United States.
Comparing the deal with the UKs current relationship with the EU, she said it was not as ambitious on labour mobility as full EU membership but warned it offers fewer rights for firms operating in financial services.
Lord King said today there was bound to be some business uncertainty in the wake of the Brexit vote.
But he warned that politicians and some in the media were in danger of talking Britain down and reducing the chances of a successful deal.
There has been a slight degree of hysteria in the reaction in the last three weeks, principally among the political class and some in the media too.
The political and media class have been tearing themselves apart, wildly exaggerating things, and I hope now we will be able calm down and get back to a proper programme of work to make this departure from the EU a workable success, which we can certainly do.
Meanwhile, former Cabinet minister Oliver Letwin warned the Government faced a major task in recruiting officials to lead trade negotiations which have been the preserve of Brussels for the past four decades.
Mr Letwin, who was in charge of Brexit negotiations before he was sacked by Theresa May on Thursday, said the Government currently had no trade negotiators at all.
Asked if the UK had its own team, he replied: No, no. We dont have trade negotiators because the trade negotiation has been going on in the EU so we are going to have to hire a whole group.
James Warnock has been found guilty of raping and murdering London teenager Yiannoulla Yianni, who was found dead in 1982
A John Travolta fantasist is facing life behind bars for the 'horrifying' rape and murder of a teenage girl after evading justice for 34 years.
For half a lifetime, James Warnock got away with strangling 17-year-old Yiannoulla Yianni in her own home, just half a mile from where he lived with his wife in north London.
But it was not until December last year that Scotland Yard got a 'lucky break' when Warnock was arrested over indecent pictures of children.
His DNA was added to the national database and found to be a match for samples taken from Yiannoulla's body.
At the time of the murder, 5ft 6in Warnock was aged 22 and gave the impression of being a 'cocky ladies' man', with his hair carefully salon-styled and blow-dried like his Saturday Night Fever idol.
But when officers tracked him down, they found the balding defendant awaiting their arrival, quietly drinking beer in his underpants.
In a police interview he was asked what he looked like in the 1980s and he said: 'How can I put it? Er, John Travolta?'
The murder of Miss Yianni shocked the nation in 1982 and led to high-profile police appeals as far afield as Australia.
Warnock, a divorced father-of-two now 56, was still living in the local community.
He tried to explain away the evidence by claiming to have had a secret affair with Yiannoulla, even though the teenager was brought up in a traditional Greek Cypriot family and never had a boyfriend.
Her family broke down in tears as a jury at the Old Bailey took just over two hours to find self-employed tiler Warnock guilty.
Yiannoulla's three siblings described the catastrophic effect of her murder in statements read to the court.
Yiannoulla was raped and murdered at her home in north London. Her parents found her body on their bed
Her brother Rick said: 'The magnitude and horror of what happened that day is indescribable.'
He said the family had been scarred for life by what happened and their 'soul was ripped prematurely from us all'.
He went on: 'We never gave up hoping and are truly grateful to the police for finally bringing him to justice.
I have no doubt my sister's murderer will one day be passing through the gates of hell Yiannoulla Yianni's brother
'I have no doubt my sister's murderer will one day be passing through the gates of hell.'
Warnock's lies which sullied the honour of his sister had 'rubbed salt in the wound', he added.
Warnock also admitted six charges of distributing indecent images of children in 2013 and 2015.
He will be sentenced on Monday for all the offences.
On August 13 1982, the victim, known as Lucy or Noodles, had been with her parents at their shoe repair shop minutes away from their Hampstead home.
Yiannoulla's mother, Elli, had sent her home to start preparing a leg of lamb for supper, saying she would join her soon.
She was playing the latest Patrice Rushen hit Forget Me Nots on the record player when Warnock knocked on her door at about 2pm.
A young man was spotted chatting with Yiannoulla on her doorstep, and 20 minutes later a neighbour heard a scream, jurors were told.
The teenager was killed after she walked back to the family's home in Hampstead, north London in 1982
Police photos from the time show Yiannoulla's torn T-shirt and the bedspread on which DNA was found
The teenager's broken necklace, believed to have been torn off her in the struggle, was found on the floor
Her parents arrived home half an hour later to 'a sight beyond their worst imagining' - Yiannoulla's partially naked body lying on their bed, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said.
Despite a high-profile public appeal, including a televised reconstruction featuring her sister Maria, no real suspects were identified.
Miss Yianni's father George Yianni died in 1988 without seeing his daughter's killer brought to justice.
His son, Rick, said in court: 'My father developed a brain tumour five years after Lucy's murder and died shortly after.
'I truly believe this was a direct result of his daughter's murder. My father was a broken man from that fateful day and was unable to live a moment longer.'
DNA evidence only came into use in the 1990s and in 1999, a scientist managed to extract an incomplete profile from the bedspread where Yiannoulla was found which was later matched to a DNA sample from her body.
But a search of the DNA database produced no matches until last Christmas when police got Warnock's profile, the court heard.
An e-fit from 1982 shows Warnock so-called 'Travolta' looks. His victim's body was found in her parents room
Maria and Peter Yianni, the sister and brother of Yiannoulla (pictured in 2000 at a renewal of the appeal for information). Their father George died without ever seeing his daughter's killer brought to justice
During the trial, Yiannoulla's brothers and sisters relived the nightmare of her violent death while her now 86-year-old mother was among those to give evidence.
The dignified family were even forced to listen as Warnock, formerly of Camden, north-west London, maintain his claim that he used to go to their home to have sex with the popular teenager.
They wept and hung their heads as he told jurors of fictitious sexual encounters, saying: 'It was always nice. It was not, you know, vigorous or anything. We didn't go mad. It was very quick. It was gentle.'
Speaking after the verdict, Yiannoulla's family, who knew her as Lucy, said: 'For over half a lifetime we have had to live with the daily torture of what happened to our daughter and sister Lucy.
'All who knew her, loved and adored her. Even through her death she deeply touched those involved in the investigation of her murder.
'We thank, from the bottom of our hearts, the police both past and present who have worked constantly and tirelessly to bring him to justice, especially those over the last six months.
MIah-Lee Walters, pictured, was put in isolation at Pheasey Park Farm Primary School in Birmingham for wearing beads in her hair
A mother was left furious after her five-year-old daughter was put into isolation by teachers at her school for having beads in her hair.
Miah-Lee Walters arrived as usual at Pheasey Park Farm Primary School, in Birmingham, West Midlands, last Monday.
But when staff saw she had beads in her braided hair, they banished the youngster to spend the day in isolation.
Her mother Andrena Walters, 25, had initially agreed to remove the beads when the school had phoned her that morning - but was left fuming when her distraught daughter came home in floods of tears.
The mother-of-two, from Wolverhampton, West Midlands, said: 'Miah came and told me she had been isolated for an entire day, and made to do colouring.
'She had to stand outside with a teacher and watch all of the other kids play. She was really upset and distraught at not being allowed to be with her friends.
'How is her hairstyle affecting her learning? That's what I want somebody to explain. It is ridiculous.'
The school said the beads are banned due to health and safety regulations.
But Ms Walters, who is of Jamaican origin, has now risked criminal action by refusing to send Miah-Lee back to school - and said she will send her to a new school from September.
The dental nurse claims that since Monday, the school has 'miraculously' changed its policy to ban the beads, despite not stating so before.
She said: 'How can you punish a child for having beads in her hair?
Her mother Andrena, pictured left with Miah-Lee, said the beads in her daughter's hair, right, were part of their Jamaican culture and was what she grew up with
The school said Miah-Lee's beads, pictured, were banned for safety reasons and staff 'would not compromise children's safety for fashion reasons'
'It's our culture - it's what we grew up with. I went to school with beads in my hair. I think it's backwards now - kids aren't allowed to express themselves, it's not right.
'There is an underlying problem with this school. How can you put a little kid of five in isolation?
'The rules and regulations are ridiculous - it's disgusting. Miah-Lee will not be attending in September.'
Headteacher Sally Lunni stood by the school's safety policy - which she admitted had been recently updated.
She said: 'We will not compromise children's safety for fashion reasons.
'Our police, which has been endorsed by Ofsted, clearly states fashion items or items which compromise safety are not permitted in children's hair.
'I can confirm that our policy was updated at the last governors' meeting on 23rd June however - this was to make it more explicit to all parents what is and is not allowed.'
Ms Walters, left and right with Miah-Lee, added she was 'disgusted' her five-year-old was put in isolation
British holidaymakers last night told of their narrow escape from death at the hands of the crazed lorry driver.
Dozens of Britons were among the crowd who had packed the beach-side promenade to watch a stunning fireworks display.
Many recounted how the celebration turned to horror as a stampede of desperate tourists were forced to trample over dead bodies to escape.
A Scottish couple who went missing in Nice, sparking a desperate online appeal, have been found safe and well.
Ross and Carol Cowan, pictured, went missing in Nice amid fears they may have been caught up in last night's attack. But they have now turned up safe and well. But they were not involved and were not even aware of it
Carol Cowan, 27, and her husband Ross, 30, were on the French Riviera on holiday when a lorry ploughed through crowds celebrating Bastille Day killing 84 people.
Mrs Cowan's sister Amy Stanton, 25, naturally became intensely worried about the couple, from Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute, after hearing about last night's attack on the promenade in Nice.
But on Friday afternoon posted a brief update on Facebook, saying: 'CAROLE AND ROSS ARE OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Safe and sound: Mr Cowan is a tree surgeon and his wife is a teacher at a primary school in Helensburgh
Others said they had to dive to safety, suffering broken bones, to avoid the careering vehicle.
Simon Coates said he witnessed a traumatised mother sitting on the ground, talking quietly to her child who lay dead on the Nice seafront in the aftermath.
The solicitor from Leeds described how he desperately scoured piles of disfigured and lifeless bodies as he tried to locate his missing wife.
He had been cycling along the promenade with her when they became separated in the crowds as the attack unfolded.
'She was behind me and I turned round and followed the path the lorry took checking the people killed I had to check every body and they were so disfigured the only reliable way I could check was to look for her bike and her shoes.'
Laurence Olding was hurt in the terror attack in Nice. Mr Olding, 32, broke his wrist and required surgery
Mr Coates added that 'virtually everybody' he saw lying on the promenade was either dead or beyond help. After retracing his steps he later found his wife at their hotel. He described the lorry attack as 'the worst nightmare imaginable'.
Nice is a hugely popular destination for British families.
Holidaymakers Laurence Olding and Catherine Millington both suffered injuries when they dived over a promenade wall with a 15ft drop to avoid the lorry.
Mr Olding, 32, broke his wrist and required surgery.
They were not able to contact us because they had no signal. They did not even know there had been an incident Amy Stanton
'We only had a split-second to think but we really thought it was going to hit us so we took the decision to jump off the promenade,' the market researcher said.
Civil servant Miss Millington, 29, needed stitches on a gash to her leg. Mr Olding described the scene of carnage as one they would 'never forget'.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are in touch with the local authorities and seeking more information following an apparent attack on a Bastille Day celebration in Nice.'
Mr Cowan is a tree surgeon and his wife is a teacher at a primary school in Helensburgh.
Mrs Cowan's sister Stanton said: 'They are fine. They left Nice to travel overnight while it was quiet. They heard gunshots in the distance and thought it was something to do with the fireworks.
'They were not able to contact us because they had no signal. They did not even know there had been an incident.'
She said: 'I can't tell you how relieved we are. I just think we are so lucky compared to all the other families affected by this.'
Ironically Mr Cowan had overlaid the French flag over his Facebook picture after the Paris attacks on November 13 last year.
The Cowans got married in 2014 (pictured) and live in Helensburgh, west of Glasgow
Mr and Mrs Cowan were on holiday in Nice at the time of last night's attack. Police finally managed to bring to a halt the bullet-riddled lorry but only after 84 people were killed
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said yesterday that no Britons were understood to have been killed in the attack.
Labour MP John Woodcock was among the scores of Britons who fled in fear, giving refuge in his holiday apartment to a young French couple. He said: 'Tragedy in Nice is devastating On Promenade with celebrating crowd last night, now safe indoors.'
Esther Serwah, 59, was on the Promenade des Anglais with her daughters when the terrorist's rampage began. 'I saw everybody running and I just didn't know what was going on. People were screaming at me in French but I didn't understand,' she said.
'Some people were lying on the streets dead and people were running over the bodies.' Sally Gardiner suffered a broken arm and battered face after being flattened in the stampede as onlookers rushed to safety.
'I got knocked down in the road with everyone running away from the truck and gunfire,' she said. 'I saw all these dead bodies lying around it didn't seem real, it was like something out of a film. I'm 75 and I've never seen a dead body before.'
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Camille Grammer is pleading with a judge to not allow any discussion of her wealth and net work be spoken about to a jury in an on-going court battle with her ex-boyfriend, Dimitri Charalambopoulos.
Grammer, whos worth an estimated $50million with a large chunk coming from her divorce settlement with Kelsey Grammer, claims that her wealth will cause jury members to turn on her and make a decision based on her worth rather than the merits of Charalambopouloss accusations.
The former couple slapped each other with dueling lawsuits last year after the reality star accused her ex-boyfriend of domestic violence in a Texas hotel room in 2013.
Grammer and her ex are heading to trial soon in the case accusing Charalambopoulos of assault and Grammer of defamation.
Camille Grammer (left) claims that her wealth will cause jury members to turn on her and make a decision based on her worth rather than the merits of Dimitri Charalambopouloss (right) accusations of defamation in ongoing lawsuits between the former couple
The former couple have been in an ongoing legal battle since last year, after Grammer accused Charalambopoulos of domestic violence in a Texas hotel room in 2013
Charalambopoulos filed a lawsuit accusing Grammer of defamation, claiming she made up the incident and said he never beat her.
He said that he was never charged by police due to lack of evidence and claimed that Camille faked the incident because she believed he was cheating on her.
Grammer said she did not make up the incident and pointed to statements she made to Texas police.
She demanded his claims be thrown out and then counter-sued Charalambopoulos for assault and battery.
The case is still pending, and Grammer and Charalambopoulos are battling it out in court during discovery.
On July 13, Grammer asked a judge to keep her wealth out of the case and to split up the trial, with the first part being the jury determining if her ex deserves any damages and the second determining the amount he is awarded.
She believes that talk about her finance will cause the jury to turn against her and influence them to award higher damages to Charalambopoulos based on her wealth.
She says prohibiting evidence that her wealth about her wealth will prevent any prejudice jury members might have due to her being a multimillionaire.
In May, Charalambopoulos said his ex 'continuously craved' attention as he accused her of leaking confidential court documents involving her medical history and abuse allegations against former husband Kelsey Grammer.
Charalambopoulos said that allegations that he leaked the documents are false and claimed that Grammer is an attention seeker who released them in an attempt to publicly attack her ex-husband.
Grammer previously claimed that Charalambopoulos leaked her medical records in violation of a court order that was part of an ongoing legal battle between the former couple.
The records included information about the medications her doctor prescribed her, medical diagnoses made and details about her mental health.
Grammer is worth about $50million, much of which is from her divorce settlement with Kelsey Grammer (right). The couple split in 2011
Charalambopoulos blasted his ex-girlfriend in the court papers, saying that the allegations that he or his legal team released the deposition are absurd and if he wanted to leak the documents he would have secretly done it using other means.
He asserted that his legal team was in possession of hundreds of pages of confidential documents for nearly a year before anything was leaked.
He claimed in the court filing that Camille Grammer had a motive to leak the documents so that she would be able to release negative information about her ex-husband to the press without being blamed since it was Charalambopoulos legal team that filed the documents with the federal court system.
He claimed she also benefited from the leak because she will once again be in the headlines and that evidence shows that this is something she has 'continuously craved.'
The RHOBH star asked in May that Charalambopoulos be sanctioned $25,000 to remedy for her medical records being made public and to teach her ex a lesson to prevent any further information from being released.
She also asked for $3,750 in attorney fees for having to even take this issue before the court and asking the judge to shut down Charalambopoulos request to compel more discovery to him in the legal battle.
Grammers motion to have him sanctioned, Charalambopoulos said, is an attempt by her to capitalize on an inadvertent mistake in filing a motion.
Charalambopoulos said he had no motive to release the filing and is now demanding her motion for sanctions be shut down by the federal court judge.
Grammer said in May that a judge signed off on a protective order that sealed the deposition of her personal doctor so it would be hidden from the public.
She later claimed the deposition was made public by Charalambopoulos, saying he did not follow the order he had originally agreed to - something Charalambopoulos has denied.
According to documents filed in the case, Grammers personal doctor, Dr Bethany Tucker, was recently deposed by Charalambopouloss lawyers.
Grammer provided a series of photos as her evidence of the alleged assault to the court showing a bruised face and arms. Charalambopoulos filed a lawsuit accusing Grammer of defamation, claiming she made up the incident and said he never beat her
She was questioned on everything from her divorce with Kelsey Grammer - including an incident where he allegedly hit her - to the stress from Real Housewives and her diagnosing the reality star with PTSD following the alleged assault with her ex-boyfriend.
According to the deposition, Tucker has been treating Grammer as a patient since 2005, when she was still married to Kelsey Grammer.
Following the divorce, the doctor treated Grammer for anxiety, stress and the inability to sleep or eat well.
The divorce took such a toll on her that she was prescribed Klonopin and other medications for her irritable bowel syndrome - something she has spoken publically about in the past.
Charalambopouloss lawyers questioned Tucker about Grammers developments since the alleged assault involving their client.
The doctor said that Grammer feared for her safety - something she did not experience after her divorce - and was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after the incident.
She began taking a medicine called Effexor, but it was later changed due to it being too strong and is now taking Lexapro.
Lawyers also asked Tucker about an incident in which Grammer threw two of Charalambopouloss laptops off of her balcony in an attempt to destroy them. She said she was aware of at least one similar incident.
She said that Grammer was consistent with her story about Charalambopouloss alleged assault and showed signs of someone who had experienced trauma.
After the documents involving her medical records were released, Grammer demanded sanctions to compensate her for the damage she has suffered as a result of the actions of her ex and his legal team.
Any claim that the filing was inadvertent rings hollow, she said in the complaint.
Grammer and Charalambopoulos' cases are ongoing. In March, Grammer won a small victory when a judge ordered her ex to pay more than $119,000 to her lawyers along with more than $2,300 for other expenses incurred by Grammer in successfully defending against some of his claims.
Indian-born Ronald Wali, 46, befriended prominent trainers and offered to get them workers from his homeland to help at their yards
A jockey who helped smuggle over 100 illegal immigrants into the UK by creating fake jobs for them at racehorse stables has been jailed for five years.
Indian-born Ronald Wali, 46, befriended prominent trainers and offered to get them workers from his homeland to help at their yards.
After gaining their trust he helped them complete Home Office forms for sponsoring workers but stole their headed paper and got their passwords for the online portal.
Wali then created a string of bogus visa applications claiming the illegal workers were employed at stables across the South of England.
In reality the jobs never existed and the 'employers' had no idea what was going on.
Swindon Crown Court heard that Wali helped smuggle more than 100 illegal immigrants into the UK from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Mauritius.
They are thought to have each paid him up to 5,000 for his help and more than 35,000 in cash was found in his home in Swindon, Wiltshire.
Police also discovered sheaves of headed notepaper with forged signatures which he used to cheat the system.
Wali admitted ten counts of assisting unlawful immigration, having articles for use in fraud and providing an immigration service when not qualified.
His wife Bharati, 41, was also charged but the case against her was dropped when her husband pleaded guilty.
Jailing him, Judge Peter Blair QC told Wali: 'The courts take a very clear view about how important it is immigration law is respected and properly followed.
'Sentences are passed by the court to deter other people from trying to facilitate these breaches of immigration law by passing very harsh sentences, and you will receive one today.'
Robert Duval, prosecuting, said certain workers from outside the European Economic Area can get jobs in the UK if they are sponsored by employers.
The scheme is highly regulated by the Home Office and once taken on, the bosses have various responsibilities for their staff.
Mr Duval said: 'He facilitated fraudulent applications by these applicants either to enter or to remain illegally in the UK by assigning these false certificates of sponsorship certificating the existence of employment that did not exist.'
He said Wali was providing a service helping illegal immigrants and it was now very difficult to track them down.
Among the trainers duped by Wali were Alan King, based at Barbury Castle in Wiltshire, whose horses have won dozens of races at Cheltenham and Aintree.
Others include Richard Hannon, based in Marlborough, Wiltshire and Sylvester Kirk in Lambourn, West Berkshire as well as yards in Kent, Dorset and Faringdon.
Keith Hadrill, defending, said Wali was a father-of-two who had been in Britain for 17 years and had UK citizenship.
He first lived in the horseracing centre of Newmarket in Suffolk where he worked as a jockey with the proper credentials before moving to Swindon a few years ago.
An earlier hearing was told he worked for Roger Charlton at his Beckhampton House Stables, near Marlborough.
Mr Hadrill said Wali had tried to help trainers when they needed staff but fell into dishonesty as he tried to assist people getting work.
Prominent racehorse trainers including Alan King, left, and Sylvester Kirk, right, were duped by Wali, with the latter stating his crimes had a 'dreadful impact'
Mr Kirk, of Sylvester Kirk Racing, said his crimes had a 'dreadful' impact.
Staff said he built up a relationship with a secretary there more than five years ago through stable-hands already working at the yard, in Lambourn, west Berkshire.
He was arrested and later charged by police in October last year.
Mr Kirk said: 'Wali is paying the price for what he has done. He was putting [the immigrants] through and we knew nothing about it.
'We had no idea who these men were and we had no idea how much he had been doing it.
'We didn't realise the enormity of what he was doing. It is dreadful.
'I'm not qualified to say whether he should have been jailed for ten years or two, but it seems like a decent sentence.'
He added: 'Immigration is a complicated thing but Ronald found a niche and he worked out how to do it. It is absolutely shocking.
'We didn't know. We knew there were lots of people affected, different trainers and people, but it sounds like there were 15 or 20 cases. It is amazing. It has really shocked me.
'People always went to him. Ronnie was always about that stuff. If there was any trouble, the girls would go to Ronnie.
'He was the go-to man. I think he got everyone's trust in whatever way. Everybody trusted him.
'I'm shocked and horrified to find out that it was that many.'
The Home Office said Wali has been linked to visa applications submitted by more than 100 people.
Caroline Feldman, who led the investigation, said: "There were more people.. We think there were wider numbers involved in the case.
"In terms of individuals that are linked to him and his criminality, we have identified applications from over 100 people."
She added: "Wali took advantage both of the people who handed over thousands of pounds for visas and of the stables who entrusted him with completing immigration paperwork on their behalf.
"They have paid a heavy price, with substantial financial and immigration implications for the individuals and the loss of sponsor licences for many of the stables.
"Our teams of investigators are determined to crack down on immigration abuse such as this and will not hesitate to prosecute where there is evidence of criminality. "
Wali, who was a jockey in India, used his contacts to find Indian nationals wanting to work in the UK racing industry and matched them to stables looking to recruit overseas.
Illegally posing as an immigration adviser, he charged up to 6,000 to assist the foreign applicants with their visa paperwork.
While some of the people he worked with ended up with proper jobs within the industry, Wali also secured visas for non-existent jobs.
There is no suggestion of criminality on the part of the stables, all of which have fully co-operated with Immigration Enforcement's investigation.
Pennsylvania State Police paid $195,000 to a man who claimed he was wrongly jailed for almost a month after a roadside drug test misidentified soap as cocaine.
The accused, Alexander Bernstein, also settled his federal lawsuit against Safariland LLC, the company that produced the drug test Pennsylvania troopers used when they arrested Bernstein in November 2013.
The Morning Call reports that while Bernstein, 33, was behind bars, he lost his job, apartment and all of his belongings.
Just soap: Powder bricks similar to these were suspected to be cocaine, even though Cruz told Pennsylvania police that they were homemade soap
He was held for 29 days in Lehigh Count Prison under $500,000 bail. He remained behind bars until they reduced his bail to $25,000.
Police stopped Bernstein and Anadel Cruz, both from New York, in Lehigh County traffic, because they were going five miles about the speed limit.
The police found two brick-sized packages wrapped in tape in their car.
Cru, 29 told the police that the powdery packages were full of homemade soap for her sister, but the police insisted that the packages contained a controlled substance of some kind.
Both Cruz and Berinstein were charged with possession and intent to deliver cocaine, conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The police also found a small amount of marijuana in Cruzs bra.
Bernstein alleges that when he was in holding, he overheard the troopers conspire to falsely report the roadside test results as positive.
Locked up: Bernstein spent 29 days Lehigh County Prison, during which time he lost his job, apartment, and possessions
According to Business Insider, tests conducted a month later revealed the packages contents to be boric acid or soap -- not cocaine.
Police dropped the charges against Bernstein and Cruz when the pair got out on bail - the day their preliminary hearings were scheduled.
Bernstein said he paid more than $32,000 in bail and court charges, in addition to attorney fees and the cost of expunging his record.
Cruzs lawyers called her and Bernsteins arrests a case of racial profiling.
One of her attorneys, Josh Karoly, told the Morning Call: 'I think it is a nice car with out-of-state plates and a Hispanic female behind the wheel. If it was me driving that car, this wouldnt have happened.'
A ProPublica investigation found that field tests produced by manufacturers like Safariland are plagued by error and false positives, and are often subject to misinterpretation.
Only four convictions from 1,200 reported NYE sexual assaults in Germany
The first teenage victim decided to have an abortion after falling pregnant
Tried miming to other girl 'close your eyes' but rapist grabbed her face
As she was being raped, a second man was raping another girl next to her
She was thrown around a group of men before being thrown to the floor
An 18-year-old had an abortion after she was raped in the mass sexual frenzy at Cologne train station on New Year's Eve.
She was thrown around a group of men before eventually falling on the floor, where she was raped alongside another girl.
They are the first cases of forced sexual intercourse reported on the night where more than 1,200 sexual assaults were reported across Germany by marauding gangs of immigrant men.
An 18-year-old had an abortion after she was raped in the mass sexual frenzy at Cologne train station on New Year's Eve
Dozens of witnesses have been questioned and thousands of documents examined, and in the latest round of cross examination Frauke Mahr, 63, who is the manager of the Project for Girls in Cologne revealed that the young woman had ended up pregnant after being raped in front of the main train station.
She told the investigators: 'She was separated from her girlfriend, and ended up being shoved from one man to another. She was then thrown to the floor and raped.
'She told me that a few metres away she saw another girl lying on the ground, also being raped.
'She had tried to signal to the other girl that she should close her eyes, but the man then grabbed her own head and forced her to look at him.'
Her ordeal ended when a policeman pulled the man away and she ran home in a panic.
Out of shame at what happened she decided not to report the rape to police, and had never raised the matter, but did visit the hospital.
When she was told there that she was pregnant, an abortion was arranged, but she admitted she was not 100 percent sure if her attacker was the father of the unborn child.
Police working near the main railway station in Cologne arrest a man during the riotous party in the city centre
Groups of revellers gather in the city centre during the celebrations which quickly turned to chaos
A police van makes its way through the throngs of people who gathered to see in the new year in Cologne
Germany has been reeling since the distressing scenes, and a leaked police document stated detectives believe 2,000 men were involved across various cities.
It revealed the bulk of the crimes were committed in Cologne and Hamburg where 600 and 400 sexual assaults on women were reported respectively.
Of the 2,000 perpetrators, only 120 have been identified, and about half of them were foreign nationals who had only recently arrived in Germany.
Only four people have been convicted thus far, but two of them - foreign nationals Hussain A and Hassan T - escaped jail for sexual assault.
VICTIMS DESCRIBE TERRIFYING ORDEAL AT HANDS OF MOB ATTACKERS Since the vast scale of the attacks emerged, several victims have come forward to describe terrifying scenes in the marauding mob. Katja L, 28, said she was with three friends outside the station when they encountered a group of 'foreign-looking men'. 'Suddenly I felt a hand on my bottom, then on my breasts, then I was groped everywhere,' she told Cologne tabloid Express. Fireworks are set off among revellers in the city town square on New Year's Eve. The evening was marred by a wave of sex attacks that police say witnesses claim were carried out by 'Arab' or 'North African' men 'It was horrible. Although we screamed and flailed about, the guys didn't stop. I was beside myself and think that I was touched about 100 times across around 200 metres [220 yards].' A woman in her 30s, interviewed on rolling news channel N24, said she was groped by a group of 'Arab-looking men'. 'They didn't look at me aggressively, they seemed more curious than anything, and a little drunk,' she said. 'I was furious.' According to Bild, a student named Evelyn, 24, from Rheinland-Pfalz, who was at the train station in Cologne, said: 'I had a knee-length skirt on, and suddenly I felt a hand on my backside under my dress. I turned round immediately and saw a grinning face.' She said that she managed to get to the cathedral and sat on a bench and suddenly she was surrounded by men once again, and had only heard them speaking Arabic. 'The only English they knew was "Hey Baby". I was grabbed and held by the arm and it was a nightmare. We were trapped in a mass of people.' Lea Westkamp, 19, told a TV station: 'I was surrounded and helpless. I could do nothing. These men were all over me.' Advertisement
These are the first cases of forced sexual intercourse reported on the night where more than 1,200 sexual assaults were reported across Germany by marauding gangs of immigrant men
News of the abortion came on the same day that Germany revealed 2015 was a record year for immigration into the country.
A total of 2.1 million people migrated to Germany in 2015, an increase of 672,000 or 46 percent on the previous year. Although around a million were refugees, the others were from EU countries or other economically developed lands.
The largest group of migrants was arrivals from within the EU, with 45 percent coming from the other 27 member states.
Queensland's Police Minister has warned controversial One Nation leader Pauline Hanson could inflame tensions between Australia's Muslim and non-Muslim communities.
Bill Byrne has urged the Senator-elect to think about how her anti-Islamic policies and comments could affect inter-community relations and make the job of policing even harder, The Courier Mail reported.
He said law enforcement agencies rely heavily on relationships with the Muslim community in conducting counter-terrorism investigations, and that Ms Hanson may be jeopardising such relationships.
'Elected officials have a duty to promote the best interests of the electorate and the community that they serve,' Mr Byrne told the paper.
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Queensland's Police Minister Bill Byrne said Pauline Hanson's anti-Islamic policies and comments could affect inter-community relations and make the job of policing even harder
'Elected officials have a duty to promote the best interests of the electorate and the community that they serve,' Mr Byrne (pictured) told the Courier Mail
'Divisive rhetoric over people's origins and beliefs, and assumptions about their character or contribution to society, represents a failure to meet this duty.
'It can make people feel less safe, more alienated, and less inclined to support common institutions for the public good, including our police.'
Ms Hanson's One Nation party has been criticised for its its anti-Islam policies, including calls to ban halal certification and prohibiting Muslims from wearing the burqa in public.
Earlier this week she was accused of plagiarising a number of her party's policies from other anti-Islamic and far right political websites.
Ms Hanson's One Nation party has been criticised for its its anti-Islam policies, including calls to ban halal certification and prohibiting Muslims from wearing the burqa in public
An election sign is seen during One Nation's Pauline Hanson's election-night function in Ipswich, west of Brisbane
The One Nation website appeared to have taken large chunks of text from anti-Islam group RestoreAustralia.
For its multiculturalism policy, Ms Hanson's party seemed to have just swapped out the words 'RestoreAustralia' for 'One Nation' from the group's 'Section 9' on immigration, published in December.
Two huge paragraphs of her Halal certification policy is identical to a 2013 article published in the right-wing US magazine, Front Page Mag.
'In October 2010, news broke about how the Campbell's Soup Company received an Islamic (halal) certification for some of its product line,' both articles read.
The 28 formerly classified pages of the 9/11 report have been released, revealing a myriad of supposed links between the hijackers and Saudi officials.
The documents say two of the hijackers were 'in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government'.
It also states that the FBI and CIA were aware of possible links between terrorists Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi and two Saudi government officials, one of whom had connections to the Saudi ambassador to the U.S.
Both al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 - the plane that was crashed into the Pentagon.
The declassified pages also suggest that Osama bin Laden's half-brother, Abdullah, worked for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, and was in charge of an organization believed to support terror.
They also reveal that the FBI had evidence suggesting a 'close associate' of Abdullah was in contact with Mohamed Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi, who were on board the planes flown into the World Trade Center.
Despite the vast collection of evidence, the White House say the documents show no evidence of Saudi involvement in the attacks on September 11, 2001, in which 2,997 innocent people died.
Scroll down to read the 28 pages
The 28 formerly classified pages of the 9/11 report have been released, revealing a myriad of supposed links between the hijackers and Saudi officials. Above, the Twin Towers on the day of the 2001 attacks
The report lays bare the sheer number of links between the hijackers and prominent Saudis that were deemed worthy of further examination by the FBI and CIA.
The report states that Osama bin Laden's half-brother, Abdullah bin Laden, claimed that he worked as an administrative officer in the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC.
FBI files cited in the report say Mohammed Rafique Quadir Harunami - an associate of Abdullah - was in contact with 9/11 hijackers Mohamed Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi.
Atta was on board American Airlines Flight 11 when it crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, while al-Shehhi was on United Airlines Flight 175 when it hit the South Tower.
The FBI believed Abdullah had 'a number of connections to terrorist organizations', according to the report.
He was president and director of the World Arab Muslim Youth Association, which the FBI believed was 'closely associated with the funding and financing of international terrorist activities'.
According to a CIA paper in 1998, the group had links to Hamas, Algerian extremists and militants in the Philippines.
The previously secret pages include a finding that while in the U.S., some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government'.
The pages provide information from FBI sources that at least two of those individuals were alleged by some to be Saudi intelligence officers.
Although the report said the information had yet to be verified at the time, it was also in the possession of the intelligence community.
It also cited information that people associated with the Saudi Government in the U.S. may have other ties to Al Qaeda.
The documents also reveal that the FBI had evidence suggesting a 'close associate' of Osama bin Laden's half-brothers was in contact with hijackers Mohamed Atta (left) and Marwan al-Shehhi (right)
The documents state that in March 2002, U.S. security officers obtained the telephone book of Abu Zubaida - a key al-Qaeda operative.
Several of the numbers discovered linked back to the U.S., including the number for ASPCOL Corporation in Aspen, Colorado.
ASPCOL is the umbrella corporation that manages the affairs of the Colorado residence of Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the United States.
The report makes clear that a later investigation found that 'CIA traces have revealed no direct links between numbers found in Zubaida's phone book and numbers in the United States'.
The report also states that the FBI discovered that a man named Saleh al-Hussayen, who appeared to work for the Saudi Interior Ministry, stayed at the same hotel in Virginia as hijacker al-Hazmi.
When al-Hussayen was questioned by the FBI, he denied knowing the hijackers but agents believed he was 'being deceptive'.
He then 'either passed out or feigned a seizure requiring medical treatment', the report states, citing FBI intelligence.
After several days in hospital, he 'managed to depart the United States despite law enforcement efforts to locate and re-interview him'.
The documents state that the FBI and CIA were aware of possible links between Khalid al-Mihdhar (left) and Nawaf al-Hazmi (right) and two Saudi government officials
The FBI documents reviewed for the report also suggest that 'several Saudi naval officers were in contact with the September 11 hijackers, specifically al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi.
One officer, Lafi al-Harbi, phoned the pair nine times during a 17-day period in March 2000, the once-classified report says.
Among the most chilling pages in the documents one which relates to Osama Bassnan, who the documents identify as a financial supporter of two of the 9/11 hijackers in San Diego.
It states that he had made laudatory remarks about bin Laden and, according to an informant, spoke of him as if he were a God.
During the early 1990s Bassnan had heard that the US government had stopped foreign students from getting visas to America.
But this did not bother him as there were already enough Muslims in the United States to destroy the United States and make it an Islamic State within 10 to 15 years.
Attack: Both al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi hijacked Flight 77 - the plane that was crashed into the Pentagon
The FBI were also investigating a terrorist suspect with 'close ties' to a member of the Saudi royal family, the report states.
The suspect - whose name is redacted - was an employee of Saudi Arabian Airlines and came under investigation after his contact details were found in Zubaida's phone book, according to the newly declassified documents.
Another terrorist suspect who was interrogated at Guantanamo Bay told U.S. security officials that the suspect with supposed links to Saudi royals had a 'source of income through a Saudi prince' named Khalid al-Bandar.
The detainee at Guantanamo - who is not named in the report - said the other suspect did administrative jobs for the prince and his grandmother, and also traveled with him to Europe and the U.S., allowing him to avoid proper customs checks.
The FBI also feared that the man and others were 'using their status as Saudi Arabian Airlines employees as a cover to enable them to tansport weapons in and ut of the United States', the pages say.
The declassified documents also make clear that the in the years before 9/11 the Saudi government repeatedly blocked efforts by the American authorities to investigate bin Laden.
A veteran New York FBI agent is quoted as saying the Saudis had been useless and obstructionist for years - but there was nothing they could do about it.
According to a 1996 memo from the CIA unit set up to look into bin Laden, the Saudis refused to help because bin Laden had too much information about official Saudi dealings with Islamic extremists in the 1980s for Riyadh to deliver him to US hands.
The FBI highlighted the case of Madani Al-Tayyib who was bin Ladens financier and managed all of his expenses during the 1990s.
According to the documents, the Saudis continually refused requests from the US to interrogate him.
Incredibly, the Saudis said at one point he was just a poor man who who lost his leg. He doesnt know anything.
Despite the long list of connections, later investigations found no evidence that the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials knowingly supported those who orchestrated the attacks.
Terry Strada, National Chair of the 9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism, had campaigned for the 28 pages to be declassified.
Ms Strada, whose husband Tom died on 9/11, told Daily Mail Online: 'This is just the tip of the iceberg. It might answer 100 questions but it asks 1,000 more.
'I still don't know why they decided to declassify this in the first place, and there should be no redactions. 'We should be getting transparency on this.
'I would still like a full independent judicial committee to look into the links between the Saudi government and 9/11.
'We deserve to have it'.
Former President George W. Bush classified the chapter to protect intelligence sources and methods and perhaps to avoid upsetting Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally.
President Barack Obama ordered a declassification review of the chapter, which Congress released on Friday.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the report 'does not change the assessment of the U.S. government that theres no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded Al Qaeda'.
Former Democratic Senator Bob Graham of Florida, who co-authored the 2003 report and pushed for the release of the classified material, told 60 Minutes in April he believed Saudi Arabia was substantially behind the attack.
A 22-year-old murder suspect is at large after escaping from a courtroom during a hearing Friday morning in Broward County, Florida.
Authorities say murder suspect Dayonte Resiles jumped out of a jury box and ran from a courtroom around 9:30am, breaking free of his handcuffs and shackles and ditching his gray prison jumpsuit in a hallway.
Resiles was in jail awaiting trial for the September 2014 murder of Jill Halliburton Su, a 59-year-old married mother-of-two.
Dayonte Resiles, 22, remains at large after escaping from a Florida courtroom on Friday, ahead of his murder trial. Pictured on the left in his mugshot. On the right, the prison jumpsuit he left behind
Following Resiles escape, the courthouse was put on full lockdown while authorities searched the premises for the suspect.
The courthouse was later reopened but the search for Resiles continues, as police sweep the area on foot and by boat.
Resiles' lawyer Dohn Williams told CBS Miami that he was informed of his client's break-out by text message and first thought it was a joke.
He added that it was very out of character for Resiles, who has appeared optimistic about the trial.
Resiles reportedly jumped out of a jury box, broke free of his shackles and handcuffs and then stripped off his prison jumpsuit before fleeing the courthouse
The courthouse was evacuated and put on lockdown before eventually being reopened on Friday. The search continues for Resiles
'Very surprised. Ive been practicing in Fort Lauderdale for 43 years and Ive never had a client escape or attempt to escape in this matter,' Williams said.
Resiles was in court on Friday for a hearing about whether the death penalty would be applicable to his case.
He is described as being 5-foot 10-inches tall and weighing 175 pounds. he was last seen wearing a white shirt and black shorts.
Resiles was arrested after the September 8, 2014 murder of Su, who was found stripped to her underwear and stabbed to death at her home in Davie, Florida.
It's believed that Resiles broke in the house through a rear window to rob the home, but ran into Su and killed her in the process.
The home was reportedly covered in blood spots and an alarm was yanked out of the wall.
Investigators beleive Resiles tied Su up with a green belt bfore stabbing her to death in her own bedroom.
The home was left ransacked - jewelry boxes and dresser drawers torn through as the suspect looked for valuable.
Resiles had reportedly been accused of burglarizing other high-end homes before.
Resiles was survived by her husband and two children.
Above, the Su home in Davie, Florida where the victim was found dead in September 2014
Roman Fletcher Boychuk, 19, of Hall County, Georgia, had an inappropriate relationship with a child, authorities said
A teenage man remotely deleted evidence stored on his cellphone in a child sex case, authorities said.
Roman Fletcher Boychuk, 19, of Hall County, Georgia, had an inappropriate relationship with a child on April 24, authorities told the Gainesville Times.
He was arrested earlier this week and has now been charged with sexual exploitation of a child, tampering with evidence and electronic transmission of nude photographs.
Boychuk took photos and transmitted them using his cellphone, Hall County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Scott Ware said according to the Gainesville Times.
Authorities later seized the cellphone during a search at his home.
'While conducting an analysis on the cellular telephone, it was determined by investigators that Boychuk had remotely deleted evidence stored on the device,' Ware added.
Boychuk was booked Monday in the Hall County jail and currently remains held on a $17,100 bail, $8,450 of which account for the sexual exploitation charge.
The tampering with evidence charge added $5,700 to Boychuk's bail and the electronic transmission of nude photographs increased it by $2,950.
A 13-foot-long alligator who eats pizza and is nicknamed 'Gwendolyn' is too big to be a man's pet anymore, it emerged this week.
Now, David Van Buren, of Coconut Grove, Florida, is trying to hang on to his longtime companion of 47 years.
Van Buren was a nine-year-old boy when he got the alligator, and went to college with him, according to a report from WSVN.
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A 13-foot alligator nicknamed 'Gwendolyn' is too big to be a Florida man's pet anymore, it emerged this week. Owner David Van Buren is seen with the reptile
Van Buren must make alterations on his property in order to keep his pet. Gwendolyn is seen chomping down on a pizza slice
He discovered that the 'female' reptile was in fact male after 20 years together, the TV station said.
Gwendolyn appeared on camera being fed Chips Ahoy cookies and a slice of pizza, too.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Lorenzo Velo told WSVN: 'Unfortunately, Gwendolyn the alligator is not in the proper caging it is supposed to be.
'Mr. Van Buren has been advised about this right now, and at the moment, we are investigating the whole situation.'
Van Buren must make alterations on his property in order to keep his pet, officials told the station.
A homeless teenager found sleeping in a tent outside a Georgia college after biking six hours to get there is receiving an outpouring of help and support from across the country.
Police discovered Fred Barley, 19, sleeping in a tent in the bushes of Gordon State College campus in Barnesville last week.
At first, police told the teen to come out with his hands up.
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Fred Barley was sleeping homeless in a tent but was determined to register for his college classes
Barley (center), here with his longtime girlfriend Shaina, has become almost part of the family of Casey Blaney (right)
But instead of kicking him off the grounds, the cops sat down and listened to his story. It turns out Barley is homeless and he rode his little brother's bicycle more than 50 miles in the blistering heat from Conyers to the campus to register for classes for his second semester at Gordon.
Then he decided to stay there until the dorms opened. However, they don't open until July 18.
Barley had a bowl of cereal and two jugs of water to last him until he could find a job.
Impressed and touched, the two officers put him up in a motel room for two nights.
That's where this incredible story of support started.
Barley now has a job as a dishwasher at DBs Pizzeria in Barnesville, where owner Debbie Adamson (right) offered him a job. He said though he has been offered higher paying jobs since then, he is loyal to 'Miss Debbie'
One of the officer's wives posted the teen's story on a community Facebook page and those moved by his determination began stepping up to help, according to WSB-TV.
Casey Blaney, one of the women who first heard about Barley's story, couldn't get him out of her mind.
She and her son, Cole, went to go find the teen at the motel when she knew his two days were up.
Asking what she could do for him, he said the only thing he wanted was a job.
Blaney and her son hit the stores, and found a job for him as a dishwasher at DBs Pizzeria, owned by Debbie Adamson.
Fred Barley made a video thanking everyone who has supported him and posted it to his Success for Fred page
Someone touched by Barley's story of his determination to succeed sent him a new man's mountain bike and running shoes - a far cry from the little boy's bike he rode 50 miles to register for classes
'I created a position for him before he walked in the door,' the big-hearted woman told the outlet. 'I didn't know his name. I didn't know the color of his skin. I didn't care. I've been there so I guess I have a soft spot for anyone that is that determined to succeed in life.'
Blaney said she 'cried and cried' when Barley asked if he could spend more time with her and her family as he felt a connection with them.
'How could this happen to this kid?!' she asked.
Blaney then set up a GoFundMe page for him, which brought in donations of clothes, shoes, furnishings, and even a new mountain bike, and over $53,000 in funds in two days.
Blaney recently posted a video on Barley's brand new 'Success for Fred' Facebook page in which she said she would be taking Barley to a bank to talk about opening a trust for him.
Blaney and her family leave for Hawaii soon as that is where her military husband is stationed, but the community has taken over the role of becoming Barley's family.
'Some of the gifts aren't as important as the friends I've made,' the inspiring teen told WSB. 'More important than everything - the clothes, the shoes - the relationships mean so much more to me.'
Micahel Meakin (pictured) has been accused of killing Nicholas McEvoy, 30, on February 20 2014 after a drinking session at a pub in Sydney's west
Michael Meakin, accused of running over and killing Nicholas McEvoy, 30, with his van, drank 21 full strength schooners of beer on February 20 2014 at a pub in Sydney's west, a court has heard.
Confronting CCTV footage shows Mr Meakin drinking schooner after schooner during a drinking session at the Plumpton Hotel in Glendenning before the incident.
Mr McEvoy had made the decision to drop by the pub and had stopped at Mr Meakin's pool table to cheer on his opponent.
It is alleged that Mr Meakin found the 30-year-old 'loud and annoying' and when security decided to throw Mr McEvoy out, he followed him to the car park, reported 9News.
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CCTV footage from the parking lot shows Mr Meakin approaching the 30-year-old and throwing a punch and missing, before Mr McEvoy is seen walking away.
A short time later the accused is seen jumping into the driver's seat of his van with an estimated blood alcohol reading of up to 0.33 - about 16 times higher than the legal limit.
Confronting CCTV footage shows Mr Meakin (pictured) drinking schooner after schooner during a drinking session at the Plumpton Hotel in Glendenning before the incident
It is reported that once in his van he ploughed the vehicle into Mr McEvoy, before mounting a curb on Richmond Road.
The 30-year-old died almost immediately and was found by a passing driver.
On Monday a court heard that Mr Meakin had hit Mr McEvoy by accident while on a drunken trip to McDonald's.
Mr Meakin's defence barrister, Grant Brady SC, told the trial Mr McEvoy's death was simply a tragic accident.
It is alleged that Mr Meakin found the 30-year-old 'loud and annoying' and when security decided to throw Mr McEvoy out, he followed him to the car park.
Although Mr Meakin does not deny hitting Mr McEvoy with his van, Mr Brady said he did so during a 'drunken Macca's run' and did not find out it was the 30-year-old until he turned himself into police.
While the Crown alleges Mr McEvoy was on the grass verge of Richmond Road at the time he was hit, jurors heard evidence that Mr McEvoy had stepped or stumbled onto the roadway straight into the path of Mr Meakin's van.
Mr Meakin has pleaded not guilty to the murder and the trial is set to continue before Justice David Davies next week.
CCTV footage from the parking lot shows Mr Meakin approaching the 30-year-old and throwing a punch and missing (pictured), before Mr McEvoy is seen walking away
A couple whose debt management firm crashed with 7m in debts itself shamelessly paraded their luxury lifestyle of holidays and celebrity meetings funded from client accounts.
Manchester pair Adrian Whitehurst, 54, and his 53-year old wife, Christine, were nicknamed the 'vampires of debt' after enjoying the trappings of wealth on the back of hard up people needing help with paying off credit card debts and overdrafts.
Pictures on social media showed the Whitehursts watching lions, zebras and giraffes on a safari in Kenya, posing with TV star Simon Cowell on the set of Britain's Got Talent and enjoying lunches at a luxury resort in Spain.
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Adrian Whitehurst, 54, and his 53-year old wife Christine were known as the 'vampires of debt'
Details of their extraordinary lifestyle have emerged as part of an insolvency process which today resulted in them being banned from being company directors for a total of 24 years.
Mr Whitehurst is seen on the terrace at a top boutique hotel in Manchester and enjoying a corporate day at Manchester City's Etihad stadium.
One picture posted by Mrs Whitehurst of a mobile phone showing 30 degree centigrade temperature at a beach hotel in La Cala de Mijas was accompanied by the bragging caption: 'Hot hot hot.'
Another apparently taken during a weekend trip to Cannes shows an empty bottle of Chateau Minuty rose wine with the message: 'The girlies favourite wine all weekend, definitely one to look out for.'
Mrs Whitehurst posed with TV star Simon Cowell on the set of Britain's Got Talent
The pictures were taken in the months before the couple's firm First Step Finance Ltd crashed into administration on May 28, 2014.
Experts discovered the firm had debts of up to 7,354,030 and assets of just 236,332 after the couple, who have three grown up children, illicitly used client accounts to fund their lifestyle.
None of the outstanding money has been recovered.
Mr and Mrs Whitehurst, who live in a 527,000 detached house in Stockport, Greater Manchester, were today criticised as they were banned from being company directors for a total of 24 years.
Mr and Mrs Whitehurst posted pics of company-funded adventures on social media, noting during one holiday: 'hot hot hot'.
The holidays to the French Riviera and Spain included plenty of sunshine and drinks so their friends on social media knew they were not getting dehydrated from the hot weather
Robert Clarke, Investigations Group Leader at The Insolvency Service said: 'Customers who are forced to use debt management companies are particularly vulnerable individuals which is why the sector is subject to stringent regulation.
'The actions of Mr and Mrs Whitehurst in deliberately misrepresenting the basis on which funds were held and then taking these monies to fund their lavish lifestyle are reprehensible and therefore disqualifications towards the top period allowed by law are entirely appropriate.
'The Insolvency Service will work with partner agencies to pursue such individuals to the full extent of the law.'
Mr Whitehurst is seen enjoying a corporate day at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium
The company was formed in 2007 with Mr Whitehurst being a director until 2009 before his wife succeeded him until she resigned in October 2013.
The firm was supposed to be helping people in debt by agreeing to take regular monthly installments from them and build a lump sum which would be used to negotiate settlements with creditors.
The Insolvency Service said the firms' 3,500 clients should have been protected if the company failed but the Whitehursts drew 'significant sums' from the client accounts and treated the clients' money as their own.
Funds taken from client accounts were also loaned to companies owned and controlled by other family members and was also used to buy shares in different firms which were later dissolved.
The Whitehursts also enjoyed holidays in Kenya, including an African safari where they saw a giraffe
A lion was also seen on the safari while they bunked down in plush hotels during their holidays
Experts discovered the firm had debts of up to 7,354,030 and assets of just 236,332 after the couple, who have three grown up children, illicitly used client accounts to fund their lifestyle
The Insolvency service said: 'Client money must always be kept in a client account not usable by the debt management company for the purposes of its own business, and must always be available immediately for the benefit of the client.
'First Step had clients and handled client money but did not operate a client account.
'Client money was paid into First Step's current account and First Step therefore did not keep client money ring-fenced, and utilised it for non-client matters making it unavailable for the benefit of the clients, causing a shortfall on the client ledger owing to First Step's clients.'
Mr Whitehurst was banned from being a company director for ten years. He is currently disqualified for five years in respect of his conduct in another company.
He admitted causing his firm to breach Debt Management Guidance issued by the Office of Fair Trading in relation to client accounts by utilising the money for the benefit of himself and Mrs Whitehurst.
His wife was banned from being a company director for 14 years. The firm's former finance manager Darren Newton, 45, who took over as director of the firm from Mrs Whitehurst was banned for three and a half years.
Company records have revealed Salim Mehajer's estranged wife Aysha has control over key parts of his business empire, while a court order prevents him from contacting or approaching her.
On Wednesday the Downing Centre Local Court extended an urgent 28-day Apprehended Violence Order from police against Mr Mehajer on behalf of his wife, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.
Mr Mehajer, 30, is prevented from approaching or contacting his 30-year-old wife, who reverted to using her maiden name Aysha Amelia Learmonth, and also from going within 50 metres of her work or home.
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Company records have revealed Salim Mehajer's (pictured) estranged wife Aysha has control over key parts of his business empire, while a court order prevents him from contacting or approaching her
Aysha Mehajer (left) is pictured with her look-a-like sister-in-law Khadijeh 'Kat' Mehajer. They share directorship of a number of Mehajer companies
Also sharing directorship is Mr Mehajer's sister Aiisha (pictured competing in a beauty pageant last week)
The conditions on the AVO could restrict Mr Mehajer from running his million dollar business empire, which is currently tied up in legal disputes.
Mrs Mehajer is the director of multiple Mehajer companies including Skypoint Towers Holdings, SM Engineering and Construction Services, Mehajer Consolidated Limited and Frances St Dual Property Pty Limited.
In some cases she shares directorship with Mr Mehajer's sisters Khadijeh and Aiisha.
The controversial former councillor was slapped with an AVO following a confrontation at her sister's Wollongong home.
Neither Mr Mehajer nor his wife were present for the proceedings in court on Wednesday.
The order, in place until 17 August, means the couple will not be together on their first anniversary (15 August), the date of their so-called 'wedding of the century' at Lidcombe, in Sydney's west, almost a year ago.
The pair are together 'until death do us apart', according to Salim Mehajer. But Mrs Mehajer no longer lives at their Lidcombe mansion and is believed to be residing with her sister in Wollongong. He has been banned from being within 50 metres of his wife for at least the next weeks
The lavish wedding in August last year caused chaos in parts of western Sydney when streets were closed at Lidcombe without permission for the then Auburn deputy mayor's nuptials to bride Aysha
The lavish million-dollar event, including a fleet of supercars, limousines, motorbikes, helicopters, and even a jet flyover, caused chaos when a street was closed off without council permission.
Police applied for the AVO following allegations of a dispute at the Wollongong home of Mrs Mehajer's sister.
On Tuesday, the suspended deputy Auburn mayor confirmed his wife was no longer living in their Lidcombe mansion but claimed they see each other 'every day', according to a report in The Daily Telegraph.
Police filed the AVO application against Mr Mehajer on behalf of his wife after she told police he kept 'popping up wherever she is' and feared he could become violent, a police source said.
The couple pictured on their wedding day: Police filed an Apprehended Violence Order application against Mr Mehajer (left) on behalf of Aysha (right)
The property developer's lawyer, Matt Ward, told the court that his client did not oppose three points in the AVO, including that 'the defendant must not assault, molest, harass, or threaten' his wife.
He has also been ordered not to intimidate or stalk her.
However, Mr Mehajer will challenge the following:
'The defendant must not go within 50 metres of the premises at which his wife resides or works' and that Mr Mehajer 'must not approach or contact his wife' except through the defendant's legal representative.
But he won't have any opportunity to change that ruling until the middle of next month, at the earliest.
Deputy Chief Magistrate O'Brien heard that she had not yet provided a statement about the incident to police and was given until 27 July to do so.
Mr Mehajer is required to provide his own version of events by 10 August.
'Aysha has not taken out an AVO against me the police are pursuing an AVO,' he told media on Tuesday.
Mr Ward was outlining his proposal to the court when Magistrate O'Brien intervened.
'Your client (Mr Mehajer) is not here, we can't proceed, it won't come back until the expiration of the provisional order,' he said.
Police also confirmed in court they will be proceeding with the matter.
The provisional orders preventing any sort of contact will remain in place until 17 August when the matter returns to court.
It means if the ex-Auburn Council deputy mayor tries to wish his wife a happy first wedding anniversary, he will be in breach of court orders.
A prayer service was also held for fallen Dallas police officer Patrick Zamarripa in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday
Three other funerals for the fallen officers were held earlier this week
Another funeral will be held next week for Krol in Michigan, where he will be laid to rest
his dream of becoming a police officer
Originally from Michigan, Krol moved to Texas in 2007 to
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A large U.S. flag hung from the ladders of two fire trucks as hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of Michael Krol, a Michigan native who moved to Dallas to become a police officer.
Law enforcement personnel from across the country attended the service Friday at Prestonwood Baptist Church in the Dallas suburb of Plano to honor the 40-year-old Krol.
He was one of the five officers killed last week by a lone gunman during a march to protest recent fatal shootings of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana by police.
Hundreds gathered on Friday for the funeral of Dallas police officer Michael Kroll, one of the five cops killed in last week's attack on a Black Lives Matter protest
Krol, 40 (right), was a Michigan native who moved to the Dallas suburb of Plano, Texas. On the left, firefighters hang an American flag from two ladders during the Friday funeral
Krol's mother said in a statement that he was a caring person who wanted to help others.
'He knew the danger of the job but he never shied away from his duty,' mom Susan Ehlke said.
Krol moved to the Dallas area in 2007, after failing to find work as a police officer in Detroit.
He graduated the following year from the police academy and had been serving the city ever since - fulfilling his dream of a career in law enforcement.
Krol was unmarried but he leaves behind a girlfriend in Dallas.
Dallas Police pallbearers carry the remains of Officer Michael Krol during an Honor Guard Ceremony following the funeral services in Plano, Texas on July 15, 2016
Krol's mother said in a statement that he was a caring person who wanted to help others. Above, two police officers begin to fold an American flag that was draped over Krol's casket during the service
Krol had worked in the Dallas police force for nine years before he was shot. Above, police officers continue to fold an American flag that was draped over Krol's casket on Friday
Krol was not married but he leaves behind a girlfriend that he met in Dallas. He brought her home to meet his family last fall - the last time his family saw him
Law enforcement officers line up to pay their respects to fallen Dallas police officer Patrick Zamarripa during a public prayer service in Fort Worth, Texas on the same day as Krol's funeral
A Dallas police officer salutes fallen Dallas police officer Zamarripa, who was also killed in the shooting that killed Krol
Last fall, Krol brought his girlfriend home to Michigan to meet his family - the last time that his family had seen him in person.
Friday's 11am funeral was closed off to members of the media, but after the private service a public Honor Guard was held for the fallen officer.
Police officers from as far away as New Jersey flew out for the funeral to show their solidarity.
'It doesnt matter where it is. You know, when tragedy happens we are just one big family. You might not know then, so to say, but we are compelled as a family to keep together,' Sean McGraw, a police officer with the Highland Park Police Department in New Jersey, told CBS Dallas Fort Worth.
Another funeral will be held for Krol next week in Michigan, where he will be laid to rest.
Funerals for three of the officers were held earlier this week. A funeral for Patrick Zamarripa is scheduled for Saturday.
Law enforcement officers stand in front of the casket of fallen Dallas police Zamarripa. Hundreds turned out to pay their respects
Dallas police officers bow their heads during a public pray service for fallen Dallas police officer Patrick Zamarripa
Another funeral will be held next week for Krol in his native Michigan, where he will be laid to rest
Police officers from across the country flew out to take part in the funeral on Friday. Above, a Dallas Police officer wipes away tears during the Honor Guard
The 11am funeral was closed to media, but Krol's casket was brought out for an Honor Guard ceremony after the private service
Krol moved to Plano to attend the Dallas Police Academy in 2007, and graduated the following year
'He was a guy that was serving others,' Brian Schoenbaechler, Krols brother-in-law, said. 'And he gave his life in service of others.'
Krol's mother says her son knew the dangers of the job of being a police officer, but was unafraid
Fear the show will stigmatize veterans and is out of touch with reality
Groups take issue with the way they disparage inmates and evoke combat
Season four of Netflix drama features former soldiers hired as guards
Several veterans' groups are disturbed by the way former soldiers hired as prison guards are portrayed in the new season of Netflix's show Orange is the New Black.
The veterans' groups take issue with the way the new guards disparage the inmates throughout season four of the drama, set in a women's prison.
They have also criticized the way these characters talk about their combat experiences.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) called the show 'offensive'. Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans Of America (IAVA) said it will further stigmatize veterans, and Disabled American Veterans (DAV) said the show is out of the touch with the reality of the veteran experience.
Netflix didn't respond to multiple messages left Thursday and Friday seeking comment.
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Season four of Orange Is The New Black features a group of veterans hired as prison guards (pictured). Several veterans groups have spoken out about the way they are portrayed
Air Force veteran Tahlia Burton (left), 27, called the show's portrayal of veterans 'appalling' in an opinion piece. Veterans of Foreign Wars national commander John A Biedrzycki Jr (right) said the show's writers and producers chose to offend all veterans because they needed new villains
In one scene in the finale, a guard tells another guard about innocent people he killed in Afghanistan.
After spending so much time chasing bad guys, he said, 'you get so mad, tired and bored' that you 'just grab a farm kid' and make him juggle live grenades until one blows up.
That's egregious, and just one way veterans are misrepresented, national spokesman for DAV and an Iraq War veteran Dan Clare said.
The danger, Clare said, is that Orange is the New Black is a popular show airing at a time when many service members are returning home and looking for jobs.
If the public has a negative perception of veterans, that will affect how they're able to transition back into civilian life, he said.
VFW national commander John A Biedrzycki Jr said the show's writers and producers chose to offend all veterans because they needed new villains.
He spoke out Thursday, after a 27-year-old Air Force veteran, Tahlia Burton, wrote an opinion piece about the show for a military news and culture website, Task & Purpose.
Burton describes herself as a 'huge fan' of the show. She binge-watched the fourth season, released in June, and was appalled because veterans are shown as 'bloodthirsty, heartless killers and sexists'.
She said she's not saying veterans deserve 'hero status,' but 'don't portray us as a group of monsters'.
'Orange is the New Black had the opportunity to portray veterans in a way that shed light on an identity that's widely misunderstood,' she wrote.
'But instead, the show fed into the very worst stereotypes that we've been working so hard to overcome.'
At IAVA, policy officer Jonathan Schleifer said the show's producers are unfortunately telling stories that will further stigmatize a community even though it has been through so much.
Biedrzycki said the 'deranged veteran story line' must change and he asked for an apology.
Burton, of New York City, said on Friday that she's torn about whether to watch future seasons, but likely will, in the hopes that the audience will be given a chance to empathize with the veterans, much like they have with nearly every other character in the show.
Poland's right wing interior minister Mariusz Blaszczak has blamed last night's terror attack in Nice on 'multiculturalism' after it emerged the killer was a French Tunisian living in the city.
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, killed 84 people as he drove his large lorry along the main promenade in Nice indiscriminately knocking down pedestrians who had just finished watching the city's Bastille Day fireworks.
Unlike other international politicians, Blaszczak blamed France and the European Union's Foreign affairs commissioner Federica Mogherini for last night's deadly attack.
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Poland's Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak blamed last night's NIce attack on 'multiculturalism'
Blaszczak blasted the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Europe's multicultural policies
He said: 'We must reject political correctness and call things by their true names. Rather than shedding tears like Mogherini and ... organising marches that solve nothing, authorities should ensure the safety of citizens.'
In an interview on Polsat News, he said the attack in Nice is the consequence of many years of 'multi-cultural policies and political correctness. This is how it ends.'
He added: 'We don't have such problems. We don't have districts where law other than Polish law reigns. We don't have no-go zones for police.'
He also praised his party, Law and Justice, for standing firm against accepting migrants.
Blaszczak is seeking to introduce tough new surveillance laws to deal with terrorism.
Warsaw wants the ability to keep those suspected of terrorism links under close surveillance.
The law also allows for monitoring of suspects' phone calls, mail and internet activity, especially in the case of foreigners.
It allows authorities to remove suspicious content from the internet, ban public gatherings and use sharpshooters in emergencies.
Said she posted the photo by accident as she is new to Snapchat
She has been fired from a radio show job and banned from LA Fitness
Playboy model Dani Mathers has received massive backlash for posting a photo of a naked woman in the shower of a gym to Snapchat and could now face criminal charges for the act.
Officials at LA Fitness went to police after seeing Mathers's snap, saying she 'egregiously violating a member's right of privacy by taking a pic of her while naked in the shower', TMZ reported.
The law used against Mathers regards prohibiting the dissemination of private images, which the model could be in violation of for sharing the image with a humiliating caption.
The woman - who has not come forward - has been listed as 'Jane Doe' in the criminal report.
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A somber-looking Dani Mathers was pictured for the first time on Friday since posting the photo to Snapchat when she was seen exiting a Public Storage facility with her boyfriend John Connor
Mathers could face up to six months in prison if the woman comes forward but could be off the hook if she doesn't.
The 29-year-old was pictured for the first time looking glum on Friday while leaving a Public Storage facility with her boyfriend, John Connor.
Mathers, who has came under fire for posting the photo, has reportedly also lost a radio show job and has been banned from all LA Fitness clubs.
On Friday, she was suspended indefinitely from a longtime regular radio show gig on The Heidi and Frank Show on Los Angeles's 95.5 KLOS, TMZ reported.
Meanwhile, an LA Fitness spokesman told TMZ that Mathers, who was confirmed as a member of the gym, 'is not permitted back at any club, ever.'
Mathers and her boyfriend were seen leaving the facility in Culver City, California on Friday
On Friday, Mathers reportedly sent an email to her fellow Playboy Playmates apologizing for her 'thoughtless and mean-spirited' Snapchat post
In the email to Playmates, she reportedly calls her actions a mistake, apologized for the 'negativity and hate that this has brought forward,' and said there is no excuse for her behavior
Following the incident, the gym notified police after verifying Mathers took the photo.
'Her behavior is appalling and puts every members privacy at risk,' an LA Fitness spokesman told TMZ.
'We have handled this internally and also notified the police.'
The model sparked a huge backlash on social media after posting the photo on Snapchat.
Mathers shared the image of the unsuspecting woman on her Story along with a photo of her face with her hand over her mouth with the caption: 'If I can't unsee this then you can't either!'
Mathers and her boyfriend walk to their car after leaving the storage facility on Friday
The glum-looking model sparked a huge backlash on social media after fat shaming a naked woman in the gym by posting a photo of her on Snapchat
As she left it appeared she cracked a slight smile while out with her boyfriend on Friday
An LA Fitness spokesman told TMZ that Mathers, who was confirmed as a member of the gym, 'is not permitted back at any club, ever'
However, Mathers, who was crowned Playmate Of The Year 2015, quickly deleted the image and apologized for her actions after sparking a huge backlash.
On Friday, she also sent an email to her fellow Playboy Playmates apologizing for her 'thoughtless and mean-spirited' Snapchat post, according to TMZ.
In the email, she reportedly called her actions a mistake, apologized for the 'negativity and hate that this has brought forward,' stated there is no excuse for her behavior and that she is laying low.
TMZ suggests she sent the apology email to her fellow Playmates because Mathers is worried that Playboy might take away her title.
Mathers, 29, from Los Angeles, shared the image of the unsuspecting woman on her Story along with a photo of her face with her hand over her mouth with the caption: 'If I can't unsee this then you can't either!'
She has reportedly been suspended indefinitely from a regular radio show gig on The Heidi and Frank Show (pictured center with the hosts) on Los Angeles's 95.5 KLOS and banned from all LA Fitness facilities
After posting the photo, one Twitter user slammed her actions. Hollie Taylor wrote: '@DaniMathers it's people like you that make others feel uneasy about changing openly in locker rooms. appalling.'
While Priscilla Sanchez added: '@DaniMathers that poor woman's naked body is now circulating the internet when she never intended it to. It's really heartbreaking.'
The Random Man tweeted: 'You owe that girl an apology!'
Bonnie Reynolds wrote: 'Stop. You aren't sorry you did it, you're sorry you got caught and are getting blasted.'
Holly Taylor added: 'Im grossed out you would post a photo of a naked woman's body in a locker room saying "you can't unsee this" wow.'
Police Sausager said: 'This woman was at a m***********g GYM, the hell you looking at her body like it's deplorable?'
Caya Hefner, Dani Mathers, Crystal Hefner, Carly Lauren, Amanda Vanderpool with Joanna Krupa and Marta Krupa in 2014
Mathers, who was crowned Playmate Of The Year 2015, quickly deleted the image and apologised for her actions after sparking a huge backlash
Mathers, who has 553,000 followers on Instagram, more than one million on Facebook and 75,100 on Twitter, was believed to have posted the picture after a workout session in LA Fitness Universal City.
She shared the following message in a video on her Snapchat Story after coming under fire: 'I just want to acknowledge a photo that I accidentally posted.
'It was absolutely wrong and not what I meant to do.
'I chose to do what I do for a living because I love the female body and I know body shaming is wrong, that's not what I'm about and this is not the type of person I am.
'The photo was taken as part of a personal conversation with a girlfriend and because I am new to Snapchat I didn't realise I had posted it, and that was a huge mistake.
'I know I have upset a lot of people out there but please believe me this is not the type of person that I am. I have never done this before and I will never do this again, you have my word.'
The model deleted the image and took to Snapchat once more to state how sorry she is about her mistake
Mathers took to Twitter to apologise, writing in separate tweets
She also posted an apology message on Facebook - which has now been deleted - including a plea for forgiveness.
'Women make my world go round, I have nothing short of respect for women, I surround myself with women and work hard at empowering our community... and I completely understand how terrible this was and is.
'Please please know how upset I am with myself for this and take my word that it won't happen again.
'I love and appreciate every one of you and know that everyone is beautiful in their own way, that's what makes us all so special.
'I can't undo this mistake, although I would give anything to, but I ask your forgiveness.
'This has truly made me realize that some of the things that we do or say can seem silly in the moment or in (in this case,what was meant to be) a private conversation, aren't necessary.
'All I've done here is spread negativity and hatred when that isn't who I am or what I've ever been about.'
Alana Campos, Michelle McLaughlin, Raquel Pomplun, Ashley Doris, Dani Mathers and Hiromi Oshim in 2015
Mathers took to Twitter to apologise, writing in separate tweets
And Mathers took to Twitter to apologize, writing in separate tweets: 'I want to acknowledge my post from snapchat earlier. There is no excuse...I understand fully the magnitude of this post and that I have hurt...
'A lot of people, women. Body shaming is not okay, and is nothing to joke about... This was meant to be a part of a private conversation that...
'Never should have happened. There are no words to describe how deeply sorry I am for hurting and offending you all. Women make my world go...
'Around, I respect women, I surround myself with women and I completely understand the magnitude of this post. Please please please know...
'How upset I am with myself and take my word that this won't happen again. I love and appreciate every one of you and know that everyone...
I'm sorry for what I did... I need to take some time to myself now to reflect on why I did this horrible thing. Goodnight
'Is beautiful in their own way... That's what makes us all so special... I can't undo this mistake, but I ask your forgiveness...
'This mistake has truly made me realize that something that can seem silly in a private conversation isn't unnecessary. All I've done here is...
'Spread negativity and hate when that isn't who I am. I chose to model because I appreciate women and their bodies, so me of all people...
'Should never make light of another woman's naked body.'
She ended her apology with: 'I'm sorry for what I did... I need to take some time to myself now to reflect on why I did this horrible thing. Goodnight.'
Others on Twitter were sympathetic and defended Mathers's actions.
Gary G wrote: 'Dani...its ok...'
Sabrina Lynn added: 'You guys act like you've never once made a mistake. @DaniMathers Your character shines way brighter than this one mistake, shake it off.'
Erick Cruz added: 'If you kept it private you'd never admit to what you did and no apology would exist.'
LA-based producer and editor Brianna Gardner, who saw the post on her friend's Snapchat, told MailOnline: 'It's bad enough that women have to deal with rape culture on a daily basis.
Others on Twitter were sympathetic and defended Mather's actions
'But to be violated on such a humiliating and visceral level, by one of our own - is so incredibly disappointing. This is just about the cruelest, meanest thing a woman could do to another woman.
'The victim is at the gym, trying to better herself, in a place that should be a safe place, and this Playmate with tremendous social influence and privilege took it upon herself to shame her in the grossest and most violating of ways.'
She added: 'I was bullied for a greater part of my childhood so when I see an adult acting in such a deplorable way I do my best to stand up for their victims. I'm in a group of over 4,000 women in LA that build each other up, and fight against all the sexist behavior we come across, usually from men. How sad that we not have to defend ourselves against women too.'
Mathers rose to Playboy fame after being named Playboy's Miss January 2013. She has since taken part in various photo shoots and advertising campaigns.
Since 2005, she has appeared in US soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.
Speaking previously about her upbringing, Mathers said: 'I'm from a big Jewish-Italian family. I was brought up playing in the mud, cheer leading and playing volleyball.'
Three women and a child are dead after a car veered off a highway and into a pond on Florida's Interstate 95, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The passengers and driver haven't been identified, although FHP said the driver was a 27-year-old woman from Urbana, Illinois.
One passenger is said to be a 67-year-old woman.
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Three women and a child are dead after a car veered off a highway and into a pond on Florida's Interstate 95
Florida Highway Patrol Sergeant Kim Montes told DailyMail.com the child is believed to be between the ages of three and five and was properly secured in his safety seat
The accident happened on the Brevard and Volusia County line on Friday morning around 8.30am. Everyone in the car was buckled up
Another adult female and male child were also killed in the car crash, according to Florida Today.
Florida Highway Patrol Sergeant Kim Montes told DailyMail.com the child is believed to be between the ages of three and five and was properly secured in his safety seat.
'The child is obviously young because the child is in a car seat,' Montes said.
The accident happened on the Brevard and Volusia County line on Friday morning around 8.30am.
The 27-year-old woman was driving a dark four-door 2016 Nissan, witnesses told the WFTV.
Everyone in the car is believed to be from out of state, according Montes. A cooler and suitcases were found inside the car.
Everyone in the car is believed to be from out of state, according Florida Highway Patrol Sergeant Kim Montes. A cooler and suitcases were found inside the car
One passenger is said to be a 67-year-old woman. Montes said the third passenger did not have an ID and could be a young adult, teen or child
She said Illinois State Police have been sent to the home on the ID of the 27-year-old woman, but they have not had a response from the next of kin yet.
Montes told DailyMail.com a witness behind the car watched as the 27-year-old driver appeared to calmly veer off the highway, on to the shoulder and then on to a dirt service road.
'They said it looked like she was pulling over on to the shoulder, maybe,' Montes said.
She said the driver continued into an area thick with brush and trees where it flipped over. The accident was not visible from the road after the car flipped.
'Without a witness behind them to call 911, it's unclear how long they would have been out there,' Montes said.
Montes said the third passenger did not have an ID and could be a young adult, teen or child.
Until the medical examiner does an autopsy and the next of kin is contacted, Montes said they can't rule out if a medical condition played a role in the accident.
She said the driver continued into an area thick with brush and trees where it flipped over. The accident was not visible from the road after the car flipped
Until the medical examiner does an autopsy and the next of kin is contacted, Montes said they can't rule out if a medical condition played a role in the accident
'There's no indication of impairment because of what time the accident happened.
'We don't believe speed was a factor. The witnesses said they were doing the speed limit, which is 70 mph.
'They were all properly buckled, too,' she said.
All four passengers were dead at the scene.
This is the surprising moment a cavorting couple are caught in the act after a driver swerves off the road to avoid an accident and exposes them with his car beam.
Dennis Tikhonov is traveling down a narrow road on the outskirts of Chelyabinsk when another motorist speeds towards him head-on.
As seen on his car's dashcam, he has to career off the road at the last minute to avoid a nasty crash.
Watch out! A driver is forced to swerve off the road in Russia after another vehicle speeds towards him
But astonishingly, he illuminates a couple who had snuck off for some sex in the bushes.
The Russian driver cannot think what to say, but his dog manages a few yelps as the duo scamper off into the night.
Mr Tikhonov was in fact more concerned about the driver that had nearly ploughed into him, reports Metro.
This was a scene Dennis Tikhonov did not expect to see after his near-miss in the outskirts of Chelyabinsk
Astonishingly after driving off the road he illuminates a couple who had snuck off for some sex in the bushes
He said: 'I reckon the other guy must have been drunk because he was coming straight for me and the only way to avoid him was to swerve to the right.
'But I'd only just got over the shock of the near miss when I realised that I'd captured a couple having sex and put them in the full glare of my headlights.
Three quarters of a million new school places are needed in England in the next ten years amid a baby boom fuelled by migration.
An official forecast from the Department for Education said a bulge in pupil numbers will continue for the next decade, with 750,000 new places needed by 2025.
By then, schools will have faced 16 consecutive years of rising pupil numbers with many having to expand buildings or squeeze more children into classrooms.
An official forecast from the Department for Education said a bulge in pupil numbers will continue for the next decade, with 750,000 new places needed by 2025 (file photo)
Between 2009 and 2016, the school system already expanded to take in an extra 470,000 pupils.
And from 2016 to 2025, the projection says there will be another 10 per cent of pupils in the state school system, up from about 7.4 million to about 8.1 million.
The increase has been driven by a rising birth rate - and the analysis says this reflects an increasing number of non-UK born mothers, who tend to have bigger families.
The forecast says 'direct immigration of pupils' has had only a very small effect.
Head teachers' leaders have warned that the rising pupil numbers will make it even harder for parents to get their preferred choice of school.
However, the Department for Education says it has committed 7bn to extra places.
The official forecast is used by the government to plan for future numbers of school places, classrooms, buildings and teaching staff.
The projection shows that the population bulge is moving through the secondary years - but that the increase in primary numbers is slowing.
The primary population is now 4.5 million - and the forecast predicts this will rise to 4.68 million in four years' time when it will stabilise.
The annual school census, published last month, showed the pressure on places had increased the average size of a primary school by 30 pupils, equivalent to an extra class.
Between 2009 and 2016, the English school system already expanded to take in an extra 470,000 pupils (file photo)
But the next big increase will be in secondary schools, currently with 2.76 million pupils and forecast to rise to 3.04 million in 2020 and then 3.33 million in 2025.
It means that within the next decade secondary schools will have to create an extra 570,000 places - and these figures do not include post-16 education or sixth forms.
In some areas this year, a third of parents missed out on their first choice primary while 10 per cent did not get any of their choices.
However, overall, 96 per cent received an offer at one of their top three preferred primary schools, while 95 per cent received an offer at one of their top three preferred secondaries.
Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: 'If the government does not get on top of this, the children's education will be badly affected.
'We have already seen primary school children crammed into 'titan' schools, larger classes, and more temporary classrooms.
'But parents now face being less likely to get the secondary school they want, the classes will be larger and, since workload is the main reason for teachers leaving, teacher shortages are likely to become more acute.'
From 2016 to 2025, the projection says there will be another 10 per cent of pupils in the state school system (file photo)
Russell Hobby, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, told the BBC: 'We are looking at over 750,000 more young people in school education by 2025.
'The government's only clear plan for increasing capacity is to open 500 free schools. Whilst good, new free schools are fine, they are not sufficient.'
A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'Delivering good quality school places is a top priority for this government and the latest figures show that the system continues to work.
'We have already committed 7 billion for school places, which, along with our investment in 500 new free schools, we expect to deliver 600,000 new places by 2021.
'The latest figures show that the system is responding well to growing numbers of pupils fewer children are being taught in large infant classes, the average primary school class sizes remain stable at 27.1 pupils and the vast majority of parents get places in their preferred schools.
'Our reforms and our academy programme are raising standards for all children with more than 1.4 million more pupils in good or outstanding schools than in 2010. We will continue to invest and work hard to ensure every child has an excellent education that allows them to reach their full potential.'
Waitrose will ban microbeads from all products sold in its shops and change the stems of cotton buds from plastic to paper in a bid to cut down on pollution and waste, the store has pledged.
The supermarkets crackdown comes amid concerns plastic poison is harming the UKs beaches and marine wildlife.
The chain has already removed plastic microbeads from its own beauty products, and has now promised it will only stock branded products which do not contain them from September.
Close up: Microbeads, which are generally made from plastic, work as abrasives to remove dead skin cells, clear blocked pores or remove stains from teeth (file picture)
It will also be the first supermarket to change the stems of its cotton wool buds from plastic to paper.
The move, which also comes into effect in September, will save around 21 tonnes of plastic each year. The paper stems can be recycled, and will be biodegradable.
Crucially, if flushed down the toilet, they will not be able to escape sewage and water filtration systems and end up polluting rivers, seas and beaches.
Microbeads, which are generally made from plastic, work as abrasives to remove dead skin cells, clear blocked pores or remove stains from teeth.
Waitrose will change the stems of cotton buds from plastic to paper in a bid to cut down on pollution and waste
They have been widely used for more than a decade, but pose a serious threat to marine life.
The beads are so small that they are not captured by the filters used in water treatment plants. Once they reach rivers and seas, they effectively become a magnet for pollutants, which adhere to the plastic.
Fish are known to eat the polluted particles, which can cause them to develop liver problems. When humans catch and eat these fish, the pollutants are in theory transferred to humans.
President Obama implemented a ban on the beads in the United States in December.
Waitroses crackdown comes amid concerns plastic poison is harming the UKs beaches and marine wildlife
British environment minister, Rory Stewart, has suggested the UK could move towards doing the same.
And the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association has said its members are taking steps voluntarily to remove the beads by 2020.
Today Waitrose spokesman Tor Harris said: Minimising our impact on the environment is a top priority and this is absolutely the right thing to do.
A curry house owner has been jailed for at least 18 years for murdering another takeaway proprietor who was hacked to death after being lured to a quiet street with a fake order nearly 20 years ago.
Foyjur Rahman, 44, was jailed for life by Judge Peter Rook QC at the Old Bailey over the death of 25-year-old Abdul Samad in Islington, north London, in 1997.
Members of the Mr Samad's family burst into tears and there were cries of 'yes' from the public gallery at the Old Bailey as the jury delivered its verdict of 11 to one after more than 12 hours of deliberations.
Afterwards, Halima Begum told of the long fight for justice for her brother.
'I have been waiting a long time for the trial to bring justice to the people who viciously murdered my brother who, on all accounts, was very innocent,' she said outside court.
Foyjur Rahman, who has been found guilty of murdering Abdul Samad, another takeaway worker, who was hacked to death after being lured to a quiet street with a fake order nearly 20 years ago
'The police have done a fantastic job of investigating this over the years and we are very grateful that justice has prevailed today.'
Judge Peter Rook told Rahman in court: 'The murder has and continues to haunt his family.
'It has had a profound affect upon all of them: daughters deprived of their father from an early age, a deeply traumatised wife, parents who incurred pain and anguish as a result of your actions.'
Rahman, formerly of Odessa, Texas, who has already served seven months and five days in prison, was accused of being one of four men involved in the attack.
The court had heard how the victim, who was known as Kamal, from Bow, east London, turned up in Alwyne Road with a bag of curry after receiving a bogus order on the evening of May 21, 1997.
But he dropped the curry and ran for his life when two men in black masks intercepted him armed with a meat cleaver and a knife, jurors were told.
As he was being chased down the street, the married father of two warned one shocked resident: 'He's got a knife. He wants to kill me. Be careful,' the Old Bailey heard.
Mr Samad, who ran Curry in a Hurry takeaway with two business partners, was then set upon on the ground before being left in a pool of blood.
Mr Samad was taken to hospital where he died early the next morning.
A doctor described his injuries as 'horrific - the like I have never seen before in my career', the court heard.
A post mortem examination found 18 separate chopping and stabbing injuries, including a 'gaping' four-inch wide wound to his waist.
The cause of death was put down to bleeding from multiple wounds and shock, prosecutor Mark Ellison QC said.
Two black masks, a bloody meat cleaver and carrier bags used to transport the murder weapons were found discarded near the scene.
Mr Ellison told jurors that in the weeks leading up to his death, Mr Samad had been put under pressure to act as an 'intermediary' between two groups of Bengalis.
When he refused to help sort out the dispute with the 'Stoke Newington Boys', the victim had been threatened, jurors were told.
Mr Ellison said the defendant was also linked to the crime by fingerprints on a bag and DNA from saliva on one of the masks.
DNA from the other mask matched an associate who was extradited from Bangladesh and convicted of the murder in 2012, jurors were told.
The day after the killing, Rahman went to New York and he was only extradited from the United States in January this year.
Murder victim Abdul Samad, who was hacked to death. His family praised authorities for delivering justice
In his remarks, Judge Rook said he was sure Rahman was the murderer.
'You were part of the attacking party that went from your restaurant with lethal weapons to Aldwine Road that terrible night the 21-22 May 1997, going there with the intention of killing Abdul Samad.
'Together with others you deprived him of his most precious possession: life itself.
Judge Rook said: 'He was known for his generosity of spirit. 'I'm sure that you were one of the two attackers in the Aldwine Road and Aldwine Villas, the other was Mohiuddin Bablu who received a sentence of 18 years, tried separately at this court in 2012.'
Outside court today, Ms Begum also paid tribute to the 12 witnesses who gave evidence in the trial and were 'there for him on the night, held his hand and made sure he was not alone'.
More than 3,000 people attended Mr Samad's funeral procession after his brutal murder which shocked the community and still 'haunts' his relatives.
The investigation had spanned three jurisdictions - Britain, Bangladesh and the United States - and was helped by the advance in DNA techniques, she said.
Detective Sergeant Nick Miller said: 'I have been actively pursuing Mr Rahman for a number of years.
'It has taken many years and liaison with law enforcement agencies across three countries to reach this stage.
'I am extremely pleased that today the jury has convicted Rahman for his part in this violent killing in 1997.
'Mr Samad's family have never given up hope of seeing those who killed a loving husband, brother and father brought before the court.'
In a victim impact statement, Mr Samad was described by his family as a generous and popular young man, who was besotted by his two girls.
He had used savings from working at his father's factory on Brick Lane to set up the Indian takeaway restaurant in Islington.
His daughters, who are now aged 19 and 22, expressed 'sadness' that their father was unable to share in their achievements.
A woman had to signal herself as 'safe' on Facebook twice in just a week as she got caught in two major attacks, thousands of miles away from one another.
Kristen Crouch, of Dallas, Texas was traveling abroad for a friend's wedding and found herself in Nice, France when a fanatic rammed a truck into the crowd and killed 84 people during Bastille Day celebrations.
Crouch told CBS 11 she heard 'two pops', then saw people running and screaming before she began looking for cover.
She later used Facebook's check-in function, which enables users to let their loved ones know they are safe after a major attack or other types of high-casualty events.
Kristen Crouch (pictured left and right with her husband), of Dallas, Texas was traveling abroad for a friend's wedding and found herself in Nice, France when a fanatic rammed a truck into the Bastille Day crowd
Crouch had used the function just a week prior. She was home in Dallas when a gunman shot and killed five police officers in the city.
In both instances, Crouch used Facebook to tell her contacts she was safe.
'It's really sad when you you've been marked safe twice on Facebook in the last week. We shouldn't live in a world like that,' Crouch told CBS 11.
She didn't think anything unusual was happening when she heard two pops at first.
'I thought it was fireworks. I didn't think anything of it. But all of a sudden all these people were running in the opposite direction, speaking French and screaming,' Crouch added.
She and her friends eventually found refuge in an apartment nearby. They went back to their hotel later that night and locked the door with no intention of going back out.
Crouch told CBS 11 she and her group were now just 'thanking God' for making it out of the attack unharmed.
Ten children died in the attack Thursday. Sean Copeland, 51, from Lakeway, Texas and his son Brodie, 11, have been killed.
Among the victims were also Russian student Victoria Savchenko, 21, French Muslim mother Fatima Chahhiri and French industrial supervisor Robert Marchand, 60.
At least 54 children are being treated in the hospital and dozens of families have launched desperate pleas to find their loved ones who are still missing.
At first, Crouch didn't think anything unusual was happening. But when she saw people running and screaming, she began looking for cover with her friends, escaping the attack on the Promenade Des Anglais (pictured)
Crouch and her friends found refuge in an apartment nearby and later came back to their hotel. Pictured, police secure the scene at the Promenade Des Anglais after the Bastille Day attacks
At least 54 children are being treated in the hospital and dozens of families are looking for their loved ones. Pictured, flowers wrapped in the colors of the French flag are left in tribute to the victims in Nice on Friday
President Barack Obama clobbered former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Friday for suggesting that America should deport Muslims who profess a belief in Islamic Sharia law, telling a gathering of diplomats in Washington that the idea is 'repugnant.'
Gingrich, who was at the time vying for Donald Trump's running-mate slot, said Thursday on Sean Hannity's Fox News Channel program that 'we should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported.'
An indignant Obama used Thursday's deadly terror attack in southern France as a springboard to push back, without naming Gingrich, who lost the Republican vice-presidential nod to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence a few hours earlier.
'In the wake of last night's attacks, we've heard more suggestions that all Muslims in America be targeted, tested for their beliefs, some deported or jailed,' Obama grimaced. 'And the very suggestion is repugnant, and an affront to everything we stand for as Americans.'
'We cannot give in to fear, or turn on each other, or sacrifice our way of life. We cannot let ourselves to be divided by religion, because that's exactly what the terrorists want. We should never do their work for them.'
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'REPUGNANT': President Obama clobbered Newt Gingrich's Thursday night proposal that the U.S. should expel Muslims who bear allegiance to Islamic Sharia law
OUT OF IT: Gingrich, a former Speaker of the House, was passed over for Donald Trump's vice-presidential slot, losing the nod to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old French Tunisian, killed more than 80 people including 10 children, in in Nice, France. He drove a 25-ton truck through crowds gathered in the popular French tourist destination while they were celebrating Bastille Day.
He then took at a gun and began to open fire on the hundreds of bystanders before being killed in a shootout with police.
Obama said he had spoken to French President Francois Hollande, telling him that 'we pledge to stand with our French friends as we defend our nations against this scourge of terrorism and violence.'
'And this is a threat to all of us,' he said, decrying 'chronic violence' around the world.
'We don't know all the details. But what we know is the capacity of even a single individual to do extraordinary harm to our people, to our way of life.'
PEACEFUL? Bodies lay on the streets of Nice, France after the June 14 attack
Gingrich had drawn outrage from both the left and the right by expanding Trump's 2015 proposal to temporarily close U.S. borders to non-citizen Muslims, saying some Muslims currently in the country including, presumably, citizens should be kicked out
'Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war,' he said.
'Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization,' Gingrich added. 'Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia? Glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door.'
He also suggested the government should monitor the Internet use of some Muslims, and create new felony crimes for looking at jihadi websites.
'It's not that Islamists are necessarily evil, but they're not necessarily a religion of peace,' he claimed.
Obama on Friday insisted that Islam is, in fact, peaceful at its core.
He said western nations could 'win this fight' against terrorists by pushing back 'against the hateful ideologies that twist and distort Islam, a religion that teaches peace and justice and compassion.'
NEXT UP: TRUCK CONTROL: This white Truck carried 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel as he plowed through Bastille Day revelers and then hopped out to strafe them will gunfire
Obama added that he aimed to 'defeat these ideologies by offering a better vision of development and economic progress, so people, especially young people, have more hope and opportunity, and they're less susceptible to extremism and violence in the first place.'
'And we will continue to promote political opportunity and democracy so citizens have a say in their future.'
That appeared to be a restatement of a controversial position his State Department embraced in early 2015, when then-spokeswoman Marie Harf claimed that America 'cannot win this war' against the ISIS terror army 'by killing them. We cannot kill our way out of this war.'
'We can work with countries around the world to help improve their governance,' Harf insisted. 'We can help them build their economies so they can have job opportunities for these people.'
Republicans quickly ridiculed the idea as a government-led 'jobs for jihadis' program.
On Friday Obama was equally resolute about his military prospects in Iraq and Syria, however, calling terrorists and their organizations 'an affront to all of our humanity.'
'We will not be deterred. We will not relent,' he said.
'We're going to keep working together to prevent attacks and defend our homeland. We are going to keep taking out ISIL leaders and pushing ISIL back in Syria and Iraq.'
'We're going to keep standing with our partners from Africa to Afghanistan, and we are going to destroy this vile terrorist organization.'
IT'S THE MEDIA'S FAULT: In a Facebook Live chat, Gingrich blamed reporters for blowing his own words out of proportion
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
Gingrich said Friday morning in a Facebook Live chat that 'the news media went into a hysteria overnight, trying to distort what I was saying' on Fox News.
I don't think anyone has the complete answer, but let's at least have the courage to start he conversation.
'How do we distinguish between people who would kill us and people who are totally loyal citizens?' he asked. 'And how do we do so before the people who kill us kill us?'
'I believe if we're at war, then we have an obligation to have the state operate in such a way that it protects us from being killed,' Gingrich insisted.
'People who believe in an Islamic supremacist ideology, who are willing to kill in order to defeat western civilization, are our mortal enemies,' he said.
But he insisted that he would never target Muslims writ large.
'If you are a practicing Muslim, and you believe deeply in your faith, but you're also loyal to the United States and you believe in the Constitution, you should have your rights totally and completely protected within the Constitution,' he said. 'You should have nothing to fear. Your children should have nothing to fear.'
University of California, Berkeley, student Nicolas Leslie, 20, has been missing since Thursday's terror attack in Nice
A University of California, Berkeley, student who was studying abroad in France is missing after Thursday's terror attack in Nice.
Nicolas Leslie, 20, of Del Mar, California, is one of 85 Berkeley students on a 15-day study abroad trip on entrepreneurship in Europe. He has been unaccounted for since the attacks.
Three other students in the program were injured in the attacks when a man identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel plowed into a crowd of some 30,000 local people and tourists attending a fireworks display to celebrate Bastille Day along the Mediterranean seashore.
One student broke his foot while the other two students broke legs. The injured students have not been identified.
A Texan and his 11-year-old son on a family vacation were among at least 84 people killed, officials said on Friday.
State Department spokesman John Kirby did not name the two victims, but friends on social media identified them as father and son Sean and Brodie Copeland of Lakeway, Texas.
Leslie, a junior in UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources, was with friends who all dove out of the way of the oncoming truck, Leslie's father, Conrad Leslie, told The Wall Street Journal.
All of his friends have been accounted for, but Leslie did not return to his student housing on Thursday.
Leslie, pictured above with his uncle and an unidentified woman on the beach in Nice in 2015, is one of 85 Berkeley students on a 15-day study abroad trip on entrepreneurship in Europe
Leslie, pictured with his mother, is a junior in UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources. He was with friends watching a fireworks display to celebrate Bastille day when the attack occurred
Conrad Leslie believes that his his son dodged the truck and could be among the injured still in hospitals across Nice.
'We think he escaped the truck, but he could have been trampled,' Conrad Leslie, 55, told The Wall Street Journal.
'Our real frustration is how long it has taken to develop a list [of the injured],' he added. 'It seems like something you would do immediately.'
Conrad Leslie last spoke to his son on Wednesday, when he appeared to be enjoying his time abroad.
'He was happy and everything was fine,' he told The Wall Street Journal. 'He was there watching fireworks with everyone else.'
UC Berkeley is working with local officials, US consular officials and Leslie's family to try to find Leslie, according to CBS San Francisco.
Leslie's uncle, Fabio Bottini, who is in contact with the student's mother in California, has been checking Nice hospitals in hopes of finding his nephew, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Leslie's father, Conrad Leslie believes that his his son dodged the truck but could be among the injured still in hospitals across Nice
Leslie's (pictured above with friends) uncle is in contact with his nephew's family in California and has been searching hospitals in Nice trying to find him
The Berkeley students were studying at a program affiliated with the international European Innovation Academy in Nice, the university said.
The program was suspended temporarily as France marks three days of mourning, and students will be given the option of returning home early, the university said.
Study abroad administrators, students, consular officials and family members are searching for Leslie, the university said.
'Our hearts go out to all of those impacted by the senseless violence that occurred yesterday in Nice, France,' Vice Chancellor Cathy Koshland and Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students Joseph Defraine Greenwell said in a message to students.
At least 84 people were killed, 10 of them children, and 202 more were wounded.
The State Department confirmed Friday morning that at least two Americans are among the dead in the Nice, France Bastille Day attack. Friends and family identified them as father and son Sean and Brodie Copeland.
Sean, a 51-year-old Lexmark Corporation executive, and his 11-year-old son were watching the Bastille Day fireworks on the Nice waterfront on Thursday when a terrorist drove a truck through the crowds and opened fire - killing at least 84.
Father and son Sean, 51 (right), and Brodie Copeland have been named as the two Americans killed in the Nice, France terror attacks. Eleven-year-old Brodie is pictured on the left playing in the sea in a photo sent to a friend the day of the attack
The father and son were on a family vacation with Mr Copeland's wife Kim, 39 (right), and his two adult children from a prior relationship, 29-year-old Maegan (second left) and 21-year-old Austin (second right)
Sean was believed to be taking part in a 'dream holiday' to the Riviera when he was killed by terrorists believed to be affiliated with ISIS. His son Brodie is pictured on the left in his baseball portrait. Father and son pictured on the right after a trophy ceremony
A family friend said that Mr Copeland's wife Kim, 39, and his two adult children from another marriage, 21-year-old Austin and 29-year-old Maegan, 'witnessed the horrible tragedy but were able to get out of harm's way'.
The family of five started their journey in Pamplona, Spain then continued on to Barcelona before crossing the border into France to celebrate Bastille Day in Nice.
Eldest child Maegan, a technical recruiter for Uber, posted a picture on Instagram of her and her brother Austin, a Texas State University senior, dressed in white for the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona last week.
Mr Copeland, an alumni of the University of North Texas in Denton, was the vice president of North and South America for Lexmark Corporation's Kapow Software Division. He also served as an administrator on his youngest son's baseball team.
French officials said Friday that Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian resident of Nice, was known to police for petty crime and violence including road rage, but had not been suspected of Islamist militancy.
Earlier this month, UC Berkeley sophomore Tarishi Jain was one of 20 hostages killed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by Islamic militants.
Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after a truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations on Thursday in Nice
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Minutes after the last fireworks rang out above the Promenade des Anglais, thousands of people were enjoying Nice's balmy evening air.
Families had travelled to the resort from around the world to celebrate Bastille Day, France's biggest public holiday.
Revellers, many still in beachwear, teemed across the walkway and boulevard.
Amid the hubbub of jazz music, drinking and gentle conversation, few noticed an anonymous white lorry entering the pedestrianised zone...
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WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT
Horrifying: Families had travelled to the resort from around the world to celebrate Bastille Day when a lorry mounted the pavement and drove directly towards a group of people. (CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO EXPAND)
Shootout: Police approach the cab where the gunman, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, went on his rampage. It is not clear if this was taken as he was killed after this picture was taken with one witness saying he may have been hanging out of a window
Intense fighting: Police fired dozens of rounds into the cab of the lorry after its mile-long rampage with witnesses saying the suspect was firing out of the cab and died
Last stand: One eyewitness filmed armed officers approaching the cab of the lorry and firing through its windscreen and doors before it appears Bouhlet can be heard screaming after being hit by a police bullet
A sea of people
The 19-tonne lorry had been parked in a suburban street in eastern Nice, within the cordon set up for the evening celebrations.
The driver was caught on camera as he cycled up to the vehicle at 9.04pm, before tossing his bicycle in the back and driving towards the coast. Witnesses described the streets as filled with children, a 'sea of people families, straightforward people,' watching the 'spectacular' display of fireworks.
At about 10.45pm local time, the driver revved the lorry's powerful engine and pointed it towards unsuspecting bystanders in a street that had been cleared of traffic.
Some later told how although they could hear something moving, they could not see the lorry approach at first, as its lights were off.
Richard Gutjahr, a German TV journalist, said: 'All of a sudden, with all the people, all the families celebrating, this truck was approaching.
'It was approaching very slowly, it didn't rush, but you could ask yourself: 'What is a truck doing in the heart of this?'
Terror attack: At least 84 people were killed and dozens more critically injured when a terrorist killer, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, drove this truck, riddled with bullets, through crowds celebrating Bastille day in Nice
End: The police said today that French Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel died in the passenger seat of this 19-tonne truck after a shoot-out
Murder weapon: The terrorist is said to have been parked up for nine hours before carrying out the attack and may have been stopped by police but claimed he was delivering ice cream. In fact the back of his lorry contained many weapons and grenades
Horrifying: Police and forensics teams inspect bodies in the French sunshine where at least ten died and 50 injured - many of them in buggies left abandoned today
Lorry ploughs through
Slowly the lorry picked up speed, before mounting the pavement and careering directly towards a large group of people.
Kartik Bhanot, 26, from Essex, said at first he thought it was a drunk driver.
But then he saw the lorry 'flipping' people in the air as it went, leaving 'swathes' of bodies lying by the road.
'Suddenly as we crossed the junction, we heard screams and loud bangs. I looked for my mum and she was sprinting away.
Disaster zone: Bodies lie along the promenade showing the devastating route the lorry took as it went through huge crowds
Terror investigation: The French authorities say it is their third terrorist atrocity in 18 months and admit it could take some time to identify all the dead
Atrocity: Bodies of victims covered by sheets remain at the scene of the terror attack as the authorities try to identify them
Path of destruction: After spending several hours parked up the killer went on a half hour rampage along the world famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice before he was shot dead by a hero policewoman
Monster: Bouhlel, who shot indiscriminately at police and members of the public, was described by a cousin as a 's***' and a 'nasty piece of work' who never observed the rules of Islam
'I looked back and saw on my left this huge lorry, travelling at least 60mph, about five to ten yards from me. It was ploughing through people. I saw bodies flipped.'
The lorry swerved violently from side to side, zigzagging across the boulevard as the driver bore down on those trying to flee for their lives.
Witnesses said that bodies of victims began to combine with other debris in the lorry's wheel arches, slowing its progress.
American Tony Molina said: 'You just see this big white panel truck, I couldn't see the driver, but it just kept going at different angles from left to right at 25 to 30 miles and hour. People were screaming and running. I work in homicide and I've never seen anything like this. It's unbelievable.'
Journalist Damien Allemand, who works for newspaper Nice Matin, said: 'I saw bodies flying like bowling pins along its route. Heard noises, cries I will never forget.' Dozens of desperate people, including families with young children, threw themselves into the sea in a bid to escape the bloodshed.
Robert Greene, from Coolock in Dubin, told how bodies were strewn across the street in the wake of the lorry. 'A woman dropped to her knees, someone in her family had been killed,' he said. 'There was not even a thing anyone could do.'
Dozens of people were injured in the stampede as terrified people ran screaming for their lives.
Many people shouted 'shooting' leading others to run down side streets or barricade themselves inside restaurants and businesses.
Sally Gardiner was badly injured, suffering a suspected broken shoulder, after being flattened by others rushing to safety. 'I got knocked down in the road with everyone running away from the truck and gunfire,' she said.
Esther Serwah, 59, who was on her way to dinner, added: 'People were screaming at me in French but I didn't understand. Some people were lying on the streets dead and people were running over bodies.'
Briton Will Shore, who was drinking in a nearby bar, said: 'I had to help a couple of people up who were in distress on the floor because everyone was in such a panic.'
Aftermath: This photograph was taken in the moments after the lorry crashed through crowds of people in the devastating terror attack
A woman and two children pay flowers tribute outside the French embassy in Moscow, Russia, after a Russian national died in Nice
A truck ploughed through a large group of people in Nice during a terrorist attack which claimed 84 lives
Horrific images depicting men and women lying on the side of a road close to the Promenade des Anglais
'Allahu Akbar'
The driver, now known to be drug-fuelled jihadist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, screamed 'Allahu Akbar' as he mowed down his victims.
The deranged mass killer was also shooting from the vehicle and is feared to have left dozens dead and maimed with gunshot wounds. Some bodies lay in an area enclosed by bollards and street lamps where the lorry did not travel suggesting the victims were shot.
One English cafe owner who witnessed the attack from 20 metres away, insisted many had died from gunshot wounds. The man, known only as Andy, told LBC Radio that the driver fired a gun into the crowd as he sped past. 'He was firing into the sea side of the promenade, and people just dropped like nine pins, it was just unbelievable,' he said. 'The people who were killed in front of us were killed by gunfire.'
Meanwhile in an astonishing act of heroism, a motorcyclist pulled alongside the lorry and leapt from his machine in a bid to end the bloodshed. It was not clear last night if he survived.
Others said they had seen brave pedestrians trying to cling on to the doors of the lorry.
A child's doll lies on the street beside the body of a young girl who was killed in the attack in Nice in the south of France
French police riddled the truck with gunfire in an effort to kill the crazed driver of the truck which ran down hundreds of people
Carnage: The killed zig-zagged across the road trying to hit as many people as possible, including several children killed as they watched the fireworks
Investigation: Police in France are now treating this as a terrorist attack and have admitted the killer was known to them and is believed to be from Nice via Tunisia
Final Shootout
In the final stages of the atrocity, Bouhlel opened fire at three police officers outside L'Hotel Negresco.
They fired back, pursuing the lorry for another 300 yards, shooting repeatedly at the cab before it finally came to a halt outside the Palais de la Mediterranee. By this stage it had travelled just over a mile, swinging back and forth between the road and promenade beside the sea.
Police, including a woman officer, fired more than 60 shots through the windscreen and doors before carefully approaching the vehicle.
gunman's body
After the shootout, Bouhlel's head was seen dangling from the window of the lorry cab. When the door was opened, his dead body fell to the ground.
In the cabin they found a 7.65mm automatic pistol, a second automatic pistol, two replica assault rifles a Kalashnikov and an M16, a grenade and ammunition. In common with other Islamist attacks, Bouhlel had brought some documentation to prove his identity in this case his driving licence and a bank card.
Terrible: One of the many people killed by the killer lorry driver lies covered on the pavement with her handbag still next to her
84 people were killed in the southern French town of Nice when a truck ran into a crowd and targeted people on the pavement
A total of 84 people have been killed during a horrific Bastille Day attack in Nice, southern France
The driver mounted the pavement at 40mph and steered directly at large groups of people watching the fireworks
Chaotic aftermath
As hundreds of terrified people ran for their lives, 84 victims were left dead or dying on the abandoned street.
Many families were separated in the chaos, leaving the heart breaking sight of children's pushchairs scattered across the road. A little girl lay dead, covered only by an emergency blanket, with her doll lying alongside her.
Survivors grabbed beach towels and sheets to cover the dead, only leaving the killer's body exposed beside the lorry. Damien Allemand, a journalist with the Nice Matin newspaper, said: 'People from the beach were the first on the scene. They brought water for the injured and towels which they placed where there was no hope.'
Meanwhile emergency workers launched a desperate operation to tend to the 202 injured, including 52 people who were still fighting for their lives last night.
The lorry drove for more than a mile targeting people who were attending the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice
Bereft: A man is bent double in grief by the body of a victim lying covered on Nice's world famous promenade
Shocked survivors held each other after witnessing the massacre which killed 84 people injuring at least 150 others
Soldiers secured the scene while emergency workers treated the wounded and checked on those killed in yesterday's massacre
Prosecutors later said the lives of 25 people were saved at the scene by paramedics and passers-by.
Many shell-shocked survivors were left searching for their loved ones or clinging to their bodies.
Simon Coates, a solicitor from Leeds, said he scoured piles of disfigured and lifeless bodies as he tried to find his wife. 'I had to check every body and they were so disfigured the only reliable way I could check was to look for her bike and her shoes as most people were not recognisable. I saw one woman lying on the ground, talking to her dead child.
'Other people did what they could to save loved ones.'
Lock down
As the shooting stopped, officers remained alert over fears an accomplice had fled the lorry.
Weapons drawn, they took up positions behind cars and around restaurants as armed checkpoints were set up across the city.
Within the hour, soldiers were on the streets as a fire near the Eiffel Tower in Paris sparked a second security alert.
Within an hour of the attack, French authorities had handed over the investigation to anti-terrorist police
At least 15 people are believed to be in a critical condition following last night's terrorist attack in Nice
Emergency services used bars, restaurants, casinos and hotels as triage centres to deal with the walking wounded
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign got in on some of the vice presidential intrigue that Donald Trump has been enjoying Friday, as the presumptive Democratic nominee met with Elizabeth Warren privately at Clinton's home in DC.
The meeting, which wasn't publicly released on Clinton's official schedule, was reported by NBC and took place at Clinton's home off DC's Embassy Row.
It came on a day when Donald Trump officially confirmed Indiana governor Mike Pence would be his running mate.
The Massachusetts senator has been a leading candidate to be Clinton's running mate, particularly when she was still engaged in a prolonged primary battle against Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.
But her chances of getting selected may have dropped now that Clinton has won Sanders' endorsement. The Clinton camp is counting on both Sanders and Warren to persuade younger and more liberal voters who backed Sanders to come her way.
Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren met with Hillary Clinton inside Clinton's DC home Friday
She stayed for about an hour.
Clinton is holding meetings about choosing a vice presidential running mate, sources told CNN.
The network reported that longtime aide Huma Abedin as well as campaign chairman John Podesta were in the home at the time of the meeting.
Podesta is running Clinton's search process.
Warren is set to speak on the first day of the Democratic convention, the New York Times reported this week, which could be an indication that she isn't Clinton's VP pick. She'll speak on a day with the theme 'United together' which also features Bernie Sanders and first lady Michelle Obama wife of former rival Barack Obama.
Warren endorsed Clinton, and the two campaigned together late last month
Clinton appeared at a rally with another vice presidential prospect, senator Tim Kaine, on Thursday
Clinton and Warren campaigned together late last month in Ohio, even wearing similalrly-shaded blue outfits.
Warren laced into Trump at the time, as she has in Senate speeches and online.
She blasted Trump as 'a small, insecure money-grubber,' as well as a 'a nasty man' who would 'crush you into the dirt to get whatever he wants.'
The two also met inside Clinton's home in June. Warren didn't speak afterwards.
Trump has ridiculed Warren as 'Pocahontas' for her prior claims of Indian ancestry.
Movie fans sung the French national anthem as a tribute to victims of the Nice terrorist attack at a London event promoting the new Star Wars film tonight.
The spontaneous moment - triggered by an audience member singing 'La Marseillaise' - occurred during the Star Wars Celebration panel at London's ExCel Exhibition Centre.
It came as across town, at the Royal Albert Hall, the opening night of the Proms also paid tribute to the French with a rendition of the national anthem under red, white and blue lights followed by a standing ovation.
The Star Wars event was just beginning when actress Gwendoline Christie, who stars in the film as Captain Phasma, asked for a moment to address the attacks.
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Star Wars actress Gwendoline Christie at Excel, London, where fans burst into a spontaneous tribute to the French, singing the country's national anthem following yesterday's terror attacks
Christie was moved by the gesture from the audience at the beginning of the event
'It's impossible for us to sit here at a celebration, particularly an event called Celebration, and not think about the events that happened not far from here,' she said.
'On behalf of everyone our hearts go out to the people in Nice and in France,' she continued. 'I know there's so many people here ... I'd like a moment for us all to send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers.'
However, someone at the back of the hall started singing the French national anthem, prompting many others to join in the song in solidarity.
Christie was at the event along with longtime Star Wars favourite Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker
Christie applauded the effort before continuing with the panel.
Across town at Kensington, music fans at the Royal Albert Hall praised a surprise performance of La Marseillaise before the opening night of the Proms.
The stage was lit in red, white and blue lights to symbolise the French flag.
Tweet by BBC Proms showing the tribute at the Royal Albert Hall
Journalist Andrew Neil, whose own television editorial tribute to the French following the recent Paris terror attacks last November went viral, described the scene as 'moving'.
'First night at the Proms begins with French national anthem,' he tweeted.
'Followed by massive applause. Moving.'
The reaction on Twitter was positive to the Proms tribute
Other Proms fans took to Twitter to review the gesture.
Ian Atkinson said: 'Whether or not you like classical music the playing of the at the beginning of 1st night of the was emotional'
Pat Davies tweeted: 'Bravo! Wonderful gesture to play the before tonight's concert.'
The French Riviera, with its upmarket seaside resorts of Nice and Cannes, has long been a favourite of holidaying Britons.
From the middle of the 18th century, this Mediterranean coast on the south-east corner of France hosted the British upper classes and became the playground of the rich, the famous and the royal, including wild-living King Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales.
Today, the long sandy beaches and magnificent Promenade des Anglais, lined with palm trees, are still a top destination for the well-heeled and well-connected wanting peace and privacy.
Chaos: This was the scene in Nice where the lorry raced the length of the famed Promenade des Anglais, leaving 84 dead in his wake
Crime scene: The lorry used as a murder weapon remains on the French Riviera city's famed waterfront promenade with police gathering evidence and marking put bullet casings with yellow numbered signs
Yet this image of sophistication is little more than a veneer. The French Riviera has a dangerous underbelly fuelled by Islamic extremism. Nice, its largest city, was branded a 'jihadist breeding ground' yesterday by a leading expert on political violence.
Peter Neumann, director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College, London, said: 'Dozens of people have gone from Nice to join the Islamic State... and the first recorded attempted attack in Europe was very nearby in Cannes.'
Society is changing rapidly in the south of France, and nowhere more than in Nice. With a growing population of immigrants, many second or third generation from Muslim countries of north Africa, there is rising concern that they refuse to assimilate and instead want to replace European democracy with their own Islamic rule book.
A poll for the respected French daily Le Figaro found recently that people from all ranks in society have a growing unease about this. In 2010, for instance, 39 per cent of France's centre-Left Socialist Party voters felt Islam was too prominent in French society. The poll showed that this year a majority of 52 per cent thought that way.
So what is behind this change of heart? Shocking events such as the one that happened last month at the Vitis Cafe on the Nice seafront certainly have not helped.
Police launched a criminal investigation after a 30-year-old Muslim waitress with a Tunisian background was attacked for serving alcohol on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, when the Islamic faithful fast between dawn and dusk.
Devastated: A man appears emotional as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after the attack
Holidaygoers: People arrived back at the beach with their inflatables on Friday after the horrific attack the night before
One of her assailants, who included an illegal migrant, shouted, 'if I was God, I would have hung you', and called her a whore. Politicians of all persuasions immediately claimed that the incident was an example of the growing influence of religious extremism in France.
Yet however unpleasant and revealing the assault on the waitress was, there are growing fears that Islamic extremism is now being linked to terror in what was once a delightful part of Europe.
Just two years ago, intelligence agencies in Nice foiled a bomb plot targeting the city's famous carnival. A document by the General Directorate for Internal Security, France's domestic intelligence agency, has revealed that Ibrahim Boudina, a young Frenchman born in Algeria, had planned to detonate explosives to maim and kill visitors.
Boudina was arrested near Cannes in February 2014, just two days before the start of the carnival and less than two months after returning to Europe from Syria. He had left for the war-torn country with a friend two years earlier, and intelligence officers believe that he was trained there as a bomb maker. He returned home, slipping in via Greece, and spent time in Nice, where police put him under surveillance before his timely arrest.
Carrying on: One women in Nice decided to sunbathe on a wall close to where the attack happened on the Promenade des Anglais
Terror attack: At least 84 people were killed and dozens more critically injured last night when a terrorist killer, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, drove this truck, riddled with bullets, through crowds celebrating Bastille day in Nice
Nice was again in the headlines because of its connections to radical Islam the same year. An entire family of 11 left for Syria including the eldest son, who was renowned for his extreme religious views and simply disappeared.
Even more recently, Nice has been linked to one of France's most prominent jihadists, Omar Diaby, whose Senegalese family moved to the city when he was five. Diaby, better known as Omar Omsen, is believed by counter-terrorism experts to be one of the most prolific recruiters of foreign fighters going from France to Syria. He boasts of recruiting more than 80 young people to the jihadist cause.
Whatever the truth of this, he is a dangerous young man. He is thought to have staged his own death in August last year to avert detection while getting medical help outside Syria. And, shockingly, he has appeared in a TV documentary voicing approval for the terror attacks in Paris in January and November last year.
Monster: Bouhlel, who shot indiscriminately at police and members of the public, was described by a cousin as a 's***' and a 'nasty piece of work' who never observed the rules of Islam
Worryingly, he boasted that he headed a katiba, or combat group, that included 50 men, of whom 15 were like him natives of Nice.
You don't have to wander far from the glamorous tourist streets to find there is an edginess about the shabby areas where boys like him from the Muslim communities grow up in a different world from the grandeur of the Promenade des Anglais.
And has this unfairness fuelled resentment among Muslims who feel they are being elbowed out of society in this rich city?
Just two weeks ago a smart new mosque for 800 male worshippers was finally opened to serve the community after 15 years of political in-fighting about whether it should be allowed because it was owned by a Saudi Arabian politician.
The former mayor of Nice had halted the development of the mosque because he claimed the politician 'advocated sharia' and wanted to 'destroy all the churches on the Arabian peninsula'.
Until then, the only mosque was in a former shop down a side street and so small that the Friday worshippers spilled out of the door.
The divisions over the new mosque split the Right-wing city, which has 60,000 residents with Islamic backgrounds.
But many in France believe that the real reason Nice has become a jihadist hotspot is because it is a symbol of decadent and fun-loving western lifestyles. And that could seal its fate.
Disaster zone: Bodies lie along the promenade showing the devastating route the lorry took as it went through huge crowds
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Abandoned on a night of unimaginable horror, these buggies are chilling testament to the Nice massacre. At least ten children died when an Islamist maniac drove a truck into crowds of Bastille Day revellers.
Families fled for their lives as the driver Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel mowed down everything in his path. Teddies, toys and children's flip-flops were strewn across the famous Promenade des Anglais.
One young girl lay dead alongside her pink doll, one of 84 people confirmed killed in Thursday's outrage. More than 200 were badly injured.
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT
At least ten children died when an Islamist maniac drove a truck into crowds of Bastille Day revellers. These buggies are chilling testament to the Nice massacre
Murderous: After crushing scores of people with the lorry, Bouhlel then got out and opened fire on the terrified revellers trying to flee
A child's doll lies on the street beside the body of a young girl who was killed in the attack in Nice in the south of France
At least ten children were slaughtered in the Nice massacre, it emerged last night.
They were among 84 killed by a crazed Islamist driving a 19-ton truck through crowds of Bastille Day revellers.
Hundreds ran for their lives or dived into the sea to escape the bloodshed on the resort's famous promenade.
Last night France was left counting the cost of a third major terrorist strike in just 18 months. With more than 200 grievously injured and 50 'between life and death' in hospital:
British tourists gave horrifying accounts of the carnage;
Footage emerged of a heroic motorcyclist who tried to stop the lorry;
The first victim was said to have been a veiled Muslim mother of seven;
Theresa May said nations must redouble efforts to beat the fanatics;
The Queen sent her 'most sincere condolences' to the French people.
Monster: Truck terrorist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel who murdered 84 on Bastille Day in Nice, was described by a cousin as a 's***' and a 'nasty piece of work' who never observed the rules of Islam
Shootout: Police approach the cab where the gunman, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, went on his rampage. It is not clear if this was taken as he was killed after this picture was taken with one witness saying he may have been hanging out of a window
Intense fighting: Police fired dozens of rounds into the cab of the lorry after its mile-long rampage with witnesses saying the suspect was firing out of the cab and died
Last stand: One eyewitness filmed armed officers approaching the cab of the lorry and firing through its windscreen and doors before it appears Bouhlet can be heard screaming after being hit by a police bullet
Terror attack: At least 84 people were killed and dozens more critically injured last night when a terrorist killer, named locally as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, drove this truck, riddled with bullets, through crowds celebrating Bastille day in Nice
End: The police said today that French Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel died in the passenger seat of this 19-tonne truck after a shoot-out
Murder weapon: The key suspect is said to have been parked up for nine hours before carrying out the attack and may have been stopped by police but claimed he was delivering ice cream. In fact the back of his lorry contained many weapons and grenades
Witnesses said the Promenade des Anglais was packed with families, many of them still in beachwear, as the horror unfolded on Thursday evening.
Driven by Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, the lorry left a trail of death and injury along more than a mile of pedestrianised seafront. Bouhlel struck within minutes of a firework display at the climax of France's biggest public holiday.
It is believed the 31-year-old father of three gained access to the traffic-free party zone by telling officers he was delivering ice cream. He had hidden two automatic pistols, ammunition, imitation machine guns and a grenade in the cabin.
Travelling at up to 40mph, and swerving from side to side, he mowed down dozens of people. Witnesses said Bouhlel also opened fire from within the cab. One said victims 'just dropped like nine pins.'
An eyewitness told LBC Radio: 'The people who were killed and died in front of us were killed by gunfire.'
In the mayhem, many families were unable to escape the lorry. It crushed everything in its path.
Heart-breaking images showed children's buggies, complete with colourful family bags, scattered across the road.
Horrifying: Police and forensics teams inspect bodies in the French sunshine where at least ten died and 50 injured - many of them in buggies left abandoned today
Disaster zone: Bodies lie along the promenade showing the devastating route the lorry took as it went through huge crowds
Terror investigation: The French authorities say it is their third terrorist atrocity in 18 months and admit it could take some time to identify all the dead
Atrocity: At least a dozen bodies of victims covered by sheets remain at the scene of the terror attack today as the authorities try to identify them
United in grief: Parents of victims embrace each other near the scene of a truck attack in Nice where more than 80 were killed
Tears for the lost: Two young women, obviously grief-stricken, lay flowers and messages for the many people killed and injured in Nice last night
Broken: President Hollande has called for France to unite and said the world was again watching their country after another terror attack
Path of destruction: After spending several hours parked up the killer went on a half hour rampage along the world famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice before he was shot dead by a hero policewoman
Teddies, dolls and tiny child-sized flip-flops were also strewn across the road. A child's bicycle had been snapped in two.
One young girl lay dead alongside her pink doll.
A British survivor, who was searching for his wife, said he saw a mother sitting in the road after the carnage unfolded, talking quietly to her dead child. The carnage was brought to an end when police opened fire on the lorry, wounding the driver.
As the lorry stopped possibly slowed by bodies and debris in its wheel arches officers peppered the cabin with gunfire.
Moments earlier, in an act of astonishing heroism, a motorcyclist had driven alongside and leapt on board in an attempt to stop the lorry, only to fall beneath the wheels. He is thought to have died.
Police quickly discovered the man responsible was Bouhlel. Relatives said he was a heavy drinking, drug taking, womanising petty criminal who had never visited a mosque.
Neighbours said he had become depressed and his behaviour increasingly erratic after his wife kicked him out for beating her two years ago.
Bereft: A shocked woman in yellow sits on the phone next to the body of a loved-one, surrounded by debris, as ISIS terrorists again struck in France, this time on Bastille Day, killing at least 84
Alone: A man sits in silence and clasps his hands while sitting at the head of a body killed in France's third major terrorist attack in 18 months
Shootout: After zig-zagging through crowds the terrorist fired on crowds before a police marksman shot him dead
Aftermath: This photograph was taken in the moments after the lorry crashed through crowds of people in the devastating terror attack
Panic: People were seen running for their lives after a suspected terrorist drove through crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day then got out and opened fire
Fight for life: An injured young woman wounded in the terror attack is treated in the street by a paramedic as dozens more fight for their lives today
Police halted the truck after firing more than 40 rounds into the cab as it ploughed through more than 100 people in Nice last night
French prosecutors said there was no evidence of Bouhlel being linked to radical groups such as Islamic State or Al Qaeda. Instead, the mass murderer, who was originally from Tunisia, was known to criminal courts for 'threats, violence and petty theft between 2010 and 2016'.
Detectives are trying to establish whether he was radicalised over the internet or his mind poisoned during a trip to his homeland. His home town is close to Sousse, the scene of a mass casualty terrorist attack on sunbathing Britons last summer.
The attacker's brother Gaber Lahouaiej claimed that Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was 'an atheist' who did not fast or observe religious rituals.
From his home in Tunisia, he told the Times: 'Mohamed wasn't religious, he never fasted or prayed, he was an atheist.
The family live about six miles outside the resort town of Sousse that was targeted last June by the Islamic State gunman Seifeddine elRezgui, who killed 38 people.
Mr Lahouaiej added: 'We seriously doubt he ever knew Seifeddine Rezgui. He never had any relation to terrorist groups.'
Mr Lahouaiej said that his brother had finished his schooling in Sousse.
Respect: Huge crowds have gathered in Promenades des Anglais with the lorry in the background this afternoon
United: A young boy leaves a bouquet of white flowers in Promenades des Anglais today surrounded by people of all races and religions
A woman and two children pay flowers tribute outside the French embassy in Moscow, Russia, after a Russian national died in Nice
Home: Police searched the apartment of Nice terrorist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel today as well as another van left near the property
Turned over: Officers pulled out drawers, went through cupboards and tested surfaces in the property in the north of Nice today
Probe: French police search a lorry and the apartment of Nice terrorist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel today as they work out why he did it
Forensics: Officers go over another rental lorry close to the home of suspect Bouhlel - but the company that loaned him a lorry have refused to comment today
Victoria Savchenko (pictured left), 21, was killed instantly when she was walking down the street and hit. Aurelie Remy, centre, A young boy who had been out with his aunt, are missing
Emergency workers struggled to cope with the sheer numbers of wounded, including many children.
Frederic Sola, a paediatric surgeon, said: 'The worst thing was the sheer number of children coming in, the nature of their injuries serious head trauma and broken limbs and the emotion felt by the children and their families. The children were physically very injured but also emotionally very hurt.'
Many people fled into restaurants to hide in scenes reminiscent of the November attacks on Paris. One gave birth while taking sanctuary in a cafe.
Teesside couple Ray and Karen Bell locked themselves in a pub cellar to hide from the devastating terrorist attack.
Mr Bell, 50, said: 'We ended up in the cellar of the pub with loads of others, we locked the door and stayed there for about 15 minutes. It was surreal.
Also dead are Brodie Copeland, 11, from Texas (pictured left on vacation in the French Riviera and right) who died along with his father, Sean
Father, Sean, 51, (pictured far left with wife Kimberly far right, and Brodie, centre) was also killed
Emilie Chevrier (pictured, left) was among the missing as well as Hugo (right), 16, whose brother is desperately trying to find hm
Alexandre Torre, Christelle Nunez and their daughter Lous are missing according to social media
Secure zone: The world's media has descended on Nice - with police erecting a large screen as they continue to look at the lorry (in the top right of the picture)
Chaos: This is the scene in Nice today where the lorry raced the length of the famed Promenade des Anglais, leaving 84 dead in his wake
Crime scene: The lorry used as a murder weapon remains on the French Riviera city's famed waterfront promenade with police gathering evidence and marking put bullet casings with yellow numbered signs
'There were children running away from the scene and I could see the look of fear in their eyes. That will stay with me for a long time.'
Francois Molins, the Paris prosecutor, said another 202 victims were injured, 52 in 'a state of absolute emergency'. Twenty-five had been resuscitated at the scene.
Addressing the media, Mr Molins admitted the attacker had not been on the radar, despite being jailed for arms offences in March.
'He was not known at a national level and had never shown any signs of radicalisation,' he said.
Mrs May told Francoise Hollande that Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with France. The Prime Minister telephoned the French president to offer her condolences and the help of UK security services.
Aftermath: The scene on the attack on the Promenade de Anglais where the 31-year-old murderer hit as many people as he could before being killed in a shootout with police
Horror: Bodies are still strewn along the mile-long route as police admitted today that the man who killed them was known to them
A truck ploughed through a large group of people in Nice during a suspected terrorist attack which claimed 'dozens of lives'
Horrific images depicting men and women lying on the side of a road close to the Promenade des Anglais
Monstrous act: A man lies next to a body, with his head in his hands, as he tries to come to terms with the horror of what happened
Emergency: Securite Civile helicopters took off from the Promenade des Anglais surrounded by body bags
Armed police took up positions during the attack fearing there were additional terrorists in the area as the perpetrator was shot dead
Death toll: At least ten people lie dead on a short stretch of road where the lorry flew through crowds in Nice, killing families on a national holiday
Emergency services work to save the dead and injured on pavements along the mile-long stretch of road in Nice
Overwhelmed: Paramedics help a stricken victim on the left side of the picture, on the right hand side a man crouches, clearly in tears over the body of a victim
Makeshift: As the death toll rose bodies were left were they were hit or shot and were covered in blankets and often weighed down with whatever was available including rocks from the beach
Stunned survivors stood just feet away from from the bodies of five people who were run over next to HiBeach in Nice, pictured
Path of destruction: The driver spent around 30 minutes on the road before he was stopped by a police marksman in a shoot-out
French police riddled the truck with gunfire in an effort to kill the crazed driver of the truck which ran down hundreds of people
Carnage: The killed zig-zagged across the road trying to hit as many people as possible, including several children killed as they watched the fireworks
Investigation: Police in France are now treating this as a terrorist attack and have admitted the killer was known to them and is believed to be from Nice via Tunisia
Horror: Witnesses described seeing bodies of the dead being sent flying in all directions or being jammed under the wheels of the lorry
Terrible: One of the dozens of people killed by the killer lorry driver lies covered on the pavement with her handbag still next to her
Panic: Emergency services were working through the night to treat people in the street where they lay or in local hospitals. Doctors are begging for people to donate blood to help the injured
Icon: The sweeping promenade of Nice with its famous twinkling street lights. Today this famous scene is at the centre of one of France's worst terror attacks
In shock: Three survivors of the terror attack cling to one another as they try to come to terms with what happened and pass the body of someone whose life was taken
Heartbroken: Two men stand next to bodies, with one on a mobile phone, as many families lost loved-ones in the terror attack last night
Grief: A woman sobs into her hands while another man holds on to the body of someone killed by the ISIS terrorist
Awful: Friends of a man lying badly injured on the pavement try to treat him as he lies stricken on the floor with no shoes
Tragedy: A family of holidaymakers look at a woman in yellow as she sits next to the body of a loved-one killed in the terror attack
Support: People refuse to leave the side of the dead and injured while others walk dazed along the promenade after surviving the attrocity
Rush: Victims have been rushed to hospital for life-saving treatment but dozens remain critically ill and more are expected to succumb to their injuries
Emergency: Paramedics and doctors try to save a life of an injured victim - surrounded by bodies of those killed yesterday
On guard: France remains in a state of national emergency after a string of awful terror attacks on French soil in the past year
At least 70 people were killed in the southern French town of Nice when a truck ran into a crowd and targeted people on the pavement
At least 70 people have been killed during a horrific Bastille Day attack in Nice, southern France
The driver mounted the pavement at 40mph and steered directly at large groups of people watching the fireworks
The lorry drove for more than a mile targeting people who were attending the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice
Bereft: A man is bent double in grief by the body of a victim lying covered on Nice's world famous promenade
Security forces were stretched as the truck hit people indiscriminately as they tried to flee from the carnage last night
French Interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve spoke to reporters early this morning as the death toll continued to rise
Heavily armed soldiers occupied the centre of the town to restore control after the attack which claimed at least 50 lives
An air ambulance arrived at the scene, pictured, to take survivors of the attack to hospital
Fireworks were filling the night sky as the drama unfolded, as the crowds enjoyed July 14th, which is always a Bank Holiday in France
Australian tourists Marcus and Sally-Anne Freeman were in Nice for Bastille Day and took pictures before the massacre took place
Thousands of people stood on the beach waiting for the fireworks display to celebrate the storming of the Bastille
The attack happened in the Promenade des Anglais in Nice in the South of France while victims were watching a firework display
Forensic officers tried to establish what exactly happened last night in an effort to determine whether the killer had any outside help
French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve, back row, second left, held crisis meetings in Nice in the aftermath of the terrorist attack
Witnesses caught the moment the truck mounted the pavement on video as it steered towards a large group of revelers
Bodies were strewn over more than 100 metres along the promenade in Nice in the South of France
People leaving the area were ordered to hold their hands up as they evacuated the scene near the sea front in Nice last night
Shocked survivors held each other after witnessing the massacre which killed more than 70 people injuring at least 150 others
Soldiers secured the scene while emergency workers treated the wounded and checked on those killed in yesterday's massacre
Within an hour of the attack, French authorities had handed over the investigation to anti-terrorist police
The Hotel Negresco was used as a make-shift triage centre to house survivors of last night's terrorist attack
At least 15 people are believed to be in a critical condition following last night's terrorist attack in Nice
Amid the chaotic scenes people were separated from their loved ones and were unaware whether they had survived the massacre
Emergency services used bars, restaurants, casinos and hotels as triage centres to deal with the walking wounded
A massive security operation was launched in the aftermath of the deadly massacre with survivors evacuated with their hands up
Emergency services took badly wounded survivors away from the scene in a fleet of ambulances to nearby hospitals for treatment
The front of the truck was badly damaged after it knocked down dozens of people enjoying an evening by the sea front
A man holding a small girl carried the traumatised youngster away from the scene of the massacre in Nice, southern France
French anti-terrorist police have taken over the investigation with US President Barack Obama promising his assistance
Carrying on: One women in Nice decided to sunbathe on a wall close to where the attack happened on the Promenade des Anglais
Holidaygoers: People arrived back at the beach with their inflatables on Friday after the horrific attack the night before
Devastated: A man appears emotional as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after the attack
President Hollande, pictured, was updated on the massacre as he flew to the crisis nerve centre last night with PM Manuel Valls, right
Across the city, hundreds of people hid and locked themselves in cafes and bars to protect themselves from possible attack
Tens of thousands of people gathered along the coast to celebrate the annual bank holiday when they were attacked
Eyewitnesses reported there were exchanges of gunfire between police and suspected terrorists in Nice, southern France
Several people have been injured as videos emerged showing people fleeing in panic
Emergency services helped wounded survivors into a fleet of ambulances to evacuate them from the scene for treatment
There were also separate reports of a possible fire near the Eiffel Tower in Paris last nigh according to witnesses
Kicked in: Bouhlel's home was broken into and examined for clues. He had been known to the French police since January, but was not deemed a terror threat
Target: French police raided a apartment Bouhlel was renting close to his estranged wife and ransacked the property, looking for clues
Not a Muslim: Walid Hamou, a cousin of Bouhlel's wife Hajer, told MailOnline: 'Bouhlel was not religious. He did not go to the mosque, he did not pray, he did not observe Ramadan'
Thief: Bouhlel was already known by police following accusations of domestic violence and theft, and was arrested following a pub brawl on January 27
Focus: Officers pored over every inch of the 12th floor apartment Bouhlel lived in with his wife Hajer and the rented apartment nearby which he moved into when they separated
Fired: The father-of-three worked as a delivery driver, but is believed to have been fired recently after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into four vehicles on a highway
12th floor: Police raided the 12th floor apartment as more details emerged about Bouhlel's life. The 31-year-old was stopped by police just hours before he crushed scored of people underneath the wheels of his 19 tonne truck and fired shots indiscriminately at police and innocent bystanders
These are the faces of children and adults missing after the Bastille Day massacre in Nice - posted online by the people terrified for their safety
Quick: Donald Trump seized on horrific reports of another deadly attack in France, asking his Twitter followers: 'When will we learn?'
Attack: Gunshots rang out in the streets, with gunmen reportedly targeting hotels and cafes in the port city with residents warned to lock themselves inside
Voice of Al Qaeda: Professor Mohammed al-Massari, 69 is accused of taking money from Colonel Gaddafi in 'plot to kill the Saudi king'
An academic who once appeared on Have I Got News For You and was later branded the voice of Al Qaeda has had his 650,000 home seized by the taxman over an alleged plot to assassinate a former king of Saudi Arabia.
Professor Mohammed al-Massari, 69, is accused of pocketing hundreds of thousands of pounds from Colonel Gaddafi in return for joining fellow Saudi dissidents in killing their monarch.
The retired King's College London physicist, whose sole appearance on the comedy panel show came 20 years ago, was interviewed by Scotland Yard but no charges were brought.
Instead, the National Crime Agency went down the 'Al Capone route', using legal powers to bring a case against him for failing to pay tax on cash it is claimed he received between 2002 and 2004.
Investigators suspect huge sums were smuggled into Britain at the behest of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi after he fell out with the then crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah.
He was considered the most powerful figure in the kingdom as his half-brother King Fahd was ailing. Abdullah succeeded to the throne in 2005 and died last year aged 90.
Al-Massari is accused of accepting cash as a middleman from Libyan agents who were hunting for Saudi exiles willing to return to their country and fire a missile at Abdullah's motorcade.
The academic, who set up the Committee for the Defence of Legitimate Rights which opposed the Saudi regime, must move out of his 650,000 terraced home in Wembley, north-west London, within weeks after a protracted legal battle. The house will be sold to cover unpaid taxes.
Al-Massari was originally feted by the BBC, appearing on Have I Got News For You in 1996 alongside Alan Davies and Clive Anderson. This was two years after he travelled to Britain and successfully claimed asylum, saying his life was at risk.
It was later claimed that Al-Massari once helped Osama bin Laden set up an office in London and ran a website showing images of British soldiers being killed in Iraq. In one interview he said it was legitimate for Muslims to assassinate the prime minister and kill British troops. Despite his background of extremism, he successfully fought calls to deport him by successive governments.
The National Crime Agency went down the 'Al Capone route', using legal powers to bring a case against al-Massari, whose 650,000 home has now been seized
The seizure of his home is a key victory for the NCA. Lawyers used tax powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act when it became clear no criminal case could be brought.
This meant they could 'tax' the suspected criminal income which appeared in Al-Massari's accounts between 2002 and 2004.
A High Court order made last month means he must move out of his home by August 18. It will then be sold to raise the 595,841.24 he owes in unpaid tax, national insurance contributions, penalties and interest. The move has been likened to the way the FBI eventually trapped Mafia boss Al Capone on tax evasion charges for which he was jailed in 1931.
A man wielding a huge machete-like blade was arrested last night at a vigil for victims of the Nice attack.
Terrified mourners drew back in horror as police quickly apprehended the man and secured the hooked 18 inch weapon.
Eyewitnesses last night said that although the man did not make to attack any of the locals who had been gathering, the arrest had added to the still tense atmosphere.
A man was arrested armed with a machete in a crowd paying tribute to the victims of the Nice attack today
The machete carried by the man when police arrested him at a vigil at Nice today
France has declared three days of national mourning following the atrocity, which comes after attacks in November in Paris in which 130 died and in January 2015 that killed 17.
A vigil was also taking place at Nice Cathedral on Friday night.
Mr Hollande said: "France has been hit by a tragedy once again. This monstrosity of using a lorry to deliberately kill people, many people, who only came out to celebrate their national day.
"France is in tears. It is hurting but it is strong, and she will be strong, always stronger than the fanatics who wish to hurt us."
Eyewitnesses said the Nice attacker - reported to be 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a man of French-Tunisian origin not known to intelligence services - swerved from side to side to kill as many people as possible as he drove for a mile along the Promenade des Anglais on the seafront of the city on the French Riviera.
He is said to have pulled a gun from the cab as part of the premeditated attack before being shot dead by police, with people fleeing into the sea in a bid to escape.
French authorities tonight confirmed 202 people were wounded, 25 of whom are on life support, while 52 are in a critical condition.
Revellers in the resort initially thought the commotion was part of a celebratory firework display, but then saw the lorry and assumed the driver had lost control.
Irish barman Robert Greene, from Coolock in Dublin, was around three metres from the bloody carnage and spoke of the devastation.
Clearly shaken by the incident, he told the Press Association: "I saw this truck and he cut through three or four people, he was already missing the bumper. It was horrific.
"A woman dropped to her knees, someone in her family had been killed, just lying there. There was not even a thing anyone could do, there was no CPR, bits of him were lying around.
"It was horrific."
The barman added: "There was a young child's plastic tricycle, smashed up and left in bits.
"I stayed on top of the stairs looking around. It was surreal. People screaming, children crying, young children running around the place alone, a woman on rollerblades screaming for her child."
Damien Allemand, a journalist with the Nice-Matin newspaper, said: "I saw bodies flying like bowling pins in its path. Heard noises, screams that I will never forget."
One tearful British holidaymaker, arriving back at Gatwick airport from Nice, said: "At first I thought it was just a road traffic accident.
"I didn't think terrorism. But when I saw the damage I thought, you can't have missed this many people. He would've used his brakes but there was no screech."
London resident Tereza Cerevenova, on holiday with her family in Nice, said people were "hiding behind cars" in an effort to escape the lorry driver.
World leaders have condemned the atrocity.
Speaking ahead of a visit to Scotland, Mrs May said the UK "stands shoulder-to-shoulder with France today as we have done so often in the past".
Eyewitnesses last night said that although the man did not make to attack any of the locals who had been gathering, the arrest had added to the still tense atmosphere
Mourners drew back in horror as police quickly apprehended the man and secured the hooked 18 inch weapon
She said: "If, as we fear, this was a terrorist attack, then we must redouble our efforts to defeat these brutal murderers who want to destroy our way of life.
"We must work with France and our partners around the world to stand up for our values and for our freedom."
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who had celebrated Bastille Day with dinner at the French Embassy in London, described the attack as "appalling and cowardly".
He said: "No country is immune to terrorism and we are united with our French and European partners as we deal with these threats to our countries and our way of life.
"British Embassy staff are on the ground in Nice and in close touch with French authorities."
Police forces in Britain will review security at major events scheduled to take place over the next week in the wake of the attack.
The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) issued a statement encouraging people to check with their tour operators before heading to France.
As military tanks patrol the streets and jets fly over Ankara another chapter in the history of bloody civil war is opened in Turkey.
The nation has endured four coups in the past 56 years with hundreds of thousands executed as a result of the political unrest.
The armed forces regards itself as the protector of Turkish democracy, a philosophy made up of secular ideals created by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - the founder of the modern Turkish Republic.
Turkey's army launched a coup attempt on Friday in a country that has seen three full military coups since 1960. Pictured, crowds of over 500,000 celebrate the fall of the Adnan Menderes administration in 1960
There has now been four major incidents where army chiefs have decided to intervene in order to ensure their ideals remain undamaged.
The first coup took place in 1960 as political tension reached boiling point between the government, led by prime minister Adnan Menderes and president Celal Bayar, opposing political parties and the armed forces.
The administration began to re-open mosques and new religious schools as well as calling for people to pray in Arabic rather than Turkish. It also imposed new press laws banning articles criticising the government in newspapers.
After a period of unrest Menderes was forced to employ martial law. The government was eventually toppled and the president, prime minister and several cabinet members were arrested. Menderes was later executed.
While there was not a coup in the 1970s, events in this period would contribute to military intervention in years to come.
Turkey had sunk into a recession, with their currency failing - causing protests in the streets with often violent demonstrations and attacks from right-wing organisations.
The military intervened and prime minister, Suleyman Demirel resigned with a right-wing temporary government put in place.
Pictured, Tanks move into position as angry Turkish civilians attempt to stop them in the capital of Ankara
Supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan are dispersed with shots in the air by the military at the Taksim Square in Istanbul,
The 1970s were a time of immense political and social unrest in Turkey with thousands being killed and 11 prime ministers taking office.
A military coup was announced on TV in September 1980 with the army establishing martial law.
The current government was dissolved and naval officer Bulend Ulusu became prime minister for three years before he was succeeded by Turgut Ozal.
While there was a stability that came with the military rule hundreds of thousands of people were executed, tortured or went missing during this period.
Turkish civilians celebrate with flags after the fall of the Adnan Menderes administration in the 1960s
After the army's coup d'etat on May 27, 1960, Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was hanged
After the Islamist Welfare Party took power in 1996 the armed forces suggested a series of policies that it urged the Government to take.
The following year it ensured changes including a headscarf ban at universities and an eight-year education programme - to ensure that young people did not enrol at religious schools - were put in place.
Doom-laden warnings that Brexits impact on the pound will hit holidaying families have been rejected by a study.
Post Office research points out that, leaving last year aside, sterling remains relatively strong against the Euro.
Just yesterday, a currency bounce meant 1 would buy 1.20 euros, roughly the same as in summer 2014.
Costa Blanca: Research points out that, leaving 2015 aside, sterling remains relatively strong against the Euro
And it is considerably higher than the rate of 1 to 1.02 euros, common as recently as 2011.
At the same time, the cost of popular holiday purchases such as a family meal or a visit to an attraction, have come down in many resorts.
The Post Office Travel Money Family Holiday Report makes clear that spending money will not go as far in 2016 as it did in 2015. But the organisations experts say the picture is not so gloomy over a longer period.
Spokesman Andrew Brown said: While resort prices are up on 2015 levels when sterling was at a seven-year high meals, drinks and tourist items now cost less in several family favourites than they did between 2011 and 2014.
Its all about putting todays exchange rates into context.
Sterling may have fallen recently but when you compare its value with every other year since 2011 except 2015, holidaymakers can be reassured that the cash in their pockets will cover their costs, particularly as bars and restaurants in several of the resorts we surveyed have cut their prices to attract tourists.
Moving: Yesterday, a currency bounce meant 1 would buy 1.20 euros, roughly the same as in summer 2014
The annual travel money study has looked at prices across resorts in popular destinations from Spains Costa Blanca to Majorca, Greece, France, Italy, Portugal, Croatia and Bulgaria.
It said the cost of a family meal for four with drinks will come in at 34.57 this year in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, which is around 10 per cent less than in 2014. There was also a drop of around 10 per cent on the Costa Blanca compared with two years ago at 48.52.
The study said prices were also cheaper in the Algarve, Croatia and Greece.
By contrast, it was more expensive in the Costa del Sol, Majorca, Cyprus, Nice and Sorrento, Italy. But comparing 2016 with 2011, prices were typically cheaper now in 80 per cent of resorts in the study.
Crops are placed in chilled warehouse that moderates their temperature
Foreign varieties of apples are stored in way that prevents them ripening
They may look fresh on the supermarket shelf. But at least half the apples being sold in Britain could be up to a year old, the Daily Mail can reveal.
This is because the foreign varieties we eat are being stored in a way that prevents them ripening as they are shipped to the UK.
Asda has admitted that some varieties of apple it sells as fresh were actually picked between six and 12 months ago, while Tesco and Sainsburys have been using the practice for more than a decade.
They may look fresh on the supermarket shelf. But at least half the apples being sold in Britain could be up to a year old, the Daily Mail can reveal
Many other fruits and vegetables are kept fresh for months in the same way before being sold in supermarkets.
Only a third of the apples eaten in the UK each year are grown here, the others are imported from as far away as New Zealand and Chile and have to be transported to the UK by sea. Untreated, they would ripen too far and lose nutrients, as well as their crunch.
Soon after being picked, the crops are placed in chilled warehouses with a modified atmosphere that prevents ripening.
The system, known as SmartFresh, halts the release of ethylene, a chemical produced by fruit and vegetables when they ripen. It is being used in around 40 countries on everything from pears, plums and apricots to kiwi fruit, tomatoes and avocados.
CHEMICAL THAT KEEPS FRUIT FRESH SmartFresh works using a sugar-based powder containing the active ingredient 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). This is mixed with tap water, releasing the chemical into the air inside the sealed, chilled warehouse or container. The 1-MCP inhibits the fruits release of ethylene, vastly extending its freshness. The apples are prevented from ripening, and hence eventually going bad, until they are taken out of cold storage. The technology, developed in the US in 1997, revolutionised storage techniques and has been used increasingly by growers to extend the life of produce, reduce waste and make seasonal crops available all year. Advertisement
Homegrown apples can also be stored this way, with Bramleys lasting up to ten months. AgroFresh, the firm which developed SmartFresh, claims that because the fruit and vegetables ripen more slowly, the method helps crops retain more of their vital nutrients.
Under normal conditions, fruit loses at least half its vitamin C content after two months. French studies found that kiwi fruit treated with SmartFresh retained 15 to 25 per cent more vitamin C.
Experts are divided over the benefits of the method, which was approved by the EU in 2005. Some research shows that fresh fruit and vegetables still lose nutrients as a result of the long time they spend in storage.
The Food Research Program of Canada found that levels of antioxidants and vitamin C in apples could decline. Consequently, shoppers may without realising it be missing out on the full benefits of eating what appear to be fresh fruit and vegetables.
However, research from the US and China shows that treating produce such as apricots and tomatoes using SmartFresh not only prevents the fruit deteriorating but also helps them to retain higher levels of nutrients such as lycopene.
Adrian Barlow, of English Apples and Pears, said that the technology allows shoppers to enjoy fresh apples all year round.
As the military took position at key infrastructure points across Turkey last night, reports from social media were noticeable in their absence.
Facebook, Twitter and Youtube all experienced interruptions and outages, although representatives from Twitter denied that they had been fully blocked in the takeover.
According to Turkey Blocks, a Twitter account which monitors internet shutdowns in the country, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube were all unresponsive at 11.04pm local time.
Pictured, A supporter of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shout slogans at the Taksim Square in Istanbul
Pictured, Tanks move into position as furious Turkish civilians attempt to stop them in the capital of Ankara
There was no evidence of a full internet blackout, however. Periscope and Whatsapp were reportedly running normally last night.
The Turkish government regularly imposes media bans during political crises in order to prevent news reports damaging its image and helping opponents.
Last year it blocked access to Twitter over the sharing of images of a prosecutor being held at gunpoint by far-left militants.
The government normally implements its internet restrictions through orders to Turkeys main internet service providers.
Google said in a statement: We are aware of reports that YouTube is down in Turkey. However, systems seem to be functioning normally.
Some Turkish residents appeared to be able to get online, posting images of military occupation such as tanks and low-flying fighter jets.
Pictured, Supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan shout slogans at soldiers in the Taksim Square
A man lay down in front of a tank on the approach to Ataturk airport in Istanbul as citizens took to the streets to oppose the military coup
Facebook and Twitter were reportedly blocked in March after pictures from a deadly car bombing spread on social media.
President Erdogan was also forced to give television interviews via a facetime app on an iPhone after the armed group took over state television.
Incredible footage shows the moment two Chinese bullet trains pass each other at 520 miles per hour an a test run.
The test took place in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan province, today in a bid to prove the quality of Chinese made bullet trains, reported the People's Daily Online.
The test has broken the record for the fastest train crossing, according to Chinese state media.
Record breaking dash: The Chinese bullet trains pass each other on the railway line
Gone in a matter of seconds: Footage was taken from inside one of the trains in Zhengzhou, central China
Now that's fast! When the bullet trains passed each other, they were going at speeds of 520 miles per hour
Tough job! A train driver operates the Chinese bullet train in Zhengzhou, China
The footage was filmed from inside one of the high speed trains.
The other train can then be seen speeding past.
It takes just a matter of seconds for the two trains to pass.
The test was held at a section of high-speed railway line in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan province.
Each of the two trains was travelling at 260 miles per hour but when they crossed, their relative speed was 520 miles per hour.
This means that you could travel from London to Zurich in less than an hour.
According to state-run CCTV News, the testing was to emphasise the advancement of China's design and manufacturing ability to the world.
It was also intended to show that China has the ability to meet the needs of the world.
China has the world's longest high-speed rail network with over 11,800 miles of track, reported the People's Daily Online. The network is expected to expand to 18,000 miles by 2020.
In 2014, daily ridership hit 2.49 million people.
Currently, the fastest bullet trains are operating at 192 miles per hour.
Japan is currently home to the fastest train in the world. The country's Maglev train set the record travelling at 373 miles per hour in 2014.
A lot of places to go: China has the world's longest high-speed rail network with over 11,800 miles of track
Blink and you'll miss it: The other train disappears into the distance in a matter of seconds
Fast! According to Chinese media, the test was intended to show the power of Chinese manufacturing
A dog has been helped to walk again after he was spotted by a vet dying on a road after a car accident in China.
The vet rushed the animal to a veterinary hospital in Yantai, Shandong province, and has kept him as a pet ever since, reports the People's Daily Online.
He also had a set of wheels made especially to help the animal walk around.
Lai Fu and his new owner Jiang Qu: The vet attaches new wheels to the dog so he can remain mobile
On the move! Lai Fu was discovered by Jiang Qu after the animal was hit by a car in Yantai City, east China
The dog named Lai Fu was hit by a car in the city of Yantai, east China's Shandong province.
Jiang Qu, a veterinarian, was passing by at the time and went over to help the animal.
Jiang took Lai Fu to the animal clinic where he works and helped to save the dog's life.
However the animal's hind legs were paralysed in the accident.
After becoming attached to Lai Fu, he decided to keep the dog as a pet.
His new owner had a set of wheels fitted to help keep him mobile.
The pair's story has been popular on social media with many people online praising the dog's new owner on never giving up on him.
On Weibo, a post sharing the pictures already has 21,000 likes.
One user commented: 'Good people will be rewarded'.
While another said: 'Very touching! A good person! A dog is a man's best friend. You cannot treat them badly.'
And one user wrote: 'Dog. You met a very good man. You are lucky'.
A man's best friend: Jiang Qu has fitted wheels to the animal to ensure he can keep mobile
Annual phenomenon since 2008 remains unexplained with 8,900 hectares of land covered by algae so far this year
Tourists descend on beaches to plaster filthy florescent algae on themselves and to swim in murky waters
Tonnes of green algae from Yellow Sea piling up in popular coast in Qingdao, eastern China, despite clean up efforts
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As summer rolls around, the east Chinese city of Qingdao is again facing its annual invasion of florescent green algae that transforms its coastline into a large swathe of green.
Despite the government's best clean-up efforts, combating the algae that comes from the Yellow Sea is an uphill battle, with algae piling up on the Shandong Province city's beaches.
The source of headache for coastal officials is, however, quite the contrary for tourists, who are descending on the popular coast to do nothing less than heap the dirty algae on themselves.
Green is the new black: Chinese Tourists have descended on the popular coast in Qingdao to cover themselves in green algae
The phenomenon happens each year, as algae from the Yellow Sea washes up on the beaches in resort cities in Shandong Province
Picnic on the beach: Beachgoers are seen taking in the unusually verdant views
Photos depict Chinese tourists plastering the algae on their bodies, with some going as far as to bury themselves in it entirely, reports the People's Daily Online.
Adults and children alike are seen frolicking along and posing for photos on the now algae-covered beach.
Some have been photographed swimming in the murky waters, while others took in the unusually verdant views.
Green with envy: Chinese beachgoers are seen plastering the algae on their bodies, with some burying themselves in it entirely
Adults and children alike have been photographed swimming and playing in the murky waters
Algae bloom washed up on the shores have covered about 8,900 hectares of land in the region as of Wednesday
Art: Some holidaymakers have fashioned sculptures and sand art using a mixture of sand and algae
Others have even fashioned sculptures and sand art using a mixture of sand and algae.
According to official statistics, algae bloom washed up on the shores have covered about 8,900 hectares of land in the region as of Wednesday.
Officials have so far dispatched 2,173 ships for clean up operations, having scooped up more than 70,000 tonnes of algae from land and sea, with 40,000 tonnes from the shores, local media report.
While the algae is not poisonous, it consumes large amounts of oxygen that can threaten fish and other marine life.
Officials have cleaned up more than 70,000 tonnes of algae from land and sea, local media report
The algae is not poisonous, but it consumes large amounts of oxygen that can threaten fish and other marine life
Popular resort cities have been transformed into large carpets of green every summer since the first outbreak in 2008
Ever since the first outbreak in 2008, beaches in popular resort cities such as Qingdao and Yantai, have suffered algae attacks every summer.
There are many different theories explaining the phenomenon, with several blaming warn sea temperatures, which help cultivate the algae's rapid growth, due to climate change and industrial pollution.
Others speculate the expansion of edible seaweed farming along the coast may have contributed to the growth of algae in the area.
Extensive clean up operations are carried out each year, with the collected algae dried and turned into animal feed, fertiliser and medicinal supplements.
Some theories blame warn sea temperatures due to climate change and industrial pollution for the phenomenon
Others speculate the expansion of edible seaweed farming along the coast may have contributed to the growth of algae in the area
Officials have so far dispatched 2,173 ships for clean up operations, which are carried out each year
A group of tourists have been caught smuggling gold bars worth 21 million yuan (2.3 million) in Shenzhen, China.
Twelve men and women were caught with the bars under their trousers and skirts on June 28 at the port of Shenzhen, reports the People's Daily Online.
Each person was thought to have around six to seven gold bars on them.
Sneaky: According to officers, they group hid the gold bars inside pockets in their clothing
Officers with the confiscated gold bars: Officers say the bars are worth 21 million yuan (2.3 million)
That's worth something! Officers found 76 gold bars on the group each weighing 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram)
Security at Shenzhen Bay Port noticed some suspicious looking tourists carrying very little luggage through security check on their way out of the Chinese mainland.
Five of the tourists were from Hong Kong.
The six men and six women were stopped and after a short search, security officers found gold bars hidden in their clothing. They had reportedly sewn special pockets into their clothing.
The tourists were found to be carrying a total of 76 undeclared bars between them, each weighing 2.2 pounds (1kg).
According to reports, they are worth a combined total of 21 million yuan (2.3 million).
A member of the group told security officers that they were promised 80 yuan (9) for every gram of gold they managed to smuggle out of the country.
The following day the gold bars were measured for purity and were found to contain a purity of 999.9 per mille.
The case has since been referred to the anti-smuggling department for investigation.
According to customs, people leaving China with more than 50 grams of gold are required to declare the goods to customs.
That's a lot of gold! A suspect told officers that they were promised cash per each gram of gold
The saying goes that 'opposites attract', but when it comes to looks it appears your relationship status may affect who you are drawn to.
New research suggests that people in a relationship are more likely to be attracted to faces resembling their own, but single people will be drawn to someone who looks totally different.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology, suggests that your relationship status may alter the features that you find attractive.
The researchers showed a series of faces to university students and asked them to rate their attractiveness. The photographs of people were digitally manipulated so that the resemblance to the student was modified
The research was led by a team from Charles University in the Czech Republic, who showed a series of faces to university students and asked them to rate their attractiveness.
The photographs of people of both the same and opposite sex, were digitally manipulated so that the resemblance to the student was modified.
WHO ARE WE MOST ATTRACTED TO? The researchers showed a series of faces to university students and asked them to rate their attractiveness. The photographs of people were digitally manipulated so that the resemblance to the student was modified. Dr Jitka Lindova, who led the study, said: 'We found that single participants, those not in relationships, rate dissimilar faces as more attractive and sexy than self-resembling faces.' Conversely, those in a relationship rated similar faces as more attractive. The same results were shown when participants rated both same-sex and opposite-sex faces. Advertisement
Dr Jitka Lindova, who led the study, said: 'We found that single participants, those not in relationships, rate dissimilar faces as more attractive and sexy than self-resembling faces.'
Conversely, those in a relationship rated similar faces as more attractive.
The same results applied to both same-sex and opposite-sex faces.
Dr Lindova added: 'For the first time, we have observed how our partnership status affects who we find attractive.'
The mechanism for who we find attractive normally draws us to genetically suitable partners - those with different characteristics to our own.
The results suggest that this mechanism for attractiveness perception may be suppressed during romantic relationships.
Actor, Eddie Cibrian met his now wife, Leann Rimes while he was in a relationship. The pair bear a striking resemblance, with very similar eyes and noses
Dr Lindova said: 'This might be a relationship maintenance strategy to prevent us from finding alternatives to our own partner, or perhaps self-resemblance becomes more important in terms of the social support we expect to receive from relatives, which are known as kinship cues.'
Aside from predicted who you find attractive, the results could be applied to psychological sciences.
Dr Lindova added: 'For example, as those not in a relationship were not influenced by kinship cues, our findings might help to explain social phenomena such as parent and adolescent disaffection.'
A paralysed man was able to lift a cup again after doctors zapped his brain and wrist with magnets and electricity
A paralysed man was able to lift a cup again after doctors zapped his brain and wrist with magnets and electricity.
And a woman could bend her ankles for the first time in more than two years, after the same treatment.
The Finnish researchers caution say that while only two patients have been treated, the results are promising.
Each year, 2,000 Britons lose the ability to walk after road accidents damage the spinal cord, blocking the transmission of vital messages between the brain and legs.
Many more are left paralysed after falls and sporting accidents.
Many will see slight improvements in their condition initially but most will be left with some sort of disability.
Even the ability to do something as 'simple' as being able button clothes or brush teeth would greatly increase independence.
The University of Helsinki researchers used two different treatments to strengthen weak connections in the damaged spinal cord, allowing messages about movement to pass through it.
The first, called peripheral nerve electrical simulation, used electrodes to stimulate nerves in the paralysed limbs.
The called transcranial magnetic stimulation, used a magnetic 'thinking cap' to kick-start the corresponding areas of the brain.
The patients were given regular treatment for six months and told to imagine moving their hands or ankles as it was done.
The man, a 53-year-old who had been injured in a car accident, regained the ability to grasp and lift a cup.
The woman, a 31-year-old left paralysed below the knees after a fall, could bend both ankles.
Importantly, the improvements didn't disappear as soon as the treatment ended but persisted for at least a month, the journal Spinal Cord Series and Cases reports.
And a woman could bend her ankles for the first time in more than two years, after the same treatment
Researcher Dr Anastasia Shulga said: 'We observed strengthened neural connections and partial restoration of movement to muscles which the patients were previously unable to use.
'Even a weak movement, instead of no movement at all, will prevent problems associated with paralysis, such as the susceptibility to venous thrombosis [blood clots] and may also have a psychological impact.
'Furthermore, our study leaves open the question of the optimal duration of the stimulation.
Helsinki Uni researchers used two treatments to strengthen weak connections in damaged spinal cord
'It remains to be seen whether further neurological improvement could be achieved if the stimulation was continued for longer periods of time.'
Colleague Dr Jyrki Makela said new treatments for spinal cord injuries are sorely needed.
He added: 'This is a case study with two patients only but we think the results are promising.
Tesla's controversial Autopilot feature was not to blame for a crash at a turnpike in Pennsylvania earlier this month, Elon Musk has claimed.
Logs released by the electric car manufacturer show that the feature was not turned on at the time of the crash, despite reports that it may have played a role.
The accident came weeks after a Tesla Model S collided with a tractor-trailer on a freeway in Williston, Florida, after it failed to detect the white trailer against the sky.
Tesla's auto-pilot system did not cause a crash that 'destroyed' a Model X car (pictured) after it suddenly swerved off a road at 60mph and hit some wooden guard rail posts. Tesla has now checked the vehicle logs on board the car and found the function was switched off, so it could not be to blame for the crash
The 40-year-old driver Joshua Brown died in the accident.
The crash in Pennsylvania, which occurred on 1 July, was not fatal but the driver told police he had activated the Autopilot feature, which uses sensors to keep the car on the road.
MUSK'S TWITTER SPAT Head of Tesla Motors, Elon Musk, took to Twitter to slam reporters who claimed the firm delayed making details of a fatal crash public. Musk has called the reports, published by Fortune Magazine last week, 'BS' and 'fundamentally incorrect'. However, the publication has said it stands by its reporting. Advertisement
Tesla has insisted that the feature is not designed to take over from motorists completely and drivers must stay alert and ready to take over at all times.
However, Mr Musk revealed on Thursday that logs from the Tesla Model X in Pennsylvania showed that the Autopilot function was turned off and so could not be blamed for the accident.
Mr Musk Tweeted a statement that said: 'Onboard vehicle logs show Autopilot was turned off in Pennsylvania crash. Moreover, crash would not have occurred if it was on.'
The Model X, which was 'destroyed' in the accident, had suddenly swerved off a road at 60mph and hit some wooden guard rail posts.
Onboard vehicle logs show Autopilot was turned off in Pennsylvania crash. Moreover, crash would not have occurred if it was on. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2016
Tesla's Elon Musk (pictured) has lashed out at 'BS reports' about the fatal accident involving one of its Model S electric vehicles. The car firm has faced criticism for allegedly not disclosing to investors details of the crash in May, in which 40-year-old driver Joshua Brown died while using the autopilot feature on his Model S
According to the Detroit Free Press, the driver that crashed was Albert Scaligone, owner of an art gallery in Pennsylvania.
His son-in-law was also in the car at the time of the crash, the Free Press reported.
The pair both survived the crash, which was on Friday 1 July on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, near mile marker 160, about 107 miles (172km) east of Pittsburgh.
Dale Vukovich, from the Pennsylvania State Police, responded to the crash.
He told the Free Press that Mr Scaglione said he had activated the autopilot feature on the electric car.
The crash report says the car was travelling east when it hit a guard rail 'off the right side of the roadway. It then crossed over the eastbound lanes and hit the concrete median.'
'Anyone who has driven on the Pennsylvania Turnpike knows that its narrow shoulders and concrete medians leave little margin for driver error,' the Free Press said at the time.
This crash involved a Model X, which was 'destroyed' (pictured), but no lives were taken. According to the Detroit Free Press , the driver that crashed was Albert Scaligone, owner of an art gallery in Pennsylvania. The pair both survived the crash, which was on Friday 1 July on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, near mile marker 160, about 107 miles (172km) east of Pittsburgh
The pair both survived the crash, which was on Friday 1 July on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, near mile marker 160, about 107 miles (172km) east of Pittsburgh. Dale Vukovich, from the Pennsylvania State Police, responded to the crash
THE ETHICS OF DRIVERLESS CARS Suppose a driverless car is headed towards five pedestrians - it can stay on course and kill them or swerve into a concrete wall, killing its passenger. This ethical dilemma is a difficult one - and it appears that people cannot decide which outcome is better. New research shows that people generally approve of cars programmed to sacrifice their passengers to save others, but these same people would not want to be in the car themselves. Autonomous vehicles (AVs), have the potential to benefit the world by eliminating up to 90 per cent of traffic accidents. However, not all crashes will be avoided, and some crash scenarios will require AVs to make difficult ethical decisions. Study author, Dr Iyad Rahwan, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab who led the research, said: 'Most people want to live in in a world where cars will minimise casualties, but everybody wants their own car to protect them at all costs.' Advertisement
The company has been under regulators' scrutiny after a fatal car crash on May 7 that killed a Model S car owner who was operating it in autopilot mode.
This week, Mr Musk spoke out against recent reports of the fatal Tesla crash, calling the reporting 'BS' and 'fundamentally incorrect'.
The billionaire entrepreneur and founder of Tesla took to Twitter to counter claims made by Fortune Magazine, which criticised Mr Musk's firm for taking so long to publicly disclose the crash.
In a recent move, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent the company a letter, seeking details of all design changes and updates to Autopilot since it went into use last year.
Consumer Reports magazine is also calling on the electric car maker to change the name of its Autopilot semi-autonomous driving system and to disconnect the automatic steering feature.
The magazine says in a statement that calling the system Autopilot promotes a dangerous assumption that Teslas can drive themselves.
It also says the automatic steering should be disconnected until it's updated to make sure a driver's hands stay on the steering wheel at all times.
Earlier this month, the first fatality in a Tesla Model S using the autopilot function was brought to our attention. Last week another severe Tesla occurred, but this time Autopilot was not on, Tesla said. The difference is this time the crash involved a Model X (pictured) and luckily everyone involved survived
The Model S features a forward radar, a forward-looking camera, 12 long-range ultrasonic sensors positioned to sense 16ft around the car in every direction at all speeds, and a high-precision digitally-controlled electric assist braking system. The lane-changing feature is illustrated
TESLA AUTOPILOT'S FUNCTIONS Autosteer: This feature, which is currently in beta, keeps the car in the current lane and engages Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to maintain the car's speed. Tesla requires drivers to remain engaged and aware when Autosteer is enabled and drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel. Auto Lane Change: When the driver flicks the indicator switch and turn signal, the Model S will move itself to the adjacent lane when safe to do so. Automatic Emergency Steering and Side Collision Warning: Side Collision Warning alerts drivers to objects, such as cars, that are too close to the side of Model S. When the car detects an object close to its side, fluid lines will appear around an image of the Model S image in the instrument panel. Autopark: When driving at low speeds around cities, a 'P' will appear on the instrument panel when the Tesla detects a parking spot. The Autopark guide appears on the touchscreen along with the rear camera display, and, once activated, Autopark will begin to park itself by controlling steering and vehicle speed. Advertisement
But Tesla boss Elon Musk said the electric car maker has no plans to disable its Autopilot feature in the wake of a fatal accident in which the driver of a Model S car was using the technology.
Instead, the company is planning an 'explanatory blog post' to educate customers on how the feature works.
'A lot of people don't understand what it is and how you turn it on,' Musk told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.
He said he had pushed hard to launch the Autopilot feature as soon as possible because 'we knew we had a system that on balance would save lives.'
'It is important to note that Tesla disables Autopilot by default and requires explicit acknowledgement that the system is new technology and still in a public beta phase before it can be enabled,' Tesla said.
When drivers activate the system, they see a warning saying that it is 'an assist feature that requires you to keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times,' and that 'you need to maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle' while using it, according to the company.
The news comes amid growing interest in self-driving cars following tests over the past few years by Google and research by several major automakers.
Investments are also being made in autonomous trucks and small buses.
A major study released earlier this month said the looming arrival of self-driving vehicles is likely to vastly reduce traffic fatalities, but also poses difficult moral dilemmas.
The scientists said autonomous driving systems will require programmers to develop algorithms to make critical decisions that are based more on ethics than technology, such as whether to sacrifice a driver or passenger rather than pedestrians.
Their tough bony shells can make them a unpalatable morsel for most ocean predators, but the distinctive armour of turtles may have initially evolved for a very different purpose - digging.
Biologists have conduced research that suggests a new theory for how the ancient family of marine reptiles evolved their shells.
While it has been widely believed the bony exterior emerged as a way of protecting the creatures from attack, the new study suggests it only took on this role more recently.
Turtles can bury their eggs more than 20 inches down into the sand, giving the tiny youngsters a major battle to get free after hatching
Instead, a team of researchers from Denver Museum of Nature and Science, say ancestors of turtles who lived 220 million years ago used the bony protrusions to dig burrows for shelter.
They studied the fossils of proto-turtles - ancient ancestors of turtles, who lived 220 million years ago.
While most shelled animals, such as crabs, get their shells by adding bony scales to their body, turtles form their shells by gradually broadening their ribs, until the bones fuse together.
HOW DO WIDE RIBS HELP WITH DIGGING? While most shelled animals, such as crabs, get their shells by adding bony scales to their body, turtles form their shells by gradually broadening their ribs, until the bones fuse together. This unusual mechanism does not offer much in the way of protection until the ribs fully fuse - as they are in modern turtles. However, broad ribs provide a stable base on which to operate powerful forelimb digging. Advertisement
This unusual mechanism does not offer much in the way of protection until the ribs fully fuse - as they are in modern turtles.
Earlier species of proto-turtle often did not have this fully fused set of bones.
This led researchers to question whether shells initially evolved for a reason other than protection.
Their research focused on an ancient South African reptile, called Eunotosauraus africanus, who had huge claws and large triceps, as well as thickened ribs.
In their paper, published in Current Biology, the researchers said: 'The broad ribs of Eunotosaurus provide an intrinsically stable base on which to operate a powerful forelimb digging mechanism.'
One of the first major deviations from the ancestral body plan is the appearance of broadened dorsal ribs, which has significant costs to breathing and movement. This led researchers to question whether shells initially evolved for a reason other than protection
BABY TURTLES HELP DIG EACH OTHER OUT Scientists have discovered that baby turtles have a trick to help them save as much energy as possible for their arduous journey - they use teamwork to dig out of the nest. A recent study provides new insights into why turtles lay so many eggs in their nests - not only do the sheer numbers of hatching turtles overwhelm predators, they also make digging out easier. Turtles can bury their eggs more than 20 inches down into the sand, giving the tiny youngsters a major battle to get free after hatching. Advertisement
Fossils found from other proto-turtle species also had wider ribs and big claws which suggests that these traits may have been important for early turtle evolution in general, not just for Eunotosaurus.
Supporting their theory further, is the recent finding of a Eunotosaurus fossil which had preserved the bones around the eyes.
This adaption suggested that the proto-turtles' eyes were well adapted to low light - a characteristic of animals that spend time underground.
The researchers said: 'Unlike animals that are rarely above ground and therefore have very small eyes, the large eyes of Eunotosaurus are more similar to those of animals that dig burrows for shelter but habitually forage above ground.'
Despite the findings, not everyone is convinced of this new theory.
Their research focused on an ancient South African reptile, called Eunotosauraus africanus, who had huge claws and large triceps, as well as thickened ribs (artist's impression)
Speaking to Science News, Hans Sues, a paleontologist at the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History, said: 'Its a very plausible idea, although many other animals burrow but dont have these specializations.'
He added that it will be important to find and study other turtle ancestors well-adapted to digging to back-up the explanation.
As well as giving a new idea into how turtles evolved, the researchers say that the finding could also explain how ancient turtles survived a mass extinction 250 million years ago that wiped out many other plants and animals.
Mr Tyler Lyson, who led the study, told Science News: 'Lots of animals at this time period burrowed underground to avoid the very, very arid environment that was present in South Africa. The burrow provides more climate control.'
The people of France and Italy live up to their romantic stereotypes, the Spanish prefer to flex their muscles while the British and Americans mainly seem to be weary.
This is the view of the world that appears when looking at the most popular emojis that are used on Twitter in different countries.
The list was compiled ahead of World Emoji Day this Sunday, and seems to challenge some stereotypes while confirming others about different nations.
Ahead of World Emoji Day this Sunday, Twitter has created a list of the most popular emojis in different parts of the world. If you live in the US, Canada or the UK, the chances are you feel weary most of the time, but if you live in the Philippines or Indonesia you spend a lot of the time grimacing
The unquellable positivity of Americans, for example, seems to be lacking from their use of emojis as they seem to most often use the weary face icon.
WORLD EMOJI DAY If you've ever used the little calendar emoji and have an excellent memory, you might remember what the date on it says. The 17 July has been named 'World Emoji Day' because it famously features on the 'Calendar' emoji in iOS operating systems. This Sunday Twitter is encouraging people to celebrate by Tweeting their favourite emoji, World Emoji Day was created by London-based Jeremy Burge, founder of Emojipedia. Advertisement
Turkey, by comparison, favours a more classic smiley face.
France and Italy most often use heat shaped emojis related to love - perhaps not surprising for countries that are most commonly regarded as the most romantic in the world.
Surprisingly, however, the Japanese also seem to like using a beating heart emoji that is often used to denote love.
Saudi Arabia uses a rather bizarre blue heart, which could be seen as rather cold hearted. South Koreans seem to prefer a symbol of kissing lips.
In Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, countries known for their love of rhythm, people favour musical notes..
'World Emoji Day' has been designated as 17 July because the date famously features on the 'Calendar' emoji in iOS operating systems.
To celebrate the day, Twitter analysed how emojis are used around the world.
This Sunday, to celebrate the day, Twitter is encouraging people to celebrate by Tweeting their favourite emoji, Twitter has also created a custom emoji which can be accessed by Tweeting #WorldEmojiDay (pictured)
Somewhat expectedly, Australians are optimistic Tweeters, choosing the thumbs up emoji. Perhaps more surprisingly, the Germans also use the symbol, despite often being characterised as somewhat serious.
South Africans are keen on putting their hands in the air and the Spanish like to show off their arm muscles.
While people in India and Mexico are more religious or spiritual, favouring the 'person with folded hands'.
World Emoji Day was created by London-based Jeremy Burge, founder of an emoji database called Emojipedia. The 17 July has been named 'World Emoji Day' because it famously features on the 'Calendar' emoji in iOS operating systems
World Emoji Day was created by London-based Jeremy Burge, founder of an emoji database called Emojipedia.
'I decided that if a day didn't exist to celebrate emojis, I should make one,' Mr Burge told MailOnline.
'July 17 was the obvious choice, given that it's the day of the calendar emoji!'
EMOJI STATS People Tweet more beer emojis than coffee emojis Twitter has a favourite emoji monkey, the see no evil monkey. There are more full heart emojis Tweeted than broken heart emojis. Advertisement
The first ever mention of #WorldEmojiDay was on July 11, 2014 when Mr Burge first posted about it from a new @WorldEmojiDay Twitter account.
This Sunday, to celebrate the day, Twitter is encouraging people to celebrate by Tweeting their favourite emoji.
Twitter has also created a custom emoji which can be accessed by Tweeting #WorldEmojiDay.
The creators of World Emoji Day are also encouraging people to celebrate by hosting an emoji party, where people would dress up as their favourite one.
'Invite your friends around and dress as your favorite emoji character,' the website says. 'The more obscure, the better.'
The creators of World Emoji Day are also encouraging people to celebrate by hosting an Emoji party, where people would dress up as their favourite one
'Invite your friends around and dress as your favorite emoji character,' the website says. 'The more obscure, the better.' A balloon showing the UK, US and Canada's favourite emoji, the 'weary face' is pictured
In May last year, emoji was named as the worlds fastest growing language.
Mr Burge told MailOnline he thinks the popularity of the characters comes down to a few different factors.
'We don't really make phone calls any more unless we have to, and using an emoji can fill the gap left by a lack of body language or the tone of our voice,' he said.
'Technically, we have had different emoticons for a long time, but these usually only worked on one platform, or were the text-based ones we all know.
'Emoji being included as part of the text standard really made them more like additional punctuation, that we all suddenly had delivered to our phones.'
THE NEW GENDER EQUAL EMOJIS Earlier this week, Google revealed a series of new emojis in efforts to better embrace the diversity of its many users. The new emojis include 11 new professions, from rock star to scientist, each available in both male and female, and across all skin colours. In addition to this, 33 existing emojis are set to be updated to include a version for both genders. The Unicode Emoji Subcommittee has agreed to the proposed changes, meaning Android and other platforms will soon see the new looks. But while theres a huge range of emoji, there arent a lot that highlight the diversity of womens careers, or empower young girls. The new emojis will feature a rock star, welder, scientist, farmer, chef, and doctor, among others. These will be available in male and female, with all skin tones. Older emojis, like the running person, the haircut, and the weightlifter can now be changed between male and female. Advertisement
One of the concepts behind the scheduled update was creating gender pairs to fill existing gaps. This means the dancing woman will be given a partner in the form of a dancing man, the bride emoji will be paired with a groom and a Mrs Clause will accompany the Santa emoji
Earlier this week, Google revealed a series of new emojis in efforts to better embrace the diversity of its many users.
IS EMOJI THE FASTEST GROWING LANGUAGE? In May last year, emoji was named as the worlds fastest growing language. TalkTalk Mobile teamed up with Vyv Evans, linguistics professor at Bangor University to launch the study and improve understanding of emoji with the 'Emoji IQ' tutorial. 'Emoji is the fastest growing form of language ever based on its incredible adoption rate and speed of evolution,' said Professor Evans. 'As a visual language emoji has already far eclipsed hieroglyphics, its ancient Egyptian precursor which took centuries to develop.' The most popular emoji, according to the study, is the 'smiley face' followed by the 'crying with laughter face'. Advertisement
The new emojis include 11 new professions, from rock star to scientist, each available in both male and female, and across all skin colours.
In addition to this, 33 existing emojis are set to be updated to include a version for both genders.
Unicode Consortium, the official body responsible for setting a standard of characters across the computing industry, released a list of 72 new emojis to be included in their next update in June.
Avocado and bacon lovers the world over will rejoice as the announcement that their favourite foods are going to make it onto their emoji keyboards.
But people with a phobia of clowns are in for a nasty surprise as the iconic circus clown face is also going to be included.
And new projects are expected to be announced on Sunday to mark the day.
'Last year Pepsi sent a bunch of custom World Emoji Day "Pepsimoji" bottles to celebrities such as Neil Patrick Harris,' Mr Burge told MailOnline.
Google has revealed 11 new professional emojis, each available in male or female, and in all skin colours. These are pictured above
'For me personally, I'll be wearing a World Emoji Day T Shirt on Sunday, and if I get a chance to leave London at all, I could go check out a World Emoji Day run which is happening in Hampshire,' he said.
'A lot of my day tends to be spent seeing what other people get up to and sharing anything interesting that comes up.'
'I look forward to seeing what else happens on the day!'
Factory robots are generally kept well away from the human workforce due to the dangers they present.
But car company Ford is trying to change this by introducing a new robot to one of its European production lines that works hand-in-hand with its human workforce.
The robot can even make a cup of coffee, give workers fist bumps and administer creepy robotic head massages.
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Factory robots are not generally considered the most exciting bits of technology. But car company Ford is trying to change this by introducing a new robot to one of its European production lines. The robot can make coffee, give workers fist bumps and even administer a creepy robotic head massage
These special collaborative robots, or 'co-bots', are helping workers fit shock absorbers to Fiestas, a task that requires accuracy, strength, and a high level of dexterity.
But a video the company just released shows their alternative purpose, making coffee for the workers.
The robots, which were developed in collaboration with German robotics firm KUKA Roboter, are about three feet (one metre) tall.
The trial is part of investigations into a new 'industrial revolution', the company says.
The robots are built with sensors to stop them if they detect obstacles in their path.
'It can be programmed to do anything from making a coffee to giving a hand massage,' a promotional video says.
At the moment the robots are only in its Cologne factory in Germany, but they could be heading for other facilities around the world.
These special collaborative robots, or 'co-bots', are helping workers fit shock absorbers to Fiestas, a task that requires accuracy, strength, and a high level of dexterity. But a video the company just released shows their alternative purpose, making coffee for the workers
'Ford is reviewing extending use of collaborative robots at other facilities worldwide,' the video says.
'Robots are helping make tasks easier, safer and quicker, complementing our employees with abilities that open up unlimited worlds of production and design for new Ford models,' said Karl Anton, director vehicle operations, Ford of Europe.
Ford is now reviewing further use of the collaborative robots.
At the moment the robots are only in its Cologne factory in Germany, but they could be heading for other facilities around the world
These special collaborative robots, or 'co-bots', are helping workers fit shock absorbers to Fiestas, a task that requires accuracy, strength, and a high level of dexterity. The robots are built with sensors to stop them if they detect obstacles in their path
There are many who fear robots are on the verge of stealing our jobs. But the company insists these robots will not be replacing the workers on the factory floor
'Working overhead with heavy air-powered tools is a tough job that requires strength, stamina, and accuracy. The robot is a real help,' said production worker Ngali Bongongo.
There are many who fear robots are on the verge of stealing our jobs. But the company insists these robots will not be replacing the workers on the factory floor.
'The mini robots aren't replacing people. They're helping them get more jobs done,' the video says.
The trial is part of investigations into a new 'industrial revolution' the company says. The robots are built with sensors to stop them if they detect obstacles in their path
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The Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Thursday began putting on display the country's oldest papyruses, which date back 4,500 years, detailing the daily life of the pyramid-builders.
The items are from the 4th Dynasty of King Khufu, also known as Cheops, for whom the Great Pyramid of Giza was built as a tomb.
They reveal the daily lives of port workers who transported huge limestone blocks to Cairo during King Khufu's rule to build the Great Pyramid, intended to be his burial structure.
A visitor looks at one of the oldest papyri in the history of Egyptian writing among the collection of King Khufu papyri discovered at Wadi El-Jarf port, as it is on display for the first time at the Egyptian museum in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, July 14, 2016.
Egypt's Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany told reporters as the exhibition was unveiled that the papyruses were discovered in 2013 by an Egyptian-French mission inside caves in the port of Wadi el-Jarf.
The ancient port is located 119 kilometers (74 miles) from the city of Suez.
El-Anany said, the items display are 'the oldest' papyruses in Egypt.
Museum chief Tarek Tawfiq said the papyruses depict the daily routine of the workers, who also transferred building material from the Red Sea port to Giza.
One document was a 'diary by government official Merer (the beloved) with statistics and administrative details' of his work, said Sayed Mahfouz, who co-led the 2013 discovery.
WHAT THEY REVEAL The items display are described as being 'the oldest' papyruses in Egypt. Museum chief Tarek Tawfiq said the papyruses depict the daily routine of the workers, who also transferred building material from the Red Sea port to Giza. One of the papyruses belonged to a senior employee named Marr who played a role in the building of the pyramid and it covered a period of three months of his job, providing information about his duties including transporting rocks through the River Nile and its canals. Other papyruses showed the distribution of food portions for workers, including one showing in clear Egyptian hieroglyphs the number of sheep brought in. One document was a 'diary by government official Merer (the beloved) with statistics and administrative details' of his work, said Sayed Mahfouz, who co-led the 2013 discovery. The documents also list revenues transferred from various Egyptian provinces to feed pyramid builders and pay their wages, Mahfouz said. The documents also list revenues transferred from various Egyptian provinces to feed pyramid builders and pay their wages, Mahfouz said. Merer led a team of around 40, according to the ministry. The documents also list revenues transferred from various Egyptian provinces to feed pyramid builders and pay their wages, Mahfouz said. Revenue was written in red, while what was paid to workers would be written in black One document was a 'diary by government official Merer (the beloved) with statistics and administrative details' of his work, said Sayed Mahfouz, who co-led the 2013 discovery. Advertisement
Merer led a team of around 40, according to the ministry.
The documents also list revenues transferred from various Egyptian provinces to feed pyramid builders and pay their wages, Mahfouz said.
Revenue was written in red, while what was paid to workers would be written in black, said Mahfouz.
'It gives for every day an account of the work of this crew transporting limestone blocks from the quarries of Turah on the east bank of the Nile to the Pyramid of Khufu at Giza plateau through the Nile and its canals,' the ministry said.
It said the papyri 'indicate the highly efficient administrative system during Khufu's reign'.
On display are a total of six out of the 30 discovered papyruses, according to Hussein Abdel-Bassir, another ministry official.
'These show the administrative power and the central nature of the state at the time of Khufu,' he said.
One of the papyruses belonged to a senior employee named Marr who played a role in the building of the pyramid and it covered a period of three months of his job, providing information about his duties including transporting rocks through the River Nile and its canals, Abdel-Bassir said.
A second ministry official, Sabah Abdel-Razek, told the state-news agency MENA that other papyruses showed the distribution of food portions for workers, including one showing in clear Egyptian hieroglyphs the number of sheep brought in.
The discovery, according to el-Anany, also signaled that Egypt has a treasure of antiquities that are still being discovered.
A tourist looks at a statue of Mitri, one of the prominent figures in the 6th Dynasty, old kingdom 2465-2150 BC, at the Egyptian museum in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, July 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Cameras and microphone will capture imagery and sounds of the entry, descent and landing
Sherloc will detect organic compounds in rocks, some of which will be cached for later sample return mission
Improved MastCam to take incredibly detailed images that Nasa says will 'knock your socks off'
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Nasa is set to begin construction of its next Mars rover, the space agency has revealed.
Known as the Mars Rover 2020, will investigate a region of Mars where the ancient environment may have been favourable for microbial life, probing the Martian rocks for evidence of past life.
It will also collect samples of soil and rock and cache them on the surface for potential return to Earth by a future mission.
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Blueprints for the red planet: Known as the Mars Rover 2020, will investigate a region of Mars where the ancient environment may have been favourable for microbial life, probing the Martian rocks for evidence of past life.
ROVER TIMELINES The Mars 2020 rover is currently targeted to launch in the summer of 2020 and arrive on the Red Planet in February 2021. To reduce risk and provide cost savings, the 2020 rover will look much like its six-wheeled, one-ton predecessor, Curiosity, but with an array of new science instruments and enhancements to explore Mars as never before. Advertisement
After an extensive review process and passing a major development milestone, the space agency said today it is ready to proceed with final design and construction of the vehicle.
It is currently targeted to launch in the summer of 2020 and arrive on the Red Planet in February 2021.
'The Mars 2020 rover is the first step in a potential multi-mission campaign to return carefully selected and sealed samples of Martian rocks and soil to Earth,' said Geoffrey Yoder, acting associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
'This mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's Journey to Mars to determine whether life has ever existed on Mars, and to advance our goal of sending humans to the Red Planet.'
To reduce risk and provide cost savings, the 2020 rover will look much like its six-wheeled, one-ton predecessor, Curiosity, but with an array of new science instruments and enhancements to explore Mars as never before.
For example, the rover will conduct the first investigation into the usability and availability of Martian resources, including oxygen, in preparation for human missions.
Mars 2020 will carry an entirely new subsystem to collect and prepare Martian rocks and soil samples that includes a coring drill on its arm and a rack of sample tubes.
About 30 of these sample tubes will be deposited at select locations for return on a potential future sample-retrieval mission.
In laboratories on Earth, specimens from Mars could be analyzed for evidence of past life on Mars and possible health hazards for future human missions.
Two science instruments mounted on the rover's robotic arm will be used to search for signs of past life and determine where to collect samples by analyzing the chemical, mineral, physical and organic characteristics of Martian rocks.
The Mars 2020 rover is currently targeted to launch in the summer of 2020 and arrive on the Red Planet in February 2021.
On the rover's mast, two science instruments will provide high-resolution imaging and three types of spectroscopy for characterizing rocks and soil from a distance, also helping to determine which rock targets to explore up close.
A suite of sensors on the mast and deck will monitor weather conditions and the dust environment, and a ground-penetrating radar will assess sub-surface geologic structure.
The Mars 2020 rover will use the same sky crane landing system as Curiosity, but will have the ability to land in more challenging terrain with two enhancements, making more rugged sites eligible as safe landing candidates.
'By adding what's known as range trigger, we can specify where we want the parachute to open, not just at what velocity we want it to open,' said Allen Chen, Mars 2020 entry, descent and landing lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
'That shrinks our landing area by nearly half.'
Terrain-relative navigation on the new rover will use onboard analysis of downward-looking images taken during descent, matching them to a map that indicates zones designated unsafe for landing.
The rover will use the same landing system as Curiosity (left) but will record video and sound throughout. A new Hi-res camera (right) will produce the most stunning images of the Martian surface ever seen.
'As it is descending, the spacecraft can tell whether it is headed for one of the unsafe zones and divert to safe ground nearby,' said Chen.
'With this capability, we can now consider landing areas with unsafe zones that previously would have disqualified the whole area. Also, we can land closer to a specific science destination, for less driving after landing.'
There will be a suite of cameras and a microphone that will capture the never-before-seen or heard imagery and sounds of the entry, descent and landing sequence.
Information from the descent cameras and microphone will provide valuable data to assist in planning future Mars landings, and make for thrilling video.
'Nobody has ever seen what a parachute looks like as it is opening in the Martian atmosphere,' said JPL's David Gruel, assistant flight system manager for the Mars 2020 mission.
'So this will provide valuable engineering information.'
Microphones have flown on previous missions to Mars, including NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander in 2008, but never have actually been used on the surface of the Red Planet.
'This will be a great opportunity for the public to hear the sounds of Mars for the first time, and it could also provide useful engineering information,' said Mars 2020 Deputy Project Manager Matt Wallace of JPL.
NASA'S CHOSEN INSTRUMENTS Mastcam-Z: An advanced camera system with panoramic and stereoscopic imaging capability with the ability to zoom. The instrument will also establish the minerals found in Mars' surface, and help with rover operations. SuperCam: An instrument that provides imaging, chemical composition analysis, and mineralogy. It will also be able to locate organic compounds in rocks, from a distance. Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL): An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with a built-in high resolution imager than can determine the fine scale elemental composition of Martian surface materials. PIXL will make it possible to make detailed detection and analysis of chemical elements than ever before. Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC): A spectrometer that offers fine-scale imaging and uses an ultraviolet (UV) laser to determine detect minerals and compounds. The Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment (MOXIE): An exploration technology that will produce oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere. Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyser (MEDA): A set of sensors that provide measurements of temperature, wind speed and direction, pressure, relative humidity and dust size and shape. The Radar Imager for Mars' Subsurface Exploration (RIMFAX): A ground-penetrating radar that provides centimetre-scale resolution of the geologic structure of the subsurface. On the rover's mast, two science instruments will provide high-resolution imaging and three types of spectroscopy for characterizing rocks and soil from a distance, also helping to determine which rock targets to explore up close. Advertisement
Once a mission receives preliminary approval, it must go through four rigorous technical and programmatic reviews known as Key Decision Points (KDP) to proceed through the phases of development prior to launch.
Phase A involves concept and requirements definition, Phase B is preliminary design and technology development, Phase C is final design and fabrication, and Phase D is system assembly, testing, and launch. Mars 2020 has just passed its KDP-C milestone.
'Since Mars 2020 is leveraging the design and some spare hardware from Curiosity, a significant amount of the mission's heritage components have already been built during Phases A and B,' said George Tahu, Mars 2020 program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
'With the KDP to enter Phase C completed, the project is proceeding with final design and construction of the new systems, as well as the rest of the heritage elements for the mission.'
The Mars 2020 mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program. Driven by scientific discovery, the program currently includes two active rovers and three NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars. NASA also plans to launch a stationary Mars lander in 2018, InSight, to study the deep interior of Mars.
JPL manages the Mars 2020 project and the Mars Exploration Program for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
The 2020 Mars rover will also have the capability to capture images of the red planet that Nasa scientists claim will 'knock your socks off', using an instrument known as MastCam.
'It will be closer to having an experience of a human looking at Mars,' said John Grunsfeld, an astronaut and associate administrator for the Nasa.
'You're going to feel like you're on Mars and that's going to be fantastic.'
MastCam will have an augmented 3.6:1 zoom feature capable of resolving images about one millimetre in size, in the near field and between three and four centimetres at 328ft (100 metre) distance.
As well as MastCam, SuperCam will be able to provide imaging, chemical composition analysis and mineralogy.
The 2020 Mars rover will also have the capability to capture images of the red planet that Nasa scientists claim will 'knock your socks off', using an instrument known as MastCam. MastCam will have an augmented 3.6:1 zoom feature capable of resolving images about one millimetre in size, in the near field and between three and four centimetres at 328ft (100 metre) distance.
PURPOSE OF THE MISSION The next generation rover will carry on exploring the Red Planet, with upgraded hardware and instruments to examine Mars' rocks. The rover will assess the potential of the environment for humans to live in one day and search for signs of Martian life. It will identify and collect a collection of rock and soil samples, which it will be able to send back to Earth intact, unlike the powdered samples collected by the current rover. Charles Elachi, director of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has previously said that collecting a rock sample and bringing it back to Earth is Nasa's top priority. Scientists are particularly interested in the samples so they can understand the hazards posed by Martian dust and demonstrate how oxygen can be created - details important to consider for human missions to Mars and the future colonisation of the planet. The rover marks the next major step in fulfilling President Obama's challenge of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s. Advertisement
The instrument will also be able to detect the presence of organic compounds in rocks from a distance.
Meanwhile, Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (Sherloc) will provide fine-scale imaging and uses an ultraviolet (UV) laser to determine fine-scale mineralogy and detect organic compounds.
'The rocks on Mars tell a story,' said Mr Grunsfeld. 'They tell a story about the history of Mars, and the words of the story are written in minerals. And that's what this rover is going to read.'
One of the key features is the fact that the rover's 99lb (45kg) payload will be able to bring intact samples back to Earth, without it being crushed.
Meda, a set of sensors, will provide measurements of temperature, wind speed and direction, pressure, relative humidity and dust size and shape.
'We are excited that Nasa's Space Technology Program is partnered with Human Exploration and the Mars 2020 Rover Team to demonstrate our abilities to harvest the Mars atmosphere and convert its abundant carbon dioxide to pure oxygen,' said James Reuther, deputy associate administrator for programs for the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
'This technology demonstration will pave the way for more affordable human missions to Mars where oxygen is needed for life support and rocket propulsion.'
These instruments will be carried onboard the agency's Mars 2020 mission, a roving laboratory based on the Curiosity rover.
The 'roving laboratory' will be powered by a radioisotrope generator that gives the rover an operating life-span of at least a full Martian year.
This equals 687 days on Earth.
The space agency said it received 58 proposals in January for science and exploration technology instruments to fly on board the Mars 2020 mission.
This was twice the average number of proposals submitted for instrument competitions in the recent past and an indicator of the extraordinary interest in exploration of the red planet.
Nasa hopes the 2020 Mars rover will demonstrate technology for a human exploration of the planet and look for signs of life.
For instance, the rover could make measurements and technology demonstrations to help designers of a human expedition understand any hazards posed by Martian dust.
It could also demonstrate how to collect carbon dioxide, which could be a resource for making oxygen and rocket fuel.
Nasa's next Mars rover (plans pictured) has been given a mission to find signs of past life and to collect and store rock from the the red planet that will one day be sent back to Earth. Mars 2020 will also demonstrate technology for a human exploration of the planet
It will use the same body of Nasa's Curiosity Rover, which is currently searching for life on Mars, and beginning the journey to its final destination.
The new rover will also use the same landing system as Curiosity, which was a ground-breaking chassis and 'sky crane' to arrive on Mars in one piece.
As a result, Mars 2020 is estimated to cost $1.5 billion - one billion less than its predecessor Curiosity.
The new design, which will collect rock samples, marks the next major step in fulfilling President Obama's challenge of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.
John Grunsfeld, Nasa's associate administrator for science in Washington, said: 'Crafting the science and exploration goals is a crucial milestone in preparing for our next major Mars mission.'
In April, head of the U.S. space programme Charles Bolden, said: 'If this species is to survive indefinitely we need to become a multi-planet species, we need to go to Mars, and Mars is a stepping stone to other solar systems.'
Mr Bolden revealed plans for the series of 'stepping stones' to the red planet, which included 'lassoing' an asteroid.
It also included growing plants in space, and using 3D printers for onboard repairs.
The 2020 mission aims to build on the accomplishments of Curiosity and other Mars missions.
The Spirit and Opportunity rovers, along with several orbiters, found evidence Mars has a watery history.
Curiosity has also confirmed that past environmental conditions on Mars could have supported living microbes.
According to the Science Definition Team, looking for signs of past life is the next logical step.
The rover will use its instruments for visual, mineralogical and chemical analysis down to microscopic scale to understand the environment around its landing site.
It will also identify biosignatures or features in the rocks and soil that could have been formed biologically.
Jack Mustard, chairman of the Science Definition Team and a professor of geological sciences at Brown University in Providence, said: 'The Mars 2020 mission concept does not presume that life ever existed on Mars.'
'However, given the recent Curiosity findings, past Martian life seems possible and we should begin the difficult endeavor of seeking the signs of life.
'No matter what we learn, we would make significant progress in understanding the circumstances of early life existing on Earth and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life.'
President Obama is lending his support to the development of faster, more robust 5G wireless networks.
He has announced a $400 million Advanced Wireless Research Initiative to boost research for next-generation mobile networks.
As part of the research, four city-sized testing grounds for 5G wireless services will be established, beginning in fiscal year 2017, which starts Oct. 1.
President Obama today backed a $400 million Advanced Wireless Research Initiative to create four city-sized testing grounds for 5G wireless services.
FCC BACKS 5G NETWORKS In an act that could have far-reaching effects for American consumers and businesses, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to open nearly 11 gigahertz of high-frequency spectrum for mobile, flexible and fixed-use wireless broadband. Companies including Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc already were moving closer to adopting 5G, the fifth generation of wireless technology. New 5G networks are expected to provide speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today's 4G networks, the FCC said. Advertisement
Expected breakthroughs listed in the administration's plan include mobile phones and tablets that can download a movie in less than five seconds, improved self-driving vehicles, virtual reality job training simulators, live high-res video transmissions from first-responders to emergency rooms, and Gigabit-speed wireless broadband available in public places and businesses.
It comes as U.S. regulators on Thursday paved the way for a lightning-fast next generation of wireless services in a move that made the United States the first country to set aside an ample amount of airwaves for so-called 5G wireless applications and networks.
In an act that could have far-reaching effects for American consumers and businesses, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to open nearly 11 gigahertz of high-frequency spectrum for mobile, flexible and fixed-use wireless broadband.
Companies including Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc already were moving closer to adopting 5G, the fifth generation of wireless technology.
New 5G networks are expected to provide speeds at least 10 times and maybe 100 times faster than today's 4G networks, the FCC said.
There is a worldwide race to adopt 5G.
WHAT WILL 5G LET YOU DO? According to the White House, possible advances in the next decade could bring: Mobile phones and tablets that can download full length HD movies in less than 5 seconds, 100 times faster than 4G (6 minutes) and 25,000 times faster than 3G (26 hours).
First responders and emergency room doctors who get live, real-time video and sensor data from police vehicles, ambulances, and drones, along with patient vitals and medical recordsall before the patient arrives at the hospital door.
Semi- or fully-autonomous vehicles that can communicate with the outside world and with each other to improve travel efficiency and safety.
Factories equipped with always-connected smart manufacturing equipment that self-diagnose and repair themselves before they break.
Gigabit-speed wireless broadband available in businesses, public transportation stations, stadiums, campuses, schools, malls, parks, and other public spaces.
Virtual reality training environments and simulators that allow entry-level workers to develop and demonstrate skills in high-demand fields like solar energy installationanytime, from anywhere. Advertisement
South Korea and Japan plan to deploy it by the time they host the Olympics, in 2018 and 2020, respectively.
The European Commission, South Korea, China and Japan are all working on 5G research efforts.
'This is a big day for our nation,' FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said.
The agency's action, Wheeler added, makes 'the United States the first country in the world to identify and open up vast amounts of high-frequency spectrum for 5G applications.
The big game-changer is that we are using much higher-frequency bands than previously thought viable for flexible uses, including mobile.'
Verizon and AT&T have said they will begin deploying 5G trials in 2017, and the first commercial deployments at scale are expected in 2020, Wheeler said. T Mobile US, a unit of Deutsche Telecom, and Sprint Corp are also undertaking trials.
Wheeler said 5G will help more Americans access high-speed internet.
Policymakers and mobile phone companies have said the next generation of wireless signals needs to be much faster and far more responsive to allow advanced technologies like virtual surgery or controlling machines remotely.
5G PROTOTYPE HANSET THAT NEEDS WHEELS TO MOVE IT REVEALED Earlier this year Ericsson began testing a 5G device in Stockholm, Sweden and Plano, Texas Intel recently dubbed 5G the 'fusion of all of the wireless technology'. It claims it is the next big revolution in technology, driving the development of everything from connected cars to fast mobile technology and human augmentation. Most in the industry expect 5G will be up and running by 2020. And they are closer than ever to that goal. Earlier this year Ericsson began testing out a new 5G device on the streets of Stockholm, Sweden and Plano, Texas. But it wasn't your ordinary mobile. While it is outperforming every 4G phone on the market today, the device is so large it has to be transported on a cart. According to Fortune, Ericsson's 5G prototype is so big because it is still a testbed designed to be used as a tablet, smartphone or PC. The can reach speeds of 2 Gbps, which is ten times faster than the 200 Mbps speeds available on many 4G networks. Most industry experts expect the first commercial deployments of 5G in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. 'What happens before that is a lot of marketing,' Lauri Oksanen, vice president of research and technology at Nokia's Networks business. Most industry experts expect the first commercial deployments of 5G in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. 'What happens before that is a lot of marketing,' Lauri Oksanen, vice president of research and technology at Nokia's Networks business. The technology will have to grapple with a new challenge: the fact that much of the world's spectrum in lower frequency bands is used up. What remains is higher frequency spectrum that can only carry traffic over shorter distances. The biggest thing that works in this spectrum is small things, lots and lots of connected things operating in close proximity. This spectrum will fuel the so-called 'Internet of Things', the biggest big idea justifying the upgrade to 5G. 'In the future we see a world where everything that can be connected, will be connected. And that is virtually everything,' says Sara Mazur, Ericsson's head of research. Overall, Ericsson has forecast 50 billion connected objects by 2020, and it claims 5G will be the driving force behind them. While it is outperforming every 4G phone on the market today, the device is so large it has to be transported on a cart. Pictured is, Ericsson vice president Sara Mazur posing next to the 5G device Advertisement
5G technology could have a broad impact beyond things like speeding up movie downloads.
For example, it could improve road traffic by monitoring sensors in streetlights, roadside architecture and cars.
It could even help detect air pollution using sensors in trees.
'There is seemingly no limit on how what we refer to as 5G could impact our everyday existence,' FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said.
'A refrigerator that not only alerts you to a near-empty egg carton, but automatically adds that item to a virtual shopping list, enabling a delivery to your door by week's end, without any action from you.'
NOKIA'S 5G TECHNOLOGY IS 40 TIMES FASTER THAN 4G Networks across the globe are still working on the roll out of 4G, but that hasn't stopped them trying to make our mobile internet even faster for the next-generation of devices. At a summit in Boston in April, Nokia Networks demonstrated a system that can deliver speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps). This is 40 times faster than the current maximum speeds achievable on 4G and means full-length HD films could be downloaded in the blink of an eye. Such speeds could also pave the way for next-generation video and pictures on 8K - twice as clear as 4K and 16 times as clear as HD - as well as reduce the lag on video calls. Nokia Networks teamed up with National Instruments (NI) to build what it's calling the fastest cellular technology ever tested. It sends data over a frequency of 73,000 MHz, or 73GHz. Wavelengths in this band can be as small as millimetre, and are also known as millimetre wave or mmW and are currently used by radio astronomy, radars on aircraft and security scanners in airports, for example. By comparison, current mobile networks range between 700 MHz and 3,500 MHz, while the maximum theoretical speeds for 4G is 42Mbps. The Nokia Networks system is 10 times faster than the current fastest fibre internet technology, including Google Fiber in the US. Advertisement
There are other questions to be answered, including a standard definition of 5G and exactly how much spectrum is needed, FCC commissioners said.
The FCC said the new rules balance spectrum use between new wireless services, satellite operations and federal government use.
Boeing Corp told the FCC last week the company and 'the rest of the satellite industry have supported common-sense rules that would promote true sharing.'
'Consumers and businesses are going to start benefiting from 5G much faster than generally expected, and the FCC's bipartisan decision today is crucial to accelerating this phenomenon,' said Intel Corp Chief Executive Brian Krzanich.
Facebook Inc told the FCC in June that the rules could set 'an example for the rest of the world.'
Facebook said one solution would be for the FCC to 'adopt a use-or-share requirement that would require licensees to share any unused spectrum after five years.'
The FCC will make spectrum available and rely on a process led by the private sector for producing technical standards.
Theresa May should scrap Air Passenger Duty (APD) to enable 'holidays for everyone', according to the boss of Thomas Cook.
Speaking today at an event in Central London, the travel firm's chief executive Peter Fankhauser claimed that Britain's APD is subjecting holidaymakers to the highest air taxes in the world.
Standard class APD is 13 per passenger for departing short-haul flights and 73 for long-haul.
Plea: Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser (pictured) said abolishing air passenger duty would boost the competitiveness of British businesses and enable 'holidays for everyone'
Mr Fankhauser said the success of his business 'has a lot to do with the environment in which we operate' and urged the new Prime Minister to boost the competitiveness of British companies by removing APD.
Control over the tax is already being devolved to Scotland, whose Government is proposing to reduce it by 50 percent in 2018 and eventually remove it completely.
Speaking at the event to celebrate Thomas Cook's 175th anniversary, Mr Fankhauser said: 'As Mrs May and her team in Government look to steady the ship and build a positive future post-Brexit, I have one strong recommendation.
'Do all that you can to make the environment for British companies more favourable.'
He continues: 'If I'm allowed to pick a priority, it's the air passenger duty tax. [It] has now risen to a point where UK holidaymakers are subjected to the highest air taxes in the world.
'Not only is it making us uncompetitive but it places an unfair burden on our customers.
'Scotland is already considering abolishing APD. England needs to get in line and Mrs May has promised a Britain for everyone. At Thomas Cook we would like to have holidays for everyone.'
Mr Fankhauser said the success of his business 'has a lot to do with the environment in which we operate' and urged the new Prime Minister (pictured) to boost the competitiveness of British companies by removing APD
Mr Fankhauser went on to describe the 'absence of any desire in Brussels to change' following the victory for the Leave campaign in the UK's EU referendum as 'depressing'.
He said: 'I get no sense that the bureaucrats are reflecting on the vote with a view to making a Europe that the majority of people want to be part of.
Not only is APD making us uncompetitive but it places an unfair burden on our customers Peter Fankhauser of Thomas Cook
'Instead of taking a hard look at the situation and considering a way to make it better, they seem only to want to defend what they have and that is the real pity.
'In these circumstances we have to accept the vote but also do what we can to improve the environment we are operating in.'
Speaking to MailOnline, Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'Air Passenger Duty is just another way for the taxman to squeeze that little bit extra from hard-pressed taxpayers who just want a well-earned holiday.
'The rates are punitively high compared to the few other countries which specifically tax flights and the government should be looking to ease the burden on families.
'Furthermore British businesses are constantly being told they need to export to get ahead in the so-called global race, but are stung with high taxes when trying to explore new markets.
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Thousands of locals gathered in the Town Hall Square in Pamplona, Spain last night for the closing ceremony of the San Fermin festival, which is famous for its controversial Running of The Bulls.
Men, women and children crowded into the square for the service, which always takes place at midnight on July 14.
Tradition dictates that after the mayor of Pamplona announces that the festival is over, the crowd below remove their neck scarves, light a white candle and sing the song Pobre de mi, which translates as 'Poor of me'.
Revellers gathered in Pamplona with red scarves and candles to sing at the closing ceremony of the San Fermin festival
People sing a song 'Pobre de Mi' at Plaza del Ayuntamiento square while holding candles and red handkerchiefs at midnight at the end of nine days of dancing, music and running of the bulls during San Fermin Festival
Tradition dictates that after the mayor of Pamplona announces that the festival is over, the crowd below remove their neck scarves and light a white candle
The crowd are then treated to a fireworks display before heading home, after leaving their neck scarves and candles at the nearby Church of San Lorenzo.
Every July, between the 6th and the 14th, the ancient city of Pamplona is taken over by the bullfighting fiesta.
The nine-day event transforms the sleepy northern Spanish town into an adrenaline-filled tourist attraction, where bulls chase the country's best matadors and foolhardy tourists through winding, narrow cobbled streets and into the bull ring.
There are then several bull fights in the ring for the spectators.
The crowd are then treated to a fireworks display before heading home after nine days of partying
The nine-day event transforms the sleepy northern Spanish town into an adrenaline-filled tourist attraction
Every July, between the 6th and the 14th, the ancient city of Pamplona is taken over by the bullfighting fiesta
This part of the San Fermin festival, which dates back to the 14th century, remains popular above the loud criticisms of animal rights activists
Many leave their neck scarves and candles at the nearby Church of San Lorenzo after the event
This part of the San Fermin festival, which dates back to the 14th century, remains popular above the loud criticisms of animal rights activists.
Animal rights activists say the gory fights are among the planet's most blatant forms of animal cruelty, with bulls lanced and finally stabbed through the heart.
Matadors are praised for killing with a single stab, though some don't succeed in finishing off the animal with repeated thrusts. Foreign tourists attending fights for the first time often leave stunned.
Shouting matches often erupt between bullfight supporters and protesters at bull events and a May 2 confrontation captured on video at a small Catalonian town turned ugly when two animal rights activists taking video were beaten up by three men and a woman.
Revellers gather around the bullring at the end of the last bullfight during the San Fermin Festival
A reveller in the crowd applauds the matadors as they leave the bullring at the San Fermin Festival
Spanish bullfighter Rafaelillo smiles in front of the bloodied body of a Miura's bull during his bullfight
A wounded bull's attention is grabbed by the red cape in the hand of Spanish bullfighter Rafaelillo
Animal rights activists renewed calls for a total ban on bullfighting after matador Victor Barrio, 29, was gored in the thigh and chest during a bullfight in the eastern town of Teruel last Saturday.
Many took to social media to celebrate Barrio's death, the first for a matador in the ring since 1985. The critics also hurled online insults at his widow, Raquel Sanz, who wrote on Twitter that her husband had lost his life in 'glory'.
Conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who had paid tribute to Barrio after his death, on Wednesday condemned the outpouring of hate for the late matador, calling the insults 'barbaric'.
Nicknamed the 'pirate' Spanish matador Juan Jose Padilla stands with his cape next to a bull during a bullfight
Spanish bullfighter Miguel Angel Perera gets tackled by a bull during a bullfight at the San Fermin Festival
Members of 'Los Gigantes' y Cabezudos'', the San Fermin Comparsa Parade, raise the director as they say goodbye on the last day at the San Fermin Festival
Pro-animal rights activists protest against bullfighting and bull-running in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona
Earlier this month dozens of semi-naked animal rights activists daubed themselves with fake blood and stood outside of Pamplona's bullring, one of the biggest in the world, to protest against the start of the week-long San Fermin bull-running festival.
But supporters of bullfighting, known as 'aficionados', are not giving up without a struggle. They see bullfighting as an art that is an integral part of Spanish culture, like flamenco.
Spain's first pro-bullfight lobbying group, the Bull Foundation, made up of breeders, matadors and 'aficionados', was set up last year.
beer, vodka and tequila. They're only available to over 18s
Five flavours are available, made using alcohol
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The tinkling melody of ice cream vans has long excited children but now there's a bar-on-wheels that's serving up alcohol-infused treats just for adults.
The over-18s only van is travelling around the UK this summer serving an array of boozy ice creams - including beer-infused Mr Whippys in pork scratching cones, Jager Bombes and Bacon and Bourbon chasers.
And perhaps best of all, everything will be free - just be prepared to be ID'd.
Warner Leisure Hotels, an adults-only hotel group, has launched the travelling ice cream van serving boozy treats to people over 18
There are five different flavours, all infused with different alcohol, created by New Forest Ice Cream. Above, a passerby tries one of the ice creams in London
The van has already visited hotels in London, Hungerford and Hampshire and will arrive in Nottinghamshire, Cheshire and Denbighshire next week
Warner Leisure Hotels, an adults-only hotel group, launched the stunt and has even sent a doorman with the van to make sure customers were old enough to be served the sweet treats.
The van has already visited hotels in London, Hungerford and Hampshire and will arrive in Nottinghamshire, Cheshire and Denbighshire next week.
Mat Finch, marketing director at Warner Leisure Hotels, said: 'Our guests may predominately be over 50s, but they love a bit of mischievous fun.
'The van has already visited four hotels and people have been queuing up to try the adult-friendly flavours.
The ice cream menu was inspired by a study that revealed a third of men over 45 choose beer as their favourite tipple whereas 15 per cent of women would go for a cocktail
Warner Leisure Hotels has even sent a doorman with the van to make sure customers were old enough to be served the sweet treats
People who have tasted the ice cream so far have loved it. One person said: 'The fact this one is adults only with fun and playful flavours is perfect for my friends and me'
'You may think Jager is a "young" drink, but our Bombes were devoured within minutes! We can't wait to visit the rest of the hotels and give the country a gloriously grown up summer.'
There are five different flavours, created by New Forest Ice Cream, including IcePA, a beer-flavoured Mr Whippy poured out of a classic pump into a pork scratching cone.
The Tequila Sorbet features a tequila-flavoured sorbet served in a martini glass with a rim of salt while Jager Bombe, a grown-up twist on the classic Ice Cream Bombe, is made with Jager ice cream and a layer of energy drink-flavoured ice cream.
Bacon and Bourbon is a bacon-flavoured ice cream with a crispy bacon garnish and shot of bourbon to chase, and finally the Vodka Martini is a vodka martini sorbet garnished with olive-flavoured hundreds and thousands.
Warner launched the bar after their research found over fifties are still very much young at heart.
Survey respondents' top three favourite childhood memories were being at the seaside (75 per cent), having ice cream (53 per cent) and going to funfairs (43 per cent).
There are five different flavours, created by New Forest Ice Cream, including IcePA, a beer-flavoured Mr Whippy poured out of a classic pump into a pork scratching cone (left). Right, a customer ordering one of the ice creams
The ice cream menu was inspired by the study, which revealed a third of men over 45 choose beer as their favourite tipple whereas 15 per cent of women would go for a cocktail.
One happy customer was 54-year-old Tim Elliott, from Preston.
He said: 'Because I'm a Lancashire lad, the IcePA was definitely my favourite. I love a pint and I love ice cream, so the two combined was right up my street.
'The addition of the pork scratching cone was brilliant, and after the initial shock it actually complimented the flavour really well. Well done Warner!'
Katie Isles, 50, from Birmingham, said: 'I think the Warner Ice Cream Bar is a great idea.
'I love ice cream, but the usual vans you see always reminds me of screaming children and sticky surfaces, so the fact this one is adults only with fun and playful flavours is perfect for my friends and me!'
The ice cream van will be travelling around the country but the public can keep up with its current location using the hashtag #GrownUpIceCream on Facebook and Twitter.
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You're stranded at sea, head bobbing just above the surface, three great white sharks encircling you. It's the stuff of nightmares.
But what if you're in a cage? Do the thin metal bars and the knowledge that you are technically safe eradicate the fear?
That's what I set off to find out when I took myself shark cage diving in Gansbaai, the most shark-infested waters in the world, located a two-hour drive from South Africa's Cape Town.
On your marks: Journalist Annabel Fenwick Elliott (pictured) took to the freezing Atlantic to share some face time with great white sharks
Up close: The dive took place in Gansbaai, the most shark-infested waters in the world, located two hours from South Africa's Cape Town
I abhor animals kept in zoos and I most certainly dont like aquariums, so the prospect of me being the one behind bars while the sharks got on with their lives felt very fair.
I went with a company called Marine Dynamics, which charges 1750 Rand (92) for the dive, based on their award-winning track record with conservation. In addition to its cage diving and whale watching tours, the operation runs a penguin sanctuary, and studies the sharks to help protect them.
Our vessel is the SlashFin, carrying 30 passengers, and it takes about 20 minutes to get out to the shark's domain - the same time it took for me to contort myself into a full-body wetsuit, flopping around the deck like a convulsing caterpillar.
As the anchor dropped, skippers on the boat released 'chum' - an enticing mixture of fish oils into the water, and chucked around a fake seal made of wood to summon the attention of the sharks.
It doesn't take long for a few to appear, as the passengers peer over the side straining to make out the ominous dark shadows.
The sharks are entranced by the dummy seal, circling it a few times before exploding out of the water and into the air, teeth bared; over and over again as the skipper yanks the seal away at the last moment.
Vessel: The cage was roped to the side of The Slashfin (pictured) and the skipper at the back attracted the sharks with a fake seal
Behind bars: In addition to the wooden seal (pictured) the skippers released 'chum' - an enticing mixture of fish oils - into the sea
Crunch time: Periodically, the sharks would launch themselves into the air, mouths agape, in pursuit of the dangling wooden seal
I asked the marine biologist on board why the sharks dont get fed-up of chasing a chunk of wood. At no point do they get given real food. What's in it for them?
She likened it to a kitten playing with a ball of thread. They know its not food, but the chase is rewarding and, especially for the young sharks, its good practice.
The time had now come for me to enter a small cage roped onto the side of a boat - heart hammering - and plunge underwater to meet these, the scariest creatures on the face of the earth.
Disconcertingly, as I wobbled down the ladder into the cage, its lid flung open, a particularly frisky shark leaped out of the water behind me and sank its teeth into the wooden seal, fast as a firework, only feet away from my head.
'Cant the shark jump into the top of the cage?!' I hissed. 'I think you should close the lid.'
The skippers giggled in the face of my panic and assured me that, no, the shark would not jump in through the top of cage.
In fact, only a few months ago the boats videographer fell into the water after a shark tried to eat the GoPro off his pole. Rather than feast on him, all the great whites shot off, startled by his human splash, and didnt re-appear for three days.
Armed with this anecdote, I shuffle down to the far end of the cage. Six other wetsuit-clad, mask-wearing cage divers slithered in next to me and the lid clamped shut.
Breathless: The cage is set so that your head is just above the surface, but there are handrails in front of you which you use to dip under
Inches away: This way, you can observe the sharks swimming towards you underwater, and pop your head up when they breach
Open wide! While waiting for their turn in the cage, passengers can watch from the side of the boat as the sharks showcase their teeth
Why bother? The sharks are never fed, and appear only to pursue the wooden seals for the thrill of the chase, or simply for practice
Almost immediately, I started hyperventilating; partly because the water was so shockingly freezing, but mainly because the primitive wedge of my brain was flooding the rational part with alarm signals.
I knew I was safely behind bars but I found myself pinned to the back of the cage, instinctively, as if by magnet.
The contraption is set so that your head is just above the surface, but there are handrails a few feet under that, which you use to pull yourself underwater.
This way, you can observe the sharks swimming towards you underwater, and pop your head up when their noses shoot out of the water to attack the wooden seal.
The skippers on the boat, who can spot the sharks shadows slicing through the water from an impressive distance, periodically yell 'down left!' or 'down right!' and then we all plunge ourselves underwater and swivel our heads in unison to spot the beast, like a flock of gormless pigeons.
So heres the surprising bit: great whites are really very beautiful, very elegant, very peaceful, very likeable, and not that scary.
They may look chaotic and terrifying when they breach the surface, but underwater they transform into sleek silver bullets. Once I stopped hyperventilating, I was enamoured.
Smile for the GoPro: The sharks swam silently towards the cage with their mouths agape, revealing rows upon rows of dagger-sharp teeth
Gentle giant: They may look chaotic and terrifying when they breach the surface, but underwater they transform into sleek silver bullets
Ouch: Great whites have new loosely-attached teeth constantly developing behind the front row, since they often lose them when hunting
Nudge: These shots, taken underwater with a GoPro, reveal just how close the encounters were with these mighty ocean predators
5 FACTS ABOUT GREAT WHITE SHARKS Great whites lose tens of thousands of teeth throughout their life, shedding them every time they catch a seal
Youre 300 million times more likely to die in a car on the way the beach than be attacked by a great white
Thankfully, it's impossible to keep this species in captivity - they die very quickly in aquariums
Due to this, a great white has never been observed or filmed mating or giving birth
The world shark population has shrunk by 90% since 1950, largely because they are hunted for their fins Advertisement
We saw adult sharks the length of cars and young sharks the length of very small cars. They all appeared alone, then darted off before the next arrived, because great whites are very solitary beings.
Their eyes are black and beady, but not soulless. Their steel grey skin is slashed with scars. Their fins glisten handsomely.
And they swim with their mouths agape; not in a the aggressive manner of a dog bearing its teeth, more in the manner of you when youve just been to the dentist and your mouth is numb from the anaesthetic.
Sharks have rows upon rows of jagged pointy teeth, with new ones constantly developing behind the front row, since they lose a few loosely-attached teeth every time they catch a seal.
We dont know exactly how many teeth they get through over an average lifespan but its estimated to be in the tens of thousands.
I saw these teeth very close-up. They were the size of (very pointy) dominos.
These powerful predators didnt seem interested in us or our cage at all. I thought they might try and bash into the bars in an attempt to eat us all alive - that was my mental image before I did the dive. But they didn't.
One made eye contact with me. Or rather, its eye came within inches of mine as it slid towards the surface to chomp on the flailing seal.
It was so utterly majestic and graceful, the urge to reach out my hand and stroke it as it slid past was overwhelmingly strong. Obviously I didnt.
Off the menu: To Annabel's surprise, the sharks didnt seem interested in her or the cage at all, only in its game of fetch with the fake seal
Time to say farewell: The cage session became uncomfortable after about half, when the divers could no longer withstand the cold
Awe-inspiring: While initially scary, there was a grace and elegance to these majestic beasts that has to be witnessed in person to believe
The scene: Gansbaai (pictured) is a fishing town located on the Western Cape of South Africa, famous for its record shark population
The cage session only became uncomfortable half an hour later, when I could no longer stand the cold. My wetsuit was flooded, my clenched fists were numb and my very humble-sized human teeth were chattering.
So they opened the lid (I was still a fan of this) and we clambered out and back onto the boat to be served hot chocolate. It took me a good hour to defrost.
Since my dive, my initial instincts about the whole concept stayed true, despite worries I had that it might be exploitative or detrimental to the sharks.
It gives experience-greedy tourists who would otherwise be pressing their noses up against the glass of aquariums or paying to see killer whales perform circus tricks the chance to see these fascinating creatures in their own homes, on their own terms.
In truth, I can't think of a better way to do so.
IS SHARK CAGE DIVING ETHICAL? There are two main (connected) concerns when it comes to the ethics of shark cage diving; first that it risks altering the sharks natural behaviour, and second that it encourages them closer to humans and thus increases attacks on swimmers and surfers. Justin Othersurfa, who runs the website StopSharkCageDiving.com, argues that it's not shark cage diving he disapproves of per se, it's the release of chum to attract them. Although it should be noted that chumming has long been used by fisherman without controversy. He writes: 'It's us surfers [...] who are the ones who remain in the waters daily, floating on the surface for hours, without a cage, and any change in behaviour, no matter how small, is going to affect us.' Always learning: Marine Dynamics' on-site marine biologist and PhD candidate Alison Towner (pictured) Mr Othersurfa does concede, however, that 'from a scientific point of view it is not possible to categorically prove or disprove the link between chumming great whites and the increase in shark attacks on surfers and spearo's in the Cape over the last 20 years, because there are just too many variables in the equation.' The team at Marine Dynamics say they use their twice-daily dive trips to monitor and study great whites.. From what theyve found so far, numbers are far lower than previously estimated. This has nothing to do with cage diving and everything to do with fishing. Marine Dynamics' on-site marine biologist and PhD candidate Alison Towner has been tracking the sharks in Gansbaai since 2007. She says: 'The common trend seems to be that experienced sharks spend less time at cage diving boats over time in Gansbaai, and that sharks frequently ignore the vessels as they mature focusing more on natural prey sources such as Cape fur seals and seasonally abundant fish species.' Ms Towner explains that the sharks do not live in the bay year round, usually spending a few weeks to a maximum of a few months per visit. 'The species spends time inshore whilst migrating, often patrolling sandy beach environments regardless of activities such as fishing or chumming taking place. 'It is important to note that a natural chum slick originates from the seal colony on Geyser Rock.' She adds: 'There is no research to support that white sharks show increased aggression towards human beach users after being in a baited environment. 'And given the extremely high amount of water users in the Western Cape, where three cage diving sites are located, white shark attack statistics are low.' Advertisement
She's a mama's girl at heart.
And Kylie Jenner gave her mother Kris Jenner an affectionate peck on the cheek as they attended an anti-bullying event in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The 18-year-old looked extremely confident on the blue carpet, opting for a plunging sleeveless jumpsuit.
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Just the look she wanted: Clearly Kylie Jenner was happy with the results, as she later showed off her new bob at an event she attended with her mom Kris
The head-turning silver garment showed off a glimpse of the reality starlet's cleavage via a sheer panel, while another sheer cutout revealed her back.
Flared legs added a bit of sophistication, though a fitted mid section highlighted her impressive curves and toned thighs.
Of course her new shoulder-length locks were on full display, sporting a parting on the left and a hint of a swoop right above her shoulders.
Aww! The reality star planted a kiss on her mother's cheek
Ladies who lunch! The star leaned in to her mother as they took a seat together
Joining the fun! Kandee Johnson jumped in on a group snap with the reality stars, sporting a pink jacket and fishnet stockings
Unexpected: Earlier on Thursday she stunned her social media fans with a Snapchat video showing the reality star getting her hair chopped to shoulder length
As usual, her make-up was perfectly applied, with her plumped lips adorned with peach lipstick and some eye make-up sharpening her look.
Momager Kris, 60, also looked chic for her appearance at the event.
The former wife of Caitlyn Jenner looked fresh in a white dress with yellow flower print, which featured a low neckline and knee-length hem.
Attention to detail: The head-turning silver garment showed off a glimpse of the reality starlet's cleavage via a sheer panel, while another sheer cutout revealed her back
Just the girls: Jenner lunched with her gal pal Jordyn Woods
Strike a pose: The reality star was more than happy to take some snaps with guests
Having some fun: The 18-year-old shared the spotlight with film director Kim Rocco Shields
A pair of white, wide strap heels completed her simple but stylish ensemble.
The pair appeared to have a blast, especially when Kylie's assistant Victoria Villarroel Gamero took over Kylie's Snapchat, proclaiming 'It's Vic taking over Kylie's snap.'
Both Jenners seemed quite playful on the carpet, at times posing with each other and even kissing at one point.
A family affair! The pair took the red carpet by storm
Classy and sexy: The 18-year-old looked extremely confident on the red carpet, opting for a plunging sleeveless jumpsuit
Focal point: The head-turning silver garment showed off a glimpse of the reality starlet's cleavage via a sheer panel
Can you see it? Kylie made sure everyone knew where to look as she mugged for the cameras
Soon the duo moved on to the buffet, where Vic documented Kylie's picks for lunch, adding the caption 'she's crazy but I love her.'
The event was held apparently to celebrate the partnership of Kylie's SinfulColors nail polish brand and the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Stomp Out Bullying campaign.
Kylie continued to turn heads when she headed out a second time that day in an extremely skin tight black frock that clung to her curves.
Coming and going: Another sheer cutout revealed her back
Star of the show: Of course her new shoulder-length locks were on full display, sporting a parting on the left and a hint of a swoop right above her shoulders
Camera ready: As usual, her make-up was perfectly applied, with her plumped lips adorned with peach lipstick and some eye make-up sharpening her look
Summer style: The former wife of Caitlyn Jenner looked fresh in a white dress with yellow flower print, which featured a low neckline and knee-length hem
The reality star was certain to turn every head thanks to the frock as she stepped out for a spot of shopping in Beverly Hills.
Kylie has recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Europe, where her beau Tyga was busy performing concerts in Hungary, Finland, and Germany.
The couple recently sparked engagement rumours after Kylie showcased a giant diamond on her ring finger on social media.
Family fun: Both Jenners seemed quite playful on the carpet, at times posing with each other and even kissing at one point
Having a blast: Her lack of a bra didn't stop her from flaunting for the cameras
Affectionate: Kylie and Kris shared another smooch after grabbing some grub
However, on Saturday, E! reported that the couple were not engaged.
'Kylie has brought up marriage with Tyga to her friends lately, both jokingly and seriously,' a source told the website.
The insider added that the couple have also spoken of the subject.
'It wouldn't happen now but she's been thinking about it more and wants a future with him,' said the insider.
Ready for lunch: Soon the duo moved on to the buffet, where Vic documented Kylie's picks for lunch, adding the caption 'she's crazy but I love her'
Positive change: The event was held apparently to celebrate the partnership of Kylie's SinfulColors nail polish brand and the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Stomp Out Bullying campaign
Good look: Kylie also shared a close-up of her radical new hairstyle via Instagram earlier
He is one of many Australian actors who has found success in the US.
And Ben Mendelsohn is showing his talent knows no bounds, receiving an Emmy nomination for his role in Netflix original series Bloodline.
The 47-year-old has been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, making this the second time he has received the nod in the category - after being nominated in 2015.
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On the rise: Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn has received an Emmy nomination for his role in Netflix original series Bloodline
Ben plays Danny Rayburn - the 'black sheep of the family' - in the hugely popular dramatic thriller series which debuted in 2015.
His gripping role in the series has also earned him a nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, at the 2016 Golden Globe Awards.
Bloodline, which is in its third season, also stars Kyle Chandler, Linda Cardellini and Chloe Sevigny.
Finding his feet: The 47-year-old has been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, making this the second time he has received the nod in the category - after being nominated in 2015
The Melbourne-born actor is up against Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones), Michael Kelly (House of Cards) and Jon Voight (Ray Donovan) for the coveted supporting actor award.
Game Of Thrones dominated the nominations, appearing in 23 categories including the prestigious Outstanding Drama Series once again - for which it could take out the title for the fifth year running.
Despite the current buzz around Ben, the road to success hasn't always been smooth, as he was a struggling out-of-work actor just a few years ago.
Success: Bloodline, which is in its third season, also stars Kyle Chandler, Linda Cardellini and Chloe Sevigny (pictured)
Slower start: Despite the current buzz around Ben, the road to success hasn't always been smooth, as he was a struggling out-of-work actor just a few years ago (pictured in Bloodline)
His appearance in crime drama film Animal Kingdom, alongside Aussie greats Guy Pearce and Joel Edgerton, in 2010, catapulted him into the limelight.
But prior to landing the role, Ben said he was about to give up acting and consider another career.
'I used to tell myself, "You've had a great run, but it's over. You can maybe do TV in Australia, but you can't spend the rest of your adult life sitting around waiting for a job",' he told The Hollywood Reporter after his first Emmy nomination.
Home grown: Ben forged a successful career in Australia before making the move to Hollywood - starring in iconic television shows Neighbours, The Secret Life Of Us and Love My Way
Ben forged a successful career in Australia before making the move to Hollywood - starring in iconic television shows Neighbours, The Secret Life Of Us and Love My Way.
More recently in America, he starred in one episode of HBO series Girls in 2013 playing Jessa's (Jemima Kirke) distant and separated father Salvatore Johansson.
He also starred alongside Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes in 2012's The Place Beyond The Pines.
The 68th Emmy Awards will be held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 18.
She is on the verge of releasing her directorial debut after years as one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
But Oscar winner Natalie Portman says one of the best ways to learn and grow is to fail.
'What I always look for in my work are new challenges things I'm not sure I can do,' the 35-year-old wrote in an email correspondence with her friend, novelist Jonathan Safran Foer, which was featured in the T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
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Flash of skin: Natalie Portman wore little more than panties and a turtleneck for the cover of T: The New York Times Style Magazine
The actress was speaking of at last finally becoming a director for the film, A Tale Of Love Of Darkness, in the piece for the magazine, with the cover seeing her strike a sultry pose in just bikini bottoms and a turtleneck.
'And oftentimes I can't do them, and I fail,' she adds. 'But that's what keeps me interested, and nothing offers knowledge and self-knowledge like failure.'
The piece consisted entirely of Natalie and Jonathan's email conversation, which took place in May, three months before the limited release of her directorial debut on August 19.
As an actress, Natalie has no typical 9 to 5 job.
'Oftentimes I can't do them, and I fail': Oscar winner Portman, pictured in Maryland in March, says one of the best ways to learn and grow is to fail
The change of location is something that she both embraces and finds challenging, particularly now that she is a mother.
'I am woefully lacking ritual in my life, which is among the hardest things and best things about my work. I will never have the boredom or repetitiveness of an office.'
She adds, 'Every time I go on location, I have to figure out where to live, what activities are available for my son, how and when we will travel from our home base. You learn how deeply grounding ritual is when you lose it.'
So fly: The critically acclaimed actress breezed through LAX in 2014 with her husband Benjamin Millepied
But when it comes to the weekends, Natalie is all about spending time with her family.
'We spend the weekend together as a family usually somewhere in nature, often with friends who have children. Lots of cooking.'
Natalie in 2011 received the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Black Swan - yet she insists there is little technique involved in the craft.
As a matter of fact, she says acting is 'largely an instinct.'
So in love: The couple made a great match on the red carpet in Los Angeles in 2014
'Acting is not like music or dance or drawing, where there is clear technique that you need to work obsessively to master, and then your individuality makes you more than just a computer whos learned a skill.
'Youre basically trying to be un-self-conscious and use your imagination and lose yourself.'
Aside from directing, Natalie earlier this year was busy filming Jackie, which sees her play Jackie Kennedy.
In an interview with Good Morning America in January, she called the former First Lady 'fascinating.'
Critically acclaimed: Natalie, pictured in January in New York, was awarded the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in the drama Black Swan
The movie star is also set to play Super Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in On The Basis Of Sex, telling host George Stephanopoulos that 'It's extremely inspiring and intimidating because she's such an incredible woman.'
Natalie has five-year-old son Aleph Portman-Millepied with her husband, dancer Benjamin Millepied.
The pair met when he was choreographing her intricate ballet routines for her Oscar winning performance in 2010's Black Swan.
The couple formally married in 2012, and eventually moved to Paris from Los Angeles so Benjamin could take on the role of dance director at the famous Paris ballet institution.
However, it was reported in February that Benjamin stepped down from the high-profile role.
She oftens laments about the struggle to find a dress to fit her 5'11" frame but Josie Gibson had managed to find the perfect maxi dress when she stepped out on Thursday night.
The health and fitness fanatic, 31, looked stunning when she headed to Boohoo's Christmas in July fashion party in London.
Wearing her preferred boho style choice, she wowed in a colourful creation which her good friend had made for her.
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Looking hot to trot: She oftens laments about the struggle to find a dress to fit her 5'11" frame but Josie Gibson had managed to find the perfect maxi dress when she stepped out on Thursday night
Mates in high places: Wearing her preferred boho style choice, she wowed in a colourful creation which her good friend had made for her
The sky blue creation was off-the-shoulder in design, with Josie telling MailOnline: 'It's great because I can show a bit of shoulder and go braless in it.'
With a rope belt cinching her in at the waist, the number had contrasting colourful ruffles which fell down to the floor.
Shunning heels, the former Big Brother star wore a pair of gold flat sandals which gave a summery festival vibe.
Ruffles: With a rope belt cinching her in at the waist, the number had contrasting colourful ruffles which fell down to the floor
Two's company: She held hands with a female companion as they made their way to the London venue
She wore her hair in a side ponytail, opting for a pair of gold statement earrings which dangled as she walked.
With a couple of friends in tow, Bristolian Josie looked like she was looking forward to letting her hair down in style at the glitzy bash.
Josie sensationally slimmed down from 16st 7lb to a tiny 10st 2lb after overhauling her lifestyle and the body confident beauty recently shared a host of bikini snaps from her recent holiday.
Naturally keen to show off her phenomenal figure, she enjoyed a sun-soaked getaway with her former fiance Luke Sanwo in Sardinia last week.
Having undergone a boob job in 2013, which brought her from a 34B to 34DD, Josie looked totally in proportion as she lay aboard the deck of a boat looking stunning. Just weeks before the trip, Josie spoke exclusively to MaliOnline about the state of her relationship with Luke - who she revealed has been trying to win her back after dumping her six times since their love began in 2012.
She said: 'My love life is a story and a half. No guys at the moment. Luke the plumber I still see him now and again. Four years I was with him and he dumped me. Now he wants me back but the thing is you can't keep dumping somebody.
'I like him because he's normal and grounded. Luke said to me do you want to go to Sardinia - this is from a guy who's not like that. I'm like: 'Let's go here lets go there'. He can't keep dumping me!'
She's been spotted on multiple Greek party islands with her co-stars as they film the new series of Geordie Shore.
And Sophie Kasaei is certainly not one to shy away from a bikini selfie while on holiday, taking to social media to flaunt her peachy posterior on Thursday.
The Geordie lass, 26, posted a raunchy shot to her Instagram page, featuring her in a barely-there swimsuit as she looks out to sea.
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Daring: Sophie Kasaei, 26, posted a raunchy swimsuit shot to her Instagram page from Malia, Crete, displaying her peachy derriere on Thursday as she films scenes for her return to Geordie Shore
She's back: the Instagram loving Geordie has recently announced that she will be returning to Geordie Shore after being kicked off the show in season 7
The bright orange swimsuit left little to the imagination, being not only backless but also extremely high-rise, showing off her enviably pert derriere and deep golden tan.
Pushing her wet hair back as she looked out to the beautiful Cretan sea, her long tresses fell loosely down her back to her tiny waist which was cinched in by the costume.
Sophie addressed the revealing nature of the cheeky snap herself, jokily captioning the shot: 'Wedgie', followed by a peach emoji.
The reality star, and cousin of Geordie Shore co-star Marnie Simpson posted the snap from Malia, Crete, where she is on holiday with DJ and fitness model boyfriend Joel Corry, 26.
Loved-up: Sophie posted the snap from her holiday with long-term DJ and fitness model boyfriend Joel Corry, also 26 - pictured together back in the UK
Despite their relationship seeming rocky on the first season of Geordie Shore, the Northern couple still seem to be in the honeymoon period, having now been together for five years.
Before heading on their idyllic break away, Sophie took to Instagram to reflect on their untainted relationship despite the pressures of living as a couple on TV.
She captioned the romantic snap of the pair sharing an intimate kiss on a previous holiday: 'Back in the sun tomorrow with my one... 5 year on and we are still making memories.
Very rare you see people in reality tv lasting but we did !'
'Still making memories': The couple, who have holidayed multiple times together, are still loved-up after five years together, a large amount of which has been documented on MTV's Geordie Shore
Sophie has been seen in many party locations recently such as Kavos and Ayia Napa filming with co-stars, as it is announced that she will be returning to Geordie Shore after a three-year break.
She was kicked off the show after the seventh series for making a 'racial slur'.
However she is said to be thrilled to be invited back for the new season by producers, with a source telling The Sun earlier this month: 'Sophie can't wait to return to Geordie Shore, it's a dream come true for her!
Let's party: Sophie has been seen dressed up and ready to hit the town in many party locations recently, including Kavos and Ayia Napa, as she films for her big return to the show with her co-stars
'She didn't think it would ever happen but the Geordie Shore cast are like family to her and she can't wait to be reunited with them.'
Her return to the show comes just weeks after the news that co-star Charlotte Crosby, 26, will be quitting.
Charlotte has had a difficult few weeks, splitting from her on/off love interest Gary 'Gaz' Beadle after suffering an ectopic pregnancy, prompting her to make the tough decision to leave the show that propelled her to fame five years ago, for good.
Saying goodbye: After a testing few months, Charlotte Crosby, 26, has made the decision to leave Geordie Shore as Sophie returns, stepping away from the show that shot her into the spotlight five years ago
It seems a career is not the only thing this star has lost, as she also appears to have misplaced a belt along the way too.
It was a case of how low can she go as Tara Reid and a mystery man headed out in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday night.
The 40-year-old stepped out to dinner in ultra-low slung jeans that threatened to slip off her slender hips at any moment.
Careful there: It was a case of how low can she go as Tara Reid and a mystery man headed out in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday night
The Sharknado actress and her dinner date headed for a bite at Pace Restaurant in the Laurel Canyon area before doing a late night run to the Fed-Ex store.
For their dinner and errands, the American Pie actress dressed casually.
Aside from her skinny jeans which were a little baggy on her slender frame, Tara wore a black cropped top with a oversized zip-up hoodie.
The blonde accessorized her look with a pair of studded sneakers and a brown Hermes bag.
Mixing business with pleasure: The Sharknado actress and her dinner date headed for a bite at Pace Restaurant in the Laurel Canyon area before doing a late night run to the Fed-Ex store
Casual look: Aside from her skinny jeans which were a little baggy on her slender frame, Tara wore a black cropped top with a oversized zip-up hoodie
Laughing away with her companion, the star seemed on top of the world just a few hours after joking with an Australian morning show that even she worried where her career had gone.
The 40-year-old was speaking about her recent role on the cheesy but hugely popular Sharknado films as well as her part in a recent Bollywood film, Tie The Knot.
She told Today Extra: 'I was doing that movie [Tie The Knot] and Sharknado at the same time and I was like, "What am I doing anymore? What's happening? Where did my career go?"'
Pondering her life: Speaking about her latest projects - Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens and Bollywood-inspired film Tie The Knot, Tara Reid questioned what had happened to her career
Speaking of the Bollywood film, she continued: 'You're talking and people just break out into a dance. You're like "what is it?"
'To me it's even weirder than Sharknado.'
While she never thought she would be in yet another Sharknado film, on July 31 she is back on SyFy for Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens.
She was propelled into the limelight after she was jilted on the second series of The Bachelor, which led to her becoming the first Bachelorette in 2015.
And during her radio show on Friday morning, Sam Frost discussed the realities of being a woman in the public eye.
'I can understand the investment that people put into my relationship,' explained the media personality, who declared her love for Sasha Mielczarek on TV last year.
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'I really feel for her': Former Bachelorette Sam Frost discussed the realities of being a woman in the public on her radio show on Friday
'They saw it (on the show), they saw Sasha and I fall in love. So I can understand why people get excited with the possibility of having a baby and pregnancy rumours. That doesn't necessarily bother me too much...'
The conversation came as Sam addressed Jennifer Aniston's recent body shaming essay.
At the start of the week, the reality star revealed she had suffered suicidal thoughts following relentless bullying from online trolls.
Topic of conversation: The conversation came as Sam addressed Jennifer Aniston's recent body shaming essay.
Her recent revelations came just one week after she posted a worrying tweet.
'To the fake accounts heavily trolling me online & into my personal life,' she wrote. 'If you wanted to break me...Congratulations you have won.'
On her radio show, the TV star explained how she told her boyfriend Sasha that she 'didn't want to wake up every day anymore' when the online abuse escalated.
'They saw Sasha and I fall in love': Although Sam is relatively a newcomer in the showbusiness industry, the 27-year-old did confess she understands why the public can get excited with wedding and pregnancy rumours
TV fame: It has been 12 months since 27-year-old Sam declared her love for Sasha, 31, on the final episode of Network Ten's popular dating show, The Bachelorette
Meanwhile... at the start of the week, Sam revealed she had suffered suicidal thoughts following relentless bullying from online trolls
'It got to a point where I wouldn't want to leave my house. I was in a really, really dark place, she admitted. 'I shut my friends out, I shut my family out and I would go home from work and stay in that dark, horrible place. My relationship was also struggling because I shut Sash out.
'It wasn't until Sash said to me after three or four months: ''Sam I don't know what to do anymore because all you do is cry and you're not talking to me." And I said to him I don't want to be here anymore. I don't want to wake up every day anymore.'
The star said that seeing the helplessness in Sasha's face made her realise it was not fair for her to just give up, saying: 'I just had to find the strength for me to go it's not fair for me to throw in the towel and you know when enough is enough.'
She recently admitted her desire to change her surname back to Kardashian.
But it appears Kris Jenner has reconsidered her bold decision.
The 60-year-old said she would remain a Jenner 'out of respect for her two daughters [Kendall and Kylie Jenner]'.
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Keeping her name: Kris Jenner has revealed she will keep her married surname and will not change her name back to Kardashian after admitting she wanted to during an episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians
'It happens to be two younger girls who have an amazing dad and I think I'm going to stay right where I am,' the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch told Australian radio hosts Kyle and Jackie 'O' Henderson during a telephone interview on Thursday.
'It sounded good for a minute, but I went "you just have to respect the relationship of the entire family".
'I am too busy these days to worry what my last name is.'
This comes after the momager admitted that she wanted to return to being called 'Kris Kardashian' in a deleted scene of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which aired in May.
Out of respect: The 60-year-old momager said she would respect her two daughters, Kendall (left) and Kylie (right) Jenner, whom she shares with Caitlin Jenner
Kris brought up the idea after Khloe asked her mother how she managed to get a special order from their beloved Mexican restaurant, Los Angeles Mexican Casa Vega.
Kris explained: 'I call the manager and say ''Hey! It's Kris Kardashian.'''
When Khloe pointed out that 'Kardashian' was not her name, the matriarch of the family didn't appear too phased by her daughter's response: 'I'm going to change my name back to Kardashian.'
Not hiding her distaste of the idea, Khloe said: 'Why? You haven't been that in over 24 years.'
Surprise news: The Kardarshian matriarch revealed her desire to go back to be being called 'Kris Kardashian' in a deleted scene of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which aired in May
Throwback: While it has been two decades since she was a Kardashian, the star argued she 'was the original Kardashian' when questioned by daughter Khloe
'I was that before you were that. I was the original Kardashian,' she quipped back at Khloe.
The 32-year-old was definitely not convinced by her answer, saying: 'I don't care if you were that, that's bizarre. Why don't you go back to your maiden name? Don't you think that's insulting to your two daughters [Kylie and Kendall Jenner]?'
Kris, whose maiden name was Houghton, said it didn't feel right.
She added that if her ex-husband Caitlin Jenner who was formally known as Bruce before coming out as transgender and then finally transitioning into a woman could, so could she.
Name change: She added that if her ex-husband Caitlyn Jenner who was formally known as Bruce before coming out as transgender and then finally transitioning into a woman could, so could she
'If Bruce can change his name to Caitlyn, I think I'm good,' she added.
Kris has previously brought up the idea of changing her name to match the more famous Kardashian moniker and did so during her marriage to Caitlyn.
But her former husband appeared upset by the name change and so the mother-of-six didn't change her name.
Meanwhile, Kris and the late Robert Kardashian Snr were married from 1978 to 1991 and share four children - Khloe, Kourtney, Kim and Robert Jr. while she shares daughters Kendall and Kylie with Caitlyn.
Her stellar career on the catwalk has earned her a luxurious lifestyle.
And Naomi Campbell, 46, looked to be in her element as she relaxed aboard a lavish yacht in Ibiza, on Thursday.
The British beauty looked typically stunning as she stepped out into the sunshine on the boat's top deck in a stylish black bandeau bikini.
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Model material: Supermodel Naomi Campbell, 46, looked to be in her element as she relaxed aboard a luxury yacht in Ibiza, on Thursday with a male companion
Looking years younger than her age, Naomi appeared to be make-up free as she let the sun wash over her while talking on her mobile phone.
Casually pacing as she spoke, she held a healthy looking green beverage in her hand, no doubt full of the nutrients needed to maintain her enviable shape.
The impressive yacht's furnishings, which included a large comfortable-looking cream seating area, certainly seemed to be in keeping with such a luxurious vessel.
She was joined on board by a male companion, with the pair looking relaxed in one another's company.
Life of luxury: The British beauty looked typically stunning as she stepped out into the sunshine on the boat's top deck in a stylish black bandeau bikini
Deep in conversation: Naomi's long locks obscured her face as they fell down her front
Natural beauty: Looking years younger than her age, Naomi appeared to be make-up free as she let the sun wash over her
Naomi has had a busy year so far, having been an ever-present at high-profile events across the globe.
Most recently she put on a dazzling display at the Serpentine Gallery Summer Party, held at London's Hyde Park.
The style queen showed off her incredible figure in an extreme plunging gown with glittering embellishments.
Sipping on juice: Casually pacing as she chatted, she held a healthy looking green beverage in her hand, no doubt full of the nutrients need to maintain her enviable shape
Soaking up the sun: The companion made sure he developed an even tan, rolling onto his front to sun his back
Sitting comfortably: Once she'd finished the call, Naomi made herself comfortable beside her pal
Fun in the sun: Naomi kneeled beside her pal, who looked incredibly relaxed on his back
Naomi put on a busty display thanks to her dress' deep V neckline, which reached down to her waistline.
The gorgeous gown fell to the floor in soft pleats, with gold coloured sequins creating an ombre effect on the hemline.
The star was also seen attending Rihanna's Wembley Stadium gig at the end of last month which she followed with a 1.30am dinner with a male pal at China Tang.
Sunshine lunch date: Naomi sported a glamorous long flowing white gown as she grabbed a bite to eat with friends on Friday
Their relationship hasn't always seemed picture perfect, with break up rumours peppering their four-year romance.
However, Kris Smith and model girlfriend Maddy King appear to be in a very positive place, heading off on a road trip together to celebrate their four-year anniversary.
Maddy shared a snap to Instagram on Thursday morning of herself beaming as she stood at the door of a camper van, clutching the keys to the vehicle.
Something worth celebrating: Kris Smith's girlfriend Maddy King shared this photo to Instagram on Thursday as the couple set off on a road trip for their fourth anniversary
The pretty brunette was wearing a chic ensemble, sporting a pair of black jeans, a black top and a vibrant red jacket.
She added a pair of black boots to her winter outfit, as well as a brown wide-brimmed hat.
Her long brown tresses fell freely over her shoulders, and her bronzed complexion was positively glowing.
Blossoming: The former professional rugby league player and TV personality was first spotted out with Maddy just months after his split from The X Factor judge Dannii Minogue in April 2012
Maddy has captioned the photo: 'And we're off!!! A 4 day campervan trip to celebrate meeting Mr Smith 4 years ago!'
Despite their on-again, off-again tendencies, Kris, 37, previously told Daily Mail Australia an engagement isn't off the table for the couple.
Speaking at the Magic Millions races on the Gold Coast back in January, Kris said: 'She's a good chick, a great girl. I'm never going to say no.'
However, Kris was forced to defend his relationship status months later in June when he was spotted leaving a night club in Bali with a mystery woman.
Rocky? Their relationship appears to be strong at the moment, however it has been peppered with break up rumours
'I was out with a group of friends and nothing was happening with anyone,' Kris told Daily Mail Australia.
'Maddy and myself [are] very happy.'
The loved-up pair were also faced with breakup rumours in July 2015 after Kris was spotted with former FHM model Siobhan Parekh in Sydney's Double Bay.
But Kris and Maddy quickly put an end to the speculation, emerging publicly for a morning walk together.
A future together: Despite their on-again, off-again tendencies, Kris, 37, previously told Daily Mail Australia an engagement isn't off the table for the couple
And they sparked rumours their romance was on the rocks in October 2014, when a question mark was looming over their love.
But by Melbourne Cup at the beginning of November that year, they looked more united than ever and continued to parade their blossoming relationship.
The former professional rugby league player and TV personality was first spotted out with Maddy just months after his split from The X Factor judge Dannii Minogue in April 2012.
The British-born hunk dated Dannii for three years and the pair share six-year-old son Ethan, but they split just two years after the little one's arrival.
They were the couple to walk away with the win - so Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey couldn't let their Love Island castmates forget that they were very coupled up on Thursday night.
Packing on the PDA at the wrap party in London, the duo made something of a scene in front of glam girls Katie Salmon and Olivia Buckland who were significantly solo on arrival.
Despite leaving the Majorcan villa with a boyfriend this week, Olivia joined Katie in going it alone for their red carpet moment at Ministry Of Sound.
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Too cute: Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey made it clear who the real winners were at the Love Island wrap party on Thursday night in London
Nathan couldn't keep his hands off gorgeous Cara, who slipped into a silver minidress for the starry bash.
Reuniting with her partner on the red carpet, she shared a few tender kisses with him in front of the camera before he turned the camera on his muse in a playful fashion.
It's little wonder since the stunner was dressed in a figure-hugging pale dress and a silver pair of stilettos.
Stunning: Whereas Katie Salmon (left) and Olivia Buckland (right) made a point of arriving by themselves
Work it: The beauty expertly modelled her ensemble on the red carpet
Stunning: Katie couldn't be missed in a taupe outfit which combined a halterneck minidress with knee-high gladiator heels
Making an entrance: Ditching boyfriend Alex Bowen for a moment, she made sure she owned her arrival
All the glamour: She showed off her collection of tattoos when she stepped out of the vehicle
All white on the night: Emma Jane Woodham (L) and Rachel Fenton (R) both opted for white mini dresses and bright blue shoes
Red hot: Sophie Gradon was putting her best foot forward in a berry hued frock
Sexy style: Kady McDermott slipped into a skin-tight black jumpsuit for her night out
Strike a pose: The lovebirds looked smitten with one another as they made their grand arrivals
She went braless in the racy garment, which showcased her slender limbs and svelte shape to perfection.
Earlier in the day, speaking to MailOnline,Cara laughed off criticism about her pornstar past, which was brought into the public eye by Scotty Timlin, while she was away.
She said: 'I actually laughed when Scotty T said I'd done porn. To me it's not news. I know I haven't done porn.
'That word can get thrown around a bit too much. I was very open coming in about what I did and what I've done in my career, shoots and things like that so for me it wasn't a world exclusive revealed by Scotty T.
Handsome duo: The pair were virtually inseparable all night on the night red carpet
Red carpet strut: She put on a leggy display when she arrived on the red carpet
Bodycon beauty: Her shape was perfectly teased into a silver dress
Kisses: Cara was a little resistant to Nathan's persistent advances
Red carpet muse: He later turned the camera on his gorgeous girlfriend
Stop it: She pushed him in a playful fashion when he kept clicking away
All alone? Cara arrived without her show-winning partner Nathan Massey anywhere to be seen
'It didn't bother me at all. I think if I hadn't come in and been so open it would be bad but you know it's nothing new and it was no shock. It's not twisting things it was probably relevant at the time.
'To be honest I haven't seen the Tweets myself, I'm not that fussed and I don't think Nathan is either.'
Loyal Nathan also stood by his woman saying: 'It really doesn't bother me.'
Cute twosome: Emma Jane Woodham and Terry Walsh were well-dressed for their arrival
Kisses: Emma and Terry hugged each other and shared a tender kiss
Sweet moment: They were just one of the many couples putting on a loved up display
Nevertheless, the cast of the latest series celebrated its success with a wrap party in similar, serious style.
Olivia ditched on-screen boyfriend Alex Bowen for a moment, making sure to enjoy her time in the spotlight.
Dressed in a tiny dress, she opted for a pastel palette to maximise her deep tan and layered a pink jacket on top for good message.
Arm-in-arm: Sophie Gradon and Tom Powell embraced for a precious moment before the cameras
Red carpet couple: The handsome duo had made the most of the tanning time
All in black: Scott Thomas and Kady McDermott co-ordinated black
Reunited: Alex and Olivia leaned in for a kiss when they joined each other at the event
Dressed to impress: They looked like the real deal on the night
Stunner Katie went for more tan tones, even adding a pair of racy gladiator sandals that criss-crossed up her legs.
Coupling up was the order of the evening, because Olivia later rejoined Alex, while Emma Jane Woodham and Terry Walsh arrived together too.
Similarly, Sophie Gradon and Tom Powell sealed the evening with a kiss and Scott Thomas was arm-in-arm with Kady McDermott.
By himself: Rykard Jenkins showed off his impressive chest, despite being alone
Here come the girls! The Love Island gals put on a stylish display at the wrap party
Dapper dudes: The boys were giving them a run for their money in the style stakes
Thumbs up! Alex and Javi Shephard put on a very friendly display as they arrived at the party
Meanwhile gal pals Lauren Whiteside and Malin Andersson proved they were better off as a duo in cleavage-baring coordinated ensembles.
They no doubt wanted to look their best on the evening which will be screened as part of the coming home episode.
Hugging it out: Liana Isadora and Sophie were feeling friendly as they piled into the taxi together
Squad goals: The Love Island crew kept the party going long into the evening
Living it up: The gang headed on to DSTRKT nightclub in London to hit the dancefloor
From AM to PM: The lads were on top form, drinking champagne
Heading on to the next place: The reality star crew were seen strutting their stuff in London
Blonde beauties: : Tina Stinnes (L) and Lauren Whiteside (R) also put in a stylish appearance
Lauren looked stunning in a cobalt suit with nothing underneath; the item showing off her ample assets.
She sauntered along the street in a teetering pair of heels and held a white bag. The blonde beauty's luscious long locks cascaded over her shoulders in loose curls from a middle-parting.
Malin's striped Misspap dress showcased her impressive physique and complemented her pal's ensemble perfectly.
She was given a boost by a pair of black faux suede Cher heels from EGO which helped to emphasize her toned pins.
Feeling blue: Lauren Whiteside and Malin Andersson led the way at the Love Island wrap party in cleavage-baring coordianted ensembles
Let's celebrate: The brunette, who sensationally returned to the show to confront her ex Terry Walsh, enjoyed a small bottle of wine out on the street along with Lauren
Pre-drinks: Lauren looked stunning in a cobalt suit which showed off her ample assets as she wore nothing underneath
Happy! Lauren flashed a pearly white smile after swigging from the bottle
Blonde beauty: Lauren's luscious long locks cascaded over her shoulders in loose curls from a middle-parting
Walking tall: She sauntered along the street in a teetering pair of heels and held a white bag
The brunette, who sensationally returned to the show to confront her ex Terry Walsh, enjoyed a small bottle of wine out on the street along with Lauren before joining her castmates.
Meanwhile, Kady McDermott and Scott Thomas enjoyed some nibbles they'd picked up from a supermarket on their way to the bash.
The attractive couple briefly stopped so Scott could pluck something out of Kady's bag. As he rustled through, the brunette continued munching on her crisps.
The club promoter wore a dapper suit jacket with a green pocket square, sophisticated glasses, skinny jeans and well-shined loafers.
Kady meanwhile, rocked a racy catsuit which highlighted her impressive physique, and sheer paneling drew eyes to her chest.
Stepping out: Malin tied her brunette locks back in a simple ponytail
Getting along famously: The girls chatted away en route to the filming session-come-party
After winning the ITV 2 show, Cara told host Caroline Flack: 'He better not leave me when we get back. I'll be so p**sed off.'
As the only original couple in the villa, after they were paired together in episode one, the loved-up duo were tipped to triumph and walk away with the 50K prize.
Nathan said of his girlfriend: 'I think she deserves a massive round of applause for putting up with me. There are a handful of people in the world who would do it and I found her on Love Island.
Back in black: Kady McDermott and Scott Thomas enjoyed some nibbles on their way to the reunion
Working up an appetite: Dapper Scott searched for something in Kady's bag as she ate her crisps
Coordinated: Kady didn't showed off her flawless physique in a racy catsuit
All smiles: The boys put on a close display as they posed with their arms around each other
On Thursday morning, Tina Stinnes was spotted enjoying breakfast in Kings Road, Chelsea with a gal pal.
The bubbly blonde looked stylish in a trendy black jacket which she matched with knee-high boots. As she walked, she teased a glimpse of her tum between her jeans and cropped white top.
The pair found an eatery close to the roadside and chatted across the table, possibly discussing business as they had a MacBook open between them.
Headturner: Tina Stinnes looked great as she went for breakfast in Kings Road, Chelsea
Catching up: The beauty joined a pal, who walked her pooch on the way to an eatery
Stylish: Tina matched a trendy black jacket with matching knee-high boots
Glowing: The sun shone on her golden locks as she walked on the warm summer's monring
Walkies: The pet pooch looked to be getting a good workout as the girls walked around West London
Breakfast buddies: The pair talked across a table, possibly discussing business with a MacBook open between them
Relaxed: Tina flicked through her phone with a smile on her face as the pair conversed
She's been wowing audiences every night as the leading lady in London's revival of hit musical Guys and Dolls.
And Rebel Wilson looked particularly excited about her new acting adventure as she took to the stage for a press performance on Thursday night.
The Australian actress, 36, beamed backstage after a curtain call full of applause in response to her portrayal of Miss Adelaide, the musical's leading lady.
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Luck be a lady: Australian actress Rebel Wilson, 36, beamed with delight as she came off stage from a press performance of musical revival Guys and Dolls at the Phoenix Theatre in London on Thursday night
Who's that girl?: the Pitch Perfect star donned a curly red wig for the role and a bold red lip, transforming her into famed character Miss Adelaide
The comedienne looked almost unrecognisable as she posed with delight in a lace wedding dress embellished with diamante.
Better known for her thick blonde locks, the Pitch Perfect star donned a curly red wig for the role and a bold red lip, transforming her into famed character Miss Adelaide, lead dancer of the Hot Box Girls in the show.
After another successful and enjoyable performance for the actress, the cast took to the stage to lap up the applause from the filled seats of London's Phoenix Theatre.
Curtain call: the cast took to the stage to lap up their applause from the filled seats of the theatre
Success: the new revival of the 1950s Broadway show has been met with rave reviews
Dream come true: Rebel has been extremely vocal about her excitement over her West End debut, tweeting 'Wow! What a week!' as she began her run earlier this month
Comedienne to leading lady: the Pitch Perfect star famed for her comic film roles has decided to take on the world of musicals after being typecast in Hollywood as a funnywoman
Rebel has been extremely vocal about her excitement over her debut in London's West End.
Taking to Instagram, Rebel posted at the beginning of her run: 'Wow! What a week!'
She continued: 'First week down on GUYS & DOLLS in the West End. Only 7 more to go...whoa, this is going to go quickly!!
Before showing the press what she can do on Thursday night, she posted another snap of her and her co-stars in their elaborate, glamorous purple costumes to Instagram, with the caption: 'We're heating it up in the HOT BOX tonight! #Guys&Dolls #WestEnd #London'
Mixed review: Samantha Barks raved about the show but another fan was not so sure
Hot: Rebel took to Instagram to pose a sultry snap of her and her co-stars in their elaborate and sultry purple velvet and satin costumes
Fellow performer and former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger was also in attendance, showing her support as another recent newcomer to the West End stage, having portrayed Grizabella in Cats in 2014.
The brunette beauty kept it casual for the performance, wearing acid wash grey jeans with a strappy black top.
Nicole paired the look with some very high black pointed stilettos and dark smoky eye make-up, still packing her usual glamorous punch despite her dressed-down attire.
A pair of dolls: Fellow performer and former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger attended the performance to show her support as another newcomer to the West End world
Rebel, who is currently in the midst of her 64-show run on London's West End, has said recently that she decided to take on the world of musicals after being typecast in Hollywood as a funnywoman.
'I wanted to mix things up. Things in movies are going so well, I'm getting offered such cool roles, but I wanted to diversify a little bit,' she told the Press Association.
'It's super classy to come to the West End - so many American and Australian actors come over to join the very talented British.'
Rebel will be starring as Adelaide at the Phoenix Theatre until August 21.
Loving every minute: Rebel will be starring as Adelaide at the Phoenix Theatre until August 21
Chrissie Swan has never been shy of poking light-hearted fun at herself.
And on Thursday the 42-year-old morning radio host took to Instagram to comment on a fashion faux pas.
The brunette star realised she wore an outfit on Wednesday's talk show The Project, that was very similar to her old school uniform.
Light-hearted fun: Radio host Chrissie Swan (pictured), 42, realised she made a fashion faux-pas on Wednesday night's episode of The Project as she took to Instagram on Thursday
'Did @theprojecttv tonight SERIOUSLY looking like I was dressed in my old school summer uniform and school jumper,' the mother-of-three shared with her 103,000 followers.
'Just missing the 'SRC REP' badge!,' she added.
The NOVA 100 host was seen sporting a white blouse with a Peter Pan collar, teamed with a deep red sweater and pair of silver hoop earrings on the show.
She glammed up her conservative style of dress with a smoky eye, lashings of mascara and a soft pink lip, while her mid-length tresses were loosely tousled.
Conservative style: The NOVA 100 host was seen sporting on the live show a white blouse with a Peter Pan collar that was teamed with a deep red sweater and pair of silver hoop earrings
Chrissie attended the Roman Catholic independent school for girls, Sacre Cur, in Melbourne, Victoria.
Upon inspection of the school's dress code, it appeared Chrissie was right on the mark when she noticed the similarities of her own choice of outfit on Wednesday night.
Most of her social media fans were quick to point out the exact school she was referring to or have a good guess.
Role model student: Chrissie attended the Roman Catholic independent school for girls, Sacre Cur, in Melbourne, Victoria
One fan wrote: 'Omg Chrissie, I am on staff there and sooo pumped when i saw your alumni pic!! That Peter Pan collar.'
'So thats gotta be either Korowa or Sac? Sac had the collar and Korowa had the coloured jumper,' was another comment.
As well as: 'Did you sing Cour de jesui??,' which was most likely a common song sung at the all girls school.
Hilarity ensued: Upon inspection of the school's dress code, it appeared Chrissie was right on the mark when she noticed the similarities of her own choice of outfit on Wednesday night. Pictured with The Project's host Carrie Bickmore (L)
The fashion faux pas is a pleasant distraction from recent rumours that Chrissie agreed to be a surrogate for fellow I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! star Joel Creasey.
Earlier this week, New Idea Magazine published an article that featured statements by Joel suggesting that an arrangement could happen.
On her radio show on Thursday, the bubbly personality responded to the allegations with 'what a load of old bull****.'
'So surprising that the first time I heard about [the article] was when someone sent me the link. How ridiculous. I won't even have a baby for my actual husband,' she added.
Not true: Earlier this week, New Idea Magazine published an article that featured statements by Joel Creasey (pictured) suggesting that a surrogacy arrangement with Chrissie could happen. Pictured at the 58th Annual TV WEEK Logie Awards in Melbourne
Chrissie and Joel became friends after appearing together on the popular reality show.
After the series' end, Joel revealed to KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O that they had begun working together.
'I filmed a talk show pilot last year, so that's in the works and then just a whole bunch of different projects with Chrissie that we're currently working out which one suits us,' he shared.
Comedy duo: The pair teamed up earlier this month to host a charity stand-up comedy show following the recent Orlando shootings. Pictured on the red carpet at the Australian premiere of musical Cats
The pair teamed up earlier this month to host a charity stand-up comedy show following the recent Orlando shootings.
'I told Joel that if it had happened in a really busy gay bar in Melbourne he would have probably been in there,' Chrissie told The Herald Sun of the shooting.
'It just felt like it could have been us, so we had to do something,' she explained.
'The sad truth is people move on. So it's nice we'll be raising awareness into July,' added Joel.
Chrissie shares three children: Kit, Leo and Peggy with partner Chris Saville.
She has been frolicking on the beach these past few days, and it seems summer has been rubbing off on Emma Roberts.
The 25-year-old channeled resort vibes as she jetted out of Miami on Thursday in a retro style polka dot Tularosa Winnie Blouse with ripped white jeans.
The American Horror Story actress had her bright blonde hair slicked back into a low and no-fuss bun, putting her radiant and famous features on show.
Vacation state-of-mind! Emma Roberts channeled resort vibes as she jetted out of Miami on Thursday in a retro style polka dot Tularosa Winnie Blouse with ripped white jeans
Emma's plunging and flowing top put just a hint of her gym-honed torso on show.
She had on minimal makeup, but did highlight her complexion with pink blush, and curled lashes enhanced with mascara.
Keeping the accessories to a minimum, Emma did add some glitz and glam with her large, silver hoop earrings.
She also carried a black leather backpack and and donned a pair of funky beige sandals.
Hitting her stride: She also carried a black leather backpack and and donned a pair of funky beige sandals
Flash of skin: Emma's plunging and flowing top put just a hint of her gym-honed torso on show
Strolling outside of the transport hub, the starlet seemed relaxed as she was approached by a fan.
If Emma looked in good spirits, it may very well have been because she had just caught some rays at the beach earlier that same day.
The actress has been enjoying a break after a busy few days hitting the promo trail for her new teen thriller Nerve, which co-stars Dave Franco.
The fans love her: Strolling outside of the transport hub, the starlet seemed relaxed as she was approached by a fan
Getaway: The actress has been enjoying a break after a busy few days hitting the promo trail for her new teen thriller Nerve, which co-stars Dave Franco
The American Horror Story star was put on the spot when she and Dave stopped by Watch What Happens Live on Wednesday in New York City, where host Andy Cohen grilled her on which Franco brother was the best kisser.
'Dave,' she said, adding that Dave makes her 'laugh more' but is more obsessed with his looks than his brother James Franco.
In a game of Plead The Fifth, Emma refused to say who was 'the biggest diva' between her Scream Queen costars Lea Michele and Ariana Grande.
And she was also forced to name her least favorite movie by her famous aunt Julia Roberts. Emma picked Mothers Day, but admitted she hasn't actually seen a new movie in awhile.
Nerve will hit cinemas in the U.S. on July 27.
Catching some rays: If Emma looked in good spirits, it may very well have been because she was soaking up the sun at the beach earlier that same day
Caroline Aherne's funeral has taken place.
The 52-year-old actress and writer passed away at her home in Timperley, Cheshire on July 2, following a battle with cancer, and family and close friends said goodbye to her at a private memorial on Thursday.
TV producer Jeff Pope wrote on Twitter: 'The funeral today of one of our greatest working class heroes. The world is a poorer place for the loss of the incomparable Caroline Aherne (sic).'
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Tragic: Comedian Caroline Aherne's funeral has taken place near her home in Greater Manchester following her death from cancer aged 52
A source close to Caroline's family confirmed to the Daily Mirror that the funeral had taken place in Greater Manchester.
Caroline was known for her work in The Royle Family, The Mrs Merton Show and The Fast Show and most recently, she narrated the Channel 4 reality TV series Gogglebox.
Caroline and her brother Patrick were both born with retina cancer and she later suffered from the disease in her bladder and her lungs. She was forced to take time out from Gogglebox to fight cancer but returned to the show earlier this year.
Heartbroken: TV producer Jeff Pope wrote about his feelings on the very sad day
Speaking in 2014, she said: 'My brother and I were born with cancer of the eyes, the retina, my mum told us only special people get cancer. I must be very special because I have had it in my lungs and bladder as well.'
Caroline's brother Patrick paid tribute to his sister following her death, saying in a statement: 'My heart is broken as I loved her so much. But she is now in a better place and most of all she has no pain.
'I have lost a beautiful sister and the world has lost an amazing talent.'
It was recently reported that Caroline died alone at her home because her family didn't know she'd taken a sudden turn for the worse.
A relative revealed at the time, that the family were not aware her condition deteriorated.
The family member told the Daily Mirror: 'It was too quick, we didn't expect her to go. She wasn't in a hospice. She was just at home. She left on her own.'
Shocked! Ricky Tomlinson, 76, who played Caroline's father in her hit British comedy The Royle Family has spoken of his shock at the comedienne's death from cancer, aged just 52
Debbie McGee was famously on the receiving end of one of Mrs Merton's jokes - where she was accused of liking Paul Daniels for his money.
She told This Morning: When I accepted the job it was the first series so I had nothing to compare it to. They said dont take anything seriously it is tongue-in-cheek. So I was expecting something but I wasnt expecting that.
I really laughed because it was a character and not her, for one thing, and I wasnt attracted to Paul by his money. It hit me on that spot where you just spontaneously giggle and you cant stop. And also in my head was that I knew she was married to somebody who wasnt poor as well.
I just thought she was brilliant.
Brave: The Liverpudlian actor told how he never saw Caroline looking unwell and that she never complained about her illness
Debbie McGee (pictured) was famously on the receiving end of one of Mrs Merton's jokes - where she was accused of liking Paul Daniels for his money
The man who played Caroline Aherne's father in her hit British comedy The Royle Family has spoken of his shock at the comedienne's death.
Ricky Tomlinson, 76, told the Sunday Mirror: 'I'm so bloody shocked. She was absolutely wonderful and amazing to work for. Kind, funny, witty.
'A true professional and one of the most generous people I ever worked with.'
The Liverpudlian actor told how he never saw Caroline looking unwell and that she never complained about her illness.
He added: 'She never flagged in work and the atmosphere when she was writing and acting was brilliant.'
Tributes poured in for the writer, actress and comedienne from across the showbiz world.
Ralf Little, who played her brother Anthony in The Royle Family, tweeted: 'I... just don't know what to say. What a sad sad day. We've lost another one of our best.'
He continued: 'A character. A legend. A boss. A sister, real and (for me), fake. A boss. A writer. An actor. A genius. A friend. Big, big heart. Goodbye x.'
Heartfelt: Ralf Little, who played her brother Anthony in the Royle Family, took to Twitter to pay tribute to his 'boss and friend'
Her masterpiece: Caroline (left) wrote and starred in The Royle Family alongside Ralf Little (second right), Ricky Tomlinson (centre), Sue Johnston (right) and Craig Cash (second left)
In a statement Sue Johnston who played her mother Barbara in the sitcom said: 'I'm devastated at her passing and I am numb with grief.'
Comedian David Baddiel said: 'She was a really lovely woman. Vulnerable and complex and damaged but... lovely.'
Matt Lucas tweeted: 'Caroline Aherne moved television comedy on to a new place. Her extraordinary work will be cherished by future generations.'
And Lily Allen said: 'Noooo Caroline Aherne!!!! Sleep well you absolute genius.'
Caroline's friend David Walliams said: 'Absolutely devastating news about Caroline Aherne. A true comedy genius, her work was equally funny and touching.'
Upset: Little Britain star David Walliams shared his grief at the news
Kind words: Meanwhile, Matt Lucas was full of praise for the comedienne
Gone but not forgotten: Caroline died at home after taking a sudden turn for the worse in her long cancer battle
The Gogglebox narrator announced she was battling lung cancer two years ago, and at a Macmillian Cancer charity event, she explained how she felt when she was first diagnosed.
'When you hear them [doctors] telling you you have cancer, it's true that you really don't take it in properly, you just don't think of the questions,' she revealed.
She went on to explain that humour had helped her deal with her illness, as she revealed how grateful she was to be able to share a joke with the hospital staff.
'So many funny things happen when you're in there and, looking back, you do have a right laugh with the nurses,' she said. 'Although I was on morphine, so maybe it was just me laughing.
Straight simple: Jeremy Clarkson kept his acknowledgement of the new brief
Irreplaceable: Gogglebox's Scarlett Moffatt said the popular Channel Four show would 'never be the same'
'But that's a way you can cope with it. If you can separate yourself from it, a sense of humour really, really helps.'
She ended her speech with a light-hearted joke, quipping: 'My wig stayed on.'
The star's diagnosis with lung cancer - which she claimed at the time was not related to her former smoking habit - marked the third time she was forced to confront the disease.
As a baby she had a rare cancer of the retina, retinoblastoma, which left her nearly blind in one eye, and she also later suffered from bladder cancer.
Happy memories: Andrew Whyment said it was a privilege to work with Caroline
Coronation Street actor Andrew Whyment, who played Darren in The Royle Family alongside Caroline, said: 'So sad to hear the passing of Caroline Aherne, it was a privilege to have worked with her on the Royle Family, very talented woman indeed. RIP x.'
Ellie Goulding said: 'So so sad to hear about Caroline Aherne. The Royle Family is one of the greatest British comedies. She really was a comic genius. Sleep well.'
And Scarlett Moffatt, who stars in Gogglebox which Caroline narrated, tweeted: 'Can't believe what I'm hearing. What a beautiful inspiring woman we have lost. Gogglebox will never be the same.'
Jeremy Clarkson said simply: 'Caroline Aherne. That's very sad.'
Losing a legend: Ellie Goulding lamented Caroline's death and called The Royle Family 'one of the greatest British comedies'
A new play by David Hare, described as Mad Men meets Alfred Hitchcock, has attracted two top-flight actors.
Mark Strong, who won awards for his towering performance in A View From The Bridge at the Young Vic and on Broadway, will star with American actress Hope Davis in The Red Barn - Hares adaptation of Georges Simenons novel La Main.
Strong spent 12 years concentrating on film and TV projects before being tempted back to the stage two years ago by the role of Eddie Carbone in Arthur Millers tragedy.
Mark Strong (left) will star with American actress Hope Davis (right) in The Red Barn a new play by David Hare
Davis, who portrayed Hillary Clinton in the TV drama The Special Relationship, is one of Americas most talented thespians.
She told me shes packing up her family (husband, two children and dog) and moving them from their home on the East Coast to South London, so she can be in the play, which will run at the National Theatre from October 6.
When Hare was developing the drama about two couples who get lost in a blizzard in Connecticut after their car breaks down he and producer Scott Rudin asked Davis to read the text so they could see how it played.
It reminded me of an Alfred Hitchcock film, she told me yesterday. And I wrote to David and said I couldnt stop thinking about it.
She agreed with the plays director Robert Icke, that the psychological thriller also had a Mad Men vibe.
Icke joked: In the Sixties, upper-middle class Americans were drunk all the time just like Jon Hamms character in Mad Men. Davis concurred.
The Red Barn will be directed by Robert Icke (pictured, at the Evening Standard awards)
It was set at that time when everyone except the character I play, who tries to keep it all together just drank and smoked all day.
She said Simenon wrote his book, La Main, after living in the U.S.; and the sense of paranoia prevalent at the time of the Cold War was woven into the tale using Hitchcocks key elements.
Davis will be making her British stage debut with The Red Barn. However shes no stranger to British theatre. She spent several months in London as a student, and managed to see 50 productions, including Hares classic political satire Pravda.
It was during that trip that she decided that she wanted to be an actress. But I wanted to be an English actress, in England! she said.
Icke, who will also be directing forthcoming productions of Mary Stuart and Hamlet (with Andrew Scott) at the Almeida, said it was difficult to discuss The Red Barn without giving too much away. Though he did allow that when the four people walk into the blizzard, one of them vanishes.
The thing Simenon said was that it only takes one small thing to go wrong for your whole life to fall apart. Everyones emotional life is fragile, he said, intriguingly.
Hare has added more twists and turns to Simenons blueprint, to ramp up the tension.
The run at the Nationals Lyttelton could be followed by a season in the West End, and on Broadway, if it works on the South Bank.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX LOVE AND... CHEATING
Ruta Gedmintas was chatting about relationships, betrayal and propositioning an older married man.
It was an innocent conversation, about a play by Owen McCafferty called Unfaithful, in which she will appear with Matthew Lewis, Niamh Cusack and Sean Campion. However, Ruta was about to board a flight to the U.S., so I hope any fellow passengers who overheard her didnt get the wrong idea.
The actress, whose breakthrough role came in Guillermo Del Toros vampire TV series The Strain, explained that McCaffertys intricate play is about two couples: one in their 20s; the other in their 50s.
Ruta Gedmintas will appear with Matthew Lewis (both pictured) in an Owen McCafferty play called Unfaithful at the Found111 theatre in London
Both have trouble with the mundanities of modern life. They havent got access to opportunities that could provide them with extra excitement, she said, carefully.
So Tara (Rutas character), who is mightily fed up with her job at a supermarket, thinks cheating on her boyfriend will make her happier. Its heart-wrenching, said Ruta of the play, which will run from August 26 at the off-West End theatre Found111 (the old Central St Martins School of Art in Soho).
Meanwhile, Lewis plays a young man who has a liaison with an older woman. The actor, who played loyal Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter films, suggested that Unfaithful could also be seen as a meditation on sex. What does it mean to different people? he said.
Lewis said that because his first acting experience involved playing one role: Neville for a decade he likes to take on as many characters as possible. Which is why he did Ripper Street for just two seasons; appeared in the last series of the BBCs brilliant Happy Valley; and enjoyed a few days on a new film, Terminal, with Margot Robbie.
Rihanna has cancelled her concert in Nice in the wake of a deadly terror attack on the southern French city on Thursday night.
The singer, 28, was due to perform at the Allianz Stadium on Friday as part of her Anti World Tour, but has pulled out following the tragedy, which has left at least 84 people dead and dozens injured.
A representative for the pop star confirmed to Just Jared that the We Found Love hitmaker was in the city on Thursday during the Bastille Day attack.
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Tragic: Rihanna has cancelled her concert in Nice in the wake of a deadly terror attack on the southern French city on Thursday night
The spokesperson told the website: 'She is safe. She is ok.'
The Mayor of Nice has since announced that Rihanna's concert, along with city's jazz festival the following day, is cancelled.
The star followed up the statement with a post on her Instagram page, writing: 'Due to the tragic events in #Nice, my concert scheduled for tomorrow July 15 at Allianz Stadium will not be going ahead as planned. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.'
Rihanna had performed in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday night before heading to the seaside town of Nice.
It is not known whether she was with revelers watching fireworks as part of the celebration of Bastille Day when the attack occurred.
'Our thoughts are with the families': The singer, 28, was due to perform at the Allianz Stadium on Friday night as part of her Anti World Tour, but has pulled out following the tragedy, which has left at least 84 people dead
Horrific tragedy: The star had arrived in the city just hours before at least one man drove a truck through crowds watching fireworks before opening fire on them. The attack has left many dead including children
At least 80 people have been killed and more than 50 injured after a truck mowed down crowds gathered in the street.
According to eyewitnesses and officials the driver of the huge white lorry drove over a mile crushing people, including children, gathered on the famed Promenade des Anglais before the driver got out and sprayed crowds with bullets.
Eyewitnesses say there was an exchange of gunfire in the aftermath of the incident before the driver was shot dead.
Guns and grenades were later said to have been found inside the truck.
Cancelled: Rihanna was scheduled to perform in Nice on Friday night as part of her Anti World Tour. The Mayor of Nice has since announced the concert, along with city's jazz festival the following day, is cancelled
Not clear: Rihanna had performed in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday (pictured) and it is not known whether she was with revelers watching fireworks as part of the celebration of Bastille Day when the attack occurred
Horrific: According to eyewitnesses and officials the driver of the huge white lorry drove over a mile crushing people gathered on the famed Promenade des Anglais before the driver got out and started shooting
Officials have confirmed they have shot the driver. A second man is believed to be on the run.
President Francois Hollande has called the tragedy a terrorist attack, saying, 'it is all of France which is under the threat of Islamic terrorism.
'So in these circumstances we must show absolute vigilance and a determination without end.'
He has also extended France's State of Emergency, which was set to end July 26, for another three months.
The county was under a State of Emergency following the Islamic State attacks in Paris in November that left 130 people dead.
It's been just days since Sasha Mielczarek celebrated his one-year anniversary with girlfriend Sam Frost.
But the 31-year-old construction manager had another reason to celebrate on Friday as he announced his younger brother's birthday.
Sasha shared an Instagram photo of himself and tattoo artist Jay Mielczarek on Friday, adding: 'Happy birthday to my brother and the biggest pest I know'.
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'The biggest pest I know!' The Bachelorette star Sasha Mielczarek (right) shared a hilarious birthday tribute to his tattoo artist younger brother Jay (left) on Friday
The reality TV star also hinted at their friendly relationship by adding the hashtag, 'Heads only a mother could love.'
In the social media snap, the brothers are shown dressed casually and hugging as they pose for a photo together.
Jay wears a purple T-shirt emblazoned with a skull design and also displays his prominent neck tattoo.
Family past: It emerged last year that Sasha and Jay's father Aleksander Mielczarek (centre) was linked to the Rebels motorcycle club
It emerged last year that Sasha and Jay's father Aleksander Mielczarek was linked to the Rebels motorcycle club.
Sasha told OK! Magazine in October that he 'chose a different path' to his father. His girlfriend Sam also said she wasn't bothered by the family past.
'There's nothing I could ever find out that could sway me because he tells me everything,' she said. 'It's all cool on my end.'
Like father, like son! With his facial hair and tattoos, Jay more closely resembles his dad Aleksander (pictured) than Sasha, who has instead embraced a clean-cut image
In February, Aleksander was banned from working in two tattoo parlours he owns after being called an 'influential member' of the gang in tribunal hearing.
The decision was made after NSW Police claimed his links to outlaw motorcycle gangs meant it was not in the public's interest to grant him a tattoo licence.
Meanwhile, Daily Mail Australia previously uncovered old photos of Aleksander spending time with his two young sons, Sasha and Jay, in the early 90s.
With his facial hair and tattoos, Jay more closely resembles his father today than Sasha, who has instead embraced a clean-cut image.
Good times! Daily Mail Australia previously uncovered old photos of Aleksander spending time with his two young sons, Sasha and Jay, in the early 90s
On Sunday, Sasha paid tribute to his 'amazing girlfriend' Sam Frost a year after she chose him as her partner on The Bachelorette finale.
He posted an Instagram photo from the couple's recent holiday in Bali and also shared a romantic message.
'One year has passed since that memorable day in New Zealand!' he wrote on Sunday. 'Happy one year anniversary to my amazing girlfriend with hopefully many more to come'.
It has been over 12 months since Sam declared her love for Sasha on the final episode of Network Ten's popular dating show.
Happy anniversary! On Sunday, Sasha paid tribute to his 'amazing girlfriend' Sam Frost on Instagram - a year after they officially became a couple on The Bachelorette finale
'One year has passed since that memorable day in New Zealand!' The 31-year-old construction manager shared a romantic message about his radio host girlfriend
Perfect couple: Sasha also showed off his playful side with the hash tags, 'Love your head,' and 'My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard'
Holding back tears of joy and wearing a beautiful bridal-esque gown, she said last year: 'I've been waiting my whole life to meet you'.
Standing in a luscious green field with roaming hills, she told Sasha how she felt they would make 'the ultimate team' together.
'From the very first moment that I met you, I got a feeling that I've never felt before, and I can't even describe it,' she began.
'I used to be so nervous that I couldn't even look you in the eye. Those feelings grew into so much more.
'I got a feeling that I've never felt before': It has been over 12 months since Sam, 27, declared her love for Sasha on the final episode of Network Ten's dating show, which was filmed in New Zealand
Secretly dating: Despite being filmed in July 2015, The Bachelorette's finale was not broadcast until October and the couple had to keep their relationship under wraps for three months
'I love when I'm around you and how easy and effortless it is and I love that we complement each other and we are the ultimate team.'
Earlier in the episode, she bid farewell to real estate agent Michael Turnbull, 35, in an emotional final rose ceremony.
Despite being filmed in July, the episode was not broadcast until October and the couple had to keep their relationship under wraps for three months.
The look of love: In the last episode, Sam told Sasha, 'I used to be so nervous that I couldn't even look you in the eye. Those feelings grew into so much more'
He's not a keeper! In the last episode of The Bachelorette, Sam bid farewell to soccer player Michael Turnbull (back row, far right) in an emotional rose ceremony
She's long been known for being multi-talented.
And recently Eva Longoria was recognized as a savvy businesswoman when she was nominated to be a judge for Chivas Regal's The Venture entrepreneurship competition.
The 41-year-old former Desperate Housewives star looked fabulous as she attended the Grand Finale event in New York City on Thursday.
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Excelling again: Recently Eva Longoria was recognized as a savvy businesswoman when she was nominated to be a judge for Chivas Regal's The Venture social entrepreneurship competition
The youthful-looking star donned a black bodycon dress which showed off her extremely enviable figure.
The David Koma-designed garment featured unique flared leather sleeves and a knee-length hem.
Apparently she was so smitten with the dress, she even posted a shot to Instagram specifically mentioning the storied designer.
A pair of black stilettos with detailed straps rounded out the sophisticated monotone ensemble.
Some stud earrings and a silver chain necklace with pendant contributed just a bit of bling to the outfit.
Very flattering: The youthful-looking star donned a black bodycon dress which showed off her extremely enviable figure
David Koma fan: Apparently she was so smitten with the dress, she even posted a shot to Instagram specifically mentioning the storied designer
Her brunette locks were parted in the middle and slid down just past her shoulders.
She complimented her all black look with some very dark black eye make-up, though she did add just a bit of colour with a slick of pale crimson lipstick and light blush.
The Venture contest features a panel of judges 'tasked with dividing the competitions $1million fund amongst the 27 extraordinary finalists,' according to the website.
Eva was the final judge appointed to the the panel, and seems to be looking forward to the opportunity.
Time to laugh? Eva took a moment to take a picture with comedian Trevor Noah
'Im delighted to be part of the judging panel for Chivas The Venture and cant wait to hear the unique stories behind the 27 startups from across the world,' she started.
'Social enterprise has such a huge part to play in the future of business and something that is very close to my heart.'
Obviously Eva is quite experienced in the sector, having started the Eva Longoria foundation which aims to help Latinas create better futures for themselves and their families.
Producers have confirmed that at those currently working on the latest Fifty Shades Of Grey installment have been accounted for.
Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were among those staying in Nice, France, as they film the third movie, Freed.
The actors were seen filming a romantic boat scene in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat just a few hours before at least 80 people were killed when a man drove a truck through a crowd before opening fire on Thursday.
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'Safe and sound': Producers have confirmed that at those currently working on the latest Fifty Shades Of Grey installment (which was filming Thursday - pictured) have been accounted for
In town: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson were among those staying in Nice, France, as they film the third movie, Freed
Producer Dana Brunetti confirmed on social media that those involved with the film were safe.
Passing on the message from the whole production team, he wrote: 'From production: "Production has confirmed that everyone working on location in the south of France is okay.
'''Everyone has been accounted for and is safe and sound."
'Thanks for everyone's messages and concerns. Another sad day for France and the world.'
On location: The actors were seen filming a romantic boat scene in nearby Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat just a few hours before at least 80 people were killed when a man drove a truck through a crowd before opening fire
Alleviated fears: Producer Dana Brunetti confirmed on social media that those involved with the film were safe
Rihanna was also in Nice at the time of the attacks with a representative confirming to Just Jared that the 28-year-old was in the city on Thursday during the Bastille Day attack.
The rep told the website: 'She is safe. She is ok.'
Rihanna had arrived in the city as part of her Anti World Tour with the star scheduled to perform Friday night.
Safe: Rihanna (pictured Wednesday) was also in Nice during the deadly truck and shooting rampage
The Mayor of Nice has since announced that Rihanna's concert, along with city's jazz festival the following day, is cancelled.
Rihanna had performed in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday night before heading to the seaside town of Nice.
It is not known whether she was with revelers watching fireworks as part of the celebration of Bastille Day when the attack occurred.
Horrific tragedy: The star had arrived in the city just hours before at least one man drove a truck through crowds watching fireworks before opening fire on them. The attack has left many dead including children
At least 80 people have been killed and more than 50 injured after a truck mowed down crowds gathered in the street.
According to eyewitnesses and officials the driver of the huge white lorry drove over a mile crushing people, including children, gathered on the famed Promenade des Anglais before the driver got out and sprayed crowds with bullets.
Eyewitnesses say there was an exchange of gunfire in the aftermath of the incident before the driver was shot dead.
Cancelled: Rihanna was scheduled to perform in Nice on Friday night as part of her Anti World Tour. The Mayor of Nice has since announced the concert, along with city's jazz festival the following day, is cancelled
Not clear: Rihanna had performed in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday (pictured) and it is not known whether she was with revelers watching fireworks as part of the celebration of Bastille Day when the attack occurred
Horrific: According to eyewitnesses and officials the driver of the huge white lorry drove over a mile crushing people gathered on the famed Promenade des Anglais before the driver got out and started shooting
Guns and grenades were later said to have been found inside the truck.
Officials have confirmed they have shot the driver. A second man is believed to be on the run.
President Francois Hollande has called the tragedy a terrorist attack, saying, 'it is all of France which is under the threat of Islamic terrorism.
Unimaginable horror: As authorities scrambled to help those gravely injured, the bodies of those killed were left while they fell with this man refusing to leave his loved one
'So in these circumstances we must show absolute vigilance and a determination without end.'
He has also extended France's State of Emergency, which was set to end July 26, for another three months.
The county was under a State of Emergency following the Islamic State attacks in Paris in November that left 130 people dead.
Susan Carland seemed to be ready for the weekend by the time Friday came around.
The 36-year-old wife of The Project host Waleed Aly shared a photo of herself kicking back, with her feet resting on a table.
The media personality took a moment to note that her henna tattoos were still visible, after she had applied the body art for the Muslim festival of Eid.
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Relaxing: Waleed Aly's wife Susan Carland shared this photo on Friday in which her henna tattoos were still visible on her feet following the Muslim festival of Eid earlier this month
'Oh look - my imaginary friend dropped by for another large latte (and those marks on my feet are silver "henna" tattoo remnants from Eid...not fungus),' she captioned the snap, in which there were also two takeaway coffee cups sitting on the nearby table.
Susan has previously spoken openly about being targeted by trolls on social media because she wears a hijab and campaigns for the rights of Muslims in Australia.
But she recently insisted she is not concerned about what people think of her.
The respected academic, who has two children with Waleed, said she has learned to ignore the hateful tweets and only takes into account the opinions of people she respects.
Speaking out: Susan recently insisted she is not concerned about what people think of her
'The older I get the less I'm concerned with what other people think of me,' she told Harper's Bazaar recently.
'I've learnt that the idea that you are only acceptable if everyone likes or agrees with you is not just a pointless errand, it's also misplaced.
'Why did universal approval become a goal?'
Taking a stand: She has spoken openly about being targeted by trolls on social media because she wears a hijab and campaigns for the rights of Muslims in Australia
Carefree: The academic said: 'The older I get the less I'm concerned with what other people think of me'
The sociologist and lecturer at Melbourne's Monash University has previously revealed how she donates $1 to charity for every unpleasant tweet she receives.
Susan has donated $4,410 since October last year.
In her interview with Harper's Bazaar, the mother-of-two said she trusts those around her to tell her if she is wrong about something.
'Strangers on Twitter with fake names? Not so much,' she added.
She has previously opened up about her decision to convert from Christianity to Islam at the age of 19, saying it 'felt like coming home'.
Doting couple: The respected academic has two children with The Project presenter (pictured together)
Turning the tables: The sociologist and lecturer at Melbourne's Monash University has previously revealed how she donates $1 to charity for every unpleasant tweet she receives
Susan admitted she originally thought Islam was a 'barbaric, outdated and sexist religion' but after detailed research she realised this was not the case.
She told The Australian Women's Weekly that these misconceptions still permeate society, with many still believing that 'Muslims are all terrorists and kill people'.
Speaking at an RTi Talk, Susan said she did not change religion for her Gold Logie winning husband Waleed, 37, who describes himself as a 'moderate Muslim'.
She told them: 'I wouldn't marry him if he was the last man on earth.'
Obviously she changed her mind and called him to say she had made a mistake, and the couple are now living happily together in Melbourne with their children Aisha and nine-year-old Zayd.
She completed her PhD at Monash University in 2015 and is now working on turning her thesis into a book.
There is no question she is used to having all eyes on her.
And Thursday must have been more of the same for Martha Stewart as she attended the opening of Pepsi's Love: From Cave to Keyboard Exhibition to Celebrate World Emoji Day in New York City.
Striking a sexy and sultry pose, the 27-year-old sizzled as she took the plunge in an extremely low-cut LBD that nipped at her extra gym-honed waistline.
Turning heads! Striking a sexy and sultry pose, Martha Hunt sizzled as she took the plunge in an extremely low-cut LBD that nipped at her extra gym-honed waistline
She had her sun kissed hair slicked back into a high top knot to display her striking features, which were made especially radiant that evening.
The catwalk queen looked particularly sun kissed with a very healthy dose of bronze shimmer swept across her face.
Her ordinarily eye-catching dark eyebrows appeared several shades lighter.
She topped the look off with a boxy gold clutch and a pair of black heels, flattering her perfectly toned legs to full effect.
Legs eleven! Hunt's glossy heels flattered her gym-honed limbs to full effect
The toast of town! Hunt held onto a glass of water as she continued to pose up a storm for photographers
Joining the fun was Martha's fellow Victoria's Secret Angel model, Chanel Iman, who flashed the flesh in an extremely tiny white skirt paired with a matching crop top.
The statuesque stunner had her raven black locks swept back into an edgy yet chic braided hair 'do, while topping off the look with a pair of beige ankle boots.
Complimenting her stunning complexion, the model opted for blush, mascara, and glossy lipstick to bring out her natural beauty.
Twice as nice! Joining the fun was Martha's fellow Victoria's Secret Angel model, Chanel Iman, who flashed the flesh in an extremely tiny white skirt paired with a matching crop top
Top of the crops! The statuesque stunner had her raven black locks swept back into an edgy yet chic braided hair 'do, while topping off the look with a pair of beige ankle boots
She topped the look off with a white jacket and silver earrings.
Martha, meanwhile, counts herself as one of Taylor Swift's friends, and the model even attended the pop star's star-studded Fourth Of July bash in Rhode Island.
The catwalk queen spoke with People at Thursday's event about Taylor's new romance with Tom Hiddleston, a relationship which continues to make headlines.
'I love that they're both happy and free together,' Marth said.
Calling the Thor actor 'very charming', she said the star hit it off 'wonderfully' with the songbird's friends over the patriotic holiday weekend.
Going with the flow: Olivia Palermo and Maggie Gyllenhaal sported long and baggy ensembles
Suited and booted! Andrew Rannells looked sharp in a dark blue suit with leather shoes
Dashing: Kellan Lutz smartened up in white trousers and a black jacket
She's made a career out of her killer curves and showstopping figure.
And Kelly Brook put her incredible form on full display as she attended a swanky dinner as part of the Ischia Global Film and Music Festival in Italy with her boyfriend Jeremy Parisi on Thursday night.
Ensuring all eyes were on her voluptuous cleavage, the model, 36, looked every inch the Hollywood star in a skintight white off-shoulder pencil dress.
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Busty beauty: Kelly Brook put her incredible form on full display as she attended a swanky dinner as part of the Ischia Global Film and Music Festival in Italy with her boyfriend Jeremy Parisi on Thursday night
Clinging to her hourglass figure, Kelly's chic bardot-style dress emphasised her envy-inducing curves and slim waist to perfection.
With her golden tan, which she has been working on over the last few days of her Italian getaway, the TV personality needed minimal make-up, keeping it simple with pink lipstick and a touch of peach blush.
Large peach pendant earrings peeped out from behind her tousled honeyed locks, drawing attention to her glowing decolletage.
Hollywood glamour: Ensuring all eyes were on her voluptuous cleavage, the model, 36, looked every inch the Hollywood star in a skintight white off-shoulder pencil dress
Siren: Clinging to her hourglass figure, Kelly's chic bardot-style dress emphasised her envy-inducing curves and slim waist to perfection
Nude heels and a jewel-encrusted pink clutch bag finished off the presenter's classic look as she posed alongside her dapper boyfriend.
Jeremy, 31, didn't let down his lady in the fashion stakes, opting for a light grey linen suit, perfect for the balmy Italian evening.
With an open necked white shirt to complement Kelly's colour choice, he kept it simple with shiny black shoes to round off the slim leg style of his summer suit.
The loved up pair have been enjoying the sun, sea and sand of their Italian break since they landed on Tuesday.
Golden glow: With her golden tan, which she has been working on over the last few days of her Italian getaway, the TV personality needed minimal make-up, keeping it simple with pink lipstick and a touch of peach blush
Hourglass figure: Large peach pendant earrings peeped out from behind her tousled honeyed locks, drawing attention to her glowing decolletage
They have been dating since April 2015 and last year, Kelly said she believes this relationship could go the distance.
She told Closer at the time: 'I'm not sure we're ready for marriage just yet, but we're definitely heading in the right direction. I'm a very loved-up lady right now.'
With no intentions of taking their relationship slow, she continued: 'Hopefully I'll have a baby soon. Ultimately, I am entering a new phase in my life.'
Explaining why the French hunk has changed her outlook on men, she added: 'Jeremy's great and things are going really well. We just have a lot of fun together and laugh all the time, so he makes everything enjoyable.'
They've been busy filming summer spin-off, The Only Way Is Mallorca, for the past few weeks.
And TOWIE new girl Amber Dowding looked confident ahead of her series debut as she stepped out in Loughton, Essex, on Thursday.
Paying her pal Georgia Bright a visit at her Bella Sorella clothing boutique, the hairdresser, 22, showed off her toned curves in a skintight off-shoulder black jumpsuit.
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Ready to make an impact: TOWIE new girl Amber Dowding looked confident ahead of her series debut as she stepped out in Loughton, Essex, on Thursday
The self-confessed party animal - who has known Georgia and her sister Lydia since she was a child - went for an all black look, with a large black leather tote matching her form-fitting catsuit.
With her long blonde locks loose, she kept her hair back from her face with her large pair of gold mirrored sunglasses.
White and yellow trainers added a pop of colour, along with her cherry red nails, which contrasted with her natural nude toned make up.
Newbie: Paying her pal Georgia Bright a visit at her Bella Sorella clothing boutique, the hairdresser, 22, showed off her toned curves in a skintight off-shoulder black jumpsuit
Blonde beauty: With her long blonde locks loose, she kept her hair back from her face with her large pair of gold mirrored sunglasses
Glamorous: The self-confessed party animal - who has known Georgia and her sister Lydia since she was a child - went for an all black look, with a large black leather tote matching her form-fitting catsuit
Best friends with Lydia, Amber already knows most of the well-known cast as they have all met on the Essex social scene.
The blonde beauty is also dating Chris Clark, and has spoken of her relationship with the 21-year-old Essex lad.
She said of their romance: 'Its going really well - theres a lot of pressure on whether or not were official but were seeing each other and seeing how it goes but from the way its going at the moment Im sure we will be.'
Working it: White and yellow trainers added a pop of colour, along with her cherry red nails, which contrasted with her natural nude toned make up
Exciting times: Best friends with Lydia, Amber already knows most of the well-known cast as they have all met on the Essex social scene
Stepping out in style: The blonde beauty is also dating Chris Clark, and has spoken of her relationship with the 21-year-old Essex lad
Hair flick: Although she hoping for some romance with Chris on the show, she is keen to avoid the TOWIE relationship curse
And although she hoping for some romance with Chris on the show, she is keen to avoid the TOWIE relationship curse.
Amber explained: 'We just need to stay strong and be honest with each other the whole way through and not let anyone come between us trust and loyalty is the key.'
Getting ready to join the cast, Amber is ready to add her own touch to the reality show:
She said: 'Im very much a girls girl with my friends. Ill always have their backs. I dont hold back though and I say what I think.'
Series 18 of The Only Way Is Essex kicks off on ITVBe, Sunday at 10pm.
Bright white smile: Getting ready to join the cast, Amber is ready to add her own touch to the reality show
Girl power: 'Im very much a girls girl with my friends. Ill always have their backs. I dont hold back though and I say what I think'
She has been nominated for the Best Actress award at this year's Emmys.
And Claire Danes certainly looked ready to celebrate as she pushed around a bottle of rose wine, while out on a stroll with her son, after hearing the announcement on Thursday.
The 37-year-old cut a casual figure for the outing in New York, as she showed off her svelte frame in a striped midi dress.
Claire Danes certainly looked ready to celebrate as she pushed around a bottle of rose wine, while out on a stroll with her son, after being nominated for an Emmy, on Thursday
But far from looking elated with the accolade for her role in Showtime's Homeland, Claire sported a rather serious expression.
Claire looked effortlessly beautiful in the slouchy gown, which she wore in shades of navy, maroon and cream.
And she remained ladylike at all times as she covered up her decolletage with a flattering high neckline.
Stunning! The 37-year-old cut a casual figure for the outing in New York, as she showed off her svelte frame in a striped midi dress
The stylish mother also kept things practical and pretty in the footwear department, as she slipped on a pair of flat black sandals, that came complete with buckle detailing.
And although she opted for a simple style, Claire couldn't resist adding a subtle touch of sparkle to her look with a long golden pendant.
The blonde stunner looked naturally beautiful as she strolled down the street, as she sported barely-there makeup, apart from a touch of blush on her impossibly high cheekbones.
Why so serious? Far from looking elated with the accolade for her role in Showtime's Homeland, Claire sported a rather serious expression
Earning her stripes! Claire looked effortlessly beautiful in the slouchy gown, which she wore in shades of navy, maroon and cream
And she swept up her golden tresses into a chic chignon - leaving just a few strands out to soften her style and frame her face.
Meanwhile, her three-year-old son, Cyrus, looked equally relaxed as he drifted off to sleep in his stroller.
The little boy, who Claire shares with husband Hugh Dancy, looked smart in a blue linen shirt and matching azure shorts and sandals.
Claire has played bipolar CIA agent Carrie Mathison in the show since 2011.
Demure! Claire remained ladylike at all times as she covered up her decolletage with a flattering high neckline
No stranger to Emmy success, she has been nominated for her role in the Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series - Drama category four times and won in 2012 and 2013.
This year she is up against Viola Davis in How To Get Away With Murder, Taraji P. Henson in Empire, Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black, Keri Russell in The Americans and Robin Wright in House Of Cards
Nominations for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards were unveiled by Anthony Anderson, star of ABCs black-ish, and Lauren Graham from Netflixs upcoming Gilmore Girls revival, at the TV Academy in Los Angeles.
HBOs Game Of Thrones led the pack with 23 nominations, including best drama and three supporting actress and three supporting actor contenders.
ABC will carry the Emmys live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 18, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
She's been the subject of endless rumours and speculation about her personal life over the years.
But Kylie Jenner quashed claims she was expecting a baby with her rapper boyfriend Tyga, 26, taking to Twitter on Thursday night in a defiant display.
The 18-year-old reality star's rant came after she put on a stylish display in a figure-hugging black dress that clung to her every curve.
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Hitting out: Kylie Jenner quashed claims she was expecting a baby with her rapper boyfriend Tyga... after stepping out in a figure-hugging dress during a shopping spree in Beverly Hills on Thursday
Kylie was shopping at Barneys New York after visiting her sister Kendall in Beverly Hills, California.
The striking starlet's knee-length number highlighted her tiny waist and hourglass figure as she strutted back to her car.
She completed her look with a cute pair of strappy sandals and styled her newly-chopped bob in a sleek style.
Glamorous: The 18-year-old reality star was shopping at Barneys New York after visiting her sister Kendall in Beverly Hills, California
Looking good: The striking starlet's knee-length number highlighted her tiny waist and hourglass figure as she strutted back to her car
Rumour has it: Kylie's outing came as she rushed to social media to blast reports she might be pregnant in a series of tweets that have now been deleted
Speaking up: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians starlet insisted she would be 'the first' to let her fans know if she were ever pregnant
Kylie's outing came as she rushed to social media to blast reports she might be pregnant in a series of tweets that have now been deleted.
She posted: 'Omg. No I'm not pregnant. It's been the same rumor for years & no baby ... So
'When I decide to go to that next stage in my life.. I'll be the first to let you know.. Not a weekly blog
Not true: 'Shes always talking about having one with Tyga,' a source alleged to the magazine
In awe: Kylie was surely amazed at her new hairstyle as she repeatedly stared at herself while filming
An issue: The reality star appeared to struggle to find the perfect filter
Finally happy: Kylie was content with her look
Adding to the range: The successful businesswoman has also been sharing selfies to promote her highly sought after lip kit and is launching new colours next week
'Kristen!' Kylie beamed in one shade which was a lovely deep pink colour
Options: She swatched some new shades on her wrist
Kylie's furious rant came after an InTouch Weekly report claiming the teen was thrilled to be expecting a baby with Tyga, who raises three-year-old son King Cairo with his ex Blac Chyna.
'Shes always talking about having one with Tyga,' a source alleged to the magazine.
'Shes seen him in action with King. Hes great with kids, so this was the obvious next step for them.'
Kylie was also seen attending an anti-bullying event in Los Angeles on Thursday.
The bash was held apparently to celebrate the partnership of Kylie's SinfulColors nail polish brand and the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Stomp Out Bullying campaign.
Sensational in silk: Kylie was also seen attending an anti-bullying event in Los Angeles on Thursday
It's the snap that's the rite of passage for all holiday-makers - hot dogs or legs?
And Catherine Zeta Jones took to Instagram to share a sizzling shot of her tanned physique as she reminisced about her luxurious Portofino holiday last week.
The 46-year-old actress' impeccably toned legs glistened in the sun as she captioned the shot: '#ThrowbackThursday to lounging poolside during my recent travel adventures. Bliss!'
Hot dogs or legs? Catherine Zeta Jones, 46, took to Instagram with a sizzling shot of her tanned legs and flat tum as she reminisced over her luxurious Portofino holiday last week
Taking the picture herself as she lounged on the recliner allowed her to unveil her flat tummy, before giving way to her swimwear bottoms as she soaked up the sun.
While she cut a lone figure, her social media display during her time in Italy was littered with jealousy-enducing snaps of the breathtaking scenery and her gorgeous features.
Also joining the Welsh beauty on her trip were her parents Patricia and David who put on a loved up display.
And taking inspiration from them, Catherine proved to be happier than ever with her husband of 15 years Michael Douglas.
Holiday vibes: During her time in Portofino, she shared a number of snaps including a stunning selfie on a boat where she took in the gorgeous scenery
'Young love': Joining the Welsh beauty on her trip were her parents Patricia and David who put on a loved up display
The duo were spotted enjoyed a romantic dinner, where Catherine stunned in a sexy all-black ensemble while Michael went for a more casual look.
Catherine recently gushed about her marriage to the Fatal Attraction star, as she admitted that she and her husband were prepared to put in hard work during their rocky moments and are grateful they persevered.
Speaking to the March issue of Good Housekeeping, the talented star reflected on celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary last November.
Smitten: Catherine proved to be happier than ever with her husband of 15 years Michael Douglas as they enjoyed a date night while on holiday
Still going strong: Catherine recently gushed about her 15 year marriage to Fatal Attraction star Michael in an interview with Good Housekeeping
She enthused: 'It was great. Just the two of us at one of our favourite restaurants, laughing that we havent killed each other yet and that we are still alive! Fifteen years is a long time. Youve got to keep the home fires burning!
'Its a long road and I think people today are so quick to throw in the towel on marriage. You have to give it your best shot and not give up when the first problem arises, because that wont be the last problem. There will be many more down the road.'
The couple are also parents to two children- Dylan, 15, and Carys, 13.
Molly Meldrum has been admitted to hospital after he bowed out early from a 10-day cruise on businessman Lindsay Fox's chartered luxury liner earlier this week.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the 73-year-old checked into a Melbourne Hospital after injuries he suffered after a fall in January flared up on the cruise.
'After struggling with an acute health issues whilst overseas, Molly Meldrum has been safely returned home to Australia for urgent evaluation and treatment,' Dr Brian Pliatsos told the publication.
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'Molly Meldrum has been safely returned home to Australia for urgent evaluation and treatment': Molly Meldrum, 73, has been admitted to hospital after he bowed out early from a 10-day cruise on businessman Lindsay Fox's chartered luxury liner earlier this week
Dr Pliatsos continued: 'The decision to manage him in Australia was made to ensure appropriate continuity of care given some ongoing complications following his serious fall a few years ago.'
'I want to assure everybody that his prognosis is excellent and ask that his privacy be respected pending a full and proper recovery', he later added.
The Australian music legend was enlisted as the DJ on board the five-star Seabourn Odyssey - dubbed the 'Love Boat' - but he has now left the ship and is flying home to Melbourne.
Health issues: Molly Meldrum has been forced to bow out early from a 10-day cruise on Lindsay Fox's chartered luxury liner due to his ongoing health problems, pictured in a wheelchair at this year's Logies
He has been plagued by health problems and was left having to use a wheelchair after a serious fall in Thailand earlier this year where he came dangerously close to being paralysed.
Molly had joined a motley crew of millionaires, TV presenters and entrepreneurs on board the 198m vessel last week in Athens for the cruise to Venice.
But the Herald Sun reported that Molly left the ship when it was docked in Nydri, on the Greek island of Lefkada, and is currently flying home.
Uber luxury: The Australian music legend, 73, was enlisted as the DJ on board the five-star Seabourn Odyssey (pictured) - dubbed the 'Love Boat' - but he has now left the ship and is flying home to Melbourne
Friends in high places: Molly was invited on the ship by businessman Lindsay Fox (pictured together)
TV presenter Eddie McGuire, former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett and mining magnate Andrew Forrest are rumoured to be among the 200 guests on board the luxury liner.
The ship, which is chartered at more than $200,000 per day, has the highest space-per-guest ratio in the cruise ship industry, with the best suites boasting tanning beds and hot-tubs.
Molly had made a slow recovery since having a serious fall in Thailand in January this year.
The record producer and entrepreneur dislocated one of his shoulders and fractured several ribs when he slipped while getting out of a taxi in front of his Bangkok hotel in January.
Spacious: The ship, which is chartered at more than $200,000 per day, has the highest space-per-guest ratio in the cruise ship industry, with the best suites boasting tanning beds and hot-tubs
Injury: Earlier this year, the music industry legend suffered a serious fall while holidaying in Thailand, leaving him with a dislocated shoulder and fractured several ribs
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph after the accident, Molly revealed that he came close to having his arm amputated and turned to alcohol to cope.
The former Countdown host also suffered a life-threatening fall when he tripped down the stairs while putting up Christmas decorations in 2011.
He was seen leaving the Logie Awards in a wheelchair in May this year.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Molly for a comment.
She shot to fame in hit soap, Emmerdale.
But Jenna Coleman was worlds away from her countryside roots as she left her exclusive New York hotel, on Thursday.
The 30-year-old epitomised off-duty chic in a simple black jumper and cropped trousers, which featured an on-trend flared finish.
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Stylish! Jenna Coleman epitomised off-duty chic in a simple black jumper and cropped trousers, which featured an on-trend flared finish
And she added some extra height to her petite frame with a pair of woven platform sandals, that matched her ensemble in an equally dark hue.
Ready for all occasions, the brunette beauty effortlessly toted a woolen blazer over the crutch of her arm.
And she casually propped up a pair of oversized tortoiseshell shades on the top of her head.
Natural beauty! Keeping her look simple yet stylish, Jenna rounded off her ensemble with minimal makeup - apart from a touch of rosy blush
Keeping her look simple yet stylish, Jenna rounded off her ensemble with minimal makeup - apart from a touch of rosy blush and drew attention to her plump pout with a subtle red lip.
The Doctor Who actress also left her glossy tresses to fall in a sleek and straight style around her shoulders, framing her heart-shaped face.
Jenna, is currently promoting her new series, Victoria, in the states.
Chic and cute: She's flown to New York to promote her upcoming television series, Victoria - and Jenna looked every inch the happy tourist as she headed to her hotel on Wednesday
But despite playing a queen in the show, Jenna showed off her humble side as she handed the doorman a tip, while leaving the Greenwich Hotel.
Jenna looked every inch the happy tourist as she first headed to her hotel on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old was pictured walking down the street carrying both a camera around her neck and a guitar on her shoulder as she made her way inside.
On trend: The 30-year-old was pictured walking down the street carrying both a camera around her neck and a guitar on her shoulder as she wore a cute striped top and cropped chinos
She wore a cute blue and white cotton striped top from high street store Zara which had a knot artfully tied at the front.
Teaming it with a pair of blue cropped chinos, the looked incredibly fashion forward as she enjoyed her time in the Big Apple.
She completed her look with a pair of woven strappy sandals and cut a fairly low profile with a black sun hat and dark sunglasses.
Young royal: Jenna stars as Queen Victoria in the first teaser for ITV's major new 2016 drama
Jenna is starring as Queen Victoria as she ascends to the throne at the age of 18 is the new television series which she is currently promoting while in the States.
The first teaser trailer for ITV's major new drama Victoria was unveiled earlier this year.
The short teaser shows Victoria at her coronation in 1838, with Jenna dressed in full costume, wearing a replica of the Imperial State Crown.
Making her grand entrance: The short teaser shows Victoria at her coronation in 1838, with Jenna dressed in full costume, wearing a replica of the Imperial State Crown and robes
Major role: Rufus Sewell is also seen briefly in the first teaser as Lord Melbourne, Victoria's first prime minister and close confidant
The actress says in a voiceover as walks into the ceremony: 'I know that I am young but I am ready for the great responsibility that lies before me.'
In her first role since Doctor Who, Jenna plays the British monarch from her ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18 through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert, played by Tom Hughes.
BAFTA-nominated actor Rufus Sewell is also seen briefly in the first teaser, with the actor, who has himself played a royal on screen in the 2003 TV drama Charles II: The Power and The Passion, cast as Lord Melbourne, Victoria's first prime minister and close confidant.
Anticipated: Victoria will begin with a 90-minute episode followed by seven one-hour episodes later this year
The pair's friendship became a popular source of gossip that threatened to destabilise the Government angering both Tory and Whigs alike.
Victoria will begin with a 90-minute episode followed by seven one-hour episodes. The cast have been shooting scenes in Yorkshire since last autumn.
The series has been created and written by acclaimed novelist Daisy Goodwin, in her screenwriting debut, who will also serve as executive producer alongside Dan McCulloch (Indian Summers) and Damien Timmer (Poldark).
Torchwood star Eve Myles and The Sarah Jane Adventures actor Tommy-Lawrence Knight will also be joining the stellar line-up.
Speaking at the announcement of her role last year, Jenna gushed: 'I am delighted to be cast as Queen Victoria in this ambitious drama of her life. She is a vivid, strong, inspirational and utterly fascinating woman in British history and I can't wait to tell her story.'
Full of drama: In her first role since Doctor Who, Jenna plays the British monarch from her ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18 through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert
She attended a film screening at Woody Allen's Cafe Society premiere the night before.
But on Thursday Heidi Klum looked fresh as a daisy as she stepped out in sunny New York City.
The 43-year-old supermodel looked every inch the stylish fashionista, turning heads in a black get-up.
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Black on black: On Thursday Heidi Klum looked fresh as a daisy as she stepped out in sunny New York City
The German beauty wore a floaty bee-embelished vest tucked into black satin cuffed trousers.
Dressing her outfit up, she donned elegant lacy killer heels and a matching laser cut out hold-all bag.
Tying her trademark blonde hair into a sleek bun, she covered her flawless complexion and ageless bone structure with large aviator sunglasses.
Chic: The 43-year-old supermodel looked every inch the stylish fashionista in a floaty bee-embelished vest tucked into black satin cuffed trousers
Stylish: Dressing her outfit up, she donned elegant lacy killer heels and a matching laser cut out hold-all bag
The presenter looked healthy and glowing a she headed into a nearby building.
On Wednesday night Heidi Klum was in danger of upstaging the stars of Woody Allen's Cafe Society as she arrived for the film screening in New York in a beautiful monochrome dress.
The mother-of-four showcased her fabulous figure in the black and white patterned number that featured a bib bodice with thin spaghetti straps and a flowing skirt with an asymmetric hem.
Ageless beauty: On Wednesday the mother-of-four arrived at a screening for Woody Allen's newest film in a backless frock with asymmetrical hem
She revealed her toned shoulders and lean arms as well as the merest hint of sideboob in the backless outfit.
The cascading skirt that fell almost to the ground showcased her slim waist and she added height with a pair of tall black sandal heels.
Her golden hair was tied back and styled into a voluminous ponytail that complimented her youthful appearance.
Always in fashion: The model and TV personality put on a youthful display with her blonde hair styled in a girlish ponytail that complimented her fresh-faced look and bare skin
Body confident: Heidi arrived solo for the event held Wednesday in Manhattan, stepping out in black sandal heels that matched her boldly patterned outfit
Heidi, who's dating Vito Schnabel, came solo to the event held at the Paris Theatre in Manhattan.
The Project Runway stalwart accessorized with diamond studs and cuffs in her ears and flashed some color with red polish on her finger and toe nails.
She left her make-up low key simply penciling in her brows and adding mascara with some blush and a touch of lip gloss.
Cafe Society stars Blake Lively, Parjker Posey, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell and Jesse Eisenberg and is being released on Amazon.
She is known for her retro style and fabulous figure.
And Nicole Trunfio, 30, put them both on display when she posed for an impromptu Woodstock festival-inspired photo shoot at a bar in Austin, Texas on Friday.
A wild-haired Nicole took to to Instagram with a trio of grungy photos as she posed backstage at a venue called Antones, where her husband was playing a gig.
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Rocking out! Nicole Trunfio, 30, put them both on display when she posed for an impromptu Woodstock festival-inspired photo shoot at a bar in Austin, Texas on Friday
Nicole was clad in a leather mini-dress and fringed grey heels as she pouted toward the camera.
In one snap, the leggy brunette was seen posing with her legs astride as she modelled a leather jacket and quilted leather Chanel handbag.
She completed her 1970's-inspired ensemble with a dash of bright red lipstick and a series of gold accessories including a chunky bangle and wrist watch.
Leather lover: In one snap, the leggy brunette was seen posing with her legs astride as she modelled a leather jacket and quilted leather Chanel handbag
Retro outfit: She completed her 1970's-inspired ensemble with a dash of bright red lipstick and a series of gold accessories including a chunky bangle and wrist watch
Following her husband's gig on Friday, Nicole shared a photo of herself posing with Gary and their one-year-old son Zion, who appeared to be less-than-happy with the situation.
'When your baby won't give em up.....' Nicole wrote in the caption, referring to her adorable son who had apparently refused to let go of the pair of drumsticks he was holding.
Nicole has been spending quality time of late with her growing family after having had to come to terms with the death of her father earlier in the year.
Someone's grumpy! Following her husband's gig on Friday, Nicole shared a photo of herself posing with Gary and their one-year-old son Zion, who appeared to be less-than-happy with the situation.
The media personality's father passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Describing herself as being 'more heartbroken than I could have ever imagined possible,' she wrote on Instagram: '#thegreatest soul I have ever known, so blessed and humbled you are my father.
'I love you more than words can describe, you taught me everything I know, with your grace, honesty and loyalty.'
She's no stranger to hitting the red carpet for a lavish event.
And on Friday Erin Holland flashed some flesh as she attended the launch of Be in Sydney showing off her bare decolletage under a stylish black blazer.
The 27-year-old former Miss World Australia opted for a racy suit inspired look for the launch showing off her lithe physique.
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Taking the plunge! On Friday Erin Holland flashed some flesh as she attended the launch of Be in Sydney showing off her bare decolletage under a stylish black blazer
The bombshell added to her look she donned a pair of black leather trousers that clung tight to her trim pins.
Her blazer featured a daring slit through the belt with a slight belt that accentuated her waist and showing off more of her bronzed skin.
Erin finished her ensemble with a pair of sky high black stilettos that featured a cut out across the toe to flash a hint of flesh in a decorative twist.
Racy lady: The 27-year-old's blazer featured a daring slit through the belt with a slight belt that accentuated her waist and showing off more of her bronzed skin
Leggy in leather: The bombshell added to her look she donned a pair of black leather trousers that clung tight to her trim pins
Glowing: Her golden blonde locks were styled with an effortless curl and paired with a simple makeup look that showed off her naturally striking features
Her golden blonde locks were styled with an effortless curl and paired with a simple makeup look that showed off her naturally striking features.
Erin's look was finished with one bold accessory, a thick gold choker which added an extra touch of glam.
Also in attendance at the lavish launch were a host of Australian faces including model and presenter Kate Peck who looked stylish in a chic gold bomber jacket.
Golden girl: Also in attendance at the lavish launch were a host of Australian faces including model and presenter Kate Peck who looked stylish in a chic gold bomber jacket
White hot: Nikki Phillips also looked chic in white flaunting her slim figure in a tight fitted white number by Manning Cartel
Nikki Phillips also looked chic in white flaunting her slim figure in a tight fitted white number by Manning Cartel.
Radio presenter Mel Greig cut a casual figure in a knit and leather skirt beaming brightly as she posed up a storm.
Also at the event were former My Kitchen Rules contestants Ash Pollard and Lynzey Murphy.
Stylish: Radio presenter Mel Greig cut a casual figure in a knit and leather skirt beaming brightly as she posed up a storm
She's a rising Hollywood star and has already attracted the eye of Justin Bieber.
And Nicola Peltz seemed to take sartorial inspiration from megastar Kim Kardashian as she attended the Skyscape launch at US Bank Tower in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday night.
Showing off her slim figure, the Transformers actress, 21, turned heads in a precariously low-cut black latex bodice dress by Atsuko Kudo Paris.
Seeing double: Nicola Peltz seemed to take sartorial inspiration from megastar Kim Kardashian as she attended the Skyscape launch at US Bank Tower in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday night
Leaving little to the imagination with its demi-cup bustier bodice, the racy garment was previously made famous by Kim, 35.
The dominatrix-inspired ensemble is a celebrity favourite, with Kim wearing the attention grabbing number to husband Kanye West's performance in September 2014.
In fact, Kim loved the dress so much, she selected the same style but in pink in November 2014 at a fragrance launch in Melbourne, Australia, both times pairing the revealing dress with nude heels.
Bella Hadid also got in on the skintight action in 2016, wearing the same black dress to the Met Gala after party in New York back in May.
The lady is a vamp: Showing off her slim figure, the Transformers actress, 21, turned heads in a precariously low-cut black latex bodice dress by Atsuko Kudo Paris
In good company: The dominatrix-inspired ensemble is a celebrity favourite, with Kim wearing the attention grabbing number to husband Kanye West's performance in September 2014
Same but different: Kim loved the dress so much, she selected the same style but in pink again in November 2014, at a fragrance launch in Melbourne, Australia, both times pairing the revealing dress with nude heels
Nicola chose to pair her latex look with shiny black stilettos, a deep red manicure and no jewellery to complicate her striking look.
Earlier in the day, the New York born actress shared a shot of herself wearing a lacy black bra as a Los Angeles tattoo artist gave the 21-year-old her first tattoo.
Making the landmark moment a family affair, Nicola's brother, Will, also took to Instagram to upload a picture of himself getting tattooed on his rib cage, the same area selected by his stunning sister
Making her mark: Nicola shared an Instagram shot of herself getting her first ever tattoo on Thursday
While Nicola has yet to reveal exactly what tattoos they chose, she did retweet a number of fans as they shared their admiration of the fact that she and her brother got their first markings together.
However, she did share her playful frustration at her sibling, thanks to the phenomenally popular Pokemon Go game that has rapidly become an international hit.
'When Willy won't let me stop for food during Pokemon go,' she tweeted, adding an emoticon to emphasise her apparent frustration.
Family affair: The actress's brother, Will, also took to Instagram to show himself getting his first ever inking
Nicola grabbed headlines last month, when she was spotted on a dinner date with Justin Bieber, 22, at Mastro's Steakhouse in ritzy Beverly Hills, California.
Not much is known about the pair's relationship but they both did attend the Saint Laurent event at the Hollywood Palladium back on February 10.
Nicola is best known for her work playing the daughter of Mark Wahlberg's character in the 2014 action flick Transformers: Age Of Extinction.
The finished result: Nicola captioned the shot 'connected forever. family' as she stood alongside her brother as they both displayed their body art
In demand: The Transformers star was spotted on a dinner date with Justin Bieber, 22, last month at Mastro's Steakhouse in ritzy Beverly Hills, California
She also starred in the A&E mystery drama Bates Motel alongside Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore.
Next up for the actress is sci-fi drama Our House, which stars Thomas Mann as a man who has lost his parents in a car crash and leaves MIT in order to work on an experiment and care for his siblings.
He accidentally invents a device that amplifies the paranormal activity within his family's house, possibly bringing back the spirits of loved ones.
She has been DJing up a storm at the Electrobeach music festival in France this week.
And in light of the recent Bastille Day terror attack in Nice, Ruby Rose has pledged to donate the earnings she will receive from the gig to its victims.
'I'll be donating my fee from the Electrobeach festival today in France to #giveforfrance to help the victims of yesterday's awful tragedy', tweeted the philanthropic 30-year-old on Friday.
Philanthropic: In light of the recent Bastille Day terror attack in Nice, Ruby Rose has pledged to donate the earnings she will receive from her DJing gig at Electrobeach to its victims
'I'll be donating my fee from the Electrobeach festival': Ruby took to Twitter to reveal her philanthropic efforts
Hours earlier, Ruby Tweeted: ' Nice, France.. My heart goes out to all the families involved and the whole community'.
It comes after the DJ shared an emotional Instagram post about the recent Orlando Pulse nightclub shootings.
'Woke up in tears to hear the news about Orlando. Devastated, heartbroken, sick,' she wrote.
Compassionate: Hours earlier, Ruby Tweeted: ' Nice, France.. My heart goes out to all the families involved and the whole community'
'I played there last Friday': It comes after the DJ shared an emotional Instagram post about the recent Orlando Pulse nightclub shootings
'I played there last Friday and last night I performed after Pride in LA. From the DJ booth you see laughter, love, dancing freedom and beautiful people living their lives not harming anyone.
'It's one of the beautiful things to see from stage,' she continued.
'This horrific tragedy has me on my knees at the mercy of a greater power to ask the simple question of "When will this end"
'This horrific tragedy has me on my knees': Ruby was clearly shaken by the horrific events
'I'm praying for Orlando, I'm crying for Orlando and I am there with you in spirit sending my love and strength,' she signed off.
Taking to Instagram, Ruby shared a photograph of a sign that draws attention to pro-gay, anti-gun sentiment, which read: 'Why would you rather see 2 men holding guns than hold hands'.
Ruby also supported National Gun Violence Awareness Day earlier this year by wearing orange in an Instagram snap.
Crouching in front of a window, Ruby was seen proudly donning a tangerine jumper and runners in the same hue as a way of promoting gun safety.
She also accompanied the image with the hashtags: '#wewearorange #nationalgunviolenceawarenessday'.
Victoria's Secret Angel Martha Hunt discussed her BFF Taylor Swift's rebound romance with the 'very charming' Tom Hiddleston in Manhattan on Thursday night.
'I love that they're both happy and free together,' the 27-year-old IMG Model told People at a World Emoji Day event in Soho.
'It's amazing, I'm all about people being happy in love.'
Seal of approval: Victoria's Secret Angel Martha Hunt discussed her BFF Taylor Swift's rebound romance with the 'very charming' Tom Hiddleston in Manhattan on Thursday night
On behalf of the 26-year-old pop diva's star-studded squad, Martha announced the entourage got along 'wonderfully' with the 35-year-old Englishman during the July Fourth festivities at her $17M Rhode Island estate.
Hunt famously played a scantily-clad assassin called 'Homeslice' in the 10-time Grammy winner's Bad Blood music video last year.
The 5ft10 blondes first became acquainted in 2014 when Swift performed at her second Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Fans have accused Hiddleswift's globetrotting PDA antics of being staged, but the Emmy nominee told THR on Thursday: 'The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together and we're very happy. Thanks for asking. That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt.'
The 27-year-old IMG Model told People: 'I love that they're both happy and free together. It's amazing, I'm all about people being happy in love' (pictured Sunday)
On behalf of the 26-year-old pop diva's star-studded squad, Martha announced they got along 'wonderfully' with the 35-year-old Englishman during the July Fourth festivities at her $17M Rhode Island estate
The new couple first met May 1 at Anna Wintour's home, and one month later the New Romantics songstress amicably ended her 'magical' 15-month relationship with DJ Calvin Harris.
Eyebrows raised when Taylor engaged in a perfectly photographed, Nicholas Sparks-worthy liplock session with Tom just 13 days after splitting with the Scottish 32-year-old.
Calvin - born Adam Wiles - went on a Twitter rant accusing Swift of trying to 'bury' him like her pop rival Katy Perry and 'make him look bad' by claiming songwriting credit on his track This Is What You Came For.
You can't sit with us: Hunt famously played a scantily-clad assassin called 'Homeslice' in the 10-time Grammy winner's Bad Blood music video last year
Met on the catwalk: The 5ft10 blondes first became acquainted in 2014 when Swift performed at her second Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Fans have accused Hiddleswift's globetrotting PDA antics of being staged, but the Emmy nominee told THR on Thursday: 'The truth is [we] are together and we're very happy. That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt'
'I figure if you're happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex bf down for something to do,' Harris tweeted on Wednesday.
'I know you're off tour and you need someone new to try and bury like Katy ETC but I'm not that guy, sorry. I won't allow it.'
The Out of the Woods belter will next compete for two Teen Choice Awards - female artist and song - when the ceremony airs July 31 on Fox.
Dumped! The New Romantics songstress ended her longest relationship (15 months) with DJ Calvin Harris on June 1, and 13 days later was pictured making out with Tom (pictured in 2015)
'I won't allow it!' The Scottish 32-year-old went on a Twitter rant Wednesday accusing Swift of trying to 'bury' him like her pop rival Katy Perry and 'make him look bad' by claiming she penned This Is What You Came For
She's previously faced Botox and face lift claims, thanks to her immaculate visage.
Though whatever Nicole Kidman can credit, it's certainly turning back the years, because the 49-year-old's complexion appeared frozen in time on Friday.
The Hollywood icon looked flawless as she turned out for a Swiss promotional event in Shaghai, China, pinning her hair up and away to reveal her ageless appearance.
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Frozen in time: Nicole Kidman displayed her wrinkle free complexion as she turned out for the Swisse promotional event in Shanghai, China on Friday
For her red carpet look, Nicole channeled Victoriana chic in a high neck gown, which featured exquisite crystal details throughout.
Though top-to-toe in nude, the actress' look benefited from subtle blocks of colour on the sleeves and skirt.
To that, she also added a slick of glossy pink lipstick on an otherwise minimal and understated make-up look.
If I could turn back time: The stunner (left, this week and right, in 1992) has previously been accused of turning to plastic surgery
Ageless: The stunner looked youthful on the red carpet with her hair pinned back
Nicole serves as an ambassador for Australian multivitamin brand Swisse, crediting 'Skin, Hair and Nails' as well as fish oil for her busy, active lifestyle.
On her partnership, she has previously said: 'I joined Swisse because I wanted to help bring awareness to the importance of living a healthy lifestyle in a busy, often stressful world.
'I love feeling healthy and fit. They are wonderful attributes of the Australian way of life and I am a very proud Australian.'
Turning heads: She channeled Victoriana chic in a colourful gown
She certainly seems to be a good rolemodel for balancing work with family life, making it all look especially effortless.
In October 2015, Nicole - who turns 50 next year - ignited speculation that she had turned to plastic surgery to keep her looking young.
Following an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in the UK, fans of the Moulin Rouge star branded her face 'frozen.'
Promotional appearance; She shared the red carpet during her appearance in China
Reality television favourite Scotty T has reassured fans that he's 'sweet' after a car crash.
The Geordie Shore star, 28, was forced to pull out of his performance with The Dreamboys in Glasgow on Friday following the collision earlier in the day.
The heartthrob was rushed to hospital after the smash, telling The Sun newspaper: Ive done my hand in again but Im sweet though, just waiting to get it checked and re-cast as it was already broken.
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Get well soon: Reality television favourite Scotty T, 28, has been injured in a car crash
A message from the hunk's management, which was posted on his Twitter account earlier in the day, said: 'Due to Scotty being involved in a car accident this afternoon he will not be performing at The Dreamboys show in Glasgow tonight.'
And a representative for Scotty told MailOnline: 'Scott has injured his arm in a minor car accident near Newcastle, in which he wasn't the driver.'
The statement from his management explained: 'Scotty is currently in hospital and is injured but not seriously injured.'
Meanwhile, it isn't the first time Scotty - whose real name is Scott Timlin - has been in the wars this year as he fractured his arm in Ibiza, Spain last month while shooting Geordie Shore's summer special.
In the wars: The Geordie Shore star has been forced to pull out of his performance with The Dreamboys in Glasgow on Friday following the collision earlier in the day
A source said at the time: 'Scotty T had an unfortunate fall a few hours into drinking and hit it so hard his arm snapped.
'He was reeling in agony and rushed to hospital where doctors said it was fractured and put it in a cast.'
The star - who won Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year - was reportedly left writhing in pain after the incident, which left him with a fractured arm.
Scotty also got into trouble with the police earlier this year when he was pictured aiming an air rifle while sprawled across the top of his car with a pal.
The star apologised for his 'foolish' behaviour after being arrested for possession of an air weapon in Newcastle.
In a statement, the MTV reality star confirmed that he had been cautioned and released by Northumbria Police.
A representative for the former Celebrity Big Brother winner told MailOnline: 'This was meant to be a mindless piece of fun, but Scott realises how foolish it was and apologises for wasting police time.
'Scott complied with police and was cautioned and released.'
There may or may not be a hot new Hollywood couple in town.
US Weekly reports that model Adriana Lima and the hunky Scott Eastwood were spotted arm-in-arm in New York on Wednesday night.
However before fans get too excited, the 35-year-old model's spokesperson has denied they got flirty over seafood at CatchNYC, saying the handsome son of Clint Eastwood was not even dining with the beauty.
Looking good: Scott Eastwood showed off his buff body on the beach in Miami on Friday on a break from filming Fast And The Furious 8
Working up a sweat: Scott takes a jog along the sand after he was linked to Adriana Lima
Gotta save those shades! It's clear Scott sunnies are designer
Confirming the model was at Catch but with different dinner company, the rep told Us: 'Adriana had dinner that evening with a small group of friends and family, however, Mr. Eastwood was not in attendance.'
Despite the denial, a restaurant insider told the magazine the pair arrived 'arm-in-arm' to Meatpacking District eatery.
The magazine described the evening as a 'flirty night out' after the onlooker said: 'The two were close and affectionate throughout the night.'
Jog on! A rep for the model has refuted any suggestion she's dating Scott
New couple alert? Adriana Lima (pictured July) and Scott Eastwood (pictured April) were reportedly seen on a 'flirty night out in New York on Wednesday
Look right: It seems Scott may have had his eye on Adriana for some time, joking back in January that he messed up a red carpet photograph as he was too taken by the beauty
There was no kissing but , 'they were always right next to each other and laughing at each other's, assumingly, flirty jokes, and Scott had his arm around her every chance he could.'
The magazine even had the lowdown on what the couple consumed - tasting a selection of desserts, including the sticky coconut cake, chocolate cake and s'mores pizza.
Adriana only recently got back on the market with numerous outlets reporting earlier this week that she had split from boxer and fitness instructor Joe Thomas.
The couple had dated since early 2015 but the pair suddenly removed all traces of each other from Instagram.
Denied: The 35-year-old model's spokesperson denied they got flirty over seafood at CatchNYC, saying the hansom son of Clint Eastwood was not even dinning with the beauty despite an insider claiming 'they were always right next to each other and laughing at each other's, assumingly, flirty jokes, and Scott had his arm around her every chance he could'
Calling it quits: Adriana Lima has split from boyfriend Joe Thomas after a year and a half of dating
Their romance came after her split from husband of five years, Marko Jaric, with whom she shares two daughters.
It seems Scott may have had his eye on Adriana for some time, joking back in January that he messed up a red carpet photograph as he was too taken by the beauty.
The Suicide Squad actor said on Instagram: 'Had an amazing time the other night at the IWC gala. You notice anything different about this photo? I'm the only guy looking left. Must've been looking at @adrianalima while the camera guys were yelling at me to look right.'
Back to reality: The Victoria's Secret Angel had been on holiday in Greece after it was revealed she had deleted all traces of Joe from her account
The ex factor: Adriana was married to Marko Jaric from 2009 to 2014, and they finalised their divorce in March of this year. The pair are pictured in February 2014
It's been 12 years since Petra Nemcova lost her fiance in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
But the stunning model seemed to have a new companion by her side on Saturday morning, when she shopped in Italy.
In town for the Ischia Global Film & Music Fest, the 37-year-old was spotted getting close to an unidentified gentleman, who later made her his muse with an impromptu photoshoot in the street.
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Affectionate: Petra Nemcova and a mysery man were spotted putting on an extremely flirtatious display in Ischia on Saturday, as she turned out for the Global Film & Music Fest
In 2014, the pretty blonde confirmed to PEOPLE that she was dating Haitian prime minister Laurent Lamothe, 43.
'Yes, we are involved, and I am very happy. Even though I have to travel a great deal for all of my work, Laurent is very supportive of what I do.'
Petra's fiance, British photographer Simon Atlee, was tragically killed 12 years ago when they were visiting Thailand during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, which she survived.
Close for comfort: She leaned over his shoulder while looking at pictures of herself on hi sphone
Tactile: She kept one hand on his face while she concentrated on the mobile phone
Holding hands: It was a leisurely day of shopping for the duo, who walked hand in hand
Petra wasn't letting anyone - or anything - rain on her parade earlier on Friday though, when she was spotted during another photoshoot, in the same outfit.
Pictured turning a blind eye to the rainy and miserable conditions in Italy, the blonde bombshell created something of a photo opportunity at Ischia Global Film & Music Fest.
Against the odds, the model looked picture-perfect, posing in a metallic ruffle skirt and a black top; her feet surrounded by puddles.
Model muse: He turned the camera on her, capturing her every move in the street
Fun times: The model span around in front of him, twirling and pulling poses
Elegant: She was obviously a natural in front of the camera on Saturday
Twirl: She was picture-perfect, spinning and dancing to entertain her suitor
Good enough? She reviewed the shots on his phone, leaning in close to see them
Kisses; After shopping, the duo appeared to linger in a doorway together
Petra, picking her perfect angles, pointed a bare toe out from beneath her floor-sweeping skirt, proving that she'd plumped for ill-advised sandals.
Luckily, she was perfectly manicured to match her immaculately polished tresses that were tossed behind her shoulder.
With it, she flicked a snakeskin box clutch that she swung from one shoulder on a dark metallic chain.
Moving on: It's been 12 years since Petra's fiance was tragically killed in the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004
New love: In 2014, she confirmed that she was dating Haitian prime minister Laurent Lamothe
Happy: She couldn't contain her smiles as he held the shopping bags
Photoready: The blonde was in town to receive a Humanitarian Award
The Ischia Global Film & Music Fest takes place every year and this will be the 14th year of the arts celebration.
This year is a special one for the Czech model, who is being honoured with the Ischia Humanitarian Award.
Aside from her prominence in the modelling world, Petra is known for founding and chairing the Happy Hearts Fund.
Picture perfect: In spite of the rain, Petra looked exquisite on the balcony of an Italian sea spot on Friday, wearing the same outfit
Beauty: She flung her golden locks over one shoulder and smouldered on the photoshoot
Pretty lady: The blonde was wearing a ruffled metallic skirt and a black top
It has now been running for a decade, having been launched two years after her fiance was among the claimed the lives of 230,000 people killed in the Thai natural disaster.
She now works with the charity to rebuild safe, resilient schools in areas impacted by natural disasters.
The model spent eight hours clinging to a palm tree as the waves wrecked the Thai landscape and when taken to hospital she was told that her injuries were so appalling she would never walk again.
Having fun: She looked like she was having a laugh, despite the unpleasant weather
She became many people's dream girl when she emerged in a blue one piece in the 1998 cult film Wild Things.
But, almost 20 years on, Denise Richards still knows how to rock a blue swimsuit.
The 45-year-old star showed off her slender physique as she went for a quick dip in Westlake Village, California, on Thursday.
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Hot summer: Denise Richards wowed in a two piece swimsuit as she went for a dip in Westlae Village, California, on Thursday afternoon
As she walked to the pool, it was very evident that the model and actress did not have an inch to pinch on her bikini-clad frame.
The blonde donned a blue and white palm patterned two piece by label Jolyn which featured a fixed triangle top and a pair of low cut bottoms with a pink drawstring.
The star recently revealed she has returned to doing reformer Pilates, which she has set up inside her house.
Posting a picture of herself working out earlier this month, the star said: 'After months off...great to be back at it. #Pilates #goodforthesoul #andbod.'
Formidable form: As she walked to the pool, it was very evident that the model and actress did not have an inch to pinch on her bikini-clad frame
Simply stunning: The blonde donned a blue and white palm patterned two piece by label Jolyn which featured a fixed triangle top and a pair of low cut bottoms with a pink drawstring
H2wOw: Making sure to stay hydrated at the same time, Denise also made sure to bring some water with her so she could sip as she dipped
For her cool off in the pool, the former wife of Charlie Sheen wore her long golden hair out and straightened and carried a pair of silver flip flops and a striped towel.
Making sure to stay hydrated at the same time, Denise also made sure to bring some water with her so she could sip as she dipped.
The Wild Things actress was joined by her five-year-old daughter Eloise who wore a sweet Barbie T-shirt and floral shorts.
Blonde ambition: For her cool off in the pool, the former wife of Charlie Sheen wore her long golden hair out and straightened and carried a pair of silver flip flops and a striped towel
Water baby: The Wild Things actress was joined by her five-year-old daughter Eloise who wore a sweet Barbie T-shirt and floral shorts
Just the two of us: The pair were not joined by the actress' other children, daughters Sam and Lola
Not joining them was Denise's two daughters with Charlie, Sam and Lola, who no doubt had to be at school so got some importing learning done but missed out on a refreshing dip.
While Denise has been focused on her family of late - especially in the wake of her messy child support battles with Charlie and his HIV status becoming public - she is making a return to acting.
The actress will be hitting screens next year in her latest action thriller, Altitude - playing Gretchen Blair - and has finished filming for A Life Lived, due out this year.
It's working: The star recently revealed she has returned to doing reformer Pilates, which she has set up inside her house
She was nominated for Best Actress at this year's Primetime Emmys.
But Homeland's Claire Danes did not let the celebratory occasion halt her strict exercise regimen in New York on Friday afternoon.
The 37-year-old actress went make-up free for her sweat session as she flaunted her lean bronzed legs in a pair of tiny workout shorts.
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Leggy blonde! Claire Danes flaunted her lean bronzed stems as she worked up a sweat in New York City on Friday
The four-time Golden Globe winner teamed her skintight charcoal grey gym pants with a blue and white tie-dyed tank.
Her low-cut top flashed a hint of cleavage and further highlighted her phenomenal physique.
She swept her signature blonde locks into a messy bun and presumably listened to music as she wore earbuds while running.
The Brokedown Palace actress completed her ensemble with black trainers while jogging along the Hudson River.
Flawless figure: The Homeland actress showcased her phenomenal physique in a pair of tiny gym shorts and low-cut tank top
Pert posterior: The talented star put her perfectly toned derriere on display while bending and stretching along the boardwalk
Claire - who first shot to fame in 1994's critically-acclaimed My So-Called Life - put her perfectly toned derriere on display while bending and stretching along the boardwalk.
No stranger to Emmy success, Claire has been nominated for her Homeland role in the Best Performance By An Actress In A Television Series - Drama category four times, and won in 2012 and 2013.
This year she is up against Viola Davis in How To Get Away With Murder, Taraji P. Henson in Empire, Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black, Keri Russell in The Americans and Robin Wright in House Of Cards.
Luscious locks: Claire swept her signature blonde tresses into a messy bun and presumably listened to music as she wore earbuds
Fine form: The Brokedown Palace actress performed a perfect plank position as she stretched along the Hudson River
ABC will air the Primetime Emmys live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 18, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
She will return as Carrie Mathison for a sixth season of her Showtime hit series in 2017.
It was recently revealed that the upcoming season of Claire's popular series would shift focus to be more 'domestically' based.
When asked for details, Showtime president David Nevins revealed: 'It will be set domestically, primarily in the New York area.'
Having been set everywhere from the streets of Berlin to Pakistan, Homeland has seen its location and focus shift away from America.
She's regularly travels across the world as a model for US lingerie brand Victoria's Secret.
And Kelly Gale certainly seemed to be living the high life as she enjoyed a luxury breakfast in bed in a London hotel this week.
The Australian model shared an Instagram photo of herself in her underwear as she tucked into room service on Friday.
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Living the high life! Victoria's Secret model Kelly Gale (pictured) shared an Instagram photo of herself in lingerie enjoying breakfast in bed in a London hotel on Friday
In the social media snap, the Swedish-born beauty flaunted her ample cleavage in a lime green bra.
The 21-year-old styled her brunette hair loosely and looked glowing despite her early morning start.
Kelly is known for modelling for high-profile fashion companies, including Polo Ralph Lauren and Victoria's Secret.
Runway ready! The Swedish-born model, who is of Indian and Australian descent, is known for dazzling on the Victoria's Secret catwalk
Leggy display: Kelly, who is an Australian citizen, has worked for many high-profile fashion and lingerie brands
Meanwhile, Kelly recently added another name to her long list of A-list collaborators - Latin pop superstar Enrique Iglesias.
In April, she spent several days in Panama filming the 41-year-old's new music video - and teased her Instagram fans with a busty bikini snap in-between takes.
Kelly, who is of Indian and Australian descent, kept her 423,000 social media followers up-to-date with her overseas trip.
Peace out! Back in April, Kelly shared this busty mirror selfie during a break between shooting Enrique Iglesias' new music video in Panama
The brunette notably shared a mirror selfie while flaunting her incredible curves in a particularly skimpy halter-neck top.
Posing her hotel bathroom, Kelly struck a pouting pose for the camera while performing the peace hand symbol, alongside the caption: 'Pool break on set'.
Concealing her gaze behind a pair of dark sunglasses, she displayed plenty of cleavage and a remarkably well-toned tummy in the floral number.
Collaboration: At the time, foreign news outlets reported that Kelly was filming the music video for Enrique Iglesias' (pictured) Spanish-language single Duele El Corazon, ft. Wisin
Cheers! Kelly touched down in Central America in April and shared photos of her mystery 'Panama project'
Meanwhile, she flaunted her hourglass figure and runway-ready legs in a pair of ripped denim cut-offs, and styled her hair in a scruffy updo.
As Kelly touched down in Central America, she teased fans by sharing several photos of her mystery 'Panama project'.
However, it soon became clear from foreign news outlets that she was filming the music video for Enrique's Spanish-language single Duele El Corazon, ft. Wisin.
Big budget? During the shoot, Kelly shared a striking snap from Sarigua National Park in Herrera Province, which showed a group of models standing in a barren semi-desert
Touching down: Upon her arrival on-set by helicopter, she took care to make a stylish entrance in a figure-hugging black long-sleeve
During the trip, she shared a photo from Sarigua National Park in Herrera Province, which showed several models standing in a barren semi-desert.
And earlier, she posted a selfie from a more extravagant-looking location wearing a knitted top and stylish shorts.
Clutching a refreshing drink and casting a sultry gaze at the camera, she wrote with anticipation: 'Ready for day 2 in Panama'.
And upon her arrival on-set by helicopter, she took care to make a stylish entrance in a figure-hugging black long-sleeve.
'Off to location,' she wrote gleefully. 'Excited for this project shooting in the desert #Panama'.
Making a splash: Kelly is known for modelling for high-profile fashion brands, including Polo Ralph Lauren
Last year, there was social media speculation that Kelly had undergone breast enlargement surgery.
In December, some of her Instagram followers suggested she'd secretly gone under the knife after she shared a particularly busty snap taken in the shower.
But she quickly responded, saying: 'I have never undergone any plastic surgery on my body in any way. Like it or not, this is the way I look.'
Setting the record straight: Kelly, from Gothenburg, has previously denied having a breast enlargement amid social media speculation last December surrounding this particularly busty shower photo
The real deal: In late 2015, the naturally curvy model insisted she has 'never undergone any plastic surgery'
He's the new doctor on Offspring who's been working his charms on Asher Keddie's character Nina Proudman.
But for actor Dan Wyllie, who plays Dr Angus Freeman on the Channel Ten show, there's another leading lady to keep in mind on set.
The 46-year-old has opened up about his wife Shannon Murphy directing a few of the show's episodes, saying 'the best thing was that she had to be so nice to me on set'.
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Real-life couple: Offspring star Dan Wyllie has opened up about his wife Shannon Murphy directing a few episodes of the new series, saying 'the best thing was that she had to be so nice to me on set'
Speaking to Weekend Australian, Dan revealed the couple had to put on a display of utmost professionalism while filming in Melbourne, and not let any real-life concerns get in the way of the production.
'She had to use her kind, soft voice,' he told the publication.
'But it was great fun,' he added, noting she's a 'fine director'.
Dan has been married to Shannon since 2014, and the pair share a 11-month-old baby.
On-screen: While Dan had his real-life love calling the shots behind the lens, in front of the camera, there was another leading lady with his character Dr Angus Freeman pursuing Asher Keddie's character Nina Proudman
Last month his lady love also opened up about working on the popular drama.
She said being on set was like being part of a close-knot family's 'crazy Christmas dinner'.
'I'd get fired if I told you anything, that would be the end of my television career,' she told The Daily Telegraph, ensuring she didn't reveal any secret storylines.
'It is really a fold, it feels like a family and a lot of the crew have been on it for a long time. You are really entering the most crazy Christmas dinner you have ever experienced.'
Happy couple: The pair have been married since 2014 and share a 11-month-old baby
While Dan has his real-life love calling the shots behind the lens, in front of the camera, there was another leading lady as his character romantically pursues Asher Keddie's character Nina Proudman.
Wednesday's episode showed his confident character Dr Angus teasing Nina, saying: 'I want to kiss you and I think you do too...but question is will you let me?'.
Ultimately the pair didn't end up locking lips, as Nina went home with a mystery man.
Funnily enough, the dark-haired stud was played by Asher's real-life husband Vincent Fantauzzo.
But it looks like this isn't the end of the story for Angus and Nina, as a promotional clip for next week shows the blonde beauty sends her co-worker a late night text message that she later regrets.
New storyline: Wednesday's episode showed his confident character Dr Angus teasing Nina, saying: 'I want to kiss you and I think you do too...but question is will you let me?'
She's one of the hottest Australian models on Instagram with well over 500,000 followers.
And Natalie Roser was once again flaunting her fabulous figure as she was spotted taking a stroll in Miami, Florida this week.
The 25-year-old displayed her busty cleavage and shapely derriere as she soaked up the sun in a skimpy bikini on Friday.
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Beauty at the beach! Australian model Natalie Roser (left) showed off her flawless bikini body in Miami, Florida on Friday, joined by top New York modelling agent Scott Lipps (right)
Natalie, who rose to fame on Fox 8's The Face in 2014, showed off her incredible body in a skimpy white two-piece.
She looked every inch the Aussie beach babe with her perfectly sun-kissed frame and blonde hair flicking about in the breeze.
Natalie is in the USA for Miami Swim Week, and it would appear she is representing Reina Olga beachwear on the runway.
Sunny days! The 25-year-old is in the USA for Miami Swim Week. Pictured wearing a Reina Olga bikini
But first, let me take a selfie! Natalie and Scott were also spotted taking several photos during the beach trip
Meanwhile, Natalie was joined by top New York modelling agent Scott Lipps, who dressed casually in a white T-shirt and shorts.
Scott, 46, is founder and CEO of One Management, the agency Natalie is signed to in the States.
As they took a relaxed stroll down the boardwalk, the friends also stopped to take a couple of photos.
Natalie was spotted smiling brightly for the camera as she performed her signature Instagram pose.
Insta-famous! Natalie smiled brightly for the camera as she performed her signature social media pose
Cheeky! The 5ft 11in model gave onlookers a glimpse of her pert posterior in her Brazilian cut bikini bottoms
Lovely view, Natalie! Earlier that day, she posed for a busty Instagram snap at Miami's South Beach
Elsewhere, the 5ft 11in model gave onlookers a glimpse of her pert posterior in her Brazilian cut bikini bottoms.
Natalie seemed in happy and confident spirits ahead of her fashion show and certainly wasn't shy about flaunting her curves.
Earlier that day, she posed for a busty Instagram snap while relaxing on a sun lounger at Miami's South Beach.
Feeling good: Natalie seemed in happy and confident spirits ahead of her runway show and certainly wasn't shy about flaunting her curves
The course of true love never did run smooth, as we know and as Shakespeare would have said if hed seen Celebrity First Dates.
The bard would have made a great regular on Gogglebox watching this weeks episode, which include Scarlett Moffatts brilliant anecdote about how she originally got the Gogglebox gig.
We had to talk about these pictures of celebrities, she told her dinner date. For a good ten minutes I was talking about Uncle Ben. You know, the rice man. But it was actually a picture of Nelson Mandela !
Not so lucky in love: Googlebox's Scarlett Moffatt didn't have the best luck on Celebrity First Dates on Friday night
Shakespeare himself would have struggled to come up with a story as naturally funny as that.
Miss Moffatt was, sadly, one of the famous names to be reminded that it doesnt matter whether people associate you with Gogglebox, Pudsey the dog from Britains Got Talent, or the Rolling Stones. Before the course of true love can - or cant - run smoothly you have to find it first and that is the hard part.
Heres how Scarlett, Ashleigh Butler (Pudseys victorious trainer from BGT), Jo Wood (ex-wife of Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood), and Samuel Preston (who was married to fellow CBBs housemate Chantelle Houghton for ten months) got on with their dates.
SCARLETT MOFFATT
Laugh out loud: Scarlett dated a handsome bearded man called Tommy, but she declined to see Tommy again
Fans of Gogglebox would find it hard to believe warm-hearted, quick-witted Geordie gal Scarlett Moffatt was single at all, let alone so forlorn about her chances of finding a man.
Since Gogglebox my love life has sort of declined ! she exclaimed.
Do you know what youre looking for ? asked the maitre d Fred Sirieix.
Well, a man ! Scarlett smiled.
If this criterion seemed rather basic, perhaps it wasnt surprising given disastrous dates such as the one with a lad who ate his peas with a steak knife ! And then afterwards he asked us to go off to Halfords car park !
Scarlett was perfectly at home on Gogglebox but less confident actually at home.
Even my mam says Im better looking in pictures ! she laughed. I just want someone Im so comfortable with that they can see us without fake tan on. When Im on the couch Ive got my mum and dad there but theres space for someone else, she said touchingly.
Having said this though she scoffed: in ten years I do not want to be watching EastEnders with a brew.
Part of her still yearned for her life before Gogglebox, like the time she became British Ballroom Champion when she was 16.
As for her ideal man, Scarlett said: I really like the pirate look, adding hilariously: I dont mean like a wooden leg and parrot. It would be Captain Hook, but obviously not animated. That would be a problem !
Her date Tommy, a boxer living in Scarletts home town, wasnt animated but proved why she had said: Im yet to find any lad in Newcastle with good banter. All they want is someone to look nice and be quiet.
He spent their dinner doing bewilderingly anti-climactic magic tricks and listing all the pets hed ever had, including the dull revelation I had goldfish when I was little.
Everyone has goldfish when theyre little ! protested Scarlett characteristically unable to conceal her boredom.
I need some shots ! she announced returning to the table after an emergency escape to the ladies.
Scarlett declined to see Tommy again, breaking it to him gently (or not) telling him: Its not that I dislike you butIf you ever go out on another date maybe let the other person talk !
On the plus side, a week after her date we learnt Scarlett met her dream man who looked disarmingly like Tommy but was a man of fewer words. Phew.
SAMUEL PRESTON
Awkward: Samuel Preston dated Nicole, a South African stunner, who went for guys who have tattoos or gold teeth'
Former CBBs housemate began by confessing that his ex-wife Chantelle Houghton had never been his type. On the contrary.
She was a Page Three girl and I was the nerdy kid at school, he recalled which seemed to explain why their marriage only last ten months. Equally though he admitted sweetly: I definitely loved her a lot.
In his view the reason why they had got together and split up was because of Big Brother.
Its such an intense thing to do, you have that feeling you have bonded the way you do in a war.
Ten years on at least he could laugh about it confirming to the barman: I have a 100% track record of marrying people Ive dated on TV !
He said he had just done up his flat in Brighton which now had a little area to listen to records in, adding bashfully: Id quite like to have a girl to listen to records with. A little mate to hold the second controller of your video game.
Any suggestions that Preston was painfully immature were confirmed by the date itself. This was with Nicole, a South African stunner, who went for guys who have tattoos or gold teeth - what my friends call Criminal Chic who, as a brunette, was ostensibly more Prestons type than his ex-wife.
She didnt own a television either, so had no idea who Preston was. Telling her did little to impress her and was painful to watch as he mentioned: I was on Big Brother - Celebrity Big Brother. Because of my band. The Ordinary Boys.
Eventually, he stopped digging but started again when he preened that these days he was a songwriter, writing hits for the likes of Olly Murs something youd think hed want to keep quiet.
His attempt to give himself gravitas by distancing himself from his past as a Reality TV star showed how hopelessly out-of-touch he was, pontificating: it seems to me the interest in that celebrity culture has died down since then. People dont care what Peter Andre had for dinner.
He was gloriously oblivious to the fact he was appearing on a show called CELEBRITY First Dates at the time. The success of Instagram, Twitter, and this very website suggested that it was actually interest in him that has died down.
He was very chatty, Nicole said afterwards, before ending Prestons hopes that she would see him again with ruthless certainty by adding: I was hoping for someone a bit moremanly.
Pretty much the worst thing a woman can say to a man (or boy).
Im not going to go home and cry, Preston laughed. Well, I might have a little cry. Just my usual evening cry!
Many a true word spoken in jest
JO WOOD
Did it end in tears: Jo Wood seemed well suited to Ernest, a stylish, assured, romantic who reckoned people often mistook him mistake him for Al Pacino even though he looked more like Alvin Stardust
Jo Wood had also experienced the glamour of life in the music biz rather more than Preston and the Ordinary Boys given that for 26 years she had been married to Ronnie Wood and travelled the world on tour with the Rolling Stones.
This was after Ronnie had seen her at work - on the broken biscuit counter in Woolworths.
Jo had stories that could put Prestons and anyone elses to shame.
It was in Brazil in a place called Recife that I saw a UFO, the spirited 60 year-old told her dinner date Ernest, as if this was just par for the course. (The Stones always did have the best drugs.)
So youre convinced aliens exist then? asked Ernest.
Oh yeah, she confirmed. I just want to meet one !
Despite her joie de vivre, Jo still hadnt shaken off Ronnie, the manner of their break-up after so long (when she caught him with another woman), or mens reaction when they meet her.
People have told me my old life is intimidating. So I kind of like it when they dont know.
She seemed well suited to Ernest, a stylish, assured, romantic who reckoned people often mistook him mistake him for Al Pacino even though he looked more like Alvin Stardust.
When Jo was asked what she had thought he looked like when SHE first saw him though she said something different namely Jesus Christ ! He looks like my ex-husband ha-ha! she roared.
Sadly this worked against him. The coda to their date read: Jo and Ernest shared a lovely evening but shes decided she doesnt need another Ronnie in her life.
ASHLEIGH BUTLER
Getting the giggles: Britain's Got Talent winner Ashleigh Butler collapsed into hysterics on her date
Asheigh Butler knew how Jo felt, although her past was less fast-living than the Stones the opposite to Ronnie Wood in fact.
As the narrator explained: After four years in Pudseys shadow, she wants to find a human companion.
That would certainly be a start.
The power of Pudseys fame was such she complained no one even knows my last name. She hadnt had many boyfriends because dogs had been her life. Now she wanted another one.
To describe Elliott a horribly adolescent 24 year-old as a dog-lover hardly did him justice though.
You cant really walk a cat can you? he enthused, brightly (or not).
Things were going quite well until Ashleigh told Elliott what she did for a living and mentioned she had won BGT with her dog Pudsey.
Im going to watch a video of him now! he cried, getting out his mobile phone and doing just that.
Adding insult to injury he blocked her polite objections laughing: Sorry about this. Im really interested now!
He completely ignored her when she tried to point out: the thing is, I like a guy to ask a little bit more about ME - not Pudsey, becoming even more riveted by watching their performance and eventually screaming OH MY GOD ! Pudsey !
Wow ! Ive just experienced Pudsey ! he told the waiter.
When poor Ashleigh attempted to change the subject he interrupted her, again demanding: whats Pudsey doing tonight more importantly?
Hes in bed, Ashleigh said dejectedly.
What?! Here?! With you?! Elliott cried excitedly, proving he was not just not just a dog-stalker but a remarkably thick one to boot.
Happily, at the end we learnt since her date Ashleigh has found love not with Elliott obviously.
Hopefully, Ashleigh has also got a restraining order against him from coming anywhere near her and (more importantly) Pudsey.
Obama briefed on Nice incident
The White House said Thursday that President Barack Obama had been briefed on an apparent attack in Nice that French authorities say has killed at least 60 people.
"The president has been apprised of the situation in Nice, France, and his national security team will update him, as appropriate," said National Security Council spokesman Ned Price.
As Americans looked on in horror at the latest attack across the Atlantic, Republican candidate Donald Trump took to Twitter.
Police officers and rescue workers arrive at the scene of an attack on July 14, 2016, after a van ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice Valery Vache (AFP)
"Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse."
Bashir reshuffles senior Sudanese military officials: army
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday reshuffled senior military officers after his troops carried out intense operations against rebels across war-torn regions, including in Darfur.
The changes -- the second such within six months -- follow a flare-up of deadly violence in neighbouring South Sudan, which split from the north five years ago.
Bashir declared in June a four-month ceasefire in the states of Blue Nile and South Kordofan, where recent fighting between troops and rebels left scores of casualties.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (C) delivers a speech to the crowd during a visit to El Daein in Eastern Darfur on April 5, 2016 ASjrad Shazly (AFP/File)
His troops continue to fight rebels in Darfur's mountainous area of Jebel Marra, although Khartoum says the overall unrest in Darfur has ended.
On Thursday, Bashir issued a decree appointing new minister of state for defence, new army intelligence chief, new commander for infantry and new chief of joint operation.
Ali Mohamed Salim has been named as the new minister of state for defence, the army said in a statement late Thursday.
Salim, who was the army intelligence chief, takes over from Ibrahim Al-Hassan, who in turn replaces Salim as the army intelligence chief.
Bashir also named Naser Awad al-Kareem as the new chief of joint operation and Elsier Bashir as the new chief of infantry.
In Blue Nile and South Kordofan, Bashir's forces have been battling the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement - North (SPLM-N) since 2011.
Neither side has decisively gained an upper hand in the fighting in the two states.
The ceasefire does not extend to Darfur as Khartoum says "there was no rebellion now" in the region.
Sudan held a referendum in Darfur in April, with officials saying almost 98 percent of voters opted for retaining the region as five separate states.
Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against the government in Khartoum, following which Bashir launched a counter-insurgency in the region.
At least 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur, the United Nations says. Another 2.5 million have fled their homes.
Bashir himself is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Darfur, which he denies.
Meanwhile in South Sudan, hundreds have died in the latest round of violence that broke out in the capital ahead of the country's independence anniversary last week.
South Sudan voted for independence from Sudan under a peace agreement in 2011, but the world's newest country fell into a civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Although a ceasefire has held since late Monday, the United Nations has warned of tension and the possibility of fresh fighting in Juba.
Specially chartered evacuation flights have been taking foreign nationals out of the country since Wednesday
Trump delays announcement of running mate
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump delayed the much awaited announcement of his vice presidential running mate, citing an attack in France that killed at least 80 people.
"In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement" Trump posted on Twitter.
US media had earlier reported that the New York billionaire had chosen Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a conservative stalwart, as his running mate.
US media had earlier reported that Donald Trump had chosen Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a conservative stalwart, as his running mate Kena Betancur (AFP/File)
Trump's pick has been the subject of intense speculation, amid reports of disagreement within his campaign.
Trump told Fox News "I haven't made my final, final decision."
The real estate mogul had been scheduled to formally announce his vice presidential pick on Friday in New York.
His son, Donald Trump Jr had been forced to deny reports of a family feud over who the vice presidential nominee should be.
"There's literally none of the drama I'm reading about. 3 great choices. Decision is my fathers alone to make!" he tweeted.
Pence had emerged as the solid frontrunner ahead of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House speaker Newt Gingrich, as Trump zeroed in on a shortlist of potential running mates.
Republicans gather in Cleveland, Ohio beginning Monday to officially select the White House nominee who will face Democrat Hillary Clinton in November.
US networks CNN and ABC reported without naming their sources that Pence, a 57-year-old Christian evangelical and stalwart of the American right, had already accepted the VP slot.
The Indiana politician offers Trump much needed executive experience from three years in the governor's mansion and oodles of legislative experience after more than a decade in Congress.
He also comes from a state that Democrats won in 2008 and, perhaps most crucially, provides a bridge to socially conservative Republicans who have been put off by Trump's bombast and ideological leanings.
"Governor Pence strengthens the ticket with a solid and unquestionable conservative anchor," Maureen Blum, a convention delegate from Washington who backed Trump rival Marco Rubio, told AFP.
Trump's son Donald Jr described Pence as a "great guy" and a "great American."
"I think he's able to do all things that would be required of him, if that's the way my father decides to go," he told MSNBC.
Unlike Christie and Gingrich, Pence has not been allotted time to speak at the convention.
That fueled speculation he could be the one to fill the vice presidential nominee's prime time slot.
Pence's home state newspaper, the Indianapolis Star, reported that the governor was dropping his bid for reelection in order to become vice president.
But Trump and Pence have not always seen eye-to-eye on policy.
The Indianan once described Trump's call to ban Muslims from entering the United States as "offensive and unconstitutional."
And he has been a consistent supporter of trade deals that Trump says have shortchanged Americans.
- Momentum -
After months of turmoil, scandal and staff reshuffles, Trump's campaign got a shot in the arm Thursday as a poll put him level with Clinton.
A New York Times/CBS News poll showed a dead heat between him and the former secretary of state.
Each candidate landed support from 40 percent of registered voters. The same poll a month ago had Clinton up by six points.
The new numbers underscore the depth of Clinton's troubles over her use of a private server for State Department emails.
Last week the FBI announced it would not pursue criminal charges against Clinton over the issue, but described her behavior as "extremely careless."
Trump still faces the herculean task of uniting the Republican Party at the convention.
Some delegates are pressing for party rules to be changed to allow them to ignore the primary votes and back whichever candidate they want.
To win over skeptics, Trump has tapped wife Melania, daughters Ivanka and Tiffany, and son Donald Trump Jr to speak in Cleveland.
They will undoubtedly try to soften the edges of a candidate who has been accused of racism, misogyny and bigotry.
"The convention's theme," according to the event's CEO Jeff Larson, will be Trump's campaign promise to "Make America Great Again."
It "will focus on the core themes of Republican Presidential Nominee Donald J. Trump's campaign: national security, immigration, trade and jobs."
If history is any guide, however, Trump's expected boost from the VP pick and the convention may be reversed when Democrats hold their own convention in Philadelphia later in the month.
And the businessman remains in serious trouble in key states that could decide the election outcome.
"Despite the heavy focus on Pence and the eventual Democratic running mate, it's good to remember that the vice presidential choice usually makes very little difference in the end," said Larry Sabato of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.
A helicopter flies near the site of an attack in the French Riviera town of Nice, after a van ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display on July 14, 2016 Valery Hache (AFP)
Indiana Governor Mike Pence (L) offers Donald Trump much needed executive experience from three years in the governor's mansion Tasos Katopodis (AFP/File)
Messaging app Line skyrockets in Tokyo trading debut
Messaging app Line rocketed in its Tokyo trading debut Friday after an eye-popping jump in New York, as investors cheered the year's biggest technology share sale.
The new listing burst out of the blocks at the start of its first trading day, which was delayed as buy orders swamped sell orders, rising more than 50 percent immediately. By the close the firm was up 32 percent at 4,345 yen ($41), valuing it at around $8.6 billion.
The surge followed Japan-based Line new shares roaring to life in New York, where they kicked off trading Thursday after the $1.3 billion IPO.
Messaging app Line shares roar to 5,000 yen in early trading, up from the 3,300 yen IPO price and valuing the firm at nearly $10 billion Toshifumi Kitamura (AFP)
The sizzling dual-listing suggested investors are betting Line can hold its own in a field crowded with mobile messaging services such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat and WhatsApp.
But the company, which grew out of Japan's 2011 quake-tsunami disaster, could face challenges boosting its popularity beyond Asia and some Spanish language markets, analysts said.
"Investors are giving Line high marks for its growth potential and the IPO should boost its name recognition," said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute in Tokyo.
"But Line already has a big number of users and I think it will be tough for them to increase that.
"What investors are focused on now is what Line will do with that large number of users to expand its growth through advertising revenue, for example."
Line, which is owned by South Korea's Naver Corp., debuted in New York where its stock ended up 27 percent.
Line sold 35 million shares in all -- about two thirds in the United States -- and said it would exercise an option to sell another five million, underscoring strong demand.
Line's service lets users make free calls, send instant messages and post photos or short videos, along with a host of other paid services.
It combines attributes from Facebook, Skype and WhatsApp with games and a mobile payment service also on offer.
- Stickers and stocks -
But what has set it apart so far is a huge assortment of cartoon "stickers", which some too-busy-to-text fans rely on to communicate -- a kind of animated language.
The stickers are hugely popular in Japan, especially among teenagers, and Line has been able to make money off them.
"If someone shares some good news with me, I can send them a sticker like 'awesome!' or alternatively 'I am depressed' when something sad happens," said Line devotee Akiko Mura before trading started Friday.
"You can express yourself not only in words but also in images."
The company counts about 218 million active monthly users -- notably fewer than its bigger rivals -- and is strongest in Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia, but has relatively little presence in the US and Europe.
Line said proceeds from the share sale would initially be earmarked for developing in markets where it has already has a strong foothold.
But "we listed in the US to underline how we want our user base to be global", Line chief executive Takeshi Idezawa told a news briefing in Tokyo.
"The IPO gives use the resources to expand our business."
Line's messaging service launched in 2011 after the quake-tsunami tragedy damaged telecoms infrastructure nationwide, forcing staff at Naver's Japanese unit to use online resources to communicate.
The messaging service was later spun off as a separate firm, based in Tokyo.
Last year, Line posted revenue of 120 billion yen, up 40 percent from the year before, but booked an overall loss, which it blamed on rising staff costs and other expenses.
Messaging app Line's stable of stickers includes the duck Sally, a sad-faced bear called Brown and Cony the rabbit Toshifumi Kitamura (AFP)
US, Chinese naval commanders to meet amid tensions
The commanders of the US and Chinese navies will meet amid mounting tensions over China's claims to much of the South China Sea, the US Navy said Thursday.
Admiral John Richardson, chief of US naval operations, will conduct a three-day visit beginning Sunday, stopping in Beijing and the coastal city of Qingdao, and will meet with his Chinese counterpart Wu Shengli.
Beijing was incensed by the ruling of an international tribunal Tuesday which invalidated China's claims to the strategic waterway and promised a "decisive response" to any "provocative action" in the region.
China's South Sea Fleet takes part in a logistics supply drill near the James Shoal area on South China Sea in May
The United States, which has the largest navy in the world, maintains a permanent presence of military vessels in the region.
Since last year it has also conducted three "freedom of navigation" patrols in the region, sending war ships within 12 nautical miles of artificial islands built by Beijing in the South China Sea to signal that Washington does not accept China's territorial claims.
Beijing has asserted claims to as much as 90 percent of the South China Sea, infuriating regional neighbors such as the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.
American officials have repeatedly complained of the "dangerous" conduct of Chinese aircraft, which have buzzed American planes in the region.
But despite rising tensions, American and Chinese sailors have maintained navy-to-navy relations, seeking to minimize the risk of any misunderstandings.
China's second-quarter economic growth beats forecasts
China's economy expanded more than expected in the second quarter of the year, Beijing said Friday, fuelling hopes growth may be stabilising, but analysts warned private investment was worryingly low.
The world's second biggest economy grew 6.7 percent year on year in April-June, slightly quicker than forecast in an AFP survey and the same as the year's first quarter.
The result is also in line with the government's 6.5-7.0 target for the full year and will provide some relief as China -- and key driver of the global economy -- suffers its worst rates of growth for 25 years.
China's economy grew 6.7% year-on-year in April-June Johannes Eisele (AFP/File)
"The national economy has achieved moderate but steady and sound development," National Bureau of Statistics spokesman Sheng Laiyun said.
However analysts said much of the expansion was driven by state investment in infrastructure and credit growth, suggesting it may be hard to maintain in the longer-term.
Markets were unmoved by the figures, with Shanghai's composite index ending the day flat.
"China is on track of achieving this year's growth target," said Zhu Haibin, JP Morgan China chief economist. But he added that "investment continues to be on the weak side, especially private investment".
After decades of breakneck growth policymakers claim to be embracing weaker expansion as a trade-off for structural reforms to wean the country off cheap exports and massive government spending in favour of domestic consumption.
But the latest figures show the transformation is proving tough, with mounting debt a key concern for global investors.
Fixed asset investment, a gauge of infrastructure spending, rose nine percent in the first half of the year following a record credit binge in the first quarter aimed at stimulating the economy.
New bank loans jumped to nearly 1.4 trillion yuan in June, the central bank said Friday, up dramatically from around one trillion the previous month, as borrowers took advantage of loosened lending standards put in place by Beijing.
- Investment concern -
Investment by private businesses grew by less than three percent in the first half of the year, the data showed, with Sheng blaming overcapacity in traditional industries, barriers for private firms to enter some sectors, and limited access to loans.
Tom Rafferty of the Economist Intelligence Unit said the "greatest concern" is the slide in investment by private firms, in a sign businesses are worried about the wider economy and Beijing is "failing to deliver on promised market reforms.
"Levels of state investment we have seen are not sustainable if the authorities are at all serious about curbing debt risks."
Factory production and consumer spending grew slightly, and industrial output rose more than six percent year-on-year in June, a slight increase on the previous month, although retail sales rose far more than expected.
The report comes after months of downbeat trade data, with figures Wednesday showing a fall in imports and exports accelerated in June.
I think (the growth data) has been engineered by significant reacceleration in credit growth," Klaus Baader, Hong Kong-based chief economist for Asia Pacific of Societe Generale, told AFP. He added that the figure was "a little bit disappointing", given the scale of lending expansion.
Official Chinese figures are viewed with widespread scepticism, with the government altering its growth calculation method twice in the past year.
Friday's figures "should be taken with a grain of salt" because of political pressures on officials to meet targets, research firm Capital Economics said in a note.
Economists say the outlook for the second half of the year is clouded by the impact of torrential rains and widespread flooding in southern China, which could weigh on factory productivity.
Steel production rose 1.7 percent on-year in June, data showed, as China faced criticism from EU and US firms that the country's bloated sector was flooding foreign markets and violating trade agreements at the expense of local jobs.
China's monthly retail sales and industrial output
Policymakers are embracing weaker growth as a trade-off for structural reforms to wean China off cheap exports
'Star Trek' cast talk J-Law and gay Sulu
In less than a decade she has become the most influential woman in Hollywood, but such is Jennifer Lawrence's reach that her presence is now felt in films she's not even part of.
"Star Trek Beyond" writer Simon Pegg revealed Thursday that the 25-year-old actress was the inspiration behind Jaylah -- an all-action alien addition to the sci-fi franchise, played by Sofia Boutella.
"In the writing room (we) wanted to create this very independent female, very resourceful character... and we didn't have a name for her so we used to call her 'Jennifer Lawrence In Winter's Bone,'" said the 46-year-old Briton.
Star Trek Beyond" writer Simon Pegg revealed Jennifer Lawrence was the inspiration behind Jaylah, an all-action alien addition to the sci-fi franchise Jason Merritt (Getty/AFP/File)
"And so we'd say 'Scotty runs there and then suddenly Jennifer Lawrence In Winter's Bone comes out and she finds these guys.' And it started to get tiring always saying 'Jennifer Lawrence In Winter's Bone' -- it's a long name.
"So then we started calling her 'J-Law' and then she became Jaylah, so Jaylah is basically named after Jennifer Lawrence in 'Winter's Bone.'"
The latest installment in the "Star Trek" series hits US theaters on July 22 and the cast and crew appeared before the international media in Los Angeles to talk writing room rows, diversity and absent friends.
One of the biggest controversies in the run-up to its release has been the decision to give central character Hikaru Sulu a male lover.
US actor turned media personality George Takei, who played Sulu in the 1960s series and early films, told the Hollywood Reporter the twisting of the character's sexual identity was "really unfortunate."
In a lengthy clarification posted on Facebook on Wednesday, the openly gay 79-year-old said he wasn't disappointed that there was an LGBT character in "Star Trek" -- just that Sulu had been picked.
- 'Golden period' -
Comedy actor Pegg, who plays ship's engineer Scotty and took on scriptwriting duties for the latest movie, dismissed the row as the result of people liking "to make things into a spat."
"George and I email all the time -- big, long, lovely discussions about it and we're on great terms," he said.
"We were never shouting at each other or anything like that. And it's a great discussion to have. I'm really happy with the way it's been talked about and responded to and I'm still a huge fan of GT."
Korean-American actor John Cho, who plays Sulu in the rebooted trilogy, told reporters that when he first heard that Sulu was to be given a gay backstory he "thought it was a beautiful idea."
Pegg revealed that the main controversy for him had been director Justin Lin's early decision to destroy the starship Enterprise near the beginning of the film, although he was eventually convinced it was a good idea.
The run-up to the release has been overshadowed by last month's death of cast member Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Chekov.
Cast members including Karl Urban and Zoe Saldana, who wiped away tears, paid tribute to the Russian-born actor, who was found pinned by his SUV against a brick mailbox pillar at his California home. He was just 27.
"The pain of loss is still very raw... This film will forever be the most special experience for all of us," said Urban.
"It represents a golden period when our family was fully together for the last time. And it really was the best summer of our adult lives."
George Takei, who played Sulu in the 1960s "Star Trek" series and early films, said he wasn't disappointed there was an LGBT character in "Star Trek Beyond," just that Sulu had been picked Ethan Miller (Getty/Getty Images/AFP/File)
Horseback library serves Indonesia's remote readers
Astride his white mare, a wide-brimmed hat shielding his eyes, Ridwan Sururi looks more cowboy than librarian as he winds towards the hilltop village, his horse Luna saddled with books.
Their arrival sends ripples of excitement through Serang, a quiet hamlet fringed by rice fields and a volcano on Indonesia's main island of Java.
"The horse library!" children shriek, sprinting towards the mosque where Luna is tethered. Slung over her saddle are two handmade wooden boxes filled with books.
Children sort through books on a shelf hanging from Luna the horse in Serang, Indonesia's main island of Java Adek Berry (AFP)
For many there, this unique mobile library is their only link to books. There is no traditional library nearby, and stores are miles away in big cities. It's a problem for villages across the sprawling Indonesian archipelago.
Sururi, a 43-year-old professional horse groomer, devised a unique way to encourage reading in his district.
Armed with Luna, one of several horses under his care, and about 100 books donated from a friend, Sururi began road-testing his novel mobile library in early 2015, unsure if it would succeed.
It was a huge hit. In no time, the father of four was fielding requests from schools and villages further afield, eager crowds greeting him on arrival.
"The kids are always waiting for my horse and I," Sururi told AFP.
"Sometimes they even form a queue, waiting a very long time just to borrow a book."
- Broadening horizons -
In Serang, enthusiastic youngsters flick through picture books, young adult titles and even some classics in English.
Some shyly pet Luna while waiting their turn to browse. Sururi believes the gentle nature of his six-year-old mare helps attract children, and pique an early interest in the books.
"The horse makes me happy," said 10-year-old Arif, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, before settling in to read a book titled "Wild Animals".
But it's not just children discovering a love for reading via this charitable community library.
Adults are almost just as enthusiastic, many pausing work and emerging from their homes as Sururi and Luna pass through the narrow lanes of one village.
Seventeen-year-old Warianti, perusing titles alongside her elderly mothers, said villagers of all ages benefited from Sururi's visits, as most did not have time to source books elsewhere.
"The horse library helps increase the knowledge of local women through reading," she told AFP.
Adult literacy rates in Indonesia have climbed steadily in recent years, reaching nearly 96 percent in 2013, according to data from the ministry of education.
But some provinces remain far behind others. Central Java, where Sururi makes his rounds, is lagging in the bottom third nationwide.
Nearly five percent -- or close to one million -- adults in this mainly rural province remain illiterate. Sururi is aware of this, growing up in Central Java without access to a great deal of books.
But the altruistic stable hand never underestimated the importance of reading, leading to his free-of-charge mobile book loaning service.
"That's the aim of the horse library, so that everyone can broaden their horizons, gain knowledge, become more intelligent," he said.
- Sense of pride -
Outside his simple home, Sururi has cleared an area where he dreams of building a permanent library, one stocked with many books and -- perhaps one day -- a computer.
But for now, everything is done by hand. The spines of all books are clearly labelled with a code for identification, and he keeps meticulous records so books are returned on time.
Like a conventional library, books can be borrowed free of charge but cannot be loaned forever.
In Serang, Sururi checks his notebook and tells one boy he needs to first return an outstanding title before loaning another. The young student sprints off home, returning a short while later clutching the forgotten item, relieved to see his pick of choice remains untouched on the shelf.
Once the flurry of borrowing is over, the children settle down in small circles, bearing their new books with pride as Sururi packs up for another week.
Soon the air is filled with the sound of dozens of children reading aloud, older pupils helping their younger friends with difficult words or phrases.
"When I see kids chasing my horse I feel so proud," Sururi said.
"I feel like I'm needed, and that's hugely satisfying."
Ridwan Sururi, who runs a mobile library on horseback, selects books for villagers to read in Serang Adek Berry (AFP)
For many in Serang, this unique mobile library is their only link to books Adek Berry (AFP)
Ridwan Sururi, with his horses Germanis and Luna, head towards Serang village armed with books Adek Berry (AFP)
Adult literacy rates in Indonesia have climbed steadily in recent years, reaching nearly 96% in 2013 Adek Berry (AFP)
Iraqis defy ban to rally for reforms in Baghdad
Thousands of Iraqis defied warnings from authorities and rallied in the heart of Baghdad on Friday, renewing pressure on the government to carry out reforms targeting corruption and sectarianism.
Although protests over the past year have resulted in repeated promises of reform, little in the way of concrete progress has been made, as those in a position to effect change benefit from the existing system.
Populist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who had called for the demonstration, made a brief appearance at the rally in Tahrir Square, which was packed with flag-waving protesters.
Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr wave the national flag during a demonstration in Baghdad's Tahrir Square on July 15, 2016 Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP)
Protesters fought to get closer for a glimpse of the cleric but he quickly departed, and his remarks were instead read out by another speaker.
Sadr called for measures including the dismissal and trial of corrupt officials, an end to sectarian and political party quotas through which positions are shared out, and the formation of a government of technocrats, according to the remarks.
He has organised repeated protests calling for reforms, during which demonstrators have on several occasions breached Baghdad's Green Zone, a fortified area that is home to key government institutions and foreign embassies.
Speakers led the protesters in chanting slogans including: "Yes, yes to reform," "No, no to sectarianism" and "No, no to corruption."
The rally went ahead despite a warning from the government that it could distract security forces from the war against the Islamic State group.
A statement from the Joint Operations Command termed it "unauthorised" and said anyone who appeared with arms would be treated as a "terrorist threat."
The Friday demonstration, which started to wind down after Sadr's demands were read, was the first to take place in weeks, as the cleric called for a break in protests during Ramadan, when observant Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
- 'Demanding our rights' -
Security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators at previous protests, but this was one was much more tightly stewarded by organisers.
Protesters were repeatedly searched by men posted at makeshift checkpoints on the way to the demonstration, and strands of barbed wire kept them away from the bridge across the Tigris River that they had previously used to reach the Green Zone.
The route to the bridge was also blocked by slabs of heavy concrete blast wall and defended by riot police.
Internet connections were cut during the demonstration, but restored later in the morning.
"We are tired (of) corruption. Corruption is killing us," Mohamed al-Daradji, an activist and film-maker, said in a speech at the protest.
"These people (who) came after 2003... they failed. They failed! They didn't do anything," Daradji said, referring to politicians who came to power after the US-led overthrow of dictator Saddam Hussein.
Asked why he came to protest, Abu Mushtaq al-Awadi said: "We have rights, and we are demanding our rights."
Awadi said he wants an end to sectarian and party quotas, the trial of corrupt officials, the return of stolen money to the Iraqi people and the formation of a government of technocrats.
Sadr has previously called for a technocratic government to replace the current party-affiliated ministers -- a measure proposed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi -- but parliament has repeatedly failed to approve new ministers.
Abadi first called for a cabinet including technocrats in February, but has faced significant opposition from powerful political forces that rely on control of ministries for patronage and funds.
Some of Abadi's cabinet nominees were finally approved by parliament in April, but in a blow to the premier, a court later scrapped the session, which some disruptive lawmakers were barred from attending.
Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr made a brief appearance at the rally in Baghdad demanding reforms targeting corruption and sectarianism Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP)
Lebanon charges three over suicide bombings
Lebanon's military prosecutor has charged three people, including two Syrians, with links to the Islamic State group and involvement in suicide bombings in a village on the Syrian border.
A judicial source told AFP on Thursday that one of the three, a Syrian, had been arrested last week during the dismantling of an IS-linked cell suspected of planning attacks across Lebanon.
The two others, one Syrian and another believed to be Lebanese, are still at large.
Two waves of deadly suicide bombings hit the border village of Al-Qaa in a single day on June 27
The three are alleged to have links to two waves of deadly suicide bombings that hit the border village of Al-Qaa in a single day on June 27.
Eight suicide bombers blew themselves up in the village, killing five people and wounding dozens.
Al-Qaa lies on a main road linking the Syrian town of Al-Qusayr to the Bekaa valley in eastern Lebanon.
Its 3,000 residents are predominantly Christian, but the Masharia Al-Qaa district is home to Sunni Muslims and some 30,000 Syrian refugees live in a makeshift camp on the edge of the village.
The indictment accuses the three suspects of "murder and attempted murder of civilians, sowing terror and discord, and undermining stability."
The charges carry the death penalty.
The attacks were not claimed by any group, but bore characteristics of both IS and Al-Qaeda.
At the end of June, the Lebanese army announced it had arrested five IS members accused of planning attacks in Beirut.
Europe-Asia summit condemns terrorism after Nice attack
Leaders of Asia and Europe condemned international terrorism at a summit in Mongolia Friday, as an attack in Nice drew attention away from Beijing's rejection of a tribunal ruling dismissing its extensive South China Sea claims.
The biennial Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is supposed to be a venue for increasing cooperation across the Eurasian region and exploring ways to strengthen global agreements governing everything from trade to civil aviation.
Counter-terrorism efforts were already due to be discussed, but the issue was given renewed urgency by the carnage in Nice, where a truck ploughed into Bastille Day revellers, killing at least 84 in what President Francois Hollande called a "terrorist" attack.
A man grieves in front of flowers placed near the site in Nice on July 15, 2016 where a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day, killing at least 84 people Boris Horvat (AFP)
Leaders and representatives of governments from Ireland to Indonesia held a minute's silence for the victims at the opening of the summit in Ulan Bator.
In a statement they condemned "heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks" and pledged to fight "the plague of terrorism".
European Council President Donald Tusk said: "It's a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that "despicable terrorism engulfing innocent people can never be forgiven", and German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that "we are all united in shock".
France's foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault cut short his visit and prepared to return to Paris, thanking the dignitaries for their "spontaneous and sincere solidarity towards the French people".
"The whole world shares France's ordeal," he told AFP.
- Sea dispute -
The gathering was the first major international conference since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled, in a case brought by the Philippines, that Beijing's claims to much of the strategically vital South China Sea have no legal foundation.
The Asian giant, which boycotted the hearings, says the tribunal has no jurisdiction, and has poured scorn on the verdict.
But participants defied its demands that the subject should not be brought up at ASEM, criticising Beijing by emphasising the importance of respecting the global legal frameworks that undergird cooperation on terrorism, among other issues.
"Dialogue and a strong commitment to the rules based international order are necessary," said Tusk during the opening ceremony.
Manila has pledged not to "taunt or flaunt" the verdict, but its foreign minister Perfecto Yasay told the summit it "strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision", calling for "all parties to exercise restraint and sobriety".
Tokyo is embroiled in a territorial dispute of its own with Beijing, and in remarks to reporters Abe brought up the South China Sea in the same breath as terrorism and North Korea as issues of international concern.
He met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang for 30 minutes, with Japanese news agencies reporting that Abe told him the rule of international law must be respected.
Li retorted that Japan should "stop hyping up and interfering" in the South China Sea, China's official Xinhua news agency said.
Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura told reporters that Abe and Li had had a "frank and candid exchange of views".
The criticism comes as Beijing, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, seeks a greater presence on the global diplomatic stage.
It hoped to use the ASEM summit -- official theme "Partnership for the Future through Connectivity" -- as an opportunity to showcase its global initiatives, such as the One Belt, One Road programme, an ambitious plan to build infrastructure projects across the Eurasian region.
China has sought to assert its claims in the South China Sea by building a network of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations, and this week reiterated its right to declare an Air Defence Identification Zone in the area, which would demand civilian flights submit to the authority of its military.
Other issues on the agenda at ASEM included Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
Following his meeting with Abe, the EU's Tusk sought to reassure Asian countries over the grouping's future, saying that "the European Union remains an engaged and active global player".
"We will continue to do so as an EU of 27 states, once the UK leaves," he added. "There is no shift in our foreign policy."
Leaders observe a minute of silence for victims of the Nice attack before the opening session of the Asia-Europe summit in Ulan Bator Damir Sagolj (Pool/AFP)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (front R) and other leaders attend the opening session of the 11th Asia-Europe summit Damir Sagolj (Pool/AFP)
South Korea PM egged in protest at US anti-missile system
Angry protestors threw eggs and water bottles at South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn on Friday, demanding the decision to deploy a US anti-missile defence system in their hometown be scrapped.
Hwang was in Seongju to try and appease residents who are furious over the joint Seoul-Washington decision to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, in their town by the end of next year as a deterrent to repeated sabre-rattling by North Korea.
The mob of around 3,000 surrounded a bus that Hwang had taken refuge in to escape the projectile eggs, saying they would not let him go until he promised to retract the decision.
Officials use umbrellas to protect South Korean PM Hwang Kyo-Ahn from eggs and water bottles being thrown by angry protesters as he visits Seongju
The ongoing standoff lasted several hours and it was unclear when -- or how -- a compromise would be reached.
The protesters also blocked the entrance to the government compound where Hwang was trapped with a tractor as security guards struggled to keep the crowd at bay.
It was the third consecutive day of protests in Seongju, about 200 kilometres (135 miles) southeast of Seoul, where residents say the THAAD deployment will ruin the town's economic mainstay, melon farming, and cause health and environmental hazards.
"We apologise for not giving you prior notice," the prime minister had earlier told the gathered protesters -- who held banners that read "We absolutely oppose THAAD deployment".
"The government will do its best so the residents can live their daily lives without any concern," said Hwang, accompanied by senior government officials including Defence Minister Han Min-Koo.
But his speech was cut short as the mod started to pelt the prime minister with eggs and water bottles, TV footage showed.
"You bastard," a protestor shouted, according to Yonhap news agency. "Why would you bring THAAD to Seongju?"
The prime minister's visit comes a day after President Park Geun-Hye told government officials to address concerns among Seongju's 45,000 residents over THAAD while calling for an end to "needless" squabbling within the country over the issue.
Seoul and Washington last week revealed their decision to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea in the wake of a series of missile and nuclear tests by North Korea.
Tensions are high since Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by various missile launches that analysts said showed the North was making progress towards being able to strike the US mainland.
North Korea on Thursday accused Park of "offering the Korean peninsula to foreign forces as a theatre of a nuclear war."
"She unhesitatingly sold off the destiny and interests of the nation and undermined regional peace and stability," the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's KCNA news agency.
South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday rebutted the North's comments, defending the planned deployment as a "defensive measure".
"We strongly condemn the North's nonsensical slandering aimed at dividing our society," the ministry said in a statement.
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Boeing, creator of some of the world's most iconic aircraft of the 20th century, commemorated its centennial Friday.
The company celebrated with an all-out display of its airplanes from years gone-by to the most modern in aviation at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.
Hundreds came out to marvel at the decades of planes put on display by Boeing.
The widow of William Boeing, Jr and daughter-in-law of company founder William Boeing, June Boeing, 90, attended the ceremony.
'I always thought I was his first love. And soon after we were married, I found out I wasn't,' she told Geek Wire.
'The Boeing Company was his first love.'
Boeing, creator of some of the world's most iconic aircraft of the 20th century, commemorated its centennial Friday at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington
Nikita Ezhunov (pictured, right), 14, of Russia, sits inside a North American Aviation, B-25D Mitchell and aims its turret at he centennial
The company celebrated with an all-out display of its airplanes from years gone-by to the most modern in aviation at the museum
Hundreds came out to marvel at the decades of flight put on display by Boeing. The 747 and other Boeing 7-Series jets are pictured on the runway during an event
An amphitheater was erected at the museum to accommodate 2,000 people at a time, but the museum expects by Sunday 100,000 people will have had the chance to come up close with these feats of aviation.
Despite the jovial celebration, the company is facing multiple challenges to remain at the forefront of global aerospace innovation.
At the top of the list is European arch-rival Airbus, which has topped Boeing in commercial orders in recent years and made inroads into the American market by building planes on US shores.
Boeing also faces tough going in defense, having lost a US contract for the long range strike bomber to Northrop Grumman, and another from the US and allies for a joint strike fighter to Lockheed Martin.
That leaves Boeing with only the delay-plagued KC-46 tanker program for the US Air Force, a deal it controversially wrested out of Airbus' hands.
'Boeing's biggest challenge is Airbus,' said Loren Thompson, chief operating officer of the Lexington Institute. 'Whether Boeing keeps up or beats Airbus will determine the future of the company.'
An amphitheater was erected at the museum to accommodate 2,000 people at a time, but the museum expects by Sunday 100,000 people will have had the chance to come up close with these feats of aviation
Despite the jovial celebration, the company is facing multiple challenges to remain at the forefront of global aerospace innovation
At the top of the list is European arch-rival Airbus, which has topped Boeing in commercial orders in recent years and made inroads into the American market by building planes on US shores
To stay strong in defense, Boeing must beef up its operations in maintenance of military vehicles, analysts say.
In space travel, another longtime core activity, Boeing faces upstarts like SpaceX, which has been aggressive on price.
'Technologically they are positioned, but they are not well positioned in terms of pricing' in space travel, said Marco Caceres of Teal Group.
'They are going to have to figure out how to become leaner, or otherwise they won't be able to compete for much longer.'
Boeing insists it will stay at the top. Chief executive Dennis Muilenburg told USA Today in June that it is building a rocket that will let man set foot on Mars.
Historic aircraft do a flyby near a lineup of Boeing 7-Series jets during the centennial event
Airplanes, including a P-51B Mustang (pictured, lef), and a Cathay Pacific 747 Cargo plane (pictured, top) sit parked on display Friday
A World War II era P-51 Mustang fighter plane stands in front of a modern 747-8 freighter and a 757 passenger jet at The Boeing Company's centennial celebration
An Emirates jet sits on the runway behind a FedEx plane and others at the centennial event in Seattle on Friday
Despite the celebrationg, Boeing is facing tough challenges in defense, having lost a US contract for the long range strike bomber to Northrop Grumman, and another from the US and allies for a joint strike fighter to Lockheed Martin
'It's about 50 per cent bigger than the Saturn V that took humans to the moon,' he said.
Boeing also faces obstacles on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have sought to block a controversial contract to sell some $25 billion in planes to Iran.
That came after a lengthy fight over the Export-Import Bank weakened an institution that has long supported Boeing.
Still, analysts say Boeing continues to have cache as a 'global icon,' as Teal Group's Richard Aboulafia put it.
Boeing also faces obstacles on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have sought to block a controversial contract to sell some $25 billion in planes to Iran
That came after a lengthy fight over the Export-Import Bank weakened an institution that has long supported Boeing. Still, analysts say Boeing continues to have cache as a 'global icon,' as Teal Group's Richard Aboulafia put it
Boeing employees and guests watch historic aircraft flyby at the centennial event
Ray Conner (left), Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, speaks as Dennis Muilenburg (right), Boeing Chairman, President and CEO, looks on during ceremonies
Boeing had revenues of $96 billion in 2015 and has a multi-year backlog of orders for a civil aviation market that it believes will be worth nearly $6 trillion over the next 20 years.
First founded July 15 in 1916 in Seattle by William Boeing as the Pacific Aero Products Co., Boeing has evolved into the biggest exporter in the United States.
The company grew rapidly during and after World War I, expanding into air transport, but was broken up by the US government in 1934 on antitrust grounds. William Boeing sold his holdings in the company.
The company's ability to survive without its founder positioned it for growth when World War II sparked huge demand for its B-17 and B-29 bombers.
Strong US military demand for the subsequent B-47 and B-52 bombers boosted Boeing during the Cold War.
Growth was then fueled by a succession of popular commercial planes unveiled in later decades, especially the famous Boeing 747. But today's competitive landscape also includes smaller rivals, such as Canada's Bombardier and China's Comac.
Boeing founder William Boeing is pictured during a video presentation before thousands of visitors at the centennial
Iran urges US to choose diplomacy over coercion
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called on the United States to choose diplomacy over intimidation and to fulfil its obligations under a year-old nuclear deal with world powers.
"The Iran Deal was a triumph of diplomacy over coercion," Zarif wrote on Twitter late Thursday, the first anniversary of the July 14, 2015 accord with Washington and five other major powers.
"Same stark choice for US today, and reminder: old methods produce same old failures.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged the United States to fulfil its obligations under a year-old nuclear deal with world powers Bryan R. Smith (AFP/File)
"Progress will remain elusive as long as short-sighted bragging, lacklustre implementation of obligations and tired slogans are preferred.
"Mutual respect and fulfilment of JCPOA obligations to ensure promised dividends will open new horizons," he added, referring to the deal by its official name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The agreement, which took effect in January, saw Tehran limit its controversial atomic programme in return for the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions.
It has faced opposition from ultra-conservatives in Iran and the United States.
Iran has complained that remaining sanctions related to its missile programme and support for armed movements like Lebanon's Hezbollah are locking it out of the international banking system and hampering its ability to make major purchases, such as aircraft.
The sanctions are also hindering foreign investment.
US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said Thursday that Washington was meeting its commitments under the deal.
Governor of Yemen's Aden survives 'Qaeda' bombing
The governor of Yemen's main southern city Aden survived a suicide car bombing that struck his convoy on Friday, a security official said, blaming Al-Qaeda.
Aidarus al-Zubaidi escaped unharmed after the attack in the Inmaa district of Aden but three of his companions were wounded, the official said.
The port city, the temporary base of Yemen's Saudi-backed government, has seen a wave of bombings and shootings targeting officials and security forces.
Yemenis inspect a charred vehicle following a suicide car bomb attack that targeted the convoy of Aden's governor on July 15, 2016 Saleh al-Obeidi (AFP)
Zubaidi's predecessor Jaafar Saad was killed in December in a car bomb claimed by the Islamic State group.
In February suspected Al-Qaeda militants opened fire on a convoy carrying Zubaidi and Aden's police chief General Shallal Shayae. Both escaped unharmed.
Zubaidi and Shayae also survived a car bombing that targeted their convoy in Aden on January 5, killing two of their bodyguards.
Jihadists have exploited the unrest in Yemen pitting loyalist forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, against rebels in a war that has left more than 6,400 people dead since March 2015.
Pro-government forces last year drove the Iran-backed Huthi insurgents and their allies out of southern provinces, including Aden, but have struggled to assert their authority in areas controlled by jihadists.
Netanyahu aide detained in Israel fraud probe
A former senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arrested in connection with a fraud inquiry, police said on Friday.
A police statement said the aide -- named by media reports as Ari Harrow, Netanyahu's former chief of staff -- was detained and questioned on Thursday evening "as part of an ongoing investigation".
The daily Haaretz newspaper said Israeli police launched a probe last week into Harrow's suspected involvement in the fictitious sale of a business supposedly worth $3 million (2.7 million euros).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office on July 10, 2016 Dan Balilty (Pool/AFP/File)
The 43-year-old American born businessman was reportedly tasked in 2002 with raising overseas funds for Netanyahu.
Haaretz said Harrow was also being investigated over these funds.
Following weeks of speculation, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said Sunday he had ordered an investigation into a "matter" involving Netanyahu, without providing details.
"We stress that this is an examination and not a criminal investigation into the prime minister," his office said.
Netanyahu last month acknowledged receiving money from French tycoon Arnaud Mimran, who was sentenced to eight years in prison over a scam amounting to 283 million euros ($315 million) involving the trade of carbon emissions permits and the taxes on them.
Philippines says no concessions to China over sea row
The Philippines will concede nothing to China after an international tribunal outlawed Beijing's claims to most of the South China Sea, a Filipino official said Friday.
The UN-backed tribunal ruled against China this week but Beijing rejected the decision, warning of a "decisive response" to provocative actions against its security interests based on the verdict.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said late Thursday he would send former president Fidel Ramos to China to start talks on the ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte says he will send a former president to China to start talks on the ruling on the disputed claims of the South China Sea from The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration HO (PCOO/AFP/File)
"We will use diplomacy. I believe this is the most peaceful way of settling this," a lawyer for the Philippine government, Jose Calida, told reporters Friday.
He did not specify when talks could take place.
"We value the award given by the (tribunal), and the Philippines will not concede any of the awards given to us."
China's foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang welcomed talks with Ramos, but repeated Beijing's stance that the tribunal ruling cannot be the basis of any discussions.
"We'd like to resolve our disputes in the South China through bilateral negotiation and we have never closed the door to bilateral negotiation," Lu said.
"We will not accept any action or proposal based on the award of the arbitration."
Sino-Philippine relations plummeted over the maritime row under Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino, whose government filed the arbitration case in 2013.
The tribunal found Tuesday there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources in areas falling within its nine-dash line, which is based on a vague map that emerged in the 1940s.
The virtual line overlaps with waters also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The tribunal also ruled Beijing had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights to exploit resources in waters up to 340 kilometres (230 miles) beyond its coast, called its exclusive economic zone.
The tribunal also said China had inflicted severe environmental damage while building artificial islands atop seven reefs in the area, which the Philippines said was meant to reinforce its claim.
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has said he wants better relations with Beijing and to attract Chinese investment for major infrastructure projects.
His proposed envoy Ramos, who served as president from 1992 to 1998, is also known to favour close ties with China but he has yet to accept the mission.
Senior Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio warned Friday it would be illegal for Manila to jointly develop with China or any other country the resources in the areas adjudicated as part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
Carpio, a member of the Philippine team that brought the suit against China, said the Filipino constitution reserved the "use and enjoyment" of the resources in this vast maritime zone exclusively to Filipinos.
But he said Manila may engage foreign entities as contractors to extract or develop these resources.
In response, Calida said: "Certainly we will not do something illegal or unconstitutional".
Two Americans killed in Nice attack: State Dept
Two American citizens were killed in the truck attack in Nice, which has left at least 84 people dead, the US State Department spokesman said Friday.
"At this time, we are aware of and can confirm two US citizens were killed in the attack in Nice on July 14, 2016," spokesman John Kirby said.
"We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of those killed."
French police officers carry out checks on vehicles in the centre of Nice, after a truck drove into a crowd watching a fireworks display on July 14, 2016 Valery Hache (AFP)
The statement was issued as US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Moscow for talks on Syria with his Russian counterpart.
Kirby did not identify the two dead but added the United States was providing "all possible consular assistance" to its citizens.
A Texas-based newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, reported that 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were among those killed in Nice, citing their friends and relatives.
A gunman drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day on Thursday night in the French Riviera city of Nice in what authorities have called a "terrorist" attack.
Kirby's announcement came after US President Barack Obama strongly condemned what he said was a "horrific terrorist attack" and said the United States stood "in solidarity and partnership with France."
'Ghost schools' haunt Pakistan despite budget boost
Pakistan's education budget has doubled in recent years -- to almost as much as the military's -- but literacy and dropout rates remain abysmal and "ghost schools" persist, a new report said.
A staggering 24 million children are not in school and more than half of eight-year-olds cannot read despite the budget growing twofold to $7.5 billion in the last six years, the report from the US-based Wilson Center released Thursday found.
Pakistan's poor report card comes even as the number of so-called ghost schools -- which receive funding but have no teachers or students -- has declined in some areas.
Britain's development agency is the primary donor, giving $150 million in 2016, or about two percent of Pakistan's overall education budget Arif Ali (AFP/File)
Nationwide there were fewer ghost schools than in the early 2000s when up to 20 percent of all schools across the country were empty, the study called "Pakistan's Education Crisis: The Real Story" said.
The United States, Britain and the World Bank have poured money into Pakistan's stagnating public education sector, seen as a key weapon against religious extremism and rising income inequality.
But the number of children out of school today is second only to Nigeria, and the South Asian country of about 200 million people has an adult literacy rate of 56.4 percent as many parents see little use in putting their children in school, the report added.
It found that although combined spending in the public and private education sectors was above four percent -- the globally accepted benchmark for education spending -- money was not being spent wisely.
"Pakistan's education crisis does not come down to how much the country spends, but how the money is spent," said report author Nadia Naviwala.
"Pakistan needs to spend better, not simply spend more."
She added education spending was almost on a par with the powerful military, which has a budget of $8.2 billion for 2016.
The study registered that there had been improvements despite some setbacks.
In Punjab, the country's most populous province, teacher absenteeism dropped from 20 percent to six percent between 2010 and 2015.
But the rise in funding -- mainly spent on salary boosts for teachers -- has had little effect.
In Sindh province, standardised test scores of fifth and sixth graders, or children aged 10 and 11, showed zero improvement between 2012 and 2014. Improvements in other provinces were also marginal.
Mick Jagger to be father again at 72
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is to become a father for the eighth time at the age of 72, a spokesman for the rocker said Friday.
The spokesman confirmed that Jagger's 29-year-old American dancer girlfriend, Melanie Hamrick, is pregnant, Britain's Press Association reported.
Jagger, who is a great-grandfather, already has seven children ranging in age from 17 to 45 from four previous relationships: Karis, Jade, Elizabeth, James, Georgia, Gabriel and Lucas.
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is to father a child for the eight time, at the age of 72, a report said Yamil Lage (AFP/File)
He has five grandchildren and, since May 2014, a great-grandchild after his granddaughter Assisi gave birth to a baby girl.
The news of the impending addition to the family comes two months after Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood became the father of twin girls at 68.
Wood already had four children and nine grand-children. His 38-year-old wife Sally Humphreys is a theatre producer.
At least 300 killed in latest South Sudan violence: UN
At least 300 people were killed and 42,000 fled their homes this month during four days of intense gun battles in the capital of South Sudan, the UN said Friday.
Neighbouring Uganda and Sudan have begun to evacuate their nationals, while Ethiopia has offered to send additional troops to the UN peacekeeping there.
The violence marks a fresh blow to last year's peace deal to end a civil war that began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused Riek Machar, whom he had sacked a few months earlier from the post of vice president, of plotting a coup.
Newly arrived refugees from South Sudan wait outside the Elegu Collection Centre, near the Uganda-South Sudan border on July 13, 2016 Isaac Kasamani (AFP/File)
Under the terms of the peace process Machar has since April held the post of First Vice President of South Sudan.
Although a ceasefire has held since late Monday, the United Nations has warned of the possibility of fresh fighting in Juba.
"It's over 300 deaths since July 8," World Health Organization spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said in Geneva.
The July 8-11 violence had left "42,000 internally displaced" in the world's youngest nation, said William Spindler, spokesman for the UN refugee agency.
"The number of refugees in neighbouring countries is now 835,000," he said.
Also Friday, dozens of Sudanese women and children arrived in Khartoum from Juba.
Specially chartered planes have been taking foreign nationals out of South Sudan since Wednesday.
The first flight carrying 76 Sudanese arrived in Khartoum on Friday afternoon.
"We are focusing on bringing women, children and elderly people first," government official Gamal Ahmed told reporters at Khartoum airport.
"There will be other flights today bringing more people."
"Most of them are traders and those working in international NGOs," another government official, Hajj Magid Suor, told Sudan Media Centre, an outlet close to the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service.
On Thursday, a heavily armed Ugandan military convoy crossed into South Sudan to evacuate Ugandan citizens in Juba.
- Cycle of violence -
The convoy of around 50 Ugandan trucks escorted by machine gun-mounted armoured vehicles crossed the border to open up a secure corridor on the 200-kilometre (120-mile) Juba-Nimule road.
Uganda's army chief Brigadier Leopold Kyanda said the mission involving 2,000 soldiers would likely last "two to three days". An intelligence officer said some Ugandan troops might remain in Juba.
Uganda gave military support to Kiir against Machar during the civil war, only pulling its troops home late last year.
On Friday, Ethiopia said it was ready to send more soldiers to strengthen UNMISS, the UN peacekeeping force in South Sudan, to which it is already the largest contributor of troops.
"We're more than willing to take on our part of responsibility in restoring calm in South Sudan," said government spokesman Getachew Reda.
"We hope and expect the South Sudanese to bury the hatchet," he said, but added, "If push comes to shove, we'll have to carry the burden through strengthening the troop numbers."
According to the International Organization for Migration many civilians who fled their homes during the recent fighting had begun to return.
"Humanitarian access to affected people has improved dramatically since Monday. But this can only be sustained if the ceasefire holds", said John McCue, IOM South Sudan Head of Operations.
The December 2013 violence set off a cycle of retaliatory killings that split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines and drove more than two million out of their homes.
The conflict was been characterised by horrific rights abuses, including gang rapes, the wholesale burning of villages and cannibalism.
A heavily armed Ugandan military convoy crossed into South Sudan to evacuate Ugandan citizens in Juba Isaac Kasamani (AFP/File)
Evacuated Indians from South Sudan disembark from an aircraft at Air Force station in New Delhi on July 15, 2016 Prakash Singh (AFP)
South Sudan President Salva Kiir called on arch-rival Riek Machar to meet for talks to salvage peace Charles Atiki Lomodong (AFP)
China charges lawyer, activists in sweeping crackdown
Chinese prosecutors on Friday said they had formally charged a prominent human rights lawyer and three activists with "subverting state power" a year after detaining them in a sweeping crackdown.
Attorney Zhou Shifeng and activists Hu Shigen, Gou Hongguo and Zhai Yanmin will almost certainly face trial, following the announcement by prosecutors in the northern city of Tianjin on their verified microblog.
The men have been held since last July when more than 200 lawyers and activists were detained in a swoop on those who had taken on civil rights cases considered sensitive by China's tightly controlled courts.
Chinese paramilitary police react to a camera as they guard Tiananmen Square in Beijing on March 6, 2014 Mark Ralston (AFP/File)
Around a dozen are still being held without access to independent lawyers or family members, accused by police of subverting state power.
The crackdown has sparked international condemnation, with the United Nation's human rights commissioner as well as the European Union, United States and human rights groups calling for the lawyers to be freed.
The law firm at the centre of the crackdown, Fengrui, had defended dissident intellectuals and sought to draw public support using social media and banner-waving protests outside court houses.
The state subversion charges against the men can result in a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Zhou provided legal aid to families of children poisoned by milk powder in a 2008 scandal and as an employee of Fengrui defended an 81-year-old writer detained for criticising the ruling Communist party in a case last year.
State media has branded the firm a "criminal gang" and accused its lawyers of disrupting court hearings.
The official Xinhua news agency cited police as saying last year that Zhai "organised multiple mass protests to influence court sentences".
Hu and Gou are both Christian activists associated with "underground" churches in northern China.
Under President Xi Jinping, China has tightened controls on civil society, and the 709 crackdown -- named after July 9, the day when a large number of activists were detained -- represents its largest-scale operation in years.
The wives and family members of the lawyers and activists last week wrote a public letter accusing state security of "harassment" on the anniversary of their loved ones going missing.
Zhai's wife Li Ermin told AFP that police officers beat her after she travelled to Tianjin to try to locate her spouse.
Thousands protest in Pakistani Kashmir after unrest
Thousands of protesters marched in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Friday to denounce recent deadly clashes with Indian security forces, with some calling for war over the disputed frontier.
About 4,000 people gathered in Muzaffarabad, some carrying photos of slain rebel leader Burhan Wani, whose killing last week sparked unrest that killed 32 people -- the deadliest clashes in Kashmir since 2010 when massive demonstrations were held against Indian rule.
Students, lawyers, traders, political activists and members of militant groups gathered at Friday's protest, where the local head of hardline militant group, Jamat-ud-Dawa, issued a call to arms.
Indian Kashmiri protestors clash with government troops in Srinagar on July 14, 2016 Tauseef Mustafa (AFP)
"India understands the language of bullet and not voice of people. We have no other option, just to start an armed struggle," Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi told the crowd.
"We call on the military and political leaderships that Kashmiri mujahideen (holy warriors) should be allowed to go and fight against the Indian troops and for the freedom movement."
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, but both claim the picturesque Himalayan territory in its entirety.
The two countries agreed a border ceasefire agreed in 2003 that has largely held, though there are fears the unrest could lead to a revival of cross-border militancy.
"We came here today to show solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris in Indian-held Kashmir. We want to tell the world about the brutalities against the unarmed civilians in Kashmir," Muhammad Tahir, a 26-year-old student, told AFP.
Wani, a 22-year-old poster boy for the region's biggest rebel group Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed in a gun battle with government forces.
Islamabad summoned New Delhi's envoy on Monday and conveyed Pakistan's "serious concern" over the recent violence.
Indian Police said most of those who died were protesters killed by gunshot wounds as troops fired live ammunition and tear gas to try to enforce a curfew imposed across the Kashmir Valley.
EU urges 'peaceful' resolution to South China Sea row
The EU urged China and the Philippines to settle peacefully their dispute over the South China Sea but stopped short of pushing Beijing to abide by an international tribunal's ruling against Beijing's claims.
The watered-down statement, which came after days of arguments among member states, did not follow the lead of the United States in specifically calling on China to honour the decision by the UN-backed tribunal in The Hague.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement that the bloc's member states "acknowledge" the ruling but said the EU does not take a position on sovereignty rows.
A woman walks past a poster of the South China Sea with the slogan "China's territory, never to yield an inch of our ground" on a street in Weifang, eastern China Str (AFP)
She added that the union "expresses the need for the parties to the dispute to resolve it through peaceful means, to clarify their claims and pursue them in respect and in accordance with international law."
"The EU calls upon the parties concerned to address remaining and further related issues through negotiations and other peaceful means and refrain from activities likely to raise tensions," Mogherini said.
The statement came after days of wrangling over wording as eastern EU countries, including Slovenia and Croatia which also have territorial disputes before the tribunal, diplomats said.
"Two member states (Croatia, Slovenia) have a principle problem with arbitration judgements," an EU diplomat told journalists on condition of anonymity.
"It is a difficult balancing act. We have a legal position, but on the other hand we need China for a whole bunch of other topics," the diplomat said before the statement was agreed.
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbors, most notably the Philippines.
China's claims, which include waters approaching neighboring countries, are based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on a 1940s Chinese map.
The row has embroiled the United States, which has deployed aircraft carriers and a host of other vessels to assert freedom of navigation in the waters -- through which a third of the global oil trade passes.
The US put itself on a collision course with China on Tuesday when it described the ruling as "final and legally binding".
Trump's wall plans aggravate open wounds in Mexico
Maurilio Salcido takes off his hat to press as close as possible to the wall dividing Mexico and the United States, setting eyes on his son for the first time in 15 years.
Salcido, 80, has dressed up in his Sunday best for the visit, even though he and his son can only see each other's silhouettes through the tight metal mesh that forms the wall in Friendship Park, along the border between Tijuana and San Diego.
Walls, barbed wire or other barriers currently divide Mexico and the United States along one-third of their 3,145-kilometer (nearly 2,000-mile) border.
A family talks with relatives through the US-Mexico border fence in Playas de Tijuana, northwestern Mexico Guillermo Arias (AFP)
If Donald Trump is elected president of the United States, that could expand to the entire border.
Trump, who is due to be confirmed as the Republican party's presidential candidate next week, kicked off his campaign in June 2015 vowing to build a wall to keep out Mexicans.
His tirades against Mexican immigrants -- whom he described that day as drug dealers, criminals and rapists -- and his promised border wall have since become constant rallying cries on the campaign trail, as the bombastic billionaire has surged from long-shot outsider to presumptive nominee.
"It's going to be a big, fat, beautiful wall," Trump shouted recently to cheering supporters in California, repeating his vow to force Mexico to pay for the barrier.
The border has changed markedly since Salcido worked in the United States as a "bracero," or migrant farm worker, in the 1950s, when there were no walls between the two neighbors.
The slight, deeply tanned retiree said he was just happy to have seen his son for the first time since the latter left for "the other side."
Salcido and his daughter, grandson and daughter-in-law took a bus 2,000 kilometers from their home state of Durango to this strip of beach at the western end of the border, where dozens of Mexican families reunite each weekend across a translucent wall, closely watched by the US Border Patrol.
"Now we're going home happy," he said.
- Rush for papers -
The Border Patrol lets Mexican immigrants speak with their families across the wall in Friendship Park every Saturday and Sunday morning, no papers required.
It is the only portion of the border where such an arrangement exists.
Olga Soto, who was at the wall to see her son, said she feared what a Trump presidency could bring.
Soto lived in San Diego as an undocumented migrant for years, leaving her 15-year-old son David behind when she returned home in 2012 to care for a sick relative.
If Trump wins the November election, "the only hope will be for my son to get his papers, so he can live wherever he wants," said Soto, 36, holding her cell phone up to the wall so David could speak to his three younger sisters in Mexico.
Farther along the wall, whose columns are decorated with hearts, US flags and graffiti calling for "empathy," Carmen Rosete burst into tears as she reunited with her daughter Liz and met her two grandchildren for the first time.
"I wish I could hug them, I wish I could hold them in my arms. But I can't," sobbed Rosete, 59.
Liz said she feared that even these agonizing visits could be taken away if Trump wins.
"I just thank God we have this," she said.
The United States first began building this wall in 1994, expanding it gradually over the years.
- Risking lives -
On the Tijuana side, the rusting metal bears dozens of wooden crosses with the names of migrants who have died trying to reach their American dream.
At least one migrant dies every day trying to reach the United States, according to activists.
Lorena Tablas, 35, has tried to cross the border six times in the past 10 years.
One time, a "coyote," or trafficker, made her climb a ladder over a stretch of border wall, then tied a long cloth around her and told her to rappel down the other side in under five minutes.
"I got stuck on some bars and got nervous because there are a lot of patrols there," she said at the deportation center in Tijuana, where she vowed to keep trying until she manages to reach New Jersey, where her four children live.
The US has 21,000 Border Patrol agents equipped with sensors and drones, but has not managed to stop the tide of migrants.
Instead, Mexicans and Central Americans fleeing violence and poverty take ever more dangerous routes.
Most of those who die succumb to dehydration in the desert. But the wall has also claimed lives.
A month ago, the Border Patrol in Nogales, Arizona found the body of a Mexican woman who had apparently fallen more than six meters (20 feet) from a border fence, breaking her neck.
Trump's faith in the dissuasive power of a wall is "naive," said Rodulfo Figueroa of Mexico's National Migration Institute.
"The fundamental problem is -- how do we create prosperity in the (migrants') countries of origin," he said.
The new US ambassador to Mexico, Roberta Jacobson, was blunter still: "We don't think that (Trump's wall) is something feasible," she said.
More than 30,000 Mexicans were expelled from the United States through the El Chaparral repatriation center in Tijuana Guillermo Arias (AFP)
Members of the Rosete-Quintana family gather both sides of the U.S. - Mexico border at Playas de Tijuana, northwestern Mexico Guillermo Arias (AFP)
View of the US-Mexico border fences in Tijuana, northwestern Mexico Guillermo Arias (AFP)
Andrew de Leon -- one of the 207,398 Mexicans deported from the US -- poses for a picture in Tijuana, northwestern Mexico Guillermo Arias (AFP)
Walls, barbed wire or other barriers currently divide Mexico and the United States along one-third of their 3,145-kilometer (nearly 2,000-mile) border Guillermo Arias (AFP)
Wooden crosses honoring migrants who died attempting to cross into the United States, hang at the US-Mexico border fence in Tijuana, northwestern Mexico Guillermo Arias (AFP)
US has 21,000 Border Patrol agents equipped with sensors and drones, but has not managed to stop the tide of migrants crossing from Mexico John Moore (Getty/AFP)
US sailor gets 30 months in prison for Okinawa rape
A US sailor who raped a Japanese woman on the southern island of Okinawa was Friday sentenced to 30 months in prison, a court said.
Crimes by American military and civilian personnel have sparked protests on crowded Okinawa for decades, sometimes creating tension between security allies Japan and the United States.
It makes up less than one percent of Japan's total land area but is home to about 75 percent of the space allotted for US bases in the country.
Okinawans on June 17, 2016 protest against the presence of US bases on the island and crimes by US personnel Toru Yamanaka (AFP/File)
The convicted sailor, 24-year-old Justin Castellanos, was arrested in March for allegedly raping the tourist while she was unconscious at a hotel in the Okinawan capital city of Naha.
Castellanos, stationed at a US Marine Corps base on the island, was charged by the local prosecutor's office in April.
A spokesman at Naha District Court told AFP the court handed Castellanos a 30-month jail term, without giving further details.
According to media reports, prosecutors had demanded a four-year term but the court decided on a more lenient sentence.
"It cannot be concluded that he brought her into a room with intent to rape her from the beginning," Presiding judge Jiro Shiomi reportedly said.
But he added that the victim must have felt "a great fear."
Castellanos' arrest happened before the death of a 20-year-old woman allegedly raped and killed in April by a US base civilian worker that prompted a recent spike in anti-US anger.
Tens of thousands rallied on the island in June to protest against the heavy US military presence and violent crimes by its personnel.
Zimbabwe opposition leader backs protest movement
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday hailed a pastor who has led recent protests that have shaken the government of veteran strongman President Robert Mugabe.
Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has not been directly involved in the surge of demonstrations, but the party hopes to benefit from the growing public criticism of Mugabe, 92.
"I want congratulate Pastor (Evan) Mawarire and other pressure groups and other ordinary citizens of this country who continue to send a loud message that the nation is now fed up," Tsvangirai told reporters.
Zimbabwean cleric Evan Mawarire has emerged as leader of a new protest movement against President Robert Mugabe's authoritarian government Jekesai Njikizana (AFP/File)
"I totally applaud what efforts he is making, it is converging with our national efforts. I am very proud of him.
"The nation is hurting and life is tough for everyone outside the parasitic elite."
Mawarire, who was arrested and then released this week over his popular ThisFlag internet campaign, has steered clear of allying with the MDC or any political party in Zimbabwe.
Instead, he has called for national strikes to protest against state corruption and the country's economic collapse that has left government struggling to pay its workers.
"President Mugabe and his government must step down or face popular protest," Tsvangirai said.
"I am giving President Mugabe an opportunity to 'soft-land' this national crisis.
"He will have only himself to blame if citizens take matters in their own hands."
The MDC has been weakened by splits since Tsvangirai joined a power-sharing government with Mugabe from 2009 to 2013, but it held a large protest in Harare earlier this year.
Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, has previously used his ruthless security forces to crack down on any public show of dissent.
A day-long nationwide strike last week closed offices, shops, schools and some government departments.
US and Russia unite over Nice as they debate Syria
The top diplomats of Russia and the United States joined forces to pay tribute to the victims of the Nice attacks Friday as they debated how to end the war in Syria.
Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov took a break from their talks to visit the French embassy in Moscow to sign a book of condolences.
Then they returned to what became a 12-hour marathon of talks and a planned news conference was postponed while the two sides separated to confer privately.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) shakes hands with US Secretary of State John Kerry during their meeting in Moscow, on July 15, 2016 Natalia Kolesnikova (AFP)
Then, both men returned once again to a foreign ministry conference centre and head to head talks resumed -- with officials saying they still expected them to end Friday.
They had begun with a minute's silence for the victims in Nice, after an attack which Kerry cited as underlining the importance of a united front against extremism.
US officials are touting a proposal for closer US-Russian military cooperation in Syria against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State fighters, but Russia has been cool to the idea.
"Nowhere is there a greater hotbed and incubator for these terrorists than in Syria," Kerry said.
"And I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way" to fight terrorism, Kerry said.
"And you and I and your teams are in the enviable position of actually being able to do something about it," he added, addressing Lavrov.
Kerry's meeting with Lavrov followed what the US diplomat said were "serious and frank" talks with Putin on Thursday.
But the Kremlin said direct military cooperation between Moscow and Washington in Syria had not been addressed.
According to a leaked document seen by the Washington Post, Kerry's key proposal is to offer Russia closer US military cooperation against the Al-Nusra Front jihadist group, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.
In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition.
- Time running out -
US officials were careful not to call the talks a last chance for diplomacy to resolve the bloody five-year-old conflict, but they warned time was running out.
Washington blames the failure of the peace process on Assad's ceasefire violations and on Al-Nusra's increasing influence among the surviving rebel factions.
"If we cannot get to a solution that resolves both of those problems we're going to be in a very different place, and the reality is that time is short here," a US official said.
Meanwhile, there was no sign in Damascus that Assad feels under any pressure to agree to talks on a new government, the next stage in the process if a ceasefire is restored.
Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, in an interview broadcast Thursday, Assad insisted Putin and Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure.
"Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the president, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this," he said.
Moscow and Washington and the 22-nation contact group they co-chair have called for a nationwide ceasefire and Geneva-based talks on a "political transition".
A landmark partial ceasefire they brokered in February -- which did not include Islamic State or Al-Nusra -- has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura urged Russia and the United States to push for a resumption of the talks next month.
Russian forces are fighting in support of Assad's regime against a variety of rebel factions while a US-led coalition focuses its fire on the Islamic State group.
Syria's civil war erupted in 2011 when Assad brutally suppressed anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into catastrophe that has left more than 280,000 dead.
Efforts to end the war have taken on greater urgency since the emergence of the Islamic State jihadist group, which seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014.
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited the French embassy in Moscow to sign a book of condolences over the attack in Nice Vasily Maximov (AFP)
French gendarmes stand at the site of the deadly attack on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice on July 15, 2016 Valery Hache (AFP)
Brexit doubts won't slow US-EU trade talks: negotiators
The United States and the European Union said they were forging ahead with trade talks on Friday despite the shock setback of Brexit and rising opposition to the deal in France and Germany.
Negotiators met this week in Brussels for the 14th round of negotiations on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) that would create the world's largest free trade area.
US chief negotiator Dan Mullaney said that Britain's decision to split from the EU raised questions around the deal as Britain represents 25 percent of US exports to the EU.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership project would create the world's largest free trade area John MacDougall (AFP/File)
"The economic and strategic rationales remain strong, but at the same time a withdrawal of the UK from the EU market would affect the value of the EU market," Mullaney said in Brussels.
"The UK is also our largest market globally for services," he added, referring in large part to the huge presence by US firms in the UK's City of London financial hub.
The EU's chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero agreed.
"The decision by the British people in no way delays our determination," said Bercero. "We are now in an advanced stage of negotiations, but of course a lot of work needs to be done."
Both negotiators maintained that the objective was to complete the talks by the close of the Obama administration at the end of the year.
But top diplomats in the EU believe that a suspension of talks until after major elections in the US, France and Germany will be required, though refuse to say so publicly.
Mullaney strongly warned against a suspension of talks.
"It could be quite a while before you could pick up negotiations again," he said.
Mullaney's comments reiterated doubts raised Thursday by the top US trade official.
Britain "is a very significant part of what makes TTIP attractive," said US Trade Representative Michael Froman on Thursday in Washington.
"You have just taken the fifth largest economy in the world... out of the equation," Froman said.
This added to the increasing headwinds in major EU powers Germany and France, where negative attitudes to globalisation are on the rise.
The five days of meetings were often met by anti-globalisation trade activists who protested outside the negotiation venue in central Brussels, drawing a heavy police presence.
More than 700 Iraqi men and boys missing from Fallujah:UN
A total of 738 men and boys remain missing after they were detained by militias backing the Iraqi government offensive to retake Fallujah from Islamic State jihadists, a UN envoy said Friday.
Jan Kubis told the Security Council that the UN mission in Iraq had received credible reports of torture, killings and disappearances by the militias and Iraqi security forces during the Fallujah offensive.
Iraqi forces seized control of Fallujah, a longtime jihadist bastion, in late June, a month after a vast operation was launched.
Members of the Iraqi pro-government forces patrol streets of the city of Fallujah on June 30, 2016 after recapturing it from Islamic State group jihadists Ahmad Al-Rubaye (AFP/File)
UN officials have determined that 95 men remain unaccounted for after they were detained by the Shia militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) on May 25 in the Al Sejar area of northeast Fallujah, Kubis said.
An additional 643 men and boys remain missing after they were picked up by PMF-affiliated forces on June 5 while leaving Saqlawiyah, north of Fallujah, he added.
Kubis said Iraqi authorities must take swift action to identify the whereabouts of these missing men and boys and ensure those responsible for rights violations face justice.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi last month announced the creation of a committee to investigate the allegations of rights violations and serious crimes in Fallujah.
The envoy stressed that "these lessons from Fallujah" must be taken into account as preparations gather steam to retake Mosul, Iraq's second city which has been under IS control since June 2014.
The United Nations estimates that the humanitarian effort from the campaign to retake Mosul will cost up to $1 billion and "will be the largest and most sensitive humanitarian crisis in the world in 2016," said Kubis.
Tunisians, Algerians among dead in Nice attack
At least three Tunisians and three Algerians were among the 84 people killed when a Tunisian-born man ploughed a truck into crowds in the French resort of Nice, officials said Friday.
The attacker, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year-old dual national, zigzagged through a crowd gathered to watch a Bastille Day fireworks display in the French city on Thursday night.
The mother of a four-year-old boy, Tunisian Olfa Bent Souayah, was killed in the attack and her son is still missing, said Tunisia's foreign ministry.
People lay flowers in the street of Nice to pay tribute to the victims the day after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day, killing at least 84 people, on July 15, 2016 Anne-Christine Poujoulat (AFP)
Two Tunisian men, Bilal Labaoui and mechanic Abdelkader Toukabri, were also killed, said the ministry.
Two children from Algeria died in the attack, said Algeria's ministry of foreign affairs.
A 70-year-old Algerian woman who was visiting her daughter in Nice was also killed, said the ministry's spokesman.
The Nice region on the Mediterranean, an hour's flight from Tunis, is home to a large number of Tunisians and Algerians.
Tunisia "forcefully" condemned the attack.
It said the attacker, who police said held dual French-Tunisian citizenship, had committed an act of "extreme cowardice" and expressed solidarity with France against the "scourge of terrorism".
It also said it was opening a judicial enquiry into the attack.
Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi called the attack "a barbarous act that made no difference between religions, no nationalities, nor countries".
"I hope... that we will be able to tackle this terrorism, which is the disease of the century. The best response is solidarity," he said.
Tunisia, like France, has faced a series of jihadist attacks in the past year, killing dozens including 59 foreign tourists.
Tunisia has been in a state of emergency since November 2015.
Tunisian and French citizens are among the top nationalities who have joined jihadist organisations including the Islamic State group.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika expressed his "profound indignation" at the "horrible terrorist attack".
He called for more effective international counter-terrorism efforts.
A man takes a pictures as the truck, riddled with bullets, that was driven by a man through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day is towed away by a breakdown lorry in the French Riviera city of Nice on July 15, 2016 Boris Horvat (AFP)
Death toll hits 38 as Indian Kashmir clashes spread
Two people including a teenager were killed Friday as clashes spread in India-administered Kashmir despite a curfew, with the death toll reaching 38 in a week, officials said.
The teen died, while three protesters were critically wounded, when Indian soldiers opened fire on an angry group that attacked their camp with stones in the frontier Kupwara area, a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP.
"What would the soldiers do? They fired in self-defence," the officer said.
Pakistani supporters of banned organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) shout slogans alongside burning Indian flags during a protest to denounce recent violence by Indian security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir, in Peshawar on July 15, 2016 A Majeed (AFP)
Another young man died when police fired live bullets at a group of protesters who set fire to a police station in the southern village of Yaripora after someone lobbed a grenade wounding five police, one of whom was in a "critical condition" another officer said.
The death of popular rebel leader Burhan Wani in a gunfight with government forces last week sparked clashes in which more than 3,000 people, including about 200 police officers, have been injured.
Protesters have torched armoured vehicles and attacked military camps that dot the restive region, where many deeply resent the presence of an estimated half a million Indian troops.
Fearing large-scale protests after Friday prayers, authorities had warned that nobody except medics and ambulances could be allowed to move on the streets, but government forces at scores of places fired tear gas, pellet shotguns and live bullets at hundreds of demonstrators who defied the curfew, a senior police officer said requesting anonymity.
Internet and mobile networks across large parts of the territory remained suspended for the seventh day running, but the blocks have not stopped the spread of unrest.
It is the worst civilian violence to hit the region since 2010, when mass protests broke out and left 120 dead.
Hospitals in the main city of Srinagar have struggled to cope with the rush of wounded, hundreds of them with severe injuries in their eyes.
New Delhi on Thursday rushed a team of eye specialists to help treat the injured many of whom they said would be partially or fully blind.
"We have not seen these many and these kinds of injuries to eyes anywhere," Dr Sudershan Khokhar, who heads the team of ophthalmologists, told reporters in the city's general hospital where more than 100 eye operations have been performed since Saturday.
Kashmir has been divided between rivals India and Pakistan since 1947, but both claim the territory in its entirety.
Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting since 1989, when the armed rebellion against Indian rule erupted.
As a sign of escalation following Friday's violence the resistance leadership opposed to Indian rule of the disputed Himalayan territory extended an ongoing strike for another three days.
South Africa prosecutors oppose reinstatement of Zuma graft charges
South African state prosecutors on Friday moved to oppose a court order to reinstate almost 800 dropped corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) applied to the country's highest court for leave to appeal a high court ruling to restore the charges, set aside in 2009, shortly before Zuma came to power.
Zuma has battled several corruption scandals while in office. In the run-up to next month's local elections, he has faced growing criticism over record unemployment levels and poor economic growth.
South African President, Jacob Zuma, delivers a speech at the South African Parliament as most of the opposition parties were boycotted or suspended from the sitting, on May 5, 2016, in Cape Town Rodger Bosch (AFP/File)
The 783 charges relate to alleged corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering over a multi-billion dollar arms deal in the 1990s.
"The appeal papers were filed today with the Constitutional Court," an NPA spokeswoman told AFP.
In 2009, state prosecutors justified dropping the charges by saying that tapped phone calls between officials in then-president Thabo Mbeki's administration showed undue interference in the case.
The move cleared the way for Zuma, leader of the African National Congress (ANC) party, to be elected as South Africa's president just weeks later.
The tapped phone recordings, which became known as the "spy tapes", were kept secret until they were released in 2014 after a legal battle fought by the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The DA on Friday accused the NPA of "an endeavour to shield the president" and said it expected the appeal application to fail.
UN court rules Lebanese paper, editor in contempt in Hariri case
A special UN court set up to try the killers of ex Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri convicted a Beirut-based newspaper and its editor of contempt Friday for publishing information about confidential witnesses in the case.
"I find both the accused guilty," said Special Tribunal for Lebanon judge Nicola Lettieri referring to Al Akhbar newspaper and its editor in chief Ibrahim al-Amin
A new hearing will be held Monday to discuss sentencing, he said.
This photo taken on October 11, 2007 shows a Lebanese man reading a copy of al-Akhbar newspaper in Beirut Marwan Naamani (AFP/File)
Al-Amin and the pro-Hezbollah Al Akhbar newspaper each faced a contempt of court charge after they ran two articles in January 2013 with the names and photographs of 32 witnesses in its Arabic print and online editions.
The articles were entitled "STL Leaks: The Prosecution's Surprise Witnesses" and "The STL Witness List: Why We Published".
Several witnesses afterwards feared for their safety after the information was published, Judge Lettieri said at the hearing held at the court's fortress-like headquarters just outside The Hague.
The witnesses were worried that the information would be widely circulated in print and online, not only as STL witnesses, but also as witnesses "whose testimonies would be used to incriminate Hezbollah," the judge said.
"The tribunal puts in balance the freedom of the press and the need to ensure the integrity of the tribunal's work," said Lettieri.
"But freedom of press cannot be used as an impenetrable shield," he added.
Judge Lettieri added: " While I accept that the accused and all media are free to report on the Tribunal's work, and even criticise it, I see no journalistic value or pressing social need in the decision to publish the names, photographs and other fully identifying information of 32 purported confidential witnesses."
Some of the witnesses "suffered a direct and negative impact from their identification in the publications," the judge said.
- Contempt of court -
Hariri and 22 others, including a suspected suicide bomber, died in a massive car bomb blast on the Beirut waterfront on February 14, 2005.
Five suspected members of the powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah were originally indicted by the court and their trial in absentia opened in January 2014 last year.
However, the court earlier this month quashed the case against one of the accused, Hezbollah commander Mustafa Badreddine, who is believed to have died in May.
The others accused are still being tried in absentia.
Earlier this year the STL on appeal acquitted a senior Lebanese television journalist in a similar case involving the alleged publication of witness names in the highly-sensitive trial.
Al-Jadeed television's deputy chief editor, Karma Khayat, had in September last year been cleared of one charge of contempt of court after her station published details of the witnesses.
The television station had also been cleared of all accusations of contempt brought against it.
But Khayat was found guilty by the tribunal on a lesser charge of obstruction of justice for failing to remove the broadcast from the broadcaster's website and social media as ordered.
That charge was dropped on appeal in March.
Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah has dismissed the tribunal as a US-Israeli plot, and vowed that none of the men will ever be caught.
Stench of death hangs over South Sudan capital
The smell of rotting bodies drifts across the central hospital in South Sudan's capital Juba, victims being taken for mass burial, shot during violence threatening a return to all out war.
The latest batch of 17 bodies was collected from the streets after baking in the sun for days, and brought to the hospital's morgue for identification. The corpses were put into body bags then lifted onto a large truck.
They join more than 200 already buried in mass graves by the Red Cross.
Medics from aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) treat patients at a makeshift clinic in the grounds of the Catholic Cathedral in the South Sudanese capital Juba on July 15, 2016 after days of fighting left hundreds dead Peter Martell (AFP)
"We are doing what we can," said Andrea Catta Preta, from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Nearby, Red Cross workers peeled off white protective suits and face masks, kicked off thick black rubber boots and sat dripping sweat in the intense heat, sharing cigarettes after the grim task.
Some sat quietly in the shade of a tree, heads between legs, retching at the foul stench.
- 'They drove a tank through houses' -
As during the much of the civil war that started in December 2013, killings during the latest fighting happened along ethnic lines. Survivors and witnesses reported that gunmen asked what language people spoke and then shot them if it was that of a rival tribe.
Those who fled described wanton destruction.
"They drove a tank through houses," said 27-year old Jacky, a mother of three sheltering in the compound of the St. Theresa Catholic Cathedral. "Mine they burned."
There was widespread looting too and the ransacking of the main warehouse for the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), where more than 4,500 tons of supplies were stored, enough to feed 220,000 people for a month.
There is no precise official toll of how many died, either in the recent fighting in Juba or in the wider war that began in December 2013. Overall, tens of thousands is the best guess.
The latest violence echoed the start of the civil war with fighting starting in Juba, and marks a fresh blow to a struggling peace deal aimed at ending the bitter conflict that began when President Salva Kiir accused ex-rebel and now Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup.
Hundreds died in this last spasm of violence, which began with a shootout at the presidential palace on the eve of South Sudan's fifth anniversary of independence.
Posters celebrating the anniversary are, like the gates of the presidential palace, riddled with bullet marks, the concrete walls they're stuck to pocked with fist-sized holes.
Scorched trees on the main avenue showed the intensity of the battle.
"Sincerely speaking, there are conflicting versions how it began," army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said Friday in his office inside the heavily fortified army headquarters guarded by tanks. Each side has accused the other of starting the fighting, he said.
"What is important, is that we are committed to the peace deal, we are hopeful it can work."
- 'The dead lined the streets' -
Fighting at the presidential palace escalated into battles between two rival armies. For now, Machar's troops "have been pushed out" of the city, Koang said. "We are not pursuing them."
Approaching army headquarters, along a smooth highway towards the outskirts of Juba, signs of the battle were everywhere.
An unfinished six-story building, occupied by Machar's troops, has door sized chunks of concrete smashed out of it by explosions while the tin roofs of nearby houses are punched in by artillery shells.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says at least 300 died in the city where a tense calm has held since a ceasefire on Monday.
Residents who fled said whole districts were left in ruins, with houses torched or simply smashed by tanks.
But Red Cross officials are still trying to access parts of the city hardest hit by the fighting -- which involved tanks and helicopter gunships firing into densely populated areas -- and many fear the number killed could be far higher.
Soldiers said it was some of the most intense fighting they had seen.
"I have been a soldier since I was a child," said 50-year-old Richard Bida, a lieutenant, seeking food handouts at a church in Juba after he too was forced to flee the fighting.
"I have never experienced a battle like that. It was soldier on soldier, and then soldier on civilian. The dead lined the streets."
Thousands of civilians forced to flee intense fighting in the South Sudanese capital Juba wait for aid handouts at the St Theresa Cathedral on July 15, 2016 Peter Martell (AFP)
Air raids kill 11 civilians in east Syria: monitor
Air raids on Friday killed at least 11 civilians in a region of eastern Syria controlled by the jihadist Islamic State group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
"At least 11 civilians -- among them four women and four children -- were killed in Syrian or Russian air raids on the Al-Boulil region that is controlled by the Islamic State group in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor," the Britain-based monitor said.
The area is some 30 kilometres (18 miles) southeast of the provincial capital Deir Ezzor city, which has been largely under IS control since 2013.
A Syrian government forces MiG-23 fighter plane flies east of the Syrian capital Damascus, on February 25, 2016 Amer Almohibany (AFP/File)
Syria's state news agency SANA reported that government aircraft destroyed "two sites containing weapons and military equipment of the Daesh (IS) terrorists" southeast of Deir Ezzor.
IS has been trying to take the entire province, where part of the capital and the military airport are still under the control of government forces.
On Thursday, the jihadist group said it had shot down a regime MiG warplane south of the provincial capital, killing its pilot.
It said the jet had attacked several villages before being targeted and crashing.
The Observatory -- which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information -- said the plane downed on Thursday was the fourth shot down by IS since April.
Elsewhere on Friday, air raids in the northwestern province of Idlib killed another six civilians including two children, the Observatory said.
It said the raids targeted the Abu Zuhur area controlled by the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Al-Nusra Front.
The number of victims "could rise because some of the wounded are in a critical state", it added.
Lovely Professional University Engineering Entrance Examination (LPUNEST) 2022 https://career.webindia123.com/career/dates_and_events/entrance/eng/lovely-professional-university-national-eligibility-and-scholarship-test-lpunest.htm Details of Lovely Professional University Engineering Entrance Examination (LPUNEST) 2022 2022-10-4 2022-10-15 https://career.webindia123.com/career/images/exams.png India India Lovely Professional University Engineering Entrance Examination (LPUNEST) 2022 Engineering
Lovely Professional University Engineering Entrance Examination (LPUNEST) 2022 for admissions to B.Tech Programs
Lovely Professional University Engineering Entrance Examination (LPUNEST) 2022 Category : Engineering Admissions 2022 Published : On October 4, 2022 By Webindia123 Editor
Important Dates
Online Registration opens Ongoing Last date to apply 15th October 2022 Entrance examination dates 04th - 18th October 2022 Slot booking for online examination 15th October 2022 (on or Before) Result Within 24 working hours Last Date of Admission 15th October 2022
Lovely Professional University is conducting National Entrance and Scholarship Test (LPUNEST-2022) for B.Tech aspirants. Students studying in 12th class can apply for LPUNEST-2022. Since its inception in 2009, more than 50,000 students are appearing in this exam (LPUNEST) every year. The Test will be conducted in online mode (Pen and Paper Mode test is not allowed) as per the schedule.
This test will have twofold advantage as it will act as Entrance Test as well as Scholarship Test.
LPUNEST-2022 will provide a gateway to all engineering programmes in LPU and will act as Entrance test for admission in Engineering Programmes at LPU.
LPU envisages to usher an era of accessible and affordable quality higher education to the youth of our country, as on the basis of LPUNEST-2022 score, the university intends to award extensive Scholarship upto ` 7.5 Lac per student.
Eligibility Test: LPUNEST-2022 will provide a gateway to all engineering programs in LPU and will act as Eligibility test for admission in Engineering Programs at LPU
Extensive Scholarship/ Financial Aid: LPU envisages to usher an era of accessible and affordable quality higher education to the youth of our country, as on the basis of LPUNEST-2022 score, the university intends to award extensive Scholarship & Financial Aid upto Rs.7.5 lac per student
Courses Offered :
B.Tech (4 years Program)
B.Tech (Hons.)1 (4 years Programme)
Integrated B.Tech M.Tech (5 Years Programme))2 (Saves 1 year)
Integrated B.Tech MBA (5 Years Programme)2(Saves 1 year)
1 Hons Programmes: Hons. programes of LPU are premium programmes in which students have to meet the additional curriculum requirements. Innovative and creative courses are offered to increase the knowledge and hone the technical skills of the students. Honors students are given preference in students exchange / Foreign Scholarships / visits to the foreign universities whenever offered.
2 Integrated Programme: Earn your Masters Degree after 12th - under LPU Integrated Degree Programmes in five years saving one year of academic engagement without any dilution in course work or standard. Simultaneously you save fee of one year but continue availing scholarship / fee concession throughout the programme.
Streams offered in Engineering:
LPU is offering not only conventional engineering streams but also one of its kind trend setting streams transforming engineering education to leap into the next leg of technology upbeat. Examine the streams below to determine which engineering concentrations appeal to you:
Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE)^
Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)
Information Technology (IT)*#^
Mechanical Engineering (ME)
ME - Mechatronics*#^
Aerospace Engineering*#^
Automobile Engineering (AE)*#^
Civil Engineering (CE)*#^
Electrical Engineering (EE)*#^
Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE)#^
Electronics and Computer Engineering*#^
Biotechnology (BT)^
Food Technology*#^
Biomedical Engineering*#^
Chemical Engineering (CHE)*#^
CHE - Petroleum*#^
* Information Technology, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Food Technology, Automobile Engineering (AE), Biomedical Engineering, ME - Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, Electronics and Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering (CHE), CHE - Petroleum streams are not offered in Honors programme.
# Information Technology, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Food Technology, Automobile Engineering (AE), Biomedical Engineering, ME - Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE), Electronics and Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering (CHE), CHE - Petroleum streams are not offered in Integrated B.Tech.- M.Tech. programme.
^ Information Technology, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, ME - Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, Electronics & Computer Engineering, Biotechnology, Food Technology, Automobile Engineering (AE), Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering (CHE), CHE - Petroleum streams are not offered in Integrated B.Tech.- MBA programme.
Eligibility :
Only Indian Nationals are eligible to apply for LPUNEST-2022
Applicants appearing for LPUNEST-2022 should have either completed or shall be appearing in 2019, in final examination of 10+2 from Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE, New Delhi) or The Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (ICSE, New Delhi) or State Board or any other Council, Institution, college etc. declared recognised by Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE), New Delhi or any other concerned apex body as applicable.
Pass with 60% aggregate marks in 10+2 or equivalent (with Physics, Mathematics and English)* subject to qualifying LPUNEST-2022
* For B.Tech. Biotechnology (BT), B.Tech. (Food Technology), B.Tech. (Biomedical Engineering), B.Tech. Biotechnology (Hons.) and Integrated B.Tech. Biotechnology (BT) - M.Tech.
Subjects considered: Physics, Chemistry, English & either Maths or Biology or Biotechnology; other things remaining same as above.
* For B.Tech. Chemical Engineering (CHE) and B.Tech. (CHE - Petroleum)
Subjects considered: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and English; other things remaining same as above.
Admission Procedure :
Application form will be in a format that can be processed by Optical Mark Reader (OMR).
Cost of LPUNEST-2022 Kit (Application Form ) is
Through online - Rs. 700 (for boys) and Rs. 400 (for girls)
Through offline - Rs. 700 (for both boys and girls)
Application fee once paid will not be refunded.
Option-I: Without Purchasing LPUNEST-2022 Kit (Online)
Applicant can apply for LPUNEST-2022 without purchasing LPUNEST-2022 Kit.
Online Application : Apply through the University Website (Internet banking facility required).
Fill the application form at www.lpu.in
Pay Rs. 700 (for boys) and Rs. 400 (for girls) through online payment when prompted.
Note: For online application, Applicant should have Internet Banking facility through Net banking / Debit card / Credit card.
Printout of the computer generated application should be retained by the applicant for reference.
Option-II: After Purchasing LPUNEST-2022 Kit
Applicant may obtain LPUNEST-2022 Kit from University Campus/ Camp Offices or any other prescribed place by paying cash of Rs. 700 (for both boys and girls). Once the applicant has obtained the LPUNEST-2022 kit, form can be submitted by one of the following methods:
Manual:
a) Fill the full application form (OMR sheet) after reading all the instructions as specified in Instructions for filling Application Form (OMR sheet) in LPUNEST booklet.
Semi-Online Application: In case applicant does not want to send the hard copy of purchased application form:
a) Applicant should have
i) Fill the application form at www.lpu.in
ii) When asked, Click Yes if you have purchased the LPUNEST Kit. Fill the OMR sheet No. and Unique OMR code, in the given space.
iii) Submit and save the copy of completed application form for your reference
All our correspondence including centre booking and issue of e-hall ticket/ Appointment Letter/ Admit Card details will be through email only. Therefore, the applicants are requested to get ready with valid email id and mobile number for contact. No separate communication will be done for the same.
Incomplete Applications:
Incomplete application (For example: Declaration not signed, DD not enclosed, DD wrongly drawn, Photographs not affixed on the application etc.) will not be processed. LPU will not take responsibility to inform these applicants. Such applicants will not be able to access the Online Slot Management System
Applicants are hence advised to ensure that the application is duly filled and dispatched along with other enclosures complete in all respects
Test Centres :
Andaman & Nicobar
Andhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh
Goa
Gujarat
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
Jharkhand
Karnataka
Kerala
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
Manipur
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Nagaland
New Delhi
Orissa
Puducherry
Punjab
Rajasthan
Sikkim
Tamilnadu
Telangana
Tripura
Utter Pradesh
Uttarakhand
West Bengal
More Details can be available from the institute website.
Contact Details Address : Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar-Delhi, G.T. Road,
Phagwara, Punjab (INDIA) -144411. Phone : +91-1824-404404 Fax : Mobile : E-mail : - Website : nest.lpu.in
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Yemen peace talks delayed until Saturday: UN
A new round of talks to end the war in Yemen has been delayed by a day and is now expected to start on Saturday, the UN spokesman said.
The talks were pushed back while UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed was in Riyadh to try to persuade Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to come to the negotiating table.
Negotiators from the Huthi rebels and former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's political party were already in Kuwait awaiting the arrival of the government delegation.
Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi (C-back) delivers a speech to army commanders and local officials during a surprise visit to inspect troops in Yemen's loyalist-held eastern city of Marib, on July 10, 2016 Abdullah Al-Qadry (AFP/File)
"We will see whether we can get both delegations so that we can get the talks started," UN spokesman Farhan Haq said on Friday.
"If there is any further delay, we can let you know at that time, but right now what we are anticipating is a start tomorrow," he added.
Yemen's president on Sunday warned that his government would boycott the talks if the UN envoy insists on a peace deal that would provide for a unity government that includes the insurgents.
Hadi accused the Iran-backed Huthis of trying to "legitimize their coup d'etat" and warned he would not allow Yemen to be "turned into a Persian state."
More than 6,400 people have died in Yemen since a Saudi-led coalition intervened in support of Hadi's government in March last year.
The coalition launched an air campaign to push back Huthi rebels after they seized the capital Sanaa and many other parts of the country.
There has been growing international alarm over the heavy civilian toll in Yemen, where 80 percent of the population is in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
Ugandan army evacuates nationals from Juba
Uganda began late Friday repatriating its nationals evacuated from Juba, the battle-scarred capital of neighbouring South Sudan, a spokesman said.
As night fell, heavily-laden motorcycle taxis led a long convoy escorted by Ugandan armoured trucks mounted with machine guns as it crossed into Uganda at the Nimule border post, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of Juba.
At least 300 people were killed in the city between July 8 and 11 during clashes pitting government forces against former rebels.
A convoy of around 50 Ugandan trucks escorted by machine gun-mounted armoured vehicles crossed the border at Nimule to open up a secure corridor for fleeing civilians Isaac Kasamani (AFP)
The evacuees were crammed into private, military and police buses and trucks piled high with jerry cans, mattresses and plastic chairs.
They cheered Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who on Thursday sent 2,000 troops into South Sudan to carry out the evacuation.
"About 1,000 evacuees are expected to arrive in a convoy of official and private vehicles," Patrick Okema, the police spokesman in northern Uganda told AFP.
"The convoy consists of about 200 vehicles in total: 42 official vehicles that left Uganda yesterday and the remainder private vehicles that have joined the convoy," he said.
"We expect that the convoy will return to South Sudan again tomorrow on another evacuation mission," he added.
According to the UN refugee agency, there are some 20,000 people in the Nimule area who want to cross over to Uganda, but most were stopped by South Sudanese soldiers who also stripped and beat some of them, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
Uganda's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem dismissed suggestions that Kampala planned to use the evacuation as cover for resuming the military support it provided Kiir during the civil war.
"We have a responsibility to evacuate more than 4,000 Ugandans in South Sudan. We have helped evacuate Germans, Chinese and other nationalities alongside Ugandans. We are there for a humanitarian cause not to fight," he said.
"If our army was going there (to stay) I would tell the world without fear. So it's rubbish, rubbish, rubbish to say we are deploying in South Sudan to fight for any party in the conflict," he insisted.
Uganda withdrew its troops from South Sudan at the end of 2015.
Medics from aid agency Doctors Without Borders treat patients at a makeshift clinic in the grounds of the Catholic Catherdral in the South Sudanese capital Juba on July 15, 2016 Peter Martell (AFP)
US reveals suspicions of Saudi ties to 9/11
The United States probed links between the government of Saudi Arabia and the 9/11 attacks, finding multiple suspicions but no proven ties, declassified documents showed.
Part of a Congressional report that had been kept under wraps for more than a decade showed US intelligence believed that Saudi officials may have had multiple contacts with some of the 9/11 hijackers.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens.
The 9/11 Memorial site in New York Andrew Burton (Getty/AFP/File)
The findings however show no smoking gun for Saudi involvement, but rather an inability to "identify definitively" Saudi links to attacks on US soil and global terror.
"While in the United States, some of the 9/11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government," the declassified document said.
One individual on the US East Coast, believed to be from the Saudi interior ministry, raised suspicions when appearing to fake a seizure during FBI questioning about his links to a hijacker.
He was later released from hospital and managed to flee the country before he could be questioned again.
Intelligence also turned up suggestions that Osama bin Laden's half-brother worked at the Saudi embassy in Washington and was associated with a friend to Egyptian hijack leader Mohammed Atta.
In California, a suspected Saudi intelligence operative was believed to have provided "substantial assistance" to two other hijackers.
The phone book of an Al-Qaeda operative captured in Pakistan meanwhile pointed to US contacts, notably a company which managed a Colorado property of the then Saudi ambassador.
Responding to the report, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said that these suspicions had been investigated in the interim years and debunked.
"None of it has proven to be substantiated in any way," Jubeir told reporters in Washington. "The matter is now finished."
"We hope that with the release of these pages, the aspersions that have been cast against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past 14 years will come to an end."
White House press secretary Josh Earnest appeared to back up that claim.
"This material was investigative material that was reviewed and followed up on by the independent 9/11 Commission," Earnest said.
"They don't shed any new light or change any of the conclusions about responsibility for the 9/11 attacks."
- 'Unacceptable' intel gaps -
The year-long Congressional investigation also expressed anger about gaps in US intelligence about Saudi Arabia's possible links to terror, deeming them "unacceptable" given the "magnitude and immediacy of the potential risk to US national security."
Former president George W. Bush had ordered that part of the report be classified.
Bush's administration had cited the need to protect the methods and identities of US intelligence sources.
But there was also concern that the report could damage relations with an important Middle Eastern ally and oil exporter.
President Barack Obama had decided to declassify the so-called "28 pages."
The revelations are likely to prompt a fresh round of handwringing about Washington's close ties with Riyadh and Saudi Arabia's role in fostering violent extremism.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir holds a press conference in Washington, DC, on July 15, 2016, following the release of 28 pages of a 9/11 Congressional report Nicholas Kamm (AFP)
Turkey frees five in January Istanbul IS attack trial: report
A Turkish court on Friday released five out of 18 defendants on the first day of the trial for the January bomb attack blamed on Islamic State jihadists which killed 12 German tourists in Istanbul, local media reported.
A Syrian suicide bomber targeted the heart of the city's Sultanahmet district, popular with tourists and home to the Blue Mosque, in the January 12 attack which left 16 others injured.
Former prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said at the time that the suicide bomber, named as Nabil Fadli, was a member of the Islamic State (IS) group.
A man lights a candle at a makeshift memorial with flowers and a Turkish and a Syrian flag in tribute to the victims of yesterday deadly attack, on January 13, 2016 on the site of the attack in Istanbul Ozan Kose (AFP)
The five men were released by an Istanbul court on Friday because of the nature of their alleged offences, the available evidence and the length of time in custody, Dogan news agency reported.
The court said that the defendants faced the possibility that their charges could be changed as well, Dogan said.
The five men were named by the news agency as Mustafa Sraiwel, Muhannad Hendawi, Ibrahim El Ibrahim, Muhammed Izghib and Muhammet Isa. The nationalities were not given.
The court imposed a travel ban on the five men while thirteen other suspects were ordered to remain in custody.
The defendants all denied the charges.
In total, Turkish authorities arrested 26 suspects in connection with the attack on a German tourist group.
The court heard from various defendants insisting they had no links to Islamic militants.
One man named by Dogan as Halil Dervis admitted he helped Fadli cross the border into Turkey but denied having any links to IS.
During the hearing, Hendawi said that Fadli told him he was studying to be a dental technician as he said that he had only met the attacker once in a restaurant, the news agency reported.
The trial was adjourned to September 5.
Turkey has suffered numerous attacks in the last 12 months blamed on IS extremists, including the triple suicide bombing on June 28 at the country's biggest airport.
Forty-seven people were killed and 200 injured after the gun and bomb attacks at Istanbul Ataturk airport. The country has also been hit by deadly attacks blamed on Kurdish militants.
Israel PM urges Abbas to sack aide over 'murder call'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday called on Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to fire one of his advisers whom he accused of calling for Israelis to be murdered.
In a video posted on YouTube and subtitled in Arabic, Netanyahu speaking in English urged Abbas to dismiss Sultan Abu al-Einein.
Late last month, asked by the Palestinian news site Dunya al-Watan about Palestinian leaders taking part in conferences in Israel, Einein said: "If you ask me my position in theory, I would answer that as soon as there is an Israeli, cut his throat."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opens the weekly cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem's office on July 3, 2016 Gali Tibbon (AFP/File)
Referring to a Palestinian taking part in a conference in Israel, he added that "he has my full confidence he carried our voice to them (the Israelis).
"It is essential to maintain relations with this society so it is not held hostage by a group of extremist settlers."
Netanyahu in his YouTube video demanded that the adviser be sacked.
"Your adviser, Sultan Abu al-Einein, recently called to slit the throat of every Israeli. Three days later, a Palestinian terrorist turned these words into action when he slit the throat of a 13-year-old beautiful girl, Hallel Yaffa Ariel, as she slept," the Israeli premier said.
"I ask that you fire this adviser because advocating genocide is not consistent with peace."
On June 30, a 19-year-old Palestinian stabbed the US-Israeli teenager at her home in the Kiryat Arba settlement in the south of the occupied West Bank before being shot dead by guards.
"It is our people who are massacred every day by the Israelis under the direct orders of the Israeli government," Einein responded in a statement.
He also denounced "rabbis who call for Palestinians to be killed" and Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked "who calls for Palestinian women and Palestinian children in their mothers' wombs to be killed".
Netanyahu accused the Palestinian Authority of paying the perpetrators of deadly attacks on Israeli civilians and financially supporting their families.
"This money provides direct incentive to commit terror," he said.
"I ask that you stop paying murderers and instead use this money to fund co-existence education teach tolerance, not terror."
US officials to probe police response to Orlando attack
The US Justice Department announced Friday plans to launch an inquiry into the police response that followed last month's Orlando gay nightclub massacre that left 49 dead and 53 wounded.
The agency's unit dedicated to supporting community policing through grant funding and other assistance said it would conduct a "comprehensive after-action assessment" of the Orlando Police Department's response to the June 12 mass shooting, after a request by its chief, John Mina.
"The lessons learned from this independent, objective and critical review of such a high-profile incident will benefit not only the Orlando Police Department and its community," said Justice Department Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) chief Ronald Davis.
Police stand behind a crime scene tape near the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub on in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016 Mandel Ngan (AFP/File)
"It will also serve to provide all law enforcement critical guidance and recommendations for responding to future such incidents."
Lone gunman Omar Mateen a 29-year-old American of Afghan descent opened fire at about 2:00 am in the Pulse nightclub before taking hostages in a bathroom.
After Mateen took the hostages, three hours passed as he remained in contact with police negotiators, who blasted their way into the club around 5:00 am.
Mateen was ultimately killed in the crossfire.
Five weeks following the attack, several questions remain unanswered concerning the police intervention. It is still unclear whether law enforcement inadvertently caused casualties after ramming the outside of the club with an armored vehicle and setting off explosives.
The Justice Department announcement refrained from suggesting that police may have wounded or killed any of the victims.
France proposes 200-strong UN police force for Burundi
France presented a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on Friday that calls for deploying up to 228 UN police to Burundi to monitor human rights and help quell violence in the African country.
The draft measure, obtained by AFP, said the force would be deployed in Bujumbura and throughout Burundi for an initial period of one year, but that the size and mandate could change if violence worsens.
It remains unclear whether the government of Burundi would give its consent for the deployment, which would be required for the UN force to be dispatched.
Burundi police officers guard the scene where the vehicle driven by late Burundi minister Hafsa Mossi was stored for forensic investigation, after the murder of the close ally of President Pierre Nkurunziza on July 13, 2016 in the capital, Bujumbura Onesphore Nibigira (AFP/File)
Bujumbura has said it would not accept more than 50 UN police officers, but negotiations are ongoing on the proposed larger force.
Russia and Egypt have said they will support a UN police force only if the Bujumbura government agrees to its deployment.
The UN police force would be tasked with monitoring security and human rights in coordination with African Union rights observers and military experts.
Burundi has agreed to allow 100 AU rights observers and 100 AU military experts into the country to monitor the crisis, but fewer than 50 have in fact begun work on the ground.
The draft resolution urges the government to speed up the deployment of the AU monitors and to enter into dialogue with all opposition groups including "those outside the country" to end the crisis.
Political talks scheduled to open this week in Tanzania collapsed when the government refused to sit down with some opponents in exile.
The Security Council is under pressure to take action in Burundi, where the descent into violence has raised fears of mass atrocities, similar to those that convulsed neighboring Rwanda in 1994.
Burundi has been in turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans in April last year to run for a third term, which he went on to win.
More than 500 people have died, many of them in extrajudicial killings blamed on Burundian police, security forces and militias linked to the ruling party, according to the United Nations.
At least 270,000 people have fled the country.
The French text builds on a resolution adopted in April that asked UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to come up with options for the new police force.
Ban had proposed three options ranging from a full force of 3,000 officers to a light dispatch of 20 to 50, and warned that the situation in Burundi remained "alarmingly precarious."
Blair, Bush, Clinton advocate cooperation at forum
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Tony Blair and the two U.S. presidents he worked with as Britain's prime minister said Thursday they're worried about the growing divisiveness that is making it harder for people to work together to find solutions.
Blair swapped stories with former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush as the three former world leaders addressed graduates of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. Sixty-one people graduated from the program, which is a partnership among the two former presidents' libraries along with George H.W. Bush's and Lyndon B. Johnson's.
During a question-and-answer session moderated by former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, Blair said he worried that technology is making it easier for people to remain fragmented.
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush celebrate with the Presidential Leadership Scholars during their graduation on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
"One of the first things you learn as a leader in politics is those who shout loudest don't necessarily deserve to be heard most," Blair said at the forum at Little Rock Central High School. "But the way our debate goes at the moment is there's a lot of loud mouthing in the way the debate takes place."
The three avoided commenting directly on the presidential race, which pits presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Bush's brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, ran unsuccessfully against the billionaire for the GOP nomination and the former president has been critical of Trump.
And Blair, who planned another speech in Little Rock on Friday, didn't mention a British inquiry that sharply criticized him for his role in leading the country into the Iraq war advocated by Bush.
Clinton, who planned to headline a fundraiser for Arkansas Democrats on Friday night, complained about the way he said people are being demeaned by others if they don't agree on certain issues.
"You can never run a successful society based on the de-legitimization of people as people just because they disagree with you," Clinton said.
Bush said he believed it was important to strengthen institutions, citing the presidency as an example.
"One of the things I admire about the presidency is the presidency is more important than the occupant because, believe it or not, both of us have got strengths and weaknesses," Bush said. "And yet the institutional protections against the weaknesses are important for our country."
Blair praised the former U.S. presidents, citing Clinton's leadership during the war in Kosovo and Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"One thing I observed about both of them is at the supreme moments of test they put the interests of their country and the broader interest of the world above anything else," Blair said.
The former world leaders also swapped jokes, including when Bush warned about letting presidential libraries get dull.
"I mean, have you ever been to the Franklin Pierce Library?" Bush asked.
When Clinton raised his hand, Bush quipped: "No wonder you carried New Hampshire."
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Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair speaks during the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation on Thursday, July 14, 2016 at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush celebrate with the Presidential Leadership Scholars during their graduation on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Former President Bill Clinton speaks during the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation on Thursday, July 14, 2016 at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/ Gareth Patterson)
Trump supporters sue California city for after-rally attacks
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Fourteen California Donald Trump supporters filed a civil rights lawsuit Thursday, saying that San Jose's police failed to protect them from violent protesters after a campaign rally last month.
The lawsuit is seeking class-action status on behalf of all Trump supporters who were attacked after the June 2 campaign rally in downtown San Jose. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
The supporters are represented by lawyer Harmeet Dhillon, who is vice chair of the California Republican Party.
File - In this June 2, 2016 file photo a woman wipes egg off her face after being pursued by protesters while leaving Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign rally in San Jose, Calif. Fourteen California Donald Trump supporters filed a civil rights lawsuit Thursday, July 14, 2016, saying that San Jose's police failed to protect them from violent protesters after a campaign rally last month. The lawsuit is seeking class-action status on behalf of all Trump supporters who were attacked after the June 2 campaign rally in downtown San Jose. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)
The lawsuit says that San Jose police's response to mounting attacks on Trump supporters was tepid and tardy. San Jose police arrested 20 people after the melee and said two dozen people reported assaults.
City attorney Rick Doyle said he hasn't seen the lawsuit and couldn't comment on it. But Doyle said it appeared the police acted appropriately and "protected a lot of people from getting hurt."
Doyle said the police "did all they could do, and it's not fair to bash them."
Police in riot gear stood their ground for about 90 minutes as violence escalated before breaking up scuffles and making arrests.
San Jose police Chief Eddie Garcia the next day commended his officers' response to the violence, saying the 250 officers on hand showed "discipline and restraint."
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, a Democrat and Hillary Clinton supporter, criticized Trump for coming to cities and igniting problems that local police departments had to address. "At some point Donald Trump needs to take responsibility for the irresponsible behavior of his campaign," Liccardo told The Associated Press the night of the rally.
Dhillon, the supporters' attorney, said Thursday that those and other public comments from top city officials show "that their inaction was colored by political viewpoint considerations."
Man, 69, convicted of four-decade-old Hollywood murder
LOS ANGELES (AP) A 69-year-old man has been convicted of killing a woman during a Hollywood apartment robbery nearly 44 years ago.
Authorities say Harold Holman was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder and could face life in prison.
He's already serving 45 years for killing a Santa Monica couple and for a string of high-rise residential burglaries in the 1980s.
Prosecutors say that in August 1972, Holman bludgeoned to death a 79-year-old widow, Helen Meyler, in her bed in a second-floor Hollywood apartment. She was robbed and sexually assaulted.
Homeowner sued for $25 million over California wildfire
LOS ANGELES (AP) The federal government sued a homeowner for nearly $25 million on Thursday, contending his negligence sparked a 2013 fire in the mountains east of Los Angeles that forced 5,000 people from their homes.
The lawsuit says that a short in a poorly maintained electrical junction box sparked a blaze in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs that charred more than 27,500 acres of brush and timber about 43 square miles and at one point threatened the town of Idyllwild.
Investigators determined that the lid of the plastic box containing wires was warped and ajar, the lawsuit said.
FILE- In this June 2, 2013, file photo, a firefighting helicopter carries a large water bucket behind a home that has been destroyed by a fire in Lake Hughes, Calif. The federal government sued a homeowner for nearly $25 million on Thursday, July 14, 2016, contending his negligence sparked a 2013 fire in the mountains east of Los Angeles that forced 5,000 people from their homes. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)
"As a result, an electrical discharge inside the box shot sparks and hot material out of the box and onto dry ground vegetation below," according to the lawsuit.
"Property owners and their agents have a responsibility to ensure that property under their control is maintained in a safe fashion," U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker said in a statement.
The fire endangered "countless lives, including those of firefighters who battle these large-scale blazes," she said.
The lawsuit, which alleges negligence and violations of California law, was filed in Los Angeles one day before the third anniversary of the fire's eruption. It names Saudi businessman and homeowner Tarek M. Al-Shawaf and two caretakers he employed at his home, known as Gibraltar West, in the community of Mountain Center.
The lawsuit was filed after Al-Shawaf and the caretakers failed to pay the costs of firefighting and fire damage demanded by the government, according to the lawsuit.
But James R. Lance, attorney for Al-Shawaf and the caretakers, denied that his clients had a role in starting the fire.
"Our investigation indicates the fire did not start as alleged in the lawsuit filed today by the federal government," Lance said in an email to the Los Angeles Times. "Our clients are not responsible for starting the fire or the damages caused by the fire."
The fire burned for more than two weeks in and around San Bernardino National Forest. More than 3,000 firefighters, 250 fire engines and 30 aircraft fought the blaze.
Australian Olympic officials ban wrestler over doping
SYDNEY (AP) The Australian Olympic Committee has asked Wrestling Australia to withdraw the nomination of Vinod Kumar for the Rio de Janeiro Games over a doping violation.
The AOC on Friday said Kumar tested positive in April at the African/Oceania Olympic qualifier in Algeria where he won a silver medal, and both his A and B samples were positive. It did not name the drug.
The AOC said Kumar had been suspended for four years, but had 30 days to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
It also said the international federation, United World Wrestling, had advised they will reallocate Kumar's position in the 66-kilogram Greco-Roman weight division to an athlete from another country.
Some of the most recent major attacks in Europe
The deadly attack Thursday at a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, is the latest in a string of attacks in Europe in recent years. Here are some of the most recent major ones:
July 14, 2016: A truck plows through Bastille Day revelers in Nice, killing dozens of people.
March 22, 2016: Suicide attacks on the Brussels airport and subway kill 32 and injure hundreds. The perpetrators have been closely linked to the group that carried out the attacks in Paris.
Police officers secure the scene of an attack after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. A spokesman for France's Interior Ministry says there are likely to be "several dozen dead" after a truck drove into a crowd of revelers celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice. (AP Photo/Christian Alminana)
Nov. 13, 2015: Islamic State-linked extremists attack the Bataclan concert hall and other sites across Paris, killing 130 people. A key suspect in the attack, 26-year-old Salah Abdeslam, is arrested in Brussels on March 18, 2016.
Feb. 14, 2015: A gunman kills Danish filmmaker Finn Noergaard and wounds three police officers in Copenhagen. A day later the gunman, Omar El-Hussein, attacks a synagogue, killing a Jewish guard and wounding two police officers before being shot dead.
Jan. 7-9, 2015: A gun assault on the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and an attack on a kosher grocery store kills 17 people. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for the attack, saying it was in revenge for Charlie Hebdo's depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.
May 24, 2014: Four people are killed at the Jewish Museum in Brussels by an intruder with a Kalashnikov. The accused is a former French fighter linked to the Islamic State group in Syria.
May 22, 2013: Two al-Qaida-inspired extremists run down British soldier Lee Rigby in a London street, then stab and hack him to death.
March 2012: A gunman claiming links to al-Qaida kills three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three paratroopers in Toulouse, southern France.
July 22, 2011: Anti-Muslim extremist Anders Behring Breivik plants a bomb in Oslo then launches a shooting massacre on a youth camp on Norway's Utoya island, killing 77 people, many of them teenagers.
Nov. 2, 2011: The offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris are firebombed after the satirical magazine runs a cover featuring a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad. No one is injured.
March 2, 2011: Islamic extremist Arid Uka shoots dead two U.S. airmen and injures two others at Frankfurt airport after apparently being inspired by a fake internet video purporting to show American atrocities in Afghanistan.
July 7, 2005: 52 commuters are killed in London when four al Qaida-inspired suicide bombers blow themselves up on three subway trains and a bus.
March 11, 2004: Bombs on four Madrid commuter trains in the morning rush hour kill 191 people.
A Police car is parked near the scene of an attack after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. A spokesman for France's Interior Ministry says there are likely to be "several dozen dead" after a truck drove into a crowd of revelers celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice. (AP Photo/Christian Alminana)
Top US Navy admiral to visit China, discuss South China Sea
BEIJING (AP) The U.S. Navy's top admiral is making a three-day visit to China and meeting with his Chinese counterpart at a time when Beijing has rejected an international tribunal's ruling that invalidated its expansive claims in the South China Sea.
Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, will meet the commander of the People's Liberation Army's Navy, Adm. Wu Shengli, during his trip to the Chinese capital of Beijing and the port city of Qingdao starting Sunday.
Richardson is scheduled to visit the Chinese navy's headquarters in Beijing and meet with other senior defense officials. He will visit the navy's submarine academy and tour the aircraft carrier, Liaoning, when he is in its home port of Qingdao.
They will discuss the South China Sea, ongoing Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, military drills, and ways to boost interactions between the two militaries.
The visit comes as China has warned other countries against threatening its security in the South China Sea after a five-member tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled that China had no legal basis for its claim to most of the South China Sea. Beijing has responded to the ruling by asserting that the islands in the South China Sea are "China's inherent territory."
Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said Wednesday that Beijing could declare an air defense identification zone over the waters if it felt threatened.
China's island development in the South China Sea has inflamed regional tensions, including with nations that have competing claims to the land formations. Most fear that Beijing, which has built airfields and placed weapons systems on the man-made islands, will use the construction to extend its military reach and perhaps try to restrict navigation.
Woman who pointed out alleged rapist is sentenced in killing
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) Norma Patricia Esparza was a Southern California college student in 1995 when she says she was raped by a man she met at a bar.
Weeks later, she went back to the same spot and pointed him out to her ex-boyfriend. He and two others followed Gonzalo Ramirez out of the bar, kidnapped him and hacked him to death with a meat cleaver, authorities say.
For the next 17 years, the killing went unsolved and Esparza built her life, earning a doctorate, working as a psychology professor in Switzerland and serving as a consultant to the World Health Organization. She started a family.
Norma Patricia Esparza sits during her sentencing hearing with her attorney, Jack Earley on Friday, July 15, 2016, in Santa Ana, Calif. Esparza a former psychology professor was sentenced Friday to six years in prison for the 1995 killing of a man she says raped her while she was a Southern California college student. Esparza, pleaded guilty in 2014 to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for the sentence in the death of Gonzalo Ramirez. She did not speak as she was sentenced with two co-defendants. (AP Photo/Amy Taxin)
But police didn't stop investigating, and they arrested Esparza and the others in 2012. She insisted she was innocent but later accepted a plea deal. On Friday, 21 years after the killing, Esparza was sentenced to six years in prison for her role.
She was not there when Ramirez was killed, but Esparza, now 41, pointed him out to his assailants, said her attorney, Jack Earley.
"She has come to the point of accepting what happened and her responsibility for not coming forward sooner," he said.
It comes after the case drew international attention after Esparza's arrest and prompted an outcry from sexual assault victims' advocates, who said the case sent a chilling message to rape survivors.
After she told Gianni Van that Ramirez had raped her, Van and two others followed and rear-ended Ramirez in his vehicle, then attacked, kidnapped and killed him, dumping his body on the side of a road in Irvine, authorities said.
Co-defendant Diane Tran also was sentenced Friday to four years in prison but freed based on time already served. Another co-defendant, Shannon Gries, got a term of 25 years to life, and told the court he would spend the time trying to make amends to Ramirez's family.
"It torments us to think of each stab, each hack and blow that he received while being tied without being able to defend himself," said a letter from one of Ramirez's brothers that a prosecutor read at the hearing.
Outside court, Senior Deputy District Attorney Mike Murray said he was disappointed that the defendants didn't acknowledge their roles in the killing.
"It didn't just happen. They murdered Gonzalo Ramirez, and I didn't hear one of them take responsibility for that," he told reporters.
Esparza's husband, Jorge Mancillas, told reporters in 2013 that his wife had told Van about the rape and Van took matters into his own hands. Esparza was forced into a sham marriage with Van to keep her from speaking out when police began investigating the killing, Mancillas said.
Esparza pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2014, hoping to reunite later with her young daughter. As part of the deal, she testified against Van, who was sentenced last year to life without parole.
Esparza's friend Eloisa Martinez said outside court Friday that she hoped the case would encourage more victims to report rape to authorities. She did not bring her assault allegations to police when she was a college student.
List of Christie allies tied to Port Authority schemes grows
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) A growing list of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's allies have pleaded guilty or have been charged in schemes involving their relationships at the powerful agency that runs airports, bridges and tunnels in New York and New Jersey, though Christie, a close ally of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald, faces no accusations of wrongdoing.
David Samson, a mentor to Christie who the Republican governor tapped as chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, pleaded guilty Thursday to using his position to pressure United Airlines to reinstate a flight from Newark to Columbia, South Carolina, to make it easier to get to his vacation home.
Jamie Fox, a former lobbyist for United who Christie later named to a Cabinet post, was charged by federal prosecutors with soliciting the bribe. Fox's attorney says he will fight the charge.
David Samson, center, former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey chairman, leaves Federal Court after a hearing Thursday, July 14, 2016, in Newark, N.J. Samson pleaded guilty Thursday to using his post to get United Airlines to run direct flights to South Carolina so that he could more easily visit his vacation home.(AP Photo/Mel Evans)
The news puts Christie's judgment center stage with Democrats calling it into question and Republicans defending him just as the party's convention in Cleveland is about to unfold next week and as the governor is set to deliver a speech there.
A longtime friend of Trump's, Christie is heading his White House transition team. He was a finalist to become Trump's vice presidential running mate before Trump chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence Friday. Christie is also a New Jersey delegate for Trump and is leading the delegation to Cleveland next week.
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NOT CHARGED
Samson was head of the Port Authority when two former allies of the governor were accused of shutting down lanes to the George Washington Bridge as part of a political retribution scheme. Neither Samson nor Christie were charged in that case. A third Christie appointee has pleaded guilty in that case, which is expected to go to trial in September.
Christie denied any wrongdoing and was cleared by a taxpayer-funded legal inquiry. U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said there's no evidence he had anything to do with the bribery scheme Samson pleaded to.
But the bridge scandal in particular put a cloud over Christie's political future. Democrats then and now have seized on both cases to criticize Christie.
"It undermines the already eroded confidence the public has that government is being operated for their benefit," said New Jersey Assemblyman John Wisniewski, a Democrat who helped lead a committee that investigated the bridge case. "The governor is either a bad judge of character when it comes to making high level appointments or is not as forthcoming as he'd like us to believe."
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NO CONFIDENCE LOST
Christie's approval ratings are at record lows in New Jersey, but some Republicans are behind him and point to the lack of charges as evidence that the governor has been put in a bind by misguided aides.
Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick says the public should "absolutely not" lose confidence in Christie over the bridge case or Samson's guilty plea.
He cited the fact that the governor appoints hundreds of people to positions in state government and blamed the media for unfairly concentrating on the scandal.
"It's very difficult these days to be an elected official, especially the governor," Bramnick said. "The system is not perfect. But I don't think that should cast aspersions on the governor."
Dale Florio, a former local Republican chairman in New Jersey and a Trump delegate to the convention, defended Christie as well, saying the plea had nothing to do with the governor.
"There's nothing new here. There was an expectation that ultimately something was going to come down," he said.
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WHAT'S THE LATEST?
Samson admitted he conspired with Fox to pressure United to reinstate the "chairman's flight" to Columbia, not far from Samson's vacation home in Aiken, by removing from a board agenda discussion of a hangar that United wanted at Newark Liberty International Airport, Fishman said.
Prosecutors will recommend that Samson get a sentence of probation to 24 months behind bars under a plea agreement. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 20. His attorney, Michael Chertoff, said he wouldn't have any comment until then.
Fox's attorney Michael Critchley said his client would never jeopardize his reputation by engaging in illegal behavior and was part of an arrangement that he thought was appropriate.
A spokesman for Christie did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
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Associated Press writers Maryclaire Dale, in Philadelphia, and Geoff Mulvihill, in Haddonfield, New Jersey, contributed to this story.
United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey Paul Fishman speaks during a news conference in Newark, N.J., Thursday, July 14, 2016. The U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey has been investigating whether David Samson, a political mentor to Republican Gov. Chris Christie, wrongfully used his Port Authority of New York and New Jersey post to get United Airlines to provide direct air service to South Carolina in 2014 to make it easier to get to his vacation home. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey Paul Fishman speaks during a news conference in Newark, N.J., Thursday, July 14, 2016. The U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey has been investigating whether David Samson, a political mentor to Republican Gov. Chris Christie, wrongfully used his Port Authority of New York and New Jersey post to get United Airlines to provide direct air service to South Carolina in 2014 to make it easier to get to his vacation home. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Paul Fishman, United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, speaks during a news conference in Newark, N.J., Thursday, July 14, 2016. The U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey has been investigating whether David Samson, a political mentor to Republican Gov. Chris Christie, wrongfully used his Port Authority of New York and New Jersey post to get United Airlines to provide direct air service to South Carolina in 2014 to make it easier to get to his vacation home. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Attorney Justin Walder hands out a statement to reporters after his client David Samson, former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey chairman, appeared in Federal Court Thursday, July 14, 2016, in Newark, N.J. Samson pleaded guilty Thursday to using his post to get United Airlines to run direct flights to South Carolina so that he could more easily visit his vacation home. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
David Samson, former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey chairman, gets into a car as he leaves Federal Court after a hearing Thursday, July 14, 2016, in Newark, N.J. Samson pleaded guilty Thursday to using his post to get United Airlines to run direct flights to South Carolina so that he could more easily visit his vacation home.(AP Photo/Mel Evans)
China gives $600 million aid to ally Cambodia
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) Cambodia's prime minister announced Friday that China will give his government nearly $600 million in aid to support the country's election infrastructure, education and health.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said in a statement that the aid was finalized after he met with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang at an Asia-Europe meeting in Mongolia.
"At my request, our Chinese friends have agreed to provide fund for supporting the election process, health care, education and clean water," Hun Sen said.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, center, as he and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, attend the opening session of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia July 15, 2016. (Damir Sagolj/Pool Photo via AP)
China is a key ally and economic partner of impoverished Cambodia. It has provided millions of dollars in aid and investment over the past decade, granted it tariff-free status on hundreds of trade items and written off its debt.
In return, Cambodia supports China in international forums, including in Beijing's ongoing dispute with other Southeast Asian countries in the South China sea.
S. Korea premier pelted with eggs, bottles over missile site
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Angry residents in a rural South Korean town threw eggs and water bottles at the prime minister and blocked him for more than six hours Friday to protest a plan to deploy an advanced U.S. missile defense system in their neighborhood.
Earlier this week, South Korea announced that the missile system called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, will be placed in the southeastern farming town of Seongju by the end of next year to better cope with North Korean threats. Seongju residents launched protests, saying they fear possible health hazards from the missile system.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, accompanied by the defense minister and others, visited Seongju to try to explain the decision to residents but was immediately disrupted by jeers.
South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, bottom center, is shielded by his bodyguards from eggs thrown by residents at Seongju County Office, South Korea, Friday, July 15, 2016. Angry residents in a rural South Korean town have thrown raw eggs and water bottles at the prime minister to protest a plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in their neighborhood. (Kang Jong-min/Newsis via AP)
Some hurled eggs and water bottles, shouting "We oppose (the THAAD deployment) with our lives," according to TV footage.
A senior police officer was injured on his forehead. Hwang didn't appear to be directly hit by any objects as security guards and aides used umbrellas and bags to protect him. But his suit jacket was tainted by eggs and he evacuated to a town hall office.
When he and the others came out of the building into a minibus, they were surrounded by hundreds of protesters, some using tractors. Hwang was held in the bus for more than six hours.
South Korean officials have dismissed as groundless a belief that THAAD radar systems emit electromagnetic waves that can cause health problems. Defense officials say the U.S. system is harmless if people stay at least 100 meters (yards) away from it.
Seongju residents criticized the government for unilaterally deciding on the deployment without consulting them. About 200 Seongju residents made a protest visit to Seoul's Defense Ministry on Wednesday, and some wrote letters of complaint in blood. A group of 13 local leaders went on a hunger strike.
Defense Minister Han Min Koo told residents Wednesday he would personally stand in front of the radars to prove they aren't harmful.
The planned missile deployment drew an angry response from North Korea and China. North Korea has threatened unspecified "physical" measures in retaliation while China suspects the system would help U.S. radars track its missiles. Russia also opposes the deployment.
U.S. and South Korean officials have said the THAAD system only targets North Korea, not China or anyone else.
Seoul and Washington began their formal discussions on the THAAD deployment after North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test and carried about a long-range rocket launch earlier this year.
The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea. American-led U.N. troops fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War while China assisted North Korea.
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Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.
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Follow Hyung-jin Kim at www.twitter.com/hyungjin1972
Residents lie down to block a bus carrying South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn in Seongju, South Korea, Friday, July 15, 2016. Angry residents in a rural South Korean town have thrown raw eggs and water bottles at the prime minister to protest a plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in their neighborhood. (Kang Jong-min/Newsis via AP)
Residents block a bus carrying South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn in Seongju, South Korea, Friday, July 15, 2016. Angry residents in a rural South Korean town have thrown raw eggs and water bottles at the prime minister to protest a plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in their neighborhood. (Kang Jong-min/Newsis via AP)
Residents block a bus carrying South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn in Seongju, South Korea, Friday, July 15, 2016. Angry residents in a rural South Korean town have thrown raw eggs and water bottles at the prime minister to protest a plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in their neighborhood. (Shon Dae-sung/Yonhap via AP)
Before sniper attack, shooter was a second-rate Army soldier
DALLAS (AP) Micah Johnson was a mediocre marksman, seemingly more interested in eliciting laughs from friends in his Army Reserve unit than in honing his infantry skills, former squad members say.
But the young black man showed striking tactical acumen in the deftly choreographed assault that killed five police officers in downtown Dallas last week during a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest.
Such was his skill that police thought multiple snipers were attacking. Moving stealthily in body armor, Johnson displayed textbook tactics, taking cover behind columns, skirting the line of fire, assaulting rather than retreating after his initial volleys.
"He kept the police at bay and was able to flank an officer during an assault, a tactic that he was trained on," said Retired Army Sgt. Gilbert Fischbach, Johnson's former squad leader in Texas. "He certainly had enthusiasm and motivation that he never had while I was training him."
Fischbach and other former comrades were stunned to learn that it was Johnson who pulled off the attack in revenge for police killings of black men. The popular, happy-go-lucky friend they remembered as cultivating many colorblind friendships had become a police-killer whose own life was taken by a robot-delivered bomb.
Some who knew him say Johnson was never the same after his best friend in the 284th Engineer Company filed a sexual harassment complaint against him in Afghanistan in 2014. Accused of stealing the female soldier's dirty panties, he was disarmed, placed under 24-hour escort and sent home early, his aspirations to a military career over.
The Mississippi-born Johnson, whose parents divorced in 1996 when he was 5, had dreamed as a boy of being a police officer or a soldier, relatives said.
Friends and acquaintances described him to The Associated Press as a gregarious, even "goofy" extrovert a far cry from the man authorities described as a loner and President Barack Obama called "demented."
Fischbach said most of Johnson's Army Reserve friends were white, and he never showed any signs of racial dissension.
He was not bookish, preferring Xbox to academics. Johnson graduated in the lower fifth of his high school class and withdrew from community college in 2011, three weeks after registering for classes.
One friend, Justin Garner, recalled seeing a dark side to Johnson when Johnson called asking to be picked up at a party. Johnson said he got into an argument and was afraid he might hurt someone, Garner said.
No one saw it coming, Fischbach said, when Johnson was caught stealing the panties of the female squad mate who had been his buddy.
Fischbach thought the "betrayal" revealed "something deeply rooted in him that was wrong."
In her complaint, the woman sought a protective order and asked that Johnson receive "mental help" but neither apparently happened. Johnson got an honorable discharge in April 2015, according to the attorney who handled the case, Bradford Glendening.
Johnson was deeply changed when he returned home, his mother Delphene Johnson told TheBlaze, a news site founded by conservative talk show host Glenn Beck.
His father, James, said he "became a loner" and "didn't like people."
By April 2015, Johnson was joining protests over apparently unprovoked police killings of black men and showing interest in black nationalist groups.
He visited the Dallas-based Huey P. Newton Gun Club, which has carried out armed citizen patrols of Dallas neighborhoods, and met the owner of the city's Pan-African Connection Bookstore. The people he talked with in both places said he seemed polite and level-headed.
Johnson's father recalled talking to his son about police brutality and his son's distrust of white cops. But neither parent recalled him ever talking about killing police officers.
"My message to him," his father said in TheBlaze interview, "was that there's good and bad in everybody, every race. But law enforcement is the law, and ultimately you have to obey it."
As videos of black men killed by police continued to surface, authorities said, Johnson made plans for an assault, keeping a journal of combat tactics and gathering bomb-making materials.
The day of his bloody rampage, he told his mother he was heading out to the protest but revealed little else, his mother told TheBlaze.
"I told him to stay out of trouble ... and he said, 'I will,' " she recalled. His last words were "I love you."
Hours later, cornered by police downtown, Johnson mocked them. He said he wanted to kill whites, especially white officers, and asked how many he had shot.
Learning what had happened, his mother could not believe it.
"I was like, you know, you've got to be lying. Not my son. He got upset when we ran over a squirrel."
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Republican panel leaves anti-Trump move gasping for breath
CLEVELAND (AP) The struggle by conservatives for an 11th-hour derailment of Donald Trump's drive for the Republican presidential nomination is gasping for breath, although a leader of the effort is promising to fight on but is shifting her tactics.
Kendal Unruh, the Colorado delegate who authored the proposal to "unbind" delegates, said Friday she'll no longer try forcing a convention floor showdown on that plan. It would have explicitly allowed delegates to cast a vote of "conscience" and back the contender of their choice.
Unruh cited pressure tactics by Trump campaign and GOP officials for peeling away support for her proposal. But she said she and her allies, citing a belief that they already have a right to vote their conscience, will oppose Trump's nomination in the gathering's roll call next week.
A worker stands on stage as preparations continue for the Republican National Convention, Friday, July 15, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
"If they think they've quelled a rebellion, all they did is kick them in the shins," she said of the impact GOP leaders' actions had on her supporters.
The convention's rules committee, dominated by Trump backers and top national and state GOP officials, used a voice vote late Thursday to reject Unruh's proposal. A series of related votes underscored the 112-member panel's one-sided opposition to the conservatives' drive.
Unruh had previously said she would get the signatures of 28 rules committee members that are required to force a convention vote on her plan. But she said Friday she now believed she would fall short.
Trump backers said the effort to dump Trump is dead.
"It's over," GOP chairman Reince Priebus said in an interview with The Associated Press.
"It was never real, it was always overblown," said Ron Kaufman, a party leader from Massachusetts after Thursday's late-night vote. "They were never there."
The rules panel also approved a provision specifically stating that party rules allow delegates to be "bound" to candidates they were committed to by state primaries and caucuses.
Unruh's amendment became the focal point of furious lobbying that for weeks pitted conservatives against the Trump campaign and top leaders of the Republican Party.
In the end, she encountered overwhelming opposition from delegates arguing that it would be unthinkable for the party to abandon Trump after he overwhelmingly won GOP primaries and caucuses and garnered more than 13 million votes.
While on a path to near-certain victory, Trump has drawn bitter opposition from Republicans who say he's not conservative and others who predict he will be defeated.
Earlier Thursday, talks between top party officials and social conservatives broke down, which potentially increased the odds of nationally televised clashes next week on other GOP rules. But party leaders said Friday they expect to prevent those issues from blossoming into battles on the convention floor.
The failed talks focused on conservative proposals aimed at appealing to grassroots conservatives that would take power away from Priebus and the Republican National Committee.
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Associated Press writer Steve Peoples contributed to this report.
Helping Palestinians was an uphill battle for USAID chief
JERUSALEM (AP) After 11 years of helping oversee the U.S. government's aid efforts to lay the foundations for a future Palestinian state, the outgoing chief of the U.S. Agency for International Development mission in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is unsure whether that vision has inched any closer to reality.
"It's frustrating. It's definitely frustrating," said Dave Harden, who is leaving his post on Friday and returning to Washington to become an assistant administrator of USAID.
"Frustrating" is a word Harden said repeatedly in an interview with The Associated Press. During his tenure, he saw three U.S. envoys attempt, and fail, to advance the cause of peace. He worked in one of the world's most complicated political arenas and headed one of the most scrutinized USAID missions, on account of American lawmakers' concerns that American money could reach Palestinian militants.
ADDS OUTGOING TO TITLE - In this photo taken Wednesday, July 13, 2016, Dave Harden, outgoing Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development mission in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Jerusalem. After 11 years helping oversee the U.S. government's aid efforts to lay the foundations for a future Palestinian state, the man in charge of the mission is unsure whether that vision has inched any closer to reality. It's frustrating. It's definitely frustrating, saysHarden. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Starting as deputy mission director in 2005 and later taking the helm of USAID's mission in the Palestinian territories, Harden presided over some $3.8 billion in investments to help improve Palestinians' lives from paving roads, laying water lines and building schools, to funding the Palestinian version of the children's television show Sesame Street and helping a Palestinian fair trade olive oil distributor supply oil to the Whole Foods supermarket chain in the U.S.
He did so while tiptoeing through a minefield of obstacles. He weathered a temporary congressional freeze on USAID funds in 2011 as punishment for the Palestinians' appeal to the United Nations for statehood, a move the U.S. saw as sidestepping negotiations with Israel.
USAID projects are strictly vetted, and aid recipients must sign an anti-terrorism clause to ensure money doesn't get into militants' hands.
Those restrictions limit the extent to which the U.S. can help Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, which saw three devastating Israeli military operations in the last decade in response to Gaza's militant violence against Israel.
There are only a few hospitals USAID can support in Gaza, Harden said, because the ruling Islamic militant group Hamas controls most of the territory's hospitals. The U.S., like Israel and the European Union, considers Hamas a terrorist group and has no direct contacts with it.
Harden counts among his successes negotiating with Israeli military officials to approve development projects in the West Bank.
One was to help turn around the West Bank city of Jenin, once known as a hotbed of militant activity.
"Jenin was a no-go zone," he said. "Jenin was dangerous, poor, despairing."
In 2007, Harden said, he helped convince hesitant Israeli military officials to allow Palestinian merchants in Jenin to export goods to Israel and abroad. USAID invested nearly $10 million in security scanners and upgrades to the Israeli-manned entrance and exit into the city to ensure it was secure. He said he also negotiated with Israel to allow its Arab citizens to come to Jenin for weekend shopping sprees, what he called "a very big psychological deal for the Israelis."
Harden estimated that this led to a $230 million economic boost in the city. He also believes the boost has contributed to the low number of Palestinians from the Jenin area who have carried out attacks against Israelis during the current 10-month wave of violence. He said he hoped the Jenin example could be replicated for other West Bank cities.
USAID has also invested more than $300 million in hundreds of water projects in the West Bank and Gaza, including laying 960 kilometers (600 miles) of water pipelines, connecting 149,000 Palestinians to running water for the first time and giving more than 1 million people access to clean water.
Since 2011, USAID also secured Israeli permits for 20 Palestinian infrastructure projects in the politically sensitive areas of "Area C" sections of the West Bank that remain under full Israeli control.
This land, home to Israeli settlements and military bases, makes up over 60 percent of the West Bank. The international community has long complained that tough Israeli restrictions on Palestinian development in Area C, where an estimated 180,000 Palestinians live, are a major impediment to the establishment of a future Palestinian state.
USAID's close relationship with the Israeli military helped the agency advance development projects in Area C, while European projects have been bulldozed by the Israeli army because they were without proper authorization, said Nathan Thrall of the International Crisis Group.
But Thrall said many Palestinians see USAID as "gilding the cage" of a U.S.-financed Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
The Palestinians completed a two-year state-building program in 2011, winning the approval of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and others who said the Palestinians were ready for statehood. But U.S.-led peace efforts have stagnated, angering the Palestinians.
"Many thus view the projects of USAID as little more than hush money for the considerably larger sums that are given by the U.S. to the Israeli military," Thrall said.
Harden said his agency's mandate is limited when it comes to realizing the vision of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
"We operate in a political framework that defines the answer to the two-state solution. It's not something that I can control," he said.
Much of Harden's time was spent jetting to Washington to meet with lawmakers who had what he called "intense, intense, intense" skepticism about how U.S. aid is used in the Palestinian territories. Harden said he forged bipartisan support in Congress and constructive discussions with lawmakers.
"There are relatively easy arguments to make when you have to explain it," he said. "Do we want to deliver water? Do we want to build roads?"
In the face of a shaky political reality in the Palestinian territories and shaky political support in the U.S. for Palestinian aid programs, Harden hopes the investments will last.
"That would be something that worries me as I walk out the door," he said.
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Follow Daniel Estrin at www.twitter.com/danielestrin
ADDS OUTGOING TO TITLE - In this photo taken Wednesday, July 13, 2016, Dave Harden, outgoing Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development mission in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Jerusalem. After 11 years helping oversee the U.S. government's aid efforts to lay the foundations for a future Palestinian state, the man in charge of the mission is unsure whether that vision has inched any closer to reality. It's frustrating. It's definitely frustrating, saysHarden. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
ADDS OUTGOING TO TITLE - In this photo taken Wednesday, July 13, 2016, Dave Harden, outgoing Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development mission in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Jerusalem. After 11 years helping oversee the U.S. government's aid efforts to lay the foundations for a future Palestinian state, the man in charge of the mission is unsure whether that vision has inched any closer to reality. It's frustrating. It's definitely frustrating, saysHarden. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Black lawmakers recall police stops after senator's speech
WASHINGTON (AP) South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the lone black Republican in the Senate, candidly described being stopped by police, even Capitol Hill cops, because of the color of his skin. It's an experience all too familiar to many of his African-American colleagues in Congress.
A day after Scott's personal recounting on the Senate floor, several lawmakers said Thursday that they have had similar experiences, whether it's being pulled over for no reason while driving in their hometowns or being challenged by police. Their white colleagues, they think, would never be treated the same way.
Scott described being pulled over seven times within a year and also being stopped by a U.S. Capitol Police officer who said he recognized the pin he was wearing that identifies him as a senator but didn't recognize Scott.
In this photo taken Feb. 19, 2016, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. speaks in Columbia, S.C. Americans have questioned the state of race relations after gun violence directed at police officers as well as shootings by police. Last week, a black Army veteran killed five police officers in Dallas in revenge for police shooting black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Minneapolis suburbs. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
"I have felt the anger, the frustration, the sadness and the humiliation that comes with feeling like you're being targeted for nothing more than just being yourself," Scott said.
Americans have questioned the state of race relations after gun violence directed at police officers as well as shootings by police. Last week, a black Army veteran killed five police officers in Dallas in revenge for police shooting black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Minneapolis suburbs.
As a nation reels, black lawmakers say they hope Scott's speech resonates, leading to a greater understanding about the divide between blue and black.
"I am absolutely convinced that most African-American members of Congress, particularly the men, have encountered some form of a hostile police encounter over the years," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Jeffries, 45, recalled twice when he was younger being pulled over by police and searched along with African-American friends. No reason was given for the stops. Several other black male lawmakers told similar stories.
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, the No. 3 Democrat in the House and a veteran of 1960s civil rights marches, said he was once being driven in South Carolina in his car with congressional tags. A policeman stopped the car and asked the driver, "Where's the congressman?" while staring directly at Clyburn sitting in the back seat.
"He doesn't see a congressman, he sees a black face," Clyburn said.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., the only other African-American in the Senate, wrote an essay for the Stanford University newspaper after he graduated from that school in the early 1990s about being stopped by police, guns pointed at him, for "fitting the description" of a car thief.
"In the jewelry store, they lock the case when I walk in," Booker wrote. "In the shoe store, they help the white man who walks in after me."
Booker said he read the article, written when he was 23, at the Senate Democratic caucus meeting Tuesday.
Of Scott's speech, Booker said it was powerful and "frankly showed a lot of courage for him to tell the truth."
Most black lawmakers interviewed by The Associated Press said they were treated well by Capitol Police, the force that protects Congress and its people. Some said they were often asked to stop and identify themselves on the Hill, though they weren't sure if it was because of the color of their skin.
"I've had to show my pin on numerous occasions," said Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y. "It makes you wonder."
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said he'd been "asked to show my ID many times, after I've been here 18 years."
A spokeswoman for the Capitol Police said she had no comment on Scott's speech or the other accounts.
Cummings, 65, says police stops while driving have become less frequent as he's gotten older. But when he was younger, the Baltimore congressman says he was probably stopped by police once a month.
Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., a former law enforcement officer himself, says he was once stopped in the Washington suburbs and an officer made a derisive comment about the suit he was wearing. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., said he has been stopped "all the time" over the years in his Louisiana district.
In an effort to try and address recent police shootings, the House Judiciary Committee this week established a bipartisan working group to address police accountability, aggression toward law enforcement and public safety concerns related to those issues. Jeffries and Richmond are both on the panel.
On Thursday, Scott delivered another speech to offer some solutions to the problems. He suggested more body cameras, better tracking of police shootings and better police training, among other ideas. He said he represents hope and progress a U.S. senator whose grandfather picked cotton in the Deep South.
"It's a dark hour in race relations for America," Scott said. "But I bring you hope, real hope."
As Scott spoke, a few of his fellow Republicans sat at desks on the Senate floor and turned to watch him a rarity in the usually empty chamber. One of those senators, James Lankford of Oklahoma, later gave a speech suggesting that people invite a person of another race to dinner in their homes.
"We need to have a greater conversation about race, and I think we somewhat are a little confused about how this gets resolved," Lankford said.
FILE - In this Dec. 1, 2014 file photo, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. participates in a TV interview on Capitol Hill in Washington. Americans have questioned the state of race relations after gun violence directed at police officers as well as shootings by police. Last week, a black Army veteran killed five police officers in Dallas in revenge for police shooting black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Minneapolis suburbs. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
In this photo taken Dec. 9, 2015, Assistant House Minority Leader Jim Clyburn of S.C., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Americans have questioned the state of race relations after gun violence directed at police officers as well as shootings by police. Last week, a black Army veteran killed five police officers in Dallas in revenge for police shooting black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Minneapolis suburbs. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Hillary Clinton enters the summer damaged by perceptions that she violated the law by using a private email system while serving as secretary of state, a new Associated Press-GfK poll finds.
More than half of Americans think the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee broke the law by using a private email account and server at the State Department and nearly 4 in 10 think she did so intentionally, according to the poll.
Clinton has battled the notion during her campaign that she is dishonest and purposely set up the private email server because she wanted to hide her public and private exchanges from public scrutiny and skirt disclosure laws.
Her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, calls her 'crooked' at virtually every campaign appearance.
YOU'VE GOT MAIL: Hillary Clinton checked her blackberry after appearing at the United Nations in March 2012
'CROOKED': Donald Trump refers to Clinton as 'crooked Hillary' at every opportunity during his public speeches
FBI Director James Comey said last week that Clinton and her staff were 'extremely careless,' but that investigators found no proof she or her aides intended to break laws governing the handling of classified information. 'No charges are appropriate in this case,' he said.
'She's innocent until proven guilty, but to me the FBI director called her guilty and then gave her a pass card,' said James Thompson, a 57-year-old Republican from Colchester, Connecticut. 'If that was anyone else in this world, they would have been gone. They would have been down the river. They would have been in jail.'
Large and growing numbers of voters view the former first lady and New York senator as dishonest, the poll indicates, but she is helped by Trump's poor ratings on an array of personal attributes.
The poll showed that two-thirds or more of Americans do not consider the GOP businessman to be even somewhat civil, honest, likable or qualified for office.
Trump is poised to receive the Republican nomination next week at the party's convention in Cleveland. Clinton will rally her supporters later this month in Philadelphia. Her ability to navigate the fallout from the email investigation will be a major plot line during the campaign.
The poll found that 56 percent of Americans said they think the Democratic presidential candidate broke the law, including 39 percent who think she did so intentionally and 17 percent who think she did so unintentionally.
In addition, 36 percent think Clinton used bad judgment but did not do anything illegal. And only 6 percent think Clinton did nothing wrong at all.
FINAL DECISION: FBI Director James Comey decided not to recommend criminal charges for Clinton after an exhaustive investigation into her personal email server where thousands of classified files were found
Half of Americans 50 percent now consider Clinton's emails to be a major problem, up from one-third who said that in October 2015. Another 31 percent consider it to be a minor problem and only 17 percent think it's not a problem.
Edgard Lopez, a 61-year-old Democrat from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who runs a medical device company, said the email investigation was simply an attempt by the GOP to divert 'the attention of the important matters for this country.'
Lopez said Clinton would benefit from having former President Bill Clinton at her side, someone he considers 'the best president this nation has had for many, many years.' Lopez, meanwhile, said he considers Trump to be racist and described him as 'a rich guy who tried to step on a lot of toes.'
'For me, he's a piece of trash,' Lopez said.
Clinton has sought to turn the issue of trust into a test of who will best address the economic and foreign policy issues that Americans care most about. But the poll showed a stark dividing line between Democrats and Republicans.
Seventy-one percent of Republicans think Clinton intentionally broke the law, while another 18 percent think she unintentionally broke the law.
Among Democrats, 61 percent think Clinton showed poor judgment but did not break the law, while 11 percent think she did nothing wrong at all.
Republicans are also more likely than Democrats to say Clinton's email use is a major problem, 85 percent to 22 percent. But 49 percent of Democrats say it's a minor problem, while just 29 percent don't think it's a problem at all.
IN THE CLEAR: Clinton, freed from the specter of felony charges, is still not trusted by many Americans
The poll suggests perceptions that Clinton is dishonest, already a major issue for her campaign, are growing. Fifty-five percent of Americans say the word 'honest' doesn't describe Clinton well at all, up slightly from 50 percent in April and 44 percent in October 2015.
Another 18 percent say she is only slightly honest.
Thompson, of Connecticut, said he supported neurosurgeon Ben Carson's campaign in the Republican primaries but recently placed a Trump bumper sticker on his car.
'I have come around on Trump just because I think he's being more truthful than Hillary,' he said. 'The truthfulness is everything. We can't have somebody in office who is going to lie to us.'
Americans are slightly more likely to say Trump is at least somewhat honest than Clinton, 30 percent to 24 percent.
While the email investigation has drawn more attention in recent weeks, it remains to be seen if it will remain prominent on the minds of voters in the coming months. Just 32 percent of Americans say they're following the email issue very or extremely closely, but that's up from 21 percent in October of 2015.
The AP-GfK Poll of 1,009 adults was conducted online July 7-11, using a sample drawn from GfK's probability-based KnowledgePanel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population.
The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Respondents were first selected randomly using telephone or mail survey methods and later interviewed online.
British-Australian held in Lebanon abduction to post bail
BEIRUT (AP) The lawyer of a dual British-Australian national indicted in a botched attempt to kidnap two Australian-Lebanese children at the center of a custody battle says his client will post bail and be released.
Joe Karam said Friday that judges approved bail of $20,000 for Adam Whittington, along with the equivalent sum for his British colleague a day earlier. It's unclear when they'll be released.
Whittington, who heads a British-based child recovery agency, allegedly masterminded the plot to kidnap the children from their Lebanese father in Beirut in April.
Whittington, his colleague and the children's Australian mother, Sally Faulkner, were charged with forceful kidnapping, which is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment.
German internet entrepreneur killed in plane crash
BERLIN (AP) Thomas Wagner, the founder and manager of German internet company Unister, which operates popular travel websites, has been killed in a plane crash in Slovenia.
Unister said the 38-year-old Wagner was among the four people killed in Wednesday's crash. The U.S.-registered Piper 32, which was flying from Venice, Italy, to to the German city of Leipzig, came down in western Slovenia. Slovenian air traffic control has said the pilot reported problems with icing before the aircraft disappeared from the radar.
Wagner founded Leipzig-based Unister in 2002. The company, which operates German vacation-booking sites fluege.de and ab-in-den-urlaub.de, now has some 1,200 employees.
Indian troops, protesters clash in Kashmir despite lockdown
SRINAGAR, India (AP) Widespread anti-India protests and clashes erupted in dozens of places in divided Kashmir, even as authorities prevented tens of thousands of people from offering Friday prayers in big mosques with a lockdown in place for a seventh straight day.
Government forces armed with automatic rifles and in riot gear ordered residents to stay indoors around the region, but protests started after people prayed in smaller, neighborhood mosques. Troops fired live ammunition, pellet guns and tear gas to disperse rock-throwing crowds who chanted pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
At least one teenage boy was killed and two others injured after army soldiers fired guns to stop hundreds of villagers who attacked their camp with rocks in northern Kupwara area, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to reporters. Another young man was killed and two others injured on Friday evening after troops fired at protesters in southern Yaripore village, he said.
Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard during a curfew in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, July 15, 2016. Curfew imposed in the disputed Himalayan region continued for the seventh straight day to check anti-India violence following the recent killing of a charismatic Kashmiri insurgent Burhan Wani. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Earlier, in the same village at least seven policemen were injured, one seriously, after someone hurled a grenade at a police station during clashes, the officer said.
At two other places, in northern Baramulla and Sopore areas, six people, including two siblings, were injured in the clashes, the officer said.
Four injured, one reported to be critical, were brought to the main government hospital in Srinagar, the key city in the region, which has struggled to treat hundreds of wounded in clashes spread over nearly a week.
The largest protests in years erupted last weekend after Indian troops killed the young leader of the largest Kashmiri rebel group in a gunbattle. Burhan Wani had been the face of Kashmir's militancy. The clashes have killed at least 34 people, mostly teens and young men, and a policeman.
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and most people in India's portion resent the Indian troop presence and want independence or a merger with Pakistan. Since the 1990s, more than 68,000 people have been killed in Kashmir's uprising against Indian rule and the subsequent Indian military crackdown.
On Friday, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif paid tribute to Wani as a "soldier of independence" and vowed his country would continue extending political moral and diplomatic support to Kashmiris. He urged his countrymen to observe "black day" on Tuesday to express solidarity with "Kashmiris who are facing atrocities at the hands of Indian forces."
His office released a statement saying the National Assembly and Senate would convene to discuss Kashmir.
Separatist politicians extended call for protests and a shutdown of the region for the next three days. The leaders thanked Pakistanis for their solidarity and appealed to Kashmiris locally and abroad to observe the "black day" called by Sharif, said a joint statement by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik issued in Srinagar.
In New Delhi, India's External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup asked Pakistan to desist from interfering in India's internal affairs and destabilizing the situation. Pakistan or any other external party has no standing on Kashmir, he said in a statement. "Glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organizations makes it amply clear where Pakistan's sympathies continue to lie."
Meanwhile, New Delhi eye specialists who went to Kashmir to help expressed concern over the use of pellet guns by Indian security forces. At least 100 people have had operations for eye injuries caused by pellet guns and they needed advanced treatment, with doctors saying most will lose partial or complete eyesight.
Sudershan Khokhar, an ophthalmologist from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said he had not witnessed so many injured at one time in three decades.
"During wartime, I think you will get such injuries," the Indian Express newspaper quoted Khokar as saying. "It (pellet guns) shouldn't be used here or anywhere."
Officials said 1,500 injured have been treated in hospitals, and at least 150 police and soldiers also were injured.
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Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this report from Islamabad.
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Follow Aijaz Hussain: www.twitter.com/hussain_aijaz
Indian paramilitary soldiers stand near a vehicle of a police officer that was burnt by protestors on Thursday night, on the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, July 15, 2016. Clashes between Indian troops and protesters continued despite a curfew imposed in the disputed Himalayan region to suppress anti-India violence following last Friday's killing of Burhan Wani, chief of operations of Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir's largest rebel group. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)
Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard during a curfew in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, July 15, 2016. Curfew imposed in the disputed Himalayan region continued for the seventh straight day to check anti-India violence following the recent killing of Burhan Wani, chief of operations of Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir's largest rebel group. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
A policeman checks a civilian at a temporary check post during a curfew in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, July 15, 2016. Curfew imposed in the disputed Himalayan region continued for the seventh straight day to check anti-India violence following the recent killing of Burhan Wani, chief of operations of Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir's largest rebel group. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Indian paramilitary soldiers stop a Kashmiri civilian at a temporary checkpoint during a curfew in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, July 15, 2016. Curfew imposed in the disputed Himalayan region continued for the seventh straight day to check anti-India violence following the recent killing of Burhan Wani, chief of operations of Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir's largest rebel group. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Sheep walk on a road littered with bricks and rocks from an earlier protest, during a curfew in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, July 15, 2016. Curfew imposed in the disputed Himalayan region continued for the seventh straight day to check anti-India violence following the recent killing of Burhan Wani, chief of operations of Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir's largest rebel group. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
South Sudanese refugees could surpass 1 million this year
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) The number of South Sudanese refugees in East Africa could pass 1 million this year, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday, calling on armed groups to allow safe passage for people fleeing the latest fighting.
There is concern about fresh outflows of refugees after military clashes in recent days in the capital, Juba, said Ann Encontre, a U.N. refugee coordinator in South Sudan. She appealed for $701 million in relief aid.
"They are supposed to be the generation of tomorrow, the generation that will lead and rebuild their country, but right now, they are suffering enormously," she said.
In this photo taken Thursday, July 14, 2016 and released by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), people queue at the UN camp in Juba, South Sudan. Some South Sudanese, even those with dual U.S. citizenship, are not being allowed to leave the country, even as the United States, India and other countries continued Thursday to evacuate their citizens while a fragile cease-fire appeared to hold. (Beatrice Mategwa/UNMISS via AP)
Even before the violence of the past week, hundreds of thousands of refugees had been sheltering in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia and elsewhere since civil war began in December 2013.
But there are new reports that South Sudan authorities are blocking some citizens, including those with U.S. or Canadian dual nationality, from leaving the country.
"We condemn all actions by the government to prevent civilians from boarding flights out of Juba or otherwise departing South Sudan," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters in Washington.
Opposing army factions clashed in Juba in the past week, with forces backing President Salva Kiir bombing the home of former rebel leader Riek Machar, now the country's first vice president.
Hundreds have been killed. Red Cross workers on Friday loaded pallets of bodies onto a truck at Juba Teaching Hospital for burial at a military site.
The fighting has threatened a peace deal reached in August to end the civil war between supporters of Kiir and Machar that left tens of thousands dead.
Both Kiir and Machar on Monday called for a cease-fire, which has appeared to hold.
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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed.
Indians evacuated from South Sudan arrive at Palam airport with Indian junior foreign minister V.K. Singh, in brown waist jacket, in New Delhi, India, Friday, July 15, 2016. At least 156 Indians were evacuated from the violence-hit South Sudan, with 71 arriving by a special Indian Air Force flight to New Delhi. The evacuation was part of Operation Sankat Mochan launched by the Indian government. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Fiat Chrysler to expand Jeep Cherokee plant in Illinois
BELVIDERE, Ill. (AP) Fiat Chrysler will make a $350 million investment and add 300 jobs to its plant in northern Illinois.
The Rockford Register Star reports (http://bit.ly/29MBI99 ) that the plant in Belvidere will be retooled for Jeep Cherokee production. The company made the announcement Thursday.
The plant currently builds the Dodge Dart, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot models. The company will stop making Darts in September and the other models' production will end in December.
The community began speculating about Cherokee production in Belvidere after Automotive News reported last fall that Cherokees would no longer be assembled at a plant in Toledo, Ohio.
The Belvidere facility has five million square feet and employs 4,500 people. Belvidere is about 70 miles northwest of Chicago.
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Funeral being held for slain UK lawmaker Jo Cox
LONDON (AP) Crowds of people have lined the streets of several towns in northern England to pay tribute to slain British lawmaker Jo Cox as her funeral cortege goes by.
A private funeral is being held for the Labour Party legislator who was shot and stabbed to death outside a library in Birstall, 200 miles (320 kilometers), north of London on June 16.
Many threw flowers in the path of her funeral cortege on Friday. The funeral service will be private at the family's request.
Mourners throw roses as the hearse carrying the coffin of MP Jo Cox passes in Batley, England ahead of her private funeral service Friday July 15, 2016. The mother of two young children died on June 16, 2016 after she was attacked outside a library in Birstall, England. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Suspect Thomas Mair's murder trial begins in November.
Commentators have blamed the killing of Cox who had backed Britain to remain in the EU in part on the angry mood whipped up by the rhetoric of some in the "leave" camp.
Egypt standardizes sermons, tightening grip on mosques
CAIRO (AP) In a move to tighten state control over religious discourse, Egypt has launched a campaign to force Muslim clerics to read standardized government-written sermons at Friday prayers.
Minister for Religious Endowments, Mokhtar Gomaa, gave the first-such scripted sermon Friday at Cairo's Amr ibn al-As Mosque. Reading from a batch of notecards, Gomaa recited a sermon against corruption titled, "Bad money is a lethal poison."
"Our prophet has condemned the person who gives a bribe, who receives a bribe, and mediates between the two," he said. The same sermon had been posted several days earlier on the ministry's official website.
Egyptian worshippers leave Friday prayers at Amr Ibn al-As mosque, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, July 15, 2016. The government is promoting the standardized sermons as part of its efforts to reform the religious discourse and curbing extremism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Dating back to the days of ousted autocrat President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt has previously tried multiple times to monitor and influence the content of Friday sermons. But this marks the first time ever that pre-written sermons are being nationally distributed and enforced.
The move comes in the context of wide-ranging campaign by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's government to control public expression. All unauthorized demonstrations have been criminalized, thousands have been jailed, activists and rights lawyers have been prosecuted or banned from travel and voices critical of the government have been largely silenced.
El-Sissi has also launched a public campaign to reform and modernize Islamic discourse, weeding out religious extremism and separating politics from religion. He has repeatedly called for a "religious revolution" with the Cairo-based Al-Azhar the Muslim world's most prominent Sunni religious institution leading the way. However, critics say, his autocratic rule has only fueled militancy and extremism.
Under Mubarak removed in a 2011 popular uprising clerics had a margin of freedom of speech inside mosques. Loyalists whose sermons were aired live on TV would usually refrain from politics, while thousands of mosques were essentially outside of government control, and delivered sermons infused with the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood or the ultraconservative Salafist movement.
But the effort to bring the nation's mosques under control gained new momentum in 2013 after el-Sissi, then defense minister, ousted elected President Mohammed Morsi, a senior Muslim Brotherhood official whose divisive one-year reign produced mass street protests.
Morsi's ouster prompted a new effort to regulate the Friday sermons. Officials suspected of links to Islamic groups were purged from the Ministry of Religious Endowments, which then began distributing guidelines for acceptable sermon topics. But the move to literally standardize the sermon texts is unprecedented.
"It is the first time in Egypt's history to read from a paper," said Deputy Minister of Religious Endowments Gaber Tayaa, who also said that some of the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, have been considering the same step. "The minister wanted to take the lead."
Tayaa said a ministerial committee that inspects and monitors the mosques would report on the performance of clerics around the country.
Gomaa, the minister, defended the move as aimed at filtering out extremism and promoting reform.
"We are launching the written sermon from the most majestic mosque in the land of Egypt," Gomaa told reporters near a small office adjacent to the mosque, adding that reading out a sermon left him "more relaxed and regulated."
A committee of state-hired scholars will write each week's sermon for clerics to read word-for-word. Gomaa said the government will prepare 54 sermons covering 52 weeks in addition to religious holidays, and that there will be a long-term plan to write for 270 sermons covering five years.
"Imagine if you take the 270 subjects ... we will be contributing to shaping a new way of thinking," he said. "But people are thinking, this is not restricting them."
Early opinions among the congregation on Friday were mixed.
Nasser Amin, an engineer who came to join Friday prayers at the mosque, told The Associated Press, "This is killing creativity."
"The direction they are taking will discourage people and over time you will find no one in mosques," he said. "You force people into one direction, into adopting one way of thinking. Repercussions in the long-term will not be positive for sure."
But another worshipper, Adel Mallah, said, "This is an excellent idea, especially at a time when Egypt is surrounded by security threats."
Mokhtar Gomaa, Egypt's minister of religious endowment, holds a piece of paper and reads out a standardized sermon, which was prepared by the ministry's scholars, at Amr Ibn al-As mosque, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, July 15, 2016. The government is promoting the standardized sermons as part of its efforts to reform the religious discourse and curbing extremism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Mokhtar Gomaa, Egypt's minister of religious endowments, adjusts his "Emamah," a head cover for Muslim clerics, after he delivered a standardized sermon, which was prepared by the ministry's scholars, at Amr Ibn al-As mosque, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, July 15, 2016. The government is promoting the standardized sermons as part of its efforts to reform the religious discourse and curbing extremism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Egyptian worshippers listen to Mokhtar Gomaa, minister of religious endowments, as he holds a piece of paper and reads out a standardized sermon, which was prepared by the ministry's scholars, at Amr Ibn al-As mosque, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, July 15, 2016. The government is promoting the standardized sermons as part of its efforts to reform the religious discourse and curbing extremism. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
The Latest: Pence with Trump on blocking some immigration
WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on the 2016 presidential campaign (all times local):
10:40 p.m.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence says he supports Donald Trump's call to "temporarily suspend immigration from countries where terrorists' influence and impact represents a threat to the United States."
RUNNING MATE: Pence will stand with Trump next week when these balloons fall from the ceiling of the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio
Pence spoke Friday on Fox News Channel's "Hannity," giving his first TV interview since Trump invited him to join the Republican ticket for the White House.
Last year, Pence came out against Trump's proposed temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States, calling such a ban "offensive and unconstitutional." Trump's spokeswoman recently said he no longer supports his proposed religious test.
Pence says he "stepped up without hesitation" when Trump asked him to be his running mate.
He says Trump "understands the anxiety and the aspiration of the American people" like no leader since President Ronald Reagan.
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9:10 p.m.
Hillary Clinton is expressing support for the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (REH'-jehp TY'-ihp UR'-doh-wahn) after an attempted military coup rocked Turkey's capital.
The Democratic presidential candidate is urging "calm and respect for laws, institutions, and basic human rights and freedoms and support for the democratically elected civilian government."
She says, "All parties should work to avoid further violence and bloodshed, and the safety of American citizens and diplomatic missions must be ensured."
Turkish officials say the government appears to have repelled the attempted coup following a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire across Ankara.
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8:10 p.m.
A leader of conservatives making a last-ditch attempt to block Donald Trump's nomination says she's dropping her effort to force the Republican National Convention to vote on her plan to let delegates back any presidential candidate they want.
The convention rules committee has already rejected Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh's proposal to "unbind" delegates from the candidates they were committed to by state primaries and caucuses.
Unruh had been saying that despite that defeat, she'd get enough support to force a full convention vote next week on her plan to let delegates vote their conscience.
But she said Friday that the Trump campaign and party officials have peeled away that support.
She says she and her supporters believe delegates already have the right to vote their conscience and will oppose Trump's nomination.
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5:35 p.m.
Donald Trump says the taxes he pays are a private matter. But for candidates auditioning to be his running mate, similar reluctance wasn't an option.
Vice presidential search finalist Newt Gingrich said Thursday that Trump's campaign required him to submit more than a decade worth of tax returns as part of the vetting process.
Vetting potential vice presidents' tax returns is a standard practice for candidates in both parties but Trump has so far refused to make his own returns public on the grounds that he is being audited by the Internal Revenue Service.
But tax scholars and former IRS officials have noted there is no rule against releasing tax filings during audits and say Richard Nixon released his returns while under audit in 1973.
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5:15 p.m.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro has met with Hillary Clinton at her Washington home as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee considers her choice for vice president.
That's according to a person familiar with the Friday gathering, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.
Two other senior Democrats also appeared to meet with Clinton on Friday. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper were seen in separate cars that departed Clinton's home Friday afternoon.
Clinton is also vetting Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine for the vice presidency and campaigned with him in his home state Thursday.
Castro is considered a rising star in the party and is a former mayor of San Antonio.
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4:40 p.m.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has visited Hillary Clinton's Washington home as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee ponders her choice for vice president.
Hickenlooper was in a car that departed Clinton's Washington home Friday afternoon.
The Democratic governor declined to comment on his visit.
The apparent meeting came after Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren visited Clinton's house earlier Friday.
Other candidates Clinton is known to be vetting are Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.
A person who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters said earlier that Clinton was holding meetings Friday about her running mate selection.
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4 p.m.
Delegates to the Republican National Convention are embracing Donald Trump's choice for vice president even those who have yet to warm up to Trump.
Some delegates hope the choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will help unite Republicans and fire up the party base to support Trump.
Not everyone is on board. But at the very least, Trump has all but assured that next week's convention vote for vice president will go smoothly.
Pence has a strong reputation among fellow Republicans as a social conservative. The former congressman has plenty of Washington experience and a calm, thoughtful demeanor that stands in stark contrast to the bombastic Trump.
New Hampshire delegate Tom Rath called Pence a solid pick who should reassure a lot of people in the party.
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3:40 p.m.
An application by Bernie Sanders' campaign for a permit to rally during the Democratic National Convention has been denied.
A spokeswoman for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney says it was rejected because of the requested location in a park across from the convention site. She says the campaign sought to use a certain field that can only be used for recreational purposes.
The application said the July 24 rally would be in support of Sanders' campaign and estimated the crowd size at 15,000 to 40,000 people.
Kenney's spokeswoman, Lauren Hitt, says it's not too late for the campaign to apply for a different location, if it is still interested.
Sanders said Friday he won't be holding any large rallies during the July 25-28 convention, but will focus on attending smaller events and talking to delegates.
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3:30 p.m.
President Barack Obama says calls after the French truck attack for the U.S. to expel Muslims who believe in Sharia law are "repugnant."
Obama says the suggestion is an "affront to everything we stand for as Americans."
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich responded to Thursday's deadly attack in southern France by saying the U.S. should deport Muslims who believe in Sharia. He says Sharia is "incompatible with Western civilization." Gingrich was under consideration to be Donald Trump's running mate until Trump chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
Obama commented during a White House reception Friday for diplomats from around the world.
Obama says he told French President Francois Hollande by telephone that the U.S. "will stand with our French friends."
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3:10 p.m.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren appears to have met with Hillary Clinton as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee considers a pick for vice president.
Warren was in a car that departed Clinton's Washington home on Friday afternoon.
It's the second known private meeting the senator has had with Clinton since she clinched the nomination last month.
Warren is one of the people Clinton is considering for her ticket.
She is also vetting Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.
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2:45 p.m.
Hillary Clinton is holding meetings at her Washington home about her running mate selection.
That's according to a person familiar with the meetings who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.
Clinton was joined by campaign chairman John Podesta and vice chairwoman Huma Abedin. Several vehicles with tinted windows entered through a gate near the home during the daylong session.
Among the people Clinton is considering as her running mate: Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Clinton campaigned with Kaine in Virginia on Thursday.
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2:30 p.m.
Now that Bernie Sanders has offered his support to Hillary Clinton, the two campaigns are negotiating over the convention nominating process.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Clinton's defeated rival leaves open the possibility that she could receive the nomination by acclamation or unanimous nomination at the end of a full roll call of the states.
In 2008, Clinton halted the traditional roll call midway through and called for then-Sen. Barack Obama to be approved by acclamation.
Sanders says he'll still press at the convention for changes in the Democratic Party's nominating system. He says there are too many super-delegates, and primaries closed to party members.
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2:05 p.m.
The delegate rebellion against Donald Trump is dead.
That's according to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. He tells The Associated Press that a highly publicized push to dump Trump during next week's convention is a "nothing burger."
He says, "It's over. It was never there."
The GOP chairman made the comments during an AP interview on Friday, the day after anti-Trump delegates failed to change party rules to allow them to oppose Trump on the convention floor.
Priebus said, "There is no other candidate. That was one of the problems that this Never Trump issue had last night. Who is the other candidate? What VP nominees are you vetting? We're voting next week, on Tuesday or Wednesday. What money are you raising? Where is this person?"
He added, "There have been many reports about how I was going to have a rebellion on the rules committee. And they all turned out to be nothing burgers."
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2 p.m.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence says he's excited and humbled by Donald Trump's decision to select him as his running mate.
Pence spoke to reporters briefly as he left his midtown Manhattan hotel.
Pence had flown in Thursday for an announcement Friday that Trump postponed after the Nice, France, attack.
Pence says: "We love Indiana. We love our country. My family and I couldn't be more happy for the opportunity to run with and serve with the next president of the United States."
Trump and Pence are scheduled to hold their first joint appearance in New York on Saturday.
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2 p.m.
Newt Gingrich says he's "very comfortable" with not being selected as Donald Trump's running mate.
Gingrich told The Associated Press that he had not been told personally by Trump that he was choosing Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice presidential pick. Gingrich says he has been communicating with Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the businessman's son, Don. Jr.
Gingrich says Pence is a "good choice" who will make a significant contribution to the Republican ticket.
The former House speaker says he was not offered another role in Trump's administration, but is sure he would be helpful. He says: "Let's first win this."
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1:50 p.m.
Democrats are aiming to use the four nights of their national convention to showcase past, current and future stars of their party.
Here are some of the expected speakers in Philadelphia later in July: President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, first lady Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The schedule also includes Chelsea Clinton, immigration advocates and members of the "Mothers of Movement" who had children killed by gun violence and in police shootings.
More speakers are to be announced in the coming days.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and are also expected to be on the program.
Both are being screened as potential running mates for Clinton.
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1:30 p.m.
Bernie Sanders says that at the Democratic National Convention, he'll continue to push for changes in how the party picks its presidential nominees.
The Vermont senator tells The Associated Press in an interview that he wants a review of superdelegates and closed primaries, and how the party can up itself up.
He says his campaign is prepared to take those fights to the floor of the convention.
Sanders endorsed Hillary Clinton this week after a hard-fought primary.
He says the campaigns are discussing the convention process and he's leaving open the possibility she could receive the nomination by acclamation at the end of a full roll call vote.
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1:10 p.m.
Ivanka Trump's rabbi says he's asking to be "relieved" of his commitment to deliver the invocation at next week's Republican convention.
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein writes in an email to his congregation that he had agreed to deliver the invocation "out of respect" for Ivanka Trump.
She's a member of his synagogue and the daughter of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump.
But the rabbi says that after his name appeared on a convention speakers' list without noting he could be delivering the invocation and not giving a campaign speech, "the whole matter turned from rabbinic to political."
Lookstein says his request to no longer appear at the convention "has been honored."
Donald Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks says the rabbi's "statement speaks for itself."
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12:45 p.m.
The Republican Party chairman says Donald Trump's vice presidential pick shows that Trump is maturing as a candidate.
Chairman Reince Priebus (ryns PREE'-bus) says Indiana Gov. Mike Pence a former congressman has experience inside and outside Washington and is a Christian conservative.
Priebus says Pence offers a "very different style that I think shows a lot of maturity" on Trump's part.
Priebus was in an interview with The Associated Press when Trump tweeted the news about Pence.
Priebus says Pence also helps Trump politically by drawing in conservative groups that may have been slow to come to Trump's side.
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12:35 p.m.
The Republican Party is already working to raise money right off Donald Trump's decision to name Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
Trump says in a fundraising email sent shortly after he tweeted his choice that supporters should "contribute now to be the first to join the Trump-Pence Team."
Pence's selection is aimed in part at assuring donors that Trump is prepared to run a more serious and disciplined general election campaign.
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12:25 p.m.
Donald Trump is set to make his first public appearance with his chosen running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Saturday morning in New York.
The official announcement that Pence is the vice presidential pick is set for the same Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan where Trump had been scheduled to reveal his choice Friday.
Trump postponed the announcement following the truck attack in Nice, France, that left scores dead.
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12:10 p.m.
House Speaker Paul Ryan is welcoming Donald Trump's decision to tap Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
Pence is a former congressman, and Ryan says in a statement that Pence comes from the heart of the conservative movement and "the heart of America."
Ryan says "we need someone who is steady and secure in his principles, someone who can cut through the noise and make a compelling case for conservatism."
The speaker says Pence will bring real change to Washington. Ryan says he'll do everything he can to help the GOP ticket win in November and the party win a national majority.
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11:20 a.m.
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign says Donald Trump has "doubled down" on what the Clinton team calls his "disturbing beliefs" by choosing Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta says Pence is "an incredibly divisive and unpopular figure."
Podesta says Pence is known for supporting what Podesta calls "discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families."
Clinton's campaign says Pence was an early advocate for the tea party in Congress and as governor, pushed a law that discriminated against gays and lesbians and alienated businesses in Indiana.
The Clinton team notes Pence led the fight to defund Planned Parenthood and restrict abortion rights and has opposed raising the federal minimum wage.
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11:10 a.m
Now that he's Donald Trump's running mate, Mike Pence has withdrawn from the Indiana governor's race.
The first-term Republican governor was seeking re-election. But state law bars him from running for that office and also appearing on the ballot as a candidate for vice president.
The deadline for Pence to exit the race was noon on Friday.
One of the governor's aides filed the paperwork with the Indiana Secretary of State's office a few minutes after Trump announced that Pence would join him on the Republican ticket.
Trump had originally planned to make his announcement on Friday, but called off the formal event in the wake of the deadly truck attack in France.
Trump says he'll now hold a news conference on Saturday morning.
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10:54 a.m.
Donald Trump says on Twitter that he's picked Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
Trump says he'll hold a news conference on Saturday morning.
Trump had originally planned to announce his running mate on Friday. But he delayed the announcement because of the attacks in Nice, France, late Thursday.
Pence had already flown to New York before Trump announced the postponement.
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10:20 a.m.
That's some disparity.
It would take almost 14 days of eyes glued to the TV to watch all the feel-good Hillary Clinton ads that have aired since the general election campaign began last month.
Anyone flipping through the channels looking for positive ads about Donald Trump would be disappointed. He hasn't yet put up a spot appealing to November voters, and groups supporting him have been similarly silent.
It shows that the presidential candidates have drastically different views of the importance of traditional political campaigning.
Trump says he sees little need for advertising at this stage. He's been banking on free media coverage propelled by his celebrity appeal.
As a result, Trump has largely ceded control over what the voting public is hearing about him. Clinton's large batch of biographical ads has given her an opportunity to directly influence views about her image.
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10:10 a.m.
An Associated Press-GfK poll finds that Hillary Clinton enters the summer damaged by perceptions that she violated the law by using a private email system while serving as secretary of state.
According to the poll, more than half of Americans think the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee broke the law and nearly 4 in 10 think she did so intentionally.
Clinton has battled the notion during her campaign that she is dishonest and purposely set up the private email server because she wanted to hide her public and private exchanges from public scrutiny and skirt disclosure laws.
Her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, calls her "crooked" at virtually every campaign appearance.
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9:50 a.m.
It's a last gasp for conservatives who are trying to derail Donald Trump's drive for the Republican presidential nomination.
A committee at the GOP national convention has crushed their bid to let delegates back the candidate of their choice.
The convention's rules committee is dominated by Trump backers, as well as national and state GOP officials.
It's appeared uncertain whether the conservatives could get enough support to force the full convention to revisit the proposal when the convention opens on Monday.
Foes say they believe the movement is essentially finished.
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9:30 a.m.
Donald Trump has offered Indiana Gov. Mike Pence the vice presidential spot on the Republican ticket and Trump aides have told Pence that the formal announcement could come as early as Saturday.
That word comes from a Republican with direct knowledge of the selection process. The Republican wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the details of Trump's search for a running mate and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Republican says Trump made the offer on Thursday afternoon, before Pence traveled later in the day to New York.
Trump delayed his plans for a vice presidential announcement Thursday night after the truck attack in France.
Trump said in television interviews Thursday night that he hadn't yet settled on a "final, final" choice leaving open the possibility that Trump could change his mind.
President Barack Obama speaks about the attack in Nice, France, Friday, July 15, 2016, during a Diplomatic Corps Reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., right, speaks at a rally at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Thursday, July 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Former President Bill Clinton speaks during the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation on Thursday, July 14, 2016 at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/ Gareth Patterson)
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. leaves a meeting hosted by Senate Democrats with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Philadelphia conducting experiment to save gunshot victims
PHILADELPHIA (AP) In all of last year, there were only 22 days when someone wasn't shot in Philadelphia. Nearly 1 in 5 victims died.
Now, in a bold effort to stem the bloodshed, several Philadelphia hospitals are about to conduct a citywide experiment that will ask: When gunshot or stabbing victims are being rushed to the emergency room by ambulance, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less?
It's a counterintuitive approach that could test long-held beliefs and change practices at trauma centers across the country.
In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 photo, Dr. Zoe Maher, a Temple trauma surgeon, explains the Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT) to community leaders, at the Hunting Park Community Center, in Philadelphia. The difference between being a gunshot survivor or a homicide victim may be what happens in the ambulance. Several Philadelphia hospitals are coming together for a study that will ask: When gunshot victims are rushed to the emergency room, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less? (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
And every resident of or visitor to Philadelphia could become a study subject, though the biggest effect will probably be in the most violent neighborhoods poor, mostly black sections where people are skeptical of essentially being experimented on.
During the study, paramedics treating adults who have been shot or stabbed in the torso will, on a random basis, not insert a tube down a victim's throat or administer intravenous fluids two traditional life-saving techniques some doctors say may actually harm such patients.
Normally, paramedics intubate patients to keep their airway open, and give IV fluids to counteract a drop in blood pressure. But supporters of the study say that for victims who are bleeding through an open wound, these procedures may cause an increase in blood pressure that can accelerate blood loss and death.
Philadelphians who don't want to participate in the study if they are ever wounded can opt out by wearing wristbands indicating their wishes. They can obtain a wristband by filling out a form online or on paper.
The study is expected to start in the fall and last five years, or until doctors have about 1,000 patients, whichever comes first. It could end early if researchers are able to prove or disprove their theory sooner.
It is being headed by Temple University Hospital's chief of surgery, Dr. Amy Goldberg, who has treated thousands of shooting victims in the three decades she has worked in Philadelphia.
"If this is not a public health crisis, I don't know what is," she said.
Last year, there were 236 homicides in Philadelphia and more than 1,200 shootings, or one roughly every seven hours. Of those victims, nearly 700 were black men ages 18 to 34.
Temple has been working for five years to set up the study. As part of the process, Dr. Zoe Maher, a Temple trauma surgeon, has been giving presentations at community forums.
Maher, who is white, gave a 20-minute slideshow at a recent meeting in Hunting Park, a largely black and Hispanic neighborhood. Her audience was initially dubious.
"You're using people to do this study," said Charles Lanier, head of a neighborhood revitalization group. "I hear what you're saying, but in the interim, you're still sacrificing somebody to prove which (method) is better."
Yanitza Gonzalez, a councilwoman's representative, chimed in: "It's almost like we're gambling with people's lives."
Joann Taylor, a block captain, retorted: "We're already gambling with people's lives."
The Temple surgeon patiently laid out her case, even as she acknowledged the selection process is "like the flip of a coin." Retrospective studies, she said, have shown that gunshot and stabbing victims given basic life support such as an oxygen mask, CPR or immobilization had an 18 percentage-point survival advantage over those given advanced procedures, such as intubation, in an ambulance.
The study, involving all six of Philadelphia's trauma hospitals, has been exempted from the Food and Drug Administration's informed-consent rules, which require research subjects to be told the risks and benefits and to give permission in advance something not feasible with gravely wounded people.
Organizers had to meet certain requirements before launching the study, including getting approval from city and hospital review boards that oversee research on humans, holding community meetings and informing a certain percentage of the public.
Karen Maschke, a scholar at the Hastings Center, a medical ethics think tank in suburban New York City, said the experiment appears ethically sound.
"Getting to the emergency room, where equipment and experts are waiting, is a really critical window, especially for people with any kind of wound that involves bleeding," said Maschke, editor of the journal IRB: Ethics & Human Research. "Sometimes that's going to mean you can't stop and ask people if it's OK."
A version of this experimental approach is already in place.
For a generation, many Philadelphia police officers, instead of waiting for an ambulance, have been taking shooting and stabbing victims to the ER in their cruisers, a practice known as "scoop-and-run." Data from the longstanding practice helped inform the surgeons proposing this study.
"All of the evidence we have points to us being right, but if we are wrong, we will end the study early," Maher told the community group.
Some paramedics have opted out of participating.
Dr. Patrick Reilly, trauma chief at Penn Presbyterian Hospital, a study partner, said doctors and society tend to think more is better.
"If we said we were going to give another medicine, people would tend to go, 'Let's see if this works,'" he said. "This might be a situation where more isn't better."
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Errin Haines Whack covers urban affairs for The Associated Press. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/emarvelous and read more of her work at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/errin-haines-whack
In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 photo, Dr. Zoe Maher, a Temple trauma surgeon, listens to questions from community leaders about the Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT), during a meeting at the Hunting Park Community Center, in Philadelphia. The difference between being a gunshot survivor or a homicide victim may be what happens in the ambulance. Several Philadelphia hospitals are coming together for a study that will ask: When gunshot victims are rushed to the emergency room, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less? (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 photo, Dr. Zoe Maher, standing center, a Temple trauma surgeon, gestures while explaining the Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT) to community leaders, at the Hunting Park Community Center, in Philadelphia. The difference between being a gunshot survivor or a homicide victim may be what happens in the ambulance. Several Philadelphia hospitals are coming together for a study that will ask: When gunshot victims are rushed to the emergency room, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less? (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 photo, Dr. Zoe Maher, a Temple trauma surgeon, explains the Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT) to community leaders, at the Hunting Park Community Center, in Philadelphia. The difference between being a gunshot survivor or a homicide victim may be what happens in the ambulance. Several Philadelphia hospitals are coming together for a study that will ask: When gunshot victims are rushed to the emergency room, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less? (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 photo, Dr. Zoe Maher, a Temple trauma surgeon, explains the Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT) to community leaders, at the Hunting Park Community Center, in Philadelphia. The difference between being a gunshot survivor or a homicide victim may be what happens in the ambulance. Several Philadelphia hospitals are coming together for a study that will ask: When gunshot victims are rushed to the emergency room, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less? (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 photo, Scott Charles, center, Trauma Outreach Coordinator for Temple University Hospital, gestures as he discusses the Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT) with community leaders, at the Hunting Park Community Center, in Philadelphia. The difference between being a gunshot survivor or a homicide victim may be what happens in the ambulance. Several Philadelphia hospitals are coming together for a study that will ask: When gunshot victims are rushed to the emergency room, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less? (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
In this Saturday, July 9, 2016 photo, Wadia Gardner, Vice President of Hunting Park United, gestures while discussing the Philadelphia Immediate Transport in Penetrating Trauma Trial (PIPT) with other community leaders, at the Hunting Park Community Center, in Philadelphia. The difference between being a gunshot survivor or a homicide victim may be what happens in the ambulance. Several Philadelphia hospitals are coming together for a study that will ask: When gunshot victims are rushed to the emergency room, could paramedics do more to save them by doing less? (AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
US Coast Guard searches for 15 migrants in Caribbean waters
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Authorities are looking for 15 migrants who went missing after their boat capsized in Caribbean waters this week, the U.S. Coast Guard said Friday.
Officials said a good Samaritan rescued four migrants but that 13 Cubans, one Colombian and one Dominican were still missing. The migrants were aboard a boat traveling from the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Maarten to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Coast Guard said it believes the boat capsized between Saturday night and early Monday. Authorities said they found four lifejackets on Thursday in waters south of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Coast Guard said there are no signs of survivors so far despite searching an area roughly three-fourths the size of Puerto Rico.
This storm packed one heck of a powerful punch - at least in terms of the powerful people who had to hide from it.
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and former Britain Prime Minister Tony Blair were attending the ceremony at Little Rock's Central High School when the storm struck Thursday night in Arkansas forcing all three former world leaders to take shelter together in a basement of the school as tornado sirens blared.
The trio of still-influential former politicians were attending a graduation ceremony for the Presidential Leadership Scholars Program.
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Where's Auntie Em? Bill Clinton and Tony Blair waste no time heading for the door as everyone at a graduation ceremony in Little Rock is told to evacuate due to a potential tornado
All attendees were moved to the lower level of the high school, but a spokesman for Clinton says the three leaders also took shelter away from the crowd.
The powerful thunderstorm downed trees and power lines throughout Little Rock, but no major damage or injuries were reported.
Once the storm passed, the leaders went to the Clinton Presidential Center for a dinner with the presidential scholars.
Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair was one of three very important evacuees during the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation on Thursday Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock
Speaking Friday, Blair said it was a memorable start to his first visit to Little Rock.
'Your weather is interesting,' he said, eliciting big laughs during a lecture at Clinton's presidential library.
Head that way, everyone! Former President Bill Clinton speaks during the Presidential Leadership Scholars graduation on Thursday but he had to wait until a storm passed before he could speak
Former leaders Clinton and Bush seem like old pals, and perhaps they reminisced about their time in the Oval Office as they hunkered down in the basement
He added that he was asked Thursday if he'd ever experienced a tornado in England.
'We have the odd gust of wind, but that was quite something last night,' he said.
'Folks, I think we are experiencing a very serious storm,' the host of the event said in the middle of his speech to introduce one of the former leaders. 'We need to clear the auditorium. But, folks, good luck... and god speed,' he said to chuckles from the crowd.
Then Clinton, Bush, and Blair were ushered away as the crowd were on their own.
Blair, the least familiar tornadoes, was the first on his feet.
Former President George W. Bush doesn't seem too fazed by the tornado warnings that send him and Clinton and Blair to the lower level of a school
Woman found to spread Zika through sex for 1st time
NEW YORK (AP) A New York City woman infected her male partner with Zika virus through sex, the first time female-to-male transmission of the germ has been documented.
Zika is usually spread by mosquitoes, and health officials have known for some time that men can spread it through sex. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the case Friday and updated its advice for pregnant women.
The CDC now advises them to use protection if their sex partner has traveled to a Zika-infected region, whether the partner is a man or a woman.
FILE - This January 2016 microscope image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the Zika virus. On Friday, July 15, 2016, the CDC said a New York City woman infected her male partner with Zika virus through sex, the first time female-to-male transmission of the germ has been documented. (Cynthia Goldsmith/CDC via AP)
The Zika virus causes only a mild illness, at worst, in most people. But infection during pregnancy can lead to severe brain-related birth defects for the fetus. The New York woman was not pregnant.
While this is the first documented case of a woman spreading Zika through sex, health experts say it is not surprising because most diseases that can be spread through sex can be spread by both men and women. It has likely been happening throughout the recent Zika outbreaks in Brazil, Latin America and elsewhere, though experts say it is probably not very common.
Last month, on the day the New York woman returned from a trip to a Zika-infected country, she had vaginal sex with her partner, without a condom, health officials were told.
She went to her doctor three days after her return, after developing common Zika symptoms such as fever, fatigue, rash and back pain. Tests showed Zika infection.
Seven days after they'd had sex, her male partner developed similar symptoms. Two days later, he went to the same doctor. The doctor tested him even though he hadn't traveled from a Zika outbreak area and no cases of female-to-male transmission had been reported. He tested positive for Zika.
They both are in their 20s, but no other details about them were released, including where the woman traveled. Both have recovered, a CDC official said.
The woman began menstruating the day after they had sex. Health official say she may have spread the virus through vaginal fluid or menstrual blood.
The primary concern about Zika infection is the virus's threat to pregnancies, and health officials have issued cautions to pregnant women who have a male sex partner who may have been infected.
The CDC has now altered its advice slightly, to account for lesbian couples that include a pregnant woman. The CDC is now recommending that "barrier methods" be used by all pregnant women who have a sex partner who lives in or travels to a Zika outbreak area.
No woman-to-woman sexual transmission had been reported to date.
Eleven countries, including the United States, have reported cases of apparent sexual transmission of Zika virus from one person to another, according to the World Health Organization.
At least 14 were people who are believed to have caught it from sex with travelers, among the more than 1,300 people in the 50 states and the District of Columbia who have been diagnosed with Zika. The rest caught the virus while traveling to Latin America, the Caribbean or other outbreak areas.
Health officials say all or most of those travelers likely were infected through mosquito bites in the countries they were visiting. There have been no reports of mosquitoes spreading Zika in the continental United States so far.
Other research has hinted at the possibility of females spreading the virus through sex. In a study published last month, a team led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin detected Zika virus in the vaginal fluid of rhesus macaque monkeys. It was found for up to seven days after the monkeys were infected.
And there was one report of Zika detected in the vaginal fluid of a woman in the Caribbean island nation of Guadeloupe, a CDC official said.
Some experts said the case isn't surprising. Sexually transmitted diseases that spread from men to women also spread from women to men, said Dr. John M. Douglas, Jr., a former CDC expert on sexually transmitted diseases who now oversees a local health department in Colorado.
Male-to-female transmission is considered far more likely than the other way around, experts said. One reason is that Zika virus has been found to linger in semen for more than two months, but is thought to stay in vaginal fluid no more than two weeks, said Dr. John T. Brooks, a CDC expert on sexually-transmitted diseases who is part of the agency's Zika response team.
The case likely does not complicate efforts to fight the virus or show an important additional pathway for transmission, Brooks said, because female-to-male transmission is relatively difficult.
In the New York case, for example, several factors lined up to allow the disease to spread. The couple had sex just before the woman developed symptoms, a time when the amount of virus in her body may have been particularly high. They had sex just before her period started, so there may have been a small amount of early bleeding. And the man was uncircumcised, and uncircumcised men are considered at higher risk of catching sexually transmitted diseases.
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Religion news in brief
Mississippi leaders divided on religious-beliefs law appeal
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Mississippi's Democratic attorney general says he won't join the Republican governor in appealing a federal judge's ruling that blocked a state law on religious objections to gay marriage.
Attorney General Jim Hood said a continued legal fight would be "divisive and expensive" in a state that's already struggling with a tight budget.
The Islamic Center of Boca Raton, Fla., is shown on Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher disinvited the Islamic Center of Boca Raton as a polling center for the Aug. 30 Florida primary and the Nov. 8 general election after she received 50 complaints, including threats of violence, from people who don't want to vote in a mosque. (AP Photo/Terry Spencer)
The law sought to protect three beliefs: That marriage is only between a man and a woman; that sex should only take place in such a marriage; and that a person's gender is determined at birth and cannot be altered.
Hood says that Mississippi has no law that would force clergy members to perform weddings for same-sex couples, and the state enacted a Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2014 that would protect private businesspeople and others from violating their own beliefs.
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People vote in churches and synagogues and a mosque
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) Palm Beach County voters have been assigned to polling stations in about 80 Christian churches and five synagogues or Jewish centers this year, along with schools, government buildings and other locations. Until last week, a single mosque was part of this mix.
County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher had invited the Islamic Center of Boca Raton to host a polling site for the Aug. 30 Florida primary and Nov. 8 general elections. Then she disinvited the mosque after an anti-Islamic backlash
U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch and Lois Frankel say, by caving in to threats, Bucher is giving unwarranted support to those who say Muslims are not legitimate Americans because of violent extremists.
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Vatican sets Albania's beatification of 38 martyrs
TIRANA , Albania (AP) The Catholic Church in Albania says the Vatican has set Nov. 5 as the day of beatification of 38 Albanian religious martyrs killed by the former communist regime.
In April, Pope Francis officially recognized as martyrs Archbishop Vincens Prenushi and 37 other priests who died in prison or were murdered in 1945-1974 by the late communist dictator Enver Hoxha's regime, the church said a statement Wednesday.
Hoxha's regime banned religion In 1967 and persecuted its leaders and believers.
During Francis' visit to Tirana in 2014, big posters of the 38 clergy were placed along the Martyrs of the Nation Boulevard in the capital.
Francis held up Albania, with a majority of Muslims and also with Orthodox and Catholic communities, as a model for interfaith harmony.
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Nun who stood up to Billy the Kid to be subject of TV series
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) An Italian-born nun who once challenged Billy the Kid and later opened New Mexico hospitals and schools will soon be the subject of a TV series.
An Albuquerque production company is scheduled Wednesday to announce a new project about Sister Blandina Segale.
Saint Hood Productions will oversee the production "At the End of the Santa Fe Trail" just as the Roman Catholic Church is examining the 19th-Century nun for possible Sainthood.
Segale, a nun with the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and an advocate for Hispanics and Native Americans, founded schools in New Mexico and St. Joseph Hospital.
Her encounters with Old West outlaws became the subject of an episode of the CBS series "Death Valley Days," titled "The Fastest Nun in the West."
She worked as an educator and social worker in Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico.
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NY candidate's Quaker faith prompts threatening online posts
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York State Police have been asked to investigate threatening online comments directed at state Senate candidate Sara Niccoli, whose Quaker faith prohibits her from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Niccoli, a Democrat and the town supervisor of Palatine, says Wednesday that she believes the attacks were orchestrated by her opponent, Republican. Sen. George Amedore. Amedore denies any responsibility.
The comments about Niccoli were placed on a Facebook page that criticized her refusal to say the pledge. The page has since been deleted.
Commenters called for Niccoli's death and said she should be run out of the country.
Quaker teaching prohibits the swearing of oaths.
Two Palatine Town Boardmembers wrote to State Police Tuesday seeking an investigation into what they called "hateful" attacks on Niccoli and her religious liberty.
FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2014 file photo, a view of posters with the images of Catholic priests who were executed and persecuted by the former Albanian communist regime, on the Martyrs of the Nations Boulevard, in Tirana. The Catholic Church in Albania says that Vatican has set Nov. 5, 2016 as the day of beatification of 38 Albanian religious martyrs killed by the former communist regime. In April, Pope Francis officially recognized as martyrs archbishop Vincens Prenushi and 37 other priests who died in prison or were murdered in 1945-1974 by the late communist dictator Enver Hoxha's regime, said a statement Wednesday. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina, File) (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
FILE - In this Aug. 25, 2015 file photo, pamphlets and prayer cards of Sister Blandina Segale sit on a table at the Catholic Center in Albuquerque, N.M. The Italian-born nun who once challenged Billy the Kid and later opened New Mexico hospitals and schools will soon be the subject of a television series. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File)
This undated photo provided by People of God/Photo Archive Palace of the Governors shows Sister Blandina Segale. An Albuquerque production company is scheduled Wednesday, July 13, 2016 to announce a new project about Segale, an Italian-born nun who once challenged Billy the Kid and later opened New Mexico hospitals and schools. (People of God/Photo Archive Palace of the Governors via AP)
Mike Pence's unflappability could help Trump stay cool
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) As a conservative talk-radio host in the 1990s, Mike Pence described himself as "Rush Limbaugh on decaf."
Two decades later, Pence is the unflappable conservative governor of Indiana who's being plucked by Republican presidential contender Donald Trump as his running mate.
Where Trump is impulsive, Pence is cool-headed. Where Trump makes conservatives suspicious, Pence has credibility. And where Trump struggles to draw evangelical Christians, Pence is well-regarded by them.
FILE - In this July 14, 2016 file photo, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks in Indianapolis. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says on Twitter that he has picked Pence as his running mate. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
A favorite quote highlights how Pence might smooth some of the sharp corners of the Trump campaign and its supporters.
"I'm a conservative," Pence says. "But I'm not angry about it."
The former congressman also is a proven fundraiser with close ties to billionaire industrialists David and Charles Koch and their network of wealthy donors, many of whom have been dismissive of Trump.
"One thing you can say about Mike Pence is he's got a very calm, steady demeanor that in some ways is a little Reaganesque," said Christine Mathews, a Republican pollster for former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. "He's a counterbalance to Trump in that way."
Trump announced on Twitter Friday morning that he's selected Pence as his running mate, capping a wild 24 hours of speculation interrupted by the truck attack in Nice, France, that left scores dead.
Not so long ago, their relationship was a little awkward. Trump met privately with Pence before Indiana's primaries, seeking his endorsement. Instead, Pence, under pressure from national conservatives, tepidly endorsed Trump's rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, while still lavishing praise on Trump. Trump won that primary. Before the night was over, Cruz had quit the race.
For Pence, a former six-term congressman, Trump's selection offers a return to national politics after his embrace as governor of conservative social issues sidelined his own presidential ambitions. Pence describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." In 2015 he provoked a national backlash after signing a law that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Even some Indiana Republicans have questioned his decisions, suggesting Pence has at times seemed more interested in appealing to national conservatives than doing what's best for the state. Pence's support of the state's religious objections law led to a revolt from the business community, which joined gay rights advocates in successfully pushing for changes to the law.
Raised in Columbus, Indiana, in an Irish-Catholic family, Pence revered the Kennedys growing up and has said he voted for Jimmy Carter in 1980. He later identified as an evangelical Christian and was inspired to join the Republican Party by former President Ronald Reagan, whose "happy warrior" rhetorical style Pence has since tried to emulate.
After attending Hanover College, Pence graduated from Indiana University Law School in 1986. He met his wife, Karen, around the same time and twice unsuccessfully ran for Congress before taking a job at Indiana Policy Review, a conservative think-tank. In a 1991 essay titled "Confessions of a Negative Campaigner," Pence swore off harsh political tactics he used in "one of the most divisive and negative campaigns in Indiana's modern congressional history" while calling for "basic human decency."
"That means your First Amendment rights end at the tip of your opponent's nose even in the matter of political rhetoric," Pence wrote, though he backtracked in the face of a difficult re-election campaign in Indiana.
In Congress, Pence sponsored a few bills that became law as amendments in other legislation. But he built a national following among conservatives for his willingness to buck his own party after opposing President George W. Bush's Medicare expansion and the No Child Left Behind education overhaul. During the early years of President Barack Obama's administration, Pence helped lead the opposition to the Democrat's agenda.
"He has a particularly strong talent, a gift if you will, for being able to stick to principle while making his political opponents or those who disagree with him feel like they are being heard and respected," said Ryan Streeter, a former Pence aide and George W. Bush staffer who is now a public affairs professor at the University of Texas.
Pence's congressional experience is one trait that Trump, who has never held public office, wanted in a running mate.
Marc Short, a former Pence aide and top Koch brothers operative, elaborated: "He's worked with (House Speaker) Paul Ryan. He's worked with the team in House leadership. He's somebody who has deep relationships in the evangelical movement, and he's somebody who has foreign affairs experience."
Pence's one term as governor has drawn mixed reaction, and he has managed to alienate moderate Republicans over social issues.
Groups threatened boycotts over last year's religious objections law and late-night television hosts mocked the policy, leading lawmakers to approve changes.
This year Pence clashed with the local Catholic archdiocese by opposing the settlement of Syrian refugees in Indianapolis.
Pence was also slammed for the planned 2015 launch of "JustIN," a state-operated news service that was ditched after critics panned it as "Pravda on the Plains."
But he has also presided over Indiana's improving economy and plummeting unemployment rate, which Republicans credit to the state's low taxes, limited regulation and pro-business climate.
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Trump, Pence don't agree on key social, economic policies
DENVER (AP) Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has picked his running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. A former congressman, Pence is in many ways what Trump is not: a strong social conservative with deep ties to the party's establishment. As such, there is a record of deep disagreements between the two names on the top of the GOP ticket this year.
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TRADE
Pence has been a longtime, aggressive advocate of trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans Pacific Partnership. Trump wants to revoke NAFTA ratified by Congress and signed into law by Bill Clinton in 1993 and do away with the Obama administration-negotiated TPP. Trump has made his opposition to trade agreements the centerpiece of his economic argument.
"Our politicians have aggressively pursued a policy of globalization, moving our jobs, our wealth, and our factories to Mexico and overseas," Trump said in a speech in Pittsburgh last month. "Globalization has made the financial elite who donate to politicians very wealthy. But it has left millions of our workers with nothing but poverty and heartache."
Pence voted for several trade deals while in the House and last year wrote a letter as Indiana's governor urging the state's congressional delegation to support TPP.
In 2014 Pence called for ratification of the deal on Twitter: "Trade means jobs, but trade also means security. The time has come for all of us to urge the swift adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership."
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IMMIGRATION
Pence came out against Trump's proposed temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States in November. He said on Twitter that, "Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional."
He opposed the relocation of Syrian refugees into Indiana but argued that this was different than a blanket ban on migration by one religious group. A federal judge in February blocked Pence's order to state agencies that they not assist any Syrian refugees resettled in Indiana. Meanwhile, Trump's campaign has indicated he would prohibit entry into the U.S. from unspecified countries with histories of terrorism rather than by all Muslims.
While in Congress, Pence proposed allowing some people in the country illegally to return to the United States as guest workers provided that they relocate temporarily to their home country and apply for re-entry under a special guest worker program. The 2006 proposal never made it out of Congress but could have eventually made those people citizens in about 17 years. The program could have only begun had the federal government met benchmarks for securing the border. It was intended as a compromise between immigration hard-liners and those who supported then-President George W. Bush's call for a plan to let most people in the United States illegally eventually become citizens.
Trump, in contrast, has repeatedly called for a wall along the southern border and removal of all the nation's estimated 11 million people here illegally. He has hinted that he may support a program like Pence's to allow some back in but also said foreign workers drive down the wages of American workers.
Pence also last month criticized Trump's speculation that a federal judge born in Indiana was ruling against him in a lawsuit because of the judge's Mexican ancestry. Pence called Trump's statements "inappropriate."
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ENTITLEMENTS
Trump has bucked Republican orthodoxy by opposing cuts to entitlement programs like Social Security that many in the GOP believe need to be reined in. He's singled out the proposals of House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose budgets have called for a major restructuring of entitlement programs.
"Paul wants to knock out Social Security, knock it way down, wants to knock Medicare way down," Trump said in March. "These people have been making their payments their whole lives, I want to keep Social Security intact."
In Congress, Pence voted for Ryan's budget, which raised the age of Medicare eligibility to 67. He also backed then-President Bush's push to move Social Security into private investment accounts.
Interestingly, Pence is one of a number of Republican governors who struck compromises with the administration to expand Medicaid under Obama's health care law, covering an estimated 350,000 low-income residents in his state.
The move was a straddle, since Pence still favors repealing the underlying law. The Indiana expansion involved concessions to conservative ideas, such as requiring low-income people to pay modest premiums.
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GAY RIGHTS AND ABORTION
Trump has also distanced himself from social conservatives, saying Planned Parenthood "has done very good work" for some women and questioning Republican efforts to require transgendered people to use the bathrooms of their natural-born gender. Pence, in contrast, is a well-known social conservative who proposed defunding Planned Parenthood in 2007 and urged blocking the entire federal budget in 2011 in hopes of closing down the nonprofit organization. In March, Pence signed a bill in Indiana prohibiting women from seeking abortions solely because their fetuses could be born with disabilities. The measure was struck down by a federal judge last month.
Pence's biggest controversy as Indiana governor came last year, when he signed the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which critics contended could have let businesses in the state refuse to serve gays. After a national uproar among business leaders and activists, Pence signed a new measure that said RFRA couldn't be used to discriminate against gays.
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FOREIGN POLICY
Trump has repeatedly called the 2003 invasion of Iraq a mistake. Pence voted to authorize the invasion and was a vocal backer of the war. Pence visited Iraq in 2007 and controversially declared that a market in Baghdad showed that the city was actually secure even though it later surfaced that U.S. troops had locked down the area before his arrival.
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TONE
Sheriff: Naked couple arrested on stolen lawn mower
JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) Authorities have arrested a couple accused of riding naked on a stolen lawn mower in Missouri.
Jasper County sheriff's Det. Tim Williams said a 55-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman admitted that they rode the lawn mower home naked after their clothing was stolen while they skinny dipped in a creek northwest of Joplin.
The Joplin Globe (http://bit.ly/29N2kIe ) reports that authorities arrested the pair Tuesday morning on suspicion of stealing after finding them at a house with the riding mower parked in the front yard.
Williams says an investigation determined that the lawn mower didn't belong to either of them.
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France's truck attack marks deadly twist in Europe
LONDON (AP) France's deadly truck attack marks a frightening new reality in Europe: assailants turning to an ever-expanding arsenal to carry out violence that is becoming harder to predict or prevent.
Europe is no stranger to such bloodshed, but Thursday's death toll of at least 84 people represented one of the deadliest vehicle attacks in recent years.
Although the motivation behind the attack is not yet clear, the Tunisian driver plowed the vehicle into a crowd of revelers who had been watching fireworks for Bastille Day. Unlike attacks that have involved explosives-laden vehicles, the sheer weight and speed of the truck on the busy promenade appeared to have caused the high number of deaths.
A removal truck tows the vehicle that mowed through revelers in Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. A Tunisian living in France drove a large truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day along Nice's beachfront, killing more than 80 people, many of them children, according to police and hospital officials. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
"Using vehicles in attacks is a fairly well-established tactic with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group," said Matthew Henman, managing editor at IHS Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency Centre. "The deliberate use of a heavy truck targeting a crowd illustrates the demonstrability of the attack and could be the precursor for other attacks."
Supporters of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group praised the attack Friday, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility.
The militant group has called on supporters to use any means possible to strike at its targets. Attacks inspired by terror groups in recent years have involved planes, bulldozers, tractors, guns, knives, machetes, bombs, explosives and vehicles.
Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula released propaganda in 2010 depicting a truck as "the ultimate mowing machine," and the Islamic State called on its French supporters to "run them over with your cars," just days after the November 2015 attacks in Paris.
In France, there were two other recent attacks using vehicles, but it was disputed whether the assailants had links to terrorist cells. On Dec. 22, 2014, a man ran over pedestrians at a Christmas market in Nantes, killing one and injuring nine. That attack came a day after a similar incident in Dijon when a motorist injured 13 pedestrians. Both suspects, who survived, have histories of mental illness.
In Montreal, a vehicle was used to kill a soldier in October 2014; a year earlier, attackers in a car ran over an off-duty soldier in London before stabbing him to death.
Terrorist attacks involving vehicles have been more common outside of Europe.
The deadliest recent attack occurred July 3 when a suicide bomber from the Islamic State group killed at least 292 people and wounded another 200 by exploding a minibus in a crowded commercial area of Baghdad. The blast came near the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan when streets were teaming with people much like Thursday's festivities that drew crowds across France.
In Afghanistan, Taliban militants using a minivan killed 64 people and wounded more than 340 in an attack this year aimed at a government convoy. Last year, a truck bomb was also used to kill more than 10 people in Kabul. Similarly, a dump truck in Pakistan was loaded with explosives and devastated the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad in 2008, killing 50.
Israel, too, has seen a recent series of attacks using vehicles, many of which have been used against Israeli soldiers or civilians. Other attacks have involved bulldozers and tractors. Some bus and trolley stations have since been fortified with concrete barriers to prevent cars from driving into crowds.
The deadliest vehicle attack was in Beirut in 1983. Two trucks packed with explosives plowed into barracks housing U.S. and French military members, killing more than 300 people. In the United States, Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people in 1995 by driving a truck laden with explosives into a federal building in Oklahoma City.
Nathalie Goulet, a French senator who headed a commission investigating jihadi recruitment networks, said such attacks are difficult to prevent but questioned whether France could be doing more. Islamic State-linked extremists attacked the Bataclan concert hall and other sites across Paris on Nov. 13, killing 130 people.
"We can't put a police officer behind every person," Goulet said. "But, then again, if there really was a state of emergency, we should not have had a gathering like the fireworks show. ... This is a vicious cycle that is not ending."
France has been under a state of emergency since November. The measure allows for any gathering such as the Bastille Day festivities to be banned. It also allows for people's homes to be searched without a warrant and for suspects to be held under house arrest without formal charges.
Security officials say an increase in "lone wolf" attacks also makes prevention more difficult. Two such cases in the U.S. involved last year's attack in California when a married couple killed 14 people at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. Investigators determined they were inspired but not directed by foreign terrorist groups. Last month, a 29-year-old security guard killed 49 people and wounded 53 others at a gay nightclub in Orlando. He said he was inspired by the Islamic State group and other rival militant groups, although his motive remains unclear.
Sebastien Pietrasanta, a French lawmaker who was on the commission investigating the November attacks, said the truck driver in Nice had not been flagged as having ties to radicals.
"This was an individual who apparently was not known as radicalized," he said. "It's obviously very difficult to prevent. This is the same idea as Orlando."
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Associated Press writers Lori Hinnant in Perigueux, France, Kathy Gannon in Islamabad and Tia Goldenberg from Jerusalem contributed.
Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France, Thursday, July 14, 2016. France was ravaged by its third attack in two years when a large white truck mowed through revelers gathered for Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, killing at dozens of people as it bore down on the crowd for more than a mile along the Riviera city's famed seaside promenade. (Sasha Goldsmith via AP)
Florida courthouse evacuated after murder suspect escapes
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) A man awaiting trial for the slaying of a woman whose family founded the Halliburton oil services company slipped out of his shackles and bolted from a courthouse Friday just before a hearing on whether he could face the death penalty.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Dayonte Resiles, 21, eluded bailiffs about 9:30 a.m. in a fourth-floor courtroom and was seen on video surveillance escaping through an outside north door at the downtown courthouse. His black-and-white jail jumpsuit and shackles were left behind.
"We will leave no stone unturned," Israel told reporters. "We will do everything we can to bring him back into custody safely."
This undated photo made available by the Davie Police Dept. in Davie, Fla., shows Dayonte Resiles. Resiles who was under arrest for murder escaped from a courtroom at the Broward County Courthouse, Friday, July 15, 2016. The courthouse was evacuated. Resiles is accused of the September 2014 stabbing death of Jill Halliburton Su, a member of the family that founded the Halliburton oil services. (Davie Police Department via AP)
Much of the courthouse was evacuated several hours after the escape, but Israel said it appears Resiles was gone before authorities were able to set up a law enforcement perimeter. No one was injured in the escape.
Resiles faces murder and other charges in the Sept. 8, 2014 killing of Jill Halliburton Su, grand-niece of Halliburton Co. founder Erie P. Halliburton. Her body was found, bound at the hands and feet and stabbed multiple times, in the bathtub of her home in Davie, Florida, according to a police report.
Prosecutors say Resiles killed Su during an attempted burglary and filed papers earlier this year that they planned to seek the death penalty. Resiles has pleaded not guilty and his attorney is trying to get the death penalty off the table.
Israel said deputies brought Resiles to the hearing wearing the proper handcuffs and shackles. It's unclear how he apparently removed them, but Israel said when Resiles sprinted for the courtroom door a bailiff was unable to catch him.
Defense attorney Jim Lewis, who was in the courtroom on another matter, said Resiles was seated along with other inmates in the jury box awaiting their hearings when he suddenly leaped over a low wall and took off.
"One of the deputies had him by the clothing in the back, but he slipped away," Lewis said. "He went down the end of the floor and we didn't see him again after that."
Israel said the immediate focus is on capturing Resiles, who was described in wanted posters as potentially armed and dangerous. But the sheriff said there are many questions about the escape that need to be answered.
"How this happened is certainly something that we will look into," he said.
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The Latest: Arizona police finish processing motorhome
PANACA, Nev. (AP) The Latest on explosions that killed one person in a small Nevada town (all times local):
7 p.m.
Police in Kingman, Arizona have completed the processing of a bomb scene, and RV park residents have been allowed to return to their homes.
Shrapnel from a Wednesday night bombing that killed one person sits on a street in Panaca, Nev., on Thursday, July 14, 2016. (Brett Le Blanc/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
Earlier Friday, police evacuated about 100 people in the RV park while they searched for explosives believed connected to blasts that killed one person in a rural Nevada community.
Police say 15 improvised explosive devices of varying sizes and designs were inside a Kingman motorhome.
Ten of the devices were rendered safe in a vacant field just west of the park, with the other five to be detonated at another location.
Police say the motorhome has been removed and will be secured as evidence. The FBI will take over as the lead agency in the investigation.
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4 p.m.
Police in Kingman, Arizona were still on the scene Friday afternoon where they say numerous improvised explosive devices have been found inside of a motorhome.
Earlier Friday, police evacuated about 100 people in the RV park while they search for explosives believed connected to blasts that killed one person in a rural Nevada community.
Investigators say they hope to have the motorhome rendered safe sometime Friday, which would allow residents to return to their homes.
Police say several IEDs have been systematically removed from the motorhome and rendered safe.
They say there is no longer a safety concern regarding the storage unit as it didn't contain any items that would be dangerous or hazardous to residents.
Nevada authorities called Kingman police for help investigating the suspect in the explosions Wednesday that tore through a car and a house in the small town of Panaca.
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3:30 p.m.
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval visited about 200 people in a town hall-style meeting in the explosion-rocked town of Panaca (pah-NAK'-uh), and spent some time with the family that escaped injury when their home was bombed.
The governor's chief-of-staff, Mike Willden, says Sandoval assured the Cluff family and neighbors on Friday that the state will help with whatever they need to recover.
Willden says it appears the Cluff family has a lot of support from family members and friends who've rallied to help since Tammy Cluff and two daughters ran from the house on Wednesday.
Moments later, the suspect identified as 59-year-old former hospital co-worker Glenn Franklin Jones killed himself with two bomb blasts.
Husband Joshua Cluff and another daughter weren't at home at the time.
Willden says the investigation is continuing.
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3:20 p.m.
A Nevada hospital administrator described no animosity between a former nurse and two former colleagues whose home he bombed.
All three had worked at Grover C. Dils Medical Center in a town neighboring the rural Mormon enclave of Panaca. Hospital administrator Jason Bleak said Friday that they knew each other personally and all quit their jobs voluntarily at different times over the past two years.
Bleak says they all were "happy people" and didn't show signs of having problems with each other or with the hospital.
Authorities say Glenn Jones set off a bomb in the home of Joshua and Tiffany Cluff and one in a car outside, killing himself. The Cluffs and their children weren't hurt.
Joshua Cluff had been Jones' boss.
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1 p.m.
A neighbor of the man who killed himself by detonating two bombs in the small Nevada town of Panaca says the suspect crafted bombs while in the Army and was depressed following a series of personal tragedies.
Dennis Sanders said he knew Glenn Jones through church and tried to help him overcome depression after his wife's death and his mother's suicide.
Sanders said Friday that Jones told him he had bought the gun his mother used to kill herself.
Sanders also said Jones built bombs during his Army stint and did demolition work.
But Sanders says he was surprised to hear that Jones set off the blasts that showered shrapnel and debris across Panaca, which is near the Utah border.
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11:15 a.m.
About 30 people have been allowed back home in a rural Nevada town after authorities say a man killed himself detonating two bombs.
Lincoln County sheriff's dispatcher Toni Lytle said Friday that the scene in Panaca (pah-NAK'-uh) reopened late Thursday after authorities finished combing the area for more explosives.
Officials say Nevada Division of Forestry inmate firefighters have been brought in to help retrieve debris that the blasts scattered over a 1-mile radius late Wednesday.
The investigation has led four hours away to Kingman, Arizona, where about 100 people have been evacuated from an RV park while police search a motorhome believed owned by the bomber.
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10:15 a.m.
Police evacuated about 100 people at an Arizona RV park while they search for explosives believed connected to blasts that killed one person in a rural Nevada community.
Kingman Deputy Police Chief Rusty Cooper said Friday that it's expected to take all day to finish searching the 40-foot motorhome, where explosive material and assembled bombs were found Thursday. A storage shed also needs to be searched.
Nevada authorities called Kingman police for help investigating the suspect in the explosions Wednesday that tore through a car and a house in the small town of Panaca.
A temporary shelter has been set up at the local high school for those displaced from the park in an industrial area about a four-hour drive from Panaca.
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9 a.m.
Police in Arizona found explosive material and assembled bombs in a parked RV that's believed to be connected to two blasts that killed one person and rocked a rural Nevada town.
Deputy Police Chief Rusty Cooper in Kingman, Arizona, said Friday that officers are searching a 40-foot motorhome and storage shed at an RV park that belonged to the suspect in the bombings.
Nevada authorities called Kingman police Thursday to help investigate.
The explosions Wednesday night tore through a car and a house on a quiet residential street in the small farming community of Panaca. The suspect was killed and a young boy nearby suffered minor injuries.
Kingman is a four-hour drive from Panaca, a Mormon enclave near the Utah border.
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5:15 a.m.
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval is cutting a business trip short so he can tour the site of an explosion where authorities say a man killed himself.
Sandoval is scheduled to join Lincoln County Sheriff Kerry Lee for a briefing and tour Friday in Panaca, a town of about 900 people.
Authorities say a man killed himself when he detonated an explosive in a car and inside a home Wednesday night. A woman and two girls escaped the house before the bombs went off.
Lee said investigators believe they know who the bomber was and that he knew the family, although they haven't released the suspect's identity or his relationship to the family.
Sandoval is coming back early from the National Governor's Association conference in Iowa.
Summer campers devise way to help Orlando nightclub victims
NEW YORK (AP) The deadly nightclub shooting in Florida has inspired Broadway stars to sing in concerts, record songs and perform a few blocks from the massacre. Now there's an online philanthropic campaign modeled on the ice bucket challenge.
Staff and campers at Stagedoor Manor, the powerhouse performing arts summer camp, have made a video of themselves singing the benefit version of "What the World Needs Now is Love " and will donate $10 to the LGBT Center of Greater Orlando each time their original post is shared on Instagram or Twitter until they reach $5,000.
"It's more than the money. It's the message of fighting for tolerance and the love," said Cindy Samuelson, who runs the Catskills Mountains camp . "Right now, with everything going on in the world, it's needed more than ever. People need to be tolerant of each other."
FILE - In this April 1, 2016 file photo, Seth Rudetsky poses after an interview in New York. Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley enlisted a group of Broadway veterans including Audra McDonald and Idina Menzel to record a new version of the iconic 1965 song "What the World Needs Now is Love," with all proceeds going to help the LGBT Center of Central Florida. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, File)
The camp's 290 kids joined by staffers recorded the song Thursday and hope to challenge some of their famous alumni to do their own recordings. So far, they've tapped actor Erich Bergen of TV's "Madam Secretary," Beanie Feldstein of the film "Neighbors 2" and Samantha Massell from Broadway's "Fiddler on the Roof."
"I love that these young theater kids are learning it's not just about 'Put on a good show!' but about how art can help and connect," said Seth Rudetsky, the SiriusXM radio host whose arrangement of "What the World Needs Now is Love" was used by the campers.
The effort is part of a push by Broadway performers to reach out to victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting, including Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jennifer Lopez combining for the benefit single "Love Make the World Go Round."
On July 24, the Broadway cast of "Fun Home" will do a concert of their musical in Orlando and, a night later, such stars as Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norbert Leo Butz, Kelli O'Hara and Chita Rivera will perform "From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert for Orlando."
One of the first benefits was dreamed up by Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley. They enlisted a huge group of Broadway veterans including Audra McDonald and Idina Menzel to record a new version of the iconic 1965 song "What the World Needs Now is Love," with all proceeds going to the LGBT Center of Central Florida.
That song, with little commercial radio support, has become a hit on iTunes and inspired others to use Rudetsky's arrangement, including a Saturday benefit at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California, led by Kristen Bell and the latest effort by the Stagedoor kids.
Puerto Rico reports biggest weekly jump in Zika cases ever
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Puerto Rico government officials on Friday reported the biggest weekly rise in Zika cases that the U.S. territory has ever seen.
Health Secretary Ana Rius said 1,336 new cases were reported in the past week, for a total of 4,437 cases since the mosquito-borne virus was first detected in December.
She said 76 of Puerto Rico's 78 municipalities now have Zika cases. A total of 553 pregnant women have Zika, which can cause severe birth defects.
Fifty-five people have been hospitalized for Zika-related illnesses, including 19 diagnosed with a temporary paralysis known as Guillain-Barre syndrome that has been linked to the virus. One person has died.
The spike comes a week after U.S. health officials urged Puerto Rico's government to consider aerial spraying to fight the virus. Rius previously said she supported fumigation with the insecticide Naled, but on Friday she told radio station WKAQ 580 that she has put that recommendation on hold.
"We are studying all the risks that Naled poses, and whether these are greater than the benefits we would receive," she said. "We are consciously seeking what we'll recommend to the governor."
Puerto Ricans have held numerous protests against aerial spraying, saying it would harm wildlife and people's health. U.S. government officials have said it is safe to spray with Naled.
Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla has not yet commented on the issue.
CIA declassified papers focus of art exhibit in Argentina
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Chilean artist Voluspa Jarpa has turned declassified CIA documents into an exhibit focused on one of Latin America's darkest periods.
The show, which also includes videos, audios and paintings, opened this week in Buenos Aires at the Museum of Latin American Art, known as MALBA.
For more than a decade, Jarpa collected Cold War-era declassified documents that span from 1948-1994. A large portion of the information shows the CIA's involvement with the region's dictatorships that killed and forcibly "disappeared" thousands of people during the 1970s and 1980s.
In this July 13, 2016 photo, Chilean artist Voluspa Jarpa poses next to her installation, one day before the inauguration of her exhibit titled, "En nuestra pequena region de por aca," or In Our Little Region Over Here, at the MALBA museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Jarpa has turned declassified CIA documents into an exhibit focused on the thousands killed or forcibly disappeared during one of Latin Americas darkest periods. The show includes videos, audios and paintings. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Hundreds of copies of papers documenting the brutalities of the regimes have been hung from the high ceilings of the museum's main hall for the exhibition, "In Our Little Region Over Here."
"This seeks to construct an image of Latin America through the documents that the U.S. has declassified about the Cold War," Jarpa recently told reporters at the museum. "We wanted to interpose this huge architectural space with these declassified files to show the enormity of their volume."
Many pages contain information about the 1973-90 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet in Chile. At least 3,095 people were killed during Pinochet's rule, and tens of thousands more were tortured or jailed for political reasons, according to government figures. Pinochet died in 2006 under house arrest without being tried on charges of illegal enrichment and human rights violations.
Another part of the exhibit centers on 47 prominent Cold War-era Latin Americans who were killed or died as victims of unsolved crimes that are now being investigated or revisited. Depicted in hand-painted portraits on bronze plaques, they include Cabinet ministers, judges, priests and former presidents.
Some Latin American personalities are featured in a mural representing a collective funeral, while their stories are recorded in folders filled with legal documents.
Speeches of human rights advocates, including slain Salvadoran Roman Catholic Archbishop Oscar Romero, can also be heard in Jarpa's first exhibit in Argentina.
In this July 13, 2016 photo, Chilean artist Voluspa Jarpa poses by her drawing based on photographs of the funerals of prominent Latin Americans, whose deaths have not been resolved or are being investigated, during a press tour of her show titled , "En nuestra pequea region de por aca," or In Our Little Region Over Here, at the MALBA museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Jarpa has turned declassified CIA documents into an exhibit focused on the thousands killed or forcibly disappeared during one of Latin Americas darkest periods. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
This July 13, 2016 photo shows two portraits that depict Chile's late President Salvador Allende, left, and poet Pablo Neruda, created by Chilean artist Voluspa Jarpa, displayed at the MALBA museum in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Jarpa has turned declassified CIA documents into an exhibit focused on the thousands killed or forcibly disappeared during one of Latin Americas darkest periods. The show titled "En nuestra pequea region de por aca," or In Our Little Region Over Here, includes videos, audios and paintings. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Family of Ohio woman who died in holding cell files lawsuit
CLEVELAND (AP) The family of a Cleveland woman who died in a jail's holding cell last year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming her civil rights were violated.
Ralkina Jones' family accuses officers at the Cleveland Heights jail of failing to check on her every hour and causing her to be improperly medicated, Cleveland.com reported (http://bit.ly/29HUY7m).
The federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday against the city, and says the jail also improperly logged when Jones' was given medication and there are gaps in jail surveillance footage.
"Despite Ralkina Jones' clear request that her health needs be properly managed, the Defendants did not take her needs seriously, characterizing her requests as her 'acting up,' and failing to follow established standards regarding the documentation of administration of medication," the lawsuit said.
Jones, 37, was arrested in June 2015 after police said she hit her former husband with a tire iron. She died two days after her arrest. The Cuyahoga County medical examiner ruled her death an accident and said she died of sudden cardiac death related to health issues.
The city's law director said he hadn't seen the lawsuit and declined to comment.
Body-camera footage shows Jones expressing her health concerns and stressing that she needs to take medications.
But the suit said, "By the time she was discovered, she was dead, with rigor mortis already setting in, as well as lividity in her lower extremities, fingertips and torso, indicating that she had likely been dead for a number of hours before emergency medical treatment was sought."
The family is seeking damages and wants the city to establish a policy to prevent similar deaths.
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When Army career ended in disgrace, gunman was ostracized
DALLAS (AP) He was disarmed in the middle of a war zone and placed under 24-hour escort. The most humiliating part was that everyone in Micah Johnson's unit in Afghanistan knew why: He was accused of stealing a female soldier's panties.
Johnson's aspirations to a military career were over. Now he faced removal from the Army. The well-liked, easygoing young black man whose friendships were described as colorblind was suddenly deeply shamed and ostracized.
People who knew him, both before and after, say he was never the same.
This undated photo posted on Facebook on April 30, 2016, shows Micah Johnson, who was a suspect in the sniper slayings of five law enforcement officers in Dallas Thursday night, July 7, 2016, during a protest over two recent fatal police shootings of black men. An Army veteran, Johnson tried to take refuge in a parking garage and exchanged gunfire with police, who later killed him with a robot-delivered bomb, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said. (Facebook via AP)
Authorities have described Johnson as a loner who shot and killed five officers in downtown Dallas during last week's peaceful protest over police shootings nationwide. President Barack Obama, at a memorial for the victims, called him "demented."
But in multiple interviews with The Associated Press, the Mississippi-born, Texas-bred 25-year-old was remembered by friends, comrades and acquaintances as a gregarious, even "goofy" extrovert.
Johnson wasn't the best marksman, a fellow Army Reserve buddy recalled, and his former squad leader described him as less than motivated during training. But in Dallas, he showed striking tactical effectiveness, video from the scene shows. He moved stealthily, used columns for cover and swiveled his head to watch corners for threats.
Such was his skill that police initially thought they were taking fire from multiple snipers.
Retired Army Sgt. Gilbert Fischbach, Johnson's former squad leader in Texas, said the Johnson who craftily changed locations to confuse his enemy was not the same soldier he trained.
"He didn't seem to be motivated or enthused to learn those types of tactics," he said. "These are things he was trained on but never seemed to really care about."
As a boy in a Dallas suburb with friends of all backgrounds, Johnson dreamed of being a police officer or a soldier, relatives said.
His school transcripts show he struggled academically when he changed school districts a decade after his parents' 1996 divorce. He failed some courses but graduated in 2009 with a 1.98 grade-point average, ranking 430 out of 453 students in his class.
But in ROTC, he was serious, said Latisha Boyd, who enrolled in JROTC with Johnson in 2009, when she was a freshman and he a senior.
"He was really friendly and passionate about the Army," she said. "I wasn't really into it, but he was. If I had a problem or needed help with an exercise, he's the one I'd go to."
Other close high school friends also described a different Johnson than the shooter in the shadows.
"He was the goofy guy. He always had something funny to say. He didn't have a care in the world," said Stanlee Washington, who now lives in California. Johnson cared deeply about his friends and family, especially his younger brother who had autism, Washington added.
Johnson would sometimes try to talk politics, said Jake Hunt, who became friends with Johnson shortly after transferring to Dr. John D. Horn High School in Mesquite when he was 17.
"We weren't big partiers. We just hung out with each other," he added. "If something happened in the news, he'd try and talk about it. But we tried to stay away from it."
Toward the end of Johnson's senior year, he became friends with a classmate, Justin Garner, who was assigned to the same skill trade, carpentry and masonry, in the same Army Reserve unit, the 284th Engineer Company of the 420th Engineer Brigade. The pair often worked out together to prepare for the Army's physical tests. Afterward they played Xbox, Garner said.
"I loved him to death, but that guy was not really a good soldier. There were certain technical skills you need as a soldier that he was lacking, like shooting, if you can believe it," Garner said.
Johnson did poorly in the required rifle test, scoring the lowest rank of "marksman" after shooting at silhouetted targets from as far away as 300 meters, according to Garner, who said he got the highest ranking.
They soon bonded with other young soldiers in the Army Reserve in Texas and formed a clique of mostly white and Latino reservists.
He recalled an incident in spring 2010 that gave him pause about Johnson. It was around 2 a.m. and Johnson called him from a party at a friend's house, asking to be picked up.
Johnson told him, "'I was about to get into it with this guy, and I felt like I was going to do the wrong thing so I needed someone to get me out of there,'" said Garner, who calmed him down.
"It kind of freaked me out a little bit," Garner added. "I didn't think this guy was off the deep end, but I felt like I didn't want to be on the wrong end of his sword."
Fischbach said Johnson developed a crush on a squad mate when the two met in 2009 in Texas. They became best friends, but she made it clear that it would not grow into anything more intimate, he said.
"They were very good friends. Pretty much inseparable," he said. "We even had to break them up a few times" because it was distracting others.
Johnson's mother, Delphene, recalled that the young woman had visited and stayed overnight at the family's house in Mesquite numerous times over two years. Johnson and the woman even "slept in the same bed," his mother told TheBlaze, a news site founded by conservative talk show host Glenn Beck.
But the relationship took a sharp turn after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against Johnson while they were in Afghanistan.
The AP is not identifying the woman because of the complaint, but it has made repeated efforts to talk to her and Johnson's family.
"She bought me gifts, birthday and Christmas gifts," Delphene Johnson said in the only interview she has granted.
The two deployed to an area of Afghanistan that had seen heavy combat but that was relatively quiet when the 284th arrived in November 2013, said Fischbach, who left the unit just before it deployed. He said he had been in frequent contact with members of the unit since the shooting, and was speaking to the AP on their behalf because they were either under military gag order or did not wish to speak to the media.
The unit built a gym for Special Forces and was largely confined to base, Fischbach said.
At one point, the base lost access to potable water and went nearly five weeks without laundry or showers. Afghan contractors did the wash, and Johnson took the woman's laundry along with his to be washed, but when it came back, some panties were missing, Fischbach said.
At first, the woman thought it was the Afghans. But they denied it. So the soldiers' quarters were searched and, according to Fischbach, Johnson was caught red-handed trying to dispose of her dirty underwear.
"She was just torn apart," he said. "Not only had her best friend betrayed her trust but had done something that was extraordinarily out of character."
Fischbach said he thought the incident revealed "something deeply rooted in him that was wrong."
The woman filed a complaint against Johnson with the Army in May 2014 and sought a protective order against Johnson "pertaining to myself, my family, home, restaurant and any other place of residence I may reside at," according to a military lawyer assigned to the case. She also asked that Johnson receive "mental help."
Johnson's mother gave a different account of the fractured relationship between her son and the woman. Once overseas, the woman had done "things that she should not have been doing with someone in a higher ranking. He called her out on it," the mother said in TheBlaze interview.
Fischbach said he knew of no evidence to substantiate that claim.
Once Johnson was accused, per protocol, he was disarmed and assigned a non-commissioned officer to accompany him 24 hours a day to the bathroom, to the shower, everywhere.
"It prevents him from committing suicide if he's suicidal," said Fischbach, or striking out at others.
In July 2014, Johnson was sent home from Afghanistan.
Johnson originally faced removal from the Army altogether, said Texas-based defense attorney Bradford Glendening, which was "highly unusual" since sexual harassment cases typically wind up with a soldier receiving counseling. The case ended in September 2014, when Johnson signed paperwork agreeing to receive a "less than honorable" discharge from the Army, Glendening said.
But Johnson wasn't discharged until April 2015, and Glendening said last week he was told Johnson had received an honorable discharge. Glendening is no longer discussing the case, saying he could face military prosecution for violating orders not to talk about it.
U.S. officials on Friday said the Army Criminal Investigation Command had reopened the sexual harassment case against Johnson to see if documentation was properly handled. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. The Army has refused to discuss it.
Fischbach called the decision "damage control" and said he did not believe Johnson ever received the psychological evaluation the complaint requested. "Right now it's just a smoke screen until they can make up another story," he said.
Johnson returned home deeply changed, his mother told TheBlaze. His father, James, said he "became a loner" and "didn't like people."
He sought medical care from the Veterans Health Administration for a back injury, but got no help after filling out forms and going to meetings so he "just finally gave up," his mother said.
VA spokesman James Hutton told the AP Johnson accessed care three times at Dallas VA Medical Center, for the last time in September 2014.
Johnson began receiving payments from the state to help care for his disabled younger brother through a company called Touch of Kindness, which has a contract with the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.
By April 2015, Johnson headed to the streets of downtown Dallas for a protest that brought many anti-police brutality groups together over the death of Freddie Gray, who died after his neck was broken inside the prisoner compartment of a Baltimore police van.
Yafeuh Balogun, who helped found the Dallas-based Huey P. Newton Gun Club, said he met Johnson there through a mutual friend, but that they didn't discuss much beyond the day's protest. The gun club presses for accountability reforms at the Dallas Police Department and has carried out armed citizen patrols of Dallas neighborhoods, Balogun said.
Balogun came away with an impression that Johnson was a "cool, level-headed person" who was exploring contemporary black nationalism.
"When you are in the beginning phase of consciousness, you go to a lot of lectures because you are looking to find someone to follow," he said. "That was what Micah was doing."
But Johnson never joined the gun club, Balogun added.
In May 2015, a month after Johnson was discharged, he and three other men were questioned by police in suburban Richardson responding to a "suspicious person" report while they were sitting in a black Chevrolet Tahoe, according to a police report.
Johnson explained he was waiting for his dad to arrive to pick up his brother, the report shows, and that he'd "just gotten out of a class at a nearby self-defense school."
The school, just a few doors down from where he was stopped, touts courses that include special tactics such as "shooting from different positions," ''shooting around barriers" and "speed & tactical reloading."
Justin J. Everman, owner of the Academy of Combative Warrior Arts, said Johnson took hand-to-hand combat classes but "did not train any firearms with us" and "didn't learn any tactics from us."
Johnson's father recalled conversations with his son about police brutality, the distrust he had of officers and injustice he perceived in the world. But neither of Johnson's parents said he talked about killing police.
"My message to him," his father said in TheBlaze interview, "was that there's good and bad in everybody, every race. But law enforcement is the law, and ultimately you have to obey it."
As videos of black men killed by police under suspicious circumstances continued to surface, authorities said, Johnson made plans for an assault, keeping a journal of combat tactics and gathering bomb-making materials.
By late May, Johnson went to a vibrant festival at the Pan-African Connection Bookstore in Dallas celebrating Malcolm X's birthday, where he met the shop's owner.
"He said he'd never seen anything like this. He was glad to be here, to know there was a place like this to come and learn," said owner Akwete Tyehimba, whose shop promotes global unity of African people and disavows violence. He gave "no indication that he would even have this train of thinking. He was just a nice, handsome, polite young man."
Then, on July 5 came the death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling, as two white officers pinned him to the pavement outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, one of more than 500 fatal police shootings by on-duty officers in 2016, according to The Washington Post.
Sterling's death was followed the next day with a Facebook livestream video of 32-year-old Philando Castile being shot and killed by an officer during a traffic stop in suburban Minneapolis.
On the evening of July 7, a diverse crowd of hundreds of protesters gathered in downtown Dallas for a Black Lives Matter march, just blocks from where President John F. Kennedy was slain in 1963. Johnson left his home at some point before the rally, his mother said in TheBlaze interview. She asked what he was protesting and he mentioned the shootings, telling her, "Mom, you've got to listen to the news."
"I told him to stay out of trouble ... and he said, 'I will,' " she recalled. His last words were "I love you."
Authorities said Johnson arrived downtown in a black Chevrolet Tahoe, parked and took up sniper positions. He wore a protective vest and carried a Russian-made Saiga semi-automatic rifle and two handguns, they said.
As the protest march was winding down, Johnson opened fire. Panicked protesters fled, as additional police rushed in.
Hours later, on the morning of July 8, authorities isolated Johnson on the second floor of the El Centro community college downtown and began negotiating with him. Johnson insisted on speaking with a black police negotiator, police said, laughed at authorities, sang, talked about killing whites and asked how many officers he had shot.
"We're convinced that this suspect had other plans and thought that what he was doing was righteous and believed that he was going to target law enforcement make us pay for what he sees as law enforcement's efforts to punish people of color," Dallas Police Chief David Brown said in a lengthy interview on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday.
The standoff ended when police sent in a bomb-carrying robot. Johnson died in the blast. In all, he killed five police officers and wounded nine others and two civilians.
Police later questioned Johnson's mother about whether he hated cops or ever spoke about killing officers, she said. When she learned what had happened she was stunned.
"I was like, you know, you've got to be lying," she said. "Not my son. He got upset when we ran over a squirrel."
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Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant and Will Weissert in Dallas and AP researchers Monika Mathur in Washington and Rhonda Shafner and Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed to this report.
FILE - This undated file photo shows Micah Johnson, who killed five police officers in Dallas on Thursday, July 7, 2016, during a protest over two recent fatal police shootings of black men. Almost a week after the Dallas sniper attacks, it's still unclear how the gunman obtained an honorable discharge from the military even though Army officials sent him home from Afghanistan with a recommendation that he be thrown out of the armed forces. (Facebook via AP, File)
The Nice victims: A boy, a businessman, a police official
The Bastille Day crowd on the waterfront in Nice, France, was a festive mixture of French locals and foreign visitors. The truck that slammed into them late Thursday, apparently intent on hitting as many as possible, did not discriminate: Among the 84 dead who've been identified were Americans, Germans, Ukrainians and a Russian.
Here are brief portraits of some of the victims:
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This photo provided by Jess Davis shows the Copeland family, from left, Sean, Maegan, Brodie, Austin and Kim. Davis, a family friend, said Sean Copeland and his son Brodie were killed Thursday, July 14, 2016 when a Frenchman of Tunisian descent drove a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day along Nice's beachfront, killing scores of people. (Courtesy of Jess Davis via AP)
The Copeland family, from a town near Austin, Texas, was taking in some of Europe's classic sights on vacation, starting with the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
Sean Copeland, the 51-year-old father of the family, and his 11-year-old son, Brodie, were killed in the truck attack while other family members survived.
"We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean Copeland, a wonderful husband and father," said a statement released by family friend Jess Davis.
Sean Copeland was a vice president at a software division of Lexmark Inc., a business automation firm, where a former co-worker remembered him as someone devoted to his family and a charismatic and generous person who wanted others to succeed.
"He was one of those guys you couldn't help but like," said John Dorr, who was hired by Copeland for his first software sales job 20 years ago. "He was always happy, always smiling."
Brodie was in the honor choir and active in sports at Lakeway Elementary School, Principal Sam Hicks said in a statement. Aaron Cable, head of player development for the Hill Country Baseball Club, told the Austin American-Statesman newspaper that Brodie was a mature, funny, "one-of-kind kid" who aspired to be an actor or comedian.
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As the president of an athletic club in his hometown of Marcigny, Robert Marchand was in Nice with some club members for a sports league meeting, according to Le Journal de Saone-et-Loire, a regional newspaper.
He never made it back to his home in east-central France. Marchand, 60, was killed in the attack, Marcigny Mayor Louis Poncet told the newspaper.
He was "a very dedicated man, an enthusiast who elevated the athletic club to its highest level," Poncet said.
Marchand, a married father of a daughter, was also a coach and an all-around good sport. When the club's young athletes put on a show in 2014, Marchand played his part by staging magic tricks with his wife, according to an account at the time in the newspaper Le Pays.
He worked for a company that specializes in security systems for the military, French media said.
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In his last moments of life, 27-year-old Timothe Fournier was more concerned about his pregnant wife, pushing her out of the path of the truck.
"He was a dreamy young man, but he was always there for her and their future child," a cousin named Anais told French radio.
It was unclear whether Fournier's wife, who was seven months pregnant, escaped unscathed.
The couple lived in Paris and was in Nice for the holiday.
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Viktoria Savchenko, 20, was on holiday with her pal Polina Serebryannikova, both of them students on summer break from Moscow's Financial University.
When the truck sped through the crowd, Savchenko couldn't get out of the way in time. Serebryannikova was hospitalized with injuries, Russian news reports said.
The newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted a friend of the young women, Yulia E., as saying "They had so much fun, walked together. Vika took pictures of her. And suddenly all this horror."
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A retired couple from northeastern France, their daughter and their grandson were among the victims.
The Republicain Lorrain newspaper identified the victims as Francois and Christiane Locatelli; their daughter, Veronique Lyon, 55; and their grandson, Mickael Pellegrini, 28. The family had gone to the French Riviera for a brief holiday.
The family is well-known in the township of Longwy, where the 82-year-old Francois had worked as a heating engineer and his grandson taught high school economics and social studies at the Lycee des Recollets.
"The large Recollets family has just lost one of its own," the school said on its website. "We join the family in their enormous pain and distress."
Christiane Locatelli "loved to laugh," according to an online report in the Liberation newspaper. She was a formidable woman who liked orchids and postcards, her older sister, Jacqueline, told the newspaper. Locatelli had just sent her sister a postcard from her Mediterranean vacation.
"She asked about my health. In the end, she was killed by a jerk," Jacqueline told the newspaper.
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Fatima Charrihi's son told French news media that she was a devout Muslim.
"She wore the veil but practiced a true Islam, not the terrorist version," Hamza Charrihi was quoted as saying by the newspaper L'Express.
He said he believes she may have been the first to die in the attack, struck down as she walked on the promenade with some nieces and nephews. He said another son performed CPR on her, but the mother of seven died on the pavement.
The son showed French media a residency card belonging to his mother, but her nationality wasn't immediately clear.
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Linda Casanova Siccardi, one of the two Swiss nationals confirmed to have died, is described in a trade union newsletter as one of the country's first female customs officials.
A 2009 article in the Garanto newsletter says Casanova started in customs in the late 1970s and was the first woman from Ticino to receive a diploma as a customs specialist.
She described attending customs school at an old military barracks in Liestal and breaking through the barriers of a male-dominated industry that hadn't yet adjusted to women in the workplace.
Aside from work, she told the newsletter her big passions were animals, nature and long walks.
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Emmanuel Grout was a high-ranking officer, deputy commissioner of the local border police, but he was off-duty and enjoying the fireworks with his girlfriend and her daughter when he was killed.
Grout, 48, oversaw police operations at Nice's airport, French media reported.
6 killed in apparent gang attack in El Salvador gaming salon
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) Authorities in El Salvador say six people have been shot and killed in a suspected gang attack at a gaming salon.
A minor was among the dead. The other victims ranged from 18 to 22 years old.
An early police investigation showed that four men wearing dark clothing arrived Thursday night outside the place where the shooting occurred. The gunmen then forced the victims into the establishment and killed them, causing panic in the neighborhood.
Shells from M16 and A-47 rifles and pistols were found at the crime scene.
An out-of-place truck, then screams as Nice attack unfolded
NICE, France (AP) Almost instantly, those in its murderous path could tell that the speeding white truck was all wrong so late at night on Nice's beachfront boulevard whose bright lights glittered along the bay like a string of stars.
The Promenade des Anglais was meant to be closed to traffic, cordoned off with metal barriers and plastic tape, so families and tourists could stroll worry-free beside the azure waters of the Mediterranean and marvel at the Bastille Day fireworks.
The truck sped straight for them, slowing at times, accelerating at others, leaving death, screams and horrific injuries in its wake.
A police officer patrolls at the scene where a truck mowed through revelers in Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. A large truck mowed through revelers gathered for Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, killing more than 80 people and sending people fleeing into the sea as it bore down for more than a mile along the Riviera city's famed waterfront promenade. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
"I realized right away it was a terrorist attack when I saw the truck crushing people," said Antonio Arribas, who was with his cousin, Diego.
The rented 19-ton (21 U.S.-ton) truck zigzagged for 2 kilometers (1 miles) through holiday crowds like a snow plow, leaving a gruesome trail of crushed and mangled bodies. The 84 dead included French and foreigners, children and adults.
Just when Egyptian tourist Nader El Shafei looked like he might fall next under its large wheels, the truck stopped. The attacker, a 31-year-old Tunisian who lived in Nice and drove for living, was killed by police gunfire.
Moments earlier, as the fireworks show was ending, El Shafei said he'd looked at the large crowds and thought to himself: "If someone crazy want(s) to do something, this is the right place and the right time, among all those innocent people."
He had traveled to Nice expecting to see "paradise."
"But I saw something else," he said.
He caught the scene on video the crackle of gunshots, officers warily approaching the cab with its windshield pockmarked with holes. El Shafei said he saw the driver, later identified by authorities as Mohamed Bouhlel, fire back through a window.
France's third attack with mass casualties in 18 months was even more indiscriminate than the others. The dead in Nice included at least 10 children and adolescents. They had come to marvel at the fireworks, "to feel joy, to share in happiness and be dazzled," said President Francois Hollande.
"And they were struck, struck to death, to satisfy the cruelty of an individual and perhaps of a group," he said after visiting a hospital that treated victims.
French officials called it an undeniable act of terror, but no group claimed responsibility and it was unclear if the driver had any ties to extremists.
Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said the refrigerated truck was rented in the outskirts of Nice on July 11. It was due back July 13 but instead was parked east of the city.
Bouhlel rode a bike to the truck, Molins said.
About 25 minutes before the fireworks show, he clambered aboard and drove toward the city and the crowded promenade near Nice's glittering hotels.
The truck's murderous journey lasted 15 city blocks.
Video showed the truck moving slowly at one point so slowly that a man in a white shirt was able, at a run, to catch up with it. There were two sharp sounds as he caught up with it. It was unclear whether the sounds were him banging on its closed back doors to get it to stop, or gunfire.
A speeding motorcycle rider also pulled even with the driver's cab, swerving with a screech of tires around a pedestrian. The motorcyclist ditched his bike and also ran alongside and even managed to grab the truck to try to get it to stop.
Then the truck dramatically picked up speed as people fled in terror.
"I thought it could either be a drunk driver or a terror attack," said German tourist Richard Gutjahr, who filmed it from a hotel balcony.
People were hit head on. "A lot of them had been dragged under the lorry and were not recognizable," English tourist Simon Coates, who was cycling back to his hotel when the truck approached, told the BBC. "I saw some dreadful things. It was like a chamber of horrors. Every person seemed to have died in an increasingly grotesque way."
Molins said Bouhlel shot at three police officers outside the palatial Negresco Hotel. They fired back and pursued the truck as it continued on for another 300 meters (yards) to the Palais de la Mediterranee Hotel. More shots were fired there.
Bouhlel was found dead in the passenger seat.
El Shafei, the 42-year-old Egyptian, said the truck ran over a girl before it stopped right in front of him.
While someone else pulled the motionless girl out from under the truck, El Shafei said he started to yell at the driver.
He'd seen the truck swerve and the driver wrestle with the wheel before it stopped, he said, making him think this was an accident a loss of control of the vehicle until the shots rang out.
"I kept waving to him, 'Stop, stop! There are people under your truck,'" El Shafei said.
Police urged people to run, he added. He thought, "The truck has a bomb or something or maybe he is a suicide guy."
Panic gripped the promenade.
Cyril Croisy jumped off a wall to the beach, breaking his arm. He hid there until he felt it was safe to emerge. The Parisian had seen the truck's trajectory and knew immediately that this was an attack because it careened straight at a stand selling candy to children.
"We heard lots of people screaming, and we saw the truck continuing very, very fast," he said.
Croisy saw an injured woman and said he crouched to help her. His eyes filled with tears at the still-raw memory.
"I was there when her heart stopped," he said.
He also heard a ringing phone that apparently belonged to a man who had been mowed down.
Croisy answered it. It was the man's female companion, a short distance away, looking for him.
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Leicester reported from Paris.
Police stand by as medical personnel attend a person on the ground, right, in the early hours of Friday, July 14, 2016, on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, next to the lorry that had been driven into crowds of revelers late Thursday. France has been stunned again as a large white truck killed many people after it mowed through a crowd of revelers gathered for a Bastille Day fireworks display late Thursday evening, in the Riviera city of Nice. (AP Photo)
Parents of victims embrace each other near the scene of a truck attack in Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. A large truck mowed through revelers gathered for Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, killing more than 80 people and sending people fleeing into the sea as it bore down for more than a mile along the Riviera city's famed waterfront promenade. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France, Thursday, July 14, 2016. France was ravaged by its third attack in two years when a large white truck mowed through revelers gathered for Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, killing at dozens of people as it bore down on the crowd for more than a mile along the Riviera city's famed seaside promenade. (Sasha Goldsmith via AP)
Family of 5 killed in Mexican border state
MEXICO CITY (AP) Authorities say five members of a family have been killed in their home by armed intruders in northern Mexico.
The Tamaulipas state Coordination Group said in a statement Friday that two women and three minors were killed in Ciudad Victoria Thursday night.
Authorities did not give a motive for the attack, but there have been multiple violent episodes recently in the border state's capital.
Last weekend 15 people 11 from the same family were killed in their sleep.
Democratic convention features party stars
WASHINGTON (AP) Democrats will use the four nights of their national convention to showcase the past, current and future stars of their party.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are all expected to address delegates gathered in Philadelphia later this month. The schedule also includes Chelsea Clinton, immigrant advocates and the "Mothers of the Movement," women whose children were killed by gun violence and in police shootings.
The event is designed to be a show of party unity and draw a sharp contrast with rival Donald Trump, who has struggled to convince some of the Republican party's biggest names to speak on his behalf at his party convention next week.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Thursday, July 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The GOP's two living presidents, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, as well as the party's two most recent presidential nominees, John McCain and Mitt Romney, all plan to avoid the event. Ohio's Republican Gov. John Kasich is also skipping.
Democrats will announce more speakers in the coming days. They say the lineup will include additional politicians, advocates and celebrities.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine are expected to be on the program. Both are being vetted as potential running mates.
But not all of the party's leaders will be speaking. Breaking with past policy, the White House has forbidden members of Obama's cabinet from addressing the convention. Obama aides fear giving the impression that the president and his team are more focused on politics than governing the country. That takes both Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro two other potential running mates off the agenda.
Hillary Clinton is having meetings at her home on Friday about her running mate selection, according to a personal familiar with the meeting. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal meetings.
Here's the initial plan for the four-day event:
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MONDAY
Michelle Obama, Sanders and Astrid Silva, a so-called Dreamer who was brought to the U.S. as an undocumented child immigrant, will focus on "putting the future of American families first."
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TUESDAY
Bill Clinton and the "Mothers of the Movement" will highlight Hillary Clinton's work as a young lawyer, first lady and New York senator on behalf of children and families.
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WEDNESDAY
Obama and Biden will address what's at stake in the election and how Clinton has the "experience and steadiness" to continue the work of their administration.
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THURSDAY
AP Interview: Priebus declares rebellion against Trump dead
CLEVELAND (AP) The GOP delegate rebellion against Donald Trump is dead, Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus declared on Friday, looking ahead to a unified national convention next week amid signs that both Trump and the broader party are moderating their message with an eye toward November.
Priebus told The Associated Press his party was ready to welcome an openly gay speaker to the convention, and he praised Trump for backing off a divisive plan to ban Muslim immigrants. The chairman also reminded skeptical conservatives that, whether they like it or not, they have no choice but to embrace Trump in Cleveland.
"There is no other candidate," Priebus told the AP in a Friday interview, after rebel delegates failed to change party rules the night before. "That was one of the problems that this 'Never Trump' issue had last night. Who is the other candidate? What VP nominees are you vetting? We're voting next week on Tuesday or Wednesday. What money are you raising? Where is this person?"
In this photo taken May 13, 2016, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus answers questions from The Associated Press during an interview at RNC headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington. The delegate rebellion against Donald Trump is dead. That's according to Priebus. He tells The Associated Press that a highly publicized push to dump Trump during next week's convention is a "nothing burger." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
"It's over," he said of the rebellion. "It was never there."
Priebus also addressed for the first time the inclusion on the speaking program of PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, believed to be the first openly gay speaker featured on a National Republican Convention stage. However, party officials already gathered this week in Cleveland have toughened language in the GOP platform on LGBT issues, refusing to back off the opposition to same-sex marriage.
"We're still a party that believes that marriage is between one man and one woman, but it doesn't mean that we're going to kick people out," he said, describing opposition to gay marriage as "one of the bedrock issues of our party."
"I can't win this race if I tell people that they're not welcome in our party," Priebus said when asked about Thiel. "He's been a good help to our party and many candidates across the country. He's a good Republican. He's welcome in our party. Period."
Priebus denied that language inserted into a draft of the party platform encourages "conversion therapy," which religious conservatives believe can stop gay people from being gay. The new language, which has yet to be adopted by the full convention, reads, "We support the right of parents to determine the proper treatment or therapy, for their minor children."
Asked whether the Republican Party supports "conversion therapy," Priebus charged, "It's not in the platform."
GOP officials are eager to shift the focus of next week's event away from divisive social issues. Such issues, while popular with conservatives who wield outsize influence in Republican primary contests, are less popular among the more moderate voters and independents who typically decide general elections.
Priebus said Thursday's deadly attack in France would naturally shift the focus of the four-day convention to security issues.
"Talking about national security, talking about what we're going to do about ISIS, is going to be something that we're going to have to focus on in a respectful way, certainly not in a way to take advantage of anything," he said.
"We're getting used to hearing about monsters killing people around the world and it's not acceptable," Priebus said.
The chairman characterized Trump's own comment on the France attack as "appropriate." Thursday night, Trump said his response to the situation, if he were president, would be to make it "very, very hard for people to come into our country, for one thing, from terrorist areas. I would be so extreme in terms of documentation."
"I would not allow people to come in from terrorist nations. I would do extreme vetting, I would call it extreme vetting too," Trump told Fox News Channel.
Months ago, Trump forcefully called for a temporary ban of all foreign Muslims entering the U.S. as a means to prevent terrorist attacks from radical Islamic groups. But his spokeswoman recently said he's no longer seeking a religion-based ban and now only wants to limit immigration from places with a history of terrorism against the U.S. and its allies.
Priebus, who opposed the Muslim ban, said the shift represents a welcome pivot.
Overall, Priebus said, Trump has taken significant steps in recent days toward the general election, including new hires to his campaign team, a more serious focus on fundraising, far less time spent attacking fellow Republicans and the selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
"That package right there over the last 10 days should tell you a lot about his pivot to the general," Priebus said. "This is a person that has never run for public office. It just takes longer to move into that mode."
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Texas governor released from hospital after burn treatment
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was released from the hospital Friday after a four-night stay for treatment of severe burns suffered while vacationing last week.
Abbott left San Antonio's Brooke Army Medical Center and returned to the governor's mansion in Austin, spokesman Matt Hirsch said, adding that the governor was in "good spirits."
"He was staying there to get a better grasp on the healing," Hirsch said of the hospitalization. "So far, everything's been successful."
FILE - In this Friday, July 8, 2016 file photo, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, right, responds to questions about the police shootings during a news conference at City Hall in Dallas. Spokesman Matt Hirsch said Sunday that Abbott was in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Thursday when he was scalded in an accident involving hot water. He sustained "extensive second- and third-degree burns" on both legs below the knees and on both feet and could miss next week's Republican National Convention. Abbott held the press conference in Dallas on Friday, but didn't disclose being burned. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
Abbott's office subsequently announced that he will "continue to recover and carry on with a schedule," though Abbott already said he won't attend next week's Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where he had been set to chair Texas' 155-member delegation.
Hirsch said Abbott, who has used a wheelchair since 1984, may have to return to San Antonio next week for follow-up treatment, and then could see doctors in Austin, about 80 miles away.
The governor sustained extensive second- and third-degree burns on his lower legs and feet after coming into contact with hot water and being scalded July 7. His office has refused to answer questions about exactly what occurred except to say that it happened while Abbott was staying with his family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Abbott was paralyzed from the waist down when an oak tree fell on him while jogging in a freak accident. Still, the governor has nerve receptors in his legs which have caused him to feel pain as they react to being burned, Hirsch said.
While recovering, Abbott sustained a "minor infection" and was admitted to the medical center's burn unit. Abbott underwent a successful skin graft Tuesday but had to stay in the hospital to heal, Hirsh said.
Abbott's injury occurred the same day a sniper killed five Dallas police officers and wounded nine others. Abbott defied doctors' orders not to travel, rushed to Dallas and held a news conference the following day.
He did not divulge his injury despite facing cameras in orthopedic shoes and with his legs wrapped under his pants. Word of it wasn't confirmed until two days later. His office later said that Abbott didn't want to deflect attention away from the Dallas tragedy.
Patrick Mumford (pictured), 24, was stopped, tased and cuffed after mistaking him for Michael Clay, a man who had a warrant out for his arrest
Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police officers wore body cameras as they approached a parked car with the intention of arresting Michael Clay, for whom they had a warrant.
In the car they found a man who they said fit the description of Clay.
When the young man inside refused to exit the car they eventually tased and cuffed him.
The only problem - the man in the car wasn't Michael Clay.
The white police officers had tased Patrick Mumford, a black man who did not have a warrant out for his arrest.
Mumford had just returned from a meeting with his probation officers when the incident, caught on the officer's body cameras, happened.
In the video, Mumford asks 'What did I do?' as he hunches over in the car with his arms wrapped around his stomach, police surrounding him.
The officers ask Mumford's name and he pauses, looking nervously at the officers around him before apprehensively saying, 'Ok, Patrick'.
An officer asks his name again and this time Mumford hesitates, seeming confused, and says: 'Uh...Patrick?'
'Stand up, put your hands on the car,' the officer says.
As Mumford begins to comply he asks, 'What happened?'
Police mistook him for Michael Clay, who did have a warrant for his arrest. Mumford had just returned home from a meeting with his probation officer
The officers asked Mumford's name and he paused, looking nervously at the officers around him before apprehensively saying, 'Ok, Patrick'
The officer again commands Mumford put his hands on the car but Mumford sits back down into the vehicle, again asking, 'What did I do?'
Then the cops begin grabbing at Mumford, attempting to pull him from the car as the 24-year-old repeatedly says: 'What did I do? Y'all didn't tell me what did I do.'
'You got a warrant,' the officer replies.
Mumford starts explaining he just came back from his probation officer and that she didn't tell him he had a warrant out for his arrest.
Mumford was on probation for a previous arrest for a non-violent first-time drug offense.
The officer again commands Mumford put his hands on the car but Mumford sits back down into the vehicle, again asking, 'What did I do?'
Then the cops begin grabbing at Mumford, attempting to pull him from the car as the 24-year-old repeatedly says: 'What did I do? Y'all didn't tell me what did I do'
Less than a minute elapses from the moment the officers approach Mumford to the time another officer is asked to tase the 24-year-old, who they still believe is Clay.
Mumford repeatedly asks for the officers to show him the warrant and they begin counting down.
'Three, two' and then the taser is deployed.
Mumford cries in agony as volts of electricity ripple through his body.
It's only when the officers finally have him cuffed and pressed against the hood of the police car do they check his ID and realize Mumford is not Clay.
The officer then tells Mumford that he should've given them his ID when they asked for it.
Less than a minute elapses from the moment the officers approach Mumford to the time another officer is asked to tase the 24-year-old, who they still believe is Clay
Mumford repeatedly asks for the officers to show him the warrant and they begin counting down. 'Three, two' and then the taser is deployed
'I don't know if you got a warrant, cause you're not who I'm looking for.
'When I ask you for ID because you look a lot like who I'm looking for that's [sic] living at this address, you give us ID,' the officer says to Mumford.
However, Mumford's attorney William Claiborne said the officers never asked the 24-year-old for his ID.
Claiborne, who said the problem is indicative of a much wider issue with the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department and incidents like this are common.
'What this speaks to is sort of the day in and day out stuff that goes on.
'The narrative is always that the suspect became uncooperative, but you know, Patrick wasn't uncooperative, they were the ones being aggressive,' Claiborne told CBS News.
Mumford was charged with misdemeanor obstruction for the February 1 incident.
Claiborne's firm released an edited and subtitled version of the 17-minute clip of body cam footage.
It's only when the officers finally have him cuffed and pressed against the hood of the police car do they check his ID and realize Mumford is not Clay
'When I ask you for ID because you look a lot like who I'm looking for that's [sic] living at this address, you give us ID,' the officer says to Mumford. However, Mumford's attorney William Claiborne said the officers never asked the 24-year-old for his ID
Claiborne, who said the problem is indicative of a much wider issue with the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department and incidents like this are common
He has made both versions available on his YouTube channel, Claiborne Firm.
Joseph Lumpkin, Sr., Chief of Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department, shot back at the video, calling it 'misleading' and 'intended to be inflammatory'.
'The video released by the defense attorney was edited and omits significant portions wherein a relative asks the individual to be cooperative,' Lumpkin said.
The department released a 30-minute video from the perspective of the officer who used the stun gun on Mumford, which shows a relative telling the 24-year-old to cooperate with the officers.
'The narrative is always that the suspect became uncooperative, but you know, Patrick wasn't uncooperative, they were the ones being aggressive,' Claiborne said.
A video of the incident was posted to Claiborne's firm's YouTube page, but Joseph Lumpkin, Sr., Chief of Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department, shot back at the video, calling it 'misleading' and 'intended to be inflammatory'
The department released a 30-minute video from the perspective of the officer who used the stun gun on Mumford, which shows a relative telling the 24-year-old to cooperate with the officers. It is unclear if Mumford will sue over the 'mistaken identity' incident
The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department is not commenting further on the case.
The charge against Mumford has since been dropped, but Claiborne said police are trying to have his probation revoked.
In October 2014, Mumford pleased guilty to misdemeanor marijuana possession and felony of a controlled substance.
He is scheduled to have a hearing about his probation in September.
It is unclear if he will sue over the 'mistaken identity' incident.
Winds, low humidity continue to fuel fire near Grand Canyon
A blaze is burning near the Grand Canyon, while firefighters in neighboring states are taking aim at wildfires that have destroyed homes or forced people to evacuate. Here's a look at fires in the U.S. West:
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ARIZONA
A wildfire burns on the north rim of the Grand Canyon as seen from the Bright Angel Trail below the south rim of the canyon in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Thursday, July 14, 2016. (David Wallace/The Arizona Republic via AP)
Wind gusts and low humidity have refueled a 2-week-old wildfire near the highway that allows tourists to get to the lodge, restaurant and main campgrounds on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, officials said.
"We are utilizing existing roads and natural features where ever possible to halt the progress of the fire into sensitive areas," incident commander Alan Sinclair said in a statement Friday night. "However, firefighter and public safety remain our top priority."
State Route Highway 67 and the North Rim remain open, but the fire has closed access roads to two park viewpoints. A plume of smoke could be seen from the more popular South Rim amid the busy summer season.
About 500 personnel are fighting the fire, which has burned nearly 5 square miles of aspen and pine since lightning ignited it June 29.
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NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has declared a state of emergency in response to a wildfire in Otero County.
Friday afternoon's declaration will enable the county to order and pay for additional resources needed to fight the wildfire in the southern New Mexico mountain village of Timberon.
The fire has destroyed 67 structures and numerous vehicles after charring about 260 acres. Homes account for at least 30 of the destroyed or damaged structures.
Fire incident commanders say approximately 30 vehicles have been destroyed or damaged, including 14 recreational vehicles.
Crews are constructing and improving fire lines and removing debris and dangerous trees in the burn area.
The fire started Wednesday in wooded, hilly terrain and its cause is under investigation.
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COLORADO
A wildfire chased residents from 140 homes in a tiny Colorado town this week, and they may not be allowed back for another week or more.
A number of the evacuated homes in Coaldale, about 150 miles southwest of Denver, are near where firefighters are working to contain the 25-square-mile blaze. They could be slowed by an increase in fire activity.
Residents have been told it could be a week or two before they can return, said Kale Casey of the U.S. Forest Service. Many were briefly allowed back to check on their homes Friday.
People began evacuating Sunday after the fire flared up from a lightning strike several days earlier in the rugged Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.
Crews have contained other fires in the state, including one that destroyed eight homes in the mountains near Boulder. All evacuees were allowed to return late Thursday.
A James Canyon Fire Department engine drives toward the wildfire in Timberon, N.M., Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Exploding propane tanks Thursday, July 14, 2016, kept firefighters from confirming the extent of damage in and around a southern New Mexico mountain village of Timberon where the county sheriff said a wildfire apparently burned multiple homes. (Peter Dindinger/Alamogordo Daily News via AP)
Under heavy smoke, a spotter plane surveys the wildfire in Timberon, N.M. Exploding propane tanks Thursday, July 14, 2016, kept firefighters from confirming the extent of damage in and around a southern New Mexico mountain village of Timberon where the county sheriff said a wildfire apparently burned multiple homes. (Peter Dindinger/Alamogordo Daily News via AP)
A Sunspot emergency vehicle blocks Highway 6563 towards Timberon while spotter plane surveys the wildfire Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Exploding propane tanks Thursday, July 14, 2016, kept firefighters from confirming the extent of damage in and around a southern New Mexico mountain village of Timberon where the county sheriff said a wildfire apparently burned multiple homes. (Peter Dindinger/Alamogordo Daily News via AP)
Whitewater Center: Algae weakened defense against illnesses
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The U.S. National Whitewater Center acknowledges that algae in its artificial whitewater course weakened the effectiveness of its filters to disinfect waterborne illnesses, such as a brain-eating amoeba that was fatal to one visitor.
The center's response to questions submitted by The Charlotte Observer (http://bit.ly/29AUp0O) comes about one month after Ohio teenager Lauren Seitz contracted a brain-eating amoeba and died after rafting there.
At the time, officials at the center said its disinfectant system was "99.99" percent effective against the organism.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that the park's filtration and disinfection systems were inadequate to neutralize the Naegleri fowleri amoeba that infected and killed 18-year-old Laura Seitz, who had rafted at the center.
New details released by the CDC this week show the center's water did not contain sufficient chlorine for disinfection to prevent water-borne illnesses. The sample found 13 times more particles such as algae and sediment than a properly chlorinated recreational waters should have, the agency said.
Cloudiness in water, sometimes called turbidity, rendered the park's disinfection system less effective, the CDC said.
Park spokesman Eric Osterhus said authorities are asking water quality experts how to contain algae that built up in the water channels. Osterhus said algae is generally not unsafe, but does create an environment that allows organic matter to grow and avoid the existing disinfection systems.
Asked if there was anything the center could have done to avoid Seitz's death, Osterhus said that "all decisions involving operational matters are made in a careful and deliberative manner."
The Whitewater Center did not make Chief Executive Officer Jeff Wise available for an interview.
In prepared statements, Wise has said that Seitz's death is tragic but participating in Whitewater Center activities come with some inherent risks.
"Despite every measure we take, there is always a risk of injury or harm based on the very nature of what we do and who we are," Wise said in a June 22 statement.
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2 Nigerian citizens plead guilty to $2 million romance scam
HOUSTON (AP) Federal prosecutors say two Nigerian citizens living outside Houston and posing as South African diplomats have pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a $2 million romance scam conspiracy.
As part of a plea agreement Friday, 48-year-old Kunle Mutiu Amoo and 61-year-old Lanre Sunday Abeobad said they participated in a scheme to defraud victims by using romantic overtures and then falsely promised to repay them.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson says one person would pose as manager of a construction company doing business in South Africa and needing money to transfer $42 million in profits from there to the United States.
Argentina judge orders cash seized from Fernandez's daughter
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) A judge on Friday ordered the seizure of more than $4.6 million from a bank safe deposit box belonging to former President Cristina Fernandez's daughter as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering.
Fernandez called the probe "a media stunt" and said the money belongs to her family. She said that it came from changing savings in pesos to dollars and that she recently declared the sum to authorities.
Argentine authorities had opened the box belonging to Fernandez's daughter, Florencia Kirchner, on Thursday night at the request of the daughter in an effort to clear her name.
FILE - In this Oct. 25, 2015 file photo, Florencia Kirchner, daughter of Argentina's former President Cristina Fernandez, casts her vote during elections in Rio Gallegos, Argentina. An Argentine prosecutor asked on Friday, July 15, 2016, a local court to seize the more than $4.6 million from the bank safe deposit boxes belonging to the 26-year-old Kirchner, as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering. (AP Photo/Francisco Munoz, File)
The ruling by Judge Julian Ercolini included two other bank accounts and came after a request by a local prosecutor Friday. Ercolini said in a statement that the seizure was needed "to preserve the state of things" and to ensure that the money "cannot be altered or modified."
"That the funds in question have been duly declared is irrelevant because in the maneuvers being investigated, what is being discussed is its origin," said Ercolini, who is also investigating construction businessmen with close ties to Fernandez's family as part of a widening probe into allegations of money laundering.
The judge is trying to determine whether Fernandez's family received payments through hotels it owns in southern Argentina from businessmen who benefited from the granting of public works contracts. Prosecutors say the alleged scheme would have allowed the money to be laundered.
Local lawmaker Margarita Stolbizer recently asked authorities to look into "suspicious movements" in the accounts and safe box belonging to the former president's daughter.
Argentine media showed images of blocks of cash from the box, which has stirred criticism of Fernandez's 26-year-old daughter.
Kirchner said Friday that the money is partly from the inheritance left by her father, former President Nestor Kirchner, who died in 2010.
"I asked them to open them because I have nothing to hide," she said on social media.
She added that all the cash had been previously stated in sworn declarations as well as before Argentina's anti-corruption office. "The legal proceedings against my family breach all the laws," she said.
Corruption allegations swirled around Fernandez during her eight years in the presidency. Since leaving office in December, she has also been included in investigations involving allegations of state fraud and possible illegal enrichment.
Gingrich says remarks on Muslims were exaggerated
WASHINGTON (AP) Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday that the media "grossly exaggerated" comments he made after the truck attack in France arguing for the expulsion from the U.S. of any Muslim who believes in Sharia law.
The former Georgia congressman said on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" on Thursday night that the U.S. "should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization."
President Barack Obama said Friday that calls to expel Muslims who believe in Sharia law are "repugnant."
He said the suggestion is an "affront to everything we stand for as Americans."
In a Facebook chat Friday, Gingrich said the media "went into a hysteria overnight in trying to grossly exaggerate what I was saying."
Gingrich said his comments were not "about targeting a particular religion," but "this is about looking for certain characteristics that we have learned painfully time after time involve killing people."
Gingrich added that "if you are a practicing Muslim and you believe deeply in your faith, but you're also loyal to the United States and you believe in the Constitution, you should have your rights totally completely protected within the Constitution."
Gingrich had been considered as a possible running mate by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, but Trump announced Friday that he had selected Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Gingrich told The Associated Press he was comfortable with the decision, calling Pence a "good choice."
GOP delegates love Pence _ even those who don't like Trump
CLEVELAND (AP) Delegates to the Republican National Convention embraced Donald Trump's choice for vice president Friday even those who have yet to warm up to Trump.
Some delegates hope the choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence will help unite Republicans and fire up the party base to support Trump.
Not everyone is on board. But at the very least, Trump has all but assured that next week's convention vote for vice president will go smoothly.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and his wife Karen arrive to meet with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York, Friday, July 15, 2016. Trump has chosen Pence as his running mate, adding political experience and conservative bona fides to his Republican presidential ticket. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
"It's surprisingly and you can print this a pretty smart choice," said state Rep. Justin Everett, a Colorado delegate. "It's a strategic pick and I appreciate it but I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. ... It's window-dressing."
Tom Rath, a New Hampshire delegate and longtime adviser to GOP campaigns, called Pence a "solid pick" who "should be reassuring to a lot of people in the party."
"Pence is a stabilizing factor," Rath said.
Still, when Rath was asked if he's now supporting Trump, he said simply, "I'm a John Kasich delegate."
Wisconsin delegate Roger Stauter was succinct: "Mike Pence is a good choice. Donald Trump is not."
Trump has been unable to rally some Republicans who question his temperament as well as his conservative bona fides. Late Thursday, Trump allied with party leaders to head off an attempt to let delegates vote for the candidate of their choice, rather than the candidate who won them.
The Republican National Convention kicks off Monday. Several key committees have been meeting this week.
Kendal Unruh, a Colorado delegate who is leading the never Trump movement, called Pence "a great pick."
Still, she's not sold on Trump.
"Voters don't vote for vice presidents," Unruh said.
Pence has a strong reputation among fellow Republicans as a social conservative. The former congressman has plenty of Washington experience and a calm, thoughtful demeanor that stands in stark contrast to the bombastic Trump.
"He burns cool and Trump burns hot," said California delegate Shawn Steel, who is serving as sergeant-of-arms at the convention. "It's the perfect contrast."
Steel called the Pence pick "the smartest decision Trump made since he decided to run for president."
Florida delegate Brian Ballard said the pick would ease fears some conservatives have about Trump.
"It helps put an end to these never-Trump guys. It puts a knife in that," Ballard said. "It gives a lot of folks a real reason to say Trump is not going to surround himself with a bunch of whack jobs in the cabinet and his administration."
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Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Denver, Kathleen Ronayne in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.
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Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter at http://twitter.com/stephenatap
The Latest: Pilot reported engine problems before ditching
HONOLULU (AP) The Latest on a missing aircraft in Hawaii (all times local):
4 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the pilot of a plane that disappeared from radar reported engine problems before ditching in the ocean off Hawaii.
In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard crews safely deliver David McMahon and Sidney Uemoto to emergency medical personnel in Kona, Hawaii, Friday, July 15, 2016, following their rescue nine miles off Kona. They were both rescued by a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew following an expansive joint search by Navy, Royal New Zealand air force, U.S. Air Force and Coast Guard crews. They reportedly sustained only minor injuries in the crash. (Kevin Cooper/U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
The Coast Guard rescued a man and woman Friday, nearly a day after the small plane they were traveling in lost contact with air traffic controllers.
The two were treated for minor injuries. They were the only occupants of the dual-engine aircraft.
The Coast Guard says they had been trying to swim to shore through the night.
The Coast Guard initially reported they were flying from to Kona from Maui, but later corrected that information. The FAA confirms they were flying from west Oahu to Kona.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
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3:15 p.m.
The father of a pilot says he's "big-time relieved" the Coast Guard found his son alive in the water off Hawaii nearly a day after the plane he was flying disappeared from radar.
Richard McMahon says he's on his way Friday to the Big Island, where his son was taken after a Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted him and a woman out of the water.
He says his son David McMahon is a pilot for Mokulele Airlines. He says David McMahon and a friend rented a plane for additional flying hours for his commercial pilot's license.
McMahon radioed about an air emergency Thursday afternoon. Then air traffic controllers lost contact with him, and the plane no longer appeared on radar.
The Coast Guard says McMahon and the woman he was flying with were treated for minor injuries.
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12:30 p.m.
The Coast Guard has rescued two people from the ocean off Hawaii nearly a day after their plane disappeared from radar.
Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Tara Molle says a helicopter crew plucked the man and woman out of the water about six miles northeast of the Kona airport at about 11:35 a.m. Friday.
David McMahon and Sydnie Uemoto were treated for minor injuries.
Molle says there's no word yet on what happened to their twin-engine plane that went missing while flying form Kona to Maui. The pilot radioed about an air emergency Thursday afternoon. The plane was last known to be 25 miles northwest of Kona.
She says there are no words to describe the Coast Guard's relief in finding them alive.
10:29 a.m.
Search crews are checking whether debris spotted in Hawaii waters is from a missing plane with two people on board.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Sara Mooers said Friday that a visiting New Zealand air force P3 plane saw the debris about 50 miles northwest of Kona. The Coast Guard is sending a ship to the scene.
Crews are looking for a dual-engine aircraft that radioed about an air emergency at 3:15 p.m. Thursday while flying from Kona to Maui in the Hawaiian Islands. It was last known to be 25 miles northwest of Kona.
The New Zealand plane is in Hawaii to participate in the Rim of the Pacific military exercises.
The two on board are identified as 26-year-old David McMahon and Sydnie Uemoto, who is in her 20s.
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This story has been corrected to say the New Zealand plane involved in the search is with the New Zealand air force not navy.
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9:45 a.m.
The U.S. Navy and a visiting New Zealand air force plane are joining the search for an aircraft that went missing while flying from Kona to Maui in the Hawaiian Islands.
A Coast Guard HC-130 aircraft and helicopter crews from Air Station Barbers Point are searching for the dual-engine aircraft with two people on board.
They're joined by a Navy helicopter from the USS Chung Hoon and a New Zealand air force P3 plane participating in the Rim of the Pacific military exercises.
The plane's pilot radioed about an air emergency at 3:15 p.m. Thursday. It was last known to be 25 miles northwest of Kona.
Company blames low energy prices for demise of power station
FARGO, N.D. (AP) Officials with a North Dakota electric power cooperative said Friday that the group's Stanton power plant has become too costly to operate and will shut down within the next 12 months.
Great River Energy officials said low prices in the regional energy market has already forced the 50-year-old station to operate on a limited basis. The Mercer County plant has the capacity to burn 800,000 tons of coal a year at full load.
"After careful consideration of several alternatives, it became clear that retiring the plant was in the best interest of our member cooperatives," David Saggau, Great River Energy president and CEO, said in a statement.
The plant has 65 employees. Saggau said the cooperative is working to "minimize impacts" on employees and the community. He said there would be other opportunities for jobs at other company plants.
Great River Energy supplies power to 28 rural utility cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It continues to operate the Coal Creek station, northeast of Stanton, and the Spiritwood station, near Jamestown. Great River is also the majority owner of Midwest AgEnergy Group, which owns and operates two ethanol plants in North Dakota.
"We remain a committed partner in North Dakota's energy industry," Saggau said.
Michelle Rosier, North Dakota spokeswoman for the Sierra Club, called the decision to retire the plant "an enormous victory for clean air and energy security in our communities."
The Stanton plant, which began generating power in 1966, stopped burning North Dakota lignite coal more than a decade ago. Since then it has brought in subbituminous coal from the Spring Creek coal mine in southeastern Montana. An official with Cloud Peak Energy, which operates the Spring Creek Mine, did not immediately return a phone message Friday seeking comment.
Jason Bohrer, president and CEO of the Lignite Energy Council in Bismarck, said that even though the plant's closing won't directly affect the state's coal outlook, it's a reflection of the challenging environment for the industry.
Kerry hopes for continuity in Turkey amid coup reports
MOSCOW (AP) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he hopes for stability and continuity in Turkey following reports that an attempted military coup is under way in the NATO member state.
Kerry, in Moscow for talks on Syria with Russian officials Friday, told reporters he did not have details of the situation rapidly unfolding on the ground in Turkey and said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on developments. But he expressed hope that the key ally and strategically important member of the coalition fighting the Islamic State would remain at peace.
Earlier, troop movements and low-flying military aircraft were reported in Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, and Turkey's prime minister said some elements of the military were attempting a coup. Turkey's military said it had seized control.
The Latest: Prime minister appoints acting military chief
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) The Latest on what appears to be an attempted military coup in Turkey (all times local):
7 a.m.
CNN-Turk is quoting Prime Minister Binali Yildirim as saying that commander of Turkey's 1st Army, Gen. Umit Dundar, has been appointed acting chief of military staff.
Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Earlier President Erdogan said he had no information concerning Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, who was reportedly taken hostage at the military headquarters by coup plotters.
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6:50 a.m.
CNN-Turk is showing images of dozens of soldiers giving themselves up to government forces on Istanbul's Bosporus Bridge.
They're walking among tanks with their hands held up.
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6:45 a.m.
Turkey's state-run news agency says a military helicopter used by coup plotters has been shot down.
The Anadolu Agency says Saturday the helicopter was brought down in the Golbasi district, in the outskirts of Ankara.
The report says the helicopter was used to attack Turkey's satellite station Turksat.
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6:40 a.m.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has addressed thousands of flag-waving supporters outside Istanbul's Ataturk Airport and tells them he is charge and coup won't succeed.
Erdogan says: "They have pointed the people's guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge. This government brought to power by the people, is in charge. They won't succeed as long as we stand against them by risking everything."
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6:30 a.m.
European Council President Donald Tusk says the EU fully supports Turkey's democratically elected government, in the wake of the attempted coup that left scores dead and wounded.
Speaking in Mongolia at the Asia-Europe summit meeting, Tusk says "Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law."
He also called for a swift return to Turkey's constitutional order.
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6:10 a.m.
Turkish broadcaster CNN-Turk is back on air after police apparently entered the building and arrested soldiers who had taken it over. CNN-Turk showed police taking away a soldier with his hands bound behind his back with wire.
The station also showed the moment five soldiers, who appeared to be conscripts, enter the building brandishing machine guns and telling employees to vacate the building.
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5:50 a.m.
State-run Anadolu Agency says Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has called all legislators for an emergency meeting on Saturday.
Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman earlier said that a bomb hit one corner of a public relations building inside the parliament complex, injuring some police officers.
He said there were no fatalities and that all legislators were safe at a parliamentary shelter.
Troops loyal to the government are moving to crush the coup attempt, arresting some 130 anti-government forces. A helicopter was flying over the area where the parliament is located and shots were being fired.
A source at the presidency told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that 13 military officers who had earlier tried to forcibly enter the presidential palace were among those arrested.
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5:30 a.m.
NTV television is quoting the prosecutor's office in Ankara saying at least 42 people have been killed in "attacks" in the capital.
According to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, the number of soldiers who were arrested in the coup plot has increased to 130.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said that the coup plot will fail.
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5:10 a.m.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, says more than 120 people have been arrested in a coup plot.
He says: "Things are getting better every minute."
Yildirim called on people to remain in the streets to support the government against coup plotters and appealed for patience.
He says a few air force planes flown by coup plotters still remain in the air. He has earlier ordered those aircraft shot down.
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5 a.m.
A lawyer for the Turkish government says "there are indications of direct involvement" in the coup attempt of a cleric who is living in exile in Pennsylvania.
Robert Amsterdam said in a statement Friday evening that he and his firm "have attempted repeatedly to warn the U.S. government of the threat posed" by Fethullah Gulen and his movement.
He says that according to Turkish intelligence sources, "there are signs that Gulen is working closely with certain members of military leadership against the elected civilian government."
The president of a group that promotes Gulen's ideas denied the charges.
Y. Alp Aslandogan of the New York-based Alliance for Shared Values tells The Associated Press "we categorically deny such accusations and find them to be highly irresponsible."
Earlier in the evening, the alliance said, "we condemn any military intervention in (the) domestic politics of Turkey."
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4:40 a.m.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his general secretary was abducted by coup makers and there is no information on the chief of the military staff.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, speaking on NTV, says he has ordered the "annihilitation" of military planes used by coup plotters. He says military jets have taken off from an air base in Eskisehir, east of Ankara.
According to transcripts of the president's remarks provided by his office, Erdogan said that he arrived in Istanbul from the holiday resort of Marmaris, which was also been bombed after he left there.
He says: "Those who drive around in tanks will have to go back to where they came from. ... The most important thing right now is that millions of Turkish citizens are on the streets at 4.30 a.m."
He says coup makers "are a minority within the military."
According to Erdogan, "Turkey has a democratically elected government and president. We are in charge and we will continue exercising our powers until the end. We will not abandon our country to these invaders. It will end well."
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4:20 a.m.
Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman says a bomb hit one corner of a public relations building inside the parliament complex, injuring some police officers.
He says there are no fatalities and that all legislators are safe at a parliamentary shelter.
Meanwhile in Istanbul, an official at the president's office says more than 50 military officers have been arrested in Istanbul and large crowds have carried out multiple citizen arrests.
Turkish TV channels are broadcasting scenes of soldiers being escorted away by policemen.
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4:10 a.m.
An official at Haydarpasa Numune Hospital in the Uskudar district of Istanbul tells The Associated Press they have admitted at least 150 wounded.
The official refused to comment whether there were fatalities. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.
Earlier, NTV reported that six dead were brought to the same facility.
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4:05 a.m.
Private NTV television is showing footage of large crowds gathering at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport to greet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he emerged from a vehicle upon landing.
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4 a.m.
The state-run Anadolu Agency, citing unnamed military sources, says the leader of the attempted coup is Col. Muharrem Kose.
The agency says Kose, who headed the military's legal advisory department, was dismissed from the position a short time ago.
The agency says other officers involved include Col. Mehmet Oguz Akkus, Maj. Erkan Agin and Lt. Col. Dogan Uysal.
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3:50 a.m.
Two large explosions have been heard near Taksim square in Istanbul, where police and military are exchanging fire.
The blasts were accompanied by the screech of fighter jets.
The area is surrounded by military but some soldiers have been taken into custody by police.
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3:40 a.m.
Turkish broadcaster CNN-Turk says a group of soldiers have entered the headquarters of the Dogan Media group, which owns the television channel.
The newscaster did not provide details on the number of soldiers who entered the building, which is also home to Kanal D television, the Dogan news agency and the Hurriyet newspaper.
The newscaster said she was not sure how much longer the station would be able to broadcast news.
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3:35 a.m.
Cyprus' deputy government spokesman says the ethnically divided island's conscript army is stepping up its readiness in light of the turmoil in neighboring Turkey.
Viktoras Papadopoulos told The Associated Press Saturday that the Greek Cypriot National Guard is "taking all appropriate measures" in the wake of the military uprising against Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In a separate statement, Papadopoulos said top government officials had convened a meeting at National Guard headquarters on the orders of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades who's on an official visit to Mongolia.
The statement said Cyprus' Parliamentary Speaker and acting President Demetris Syllouris and Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides are monitoring developments in Turkey and are in contact with European and other governments.
Turkey maintains more than 35,000 troops in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of Cyprus since the island was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup aiming at union with Greece.
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3:30 a.m.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman says that "democratic order" must be respected in Turkey.
Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter early Saturday that "everything must be done to protect human lives."
He said: "Democratic order must be respected in Turkey."
In a second message on Twitter, Seibert wrote that Merkel is in constant contact with top officials in her government. He added: "Support for elected government."
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3:20 a.m.
A top Turkish official says the coup attempt within the country's military appears to have been unsuccessful.
The senior official told The Associated Press all government officials are in charge of their offices, but cautioned that the chief of military staff hasn't appeared in public yet.
The official requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Earlier, a spokesman for Turkey's national intelligence agency, MIT, said that the attempt to seize control had been defeated.
Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told NTV television: "The military commanders have made it clear that the coup plotters violated the chain of command... The people have shown that they stand in solidarity with democracy and the elected government."
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3:10 a.m.
Turkish media reports have cited MIT, the national intelligence agency, as saying the coup has been defeated.
The MIT website was not immediately accessible from Turkey.
MIT spokesman Nuh Yilmaz said that Gen. Hulusi Akar, the military chief of staff, was back in control.
Yilmaz said "Gen. Akar is back on top of his duties." He added: "everything is returning to normal"
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3:05 a.m.
The movement of the U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen has denied any involvement in the Turkish military coup attempt.
The Alliance for Shared Values says "we condemn any military intervention in (the) domestic politics of Turkey."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched a broad campaign against Gulen's movement in Turkey and abroad. The Erdogan regime has carried out a purge of civil servants suspected of ties to the movement, seized businesses and closed some media organizations. Gulen has been charged criminally with plotting to overthrow the government, and was placed on trial in absentia in Turkey earlier this year.
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3 a.m.
As the crisis unfolded in Turkey, there were reports that access to popular social media sites like Twitter and Facebook had been blocked within the country. Facebook declined comment, but Twitter said it suspected "intentional" interference with its service.
The company said in a statement that "we have no reason to think we've been fully blocked in #Turkey, but we suspect there is an intentional slowing of our traffic in country."
A spokesperson would not elaborate.
Separately, YouTube said in a statement: "We are aware of reports that YouTube is down in Turkey, however, our systems seem to be functioning normally."
Access to social media has been obstructed during previous periods of political upheaval in the country, according to some Internet watchdog groups, although Turkish authorities have denied involvement and suggested that technical problems were to blame.
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2:55 a.m.
The White House says President Barrack Obama has talked on the phone with Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss the events in Turkey.
It says the two agreed that all parties in Turkey should support the democratically-elected government of Turkey, show restraint, and avoid any violence or bloodshed.
It added that Kerry underscored that the State Department will continue to focus on the safety and security of U.S. citizens in Turkey.
Kerry says the U.S. views with gravest concern events unfolding in Turkey and officials are monitoring "a very fluid situation."
Kerry says he spoke this evening to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and emphasized the United States' absolute support for Turkey's democratically-elected, civilian government and democratic institutions.
He urged all parties to ensure the safety and well-being of diplomatic missions and personnel and civilians throughout Turkey.
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2:50 a.m.
The state-run Anadolu Agency says a bomb has hit the Turkish parliament in Ankara.
CNN-Turk television reported some police officers and parliament workers were hurt in the bomb attack.
A resident living not far from the area told the AP he heard a massive explosion that shook buildings and saw a column of smoke but could not confirm if it was coming from parliament itself.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, also said fighter jets were flying low in the area.
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2:35 a.m.
NATO's chief has called for "full respect" for Turkey's democratic institutions and constitution.
"I have just spoken to the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement issued early Saturday. "I am following events in Turkey closely and with concern."
In an expression of support for President Tayyip Erdogan and his government, Stoltenberg said: "I call for calm and restraint, and full respect for Turkey's democratic institutions and its constitution."
He added: "Turkey is a valued NATO Ally."
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2:25 a.m.
The military has taken position at the base of the Taksim monument at Taksim square in Istanbul, occasionally firing into the air to disperse a growing crowd of government supporters.
Military helicopters are flying overhead and many police are in position, separate from the military.
Meanwhile, a nearby mosque just made an anti-coup announcement.
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2:15 a.m.
The leaders of Greece's armed forces and police are holding emergency meetings in Athens to monitor developments in neighboring Turkey, according to government officials.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity early Saturday because they weren't authorized to speak to the media, described the country's armed forces as being placed in a state of "heightened readiness" and not alert.
Despite markedly improved trade and relations between Greece and Turkey in recent years, the two countries have ongoing airspace and sea boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea. They also collaborate in implementing an agreement with the European Union monitored by NATO to limit the number of refugees and migrants traveling to Europe.
State-run ERT television reported that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had been briefed by intelligence and military leaders on the coup attempt in Turkey, including unusual movements by Turkish armed forces before the attempt became apparent.
-By Derek Gatopoulos in Athens.
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2:05 a.m.
Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says that 17 police officers have been killed in a helicopter attack on police special forces headquarters on the outskirts of Ankara.
Loud explosions were heard earlier in Turkey's capital after the military said it seized full control of the country.
But government officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tried to play down reports that the military was in control. Erdogan called for citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government, and said the coup attempt would be unsuccessful.
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2 a.m.
State-run Anadolu Agency says Turkish Air Force planes are flying above Ankara to strike at helicopters that are being used by those attempting the coup.
Private NTV television reported that F-16 jets have brought down a Sikorsky helicopter, but didn't provide any details.
NTV also showed what it said were images from a police station in Istanbul, showing military officers allegedly detained by police.
Meanwhile, the commander of Turkey's military special forces, Gen. Zekai Aksakalli, said "those who are attempting a coup will not succeed."
He told NTV television by telephone: "Our people should know that we will overcome this... We are in control of the situation."
He said some deaths and injuries were reported during the coup attempt, without providing any details.
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1:50 a.m.
The European Union's foreign policy chief called for "restraint and respect for democratic institutions" in Turkey after the military said that it seized control of the country.
Federica Mogherini also tweeted while on a trip to Mongolia that she was "in constant contact" with EU offices in Istanbul and Ankara. Explosions have been heard in the capital, with gunfire also erupting in both cities.
Government officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tried to play down reports that the military was in control. Erdogan called for citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government, and said the coup attempt would be unsuccessful.
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1:40 a.m.
Turkish news agency Dogan has reported that soldiers have opened fired on people trying to cross Istanbul's Bosporus bridge in protest of the attempted coup, and some have been wounded.
TV footage showed people running for cover as shots rang out. Earlier, a statement attributed to the military said that Turkish armed forces have "fully seized control" of the country.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan then called on citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government.
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1:35 a.m.
Turkey's Istanbul-based first army commander says the soldiers involved in an attempted coup "represent a small group" and "there is no cause for concern," according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
An earlier statement attributed to the military said that Turkish armed forces have "fully seized control" of the country.
But First Army Commander Umit Dundar told Anadolu that "we are working to solve the problem here. They represent a small group within the First Army Command. There is no cause for concern. We are taking the necessary precautions with (soldiers) who have not joined them and remain within the military chain of command."
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government.
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1:30 a.m.
Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala says very effective units from the chief of general staff's office, the Turkish armed forces and the police are responding to the attempted coup in the country.
Ala says they are responding to "gangs who have taken cover in certain locations."
He spoke by telephone to NTV television and also encouraged Turkish citizens to "fearlessly go out and support our security forces."
He says: "We think it would be right for them to go out to the airports, to the streets, especially to the main arteries. As long as they do that this gang's attempts... they will be defeated no matter what."
He added "this is a gang that considers nothing sacred, not the people or the nation. They're taking certain actions."
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1:15 a.m.
NATO hasn't responded immediately to a request for comment on how alliance operations or Turkey's status might be affected after the military said it seized control of the country.
Independent observers noted that the 1949 treaty that created the U.S. alliance has no mechanism for suspending members, unlike the United Nations, the European Union or the Organization of American States.
Nothing in NATO's founding 1949 Washington Treaty says anything about intervening in the internal or political affairs of an alliance member, and Turkey kept its NATO membership following past military coups.
The treaty's key clause, Article 5, stipulates that NATO member states agree that "an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all," but that language has taken to apply to an external enemy.
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1:10 a.m.
Loud explosions have been heard in Turkey's capital Ankara and CNN-Turk reports an explosion occurred at the state-run television building.
Turkey's state-run news agency report military helicopters have also attacked the headquarters of TURKSAT satellite station on the outskirts of Ankara and the Ankara Police headquarters.
Dozens of tanks were seen moving toward a palace that is now used by the prime minister and deputy prime ministers. A civilian car tried to stop one of the tanks, but it rammed through the vehicle as those in the car escaped.
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12:50 a.m.
Turkey's president has urged citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government after the military said it seized full control of the country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking to CNN-Turk through FaceTime, called the actions by the military "an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces."
The president's office refused to disclose Erdogan's whereabouts, saying he was at a secure location. Erdogan said "I don't believe this coup attempt will be successful."
Erdogan added: "There is absolutely no chain of command here. Right now the chain of command has been put on hold."
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12:35 a.m.
The White House says President Barack Obama has been briefed on developments in key NATO ally Turkey where the military claims to have seized power in a coup.
The National Security Council said Obama had been apprised of Friday "unfolding situation" in Turkey and would continue to get regular updates.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he hopes for stability and continuity in Turkey following the reports.
Kerry, in Moscow for talks with Russian officials on Syria on Friday, told reporters he didn't have details of the situation rapidly unfolding on the ground in Turkey and said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on developments. But, he expressed hope that the key ally and strategically important member of the coalition fighting the Islamic State would remain at peace.
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12:25 a.m.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian officials have called on their countrymen in Turkey to stay indoors amid uncertainty about whether a military coup is taking place.
Lavrov made the statement early Saturday at a news conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. However, Lavrov, who had been in lengthy talks with Kerry, said he had little information about what was taking place in Turkey.
Russia's tourism authority issued a similar warning. Turkey had long been a popular vacation destination for Russians, but the numbers dropped sharply last year when Russia banned package tours to Turkey amid tensions over Turkey shooting down a Russian warplane and it was unclear how many Russians currently are in the country.
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12:20 a.m.
A Turkish military statement read on state TRT television says the military has seized power, citing rising autocratic rule and increased terrorism.
But CNN-Turk has quoted Defense Minister Fikri Isik as describing it as a "pirate statement."
Earlier, another statement published by the private Dogan news agency says that the military has "fully seized control" of the country.
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11:45 p.m.
A Turkish news agency has published a statement from the military saying the armed forces have "fully seized control" of the country.
The Dogan agency reported that the statement said that the military did this "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated."
The military statement went on to say that "all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue."
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11:10 p.m.
Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup.
Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt."
Yildirim didn't provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any "initiative that would interrupt democracy."
Earlier, military jets were heard flying over the capital, Ankara.
Media reports said ambulances were seen in front of the Turkey's military headquarters.
Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Turkish soldiers are seen on the Asian side of Istanbul, Friday, July 15, 2016. A group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup, the prime minister said, with military jets flying over the capital and reports of vehicles blocking two major bridges in Istanbul. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt," when asked if there was a coup. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Turkish soldiers are seen on the Asian side of Istanbul, Friday, July 15, 2016. A group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup, the prime minister said, with military jets flying over the capital and reports of vehicles blocking two major bridges in Istanbul. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt," when asked if there was a coup. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Turkish soldiers secure Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, protest in front of soldiers in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, protest in front of soldiers in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Turkish soldiers secure Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, protest in front of soldiers in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Supporters of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, protest in front of soldiers in Istanbul's Taksim square, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup. Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "it is correct that there was an attempt." (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A tank moves into position as Turkish people attempt to stop them, in Ankara, Turkey, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's armed forces said it "fully seized control" of the country Friday and its president responded by calling on Turks to take to the streets in a show of support for the government. A loud explosion was heard in the capital, Ankara, fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. (AP Photo)
A tank moves into position as Turkish people attempt to stop them, in Ankara, Turkey, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's armed forces said it "fully seized control" of the country Friday and its president responded by calling on Turks to take to the streets in a show of support for the government. A loud explosion was heard in the capital, Ankara, fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. (AP Photo)
Tanks move into position as Turkish people attempt to stop them, in Ankara, Turkey, early Saturday, July 16, 2016. Turkey's armed forces said it "fully seized control" of the country Friday and its president responded by calling on Turks to take to the streets in a show of support for the government. A loud explosion was heard in the capital, Ankara, fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. (AP Photo)
The advertising agency ndp, formerly known as Neathawk Dubuque & Packett, announced on Thursday that the firm has joined forces with more than thirty other digital advertising participants in the Trustworthy Accountability Group's (TAG) new Certified Against Fraud initiative to fight fraudulent digital advertising. Other TAG members include the four largest global ad agency holding companies, as well as major publishers, brand advertisers, and advertising technology firms.
According to TAG, qualifying participants in the digital advertising supply chain (buyers, sellers, and intermediaries) that complete the organization's rigorous anti-fraud requirements will receive a TAG Certified Against Fraud seal. Participation in the initiative has tangible benefits: Research from Ernst & Young and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) shows that the digital ad industry will gain $8.2 billion by eliminating fraud. Participation in the initiative has tangible benefits: Research from Ernst & Young and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) shows that the digital ad industry will gain $8.2 billion by eliminating fraud.
Im proud our agency has been awarded the TAG Certification, said Boz Boschen, director of digital at ndp, who helped develop the initiative in partnership with global giants like Omnicom. Boschen said it was particularly important to champion the perspective of independent, regional agencies like ndp, which also has offices in Roanoke, Virginia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
We are very pleased that ndp is participating in the Certified Against Fraud program, said TAG CEO Mike Zaneis. Only by working together as an industry can we tackle endemic problems like fraud and cut off the flow of money to the criminals who profit from it. We hope that other independent agencies will join ndp in advancing this vital effort.
Similar to Good Housekeepings seal, the TAG Certified Against Fraud Seal will appear on qualified partner websites to signify compliance with industry best practices. Were excited to offer this benefit to our clients and to promote TAG in the marketplace. Over time this will benefit the entire industry as we fight back against ad fraud, said Mr. Boschen.
Officials: Gunman had no large stockpile of bomb materials
DALLAS (AP) The gunman who killed five Dallas police officers did not have a large stockpile of bomb-making materials at his suburban home, two officials said Friday, contradicting earlier claims that Micah Johnson possessed enough explosives to stage a larger attack.
Officers who searched Micah Johnson's home Friday found small amounts of an explosive known as Tannerite, as well as acetone, which can be used as an accelerant in explosives, according to the officials, who are familiar with the investigation. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.
Both Tannerite and acetone are legal and easy to purchase. Tannerite is often found in small targets that emit powder when hit by a gunshot, such as those at gun ranges. Acetone is commonly sold as nail polish remover.
This undated photo posted on Facebook on April 30, 2016, shows Micah Johnson, who was a suspect in the sniper slayings of five law enforcement officers in Dallas Thursday night, July 7, 2016, during a protest over two recent fatal police shootings of black men. Authorities have described the Dallas sniper Micah Johnson as a loner. President Barack Obama called him demented. But in multiple interviews with The Associated Press, the Mississippi-born, Texas-bred 25-year-old was remembered by friends, comrades and acquaintances as a gregarious, even goofy extrovert. But after his Army career ended in disgrace, they say, the easygoing young black man was suddenly deeply shamed and ostracized. (Facebook via AP)
In greater quantities, Tannerite can be used to create large explosions. An advisory posted online by the company that manufactures it says its intended use is around 1 pound. The company sells targets with half-pound and 1-pound quantities. At 50 pounds, the advisory says, Tannerite can be used as an "exploding target" with another chemical additive.
An FBI intelligence bulletin from 2013 warns that Tannerite and other exploding targets can be used with other materials to make explosives. Tannerite consists primarily of ammonium nitrate, a common ingredient in fertilizer that has been used in attacks, mixed with aluminum powder.
After the July 7 attack, Dallas Police Chief David Brown repeatedly said Johnson had enough explosives on hand to do far greater damage.
"There was a large stockpile," Brown told reporters Monday. "One of the bomb techs called me at home to describe his concern of how large a stockpile of bomb-making materials he had. And according to that bomb tech, he knew what he was doing, and this wasn't some novice."
A day earlier, Brown told CNN that the materials in Johnson's home were "large enough to have devastating effects throughout our city and our North Texas area."
A police spokesman declined to comment.
Brown said Johnson told police he had planted bombs as part of his assault on officers to protest recent police shootings of black men. He told authorities he was targeting white officers. In addition to the five officers who were slain, nine others were wounded, along with two civilians.
Police killed Johnson with a bomb delivered by a remote-controlled robot.
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Associated Press Writer Reese Dunklin contributed to this report.
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Follow Nomaan Merchant on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nomaanmerchant .
Prosecutors nix bail deal in fraud case over $70,000 watch
NEW YORK (AP) Federal prosecutors demanded an extra $2.5 million in bail on Friday for a Harvard University-educated businessman extradited from Colombia on fraud charges after they discovered he was wearing a $70,000 watch.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank Maas in Manhattan agreed to boost bail for Kaleil Isaza Tuzman from $2.5 million to $5 million, but he did not require a doubling of the $500,000 in collateral that the government had requested. He did, though, say Tuzman must post the watch as collateral, too.
Tuzman, a former Goldman Sachs analyst, pleaded not guilty on Friday to an indictment charging him with misleading investors and regulators as chairman and CEO of technology startup KIT digital. Tuzman gained a measure of fame when he was featured in the film "Startup.com," which won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Prize in 2001.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said investigators found it "very disturbing" when Tuzman stepped off a government plane on Thursday with an expensive watch. Williams said Tuzman, 44, claimed he was desperately raising money for his bail from friends and relatives.
Williams said a closer look at Tuzman's credit card charges revealed "lavish spending habits" that included tens of thousands of dollars on furs, jewelry and cars, including $110,000 on jewelry in one week.
He also said the government considered Tuzman a flight risk in part because of his access to money, his connections overseas and his minimal travel to the United States in recent years.
To counter arguments about travel to the U.S., defense attorney Avi Weitzman said Tuzman attended a Harvard class reunion last year and has a picture taken with U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara to prove it. Bharara heads the office prosecuting Tuzman.
Weitzman said the purchases of jewelry and furs were made on credit as Tuzman tried to start a company to distribute the items. He said his client had agreements with nine distributors to sell watches, clothing and fur.
Since his arrest 10 months ago, Tuzman's "life has been destroyed," Weitzman said.
The lawyer said Tuzman was now $6.5 million in debt and his supposed assets were mostly liabilities, including homes in Prague and the South of France. His collateral to meet bail conditions consisted of a $370,000 property in New York, $130,000 from family and friends and the watch.
Tuzman was ordered to submit to electronic monitoring. It seemed he might be released Friday. A wealthy friend waited to sign his bond at a Florida courthouse, one of eight signatures of financially responsible people required to do so. But the courthouse was closed by the time the bail hearing finished. So another friend sitting in the Manhattan courtroom offered to sign instead.
Georgia man charged in shooting of officer lured by 911 call
VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) A Georgia man has been charged in the shooting of a police officer who authorities say was lured into an ambush by a 911 call reporting a car break-in.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a news release Friday that 22-year-old Stephen Paul Beck was charged with three counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, attempted murder of a peace officer and possessing a firearm during commission of a crime.
The GBI says Beck shot Valdosta officer Randall Hancock multiple times on July 8 outside an apartment complex. Beck was wounded when the officer returned fire. The GBI says Beck remains at a Valdosta hospital and it was not immediately known if he had an attorney.
Clinton holds day of VP interviews at her home in Washington
WASHINGTON (AP) Hillary Clinton summoned at least three contenders vying to become her running mate to her Washington home on Friday as she closes in on a pick for vice president.
Clinton met separately with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, according to a person familiar with the process. The person would speak only on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.
Warren and Hickenlooper were seen in separate cars departing the former secretary of state's home Friday afternoon. It was unclear if other potential vice presidential candidates met with Clinton during the day. The meetings came a day after the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee campaigned alongside another potential vice presidential choice, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, in northern Virginia.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, accompanied by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., right, speaks at a rally at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Thursday, July 14, 2016. Kaine has been rumored to be one of Clinton's possible vice president choices. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Clinton's meeting happened the same day Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump named Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be on the GOP ticket. For Clinton, the Pence selection offered clarity on the composition of the Trump ticket and certainty of whom her eventual running mate will meet in a fall debate.
While the choice of a vice president has rarely had a dramatic impact on the outcome of a presidential race, the decision is among the most consequential for a presidential nominee and offers a window into the candidate's priorities and values.
A small group of Clinton campaign confidants have reviewed publicly available information about the potential contenders for more than a month. The in-person meetings come less than two weeks before Clinton formally accepts her party's nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
"On Friday, Secretary Clinton held a series of campaign-related meetings at her Washington home, including several about her vice presidential selection process," spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement. Campaign chair John Podesta and vice chair Huma Abedin were among the Clinton aides who spent the day at her home.
Clinton has been assisted by veteran Democratic lawyer James Hamilton, who has overseen her selection process, along with longtime aide Cheryl Mills, who served as her chief of staff in the State Department.
Kaine, 58, a former mayor and governor from a key general-election battleground state, is considered to be a safe choice for Clinton, someone who could help her appeal to moderates who have been turned off by Trump's divisive rhetoric.
Warren, 67, spent about an hour at Clinton's home, her second visit in the past month. The senator is an economic populist and a favorite of liberals who would help Clinton connect with many of the progressives who backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during the primaries. Warren would also help form an unprecedented all-female presidential ticket.
Hickenlooper, 64, is a relatively new name in the process and hails from another top battleground state. The second-term governor founded a brewpub in Denver in 1988 and later became the city's mayor and was instrumental in luring the 2008 Democratic National Convention to the Mile High City. He would bring a Western presence to the ticket and offer a small businessman's appeal to a candidate who frequently mentions her father's work as the owner of a small drapery business.
Castro is a 41-year-old former San Antonio mayor who delivered the keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. He was tapped by President Barack Obama two years later to lead the housing agency. If selected, he would be the first Latino on a presidential ticket.
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Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/kthomasdc
Davis Cup: Sock, Isner give US 2-0 lead over Croatia
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Jack Sock needed a little time to get up to speed Friday in his first Davis Cup match.
Once Sock got his serve straightened out, the U.S. raced to a 2-0 lead over Croatia in the best-of-five quarterfinal tie.
Sock overcame a two-set deficit to beat Marin Cilic 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and John Isner topped Borna Coric 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the second match on the Tualatin Hills hard court.
The U.S. can wrap up the Davis Cup tie Saturday with a win in the doubles match between twins Bob and Mike Bryan and Ivan Dodig and Marin Draganja. Two reverse singles matches are scheduled for Sunday.
"Our mindset is we're happy," U.S. captain Jim Courier said. "For us, it's about putting our hard hats on and let Bob and Mike do what they do. I like our chances."
The U.S-Croatia winner will advance to the semifinals in September to face the Czech Republic-France winner. The United States is seeking its first semifinals appearance since 2012.
The United States is 157-3 when leading 2-0 in Davis Cup competition. The last time the U.S. blew a 2-0 advantage was the 1994 semifinals against Sweden.
The Bryan twins are 10-4 in Davis Cup doubles competition.
The 23-year-old Sock set the tone Friday, though it took a while to get going. Cilic, No. 12 in the world, rushed to a two-set lead after breaking Sock three times in the second set. But Sock also had his moments during the first two sets, and he used that, along with a bit of inspiration from Courier to fuel a comeback.
"I had a ton of chances in the second. I didn't get blown off the court. I just had to make a few smarter decisions on the first serve and returning," Sock said.
Courier noted that Cilic might be struggling a bit mentally after the 27-year-old Croatian blew a two-set lead to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon quarterfinals less than two weeks ago.
"I was using that as a little bit of a carrot to keep Jack in there," Courier said.
The big-serving Sock bounced back, using an early service break to win the third set. Sock, No. 26 in the world, then pulled even, winning the fourth set by claiming the final two games.
Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champion, said it wasn't momentum swinging in Sock's favor as much as the young American simply improved his play.
"Jack started to serve really well ... he was not giving me too many chances in the return game," Cilic said.
Sock won the fifth set after breaking Cilic to take a 5-4 lead on the Tualatin Hills hard court. Sock won the last four points of the final game, claiming the 3-hour, 13-minute match when Cilic hit his final shot into the net.
Sock said the victory is a career highlight.
"It's up there for sure," Sock said. "Haven't played a ton of five-setters, haven't come back from two-down. To do that in front of the home crowd, it feels really special."
The win over Cilic capped a big Friday for Sock, who earlier in the day was named to the U.S. Olympic team.
"As a kid you grow up and it's kind of on your bucket list. I'm very excited to get down there and hopefully play some good tennis," Sock said.
Isner rode the momentum of Sock's comeback win to the three-set win over the 19-year-old Coric.
"Jack had a lot of positive energy on his side. ... For me, it helps a lot. Took a lot of pressure off me. Regardless of what I do, we're not going to be losing. I was in a good spot, thanks to Jack," Isner said.
Isner, dominating with his big serve that reached as high as 137 mph, had 23 aces to Coric's 3. The 31-year-old Isner, No. 16 in the world and playing in his 20th career Davis Cup match, broke Coric once in each set.
"I didn't use my chances in the first two sets. I had many chances to break him, and on 5-4 in both sets, I played a really poor game," Coric said.
The U.S. last hosted a Davis Cup match in 2014, when it lost in the first round to Britain in San Diego. This is the fourth time Portland has hosted a Davis Cup tie.
The United States is trying to break a nine-year Davis Cup title drought. The U.S. won in 2007 when it beat Russia 4-1 in Portland. Croatia claimed its only Davis Cup title in 2005.
The U.S. has won a Davis Cup-high 32 titles, but only one since 1995.
Obama: All parties in Turkey should support Erdogan gov't
WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama on Friday urged all sides in Turkey to support the democratically elected government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid a military takeover of the key NATO ally.
In a statement issued after a meeting with his national security advisers, Obama also urged everyone in Turkey to show restraint and avoid violence or bloodshed.
Members of Turkey's armed forces declared hours earlier that they had taken control of the country as explosions, gunfire and a reported air battle between loyalist forces and supporters of the coup erupted in Ankara, the capital. Erdogan called on the Turkish people to flood the streets in a show of support for his embattled government.
President Barack Obama speaks about the attack in Nice, France, Friday, July 15, 2016, during a Diplomatic Corps Reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Turkey plays a key role in the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group. American jets use its Incirlik air base to fly missions against the extremists in Syria and Iraq.
Obama discussed the developments by telephone with Secretary of State John Kerry, who was traveling in Moscow for separate meetings with senior Russian officials on Syria.
In a separate statement, Kerry said the U.S. viewed the "very fluid situation" in Turkey with the "gravest concern."
Kerry said he had stressed in a telephone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu the United States' "absolute support" for Turkey's democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions. Kerry said he urged all parties to ensure the safety and well-being of diplomatic missions, personnel and civilians across Turkey.
Kerry also urged U.S. citizens in Turkey to stay indoors and to be in touch with family and friends.
The Defense Department also released a statement saying it is "taking appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of our service members, civilians, their families and our facilities."
The Pentagon said the coup attempt had so far made no impact on the Incirlik air base, and said anti-Islamic State air operations from Incirlik are continuing.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also weighed in Friday night. The former secretary of state echoed Kerry's remarks, saying, "We should all urge calm and respect for laws, institutions, and basic human rights and freedoms and support for the democratically elected civilian government."
Sheriff: North Carolina deputy fatally shoots man
WADESBORO, N.C. (AP) Authorities say a North Carolina sheriff's deputy responding to a 911 call fatally shot a man who pointed a gun at him.
Local media outlets report that Anson County Sheriff Landric Reid says a man pointed a rifle at emergency responders Friday afternoon and a deputy fired on him.
The sheriff said at a news conference that the deputy and the dead man were both white. No identities have been released.
Labour 'cannot become the new nasty party', Angela Eagle warns
Labour risks becoming the "new nasty party", leadership candidate Angela Eagle has warned.
Ms Eagle borrowed Theresa May's famous 2002 description of the Conservatives as she called for action from the Labour leadership on "abuse, misogyny, homophobia (and) anti-Semitism" affecting the party.
Her call came shortly after Labour's National Executive Committee suspended all local party meetings amid reports of intimidation, bullying and threatening behaviour, and just days after a brick was thrown through her own constituency office window in Wallasey on Merseyside.
Angela Eagle is warning that Labour risks turning into the new "nasty party" in British politics
The party has suspended its constituency party in Brighton and Hove and annulled the results of a recent election following accusations of abusive behaviour, an improper ballot and entryism by far-left activists.
Turning Jeremy Corbyn's "kinder politics" catchphrase against him, Ms Eagle said that Labour needed "a kinder politics in reality" and must not end up "in the gutter".
The former shadow business secretary, who quit the shadow cabinet to launch her challenge to Mr Corbyn's position, asked party members at a social event in Wolverhampton: "What attracted you to the Labour Party in the first place? I'm guessing it didn't involve abuse, misogyny, homophobia, anti-Semitism and the opportunity to picket Labour events ...
"The Labour Party can't become the new nasty party for women, or indeed for anyone else. It's a place where everyone should play a part. Men and women. Old and young. Black and white. Gay and straight ... We need a kinder politics in reality, which is why I've called on the leadership to not just call out such behaviour but to take action too.
"I've launched a campaign called 'Keep It Comradely'. We should be proud of the Labour movement and what we have achieved. I don't want Labour in the gutter. I want it in power."
Ms Eagle said that ordinary party members had been "let down by those at the top of the party", who had failed to make progress at local elections, delivered a "lacklustre and half-hearted" EU referendum campaign and lost the faith of many voters who "look at Labour and think we don't get it".
Her comments came as her rival for the Labour leadership, Owen Smith, won the backing of one of Mr Corbyn's most loyal MPs.
Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens was one of 40 MPs who refused to back a no confidence motion in Mr Corbyn. But she has now told supporters she will back Mr Smith in the leadership contest.
I n an email to party members, Ms Stevens wrote: "During the past two weeks it has become painfully obvious that we have been unable to fulfil the very basic day to day operation as the official opposition in Parliament.
"We cannot present ourselves as a government in waiting without leadership and a leadership team that commands the respect and support of not only members....but Labour voters and potential Labour voters."
Despite dozens of resignations from his front bench and a 172-40 vote of no confidence from his MPs, Mr Corbyn has refused to step aside. He retains the support of Labour's big union backers and earlier this week won the right to feature on the leadership ballot paper without having to clear the hurdle of collecting nominations from 51 MPs or MEPs.
But shadow Wales secretary Paul Flynn told Politics Home magazine his leadership may have "passed the tipping point".
"It was understandable when the born again Blairites were plotting against Corbyn, and then it increased into the coup last week, the avalanche," said Mr Flynn. "But it gets to a tipping point when it's taking in the new left. You wonder if it's possible to rescue it from there."
Mr Smith postponed the launch of his leadership campaign, scheduled for Friday, following the previous night's terror attacks in Nice.
The Labour Party declined to comment on the suspension of its Brighton and Hove branch, saying only: " We do not comment on private meetings or ongoing investigations."
A spokesman added: "No abuse of any kind by Labour Party members or supporters is tolerated. Any complaints of bullying or intimidation and allegations of misconduct are always taken very seriously.
Jihadi John's school adds anti-extremism to curriculum
The school of the British terrorist known as Jihadi John will be among the first in the UK to introduce pupils to a new project aimed at preventing extremism.
Quintin Kynaston Community Academy, in north London, was attended by a young Mohammed Emwazi, who went on to become the black-clad militant seen in Islamic State (IS) beheading videos.
Kuwait-born Emwazi, who was killed in a US air strike last November, was described by his former headteacher as a "hard-working aspirational young man".
Quintin Kynaston in north-west London, where ex-pupil Mohammed Emwaz attended.
Now the school will host the launch of a classroom-based programme that draws on testimony from former extremists and survivors of extremism.
It will introduce the programme, which first launched in Canada last year, as part of its curriculum from September.
Called Extreme Dialogue, the project includes six hours of free resources for teachers to "build resilience" in pupils and help schools fulfil statutory duties under the Government's Prevent strategy.
Students between 14 and 18 will be shown two short films featuring Billy McCurrie, a former member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) whose father was killed by the IRA, and Adam Deen, a former member of the banned Islamist group, Al-Muhajiroun.
Mr Deen said: "By taking the time to truly understand that extremism is a process, then and only then we can learn to undo the process and inoculate future generations."
The programme has been part-funded by the European Union and developed by anti-extremist organisations including London-based think-tank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).
Jonathan Birdwell, ISD's head of policy and research, said: "It is vital that we equip young people with the critical skills to challenge extremism for themselves.
"Teachers can be nervous about discussing this issue, so these resources can give them the confidence to address extremism and radicalisation in the classroom".
Emwazi shocked the world when he appeared in a video in August 2014 in which he condemned the West and appeared to behead US journalist James Foley.
Criminals 'should pay up in full before release from prison'
Criminals pursued for their ill-gotten gains should not be released from prison until they have paid up, a new report suggests.
Offenders should either have to pay a confiscation order in full or convince a judge that their debt to society is squared before they are let out, MPs said.
They also called for those subject to the orders to have their passports removed until they have paid.
The Home Affairs Committee is chaired by Labour's Keith Vaz
The proposals follow warnings that only a "paltry" share of the proceeds of crime is ultimately recouped. Figures show criminals owe the taxpayer nearly 2 billion but only a tenth of the sum is seen as "realistically collectable".
Non-payment of a confiscation order - a key route for seizing offenders' assets - should be made a separate criminal offence, according to the Commons Home Affairs committee.
Its report said: "To enforce this, we recommend that no criminal be allowed to leave prison without either paying their confiscation order in full, or engaging with the courts to convince a judge that their debt to society is squared."
Confiscation orders are issued by courts against convicted offenders and can be applied to any offence resulting in financial gain, with the amount based on "criminal benefit".
Even after an order has been made, there are very few incentives for criminals to either engage with the courts or pay the money back with many choosing instead to extend their prison sentences and avoid paying, the report warned.
It said: "It appears that some criminals view paying back their proceeds of crime as an option rather than a requirement - essentially a choice between payment and prison."
The committee also backed the creation of a "confiscation court", saying it received strong evidence this "would combat the current lack of interest in confiscation orders among prosecutors and judges, which has led in turn to a lack of training and specialist skills".
Committee chairman Labour MP Keith Vaz said: "Nonpayment of a confiscation order should be a criminal offence to ensure offenders do not just see out a prison sentence to keep their illgotten gains, and these orders should be set by dedicated 'confiscation courts'."
Meanwhile, the inquiry concluded that money laundering is "undoubtedly a problem" in the UK.
It is "astonishing" that just 335 out of 1.2 million property transactions last year were deemed to be suspicious, the report said.
Mr Vaz said at least a hundred billion pounds is being laundered through the UK, adding: "Supervision of the property market is totally inadequate, and poor enforcement has laid out a welcome mat for launderers and organised criminals."
There were calls for an overhaul of the systems used to track seized assets. The committee said it was surprised to learn that confiscated assets taken for use in court and other proceedings cannot be traced from the point of seizure to their being deposited at a storage warehouse.
The report also raised concerns that a database used to log suspicious activity reports is "heavily overloaded and therefore rendered completely ineffective".
A Home Office spokesman said: "We are committed to attacking criminal finances, making it harder to move, hide and use the proceeds of crime, as set out in the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy.
"And there is clear evidence we are making progress in this effort; the Government seized a total of 1.2 billion from criminals between April 2010 and March 2016, with more assets recovered in 2015/16 than ever before.
"But we are working with our operational partners to make even more progress in this area."
The local Museum of Flight at the request of the United States Navy will be doing the flyby on July 16 at 11 a.m. at Rosss Landing as part of the memorial ceremony honoring Chattanoogas Fallen Five.
Officials said, "We will also be escorting James Howard as he begins his mission to Port Angeles, WA. Mr. Howard and his daughters Gracie and Lucy, along with copilot Taylor Newman will depart from the Chattanooga Airport this Saturday at 0630 and will fly to Port Angeles, Wash.
"Mr. Howard chose the destination of the memorial flight based on the support the city of Chattanooga received after the terrorist attack from the unlikely place of Port Angeles, Wash.
"At the request of the Noogastrong Memorial Ride, the museum will be doing a flyby at 1200 over the Chattanooga National Cemetery."
Single Philippines island home to greatest collection of unique mammal species
A single island in the Philippines contains the world's greatest collection of unique mammal species, scientists have discovered.
Of 56 non-flying mammals now known to live on Luzon island, 52 are found nowhere else on Earth.
Researchers only realised the importance of Luzon after identifying 28 new species there during a 15-year study.
Luzon is also home to 57 species of bat
They include four kinds of tiny tree mice with whiskers so long they almost reach their ankles. Five other mouse species look like shrews and feed chiefly on earthworms.
Nineteen of the new species have been formally described in scientific journals, and nine are still waiting to be classified.
Luzon is also home to 57 species of bat, including the huge golden crowned flying fox, which weighs up to two and a half pounds.
At the other end of the scale is the lesser flat-headed bat, so tiny that it roosts inside bamboo stems.
Project leader Dr Lawrence Heaney, from The Field Museum in Chicago, US, said: "We started our study on Luzon in 2000 because we knew at the time that most of the native mammal species on the island were unique to the island, and we wanted to understand why that is the case.
"We did not expect that we would double the number already known."
Luzon, which covers an area of about 40,000 square miles, is the largest island in the Philippines.
Because it has never been connected to a continental land mass, its isolated animals have been able to follow their own distinct evolutionary paths.
As well as being cut off, Luzon is covered in mountains - providing what scientists call "sky island" habitats which encourage further species adaptation.
Most of the new species live in tropical cloud forest high in the mountains.
Team member Dr Eric Rickart, from the Natural History Museum of Utah, US, said: "There are individual mountains on Luzon that have five species of mammals that live nowhere else. That's more unique species on one mountain than live in any country in continental Europe.
"The concentration of unique biodiversity in the Philippines is really staggering."
Government 'has lacked will to hold VW to account' over emissions scandal
The Department for Transport (DfT) has been far too slow to investigate whether Volkswagen should be prosecuted in the UK over the diesel emissions scandal, MPs claim.
A report published by the Transport Select Committee expressed concern about the "ambivalence" towards assessing the legality of the German car manufacturer's use of software to cheat environmental tests.
The committee warned that without proper sanctions there is little to stop a similar scandal from happening again.
Volkswagen is disputing whether the software constitutes a defeat device in the European Union
The report stated: "The Department has been far too slow to assess the applicability of its powers to prosecute VW."
Labour MP Louise Ellman, chairwoman of the committee, said: "Volkswagen Group has acted cynically to cheat emissions tests which exist solely to protect human health.
"Volkswagen's evidence to us was just not credible but the Government has lacked the will to hold VW accountable for its actions.
"There is a real danger that VW will be able to get away with cheating emissions tests in Europe if regulators do not act."
The committee described VW's decision to compensate its customers in the US but not the UK as "deeply unfair" and called on regulators to ensure owners are not left out of pocket by the company's technical solution to the issue.
Ms Ellman added: " Vehicle owners have been refused goodwill payments. That is despite VW inflicting a great deal of uncertainty on its own customers, along with the prospect of declining residual values and the inconvenience of having to undergo repairs.
"We are concerned that VW's fix was developed at the lowest possible cost which might lead to increased costs for motorists down the line. We have called upon the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) to do everything in its power to ensure that does not happen."
The report warned that major improvements are required in the vehicle type approval system in Europe, with stronger independence and many more checks and balances required to restore consumer confidence.
MPs also expressed their disappointment that the DfT did not strive for even stricter emissions limits in new tests which will feature a real-world driving aspect.
Ms Ellman said: " We are concerned that manufacturers have far too great a say over how type approval reforms are implemented.
"There is strong evidence that vehicle manufacturers have employed a wide range of practices that are, in effect, defeat devices by another name.
"We have called upon the Department for Transport to be transparent in how it works with manufacturers to prevent both the spirit and the letter of the law from being broken."
VW admitted last September that 482,000 of its diesel vehicles in the US were fitted with defeat device software to switch engines to a cleaner mode when they were being tested.
It announced that almost 1.2 million vehicles in the UK were affected, but is disputing whether the software constitutes a defeat device in the European Union.
A DfT spokeswoman said: "We take the unacceptable actions of VW extremely seriously, and we have taken robust action to protect the UK consumer.
"That is why we called for a Europe-wide investigation, and were the first country in Europe to complete our own tests to ensure the issue was not industry-wide. We continue to push VW to ensure they take action.
"We led the way in pushing for the introduction of the Real Driving Emissions test that starts next year, which will ensure that emissions measurements reflect real-world performance, improve air quality and give consumers confidence.
Dimitri Payet: I'm staying at West Ham
France playmaker Dimitri Payet has insisted he is "100 per cent staying at West Ham".
The 29-year-old had been linked with with a move away from the London club after a number of impressive performances during his country's run to the final of Euro 2016.
But the former Marseille player, who helped the Hammers to a seventh-placed finish in the Premier League last season, has stressed his commitment to Slaven Bilic's team.
Dimitri Payet scored 12 goals for West Ham last season
"I've heard about all the interest and I'm flattered. But I love West Ham," Payet told the Sun.
"We had a fantastic season and I can't wait to play in the Olympic Stadium.
Tour leader Chris Froome sends 'deepest sympathy' to families after Nice attack
Chris Froome offered his "deepest sympathies" to victims of the terrorist attack in Nice after strengthening his grip on the Tour de France's yellow jersey.
Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin won Friday's stage 13 time trial from Bourg-Saint-Andeol to La Caverne du Pont d'Arc while Froome set the second-best time to add another minute to his cushion over second place.
But Froome had no interest in discussing the race, which took place in the wake of the attack which killed at least 84 people on Thursday night when a terrorist drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day along the Promenade des Anglais.
Chris Froome has extended his advantage in the yellow jersey
Although he attended the yellow jersey holder's customary press conference after the stage, the Briton took no questions and instead gave a short statement.
"I think it's pretty clear today everyone's thoughts are with those affected down in Nice," Froome said. "I think it's difficult for us to even be here talking about the race with all that happening yesterday down in Nice.
"It's somewhere pretty close to home for me, somewhere I do a lot of training, and to see the promenade the way it was yesterday evening with bodies over the road is horrific, horrific scenes.
"My deepest sympathies, my deepest condolences go out to those families who have lost loved ones in Nice."
Team Sky have a training base in Nice, and several riders, including Froome and Geraint Thomas, live in nearby Monaco.
"You try not to think about it when you're (racing) but certainly this morning when I woke up to the news it was devastating," said Thomas after a ride good enough for seventh place on the day.
"It's a huge tragedy. It's bad enough when you hear about it in places where you don't live, but when you live just down the road it's scary and it's really sad that's the world we live in today."
Giant-Alpecin's time-trial specialist Dumoulin won with a time of 50 minutes 15 seconds over the rolling 37.5km stage, with Froome 63 seconds off that pace.
But with Bauke Mollema the next best among the general classification contenders, Froome has seen his lead more than double just 24 hours after the chaotic scenes which saw him scrambling up Mont Ventoux on foot following a crash which broke his bike.
Trek-Segafredo's Mollema moved up to second overall, displacing Briton Adam Yates, but is one minute 47 seconds behind Froome.
After the stage, Froome was joined on the podium by the other jersey holders - Yates in the young riders' white, Peter Sagan in the points leaders' green, and Thomas De Gendt in the king of the mountains' polka dots - as well as Dumoulin and several Tour officials to pay their respects to victims of the Nice attack.
Following Friday morning meetings with police, government, regional and security officials to discuss security arrangements, Tour director Christian Prudhomme vowed the race would continue "in sobriety and with dignity" - and there was a visibly stronger security presence.
"We wish today to be dignified, in tribute to the victims," Prudhomme said. "We are thinking about the families, we offer our condolences to everyone who has been affected, who has lost a loved one. To everyone who is injured, in flesh and in their being.
"We asked questions of ourselves, effectively. But we think, in agreement with the state authorities, that the race should continue, and we mustn't give in to pressure of people who want us to change our way of life."
Yates had expected to lose time on this stage and duly gave up almost two minutes to Froome as he finished 18th, at least better than the four minutes the Orica-BikeExchange rider predicted.
"Everyone knows I'm not great at time trialling," said the 23-year-old, who also offered "prayers and sympathies" to the victims in Nice.
"I'm not 100 per cent sure how much time I lost but we're here to fight another day. We'll go into every stage as an opportunity to try to take some seconds back. The form is good, the sensations are good and we'll fight all the way to Paris."
Movistar's Nairo Quintana, seen as Froome's main rival, also lost out, slipping to two minutes and 59 seconds off yellow after finishing 20th.
The Colombian, second to Froome in 2013 and 2015, has generally been at his best in the third week of the Tour and vowed to continue the fight.
"My body responded better in the final part," he said.
Neil Lennon banned for Hibs' Europa League second leg
Neil Lennon has been handed a one-match touchline ban for his behaviour during Hibernian's 1-0 Europa League defeat to Brondby on Thursday.
Lennon, in charge of his first competitive game as Hibs manager, was sent to the stands during the preliminary round tie after he protested against a disallowed goal.
UEFA has opened proceedings against the Northern Irishman and he will now be suspended for the second leg against Brondby next week.
Hibernian manager Neil Lennon was sent to the stands during his side's Europa League tie against Brondby
Lennon was incensed by the officials' decision to rule out what would have been a Jason Cummings equaliser for offside in the first half.
Replays showed Cummings had been harshly judged and Lennon vented his anger at the assistant referee, before being dismissed by Spanish referee Juan Martinez Munuera.
Lennon's absence for the return leg in Sweden is an added blow for Hibs, who conceded after just 17 seconds at Easter Road when Kamil Wilczek scored from close range.
"We had a perfectly legitimate goal disallowed. It was a beautiful goal," Lennon told BBC Scotland after the match.
"I've remonstrated with the linesman and the next thing I know I'm sitting in the stand. It's pathetic, absolutely pathetic."
'John Travolta lookalike' convicted of 1982 rape-murder after DNA breakthrough
A John Travolta fantasist will die behind bars after being found guilty of the "horrifying" rape and murder of a teenage girl 34 years ago.
For half a lifetime, self-employed tiler James Warnock, 56, evaded justice for strangling 17-year-old Yiannoulla Yianni in her own home, just half a mile from where he lived.
The murder shocked the nation and led to high-profile police appeals which led detectives as far afield as Australia in their search for the killer.
Efits released in 1984 of the man who followed Yiannoulla Yianni's family up to three months before she was raped and murdered (Metropolitan Police/PA)
But it was not until December last year that Scotland Yard got a "lucky break" when Warnock was caught sharing indecent pictures of children with an undercover officer online.
His DNA was added to the national database and found to be a match for samples taken from Yiannoulla's body.
The divorced father-of-two, who was still living in the local community, tried to explain away the evidence by claiming to have had a secret affair with Yiannoulla, even though the teenager was brought up in a traditional Greek Cypriot family and never had a boyfriend.
Her brothers and sister broke down in tears as a jury at the Old Bailey took just over two hours to find Warnock guilty on Thursday.
They said the loss of their beautiful sister had left the family "saturated by grief" although they never gave up hope.
Her brother Rick said: "Thankfully the long arm of the law has reached out from the past to bring this evil being to justice."
The verdict could only be reported after the defendant had admitted six charges of distributing indecent images of children in 2013 and 2015.
On August 13 1982, the victim, known as Lucy or Noodles, had been with her parents at their shoe repair shop minutes away from their Hampstead home.
Yiannoulla's mother, Elli, had sent her home to start preparing a leg of lamb for supper, saying she would join her soon.
She was playing the latest Patrice Rushen hit Forget Me Nots on the record player when Warnock knocked on her door at about 2pm.
Her parents arrived home half an hour later to "a sight beyond their worst imagining" - Yiannoulla's partially naked body lying on their bed, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said.
Despite a high-profile public appeal, including a televised reconstruction featuring her sister Maria, no real suspects were identified.
More than 1,000 people came forward with information but police were no closer to finding the doorstep stalker and the case remained unsolved for decades.
In efforts to keep the investigation going, her heartbroken father, George Yianni, appealed to then prime minister Margaret Thatcher and the commissioner of Scotland Yard. He contracted a brain tumour and died in 1988.
At the time of the murder, 5ft 6in Warnock was aged 22 and gave the impression of being a "cocky ladies' man", with his hair carefully salon-styled and blow-dried like his Saturday Night Fever idol.
But when officers tracked him down after matching his DNA to the crime scene, they found the balding and portly defendant awaiting their arrival, quietly drinking beer in his underpants.
In a police interview he was asked what he looked like in the 1980s and he said: "How can I put it? Er, John Travolta?"
During the trial, Yiannoulla's brothers and sisters relived the nightmare of her violent death while her now 86-year-old mother was among those to give evidence.
The dignified family were even forced to listen as Warnock, formerly of Harrington Street in Camden, north-west London, maintained his claim that he used to go to their home to have sex.
Following the verdict, Detective Inspector Julie Willats told how she was at the theatre in December last year when she received a text informing her of her "lucky break" in the case.
She said: "He must have known we would be coming for him. It's the science that has solved this one for us." At the time of the murder, techniques in DNA testing had yet to be invented.
Yiannoulla's three siblings described the catastrophic effect of her murder in statements read to the court.
Her brother Rick said: "The magnitude and horror of what happened that day is indescribable."
He said the family had been scarred for life by what happened and their "soul was ripped prematurely from us all".
He went on: "We never gave up hoping and are truly grateful to the police for finally bringing him to justice."
Warnock's lies which sullied the honour of his sister had "rubbed salt in the wound".
Her other brother Peter said: "This man took my sister's life in the most horrifying and violent way and to save himself, fabricated the most ridiculous story ...
"Lucy, we defended your honour and everyone knows what a lovely innocent girl you were and you can rest in peace."
Maria added that throughout the "testing time" she had been trying to remember the kind, beautiful, passionate and funny Lucy that they all knew.
Sentencing was adjourned by Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC until Monday.
James Warnock has been found guilty of the rape and murder of Yiannoulla Yianni in 1982 (Metropolitan Police/PA)
Rail minister quits over Southern woes day after saying: I won't fall on sword
Former rail minister Claire Perry quit the Government just one day after telling MPs she did not believe falling on her sword would help resolve problems with services provided by Southern Rail.
Ms Perry resigned on Thursday evening and no reasons have been given for her departure from the Department for Transport.
The Tory MP for Devizes had faced increasing pressure in recent weeks over cancelled and late running trains on routes in the south-east of England, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan calling on the Government to strip Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) of its franchise.
Rail Minister Claire Perry talks to a commuter at Blackfriars Station before she gave up her post
MPs grilled Ms Perry on the issue during a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday afternoon.
She admitted she had repeatedly thought about quitting over the failures of Southern Rail but thought it would not help.
She said the current situation "feels like a failure'' but insisted stripping GTR of the franchise would not make problems disappear.
She said: "At the moment I do not have the levers to pull to take the franchise back.
"So what are we going to do? If I thought it would help by me falling on my sword, I would.
"I've thought about it repeatedly. I don't like failure, I don't fail at stuff in my life, this feels like a failure."
Southern Rail is involved in an ongoing dispute with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union over plans to transfer responsibility for closing train doors from conductors to drivers.
Services have been hit by industrial action and high levels of staff sickness.
The company has been using a revised timetable since Monday, cutting 341 trains a day.
Transgender bathroom fight set to reach U.S. Supreme Court
By Lawrence Hurley
WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - The legal fight over whether transgender people can use public bathrooms that reflect their gender identity is set to reach the U.S. Supreme Court for the first time on Wednesday in a case involving a Virginia high school student who was born a girl but now identifies as male.
The Gloucester County School Board has lost its fight in lower courts to prevent Gavin Grimm, 17, from using the boys' bathroom while litigation continues.
The board is expected to file an emergency application with the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking to block a lower court's injunction requiring it to allow Grimm to use the boys' bathroom, according to Kyle Duncan, one of the school board's lawyers.
The move comes after a federal appeals court on Tuesday refused to put the injunction on hold.
The school board is expected to ask Chief Justice John Roberts, who has responsibility for emergency actions that arise from the regional federal appeals court that covers Virginia, to grant a stay of the injunction. Roberts could act alone or refer the matter to all eight justices. Five votes are need to grant a stay application.
The American Civil Liberties Union had sued on behalf of Grimm to challenge the school board's bathroom policy, which requires transgender students to use alternative restroom facilities.
The April ruling by the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of Grimm was the first by an appeals court to find that transgender students are protected under federal laws that bar sex-based discrimination.
Transgender rights have become an increasing divisive issue in the United States, and the issue of the use of public bathrooms has been a key part of the controversy. Some conservative states sought to require people to use bathrooms that reflect their gender at birth.
The Obama administration issued a directive in May telling public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity or risk losing federal funding. So far, 23 states have sued to block the directive.
Separately, the Justice Department sued North Carolina in May over a state law requiring people to use public bathrooms that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates.
The Obama administration's May letter said transgender people are protected by prohibitions on sex discrimination in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which applies to employment, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which applies to federally funded schools.
Director Ross explores family and parenting in "Captain Fantastic"
July 13 (Reuters) - Writer and director Matt Ross says his award-winning "Captain Fantastic" film about a father and his children draws on some elements of his own childhood as well as his own hopes as a parent.
In the movie, for which Ross won a directing prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Viggo Mortensen plays a father of six who takes his family from their isolated forest abode to the city.
"There's some autobiographical elements. My mother started some alternative living...communities in northern California and Oregon and I lived on those as a child. My mother is not Viggo's character. This is just fiction," Ross told Reuters.
S.Korea says to meet summer demand for power, avoid blackouts
SEOUL, July 14 (Reuters) - South Korea on Thursday said its power supply would be sufficient to meet peak demand in what is expected to be a hotter-than-normal summer, buoyed by new electricity plants.
The energy ministry expects a sudden rise in power demand as people crank up their air conditioning, but said the country would avoid blackouts like those seen five years ago which cut electricity to businesses and homes.
Summer demand is forecast to peak at 81,700 megawatt (MW) around the second and third weeks of August, with a power supply surplus of 10,400 MW, the energy ministry said in a statement.
Four new energy facilities, including thermal power plants, will add around 2,500 MW to the nation's electricity supply capacity, according to an energy ministry official and the statement.
Although the weather in July is expected to be similar to usual for the time of year, South Korea is expected to experience warmer-than-average temperatures and higher precipitation levels in August, the statement quoted the country's meteorological service as saying.
Of the country's 25 nuclear reactors, four are currently offline for maintenance. Nuclear accounts for around a third of the country's power, with the rest mainly coming from fossil fuels.
green|spaces, a Chattanooga based non-profit focused on sustainable living, working and building, kicked off the construction of its NextGen Homes with an official ground breaking ceremony.
After a year of designing this first-of-a-kind home, Collier Construction will begin work on the homes within the next week. "These homes represent the next generation of residential development in Chattanooga and the Southeast. They generate as much energy as they consume, use water and materials efficiently, and protect and promote the health of the occupants all for the same price as conventional homes on the market," said Michael Walton, executive director of green|spaces.
The three-bedroom / two-full bathroom 1700-square foot homes will include sustainable materials and innovative building techniques including advanced framing, moisture control wrapping, use of daylighting, Mitsubishi Mini-Split Systems, Heat Recovery Ventilation, Pervious Pavers and solar panels. Regular tours will be scheduled as construction progresses to educate the public, students and builders on the innovative products or techniques.
We see this as another option for buyers in the market. The reason new construction homes today come with granite countertops and hardwood floors is because customers ask for them. This project will prove that a builder can still make a profit while producing a higher quality home and customers should ask for it, said Mr. Walton.
Interested buyers can contact Grace Frank of Grace Frank Group at 423 342-3759 or email grace@gracefrankgroup. com . More about the design can be seen at www.greenspaceschattanooga. org/nextgen .
Partners and featured products on the home include EPB Smart Build, Schneider Electric, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, Mitsubishi Electric, VaproShield, Louisville Tile, Crossville Tile, Ceasarstone, General Shale Brick, Tennessee Solar Solutions, and Lowes of Hixson.
Greece names Italian railways winner for Greece's TRAINOSE
ATHENS, July 14 (Reuters) - Italian railways will buy Greece's rail company TRAINOSE after Athens accepted the group's 45 million euro ($50 million) bid on Thursday, saving the company from closure.
Privatisations are a condition of Greece's latest international bailout but its protracted economic crisis has sapped investor interest. Athens had pushed back the original deadline for binding bids for TRAINOSE three times this year.
Italy's state railways Ferrovie dello Stato last week submitted the sole binding bid for TRAINOSE, which is being sold under Greece's privatisation programme.
The Italian group's offer has been approved by the board of Greece's privatisation agency (HRADF) which convened on Thursday to unseal the financial bid.
Without the sale, TRAINOSE would have had to return more than 700 million euros in state aid to the European Union, forcing it to shut.
Athens has been trying to sell the asset since 2013 but a government change and political hurdles held up the sale.
"HRADF concludes a process which started three years ago and secures TRAINOSE's viability and its future growth," HRADF said in a statement.
Bulgaria's BEH to launch bonds' roadshow on Monday
SOFIA, July 14 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's state energy company BEH has mandated JPMorgan and Banca IMI to hold a series of meetings with investors from Monday as it prepares to sell bonds worth about 500 million euros ($555 mln), it said on Thursday.
The proceeds will be used to refinance a 535 million euro loan, which JPMorgan Securities, Bank of China and Banca IMI, the investment arm of Intesa Saopaolo extended to BEH in April.
"An offering of Reg S mid-term instruments is to be expected, pending market conditions," BEH said in a statement.
A market source, familiar with the process, said meetings will be held in London on Monday and Tuesday, Munich and Frankfurt in Wednesday, Milan on Thursday and Zurich and Vienna on Friday.
BEH did not say how much it expects to raise, but the company's chief executive said recently that BEH is likely to seek about 500 million euros.
An industry source said the ceiling would be 650 million euros and the funds raised would depend on the demand.
BEH took out the loan in April to press ahead with a deal with U.S. firms AES and ContourGlobal, under which the two thermal power producers lowered the price at which they sell their output to public power provider NEK, a unit of BEH.
For the first time, scientists to sequence genes in space
By Irene Klotz and Julie Steenhuysen
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla/CHICAGO, July 14 (Reuters) - Given her background in researching some of the deadliest pathogens on Earth, including Ebola, colleagues of newly arrived astronaut Kate Rubins had expected her to want to do "crazy science fiction" on the International Space Station.
Instead, Rubins pushed for carefully controlled experiments with a mix of a bacteria, a common virus and mouse cells, all already repeatedly sequenced and safe for testing in the space station's closed-loop environment.
Rubins, a trained microbiologist who arrived at the space station on Saturday, will be using the samples to put Oxford Nanopore's MinION sequencer - a pocket-sized DNA sequencer - through its paces.
The tests are intended to prove whether the technology can be used to understand microbes in the space station, to scan fellow astronauts for genetic changes that could diagnose illness, and in future missions, potentially to test samples from Mars and elsewhere for signs of DNA-based life.
One of the first things the scientists need to prove is just how well the machine operates in microgravity. "Technology behaves differently up here. Fluids behave differently up here," Rubins said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday from the International Space Station.
The MinION sequencer, which is about half the size of a smartphone, operates fundamentally differently from current DNA sequencers, said Sarah Wallace, a microbiologist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
With most sequencers, scientists put in a sample and it runs for 24 to 48 hours, then stops. The station's sequencer displays its analysis as it works.
"Within minutes of loading your sample, you're starting to get the sequence data back ... so how long it runs is based on the scientific question you're asking," Wallace said.
The MinION DNA sequencer is among the nearly 4,900 pounds (2,223 kg) of cargo scheduled to be launched to the station on Monday aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule.
It will be the first use of the machine in space, Wallace said in a news briefing on Wednesday.
Currently, samples from space must be frozen and flown back to Earth for analysis.
"We don't get to analyze everything that is happening to human beings and to cells in real time," Rubins said.
In the future, Rubins would like to use the DNA sequencer to learn more about potential colonies of microbes that have taken up residence in the station's water system and elsewhere aboard the orbiting laboratory.
"We've got wonderful clean water, but we've got a water system that's been up here for 15 years. Do we have any microbes living in the system?" Rubins said.
If all checks out, the DNA sequencer could be used to help diagnose illness in astronauts on the space station and understand whether any disease-causing microbes are susceptible to antibiotics, helping to conserve valuable medications that cannot be readily restocked.
The device joins a suite of other diagnostic instruments aboard the station, including a polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, device that can test single genes.
"These kinds of small, portable genomic technologies are going to let us look, in real time, at what's actually happening to bone degradation, for example. What's happening to your immune system, what's happening to a population of microbes that you bring up in a culture flask?" Rubins said.
Testing the DNA sequencer in space also could pave the way for its use in remote or resource-poor areas on Earth.
"This kind of device is something you would use in the developing world, you could use this in an outbreak situation, you could use this in a clinic where you don't have a lot of resources to buy a full-scale sequencer but you can enable some kinds of diagnostic tests in really resource-poor settings," Rubins said.
Rubins said the space station is an "amazing place" to test device performance when power and data processing capabilities are limited.
Attackers blow up gas pipeline in southwest Nigeria - police
LAGOS, July 14 (Reuters) - A gas pipeline operated by Nigeria's state energy company in southwestern Ogun state has been attacked by men disguised as maintenance staff, local police said on Thursday.
Attacks by militants on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta region - in the south and southeast - over the last few months briefly pushed crude production in the OPEC member to 30-year lows in the spring.
But facilities in the southwest region, which is not part of the Delta area, have so far not been targeted. Militant groups have called for a greater share of Nigeria's oil and gas wealth to go to the Delta, which is the country's main energy hub.
Muyiwa Adejobi, a spokesman for Ogun state police said the attack took place on Tuesday night in the town of Ogijo.
"We were told that some guys came in two vehicles dressed as officials in charge of repairs and maintenance of the gas pipelines and then used dynamite to blow up the gas line belonging to a subsidiary of (state energy firm) NNPC," he said.
"Unfortunately one of the lines was damaged. There are other lines that were not affected," he added.
The pipeline supplies the commercial capital Lagos, which is around 80km (50 miles) from Ogun state, and other parts of the southwest.
U.S., China clash over market economy status at WTO
By Tom Miles
GENEVA, July 14 (Reuters) - The United States warned China on Thursday that it had not done enough to qualify for market economy status, especially in steel and aluminium, sowing the seeds for a trade battle between Washington and Beijing at the end of 2016.
Upon China's admission to the WTO in 2001, it was told by other members that they would not use its published, state-controlled prices to judge whether or not it was "dumping" exports unfairly in their markets, but rather "surrogate" prices reflecting what it should be charging without state subsidies.
That was written into its WTO membership agreement in a clause that would expire after 15 years, on Dec. 11, 2016.
If the United States, European Union, and other WTO members begin to take Chinese export prices at face value, it will be much harder for them to challenge China's cheap exports.
U.S. trade diplomat Chris Wilson told the WTO meeting that the expiry of the clause did not require other WTO members to automatically grant China market economy status on Dec. 11.
Instead, China must establish under each WTO member country's domestic law that it is a market economy, he said, according to an outline of his remarks seen by Reuters.
"Second, there is little doubt that China's market reforms have fallen short of the expectations that were held by many members when China joined the WTO," he said.
"This is particularly evident in the steel and aluminum industries where China's pervasive interventions have led to a significant overcapacity of global supply that is threatening the viability of competitive firms in these industries around the world."
China's envoy at the WTO meeting said Beijing agreed that the expiry of the clause did not require automatic granting of market economy status, according to a WTO official who was present at the meeting.
However, the Chinese official said its expiration would eliminate the legal basis for countries to continue to use "discriminatory anti-dumping methodology" against China, the WTO official said.
The WTO official said it was believed to be the first time the United States had responded to China on the issue at the WTO. U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said last month that the stance on China's market economy would be determined ultimately by the U.S. Commerce Department.
The European Union is also debating China's market economy status. In a non-binding vote in May, the European Parliament overwhelmingly rejected the idea of loosening trade defences against China.
United Nations to move non-critical staff out of South Sudan
By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Thursday it will move non-critical staff out of South Sudan after an eruption of violence and has received reports accusing President Salva Kiir's troops of targeting U.N. staff and foreign aid workers amid the fighting.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric described the reports as "highly disturbing" and called on South Sudanese authorities to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice. He said the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, was also investigating the incidents, including its own response.
"The reports include allegations of the killing of at least one South Sudanese national working for an international NGO, as well as rapes, including of international NGO staff. U.N. staff members have also been assaulted," Dujarric told reporters.
He said the allegations were made against South Sudanese army troops, who are loyal to Kiir.
The South Sudanese mission to the United Nations was not immediately available to comment on the accusations.
Fighting between rival troops began a week ago in the capital Juba, which has been calm since Monday evening when Kiir and Riek Machar - the former rebel leader and now vice president - ordered their respective forces to cease hostilities. But residents remain tense and many foreigners have been leaving.
"The U.N. mission, as well as other U.N. agencies, funds and programs are preparing for the temporary relocation of non-critical staff from Juba," said Dujarric, adding that they would likely be moved to Nairobi, though he did not have any figures.
U.N. peacekeepers have been deployed in South Sudan since the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011. There are currently some 13,500 troops and police on the ground.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the Security Council on Monday to impose an arms embargo on South Sudan, sanction leaders and commanders blocking a peace deal and fortify the peacekeeping mission.
Kiir and Machar have long been rivals in politics and on the battlefield. A civil war that began in December 2013 came a few months after Kiir dismissed Machar as his deputy. They signed a peace deal in August 2015, but implementation has been slow.
Uganda's army began evacuating citizens from inside neighboring South Sudan, while the United States has deployed 47 troops to South Sudan to protect U.S. citizens and the embassy in Juba.
US regulator fines Santander $10 mln for overdraft practices
By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said on Thursday that Santander Bank would pay $10 million to settle charges that it engaged in illegal overdraft practices.
The regulator said the bank's telemarketing vendor deceptively marketed its overdraft protection services and then signed customers up for them without their consent.
It said some call representatives also misrepresented the protection as free, and mistakenly told customers they would be charged overdraft fees for one-time debit card purchases and cash machine withdrawals. Recent changes in the law allow customers to cancel those transactions after being notified they have insufficient funds, to avoid overdraft fees.
"Santander Bank is committed to always treating our customers fairly and ensuring our vendors do too. We regret that the vendor we hired to promote this service may not have followed our instructions and we did not supervise them as closely as we should have," said a bank spokesperson, adding the company is terminating its relationship with the vendor and implementing additional oversight of vendors and processes.
The CFPB, created in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law as a consumer finances watchdog, has been turning its attention to overdrafts of late, encouraging retail banks to help depositors avoid the fees and ongoing negative balances.
U.N. asks Saudi to show how coalition prevents Yemen child deaths
By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS, July 14 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pushed Saudi Arabia on Thursday to provide information on actions they are taking to prevent the killing and wounding of children in Yemen as Riyadh said it was conducting its military operations with "great care."
Ban met with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in New York to further discuss a U.N. report on children and armed conflict that briefly blacklisted a Saudi-led military coalition for killing children in Yemen.
Ban removed the coalition from the list last month pending review after Riyadh, a major U.N. donor, threatened to cut funding. Saudi Arabia has denied using threats, but Ban blasted Riyadh for exerting "unacceptable" pressure.
"The Secretary-General welcomed the Coalition's readiness to take the necessary concrete measures to end and prevent violations against children," Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said after the meeting.
Ban told Jubeir he hoped "the coalition would be able to provide information on the concrete actions they have taken" ahead of a Security Council meeting on the report on Aug. 2, Dujarric said.
Ban also met with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last month over the report. Saudi Arabia has said the report is based on inaccurate information.
The U.N. report said the coalition, which began an air campaign in Yemen in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels, was to blame for 60 percent of child deaths and injuries in the conflict last year, killing 510 and wounding 667.
"Where mistakes are made, they are acknowledged and rectified, but in general we are conducting our operations with great care in order to avoid damages to civilians and in particular children," Jubeir told reporters after meeting Ban.
"We are committed to international humanitarian laws and committed to adhering in all of our operations to those laws," Jubeir said.
The Saudi-led coalition includes UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Senegal and Sudan.
Here is the weekly road construction report for Hamilton County:
U.S. 27 (I-124) widening from I-24/U.S. 27 interchange to north of the Olgiati Bridge over the Tennessee River, including widening the Olgiati Bridge: Work on this project continues. The speed limit on U.S. 27 in the construction zone has been lowered to 45 MPH. The contractor may have temporary lane closures on U.S. 27 between 7PM-6AM. As the project progresses, there may be short term temporary lane closures for the safety of the traveling public on city streets within the project area. Flaggers will assist with these closures and they will be properly signed in accordance with the Federal Highway Administrations Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. During Phase 1 of the U.S. 27 project, the contractor will be working on the northbound side of U.S. 27 on the bridges. Work will consist of demolishing and reconstructing the outside sections of the bridges along U.S. 27 North. Also on U.S. 27 South, they will be constructing a large retaining wall between the Olgiati Bridge and 6th Street. At least one lane will remain open in each direction on U.S. 27. THP will assist with traffic control on the project as necessary. Estimated project completion date is July 2019. For more info, visit the project website http://www.tn.gov/tdot/topic/US27-reconstruction-chattanooga. [Dement Construction Co., LLC/JM/CNP230]
SR 317 (Apison Pike) the grading, drainage and paving on from Old Lee Highway (LM 5.58) to SR-321 (Ooltewah-Ringgold Road) (LM 7.84): Work on this project continues. During this report period, the contractor will have nighttime closures on Apison Pike between Ooltewah-Ringgold Road (SR-321) Little Debbie Parkway between the hours of 8PM and 6AM the following morning on the evenings of Thursday and Friday to install water and sewer lines. McKee tractor trailers will be allowed through the work zone during this work. Detours for all other traffic will be marked. Also during this report period the contractor may have intermittent lane closures from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Flaggers will assist with traffic control as needed. Estimated project completion date is May 2017. [Wright Brothers Const. Co. /Pruett/CNN279]
SR-320 (East Brainerd Road) grading, drainage, installation of signals, construction of seven retaining walls and paving from east of Graysville Road to east of Bel-Air Road: Work on this project continues. Beginning on Friday at 8 p.m. through Saturday at noon, the contractor will have one lane closed on East Brainerd Road between Grays Road and McNichol Lane for box culvert installation. The contractor will have intermittent lane closures during this report period between 9 a.m.-2 p.m. This work may affect either direction of East Brainerd Road or side streets from Graysville Road to Hamlett Drive as the contractor installs road crossings and borings. The contractor may have short-term lane closures to perform various operations on an as-needed basis. Flaggers will assist with traffic control as needed. Estimated project completion is June 2017. [Mountain State Contractors, LLC /Pruett/CNN383]
Shepherd Road over SR-153 construction of a rolled steel girder bridge from West Shepherd Road to Shaw Avenue in Chattanooga, including grading, drainage and paving: Work on this project continues. The bridge has returned to two lanes of traffic. On weekdays during this report period, the contractor will be doing asphalt paving on the Airport Connector Road west of the Shepherd Road Bridge and at the ramp intersections. The work will take place during daytime hours and traffic will be maintained through the work zone with flaggers and lane shifts. This paving will allow the contractor to shift traffic onto the concrete ramp pavement in the coming weeks so that they can construct phase 2 of the ramps. Please anticipate short delays and use extra caution though the work zone. Estimated project completion is October. [Jones Brothers Contractors, Inc./Micka/CNP105]
Oxfam urges US to end embargo on struggling Cuba
By Sarah Marsh
HAVANA, July 14 (Reuters) - The director of Oxfam broke the global aid agency's longtime silence on the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, urging the American Congress to lift it "sooner rather than later" given the island's mounting economic woes.
Winnie Byanyima said in an interview in Havana that Oxfam was set to formally campaign against the embargo as part of its broader strategy to increase support to Cuba.
President Raul Castro told Cubans last week to brace for tough times as the country had to cut spending and energy supply as it dealt with a cash crunch and reduced oil assistance from socialist ally Venezuela.
"Cuba needs to engage in the global economy and the embargo cuts them out," Byanyima said. "We are going to be calling for a lifting of that embargo and normalizing relations sooner rather than later," she said on Wednesday.
The United States slapped a trade embargo on its southern neighbor after the 1959 revolution that toppled a U.S.-backed dictator. Cuba estimates the embargo has caused $121 billion in damage to its economy.
U.S. President Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations with Cuba and would like to lift the embargo but faces opposition from the Republican-controlled Congress.
The Oxfam director added Cuba must also carry on with its reform agenda to update its Soviet-style command economy. She applauded the fact the country had become more self-critical.
Byanyima said she was visiting Cuba to see how Oxfam could adapt its work in response to the island's growing difficulties.
"We can't keep doing what we always did when their problems multiply," she said.
Oxfam is working mainly in the eastern part of the country, on projects to tackle drought, increase farming output and empower women in rural areas.
A key issue is that, despite being a tropical country, Cuba imports 80 percent of its food, partly due to a decline in productivity when farms were nationalized after the revolution, said Byanyima.
As part of its market-style reforms, Cuba is leasing out land to smallholder farmers, helping increase output and local incomes. Yet many Cubans have lost their farming know-how.
"They have lost maybe two, three or four generations of agriculture culture, so there is a need to build up again this knowledge amongst families for smallholder farming," she said, noting Oxfam had strong experience transmitting that knowledge from farmers throughout the world.
Brazil prosecutors probe Olympic velodrome, equestrian contracts
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 14 (Reuters) - Brazilian prosecutors said on Thursday they were investigating the process by which companies were selected to complete work on the Rio de Janeiro Olympic velodrome and equestrian venues.
State prosecutors in Rio de Janeiro said in an emailed statement the probe was sparked by press reports that private construction companies Zadar and Engetecnica were contracted without a public bidding process.
Zadar and Engetecnica could not immediately be reached for comment. Rio's city government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Federal prosecutors and police are investigating a multitude of Olympic projects and legacy infrastructure works for alleged corruption.
Most of the building for the Olympics, which will run Aug. 5-21, has been carried out by construction firms ensnared in Brazil's biggest corruption scandal, a kickback scheme at state-run oil company Petrobras.
Zadar and Engetecnica were hired by Rio's city government to finish construction after the original builders were dismissed for failing to deliver the work on time.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine flashed his fluent Spanish on the campaign trail during an appearance with Hillary Clinton, demonstrating how he could use his skills if needed to try to take apart Donald Trump.
Kaine, considered a leading vice presidential prospect for Clinton, perfected his Spanish as a missionary living in Honduras. He took a year off Harvard Law school to teach skills like welding and carpentry there.
On Thursday, have gave a Spanish tutorial during a speech in Annandale a suburban community filled with recent immigrants who are part of the coalition Clinton is counting on to carry the swing state.
'When I lived in Honduras, the best compliment you could pay to some one was not to say they were intelligente nobody every said that about me intelligent,' Kaine quipped, with Clinton appearing by his side in what looked like a tryout for the job.
AMIGOS: Virginia Senator Tim Kaine showed off his Spanish, as well as his ability to be a surrogate for Hillary Clinton Thursday
He said the best compliment 'was not to say that they were guapo or guapa, beautiful was not to say they were humable friendly. It was to say that they were listo. 'To say that they were ready.'
'What ready means is more than just on time, it means well prepared -- bien hecho. It means you're ready to get on the battlefield, ready to fight.
Then he lauded Clinton, concluding, ''Estamos listos para Hillary.'
Kaine's Spanish excercise was a reminder that he could also deploy his skills to take apart Donald Trump's call for a wall on the Mexico border if called upon.
His Spanish is a calling card that also gives him an edge over another potential VP pick, Housing secretary Julian Castro, who grew up speaking English
Despite his Hispanic ancestry and despite serving as the mayor of San Antonio, Castro is brushing up on his Spanish. He has been watching Spanish language TV and reading in Spanish to improve, the Politico reported this year.
Kaine learned Spanish as a missionary living in Honduras for a year
NO HABLO ESPANOL: Clinton doesn't speak Spanish, but she does know how to talk about immigration and student debt and other issues that appeal to Hispanic voters
Clinton campaigned Kaine as a way to test whether the person widely seen as the 'safe choice' can propel her to the White House in November.
Kaine's 16-minute introduction of the presumptive Democratic nominee in a community college gymnasium in the Washington suburb of Annandale reflected Clinton's need to reach out to Hispanic voters with her vice presidential pick. Kaine, a former missionary in Honduras who speaks Spanish, peppered his introduction with Spanish phrases and criticism of Republican Donald Trump's statements regarding Latinos.
'He trash talks Latinos - to him it doesn't matter if you are a new immigrant or you're a worker who has been here for a long time or a DREAMer or if you're a Latina governor of New Mexico or a federal judge,' Kaine said to applause.
Kaine was referring to statements Trump has made about young immigrants brought to the United States by their parents, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and the judge overseeing a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump University.
Kaine could help Clinton check a lot of boxes in the list of requirements for a running mate.
The former civil rights lawyer is a Virginian, which could help Clinton win a battleground state in the Nov. 8 race against Trump. Such states are hotly contested because their populations can swing either to Republicans or Democrats and play a decisive role in presidential elections.
Kaine, a former governor, had his tryout in suburban Virginia, a key battleground state
Kaine is also affable, savvy about foreign policy and has executive experience as a former governor of Virginia and a former mayor of Richmond, the state's capital.
Though the Clinton campaign is keeping the vice presidential selection process tightly under wraps, many Democrats in Washington see Kaine as the front-runner.
Some Democrats in Congress and in outside groups want to see Clinton make a more unconventional pick for her already historic run as the first female presidential nominee of a major party.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a fierce critic of Wall Street, and Julian Castro, a Latino who is the U.S. secretary of housing and urban development, are two possibilities mentioned by Democrats who want to see Clinton go with a bold choice before the Democratic convention in Philadelphia July 25-28.
Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Representative Xavier Becerra of California, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and, more recently, retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis have also been mentioned as possibilities.
Asked about Kaine, Artie Blanco, a superdelegate from Nevada, said he would not be her top pick.
'Excited, no. OK with, you know, sure,' she said.
Blanco said she likes Becerra and Perez as potential picks. She said Warren 'would be fantastic' and she likes Brown's stance on worker issues.
CAN HE FIRE UP VOTERS?
Thursday's event with Kaine gave Clinton an opportunity to gauge whether the 58-year-old, Harvard-educated senator would help her fire up a crowd and make for a comfortable fit on the campaign trail.
Cynthia Smith, a registered nurse from Cleveland, was at the event because her nephew is a volunteer with the campaign. She said she was not familiar with Kaine and would like to hear more from him, but at this point preferred Warren.
'I'd like to see two women,' Smith said.
Clinton had lunch with Democratic senators on Capitol Hill on Thursday. After the session, the lawmakers were mostly mum.
When Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the top Democrat, was asked by a reporter what the takeaway from the lunch was, he responded: 'She's going to be president.'
Clinton spoke to the senators about returning the Senate to Democratic control and about how to create jobs in all 50 U.S. states.
Some Democratic senators have been rallying around colleague Kaine, while others are holding out for a bolder pick.
Fiat Chrysler to invest over $1 bln in Ohio, Illinois plants
July 14 (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said it would invest more than $1 billion in its assembly plants in Illinois and Ohio to retool them to boost production of its Jeep Cherokee and Wrangler.
The automaker will invest $350 million in its assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois to produce Jeep Cherokee. The SUV's production will move to the plant from its current location in Toledo, Ohio, in 2017.
The company will invest $700 million in its Toledo facility to prepare the north plant to produce redesigned Jeep Wrangler, Fiat Chrysler said.
NEWSMAKER-New Brazil speaker marks return of center-right party to main stage
By Silvio Cascione and Eduardo Simoes
BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, July 14 (Reuters) - A college dropout born in exile during Brazil's long military dictatorship was elected as the new speaker of the house for Latin America's biggest nation, thrusting his center-right party back into the spotlight amid deep political turbulence.
The selection on Thursday of Rodrigo Maia, the pragmatic 46-year-old scion of a political family, to lead Brazil's unruly lower house bodes well for interim President Michel Temer.
Temer wants to push unpopular austerity measures through the lower house in a bid to stabilize the nation's ailing economy _ and will have an easier time doing so with his personal choice Maia setting the agenda of the house.
Maia, from the Democratas (DEM) Party, wept upon winning the speakership and vowed to lead the house with "simplicity" - which would be a stunning change from the chaotic manner of former speaker, the scandal-plagued Eduardo Cunha.
Cunha was forced from office on corruption charges - but did not leave before engineering the impeachment of suspended President Dilma Rousseff in May.
A federal deputy since 1999, Maia is known for reaching out to and supporting leftist colleagues when needed. He also reached out to the left in his bid for the speakership in recent days.
"I wouldn't have won without the left," Maia told journalists following his victory. "All together, we have the conditions to come up with a consensus agenda."
His immediate priorities are creating a federal spending cap and pension reform - which he hopes to accomplish in his short mandate that only runs until next February.
Temer praised the election of his ally.
"There will be much more harmony, which will be useful for the presidency," he said at an event on Thursday.
Congressional support for unpopular measures such as pension reform, which requires a super majority of 308 representatives to amend the constitution, remains uncertain. Still, Maia's background as an experienced dealmaker boosted market optimism.
Stocks climbed to their highest in more than one year , and the currency gained more than 1 percent.
PARTY REBRANDING
Maia represents the comeback of the DEM party, which even in Brazil's scandal-ridden congress stands out, with dozens of its members facing charges or under investigation for a litany of accusations.
But the party has been trying to portray itself as a rejuvenated, urbane and more pragmatic group than it was two decades ago.
Then, it was known as the Liberal Front Party (PFL) and was a junior member of former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's governing coalition.
But since the turn of the century it has shrank in size, mostly because its stronghold in northeastern Brazil where it had long controlled pork-barrel politics began to support Lula's Workers Party.
Maia, the son of former Rio de Janeiro mayor Cesar Maia, became a leader of the Democratas early in his career, as the party struggled in opposition to the popular Lula during his two terms.
Within the party, Maia rose by strongly advocating for and winning a party re-branding.
PFL shifted focus to the urban middle-classes dissatisfied with Lula's leftist policies and renamed itself the Democrats in 2007, the same year Maia was elected party president.
Born in the Chilean capital Santiago in 1970 where his family sought exile from a military dictatorship in Brazil, Maia had a brief stint in banking, working at mid-sized lenders Banco BMG SA and Banco Icatu SA before starting his political career in 1996 at age 26.
Guatemala police raid rival gangs, more than 100 arrested
GUATEMALA CITY, July 14 (Reuters) - Guatemalan police captured 106 suspected gang members in a series of raids against warring gangs responsible for a wave of drug violence, authorities said on Thursday.
The operation involved 146 raids in 12 states in which police seized ammunition, firearms, bank receipts and cell phones used by gangsters in the Central American country to threaten to kill their victims, officials said.
"We concentrated our efforts on criminals who commit crimes within the country and also more than 30 people inside prisons who belonged to these criminal structures," Guatemala's Interior Minister Francisco Rivas told a press conference.
He said police had dismantled 53 criminal rings since June.
The raids targeted members of the Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs, which for years have been locked in a bitter rivalry for power.
Jairo Chocon, a Mara Salvatrucha capo, was among those who were captured, police spokesman Jorge Aguilar told reporters.
Lawyers for the suspects were not immediately available for comment.
Trump's expected VP pick: coal advocate who defied Obama's climate agenda
By Valerie Volcovici and Grant Smith
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK July 14 (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump's expected selection of Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate cheered the U.S. energy industry and dismayed green advocates on Thursday, with both sides citing Pence's support for coal mining and defiance of President Barack Obama's climate-change agenda.
Trump has called climate change a hoax and promised to gut U.S. environmental regulations in order to help the ailing oil and coal sectors. A Trump-Pence ticket would quash any expectation that the New York businessman might soften that stance heading into the Nov. 8 election.
"Governor Pence has been a vocal opponent of the administration's Clean Power Plan," said Laura Sheehan, spokeswoman for the Washington-based lobby group American Council on Clean Coal Electricity.
"We would hope to see a continuation," she said.
Advisers to Trump's campaign have told Republican officials he picked Pence, 57, as his vice presidential running mate, two Republican sources said, but Trump officials said he had not yet made a final decision. Trump is due to announce his choice on Friday morning.
Pence is listed on Obama's "call out the climate change deniers" website for arguing that the science behind climate change has not yet been resolved.
In June 2015, Pence wrote to Obama saying that Indiana, America's eighth largest coal-producing state, would not comply with the Clean Power Plan regulating power plant emissions, calling it "ill-advised." Indiana is one of more than 25 states that have challenged the centerpiece of Obama's environmental agenda.
In 2014, Pence alarmed local environmental groups by overturning an energy efficiency program enacted by his Republican predecessor, Mitch Daniels, saying it was too expensive for the state's manufacturers. The Indiana Public Utility Commission had estimated the program would create more than 18,600 jobs.
"The choice of Pence shows Trump has little interest in appealing to anyone outside of his extremist base and Big Polluters," said Clay Schroers, a director at the League of Conservation Voters environmental group.
SUPPORT FOR TRADITIONAL ENERGY
Trump has long signaled his support of traditional energy production - part of his broader appeal to blue-collar American voters.
He outlined plans in May to sweep away environmental regulations ushered in by Obama, scrap the Paris Climate Accord, and revive the Keystone XL pipeline proposal - moves that would reverse years of gains by the green movement.
His Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, in contrast, has promised more stringent regulation of the energy sector, efforts to boost renewable fuels use, and a commitment to join other nations to combat global climate change.
Pence ran for governor in 2012 after serving in the U.S. Congress. His campaign for governor received more than $850,000 from the energy sector, about 3 percent of the total, according to campaign finance disclosures.
More than $300,000 of that came from the billionaire Koch brothers, strong advocates of small government and fiscal conservatism who took a liking to Pence.
Both David and Charles Koch have said they will not support the Trump ticket. Trump has alarmed many Republican establishment figures with his fiery rhetoric on immigration and trade.
But a former high-ranking operative in the Koch political organization who is close to both brothers said Pence could help make the donor network more receptive to Trump's campaign.
Shovels and old planes: As North Korea pursues the bomb, its military wanes
By James Pearson and Ju-min Park
SEOUL, July 15 (Reuters) - Like many in North Korea's army of 1.2 million, Eom Yeong-nam spent more time holding the wooden handle of a shovel than a Kalashnikov rifle during his years in the 501 Construction Brigade.
"Except for basic military training two to three months a year, we worked on building apartments or concrete structures for nine to ten months," said Eom, who served 10 years in the army before defecting to the South in 2010, a year before Kim Jong Un assumed power in isolated North Korea.
The young leader has since expanded the use of so-called "soldier-builders", fuelling a construction boom as many of North Korea's Soviet-era conventional weapons become outmoded.
His military focus is increasingly on "asymmetric" capabilities such as nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and cyberwarfare to deter North Korea's main enemies, the United States and South Korea.
Tensions with both have been on the rise since the start of the year.
North Korea, under tightened United Nations sanctions following its fourth nuclear test in January and a space rocket launch the following month, said on Monday it will make a "physical response" to moves by the United States and South Korea to deploy an advanced missile defence system on the Korean peninsula.
North Korea also said on Monday it was cutting off its only channel of communications with the United States following a U.S. decision to sanction Kim Jong Un by name for human rights abuses and base the THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea.
The focus on the asymmetric capabilities has been accompanied by a downscaling of the importance of the military within North Korea's power structure. Slowly, Kim is dismantling the "military first" policy of his late father, Kim Jong Il, and giving precedence to the ruling Workers Party.
This was evident most recently when the National Defence Commission, a military body promoted by Kim's father as one of the highest decision-making institutions in government, was replaced last month by the civilian-heavy State Affairs Commission.
"The KPA (Korean People's Army) is undergoing actual modernisation. Kim Jong Un is cutting through some of the fiefdoms and patronage networks that had grown too powerful," said Michael Madden, an expert on the North Korean leadership.
After coming to power, one of the first of Kim's purges was the 2012 removal of Ri Yong Ho, the KPA's then Chief of Staff.
Since then, he has chipped away at the standing of senior military officers, in public.
In 2014, Kim made his admirals take part in a swimming competition on the beaches of his summer palace while he watched, according to state media.
That summer, his air force commanders were made to fly fighter jets as part of a military flying competition, and he instructed his generals to take part in a target shooting competition, state media said.
"Hacks and cronies are out in favour of professional military men," said Madden, adding that such competitions could distinguish genuine officers from those who rose through corruption and patronage.
MILLION MAN ARMY?
While North Korea is often credited with having a "million-man army", many are not combat-ready troops and are instead conscripted for up to ten years at a time, largely as an easily-mobilised source of labour.
There are about 300,000 combat-ready troops, most of them poorly-equipped and concentrated in the area near the inter-Korean Demlitiarised Zone (DMZ), General Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this year.
Still, the DMZ is just 40 kilometres from Seoul, which the North occasionally threatens to turn into a "sea of flames".
North Korea has 73 submarines, more than China and far more than the South's 23. Pyongyang's submarines, although ageing Soviet models, are a key part of Kim Jong Un's strategy to mount a nuclear warhead on a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
North Korea also has 21,100 artillery guns, mostly old Soviet-designed weapons, according to the IISS Military Balance, twice as many as South Korea and almost 8,000 more than China.
By comparison, South Korea has 628,000 active soldiers, most of whom are also conscripts, and 4.5 million reservists. North Korea has 5.7 million reservists, according to the IISS Military Balance 2016, most of whom are part of the under-equipped, para-military Worker-Peasant Red Guard.
The military's other antique equipment includes the Antonov An-2, a large Soviet transport plane built in the 1940s, used elsewhere as a crop duster, but capable of flying at slow speeds under radar.
The rest of its air force recently had its planes repainted, according to images released by state media, a move which "only disguises the underlying lack of new airframes over the past two decades," according to the Military Balance, a compilation of global military statistics from the International Institute of Strategic Studies.
Still, Kim's army has spent scarce resources to renovate cracked runways at its air bases, invest in island defence units across North Korea's rocky coast, and introduce new tank-training areas, according to satellite imagery analysis by Curtis Melvin at Johns Hopkins University in Washington.
The KPA "lacks the logistical support necessary to sustain a large scale attack," Brooks told the Senate.
Instead, the North is believed to have amassed enough plutonium for as many as 21 nuclear weapons, according to the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, and has been accelerating testing of various types of ballistic missiles, all in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
It is also ramping up its cyberwarfare capability, according to the South Korean government.
Along with nuclear weapons and missiles, cyberwarfare was now one of North Korea's "omnipotent swords," Kim Jong Un said, according to South Korea's National Intelligence Service.
Oil falls as glut fears return, China data eyed
TOKYO, July 15 (Reuters) - Crude futures fell in early trading in Asia on Friday as concerns about a global oil glut returned to the fore and traders wait on data from China, which is expected to report its lowest growth rate since 2009.
Brent crude futures were down 41 cents at $46.96 a barrel at 0024 GMT. On Thursday they settled up $1.11, or 2.4 percent, at $47.37 a barrel, supported by short covering.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was down 40 cents at $45.28 a barrel. The contract rose 93 cents, or 2.1 percent, to end at $45.68 a barrel in the previous session.
China is expected to post its weakest quarterly economic growth since the global financial crisis on Friday, raising pressure on policymakers to take more steps to bolster demand. The data is due at 0200 GMT.
While fears of a hard landing in China have eased, investors fear a further slowdown and any major fallout from Britain's decision to leave the EU earlier this month would leave the world even more vulnerable to the risk of a global recession.
That would push demand for oil and its products down further amid indications of a persistent oversupply, which were reinforced this week by the International Energy Agency and the U.S. official energy think tank.
Both the IEA and the Energy Information Administration issued reports and data showing that an oil glut which sent prices crashing from the northern hemisphere's summer of 2014 through to early this year is not clearing as early as many had expected.
Stormy seas hit Chile copper exports, could buoy prices
MELBOURNE/SANTIAGO July 15 (Reuters) - Choppy seas off the coast of Chile caused widespread delays to copper shipments from the world's top producer in the second half of June, potentially supporting prices in a market grappling with oversupply.
Cargoes were stranded at ports as stormy weather prevented ships from loading, said miners in Chile, including world No.1 Codelco.
That could buttress prices in the short-term, although any impact is unlikely to last long as miners said exports were back to normal by the start of this month.
Delays could also hit import data for the month of July in top metals consumer China, with numbers due to be released next month.
"In the second half of June, the ports were closed for several days in a row due to weather issues, delaying shipments," a Codelco spokesperson told Reuters.
"However, in early July all those shipments were regularized."
Chile accounted for 30 percent of global mine supply last year, at 3.8 million tonnes, and around 20 percent of global refined copper supply, Reuters data shows.
Its copper export revenues were down 16 pct in June from a year ago, according to data from the country's central bank.
A spokeswoman for Chile's second-biggest copper mine Collahuasi, owned by Anglo American Plc and Glencore Plc , said its exports had been curbed by the rough waters, but declined to give further details.
"Historically we always have this kind of disruption caused by weather and this may have a short-term positive impact on the copper price," said analyst Helen Lau at Argonaut Securities in Hong Kong.
Lau said that lower imports in July may cause concern about the strength of Chinese demand, but that any impact should be offset by a rise in August figures.
A trader said that a disruption in metal shipments may boost premiums for refined metal, but would have a limited impact on the "flooded" market for concentrate. He declined to be identified as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Copper mine supply is expected to grow by 5 percent this year as new projects, mainly in Peru, come online.
Premiums for copper shipments to Shanghai on a cost, insurance and freight basis edged up by $2.50 to $52.50, from four-year lows of $35 in mid-June, the latest data showed .
China's copper imports dipped 2.3 percent in June to 420,000 tonnes from a month earlier, but were still up 22 percent for the first half, in line with a more orders from China's power sector, its biggest copper user.
Exchange copper stockpiles in China are sitting around nine-month lows at 155,235 tonnes.
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Soddy Daisy, Sale Creek and north Hamilton County communities. Parkridge Health recently received approval from the state of Tennessee to build a freestanding emergency room in Soddy Daisy that will serve the northwest area of Hamilton County. This approval would not have been possible without the support of the citizens, businesses ... (click for more)
We have seen the National Assessment of Educational Progress grab headlines in recent days. Pundits are quick to proclaim that the sky is falling, but the truth is the scores have been consistent and relatively flat since 1970, particularly in reading. Not every student in a state takes NAEP, only a random sample of students---every two years. There is no individual data. I agree ... (click for more)
China says Laos supports it on South China Sea case
BEIJING, July 15 (Reuters) - China has won the support of Laos in rejecting the outcome of a court ruling against China's claims in the South China Sea, state news agency Xinhua said on Friday.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on Tuesday that China had no historic claim to the waters and it had violated the Philippines' economic and sovereign rights.
China rejected the ruling, having declined to participate in the case saying the court had no jurisdiction.
The subject was discussed on Thursday during a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith ahead a regional summit in Mongolia capital Ulaanbaatar.
"Li Keqiang expounded on China's principle and stance on the Philippines' South China Sea arbitration case," Xinhua said.
"Thongloun said that Laos supports China's position, and is willing to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region."
The report did not elaborate.
Laos' foreign ministry has not responded to Reuters' request for comment on the ruling. Laos state media made no mention of the comments.
China and its land-locked neighbour Laos have increasingly close political and economic links.
Laos is the current chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and will be hosting a key security meeting in capital city Vientiane later this month at which the South China Sea is expected to dominate discussions.
China says it has widespread support for its rejection of the case but many countries have stuck to cautious comments calling for the peaceful resolution of disputes in the region and the need to follow international laws.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop angered Beijing with comments insisting the panel's ruling must be recognized and that it would continue to exercise its right to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne on Friday defended Bishop's remarks and insisted she was expressing the majority opinion amongst observers that the court's ruling was legally binding.
Brazil considers WTO challenge to Bombardier state funding
By Alonso Soto and Lisandra Paraguassu
BRASILIA, July 14 (Reuters) - Brazil may launch a trade challenge against Canada over state funding to struggling planemaker Bombardier Inc that could hurt Brazilian rival Embraer, Foreign Minister Jose Serra told Reuters on Thursday.
Serra, a former presidential candidate who took over the ministry two months ago, said a $1 billion investment in Bombardier from the province of Quebec was a "subsidy" and gave the company an unfair advantage against Embraer.
"We are studying opening (a challenge) again as in the past," Serra said in an interview. "Why the need for that subsidy from Quebec?"
It was the first time a senior Brazilian official has publicly acknowledged the possibility of a challenge to the Canadian state funding at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
A new dispute at the WTO would again pit two of the world's biggest planemakers and stoke tensions between major economies fighting for a piece of the global trade market at a time of sluggish growth.
Brazil is reeling from one of its worst economic recessions in generations that has cost nearly two million jobs in the last year.
Quebec decided to buy a near 50-percent stake in the long-delayed CSeries jet program, which is billions of dollars over-budget. The investment will be made in two installments of $500 million, the first on June 30 and the second Sept. 1, according to deal inked by both sides on June 23.
Bombardier is also in talks with the Canadian federal government over a possible investment in the aircraft program.
Embraer has threatened to challenge the state funding, which it says gives Bombardier an unfair advantage in sales campaigns where its new CSeries is up against Embraer's E-Jets.
Brazil and Canada have locked horns repeatedly at the WTO over the past two decades regarding state support for Embraer and Bombardier, the world's biggest commercial planemakers after powerhouses Boeing Co and Airbus Group.
Singapore aims for MOU with Malaysia on high-speed rail next week
SINGAPORE, July 15 (Reuters) - Singapore plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia next Tuesday to build a high-speed rail link that is expected to cut travel time between the city state and Kuala Lumpur to around 90 minutes.
The rail link reflects improved relations in recent years, despite the spillover of a high-profile Malaysian money laundering scandal into Singapore. The city-state was once part of Malaysia but they separated acrimoniously in 1965, clouding diplomatic and economic dealings for decades.
It now takes around four hours to drive from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, which are about 300 km (186 miles) apart. A flight takes around 50 minutes but travellers must spend time checking in and out of airports, as well as travelling from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to the city centre.
A Singapore Ministry of Transport spokesman said in a statement that the MOU was expected to be signed on July 19.
Oil steady, eyeing weekly gain; muted impact from rig count
By Barani Krishnan
NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) - Oil prices were steady on Friday, on track for a weekly gain, after data from top energy consumers the United States and China boosted the oil demand outlook.
Data showing a third straight weekly build in the U.S. oil rig count had little bearish impact on the market.
U.S. energy companies added six rigs drilling for oil during the week to July 15, bringing the total rig count up to 357, compared with 638 a year ago, industry firm Baker Hughes Inc said.
Brent crude futures were up 26 cents, or 0.5 percent, at $47.62 by 1:10 p.m. EDT (1710 GMT). It slipped as much as 1.5 percent earlier to a session low of $46.65.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures rose 20 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $45.88. The intraday low was $45.05.
Brent was on track for a weekly gain of about 2 percent and WTI around 1 percent after a volatile week. The market saw daily moves of up to 5 percent earlier this week as the market corrected from last week's near 8-percent slump and reacted to bearish U.S. oil inventory data.
Oil prices hit session highs on Friday after data showed U.S. retail sales rose more than expected in June as Americans bought motor vehicles and a variety of other goods, reinforcing views of steady economic growth in the second quarter. Consumer prices also rose for a fourth straight month.
China's economic growth, which came in at 6.7 percent in the second quarter versus a year ago, also bolstered the market.
Concerns about a global glut in crude and refined products had weighed on oil earlier in the session.
U.S. military likely to seek additional troops in Iraq - U.S. general
By Phil Stewart
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. military expects to seek additional troops in Iraq, even beyond the hundreds announced this week, as the campaign against the Islamic State advances, the head of the U.S. military's Central Command told Reuters.
"As we continue on the mission, I think there will be some additional troops that we will ask to bring in," U.S. Army General Joseph Votel said in an interview in Baghdad on Thursday, without disclosing a number.
Votel, who oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, said the size of possible future increases were still being discussed within military circles. He did not offer details on the timing of any requests to President Barack Obama's administration.
His remarks came just three days after Obama's administration announced a 560 troop increase as part of an effort to facilitate an Iraqi offensive to retake Mosul, Iraq's second biggest city.
Most of those troops will work out of Qayara air base, which Iraqi forces recaptured from Islamic State militants last week.
They plan to use Qayara as a staging ground for an offensive to retake Mosul.
Votel suggested future requests would similarly be tailored to particular stages of the campaign.
"We try to tie our requests to specific objectives we're trying to achieve on the ground," he said.
The recapture of Mosul, Islamic State's de facto Iraqi capital, from which its leader declared a modern-day caliphate in 2014, would be a major boost for the plans by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and the United States to weaken the militant group.
Abadi has pledged to retake Mosul by the end of the year.
Some U.S. officials caution that retaking the city without a plan to restore security, basic services and governance would be a major mistake and question the ability of Iraq's Shi'ite-government in Baghdad to mend the sectarian divide fueling the conflict.
Votel broadly acknowledged concerns about the non-military aspects of the campaign but said he felt more upbeat after meetings on Wednesday with top Iraqi officials, including Abadi.
"While there is still a lot of work to do - a lot of work to do - I left more encouraged," he said, stressing the importance that U.S.-backed military operations "pay off on the political side."
With the latest troop increase, the United States has an official limit of just over 4,600 troops formally assigned to Iraq, although the actual figure is higher due to temporary assignments.
Obama has opposed recommitting the United States to another large-scale ground war in the Middle East and any deployment of forces to Iraq would likely need to be measured.
Republican leaders this week called on Obama to ask Congress for additional funds to pay for the deployment of more troops to Iraq, as Congress and the White House debate defense spending amid mandatory budget cuts.
NO WITHDRAWAL
As Islamic State militants have lost part of their self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, they increasingly have turned to suicide attacks.
These included a bombing in the Iraqi capital last week that left nearly 300 people dead, the most lethal bombing of its kind since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Votel was speaking before a gunman killed 80 people and wounded scores when he drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice. No group has claimed responsibility.
Votel cautioned that even after Islamic State eventually loses Mosul and the Syrian city of al-Raqqa, Americans should not expect a rapid, wholesale withdrawal from the country. "What we don't want to do is declare victory and depart after that. I think we want to see this through," Votel said.
If Islamic State fighters shift to other locations, outside those cities, Votel said it was important to have U.S. military resources in place "to ensure we can achieve that lasting defeat."
US weighs more robust presence in Yemen for al Qaeda fight
By Phil Stewart
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. military is weighing an increase in its presence in Yemen to better challenge al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, building on momentum against the group after a successful offensive by Gulf allies, a top U.S. general told Reuters.
U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, who oversees American troops in the region, said in an interview that a variety of locations could be suitable for American forces but did not disclose potential sites or suggest a recommendation was imminent.
"We want to be able to work within a very secure environment to focus on the very (particular) mission we have there - which is principally focused on al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)," he said, speaking in Baghdad.
"We will try to posture the force where we can best do that."
Despite significant U.S. strikes, including one that killed AQAP's leader last year, U.S. counter-terrorism efforts have been undermined by Yemen's civil war, pitting government forces against Iran-allied Houthi rebels.
The war weakened the Houthis, but in the resulting turmoil AQAP swept across the eastern side of the country, seizing more land than it had ever held and raising tens of millions of dollars from running Mukalla, the country's third largest port.
Only a very small number of American troops have returned to Yemen since they pulled out in early 2015 due to the conflict. That small team was sent to provide intelligence support to a successful April push orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates, with support from Saudi Arabia, that ejected AQAP from Mukalla.
U.S. officials have declined to say how many Americans are on the ground in Yemen but say it's only a very small number.
Votel acknowledged the benefits of gaining greater visibility in Yemen and said a key goal would be working with U.S. partners there.
"If we can continue to better understand what al Qaeda's doing, regain the situational awareness that we lost when we all had to depart Yemen here some time ago, that's what I'm interested in doing," Votel said.
U.S. intelligence and military officials view AQAP as a threat to the United States. The group has plotted to down U.S. airliners and claimed responsibility for last year's attacks on the office of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris.
It also boasts one of the world's most feared bomb makers, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri.
Philippines' official hails S.China Sea ruling a 'crowning glory'
By Neil Jerome Morales and Sue-Lin Wong
MANILA/ULAANBAATAR, July 15 (Reuters) - A decision invalidating China's vast claims in the South China Sea was a "crowning glory" that renews faith in international law, the Philippines' top lawyer said on Friday, in Manila's strongest comment yet on its sweeping win.
The remarks by Solicitor General Jose Calida follow two days of carefully calibrated responses from the Philippines and are almost certain to irritate China further.
Manila has so far been keen not to rock the boat in the hope of starting dialogue towards Beijing allowing it to exercise what the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled were its sovereign maritime rights.
"It confirms that no one state can claim virtually an entire sea. The award is a historic win not only for the Philippines ... it renews humanity's faith in a rules based global order," Calida told a forum on the South China Sea.
"The award opens a horizon of possibilities for all stakeholders. The award is a crowning glory of international law."
Speaking at a meeting of Asian and European officials in Mongolia, Philippine Foreign Minister Perfecto Yasay said Manila "strongly affirms its respect for the milestone decision" while reiterating his call for "restraint and sobriety".
China has refused to recognise Tuesday's ruling and did not take part in its proceedings. It has reacted angrily to calls by Western countries for the decision to be adhered to.
China's Foreign Ministry on Friday said Beijing's position on the case had the support of Laos, the current chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional bloc long dogged by discord over how to deal with China's maritime assertiveness.
The verdict was discussed on Thursday between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith ahead a regional summit in Mongolia.
"Thongloun said that Laos supports China's position, and is willing to work with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement did not elaborate. Laos' foreign ministry did not responded to Reuters' request for comment and its state media made no mention of Thongloun's comments to Li.
Land-locked Laos, which is boosting economic ties with China, will be hosting a security meeting later this month at which the South China Sea is expected to dominate. ASEAN has not issued a statement about the ruling and its members have not said why.
China's foreign ministry later said Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen had told Li that Cambodia would uphold a "fair and objective stance" on the South China Sea issue and work to maintain friendly China-ASEAN relations, according to a statement.
Asked about Cambodia's position, Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn told Reuters: "We are not involved in this arbitration case and just wish to stand by our policy of neutrality."
CAUTIOUS APPROACH
China has previously said it has widespread support for its rejection of the case but many countries have stuck to cautious comments about resolving disputes peacefully and respecting international laws.
China claims much of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.
Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte ended his unusual silence at a private function late on Thursday and said he wanted dialogue with China and was considering sending former President Fidel Ramos to Beijing to get the ball rolling.
"War is not an option," he said. "So, what is the other side? - Peaceful talk."
Immediately after the ruling, the normally brash and outspoken Duterte privately told his ministers to be magnanimous and not to pique Beijing, according to one minister.
But the cautious tone appears to be changing in the Philippines, where there are signs of public disgruntlement with the subdued government response to a decision that most of the country was celebrating.
The United States, a key Philippines' ally, is urging Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalize on the court ruling, according to U.S. administration officials.
The chief of its naval operations, Admiral John Richardson will discuss the South China Sea among other issues when he meets China's navy commander, Admiral Wu Shengli, from Sunday on a three-day trip to "improve mutual understanding", according to a U.S. navy statement.
Chinese state media on Friday reported again that China aims to launch a series of offshore nuclear power platforms to promote development in the South China Sea. Experts said little progress had been made on the plan, which would likely stoke further tensions.
Defector arrested in N.Korea for plotting kidnappings with South - AFP
SEOUL, July 15 (Reuters) - A North Korean defector who had lived in South Korea has been arrested in the North for conspiring with Seoul's spy agency to kidnap North Korean children, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency reported on Friday from Pyongyang.
The 53-year-old man, identified as Ko Hyon-chol, confessed to trying to kidnap two North Korean orphan girls and take them to the South, during a news conference for foreign media in Pyongyang, according to AFP.
"I committed the unpardonable crime of being involved in attempted child abduction," Ko was quoted as telling the news conference.
Pressure mounting on Papua New Guinea PM O'Neill over graft allegations
By Matt Siegel
SYDNEY, July 15 (Reuters) - Attempts by Papua New Guinea's opposition to oust Prime Minister Peter O'Neill over corruption allegations gained steam on Friday as five lawmakers defected from his government and a motion of no confidence was served against him in Parliament.
Parliament has been in recess since last month, when protests by university students boiled over into violent clashes with police and about 40 people were injured, including four with bullet wounds.
O'Neill appeared to be holding out until August, when a one-year grace period before an election would have come into force, protecting his government.
But this week, the Supreme Court ruled the manoeuvre unconstitutional and ordered Parliament recalled.
Parliamentary Speaker Theo Zurenuoc, from O'Neill's People's National Congress, accepted the no-confidence motion and ordered Parliament adjourned for seven days in accordance with the law, the state-run National Broadcasting Corp reported.
There are signs that O'Neill, who needs 56 of the 111 votes in the chamber to survive, is under pressure. Ben Micah, leader of coalition partner the People's Progress Party, defected to the opposition with his five MP's just moments before the session opened.
But there were no signs the lodging of the no-confidence motion would have any immediate impact on a strike by aviation, maritime and public transport workers that has effectively cut off the rugged, mountainous nation.
While organisers of the strike have said they intend to expand it to other industries if the motion were to fail, it is the spectre of political violence that has the country most on edge.
Student protest leader Noel Anjo told Reuters the opposition had no intention of entering into confrontation with the authorities.
"We are not organising any protests," he said. "The speaker has to accept the notice from the committee and follow the norms, the processes of a vote on no confidence."
O'Neill came to power in 2011 promising to rein in corruption but is facing allegations he authorized millions of dollars in fraudulent payments to a law firm.
In 2014, an anti-corruption watchdog issued an order for his arrest over the incident, which O'Neill denies. He declined to submit to the warrant and ordered the watchdog stripped of its funding.
Papua New Guinea is developing lucrative resource projects with energy majors ExxonMobil and Total that have made it a major gas producer.
Defector confesses in N.Korea to child kidnap plot with South - media
SEOUL, July 15 (Reuters) - A North Korean defector who had lived in South Korea has been arrested in the North for conspiring with Seoul's spy agency to kidnap North Korean children, the North's official media reported on Wednesday.
The 53-year-old man, identified as Ko Hyon-chol, confessed to trying to kidnap two North Korean orphan girls and take them to the South, the KCNA news agency reported.
The confession came during a news conference in the North's capital, Pyongyang.
"I confess to being involved in anti-Republic conspiracy after being taken in by puppet intelligence service gangsters and the extra serious crime of abducting minors, although it ended in an attempted crime," KCNA quoted Ko as saying.
Ko said he was sent by South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) to the Chinese border city of Dandong to kidnap orphans from North Korea, according to KCNA.
Earlier, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported Ko saying he was offered $10,000 for each child.
The North Korean news agency cited Ko as saying South Korea's NIS had told him kidnapped North Korean children would be put up for adoption in other countries, including Canada.
Ko was arrested after crossing a river into North Korea from China in May, KCNA said.
The NIS denied any involvement in the reported case.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said in a statement it regretted that the North had arrested a South Korean national and used him for what it described as propaganda.
Ko said he fled from North Korea in 2013 and stayed in China for about a year before arriving in South Korea in 2014, lured by NIS agents operating in China near the border with the North.
The report comes after North Korea accused the NIS of abducting 13 people who worked in a restaurant run by the North in China in April. The South Korean government has said the 12 women and one man had chosen to come to the South.
The Senate 10 Democratic Debate hosted by the Bradley and Hamilton Young Dems with candidates Ty O'Grady and Khristy Wilkinson is set for Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Catch Bar and Grill.
Here are the general topics that will be discussed:
Education: school vouchers, ESL testing, K12 investment, special education diplomas and charter schools.
Economy: student loans/student debt, minimum wage, unions, affordable housing and investment in lower-income neighborhoods.
Domestic: gun violence, internet access and government accountability.
Healthcare: transition-related care and Insure TN.
Social: racism, Rep. Jeremy Durham, gun control, LGBTQ+ equality, House Bill 1840, campus sexual assault, diversity funding, Title IX and women's rights.
ECB's Angeloni says Italy's bad debts are manageable - paper
MILAN, July 15 (Reuters) - Italy's high level of bad debts can be managed, European Central Bank supervisor Ignazio Angeloni told an Italian newspaper, adding that the problem was not specific to Italy.
"Some banks are burdened by a high level of non-performing loans. The NPL problem can be managed, but shouldn't be underestimated," Angeloni told Il Sole 24 Ore in an interview published on Friday.
Angeloni added that the Atlante bailout fund, set up recently to help stabilise Italy's banking system, was not sufficient to address all cases where money would be required to buy up bad loans or to strengthen banks' capital.
He said Atlante needed to build its resources, especially from private investors outside Italian banking.
Italy boosts controls at French border crossings after Nice attack
ROME, July 15 (Reuters) - Italy will boost controls at three road crossings into France and at the Ventimiglia train link between the two countries following the truck attack in nearby Nice, Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Friday.
"Our security apparatus is at work," Alfano said on his Twitter feed.
PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - July 15
SOFIA, July 15 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Friday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
-- The leader of the opposition Socialist party Kornelia Ninova challenged Prime Minister Boiko Borisov to run for president at the polls this autumn and pledged that she would then ask her party to nominate her for the job. (Trud, Standart, 24 Chasa)
-- Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said he would step down and call snap election if his centre-right party GERB loses the presidential vote this autumn. He said he is considering cabinet reshuffle, but did not elaborate. (24 Chasa, Telegraph, Standart, Monitor, Capital Daily, 24 Chasa)
ECB's Angeloni says Italian banks' bad debts manageable: paper
MILAN, July 15 (Reuters) - Italian banks' high levels of bad debts can be managed, European Central Bank supervisor Ignazio Angeloni told a domestic newspaper, adding that the problem was not specific to Italy.
Shares in Italian banks have slumped this year on concerns about a 360 billion euro ($400 billion) pile of soured loans, which the ECB is anxious to see brought down. The Italian government is in talks with the EU to provide aid to the troubled lenders, hoping to shield savers.
"There isn't a specific or country-wide problem with Italy," Angeloni told Il Sole 24 Ore in an interview published on Friday.
"Some banks are burdened by a high level of non-performing loans. The NPL problem can be managed, but shouldn't be underestimated."
The ECB, as the euro zone's top banking supervisor, has made tackling bad debt one of its objectives for the year and markets feared it might force a fire sale on banks.
Sources told Reuters last month the ECB planned to give euro zone banks non-binding guidance by the end of 2016 or early 2017 to cut bad debt, raising pressure on lenders but not forcing their hand.
"We know well that re-absorbing NPLs, especially when the level is high, cannot be done rapidly, and we know that there is a trade-off between speed and value that can be extracted," Angeloni said.
"Our goal is to help the banks use all margins of manoeuvre they have to solve the problem, as quickly as possible."
He added that the Atlante bailout fund, set up recently to help stabilise Italy's banking system, was not sufficient to address all cases where money would be required to buy up bad loans or to strengthen banks' capital.
He said Atlante needed to build its resources, especially from private investors outside Italian banking.
"I also believe that the presence of international investors would be a good sign," he added.
Angeloni reaffirmed his view that European rules offer room to provide state aid to banks without forcing losses on private investors if this serves the purpose of preserving financial stability.
The ECB is also due to tell banks how much capital they need to hold against possible losses shortly.
Angeloni said mandatory capital requirements, which determine how much money a bank can pay out in dividends, bonuses and discretionary coupons, will fall from last year's level because part of the ECB's demands will now be expressed as non-binding "guidance".
"Failure to meet the guidance will not automatically result in supervisory actions," he said.
Governor of Yemen's Aden survives car bomb attack
ADEN, July 15 (Reuters) - The governor of the southern Yemeni city of Aden survived a car bomb attack targeting his convoy on Friday, security officials and eyewitnesses said.
A parked car detonated as Aidaroos al-Zubaidi and vehicles carrying his bodyguards and retinue drove in the Inma area.
One soldier was injured, medics said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
A civil war has raged for over a year in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula nation, and security chaos has gripped the port city - temporary seat of Yemen's embattled government.
Zubaidi was appointed governor of Aden after his predecessor was killed in a car bombing on Dec. 6 claimed by Islamic State, the latest attack by the new Yemen branch of the militant group against government targets.
Assassins have tried several times before to kill him in car bomb blasts.
Islamic State has stepped up operations since the outbreak of civil war in Yemen, emerging as a forceful rival to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the main militant group in the country in recent years.
Sadr supporters return to Baghdad streets despite government pleas
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters of powerful Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr filled a central Baghdad square on Friday, disregarding government pleas to scrap protests it said would distract from the war against Islamic State.
The demonstration ended a respite from street actions which in April and May saw protesters storm Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone government district twice, hampering parliament for weeks and causing several deaths.
Sadr's followers have returned with familiar demands to fight corruption and overhaul a governing system based on ethnic, sectarian and party quotas.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has failed to implement a cabinet reshuffle he promised months ago as part of reforms.
The protests have at times boosted Abadi in his bid to replace ministers chosen on the basis of political affiliation with independent technocrats, but he has said more recently they risk undermining the military's push to kick Islamic State out of its northern Mosul stronghold.
Activity in much of Baghdad crawled to a halt overnight as security forces deployed ahead of the demonstration, following a military parade in central Baghdad marking a national holiday.
Sadr visited Tahrir Square briefly on Wednesday wearing military fatigues instead of his usual clerical robe and turban, raising fears of a possible confrontation.
Abadi then toured several security checkpoints late on Thursday in an apparent attempt to bolster his image amid a rising wave of public outcry with residents blaming the government for failing to provide security.
Emotions in Baghdad are still raw following a suicide bombing in the central Karrada district on July 3, claimed by Islamic State, that killed at least 292 people, making it one of the worst among the hundreds of such attacks carried out in Iraq since U.S.-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein 13 years ago.
Islamic State has been turning increasingly to suicide bombings, which U.S. and Iraqi officials have touted as proof that battlefield setbacks are weakening the jihadists, though critics say the militants still pose a long-term threat.
A media office linked to the military issued a statement on Thursday calling Friday's protests "unlicensed" and threatening to deal with armed demonstrators as "terrorists".
Sadr supporters pledged to carry on with the protest but promised it would be peaceful. There were no reports of serious violence several hours into the demonstration, after which people began to withdraw.
Sadr, who rose to prominence when his Mahdi Army battled U.S. troops after the 2003 invasion, briefly ascended the stage in Tahrir (Liberation) Square to address his supporters, many of whom had travelled from outlying provinces.
A spokesman then issued a list of demands, including sacking the prime minister, president and parliament speaker; prosecuting corrupt officials; ending the quota system; reforming the judiciary and the election commission; and televising parliament sessions.
China's bad-loans ratio reaches 1.81 pct in Q2, highest since 2009
BEIJING, July 15 (Reuters) - Non-performing loans of China's commercial banking sector rose to 1.81 percent of total lending at the end of the second quarter, the highest since the global financial crisis in 2009, the country's top bank regulator said.
Shang Fulin, chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC), urged banks to elevate risk management to a "more prominent" place and take measures to "rein in the rapid rise of non-performance loans" at the regulator's half-year meeting, according to a statement on the CBRC's website.
At the end of March, non-performing loans (NPLs) were 1.75 percent of commercial banks' lending.
The build-up of troubled credit at Chinese lenders has so far shown no sign of abating as the world's second largest economy continues to battle problems such as high leverage of its corporate sector and excess industrial capacity.
Shang also told banks to increase their ability to recover and write-off troubled assets, and said China will expand its pilot scheme of NPL securitization to include more financial institutions.
He did not disclose the total volume of NPLs at the end of June.
Shang also urged China's asset management companies, which handle distressed debt from banks, to increase their ability to offload batches of non-performing assets more efficiently.
Outstanding bank loans grew to 106.69 trillion yuan ($15.97 trillion) at end-June, up 13 percent from a year earlier, he added.
Nigeria says arms deals irregularities had serious consequences
ABUJA, July 15 (Reuters) - Irregularities in Nigerian military procurement deals as armed forces were fighting Islamist militant group Boko Haram had serious consequences, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said on Friday.
President Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler, took office last year after pledging in his election campaign to crack down on corruption and defeat Boko Haram, which has killed more than 15,000 people and displaced about two million in the last seven years.
Military procurement over the last few years is being investigated by the country's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A committee recommended the "further investigation" of 18 serving and retired military personnel, 12 serving and retired public officials and 24 chief executive officers of companies involved in arms deals.
Mohammed said findings released by the Presidential Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment, which said contracts awarded by the army had been "characterized by lack of due process" and were "tainted by corrupt practices", covered the period from 2011 to 2015.
"The irregularities in the awards ensured that the military did not get value for money, with very serious consequences," Mohammed said in a statement, adding a total of $685,349,692 was spent on procurement and operations in the period.
Mohammed did not respond to phone calls and a text message asking him to elaborate on the "serious consequences".
Boko Haram took over a swathe of northeast Nigeria in 2014 in its attempt to create an Islamic state adhering to strict sharia law.
Nigeria's army, aided by troops from neighbouring countries, has recaptured most of the territory but the jihadist group, which last year pledged loyalty to Islamic State, still regularly stages suicide bombings.
The committee was set up to carry out an audit of arms and equipment procurement from 2007 to 2015. Mohammed said the period from 2007 to 2010 would be assessed when documents were available.
Aug. 2 "reasonable" for Spain confidence debate on government -Deputy PM
MADRID, July 15 (Reuters) - August 2 would be a suitable date for a parliamentary debate on the viability of any government formed by caretaker Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, the acting administration's No. 2 said on Friday.
Spanish politics has been in limbo since a national election in December, which Rajoy's conservative People's Party (PP) won with a minority of seats. A second election last month produced a similarly inconclusive result.
The PP is now negotiating with other parties over forming a viable coalition that would be subject to a parliamentary vote of confidence before it could take office.
A date of August. 2 to start the parliamentary debate leading up to the vote "is reasonable and doable, but it also depends on the will and capacity of everyone to reach an agreement," acting Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria told the government's weekly press conference.
The vote of confidence would then take place on August 3. Under rules set out in the Spanish Constitution, if Rajoy fails to obtain an absolute majority of 176 seats then a second vote would take place on August 5.
In this second vote, Rajoy would become prime minister by winning a simple majority, that is more votes in favour than against.
The PP, which managed to increase its share of votes on June 26 but again fell far short of a parliamentary majority, needs support from its long-time foe, the second-placed Socialists, or a cluster of smaller parties.
But the Socialist leader affirmed on Wednesday his party's intention to vote against a government led by the PP, potentially extending the seven-month deadlock.
If negotiations fail again, Spain could face a third election.
Second Missionary Baptist Church will host its 150th Church Anniversary Celebration Aug. 12-14. The celebration will include a banquet featuring a dramatization chronicling Seconds history on Friday, Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. in the church. Tickets are available at the church for a donation of $25 for adults and $15 for students. The last day to buy tickets is Sunday, Aug. 7.
Purchase of banquet tickets, banquet video, anniversary t-shirts and/or placing ads in the commemorative souvenir book can be made through the church office by calling 423-624-9097 or dropping by the church office.
On Sunday, Aug. 14 at 10:45 a.m., the celebration speaker will be Pastor Emeritus Rev. Paul A. McDaniel.
The celebration theme is Celebrating 150 Years as Second Looks to the Future with scripture taken from Jeremiah 29:11 NIV which states, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Everyone is invited to join in the celebration and historical milestone.
Second Missionary Baptist Church is located at 2305 E. 3rd Street where Dr. Ernest L. Reid, Jr. is the pastor. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact the church office at 423-624-9097.
Spain's Air Europa pilots call strike for July 30-Aug 2
MADRID, July 15 (Reuters) - Pilots at Spanish airline Air Europa have called a strike for July 30 to Aug. 2 over grievances including the outsourcing of part of their fleet to another airline, Aernova, pilots union Sepla said on Friday.
The union said pilots would run minimum services for the duration of the strike.
Other complaints include alleged discrimination against pilots who have called for their rights to be respected, as well as "arbitrarily" adjusted work schedules, the union said.
Malaysia land rights activist murder suspects charged in court
By Beh Lih Yi
JAKARTA, July 15 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Two men were charged in a Malaysian court on Friday over the killing of an indigenous land rights defender, in a case which has cast a spotlight on tribespeople's decades-long struggle for recognition.
The duo were respectively charged with the murder and abetting in the murder of Bill Kayong in the city of Miri, in the eastern state of Sarawak last month, police said.
Kayong - a Dayak, one of the many indigenous tribes in Sarawak - was shot dead in broad daylight in his pick-up truck, prompting outcry from activists linking the murder to his fight for tribal land rights.
Police have refused to confirm whether there were any links to land disputes. "Their motive will be known once the trial commences," Miri deputy police chief Stanley Ringgit told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
He said police were still hunting for three other suspects.
Indigenous land rights have been a contentious issue in Sarawak, part of the vast island of Borneo which is shared between Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
Activists have long blamed the rapid expansion of palm oil plantations, rampant logging and a wave of dam-building for causing environmental damage and displacing indigenous people.
Tribespeople have staged protests in the past, and have set up road blockades in a bid to stop some mega-projects.
Land rights activists said Kayong, who was active in politics and had stood as an opposition candidate in a recent state election, was involved in a land case involving a plantation company before his killing.
The firm has been trying to evict some 120 tribal families in remote Sarawak, in a dispute since 2014 which has been brought to court and a verdict is still pending, said Abun Sui Anyit, the legal adviser of the Sarawak Dayak Association.
"There was a confrontation between the two sides in April and Kayong had gone there to help calm the indigenous people," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Abun, who is also a lawyer representing Kayong's family, urged the authorities to get to the bottom of the matter, and go after the "big fish".
"The family is not happy because the mastermind is still at large. They want the truth, they want to know who is the person that has paid the killer," he said. Kayong leaves behind a wife and two teenage children.
London-based environmental campaign group Global Witness said Kayong's killing "shows the risks faced by activists in Sarawak who stand up to the powerful interests behind land grabbing and environmental devastation".
Campaigners have accused authorities of turning a blind eye to harassment against those who speak up on land rights.
Pakistan hate speech falling after crackdown -Punjab police chief
By Drazen Jorgic
LAHORE, Pakistan, July 15 (Reuters) - A crackdown on Pakistan mosques which use loudspeakers to blare out incendiary language against minorities has cut down hate speech in the largest province of Punjab, the police chief said.
Punjab, which has a population of about 100 million, has historically struggled to curb sectarian violence and hate speech by firebrand Muslim Sunni clerics who often refer to minorities such as Shi'ites and Ahmadis as "heretics".
The rise of sectarianism in Pakistan, a mainly Muslim nation of 190 million people, has alarmed officials who worry stoking of religious animosity could further destabilise a nation already beset by an Islamist insurgency.
The crackdown on hate crime began in December 2014 after militants from the Pakistani Taliban killed more than 150 people in a Peshawar school, including 134 children. Critics, however, say much more could be done.
Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, the police inspector general for Punjab, said about 9,500 cases were brought against those spouting hate speech via loudspeakers traditionally used by mosques to call for prayer.
"The misuse of that sound system has come to an end," Sukhera told Reuters in an interview. "That, to me, is a big success."
Sukhera said mosques where hate speech was taking place have been put under surveillance, while offensive material has been removed from city walls and advertising boards.
Representatives of minority groups confirmed mosques in Lahore and other big cities in Punjab had largely stopped using loudspeakers to preach against smaller religious group.
"But (that is) only in big cities where police do strong checks. In smaller towns and rural areas, loudspeakers are still being used for hate speech," said Saleemur Rehman, spokesman for the Ahmadi community which is often targeted.
Peter Jacob, Director National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), added that hate speech continues on social media and is plastered to rickshaws and public buses.
"There is no change in the level of intolerance in the society," he said.
U.N. seeks probe into violence against asylum seekers in Hungary
GENEVA, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency urged Hungary on Friday to investigate reports that its forces had beaten asylum seekers and unleashed police dogs on them - and decried a new law allowing irregular migrants to be taken back outside a border fence.
Janos Lazar, minister in charge of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's office, denied on Thursday that Hungarian police or soldiers had mistreated asylum seekers and described their performance as "outstanding".
Hungary, a member of the European Union, last month adopted a law that allows police to send illegal migrants detained up to eight km (five miles) inside its southern razor-wire border-fence back to the other side of the barrier.
"These restrictions are at variance with EU and international law, and reports of abuse need to be investigated," William Spindler, spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a news briefing.
"Reports include cases of bites by unleashed police dogs, the use of pepper spray and beatings. UNHCR has requested the Hungarian authorities to investigate these reports," he said, calling them "consistent".
Hungarian prosecutors last month opened an investigation into possible criminal abuse by police in the case of a Syrian migrant who drowned in the Tisza River as he was trying to cross into Hungary from Serbia.
Lazar, speaking to a news conference in Budapest on Thursday, said the government had expected political and human rights groups to launch unfounded "attacks" against it.
"So it is a lie and libel that police would have beaten anyone from those who were stopped within the eight-km zone, who were stopped on the border, or those who ... would have been directed to reception centres."
He said Hungarian police had stopped around 500 people within the eight-km zone and escorted them out to the other side of the fence, which is still Hungarian territory, before telling them to submit their asylum requests in one of two transit zones. Spindler put the number there at 664.
Hungary is allowing only a total of 30 people a day to enter the transit zones at Roszke and Tompa, leading to migrants setting up makeshift camps.
Spindler said more than 1,400 people, mostly women and children, were gathered along the border with Serbia, and that many were fleeing conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria or Iraq and entitled to submit an asylum claim.
"The government has significantly enhanced border security with 10,000 soldiers and police officers and also drone and helicopter surveillance," he said.
Zimbabwe fails to pay army on time for second month - sources
HARARE, July 15 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has failed to pay the army on time for the second straight month, army sources said on Friday, underscoring the precarious financial position of President Robert Mugabe's government.
The army is paid on the 14th of each month but by Friday soldiers and air force officers said they were still to receive their money and the government had not set new pay dates.
Pakistan's Amir gets lukewarm reception on return to Lord's
July 15 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Mohammad Amir got a muted reception at Lord's on the second day of the first test on Friday as he bowled for the first time in a test since being banned for spot-fixing.
The left-handed pace bowler, who served half of a six-month prison sentence and was banned for five years for deliberately bowling no-balls against England at the same ground in 2010, was unlucky not to mark his first spell back with a wicket.
He was treated to a few shouts of 'no-ball' from the crowd after his first delivery, but his return to Pakistan's bowling attack otherwise passed largely without incident.
Earlier, England all-rounder Chris Woakes notched his first five-wicket test haul to restrict the visitors to a first innings total of 339.
Woakes, who ended the innings with figures of 6-70, struck twice in the same over to pick up the wickets of Sarfraz Ahmed and Wahab Riaz, and leave the visitors reeling.
Sarfraz, who was just starting to cut loose, smashed a shortish delivery straight down the throat of James Vince at backward point before Woakes struck again almost immediately.
He sent a lovely ball veering past the edge of the incoming Riaz's bat, before splaying the stumps with his next delivery to send the batsman back to the pavilion with a duck.
Stuart Broad bowled Misbah-ul-Haq in the next over to leave Pakistan on 316 for nine, and the skipper walked off to an ovation from the ground in recognition of his fine knock.
The 42-year-old became the oldest player in 82 years to score a test century on Thursday with an unbeaten 110, but finished on 114 after adding just four runs on Friday.
Broad then enticed Amir, who was greeted with a ripple of applause as he came out to bat, to edge the ball to Joe Root at slip on 12, as he finished the first innings on 3-71.
Broad, who smashed his highest test score of 169 in that 2010 series, gave a smile but did not speak to Amir who was Pakistan's last man out.
The tourists drew blood soon after the changeover when England opener Alex Hales edged an impeccable outswinger from Rahat Ali to Azhar Ali at third slip in the second over.
That brought an early introudction for Joe Root, whose elevation to number three dominated headlines in the build-up.
It was England captain Alastair Cook, though, who made the brighter start, finding the boundary three times in a single over from Rahat to race to 35 from 31 deliveries.
Cook rode his luck at times and was fortunate to survive being dropped by Mohammad Hafeez in the seventh over to deny Amir a wicket on his return.
Zimbabwe fails to pay army on time for second month - sources
By MacDonald Dzirutwe
HARARE, July 15 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has failed to pay the army on time for the second straight month, military sources said on Friday, underscoring the precarious financial position of President Robert Mugabe's government as it faces rare popular protests.
The military is paid on the 14th of the month but soldiers and air force officers said they were still to receive their pay and had not told when they would get it.
The delays could fuel political tensions in the southern African nation, which has been hit by drought, a drop in mineral prices and chronic cash shortages - all factors behind this month's protests against 92-year-old Mugabe.
"The mood is sour among the rank and file. Life is tough and we are not being told by our superiors whether we will be paid this month or not," one private told Reuters.
One colonel said: "We have not been informed of new pay dates by the ministry of finance."
There was no comment from finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, who was attending an African Union summit in Rwanda with Mugabe. Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore could not be reached for comment.
DEFIANCE
There was a two-week delay in the June pay check for the military, a central security pillar throughout Mugabe's 36 years in charge of the former British colony.
Without balance of payment support and foreign credit, the government is seeking to clear $1.8 billion arrears to the International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank and World Bank in a bid to unlock new funding.
But the IMF said on Thursday it was still far from a financial programme with Mugabe's government, which would need to resolve issues of governance, accountability, transparency and carry out economic reforms before receiving any cash.
Last week, a 'stay away' protest movement led by activist pastor Evan Mawarire shut down most businesses, government offices, schools and hospitals in the biggest act of public defiance in a decade.
Mawarire, who rallied followers under his #ThisFlag Twitter hashtag, was arrested this week and formally accused of treason but was freed on Wednesday when a magistrate threw out the charges.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is suffering from cancer and who has so far stayed on the sidelines of the protests, pitched in on Friday, saying he backed Mawarire and other groups such as Tajamuka (We Refuse).
Tsvangirai said Mugabe should step down to make way for a transitional government to implement political reforms and plan fresh elections.
Mali's peace pact under strain, deepening jihadi threat
By Souleymane Ag Anara
GAO, July 15 (Reuters) - Violent protests that were met with deadly force in Mali this week are the latest sign a peace pact between rival ethnic groups risks unravelling, threatening to plunge the nation back into the chaos that made it a launchpad for jihadi attacks.
It has been a year since Tuareg-led separatist rebels signed the accord with the Malian government after a conflict that destabilised this West African country.
The lawlessness created by the fighting allowed militant Islamist groups including al Qaeda's regional wing to spread, seize control of the desert north and launch attacks against targets in Mali and its neighbours.
The U.N.-backed peace deal was supposed to give the government space to tackle this threat. Any signs it could fail will sound alarm bells in Washington and other Western capitals which have long feared Mali could became a haven for militants to launch jihadi attacks around the world.
Few of the signatories to the accord seeming satisfied with it, with all sides dragging their feet on implementation and blaming each other.
"Many things were done on paper and commissions have been set up but people on the ground haven't enjoyed the gains," said Mohamoudou Djeri Maiga, vice-president of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), a Tuareg separatist movement that fought to establish an ethnic homeland among the sand dunes and oases of northern Mali.
Anger is also growing among those excluded from its spoils, especially youth groups who backed the state in the conflict but feel they have ended up with nothing.
The tensions have spilled over into violence, with sporadic and deadly clashes taking place in some areas that have pitted groups who backed the government in the conflict against groups linked to the Tuareg and the Arab rebels who fought with them.
In the most overt sign of discontent about the peace deal yet, thousands of protesters gathered on Tuesday, burning tyres and pelting police with rocks, to voice anger at interim authorities including former combatants which, under the deal, are supposed to take office this week in Gao and other northern regions.
The army responded by opening fire, killing three people and wounding 33.
"At this point no one is satisfied with the implementation of the agreement," the head of Mali's U.N. peacekeeping mission Mahamat Saleh Annadif told Reuters late last month.
"The parties signed the agreement certainly, but each of them has a vision of what they want," he added.
Concerned about the lack of progress, representatives from the U.N. Security Council travelled to northern Mali in March to push for parties to put the agreement into action.
ANGER AT ARMED GROUPS
French forces intervened in the former colony in 2013 to drive back Islamist fighters who had hijacked the Tuareg insurgency and seized Mali's north, at one point even threatening the capital Bamako.
A U.N. peacekeeping mission was then deployed, but militants have exploited continued instability to regroup and carry out a wave of attacks against in Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
Yet Tuesday's protests showed that, even if deal gets implemented, it risks igniting violence among Malians who feel disenfranchised by it.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, mindful of the fragility of the accord and the widespread discontent, gave a special televised address on Thursday in which he expressed "deep regret" about the killings at the protests.
"The incidents are regrettable and could have been avoided," he said, but added that the unrest was "an illustration of the poor understanding of the peace deal. It shows we need to work harder for all sections of society to have ownership of it."
Many Malian young people don't think they have misunderstood anything.
"It is clear the agreement means that if you are not armed you get nothing, but if you have weapons you a get a role," said Issouf Alhousseini, local head of the Young Patriots of Gao, a vigilante movement which counts among its members many of the government-allied Songhai ethnic group who now feel alienated.
"The Arabs and Tuaregs have weapons, so they get included. The government should have given us a place too," he said, showing how the divisions that tore Mali apart still linger.
Amadou Sarr, another Songhai vigilante leader, even suggested that some youths would seek to acquire weapons in order to trade them in for demobilisation money.
And as insecurity worsens in northern Mali, economic decline has set in. The tourists who used to visit Timbuktu, a medieval Islamic city that grew fabulously rich off the trade in gold and slaves crossing the sands of the Sahara, have never come back.
"Before, we could take people across the country," Abdrahamane Maiga, a tourist guide, lamented.
UK's new N.Ireland minister wants to keep Irish border open after Brexit
DUBLIN, July 15 (Reuters) - Britain does not want to see the return of frontier controls with the Irish Republic after leaving the EU, especially on the land border with Northern Ireland, its new Northern Ireland secretary said on Friday.
The province will have Britain's only land frontier with the European Union once Britain leaves, and leaders north and south want to ensure that people and goods can continue to cross freely, as well as maintaining decades of open travel and trade across the Irish Sea that predate the countries' simultaneous accession to the EU in 1973.
James Brokenshire, appointed this week, said he had already been in contact with Dublin.
"We certainly don't want to see a return to the border of the past, we don't want to see that hard border coming into place and I think there is a real sense of commitment between the UK and Irish government to maintain the common travel area," Brokenshire told the Irish national broadcaster RTE.
"I recognise the really important benefits that we get from the movement of people, but also goods, services and trade, and what that means for the economy."
Brokenshire campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU before last month's referendum, but said it was now important to get the best possible arrangements for Northern Ireland in Britain's withdrawal.
The land border was marked by military checkpoints until a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of violence in the province from Irish nationalist and pro-British unionist paramilitary groups.
A majority of Northern Irish voters wanted Britain to remain in the EU, and many fear the biggest threat to peace in the province would be the reimposition of border checks, which would disrupt a myriad of trade and financial ties.
In particular, it is unclear whether Britain might continue to be a part of the EU's single market when it leaves the EU.
Yemen's war not just killing civilians with bullets - MSF
By Alex Whiting
LONDON, July 15 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Yemen's entire health system is crumbling after months of war, with people dying from lack of medical care even in areas where there is no fighting, said medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).
Before the conflict erupted in March last year, Yemen, one of the world's poorest countries, relied heavily on foreign doctors and imported the bulk of its medical supplies, as well as food and fuel.
Foreign medical staff have since fled, and imports have fallen and become a lot more expensive.
"Even where there is no fighting, people are dying for lack of supplies, because the whole system itself is crumbling after a year of war," Karline Kleijer, MSF's emergency coordinator for Yemen, said in a telephone interview.
Houthi rebels pushed the government into exile in March 2015, triggering an intervention by a Saudi-led military coalition against the Houthi militia with a campaign of air strikes and a ground offensive.
Resulting turmoil has seen militant group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula sweep across the eastern side of Yemen.
A shaky ceasefire, which came into effect in April, has brought some respite from the conflict. But clashes regularly flare up on battlefronts throughout Yemen.
The city of Taiz in the country's west has experienced some of the fiercest fighting.
"The ceasefire does not make any difference (in Taiz)," said Kleijer, speaking from Amsterdam having recently returned from the city.
Although there are fewer air strikes, fighting on the ground continues daily in the city centre, she said.
MSF treated some 1,700 people in Taiz for war wounds between March and May, many of them civilians.
The war has killed more than 6,400 people and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.
Out of Yemen's 28 million people, 21 million need some form of humanitarian aid and more than half the population suffer from malnutrition, according to U.N. figures.
Many have lost their jobs and the cost of food has soared leaving many unable to pay for healthcare.
The United Nations has said parts of Yemen are now close to famine.
HOSPITALS FULL OF GUNS
Most of the hospitals in Taiz have closed and only about five are still functioning, Kleijer said. They mainly treat war wounds, and can offer very little other care.
Wounded fighters arrive for treatment wearing grenade belts and carrying guns, along with their comrades.
"When there are 20 armed guys who are just coming from the battlefield and are ... scared and angry, and full of adrenaline, that doesn't make you as a doctor or medical professional feel very safe," Kleijer said.
It is not uncommon for them to blame the doctors if a patient dies, she added.
MSF-run health centres impose a ban on all weapons, which is respected. Even so, the threat of weapons remains.
Recently, one heavily wounded man came in for treatment, who suddenly remembered he still had a grenade in his pocket. Someone took it out and accidentally pulled out the pin.
"That was an interesting one," Kleijer said. "We got the Houthis - they managed to sort it out."
MANY WILL DIE OF PREVENTABLE DISEASES
Even away from the fighting, people across the country with chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma and hypertension, may die for lack of care, Kleijer said.
The ministry of health pays medical staff salaries in government health facilities but, if its funds are cut, many existing health centres may have to close, she said.
"The health system in Yemen is ... going down faster and faster. And that is of concern because the coping mechanisms which were there are reaching the end of the line," she said.
MSF has been funding several dialysis units which help keep 650 patients alive. But the medical agency says it cannot afford to keep supplying the centres, and unless they can find another funding donor, the patients will die.
"There are a lot diseases ... which in a functioning health system people can (live) with quite easily.
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Greater Chattanooga awarded 29 students scholarships totaling $53,000 during the annual Scholarship Banquet. Part of a yearly initiative, local McDonalds Owners help fund the scholarships by the sales of patriotic paper flags in their restaurants from Memorial Day to July 4. Since 2002, the scholarship program has awarded $642,750 in funds to 556 students.
Scholarships are presented to students in the Greater Chattanooga area based on their all-around excellence in areas of citizenship, leadership, scholarship and extracurricular activities.
These students have worked hard for their success. It is a pleasure to see them recognized and rewarded for their efforts, said Anne Holland, McDonalds Owner Operator. We hope these scholarships will make a difference in the lives of these exceptional students.
Students began the application process for this award in November. A volunteer committee of 50 reviewed the 129 applications, and the top 70 students were then invited for a personal interview before a panel. Once the 29 students were chosen by the selection committee, the RMHC Board of Directors ratified the award recipients.
Each year choosing RMHC Scholarship recipients proves to be a very difficult task because there are so many deserving young people who apply, said Jane Kaylor, President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Chattanooga. Our 50-member volunteer committee makes sure that every application is read and rated by at least five individuals, and a four or five-person panel interviews each applicant who makes it to the interview process. Even with this process, the selection is still difficult. We were pleased to award $53,000 in scholarships this year to 29 deserving students who will head off to 19 different colleges with our support.
UN rights panel urges Kuwait to amend broad DNA testing law
By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA, July 15 (Reuters) - A U.N. human rights watchdog called on Kuwait on Friday to amend a counter-terrorism law requiring nationwide compulsory DNA testing, saying that it was disproportionate and violated the right to privacy.
Any testing should be limited to individuals suspected of having committed serious crimes and only after a court order, the 18 independent experts said after reviewing Kuwait's record in upholding civil and political rights.
In July 2015, Kuwait's parliament adopted a law put forward by the Interior Ministry to create a DNA registry of Kuwaiti nationals and residents living in the Gulf state. The law, which the panel said also applied to tourists, imposes a one-year prison term and a fine on those who refused to provide samples.
The law "imposes unnecessary and disproportionate restrictions on the right to privacy", the U.N. Human Rights Committee said.
"We ... asked them to amend it to ensure that DNA collection is limited, only on the basis of individuals suspected of having committed serious crimes and on the basis of a court order," panel member Sarah Cleveland told a news briefing.
"Part of the reason the committee is very concerned about it is because of the prospect of copycat laws by other countries," she said. "It's certainly the first time our committee has seen such a law."
Jamal Alghunaim, Kuwait's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva who led the government delegation, told the panel last month that the law was due to terrorist threats. The database could not be disclosed without a necessary court warrant and anyone who did so would be sentenced to three years of prison, he said, according to a U.N. summary.
A year ago Kuwait, home to several U.S. military bases, suffered its deadliest militant attack in decades when a Saudi suicide bomber blew himself up inside a packed Shi'ite mosque, killing 27 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility.
OPEC member Kuwait, a U.S. ally and neighbour of Saudi Arabia and Iraq, is part of a 34-nation alliance announced by Riyadh in December aimed at countering Islamic State and al Qaeda in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.
Mourners remember black man shot by police in Louisiana capital
By Kathy Finn
BATON ROUGE, La., July 15 (Reuters) - Mourners gathered in Louisiana's state capital on Friday to remember a black man who was fatally shot by Baton Rouge officers last week in one of two deadly encounters that led to protests over police violence against African-Americans.
As heavy rain fell outside, a steady stream of people filed into an activity center at Southern University to view the body of 37-year-old Alton Sterling, whose open casket was surrounded by flowers and photographs.
The visitation was held at the center to accommodate the large crowds expected to pay their respects to the father of five known as "Big Alton." He was shot by police at a close quarters on July 5 as he sold CDs outside a convenience store in an incident that was recorded on a cellphone.
Among the mourners was Minerva Dunn, who serves in the U.S. Army and knows the aunt who raised Sterling from her church.
"I am ripped apart by this," she said. "My husband is a police officer, I'm a soldier, and I have two black sons," she said. "I am so disheartened, and my hurt comes from different places."
Sterling's death, and the fatal shooting of a young black man in Minnesota by a police officer, renewed outrage against law enforcement's treatment of minorities and also rekindled a national debate on race relations that began after police-involved killings two years ago.
Then in Dallas last Thursday, one of the protests ended with the killing of five policemen in a racially motivated attack by a black U.S. military veteran who opened fire on white officers. The rampage highlighted the dangers routinely faced by law enforcement and amplified a dimension of the racially tinged violence that shocked many Americans.
Carl Slaughter, a Baton Rouge resident who has run a community center for 35 years, remembered Sterling as a teenager who spent many hours there after his parents passed away. Slaughter said the center was a "safe haven" for young people who had no place to go after school.
"He was a good kid, always good natured, and everybody has good memories of him," Slaughter said.
He said he sympathized with police but even so, he thinks Sterling's killing was unjust, based on video footage of the incident he watched on television.
Sterling was shot and killed in the parking lot of the store during an altercation with two white officers responding to a 911 call about a man threatening someone with a gun. The incident was recorded by the shop owner.
According to an affidavit, the officers tried to restrain Sterling and deployed Tasers. But they used deadly force after Sterling reached for a gun in his pants pocket, it said.
Ivory Coast SIR refinery asks government to help with debts
YAMOUSSOUKRO, July 15 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast's SIR oil refinery, the biggest in French-speaking West Africa, has asked the government to take on debts that are keeping it from turning a profit despite record output, its managing director said on Friday.
Societe Ivoirienne de Raffinage (SIR) hit a 30-year production record of 3.45 million tonnes of refined products in 2015 and output is on track to rise further in 2016, Thomas Camara said.
"SIR has accumulated debts since 2008 that weigh on it heavily," he said on the sidelines of an energy conference in the capital Yamoussoukro. "Our dossier is now with the government and we hope they will find a solution."
Camara declined to say how much SIR owed.
An official in the economy ministry, who asked not to be named, put the debt at over 200 billion CFA francs ($337.34 million) while an oil sector analyst estimated it at around 350 billion CFA francs.
Oil and Energy Minister Adama Toungara told reporters late on Thursday that he expected the government to take a decision in the next few days.
Ivory Coast is emerging from a decade-long political crisis capped by a 2011 civil war that erupted when former President Laurent Gbagbo refused to accept his election defeat to Alassane Ouattara.
The SIR refinery in the commercial capital Abidjan ran up much of the debt when it was managed by an ally of Gbagbo, who is now on trial before the International Criminal Court accused of crimes against humanity.
The company was hit by European Union sanctions during the fighting in 2011 as the international community sought to force Gbagbo to step down.
"The previous team contracted debts that had nothing to do with oil refining," said Toungara, who praised the company's current management.
SIR provides Ivory Coast with nearly all of its refined petroleum products and supplies a number of neighboring countries. Nigeria is its primary supplier of crude oil and its main purchaser of refined exports.
Around 35 percent of SIR's output was consumed domestically in 2011, with the remainder exported.
But that figure increased to 50 percent last year, and with Ivory Coast's post-war economy booming and growth rates nearing double digits, Camara said that percentage was expected to rise further.
Black man shot by Louisiana police mourned in Baton Rouge
By Kathy Finn
BATON ROUGE, La., July 15 (Reuters) - Civil rights leaders Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton joined hundreds of mourners in Louisiana on Friday to remember a black man killed last week by white policemen, one of two deadly encounters that led to protests against racial bias in law enforcement.
As heavy rain fell outside, a steady stream of people filed into an activity center at Baton Rouge's Southern University to view the body of 37-year-old Alton Sterling, whose open casket was surrounded by flowers and photographs.
The visitation was held at the center to accommodate the large crowd that turned out to pay their respects to the father of five known as "Big Alton." Police shot him at a close quarters on July 5 as he sold CDs outside a convenience store, an incident that was recorded on a cellphone.
"We're not anti police, we're anti wrong," Rev. Sharpton told the mourners in condemning Sterling's killing, which came during the same week as the fatal shooting of a young black man in Minnesota by a police officer.
Among the mourners was Minerva Dunn, who serves in the U.S. Army and worships at the same church as Sterling's aunt, who raised him after his parents passed away.
"I am ripped apart by this," Dunn said. "My husband is a police officer, I'm a soldier, and I have two black sons," she said. "I am so disheartened, and my hurt comes from different places."
The deaths in Louisiana and Minnesota renewed outrage against law enforcement's treatment of minorities and also rekindled a national debate on race relations that began after police-involved killings two years ago.
Then in Dallas last Thursday, one of the protests ended with the killing of five policemen in a racially motivated attack by a black U.S. military veteran who opened fire on white officers. The rampage highlighted the dangers routinely faced by law enforcement officers, while adding a new element of concern about the racially tinged violence that has shocked many Americans.
"Nobody condones killing cops, nobody stands up for what happened in Dallas, but I want to see some of you stand up in Louisiana and say we think it is wrong when cops do wrong," Sharpton said.
Carl Slaughter, a Baton Rouge resident who has run a community center for 35 years, remembered Sterling as a teenager who spent many hours there after the death of his parents.
"He was a good kid, always good natured, and everybody has good memories of him," Slaughter said.
He said he sympathized with police but even so, he thinks Sterling's killing was unjust, based on video footage of the incident he watched on television.
Sterling was shot and killed in the store's parking lot during an altercation with two white officers responding to a 911 call about a man threatening someone with a gun. The incident was recorded by the shop owner.
According to an affidavit, the officers tried to restrain Sterling and deployed Tasers. But they used deadly force after Sterling reached for a gun in his pants pocket, it said.
The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting.
"This fight for social justice and police reform will require us to agitate, legislate and litigate," Representative Cedric Richmond, a Democrat whose congressional district stretches from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, said during the service.
Bulgarian prosecutors indict two men on terrorist charges over Burgas bus bombing
SOFIA, July 15 (Reuters) - Bulgarian prosecutors have indicted Meliad Farah and Hassan El Hajj Hassan with terrorism for their alleged involvement as accomplices in a bombing that killed five Israeli tourists at Burgas airport in Bulgaria in 2012, prosecutors said on Friday.
"The indictment has been filed with the Specialised Criminal Court. The two men, for whom a red notice has been issued by Interpol, are charged with terrorism," Rumiana Arnaudova, spokeswoman for the prosecutors' office, said.
The trial will be held in absentia as the whereabouts of Farah, 35 and Hassan, 28 - respectively Australian and Canadian citizens of Lebanese origin - remain unknown.
Canada's Trudeau says rivals fear CSeries as Brazil mulls WTO move
By Allison Lampert and Ana Mano
MONTREAL/SAO PAULO, July 15 (Reuters) - Canada insisted on Friday that it plays by international trade rules after Brazil warned it may challenge government funding to planemaker Bombardier Inc, a move that would revive a two-decade-old dispute between the two countries.
The Montreal-based company is locked in competition with Brazil's Embraer for narrowbody jet sales. The South American country has said that government financing gives Bombardier an unfair advantage.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra told Reuters on Thursday it could move against Canada at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over $1 billion in funding that Bombardier received from the Canadian province of Quebec for its CSeries jet.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brushed off the suggestion, telling reporters "there is no country in the world that doesn't heavily subsidize its aerospace sector."
"I can understand that our competitors are rightly worried about how great the CSeries plane is," he said in Calgary.
The Brazilian minister responded in a statement on Friday evening that Trudeau's comments were revealing.
"It's telling that the Canadian Prime Minister admits the Canadian government heavily subsidizes Bombardier," Serra said.
Embraer estimates that Bombardier received a total of $3.5 billion in state support, he noted. Embraer imports equipment from Canada to build jets and the subsidies hurt trade flows, he said.
Brazil and Canada have locked horns repeatedly at the WTO over the past 20 years over state support for Embraer and Bombardier, the world's biggest commercial planemakers after powerhouses Boeing Co and Airbus Group.
Ottawa is also considering whether to match Quebec's investment in the CSeries program, which ran years late and billions of dollars over budget.
Embraer's concerns boiled over in April when Bombardier won a deal to provide 75 CSeries to U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines Inc , beating Embraer's E190 family of jets with what many industry watchers saw as an aggressive bid.
Industry sources involved in negotiating similar deals have estimated that discounts as high as 75 percent might have been offered to reboot the CSeries program with the order, matching some of the most aggressive pricing in the market.
Embraer complained at the time that it was "not competing with a private enterprise anymore."
A Bombardier executive said on Friday that Embraer was likely worried about competition from the 110-150 seat CSeries program, which has 325 firm orders and made its first scheduled commercial flight on Friday.
"They have seen our airplane go through the certification process and now enter into service. There is certainly a lot more competition and they are probably concerned about what the CSeries means for their business," said Ross Mitchell, a vice president of commercial operations for Bombardier.
Embraer has 272 firm orders for its estimated 100-130 seat next-generation E-Jets. Its E190-E2 is scheduled to enter service in 2018 while the E195-E2 jet is expected to begin commercial flights in 2019.
Embraer has asked the Brazilian government to monitor any funding Ottawa gives Bombardier, an Embraer spokesman said, adding the planemaker was "capable of competing against any companies, but not against the government of Canada."
Quebec's equity stake in the CSeries, first agreed to in 2015, is more difficult to challenge than a straight export subsidy arrangement, said trade lawyer Mark Warner at MAAW Law in Toronto.
Quebec government spokeswoman Melissa Turgeon said in an email that the province has analyzed these questions. "We know we are respecting international trade rules," she said.
However, Embraer could raise questions about Delta buying CSeries jets at heavily discounted prices, especially since Bombardier had not signed a single deal for the planes in more than a year before the ones with Delta and Air Canada in 2016.
Brazil's threat of a challenge could scare away potential customers who see risks to future funding for Bombardier from Canadian governments.
"Most people don't like messy situations," Warner said.
Competition between Bombardier and Embraer is expected to intensify as carriers like American Airlines retire their E190s in the next few years and could consider small narrowbodies to fill mainline routes.
Air Canada ordered the 45 CSeries jets to replace its E190s.
Three students wounded, one missing in Nice attack -UC Berkeley
July 15 (Reuters) - Three students on a study abroad program in France were wounded and another was missing in Thursday's Bastille Day attack in Nice, the University of California, Berkeley, said on Friday.
The university identified the missing student as Nicolas Leslie, 20, one of 85 Berkeley students on a 15-day study abroad trip on entrepreneurship in Europe. Two of the other students suffered broken legs and a third had a broken foot, the university said. The injured students were not identified.
UK jails former airman, Libya fighter for involvement in Syria war
LONDON, July 15 (Reuters) - A former member of Britain's air force and a wheelchair-bound man who fought against Muammar Gaddafi during the 2011 uprising were sentenced by a British court to nine years in jail for terrorist offences related to the Syrian war, police said.
Stephen Gray and Abdalraouf Abdallah, who were arrested by in 2014, pleaded guilty to a range of offences, police in the northwestern city of Manchester said in a statement.
Gray, who served with the Royal Air Force in Iraq and converted to Islam when he left the military in 2004, tried to travel to Syria to join an organisation designated as a terrorist movement, the statement said.
He was helped by Abdallah, a joint British and Libyan national who came to Britain for treatment to injuries he sustained in Libya that left him paralysed from the waist down, police said.
Phones and computers seized from Abdallah's house showed he sourced automatic weapons for Gray and another man when they arrived in Syria. However, Gray was twice turned back from Turkey as he tried to reach Syria, the statement said.
Trades with Goldman too complex for Libya's SWF - witness tells court
By Claire Milhench
LONDON, July 15 (Reuters) - Nine disputed trades that Libya's sovereign wealth fund (SWF) entered into with Goldman Sachs were unsuitable by "dint of risk and complexity", according to an expert witness at a trial in London's High Court.
The Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) is attempting to claw back $1.2 billion from Goldman Sachs from the trades carried out in 2008. It argues the bank took advantage of its financial naivety by first gaining its trust, then encouraging it to make risky and ultimately worthless investments.
Goldman Sachs denies the allegations and says the trades in question "were not difficult to understand". It has described the LIA's claim as "without merit".
Martin Harrison, managing director of SUMMA Ltd, a management consultancy, appeared in court as an expert witness for the LIA to address the question of suitability.
He said in his report filed with the court: "If an SWF enters into an investment which is of a sophistication (in terms of risk and complexity) that falls utterly beyond the competence of the institution to cope with it in terms of expertise and organisation, then that investment is without question unsuitable."
The report, seen by Reuters, said Harrison had in the past served as an investment adviser to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and to the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation. He also headed group asset management at the Qatar Investment Authority.
DERIVATIVES
Robert Miles, a lawyer for Goldman Sachs, put it to Harrison in cross examination that the emphasis he had placed on a SWF's decision-making process and the need for an asset allocation policy in his report related more to good corporate governance rather than questions of suitability.
Harrison replied there was an element of both, adding: "If there is no asset allocation framework, it is going to be very hard to determine whether a prospective investment fits."
Harrison said in his report that in his extensive experience of working with SWFs, such direct, strategic use of derivatives by internal teams was unusual even among long-established SWFs.
"I conclude that the disputed trades were incongruous and exceptional trades. They were unsuitable for the LIA and I can find no investment rationale for them," his report said.
In court documents setting out Goldman Sachs's position the U.S. investment bank argued: "The disputed trades were straightforward transactions from the LIA's perspective which the LIA was able to and did in fact understand."
The court also heard from Dr Eliot Kalter, senior fellow at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Kalter's report on suitability, prepared for Goldman Sachs and filed with the court, criticised Harrison's view of how SWFs approach investments.
He said that far from being unusual, the disputed trades were just a few of the many investments entered into by the LIA at this time. Nor was it alone amongst SWFs in taking exposure to the financial sector in 2007-08, he noted.
"As it turned out, financial stocks performed poorly over the subsequent years ... It is this decline in the share prices, rather than any structural feature of the investment, which resulted in the LIA suffering losses on the disputed trades," Kalter's report said.
Chattanooga State Community College is offering a new Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Business Degree Express program with a Management concentration, designed with working adults in mind. A fast, convenient and affordable solution for busy adults looking to quickly move ahead in their career, this new program is workable with your schedule and lifestyle. The Business Degree Express program allows you to balance work and family while earning a college degree.
The entire program can be completed in as little as 16 months with in-person classes just one night a week in addition to online courses. College credit for work may be available if you have experience in accounting, marketing, sales, etc.
The Business Degree Express program offers fundamental business courses taught by faculty who blend expertise with real-world business experience. By attending just one night per week, in addition to online courses as needed, the program can be completed around your busy schedule.
Chattanooga States Business Division is hosting Information Sessions at the Main Campus for prospective students as follows:
Thursday, July 21 from 4:30 6:00 p.m., in OMN B-119
Thursday, July 28 from 4:30 6:00 p.m. in OMN B-119
Thursday, August 4 from 4:30 6:00 p.m. in OMN B-119
The Information Sessions will provide prospective students with information about the courses, an opportunity to complete admissions and financial aid forms, details about the many student support services available, an overview on how to turn work experience into college credit and even on the spot registration.
For more information, please contact the Business Division at 423-697-4462.
France killer's motives not yet established - interior minister
PARIS, July 15 (Reuters) - French investigators have not yet established whether the truck driver who killed at least 84 people by ploughing through a crowd in Nice late on Thursday was inspired by jihadist messages, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.
"We have an individual who was not known to intelligence services for activities linked to radical Islam," Cazeneuve told broadcaster TF1.
Three UC Berkeley students wounded, one missing in Nice attack
SACRAMENTO, Calif., July 15 (Reuters) - Three students on a study abroad program in France were wounded and another was missing in Thursday's Bastille Day attack in Nice, the University of California, Berkeley, said on Friday.
The university identified the missing student as Nicolas Leslie, 20, one of 85 Berkeley students on a 15-day study abroad trip on entrepreneurship in Europe. Two of the other students who suffered broken bones have been released after medical treatment, while the third injured student remains at a hospital, the university said.
"May Nicolas Leslie be found safe," the University of California's flagship campus posted on Facebook Friday, along with the hashtag #PrayforNice and the image of a heart painted like the tri-color French flag.
A Texan and his 11-year-old son on a family vacation were also among at least 84 people killed when an attacker crashed a heavy truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the French seaside city, officials said on Friday.
The Berkeley students were studying at a program affiliated with the international European Innovation Academy in Nice, the university said. The program was suspended temporarily as France marks three days of mourning, and students will be given the option of returning home early, the university said.
Leslie, a junior in the university's College of Natural Resources, was not listed among the dead in the attack, but family members have not been able to reach him, a woman who said she was a family friend said in an interview.
"The last thing that we heard from one of his friends is that he was seen running off," said the woman, who gave only her first name, Antonella.
Leslie, who was born in Italy and grew up in the San Diego area, was a U.S. national, university spokesman Roqua Montez said. The injured students were Vladyslav Kostiuk, 23, a computer science major who suffered a broken leg, and Diane Huang, 20, who studies environmental economics and suffered a broken foot in the attack. Both students were back in their dormitories in Nice.
The third student, Daryus Medora, 21, whose leg was broken, remains at a hospital.
In the attack, a man identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel plowed into a crowd of some 30,000 local people and tourists attending a fireworks display to celebrate Bastille Day.
At least 84 people were killed, 10 of them children, and 202 more were wounded.
U.S. raps South Sudan for preventing civilians from fleeing fighting
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Friday condemned actions by South Sudan's government to prevent civilians from leaving the country after recent fighting and voiced concern about the beating and detention of some politicians.
State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the situation in the capital Juba remained "fluid" but the United States still believed it was possible the country's longtime political adversaries could come together to restore order.
Forces loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar engaged in five days of street battles with anti-aircraft guns, attack helicopters and tanks until a ceasefire was reached on Monday.
The fighting prompted the United Nations and some countries to withdraw non-essential personnel. The United States sent 47 additional troops to protect U.S. citizens and the U.S. Embassy.
"We continue to press the leaders of South Sudan to end the fighting," Trudeau told reporters. "We call on all parties to allow civilian freedom of movement and provide unfettered humanitarian access to all people in need."
"Destruction and damage to humanitarian facilities and violence against aid workers is unacceptable and must stop immediately," she added.
Trudeau said the United States "condemned all actions by the government" to prevent civilians from boarding flights out of South Sudan or leaving the country by other means.
"It is unacceptable given the conditions in Juba to prevent civilians from freely departing the country," she said.
She also said the United States was concerned about the beating and temporary detention on Thursday of officials in the transitional government belonging to the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, or SPLM-IO.
She said the U.S. government had no scheduled charter flights for civilians leaving the country and encouraged U.S. citizens trying to get out of South Sudan to use commercial flights.
Kiir and Machar are longtime rivals, jostling for power even before South Sudan's independence from Sudan in 2011. A civil war that began in December 2013 came a few months after Kiir dismissed Machar as his deputy. They signed a peace deal in August 2015, but implementation has been slow.
The flare-up last week was apparently sparked when Kiir's forces stopped and demanded to search vehicles with Machar's troops.
Trudeau said the U.S. ambassador and emergency personnel remained in South Sudan, "engaging diplomatically with leaders ... and supporting U.S. citizens in the country." U.S. aid personnel also remained to assess the humanitarian impact of the fighting.
0-Turkish coup bid crumbles as crowds answer call to streets, Erdogan returns
By Nick Tattersall and Ece Toksabay
ISTANBUL/ANKARA, July 16 (Reuters) - An attempted Turkish military coup appeared to crumble on Saturday after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogan's call to take to the streets to support him and dozens of rebel soldiers abandoned their tanks in the main city of Istanbul.
At least 60 people were killed in violence that erupted on Friday after a faction of the armed forces attempted to seize power, officials said.
A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming one of the most important U.S. allies while war rages on its border. A failed coup attempt could still destabilise a pivotal country.
Erdogan, who had been holidaying on the southwest coast when the coup was launched, flew into Istanbul before dawn on Saturday and was shown on TV among a crowd of supporters outside Ataturk Airport.
The uprising was an "act of treason", and those responsible would pay a heavy price, he told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference. Arrests of officers were under way and it would go higher up the ranks, culminating in the cleansing of the military, he said.
Addressing a crowd of thousands of flag-waving supporters at the airport later, Erdogan said the government remained at the helm, although disturbances continued in Ankara.
However, in an emailed statement from the Turkish military General Staff's media office address, the pro-coup faction said it was determinedly still fighting.
Calling itself the Peace at Home Movement, the faction also called on people to stay indoors for their own safety.
Rebel soldiers who had taken control of military aircraft were still firing from the air and fighter jets had been scrambled to intercept them, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, underscoring the ongoing uncertainty.
Gunfire and explosions had rocked both Istanbul and Ankara in a chaotic night after soldiers took up positions in both cities and ordered state television to read out a statement declaring they had taken power.
Around 50 soldiers involved in the coup surrendered on one of the bridges across the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul after dawn on Saturday, abandoning their tanks with their hands raised in the air. Reuters witnesses saw government supporters attack the pro-coup soldiers who had surrendered.
Earlier, around 30 pro-coup soldiers had surrendered their weapons after being surrounded by armed police in Istanbul's central Taksim square.
They were taken away in police vans as a fighter jet repeatedly screeched overhead at low altitude, causing a boom that shook surrounding buildings and shattered windows.
LAWMAKERS IN HIDING
The coup began with warplanes and helicopters roaring over Ankara and troops moving in to seal off the bridges over the Bosphorus Strait that links Europe and Asia in Istanbul.
Authorities had shut the strait to tanker traffic, shipping agent GAC said.
By the early hours of Saturday, lawmakers were still hiding in shelters inside the parliament building in Ankara, which was being fired on by tanks. Smoke rose up from nearby, Reuters witnesses said. An opposition MP told Reuters parliament was hit three times and that people had been wounded.
A senior Turkish official said later on Saturday attacks on the parliament had "largely stopped".
A Turkish military commander also said fighter jets had shot down a helicopter used by the coup plotters over Ankara. State-run Anadolu news agency said 17 police were killed at special forces headquarters there.
Momentum turned against the coup plotters as the night wore on. Crowds defied orders to stay indoors, gathering at major squares in Istanbul and Ankara, waving flags and chanting.
"We have a prime minister, we have a chief of command, we're not going to leave this country to degenerates," shouted one man, as groups of government supporters climbed onto a tank near Ataturk airport.
Erdogan and other officials blamed the attempted coup on followers of Fethullah Gulen, an influential cleric in self-imposed exile in the United States who once supported Erdogan but became a nemesis.
The pro-Gulen Alliance for Shared Values said it condemned any military intervention in domestic politics.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he phoned the Turkish foreign minister and emphasised "absolute support for Turkey's democratically elected, civilian government and democratic institutions".
Turkey, a NATO member with the second biggest military in the Western alliance, is one of the most important allies of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State militant group, which seized swaths of neighbouring Iraq and Syria.
European Council President Donald Tusk called for a swift return to Turkey's constitutional order, saying tensions there could not be resolved by guns.
"Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law," Tusk said at regional summit in Mongolia.
SOCIAL MEDIA CUT OFF
Airports were shut and access to internet social media sites was cut off in the first hours of the coup attempt. Flag carrier Turkish Airways resumed flights on Saturday, Erdogan said.
Malaysia Airports, the operator of Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, Istanbul's second airport, said it would continue to process flights in and out of Turkey.
Soldiers took control of TRT state television, which announced a countrywide curfew and martial law. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the pro-coup faction that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. Turkey would be run by a "peace council" that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said.
TRT went off the air shortly afterwards. It resumed broadcasting in the early hours of Saturday.
Reuters reporters saw a helicopter open fire in Ankara. Anadolu news agency said military helicopters had fired on the headquarters of the intelligence agency.
The coup had appeared strong early on Friday evening. A senior EU source monitoring the situation said: "It looks like a relatively well-orchestrated coup by a significant body of the military, not just a few colonels ... They control several strategic points in Istanbul."
One European diplomat was dining with the Turkish ambassador to a European capital when guests were interrupted by the pinging of urgent news on their mobile phones.
"This is clearly not some tinpot little coup. The Turkish ambassador was clearly shocked and is taking it very seriously," the diplomat told Reuters as the dinner party broke up. "However it looks in the morning, this will have massive implications for Turkey. This has not come out of nowhere."
Turkey is one of the main backers of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country's civil war, host to 2.7 million Syrian refugees and launchpad last year for the biggest influx of migrants to Europe since World War Two.
Celebratory gunfire erupted in Syria's capital Damascus after the army claimed to have toppled Erdogan. People took to the streets to celebrate there and in other government-held cities.
Turkey has been at war with Kurdish separatists and has suffered numerous bombing and shooting attacks this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Ataturk airport that killed more than 40 people.
After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected president in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers.
Turkey has enjoyed an economic boom during his time in office and has dramatically expanded its influence across the region. However, opponents say his rule has become increasingly authoritarian.
His AK Party, with roots in Islamism, has long had a strained relationship with the military and nationalists in a state that was founded on secularist principles after World War One. The military has a history of mounting coups to defend secularism, but has not seized power directly since 1980.
Russian help fighting IS welcome, but not at cost of keeping Assad -Saudi official
WASHINGTON, July 15 (Reuters) - Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Friday the kingdom would welcome effective Russian participation in the fight with Islamic State in Syria but not at the expense of keeping the Syrian president in power or further attacks on moderate rebels.
Al-Jubeir, speaking at a news conference in Washington, said Saudi Arabia was following U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's talks with his Russian counterpart. Kerry was talking to the Russians about closer military and intelligence cooperation against Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria.
"Anything that can be done to bring the Russians into the fight against Daesh in an effective way is something that I think people would welcome," al-Jubeir told reporters, using another name for Islamic State. "But it cannot be at the cost of keeping Bashar al-Assad in power and it cannot be with the Russians continuing to attack the moderate Syrian opposition."
Turkish chief of military staff taken hostage - state-run Anadolu agency
ISTANBUL, July 15 (Reuters) - Turkey's chief of military staff was among people taken hostage at the military headquarters in Ankara on Friday, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported, while another broadcaster, CNN Turk said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was safe.
Russia's Lavrov says agreed with Kerry on what is needed for Syria peace
MOSCOW, July 16 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a day of talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday that their two countries had a common understanding of what was needed to make efforts to end the Syria conflict more effective.
Fitch affirms Poland's rating at A- with stable outlook
WARSAW, July 15 (Reuters) - Fitch affirmed Poland's A- rating with a stable outlook on Friday, saying reduced policy predictability under the Law and Justice (PiS) party government was offset by the country's robust economic fundamentals and improving external finances.
Most analysts polled by Reuters ahead of the decision expected Fitch to keep the rating unchanged, but cut the outlook to negative due to fiscal risks.
"Poland's 'A-' rating reflects its solid macro fundamentals, government debt close to its rating peers median and improving external finances from a weak starting point," Fitch said in a statement.
"Reduced predictability in economic policy since the October 2015 political transition increases downside risks to Fitch's economic and fiscal forecasts," the agency said.
Fitch is the only one of the three major credit agencies to have kept its credit assessment unchanged since the eurosceptic PiS party won parliamentary elections in October.
Fellow agency Moody's, which rates Poland one notch above Fitch at A2, cut its rating outlook to negative in May citing fiscal risks and unpredictable policies, while Standard and Poor's downgraded Poland in January to BBB+ with a negative outlook, one notch below Fitch.
Fitch said in a statement on Friday that PiS has implemented unorthodox measures, like a new tax on banks, and said the cabinet's stand-off with the European Commission over an overhaul of the constitutional court could affect Poland's attractiveness as a place to do business.
"However, Fitch notes that some of the most controversial measures on PiS's agenda during the electoral campaign have been avoided," the agency said, naming an initial version of a bill to convert Swiss franc mortgages into zlotys that was scrapped because of its costs could threaten financial stability.
"The government has committed to comply with the European Union's 3 percent of GDP deficit criteria," Fitch also said, adding it expects the deficit at 2.8 percent in 2016 and 3.0 percent in 2017.
Fitch said "any sign that the relevance of the 3 percent of GDP EU deficit criteria weakens as a fiscal anchor, or failure to tighten fiscal policy in order to stabilise debt-GDP-ratio in the medium term" could trigger negative rating action.
Ex-Guinea leader avoids U.S. prison term for smuggling cash
By Nate Raymond
July 15 (Reuters) - An African general who served as Guinea's transitional president for a year after a military coup, Sekouba Konate, avoided being sentenced to a U.S. prison on Friday for smuggling thousands of dollars into the United States.
U.S. District Judge Gerald Lee in Alexandria, Virginia, fined Konate $5,000 and ordered him to forfeit $64,770 that had been seized, after the general pleaded guilty in December to charges of bulk cash smuggling and false statements.
Federal prosecutors had sought three years in prison. Steven Duckett, a lawyer for Konate, said by telephone the sentence reflected his client's work in Africa and his remorse.
"Judge Lee essentially sentenced him because of his life and not because of his crime," Duckett said.
Known as "El Tigre" for his ferocity in battle, Konate was interim president of Guinea in 2010, and starting that December was general commander of the security forces of the 54-country African Union, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said Konate flew into Washington Dulles International Airport from Ethiopia in June 2013, and failed to declare $64,770 in U.S. currency, much of which was hidden in his luggage and discovered by customs agents.
At a court hearing in 2015, Christopher Hall, a special agent with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, testified that the search was due to an agent's suspicions about Konate.
Hall said that Konate had bought a "large amount of properties," and the agent "had received information that there was possible public corruption when General Konate was president of Guinea."
Duckett said that he would be surprised if U.S. officials still thought there was evidence of corruption involving his client.
On a day when the world was shattered with the terror attack in the French city of Nice during Bastille Day celebrations killing more than 84 people, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet cleared a proposal for creating a "Happiness department".
As a whiff of fresh air, MP becomes the first state in India to create an "Anand Vibhag". In the world of worries, the move is aimed at making the people of the BJP-ruled state relatively free of their anxieties.
The move was afoot for the last few days. MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had tweeted this ten days ago:
Matter of great pleasure & pride that Madhya Pradesh is soon going to become the first state in the country to set up #MinistryofHappiness. July 5, 2016
MP could not have launched the initiative at a more opportune time. Dastardly terror attacks have seized not just the world but parts of India as well. MP itself is beset with several problems like malnutrition, rape incidents and deaths related to the infamous Vyapam scam. Several parts of the state are reeling under floods.
On the brighter side, the Chouhan government has been launching a variety of initiatives to improve the condition of several sections of the people - checking child marriage, promoting community marriages and distribution of cycles to girl students for free. The state government will launch on July 25 a drive to eradicate malnutrition.
A novel drive 'Surjane Se Suposhan' to be launched from 25 July. State Govt is committed to eradicate malnutrition. pic.twitter.com/vQjUYJYwEo CMO Madhya Pradesh (@CMMadhyaPradesh) July 10, 2016
However, creation of the Happiness Department is the most novel of the ideas.
It aims at ensuring that all government departments in the state function to bring about happiness into the lives of citizens. Online suggestions from citizens are being invited guidance of renowned personalities is being sought to make #HappinessDepartment an ideal one.
Chouhan firmly believes that happiness cannot be gauged just on basis of material happiness or GDP. The department aims at increasing the "percentage of happiness", besides the material development, value-based development will also be targeted. The prime objective of government is to bring smile on everyone's face. In toto, the government's aim is create an ideal system to ensure that life becomes a blessing for the people.
To enhance peoples contentment & ensure smile, MP to become 1st state in country to set up #MinistryofHappiness. pic.twitter.com/5Py5JT4kV9 CMO Madhya Pradesh (@CMMadhyaPradesh) July 7, 2016
Chouhan's initiative got a thumbs up from none other than the Art of Living proponent Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - perhaps the most suitable person to accord recognition to the unique initiative.
Congratulations to @ChouhanShivraj for setting up a #MinistryofHappiness We are glad to extend our support to this noble initiative. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (@SriSri) July 7, 2016
An overwhelmed Chouhan could not hide his joy.
Feeling overwhelmed that revered Guru @SriSri ji has greatly appreciated our initiative to set up #MinistryofHappiness in the state. ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) July 6, 2016
We will seek Gurudev @SriSri's valuable guidance in finalizing ideal contours of #MinistryofHappiness. Enlighten our path towards success.
ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) July 6, 2016
Though Chouhan had earlier announced that it would be a ministry, there was a change in plan and the cabinet cleared it as a department, which is likely to be directly under the chief minister's charge.
While setting up the Happiness department, Chouhan seems to have taken a cue from Bhutan. Its fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, had coined the idea of a gross national happiness (GNH) in 1972. The purpose in Bhutan was a bit different. It wished to have an economy to preserve the kingdom's culture based on deeper values, instead of only material development aiming at a constant increase in GDP.
For Bhutan, the four pillars of "happiness" are sustainable development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.
Writing for Mail Today, Claude Arpe stated: "Though very few took note of the 'happiness idea' when it was first expounded, four decades later, things have changed. Today, as the world starts looking back at the mess it has created, many believe that 'after all, this GNH was perhaps not so naive'.
"In 2008, Nicolas Sarkozy, the [then] French president, commissioned a study of alternative gauges of economic welfare, while in 2010, the UK began measuring the 'national well-being'. The UN has already released its third World Happiness Report."
In honor of Chattanoogas Fallen Five, Tennessee American Water is flying a U.S. flag on its water tower where the icon Phillip D. Glass sits on Amnicola Highway.
We join the Chattanooga community in remembering July 16 on its one year anniversary, said President of Tennessee American Water Valoria Armstrong. The placement of the U.S. flag on our water tower serves as a reminder of the bravery displayed that day, especially by the Fallen Five who lost their lives protecting others,
As a sponsor of the free Riverfront Nights music series, Tennessee American Water encourages residents to attend the memorial ceremony before the opening headliner at 7 p.m. The five servicemen will be remembered with a Manning of the Rail, Presentation of Colors, and the Star Spangled Banner.
Saturday July 16 marks the anniversary of the Chattanooga shooting when a gunman opened fire on two military installations. Lance Cp. Squire Skip Wells, Sg. Carson Holmquist, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith were killed that day.
Another cycle of violence in troubled Kashmir has provoked hysterical commentary and predictions of "a new phase" of terrorism in the Valley.
The reality is that this is Kashmir's "normal". Cycles of violence - particularly street violence - have occurred with insistent regularity over the past years, even as the incidence of terrorist violence and related fatalities remains relatively low.
For all the strident commentary, the reality is that the security forces (SF) have acted with restraint. Fatalities among protesters and the particularly disturbing injuries - including partial or complete blindness as a result of the "non-lethal" pellet guns - have been the consequence of patterns of inadequate deployment in particular areas and overwhelming violence by frenzied crowds, necessitating augmenting levels of use of force.
The present escalation, as was the case with past cycles, will die down - and, indeed, has already dramatically diminished at the time of writing.
Unfortunately, it is almost inevitable that another phase of turmoil will crystallise, sooner or later, around some other incident or event.
Despite the state's long experience of dealing with such incidents and developments, however, it appears that the wheel is reinvented on each occasion, and there is little evidence that the lessons of the past inform responses in each renewed spiral of disorders.
It is useful, consequently, to review some of the difficulties and deficiencies of response in the present case without rancour or attempts to point fingers.
It must be abundantly clear that such situations present difficult challenges for the political leadership. There have been many and misconceived exhortations for politicians to "reach out" to the agitators and "find a political solution acceptable to all stakeholders".
This is politically correct nonsense.
There is little possibility of any such outreach at present, particularly in the more volatile centres of the agitation. It is unrealistic to expect politicians to go out and talk to the people, or to expect the people to listen to them, in phases of escalation, with the intimidation of the terrorists a pressing reality in the background.
The problem is not the absence of political initiatives in this phase; it is, rather, their absence in intervening periods of relatively low violence which no political party appears to have exploited to address enduring tensions and to contest persistent processes of Salafist-Islamist radicalisation in the state.
Moreover, the agitation itself was both predictable and preventable, but there were errors of assessment, both of scale and location. This suggests a very high order of the failure of intelligence - particular in view of the fact that there had been a massive media build-up on Burhan Wani.
This had been backed by ill-considered statements by officials from time to time, virtually confirming Wani's "rock star status". It is now of little utility to harp on the fact that Wani had never executed a single major operation.
There were errors of assessment, both of scale and location. (Reuters)
If that was the case, then past threat assessments vigorously projected by the SF were clearly false. In any event, once Wani was killed, there was reason to withhold details, at least till adequate security arrangements had been made to contain what should have been predictable fallout in the Valley, where street violence has been a recurrent phenomenon.
That said, it is abundantly clear that, while Wani's death created some natural sympathy, the escalation of street violence was substantially orchestrated and was clearly linked to provocations from Pakistan - not only from the terrorist leadership, but also directly from the Army command and from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
It remains to be seen whether there was a direct chain of command and flow of resources from Pakistan to those who were engineering the street violence in Kashmir, but this has certainly been the case in the escalations of 2008 and 2010.
It is useful to recall that Pakistan and India share the same frameworks of law and enforcement, and those who direct such activities across the border are well aware of the limitations of enforcement agencies and the patterns of possible responses.
While no immediate and dramatic political initiatives can be expected in a situation of heightened disorders, it is crucial that political leaders do nothing to undermine the authority of SF.
Regrettably, both the state and central government are guilty in this regard. Both chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others, issued statements directing SF to "exercise restraint".
Crucially, public calls for restraint from high office would appear to confirm claims that preceding SF responses were lacking in restraint. Such a conclusion is, however, possible only after a detailed examination of each case of police firing or use of force in which deaths or grievous injuries have occurred. Needless to say, no such examination has yet occurred.
Even if there are apprehensions of excessive use of force, or a feeling that the SF needs to be cautioned in this regard, there can be no justification for public posturing.
During the Assam agitation, for instance, I was specifically sent in to control a particular jurisdiction where firings had resulted in almost daily fatalities among demonstrators for several successive days.
My mandate was to end the cycle of police firing and retaliatory protests and demonstrations. These orders were, however, secret, personally communicated to me, and I did not share this information even with my immediate subordinates. [That situation was brought under control thereafter without a single shot fired, through the use of cane charges alone].
In a volatile situation, it is an error to place any public constraint on the responding forces, or to provide an assurance to demonstrators that the quantum of force would not exceed a particular level.
Such public directives will only encourage greater escalation by the protestors in the confidence that they would not be dealt with by extreme measures - even if such measures have been taken off the SF spectrum of options.
Funerals of militants in Kashmir have been attracting thousands of "mourners" and the state has done little on this count. This is not a new problem, and it certainly isn't unique to Kashmir.
In Punjab, the funerals of terrorists had become occasions for mass mobilisation and violent demonstrations, and on many occasions, armed terrorists mixed into the crowd, and orchestrated an escalation by opening fire on the police and paramilitary personnel in attendance, in attempts to draw fire against the crowds.
Any fatalities would, of course, renew the cycle of protests following each killing. A decision was consequently taken not to allow public funerals; only the family was to attend the last rites, and this was implemented.
This may create some resentment - but this would be a far lesser predicament than the crises created by mass and violent mobilisation in the wake of each terrorist fatality.
There has been a widespread failure on the part of state agencies to correctly manage perceptions, and this is an aspect that demands urgent attention. A certain quality of machismo is inevitable on both sides of an armed confrontation, but it serves little purpose for state forces to be putting out photographs with cross marks against terrorists killed, or to hold hasty press conferences to announce the latest killing of a prominent terrorist, without preparing well in advance for the expected fallout.
The state must, above all, appear to be circumspect, resorting to coercive measures as a last option, rather than exulting in these.
This crisis in Kashmir will also pass, as have those that preceded it. It is crucial that the opportunities of the intervening peace are not wasted. There has been a complete abandonment of political processes - rather, there has been active engagement in divisive politics - and this is something that needs to be reversed.
It is now necessary to speak to the people against terrorism, even in areas where terrorists are dominant. In the Punjab, when terrorism was peaking, public meetings were organised in the worst affected villages. A stage was set up, and people were brought in to speak.
In the beginning, there was no one in the audience - not a single person. But they heard what was being said in their homes, since loudspeakers had been installed.
People began to talk among themselves and gradually accepted that what was being said was reasonable and right, and over time crowds at such meetings swelled to the thousands.
What is happening in Kashmir is not unique; it has occurred many times, in many different parts of the country. At a particular point in time, subversive and extremist forces appear to be dominant, indeed, overwhelming.
It has been about 69 years since the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir fell in India's lap. Even though the accession did not constitute a final disposition of J&K, one may still argue that in the initial years, the situation in Kashmir was largely peaceful before things started to go from bad from worse.
In the past 26 years, the situation in the Valley has changed drastically. No longer it is called the "paradise on earth". Today, it is the worlds most militarised region. Encounters, killings, rapes, torture are now common phenomenon in Jammu and Kashmir.
Adding to the tally is the killing of 37 innocent people - and counting - after a top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander was killed in an encounter.
On July 8, people in Kashmir were still in the festive mood of Eid-ul-fitr when the news about the death of Kashmirs new militancy poster boy, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, turned the atmosphere into a pall of gloom and disarray.
Wani, along with his two associates, was killed in a brief gunfight in south Kashmir's Kokernag area in Anantnag district.
As per reports, Wani was there to procure more weapons when police launched a joint operation with Army's 19 Rashtriya Rifles to terminate the most wanted militant in the state.
Soon after the news of Burhans death spread, it took a blink of an eye to turn the situation hostile on the ground. Within no time, people in large numbers came on streets denouncing the killing.
Tens of thousands turned up for Burhan Wani's funeral in Tral, south Kashmir.
Announcements were made on public address systems with youths raising slogans in support of Burhan and azadi (freedom).
The loudspeakers were buzzing with anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. Defying the curfew orders, angry youth engaged in pitched battles with Indian forces. The cries of "Tum kitney Burhan maroge, har ghar sai Burhan niklega (How many Burhans will be killed, every house will give birth to one)" were resonating in the air.
So, why are people coming out on streets to protest the killing of a militant whom the Indian establishment has dubbed as "a dreaded terrorist and threat to society"?
Let us address some key points.
Delegitimising genuine aspirations
Over the years India has spent billions of rupees in the state in the name of growth, development and job opportunities.
A few examples are: Rajiv Gandhis proposed Rs 10,000-crore package in 1987. HD Deve Gowdas Rs 301-crore package in 1996. Manmohan Singhs Rs 24,000-crore package in 2004. And the much touted Rs 80,000-crore promise by Narendra Modi in 2015.
The government of India has been pumping money into J&K, and yet, it has failed to deliver India the licence to "own" Kashmir.
Even though India is never tired of calling Kashmir its integral part, the mass uprising of the past three decades have always proved otherwise.
The militancy of mid-1990s to the non-violent mass-uprising of 2008, 2009 and 2010, and now 2016 are a testament to how Indias policies in Kashmir have miserably failed to get any favourable outcome.
Kashmir is an offshoot of the 1947 Partition between India and Pakistan and is still one of the oldest unresolved disputes in the world. It is no secret that the majority in Kashmir strive for the right to self-determination.
Indian troops and police are consistently accused of grave human rights violations in Kashmir.
Since 1948, the UN Security Council has passed 18 resolutions assuring right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the resolutions are yet to be implemented.
Commentators and political analysts feel there is a huge gap between the mindset in New Delhi and Kashmir.
They are of the opinion that Indias approach in Kashmir is that of fire-fighting.
Trust deficit
New Delhi doesnt trust anyone in Kashmir and treats it as its colony. The mainstream politicians of Kashmir have always been used, shamed, and ruthlessly put down in the eyes of Kashmiris only for India's own petty and timely gains.
Kashmir-based journalist Daanish Bin Nabi says that trust deficit still remains one of key factors which determine ties between Srinagar and New Delhi.
"The truth is that India has never cared for Kashmiri people. From Sheikh Abdullahs unceremoniously sacking as prime minister of Kashmir and subsequently jailed, to throwing autonomy resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly in the dustbin in 2000, speaks volumes of wrongs New Delhi has done in Kashmir," Daanish said.
This trust deficit is not a new reality.
Why are people coming out on streets to protest the killing of a militant whom the Indian establishment has dubbed as "a dreaded terrorist"?
The rigging of the 1987 state elections is a testimony to the birth to the armed struggle in Kashmir. Had the Indian State been sincere in its efforts, and helped in conducting free and fair elections, the political scenario in Kashmir would have been different.
Today, the forgery in the electoral process might be a thing of past, but it is still New Delhi and her intelligence agencies in Kashmir who call the shots when it comes to the state.
Hence, the trust deficit remains the same - if not more - as ever.
Human rights violations
Human rights violations have been the biggest factor that has created alienation between Srinagar and New Delhi. At present, more than six lakh troops are stationed in the state.
India still has to impose curfews and use oppressive measures to keep Kashmir "in control".
Even though India might have won Kashmir militarily, they have lost it psychologically.
Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of Kashmiris. Indian troops and police are consistently accused of grave human rights violations in the region.
In a damning report, Amnesty International noted that no member of armed forces in Kashmir has ever been tried for human rights abuse in a civilian court since 1990, when the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) came into force in the conflict-ravaged region.
Professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain, who teaches Law at Central University of Kashmir, says:
"It was due to this sense of alienation that today there is an enmity in youth against India. Kashmiris dont want packages but resolution of Kashmir dispute."
Notably, ever since the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013, there has been a revival of militancy in Kashmir.
In 2015, for the first time in a decade, local militants outnumbered foreigners. As per the figures of Jammu and Kashmir Police, out of 142 active militants in Kashmir, 88 are locals and only 54 are foreigners.
According to official data, around 60 young men have joined militancy in the past five months in the militant stronghold of south Kashmir. Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani of Tral had a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head.
Wani became a favourite among youth and his photographs and videos were widely shared and praised on social networking sites across Kashmir.
After the death of Wani in a gunfight, the killing spree in south Kashmir in which 37 innocent people have been killed so far by Indian troops and J&K Police is one of the many glaring examples that how Kashmiris, especially the youth, are being pushed to wall.
According to data issued by the research section of Kashmir Media Service on the occasion of World Human Rights Day, Indian troops have killed 94,272 innocent Kashmiris since 1989 till date.
Of those, over 7,038 were killed in fake encounters or in custody. The killings have rendered 22,806 women widowed and 107,545 children orphaned. The Indian troops have molested 10,154 women during the period.
The fact is that India has neglected international obligations and its own Constitution by ignoring human rights violations carried out in the name of national security.
Passing the buck
Every time there is an uprising in Kashmir, New Delhi has seen it through the prism of its confrontation with Pakistan. There is no denial that Pakistan has its vested interest in J&K, but at the same time, the Indian establishment needs to understand that Kashmir issue is of its people. It is an indigenous movement.
The kangaroo trials taking place in newsrooms-cum-courts every night and labelling everyone as Pakistani has only aggravated the youth in Kashmir to exhibit their love for Pakistan.
Waving Pakistani flags on the streets of Kashmir are a part of that provocation, and more the media will exploit it, the frequency of such incidents will increase.
Pakistan has become a scapegoat for India in Kashmir. On the name of cross-border terrorism, India justifies its actions in Kashmir in front of the international community. There is a Pakistan phobia in India. The day Indian government addresses Kashmir as their own problem, it will be solved," Saleem Ahmad, a student at Kashmir University, who has been quite active in the protests, said.
One cannot crush peoples aspirations on the rhetoric of peace and development. If that would have been the nature of any enslavement, India would have still been reeling under slavery of British.
If New Delhi believes that Kashmir is its integral part, then they have to earn it by adopting the means of reconciliation and not by throwing money at the problem.
The killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, yet again, exposed the fragile peace prevalent in the Kashmir Valley.
A number of attempts have been made to analyse the emotional bursting of the dam that led to the outpouring of anger and frustration.
This article does not attempt to rationalise the incidents, as, some of the past attempts seem to have become a victim of their logic. Instead, this is a modest effort at suggesting the way forward from the crossroads that the state finds itself at.
The article suggests ten steps that need to be initiated, to not only recover from the tragic events of the past week, but also take a substantive stride forward with an aim of breaking the existing cycle of violence.
This is based on the understanding that the events succeeding the death of Burhan Wani are not merely a consequence of the incident, but the manifestation of a larger issue that reflects a sense of dissatisfaction with the status quo in Kashmir.
Killing of Burhan Wani has exposed the fragile peace prevalent in the Kashmir Valley.
The current incident was possibly a trigger that galvanised the people and also gave an opportunity to inimical forces in Pakistan to exploit these conditions.
1. Every attempt must be made to arrest the ongoing violence, through direct communication and outreach by political representatives, community leaders and village elders.
No major initiatives can be attempted under existing conditions, which continue to witness loss of lives.
2. Every effort must be made to provide immediate medical aid to security personnel and locals who could well be saved from either death or permanent disability, as a result of expeditious action.
3. A senior all-party delegation must visit the state, with representatives of all major parties of the central and state government.
They must seek a broad-based assessment of the situation, which must become the basis for any future steps initiated to address the existing problems.
4. Constitute a high-level political committee, as a representative of the central and state governments to undertake a two-fold responsibility.
One, analyse reports of past committees and distil the essence of their recommendations.
Two, meet all stakeholders in the state and suggest psychological, political, social, economic and security measures within a time frame of four months.
The recommendations must be made public, with an aim of broad-based discussions over a period of three months in order to seek views of the society at large, including the local population of the state.
5. The government must open channels of communication with all sections of the people within the state to discuss options for implementation of these recommendations.
This must include political parties, separatists, students, religious leaders and eminent members of the society.
6. The implementation of these recommendations must be undertaken in a time bound manner, with high priority to disbursement of financial assistance earmarked for flood relief.
7. Existing proposals which involve allocation of land for welfare projects must be deferred until the committee submits its report in consultation with the local representatives.
8. Existing Standard Operating Procedures for dealing with law and order situations and crowd control must be revisited for ensuring that casualties can be minimised during mass protests.
9. Measures must be strengthened to neutralise Pakistans attempts at interfering, instigating and exploiting local conditions, as also continuing with its proxy war in the state and beyond, through local, national and international initiatives.
The recent past has already witnessed Pakistan increasingly being questioned internationally regarding its duplicity in the fight against terrorism. This effort needs to be further augmented.
10. Extremist perceptions often get cemented when timely and judicious messaging does not emanate at the appropriate time.
At times when mob frenzy dictates thinking rather than rationality, a sane message of hope can soothe real and a perceived sense of hurt.
This is a process that cannot happen overnight, but, must nevertheless be undertaken in the right earnest.
The most important element of this initiative must focus upon the youth of the state, who have been affected the most during the two-decade old conflict.
These recommendations are neither all encompassing, nor final.
British politics has entered uncharted territory and is changing at an unprecedented pace.
There has been turmoil since last week when Prime Minister David Cameron decided to call it quits after being defeated in the EU referendum which he had called hoping to win and silence Tory Euro-sceptics, perhaps forever.
Now he is the one to go by suggesting that he would attempt to "steady the ship" over the coming weeks and months, but that it would be for the new prime minister to carry out negotiations with the EU.
Referendum
Cameron is right in this graceful acknowledgment of his failure. He had asked Britons to vote "Remain" but was defeated by 52 per cent to 48 per cent despite London, Scotland and Northern Ireland backing staying in.
On the other side, the opposition Labour party's leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is also coming under attack from all sides with his critics accusing him of being half-hearted in calling for Labour voters to unite behind "Remain".
The divisions within the United Kingdom are as stark as ever as London, Scotland and Northern Ireland voting to stay in the EU. Scotland voted in favour of the UK staying in the EU by 62 per cent to 38 per cent.
David Cameron leaves number 10, Downing Street for his last Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, on his last day in office as UK PM. (Reuters)
Scotland's first minister now views a second independence referendum as "highly likely" after the UK voted to leave the EU by suggesting that it was "democratically unacceptable" that Scotland faced the prospect of being taken out of the EU against its will.
The European leaders have called for the UK "to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be" as a delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty.
Remaining 27 members of the European Union would now like to get over this shock as early as possible and not to give the UK any more special privileges for fear of similar demands from other nationalistic parties across the continent.
Legacy
There will be both opportunities and challenges for India as the new European order gets conceived. But in the short term, Cameron's departure will be a significant loss for India-UK ties.
He has championed Indian interests like few British prime ministers in recent years.
The UK is the largest European investor in India and India is the second largest investor in the UK. There are significant historical, linguistic and cultural ties that remain untapped.
But the Labour government's legacy on India was very complex and Cameron's government needed great diplomatic finesse to manage the challenges.
This was particularly true of the issue of Kashmir where the Labour government could not help but irritate New Delhi.
As late as 2009, the former foreign secretary, David Miliband, was hectoring the Indian government that the resolution of the Kashmir dispute is essential to solving the problem of extremism in South Asia.
Transition
Miliband's ill-informed pronouncements and complete lack of sensitivity to Indian concerns raised some fundamental questions in New Delhi about the trajectory of British foreign policy.
Miliband was merely trying to assuage the concerns of Labour Party's domestic constituents, in particular the Pakistani Muslims who form the largest share of British Muslims.
But such an approach has left an indelible mark on the Indian psyche of Britain being on the side of Pakistan.
Cameron's government has made a serious effort to jettison the traditional British approach towards the subcontinent in so far as it has decided to deal with India as a rising power, not merely as a South Asian entity.
Cameron himself made all the right noises when he came to India. He warned Pakistan against promoting any "export of terror", whether to India or elsewhere, and said it must not be allowed to "look both ways".
He proposed a close security partnership with India and underlined that Britain like India was determined that groups like the Taliban, the Haqqani network or Lakshar-e-Taiba should not be allowed to launch attacks on Indian and British citizens in India or in Britain.
More significantly, the British prime minister has also rejected any role for his country in the India-Pakistan dispute.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successful trip to the UK last year was a reflection of the transformation in India-UK ties under Cameron.
As Britain undergoes a leadership transition, India will be hoping that the new prime minister will build on the legacy of Cameron.
CHI Memorial announced that the Continence Center has been renamed CHI Memorial Pelvic Health Care. The change reflects the variety of pelvic issues treated at this state-of-the-art center.
Millions of men and women in the United States are affected by pelvic floor dysfunction which can occur when the muscles of the pelvic floor are weak or tight. Pelvic pain is a symptom of a variety of problems in the pelvic area including bowel and bladder conditions, gynecological conditions, musculoskeletal problems and pelvic organ prolapse. Statistics from the National Center for Biotechnology Information show 25 percent of women in the United States have at least one disorder.
At CHI Memorial Pelvic Health Care, physical therapists who specialize in pelvic floor disorders provide conservative treatment for appropriate patients. Treatment options include manual therapy, biofeedback, electrical stimulation, bladder retraining and education, specific strengthening exercises and orthopedic physical therapy assessments. These conservative options provide effective results for many people. When conservative treatments arent achieving the desired results, a surgical consultation is available.
We understand how sensitive pelvic health issues can be, says Michele Webb, PT, DPT (CAPP), CHI Memorial Pelvic Health Care. Our multidisciplinary team works together to provide men and women with the tools and skills they need to return to their active lifestyles.
Treatment is available for men and women with the following problems:
If you saw a shiny red fire truck pulled next to the Whitfield County Administration Building No. 2 on Monday night, dont worry.
The Whitfield County Fire Department was just excited to show off the first engine that had just arrived - purchased with Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds approved by voters last year. Firefighters brought the truck to let residents and county commissioners take an up-close look, and Commissioner Harold Brooker even climbed into the cab and turned the sirens and lights on.
Who could blame Brooker for being so excited about the badly needed fire trucks?
Indeed, Lt. Chris West described the departments feelings about the new engine as being like a kid in a candy store.
Three more engines just like this one are expected to be in Whitfield County by the end of the week, and extensive training will start next week, West said.
All the guys are excited, he said, and theres going to be a lot of new training going on over the next couple of weeks. Every driver in the department, no matter if youre an assistant chief to a basic driver, is going to train on this truck. The publics going to see them out and about, and what it will be, its all these drivers getting familiar with the truck.
All drivers will practice driving through parking lots with cones and will complete a 35-mile road test before theyre certified to drive the engines.
Then drivers where the engines will be located (Station 3 in Dawnville, Station 4 in Valley Point, Station 7 in Tunnel Hill, and Station 8 on the South Bypass) will spend even more time training, completing a couple of hundred miles of driving apiece before they start trucking down the road running emergencies.
If everything goes well, the department expects the engines to be in service by the end of July, West said.
Not only are the engines new, though, but all the equipment going on them will be new, an important factor for the department, West pointed out.
This is the first time since they started the department that theyve ordered every piece of equipment, West said. Before, we had to take all the equipment off the old trucks to put on the new trucks, so then whenever the new truck was down, you had to swap all that equipment back to your spare.
Now, however, there will be seven reserve engines fully equipped throughout the county that can be used as reserve and second-out trucks if needed at a fire.
Each of the four new engines will cost around $425,000 counting equipment, and West was quick to point out the importance of the SPLOST funds.
That penny right there made the difference, he said, pointing to a logo prominently displayed on the upper side of the truck. The SPLOST allowed us to be able to buy the equipment needed for the fire service.
The new trucks are by far better engines and safer for the firemen, West said. Theyre built from the chassis up to be a fire truck, designed to be a fire truck, designed to carry the weight, he said, so itll make our firemen safer, just going to make them do their job more efficiently.
West pointed out that every light on the trucks, except for the headlights, is LED, which pull lower voltage so that a big generator isnt needed to power them when on the scene. The firefighters can also communicate better with each other in the truck thanks to a new wireless headphone system.
West also talked about the built-in snow chains that are raised and lowered with the push of a button.
You activate the switch, he said, and the chains drop to the ground and spin under the tires. You dont have to do anything. Then you hit the switch again, and the chains go back up.
Two more new big trucks are also on the way, including a 75-foot single-axle ladder truck and a 100-foot aerial dual-axle truck that are expected to be here in September or October.
Mexican Sandwich Shop Cemitas Puebla To Open Hyde Park Location
By Mae Rice in Food on Jul 15, 2016 2:56PM
Photo via Facebook
Mexican sandwich shop Cemitas Puebla is poised to open a new location in Hyde Park, owner Tony Anteliz confirmed to Eater on Thursday. The South Side Cemitas will open in on 57th Street (1321 E. 57th St.) in the storefront recently vacated by Packed, an upscale dumpling restaurant that closed back in May after just four months in business. Anteliz told Eater there was no set opening date yet, but that the new Cemitas could open within a few months.
Some background, if you haven't made it to Cemitas Puebla yet: They're the best.
Guy Fieri has visited (always a good sign, unless you're talking about a hairdresser), and they've made our lists of Chicago's best cheap eats and best hangover foods. Their signature dish is their cemita, obviously, a sandwich served on a sesame roll with housemade chipotle sauce, avocado, and Oaxacan cheese. Before this outpost opens, you can get your Cemitas Puebla fix at two current locations: one in the West Loop's Fulton Market, and the other a long-term pop-up in Logan Square.
We've reached out to Cemitas Puebla for more details, and we'll update this post if we hear back.
Police Review Board Urges Strict Revisions To Use Of Deadly Force Policy
By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 15, 2016 5:05PM
Photo: Scott Olson / Getty Images
The group tasked with investigating Chicago police shootings made a host of recommendations to the police department in its latest quarterly report, the most notable being a call for stricter guidelines on the use of deadly force.
The use of physical force to achieve law enforcement goals is perhaps the most important privilege that we as a community bestow on our law enforcement professionals, the report reads. This privilege, however, is not without limits.
The recommendation includes five distinct points regarding deadly force. Of the five, the most significant are a request that officers give warning calls before firing a weapon, when possible, and a call for a revision to the fleeing felon guidelines.
The first point argues that the affirmation of the protection of life provision should be placed first in the Chicago Police Department governing policy be revised in order to reflect that the department values all human life.
Secondly, the fleeing felon provision should be revised so that officers can use deadly force only when he or she reasonably believes that the fleeing suspect presents an immediate threat of harm. As written now, officers can fire weapons in order to prevent the escape of a fleeing felon, regardless of the degree of threat posed.
Third, the agency recommends police more closely consider the context around officer shootings. The report states that policies in other police departments discourage tactics that might unnecessarily escalate an incident, although it does not offer specifics on what exactly those tactics are.
The fourth point offers a list of factors that should be considered in determining the appropriateness of use of force. The list of considerations includes the seriousness of the crime, the level of threat posed by the subject and the training and experience of the officer.
Finally, the review authority urges that a warning should be given by officers before firing at suspects when possible under the circumstances. We understand that these incidents evolve quickly and that officers do not always have the luxury of time in which to react to changing circumstances. However, the use of deadly force should always be a last resort.
The full 72-page report can be read here. The Use of Deadly Force Policy Recommendations begin on page 21.
The Fraternal Order of Police did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The report comes as the IPRA faces its own embattlements. Rahm Emanuel requested the agency be abolished and replaced. The City Council held hearings on July 6 and 7 about police oversight. Their approach has been criticized for not including a civilian-elected board, failing to reach out to experts on the subject matter and showing a general lack of interest in thorough public input.
On 14 July, State Councilor Yang Jiechi gave an interview to state media on the so-called award of the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration during which he elaborated on China's position. The full text of the interview is as follows:
Reporter: On 12 July, the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration issued its so-called award, which attempts to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. In response, China issued a Statement on the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines, Statement on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea and a White Paper entitled China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, stating China's solemn position of non-acceptance and non-recognition of the award and reaffirming China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. How do you view the award by the so-called Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration?
Yang Jiechi: The Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration has issued its so-called award. This award is illegal and invalid in every sense. The Chinese government has released relevant statements and a White Paper stating its solemn position of firmly opposing the arbitration and not accepting or recognizing the award. This position of the central government has the strong support and endorsement from people of various social sectors in China. They have expressed their unequivocal attitude of opposing the illegal arbitration and safeguarding sovereign rights and interests by contributing articles and articulating views through the press, TV and SMS as well as online platforms like WeChat and Weibo.
The South China Sea arbitration has been a political farce all along, staged under the cover of law and driven by a hidden agenda. Certain countries outside the region have attempted to deny China's sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea through the arbitration. They have even brought other countries into the scheme to isolate and discredit China in the international community with a view to holding back China's peaceful development. But such attempts are futile, to say the least, and in so doing, they are only lifting a stone to drop it on their own feet. I must point out that the arbitration runs counter to the spirit of international rule of law, puts regional peace and stability in jeopardy, and undermines the interests of the international community. Most countries in the world see this clearly. Over 70 countries and international and regional organizations have made statements showing their understanding of and support for China's position. This speaks volumes about the attitude of the international community toward the political farce, proving the futility of certain countries' scheme to hem in and smear China.
Sovereignty is a bottom line for China. Big as China is, we cannot afford to give away a single inch of territory that our ancestors have left to us. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea have been formed over the course of over two thousand years. They are fully backed by historical and legal evidence. Under no circumstances can they ever be negated by a so-called award that is full of nonsense. The award can neither change historical facts nor deny China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea. Still less can it waver our resolve and determination to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. China's position of not accepting or recognizing the award will not change. At the same time, China will stay committed to following a path of peaceful development, to resolving the disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation and consultation, to developing friendly relations and win-win cooperation with its neighbors, and to working with others to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Reporter: Why do you believe that the Philippines' initiation of arbitration is against international law?
Yang Jiechi: A basic requirement of international rule of law is that actions must be taken in strict accordance with the law. The crux of disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea are issues concerning territory and maritime delimitation. Territorial issues are not governed by UNCLOS. On maritime delimitation, China made a declaration on optional exceptions in 2006 pursuant with UNCLOS stipulations, excluding it from the dispute settlement mechanisms of UNCLOS. By unilaterally initiating arbitration, the Philippine government under Aquino III has gone against its long-standing bilateral agreement with China that disputes in the South China Sea shall be settled through negotiation, violated the DOC signed in 2002 by China and ASEAN countries, the Philippines included, and breached international law and UNCLOS. Hence, this arbitration has been illegal since the very beginning. It cannot be seen as an application of international law.
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Flash
The Hague tribunal's award against China in the South China Sea case on Tuesday will likely reduce the number of Chinese visitors to the Philippines, but will not have an impact on tourism in Southeast Asia, experts said Wednesday.
Chinese tourists cited safety concerns and nationalist sentiment following the Hague's ruling as main factors for their decision not to visit the Philippines, which, experts said, is a sign of declining demand for bookings to the Southeast Asian country.
"It is a market demand instead of any administrative factor that will trigger changes to the Philippine tourism market," Jiang Yiyi, director of international tourism development at the Beijing-based China Tourism Academy, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
"I will not consider traveling to the Philippines anymore because of safety concerns," a man in Beijing, who gave his surname as Chen, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Chen, who is his 20s, said political tensions between China and the Philippines after the Hague's ruling is cause for safety concerns.
Beijing teacher Guo Yanting also said she will not visit the Philippines anytime soon to show her patriotism.
"Under the current tense situation, I will definitely not travel to the Philippines as a way to show my patriotism," Guo told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Chen and Guo are not alone; in fact, none of nearly 50 people the Global Times spoke to on Wednesday said he or she would visit the Philippines, citing similar reasons.
Declining popularity
That could add to the declining popularity of the Philippines among Chinese tourists in recent years, due to the tense relationship between China and the Philippines caused by the South China Sea disputes, said Ma Ding, director of overseas affairs at Beijing-based BTG International Travel & Tours.
"Tuesday's award will lead to the decline of the number of Chinese visitors to the Philippines," Ma told the Global Times Wednesday, noting that the travel agency's investment plans in the Philippines will depend on the actual situation.
The number of Chinese visitors to the Philippines stood under 300,000 in the first half of the year, including those going to the country for business and visits to relatives, Zhu Zhengyu, a tourism analyst at Beijing-based market consultancy Analysys International, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
China is the Philippines' third largest visitor source, with an annual growth rate of 8 percent, Zhu said, noting that the Philippine tourism market is not mature and quite small.
"Although the Philippines is experiencing 'cold' relations with China on the political level, it still wants to kept 'hot' economic and trade ties with the world's second largest economy," Zhu noted.
Room for growth
While less Chinese tourists might visit the Philippines, other countries in Southeast Asia are likely to see more, because of their advanced development, geographical proximity and favorable visa policies, experts said.
"I still would like to travel to countries like Thailand and Singapore thanks to the distance and favorable visa policies," Abby Lin of Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, told the Global Times Wednesday.
Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are the major tourism markets in Southeast Asia and these three countries are not directly involved in the South China Sea ruling, noted Zhu.
More than 10 million Chinese tourists flooded Southeast Asian countries in 2015, with Thailand attracting about 8 million Chinese, according to experts.
In an effort to attract more Chinese visitors, Indonesia included China in its visa-free list in June 2015 and Malaysia offered visa-free entry and issued e-visas for Chinese visitors in March this year.
Flash
Photo taken on July 14, 2016 shows the street view which is some 300 meters away from Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France. A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100, local media reported. [Photo/Xinhua]
At least 84 people were killed and many others injured, with 18 in critical condition, as a truck rammed into a crowd Thursday night in Nice, southern France, according to French interior ministry.
At 22:30 Thursday night local time, a truck drove at high speed into the crowd who gathered on the promenade to watch fireworks marking July 14, the French national day, wrote Christian Estrosi, president of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, on Twitter.
Estrosi described the incident as "the worst Nice drama of history."
BFMTV said the truck "traveled for two kilometers ploughing people."
The driver in the incident, which was earlier reportedly described by the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes as an "attack", was neuralized and probe was launched to determine whether he acted alone, the interior ministry said.
French President Francois Hollande, who was in Avignon, was going back to Paris where he will directly go to the crisis unit at the Interior Ministry, according to Elysee.
Bernard Cazeneuve, Interior Minister, will arrive at Nice in the coming hours, said Pierre-Henry Brandet, the spokesperson of Interior Ministry, adding that there was no hostage in the incident.
Flash
China and Mongolia Thursday agreed to speed up the alignment of development strategies and boost cooperation to forge closer ties, as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was visiting this landlocked country.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) holds talks with Mongolian Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 14, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]
"We both agreed to steer the development of bilateral ties into the right direction," Li told a joint press conference after talks with his Mongolian counterpart Jargaltulga Erdenebat.
Li, in a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, reiterated China's stance on the South China Sea issue, saying that any dispute should be solved through bilateral negotiations by parties directly concerned.
SINO-MONGOLIAN TIES
Li arrived in Ulan Bator on Wednesday afteroon to pay an official visit. It was his first trip to Mongolia since he took office in 2013.
Sharing a 4,710-km-long borderline, China and Mongolia have witnessed warmer relations in recent years thanks to closer economic links and political trust.
During his talks with Erdenebat, Li said that China and Mongolia are neighbors, friends and partners, and the two countries have maintained a good momentum in building a comprehensive strategic partnership reached by both sides in August 2014.
Li said that the two countries respected each other's core interests and major concerns. China respected Mongolia's state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as the development path chosen by the Mongolian people.
"China looks forward to working with Mongolia's new government in continued efforts to consolidate political mutual trust and maintain exchanges between high-level officials, so as to deepen cooperation in all respects," Li said.
Li said the two neighbors are economically complementary and new opportunities in deepening cooperation have become available. China stands ready to dovetail its Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Steppe Road program. China is also willing to start a feasibility study on a free trade pact with Mongolia.
Besides, China stands ready to make new progress with Mongolia in such fields as the processing of farm and pasture products, housing and infrastructure, said Li, who also suggested the two sides strengthen financial cooperation and expand currency-swap scale, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.
Erdenebat, for his part, said that economic cooperation and trade are major pillars in bilateral ties and the Mongolian side is willing to advance cooperation with China in such fields as agriculture, livestock farming, energy, minerals and infrastructure, he said.
Erdenebat welcomed more investment from Chinese firms, adding that Mongolia is positive with starting the feasibility study of a free trade pact.
China has for years been Mongolia's largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment. According to official statistics, two-way trade has expanded 50 times over the past two decades.
Following the talks, Erdenebat and Li witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation agreements ranging from trade, technology and infrastructure to radio and TV broadcasting.
Li also met with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Chairman of the State Great Hural Miyegombo Enkhbold in the day to discuss ways to improve bilateral ties.
TWO-WAY NEGOTIATION ON SEA DISPUTES
On Thursday, Li also met with leaders of Vietnam, Latvia and Laos, all of whom will attend the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit to be held in Ulan Bator from July 15 to 16.
Li told his Vietnamese counterpart that the South China Sea issue should be solved through bilateral negotiations by relevant parties on the basis of historical facts and in accordance with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
The DOC, signed in 2002 by China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, including the Philippines, stipulates that the parties concerned undertake to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned.
On the award issued Tuesday by an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, Li said China has been very clear on its stance of not recognizing or accepting the award. The DOC has helped maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea over the past years, he said.
The Chinese premier called on Vietnam to value the hard-won momentum in the development of bilateral relations and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea with China.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc, for his part, said Vietnam respects China's stance on the arbitration, which was unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, and Vietnam maintains that the disputes should be solved peacefully through negotiations.
On bilateral ties, Li said China-Vietnam relations have shown a positive momentum since last year, with early results yielding in maritime, land and financial cooperation.
Phuc said Vietnam and China enjoy a "comradely and brotherly" relationship with common interests significantly overriding differences.
Vietnam stands ready to push forward the mechanism of bilateral maritime negotiations and properly manage differences with China, so as to contribute to regional peace and stability, Phuc said.
In a meeting with Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis, Li said China is ready to join hands with Latvia to synergize their development strategies, promote cooperation in such areas as transportation, infrastructure construction and trade, achieve dynamic equilibrium of bilateral trade, and boost people-to-people exchanges in youth, media, tourism and other areas at different levels.
China supports Latvia in hosting the fifth leaders' meeting between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. China is willing to work with Latvia to promote cooperation within the China-CEE framework -- known as 16+1 -- so as to benefit both sides, Li added.
Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
TCS also said in a statement that revenue grew 14 percent to 293.05 billion rupees in the June quarter from the same period last year
Mumbai: India's Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) said it will watch out for any impact from Britain's move to exit the European Union as the country's top software services exporter reported a better-than-expected 10.7 percent rise in first-quarter profit.
Europe is the second-biggest market after the United States for India's software services companies. United Kingdom accounts for 14.8 percent of TCS' revenue, while the rest of Europe contributes 11.5 percent.
"Based on anything I've heard from any client, I don't have any negative input at this point," TCS Chief Executive N. Chandrasekaran told a news conference.
"Having said that, we need to watch how Brexit plays out, how companies react, especially financial institutions," he said, adding the company was in touch with key customers.
Chandrasekaran also said TCS' deal pipeline looked "very good" and that the company was hopeful of pushing for some price increases in areas such as digital, consulting and automation.
TCS on Thursday reported a net profit of 63.17 billion rupees ($944 million) for its fiscal first quarter to June 30 from a year earlier under IFRS accounting standards, ahead of analysts' expectation of 60.88 billion rupees.
Revenue grew 14 percent to 293.05 billion rupees in the June quarter from the same period last year, TCS also said in a statement.
During the quarter, the company added four clients that contributed over $50 million each, and six with annual billing of more than $20 million each, it said.
Ahead of the results, TCS shares, valued at about $74 billion, closed 1.2 percent higher, ahead of a 0.5 percent gain in the broader NSE index.
The stock is up 3.5 percent this year, compared to a 7.8 percent rise in the main market index. TCS also underperformed a 6.4 percent gain in closest rival Infosys Ltd, which reports results on Friday.
In honor of National Ice Cream Day, Uber is celebrating the day by partnering with frozen desserts maker Magnum and will deliver ice cream bars to more than 400 cities in over 69 countries.
Uber is known for providing one of the best and comfortable transports around the world. However, on Friday, July 15, 2106, Uber will be celebrating National Ice Cream Day with a unique twist. National Ice Cream Day actually falls on Sunday.
In honor of National Ice Cream Day, Uber is celebrating the day by partnering with frozen desserts maker Magnum and will deliver ice cream bars to more than 400 cities in over 69 countries, reports USA Today. In order to take advantage of this, Uber customers can simply open the app on their smartphones, set their location and click on the promotionwhich is an ice cream tab. If available in your area, you will be seeing the icon showing it. You can also click on Request ice cream.
Pricing for the ice cream will vary, depending on city to city and country to country. In the US, Uber expects the price to be $10 for four ice cream bars. Uber will accept orders between 11am and 3pm in all countries.
Uber expects to deliver ice cream in unique ways, taking a cue from their past promotions. Your ice cream could arrive in classic cars in New York, cable cars in San Francisco, on segways and drones in Mexico and in canoes in Hawaii. Bangkok customers could see speedboats while Dallas guys could see carriages with a horse dressed as a unicorn.
While most of the countries will have their customers paying for the ice cream, there will be 20 cities where Ubers UberEats food delivery service will send out free ice cream for their patrons. UberEats users will also get options to select a Klondike bar, which is another frozen dessert confection. These cities will include Austin, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and San Francisco.
The Sensex closed the day at 27,836.50, down 105.61 points or 0.38 per cent while the Nifty ended the day at 8,541.40 losing 23.60 points or 0.28 per cent.
Mumbai: IT bellwether Infosys Technologies on Friday disappointed investors by reporting a lower than expected quarterly performance for the quarter ended June 2016 and also revised downwards its earnings guidance for FY17 amidst slowdown in discretionary spending in its key markets abroad.
The companys net profit increased 13.4 per cent to Rs 3436 crore as compared to Rs 3,028 crore reported in June 2015 missing street expectation. The company also cut down its FY17 revenue growth guidance to 10.5 per cent 12 per cent from its earlier guidance of 11.5 per cent 13.5 per cent given just three months back.
We had unanticipated headwinds in discretionary spending in consulting services as well as slower project ramp-ups in large deals that we had won in earlier quarters, resulting in a lower-than-expected growth in the first quarter,said Vishal Sikka, chief executive officer, Infosys Tech.
On the impact of Brexit, Mr Sikka pointed out that the development hadnt impacted the company so far. As we look ahead to the future clearly (Brexit) is something that many banks are worried about and so forth. In the near term we dont know how this will play out and so forth. So, given the visibility we lowered our guidance, he added.
The shares of Infosys tanked 10 per cent in the intra-day trade as soon as the numbers were released and finally closed the day at 1072.25, down 8.81 per cent or `103.60. The sharp slump in the shares of Infosys tripped the four-day rally on the domestic bourses.
The Sensex closed the day at 27,836.50, down 105.61 points or 0.38 per cent while the Nifty ended the day at 8,541.40 losing 23.60 points or 0.28 per cent.
The weak performance registered by Infosys also had an impact on the entire IT pack with Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro too falling 3.11 per cent and 2.81 per cent respectively.
The country, however, continues to rank number 2 in citing regulations and red tape as a constraint on growth for two consecutive quarters.
New Delhi: After staying on top for two quarters, India slipped to the third position globally on the scale of business optimism because of delays in key reforms like the GST and bad loans facing state-owned banks, says a report.
According to the latest Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), India ranked third during the April- June quarter of 2016.
"Delays in key reforms like GST, non-resolution of tax disputes, banking issues due to NPAs and need for significant recapitalisation of public sector banks are some of biggest concerns of Corporate India that have collectively impacted the business confidence affecting the overall business optimism in the country," the report said.
Moreover, growth in employment expectations dropped to second position during this period from top rank in the previous quarter (January-March this year), while the optimism further slipped to fourth place in profitability expectations from third.
"This is a clear signal that while there is optimism in the market and great business opportunity in India, the issue that is bothering investors is the slow progress on key reforms, simplification of tedious government processes and regulatory uncertainties which is impacting Indias ranking," Harish HV, Partner India Leadership team, Grant Thornton India LLP said.
"The passing of GST bill which we hope will happen in the current parliament session should reverse this trend," he added.
India however, continues to top the chart on expectations of increasing revenue as 96 per cent of the respondents within the survey have voted in favour of increasing revenue. While the business confidence in India has plummeted, there is a tremendous rise in the optimism for an increase in exports.
According to the survey, 35 per cent of respondents expect a rise in exports compared to 13 per cent in the last quarter. The country, however, continues to rank number 2 in citing regulations and red tape as a constraint on growth for two consecutive quarters.
Mumbai: A lower revenue guidance from blue-chip Infosys spooked the benchmark Sensex, which fell 179 points, breaching below the 28,000-mark, as it wiped off all its early session gains.
Software major Infosys today posted a 13.4 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 3,436 crore for the June quarter, but slashed full-year revenue guidance to 10.5-12 per cent, which did not meet market expectations, leading to a plunge in IT and technology shares.
However, buying interest was seen in auto, FMCG, healthcare, industrials, telecom and consumer durables. The 30-share barometer started higher, but came down by 179.48 points, or 0.64 per cent, to 27,762.63 at 1230 hours.
The NSE 50-share Nifty also traded lower by 47.15 points, or 0.55 per cent, at 8,517.85. Infosys was worst hit, down 8.88 per cent, followed by TCS 3.11 per cent, Wipro 2.5 per cent, NTPC 1.33 per cent and ICICI Bank 1.16 per cent.
Notable gainers were Tata Steel, up 3.44 per cent, followed by Tata Motors, Adani Ports and M&M. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) remained net buyers, purchasing shares worth Rs 869.84 crore yesterday, as per provisional data of the stock exchanges.
Overseas, Asian market ruled firm as better-than -expected GDP growth data from China lifted risk sentiment, which was already upbeat following record highs on the Wall Street.
US stocks extended their bull run into the record books yesterday on stronger-than-expected results from large financial institutions, including JP Morgan Chase, as well as upbeat economic data.
The attack is the third major strike against France in less than 18 months. Photo: AP
Mumbai: Bollywood celebrities Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Aanand L Rai, Anushka Sharma among others have offered their condolences to the victims and survivors of the truck attack in Nice, France.
A truck ploughed into a crowd in Nice, killing at least 84 people and injuring many after the Bastille Day firework display.
Read: Bastille Day celebrations end in tears as truck kills 84; attacker identified
The driver was shot dead after barrelling the truck two kilometres through the festive crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies.
"Quantico" actress Priyanka wrote, "The world is turning so cruel... How do human beings do this to each other. My heart bleeds for the victims of the Nice attack #PeaceForNice."
The world is turning so cruel...How do human beings do this to each other.My heart bleeds for the victims of the Nice attack #PeaceForNice PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) July 15, 2016
Johar posted, "This is just deeply tragic....#NiceAttack ...prayers and prayers for the loved ones of so many innocent lives."
Hey @realpreityzinta ....thank you my darling!!! Sending you a big hug and kiss.... Karan Johar (@karanjohar) July 15, 2016
Anushka called the incident "heartbreaking". "How many more times will we witness horrific attacks against humanity?cannot express the anger #NiceAttack."
Heartbreaking!! How many more times will we witness horrific attacks against humanity?cannot express the anger #NiceAttack . Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) July 15, 2016
Shahid wrote, "Shame shame shame. Inhuman and cowardly. #NiceAttack."
Shame shame shame. Inhuman and cowardly. #NiceAttack Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) July 15, 2016
Madhuri Dixit-Nene said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives. My thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved families. #NiceAttack."
Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives. My thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved families. #NiceAttack Madhuri Dixit-Nene (@MadhuriDixit) July 15, 2016
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Mindless. Sad. Only when every human life will be equally precious can it all stop #NiceAttack," actor Randeep Hooda tweeted.
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.Mindless.Sad.Only when every human life will be equally precious can it all stop #NiceAttack Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) July 15, 2016
Shirish Kunder posted, "#NiceAttack If all the powers in the world come together, they can easily end terrorism. But they won't. Because..."
#NiceAttack If all the powers in the world come together, they can easily end terrorism. But they won't. Because... pic.twitter.com/xeXX5OyKkM Shirish Kunder (@ShirishKunder) July 15, 2016
Terrorists shout 'Allahu Akbar' before attacks only to simultaneously ruin lives of all other innocent Muslims across the world. #NiceAttack Shirish Kunder (@ShirishKunder) July 15, 2016
"Was at this very #Nice promenade, on the phone with a friend who was hurt in Istanbul airport attack, 2 weeks ago. Now this? #PrayForNice," Boman Irani said.
Was at this very #Nice promenade, on the phone with a friend who was hurt in Istanbul airport attack, 2 weeks ago. Now this? #PrayForNice Boman Irani (@bomanirani) July 15, 2016
Actor Siddharth tweeted, "Nothing to do but mourn. #NiceAttack".
Nothing to do but mourn. #NiceAttack Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) July 15, 2016
Down with violence and up with humanity and that's how we all will get back to sanity ! Stop these attacks #NiceAttack Sidharth Malhotra (@S1dharthM) July 15, 2016
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a special leave petition filed by the widow and son of victim, Shaikh Noorulla Shafik, who was killed in the 'hit and run car accident, seeking compensation and challenging the acquittal of actor Salman Khan.
A Bench headed by Justice J.S. Khehar dismissed the petition observing that since the State of Maharashtra had already filed the appeal which has been admitted, there was no need for another petition.
In a special leave petition, the widow Begumjaha Haroon Khan and her son said the actors acquittal was a gross miscarriage of justice. They also prayed that they should be suitably compensated for the loss of the sole breadwinner in the family.
The first petitioner widow is taking up odd jobs on daily basis as a domestic help. whereas the second petitioner is making ends meet by working at construction sites. The only source of income is the money they receive from an NGO called Priya Janahit Sewa Foundation.
When lawyer Shiva Kumar Tripathi, appearing for Shaikh, said the victim had not been paid any compensation, the bench responded by saying that filing an appeal for that, is not a remedy.
The special leave petition (SLP) filed by the injured man had claimed that the high court has wrongly acquitted Salman by "ignoring the material points with regard to the statement of the petitioner before the police and the trial court" which had sentenced him to five years rigorous imprisonment.
The petition had said the high court was not justified in not attributing knowledge on part of Salman in driving the vehicle at a fast speed and under the influence of liquor, treating it as a pure and simple accident and not considering it as a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304 Part-II of the IPC.
The Maharashtra government has already challenged Salman's acquittal and sought restoration of trial court's decision. The high court, in its verdict passed on December 10 last year, had held that the prosecution had failed to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that the actor was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident and was drunk.
The high court judgment had come on an appeal by Salman, seven months after he was pronounced guilty by trial court of running over five people sleeping on a pavement outside a laundry in suburban Bandra with his Toyota Land Cruiser, killing one and injuring four others on October 28, 2002.
On May 6 last year, a sessions court had convicted Salman in the case in which one person was killed and four others injured after his vehicle crushed them when they were asleep on a pavement.
MSCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said, "We have received the letter. We are studying it now. We have sent it to our legal department and will decide the future course of action."
Mumbai: Actor Salman Khan skipped personal appearance for the third time before the Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW), but sent a letter to the panel in response to the summons issued to him over his 'rape'
remarks.
The content of the letter was not yet known. The MSCW, which had asked Salman to appear before it on July 14, said they are consulting their legal department regarding the actor's letter.
"We have received the letter. We are studying it now. We have sent it to our legal department and will decide the future course of action," MSCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar told reporters.
She, however, did not reveal the contents of the letter or if any action will be taken by the MSCW regarding the controversy.
Khan had recently landed himself in controversy for his statement that he felt like a "raped woman" after the gruelling shoot for his film "Sultan", in which he plays a wrestler.
The 50-year-old actor was asked to come for hearing on two previous occasions, but he did not turn up. Subsequently, he was asked appear before the commission today.
Earlier, when the commission sent the first summon to the actor, Salman had sent a letter to the panel through his lawyer stating that the case was already being heard by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the matter cannot be heard simultaneously at two places.
Later, Salman had on July 8 defied the National Commission for Women's summons and did not appear before it to clarify his controversial remark, a day after he missed a date with the Maharashtra women's panel.
The Maharashtra state commission had then asked the actor to appear before it today.
After mesmerizing audience with their on-screen chemistry for an advertisement, Parineeti Chopra and Varun Dhawan have collaborated for a peppy dance number Jaaneman Aah in Dishoom. Few days after the makers have released the song, Varun Dhawan shared a dance video of his prank set up for Parineeti while practicing the song. During the shoot, Varun Dhawan played a prank on his co-star Parineeti as they were practising their dance moves.
So we set up a fake dance routine to scare @ParineetiChopra during #JaanemanAah. This is how she reacts #dishoom pic.twitter.com/X6JnQ0ZtIP Varun JUNAID dhawan (@Varun_dvn) July 14, 2016
Dishoom which was extensively shot in Abu Dhabi and Morocco, was wrapped up at a Bandra studio on April 18. It will add a refreshing twist in the otherwise hard core action thriller. Though the plot hasnt been revealed, fans can certainly expect to see quite a few desert scenes, sand bikes, daring stunts, romance and a lot more action sequences amidst the beautiful backdrop.
John and Rohit are collaborating for the second time after Desi Boyz with the movie, while this is Varuns first project with his director-brother. On the other hand, Parineeti, who was last seen in 'Kill Dill' is currently shooting for 'Meri Pyaari Bindu' opposite Ayushmann Khurrana.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is heading to China for motivational lectures. Confirming his rendezvous in the alien land, Nawaz says, I am going to Zhengzou on Friday where Ill be lecturing on my life, struggle, background, aspirations, etc.
Nawaz says he never realised there was a story worth telling in his life until organisations approached him for motivational lectures.
I feel honoured and flattered that my journey from the small unsung village of Budhana to my years training to be an actor in Delhi, and then my 13-year struggle in Bollywood when suddenly everything came together, is worth something for others.
Nawaz intends to put together his life story in a memoir soon. At the moment he is excited about seeing China for the first time. Ive never been to China. I plan to travel for five days before getting back to work in Mumbai, the actor adds.
Producer Dana Brunetti wrote, "Production has confirmed that everyone working on location in the south of France is okay."
Los Angeles: Erotic thriller 'Fifty Shades Freed' producer Dana Brunetti has assured fans that the cast and crew working on a location about 40 minutes outside of Nice are fine after a truck ploughed into a crowd in the French Riviera city.
An attacker drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, killing up to 80 people and injuring scores.
The cast and crew of the second sequel to 'Fifty Shades of Grey' had wrapped production for the day before the attack took place.
"From production: 'Production has confirmed that everyone working on location in the south of France is okay. Everyone has been accounted for and is safe and sound.' Thanks for everyone's messages and concerns. Another sad day for France and the world," Brunetti wrote on Facebook.
The cast, including Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, and director James Foley have not been staying in Nice though they have been filming in the French Riviera. On Monday, the on-screen pair were spotted filming a honeymoon scene on a pebbled bay in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly. (Photo: AP)
The Zika outbreak rampaging through Latin America will likely burn itself out in the next two to three years, based on the fact that people develop immunity to the virus after an initial infection, British scientists said on Thursday.
The researchers, whose work is published in the journal Science, estimated that infections from the mosquito-borne virus will become so widespread in affected countries that populations will develop what is called "herd immunity." This occurs when a high percentage of a population has become immune to an infection either through developing natural immunity or through vaccination, making a wider outbreak less likely.
That would prevent further transmission of the Zika virus for at least a decade, with only smaller, intermittent outbreaks, they said. "Because the virus is unable to infect the same person twice - thanks to the immune system generating antibodies to kill it - the epidemic reaches a stage where there are too few people left to infect for transmission to be sustained," study author Neil Ferguson of the School of Public Health at Imperial College London said in a statement.
There is no vaccine or specific treatment for Zika. The study was based on mathematical models of the virus, which has been shown to cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies.
The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers related to Zika infections in the mothers.
The researchers compared data from Zika's transmission across Latin America to data on similar viruses, such as dengue, to create a model of projected Zika transmission. They forecast that large-scale transmission will end in two to three years and not resume for a decade.
Similar patterns have been seen in related viral infections, including chikungunya, Ferguson said. Ferguson said it may be too late to try to control mosquito populations to prevent widespread Zika transmission, and mosquito abatement efforts might delay and prolong the outbreak, which will eventually die out naturally.
"Slowing transmission between people means the population will take longer to reach the level of herd immunity needed for transmission to stop. It might also mean that the window between epidemics - which we predict may be over a decade - could actually get shorter," he said.
VIJAYAWADA: Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and his wife Kajol have reportedly refused to be the brand ambassadors of Andhra Pradesh Tourism. An oral communication in this regard has reached the government, sources said.
The couple had visited the capital on April 12, and met Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu over a business proposal: Devgn reportedly placed his request regarding allotment of a project to his close associate.
The project was related to Lidar Survey technology, with which geo-tagging could be done and special photographs taken. Sources said he made a PowerPoint presentation to Mr Naidu.
Deeply impressed with the presentation, the Chief Minister reportedly advised a team of officials to find out the possibilities to use the technology in the areas of irrigation and construction.
Mr Naidu had reportedly asked the couple to become the brand ambassadors for AP Tourism. There was no MoU signed, and no further communication took place till recently, according to sources.
The actor has reportedly placed another proposal before the government that if he was given land in AP, he was ready to take up the construction of a Dubai-model virtual technology studio.
There was no progress from the government side on this, which reportedly reportedly prompted the Bollywood couple to drop the idea of becoming brand ambassadors of AP Tourism.
The Delhi governments health department has issued a strict compliance notice to the actor for appearing in a surrogate advertisement of tobacco products, in March. Quoting the same, a senior TD leader said the governments choice was not wise.
It may be recalled that a similar offer was reportedly given to Tollywood actor Saikumar, who is popularly known for enacting police roles. He was declared brand ambassador of the Vijayawada police, during the launch of 4th lion app last year. However, the police did not follow up on this after Mr Venkateswara Rao was shifted out as the city police commissioner.
New Delhi: For seasoned psychological illusionist Karan Singh whose last name is Magic, the biggest challenge of his 'topsy turvy' professional life is making people understand that earning a living by doing magic is "not an easy task."
"What I do is not very common, especially in India. Getting people to understand that I do magic for a living is not an easy task. But slowly and steadily it is changing. People are more interested in magic now," says Singh. The illusionist says he has performed in over 100 shows across the country including performances with international magicians like Derren Brown and Penn & Teller and had curated 'Jaadunagri' a festival of magic and illusion at the 10 Heads
Festival held last year here.
Singh, 24, who began his professional career at the age of 16, fuses behavioral psychology, sub-conscious suggestion, hypnosis and misdirection to create a unique brand of modern magic that involves mind reading. He calls his new show
'Illusionati'. "The main theory of the show is about 9/11. There are lot of conspiracy theories that the (attack on the World Trade Centre in September 2001 in the US) was an inside job. In my show I question that and the basic things about life and mix that with magic," says the illusionist.
Even though he says that one of the best response he has ever got was in Kozhikode during a performance at IIM-Kozhikode, the national capital holds a special place for the city-based magician. "People have said that Delhi audiences are really bad, but I don't think so. I think they are fantastic. My shows here have been a lot of fun," says Singh who has enthralled the audience here with several shows like 'Venexis', 'Dybukk 13' and 'One Night Stand', among others.
The magician is so "deeply" in love with his profession that doing magic doesn't really feel like work to him. "I love it so much and can't see myself doing any other thing whatsoever. It feels like I just wake up and start doing it. It is so easy when you love what you do," he says.
Singh, who does mind-reading and hypnosis, says he has had strange requests from men asking him to make their wives disappear the moment they discover that he is a magician! "I don't do that kind of magic. I don't make people disappear. When you think of a magician, you think of someone wearing a hat and taking rabbits out of it. I don't do such things. I can be dressed as casually as audience and without any props I do the tricks. In fact my audience is my prop,"
says the illusionist.
Singh describes his experience of working with world renowned magicians like Derren Brown and Penn and Teller as "surreal". A die-hard Derren Brown fan, Singh says he flies to London every year to see Brown perform. Recounting his experience of curating 'Jaadunagri", a festival of magic and illusion at the 10 Heads Festival, he says it was unique because magic festivals in India are
unheard of. "It was a fantastic experience for me to get magicians from all around the country. I made it a point to get professional magicians as well as people who were just starting off. It got a word outside that magic is evolving because none of the magicians there were stereotypical magicians. It was all modern from of magic."
Singh says he always looks for the "ultimate satisfaction" in the next show as he feels it is very sad when a particular show gets over and can't be done again. "It feels like a baby that you have given away," says Singh.
Women a lot of times are eve-teased and harassed by men in India and they often try to avoid it.
Just recently two women were riding a rickshaw in Khar, Mumbai when a man started masturbating on his bike shamelessly looking at them.
This biker was standing next to them and started jerking off in broad daylight.
But surely he had no idea that this would land him in trouble. The girls quickly clicked a photo of the pervert and tweeted it out tagging the Mumbai Polices handle for help.
"@MumbaiPolice this man started masturbating looking at my friends! This has happened today! Please take action!"
@MumbaiPolice this man started masturbating looking at my friends! This has happened today! Please take action! pic.twitter.com/OBZ9DoBhTL Zeeba (@ZChashteh) July 12, 2016
Within no time they replied back to them and asked them for details of the man.
@ZChashteh We have followed you. Please share the details on Direct Message. We will certainly look into this. Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) July 12, 2016
The girls also clicked the photo of the number plate of the bike which helped the police in nabbing the guy.
Within three hours, the information regarding the incident was circulated among the officers in the Bandra Police station and the guy was caught from his home.
The man was identified as Rais likayat Qureshi and the police tracked him via CCTV footage.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IX) Satyanarayan Chaudhary explained that the beat officers identified the picture of Qureshi and arrested him.
The report claimed that the man is booked under section 354 (outraging womans modesty) of IPC and was presented at Bandra Metropolitan magistrate court on Thursday.
The man is under judicial custody till July 26.
KOCHI: Mahatma Gandhi was completely opposed to the idea of treating Ramayana or Mahabharata as historical texts and abhorred the idea of making Hindu deities like Ram and Krishna historical figures, says eminent historian, Dr Vinay Lal, professor of history at the University of California, Los Angeles. In an exclusive interview to this newspaper, Prof. Lal said Gandhi was also opposed to the idea of nation-state as it was understood by many fellow nationalists.
Prof. Lal, in Kochi to attend Cochin Conference on Metaphysics and Politics, organised by Backwaters Collective, said these views of Gandhi is intimately linked to the original critical distance he had developed towards what can be called as the modern knowledge systems. It is true that the oeuvre of Gandhi cannot be reduced to any singularity, but one of the basic themes underlying his work and life is his rejection of the world of knowledge that has appeared as part of modernity, Prof. Lal said.
The idea of a nation-state is part or outcome of this notion of modernity which Gandhi had rejected in an explicit manner. The conventional social scientist may be puzzled that a person who has rejected the notion of a nation-state becoming the leader of Indian nationalism.
We needed to cross conventional boundaries of knowledge systems to understand the real significance of how Gandhi dealt with these issues, Prof. Lal said. That is why I have mentioned in one of my articles that Gandhi is impenetrable to historical and other social sciences discourses, Prof. Lal said. So the attempt by the Hindu Right to appropriate Gandhi by using the nation-state paradigm or its variants has to be opposed vigorously and critiqued, Prof. Lal said.
The attempt by Hindu Right to appropriate Gandhi would be certainly a savage and brutal attack because the votaries of Hindutava glorifies Indian civilisation based on colonial paradigm of knowledge. Their level of intelligence is pathetic, he said.
According to Prof. Lal, Hinduism is a liability for advocates of Hindutva. Mr Savarakar has clearly made a distinction between Hinduism and Hindutva in his writings and said on record that he is completely unaware of what is Hinduism. Although Gandhi is one of the greatest personalities of history as an individual he was completely indifferent to history as a discipline, Prof. Lal said. This was evident in Hind Swaraj, one of his earlier texts written in 1909, Prof. Lal said.
Gandhi differed from other Indian nationalists in his treatment of history, he pointed out. While other Indian nationalists tried to develop a nationalist narrative of Indian history, Gandhi was remarkably indifferent in this regard. In a critical reference to the English style of history writing Gandhi has observed, They write about their own researches in most laudatory terms and hypnotise us into believing them. We in our ignorance then fall at their feet.
The pair was having sex close to the Zaudinskaya station in remote Buryatia region. (Representative photo: Pixabay)
A couples passionate tryst near the world-famous Trans-Siberian railway track ended horrifically after the woman was beheaded by a running train. The pair was having sex close to the Zaudinskaya station in remote Buryatia region, reports The Siberian Times.
The woman was on top of her partner and when she heard an approaching train, she started to stand up, a Russian Railways source was quoted as saying. It was right then that the speeding train tore her head off. Had she remained in her previous position, she would have stayed alive, the source added. The deceased womans lover survived the incident.
The couple were homeless people who were both drunk at the time of the incident, local sources reveal. The case has raised concerns over the increasing number of accidents with people crossing railway lines in Russia.
Ameerul Islam, the prime accused in Jisha murder case, being taken away by police. (Photo: DC/File)
Kochi: The prime accused in the murder of a 30-year-old Dalit woman at Perumbavoor was sent to police custody on Friday by a court in connection with another case for allegedly engaging in sexual activities with a goat.
The Judicial Magistrate Court in Perumbavoor sent Ameerul Islam to police custody till 4.30 pm tomorrow in connection with the case, police said. His custody was sought by police in Kuruppampady in Perumbavoor.
According to police, Ameerul, a migrant worker from Assam, had confessed during questioning that he had engaged in sexual activities with animals near the lodge where he used to stay in Kuruppapady police station limits.
Based on his confessional statement, local police conducted an investigation in the area and a goat was found with injuries in its private parts.
Ameerul was booked by police under various sections, including unnatural offence and cruelty against animals after the animal's owner lodged a complaint against him.
The incident occurred in February. Ameerul was arrested last month for the rape and brutal murder of the Dalit woman who hailed from a poor family on April 28.
He was arrested on the charge of killing the law student, 50 days after the incident that had become a major issue in the Kerala Assembly elections in May.
Chennai: The lone suspect Ramkumar, who has been arrested in the Infosys employee Swathi's murder case, revealed that he had fallen in love with her at first sight in September 2015 when he moved into the city. The revelation came during custodial interrogation ordered by a metropolitan magistrate court. Ramkumar's agenda in relocating to the city was primarily for tuition to clear his B.E arrears subjects and his love for the silver screen. Sources said Ramkumar left the city following the December deluge and came back in April.
"Ramkumar would be waiting for Swathi to pass his mansion. He would be there waiting to have a glimpse of her every day. He had also taken her pictures on his mobile from a distance. During last year's stint in the city, Ramkumar was also engaged in looking out for opportunities in Kollywood and he had kept his love for Swathi to himself. He came back with the sole agenda this time of befriending Swathi, in which he failed miserably," an official privy to the investigation told DC.
In the course of the interrogation the fact tumbled out that Swathi used to visit a Perumal temple near the mansion where Ramkumar was staying, which it made it easy for him to stalk her in the temple. It was in the temple that Ramkumar reportedly first expressed his love to Swathi and she replied with a stinging slap, after which a wordy altercation ensued. After that incident, Ramkumar stepped up his stalking, hounding her on her way to work, to the temple and to her home.
Ramkumar approached her again and the duo had a lengthy altercation near an eatery selling Idiyappam in Choolaimedu when passersby had intervened. It is during this altercation that the deceased had verbally abused Ramkumar, which angered him. After this incident, she had been taking the help of her father to get down in the Nungambakkam Railway Station until the day she was assailed. After a brief hiatus, he came back to the city on June 20 and was back to his stalking ways. However, the cops refused to divulge the information as to whether Ramkumar had confessed to the crime and whether he used social networking sites.
Police said on July 5, he came to Kacheguda and stopped an autorickshaw going towards Chaderghat. (Representational image)
Hyderabad: A man who impersonated as a policeman and stole Rs 1,18 lakh from three borewell workers by diverting their attention was nabbed by the Kacheguda police on Friday. Police recovered Rs 80,000 from Md Younus, 32, a carpenter from Fateh Darwaja. Police said on July 5, he came to Kacheguda and stopped an autorickshaw going towards Chaderghat.
He told the passengers that he was from the Kacheguda police and wanted to frisk them. He took Rs 1.18 lakh from them. said Kacheguda ACP Ch Laxminarayana. Yousuf told them to follow him to the police station, but gave them the slip. The victims were returning home to Chhattisgarh.
Shravil, who was driving, and his five friends in the car, were all drunk at the time.
Hyderabad: The Banjara Hills police has issued a notice to the management of Keshav Memorial College to initiate disciplinary action against the five students who were in the car that killed Ramya and her uncle. Shravil, who was driving, and his five friends in the car, were all drunk at that time.
The five Vishnu, Sai Ramesh, Surya, Alen Joseph and Ashwini Naidu who are B.Tech III semester students of Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology (KMIT) were suspended on July 7.
Shravil, a student of Pujiya Madhavanji Institute of Technology, was arrested and sent to custody. We have written to the college informing them about the incident and the need to take action against them for being drunk. It is up to them to take whatever action as per their code of conduct, said Banjara Hills inspector K. Srinivas.
Ramyas relatives had also approached KMIT seeking action against the five boys and had organised a vigil near the college at Narayanaguda. The college management had also participated in the vigil. The college said they cannot take action on the police notice but added that it had suspended the five students immediately after the incident.
We will forward the police notice to JNTU for further direction. We have assigned a senior professor to meet the parents of the suspended students, as they did not respond to the suspension, said KMIT principal Dr Maheswar Dutta.
Mumbai: Rejecting allegations that his sermons "inspired" terror activity, controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Friday claimed he never encouraged anyone to kill innocents and said he will co-operate with any probe agency if it approaches him.
Talking to media via Skype from Medina, Naik, who is facing the heat over charges that he inspired some of the Dhaka cafe attackers, condemned all terror attacks and dubbed himself as "a messenger of peace".
"I did not inspire any terrorist... suicide bombings targeting innocent people are condemnable," Naik said, adding his statements on terrorism and suicide bombings were "doctored and tampered".
"I have never met any terrorist knowingly, but if some people stand next to me take photographs, I smile. I dont know who they are," he added.
Read: Bangla paper apologises to Zakir Naik, says never blamed him for attack
The 50-year-old Mumbai-based televangelist, who had earlier cancelled a press conference and had announced his visit to Africa from Saudi Arabia putting off his return to the country, challenged anyone to show him an unedited answer wherein he has not condemned suicide bombings.
Naik also maintained that no government agency has approached him to join investigation in connection with charges leveled against him until now.
"I am willing to co-operate with any probe agency if they approach me," he added.
He also claimed that he had even addressed IPS officials in the past.
Read: Owaisi's party supports Zakir Naik, says 'media trial should end'
Naik also stated that he applied for permission to air Peace TV, run by his Islamic Research Foundation, in 2008, but did not get the same as the channel allegedly was "Islamic".
He also said that terrorists are misguiding innocent Muslims.
The sermons of Naik are under the scanner of the state and the central agencies in India.
His speeches on Peace TV were said to be popular in Bangladesh, where the network has been banned post the July 1 terror attack which left 22 people dead, including an Indian.
Naik said he condemns all terror attacks anywhere in the world and asserted that he could speak for hours against violence if needed.
The preacher's media interaction was first scheduled earlier this week at Trident Hotel in South Mumbai, but the venue was subsequently changed to World Trade Centre. Later, it was shifted to Mehfil hall.
The organisers of Mr Naik's press briefing had yesterday claimed Mumbai Police have instructed top hotels in the city not to provide space for his conference, a charge they later retracted.
New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday approached Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to take any coercive step against him in the wake of the arrest of an LIC agent in an alleged money laundering case.
The plea came up for hearing before Justice A K Pathak who recused from hearing the matter and listed it for July 19 before another bench.
In his plea, Singh said he apprehended that the ED might arrest him on the basis of alleged disclosure statement of insurance agent Anand Chauhan, who was recently arrested from Chandigarh in connection with the case.
Chauhan, currently in judicial custody, was arrested by the ED under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as he was allegedly not cooperating with the investigating officer of the case.
The probe agency had alleged that Singh, while serving as Union Steel Minister, had invested huge amounts in purchasing LIC policies in his and his family members' names through Chauhan.
Singh's separate plea seeking quashing of the money laundering proceedings was also pending before the high court and would come up for further hearing on July 29.
ED had earlier termed as "premature" the plea filed by Singh and others seeking quashing of the money laundering proceedings.
It had said the plea seeking stay on the proceedings was "not maintainable" as the inquiry into the matter was in a preliminary stage.
ED had last year lodged a money laundering case against Singh and others under the PMLA after taking cognisance of a criminal complaint filed by CBI in this regard.
CBI had lodged a separate disproportionate assets case against Singh and others alleging that he and his family members had amassed wealth of Rs 6.1 crore between 2009 and 2011 disproportionate to the known sources of income.
Earlier, CBI had moved Delhi High Court seeking vacation of the Himachal Pradesh High Court's interim order restraining it from arresting, interrogating or filing a charge sheet against Virbhadra. The Supreme Court had earlier transferred the matter to the Delhi High Court.
JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy,Opposition leader in Assembly Jagadish Shettar with their party MLA's wear black ribbon on their 2nd day all night protest to demand the resignation of Minister K J George for his allegedly involvement in the suicide of DySP M K Ganapathy. (Photo: PTI)
Bengaluru: As the standoff over the alleged suicide by a Deputy Superintendent of Police persisted, Opposition parties continued their protests in the Karnataka Assembly for the fifth day today, sticking to their demand for sacking Minister K J George and a CBI probe into the incident.
Continuing their overnight dharna in the House for the second day, BJP and JDS members shouted anti-government slogans from the well, refusing to settle for anything less than meeting their twin demands by the government.
As soon as the Assembly met, Opposition members entered the well of the House and raised slogans against the government for its "adamant" stand in protecting George.
Speaker K B Koliwada appealed to the members to maintain order and allow him to conduct Question Hour but it went unheeded.
As pandemonium prevailed, the Speaker adjourned the House till noon. As it re-assembled, the Opposition resumed protests.
Sensing the belligerent mood of the Opposition, government managed to secure passage of five bills, including Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill 2016, without any debate amid din.
As the bills were being put to voice vote, Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar said the government has thrown all Constitutional norms to the winds by introducing the bills and passing them today itself.
He also said it is ironical that the government is passing the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Bill, even as the entire state is "gripped" with Deputy SP M K Ganapathy's suicide.
"Nothing is as shameful as this that the government is introducing the bills and passing them in few minutes."
"It is also ironical, it is passing police bill even as the state is gripped in Ganapathy's suicide case," he added. JDS member Y S V Datta also demanded the resignation of George.
Even as the Opposition raised slogans against the government, the Speaker after passage of the bills adjourned the proceedings to July 18. Meanwhile speaking to reporters after the session, Shettar said BJP would continue its overnight dharna from Monday.
BJP and JDS launched a day-night protest in the House on Wednesday, insisting on a CBI enquiry and sacking of George, named by deceased official Ganapathy along with two top police officials for his extreme step.
Ganapathy (51) was found hanging from the ceiling fan in a room at a lodge in Madikeri on July 7, prior to which he gave an interview to a local TV channel, saying the minister and A M Prasad (IG-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP- Lokayukta) would be responsible "if anything happens to me".
Surat: The lawyers of Hardik Patel, who walked out of the Lajpore jail here on Friday after nine months in confinement, informed a local court that the 22-year-old quota agitation spearhead will stay in Rajasthan's Udaipur city for the next six months.
In an undertaking submitted before Surat district and sessions court, Hardik's lawyer Dilip Patel informed the court that Hardik will stay at House No 190, Shrinath Nagar on airport road in Udaipur.
"This is a temporary address of Hardik for next six months, as the High Court, while granting him bail last week, instructed us to inform the local court about his address for the next six months, as Hardik has to leave Gujarat within two days of his release," said Dilip Patel.
Read: Hardik Patel released from jail, gets nod for roadshow from Surat police
Last week, the Gujarat High Court paved way for Hardik's release after granting him bail in two cases of sedition and a case related to violence at Visnagar MLA's office.
While granting him bail in sedition cases, the HC set a condition that Hardik will have to stay outside Gujarat for the next six months. As per HC directions, Hardik will have to leave Gujarat within 48 hours after his release from jail.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the owner of the house in Udaipur is a former Congress MLA of Rajasthan Pushakarlal Patel, who invited Hardik to stay at his house. According to the former MLA, he is the leader of the Patel community in Rajasthan.
"As soon as I learnt that the court asked Hardik to stay out of Gujarat for six months, I sent an invitation to his supporters and invited Hardik to stay at my house in Udaipur. Patel community has always stood by Hardik and his agitation for our community. He is like our family member," said Patel while talking to a TV channel here.
"Though I was a Congress MLA in the past, politics has nothing to do with my invitation to Hardik. I invited him because he is fighting for our community. During his stay here, Patel leaders will meet him and discuss the road ahead," added Patel.
Hardik stepped out of jail after nine months of confinement and vowed to continue his agitation, saying he does not want a "56-inch chest, but rights for his community".
In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's '56-inch-chest' remark made during the 2014 election campaign, Hardik told reporters, "I want to say that I don't want height, weight or a 56-inch chest. All I want is rights for my community."
Muktsar: Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Friday said prohibition was not feasible and practical in the state even as he rejected comparing consumption of liquor with drugs.
Stating that banning liquor in Punjab was "neither feasible nor practicable" he claimed that the states where prohibition was imposed, the exercise has not worked effectively and led to smuggling and production of illicit liquor.
He said consumption of liquor cannot be compared with drugs and noted that the sales of liquor was an important source of revenue for the state.
The PPCC president also welcomed the announcement of Sheila Dikshit's name as the Congress chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year.
He said the name of the CM candidate for Punjab, which also goes to polls in 2017, will be announced soon.
On who could be the CM face of the party in Punjab, he said it was the sole discretion and prerogative of the party high command.
Condemning the arrest of Ardasiya Balbir Singh, who had refused to offer Siropa to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal recently, he alleged "it was a clear case of victimisation and vendetta done at the behest of Badal and SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar."
Addressing workers meeting and interacting with the people of Malout assembly segment during 'Halqe-vich-Captain' programme here, the former Punjab chief minister underlined the need for reviving the agriculture in the state, saying it will have an overall impact on economy.
Referring to Enforcement Directorate's notice to his son Raninder Singh, Amarinder said his son will make himself available to the department.
However, he added, while on the first date of summoning, he was down with fever on the second day he was busy with the preparations for the national shooting team for the Olympics.
Pointed out that Raninder was the president of the National Rifle Association of India, he said his son was busy in facilitating and completing all the formalities of the Indian contingent going to Rio.
He said before leaving for Rio, where the Olympics are being held, Raninder will make himself available to the ED.
New Delhi: A meeting of the Inter-State Council, convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will deliberate on issues of internal security, economic and social planning, and inter-state relations among other issues tomorrow. The meeting is expected to be attended by all chief ministers.
Convened after a gap of 10 years, the Inter-State Council meeting will see Modi, along with 17 Union ministers, for the first time interacting with all chief ministers on a single platform ever since he assumed the charge two years ago.
Issues that will figure in the conference include recommendations of the Punchhi Commission on Centre-State relations, use of Aadhaar as an identifier and use of Direct Benefit Transfer for providing subsidies, benefits and public services, improving quality of school education with focus on improving learning outcomes, incentivising better performance, and internal security.
The meeting comes amid the ongoing turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir, where at least 36 people have lost their lives following violent protests after Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter last week.
The last meeting of the Inter-State Council was held in 2006. The UPA government had convened just two meetings in its 10-year tenure.
The Modi government has revived the Inter-State Council structure after assuming office in May 2014. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had chaired meetings of all the five zonal councils over the last one year in various parts of the country in which chief ministers of states of the respective zones took part.
The Inter-State Council was established under Article 263 of the Constitution through a Presidential Order dated May 28, 1990.
It is a recommendatory body with duties to investigate and discuss the subjects of common interest between the Union and state(s) or among the states, making recommendations particularly for better coordination of policy and action on these subjects and deliberating upon such other matters of general interest to the states which may be referred to it by its chairman.
The Council also deliberates upon such other matters of general interest to the states as may be referred by the chairman to the Council.
A Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council has been constituted for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council.
The Standing Committee comprises Union Home Minister as the Chairman and five Union ministers of Cabinet rank and nine chief ministers as members nominated by the Chairman of the Inter-State Council.
Apart from the Home Minister, other Union ministers who will attend the meeting -- Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs), Arun Jaitley (Finance), M Venkaiah Naidu (Urban Development), Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport) and Manohar Parrikar (Defence) -- are all nominated members of the council.
Eleven other Union ministers are permanent invitees to the Council.
Datta Phuge, the businessman from the industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad in the district, had become the talk of the town after he presented himself a 'gold shirt' weighing about 3.5 kg and worth Rs 1.27 crore in 2012. (Photo: PTI)
Pune: A 48-year-old businessman from Pune, who shot into the limelight after buying a 'gold shirt' worth over Rs one crore some years back, was allegedly bludgeoned to death in front of his son, police said on Friday.
Datta Phuge, the businessman from the industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad in the district, had become the talk of the town after he presented himself a 'gold shirt' weighing about 3.5 kg and worth Rs 1.27 crore in 2012.
At least 12 persons attacked Phuge at an open ground in Dighi area here at around 11.30 pm last night with stones and a sharp weapon, killing him on the spot.
"As per preliminary information, Phuge and his son were invited by one of the suspects, who know each other, to celebrate a birthday. However, we are investigating how Phuge reached the open ground where he was murdered," Dighi police station inspector Navnath Ghogare said.
Phuge's 22-year-old son, who too had reached the spot following a similar 'birthday' invitation and witnessed his father's murder, was spared by the attackers, police said.
Datta Phuge, the husband of a former corporator from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, was into money lending and chit fund business.
Police suspect that some dispute over a money transaction could be the reason behind the gory murder.
"We have detained four persons and suspect that dispute over a money transaction between them could be the motive behind his murder," said Ghogare.
In 2012, Phuge presented himself the glittering shirt made out of gold and as per the local jeweller who had crafted the piece, as many as 15 goldsmiths from Bengal had worked for 16 hours a day over a period of two weeks to make the shirt ordered by him.
New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed the internal security situation in the country in the wake of turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir where at least 36 people have lost their lives in violent protests in the last one week.
During the nearly hour-long meeting, top security officials briefed the Home Minister on the prevailing situation in the country, particularly in Kashmir Valley which is on edge after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, official sources said.
The Home Minister was informed that Jammu and Kashmir has been slowly returning to normalcy due to a number of steps taken by the state and central governments.
Singh has instructed that proper security must be ensured for pilgrims of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, the sources said.
The issue of 20 youngsters going missing from Kerala was also discussed in the meeting. Reports suggested that at least 11 of the youths have reached Syria and joined the dreaded terror group Islamic State.
The terror attack in France in which a driver smashed his truck into a crowd watching fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice, killing at least 84, also figured in the meeting.
"Action has been initiated to avoid such incidents of a lone wolf taking extreme steps anywhere in India," a source said.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other security officials attended the meeting.
Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Friday claimed to have found a new evidence about the origin of 'Rasgulla' in the state to bolster its case for getting the GI tag for the sweet, for which West Bengal is also a claimant.
"Now we have collected authentic evidence about the availability of Rasgulla in Odisha prior to 1500 AD," Science and Technology minister Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi said.
The minister's claim was based on a report prepared by the expert committee set up to collect evidence in favour of Odisha's demand for geographical indication (GI) tag for the sweet, known in West Bengal as Rasogolla.
"Committee member Asit Mohanty has submitted evidence regarding existence of Rasgulla in Odisha before 1,500 AD. The department will examine the report and take appropriate steps within two weeks to present the evidence before the central government," Panigrahi said.
The Commitee has presented a 27-page research paper and a 100-page document comprising 75 points proving that Rasgulla originated in Odisha.
"Odisha will definitely get the GI tag on Rasgulla as the West Bengal government hasn't applied for the same due to lack of concrete evidence to support its claims," Mohanty said.
The committee in its report said Rasgoola as a sweet was cited in 'Dandee Ramayana', the Odia adaptation of the Valmiki Ramayana by sage poet Balarama Das.
Further, Dandee Ramayana has featured in World e-Book of 1921 published by Calcutta University which has mention of Rasgoola's association with traditions and practices associated with Lord Jagannath, Mohanty said.
He claimed that the sweet was being offered to gods in mutts and temples of Odisha for over 600 years.
The committee also refuted Bengal's claim that Rasgulla came to Odisha under the influence of Shri Chaitanya. The Mohanty committee in its report has also mentioned that selections from Odia literature published by Calcutta University in 1924 had references to the sweet's origin in Odisha.
The sweet traders in the state will observe a Rasgulla Day tomorrow on occasion of Lord Jagannath's "Niladri Vije" (return to the temple after annual ratha jatra).
CHENNAI: Despite contributing heavily to the making of modern world, Tamil diaspora is struggling hard to retain its identity and existence across the world especially in countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar and Fiji. This was stated by Sunil Amrith, Mehra Family, professor of South Asian Studies and professor of History at Harvard University, and joint director of the Harvard Center for History and Economics. The expert on diaspora studies was delivering a lecture on Global TamilScapes at Loyola College here.
Almost 28 million migrated from South India to Southeast Asian countries and they live in hellish conditions, he said. Tamil migrant labourers played an essential role in the development of global capitalism and their contributions in Southeast Asia is immense. There must be steps to ensure inter-cultural interactions exploiting avenues of globalisation, he added. He also recalled that the Tamil diasporic modernity was shaped in continuous dialogues and engagements with Chinese, Malay, and European ideas.
Amrith, author of the book Crossing The Bengal which narrates Tamil migration from South India to Southeast Asia said the Tamil diasporic studies assume importance as they will provide strong ideological base to massive political ongoing struggles involving the diaspora across the world. Migrants in countries like Sri Lanka are in conflict with given situations and circumstances, he said. Such studies will strengthen the notion of Tamil identity, especially because Tamil diasporic studies have been neglected in Indian disaporic studies and global diasporic studies dominated by European and Chinese migrations, he said.
After the independence in Sri Lanka, the newly formed government denied citizenship to Tamil migrants by creating a division between citizens by descent and citizens by registration, he said. This excluded majority of Tamil migrants from citizenship rights as no documentary proof for the number of generations they have worked and lived in these plantations were available. Among the 80,000 Tamils who applied for citizenship, only 16 per cent has got it and new forms of discriminations evolved.
The programme was jointly organised by Centre for Diaspora Studies (CDS), Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU), in partnership with Loyola Institute of Social Sciences Training and Research and Department of Journalism and Communication, Madras University.
mob on Friday torched the private house in which Wani, often referred to as the new-age poster boy of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, was along with two associates trapped and subsequently killed. (Photo: PTI)
Srinagar: A teenager was killed and 17 other protesters were injured as fresh protests and clashes broke out between irate crowds and security forces in various parts of Kashmir on Friday afternoon despite strict curfew in all the ten districts of the Valley.
Cellular phone services have been snapped partially and Srinagar's historic Grand Mosque was locked and no Friday congregational prayers were allowed.
Reports from Kupwara said that security forces opened fire to disperse a group of protesters when it turned violent in Drugmulla area of the district. One of them identified as Mushtaq Ahmed Ganai was killed and three others were wounded, witnesses and hospital sources said.
14 people were injured in clashes which broke out in the towns of Sopore, Delina and Pattan in neighbouring Baramulla district. Two of them have been hit in police firing and the rest sustained injuries due to the use of teargas canisters and pellet guns by security forces against stone-pelting crowds, police sources said.
At least, half a dozen J&K policemen were injured when a police station at Yari Pora in southern Kulgam district was targeted with a hand grenade by suspected militants at 5.30 pm. The area had earlier witnessed intense stone-pelting incidents involving curfew-defying youth, reports said.
Meanwhile, more policemen have come under mob attacks. In one such incident which occurred in Srinagar, the private Maruti Alto car of a cop was torched and he was severely thrashed by a group of youth in Qamarwari locality. As anger against the security forces and government is at its height following the killing of nearly 40 people in violence, mainly in police firings, a 4,000-strong mob barged into the orchard of a Kashmiri entrepreneur Khurram Mir in Kokernag area in south of the Valley and uprooted or cut down 7,000 fruit bearing trees.
This apparently in the belief that he was a supporter of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the apple farm was inaugurated by then Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed last year.
The ongoing unrest was triggered by the killing of militant commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani by security forces in Kokernag on July 8. A mob on Friday torched the private house in which Wani, often referred to as the new-age poster boy of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, was along with two associates trapped and subsequently killed.
Official said that hundreds of policemen and paramilitary personnel have been injured in mob attacks. Hospitals in Srinagar and elsewhere are full of injured civilians; over 400 of them with bullet and pellet injuries above their waist line. Five of those who were hit in their eyes in pellet firing have lost their vision completely, and about 30 are in bad condition.
Dr. Sudharshan Khokhar who is heading a 3-member team of Ophthalmologists and surgeon specialists rushed in from Delhi following a request was made to the Indian government by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, earlier this week said, It is a war like situation here. We have never seen injuries on this scale.
About 4,000 paramilitary personnel and two fully equipped infantry battalions of Army have been brought to Kashmir Valley from Delhi, Jammu and other parts of the country to supplement the effort by thousands of men from J&K police and already stationed here CRPF aimed at containing situation, officially acknowledged to be "alarming".
Hyderabad: The TRS would take up the issue of bifurcation of High Court here from the opening day of Parliament session itself to press the Central government's intervention on the issue, a key party leader said on Friday.
"Main issue will be bifurcation of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. We will take it up from day one," Kalvakuntla Kavitha, Nizamabad Lok Sabha member and daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said.
The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad is currently serving both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
She said Parliament members of TRS would meet in New Delhi on July 17, a day before the commencement of the Monsoon session of the House, to decide the strategy but added that the party's protest on the issue would be "serious".
In addition, many lawyers from Telangana would come down to New Delhi on various days of the session and stage protests in Jantar Mantar in the national capital to exert pressure on the bifurcation issue.
"We will be expressing our solidarity with them and constantly keep the pressure on so that the government will intervene and bifurcate the High Court," Kavitha said.
Meanwhile, she said the Chief Minister would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate "Mission Kakatiya", a programme to rejuvenate water tanks and lakes in the state, slated next month.
On GST, Kavitha said TRS has always been supportive of it as it believes its good for the country but added that her party has reservations on one or two issues.
New Delhi: The government on Friday dismissed as "wrong" controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's allegation that Peace TV was denied broadcasting rights for being "Islamic" and said such discrimination never existed in the country and will never be there in the future.
Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the channel, run by Naik's Islamic Research Foundation, was denied the rights for "not fulfilling due conditions".
"One allegation was leveled that Peace TV was denied permission for being Islamic. No such discrimination existed in India in the past, will never be there in future. These are wrong allegations," he told reporters here, maintaining that Naik levelled the charge for his own promotion.
Naidu said the owners of Peace TV had applied for licence to broadcast the channel in 2008, but the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) turned it down after studying the same.
When the owners applied again for permission in 2009, MHA sought details such as directors and funding of the channel, he said. "They did not submit the details. So, there was no question of giving it permission. There is no question of banning a channel which doesn't have permission," he said.
On the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's role in the matter, Naidu said it had only written to states, alerting them on taking action against those who downloaded the channel in an unauthorised manner and transmitted it "as it was against law".
"This happened in 2008 and 2009. We are in 2016 now. This clears the situation. In 2012 too, MHA had sought their details...for whatever reasons...someone may have approached it then. Those details they (the owners) could not furnish. That's end of the story," he said.
According to the minister, the owners had filed application as Supreme Multi Network Private Ltd to download the TV channel in current affairs category. The channel was permitted to be up-linked from Dubai at that time, he added.
Speaking to the media via Skype earlier in the day, Naik had alleged that his channel was denied permission for being "Islamic".
New Delhi: Congress veteran Margaret Alva, a former Union minister and Governor, has revealed that Congress president Sonia Gandhi fell out with then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao over an investigation into the Bofors probe.
In her autobiography Courage & Commitment, Ms Alva, for long an insider, revealed a deep lack of trust between and Mrs Gandhi and Rao. Recalling her conversations when the Delhi High Court took up the Bofors case, Ms Alva quoted Mrs Gandhi asking her What does the Prime Minister want to do? Send me to jail? She recalled that she had protested with Mrs Gandhi, saying she had misunderstood.
What has the Congress government done for me? This House (10 Janpath) was allotted to me by the Chandrashekhar government. I am not seeking any favours for myself and my children from him (Rao), Mrs Gandhi was quoted having snapped at Mrs Alva in the book. Incidentally, Ms Alva was a minister in the Rao Cabinet and the CBI came under her jurisdiction.
Congress insider spills the beans
Veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva is at it again. Almost ten years after she first raised the issue of tickets being sold in the run-up to Assembly elections in Karnataka, Ms Alva now has come out with a series of damning insiders takes on several issues including functioning of the party.
In her tell-all autobiography, Courage and Commitment, the 74-year-old former governor has given details about issues like her quitting the party in 2008, the Emergency, Sonias strained ties with former prime minister P. V. Narsimha Rao, and Sanjay Gandhi, among others. Here is her take (paraphrased) as told to karan Thapar on India Today TV:
Party functioning
Ms Alva has said that the decision-making in the party is very centralised. The decisions for critical appointments have always been very arbitrary. Sushil Kumar Shinde was not asked just informed, that he has been appointed as governor of Andhra Pradesh when he was sitting at my home having tea, she says in the interview. Congress president didnt take the decision but recommended it to the prime minister, she added.
Recalling further, she says, I got a call from Sonia Gandhi informing that she has recommended my name for governorship. Before I could ask why or refuse, the line went dead. I didt get an appointment with her after that.
Tickets Episode
In 2008, I raised the issue of tickets being sold. I was reprimanded by Sonia for speaking out before the Karnataka elections, she said.
It may be recalled that the Congress had then denied the claims and forced her to quit. I put down everything in my resignation letter to Sonia, she said.
It may be recalled that Ms Alva had unsuccessfully sought a party ticket for her son in 2008 for the Karnataka elections. The letter, for the first time, is published in the autobiography. However, she later on patched up with Sonia Gandhi. She was also made governor of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand when UPA was in the power.
Sonia-PV ties
Now, it is more than clear that the Congress President and the former prime minister shared an uncomfortable relationship. Dwelling more on it, according to a media report, Ms Alva recalls, She (Sonia) seemed unable to trust him (Rao), not least because of his proximity to (godman) Chandraswami, who was being investigated for his role in Rajivjis assassination. The Prime Minister, on his part, had always been unnerved by her aloofness. But after the Babri Masjid episode, the undercurrent of coldness and suspicion increasedShe was doubly upset with him (after the government's appeal in Bofors case), says Alva. She says Sonia was extremely angry with Mr Rao. What does the Prime Minister want to do? Send me to jail?, Sonia had asked Ms Alva in 1992 when Raos government decided to appeal against the Delhi high courts decision to quash a police complaint in the Bofors gun case
Alva also disapproved of the party leadership not showing respect to Rao in his death. His body was even not let into the AICC compound. The gun carriage was parked on the pavement outside the gate.
Whatever the differences were, he was the PM, he had been Congress president, he was Chief Minister, he was party general secretary. When a man is dead you do not treat him that way, she said.
Throwing more light on the frosty relationship between Rao and Sonia, Alva said, Rao would call me sometime on a Sunday evening and simply ask what does the lady want. Nothing I could say.
But he wanted to know what the mood was at 10 Janpath. He was worried. He did not want to have any sort of clash or problem with her and when I spoke to Soniaji she always felt that Rao for some reason or the other was not prepared to deal with the way he should have. But most important of all is that I paid the price as both suspected me.
Indira backed Sanjay
Sanjay Gandhi is often blamed for carrying out atrocities during the Emergency. Commenting on that, Ms Alva says it was much later they realised that Sanjays actions had Indira's approval.
After visiting Turkman Gate in Delhi, where Sanjay Gandhi had ordered a demolition drive to promote beautification, Ms Alva went to apprise Indira of the plight of the residents. Indira gave her a cold response, Some hard decisions have to be taken sometimes. Otherwise, nothing can change, right?
The Michel link
She also spoke about relationship between C.P.N Singh, a minister in the Indira Gandhi government and Wolfgang Michel, father of middleman Christian Michel whose name had cropped up in the AgustaWestland chopper deal. Asked whether Wolfgang Michel had an association with then Minister of State for Defence Production C.P.N. Singh, Alva said so many facets were well documented. She said top army people had told her that tanks were being loaded in Bombay and marked for Canada but were unloaded in South Africa when India did not have good ties with it.
She even claimed a sealed letter was thrown inside her residence which was drafted at the ministers chamber and sent to London for Michel's signature, saying I had contacted him when I was in London and tried to cut a deal. However, the records show she was not in London during that period, she said while noting that she had placed before the Parliament all these details which created a furore.
Fidel Castro had literally swept Ms Alva off her feet. When he asked her how much she weighed, and she refused to tell, he lifted her.
A J&K policeman's car torched by protesters in Srinagars Qamarwari locality. The policeman who was returning home from duty.
Srinagar: Two persons were killed and 23 others, including 9 security men, were injured in violence on Friday in Kashmir which saw mobs defying curfew in many parts to indulge in stone-pelting, along with which a police station was attacked with a grenade and firing by suspected militants from amidst the crowd.
Due to trouble in Kashmir, the Amarnath yatra continued to be suspended for the second consecutive day, with no pilgrims being allowed from Jammu to move towards the Valley.
Authorities had imposed curfew in all the ten districts of Kashmir fearing trouble as it was the first Friday after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani. However, mobs defied curfew at many places, including Kup-wara, Baramulla, Sopore, Ganderbal, Rafiabad, Bandipora, Kulgam and Pulwama, a police official said.
In Drugmulla in Kupwara district, a mob targeted security forces who opened fire in response, resulting in injuries to three civilians, a police official said.
One of the injured, Mushtaq Ahmad Ganie, succumbed to injuries later, he said, adding another person died in Yaripora in Kulgam in south Kashmir. With these deaths, the toll in the current unrest has gone up to 38, including one policeman. A patrol party of security forces was attacked by a mob with stones at Delina in Baramulla district this morning, injuring three security personnel, the official said.
In retaliation, security forces opened fire in which three civilians were injured. Condition of all the injured is stated to be stable, he added.
A youth was critically injured in firing by security forces on stone-pelting mobs at Manigam in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, the official said, adding the injured was undergoing surgery at SMHS hospital. Yaripora area saw a grenade attack followed by firing on a police station during stone-pelting, resulting in injuries to six police personnel.
New Delhi: After clashing at the UN, India and Pakistan crossed swords over the situation in Kashmir yet again with Islamabad declaring slain Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani a martyr and the Pakistani Cabinet announcing that July 19 would be observed as a Black day to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
India hits back, rejecting the Pakistani Cabinets decisions and accusing Islamabad of continuing its support to terrorists and saying that Pakistans actions were motivated by the forthcoming so-called elections in PoK.
New Delhi hoped that Pakistan would respond constructively to Indias initiatives for peace and normalising the India-Pakistan relationship.
Burhan Wani is a martyr, says Pakistan
The (Pakistan) Prime Minister termed Burhan Wani as a martyr of the independence movement, Radio Pakistan reported. On the proposal of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the Cabinet decided that black day will be observed on Tuesday (July 19) against Indian barbarism in occupied Kashmir.
The Indian brutalities will give impetus to the freedom struggle and Kashmiri people will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them, Mr Sharif was quoted as saying. Mr Sharif also claimed that 7,00,000 Indian soldiers... could not suppress the struggle of Kashmiris, while terming the movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom.
But a furious India hit back, with the ministry of external affairs saying, India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where, we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi. Continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistan's sympathies continue to lie. The self-serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in J&K follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the International Boundary.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who left for New Delhi on Friday to take part in inter-state council meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, is trying to get an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with the PM to resolve the High Court bifurcation issue between TS and AP.
For this purpose, Mr Rao has decided to stay in New Delhi for three more days though the inter-state council meeting is a one-day affair.
Mr Rao wants the PM to convene a meeting with CMs of TS and AP in the presence of Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to resolve HC bifurcation issue, besides division of common institutions listed under Schedule IX and X of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Mr Rao hopes to secure the appointment of the PM to resolve other contentious bifurcation-related issues between TS and AP. The TS CM is keen on addressing the bifurcation of High Court first following intense agitations by judicial officers and T-advocates demanding setting up of a separate High Court for TS which led to suspension of some judicial officers. Though AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidu is will also attend the inter-state council meeting, he will return to AP the same day as per the schedule.
Soon after landing in New Delhi, Mr Rao met party MPs and discussed plans and strategies to be adopted for resolution of bifurcation-related issues during his four-day stay in the national capital.
The biggest protest was organised in Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, where nearly 5,000 people marched shouting slogans after the Friday prayers. (Photo: PTI)
Islamabad: Thousands of people rallied in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok) on Friday to protest the deadly clashes between the people and security forces in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.
The biggest protest was organised in Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, where nearly 5,000 people marched shouting slogans after the Friday prayers. About 5,000 people protested in Muzarrafabad, while small rallies were held at other places, a police official said. People demanded UN intervention to organise a plebiscite in the state.
They also carried posters of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani, whose killing last week sparked the current unrest in Kashmir in which 38 people were killed. The activists of various religious groups and civil society, including Jamat-ud-Dawa supporters, took part in the protest.
Kochi: Solar scam accused Biju Radhakrishnan has claimed that high-level brothel catering to MLAs functioned in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Deposing before the Solar Commission on Friday he said that many persons including MLAs and former ministers were involved in the running of this establishment. Saritha S Nair, another accused in the Solar Scam, was also having connections with this gang, he added.
He also alleged that the office of the former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was aware of the racket. Radhakrishnan, currently undergoing imprisonment in the case connected with the murder of his former wife, has endorsed the allegation of Saritha that she had paid money to Oommen Chandy. According to Radhakrishnan `35 lakh, arranged by him was handed over to Thomas Kuruvila by Saritha in Delhi as directed by Mr. Chandy. She had informed me about the cash transfer through one Mohandas, he added.
He also iterated the allegation of paying money to former minister KC Venugopal and former MLA PC Vishnunath. He also said the deposition made by Saritha against Venugopal was right. Radhakrishnan has been summoned by the commission for cross examination based on his earlier deposition before the commission. Radhakrishnan made these revelations in reply to questions put to him by counsel of various persons including the former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Jammu: Expressing grave concern over the"deteriorating situation" in Kashmir Valley, Congress on Friday accused the PDP-led coalition government of mishandling the violent protests following the death of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani last week and allowing unrest to continue unabated.
"We express grave concern over deteriorating situation in Kashmir Valley. PDP-BJP coalition government has mishandled the situation and are allowing violence to continue unabated," Congress leader and state media coordinator Kapil Singh said.
He said that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her ministerial colleagues from the BJP could not apprehend the trouble that led to the current situation.
Singh claimed that the PDP after having entered into an alliance with the BJP pleaded before Hurriyat leaders to help maintain peace, which the Hurriyat outrightly rejected.
"Prior to this, late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had appreciated Pakistan for allowing a peaceful conduct of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Singh said such statements "vitiate atmosphere and undermine the governments in the state and at the Centre."
He said both BJP and PDP leaders should have stayed in the Valley and monitored the situation, but instead they were camping in Jammu and despite that are unable to resume the Amarnath Yatra.
He said the state government has failed on administrative, political and social fronts.
Appealing to protesters, specially the youth, to maintain calm, Singh said peace must be maintained at all cost and the Yatra should be resumed at the earliest.
He said the breakdown of Internet services too has caused hardships to people majority of whom have to travel to Pathankot to do their work and file e-tenders.
Singh held the state government responsible for not being able to contain the violence, saying it clearly indicates a big failure in its functioning and shows incapability on the part of people sitting at the helm of administrative affairs.
Violent protests have rocked Kashmir following the death of Burhan Wani and two of his associates in an encounter with security forces on July 8 in Anantnag district.
In the ensuing clashes with security forces, 36 people including a policeman have been killed, while 3,140 others, including 1,500 security personnel have been injured.
Pune: Calling controversial preacher Zakir Naik a "messenger of peace" who is propagating the "right meaning and objective" of Islam, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday accused the BJP of "relating" Islam to terrorism.
Singh said if Naik is accused of delivering inflammatory sermons then why no action was taken against the BJP leaders like Sakshi Maharaj, Yogi Adityanath, Sadhvi Prachi for "inciting sentiments".
Naik, a Mumbai-based tele-evangelist who runs Peace TV network to propagate Islam, has been under the scanner of various agencies after at least one of the attackers on a Dhaka eatery had posted that he was inspired by Naik's sermons.
"I was invited for the peace conference in 2012 where I shared dais with Dr Naik. His entire speech was based on communal harmony and how Islam is against terrorism and (he) delivered a message of peace," Singh said.
"By propagating the right meaning and objective of Islam to the people, Dr Naik is working as a messenger of peace and it is the BJP which is actually relating Islam to terrorism," he added.
Singh, who was returning from after visiting famous Lord Vitthal temple in Pandharpur, addressed the reporters here before heading to New Delhi.
"If Naik is so dangerous then why National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval who was once director of Intelligence Bureau (IB) did not know about his (Naik's) speeches? If he was so dangerous and his speeches were inflammatory in nature, which were inciting terrorists, why in last two years the BJP government in state did not file any case against him when all his speeches are available on you tube," he questioned.
Singh said why no action is being taken against people like Sakshi Maharaj, Sadhvi Prachi and Yogi Adityanath if Naik is accused of spreading violence and hatred.
"All those who incite people on the basis of religion should be punished and punitive action should be taken against them," he said.
The Congress leader said he was the first minister who had proposed ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Bajrang Dal "but the then government only banned SIMI and did not take any action against Bajrang Dal".
New Delhi: CPI(M) on Friday termed a local court order for registration of an FIR against Mohammad Akhlaq's family in Dadri lynching episode as a "gross travesty of justice" and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to intervene and take necessary legal steps against the ruling.
"The order of the local court to file an FIR against the members of the Akhlaq family on charges of cow slaughter is a gross travesty of justice. It is essential that the Uttar Pradesh government immediately intervene and take the necessary legal steps against this court order," CPI(M) Politburo said in a statement.
The party noted the petition was filed before the court by those involved in the "brutal" murder of Akhlaq and ones who have been putting pressure the family to withdraw the case.
Judicial Magistrate Vijay Kumar had on Thursday ordered investigation and lodging of an FIR of cow slaughter against Akhlaq's family.
Akhlaq was killed by a mob on September 29 last year on the suspicion that his family stored and consumed beef at their home.
Hyderabad: Telangana Congress Legislature Party wants the Speaker to convene the Assembly session immediately to discuss the burning irrigation projects issue, growing opposition to land acquisition by displaced persons and related issues.
It sought the permission to make a PowerPoint presentation on the irrigation projects in the Assembly as a sequel to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Raos presentation to clear doubts on various issues.
The Congress has also decided to petition the Speaker to disqualify Miryalaguda MLA Nallamothu Bhaskar Rao who defected to the TRS on June 15. He is the 25th MLA over all, and the seventh from the Congress, to defect and join the TRS.
Alampur Congress MLA S.A. Sampath Kumar submitted a letter in this regard on behalf of TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and CLP leader K. Jana Reddy to Legislature Secretary Raja Sadaram in the absence of Speaker here on Thursday.
My own song was silenced Still-born.
So I borrowed a verse from a poet
Read on:
The heavens took you from me and the theft
Has robbed me of all signs of joy and left
My lips without a smile, my empty heart
Only He and I know how bereft
From The Fond Pfonzobi by Bachchoo
After the first devastating shocks, the effects of the vote for Brexit will gradually become evident. Whether Britain will in time break away in any substantial sense from the European Union is still to be seen. On Wednesday, Theresa May moved into 10 Downing Street and subsequently went to kiss the Queens hand to become Britains second woman Prime Minister. After David Cameron, who vociferously and vigorously campaigned for the remain side, lost and resigned, Ms May threw her hat for the top job into the ring. She said that despite the fact that she too voted to remain, the British people had spoken and out means out. If she became Prime Minister, she would negotiate the UKs exit from the European Union.
Even before Ms Mays appointment, civil servants were instructed to find a building which would house a new ministry for Brexit. The ironies multiply. The Brexiteers made much of the fact that the European Union had imposed an intolerable bureaucracy on member countries and one of the great advantages of leaving would be the riddance of this red tape. And now, of course, miles of red tape, conferences, consultations, communications and compromises will be initiated through a whole new ministry with hundreds, if not thousands, of civil servants to negotiate the severance and bring about Brexit. The other central irony is that the leave campaign made much of the fact that the president, commissioners and others who initiated, if not imposed European Union policies and decisions were an unelected elite. These EU officials are, of course, appointed by the votes of the elected representatives of member countries which make up the European Parliament.
There is possibly a more democratic mechanism to elect the leadership and decision-making forums of the European Union, but as the EU is now constituted, this is the best it can do. Its obvious that when and if the European Union were to become the United States of Europe, one could have an election as they do in America and appoint a President who would then be totally free to appoint a Cabinet without reference to the electorate. Democratic? Up to a point, gentle reader! Last week, the Tory Partys MPs, a clutch of a few hundred, went through the process of nominating and electing a leader who would then automatically become Prime Minister of the UK. No reference then to the British people or electorate. Ms May, who didnt even undergo an election, as the other potential candidates knifed each other in the back or withdrew from the contest hoping that they would get jobs in Ms Mays Cabinet as a reward, is now Prime Minister. She has very firmly said she will not call a general election to legitimise her position. The machinations of an unelected elite? Democratic? Up to a point, dear reader!
One may consider that Ms Mays decision not to seek such legitimacy is wise. She knows she has inherited a mess and a general election, with the Labour Party in complete disarray, will be a gesture towards further confusion, not in any real sense a democratic affirmation. She has inherited a Great Britain that threatens to drop its 400-year-old adjective. Scotland and Northern Ireland are making noises about leaving the United Kingdom and staying in or reapplying to join Europe. Ms May has to urgently deal with this secessionary prospect, which is as yet but a shadow on the lung of the body politic. Then she has to reunite a very divided party, and after that... But enough of Ms May. I want to talk about me and the effect that the vote for Brexit has had and may have on this ordinary (okay, quite extraordinary!) senior citizen of the UK. I came to New Delhi leaving behind the British political and economic earthquake. I needed some sandals to face the monsoon, and bought some. They cost Rs 2,500, which would last month have translated into 25. This month they cost me 29. I shall, of course, be paid for the writing work I do here. I cant get my head around whether its better to be paid in rupees and leave the money in a bank account here (Yes, I am legally allowed to have such an account being a Person of Indian Origin) or whether to ask for it in pounds sterling.
Again, enough of exchange-rate woes and dilemmas, except to say that all trips abroad and bottles of wine from the continental countries will cost a lot more. So will the fruit that comes from Spain or the cheese from France. Perhaps one compensation is that the stuff we import and I regularly buy from India or Pakistan dal, rice, masalas, mangoes, etc may become cheaper if the ambition to revive a Commonwealth Common Market works out. Some hope! The worst threat for the oldies and wrinklies who in the vast majority voted to leave the European Union is the loss of security on two distinct counts. The energy supplied by trans-European companies will inevitably become prohibitively more expensive. And then theres transport. In line with a regulation of the European Union, all citizens over the age of 60 can apply to their municipalities for a Freedom Pass a card with ones photograph on, which allows you free travel on local buses, on underground trains and on National Rail within the precincts of the city. The pass, specially for the restless and peripatetic, is a huge blessing. Will Ms May or whoever, free of the bureaucracy of Brussels, take it away?
Military and economic might matter, but China would appreciate after last Tuesdays verdict on the South China Sea (SCS) which went against it that power confers no licence to disregard international law and conventions, or the prevailing norms of international conduct. The world thinks poorly of nations that take that route. Prior to the ruling of the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration that China had no legal basis for its claim of historical rights in the South China Sea, Beijings behaviour with its smaller neighbours who also have a claim on this international waterway was haughty and arbitrary. And Beijings reactions to the verdict were combatively disdainful.
Some of Chinas leading figures threateningly and absurdly spoke of the eventuality of even conflict. This lowered its prestige. It became clear that here was a leading power in panic. China called the ruling null and void, a meaningless expression in this context. It had boycotted the arbitration initiated by Manila in 2013, saying in the dialect of a bully that the PCA had no jurisdiction. The Philippines had been driven to approach the Hague after bilateral negotiations with Beijing meandered for 17 years.
For years, China has been intent on sea-grab by claiming about 90 per cent of the waters of the resources-rich SCS. Its assertion apparently rests on a map of 1947 a time before communist China even came into being, and relies on what Beijing calls the nine-dash line, which no one else had heard of until recently. At any rate, the nine-dash mumbo-jumbo is in serious conflict with the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which Beijing has ratified. It appears to go right up to the maritime doorstep of countries like the Philippines and Vietnam (and others), Chinas small neighbours.
India has from time-to-time been at the receiving end of Beijings bristling behaviour in the SCS for helping Vietnam set up oil and gas exploration and extraction facilities in the SCS. India has firmly asked China to respect UNCLOS and address bilateral disputes with maritime neighbours without the use of force or the threat of use of force. After the verdict, New Delhi also asked Beijing to fully comply with international law.
Chinas foreign ministry spokesman has responded that this was Beijings view too. This is the first positive development to emerge after the Hague ruling, and in relation to the SCS disputes generally. China should now work out with its neighbours each others exclusive economic zones in the disputed waters. It shouldnt even dream of imposing an air identification zone over the SCS unless it wishes to court trouble and further international ignominy.
Indias new HRD minister Prakash Javadekar has his work cut out. He has taken charge of a critical ministry at a critical time. As we all know, a nations human capital determines its progress and development. Education is not only critical for economic growth but also for social stability. If India is serious about becoming a global power, it has to get education right. In times of economic uncertainty, there is pressure on governments to reduce public investment in education. But this is short-termism as it can hamper long-term growth and development. For India, the key issues in education are quality and equity. As in healthcare, there is a virtual caste system in the countrys education sector. There are excellent, world-class institutions for those willing and able to pay a steep price; but the vast majority among the rest are condemned to shoddiness.
Such glaring disparities can be a significant drag on growth. Additionally, as scholars have noted, a disparity in education that synchronises with social, political, and economic fault lines can fuel resentments, leading to violence, conflict and instability. Mr Javadekars public persona is not bellicose a huge positive at a time of campus turbulence. The minister, a former students union activist, has been saying the right things. Soon after taking over, he said India lacked in innovation in education as children are discouraged from asking questions in schools. Innovation is a process of rebellion essentially. Unless you rebel, unless you challenge the status quo, how can you innovate anything? It is good to know that the minister sees merit in rebellion.
Mr Javadekar has also invited public feedback on the draft new education policy that is now on his ministrys website. One of his early moves was to attend a meeting on this draft with an RSS-affiliated think tank. But he managed to deflect criticism by saying that he wanted to listen to all points of view. However, the crux of the matter is not the talk, but walking the talk. Mr Javadekars affable nature is a strategic asset in negotiating difficult dialogues, but that alone will not be enough to usher in the radical changes that India needs. Here are some harsh facts about Indias education scenario.
Take primary education. Various government programmes have helped increase enrolment even in remote areas. However, numerous surveys have sledgehammered home the disturbing reality of poor learning outcomes. As a paper by Urvashi Sahni (Primary Education in India: Progress and Challenges, Brookings) points out, India now has 1.4 million schools and 7.7 million teachers so that 98 per cent of habitations have a primary school (Class 1-5) within 1 km and 92 per cent have an upper primary school (Class 6-8) within a 3-km walking distance. But, as Sahni goes on to observe, dropout rates continue to be high.
India continues to be among the top five nations for out-of-schoolchildren of primary school age, with 1.4 million 6 to 11-year-olds not attending school. Schools are simply not geared up to deal with the challenges they face shortage of teachers, lack of functional girls toilets, access to drinking water, to name just a few.
It is no surprise to learn then that children are not achieving class-appropriate learning levels. The HRD ministrys website tells you that the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2014, brought out by the NGO Pratham, has expressed concern regarding learning levels of children in English reading and Mathematics at elementary level. India cant leverage its demographic dividend with just a small slice of its youth accessing quality education as they are the only ones whose parents can pay for it. Mr Javadekar could start with addressing this basic problem. Government-run schools need proper infrastructure. But they equally need good teaching and teachers. Till teacher accountability becomes a political priority, little is likely to change on the ground.
Strengthening school education should be Indias top priority. But there is also much to do in higher education. Indias Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education is 23.6 per cent, one of the lowest in the world. There is also a gender imbalance in higher education that needs to be rectified. There is a strong case for private investment in higher education. But education, like health, cant be allowed to become a just-for-profit enterprise. An Assocham study in April pointed out that barring the Indian Institutes of Management and a few others, most of the 5,500 business schools in the country are producing sub-par graduates who are largely unemployable, resulting in these pass-outs earning less than Rs 10,000 a month, if they find placements at all.
The State cant abdicate its responsibility when it comes to laying down and enforcing basic guidelines on quality and standardisation of higher education. If that happens, we will get more of the sub-par MBAs that the Assocham study spoke about. This doesnt mean that the HRD ministry should take a stifling Big Brother attitude. Educational institutions need autonomy to design their own courses and recruit faculty. And students are key stakeholders in the debate around higher education in the country. Treating students, or for that matter anyone who has a different point of view, as an enemy is the easiest way to stifle the spirit of critical enquiry that Indian youth so desperately needs. So what lies ahead?
India should seek inspiration from itself and from across the world when it comes to education. One great example is Finland, an educational superpower. Finland has consistently performed among the top nations on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a standardised test given to 15-year-olds around the world. What did Finland do? It built its education system not just on the principles of efficiency but also equity. In the 1960s, Finland decided it would provide free quality education to all. Even university education is free of charge in that country. In contrast, India is moving towards the American model of students taking loans for higher education. In theory, a lot can be said both for and against this model, but in practice it is not easy to implement in a poor country. The complaint by many IIT entrants that banks are refusing interest-free loans points to a problem that the ministry needs to address urgently. The government does provide free education for schoolchildren but it has done little by way of ensuring the other crucial component quality. Modern teacher training and far more careful teacher recruitments are really the need of the hour.
Norman Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution, died on September 9, 2009. Alfred G. Gilman died on December 23, 2015. Both were Nobel laureates and now both dead. Gilman was a signatory to a recent letter condemning Greenpeace and its opposition to genetic engineering. How many Nobel laureates does it take to write a letter? Easily ascertained the dead Gilman and 106 others were enlisted in supporting GMOs and golden rice. Correct answer 107, dead or alive. The laureates were rounded up by Val Giddings (senior fellow, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation), Jon Entine (author of Abrahams Children: Race, Identity and the DNA of the Chosen People) and Jay Byrne (former head of corporate communications, Monsanto). Real people dont have the luxury of getting Nobel laureates to write 1/107th of a letter, chosen folk do. Evidently. Cornell University is a chosen institution central to genetically modified public relations. The Cornell Alliance of Science is funded by Bill Gates, just like the failed golden rice experiment.
The Nobel laureates accuse Greenpeace of killing millions by delaying ghost rice something the biotech industry accuses me of doing, for the same reason. Unlike golden rice whose failure to launch is the industrys own failure, the opposition to genetic engineering (and hence golden rice) is very real and successful. As Glenn Stone, a rice scientist at Washington University, states: The simple fact is that after 24 years of research and breeding, golden rice is still years away from being ready for release. It is Borlaugs Green Revolution monocultures that contributed to malnutrition by destroying biodiversity, which destroys the diversity of nutrients we need to be healthy. As Navdanya research has shown, biodiversity produces more food and nutrition per acre. Borlaugs ghost is still shaping the industrial agriculture miracles based on monocultures of the mind and spin in place of science.
It is now more than 20 years since the miracle golden rice began to be promoted as the excuse to allow patents on life. The last time golden rice was resurrected when Patrick Moore of Allow Golden Rice Now was sent to Asia to push the failed promise. Women of the world organised and responded to Moore Diverse Women for Diversity issued a declaration on International Womens Day in 2015 titled Women and Biodiversity Feed the World, not Corporations and GMOs. Golden rice is genetically engineered rice with two genes from a daffodil and one gene from a bacterium. The resulting GMO rice is said to have a yellow colouring, which is supposed to increase beta-carotene a precursor of Vitamin A. It has been offered as a potential miracle cure for Vitamin A deficiency for 20 years. But golden rice is a false miracle. It is a disease of nutritionally empty monocultures offered as a cure for nutritional deficiency. In fact, golden rice, if successful, will be 400 per cent less efficient in providing Vitamin A than the biodiversity alternatives that women have to offer. To get your daily requirement of Vitamin A, all you need to eat is one of the following:
Two tablespoons of spinach or cholai (amaranth) leaves or radish leaves
Four tablespoons of mustard or bathua leaves
One tablespoon of coriander chutney
One-and-a-half tablespoon of mint chutney
One carrot
One mango
So, if you want to be four times more efficient than 107 Nobel laureates, just eat a carrot!
Not only do these indigenous alternatives based on womens knowledge provide more Vitamin A than golden rice ever will, and at a lower cost, but also provide multiple other nutrients. Our critique of golden rice is that even if it is developed, it will be inferior to the alternatives women have in their hands and minds. Women are being blocked from growing biodiversity and spreading their knowledge to address malnutrition, by rich and powerful men and their corporations who are blind to the richness of the earth and our cultures. Through their monoculture of the mind, they keep imposing monocultures of failed technologies, blocking the potential of abundance and nourishment. As I wrote in 2000, blindness to biodiversity and womens knowledge is a blind approach to blindness prevention.
Grain.org concluded in Grains of delusion: Golden rice seen from the ground, way back in 2001: The best chance of success in fighting Vitamin A deficiency and malnutrition is to better use the inexpensive and nutritious foods already available, and in diversifying food production systems in the fields and in the household. The euphoria created by the Green Revolution greatly stifled research to develop and promote these efforts, and the introduction of golden rice will further compromise them. Golden rice is merely a marketing event. But international and national research agendas will be taken by it.
The Giddings-Entine-Byrne Nobel PR stunt was timed to coincide with the US Senate vote on the Dark Act the denial to Americans of the right to know what they eat. With two decades of the GMO experiment failing to control pests and weeds, creating super pests and super weeds instead, there is now an attempt to push through the next generation of GMOs such as gene drives for exterminating nutrient-rich species like the amaranth. Amaranth, a weed to the 107 Nobel laureates, is a richer source of Vitamin A than golden rice has promised it will be, when it grows up. The laureates would have us round up all the Vitamin A we already have in abundance, create deficiencies by exterminating it with RoundUp, and provide golden rice to alleviate the absence of Vitamin A.
Mr Gates is also supporting this failed miracle, as well as the failed communication through the Cornell Alliance for Science. He also funds the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and Harvest Plus, the corporate alliance for biofortification. The corporate-controlled World Food Prize for 2016 has been announced for Biofortification. Scientists funded by Mr Gates have been given the prize for inventing an orange sweet potato. But the Maori in New Zealand had developed kumara, orange (beauregard) sweet potato, centuries ago. Mr Gates is also funding the biopiracy research of James Dale of Queensland, who took the Vitamin A-rich indigenous bananas of Micronesia and declared them to be his invention. The biopiracy of peoples biodiversity and indigenous knowledge is what Mr Gates is funding. The Gates fortification or Nobel fortification, will not nourish people. Fraud is not food.
Derisively dismissed as a clown, a buffoon and a person who would give 24x7 comic relief in the years of his presidency on Pennsylvania Avenue, Donald Trump has become the most feared personality in the November 8 showdown for the simple reason that he might actually make it. Americans have not yet started packing their bags and heading across the border to Canada, but both conservatives and liberals are wondering about something once thought impossible: what would the consequences of a Trump presidency be for America and the world. Nothing can be more disingenuous that conservatives wailing over Trumps dramatic rise in opinion polls and their trying to find ways to end the billionaire tycoons political campaign. In recent weeks Trump might be trailing in the polls against Hillary Clinton, but thats beside the point. Several political writers in America and elsewhere have noted that the blame for Trumps rise should be laid at the Republicans doorsteps for the past eight years or more they sought to tightly compartmentalise issues into extreme positions, and belittled Barack Obama as if he had no moral right to be President. Now the conservatives are finding that theres no easy way to stop the Trump Party, with or without the Tea.
If conservative politicians are worried over the GOPs prospects, it has everything to do with the other aspect of the November 8 polls the congressional polls, in which all 435 members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate are up for election, a not so comforting thought for Republicans trying to retain their majority in both chambers. The numbers are scary to any serious conservative: 24 Republicans are seeking re-election in the Senate, against 10 Democrats. Seven Democrats and 21 Republicans are seeking re-election, and three Democrats and an equal number of Republicans are retiring. The Republicans now have a 54-44 majority in the Senate, with two Independents generally voting with the Democrats.
Hanging on to Trumps coattails could go either way, specially in some large liberal states like California. This is why most top Republicans hesitate to come out swinging against Trump and his policies. The argument that Trumps extreme views cannot be the order of the day if he manages to win the presidency against the backdrop of constitutional protections is nothing more than a cop-out, and a weak one at that. Its easy to call Trump every name in the book and ridicule him over the way he speaks. But his rise to popularity is due to the fact that he speaks the exact language of his backers, specially those from hillbilly areas and the redneck groups. Listening to Trump gives you the exact lingo you can expect from those of his group who feel and speak about people and politics without restraint how else could you explain the litany of expletives, whether to do with women, the minorities or broad statements about anti-terrorism and immigration policies?
On top of this, he has been able to effectively tap into the fears of paranoid sections of society who have been made to feel their way of life is in jeopardy due to terrorism and the misguided impression that has been created that every terrorist is a Muslim from outside America who managed to enter the country due to weak immigration laws or a Democratic Presidents wrong policies. About the only thing the Trump campaign has not said yet is that Osama bin Laden is still alive! The big question is: has the recent carnage in Orlando, Florida, by a Muslim extremist actually tipped the election in Trumps favour, as has been said in some quarters. One hopes not! Most of Trumps proposed policies have been trashed, whether on denying entry to Muslims into America, throwing out the 12-million-odd illegals (mostly Hispanic) or reneging on American strategic and financial commitments. If the nuclear nightmare is not enough, a Trump presidency may see further proliferation. A sobering reminder and a chilling thought is the endorsement the New Yorker has from North Koreas Kim Jong Un!
But this American presidential election is not just about Donald Trump; its equally about Hillary Rodham Clinton and her track record in various roles linked to husband Bill Clinton. Hillary has questions to answer, not just about her email account at the state department or her perceptions on the Benghazi attack on the American mission there; it has a lot to do with the presidency of Bill Clinton, the Monica Lewinsky affair, Bill Clintons peccadilloes during his time as Arkansas governor and the contributions made to the Clinton Foundation. For every charge that Hillary Clinton can level against Trump, he can be expected to come back swinging. Much of it will be on the personal front, questioning the former First Ladys judgment on many aspects, not just her email account. Bill Clinton is as much a liability to Hillary Clinton as he is an asset in her White House race.
In more ways than one, Hillary has faced a tougher primary season than her Republican rival; all of it to do with Vermonts Bernie Sanders, who wouldnt give up till the former First Lady reached her magic numbers. Even then there wasnt the kind of outright endorsement, despite President Obama coming around to back Hillary and forcing Sanders to see reality. The bruising primary season for Hillary Clinton means theres going to be some soul-searching on key issues that have been forced into the open by Sanders at the time of the Democratic convention.
For quite some time, the two parties national conventions have been pretty boring affairs the usual policy planks and the tone and rhetoric of speeches. But it remains to be seen if 2016 will be any different particularly for the GOP. Trump has certainly not mesmerised the GOP, but has baffled even seasoned veterans at the inroads he has made. There will certainly be more huffing and puffing before the curtain comes down on what will certainly be an election of a different kind. Trump may or may not become the next President of the United States, but he has surely done one thing few politicians have in America put the fear of God in not only the establishment but also the electorate!
Multiple companies and research groups are using speech synthesis engines to create voices from spoken samples usually thousands of recorded sentences.
Springfield: Jessie Levine smiles and shakes her head when she hears the outgoing voicemail message on her iPhone.
I sound young! And fast! she marvels. That person never, ever expected to talk like this.
The message was recorded before Levine was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS, in early 2015, and before the progressive motor neuron disease caused her speech to become slow and slurred. But as her ability to talk deteriorates, she's exploring a new way to restore her voice via speech synthesis, or the artificial production of human speech.
Such technology has been around for decades, but as devices shrink in size, efforts to customize them are expanding. Multiple companies and research groups are using speech synthesis engines to create voices from spoken samples, usually thousands of recorded sentences.
For example, CereProc, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, created a voice for the late film critic Roger Ebert several years before his death in 2013 by mining commentary tracks he'd recorded for movies.
But VocaliD, a Belmont, Massachusetts, company, is taking a different approach by creating custom voices using just a small sample from the recipient, even if they can't speak.
Starting with just a tiny snippet of someone's voice - a few seconds of saying Ahhhh - the company matches recipients with a donor voice - in Levine's case, maybe a relative - and then blends the two together. The result is a sound file that can be plugged into any text-to-speech device.
I have two sisters, one of whom has a lisp like I have, which I had before I had ALS. The other one, we all have this stuffiness to our speech, said Levine, 45, the manager of Sullivan County, New Hampshire. It never occurred to me that I could use their voices, adapt it to me, and then be able to use that.
Company founder and CEO Rupal Patel is a speech technology professor on leave from Northeastern University. Her research found that people with severe communication disorders preserve the ability to control aspects of their voices, such as pitch and loudness. Those characteristics - what Patel calls the melody of speech - are also important for speaker identity, she said.
There is a level of empowerment that comes with having the freedom to be able to communicate in your own voice, and that's such an important thing, which I think has been overlooked, Patel said.
No one would give a young girl a prosthetic leg meant for a grown man, she said, and voices should be no different.
The company delivered its first seven voices late last year and is working on about seven dozen more, which will cost $1,249 each. More than 14,000 people worldwide have donated their voices so far in a process that involves about six hours and 3,500 sentences read aloud.
One of the first recipients was 17-year-old Delaney Supple, of Needham, Massachusetts, who was born with cerebral palsy. She had been using a generic computerized voice but didn't like it much; she makes a gagging gesture when her mother mentions it.
Some voice devices are controlled by eye movement or head movement. Delaney Supple types out her words on a tablet touch screen and then taps it to play them back.
Delaney likes her new voice. So does her mother, Erica Supple, who said it's a much better fit.
I love listening to it, she said, and it's funny because when I first heard it ... it sounded a little bit like her brother's voice when he was younger.
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State Department spokesman John Kirby said earlier that two Americans were killed, but didn't identify them citing privacy. (Photo: AP)
Austin: Relatives say a father and son from the Austin area are among the victims of the deadly truck attack in Nice.
Family friend Jess Davis says 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were killed Thursday evening in what French authorities have described as a terror attack.
Davis released a statement Friday on behalf of the Copeland family, saying they are heartbroken and in shock.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said earlier that two Americans were killed, but didn't identify them citing privacy.
Davis says the Copelands, from Lakeway, were on a European vacation that began in Spain. They were celebrating Bastille Day in Nice.
The statement says Sean Copeland is "a wonderful husband and father" and Brodie is "an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives."
Nuclear power is already used at sea for aircraft carriers and submarines, but doing so for civilian purposes appears to be unprecedented. (Photo: AP)
Beijing: China may build mobile nuclear power plants in the South China Sea, state media reported on Friday, days after an international tribunal dismissed Beijing's vast claims in the strategically vital waters.
"Marine nuclear power platform construction will be used to support China's effective control in the South China Sea," the website of the state-run Global Times cited the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) as saying on a social media account.
The Global Times cited the report as saying that "marine nuclear power platforms will be used" in the islands and reefs of the Spratly chain in the contested sea "to ensure freshwater".
The original report was deleted from CNNC's account on social media platform WeChat on Friday, and a staffer at the firm told AFP that it "needed to confirm" its accuracy.
"In the past, the freshwater provision to troops stationed in the South China Sea could not be guaranteed, and could only be provided by boats delivering barrels of water," the Global Times cited the report as saying.
"In the future, as the South China Sea electricity and power system is strengthened, China will speed up the commercial development of the South China Sea region," it added.
China has rapidly built up reefs in the sea into artificial islands in recent months, installing civilian and military facilities on them.
The report comes after a Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) tribunal on Tuesday backed the Philippines' case that there was no legal basis for Beijing's maritime claims which extend almost to the coasts of neighbouring states.
It also found that China's activities had inflicted severe damage to fragile coral ecosystems and caused serious harm to endangered species.
China has insisted that it will ignore the decision while warning its rivals that increasing pressure on the issue could turn the resource-rich waters into a "cradle of war".
The state-backed website The Paper on Friday quoted China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) engineer Zhu Hanchao as saying that 20 marine nuclear platforms were in development.
But Zhu added that they would be deployed to oilfields in the Bohai Sea off China's northeast coast, not in the South China Sea. CSIC could not immediately be reached for comment.
Beijing included the development of two marine nuclear power plants, to be built by CNNC and the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) respectively, in its five-year plan for 2016-2020, both companies announced this year.
It did not specify where the marine facilities would be constructed.
The CNNC plant is expected to start operation in 2019 and CGN's the following year, according to their statements.
Nuclear power is already used at sea for aircraft carriers and submarines, but doing so for civilian purposes appears to be unprecedented. A similar Russian project is reportedly already under construction.
Hindu temples in Penang state have been the worst-hit, with four shrines vandalised in just two months. (Representational Image)
Kuala Lumpur: A leading Hindu religious body in Kuala Lumpur has asked temples across multi-ethnic Muslim-majority Malaysia to step up security measures following a spate of vandalism reports in six shrines in some northern states.
The measures were especially pertinent for temples with very minimal security, the Hindu Sangam president R S Mohan Shan said.
Hindu temples in Penang state have been the worst-hit, with four shrines vandalised in just two months.
On Tuesday, unidentified miscreants destroyed statues and stole temple jewellery from the Sri Maha Muthumari-amman temple in Mahang and the Suba Sri Sakthi Kanagavalli temple in Selama in Perak state.
In George Town, Penang police chief Abdul Ghafar Rajab said a man had been arrested based on a CCTV footage at one of the temples and is believed to be a drug addict.
"The suspect was under the influence of morphine when he was picked up," he told a press conference.
Earlier this month, two temples on the island the Dewa Sri Mathuraiveeran and the Sri Muneeswarar were also vandalised.
The Sri Dharma Muniswarar temple and Muthu Mariamman temple in Seberang Prai were desecrated last month. In Ipoh, statues at the Sri Muneswarar Amman temple were smashed in April.
Malaysia: A leading Malaysian University has sacked a lecturer responsible for developing a controversial teaching module that disparaged Hindus and Sikhs triggering outraged among the minority communities in the Muslim-majority country.
The lecture slides from the module of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), which went viral online, had portrayed Hindus in India as "unclean and dirty" and misrepresented the history of Sikhism.
India had expressed concern over the "negative and incorrect" picture conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism, following which the varsity had also issued an apology.
UTM vice-chancellor Dr Prof Wahid Omar said the lecturer responsible for the controversial slides has been sacked and his 30-day dismissal notice came into effect on Thursday.
"He is still at the university as he still needs to serve the one-month notice," he was quoted by Star daily as saying.
Asked why the dismissal was not immediate, Dr Wahid said the procedure had to be done according to the contract, which meant giving the staff a month's notice. The Higher Education Ministry had viewed the matter seriously and had called for "stringent action". The slides were part of a university course mandatory for tertiary students.
The university is currently reviewing the course module, which includes appointing experts in Indian, Sikh and Chinese civilisation studies.
Meanwhile, the youth wing of the country's largest ethnic Indian based political party, the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) welcomed the sacking of the lecturer.
Youth chief C Sivarraajh said the lecture materials should never have been made in the first place.
"The slides were likely made with an intention to ridicule and downgrade Hinduism and Sikhism," he said in a statement.
Sivarraajh hoped such an incident would not recur, especially by educationists from a university that should place value on learning.
Muslim-majority Malaysia's 28 million population include 60 per cent Malays who are all Muslims, 25 per cent ethnic Chinese mostly Christians and Buddhists and eight per cent ethnic Indians, a majority of whom are Hindus.
Police investigate the scene after a truck plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France. (Photo: AP)
Nice, France: A gunman at the wheel of a heavy truck ploughed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice on Thursday, killing at least 84 people and injuring scores more in what President Francois Hollande called a terrorist act.
The driver of the truck has been formally identified, police sources said Friday. He is a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian man whose identity papers were found in the vehicle after the attack on France's July 14 national holiday.
Police have not yet released the attacker's name, but they said he lived in Nice. Other sources said previously he was already known to police for minor criminal offences.
Read: France declares three-day national mourning after truck attack: PM
Police shot the driver dead after he drove the truck two kilometres (1.3 miles) through a crowd along the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais.
Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said 84 people were killed and scores injured, including 18 in "critical condition".
Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said 18 of the injured were in a critical condition after the 25-tonne truck zigzagged along the seafront Promenade des Anglais as a fireworks display marking the French national day ended just after 10:30 p.m. (2030 GMT).
Read: Screams, tears, flying debris as terror drives through Nice crowd; 84 killed
The attack, which came eight months and a day after Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers struck Paris on a festive Friday evening, seemed so far to be the work of a lone assailant.
Hollande said in a pre-dawn address that he was calling up military and police reservists to relieve forces worn out by a state of emergency begun after the militant group killed 130 people in the French capital in November.
Only hours earlier Hollande had announced the state of emergency would be lifted by the end of July, but the president said that following the attack, in which several children were killed, it would now be extended by a further three months.
Read: Muslim, Gulf leaders condemn Nice attack
"France is filled with sadness by this new tragedy," he said. "There's no denying the terrorist nature of this attack of yet again the most extreme form of violence."
Officials said hundreds were hurt as the driver wove along the seafront, knocking them down "like skittles". A local government official said weapons and grenades were found inside the unmarked articulated truck.
Dawn broke on Friday with the pavements smeared by dried blood, while smashed children's strollers, an uneaten baguette and other debris were strewn about the Mediterranean seaside promenade. Small areas were screened off at regular intervals. What appeared to be bodies covered in blankets were visible through the gaps.
Read: World leaders react with horror to Nice attack
The scene appeared to confirm what one city official said during the night - that the truck drove a full 2 km (1.5 miles)along the promenade after mounting the kerb.
The truck, a rental vehicle according to local officials, was still where it came to rest, its windscreen riddled with bullets.
Hollande called the tragedy on the day that France marks the 1789 revolutionary storming of the Bastille prison in Paris an attack on liberty by fanatics who despised human rights.
Read: UN condemns 'barbaric, cowardly terrorist attack' in France
France would, nonetheless, continue its air operations against Islamic States in Syria and Iraq.
Police were trying to establish whether the driver might have had any accomplices in a city with a reputation for Islamist activism. There had been no claim of responsibility on Friday morning.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned what she called an act of mass murder. "Germany stands at France's side in the fight against terrorism, united with many, many others. I am convinced that, despite all the difficulties, we shall win this fight," she said at a summit meeting in Mongolia.
"A scene of horror"
The truck careered into families and friends listening to an orchestra or strolling above the beach towards the grand, century-old Hotel Negresco.
"It's a scene of horror," Member of Parliament Eric Ciotti told France Info radio, saying the truck "mowed down several hundred people". Jacques, who runs Le Queenie restaurant on the seafront, told the station: "People went down like ninepins."
Bystander Franck Sidoli, who was visibly shocked, said: "I saw people go down."
"Then the truck stopped, we were just five metres away. A woman was there, she lost her son. Her son was on the ground, bleeding," he told Reuters at the scene.
Major events in France have been guarded by troops and armed police since the Islamic State attacks last year, but it appeared to have taken many minutes to halt the progress of the truck as it tore along pavements and a pedestrian zone.
The officers drove toward the sound and when they arrived, they saw a man shooting an AR-15-style weapon, says police. (Photo: Representational Image/AP)
Baltimore: Baltimore police officers responding to the sound of gunshots near an apartment building fatally shot a man who fired at them with an AR-15-style rifle, authorities said early Friday.
No officers were wounded nor anyone else in the shooting Thursday night in a neighbourhood on the city's west side, police spokesman T.J. Smith said. He added that it wasn't immediately clear why the man had begun shooting.
Four plainclothes officers riding in an unmarked car heard gunfire coming from the building about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Smith said at a news briefing. The officers drove toward the sound and when they arrived, they saw a man shooting an AR-15-style weapon, according to Smith.Smith said the man started firing toward the officers, and two returned fire.
The suspect was shot at least once and retreated to the apartment building, according to the spokesman. He didn't immediate identify the officers, the man or the races of those involved but held up a picture of what he said was the rifle recovered afterward.
The shooting comes a week after police shootings of two black men, one in Louisiana and the other in Minnesota, stoked outrage among many in the African-American community and protests around the country. Tensions also were heightened in the U.S. by last week's killing of five police officers in Dallas by a black gunman.
Smith said the early shooting scene was chaotic as officers drove toward the sound of the gunfire.
Officers, who Smith said initially thought there might have been more than one suspect involved, surrounded the building and searched the area. He said authorities found the gun in a tree line just behind the apartment complex and the suspect inside on the second level with at least one bullet wound to his upper body.
The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Smith said. He said police still had many questions so early in the investigation Friday.
"We don't have a victim, no one has come forward and said, 'Hey, I was being shot at,'" he said.
The idea that the man was trying to lure officers to the scene with the gunfire is a "theory" police are looking into, Smith added. He held up a picture of what he said was the man's weapon that appeared to be laying amid some leaves.
"Officers were drawn due to gunfire; were they specifically drawn there by him if they might have known they were in the area? We don't know the answer to that yet, but that's something that we're trying to figure out," Smith said.
While the officers were in plainclothes, they were also wearing outer tactical vests that were marked "police" on the front and back, he said.
Smith said the crime scene processing would take several hours and he asked anyone in the area at the time of the shootings to come forward and speak with investigators. He added that expected more information to be released later in the afternoon.
"There are a number of shell casings from this AR-15-style weapon on scene," he said.
Smith also said the two officers who fired their weapons were being placed on administrative duties as is routine in such cases.
Nice: French leaders on Friday extended the countrys nine-month-old state of emergency after 31-year-old Mohamed Bouhlel ploughed through a crowd killing 84 people, and vowed to deploy thousands of police reservists on the streets after Thursday nights massacre of pedestrians who were leaving a fireworks display. German tourist Richard Gutjahr filmed the moment when an unidentified motorcyclist rode alongside the truck and grabbed hold of the drivers door as two other police officers on foot nearby fired a single shot each at the driver's windscreen. But the truck accelerated through an intersection into screaming crowds, where Gutjahr could hear the final confrontation involving 15 to 20 seconds of gunfire. French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls rushed to Nice, 690 km south of Paris, to offer their condolences after the emergency meeting. They visited wounded people in two hospitals, including a facility where officials said they had treated about 50 children and teenagers. The ex-wife of the attacker was held for questioning. Investigators are seeking to establish the motives of Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, but are also looking for possible accomplices.
Man jumps into lorry to stop rampage: A man slowed the murderous rampage of a man driving a truck through a crowd in Nice by jumping into the cab and seizing his revolver. The attacker, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was slowed when a heroic member of the public leapt onto the vehicle and wrestled the driver. Police sources in Nice confirmed that the murderous two kilometre charge of the lorry might have been even longer if it had not been for the courage of a member of the public. They said the man had hurled himself into the cab when the 20 tonne truck was held up by an obstruction. He wrestled with the driver, who seized a revolver and fired several shots at the man and at police.
In yet another barbaric encounter, ISIS militants released a video through their aided agency Amaq, showing a corpse in military attire being crucified and a model of a fighter jet laid over the cross, according to a report in the Daily Mail.
ISIS shot down a fighter jet, apparently belonging to the Syrian air force, near the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor. The jet was all set to attack ISIS insurgents when the latter shot it down.
There is no clarification as to whether the jet was brought down by a missile or gun fire, however, it is for the third time wherein ISIS has attacked fighter jets since the month of April.
This isnt an isolated incident, earlier the terror group attacked a Russian helicopter near Palymra killing two Russian pilots on board. The turning helicopter was hit by militants gunfire from the ground and crashed in the area controlled by the Syrian government army. The crew died, according to an Amaq report. Glorifying the macabre incident, ISIS released a video showing a helicopter being shot and crashing to the ground against cries of Its fallen, God is greatest.
On July 1, terrorists killed 22 people at a restaurant frequented by foreigners in Dhakas diplomatic enclave, including one US citizen. (Photo: AP)
Dhaka: Bangladeshi investigators who are investigating the Dhaka cafe attack have claimed the mastermind behind the massacre had plotted the terror strike seven-months ago and is now hiding in West Bengal of India.
According to a report in the Dhaka Tribune, investigators have found out that the Dhaka attack mastermind had left Bangladesh after planning the attack.
Twenty two people, including an Indian girl, were killed last week after suspected Islamic State terrorists stormed the cafe in the diplomatic zone in Dhaka.
Investigators said it was combined operation by Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team, all banned militant outfits. They had been elaborately planning the strike from the past seven months.
Probe agencies gathered these new details of the attack after probing suspects across the country but they have refused to disclose the name of the mastermind.
All the attackers involved in the dastardly strike were educated young men from affluent families, who appeared to have been radicalised recently.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked parents and authorities to remain vigilant about the movement of children to prevent them from getting radicalised.
"The people of the country are pious, but not bigots. I simply cannot understand why the children of these pious people, who are receiving education from reputed institutions, good schools and colleges and English medium ones, are turning bigots," she had said.
Her appeal came after it emerged that most of the hostage-takers in the cafe attack, had vanished several months ago.
Reiterating her resolve not to allow the emergence of militancy in the country, the prime minister said the government does not want any recurrence of the incidents happened recently.
"We won't allow any sort of emergence of militancy in the country, we don't want Bangladesh to be the land of militancy...we'll have to take some measurers keeping this view in mind," she asserted.
She said some unwarranted incidents have taken place in Bangladesh and it has to be dealt with strong hands.
Pakistan's poor report card comes even as the number of so-called ghost schools -- which receive funding but have no teachers or students -- has declined in some areas. (Representational Image)
Islamabad: Pakistan's education budget has doubled in recent years -- to almost as much as the military's -- but literacy and dropout rates remain abysmal and "ghost schools" persist, a new report said.
A staggering 24 million children are not in school and more than half of eight-year-olds cannot read despite the budget growing twofold to $7.5 billion in the last six years, the report from the US-based Wilson Center released Thursday found.
Pakistan's poor report card comes even as the number of so-called ghost schools -- which receive funding but have no teachers or students -- has declined in some areas.
Nationwide there were fewer ghost schools than in the early 2000s when up to 20 percent of all schools across the country were empty, the study called "Pakistan's Education Crisis: The Real Story" said.
The United States, Britain and the World Bank have poured money into Pakistan's stagnating public education sector, seen as a key weapon against religious extremism and rising income inequality.
But the number of children out of school today is second only to Nigeria, and the South Asian country of about 200 million people has an adult literacy rate of 56.4 percent as many parents see little use in putting their children in school, the report added.
It found that although combined spending in the public and private education sectors was above four percent -- the globally accepted benchmark for education spending -- money was not being spent wisely.
"Pakistan's education crisis does not come down to how much the country spends, but how the money is spent," said report author Nadia Naviwala.
"Pakistan needs to spend better, not simply spend more."
She added education spending was almost on a par with the powerful military, which has a budget of $8.2 billion for 2016.
The study registered that there had been improvements despite some setbacks.
In Punjab, the country's most populous province, teacher absenteeism dropped from 20 percent to six percent between 2010 and 2015.
But the rise in funding -- mainly spent on salary boosts for teachers -- has had little effect.
In Sindh province, standardised test scores of fifth and sixth graders, or children aged 10 and 11, showed zero improvement between 2012 and 2014. Improvements in other provinces were also marginal.
Britain's development agency is the primary donor, giving $150 million in 2016, or about two percent of Pakistan's overall education budget.
A 48-year-old businessman from Pune, who shot into the limelight after buying a 'gold shirt' worth over Rs one crore some years back, was allegedly bludgeoned to death in front of his son, police said today.
Datta Phuge, the businessman from the industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad in the district, had become the talk of the town after he presented himself a 'gold shirt' weighing about 3.5 kg and worth Rs 1.27 crore in 2012.
At least 12 persons attacked Phuge at an open ground in Dighi area here at around 11.30 PM last night with stones and a sharp weapon, killing him on the spot.
"As per preliminary information, Phuge and his son were invited by one of the suspects, who know each other, to celebrate a birthday. However, we are investigating how Phuge reached the open ground where he was murdered," Dighi police station inspector Navnath Ghogare said.
Phuge's 22-year-old son, who too had reached the spot following a similar 'birthday' invitation and witnessed his father's murder, was spared by the attackers, police said.
Datta Phuge, the husband of a former corporator from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, was into money lending and chit fund business. Police suspect that some dispute over a money transaction could be the reason behind the gory murder.
"We have detained four persons and suspect that dispute over a money transaction between them could be the motive behind his murder," said Ghogare.
In 2012, Phuge presented himself the glittering shirt made out of gold and as per the local jeweller who had crafted the piece, as many as 15 goldsmiths from Bengal had worked for 16 hours a day over a period of two weeks to make the shirt ordered by him.
The Centre today told the Supreme Court that an SIT probe has been initiated in AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam case following the registration of FIR in 2013 and a charge sheet is likely to be filed this year.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan considered the submission of Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar and disposed of the PIL seeking court-monitored SIT probe and registration of FIR against some political leaders and others whose names have allegedly been referred to in an Italian court's verdict in the chopper case.
During the hearing, Kumar told the bench that nobody is above law and the case is being thoroughly probed for which charge sheet will be filed in the case.
The apex court had on May 6 sought Centre's reply on the PIL filed by advocate M L Sharma which had pressed lodging of FIR against political leaders, including UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose names have allegedly been referred to in Italian court's verdict.
CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister.
The plea, which has made Ministry of Defence and CBI as parties, had sought registration of FIR against persons whose names have figured in the judgement delivered by the Italian court in Milan on April 7, 2016.
It had sought a court-monitored SIT or CVC probe and also raised legal questions including as to whether decision of the Italian court is "not enough" to prosecute.
The plea had said the probe began in Italy in 2011 into the allegation that AgustaWestland paid a commission of Euro 51 million (over Rs 350 crore) to Switzerland-based consultant Guido Ralph Haschke to facilitate the deal.
"The scope of the Italian probe will end at the point where the alleged commission money reaches India. The probe will not go into who was paid the money in the Indian establishment or how the funds were worked around within the power circles of New Delhi," it had said.
"That action has been taken in Italy on VVIP helicopter scam. The CEO of the company has been arrested. But no action has been taken here. The country which would have benefited from the deal has taken action while the country which lost money has not done anything," it said, adding the petitioner is apprehending that the case may meet the fate of Bofors scandal.
CBI had in 2013 registered a case in connection with alleged bribes paid by the firm to Indians to clinch the deal for 12 helicopters to ferry VVIPs including the President and Prime Minister.
A case was lodged for alleged cheating, corruption and criminal conspiracy in the Rs 3,600 crore deal, in which Rs 360 crore is alleged to have been paid as kickbacks.
Notwithstanding India's sharp response, Pakistan has demanded a UN-backed independent and transparent inquiry into the "extra-judicial" killings in Kashmir, terming the situation there a "grave threat to peace and security".
Pakistan's envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi met Under Secretary General Edmond Mullet, the Chef de Cabinet of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon here and pushed for the probe, according to a press release issued by the Pakistani Mission to the UN yesterday.
"At the United Nations, Pakistan called for an independent and transparent inquiry into the extra judicial killings in Indian occupied Kashmir, calling the situation there a grave threat to peace and security," it said.
It added that Lodhi briefed Mullet on the "atrocious brutality" by Indian security forces in Kashmir and also raised in her meeting the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, whom she described as "a popular Kashmiri youth leader."
Lodhi's comments came a day after India hit back at Pakistan and accused Islamabad of not only pushing in terrorists but also fanning discontent within the Valley by providing support to terrorist outfits.
Terming Wani's killing as an "assassination", Lodhi said his killing had set off widespread protests and the Indian forces were resorting to "heavy handed tactics" including included firing on unarmed civilians.
The release said Mullet told Lodhi that the UN Secretary General was concerned about the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and was ready to mediate peace talks between India and Pakistan provided the two neighbours accept his good offices.
Lodhi said the situation in Kashmir should be of grave concern to the international community as it poses a threat to peace and security and called the use of excessive force against civilians "exceedingly deplorable and condemnable."
"Dubbing the Kashmiris agitating for their right to self- determination as 'terrorists' was a travesty of truth and was further inflaming passions," the release quoted her as saying.
The body of an autorickshaw driver was found at his brothers house in South Delhis Neb Sarai on Wednesday afternoon. The police have sent the body for post-mortem and have refused to divulge any details about the reason of death.
We are waiting for the post-mortem report. Prima facie we didnt find any injury marks on the body. However we cant say anything at this time. Investigation is on and all the angles of death will be probed, said a police officer.
According to police the driver was drunk and had returned home late at night. The incident happened on Tuesday night when Puran, 38, went to his brothers rented accommodation in Neb Sarai as he was too late to return to his home, police said.
He was living with his parents, wife and children in Sangam Vihar area. His brother was not present at the house when the incident happened, police said.
On Wednesday afternoon, the landlord of the house informed police that his tenant was not opening the door. Police arrived and broke open the door.
He was found lying unconscious on floor. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead, said a police officer.
Although police didnt find any apparent clue which could say whether he was murdered, his parents allege that he was murdered by some persons with whom he had a scuffle a few days back.
When the parents arrived at the hospital to take their sons body they told us about that he might have been murdered and then put inside the room, a police officer said.
The parents also told police about an incident where their son had a scuffle with some unidentified men of the area. They suspected that Puran was murdered by them. Police, however, have refuted their claims.
Although we are looking all angles, but the possibility of murder is remote, said a police officer.
At least six women were allegedly raped in Delhi every day this year. The situation could be much worse as some incidents go unreported.
The Delhi Police had registered 1,103 cases till June 30. The department had filed 1,037 cases during the same period last year. Last month, a 21-year-old gang-rape victim had also committed suicide at her Harsh Vihar house. She was attacked in February and since then her family was being pressurised into a compromise.
When compared with figures of last year, the situation has slightly improved when it comes to incidents of molestation, abduction and misbehaviour with women.
The data shows that 2,387 cases of molestation were reported in the first six months last year, while 2,192 cases were filed this year during the same period. Cases of kidnapping (2,247) and misbehaviour (729) have decreased when compared with figures of 2,018 and 492 respectively this year.
However, married woman have approached police with more complaints of dowry harassment this year. Delhi Commission for Women has objected to the Centres recent decision to disband the Special Task Force for women safety in the capital.
In a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said the commission was dealing with hundreds of complaints daily.
The women and girls of Delhi repeatedly ask when will they get justice? What steps has the Central government taken to ensure that no girl or women is raped? she said.
The Centre has disbanded the Special Task Force on women safety, set up after the December 16 gang-rape, the Delhi Commission for Women was informed this week.
Terming the Centres decision as anti-women, the DCW said it was the only forum in the capital for coordination between Centre and state on the issue of women safety.
In a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, DCW chief Swati Maliwal said the ministrys claim that the role of STF was over is unacceptable and displays absolute lack of knowledge of ground realities.
She appealed to Singh to review his decision. The commission has received a letter from the ministry about its decision to disband it.
The STF was set up in 2013 after the Nirbhaya gang-rape in Delhi and was mandated to meet fortnightly to review action by Delhi Police and the city government.
The commission said it was strange that the Home Ministry has requested LG Najeeb Jung to reconstitute a task force under his chairmanship consisting of representatives of the Delhi Police and the city government.
This is strange as the Honble Lieutenant Governor has once previously failed to heed to a request to set up a committee on women safety in November 2015 and had instead delegated the important task to the chief secretary of the Delhi Government. It appears that everyone in the Central Government is keen on passing the responsibility of addressing the issue of women safety to some other authority, she said.
Spike in crime
Crime against women and girls is increasing and in May 2016 alone, Delhi witnessed 201 cases of rape of which 82 were of minors.
In 31 cases, the victims were between the ages of two and 13 years, according to information with the commission.
Maliwal had earlier sent two notices to the Union Home Secretary to make the STF more effective by holding meetings regularly.
The STF has met only 12 times in the past three and a half years and has been repeatedly discussing the same issues instead of taking concrete steps, the commission had said.
Community-based approach in which specific communities like snake charmers, transgenders are given training in plumbing, carpentry, welding can rehabilitate the destitutes, said social workers.
The rehabilitation plans are not in place yet. The department is planning to introduce community-based rehabilitation so that these communities do not go back to begging. Without a rehabilitation programme, the raiding exercise may not yield any results, said a senior official, Social Welfare Department.
Rounding up beggars at signals and sending them to beggar homes may turn out to be a futile exercise if there is not a sound rehabilitation plan in place, said social workers.The Delhi government is planning to launch an intense anti-begging drive starting Monday.The Social Welfare Department has planned a 10-day-long drive in which beggars would be picked up from across Delhi and brought to the Reception-cum-Classification Centre (RCC) for beggars in Kingsway Camp. The metropolitan magistrate would then decide if the beggar would be sent to the remand home or let off with a warning.The department has formed 10 teams which will carry out the drive across Delhi. This is a pilot project and would go on for 10-12 days. Currently, one team conducts a raid in the city every day. The raiding will be intensified with the formation of the new teams, said an official, RCC.The beggars, if convicted, are sent to the home in Lampur. Currently, the Lampur beggar home has one inmate.The objective of a drive should not be to round up people and put destitutes in the beggar homes. The government should first ensure there is a rehabilitation plan in place. The destitute people should be rehabilitated in a way that they do not return to begging. If the objective of the drive is to pick the poor people up to clean up the streets, then the root cause of why begging exists would not be solved, said Mohammed Tarique, director of Koshish, an NGO that addresses beggary, destitution and homeless.Currently, rehabilitation programmes are missing. Destitutes sent to the home have no activities to engage in. They also find it difficult to return to the mainstream society.The raiding exercise should be carried out only after the department has skill-based training lessons in place, said Tarique.
Nearly 200 mobile food vans offering breakfast at Rs 5 and a nutritious full meal at Rs 10 would soon be stationed outside hospitals, railway stations and other busy spots as part of Arvind Kejriwal governments plan to replicate the popular Amma Unavagam canteens in Tamil Nadu.
Kejriwals affordable meal plan envisages a 200-unit chain of Aam Aadmi Canteens, which would be monitored by the Bureau of Affordable Meals a society formed by the government.
Sources said the rollout of the first batch of canteens would cover high footfall areas like government hospitals, railway stations and bus terminals, industrial areas and markets.
No decision has yet been taken, said an official when asked if Aam Aadmi Canteens would also be opened in permanent buildings an experiment successfully tried out in Tamil Nadu.
All Aam Aadmi Canteens would be equipped with an RO system for drinking water. These would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Health Minister Satyendar Jain would be the chairman of the society which has a kitty of Rs 10 crore for the next nine months of the current financial year.
Other members of the society include Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Principal Secretary of Revenue Department, Secretary of Administrative Reforms Department, Special Secretary of Finance Department and Secretary of Health Department.
The detailed blueprint of launching the Aam Aadmi Canteens is likely to be discussed by Health Department officials at a meeting on Friday.
A decision on the fate of Jan Aahar mobile food vans launched by the previous Congress government is also likely to be taken in the meeting. The 100-odd Jan Aahar vans sell a thali for Rs 18.
The AAP canteen project has now been handed over to the Health Department after slow progress over the past three months under the joint efforts of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi and the Food and Supplies Department.
The society is supposed to be the main-decision making body for the proposed canteens meant to cater to poor workers, office goers and travellers.
The plan to introduce affordable meal vans was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the 2016-17 Budget.
He claimed that the AAP governments affordable and hygienic meal plan would be superior and very different from the previous Congress governments model.
The Anti-Corruption Branch issued notice to former chief minister Sheila Dikshit to join the probe in Rs 400 crore water tanker scam. ACB head M K Meena said that notices were issued to Dikshit and Delhi Jal Board officials and they will be questioned on August 26.
Dikshkt said that the allegations were politically motivated. Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra had launched a campaign no jail no mooch (moustache) against the Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta for not being able to convince Anti-Corruption Branch to arrest former chief minister Sheila Dikshit in water tanker scam. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had made this announcement in the last Delhi session that Gupta should either get Dikshit arrested in next two months or shave off his moustache.
The city government had launched a portal no jail no mooch.com where people can post their comments on the issue. The web portal also has a video of the CM making the announcement in the Delhi Assembly.
The Leader of the Opposition said that the AAP government has been politicising the issue of corruption. Kejriwal government is a party to the water tanker scam. So it diverting attention by indulging into such gimmicks, Gupta had said.
Mishra has been alleging that Anti Corruption Branch head M K Meena and the BJP have been protecting Dikshit because she knows too much about the malpractices that BJP leaders are indulging into.
In the next three four days I will tell the people why ACB head Meena and BJP are protecting Dikshit in water tanker scam, Mishra had added.
The water minister said that he would produce proof of the connivance of Dikshit and BJP in water tanker scam.
But the BJP has been alleging that Mishra pointed out bungling in the functioning of Delhi Jal Board to Arvind Kejriwal some months ago but the CM did not act on it.
US President Barack Obama condemned what he said "appears to be a horrific terrorist attack" in Nice. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved-ones of those killed."
Noting that the attack occurred on Bastille Day, Obama praised "the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world." Secretary of State John Kerry called it a "horrendous attack in Nice. ... I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy."
Both presidential candidates also condemned the attacks, with Republican Donald Trump declaring "this is war" and Democrat Hillary Clinton vowing "we will not be intimidated.
Clinton said that "every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: We will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life."
Trump, who postponed plans to announce his vice presidential pick because of the attacks, said "this is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war and we're dealing with people without uniforms."
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has been "shocked by the violence and exceptional cynicism" of Thursday's attack in Nice.
Although the cause of the attack has not been officially confirmed, Putin said today in a message of condolences to French President Francois Hollande that terrorism can be defeated only if "all civilized mankind pulls efforts together" to fight militants, their leaders as well as targeting their financial backers "wherever they are hiding."
Putin said Russia is willing to work closely with France and other countries to fight terrorism which is "devoid of any human moral."
European Council president Donald Tusk expressed consternation that France was attacked on its national day and said the world stands united with the French people.
Japan expressed "strong shock and anger" following the truck attack in Nice. Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan also aims to strengthen its counter-terrorism measurements to ensure safety of Japan.
World leaders are expressing dismay, sadness and solidarity with France over the attack carried out by a man who drove truck into crowds of people celebrating France's national day in Nice, killing at least 84 people.
The Philippines will concede nothing to China as it seeks to implement an international tribunal ruling against Beijing's claims to most of the South China Sea, its top lawyer said today.
The UN-backed tribunal on Tuesday ruled against China but Beijing rejected the decision, warning of a "decisive response" to provocative actions against its security interests based on the verdict.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced yesterday he would send a former president, Fidel Ramos, to China to start talks on the ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Manila's top government lawyer, Jose Calida, stressed today there would be no concessions to China.
"We value the award given by the (tribunal), and the Philippines will not concede any of the awards given to us," Calida said, using the legal term for the ruling.
The tribunal found there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources in areas falling within its nine-dash line, which is based on a vague map that emerged in the 1940s.
The nine-dash line overlaps with waters also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The tribunal also ruled Beijing had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights to exploit resources in waters up to 340 kilometres (230 miles) beyond its coast, called its exclusive economic zone.
China had built artificial islands atop seven reefs in the area, inflicting severe environmental damage, the tribunal said.
"We will use diplomacy. I believe this is the most peaceful way of settling this," Calida said, adding Duterte had set no timeframe for achieving results.
"We will be patient of course and hopefully China will show the same grace that we have shown," Calida added.
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has said he wants better relations with China and to attract Chinese investment for major infrastructure projects.
Ramos, who served as president from 1992 to 1998, is also known to favour close ties with China. However he has yet to accept the mission.
Sino-Philippine relations plummeted over the maritime row under Duterte's predecessor Benigno Aquino, whose government filed the arbitration case in 2013.
Senior Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio warned today it would be illegal for Manila to jointly develop with China or any other country the resources in the areas adjudicated as part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
The Goa Cabinet today decided to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in asking its neighbour Karnataka to declare one km area around its wildlife sanctuaries as eco-sensitive zones.
"The resolution was adopted in the wake of current imbroglio between Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka over the Mhadei river water dispute and the environmental damage caused near the wildlife sanctuaries in Karnataka due to construction of dams," Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said here.
The resolution adopted in the Cabinet read, "The Council of Ministers resolved that the state (Goa) administration has taken a very serious note of the ongoing inter-state river water disputes by and in between the states of Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
"The Cabinet members resolved that the state of Karnataka has affected eco-sensitive areas of Western Ghat due to the ongoing work (on canal to block Mhadei river)."
"It is noted that State of Goa has taken steps to declare one km eco-sensitive zone around Wildlife Sanctuaries whereas no steps have been taken by ministry of Environment and Forests to declare eco-sensitive areas in Karnataka thereby permitting such heavy environmental damage and similarly damaging wildlife sanctuaries and western ghats," it read.
Parsekar said the Council of Ministers resolved to request Modi, Union Minister for Water Resources, besides Union MoS for Environment and Forests to take steps to stop such degradation of wildlife sanctuaries and also to restore the area and undo the harm done by the works of Karnataka.
In another resolution on the same issue, the Cabinet resolved to request the Centre to extend the time of the Mahadei Water Disputes Tribunal for two years as it is seized with the matter and hearings are on a day to day basis. The term of the Tribunal is set to expire in August.
The decison by then Narasimha Rao government to appeal against a Delhi High court order quashing the Bofors case linking Rajiv Gandhi had deepened Sonia Gandhi's suspicion over Rao, escalating friction between the two, says veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva.
Ahead of release of her book "Courage and Commitment", which is an account of her chequered political life, Alva said following the decison, she was asked by a furious Sonia whether Rao wanted to send her to jail.
Alva, who held various positions in Congress before she was asked to resign in 2008 after her allegations that party tickets were "sold" in the Karnataka Assembly polls, appeared critical of Congress leadership for "centralised decision- making" system in the party.
She also spoke about relationship between CPN Singh, a Minister of Indira Gandhi's government and Wolfgang Michel, father of middleman Christian Michel whose name had cropped up in the AgustaWestland chopper deal.
Alva talked about supply of tanks to South Africa in 1980 and how Wolfgang Michel, then based in London, was influential and may have had links with Sanjay Gandhi.
Recalling tense relationship between Sonia and Rao, Alva said the PMO's decison to deal with the CBI directly over the Bofors case without her knowledge had deepened Sonia's suspicion towards Rao.
"I was the Minister in-charge of the CBI and she asked me that. The decision was taken without my knowledge. The file was dealt directly by the PMO," she told Karan Thapar of India Today TV.
Alva also disapproved of the party leadership not showing respect to Rao in his death. "His body was even not let into the AICC compound. Gun carriage was parked on the pavement outside the gate.
"Whatever the differences were, he was the PM, he had been Congress president, he was Chief Minister, he was party general secretary. When a man is dead you do not treat him that way," she said.
74-year-old Alva said she was hurt at the way Rao was treated in his death, adding, "This is not the way to treat a dead leader."
Talking about her resignation as party's general secretary after her criticism of the party in the run up to the Karnataka assembly polls in 2008, Alva said, "I paid the price for saying the tickets were being sold."
Alva said she was reprimanded by Sonia for speaking against the party before the polls which was won by the BJP.
She also claimed that senior leader A K Antony wanted her to be expelled from the party but Sonia rejected the suggestion.
A three-member Congress panel comprising her and two other leaders had decided to eject Antony as Kerala Chief Minister in 2004 and replace him with Oommen Chandy and that was "held against me" by Antony, Alva said.
"He thought that, I sort of, instigated it (Antony's ouster as Kerala CM). He got the better of me. I was told by people that, in fact, he had recommended my expulsion. But Gandhi said no," said Alva.
She also claimed she was often told by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that he wanted her in his Cabinet.
Throwing more lights on frosty relationship between Rao and Sonia, Alva said, "Rao would call me sometime on a Sunday evening and simply ask what does the lady want. Nothing I could say.
"But he wanted to know what the mood was at 10 Janpath. He was worried. He did not want to have any sort of clash or problem with her and when I spoke to Soniaji she always felt that Rao for some reason or the other was not prepared to deal with the way he should have.
"But most important of all is that I paid the price as both suspected me."
Asked whether Wolfgang Michel had an association with then Minister of State for Defence Production CPN Singh, Alva said so many facets are well documented. She said top army people had told her that tanks were being loaded in Bombay and marked for Canada but were unloaded in South Africa when India did not have good ties with it.
She even claimed a sealed letter was thrown inside her residence which was drafted at the Minister's chamber and sent to London for Michel's signature, saying "I had contacted him when I was in London" and tried to cut a deal.
However, the records show she was not in London during that period, she said while noting that she had placed before the Parliament all these details which created a furore.
Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje on Friday demanded resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Bengaluru Development Minister K J George over Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) M K Ganapathis suicide.
Addressing media persons here, after offering prayers at Chamundeshwari temple atop Chamundi Hill on account of Ashada Friday, Shobha alleged that there is no protection for government officers under Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state.
Though DySP Ganapathi had accused George of harassing him in an interview to a local TV channel, the chief minister is trying to shield him. Both Siddaramaiah and George should tender resignations, Karandlaje said.
The Ganapathi suicide case should be handed over to Central Bureau of Investiga-tion (CBI) and the government should provide compensation to the family members of deceased DySP, she demanded.
Shobha pointed out that when the chief minister could take a decision to drop prominent ministers like M H Ambareesh and V Srinivas Prasad from his mini-stry, what is stopping Siddaramaiah from giving the marching orders to George, she questioned.
The MP also blamed Home Minister G Parameshwara for mentioning the name of Pavana, wife of Ganapathi on the floor of the House.
Mediator
Continuing her tirade against George, Shobha alleged that the former is a mediator between the Congress high command and Siddaramaiah. Karnataka is the only state to provide funds to Congress high command, she alleged.
State unit to approach PM
Karandlaje said, The BJP state unit, led by the president B S Yeddyurappa will approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Rajnath Singh and explain them about the shabby treatment meted out to the officers in state during the monsoon session, which begins from July 18.
The Centre has released Rs 1,520 crore for the state to tackle the drought situation. But the state government has failed to utilise it effectively. The Congress government has borrowed loan of Rs 92,000 crore in the past three years. Where has all the money gone, she questioned.
How would it be to ride solo on a bicycle from Kanyakumari all the way up to Ladakh, a distance of 3,840 kilometres?
This herculean task was taken up by Shameem, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Applications at Manipal Institute of Technology in Manipal University.
Shameem set out on the arduous journey on May 23, 2016. Bad weather and a bit of indisposition, however, dashed his aspiration. He fell 320 kilometres short of a dream finish, at Patseo in Himachal Pradesh on June 18, with four days of break in between.
The going was good, very good, till I had to call it off, much to my dismay and deep disappointment, stated Shameem.
The adventurous cyclist covered 3,520 kilometres in 23 days. He crossed 13 states and Union Territories, 53 districts, 52 cities and numerous townships. I got to know a bit of the real India and met a lot of strange, yet lovely people, expressed Shameem.
I may not have been able to complete the expedition. But I can proudly say, I tried my best, achieved something and learnt a lot, said Shameem. He said that he carried the message of unity and humanity to all.
Shameem was supported by the Manipal University, government officials, private sectors, police department of different states and the Indian Railways. He also got the help of the Indian Army in the last leg of the expedition, particularly in the mountainous region.
Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim on Friday suggested that Mangalore University should study the issues plaguing Dakshina Kannada region and come up with solutions to contribute for the development of the society.
Addressing the gathering after inaugurating Open House at Mangalagangotri, the postgraduate campus of the university located on the city outskirts, Ibrahim said the study should focus on locally relevant issues like moral policing, intolerance and also Love Jihad and in a particular, their veracity. Moreover, there should be a deeper study on increasing criminal activities too.
The culture and tradition of the land, mainly aliyakattu and bhootharadhane, besides impetus to trade and banking as four nationalised banks were started here should be studied, he said.
The university can also focus on civic issues like drinking water problem, he added.The DC said dissent is being suppressed in the name of discipline. Barring Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), among 200 odd universities in the country, the other universities have not been challenging the system.
The universities must encourage students to think and become a partner in development, rather than being a memory testing centres, he observed.
Police Commissioner M Chandra Sekhar said the sentinels have been utilising the expertise at the university, with recent such exercise being teaching spoken Tulu to the low-rung in the Police Department.
Earlier, the functioning of the department had taken a beating with 36% of the constabulary lacking skills in local language, he added.
Vice-chancellor Prof K Byrappa regretted that research output from universities has come down to 35% against 70% in the 70s.
He noted that the university was ranked two after Central University of Hyderabad in research as 31 to 35 research papers have been certified by an international agency in the last two years.
The VC attributed it to the research facilities offered at the university. Besides, the university is also encouraging inter-disciplinary research, he added.
Chinas international image took a hit on July 12, 2016, when the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, announcing its decision on a case filed by the Philippines in January 2013, dismissed all of Chinas claims on South China Sea (SCS) as without legal basis.
The decision additionally injected a high degree of instability in an already volatile situation in the SCS. The live firing exercises being conducted in the area by three fleets of the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) during July 8-11 and the ongoing Malabar Exercises among Indian, US and Japanese Navy ships, lend a sharper edge to the PCAs decision.
The 501-page decision of the PCA, which as anticipated, was in favour of the Philippines, went well beyond the issues raised by Manila. The ruling effectively demolished the various arguments advanced by China. It dismissed Chinas contention that its claims date back to the 2nd century BC and ruled that Beijing has no legal basis for its maritime territorial claims over 3 million square km of the SCS and neither over its undersea mineral and other resources.
The Court concluded that historical navigation and fishing by China in the waters of the SCS represented the exercise of high seas freedoms, rather than a historic right, and that there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters of the SCS or prevented other states from exploiting their resources.
Significantly, it added that the nine-dash line used by Beijing to delineate its South China Sea claims contravenes a United Nations convention on maritime law.
China has consistently declined to accept the PCAs jurisdiction with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring the award is null and void and has no binding force. Though non-binding, the decision is a definite setback to Chinas assiduous efforts since 1974 to build a case for claiming sovereignty over the disputed sea.
Importantly, including for India, it negates Chinas bid to cite ancient historical records like 2000-year old travellers accounts and old navigation maps to substantiate its claims, thus implicitly weakening Chinas other territorial claims. Supported by the US, G7 countries, 28 EU nations, Vietnam, Japan and India, the PCA decision strengthens the claims of countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia and isolates China.
Beijings riposte was swift. Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated that the waters had been Chinese territory since ancient times and the ruling could not invalidate history. Foreign Minister Wang Yi asserted This farce is now over. China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards.
Chinas stance is somewhat shored by the fact that no permanent member of the UN Security Council has ever complied with a ruling by the PCA on an issue involving the Law of the Sea and none has ever accepted any ruling which they felt infringed their sovereignty or national security interests.
Orchestrated protests
Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) orchestrated diplomatic protests summoning several Western ambassadors on July 12-13 to complain against the PCA decision. At a press briefing in Beijing on July 13, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin questioned the PCAs competence and integrity saying its five arbitrators one of whom is a Japanese lacked knowledge of Asian culture and were effectively employed by the Philippines. He asked: Can a ruling issued by such an arbitration tribunal have any effect? Does it have credibility? Who would implement a ruling that has no credibility?
Meanwhile, the Beijing Office of the Emergency Committee promulgated heightened security precautions from the early morning of July 12, 2016. While this would have been to appease Chinese nationalist sentiment, the stated purpose was to pre-empt popular protests similar to the anti-Japan demonstrations in 80 Chinese cities four years ago.
Chinas President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping also instructed the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to check all the possibilities and prepare to make war. The PLA has been placed on "secondary alert" and the PLAs South Zone or Southern Theatre Command, the PLA Navy (PLAN)s South China Sea Fleet, Air Force and Rocket Forces have been placed on "pre-war status".
The Strategic nuclear forces are also on alert. Chinas official media publicised that PLAN's South China Sea, East China Sea and North China Sea fleets have been conducting live-fire exercises in the waters near the Xisha Hainan Island from July 8-11, 2016, in the presence of senior commanders including PLA Navy (PLAN) Chief Wu Shengli. At the same time, Beijing appears to be moving towards de-escalating tensions.
A lengthy 149-paragraph White Paper on the South China Sea issued on July 13, 2016 reiterated Chinas historical claims and sovereignty over the SCS and suggested a willingness to negotiate with the Philippines. Chinese foreign minister separately hinted that China could respond positively to a suggestion for peaceful negotiations made by the new Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on June 30, 2016.
The days and weeks ahead will be important for the region. Notwithstanding its mutual defence pacts with Japan and the Philippines signed in 1951, the US has close, extensive ties with China and little desire for hostilities. The South East Asian nations are dependent on Chinas economy. Beijing will not resile from its claims of sovereignty over most of the SCS which are integral to its global ambitions.
Importantly, Xi Jinping, who proposed the China Dream with its muscular ambitions and is preparing for the 19th Party Congress in late 2017 cannot afford to appear weak. Beijing might declare a limited Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) while opting for a carefully calibrated response of maintaining its claims while easing tension. But this will only be a strategic pause.
(The writer is former Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India and currently President, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy, New Delhi)
Bhoomi Mattu Vasathi Hakku Vanchitara Horata Samiti state convener Noor Sridhar said the second round of movement will be held for land reforms on the occasion of the birthy centenary of former D Devaraj Urs.
A state-wide protest will be held on July 20 and Bengaluru Chalo will be held on August 20 in this regard, he told reporters here on Friday.
Sridhar said no political party or government has moral right to celebrate the centenary of Devaraj Urs. All governments are pro-landlords, he charged.
He demanded a high-level committee under the chairmanship of the chief minister to revise and implement the Land Reforms Act. The committee should receive applications from landless and siteless people and should dispose of applications within two years, he said.
He said Urs dreamt that the agricultural land, owned by landlords, should belong to agricultural labourers. The applications of more than three lakh bagair hukum cultivators, are not cleared. More than 10 lakh agricultural labourers have no land to cultivate.
According to the reports submitted by various committees of the government, 11 lakh acres of government land have been encroached by landlords. In order to exert pressure on the government, a symbollic protest will be held at all district centres on July 20. A Bengaluru Chalo will be held on August 20. Poor people from across the state will reach Bengaluru on the day, he explained.
Shridhar urged the government to clear encroachments of landlords and allocation of land to poor should take place. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has a moral responsibility in this issue. Everyone should be given sites and has a right to get burial land, he observed.
Karnataka Raitha Sangha leader B Rudraiah said about 70 percent of the total labourers are daily wage labourers. The government and the political parties have are thinking in terms of poor, he criticised.
About 25 organisations, including Samanathegagi Janandolana, Karnataka Raitha Sangha, Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samithi, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Karnataka Jana Shakthi and Akhila Bharatha Kranthikari Yuvajana Okkoota will support the protest, he said.
Progressive association leaders Gause Mohiyuddin, Ramu Kauli, Umesh Devrahalli and C E Basavaraju were present.
Former MLC A K Subbaiah on Friday lamented DySP M K Ganapathis family members have become pawns in politics.
Subbaiah, also an advocate, told newsmen here, There has been a change in mindset of Ganapathis family members, especially after Janata Dal (Secular) state president H D Kumaraswamy visited them. They have joined hands with vested interets and have also become a puppet in the hands of Opposition parties.
He also regretted that honour of Kodavas is also being belittled, especially aftermath of this suicide incident.
It is evident that Ganapathi committed suicide due to depression as all the incidents narrated by the (police) officer himself before ending his life, occurred during in 2014. K J George was the home minister then. But he committed suicide now.
Subbaiah said Ganapathi took the step after he was promoted and was posted in his place of interest, sufice to say again that depression was the cause.
Subbaiah claimed: Ganapathi was in constant touch with Sangh Parivar. When the BJP was in power, he was in contact with Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagaran Vedike. Not just him, even DySP of Chikkamagaluru sub-division Kallappa Handibag was closely associated with Bajrang Dal. So also Anupama Shenoy (who resigned as DySP of Kudligi sub-division, Ballari district) who belongs to Sangh Parivar.
Harassement case
He said vested interests are trying to put the government in a bind, portraying it as a case of harassment. A question looms over the din being created by the Opposition party members who staged protest overnight at Vidhana Soudha, he observed.
The ruling Congress party also has failed to expose the double standards of its rivals, who have been cooking up stories covering the actual cause of suicide and also aso the Opposition parties that have been misleading innocent people, he claimed.
Subbaiah observed: Generally, no one behaves like the family members of Ganapathi in such circumstances. They lodge a complaint at Kushalnagar police station and also level baseless charges, even as the CID probe is on. All these cast aspersion that they are dancing to the tunes of Opposition parties in the state.
Moreover, the reason given by Ganapathi, who was none other than a DySP, is harassment by his senior officers. If anybody in the cadre of DySP takes such a step citing similar reasons, it seems they are not worthy of the job, he quipped.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, accompanied by representatives of various organisations including different units of Kodava Samaja, took out a mammoth vehicle rally on Friday demanding a CBI probe into the suicide of DySP M K Ganapathi and sacking of Bengaluru Development Minister K J Goerge from Council of Ministers and two IPS officers, named by the police officer before his death.
The members of Kodava Samaja from Ponnampet, Kutta, Virajpet, Gonikoppa, Srimangala, Somwarpet, Madapura, Napoklu, Bhagaman dala, Nelaji, Hudikerei and other places, who arrived in different vehicles at General Thimmaiah Circle in the town, later took out a rally up to the DCs office.
The protesters, waving black flags, marched via Mangeshira Muththanna Circle, town station, private bus stand, chowki, College and Race Course Roads.
Addressing the protesters, Ponnampet Kodava Samaja president Sullimada Gopal Thimmaiah criticised, A First Information Report (FIR) should be registered against George and IPS officers A M Prasad and Pronab Mohanty and should be arrested.Though the case has been handed over to CID, it is nothing, but an eye-washing tactic.
He also warned against testing patience of peace-loving Kodavas and they will continue the protest. Ponnampet Kodava Samaja has already decided to file a public interest litigation (PIL) in this regard, he added.
Kodava Samaja secretary Rajeev Bopaiah said, The statements made by the police officer before ending his life should be considered as dying declaration and an FIR be filed in this regard.
He demanded that the case should be handed over CBI as George may influence the states premiere investigating agency. He also demanded a special relief of Rs 5 crore for the police officers dependents as the government is responsible for his death.
Zilla Panchayat former president Shareen Subbaiah said, The government should initiate action against the three people as named by Ganapathi. She charged that the government is trying to suppress honest officers, instead of instiling courage among them.
Earlier, the protesters also staged a demonstration at General Thimmaiah Circle. They also observed a minutes silence to condole the death of Ganapathi. A memorandum was submitted to Deputy Commissioner Richard Vincent DSouza.
Kodava Samaja Madikeri unit president Moovera Shambu Subbaiah, zilla panchayat former president Ravi Kushalappa, Codava National Council (CNC) president N U Nachappa, Kodava Makkada Koota president Bollajjeera Ayyappa were among several other leaders took part in the protest.
The Madras High Court on Friday issued orders restraining all internet service providers from illegally downloading Rajinikanth's upcoming movie Kabali.
Justice N Kirubakaran granted an interim injunction on a petition filed by Tamil Film Producer Council president Kalaipuli S Thanu, directing authorities to stop websites from unlawful uploading of the film through about 180 websites and 'countless unknown sites'. He also sought direction to local satellite cable channels to refrain from telecasting pirated versions of the film.
After the Tamil Nadu Anti-piracy Cell was included as a respondent to ensure compliance, Thanu sought direction to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to issue instructions to all service providers to block websites offering illegal downloads.
The petition, submitted before the judge on Thursday, pointed out that about Rs 100 crore was spent on producing Kabali, with more than 3,000 technicians working on the film. The movie will release globally on July 22.
The film producer also forwarded several DVDs of other films that were recorded and sold immediately after their release, charging that state and central authorities were turning a blind eye to the infringement of copyright.
Charging Trai of not taking action despite having the technology to block websites functioning from foreign soil, the petitioner submitted that producers had identified 225 rogue" websites and other high courts, which heard similar cases, had directed that they be blocked. Justice Kirubakaran said he would pass an order in this regard.
Infiltration bids by Pakistani intruders from across the border into Punjab is at an all time high.
A record number of infiltration bids have been reported this year. There's also a drastic increase in the number of Pakistani intruders killed in action by the BSF, as many as 11 this year until Thursday, on the Pakistan-Punjab border.
The figures are the highest since 2013. In fact, the number of Pakistani intruders killed has nearly doubled since last year when six intruders were killed in counter-fire. What is worrying is that unlike the earlier pattern when infiltration attempts took place during winters under the garb of dense fog and biting cold wave conditions, an increased number of intrusion bids are being witnessed this time around in peak summer.
Also, out of the 11 Pakistani intruders gunned down by the BSF this year, at least five were armed with Pakistan-labelled ammunition. The remaining intruders are believed to have tried to infiltrate the border zone for drug smuggling.
The number of intruders nabbed by the BSF while trying to enter Punjab too has witnessed a surge. In the first seven months of this year, at least 20 Pakistani intruders have been arrested. On an yearly average, about 21 suspects are apprehended by the BSF.
The BSF guards the 543-km Punjab-Pakistan border, which is turning into the new theatre of terror from across Pakistan. Since July last year, two major terror strikes from militants in Pakistan one in Dinanagar in Gurdaspur and the second at the Pathankot frontier Air Force base brought the focus on this vulnerable border zone which until July last year was ill-famed for drug smuggling.
After the Pathankot strike, 18 additional companies of the BSF have been deployed here, which led to plugging gaping holes in the security apparatus leading to more arrests and killing of Pakistani intruders.
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a PIL challenging the notifications issued by the Centre for culling of Nilgais, monkeys and wild boars after declaring them as vermin.
A bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice A M Khanwilkar asked animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi to approach the Delhi High Court, which can deal with the orders issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Changes declaration of three animals as vermin for one year in the states of Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Senior advocates K K Venugopal, Anand Grover and Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the petitioner and others contended that since the matter concerned three states, they would be forced to three different high courts. But the court told them that the Delhi High Court can decide their plea relating to the Union governments orders.
The court had earlier also refused to quash the notifications asking the petitioner to make a representation with the Union government within two weeks. Citing recent videos of killing of Nilgais, the petitioner had claimed the notifications were in violation of the Constitution and the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Describing the IITs as best both in terms of quality and output, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar rejected the notion that students go after lucrative job offers in foreign countries after finishing their courses.
Out of the ten (who complete their course at IIT) just three go abroad and the rest serve India. Many who went abroad in the past are coming back and starting their own projects (at home), Javadekar said.
Since their inception, an excess of 2.50 lakh students have graduated from the IITs and one in four among them who passed out before 2004 are marshalling the multi-nationals, the HRD Minister said.
They work with government agencies, research labs, multinational companies and handle at least one trillion dollar (worth of) investments, he said, terming the scale of their contributions an achievement.
Saluting the higher standards of other premier institutions like the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Javadekar said they are the new temples of India.
The IITs were at the centre of an embarrassing controversy with the nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar telling a news channel that R K Shevgaonkar was humiliated by the ministry and so had to leave his position as IIT-Delhis director. Javadekar, during his interaction with students of IIT-Delhi, asked them to consider taking up faculty positions after completing their programmes.
A mini bulk carrier, MV Kumar, has been grounded off the Revdanda coast at Alibaug in the coastal Raigad district with the threat of capsize looming large.
According to officials of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, Capt Ashok Corrol, the Master of MV Kumar, called up the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai on Thursday night. He reported flooding on board vessel in void space with the forward portion of the ship grounded off Revdanda, around 1.5 nautical miles off the coast.
During the investigation, the captain confirmed that all crew were safe and only the forward part of the vessel had touched bottom.
Revdanda is located 105 km off downtown Mumbai and is a popular tourist destination. The progress of the Southwest Monsoon has turned the Arabian Sea very rough.
The vessel is not equipped with sufficient damage control equipment and possibility of capsizing in the rough sea increases, official sources said.The vessel left Mumbai with 2400 MT iron ore on Wednesday and arrived at Revdanda anchorage at midnight.
A Coast Guard helicopter was launched from Mumbai with the first light on Friday for assistance and the Coast Guard team from Murud reached Revdanda Port for arranging pumps for de-flooding.
The ICG has contacted Capt Das, JSW Ltd, the owner of the vessel, and he has intimated that a tug with divers and submersible pumps from Mumbai were being arranged for providing necessary salvage assistance.
The police on Friday arrested five people in connection with the murder of Datta Phuge (48), a businessman from the neighbouring Pimpri-Chichwad industrial township.
Phuge, who shot to fame in 2012 when he got made a shirt of 3.5 kg gold, worth Rs 1.27 crore, was killed on an open ground at Dighi near here at around 11.30 pm on Thursday night, the police said.
We have launched a manhunt to trace other suspects including one Atul Mohite, who had called Phuge to the murder spot, said inspector Navnath Ghogare of Dighi police station.
Shubham Phuge, the 22-year-old son of the slain businessman, said that Mohite called him and asked him to send his father (Datta Phuge) for birthday celebration of a friend.
However, I forgot to give the message to my father. As my fathers phone was switched off, he (Mohite) then called on my mothers number at around 10 pm and spoke to my father. My father asked him to come and pick him up, so he came to our house, said Shubham.
Phuge then asked Shubham to buy some biryani and join them.
I bought biryani and went to the spot only to see that 10 to 12 people were attacking my father with stones and sharp weapons. I shouted. Upon seeing my two friends and me, they fled, leaving my father in a pool of blood, he said.
He was in the business of money-lending and chit-fund. The police suspect that a monetary dispute could have led to his murder.
The four-day "Chinese Homecoming 2016" event was opened in Asia World-Expo, Hong Kong with the greeting speech by Rev. Ma Jianming on the evening of July 13, 2016 focusing on the reconciliation of Greater China.
Around 20,000 people from 30 nations including Australia, Canada, Germany, US, Israel, Turkey, India, Thailand, Japan and Korea, 26 areas attended the event.
Rev. Ma, the senior pastor of International City Churches of Hong Kong and host of the gatherings for several times, stressed that the convention facility has held five homecoming gatherings; therefore, the heavenly father stayed here to welcome them and he expected more glorious things to happen in this year's events like in the past when a number of wonderful things took place in the events.
In the opening ceremony, he welcomed the guests and claimed that Christians in Hong Kong and mainland China share the same goal that aims to evangelize back to Jerusalem and to help those who walked with them.
Later on, he explained the origin of the gathering. The believers were asking what was the will of God when Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 after being a British colony for about one and a half century.
The pastor said, "We believe that God will use Hong Kong to bless mainland China and the blessing of the latter will bless the church in Hong Kong. So we walked on the unregretful journey a few years ago, beginning to hold the homecoming gathering by faith for the brothers and sisters in the mainland and the rest of the world."
Following this, there was a hour unity worship followed by the representatives from the world giving their self-introduction, most of whom are from the mainland.
Besides the opening ceremony, the gathering consists of two leadership pre-meetings from the evening of Tuesday to the morning of Wednesday and the three-day conference starting July 14.
The "Homecoming" official website introduced that this year makes the 70th anniversary of the Vision "Back to Jerusalem" and the year of Jubilee on the Jewish calendar, thus, the day has become an entrance for the unity of global Chinese Christians in the modern age.
An Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft carrying 156 passengers evacuated from the strife-torn South Sudan arrived here in the early hours of Friday.
Of them, 85, including 45 Keralites, deplaned here before the aircraft left for New Delhi.
Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh, who led Operation Sankat Mochan the Centres initiative to evacuate Indian nationals from the African nation accompanied the passengers in the aircraft, which arrived at the international airport here at about 5 am. The evacuees included nine women, three children and two Nepalese nationals.
Speaking to reporters at the airport, Singh said 30 to 40 Indians had already booked tickets for home when commercial flights resumed services. There are about 300 people who do not wish to be evacuated because of the business concerns and other activities that they have out there, Singh said.
Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had earlier requested Indians to make use of the evacuation operation. Indian nationals Pls move out of South Sudan. We hv sent two aircrafts. If situation deteriorates, we will not be able to evacuate u (sic), she tweeted on Thursday.
Singh said he also met the vice-president of South Sudan, who gave him a rundown on measures taken to ensure security in the strife-hit regions. The Centre estimates that there are about 550 Indians in South Sudan.
Countries, including Germany, the UK, Japan and Italy, commenced evacuation of their citizens after a ceasefire between troops affiliated to President Salva Kiir and Vice-president Riek Machar came into force in capital Juba.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the meeting of the interstate council (ISC) on Saturday, which will be convened after a period of 10 years.
In a first, the meeting will be held in the Rashtrapati Bhavan auditorium. Usually, such meetings are held in the Vigyan Bhavan here.
Modi, Union ministers and chief ministers will deliberate on issues of internal security, economic and social planning and interstate relations, among others.
The meeting will also discuss recommendations of the Punchhi Commission on Centre-state relations, use of Aadhaar as an identifier and use of Direct Benefit Transfer for providing subsidies, benefits and public services, improving quality of school education with focus on improving learning outcomes and incentivising better performances.
This is the first time Modi, along with 17 Union ministers, will be meeting all the chief ministers on a single platform after he assumed charge on May 26, 2014.
The interstate council was established on the recommendations of the Justice Sarkaria Commission in 1990 under Article 263 of the Constitution as an independent national forum with the prime minister as its chairman.
The last time the ISC met was on December 9, 2006. The council, a recommendatory body assigned to investigate and discuss subjects of common interest, have only met 10 times in the past 25 years.
During the Congress regime, only two meetings were held since its first meeting in 1990. While P V Narasimha Rao, as a prime minister, did not convene a single meeting between 1991 and 1996, Manmohan Singh called two meetings in June 2005 and December 2006.
The NDAs A B Vajpayee convened four meetings of ISC between January 1999 and August 2003, while the United Fronts I K Gujral called two meetings within a span of four months in 1997.
National Fronts V P Singh called the first meeting of ISC, a month before his government fell in 1990, while Gujrals predecessor convened a meeting in October 1996.
Paris on Friday vowed to step up counter-terrorism cooperation with New Delhi, following the deadly terror attack at Nice in southern France which killed 84.
The attack in the French Riviera renewed the focus on several plans to augment bilateral security cooperation, including a proposed joint exercise between the National Security Guard of India and the Groupe d intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN ) the elite counter-terrorism force of France.
Paris envoy to New Delhi Alexandre Ziegler on Friday said that France and India stood together in the fight against global terrorism. His comment came even as President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led India to reaffirm solidarity with France in combating the menace.
More than ever, we (France and India) shall enhance our cooperation against those who would like to spread all over the world their message of death, of hate and fanaticism. India, like France, knows only too well that there is no possible compromise with terrorists, Ziegler told journalists in New Delhi.
At least 84 people, including several children, were killed and many others injured in a deadly terror attack at Nice in southern France on Thursday.
President Pranab Mukherjee wrote to his French counterpart Francois Hollande, conveying that the people of India stood beside the people of France in solidarity and sympathy.
I am deeply pained to learn that France was once again afflicted by a major tragedy caused by a heinous act of terror last evening. The pre-meditated massacre of innocent people as they were participating in the Bastille Day celebrations - including, sadly, many children, is an unspeakable crime, Mukherjee wrote to Hollande.
India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness, Modi posted on Twitter, condemning the mindless act of violence.
The terror attack in the French Riviera came at a time when the governments of the two countries were discussing a proposal for a joint exercise between the NSG and the GIGN , officials told DH in New Delhi.
The French and Indian soldiers also had a joint counterterrorism drill Exercise Shakti at Bikaner in Rajasthan at the beginning of the year. Paris has been keen to step up counter-terrorism cooperation with New Delhi, ever since over 130 people were killed in a series of deadly terror attacks in the capital city of France.
The India-France Joint Working Group of India on Counter-terrorism met in New Delhi in December 2015 to discuss cooperation in the fight against the global menace, particularly on sharing of intelligence and augmenting the capacity of anti-terror forces of both the nations.
The two nations also hold a Strategic Security Dialogue an institutional mechanism for talks between the national security advisor to prime minister and diplomatic advisor to French President.
Hollandes visit to New Delhi as the Chief Guest in the Republic Day ceremony and his meeting with Modi last January added fresh momentum to counter-terrorism cooperation.
The two leaders issued a joint statement on counter-terrorism, vowing to help each other fight violent extremism and radicalisation, disrupt recruitment, terrorist movements and flow of foreign terrorist fighters, stop sources of terrorist financing and dismantle terrorist infrastructure and prevent supply of arms to terrorists.
It is now official. Bars and pubs in Bengaluru will remain open till 1 am throughout the week, with the Excise Department on Thursday issuing an order in this regard.
The new order, though said to be for a year, does not have a definite time frame. Until further orders, is what it said.
Resident welfare associations, however, expressed apprehension about the governments decision and said it could lead to a law and order problem. With little choice, the city police said they will intensify patrolling to avoid untoward incidents.
A senior police officer who did not wish to be named said: We have received an official order. Along with regular patrolling, we will direct the jurisdictional stations to conduct intense patrolling in their areas.
The control room will also be asked to keep a tight vigil on the patrolling vehicles to make sure they are on rounds constantly. It is an added responsibility and more work. Policemen will have to be more alert and ensure this extension of deadline does not affect the public, the officer said.
The police have also requested the public to alert the control room if they notice anti-social activities near bars and pubs. People who indulge in untoward incidents in or near watering holes will be dealt with an iron hand, an officer said.
The public has a different take on the nightlife extension order, with a few believing it was done to benefit the state government.
Mohan Kumar, a shopkeeper, said, For the past two years, the Excise Department did not meet its target. Extending nightlife to all weekdays will help the government generate enough revenue. He, however, cautioned that the move will act as a catalyst in increasing the crime rate and accidents.
D S Rajshekar, president, Federation of North-East Residents Welfare Association, said the 1am deadline may be welcomed by youth. For senior citizens, it is definitely a nuisance. Accidents might also increase as the police force is not strong enough.
Some said bars and pubs located in residential areas should not be allowed to function beyond 11 pm. The 1 am deadline is acceptable in Central Business District areas. Residents are already facing problems in residential areas like Indiranagar where there are numerous pubs, said Vikram Mulki, president, Defence Colony Residents Welfare Association.
Continuing to needle India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday declared slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani a martyr.
He also said July 19 will be observed as a black day to protest atrocities against Kashmiris by the Indian security forces. Addressing a special cabinet meeting here to discuss the situation in Kashmir, Sharif termed the movement of Kashmiris a movement of freedom.
The whole of Pakistan is standing by Kashmiris. Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their struggle for the right to self-determination, Sharif said.
He directed all the relevant departments to highlight the Kashmir issue at international fora.
An official statement released after the meeting said, July 19 will be observed as a black day in the country so that the attention of the international conscience can be drawn towards the atrocities of the Indian forces in Kashmir.
The Pakistan cabinet asked the United Nations to renew its efforts to complete its unfinished agenda and ensure implementation of its resolutions so that Kashmiris get their right of self-determination.
Pakistan also briefed the ambassadors of African and Middle Eastern countries over the situation in Kashmir.
India hits back
DHNS adds from New Delhi: India on Friday slammed Pakistan for its decision to declare July 19 as a black day to protest the killing of people in Kashmir.
India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.
We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where, we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi, said Swarup, adding: Continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistans sympathies continue to lie.
India has been protesting Pakistans attempt over the past few days to rake up and internationalise the Kashmir issue, seeking to take advantage of the unrest in the Valley in the aftermath of Wanis killing.
A breakthrough has been finally achieved between the government and the minority colleges on seat-sharing and fee structure for medical and dental courses.
Three medical and six dental colleges under the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minority Professional Colleges Association on Friday consented to charge the same fee agreed with the colleges under the Karnataka Professional Colleges Foundation.
The association has a total of 350 seats in three medical colleges and 300 in six dental colleges, according to its secretary Shafi Ahmed. Of these, the association will give 25% to the government.
The agreement reached today is only between the government and the religious minority colleges. A section of the linguistic minority colleges, which was earlier under the association, has not yet discussed the issue with the government, he said.
Accordingly, the association will charge Rs 70,000 for an MBBS seat and Rs 45,000 for a BDS seat under the government quota in these colleges. For 55% of the seats to be filled through the National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test, the fees will be Rs 5.75 lakh for MBBS and Rs 3.90 lakh for BDS. The remaining 20% seats will be under the management quota and the fees will be decided by the managements themselves.
Medical Education Director S S Harsoor said: There are as many as 280 medical seats and a number of dental seats in seven linguistic minority colleges with whom an agreement is yet to be reached. I was told that the head of the linguistic minority colleges association was not well. So, nobody turned up for the meeting on Friday.
He said the agreement was expected to ensure that all the seats are added to the Common Entrance Test matrix at one time during the second round of seat allotments.
The second round began on July 14 without medical seats from the minority colleges and will go on till July 17. We want to add all the seats together to the matrix to avoid any confusion among students, Harsoor said.
The High Court on Friday disposed of a petition filed by T S Subramanya, Deputy Director, Mysore Palace Board seeking directions to quash proceedings against him.
The chairman of the board and Mysuru Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, who is also the executive officer of the Mysore Palace Board, had issued an order initiating an enquiry against Subramanya. They had also recommended sending him back to his parent department. Subramanya has been accused of permitting a photo shoot of a couple inside the Mysuru palace.
In his petition, Subramanya had stated that the chairman and the DC had initiated proceedings against him without convening a meeting of all Board members. This is a violation of the provisions of the Mysore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer), Act, 1996.
The petitioner has said that Shikha herself is involved in the photo shoot scam and to save her skin, she is making him a scapegoat by initiating proceedings against him.
Justice B S Patil disposed of the petition after the government counsel submitted that the proceedings are still in a premature stage. The bench granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the court after the final outcome of the proceedings.
BU syndicate nominations
The High Court has disposed of a PIL challenging the nomination of six persons as syndicate members of the Bangalore University contending their nomination violates provisions of the Karnataka State University Act, 2000.
The petitioner, K N Ramesh had said that N Vijaya Kumara Simha, Jayanna, S J Daniel Fernandes, Nafis Fathima, B G Ravikumar and K R Manjunath, who are apponited as syndicate members are not eminent educationists.
He has stated that they are not eligible to be nominated as syndicate members as their nomination was done through a recommendation of MLC H M Revanna. A division bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath disposed of the PIL directing the petitioner to give a representation to Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department.
Arunachal Pradesh acting Governor Tathagata Roy on Friday turned down Chief Minister Nabam Tukis request for more time to conduct the floor test in the Assembly.
Roy told Tuki to prove his governments majority on Saturday. However, the Speaker has not issued any notice to the MLAs for the floor test, official sources said. Speaker Nabam Rebia, sources said, has told the chief minister he cannot call the session on such short notice.
The Congress suffered another setback on Friday when the Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court dismissed a petition filed by the party and refused to intervene in the trust vote, the sources added.
The governor had earlier asked Tuki to prove majority on Saturday. On Thursday night, Tuki wrote to the governor seeking reasonable time since 48 hours is too less for arranging a floor test, as many MLAs are outside the state.
In his letter, Tuki also referred to the Sarkaria Commissions recommendations on holding a floor test and about giving reasonable time for the exercise. He also claimed that the governor setting July 16 as the deadline was unwarranted, inadequate and a hasty decision.
On Friday, capital Itanagar was the theatre of action . Early in the morning, Tuki called a Cabinet meeting, which was attended by three of his colleagues. Nine other ministers are already in former chief minister Kalikho Puls camp.
We discussed the situation in great detail. Even the chief secretary and other top officials were present in the meeting. We discussed the opinion on the issue sent to us by senior advocate of the Supreme Court Kapil Sibal. The Speaker was also consulted. The Cabinet resolved that the chief minister would request the governor to call the session on July 25 or 26, government spokesperson Bamang Felix told DH.
Later, Tuki, along with Home Minister Tanga Byaling, called on the governor and requested him for at least 10 days time to call the Assembly session.
Being the monsoon season, many MLAs are out of town and not in a position to reach here. Saturday is also a holiday in Arunachal Pradesh and it will be improper to call a session on a holiday. The officers concerned may also be not able to summon the session on time. In case of Uttarakhand, five days time was given (for the floor test). We requested the governor to consider these facts, Tuki told reporters in Itanagar. Late on Friday evening, the governors office issued a statement stating that he was firm on having the floor test on Saturday.
Citing apprehension that the present State Government does not command the required majority in the Assembly, the Governor asked the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of the State Legislative Assembly tomorrow (16th July 2016). He also emphasised that sense of security amongst the people must prevail and deterrent action must be taken to ensure foolproof Law and Order arrangement in the State, the statement added.
The governor also convened a high-level meeting where he reviewed security issues. In December last year when the political crisis surfaced, roads were blocked and even the Raj Bhavan was cordoned off by Tuki supporters.
Pul, along with the 42 MLAs supporting him, waited all day for the Speakers notice on the floor test. We are ready for the floor test. By its interpretation of the Supreme Court order, the Congress claims we are all its MLAs. Even if that happens, we are ready to defy the party whip and vote against Tuki. We are leaving for Itanagar. We have not received any notice for the session as of now, former deputy chief minister in Puls Cabinet, Chowna Mein, told DH.
Proclaiming to be a messenger of peace, controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik on Friday vehemently denied that his speeches and discourses promote terrorism.
But Naik, the 50-year-old founder of the Islamic Research Foundation and Peace TV, had a strange argument on suicide bombing. Suicide bombing where innocents are killed is haraam. But as a tactic of war, it is permitted, say many scholars, Naik said in a press conference via Skype from Mecca-Medina in Saudi Arabia.
Naik, who enjoys NRI status, also targeted the media. The media with an ulterior motive changes the meaning. My answers are altered and this misguides people. Those who do that should be held responsible, he said, adding that his statements have been doctored and taken out of context.
I have been preaching for 25 years and I have always condemned terror attacks and suicide bombings since innocent people are killed and it is anti-Islam, he said, condemning the terror attack in Nice.
On the accusations of inspiring one of the Dhaka attackers, Naik said: I have many fans in that country...Even he (Dhaka attacker) could be my fan. I challenge the media to show me an official source in Bangladesh who said I have inspired him The media has picked it up without confirmation.
I am a messenger of peace. I do not criticise any sect of Islam, I may disagree on interpretations. Chapter 5, Verse 32 of the Quran says killing innocents is a crime....Quran says one innocent killed is killing humanity, he added.
An attacker ploughed a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice along the French Riviera, killing at least 84 people.
President Francois Hollande called it a terrorist act by an enemy determined to strike all nations that share Frances values.
The driver, identified by police sources as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, also appeared to open fire before officers shot him dead. Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian resident of Nice, was known to the police in connection with common crimes such as theft and violence but was not on the watch list of French intelligence services, sources said.
The third mass killing in Western Europe in eight months caused more fear across an already anxious continent struggling with security challenges from mass immigration, open borders and pockets of Islamist radicalism.
The truck zigzagged along the seafront Promenade des Anglais in the city of Nice as a fireworks display marking the French national day ended on Thursday night.
It careered into families and friends listening to an orchestra or strolling above the beach on the Mediterranean Sea towards the grand, century-old Hotel Negresco.
Bystander Franck Sidoli said he saw people go down. Then the truck stopped, we were just five metres away. A woman was there, she lost her son. Her son was on the ground, bleeding, he said.
Dawn broke on Friday with pavements smeared with dried blood. Smashed childrens strollers, an uneaten baguette and other debris were strewn about the promenade. Small areas were screened off and what appeared to be bodies covered with blankets were visible through the gaps.
The truck was still where it had come to rest, its windscreen riddled with bullets.I saw this enormous white truck go past at top speed, said Suzy Wargniez, a local woman aged 65 who had watched from a cafe on the promenade. It was shooting, shooting.
After visiting victims at Nices Pasteur hospital, Hollande said about 50 people were still critical. The dead included many children. At least two Americans and one Russian were among those killed.
Early indications were that the attack was the work of a lone assailant. Tunisian security sources said the suspect had last visited his hometown of Msaken, about 120 km south of Tunis, four years ago. He was married with three children, and was not known by the Tunisian authorities to hold radical or Islamist views.
Unexpected visitor came to their door as members of the pontifical commission for Latin America were holding their daily staff meeting.
It was Pope Francis who made a surprise visit last July 13 to the commission's office while staff members were coordinating the upcoming continental jubilee of mercy celebration, which will take place in Bogota, Colombia.
According to the commission's website, a staff member opened the door and was stunned "when she found herself in front of none other than the Vicar of Christ on earth who, nonetheless, seemed to make a completely natural and routine."
"Good morning. May i come in?" The pope said.
One commission member rushed to the other members, informing them of the pope's visit.
Their reaction was delayed for a few seconds as they tried to comprehend what she meant.They stood up and Dr. (Guzman) Carriquiry went up immediately to meet him at the door of his office.
"good morning, do you have a little time to talk?' the pope said in a serious tone,'" the website stated.
While the pope spoke in private with Carriquiry, staff members spoke with a member of the papal security detail, who said Pope Francis decided to visit the Latin American commission's office following a dental appointment at the Vatican.
Upon being advised by security personnel that such a visit would be "very complicated," the pope said: "'I am the pope. Don't worry, we are in god's hands,'" the commission's site stated.
Following his private meeting, the pope remained several minutes with staff, drinking coffee with them. He also posed for photos with commission staff members before departing for his residence at the domus sancta Martha.
The pontifical commission for Latin America also made it clear that despite the pope's impromptu visit, it should not "be counted among the protocol visits the Holy Father makes with the offices and various departments of the roman curia."
The High Court on Friday dismissed a PIL seeking directions to the state government to file an FIR against Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George and IPS officers Pronab Mohanty and AM Prasad to charges of abetment of the suicide of police officer MK Ganapathi. The petitioner's advocate Ranganath Reddy and others had sought filing the FIR.
The petitioner, appearing as party-in-person, said there was an urgency in the matter as there are chances of the evidence against the accused being tampered with.
However, Additional Advocate General AS Ponnanna argued that the matter is already before the magistrates court and is scheduled to be heard on July 18.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath observed that Ganapathi had gone to the media before ending his life.
As the matter is already before the lower court, criminal law will take its course, the bench observed. The HC dismissed the PIL saying that it does not wish to intervene in the matter at this stage.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao said that he would himself recommend action against K J George, if there was any evidence against the minister.
If there is any evidence against him, then I will write to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and ask him to take action, he said.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Rao said the BJP and the JD(S) were politicising Ganapathis suicide and in turn were targeting George.
He said that it was ironic that the BJP is refusing to talk about the suicide of another DySP Kallappa Handibag, who ended his life on July 5.
He also wondered why JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy had not said anything about the dying declaration by Hassan farmer Gangadhar, who reportedly claimed that he had committed suicide as he was rebuked by H D Revanna.
Defending Home Ministers advisor Kempaiah, Rao said that the former IPS officer had nothing to do with the suicide case and that the Opposition is unnecessarily dragging his name into it.
The JD(S) State President H D Kumaraswamy on Friday revealed a case wherein a senior woman officers complaint of harassment by her corrupt superior went unattended.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday, Kumaraswamy said the Excise department employee Shashikala Siddappa Wodeyar was promoted and transferred as excise superintendent to Kalaburagi in April 2016.
The day she reported to duty in Kalaburagi, Shashikala was told by her superior Srinivasamurthy, an officer of joint commissioner rank, that if she coordinates with him she would benefit and can avail of all privileges. Shashikala was taken aback and protested. The next day her official vehicle was withdrawn and the mental harassment commenced, Kumaraswamy claimed.
He said as the harassment continued for days, Shashikala lodged a complaint with the Station Bazar police station in Kalaburagi and an FIR was registered on April 21.
Kumaraswamy said Srinivasamurthy has a bad track record and there were cases against him with the Lokayukta. Shashikala even sent copies of the complaint to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the then Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa and Excise Commissioner S R Umashankar.
The Excise Commissioner expressed his helplessness and said no action could be taken against Srinivasamurthy, the JD(S) leader said.
Instead of taking action against Srinivasamurthy, the chief minister signed an order to transfer him to Mysuru (Siddaramaiahs home district). The order is yet to come into effect, Kumaraswamy claimed.
Siddaramaiah calls himself a champion of his community (Kuruba). But he has allowed officers of his own community such as the late DySP Kallappa Handibag and Shashikala to become victims, Kumaraswamy said.
The Opposition parties in both the Houses of the Legislature on Friday stalled the proceedings for the third consecutive day, demanding resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K J George.
However, the BJP and JD(S) members decided to take a weekend break from their day-and-night dharna as the Assembly and the Council were adjourned for Monday. As per the schedule, the Houses were suppose to meet on Saturday too.
The Opposition parties will resume their protest on Monday. Besides Georges resignation, the Opposition is demanding that the government file an abetment to suicide case with regard to the death of DySP M K Ganapathi and refer it to the CBI.
As the two Houses met, the Opposition parties continued their overnight dharna. They shouted slogans against the government. Nevertheless, the treasury benches managed to get approval for nine amendment bills without any discussion.
In the Assembly, Speaker K B Koliwad tried to take up the question hour amid the din created by Opposition parties. But he could not do so as questions and replies were not audible. So, the Speaker laid all written replies before the House. Koliwad described the protest as unfortunate and against the spirit of Constitution.
The government has submitted the budget with a total outlay Rs 1.63 lakh crore. It is the responsibility of all the members to hold a detailed discussion before passing the budget. However, the House has so far not been able to take up discussion on the demand for grants, as mentioned in the budget, he said.
Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar countered the Speaker saying that they had never stalled the proceedings unnecessarily. We are ready for participating in the discussion if the government drops George from the Cabinet. The government is ready to sacrifice the entire session for the sake of a minister. So, the Speaker should intervene and direct the government to remove George from the Cabinet for the smooth conduct of business, he added.
With no meeting point between the government and the Opposition, chaos reigned. In the Council, the Opposition did not allow the government to reply to the discussion on the Ganapathi suicide case for the third consecutive day. The members stuck to their stand that George tender his resignation. However, the treasury benches managed to get four bills passed.
Sleuths of the Narcotics Control Bureau have seized Rs 4.5 crore worth of banned substances at the Kempegowda International Airport here.
Parimalagan Arumugam, a resident of Chennai, was arrested in the early hours of Thursday when he was about to take flight number MH193 of Malaysian Airlines to Kuala Lumpur.
NCB sleuths said the suspect had stuffed 21.86 kg of ketamine and 20 gms of MDMA pills, a psychotropic substance, in the check-in baggage.
He had concealed the substance in grocery item packets along with food items. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detected the substance during the security check.
NCB sleuths arrested Arumugam and produced him before the NDPS special court. Ketamines dissociative effects are powerful and it is commonly called date rape drug. It can make users to hallucinate.
home World EU court backs French woman fired for wearing hijab
An advocate general of the European Union's top court in Luxembourg said that the French company discriminated the woman it fired for wearing hijab.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), EU's topmost court, released an advisory opinion by British senior lawyer Eleanor Sharpston on Wednesday, July 13. According to the preliminary opinion, Sharpston viewed the case as "nothing to suggest that Ms. Bougnaoui was unable to perform her duties as a design engineer because she wore an Islamic headscarf."
"Indeed, Micropole SA's (her employer's) letter terminating her employment had expressly referred to her professional competence," said the Advocate General.
The woman in question, Asma Bougnaoui, filed a case against the French IT consultancy company in June 2009 after it suddenly fired her for wearing the Islamic headscarf. The company reportedly told the Muslim woman to stop wearing the headscarf after a big French insurance company based in Toulouse felt "embarrassed" to be seen working with her.
Bougnaoui continued to wear her headscarf that led to her termination without prior warning. She brought the case in court where the lower courts ruled in favor of the company and found a "real and serious cause" yet ordered for compensation over the sudden termination.
When the case reached the French Supreme Court, it referred to the Luxembourg court for advice on whether Bougnaoui's firing had "genuine and determining occupational requirement."
Although France forbids its public employees from wearing anything that could be perceived as flaunting their religious belief, it is bound to follow CJEU's rulings as an EU member.
Sharpston opined in this case that the dismissal only proved discriminatory.
She argued that EU's law is made "to confer protection in employment against adverse treatment (that is, discrimination) on the basis of one of the prohibited factors. It is not about losing one's job in order to help the employer's profit line."
However, the Luxembourg Wort reported that Sharpston's opinion contradicts to another similar case in May where a Belgian company also fired a woman for wearing a headscarf. The court is expected to give its final ruling at year-end.
Ericsson has been selected by Telenor Serbia to deploy its Charging and Billing in One (CBiO) solution as the operator's new real-time convergent charging and billing platform.
As a result of the deployment, Telenor Serbia can support a full range of charging and billing needs for residential, corporate, mobile and fixed subscribers.
Ingeborg fsthus, Telenor Serbia CEO says: "This system enables flexibility of the offer, broader spectrum of promotions, discounts, incentive programs, targeted campaigns, packages combining different services, as well as offer of different tariffs to customers. All of that is enabled in real time, in line with customers' needs, providing them with full cost control.
Ericsson has already successfully finalised the migration of Telenor Serbia's complete subscriber base to CBiO, which represents Ericsson's first CBiO live reference in Europe.
Antonio Passarella, Head of Ericsson Serbia says: "Convergent, real-time charging solutions are essential for operators to meet the growing demands of today's always connected consumers.
In addition to the migration to CBiO, the project includes the implementation of over 100 business requirements as part of Telenor Serbia's ongoing digital business transformation project.
New figures show that not nearly enough people newly diagnosed with diabetes in England and Wales attend a diabetes education course, risking their long-term health.
Diabetes UK reports that, in 2014-2015, only two per cent of people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (103 of 5,442) and six per cent of those newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (8,171 of 138,910) attended a diabetes education course.
Diabetes education courses such as DAFNE and DESMOND provide valuable information on how to stay as health as possible. But not attending these courses can restrict the knowledge and confidence patients have in managing their diabetes successfully.
Postcode lottery
The Diabetes UK State of the Nation report also revealed that more needs to be done by the NHS so there is less of a postcode lottery in the availability of education courses.
In some areas thousands of people with diabetes have attended education courses that give them the confidence and skills to take control of their condition, said Chris Askew, chief executive of Diabetes UK.
They can be life-saving. So it is galling that in most places these courses have reached a fraction of those who could benefit.
However, the charity revealed that the NHS offered an education course to 60 per cent more people in 2014-2015 than in 2012-2013, and the onus still remains on patients to attend these sessions.
Patients who do not have access to education courses are at greater risk of experiencing serious complications, such as heart disease and stroke, Diabetes UK added.
The increased burden of treating diabetes-related complications, which annually costs the NHS 10b, has led to one in six hospital beds being occupied by people with diabetes.
The figures are alarming and confirm that diabetes is one of the fastest-growing health challenges facing the UK today, said Izzi Seccombe, the Local Government Associations portfolio holder for community and wellbeing.
We need to increase awareness of the risks, bring about wholesale changes in lifestyle, improve self-management among people with diabetes and improve access to integrated diabetes care services.
Another findings from Diabetes UKs report was that only one third (72 out of 208) of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that responded to a freedom of information request had actually commission diabetes courses. All CCGs are meant to do this.
Time off
A 2015 report published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes, Taking Control: Supporting people to self-manage their diabetes, stated: Many courses require substantial time off work during the week which was a major disincentive to attendance as people did not wish to use up annual leave to attend, had caring responsibilities during this time, or could not secure time off from employers.
Benedict Jephcote, Head of Diabetes Education at Diabetes.co.uk, said: Finding time to attend diabetes education courses in person appears to be a barrier. If patients can find time, the courses can be very beneficial.
The barrier is a reason why Diabetes.co.uk has developed a number of online health education programs such as the Low Carb Program and the Hypo Training Program which patients, as well as carers and family, can work through at times that suit them.
home World Norway Bodnariu family reunited, but Christian journalist thinks Child Welfare Service has been unfairly criticized
A Norwegian Christian shared he's glad for the reunion of the complete Bodnariu family but said he's disappointed by the harsh criticisms against Norway and the Norwegian Barnevernet.
Tarjei Gilje, an editor at Christian daily newspaper Dagen, said that he believes many Norwegian Christians like himself are "happy that the children are back with their parents" and think that the way The Child Welfare Service of Norway, also known as Barnevernet, handled the Bodnariu case exposed an obvious "systemic problem in Barnevernet."
The Bodnariu case stirred worldwide condemnation and protests as well as provoked hundreds of American lawyers and European Parliamentarians to demand the return of Marius and Ruth Bodnariu's five children. In November last year, the government seized the children, ages three months to nine, and placed them in separate foster homes away from their parents. This happened after the daughter's school principal expressed concern over the "radical" Christian parents raising the children.
The Naustdal Municipality in Norway announced in June its decision to bring back the children to their parents amid international pressure that condemned the country for breaching domestic and international laws.
While acknowledging that Barnevernet failed in "insufficient competence and too much power with local employees" and that Norwegian Christians saw the need to look at it more closely, Gilje also believes that most of the criticisms are misplaced.
"But I also think many Christians feel that much of the criticism against Barnevernet has been based on insufficient knowledge and prejudice. This applies especially for much of the criticism coming from abroad," Gilje told Evangelical Focus.
He added, "It has been disappointing to see how Christians in many countries are willing to make harsh statements against Norway and the Norwegian Barnevernet while their very statements prove that they have very limited knowledge of the Norwegian society."
Email marketer DotDigital said on Friday its revenues for the year increased and Brexit would not have an adverse impact on its business
The AIM listed company said in its full year trading update that its overall revenue grew 26% to 26.9m for the year ended 30 June. DotDigital said it had a strong cash balance of 17.2m.
Recurring revenue charges from enhanced product functionality increased about 106% to over 4m.
Monthly recurring revenue from its dotmailer software as a service facility was up by about 31% based on usage to 21.1m.
Creative and managed service email marketing revenues increased about 11% to 1.8m. Average revenue per client grew 29% to about 575 per month.
Monthly recurring revenue from its Magento Clients dotmailer platform grew 25%. The total number of emails sent increased by 39% to 8.6bn.
Revenue outside of the UK grew 58%. US revenues were up about 49% to $4.4m.
In Australia the company generated A$600,000. It said that it made good progress but slightly slower than planned due to new relationships taking longer to be established. Dotdigital said it had good initial traction in the Nordic, Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) and Middle East regions.
Dot Digital said it will monitor the effects of the UK leaving the European Union. It said in the early stages Brexit will not have a material adverse impact on dotmailer's ongoing business. This is primarily due to a diverse spread of clients across many sectors and geographies.
In the long term it said the effect of Brexit on the company would be limited as clients and prospects will continue to invest more of their marketing budgets into digital marketing channels which generate high returns on investment.
Chief executive and chief financial officer Milan Patel said: "This continued strong performance with revenue growth of 26% is again extremely encouraging and illustrates that our profitable organic growth strategy continues to deliver against strong contracted recurring revenues in the business.
"The dotmailer platform continues to evolve and innovate, providing highly sophisticated yet easy-to-use marketing automation tools for our clients and this we believe is part of the true essence of our continued success."
Shares in DotDigital rose 4.49% to 46.50p at 1238 BST.
European non-life insurance company Gable Holdings announced its results for the 2015 calendar year on Friday, with a significant loss arising from a number of one-off charges.
The AIM-traded firm had 100m of business written during the year, and reported gross written premiums of over 91.1m, representing a 14% increase over the prior year.
Gable said retention rates and new referrals continued to drive strong growth in GWP across all markets.
It made a pre-tax loss for the group of 24.3m, which included a number of previously announced non-recurring adjustments.
Those adjustments consisted of a 7.5m provision to eliminate the remaining balance of the pre-2012 historical reserving gap, an increased 7.9m provision to fully write off the debtor relating to an after-the-event insurance policy, provisions for claims arising from the significant flooding in the UK and Europe in December, and the writing off of goodwill of 4.25m relating to the acquisition of Gable Insurance AG in 2005.
The companys cash and liquid investment balances have increased by over 45% in the financial year, Gables board reported, and were 61.6m at year end.
Over the ten years since start up in 2005, we have grown a significant business in terms of written premiums, commercial reach and capability, underwriting across a core of customers and strategic niche classes of business in nine European countries and building a strong brand of trust with SMEs, said Gable Holdings chief executive William Dewsall.
Following the announcement of a strategic review of Gable's business, I can confirm that, after consultation with our regulator, the FMA, we are taking steps to implement a solution which will operate under the new Solvency II regime.
"The regulatory landscape since we started the business has changed dramatically which has necessitated the strategic review and we are now proceeding with discussions with a range of parties which will require a significant restructuring of the Group's business and scale of underwriting operations in order to provide a solution to ensure compliance with Solvency II across all lines of business, Dewsall explained.
The chief executive and chief financial officer at stamp and collectibles group Stanley Gibbons have both been made redundant as the company said it was reconsidering the benefits of its off-shore status to reposition itself with more focus on the UK.
In a statement, the company said due to the proposed relocation of the key executive positions to the UK, the roles of both chief executive Mike Hall and financial officer Donal Duff would become redundant.
Both have stepped down from the board, but both remain committed to the group and will be available to advise on investment sales and financial reporting respectively for a handover period at least until the conclusion of the audit for the year ended 31 March 2016, Stanley Gibbons said.
Harry Wilson, who joined the board earlier this year, will become executive chairman, the company added.
Wilson admitted the restructuring of the firm was unsettling for all concerned with the business.
Whilst there are undoubtedly challenges ahead, at the heart of the business are some of the leading experts in their respective fields together with stock items that are the envy of our competitors the world over. This combination is an excellent platform from which to restore the trading fortunes and reputation of the group," he said.
Google proposed new changes to the Unicode Consortium, which were unveiled on Thursday
Emojis have taken over the world it seems, and Google have been at the forefront of the latest additions to the dictionary which showcase equality between men and women.
The Unicode Consortium is made up by several technology companies, and is in charge of the little faces and characters we see on our smartphone screens.
On Thursday the consortium announced plans for 11 new professional emojis. It also called for both female and male versions of a number of existing emojis that represent only one gender.
Google proposed the idea to provide both men and women undertaking various professional careers, as well as changing 33 existin emojis which were only represented by one gender.
Emojis like that of the runner, cyclist, police officer, weight lifter, surfer and detective, which are limited to male gender, will also now get female versions, giving women a choice that is not limited to a princess or a dancer.
The news was announced ahead of World Emoji Day on Sunday, and Unicode had previously been criticised for not being inclusive enough when it came to representation of race and gender.
Although an attempt to counter these allegations was made by launching different skin and hair colors in the past updates, gender was until this point an issue that was not addressed.
We hope these updates help make emoji just a little more representative of the millions of people around the (world) who use them, Google said in the announcement.
William Hills shares fell on Friday as Canaccord Genuity reiterated a hold rating and cut its target price to 301p from 340p.
The betting group has warned about poor results from horse racing at Cheltenham, tighter regulation, and teething problems with its strategy of taking more technology in-house, Canaccord noted.
In March, William Hill said it expected operating profit for this year to fall to between 260m and 280m, from 291m last year.
And now the Brexit vote looks likely to have some impact on consumer confidence, driving further downgrades in Retail, said Canaccords Simon Davies.
Davies said William Hills retail offer has improved while the UEFA Euro 2016 will give first half profits a boost. However, he said the technology challenges in its online offering and poor summer weather will not have helped.
Online should remain relatively resilient (if it can resolve ongoing technology challenges), but while Australia will benefit from the weaker pound, it faces its own intensifying regulatory challenges which continue to dampen growth. Overall, it looks set for a second consecutive year of double-digit Earnings declines.
Canaccord has reduced its 2016 earnings before interest, tax, appreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) forecast from 272.3m to 259.6m, driving pre-tax profit down from 236.2m to 223.4m and earnings per share (EPS) down to 22.5p from 21.3p,
The 2017 estimate for pre-tax profit and EPS was also cut to 233.4m from 249.6m and 23.2p from 24.8p.
It reports interim results on 5 August, and we project flat revenues (803.1m) and EBITA down 19% to 125.4m, Davies said.
Shares fell 1.48% to 267p at 1315 BST.
At least 84 people have been killed in the French city of Nice after a truck was driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, in what President Francois Hollande called an attack of "an undeniable terrorist nature".
Witnesses said the truck travelled for more than a mile down the famous Promenade des Anglais on the sea front, zig-zagging through the crowd and running people over before the driver was shot dead by police.
French media were reporting that the driver was a Tunisian man who lived in France. A state of emergency, in place since November's Paris attacks, has been extended by three months.
"All of France is under the threat of Islamic terrorism," Hollande said, adding that several children were among the dead.
84 people killed during attack in the French Riviera
Friday trading saw a slide in travel and airline stocks in the US and Europe after a terrorist attack in Nice, France which led to the deaths of 84 people and left scores injured.
The attack came on the French holiday Bastille Day as a driver smashed his way through the streets of the city with a lorry.
Travel stocks from airlines to cruise companies to online travel booking services are down for the day so far, including Priceline Group Inc, which fell -1.65%, Delta Airlines dropping -2.29% and Carnival Corp falling -2.07%.
European travel stocks also took a hit after the attack in Nice, with Thomas Cook (-3.83%), Air France (-2%) and Ryanair (-2.36%) all suffering.
The attack is the latest in a series of terrorist attacks on France, following previous incidents in Paris, most notably on the Bataclan theatre in November 2015.
Document business announced its intention in January to split in two
Xerox Corp. has turned down a bid from RR Donnelley and Sons to merge after its January announcement that it intends to split the company.
Earlier this year the company revealed plans to divide its business out-sourcing operations and printer/copier operations. Interest has arrived from plenty of sources to take over one, or both of the sections, according to Marketwatch sources.
RR Donnelley is in a similar process of dividing its two major parts, and had flirted with the idea of combining its operations with that of the Xerox's copier business.
The Xerox board reviewed the proposal with its advisors before informing RR Donnelley on Thursday that it wasnt interested believing its own plan is less risky, the sources revealed.
Xerox only acquired its services business a mere 5 years ago, but took the decision to safeguard its interests in a rapidly changing marketplace.
The board decided that the document and service operations had little overlap and require different capital structures and operating models, according to Xerox.
European equity markets slipped in early trade as sentiment took a hit from a terror attack in Nice.
A 0850 BST, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 and Germanys DAX were down 0.3%, while Frances CAC 40 was 0.5% weaker.
At the same time, oil prices were in the red again amid worries about a supply glut. West Texas Intermediate was down 1.3% at $45.08 a barrel while Brent crude was 1.4% lower at $46.70.
Accendo Markets Mike van Dulken said: The subject of terrorism is sure to dominate headlines today, with attention also sure to focus on what this means for the evolving shape of the political landscape in France and the US (Le Pen, Trump sure to gain more support), not to mention how the UK views this in light of having just voted to leave the EU.
On Thursday night, a man drove a truck into a crowd of revellers who were celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, leaving at least 84 people dead and around 18 in critical condition, The attacker who was known to police but not on the terrorism watch list was killed, and President Francois Hollande has now extended the state of emergency by a further three months.
Travel and leisure stocks were under pressure after the attack, with French hotels group Accor down just over 3%, EasyJet 2.2% weaker and Air France-KLM 1.2% lower. The Stoxx 600 travel & leisure index was down 1%.
In individual company news, Swatch shares tumbled after the Swiss watch maker reported a large drop in first-half profit.
Swedish clothing retailer Hennes & Mauritz edged higher after it said sales rose 8% in June, beating analysts expectations.
Elsewhere, Monsanto was trading up 3% after German drug and agrichemical company Bayer sweetened its offer for the company by $3 to $125 per share.
Also on Friday, investors were sifting through Chinese data releases. Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showed the world's second-largest economy expanded by 6.7% on the year, steady from the previous quarter and a touch ahead of economists expectations of 6.6% growth.
Compared to the first quarter, gross domestic product was up 1.8%. The Chinese government has a growth target of 6.5% to 7% for this year.
The Chinese economy has shown signs of bottoming out, said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Think Markets.
We can thank the continuous efforts by the Peoples Bank of China, which introduced various different stimulus measures to achieve that figure. The number for the second quarter was 1.8% higher as compared to the first quarter. This also confirmed that the industrial production and retails sales data have also picked up steam on a year-on-year basis during the month of June.
China's biggest challenge was to shift its economy from manufacturing-based to consumption-based, and this raised many questions among market participants whether the country would be able to achieve this. A hard landing for the Chinese economy has been very much on the cards and investors have been questioning the slowdown. The Brexit vote may have an effect in the coming days, as we can see if there were any consequences as the export numbers took a hit.
Other data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed industrial production in China rose 6.2% in June from a year earlier, up from 6.0% growth in May.
Meanwhile, fixed-asset investment rose 9% year-on-year between January and June down from 9.6% growth in the first five months of the year.
Retail sales were up 10.6% in June compared to the year before, up from a 10% rise in May.
Stocks in London were expected to open lower on Friday following a terror attack in Nice that has left at least 84 people dead, with travel and leisure issues likely to suffer losses.
Londons FTSE 100 was set to open 17 points lower than Thursdays close at 6,637.
The lower open comes despite some more positive economic data from China including a growth rate of 6.7% year-on-year in the second quarter. Chinese industrial production and retail sales growth for June also grew at faster rate than expected, said CMC Markets Jasper Lawler.
In corporate news, Homeserve said it was trading in line with expectations and expected to deliver good growth in the current year.
Trading, as usual, will be weighted towards the second half of the financial year, reflecting the
seasonality of our marketing activity and associated renewals profile, Homeserve said.
The UK business is performing as anticipated and during July we signed a new affinity partnership with Dee Valley Water, a business providing water services to over 250,000 Customers in North East Wales and North West Cheshire.
Transport operator FirstGroup said first quarter revenue decreased by 1.4% in constant currency, with revenue growth in First Student, First Transit and First Rail offset by decreases in First Bus and Greyhound.
It added that there was no change to overall outlook for the current year, recognising that the degree to which potential net currency benefits as a result of our significant US dollar based businesses will be offset by a more challenging macroeconomic outlook for our UK businesses is uncertain, following the outcome of the EU referendum.
The company said it was too soon to judge the overall effect of the UK's decision to leave the European Union on the group.
London subsidiaries may need to be separately funded according to report
Much of the focus of the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the European Union has been on the impact on US banks that use London as a European gateway, but the Boston Consulting Group has published a report outlining the damage done to European banks.
Banks in European nations could be forced to fork out as much as between 30bn and 40bn in order to save their UK editions, after the fallout from the referendum, according to the report.
Foreign banks London operations have been thrown into turmoil by the UKs Leave vote, since they could lose the passports that enable them to do business across the entire 28-country bloc if they are licensed in one.
The report focuses on 60 banks located in Europe, including Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas, Santander and Societe Generale.
The report focuses on 60 banks located in Europe
Europe is not that important to the US banks, its 20-30 per cent of their capital markets profit, author Philippe Morel said. For European banks its much more important, those banks could be doing 70 per cent of their operations in London.
Everyone is talking about the US banks perspective, but the European banks are going to be more impacted, said Morel.
BCG said it was likely that the banks would set up a type of "international holding company" favoured by lenders in the US.
The report highlightesd that London would lose at least some of the European capital markets business that runs through the city, which makes up between 50 and 70 per cent of the citys capital market activity.
Clearly, the ability of banks to centre their operations and maintain scale in a single, well-capitalised London entity is now uncertain, the report said. The additional benefits of liquid, robust markets and access to talent as well as clients may be eroded.
Perhaps the only option for some banks, according to BCG, would be to separate their UK and European entities, although this would not be favoured by many due to the duplication of costs.
Morrisons is offering to hire former staff who lose their jobs as a result of the likely collapse of My Local , the group which took over the supermarket's convenience store chain last year.
My Local has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, putting 1,700 jobs at risk. In a statement Morrisons said it would welcome our former colleagues back.
We are saddened and disappointed to learn that My Local is about to enter administration. We want to help our former colleagues who now work for My Local, the company said.
We can therefore confirm that if no buyer is found, and stores close, we will welcome our former colleagues back to a job at Morrisons.
Accountancy firm KPMG, which has been working with My Locals management on considering options for the future of the 120-store chain, was lined up on Tuesday afternoon to handle an administration, the Guardian reported.
Any appointment could mean a possible liability of up to 20m for Morrisons, which sold the convenience store chain for 25m in September 2015 to a group fronted by the retail veteran Mike Greene, the report added.
The My Local deal was backed by Greybull Capital.
As part of the sale of its convenience stores, Morrisons retained a guarantee on a number of lease obligations, meaning that they will revert to the supermarket if My Local collapses.
At the time of the sale, the leases on the stores were thought to have an average of about five years remaining, the report stated.
Morrisons sold 140 My Local stores, at which about 2,300 people were employed.
Rail minister Claire Perry fell on her sword on Friday, and resigned, as the poor performance of Southern Railway continued to plague commuters.
The Department for Transport gave no reason for her resignation, which she reportedly turned in on Thursday evening, though earlier in the week she admitted in the Commons that she is often ashamed to be the rail minister.
If I thought it would help by falling on my sword, I would, Perry said in the debate over Southerns operating company Govia Thameslink Railway on Tuesday.
This feels like a failure.
Commuters have been lumped with an emergency timetable for Southern services from this week, seeing almost 350 trains cancelled each day in a bid to normalise the busiest and most disruptive services.
Both politicians and the public have expressed their dismay at the timetable, which has left some areas with very limited service, and others with no rail service at all.
Govia Thameslink Railway is majority-owned by FTSE 250 firm Go-Ahead, which has previously issued a profit warning over the performance of its Southern operation.
US Secretary of State meets with Russian President in the Kremlin
US Secretary of State John Kerry travelled to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the ongoing conflict in Syria, urging him to boost military and intelligence cooperation against Islamic State.
The world leaders met for three hours in the Kremlin, with the US State department saying that Kerry expressed concern about continuing violations of ceasfires by the Moscow-backed Syrian government.
Kerry "emphasized that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely," a statement said, and that further talks between representatives of the 2 governements would continue on Friday.
The Washington Post leaked a document this week which revealed plans by the US to call for intelligence sharing regarding Nusra Front, an al Qaeda branch in Syria.
The United States and Russia line up on opposite sides in the Syrian conflict, but recent signs have shown a willingness on the American side to improve coordination with the Russians.
Putin said at the beginning of his meeting with Kerry that his last conversation with Barack Obama had convinced him that both sides were keen to find a solution in Syria.
"I hope after today's consultations you'll be able to advise him of the progress made and possible headway for us to make," he told Kerry.
The Secretary of State has faced fierce criticism following his attempts to cooperate with the Russians, as US defence and intelligence officials believe the sides to have completely opposite objectives.
The trip is Kerry's second to Moscow this year, as tensions remain high over various diplomatic issues in the Middle East and Europe.
Indiana Governor was set to be unveiled as presidential candidate's running mate on Friday
Donald Trump was set to announce Indiana governor Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate on Friday , before postponing the announcement after the devastating terrorist attack in Nice on Thursday night.
According to various news reports, the billionaire tycoon has chosen Pence to accompany him in his quest to become the next US president, despite the lack of official confirmation.
A seasoned politician and hardline conservative, Pence is seen as the perfect foil for the wildcard Trump, being known as adeqautely qualified and fairly low key in comparison to his boss.
Late Thursday, Mr. Trumps allies in Cleveland stamped down dissident delegates in pre-convention negotiations. The conventions Rules Committee rejected moves to allow convention delegates bound to Mr. Trump to vote for someone else.
84 people were killed in a horrific terrorist attack in the French Riviera on Thursday as a lorry bashed its way down a busy street, leaving carnage in its wake before the driver was eventually shot dead by police. Trump tweeted his sympathy to the victims of the attack:
My prayers and condolences to the victims and families of the terrible tragedy in Nice, France. We are with you in every way! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016
It is not clear when Trump will officially announce Pence after the postponement, which was scheduled to take place in Manhattan.
The delay could leave Pence, who had already travelled to New York, in political limbo. He faces a noon Friday deadline to withdraw from the governor's race to allow Indiana Republican leaders to select a replacement candidate.
The Indiana governor's experience in government is seen as a key factor in Trump's decision, something that his current team lacks.The 57-year-old spent 12 years in Congress, including two years in a leadership role with the House Republican Conference.
Spence has been governer of the Midwestern state since 2012, and is hoped to provide a sense of unity to those Republican supporters who have been unnerved by Trump's inconsistent policies on guns, abortion and other conservative issues.
New British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday appeared to rule out any second referendum on Scottish independence after meeting Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for talks in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Sturgeon has said that Scotland's future has been jeopardised by the decision to leave in June's referendum as a majority of the country voted to remain. She has said that another referendum on Scottish independence was "on the table" in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Speaking after the meeting May said Scotland sent a "very clear message" in 2014 when it voted against independence.
"I'm willing to listen to options and I've been very clear with the first minister today that I want the Scottish government to be fully engaged in our discussion."
Sturgeon welcomed May's willingness to "consider any options that the Scottish government now bring forward to secure Scotland's relationship with the European Union, that the process that now takes shape by the UK government will be open and flexible, and that the Scottish government will be fully involved in that".
"I have been very clear that we have to make sure that Scotland's interests are protected and I want to examine every option of doing that."
May said there would no movement on triggering Article 50, which starts the formal exit process, until the UK had "an approach and objectives for negotiations".
Sturgeon said it would be "inconceivable for any prime minister to seek to stand in the way of a referendum if that is what the Scottish Parliament voted for, and we have heard from other Conservative politicians in the past few weeks that that would be the wrong thing to do as well".
"So I work on the basis that trying to block a referendum, if there's a clear sense that that's what people in Scotland want, would be completely the wrong thing to do," she added.
European banks could be forced to put as much as 40bn of extra capital into their UK branches as a result of the countrys decision to quit the EU, according to a report from the Boston Consulting Group. The BCG report also says Brexit will trigger an 8-22 per cent rise in annual costs for the banks capital markets divisions and says this may prompt lenders to withdraw from some activities. Financial Times
Philip Hammond, the new chancellor, signalled that he would scale back austerity as he works to tackle the economic shock of Brexit. On his first day in the job, Mr Hammond said the UK is entering a new phase and that confidence has been shaken. The predicted slowdown could see public borrowing rise by 30bn a year, or even more if Mr Hammond decides to cancel any of the spending cuts pencilled in by his predecessor. Financial Times
Volkswagens cynical cheating of emissions controls should be investigated and the company possibly prosecuted by the UK Government, according to the Transport Select Committee. MPs on the committee have also criticised the British government of trying to pass the buck to the EU over the scandal, saying challenging the giant German car maker is a national responsibility, rather than one to be passed on to the European community. Telegraph
The Government must build 300,000 homes each year in England to help solve the housing crisis, an increase of 50pc from its current target, a committee of Lords has advised. The cross-party House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee said that the Government had to recognise the inability of the private sector, as currently incentivised, to build the number of homes needed. Telegraph
About 3,500 Post Office workers are being forced to take a cut in pension benefits as the government-backed service tries to cut costs. About half the Post Offices 7,000-strong workforce is being forced to shift from a final salary pension scheme to a defined contribution scheme, a move that unions say could cut retirement benefits by 30% or even more in some cases. Guardian
Business leaders have overwhelmingly welcomed Theresa Mays decision to merge the governments business and energy departments and add the phrase industrial strategy into the title, claiming it could allow the UK to build a long-term economic plan. The new Conservative prime minister has appointed Greg Clark as the secretary of state for the new department of business, energy and industrial strategy. Clark replaces Sajid Javid, the former business, innovation and skills secretary, who has been moved to communities and local government to take over Clarks old job. Guardian
BPs final bill for covering all of the costs linked to its Deepwater Horizon oil disaster stands at $61.6 billion, the oil group said yesterday as it moved to draw a line under the catastrophe. It is the first time BP has sought to bring such clarity to the final cost.BP said that the figure was the first reliable estimate of all of its remaining material liabilities in connection with the incident in 2010, which killed 11 people, cost Tony Hayward, the chief executive, his job and led the group to overhaul its safety practices. The Times
Bayer, the German drug and chemicals firm, has raised its offer for the American seed company Monsanto, saying the two groups had been in private talks for weeks. The $125-per-share offer is $3 higher than its previous bid in May, which Monsanto dismissed as incomplete and financially inadequate, and represents a premium of 40 per cent over Monsantos closing share price on May 9 before takeover rumours began to circulate. The Times
The Footsie closed higher for a fourth consecutive week for a cumulative 5% gain since the EU referendum vote, albeit wih defensive issues pacing gains in the form of advances for tobacco and pharmaceuticals.
"More defensive sectors have led the way, showing that safety and yield still come top of the list when stock-picking," Chris Beauchamp, senior market analyst at IG said.
Support services also put in a solid performance on Friday, with shares in Ashtead Group - with its large exposure to the US market - and Intertek clocking in with the biggest rises.
Stock in the former was boosted by a price target upgrade out of UBS from 3,650p to 4,000p.
In a research note on the European support services sector, analyst Debnis Moreau lifted his 2017 estimates for earnings per share at Intertek and Ashtead by 9% and 15%, respectively, to account for recent moves on foreign exchange markets.
Moreau expressed caution towards the likes of Aggreko and Serco in that same note, while noting that Hays and DCC were now among his 'highest-conviction' buys despite the higher uncertainty in Europe after the 'Leave' vote.
"We have adjusted our estimates across the sector to factor in a more challenging economic environment in Europe (though not a recession), and to also take into account recent FX changes," he said in a research note published on 14 July.
Several of the sectors typically most sensitive to the possibility of a weakening economy in the aftermath of Brexit were at the bottom of the pile.
That list included real estate investment and services, food and drug retailers and life insurance.
To take note of, in an updated speech published on Friday Bank of England chief economist Andrew Haldane argued in favour of the "sledgehammer" method when it came to further monetary policy easing, likely at the next MPC meeting, as opposed to a more surgical approach.
Mining was also to be found among the biggest fallers despite better than expected economic data out in China overnight and gains in most LME-traded industrial metals.
China's gross domestic product expanded at a 6.7% year-on-year clip in the second quarter, the same pace as in the first three months of the year (consensus: 6.7%).
Nevertheless, "surging stimulus-linked investment by state firms appears to have compensated for the private sectors unwillingness to invest," Daniel Martin and Mark Williams from Capital Economics pointed out in a research note sent to clients.
Precious metals miners were one particular source of weakness in the sector as gold futures headed for their first weekly loss since May following their recent strong run.
COMEX-traded gold futures for delivery in August were slipping 0.21% to $1,329.40/oz. as of 18:28 BST, acting as a drag on the likes of Randgold Resources or Fresnillo.
In parallel, the US dollar spot index was moving up by 0.55% to 96.60 after the release of a stronger than expected reading on US retail sales for June, courtesy of the US Department of Commerce.
Top performing sectors so far today
Forestry & Paper 15,349.19 +0.85%
Tobacco 56,464.99 +0.85%
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology 13,997.91 +0.79%
Personal Goods 30,671.66 +0.71%
Support Services 6,910.26 +0.68%
Bottom performing sectors so far today
Real Estate Investment & Services 2,373.79 -1.44%
Food & Drug Retailers 2,600.97 -1.18%
Life Insurance 6,390.89 -1.06%
Insurance (non-life) 2,539.54 -1.03%
Mining 11,752.01 -0.79%
Top performing sectors so far today
Forestry & Paper 15,349.19 +0.85%
Tobacco 56,464.99 +0.85%
Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology 13,997.91 +0.79%
Personal Goods 30,671.66 +0.71%
Support Services 6,910.26 +0.68%
Bottom performing sectors so far today
Real Estate Investment & Services 2,373.79 -1.44%
Food & Drug Retailers 2,600.97 -1.18%
Life Insurance 6,390.89 -1.06%
Insurance (non-life) 2,539.54 -1.03%
Mining 11,752.01 -0.79%
Opera investments turned a small profit for the six months of the year as it recovered the due diligence expenses linked to its failed attempt to acquire SoloPower Systems from Hudson Clear Energy.
The company recovered 219,015, resulting in 67,051 of profits before tax even after administrative costs rose to 151,964 for the six months to 30 June from 26,823 over the period running between 11 November 2014 to 30 June 2015.
That return of the costs incurred by Opera came after SoloPower, a manufacturer of photovoltaic panels, decided not to pursue a listing in London.
After period end, on 11 July 2016, Operas directors announced that an agreement with Highlands Natural Resources, for the purchase of Highlands Helium Development, had been terminated because it did not fit the investment criteria of Opera.
Opera did not incur in any material due diligence costs relating to that potential transaction, the company said in a statement.
We are determined to deliver value for our shareholders and reiterate that we will only proceed and commit the Company's cash resources to the investigation of a potential acquisition on the identification of a compelling transaction, Opera said.
Cash on hand as of 30 June 2016 stood at 716,446 versus 1,080,720 as of 30 June 2015.
As of 15:33 BST shares in Opera were unchanged at 5.38p.
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BYD loses CNY1.79 billion deal for electric buses
China-based own-brand electric vehicle maker BYD in early July won an open-bid for the procurement of 2,919 electric buses from Shenzhen Western Bus, an operator of public transportation services in Shenzhen City, southern China, at a total price of CNY1.79 billion (US$271 million), but the buyer has canceled order due to adjustments in its operations, according to China-based finance.sina.com.
The procurement was for 2,228 electric buses with length of 10m at a unit price of CNY420,000 as well as 691 8m models and 10m high-speed ones at CNY630,000 and CNY680,000 per bus, the report said.
The government of Shenzhen City subsidizes CNY500,000 for an electric bus with length of over 10m, CNY400,000 for 8m to 10m, and CNY300,000 for 6m to 8m busses, the report indicated. Based on the subsidies, Shenzhen Western Bus stood to receive total subsidies of CNY1.43 billion. However, the city government has decided to lower the subsidies which prompted Shenzhen Western Bus to cancel, the report asserted.
According to statistics by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, there were 126,000 new energy-powered cars sold in the China market in the first half of 2016, and 46,000 of which were produced by BYD.
An electric bus produced by BYD
Photo: Company
Columbus schools reformats WCBE programming to less NPR, more music
Columbus City Schools has reformatted its radio station WCBE. Though still NPR-affiliated, there will be less of that and more local music, programs.
Donegal County Council will once again bring the MacGill Summer School to a wider audience by webcasting proceedings live from Glenties.
Events will be webcasted via www.donegalcoco.ie from Sunday 17th July until the close of the school on Friday 22nd July.
Each year the MacGill Summer School attracts politicians, political commentators, journalists and those interested in public life in Ireland today to Glenties for a week of lectures, debates and many interesting interludes. The Council has been webcasting proceedings live from Glenties for a number of years now and the facility is proving more and more popular each year.
Brian Boyle, Head of Information Systems with Donegal County Council says we are delighted to be in a position to webcast proceedings live from Glenties for the MacGill Summer School. The MacGill Summer School has become a very important annual event not only in Donegal but across the entire island of Ireland. For one week each year, Glenties becomes the focal point for political, economic and social debates, lectures and reflections and we are delighted to be in a position to share this to a wider audience through our webcasting facility.
To access this webcast visit www.donegalcoco.ie and click on MacGill Webcasting under Quick Links.
Our picture:
Flashback, Enda kenny arriving at macGill last year
Knock Shrine and Ireland West Airport was delighted last Friday to welcome the arrival of the first Diocesan pilgrimage from the Archdiocese of Boston with Aer Lingus.
The pilgrimage represents a historic development for the airport and the region, as this is the first transatlantic service operated by Aer Lingus, from Boston, to Ireland West Airport and the first official chartered pilgrimage from Boston to Irelands National Marian Shrine.
The Aer Lingus 757 airplane, carrying more than 170 passengers from a host of cities across the US, arrived into Ireland West Airport Knock just after 9:00am and was greeted by a large crowd gathered at the airport to witness this historic occasion.
The special pilgrimage flight, which is supported by the Archdiocese of Boston and led by the Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, will embark on a six day, specially tailored Pilgrimage programme, showcasing some of Irelands most historic spiritual sites. The highlight of the visit to the West of Ireland will be the Re-dedication of Knock Shrine, which will take place on Saturday 16th July. Two pilgrimage groups will spend time travelling around the region spending four nights in total in the Donegal region.
Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal O'Malley, speaking on landing in the West of Ireland said Its an honour for me to arrive into the beautiful West of Ireland on this historic flight. I am hugely excited to see what this beautiful part of Ireland has to offer and am particularly looking forward to visiting the Basilica of Our Lady, Queen of Ireland, in Knock and being part of the Re-dedication of Knock Shrine.
Fr. Richard Gibbons, P.P., and Rector of Knock Shrine added We are delighted to welcome Cardinal Sean OMalley and the Archdiocese of Boston to celebrate the 40 year Rededication of Knock Basilica on July 16th. This is the second organised pilgrimage coming in from the US, following from the visit of Cardinal Dolan last year which was truly wonderful for Knock and the whole region. The coinciding 40-year celebration of Knock Basilica is perfectly providential in echoing the dream of Monsignor James Horan to bring pilgrims to Knock from all over the world. This flight suggests greater things for Knock, the Airport and the wider community. We are anticipating crowds similar to the 15th August,which is traditionally a very busy day in Knock, and of course we welcome all to attend.
Welcoming Friday's flight, Joe Kennedy, Chairman, Ireland West Airport Knock, said I am honoured to welcome our visitors from the US on this historic occasion of the first ever Transatlantic service with Aer Lingus from Boston. Its great to see people from all over the Boston region disembarking at Ireland West this morning. It further reinforces our strong belief that direct scheduled services from the likes of New York and Boston into Ireland West would be successful.
Pictured: Welcoming Cardinal Sean O Malley, Archbishop of Boston, to the West of Ireland were from left to right, Archbishop Michael Neary, Fr Richard Gibbons, Rector, Knock Shrine, Al McDonnell, Cathaoirleach, Mayo County Council, Joe Kennedy, Chairman Ireland West Airport
An organiser of Saturdays March for Mary Boyle said they want as many feet on the streets of Ballyshannon as we can get.
By Carolyn Farrar
The March for Mary Boyle starts at the Abbey Arts Centre in Ballyshannon at 2pm, Saturday, July 16th. The march will continue to the Ballyshannon Garda station, where there will be a peaceful vigil, organiser Naomi Brady (pictured), who lives in Ballyshannon, said.
She said the march will be non-political.
Naomi said the purpose of Saturdays march is to highlight the case of Mary Boyle, with the hope that someone else out there that knows anything at all will come forward and basically put some sort of closure on this longest-running case.
Naomi said there has been a massive response since she created a Facebook event page, March for Mary Boyle. My phone hasnt stopped since I put it up, she said.
Mary Boyle went missing from near her grandparents home in Cashelard, Ballyshannon on March 18th, 1977. She was just six years old. Marys disappearance is Irelands longest-running missing person case.
As a twin herself and the mother of twin daughters, Naomi also said she felt something needs to be done to bring closure for Mary Boyles twin sister Ann Doherty, and for the Boyle family.
The bond between twins its something that no one can explain unless theyre actually a twin themselves, Naomi said.
She said another concern is the belief that whoever is responsible for Marys disappearance is still at large, and thats the other question for people.
Naomi said people who contacted her about the march said it was time for answers. Theres been a cloud over Ballyshannon now for 40 years and it needs to clear, she said.
The whole point of it is that hopefully someone out there that has carried this burden on their shoulder for the last 40 years and wants to say something theyre not getting any younger. Just release the burden, and come forward with the truth, she said. The saying is, The truth will set you free.
Naomi said she was speaking with a local man who was a boy when Mary went missing.
As he said himself, it never goes away, she said. Theres always that thought, Whatever happened to Mary?
Naomi has invited anyone who will be taking part in the march on Saturday to wear purple and white ribbons, the colours that Mary Boyle wore in her hair.
She urged everyone in Donegal to take part, to show the family that we are not forgetting Mary.
Students, employees and members from the community braved the heat on Tuesday during the kickoff for the 50th anniversary of Wallace Community College-Sparks Campus in Eufaula, but its doubtful anyone was more prepared for the opening ceremony as Upward Bound Secretary Mary Pearl Morris.
Morris had her toes painted to honor the colleges half-century in Eufaula.
Speakers addressed the overflowing room (former cafeteria), a drone took an aerial photograph of students past and present, items were presented to a time capsule, and an ice cream social was held in the courtyard before classes returned to their normal schedule.
Don Scroggins, who has been with the college since its first year, was honored for his years of service with a plaque from Wallace Community College President Dr. Linda Young. Scroggins once taught radio and television repair and served as the evening coordinator prior to his retirement, although he continues to work as the evening coordinator at Sparks.
Seventeen Sparks Campus employees were also honored for being both graduates of the community college and employees. Those include Quincey Banks, Danny Brabham, Susan Childs, Ben Freeman, Tracy Gissendaner, Jennifer Grant, Marcia Hudson, Mary Pearl Morris, Lisa Peterson, Catherine Pierce, Annajean Presley, Tim Price, Remona Riley, Jim Roberson, Gail Salter, Chad Shelley, and Ann Smith.
A trio of students representing different programs of study began filling a time capsule that was built by Spark students. The students included Robert Smith (General Studies), Megan Brafort (Career Technical -- Criminal Justice), and Kirbee Vickers (Health Sciences -- Practical Nursing).
Dr. Young noted that the college opened on July 6, 1966, and was dedicated on May 21, 1967, with Gov. Lurleen Wallace as well as her husband, Barbour County native and former Gov. George Wallace, in attendance. There were just 44 students, nine programs and six buildings on campus when it opened.
While the college has had four name changes, it merged in 1999 with Wallace Community College in Dothan. WCC serves about 6,000 students.
It truly is a communitys college, Dr. Young said. Our students are our most important people. They are our future of this community. When you succeed, we succeed.
Jackie Screws, Dean of Student Affairs at Sparks Campus, said she had been with the college 27 years.
Its a momentous occasion for us being part of this community for 50 fabulous years, Screws said. We take our commitment to this community very seriously. Its my second home. We intend to be good stewards of your trust.
Eufaula Mayor Jack Tibbs said he hoped the next 50 years would be as good for the city as the first 50.
The future is bright in Eufaula, Tibbs said. We continue to attract more jobs so that there will be more opportunities here. We do have issues, but the relationship here with our businesses creates opportunities.
Tibbs read a proclamation designating it Sparks in July for the Eufaula community college.
Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sallie Garrison said the Chamber and Sparks Campus have a long history with similar goals.
The Chambers main focus is on the quality of life here and Wallace certainly adds to the quality of life in Eufaula, Garrison said. Community colleges keep people here. Our county has major workforce issues, but to future students, come out here and talk to the folks and get a game plan.
Collaborative robots join humans on a Ford line in Germany
Ford has become one of the first car-makers to start using collaborative robots (cobots) alongside human workers on an assembly line. It is using cobots supplied by Kuka to help fit shock absorbers to Fiesta cars at its plant in Cologne, Germany, thus ensuring a perfect fit and avoiding the need for workers to access hard-to-reach places. The task requires pinpoint accuracy, strength and dexterity.
The 1m-tall robots are working with line workers at two workstations, avoiding the need for them to manipulate the heavy shock absorbers and installation tools. The robots lift and position the shock absorbers automatically into the wheel arch, before a worker pushes a button to complete the installation.
To ensure worker safety, the cobot stops immediately if it detects an arm, or even a finger, in its path.
Working overhead with heavy air-powered tools is a tough job that requires strength, stamina, and accuracy, explains Ngali Bongongo, a production worker at the plant. The robot is a real help.
Ford employees in Germany are working with collaborative robots to help ensure that shock absorbers are fitted perfectly every time.
The cobot application, developed over two years in partnership with Kuka Robots, is a part of a Ford programme to develop a new, integrated approach to having car workers and robots working together on assembly lines.
Robots are helping to make tasks easier, safer and quicker, complementing our employees with abilities that open up unlimited worlds of production and design for new Ford models, says Karl Anton, Fords director of vehicle operations in Europe.
The trial forms part of Fords investigations into Industry 4.0. The company has asked more than 1,000 of its production line workers to identify tasks for which the new robots would best be suited. The company is now reviewing the further use of collaborative robots.
Lets face it: car ownership can be expensive and impractical, especially if you drive infrequently and live in or near an urban centre where parking is increasingly scarce. Still, people want the freedom to use a car at any time. Sydneys Will Davies and Dave Trumbull saw an opportunity for an eco-conscious model of vehicle ownership where the existing car population is transformed into a fleet of money earners and money savers.
Co-founded in 2012 by Will and Dave the CEO and CTO, respectively Car Next Door is a peer-to-peer car sharing platform that earns money for car owners by letting them rent their idle vehicles to a network of trusted and eager borrowers, located nearby. To ensure transactions are safe, fast, and hassle-free for both parties, the platform features vehicle and membership criteria (e.g. ID, credit and driving history checks), an online booking and payment system, 24-hour support, insurance and in-vehicle technology (i.e. a GPS tracker and lockbox technology for key exchange).
Car Next Door currently operates in NSW and Victoria, chiefly Sydney and Melbourne, and recently expanded into Newcastle its first regional centre. To date, more than 17,000 borrowers have signed up to the service, using the user-friendly mobile site to tap into a fleet of 450 shared vehicles (cars, utes and vans) for more than 40,000 booked trips. Its co-founders attribute the business growing success to the volume of referrals and word-of-mouth.
In Bondi, where Car Next Door started, there is now a shared car within a few blocks of any resident, Will told Dynamic Business. In some of our newer suburbs, like Melbournes Elsternwick, the density is lower.
The ultimate goal, Dave added, is for every person living in an Australian city to have a shared car accessible within five minutes walk: Its a big goal, and weve got a lot of work to do to get there!
A win-win situation
Will, whose previous entrepreneurial endeavours include founding and growing a mortgage broking business, said Car Next Door presents car owners and borrowers with a win-win situation. By listing cars for rent on carnextdoor.com.au, owners generate an additional passive income. Meanwhile, borrowers gain access to a convenient and flexible rental option that can save them hundreds of dollars per week.
On average, owners earn $2,400 a year by renting their car out through the platform, Will said. The top 10% of owners are earning $7,000 per year, with some earning over $10,000. This definitely helps offset the standing and running costs of a car, like registration and insurance. Wear and tear and fuel consumption, due to borrower use, is covered by the per kilometre fee owners receive.
For Borrowers, renting a car just for the hours or days you need it is lot cheaper than owning a car, if youre only driving a few times a week or less. Say you need a car on Saturdays to head to the shops, the beach, visit a friend, and just get around town for the day: you can rent a car from a neighbour for $25 to $30 for the day, plus 33 cents per kilometre. Your days driving might only cost $40 or $50, whereas owning a car costs several hundred dollars a week on average.
In the rare event where a car is damaged by a borrower, the owner isnt out of pocket; instead, the cost is covered by borrower and fleet insurance. Additionally, Car Next Door arranges for the car to be picked up, taken for repairs, fixed and delivered back to the owner.
A common sense solution
On top of delivering quantifiable benefits for owners and borrowers, Will said Car Next Door is an environmentally-conscious platform.
Car sharing has led to reduced demand for new cars and the more efficient use of existing vehicles, he said. By endorsing this model, were trying to make driving a conscious choice, rather than the default. In addition, our carbon offsetting program means that all emissions generated by borrowers driving are offset through Greenfleets native reforestation projects around Australia.
This focus was deliberate, with Car Next Door established as a common sense solution to the current model of car ownership, deemed costly and wasteful by Will.
I was looking to start a new business that had a really positive impact on the environment, he said. For me, that was reducing the amount of greenhouse gas caused by human activities. The overproduction and overuse of cars is a big part of that problem, with a third of the land in Australian cities used to store cars, most of which do nothing 95% of the time.
While living in Bondi, I noticed car sharing companies bringing more vehicles to the area even though thousands of vehicles already sat idle all day. I started looking into it and found that in England and the United States, companies were setting up a kind of Airbnb for cars and that just made so much sense to me. I thought this kind of personal, peer-to-peer car sharing network would work really well in Australia.
I partnered with Dave, an IT expert and a former flat mate who Id met at university, and we started talking to companies doing the same thing overseas. We found a software provider that had an existing car share platform and was interested in building a peer-to-peer version. The initial funding came from their co-founders putting in cash and sweat equity, and we worked out a deal where they would get equity instead of cash. Once we were a bit more established, we got investment from friends and family.
Make or break challenges
Success wasnt guaranteed; rather, Will and Dave faced some of the classic make or break startup challenges in the early days. One such challenge was having to forgo an income while raising capital and getting the business of the ground.
Dave and I didnt take a salary in the beginning, which was difficult, Will said. If we hadnt truly believed Car Next Door was going to be good for people and the planet, it would have been really tempting to give up in those early days. It took us six months to secure first-fund seed funding. Fortunately, by August 2013 we had raised $650,000. These days, we are comfortable with our capital raising strategy. Since last November, Caltex have invested $2.5 million in the platform and weve raised $1.6 million in venture capital including $300,000 from Steve Baxter, and one of the sharks on Network Tens Shark Tank.
Another challenge faced by Will and Dave was ensuring the technology underpinning the service supported their ambitions for the business, rather than restricting their consumer offering.
We initially used a third party platform, which was great for getting started but soon became a huge burden, Dave said. We didnt control this platform, so we couldnt easily innovate and improve it. This left us with a touch choice: accept the limitations and stick with what we had or go to the colossal effort of building our own platform from scratch and switching over to it. We spent more than 12 months building our own platform but it paid off. If we see a problem or have a new feature we want to add to our platform, we can implement and turn it around within a week. This used to take three to six months!
Future-proofing the business
In addition to strengthening the network of owners and borrowers in their existing markets, Will and Dave are planning to expand into new suburbs, cities and towns across Australia, with the aim being to have a fleet of 10,000 vehicles nationwide by 2020. To stimulate and manage this growth, the co-founders are stepping up their efforts to market and raise awareness of the platform; recruiting new members to their development team; and working on a robust and flexible IT platform that will allow them to take on a greater number of bookings per day.
Beyond 2020?
Weve landed ourselves in literally the most fast-changing and soon to be massively disrupted industries transport, Will said. To stay ahead, our longer-term view is centred on the arrival of driverless cars and integrating this new technology into our business model.
The United States Senate last week rejected a Republican-backed amendment that would have given the FBI expanded authority to access the browser histories and other electronic records of targets of terrorism and other national security investigations without first obtaining a warrant.
The Senate voted 58-38 for the amendment, cosponsored by Sen. Richard Burr, R-NC, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The amendment would have granted the FBI the power to obtain suspected terrorists electronic records, including browser histories and email information, without a court order. The amendment fell short of the 60 votes required for passage.
Electronic Records Exception
It is disappointing that my colleagues in the Senate voted down our amendment to give law enforcement a counterterrorism authority that the FBI considers its No. 1 priority, McCain said.
The amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Act would not have allowed the FBI to gain access to the private content of messages, he pointed out. It applied only to non-content transactional records.
The FBI is allowed under existing law to obtain phone and financial records of suspected terrorists without a warrant, but not electronic records. The proposed amendment also would have made permanent under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act the authority to monitor suspected non-U.S. citizen lone wolf terrorists, including ISIS-inspired who might have no direction from overseas terrorist organizations.
The Department of Justice declined to comment on the legislation, as the bill is expected to be reintroduced and thus is regarded as pending.
Opponents of the amendment praised the vote, as they considered the bill an attempt to take advantage of the Orlando terror attack to push forward legislative overreach.
Privacy Win
Good news, tweeted Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., a long-time critic of increased government surveillance authority, after the failed vote. Proponents of this fake, knee jerk solution failed to get support. That means we gained crucial ground.
The measure threatened the privacy of millions of Americans, open technology and privacy advocates argued, pointing out that any legitimate investigation can be accomplished by obtaining a court-ordered search warrant to get permission to search the browser history of a terrorism suspect.
The Senate should not respond to the massacre in Orlando by voting to gut Americans privacy protections and expand provisions of the Patriot Act that have been consistently abused by the government, said Karin Johanson, national political director of the American Civil Liberties Union. The McCain amendment would allow the FBI to collect Americans most sensitive information including the websites they visit and addresses they email without a court order. We urge the Senate to abandon this misguided effort.
The ACLU led a number of privacy and open technology advocates in rallying opposition to the amendment.
I think you saw a strong showing from grassroots advocates about the vote and its privacy implications, but it was an incredibly close vote and some members were missing, said Mark Jaycox, the civil liberties legislative lead at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The biggest question will be if Sen. [Mitch] McConnell (R-Ky.) brings this up for another vote, Jaycox told the E-Commerce Times. Its a key vote for privacy and technology advocates.
See You Later
In fact, McConnell, the Senate majority leader, switched his yes vote to no in a procedural move that allows him to bring back the bill for a second vote.
Missing members included Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
Following the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, she joined Burr in cosponsoring a bill that would have required technology companies to cooperate with federal law enforcement on terrorism-related cases.
In an era when technology is changing the ways people conduct every aspect of their lives, its not a surprise that business leaders have come to depend on it as the lever that will elevate their sales and marketing performance to the next level.
Productivity has increased in all aspects of business because of technology, and the implementation of CRM, SFA, marketing automation and social media tools to name a few technologies has had a direct effect on sales effectiveness.
That effect is not a universal thing, however. In fact, many organizations are performing more poorly now than they did in the past, in spite of technological advances.
For example, quota attainment peaked in 2011, when 63 percent of salespeople made their numbers, but since then it has skidded to 55 percent, CSO Insights reported.
Marketers and salespeople are now less happy with the technology they are given to use than they were in the past.
The percentage of respondents who said they were very satisfied with the systems they were using plummeted by eight full points in a year from 12.44 percent in 2015 to 4.41 percent in 2016, according to a yet-to-be-released CallidusCloud research report.
Performance is down, in aggregate, and satisfaction with technology is also in decline. Whats the problem? It could be that the next evolutionary step for sales and marketing is not technological but cultural.
That was a sentiment I heard a lot at CRM Evolution, the premier CRM conference for thought leadership, held last month in Washington D.C. Naturally, there were plenty of software vendors in attendance, and there was a lot of talk about new technologies: the Internet of Things, machine learning, automated voice assistants and more.
Culture Counts
The tide of new technologies continues to roll in, but behaviors, organizational structures and processes are not changing quickly enough for the humans those technologies are meant to serve.Yes, the new trends promise to revolutionize the way people live and work, but most businesses havent yet internalized the last two waves of change, and they could be swamped as a result.
Technological change is both a response and a driver of customer expectations. As customers come to expect faster responses and more subject expertise from sales people, along with a more consultative sales process, businesses need to lean on technology to make them possible on a profitable scale.
Yet many companies still fight battles with adoption. Only 26 percent of respondents could report full adoption of sales and marketing technologies, the CallidusCloud research found. Many are struggling to gain acceptable alignment between sales and marketing; 71.62 percent of respondents in the same study reported either siloed systems or no automated systems at all.
Several CRM Evolution speakers homed in on the concept of culture.
Many executives are still not digitally literate, said Brian Solis, a principal at the Altimeter Group. Although they know they need technology in order to succeed, their own blind spots or resentments about the technology and change in general can deprive their organizations of the ability to capitalize on their investments.
Some companies in heavily regulated industries use those regulations as the excuse to avoid change, Solis said, adding that the companies that will succeed are the ones that dont turn inward but instead collaborate with regulators to find ways to enable innovation.
Successful leadership requires an understanding that digital transformation must influence overall company strategy and executive leadership, according to Sheryl Kingstone, research director at 451 Research. Furthermore, that leadership needs to aim for disruption, not seek to preserve the status quo, even when that currently might be profitable.
Executive buy-in is not a new idea. Over the past 30 years, many a CRM implementation has failed because of a pervasive disdain that started at the top and trickled down through the organization.
The need for executive buy-in has expanded to include new technologies on several fronts. Without leadership that not only supports technological change but also can articulate its possibilities to the people who will use it, businesses will find it impossible to overcome organizational inertia.
One solution could be reverse mentoring, Solis suggested that is, executives receiving guidance from their more technologically savvy employees. However, that requires an open mindset that many executives fail to possess.
Embrace Change
Changing customer expectations and fast-evolving technologies have created a need for a new kind of C-level leadership.
CEOs need to become more aware of the customer experience and understand how it maps to technology, and then push to keep the two aligned. They dont need to be younger but they do need to be more aware of change, and more connected to which changes will make their businesses more effective at delivering winning customer experiences. Then, they need to be champions of that change.
For CIOs, the role will become ever more strategic in nature. To effect the changes the CEO outlines, the CIO must determine which systems and data should be integrated for maximum effect, as well as how to make that integration happen in an economical way.
Sales and marketing leadership together must create a team-oriented culture that makes use of data to its fullest in order to translate a vision into results. The days of sales and marketing battling, bickering and pursuing contradictory goals now are long over.
Although you need to worry about technological change, it should not be your organizations main worry. Success hinges on creating a culture that can change gracefully and incorporate new concepts and technology as smoothly as possible.
Driving business disruption without simultaneously disrupting your organization internally is a tough task. Is your companys leadership up to it?
Microsoft has entered a partnership with Kind Financial to create an entity that will obtain government contracts to track seed-to-sale compliance in the legalized marijuana business, Kind announced last week.
The new entity, Kind Government Solutions, will provide state, county and local municipalities with tracking information on marijuana sales to keep them in compliance with government regulations, said Kind Financial CEO David Dinenberg.
Microsoft selected Kind to be a part of its newly created Microsoft Health and Human Services Pod for Managed Service Providers.
We support government customers and partners to help them meet their missions, Microsoft said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Brooke Randell. Kind Financial is building solutions on our government cloud to help these agencies regulate and monitor controlled substances and items, and manage compliance with jurisdictional laws and regulations.
Cannabis Compliance
Kinds main compliance product is Agrisoft Seed to Sale, a software program designed to help government agencies ensure compliance with cannabis sale regulations.
No one can predict the future of cannabis legalization, Dinenberg said. However, it is clear that legalized cannabis will always be subject to strict oversight and regulations similar to alcohol and tobacco.
Matt Cook, former senior leader of Colorados Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division and the author of the states medical marijuana regulations, will act as a special advisor to the partnership on government matters.
Microsoft is taking advantage of a huge market opportunity, while perhaps taking a substantial risk. Due to the uncertain nature of state-by-state marijuana legalization, there are few companies willing to invest millions of dollars into a long-term commitment.
Untapped Potential
Regulation and compliance from one state to the next is still a huge challenge, noted Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association.
There is very little in the way of consistency or reciprocity between states regulatory programs, so a company that wants to operate in more than one state really does have to approach each one almost from scratch, she told the E-Commerce Times.
Twenty-five states have legalized marijuana either for full or medicinal use, West said.
The legal marijuana industry is estimated at about US$5.4 billion, according to a report from ArcView Market Research and New Frontier.
I think Microsoft sees a unique opportunity to grow this market, and realizes that by supporting at the ground floor, they will be in an incredibly powerful position once the market fully matures to be a dominant solution provider for it, observed Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.
A number of technology industry figures are finding a home in the legalized marijuana business because the industry has a large amount of available money to spend yet there is still a problem getting into traditional banking relationships, he told the E-Commerce Times.
Cash Crop
Indeed, the legalized marijuana industry still faces a large number of hurdles to operate like a traditional business, in part because federal law still prohibits the sale of marijuana. The Senate Appropriations Committee last week voted 16-14 to approve a measure that would allow banks to provide services to marijuana businesses.
The federal government should not be forcing Oregons legal marijuana business to carry gym bags full of cash to pay their taxes, employees and bills, said Sen. Jeff Merkely, D-Ore., who coauthored the amendment. This is an invitation to robberies, money laundering and organized crime.
Marijuana would bring in about half a billion dollars in the first 14 months of legal sales just in the state of Oregon he pointed out.
Think about the marijuana business in now-legal states, suggested Paul Teich, principal analyst at Tirias Research.
It has been an underground business where no one wanted any record of transactions, he told the E-Commerce Times. Entrepreneurs just starting up in the business are starting with a good knowledge of their domain growing weed but no real knowledge of modern business practices and legal supply chain economics.
We live in an unprecedented age of information and computing power yet whether publicly or privately, we still make decisions largely on how we feel rather than based on hard information.
With this massive influx of data and computing power, when it comes to issues like global warming or gun control andmuch of what is being shown as data is false we are more likely to decide based on how we feel about an issue than spending a comparatively little time, compared to our ancestors, figuring out the facts and then making what would be the right decision for us.
Instead, there was a counterproductiverebellion in congress. Its only direct impact wasnt to prevent or even reduce the chance of another mass shooting, but rather to result in the sale of thousands of assault weapons. (Why dont we ever talk about how these failed efforts sell tens of thousands of guns?)
From the data Im seeing, the Democratic Party, not the NRA, is actually responsible for selling more assault weapons. Maybe gun companies are funding the wrong party?
Ill share my thoughts on fixing the big problem, which requires shifting from emotion-driven decisions to data-driven decisions, and Ill end with my product of the week: Politifact.
Orlando Shooting
What most troubles me about the Orlando shooting is that it was preventable. Within a very short period of time after the shooting, we knew that the shooter was troubled, that he had anger control issues, that he was violent, that he had been communicating with terrorist organizations, that he had been on a no-fly list (but was no longer), that hed recently bought several guns and ammunition after being turned away by a gun store, and that he had been behaving suspiciously.
That data should have resulted in an attempt to ascertain whether he was a risk and if so, to do something about it. Those separate data elements are correlated only after a crime, not before, so they are really great on proving guilt and establishing why something was done but not preventing it from happening in the first place.
Did we focus on fixing that problem? No, the government separated into two camps: one protecting gun rights and the other attacking them. Two bills resulted and failed, but had they existed prior to the Orlando shooting, they would have had no impact on it. Its as though after hitting the iceberg, the crew on the Titanic argued over whether ships should be allowed to sail into shallow waters.
We often dont know the cause of a problem, but we do in this case, and yet both sides are doing their best to avoid talking about it. To date, there is still no major effort to connect the data elements needed to effectively mitigate mass shootings. So this isnt about prevention it is about manipulating an outcome. I expect it has more to do with the fact that the NRA supports right-wing politicians more than actually saving lives.
Now, for the bills in Congress; what is funny is that the only amendment that actually might have prevented the Orlando shooting was from Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, of all places.
The data we would need to decide on the two core bills blocking gun sales to those on the no-fly list and requiring background checks for gun show buyers given neither would have impacted Orlando is how many people on no-fly lists commit gun-related crimes, particularly mass shootings. The same is true for those who buy guns at gun shows.
The bills are supposed to correct a problem, but there is no data suggesting a major problem actually exists related to these two behaviors. The first step in making a decision should be to figure out if there is a reason to make it, and given this Congress is kind of famous for not doing stuff, picking things to do that dont have any impact seems a tad, well, wasteful.
I have an idea. The CDC captures deaths by cause. Why doesnt Congress use this list to prioritize funding to keep citizens alive? Right now, heart disease is No. 1, followed very closely by cancer.
Gun deaths take about 2.5 percent of the toll of these two diseases combined. More people die from car accidents, which suggests that fixing the car thing should have the higher priority. I should add that two-thirds of the tracked gun deaths were suicides. In other words, you are twice as likelyto shoot yourself than to be shot by a bad guy but lets be clear, it is a choice. If two-thirds of the gun problem is folks shooting themselves, then maybe the focus should be on not selling guns to suicidal people.
In the end, particularly given how difficult it is to get gun bans, programs on gun safety and to better help those who are suicidal likely would have a far larger impact than the bans. (Seriously, we werent able to ban drugs effectively, and it isnt clear gun bans are effective in the U.S.). You have to prove causation not gut feeling, but actual causation and that is missing from the discussion. To make a decision to change something, we need to know it actually will work.
Avoiding Manipulation
If you are data driven, you become far harder to manipulate. Take global warming. If you look underneath the debate, there is no private interest that has been identified as fabricating it as a hoax. The data sources are largely government agencies and schools. Oil companies and the people who own them are the main creators of the counterarguments.
That one little data tidbit should have you questioning at least the ethics of one side. Had we known that doctors were behind the idea that smoking tobacco causes cancer and that the cigarette companies were behind the challenges to it, we would likely have addressed the issue more aggressively and effectively.
Even if you toss out global warming, its causes pollutants are directly tied to health problems like cancer, which should top the list of congressional goals. Based on the data, the stronger near-term problems tied to mortality are those tied to pollution, not necessarily global warming, which suggests we should make the necessary fixes anyway.
Wrapping Up: The 3 Elements of a Data-Driven Decision
So here is my recommendation. When considering any major decision, break it down into three data elements: The first is priority. Is there another decision you should make first? For instance, should you buy a new boat or pay down your mortgage first? If you pick the latter, then you dont need to spend time researching which boat to buy.
Second, what is the problem you are trying to solve? What is the primary reason to buy that car, boat or home? That will define which data you need to make the decision. For instance, if the goal is to have a relaxing vacation because you are overstressed, then you should prioritize your choices by placing exciting but high-stress destinations last. Otherwise, you might do just the opposite and return more stressed than when you left.
Finally, what is the data that defines the decision? In particular, validate the data source to avoid being manipulated by bad data. If you are being shown numbers by a timeshare sales person, maybe it would be good to get relevant data from an unbiased source before making your decision. Applied to gun control, there are far higher priorities (Id argue a crazy dictator with nuclear weapons might be a slightly higher priority with regard to problems to fix, for instance).
As for the problem to solve, the Orlando mass shooting resulted from the lack of a working early warning system not the tool used.
Finally, what is the data that defines the gun decision? What it showcases is that the proposed gun legislation would have no impact.
All of this suggests we are just being manipulated, and personally Id rather Congress actually focused on things that would get jobs done. Given that the bills didnt pass, they arent even doing a good job of manipulation.
Data is your friend.
There are a lot of interesting websites that provide insight into the information that surrounds us. Some, like Ranker, work kind of like Yelp and rank broad categories like companies and politicians by opinion. The problem is, it isnt objective. Like Yelp, its likely easily manipulated.
Politifact, which won a Pulitzer Prize, uses actual fact-checking to determine whether a candidate is lying. It is relatively transparent, so you can read how it reached its conclusion and decide for yourself if the analysis is valid.
One quick place to look is its Truth-o-Meter, which maps a politicians claim to the related fact. Rankings are true, mostly true, mostly false, false and pants on fire. The last one adds color by implying only idiots would believe a false fact.
There currently are 202 pages of ratings, but they actually make a quick read and can tell you pretty quickly if you are being misled on a major issue or comment, particularly if it would make you look stupid to repeat a particular fact at a party.
Both Clinton and Trump should read this regularly, because both are quoted as saying a number of things that are pretty stupid (but here Trumps lead is huuuuge if he farts, we could lose California).
In any case, because Politifact is one of the major forces trying to help us make decisions on facts not emotions it is my product of the week. And for godsakes, dont forget about Snopes when it comes to not forwarding something that would make you look stupid.
Volkswagen on Tuesday announced that it has reached an agreement to settle claims arising from the emissions scandal that has plagued the company since its discovery two years ago.
The company has agreed to set up a US$10 billion funding pool to buy back or terminate leases of diesel vehicles sold in the United States. Volkswagen had used software to cheat on emissions tests in labs for its turbocharged direct injection diesel engines.
Planned Pollution
The vehicles emitted up to 40 times more nitrogen oxides in real-world driving than the company registered in lab tests using the deceptive software. Volkswagen had put the software in about 11 million cars worldwide, of which about 500,000 were in the United States.
The vehicles in question were from the model years 2009 through 2015.
Volkswagen also agreed to establish a $2.7 billion environmental remediation fund, and to invest $2 billion to promote adoption of zero-emissions cars in the U.S.
The Department of Justice, the State of California, the Federal Trade Commission and certain private plaintiffs have agreed to the deal, which also must be approved by Judge Charles Breyer of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Actions Against VW
The DoJ early this year filed suit against Volkswagen and associated companies over the emissions scandal, and the FTC in March filed its complaint in federal court.
German prosecutors earlier this month began investigating former VW employees, including former CEO Martin Winterkorn, over allegations of fraud and market manipulation in relation to the emissions scandal.
Other countries regulators also are examining VW closely.
The companys next course of action is to tackle the international problem, said Praveen Chandrasekar, a research manager at Frost & Sullivan.
VW is rumored to have set aside almost 16 billion euros (US$18.2) for the scandal at the worldwide level, he told the E-Commerce Times.
Crime and Punishment
A penalty should be large enough so that not only doesnt the offending firm repeat its crime, but also no other firm even thinks of doing something like this, commented Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.
The emissions scandal was brought to light by pure chance, which means the government wants to use fear as its primary method for compliance, he told the E-Commerce Times.
The scandal showcases the importance of governance and internal audit to catch things like this, Enderle suggested. This is a huge reminder that strong compliance and internal audit programs can literally save companies billions.
TETTNANG - Outdoor brand Vaude has told Ecotextile News it is the "ethical obligation" of apparel businesses to phase out PFCs and other potentially harmful chemicals rather than waiting for government regulations to compel them to act. The company was talking in the wake of this week's Greenpeace report which presented air emissions tests from the stores of leading outdoor brands which showed concentrations of volatile PFCs up to 1,000 times higher than in the outside air. The report has generated a huge amount of publicity for Greenpeace's Detox cause, although one industry insider suggested to us that "the data submitted [by Greenpeace] was unfortunately not accurate."
By Maggie McCracken
Invertingpositioning your body so that your feet are higher than your heartholds a number of health benefits. Seniors are especially likely to benefit from inverting, but everyone can enjoy improved circulation, reduced foot and leg swelling, a rush of oxygen to the brain and perhaps even relief from back pain if they include regular inversions in their yoga practice.
However, going upside down can be scary. Its important to know how to get started safely. Before attempting any inversions, be sure to check with your doctor, particularly if you have elevated blood pressure. Ladies will also want to refrain from inverting during their period.
Once youve been given the go-ahead, youre ready to go upside down! Work with a yoga teacher if youre new to an inversion practice. Here are a few basic inversions ranging from beginner to advanced to get you started.
Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)
Viparita karani might not even look like a yoga pose at first glance. Its a very simple asana that can be practiced by almost anyone whos in good health and its often associated with restorative yoga, a type of practice that involves meditation, slow movement, rest and deep breathing to reduce stress.
To get into viparita karani, all you need to do is lie with your butt against the wall. Slowly bring your feet up so theyre at a 90-degree angle with your upper body. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Keep your arms wherever it feels comfortable.
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
If youve been practicing yoga for a while, you may be ready to attempt the shoulder stand. Its important not to try this one if you have any neck issues and safety is always a priority. To help avoid injury, never turn your head or move your neck while youre in this pose.
To get into the pose, start by lying on your back. Use your core muscles to lift your legs and feet into the air, bringing your hips along for the ride. Anchor your hands right against your hip bones and rest on your elbows. You dont need to go up too high if you dont want to, but the eventual goal is to have your feet, hips and shoulders in the same line. Avoid collapsing your upper body and neck by taking care to keep your chin away from your chest.
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
Believe it or not, most yoga teachers are instructed to teach their students to handstand successfully before moving on to headstand! You can switch the progression if you really want to, but the idea behind this is that you build muscle in the shoulders before putting any weight directly on your head in order to protect the neck.
If you feel ready to attempt a handstand, you may want to begin with a wall behind you. Balancing straight up is pretty difficult and requires a lot of practicepretty much everyone starts out using a wall for support.
Youre going to begin in downward-facing dog with your hands a few inches away from the wall. You shouldnt be starting from a standing position and using momentum to get into the pose. Instead, you should be using your core muscles to get your feet above your head.
Start building these muscles by doing repeated kicks upward. Pick one leg to lead and then use the other to push off from the floor. Use your abs to bring your leading foot closer and closer to straight above your head. Then repeat these exercising with your other foot leading.
After youve built up enough core strength, youll have the ability to bring your legs up over your hips. Attempt to get your shoulders, hips and feet in a straight line, resting your feet on the wall behind you for as long as is necessary.
Sirsasana (Headstand)
Finally (or perhaps next-to-last if youve chosen to try headstand before handstand), its time to move into shoulder stand. Make sure you build up a good muscle base in your shoulders before attempting this pose. This will help keep weight off your neck so that you can practice safely and avoid injury. This is another position youll probably want to do against a wall, at least to start.
Start off in a tabletop-like pose with your knees on the floor and your elbows beneath your shoulders, clasping your hands together and resting them on the floor in front of your elbows. Move up onto your toes while you simultaneously put your head down in between your elbowskind of like a downward-facing dog, but with your elbows and head on the floor instead of your palms. Just like youd do in a handstand, use your core to pull your feet above your hips, one at a time.
Americas smallest state claimed a big spot in the countrys renewable energy development history. Monday Deepwater Wind broke ground on the countrys first offshore wind project, which will be built at Block Island, Rhode Island. The five turbines will produce 30 megawatts of power, enough to provide electricity to all the homes and businesses on the island as well as send power to the mainland through an undersea cable. The project, which will be operative next year, is expected to create 300 construction jobs.
There are thousands of offshore wind turbines in northern Europe, but the new wind farm in the ocean off Rhode Island will be the first in the U.S.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
The importance of this day cannot be overstated, said Emily Norton, director of the Massachusetts chapter of the Sierra Club. The Block Island Wind Farm is our Apollo 11 moment. I am going to remember this day, and tell my kids and grandkids that I was there when the first U.S. offshore wind farm was builtthat when we had a choice between bequeathing them a future powered by polluting fossil fuels that lead to extreme storms, heat waves and drought, we chose to power their future from the wind and the sun and smart technologies.
The Sierra Club was one of a number of groups that lobbied for the project, including the National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation and labor unions, when it was first proposed in 2009. They helped mitigate concerns that construction could disrupt whales and other marine life and that the turbines could be a threat to seabirds.
Numerous officials and supporters were on hand for the Monday groundbreaking. They included Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a passionate advocate for clean energy who has made a weekly floor speech in the Senate on the climate under the banner Time to Wake Up for two and a half years.
The Block Island Wind Farm will bring cleaner and more affordable energy to Block Islands residents while helping Rhode Island access the tremendous economic and environmental potential of our offshore wind, said Sen. Whitehouse when the project was cleared to begin. Its a milestone in our nations transition to a clean energy economy, and Im proud that Rhode Island is leading the way.
.@DeepwaterWind Excited to kick off #RIs first-in-the-nation offshore #wind project this morning! Big news for RI workers & US #cleanenergy Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) April 27, 2015
Not only are we going to create jobs, but were going to rebrand ourselves as being more innovative and over time make Rhode Island a place that has lower energy costs, more diversified energy supply and greener energy, said Gov. Raimondo at the groundbreaking.
The project is small compared to the offshore wind farms that are abundant in northern Europe, but clean energy advocates hope the construction of the Rhode Island farm will create some momentum. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has opened nearly 750,000 acres of ocean to offshore wind development, designating it as a wind management area, with the potential to create up to 9,000 megawatts of electricity enough to power 700,000 homes by 2030.
Yet until now, that development has been stalled. The Cape Wind Project in Massachusetts has been embattled for more than a decade. Among those fighting it is billionaire Bill Koch, who lives on Massachusetts Nantucket Sound and is co-chair of the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound. His brothers are fossil fuel barons and major political funders of climate denier politicians and initiatives Charles & David Koch. While the project was ultimately given the go-ahead, despite court challenges, the two utilities that had power purchase agreements with the project withdrew them in January. That project was expected to the first in the country, but now Rhode Island has beaten it to the punch.
We are proud to celebrate breaking ground on the nations first offshore wind farm in Rhode Island as it brings local, clean power to all Block Island residents and 300 new jobs to the community, said Bruce Nilles, senior campaign director of the Sierra Clubs Beyond Coal Campaign.
However, this celebration is about something bigger: it highlights the nations transition beyond dirty, outdated fossil fuels to affordable clean energy. This is a shining example of how American ingenuity can take us forward and position us as leaders in the global clean energy economy. Today on Block Island, we again prove that America can be a leader in creating a clean energy reality that ensures every person can breathe clean air, enjoy clean water and live in a world free from the threat of climate disruption.
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North Americas first offshore freshwater wind project has received a $40 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
In somewhat of a surprise decision, the funding was awarded to Lake Erie Energy Development Co (LEEDCo) for its Icebreaker project, which consists of six 3.45-megawatt turbines located 8-10 miles off the coast of Cleveland.
The Cleveland skyline from Lake Erie. Photo credit: Stefanie Spear
The local wind power firm was chosen over Dominion Resources, which had proposed a two-turbine, 12-megawatt project off Virginia, and Principle Power, which had proposed a five-turbine, 30-megawatt project off Oregon. LEEDCo was previously considered one of the alternate projects.
According to Cleveland.com, LEEDCos decision to adopt the European-designed Mono Bucket foundation, which eliminates pile driving in the bedrock below the lake bed, may have been crucial to the DOEs decision to fully fund the project.
A DOE analysis stated that the innovative Mono Bucket foundation will reduce installation time, costs, and environmental impacts compared to traditional foundations that require pile driving. The Mono Bucket not only is a solution for the Great Lakes, but also has broader national applicability for offshore wind installations off the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.
Lorry Wagner, LEEDCos president, told EcoWatch via email the team is thrilled to receive the federal award. We always knew our project was a great one and over the last two years our progress demonstrated that, he said.
Buoy deployed at Icebreaker site for fisheries/water quality monitoring with Cleveland in background. Photo credit: LEEDCo
Offshore wind power generation is a resource begging to be tapped. The U.S., however, lags behind other countries in utilizing this clean, renewable form of energy. In the U.S., offshore wind has a projected 4,223 gigawatts of electric generating potential, with Lake Eries waters alone accounting for more than 50 gigawatts of that power, as LEEDCo explained in an article.
According to Wagner, one reason why the U.S. has been slow in adopting offshore wind projects is due to political roadblocks.
It always comes down to policy and we have not had much for offshore wind, he said. It is also true that onshore has been so successful, that offshore tends to get lost in the big picture. It will take a combination of policy and successful projects that will enable the industry to take hold.
LEEDCos Icebreaker is currently the only freshwater wind project in development in the U.S.
Wagner explained that freshwater is ideal for a wind farm since the turbines are not exposed to elements such as salt water corrosion, hurricanes or the associated large waves in oceanic waters.
He also noted that Lake Erie is ideal for the Icebreaker project because it has uniformly shallow waters and has plenty of wind.
There are over 2 gigawatts of available interconnect along the Ohio shore and we have an incredible manufacturing base that can industrialize the industry, he said.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) announced the DOEs $40 million grant to LEEDCo late last month at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, with remarks from LEEDCo senior officials, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Bodish and other Cleveland officials.
Lake Erie is the Saudi Arabia of wind, and todays award should be a gusher for northern Ohio, said Kaptur, who serves as the Ranking Member of the U.S. House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. This wind power project will begin to unleash Lake Eries full renewable power potential and contribute to creating a more competitive energy marketplace.
This announcement today seems perfectly suited to Cleveland, the first city in America where the electric wind turbine was invented. With this announcement today, Cleveland carries American innovation forward in this new millennium, Kaptur said.
This is the fourth such award for LEEDCo. With the latest funding round, the non-profit will eventually receive nearly $51 million in federal support. The award money will go towards the design, manufacturing and construction phases of the Icebreaker as long as it continues to meet the DOEs requirements. The projects finish line is expected by the end of 2018.
LEEDCo has a 50-year lease from Ohio for its offshore project and is working to complete the remaining permits it needs from federal and state agencies. LEEDCo has secured a power purchase agreement for 65 percent of future output.
The strength of the Icebreaker project, as opposed to its competitors, lies in LEEDCos commitment to leverage offshore wind energy with local Ohio-based jobs in the steel, construction and transportation industries, Kaptur said. This means local job possibilities beyond wind generation are on the horizon.
Wagner told Cleveland.com that LEEDCo already has 15 local companies involved in the project and hopes to attract more, adding that fabrication and construction will create 500 jobs.
Ultimately, we want to become the technology leader in the U.S. industry for offshore wind and environmental monitoring, Wagner told EcoWatch.
The DOE also awarded another $40 million to the University of Maines New England Aqua Ventus I, a floating, 12-megawatt wind project off Maines shores.
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The nations largest offshore wind energy project is just one approval away from coming to fruition.
The Long Island Power Authoritys (LIPA) board of directors will meet July 20 to approve Deepwater Winds 90-megawatt, 15-turbine wind farm, according to Politico. Turbines would be placed 30 miles offshoreover the horizon and out of sight from landand could provide energy to Long Island customers by the end of 2022.
London Array is the worlds biggest offshore wind farm located in the outer Thames Estuary of the U.K. The farm consists of 175 Siemens 3.6MW turbines. Photo credit: Xcite Fun
This is the first in New York, its the largest to date, but were looking at this and seeing a tremendous offshore wind resource that will be developed and its not the last, Deepwater Wind CEO Thomas Falcone told the AP. I think this is a very big step for New York, but also for the United States.
Deepwater Winds Long Island project got a major boost today when New York Gov. Cuomo announced his support for the planned wind farm. In a statement, Cuomo said:
The LIPA Board of Trustees Wednesday will consider advancing the development of the nations largest offshore wind farm off the coast of Long Island. I strongly encourage the Trustees to once again demonstrate New Yorks leadership on climate change and help achieve the states ambitious goal of supplying 50 percent of our electricity from renewable energy by 2030.
Investing in New Yorks clean energy economy strengthens our communities by providing access to clean, affordable power and good quality green jobs. Next week marks another opportunity for this state to lead the nation in creating a stronger, more resilient energy system and protecting the environment for future generations.
The Sierra Club applauded Cuomos announcement. Lisa Dix, the organizations senior New York representative, said:
This announcement is the first step toward a bold, long-term, large-scale offshore wind program for New York and catapults New York to the forefront of Americas clean energy economy. Today was the result of years of hard work by concerned citizens across the island and around the state that understand that offshore wind is essential to moving New York to a 100 percent clean energy future, while protecting our wildlife, environment and coastal communities from the devastating impacts of climate disruption.
Deepwater Wind, a Rhode Island-based company, is currently building the nations first offshore wind farm near Block Island, Rhode Island. The 30-megawatt, 5-turbine project farm is expected to go online later this year, the Providence Journal reported.
Falcone said because the Long Island and Block Island projects are located in the same federally-approved waters, construction on the Long Island farm could be expedited to meet the plans deadline.
Theres already construction going on there, he said. Its in the same area.
The Long Island project would produce enough energy to power 50,000 homes in the Hamptons, the Providence Journal said.
Deepwater Winds plan also includes the construction of two battery energy storage facilities that the Long Island Power Authority can use at peak demand for electricity. General Electric would design and install the facilities.
Not only will the project reduce air pollution emissions on Long Island, but itll also defer the need to build costly new power plants and transmission systems on the South Fork, then-Deepwater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski said when announcing the proposal last year.
Wind turbines in the Nysted Wind Facility, located 8-12 miles offshore Denmark, are arranged to take advantage of prevailing winds. Turbine spacing is carefully designed to maximize cost efficiency and power production. Photo credit: Bureau of Ocean Energy Managment
The Long Island project is just one of a number being considered in the Atlantic Ocean.
But, our nations oceans arent the only potential home for offshore wind farms. In June, Lake Erie Energy Development Cos (LEEDCo) Icebreaker project received a $40 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy to build six 3.45-megawatt turbines in Lake Erie between 8 and 10 miles off the coast of Cleveland.
The U.S. lags behind other countries in utilizing this clean, renewable form of energy. Offshore wind has a projected 4,223 gigawatts of electric generating potential, with Lake Eries waters alone accounting for more than 50 gigawatts of that power, as LEEDCo explained in an article.
Worlds Largest Offshore Windfarm Will Power More Than 1 Million Homeshttps://t.co/z9iK4nrgYj @EWEA @ClimateReality pic.twitter.com/Ph8U5980V3 EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) February 4, 2016
Lorry Wagner, LEEDCos president, told EcoWatch that political roadblocks are whats holding up the development of offshore wind as a viable energy source.
It always comes down to policy and we have not had much for offshore wind, he said. It is also true that onshore has been so successful, that offshore tends to get lost in the big picture. It will take a combination of policy and successful projects that will enable the industry to take hold.
The U.S. has seen several proposals for offshore wind farms, the Providence Journal said, but none have come to fruition yet.
Offshore wind needs to be a significant part of the energy mix, Heather Leibowitz, the director of Environment New York, said. It is key to putting the Empire State on a path toward an economy powered entirely by renewable energy. The 90-megawatts of energy produced off east Montauk will get us one step closer to this goal.
LIPAs approval of the project is key to meeting Governor Cuomos interim goal of 50 percent clean energy within 15 years. Constructing the nations largest offshore wind energy project is momentous and puts New York right where it should beat the front of the pack. Accelerating our transition to pollution-free energy sources means cleaner air for families, less global warming pollution, more stable electricity bills, and a stronger economy.
By Salvador Edgardo Zuniga Caceres
It has been four months since the murder of environmental and Indigenous rights activist Berta Caceres and her killers have still not been brought to justice. Instead, the violence continueson July 7, another activist from Berta Caceres organization was abducted and killed.
Berta Caceres in 2015. Goldman Environmental Prize / Tim Russo
In March, my mother Berta Caceres was murdered in her own home. Her death pains me in a way I cannot describe with words.
She was killed for defending life, for safeguarding our common goods and those of nature, which are sacred. She was killed for defending the rivers that are sources of our peoples life, ancestral strength and spirituality.
My mother became a woman of resistance, of struggle, so that our deep connection with nature is not destroyed; so that the life of our peoplesthe Lenca Indigenous People of Hondurasis respected. Her killers tried to silence her with bullets, but she is a seed, a seed that is reborn in all men and women. She is a seed that will be reborn in the people that follow her path of resistance.
To achieve justice for her death, I need your help.
Please join me in asking the Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez to launch an independent investigation into my mothers murder.
Berta with her four children.
Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmental activistsmore than 100 were murdered between 2010 and 2014.
These figures make me shiver. These activists lost their lives defending what belongs to us all and my mother was no exception. She had been threatened and persecuted many times for safeguarding our peoples territory.
Even before my mothers murder, two of my sisters had to leave the country. But our mother did not stop fighting against the Agua Zarca mega-dam project. If built, the Agua Zarca would lead to the displacement of our people and the privatization and destruction of our territories. It has already led to the murder of those who have the determination and the clarity to understand that life is not a commodity.
But the dam builders could not stop my mother. With her people beside her, she became invincible. So murderers broke into her house and opened fire against her chest. We are outraged not only because of the bullets that murdered her, but because her killers have walked away with impunity.
Berta Caceres in the Rio Blanco region of Honduras. Tim Russo / Goldman Environmental Prize.
Berta used to say: Defending human rights is a crime in Honduras.
She knew that what she put her and her loved ones at risk, but she didnt care. Along with the Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Hondurasan organization my mother co-foundedshe defended Indigenous communities and gave her life. Today, our family, the Lenca people and thousands of Hondurans are demanding justice.
We will only succeed if we press my countrys president into accepting that the Inter American Commission on Human Rights investigates the murder. We cannot trust the Honduran justice system.
You have the bullet I have the word. The bullet dies when detonated, the word lives when spread. Berta Caceres
Today, we must be that word. My mother gave her life defending humanity and the planet. Now its up to us to seek justice on her behalf.
Salvador Edgardo Zuniga Caceres is the son of award-winning Honduran activist Berta Caceres, who was murdered in her home in March 2016.
(Photo: REUTERS / Jason Redmond)T-shirts and other merchandise are pictured at the Seattle Hempfest 4/20 event in Seattle, Washington April 20, 2014. Thousands of marijuana enthusiasts gathered in Colorado and Washington state over the weekend for an annual celebration of cannabis culture with rallies, concerts and trade shows in the first two states to legalize recreational marijuana.
A new survey by the Barna Group finds that the tide may be turning toward legalization of recreational marijuana use, but not among Christians.
A majority of Americans (58 percent) now favor legalizing marijuana for recreational or other use.
"This scale has tipped for almost all groups - the exceptions being among Christians and those over the age of 64, among which a majority still believe recreational marijuana should be kept illegal," the survey released Tuesday finds.
It notes that two U.S. states, Washington and Colorado, have this year legalized marijuana not only for medical use but also for recreational users.
A majority of voters in those states approved ballot measures to decriminalize growing, selling and using marijuana and to tax and regulate the pot industry just as the alcoholic beverage industry is taxed and regulated.
More than 10 other states may follow suit with similar ballot measures in upcoming elections.
In its new nationwide study, Barna Group asked Christian and non-Christian adults 18 and older their views on the legal and moral acceptability of marijuana.
Men (63 percent) are more likely than women (53 percent) to favor legalization, as are people who do not have children under 18 (60 percent, compared to 54 percent of those with children younger than 18).
Generally, people with higher incomes and some college education tend to favor legalization at higher rates than those with lower incomes and less education.
White Americans are slightly more likely than black Americans to have used marijuana in their lifetime (52 percent against 49 percent), black Americans are more likely to favor legalizing it (65 percent to 57 percent).
PRACTICING CHRISTIANS OPPOSE LEGALIZATION
Running against the broadening cultural mainstream, most practicing Christians oppose legalization.
"Even mainline Protestants, who often trend more liberal on social issues than their Catholic and non-mainline brethren, are less likely (45 percent) than the national average to say pot should be legal in the U.S.
"Non-mainline Protestants (32 percent) and Catholics (39 percent) are far less likely to favor legalization than the general American population."
Those who believe pot is morally acceptable are still in the minority, but the current numbers represent a significant increase over the past decade the survey finds.
In 2001, Barna Group asked practicing Protestants and Catholics if they believed non-medical use of marijuana was morally acceptable.
At that time only 9 percent of Protestants approved, compared with 19 percent in 2014; 17 percent of Catholics approved in 2001, compared with 33 percent today.
The general public has shifted, as well. In 2001, 25 percent of adults said non-medical pot was morally acceptable; by 2014, that proportion increased to 47 percent.
"There is a clear trend toward greater cultural acceptance of recreational marijuana, even among many practicing Christians," said David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group and director of the study.
"National surveys are a great way to find out what people think and how their perspectives have changed over time. But why those changes are happening is more difficult to pin down through conventional polling.
The survey concludes that the United States continues to "shift from a culture that values abstinence to one that focuses on experience."
"Marijuana use fits within a larger trend of liberalizing views and behaviors when it comes to activities like gambling, pre-marital or extra-marital sex, and drinking. As attitudes toward temptations shift, Americans increasingly define the 'pursuit of happiness' to include personally invigorating or even escapist experiences," says Kinnaman.
(Photo: Wikipedia)St. John's Episcopal Church in Detroit Michigan was founded in 1858 and moved to its current location in 1861. The church building is on the National Register of Historic Places. St. John's is one of several historic churches in Detroit which are seeking to take part in revitalizing the city.
Christians, individually and through their churches, are mobilizing to revitalize the once prominent city of Detroit, Michigan which faces the possibility of bankruptcy this week.
In its heyday, Detroit was the capital of the world's automobile industry and the fifth largest city in the United States.
However, the city that gave the "Motown" label to stars like Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin, has become symptomatic of urban problems besetting many American cities.
Since 1950, Detroit has lost 60 percent of its population due to economic problems, including deindustrialization.
The city now suffers from urban decay, including the presence of thousands of empty buildings and homes.
The city government has $2.5 billion debt to pay. As a result, public services in Detroit have declined severely.
A sign of its problems is the loss of 100,000 school children and millions of dollars in per-pupil funding since 2000.
CHURCHES NOT IMMUNE
Churches are not immune to the issues related to Detroit's decline.
NewsOne.com, a site which publishes stories of interest to black Americans, reported in June that Christians on the city's west side feared leaving their homes to go to church because they are the target of thieves when they are away.
However, a bright spot in Detroit's glum outlook is that many churches and individual Christians are responding to the plight of their community.
Some are getting involved in filling in the gap in public services created by the city's economic woes.
Fox News reported this week that volunteers from Rosedale Park Baptist Church board up and secure abandoned homes so they don't become havens for criminals and drug users.
The Henry Ford Health System has designed a faith-based kiosk that provides a unique resource to local churches to aid with health assessment, education, and treatment for an often underserved population.
The faith-based health kiosk is a state-of-the-art, interactive diagnostic and educational tool, designed to assess an individual's physical condition and provide a guide for addressing future health care needs.
By completing a short, confidential health questionnaire, using the touch-screen monitor, the user will be given recommendations to maintain and improve their current health.
HEALTHY LIFESTLE
Users will also review healthy lifestyle suggestions linking their faith and their health choices to their overall well-being. Henry Ford is donating kiosks to three local churches.
The kiosk, a pilot project, was a joint collaboration of Henry Ford, Health Alliance Plan, and Detroit pastors. The kiosk covers:
Medical Topics: diabetes, obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure, HIV and AIDS.
Healthy Living: eating right, calculating your ideal weight, exercise, preventive medicine, smoking, drug abuse and care for caregivers.
Support and Resources: local doctor directory, insurance issues, the power of prayer and community resources.
"This faith-based initiative will be extremely beneficial to the church," says the Rev. Joseph R. Jordan of the Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church. "The kiosk gives congregants access to preventive health care information that is so vitally needed not only in our churches, but in the community."
More than 25 percent of Detroit residents have diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and other chronic diseases that are often unrecognized and under treated, according to the Henry Ford Health System.
Historic churches in Detroit are also seeking to stabilize the city, according to Detroit Free-Press staff writer Niraj Warikoo.
"Some face challenges, from leaking roofs to declining membership,"said Wankoo, a religion writer for the paper. "But many are growing, or at least holding steady."
He reported in April on several churches over 100 years old which had once faced near extinction but now possessed burgeoning congregations.
"As he city tries to stem its population loss and blight, local pastors say these churches can be solid anchors; they serve as symbols of hope, drawing in people from all over southeast Michigan," Warikoo wrote.
CHURCHES CAN HELP
Rev. Steven Kelly of St. John's Episcopal Church told the Free-Press, "The churches can help by giving a purpose and direction that's grounded in good morals."
The more people are involved in the life of a church, the more positive the impact."
The Detroit Free-Press reported that some churches are helping in unique ways.
Christ Church Detroit, for example, is planning to open a daytime homeless shelter. Another church, Fort Street Presbyterian Church, which has been at the same location since 1855 - serves food to 400 needy people every Thursday.
Other ministries are seeking to rebuild Detroit as well.
Warikoo reported this week on a Christian mime ministry which is seeking to strengthen the community.
"We want to strengthen them in character," organizer James Hayes said of the participants. "Everything we do is about promoting hope, promoting life."
Several young Christian adults from Austin, Texas are moving to Detroit mid-year to found a coffee shop which will serve as an art epicenter for a slum community, according to Curbed Detroit, a site that reports on neighborhood trends.
It will also be a ministry.
CURBED DETROIT
On the Curbed Detroit website, a video of the group includes their testimonies regarding their leading from God to come to the city and what they intend to do there.One of them, a woman named Taylor, says she will also teach in one of the worst schools in Detroit.
"I am just so excited to go love on kids that have never experienced love," she said. "I am excited to let them know that they are worthy and that they are really important."
"They need to know that. I feel like that's why God has me going because they are the future of Detroit and they are going to see Detroit rebuilt."
Aaron Renn of Christianity Today has a different take on those coming to the aid of the city.
He wrote an article earlier this year, entitled "Why All Your Impressions of Detroit are Wrong."
In it he lamented that enthusiastic new entrants to the community who want to "save Detroit" lack staying power.
Renn wrote, "A long-term commitment and recalibration to the complex and difficult realities of Detroit is key to thriving there and actually contributing to human flourishing there."
He discussed comments made by Episcopal deacon Dean Simmer, who teaches at a local Catholic school.
"He suggests that anyone coming to Detroit should embrace that most Christian of virtues: humility. He advises newcomers to 'shut up and just listen for a year and a half'."
"Some of the newcomers quickly fail and cycle out, others may actually inflict damage, some profit from Detroit (or hope to), and some live in it as if aliens from a parallel reality, as in the artists featured in the documentary Detropia," said Renner.
Ultimately, all of these approaches will fail to revitalize the city over the long term."
"If you're simply an idealist with no thick skin, you're bound to fail in Detroit," said Simmer. "The people who stick around are willing to be humble, to listen to the community members, and to allow their stereotypes to be broken."
(Photo: REUTERS / Joshua Lott)The casket containing the body of Michael Brown is carried to its final resting place in St. Peter's Cemetery located in St. Louis, Missouri, August 25, 2014. Family and supporters on Monday celebrated the life of Michael Brown, a black teenager slain by police in Ferguson, Missouri, with a music-filled funeral service and calls to remember him with peace and political change. Brown's body lay at the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in a black and gold casket, topped with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap he was wearing when he was killed on Aug. 9 in nearby Ferguson by a white police officer.
Leaders from historically African-American Methodist churches have joined in Washington, D.C. to publicly call for the United States to confront racism and demand legal solutions to bring about racial equality.
Members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, AME Zion Church, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and Union American Methodist Episcopal Church held a Sept. 1 and 2 event entitled "Liberty and Justice for All."
"With the election of the first black president in the United States, many people may think that the country has entered an era in which racism has ended," said Bishop Reginald Jackson, ecumenical officer and chair of the social action commission of the AME Church.
The meeting convened by churches, many of which belong to the World Council of Churches, was called to discuss criminal justice reform, education, economic justice, gun reform and voting rights, the WCC said.
"Anyone who is honest and sincere cannot argue that the United States has made great progress in civil rights and race relations," said Jackson.
Participants discussed a "Male Investment Plan," a toolkit that guides African-American males ages 5-25 through a mentoring program related to academics, civil responsibility and spiritual formation.
"But people who think racism doesn't exist are simply not facing reality," Jackson noted.
"Many in the United States are in denial that racism is a major problem in this nation," he said.
"It is not only obvious and clear that racism must be confronted, it is also discrimination and bias built into laws and policies, the racism of being stigmatized and targeted because of the colour of our skin."
Christian Methodist Episcopal Bishop Lawrence Reddick; Bishop John Bryant of the AME Church, and Bishop George Battle of the AME Zion Church spoke together and worshipped in a united call to end racism.
A worship service was held Sept. 1, during which Bishop Reddick preached and a press conference was held in Washington, D.C. the following day to express the urgent need to address racism and plan the next steps.
Rev. Garland F. Pierce, senior assistant to the WCC general secretary, said on behalf of the WCC. "We stand in solidarity with the churches engaged in this important global effort, and will keep them in prayer as they continue their pilgrimage toward liberty and justice for all."
The movement to end racism must not be limited to the United States but must be a global effort, said Rev. Staccato Powell, event co-convenor and pastor of Grace AME Zion Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Powell is a member of the WCC's main governing body, its central committee.
"We will not go away but we are coming to initiate a movement that will permeate this entire nation, not just a nation but globally, we will connect with those who are our progenitors, who gave birth and rise to us," he said.
"We come to repent and confess for not being as active and proactive as we should have been long before now."
Kathryn Lohre, assistant to the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America said, "We are interconnected as the body of Christ.
"All of us are suffering together. I stand here today representing the solidarity of the churches and our inter-religious partners," she said.
"We believe that black lives matter - to us and to our Creator. We believe that our diversity - religious, racial or otherwise - is a God-given gift.
"We believe that our solidarity cannot be demonstrated by words alone but that our actions must speak louder than our words."
Churches were encouraged to celebrate Sunday, Sept. 6 as a Sunday of "Confession, Repentance, and Commitment to End Racism."
AFRICAN-AMERICAN METHODIST CHURCHES
This movement began at the end of 2015 at the call of the senior bishops of the historic African-American Methodist churches. It has gained momentum after a shooting massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
On the evening of June 17, 2015, a mass shooting took place at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
During a prayer service, a gunman killed nine people, including the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney; a tenth victim survived.
The day after the attack, police arrested a suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Dylann Roof, in Shelby, North Carolina. Roof , a young white man confessed to committing the shooting in hopes of igniting a race war.
WCC general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit said he sees this movement as a critical part of a worldwide pilgrimage of justice and peace, in a letter commending their ongoing racial justice work.
"We feel that it is important that the WCC stands with the U.S. churches and particularly the historic black churches at this kairos moment in your country," he wrote.
"Please be assured of the prayers of our global fellowship as you offer a clarion call to end the systemic as well as relational sin of racism."
(Photo: REUTERS/Mary F. Calvert)Orion Hicks-Bey, 3, and his brother Omarion Hicks-Bey, 8, of DC, stand next to a wax figure of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., courtesy of Madame Tussauds D.C., on display in the lobby at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, August 25, 2013. The King Center and the Willard Hotel hosted an "I Have a Dream" gospel brunch highlighting the music that inspired Martin Luther King during his lifetime and the 'I Have a Dream' speech King worked on at the Willard in August 1963.
WASHINGTON DC (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of marchers converged on Washington on Saturday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech and to urge action on jobs, voting rights and gun violence.
"We believe in a new America. It's time to march for a new America," civil rights leader Al Sharpton told the predominantly black crowd from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Sharpton and other speakers paid tribute to King and other civil rights leaders for progress over the past five decades that led to significant gains, including Barack Obama's election as the first black U.S. president.
But the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida last year and the Supreme Court's recent decision to strike down a portion of the nation's voting rights law showed the struggle was not over, they said.
"King saw the possibility of an Obama 50 years ago. The world is made of dreamers that change reality because of their dream. And what we must do is we must give our young people dreams again," Sharpton said.
(Photo: WCC / John Taylor) Among the witnesses to the Christian faith are also "martyrs" of our time "who died confronting injustice for the sake of the gospel", such as Martin Luther King.
The "National Action to Realize the Dream" was led by Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, King's oldest son.
"We ain't going to let nobody turn us around. We're going to keep marching down to freedom land," King told the crowd. "I know that Daddy is smiling up above knowing that your presence here today will assure the fulfillment of his dream."
Organizers expected 100,000 people to attend the rally and march from the Lincoln Memorial in the National Mall to the Washington Monument, passing by the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
The National Park Service does not make crowd estimates and organizers did not immediately respond to request for their own.
Under a bright blue sky, a huge throng of people crowded both sides of the 2,000-foot-long (610-metre) reflecting pool east of the Lincoln Memorial.
More than 40 groups participated in the march, among them the Service Employees International Union, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the American Federation of Teachers. It aimed to call attention to job opportunities, voting rights, gun violence, women's rights and immigration reform.
Despite big gains politically and in education, nearly half of those who responded to a poll by the Pew Research Center in Washington, think far more needs to be done to achieve the color-blind society that King envisioned.
King was among six organizers of the 1963 march, and led about 250,000 people to the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his "I have a dream" speech from its steps.
'SO MUCH HATE'
The speech and march helped spur passage of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act in 1964 and 1965, respectively.
King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 at age 39.
That is still a bitter memory for Velma Lois Jones, an 82-year-old former math teacher from Memphis, Tennessee, who participated in the first march 50 years ago and was back on Saturday to help keep King's dream alive.
"I was down at the Mason Temple where he was going to speak that night, waiting for him to come, when I got the news. And it was a devastation," Jones said.
"We've got so much hate in this country that eradicating it will never end," she said. "But the fact that I'm here says I have hope that things are going to be better."
Obama is scheduled to speak on Wednesday at a ceremony marking the actual anniversary of the march at the Lincoln Memorial. The commemoration will include a nationwide ringing of bells at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT).
Charles Wise a 61-year-old nurse, said he traveled from Brotmanville, New Jersey with his wife for the march because "the way things are going, participation is required."
"You can't stand on the sidelines and hope things get better. You have to get out and make them get better. When they start to go after voting rights, as many of us that died for those, the answer is 'hell no,'" Wise said.
Harrison Hawkins, a retired Smithsonian museum worker who celebrated his 70th birthday this week, remembered there was far less security at the 1963 march.
While most of the crowd on Saturday was kept at a distance from the Lincoln Memorial, Hawkins said 50 years ago "you could walk around here. There wasn't anybody stopping you. I got up on the steps" to listen to King's speech.
Like others at the march, Hawkins acknowledged that black Americans have much more freedom than they did in the early 1960s and said he still marvels that a black man has become president.
"There's been a lot of changes, but there needs to be a lot more. The Congress needs to let Barack Obama do his job ... They're holding him back. They won't let him do anything just because he's a black man," Hawkins said.
Many young blacks were outraged by the Trayvon Martin case and what they see as an assault on voting rights, but said they also were worried about finding a job to pay off tens of thousands of dollars of student debt.
"Right now, I work part time, but it doesn't pay for anything," said Naada Boulandi, a 29-year-old aspiring interior designer from Silver Spring, Maryland, who graduated from college in May.
Mel Wilson, manager for social justice and human rights for the National Association of Social Workers, said that is a problem that many minorities face.
"We still deal with massive unemployment, disproportionate unemployment among black and Hispanic youth and that needs to change," the 66-year-old said.
(Reporting by Ian Simpson and Doug Palmer; Editing by Vicki Allen and Christopher Wilson)
(Reuters)An injured individual is seen on the ground after at least 30 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday July 14, 2016.
An attacker killed up to 80 people and injured scores when he drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday, officials said.
Counter-terrorist investigators were seeking to identify the driver, who a local government official said opened fire before police shot him dead. The official said weapons and grenades were found inside the 25-tonne, unmarked truck.
AFP is reporting that the driver was a French-Tunisian man. A police source reportedly told the agency that identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old were foundinside the truck, which indicate that the man is a resident of Nice, France.
The attack, which came eight months and a day after Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris, appeared so far to be the work of a lone assailant.
Newspaper Nice-Matin quoted unidentified sources as saying the driver was a 31-year-old local of Tunisian origin.
The truck careered for hundreds of meters along the famed Promenade des Anglais seafront, slamming into spectators watching the fireworks, listening to an orchestra or strolling above the beach towards the grand, century-old Hotel Negresco.
"It's a scene of horror," a local member of parliament, Eric Ciotti, told France Info radio, saying the truck had "mown down several hundred people." Local government leader Christian Estrosi put the death toll at 77, while BFM TV later put it at 80. An Interior Ministry spokesman said "several dozen" had died.
Nice-Matin said 42 people were in critical condition and many others injured.
"People went down like ninepins," Jacques, who runs Le Queenie restaurant on the seafront, told France Info.
"I saw people go down," bystander Franck Sidoli, who was visibly shocked, told Reuters at the scene. "Then the truck stopped, we were just five meters away. A woman was there, she lost her son. Her son was on the ground, bleeding,"
Nice-Matin posted photographs of the truck, its windshield starred by a score of bullets and its radiator grille destroyed.
Since the Islamic State attacks last year, major public events in France have been guarded by troops and armed police, but it appeared to have taken some minutes to halt the progress of the deadly truck as it tore along pavements and a pedestrian zone.
Police told residents of the city, located 30 km (20 miles) from the Italian border, to stay indoors as they conducted further operations, though there was no sign of any other attack.
President Francois Hollande, who raced back to Paris from the south of France after the attack, was due to address a sleepless nation on television at 3:30 a.m. (0130 GMT). Hours earlier, in a traditional Bastille Day interview, he had said an eight-month state of emergency might end in two weeks time.
Islamic State militants killed 130 people in Paris on Nov. 13, the bloodiest in a number of attacks in France and Belgium in the past two years. On Sunday, a weary nation had breathed a collective sigh of relief as the month-long Euro 2016 soccer tournament across France ended without a feared attack.
Four months ago, Belgian Islamists linked to the Paris attackers killed 32 people in Brussels.
Police denied rumors on social media of a subsequent hostage-taking in Nice. Vehicle attacks have been used by isolated members of militant groups in recent years, notably in Israel, as well as in Europe, though never to such devastating effect.
U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement: "On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians."
HIDING IN TERROR
One woman told France Info that she and others had fled in terror: "The lorry came zig-zagging along the street. We ran into a hotel and hid in the toilets with lots of people."
Regional government chief Estrosi has warned in the past of the risk of Islamist attacks in the region, following the attacks in Paris and Brussels over the past 18 months.
Nice, a city of some 350,000 that has a history as a flamboyant resort but is also a gritty metropolis, has seen some of its Muslim residents travel to Syria to fight, a path taken by previous Islamic State attackers in Europe.
"Neither the place nor the date are coincidental," a former French intelligence agent and security consultant, Claude Moniquet, told France-Info, noting the jihadist presence in Nice and the fact that July 14 marks France's 1789 revolution.
"Tragic paradox that the subject of Nice attack was the people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity," European Council President Donald Tusk said on Twitter.
(Additional reporting by Michel Rose, Bate Felix and Andrew Callus in Paris; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler)
In the 2007 movie Freedom Writers, Hilary Swank stands in front of a classroom of troubled high schoolers. They need to write down their stories, she tells them. Otherwise, when they die, no one is going to remember you. Because all you left behind in this world was something no one cares about.
Her speech motivates the students to write about their lives, which in turn helps inspire them to graduate from high school.
The movie, which is based on a true story by teacher Erin Gruwell, embodies the idea that students personal stories are importantand that memoir writing can be one of the best ways to engage academically at-risk students.
But some educators and advocates have pushed back against that school of thought, and if Swanks (or Gruwells) classroom used the Common Core State Standards, they might have written fewer personal-diary entries and more evidence-based analyses.
In comparison with past requirements, college- and career-ready standards have emphasized informative and argumentative writing over personal narratives. David Coleman, the lead architect of the English/language arts portion of the common core, famously justified the switch in 2011 by telling a group of educators that as you grow up in this world, you realize people really dont give a shit about what you feel or what you think.
As teachers adjust to the writing-instruction expectations under the common standards, finding the appropriate balance of the different types of writing in the classroom can be a challengeand it is creating considerable tension among educators.
I, unfortunately, think we have seen the pendulum shift [too far] in some classrooms and some districts, said Joan Dabrowski, a literacy consultant based in Massachusetts. Prior to the common core, those in the field said kids were only writing about what they felt. We needed a more central place [for other types of writing].
The common-core standards aimed to move to that middle ground by putting a greater emphasis on having students cite textual evidence for their thinking, versus making personal connections solely based on feelings or experiences, she said.
But now, Dabrowski said, she has heard from teachers who want to incorporate the creative and personal writing in classrooms but feel they have to forfeit that entirely in favor of evidence-based writing to meet the standards and prepare for assessments.
Its tricky to figure out what is the right balance, she said.
Shifting Priorities
No concrete data exist on what types of writing are actually being taught in most schools today. The common-core anchor standards for writing do include writing narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
But argumentative writing or informative/explanatory writing are prioritized in the standards. By the time students are in 12th grade, literary writing to convey experiences is expected to take up 20 percent of the time allotted to composition, compared with 40 percent each for informative writing and argumentative writing.
And while common-core-aligned assessments might cover narrative writing, those sections typically require some analysis of other texts and ask students to incorporate facts or other story elements into their writingnot just to write about their own life.
The emphasis on argumentative and explanatory writing is intended to better prepare students for college and careers. As Coleman, who is now president of the College Board, quipped in 2011, It is rare in a working environment that someone says, Johnson, I need a market analysis by Friday, but before that, I need a compelling account of your childhood. He has since clarified that he was talking about the needs of older students.
Some critics agree with Coleman that its more important for students to learn analytical-writing skills. And some educators are reluctant to take a red pen to a students personal story.
Yet defenders of narrative writing argue that its possible to teach the fundamentals of writing while having students tell their own stories. But its a balance: Too much of a focus on mechanics, structure, and analysis can detract from students pure love of writing, some educators say.
Youve got these high-stakes assessments going on, and teachers are too focused giving writing prompts [that] dont really give students the time to explore the beauty of writing because theyre trying to link it so tightly to cite evidence from the text, said Joel Zarrow, the chief executive officer of the Childrens Literacy Initiative, a nonprofit organization that works with teachers to improve reading and writing instruction for low-income students in P-3. That doesnt give kids the time to write freely and have the wonderful experience of being able to express themselves through wordsthat generates a love of writing and pays dividends down the road.
Zarrow generally supports the common core and its more rigorous expectations for writing instruction. But, he said, teachers need more support to reach that higher bar while still fostering that love of writing.
Advocates of personal writing say the practice especially engages and empowers at-risk students. Showing that writing can give students a voice and be relevant to their daily lives can change the minds of students who hateor fearwriting, they say.
I think one of the things writing does for us is tell our stories, said Tanya Baker, the director of national programs at the National Writing Project. Its important for us to tell our truth and share our stories.
Whats Authentic?
Still, some educators argue that the common standards have done schools a service by stopping the pendulum from swinging too far in the direction of personal writing.
I think there is this article of faith that if students are engaged by their writing, they will be better writers, said Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
While that argument is not without merit, he said, its an altar that we worship at to excess. Teaching grammar, vocabulary, and the mechanics of writing is more important, he said, and that can fall by the wayside when there is too heavy of a focus on personal expression.
In 2012, Pondiscio wrote an essay for The Atlantic, titled How Self-Expression Damaged My Students. In it, he wrote that his instinct as a 5th grade teacher in a low-performing school in the South Bronx of New York City was to encourage his students to share their stories instead of focusing on teaching grammar, sentence structure, and mechanics.
That impulse, he argued, is profoundly idealistic, seductive, and wrong. Low-income students in particular, he said, need to learn the basics of spelling and grammar to empower them as writers.
But at too many schools, its more important for a child to unburden her 10-year-old soul writing personal essays about the day she went to the hospital, dropped an ice cream cone on a sidewalk, or shopped for new sneakers, he wrote. Its more important to write a personal response to literature than engage with the content. This is supposed to be authentic writing. There is nothing inherently inauthentic about research papers and English essays.
And teachers shouldnt assume that all students want to share their stories. If theres too much of a focus on personal narratives, Baker said, vulnerable young people can be made to feel even more vulnerable if they dont want to share their story.
Not an Either-Or Debate
So what is the right balance? I think the answer is so complex, Baker said. Kids should always feel like writing is an opportunity to bring something of themselves to the paper.
But that can happen even with argumentative and research writing, she said. Teachers can frame the prompts in a way that allows students to draw from their own experiences while using facts to back up their argument or while analyzing outside texts.
And it doesnt need to be an either-or conversation, said Carol Jago, the associate director of the California Reading and Literature Project at the University of California, Los Angeles. Students should be writing twice as much to practice analysis and fact-based writing and to express themselves and tell their stories, she said.
Lets make sure that were having students do evidence-based writing, and analytical writing, opinion writing, argumentative writingmore than just [personal writing], she said. [But all of that] shouldnt be at the expense of creative writing that students want to do.
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.
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
Big bridge grant for Austin Free Access Austin Borough has qualified for a state grant to cover construction of a new bridge near the towns northern gateway. A $518,400 allotment from the Multimodal Transportation Fund will allow...
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Kylie Jenner and Tyga are back together and her friends are said to be certain that she is expecting her first child with him.
Kylies friends are convinced shes pregnant, one source told In Touch Weekly Wednesday. Its all they can talk about.
As for Jenner, the insider continued and said she hasnt confirmed or denied the news.
Kylie isnt saying a word, but it explains why she and Tyga got back together again so quickly after their latest breakup. It just seemed right.
Interestingly enough, Tyga and Jenner reportedly split because of the drama going on between their families. Tygas ex and Jenners former arch nemesis Blac Chyna is dating Jenners brother, Rob Kardashian. Tyga and Chyna also have a child together, King Cairo, 3. Kardashian and Chyna are engaged and announced her pregnancy earlier this year.
Still, despite all of the controversial connections, Jenner is reportedly refusing to raise the child alone.
She would never have the baby without Tyga right there with her.
Meanwhile, engagement rumors are also circulating for the couple. Jenner fueled the speculation when she arrived in Los Angeles after supporting Tyga for a tour in Europe Wednesday. While she sported a skin tight dress paired with a suede bomber jacket and sneakers, all eyes seemed to be on the huge diamond ring she was wearing. She has maintained that it is not an engagement ring.
See photos here.
Be sure to keep up with Enstars for more on Jenner, Tyga, and your favorite celebrities.
My return from the United Kingdom to India left me somewhat disoriented. Having juggled thesis submission, moving in and out, travelling and saying goodbyes was overwhelming in itself; to have returned to several close friends already married-off and well beyond physical proximity to others in the process of being married and preoccupied with understanding the in-laws power dynamics to distancing themselves from lovers of the past due to religious/sectarian differences, left me slightly incapable of reflecting, weighing up or evaluating. Strong, independent women in India are emotional wrecks, and understandably so, thanks to chauvinism woven through family ethos and social values and propagated through stereotypical concepts of the sacrificing and compromising Indian daughter/wife.
The one topic which remained largely untouched in all these lengthy emotional conversations was that of sex. As a Muslim girl, having been raised between Iran and the small town of Aligarh in India, while it was quite common among friends to pass light teasing remarks about sex, usually, any serious discussion on the topic referred to sex in the third person. Therefore, while in school and college, we grew up listening to narratives about how a certain someone fainted when she saw her husband naked, how some girl had to be rushed to the hospital on her first night or how a distant friends distant relative would rather hold hands with her husband than have sex.
Four hundred years have passed since William Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616 but he continues to live through his works and hence is a living phenomenon. Every year scores of books and articles are published about him or his works, making him perhaps the most living of all writers. Shakespeare has existed not simply as a dramatist, but as a phenomenon who authored a set of works that challengingly lend themselves to multifarious forms of literary and critical expressions, fulfilling the tastes and demands of changing times.
There is an interesting narrative about the way Shakespeare was received in his own country. Stephen Greenblatt records that Great Britain did not mourn the death of its own bard as much as it did when an actor who played the roles of Shakespeares characters died and, sadly, the great poet was not buried in Westminster Abbey, a special place of rest for Britains men of letters.
There are 20,000 or more new software and hardware vulnerabilities every year, yet only a few hundred might be actively exploited. It falls to IT security teams to determine where those vulnerabiliti...
DARIEN, IL - A new study found a six-fold increase in the age-adjusted prevalence of any sleep disorder diagnosis over an 11-year period among U.S. veterans. The largest increases were identified in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other mental disorders, or combat experience. Results also show that the prevalence of PTSD tripled during the study period.
In a sample of more than 9.7 million U.S. veterans, the age-adjusted prevalence of sleep disorders increased from less than 1 percent in 2000 to nearly 6 percent in 2010. Sleep apnea was the most common sleep disorder diagnosis (47 percent) followed by insomnia (26 percent). Veterans with cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other chronic diseases also experienced higher rates of sleep disorder diagnoses relative to those without comorbid conditions.
Study results are published in the July issue of the journal Sleep.
"Veterans with PTSD had a very high sleep disorder prevalence of 16 percent, the highest among the various health conditions or other population characteristics that we examined," said Principal Investigator and senior author James Burch, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. "Because of the way this study was designed, this does not prove that PTSD caused the increase in sleep disorder diagnoses," noted Burch, who also is a Health Science Specialist at the WJB Dorn Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina. "However, we recently completed a follow-up study, soon to be submitted for publication, that examined this issue in detail. In that study, a pre-existing history of PTSD was associated with an increased odds of sleep disorder onset."
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by abnormalities of respiration during sleep. The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which is characterized by repetitive episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction occurring during sleep. Insomnia involves a frequent and persistent difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep that results in general sleep dissatisfaction and daytime impairment.
The study population consisted of all U.S. veterans seeking care in the Veterans Health Administration system between FY2000 and FY2010. Of the total sample of 9,786,778 veterans, 93 percent were men, and 751,502 were diagnosed with at least one sleep disorder.
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According to the authors, the trajectory of sleep disorder diagnosis observed in this study indicates that the trend may continue beyond FY2010. The results emphasize a growing need for sleep disorder management among veterans in the years ahead.
Research funding was provided through a health services research and development grant from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, Office of Research and Development (PPO09-246).
To request a copy of the study, "The Veteran Sleep Disorder Study: Descriptive Epidemiology and Secular Trends, 2000-2010," or the commentary, "What to do about the Growing Number of Veterans with Diagnosed Sleep Disorders," or to arrange an interview with the study author or an AASM spokesperson, please contact Senior Communications Coordinator Amy Pyle at 630-737-9700, ext. 9366, or apyle@aasmnet.org
The monthly, peer-reviewed, scientific journal Sleep is published online by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The AASM is a professional membership society that improves sleep health and promotes high quality patient centered care through advocacy, education, strategic research, and practice standards (http://www.aasmnet.org). More information about sleep, along with a searchable directory of AASM accredited sleep centers, is available at http://www.sleepeducation.org.
Today some of the world's foremost experts on antibiotic resistance called on the United Nations General Assembly to decisively act to reduce the growing number of deaths due to limited access to effective antibiotics. Writing in the Lancet, they call on those attending the upcoming High-Level Meeting of Heads of State in September in New York City to use the opportunity to create and implement a four-part global action plan, similar in scope and ambition to the plan created in 1996 to address the AIDS crisis.
This is only the third time in its history that the UN General Assembly will use its High-Level Heads of State meeting to deliberate on a health issue that threatens the health of populations worldwide. This is also the first time that a One Health issue, a concept which involves the health of humans, animals and the environment, is being discussed at this high-level forum.
"Since antibiotics are used widely in livestock, humans and in the environment, the problem of antibiotic resistance can be tackled only by involving all of these sectors," said Ramanan Laxminarayan, Director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, and a lead author of the call to action. "The United Nations is the appropriate forum for countries to set goals and commit themselves to global collective action to ensure that our children and grandchildren are able enjoy the benefits of effective antibiotics."
Millions of people do not have ready access to effective antibiotics, and many current antibiotics are losing their effectiveness. Antibiotic resistance is responsible for over 700,000 deaths worldwide, including 214,000 sepsis-related deaths of infants within four weeks of birth, according to a commentary piece published in the Lancet today.
According to Laxminarayan, many deaths are caused by insufficient access and delays in getting antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance-related deaths are being reported in all countries and at all income levels. UN organizations, countries, civil society, non-governmental organizations, industry and development agencies must work collaboratively to change how the global community treats bacterial infections. Laxminarayan gave a TED Talk on antibiotic resistance in September 2014.
Laxminarayan and his co-authors are calling on the UN General Assembly to establish a UN High-Level Coordinating Mechanism on Antimicrobial Resistance (HLCM) that will also require the involvement of organizations such as UNICEF, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, and the World Bank. The effort would have four core responsibilities:
Launch a global advocacy campaign to raise awareness about the lack of access to antibiotics and drug resistance
Monitor and evaluate defined, enforceable targets to reduce the number of deaths globally due to lack of access and inappropriate use of antimicrobials in humans as well as animals
Mobilize resources from donors, aid agencies and countries to effectively finance the effort, and
Support and coordinate multisectoral action to implement the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance alongside national efforts to improve access to effective antimicrobials
The UN meeting in September offers a rare opportunity to change how the global community responds to this health crisis that will become exponentially more deadly in all countries without any sustainable, coordinated action.
"The UN General Assembly discussions in September present an unprecedented opportunity for the world to advance its response to rising drug-resistant infections," said Lord Jim O'Neill, chairman of the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance. "The authors are right that the UN must play a central role in the fight against a global health problem that could undo much of the progress the world has made against disease and poverty. Over the next few months we should all continue to push for a robust and ambitious set of commitments at the UN which will see this problem being tackled head on."
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The TED Talk given by Ramanan Laxminarayan can be found here: https://www.ted.com/talks/ramanan_laxminarayan_the_coming_crisis_in_antibiotics
About the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy
The Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP) was founded with the objective of using research to support better decision-making in health policy. CDDEP researchers employ a range of expertise--including economics, epidemiology, disease modeling, risk analysis, and statistics--to conduct actionable, policy-oriented research on malaria, antibiotic resistance, disease control priorities, environmental health, alcohol and tobacco, and other global health priorities.
Commentary authors:
Ramanan Laxminarayan, Carlos F Amabile-Cuevas, Otto Cars, Timothy Evans, David L Heymann, Steven Hoffman, Alison Holmes, Marc Mendelson, Devi Sridhar, Mark Woolhouse, John-Arne Rottingen
HOUSTON - (July 15, 2016) - Sooner is always better when it comes to diagnosing an illness and this is especially true when it comes to lung disease in premature infants, since it can have an impact on a child's health in the long-term. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine who focus on bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension, a common lung disease in premature infants, have shown that echocardiography can be used to detect the pulmonary hypertension in neonatal mice at an earlier time point than previously thought. Their report appears today in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is caused by many factors, including inflammation, infection and oxidative stress. Dr. Binoy Shivanna, assistant professor of pediatrics - neonatology at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital, and colleagues focus on the oxidative stress and inflammation aspects of the disease, which can damage various parts of the cell and interrupt the development of the lungs. This can lead to problems such as pulmonary hypertension - increased pressure in the blood vessels of the lung - which increases the mortality and long-term problems in infants.
Progress developing improved treatments for the disease has been limited in part by the lack of advanced imaging techniques to detect pulmonary hypertension and lung damage at earlier time points in animal models, which is important to test these potential new treatments. This model could also help researchers better understand how pulmonary hypertension develops, which is an important aspect of Shivanna's research. So the team set out to develop a mouse model of the disease that replicates many of the features observed in infants with the condition.
To induce oxidative stress and inflammation - two contributing factors of the development of the disease - the researchers exposed a group of newborn mice to 70 percent of oxygen or hyperoxia for 14 days, while a control group received 21 percent oxygen or regular air.
The mice exposed to hyperoxia developed lung oxidative stress, inflammation and lungs that resembled those typical of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension in infants. Furthermore, echocardiography tests performed in the young mice showed that the animals had also developed pulmonary hypertension.
"It's important to understand not only the pathology, but also the functional aspect of pulmonary hypertension," said Shivanna. "This is where the echocardiography test, a non-invasive test that uses high frequency sound waves to take pictures of the heart, comes in."
Currently, echocardiography tests have been performed in mice at four weeks of age, which might be too late to intervene. Using the latest advances in research technology, Shivanna and colleagues were able to demonstrate that it is possible to functionally detect pulmonary hypertension at an earlier time point, meaning that interventions could potentially take place sooner.
This mouse model can help researchers develop early interventions to prevent or decrease the severity of some of the later onset diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
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Others who took part in the study include Corey L. Reynolds, Shaojie Zhang, Amrit Kumar Shrestha, all with Baylor College of Medicine and Dr. Roberto Barrios with Houston Methodist Hospital.
This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (HD-073323), American Heart Association (BGIA-20190008) and American Lung Association (RG-349917), and by the Mouse Phenotyping Core at Baylor College of Medicine with funding from the NIH (U54 HG006348).
Animals that live at high elevations are often assumed to be at risk for extinction as habitats warm and change. But a new study led by Colorado State University researchers found that ptarmigan, which live in cold ecosystems, are not strongly affected by fluctuations in seasonal weather at two populations studied in Colorado.
The results, published July 15 in the journal PLOS ONE, are surprising, given the general perception of alpine animal populations as vulnerable to recent climate warming, study authors said.
Ptarmigan are grouse that live in cold ecosystems, such as alpine and tundra habitats, said Greg Wann, Ph.D. candidate in CSU's Graduate Degree Program in Ecology and a member of the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory.
The birds are well-known for changing colors seasonally. In late spring and summer, ptarmigan are brown, and in the fall, they molt into a white plumage to match the surrounding snow. The white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest species of this type of grouse and is endemic to North America. It is the only ptarmigan that exists in Colorado.
Wann and study co-authors, including CSU Associate Professor Cameron Aldridge, analyzed 45 years of reproductive data for two Colorado populations of white-tailed ptarmigan. The team did not track seasonal temperatures, but noted warming at study sites during the spring and summer, based on data from Niwot Ridge Long Term Ecological Research.
Among the findings: ptarmigan annual reproduction did not change at Mt. Evans, which was one of the two sites studied. It declined significantly at the other site, Rocky Mountain National Park.
"We can't fully explain this decline, but we did not find any strong indications it was due to recent warming," Wann said.
"Climate did affect when ptarmigan bred, and warmer spring temperatures have led to ptarmigan nesting earlier than they did at the beginning of the study in the 1960s. We don't know if earlier breeding will be a good or bad thing for ptarmigan in the future, but our continued research will help address some of these questions," he added.
Aldridge, who is also a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said researchers were surprised that weather did not explain variation in reproductive rates of white-tailed ptarmigan.
"Ptarmigan can only raise one brood in a season, and the breeding period in the alpine is so short," he explained. "In addition, reproductive rates in many other grouse species are strongly linked to weather. Other factors, like variation in predators or changes in habitat quality due to drying habitats or loss of alpine willow, must be at least as important, if not more important," he said. "We are continuing to investigate those mechanisms at our long-term study sites."
Study authors said predators might be more abundant in the alpine during years with less snow cover, or prolonged hot summers may reduce the abundance of plants that ptarmigan rely on for food. The team is currently looking at these other factors through a study by tracking individual birds to measure reproductive rates and the associated habitat quality and predator abundance impacts on the number of young produced.
While the study findings appear to downplay the effects of climate change, Wann said it is something that should still be of concern to the public.
"Climate change is a very big challenge wildlife populations are currently facing and will continue to face over coming decades," he said. "Species that exist on mountaintops may be particularly vulnerable because they are adapted to cold, and, as temperatures increase, they cannot move to cooler environments at higher elevations. Fortunately, the ptarmigan populations we studied appear to be handling the warming summers, at least given the warming that has happened so far. As warming in alpine habitats increases and advance snowmelt even further in the coming years, we hope ptarmigan in Colorado will continue to cope with these changing environments."
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Cameron Aldridge is in CSU's Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. Co-author Clait Braun is a researcher with Grouse, Inc., located in Tucson, Arizona, and a retired avian biologist formerly with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Detention Center
The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Thursday was 57, with 34 from Platte County and 23 from out of county.
Police
June 5
8:10 p.m. At 3820 13th St., Leonard Lovell, 51, 3422 13th St., was cited for disturbing the peace and open container of alcohol. Jami Kohl, 46, 1768 40th Ave., was cited for open container of alcohol.
July 1
9 a.m. In a parking lot in the 500 block of 17th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Frank Musalek, 38, 3579 23rd Ave., and Michael Placzek, 87, 669 12th Ave.
July 9
7:15 a.m. At 1303 15th St., Favian Meda, 24, homeless, was cited for burglary, two counts, and theft by unlawful taking.
12:45 p.m. In the 2600 block of 23rd Street, Jessica Van Tine, 30, 2203 22nd St., was cited for animal at-large, no proof of rabies vaccination and no city license.
July 10
2:04 p.m. In the 2300 block of 33rd Avenue, a vehicle driven by Russell Hobbs, 78, 8 Sandy Point Drive, struck a city sign.
July 11
10:06 a.m. At the intersection of East 11th Avenue and East 23rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Gary Usery, 57, Lexington, Tennessee, and Wesley Silvester, 46, Schuyler.
7:41 p.m. At the intersection of East 11th Avenue and East 23rd Street, Paige Chace, 30, Norfolk, was cited for failure to yield right of way.
July 12
9:14 a.m. In the 3900 block of 31st Avenue, a vehicle driven by Larry Moseman, 65, 3969 31st Ave., struck a parked vehicle owned by Staab Management Company, Grand Island.
2:42 p.m. In the 100 block of South Rose Lane, a vehicle driven by Casey Bower, 21, Stromsburg, struck a parked vehicle owned by Seth Albert, 2910 27th St.
July 13
11:27 a.m. Criminal mischief at 3005 32nd St., mailbox damaged, $100 loss.
Sheriff
July 5
11:50 p.m. On Highway 91, 5.5 miles west of Lindsay, a vehicle driven by Johnathon Newton, 28, Laurel, struck cattle owned by Steven Slizoski, Newman Grove.
July 13
8:50 a.m. Traffic violation in the 4800 block of Howard Boulevard, Ronald Mays cited for an expired registration.
9:50 a.m. Theft at Becton Dickinson West, 2153 12th Ave., rolled coins stolen, $295 loss.
Fire
July 13
8:16 p.m. In the 3500 block of 35th Street, medical.
9 p.m. In the 3000 block of 39th Avenue, medical.
9:27 p.m. In the 2100 block of 43rd Avenue, medical.
July 14
6:47 a.m. In the 400 block of A Street in Platte Center, call cancelled.
DENVER, Colo. - July 14, 2016 - It is common knowledge that the modern turtle shell is largely used for protection. No other living vertebrate has so drastically altered its body to form such an impenetrable protective structure as the turtle. However, a new study by an international group of paleontologists suggests that the broad ribbed proto shell on the earliest partially shelled fossil turtles was initially an adaptation, for burrowing underground, not for protection. Paleontologist Tyler Lyson from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is among the scientists that helped make this discovery.
"Why the turtle shell evolved is a very Dr. Seuss-like question and the answer seems pretty obvious - it was for protection," said Dr. Lyson, lead author of Fossorial Origin of the Turtle Shell, which was released today by Current Biology. But just like the bird feather did not initially evolve for flight, the earliest beginnings of the turtle shell was not for protection but rather for digging underground to escape the harsh South African environment where these early proto turtles lived."
The early evolution of the turtle shell had long puzzled scientists. "We knew from both the fossil record and observing how the turtle shell develops in modern turtles that one of the first major changes toward a shell was the broadening of the ribs," said Dr. Lyson. While distinctly broadened ribs may not seem like a significant modification, it has a serious impact on both breathing and speed in quadrupedal animals. Ribs are used to support the body during locomotion and play a crucial role in ventilating the lungs. Distinctly broadened ribs stiffen the torso, which shortens an animals stride length and slows it down, interfering with breathing.
"The integral role of ribs in both locomotion and breathing is likely why we don't see much variation in the shape of ribs," said Dr. Lyson. "Ribs are generally pretty boring bones. The ribs of whales, snakes, dinosaurs, humans, and pretty much all other animals look the same. Turtles are the one exception, where they are highly modified to form the majority of the shell."
A big breakthrough came with the discovery of several specimens of the oldest (260- million-year-old) partially shelled proto turtle, Eunotosaurus africanus, from the Karoo Basin of South Africa. Several of these specimens were discovered by two of the study's coauthors, Drs. Roger Smith and Bruce Rubidge from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. But the most important specimen was found by a then 8-year-old South African boy on his father's farm in the Western Cape of South Africa. This specimen, which is about 15 cm long, comprises a well preserved skeleton together with the fully articulated hands and feet.
"I want to thank Kobus Snyman and shake his hand because without Kobus both finding the specimen and taking it to his local museum, the Fransie Pienaar Museum in Prince Albert, this study would not have been possible," said Dr. Lyson.
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The study includes authors from the United States, South Africa, and Switzerland.
Images are available HERE. Below are the captions for the images:
Image 1: Artistic rendering of the early proto turtle Eunotosaurus (foreground) burrowing into the banks of a dried up pond to escape the harsh arid environment present 260 million years ago in South Africa. Meanwhile, a herd of Bradysaurus (background) congregates around the remaining muddy water. (Artwork by Andrey Atuchin)
Image 2: New fossil of the oldest proto turtle, Eunotosaurus, discovered by then 8-year-old Kobus Snyman on his father's farm in the Karoo of South Africa suggest the turtle shell initially evolved not for protection, but rather as an adaptation for burrowing. The broadened ribs and the beginnings of the turtle shell provided Eunotosaurus with a stable base from which it could use its large hands and spatula shaped claws to burrow into the ground to escape the harsh arid environment found in South Africa 260 million years ago. (Credit: Tyler R. Lyson)
Image 3: A recent study on the oldest proto turtle, Eunotosaurus (left), suggests the broadening of the ribs in turtles was initially an adaptation for burrowing to escape the extremely arid environment of South Africa 260 million years ago. Later the ribs were incorporated into the modern protective turtle shell as found in Pelusios (right). (Credit: Luke Norton)
Image 4: A Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) takes a walk at the Zurich Zoo (Credit: Torsten M. Scheyer)
Image 5: A European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) basks in the morning sun (Credit: Torsten M. Scheyer)
Movie 1: Computed Tomography scan of a 260 million year old proto turtle, Eunotosaurus, from South Africa. (Credit: Gabriel S. Bever)
Author Institutions' Media Contacts:
Denver Museum of Nature and Science:
Jamie Winter: jamie.winter@dmns.org
Smithsonian:
John Gibbons: gibbonsjp@si.edu
Randall Kremer: kremerr@si.edu
Ryan Lavery: laveryr@si.edu
New York College of Osteopathic Medicine:
Elaine Iandoli: eiandoli@nyit.edu
University of Zurich:
Calista Fischer: c.fischer@mnf.uzh.ch
Bettina Jakob: bettina.jakob@kommunikation.uzh.ch
University of Witswatersrand
Erna van Wyk: erna.vanwyk@wits.ac.za Shirona Patel: Shirona.Patel@wits.ac.za
About the Denver Museum of Nature & Science?The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain Region's leading resource for informal science education. Our mission is to be catalyst and ignite the community's passion for nature and science. The Museum envisions an empowered community that loves, understands, and protects our natural world. As such, a variety of engaging exhibits, discussions and activities help Museum visitors celebrate and understand the wonders of Colorado, Earth, and the universe. The Museum is located at 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO, 80205. To learn more about the Museum, visit dmns.org, or call 303-370-6000. Many of the Museum's educational programs and exhibits are made possible in part by the citizens of the seven-county metro area through the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District. Connect with the Museum on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
RICHLAND, Wash. - "Smart grid" technologies significantly reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions resulting from power production and usage. Taken together, smart grid and intelligent buildings mechanisms could reduce national carbon emissions by 12 percent by 2030, according to one estimate. But, surprisingly, sometimes the opposite is true for an individual project. It all depends on a dizzying variety of factors, but a new tool developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory makes estimating those emissions impacts easy.
The free, web-based tool enables utilities and industry to evaluate not only the environmental impacts of adopting smart grid technologies, but can give organizations the operational data to sift through factors to justify the investment.
A paper outlining the science behind the tool is featured as a best conference paper at the IEEE Power & Engineering Society meeting in Boston on July 18.
The Emissions Quantification Tool calculates the resulting changes to carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, and the energy and financial savings that may be achieved by integrating smart grid technologies. The evaluated technologies include coordinated electric vehicle charging schedules, battery-stored energy, and devices that enable integration of solar generation into the power grid.
"Users can quickly and easily screen different scenarios by varying the type of smart grid technology and other variables to best characterize their specific set of circumstances and location," said Karen Studarus, a power systems engineer at PNNL and project lead. "The modules we've assembled are being used right now to explore the impacts of proposed projects and understand the sometimes counterintuitive tradeoffs."
A business case for a smart grid
PNNL developed the tool with the guidance of a dozen utility and energy industry representatives who helped ensure the tool would deliver the high-level insights needed for a smart grid business case.
"As someone who's always trying to articulate the value of investments in smart grid, it's so useful to have a tool to illuminate the specifics driving that value," says Laney Brown of Modern Grid Partners, a utility consulting firm. Brown serves on the steering committee guiding the development of the emissions quantification tool.
Once a calculation is complete, the tool produces a detailed report with pre- and post-technology adoption comparisons. The report also informs the user on a number of variables. For example, how much energy storage would be needed to provide a certain operational benefit and what the resulting increase or decrease in emissions would be.
"With insights from the tool, utilities, policy makers, and companies can see the impacts, for example, of shifting energy use to a different time of day or of adopting additional renewable energy resources," said Studarus.
Emissions impacts can vary
Sometimes the results are counterintuitive. The tool can also uncover unintended or unanticipated results. For example, incorporation of coordinated electric vehicle charging in the Northeast would reduce sulfur dioxide -- an indirect greenhouse gas -- emissions by about 2.5 percent. But in California, the exact same level of coordinated charging actually found an estimated increase of 1.5 percent due to differences between the two regions.
Calculations are based on well-established data sources, including EPA's AVERT, or Avoided Emissions and Generation Tool, which maps hourly emissions benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy policies and programs; solar energy data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and demand response models from the Brattle Group.
The tool is designed to be as transparent as possible in terms of the underlying data and algorithms so users can clearly understand how outcomes from scenarios were calculated.
"This is really uncharted territory," added Studarus. "Nobody's done this before, and the diverse utility community needs detailed information when it comes to understanding the impacts of smart grid technologies on the environment and the bottom line. A transparent and broadly applicable methodology not only estimates the benefit, it lets folks see more clearly how much faith they should be putting into the numbers."
DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability supported development of the Emissions Quantification Tool.
Get the tool
A prototype of the tool was demonstrated at the National Summit on Smart Grid and Climate Change in October. Users can try the Emissions Quantification Tool free of charge at SmartGrid.gov.
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Tags: Energy, EVs, Batteries, Solar Power, Energy Production, Smart Grid
Interdisciplinary teams at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory address many of America's most pressing issues in energy, the environment and national security through advances in basic and applied science. Founded in 1965, PNNL employs 4,400 staff and has an annual budget of nearly $1 billion. It is managed by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. As the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, the Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information on PNNL, visit the PNNL News Center, or follow PNNL on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Peregrine Falcons, in their normal habitat on isolated cliffs, mate for life. But some 25 pairs now nest on Chicago skyscrapers and bridges, and city living has them in much closer quarters than they used before humans dominated the landscape. A group of Field Museum and University of Illinois, Chicago scientists investigated whether typical breeding patterns hold true for these new city-dwellers and, in a paper published in PLOS ONE, confirmed that even in the big city, the birds that prey together, stay together.
"Peregrine Falcons that now live in the Chicago region are living in very different conditions than you'd normally see for these birds, so we wondered if the falcons' mating habits had changed too. They're in much closer proximity to each other than they'd be in a more rural environment, and we thought they might be more promiscuous with more potential mates nearby," explains co-author John Bates, Associate Curator of Birds at The Field Museum. "Each spring this population also has migratory Peregrines passing through on their way to all parts of Canada, so we didn't know what we were going to find, but it turns out that almost all of the mated pairs in the city remain monogamous through the years."
Peregrine Falcons nearly went extinct in the US in the 1960s due to thinning of their eggshells caused by the pesticide DDT. However, historic egg collections at the Field and other museums provided evidence for the harm caused by DDT, and it was banned. In the decades since, reintroduction efforts have enabled Peregrine Falcons to make a comeback in the Midwest, with populations thriving in urban areas in twelve states. Ninety percent of the breeding pairs in the Midwest nest on buildings and bridges in the Chicago area.
To determine if these breeding pairs in Chicago remained faithful to each other, the scientists used a combination of field observations and DNA testing. The Chicago Peregrine Program, a group run by Field Museum scientist Mary Hennen, monitors the nesting falcons in the city and collects blood samples from the young each year when she measures and bands them. Many of the falcons they observe have ankle bands to identify them, enabling researchers to observe which falcons are nesting together. In addition to these observations, the scientists compared blood samples from falcon chicks and adults to determine parentage--DNA testing revealed that of the 35 broods tested, only one showed that the parents "cheated." Even this case the researchers believe what happened was that a male lost his mate and then that same season, paired with a new female who laid eggs that were not his.
"Whenever you have animals living in habitats that have been influenced by human development, you have to wonder how the animals' life histories will be altered," says Bates. "It's important to do studies like this one to see how birds are adapting to living in human environments, so that we can monitor changes through time."
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The study was Isabel Caballero's PhD. dissertation at the University of Illinois at Chicago and The Field Museum; she is currently a post-doctoral fellow at Texas A&M University.
LSU researchers Jeremy M. Brown and Eric N. Rittmeyer, in collaboration with colleagues at Florida State University, are shedding light on how often and where species hybridize through time, thanks to the rediscovery of 40-year-old tissue samples preserved at the LSU Museum of Natural Science, or LSUMNS. In a recent study published in Ecology and Evolution, they show that two species of chorus frogs now form hybrids across a much wider area of Louisiana and Mississippi than they did just 30-40 years earlier. A widening area of hybridization has important implications for the future of these species and suggests that recent alterations to their environment have affected their fitness or dispersal ability.
To understand the dynamics of hybridization, researchers compared genetic sequences of Cajun Chorus Frogs, or Pseudacris fouquettei, and Southern Chorus Frogs, or P. nigrita, from a series of populations in Louisiana and Mississippi. Sequences were taken both from tissues collected starting in 2003 and older collections made in 1976, which were originally thought to be lost. Cajun and Southern Chorus Frogs hybridize along the Pearl River separating Louisiana from Mississippi, within an area known as a hybrid zone. These new findings show that the center of this zone, where the genetic contribution from the two species is roughly equal, has stayed in the same position through the decades. However, the zone has widened substantially, meaning that hybrid individuals can now be found farther east and west of the Pearl River.
Long-term studies of this kind rely on carefully curated museum collections, like those in the LSUMNS. The 40-year-old tissues used in this study were originally collected by Donald Gartside in 1976 while on faculty at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, or LSU HSC. Gartside published his results in 1980 and characterized the hybrid zone as steep and narrow, with hybrids restricted to a small range. Gartside's tissues were left in the care of colleague Herbert Dessauer, who was also at the LSU HSC and a research associate with the LSUMNS. However, their location was unknown to the researchers when they began re-examining this hybrid zone in 2003. Fortuitously, Dessauer pioneered the establishment of frozen tissue collections and is considered by many to be one of the "Fathers of Molecular Systematics." Dessauer's collections were eventually absorbed into the LSUMNS Collection of Genetic Resources. Co-author Eric Rittmeyer, an LSUMNS doctoral student and curatorial assistant at the time of this work, had a hunch that Gartside's samples may have made their way to LSU as part of Dessauer's larger collection. In late 2013, he rediscovered the samples in the LSUMNS collections in Foster Hall.
The LSUMNS Genetic Resources collection, established in 1979, is the oldest, largest and most sought after of its kind making the collection a leader in vertebrate tissue preservation. It houses over 100,000 samples from all over the world and supplies more than 1,000 loans per year. This study further emphasizes the importance of museum collections in research that seeks to understand the Earth's biodiversity and the processes that underlie speciation and extinction. The addition of vertebrate tissues, which contain DNA, RNA, proteins, etc., to museum collections has greatly expanded their value and has been critical to research involving forensics, epidemiology, conservation, wildlife management, comparative molecular genetics, phylogenetics and ecology.
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ARLINGTON, Va.--The future of naval engineering was on display last week, as 13 teams of high school and college students did battle at the ninth annual RoboBoat Competition in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The competition--sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Foundation--is a robotics contest where teams program their student-built autonomous surface vehicles to navigate through a series of water-based challenges.
"Every challenge in the competition is designed to mimic real-life maritime missions," said Kelly Cooper, a program officer in ONR's Sea Warfare and Weapons Department, Ship Systems and Engineering Research Division. "This competition really tests the engineering design and autonomous capabilities of the boat--as well as helps these students develop the engineering skills needed to be successful in a possible future in the naval research community."
Teams had two mandatory tasks and five missions to complete this year, all having to be done fully autonomously with no human guidance or intervention.
The mandatory tasks demonstrated the quality of each boat design by testing its propulsion, speed, navigation and basic sensing abilities. All of these tasks had to be successfully completed for any mission challenge points to be awarded.
This year's mission challenges were designed to showcase the boat's autonomous capabilities and included obstacle avoidance, automated docking, acoustic beacon positioning, launch, recovery and communication with an autonomous underwater vehicle, and finally, return to dock.
"We know that students want to win, but we hope they find the learning process rewarding as well," said Cooper. "We want them to walk away with experience and understanding of how their skills can be used to help the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard and the nation."
Autonomous vehicles have grown in importance in recent years, with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson stressing the importance of autonomy and unmanned systems in A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority.
Recent naval-sponsored programs--including EMILY [Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard], Sea Hunter, Autonomous Swarmboats and Low-Cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Swarming Technology (known as LOCUST)--are just beginning to scratch the surface of the types of support autonomous and unmanned systems will be able to provide to warfighters, from coastal surveillance to water rescues, and from surface warfare to port security and special operations.
"As the science behind autonomous and unmanned systems continues to improve, you will begin to see more autonomous missions which free Sailors and Marines for other tasks and protects them from some of their dangerous duties," said Cooper. "It's important that students participating in programs like RoboBoat know that they are a part of that process--they are fostering innovation through competition for the next generation of these types of naval systems."
Georgia Institute of Technology was this year's biggest winner, bringing home the top prize of $10,000. Florida Atlantic University won second prize and $4,000; Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember took third and $2,500; and the Daytona Beach Homeschoolers came in fourth, earning $1,500. Smaller awards of $1,000 and $500 in various special award categories went to the University of Ulsan, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember and Georgia Institute of Technology.
Other participants were Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Old Dominion University, SRM University, U.S. Naval Academy, Universitas Indonesia, University of Michigan and the University of West Florida.
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A new technique developed by a UBC researcher could make tissue regeneration cheaper and safer for health-care systems and their patients.
A study, conducted by UBC researcher Keekyoung Kim while at Harvard University, has identified new ways in which proteins and various biological molecules--known as growth factors--can work together to turn cells on the surface into cells that form the middle layer of the heart valve.
"Science has long been working towards ways to minimize or eliminate the rejection risks faced by tissue transplant patient," says Keekyoung Kim, assistant professor of engineering at UBC's Okanagan campus. "While the goal of using a patient's own genetic material to grow a body tissue is still a long way off, this study has moved us further towards that goal.
"This new technique essentially allows us to use less material to study heart-valve regeneration process more quickly and at a lower cost."
As part of his study, Kim used a microarray (technology that allows various groups of microscopic materials to be "printed" on a slide) to place proteins, growth-influencing biological molecules and simple cells in various combinations on top of a gel-like substance, known as hydrogel.
Kim then looked at which combinations influenced the transition of a simple cell into a more complex cell used in heart-valve growth. He found there were specific patterns of proteins and molecules that promoted growth.
"We're confident this process can be used for other types of tissue, so we are currently in the process of building a microarray in the Okanagan so we can continue testing," he says.
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Kim conducted the study along with UBC researcher Zongjie Wang, ETH Zurich researcher Blaise Calpe and Prof. Ali Khademhosseini of Harvard's Medical School. The research was recently published in the journal, Biotechnology and Bioengineering.
Quantum physics: The human body is controlled by electrical impulses in, for example, the brain, the heart and nervous system. These electrical signals create tiny magnetic fields, which doctors could use to diagnose various diseases, for example diseases of the brain or heart problems in young foetuses. Researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute have now succeeded in developing a method for extremely precise measurements of such ultra-small magnetic fields with an optical magnetic field sensor. The results are published in the scientific journal, Scientific Reports.
Assistant Professor Kasper Jensen in the Quantop research group's laboratories at the Niels Bohr Institute where the experiments are carried out. (Photo: Ola Jakup Joensen)
Small magnetic fields from the human body can usually only be picked up by very sensitive superconducting magnetic field sensors that have to be cooled by liquid helium to near absolute zero (which is minus 273 degrees Celsius). But now researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen have developed a much cheaper and more practical optical magnetic field sensor that even works at room temperature or at body temperature.
"The optical magnetic field sensor is based on a gas of caesium atoms in a small glass container. Each caesium atom is equivalent to a small bar magnet, which is affected by external magnetic fields. The atoms and thus the magnetic field are picked up using laser light. The method is based on quantum optics and atomic physics and can be used to measure extremely small magnetic fields," explains Kasper Jensen, assistant professor in the Center for Quantum Optics, Quantop at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen.
Ultra sensitive magnetic field sensor
Seen at the top is a sciatic nerve from a frog. On the bottom left is the glass container with caesium gas, which is used to measure the magnetic field from the nerve. On the bottom right is the measured magnetic field, which is generated by the magnetic fields from the electrical impulses that flow through the nerve. (Credit: Kasper Jensen, NBI)
The researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have been developing the sensitive magnetic field sensor for several years in the Quantum research group laboratories.
The magnetic field sensor itself consists of a glass container, which has a channel that is approximately 1cm long and 1 mm wide. At the bottom of the glass container is caesium metal. Caesium evaporates into gas at room temperature and the gas atoms rise up into the small channel in the sensor head. Each caesium atom rotates around itself and the axis is like a tiny bar magnet. Now the sensor is held close to a nerve, which emits an electrical nerve pulse. The electrical pulse has a magnetic field that causes a change in the tilt of the axes of the caesium atoms and by sending a laser beam through the gas, you can read the ultra-small magnetic fields of the nerve signals.
The laboratory tests, which were carried out in collaboration with researchers from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, have shown that you can use the magnetic field sensor to detect the magnetic fields from the electrical impulses from the nervous system. The tests were done on the sciatic nerve from a frog, which in many ways resemble the nerves in the human body. For practical reasons, the nerve was removed from the frog before the tests, but it is also possible to pick up electrical impulses from live frogs or from humans.
The magnetic field sensor is made up of a glass container embedded with caesium metal. The caesium evaporates into gas at room temperature and the gas atoms rise up into the small channel in the sensor head. Each caesium atom is like a tiny bar magnet. Now the sensor is held close to a nerve, which emits an electrical nerve pulse. The electrical pulse has a magnetic field that causes a change in the tilt of the axes of the caesium atoms and by sending a laser beam through the gas, you can read the ultra-small magnetic fields of the nerve signals. (Credit: Kasper Jensen, NBI)
Measures without contact
The advantage of the optical sensor is precisely that the magnetic fields and electrical impulses can be safely and easily picked up at a distance of a few millimetres or centimetres - without the sensor actually coming into contact with the body.
"We expect that the sensor will be used for special medical examinations, where it is important for the sensor not to be directly in contact with the body, for example, for diagnosing heart problems in tiny foetuses. Here the magnetic field sensor is placed on the mother's abdomen and you can easily and safely detect the heartbeat of the foetus and you will be able to diagnose any heart problems at an early stage so that the foetus can get the right treatment quickly," explains Eugene Polzik, professor and head of Quantop at the Niels Bohr Institute.
Eugene Polzik explains that you can calculate the speed at which the nerve impulses are moving from the measured signals. There are a large number of diseases where the nerves are damaged, for example, multiple scleroses, where the nerve impulses move more slowly than in people who are not ill. Other issues could, for example, be a number of eye diseases where you will be able to make the diagnosis without having to put electrodes on the eye or Alzheimer's, where you will be able to measure the electrical signals in specific nerve pathways.
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Kasper Jensen, assistant professor in the Center for Quantum Optics, Quantop at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, +45 3026-3149 kjensen@nbi.dk
Eugene Polzik, professor and head of the Center for Quantum Optics, Quantop at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, +45 3532-5424, polzik@nbi.dk
An international team of researchers from Donostia International Physics Center, Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, University of Liverpool, and the Polish Academy of Sciences has shown a new way to operate a single-molecule switch
Everybody knows the force that is required to activate a light switch on a wall - a finger is enough. But how much force do you need to apply if the device was dramatically reduced to the "nanoscale world", that is, how much force do you need to operate a "single-molecule switch"? This fundamental question is related not only to basic science but also to potential future applications of molecular devices.
Researchers at Donostia International Physics Center, San Sebastian (Basque Country, Spain), Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Berlin (Germany), University of Liverpool, (UK) and Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw (Poland) have succeeded in activating in a controlled manner a "single-molecule switch" by the force from the atomically-sharp needle of a state-of-the-art scanning probe microscope.
The experimental and theoretical study, reported today in the prestigious journal Nature Chemistry, demonstrates that an intramolecular hydrogen atom transfer can be triggered in a suitable organic molecule adsorbed on a surface by bringing the sharp metallic tip sufficiently close. The reaction, called tautomerization, is important in organic chemistry and molecular biology and also an interesting phenomenon for molecular electronic devices.
The researchers could not only quantify the force needed to operate their tiny switch, a porphycene molecule on a copper surface, but also reveal that the switching can be only induced at a very specific positions of the tip over the molecule, with a spatial resolution of a fraction of a chemical bond length, namely about 0.00000002 millimeter. Furthermore, they demonstrated the significance of the "chemical reactivity" of the tip apex in the force-induced process as the molecule cannot be switched when the apex of the needle is decorated by a single xenon atom - an inert element that lacks the required chemical reactivity.
Takashi Kumagai at FHI-MPG, who conceived this study, constructed the experimental setup in which an oscillating needle of a combined atomic force and scanning tunneling microscope is approached within a few atomic distances to the molecule. The switching showed up as a characteristic feature in the frequency shifts upon approach of the tip and was also confirmed by changes at the atomic-scale images by simultaneously scanning the tip over the molecule. It was measured that the force required was about one nano-Newton, which is a little less than the force needed to break a typical covalent bond between two atoms.
The research team also carried out extensive computer simulations in order to elucidate the atomistic mechanism behind the force-induced switching. The simulations successfully reproduced the experimental results and provided atomistic description on the operation of the single molecule switch. Thomas Frederiksen, Ikerbasque Research Professor at Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) - UPV/EHU explains that "our calculations revealed that the tautomerization, that is the switching, occurs by a reduction of its energy activation barrier upon approach of a metallic tip. However, the behaviour dramatically changes with a xenon-terminated tip and no tautomerization could be induced because of its inertness and softness".
The researchers emphasize that the studied force-induced reaction involving changes in the reaction pathway resembles an elementary step in catalytic processes. Therefore, their results also provide a novel strategy to gain a deeper atomistic insight into catalytic reactions, leading to a new control of chemistry at the atomic level.
###
Publication reference
Force-induced tautomerization in a single molecule. Janina N. Ladenthin, Thomas Frederiksen, Mats Persson, John C. Sharp, Sylwester Gawinkowski, Jacek Waluk, and Takashi Kumagai, Nature Chemistry (2016).
DOI: 10.1038/nchem.2552.
LOGAN, UTAH, USA - By developing an innovative series of mathematical equations, Utah State University ecologists are shedding light on a stalemate that's vexed population biologists' understanding of why some organisms adapt and flourish, while others decline.
"The diversity of life on Earth captivates us," says David Koons, associate professor in USU's Department of Wildland Resources and the USU Ecology Center. "Just as species have evolved an array of interesting physical and behavioral characteristics, so have they evolved a diversity of life histories, including patterns of birth, growth, reproduction and survival rates, to multiply."
With USU colleague David Iles, Michael Schaub of the Swiss Ornithological Institute and Hal Caswell of The Netherlands University of Amsterdam, Koons devised a way to distill "contributions" from each part of a species' life cycle to illuminate which parts; that is, rate of sexual development, fecundity, survival probabilities, that drive population growth and evolutionary fitness. The scientists discuss their research in the July 11, 2016, online issue of Ecology Letters.
"A major aim of ecology and evolution is striving to understand which parts of the life cycle drive population growth," Koons says. "But current understanding of how each part contributes is largely based on limiting assumptions of either constant environments or environmental variation around a constant average."
These conditions, he says, do not aptly describe our current world, where "average conditions" are shifting because of climate change and human alterations to land and waterways.
"Despite being one of the most mature disciplines in biology, population biology has reached an impasse in trying to close the gap between methodological assumptions and observed reality," Koons says. "Paraphrasing Mark Twain, this means a great deal of 'what we think we know just ain't so.'"
The team's efforts don't provide pat conclusions to pressing questions, he cautions, but offer a new approach that can be applied to existing data to help provide more robust answers to a wide range of demographic questions in ecology and evolution.
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LONDON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
TMF Group is proud to announce its sponsorship of the "Global Reach Challenge [http://www.tmfglobalreachchallenge.com ]"; renowned explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes' world record breaking attempt to become the first person to cross both polar ice caps and climb the highest mountain on every continent.
TMF Group brand ambassador, Sir Ranulph Fiennes has just returned from climbing Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe. He has already successfully summited Mount Everest in Asia (2009) and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa (2004) as well as reaching both the North and South Poles by crossing the Antarctic continent and the Arctic Ocean.
(Photo: enlace )
In a race to secure the record before anyone else, the 72-year old will climb four more mountains in less than a year; Mount Carstensz in New Guinea (Australasia), Mount Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcagua in Argentina (South America), and finally Denali, the highest peak in North America and one of the world's most dangerous and difficult mountains to climb.
Sir Ranulph's progress, photos and videos related to the Global Reach Challenge can be tracked on a dedicated website, http://www.tmfglobalreachchallenge.com available in English, [http://tmfglobalreachchallenge.com ] Spanish [enlace ] and Portuguese. [enlace ]
Sir Ranulph outlined his reasons for undertaking the challenge: "In 2009, I was the first person to complete what was then The Grand Slam, which was, and was established in the New York Explorers Club and everywhere else, as being the first person to cross the Arctic Ocean, on the surface of the Arctic Ocean, and the Antarctic Continent, and the highest mountain, Everest - known as the third Pole.
"However, I then learnt that the goal-posts had been moved by the global adventure community. And now The Grand Slam has been expanded so that it is the Arctic, the Antarctic and, not just Everest, but the highest mountain on all seven continents."
Along with the goal to achieve the world record, Sir Ranulph is also on a mission to raise funds for Marie Curie, [enlace ] a UK-based charity that provides vital care and support to people living with a terminal illness and their families, across the country.
"Climbing four mountains in a short space of time will definitely be a challenge," explained Fiennes. "Especially Denali in Alaska, which only had an 18% success rate during this year's season. However, with local expertise and know-how, I would really like to have a go as this endeavour also raises money for Marie Curie - a very worthwhile cause."
The Global Reach Challenge is financially sponsored by TMF Group, a leading provider of global business services that specialises in helping companies to expand into new territories and invest across international borders.
Fiennes went on: "Our sponsor is TMF Group who, for any company or even individual who wants to set up in remote areas or expand their company, has the expertise of dealing with local people and local problems to enable companies to set up abroad. So like our sponsor, we need to do everything meticulously in a remote area and that's what we're good at."
Frederik van Tuyll, CEO of TMF Group added: "Sir Ranulph Fiennes is the world's greatest living explorer. He has inspired many for generations with his perseverance and dedication, and has pushed himself to the extreme to complete some of the world's most gruelling and difficult challenges.
"He has shown that to succeed in remote areas requires not only tremendous ambition but also detailed local knowledge and expertise - so he surrounds himself with a strong team, all experts in their field. TMF Group understands this too, and is excited to be part of the Global Reach Challenge team."
About TMF Group:
TMF Group helps global companies expand and invest seamlessly across international borders. Its expert accountants, legal, HR and payroll professionals located around the world assist clients with their corporate structures, finance vehicles and investments. With business services offered in more than 80 countries, TMF Group is the global expert that understands local needs. http://www.tmf-group.com
Photo:
enlace
CONTACT: For further information, please contact: Kate Martin, Director ofCommunications, TMF Group, +44(0)20-7832-8954
COLUMBUS Sheriffs deputies patrolling Platte County roads are going to get plenty of windshield time in the coming months.
Sheriff Ed Wemhoffs office is down four deputies from the 10 who normally split time patrolling roads 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The four departed deputies left the sheriffs office from November through June.
There will be a lot of extra (overtime) hours while were short-staffed, said Wemhoff, who was authorized by the county board to begin the hiring process late last month. Weve got to work as a team.
The sheriff will be backfilling vacant deputy positions, not adding new ones.
Its an extended process.
Wemhoff, who replaced longtime Sheriff Jon Zavadil following his retirement in 2014, started the hiring process this month and wont end until the deputy candidates are trained and patrolling roads on the their own early next year.
Two applicants, one a current correctional officer at the local jail and a second who has been working as a correctional officer in Yankton, South Dakota, have made it through the written test, oral interview and background check portions of the process.
The applicants are now set to attend the next academy class starting July 31 at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island. If the candidates graduate from the 16-week training course they will be certified officers.
Its quite an investment (to get deputy applicants certified) for the county, said Wemhoff, noting that the county is responsible for paying expenses such as wages, lodging, meals and ammunition for the officer trainees.
Graduation from the Grand Island academy, which will come in mid-November, isnt the end of the training.
When the deputy trainees return to Platte County, they will begin a three-month on-the-road period of field training.
A training officer will ride along as an observer helping a new deputy slowly get involved and engaged, Wemhoff said. Theres so much in this job to learn. After that three months, a new deputy is finally ready to go on their own.
Meanwhile, the sheriffs office staff of 19 officers will be pulling together on patrol.
Wemhoff said there will be stresses and strains maintaining road patrols of at least two deputies on 24/7 as officers try to squeeze in vacation time, attend important family events or call in when theyre under the weather.
Well be watching each others backs, said Wemhoff, who remembers a time about a decade ago when the office had a similar shortfall in deputies. We survived. Well work the best we can with vacations and when someone calls in sick.
When fully staffed, the office is made up of a four-member command staff, two investigators, three courthouse security deputies and 10 patrol deputies.
Wemhoff still has two more deputy applicants to hire. The next training academy class hasnt yet been scheduled, but will likely begin in December or January.
The sheriff isnt counting on a deluge of applicants.
Wemhoff said when Zavadil became sheriff in the early 1990s, it was common for him to receive 50 to 75 applications for deputy job openings. Today, applicant numbers for openings have dwindled sharply.
Ill be happy if I get 20 applicants, Wemhoff said.
On July 13, 2016, the Russian International Affairs Council hosted the European Leadership Network (ELN) for a seminar entitled Strategic Analysis of Russia-EU Cooperation and Prospects for Russia-NATO Relations.
The agenda included the presentation of an ELN report on current Russia-EU relations and ways to advance their interaction, as well as the outcomes of the NATO summit in Warsaw and their impact on the Russia-NATO dialogue.
The event was attended by ELN Research Director Lukasz Kulesa and Research Fellow Joseph Dobbs; Head of Strategic Assessments Section of RAS Center for Situational Analysis Sergey Utkin; Head of European Security Section at RAS Institute for European Studies Dmitry Danilov; Head of Integration Processes Chair at MGIMO Nikolai Kaveshnikov; Army General (Ret.) Vyacheslav Trubnikov, Member of IMEMO Board, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, RIAC Vice President; RIAC Member Vitaly Zhurkin, Honorary Director of RAS Institute for European Studies; Russian Ambassador to the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg Mark Entin (2012-2016), and other experts on relations in the Russia-EU-NATO triangle.
The debate was moderated by RIAC Program Director Ivan Timofeev and Program Manager Natalia Evtikhevich.
This page was initially published by the Russian Internation Affairs Council.
Session 1. Pathway to Russia-EU cooperation
Wednesday nights celebration at McCaw Hall in Seattle was more than just a book party, which is what weve called it, somewhat inaccurately. A book party implies people standing around sipping cocktails and sampling hors doeuvres. That was not what happened. Instead, the evening was an outstanding presentation by Douglas Axe of the argument of his new book, Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life Is Designed, published this week by Harper One.
The book itself is admirably concise and amazingly readable, as Center for Science & Culture director Stephen Meyer said in introducing Dr. Axe. It reflects, as well, Axes remarkable courage. Undeniable is a summary of his thinking and research, said Dr. Meyer, in the face of opposition and risk to his career.
Concise or not, though, a book is a book and so its very handy to have an even briefer and more readily sharable video precis, which is what we have available thanks to Axes presentation being archived now at YouTube. Find it here:
Besides being a brilliant scientist and wonderful writer, Doug Axe is a charismatic speaker. It was a great evening, with the house nearly packed out at 250+. The YouTube link where we live streamed it reflects another 950+ viewers so far.
Axe explained that he wrote Undeniable to go over the heads of the entrenched, tenured gatekeepers of science, directly to thoughtful readers of all backgrounds. The intuition of design in nature is, after all, nearly universal. Even scientists hostile to a design inference admit they share it only, of course, to reject it.
Axe described the concept of functional coherence, shared by designed systems ranging from violins, to mechanical watches, to smart phones, to human beings and other living creatures. This is evident from a macro view of our physiology, all the way down to the micro level of molecular machines, like the ribosome, Perhaps the most sophisticated molecular machine on the planet.
Axe said that he believes the argument that will ultimately take down Darwinism will not be technical but a common sense argument, one that can be wielded by anyone willing to take the time to understand it.
In other words, its not something that scientists somehow own. In the Q&A afterward with CSC associate director John West, Dr. West observed that, Im one of those people that Dr. Axe wrote the book for a non-scientist. The design intuition cuts across professions, disciplines, and ages. Without doubt, Children share it, a fact that concerns Darwin advocates enough that they are seeking ways to suppress it early on.
Questions from the audience were all positive and enlightening. A young woman said she had recently graduated from U.C. Berkeley (as Axe did in his time) and described the mental gymnastics her peers resort to in order to cast doubt on scientific reality.
A soft-spoken Chinese scientist alluded to his own journey that took him far from home, to Oxford and Harvard. He wanted to know what the title of the book refers to. What exactly is undeniable? Axe explained that he refers there to the design intuition. He clarified that he doesnt mean that all intuition, as an undifferentiated whole, is reliable, or undeniable: Other intuitions may be very deniable, may be false.
This intuition represents what Axe calls common science, like a three-legged stool held up by the combination of observation, questioning, and deduction.
A woman congratulated Axe for writing for the average person, since Darwins elite defenders themselves dont respond [to challenges] intellectually but emotionally. To this, Axe replied that its often true, but not always. Some Darwin advocates are willing to engage in substantive debate.
Another Discovery Institute fellow, Dr. Paul Nelson, observed that we seem to have been deliberately gifted, or seeded, with the design intuition. Doesnt this suggest that were intended to put it to use? The question seems self-answering.
Finally, an audience member brought up the good point that maybe this intuition isnt literally universal. There may well be some individuals who never looked at a living crane in flight and thought, even for a moment Surely, that no more arose by accident than an origami crane ever did.
Dr. Axe conceded that it isnt necessarily the case, and not necessary to the thesis of his book, that every single person shares this intuitive sense. If you dont have it, thats fine. You can chuck that. The book will still show you that Darwinism is false.
Photos by Andrew McDiarmid, and via YouTube.
Im on Twitter. Follow me @d_klinghoffer.
Marvin Olasky of World Magazine has a very helpful survey of recent literature challenging Darwinism and offering alternatives, including a variety of books from authors arguing for intelligent design most recently Doug Axes Undeniable. Axe, he summarizes, shows how Darwinists who want us to suppress our intuition avoid looking at the gaping hole in their theory.
Olasky does a great job in presenting a comprehensive picture of the books that are out there. He also includes creationist works in his omnibus review, none of which Ive read so I leave it to others to judge their merits.
He offers two additional notes as well that I found illuminating. Regarding the evolution debate and how it is distorted by Darwin advocates:
On one side sits a science Goliath, using evidence for proven evolution (animals getting bigger or changing color) to sell the unproven doctrine of macroevolution (one kind of animal turning into another). On the other side roam Davids skeptical about such claims. Prestigious groups like the American Association for the Advancement of Science attack them for exposing what the AAAS dubs so-called flaws in the theory of evolution or disagreements within the scientific community. The debate seems even more uneven this summer, as the scientific establishment turns up the heat. One example: Fueled by $9 million from the Templeton Foundation, the AAAS this summer is inviting seminary professors to faculty enrichment retreats at historic seaside inns and mountain lodges. For example, from July 18 to 21 evangelical/conservative Protestant professors will have positive dialogue on evolution at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, where they can enjoy deluxe accommodations. Ranger-led walk on Mt. Hood (easy trail). Guided stargazing and astronomy tour. Stellar dining. Hot tub.
Well, July 18-21 is just days away, isnt it. The historic Timberline Lodge looks great (pictured above; its one of those wonderful old WPA projects). Its just down the road in the gorgeous Mount Hood National Forest. I would like to think seminary faculty members cannot have their views swayed by such blandishments, even the Stellar dining and Hot tub. But note the insult from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The AAAS evidently thinks those religious scholars can be bought off with luxuries. Otherwise why offer them? That is scandalous, quite honestly.
Olasky goes on:
Meanwhile, judging from press coverage, the only significant response from evolution deniers is a 510-foot-long replica of Noahs Ark to be unveiled in Williamstown, Ky., on July 7. The popular Wonkette website earlier this year complained about this product of a purportedly meth-addled creationist lame brain literal interpretation of the Noahs Ark Bible. Americans would never know from the press generally that a great intellectual ferment among creationists and intelligent design proponents is under way, one that is producing many challenging books.
Yes. At least as far as ID goes, evolutionary apologists carefully conceal the great intellectual ferment from view.
Stuff like the Ark Park is the perfect dodge for Darwinists who want to avoid a real debate about substantive issues of science and faith. Indeed, this month, Dr. Axes book is out, as you know, which is in part a shot across the bow directed at Science Guy Bill Nye. Both Mr. Nye and Dr. Axe have written books called Undeniable borrowing the title was a witty move of authorial appropriation on Axes part. Axe, as you know already, presents a serious yet accessible argument that our near universal intuition about Darwinism that it cant explain biological innovations, while intelligence can has scientific merit.
And as Axes book was headed to the marketplace of ideas, what do you think Bill Nye was doing? Do I have to tell you? Cant you guess? Yes, accompanied by much hoopla and trailed by a video camera crew for an upcoming documentary, he was visiting the Ark Park.
Im on Twitter. Follow me @d_klinghoffer.
Photo: Timberline Lodge, by U.S. National Archives and Records Administration [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by an Omaha man to stop the release of balloons by Husker fans in Memorial Stadium.
Judge Laurie Smith Camp on Friday dismissed the case on the basis that the University of Nebraska was a state agency and therefore immune from being sued in federal court under the 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Randall Krause, who asked the court to ban the balloon release under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, said Congress repealed states immunity by enacting the law.
Camp disagreed, citing case law which concludes the clear language (of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) demonstrates Congress did not intend to abrogate states sovereign immunity from suit.
Since at least the 1950s, Husker fans have released balloons to mark the first point scored by Nebraska in a game.
In his argument filed with the court in May, Krause said the balloon release constituted dumping solid waste under a 1976 federal law.
The helium-filled biodegradable latex balloons, along with the non-biodegradable ribbons tied to them, also presented a choking hazard to children, as well as 60 endangered animal species, Krause said.
Hi Cly,
That's some very good news you got. again congratulations.
Do you mean your application took only 6 weeks(1 month n half) :confused2:to be adjudicated? that is super fast. what vfs centre was it?
did you have the proof of 5 years experience? and with what professional body are you registered and what grade?
Was there any interview in the process for the PR, or did you deal with VFS from start to end? exactly like a normal visa
Is your passport required when collecting the PR, or is it just a letter they give you?
I also applied and i am getting a message from Vfs that it will be ready for collection in 1 days since a week. I applied in february. I am crossing fingers, lets see.:fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed:
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A federal witness testified Thursday that he saw Zetas cartel gunmen execute at least 30 people during the mass roundup and killing of more than 300 in northern Coahuila in 2011 described by others at a trial here.
He said he narrowly escaped being one of the victims there and was the first eyewitness to publicly recount it.
During his cartel career, A. Tavira, a former TV news production manager-turned-drug trafficker, said he once observed the Zetas prepare a campaign contribution for delivery a Chevrolet Suburban full of cash to the governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila, which borders Texas, Ruben Moreira.
Tavira testified as the prosecution wrapped up its case in the trial of Marciano Chano Millan Vasquez, an accused boss of the cartels Piedras Negras operations, arrested last year in San Antonio and accused of killing in furtherance of drug trafficking and other charges.
At the request of the judge and lawyers who cited security concerns, the Express-News is not fully identifying Tavira and certain other witnesses.
Another former Zetas insider, J. Rodriguez, testified this week that the cartels top leaders, Miguel Angel Z-40 Trevino Morales and Omar Z-42 Trevino Morales, ordered the 2011 massacres after one of their main lieutenants, Mario Alfonso Poncho Cuellar,became an informant for U.S. authorities. Rodriguez said he was with other Zetas when he witnessed texts from Z-40 ordering that anyone associated with Cuellar be picked up.
Tavira bolstered Rodriguezs account that 40 of the victims were shot to death in Piedras Negras in a mass execution at which Millan was present. Tavira said he was there abducted, handcuffed and taken to a walled property at the western edge of the city by Millan and other gunmen because he had worked under Cuellar.
He said Millan pulled him from a vehicle and another Zetas member, Daniel Menera, escorted him to one of several waiting trucks and placed him inside. Next to him, in the back seat, was Omar Trevino. Miguel Trevino was in the drivers seat. While walking, Tavira said, he saw more than 30 people being held captive.
That was the first time I saw 40 and 42, Tavira testified, referring to the senior Zetas by their nicknames.
He said Miguel Trevino asked him where Cuellar was and didnt seem satisfied with Taviras response: I dont know. I havent seen him in a while.
Menera, phone in hand, walked up. On the phone was a regional Zeta boss known as Comandante Z-100 and both explained to Z-40 that Tavira had been working for them and no longer for Cuellar.
Then he said, Oh, alright. Why didnt anyone tell me? Tavira said.
Tavira said he was dismissed but made to stay on site, in a car, watching some of the bound captives in trucks, others kneeling on the ground. They included men, women and children he recognized several, Tavira said, who had nothing to do with drug trafficking, they just knew Cuellar.
Among them was Victor Cruz, Cruzs wife, Brenda, two of their children and one of their kids friends, a boy named Gerard Sanchez Garza.
At one point, Tavira said, he made eye contact with Brenda Cruz.
Y mis hijos? (And my children?), Tavira said the anguished mother asked him.
She was trying to get you to help her? Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell Leachman asked Tavira.
Yes, Tavira said, choking up. I didnt know what was happening until I saw (the children) next to Victor Cruz.
Tavira said he pleaded with Menera, who had escorted him to the car, to get me out of here, but Menera told him they had to wait.
Se escucharon balazos (Shots were heard), Tavira said, choking up again. Los asesinaron en sangre fria. (They killed them in cold blood).
The bodies were thrown in the trucks and driven away, he said.
At other points in a full day of testimony, Tavira explained how he helped drug traffickers he knew as a journalist working for Mexicos Televisa network in the 1990s, keeping them out of newscasts at his network and other news agencies. He also trafficked drugs on the side, he said.
After a break from drugs, Tavira said, he lived in Austin, then returned to Piedras Negras and continued trafficking with another dealer named Beto Casas.
In the mid-2000s, the Zetas former enforcers for the Gulf Cartel took control of the drug trade in Piedras Negras, forcing regional drug traffickers to work for and with them, Tavira said.
He said he moved at least 6,000 kilograms of cocaine and marijuana and numerous guns for various Zetas figures, some of it delivered to him by Millan, who worked closely with Menera. By the time Tavira left Mexico in 2013 and turned himself in to U.S. authorities, he said, Millan was running the cartels operations in Piedras Negras.
Tavira pleaded guilty to a drug and gun trafficking charges and is serving a 30-year sentence. He said the Zetas operated freely because they bribed local police and officials.
They even gave money to current Coahuila Gov. Ruben Moreira, Tavira said.
Some campaign contributions were made for the governor in 2012, Tavira testified. Ruben Moreira was (governor).
Moreira has been in office since mid-2011.
Tavira testified that he was at one such delivery, but didnt stay for the whole thing.
It was at Beto Casas ranch, Tavira said. All they told me was they had given him a Suburban with a bunch of suitcases full of money.
Tavira was not asked to elaborate, so it was unclear who specifically picked up the money.
In a phone interview, Jose Vega, a spokesman for the governor, denied the allegations.
It doesnt make sense, Vega said. The campaign was in 2011. Theres no way. He didnt accept anything like that...In fact, his promise was to fight narco-trafficking.
Last week, another prosecution witness testified that the cartel bribed Ruben Moreiras brother, Humberto Moreira, who served as governor from 2005 to early 2011 and went on to briefly become president of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI. Humberto Moreira issued a statement last week denying the allegations.
gcontreras@express-news.net
Twitter: @gmaninfedland
WASHINGTON Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro on Thursday delivered a rousing speech to a large gathering of Latinos, many of whom said his talent is what Hillary Clinton needs alongside her on the Democratic ticket.
But with the selection of vice presidential nominees drawing near, some in the crowd said they are convinced that Clinton will look elsewhere for a running mate. One Castro fan went so far as to say he hopes Castro is not chosen.
When youre vice president, often its the end of your career, said Daniel Galvan, 84, of Plano. He could do the job, but hes young and I think he needs to keep going. Governor of the state of Texas sounds great to me.
Castro, a former San Antonio mayor, spoke to more than 600 people at the League of United Latin American Citizens annual convention. The 115,000-member organization was formed by World War I veterans in 1929 to combat discrimination against Latinos. LULAC will hold its 2017 convention in San Antonio.
Castro, who received a standing ovation, paid tribute to the group.
When LULAC was founded, it was not uncommon to see store windows in Texas and throughout the Southwest with signs that read, No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed. Hispanics stood up against that bigotry and intolerance, and LULAC made sure they didnt stand alone, he said, reading from a teleprompter.
In his speech, Castro remarked that the most common age of non-Hispanic whites in the United States is 56. But among Latinos, he said, the most common age is 9.
As the future of these young Latinos goes, so goes the future of America, he said. Today, more than ever, the destiny of the United States is intertwined with the destiny of Latinos in this country.
Castros ethnicity, along with his age (41), has been widely viewed as potentially appealing to Clinton, 68, as she chooses a running mate aware of the swelling number of Latino voters in key battleground states. She is likely to declare her selection just before the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, which opens July 25. She has said she will announce her choice first to supporters rather than to news organizations.
Sources say Castro is being vetted for the position. He declined in an interview this week to discuss the process or to confirm that it is taking place. With the rise of Donald Trump as Clintons likely and nontraditional GOP opponent in November, Castro has received less attention recently in speculation about whom Clinton will pick.
Many Latinos have rooted for Castros selection, a historic pick that would energize Hispanic voters and likely improve prospects for other Latinos running for office. But several convention-goers who heard Castro speak said they believe Clinton will look elsewhere for her No. 2.
To attract Latinos would be an advantage to Hillary. But its all numbers, said Elsa Chacon, 55, of El Paso, explaining her belief that Clinton likely will examine polling information to determine who best can help her win.
Diana Perez, 46, of Vancouver, British Columbia, said Castro would be an inspiring choice for Latinos and someone who could help round up the Bernie movement a reference to supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clintons vanquished primary foe.
If would be great if she did pick him (Castro), but her voice trailed off, suggesting her belief that it may not happen.
bill.lambrecht@hearstdc.com
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Retired astronaut Eileen Collins of San Antonio has landed a prime-time speaking role at next weeks Republican National Convention in Cleveland, where shell deliver what she considers a nonpolitical message about the importance of space exploration.
Collins, 59, a San Antonio resident since 2011, was the first female to pilot the space shuttle and first female commander of a space shuttle mission.
Collins three-minute address Wednesday at 7:40 p.m. will come on the 47th anniversary of the 1969 moon landing by Apollo 11 astronauts. Her mandate from GOP staff was to mark that anniversary and explain how the space program contributes to the nations greatness, she said.
Standing before large crowds is nothing new for Collins, an aerospace consultant who serves on the board of USAA and works as a professional speaker. Still, this engagement has its challenges, especially the short time allotted to promote scientific endeavor and NASA.
It's important to say I am not a political person. My message is for everyone, Collins told the Express-News. I dont think I have to endorse the candidate, she added.
The role as one of 70 convention speakers was offered to her recently by GOP convention staff who had consulted with NASA officials, said Collins, a Air Force colonel who left NASA in 2006 after a 28-year career.
They wanted someone to come and speak about how the space program makes America great. I absolutely was honored that they thought of me. I'm a professional speaker, so my name is out there. Maybe that is how they got connected with me, Collins said.
Collins had suggested the convention organizers reach out to surviving Apollo astronauts. There were 12 men who walked on the moon. I'm not sure why they wanted me. I wasn't going to push them on that, she said.
But Collins got mixed reactions when she agreed to the role.
Im just very surprised at the fact that some people are saying that I shouldnt go. It's some kind of a message that I dont understand, Collins said.
I think it's more important to get the message out about the space program. I know politics can be very divisive, but that's not the kind of person I am. I'm hoping that my presence can be a positive thing and not a divisive thing, Collins said.
Passion and discipline
While generally steering clear of politics in public life as she did in the military, Collins still has been outspoken on policy. According to Spacenews.com, she testified before Congress in 2010 and criticized the Obama adminstration for curtailing a NASA program.
After GOP staff asked her to mark the moon landing anniversary, I said I wanted passion and discipline to be part of my message things that help us (astronauts) succeed in our jobs. We're very passionate about what we do, but we also have to be very disciplined because there's very little room for making mistakes when you're up in space, Collins said.
She speaks from experience: Collins, who logged more than 6,700 hours in 30 types of aircraft, was an astronaut for 16 years and spent 872 hours in space. She piloted the shuttle Discovery in 1995 and Atlantis in 1997 before making history in 1999 aboard Columbia as the first female shuttle commander.
Collins final space flight in 2005 was as commander of Discovery in the Return to Flight mission, following the 2003 Columbia disaster.
Hers was no easy ascent a point she hopes to make on Wednesday.
I when I grew up in Upstate New York, my family lived in government-subsidied housing and we had been on food stamps and welfare for periods of time while my parents were ill and unable to work. So we didnt have things handed to us. We struggled, Collins reflected.
I learned at a young age that I had to work hard in school if I wanted to go on in life and do the things that I love, and somehow, I got bitten with the flying bug. The Air Force paid for my college education through ROTC. I was committed for four years to the Air Force but I ended up staying in 26 years, she said.
My message is mostly to encourage young people to study math and science, using the space program as motivation and maybe as a potential career for young people. I tell them study math and science, you can do this, you can be part of America's space program, whether you're an astronaut or an engineer. You can be a secretary, you can be a scientist. NASA has all kinds of jobs. Private industry has all kinds of jobs, Collins said.
Practice and focus
Reading from a Teleprompter while addressing the packed GOP convention and a national broadcast audience could be daunting, but Collins is prepared.
There is a little bit of the flutter factor when you get in front of a large group, especially when you know it's national television. But the way I handle that is by practice. I focus on my message, Collins said.
I dont think about myself, I just focus on the importance of the message. My theme is how the space program has made our country strong, and how exploration will continue to keep our country in a leadership position going into the future, Collins said.
Collins has already lived through another intense occassion with then-President Clinton and then-first lady Hillary Clinton in 1998, when Collins was selected as the first female commander of a space shuttle mission.
I dont know what happened behind the scenes because it was all worked out at NASA headquarters, but she (Clinton) wanted to announce the first woman commander from the White House, Collins said.
I met them in the Oval Office, then we walked into the Roosevelt Room and we did an announcement. All three of us spoke, and the NASA administrator, Collins recalled.
If I could get through that, I can get through this thing on Wednesday night, she said.
jgonzalez@express-news.net
Twitter: @johnwgonzalez
(Scroll down to see a map of where Ohios producing wells are located.)
SALEM, Ohio In June, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued 13 new permits for horizontal drilling in the Utica or Point Pleasant shale, as of the week ending June 25. No new drilling permits were issued in Ohios Marcellus shale region in June.
In comparison, a year ago, the state issued 34 drilling permits in June.
Carroll County currently has 425 producing wells, the most of any Ohio county.
Jefferson County
The interest is increasing in Jefferson County, where six permits were issued last month. Jefferson County currently has 20 wells in production. The ODNR issued two permits for well sites in Ross Township, both to Chesapeake Exploration LLC.
Single permits were issued for wells in Mount Pleasant, Salem, Island Creek and Knox townships. The permits in Knox, Island Creek and Salem townships were issued to Chesapeake, which has already drilled the Island Creek site. The Mount Pleasant Township permit went to Ascent Resources Utica LLC.
Carroll, Monroe
The state issued two well permits in Carroll County and two in Monroe County. One Carroll County permit in East Township went to Chesapeake; a second permit in that township went to Enervest Operating LLC.
Carroll County currently has 425 producing wells, the most of any Ohio county. In Carroll County, Loudon Township has the most wells in production, with 85 of the total 425 wells currently producing. There are 83 producing wells in Lee Township.
In Monroe County, Statoil USA Onshore Properties Inc. received permits for two sites in Salem Township. The county currently has 129 producing wells.
Single permits
The state issued single permits in Belmont, Columbiana and Tuscarawas counties. In Columbiana County, Chesapeake Exploration has already drilled the permitted site in Washington Township.
CNX Gas Company received the permit in Tuscarawas Countys Bucks Township, and that well has already been drilled and is producing.
Ascent Resources received the permit in Belmont County for a site in Colerain Township. Of the producing wells in Belmont County, the most are in Somerset Township, with 34 wells in production.
Ohio totals
As of June 25, the ODNR has issued 2,185 permits for drilling in the Utica/Point Pleasant Shale. Of those, 1,751 wells have been drilled and 1,328 are currently producing. In the Marcellus shale, the state has issued 44 horizontal drilling permits to date. Twenty-nine wells have been drilled and of those, 21 are producing.
Pennsylvania
Eighty-one drilling permits were issued in Pennsylvania in June. Of those, 70 were new permits and 11 were permits to drill deeper on existing well sites.
There were 20 permits issued in Washington County, the most of any Pennsylvania county. Seventeen permits were for new sites and three were issued for deeper drilling on existing sites.
Butler County also received a flurry of permits, receiving 12 new permits for drilling. Greene County sites received five drilling permits, including one permit to drill deeper at an existing well.
Three locations in Westmoreland County received permits for drilling, and single permits were issued in Allegheny, Armstrong, Bradford, Clearfield and Lawrence counties, in our primary circulation area.
In June, there were six unconventional wells drilled in Beaver County; five drilled in Washington County; and four each in Butler and Greene counties. Across the Commonwealth in June, there were seven conventional (Warren County) and 27 unconventional (horizontal) wells drilled.
The Prairie Doc: We need to be more intentional with antibiotics
The Ulster Farmers Union says Tescos decision to stop sourcing eggs from caged hens by 2025 will come as a 'major blow' to egg producers.
This comes after the retailer conducted a detailed review of its egg sourcing strategy, which included consultation with suppliers, industry experts and other key stakeholders.
Tesco says this move is the latest initiative designed to ensure the retailer sources products in a sustainable way.
Working with supplier partners, Tesco will transition to 100% cage-free eggs, moving to alternative sourcing methods, such as barns, free range and organic.
At present, some 43% of the 1.4 billion eggs sold by Tesco each year come from caged eggs, also known as enriched colonies. Some 57% of eggs sold by Tesco in the UK come from Free Range or Organic methods.
'Impact on poultry farmers'
The UFU says it understands that the decision reflects changes in customer demand, but warns of the impact on poultry farmers who have recently invested in enriched colonies for laying hens.
"Producers have invested to ensure eggs produced in Northern Ireland are fully compliant with EU regulations.
"These brought better welfare standards for hens and we comply with and exceed some of the highest welfare standards in the world," said UFU poultry chairman, Tom Forgrave.
"We need to ensure this does not have a negative impact. As Tesco begins its transition to cage free eggs it is essential it communicates effectively with suppliers through what are going to be big changes for the industry," he said.
The UFU understand that Tesco will move to alternative sourcing methods, such as barn production, free range and organic.
"If it is barn production we need an assurance that we will not see an exit from that system a few years down the line, again after significant investment by producers.
"We are determined that recent investment and farmers' dedication to animal welfare are not overlooked," said Tom Forgrave.
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Changes in consumer shopping habits and growing demand for organic food means there are greater business opportunities available for organic farmers and growers than ever before.
Retail and sector exports said strong global demand for organic food indicates producers can feel confident about investing in the sector, provided they understand their market and where opportunities for growth lie.
Speaking at OF&Gs National Organic Combinable Crops conference in Cambridge on Thursday (7 July), Paul Moore of the Organic Trade Board said despite having a bumpy ride in recent years, there were strong reasons for optimism in the sector.
In addition to growing global demand for organic produce, a new generation of shoppers in the organic sector had emerged, who brought fresh opportunities for producers in the sector, he said.
"The organic market fell by 12% during the economic downturn, but that was thanks to the reaction of retailers delisting product, and not because consumer appetite for organic had disappeared," he told delegates.
"Since 2012 organic sales have accelerated in value and volume and although accessibility is still an issue consumers have changed their habits and started shopping outside multiple retailers, increasingly going to smaller retailers and places like farm shops instead."
With global organic sales now worth about 50bn, and European sales accounting for a third of that, Mr Moore said growers had to have confidence that the long-term consumer trends were going to help the sector.
"The UK has the largest potential for growth in organics, both in terms of access to products and potential for increased consumption," he added.
"A survey of nearly 2000 shoppers revealed that not only do people plan to buy more organic food, but that organic shoppers are younger, dynamic, more engaged with where their food comes from. They see food as part of their lifestyle."
Issues of availability
The challenge now for the sector was to address issues of availability, he said, which meant encouraging more producers to convert to organic and ensuring growers responded to consumer demands.
"We need to make sure we have enough and a good choice of organic foods on offer. Growth will come in increasing the repertoire of products on offer."
Andrew Saunders, chair of the Waitrose Farming Partnership, agreed that being able to meet demand for organic had to be a focus for the entire sector.
Accounting for 25% of total organic food sales Waitrose is keen to work collaboratively with UK growers to shorten supply chains, limit risk, and ensure demand is met, he said.
"There are significant areas of risk with an extended supply chain. The more suppliers you have in the market the more there is to go wrong. Shortening the supply chain is key."
As an example, Mr Saunders said that of the 12,600ha of organic wheat grown in the UK each year, Waitrose needed 41% of the volume in order to satisfy customer demand for organics.
"We want to work with producers to grow that hectarage," he said. "We all have got to work to increase the amount of organic land growing wheat."
Roger Kerr, OF&G chief executive, said indications from the market showed there were very strong reasons to look at organic production from a commercial perspective as a resilient, long term business opportunity.
"People are increasingly looking to understand the production methods and ethics behind their food and organic offers an incredibly strong story," he said.
"Research shows that more people are looking to buy more organic, so the challenge for organic farmers and suppliers and retailers is to ensure we have the right products available in the UK to fulfil the increasing demand."
Two weeks on from the momentous decision by the British public to leave the European Union, discussions are starting to take place to decide on what a post-Brexit Britain could look like for farmers.
Adam Bedford, regional director at NFU North East, said its time to roll our sleeves up and have a blank sheet of paper to craft a policy that works very well for farmers.
Amidst the widespread political uncertainty that has followed Brexit, Adam called for assurances around issues of income, trade and regulation.
He said that the NFU was now at the beginning of the biggest farming consultation in a generation to get the policy right.
It is calling on farmers to engage and have their say to make sure the policy is right for them and their businesses in the future.
The NFU Council launched farmings 'most significant consultation' over the impact of Brexit on agriculture and what a domestic farming policy should look like in the future outside the EU.
The agreed principles from the NFU are:
Farmers must get the best possible access to markets in the rest of Europe. Although the UK will not be a member of the EU, it will still be a major trading partner for the foreseeable future.
Currently the UK benefit from more than 50 trade agreements with countries in the
rest of the world. Farmers will continue to need these kind of arrangements in future, whether this means negotiating new deals or not.
A key question we had to the Leave camp, and on which we never received a clear answer, was what kind of access would an independent UK give to imports from the rest of the world? Our requirement is that we are not open to imports which are produced to lower standards.
During the referendum the NFU has repeatedly drawn attention to the sectors need for access to migrant labour, both seasonal and full-time. Outside the EU farmers will need some kind of student agricultural workers scheme, which is open to students from around the world.
Leaving the EU gives farmers the opportunity to build a new domestic agricultural policy which is adapted to British people's needs, easy to understand and simple to administer. The NFU will be looking for guarantees that the support given to British farmers is on a par with that given to farmers in the EU, who will still be the UK's principal competitors.
The NFU says it wants to see a rural development policy which focuses on enhancing competitiveness. Britain has been a pioneer in agri-environmental schemes, but these are currently running out of steam - in part because of over prescriptive EU rules. "We must take this opportunity to devise better schemes," the NFU said.
If there was one message which came over loud and clear in farmer meetings it was frustration with European regulation and its handling of product approvals, due to an over-politicised approach and excessive use of the precautionary principle. British farmers now have a golden opportunity to ensure arrangements are in future proportionate and based on sound science.
Most farmers voted to leave the European Union
A poll conducted just before the referendum revealed that nearly two-thirds of farmers intended to vote to leave the European Union.
Richard Bramley, an arable farmer and member of the NFU environment forum, believes that regulation and problems with the common agricultural policy played a vital role in farmers voting to leave.
He said that it was important that a new government did not try to simply reinvent the Common Agricultural Policy to create a British version.
He believes the Government needs to put real value on what farming brings to the countryside.
Will Terry, a mixed arable and livestock farmer, said he was really looking forward to the challenge that Brexit had brought and that there was now opportunity for real changes in the agricultural industry.
He said he hoped that British produce would still be able to be sold into Europe but would be against paying sums of money into the EU to keep trading with the countries within it.
All previous trade negotiations were carried out by the EU and Will believes that being free from that will open up trade with the rest of the world.
The NFU has written to the newly appointed 'Brexit Minister', Mr. David Davis MP, welcoming his commitment to consult with the NFU to ensure the concerns of farmers are addressed in his work as Secretary for Exiting the EU.
David Davis will be in charge of negotiating the UK's exit from the EU.
This comes after Mr Davis said it is common sense to consult with the National Farmers Union and ordinary farmers across the UK earlier this week.
NFU President Meurig Raymond said: "Its heartening to hear that David Davis has expressed a commitment to consult with the NFU.
"Farming is the bedrock of the food and drink sector worth 108 billion and supports jobs for 3.9 million people.
"We have an exciting, dynamic industry, keen to capitalise on new opportunities.
"The NFU commissioned a report looking at the potential opportunities and challenges for farming and food production in the event of a Brexit vote this work will be vital going forward.
"The report, from the Dutch Wageningen University, will be shared with Mr Davis, and I am looking forward to working with him to develop a new domestic agriculture policy that encourages growth, innovation, productivity and profitability.
"One that bases its decisions on science and adapts to the needs of British farmers. Mr Davis role in this is crucial.
"The NFU is holding the largest consultation with its membership in a generation with farmers and growers from across the country and from all sectors feeding into this conversation.
"Farming is an innovative and public-focused growth sector and my aim for this huge piece of work with our membership is to help shape the new domestic farm policy to ensure we maximise on those opportunities for a productive, profitable and competitive agriculture in the years to come."
Bayer has improved its takeover offer for the Missouri-based ag-chem giant Monsanto on Thursday.
Following receipt of additional information Bayer has raised its all-cash offer to Monsanto shareholders from USD 122 to USD 125 per share verbally on July 1 and in an updated proposal submitted to Monsanto on July 9.
In addition, it has comprehensively addressed Monsantos questions concerning financing and regulatory matters and is prepared to make certain commitments to regulators, if required, to complete the proposed acquisition of Monsanto.
Bayer reaffirmed that its offer provides transaction certainty and would not be subject to a financing condition.
A Syndicated Loan Facility Agreement sufficient to provide the entire transaction financing is ready and prepared to be co-underwritten by five banks (BofA Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and JP Morgan).
'Highly attractive and immediate'
Bayer said it 'remains confident' in its ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals in a 'timely manner' given complementary geographic and product portfolios.
In addition to certain commitments to regulators, should they be required, Bayer has offered a USD 1.5 billion reverse antitrust break fee, reaffirming its confidence in a successful closing.
"We are convinced that this transaction is the best opportunity available to provide Monsanto shareholders with highly attractive, immediate and certain value. Bayer is fully committed to pursuing this transaction," said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG.
Bayer said it believes that its offer 'fully captures the intrinsic value of Monsanto', and shares the synergy benefits that the combination would create.
The revised offer represents a premium of 40 percent over Monsantos closing share price on May 9, 2016.
The specific terms of any definitive transaction agreement remain subject to the final approval of Bayers Supervisory Board.
British taxpayers will still be paying fines to the EU over the mishandling of farming subsidies after the country has left the bloc, the National Audit Office warned on Friday.
Todays report from the National Audit Office finds that 65.8 million of penalties were imposed by the European Commission on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2015-16 (in 2014-15, it was 90 million).
These penalties are imposed by the European Commission when it believes member states have not complied with its requirements to control and administer payments properly under the CAP.
Of the 65.8 million, the majority (38.6 million) related to Single Payment Scheme payments, with smaller amounts (13.3 million) from Rural Development, (9.9 million) Cross Compliance penalties and the remaining (4.0 million) other schemes.
The total value of disallowance penalties from the CAP 2007-13 scheme is now 661 million.
Almost all payments in relation to the CAP 2007-13 schemes have been made but the Commissions reviews have not yet been finalised.
Disallowance penalties
European Commision audits of CAP 2014 2020 schemes are likely to result in further disallowance penalties, some of which will be applied after the UK has left the EU.
Disallowance penalties are expected to increase in future years as a result of more complex CAP schemes, changes to the method the European Commission applies to calculate penalties, and problems encountered implementing new systems under the CAP Delivery Programme.
Defra has experienced difficulties paying farmers accurately and is reviewing 13,000 payments made to farmers (15% of all claimants).
Where there are differences between farmers claims and the information held on the Defra's systems, only the amount of the claim that matches Defra's information was paid out.
Errors made by farmers?
Defra deducted penalties from farmers, which were calculated on the assumption that all differences were due to errors made by farmers.
The most common discrepancy is where Defra has not updated its systems to include all the information from the farmer.
Although this reduces the risk of disallowance penalties, it also delays full payments being made to farmers.
Defra estimates that farmers were due a further 25.3 million in relation to claims initially paid before 31 March 2016.
Farmers are also owed a further 16.9 million from Defra relating to Financial Discipline Mechanism (FDM) refunds.
NFU Cymru is taking the Its Time to Back Welsh Farming message to the fields and shops of Wales with the launch of two new campaign tools at the Royal Welsh Show.
Europes biggest agricultural show will provide the platform for NFU Cymru to rollout new bale stickers and a buyers guide to further highlight the importance of consumers and retailers supporting Welsh agriculture during a challenging time for the industry.
The Its Time to Back Welsh Farming bale stickers a first for Wales have been strategically positioned along the main routes to the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells.
The buy-in from farmers, who have positioned their branded bales near the roadside, means that visitors to this years Royal Welsh Show will see strong support for the campaign no matter which direction they are travelling from.
The bale stickers are complemented by a new How Can You Back Welsh Farming? buyers guide that will be handed out at the Royal Welsh Show to encourage the public to support Welsh farmers by purchasing Welsh produce.
The A5 guide, which champions everything from Welsh lamb and beef to cheese and butter, encourages shoppers to look closer at what theyre buying and consider the products origin.
'Promotional hotspots are the roadside fields'
John Davies, Deputy President of NFU Cymru, said: "Iits great to see the Its Time to Back Welsh Farming campaign gathering further momentum with these two new promotional drives at a pivotal time for the industry.
"The idea behind the new bale stickers is excellent because it provides us with those prominent positions to promote our campaign.
"In the main cities and towns those key physical advertising spaces are billboards and the sides of double-decker buses, but in rural Wales those promotional hotspots are the roadside fields.
"Its fantastic to see so many farmers giving the campaign their stamp of approval and joining forces with us to get the message out there. It is that ownership and sense of pride that is making this campaign a real success story.
"We are very lucky in the respect that the Royal Welsh Show offers a plethora of Wales best food and drink; consumers really are spoiled for choice when it comes to getting good quality local produce at the showground.
"But the sad reality is that its not always so easy for shoppers to pick up Welsh produce in the supermarket.
"The How Can You Back Welsh Farming? buyers guide makes that task easier for the shopper and helps to positively inform the product choices they make at the checkout.
"We hope that consumers will take this handy new buyers guide with them when they go shopping and take its values on board when making their purchases."
The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) has called for 'more ambition' for anaerobic digestion from the government in its response to the Feed-in Tariff consultation, which was submitted yesterday.
The consultation, which considers tariff levels and scheme rules from 2017, proposed to leave caps on annual support for new anaerobic digestion projects at 20MW per year, compared to the 46MW installed in 2015 and 63MW in 2014.
ADBA Chief Executive Charlotte Morton said: "This consultation has failed to address the big issue in the Feed-in Tariff: the government is restricting the anaerobic digestion sector to less than 20MW of new capacity a year when we could deliver five times more.
"As the Committee on Climate Change has recognised, delivering more AD capacity is vital to meet the UKs carbon budgets and it would help energy security by adding 10% to the UKs capacity margin by winter 2018.
"The new government has a big opportunity to make UK energy supplies more self-sufficient, more secure and more green. Showing more ambition for AD in the Feed-in Tariff would be a great start."
'Serious impact'
Cuts would take effect from January 2017 and are anticipated to have a serious impact on the biogas industry, with the proposed changes likely to end many AD projects planned in the UK, particularly farm based schemes.
If the cuts go ahead, support for small and medium scale AD plants up to 500 kilowatts of electrical power (kWe) would be reduced by 27% compared to current tariff levels.
Such reductions would be well below the minimum viable levels recently recommended to the government by the Renewable Energy Association (REA) and ADBA.
The cuts 'represent a severe blow to the rural economy, circular economy, and a setback for the UKs decarbonisation efforts,' the REA said.
The CLA, which represents farmers and rural businesses, has called on the new Communities Secretary Sajid Javid to press ahead with 'vital reform' of the planning system to help solve the rural housing crisis.
Sajid Javid is the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government following Theresa May's appointment as Prime Minister yesterday.
Responding to Building more homes a House of Lords Select Committee Economic Affairs report published today (15 July), CLA President Ross Murray said: "Our new Communities Secretary must understand how the current planning system holds back development and press ahead with vital reform.
"He must help create the right conditions to build houses and provide the rental homes that rural communities desperately need."
The Lords report recommends that planning fees should be much higher than the current limit and that local authorities should be given power to increase the charges.
Mr Murray said: "The planning system already prevents rural business development because of the complexity and costs involved.
"This prevents many proposals from coming forward that would otherwise provide valuable rural economic growth.
"An increase in planning fees must be proportionate with the nature and scale of the development to avoid suffocating the rural economy and damaging the delivery of homes, job creation and better quality wages in rural areas.
"There must be a discernible improvement in planning authority service levels for higher fees to be justified.
"Mr Javid has the opportunity to provide rural businesses with the certainty they need to invest in the right developments in the right places, helping to solve to the housing crisis in rural areas."
The membership between the European Union and the United Kingdom has drawn to a close after the UK population voted to leave the political-social conglomerate by a narrow margin.
After 43 years of mutual trading and economic prosperity, the so-called Brexit referendum was won by the Leave campaign, which in turn, has initiated the lengthy process of separating our close ties with the single market and everything that comes with it.
So what is to follow after this Political Transformation?
The next step is for the UK to invoke Article 50, which is a section of the Treaty of Lisbon which expresses the actions to be taken over how member states can leave the EU.
Because this is the first time a member state has voted to leave, the UK is now entering uncharted territory with the stability of global trade hanging in the balance.
The UK leaving the European Union will possibly separate our close ties with the single market
As the two political parties contend with the upheaval of the country and its recent decision, it is unlikely that Article 50 will be triggered before the new Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May (a vote Remainer) and her newly appointed Secretary of State for Exiting the EU (a newly created role, with the sole purpose of managing the split and negotiating with current EU leaders on what terms we will leave), David Davis have had a chance to take stock of the current situation and environment we find ourselves in.
Once enabled, Article 50 gives the UK two years to negotiate and complete the whole leaving process including the untying of the plethora of intertwined UK and EU laws, which many experts predict will take upwards of a decade.
The two-year period we have once the Act is enabled really is a ticking time bomb, so you can see why there may be some hesitation to press the red button indefinitely, or at least until we are truly ready.
Whether we ever will be ready is another debate altogether, as the lack of skilled civil servants in the UK trained in trade negotiations is around 30 times less than the number operating on behalf of the EU, which is an obvious problem.
What will the effects be for UK farmers?
The Brexits effect on UK farmers will certainly have long-lasting repercussions for British agriculture.
Prior to the vote, 42 leading figures from the UKs agricultural industry signed a letter published in the Times, arguing for Britain to stay in the EU.
"Leaving the EU is too great a risk for UK farmers" was there opening statement, which couldnt make their position clearer.
With over 70% of land used for farming and with EU membership giving farmers access to a market of over 500 million people, not to mention many farmers reliance on EU subsidies and the impact of the fall in sterling on food prices, decisions taken now will be vital for the outcome of the industry.
Here we highlight the issues raised during the referendum campaign and how they will come to affect the future of UK farming.
The next step is for the UK to invoke Article 50
CAP and Subsidies
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was introduced by the EU to stabilise markets, ensure the quality of produce, and make sure prices were fair for both the farmers and consumers.
To ensure farmers compete on a fairly level playing field, subsidies are paid to the producers.
This exchange has become a reliable source of income which many farmers are reliant upon to sustain their businesses.
While the Remain camp said the loss of these subsidies will have a devastating impact on UK farmers it really depends on future action.
If the UK government ensures farmers receive the same level of subsidies after the Brexit, not a lot will change.
This is far from a certainty, though, with many predicting that the levels of funding will, in fact, be less than what was handed out under EU rule.
There are also those in the farming community who feel that CAP regulations are too restrictive and many would like to hold more control over how British agriculture is run.
How effectively this is achieved will have a big impact on how positively Brexit is viewed by farmers, in years to come.
Trade Agreements
As the UK exits the EU, one of the biggest issues to sort out are the trade deals.
While these currently fall under the umbrella of the European Union, agreements will now need to be negotiated separately.
Many people fear this could be a long process as there are no clear indicators of what will be achieved and when, leading to uncertainty and volatile markets in the meantime.
There are however nations outside the EU which have reached individual agreements, such as Norway and Switzerland, who are often cited as countries which are thriving.
It could be argued the EU will be just as keen to trade with the UK as it is with them.
Some in the leave camp expounded that the size of the UKs trade deficit might give it bargaining power when it comes to negotiate deals.
The outcome of these negotiations will be vital for farmers. Using lamb as an example, 40% of all lamb produced in 2014 was exported to countries within the EU.
The pounds decline has actually made UK exports more appealing to the foreign markets, however, were the EU to impose tariffs and sanctions on UK exports, the costs of exporting will soon rise directly hitting the farmers.
EU Regulations
The regulations put forward by the EU have always been divisive. On one hand, many regional foods are protected under EU legislation, such as Jersey potatoes, Melton Mowbray pork pies, Cheddar cheese, and a wealth of others - what will happen to that protection is now unclear.
Conversely, some producers felt stifled by European legislation. They balked at food labelling requirements; fought over metric replacing imperial measurements; and raised the now infamous debate over the curvature of bananas.
However you felt about these issues, one aim of the EU was to protect the quality of food produce, and while the UK will aim to put similar legislation in place, whether it remains as all- encompassing as the European regulations is yet to be seen.
Workforce
Another big issue relating to Brexit is the free movement of EU citizens.
Many farmers are reliant on seasonal workers and it is uncertain whether they will be able to source workers locally if they can no longer employ from the EU.
Environmental Legislation
While some farmers feel there are too many regulations put in place by the EU, there is also a level of protection offered by a single market.
When it comes to communicable diseases, such as foot and mouth, it is arguably easier to deal with outbreaks when member states are working together to halt the spread.
Additionally, the EU has implemented numerous legislations concerning animal welfare, nature conservation, limits on the uses of nitrates, insecticides, and fertilisers, plus hundreds more.
The EU, with the UK in it, has achieved a lot in terms of looking after the environment. What will happen to each individual piece of legislature after we leave and the role the UK plays in global climate and environmental efforts remains to be seen.
Reaction to the Vote
Once the result had been made public, it became clear that the UK had not formulated an exit plan.
The NFU, who remained neutral during the referendum campaign, have since warned that they believe food prices will rise due to the slide of sterling and concerns over the UK reliance on imports as we produce only 60% of what we consume.
The waters remain murky for the future of the agricultural industry as the outcome relies heavily upon renegotiated trade deals which are yet to be discussed, along with how the government decides to subsidise the industry.
What is apparent, however, is that farmers, amongst the rest of the UK population, have a period of great uncertainty ahead of them.
Holly Barry is a recent graduate from Brunel University in West London with a BA Hons degree in Journalism, holding an interest in British agriculture and the effect Brexit has on it.
Farm leaders warn of 'devastating' new veterinary rule for exports
Tenth state in a 12-state tour
By Andrea Gal
Managing Editor, Integrated Media
Farms.com
The Farms.com Risk Management team has completed a three-day Iowa segment on its fifth annual U.S. Corn Belt Crop Tour.
Moe Agostino, Farms.com Risk Management chief commodity strategist, explained that Iowa corn acres were up slightly (three per cent) over 2015 acres. Soybean acres, in contrast, were down by two per cent. Notably, the number of wheat acres jumped by 25 per cent.
Some farmers and market reports had suggested the lower end of Des Moines was really dry, with reports, according to Agostino, of cracks in the soil that were perhaps larger than (those in) 2012. Agostino explained, however, that area farmers had received about an inch and a half (of rain) here in the last week or so.
Similarly, producer Lance Knobloch of Alvord, Iowa, said were sitting good in terms of rainfall. He noted the area could use some (rain) now again.
Knobloch explained the crops seem on par with last year if we dont have an early frost. (In 2015, his average yields were about 220 bushels/acre for corn and 74 bushels/acre for beans.)
While the corn was a week or two away from tasseling near Boyden, Iowa, Agostino noted that there was a lot of tasseled corn in the state. Some of the soybeans near Grand Mound, Iowa were almost waist high.
Agostino said Iowa is the only state I am going to give a wow to from the farmers we have talked to it looks like this crop could be even better than 2015. He gave the corn and soybeans a 9 out of 10.
Be sure to check back daily as more videos from the tour are posted. The next stop on the tour is Wisconsin.
Use the hashtag #cornbelt16 to follow the tour on social media.
"For many sectors, land ownership should not be seen as a major investment driver and we need to embrace different agri-investment models that focus capital where it is most needed, such as production and infrastructure."
Fort Bragg to be known as Fort Liberty. Here's what to know.
military
In the first federal criminal prosecution of its kind, a high-frequency trader was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for disrupting commodity futures prices in a $1.4 million fraud scheme.
Michael Coscia, 54, used an automated trading technique known as spoofing to earn illegal profits from orders he placed through Chicago-based CME Group and London-based ICE Futures Europe.
The indictment against Coscia was the first federal prosecution under the anti-spoofing law.
Traders spoof by placing fake orders to trick others into trading at inflated or depressed prices.
The Dodd-Frank Act outlawed spoofing by amending Section 4c(a)(5) of the Commodities Exchange Act (7 U.S. Code 6c),
The statute makes it unlawful to engage in any practice known to the trade as, spoofing (bidding or offering with the intent to cancel the bid or offer before execution). Our emphasis.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has said improper reasons for placing bids or offers and cancelling them include: overloading the quotation system, delaying anothers trade execution, creating the appearance of false market depth, or creating artificial price movements.
Coscia lives in Rumson, New Jersey. He commissioned the design of algorithms to create spoof trading activity at his New Jersey trading firm, the DOJ said.
A federal jury in Chicago last year convicted him on six counts of commodities fraud and six counts of spoofing.
Federal judge Harry Leinenweber imposed the 36-month sentence in federal court Wednesday.
Coscia had argued that the intent to cancel language in the anti-spoofing statute was void for vagueness. But the district court didnt agree.
In October last year, the SEC brought civil charges against a New York-based trading firm and one of its co-founders for spoofing.
Briargate Trading LLP and co-founder Eric Oscher paid more than $1 million to settle the charges. The SEC resolved the case through an internal administrative order and didnt go to court.
Evidence at Coscias seven-day trial in November 2015 showed that he spoofed in the markets of various commodities, including gold, soybean meal, soybean oil, high-grade copper, Euro FX, and Pounds FX currency futures.
In less than three months in 2011, Coscia made nearly $1.4 million from the spoofing, the DOJ said.
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Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Hell be the keynote speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016.
David Samson, the former New Jersey attorney general and head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, pleaded guilty Thursday to bribery for pressuring United Airlines to operate a non-stop flight from Newark to South Carolina for his personal convenience.
United flew between Newark Liberty International Airport and Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina only because Samson wanted to travel to his house there.
The airline entered into a non-prosecution agreement (pdf) with the New Jersey U.S. Attorneys Office requiring it to cooperate, to reform its compliance program, and to pay a $2.25 million penalty.
The DOJ also charged Jamie Fox, a consultant and lobbyist for United Continental Holdings Inc., the Chicago-based parent company of United Airlines Inc., in a separate criminal complaint with conspiring to commit bribery.
Samson, 76, of Aiken, South Carolina, served as New Jersey attorney general from 2002 to 2003.
He was a founder and chairman of the influential law firm Wolff & Samson based in West Orange, New Jersey.
Samsons close friend, Governor Chris Christie, appointed him to chair the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2011.
Samson resigned from his Port Authority post in 2014 after a political scandal involving lane closures of the George Washington Bridge
He left Wolff & Samson in 2015. The firm rebranded itself as Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi. It has about 130 lawyers, according to its website.
Samson pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Newark. He was charged with one count of bribery.
Fox, 61, of Lambertville, New Jersey, was charged separately with conspiring with Samson to commit bribery. He served as the commissioner of the N.J. Department of Transportation from September 2014 to October 2015.
The Port Authority operates Newark Airport, one of Uniteds biggest hubs.
After Samson became chair of the Port Authority in 2011, he asked United to reinstate the Newark/Columbia route. United declined because the route wouldnt be profitable
Samson (and Fox on Samsons behalf) threatened to abrogate a hangar agreement between United and the Port Authority unless the route was reinstated.
The DOJ said,
Samson wrote Fox [in late 2011] that he was reviewing current Board agenda items of interest. Referring to the hangar agreement, Fox suggested to Samson that [m]aybe it needs further review!!!!!, to which Samson responded [y]es, its already off this months agenda: I hate myself. Following through on this exchange with Fox, Samson caused the hangar agreement to be removed from the Port Authority Boards agenda.
United then started flights from Newark Airport to Columbia Airport on Thursdays and Mondays.
Samson used the Newark/Columbia route 27 times between October 2012 and January 2014.
Samson and others referred to the Newark/Columbia route as the Chairmans Flight and Fox referred to it as Samson Air.
Samson faced up to 10 years in prison. Under his plea agreement (pdf), the DOJ wont ask for a prison sentence of more than 24 months. Judge Jose Linares set sentencing for October 20.
Fox faces up to five years in prison.
United agreed in the NPA to cooperate with the DOJ, to report periodically for two years about its compliance efforts, and to continue to implement an enhanced compliance program designed to prevent and detect bribery and corruption violations.
If United abides by the terms of the agreement, the Office has agreed not to prosecute United for its conduct relating to the Newark/Columbia route, the DOJ said.
The DOJ said United got credit for disclosing all non-privileged information about its employees and agents related to the Newark/Columbia route, conducting an internal investigation, making its employees available for interviews, producing documents and other materials, and making multiple presentations to the DOJ.
United also undertook early and extensive remediation. It improved its Ethics and Compliance Office, enhanced its global code of conduct and anti-bribery / anti-corruption policies, conducted extensive training, and fired employees involved in the decision about the Newark/Columbia route.
United also developed a third-party due diligence process and compliance audit, the DOJ said.
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Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Hell be the keynote speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016.
Ellie Goulding has been diagnosed with exhaustion.
Ellie Goulding
The 29-year-old star has revealed the extent to which her busy work schedule has taken its toll on her wellbeing, saying she was advised by doctors to cancel two shows this weekend because she risks losing her voice for good.
The blonde beauty - who has nearly played 100 shows across the world already in 2016 - shared: "I've had to cancel some festivals this weekend because of exhaustion.
"I've done nearly 100 shows this year and my doctor has said if I do this weekend my voice might not bounce back from it. They did a bunch of tests on me and I have been diagnosed with exhaustion."
The health-conscious star insisted she would only have cancelled her shows if there was no alternative.
She did, however, say she is remaining upbeat about the rest of 2016, despite her setback.
Ellie told the London Evening Standard newspaper: "I'm a hard worker. I don't cancel anything unless I really need to, but my doctor said, 'Ellie, your voice is going to burn out'. Glastonbury was the point where I realised I was pretty exhausted.
"It's all good though - I'm feeling really positive about the rest of the year."
Ellie's next performance is scheduled for July 31 in Chicago, after which she will travel to New Zealand and Australia in September and October as part of her world tour.
The 'Love Me Like You Do' hitmaker initially announced she would be cancelling her shows in Latvia and Finland via her Twitter account earlier this week.
She tweeted: "Am sorry that I had to cancel this weekends festivals. Because of ill-health I've been advised to not travel or perform. Il bounce back (sic)"
Eva Longoria was among a panel that presented five start-up businesses with a share of a $1 million trust fund.
Eva Longoria at The Venture 2016 prize
The 41-year-old actress announced the winners of Chivas Regal's The Venture 2016 prize at their Final Event held at Pier59 Studios in New York on Thursday (14.07.16) and insisted she felt "really inspired" by all of the finalists and proud to be part of the judging panel.
She said: "I was really inspired by the finalists - I'm so grateful there are people in the world who can figure out solutions to complex global problems. We all live in a global community and I absolutely believe social entrepreneurship is the only way we can create positive change. The calibre of the 27 finalists, their business ideas and fresh thinking was amazing."
The brunette beauty was joined by 'The Daily Show' presenter Trevor Noah who hosted the event.
Start-up Colombian business Conceptos Plasticos were given the biggest chunk of The Venture fund, receiving a total of $300,000.
Several high-profile entrepreneurs, business leaders and influencers attended the bash and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' actor Oscar Isaac - who starred in Chivas Regal's 'Win The Right Way film' - attended the ceremony.
Pernod Ricard's Chairman and CEO, and The Venture judge, Alexandre Ricard, said: "It was truly a privilege to be part of the judging panel and watch the five finalists pitch for the remaining $750,000 of funding. Businesses like Conceptos Plasticos and WeFarm are great examples of how innovative, passionate and forward-thinking the social entrepreneurship movement is. Chivas is proud to support the global community of businesses that are on a mission to make a positive change in the world - I look forward to seeing the impact of these projects in the future."
Eva was nominated to be a judge for the entrepreneurial competition as she is recognised as a savvy businesswoman.
In the wake of the EU referendum, I sit here, an Italian musician in my London flat and contemplate what this means for me. Apart from the ache in my heart, how will this effect my residential status and my working life?
Credit: Charlie Davies
I feel for the millions of Brits who voted against Brexit and all of those who lives will have to change against their wish. Off course I also feel for my fellow Europeans who want to explore all the fruits that the UK has to offer, it's all well and good that nothing will change for the next 2 years.....but then what?
I know for now the future of EU citizens in the UK is still uncertain and I can't say that this thought doesn't churn my stomach. To be clear, It's not just about me, I do worry for all the innocent children that may lose several of their much loved playmates and school friends, will they even understand why their pals are no longer available to play? Because, even though I am sure everyone will not be forced to leave, if rules change and public healthcare for example is no longer available to EU citizens, many may not be able to afford to stay.
What about all the Expats? Brits who have established a fresh life in a friendly EU country....like me, what will happen to them? Again their future is uncertain. If they do not decide to become citizens of the country the currently reside in, will they only be allowed to spend certain periods of time in the EU countries that they enjoy so much? Again could this mean children will be taken from their schools and friends and uprooted and replanted in a different country? Surely not, I believe a fair solution will be found.
What does all this mean for music? Obviously there is no clear forecast of the effect of the EU referendum on the music industry. Although many articles are staying positive and insist that there will still be funds to spread British music across the EU, which I am sure there will be. Signed and funded acts will always have the opportunity to expand there following and bring joy to many a ear. However, I personally can't see how this won't effect the smaller/unsigned acts who wish to tour. Without outside funding many may struggle to tour this once thought cheap land. We have to believe in this time of uncertainty that British music will prevail and that there will be opportunities for Europeans to share their gifts with the UK also - I believe that positivity is the key.
Although there have been many negative aspects to the EU referendum, from my point of view I have seen a few wonderful things happen in the aftermath. We have to appreciate the influx in young people's interest in politics. Previous to this momentous decision, many found politics disinteresting or to have no direct affect on them, we can clearly see these opinions have now dramatically changed.
On the 2nd of July London experienced a truly spectacular event as the city saw some 40,000 protesters march against the UK's decision to leave the EU. There is always beauty to be found in human unity. There was so much beauty to be found in the public's passion to fight for what they believe in and the beauty of the Remain having the opportunity to have their voice heard. It was also stunning to see the amount of people who wanted to reach out the the remaining EU countries and let them know that they wanted to stay a united force and show their love for their fellow human beings.
I plan to stay positive! I have to believe that our governments will come to fair and prosperous agreement and that people and music will still flourish across our 28 countries!
We have to appreciate the humour used too. Let's take a look at some of the signage displayed during the March through London.
Just because they are covered up most of the time, doesnt mean that they dont need to be looked after. Your breasts need some beauty TLC as well. Heres how to make sure your girls stay supple and firm.
Use sunscreen
If you only apply sunscreen to your face and stop there, youre committing a huge beauty error. The skin on your neck and decolletage is very delicate and tends to get damaged over time by the suns rays, making it even thinner. Its hard to reverse this damage so prevent it by applying sunscreen here too just as you do your face, every morning. Doing this will protect your breast skin from the breakdown of collagen and elastin that leads to sagging.
Exfoliate and use a mask
The skin on your breasts too gets clogged. Exfoliating regularly will remove all dead skin cells and other build-up and leave them looking smooth and soft. Skip the harsh formulas and pick gentle ones like those that contain oatmeal. Once a week, use your face mask on your breasts too. This will leave the skin here supple and hydrated.
Use the same moisturiser as you use on your face
Your regular body lotion might not be enough to really hydrate and moisturise the delicate and sensitive skin of your breast. Instead, when you moisturise your face, apply the same formula on your skin and decolletage too. This will help reverse fine lines and wrinkles that appear on this area as well. Look for ones that contain hyaluronic acid or cocoa butter.
Bipasha Basu Singh Grover debuted her new hair colourbrondelast night while leaving from Hakims Alim hair lounge in suburban Mumbai last night.
Her new highlights can be described as a good mix of brown and blonde. The actor decided to embrace the bronde after returning to the city from an extended honeymoon in Spain earlier this month.
A close friend of the actor says, its low maintenance and looks great even when it grows out.
Photograph: Yogen Shah
A survey by dating site AshleyMadison.com found that one in three women said having a fling helped their marriage. Hiral Mansukhani*, 32, tells us why she relates to this.
I have been married for five years now. Though life is different now, adjusting to the new life was no cakewalk. Since it was a match made by my family, I wasnt really enthusiastic. But the lack of good options and my parents hysteria regarding my marriage forced me to settle for what was available. We got engaged and the date was fixed for six months later. The courtship period is very important in arranged marriages, but I didnt get much time to get to know my would-be husband since I was based in Mumbai and he was in Bhopal.
This was also the time I was tending to a broken heart, since my boyfriend of four years and I had
parted ways because of religious differences. The courtship period worked as a distraction and helped me get over the break-up.
It was soon time for us to tie the knot. I had to move to a town I had never seen before and I didnt even know my husband as well as I would have loved to. But with each passing year, I found myself getting closer to my new, conservative family. However, my life was still far from being the perfect one I had dreamt of.
Meeting the ex
Three years into the marriage, my husband, a software professional, had to leave for the US on a year-long project. With support from my husband and in-laws, we decided that I should take this opportunity to shift to Mumbai for a year and study interior decoration. In Mumbai, I bumped into my ex at a friends party. Phone conversations followed and led to regular coffee dates, lunches and dinners. I found myself attracted to him once again. Our marital status wasnt a bother and we soon found ourselves treading the infidelity path. But then, reality struck me in the most painful way. As things began to get serious between us, we realised that this time again, there was no hope for him and I to become us. It would mean ruining the lives, hopes and dreams of our partners and our parents.
I was left with just one optionto embrace life the way it is and look for the positive aspects. What followed was a courtship sequel with my husband. Since there was a lot more comfort now, it was easier to talk to him about things we hadnt discussed before due to our inhibitions. I realised that my husband took extra care of all my needs and tried really hard to understand me. I also started admiring his ability to take a stand for what he felt was rightwith his friends, relatives and parents. Soon enough, I was yearning for him to come back to India. Our bond was slowly taking the shape of a good relationship. And this time, it was for keeps.
Next Story : Not Your Average Gift: Our Handpicked Thoughtful Diwali Gifts
A top official of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety that includes 28 North American retailers like Walmart and Gap, said it would continue to source from Bangladesh despite the terror attack at a Dhaka restaurant on July 1.Many international retailers and important personalities cancelled or suspended their trips to Bangladesh after the attack, in which terrorists killed 20 people, mostly foreigners.Despite these unspeakable tragedies, the Alliance and our member companies will continue to stay the course -- because improving safety for the millions of men and women who make a living in Bangladesh's garment sector is a moral imperative, said former US ambassador and country director of the Alliance James Moriarty.That said, on behalf of the Alliance, our member companies and our staff, I am heartened and humbled by the strength of the Bangladeshi people, and I am confident their resilience will see them through these challenging times, Moriarty said at a teleconference with journalists in Dhaka on Tuesday.The Alliance assurance came amid skepticism that the apparel industry would face a setback following the terror attack. Garment manufacturing is Bangladesh's largest industry, accounting for 80 per cent of the country's annual shipments and employing some 40 per cent of its industrial workforce.As we review and update our policies to help keep our staff and contractors safe, our work to improve safety in Bangladesh's garment factories will continue at full speed, he said.Moriarty's remarks came as the Alliance presented Q2 Progress Report on Remediation, Factory Statuses and Worker Empowerment.
The Alliance was formed after the Rana Plaza building collapse to strengthen workplace safety in the garment sector. The factory inspection agency completed its preliminary detailed engineering assessment of nearly 700 factories in September 2014.
Engineers of the agency are now inspecting the progress of remediation of the corrective action plans laid out by them during the preliminary inspection.
As of July 11, 28 member factories have completed their Corrective Action Plans, which is 17 per cent higher than the last updates by the agency.
In all factories, more than one-third of the issues most critical to life safety have already been addressed two years ahead of the deadline.
The Alliance members so far suspended business relations with 83 factories for their failure to make adequate remediation progress.
Make no mistake -- our work is achieving the big-picture goal of driving consolidation of the RMG industry in Bangladesh into safer factories, he said.
UniqloFast Retailing Company Limited
Location: Disney Springs, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Area: 25,000 square feet
Brand: Uniqlo Company: Fast Retailing Company Limited Location: Disney Springs, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida Area: 25,000 square feet Product profile: The core products, innovative fabrics and technologies that will be available at Uniqlo at Disney Springs include items like Ultra Light Down, Heattech, and Airism, as well as Premium#
Product profile: The core products, innovative fabrics and technologies that will be available at Uniqlo at Disney Springs include items like Ultra Light Down, Heattech, and Airism, as well as Premium Linen, Denim, and Supima cotton.
Store design | Interiors & VM | Fixtures: The new store will incorporate the brand's unique Japanese heritage by conveying Japanese tradition, culture and beauty through colourful visuals and displays.
About the company: Uniqlo is a brand of Fast Retailing Co Ltd, a leading global Japanese retail holding company that designs, manufactures and sells clothing under seven main brands: Comptoir des Cotonniers, GU, Helmut Lang, J Brand, Princesse tam.tam, Theory, and Uniqlo.
Uniqlo continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world's most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a truly global brand. Today the company has a total of more than 1700 stores in 17 markets worldwide. In addition, Grameen Uniqlo, a social business established in Bangladesh in September 2010, currently operates several Grameen Uniqlo stores in Dhaka.
Uniqlo manages an integrated business model under which it designs, manufactures, markets and sells high-quality, casual apparel. The company believes that truly great clothes should be supremely comfortable, feature universal designs, are of high quality and offer a superb fit to everyone who wears them.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
Former Cavalier boss Colin Mackenzie has been appointed chief executive of NZ Yarn which manufactures and markets high quality wool spun yarns for the carpet industry worldwide.Mackenzie who left Cavalier last November with a termination payment of $470,000, is offering jobs to other textile workers facing redundancy.
Former Cavalier boss Colin Mackenzie has been appointed chief executive of NZ Yarn which manufactures and markets high quality wool spun yarns for the carpet industry worldwide. Mackenzie who left Cavalier last November with a termination payment of $470,000, is offering jobs to other textile workers facing redundancy. Mackenzie is recruiting about...#
Mackenzie is recruiting about 15 textile workers from Radfords, a subsidiary of Cavalier, which is restructuring with the loss of 36 jobs at its Hornby plant. He has extensive experience in the textile and manufacturing sectors, and for companies servicing local and export markets.The appointment of Mackenzie follows the restructure of NZ Yarn in 2014, when it was rescued from receivership in a buyout led by Carrfields and supported by other well known Cantabrian investors such as Michael Mellon. McKenzie will also act as a consultant for Carrfields Primary Wool.The new CEO said taking the company to the next level included a programme to develop the product range especially for the North American market.Mackenzie said NZ Yarn had few direct rivals after Summit Wool in Oamaru sold its spinning plant in 2013. (SH)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk India
Moody's has upgraded the ratings outlook of China based Texhong Textile Group Limited from negative to stable, on back of the Chinese company's positive profit alert for its earnings in the first half of 2016.On 8 July, Texhong announced that it expected to achieve a substantial increase in the first six months of 2016 earnings as against the comparable period in 2016.
Moody's has upgraded the ratings outlook of China based Texhong Textile Group Limited from negative to stable, on back of the Chinese company's positive profit alert for its earnings in the first half of 2016. On 8 July, Texhong announced that it expected to achieve a substantial increase in the first six months of 2016 earnings as against the comparable...#
According to Texhong, the earnings have been mainly driven by strong sales volume and an improvement in its gross margin.The higher sales volume in the first half of this year was partly driven by its new capacity of 250,000 spindles in Vietnam, which commenced production in the second quarter of 2016."Texhong's improved earnings in the first six months of 2016 are within our expectations. It was these expectations that resulted in our outlook change to stable from negative in March 2016," said Chenyi Lu, Moody's senior analyst.In addition to the new capacity in Vietnam, the company plans to add 450,000 spindles in Xinjiang, China, which will commence production in 3Q 2016.Moody's expects Texhong's adjusted debt/EBITDA to decline to about 3.5x over the next two years from 4.0x in 2015, owing to expected positive cash flow from operations and lower capital expenditure.Currently, Texhong has 16 yarn production facilities, of which, 13 are in China, three in Vietnam and one in Cambodia. (AR)
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra, were spotted together at the Mumbai airport, and the buzz is that the couple is heading to London for a secret vacation. As per Bollywoodlife, Sidharth had informed his manager not to allow any photographer to click their pictures, but the cameramen managed to snap the couple at the airport anyway.
However, Sidharth Malhotra refused to be photographed along with Alia Bhatt, and the duo walked separately towards the airport.
Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra, have been constantly in the news for their break-up and patch-up stories, and the couple have not announced their relationship in public and always maintain the "just friends" tag.
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Just a week ago, Alia Bhatt was in London along with her sister and friends and the girl gang visited various pubs, cafes and tourist spots. The Udta Punjab star also attended the Beyonce concert at the Wembley Stadium.
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On The Work Front
After the success of Udta Punjab, Alia Bhatt will be seen in Gauri Shinde's next and the bubbly actress will be romancing four men in the movie. The film also stars Shahrukh Khan and he plays the role of a love guru to the young girl.
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Sidharth Malhotra, will be seen alongside Katrina Kaif in the movie Baar Baar Dekho, and also is shooting for his upcoming film Bang Bang 2, starring alongside Jacqueline Fernandez.
Sizzling Pics! Who Knew Ameesha Patel Would End Up Being Such A Stunning Woman
Although Carlisles Employee Relations and Citizen Participation Committee meeting wont be discussing the anti-discrimination ordinance until its July 28 meeting at 7 p.m. in Borough Hall, residents wasted no time in showing up to Thursday nights Borough Council meeting to air their concerns and get their questions answered.
Councilman Sean Shultz, seeing the crowd of residents packing the meeting room in the borough hall, began the meeting by letting citizens know that the item on the agenda Thursday night was simply a vote to ratify the initial review the solicitor provided to the draft ordinance, and not a vote to approve or disprove the ordinance itself.
During the committee meeting when the ordinance was first introduced last June, committee members said that the document was rough and would need to be reviewed by the solicitor, who would suggest clearer wording and/or corrections to it.
Councilwoman Robin Guido urged the council Thursday to get the updated ordinance on the boroughs website as soon as possible, stating that she wants the council to remain as open and transparent as possible.
That document needs to be out to the public as soon as possible, she said. At this point its been hard to get ahold of.
Many residents spoke from their seats Thursday night, calling out questions to the council.
One man asked how much the ordinance would cost, to which Shultz replied that the financial issues will be touched upon during that July 28 committee meeting.
Another asked what the purpose behind the ordinance was. Shultz said it was founded with the purpose to protect peoples rights.
Jim Ziffle of Lower Frankford Township took the podium with a copy of the Pennsylvania Constitution, stating it is that document that protects residents, as opposed to the ordinance doing so.
Generally speaking, ordinances like this, when we raise a class of citizenship above the others, it creates a situation where the people that were trying to protect are already protected, he said.
Angela Smith offered the idea that the borough consider a moderated town discussion through the help of one of the local colleges as a way to discuss and ultimately find the best solution on what to do about the ordinance.
Both the original and the revised ordinance will be made available within a few business days.
When it comes to promotions, every bollywood celeb wants to promote their upcoming film on the sets of 'The Kapil Sharma Show' hosted by the very popular Kapil Sharma!
Kapil Sharma and his mad gang including Sunil Grover, Ali Asgar, Chandan Prabhakar and others never fail to make us laugh with their comical punches and funny antics!
Click on the slides to see the pictures of Riteish, Aftab and Vivek on the sets of the show.
Kapil's show has indeed become hugely popular among the masses, that even music maestro A.R. Rahman couldn't refuse to be a part of the show.
He not only made Kapil, sing a song, but also promised to work with him soon! Now, that's a great news, isn't it?
Recently, the cast of the bollywood flick 'Great Grand Masti' was present on the sets of the show including Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani and Urvashi Rautela.
No wonder, they had a great time! The trio Riteish-Vivek-Aftab are known for their comic timing and they share a great camaraderie. The trio laughed their hearts out on the sets.
The trio make a heroic entry on the show and definitely make us laugh with their silly banter! Undoubtedly, Kapil and his gang will put their best foot forward and entertain us, as always!
So, do not forget to catch this crazy episode filled with complete madness and laughter!
Well, there is one more good news for all the Kapil's fans out there! Kapil and his team are all set to perform live on 20 August at Wembley, London! Kapil took to twitter to share his excitement regarding the same.
Kudos to Kapil and his entire team for achieving this feat!
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/08/16 -- Note to Editors: There are three photos associated with this press release.
In the latest expansion of Holt Renfrew stores across Canada, Govan Brown was hired to complete the Canadian retailer's recent project in Mississauga's Square One Shopping Centre. The three storey, 130,000 square foot store, whose grand opening was July 28th, is highlighted by distinct design features that include atriums with floor to ceiling glass windows allowing the building interior to be bathed in natural light; an open feature staircase, and custom designed storefront glazing systems complete with 33' tall digital screens. Holt Renfrew also offers in-store concession shops such as Tiffany & Co. accompanying coveted brands such as Gucci, Jimmy Choo, and Moncler. Customers looking to take their shopping experience to the next level will be able to experience the most luxurious private shopping suite offering unparalleled service.
The Holt Renfrew Square One store is the third of four Holt Renfrew projects to be built by Govan Brown. The Vancouver Pacific Centre is currently receiving renovations and is scheduled to be completed in 2017.
ABOUT GOVAN BROWN
Govan Brown was founded in 1994 and is one of Canada's national leading providers of interiors and renovations services for the corporate, retail and hospitality markets. With a wide variety of construction solutions and services, Govan Brown has become a preferred contractor for some of North America's largest companies. The firm is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa with project offices in Halifax and Winnipeg. Govan Brown is proudly recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies' Platinum Club Member. The company is owned by Jon Taylor, Ralph Govan and John Brown and completes approximately $200 + million a year in construction projects across Canada.
Visit GovanBrown.com for more information.
To view the photos associated with this press release, please visit the following links:
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Contacts:
Rose Rencius
National Marketing Manager
416.703.5100 ext. 271
rrencius@GovanBrown.com
WOLNZACH, Germany, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Together with hop growers from Germany, HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. is launching a campaign for European products, and particularly German hops, in China.
Beer: a beverage that is strongly associated with Germany. But it is not only Germans who love their beer - the barley brew also enjoys great popularity in China. China is one of the biggest beer markets worldwide and is in constant competition with the US in terms of world rankings. HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. recognizes this potential and is currently active on the Chinese market with a three-year information campaign cofinanced by the EU. Together with the hop-growing associations from the German growing regions of Tettnang, Elbe-Saale, and Hallertau, as well as the producer cooperative HVG Spalt, the campaign led by HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. explains the merits of European products and particularly the high quality of German hops, and provides information about their labeling.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389668 )
Demand for hops in China is on the rise: Germany sold more than 1,000 tons ofhop pellets to China in 2015 alone. Hops from Germany fulfill important expectations in terms of food safety, quality, and control. Almost 100 percent of German hops fall under the quality regulations of the European Union, such as the protected geographical indication (PGI) or protected designation of origin (PDO). Chinese brewers can now use this clearly identifiable advantage to offer their customers beers with primary flavor ingredients of certified quality and origin that can be transparently and fully traced. The attributes of these hops make all the difference between conventional products and certified European quality products.
From the diverse spectrum of German hop varieties, classic aroma hops are used to produce very mild and fine aromatic beers for the Chinese market. For the emerging craft beer market in China, special flavor hops from Germany deliver intense and exotic taste experiences, which are ideally suited for the production of special and unique beers.
While the first two years of the campaign cofinanced by the EU predominantly addressed the decision-makers in the beer industry, the third year of the campaign will focus on consumers too. The campaign primarily targets the metropolises of Beijing and Shanghai, during which brewers and beer lovers will be exposed to the relevant advantages of European products - especially German hops - in a number of different ways. The planned measures include a media campaign with a newly designed logo on the Internet and in periodicals. Specialists from the beer industry and beer lovers can find all the information they need about European quality products and German hops at the website www.DeGuoPijiuhua.eu. Those who want to have a look for themselves are welcome to visit HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. in China at the 12th China Brew China Beverage trade show (CBB 2016) from October 11 to 14 in Shanghai, in Hall W1. There will also be an information event about German hops at the fair on October 13, 2016 - a date all beer lovers should remember.
Contact: Thomas Erdmann, Press Relations, +49(0)62133840-754, E-Mail: t.erdmann@trio-group.de
Participants this year Presentation session on assigned themes
Public Relations Office Phone: 81-3-5470-3235
TOKYO, July 15, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - In this July, Showa Denko ("SDK"; TSE:4004) has started an international exchange program in Japan with three Chinese universities, namely Dalian University of Technology, Liaoning Province, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Province, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Municipality.SDK established a scholarship* at these three Chinese universities in 2007 in order to deepen SDK's friendly relations with these universities and encourage scientific education. Under this scheme, SDK awarded the scholarship every year to a total of around 40 students studying at master courses in chemistry, material science, mechanical engineering, electronics, and electrical engineering. This time, taking the recent development of international education programs in China into consideration, SDK has expanded the scheme to an international exchange program accompanied with a scholarship, aiming to give the students opportunities to better understand Japan and the chemical industry.Under the new scheme, SDK and each university jointly screen applicants for the program, and implement five-day intensive training program in Japan for scholarship students. The training program includes visits to SDK's offices and plants, universities, research institutions, and mingling with Chinese students studying in Japan and employees of the Showa Denko Group. Thus the program gives participating students opportunities to feel Japan and the chemical industry close to themselves. In 2016, which is the first year of the new international exchange program, a total of 19 students of the three Chinese universities visited Japan, and participated in the training program held from 10 to 14 of this July.SDK has been cooperating with these three universities, employing their new graduates, commissioning research, and sending SDK employees to study there. SDK will continue close cooperation with them as part of its R&D efforts, and contribute to human resource development in China.* SDK's news release on June 15, 2007, "SDK Sets Up Scholarship at Three Chinese Universities"About Showa Denko K.K.Showa Denko K.K. ("SDK"; TSE:4004,US:SHWDF) is a major manufacturer and marketer of chemical products serving a wide range of fields ranging from heavy industry to the electronic and computer industries. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial and high-performance gasses and chemicals and high-purity gases and chemicals for the semiconductor industry, and the Inorganics Sector provides ceramics products such as alumina, abrasive, refractory and graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. Today, the Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high-bright LEDs and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.Source: Showa Denko K.K.Contact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
GUILDFORD, SURREY -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- ANGLE plc (AIM: AGL) (OTCQX: ANPCY), the specialist medtech company, is pleased to announce that significant profile was achieved for ANGLE's Parsortix system at EACR 2016 (the European Association for Cancer Research Biennial Meeting) held in Manchester 9 to 12 July 2016.
Importantly, performance of the system was referenced in two keynote presentations by independent investigators, Caroline Dive of Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and Klaus Pantel of University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) respectively.
There were three separate scientific poster presentations on Parsortix accepted for presentation at the conference as follows:
1) Fraunhofer ITEM (Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine) Regensburg, Germany: Surface marker independent enrichment of circulating or disseminated cancer cells from blood or lymph nodes using a microfluidic device
2) Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute: Combined circulating tumour cell (CTC) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis of blood from patients with pancreatic cancer
3) ANGLE in-house: A highly sensitive method for circulating tumour cell antigen quantification in liquid biopsy
The published poster presentations will be uploaded to http://www.angleplc.com/the-parsortix-system/download-files/ once available.
The published poster presentations add to the growing published evidence in support of the use of ANGLE's Parsortix system to easily and effectively harvest cancer cells from the blood of patients for analysis.
Key points in the published posters include:
Fraunhofer ITEM's findings in relation to lymph node cell analysis are potentially commercially highly relevant as their work identifies and demonstrates feasibility in a new market for Parsortix working with lymph node cell suspensions rather than patient blood. Primary cancers often spread initially via the lymph node network. The work undertaken was in melanoma where assessment of lymph nodes is "important for determining staging and treatment of melanoma patients". This is the first time results have been published relating to the use of Parsortix with the melanoma cancer type. Lymph node cell analysis is also applicable more generally, for example, in breast cancer a key issue at presentation is whether the cancer has spread from the breast to the lymph nodes. Fraunhofer ITEM's work suggests that the Parsortix system may facilitate analysis of the lymph nodes to determine whether cancer is present or not. This is an area ANGLE has not previously investigated. Fraunhofer ITEM are a research use customer and their work is entirely instigated, directed, funded and executed by them, independent of ANGLE.
Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute's poster presents important work demonstrating a working protocol using a single patient blood sample for ctDNA and CTC analysis using Parsortix. This enables researchers already working with ctDNA to additionally adopt Parsortix CTC analysis with the same blood sample allowing complementary and/or additional information to be obtained from CTCs. Furthermore, it shows the capability of Parsortix to work with pancreatic cancer, which has not previously been demonstrated, and that the CTCs harvested can be subjected to DNA analysis for a key mutation KRAS. The technique used was ddPCR (digital droplet PCR). This may have wide applicability once optimised for the Parsortix harvested CTCs.
ANGLE's own poster demonstrated working protocols for determining the level of specific protein cell surface markers on the CTCs harvested by Parsortix. This is particularly relevant as proteins cannot be assessed using ctDNA. The two protein cell surface markers demonstrated were ErbR2 and gp100. These are notable as they are key to the actions of breast cancer and melanoma respectively and are specific targets for drugs under development. Identification of these protein cell surface markers on CTCs may be an indication of patient response to specific drugs in the future. This would allow patients to have a blood test ahead of receiving a particular drug to determine whether the drug is likely to be effective in their particular case. Consequently, the results presented will assist ANGLE in dialogue with pharmaceutical, biotech and immunotherapy companies about adoption of the Parsortix system for research use in drug trials.
ANGLE Founder and Chief Executive, Andrew Newland, commented:
"These presentations further highlight that Parsortix is extremely flexible and versatile and that its use is building. At EACR, one of the leading European cancer conferences, we have seen customers develop completely novel potential applications for Parsortix; as well as demonstration of use in additional cancer types and the potential for patient drug response to be assessed. In summary, these presentations further highlight the potential market opportunity and key role Parsortix has to play in the fast growing, liquid biopsy space, a rapidly growing market segment for cancer diagnosis and management."
For Frequently Used Terms, please see the Company's website on http://www.angleplc.com/the-parsortix-system/glossary/
This announcement contains inside information.
Notes for editors
About ANGLE plc www.angleplc.com
ANGLE is a specialist medtech company commercialising a disruptive platform technology that can capture cells circulating in blood, such as cancer cells, even when they are as rare in number as one cell in one billion blood cells, and harvest the cells for analysis.
ANGLE's cell separation technology is called the Parsortix system and it enables a liquid biopsy (simple blood test) to be used to provide the cells of interest. Parsortix is the subject of granted patents in Europe, the United States, Canada, China and Australia and three extensive families of patents are being progressed worldwide. The system is based on a microfluidic device that captures live cells based on a combination of their size and compressibility. Parsortix has a CE Mark for Europe and FDA authorisation is in process for the United States.
ANGLE has established formal collaborations with world-class cancer centres. These Key Opinion Leaders are working to identify applications with medical utility (clear benefit to patients), and to secure clinical data that demonstrates that utility in patient studies. Details are available here http://www.angleplc.com/the-company/collaborators/
The analysis of the cells that can be harvested from patient blood with ANGLE's Parsortix system has the potential to help deliver personalised cancer care offering profound improvements in clinical and health economic outcomes in the treatment and diagnosis of various forms of cancer.
The global increase in cancer to a 1 in 3 lifetime incidence is set to drive a multi-billion dollar clinical market. The Parsortix system is designed to be compatible with existing major medtech analytical platforms and to act as a companion diagnostic for major pharma in helping to identify patients that will benefit from a particular drug and then monitoring the drug's effectiveness.
As well as cancer, the Parsortix technology has the potential for deployment with several other important cell types in the future.
ANGLE stock trades on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AGL and in New York on the OTC-QX under the ticker symbol ANPCY. For further information please visit: www.angleplc.com
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
For further information:
ANGLE plc
01483 685830
Andrew Newland, Chief Executive
Ian Griffiths, Finance Director
Cenkos Securities
020 7397 8900
Stephen Keys (Nominated adviser)
Russell Kerr, Oliver Baxendale (Sales)
WG Partners
020 3705 9330
David Wilson
Claes Spang
FTI Consulting
020 3727 1000
001 212 850 5612
Simon Conway, Mo Noonan, Stephanie Cuthbert
Kimberley Ha (US)
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar gained ground against its major counterparts in Asian trading on Friday, as better-than-expected China second quarter gross domestic product data signaled that the government's efforts to stabilize growth is showing effects.
Continued optimism about monetary stimulus from major central banks around the world also triggered risk appetite.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that China's gross domestic product expanded 6.7 percent on year in the second quarter of 2016.
That was unchanged from the previous month, and it topped expectations for 6.6 percent.
Separate data showed that China's industrial production jumped 6.2 percent on year in June - beating forecasts for 5.9 percent, and up from 6.0 percent in May.
Chinese retail sales advanced 10.6 percent, up from forecasts for 9.9 percent. This follows a 10.0 percent increase in the previous month.
China is the largest trading partner of Australia and hence strong economic data from China could boost export relationship of the latter.
The aussie was higher against most major currencies on Thursday. It advanced 1.1 percent against the yen, 1.4 percent against the kiwi and 0.3 percent against the greenback.
In Asian deals, the aussie advanced to more than a 2-month high of 0.7676 against the greenback and more than a 5-week high of 1.0696 against the kiwi, from its early lows of 0.7608 and 1.0596, respectively. The aussie is likely to find resistance around 0.78 against the greenback and 1.08 against the kiwi.
Rebounding from an early 6-day low of 0.9822 versus the loonie, the aussie edged up to 0.9886. The next possible resistance for the aussie-loonie pair may be found around the 1.00 zone.
The aussie climbed to a 3-week high of 81.51 against the yen and a 3-day high of 1.4496 against the euro, off its previous lows of 79.94 and 1.4601, respectively. Continuation of the aussie's uptrend may see it challenging resistance around 84.00 versus the yen and 1.44 against the euro.
Meanwhile, the safe-haven yen declined amid risk appetite, as well as on continued optimism about stimulus by the Japanese government.
Yesterday, the yen declined 0.8 percent against the greenback, 1.08 percent against the euro, 1.29 percent against the franc and 2.3 percent against the franc.
The yen dropped to 3-week lows of 106.32 against the greenback, 118.40 versus the euro, 143.05 versus the pound and 108.46 versus the franc, off its early highs of 105.05, 116.68, 140.17 and 107.05, respectively. If the yen extends slide, it is likely to find support around 108.00 against the greenback, 120.00 against the euro, 145.00 against the pound and 109.5 against the franc.
The yen also fell to a 3-week low of 82.52 against the loonie, reversing from its previous high of 81.38. The yen is seen challenging support around the 84.00 zone.
Retreating from an early 3-day high of 75.19 against the kiwi, the yen edged down to 76.42. The yen is likely to find support around the 77.5 mark.
Looking ahead, Eurozone trade data for May and final consumer price index for June are due in the European session.
In the New York session, Canada manufacturing shipments for May and existing home sales for June, U.S. retail sales, consumer price index and industrial production for June, New York Fed's empire manufacturing survey for July, University of Michigan's preliminary consumer sentiment index for July and Baker Hughes rig count data are set for release.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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BANGALORE, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
- Q1 Revenue Growth at 2.2% qoq in USD Terms; 1.7% in Constant Currency Terms
- Q1 Revenue Growth at 10.9% yoy in USD Terms; 12.1% in Constant Currency Terms
- Added 3 Clients to $100 Million + Category Taking Total Count to 17
- FY 17 Revenue Guidance Revised to 10.5%-12.0% in Constant Currency
Financial Highlights
Consolidated results under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the quarter ended June 30, 2016
Quarter ended June 30, 2016
Revenues were $ 2 , 501 million for the quarter ended June 3 0 , 2016
QoQ growth of 2.2 % in reported terms; 1.7 % in constant currency terms
YoY growth of 10.9 % in reported terms; 12.1 % in constant currency terms
Operating profit was $ 602 million for the quarter ended June 3 0 , 2016
QoQ decline of 3.7 %
YoY growth of 11.3 %
Net profit was $ 511 million for the quarter ended June 3 0 , 2016
QoQ decline of 4.1 %
YoY growth of 7.4 %
Earnings per share (EPS) was $0.22 for the quarter ended June 30, 2016
QoQ decline of 4.1%
YoY growth of 7.4%
Liquid assets including cash and cash equivalents and investments were $4,918 million as on June 30, 2016 as compared to $5,202 million as on March 31, 2016 and $4,750 million as on June 30, 2015 . Dividend payout of $481 million was made during the quarter.
as on as compared to as on and as on . Dividend payout of was made during the quarter. The Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Board of Directors of Infosys Limited at its meeting held on July 14, 2016 , approved the grant of 1,857,820 RSU's at par value which shall be made on August 1, 2016 , to a total of 7,898 eligible and identified high performing employees upto mid-level managers of the Company and its subsidiaries under the 2015 Employee Stock Compensation Plan. The RSU's shall vest over a period of four years from the date of grant which shall be exercisable within the period as approved by the committee. Out of these RSU's, a total of 1,515,135 equity shares will be issued out of the existing treasury shares held by the Infosys Employee Benefits Trust and the balance will be in the form of ADR's and Phantom stock rights.
, approved the grant of 1,857,820 RSU's at par value which shall be made on , to a total of 7,898 eligible and identified high performing employees upto mid-level managers of the Company and its subsidiaries under the 2015 Employee Stock Compensation Plan. The RSU's shall vest over a period of four years from the date of grant which shall be exercisable within the period as approved by the committee. Out of these RSU's, a total of 1,515,135 equity shares will be issued out of the existing treasury shares held by the Infosys Employee Benefits Trust and the balance will be in the form of ADR's and Phantom stock rights. In accordance with the Postal ballot approved by the shareholders on March 31, 2016 , Dr. Vishal Sikka , CEO and Managing Director has been granted RSU's amounting to $ 2 Million which shall be made on August 1, 2016 . The RSU's are time based and will vest over a period of 4 years subject to continuous service. The exercise price for the grant is equal to the par value of one share per RSU.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162 )
"We had unanticipated headwinds in discretionary spending in consulting services and package implementations as well as slower project ramp-ups in large deals that we had won in earlier quarters, resulting in a lower than expected growth in Q1," said Dr. Vishal Sikka, CEO. "Despite this, I am very encouraged by our progress in the execution of our strategy. We launched Infosys MANA, our AI based approach to helping clients continuously renovate their business processes and have already delivered on first client successes. We continued to see strong momentum in large deal wins in which we are bringing the best of our Renew-New strategy to every deal; and we continued to see growth in our delivery services due to their renewal on the basis of Zero Distance, Design Thinking and automation. Going forward, we will continue our strong focus on our long-term goals and vision of transforming Infosys where open, intelligent technology amplifies people and frees them to innovate in a culture of learning and collaboration, while bringing operational excellence and cost discipline to every aspect of our business."
"Our client additions and top client growth was strong during the quarter. Automation continues to be a core lever in the renewal of our traditional service offerings." said U B Pravin Rao, COO. "We are making impactful internal process changes through our simplification initiatives with a focus on better employee experience and improved productivity.", he added.
"Our focus on optimizing cost efficiency levers helped us during the quarter and our cash generation was strong" said M.D. Ranganath, CFO. "We navigated a volatile currency environment effectively."
Outlook*
The Company's outlook (consolidated) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, under IFRS is as follows:
Revenues are expected to grow 10.5%-12.0% in constant currency*.
The above constant currency guidance translates to 10.8%-12.3% in USD terms based on March 31 st rates and 10.0%-11.5% based on June 30 th rates
*FY 16 constant Currency rates - AUD/USD - 0.73; Euro/USD - 1.10; GBP/USD - 1.51
Currency rates as of March 31, 2016 - **AUD/USD - 0.77; Euro/USD - 1.14; GBP/USD - 1.44
Currency rates as of June 30, 2016 - ***AUD/USD - 0.75; Euro/USD - 1.11; GBP/USD - 1.35
Investments
This quarter we made an investment in Trifacta, a leading provider of data wrangling software that enables non-technical users to easily transform data for analysis. As part of this investment Trifacta will provide a data wrangling solution for the Infosys Information Platform (IIP) and Infosys' other platforms and offerings.
Business Highlights
We continue to execute on our strategy of bringing automation and innovation to help our clients Renew their existing businesses and IT landscapes while enabling New kinds of opportunities through new user experiences, leveraging new open intelligent technology and platforms, and driving deeper problem-finding using Design Thinking. This quarter we launched Infosys Mana, a knowledge-based AI platform; we continued to grow our top accounts and increased our momentum in large deals; and we began to monetize key initiatives such as Zero Distance - our program to drive innovation in every client project.
Purposeful AI for the Enterprise
We launched Infosys Mana, a knowledge-based AI platform that brings machine learning together with the deep knowledge of an organization, to drive automation and innovation - enabling businesses to continuously reinvent their system landscapes. We are already working with a number of clients including JCI and Syngenta.
Syngenta AG is transforming their IT organization towards innovation and delivering more value to business. Towards this Syngenta has chosen Infosys Mana platform that will help accelerate this journey. Robert Weltevreden, Head of SBS at Syngenta, said, "We have chosen Infosys Mana, a Knowledge-based Artificial Intelligence Platform, to help us with insights, drive automation, innovation, efficiency and excellence across the organization. Mana will help us capture knowledge across systems and process, identify and execute opportunities to lower cost of change, and fundamentally help transform business processes on an ongoing basis."
Syngenta AG, one of the world's leading Agribusiness companies, has selected Infosys as their key strategic partner in IT Services across a multi-year managed service engagement. Syngenta and Infosys shall jointly accelerate innovation and bring in a paradigm shift through a Design Studio operating on Design Thinking principles. This partnership will bring in new capabilities, agility, and on-demand services to stay a step ahead on bringing new technology to service business needs proactively.
Jeff Augustin, Vice President and CIO at Johnson Controls, said, "Johnson Controls (JCI) is transforming the role IT plays in accelerating growth and delivering value to the business. Towards this objective, we have chosen Infosys Mana, a Knowledge-based Artificial Intelligence Platform, to help us drive automation, innovation, efficiency and excellence across the enterprise. We will be leveraging Mana to identify and execute on opportunities to lower the cost of maintenance, capture the know-how of our often fragmented and complex systems and enable our businesses to be more nimble and agile."
IIP as the Data Storage and Machine Learning Foundation for Mana Continues to See Good Adoption
Hermes Parcelnet Ltd, a leading European consumer delivery specialist, has selected Infosys to implement a next-generation BI platform based on the Infosys Information Platform (IIP). Steve Bower, Head of Management Information at Hermes Parcelnet Ltd, said, "Infosys provided a comprehensive assessment of our Management Information (MI) capabilities. This included a strategic roadmap which helped us implement a set of tactical improvements on our current MI estate and provided stability as well as a smooth peak. In addition, Infosys is in the process of helping us deliver our Big Data platform which will improve our ability to make decisions on a real time basis and enhance our operational efficiencies. We are confident that our partnership with Infosys will help us deliver even more value for our business in the future."
Strategy and Design Consulting: Finding and Solving the Most Significant Challenges of Our Clients
Over the last quarter, we made significant progress in leveraging design thinking to proactively drive new business transformation programs for our clients.
Carlos E Amesquita, Chief Information Officer, The Hershey Company, said, "Infosys is partnering with us in our key transformational initiatives spanning SAP implementation, sales, digital and being an insights driven organization. In all of these, Infosys' approach of Design Thinking is helping us drive a cultural transformation, while enabling key organizational processes and capabilities with speed."
JIM WARREN, Business Unit Director, Jabil, said, "Jabil and our medical division, Nypro, has deep expertise in hardware design and manufacturing of healthcare wearables. We have partnered with Infosys for their Design Thinking, Big-Data analytics and Cloud Service capabilities to create the next generation of connected healthcare services that are both agile and medical device agnostic. We are very excited about this partnership and the immense value Infosys has brought to the table thus far."
Panaya, Skava & EdgeVerve
We continue to see traction with Panaya and Skava. Infosys and Kohl's are working together, using Design Thinking and leveraging the Skava digital platform to enhance customers, associates, and the overall Kohls experience.
The EdgeVerve business continued its strong market momentum with 16 wins and 21 go-lives for both the Finacle and Edge suite of solutions across markets.
EdgeVerve Systems launched its Blockchain Frameworkdesigned to further the adoption of blockchain technology by the global financial services sector. This permissioned ledger will allow banks to rapidly deploy blockchain-based services, providing them an opportunity to leverage a technology that has fundamentally challenged the operating principles underlying banking transactions and book keeping.
The Finacle Core Banking solution was selected to power Paytm's new payments bank business. Paytm will leverage Finacle's proven platform for its deposit products and payments platform, enabling it to rapidly roll out innovative offerings.
Shinjini Kumar, CEO, Paytm Payments Bank, said, "After considering multiple core banking solutions, Paytm is happy to announce that we have chosen Infosys Finacle as the core banking solution for our payments bank. With its large deployment base in India including some of the largest banks, Finacle has proven to be a scalable solution and we are confident that it will be able to support our aspiration to be a large and robust platform for small value, high volume transactions for millions of Indians."
Speaking on their selection of AssistEdge, Pranav Chandra, Digital Strategist, Stora Enso said, "Stora Enso has embarked on a journey to automate its business processes. Towards this, I am pleased to confirm that we have now chosen Infosys as our preferred partner for the Robotic Process Automation Proof of Concept project. After initial discussions internally with our Group Finance Delivery and Group Sourcing, we believe Infosys will be able to provide the adequate mix of technical and business process expertise and competence within Robotic Process Automation, driven by Infosys AssistEdge."
"Infosys' suite of services increased our agility, helped us operate as a standalone company, and subsequently merge smoothly with the COFCO Group with minimal business risk. After the success of the integration, CofcoAgri has selected Infosys as the preferred partner for our global program to transform global operations across applications, infrastructure and end user computing powered by Infosys EdgeVerve," said Dean Zia Dar, Group CIO, CofcoAgri.
Strengthening client relationships and adding new clients
National Australia Bank has chosen Infosys to build and run the technology solution that will enable it to participate in the New Payments Platform (NPP), an industry-led program in Australia that is aimed at delivering faster, flexible and data-rich payments.
"NAB has selected Infosys as our partner to build and run the technology solution for our payments platform, using D+H's Global PayPlus payments software. We look forward to working with Infosys to deliver new and exciting capabilities for our customers," said Michael Starkey , NAB Executive General Manager of Deposits and Transaction Services.
that is aimed at delivering faster, flexible and data-rich payments. "NAB has selected Infosys as our partner to build and run the technology solution for our payments platform, using D+H's Global PayPlus payments software. We look forward to working with Infosys to deliver new and exciting capabilities for our customers," said Carl Zeiss Group AG ,theworld's most respected company for precision optics and optoelectronics manufacturing, has selected us as its key strategic partner for consulting and application services.As strategic partner, we will support the Zeiss Groupas it consolidates and transforms its SAP landscapeover the next five years, as well as helping in the transition towards HANA and cloud-based services such as MS Azure.Infosys' support for Zeiss is enabled by a strong backbone of AI-based automation, design thinking framework and leveraging the power of open source and cloud.
,theworld's most respected company for precision optics and optoelectronics manufacturing, has selected us as its key strategic partner for consulting and application services.As strategic partner, we will support the Zeiss Groupas it consolidates and transforms its SAP landscapeover the next five years, as well as helping in the transition towards HANA and cloud-based services such as MS Azure.Infosys' support for Zeiss is enabled by a strong backbone of AI-based automation, design thinking framework and leveraging the power of open source and cloud. Prem Chander , Chief Executive Officer, London Energy Trading, said, "As part of our global expansion plans there is an inherent need for us to transform and automate our trading, risk management and logistics business processes to handle the agility and real time nature of our business across 30+ countries. We selected Infosys to define the IT strategy and roadmap for addressing the global ETRM (Energy Trade Risk Management) Platform requirement for London Energy Trading, for which Infosys has brought in their extensive experience in Energy Trading coupled with their high end consulting capabilities to define the operating model for future proofing our business."
said, "As part of our global expansion plans there is an inherent need for us to transform and automate our trading, risk management and logistics business processes to handle the agility and real time nature of our business across 30+ countries. We selected Infosys to define the IT strategy and roadmap for addressing the global ETRM (Energy Trade Risk Management) Platform requirement for London Energy Trading, for which Infosys has brought in their extensive experience in Energy Trading coupled with their high end consulting capabilities to define the operating model for future proofing our business." Rutherford and Associates, a Direct Store Delivery solution provider, has chosen us as a strategic implementation partner for its flagship product eoStar - which is a popular choice among leading beverage distributors across North America . Paul Rutherford , President Rutherford and Associates, said, "We are extremely excited about the expertise in project implementations and ability to scale that Infosys brings to this partnership.Due to the vast experience in ERP solutions for the CPG industry that Infosys possesses, it is a natural fit that we feel will help scale our company to the next level."
Grassroots Innovation through Zero Distance
Zero Distance - Evolving from project coverage to delivering value
Our Zero Distance, the grassroots innovation program across projects at Infosys, has evolved over the last year from project coverage to delivering value to clients in the form of incremental or adjacent innovative solutions that have had a direct impact on their business.
Owen Shier, Finance Controller APAC, Hudson Global Resources, said, "Infosys has been our trusted partner for the last seven years and has done a fantastic job delivering the required services. In the past few years, Infosys' focus towards automation and innovation under its Zero Distance Programme and Design Thinking Movement has added significant value to our partnership. Infosys has proactively identified opportunities to make the existing streams of work more efficient by implementing automation and working closely with us to deliver innovative solutions. This has produced results which have not just met, but exceeded our expectations. I am sure this change in approach of proactively seeking new areas of improvements and innovative thinking will bring in lot of value add to Infosys' existing and new customers. I look forward to further successful initiatives and collaborations from Infosys over the next few years."
Extending the Reach through our Ecosystem
We continue to expand and enter into multiple strategic partnerships to offer innovative solutions to our clients:
Expanded our relationship with Microsoft Corp. to simplify and automate migration to Microsoft products and to accelerate Microsoft Azure-based and other digital transformations for clients
Entered into a strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to offer a suite of technologies to ease transition from legacy IT to a modern cloud-based platform
Partnered with KUKA Aktiengesellschaft to jointly develop solutions to support companies embracing Industry 4.0. The aim of the collaboration is the development of a software platform that will allow customers to collect, evaluate and utilize data to improve their own processes
Infosys Finacle and Samsung SDS partnered to provide end customers a secure, fast and convenient way to use mobile banking and payment services. This partnership offers financial services customers a seamless user experience and hassle-free access without lengthy authentication processes
Infosys Finacle partnered with Onegini to integrate its mobile security platform with Finacle banking solutions. This integration will allow banks to provide their customers enhanced security such as fingerprint, facial, eye and voice recognition as well as multi-factor authentication, as they transact on devices
Awards and Recognition
Positioned as a Leader in Everest Group's 2016 PEAK Matrix' for Independent Testing Services
Recognized as the 'IT Services Provider of the Year - Banking Financial Services and Insurance Sector' by Frost & Sullivan
Infosys Finacle positioned as a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Global Retail Core Banking
Infosys Finacle rated 'Best-in-class' in Advanced Technology and Breadth of Functionality in Celent's report, 'Ubiquitous Digital For Channel Banking: Global Digital Platforms Solutions Vendors, 2016'
Beyond Business
We are committed to contributing towards and giving back to the communities in which we are present.
In India, the Infosys Foundation continues to serve as a powerful catalyst to bring about a positive change in the society. In this quarter, among various programs, the Foundation provided several grants towards education and healthcare. Some of these include grants to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research - Pune and Bangalore Life Science Cluster
Through the quarter, Infosys Foundation USA relentlessly pursued its mission of providing equal access to Computer Science and Maker education to under-represented communities in the US. To evangelize the Maker movement, the Foundation launched the WhyIMake social campaign at the June Nation of Makers event at the White House as well as announced the winners of the spring cycle of the Infy Maker Awards. At CrossRoads 2016, the Foundation's annual thought leadership conference, the Foundation announced its CS for All Community Giving program in partnerships with National Science Foundation and DonorsChoose.org. The program pioneers a new model of crowdsourced funding for training of computer science teachers in public schools.
About Infosys Ltd
Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 countries to create and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From engineering to application development, knowledge management and business process management, we help our clients find the right problems to solve, and to solve these effectively.Our team of 190,000+ innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and technologies, that we bring to every project we undertake.
Visit http://www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. These filings are available at http://www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that the date of this press release is July 15, 2016, and any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.
Infosys Limited and subsidiaries
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Balance Sheets as of
(Dollars in millions except equity share data)
June 30, 2016 March 31, 2016 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 4,598 4,935 Current investments 83 11 Trade receivables 1,761 1,710 Unbilled revenue 484 457 Prepayments and other current assets 805 672 Derivative financial instruments 9 17 Total current assets 7,740 7,802 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 1,624 1,589 Goodwill 561 568 Intangible assets 142 149 Investment in Associates 16 16 Non-current investments 258 273 Deferred income tax assets 93 81 Income tax assets 772 789 Other non-current assets 111 111 Total non-current assets 3,577 3,576 Total assets 11,317 11,378 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Trade payables 39 58 Derivative Financial Instruments 1 1 Current income tax liabilities 609 515 Client deposits 4 4 Unearned revenue 228 201 Employee benefit obligations 210 202 Provisions 79 77 Other current liabilities 1,014 940 Total current liabilities 2,184 1,998 Non-current liabilities Deferred income tax liabilities 37 39 Other non-current liabilities 20 17 Total liabilities 2,241 2,054 Equity Share capital- '5 ($0.16) par value 2,400,000,000 (2,400,000,000) equity shares authorized, issued and outstanding 2,285,633,494 (2,285,621,088) net of 11,311,170 (11,323,576) treasury shares, as of June 30, 2016 (March 31, 2016), respectively 199 199 Share premium 571 570 Retained earnings 11,014 11,083 Other reserves - - Other components of equity (2,708) (2,528) Total equity attributable to equity holders of the company 9,076 9,324 Non-controlling interests - - Total equity 9,076 9,324 Total liabilities and equity 11,317 11,378
Infosys Limited and subsidiaries
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Comprehensive Income
(Dollars in millions except share and per equity share data)
Three months Three months ended June 30, ended June 30, 2016 2015 Revenues 2,501 2,256 Cost of sales 1,592 1,434 Gross profit 909 822 Operating expenses: Selling and marketing expenses 137 129 Administrative expenses 170 152 Total operating expenses 307 281 Operating profit 602 541 Other income, net 112 119 Share in associate's profit / (loss) - - Profit before income taxes 714 660 Income tax expense 203 184 Net profit 511 476 Other comprehensive income Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss: Re-measurement of the net defined benefit liability/(asset) (2) (1) Equity instruments through other comprehensive income - - Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: Fair valuation of investments - (2) Cumulative impact on reversal of unrealized gain on quoted debt securities on adoption of IFRS 9 (5) - Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations (173) (137) Total other comprehensive income, net of tax (180) (140) Total comprehensive income 331 336 Profit attributable to: Owners of the company 511 476 Non-controlling interests - - 511 476 Total comprehensive income attributable to: Owners of the company 331 336 Non-controlling interests - - 331 336 Earnings per equity share Basic ($) 0.22 0.21 Diluted ($) 0.22 0.21 Weighted average equity shares used in computing earnings per equity share Basic 2,285,622,329 2,285,610,264 Diluted 2,285,768,122 2,285,672,309
NOTE:
1. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated interim Balance sheets and Condensed Consolidated interim Statements of Comprehensive Income for the three months ended June 30, 2016 have been taken on record at the Board meeting held on July 15, 2016
2. A Fact Sheet providing the operating metrics of the company can be downloaded from http://www.infosys.com
IFRS-INR Press Release: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2016-2017/q1/Documents/IFRS-INR-press-release.pdf
Fact Sheet: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2016-2017/q1/Documents/fact-sheet.pdf
LONDON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Former United Nations Representative, Andrew Hirsch, has confirmed to speak at the Global Patent Congress 2016, taking place in Brussels 26th-28th September.
Andrew has 25 years of international experience representing private sector companies, the US Department of Commerce, and Patent & Trademark Office and was hired by the United Nations to draft the 'Feasibility Study for a UN Technology Bank for the World's Least Developed Countries'.
Currently Executive Director for the International Intellectual Property Institute (IIPI), Andrew will be giving his insightonhow to 'Understand Chinese Patent Culture as an Imperative Step for Implementing Strategy', 'How to Improve the Global Intellectual Property Ecosystem and Drive Economic Growth through IP' and opening on-site discussions on 'How the Brexit could impact intellectual property'.
Mr. Hirsch along with leaders from companies including Unified Patent Court, Nokia Technologies, European Patent Office, Valneva Austria, Panasonic, and other Legal experts will be at the Global Patent Congress on 26th-28th September, in Brussels.
The congress brings together 60+ Industry leaders and many more, to debate, discuss and shape global patents within the legal industry and define company patent strategies, including a 'View from the Bench' regarding the Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court.
The full agenda including a full list of keynote speakers can be found here http://www.patentcongress.com/PR
Notes to editors:
Become a member of Legal IQ and receive complimentary access to resources that will keep you at the forefront of industry change. You will receive access to our growing library of multimedia presentations from industry leaders, an email newsletter updating you on new content that has been added, free aggregated news feed from over 1000 global news sources tracking your industry and special member-only discounts on events.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 15, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - SEMI, the global semiconductor industry association serving the entire manufacturing supply chain, concluded SEMICON Southeast Asia 2016 (SEMICON SEA 2016) on a transfomative note. The exhibition emphasized new business opportunities, and cross-regional engagement, across all segments of the microelectronics industries, from semiconductors and equipment, to LEDs, advanced packaging, test systems, IoT, and other adjacent markets.Ng Kai Fai, Pres. of SEMI SEA, said "The semiconductor industry has the potential to be an engine of strong continued growth for the Southeast Asia economy. It is a very vibrant and changing market. The front-end, or processing segment of the industry, is expected to see a capital investment grow at over 100% (approaching USD$2 billion) in SEA alone this year, following increases in memory demand for data storage and mobile applications globally.""SEMICON SEA 2016 featured more than 60 industry speakers and 200 companies coming together to learn about the latest technology developments and strategies from industry leaders. For next year, we expect to attract even more exhibitors and speakers from around the world. We have already secured 143 exhibitors for the upcoming exhibition which will once again be held in Penang."A total of 6,125 industry players attended the three-day conference which was anchored by 199 exhibitors from across the Southeast Asia region, an increase from 181 in 2015. In addition, the event had a 27% increase in new company attendees. The event connected decision makers from leading and emerging semiconductor companies from both the SEA region and world, and attracted an influential audience from a cross-sector of the global microelectronics industry.Held in the Subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Centre (SPICE) in Penang, SEMICON SEA 2016 focused on trends and solutions in semiconductor design and manufacturing, including expanding applications markets, many of which require development of specialised materials, packaging, and test technologies, as well as new architectures and processes. The event also addressed expanding applications markets like mobile devices, and other connected "Internet of Things" (IoT) technologies."Overall, we are pleased with the success of SEMICON Southeast Asia 2016. For the upcoming SEMICON SEA 2017, we plan to enhance the value of the event by offering dedicated pavilions including two new focused on Packaging and Failure Analysis," Ng continued. "The SEA semiconducter community is only starting to network, collaborate and innovate, especially in the nascent Wafer Level and System Level Packaging industries, and it is looking to become a larger player in this USD19 billion global industry."Sponsors for SEMICON SEA 2016 included Advantest, Applied Materials, AMEC, ASE, Chip Shine, Edward Technologies, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, EV Group, Festo, Indium, KLA-Tencor, Kulicke & Soffa, Lam Research, SCREEN, Siemens, Tokyo Electron and Xcerra Corporation. Partners include Invest Penang, LEDExpo Thailand 2016, VLSI Consultancy, MATRADE, Malaysia Investment & Development Authority (MIDA), Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Penang Tourism, SAMENTA and Singapore Manufacturing Federation.About SEMICON SEAWhile Southeast Asia is rising up fast as a world-class electronics manufacturing hub with end-to-end R&D capabilitie, SEMICON Southeast Asia has become an important exposition for the semiconductor industry in Southeast Asia. The show connects the decision makers from the industry, demonstrates the most advanced products and brings in the most up-to-date market and technology trends.SEMICON Southeast Asia (April) takes place among SEMICON Russia (June), SEMICON West (USA, July), SEMICON Taiwan (Sept), SEMICON Europa (Oct), and SEMICON Japan (Dec). SEMICON SEA reconvenes at the SPICE Arena, Penang, Malaysia, 25-27 April, 2017. For more information, please see www.semiconsea.org.About SEMI Southeast AsiaSEMI Southeast Asia was established in 1993, the same year the SEMICON Singapore exhibition was established. The aim of the SEMI Southeast Asia office is to provide all of the SEMI International Services to the region in a timely manner. If you happen to be visiting or plan to set up operations in Southeast Asia, please contact us at the SEMI Southeast Asia office. For more information, please visit www.semi.org/sea.About SEMISEMI is the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries. SEMI member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Since 1970, SEMI has been committed to helping members create new markets and meet common industry challenges. SEMI maintains offices in Beijing, Bengaluru, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.semi.org.Contact on behalf of SEMI -Acendus Communications Sdn BhdMichael Poh at +60 12 395 5202Reshvinder Kaur at +60 17 275 7985Source: SEMICopyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
LONDON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
TMF Group is proud to announce its sponsorship of the "Global Reach Challenge"; renowned explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes' world record breaking attempt to become the first person to cross both polar ice caps and climb the highest mountain on every continent.
TMF Group brand ambassador, Sir Ranulph Fiennes has just returned from climbing Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe. He has already successfully summited Mount Everest in Asia (2009) and Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa (2004) as well as reaching both the North and South Poles by crossing the Antarctic continent and the Arctic Ocean.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389597 )
In a race to secure the record before anyone else, the 72-year old will climb four more mountains in less than a year; Mount Carstensz in New Guinea (Australasia), Mount Vinson in Antarctica, Aconcagua in Argentina (South America), and finally Denali, the highest peak in North America and one of the world's most dangerous and difficult mountains to climb.
Sir Ranulph's progress, photos and videos related to the Global Reach Challenge can be tracked on a dedicated website, http://www.tmfglobalreachchallenge.com available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Sir Ranulph outlined his reasons for undertaking the challenge: "In 2009, I was the first person to complete what was then The Grand Slam, which was, and was established in the New York Explorers Club and everywhere else, as being the first person to cross the Arctic Ocean, on the surface of the Arctic Ocean, and the Antarctic Continent, and the highest mountain, Everest - known as the third Pole.
"However, I then learnt that the goal-posts had been moved by the global adventure community. And now The Grand Slam has been expanded so that it is the Arctic, the Antarctic and, not just Everest, but the highest mountain on all seven continents."
Along with the goal to achieve the world record, Sir Ranulph is also on a mission to raise funds for Marie Curie, a UK-based charity that provides vital care and support to people living with a terminal illness and their families, across the country.
"Climbing four mountains in a short space of time will definitely be a challenge," explained Fiennes. "Especially Denali in Alaska, which only had an 18% success rate during this year's season. However, with local expertise and know-how, I would really like to have a go as this endeavour also raises money for Marie Curie - a very worthwhile cause."
The Global Reach Challenge is financially sponsored by TMF Group, a leading provider of global business services that specialises in helping companies to expand into new territories and invest across international borders.
Fiennes went on: "Our sponsor is TMF Group who, for any company or even individual who wants to set up in remote areas or expand their company, has the expertise of dealing with local people and local problems to enable companies to set up abroad. So like our sponsor, we need to do everything meticulously in a remote area and that's what we're good at."
Frederik van Tuyll, CEO of TMF Group added: "Sir Ranulph Fiennes is the world's greatest living explorer. He has inspired many for generations with his perseverance and dedication, and has pushed himself to the extreme to complete some of the world's most gruelling and difficult challenges.
"He has shown that to succeed in remote areas requires not only tremendous ambition but also detailed local knowledge and expertise - so he surrounds himself with a strong team, all experts in their field. TMF Group understands this too, and is excited to be part of the Global Reach Challenge team."
About TMF Group:
TMF Group helps global companies expand and invest seamlessly across international borders. Its expert accountants, legal, HR and payroll professionals located around the world assist clients with their corporate structures, finance vehicles and investments. With business services offered in more than 80 countries, TMF Group is the global expert that understands local needs.http://www.tmf-group.com
Today's police log includes charges stemming from a traffic stop and child endangerment charges as well as investigations into a retail theft and an assault that both occurred in Camp Hill.
Regulatory News:
Skanska's (STO:SKAB) Six month report 2016 will be released on Friday, July 22 at 07:30 am CET.
In conjunction with the release of the report, you are invited to participate in a telephone conference, at 10:00 am CET (UK 09:00).
Johan Karlstrom, Skanska's President and CEO, and Peter Wallin, CFO, will present the report and thereafter respond to questions.
The telephone conference will be audiocasted live at www.skanska.com/investors, where it also will be posted shortly afterwards.
To participate in the telephone conference, with the possibility to ask questions, please dial +46 8 505 564 74, or +44 20 3364 5374, or +1 855 753 2230.
After the conference there will be possibilities for individual meetings with Johan Karlstrom and Peter Wallin. To apply for a meeting please contact per.heinrup@skanska.se no later than July 20.
Welcome!
Andre Lofgren Katarina Gronwall SVP, Investor Relations SVP, Communications
This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com/media
The information provided herein is such as Skanska AB is obligated to disclose pursuant to the EU market securities act (EU) no. 596/2014.
Skanska is one of the world's leading project development and construction groups with expertise in construction, development of commercial and residential premises, and public-private partnerships projects. Based on its global green experience, Skanska aims to be the clients' first choice for Green solutions. The Group currently has 43,000 employees in selected home markets in Europe and North America. Skanska's sales in 2015 totaled SEK 155 billion.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160715005202/en/
Contacts:
Skanska AB
Andre Lofgren, Senior Vice President Investor Relations
tel +46 (0)10 448 13 63
or
Katarina Gronwall, Senior Vice President Communications
tel +46 (0)10 448 88 77
or
Andreas Joons, Press Officer
tel +46 (0)10 449 04 94
or
Direct line for media
tel +46 (0)10 448 88 99
BANGKOK, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The 23rd World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) Annual Meetings 2016 has successfully held in Bangkok, Thailand from June 29-July 1, 2016. Mr. Apisak Tativorawong, Minister of Finance presided over the meeting together with Mr. Heinrich Haasis, President of WSBI, Mr. Chatchai Payuhanaveechai, President & CEO of GSB and representatives from WSBI members worldwide, The Bank of Thailand, The Office of Auditor General of Thailand, Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand, Finance Ministry and Subordinates, Financial Institutes and Partners attended the meeting.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/389901
Government Savings Bank Thailand (GSB) hosted the 23rd World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) Annual Meetings 2016: Banking in the 21st Century. The first session on June 29 was aimed to push forward retail banking to the digital era. The meeting was attended by more than 500 representatives of more than 110 financial institutions agencies from 80 countries worldwide.
In the WSBI Annual Meetings 2016: Banking in the 21st Century, agreements were made by WSBI to use technology to expand accessibility and opportunity for people in 80 countries to be able to access financial products and services at reasonable price. However, the products and services must meet the need of those who cannot access to the finances. Meanwhile, savings and retails banks will still emphasis on technology driving model and national market. This model supports Double Bottom-Line concept that leads to financial and institutes sustainability as well as the society payback. WSBI was ready to support Asian countries in developing international financial system among the countries and aiming to increase its customers to 1,700 Million or 400 Million new accounts by 2020. The opinions exchanged about digital banking expansion were also discussed in The Resolution of the 23rd WSBI Annual Meetings. WSBI President Committee and Board members also attended WSBI General Assembly in the morning session.
WSBI members has visited Pak Kret Ruamjai 2 Community Financial Institution which is supported by GSB on July 1, 2016, welcomed by Mr. Chonlatee Yangtrong Deputy Governor of Nonthaburi Province, together with Kho Kret Community Network's Chairman, Pak Kret Ruamjai 2 Community's Manager and members. The group also visited pottery center and saw demonstration of Thai dessert cooking and Thai music show at Kho Kret District, Nonthaburi province.
Regulatory News:
Semcon (STO:SEMC)
We are reporting healthy growth and significantly better results than last year for Q2. It is pleasing to see all our business areas reporting improvements in results. Business area Engineering Services Nordic noted increased demand from, among others, the automotive industry, while the energy sector, in Norway especially, remained weak. Business Area Engineering Services Germany continued work on the change process that was initiated at the end of last year. With a new business structure and organisation set, the prerequisites are now in place for gradually improving results. It is positive to see that business area Engineering Services International is successively increasing deliveries from our specialists in Brazil concerning autonomous vehicles for customers in Europe. We see good growth potential for the entire Group within this area. Business area Product Information signed two new partnership agreements in Q2 with automotive manufacturers in Sweden and the UK. The projects are being delivered by our global teams and initially involve 65 employees. The market is showing great interest in our managed services offers that provide significant value for customers through higher quality, improved efficiency and lower total costs. The trend towards more connected products is very clear. Our knowledge and expertise in product development in several industries is a key element in helping our customers to create smarter products that make life simpler for the end-user. Semcon is an attractive and appreciated supplier, but in order to increase our market share and further strengthen our brand we wish to increase visibility and be even more distinct in our communication. Consequently, during the autumn we will launch our new communication strategy.
Second quarter
The operating income amounted to SEK 700 million (632) and organic growth was 10%
The operating profit amounted to SEK 31 million (-28), giving an operating margin of 4.4% (-4.5)
The profit after tax amounted to SEK 22 million (-22)
Earnings per share (EPS) after dilution amounted to SEK 1.24 (-1.21)
January-June
The operating income amounted to SEK 1,366 million (1,309) and organic growth was 5%
The operating profit amounted to SEK 54 million (6), giving an operating margin of 4.0% (0.4)
The profit after tax amounted to SEK 39 million (3)
Earnings per share (EPS) after dilution amounted to SEK 2.16 (0.15)
The equity/assets ratio amounted to 46% (45)
Income and result
Second quarter
The operating income amounted to SEK 700 million (632). Adjusted for currency effects, acquisitions and divestments, income increased by 10%. The quarter had more working days compared with last year, which accounted for around 4% of the increase. The operating profit amounted to SEK 31 million (-28), giving an operating margin of 4.4% (-4.5). All business areas reported improved operating profit compared with the previous year. Last year business area Engineering Services Germany's operating profit was affected by SEK 20 million in restructuring costs. Net financial items amounted to SEK -1 million (-1), giving a profit before tax of SEK 30 million (-30). The tax cost amounted to SEK -8 million (+8). The profit after tax amounted to SEK 22 million (-22) and EPS after dilution was SEK 1.24 (-1.21).
January-June
The operating income amounted to SEK 1,366 million (1,309). Adjusted for currency effects, acquisitions and divestments, income increased by 5%. The period had one extra working day compared with last year, which accounted for around 1% of the increase. The operating profit amounted to SEK 54 million (6), giving an operating margin of 4.0% (0.4). All business areas reported improved operating profit compared with the previous year. Last year the business area Engineering Services Germany's operating profit was affected by SEK 20 million in restructuring costs. Business area Product Information's operating profit was positively affected this year by recovered write-downs of accounts receivable of SEK 7 million. Net financial items amounted to SEK -2 million (-2), giving a profit before tax of SEK 52 million (4). The tax cost amounted to SEK -13 million (-1). The profit after tax was SEK 39 million (3) and EPS after dilution was SEK 2.16 (0.15).
Financial position
The operating cash flow from current activities was SEK -40 million (-110). Cash flow is seasonally weak in the first half of the year. Investments in hardware, licenses, office supplies and equipment amounted to SEK 26 million (23). The Group's liquid assets amounted to SEK 47 million (55) with additional non-utilised credit of SEK 223 million (177) as at June 30. Shareholders' equity amounted to SEK 622 million (613) and the equity/assets ratio was 46% (45). During Q2 a dividend of SEK 22 million (45) was paid to shareholders. The Group's net debt amounted to SEK 170 million (198). Excluding pension commitments, net debt amounted to SEK 99 million (132). The debt/equity ratio was 0.3 times (0.3).
Employees
The head count on June 30 was 2,897 (2,886) and the number of employees in active service was 2,772 (2,775).In the respective business areas the headcount is as follows: Engineering Services Nordic 1,083 (996), Engineering Services Germany 874 (997), Engineering Services International 351 (338) och Product Information 589 (555). Measures taken over the past year in business area Engineering Services Germany have resulted in a fall in the number of employees.
Semcon is an international technology company within engineering services and product information. We have around 3,000 employees with extensive experience from many different industries. We develop technology, products, plant and information solutions along the entire development chain and also provide many services and products in areas such as quality control, training and methodology development. Semcon contribute to our customers' competitive strength by providing innovative solutions, design and solid engineering expertise. Work processes and solutions are adapted to customer requirements, from taking part in the customer's teams to in-house development projects. The Group had annual sales of SEK 2.6 billion in 2015 and activities at more than 40 sites in Sweden, Germany, the UK, Brazil, China, Hungary, India, Spain and Norway. Some of Semcon's biggest customers include: ABB, AB Volvo, Audi, BMW, CEVT, Jaguar Land Rover, Scania, Volvo Cars and VW. Read more at www.semcon.com.
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Contacts:
Semcon AB
Bjorn Stromberg
CFO
+46 31-721 03 06
www.semcon.com
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - U.K. construction output declined in May after recovering a month ago, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. Construction output slid 2.1 percent in May from a month ago, reversing a 2.8 percent rise in April. It was forecast to fall 1.2 percent. Both all new work and repair and maintenance reported decreases, falling by 2.6 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively. On a yearly basis, construction output declined at a faster pace of 1.9 percent after easing 0.6 percent in the prior month. Economist had forecast a 3.5 percent fall for May. IHS Global Insight Economist Howard Archer said it was evident that the construction sector was hit appreciably by increased caution among clients as the run-up to the referendum on EU membership magnified UK and global economic uncertainties. 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.
VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares inched lower on Friday as worries over yet another horrible attack in France, this time in the Riviera city of Nice, overshadowed better-than-expected economic data out of China. French President Francois Hollande extended a state of emergency by another three months, saying all of France is under threat from terrorism. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 9 points or 0.14 percent at 6,645 in midday trading after declining 0.2 percent on Thursday. The pound built on the previous day's gains after the Bank of England's surprise decision to keep rates on hold. Travel and leisure stocks bore the brunt of the selling, with easyJet tumbling 3.5 percent, Thomas Cook Plc losing 3 percent and British Airways' owner International Consolidated Airlines Group declining 1.5 percent. Energy giant BP Plc dropped half a percent on saying its costs from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill would rise by an additional $5.2 billion. Support services group DCC gained 1 percent after its overall group operating profit for the first quarter came in ahead of forecasts. Banks Barclays, HSBC Holdings and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group rose between 0.2 percent and 1 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Minera Alamos Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MAI) (the "Company" or "Minera Alamos") today announced the completion of its review of the most recent exploration data from the La Fortuna gold project in Durango, Mexico which confirms significant potential for growth beyond the project's current Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources of 4,824,000 tonnes at 1.99 g/t gold containing 308,100 gold ounces (see Company's press release dated January 18, 2016).
"A very thorough reconnaissance program of surface mapping and sampling was performed over the La Fortuna concession area by the previous owners," said Miguel Cardona, Vice President, Exploration at Minera Alamos. "The compilation of this data and available historical information has allowed us to define geological models for potential ore deposits across the entire project. Recommendations are now being developed for further exploration work."
Three distinct zones of mineralization have already been identified along parallel structures that correspond to the primary regional faulting in this region of Mexico (NW-SE). In addition to the Fortuna Main Zone (and extensions) where Company's current resource is located, these also include the Ramada Zone and the PN Zone. All three areas contain numerous historical mine workings and have been sampled and mapped at surface. These expansions span an area many times larger than that of the current resource. Defining the continuity of the mineralization throughout these extended zones will be the focus of the Company's upcoming exploration activities.
Highlights:
-- In the late 1990's only the first phase of drilling at the La Fortuna Main Zone was completed prior to a dramatic decline in gold prices. This drilling focused on an area approximately 350-400m in length which was centered around the largest of the old mine workings. The resource confirmed by Castle Gold Corporation (now Argonaut gold Inc.) in 2008 was limited to the area originally drilled off under that first phase of work and remained open at depth and to the south; -- La Fortuna Main Zone style mineralization is evident at surface along strike and approximately 400-500m south of the current resource and can be traced for over 200m. Phase 2 of the 1990's drill program which was ultimately cancelled was intended to focus on evaluating this La Fortuna extension area and its relation back towards the Main Zone. If mineralization continuity can be demonstrated these extensions offer the potential to significantly increase the resources currently defined along this structure; -- The Ramada zone lies on a parallel fault structure approximately 2 km north-east of the La Fortuna deposit. The mineralization that can be traced at surface extends for a length of approximately 600 metres and exhibits grades of up to 15-40 g/t gold in places from sampling both at surface and inside of the historic mine workings; -- 1.5km north-east of Ramada lies the PN zone, a large epithermal system hosting gold and silver. The deposit is structurally controlled and appears to be part of a large shear zone associated with the intersection of two major fault systems; -- The PN shear zone can be followed for approximately 1.5 km and has the potential to become a bulk tonnage gold/silver system. The area contains numerous occurrences of old mine workings and sampling from these areas as well as surface has confirmed widespread mineralization with gold grades from approximately 1-10 g/t in addition to 50-400 g/t of silver.
About Minera Alamos
Minera Alamos is a junior exploration and development company. Its growing portfolio of high-grade Mexican projects includes the La Fortuna open pit gold project in Durango and the Los Verdes open pit copper-molybdenum project in Sonora, both currently in development.
Mr. Darren Koningen, P. Eng., Minera Alamos Inc.'s President, is the Qualified Person responsible for technical content of this release under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Koningen has supervised the preparation of, and approved the scientific and technical disclosures utilized in this news release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information with respect to the proposed transaction, timing of the closing of proposed transaction and the Company's consideration of the proposed production plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" 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 based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made at the date that such statements are made.
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 the risk factors disclosed elsewhere in the Company's public disclosure. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purposes of assisting readers in understanding the Company's plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
Contacts:
Minera Alamos Inc.
Chris Frostad
CEO
(416) 306-0990
Minera Alamos Inc.
Patrick Piette
Investor Relations
(416) 306-0990
www.mineraalamos.com
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- WSP Global Inc. (TSX: WSP) ("WSP" or the "Corporation") will announce its 2016 second quarter results on August 3, 2016. A conference call will be held on the same day at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the results.
To participate in the conference call, dial 1-647-788-4922 or 1-877-223-4471 (toll-free).
A presentation of the 2016 second quarter highlights and results will be available on the same day at www.wsp-pb.com in the Investor section, under Presentations & Events.
A replay of the call will be available until August 13, 2016. The telephone numbers to access the replay of the call are 1-416-621-4642 or 1-800-585-8367 (toll-free), access code 32861582. The replay of the conference call will also be available in the Investor section of the WSP website under Presentations & Events, in the days following the event.
ABOUT WSP
As one of the world's leading professional services firms, WSP provides technical expertise and strategic advice to clients in the Property & Buildings, Transportation & Infrastructure, Environment, Industry, Resources (including Mining and Oil & Gas) and Power & Energy sectors. WSP also offers highly specialised services in project delivery and strategic consulting. Its experts include engineers, advisors, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors and environmental specialists, as well as other design, program and construction management professionals. With approximately 34,000 people in 500 offices across 40 countries, WSP is well positioned to deliver successful and sustainable projects under its WSP and WSP / Parsons Brinckerhoff brands. www.wsp-pb.com.
Contacts:
Isabelle Adjahi
Vice President, Investor Relations
and Corporate Communications
WSP Global Inc.
isabelle.adjahi@wspgroup.com
514-340-0046, ext. 5648
The news broke late at night in the U.S., and when Europe awoke few hours later the newswires buzzed with the story: the U.S. court that had been adjudicating on the legal dispute between SolarWorld subsidiary Deutsche Solar and Hemlock Seminconductor ruled in favor of the latter - a decision that could see the German-U.S. solar company hit for sizable damages. Hemlock had been pursuing at least $500 million in damages after it alleged that Deutsche Solar had not honored multi-year, take-or-pay polysilicon deals. The relationship between the two firms went south in 2013 after SolarWorld tried to wriggle out of polysilicon contracts in order to take advantage of falling prices on offer elsewhere. As part of the negotiations, Hemlock asked SolarWorld to petition the U.S. Department of Commerce to help broker a resolution to the solar trade dispute - led initially by SolarWorld - between the U.S. and China. Court papers appear to show that SolarWorld did not carry through with its promises to do so. Hemlock's position was made clear within the court document, as it had contained within it a letter sent to SolarWorld in 2012 by Joseph Rinaldi, Vice President of Hemlock's parent company Dow Coring Corp., which stipulated how SolarWorld must respond if negotiations over adjusted contracts were to continue. It said that SolarWorld must send a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce requesting the pursuing of "good faith negotiations with respect to a potential settlement of the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations involving solar cells and modules from the People's Republic of China." Adding that "Any such settlement or amendments [between Deutsche Solar and Hemlock] shall be contingent on a settlement of the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations references in the letter above on terms acceptable to Hemlock Semiconductor." The court document then continued that SolarWorld President Gordon Brinser told Hemlock that the letter had been sent, but with a few small word changes. Hemlock, however, considered these word changes to be "quite significant and disappointing," leading to an escalation in the dispute. "The most interesting aspect is that Hemlock is apparently using the case as leverage to force SolarWorld to withdraw its petitions for punitive duties on Chinese solar cells and modules in order to regain access to the Chinese polysilicon market in turn," leading polysilicon analyst Johannes Bernreuter told pv magazine. "As SolarWorld is a staunch defender of the duties, the company is in a delicate situation." EU opens up MIP investigationThere was further China-trade-related drama earlier in the week when it emerged that the European Commission had opened an investigation into three Chinese solar companies suspected of breaching the Minimum Import ...
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DUBLIN, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Retail Market in Saudi Arabia 2016-2020" report to their offering.
The retail market in Saudi Arabia to grow at a CAGR of 7.45% during the period 2016-2020.
Retail Market in Saudi Arabia 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.
A trend which is helping boost market growth is the demand for luxury products. The Saudi population is generally very traditional; however, their increasing exposure to international fashion brands is encouraging them to try out new styles and designs and incorporate them into their culture.
Brands such as Burberry, Prada, and Tiffany & Company have expanded their presence in the country by entering the market through boutique stores rather than opting for a shop-in-a-shop concept. Luxury retailers continue to offer products that cater to the middle- and upper-middle classes.
According to the report, the retail market in Saudi Arabia is no exception; and the rising disposable income of the population in the country has a positive impact on the growth of the market - in fact, it is one of the most important drivers of the market in the country. The expansion of the Saudi economy over the past few years has increased the consumer's spending power in the country. In terms of disposable income,
Saudi Arabia had surpassed the global average for disposable income in 2012, recording a figure of $7,500. Despite the fall in oil prices, the market in Saudi Arabia continued to enjoy a robust growth, due to its solid base of domestic consumers and growing youth population with high disposable income. port, a key growth driver is the rising disposable income and high consumer confidence index.
The market is divided into the following segments based on products:
- Home improvement
- Apparel and footwear
- Grocery
- Consumer electronics
- Beauty and personal care (BPC)
Key vendors
- Alhokair Fashion Retail
- Al Othaim
- Jarir
- Savola
- Saudi Marketing Company (FARM Superstore)
- United Electronics (eXtra)
Other prominent vendors
- Anwal United Trading
- AlJammaz
- Azizia Panda
- BinDawood
- Carrefour Saudi Arabia
- Etre
- Fawaz Al Hokair
- Landmark Group
- Lulu Hypermarket
- Umark
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xhzlkf/retail_market_in
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
Volta Finance Limited (VTA) - Notification of Transactions of Directors, Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibility and/or Connected Persons
NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES
***** Guernsey, 15 July 2016 - Volta Finance Limited ('Volta' or the 'Company') was notified on 14 July 2015 by Paul Varotsis, the Senior Independent Director of Volta's Board of Directors, that he purchased 5,000 of the Company's ordinary shares (ISIN number G00B1GHHH78) in Amsterdam on 14 July 2015 at 6.70 per share.
This purchase represents 0.013688% of the Company's ordinary shares in issue as at today's date. Following this transaction, Mr Varotsis holds 158,030 ordinary shares, or 0.432621% of the Company's ordinary shares in issue as at today's date.
This notice is given in fulfilment of the obligation under DTR 3.1.4R(1)(a) and Article 19 of the Market Abuse Regulations.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |PDMR DEALING NOTIFICATION TEMPLATE | +------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging | |managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them | +--+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |1 |Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person | | |closely associated | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |a)|Name | | | | | Pavlos Varotsis | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |2 |Reason for the notification | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |a)|Position/status | | | | | Director | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |b)|Initial notification /Amendment | Initial notification | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |3 |Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction| | |platform, auctioneer or auction monitor | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |a)|Name | Volta Finance Limited | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |b)|Legal Entity Identifier | 2138004N6QDNAZ2V3W80 | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |4 |Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of | | |instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each | | |place where transactions have been conducted | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |a)|Description of the financial | Ordinary Shares | | |instrument, type of instrument | | | +----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ | |Identification code | | | | | GG00B1GHHH78 | | | | | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |b)|Nature of the transaction | Acquisition of Ordinary shares | +--+----------------------------------+--------+-------------------------------+ |c)|Price(s) and |Price(s)|Volume(s) | | | +--------+-------------------------------+ | |volume(s) | 6.70 | | | | | | 5,000 | | | +--------+-------------------------------+ | | | | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |d)|Aggregated | | | | | | | |information | | | +----------------------------------+ | | |- Aggregated volume | 5,000 | | +----------------------------------+ | | |- Price | 6,70 | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |e)|Date of the transaction | 14 July 2016 | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+ |f)|Place of the transaction | | | | | Euronext | +--+----------------------------------+----------------------------------------+
For further information, please contact:
Company Secretary and Portfolio Administrator Sanne Group (Guernsey) Limited voltafinance@sannegroup.com +44 (0) 1481 739810
Corporate Broker Cenkos Securities plc Alan Ray Oliver Packard +44 (0) 20 7397 1916
For the Investment Manager AXA Investment Managers Paris Serge Demay serge.demay@axa-im.com +33 (0) 1 44 45 84 47
***** ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities. Volta's home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.
Volta's investment objectives are to preserve capital and to provide a stable stream of income to its shareholders through dividends. Volta seeks to attain its investment objectives predominantly through diversified investments in structured finance assets. The assets that the Company may invest in either directly or indirectly include, but are not limited to: corporate credits; sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt; residential mortgage loans; and, automobile loans. The Company's approach to investment is through vehicles and arrangements that essentially provide leveraged exposure to portfolios of such underlying assets. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets.
***** ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 694 billion in assets under management as of the end of June 2015. AXA IM employs approximately 2,360 people around the world.
***** This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are 'U.S. persons' for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 'Securities Act'), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. The company does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States.
***** This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the 'Order') or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as 'relevant persons'). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.
*****
This announcement is distributed by GlobeNewswire on behalf of GlobeNewswire clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Volta Finance Limited via GlobeNewswire [HUG#2028861]
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It was the drill that went with the threat of annihilation.
School children of generations past were taught a simple survival technique routine during the Cold War.
Before there was a nuclear bomb, there was a flash brighter than the sun, Anna Lentz, 12, of Camp Hill recalled from the lesson from summer history camp. When people saw it, they stopped what they were doing. They automatically knew to duck and cover their head and the back of the neck and to stay down.
Like Anna, Connor Meikrantz was not around to experience the looming specter of potential holocaust that came with the conflicting ideology of the US versus the USSR.
It was a spy war ... People spying on each other, said the 11-year-old boy from South Middleton Township. Planes flew around all day with nukes at the ready to fire at Russia. He imagined it was a scary time in which to live.
Two groups of children on opposite ends of Carlisle learned about the Cold War this past week during summer history camps held at the Two Mile House west of town and the Army Heritage Trail in Middlesex Township.
The Cumberland County Historical Society offered Rock and Roll and Vietnam that combined hands-on learning activities with lessons on American culture and history from just after World War II to the Fall of Saigon in 1975.
Meanwhile the Army Heritage Center Foundation hosted its annual Soldier Experience Living History Adventure Camp that used training manuals from the 1980s as the basis for its curriculum.
The lesson plan covered not only the over-arching threat of war between the superpowers, but proxy wars sparked by the need to contain the spread of Communism.
We talked about Vietnam and the Korean War, said Sean Maddigan, 13, of Harrisburg. We learned what it was, how it happened and why we were there. We learned to work as a team and what people used in wars and combat situations.
Matthew Coulston, 12, of Enola thought it was fun to learn what soldiers do and how they protect themselves and the country. It was the first time he participated in a summer history camp.
America and Russia were basically bullying each other and trying to make the other person back down from having nuclear weapons, said Coulston adding how the US kept up its military readiness just in the case the Cold War heated up.
Jeffrey Hawks, education director for the foundation, wanted the campers to understand the mindset of the Cold War soldier in the context of a decades-long standoff with the Soviet Union. An Army veteran, Hawks served from 1988 to 1992.
Im familiar with the way soldiers were trained during that era, Hawks said. We trained for nuclear war ... That any conflict could lead to the annihilation of mankind. There was a lot of fear, but it had a restraining effect.
Soldiers knew the slightest mistake or misunderstanding could escalate tensions to the danger point. The stakes were high. The consequences were dire.
We had some close calls but in the end cooler heads prevailed, Hawks said, adding how the Cold War military stood toe-to-toe with the Soviets and did not blunder us into a global war.
Older Americans can look back on the Cold War with nostalgia because the fear of annihilation brought some measure of stability currently absent from the world stage, Hawks said.
Lessons
Aside from putting history into context, the Soldier Experience taught teamwork, attention to detail and leadership skills by running its campers through games where they decide the best way to achieve an objective.
The Cold War really affected your daily life, said Matthew March, education curator with the Cumberland County Historical Society. He added elements of post-World War II American culture were shaped by the global struggle of Communism versus Capitalism.
The science fairs of today came out of an initiative by President Eisenhower to encourage youth to pursue science as a career so that the US could maintain a qualitative edge over the Soviet Union during the Space Race, March said.
He added Westerns were popular in the early days of TV because the storylines mirrored the global struggle and made it clear which side to root for.
The US emerged from World War II a global superpower unscathed by the ravages of war, March said. This good fortune led to the Baby Boom and the emergence of a consumer culture.
The week-long history camp touched on how the integration of the military during World War II had an influence over the Civil Rights Movement and how the influx of children from the Baby Boom forced one-room schools to consolidate into school districts.
History camp activities included a beauty pageant, a hula hoop contest, cap gun fights, a mock peace rally, the singing of protest songs and a luau to welcome Alaska and Hawaii as the 49th and 50th states. Vietnam War veterans were invited to share their combat experiences.
As part of the lesson plan, March read excerpts from primary sources describing the social expectations for women in 1950s America. The literature stated the good wife always knew her place was the home and that she should greet her man with a warm smile, no complaints and dinner within 15 minutes.
This did not go over well with the girls enrolled in the summer camp. It sounded like the wife was the servant and the husband was the king, Anna Lentz said. I want to be a teacher. I dont want to be stuck in the house all day.
Natalie Spicka, 12, of Shippensburg, also disagreed with how women were treated. I dont want to spend my whole life as a housewife taking care of the house.
Spicka signed on for history camp because she wanted something to do over the summer. Its just kind of interesting to learn how different and similar we are to a long time ago, she said. I learned a lot about the Cold War. The most surprising thing is it is still going on ... People still have the missiles. The technology is still there.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: NSP)(OTCQB: NSPDF)(FRANKFURT: 50N) ("NSP") is positioning itself to export healthy foods and value added natural formulations globally. The global functional, allergen-free, organic and other healthy foods market will push through the $1 trillion (EUR770 billion) mark for the first time in 2017, as consumer interest in preventing illness via foods snowballs, says Euromonitor International. According to NSP:
"We looked at the history of hemp and came to one clear conclusion - it was time for a radical change."
In consideration of today's remarkable sales figures, which the market obviously didn't expect, NSP's share price potentially offers an outstanding opportunity at the very moment.
With only 57.4 million shares issued and outstanding, NSP is currently valued at $15.5 million CDN. If the sales figures of the first two quarters are any indication for the last two quarters, NSP may bag total sales of $11.2 million CDN in 2016: A spectacular sales increase of 3,609% over 2015.
With an implied enterprise value ("EV") of $15.5 million CDN and projected sales of $11.2 million in 2016, NSP enjoys an EV/Sales multiple of only 1.4x.
According to data from New York's Stern University, the following sectors had EV/Sales multiples significantly higher than NSP's current multiple of 1.4x:
Drugs (Biotechnology): 8.32x Drugs (Pharmaceuticals): 4.76x Healthcare Products: 3.75x Average of all sectors: 2.65x
Therefore, when applying a conservative EV/Sales multiple of 2.65x, NSP's stock would trade close to $0.54 CDN/shares (+89% from current price). When applying a multiple of 5x, as being the case with drugs, NSP would be fairly valued at $0.96 CDN/share (+257% from current level). In case management succeeds in growing Q3/4 sales figures stronger than Q1/2, an even higher valuation appears plausible. As per today's news, NSP may exceed expectations again. The hemp/cannabis and healthcare sector is gaining momentum again, not only in North America but on a global scale, and as such an increased investor's interest is expected in the foreseeable future.
CEO Craig Goodwin said in today's news release:
"We are off to a good start for Q3. Having already secured a Purchase Order for $1,450,000 for Q3, Naturally Splendid is on pace to equal the sales performance of Q2. Our goal is to exceed our Q2 sales figures through increased export activity, increased retail sales, as well as securing additional clients and optimizing operations at POS / BPC. We are definitely pleased with the increase in our gross sales throughout our divisions. More importantly, we believe the Company is reaching the stage of being cash flow positive on a consistent basis. This is due in fact to not only the increased gross sales, but also increasing margins as scales of economy begin to show a positive effect on our bottom line. As the Company approaches being cash flow positive, we can begin to focus more attention and resources towards the lucrative omega markets globally with HempOmega and also begin to focus attention on the positively evolving cannabinoid opportunities in the United States, specifically focusing on the Cannabidiol (CBD) markets."
According to today's news:
"Naturally Splendid is experiencing growth in gross sales in many of its divisions. The most significant growth has been in the export division where South Korean exports have exceeded initial projections by over 400% to date. However, the overall increase in gross sales can be attributed to several factors including Naturally Splendid's retail lines NATERA, Chii and Pawsitive FX which are showing consistent growth in sales. As reported earlier, the Company is pleased to confirm that in Q1 2016 their majority owned subsidiary, POS / BPC Manufacturing Corp. ("POS / BPC"), completed the preparation/training work to begin normal manufacturing status at this facility and has begun manufacturing for multiple clients. The POS / BPC facility will add additional revenue to Naturally Splendid in 2016. The 12,000-square-foot POS / BPC Facility - which is managed for POS / BPC by POS Bio-Sciences - is positioned to offer commercial-scale custom processing solutions for biological materials, such as functional foods and natural health ingredients to a wide range of clients. POS / BPC came on line March 28, 2016 having spent Q1 completing significant upgrades to the facility. In Q2, the first quarter that POS / BPC has been operational, the facility grossed in excess of $390,000 and is expected to be cash flow positive in 2016. Management expects gross revenue for POS / BPC to increase in Q3 and Q4."
To view the first graph associated with this release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/nsp0714graph1.jpg.
To view the second graph associated with this release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/nsp0714graph2.jpg.
In a 2013 Nutraceuticals World article it was reported:
"Omega production is forecast to grow a mammoth 32.8% annually in volume (15.1% in value) by 2018, by which time 3.3 million metric tons worth $9.1 billion will be produced. "Plant omega 3 production value is expected to grow twice as fast as marine during the next five years," Mr. Bender predicted. "As a result, by 2018, plant omega 3s will account for 52% of production value compared to 48% for marine. Plant omega 3s will benefit from consumers' desire to get away from animal based products."
Naturally Splendid is positioned to be at the forefront of this opportunity and intends to capitalize on this shift for omega sources.
Goodwin summarizes:
Our success exporting to South Korea is just the beginning. The South Korean opportunity secures Naturally Splendid a foothold in the growing Asian health and wellness market and we are experiencing increased interest for our products in Asia since attending tradeshows as official Members of the Canadian Trade Delegation in Singapore and Seoul and more recently as official Members of the Premier's Trade Mission to Seoul, Manila and Tokyo, which was lead by British Columbia's Premier Christy Clark. The success that we have had in South Korea creates the opportunity to increase our exporting sales by expanding to additional countries not only in Asia but globally, as well as adding additional product offerings such as hemp protein, hemp oil and HempOmega. However, we are not limited to just hemp products. We are pursuing numerous opportunities to introduce additional food products outside of hemp into our exporting offerings, utilizing in part the same successful product launch strategy executed with our shelled hemp seed hearts in South Korea."
About Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. ("NSP"):
NSP is a multifaceted biotechnology company that is developing, producing, commercializing, and licensing an entirely new generation of plant-derived, bioactive ingredients, nutrient-dense foods, and related products. Naturally Splendid is building an expanding portfolio of patents (issued and pending) and proprietary intellectual property focused on the commercial uses of industrial hemp and non-psychoactive cannabinoid compounds in a broad spectrum of applications.
NSP currently has six innovative divisions:
(1) Natera brand of retail hemp superfood products currently distributed throughout North America and Asia;
(2) Chi Hemp Industries Incorporated (Chii) is selling natural and organic hemp products through e-commerce;
(3) PawsitiveFX brand of pet care products;
(4) Simlpi Plant-Based Ingredients Division of plant-derived bulk ingredients including patent-pending HempOmega;
(5) The 12,000-square-foot POS / BPC Facility - which is managed for Naturally Splendid by POS Bio-Sciences - is positioned to offer commercial-scale custom processing solutions for biological materials, such as functional foods and natural health ingredients to a wide range of clients;
(6) Hemp-based cannabinoid nutraceuticals. The company's advanced technologies, industry expertise, and strategic partners allow for the creation of customized solutions with a consistent focus on quality and sustainability.
The company's advanced technologies, industry expertise, and strategic partners allow for the creation of customized solutions with a consistent focus on quality and sustainability.
Recommended Articles:
June 17, 2016: Q&A from Stockhouse Publishing
February 2016: Peter Epstein Article Part 1
March 13, 2016: Peter Epstein Article Part 2
Recommended Videos:
Naturally Splendid Video Introduction 2016
Naturally Splendid - TSX-VENTURE 50 - 2016
HempOmega Informational Video
Naturally Splendid Korean Purchase Order 2016
Lotte Home Shopping Launches Paleo-NATERA in Korea
CEO Craig Goodwin Interview with SmallCap-Investor TV
NSP's Websites:
www.naturallysplendid.com
www.hempomega.com
www.simpliingredients.com
www.nateralife.com
www.pawsitivefx.com
www.chii.ca
History:
NSP was very active in 2015, completing several acquisitions and initiating multiple new revenue streams. NSP is forecasting substantial growth in all of its divisions in 2016, and the company has already exceeded internal expectations early in 2016.
February 3, 2016:
NSP announced having received a $924,000 CDN Purchase Order for hemp food products from a Korean company.
March 31, 2016:
NSP announced having exceeded total 2015 gross sales by 250% in the first quarter of 2016.
May 4, 2016:
NSP announced its Purchase Orders exceeded $3 million CDN to South Korea.
May 18, 2016:
NSP announced to accompany Premier Christy Clark on trade mission to key markets in Asia.
June 20, 2016:
NSP secured an additional $1.45 Purchase Order for export (export Purchase Orders to date exceeded $5.7 million CDN in 2016).
This is a great opportunity to be looking into NSP at an advanced stage of the company's development. The company's flagship ingredient (HempOmega) is commercializing and beginning to create new opportunities and new revenue streams for NSP.
This adds to the existing revenue streams the company has established already with Natera, PawsitveFX, CHII Hemp, Laguna Blends Inc.(client), and bulk export of plant-based ingredients/food products through Simpli Ingredients, NSP's bulk division.
NSP is also generating revenue through their majority owned POS-BPC (Bio-Processing Centre) located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where NSP has multiple clients processing in the facility for a toll.
In 2015 NSP secured a CBD distribution agreement with from Medropharm, a Swiss supplier of high grade CBD (Cannabidiol) which NSP has already begun marketing in the USA. NSP also finalized the 51% acquisition of the POS-BPC (Bio-Processing Centre) a manufacturing facility in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a 12,000 square foot facility located on the university grounds, where the company can conduct extraction and formulation of its own products and technology, and also toll process for other client's requirements.
NSP also announced its first major purchase order last year for $100,000 CDN from Laguna Blends, which incorporates the companies Omega technology and is part of a $1.6 million sales agreement with Laguna Blends.
NSP announced at the end of 2015, that it finalized the acquisition of Chi Hemp Industries Inc., an online hemp company with over $300,000 CDN in yearly revenues that is cash flow positive today.
NSP announced in early 2016, it has entered into an (LOI) with the Coco's Pure Beverage Company, to co-develop a unique product line of coconut based retail products infused with HempOmega.
On February 3rd, 2016, NSP announced a Purchase Order for hemp food products worth $924,000 CDN, with a South Korean based distributor (Korean Beauty & Health Care Co.). Delivery of the $924,000 CDN Purchase Order has been finalized as of the end Q1, March 2016.
NSP was recently pleased to announce that it has exceeded its total 2015 gross sales by +250% in the first quarter of 2016.
NSP announced on May 4, 2016, that its Purchase Orders to South Korea have exceeded $3 million CDN since February 3, 2016. The company also announced that it will be expanding its operations with a move to a larger facility in July of 2016.
On June 20, 2016, NSP announced it secured an additional $1.45 million CDN Purchase Order for export, and export Purchase Orders to date have exceeded $5.7 million CDN.
The company is projecting it can increase its revenues and build shareholder value, by obtaining new clients in the food/food ingredient, beverage, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, pet food/pet care, and livestock feed industries.
NSP is a multifaceted biotechnology company developing, commercializing, producing, selling, and licensing an entirely new generation of hemp-derived, high quality, nutrient-dense Omega foods, nutritional food enhancers, and related products.
NSP and its partners are building an expanding portfolio of patents (issued and pending) and proprietary intellectual property focused on the commercial uses of Cannabis Sativa, industrial hemp, and cannabinoid (CBD) compounds in a broad spectrum of applications.
NSP is currently innovating in five related industries: nutritional biotechnologies, cannabinoid pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals, and retail superfood and supplement consumer products under its NATERA brand, also wholesale hemp products sold via e-commerce through CHII Hemp Industries, and premium pet food and care products under its PAWSITIVE FX brand.
As well through hemp and plant-based bulk sales though NSP's Simpli Ingredients division, and plant to product processing through its majority owned POS Bio Processing Centre (POS-BPC).
1. HempOmega & Nutritional Biotechnologies (100% owned by NSP)
NSP is producing scientifically proven, functional plant-based Omega 3-6-9 ingredients. These plant-based Omegas directly solve major issues inherent in marine-sourced omegas, including bioavailability, environmental sustainability, taste, and smell. In addition, these plant-based omegas can be added to virtually any food as a powder, aqueous solution, or as an ingredient added to stand alone products, thereby markedly enhancing the nutrient value. NSP's plant-based omega offerings include HempOmega, H2Omega, ChiaOmega, FlaxOmega, CanolaOmega, and AlgaeOmega. Potential product categories include pet foods, body products, livestock feeds, cosmeceuticals, and CBD infused pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Chickens that were fed HEMPOMEGA as an additive in their feed, had tests that produced the following highlight results: 527% increase in the omega-3 content of the eggs; 272% increase in the omega-3 content of the meat; lowered trans fats in the chickens by 5%.
2. POS-BPC Manufacturing Corp. (a Processing and Manufacturing Facility; 51% owned by NSP)
Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan NSP's POS Bio Processing Centre (POS-BPC) is the perfect platform for launching products that leverage the company's proprietary omega extraction and formulation technologies. POS-BPC operates its 12,000 square foot facility containing approximately 60,000 liters of tankage, a fractional distillation system, evaporation equipment, spray drying equipment, a ring dryer, and various other pieces of complementary and auxiliary equipment. POS-BPC is capable of processing a variety of products, including plant-based omega technologies such as Naturally Splendid's own HempOmega. Additionally, the BPC facility is designed to produce plant-based extracts, tinctures, and dry ingredients in order to serve a wide variety of client requirements. NSP also has in place a strategic cooperation agreement with Nature's Health Products Canada Corp., a member of the POS Group of Companies based in Saskatoon. This important partner has been in business for over 35 years and has over 600 major customers worldwide. NSP has gained the ability to seamlessly coordinate entire plant-to product processes. From sourcing bio-active, plant-based ingredients to overseeing toll processing, formula development, and the creation of custom ingredient solutions, NSP offers its clients the convenience and advantages of a comprehensive, "one-stop" service provider.
3. Simpli Ingredients (100% owned by NSP)
Simpli Ingredients is NSP's wholesale ingredients division, specializing in hemp and plant based ingredients, which are globally and ethically source and processed in Canada in state of the art bio-sciences and dedicated hemp processing facilities in Saskatoon.
4. Naturally Splendid USA (100% owned by NSP)
Naturally Splendid USA is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. NSP-USA is a provider and distributor of products and ingredients derived from industrial hemp. They are dedicated setting new industry standards for sustainability, safety, and quality. NSP encourages an educated, scientific approach to the industrial hemp and cannabinoid industries to develop a clearly defined regulatory environment that will promote consumer safety and corporate accountability.
5. Cannabinoid Nutraceuticals (under development)
The potential value of the hemp crop for medicinal purposes is virtually undiscovered. Industrial hemp is known to be the best source of cannabidiol (CBD), which is known to provide relief from symptoms such as anxiety, stress, seizures, etc. It has been used to treat epilepsy, convulsions and inflammation. In partnership with Boreal Technologies and Full Spectrum Laboratories, NSP is bringing to market a comprehensive suite of CBD-related market-disruptive technologies, including CBD water solubility (a major breakthrough that facilitates major advances in the production of CBD-based medicines and supplements).
6. NATERA Superfoods (100% owned by NSP)
The NATERA line was launched in 2013. NATERA features a broad spectrum of hemp based food products including flavoured hemp seed and protein powders. NATERA products are available in retail outlets in Canada and the US.
7. Pawsitive FX Pet Care (100% owned by NSP)
Pawsitive FX is a Canadian company dedicated to improving the health and happiness of your furry family members. The Pawsitive FX line launched in 2015 and features a wide of range of pet care products including a line of nose and paw balms, and will be launching a line of all natural shampoos. NSP proudly ensures that their products use 100% natural ingredients that are not only healthy and safe for pets, but that are also sustainable for the environment. Pawsitive FX products are currently available in retail outlets in Canada, and will be expanding into the US market.
8. CHII - Chi Hemp Industries Inc. (100% owned by NSP)
Chi Hemp Industries Incorporated (CHII) is an International Limited Liability Corporation physically headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with warehousing operations in both Victoria, Burnaby, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This corporation is in the business of growing, supplying, facilitating and diversifying the commercial hemp industry, while encouraging a 100% sustainable approach to all aspects of the agriculture industry and commerce associated with it. CHII was incorporated in May of 1998 and has been actively working to promote the Canadian hemp industry ever since through a grassroots movement to re-educate the public on the many wonderful and beneficial virtues of the hemp seed plant. NSP has worked tirelessly at thousands of live events communicating one on one with tens of thousands of people from all over the world.
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Comments made in this research note represent the current opinions of SkyCapitalReport as of the date of this document and have been arrived at in good faith. No representation or warranty either actual or implied is made as to the accuracy, precision, completeness or correctness of the statements, opinions and judgements contained in this document.
SkyCapitalReport's and related interests:
The author(s) who produced this research note, Mike Rodgers, are/is employees of SkyCapitalReport. Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. has not been visited by the authors. SkyCapitalReport and/or its employees and/or directors and associates hold equity positions in Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. and reserve the right to acquire or dispose of such positions in the future. SkyCapitalReport has, or will, receive a cash compensation from Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. to feature the company.
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Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. is a Canadian company with a global focus on redefining hemp and CBD via bio technology.
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DUBLIN (dpa-AFX) - Ireland's trade surplus declined in May from April, the Central Statistics Office reported Friday. The trade surplus decreased to EUR 3.96 billion in May from EUR 4.4 billion in April. Exports decreased by adjusted 1 percent or EUR 99 million to EUR 9.16 billion. Meanwhile, imports grew 7 percent or EUR 342 million to EUR 5.20 billion. The EU accounted for 52 percent of total goods exports in May. The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for 29 percent of total shipments. 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.
ROCHESTER, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSE MKT: DSS), (DSS), a leader in anti-counterfeiting and authentication solutions today announced it has added the Suquamish tribe in Washington state as a customer for its Enhanced Tribal Identification Card (ETC) product. ETCs are secure identification cards issued by Native American governing bodies as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI.)
The addition of the Suquamish tribe increases DSS' market share in ETCs. The company was the first to produce ETCs and, with this latest addition, DSS Plastics Group now produces the identification cards for seven Native American governing bodies.
"After evaluating vendors for over two years, DSS offered us an exceptional ETC product which met all of WHTI's security requirements," said Janis Contraro, Administrative Program Manager Fisheries Department/Enrollment Office of the Suquamish tribe. "DSS was very helpful in meeting our needs and easy to work with."
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was mandated by the U.S. Congress as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. WHTI establishes document requirements for travel by land or sea into the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
"We moved aggressively into the ETC market including investments in new equipment so we could produce the cards," said Mike Caulley, President of DSS Plastics, "as a result, we have outpaced the competition and won new customers. This is a growth market and we are well positioned to be the leading supplier."
DSS Plastics is in discussion with several other Native American tribes seeking to issue ETCs to their members. More information on DSS ETC offerings can be found at http://enhancedtribalcard.com/.
About Document Security Systems, Inc.
Document Security Systems, Inc.'s (NYSE MKT: DSS) products and solutions are used by governments, corporations and financial institutions to defeat fraud and to protect brands and digital information from the expanding world-wide counterfeiting problem. DSS technologies help ensure the authenticity of both digital and physical financial instruments, identification documents, sensitive publications, brand packaging and websites.
DSS continually invests in research and development to meet the ever-changing security needs of its clients and offers licensing of its patented technologies. For more information on the AuthentiGuard Suite, please visit www.authentiguard.com. For more information on DSS and its subsidiaries, please visit www.dsssecure.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements that may be contained in this press release, including, without limitation, statements related to the Company's plans, strategies, objectives, expectations, potential value, intentions and adequacy of resources, are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act and contain words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends" and similar words and phrases. These forwardlooking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results projected in any forward-looking statement. In addition to the factors specifically noted in the forward-looking statements, other important factors, risks and uncertainties that could result in those differences include, but are not limited to, the outcomes of any of the Company's litigation, its ability to raise capital, and those risks and uncertainties disclosed in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forwardlooking statements that may be contained in this press release are being made as of the date of its release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forwardlooking statements.
For More Information
Investor Relations
Document Security Systems, Inc.
(585) 325-3610
Email: ir@documentsecurity.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Despite another jump in energy prices, the Labor Department released a report on Friday showing that U.S. consumer prices rose by slightly less than expected in the month of June. The Labor Department said its consumer price index rose by 0.2 percent in June after rising by a matching 0.2 percent in May. Economists had expected prices to rise by 0.3 percent. Excluding food and energy prices, the core consumer price index also rose by 0.2 percent, matching the increases seen in the two previous months as well as economist estimates. 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.
ANNAPOLIS, MD -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- iJET International, Inc. (iJET), a leading integrated risk management solutions provider, will exhibit and present at the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Convention 2016, held in Denver, CO, on July 16-20, 2016.
This year at GBTA, the iJET International team will present its groundbreaking new business unit, Powered By iJET, which enables iJET's B2B2B partners to augment and enhance their own solutions with iJET's industry-leading global intelligence and capabilities.
In addition, the company is pleased to offer demonstrations of its latest technology including Worldcue Companion, Critical Monitor, and Critical Trac, showcasing how iJET is ushering in the future of people risk management and helping organizations to prepare, monitor, and respond to global threats.
iJET is co-sponsoring GBTA Booth #1659 with its medical response partner, AXA Assistance, to showcase their integrated portal with mobile app access to information needed to prepare for, monitor and respond to threats that may impact productivity. Together, iJET and AXA Assistance provide world-class travel, medical, and security solutions that enable organizations to keep their people healthy and safe and bring peace of mind to travelers around the globe.
In addition to iJET's presence on the show floor (Booth #1659), the executive team will participate in the following:
iJET chief executive officer, Bruce McIndoe will be moderating a session titled "Managing Travel Risk - Take Control of Your Travelers' Safety and Security" on Monday, July 18 at 9:00 a.m. In this session, Bruce, along with a panel of industry experts who helped update The GBTA Foundation's current TRM3 self-assessment tool, will lead attendees through the new features of this tool and discuss the benefits of going through the assessment, as well as next steps.
McIndoe will also moderate a session titled "Managing Disruption - The Sharing Economy" on Tuesday, July 19 at 11:30 a.m. In this education session, Bruce will lead industry experts from Enterprise Holdings, Liberty Mutual and more to examine the Sharing Economy, how it will affect consumers in the future, and the different ways to manage disruption.
John Rose, chief operating officer of iJET and co-chair of the GBTA Risk Committee, will be a panelist in the discussion session "Risk Radar - What is Happening Today that May Impact Your Travel Tomorrow?" on Tuesday, July 19 at 10:00 a.m., focusing on the medical and security aspects of real current events that have the potential to impact business travel. John will be joined by Katherine Harmon, director of health intelligence at iJET International.
Theresa Thomas, senior vice president of iJET's new business unit, Powered by iJET, will co-present the session "Risk Management as it Related to Group Travel and the False Sense of Security We Have When Attending Meetings and Events" on Wednesday, July 20 at 11:00 a.m. The session will interactively delve into group travel risks for "what to do and not to do" to prevent staged risks while at a meeting venue, hotel, and in transportation situations.
GBTA is the largest annual gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners, procurement professionals and suppliers in the world with nearly 7,000 attendees participating in education, professional development and networking opportunities and over 400 companies exhibiting.
iJET has been a longstanding supporter of GBTA, the GBTA Foundation and the GBTA Annual Conventions, which provide invaluable opportunities for industry leaders, business travel professionals, organizations, and suppliers to collaborate and share insights on thought provoking topics concerning the travel industry.
About AXA Assistance
AXA Assistance is one of the world's leading assistance providers, handling 10.8 million claims per year. The company employs 8,550 people in 34 different countries and does business in more than 200 nation states. As a business that operates face-to-face at local level, AXA Assistance is in direct contact with today's fast-changing world. Today's businesses are growing internationally and becoming increasingly global as they respond to the needs of today's consumers. This trend towards service globalization can be seen in every aspect of AXA Assistance's business. With the support of its international network, AXA Assistance delivers immediate solutions by deploying expertise and a wide range of innovative services. For more information, visit www.axa-assistance.us.
About iJET International
iJET International (iJET) provides intelligence-driven, integrated risk management solutions that enable multinational organizations to operate globally with confidence. iJET's end-to-end, tailored solutions integrate world-class operational threat intelligence, innovative technology, and response services to help organizations avoid threats, mitigate risk and protect their people, assets, and reputation. Founded in 1999, iJET is a privately held company headquartered in Annapolis, U.S. with regional offices in London and Singapore and country offices in Japan, India and Germany. For more information, please visit www.iJET.com.
iJET Media Contacts:
iJET International
Amy Mininger
Email Contact
+1.410.573.3860
DBC PR+Social Media
Ryan Vaughan
Email Contact
+1.202.292.4575
ALBANY, New York, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
The vendor landscape of the global pharmacy automation systems market is highly fragmented with the presence of a large number of players across various segments. Some of the major players in this market are McKesson Corporation, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Health Robotics SRL, CareFusion Corporation, Cerner Corporation, Omnicell Inc, Kirby Lester, Baxter International Inc., ScriptPro LLC, Yuyama Co., Ltd, Swisslog Holding Ltd, and Talyst Inc.
You can purchase and download the full report:
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=815
The demand for pharmacy automation systems has been particularly high across Europe and North America. The growing trend of e-prescribing has further aided the growth of the market across these regions. However, the market players are focusing on the developing regions across the Middle East and Asia Pacific where the expansion of the healthcare sector has led to the healthy demand for pharmacy automation systems.
High Cost of Implementation of Pharmacy Automation Systems is a Major Hiccup in Growth of the Market
In recent years, the role of IT applications in pharmacy automation has extended to e-prescribing, clinical decision support system (CDSS), electronic health record (EHR), computerized physician order entry (CPOE), and interactive voice response (IVR). The rise in deaths associated with medical prescription errors is one of the primary reasons driving the growth of the global pharmacy automation systems market. Increase in drug prices, coupled with reduced reimbursement has propelled the demand for drug dispensing systems to control the pharmacy cost. The rise in per capita healthcare expenditure and growing awareness about the various advantages offered by pharmacy automation systems will also support the growth of the market during the forecast period.
"Dispensing the right dosage of medicine and reviewing the inventory at a specified location help to increase the efficiency of a pharmacy while keeping the costs low," notes a TMR analyst, pointing out the benefits of pharmacy automation systems. However, the high cost of implementation of pharmacy automation systems is expected to play spoilsport in the market's growth.
Browse Research Report with ToC & Free Analysis:http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pharmacy-automation-systems.html
Growing Need to Prevent Medical Prescription Errors Drives Demand for Automated Medication Dispensing Systems
Pharmacy automation systems are majorly used for applications such as automated packaging and labeling, automated medication dispensing, automated compounding devices, automated storage and retrieval systems, and table-top tablet counter. In 2011, the automated medication dispensing systems segment accounted for 48% of the overall market and generated revenue worth US$2.3 bn. "The pressing need to prevent medical prescription errors has stoked the demand for automated medication dispensing systems," states the TMR analyst. During the period between 2012 and 2018, this segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 6.7% and reach a valuation of US$3.6 bn by 2020.
In 2011, the global pharmacy automation systems market stood at a valuation of US$4.7 bn. expanding at a CAGR of 7.3% during the period between 2012 and 2018, this market is anticipated to be worth US$7.8 bn by 2018.
Browse Press Release:http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/global-pharmacy-automation-systems.htm
The review is based on the findings put forward by a TMR report, titled "Pharmacy Automation Systems Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2012 - 2018."
Global pharmacy automation systems market has been segmented as:
Pharmacy automation market analysis, by end users
Automation in hospital pharmacy
Retail Pharmacy
Pharmacy automation market analysis, by geography
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Rest of the World
Browse Other Latest Research Reports:
Packaging and Labeling (Healthcare) Services Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/packaging-labeling-services-market.html
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/packaging-labeling-services-market.html Smart Healthcare Products Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-healthcare-products-market.html
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-healthcare-products-market.html Hospital Pharmaceuticals Market: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hospital-pharmaceuticals-market.html
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Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S. based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMR's 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.
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BELLINGHAM, WA--(Marketwired - July 15, 2016) - eXp World Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: EXPI) today announced that it has commenced real estate brokerage operations in the State of New Jersey. The company is now operational in 43 states, Alberta, Canada, and the District of Columbia. In addition, the company is in more than 105 different Multiple Listing Services -- MLS Market areas and has more than 1400 real estate professionals, up from 862 at the beginning of the year.
"I'm excited to have the opportunity to bring eXp Realty to New Jersey," said Jeanne Borgers, the Company's Broker of Record in the state. "Agent-ownership's impact on lives and businesses is profound and represents a sea change in the way in which good professionals are valued and treated as partners with opportunities to learn from and build relationships with fellow shareholders on a daily basis across the country."
Originally from Los Angeles, Borgers has been a member of the northern New Jersey real estate community for more than 12 years and arrived in the state after living in Guam and Saipan where she managed a small radio station for 6 years. During the financial crisis she reinvented her career and became known as the "Short Sale Queen" due to her ability to work through and close highly challenging transactions. Prior to joining eXp, Borgers practiced with Keller Williams NJ Metro Group. In 2014, Borgers and her husband Tom (who was a senior fraud investigator for the president's Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission) co-chaired one of the largest fundraisers for the homeless in New York City.
"We are fortunate to have experienced and talented leadership in place with Jeanne as we enter a highly competitive market and a state where the practice of real estate varies significantly from the north to the south," said eXp Realty CEO, Jason Gesing. We look forward to offering new opportunities to and welcoming entrepreneurial professionals across the state into our community of agent owners," said eXp Realty, CEO, Jason Gesing.
Contact information for Jeanne Borgers: jeanne.borgers@exprealty.com or 862-596-9455
About eXp World Holdings, Inc.
eXp World Holdings, Inc. is the holding company for a number of companies most notably eXp Realty LLC, the Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage' as a full-service real estate brokerage providing 24/7 access to collaborative tools, training, and socialization for real estate brokers and agents through its 3-D, fully-immersive, cloud office environment. eXp Realty, LLC and eXp Realty of Canada, Inc. also feature an aggressive revenue sharing program that pays agents a percentage of gross commission income earned by fellow real estate professionals who they attract into the Company.
eXp World Holdings, Inc. also owns 89.4% of First Cloud Mortgage, Inc. a Delaware corporation launched in 2015 and now licensed to originate mortgages in Arizona, California, Virginia and New Mexico. First Cloud Mortgage has positioned itself as a Planet Friendly Mortgage Company via the purchase of carbon offsets for homeowners offsetting the first year of the Carbon Footprint of the typical home on each mortgage originated through First Cloud Mortgage, Inc.
As a publicly-traded company, eXp World Holdings, Inc. uniquely offers professionals within its ranks opportunities to earn equity awards for production and contributions to overall company growth.
For more information you can follow eXp World Holdings, Inc. on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, or visit eXpWorldHoldings.com. For eXp Realty please visit: eXpRealty.com and for First Cloud Mortgage, Inc. check out FirstCloudMortgage.com.
The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update them. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company's expansion, revenue growth, operating results, financial performance and net income changes. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include changes in business or other market conditions; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Investor Relations Contact Information:
Glenn Sanford
Chairman & CEO
eXp World Holdings, Inc.
glenn@expworldholdings.com
360-389-2426
Trade and Media Contact Information:
Jason Gesing
CEO
eXp Realty
jason@exprealty.com
617-970-8518
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has postponed the announcement of his Vice Presidential pick in the wake of the terrorist attack in France that killed over 80 people. 'In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement', Trump said on Twitter Thursday evening. Trump was scheduled to pick his running mate Friday. In a separate tweet, Trump offered prayers and condolences to the victims and families of the terrible tragedy in Nice. 'We are with you in every way,' he added. Meanwhile, US media reported that Indiana governor Mike Pence has been selected to be the Vice Presidential candidate. ABC News reported, quoting sources close to Trump campaign, that Pence accepted the offer. But Trump followed up shortly by telling Fox News: 'I haven't made my final, final decision.' Media has been touting several names to be in the running for VP, but finally shortlisted three candidates: Pence, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. 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.
BRASILIA (dpa-AFX) - The current Zika epidemic in Latin America is likely to burn itself out within three years, suggests new research. The findings, from scientists at Imperial College London, also conclude the epidemic cannot be contained with existing control measures. The study by scientists at Imperial College London was published in the journal Science. They predict the next large-scale epidemic is unlikely to emerge for at least another ten years - although there is a possibility of smaller outbreaks in this time. The outbreak of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, blamed for a surge in birth defects, has likely reached its peak in Latin America, researchers say. 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.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, issued the following statement today:
"I congratulate Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) staff at the National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratories for achieving accreditation to the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 17025.
ISO 17025 is the single most important standard for testing laboratories around the world. This accreditation demonstrates DFO's commitment to scientific excellence and quality. Its laboratories' qualified and skilled employees are able to produce precise and accurate test results in identifying and confirming the presence of disease agents in testing wild and aquaculture fish, mollusks and crustaceans. Canadians and our trading partners can be confident that Canada has a solid regulatory diagnostic foundation for the care and protection of our national fish and seafood industries and aquatic resources.
After years of diligent work to develop and implement formal quality management systems for its diagnostic testing laboratories, ISO accreditation has been achieved by all three National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratories. Last month, the Gulf Fisheries Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick was accredited. It was preceded by the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, British Columbia, accredited in February 2016, and the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba in September 2014.
Successes like these are significant as the Government of Canada continues to invest in aquatic sciences to ensure that our oceans and fisheries are healthy and sustainable for future generations. This is why we have committed an additional $197.1 million in oceans and freshwater science over the next five years."
Associated Link:
Video: Achieving Excellence in Regulatory Science - ISO 17025 Laboratory Accreditation
Internet: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Follow us on Twitter! www.Twitter.com/DFO_MPO
Contacts:
Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
613-990-7537
Media.xncr@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Patricia Bell
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
613-992-3474
Patricia.bell@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Tom Foor knew the draft was coming.
I went to the head of the draft board and asked when I might get drafted. He said probably early spring 1969. It was spring of 68, so I thought Im not going to wait around. I went in under a two-year enlistment on June 25, 1968.
"The day before we shipped to Vietnam I overhead some guys talking that early the next morning they were going to go to Canada. There were three of them that left. I dont know if they made it, but they were headed north. That really surprised me, I thought once you really commit to something why would you want to do that?
We landed and Bien Hoa. When you walk out that door it just hits you in the face like a sledgehammer, the stink and the heat. First thing I smelled was garbage and diesel fuel. Even now, if I smell diesel and garbage together its like a flashback.
It was scary. There were guys putting on a brave face but it was scary. I was assigned to B Battery, 1st of the 21st Field Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division. I flew out to B Battery at LZ Clara. My first day in the bush was an eye opener. It was a small LZ with a six gun battery.
Not long after arriving, Tom had a brush with death.
One night we just got done shooting H & I (harassment and interdiction), and we started getting a mortar barrage. We got hit really hard. They walked them in and through us. Then the Old Man, our battery commander, comes running up and says We know where those tubes are, get on the gun.'
So me and another guy get up on the gun and a shell fell right on the parapet. Captain Swain got hit pretty bad cause he was standing up. I got hit in the neck, chest, arm, and a little in the leg. Somebody yelled. It wasnt me, but somebody screamed. I think it might have been the other guy because he got pretty well beat up too.
I was gurgling in my throat, I didnt know whether I had a sucking chest wound or what. The executive officer laid me on my back and was talking to me. I started going into shock, and I was freezing. The medevac came in, and they stacked us on racks in the bird. I knew there was someone above me because I could feel something falling on me. In triage in the hospital in Cu Chi, the medic thought I had a head wound. I told him That guy above me was bleeding on me.' He came over and wiped me off and said Oh, youre right. They gave me a shot, took me into the operating room, and then it was the next day.
I got up and I was hurting. My left arm was banaged and my chest was wrapped. I had seeped a little in the night, my sheets were a mess. I asked the nurse Maam, can you get someone to change these sheets? Its a little sloppy over here. She said, Soldier, youre going to have to change your own sheets. So I got up, my left arm was disabled, and started stripping the bed. This guys comes over to help. He had his intestines in a plastic bag. You could look in there and see em. I said Whats up with you, man? He said. They need to give it a couple of days to make sure there isnt an infection in there. He was pretty cool about it, and he helped me make the bed.
I went to a rehab at Cam Ranh Bay. It was great, right by the South China sea. The sand was pure white, it was just like being in Bermuda with the blue water and all. One day I was laying in my bunk and I hear a familiar voice. This guy walks up to my bunk and says How you doing, soldier? I say, A lot better now. He asked Where you from? and I told him Pennsylvania, and he said Me too! It was Jimmy Stewart, he was visiting and making his rounds, and I got to talk to him for a while.
Another round
I got hit the 29th of December and got back to my outfit in the middle of February. The second night back we got hit. I thought, Man oh man my lucks not very good.
We moved around a lot. Setting up an LZ, the black hats would always go in first and set up. Then they would fly us out with our guns. We would land, and the first thing you do is set the gun up: you get your base plate down and your aiming stakes up, your ammo ready. Then you dig a foxhole. Thatll get you through the first night, and the next day theyd fly in these half culverts and then you start filling sandbags. Thousands and thousands of sandbags.
Tom witnessed a tragedy at one LZ.
This photo, this is live ammo with me. This is LZ Phyllis, you can see it spelled out on the ground in mortar tails that we collected after we got hit. Theyd be stuck in the ground and we could dig them out. They brought unused ammunition, enemy ammunition, they brought it in to the LZ in a trailer. One of the rounds cooked off and killed 12 guys: two of our guys and ten grunts. It was just bouncing around on a trailer behind a Jeep.
Tom made a point to tell one story. We were at a Special Forces camp in Bu Dop, and General Abrams came out to look at some intelligence reports. The battalion commander picked me to drive the general to the district capital in a Jeep. So General Abrams in the rear, asking me questions, Where you from? standard stuff. We get up to the capital, and General Abrams says thank you, and the Sergeant Major says Okay, you can go back now. I said Isnt anyone going to ride with me? I didnt even have a weapon! I never went anywhere without my weapon, but that day they told me not to worry about it. The Sergeant Major says Youll be alright. Boy, I tell you want I was hotfooting it cross the country. I was out there by myself! I got back okay though.
It was on a holiday that Tom was able to go back to the States.
On Thanksgiving Day 1969 Im standing around and the battery commander and the 1st sergeant came in an said Sgt. Foor, you ready to head home? And I said Oh man, you believe it, yeah, Im ready to go. He said Well, when they take the containers from Thanksgiving dinner back, you can ride back on the slick.
"I got my stuff, said my goodbyes, and an hour later I was in the air. Youre allowed to pop a smoke grenade on your way out, so I threw my smoke and went.
We flew to Hawaii, then into OaKland. They fed us and fed us and we showered. In the evening we had to go to San Francisco airport. We had to go out the back gate because the main gate was swamped with anti-war demonstrators, yelling and screaming, so they took us out the back gate, went to the airport, flew to L.A., flew to Pittsburgh, and my mom and dad were there. Great day.
"Looking back a couple of things really bother me," he added. "That episode with the ammunition, that really bothered me, always has. When you were in Nam, your main thing was to get your butt out of there and your buddys butt out of there. We had no love for that country. The only interaction we had with the people was when they wanted to sell us something. Nobody ever smiled at you or thanked you. I guess they were afraid of us, there was so much going on. Those people were under tremendous stress, I can understand that.
"What hurt me the most was in 1975 when the country fell, seeing those tanks going through the palace gates. The worst was when they had the Hueys on the aircraft carrier and they just pushed them over the side. It made my physically ill; I had to shut the TV off. I just couldnt watch it anymore. I jut think of all the stuff we went through and all they guys that died and got shot up.
"They say it wasnt a waste, that it stopped things from happening in South East Asia, but I dont now. It seemed like a big waste of lives to me. I hate to think that way. I wouldnt trade my memories in the Army for a million bucks, but thats the way it ended, and thats the way it was."
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) - Google is adding 11 new emojis designed to better represent female professionals. The internet giant said Thursday that the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee has agreed to add 11 new professional emoji, in both male and female options and with all the skin tones. That's more than 100 new emoji to choose from! In May, Google proposed a set of new emoji to the Unicode Technical Committee that represent a wider range of professions for women (as well as men), and reflect the pivotal roles that women play in the world. Unicode is also adding male and female versions to 33 existing emoji. For example, you'll be able to pick both a female runner emoji and a male runner emoji, or a man or woman getting a haircut. Google said these additions can be included in future versions of Android and other platforms. The new emojis could be available on smartphones before the end of the year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Regulatory News:
JANUARY JUNE 2016 COMPARED WITH JANUARY JUNE 2015
Stadshypotek's (OSE:STHY) (STO:SHYP) operating profit increased by 3%, or SEK 166m, to SEK 5,550m (5,384). Net interest income rose by SEK 166m to SEK 6,034m (5,868). Of the net interest income, SEK 299m (470) was attributable to the branch in Norway, SEK 191m (211) to the branch in Finland and SEK 160m (130) to the branch in Denmark. Excluding the branches, net interest income increased by SEK 327m, mainly due to higher lending volumes to the private market. The decrease in net interest income at the Norwegian branch was attributable to lower margins for both the private and corporate markets, although this was offset slightly by an increase in lending volumes. The decrease in net interest income at the Finnish branch can be explained by lower margins, while net interest income rose at the Danish branch, due to an increase in lending volumes to the private market. Net gains/losses on financial transactions decreased to SEK 43m (59).
Expenses decreased by SEK 26m to SEK -518m (-544), mainly due to a lower level of sales compensation paid to the parent company for the services performed by the branch operations on behalf of Stadshypotek in relation to the sale and administration of mortgage loans.
Net loan losses totalled SEK 5m (3) as recovered loan losses exceeded new loan losses.
LENDING
Compared to the end of the corresponding period for the previous year, loans to the public increased by 7%, or SEK 71bn, to SEK 1,118bn (1,047). In Sweden, loans to the public increased by 6%, or SEK 58bn, to SEK 960bn (902). Loans to the private market in Sweden increased by 9%, or SEK 54bn, to SEK 651bn (597).
The credit quality of lending operations remains very good. Impaired loans, before deduction of the provision for probable loan losses, decreased by SEK 50m and totalled SEK 96m (146). Of this amount, non-performing loans accounted for SEK 50m (102), while SEK 46m (44) related to loans on which the borrowers pay interest and amortisation, but which are nevertheless considered impaired. There were also nonperforming loans of SEK 305m (509) that are not classed as being impaired loans. After deductions for specific provisions totalling SEK -24m (-35) and collective provisions of SEK -3m (-4) for probable loan losses, impaired loans totalled SEK 69m (107).
FUNDING
Issues made under Stadshypotek's Swedish covered bond programme totalled SEK 61.5bn (50.8) for the first six months of the year. A nominal volume totalling SEK 30.8bn matured or was repurchased. In Norway, bonds to the value of NOK 10bn (1.5) were issued during the period. In addition, bonds to the value of EUR 2.25bn (1.25) were issued, while bonds to the value of EUR 1.5bn and GBP 350m matured.
CAPITAL ADEQUACY
The total capital ratio according to CRD IV was 69.4% (66.7) while the common equity tier 1 ratio calculated according to CRD IV was 38.3% (39.0). Further information on capital adequacy is provided in the 'Own funds and capital requirement' section on page 21.
RATING
During the period, Fitch upgraded Stadshypotek's long-term rating from AA- to AA. All other ratings remained unchanged during the period.
Stadshypotek Covered bonds Long-term Short-term Moody's Aaa P-1 Standard Poor's AA- A-1+ Fitch AA F1+
Stockholm, 15 July 2016
Ulrica Stolt Kirkegaard
Chief Executive
This information is of the type that Stadshypotek is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Swedish Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 11.00 CET on 15 July 2016.
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160715005519/en/
Contacts:
Stadshypotek
Maria Plyhm Skinnars
070-729 82 85 Given
e-mail: mapl02@handelsbanken.se
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 15, 2016) - Centurion Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: CTN) ("Centurion", or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that further to its news release of July 7, 2016 regarding a non-brokered private placement for $350,000 priced at $.05/Unit, the Company is increasing the financing to $500,000. All terms of the placement remain the same with each Unit consisting of one common share and one 2 year common share purchase warrant. Each warrant will be exercisable for one common share at $0.10 for the first year and at $0.15 for the second year following the closing. Closing will be subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.
Proceeds from this financing shall be used to complete a geological model and initial resource estimation work on its Argentinean agricultural gypsum project and for general corporate purposes.
ABOUT CENTURION
Centurion Minerals Ltd. is a Canadian-based company with an international focus on the exploration and development of gold and agri-mineral projects.
On Behalf of the Board,
"David G. Tafel"
President and CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For Further Information Contact:
David Tafel
President and CEO
604-484-2161
This news release may contain forward looking statements concerning future operations of Centurion Minerals Ltd. (the "Company"). All forward looking statements concerning the Company's future plans and operations, including management's assessment of the Company's project expectations or beliefs may be subject to certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual performance and exploration and financial results may differ materially from any estimates or projections.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Maxim Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MXM)(OTCBB: MXMSF)(FRANKFURT: M5HA) ("Maxim" or the "Company") announces that the Company has implemented a series of corporate changes. Effective immediately, Art Brown, and Cyrus Driver have tendered their resignations as Directors of the Company, and Mr. Chris Farnworth has tendered his resignation as Corporate Secretary. The Company thanks Art Brown, Cyrus Driver and Chris Farnworth for their service to the Company and wish them success in the future.
The Board of Directors appointed Mr. Ian Baron as President and CEO effective immediately. Mr. Andrew Male, present CEO, will take on the role of Executive Vice President of Corporate Development with the Company and will continue to serve as a Director of Maxim. The Board has also appointed Mr. David Robinson as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Mr. Ian Baron is presently a Non Executive Director of the Company and has been working with Maxim for over 2 years now. Mr. Baron has almost 40 years' experience in the upstream oil and gas business, most of it living and working in the Middle East region. Mr. Baron is currently Director Oil & Gas for the Quest Group based in Dubai.
Mr. David Robinson is presently a Non Executive Director of the Company and joined the Board of Maxim on February 10, 2016. Mr. Robinson has over 28 years of experience in the energy sector, with a strong background in finance. He has held management and directorship positions in a number of TSX and TSXV listed companies and was Founder and CEO of an AIM-listed exploration and production company in London, UK.
Andrew Male, a Director of Maxim, stated: "I am pleased to have Ian and David take on elevated roles in the Company. Having worked with Ian closely for the last 2 years at Maxim, I believe his executive level involvement in Maxim now will help the Company pivot to a new level and be able to reinvent itself. Since joining the Board David has been a very positive influence on the Company and I look forward to working with both Ian and David in this new phase of Maxim's development."
Maxim will seek to fill the remaining open Board positions in the near future. The Company will continue to maintain its focus on the Middle East North Africa region and look to leverage the relationships and experience that will be available to the newly constituted corporate structure.
About Maxim Resources Inc.
Maxim is an oil and gas production and exploration company based in Vancouver, Canada. The Company is focused on identifying assets that meet the following criteria, producing, near term enhancement and exploration opportunities. Investments may be by way of acquisition, participation and/or fractional interest. Its most recent investment is a Reconnaissance Contract for the Hassi Berkane Block, in the Kingdom of Morocco in partnership with the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines.
Issued on behalf of the Board of Directors of Maxim Resources Inc.
Andrew Male, Director
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 information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding, among other things, the completion transactions completed in the Agreement. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, regulatory approval processes. Although Maxim believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, including that all necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained in a timely manner, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Maxim disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.
Contacts:
Maxim Resources Inc.
Andrew Male
Director
+1 604 561-0840
andrew@maximresources.com
Maxim Resources Inc.
Ian Baron
Director & CEO
+971 (50) 556 6989
ian@maximresources.com
www.maximresources.com
DUBLIN, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Allergy Immunotherapies Market 2016-2020" report to their offering.
The report forecasts the global allergy immunotherapies market to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% during the period 2016-2020.
Commenting on the report, an analyst from the research team said: A trend propelling market growth is the advent of SPIRE. The SPIRE allergy immunotherapy is a novel method to treat allergies. This therapy uses the proprietary MicronJet system to maximize the immune response. MicronJet, a novel device approved in the US and the EU, provides patient friendly, consistent, and intradermal administration of drugs. Vendors are showing an interest in this patented novel synthetic pharmaceutical technology due to its ease of use and compatibility compared to the complex techniques of existing immunotherapies.
According to the report, a key growth driver is the presence of high unmet medical needs. Though existing therapies are highly effective in relieving and controlling symptoms, the market still requires drugs that reduce inflammation and irreversible airway remodeling. In Europe, the US, and Japan, an estimated 39 million individuals are not in control of their respiratory-related allergies, as only a few drugs provide appropriate treatment; only about 4.5 million receive AIT. Globally, only 55% of all the allergic rhinitis cases have been diagnosed. In addition, allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma are chronic diseases that cannot be cured, and most patients needed lifelong treatment and lifestyle adjustments. Thus, an unmet medical need exists for novel targeted drugs that treat the underlying cause of these conditions.
Questions Answered:
What 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?
Companies Mentioned:
ALK-Abello
Stallergenes
Merck Group
Allergy Therapeutics
Adamis Pharmaceuticals
Aimmune Therapeutics
Anergis
ASIT biotech
Biomay
Circassia
DBV Technologies
Genentech
HAL Allergy
Laboratorios LETI
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma
Nycomed
Sementis
Shionogi
Torii
Tunitas Therapeutics
VentiRx Pharmaceuticals
Verona Pharma
Report Structure:
PART 01: Executive summary
PART 02: Scope of the report
PART 03: Market research methodology
PART 04: Introduction
PART 05: Allergies: Overview
PART 06: Pipeline analysis
PART 07: Market landscape
PART 08: Market segmentation by product type
PART 09: Geographical segmentation
PART 10: Market drivers
PART 11: Impact of drivers
PART 12: Market challenges
PART 13: Impact of drivers and challenges
PART 14: Market trends
PART 15: Vendor landscape
PART 16: Appendix
PART 17: About the Author
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/78b863/global_allergy
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
Commenting on the markets, Will Landers, representing the Investment
Manager noted;
Performance
For the month of June 2016, the Company's NAV rose by 20.1% and the share price rose by 12.3% whilst the benchmark, the MSCI EM Latin America Free Index, rose by 21.4% (all in sterling terms).
Positive contributions to performance stemmed primarily from a lower than benchmark weighting in Chile which suffered as macro data was weaker than expected. The largest contributor to performance was an underweight to America Movil, which suffered as a result of ongoing competitive pressures, especially in Mexico and Brazil. The stock also suffered post the Brexit vote given its exposure to Europe.
Stock selection in Brazil was the primary detractor from returns. An allocation to off-benchmark Argentina and an overweight to Mexico also weighed on returns. An overweight to Fibria Celulose detracted from performance as the stock suffered from a stronger currency and relative weakness of pulp prices during June.
Transactions/Gearing
During the month we increased exposure to Brazil given positive moves from the interim government. Conversely, we reduced exposure to Mexico on concerns regarding future growth given slower growth in the US and the US election cycle's impact on Mexico. In Brazil, we added to Petrobras bringing our position close to neutral given the aforementioned government moves, including new management at the company. In Mexico, we reduced exposure to America Movil due to the previously mentioned stiff competition in most markets. We reduced our commodity exposure following the Brexit vote; as a result we exited Vale and reduced exposure to Cemex and Fibria Celulose.
Net cash was approximately 0.2% at the end of June.
Positioning
We enter the second half of 2016 with a positive view on Brazil and concerns regarding Mexico. In Brazil, we expect the impeachment process to be finalized during the third quarter, allowing President Temer and his strong financial team to tackle the issues required to get Brazil back on a sustainable growth track. Meanwhile, in Mexico the economy's close ties to the US could become more of a headwind as growth falters in the US and election day approaches. While Brazil's Central Bank should enter into an easing cycle shortly, Mexico has been forced to raise rates to battle undesired currency volatility. In the rest of the region, we maintain our preference for Peru over Chile and Colombia, especially after the positive result of the country's recently concluded presidential election.
15 July 2016
ENDS
Latest information is available by typing www.blackrock.co.uk/brla on the internet, "BLRKINDEX" on Reuters, "BLRK" on Bloomberg or "8800" on Topic 3 (ICV terminal). Neither the contents of the Manager's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Manager's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
Standard & Poor's affirms Iceland's sovereign ratings at BBB+/A-2 with a stable outlook International rating agency Standard & Poor's has affirmed Iceland's sovereign ratings at BBB+/A-2 with a stable outlook. Standard & Poor's expects economic growth in Iceland to remain strong over the next few years, supported by the tourism sector and robust private consumption. The stable outlook balances the potential for a faster-than-anticipated improvement in the country's fiscal and balance-of-payments profiles over the next two years against the remaining risks surrounding capital control liberalization and the prospect of the economy overheating. Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=578913
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.
Car shows are for everybody.
At least thats what the co-host of the popular television show, All Girls Garage on Discoverys Velocity Channel, believes, and shed know firsthand due to the fact shes been attending shows and working on her own cars for years.
Growing up in a Brazilian family in which the men and women have set roles, it was Rachel DeBarros father who taught her the things she needed to buck the trend and be her own woman.
DeBarros, who stars in the show alongside Cristy Lee and Bogi Lateiner, will be available for photos and autographs all weekend during Carlisle Events Carlisle Chrysler Nationals car show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds. The show runs through Sunday, beginning at 7 a.m. each day.
While DeBarros will be a guest at the event for the first time, shes been to Carlisle many times over the years, she said, as the borough serves as a hotbed for automotive collectors and hobbyists thanks to Carlisle Events various shows throughout each year.
Q. Is this your first time in Carlisle?
A. Absolutely not. These Carlisle shows have been going on a long time, and for us East Coasters its one of the biggest shows in our area. California has car shows almost every weekend, where we are thats not so much the case. These car shows, theyre so huge youre always going to see something different. Theresa lot of variety, some of the things I like to do is get ideas on how to modify my own cars. .
Q. Other than the car shows, do you ever spend any time in Carlisle doing anything else?
A. Not as much, but I love driving through town. Its a lot larger than I thought it would be. I thought it was going to be one intersection, one town pharmacy, but you go through there and think wow its really cool. You realize how many events take place in the town and you think wow. Plus, its so beautiful.
Q. Car shows may sometimes seem geared toward attracting a male audience, so do you see and meet a lot of women at these events?
A. Definitely. Guys cant really come to events without their wives. Much like how guys have their shows they watch, its really the women who control the remote.
You see a lot of women and children because its still one of those events like carnivals where theres something for entire family. Its actually tough to find events that are a good mix for kids, moms and dads, so when you look at (Carlisle Events) website and advertising it is really aimed all families. Some are more racing, some are more performance parts, and those are more geared toward guys. You can market to women all day long, but theyre still not the majority that actually pick up a wrench and install a part in their car. Still, you dont have to be able to work on cars to enjoy a car show.
Q. Is there anything that can be done to get more women involved in cars and car shows?
A. Naturally, women are going to be more involved because nowadays more women are getting drivers licenses than men. A car is still essential, so more women are getting involved in maintenance, and so the industry is going to change to meet that need and if it doesnt youre missing a chunk of the population.
Roles can change. You constantly get called a man, people use derogatory words, but I think when this language starts to change its going to be OK to use a wrench on a car one moment, then put on that LBD, the little black dress, and youre still the same person.
Q. What do you look forward to most when attending car shows?
A. Meeting the people. As soon as you start talking about your stories, especially people who have restored their cars themselves, you realize you all have similar interests and limitations, because hobbying aint cheap. Sometimes its not even about the cars; you go because you have the same experiences as this type of person. Its really about meeting the people.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Aton Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AAN) ("the "Company") is very pleased to report that assay results for the early holes in the current drill campaign encountered excellent gold-silver mineralization. Drilling commenced on the 31st March with diamond drill hole AH-59 which targeted the Gold Oxide Cap north of and down dip from AHA-34 at Hamama West. AHA-34 had intersected 9 meters at 1.3 g/t Au and 70.6 g/t Ag in a previous drill campaign. Drill hole ANA-60 was sited behind AHA-59 to test the down dip extension to the mineralization. A drill hole further north again, AHA-61 was sited to test the mineralization down dip from both holes as shown in the cross section figure 1. Very interesting lithologies were encountered in each hole confirming the mineralization as being in a volcanic associated massive sulphide (VMS) environment. AHA-59 in the oxidized zone returned 5.1 meters at 0.89 g/t Au and 16.44 g/t Ag. Up-hole from the gold-silver mineralization, 3.8 meters of 0.79% Zn was intersected. Drill hole AHA-60 tested the deeper extension to this mineralization and returned 28 meters of 2.23 g/t Au and 42.2 g/t Ag in the sulphide zone. Up-hole from this are two narrower zones. These were 4.45 meters at 0.66 g/t Au with 19.94 g/t Ag; plus 6 meters at 0.65 g/t Au and 15.8 g/t Ag. Once again, zinc mineralization was encountered up-hole from the gold-silver intersections; in AHA-60 it was 23.5 meters of 2.5% Zn. Although there has been secondary migration and enrichment in the oxide environment, stratigraphically these zinc-rich zones are sitting under the mineralized exhalite unit that is carrying the precious metals. This is normal in a VMS situation.
Highlights:
-- Drill holes AHA-59, AHA-60 and AHA-61 were drilled on the same section as previously drilled hole AHA-34 (9 meters at 1.3 g/t Au and 70.6 g/t Ag) but down dip from it. AHA-59 in the oxide zone adjacent AHA-34 returned 5.1 meters at 0.89 g/t Au and 16.44 g/t Ag. AHA-60 down dip again but in the sulphide zone returned 28 meters of 2.23 g/t Au and 42.2 g/t Ag showing a marked increase in thickness and grade. Results from hole AHA-61, down dip again, have not been received. See figure 1. -- The higher grade precious metal intersections are enveloped by a lower grade halo of mineralization. Thus, in AHA-60 the 17 meters at 2.9 g/t Au & 51.4 g/t Ag (1 g/t Au cut-off) sits within an intersection of 28 meters at 2.23 g/t Au & 42.2 g/t Ag (0.5 g/t Au cut-off). This in turn is enclosed in 37 meters at 1.8 g/t Au & 35.9 g/t Ag. (0.25 g/t cut- off). The mining cut-off will be calculated later during modeling. -- In both AHA-59 and AHA-60, elevated zinc values were encountered; 3.8 meters of 0.79% Zn in AHA-59 and 23.5 meters of 2.5% Zn in AHA-60. These zones stratigraphically underlie the gold-silver mineralized exhalite.
Mark Campbell, Chief Executive Officer of Aton Resources stated, "These exciting results from Hamama West are confirming the potential of both the near surface Gold-Oxide Cap, and the deeper sulphide mineralization to host a significant resource. Further assay results are expected in the very near future and these should contribute towards the goal of achieving this. We have close to 3,000 square kilometers in two promising concessions that includes a number of old mines that we are re-assessing. Currently the exploration team is preparing to process the last of the samples from stage one of the 3,500-meter drilling program at Hamama West. We are excited to start stage two of the drilling program to carry on filling gaps in the drill pattern over the Gold-Oxide Cap and the deeper primary sulphide targets. We are on track to complete our initial NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate for Hamama West in Q3."
To view "Figure 1: Cross section showing selected intervals for AHA-059 and AHA-060" please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1062858Figure1.jpg
Table 1: Au-Ag mineralized intervals for AHA-059 and AHA-060
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AHA-059 34 39.1 5.1 0.89 16.44 AHA-060 40.5 46.5 6 0.65 15.8 AHA-060 63 67.43 4.43 0.66 19.94 AHA-060 71 99 28 2.23 42.2
Table 2: Zn mineralized intervals for AHA-059 and AHA-060
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval Zn (%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AHA-059 19 22.8 3.8 0.79 AHA-060 6.5 30 23.5 2.5
See the appendix for a full list of assays.
To view "Figure 2. Geological map of western Hamama West showing drill holes AHA-59 & AHA-60" please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1062858Figure2.jpg
INFORMATION CONCERNING HAMAMA VMS PROJECT
The Hamama project lies within a belt of mineralization and old mines that extends east north-easterly for 40 km across Aton Resources' Abu Marawat Concession. The Main Horizon at Hamama has a strike length of some 3 km but extensions along the same stratigraphic horizon extend this to about 4 1/2 km. This stratigraphic horizon needs exploration to search for more occurrences. The Hamama mineralized horizon is divided into three main zones; Hamama West, Hamama Central and Hamama East. Mineralization at Hamama outcrops at surface, and at Hamama West is deeply weathered into a soft and friable oxidized blanket called the Gold-Oxide Cap, which extends over 900 m in strike length and has an average vertical depth of 35 m. Apart from the intersections announced herein, drill results in oxide at Hamama West include 37 m at 2.32 g/t Au and 107.1 g/t Ag in AHA-15, 32.6 m at 1.37 g/t Au and 56.4 g/t Ag in AHA-37 and 19 m at 2.46 g/t Au and 157.3 g/t Ag in AHA-46. Preliminary metallurgical (bottle-roll) test results on the Gold-Oxide Cap returned up to 92.2% Au and 65% Ag recovery by cyanide leach from oxide (see January 13, 2015 News Release).
Primary sulphide mineralization at Hamama West returned such intercepts as 48 m at 1.45 g/t Au and 31.8 g/t Ag in AHA-23 and 88 m at 1.11 g/t Au and 118 g/t Ag in AHA-31 (see News Release dates May 12, 2015). The last drill hole from the 2015 drilling program, AHA-58, was entirely mineralized, from surface to 210 m depth, and includes 39 m at 1.64% Zn, 0.25 g/t Au and 25.7 g/t Ag (53 m to 92 m), 12.3 m at 2.49% Zn, 0.29% Cu, 0.26 g/t Au and41.4 g/t Ag (92 m to 104.3 m), 43.5 m at 3.70% Zn, 0.23% Cu, 2.61 g/t Au and 150 g/t Ag(112.5 m to 156 m) and 50.7 m at 0.69 g/t Au and 29.7 g/t Ag (160 m to 210.7 m).
About Aton Resources Inc.:
Aton Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AAN) is exploring potentially economic gold, silver and base metal deposits in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt with the aim of developing mines. The Company's 100% owned concessions, Abu Marawat and Fatiri, between them cover 2,772 km2 of under explored ground. Evidence of gold and copper mining in the concessions dates the many surface workings to pre-historic possibly Old Kingdom through Ptolemaic, Roman and Early Arab times. Three historic gold mines occur within the two concessions: British miners produced gold at Sir Bakis, Semna and Abu Zawal into the 1920s.
Much of the gold vein mineralization in the district is orogenic related, quartz-carbonate type and is associated with major shear-zones. Centamin's Sukari gold mine is located 400 km to the south of Abu Marawat, in the same belt. The Abu Marawat and Fatiri Concessions cover a Proterozoic Pan-African greenstone belt. This is part of the Arabian Nubian Shield that also occurs in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Significant VMS deposits in this belt includes Jabel Sayid (Saudi Arabia); Bisha Main and Harena (Eritrea); Hassai, plus Hadal Awatib (Sudan) and Emba Derho, Debarwa plus Adi Nefas (Eritrea). Alexander Nubia's Hamama gold-silver VMS is geologically similar to these VMS deposits. Similar geological settings to the Arabian Nubian Shield include the greenstone belts of the Yilgarn (Western Australia), Abitibi (Quebec) and Birimian (West Africa). The Arabian Nubian Shield is most similar in age to the latter.
The Company's land package, located 350-400 km southeast of Cairo, includes excellent infrastructure. Hamama has direct access to two four-lane highways, a zero-gradient railway bed that runs through Abu Marawat concession to a Red Sea port, multiple high-voltage (capacity 220kV) power lines that cross between the two concessions, a water pipeline and nearby major cities. The latter include Qena, on the Nile 70 km to the west and the Port of Safaga, on the Red Sea, 50 km to the east. The city of Luxor, a two-hour drive from Hamama, has an international airport.
Qualifying Person:
The technical information contained in this News Release was prepared by Roderick Cavaney BSc, MSc (hons), MSc (Mining & Exploration Geology), AusIMM (f), SEG, GSA, SME, Exploration Manager for Aton Resources Inc. Mr. Cavaney is a qualified person (QP) under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
For more information on Aton Resources Inc., visit us at www.atonresources.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The securities of Aton Resources Inc. described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements, such as estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions; by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. 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.
APPENDICES Appendix 1: Raw Assay Results for AHA-059 From To Interval Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (ppm) Pb (ppm) Zn (ppm) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 1 1 0.009 2.1 764 21 1840 1 2.5 1.5 0.008 4.6 999 25 3930 2.5 3.3 0.8 0.01 2.1 601 53 1375 3.3 4.3 1 0.029 1.9 983 138 2610 4.3 5.3 1 0.033 2.9 1220 66 3340 5.3 6.3 1 0.022 3.8 1110 56 2870 6.3 7.2 0.9 0.017 4 806 32 3590 7.2 8.1 0.9 0.035 5.4 848 1890 3260 8.1 9 0.9 0.017 2.1 683 317 2670 9 10.3 1.3 0.023 1.6 609 77 3990 10.3 11.5 1.2 0.037 1.4 295 23 1085 11.5 12.55 1.05 0.019 1.8 246 134 609 12.55 13.7 1.15 0.012 3.5 440 448 3050 13.7 14.9 1.2 0.008 1 296 150 3020 14.9 16 1.1 0.005 2 574 565 3760 16 17 1 0.019 2.8 459 880 2250 17 18 1 0.041 3.8 317 261 2800 18 19 1 0.149 5.1 387 615 3680 19 20 1 0.059 4.8 273 170 5320 20 21 1 0.008 4.1 271 35 8160 21 22 1 0.054 4.7 78 207 9120 22 22.8 0.8 0.199 3 286 453 6330 22.8 23.9 1.1 0.253 6.6 58 119 2590 23.9 25 1.1 0.464 11.2 87 158 1810 25 26 1 0.467 11.9 93 149 1610 26 27 1 0.254 13.5 123 151 1880 27 28 1 0.089 12.6 185 216 1990 28 29 1 0.282 16 152 427 3790 29 30 1 0.06 4.5 31 74 607 30 31 1 0.243 8.5 67 222 1690 31 32 1 0.293 11.2 75 301 834 32 33 1 0.36 18 140 433 1260 33 34 1 0.333 16.1 95 351 1860 34 35 1 0.975 16.1 235 689 3260 35 36 1 0.561 18.8 122 301 975 36 37 1 0.726 8.2 113 526 962 37 38 1 0.378 16.2 143 233 629 38 39.1 1.1 1.71 22.3 237 526 1295 Appendix 2: Raw Assay Results for AHA-060 From To Interval Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (ppm) Pb (ppm) Zn (ppm) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.5 7.5 1 0.022 1.3 503 120 7710 7.5 8.8 1.3 0.02 3 915 143 8740 8.8 9.8 1 0.037 3.2 1205 253 13050 9.8 10.8 1 0.027 2.1 823 187 10050 10.8 12.1 1.3 0.016 2.8 717 95 8120 12.1 12.4 0.3 0.034 3 2230 666 139500 12.4 13.4 1 0.016 0.7 537 23 28900 13.4 14.4 1 0.0025 0.3 418 10 31300 14.4 15.9 1.5 0.0025 0.5 621 15 33400 15.9 16.6 0.7 0.008 1.1 762 61 62200 16.6 17.4 0.8 0.01 1.5 420 96 93000 17.4 18.55 1.15 0.009 1.9 1420 148 15350 18.55 19.55 1 0.009 2.5 1470 108 10100 19.55 20.55 1 0.016 3.1 3200 1080 21300 20.55 21.55 1 0.009 1.7 1000 1000 14850 21.55 22.6 1.05 0.007 1.2 575 270 13600 22.6 23.6 1 0.052 1 197 134 32000 23.6 24.6 1 0.055 5.7 1440 3620 46700 24.6 25.6 1 0.033 2.3 721 2090 40200 25.6 27 1.4 0.041 1.6 406 142 21200 27 28.1 1.1 0.122 2.1 135 221 1420 28.1 29 0.9 0.06 2.4 574 918 18300 29 30 1 0.067 1.7 141 195 19800 30 30.65 0.65 0.038 1.6 74 130 1670 30.65 32 1.35 0.049 1.9 104 109 369 32 33 1 0.043 3.1 130 126 405 33 34.4 1.4 0.11 4.7 106 96 323 34.4 36 1.6 0.115 4.8 138 168 393 36 37 1 0.055 3.3 62 106 138 37 37.5 0.5 0.047 2.5 35 65 32 37.5 38.6 1.1 0.069 1.3 21 50 61 38.6 39.6 1 0.21 2.9 14 52 37 39.6 40.5 0.9 0.339 7.7 44 67 64 40.5 41.5 1 0.611 12.1 124 126 122 41.5 42.5 1 0.596 12 112 125 104 42.5 43.5 1 0.6 12.5 73 134 1145 43.5 44.5 1 0.515 16.1 79 147 3610 44.5 45.5 1 0.828 20.7 128 181 713 45.5 46.5 1 0.767 21.4 120 178 1165 46.5 47.5 1 0.406 8.8 51 86 307 47.5 48.5 1 0.19 3.6 23 52 207 48.5 49.5 1 0.214 4.9 28 60 256 49.5 50.22 0.72 0.14 3.2 18 32 117 50.22 51.22 1 0.651 18.7 50 73 132 51.22 52 0.78 0.141 7.4 12 59 57 52 53 1 0.245 3.3 17 38 42 53 54 1 0.133 3.1 18 36 194 54 55 1 0.154 10.2 25 43 85 55 56 1 0.125 7.4 20 49 239 56 57 1 0.181 6 17 42 155 57 58 1 0.115 4.6 16 33 67 58 59.02 1.02 0.097 2.3 16 27 41 59.02 60 0.98 0.152 4.9 27 34 34 60 61 1 0.121 2.6 24 33 41 61 61.9 0.9 0.164 2.5 25 34 42 61.9 63 1.1 0.439 12.2 44 72 44 63 63.6 0.6 0.831 23 89 150 95 63.6 64.6 1 0.736 18.8 88 127 116 64.6 65.6 1 0.706 25 130 207 354 65.6 66.43 0.83 0.568 22.2 138 196 156 66.43 67.43 1 0.533 12.3 48 85 48 67.43 68 0.57 0.405 9.9 48 153 67 68 69 1 0.388 12.2 88 245 176 69 70 1 0.406 13.7 94 191 579 70 71 1 0.461 15.8 100 134 341 71 72 1 0.672 19.3 110 208 428 72 73 1 0.588 17.7 103 189 336 73 74 1 0.608 19.9 119 200 293 74 75 1 1.155 28.7 92 149 223 75 76 1 1.24 38.1 138 138 196 76 77 1 1.025 26.9 103 171 321 77 78 1 0.848 47.9 162 340 539 78 79 1 19.8 164 2590 13600 116000 79 80 1 6.65 83.8 1735 6240 37300 80 81.08 1.08 2.35 56.1 496 1950 9370 81.08 82 0.92 3.06 72.9 903 3130 27100 82 83 1 1.505 49.8 223 1175 4110 83 84 1 1.475 55.1 318 1585 4100 84 85 1 1.565 53.5 385 2190 7110 85 86 1 1.355 48.2 269 1545 4200 86 87 1 0.789 38.1 154 501 901 87 88 1 1.475 30 172 628 1165 88 89 1 1.1 21.9 144 552 1130 89 89.5 0.5 0.26 5.9 53 241 589 89.5 90 0.5 1.28 29.5 276 1235 2690 90 91 1 1.305 26.1 383 1740 5200 91 92 1 1.2 23.1 319 1300 4990 92 93 1 1.105 34.1 320 1115 3420 93 94 1 1.71 44 529 1835 3980 94 95 1 2.35 56.2 714 2320 4030 95 96 1 0.671 17.5 185 1455 2670 96 97 1 0.713 14 196 783 1560 97 98 1 2.45 37.3 421 1460 2040 98 99 1 2.93 41.1 452 1020 1455 99 100 1 0.015 2.4 65 78 328
Contacts:
Aton Resources Inc.
Mark Campbell
President and Chief Executive Officer
+1-936-689-2589
mcampbell@atonresources.com
www.atonresources.com
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- The Parkhotel Beau Site in Zermatt combines nostalgia with a touch of modernity and makes the perfect adventurous getaway. The impressive mountain landscape around the Matterhorn in Switzerland is a real paradise, and this, together with the 400km trail system around Zermatt makes it the perfect set-off point for hikes. Featured in the pages of the latest Business Destinations magazine, the Parkhotel Beau Site in Zermatt is among the country's most impressive hotels.
With the history of more than 100 years, the Beau Site has kept the grandeur of a "Grand Hotel", and its warm and luxurious interior together with its hearty hospitality encapsulates the "Belle Epoque." Aside from the hotel's ancient gems and typical Swiss flair, one of the key criterions for choosing the Parkhotel Beau Site in Zermatt is its central location. Just five minutes walk from the main street and within two minutes of the bus to the mountain railway stations.
Business Destinations looks at how cosy couches and a 7x15 metre indoor pool invite guests to enjoy the great view onto the Matterhorn and the roofs of Zermatt. The sauna area, meanwhile, offers something for every need: a sauna with hot temperatures, a steam bath, a vitarium with low temperature and an infra-red cabin. Both the saunas and relaxation room were fully refurbished this spring and an array of massage, hammam and beauty treatments encourage guests to leave the worries of everyday life behind.
Away from the dramatic landscapes there is real pleasure to be found in the Parkhotel Beau Site restaurant. The kitchen offers traditional Swiss gastronomy with international influences, as well as gala dinners, barbecues and Swiss fondue nights.
In the summer the hotel also offers a number of exciting packages, from taster holidays and short breaks with fine dining, to stays packed with activities and "The Flowerage", including a flower guide and a Peak Pass. With so much luxury, pampering and activities on offer, the Parkhotel Beau Site in Zermatt is bringing travellers from afar to Switzerland.
For more on the Parkhotel Beau Site in Zermatt and an insight into the wider world of business travel, pick up a copy of Business Destinations magazine, available online and in print now.
http://www.businessdestinations.com/
World News Media is a leading publisher of quality financial and business magazines, enjoying a global distribution network that includes subscriber lists of the most prominent and senior decision-makers around the world, as well as comprehensive airport, hotel and conference site distribution.
Contacts:
For further media information contact:
Business Destinations
Matthew Timms
Editorial Department
+44 (0) 20 7553 4177
matthew.timms@wnmedia.com
Technavio's latest backup-as-a-service market report highlights four key emerging trends predicted to impact market growth through 2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as something that has potential for significant impact on the market and contributes to its growth or decline.
"IT organizations are concerned about data security because information technology has become a serious business today. Most enterprises fear losing data because such losses can create serious repercussions on businesses, such as damage to reputation, profit loss, reduced productivity, and missed business opportunities," said Amit Sharma, one of Technavio's lead industry analysts for cloud computing
"Such losses can also create chaos among various departments, and may result in heavier traffic for help desks and may take longer support times. In addition, such disruptions can negatively influence system up and downtime. Therefore, effective backup as a service helps IT companies to establish a smooth work environment designed to reduce macro management of IT departments, ensure a work-life balance for employees, and strengthen employment security," added Amit.
Technavio's market research study identifies the following four emerging trends expected to propel the global backup-as-a-service market:
Increased adoption of SMAC technology in workforce
Cloud backup for virtual machines
Convergence in cloud backup services and recovery
Automatic retrieval and backup
Increased adoption of SMAC technology in workforce
The ubiquity of mobile devices and social networking platforms in the workplace allows workforces to function remotely and communicate during an emergency. Therefore, mobile devices enable business continuity during disasters, help support business operations, and minimize downtime. Such mobility trends will likely gain greater momentum and so, it is important for businesses to implement system protocols to back up employees' mobile devices.
Similarly, social networking can be leveraged as an alternative to provide effective and critical disaster management. Such platforms also improve the chances of successful emergency communications and reduce the risk of dependency on traditional methods.
Cloud backup for virtual machines
Virtualization is now an integral part of IT infrastructure. Many enterprises have committed to pursue virtualization beyond 50% benchmarks over the next few years. The technology offers many business benefits, including rapid provisioning and better utilization of system resources. Many organizations are seeking to implement agentless solutions for the backup and recovery of virtual machines. However, technological limitations (as of 2015) have compelled enterprises to use separate solutions for backing up physical and virtual machines.
VMware, Microsoft, Citrix, Parallels, and Linux KVM offer various iterations of virtualization platforms. Cloud backup services help users to back up and restore multiple virtual and physical servers using a single, integrated service. We note that agentless backup, improved performance, enterprise scalability, multiple platform support, and quick and simple recovery are prominent features of virtual machines.
Convergence in cloud backup services and recovery
Convergence is an emerging trend in the online backup services space. The convergence of networking, computing, and storage denotes the movement of enterprise data from physical storage (such as tape disk and local severs) to virtual servers operating in the cloud. Convergence includes software-defined storage, hardware abstraction, networking services, central orchestration, and geo-distributed architecture, which help IT infrastructure to become an efficient and agile service. The convergence of backup and archiving also reduces capital uptake and lowers operational costs, in addition to simplifying IT processes. We note that the use of recovery technology should make for robust and efficient data backups.
Automatic retrieval and backup
One of the biggest advantages of using backup as a service is the automatic backup of data that service providers execute on a daily or weekly basis. Some backup-as-a-service providers such as Carbonite, iDrive, and Mozy, upload the system files to their servers and make an image of the data to provide information backup. This streamlines the creation and sharing of business documents over a collaborative platform, and so helps companies to boost operational efficiency and business transparency.
Browse related reports:
Global Storage Services Market 2015-2019
Storage as a Service Market in the US Market Research 2015-2019
Global Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) Market 2015-2019
Global Data Protection as a Service (DPaaS) Market 2015-2019
Global STaaS 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.
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ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Aurion Resources Ltd. ("Aurion") (TSX VENTURE: AU) and its partner B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO)(NYSE MKT: BTG)(NAMIBIAN: B2G); ("B2Gold") are pleased to report the initiation of its 2016 field exploration program in northern Finland.
The 2016 field program entails field mapping, prospecting, surface geochemical sampling, trenching and drilling. The inaugural drill program will commence in late summer or early fall and will focus on the greater than 5000 m long Kutuvuoma trend (see attached map), which is the highest priority target area. A request for tenders has been submitted to several drilling contractors.
Reconnaissance prospecting, geological mapping and trenching are also being conducted on several other targets within the JV area of interest during this field season. Additionally, following several months of data compilation and analysis, 78 specific exploration targets have been identified. The efforts of the 2016 field program will be to ground truth, expand and/or refine many of these targets. This includes Ahvenjarvi where to date a total of 384 rock chip/grab, and channel samples collected from outcrop, sub-outcrop, angular boulders and trenches over an area measuring 2,300m long and up to 700m wide, assayed up to 28.8 g/t Au and averaging 0.81 g/t Au.
Mike Basha, President and CEO of Aurion commented: "We are very encouraged to have encountered such a robust and extensive gold system early in this program on the JV. Moreover, we are very pleased to have generated so many targets for additional follow-up elsewhere. We are looking forward to a very busy and exciting 2016, as we move this project forward aggressively with our partner B2Gold."
The 2016 field program is fully funded by B2Gold Corp. ("B2Gold"), under an agreement whereby B2Gold can earn up to an undivided 75% interest from Aurion in a project area of approximately 25,000 hectares in Northern Finland by completing $15 million in exploration expenditures, a positive feasibility study and issuing 550,000 B2Gold shares (see Aurion news release of January 20, 2016 for details). On the 1st Anniversary (August 12th ) of the option and earn-in agreement, B2Gold will issue 100,000 B2gold shares to Aurion.
In Q2, Aurion Resources was granted an additional 225,000 hectares of exploration licences prospective for precious and base metals in Northern Finland.
Kutuvuoma
The Kutuvuoma trend has very few natural bedrock exposures, however, with a limited amount of exploration work (and time in the field) trenching, soil sampling, base of till sampling and prospecting has defined an open-ended mineralized trend greater than 5 km long east and west of the Kutuvuoma deposit where only limited drilling was conducted in the past, over a distance of 175 m and to a depth of 175 m.
The Kutuvuoma deposit is a high-grade, shear zone hosted gold deposit that was discovered in the mid-1990's by the Finnish state entity Outokumpu Oy while exploring for base metals. Outokumpu drilled 47 shallow core and reverse circulation drill holes totalling 3,425m, testing only a very small area. Prior to Aurion no other exploration has been conducted since the mid-1990's. Numerous high-grade drill intercepts including 7.2 g/t Au over 19.4m from 60m downhole, 13.2 g/tAu over 5.0m from 88m downhole and 12.6 g/tAu over 7.0m from 26m downhole were recorded from the historical drilling. True width of the mineralization is estimated to be approximately 70-80% of drill intercepts.
The best results to date came from Trench K15-02, a 310m2 excavation completed in 2015 located 370 m west of the Kutuvuoma deposit. A total of 31 individual 0.85m to 3.0m long channel samples assayed from 0.39 g/t Au to 63.1 g/t Au. The best length weighted average intervals reported were 6.5 g/t Au over 9.8m, including 11.3 g/t Au over 3.0m, 21.7 g/t Au over 3.0m, including 63.10 g/t Au over 0.9 m and 3.20 g/t Au over 10.9m, including 5.0 g/t Au over 5.6 m. The T2 excavation made approximately 100m east of Kutuvuoma Main, assayed on average 4.93 g/t Au over 10.94 m including 35.0 g/t Au over 1.2 m.
Prospecting in 2015 approximately 1.6 km to the west and along strike of Kutuvuoma identified a new zone of mineralization over a distance of approximately 400 m. The area is generally overburden covered, but 51 grab samples from outcrop and subcrop assayed up to 21.2 g/t Au, including four samples assaying 5.5, 11.6, 14.8 and 21.2 g/t Au. This mineralization also lies 500 m southeast of a 1.5 km long Au-in-till geochemical anomaly with individual tills assaying from up to 1.3 g/t Au.
Preliminary metallurgical analysis of surface samples collected in 2015 from trenches 100 m east and 370 m west of the Kutuvuoma deposit were favourable. The metallurgical tests were undertaken to examine the response of two composite surface trench samples to various processes for the concentration and recovery of the contained gold and to get a general view of the project metallurgy. The response of the samples to whole ore cyanide leaching and to concentration by froth flotation and gravity separation was examined at by SGS Canada Inc. at their Lakefield Ontario laboratory. The samples responded well to all of the processes tested, with gold recoveries by a combination of methods in excess of 98% for both samples, including 80-84% recovery by gravity method alone. The material tested indicates the two areas tested would not require any treatment out of the ordinary. A much more extensive program would be required as the project develops.
Qualified Person
Mike Basha, P.Eng., P.Geo., Aurion's President and CEO, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has approved the technical disclosure and verified the technical information in this news release.
Forward-Looking Statement
Certain statements contained in this 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 Companies' 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 Aurion 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.
On behalf of the Board,
Mike Basha, President & CEO
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.
To view the figure associated with this release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/aurionresourcesltd_1062846.jpg
Contacts:
Aurion Resources Ltd.
Mike Basha
(709) 699-8300 or (709) 722-2141
mbasha@aurionresources.ca
www.aurionresources.com
SHANGHAI, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The 16th Shanghai International Children Baby and Maternity Products Industry Expo (CBME China 2016) will welcome 2,366 local and international suppliers representing 3,673 brands to showcase their latest products on July 20-22, 2016 at the new venue - National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/389908
The event will now occupy 223,305sqm of exhibition space covering maternity and baby care products, baby carriages, car seats and furniture, children, baby and teenager clothing, footwear and accessories, food and health care products, maternity clothing, underwear and accessories, and toys, educational products and souvenirs.
"Tens of thousands of buyers make CBME Chinaa regular stop on their sourcing calendar as they recognize the purchase efficiency gained by meeting qualified suppliers with quality products that is available at CBME China. More and more suppliers also launch their latest products at CBME China. This is where they can find the latest trends affecting the industry," said Athena Gong, General Manager, CBME China.
"More and more international brands will debut at CBME China 2016. This year we have pavilions from Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States and more. They are using CBME China as the gateway to China's child, baby and maternity products market. This year, we see the debut of the France pavilion and the Taiwan Toy Pavilion at CBME China 2016. International pavilions have seen a 20% increase in brands and around 18% increase in exhibition space with 337 suppliers and 484 international brands," said Ms. Gong.
CBME China recognizes design excellence, product safety and creativity in the child, baby and maternity products industry with the following initiatives:
CBME China 2016 launches an expanded and enhanced Licensing Zone . CBME China 2016 Licensing Zone helps global leading licensors find licensees for merchandise covering 0-16 age group in China . The fair will be held independently in 2017.
. CBME China 2016 Licensing Zone helps global leading licensors find licensees for merchandise covering 0-16 age group in . The fair will be held independently in 2017. Co-located with CBME China, Cool Kids Fashion Shanghai 2016 will feature 70+ renowned brands from 18 countries. Other highlights of Cool Kids Fashion Shanghai 2016 include Kids Fashion Shows, Trend Forums, Kids Fashion Shows, Kids Fashion Museum and Private Networking Events .
will feature 70+ renowned brands from 18 countries. Other highlights of Cool Kids Fashion Shanghai 2016 include Kids Fashion Shows, Trend Forums, Kids Fashion Shows, Kids Fashion Museum and Private . CBME AWARDS brings renowned experts, industry leaders and media together. CBME AWARDS Gallery will feature the nominees for Top Retailer Awards, Top Brand Awards, Innovative Products Awards, Consumer Awards and more. CBME Innovative Product Awards continues the tradition by providing a platform for inspiring innovative products meeting the highest industry standards.
brings renowned experts, industry leaders and media together. will feature the nominees for Top Retailer Awards, Top Brand Awards, Innovative Products Awards, Consumer Awards and more. continues the tradition by providing a platform for inspiring innovative products meeting the highest industry standards. CBME Product Design Contest : opens to all child, baby and maternity product designers who have original designs not yet in production.
: opens to all child, baby and maternity product designers who have original designs not yet in production. Kids Design Contest Awards/Gallery: Launched in February 2016 , the Cool Kids Fashion's Kids Fashion Design Contest received 1,035 entries from worldwide aspiring designers. 20 designers have been short-listed. Their collections are on display and are featured in the Kids Fashion Show. Final judging will happen on 21 July.
Launched in , the Cool Kids Fashion's Kids Fashion Design Contest received 1,035 entries from worldwide aspiring designers. 20 designers have been short-listed. Their collections are on display and are featured in the Kids Fashion Show. Final judging will happen on 21 July. CBME China's Private Buyer Meetings aims to help buyers meet one-on-one with top suppliers to specify their sourcing requirements, product specification and close deals. Also, for the first time, CBME China 2016 will hold Private Buyer Meetings with Licensors and Private Buyer Meetings with Taiwan Toy Association and more.
China Charity Program 2016 supports the underprivileged children in China. Forty-five companies have donated products in order to be sold at CBME China Charity Program Sales Counters. Visitors can purchase baby products at a discount and help support the charity at the same time.
Theme with"Focus on the Present; Lead the Future," CBME China 2016 will be held at NECC, Shanghaifrom July 20to 22. CBME China is a professional industry exhibition that upholds the highest quality standards. It only features certified products and also adheres to intellectual property guidelines and laws. For more information on the event, highlights and exhibitor profiles, visit www.cbmexpo.com/en.
For press enquiries, please contact:
Louise Kathryn Yu
Marketing Director
Tel: (+852) 2585 6101
louise.yu@ubm.com
About CBME China www.cbmexpo.com/en
Held annually in Shanghai, CBME China is the world's largest sourcing event for baby, child and maternity products. This is the perfect venue for you to meet buyers, manufacturers, distributors and suppliers in the industry.
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- (TSX: EGL): Eagle Energy Inc. ("Eagle") confirms its July 2016 dividend. The cash dividend to be paid on August 23, 2016, in respect of the period from July 1, 2016 to July 31, 2016, for shareholders of record on July 29, 2016 will be $0.005 per common share of Eagle. The ex-dividend date is July 27, 2016.
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.
The recent attack in Nice, France has revived concerns about safe travel to Europe. Squaremouth established the Nice Attack and Travel Insurance Information Center to answer travelers' questions about coverage related to the July 14 attack at a Bastille Day celebration in Southern France.
Key Facts About Travel Insurance Coverage for the Attack in Nice, France
Travelers can still buy policies with Terrorism coverage for future trips to France
Coverage is no longer available for the July 14 attack
Once the State Department recognizes the act as terrorism, travelers may be eligible to cancel their trip due to the attack in Nice
24-hour emergency assistance is available on all policies to help travelers affected by the attack
Travelers With Trips Planned to France
Once the attack is declared an act of terrorism by the State Department:
Travelers with policies in place before July 14 may be eligible to cancel their upcoming trip if they meet their policy's requirements for Terrorism coverage
In general, travelers must be visiting Nice or a nearby city within the next 7-30 days to be covered to cancel
Travelers who don't meet the requirements can cancel without providing a reason if they have the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade, though they will only receive up to 75% reimbursement of their trip expenses
Travelers Currently in France
Travelers currently in Nice or a nearby city should contact their travel insurance provider's emergency assistance hotline. Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation benefits are available regardless of whether the event is considered a terrorist act.
If the act is deemed an act of terrorism by the State Department, travelers in Nice may be covered to return home early from their trip because of the attack.
Stay Up-to-Date
Visit the Nice Attack and Travel Insurance Information Center for updates on coverage related to the attack. This resource is regularly updated by Squaremouth's travel insurance experts with new information, provider position statements, travel notices and frequently asked questions related to the attack in Nice, France.
ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH
Squaremouth is an online company that compares travel insurance products from virtually every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com.
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Rachael Taft, 727-264-5174
rtaft@squaremouth.com
IFS's (STO:IFSA) (STO:IFSB) Digital Transformation Survey unveils how senior decision makers in 20+ countries view the need for digital transformation, what technologies will drive the transformation, and who owns the area within the company
IFS, the global enterprise applications company, today reveals the findings of a survey of nearly 500 senior decision-makers from companies ranging across industrial manufacturing, construction, retail, oil and gas, automotive, energy and utilities, and other industries. 86% of the respondents think that digital transformation will play a key role in their market but 40% lack a strategy for it.
Unclear internal responsibilities for digital transformation
When asked who within the company has responsibility for driving digital transformation the respondents call out the CIO (40% of the respondents), CEO (39%), and the CFO (35%), while the CTO (20%) and the CMO (6%) are not considered as influential in this area.
When the C-suite leaders answer who owns digital transformation, they often point at themselves. 53% of the CEOs consider they are responsible. The corresponding numbers for CFOs and CIOs are 69% and 63% respectively.
High priority but no clear strategy
86% of the respondents say digital transformation will play a key role in their market in the coming five years and 76% answered that they need more information about digital transformation.
However, many companies have not come as far when it comes to implementing strategies: 40% of the respondents answered they don't have a clear strategy for digital transformation.
Technologies driving digital transformation
When asked to rate several disruptive technologies on how important they are in driving digital transformation in the respondents' industries, the following ratings were given:
(Scale: 1-100. 1=Unimportant, 100= Very important).
Internet of Things: 59
Cloud computing: 59
Cognitive computing: 55
Machine learning: 53
Wearable technology: 48
3D printing: 42
Drone technology: 39
Regional differences
The survey reveals a number of regional differences regarding the view of internal responsibilities:
The Polish respondents believe the CIO (57% of the respondents) is the one driving digital transformation, while only 41% think it is the CEO
In the U.S., the CFO is believed to drive digital transformation (42%), only 30% think it is the CEO who is responsible, the lowest CEO score out of all the regions
57% of the Brazilian respondents call out the CTO as the one responsible for digital transformation, this is the highest number for CTOs out of all the regions
The Scandinavian respondents trust the CIO to be the one responsible for digital transformation, (45%), followed by the CEO (38%)
The Asian respondents are the most uncertain, where 29% answer that they don't know who within the organization that owns digital transformation
"This survey shows that senior leaders of large industries have realized the potential that digital transformation offers, but in many cases haven't got a strategy in place to leverage it yet. It appears there is also a great uncertainty regarding who is actually responsible for driving the digital transformation agenda within companies. Companies must clarify their goals and outline clear strategies in order to utilize the full potential of digital transformation," said Mark Boulton, CMO at IFS.
About the survey:
Almost 500 respondents in 20+ countries were surveyed to gather insights about their thoughts on digital transformation. Respondents include senior decision makers (CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, CFOs, CMOs, etc.) from a wide range of industries that IFS works with, including industrial manufacturing, construction and contracting, and retail and wholesale.
About IFS
IFS is a globally recognized leader in developing and delivering enterprise software for enterprise resource planning (ERP), enterprise asset management (EAM) and enterprise service management (ESM). IFS brings customers in targeted sectors closer to their business, helps them be more agile and enables them to profit from change. IFS is a public company (XSTO: IFS) founded in 1983 and currently has over 2,800 employees. IFS supports more than 1 million users worldwide from its network of local offices and through a growing ecosystem of partners. For more information visit: www.ifsworld.com.
Follow us on Twitter: @ifsworld (http://www.twitter.com/ifsworld)
Visit the IFS Blogs on technology, innovation and creativity: http://blogs.ifsworld.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160715005718/en/
Contacts:
IFS North America
Laura Stockhausen, Director of Marketing Communications
Phone: 1 (262) 717-6591
press@ifsworld.com
or
Kristina Hill, Marketing Communications Manager
Phone: 1 (262) 317-7476
kristina.hill@ifsworld.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Nighthawk Gold Corp. ("Nighthawk" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: NHK) is pleased to announce that it has repaid in full all outstanding debt, liabilities and obligations that Nighthawk owed pursuant to certain secured notes (the "Notes") issued by the Company for an aggregate principal amount of $850,000 on November 20, 2015. All security granted under the Notes has been released. Further details of the Notes can be found in the Company's press release dated November 20, 2015, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. In addition, as a result of the early repayment of the Notes, the expiry date of the 3,400,000 common share purchase warrants issued with the Notes (having an exercise price of $0.15) has been reduced to November 20, 2016 in accordance with the terms of the warrant certificates.
On July 5, 2016 Nighthawk announced initiation of its Colomac Gold Project 2016 drill program. Two drills are now operational, one testing Colomac sill high-grade gold targets and the other drilling Goldcrest sill near surface mineralization 400 metres west of Colomac. Regional prospecting and mapping programs are also well advanced, following up on priority targets generated in previous field programs.
Nighthawk remains well financed with approximately $8.6 million in cash and cash equivalents subsequent to the repayment of the aforementioned Notes.
About Nighthawk
Nighthawk is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on acquiring and developing gold mineral properties in the Northwest Territories and Northern Ontario. Including the mineral claims and leases of the Colomac Gold Project, Nighthawk's Indin Lake Gold Property comprises a total land package of 222,203 acres in the Indin Lake Greenstone Belt, located approximately 200 kilometres north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Nighthawk also holds a 100% interest in the property known as the Superior Project, which covers 39,015 acres approximately 85 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Contacts:
Nighthawk Gold Corp.
Dr. Michael J. Byron
President and Chief Executive Officer
(416) 628-5940
mbyron@nighthawkgold.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) would take years to recover from the sales slump caused by a series of food-related disease outbreak, according to analysts. Recently, the Mexican-themed casual food restaurant has been trying new avenues to woo back customers to its outlets. According to a survey conducted by Morgan Stanley, sales recovery at Chipotle Mexican Grill could be very expensive for the company. The survey of 2,000 customers revealed that 13 percent of the customers said they will not go back to the chain, while another 13 reported that they now visit the restaurant less often. Morgan Stanley downgraded its rating on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill on Friday morning to 'Equal-weight' from 'Overweight.' 'The sales recovery will remain more protracted than the market believes, and possibly more costly as a result, as CMG likely needs to ramp up marketing spend to lure consumers back in,' Morgan Stanley's John Glass said in a research note. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Duran Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE: DRV)(LMA: DRV) ("Duran" or the "Company") announces that it is conducting a non-brokered private placement of up to 11,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") at $0.09 per Unit for total gross proceeds of up to $990,000 (the "Offering"), subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company ("Common Share") and one common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.15 for a period of two years from the closing of the Offering.
The Company anticipates entering into a finder's agreement with one or more finders to assist the Company with the Offering. The Company anticipates paying such finders a cash fee equal to 6% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering from purchasers directly introduced to the Company by the finders ("Purchasers"). Additionally, the Company anticipates issuing the finders share purchase warrants (the "Finders Warrants") equal to 6% of the number of Units sold to purchasers directly introduced to the Company by such finders. Each Finders Warrant will be exercisable to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.09 for a period of two years from the closing of the Offering.
The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for the Aguila Norte plant commissioning and expansion, Aguila Norte, Chucara and Huachacolpa property development, and general and administrative purposes. All securities issued in the Offering and to the finders will be subject to a restricted period of four months and one day as required under applicable securities laws.
Insiders of the Company are expected to participate in the Offering (the "Insider Participation") which will be considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The Offering is exempt from the need to obtain minority shareholder approval and a formal valuation as required by MI 61-101 as the Company is listed on the TSXV and the fair market value of any units to insiders or the consideration paid by insiders of the Company will not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. No new insiders are anticipated to be created, nor will there be any change of control as a result of the Offering.
The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of such Insider Participation, which the Company expects to be approximately $220,000.
About Duran
Duran Ventures Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on mineral processing and the exploration and development of precious and base metal properties in Peru.
For further information on Duran please visit www.duranventuresinc.com.
Duran Ventures Inc. is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Bolsa de Valores de Lima: Symbol "DRV".
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.
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. We use words such as "might", "will", "should", "anticipate", "plan", "expect", "believe", "estimate", "forecast" and similar terminology to identify forward looking statements and forward-looking information. Such statements and information are based on assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions and its expectations of future developments as well as other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements and information and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. While the Company believes that the expectations expressed by such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information and the assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis underlying such expectations are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be correct. In evaluating forward-looking statements and information, readers should carefully consider the various factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward looking statements and forward-looking information.
Contacts:
Duran Ventures Inc.
Jeffrey Reeder: (647) 302-3290
Oscar Pezo: (011) 511 422-1467
info@duranventuresinc.com
www.duranventuresinc.com
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - July 15, 2016) - Ambassador John Bolton announced today that he will endorse former U.S. Ambassador Francis Rooney for the U.S. House of Representatives in Florida's 19 th Congressional District. The endorsement comes as part of a larger effort by Ambassador Bolton to ensure the best foreign-policy-minded candidates are elected to Congress.
Ambassador Bolton on Francis Rooney:
"As a former U.S. Ambassador, Francis Rooney has a clear understanding of the threats we face abroad," said Ambassador John Bolton. "Francis shares my view that the world is safer when America takes a firm stand on the international stage. I know he will work to ensure our enemies fear us and our allies know they can trust us, which is why I endorse his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives."
Francis Rooney on the endorsement:
"I am proud to have the endorsement of Ambassador John Bolton, who is one of the most respected leaders on matters of national security and foreign policy," said Francis Rooney. "The safety of Americans from terrorism must be our top national security priority. Ambassador Bolton has been a consistent champion for policies that promote America's strength while remaining vigilant against threats facing our nation."
With this announcement, Ambassador Bolton has endorsed 51 candidates for the U.S. House and Senate, and will continue to play a critical role in helping Republicans maintain their majority in both Chambers as the November elections approach.
About John Bolton PAC (www.boltonpac.com): The John Bolton PAC was founded by former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John R. Bolton to raise the importance of American national security in federal elections. The PAC will support and contribute to candidates who are committed to restoring strong American economic and national security policies that secure America's interests in a challenging world.
CONTACT:
Garrett Marquis
gm@prismstrategygroup.com
202.709.8837
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Agility Health, Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AHI) ("Agility Health" or the "Company"), a leading provider of rehabilitation and software services that benefit patients, healthcare providers and employers, announced today the appointment of Mr. Gene Miyamoto as interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company effective immediately.
Mr. Miyamoto is a senior executive with over 25 years of professional experience in health systems, hospitals and managed care industry. Mr. Miyamoto currently serves as the Company's Chief Operating Officer and, prior to joining Agility Health, acted as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of a large non-governmental healthcare system with over $600 million in revenue. Mr. Miyamoto has worked with a number of large organizations through successful organizational and financial turnarounds.
Mr. Miyamoto replaces the interim Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Ma, who resigned from the Company effective immediately. The Company has initiated an external search for a successor to act as Chief Financial Officer on a permanent basis.
About Agility Health
Through its subsidiary and principal operating entity, Agility Health, LLC, Agility Health operates a multi-state network of outpatient rehabilitation clinics and provides contracted services to hospitals, nursing homes and other institutional clients, providing care and treatment for orthopedic-related disorders, sports-related injuries, preventative care, rehabilitation of injured workers, and a variety of other injuries and conditions. In addition, Agility Health provides a number of ancillary services related to physical rehabilitation, including practice management software systems and custom orthotics. As of December 31, 2015, Agility Health operates 87 outpatient or onsite rehabilitation locations in 14 states. Agility Health's contract therapy services business provides rehabilitative services to 33 hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation units, 28 nursing homes, long-term care facilities and other service locations in 8 states. For more information, please visit investors.agilityhealth.com.
Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Agility Health and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of Agility Health's management. In some cases the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, including the anticipated future growth of Agility Health, may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the company. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumption and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Agility Health undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, 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 policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Contacts:
Steven N. Davidson
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(616) 356-5000
Ray Matthews
Ray Matthews and Associates
(604) 818-7778
ray@raymatthews.ca
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago, has agreed to a multi-billion dollar project to expand the O'Hare International Airport. The city officials have reached an agreement with major airlines to build up to nine new gates at O'Hare International Airport by 2019, as well as a new terminal. 'We will not only have new gates, but that will also be a new gateway where the world will come to Chicago and Chicago will also go to the world,' the mayor said. The expansion also includes redesigned terminals, improved amenities and facilities and more flights to more destinations. The mayor said that the taxpayers money would not be used to fund the project. The planning process is expected to be finished next year. According to reports, O'Hare is the fourth busiest airport in the world based on passenger traffic. 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.
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Peyto Exploration & Development Corp. ("Peyto") (TSX: PEY) declares the following dividends, payable to shareholders of its common shares at the close of business on the record dates indicated.
Dividend Amount per Common Share Record Date Ex-Dividend Date Payment Date ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- $0.11 July 31, 2016 July 27, 2016 August 15, 2016 $0.11 August 31, 2016 August 29, 2016 September 15, 2016(i) $0.11 September 30, 2016 September 28, 2016 October 14, 2016(i) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) Dividends are at the discretion of the Board of Directors and subject to change.
Dividends paid by Peyto to Canadian residents are eligible dividends for Canadian income tax purposes.
Shareholders and interested investors are encouraged to visit the Peyto website at www.peyto.com to learn more about what makes Peyto one of North America's most exciting energy companies. The website also includes the President's monthly report, which discusses various topics chosen by the President and includes estimates of monthly capital expenditures and production. For further information please contact:
Certain information set forth in this document, including management's assessment of Peyto's future plans and operations, contains forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond these parties' control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, imprecision of reserve estimates, environmental risks, competition from other industry participants, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility and ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. 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. Peyto's actual results, performance or achievement 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 Peyto will derive therefrom. The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein.
Contacts:
Peyto Exploration & Development Corp.
Darren Gee
President and Chief Executive Officer
(403) 237-8911
(403) 451-4100 (FAX)
www.peyto.com
Release no. 20 In release no. 19/2016 of 6 July 2016, Columbus A/S announced the acquisition of CSG (Client Strategy Group) in Cleveland US, which was conditional on the fulfillment of a few employee conditions. These conditions are met as expected, and the acquisition is thereby definitively effective as of today (closing), and control of the company has been transferred to Columbus. Ib Kune Thomas Honore Chairman CEO & President Columbus A/S Columbus A/S For further information, please contact: CEO & President, Thomas Honore, T: +45 70 20 50 00. Translation: In the event of any inconsistency between this document and the Danish language version, the Danish language version shall be the governing version. Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=578927
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Ahead of the Council of the Federation meeting in Whitehorse, Yukon on July 20-22, Canada's labour leaders are calling on the provincial and territorial premiers to make Canada's most vulnerable workers the focus of their talks.
"This is the first time the premiers have met in Yukon - and we certainly welcome them to this beautiful part of Canada," said Yukon Federation of Labour President Vikki Quocksister. "It is the hope of workers here and workers from all of the provinces and territories that the premiers will use this historic meeting as a chance to make history for the country's most vulnerable workers."
While the premiers gather for their annual Council of the Federation, the presidents of Canada's provincial and territorial federations of labour are hosting parallel meetings where Canada Pension Plan (CPP) expansion, a $15/hour minimum wage, migrant workers, and Employment Insurance (EI) will be the main priorities.
Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley will also be in attendance where he will raise the opportunity for employment law reform here in Ontario and the need for a $15 minimum wage for all workers.
"No one should have to go to the food bank at the end of the work week just to feed their family. It's time to end poverty wages in Canada, and that means lifting the minimum wage to $15 an hour," said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. "The province of Alberta has already led the way to show that a $15 minimum wage is possible, I would now like to see other provinces adopt this plan - starting with Ontario."
Currently, most full-time minimum-wage workers are living below the poverty line as measured by Statistics Canada's Low Income Cut Off (LICO). The Federation of Labour Presidents believe the minimum wage should bring people working 35 hours per week above the poverty line, so they can support themselves and their families.
The Federation of Labour Presidents are requesting that the premiers review the minimum wage in their respective provinces, and consider the following recommendations:
-- Pledge to increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour; -- Implement rapid, yet reasonable, phase-in periods such as the province of Alberta, and; -- Once implemented, make plans to convert from a minimum wage to a living wage.
With regards to EI, there are a number of recommendations the federations of labour will be raising with the premiers and canvassing them for support. Currently, only 40 percent of workers now qualify for regular EI benefits.
The Federation of Labour Presidents are seeking the premiers' support on EI recommendations that include, but are not limited to:
-- Hiring more staff in Service Canada Centres and train them in all aspects of a claim; -- Reviewing the automated process to identify and address failures and delays; -- Reinstating the Board of Referees appeal process, and; -- Applying EI surpluses to benefit expansion as opposed to premium reduction.
"Our priorities at this meeting of the Council of the Federation are to fight for vulnerable workers, do what's right for working families, and strengthen the economy," said Quocksister. "This is a tremendous opportunity for the premiers to work with labour leaders from across the country and put forward-thinking, progressive solutions into action."
Together, Canada's provincial and territorial labour federations give voice to more than three million workers, represented by the Alberta Federation of Labour, British Columbia Federation of Labour, Manitoba Federation of Labour, New Brunswick Federation of Labour, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, Northern Territories Federation of Labour, Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, Ontario Federation of Labour, Prince Edward Island Federation of Labour, Federation des travailleurs et travailleises du Quebec, Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, Yukon Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.
Contacts:
Ogho Ikhalo
OFL Interim Communications Director
416-443-7665
oikhalo@ofl.ca
ENG
Kent Peterson
Federation of Labour Presidents' Communications
306-570-1855
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Deveron UAS Corp. (TSX VENTURE: DVR) ("Deveron" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that further to its press release dated February 23, 2016, the Company has acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of 2487473 Ontario Inc. ("Ontco"), operating as Eagle Scout Imaging ("Eagle Scout"), pursuant to the terms of a share exchange agreement dated February 19, 2016 (the "Acquisition").
In connection with completion of the Acquisition, Ontco shareholders received (a) 1,700,001 common shares (the "Common Shares") of Deveron at a deemed price of $0.20 per Common Share; and (ii) 1,700,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company (the "Payment Warrants"). Each Payment Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. As additional consideration, Deveron may issue one (1) Common Share (each, an "Additional Payment Share") for each $1.00 of gross revenue earned during each of the four fiscal years ending after the date hereof (each, an "Earn-out Period"), to a maximum of 1,000,000 Common Shares in the aggregate. The Additional Payment Shares will be issued in up to four instalments on each date that is no later than five (5) business days following the date on which Deveron files its audited annual financial statements for the applicable Earn-out Period.
Effective July 14, 2016, Ontco is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deveron. As a result of the completion of the Acquisition, Deveron now owns 100% of the Ontco Shares and its assets.
Also in connection with the completion of the Acquisition, Roger Dent has been appointed to the board of directors and David MacMillan, a director of the Company since April, 2011, has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective July 14, 2016.
Mr. Roger Dent currently is CEO of Quinsam Capital and Quinsam Opportunities I. He is a director of AcuityAds, Omni-Lite, CalNano, and Tinley Beverages. Previously Mr. Dent was portfolio manager at Matrix Asset Management Inc. (2003-2011) where he managed a Small Companies Fund and Strategic Small Cap Fund. From 1996 to 2002, he was Director of Research & Vice Chairman at Yorkton Securities. From 1987 to 1996 Mr. Dent worked at CIBC and was active in corporate finance, debt syndication and research and was ranked #1 Small Cap Analyst in 1995. He graduated from Queen's University with a B. Comm. in 1983 and an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1987.
David MacMillan is a public venture capital markets professional and entrepreneur that is focused on building start-ups using public markets. He has raised over $30 million dollars in debt and equity financing for TSX Venture listed companies across multiple industries. Mr. MacMillan holds an MSc in International Economics from the University of Glasgow, where he graduated first in his class. He also holds a BA in Economics from McGill University and is a CFA Level 3 candidate. Currently, he is the Chair of the Board for Youth Empowering Parents, a Toronto based not-for-profit.
The Common Shares have been conditionally accepted for listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"), subject to the satisfaction of customary listing conditions, and the Company anticipates to trade under its existing symbol "DVR" upon listing on the CSE on July 19, 2016. As a condition of the listing of the Common Shares on the CSE, the Common Shares and Payment Warrants issued pursuant to the Acquisition are being held in escrow pursuant to the terms of an escrow agreement.
Deveron also announces that the directors have agreed to extend the expiry date of an aggregate of 7,256,090 common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") exercisable at a price of $0.30 per Warrant until October 31, 2016. In addition, the Company announces that it has granted 400,000 incentive stock options to directors, officers and employees, pursuant to the Company's stock option plan, at an exercise price of $0.25 per share, expiring on July 14, 2019.
About Deveron UAS:
Deveron's new business, called Deveron UAS, is a full-service company providing farmers with the opportunity to increase yields and reduce costs through the use of sophisticated Unmanned Aerial Systems ("UAS" or "drones"), sensors, software and analytics. The service offering is targeted at farmers, agricultural retailers and independent agronomists using the most advanced drones and sensors on the market today. The company provides a strong value proposition to farmers through reduced costs and/or increased yields (through the optimization of input costs such as water, fertilizer, pesticides, etc.)
For more information and to join our community, please visit www.deveronuas.com.
This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of that phrase under Canadian securities laws. Without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward looking statements that involve various degrees of risk. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current views with respect to possible future events and conditions and, by their nature, are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific to the Company. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements: changes in the world wide price of commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in exploration, risks associated with development, construction and mining operations, the uncertainty of future profitability and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. Additional information regarding the material factors and assumptions that were applied in making these forward looking statements as well as the various risks and uncertainties we face are described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of our annual and interim Management's Discussion and Analysis of our financial results and other continuous disclosure documents and financial statements we file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update this forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. The Company relies on litigation protection for forward looking statements.
Contacts:
David MacMillan
President & CEO
Deveron UAS Corp.
416-367-4571 ext. 226
dmacmillan@deveronuas.com
WHITEHORSE, YUKON -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Ahead of the Council of the Federation meeting, Canada's labour leaders are calling on the provincial and territorial premiers to make Canada's most vulnerable workers the focus of their talks.
"This is the first time the premiers have met in Yukon - and we certainly welcome them this beautiful part of Canada," said Vikki Quocksister, president of the Yukon Federation of Labour (YFL), "it is the hope of workers here and workers from all of the provinces and territories that the premiers will use this historic meeting as a chance to make history for the country's most vulnerable workers," she added.
While the premiers gather for their annual Council of the Federation meeting in Whitehorse, Yukon, the presidents of Canada's provincial and territorial federations of labour are hosting parallel meetings where a $15/hour minimum wage, migrant workers, and Employment Insurance (EI) will be the main priorities.
"No one should have to go to the food bank at the end of the work week just to feed their family. It's time to end poverty wages in Canada, and that means lifting the minimum wage to $15 an hour," said Irene Lanzinger, president of the BC Federation of Labour. "Poverty has a long-term cost on families, on communities and on the economy. By setting the minimum wage at $15 an hour we are ensuring that a person working full-time is living above the poverty line and able to support their families and invest back into the local economy."
It is time to raise the minimum wage across Canada - it's only fair. Currently, most full-time minimum-wage workers are living below the poverty line as measured by Statistics Canada's Low Income Cut Off (LICO). The federation of labour presidents believe the minimum wage should bring people working 35 hours per week above the poverty line, so they can support themselves and their families.
"Using every standard measure of poverty, $15 an hour would bring workers' wages above the poverty line," said Irene Lanzinger, president of the BC Federation of Labour, "it will also benefit local businesses and support the local economy by putting money in workers' pockets to spend in their community," she added.
The federation of labour presidents are requesting that the premiers review the minimum wage in their respective provinces, and consider the following recommendations:
-- Pledge to increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour; -- Implement rapid, yet reasonable, phase-in periods such as the province of Alberta, and; -- Once implemented, make plans to convert from a minimum wage to a living wage.
Launched in the early 1970s, and originally intended for limited high-skilled, high-paying jobs, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has grown into an economy-destroying nightmare that is putting Canadians out of work and enabling the exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers.
"Since 2006, the number of Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada has more than tripled. And Alberta is ground zero for the abuse of the program - and of Temporary Foreign workers," said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, "because Temporary Foreign Workers are dependent on the whims of their employers for their right to stay in Canada, they are at a disadvantage in terms of negotiating for fair wages, safe workplaces and respectful treatment. They face higher rates of wage theft, higher rates of workplace abuse, and often work for lower wages," he added.
The federation of labour presidents are seeking the premiers' support on the following TFWP recommendations:
-- Phase-out the TFWP, especially in low-wage sectors; -- Workers who are in Canada as a result of the TFWP should be granted permanent resident status, and; -- Consult broadly with stakeholders, including migrant worker justice groups and organized labour, to develop stringent safeguards and strict rules for any program that may replace the TFWP for highly-skilled sectors.
With regards to EI, there are a number of recommendations the federations of labour will be raising with the premiers and canvassing them for support.
"Only 40 per cent of workers now qualify for regular EI benefits - the system is broken," said Carl Pursey, president of the PEI Federation of Labour, "precarious working conditions, failures in the Automated Claims Processing system, public service job cuts, the elimination of zones in PEI and other northern parts of the country, and inadequately recognizing the challenges of seasonal employment are just a few of the areas that need fixing," he added.
The federation of labour presidents are seeking the premiers' support on EI recommendations that include, but are not limited to:
-- Hire more staff in Service Canada Centres and train them in all aspects of a claim; -- Review the automated process to identify and address failures and delays; -- Reinstate the Board of Referees appeal process, and; -- Apply EI surpluses to benefit expansion as opposed to premium reduction.
"Our priorities at this meeting of the Council of the Federation are to fight for vulnerable workers, do what's right for working families, and strengthen the economy," said Quocksister, "this is a tremendous opportunity for the premiers to work with labour leaders from across the country and put forward-thinking, progressive solutions into action," she added.
Together, Canada's provincial and territorial labour federations give voice to over three million workers, represented by the Alberta Federation of Labour, British Columbia Federation of Labour, Canadian Labour Congress, Manitoba Federation of Labour, New Brunswick Federation of Labour, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, Northern Territories Federation of Labour, Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, Ontario Federation of Labour, Prince Edward Island Federation of Labour, Federation des travailleurs et travailleises du Quebec, Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and Yukon Federation of Labour.
Contacts:
Vikki Quocksister
President
Yukon Federation of Labour
Office: 1 (867) 456-8250
Cell: 1 (867) 334-3862
Kent Peterson
Communications
Federation of Labour Presidents
Cell: 1 (306) 570-1855
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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/15/16 -- Graphite One Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: GPH)(OTCQX: GPHOF) ("Graphite One" or the "Corporation") announces that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") to raise gross proceeds of up to CA$1,000,000.
The Corporation plans to issue up to 12.5 million units (the "Units") at a price of CA$0.08 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share and one transferable common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one full Common Share at a purchase price of CA$0.12 per Common Share and will expire on the earlier of: (a) two years from the date of issuance; and (b) in the event the Common Shares trade at a volume of C$0.21 or more on the TSXV Venture Exchange or the Toronto Stock Exchange for 10 consecutive trading days, the Corporation may, at its option, issue a press release and a notice to the Warrantholder for the expiry of the Warrants on that date that is 45 days from the press release and notice and the Warrantholder may exercise the Warrants during this 45 day period (but no later than two years from the date of issuance);
The Company may pay finders' fees to arm's-length parties in connection with the Offering.
The net proceeds of this Offering will be used for exploration and development of the Company's Graphite Creek Project and for general working capital purposes.
Closing is expected to occur on or around the end of July 2016, subject to receipt of final applicable regulatory approvals including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a restricted period that expires four months following the date of issuance.
This media release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
About Graphite One
GRAPHITE ONE RESOURCES INC. (TSX VENTURE: GPH)(OTCQX: GPHOF) is exploring with the intent to develop the Graphite Creek Project, USA's largest known large flake graphite deposit situated on the Seward Peninsula of Alaska about 60 miles north of Nome. The Project is progressing from the exploration to the evaluation phase. Work to date has identified a large, high grade and at-surface resource with simple geology and good mineralization continuity. The Project has the potential to produce products that will effectively compete in the high end battery market (for both electric vehicles and power storage) as well as other markets for purified graphite and graphite by-products. For more information please see www.graphiteoneresources.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Anthony Huston
For more information on Graphite One Resources Inc please visit the Company's website, www.GraphiteOneResources.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 includes certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts that address timing of closing the Offering, final amount raised under the Offering, receipt of regulatory approvals, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. 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 press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
Contacts:
Anthony Huston
CEO, President & Director
(604) 889-4251
AnthonyH@GraphiteOneResources.com
Investor Relations Contact
1-604-684-6730
GPH@kincommunications.com
BOISE, ID--(Marketwired - July 15, 2016) - Mountain America Credit Union is proud to support the return of Grammy-nominated musician LT Smooth to the Idaho International Summerfest for a series of special performances, including a special "Dancing Under the Stars" event Friday, July 15, at Hemming Village in Rexburg, Idaho. LT Smooth is also the main performer at matinee and gala performances at Madison High School Performing Arts Center on July 15 and 16.
Smooth is a motivational speaker in addition to being an award-winning artist. He shares his remarkable story of achieving a successful musical career after overcoming a childhood riddled with addiction and crime.
"Mountain America has been my backbone, helping me make change one day at a time," says Smooth. "It truly has a vision to make a difference. Mountain America's support has helped me share my message of hope not only here at Idaho International Summerfest, but throughout the world. If sharing my story can save one life, then the world will have been changed for the better."
A full schedule of International Summerfest events can be found online at www.idahosummerfest.com.
Mountain America Credit Union has more than $5.1 billion in assets and serves more than 575,000 members, wherever they are, through online and mobile banking, 86 branches in five states, and provides access to more than 30,000 ATMs and 5,000 shared-branching locations nationwide. With credit union roots dating back to the 1930s, Mountain America has become a tradition for many members, offering a variety of financial products and services for consumers and businesses, including savings accounts, auto loans, checking accounts, mortgage loans, business checking, student loans, SBA loans, and retirement options. Visit www.macu.com for more information.
Media Contact:
Angie Nelson
Mountain America Credit Union
208-493-0131
Email contact
SnapTravel, a Toronto, Canada and San Francisco, CA-based half-bot, half-human hotel booking platform, raised $1.1M in funding.
Backers included Bee Partners, Lightbank, and Hedgewood.
The company will use the funds to launch its service.
Founded by Hussein Fazal and Henry Shi, SnapTravel provides a half-bot half-human service for booking hotels. In most cases, the bot will understand people and reply. If there is ambiguity, a human agent will take over. The service filters thousands of hotels from numerous sources through an advanced machine learning algorithm to present users with the best options from a hotel inventory including numerous partners.
The company is hiring new people.
FinSMEs
15/07/2016
pureLiFi, an Edinburgh, Scotland, UK-based developer of LiFi technologies, completed a Series B financing round.
The amount of the round, led by Temasek with support of existing investors, was not disclosed.
The company, which has now raised over US$10m to date, intends to use the funds for development and commercialization of its proprietary technology.
Founded in 2012 as a spin-off from the University of Edinburgh by Harald Haas and led by Alistair Banham, CEO, and Harald Burchardt, COO, LiFi technologies uses modulated LED light to provide wireless communications, with the potential to be faster than current WiFi technology. It uses the visible light spectrum instead of radio frequencies to deliver high-speed wireless data communication and Internet access.
The company, which has already worked with Cisco, Rolls Royce and Lucibel, has completed the development and production of the LiFi-X product, a mobile LiFi dongle.
FinSMEs
15/07/2016
Mobvista, an Asian mobile ad tech company listed on the NEEQ in November 2015, acquired GameAnalytics, a Copenhagen, Denmark-based behavioral analytics platform for game developers.
The amount of the deal was not disclosed.
Through the acquisition, Mobvista will expand its international reach and service offering to bring a complete advertising technology platform to game developers.
With a global mobile ad network that captures more than 10 billion daily impressions from integrated ad spots and websites across more than 240 countries and regions, Mobvista is pursuing an overseas growth strategy that already brought to the acquisition of U.S.-based NativeX in March 2016.
Led by Robin Duan, founder and CEO, the company serves such clients as Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, Uber, Electronic Arts, SGN and Machinezone.
Founded in 2012 by Danish serial entrepreneur Morten E. Wulff and led by CEO Luke Aviet, previously Vice President and MD EMEA at AOL, GameAnalytics provides a free analytics service platform for game developers with over 25,000 registered developers.
The company, which has received over $8M in funding from investors including Sunstone Capital as well individuals such as AOL Content & Consumer Brands President Jimmy Maymann, Maker Studios President Rene Rechtman, GoViral Founder Claus Moseholm, TechCrunch Founder Michael Arrington, Podio Founder Tommy Ahlers and Paypal Head of Corporate Development Anil Hansjee, serves game studios such as Flaregames, PopCap Games, Illusion Labs and Hipster Whale.
Post-acquisition, GameAnalytics will continue to operate as an independent platform providing its core service, free analytics.
FinSMEs
15/07/2016
Freightera, a Vancouver, Canada-based online freight marketplace, raised $2.1m in funding.
Investors included Robson Capital, Ted Snider Financial, and Silicon Valley and Silicon Beach angels, including some of the first backers of Facebook and Twitter.
The company, which aims to raise an additional $3-5M from the same sources in 2016, intends to use the funds to expand operations.
Led by Eric Beckwitt, founder and CEO, Freightera is an online B2B freight marketplace offering instant all-inclusive freight quotes from carriers of all sizes. It serves over 23,000 communities with 24/7 online access to less than truckload and truckload rates from hundreds of carriers in the US and Canada.
Over 2,000 manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers currently use the platform.
FinSMEs
14/07/2016
Scope AR, a San Francisco, CA-based creator of augmented reality smart instructions and live support video calling solutions, raised $2M in seed funding.
Backers included Susa Ventures, Presence Capital Fund and New Stack Ventures.
The company intends to use the funds to further accelerate and scale its products as well as expand its sales and support teams in the U.S., as well as internationally.
Founded in 2011 by Scott Montgomerie, CEO, Scope AR provides video collaboration, procedural documentation and step-by-step instruction through the use of augmented reality for industrial applications. Via WorkLink and Remote AR, the company provides solutions for in-field support and performance tracking whether training, performing complex fieldwork or remote tasks, or any number of assisted activities across vertical industries including industrial equipment manufacturing, aerospace, construction, utilities, oil and gas, automotive, consumer applications, etc.
Customers include Epson, Boeing, Toyota, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell and Sealed Air, among others.
The company also has offices in Edmonton, Canada.
FinSMEs
15/07/2016
The Government of India has been working very hard to curb pollution levels in the country. So far, the government has banned the registration of diesel displacing over 2,000cc in Delhi, banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and is coming up with a scrapping policy for old vehicles. Now the government is also allowing owners to convert their vehicles into electric hybrids.
This notification was passed by the road transport and highways ministry on Wednesday after being pulled up by the Supreme Court for not doing enough to curb...
New Delhi: Railways on Thursday launched an ambitious Rs 450-crore redevelopment project at Habibganj station near Bhopal through PPP route with a dual aim of providing world-class amenities for passengers and generating revenue for the public transporter.
Till now, railways was depending on passenger and freight earnings. But time has come now to look beyond fare revenue. Station redevelopment is one such revenue stream, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said here at an event to mark the signing agreement with the developer for the project.
A consortium of Bansal Construction Works and Prakash Asphalting and Toll Highways has formed a special purpose company- Bansal Pathways Habibagnj Private Ltd to implement the project.
Modern amenities
As per the agreement signed between the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) and the developer, the latter will provide modern amenities like escalators, lifts, parking lot, landscaping, concourse, walkway, travelators, parcel corridor, subways as part of the redevelopment of the station.
Besides, the station will also have food plaza, medical clinics, office complex, salon and other facilities to use the area to generate revenue for railways.
Prabhu said 400 stations will be redeveloped as per the plan and there is a purpose behind it. He said besides being another revenue stream for railways, station development will also provide better facilities to passengers.
Other stations
Apart from Habibganj, IRSDC will also develop Chandigarh, Surat, Shivaji Nagar, Brijwasan, Anand Vihar, Mohali and Gandhinagar stations.
He said there are various ways including taking help of the World Bank, foreign countries, State governments and PSUs for modernisation of stations.
We are negotiating with World Bank for getting USD 500 million for station development project. We can also join hands with counties like Germany, the UK and France which have expertise in redevelopment to modernise a few stations here. I am also writing to all chief ministers to be part of the redevelopment project in their respective States.
PSU involvement
Gujarat government has come forward for redevelopment of Surat and Gandhinagar stations. We are also exploring to involve PSU like NBCC to develop a few stations, he said.
Though the project is expected to be completed in three years, Prabhu asked the developer to take up the project as a challenge and complete within two years.
A week after the killing of Burhan Wani the young Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander who was hailed as the poster boy of Kashmir's new-age militancy situation in South Kashmir is in a flux. Burhan had become a household name here in the last few years and the news of his killing on 8 July in an encounter with the security forces in the Kokernag area came as a shock to many Kashmiris.
Mobile and phone internet services remain snapped in the Valley, with only BSNL phones and broadband being functional. Burhans death has sparked a wave of agitations in the Valley, with Anantnag the constituency of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti being the hub of the ongoing protests.
The first two days after Burhan's death, Anantnag raged with protests. Interestingly, those rural areas which had not witnessed protests even during the 2010 agitations, saw groups of young boys taking out demonstrations from village to village, shouting anti-India and pro-azaadi slogans. "Burhan has become a youth icon in recent years for Kashmirs freedom struggle. This is for the first time that rural areas of south Kashmir have come out in open to support the azaadi," Mohammad Aamir from Anantnag told the Firstpost.
During one such demonstration, near Yaner village, a few kilometres away from the famous Aishmuqam shrine, a boy from the nearby village Safeer Ahmad drowned in the Lidder river when the security forces chased away the protesters. Many in his village allege that the security forces had hit Ahmad on the head and then kicked him in the river.
At few other places, even as the security forces imposed curfew and restrictions, locals blocked the roads. To file this story, this writer had to travel to Pahalgam a popular tourist destination but now devoid of any tourists some 16 kilometers away from his home, where he could find a working internet connection. On the way, people had blocked the roads with logs, rocks, cement pipes and barbed wires to stop any kind of vehicular movement. Shops remained shut and people remained indoors. These areas haven't seen a protest like this in ages.
But even as the anger persists, many incidents have also shown that hope exists in these turbulent times. For instance, a few days ago when the Valley was on the boil, people in Bijbehara area in South Kashmir defied curfew when a group of Amarnath pilgrims were injured after their bus met with an accident and began evacuating the injured pilgrims.
Meanwhile, a wide network of volunteers emerged in various parts of Kashmir, especially in hospitals, to extend a helping hand to the injured.
Volunteers have raised money and free food for those who are injured during the protests and are admitted in hospitals across valley. Adil Ahmad, one of the volunteers who is working in district hospital of Anantnag told Firstpost, "Some of us have managed to get hold of the medical supplies. Even chemists in Anantnag donated medicines for those who are admitted in district hospital, which have become essential to treat the injured and other patients, after the scarcity of the medicines threatened to affect their treatment." Volunteers like Ahmad are not only assuring free medical supplies to patients but also help in providing free food to attendants admitted in hospitals in Anantnag town.
It is volunteers like these who have been able to provide some of the first responder services when the administration was caught surprised by the spiraling pace of the protests.
Some, however, contend that they face harassment and even abuses at the hands of the security forces. A doctor, who wished not to be identified, narrated his ordeal to Firstpost. He complained of harassment at the hands of security forces when he got down in Bijbehara from an ambulance carrying a dead body of a boy. The ambulance was coming from Srinagar. "When I got down in Bijbehara, CRPF personnel stopped me and I was terrified. They started questioning me. I told them that I am a doctor but still they abused me."
Elders say that they foresee a turbulent period for some time in the Valley. While the immediate grief over Burhans killing will wither away in some time, they worry that the anger generated by the killing may help the militancy to regain the lost ground by spreading in areas, which are witnessing protests for the first time. They say that in his death, Burhan will be a greater headache for the security establishment and for the PDP-BJP government, than when he was alive.
The author is a freelance journalist based in Srinagar. He focuses on the socio-political issues of the Kashmir Valley.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday launched a sit-in-protest against the BJP-led NDA governments neglect of issues of price rise and unemployment at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Speaking about the programme to reporters, KM Tiwary, the secretary of the partys Delhi Committee said, On account of economic policies taken by the NDA government, price level is shooting up. But instead of trying to contain the menace, the Prime Minister is busy travelling across the globe.
He further said that the Prime Minister has made no effort to answer the question raised by the people.
Whenever question is raised on peoples issues, answers come from RSS leaders and workers. But they are the representatives of blackmarketeers. In such a situation, how can we expect price rise to be contained? he asked.
He further said that the protest will be extended to every nook and corner of the country. On Saturday, the party will hold meetings in neighbourhoods to ensure an "awakening" among the people about the issues.
Friday's protest was in pursuance of the CPMs central committees' call to launch nationwide protest against price rise and unemployment.
The party has declared its support to the nationwide strike called by trade unions on 2 September to demand that contractual employment be abolished.
Tiwary further said that this protest will be against the present regime's attempts to make labour laws ineffective.
The country has witnessed rampant increase in contractual jobs during the last two years. Be it in public or private sector, permanent posts have been abolished to create contractual posts, he said.
Labour laws become ineffective in contractual agreements of employment. The employee hardly gets any social security benefits out of such agreements, he said.
He further added that the contractual terms of employment not only results in deprivation of the employee's rightful benefits but also devalues education.
In this type of employment even highly educated workers are provided with meager salary, he explained.
Not only private sector employers, but also central government agencies are now following this anti-labour rule, said Pushpinder Grewal, a party leader participating in the protest.
He also said that the government is decreasing number of posts in various government agencies.
A post is abolished soon after an employee retires. The person who is appointed in his place, infact works without a post a situation that ensures that he never gets a permanent employment, he added.
The nationwide strike to be organised on 2 September will be observed by employees of both the government and private sectors.
Patidar leader Hardik Patel emerged from the Lajpore Jail on Friday after over nine months to a heros welcome by hundreds of supporters, some holding posters that read "Gabbar is Back".
Patel was released after the Gujarat High Court granted him bail in two sedition and one arson-related cases that were slapped when he lead a mass agitation demanding job quotas for the Patel community. He was arrested in October when his agitation turned violent.
Agitation is not owned by a political party, Hindustan Times quoted Patel as saying soon after being released. He warned political parties against taking political benefits out of this. He further said that he does not need a 56-inch chest, all he wants are rights for his community and he has to work for the poor farmers and women of the country.
It was a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 56-inch-chest remark made during the 2014 general elections campaign.
"Our agitation will continue in coming days. Our demand for OBC status for Patels is still there. In coming days, there will be a change in the style of our working, but, our attitude (tevar) will remain the same," Patel added.
"We indeed want to fully utilise whatever we have received (from the government) till now. But, we are not given what we demanded (OBC status for his community). Thus, we will first request the government to give it. We will first ask it nicely. We may also sit with government to solve this issue"
"We will also involve our Kurmi community in this agitation and try to get our rights," he said.
Patel's bail was approved on the condition that he stays out of Gujarat for six months and for three months after that in another case.
Dinesh Bamaniya, a leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and a close aide of Hardik Patel, said Hardik Patel had decided to spend the next six months at Udaipur in Rajasthan since it was closer to Gujarat.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by his supporters to make the most of the two days has been allowed to stay in Gujarat after release.
Patel is expected to cover 2,150 kilometres in the next 48 hours, addressing 12 public meetings, seven roadshows and two major rallies, PAAS spokesperson Brijesh Patel said.
He will roughly address 1.5 million people in these two days in Surat, Rajkot, Botad and Viramgam, his hometown," Brijesh said.
With inputs from agencies.
Pune: Millionaire money-lender, Datta D Phuge, famous as 'Pimpri Goldman' was found clobbered to death near Dighi on early Friday morning, police said.
The high-profile businessman's vehicle was accosted by some unknown persons on the outskirts of the city late on Thursday night.
They reportedly dragged him out, attacked him with a sickle and then pounded him to death with huge stones before fleeing from the spot.
Phuge usually moved around with armed private bodyguards, but it is not clear where they were at the time of the incident.
Officials later came across a much-mangled head and body of the 35-year old 'gold man', whose wife, Seema, is an ex-municipal corporator.
The motive behind the killing is not known, but police preliminary suspect it may be linked to some business rivalries and are investigating all angles.
The police have recovered the sickle used in the crime and have sent Phuge's body for an autopsy.
In late 2012, Phuge shot into global limelight after he stitched an opulent Rs one crore 22-carat pure gold shirt which came decorated with six glittering Swarovski crystal buttons and an accompanying flashy gold belt in a matching design.
Besides his primary business of lending money, he ran the Vakratund Chit Fund Pvt Ltd along with his wife and there were complaints of financial misappropriation against him in recent times.
The Pune Police have launched a manhunt to nab the assailants, roadblocks erected at all exit points and within the city limits as well as district boundaries.
At that time (2012), his shirt was billed as 'most expensive' in the world, weighing around 3.5 kg pure gold and 'stitched' by the famous Ranka Jewellers of Pune.
The "golden shirt' has over 14,000 gold flowers intertwined with 100,000-plus spangles sewn on a base of fine velvet, is described as easy and comfortable to wear like any normal clothes.
By Nisha Susan
A new movie called Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates is being praised by critics for its unusual use of nudity. In this movie, male nudity has been treated as sexual, and female nudity as comic. Whether the movie is more than a blip on our screens is yet to be seen, but this deliberate choice by the filmmakers is currently being discussed carefully. Because really, when was the last time you saw a womans body on screen set up to be anything other than sexual? And when was the last time that male nudity was deployed other than for hilarious shock value and perhaps at a stretch a still comic, but lewd nudge?
This has been making me think of what it means that a thousand memes have bloomed to decorate Baba Ramdevs appearance on the cover of the latest issue of India Today. He is upside down, he is smiling and his behind is in your face. Its a slightly more covered-up version of what they used to call 'mooning' in American movies, which I watched with bewilderment when I was a teenager (the other thing that bewildered me was people not taking off their shoes when lying on sofas).
Many readers, who usually associate him with political chicanery, avarice and power-mongering, have responded to the sight of Baba Ramdev on the cover of one of Indias last national magazines and laughed. Theyve said chee-chee, giggled from behind the palms covering their eyes and looked again. Could it be? Is he really there on the cover in this sab-kuch-dikhta-hai mode? Oh my god, you made me look at THAT, you bad people.
But what does it mean that Baba Ramdev is on the cover in this pose that would not be discordant for a retro-teen magazine and child models with double ponytails? Is it just hasee toh phasee? Because after the chee-chee came the memes of the Baba as rocket, Baba as the McDonalds M and so on. And in a bit we will be inoculated with the innocuousness of the Baba, his products already sitting blandly on our supermarket shelves.
In an interview with Mint, the yoga guru said that his 10-year target for Patanjali Ayurved Ltd is $14.9 billion (around Rs 1,00,000 crore) in net sales. On 31 March, 2015, the company posted Rs 5,000 crore in net sales and hopes to double that this financial year. The excellent Mint report usefully sets his target alongside the ancient Hindustan Unilever Limited (in India since 1888!) and its latest net sales: Rs 32,482.72 crore.
It is not accidental that Baba Ramdev chooses not to appear on the most mainstream of Indian magazines in the pose adopted everywhere by tycoons and those who dream of tycoon-ishness. The expanded chest, the widened feet, the flexed arms and the steely glint. That would have given all those giggling right now considerable pause (not to mention the fuel for quite another kind of thinkpiece).
In slightly dated Malayalam slang for a combination of machismo and gravitas, a man is described as muscle pidikyuga, flexing his muscles. This is the pose in which the hero customarily enters the stage, arms angled as if to accommodate his bulging chest. What does it mean when a man who built his empire on his muscles chooses to disarm with an inverted pose (which as all yoga teachers will tell you is a relaxing aasana)?
In that interview, Ramdev said of his outrageous targets, Itll happen naturally. I dont dream, I only work. And because he doesnt dream and only works we should remember that even in this pose Ramdev is flexing his muscles. In fact, he is flexing the biggest muscle in the body at you: his gluteous maximus.
The Ladies Finger is an online feminist magazine
The announcement of Sheila Dikshit as the chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh is along expected lines and under the circumstances, the best the Congress could have done.
In a state where the party has been out of power for the last 27 years and is ridden with factionalism and a near total erosion of base, the former Delhi chief minister is the proverbial 'consensus' candidate who ticks all the right boxes, bruises the least number of egos and presents an identifiable face with UP connections.
To be clear, nobody, not the grassroot workers, party hierarchy or even the hired poll manager, Prashant Kishor, seriously believes that Congress will sweep to power. The target is to win a certain number of seats that will force a hung verdict and make Congress a major player in India's largest state. It is a hugely ambitious plan for a party fighting to save itself from obliteration.
The manner in which the old Congress warhorse was plucked out of political oblivion and saddled with one of the toughest political assignments in her sunset years makes clear two interesting points.
The loyalist and the blame-taker
The Congress may be struggling to survive as a political entity but the fiefdom of the Gandhis is infinitely greater than the Congresss sorry number of seats in the Parliament. The unqualified and absolute power that the Gandhi family still wields is incumbent on a system of give-and-take between the Dynasty and its band of loyalists and retainers.
One of the critical unwritten rule of the fiefdom is that the Family shall never be questioned, simply obeyed. In return, the obeisance-givers will receive handsome rewards. Those among the party who will show even a semblance of a spine will either be hounded out or vilified by its elaborate ecosystem in a way that exit remains the only option. Though loyalists shall swear by the Family, the Dynasty will suffer no such compunctions. It will only use and then discard when the end has been served.
A few examples are in order. Former Union environment minister in UPA-2 Jayanthi Natarajan, who was asked to resign 100 days before the 2014 elections were to take place amid growing media criticism on her "incompetence", made clear in a letter to party president how the stories were planted by those close to the Congress vice-president and that she was being made the scapegoat for decisions that were forced upon her by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.
She paid a heavy price for her rebellion. Natarajan, who represented the fourth generation in her family to have entered party politics and was considered close to Rajiv Gandhi, was hung out to dry when the CBI began looking into some of the cases. The Gandhi family quietly dumped her. The pliant media raised no uncomfortable questions.
Another family loyalist, Natwar Singh, former Union external affairs minister, was similarly dumped unceremoniously when the shadow of a corrupt deal in oil money with the Saddam regime in Iraq began to overshadow the party.
It is in this context that we must see Dikshit's elevation.
The reason why the 78-year-old was chosen was that she has an unblemished record of loyalty towards the Dynasty. Moreover, a grateful Dikshit will be only too willing to take the blame if the party's daring gamble with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra comes a cropper. The three-time Delhi chief minister, in return for her sacrifice, will get guaranteed insulation from any scams that are thrown at her by political rivals.
Make no mistake, a mountain of convincing arguments, swanky presentations from the strategist or the most complex caste equations wouldn't have mattered had Dikshit been a charismatic yet problematic leader like Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Prashant Kishor in command
The second important point that emerges from Dikshit's anointment is that the party has decided to put mouth where its money is. Dikshit was apparently Kishor's second choice when it became clear that the Dynasts won't be risked in a losing cause. Her appointment proves that Congress high command is backing Kishor and his outfit Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC) to the hilt.
The strategist is apparently planning a Bihar-like grand alliance to get at least a 100 seats in the 403-seat UP assembly. A report in Economic Times indicates Kishor has put forward a Rs 400-crore campaign budget, a 500-strong strategy team, 200 rallies by Rahul Gandhi, a leading role for Priyanka and a better media and communication strategy.
Very often, such a huge shake-up raises insecurity among the party's old guard who are usually resistant to sweeping changes. Though the strategist has taken care not to rub party egos the wrong way, some of the incumbents such as UP general secretary Madhusudan Mistry or state unit president Nirmal Khatri were reportedly unimpressed by the strategist's views.
Crucially, both were shown the door. Mistry was demoted to a lesser role and Ghulam Nabi Azad took over as the new general secretary. Khatri was recently replaced as president by Raj Babbar.
The synergy was evident in the way Congress, in a departure from their norms, announced a CM candidate ostensibly because Kishor finds it easier to build a campaign around a leader.
The former Delhi CM, who has represented Kannauj in Parliament, home of the legendary Kanyakubj Brahmins, is a Punjabi Khatri married to Vinod Dikshit, son of late Uma Shankar Dikshit, the former West Bengal and Karnataka Governor and a weighty Brahmin Congress leader from the state.
It isn't difficult to see what Kishor is trying to do. Dikshit, who has wasted no time in declaring herself as the "bahu" of the state, will appeal to Khatris and Brahmins, two key communities in UP politics.
The ruling SP has a strong claim over the Yadav and Muslim votes while BSP's Dalit votebank remains secure. Sensing that it has little support among the backward castes, Congress hopes to wean away a chunk of the Brahmin votes from BJP and hopes that it will also get support from the Muslim community which may vote tactically to keep the BJP away.
Dikshit's candidature, therefore, may not be a game changer but has certainly made the upcoming Assembly polls more interesting.
The announcement of Sheila Dikshit as the chief ministerial candidate for Congress in Uttar Pradesh should be taken as the Grand Old Party's bowing tribute to the perceived electoral-strategy brilliance of Prashant Kishor.
Kishor has made Congress Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in particular do something that the party, in its 131-year-old history, would have never considered name Sheila Dikshit as the chief ministerial candidate. In fact, the party has always been averse to naming a chief ministerial candidate. The party had twin fold reasons for that:
First, it was held that Congress fought elections based on issues of party principles, and not based on the projection of the persona of a regional leader. The win or loss then was of the Congress' supposed ideology and principles. If at all the aura of a leader mattered, it was of one from the Nehru-Gandhi family Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in their respective life and time and nobody else.
Chief Ministers, under the Congress regime, ruled states at the mercy or pleasure of the "high command", a euphemism used for the reigning members of the first family. End number of times, it was proved that the chief ministers could be removed at the whim of the central leadership.
Second, all these decades Congress leaders have maintained that theirs is a "democratic party" and thus it couldn't snatch the privileged right of elected legislators to exercise their right to 'democratically' choose their leader. It's a different matter, though, that all through the past decades since the time general elections took place in Independent India the Congress Legislature Party would meet to authorise the high command to take the decision.
A farcical exercise nonetheless, but still, one that was called democratic, as it gave the pleasure or consolation to the MLAs that they were consulted before reaching the decision, and secondly, as it was on occasion to reaffirm their unflinching faith to their party's first family.
Kishor, a hired election strategist from JD (U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's stable, changed all that in one single stroke. Something that hundreds of Congress workers and many of the top strategists at the party headquarters at 24 Akbar Road in New Delhi couldn't have convinced the high command to do. That speaks volumes of Kishor's perceived abilities and capabilities in the eyes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. He deserves a salute from the vast mass of Congress men and women.
More so, it was not just a matter of principle that the Gandhis also agreed on the name given by Prashant Kishor Sheila Dikshit. It was because Kishor wanted a Brahmin to be the Congress face in UP as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, his first and second choice for the post, had for obvious reasons declined to reduce themselves and take part in the race for the chief ministerial post.
It didn't matter that Sheila had practically retired from politics. It didn't matter that she had been the Delhi chief minister for three terms, and that in the end, she lost her own Assembly seat and ultimately reduced Congress' tally to zero in the Delhi assembly.
It didn't matter, either, that she had been the Governor of Kerala and that she is practically an outsider to UP. Her singular victory from the Kannauj parliamentary seat in 1984 was not a tribute to her or her father Uma Shankar Dikshit's popularity, but to an overriding sympathy wave in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination, when Congress under Rajiv Gandhi got an unprecedented 404 seats. The only thing that mattered was the fact that Kishor wanted her to be there in UP.
By doing so, the Congress has simply catapulted Kishor from the position of a tested poll strategist to an elevated status that is reflected by the famous dialogue from the Bollywood blockbuster Deewar, and the inherent belief of winning the battle against odds, 'Mere Paas Prashant Kishor Hai'.
Kishor has, not just in Rahul Gandhi's eyes and ears, a legend around him that has made him a kind of force multiplier for Rahul. He is the new Raj Guru for the Congress' unquestioned royal. Incidents of the past few days concerning UP and Punjab have proved that Raj Guru's words have been abided, both in letter and in spirit.
It is interesting that when Sheila was introduced to the Delhi electorate in the winter of 1998, she was introduced as a suave urbane metropolitan face of Congress. She was Sonia Gandhi's choice. Eighteen years down the line, in the summer of 2016, the Congress or Kishor has rebooted the political career of the 78-year old Brahmin Bahu of Unnao, UP (born as a Punjabi Khatri in Kapurthala, Punjab) . The Congress hopes that she would make that transition smoothly metropolitan to 'Brahmanical'.
Raj Babbar, who initially was taken to be a caste neutral Punjabi-film character in UP politics, is now being hailed as an OBC leader; and his wife, Nadira, and her parental lineage Syed Sajjad Zaheeer and Razia Sajjad Zaheer is also being flaunted.
The Congress had fielded Babbar in the 2014 parliamentary elections from Ghaziabad against BJP's VK Singh, hoping that his new found credentials, other than that of a filmi hero, would work. But he lost, and in doing so Babbar created history of losing by a margin of 5.65 lakh votes, one of the highest ever margins in the electoral history of India.
A section of UP Congress leaders are also wary of Imran Masood, the newly appointed UPPC Vice President of the "chop Narendra Modi to pieces" fame. They are unsure as to how his polarising persona would work when the heat of electioneering picks up.
But caste identity politics are not unique to this election. In the run up to the 2012 elections in UP, Rahul Gandhi had introduced the flamboyant technocrat Sam Pitroda as a badhai (carpenter), an OBC by caste. No one identified Pitroda as a carpenter and the OBC didn't flock to vote for Congress because Congress had given such an elevated position to Pitroda.
But Rahul stuck to his guns. In one of the interactions with the media in the run up to 2012 election, he defended naming Satyanarayan Gangaram or Sam Pitroda's caste with bit of philosophy and said: "First of all, do not get confused...the caste in Uttar Pradesh exists...if anybody says that the caste in Uttar Pradesh doesn't exist has not walked on the streets of Uttar Pradesh...what I was doing with Sam Pitroda was telling a small community that listen,there is hope for you in this country...this gentleman here, who happened to be from your community and has many other attributes has fundamentally transformed this country...all you youngsters who sits in the front, who believe that you cannot transform this country are wrong."
PARIS At least 73 people were killed when a truck drove into the crowd in the southern French sea resort of Nice, a news TV channel and local politician said.
Christian Estrosi, a leading regional politician in the area, said on Twitter: "This is the worst drama in the history of Nice with more than 70 victims already."
News TV channel i>TELE, citing a police source, put the death toll at 73 shortly after 1 a.m. (2300 GMT).
(Reporting by Michel Rose and Simon Carraud; Writing by Brian Love; Editing by Sandra Maler)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Presumptive Republican nominee for President Donald Trump called Indiana Governor Mike Pence and offered him the vice presidential slot on his ticket -- and Pence has accepted.
Speaking to Fox News earlier on Thursday, Trump said, "I think Newt (Gingrich) is a fantastic person. I think Chris Christie is a fantastic person, been a friend of mine for 15 years. And there's Mike, and Mike has done a great job as Governor of Indiana. You look at the numbers, and it's been great -- he's done really a fantastic job. But I haven't made a final, final decision."
On Wednesday, Trump held a series of auditions with Pence and other top contenders, including Christie and Gingrich.
On Thursday, despite sources indicating to CNN that Trump was strongly leaning toward Pence, others in his inner circle -- including Trump's son, Donald Jr. -- repeatedly urged caution.
Trump initially suggested he would wait until the Republican National Convention to unveil his vice presidential choice, but Indiana law forced his hand and made the announcement in this regard late on Thursday.
Pence's selection gives Trump a running mate with strong ties to the Republican base -- particularly social conservatives.
Pence is seen as a safe political option for Trump, who also considered candidates who mirror his big personality such as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
But Pence made it clear this week that he's more than willing to play the role of attack dog, strongly criticising Democratic Hillary Clinton during a rally with Trump.
Pence had endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz over Trump before Indiana's crucial early May primary --a contest Trump won, knocking Cruz from the contest and clinching the nomination.
He has not avoided criticising Trump, though. He called Trump's attacks on an Indiana-born judge of Mexican heritage "inappropriate", and said his proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US was "offensive and unconstitutional".
Recently, after meeting Trump on 2 July, Pence said: "I'm supporting Trump because we need a change in this country, and I believe he represents the kind of strong leadership at home and abroad that will, to borrow a phrase, make America great again."
Pence, a social conservative, stepped into a series of controversies over LGBT rights.
Indiana became the subject of a media storm in 2010 when Pence signed into law a "religious freedom" measure that would have allowed companies to assert that their exercise of religion had been violated as a defence if sued for turning away customers.
MOSCOW U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry took a proposal to boost military and intelligence cooperation against Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria to Moscow on Thursday, despite doubts among U.S. defence and intelligence officials.
U.S. officials described the visit as a test of Moscow's willingness to use its influence on the Syrian government to help revive the country's peace process, and time was running out for that.
Kerry met President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday evening and both said before the meeting they hoped they could make progress on Syria. Kerry was also to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday.
Putin said his last conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama had convinced him that both sides were sincere in the efforts to find a solution in Syria.
"I hope after today's consultations you'll be able to advise him of the progress made and possible headway for us to make," he told Kerry, according to a pool reporter at the start of the talks.
Kerry said Obama thought his last call with Putin was "constructive."
"Hopefully we'll be able to make some genuine progress that is measurable and implementable and that can make a difference in the course of events in Syria," Kerry said.
The extent of coordination with Russia proposed by Kerry and set out in a leaked U.S. document published by the Washington Post would represent a major shift after years of rivalry between Washington and Moscow, who support opposing sides in Syria's five-year civil war.
The document called for intelligence sharing to identify leadership targets, training camps, supply lines and headquarters of the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria.
Strikes against those targets could be carried out by U.S. or Russian jets and expanded coordination would be channelled through a Joint Implementation Group based in the vicinity of the Jordanian capital Amman.
The United States and Russia would establish separate headquarters and a shared coordination office, where they would deploy senior officials, intelligence personnel and experts in strike planning and targeting.
They would decide on a date to simultaneously begin strikes against Nusra Front targets and to stop all Syrian military air activities in designated areas, except for non-combat purposes and against areas where Nusra Front has acquired territory.
The proposal also allows for Russia to use air power to defend Syrian forces from attack from Nusra Front within a designated area, if agreed in advance with the United States.
Kerry declined to comment when asked about the document before leaving for Moscow.
HUMANITARIAN ACCESS
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would refrain from comment until Russian officials had heard from Kerry. He said in general Russia favoured cooperation with the United States over Syria, while the RIA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that Moscow was not satisfied with the current pace of this.
A senior U.S. official said Kerry would discuss how to deal with Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria, as well as efforts to reduce the violence, allow humanitarian access and move towards political transition.
"At present we are not conducting or coordinating military operations with Russia, nor is it clear we will reach an agreement to do so," the official said.
U.S. officials said there were two major problems leading to the breakdown of Syria's cessation of hostilities - the failure of the Syrian government to respect it and Nusra Front activity.
"We are here to test in what is pretty much close to the end stage of whether this is going to work, to take a shot with the Russians at whether we can solve those two major problems with the cessation of hostilities and get this back on track," a second senior official said.
A third U.S. official said expectations were "very low", but added:
"Either we find a way to do something about it or not. And if we dont, the entire things breaks down. That would be an end of the cessation of hostilities and that would not be a good thing for Russia, or the United states, or the world, or, most importantly, for the Syrian people."
Kerry faces some strong opposition to his efforts to woo Russia from U.S. defence and intelligence officials who say Washington and Moscow have diametrically opposed objectives in Syria.
Kerry's trip, his second to Moscow this year, comes amid a worsening of U.S.-Russian ties due to tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions, U.S. allegations of aggressive Russian manoeuvres toward U.S. aircraft and vessels and what Washington has said is a disregard for a cessation of hostilities in Syria, where Russia has bombed U.S.-backed rebels.
Relations also remain strained over Ukraine and what the Kremlin considers NATOs unjustified activity along its borders.
That has raised fears that disagreements could escalate into confrontations, either accidental in Syria or the result of miscalculations in the air and naval encounters elsewhere.
On Thursday, the commander of the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic State, U.S. Army Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, voiced U.S. military concern about Russias intentions in Syria.
"Id be a little leery about giving too much information to the Russians but I fully trust that our government officials understand this and know theyll arrive at something that makes sense," MacFarland told reporters in Baghdad.
(Additional reporting by Dmitry Solovyov, Polina Devitt and Andrew Osborn in Moscow, Lesley Wroughton and David Alexander in Washington, and Phil Stewart in Baghdad; Editing by Christian Lowe and Ralph Boulton)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
EDINBURGH Prime Minister Theresa May said on Friday that Britain would not trigger formal divorce talks with the European Union until a "UK approach" had been agreed, bidding to appease Scots who strongly oppose Brexit.
May made the comment after meeting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, head of the pro-independence Scottish government which says pro-EU Scots should not be dragged out against their will and has been looking at ways to keep Scotland in the bloc.
Scotland voted by 62-38 percent to stay in the European Union in the June 23 referendum while the United Kingdom as a whole voted 52-48 percent to leave, a result which Sturgeon has said made the prospect of another vote on Scottish independence "highly likely".
"I have already said that I won't be triggering Article 50 until I think that we have a UK approach and objectives for negotiations - I think it is important that we establish that before we trigger Article 50," May said, referring to the procedure through which a country would withdraw from the EU.
May said her decision to visit Sturgeon on her own turf less than 48 hours after taking office underlined her determination to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom after the Brexit vote had revived the issue of independence, which Scots rejected in a 2014 referendum.
Sturgeon has said she will explore all possibilities for keeping Scotland in the EU and May, who herself had backed the campaign to remain in the bloc, said she wanted the Scottish government to be involved in the Brexit talks.
"I will listen to any options they bring forward. I've been very clear with the first minister today that I want the Scottish government to be fully engaged in our discussions," May said.
"I want to get the best possible deal for the whole of the United Kingdom."
While European leaders have urged Britain to start formal discussions over an EU exit quickly, May has said Britain would not trigger Article 50 this year, and needed a clear negotiating stance first.
BLOCKING ARTICLE 50
Scotland's position could further delay divorce talks as, under devolution rules, the parliaments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are required to consent to any EU exit, according to a report by the House of Lords.
Sturgeon said last month that Scotland's parliament would consider blocking such legislation if necessary to protect Scottish interests. She has also repeatedly warned that Scotland could split from the United Kingdom should that be the only way for it to remain in the EU.
Scots rejected independence by 55-45 percent in the referendum two years ago, but since then Sturgeon's Scottish National Party has gone from strength to strength, winning 56 of Scotland's 59 seats in the British parliament in the 2015 election.
Sturgeon, who met several EU leaders in Brussels days after the referendum, said she was pleased May was willing to consider the Scottish government's options as part of the overall negotiations over the terms of Britain's exit.
But she said it would be inconceivable for a British prime minister to block a referendum if the Scottish parliament voted to hold one.
"Ive said previously that if we want to protect our relationship with the European Union then Scotland may have to consider becoming an independent member," she said after Friday's meeting.
"If it proves not to be possible to fully protect Scotlands interests through the UK process then the prime minister knows that a second independence referendum is of course on the table."
May said the independence issue had been settled:
"As far as I'm concerned the Scottish people had their vote, they voted in 2014 and a very clear message came through, both the United Kingdom and the Scottish government said they would abide by that."
Polls suggest support for independence has risen since the Brexit vote.
May's Conservative Party, unpopular in Scotland for decades, holds only one of Scotland's 59 seats in the Westminster parliament, although it has recently improved its standing, coming second to the SNP in the Scottish parliamentary election in May.
It is now the official opposition to the SNP in Edinburgh, having beaten the once dominant Labour Party into third place.
(Writing by Estelle Shirbon and Michael Holden; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Robin Pomeroy)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
More than the terrifying audacity of the 9/11 terror attacks, it was the chilling simplicity of those attacks that was horrifying. Until that epochal attack, no one had imagined civilian jetliners being hijacked with box-cutters and then being used as guided missiles to ram into iconic buildings like the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
Although during World War II, Japanese Kamikaze pilots had used their fighter planes as manned guided missiles against military targets, 9/11 was the first time civilian planes were used for suicide attacks.
The one thing that characterises late 20th century and early 21st century terrorism is the use of normal, everyday items and tools as instruments of mass murder. From soaps to fertiliser, from mobile phones and batteries to pressure cookers and kitchen knives, and from jetliners to cars and trucks, anything and everything can become a weapon in the hands of terrorists. Worse, the terrorist doesnt need any specialised training to use many of these items to commit mass murder. All it takes is indoctrination and a sick, warped and unstable mind to make a religiously motivated mass murderer out of an individual. That is the chilling reality of the mass murder committed in Nice, France.
Nice is not the first time terrorists have used a vehicle as a tool of terror. In 2008 Uighur terrorists used dump trucks to ram into a group of policemen in Kashgar, China, killing 16 people. Again in 2013 a jeep ploughed through crowds in Tiananmen Square in Beijing and then exploded leaving five people dead. In 2014, two trucks rammed into crowds in an Urumqi market killing 31 people. The same tactic has been used in Nice, with many more casualties. The over 80 people who died were part of the crowds celebrating Bastille Day, Frances national holiday. It was an easy target and mass casualties was ensured by the sheer number of people gathered in the area that was targeted.
Details of the Tunisian origin French national who carried out the attack in Nice are still awaited. It is not clear if it was an attack planned in advance by terror masterminds or if it was a lone-wolf attack. At the time of writing this piece, it is not even clear if the attack was an Islamic State (IS) terrorist or an Al Qaeda terrorist. Although reports reveal celebrations by IS adherents and sympathisers, the IS has not claimed responsibility for the attack. In recent weeks and months, both the IS and the Al Qaeda have exhorted and inciting their followers to carry out lone wolf attacks in the places where they stay.
In November last, the Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri called on "all Muslims who can harm the countries of the crusader coalition not to hesitate. We must now focus on moving the war to the heart of the homes and cities of the crusader West and specifically America" and asked them to emulate the example of the Boston bombers and the Charlie Hebdo attackers to terrorise the West. In May this year, the IS spokesman urged followers to attack civilians in Europe and the US, adding that "The tiniest action you do in the heart of their land is dearer to us than the biggest action by usThere are no innocents in the heart of the lands of the crusaders." And just a few days back, the Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) chief asked Indian Muslims to "Look at the Muslims of Syria... the Muslim youth living in Europe, how they have been attacking a strong enemy one single (mujahid) after another; and thus have disturbed the entire Europe" and encouraged them to "Kill the senior officers of institutions and administrative departments that get (people to) start these riots. Target IAS, and IPS officers. Cause them financial losses".
Nice is therefore a template that is likely to be followed increasingly by the fanatics influenced by international Jihadist terror outfits. The problem is that unlike planned attacks which are relatively easier to preempt because of the various stages they need to pass through before they can be carried out money has to be organised, people need to be trained and then transported to the place where the attack is to be carried out, the weapons have to be arranged etc. the lone wolf attacks are virtually impossible to trace. These attacks can be carried out by someone without even being a card-carrying member of a terror organisation or having received any kind of terror training. Even the indoctrination that transforms an ordinary guy into a killing machine can be done remotely. The Internet Islamist can be a person living next door, a student or even a professional, a family man or a bachelor, teenager or even middle-aged. Complicating things further is the fact that not all internet Islamists end up as jihadi junkies. Many of them just vent their spleen on social media and then go back to their mundane existence thinking they have done their bit of jihad. The sheer numbers of people who might visit chat rooms or social media sites of jihadist groups makes it a gargantuan task to identify who might actually move from keyboard terror to actual terror.
In short, there is as yet no fail-safe way of identifying a potential terrorist and preempting him. In India, the legal system is also a big obstacle to preempting terrorists and punishing potential terrorists, partly because entrapment is not permitted and partly because 19th century Indian laws are simply not equipped to handle 21st century crimes. Worse, the standards of evidence are so onerous that it is virtually impossible to secure any conviction if the defendant has a half-decent lawyer. But India also needs to be ready to face up to these kind of lone wolf attacks. While prevention and preemption may not always be possible, what is possible is preparation of the law enforcement machinery to respond quickly to any such attack and limit the damage that a lone wolf can cause. But this requires a complete revamping of the policing system in India which, one daresay, is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Even more important is to change the discourse on terrorism. Nonsensical political correctness is not going to be very helpful in combating the jihadist narrative. Without demonising a religion or a faith, it is imperative that a spade be called a spade. Since jihadists use the cover of Islam to justify their actions, it is the responsibility of Muslims to defend their faith, not through denial or the inane line that terrorists are not Muslims, but by accepting and admitting that they are Muslims who are distorting the faith. But this wont be possible unless the Muslim community accepts that there is a problem and that problem can only be addressed through reformation in Islam.
Clearly, as the spate of recent attacks Istanbul, Baghdad, Paris, Dhaka, and now Nice demonstrate, the scourge of Islamic terrorism is likely to stay for the better part of this century. For anyone to imagine that this will end by extermination of the IS or Al Qaeda or Lashkar-e-Taiba or any of the other organisations peddling their murderous wares, is to live in a fools paradise. Jihadist organisations will morph and transform themselves, re-emerge in a new avatar and continue their business under a new name, with new tactics. Not until jihad as a doctrine is delegitimised, not just among non-Muslims but also among Muslims, will the civilised world start to turn the tide against Islamic terrorism? But till then, brace yourself for more attacks like Nice.
The author is senior fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation. Views are personal.
Kartik, an Indian was in Lenvel Park, Nice celebrating Bastille day as a truck ploughed through the crowd and killed 84 people. He described the entire incident in a series of tweets.
According to his tweets, towards the end of the Bastille Day celebration in Lenval Park, Kartik heard a 'loud bang'.
He saw a truck speeding at 60 kilo meter per hour and initially thought that it was a drunk driver but then he saw the lorry smashing people. A stampede followed. Amidst the paranoia, Kartik described some grueling images of the injured victims.
"A guy in blue who lay crooked on the promenade after the lorry trailed over him. Pray that he and all other affected are okay," Kartik said.
Walking back up the promenade towards Lenval car park after the fireworks, we were in a large crowd. There was a loud bang suddenly.. #NICE Kartik (@kartik8848) July 14, 2016
@kartik8848 As a grey lorry sped down at at least 60mph. I thought it was a drunk driver at first. Then there were screams and bangs. #Nice Kartik (@kartik8848) July 14, 2016
@kartik8848 About 10 m away, on the other side of the promenade, bodies were flipped as the lorry smashed through people. People... #nice Kartik (@kartik8848) July 14, 2016
@kartik8848 Screamed and a mini stampede started as everyone ran away from the promenade into the side street. I can't forget a guy.. #Nice Kartik (@kartik8848) July 14, 2016
@kartik8848 A guy in blue who lay crooked on the promenade after the lorry trailed over him. Pray that he and all affected are okay. #Nice Kartik (@kartik8848) July 14, 2016
@kartik8848 On our way out of Nice, we saw dozens of police cars and ambulances racing in and speeding away. Kartik (@kartik8848) July 14, 2016
I took this last night on the Promenade. 20 mins later the lorry smashed past #PrayforNice #LiberteEgaliteFraternite pic.twitter.com/gVar6WR4s6 Kartik (@kartik8848) July 15, 2016
According to his Twitter profile, Kartik is a studying to be an economist.
The attacker killed at least 84 people and injured scores when he drove the truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday.
Counter-terrorist investigators leading the probe, into the attack said weapons and grenades were found inside the truck.
Police shot and killed the driver, who drove the 25-tonne, unmarked, truck for well over 100 metres (yards) along the famed Promenade des Anglais seafront, slamming into a mass of spectators late in the evening, regional government official Sebastien Humbert told France Info radio.
French President Francois Hollande vowed to strengthen his France's role in the fight against the Islamic State group after the deadly Nice attack, which is yet to be claimed by any group.
"Nothing will make us yield in our will to fight terrorism. We will further strengthen our actions in Iraq and in Syria. We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil," he said, in reference to the Islamic State group.
He also said he had called on reservists to boost the ranks of police and gendarmes. France's "operational reservists" include French citizens with or without military experience as well as former soldiers.
He also extended the state of emergency in France for another three months after the truck attack in Nice.
The sketchy details about the driver who barrelled a commercial truck through the crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, tell us he was a 31-year-old Tunisian migrant, presumably a second-generation Muslim. He was a criminal known to the police, had a history of using weapons, but wasnt linked to any of the radical groups. He had a pistol and a gun, and his truck contained fake weapons and grenades. More details in subsequent days will provide us a better sense of the Tunisians profile.
However, his reconstructed profile will most likely establish, yet again, that the Islamic State is a veritable state of mind, as Al-Qaeda was, not too many years ago. Indeed, the IS has become a global ideological paradigm, which provides individuals a moral justification to express their rage through bloody deeds, and enhances manifold the impact of their despicable actions.
The Islamic State (IS) is to terror what global brands are to the consumer market. A locally-manufactured product acquires a greater value to buyers once it boasts the logo of a valued, recognisable brand.
The process in the new age jihadism is not remarkably different acts of mass violence terrorise us more, once it bears the IS imprint. These also acquire a greater meaning for their perpetrators, who cross the line dividing civility from barbarity in the belief that they are fighting for a cause larger than them. It enables them to believe their certain death is truly heroic.
The IS, in reality, is a franchise anyone can appropriate. The person doesnt even require its prior permission. All that he or she has to do is to carry out an attack and transmit a message beforehand, at times minutes before the mayhem is to be unleashed, or leave behind a note declaring his or her allegiance to the IS, which is then quick to claim the attack as its own. The IS hasnt yet claimed the Nice attack, in which 84 people have already died.
The Nice attack underlines the problems security agencies encounter in tackling new-age jihadism. This is because they cannot possibly fathom the state of minds of individuals or anticipate their intent beforehand.
Earlier, the favoured method of intelligence agencies to preempt terror attacks was to track individuals who flew out, say, from France or Belgium or the United States, to Syria or to Afghanistan and Pakistan, when Al-Qaeda was a dominant force and arrest them when they were on the verge of launching attacks. Their efforts were bolstered by informers, at times from within the Muslim community, who informed the agencies whether persons under watch were demonstrating tell-tale signs of Islamic radicalism.
Perpetrators of attacks ascribed to the IS no longer show the behaviour pattern of before. Often, they are people whose personal problems are the source of their rage they are social and culturally maladjusted; they believe their plight is on account of the modern social system indifferent to them. In the manner of mass shooters in the United States in the past, they wish to wreak vengeance on those who they mistakenly believe are responsible for their woes.
To these people, the IS provides a cause bigger than their personal woes to kill people. They were to slaughter people anyway, but once their desire to kill is linked to the IS ideology, their action gets rationalised. It tells them they are not insane in planning the death of others. It tells them their eventual death will not be meaningless. To them, therefore, giving up a meaningless, humiliating life for a meaningful death becomes preferable.
A meaningful death, from this perspective, is possible only through mass killings, which become an act of heroism for them. It is heroic because it seeks to punish the society judged callous and responsible for injustice. The angry young men are overnight transformed into soldiers at war. It becomes their duty to spray bullets at crowds, incidentally, enjoying a concert or, as in Nice, celebrating an occasion.
The transformation of personal rage into an expression of violence dressed as jihad was vividly illustrated in the story The New York Times did on Omar Mateen, who swore allegiance to the IS, before killing 49 people in a gay club in Orlando. The newspaper quoted FBI Director James Comey as saying that Mateen was more a confused angry man than an IS radical. The FBI had been keeping tabs on Mateen, interviewed him thrice, but deemed him as not dangerous.
The agency came to this conclusion because he would swing between supporting Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based militia, and the IS, regardless of the fact that both are arrayed against each other in Syria. The night Mateen mowed down the clubbers in Orlando, he called the police, but disconnected, seemingly having doubts in the last minute. Moments later, he called again and implemented the ISs directive to self-starter terrorists to declare allegiance to the group publicly before they act.
As the subsequent construction of Mateens profile showed, he was a person who was conflicted about his sexuality, dated men, but was also married, frequented the club, which he eventually chose to attack, drank heavily, took drugs, and would assault his wife. Given that he was confused whether to align with Hezbollah or the IS, the FBI concluded he wasnt the man who would launch jihadi attacks inside or outside America. That he was just a young angry man.
Ultimately, Mateen turned out to be a terrorist. But what kind of terrorist was he? The New York Times answers. He had no known ISIS (IS) or Al Qaeda connection; he wasnt getting operating orders from abroad; he hadnt gone overseas to be trained; he followed no predictable course of radicalization. Mateen appears, in fact, to have been less a soldier than yet another deeply disturbed American, who was full of hatred and uncontrollable anger an example of what law enforcement officials describe as an aspiring violent criminal searching for a larger justification for the acts hes desperate to commit.
It is perhaps impossible to keep tabs on individuals who are mentally disturbed or harbour rage and wish to express it. It is more so about individuals who dont demonstrate discernible signs of radicalisation. As The New York Times said, The main sign of radicalization is something that no longer happens in a training camp or a mosque or even through the internet.
So where does the radicalisation take place? Between the ears of the individual, the former FBI undercover agent Michael German told the newspaper.
To Slate, French academician Olivier Roy cited the example of Mateen to say that the IS attracts these types of guys who are what I call de-culturated and who never adjust to any society, whether it is American society or any society. Mateen was a second-generation Afghanistan in America. His father is known to have made political statements. But Mateen didnt justify his attack in Orlando because of Americas role in Afghanistan, as he could justifiably have and spun a completely different narrative.
Roy says he can understand why he chose the IS. As he says, It (lone-wolf attacks ascribed to the IS) is not connected to real struggles. They live in an imaginary world.
Roy says IS lone-wolves in the West are not products of the radicalisation of Islam. They were radicalised already, for a variety of reasons, and choose the religious narrative to express their radicalisation. Their choice is the IS, says Roy, because it is the only international anti-society, anti-world group. (Read this to understand Roys theory.)
Indeed, the IS rejects modernity, and seeks a return to the world as it existed during the first three generations of Muslims. And so, therefore, it must behead prisoners and turn women captives into slaves. It projects itself as morally superior to all others, precisely what angry disturbed people need to justify to themselves the violence they carry out in the name of Allah.
The IS is just a few years old, but it symbolises a puritanical Islam, the genesis of which is much older. Every religious system has factions in it which debate over the true nature of faith. However, puritanical Islam has undoubtedly gathered momentum over the last three decades because of the Wests invasion and interference in West Asia and the cultural imperialism of Saudi Arabia. People tend to redefine their identity in moments of crisis. Saudi Arabia had already provided the framework for this redefinition through its export of puritanical Islam.
Sitting on heaps of dollars, and under compulsion to appease the clergy to win its support for monarchy, Saudi Arabia has endorsed a puritanical form of Islam, well known now as Wahabism. Since Islam was born here, Saudi Arabia claims to be the interpreters of true Islam. It has the financial clout to project its religious ideas across the Muslim world. IS is a spin-off from Saudi Arabias cultural imperialism.
Despite its protestations to the contrary, Riyadh has supported the IS, or groups aligned to it, in Syria, as did the West for much of the civil there. If the ghost of IS has come to haunt the West, against which it now rails, it is, to many, not only ironic but perhaps also a case of poetic justice.
For India, though, the Nice attack ought to make us worry about the many Indian Muslims who have disappeared to apparently join the IS. Among them are Kerala Muslims, now totaling 21, including Hindus and Christians who converted to Islam. They are middle class, educated, and young. They conform to Roys paradigm that the jihadi violence we are witnessing is not the radicalisation of Islam, but Islamisation of radicalism.
It, therefore, should have us ask the question: Is the rapid transformation of India, too, producing angry young men and women looking for a cause to express their rejection of the society? Is it why our politics has come under the sway of religion, whether of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs? For the Indian political class that is notorious for its myopia, it is time to open their eyes to the dangerous trends in our society, of which terrorism is just an expression.
Ajaz Ashraf is a journalist in Delhi. His novel, The Hour Before Dawn, has as its backdrop the demolition of the Babri Masjid. It is available in bookstores.
As a perennially-broke college-going student, I did most of my shopping from the 'Maidan Market' in Kolkata so-called due to its proximity to the maidans in the heart of the city in the Esplanade area, it is the go-to place for mostly export rejects and fake brands at knocked-down prices. Not unlike Linking Road or Fashion Street in Mumbai.
Still, the white T-shirt that cost Rs 150 without any logo, would become Rs 300 if it bore even a hand-stitched 'Benetton' or 'Levi's' across the chest. It made immense business sense for the sellers to just attach a rubber print and gain double the money. And for cash-strapped buyers like me, it meant sharing the stardust of a brand at an affordable price.
This analogy will make it clear how the Islamic State has been able to successfully glamourise terror and then make it affordable so that anyone, who posses neither the skill nor the enterprise just an iron will to kill people and get killed can take part in the macabre ritual of murders.
Fast-developing facts are still shaping the discourse, but what we do know at this moment about yet another horrible attack in France is that at least 80 people were killed in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday when a truck driver ploughed into a large crowd gathered for a fireworks show on Bastille Day, the French national holiday.
It is still unclear whether the driver had an accomplice but the crash that left 84 people dead including several children and 14 seriously injured, is being treated as a terrorist attack. According to witnesses, the driver was apparently zig-zagging so he could hit as many people as possible. French local media has reported that the attacker drove into the crowd for two kilometres at a speed of about 50 kmph.
One eyewitness stated that 'bodies were flying like bowling pins' along with 'noises, cries that I will never forget' as the horror unfolded on a busy promenade in the southern city of Nice at around 10.30 pm local time.
The identity of the driver who was shot dead is still unclear but papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian resident of Nice as well as "guns" and "larger weapons" were found inside the bullet-ridden truck.
The truck driver was said to have shouted 'Allahu Akbar' before being killed. Though no terrorist group has claimed responsibility, pro-Islamic State groups have been celebrating the attack. French President Francois Hollande has said it was clearly a terrorist act.
Nothing will make us yield in our will to fight terrorism. We will further strengthen our actions in Iraq and in Syria. We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil, he said, in reference to the Islamic State.
It's fairly clear that unlike 13 November, 2015 Paris attacks a series of coordinated terrorist strikes by suicide bombers and shooters this wasn't carried out by an organised group.
And therein lies the impossibility of preventing these strikes.
You may blame French intelligence, and questions are already being raised over their repeated failures, but how do you stop anyone from attacking who are inspired by the radical terror ideology of "If you're not able to find an IED or a bullet... run him over"? A quote attributed by international terror watchdog SITE Intelligence Group to Muhammad al-Adnani in one of his first speeches as the newly-appointed ISIS spokesman in 2014. Adnani said to use cars to run over the infidel (disbeliever).
15. Al-Qaeda proposed using cars as weapon in Inspire magazine. And ISIS spokesman Muhammad al-Adnani did so in speeches going back to 2014 Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) July 15, 2016
17. Here is quote as translated by @siteintelgroup, "If you're not able to find an IED or a bullet ... run him over" pic.twitter.com/Wt0oUmDfUf Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) July 15, 2016
The Nice attacks shows once again how the Islamic State and other global jihad groups have come to rely less on elaborate terror strikes. These require huge amounts of money and planning, and runs the risk of being busted by counter-terrorism intelligence. So they have simply turned terrorism into a brand through their slick, professionally produced videos of decapitations and stoning and burning and throwing people off tall buildings.
This develops the Islamic State brand, glorifies terror and brings it within the reach of anyone who is willing to kill and get killed for a never-ending jihad against the disbelievers. Most don't even need any grand motivation like the establishment of an Islamic Caliphate.
It is practically impossible to put every citizen of every country under perennial watch in the fear that one of them could become self-radicalised and launch a terror strike.
As Hollande fulminates after yet another strike on his soil, his helplessness against the hydra becomes evident.
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Scope: The work generally consists of construction of Work under this contract will be for the removal and replacement of a failing 20" DIP gravity sanitary line, with approx 2,300 LF of 16" DIP sanitary forcemain. This construction requires the installation of new DIP, fittings, valves, and connections with existing forcemains, bypass pumping, dewatering, removal of existing manholes, 20 gravity sanitary pipe, and grout filling 150 LF of the last existing 20 gravity sanitary pipe. Work includes 1.5 AC clearing & grubbing, 1 LS sewer force main bypass, 2,150 LF remove & dispose of existing gravity sewer pipe, 50 VF remove & dispose of existing manholes, 150 LF grout fill existing gravity sewer, 500 CY borrow fill material in place, 2,280 LF 16" DIP (Class 350 w/p-401) including restrained joints, 6 ea 16" gate valve & valve box w/restraints, 20 LF 16 " C-905 (DR-25 PVC pipe) including restrained joints, 1 ea 12" gate valve & valve box w/ restraints, 1 ea 12" connect to existing sanitary force main, 6,400 SY sodding, 1 LS cordrill manhole with boot, 1 ls pipe pigging, flushing, cleaning & pressure testing w/ perm. Pig launch. See attached file.
A name familiar in the area for his leadership of a help organization has come out of a short retirement to head up another organization.
William W. "Bill" Bunch has been named as the new executive director of the St. Francois County Community Partnership. He will take over for Al Sullivan, who recently announced his retirement from the organization following a 14-year stint.
Bunch retired only months ago from the position of executive director of East Missouri Action Agency, having spent nearly 40 years there and the last 17 as director.
Bunch will take over at St. Francois County Community Partnership on Sept. 1.
"We are so very pleased to welcome Mr. Bunch as our next executive director," said Meg Reiner, board chair of the partnership. "He is taking the reins following an exceptional 14-year period of leadership under Al Sullivan.
"As we move forward we express heartfelt appreciation to Al and wish him the very best in his retirement, and we warmly welcome Bill Bunch and look forward to working with him ... we are very fortunate that he desires to continue serving in this new role."
Bunch was born and raised in Bonne Terre. He graduated from North County High School, Mineral Area College and the University of Missouri-Columbia.
The community partnership is "a coalition building organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and families."
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POTOSI Harry Alfred Bourbon Jr. of Potosi, Missouri, passed away Thursday, July 14, 2016. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Sunday, July 17, 2016; visitation resumes 8:30-9:30 a.m. Monday at DeClue Funeral Home in Potosi. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Monday, July 18, 2016, at St. Joachim Catholic Church in Old Mines. Interment at Portell Cemetery.
With plans to launch 18 rockets this year, and conduct 24 launches (or more) in 2017, SpaceX is off to the races. But here's the thing: To run a race, you need at least two racers.
SpaceX and the rest
United Launch Alliance -- Boeing (BA 4.76%) and Lockheed Martin's (LMT 2.13%) joint venture, most often considered SpaceX's most formidable rival -- is, like SpaceX, expected to book its busiest launch year ever in 2016. But even so, Boeing and Lockheed only plan to launch 15 rockets this year, three fewer than SpaceX. European rival Arianespace is targeting 12 launches.
So with Boeing and Lockheed beat, who does that leave for SpaceX to race against?
To the edge of space, and beyond
To date, SpaceX has launched dozens of rockets into orbital flight, and has scores of similar missions on its manifest awaiting launch in years to come. Meanwhile, billionaire Jeff Bezos has parlayed his Amazon fortune into a new privately owned space tourism company -- Blue Origin -- and he's hot on Elon Musk's heels in the race to space. So far Blue Origin has only succeeded in sending rockets into high sub-orbit, but it's done this four times already -- and landed those rockets safely every time (which is more than SpaceX can say).
And Bezos has bigger ambitions than "just" launching tourists to the edge of space for a lookabout, then bringing them back down again. Like Musk at SpaceX, Bezos eventually plans to transform Blue Origin into a true orbital carrier, capable of launching rockets into space and keeping them there.
To facilitate that dream, last month Bezos broke ground on an "orbital vehicle manufacturing complex" in Florida, where Blue Origin will build the rocket ships of tomorrow. Billed in a press release as a "custom-built ... 750,000 square foot rocket factory," his new complex, says Bezos, will "accommodate manufacturing, processing, integration and testing" of entire rockets (except for the engines, which Blue Origin builds at another location).
That square footage, by the way, is nearly as large as SpaceX's own Hawthorne facility. Indeed, if you include the 260,000 square feet of the plant in Kent, Washington, where Blue Origin builds its engines, Blue Origin could soon have more factory floor space than the "almost 1 million"-square-foot factory that SpaceX operates.
That suggests that Bezos doesn't plan to play second fiddle to SpaceX for long.
How fast can Blue Origin catch up?
With Musk expanding his launch manifest at a breakneck pace, it won't be easy for Bezos to overtake the leader. But Blue Origin expects to have its new factory completed by December 2017 -- and that suggests that Bezos may be planning to shift his focus to orbital flight sooner than many people think.
Current expectations are for Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft to begin manned test flights next year, and for Blue Origin to begin ferrying paying passengers to the verge of space by 2018. With the company's new factory expected to open just days before the calendar flips over to 2018, this suggests that Blue Origin has set itself a tight schedule.
It also suggests that Jeff Bezos is serious about meeting it.
Renowned F1 photographer Mark Sutton has supported the fundraising event by obtaining the signatures of the 2016 drivers on GOSH playing cards, as well as a special 2016 signed grid photo, all of which are available to bid on.
"Formula One fans around the world were contacting us in advance of the annual charity auction to make sure they don't miss out on this year's collection, said Paul Brett, StarCards founder.
GOSH is one of the world's leading children's hospitals with the broadest range of dedicated, children's healthcare specialists under one roof.
The hospital's pioneering research and treatment gives hope to children who are suffering from the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions, from across the UK and abroad.
The auction is being held at www.starcards.org and finishes on Sunday July 17. A full preview of the items can be viewed here.
In another Sutton-related project, last weekends 2016 Formula 1 British Grand Prix saw Formula One group CEO Bernie Ecclestone present staff and patients from GOSH with a cheque for 15,000 - funds raised from the recent sale of the World Champions in Art Collection to the four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
"It was a huge pleasure for me to have made this painting knowing that the proceeds have been donated to the charity, commented artist Mark Dickens. The Great Ormond Street Hospital patients face many battles in their young lives. Seeing their brave smiling faces in the F1 paddock certainly puts things into perspective. I feel honoured to be able to play a small part in making a difference.
"A very special thank you to Sebastian Vettel for buying this painting. He is a great champion and humanitarian."
At least 60 people were killed and 100 injured in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday (July 14) when a truck ploughed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday in a criminal attack, a local official said.
The driver, who drove at high speed for over 100 metres (yards) along the famed Promenade des Anglais seafront before hitting the mass of spectators, was shot dead, sub-prefect Sebastien Humbert told France Infos radio.
Humbert described it as a clear criminal attack, although the driver was not yet identified. Residents of the Mediterranean city close to the Italian border were advised to stay indoors. There was no sign of any other attack.
Almost exactly eight months ago Islamic State militants killed 130 people in Paris. On Sunday,France had breathed a sigh of relief as the month-long Euro 2016 soccer tournament ended without a feared attack.
"Dear Nicois," local mayor Christian Estrosi tweeted, "The driver of a truck appears to have killed dozens of people. Stay at home for the time being. More news to follow."
Regional newspaper Nice Matin quoted its reporter at the scene saying there were many injured people and blood on the street. It published a photograph of a damaged, long-distance delivery truck, which it said was riddled with bullets and images of emergency services treating the injured.
Damien Allemand, the paper's correspondent, was quoted as saying: "People are running. It's panic. He rode up onto the Prom and piled into the crowd ... There are people covered in blood. There must be many injured."
Social media carried images of people lying apparently lifeless in pools of blood.
CNN said it has spoken to a witness, identified as an American pilot, who saw the truck ramming the crowd. The witness said the driver mowed people down, accelerating as he hit them. The witness said there was only one person in the truck.
Local mayor Estrosi has warned in the past of the risk of Islamist attacks in the region, following Islamic State bloodshed in Paris and Brussels over the past 18 months.
French President Francois Hollande, who was in the south of France at the time, had hours earlier said a state of emergency put in place after the Paris attacks in November would not be extended when it was due to expire on July 26.
President Barack Obama on Thursday said he condemned a deadly attack in Nice and offered any assistance France needs to investigate.
"On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians," Obama said in a statement.
At least 74 people were killed and dozens injured when a truck slammed into a crowd in the French Riviera city during Bastille Day celebrations. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Facebook on Thursday blamed lackluster technology education at the high school level for the difficulties it faces in diversifying its workforce.
"It has become clear that at the most fundamental level, appropriate representation in technology or any other industry will depend upon more people having the opportunity to gain necessary skills through the public education system," Maxine Williams, Facebook's Global Director of Diversity, said in a statement.
Her comments came as Facebook released its latest diversity stats. The percentage of women in positions of leadership has increased in the last year from 23 to 27 percent, while the percentage of black employees in non-tech roles is up from 3 to 5 percent, Williams pointed out.
The social network, however, is still largely a boys club. As of June 30, about 67 percent of Facebook employees are men, 83 percent of whom work in tech-related positions. Men also hold 73 percent of senior leadership jobs.
About 52 percent of all US employees are white, 38 percent are Asian, 4 percent are Hispanic, 2 percent are black, and 3 percent are bi- or multi-racial. Of those who work in tech-related field, about 48 percent are white, 46 percent are Asian, 3 percent are Hispanic, and 1 percent are black, and 2 percent are bi- or multi-racial.
"We still have a long way to go, but as we continue to strive for greater change, we are encouraged by positive hiring trends," Williams said.
It would help, she argued, if high schools had more robust computer science programs, something President Obama pushed for in February.
"Currently, only 1 in 4 US high schools teach computer science," she wrote. "In 2015, seven states had fewer than 10 girls take the Advanced Placement Computer Science exam and no girls took the exam in three states. No Black people took the exam in nine states including Mississippi where about 50 percent of high school graduates are Black, and 18 states had fewer than 10 Hispanics take the exam with another five states having no Hispanic AP Computer Science (CS) test takers. This has to change."
As a result, Facebook has committed $15 million to Code.org over the next five years, one of serveral learn-to-code resources available online.
Last year, Facebook also founded TechPrep, an online resource in English and Spanish for parents, guardians, and future programmers, Williams wrote. It also runs the Facebook University (FBU) program, a training program focused on undergraduate college students from underrepresented groups. And it supports the Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E) Lean In Circles program, which aims to support women already in college who show an interest in computer science.
Facebook is also pushing "recruiters to look longer, harder and smarter for more diversity in the qualified talent pool," she wrote, and offers employee training on managing unconscious bias.
Microsoft Professional Degree The Facebook news comes as Microsoft announced a Professional Degree program.
Aimed at people in any stage of their career, the Microsoft-led initiative promises real-world knowledge and hands-on experience. The first MPD program covers data science; a series of 10 courses is available online at edX.org, where students who earn a passing grade receive a digitally shareable credential.
"Data science is currently one of the hottest areas in technology and the need for data scientists is only expected to grow," according to Redmond's FAQ.
For each required course taken on edX during this pilot, students must purchase a verified certificate; costs vary by course and prices are subject to change. Currently, orientation costs $25 and the Statistical Thinking for Data Science and Analytics is $99. All other classes cost $49. Users may audit any courses, including the associated hands-on labs, for free, but must pay to receive credit toward the MPD.
More than 200 learning partnersincluding DDLS, Fast Lane, NIIT, and QAand 650 Microsoft employees have been evaluating the platform and curriculum in a closed preview since May.
This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
The day after a truck attack in the French resort town of Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, terror fears across the world have spiked once again.
In December 2015, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump proposed a ban on Muslim immigration into the United States, causing an uproar among politicians on both the left and right sides of the spectrum.
During an interview on the FOX Business Network, former Republican Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee said that the U.S. welcomes immigrants who want to become Americans. However, he stated there is no obligation for the country to allow people who want to change America by putting it under Sharia law, for example.
We cant just keep importing terror into our country and tolerating it and acting like theres nothing we can do because we want to protect freedom, he told Stuart Varney. Actually, what we want to do is protect peoples lives.
Huckabee, who held the governorship from 1996-2007 and ran for president in 2008 and 2016, said America needs to take a different type of approach when dealing with attacks from Islamic terrorists.
Right now were dealing with insanity because there is no negotiation with people who would drive a truck through a busy boulevard and just start mowing down innocent people including kids, Huckabee said.
These are crazy people. These are not normal, rational people. And it does not call for normal and the typical kinds of things you would do to deal with it.
Investors charged into domestic stocks during the latest week, delivering U.S.-based stock funds their first inflows since late April, Lipper data showed on Thursday.
The funds took in $7.8 billion, according to the research service's data, which covers the seven days through July 13. The inflows into stock funds were led by heavy buying of exchange-traded funds and funds focused specifically on domestic stocks, Lipper found.
Pat Keon, research analyst for Thomson Reuters Lipper, said U.S. domiciled funds - including both mutual funds & ETFs - took in $33.5 billion of net new money for the fund-flows week ended July 13.
"This was the largest positive weekly net inflow of the year coming in at over twice that of the $16.6 billion net inflow for the fund-flows week ended January 27, 2016," Keon said. "Of note, equity funds broke a 10-week streak of net outflows by taking in $7.8 billion in net new money and municipal bond funds recorded their 41st straight week of inflows as they grew their coffers by $1.2 billion."
For their part, non-domestic equity mutual funds saw money leave their coffers for the third straight week "as they continue to feel the effects of the Brexit vote," Keon said. "Since the vote, non-domestic equity funds have suffered net outflows of $5.5 billion - including $1.5 billion this week - which has reduced their year-to-date net inflow to $2.5 billion." (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish)
Its been one year since the U.S. signed a nuclear pact with the secular government of Iran.
In our time together we have gained some centrifuges but had to withstand some subterfuges too. Yes, we enjoy greater access to nuclear facilities once outside our reach. And heavy water excesses by Iran are now promptly remedied. But for all the benefits of getting inside Irans velvet rope, lingering issues remain.
Iran continues to be a state sponsor of terror. Dark armies like Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthi rebels all enjoy the support of Iran. The nuclear agreement "calls for" a cessation of ballistic missile launches. Yet their rockets flew. Let's hope this misty language does not portend the fog of war. Of course German reports of continued attempts by Iranian interests to obtain nuclear material in the waning days of 2015 are brushed aside by the those who say the start date of prohibition was midnight New Years Eve this year.
Such a comfort...
And Iran has quietly become the most powerful foreign nation in Iraq, deftly filling subtle and more obvious vacancies created by Americas near-entire withdrawal as the terror group ISIS has claimed territory there.
Not convinced about the waning influence of American force in Iran? Western media has reported that the U.S. recommended that Mosul not Fallujah be the next city liberated from the caliphates clutches. But the Iraqi government was persuaded otherwiseand all signals point to Iran.
Fallujah lies as close to Baghdad as Fort Worth, Texas is to Dallas. In other words, too close for comfort. Thus the U.S. was overruled, and our role in Fallujah was kept to 21 sorties and our Apache helicopters were on standby. Iraqi forces and Shiite militias took the lead.
Those Shiite militia forces, fortified by Tehran, led a surprising campaign with the Iraqi army spanning just weeks to reclaim Fallujah. It was common knowledge that ISIS forces and administrators considered Fallujah home. It wasnt shocking that the city fell so fast, but we didnt anticipate that ISIS would leave Fallujah somewhat intact--at least compared to its pattern of scorched earth and shattered architecture.
Shiite militias like Fallujah too. They argue it is premature to withdraw. So they roost, causing angst among remaining Sunni families inside the city. And a great many Sunni families, sensing Irans long reach, wont return, forming a diaspora across Iraq and the Middle East.
Perhaps the prettiest lipstick we can put on the nuclear deal is that we are modestly closer to understanding what Iran is doing with its nuclear program, and we have begun to turn Iran into an entrepreneurs candy store for the West.
Already billions of dollars of deals have been inked with European companies to modernize Tehrans airport and transport the good citizens of the world. Iran estimates it needs at least 500 aircraft to replace its creaking airline fleet. The first big winner was Europes Airbus agreeing to sell 118 jets to the long foreclosed trading partner. Not to be outdone, Mitsubishi of Japan just signed a deal for 80 regional jets for in-country travel. Embraer of Brazil and Bombardier of Canada are also in the hunt.
Most telling of all is Americas Boeing (NYSE:BA) which just recently agreed to sell jets to Iran Air in a deal that could be worth $25 billion-- dwarfing any deal with Iran since the 1979 revolution. Our biggest deal in the region was a 2010 military aircraft deal worth $60 billion with longtime ally Saudi Arabia.
The trouble is Congress is saying Not so fast! Just weeks after Boeing announced its deal, the House of Representatives passed measures that may ban both the Boeing deal and the Airbus transactioncenterpieces of new Western relations with post nuclear-deal Iran.
The target of the measure is the Treasury Departments little known but powerful Office of Foreign Assets Control. They authorize licenses for Boeing and even for French based enterprises like Airbusbecause some critical aircraft components are made in the USA. Senate approval stands between the signed measures and law, but for the time being these planes are in a ground hold on the runway.
Traditional first year anniversary gifts are paperand both sides may be thinking their deal isnt worth what it is printed on.
Peter D. Kiernan is an award winning New York Times bestselling author who is also an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and philanthropist following a multi decade career on Wall Street. Today he spends much of his time fighting poverty as a 26 year member and former Chair of the board of the Robin Hood Foundation.
He is a regular contributor to the FOX Business Network and appears frequently on national TV and radio talk shows, as well as many different public forums.
French officials are still investigating Thursdays Bastille Day terror attack that killed 84 people in Nice. The strategy of using soft targets to carry out terror attacks raises questions about the best way for cities to protect themselves, and at what cost?
We have to step up our intelligence We have to sacrifice some personal liberties if we are going to be safe. Weve got to the point where dramatic and important steps have to be taken domestically so that we understand whats happening out there and then we have to be able to act on that information The political correctness thats been running our strategies has to be dialed back a little bit and we have to recognize that we are fighting for our lives here, former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said during an interview on Mornings with Maria.
Earlier Thursday, before the attacks, FBI Director James Comey delivered a warning about ISIS during a hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee.
The intelligence community accesses that as the caliphate is crushed the so-called Islamic State will become more desperate to demonstrate its continued vitality and that will likely take the form of more asymmetrical attacks, more efforts at terrorism Its necessary to crush the caliphate but we cant take our eye off what the next move will be by these killers, Comey said.
On Friday, former member of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, Steve Rogers, argued the U.S. must act quickly and step up its offense against ISIS in order to keep the country safe.
If you look at what we did to Al Qaeda, with our military, we virtually eliminated them from taking any action against this country. This is why myself and other people who are in the military are suggesting a shock and awe attack on their command and control centers, their supply lines, the oil fields, decapitate them right in the Mideast and in effect well also be eliminating their intelligence and operational capabilities, he said.
Officials say roughly 200 children ages 5-12 who attended a day camp at a suburban Detroit gym may have been exposed to bacterial meningitis from an infected worker.
George Miller, director of Oakland County Department of Health and Human Services, held a news conference Wednesday to discuss the response. He says officials are notifying parents of those who attended the camp between July 1 and 11.
He says they're urging the children be assessed by a doctor. Lifetime Fitness in Rochester Hills notified members by email.
Miller says the employee, a Macomb County adult, is hospitalized.
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid surrounding a person's spinal cord and the brain. Bacterial meningitis is transmitted through close contact, primarily exchanging saliva. Most people who get the infection recover.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is collecting semen samples from men who have been infected with Zika to learn more about the virus transmission patterns.
In a statement to FoxNews.com, the CDC said the semen study began in mid-April, and as of Wednesday, 52 men had signed on to participate.
The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency, duration, and pattern of Zika virus shedding in semen and urine of infected men, Kate Fowlie, a CDC spokeswoman, told FoxNews.com in an email. Eligible participants are adult men living in the continental United States or Hawaii who have laboratory-confirmed Zika virus infection.
For the study, researchers are collecting participants background health information and semen samples gathered at their own homes once every two weeks for up to six months after symptom onset. Specimens are tested for Zika virus RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay (RT-PCR) at CDC; those testing positive are further evaluated by virus isolation techniques. A separate study is underway in Puerto Rico.
Findings from the study will help health officials refine recommendations for preventing spread of Zika virus through sexual transmission, Fowlie said.
Although Zika is primarily spread through mosquito bites, the CDC said it has detected viral RNA in semen 62 days after an individuals onset of illness was reported.
Additional information is needed to better inform public health recommendations, particularly for couples contemplating pregnancy, Fowlie said.
The CDC has reported 15 cases of sexual transmission of Zika in the United States, as well as 1,130 total Zika diagnoses 320 of them among pregnant women.
Friday, the CDC reported the first case of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika. All previous cases of sexual transmission of the virus occurred when a male passed it along to his female partner.
The CDC said it recommends that all pregnant women who have a sex partner who has traveled to or resides in an area with Zika use barrier methods such as a condom every time they have sex, or they should not have sex during the pregnancy. These recommendations now also apply to female sex partners of pregnant women.
The agency said it is updating recommendations for sexually active people in which the couple is not pregnant or concerned about pregnancy and for people who want to reduce personal risk of Zika infection through sex.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Autopsy results released Thursday revealed that a 14-month-old Texas girls death in March after a routine dental procedure was due to complications during anesthesia. The Travis County Medical Examiners Office told People.com that Daisy Lynn Torres exact cause of death has been classified as undetermined, as it was non-natural, but not classified as an accident, a homicide or a suicide.
Betty Squier, of Austin, took her daughter Daisy to Austin Childrens Dentistry for a dental crown procedure, but halfway through, a complication occurred and the office called an ambulance to take Daisy Lynn to the hospital. About two hours later, Daisy was pronounced dead.
"We have been waiting for the medical examiner's report in hopes that it would bring some closure for the family," Austin Childrens Dentistry said in a statement, according to People. "We understand it has been classified as undetermined due to anesthesia complications administered by a Board Certified Medical Anesthesiologist and not because of a dental procedure. We know there are always risks associated with anesthesia, however, the loss of a child is particularly tragic."
Dr. Robert Delarosa, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, told the news website that he advises dentists to avoid anesthesia whenever possible, but some instances call for the treatment.
"The main reason it's used is because small children are prone to squirming in their chairs, Delarosa told People. If a dentist is holding a sharp object, a moving child can bump their hand, causing further damage."
Squier cautioned other parents to do their research on dentists and anesthesiologists, and to get as many second opinions as you possibly can, she told People.
"I talked with the anesthesiologist before he put her under," she told the news site. "He was telling me how beautiful my baby was and how the procedure would be very quick and that I would be able to see her soon."
"My last words to her were, 'I'll be back for you soon,'" she continued, "but Daisy was the one who never came back to me."
The rise of ISIS has exposed the darkest side of humanityat times manifesting their violent ideology at our very doorsteps.
The terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, Orlando, Brussels, and France demonstrate how individuals with the aim to do the most harm possible are taking advantage of security gaps and focusing on the most vulnerable of targets.
The most recent tragic attack in Nice on Thursday represents how it doesnt take many people to wreak an enormous amount of damage and loss of life.
As a former undercover CIA officer, Ive worked with my colleagues in the 114th Congress to approach the growing terrorist threat from a number of angles, including addressing the issue of terrorists ease of travel, combating terrorist recruitment strategies, and improving our own counterterrorism capabilities.
The first step in the battle against those seeking to do us harm is to prevent them from arriving here in the first place.
The first step in the battle against those seeking to do us harm is to prevent them from arriving here in the first place.
The House of Representatives has thoroughly examined this issue the past two years to determine what kind of legislation would effectively mitigate the threat of terrorist travel.
The Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, introduced by Representative Candice Miller (R-MI), tightened the regulations surrounding individuals who qualify to enter our country without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program. It prevents individuals who have visited countries in which terrorist groups are known to operate from entering our country without undergoing the normal background check process to obtain a visa.
These terror attacks affect more than the country in which they are launched, they attach our way of life and shared values. Their victims are from all over the world, and as a world we mourn. I would be remiss if I did not include the names of the two Texans who were killed in Thursdays attack in Nice: Sean and Brody Copelanda father and a son who were on vacation in France.
Combating these kinds of terror attacks requires international cooperation. That is why this Congress has passed legislation aimed at assisting the international community in the effort to stop terrorists from enjoying ease of travel.
The Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act, introduced by Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), authorizes the Department of State to demonstrate the ways in which we are helping our foreign partners in their traveler screening capacity building efforts.
Similarly, the Enhancing Overseas Traveler Vetting Act, which I introduced this past February, authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State to provide our foreign partners with software that we use at our borders to ensure those wishing to enter our nation do not pose a threat. The simple fact is that when our foreign partners are more secure, so are we.
Tracking foreign fighters is another key component of the battle against terrorist extremists. Both Rep. Frank LoBiondos (R-N.J.) Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act and my Foreign Fighter Review Act of 2016 address this very issue. They contain language that calls for the stringent review of individuals known to have joined terrorist groups in conflict zones like Iraq and Syria and to cross check this list with our foreign partners and other terrorist watch lists. It is imperative that we keep close tabs on these individuals.
The House has also passed a number of bills aimed at combating terrorist recruitment. Chairman Michael McCauls (R-Texas) Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act authorized DHS develop training programs for local and state officials to better identify and respond to potential terrorist threats.
The Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act introduced by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-N.Y.), authorizes DHS to use the testimonies of those who formerly participated in terrorist group activities as part of their countering violent extremism efforts and programs. These bills and a number of others demonstrate the ways Congress has carefully examined these issues and the specific actions we are taking to address them.
Most important, the 114th Congress has emphasized the importance of boosting our own intelligence-sharing capabilities at home so that law enforcement can have all the necessary tools and information to do their jobs. The Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act of 2016, introduced by Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), actually establishes a board within DHS to coordinate its intelligence and counterterrorism activities.
The fight against terrorism will not be over tomorrow or next month, or even next year. The fight will endure for years to come, and as the threat changes, so too must we adapt to these transformations.
While we have successfully addressed vulnerabilities that terrorists would take advantage of if they could, there is more work to be done.
We will continue to pass effective legislation based on sound policies that stop in their tracks, those seeking to do us harm.
That is our promise. We will not let the American people down.
With a tweet on Friday morning, the GOPs vice presidential speculation comes to an end as Indiana Governor Mike Pence joins the Trump ticket. But does the VP candidate -- historically and in this election year-- really make a significant difference when it comes to the general election?
Lets take a look at both sides of the argument. We'll start with the "nos."
No the VP candidate doesnt make a big difference
1. Most voters dont know anything about the potential VP candidates
If youre a political junkie or Beltway insider, you may be surprised at the relative anonymity of many VP candidates. For example, in a recent Economist/YouGov poll, 64 percent of respondents said they did not know if they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Mike Pence. Other leading VP candidates on the Democratic side such as Cory Booker (55 percent) and Tim Kaine (66 percent) were similarly unknown by the voting public.
2. Voters say they vote for the top of the ticket, not the VP
Even when voters prefer the other partys VP candidate which historically happens roughly 10 percent of the time its the preference for the presidential candidate that dominates the decision-making process. In terms of actually getting voters to cross party lines, the net impact of a VP is less than 1 percent, according to a detailed study of VP selection. That said, for voters who are undecided about the presidential candidates, the VP pick may have a larger impact.
Political scientists Christopher Devine and Kyle Kopko have conducted one of the most extensive studies of the long history of VP selections, and their research suggests in fact the VP rarely matters relative to how the ticket would have done otherwise.
3. Indiana has 11 Electoral College votes
Political scientists have extensively tried to measure what is called the home state effect. The idea is that the selection of the VP at a minimum will help lock up the Electoral College votes for that candidates home state.
Political scientists Christopher Devine and Kyle Kopko have conducted one of the most extensive studies of the long history of VP selections, and their research suggests in fact the VP rarely matters relative to how the ticket would have done otherwise. Even if it did make a difference, Indiana has just 11 electoral votes, and has voted for the Republican ticket 9 out of the past 10 presidential elections.
Yes the VP selection matters a lot
1. This election is unlike anything weve seen in the past.
In order for past history to tell us something, it has to apply to the election at hand. This has been an unusual election on many dimensionsa political outsider and businessman as the presumptive Republican nominee, and the first woman and a former first lady as the presumptive Democratic nominee. And, recent history might suggest that VP choices are becoming more important. If you look at the state numbers for Alaska in 08, Delaware in 08 and 12, and Wisconsin in 12 (despite still losing in the state), we see an uptick in the importance of the VP ticket relative to performance by the party in prior elections. To the extent recent polling suggests 10-percent of Tea Party supporters still uncertain about Trump, the choice of Mike Pencewith a 100 percent rating from the American Conservative Unionmay help with that key voting bloc.
2. Campaigns and the media act as if the VP matters
What if there is no direct VP effect, but campaigns and the media behave as if there is?
It was well documented in the news media that campaigns make strategic decisions based on VP picks. One recent example-- in the 2008 election, it was widely reported that than candidate Obama was trying to put Alaska into play, and in fact, his campaign spent $134,000 in the state.
After John McCain announced Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, however, the media at the time proclaimed it crushed Obamas hopes of winning the Frontier State leading to withdrawals of campaign staff and cuts in advertising.
In the past week alone, you can find thousands of articles in the media about the candidates potential VP picks. Clearly its a decision that journalists are paying attention to.
3. The VP is still just a heartbeat or a change of heart away from the presidency
If Donald Trump is truly more interested in winning the presidency than serving as president, as some have noted, we may see an unprecedented scenario in which Mike Pence ends up in the Oval Office. Even if Trump or Clinton fully intend to serve out their term(s), however, remember that the vice president has become president 14 times throughout history eight times through the death of a sitting president, once through resignation of the president, and five times by being elected president after serving as vice president. Its happened before, and it could happen again.
Well before the opening gavel and way beyond the final benediction, here are three things we can say about the next two weeks of national party conventions.
First, if indeed all politics are local, so too is the revenue generated from these political spectacles.
The Republican National Committee predicts $200 million in direct spending for Cleveland in the same league as Tampas windfall back in 2012. Its counterpart, the Democratic National Committee, sees a $350 million influx for Philadelphia. That may be wishful thinking: the Democrats 2012 convention in Charlotte generated about $163.6 million in total sales revenue.
Second, if recent history is a fair barometer, at least one of the nominees should manage a bounce in his or her poll numbers.
After Charlotte, President Obama went from 47% to 50% approval among registered voters, per Gallup. Mitt Romney didnt receive a post-Tampa boost. In 2008, Obama picked up four points; John McCain gained six. In 2004, George W. Bush gained two points, while John Kerry regressed a point.
If Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both underachieve these next two weeks: dubious history indeed.
Third, conventions arent real estate. The mantra location, location, location doesnt apply.
The Republicans are in Cleveland next week for one reason: a gamble that four days along the shores of Lake Erie will generate the sort of good kind that will improve Trumps chances of earning Ohios must-have 18 electoral votes.
But heres the rub: the last time a GOP ticket carried the state that hosted the partys national convention: 1992, when Republicans convened in Houston, Texas, the hometown of former President George H.W. Bush. In every election since, each city thats hosted GOP convention San Diego, Philadelphia, New York City, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Tampa have failed to deliver.
Its the Democrats who have a better record over the same six-convention span. But thats largely due to an accident of geography: the Democrats opted for big cities New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles in big blue states.
Yes, theres one exception: the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. Obama breezed to a nine-point win in Colorado.
However, other swing states have been swing-and-miss propositions. North Carolina voted Republican in 2012 despite Democrats targeting Charlotte. Florida went to Obama narrowly, by less than a point despite the GOPs tithe to the Tampa-St. Pete economy.
Heres the problem with 2016s conventions. The parties chose arguably two of the five most important states in this election no accident there. Yet both sides have come up with a program not necessarily tailored to the most local of their interests.
The disconnects? Republicans sorely want to win Ohio. However, their convention may or may not include John Kasich, the states popular GOP popular governor. Socially conservative Deer Hunter Pennsylvanians will tune in a Philadelphia convention devoid of any pro-life Democrats (ironically, it was a pro-life Pennsylvania governor, the late Bob Casey, who was denied camera-time at the same1992 Democratic National Convention that first gave us the Clintons as Americas new power couple).
In a better world, theres a better way for the two parties to go about their convention selection process a conversation also likely occur after the trouble-plagued Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are over.
Here are two approaches:
First, the parties could simply rotate their gatherings among a limited circuit of cities whose areas speak to their existence.
For the Democrats, that would be a short list of Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. And Republicans: Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston and Dallas, Phoenix and San Diego (yes, the citys trended Democratic, but its still a Navy town).
But if thats too exclusionary, theres a second option: do away with the host cities altogether.
My suggestion: both parties should take their tribes to Nevadas Black Rock Desert for Republicans thats about 50,000 participants, including 15,000 credentialed media and hold the political equivalent of Burning Man, the nine-day temporary participatory metropolis dedicated to art, communal spirit and the pursuit of individual self-expression.
Why the middle of nowhere in Nevada?
Why not?
To the outside world, only one hour in all four of the convention days matters: the nominees acceptance speech. As long as someone does a sound check and the satellite feeds are working, it doesnt matter if the speech is given in Cleveland, Graceland or a desert wasteland.
We know the Nevada desert can accommodate the crowds about 70,000 people showed up for last years Burning Man. Besides, it wouldnt kill both Democrats and Democrats to do a better job of abiding by some of desert festivals guiding principles: radical inclusion, gifting, radical self-reliance, communal effort, civic responsibility.
Go ahead and enjoy Cleveland and Philadelphia if not the humidity, such civic gems as Rocky Balboas statue and the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
But if youre seeing red this fall after your convention gain fails to deliver its purple home state: why not feel the Burn in 2020?
A committee at the Republican National Convention defeated the effort by anti-Donald Trump conservatives to derail the presumptive GOP nominees drive to secure the partys nomination, voting late Thursday to rebuff their plans to let delegates vote for any candidate theyd like.
Party officials used a voice vote to reject a proposal by Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh to let delegates cast a vote of conscience and abandon the candidate they had been committed too through the state primaries or caucuses.
The amendment became a focal point of furious lobbying thats pitted the so-called Never Trump movement against Trumps campaign and top leaders of the Republican Party. On a 112-member rules panel dominated by party and Trump loyalists, the outcome was expected.
Unruh expected to collect signatures from 28 members to bring a vote to unbind the delegates on the convention floor in Cleveland next week. However, she was only able to collect 21.
She encountered overwhelming opposition from delegates arguing that it would be unthinkable for the party to abandon Trump after he overwhelmingly won GOP primaries and caucuses and garnered more than 13 million votes.
"You want to ignore what is really the grassroots, which is millions and millions and millions of voters who voted for Donald Trump," said Stephen Munisteri, a delegate and leading GOP figure from Texas.
He added, "The only way to advance the conservative cause is through a strong Republican Party that is united to defeat Hillary Clinton and the Democrats this fall."
For good measure, the rules panel also approved language specifically stating that party rules allow delegates to be "bound" to candidates.
Despite their defeat, anti-Trump delegates say they believe current rules already free delegates to support anybody and have planned to contest balloting when the convention votes for its nominee next week.
While on a path to near-certain victory, Trump has drawn bitter opposition from Republicans who say he's not conservative and is an inept campaigner whose harsh statements will cause his defeat and losses by GOP candidates for Congress and elsewhere.
Earlier Thursday, talks between top party officials and recalcitrant conservatives broke down, increasing the odds of nationally televised clashes during next week's sessions on other GOP rules, a faceoff leaders have been hoping to avoid.
As Thursday's negotiations foundered, the alliance between the Trump campaign and leaders of the Republican National Committee showed its muscle and began rejecting conservatives' attempts to revamp party rules.
In one showdown, the rules committee voted 86-23 to reject an effort by conservatives to eliminate the RNC's ability to change party rules in years between national conventions. In another, the panel used a voice vote to defeat a plan to bar members of the RNC from being lobbyists a profession that employs many of them in their home states though it would have exempted lobbyists for nonprofit organizations.
In a gesture to conservatives, the rules panel voted to create a commission that by 2018 could propose changes to the GOP's presidential nominating process, which came under intense fire this year. Trump called the system "rigged" early on, and his opponents have demanded more power for delegates to select a fresh nominee.
The closed-door negotiations were aimed at finding middle ground that would have increased the chances for a smoothly functioning four-day gathering next week, averting televised battles among members of a party whose likely presidential candidate has already proven divisive. There's been talk of some Trump foes walking out of the convention if they feel they've been treated unfairly, a spectacle top Republicans would love to avoid.
But by late afternoon, Ken Cuccinelli a leader of the conservatives who was an adviser to Cruz's presidential campaign said GOP leaders he was negotiating with told him, "Sorry, we don't have a deal."
Those talks focused on conservatives' proposals, aimed at appealing to grassroots conservatives, that would take power from the Republican National Committee consisting of 168 party leaders from around the country and its chairman, who is currently Reince Priebus.
Both sides agreed that the bargaining broke down over an effort by conservatives to provide extra convention delegates to states with primaries closed to independent and Democratic voters, many of whom flocked to Trump in this year's voting.
Cuccinelli said he would win enough support 28 of the rules committee's 112 members to be allowed votes on several of his proposals by the full convention.
RNC chief spokesman Sean Spicer said he would not.
Fox News James Rosen, Jennifer Hickey and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Donald Trump postponed a news conference scheduled for Friday to announce his running mate after the deadly truck attack in France -- though the Associated Press reported that he's already offered the job to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
A Republican with knowledge of the process told the AP that Trump made the offer on Thursday, before Pence traveled to New York.
And while Trump said he hadn't settled on a "final choice," campaign chairman Paul Manafort told Fox News on Friday that he thinks Trump has "reached a decision but he isn't prepared to announce it yet."
He predicted an announcement this weekend, ahead of the Republican convention that kicks off Monday.
Trump, though, made clear that he was scrapping plans to announce his pick Friday in the wake of the attack in Nice.
In a phone interview just after the announcement on Fox News' "On The Record with Greta Van Sustern," Trump said "we're living in a whole different world and there's no respect for law and order."
"There's no respect for anything or anybody And this has to be dealt with very harshly," he told Van Susteren.
Trump said that as president, he would not allow people into the country from "terrorist nations" and would implement "extreme vetting."
Earlier on Thursday, sources familiar with the Trump campaign's vice presidential selection process confirmed to Fox News that steps are underway for Trump to name Pence as his running mate.
This comes as Pence gave his most public signal yet that hes preparing for the announcement, abandoning his gubernatorial bid in Indiana. Sources say Pence, who faced a Friday deadline to make a decision, will not run for re-election.
The Trump campaign still insists an offer has not formally been made to anyone -- and nothing is final until the presumptive nominee announces his running mate.
But all signs seem to point to Pence.
The announcement originally set for Friday followed a very-public vetting process that included meetings in recent days with Pence, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, among others.
If Trump settles on Pence, who went from dark horse to leading contender in a matter of days, the pick presumably is aimed at galvanizing support from the partys conservative base as Trump charges into the Republican nominating convention.
Consideration of Pence also has put Trump on the clock. Pence faced a Friday deadline to file paperwork to appear on the official state ballot as either a gubernatorial or vice presidential candidate. Under state law, his name could not appear on the ballot twice.
Pence, now in a tough re-election bid, spent 12 years in Congress including as the leader of the House Republican Conference.
Pence emerged relatively late in the vice presidential stakes.
But he moved almost immediately to the top of the list, considering he gives the Trump campaign much-needed social conservative credentials without the kind of political baggage that Democrats had hoped to exploit in other finalists like Christie or Gingrich.
Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser issued a statement saying the expected selection of Pence is an affirmation of the pro-life commitments hes made and will rally the pro-life grassroots.
"Mike Pence would make an outstanding running mate, GOP strategist Rob Burgess said.
Still, Pence is not without some negatives, particularly his handling last year of the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The original law, which he signed, allowed residents and companies being sued by a private party to cite their religious beliefs as a defense. However, critics argued the law would allow discrimination against gays and others.
The national and widespread criticism was so damaging it forced Pence and the state legislature to revise the law to clearly prohibit businesses from denying services to customers based on their sexual preference or gender choice. And it appeared to end Pences 2016 presidential aspirations.
The liberal MoveOn issued a statement Thursday calling Pence an extreme right-wing governor.
Fox News' Carl Cameron and FoxNew.com's Joseph Weber and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The son of the Louisiana man shot dead by police wants President Barack Obama to help end world racism. The mother of a policeman pleads for ways to keep her son safe. A single mom who has sent her son away from a rough Baltimore neighborhood worries over how to keep him safe when he's home on the weekends.
America's fraught debate about tensions between blacks and police spilled over Thursday into hang-wringing about societal problems beyond any one person's capacity to fix even the president. At a town hall meeting recorded to be broadcast in prime time, Obama cautiously offered suggestions, but no surefire solutions.
The good news, Obama said, is at least people are finally talking about the problems. Calling for "open hearts," he urged Americans not to cloister themselves in separate corners.
"Because of the history of this country and the legacy of race, and all the complications that are involved with that, working through these issues so that things can continue to get better will take some time," Obama said.
More time than Obama has left in office, he readily conceded.
As 32-year-old Philando Castile's funeral was underway in St. Paul, Minnesota, Obama took a question remotely from Diamond Reynolds, Castile's girlfriend, who livestreamed the aftermath of his shooting bypolice on Facebook. She said she's scared for her daughter's future and asked the president, "What do we do?"
Choosing his words carefully, Obama said it's key for officers to get to know the community they're protecting. Also critical, he said, was to better train police to avoid "implicit biases."
"We all carry around with us some assumptions about other people," Obama said. If people are honest with themselves, he added, "oftentimes there is a presumption that black men are dangerous."
He offered a rare reflection on how he felt racism had affected him personally, recalling how as a young boy in Hawaii, a female neighbor didn't recognize him and refused to ride in the same elevator. "In that sense, what is true for me is true for a lot of African-American men," he said.
Another questioner, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, came with a different viewpoint. He implored Obama to more strongly condemn those who call for killing police, and to grant a national law enforcement group's request that the White House be lit up with blue lights in solidarity.
The White House has declined that request, and Obama insisted he's condemned anti-police rhetoric plenty already.
In a particularly tense moment at the end of the town hall, the daughter of a man who died in apolice confrontation started screaming after being denied a chance to question the president. Erica Garner, daughter of Eric Garner, later met briefly with Obama in private, the White House said.
The question-and-answer session at a Washington theater capped a dizzying week for the president as he sought to connect with the public in a series of hastily arranged appearances: a meeting with police, a summit with law enforcement leaders and Black Lives Matter activists, a trip to Dallas to honor five white officers killed in a revenge attack.
In each instance, Obama has said he's trying to shift the conversation away from talking points and entrenched accusations of blame, while acknowledging the U.S. is "not even close to being there yet."
Obama, who cut short a Europe trip after the Dallas killings, has found himself squarely in the middle of the crisis. A reluctant mediator between blacks and the police, he's avoided explicitly taking sides.
Even still, some law enforcement leaders have accused Obama of scapegoating police. Some of Obama'scritics have even suggested he's partially to blame for attacks on police.
Obama has long been wary of the expectation that, as the first black president, he's uniquely qualified to play peacemaker. After George Zimmerman was acquitted of killing unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida, Obama called for national soul-searching but suggested he needn't be the referee.
Instead, he's tried to encourage more places to adopt policing recommendations developed earlier by his administration. He's called for assigning police officers to the communities where they live, improving training on how to avoid confrontation, expanding access to statistics about police interactions, and ensuring transparent investigations and due process after deadly incidents.
Yet in a reflection of how the policing issue has unmasked broader inequalities, Obama has also insisted that the problem can't be solved while African-Americans still struggle disproportionately with joblessness, drugs, poverty, and lack of access to education, health care and healthy food.
"We expect police to solve a whole range of societal problems that we ourselves have neglected," Obamasaid. He said prominent incidents sometimes "the catalyst for all the other stuff that may not even have to do with policing coming out."
Obama has been blunt about the limitations of presidential words or pat policy proposals. Acknowledging "deep divisions" about the right solutions, he predicted this week there would be more tensions "this month, next month, next year, for quite some time."
To that end, the National League of Cities and U.S. Conference of Mayors called for local officials to hold "100 community conversations race relations, justice, policing and equality." And in Congress, lawmakers were forming a task force to examine police accountability and aggression toward police.
"I think we need to listen and learn, instead of just starting to throw bombs at each other," said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
Democrats will use the four nights of their national convention to showcase the past, current and future stars of their party.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are all expected to address delegates gathered in Philadelphia later this month. The schedule also includes Chelsea Clinton, immigrant advocates and the "Mothers of the Movement," women whose children were killed by gun violence and in police shootings.
The event is designed to be a show of party unity and draw a sharp contrast with rival Donald Trump, who has struggled to convince some of the Republican party's biggest names to speak on his behalf at his partyconvention next week.
The GOP's two living presidents, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, as well as the party's two most recent presidential nominees, John McCain and Mitt Romney, all plan to avoid the event. Ohio's Republican Gov. John Kasich is also skipping.
Democrats will announce more speakers in the coming days. They say the lineup will include additional politicians, advocates and celebrities.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine are expected to be on the program. Both are being vetted as potential running mates.
But not all of the party's leaders will be speaking. Breaking with past policy, the White House has forbidden members of Obama's cabinet from addressing the convention. Obama aides fear giving the impression that the president and his team are more focused on politics than governing the country. That takes both Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro two other potential running mates off the agenda.
Hillary Clinton is having meetings at her home on Friday about her running mate selection, according to a personal familiar with the meeting. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal meetings.
Here's the initial plan for the four-day event:
___
MONDAY
Michelle Obama, Sanders and Astrid Silva, a so-called Dreamer who was brought to the U.S. as an undocumented child immigrant, will focus on "putting the future of American families first."
___
TUESDAY
Bill Clinton and the "Mothers of the Movement" will highlight Hillary Clinton's work as a young lawyer, first lady and New York senator on behalf of children and families.
___
WEDNESDAY
Obama and Biden will address what's at stake in the election and how Clinton has the "experience and steadiness" to continue the work of their administration.
___
THURSDAY
Hillary and Chelsea Clinton will call on the country to unify around Clinton's campaign and work together to solve national problems.
The terror attack Thursday in Nice, France, that left at least 84 people dead has reignited the refugee debate in the 2016 presidential race, with Donald Trump blasting Hillary Clintons calls to let in thousands more and saying, wed better get awfully tough.
The terrorist behind the attack, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was not a refugee but a French resident originally from Tunisia. The attack nevertheless has rekindled concerns that accepting more refugees from Islamic State-occupied Syria raises the risk for the U.S.
The Obama administration has pledged to accept 10,000 refugees from Syria by the end of September. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that 5,211 refugees had been brought in by the end of June and the U.S. is on track to meet the administrations target.
Clinton, though, back in September called for increasing that number to 65,000 a 550 percent increase from the administrations current target.
"I would like to see us move from what is a good start with 10,000 to 65,000 and begin immediately to put into place the mechanisms for vetting the people that we would take in," she told CBS News.
The campaign did not return a request for comment Friday from FoxNews.com on whether those plans might be revisited.
Trump, meanwhile, has called for a ban on immigration from countries with a proven history of terrorism, a shift from his previous call to temporarily ban all Muslims from entering the United States. He doubled down on that Thursday as reports were still coming in about the atrocity in Nice and said America had to get tougher.
We have people that Hillary Clinton wants 550 percent more than Obama and Obamas allowing a lot of people to come in. We have no idea who they are, theyre from Syria maybe, but they have no paperwork many times, Trump told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren Thursday.
Were going to allow thousands, and ten and thousands, more people to come in and then you see a situation like Nice, France. Its a horrible thing and wed better get awfully tough, he said.
Id be making it very, very hard to come into our country, he said.
Others echoed Trumps call.
"No more political correctness, no more saying the migrant issue is just one of charity, we should let everyone in. It's time for common sense to win over, Dr. Sebastian Gorka, chairman of military theory at Marine Corps University, told Fox News.
The political elite has to change their behavior. They cant continue to live in an Alice in Wonderland fantasy world where its about disenfranchised individuals, its not about jihad, he said.
Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform a group that advocates for less immigration told FoxNews.com the question was not about allowing refugees or not, but about whether the sheer volume of refugees can be properly vetted.
Its a huge danger. The numbers make it difficult to do the kinds of vetting thats necessary and just the circumstances in Syria and other countries, its impossible to do the big checks necessary, all while we have ISIS and other groups telling us they intend to infiltrate operatives through the refugee process, he said.
Clinton has stood by her call to keep the U.S. open to those fleeing wartorn countries, and has said she would focus on intelligence as a way to counter the jihad threat.
One of my priorities is to launch an intelligence surge, she told Fox News Bill OReilly Thursday. We still do not have enough intelligence cooperation between our agencies, and those in other countries, including those in Europe.
The Obama administration has countered Republican warnings, saying the U.S. has much stricter vetting procedures than Europe for accepting Syrian refugees, and the process takes up to two years to complete.
However, there is no in-built tracking process for refugees, who are free to move around the United States once admitted, making it difficult to monitor them.
President Obama has scolded Republicans for their stance on the issue, while urging compassion for the civilians trying to escape the war-torn region. At a naturalization ceremony in December, he said: In the Syrian seeking refuge today, we should see the Jewish refugee of World War II.
Some refugee advocacy groups have said the Obama administrations current targets are very modest, and have backed Clintons call for more to be brought in.
The Obama administrations 10,000 goal remains an exceedingly modest one, when compared with the scale of the refugee crisis and the resources of the United States, Anwen Hughes, deputy legal director of New York-based Human Rights First, told The Wall Street Journal.
FoxNews.com's Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
The brazen terror attack in France this time by a driver mowing down civilians, including two Americans, who had been watching fireworks in the seaside destination of Nice renewed warnings Friday about the growing threat not only to Western Europe but the U.S. homeland.
Even before the attack, top U.S. security and intelligence officials were issuing a steady drumbeat of warnings about groups like the Islamic State aiming to hit western targets, part of what House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mike McCaul called Thursday an unprecedented wave of terror.
Following U.S. terror attacks in San Bernardino and most recently Orlando coupled with attacks over just the last few weeks in Istanbul, Baghdad, Dhaka and Medina U.S. officials see a spreading threat that must be confronted, differently than it is now.
We have to stop this, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn told Fox News on Friday morning.
The Obama administration has taken a stay-the-course approach after recent attacks, voicing confidence that the military alliance striking at the heart of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, coupled with aggressive intelligence-gathering and prosecutions in the U.S., is making progress against the enemy.
But Flynn and others want to see changes, not only in how the Obama administration describes the enemy Flynn used to serve in Obamas Defense Intelligence Agency and has since become an outspoken critic of the presidents reluctance to label the threat radical Islam but in the overall strategy.
Flynn urged the U.S. to bring together what he called a new 21st Century alliance uniting leaders of the Muslim world with the rest of the international community.
Im scared about this enemy, he said.
Fox News military analyst and retired Gen. Jack Keane lamented that NATO has not declared war on ISIS despite four NATO countries coming under attack. He said its not enough to pat ourselves on the back for taking back some territory, since the groups affiliates are expanding.
We must take all that territory away from ISIS, Keane said.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., in an interview with Fox News, renewed calls for increased surveillance, including on the American Muslim community.
Further, he said the FBI simply does not have the personnel to be constantly investigating, and urged the bureau to hand off tips to local police when they have inconclusive leads.
[The police] are the ones who have the informants. They have the sources. They have people on the ground, King said. We can't be shutting down investigations.
Just hours before the Nice attack, FBI Director James Comey testified on the growing global threat from ISIS. While there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Nice attack, two sources told Fox News that accounts linked to ISIS were celebratory.
Speaking before McCauls committee, Comey said the U.S. and its allies must stay vigilant, as ISIS moves its focus away from the Iraq and Syria battlefield, and operatives spread out.
We all know, there will be a terrorist diaspora out of the caliphate as military force crushes the caliphate, Comey said. Those thousands of fighters are going to go someplace. Our job is to spot them and stop them before they come to the United States to harm innocent people.
CIA Director John Brennan similarly warned last month that ISIS likely will intensify terror attacks around the world even as its core fighters come under pressure in Iraq and Syria.
As FoxNews.com reported last month, new congressional files show the U.S. has faced a steady terror threat over the last several years. The documents revealed that since early 2014, at least 131 individuals were identified as being implicated in terror. And for the period September 2001 through 2014, the U.S. successfully prosecuted 580 individuals for terrorism and terror-related cases, records show.
Comey stressed at the hearing Thursday, We can't take our eye off of what the next move will be by these killers.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who like Flynn had been under consideration for the role of Donald Trump running mate, called for tough and controversial measures Thursday night to confront the terror threat.
Western civilization is in a war, Gingrich said, before going so far as to say the U.S. should test Muslims in America, and, If they believe in Sharia, they should be deported.
He also said the U.S. should make it a felony to host or visit pro-ISIS or pro-Al Qaeda websites, among other measures.
We are in a war, Gingrich said. We had better rethink the rules or we are going to lose the war.
President Obama on Friday pledged the United States would stand with France, its oldest European ally, and destroy the vile terrorist organization responsible for Thursdays truck attack that killed 84 people, including two Americans.
Obama called the attack in southern France appalling and said it was a threat to all of us.
Obama said he had spoken with French President Francois Hollande earlier and told him the U.S. pledged its support to help defeat extremist ideologies and that America would stand with our French friends.
Obama also warned against calls made by some to expel Muslims who believe in Sharia law from the U.S. and added that the suggestion is an affront to everything we stand for as Americans.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich responded to Thursday's deadly attack by saying the U.S. should deport Muslims who believe in Sharia. He said Sharia is "incompatible with Western civilization."
Obama made the comments during a White House reception Friday for diplomats from around the world. He added that the world cannot give into fear or divide ourselves, we cannot do their jobs for them.
French officials say Thursdays massacre was an undeniable act of terror, but no group has claimed responsibility and it wasnt clear if the 31-year-old delivery driver blamed for the carnage had extremist ties.
The country is still reeling from the Nov. 13 attacks that killed 130 people at the Bataclan concert hall, Paris restaurants and cafes, and the national stadium, and a separate January 2015 iParis attack that targeted journalists at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and Jews at a kosher supermarket.
Both attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group.
Hollande was booed in Nice on Friday by people who blamed government authorities for failing to enforce sufficient security measures.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A day of media drama and speculation took a tragic turn yesterday as a horrifying terror attack in France prompted Donald Trump to postpone the scheduled rollout of his running mate.
For most of the day, journalists pieced together clues that Mike Pence was Trumps choice, which seemed to be confirmed when the Indiana governor flew to New Jerseys Teterboro airport. But the Trump camp put out the word that he hadnt made an absolutely final decision, perhaps to preserve some element of suspense.
But Trump canceled the Friday morning event when a truck plowed into Bastille Day crowds in Nice and the driver opened fire, killing at least 84 people.
While the delay could theoretically allow the Republican nominee to change his mind, Pence faced his own Friday deadline for pulling out of what was shaping up as a tough reelection race. And Trump told Bill OReilly last night that the delay would not cause him to change his pick.
At first, Pence seemed like a long shot, a low-key politician who couldnt be more temperamentally different than Trump.
But that was before the governor became the consensus choice of most of Trumps family, which was so influential in the process that they flew to Indianapolis for the candidates session with Pence and other contenders. Newt Gingrich says he and Trump are pirates, a term no one would apply to Pence.
Before the attack, news organizations such as CNN, NBC and Roll Call were reporting that Trump had offered the role and Pence had accepted. The media vetting was beginning to take shape, interrupted by the bloodshed in France.
Trump ultimately deemed Pence to be the safest pick, given the baggage that Gingrich and Chris Christie carry. But he had to overcome his instinctive reluctance, my sources say, the feeling that Pence was an unexciting pick who didnt match his own pugilistic brand.
Dont underestimate the degree to which the Trump campaign would have to introduce Pence to the country. According to a recent Morning Consult poll, 65 percent of Republicans said they had no opinion or had never heard of Pence, along with 71 percent of independents and 65 percent of Democrats.
Newt and Christie are famous rock stars by comparison.
And that means the media scrutiny is under way. Buzzfeed has already dug up this Pence op-ed from 15 years ago: Time for a quick reality check. Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media, smoking doesnt kill.
Pence has obvious strengths, especially with Trump saying he wants to unify the party. He has ties to both the Tea Party and religious wings of the party. Hes a Midwestern governor, even if he was happy to pull out of a tight reelection race. And he has 12 years of experience in the House. In short, hes a grownup.
Gingrich, by contrast, was involved in ethical scrapes as House speaker, ultimately pushed into stepping downand is 73. Christie was scarred by his aides conduct in Bridgegateand was strongly opposed by Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose father was prosecuted by Christie.
Pence, a onetime radio talk show host who had tepidly backed Ted Cruz, may simply have had the fewest negatives.
But the governor has never truly been tested in the white-hot national media spotlight. And he did not fare well in the one episode that came closest.
There was a national uproar last year after Pence signed a religious freedom law that critics said would make it legal for businesses to refuse to serve gays. Pence staunchly defended the measure as business leaders criticized it and national groups pulled out of events in Indiana. He stumbled in a This Week interview with George Stephanopoulos, repeatedly refusing to say whether the bill was discriminatory while complaining about the shameless rhetoric over the issue.
But within days, Pence signed a revised law that explicitly barred discrimination against gay peopleticking off both sides in the debate.
As conservative commentator Ann Coulter wrote on Facebook, Pence thought to himself: 'I have semi heading for me. Should I just stand here? Yes, I think Ill just stand here!' First, he allowed himself to be portrayed as a right-wing homophobic nut and then -- just days later -- he sold out to the left-wing activists, anyway. Tough stuff.
In the coming days and weeks, the press will push Pence to defend Trumps most controversial statements, and that will amount to a baptism of fire. Hell undoubtedly be asked about this tweet from last December: Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional.
Its hard to see how the Pence pick hurts Trumpand that may have been the tipping point in his decision. In an age of terrorism, however, well just have to wait longer for the rollout.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton, met with the presumptive Democratic nominee Friday as the Clinton campaign confirmed she held several meetings about her vice-presidential selection process.
Warren, frequently touted as a pick who would help bring disenfranchised Bernie Sanders supporters on board, met Clinton for about an hour, Fox News learned. Warren endorsed Clinton last month.
"On Friday, Secretary Clinton held a series of campaign-related meetings at her Washington home, including several about her vice presidential selection process, campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said.
Warren was omitted Friday from the list of candidates set to speak at the upcoming Democratic convention in Philadelphia. Fox News was previously told she was set to speak on July 25, the same day as Sanders is slated to speak.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro also met with Clinton, the Associated Press reported.
The meetings came as presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump announced Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
Fox News' Serafin Gomez, Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Were sorry. An application error has occurred. Goodbye.
Thats the robotic message callers get when they dial up Donald Trumps campaign headquarters in the battleground states of Wisconsin and Ohio. Its the same declaration in Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, West Virginia and Oregon.
And it's a potential symptom of a broader problem for the Trump campaign.
As Trump gets ready to officially accept the Republican presidential nomination next week in Cleveland, some are questioning whether his campaign, which largely has operated on a shoestring budget so far, can keep up with the operation and spending of the Hillary Clinton machine.
Unlike predecessors Mitt Romney and John McCain, who used their own hires in key swing states, Trump has indicated he will leave much of the team-building and organizing to the Republican National Committee and state parties.
So far, his campaign has only sent a few people to battleground states and -- while Trump recently has picked up the fundraising pace -- has not yet indicated it is ready to spend the big bucks on a general election race.
Clinton and her allies so far have outspent Trumps campaign by a 15-to-1 margin on ads. To date, Clintons campaign has spent $25 million on general election advertising. Factor in money from super PACs and the total is a whopping $57 million, compared with $3.6 million for pro-Trump ads.
For their part, Trump officials voiced confidence. Campaign senior adviser Tana Goertz told FoxNews.com to expect a big ramp-up following the convention.
Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shook off concerns and told Fox News on Friday the campaign was getting into a groove.
We really started raising money in June, Manafort said, claiming they raised over $51 million last month. Trump is on fire on the campaign trail. Hes doing rallies, hes doing town halls, hes doing local media, hes doing prepared speeches.
The lack of coordination at the local level, though, has left some feeing nervous.
Having worked in GOP grassroots politics for more than 20 years I can honestly say I have never seen a Republican presidential campaign with this weak of a field presence, one Florida Republican told Politico. Where are the local offices in the major cities?
Another GOP insider added, Donald Trump just hired a guy yesterday in Colorado. One guy does that count as an organization?
FoxNews.com recently tested the waters and called local headquarters in the battleground states of Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Virginia and Iowa.
Of those calls made to state headquarters, three went straight to voicemail. Other calls resulted in the automated error messages.
Only in New Hampshire did someone answer the phone. The volunteer on the line was very nice, said she would pass on FoxNews.com's questions and get back soon. Twenty-four hours and two calls later -- still no word.
In North Carolina, FoxNews.com left a message which was responded to in less than five minutes. But, as in New Hampshire, the callbacks promised never materialized.
The Huffington Post conducted a similar experiment earlier this month.
The publication attempted to call the contact numbers for the Trump campaign in all 50 states. According to their data, on only six occasions did someone actually answer the phone. Of those six, several said that a physical office would be opened only after next weeks national convention in Cleveland.
A state-by-state review conducted by The Associated Press revealed that the national GOP has not delivered the goods on its ground game, which has left local operatives from Richmond, Va. to Richmond, Calif., feeling jittery about when reinforcements will be sent in and whether the late scramble will be successful.
In the battleground state of Ohio, Republicans were told theyd have 220 paid staffers by May. In reality, only 50 were hired. Pennsylvania Republicans were promised 190 paid positions but got 60 instead. In Colorado, there are about two-dozen employees on the payroll -- less than half of the 80 that should have been in place, according to the AP.
The ground game has been a persistent problem for Trump and his donors with some wondering if its too little too late.
Trump didnt actively begin soliciting funds until May. He was able to win the Republican primaries without dropping millions on advertising campaigns -- instead enjoying free media exposure in the form of extensive coverage. He has expressed doubt over whether large-scale spending is even necessary.
Goertz, who works nationally for the Trump campaign as a surrogate and often speaks at his rallies, says shes setting her sights on winning Iowa as she predicted a ramp-up.
Another Trump senior official told FoxNews.com that the lions about to be unleashed in Iowa and that he is confident Trump can take the state in the general election.
While a ramp-up in funds and paid positions has been promised, Trumps ground game to date has been described as understaffed compared with Clintons well-oiled machine.
One of the oldest PACs supporting Trump Great America PAC isnt likely to meet its $20 million goal by the start of the Republican National Convention. PAC official Eric Beach told Bloomberg News as of May 31, it had only raised $2.5 million. In June, it raised another $2.5 million and another $1.6 million in the first two weeks of July. The group will use the money to invest in voter-turnout efforts and pro-Trump television advertisements.
The U.S. government on Friday released a once-secret chapter from a congressional report on the 9/11 attacks that addresses Saudi connections to some of the hijackers, a move sure to recharge speculation over what -- if anything -- Saudi government officials knew.
Under wraps for 13 years, the report contains numerous redactions but states some hijackers "were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government."
The documents were posted Friday by the House intelligence committee, after being declassified.
The report questioned whether Saudis who were in contact with the hijackers after they arrived in the U.S. knew what they were planning. The document -- known as the so-called "28 pages" -- names people the hijackers associated with before they carried out the attacks. It identifies individuals who helped the hijackers get apartments, open bank accounts, attend local mosques and get flight lessons.
The document says Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national who helped two of the hijackers in California, was suspected of being a Saudi intelligence officer. The 9/11 Commission report found him to be an "unlikely candidate for clandestine involvement" with Islamic extremists. The new document says that according to FBI files, al-Bayoumi had "extensive contact with Saudi government establishments in the United States and received financial support from a Saudi company affiliated with the Saudi Ministry of Defense. ... That company reportedly had ties to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida," which orchestrated the attacks.
The document also points to Osama Bassnan, who lived across the street from two of the hijackers in California. According to an FBI document, Bassnan told another individual that he met the hijackers through al-Bayoumi. Bassnan told an FBI asset that "he did more than al-Bayoumi did for the hijackers."
The office of the Director of National Intelligence on Friday also released part of a 2005 FBI-CIA memo that said "there is no information to indicate that either (Bayoumi) or (Bassnan) materially supported the hijackers wittingly, were intelligence officers of the Saudi government or provided material support for the 11 September attacks, contrary to media speculation."
There also is stinging criticism of the intelligence community and previous administrations for not taking the issue of Saudi ties to terror groups seriously.
One of the reasons for the limited understanding of the extent of Saudi Arabias support and financing of terror groups, the report said, was a reluctance to investigate them due to Saudi Arabias status as an American ally.
It should be clear that this Joint Inquiry has made no final determination as to the reliability or sufficiency of the information, said the report, adding that extensive investigation was outside the committees mission.
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, expressed support for the decision to release the previously classified material but noted that this section does not put forward vetted conclusions, but rather unverified leads that were later fully investigated by the Intelligence Community.
Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff, D-Calif., applauded the disclosure but acknowledged it would not end the years of debate about the role of Saudi Arabia preceding the 9/11 attacks.
I know that the release of these pages will not end debate over the issue, but it will quiet rumors over their contents as is often the case, the reality is less damaging than the uncertainty, said Schiff.
Later investigations found no evidence that the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials knowingly supported those who orchestrated the attacks. But lawmakers and relatives of victims, who don't think all Saudi links to the attackers were thoroughly investigated, campaigned for more than 13 years to get the final chapter of the 2002 congressional inquiry released.
Former President George W. Bush originally classified the chapter to protect intelligence sources and methods and perhaps to avoid upsetting Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally.
President Obama later ordered a declassification review of the chapter, which Congress released on Friday.
The congressional panel that compiled the report was made up of bipartisan members of the Senate and House intelligence committees. The separate 9/11 commission released the findings of its investigation two years later.
Until now, the classified documents have remained in a secure basement room at the Capitol for the last 14 years and the subject of intense debate.
Those who argued for their release believed the pages would shed light on the dark relationship between Saudi Arabia and terrorism.
Of the 19 who carried out the 9/11 attacks, 15 were Saudi citizens; the government has long had a complicated relationship with terrorists and terror organizations.
Saying it would clear up any lingering suspicions about its role in the attacks, the government of Saudi Arabia supported calls for the release of the secret pages.
Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, have investigated the contents of the 28 Pages and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks, Saudi Ambassador to the United States Abdullah Al-Saud said in a statement.
It was clear, however, that the Saudis were less than cooperative with investigators following the attacks. One FBI official described post-Sept. 11, 2001 investigation in which he provided the Saudis with copies of individuals passports and they responded that they had no record of the subjects.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters the release of the pages does not change the assessment of the U.S. government that theres no evidence the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials funded Al Qaeda.
In June 2015, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky joined with Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden to introduce a bill requiring President Obama to declassify and make available to the public the redacted 28 pages.
Former Florida Sen. Bob Graham, the former chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chair of the bipartisan joint congressional inquiry, recently told "60 Minutes" he believed the hijackers had connections and support from the Saudi government, as well as wealthy individuals and charities.
This past June, the CIA's Office of the Inspector General released a report on its own internal investigation. The inquiry, which concluded in 2005, was said to be inconclusive and found no evidence the Saudi government knowingly and willingly supported Al Qaeda terrorists.
Under increasing pressure from the victims' families and lawmakers, Obama said in April his administration would declassify the pages.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Very early Monday morning, a SpaceX rocket is scheduled to blast off for the International Space Station, and among the cargo it will be lifting up will be a small DNA sequencer. That tiny device will let NASA astronaut Kate Rubins sequence DNA in space, the first time thats happened.
Rubins is a 37-year-old microbiologist who, until she launched up to the station earlier this month from Kazakhstan, had never been to space before. Her career had seen her studying dangerous pathogens like ebola and smallpox, and as a doctoral student, she focused on cancer biology.
The small sequencer set to join Rubins on the orbiting laboratory will let her sequence DNA in space, and she told Reuters that after the technology is tested shed like to use it to analyze the water on the station to see if any microbes live in it.
We've got wonderful clean water, but we've got a water system thats been up here for 15 years, she explained to Reuters during an interview from the space station. Do we have any microbes living in the system?"
DNA sequencers determine the sequence, or order, of the many base pairs like adenine and thymine, which join together just as cytosine and guanine do that constitute what look like rungs on the twister-ladder-shaped DNA molecule. Genes, which code for proteins, are located on those long molucules. Rubins told Reuters that shed like to eventually use the machine as a diagnostic device for astronauts if they get sick, or figure out if microbes can be treated with antibiotics. Having the small device in space will let Rubins do the work up there, as opposed to sending materials back to Earth for analysis.
Rubins spoke to FoxNews.com from Russia in June before her launch, and said that she was excited about doing experiments that focus on cellular biology. For example, the SpaceX mission will be taking heart cells up to the station.
Were going to see the differences between heart cells grown on Earth, she told FoxNews.com, where you always have a gravity vector pulling those cells down into the bottom of the plate, versus cells that are weightless and theyre suspended on board, she told FoxNews.com. Were going to do similar experiments with bone cells to try to understand bone loss and deterioration.
The DNA-testing device, made by Oxford NanoPore Technologies, is called the MinION sequencer.
Follow Rob Verger on Twitter: @robverger
In the wake of Thursday's terrorist attack in Nice, France the U.S. Embassy in Paris is urging American citizens be vigilant, exercise caution at large gatherings and take steps to bolster their personal security.
Authorities believe the likelihood of terror attacks in Europe will continue as European members of ISIL (Daesh) return from Syria and Iraq, the Embassy said. In addition, there is a continuing threat in Europe from unaffiliated persons planning attacks inspired by major terrorist organizations but conducted on an individual basis.
The increasingly hostile terrorist attacks throughout the region, including Novembers attacks in Paris, Marchs attack at Brussels airport, and the bombing at Turkeys Ataturk hub in June, have many wondering if it is safe to travel to Europe at all
Europe is no stranger to terrorism, having experienced national terrorist groups, such as the IRA and ETA over the decades, Caroline Bremner, head of travel at research firm Euromonitor International said in May. However, the Paris attacks perpetrated by IS revealed the indiscriminate nature of this new form of terrorism that aims to destroy the very heart of European values, such as freedom and culture.
Extreme acts of violence have an immediate impact on tourism, with short, sharp declines in the aftermath, according to Euromonitor data. France has already seen a countrywide decline of 8 percent in arrivals in January in the wake of last fall's deadly coordinated attacks.
What steps can travelers take to improve their personal security?
The Embassy has urged U.S. citizens in Nice to contact family members immediately and to check local press for the latest updates and guidance from local authorities.
While the Government of France is not restricting public gatherings at this time, the U.S. Embassy is cautioning travelers against attending demonstrations and large events intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational-- including any protests or marches-- that can be viewed as targets by terrorists.
The French government is operating under a state of emergency, which has been extended three months in the wake of the Nice attack, though airports and train stations remain open.
In a state of emergency, the French government may prevent individual movement and can create zones of protection and security. For tourists, it means that certain attractions or areas of interest can quickly be shut down if a credible security threat is present.
With heightened security measures, travelers can expect delays in airports and train stations so arrive early.
Are crowded areas less safe?
In general, travelers should be aware of soft targets, William Besse, vice president, consulting, investigations and international, at the security and risk mitigations firm Andrews International, told FoxNews.com Attackers are taking advantage of a soft target where theyre a lot of people in one place and terrorists can inflict as much damage to as many people as possible.
Places that are open to the public and are likely to have limited, if any, security are the most vulnerable. These "soft" targets are very difficult to protect, he said.
U.S. citizens should be cautious in public transportation systems, high-profile sporting events and concerts, residential area, business offices, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas, shopping malls and other tourist destinations. Outdoor venues, like the sidelines of the Tour de France or an open-air promenade, are much more difficult to protect.
Travelers need to educate themselves about the current situation in any destination. Security situations can change quickly and without warning so be aware of that, Besse said. If you want to deny that these things can possibly happen, youre putting yourself in harms way, he said. People just need to be super aware of whats going on around them. If you hear gun shot or explosions get out of an area as quickly as possible, if possible, he said.
In airports: In the event of an emergency, Bess recommends moving to the "secure side" of the airport as quickly as possible rather than sticking to shopping or lounging areas.
At sea: Several cruise lines have either delayed or canceled port excursions to Nice in the wake of the attacks, according to Cruise Critic.
Among the cruise lines affected include Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, MSC and Oceania.
A spokeswoman for P&O cruises, which has a vessel in Cannes today confirmed to the site that "All shore excursions to Nice have been canceled and passengers have been advised to avoid Nice centre."
Royal Caribbean has cancelled upcoming port calls to Nice on several excursions and MSC is offering passengers the opportunity to reschedule upcoming itineraries affected.
According to the latest statement from the Cruise Lines International Association, cruise lines cooperate and partner with authorities regarding security matters. Port and onshore facilities, infrastructure, and passenger security and services in destinations are strictly scrutinized.
Travelers should check with their cruise company immediately to get the latest on any changes to port calls or European itineraries.
But if you've already booked a trip to Europe, experts say sometimes the best option is to proceed-- with caution.
Though he said tourists could consider taking France off the list for any immediate travel plans, Besse says overall, the risk of an attack is very small, infinitesimal."
It can be frightening to realize that others will treat your bright idea as exactly what it is: just an idea. No one pays a dime for a great idea. Plenty of people are willing to put their money down for a tested and proven solution to humankind's problems. This is a more complex way to say "something that can make money."
Whether you're a first-time inventor or an entrepreneur who's tasted failure more than once, you know it takes confidence to show others your startup's rough sketch. While I won't tell you why you shouldn't pitch your bare-bones concept, I can offer several ways to make your idea more acceptable to potential investors and customers.
Related: 4 Tips to Help Turn Your Big Idea Into an Actual Product
1. Put it in numbers.
Numbers will convert more people than an hour of a perfect sermon. Here's what I mean:
"There's $70 billion trapped in waste in Africa. Our startup aims to recycle that into cash." This sounds more appealing to prospective investors than, "We want to clean the streets of Nigeria."
The typical investor itches to hear how much she or he will get in return for each dollar committed. Not everyone you approach will ask you the question outright. But the most successful fundraising startups know to tell investors just want they need to hear.
When you think about how to sell your idea, use figures -- attractive and honest ones at that -- to convey your message.
2. Present the problem first.
Most people won't act unless they have a sense of imminent danger. Simply telling them how cool your startup idea is won't stir them into disrupting the status quo.
Suppose your big idea is an app that gets more people to read than to binge on Netflix. Telling investors that your app will interrupt people's movie sessions every 30 minutes and encourage them to study might not win your case. This tactic might: Show them the future generation's potential to lead us into recession because they failed to take important economic studies seriously.
A problem-tackling approach to marketing relies on the fundamental belief that the customer will buy if the problem is painful enough. You can use this same technique to win over investors and advocates for your startup idea.
Related: More than Money: 4 Tips to Find the Right Investor for Your Startup
3. Give it a great name.
Your brand starts with a title. Naming your idea shows you're serious about the work. Don't let your idea get stuck behind a terrible name. If your idea sounds like a joke to investors, it's probably because the name didn't give you a head start.
Most aspiring entrepreneurs take this aspect very lightly. They think their incredible idea should be able to stand on its own. But this stage could be the most vital for your future's startup.
Related: What's in a Name? In Branding, Pretty Much Everything
4. Develop a road map.
Don't pitch your idea to investors without tracing a road map on your hand. Don't laugh: Nothing's worse than blankly staring into space when this issue pops up during your pitch.
A well-thought-out growth strategy, including a sound marketing approach will sway investors. Your road map should outline the steps you'll take in the following stages, identifying potential obstacles and how you intend to overcome them.
Ideation: If you're shopping for investors, you've already passed this stage. You might need to retrace your steps to this early phase if your potential investors have a justifiable reason for passing on your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Pitching: Your internal strategy should describe how you'll evaluate leads to find the right investors. Pitching your idea to the wrong investors will broadcast that you've started on a wrong footing.
Funding: Take your fundraising strategy very seriously. Let investors see that even if they say "no," you have a realistic plan to raise the needed capital for your brilliant idea.
Prototype: Once you secure funding, how long will it take you to develop the first prototype? You should be able to present a feasible timeline that investors can work with.
Marketing strategy: Without this component in place, don't bother sweating the rest. Most investors won't back a startup without a compelling story and a plan for sharing it -- and that includes an online marketing strategy.
Revenue model: Investors want to see how you intend to recover their money and build on that collateral many times over.
Exit strategy: Even the most brilliant ideas fail. While you might see giving up control of your idea as the last option, investors need to know there's a contingency plan if you fail to save your company. That might be an IPO, an outright sale or something else.
Country
Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
A Connecticut man who prosecutors say killed his 86-year-old mother and lived in their home with her dead body for several months has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
A three-judge Superior Court panel in New Britain ruled Thursday that 61-year-old John Waszynski of Wethersfield is not guilty by reason of mental disease or illness. He was ordered committed to a state psychiatric hospital for further evaluation.
The panel is scheduled to reconvene Oct. 6 to decide whether Waszynski should be committed to a mental hospital.
Waszynski was charged with murder in May 2014 after Krystyna Waszynski's decomposed body was found by police conducting a wellness check in the home they shared in Wethersfield. Court documents say Waszynski confessed to fatally choking her in December 2013.
The sheriff of a county about 70 miles north of Seattle says a restaurant owner has asked that law enforcement no longer dine there.
Skagit County Sheriff Will Reichardt said on Facebook that after four deputies finished lunch at Lucky's Teriyaki in Sedro-Woolley Thursday, the owner asked them not to eat there anymore.
Reichardt says the deputies were told that customers didn't like law enforcement there. The sheriff says his chief deputy called the owner later Thursday and says the request was confirmed along with a request to spread the word among other law enforcement agencies.
Calls to the restaurant for comment were met with busy signals.
The Sedro-Woolley Police Department said on Facebook it's disappointed but they'll continue to respond to the businesses in any way they request.
"If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, don't chase the money," says Tomas Gorny, a serial entrepreneur who promotes the idea that the creation of great things is more important than the accumulation of wealth.
Related: 25 Common Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs
Gorny came to that realization the hard way, after growing up in poverty in Poland, immigrating to the United States in his late teens, joining a startup, making millions and then losing it all and starting over again.
Gornys rags-to-riches story repeated itself twice until he co-founded his current company, Nextiva, a cloud-based communications provider based in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he now oversees more than 500 employees. I had the pleasure of speaking with him by email about the four business lessons he said he'd learned over a lifetime as an entrepreneur:
1. Dont underestimate people based on their appearance or speech.
Early in his career, Gorny said, he experienced a lack of respect in business because of his Eastern European accent. I was perceived as this stupid and young Polish guy, Gorny told Sramana Mitra in an interview with the One Million by One Million Blog. Rather than let prejudicial comments stop him, he worked harder and gained the favor of vendors and business partners.
Before long, he was respected throughout his industry. I was able to land some of the best deals of my life, he said.
Gorny says he learned from those experiences to never underestimate anybody in life because of looks, demeanor, accent or dress. Today when he thinks about hiring someone, he looks at the character of the person, his or her attitude, skill level and potential cultural fit.
2. Dont be afraid to fail.
One of Gornys first companies was a PC distribution business he launched in Germany as a 17-year-old. He sold it in 1996 to earn the money to immigrate to the United States but had enough money to survive for only six to eight months. He joined a startup, lived on just $3 per day and scraped together money for his business by taking odd jobs like catering and valet parking. With long hours and hard work, he saw his business became successful, and he sold it in 1998.
With that infusion of cash, Gorny invested in a variety of real estate ventures but lost nearly all of his fortune when the tech bubble burst. Five years after arriving in this country., he was right back where he'd started. Yet this setback didnt discourage him; he only worked harder to succeed. With roughly $6,000 left in his life savings, he launched a web-hosting company and built it into the second-largest business in its industry.
Related: 10 Ways You Can Model the Success of Millionaires
3. Approach everything from the customers perspective.
Customers are an entrepreneurs best teacher. A business that can deliver quality products that solve a customers problems will become invaluable, and referrals will result. As a business owner, you'll be smart to adopt your customers' mindset: What problems are they struggling with, and how can you make their lives easier? Gorny recommends soliciting customer feedback rather than assuming your solution is the right one.
Gorny learned the value of trusting the needs of customers in his early business days when he first visited the United States. He needed a new pair of shoes, so he walked into a store and saw a two-for-one sale. Even though he didnt need two pairs, the marketing and product-packaging concept stuck with him as something that attracted customers in America. This experience shaped his approach to business moving forward.
4. Focus on building your business -- forget about money and an exit strategy.
The process of succeeding and failing and succeeding again has taught Gorny not to focus on money. When I lost my money [during the dotcom bust], I recognized that to succeed, I needed to focus on providing value to customers, not on how much money we could bring in, he says. I now live by that principle, and it has served my companies and me well.
Similarly, Gorny believes that taking outside capital to build a business can be shortsighted because it forces entrepreneurs to focus on their exit strategy rather than on business growth. While I feel that some businesses need venture capital, my personal preference is to not have investors, he says. I believe that business owners and entrepreneurs should focus on building their businesses an exit strategy."
However, he cautions, "If you are solely focused on your exit strategy, you may forget to build your business. If you focus on building your business, the outcome is often much better than you could have envisioned it.
Related: What's Behind a 10-Year 'Overnight' Success?
Brothers Andy and Charlie Nelson were just out of college when, in the summer of 2006, they were buying meat in the rural town of Greenbrier, Tenn., and they asked the butcher if he knew anything about an old Nelson Distillery. They had long heard stories from uncles and aunts at holiday meals about a distillery in the distant family past.
Serendipitously, just across the street was Distillery Road, where their great-great-great-grandfathers whiskey shop had once flourished in the 1800s. Andy and Charlie went to see the skeleton of a distillery that bore their family name. Then, the brothers stopped at the Greenbrier Historical Society, where they discovered a couple of original bottles of Nelsons Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey.
It was a moment of connection, grounding and excitement for the brothers. They determined that they should resurrect the family business.
The nearby spring that once fed the distillery was still running, and the brothers drank from it. This admittedly cinematic moment of reckoning instilled the naive young men with a fierce sense of purpose. The then 22 and 23 year old brothers would come to learn that the Nelson distillery had been one of the largest producers of Tennessee whiskey in the 19th century until it was shuttered during Tennessee state prohibition in 1909. (Nationwide Prohibition went into effect in 1920.)
The thing about restarting a shuttered whiskey company is that it takes more than a sense of purpose. It also requires quite a bit of money, which the Nelson brothers did not have.
Related: Starting Up in Nashville: What Music City Offers Entrepreneurs
The process of getting anywhere close to being ready to build a business was a tough slog that the brothers werent expecting. They ended up getting their first funding from a bank, a surprising source of capital for any startup. But it took a long five years from the time they drank from the spring off Distillery Road.
We had nothing.
We didnt have any money to start the business, says Andy, the older of the brothers who are co-founders of Nelson's Green Brier Distillery, located in Nashville, Tenn. We were just out of college. We had nothing. A decade later, Charlie is now 32 and Andy is 33.
For the first three years after their discovery, they obsessively researched their family history, whiskey and the industry. On August 6, 2009, they formed an LLC. As they approached investors, they fielded some common questions. Well, do you have any experience running a business? Or in the whiskey or alcohol industry? Or in running a distillery? Or anything? Andy and Charlie, who both have bachelor's degrees in the humanities with concentrations in philosophy, didnt have the answers that would make investors pull out their checkbooks. Well, no, but we really want to do it. We have got a lot of passion! Andy recalls telling them.
One of the brothers earliest attempts at raising capital was from Roddy Story, former manager of commercial banking at the Bank of Nashville. Story says he liked the guys and knew of their family. In addition to his banking career, Story had owned a kids clothing and furniture business for 20 years. When he started out, he says he didnt have any clue what he was doing, so he related to the brothers. But the loan was too risky for the bank to underwrite.
Related: The Faces of Nashville's Music Tech Scene
They had a great idea, Story says, but the guys were young. They hadnt distilled a drop of whiskey. They didnt have an abundance of capital. They didnt have a place to conduct business. He says he did sense the brothers determination, however. They had a really good idea, and they were just hell-bent for leather to make this work.
With only their passion and their philosophy degrees, the Nelson brothers heard no from investors for two years.
Ramen noodles and peanut butter.
Not only did the Nelson brothers have zero experience distilling whiskey, but they also were talking about launching with a product that takes years to make. Whiskey has to be distilled and aged for years before it can hit shelves for sale. Thats a long wait with no guarantee of success at the end.
Investors were anxious. The question became, Well how do you know it is going to be good? Andy says. Two, how do you not have cash flow for four years? How do you know you are going to be successful in marketing it even if it is good? It was still unknown. We had no way of proving that to people. He and his brother, ever eager, heard over and over again, Well, great story, good luck. Come back to me when you have a little more money and other people are believing in it, too.
As the brothers fundraised, Andy held a full-time job as a video editor at their fathers educational software business. Meanwhile, Charlie was pounding the pavement. He was living in our parents house on ramen noodles and peanut butter and jelly until we got that money raised, Andy says, standing in the rustic distillery welcome center that the brothers have since erected in downtown Nashville. Today, Nelsons Green Brier Distillery has 12 full-time employees and another dozen part-timers.
Perhaps its easier to laugh about subsisting on ramen noodles with the benefit of hindsight following success.
Related: How Sam Adams Is Thriving as a Pony Among Clydesdales
At the time, though, the brothers pushed against investors resistance and skepticism. I dont know, Andy says, laughing a bit thinking about his own stubbornness. We weren't going to not do it. The brothers were moved from the moment they drank from the Greenbrier spring, when they felt connected to their heritage and a desire to make something real from their own effort. We were doing it for the right reasons. This is for our family name and for something bigger than making a buck. If I were in it just to make money, I would have quit years ago.
A Sirens song.
On the brothers hunt for capital, they were tempted by the Sirens song of a potential investor who liked their business plan and wanted to pump it up for rapid expansion, steroid-style. They teased Charlie and I with these huge salaries starting out, and frankly, it was almost insulting, because it was like, Who do you think we are? Andy says. The brothers didnt want to simply sell their story and mass-produce whiskey. They wanted to stay true to Green Briers small-town, family origins and not surrender control to a hired CEO. During an interview with this Entrepreneur reporter, Andy pointed out a quote in his great-great-great-grandfather Nelsons obituary that heralded the entrepreneurs sense of integrity and fairness in running the distillery.
I realized, heres the problem: We arent just looking for money. We are looking for the right money and people who would believe in our plan and trust us to do it, Andy says. After hearing no from everybody, you hear yes, but then you have to be like, oh, actually, I dont really like the way you are giving me this money so, no. No thanks. I will pass and go through that whole thing again.
The brothers were back to ramen noodles and pitching.
Five years after drinking from the spring, a loan for $430,000.
In the meantime, banker Roddy Story had gone on to work at the smaller, privately-owned Tennessee Bank and Trust. He now had more autonomy in making decisions, and while he wasnt interested in signing risky airball loans, Story hadnt forgotten about the Nelson brothers. On Storys second day at the new bank, he called Andy and Charlie. They had put together some projections and a business plan, but they were still very much in the formulative period, Story says. The headquarters was the dining room in their dads house.
At the new bank, Story signed the loan. Collateral also helped. The Nelsons put up family property, and in March 2011, the Nelson brothers got a $430,000 loan from Tennessee Bank and Trust. Cash. Without having to sell their souls. After five years, they finally had funding.
Related: Sam Adams Founder: To Compete With Giants, 'Bring Your Small-Business Game'
I just really believed in these guys, Story says. Their story seemed to really make sense They were attracting better and better people to help them. One of the guys was the marketing director of Jack Daniels, so how much better can you get?
The Nelson brothers were in their mid-20s at this point. They didnt start distilling whiskey until three years after the first loan came through, in 2014. To bring in revenue in the short term, the Nelsons bought already-distilled and aged bourbon from a source distillery and mixed and sold the spirit under the name Belle Meade Bourbon, one of the same names that their triple-great-grandfather had used generations earlier.
Tennessee Bank and Trust kind of just took a chance on us, Andy says. They really allowed us to actually get started in earnest building a business.
Real-life business cards.
After the Nelson brothers secured that first bank loan, they were able to start attracting other investors. We had a tangible product, Andy says. We could tell them sales numbers, we could tell them projections and revenues. Our experience was a thing. We had real-life business cards, and we could talk to them about the lingo of alcohol distribution and sales and all that kind of stuff ... Marketing is a huge part of it as well, so it was like, we have good branding, we are getting well known in the markets. So people had more confidence in us.
In November 2013, Andy and Charlie broke ground on their very own distillery. In 2015, they sold 14,000 six-bottle cases of externally sourced Belle Meade whiskey throughout 14 states. They started distilling their own whiskey in late July 2014. Eventually, the brothers will be able to sell the whiskey they make. It should be in ready late 2018 or early 2019.
Related: How These Entrepreneurs Found Success in an Industry They Knew Nothing About
The Nelson brothers courage to start their own distillery largely stemmed from their own naivete. I think part of it is that they didnt quite knowing what they were getting into, Story says. You think of all of the things we do -- whether its marriage, or kids, or buying a house or going to grad school -- you know you want to do it, you just arent quite sure. And somehow you make it work. I think thats what happened to these guys.
Andy, standing in the barrel room in front of a wall-sized Tennessee flag, looks out over his stacks of aging whiskey and tries to reflect on the journey. He says hes been in the trenches for too long to feel any sense of surprise at his and his brothers progress.
We have worked our asses off to make this happen, Andy says. If you do it because you want to and you need to, and it gets done, then you shouldnt be too surprised about that.
In May, new rules from the SEC went into effect that allow companies to raise capital from anyone in the U.S., opening up opportunities for people, who typically did not have access to these types of deals in the past. It took nearly four years for the rules to kick in after the 2012 JOBS Act allowed for equity crowdfunding, and meanwhile, 30 states enacted their own crowdfunding laws.
While many startups may want to raise money from Americans in every state, some businesses may want to raise money directly from their local community.
The best feature of the new federal rules is that startups will be able to raise up to $1 million from crowdfunding and wealthier individuals simultaneously. The SEC distinguishes between crowd investors and wealthy investors, but many platforms, like FlashFunders, will have those regulatory nuances streamlined seamlessly.
Entrepreneurs who raise money from crowdfunding, following the federal rules, require financial filings with the SEC.
Offerings under $100,000 require self-certified financial reports, and offerings between $100,000 and $500,000 require financial documents reviewed by an accountant. First-time Regulation Crowdfunding, or Reg CF, offerings more than $500,000 also require accountant-reviewed financials.
Businesses need to consider these costs and view them as a litmus test for determining if the venture is ready for the next stage in the process.
There are advantages to raising money in Oregon.
Oregons crowdfunding laws may be the most successful in the nation. The portal in charge of the states crowdfunding operations is a business incubator called Hatch, which has hosted 17 offerings so far. Hatch helped draft the states crowdfunding regulations, designed to make the process as painless as possible for businesses.
The drawbacks?
Businesses are limited to raising only $2,500 from each individual, for a total limit of $250,000. Startups will need to provide semi-annual investor reports and must pay a $200 filing fee with the state as well as $50 a month to list their offering on Hatch. Hatch also charges $500 up front and between a $1,000 and $2,000 success fee for closings through its InvestOR Ready Accelerator program.
Washington provides inspiration but lags on performance.
Oregons laws were based on Washingtons crowdfunding regulations, but despite many successful businesses out of Seattle, the state has failed to produce any successful crowdfunded equity rounds.
Its upper limit of $1 million per round may look like a blessing, but it has turned into a regulatory curse with its complicated process bogging companies down.
Related: 10 Top Crowdfunding Websites
Similar to the national Title III regulations, investors are more limited and may invest up to the greater of $2,000 or five percent of the investors net worth or income, if its less than $100,000, or 10 percent of the greater - net worth or income -- if that figure is higher than $100,000.
Colorado has less red tape with high caps.
At face value, Colorados laws seem slightly less cumbersome than Washingtons; however, Colorado has produced zero successful fundraises, even though five platforms have registered as portals.
Related: The Basics of Crowdfunding
The latest platform to register, and perhaps most promising, Invest Local, plans to charge a $2.50 fee per investor, regardless of the amount raised. Colorados rules ban platforms from charging percentage-based success fees, so they are obliged to charge a flat fee whether a company reaches its funding goals or not. Colorado startups can raise up to $1 million.
California crowdfunding makes its way through the legislature.
Californias crowdfunding law sat in an Assembly committee as of May 27, unlikely to pass before recess. The law would require startups to meet certain conditions before they would be allowed to solicit their offerings after filing with the state, so residents can expect red tape snarls.
Californias proposed fundraising limit is $1 million per year, with individual investors limited to investing the lesser of $5,000 or 10 percent of their net worth. The law would also require a $200 filing fee, plus one-fifth of two percent of the aggregate value of the securities sold.
Why raise money from state or national crowd investors?
A company selling securities to the national crowd has to file financial disclosures with the SEC. Local funding can avoid those federal reporting requirements, but states have different requirements to keep investors updated.
Related: Which Entrepreneurs Will Benefit Most From the New Era of Crowdfunding?
State crowdfunding laws might offer businesses a smart stepping stone to growth if a companys eventual aim is to go national, or they might provide the right environment for small companies that intend to stay local and dont need evangelists outside their immediate ecosystems.
Whatever the scope and wherever the startup, the new era of crowdfunding offers entrepreneurs more options than ever before to grow. Companies can add to their cap tables passionate customers-turned-investors on the local, national and international level in the same round.
The market has been showing volatility since the summer of 2015 and has continued into 2016. The slowing growth in China, falling gas prices, uncertainty over the Federal Reserve's rate hike plans and geopolitical instability has made for scary headlines for investors for some time. Britains vote to exit the EU (Brexit) certainly doesnt help things.
Related: 8 Factors That Determine the Financial Health of a Business
On Feb. 11, the VIX volatility index, calculated by the Chicago Board Options Exchange, hit its highest since the markets dip last August, signaling an increasing volatile market. Following the Brexit vote, the index showed a decline which offers a bit of a stabilization, but the market will most likely be in flux until the timeline of Britains exit is hammered out -- which could take up to two years. The ups and downs are a snapshot of investor and money manager anxiety over how to employ strategies amid uncertain international and domestic economic systems.
Heading into the summer, the declining markets slowly rose but investors are expecting more of the same oscillation ahead -- an estimated 40 percent of investors in fact -- according to a Wells Fargo survey as reported by the Street.
Director of Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement and Trust Joe Ready said, Clients look at the portfolio and they look at the markets and they just see up 300 points one day and down 400 points the next. This market whiplash is causing worry not just from investors but money managers as well. Continues Ready, I think it brings back nervousness and concern with the economy and if were going to go back to a recessionary period.
Early 2016 saw a depressingly low beginning entering into January, and even as the market has shown gains since March, the optimism is a cautious one. For some, last summer came too dangerously close to the 2008 recession. Investors are no longer wheeling but there hasnt been a predominant exhale either.
Related: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Investing All of Your Money
Charles Schwab chief investment strategist Liz Ann Sonders recently said, Sentiment has climbed back towards optimism. But the downside to volatility is that surprises can occur. The FED can decide to hike rates ( though that is currently on hold), and it would be unwise to disregard China as still a potential market disruption, even as their government has stimulated its banks by adding more money.
A few months ago, I wrote on how BDCs stability and solid performance is good for the economy, and the 2016 YTD figures continues to support this. Throughout the turmoil within the market, BDCs have been performing in a substantially more stable pattern than the S&P shown in charts below:
How BDCs and Saratoga have performed differently (and better) than banks and other money market professionals is mostly in part because we as professionals perform differently than banks and other money market professionals. This is due to our relationships with our clients. Because BDCs require customized financial engineering, BDC financial advisers can take on more than just term loans. BDCs are also known to fund shareholder buyouts or a dividend recap which would allow owners freedom of liquidity if needed. This flexibility has helped investors to focus on their long-term goals.
Related: What Entrepreneurs Get Wrong When It Comes To Investing
Investors are getting savvier in watching geopolitical atmosphere, the emerging markets, and translating that into how the U.S. market will perform, but in this current sea of economic volatility, there is inherent uncertainty. Having a trusted adviser during this time of duress isnt just about the numbers, its also about having peace of mind. Because investors often have a flight response to a badly behaving market, having a knowledgeable adviser keep a level head is invaluable to staying the course. This plunging response is often the first response for investors who go it alone and make an emotional decision based on the market. Even when the market feels volatile even if it isnt, a financial ally can curb emotional responses which often drives investors into bad decisions. It is important to remember that Investing in the market and a strong financial advisor is a long-term investment.
Sources
YTD S&P Performance Chart: https://ycharts.com/indices/%5ESPXTR/ytd_return
YTD BDC Performance Chart: http://us.spindices.com/indices/equity/sp-bdc-index
VIX Chart:
http://tradinggods.net/trading-gods-blog/vix-daily-update-volatility-plunges-second-day-brexit-fears-ease/
A death row inmate facing a murder rap was at large Friday after he busted out of a busy Florida courthouse in a daring escape.
Dayonte Resiles, 22, escaped from the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale around 9:30 a.m., Fox affiliate WSVN-TV reported. He fled after he had been escorted by deputies to a fourth-floor courtroom for a pre-trial conference. The escape led to the evacuation of the courthouse.
Newly released video shows murder suspect escaping from @BrowardCounty courthouse: https://t.co/KArhXJnb7s pic.twitter.com/lke35kGt4A WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) July 15, 2016
The search for Resiles was being led by Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.
Israel said Resiles was gone before deputies could block the exits.
We believe he defeated the perimeter before it even got in place, the sheriff said. We believe he exited through the north end of the courthouse.
Resiles had on a white T-shirt and black shirts. Deputies found his black and white striped inmate jumpsuit in a hallway.
It was unclear how Resiles slipped out of his shackles, according to the station.
He was being guarded in the courtroom by two unarmed bailiffs who were also guarding several other defendants.
New photos show escaped inmate's handcuffs on top of jumpsuit in @BrowardCounty courthouse https://t.co/aoC4k64p4d pic.twitter.com/RKoKW0InUz WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) July 15, 2016
The judge was on the bench at the time of the escape, WSVN reported.
Prosecutors say Resiles fatally stabbed Davies woman Jill Su during a burglary in her home in 2014.
It was five minutes to 6 p.m., which meant that we had five minutes to rent a car. For some reason, all the rental car offices in Ottawa close at six oclock sharp.
Our engine had overheated, and we were going to have to call AAA. But first we had to arrange a car rental so that we could get home. As luck would have it, we found one that was a 10 minute walk from where we were parked. But it was five to 6 p.m. We had only five minutes to get there.
The obvious thing to do was to call the rental office. Most people would keep the shop open an extra five minutes to make a sale. All we had to do was to call them.
And reach a real live human being.
In other words, all we had to do was move mountains, redirect rivers and recalibrate the orbit of the moon.
Related: 10 Marketing Automation Hacks All Businesses Should Be Using
The rental car office did not have a phone number. One has to call a global number that probably gets answered in New Brunswick or New Delhi or New-New York. Or Antarctica.
After several minutes of working our way through the automated system, we were finally put on hold.
After eight minutes, we realized that it was pointless to remain on hold.
The benefits of automation are easy to find.
That day, automation failed us as customers and it failed the company, which lost a sale. Search Google, and youll find hundreds of articles praising the benefits of automation in sales, marketing and CRM. Those benefits include:
Increased productivity
Predictable actions
Easier tracking and measurement, due to more consistent data collection
Better targeting of effort through use of more robust data
More effective follow-ups and upselling
An end to human error (unless human error is built into the automation)
More robust and consistent processes or products
Time savings and shorter sales process
Reaching a wider audience with more targeted messages
Lower cost of wages, benefits and office space
Staff who are better able to focus on areas that can't be automated
These benefits are not just for sales and marketing. They apply as much to manufacturing and other processes.
Youll find services offering to automate everything from customer relations to payroll to lead generation to marketing. Everybody on the Internet seems to be in love with automation. Either they sell automation software or they feel more productive when things are automated.
Nextiva CEO Tomas Gorny calls automation a tool, neither good nor bad.
"There are two ways you can go with automation. You can use it to replace customer service and watch your business erode. Or you can use it to replace mundane tasks, freeing everybody from the CEO to the customer service reps to focus on the boss -- the customer," he said.
The risks of automation are tougher to find.
What you wont find much of in a Google search are the warnings. You won't find articles about replacing people with machines. You won't find articles about automation being a barrier between the company and the customer -- warnings of how that means trouble.
Related: 7 Mistakes That Will Doom Your Marketing Automation Implementation
In the case of rental car companies, there is huge value in having one national phone number. Frequent travelers can memorize the number or add it to their speed dial list. People can access rental cars in one location while they are still at a previous location. And it is easy to coordinate multiple rentals.
But there is also huge value for customers to be able to speak directly with the location they are renting from. My story is a case in point, but in many other cases a renter might have a unique situation. For instance, one might want to know specifics about a vehicle. That requires somebody onsite to walk out the door and look at the vehicle. In other cases, the customer simply wants to speak with a real live person where they will be picking up the vehicle.
What's your workaround?
One key step in any plan to automate is to go through the scenarios where automation could fail. Ask yourself this: "What if it fails? What if a customer's technology or situation doesn't fit the 'profile' on which we are basing our system? What backups do we have? What options does the customer have?"
Walk through each scenario one by one. Simulate the customer experience. Do tests with real people, having them run through various scenarios. Find out what works and what doesn't.
On a website a 1-800 number or an instant chat can be great options for many automation pitfalls. It gives the customer an option, a failsafe. In a rental car store, a local phone number would do the trick.
Why didn't I think of that?
Related: 4 Steps to Choosing Marketing-Automation Software That Actually Works
The more attention to detail, the more loyal the customer will be. When a customer called Paramount Roll and Forming about a staircase that wasn't fitting properly, company president Kenny Moscrip sprang into action. He drove to the jobsite:
"I took the time to show the client how to how to make the transition from the landing to the stringers. We won a loyal customer not just by the quality of our work, but by the quality of our service. It's a relationship," Moscrip said.
You cannot automate CRM, because the "R" stands for "relationship". You cannot automate your relationships. If it goes through a machine, it's not a relationship, it's not personal.
Have you ever been spoken to by a machine? Uttoran Sen, who runs blogging promotion platform AmplifyBlog, has -- every Mother's Day. Although he uses email automation to keep in touch with his users, his experience as a consumer should raise alarm bells for every marketer:
"However, this same automation on every Mother's Day makes me sad because my mother is dead. I get several emails from people suggesting -- 'How wonderful these Mother's Day gifts are,'" he said.
His tale is mild compared that of some stories he heard from would-be parents he interviewed. One couple of a stillborn child recounted two years of email agony: "It was like re-living the horror every time a guide pops up in the email with - 'Hey, your child should be 2 years old now, this is what you need to do now.'"
If the first rule of building relationships is "Don't be rude" or "Don't piss people off", automation can be a great way to break that rule.
When a message alienates your customer, it's not doing relationships right. And if the customer gets stuck in automation -- eight minutes before I gave up, for example -- there might never even be a chance for a relationship.
As a conservative talk-radio host in the 1990s, Mike Pence described himself as "Rush Limbaugh on decaf."
Two decades later, Pence is the unflappable conservative governor of Indiana who's being plucked by Republican presidential contender Donald Trump as his running mate.
Where Trump is impulsive, Pence is cool-headed. Where Trump makes conservatives suspicious, Pence has credibility. And where Trump struggles to draw evangelical Christians, Pence is well-regarded by them.
A favorite quote highlights how Pence might smooth some of the sharp corners of the Trump campaign and its supporters.
"I'm a conservative," Pence says. "But I'm not angry about it."
The former congressman also is a proven fundraiser with close ties to billionaire industrialists David and Charles Koch and their network of wealthy donors, many of whom have been dismissive of Trump.
"One thing you can say about Mike Pence is he's got a very calm, steady demeanor that in some ways is a little Reaganesque," said Christine Mathews, a Republican pollster for former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. "He's a counterbalance to Trump in that way."
Trump announced on Twitter Friday morning that he's selected Pence as his running mate, capping a wild 24 hours of speculation interrupted by the truck attack in Nice, France, that left scores dead.
Not so long ago, their relationship was a little awkward. Trump met privately with Pence before Indiana's primaries, seeking his endorsement. Instead, Pence, under pressure from national conservatives, tepidly endorsed Trump's rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, while still lavishing praise on Trump. Trump won that primary. Before the night was over, Cruz had quit the race.
For Pence, a former six-term congressman, Trump's selection offers a return to national politics after his embrace as governor of conservative social issues sidelined his own presidential ambitions. Pence describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." In 2015 he provoked a national backlash after signing a law that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Even some Indiana Republicans have questioned his decisions, suggesting Pence has at times seemed more interested in appealing to national conservatives than doing what's best for the state. Pence's support of the state's religious objections law led to a revolt from the business community, which joined gay rights advocates in successfully pushing for changes to the law.
Raised in Columbus, Indiana, in an Irish-Catholic family, Pence revered the Kennedys growing up and has said he voted for Jimmy Carter in 1980. He later identified as an evangelical Christian and was inspired to join the Republican Party by former President Ronald Reagan, whose "happy warrior" rhetorical style Pence has since tried to emulate.
After attending Hanover College, Pence graduated from Indiana University Law School in 1986. He met his wife, Karen, around the same time and twice unsuccessfully ran for Congress before taking a job at Indiana Policy Review, a conservative think-tank. In a 1991 essay titled "Confessions of a Negative Campaigner," Pence swore off harsh political tactics he used in "one of the most divisive and negative campaigns in Indiana's modern congressional history" while calling for "basic human decency."
"That means your First Amendment rights end at the tip of your opponent's nose even in the matter of political rhetoric," Pence wrote, though he backtracked in the face of a difficult re-election campaign in Indiana.
In Congress, Pence sponsored a few bills that became law as amendments in other legislation. But he built a national following among conservatives for his willingness to buck his own party after opposing President George W. Bush's Medicare expansion and the No Child Left Behind education overhaul. During the early years of President Barack Obama's administration, Pence helped lead the opposition to the Democrat's agenda.
"He has a particularly strong talent, a gift if you will, for being able to stick to principle while making his political opponents or those who disagree with him feel like they are being heard and respected," said Ryan Streeter, a former Pence aide and George W. Bush staffer who is now a public affairs professor at the University of Texas.
Pence's congressional experience is one trait that Trump, who has never held public office, wanted in a running mate.
Marc Short, a former Pence aide and top Koch brothers operative, elaborated: "He's worked with (House Speaker) Paul Ryan. He's worked with the team in House leadership. He's somebody who has deep relationships in the evangelical movement, and he's somebody who has foreign affairs experience."
Pence's one term as governor has drawn mixed reaction, and he has managed to alienate moderate Republicans over social issues.
Groups threatened boycotts over last year's religious objections law and late-night television hosts mocked the policy, leading lawmakers to approve changes.
This year Pence clashed with the local Catholic archdiocese by opposing the settlement of Syrian refugees in Indianapolis.
Pence was also slammed for the planned 2015 launch of "JustIN," a state-operated news service that was ditched after critics panned it as "Pravda on the Plains."
But he has also presided over Indiana's improving economy and plummeting unemployment rate, which Republicans credit to the state's low taxes, limited regulation and pro-business climate.
___
Follow Brian Slodysko on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BrianSlodysko
More U.S. troops will be going to Iraq in the months ahead to help local forces defeat ISIS, the top American military commander in charge of operations in the Middle East told Fox News in Baghdad Thursday. This is in addition to the 560 U.S. forces President Obama ordered to Iraq this week.
"There will probably be some additional capabilities we will need to bring in to complete our objectives," said Gen. Joseph Votel, who heads the U.S. Central Command.
"As the leadership has told me, if we need something, we need additional capabilities, we need additional people, we should ask for those things and I've been encouraged to do that," Votel added.
The 560 troops deploying to Iraq will help secure an air base 40 miles south of Mosul, recently captured by Iraqi forces supported by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes. American military logistics personnel, engineers and force protection units will compose the bulk of the troops.
The British government said this week they would send 250 more troops to Iraq as well.
The base will be used to stage Iraqi forces making the assault on Mosul, defense officials say.
Iraqi forces want to build on their momentum following their victory over ISIS in Fallujah, backed by hundreds of coalition airstrikes.
Gen. Votel traveled to Baghdad to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi as well as top Iraqi defense officials to discuss upcoming operations against ISIS.
Votel previously made stops in Afghanistan and Bahrain to visit a U.S. Navy warship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and Jordan before arriving in Iraq for the final leg of his visit to the region.
It is not immediately clear what type of forces will be headed to Iraq to help prepare for the long awaited ground operation to retake Mosul, Iraq's second largest city located more than 250 miles north of Baghdad. The majority of ISIS fighters in Iraq are located in Mosul since conquering the city more than two years ago.
Votel said the role of U.S. forces would not change going forward -- they will continue to train and advise Iraqi forces away from the front lines.
As the former commander of U.S. special operations forces, Fox News asked Votel if he had a desire to ramp up attacks using American special ops forces.
"I'm satisfied that we are doing things...to accomplish the objectives that were laid out for us," Votel answered.
"We are all trying to move this as quickly and effectively as we can," he added. "That timeline has to take in consideration the capabilities of our [Iraqi] partners as well."
Votel said his forces continue to hunt for ISIS emir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
When asked how close the Iraqi forces were to taking Mosul, seen by many as a critical step in defeating ISIS, Votel suggested it was still a ways off.
"We're probably some time away from actually going to Mosul," said Votel, but added, "[Iraqi forces] are definitely moving in the right direction."
Fox News spoke to Gen. Votel before the horrific attack in Nice along the French Riviera killing more than 80 people celebrating Bastille Day.
When asked why Americans should care about the war against ISIS, Votel offered this assessment:
"Certainly, when they have sanctuary or they control terrain, it makes it easier for them to do the things they want to do."
A New York nun on vacation in the Austrian Alps has disappeared and now Austrian police are working with the State Department to try and find her.
Sister Eileen Christie, 72, of Long Island, was staying in the popular tourist village of Hallstatt when she apparently vanished without a trace nine days ago, a news website in Austria reported Friday.
Images found on her phone suggest she was enjoying herself, taking photos and videos of the scenic Alpine countryside before she disappeared, the website reported
Christie sent emails letting her nephew on Long Island know where she was but then the emails suddenly stopped July 6.
Its been eight days since anyone has seen her, the nephew, Bill Freda, told FiOS 1 News Thursday. Were just hoping that theres some light at the end of the tunnel here. Its just hope.
Her passport, wallet and other possessions were found in her room at the Haus Jodler guesthouse, CBS New York reported. She hadn't checked out nor had she checked in at her next stop in Innsbruck.
Prayers were said this week on Long Island at St. Anthonys High School and at the Sisters of Saint Joseph Convent. Christie taught theology at St. Anthonys for decades.
There's a hope that because she did really like to explore, that it has brought her someplace, the president of the Saint Joseph nuns, Sister Helen Kearney, told Fios 1. My prayer is that she was not been hurt or endangered any further than that. But in all honesty, the length of time without contact has us deeply concerned.
A psychologist is expected to be sentenced to six years in prison for the 1995 killing of a man she says raped her while she was a college student.
Norma Patricia Esparza is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday in Orange County Superior Court along with two co-defendants.
Esparza pleaded guilty in 2014 to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for a six-year sentence for the killing of Gonzalo Ramirez.
Authorities say Esparza pointed out Ramirez at a bar in 1995 to her former boyfriend Gianni Van and others who kidnapped and killed him.
Ramirez's bloodied body was found by the side of a road in Irvine, California, but the case went cold for years.
Esparza became a psychology professor. She was arrested in 2012 while visiting the United States from France.
You know those people -- the Reddit-ors who possess an unimaginably high amount of karma, the Quora writers with thousands of answers to their name or, in the case of Mark Fisher, TripAdvisor reviewers with hundreds of articles under their byline. In fact, Fisher has over 110,000 readers of his TripAdvisor reviews, making him one of the top contributors on the site.
Related: How Online Customer Reviews Help SEO and Drive Sales Growth
But before you stop to ask yourself how someone even has the time to travel and spend so much time writing reviews, lets go back to the beginning, when Fisher first discovered the site.
His humble beginnings as a TripAdvisor star reviewer began when he noticed how his wife Lori kept researching on the website to prepare for an upcoming trip. Curious, he asked what the site was, and in that moment, discovered the world of online reviews.
Now, remember that this was back in the days before review sites were commonplace, before every restaurant had Yelp signs on its windows and hilarious Amazon reviews had been elevated to an art form.
When Fisher discovered TripAdvisor, he had an epiphany. He had been working in marketing and advertising most of his career, and, he told me, it suddenly hit him: The deer have guns.
"A hunter is normally the one that has the gun, and the deer are open prey, he explained in an interview. With TripAdvisor reviews, he saw for the first time how the system had been turned on its head.
Related: The Secret to Recovering From a Negative Customer Review
Indeed, reviews propelled us into a new era where suddenly customers had power. The flip side of this, especially when it comes to third-party sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor, is that a lot of businesses have started to feel that they are at risk of becoming victims.
And yet: Customer reviews are a powerful way to earn customer trust and valuable marketing fuel for brands. Other peoples opinions about you have much more power, more authority and more authenticity than do the claims you make about yourself. Here, Fisher references an ancient saying, Let another person praise you and not the words of your own lips.
What motivates a top TripAdvisor reviewer to write reviews?
To understand why people in general post reviews, theres no one better to talk to than an active reviewer like Fisher, who has taken the activity from a hobby to an obsession to an art form. So how did his first discovery of the site lead him to where he is today?
After Fisher and his wife returned from their trip to Europe, he asked if she was thinking about writing some reviews of their experience. "Youre the writer; why dont you write them? he says she told him. And from that point on, I got hooked.
Why TripAdvisor? Fisher posts on other review sites but sticks to TripAdvisor because, as he puts it, We all need a focus. He elaborates, Someone once told me if you chase two rabbits, youll catch neither.
Further, he says he loves to tell a places story. And for brands today that need to stand out in an ever-more crowded market, where customers demand not just products, but relationships with brands, a reviewer who tells their story is valuable free marketing.
As an example, Fisher recalls a Chilean restaurant he and his family visited in Delaware, where he asked the server what the restaurants name, Pochi, meant. She said it was the owners nickname. Fisher asked to meet Pochi, and as he listened to her story, says he realized there was much more to the restaurant than meets the eye.
She took a huge risk opening the business, but it was her passion, and it really showed. I was touched and asked her to take a photo with us, which I then posted alongside her story on TripAdvisor.
At the time, he had no idea how much influence his reviews could have. A few months later, when he came back to the restaurant, Pochi, a.k.a. Patricia Millan, thanked him for his review, which had resulted in a flood of new business for her restaurant. I realized at that point that my reviews had a real impact on this womans livelihood, Mark says. And thats just beyond powerful.
Of course, he allows that part of his motivation is ego. I cant deny the fact that I appreciate it when someone recognizes my contribution, he explains.
How reviews and user-driven communities solve the disappointment gap
Our experiences are built entirely on expectations. And when those expectations dont match what we get in return, disappointment sets in. Brands should pay attention to the impact disappointment has on customer satisfaction: Research actually shows that the most commonly used negative word in reviews is "disappointment/disappointed."
In fact, according to a Yotpo study of 1.3 million reviews in the fashion ecommerce industry, "disappointment" was mentioned almost 20,000 times, while the next most common negative word --bad -- was mentioned only about 7,500 times.
Reviews feed into that same cycle of expectation and disappointment. Shoppers reading previous customers' reviews form an idea of what to expect. And, especially in the case of hotels and restaurants, experiences can be very subjective, which is where things get dangerous.
Sometimes, however, reviews can help brands in an unexpected way, by alleviating potential mismatches between expectations and reality.
Fisher describes a time he traveled to Costa Rica and needed to rent a car. By then, he had learned about TripAdvisor forums, where he could interact with other travelers. While researching rental car options, Fisher learned from a forum that rental car companies in Costa Rica were known to quote a price much lower than what customers actually end up paying. He was told to anticipate paying double what is quoted online.
As a consumer, I was angry. But I had no choice. I booked my $120 economy car. And when we arrived, of course they tried to upsell me to a better car and slapped on tons of extra fees. I just rolled my eyes because I knew what was coming. I grudgingly paid the extra money -- and of course I was annoyed, but much less so than I would have been if I walked into that situation and thought it was only happening to me.
In this way, TripAdvisor's user-driven community helped tailor his expectations to what he would actually receive.
Fisher adds that reviews also create a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy: If you read that a place has great service and awesome desserts, youre likely to go into the experience expecting that and finding clues that fit into your idea of what to expect.
Reviews and authenticity
Besides negative reviews, one of the biggest issues businesses have is perceived or actual fake reviews. When youre reading and writing reviews constantly, you get good at sniffing out those who are just backing a business out of self-interest or trying to promote themselves, Fisher says.
For those who arent as active as he is in the reviews community, he explains a trick to suss out how reliable a reviewer is: The first thing he looks at when he reads a review, he says, is the authors average star rating and how many reviews he or she has written. If they have only written a few reviews, I dont even pay attention, he explains.
Top contributors' reviews have more credibility, Fisher says, but -- if they're like him -- those reviewers also feel a heightened sense of responsibility.
Im in the top 1 percent, according to TripAdvisor, he says. I kind of wear that as a badge, but it took a lot of work. So, if someone reads what I wrote, now, I feel responsible to be as accurate as possible. I try to be more objective and, if I have a negative experience, ask myself if it was really the place or, [if] maybe I was sick, or my expectations were unfair or I was having a bad day.
The future of reviews
When it comes to the future of reviews, Fisher thinks that review sites will become much smarter at predicting what a specific consumer wants and providing the right information at the right time. "Smarter" (digitally speaking), more personalized algorithms will give shoppers a quick summary of the exact information they want to see, in the medium they want to see it, Fisher predicts.
He envisions a world where review systems will be smart enough to predictively detect exactly what a certain consumer is looking for.
A budget traveler has much different needs than a luxury foodie, and review algorithms are going to need to know how to present the information that sells to the specific consumer, he says. Today, theres so much more to sift through. Sometimes, my wife and I spend more time researching than we actually do on vacation -- and thats unacceptable.
In the beginning," Fisher continues, "star ratings were created to provide an at-a-glance assessment of quality. Obviously, thats never going to work, because there're tons of different nuances for why someone rates something like this. In the future, review sites are going to have to work like a funnel, distilled down to a simple takeaway showing you exactly what you want to see.
And as for what he hopes to see happening in the future for reviews: Think simplification and personalization. "Its been said that if you give someone more than three choices, they choose nothing," Fisher explains. "Which is why, in order for reviews to continue to have their power in the future, they're going to need to keep up with the on-the-go consumer, who doesn't have time to search through all the muck.
Related: How to Respond to Bad Reviews to Build Customer Loyalty
"They want the gold nuggets of advice, and they want them now."
Turkeys elected government on Saturday rounded up thousands of soldiers, including high-ranking officers, as it moved quickly to reassert control after a failed military coup to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkeys Prime Minister Binaldi Yildirim called the attempted coup a black stain on Turkish democracy that left 161 people dead and 1,440 wounded.
He said 2,839 military personnel had been detained as part of a crackdown on coup plotters.
Erdogan was on a seaside vacation when tanks rolled into the streets of Ankara and Istanbul. He flew home early Saturday and declared the coup to have failed.
"They have pointed the people's guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge. This government brought to power by the people is in charge," Erdogan told large crowds after landing at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport.
Government officials blamed the coup attempt on a U.S.-based moderate Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan has often accused the cleric and his supporters of attempting to overthrow the government. Gulen lives in exile in Pennsylvania and promotes a philosophy that blends a mystical form of Islam with staunch advocacy of democracy, education, science and interfaith dialogue.
Gulen, however, said he condemned "in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey" and sharply rejected any responsibility for the attempted coup.
Still, the government pressed ahead Saturday with a purge of judicial officials, with 2,745 judges being dismissed across Turkey for alleged ties to Gulen. Ten members of Turkey's highest administrative court were detained and arrest warrants were issued for 48 administrative court members and 140 members of Turkey's appeals court, state media reported.
After a Turkish military helicopter landed in Greece Saturday after sending a distress signal, the Turkish goverment demanded the prompt return of eight treacherous officers on board the aircraft.
The eight were arrested in Greece for entering the country illegaly and were identified as two majors, a captain and five privates by Anadolu Agency, a state-run news organization.
After landing on Greek soil, they requested political asylum and Greek officials said they would consider the request. The officials also said they would return the helicopter to Turkey "as soon as possible."
The coup attempt was swift and came as a surprise to allies in the region. Forces loyal to Erdogan put down the coup attempt in a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire.
Erdogan vowed that those responsible "will pay a heavy price for their treason."
NTV television aired footage of a Turkish colonel and other soldiers being taken into custody at military headquarters.
The video shows them being hand-searched by special forces police, their hands behind their heads. Some are later seen kneeling on the ground, their hands still held behind their heads.
According to Hurriyet newspaper's online edition, some of the privates who were detained told interrogators they were not aware that they were part of a coup attempt. They had been told by commanders they were taking part in military maneuvers. Some said they understood that it was a coup attempt when they saw civilians climb on tanks.
Military chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar was overseeing is taking the operation against the coup plotters, CNN-Turk said.
The coup attempt began late Friday, with a statement from the military saying it had seized control "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for law and order to be reinstated."
Fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. Soldiers backed by tanks blocked entry to Istanbul's airport for a couple of hours before being overtaken by pro-government crowds carrying Turkish flags, according to footage broadcast by the Dogan news agency.
But the military did not appear unified, as top commanders went on television to condemn the action and order troops back to their barracks.
Fighting continued into the early morning, with the sounds of huge blasts echoing across Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, including at least one bomb that hit the parliament complex. Television footage showed images of broken glass and other debris strewn across a lobby leading to the assembly hall.
In Washington, a statement from the White House said President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry agreed that both sides "should support the democratically elected government of Turkey, show restraint and avoid any violence or bloodshed."
A senior Defense Department official told Fox News that the unrest was having "no impact" on anti-ISIS missions flown out of Incirlik Air Base in southeastern Turkey.
Soldiers with tanks in Ankara streets. F16s are flying around 1000 feet very close to buildings. pic.twitter.com/QoBtvPs246 Ahmet S Yayla (@ahmetsyayla) July 15, 2016
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg issued a statement calling for "calm and restraint, and full respect for Turkey's democratic institutions and its constitution."
Leaders of Turkey's religious communities have released a joint statement condemning the attempted coup. The statement from representatives of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities declares "our great sorrow over the terrorist attacks that disturb the peace of our great nation and of the world."
Erdogan made his way to the Ataturk airport early Saturday and spoke to the crowds that gathered to greet him.
"They have pointed the people's guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge. This government brought to power by the people is in charge. They won't succeed as long as we stand against them by risking everything."
Fox News Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report. A FoxNews.com correspondent in Istanbul contributed to this report
Passengers who were temporarily evacuated from Nices airport Friday over a report of a suspicious package are now being allowed back inside, according to The Associated Press.
A Fox News producer in the French city said police were ordering passengers out of the airport because of the package. An Associated Press reporter at the scene said the terminal building had been sealed off and that military personnel are visible inside.
Two days before the anniversary of the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, the Islamic Republic attempted to launch a new type of ballistic missile using North Korean technology, multiple intelligence officials tell Fox News.
The test, in violation of a UN resolution, failed shortly after liftoff when the missile exploded, sources said. The effort occurred on the evening of July 11-12 near the Iranian city of Saman, an hour west of Isfahan, where Iran has conducted similar ballistic missile tests in the past.
It would be at least the fourth time Iran has launched or attempted to launch a ballistic missile since the nuclear accord was signed on July 14, 2015.
Iran is barred from conducting ballistic missile tests for eight years under UN Resolution 2231, which went effect July 20, 2015, days after the nuclear accord was signed.
Iran is called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology, according to the text of the resolution.
The landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers does not include provisions preventing Iran from conducting ballistic missile tests.
Iran claims its ballistic missile tests are legitimate because they are not designed to carry a nuclear warhead.
The most recent test was the first time Iran attempted to launch a version of the North Korean BM-25 Musudan ballistic missile, which has a maximum range of nearly 2,500 miles, putting U.S. forces in the Middle East and Israel within reach.
The extent of North Koreas involvement in the failed launch is not immediately clear, apart from North Korea sharing their technology, according to officials.
North Korea has had its own difficulties launching the Musudan missile of late.
Since April, North Korea has failed five consecutive times in launching one. But late last month, North Korea succeeded in putting into space a Musudan, which later splashed down 250 miles from North Korea into the Sea of Japan.
The U.S. military recently announced, over Chinese objections, that it would deploy an advanced anti-ballistic missile system known as THAAD into South Korea as a result of the gains in North Korean missile technology.
There was no immediate reaction from U.S. Central Command when asked for comment about the failed Iranian missile launch.
In an interview with Fox News in Baghdad Thursday, the head of Central Command, responsible for military operations in the Middle East, said Iran continues to cause trouble in the region.
Irans behavior hasnt significantly changed as a result of the nuclear agreement, said Gen. Joseph Votel. They continue to pursue malign activities, and they continue to foment instability in areas where we need stability so I remain concerned about that continued behavior.
Reuters reported last week that a confidential report by UN chief Ban Ki-moon called Irans ballistic missile program "not consistent with the constructive spirit" of the nuclear deal, but left it up to the UN Security Council to decide if Iran is in violation of UN resolution 2231. Russia and China are permanent members of the five-nation UN Security Council, and both have expressed reservations in the past about punishing Iran about its missile tests.
The Security Council is due to discuss the UN chiefs report on July 18.
Russia shipped components of an advanced third-generation air defense system to Iran earlier this year, drawing outrage from lawmakers on Capitol Hill. While the State Department is opposed to the deal, it does not violate either the nuclear agreement nor UN resolution 2231, according to a spokesperson.
In March, Iran sparked international condemnation when it test-fired two ballistic missiles, one emblazoned with the phrase Israel must be wiped out in Hebrew.
Iran conducted separate ballistic missile tests in October and November.
In March, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Votel was asked about Irans ballistic missile capabilities. He testified that Iran may in fact be more aggressive in the days since the [nuclear] agreement.
Votel told lawmakers the United States should continue to expose Iran for the role they play in the region, including its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, responsible for dropping barrel bombs on his own people, according to Votel.
He told Fox News aboard USS New Orleans, a 684-foot warship loaded with 650 Marines transiting the Strait of Hormuz this week that Iran should be held accountable for capturing 10 US Navy sailors in January at gunpoint and holding them for a day.
An Iranian missile boat and four other armed small boats shadowed New Orleans just miles from Iranian shores as she made her way though the strait, coming within 500 yards of the U.S. Navy warship. Such action by Iran has become routine, according to Navy officials.
Since December, Iran has shipped out its low-enriched uranium, disabled its heavy water reactor in Arak, and sold more than $8 million worth of heavy water to the U.S. government in compliance with the nuclear deal.
In January, the UNs nuclear watchdog declared that Iran had met its provisions in the nuclear deal, which ended many Western economic sanctions unlocking billions of dollars in sanctions relief.
In recent days, Iranian officials have voiced plans to conduct more tests.
Iran will strongly continue its missile program based on its own defense and national security calculations, foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on the ministrys website.
Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group has condemned the truck attack in France that killed at least 84 people in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations.
Hezbollah said in a statement Friday that a wave of terrorism hitting the world doesn't differentiate between "old or young, white or black and is not targeting a specific religion but humanity."
The group said that "what Western countries are witnessing is a reflection to "terrorism that we are living in our region that has burnt our people."
The monster behind the wheel of a box truck that plowed into Bastille Day revelers in Nice late Thursday - killing at least 84 - was a creepy petty criminal prone to violence, but not seen by police or neighbors as a religious fanatic, according to French reports.
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, once drove a delivery truck for a living, but he rented the 19-ton Renault that he turned into a killing machine on the seaside promenade where French citizens and tourists had just watched a fireworks show. Scores more were injured by what authorities called an act of terror that only ended when police shot and killed Bouhlel.
Although he had a string of run-ins with the law, Bouhlel was convicted of a crime for the first time in March, French Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said.
"There was an altercation between him and another driver and he hurled a wooden pallet at the man," Urvoas told reporters.
Bouhlel was given a suspended sentence and had to contact police once a week, which he did, Urvoas said.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL COVERAGE OF NICE TERROR ATTACK
Divorced, Bouhlel wore his hair like George Clooney and lived alone in an apartment in Nices Abattoirs neighborhood, according to French television station BFM TV.
Paris prosecutor Francois Molins told reporters police searched two locations in Nice on Friday, and confirmed that the ex-wife of the suspect has been arrested and is being held by police.
Bouhlel's neighbors on the city's east side recalled him as handsome, yet scary.
"I would say he was someone who was pleasing to women," a neighbor named Hanan told Reuters from the lobby of the apartment building where the madman lived. "But he was frightening. He didn't have a frightening face, but ... a look. He would stare at the children a lot."
No terror groups have taken credit for the attack, although ISIS-linked social media accounts have praised it. Al Qaeda has previously called on sympathizers to use trucks and cars to kill innocent civilians.
Bouhlel reportedly rented the truck earlier this week. While the promenade is typically closed to traffic, Bouhlel reportedly told police he was delivering ice cream to the festive crowd, then gunned the motor once past a checkpoint, zig-zagging through the terrified crowd as he weaved a path of carnage. Witnesses said he shoulted "Alahu Akhbar" when he jumped out and sprayed bullets at fleeing victims.
Citing Tunisian security sources, the Telegraph reported that Bouhlel was originally from that North African nations town of Msaken, near the coastal city of Sousse, where 38 people were gunned down by terrorists in June 2015. Bouhlel held a French residency permit for the last decade, but did not obtain French nationality, Tunisian sources said.
Other neighbors told BFM Bouhlel was not overtly religious, but had been depressed and even aggressive - over his divorce and financial problems.
"He (didn't) pray and liked girls and Salsa," BFM's crime correspondent reported.
A neighbor the channel identified as Jasmine said Bouhlel was "rude and a bit weird and had his hair cut like the famous actor.
"He kept to himself but would always rant about his wife, she said. He had marital problems and would tell people in the local cafe. He scared my children though."
Other neighbors told the channel Bouhlel was handsome, but creepy.
He had a police record that included assault with a weapon, domestic violence, threats and robbery but had no previous convictions for terrorism, the Telegraph reported.
Police raided several locations in and around Nice Friday. After the attack, they found a handgun, rifle and a number of fake weapons and grenades in the truck.
Nacogdoches, TX (75965)
Today
Plentiful sunshine. High around 75F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..
Tonight
Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Over And Above Celebrates Success At World Of Coffee 2016 Event
The company is showcasing the custom exhibition stands they built specifically for the event at OverandAbove.ie/.
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Exhibition stand design firm Over and Above has recently celebrated the success they had showcasing their skills at the World of Coffee event in the RDS in Dublin in late June 2016. The company was selected to design exhibition stands for a number of their clients who presented at the show. The Over and Above team was proud of the range of designs they were able to create and believes that they successfully embodied the personality of each of their clients. Photos from the World of Coffee 2016 event are available at the Over and Above website.
"One of the best things about our participation in World of Coffee this year is that we had the chance to design exhibitions for multiple clients, each one requiring a different look and feel." said Emer Sherlock, COO of Over and Above's.
"Some of our designs were more streamlined and industrial, while others allowed us to play with colour, quirks, and height. More than just focusing on quality, the range of design briefs that we were given afforded us the opportunity to infuse maximum creativity into each stand that our team built. In particular, the Bewley's canopy provided the 'wow factor' for the space and really stood out as one of our most memorable designs."
In addition to using their own exhibition stand design skills to add both a sense of luxury and creative flair to the World of Coffee event, the Over and Above team also collaborated with a chalk artist, Matthew Algie to create a chalk art exhibition. While the stand was created to be bold and bright, the chalk art added a bit of fun and whimsy to the design and made this particular stand one of the most impactful within the event space.
"As with all of our work, we aimed for quality first with every single design brief we took on at the World of Coffee event this year," Sherlock continued. However, our team was very excited to have been given such freedom to allow our creativity to shine through. Overall it was a fun project, and we are already looking forward to the next World of Coffee event in Budapest next year."
About Over and Above:
Over and Above is an international exhibition design and interior design company specialising in creative design for exhibition stands and interior spaces.
For more information, please visit http://overandabove.ie/
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Phone: +353 1 619 0055
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/over-and-above-celebrates-success-at-world-of-coffee-2016-event/123019
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Heat Shield Market (Aluminum, Metallic, Non-Metallic) Seeing 5.06% CAGR to Reach $4.19Bn by 2021
The market size of heat shield is projected to reach USD 4.19 billion by 2021 and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.06% between 2016 and 2021 while by material type, non-metallic heat shield captures the largest share of the heat shield market.
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Heat shields are segmented as metallic and non-metallic based on the material type. Non-metallic heat shield is the most commonly used heat shield material mainly due to rising use of composites and related materials in the manufacturing of heat shields. In addition, the non-metallic heat shields are lighter in weight and have high temperature resisting capacity, which accounts for their higher market share.
Complete report on global heat shield market spread across 123 pages, profiling 10 companies and supported with 85 tables and 46 figures is now available at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/heat-shield-market-by-end-use-industry-automotive-aircraft-defense-firearm-and-material-type-aluminum-metallic-non-metallic-global-trends-forecasts-to-2021-market-report.html .
The growing demand from the end-use industries such as automotive, aircraft, and defense is expected to drive the demand for heat shield. Increasing automotive and aircraft production and rising concern towards safety and security, especially in the exhaust system of automotive and aircrafts are the major factors boosting the heat shield market.
The automotive industry is expected to witness the highest growth rate between 2016 and 2021. The demand for heat shields in this industry is estimated to rise, especially due to the rise in the demand for passenger cars in the emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil. The heat shield market is also expected to grow due to rising safety concerns in the exhaust system of automotive. Rising demands for luxury cars which require more heat shield protection due to large number of comfort and high-end features is further expected to boost the heat shield market.
Asia-Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing heat shield market, in terms of value. Increasing middle class population, rise in the automotive manufacturing activities in the region, and the presence of key heat shield manufacturers in the region are the major factors boosting the heat shield market in the region.
The report includes company profiles of key players and recent activities undertaken in the heat shield market such as new product launches, expansions, and R&D. Some of the major companies profiled in this report are Morgan Advanced Materials (U.K.), Dana Holding Corporation (U.S.), Federal Mogul Holding Corporation (U.S.), Autoneum Holdings AG (Switzerland), Lydall Inc. (U.S.), Elringklinger AG (Germany), Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG (Germany), UGN Inc. (U.S.), ThermoTec Automotive (U.S.), and Zircotec (U.K). Request a discount on this report at http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/discount?rname=632018 .
To determine the market size of various segments and sub-segments of the heat shield market, extensive secondary research is done. In the process of determining and verifying, the market size for several segments and sub segments gathered through secondary research, extensive primary interviews were conducted with key people. In Tier 1 (37%), Tier 2 (50%) and Tier 3 (13%) companies were contacted for primary interviews. The interviews were conducted with various key people such as C-level Executives (50%), Directors Level (31%) and others (19%) from various key organizations operating in the global heat shield market. The primary interviews were conducted worldwide covering regions such as North America (28%), Western Europe (24%), Central Europe (17%), Asia-Pacific (14%), the Middle East & Africa (10%) and Latin America (7%).
On a related, another research on Automotive Heat Shield Market Global Trends & Forecasts to 2020 says, the market in the Asia-Pacific region is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR, by value, of 8.4% from 2015 to 2020. Growing adoption of electronics in automobiles, the increasing demand for luxury vehicles, and technological advancements in heat shields are the major factors. The report classifies and defines the global automotive heat shield market size, in terms of volume and value. Companies like Autoneum Holding AG (Switzerland), Elring Klinger AG (Germany), and Federal-Mogul Corporation (U.S.) have been profiled in this 207 pages research report http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/automotive-heat-shield-market-by-vehicle-type-application-exhaust-system-under-bonnet-turbocharger-engine-compartment-under-chassis-material-metallic-non-metallic-off-highway-vehicle-loader-excavator-and-by-region-global-tren-market-report.html .
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Source: http://marketersmedia.com/heat-shield-market-aluminum-metallic-non-metallic-seeing-5-06-cagr-to-reach-4-19bn-by-2021/123342
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Edequity's Edwin Javius Levels Playing Field In America's Urban School Districts
Edequity's Edwin Javius is changing the educational landscape in our minority and urban school districts throughout California and beyond. Javius has shared his reflections and advice in an interview. Further information can be found at http://edequity.com/
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Mr. Edequity himself Dr. Edwin Lou Javius has been honored with the NAACP Silicon Valley Educator of the Year recognition, Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) 1st statewide Valuing Diversity Administrator of the year recipient 2001 and the Association of African American Educators Professional Development Statewide Leadership Recognition. This recognition is, in part, a result of Javius's work within the educational consulting arena, specifically his work in authoring several nationally renowned articles on Courageous Equity Leadership, being the Features Speaker in the 13th International Association of Positive Behavior Support and working with low income/minority students in families in empowering student success.
Javius, a native of San Francisco, California, has been involved with the educational consulting world for 29 years, getting his start after providing tutoring to high school students in an Urban High School (1987) formed his desire to work in the field of education, become a teacher, administrator, district leaders and business leader.. In response to a question on the driving force behind his success, Javius has explained how it really boiled down to providing a just and fair school system for poor income and students of color. Ending the racial achievement gap in schools..
Reflecting on the recognition, Javius is quoted as saying: "My greatest achievement is surviving a school system that was not fair! Being honored with the 1st California Valuing Administrator of the year award. In addition, being a leader of educational leaders of consultants to close the racial achievement gap."
In a recent one-to-one interview, Javius reminisced on other past achievements, which helped build momentum towards the present day. Notably, one of the proudest was to open a non-profit organization Education Empowerment as well as being the Silicon Valley Educator of the Year Recipient.
In the same interview, Javius stated his intentions for the future. The primary goal for the next 12 months, Javius states, will be expanding EDEquity and Education Empowerment services in 5 to 10 states outside California. Looking farther ahead, the aim is to continue to develop successful school design and models to improve school leaders/ teacher efficacy and student outcomes.
When asked more personally about how he'd want to be perceived and remembered, Javius said: "I want to be known and remembered as a school and community leader with the ruthless compassion to eradicate school inequities and institutional racism in America"
Javius closed the interview by sharing his recommendation for anybody who wanted to follow in his footsteps in some fashion, perhaps taking the achievements even further. According to Edwin Javius, the key is humility and servant leadership. Believing in the noble intent of all people despite surface hate and lack of understanding. Success is when opportunity meets preparation! There is no substitute for purposeful planning..
Further information can be found at http://edequity.com/
For more information, please visit http://edequity.com/
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Address: 1735 Technology Drive Ste 420 San Jose CA 95110
Phone: 559-790-1093
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Clear Cloud Assists Home-Start Lincolnshire with Cloud Computing Needs
UK-based cloud computing solutions provider specialising in IT for charities fulfills charity group's need for flexible and cost-effective IT foundation.
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Clear Cloud, a UK-based cloud computing solutions provider specialising in IT for charities, has successfully assisted Home-Start Lincolnshire with its cloud computing needs. Consisting of a group of charities based in Lincolnshire, Home-Start has been working in this area of England since 1984, with the eight "schemes" throughout Lincolnshire boasting trained volunteers to support local families for a combined total of nearly 32 years helping over 1,000 families and 2,300 children each year. Recently, the charity recognised a need for a flexible and cost-effective IT foundation that would enable it to deliver its valuable family support services from any location. The chief concern here that Home-Start personnel shared was that staff would have to be able to communicate with each other and access their documents from any location - including home. Learning about the cost-savings that can be achieved by adopting Microsoft's 365 platform as compared to an on-premises server-based model, Home-Start Lincolnshire representatives turned to Clear Cloud to take advantage of some of these benefits. Clear Cloud ensured the charity group is being as cost-effective as possible by moving them to Office 365, boasting significant efficiency and productivity value, with all minutes for meetings and action points now able to be stored and shared via OneNote. According to Home-Start reps, the time savings alone in this endeavor has been significant. By using the full Office 365 feature set, Home-Start Lincolnshire is now 100-percent cloud-based and has not needed to purchase costly servers; this also means that the group can move offices easily and not need to worry about server hardware replacements every four to five years.
We live in a complex world where communication and access should be available 24/7, and a key driver for Home-Start Lincolnshire was to have the ability to communicate with each other from various locations. The fact that various charities were merging into one meant that it was imperative for staff to be able to 'see' and communicate with each other across all their offices. Deploying a hosted Skype for Business unified communication solution has enabled this for them.
"I no longer send an email that gets lost in the hundreds of others, or pick up a phone to call the office simply to ask if they are free to talk to me...I can see, instantly, what they are doing," says Tracey Ruddock, CEO of Home-Start Lincolnshire. "We experienced a process problem in one of our offices, and we were able to get it solved within seconds by asking the question via instant messaging - that alone saved hours of time in problem-solving."
"Overall knowledge is shared and decisions get made instantly."
Clear Cloud is based in Lincoln at Clear Cloud Services, BG Futures, Longdales Road, Lincoln, LN1 3DY. They can also be reached by calling 0800 471 4892. For more information visit www.ClearCloudServices.co.uk or email hello@ClearCloudServices.co.uk.
For more information, please visit https://www.clearcloudservices.co.uk/
Contact Info:
Name: Sasha Cooper
Email: sasha@monkfish-uk.com
Organization: Monkfish Web Design Lincoln
Address: E24 Enterprise Building, Rope Walk, Lincoln, LN6 7DQ Lincoln United Kingdom
Phone: 08001613879
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Exclusiv Kitchens Bayside Releases Kitchen Renovations Pricing Guide
Exclusiv Kitchens Bayside has released a guide titled Exclusiv Kitchens: Kitchen Renovation Pricing Guide. For those interested in downloading the guide at no cost, it is currently available at http://www.exclusivkitchens.com.au/exclusiv-kitchen-renovation-pricing-guide/
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Exclusiv Kitchens Bayside has recently released a guide titled: "Exclusiv Kitchens: Kitchen Renovation Pricing Guide". This guide aims to give home owners and investors information to estimate how much their kitchen renovations should cost. It's main aim is to keep Brisbane kitchen companies honest, because they're overcharging by tens of thousands of dollars despite claiming they're giving special discounts.
https://youtu.be/sbdff9Tw6xA
The guide is freely available to the general public, thought leaders within the home improvement industry and anyone with an interest in kitchen renovations.
The guide was also written with a specific focus on home owners and investors since Edwin Hough, author of the guide, believes "we could see a need to educate the market about all the costs involved in a kitchen renovation."
When asked about why they released the guide at this time, Edwin Hough, Owner at Exclusiv Kitchens Bayside said: "We've had a number of client's come through our doors that were being significantly overcharged by our competitors. Our competitors use deceptive discounts to lure people into their showroom and then use a hard sell approach. We take a very different approach, appreciating that a kitchen renovation is one of the largest investments most people will make in their lives. We let our clients take as much time as they need and we offer them the best price we can without tricking them into thinking they're getting a massive discount, when they're not. That's why we pulled together our kitchen renovation pricing guide to inform consumers how much their kitchen renovation should cost."
Interested parties can find the guide, at http://www.exclusivkitchens.com.au/exclusiv-kitchen-renovation-pricing-guide/
Exclusiv Kitchens Bayside was founded in 2007 and has old school values. It's best known for listening to customers, not rushing them into a decision and providing high quality kitchen design, renovation and installation.
Its unique position within its industry gives it the authority to produce a guide on kitchen renovation pricing because they don't mind being completely honest and transparent about kitchen pricing.
For example, the guide aims to provide home owners and investors information to estimate how much their kitchen renovation should cost. It gives valuable information to the reader that will ultimately benefit them by knowing the costs involved so they can appropriately budget for their desired kitchen renovation and avoid high cost kitchen renovation companies. This insight simply wouldn't be possible, or their advice nearly as effective, without the 10 years spent in the kitchen renovations world so far.
More information on Exclusiv Kitchens Bayside can be found at http://www.exclusivkitchens.com.au/
The Report "Kitchen Renovation Pricing Guide" can be downloaded at http://www.exclusivkitchens.com.au/exclusiv-kitchen-renovation-pricing-guide/
For more information, please visit http://www.exclusivkitchens.com.au/
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Phone: (07) 3823 3903
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Office Furniture Reconfiguration Service In Washington DC, Baltimore Maryland And Virginia Launched By Office Furniture Installation Experts
Office Furniture Installation Experts is rapidly expanding their business in different cities and has been recently launched by Mid Atlantic Office Furniture Installers.
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The newly launched company, Office Furniture Experts has been going through a phase of rapid growth and expansion. They have been adding new services in their offering; the company recently announced the launch of their new service Office furniture reconfiguration in Washington DC, Baltimore Maryland and Virginia.
Talking about their newest service, the company spokesperson said: "We provide office furniture installation service around Washington DC, Baltimore Maryland and northern Virginia. Our company installs and reconfigures office furniture, systems furniture, cubicles, medical furniture, school furniture, corporate furniture, modular furniture and hotel furniture purchased online or in local stores that comes into Flat pack; at the customer office." The Office Furniture Installation Experts take immense pride in their team of installers and staff, the office furniture installation company spokesperson further said: "Our team of professional installers specializes in the assembling and installation of your system modular furniture in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. Our installation team is trained with experienced team leaders to make sure each and every installation project we manage is completed within the deadline."
Accustomed to working on tight schedules the Office Furniture Installation Experts office reconfiguration professionals can finish each project in a timely and efficient manner, so their clients can depend on the company to deliver high quality. The knowledgeable staff is able to provide reconfiguration service for office furniture and equipment that can only be trusted in capable hands due to it complex design intended for commercial and specialized use.
Office Furniture Installation Experts also offer professional installation services of all kind of office furniture including furniture from all popular brands. Office Furniture Installation Experts are recognized as the best at providing commercial office installations and reconfiguration services that include bigger office furniture for hotels, clinics, hospitals and more. Office Furniture Installation Experts have project supervisors that always keep their customers involved and informed during the whole installation process to make sure that the customer is completely satisfied with their work.
About: Office Furniture Installation Experts is rapidly expanding their business in different cities and has been recently launched by Mid Atlantic Office Furniture Installers. The company is always looking forward to facilitate as much customers as they can. Office Furniture Installation Experts works 24 hours a day and 7 days a week and has been proudly serving since 3 years. For more details visit http://www.officefurnitureinstallationexperts.com/
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Contact Info:
Name: Furniture Assembly Experts
Organization: Furniture Assembly Experts
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/office-furniture-reconfiguration-service-in-washington-dc-baltimore-maryland-and-virginia-launched-by-office-furniture-installation-experts/123597
Release ID: 123597
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Military-Grade Noklite LED Flashlight Is Now Available To The General Public
A personal favorite of Army Rangers, CIA operatives, NATO peacekeepers, and many others, the rechargeable, adjustable flashlight produces up to 1200 lumens from a Cree Q5 LED, Noklite reports
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Noklite now offers the company's military-grade, rechargeable, LED-based flashlights to the general public and at wholesale prices. Noklite Flashlights incorporate top-quality Cree LED elements to deliver up to 1200 lumens of light, with an included, rechargeable 3.7-volt battery doing away with disposables.
The creation of a pair of distinguished Navy Commanders, the compact, rugged Noklite flashlight maintains an honored place in the personal kits of CIA field operatives, Army Rangers, Interpol investigators, and NATO peacekeepers, among others. By opening up sales of its flashlights to the public, Noklite gives those who demand the best affordable, convenient access to a device that has proved itself in some of the world's harshest environments. The company's flashlights are available now at the Noklite website at wholesale-level prices that are a fraction of what might be expected for equipment of this grade.
"We're proud to announce that our highly regarded adjustable flashlights are now available to the public at our website," Noklite representative Tristan Jones said, "Producing up to 1200 lumens from a fully charged 186530 battery, our flashlights deliver twice the illumination available from the gear issued to Navy Seals. They do that from a compact, extremely rugged chassis, making them the perfect choice for the toughest missions. Having made so many waves among elite military and intelligence operatives, we're excited to be able to open up sales to the general public. Our wholesale pricing also means that acquiring a high-tech, military-grade piece of gear is within reach of all."
Noklite was born when two former Navy Commanders put their heads together to rethink the standard load-outs carried by today's soldiers. With at least 50 pounds of gear weighing down every Marine today, for example, the pair felt that the advances delivered by modern technology were not being leveraged sufficiently.
Going back to the drawing board to re-imagine an especially important piece of equipment, the team created the first Noklight flashlight. Based around fully rechargeable, high-capacity batteries, instead of the drugstore-style parts still included in the flashlights issued to Navy Seals, the new flashlight immediately attracted attention from members of the special forces and other discerning users.
With five modes of operation and adjustable output that ranges from 800 to 1200 lumens on a fully charged battery, the 5.3-inch flashlight produces more intense light than most devices of much larger size and greater weight. An aircraft-quality aluminum housing and a rugged Cree Q5 LED lighting element allow the Noklite flashlight to deliver reliable service under even the harshest conditions.
All of these features and others have already made Noklite a top choice among members of the CIA, Interpol, the Army Rangers, and NATO peacekeeping forces when assembling personal kits for duty in the field. With the Noklite flashlight now available for sale to the general public at unprecedented prices, the company expects that demand will be high.
About Noklite:
A top choice among Army Rangers, CIA operatives, NATO peacekeepers, and other demanding professionals, the Cree Q5-driven Noklite rechargeable LED flashlight delivers powerful illumination from a rugged, compact chassis.
For more information, please visit https://www.noklite.com
Contact Info:
Name: Tristan Jones
Organization: Noklite.com
Address: 8805 Jeffreys St. Suite 2014 Las Vegas, Nevada 89123
Phone: (800) 982-4212
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/military-grade-noklite-led-flashlight-is-now-available-to-the-general-public/123621
Release ID: 123621
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Beachwood Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa Break Ground On New Offices For Practice Expansion
On Wednesday, June 15th, Dr. Steven Goldman and the staff of Beachwood Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa broke ground on their new Beachwood offices, ahead of major expansion.
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Plastic surgery is more popular now than ever before, and as both technologies and methodologies are advancing, the results it can create are more seamless and sophisticated than ever before. Individuals seeking plastic surgery must trust only the best practitioners in the industry with a decision that life-changing. Dr. Steven Goldman is an artist and collaborator who aims to help create the results clients have always dreamed of, turning Beachwood Plastic Surgery into one of the most popular plastic surgery offices in the country. This popularity has caused them to break ground on brand new offices, which will house their new and cutting edge practice.
The new building will comprise approximately 8300 square feet of space, and will include medical office space, a state of the art surgery center, and a comprehensive medical spa. This shows Beachwood nearly tripling in size, compared to its current offices.
In addition to expanding the medical office and medical spa, the building will include specially designed rooms for laser treatments like skin resurfacing and laser hair removal. There will also be specialized spaces for non-surgical technologies like the Coolsculpting procedure, Ulthera treatments, and Miradry.
The building was designed by Erbach Waddell Architects and is being constructed by A.M. Higley Co. As part of the plan, Dr. Goldman's current operating facility will be expanded as an integrated but free-standing facility.
A spokesperson for Beachwood Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa explained, "The Design of the building typifies the Beachwood Plastic Surgery philosophy of providing highly individualized care with an emphasis on patient safety using advanced but proven technologies in a discrete, comfortable setting. By creating a purpose built space, we able to define and optimize the patient experience as never before."
About Beachwood Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa: Beachwood Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa is the practice of Dr. Steven Goldman, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Cleveland. He specializes in cosmetic surgery of the face and body including breast augmentation, facelift, rhinoplasty, and tummy tuck. Beachwood Plastic Surgery believes cosmetic surgery is a fusion of Science, Medicine, and Art, and aim for outstanding results every time. For additional information, please contact Beachwood Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa at 216-514-8899 or through www.drgoldman.com.
For more information, please visit http://drgoldman.com
Contact Info:
Name: Dr. Steven Goldman
Email: info@drgoldman.com
Organization: Beachwood Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa
Phone: 216-514-8899
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/beachwood-plastic-surgery-and-medical-spa-break-ground-on-new-offices-for-practice-expansion/123632
Release ID: 123632
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Falcon PEV Launch Overseas Delivery With Expanded Range Of Innovative Electric Scooters
Falcon PEV is Singapore's leading online electric scooter store, and is now offering free worldwide shipping on orders over $1,000.
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Scooters have been around for at least the last hundred years, and kick scooters were first popularized by Honda in the 70's. These products have undergone a great many innovations in that time, but only in the last few years has battery technology become sufficiently advanced to power these a new generation of electric scooters. Now, there is a revolution at hand, and Falcon PEV is helping people in Singapore enjoy the latest electric scooter models. Now, they have announced global distribution for their entire product line, including free delivery worldwide on any order over $1,000.
The website has a comprehensive range of scooters, from gyroscopic unicycles and hoverboards to rugged off-road electric scooters. The site also has a dedicated sale section which enables people to get the best possible deal on a cheap electric scooter. Every order is tested, tuned and signed off before being delivered to ensure optimum performance, and ready to use straight out from the box.
In many cases, Falcon PEV is the sole authorized distributor of the major makes and models in Singapore. This is because Falcon PEV is so much more than an online store. They have several physical locations in Singapore, and offer repair and serving together with a comprehensive catalogue of spare parts for home repairs. Their Singapore orders can be fulfilled with next day delivery.
A spokesperson for Falcon PEV explained, "We are thrilled to be able to offer truly global reach for these amazing products, and we are confident that our prices will be competitive worldwide. This means more people than ever will have access to outstanding quality electric scooters. These can revolutionize the way people get around busy urban spaces, or enjoy their recreation time outdoors. The website now has full international support to encourage more customers, and we look forward to shipping our first international orders very soon."
About Falcon PEV: Official Distributor and Service Center of the best electric scooter brands like the Myway, Inokim, Ninebot, Kleefer, I-MAX, Zero, Powerocks and Zoom Air electric scooters in Singapore. They are now looking to offer international distribution to these increasingly popular products, at competitive rates. Their dedicated team regularly update the store with the latest products and innovations.
For more information, please visit https://www.falconpev.com.sg/
Contact Info:
Name: PRWhirlWind
Email: sales@falconpev.com.sg
Organization: Falcon PEV
Phone: +65 6745 7882
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/falcon-pev-launch-overseas-delivery-with-expanded-range-of-innovative-electric-scooters/123630
Release ID: 123630
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A North Carolina Doctor Adds Drug Charges to His Record
( July 15, 2016 ) Greenville, NC -- Dr. Douglas Elry Watford has been sentenced with two years of probation after being found guilty for illegally selling hydrocodone and Xanax. Watford had to abandon his licence to practice medicine which he can not restore in any state as part of his probationary agreement. The doctor was punished by the North Carolina Medical Board in 2015 for disregarding the regulations that concern the safety of prescribed controlled substances. Dr. Watford has been charged with six counts of illegal distribution of Xanax and hydrocodone. Both of these drugs are addictive substances and rank highly on a habit forming scale.
A representative from Drug and Alcohol Rehab Charlotte said: " being a doctor is about having a concern for people who need help and are willing to accept some. This fraudulent and unsympathetic behaviour is extremely selfish. Those who have bought controlled substances from Dr. Watford have put their lives in danger. This is an unacceptable practice for a medical professional."
About Drug and Alcohol Rehab Charlotte 27111:
Drug and Alcohol Rehab Charlotte is an organization offering detox and rehabilitation services to Tennessee residents and all other U.S. citizens. The drug rehab in North Carolina proudly serves all those in need of help overcoming their substance abuse disorders. Clients are in control of their own recovery with choices in the type of program they undertake and the method of treatment: inpatient, outpatient, or partial hospitalization.With a staff dedicated to empowering each client and providing them the skills and tools necessary to end their addiction, Drug and Alcohol Rehab Charlotte is a rehabilitation center like no other. For more information, please visit http://drugandalcoholrehabcharlotte.com/ or call (704) 586-9353.
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Carousel Wear Launches Its New Collection Of Affordable Hand Smocked Girls & Boys Clothing
A company who designs varied embroidered styles and collections for children of all ages, from babies to grown up kids; fine apparel for all seasons or special occasions.
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Carousel Wear, the leading provider of hand smocked children's dress clothing, has launched its new range of affordable high-end quality clothing for girls and boys. The company will be offering its fresh collection of hand smocked dresses through its website and exceptional online portals like Amazon, Facebook, Pinterest, Etsy and Jet.com.
It must be noted that Carousel Wear started operations in 2005 and since then has been catering to the requirements of newborns, infants and toddlers. The brand offers a wide range of apparels for kids including frocks, smocked bishop dresses, christening gowns, baptism gowns, smocked outfits, bloomer sets, rompers, silk dresses, flower girls dresses and more.
The company also offers trendy and unique boys apparels such as John John, short sets, shortalls, longalls, buttons on shorts outfits, Christening suits and gowns, and more.
Sharing more information about the brand Bibiana Fonseca, owner of Carousel Wear clarified, "Carousel Wear offers quality, unique and affordable clothes for kids of all age groups. Our smocked clothing is hand embroidered and made up of superior quality fabric such as pima cotton, dupioni silks, corduroys and taffetas. We design clothing for all seasons and occasions including Christmas, Thanksgiving Day, Halloween, Easter and other holidays. Carousel Wear is also renowned for offering matching sister and brother outfits and coordinated clothing in varied sizes for customers who need large size clothes for their eight to ten year old kids.
The company also emphasizes on using traditional hand-made embroidery methods instead of using smocked computerized sewing, which means most of their apparels are manually created with the help of hand, thread and needle. Currently, the company has been selling its products in the United States as well as other prominent countries such as Britain, Dubai, Canada, Australia, Israel, Brazil and many other lovely locations across the globe.
Customers can select their favorite styles and patterns by scanning Carousel Wear's easy to navigate categories by gender, age and price. The brand also offers attractive discounts, promotions and offers for its customers through its secure and user friendly web site. For more information about the company visit Carousel Wear.
The company also has a strong social media presence and invites new or existing customers to check out Carousel Wear's social media pages on FaceBook, Instagram and Pinterest pages for regular updates.
About:
Carousel Wear was established by its present owner Bibiana Fonseca in 2005. Bibiana learned a lot about stitching and sewing from her mom who used to design most of her clothes. Bibiana later moved away from Colombia to stay together with her husband in Florida where she raised her two kids. She always wanted a niche where she could work from home and also look after her boys. This prompted her to experiment with hand smocking and embroidery and she eventually launched Carousel Wear; a business that focuses on traditional clothing for little new born baby angels through toddlers.
For more information, please visit https://www.CarouselWear.com
Contact Info:
Name: Bibiana Fonseca
Email: info@carouselwear.com
Organization: Carousel Wear
Phone: 352-530-3090
Video URL: https://youtu.be/zdIeQ43legI
Source: http://marketersmedia.com/carousel-wear-launches-its-new-collection-of-affordable-hand-smocked-girls-boys-clothing/123658
Release ID: 123658
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Bollywood Actor and Model, Suchhi Kumar Receives Humanitarian Award at the 4th G.O.D. Gala Suchhi will be honored at the 4th Global Officials of Dignity Awards(G.O.D. Awards) on August 17-19, 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. View as PDF Print View July 15, 2016 (FPRC) -- Bollywood Actor and Model Suchhi Kumar never imagined he would receive a humanitarian award someday. A natural giver, Suchhi loves giving back to the community quietly. Last Christmas, Suchhi played a big role in the "Global Santa Project" of We Care for Humanity WCH where he was responsible for bringing happiness to at least 2000 children in India.
"Mr. Kumar is a hardworking person and he takes his craft seriously, yet he put charity in a special spot in his heart. That is why we, at the honoree committee are very excited to honor Mr. Kumar with Humanitarian Bollywood Actor of the Year!", exclaimed Princess Maria Amor, founder and president of We Care for Humanity and creator of the G.O.D. Awards. In addition she said, " He is a great example of performing artists who use their talents and skills for humanitarianism, we should have more artists like him in the Hollywood and Bollywood Industry".
Suchhi will be honored at the 4th Global Officials of Dignity Awards(G.O.D. Awards) on August 17-19, 2016 at the United Nations Headquarters, New York. Both flagship events are organized by We Care for Humanity and its philanthropic partners: SREI Foundation, J & B Medical Company, HWPL and China-US Business Association.
About Suchhi Kumar:
Suchhi Kumar, a talented and popular model and Indian actor, said "My life is my way, my way is my destiny and my destiny is my life." He follows an excellent motto, which is known as "my life, my way and my destiny." An energetic face with an engraved body, Suchhi kumar easily took over the stunning modelling field and this was the surprising turn of Bollywood" Mumbai.
First thing, one can know about Suchhi kumar, is God comes first in his life. He is one of the sincere human being, one could ever meet and know. He is from Varanasi, UP and started his career as an excellent model and winning the famous "Best Physique" award in North India. After that, he shifted to Delhi where he consolidated his modeling career as a brand ambassador of many prestigious brands, including Kumar-shirts, Levi's, Leo shoes, etc. He is an adoring as well as creative person, always using his mind in order to make any research and develop fresh concepts for his exclusive projects.
Suchhi comes from the family with excellent values which makes him who he is today.
He has always enjoyed acting since he was a small child and he is fortunate that now he earn his living by doing what he love the most, known as Acting, Acting, Acting! He got an excellent opportunity to assist some of the highly experienced and brilliant directors of Bollywood industry, accordingly learned lots of useful things from them. Along with this, he also got a fantastic chance to travel all around the world where he truly learned about various cultures and met awesome personalities from the international film industry. He is fond of the martial arts and was blessed to obtain training from experienced and talented masters in Japan, which is being very useful today because he want to establish himself as an action oriented actor.
While speaking about his new challenge, it is implementing his own production company SILVER DOLLAR PRODUCTION which he is recently launched. His main aim is to enlarge his activities as well as to provide best services in everything which related to event and film production. His company also has a branch in Mauritius and Africa as he wants to deal on a global level. "My journey is lead by God, and he's putting people on my path, to guide my life and I always wish the best for everyone, and encourage them to stay prayerful", said by Suchhi Kumar. In addition, he always expresses his deepest gratitude to all his fans for their support, blessings and love.
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A law firm has called on the new chancellor of the Exchequer not to alter the tax benefits if the UK economy continues to take a pummeling in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Yesterday, Philip Hammond took the reins as chancellor after George Osborne decided to step down following Theresa Mays reshuffle of the cabinet.
Shortly after the cabinet roles had been announced, Mr Hammond pledged he would scale back on austerity measures.
Two partners at international law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner have given their views on what the chancellor should be thinking about as he looks at Britains tax policy for a post-Brexit world.
Elizabeth Bradley, head of corporate tax at Berwin Leighton Paisner, said the new chancellors primary challenge is now to reassure businesses and kick-start investment.
Ms Bradley said, however, some of the tax benefits - such as exemptions from tax on dividends, and tax deductions for interest - might change if the public finances worsen. The new chancellor would be wise to retain the tax benefits. Elizabeth Bradley
But she added: The new chancellor would be wise to retain them, and where possible strengthen them, to preserve our competitiveness.
Meanwhile, Alan Sinyor, partner and head of VAT, said lowering the VAT rate back to 17.5 per cent would go a long way to helping encourage people to spend.
Mr Hammond should aim to simplify the VAT rules to make them more business-friendly.
The governments priority must be to do all it can to preserve the competitiveness of the UK, and simplifying and modernising the UKs VAT system could play a key role in this.
katherine.denham@ft.com
The Bank of Englands decision to keep the base rate on hold came as a surprise to the markets.
Along with brokers, lenders and analysts, my mouth fell open in shock when it was announced that the monetary policy committee had voted to maintain the base rate at 0.5 per cent.
Just days ago Bank of England governor Mark Carney publicly stated that more monetary easing was on the table, including the possibility of action at the July meeting.
However on Thursday he voted to keep the base rate on hold.
This is another clear example of forward misguidance from the governor.
The sort of misdirection that would get you financial advisers in a great deal of trouble, but makes him an amazing magician/governor - you can choose which.
Upon the news, Sterling raced higher in reaction, gaining 2.7 per cent on the session to reach a peak of $1.3470. It eased back, but by late yesterday (14 July) was still 1.5 per cent higher at $1.33.
But what prompted the decision to stick at 0.5 per cent this month? A base rate drop at this time would have indicated that the Bank of England thought we were undoubtedly headed toward recession. Emma Ann Hughes
The available evidence so far showed a weak housing market and reduced confidence.
One independent member, Gertjan Vlieghe, who had already been close to voting for a rate cut before the referendum, cast his ballot for an immediate cut of a quarter of a percentage point.
He justified his vote saying the early evidence suggested demand would weaken.
So why not cut the base rate now?
The committee stated they were waiting for more evidence of the negative impact of Brexit, despite noting the likelihood of a significantly lower path for growth.
Most members said they were minded to take action in their August meeting, in order to limit the economic damage stemming from the result of the EU referendum.
Given how Mr Carney made everyone think a base rate cut was coming this week, this remark about action in August may be viewed much more sceptically.
Ultimately though, the fact the base rate was held for the 88th month in a row can only be seen as a good thing.
Theresa Mays appointment as prime minister has already buoyed the markets and helped Sterling bounce back a little.
A base rate drop at this time would have indicated that the central bank thought we were undoubtedly headed toward recession, giving out further negative messages to the markets at a time when things have been rallying.
But dont all breathe a sigh of relief just yet.
Just because the committee decided not to cut the base rate, does not mean the base rate drop will stay at 0.5 per cent in August.
New Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom must keep her promises that farmers will be paid the same level of subsidies after Britain leaves the EU, the leader of the Liberal Democrats has insisted.
Mrs Leadsom replaced Liz Truss as Defra secretary in prime minister Theresa Mays Cabinet reshuffle on Thursday (14 July).
British farmers receive between 2.4bn and 3bn a year in subsidies from Brussels under the CAP.
See also: What can farmers expect from Andrea Leadsom?
Prominent Vote Leave campaigner Mrs Leadsom said during the EU referendum debate that the UK government will give you the same money when we leave the EU.
She also recently pledged to keep direct subsidies in the short-term. However, in a 2007 blog post about agriculture, Mrs Leadsom said subsidies must be abolished.
South Lakes MP and Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has written to Mrs Leadsom insisting she must keep her referendum promises.
Mr Farron said farmers needed reassurance at a very difficult time for many.
Now is the time for Andrea Leadsom to honour the promises she made to our farmers during the referendum campaign Tim Farron, Liberal Democrats
Figures from AHDB Dairy released this week showed 72 Cumbrian dairy farmers have gone out of business in the past three years, including four in the past month alone.
Now is the time for Andrea Leadsom to honour the promises she made to our farmers during the referendum campaign, said Mr Farron.
She must protect the support that our farmers rely on. She must back up her promises with action.
The farming community is under a lot of pressure at the moment, and without this support even more farmers will be driven under.
I will do all I can to fight to protect our farmers.
Mr Farron said a Defra minister told him on Friday morning (15 July) that decisions on the future of agricultural support will be taken once the new government is in place.
NFU reaction
The NFU did not address the question of subsidies in its reaction to Mrs Leadsoms appointment.
NFU president Meurig Raymond said: We need a guarantee from government that agreements for farmers in agri-environment schemes will be honoured in full; we need a continuing commitment to the 25-year TB eradication strategy.
And above all, we hope that Mrs Leadsom will champion British food and farming.
Jonnie Hall, NFU Scotlands director of policy, said: With agriculture taking nearly 40% of the European budget and tariff-free trade providing important markets for Scottish produce, it is vital that the new Defra secretary hits the ground running and recognises the significance of the sector as we commence our withdrawal from the EU.
Country Land and Business Associations five priorities
Country Land and Business Association president Ross Murray said: Highest on the agenda will be immediate action to reduce uncertainty in the wake of the vote for Brexit.
We will be asking Andrea Leadsom to make swift commitments on five priority issues for the rural economy ensuring direct payments up to 2020; honouring agri-environment agreements; establishing a new food, farming and environmental policy to succeed and better the CAP; engaging in full and clear consultation with farmers; and honouring commitments under current EU structural fund programmes.
A Defra spokesman said: We now have an unparalleled opportunity to make sure all our policies are delivering for Britain and to grow our world leading food and farming industry.
It is business as usual for farmers who will continue to receive support payments.
Though the secretary of state is very clear this now needs to be looked at carefully and is looking forward to working with industry and the public to develop new proposals that support our agricultural industry as we leave the EU.
Story Highlights 64% say blacks have same chance as whites to get a job
New low of 71% say blacks have same chance to get good education
70% say blacks have same chance to get housing, lowest since '89
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Sixty-four percent of Americans believe blacks have the same chance as whites in their local community to get a job for which they are qualified, but the percentage holding that view has declined in recent years and is the lowest since 1995.
The only time Americans were less optimistic about blacks' ability to secure jobs was in the 1960s civil rights era, when roughly four in 10 thought blacks and whites had equal job opportunities.
Americans' beliefs that blacks enjoy equality of opportunity relative to housing and education have also declined. Currently, 70% say blacks have the same chance as whites to get any housing they can afford, the lowest since 1989 and down from a peak of 83% in 1997.
The 71% of Americans who believe black children have the same chance as whites of obtaining a good education is the lowest in Gallup's trend, including in 1962, less than a decade after the Supreme Court ruling desegregating public schools.
The results are based on the June 7-July 1 Gallup Minority Rights and Relations poll, conducted just before recent racial incidents in Minneapolis, Baton Rouge and Dallas.
Most Americans believe blacks have the same opportunities as whites in all three areas of life assessed in the new poll -- jobs, housing and education -- but fewer hold that view than at any point in at least the last two decades. One reason for the declines could be the attention given to racial and economic inequality by the candidates in this year's presidential campaign. Racial incidents involving police in recent years, and the resulting Black Lives Matter movement, could also be a factor, though declines in perceptions of black housing and educational opportunities were mostly evident this year.
Blacks Less Confident Than Whites About Equal Opportunity
Whites and blacks have different perceptions of equality of opportunity for members of racial groups. Whereas roughly seven in 10 whites believe that blacks and whites have the same opportunities to get a job, a good education and any housing they can afford, far fewer blacks agree. Slightly less than half of blacks believe that blacks and whites have the same chance to get a good education (49%) and to get any housing they can afford (46%). Even fewer blacks, 32%, say blacks and whites have equal job opportunities.
Compared with 1999 -- the first year Gallup asked all three questions in a poll with a large oversample of blacks -- both blacks and whites are now less optimistic about black opportunities in all three areas and by similar margins. Thus, while blacks and whites continue to hold widely differing views on black opportunities in the U.S., both groups are less positive than in the past about the situation for blacks.
Perceptions of Black vs. White Opportunities for Jobs, Housing and Education Figures reflect percentages who believe blacks and whites have the same chance 1999 2016 Change % % pct. pts. Jobs National adults 74 64 -10 Whites 79 69 -10 Blacks 40 32 -8 Education National adults 82 71 -11 Whites 86 75 -11 Blacks 56 49 -7 Housing National adults 79 70 -9 Whites 83 74 -9 Blacks 53 46 -7 Gallup
Implications
Americans as a whole largely believe blacks and whites have equal opportunities in the workforce, in school and in finding a home, as opposed to believing blacks are disadvantaged in those areas. But fewer Americans -- including both blacks and whites -- believe equality of opportunity exists in these realms today than have done so in the previous 20 years or more. And more than 50 years after the civil rights movement began, blacks themselves are divided as to whether they have equal opportunities.
Racially charged incidents involving police, the resulting Black Lives Matter movement, and the Flint, Michigan, water crisis have all contributed to a robust national discussion about the challenges blacks face in society. And these concerns are likely magnified in the midst of a presidential campaign as the candidates react to the events and attempt to offer solutions to address the issues they raise. Barack Obama's election as the nation's first black president was a landmark achievement for blacks, but seven years into his presidency, the issues of race remain complex and are beyond what political leadership alone can change.
Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted June 7-July 1, 2016, with a sample of 3,270 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, who had previously been interviewed in the Gallup Daily tracking poll and agreed to be re-interviewed for a later study. The sample is weighted to be representative of U.S. adults.
For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the sample of 1,320 non-Hispanic whites, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the sample of 912 non-Hispanic blacks, the margin of sampling error is 5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the sample of 906 Hispanics, the margin of sampling error is 6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. (271 out of the 906 interviews with Hispanics were conducted in Spanish.)
All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.
View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.
Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
Story Highlights 62% think society is likely to become cashless
Older Americans prefer to always have cash on hand
People in their peak earning years like to carry the most cash
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Most Americans (62%) expect the U.S. to become a cashless society in their lifetime, with all purchases being made with credit cards, debit cards and other forms of electronic payment. They express these views as more Americans make payments from an expanding menu of electronic options, and fewer make cash transactions, and as younger populations are becoming more comfortable without cash in their pockets.
Cash and the Future Economy How likely do you think it is that in your lifetime the United States will be a cashless society, in which all purchases are made with credit cards, debit cards and other forms of electronic payment? Jun 22-23 , 2016 % Very likely 30 Likely 32 Unlikely 25 Very unlikely 11 Gallup
Gallup asked Americans in a June 22-23 survey about their opinions of cash and its future role in the economy. Solid majorities in all age groups say they can foresee a U.S. society without cash, including 58% of those 65 and older and 63% of 18- to 29-year-olds.
Younger Americans Least Likely to Have Cash on Hand
As Americans move away from using tangible currency for their transactions, the majority (54%) still say they like to have cash on them at all times. Forty-two percent say they are comfortable not having cash on them. Younger Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are the most likely to be comfortable not having cash. Americans aged 30 and older -- including more than six in 10 among the oldest Americans -- say they would prefer having cash on them at all times, as opposed to not having cash.
Americans' Tendencies to Have Cash, by Age Are you someone who likes to have cash on you at all times when you are out of your home, or are you comfortable not having cash on you? Have cash on you at all times Comfortable not having cash % % National adults 54 42 18 to 29 42 56 30 to 49 54 42 50 to 64 55 39 65+ 62 32 Gallup, June 22-23, 2016
Young adults' greater comfort in being cashless aligns with their self-reported behavior. They are using cash in a significantly smaller proportion of transactions than they were even five years ago, so they are clearly adapting to spending without cash.
Those in Peak Earning Years Carry the Most Cash
While older adults generally like to have cash always on hand, this does not mean they like to carry the most cash. Instead, those aged 30 to 49 like to have the most on hand, averaging $61.73. That is more than double the average amount of cash 18- to 29-year-olds like to carry.
Cash on Hand, by Age About how much cash do you typically like to have on you when you are out of the house? Mean Median $ $ National adults 49 20 18 to 29 27.25 0 30 to 49 61.73 20 50 to 64 48.04 20 65+ 52.30 25 Gallup, June 22-23, 2016
The ages of 30 to 49 are largely considered the peak earning years and the prime child-rearing years. Therefore, for those in this group, their relatively high amount of desired walking-around money may derive from both supply and demand -- they have access to more money, and they likely have more reasons to spend it.
Bottom Line
The first article in this two-part series reported on Americans' decreasing use of cash in daily transactions. Accordingly, most Americans can already foresee a time when cash will be obsolete.
Cash is becoming less a part of Americans' purchasing behavior as they gravitate toward other payment options and shift toward online purchases, rather than transactions in a brick-and-mortar store. Younger American customers' lower likelihood to use cash and greater comfort with not having it on hand suggest that the economy will have to adapt. This has significant implications for the credit card, banking and e-commerce industries as well as the local stores and businesses in every U.S. town and city. In the short term, this shift will place greater pressure on these businesses to adapt and accept electronic payments. In the long term, Americans largely predict that cash will become a relic.
Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted June 22-23, 2016, with a random sample of 1,024 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
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.
View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.
Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
'American Horror Story' Season 6 Air Date, Spoilers, News & Update: Kathy Bates Not Returning?
With all the A-list Hollywood stars like Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer returning to "American Horror Story" Season 6, Kathy Bates is reportedly leaving the hit anthology horror television series.
READ: 'American Horror Story' Season 6 Spoilers, News & Update: Matt Bomer Reveals The Fate of His Character
Kathy Bates performance as Madame Delphine Lalaurie in "American Horror Story" was epic and brilliant that fans adore her even if her character is hard to love.
Unfortunately, Movie Pilot reports that Kathy Bates may bid her farewell in "American Horror Story" Season 6.
The site noted that this idea comes after Kathy Bates revealed that she will be doing another show as a full-time cast. So how will this be possible if she will still be a part of "American Horror Story" Season 6?
This could very well be a hint that Kathy Bates a.k.a Madame Delphine Lalaurie is signing off in "American Horror Story" Season 6.
The Kathy Bates and the "American Horror Story" Season 6 cast and crew has not commented on this matter yet.
READ: 'American Horror Story' Season 6 Spoilers, News & Update: Lady Gaga Reunites With Evan Peters After Confirming To Reprise Role
While the fate of Kathy Bates is still unknown, one thing is for sure though, Angela Bassett is joining forces with Lady Gaga to show some girl power in the creepiest way possible in "American Horror Story" Season 6.
Nothing much is said yet as to what Angela Bassett will be doing this time around in "American Horror Story" Season 6.
In the previous seasons on "American Horror Story," Angela Bassett "played a three-breasted woman, a voodoo Queen and an actress," according to The Source.
It is still unknown if Angela Bassett will reprise that role or will she be a totally different character in "American Horror Story" Season 6.
"American Horror Story" season 6 will premiere on September 14, 10 pm ET.
'Xbox One Backwards Compatibility' Update: Interpol Arrives on the Microsoft Feature
Microsoft is again bringing the hype on the "Xbox One backwards compatibility" feature after it brought in a new title this week. According to reports, the latest title to arrive on the is Interpol, is a puzzle strategy game exclusively developed by TikGames for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows platform.
Currently, the Interpol is ranked number 216th in the "Xbox One backwards compatibility" list. Despite this new update on the backwards-compatible feature, it's surprising how Microsoft released only one title while it previously enjoyed releasing at least three "Xbox One backwards compatibility" titles in the past.
This subtly contradict previous predictions that the next games to arrive on the Xbox One backwards compatibility feature will be Bioshock 1, Bioshock 2, Bioshock Infinite and Skate 3. Last week, Microsoft released one of the most voted game for the backwards compatibility feature which is the "Red Dead Redemption." The arrival of RDR on the feature created to much excitement that few days after, rumors about a Red Dead Redemption sequel emerged online.
The "Xbox One backwards compatibility" feature is such a big hit that Microsoft recently capitalized on its ability to promote the sale of the Xbox One console. Now, fans wait day in and day out for the next title on the said feature.
According to the Neowin, currently the Xbox One backwards compatibility library contains over 210 titles. while it was recently reported that at least 100 games from the feature were shelved already, Microsoft said that they were indie games that didn't quite push the barrier enough to make it to the world of triple A games.
Are you surprised to see only one title for the Xbox One backwards compatibility feature this week? Don't miss the next announcement by checking on Gamenguide.com.
Emmy Awards 2016 Latest News & Update: 'Game of Thrones,' 'People vs OJ Simpson,' 'Mr Robot,' Figure Well; Here's The Full List Of Nominees
The 68th Emmy Awards 2016 list of nominations was officially released on July 14, 2016. The exclusive long list showed the best programs that aired from June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016.
The Emmy Awards 2016 nominees featured both new and returning entries.
The Hollywood Reporter cited that "Game of Thrones" garnered the most Emmy Awards 2016 nominations with 23, followed by "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" with 22, and "Fargo" with 18. As for newcomers, "Mr. Robot" made a huge impact in the past year, together with "The Americans."
The full list of the 68th Emmy Awards 2016 nominees are as follows:
Best Drama Series
The Americans (FX)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
House of Cards (Netflix)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Mr. Robot (USA)
Homeland (Showtime)
Best Comedy Series
Veep (HBO)
Transparent (Amazon)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Modern Family (ABC)
Master of None (Netflix)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Black-ish (ABC)
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Kyle Chandler (Bloodline)
Rami Malek (Mr. Robot)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
Matthew Rhys (The Americans)
Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan)
Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder)
Claire Danes (Homeland)
Taraji P. Henson (Empire)
Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black)
Keri Russell (The Americans)
Robin Wright (House of Cards)
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
Aziz Ansari (Master of None)
Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth)
William H. Macy (Shameless)
Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley)
Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
Laurie Metcalf (Getting On)
Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)
Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer)
Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie)
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Kit Harington (Game of Thrones)
Michael Kelly (House of Cards)
Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline)
Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones)
Lena Headey (Game of Thrones)
Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey)
Maura Tierney (The Affair)
Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones)
Constance Zimmer (UnREAL)
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Paul Schiraldi/HBO
Louie Anderson (Baskets)
Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Tony Hale (Veep)
Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele)
Matt Walsh (Veep)
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Dana Edelson/NBC
Anna Chlumsky (Veep)
Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent)
Allison Janney (Mom)
Judith Light (Transparent)
Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
Niecy Nash (Getting On)
Best Limited Series
American Crime (ABC)
Fargo (FX)
The Night Manager (AMC)
The People v. O.J. Simpson (FX)
Roots (History)
Best Television Movie
A Very Murray Christmas (Netflix)
All the Way (HBO)
Confirmation (HBO)
Luther (BBC One)
Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (PBS)
Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie
Bryan Cranston (All the Way)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock: The Abominable Bride)
Idris Elba (Luther)
Cuba Gooding Jr. (The People v. O.J. Simpson)
Tom Hiddleston (The Night Manager)
Courtney B. Vance (The People v. O.J. Simpson)
Best Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie
Kirsten Dunst (Fargo)
Felicity Huffman (American Crime)
Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill)
Sarah Paulson (The People v. O.J. Simpson)
Lili Taylor (American Crime)
Kerry Washington (Confirmation)
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie
Sterling K. Brown (The People v. O.J. Simpson)
Hugh Laurie (The Night Manager)
Jesse Plemons (Fargo)
David Schwimmer (The People v. O.J. Simpson)
John Travolta (The People v. O.J. Simpson)
Bokeem Woodbine (Fargo)
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie
Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Hotel)
Olivia Colman (The Night Manager)
Regina King (American Crime)
Melissa Leo (All the Way)
Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Hotel)
Jean Smart (Fargo)
Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Mahershala Ali (House of Cards)
Hank Azaria (Ray Donovan)
Reg E. Cathey (House of Cards)
Michael J. Fox (The Good Wife)
Paul Sparks (House of Cards)
Max von Sydow (Game of Thrones)
Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Ellen Burstyn (House of Cards)
Allison Janney (Masters of Sex)
Margo Martindale (The Americans)
Laurie Metcalf (Horace and Pete)
Molly Parker (House of Cards)
Carrie Preston (The Good Wife)
Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Larry David (Saturday Night Live)
Peter MacNicol (Veep)
Tracy Morgan (Saturday Night Live)
Martin Mull (Veep)
Bob Newhart (The Big Bang Theory)
Bradley Whitford (Transparent)
Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory)
Tina Fey & Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live)
Melora Hardin (Transparent)
Melissa McCarthy (Saturday Night Live)
Laurie Metcalf (The Big Bang Theory)
Amy Schumer (Saturday Night Live)
Best Variety Talk Series
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (Crackle)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS)
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Best Variety Sketch Series
Augusta Quirk/IFC
Documentary Now! (IFC)
Drunk History (Comedy Central)
Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central)
Key & Peele (Comedy Central)
Portlandia (IFC)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Best Special Class Program
Kevin Estrada/FOX; Frank Micelotta/FOX
73rd Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
Grease Live! (FOX)
The Oscars (ABC)
Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show (CBS)
69th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)
Best Variety Special
Adele Live in New York City (NBC)
Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo (HBO)
Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Prime Time Special (CBS)
Lemonade (HBO)
Best Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race (CBS)
American Ninja Warrior (NBC)
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Voice (NBC)
Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition
Ryan Seacrest (American Idol)
Tom Bergeron (Dancing With the Stars)
Jane Lynch (Hollywood Game Night)
Steve Harvey (Little Big Shots)
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn (Project Runway)
RuPaul Charles (RuPaul's Drag Race)
Best Structured Reality Series
Antiques Roadshow (PBS)
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network)
Lip Sync Battle (Spike)
MythBusters (Discovery Channel)
Shark Tank (ABC)
Undercover Boss (CBS)
Best Unstructured Reality Series
Born This Way (A&E)
Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel)
Gaycation with Ellen Page (Viceland)
Intervention (A&E)
Project Greenlight (HBO)
United Shades of America (CNN)
Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special
Becoming Mike Nichols (HBO)
Everything is Copy - Nora Ephron: Scripted & Unscripted (HBO)
Listen to Me Marlon (Showtime)
Mapplethorpe: Look At The Pictures (HBO)
What Happened, Miss Simone? (Netflix)
Best Documentary or Non-Fiction Series
American Masters (PBS)
Chef's Table (Netflix)
Making a Murderer (Netflix)
The Seventies (CNN)
Woman with Gloria Steinem (Viceland)
Best Informational Series or Special
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN)
Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo)
Star Talk With Neil deGrasse Tyson (National Geographic Channel)
The Story of God with Morgan Freeman (National Geographic Channel)
Vice (HBO)
Best Writing for a Drama Series
The Americans
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Mr. Robot
UnREAL
Best Writing for a Comedy Series
Catastrophe
Master of None
Silicon Valley
Sillicon Valley
Veep
Veep
The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards will happen on Sept. 18, 2016 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Pokemon GO Latest News, Release Date & Update: Niantic Planning A Global Rollout Sooner Than Expected! Launching Now To 3 More Countries And 200 More To GO!
Reports earlier stated that "Pokemon GO's" creators Niantic Labs are focusing on New Zealand, United States, Australia and Germany as of the moment, and in fact don't have any plans of further release soon. Glad to know that's not actually the case.
A ray of hope for "Pokemon GO" fans!
Slowly Nintendo and Niantic are rolling out "Pokemon GO" into the world, which makes a lot of sense. With "Pokemon GO" being bigger than expected, Niantic is not blind to strike while the iron is hot.
With "Pokemon GO" having more daily users than Twitter, people spending more time with it than Facebook, and an estimated revenue of $1.6 million a day, Nintendo and Niantic knows they should not limit themselves with just New Zealand, United States, Australia and Germany as their market.
Niantic CEO John Hanke told Reuters "Why limit it?" As the company further plans to rollout "Pokemon GO" to 200 more countries. He also said that "Pokemon GO" will surely launch in Japan which will most likely start in South Korea, the cause of delay primarily is North Korea's security issue regarding Google Maps.
"Pokemon GO" rolling out to 3 more countries
Europeans rejoice as "Pokemon GO" officially gets a green light in Italy, Spain and Portugal. The news was delivered by "Pokemon GO's" official Twitter account.
Starting now, Trainers in Italy, Spain, and Portugal can download Pokemon GO officially from the Play Store or App Store. Pokemon GO (@PokemonGoApp) July 15, 2016
As the Global rollout continues for "Pokemon GO," which country would you like Niantic to prioritize next? Stay tuned to GamenGuide for more "Pokemon Go" release date, news and updates!
A marine scientist from Southern California will be the new dean of the Oregon State University College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, the university announced.
Roberta Marinelli, the executive director of the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Southern California, will step into her new role on Sept. 30, succeeding Mark Abbott, who stepped down last year to become director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
The college has more than 100 teaching and research faculty and is an integral part of the OSU Marine Studies Initiative, a growing multidisciplinary program focused on the worlds oceans and the challenges they face.
Marinelli serves as vice chair of the board of directors of the Consortium for Ocean leadership, headquartered in Washington, D.C., and is president of the board of the Southern California Marine Institute.
Prior to joining USC in 2011, Marinelli was program director for Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems for the National Science Foundations Antarctic Science Division and was associate program director for NSFs antarctic biology and medicine program.
She has a bachelors degree in environmental studies from Brown University and holds a masters degree and doctorate in marine science from the University of Southern California.
Oct. 16, 1927 July 11, 2016
Katherine (Kathy) Francis Smith was born October 16, 1927 in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, to Henry and Francis Ebert and died peacefully July 11, 2016 at her home at Emerald Pointe Senior Living Community in Keizer. She was 88 years old.
Kathy graduated from St. Croix Falls High School in 1944. She then moved with her parents and siblings to Tillamook. She later attended the University of Oregon. On a summer trip following her freshman year, she met her future husband, Rollie Smith, in Los Angeles. They married in 1947. Kathy and Rollie had seven children while living primarily in Salem and Corvallis. They and their family moved to Corvallis in 1961 and resided there until Rollie's death in 2006. Kathy then moved to Keizer to be closer to family and son Tim, who managed her affairs and looked after her.
Kathy is survived by her brothers George Ebert (and Winnie) of Medford, Cliff Ebert (and Sharron) of Forest Grove, and Ken Ebert (and Pat) of White City. Children Cindy Wade (and Ed) of Portland and recently Ontario, Syd (and Joan) of Columbia City, Kevin (and Eileen) of Borrego Springs, California, Tim (and Tisha) of Keizer, Kim (and Linda) of Bend/Prineville, Shannon (and Dulcinea) of Springfield, Missouri, and Kerry (and Tina) of Hillsboro. She has ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by brother Robert Ebert (1949) and husband Rollie (Ralston Earl Smith, 2006).
Kathy was a devoted and loving mother to her seven children. She postponed her education and career to raise her children. At the age of 55, she returned to school receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marylhurst College and a Master of Social Work from Portland State University. Her career was primarily in the mental health field followed by private practice in counseling. Kathy was a member and volunteer of the First United Methodist Church of Corvallis and later, The First United Methodist Church of Salem.
Kathy loved Oregon and the outdoors. She enjoyed the mountains, the valley, and the coast. She loved hiking, biking and camping. She and Rollie also enjoyed visiting California's Anza Borrego desert in the winter. Kathy loved to write. She has written many stories about her childhood and the adventures of raising seven children. Writing poetry and watercolor painting were among her interests. In her later years she enjoyed assembling jigsaw puzzles and playing Scrabble. Visits with friends and family were always special to her.
Kathy was an exceptional person. A dedicated wife and a loving and devoted mother. She enriched the lives of all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.
Kathy would want to recognize and thank Michele Bishop, friend and caregiver, and her hospice nurse Ana Cabrales, RN, for the wonderful care they provided in her final months. Kathy would also want to acknowledge her relationship with Bob Marti, special friend and companion, who has recently passed away.
A celebration of life will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Corvallis on July 26, 2016, at 1 p.m. Reception to follow. Remembrances can be made to Willamette Valley Hospice and/or the First United Methodist Church of Corvallis.
Dec. 10, 1959 July 7, 2016
Reid was born December 10, 1959 to Bob and Peggy Webster in Albany where he attended Liberty Elementary, Memorial Middle School and West Albany High School. He received his Bachelors in Business from Western Oregon University.
Reids education and strong work ethic allowed him to explore different occupations but there were specific highlights in his career that were particular favorites. These included, fishing and cooking for Tanaku Lodge in Alaska, The Buzz Saw Restaurant in Albany where he met his wife, opening The Pelican Pub in Pacific City, running his own catering company, Design Cuisine and teaching at Hudsons Bay High School in Vancouver where he was deeply committed to making a difference for his students.
His passion for the outdoors was no secret to anybody that met him. From his early days of duck and elk hunting, to the amazement of a good scuba dive, to his countless hours on the water waiting for the bite, he had a strong respect for and connection to nature. Fishing, clamming, crabbing all gave him great joy but there was nothing as good as teaching others to experience the thrill of the hunt. Reids absolute favorite place to be was on the water with close friends, many of whom are also his brothers.
Another favorite place of his was the kitchen. Creating unforgettable meals for others to experience came easy to him and often amazed those fortunate enough to experience it. As with anything he did, this was often enjoyed with close friends and family including, of course, his brothers.
What made all of these experiences even more special to him was sharing them with his daughters, Sydney and Xia. He was enormously proud of them and could always be heard in the stands when they were on the stage. He treasured every moment of being their Dad.
Reid is survived by his father, Robert Webster; wife Laura and her parents Larry and Carol Woodward; daughters Sydney (21) and Xia (13); brothers Dave (Nancy), Rob (Merla), Larry (Mary); brother-in-law Ryan Woodward (Katie) and crowds of nieces, nephews and extended family that miss him beyond words.
All who have been touched by Reid are invited to celebrate his life at the O.O. Howard House in Officers Row at 2 p.m. on July 23 at 750 Anderson Street, Vancouver, Washington, 98661. Memorial contributions can be made to the National Kidney Foundation or the American Red Cross.
Hamilton-Mylan Funeral Home in Vancouver is handling arrangements.
Philomaths Allie Martin first attended the Philomath Frolic and Rodeo when she was just 2 months old and she hasnt missed one since.
Next year when she attends, Martin will be a bit busier than in her past frolics the 17-year-old was crowned the rodeos queen for 2017 during the final day of the 2016 iteration of the rodeo Sunday.
Im so happy right now. This has been my dream since I was 2 years old, she said a few minutes after the crowning at the intermission of the rodeo.
Rylee Henderer, 20, also of Philomath, finished runner-up. Kim Stagner, 17, of Blodgett and Oregon State University student Samantha Wavrin, 19, of Camp Sherman were also competing.
Martin, who will be a senior at Philomath High School this fall, competed in Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon last year and was second runner-up. Since that competition, shes been preparing to compete for the Philomath rodeo title, for which she was finally old enough to participate.
Martin said shes spent at least 20 hours a week riding and has been studying intensely for the knowledge portions of the competition. She also competes in high school equestrian.
Martin is excited for the opportunity to travel to rodeos throughout the Pacific Northwest as the Philomath rodeo queen.
Im absolutely thrilled about this opportunity and excited for this next year of my reign, said Martin, who wants to attend Linn-Benton Community College and Oregon State University after graduating with eventual plans of becoming a veterinarian.
David vs. Goliath
To the Editor: The St. Pauls debate has been heavily dominated -- in the media and public meetings -- by sermons from save the building advocates. The latter group is...
POAs start primary process open to all residents
As previously announced, the four Property Owners Associations (Western, Estates, Central and Eastern) have made changes to their processes to nominate residents to serve as trustees for the Village Board of Trustees (BOT) and the Board...
Now the time has come
To the Editor: The Governance Committee should be appreciated for their work which generated several meritorious recommendations relating to the Village government. I was present when two members of Governance...
School tax bill fiasco
To the Editor: The county assessments are now in a 5-year phase-in program thanks to our past county executive's changes to the assessment process. Also, the Star program which once...
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Round up July 15 : New briefs from Bonn and the region.
Bonn/Region A quick look at some news today includes the University Clinic working with refugees, a hit and run, bike thief arrest and aid for flooding victims.
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University Clinic. Integration and employment authorities want to work together with the University Clinic in Bonn to give career training and employment opportunities to refugees. 45 refugees will begin this Friday with an internship in various departments at the Venusberg clinic. Parallel to that, they will be taking German language courses. After the internship, they can do a volunteer year or if their language skills are sufficient, they can apply for further training or a job. It not only supports the refugees but also helps the University which is short of health care workers.
Hit and run. The driver of a silver VW Polo allegedly hit a 41-year-old biker around 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Police say the woman wanted to cross Endenicher Strae between Verdistrae and Brucknerstrae when the car caught the front wheel of her bike and she fell. The driver then drove around her and left the scene of the accident. The license plate apparently begins with BN HN and is followed by unknown numbers. Anyone having information can contact police at (0228) 1 50.
Bike thief arrest. Police arrested an alleged bike thief in the Sudstadt (south Bonn) early Thursday morning. Police say witnesses observed the 18-year-old around 2:30 a.m. as he pulled a locked bike out of a bike stand and took it away. A resident demanded he return the bike; he did just that and went away. Witnesses noticed later that he threw a beer bottle at a bike store door and kicked it. Damage was estimated at 1,000 euros. Police detained the known offender and took him to the police station.
roastpork said: They're both Semites so the only difference is one of religion, so what's your point? Maybe the royal family converted a long, long time ago; and who gives a ****.:wacko: Click to expand...
The point is the difference in motives. Who benefitted by 9-11??Did the Muslims benefit? No. Did the Jews benefit? Yes. Very much so. First they consolidated all our intelligence agencies and put a Jew, Chertoff in charge. Then, based on information provided by said intelligence, we went to war and invaded Iraq and Afganistan.
Twisted Sister said: Correct me if I am wrong but is not Ankara the seat of power? Click to expand...
Yes, but also remember Turkey is a secular nation and has been since the end of WW1. Erdogan has tried to make it a moderate Islamic country, with popular support of more conservative factions of the interior of the country. He has been a major roadblock in our efforts to secure the Border with Syria, and assistance from Syrian Kurds in our fight with ISIS. It looks like the military has had enough of Erdogans consolidation of power, to which they attribute the recent terror attacks in the country. It also helps that they have all of the guns and airplanes.So do we risk a shooting war with the Turkish military who is attempting to preserve a secular government, and aids our efforts on the border with Syria, or do we use the military strength of NATO, to back what would be seen as a US puppet government in the eyes of the middle east, as well as the Russians, plus snub our Kurdish allies in Syria?Decisions, decisions.
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.
Sony Launches New 15,000mAh and 20,000mAh power banks on Flipkart News oi -Vigneshwar
The Japan-based tech giant, Sony today launched the new 15,000mAh and 20,000mAh power banks. These power banks can charge Multi- devices at the same time, with a maximum fast- charging output.
Supported with the Lithium-ion polymer, it supports pass-through charging - allowing the device connected to the charger and as well as the charger itself to be charged at the same time. The entire process can be completed while connected to an AC power supply.
Manufactured using Sony's Hybrid Gel Technology, it can retain 90 percent of its capacity even after 1,000 charges.
SEE ALSO: List of 10 Sony Smartphones Likely to Receive Android Nougat Update
The newly launched products will be available exclusively on Flipkart from 15th July and in Sony Center and major electronic stores from 15th August.
Talking about the price, the 20,000mAh battery carries a price tag of Rs. 7,500, while the 15,000mAh power bank comes at Rs. 5,100.
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Samsung Launches Gear IconX: The Cord-Free Earbuds For Fitness Freaks News oi -Akansha Srivastava
In a recent development, Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of the new cord-free earbuds, the Gear IconX.
These new wireless earphones will be made available in select markets including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, Canada, Australia and Korea.
Sony Launches New 15,000mAh and 20,000mAh power banks on Flipkart
The Gear IconX will then gradually be launched around the rest of the globe including India.
In an attempt to enhance the fitness experience, the Gear IconX comes with an in-ear heart rate monitor and standalone music player.
As per company press release, it can track and provide feedback for fitness data, such as distance, speed, duration, heart rate and calories burned, and easily syncs with S Health app.
Can you find an iPhone dropped on this floral carpet?
With internal storage of up to 1,000 MP3s, users can operate their music by simple tapping or swiping the earbuds, and the user don't need carry a smartphone to listen to music during a workout.
It will come in three different sizes of eartips and wingtips, the Gear IconX is available in three colors - black, blue and white.
DIY: How to Turn Your Old Smartphone or Tablet into a Security Camera
In addition, the Gear IconX comes with a charging case which holds for up to two additional charges that begin automatically when the earbuds are placed inside.
Take a look at the video below, to get to know more about the new Gear IconX.
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Forget Redmi Note 4, Xiaomi to Launch a Laptop on July 27 News oi -Akansha Srivastava
Rumors are rife for past few weeks that Xiaomi is all set to launch the successor of its much-acclaimed Redmi Note 3 smartphone by the end of July 2016.
Adding spice to the rumor mill, Xiaomi just confirmed that they are going to host an event on July 27 at the Beijing National Convention Center.
LG Stylus 2 Plus Launched at Rs 24,450: Top 5 Hard Hitting Rivals in India
The company confirmed the same, by sending an invite to the tech media world with the date as July 27 on it.
Recently, a teaser was also outed by the company touting a device with a metal body featuring two cameras placed at the back with a LED flash between the camera optics.
While, the Xioami fans are expecting a new star selling smartphone successor - the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, here comes the twist in the story!
Just recently, the reports from China have hit the tech gossip world that Xiaomi might officially unveil its Notebook laptop range, which has been in reports for quite a while.
Xiaomi First Ever Notebook - What to Expects
As per reports from GizmoChina, Xiaomi Notebook is expected to come powered by an Intel Atom processor and will boot Windows 10 operating system.
It will boast a design similar to ultra-slim MacBook and will offer long battery life.
If the rumors are to be believed, the Xiaomi Notebook range will be offered in three variants as per display sizes including 12.5-inches, 13.3-inches, and a 15.6-inch model.
Right now, we can take this information as a pinch of salt and we all have to wait and watch till July 27th to find out what exactly, Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun and Hugo Barra has got to offer for the second half of 2016.
CHECK OUT! LG to Launch X Screen Smartphone with Dual Display Setup
What excites you more, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 or the first ever Xiaomi Notebook Laptop? Or both? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Moto E3 vs Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro: Which 4G Phone Do You Prefer? Features oi -Abhinaya Prabhu
Earlier this year, when Motorola announced the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus smartphones, the company also launched the Moto G4 Play that was speculated to be the Moto E replacement in 2016.
However, Motorola seems to have ruled out the rumors by launching the Moto E3 iteration this year. Well, the smartphone comes with the entry-level specs as usual and it is priced at $132 (approx. Rs 8,860). It will o on sale from early September and the global roll out details are yet to be revealed officially.
Turn Your Old Smartphone or Tablet into a Security Camera
We surely know that the Moto E3 will be launched in India soon as Motorola considers the Indian market as one of its price markets in the world. In India, there is a great competition in the entry-level and mid-range smartphone markets as there are many offerings for the consumers to choose from.
Recently, Samsung announced the launch of Galaxy On5 Pro and Galaxy On7 Pro in India at Rs 9,190 and Rs 11,190 and these are exclusive to Amazon India. The Samsung offering is a decent entry-level smartphone for those who want a device that is priced below Rs 10,000 though it doesn't offer all the features that are becoming mandatory these days.
If you are looking for a 4G LTE smartphone and you are not too specific about having a fingerprint scanner or other such features, you can try out any of these smartphones. Take a look at the comparison below and decide if you need to purchase the Galaxy On5 Pro or wait for the Moto E3 to be launched.
Both have identical displays
Both the smartphones boast a 5-inch IPS display with standard HD 720p resolution. This way, both are equipped with screens that are capable of rendering a decent performance expected from phones of their pricing.
There's 2 GB RAM in Samsung phone
While the Moto E3 is powered by a quad-core processor of unspecified chipset teamed up with 1 GB of RAM, the Samsung Galaxy On5 Pro is equipped with a 1.3 GHz quad-core Exynos 3475 SoC that has a larger 2 GB RAM. Also, the storage capacity in the both the phones are identical at 16 GB and it can be expanded further using a micro SD card.
Not much difference in the camera department
When it comes to camera optics, both Moto E3 and Galaxy On5 Pro feature an 8 MP main snapper at their back with LED flash and a 5 MP front-facing selfie shooter as well. The Samsung phone has a better aperture of f/2.2 for better low light photography.
4G LTE connectivity is enabled
Both are dual-SIM smartphones that arrive with connectivity features such as 4G LTE, Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi. This way, the consumers can use 4G LTE that is becoming a standard nowadays.
Moto E3 has a water-repellent build
Just like the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, the Moto E3 also features the nano-coating that will make it water-repellent. This is a feature that the Samsung phone lacks. Also, there is a front-facing speaker on the Motorola phone.
PS4 Neo specs and developer guidelines revealed in leaked document
Android Marshmallow runs on both
Both the smartphones are based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system. The Galaxy On5 Pro comes packed with the S Bike mode and Ultra Data Saving mode as well.
A capacious battery is used by Moto E3
The Motorola smartphone is fueled by a 2,800 mAh battery whereas the Samsung phone has just a 2,600 mAh battery. However, the latter comes with the power saving mode feature that is a part of all Samsung phones that are launched lately.
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France attack: Facebook reunites mother with infant News oi -GizBot Bureau
Social media giant Facebook on Friday became a saviour for an eight-month-old boy who was separated from his mother in a stampede after a terrorist ploughed his truck through a crowd of thousands enjoying Bastille Day celebrations in Nice city, mowing down at least 84 people, injuring some 150.
Tiava Banner was separated from her eight-month-old son after the mayhem. She later posted on Facebook, appealing for anyone who had seen her son, The Mirror reported.
France Nice Terror Attack: Facebook activates Safety Check tool
Posting a picture of the infant, she wrote: "We have lost BB 8 months. Nice friends if you've seen him if you were there if you have collected please contact me!!!!!" The post was shared more than 21,000 times.
She later updated her Facebook appeal to reveal she had been reunited with the child.
After the news broke, photographs of men, women and children were uploaded on Twitter and Facebook with messages from loved ones.
Earlier in the day, Facebook turned on its Safety Check feature after news of the attack broke. According to CNET, it is the third time in nearly a month that the social networking giant has activated the tool.
The feature allows people to notify their friends if they are in the affected area and mark themselves as safe.
Can you find an iPhone dropped on this floral carpet?
The feature was activated in early June after the deadly attack on a Florida night club that claimed the lives of 49 people.
Less than two weeks later, Facebook activated the Safety Check feature for users after a suicide attack that killed 45 people at Istanbul's Ataturk airport.
Source IANS
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Carter Writes to Congress Outlining 2017 Budget Concerns
By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2016 Defense Secretary Ash Carter sent a letter to the House and Senate armed services committees' leadership that outlines several concerns he has with the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters today.
Cook said Carter sent the letter today for consideration when the House and Senate committees convene in conference over the upcoming defense budget.
While Carter makes clear his intentions to work with House and Senate leadership on the budget, Cook said, he spells out three broad areas of serious concern with the legislation.
Bill Not Aligned With DoD Priorities
Cook said the first issue concerns the House bill's funding approach, which "redirects $18 billion in wartime funding for the fight against [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] and other operations, putting that money instead toward manpower and equipment the department has not requested." The bill also does not provide the money to sustain those purchases, he added.
Second is a series of provisions in both bills that "in sum amount to excessive and unproductive micromanagement of the department, including the Senate bill's division of acquisition, technology and logistics functions into separate stovepipes," the press secretary noted.
The third concern is about provisions in both bills that appear to ignore the current constrained resource environment and reject critical savings and force-posture updates that senior civilian and uniformed leaders have proposed, Cook said, and they include provisions that will impose excessive costs and reduce benefits for military families.
Carter Would Recommend Veto
Congress needs to join the Defense Department in making the tough budget choices that are necessary in today's environment, the press secretary said.
"It's important to note that Secretary Carter's message to Congress reiterates that if legislation in the current form of either the House or the Senate bill is presented to the president, the secretary will recommend a veto of that legislation," Cook emphasized.
He also pointed out "the House's treatment of war funding is not the only serious concern we have with these bills." The letter makes clear, he added, that many other issues in both bills would generate a veto recommendation from the secretary to the president.
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Southcom Commander Outlines Latin America Strategy
By Karen Parrish DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2016 "Uncertainty, unpredictability, and transregional linkages are the defining characteristics of the world today," according to Navy Adm. Kurt W. Tidd, commander of U.S. Southern Command, who spoke at the Atlantic Council here yesterday about Southcom's strategy for Latin America.
Southcom's strategic approach to Latin America and the Caribbean, he said, is "not taking place in isolation."
Tidd said that as Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford have noted, "We're in the middle of a strategic transition that touches every corner of the globe."
In the Western hemisphere, the admiral said, proximity and shared borders add another dimension to an already complex environment, enabling a number of criminal networks to operate.
"So as we think about Latin America, we have to recognize there's no longer any such thing as a regional challenge," he said.
"From the activities of China and Russia, to the illicit flows of drugs, weapons and people, to natural disasters and humanitarian crises, the challenges that we confront in this part of the world have one thing in common: they are transregional. They affect not just this hemisphere, but the rest of our world," Tidd said.
The framework for Southcom's work, the admiral said, "centers around maintaining our competitive advantage in the defense and security sectors, countering transnational threat networks, and rapid response to crises."
Chinese, Russian, Iranian Influence
The answers to three questions inform Southcom's strategy, he said: "The first being, how should we view the activities of China, Russia, Iran and the Western hemisphere?"
There tend to be two views on that question, Tidd said. "Some say that these so-called external actors don't pose a significant challenge to U.S. interests in Latin America, at least in the near term. Others worry that we're ceding ground in a global game of influence and leadership."
The admiral said he believes that what happens in Latin America or the Caribbean can't be divorced from what's happening in the rest of the world. Chinese, Russian and Iranian activities in Southcom's region are matters for concern, he said.
"Any nation seeking to build regional relationships should respect the inter-American principles of peace, the rule of law, and transparency," he said. " The truth is nations like China, Russia and Iran have a mixed track record, at best, on some of these issues."
Building Partner Capacity
Those nations' activities deserve Southcom's scrutiny, Tidd said, but the command's focus is on building partner relationships. The admiral said he has allowed partner-nation liaison officers to attend a formerly closed intelligence and operations briefing to help develop "knowledge that builds trust; knowledge that expands our friendly networks; knowledge that when applied in a cohesive manner will make us all more effective in defending our shared home."
He said Southcom is also seeking ways to expand partner nation's access to "cutting-edge research, new technologies and experimentation opportunities that will advance our collective efforts to confront complex security challenges."
The second question, Tidd said, is how to address those challenges.
"In Latin America and the Caribbean, the overarching security challenge is a very big one indeed: The destabilizing operations, corruption influence and global reach of transnational threat networks," the admiral said.
Countering Criminal Networks
Regional criminal networks funnel cocaine and heroin, weapons, illegally mined gold, and "tens of thousands of women and children" to global markets, he said, as well as transporting known terrorists, recruiting fighters for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and laundering and transporting "dirty money."
Regional threat networks offer a highly logistical infrastructure that lead into the United States, Europe and Africa, he said, with enough money to buy off judges, police officers or even entire villages.
"So when we look at these myriad networks, it's clear we need to look beyond just this section of the world, and we need to look beyond simply stopping drugs," Tidd said, adding that he has directed Southcom personnel to do everything they can to be better partners to other U.S. government organizations.
Southcom will this week host a cooperation workshop to foster interagency cooperation among military, law enforcement, diplomatic and development agencies, he said.
"We don't often come together like this," the admiral said. "We talk a lot about dismantling networks, but we also never talk about building our own."
Tidd said that later this year he hopes to host a similar workshop with partner nations, for "one very simple reason."
"We know that none of us, no single department or agency, and no single nation, can do it alone," he said. "So if we're serious about combating these networks, it will truly require all hands on deck."
Preparing for Future Threats
The third and final question that informs Southcom strategy, the admiral said, is "Are we ready for what comes next?"
Inevitably a natural disaster or epidemic lies in wait "just around the corner," he said. "Are we prepared to play our role as part of our larger national security enterprise?"
Southcom, Tidd said, is "training hard to get to yes" by honing rapid-response capabilities and improving interoperability, in part through building military medical capabilities among partner nations and exercising with those militaries.
"We're fortunate to work with partners that understand what shared responsibility is all about," the admiral said, "partners who are eager and willing to contribute to regional and international security."
The service members and civilians at Southcom are "deeply engaged in a part of the world that is, itself, deeply important to our culture, our security, and our economic prosperity," Tidd said.
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South Sudan: UN supply warehouse looted; non-critical staff ordered to relocate
14 July 2016 The United Nations today ordered the temporary relocation of some non-critical staff from Juba, South Sudan, due to the operational challenges caused by the recent fighting there.
Meanwhile, the main warehouse in the city run by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which held one month's worth of life-saving food and nutrition supplies for 220,000 people before the fighting erupted, has been looted.
A spokesperson for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said that some non-critical staff from the Mission, as well as from UN agencies, funds and programmes, have been ordered to relocate temporarily "due to the recent fighting in Juba and subsequent associated operational challenges."
But UNMISS and UN entities "will continue running critical operations to support the people of South Sudan, including protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance," the spokesperson added.
The fighting between the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition, which backs First Vice-President Riek Machar, reportedly killed some 272 people, including 33 civilians, and displaced at least 36,000 civilians.
According to WFP, UNMISS peacekeepers have reported extensive looting of food from the warehouse on the western edge of Juba, but WFP staff have not yet been able to reach the warehouse to confirm the extent of the losses.
World Food Programme condemns looting of supplies
"WFP strongly condemns the theft of food intended for the poorest and most vulnerable people of South Sudan," said WFP Deputy Regional Director Vernon Archibald. "While the extent of the looting is not yet clear, we fear that the loss of these vital food supplies will severely hamper WFP's ability to assist the tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes because of the violence," he added.
The warehouse serves as WFP's main logistical hub inside South Sudan, and is used to supply the agency's operations in the rest of the country.
WFP Country Director Joyce Luma noted that the agency has already provided urgently needed food assistance to thousands of displaced people sheltering at UN peacekeeping bases, using stocks from a smaller warehouse in another part of town.
She said the agency is also sheltering some 3,000 people in its main office compound, mostly women and children who fled for their lives. "A new mother fled to our compound with her baby son just hours after giving birth," she added.
"In past incidents of large-scale looting, WFP has been able to negotiate the return of looted food when those who took it recognized the importance of the humanitarian assistance that WFP provides," Ms. Luma said, expressing hope that such would be the case this time around too.
Situation in Juba 'calm but tense'
At UN Headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, told reporters that the situation in Juba, according to UNMISS, was calm but tense with heavy SPLA military presence. The Mission also reported that its peacekeepers continue to undertake limited patrols.
Currently, the Mission is protecting some 33,000 internally displaced persons in Juba, most of whom are sheltering in the "protection of civilian" sites adjacent to the UN House, he said. The Mission will also start conducting search operations in these sites for weapons. Two peacekeepers injured in the fighting have also been medically evacuated today.
The Mission has further received highly disturbing reports of targeting of UN and international non-governmental organization (NGO) personnel, premises and assets in Juba allegedly by SPLA soldiers, during the recent fighting, Mr. Dujarric said, noting that the reports include allegations of a killing of at least one South Sudanese national working for an international NGO, as well as rapes, including of an International NGO staff. UN staff members have also been assaulted.
"We condemn in the strongest terms possible these attacks," he said. "We call on the national authorities to investigate these serious allegations immediately and thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice."
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also reported that three days into the tenuous ceasefire in Juba, many people have begun to return to their homes. However, thousands remain displaced, including at the UNMISS Tomping base, the UN House and the WFP compound.
"The relative calm has provided a window of opportunity for humanitarian organizations to respond, and now we have visited all areas where people were reportedly displaced," he said.
Humanitarian partners are closely monitoring the evolving situation in several locations across the country, including Yei, Wau and Leer.
UNICEF and partners also providing life-saving assistance
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and partners are also providing urgent life-saving assistance to thousands of people displaced by the heavy fighting.
"The people hit hardest by this fighting are struggling to cope in appalling conditions," said Mahimbo Mdoe, UNICEF's Representative in South Sudan. "They are desperate for water, food and in need of medical assistance."
Primary health care kits as well as recreational items for children will be distributed today. Yesterday, four trucks of supplies, including the treatment of malnutrition as well as sanitation items such as water containers and soap, were dispatched from UNICEF warehouses and taken to a UN displacement site in Juba as soon as movement became possible in the city. High-energy food bars were also distributed in two churches where families have gathered.
Teams from UNICEF and partners are also working to assess the extent of humanitarian needs and have begun family tracing for children who became separated from their parents as families fled the fighting.
"We are responding and that response will continue to grow, but it is vital that we are able to reach everyone in need and for that we must have unrestricted humanitarian access," said Mdoe.
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S. Sudan President Calls for Talks to Salvage Peace Accord
by Dan Joseph July 14, 2016
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has called on rival leader Riek Machar to meet for talks, in an effort to save a peace deal threatened by days of heavy gun and artillery battles in the capital.
Residents of Juba tell VOA the city remained calm Thursday, three days after a cease-fire took effect, but that people remain on edge and are not sending their children to school in case fighting resumes.
Speaking to reporters at the presidential compound in Juba, President Kiir said he does not want further bloodshed in South Sudan and wants Machar, the country's top vice president, to come back "so we can chart the way forward."
Machar has stayed out of sight since taking part in a July 8 news conference with Kiir as government and opposition forces battled outside the compound and in other parts of the capital.
The government later said more than 250 people died in Juba that day, the majority being opposition soldiers who support Machar.
Kiir appeared Thursday with African Union special envoy Alpha Oumar Konare, a former president of Mali, and cease-fire monitoring chief Festus Mogae, the former president of Botswana.
The president said he spoke to Machar earlier in the day and asked him to return but added, "It was difficult for him to accept." The president said he is ready to protect Machar and his allies if they come to the compound.
African Union and United Nations officials have called on South Sudan's leaders to ensure the world's youngest country does not slide back into civil war. Officials have warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in the country brought on by disrupted harvests and the displacement of more than 2 million people.
The government has blamed the opposition for starting the clashes last week. It said opposition soldiers opened fire on government soldiers at a checkpoint on July 7, killing five people.
Officials have also said Machar's spokesman circulated a false report on the 8 that said Machar was about to be arrested, prompting hundreds of opposition soldiers to race to the presidential compound.
Neither Machar nor his spokesman has replied to the accusations.
Fighting between pro-Kiir and pro-Machar forces began in December 2013, five months after Kiir fired Machar as the country's vice president. The conflict degenerated into ethnic violence involving Kiir's Dinka tribe and Machar's tribe, the Nuer.
Under heavy international pressure, Kiir and Machar signed a peace agreement in Addis Ababa last August. The sides formed a transitional government earlier this year after the government agreed to let hundreds of Machar's soldiers be stationed in and around Juba for his protection.
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Political Role of the Military
In the first seven decades since the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923, six of the nation's nine presidents had military backgrounds. Until 1950 Ataturk and his successor and closest military associate, Inonu , ruled what was an essentially a one-party political system with a strong martial flavor. Ataturk encouraged the military to abjure politics, but the armed forces intervened on three occasions--in 1960, 1971, and 1980. Although they did so under different circumstances in each case, their justification was their sworn duty to uphold national unity and the democratic order.
By dint of the influence it has exerted on politics since the early days of the Turkish republic, the military constitutes the country's most important interest group. Ataturk and his principal allies all were career officers during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. Although Ataturk subsequently endeavored to separate the military from political affairs, he nevertheless considered the army to be the "intelligentsia of the Turkish nation" and "the guardian of its ideals." By the time of Ataturk's death in 1938, the military had internalized a view of itself as a national elite responsible for protecting the Six Arrows of Kemalism.
Prior to 1960, the military worked behind the scenes to ensure that the country adhered to the guidelines of the Kemalist principles. However, in 1960 senior officers were so alarmed by government policies they perceived as deviating from Kemalism that they intervened directly in the political process by overthrowing the elected government and setting up a military regime. The military saw its mission as putting the country back on the correct path of Kemalism. Believing by October 1961 that this goal had been achieved, the officers returned to the barracks, whence they exercised oversight of civilian politicians.
The 1960 coup demonstrated the military's special status as an interest group autonomous -- if it chose to be -- from the government. On two subsequent occasions, in 1971 and 1980, the military again intervened to remove a government it perceived as violating Kemalist principles. The military regime of 1980-83 was the longest lasting, and represented the armed forces' most serious effort to transform traditional political behavior. The changes the regime introduced were intended to break what had become a cycle of decennial military interventions. The constitution introduced by the coup leaders in 1982, which forbade political activism in the universities and trade unions, abolished pre-existing parties, and banned political activity by pre-1980 party leaders, was the centerpiece of the military's efforts to curtail the factionalism and polarization that had stalemated the previous civilian government.
The leader of the 1980-83 junta, General Kenan Evren, remained as president after the return of civilian government, but the generals disavowed any desire for a continuing political role for the military. The public failed to respond to Evren's appeal to vote for the party favored by the generals, the Nationalist Democracy Party (Milliyetei Demokrasi Partisi -- MDP). A new grouping of retired officers and other leading citizens, the MDP had the same interests and goals as the military regime. Although disappointed by the party's lack of success, military leaders established good working relations with the victorious Motherland Party (Anavatan Partisi--ANAP) of Turgut Ozal. By promptly relinquishing control over public life, the military preserved its reputation as the ultimate protector of Turkish democratic institutions.
On two occasions, Ozal prevailed when differences arose with the armed forces. In 1987, as prime minister, he overrode the military's choice of an army commander as the new chief of the General Staff, reportedly out of dissatisfaction with the conduct of the campaign against the Kurdish insurgency. In 1990, after Ozal became president, the chief of staff resigned as a result of undisclosed disagreements assumed to have sprung from Ozal's activist stance against Iraq's takeover of Kuwait but did not make a public issue of his difference with Ozal.
From a career point of view, it was said to be unwise for an officer to express opinions that can be construed as liberal or otherwise unorthodox. The armed forces have shown particular sensitivity to the threat of radical Islamism to military order. In 1991 the general staff disclosed that in the preceding decade 357 officers and seventy-one noncommissioned officers (NCOs) had been dismissed on charges of involvement in extreme leftist or separatist (presumably Kurdish) activities. During the same period, thirty-seven officers and 188 NCOs were discharged for involvement in extreme rightist or Islamist activities.
The 1980 coup resulted in a longer transition period to civilian government and the imposition of more extensive restrictions on political rights than had the earlier interventions. At the start of 1995, some fourteen years after the coup, senior officers in the armed services still expected the civilian president and Council of Ministers to heed their advice on matters they considered pertinent to national security. For instance, the military defined many domestic law-and-order issues as falling within the realm of national security and thus both formulated and implemented certain policies that the government was expected to approve.
Since the military coup of 1960, Turkish politics have been characterized by two opposing visions of government. According to the "rule from above" view, which has been dominant among the military elite and some of the civilian political elite, government was an instrument for implementing the enduring principles of Kemalism. Thus, if a government fails to carry out this mandate, it must be replaced by those who are the guardians of Ataturk's legacy, which was identified as synonymous with Turkish nationalism. In contrast, the "rule from below" view, which predominates among more populist-oriented politicians and thinkers, tends to regard government as an instrument for protecting the civic rights and individual freedoms of Turkish citizens. Thus, if elected leaders fail in their responsibilities, they should be voted out of office.
Supporters of the first view tend to interpret democracy as a political order in which all Turks share common goals and national unity was not disrupted by partisan politics. When they perceive partisan politics as threatening this democratic ideal, they back military intervention as a corrective measure. Those favoring rule from below tend to accept diversity of opinion, and its organized expression through competitive political parties, as normal in a healthy democracy. These two very different conceptions of government have contributed significantly to Turkey's political history since 1960, an era in which periods of parliamentary democracy have alternated with periods of military authoritarianism.
The legacy of military intervention, in particular a general fear among politicians that it may recur, has adversely affected democratic practices in Turkey. For instance, the successor civilian governments have lifted only gradually the harsh restrictions imposed on political rights by the 1980-83 regime. In early 1995, various restrictions on the formation of political parties and free association remained in effect; civilians accused of "crimes against the state" continued to be remanded to military courts for detention, interrogation, and trial.
Imbued with the concept that its mission was to safeguard Ataturk's heritage, the military establishment has often shown its impatience with political bickering and compromises that appear to slight Kemalist objectives. Civilian politicians indifferent to those goals or embracing other ideologies are viewed with suspicion or even as subversive. Much of the military education system was concerned with instilling the Kemalist spirit through study of the 1919-22 War of Independence, the concept of patriotism as embodied by Ataturk, and the values and principles of Kemalism, particularly the "Six Arrows" of secularism, republicanism, populism, etatism, reformism, and nationalism, as guidance for the future of the Turkish state.
A democratic system was fully accepted as the best form of government by the professional military. However, young career officers are indoctrinated with the view that the proper working of democracy demands discipline, organization, constructiveness, unity of purpose, and rejection of self-interest. Thus, the military had little tolerance of politicians whom it perceives as putting personal ambition before the good of the state or of political parties or groups acting in ways it considers to be dictated by a struggle for power and economic advantage.
The National Security Council (NSC), which according to the constitution has only an advisory role, is customarily the formal venue at which the Turkish military sets guidelines and, if deemed necessary, issues warnings to the elected government about what is fair or foul in Turkish politics. For instance, after the rise to power of Turkey's Islamist Refah Party-led government in 1996, the NSC let it be known publicly that Islamic "reactionaries" constituted a primary threat to national security (alongside the then-active armed insurgency of the PKK). A similar warning about the threat of "nationalist mafia" was issued in 1999, after the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) joined the coalition then led by Bulent Ecevit.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government, which faced a wave of street protests and riots, moved on 27 June 2013 to amend an article of the Armed Forces charter cited by generals in the past to justify coups as defense of public order. Article 35 of the charter was promulgated after the 1960 coup that resulted in the hanging of a prime minister. The amendment would replace the declared duty to protect and watch over the republic - a reference that for many Turks would imply strictly enforcing a secular order - with a more limited obligation to defend the Turkish homeland against foreign threats.
The military is especially concerned that AK might try to amend or re-write the 1982 constitution to change the "unamendable" preamble and articles 1-4, which are designed to freeze Turkey within narrow, if ambiguously defined,"secular" and Ataturkist bounds.
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White House: US Not Currently Cooperating With Russia on Syria
by VOA News July 14, 2016
A spokesman for the White House says the United States is not conducting or coordinating with Russia on military operations in Syria, ahead of a visit to Russia by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Thursday that "there is some speculation that an agreement may be reached [during Kerry's visit], but it's not clear that that will happen."
Kerry arrived in Moscow on Thursday.
Earnest also said Russia needs to decide whether it will focus on fighting extremists in Syria or propping up the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
"Trying to accomplish both goals is a fundamental contradiction," Earnest said, "because to prop up the Assad regime worsens the chaos inside of Syria, and extremist organizations rely on that chaos to thrive."
Earlier Thursday, Assad said Russia has never asked him to relinquish power and step down as president.
In an interview with NBC News, Assad said neither Russian Foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov nor President Vladimir Putin have asked him to give up power, contrary to speculation that a back-channel agreement between Russia and the United States called for him to leave office.
"The Russian politics is not based on making deals," Assad said. "It is based on values."
The Syrian leader said Russia has never "said a single word" regarding him leaving office. "Only the Syrian people define who is going to be president," he told his interviewer. "When to come and when to go."
On his visit to Moscow this week, Kerry is expected to push for a revised cease-fire in Syria and the so-called "roadmap" to peace.
A U.S.-led coalition is carrying out airstrikes against extremists in Syria and Iraq, and Islamic State militants have lost significant amounts of territory in recent months.
In the interview, Assad dismissed the U.S. efforts as "not serious" and said "that military ineffectiveness is a reflection of their political will."
"The reality is telling us that since the beginning of the American airstrikes the terrorism has been expanding and pervading," Assad said. "It has only shrinked when the Russians intervened."
VOA's Charles Maynes contributed to this report.
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Despite Putin Jibes, Russia Places Hope In 'Brexiteer' Boris Johnson
July 14, 2016
by Tom Balmforth
MOSCOW -- In a single sentence, he once called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "manipulative tyrant" and likened him to the big-eared, bug-eyed "house elf" from the Harry Potter series. But the surprise appointment of Boris Johnson to head the British Foreign Office is being cautiously welcomed by Moscow -- and his predecessor's exit pointedly cheered.
While Putin has not avoided the undiplomatic jibes Johnson has trained on several world leaders, Russian officials suggested that the change in government in Britain -- following Prime Minister David Cameron's departure in the wake of the 'Brexit' vote to leave the EU -- presents a chance to pipe some warmth into ties that that have been chilly for a decade.
"Certainly, we have long been waiting to turn over what is not the best page in the book of Russian-British relations," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on July 14. "Therefore, if under the new head of the Foreign Office, the British side has the appropriate desire and intention in this regard, we will certainly support this."
Moscow may see Johnson as more amenable to making "deals" with Russia, analysts say. Putin might also be hoping the appointment of the controversial figure -- who has been called "crafty" by the German foreign minister and a liar by his French counterpart -- could play into the Kremlin's hands by creating rifts in the West.
Former London mayor Johnson led the "Brexit" campaign, whose success was hailed by many Russian politicians. Britain's "leave" vote came shortly before the EU decided to prolong sanctions against Moscow over its interference in Ukraine and NATO approved new deployments as a deterrent to an "aggressive" Russia.
Dealing With The Devil?
Johnson has seemed amenable to working with Russia on the geopolitical stage, arguing last December for closer partnership in Syria -- albeit in a newspaper column titled Let's Deal With The Devil.
In the same column, Johnson wrote of Putin: "Despite looking a bit like Dobby the House Elf, he is a ruthless and manipulative tyrant."
Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, predicted that Johnson would change his tone as foreign secretary, saying the Kremlin now expects "slightly different rhetoric of a more diplomatic nature."
Peskov suggested it would be hard for Russia-British relations to go anywhere but up.
"Unfortunately, we can't boast of much success in the field of bilateral relations [with Britain], and so of course every new beginning gives certain hopes," state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted him as saying.
Ties have been badly strained since Putin critic Aleksandr Litvinenko was fatally poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 in London in 2006. A British inquiry concluded in January 2016 that the Russian government was behind his death and that Putin "probably approved" the killing.
While Russian officials made few specific comments about Johnson himself in their remarks on his appointment, they made clear they were happy to see his predecessor, Philip Hammond, leave office.
"I can say that we are not going to miss Hammond," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova said.
"One wants to hope that [Johnson] doesn't have theanti-Russian complexes of his predecessor," Aleksei Pushkov, the chairman of the international affairs committee in the State Duma, Russia's lower parliament house, said on Twitter:
"In contrast to the [foreign ministers of] France, Germany and Italy, Hammond completely denied ties with Russia. As a result, London ended up on the sidelines on Syria as well as on Ukraine."
James Nixey, the head of the Russia and Eurasia Program at London-based think-tank Chatham House, told RFE/RL that Johnson is welcomed in Moscow as he lacks foreign affairs or Russia expertise and is seen as a "man who does deals."
Concern In Ukraine
In his "Devil" column in December, Johnson wrote: "It is time to set aside our Cold War mindset and stop being picky about our allies if we are to defeat [Islamic State extremists] before they kill thousands more.
In March, Johnson said that Putin displayed "ruthless clarity" in helping Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's government retake Palmyra from IS.
And while campaigning for Brexit, Johnson suggested that the EU bore responsibility for the upheaval in Ukraine, which Russia has destabilized by seizing the Crimean Peninsula and supporting separatists in the eastern Donbas region in a war that has killed more than 9,300 people.
"If you want an example of EU foreign policymaking on the hoof and the EU's pretensions to running a defense policy that have caused real trouble, then look at what has happened in Ukraine," Johnson said on May 9 -- though he has also criticized Russia over the war in Ukraine, and said Putin's "proxy army was almost certainly guilty of killing" the 298 people who died when a passenger jet was downed there in July 2014.
Johnson's appointment has caused concern for some in Ukraine. The Kharkiv-based Ukrainian Human Rights Protection Group said on July 14 that it "defies any comprehension."
But will it open a new chapter in Russia-U.K. relations? That's not clear, Nixey said.
"It's hard to say how much influence he's going to have on foreign policy direction," he said. "As in the country overall, people obviously are split on this."
Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/boris-johnson- russia-reaction-foreign-secretary/27858824.html
Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
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DoD Experts Tell Congress Nuclear Modernization Efforts 'Crucial'
By Karen Parrish DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2016 Modernization and sustainment across the nuclear triad are essential to maintaining national and allied security, three Defense Department experts told Congress today.
DoD witnesses Robert Scher, assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities; Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander of U.S. Strategic Command; and Air Force Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, testified today before the House Armed Services Committee's strategic forces subcommittee.
Maintaining Nuclear Deterrence
Scher said President Barack Obama's approach to reducing nuclear dangers "has consistently included two key pillars: working toward a world without nuclear weapons, and maintaining effective deterrence along the way." Because world nuclear disarmament is not assured, Scher said, "We must proceed with modernized replacements to maintain our nuclear deterrent for us and our allies."
The United States' sea-, air- and land-based nuclear delivery systems make up the "triad," which Scher called the best approach to maintaining nuclear deterrence. The triad and dual-capable aircraft, he said, "provide the credibility, flexibility and survivability to meet and adapt to the challenges of a dynamic security environment."
Scher said the projected cost for the nuclear force's modernization is $350 billion to $450 billion over 20 years. "While not a small amount of money, the total defense budget in fiscal year 2016 alone was over $580 billion," he said. "The cost for nuclear modernization is substantial, but it is not unreasonable for what [Defense Secretary Ash Carter] has called the bedrock of our security."
Modernizing will allow the United States to shrink its nuclear arsenal while still reassuring allies "that they do not need their own nuclear capabilities," Scher said.
Taking a Long Approach
Haney also emphasized the need for nuclear modernization.
"Our capabilities as a whole have lasted well beyond their designed service life," he said. "It is crucial that we modernize our strategic deterrence capabilities, which underpin our national and global security."
Countries such as Russia, China and North Korea have their own nuclear agendas, he said. "Comprehensive strategic deterrence and assurance and escalation control require a long approach ... and it's far more than just nuclear weapons and platforms," he added.
The president's proposed 2017 defense budget addresses modernization priorities and "supports my mission requirements," Haney said. "But let me be clear," he cautioned. "There are no margins to absorb new risk."
'Already Long Overdue'
Rand also spoke about "long-overdue" nuclear modernization efforts. Modernization plans are in place, he said, for the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile system, the bomber fleet, the air-launch cruise missile, the UH-1N helicopter, nuclear weapon storage facilities and more.
"I am prepared to offer my opinion on the consequences to our nation's and our allies' security if these already long-overdue modernization efforts are not carried out according to their scheduled timelines," he said.
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Dec. 10, 1959 July 7, 2016
Reid was born December 10, 1959, to Bob and Peggy Webster in Albany where he attended Liberty Elementary, Memorial Middle School and West Albany High School. He received his bachelor's in business from Western Oregon University.
Reids education and strong work ethic allowed him to explore different occupations, but there were specific highlights in his career that were particular favorites. These included, fishing and cooking for Tanaku Lodge in Alaska; the Buzz Saw Restaurant in Albany, where he met his wife; opening The Pelican Pub in Pacific City; running his own catering company, Design Cuisine; and teaching at Hudsons Bay High School in Vancouver, where he was deeply committed to making a difference for his students.
His passion for the outdoors was no secret to anybody that met him. From his early days of duck and elk hunting, to the amazement of a good scuba dive, to his countless hours on the water waiting for the bite, he had a strong respect for and connection to nature. Fishing, clamming, crabbing all gave him great joy but there was nothing as good as teaching others to experience the "thrill of the hunt." Reids absolute favorite place to be was on the water with close friends, many of whom are also his brothers.
Another favorite place of his was the kitchen. Creating unforgettable meals for others to experience came easy to him and often amazed those fortunate enough to experience it. As with anything he did, this was often enjoyed with close friends and family including, of course, his brothers.
What made all of these experiences even more special to him was sharing them with his daughters, Sydney and Xia. He was enormously proud of them and could always be heard in the stands when they were on the stage. He treasured every moment of being their Dad.
Reid is survived by his father, Robert Webster; wife Laura and her parents Larry and Carol Woodward; daughters Sydney (21) and Xia (13); brothers Dave (Nancy), Rob (Merla), Larry (Mary); brother-in-law Ryan Woodward (Katie) and crowds of nieces, nephews and extended family that miss him beyond words.
All who have been touched by Reid are invited to celebrate his life at the O.O. Howard House in Officers Row at 2 p.m. on July 23 at 750 Anderson Street, Vancouver, Washington 98661. Memorial contributions can be made to the National Kidney Foundation or the American Red Cross.
Hamilton-Mylan Funeral Home in Vancouver is handling arrangements.
Averett University will welcome prospective students to its campus and help show the appeal of private learning by participating in Virginia Private College Week later this month.
Averett is one of 24 Virginia institutions participating in the event July 25-30. Prospective students and their families will be able to tour the campus and learn about Averetts academic and extracurricular programs as well as get information about scholarships and the admissions process. Some attendees also will be able to visit the equestrian center, North Campus and the school of nursing.
Students who visit at least three of the participating schools during the week will receive three application fee waivers and will be eligible to participate in a drawing for a $500 Amazon gift card.
Averett will hold two open house events each day at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., expect July 30 where only one event will be held at 9 a.m.
For more information about the events, contact the admissions office at (434) 791-6880.
Virginia Private College Week is sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia.
Daniel Shipman takes pride in Schoolfield Village, where hes lived for 10 years.
Its nice and quiet, Shipman said during an interview at a cookout held by Danville staff at Hylton Avenue Park on Thursday evening.
City staff held the cookout to kick off community redevelopment efforts in the area in southwest Danville. Residents feasted on hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and potato chips.
The cookouts purpose was to get input from residents on their likes and dislikes in the Schoolfield community and what they would like to see changed. It also was an opportunity for the city to let them know of available housing rehabilitation program money for low- to moderate-income residents across Danville.
The city has been redeveloping the Westmoreland community, including refurbishing homes and performing sidewalk improvements.
This event is an effort to bring the community out and introduce them to that effort, said Jackie Wells, housing and development planning specialist for the citys Community Development Department.
Norma Brower, housing and redevelopment specialist with Danvilles Department of Community Development, said the department offers the housing rehabilitation program for homeowners not able to afford making repairs.
We would like to see if the residents here are interested, Brower said.
Money for the housing rehabilitation program comes from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development block grants, Brower said. Options for homeowners include grants and low-interest loans, she said.
Danville receives federal block grant and HOME Investment Partnership funds from HUD each year, according to the citys website. These funds are used to:
revitalize neighborhoods;
expand affordable housing and economic opportunities; and
improve community facilities and services that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income persons.
The purpose of these programs is to provide decent housing, suitable living environments, and expanded economic opportunities for the citizens of Danville, according to the citys website.
Wells said city staff wants to let residents know those options are available.
Alex Berryman, an intern with the Danville Regional Foundation, planned and organized the cookout and has talked to Schoolfield residents about their community. They have expressed pride in their home and for residents in the Edgewood Drive area, the curbs are a concern due to water running down the street, Berryman said.
Schoolfield Village includes the area at Lanier Avenue and heads east to Selma Avenue, and also includes Edgewood Drive and Mimosa Street.
There are about 4,000 residents in the Schoolfield area, with 540 homes, Berryman said. Seniors and children up to 18 make up nearly 20 percent of the population each, he said.
The homes were built between 1919 and 1930 for Dan River Inc. employees, said Berryman, an intern earning his masters degree in urban and regional planning at Virginia Tech.
Shipman, a Danville native, said he moved to Schoolfield from Washington about 10 years ago. He said he enjoyed the variety of wildlife found in the Schoolfield area.
He loves the community and is active at a church there, Baptist Christian Fellowship, which has a feeding program, Shipman said.
I had an opportunity to buy a house, Shipman said. I was looking around it was nice and quiet. Its what I was looking for.
For Crystal Moore, the neighborhood offers good schools and a nice place for her two sons to play, with Hylton Avenue Park nearby.
Schools over this way are nice schools, Moore said. Its safe, not a lot of crime, very quiet.
Homer Darrell Weeks, 76, of Chickasha, Oklahoma, formerly of Lebanon, died June 14 at the home of his granddaughter Nikki Curnuttee, in San Diego. A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 30, at River Park in Lebanon. Bring food & drinks.
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.
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Further to the news release of July 5, 2016, Gabriel Resources Ltd. (Gabriel or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has completed closing of the previously announced non-brokered private placement with Enescu Investments, LLC, an entity managed by Tenor Capital Management Company, L.P. (Tenor), and Kopernik Global Investors, LLC, on behalf of certain of its managed funds, (Kopernik, and together with Tenor, the Subscribers).
A total of 40,625 units (the Units) were issued to the Subscribers at a price of $1,000 per Unit to raise aggregate gross proceeds of $40.625 million (the Private Placement). Proceeds from the Private Placement will be used by the Company to finance the costs of its continuing arbitration case against Romania before the World Banks International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID Arbitration) and for general working capital requirements.
Securities Currently In Issue
In addition to 384,149,500 common shares of the Company issued and outstanding (Common Shares), following closing of the Private Placement the Company has the following additional securities in issue (the Relevant Securities):
$95,625,000 of convertible subordinated unsecured notes, with an annual coupon of 0.025%, a conversion price of $0.3105 and a maturity date of June 30, 2021. At maturity, the Company will have the ability to repay the notes through the issuance of Common Shares;
111,536,250 Common Share purchase warrants which are exercisable at a price of $0.46 at any time prior to June 30, 2021; and
95,625 arbitration value rights (AVRs), comprising:
55,000 AVRs entitling the holder to a pro rata share of 7.5% of any proceeds arising from any monies received by the Company and/or any of its affiliates pursuant to any settlement or arbitral awards irrevocably made in its favour in relation to the ICSID Arbitration (ICSID Award), subject to a maximum aggregate entitlement of $175 million among all holders of such AVRs; and
40,625 AVRs entitling the holder to a pro rata share of 5.54% of any proceeds arising from any ICSID Award, subject to a maximum aggregate entitlement of $129.3 million among all holders of such AVRs.
The aggregate number of Common Shares to be issued assuming full conversion or exercise (as applicable) of the Relevant Securities is 419,448,750, representing approximately 109.2% of the Common Shares currently issued and outstanding on a non-diluted basis.
As previously disclosed, Tenor has been granted the right to appoint a nominee to the Board of the Company and Gabriel expects to announce such appointment in due course.
Jonathan Henry, Gabriels President and Chief Executive Officer, stated:
The 2016 fundraisings have demonstrated the strong will of our investors to underpin the pursuit of value by Gabriel from either the operational integrity of the RoEia MontanA project or the ICSID Arbitration. The funds raised have delivered flexibility for Gabriel to make long term strategic decisions.
There remains a continuing lack of engagement with the Romanian authorities since the ICSID Arbitration was launched one year ago. Meanwhile aggressive and unwarranted actions by Romanian fiscal authorities have recently increased, and initiatives have been declared by the Prime Minister to develop a longer term future for Rosia Montana apparently without the need for mining, which has been the lifeblood of the local community for centuries. We see no indication of any political desire to have a mine built at Rosia Montana or any political will behind settlement of our dispute. The Companys focus is therefore firmly on a positive outcome to the ICSID Arbitration and I am delighted that we have been able to add the necessary financial backing as well as the international arbitration insight that Tenor brings to the top tier team we have engaged in that endeavour.
Further detail regarding the Private Placement and the impact thereof can be found in the news release issued by the Company on July 5, 2016 which is available on the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
For information on this press release, please contact:
Jonathan Henry President & Chief Executive Officer Mobile: +44 7798 801783 jh@gabrielresources.com Max Vaughan Chief Financial Officer Mobile: +44 7823 885503 max.vaughan@gabrielresources.com Richard Brown Chief Commercial Officer Mobile: +44 7748 760276 richard.brown@gabrielresources.com
About Gabriel
Gabriel is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed Canadian resource company. The Companys principal focus has been the exploration and development of the RoEia MontanA gold and silver project in Romania. The Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license for the Project (License) is held by RoEia MontanA Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest RoEia MontanA S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities.
Since the grant of the License in June 1999, the Company has focused substantially all of its management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Project. Despite the Companys fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Project without due process and without compensation.
For more information please visit the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking information (also referred to as forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Companys operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements.
In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Companys actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with: the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Companys ability to fund its operations or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information.
Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Companys results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as expects, is expected, anticipates, believes, plans, projects, estimates, assumes, intends, strategy, goals, objectives, potential, possible or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results may, could, would, should, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements.
Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:
the duration, required disclosure, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration against Romania;
changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and the group of companies of which it is parent (Gabriel Group);
access to funding to support the Gabriel Groups continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future;
equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of existing securities in part or in whole to Common Shares;
the ability of the Company to maintain a continued listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange or any regulated public market for trading securities;
the impact on business strategy and its implementation in Romania of: unforeseen historic acts of corruption, uncertain legal enforcement both for and against the Gabriel Group and political and social instability;
regulatory, political and economic risks associated with operating in a foreign jurisdiction including changes in laws, governments and legal regimes;
volatility of currency exchange rates, metal prices and metal production;
the availability and continued participation in operational or other matters pertaining to the Gabriel Group of certain key employees and consultants; and
risks normally incident to the exploration, development and operation of mining properties.
This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements.
Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and investors should not infer that there has been no change in the Companys affairs since the date of this report that would warrant any modification of any forward-looking statement made in this document, other documents periodically filed with or furnished to the relevant securities regulators or documents presented on the Companys website. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to the Companys disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities regulations. Investors are urged to read the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies including Gabriels Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which can be viewed online at www.sedar.com.
London - Gabriel Resources Ltd. (Gabriel or the Company) announces that its majority-owned subsidiary, Rosia Montana Gold Corporation S.A. (RMGC), has received a tax assessment from the Romanian tax authorities, the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), in respect of value added tax (VAT) deductions claimed by RMGC in the period 2011 to 2016 (the Assessment). The amount of tax assessed is RON 27m ($8.6m)[1]. This amount does not include any penalties or fines which the Company understands may also be levied.
The Company contests the conclusions and decision of the tax authorities and believes that the Assessment is fundamentally flawed as it is contrary to well established Romanian fiscal laws as well as European directives. The Assessment has been issued despite its basis being contradictory to the results of 18 prior VAT audits conducted by various divisions of ANAF.
Gabriel and RMGC are now exploring the avenues by which the Assessment can be challenged, suspended, set aside or annulled before any payment is made to ANAF. The Assessment is due for payment on August 5, 2016 although RMGC has until August 21, 2016 to make an administrative appeal to ANAF. RMGC has substantial and well-founded arguments on which to base such an appeal and fully intends to launch an appeal in due course.
The Assessment is the latest example of an increasing number of intrusive, costly and unwarranted investigations into RMGCs finances which have arisen since Gabriel initiated its arbitration case against Romania before the World Banks International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID Arbitration).
Given the wide-ranging extent of the ongoing enquiries undertaken by ANAF, the breadth of documents requested and the years of operation that are subject to review, Gabriel considers that the actions of ANAF further evidence the discriminatory acts and bad faith conduct of the Romanian authorities with regard to Gabriels investment in Romania. Furthermore, the scope and findings of the investigations appear to be an abuse of power by the Romanian authorities in an attempt to seek a defense for the ICSID Arbitration.
Gabriel further understands that if the Assessment is not settled within a certain timeframe, the Romanian tax authorities will be at liberty to issue a payment notification, after which RMGC will have a limited period of time to settle the Assessment or potentially face debt recovery actions which could include seizure of assets and/or sale of real property. It is possible that the appeal to the tax authorities and any subsequent challenge to the Assessment in the Romanian courts may not delay the above mentioned procedural steps (i.e. the enforcement of the Assessment and the potential seizure or sale of assets cannot be suspended by any appeal or litigation).
In June 2016 RMGC sent a letter to the Romanian Minister of Finance to protest strongly regarding the timing and extensive scope of these investigations and requested she take steps to ensure that RMGC is treated fairly and fully in accordance with applicable international and national laws in all respects. This letter and request have been ignored with no response to date.
Jonathan Henry, Gabriels President and Chief Executive Officer, stated:
[1] Assumes the June 30, 2016 Bank of Romania exchange rate of RON 3.14 to the $
The Company believes that the VAT assessment received by RMGC from the Romanian tax authorities is illegal, retaliatory, and without merit. RMGC intends to appeal the claim and if necessary challenge the claim through the Romanian legal system; Gabriel will assist internationally as appropriate.
The Company has tried in good faith over many years to develop a world class, sustainable mining project at Rosia Montana where the largest beneficiary would be the Romanian State and its people. However the Romanian State is now choosing to wholly disregard its responsibilities towards Gabriel and the community of Rosia Montana, not least through acts of bad faith such as these intrusive activities which have been stepped up since Gabriel has refocused its activities towards advancement of the ICSID Arbitration and completion of financing arrangements to fully fund these activities for the foreseeable future.
For information on this press release, please contact:
Jonathan Henry President & Chief Executive Officer Mobile: +44 7798 801783 jh@gabrielresources.com Max Vaughan Chief Financial Officer Mobile: +44 7823 885503 max.vaughan@gabrielresources.com Richard Brown Chief Commercial Officer Mobile: +44 7748 760276 richard.brown@gabrielresources.com
About Gabriel
Gabriel is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed Canadian resource company. The Companys principal focus has been the exploration and development of the RoEia MontanA gold and silver project in Romania. The Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license for the Project is held by RoEia MontanA Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest RoEia MontanA S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities.
Since the grant of the License in June 1999, the Company has focused substantially all of its management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Project. Despite the Companys fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Project without due process and without compensation.
For more information please visit the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking information (also referred to as forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Companys operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements.
In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Companys actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Companys ability to fund its operations or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information.
Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Companys results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as expects, is expected, anticipates, believes, plans, projects, estimates, assumes, intends, strategy, goals, objectives, potential, possible or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results may, could, would, should, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements.
Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:
the duration, required disclosure, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration against Romania;
changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and the group of companies of which it is parent (Gabriel Group);
access to funding to support the Gabriel Groups continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future;
equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of existing securities in part or in whole to Common Shares;
the ability of the Company to maintain a continued listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange or any regulated public market for trading securities;
the impact on business strategy and its implementation in Romania of: unforeseen historic acts of corruption, uncertain legal enforcement both for and against the Gabriel Group and political and social instability;
regulatory, political and economic risks associated with operating in a foreign jurisdiction including changes in laws, governments and legal regimes;
volatility of currency exchange rates, metal prices and metal production;
the availability and continued participation in operational or other matters pertaining to the Gabriel Group of certain key employees and consultants; and
risks normally incident to the exploration, development and operation of mining properties.
This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements.
Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and investors should not infer that there has been no change in the Companys affairs since the date of this report that would warrant any modification of any forward-looking statement made in this document, other documents periodically filed with or furnished to the relevant securities regulators or documents presented on the Companys website. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to the Companys disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities regulations. Investors are urged to read the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies including Gabriels Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which can be viewed online at www.sedar.com.
CANONSBURG, PA, July 15, 2016 /CNW/ - Corsa Coal Corp. (TSXV: CSO) ("Corsa" or the "Company") announces the mailing of meeting materials with respect to Corsa's annual and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") to be held at 9:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on Wednesday, August 10, 2016, at the offices of Stikeman Elliott LP (Main Boardroom, 49th Floor) in Toronto, Ontario. Meeting materials will be available online through our website at www.corsacoal.com or under Corsa's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to vote in respect of, among other things: (i) approving a future consolidation of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation common share for up to 100 pre-consolidation common shares if, and at such time following the date of the Meeting, as the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") so determine (the "Share Consolidation"); and (ii) authorizing the Company to issue an unlimited number of preferred shares, issuable in series, with such rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions as the board of directors of the Company may determine from time to time, all as more particularly described in the management information circular mailed to shareholders in connection with the Meeting.
Although approval for the Share Consolidation is being sought at the Meeting, such Share Consolidation would become effective at a date in the future to be determined by the Board when the Board considers it to be in the best interests of the Company to implement such a Share Consolidation. The Share Consolidation is also subject to regulatory approval (including approval and acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange). Similarly, any potential future issuances of preferred shares would occur at a date in the future to be determined by the Board.
Information about Corsa
Corsa is one of the leading suppliers of premium quality metallurgical coal, an essential ingredient in the production of steel, which is necessary for the secular trends in global urbanization. Our core business is supplying metallurgical coal with the highest safety, yield, and strength characteristics to domestic steel producers while being a strategic source of supply in the Atlantic and Pacific basin markets. Corsa also offers high heat content, low delivered cost coal to major utilities and industrial users in the Southeast region of the U.S.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information set forth in this press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein relating to a possible future consolidation of the common shares of the Company or possible future issuances of preferred shares of the Company constitutes forward-looking statements, which may prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of a future consolidation of the common shares of the Company or of future issuances of preferred shares and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual actions to differ materially from any actions expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the shareholders of the Company failing to approve a possible consolidation of the common shares of the Company or the authorization to issue an unlimited number of preferred shares, the failure of the Company to obtain all applicable regulatory approvals (including approval and acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange), and management's ability to anticipate and manage the foregoing factors and risks. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release are based on certain assumptions regarding, among other things, the desirability of a possible consolidation of the common shares of the Company to the shareholders of the Company and the Company's ability to obtain all applicable regulatory approvals (including approval and acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange). There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual actions and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any of the forward looking statements contained in this press release unless required by law.
The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed on the merits of this news release. 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 Corsa Coal Corp.
-USD $20,000 non-refundable deposit on signing; -USD$ 180,000 payable and 2,000,000 common shares issuable upon Exchange approval; -2,000,000 common shares issuable on the first anniversary date; -2,000,000 common shares issuable on the second anniversary date; -USD$ 1,250,000 in eligible exploration expenditures on or before the third anniversary date of the Option Agreement.
July 15, 2016, Vancouver: Wildcat Exploration Ltd. , "the Company", (TSX-V: WEL) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an Option Agreement with Nevada Energy Metals Inc. to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 3% Net Smelter Royalty, in 348 mineral claims located in Dixie Valley, Churchill County, Nevada. The Option Agreement is "non-arms' length" and so constitutes a related party transaction, as one of the Company's Directors, Rick Wilson, is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Nevada Energy Metals Inc. , and is subject to TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") approval.The DVA 1 to 348 placer claims, having an area of approximately 2,817 hectares/6,960 acres, covers a significant portion of the Humboldt Salt Marsh playa. Of the seven characteristics favorable for the formation of a Lithium brine deposit, as outlined in the USGS deposit model, all seven are found in Dixie Valley. The Lithium deposit model for Dixie Valley is a Clayton Valley style brine deposit.Pursuant to the terms of the Option Agreement, the Company has 36 months within which to exercise the option as follows:Dixie Valley is located in west central Nevada, about 160 km east northeast of Reno. The entire basin is about 98 km long and up to 16 km wide. Humboldt Salt Marsh occupies the central part of the playa and is about 10 km north-south and 6 km east-west.Dixie Valley is home to a large and long-lived geothermal system that is still active. The Caithness Dixie Valley geothermal power plant is producing about 64 megawatts of electricity making it the largest geothermal power plant in Nevada. The active geothermal system extends about 30 km roughly north - south along the entire west side of the valley. The heat source appears to be simple very deep circulation into the crust and is not related to igneous activity.
Very little exploration work has been directed at Lithium in this area. Geothermal water in the basin contains up to 4.89 ppm Lithium and stream sediment samples from the adjacent Stillwater range show values to 80 ppm Lithium. Geologically, recent volcanic ash from the Long Valley Caldera (Bishop Tuff) and Mono craters are expected to be found within catchment area of the basin and within the basin fill sediments. One major productive horizon in the Clayton Valley brine field is thought to be Bishop Tuff deposited and preserved in the basin (Zampirro, 2004).
Dixie Valley is a closed fault-bounded basin having the lowest elevation point (1031 m, 3383 ft.) in the Northern Great Basin as measured on the Humboldt Salt Marsh playa. Given the valley has been a closed basin for at least 500,000 years and probably much, much longer, plenty of time has elapsed for evaporative concentration of Lithium bearing geothermal and surface water. The valley appears to be about 2,000 meters deep, primarily filled with poorly sorted coarse conglomerate, gravel, sand and silt with volcanic rocks, and tuff beds, and finer sediments in the lower third of the section (Blackwell et al, 2014).
The conceptual deposit model is as the basin went through multiple wet and dry periods, Lithium dissolved by deep circulating geothermal fluids or leached from local rock units by surface and near surface water, seeped into the basin where it was concentrated by evaporation. Heavier brines sink into the deeper levels of the basin or flow downward along tilted permeable beds, potentially forming subsurface pools of Lithium rich fluids. The process can be likened to an inverted oil field, with the target material being descending fluids caught in gravity traps instead of ascending fluids caught in the tops of structures. This model is somewhat akin to placer gold deposits wherein large areas of very low grade sources are concentrated into economic grades.
The contents of this news release has been approved by Alan J. Morris CPG who serves as the project geologist and Qualified Person on the Dixie Valley Project.
Financing
In addition, the Company is also announcing that it intends to complete a private placement for gross proceeds of up to $1,650,000, with a minimum gross proceeds of to $1,100,000 (the "Financing"), which is expected to consist of units (maximum of 30 million units, minimum of 20 million units) with each unit comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant at a price of $0.055 per unit, or such other price per unit determined by management in compliance with Exchange pricing regulations. Each share purchase warrant will be exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.055 per share for a period of twenty-four months following the closing of the Financing. All securities issued pursuant to the Financing will be subject to a hold period as required under applicable securities legislation.
Net proceeds from the Financing will be used for the exploration of the Humboldt Salt Marsh Project and general working capital. Closing of the Financing remains subject to Exchange approval. The Company does not expect to provide any offering materials to subscribers in connection with the Financing. For more information concerning the Company, please refer to the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. As at the date hereof, there is no material fact or material change in respect of the Company that has not been generally disclosed.
In certain instances and subject to Exchange approval, the Company may pay finder's fees to eligible persons ("Finders") on the Financing and in regards to the Option Agreement with Nevada Energy Metals, consisting of cash and or common shares.
About Wildcat Exploration Ltd: www.wildcat.ca
Wildcat Exploration Ltd. is an exploration stage company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition and exploration of resource properties. The Company currently holds interests in resource properties in the province of Manitoba.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Harry Barr
Chairman & CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information: This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions such as Exchange approval of the Option Agreement and the Financing and the Company's ability to exercise the Option or close the Financing, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. Availability of financing, and general business conditions are all factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements.
Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
THUNDER BAY, ON, July 15, 2016 /CNW/ - Wolfden Resources Corp. (WLF:TSX-V) ("Wolfden" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an independent contractor agreement (the "Agreement") with Mr. Wim Vanderklift (the "Contractor"), pursuant to which the Contractor will provide exploration opportunity consulting services to the Company.
As consideration for his services, the Contractor will receive, among other things, 100,000 common shares of the Company ("Common Shares"). In addition, the Contractor is entitled to receive up to 200,000 options to purchase Common Shares ("Options") upon the satisfaction of certain conditions set out in the Agreement. The Options would be issued pursuant to and in accordance with the Company's stock option plan.
The Company has received acceptance from the TSX Venture Exchange with respect to the Agreement.
ABOUT WOLFDEN RESOURCES:
Wolfden is a mineral exploration company that recently acquired the Rice Island and Nickel Island properties in Manitoba. Manitoba is ranked #6 in Canada and #19 in the world as the most favourable jurisdiction to conduct mining and exploration (Fraser Institute (2015-2016)). The Company also holds a dominant, 24,000 hectare, land position in the heart of the Bathurst Mining Camp in New Brunswick and a 100% interest in the Clarence Stream gold-antimony property in southern New Brunswick that hosts a significant 43-101 mineral resource.
This press release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation) that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information includes statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance of the Company, and include, without limitation, statements relating to plans and results of exploration and the magnitude and quality of the property. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information in this news release, including without limitation, the following risks and uncertainties; (i) risks inherent in the mining industry; (ii) regulatory and environmental risks; (iii) results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; (iv) risks relating to the estimation of mineral resources; (v) stock market volatility and capital market fluctuations; and (vi) general market and industry conditions. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. This forward-looking information is based on estimates and opinions of management on the date hereof and is expressly qualified by this notice. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such information unless required by applicable law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Wolfden Resources Corp.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - July 15, 2016) -
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES
Marlin Gold Mining Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MLN) ("Marlin" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a series of agreements with various landowners to acquire the surface and mineral rights of approximately 3,400 acres surrounding the patented mining claims of Pearce Hill at the Commonwealth silver and gold project in Cochise County, Arizona ("Commonwealth"). Pearce Hill currently contains a Measured & Indicated resource of 984,900 gold equivalent ounces, not including historical production reported by the Arizona Department of Mineral Resources of approximately 138,000 ounces of gold and 12 million ounces of silver from approximately 1,216,000 tonnes of material mined between 1895 and 1942 (Keith, 1973).
Note: In pit Measured & Indicated Resources and historical production are sourced from the National Instrument 43101 Technical Report - Preliminary Economic Assessment dated April 30, 2014.
The land acquisitions consolidate the majority of the surface and mineral ownership of the historic Pearce mining district, including the entirety of the surface rights around the San Ignacio and Blue Jeep targets. While the details of the final acquisition terms of each individual property are under confidentiality agreements until closing over the next few months, the overall cost to acquire these 3,400 acres will be approximately US$3.6 million.
Use this link Commonwealth Land Status to access a map summarizing the existing land holdings and recent acquisitions.
Akiba Leisman, Chairman and CEO of Marlin states, "After over a year of negotiation, we are now able to consolidate what is truly a unique project - a nearly 1 million ounce gold equivalent resource, with targets that can significantly add to this inventory, in the United States, and almost exclusively on private land. These land acquisitions and the rally in silver and gold prices will allow us to re-evaluate the project on a much larger scale, where the only limiting factor is the potential of the district."
San Ignacio, Blue Jeep and Six Mile Hill
For the past four months, Marlin has been conducting a rock chip sampling and geological mapping program under the oversight of Dr. Matthew Gray of Resource Geosciences Inc. ("Resource Geosciences"), which has led to a proposed drill program at the San Ignacio, Blue Jeep and Six Mile Hill targets. Now that the surface rights and additional mineral rights are under Marlin's control, we can begin to aggressively drill these targets.
Based on Resource Geoscience's analysis, Pearce Hill, San Ignacio, Blue Jeep and Six Mile Hill are interpreted to be part of the same large hydrothermal system, comprised of multiple hydrothermal cells and altered/mineralized areas. Tectonics and erosion have exposed different portions of the system at each target, and covered ground conceals even more of the system.
The history of Pearce Hill has demonstrated that deposits of over 1 million ounces of gold equivalents are possible in this region. While the potential size and grade of yet-to-be discovered deposits in the region is unknowable at this point, there is no geologic reason to infer that the largest or highest grade epithermal systems have been exposed by tectonics and erosion to date.
Drill Program
Marlin has now begun an approximately 7,000 meter drill program which will be testing the following targets and concepts:
Broad zones of mineralized rhyolite in the hanging-wall of narrow auriferous veins that define structural corridors traceable for hundreds of meters along strike at San Ignacio, and in particular, disseminated mineralization in the sandstone and conglomerate strata (which are porous and permeable, and thus may be particularly receptive to hydrothermal mineralizing fluids) where the strata are cut by the high angle auriferous structural zones. Vertical zoning of metal content in veins at San Ignacio, Blue Jeep, and Six Mile Hill, whereby deeper portions of the epithermal veins contain higher gold and silver contents than the exposed levels. At Blue Jeep, a structural corridor with overprinted secondary porosity and permeability in rhyolite that hosts rock chip Au and Ag anomalies and numerous historic artisanal mine workings. At Blue Jeep, a deeper gold rich zone underlying a shallow silver rich zone in the north breccia area, which is partly defined by historical drilling.
Dr. Matthew D. Gray. C.P.G., of Resource Geosciences Incorporated, a Qualified Person under the definitions of CSA NI 43-101 has reviewed the portion of this press release related to the exploration targets and drill program.
About Marlin Gold
Marlin is a publicly-traded gold and silver mining company with properties located in Sinaloa, Mexico and Arizona, USA. Marlin's priority is to advance its properties toward commercial production and enhance shareholder value through the growth of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sailfish Royalty Corp. The La Trinidad property in Sinaloa, Mexico, declared commercial production on November 1, 2014. A NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate and preliminary economic assessment for the La Trinidad mine and Commonwealth project can be found at www.sedar.com or at www.marlingold.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary statement regarding forwardlooking information
This news release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by words such as the following: expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, assumes, potential and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements also include reference to events or conditions that will, would, may, could or should occur, including, without limitation, the intended use of proceeds, and Marlin prioritizing the attainment of commercial production and attainment of the Shareholder value through growth of Sailfish. These forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while based on management's expectations and considered reasonable at the time they are made, are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: the risk that the anticipated effects of the rights offering may not result in the outcomes predicted by management; uncertainties related to raising sufficient financing to fund planned work in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; changes in planned work resulting from logistical, technical or other factors; the possibility that results of work will not fulfill projections/expectations and realize the perceived potential of the Company's projects; fluctuations in the value of the Company's investments; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's public disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release. Unless required by law, Marlin has no intention to and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Vancouver, BC (FSCwire) - Voltaic Minerals Corp. (TSXv: VLT, FSE: 2P61) (the Company) would like to announce the following changes to management of the Company. Mr. David Hodge has stepped down as interim President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Darryl Jones has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Jones has been a director since February, 2016.
Mr. Jones has over 15 years of capital market experience and an established financial network. Mr. Jones was an Investment advisor with PI Financial Corp. Canada and Raymond James Ltd. Canada. He was responsible for raising significant risk capital for growth companies in all sectors, with a particular focus on natural resources. He also serves as director of Strikepoint Gold Corp.
In addition, Dusan Berka has stepped down as Corporate Secretary. He will remain as a director of the Company. Frances Petryshen has been appointed to act as Corporate Secretary for the Company. Ms. Petryshen is a seasoned compliance professional with over 25 years experience with corporate compliance and governance for publically traded companies.
The company would like to thank Mr. David Hodge for his service and contributions to the company and wish him well with his future endeavours.
Market Maker
The Company has engaged VLF Market Making Services, to provide market making activities including maintaining a consistent and reasonable bid and offer spread for the common shares of the Company and maintaining reasonable board lot size for bids and offers. The agreement is renewable every six months, includes a monthly fee of $5,000 and can be terminated immediately by either party.
About Voltaic Minerals Corp.
Voltaic Minerals Corp. is a lithium exploration company which owns 100% of the Green Energy Lithium Project that encompasses 4,160 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claims and is located in Grand County, 15 km west of the city of Moab. Lithium and other minerals occur at the project in an over-saturated brine (40% minerals, 60% water) discovered during oil exploration when drill wells intercepted Clastic Bed #31 of the Paradox formation.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
VOLTAIC MINERALS CORP.
Darryl Jones
Darryl Jones
President and CEO
Tel: 604.681.1568
info@voltaicminerals.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.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that the Company may not raise sufficient funds to carry out our plans, changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on current data that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine cannot be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.
To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/voltaic07152016.pdfSource: Voltaic Minerals Corp. (TSX Venture:VLT, FWB:2P61)
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Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc.
Give us a chance to tie up a couple of loose ends about the Linn County Fair that we didn't get a chance to address earlier this week:
County fairs run on the power provided by hundreds of volunteers: Without the efforts of those folks, these events simply would be impossible to stage. It's not at all unusual to see volunteers returning to the fair year in and year out, setting their own business or personal lives aside.
They obviously don't do this for the money, or for any hope of recognition: They do it because they enjoy the fair and they understand that their efforts provide its lifeblood.
Even by those standards, though, it's unusual to see someone logging four decades of volunteer work at the fair. So hats off today to Dr. Ben Braat of Albany, who's worked with other area veterinarians to ensure that the sheep, chickens, goats, horses and cattle arriving at the fairgrounds each year are healthy so that disease doesn't spread throughout the livestock buildings.
In addition to his 40 years of volunteer work at the fair, the 76-year-old Braat this year celebrates 50 years as a veterinarian. He still routinely logs 16-hour days and makes house calls, mostly to tend to horses. (Horses, those prima donnas, don't really care to be carted over to the veterinarian's office, so you have to go to them, and Braat still does.) He says, by the way, that he has no plans to retire, although he might try to cut back a little bit. People who know him will believe that when they see it.
A gathering to celebrate Braat's long service to the fair and his half-century career is scheduled for the fairgrounds at 4 p.m. today. (The gathering will be held on the southeast side of the Calapooia Arena.)
And thanks today not just to Braat, but also to the hundreds of other volunteers who congregate each July on the Linn County Fairgrounds.
Ambassadors for ag
One of the best things about the Linn County Fair is that it offers attendees a chance to reconnect with the importance of agriculture in the mid-valley. Even though we live in the middle of one of the nation's most fertile agricultural areas, it's shockingly easy to lose track of that until you come face-to-face with 4-H or FFA students at the fair and listen to them enthusiastically explain their projects.
So we were pleased to learn that at least some of these students are willing to share that enthusiasm on a broader stage. The Scio Literacy Project is offering a platform for willing students to go out and speak to any mid-valley group that wants to learn more about agriculture and wants to get the scoop straight from someone who might well be part of the agriculture workforce of the future.
The Literacy Project was the brainchild of longtime agriculture supporter Jack Smalley, who died in 2013. Now, Austin Miller, education programs coordinator for the nonprofit Ag in the Classroom program, wants to give the project a boost.
And Miller has some willing (and articulate) volunteers. Check out, for example, Maddi Fergason, who will be a senior at Scio High School: Agriculture has definitely made a difference in my life. We are surrounded by agriculture in the valley. We cant live without it and yet, we need the support of the public to continue what we do.
We couldn't say it much better ourselves. If your group wants to hear from one of these fresh-faced ambassadors for agriculture, contact Miller at the Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, 541-737-1318 or email: Austin.Miller@oregonstate.edu.
With Matteo Zamboni departing Pilu at Freshwater to open his own restaurant at the empty Marque restaurant site in Surry Hills, who will replace the chef at the two hat northern beaches restaurant?
Current Osteria di Russo & Russo and onetime Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year winner Jason Saxby is headed to Pilu at Freshwater, the restaurant's owner Giovanni Pilu has confirmed.
"Jason started here as a young chef before he went off to Quay. He was dedicated and driven; I think his time at The Ledbury [in London] really rounded him out. He now has that knowledge and leadership," says Pilu, an award-winning chef himself.
Pilu stresses a restaurant like Pilu won't have its menu tipped on its head, but points to Saxby's acclaimed dish at Russo & Russo of fregola in squid-ink with prawn meat, mussel butter and house-made bottarga as the type of dish that might edge its way on the menu.
Zamboni departs at the end of the month, with Saxby taking the reins as head chef in mid-August. Russo & Russo sous chef Chris Mosley will replace Saxby at the Enmore restaurant.
Contributed photo Olivia de Havilland looks on as Errol Flynn is knighted in "The Adventures of Robin Hood."
SHARE Contributed photo Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland appear in "They Died with Their Boots On," their final film together. Contributed photo Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland starred together in "Dodge City."
By Nick Thomas
It's a sobering thought for fans of classic film. Olivia de Havilland, who celebrated her 100th birthday July 1, is the last surviving big screen legend from Hollywood's Golden Age of the 1930s.
While other living actors such Gloria DeHaven, Marsha Hunt and Norman Lloyd were indeed active in film during the 30s, Ms. de Havilland remains the only A-list star from that era whose name could be bundled with the likes of Bogart, Davis, Gable and Hepburn.
Other surviving big stars such as Kirk Douglas, Doris Day and Jerry Lewis all appeared in film post-1930s.
In 2009, while preparing a story on the centenary of Errol Flynn's birth, I received a letter from France by FedEx Express, no less from de Havilland.
In it, she shared some memories of Flynn, some of which are reproduced here in a Q&A format.
How many films did you and Flynn appear in together?
"I worked with Errol in eight movies from 1935 to 1941. We appeared quite separately, however, in a ninth film, 'Thank Your Lucky Stars,' in which we had no connection whatsoever. This film's shooting dates extended from October 1942 to early January 1943. Our first film together, 'Captain Blood,' began August 5, 1935 and ended in October 1935."
Your final film together was "They Died with Their Boots On." Did you ever see Flynn again?
"After 'Boots' was completed in September 1941, I saw Flynn only three times during all the years that followed:
1. At Harvey's Restaurant in Washington, D.C., in the spring or early summer of 1942 when, perceiving John Huston and me dining there, Errol crossed the room, sat down at our table, and conversed for a while.
2. Very briefly at a soiree in Los Angeles in the spring of 1943.
3. In the fall of 1957 at the Beverly Hilton's Costumers Ball. Quite unexpectedly, while I was talking to friends during the cocktail hour, Errol left his own group and asked if he could take me to dinner. He seated me on his immediate right and, soon joined by others, took on the role of gracious host with everyone on his left all the ladies while I did my best to entertain the gentleman on my right."
Over the years, Flynn has been sensationalized by the press and authors. Has he been mischaracterized?
"His roguish reputation was very well deserved, as he more than candidly revealed in his remarkable autobiography, 'My Wicked, Wicked Ways.' However, through this very same book we also know that he was a reflective person sensitive, idealistic, vulnerable, and questing. But I think he has been incompletely represented by the press: it vulgarized his adventures with the opposite sex and seldom, if ever, touched upon or emphasized the other facets of his life."
Flynn had four children, a son and three daughters. What were his feelings about parenthood?
"I know that, as a very young man, Errol very much wanted children. Children were, in fact, an issue between Errol and Lili (his first wife) in the early years of their marriage as Lili, influenced by a common belief in those times, was afraid that carrying a child would threaten the perfect figure with which she had been blessed. Later, when the marriage was disintegrating, Lili changed her mind and Sean Flynn, that beautiful child, was born. It may well be that the only steadfast loves of Errol's life were his love of the sea, his love of his house, and his love of his children."
Flynn was never recognized for his acting with even an Oscar nomination. Was that an oversight?
"Unfortunately, at the time when Errol enjoyed his greatest success, the adventure film, as a genre, was not sufficiently appreciated and therefore his appearances therein were not as highly regarded as they might. 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' is perhaps an exception: it was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Picture in 1938. The film was based on an historical legend, and this gave it a certain prestige. As to which of Errol's performances should have merited an Academy Award, I would have to run all of Flynn's films to give a proper reply!
"However, I do feel he played his roles with unmatchable verve, conviction, and style. In doing so, he inherited the mantle of Douglas Fairbanks Sr., who was my favorite film star at the age of 9 and whose 'The Black Pirate' made an indelible impression on me. No one since Errol has worn that mantle; it is buried with him."
Ms. de Havilland's letter concluded with a delightful P.S. indicating a longtime private ritual which, presumably, she performed last month, too, just a few days before her own birthday.
"On June 20th (Flynn's birthday), I will raise a glass of Champagne to Errol, as I always do."
No doubt classic movie fans across the world are similarly toasting Errol Flynn's most remarkable leading lady, who continues to wear her own mantle representing Hollywood's distant Golden Age with her consummate elegance, class and charm.
Nick Thomas has written features, columns, and interviews for over 600 magazines and newspapers. See www.tinseltowntalks.com.
International music star Wyclef Jean has never been one to shy away from addressing controversial social and political issues through his music and public comment.
During a recent phone interview, Jean shared his perspective on the long history of racial conflict in the U.S., recent well-publicized incidents of police shooting and killing African-American men and increasing racial tensions.
"I have family in law enforcement and I can tell you that the majority of police are good people," Jean said. "Police brutality is the nuclear, but it is not the root of the problem. The problem is institutional racism, which exists everywhere in our society."
Examples of institutional racism are noticeable in the judicial system, which often metes out harsher penalties to African-Americans than Caucasians for the same infractions, Jean said. Prosecutors and law enforcement also target more resources in American-Americans' communities.
"The judicial system is rigged," he said. "The thought is that Congress passes laws and judges are supposed to support and obligate those laws," Jean said. "But through institutional racism they have found loopholes.
"This is a modern form of lynching," Jean said, referring to the police shootings.
In addition to holding people accountable, the next step is to identify and dismantle these longtime systems that promote institutional racism and replace them with fairer policies, Jean said.
African-Americans and other people of color have become so used to being mistreated and discriminated against on a daily basis that they have become conditioned to believe it's "normal," Jean said. They need to believe in and demand better treatment.
Although the past two weeks have been marked by numerous public protests and condemnations of unjust treatment by law enforcement, Jean isn't sure if it will result in real change.
"We have a history in this country of 'stop and start,' " Jean said. "Something happens and people rise up for a couple weeks and then go home and are quiet again until the next incident occurs.
"Did Dr. King do that? If he had, do you think we would have seen social changes occur? If you want real change, you need to not stop."
Jean added: "I hate to even mention his name, but politicians like Donald Trump" have fanned the flames of hate and prejudice to further their own political agendas. The current anti-immigrant sentiment especially hits close to home for Jean, who was born and lived in Haiti until he was 10, when his family immigrated to the U.S.
"We are all immigrants here, that is what defines us as a country," said Jean, who noted that Native Americans are the only true indigenous people in the U.S. "The first immigrants were from England. We need to be honest about this country's immigrant roots. This is the land of immigrants.
"But if you listen to all the propaganda out there it's easy to get caught up in the BS."
Standard-Times multimedia journalist Federico Martinez is a longtime music writer and Texas music fan. Follow Tejas Jukebox on Twitter @Tejasjukebox and Facebook every day for breaking news, concert updates, videos and more.
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By Amy Alkon
Dear Advice Goddess: I'm a 44-year-old woman who's been dating a successful actor for a year. When we met, he told me he was 35. Well, in picking up a prescription for him, I discovered he's actually 42! I'm relieved but miffed that he lied. I've felt uneasy about being so much older (especially because his previous girlfriend was 24).
He said he'd been meaning to say something and he was glad I found out. He explained that as an actor, it's important to be viewed as young. (His agent doesn't even know his real age.) He seems to be a good person, but I'm wondering what else he's lied about. I don't lie, and I don't want to be with someone who is a liar. Worried
Dear Worried: The truth is, we all lie yes, all of us which is why social psychologist Bella DePaulo explains in her research on lying that people can't be tossed into "one of two moral bins, one for people who are honest and the other for the liars." DePaulo explains that you are lying whenever "you intentionally try to mislead someone." This includes telling your friend "I completely forgot you were performing at the coffeehouse!" or assuring her that her new haircut looks "cool and edgy" and not like a small animal that got hit by a car.
However, there are different kinds of lies, and the kind your boyfriend told is an "instrumental lie" a strategic lie people use to take a shortcut to something they want. This kind of lie is common to Machiavellian personalities schemers who manipulate other people to get their way. It's also linked to having crappy relationships, since you can't very well be close to somebody who's frequently pretending to be somebody else.
Ruh-roh, huh? Maybe not. Context matters including why he lied, why he didn't tell you and whether his lie has lots of brothers and sisters to keep it company. If he doesn't seem to be a big truth shaver, consider that this age fibbie may be a necessary evil a "cost of doing business" lie.
Why didn't he tell you? Maybe because he didn't tell you, and then he still hadn't told you, and then it seemed he was way late in telling you. If you don't see a pattern of lying, maybe this is a sign, not that he's a terrible person but that he dreaded disappointing you. You and he could even turn this incident into a positive thing an opportunity to come up with a policy for honesty in your relationship.
What's especially important is making it a safe place for telling the truth pledging to sit down and talk stuff out instead of going all explodypants over it. This includes shocking Hollywood revelations like his current one, which frankly is too ho-hum to even make the wastebasket at TMZ.
Dear Advice Goddess: I'm a man who respects science and tries to live rationally, and I'm dating this truly great woman who, unfortunately, is into astrology, energy healing, past lives and other ridiculousness. I try to be open-minded, and I've been telling myself, "Hey, people can be different and still be together." However, she recently told me she'd seen a giant space worm out of the corner of her eye. It was 4 feet tall. Come on. Reasonoid
Dear Reasonoid: Yes, "people can be different and still be together." In one case, headphones made this possible for a sweet guy who cheers up by listening to death metal but fell in love with a woman whose favorite music video scene has the von Trapp children skipping around the Swiss Alps in drapes.
Unfortunately, there's no nifty audio technology to block out the lack of respect you feel for your girlfriend when you hear about her getting pony rides from a space slug or refusing to eat chicken when the moon's in Aquarius. A lack of respect for your partner's beliefs (as opposed to finding them merely odd or infuriating) is the starting line for contempt the amped-up form of disgust which marriage researcher John Gottman finds is the single best predictor that a relationship will tank.
So, in vetting partners, yes, it's good to keep an open mind. However, as the saying goes, just "not so open that your brains fall out".
Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave., #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or email AdviceAmy@aol.com.
AP Photo/Steve Helber In this photo taken July 11, 2016, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump answers a question during an interview in Virginia Beach, Va. Americans have mixed feelings on which presidential candidate will do better on key issues like health care, trade, the economy and terrorism. But when they simply consider whether they personally would be better off, they prefer Hillary Clinton.
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By David Lightman, McClatchy Washington Bureau (TNS)
CLEVELAND Never Trump forces pushed Thursday to allow a conscience clause at next weeks Republican National Convention, potentially freeing delegates to vote for whomever they wished in a move that could thwart the first-ballot nomination that Donald Trump is widely expected to get.
Their proposal to the convention rules committee was expected to eventually fail, but prompted behind-the-scenes negotiations throughout the day.
Others, led by former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a backer of former Trump rival Ted Cruz, were inching away from the Never Trump movement, and instead were reportedly trying to craft a deal that would make the 2020 GOP primaries easier for a conservative such as Cruz to win.
Cuccinelli was reportedly urging some primaries be closed to independent voters who would be less inclined to back a staunch conservative but party officials were not enthusiastic.
Months ago, changes in the rules were seen by Trump opponents as their best way to topple the partys front-runner. Cruzs forces pushed hard for sympathetic delegates who were bound to Trump but who would abandon him should the rules change or a second ballot be needed.
But a defeated Cruz left the race in May, and Republican officials have since pushed hard to unify the party.
They believe they have enough convention votes to squelch any uprising, and have been waging a vigorous behind-the-scenes lobbying effort to squelch the whole Never Trump movement.
John Ryder, the partys general counsel, told delegates the law binds them to the candidates their voters and state parties selected. Party leaders argue the politics, saying a push against Trump would be lethal in a year when Republicans have a decent shot at winning the White House.
Trump has 1,543 delegates pledged to vote for him on the first ballot, well above the 1,237 needed to win. The Never Trump forces claim that if everyone were free to vote their consciences on the first ballot, Trump would drop to about 900.
Trouble is, they have no replacement for Trump, and they risk overturning the will of the 13.3 million people who voted for Trump this year.
No prominent Republican has come forward as an alternative. Cruz has not endorsed Trump, but will speak at the convention. Trump promised him during a private meeting last week that Cruz would have a say in judicial policy.
Gov. John Kasich of Ohio plans to be in Cleveland most of next week, but has no plans to attend the convention. Nor has he shown any interest in relaunching his campaign. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is not attending, as he seeks re-election.
None is close to Trumps delegate strength.
If anyone but Trump won, hed have a legitimate claim to say he was robbed, said Morton Blackwell, a veteran Virginia GOP committeeman whos been to every rules committee meeting since 1972.
To unbind the delegates would be saying, Im so omnipotent and Im so wise, Im going to substitute my judgment for that of the voters of my state, said Steve Duprey, a rules committee member from New Hampshire who is close to GOP leadership. We do that and all we need is to add a smoke-filled room.
Chairman Reince Priebus, who was in private talks with the dissidents Thursday, made clear the need for a unified front when the Republican National Committee, the partys governing board, met Wednesday for its summer meeting.
The 112-member rules committee, one man and one woman from each state, territory and the District of Columbia, are regarded as mostly Priebus loyalists.
It would take 28 members to advance a minority report endorsing the vote of conscience. Led by Kendal Unruh, a delegate from Colorado, its backed by a series of new organizations with names such as Free the Delegates. The report would free delegates to vote however they wished, in effect unbinding them from any state or party requirements.
Even if Unruhs team gets convention floor action, their bid would then have to survive a series of procedural steps. The full convention could wind up voting on their plan next week, but the chances of succeeding are dim. Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign manager, said Thursday hes not worried.
It would take 1,237 convention delegate votes to approve a change. The fear among the party insiders is that a floor fight would dominate coverage of the convention all day, reaffirming the notion that Republicans are only reluctantly embracing Trump.
That image would be a sour opening to a convention in need of enthusiasm and momentum.
With Cruz, you were 99 percent sure where he was coming from, said Saul Anuzis, a Michigan committeeman who ran Cruzs campaign in his state. With Trump, you dont know. But hes taking some steps.
While skeptics remain wary, all that, plus a fervent desire to defeat Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, are enough to quash serious talk of a coup. Henry Barbour, a Mississippi committeeman who has been a fierce Trump critic, was wearing a small Trump pin.
He didnt want to elaborate. Were here to nominate Donald Trump. Thats my statement, the usually talkative Barbour said.
It's taken a lot of hard work, but when 2006 Sweet Home High School graduate Trevor Tagle took the Main Stage at the Linn County Fair Wednesday night, he knew it was all worth it.
Ive been working for this for a long time, Tagle said.
Perhaps it was fitting that Tagles rise from the fair's afternoon shows to a main-stage slot opening for Cloverdayle comes at the same time as his first single, Doin Me, a song about ignoring negative remarks and pushing forward with ones dreams.
I wrote it last summer while sitting at my friends house, he said. Its how I feel. I decided to put my music first and go for it.
Its also the same time that his band Trevor Tagle has come together. Members include guitarists Michael McDonald and Nick Champeau of Silverton, bass player Collin McHill of Lebanon and drummer Marcus McQuade of Salem. Wednesday evening was the first time they've all performed together.
Its amazing how everything is coming together, Tagle said.
Tagle still tends bar on the side, but hes performing more and more regularly throughout the mid-valley. His goal is to tour the West Coast and keep his sound regional until he can complete the right record contract.
I dont want to get in a hurry and do it wrong, he said. This is something I really love and I cant see not being able to do it long-term.
Tagle said the hardest part of his career has been writing the songs and then getting feedback from the audience.
Its tough to be so vulnerable, he said. Its tough to let people judge what youve written, but Im learning to get past that and keep moving forward.
Tagle said it was almost unreal to hear Doin Me played on the radio. Its available on Amazon and will be available on iTunes this week.
People have been waiting for three years for me to release a record, he said. They seem to like it. Were getting a lot of good feedback about it.
Tagle calls his style of music Southern rock, much like Chris Stapleton or Eric Church.
A lot of todays songs are too polished, too perfect, he said. On Doin Me, its my voice, guitar, bass and drums with nothing else added. Its pure and simple.
Tagle said he is his own toughest critic, but he can definitely see improvement in his voice and style when he listens to old videos of himself.
When you work in the studio and you hear your voice stripped down to nothing time after time, it helps you improve, he said. People say I have much more control in my voice now. Studio work has really helped me.
Already this week Tagle has performed at the Lebanon Concerts in the Park and the memorial for the police officers killed in Dallas.
Later this month he will perform at the Oregon Jamboree in Sweet Home. He will also be performing Saturday evening at the Gallon House in Silverton.
It took me a while to figure out exactly what I want to do, he said. I know now, and Im going for it.
Fans can follow Tagle, who now lives in Lebanon, at "Trevor Tagle Music" on Facebook.
Content starts in 2nd grade
Pilot LGBT course in S.F.
State officials on Thursday added the evolution of gay rights and the contributions of lesbian and gay figures in history to the list of topics that public-school students will be taught in California, a landmark move that puts the ongoing LGBT civil rights fight into the mainstream of public education.The state Board of Education unanimously approved the new social studies curriculum framework in Sacramento after several years of debate, public input and revisions. The effort drew thousands of written comments as the state board considered what kind of history should be taught in each grade.The vote officially implements provisions of a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in 2011 requiring that social studies instructional materials include the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. Challenges to that law, as well as recessionary budget cuts, had delayed the adoption of revised social studies content at each grade level in K-12 schools.State and local education officials applauded the changes.History is not just "who was king or queen when," said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. The framework includes content "not only acknowledging diversity, but celebrating our diversity as a strength," he said.The new social studies framework addresses LGBT topics starting in second grade, in content related to stories of diverse families, including those with LGBT parents and children.In fourth grade, the content includes the march of gay rights from the 1950s to the 2015 Supreme Court decision supporting same-sex marriage.Then, in 11th grade, instruction focuses on gay rights and identity, specifically in the progressive and social justice movements, including the speakeasy era of the 1920s and the Harlem Renaissance."LGBT students are frequent targets of bullying and harassment, leading to lower graduation rates, depression and a suicide attempt rate up to four times higher than their non-LGBT peers," said Rick Zbur, executive director of the LGBT rights group Equality California. "And by seeing themselves reflected in lessons and materials, students' experiences are validated and their sense of self-worth reinforced, creating the opportunity for students to be able to achieve academically."The framework is essentially an outline of history topics by grade level, acting as a guide in the development of textbooks and other curriculum materials.The LGBT content was vocally opposed by conservative groups when the legislation passed five years ago."The greatest concern is that the framework tends to normalize and reinforce things that have led to negative social and human consequences in society and promote them as progress," said Bill May, head of the Bay Area-based Catholics for the Common Good Institute. "Curricula should be evaluated by how well it promotes men and women marrying before having children, discourages conceiving children with the intention of depriving them of the fundamental right of ... being in relationship with their own mother, father or both, and helps children understand the value of true friendship that can lead to stable marriages and families rather than friendships based on sexual relationships."While school districts across California have been waiting for the state board to provide guidance on LGBT content, some already incorporate such topics into coursework, including in San Francisco.The district introduced an LGBT studies course this past year, piloting it at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. Two other high schools will offer the course in the upcoming school year."Schools have a responsibility to provide accurate, honest, and fully reflective curriculum that elevates the experience and voices of groups that are often left out," said Matt Haney, the president of San Francisco's school board. "I think it's important and overdue the state board is taking these steps."The LGBT topics were part of a broader overhaul of the social studies curriculum framework that the Board of Education approved Thursday. Many of the record 241 speakers who showed up for public comment at the meeting addressed concerns over the depiction of Hindus, Muslims and other ethnic and religious groups. Others expressed support for greater inclusion of specific events in history, including the Bataan Death March and the Armenian genocide.
A state Republican Party official says its pure coincidence that Attorney General Wayne Stenehjems decision to skip the Republican National Convention has opened the door for Fargo entrepreneur Doug Burgum -- who defeated Stenehjem last month for the GOP nomination for governor -- to attend as a delegate.North Dakota is sending 28 delegates to the convention next week in Cleveland, where New York businessman Donald Trump expects to clinch the partys official nomination for president.Three of the state's 28 delegates are automatic picks: the party chairman and the national committeeman and committeewoman.The other 25, including Stenehjem, were chosen in April by delegates to the state GOP convention in Fargo. Burgum received the 26th-most votes in that balloting, making him the first alternate. So, when Stenehjem decided not to go to Cleveland, Burgum was first in line to take his place.
On Thursday, in the afternoon, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, Administrator of the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and Mrs Kaye de Jersey departed Sydney for an official visit to Cairns.
In the evening, at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, the Administrator, with Mrs de Jersey, attended and officially opened the 2016 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and addressed guests.
Description
GIS - 15 July, 2016: The distinctive spirit of Mauritius is reflected through the harmonious cohabitation of various communities and religions and respecting each other in total acceptance. The distinctive spirit of Mauritius is reflected through the harmonious cohabitation of various communities and religions and respecting each other in total acceptance.
This statement was made this morning by the Mayor of Bethlehem, Mrs Vera Baboun, at the Treasury Building, Port Louis, following a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth.
Mrs Vera Baboun underlined that the support of Mauritius towards the rights and the Palestinian cause was at the core of the meeting with Prime Minister Jugnauth.
Mrs Vera Baboun is a Palestinian politician and the first female mayor of Bethlehem. She holds a Master's degree in African-American literature and prior to her election, she was headmistress of the Roman Catholic High School in Beit Sahour.
She was an English literature lecturer at Bethlehem University where she was also the dean of student affairs. She is the chairperson of the Board of Directors for Guidance and Training Centre for Family and Children as well as a gender studies researcher looking at the role of information technology in empowering women in the Arab world.
The Brazilian oil company Petrobras is considering adding Toro Rosso to its formula one roster.
The semi-public Brazilian multinational already sponsors Williams, but the team's engine deal with Mercedes means it actually uses Petronas lubricants and fuel.
Brazil's UOL reports that Petrobras executives therefore met recently with representatives of Renault and Toro Rosso.
Toro Rosso, the second Red Bull team, is set to switch from Ferrari to Renault power for 2016.
Red Bull is also powered by Renault, but the team is sponsored by Total, a French oil company. Toro Rosso was sponsored by the Spanish oil brand Cepsa until this year, but had to use Shell products for its current Ferrari engine deal.
UOL said Petrobras is keen to add a second team to its F1 roster so that it can actually develop and supply its products at the pinnacle of motor sport.
"It is crucial that there is an agreement with (engine supplier) Renault before discussing the details with Toro Rosso," read the media report.
The report added that Petrobras has significant work to do to prepare fuels and lubricants to the standards necessary for F1, having not done so since 2008.
"The tentative agreement with Toro Rosso does not signal the end of the partnership with Williams," UOL declared. "On the contrary, Petrobras is seeking the renewal of the contract that expires at the end of 2016."
The report said Toro Rosso's Petrobras link ties in with the test debut at Silverstone this week of Brazilian teen Sergio Sette Camara, who is sponsored by the company and also a member of the Red Bull junior team.
(GMM)
The SAA and Mango flights carried 300 passengers from Johannesburg to Cape Town on Boeing 737-800s using a blend of 30% aviation biofuel produced from Sunchems nicotine-free tobacco plant Solaris , refined by AltAir Fuels and supplied by SkyNRG. ( Earlier post .)
Boeing, South African Airways (SAA) and low-cost carrier Mango celebrated Africas first passenger flights with sustainable aviation biofuel. The flights coincided with Boeings 100 th anniversary and centennial celebrations worldwide.
In 2013, Boeing and SAA launched their sustainable aviation fuels collaboration and in 2014, Project Solaris became the first focus project that converted oil from the Solaris plant seed into bio-jet fuel.
In 2015, farms in Limpopo Province of South Africa, from which the biofuel for the flights was sourced, achieved certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), one of the strongest sustainability standards in the world. RSB certification provides a model for expansion of Project Solaris to larger scale production.
The initiative also focuses on South Africas goals for public health, rural development and economic and employment opportunities for farmers by increasing production of Solaris and other feedstocks on under-utilized land.
The partners today also launched a stakeholder and sustainability plan called the Southern Africa Sustainable Fuel Initiative (SASFI) to ensure a long-term domestic fuel supply for SAA and other regional fuel users. The goal is to scale-up over the next several years to gain additional biofuel capacity. If successful, farmers will be able to tap into local and global demand for certified feedstock without adverse impact to food supplies, fresh water or land use.
Studies have shown that sustainably produced aviation biofuel emits 50-80% lower carbon emissions through its life cycle that fossil jet fuel. Airlines around the world have conducted more than 2,500 passenger flights using various forms of aviation biofuel since it was approved for commercial use in 2011.
Sunchem and Solaris. Italy-based Sunchem Holding is an industrial research and develop company operating in the sector of genetic and recombinant DNA applied to plant for energy purposes. Sunchem holds the exclusive rights for an international industrial patent named Solaris Seed Tobacco.
Solaris is a traditionally cross-bred variety of tobacco that contains no nicotine, has excessive seed and limited leaf production compared to traditional tobacco. It grows under different climate and soil conditions; is cultivated in roughly the same way as traditional tobacco; and is exceptionally suited as rotation crop with cotton.
Although an annual crop, it can be harvested at least three times a year. The seeds contain 33% oil and 67% press cake (fit for animal feed), on top of that the harvest yields significant amounts of green biomass. All agronomic inputs needed, such as, fertilizer, water, crop protection etc. are similar to traditional tobacco farming.
The oil can be used for biodiesel, electric generation, bio-jet fuel and marine diesel. Biomass might have different market applications: biogas and Biomethane, electric generation, paper pulp industry, animal cake.
The network of hydrogen filling stations in Germany is growing: Daimler, Linde, Total, and the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wurttemberg (ZSW) jointly hosted the official opening of another hydrogen fuel pump in Ulm. After openings at the Geiselwind motorway service area, at two locations in Berlin, and a station in Fellbach, Baden-Wurttemberg, the partners have now taken a further step towards a nationwide H 2 supply network.
To date, 21 hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) have been completed in Germany. They are funded as research and development projects by the German federal government through the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP). The existing filling stations already reach some six million people in the metropolitan regions of Berlin, Hamburg, the Rhine/Ruhr, Stuttgart and Munich. Seven stations are located in Baden-Wurttemberg alone, with five more planned in the region.
Within the NIP expansion program, Daimler and Linde are participating in a total of 20 new H 2 stations with a total investment of around 20 million (US$22.2 million). Total operates the hydrogen pump in Ulm and paid for its construction.
Located on the grounds of ZSW on Helmholtzstrae, the new station is part of the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP). Its official opening was attended by senior representatives of the companies involved, as well as representatives from the federal government and the Baden-Wurttemberg Environment Ministry.
Providing paid sick leave might be good for workers and employers alike.
In a Friday study, the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Womens Policy Research issued a report that IWPR said suggests a compelling case for the not just the health and societal benefits of paid sick leave, but also an economic benefit. The institute cites studies finding paid sick leave lowers employee turnover and cuts contagions in the workplace and occupational injuries.
In 2011, Connecticut became the first state to mandate that private-sector employers offer paid sick leave to their workers if they employ at least 50 people at any point in the calendar year. Opponents promptly predicted the law would become a job killer for any employers nearing that 50-job threshold who did not want to risk forking out pay to employees who called in sick, or otherwise give them a reason to play hooky on the owners dime.
If paid sick leave has affected Connecticuts restaurant industry, it is not showing up in the sectors employment figures. As of May, employment in Connecticuts hospitality sector topped 152,000 jobs, nearly 14,000 more than at the height of the last economic boom in 2007. And across all industries in lower Fairfield County, the ratio of businesses with between 50 and 99 employees increased between 2012 and 2014 when measured against those with between 20 and 49 workers, suggesting the law was not stunting employment growth for companies running up against the threshold.
In its analysis of paid sick leave bills nationally, IWPR said there is ample evidence that paid sick leave has been a win not just for workers but for the companies they employ a contention not all are buying. The institute bases its Connecticut conclusions on a 2014 survey of about 250 local employers by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, which found few employers reporting any abuse of the then-new law by employees.
The CEO of OperationsInc in Norwalk was among legions of executives who testified in 2011 against a paid sick leave bill, dubbing it a kick in the gut to small businesses still struggling to recover from the ravages of the Great Recession, with others like the Wilton-based landscape architecture firm Laurelrock stating they would be operating at a disadvantage to smaller rivals who were below the 50-employee threshold that triggers the law. Restaurant owners were particularly aghast, noting that they would have to essentially pay for a double shift for any wait staff calling in sick, and that they already offer flexibility to staff.
For the white-collar world in the state this was mostly a non-event, said OperationIncs Lewis on Friday, who at the time the bill was enacted was a board member of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. For the service industry, especially those smaller family-run businesses, this was more of a needle mover. ... There are better places for the state to act in ways that help the masses, without hurting business or creating an impression they are anti-business.
Plenty of proponents also stepped up in 2011, however, including the owner of a San Francisco restaurant who maintained she was averse to the concept when enacted in that city only to warm up to the idea after putting it into practice.
The average tenure of my staff is over five years, which is remarkable in this largely transitory business, testified Zazie Restaurant owner Jen Piallot at the time. As a business owner who had trepidation about offering paid sick days at first, I can tell you that my concerns did not come to pass.
Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-354-1047; www.twitter.com/casoulman
Since the mid-2000s, the open-office layout has dominated design trends in American workplaces, thanks in large part to the unconventional offices of Silicon Valley tech giants Google and Facebook.
Related: 9 Rules of Open-Office Etiquette
As office walls came down nationwide, business leaders discovered that the move not only opened up more space for equipment and staff, but also fostered conversation, collaboration and team-building among employees. Today, about 70 percent of U.S. offices utilize open workspaces.
However, recent studies have claimed that the open-office model causes employees more harm than good. Researchers argue that this type of work environment creates more disruptions and distractions, increases the spread of illness, generates more stress, decreases creativity and productivity and results in lower employee morale.
The way I see it, office design, like everything in life, is not one-size-fits-all. The problems with the open office lie not in the concept, but in the limitations business leaders have placed upon it. Thats why, even in the face of these negative reports, I stand by this modern workspace design -- as long as business leaders provide the proper balance to make it work.
Zen and the art of workplace design
Over the years, my company has experimented with various office designs, some more successful than others. But overall Ive found that my team works best in an open-office setting.
Removing the physical barriers that once separated our employees has opened up new levels of communication, idea-sharing and problem-solving. And, yes, this layout has generated a greater sense of camaraderie among staffers working together toward a shared goal.
However, I recognize that some people simply need quiet or isolation to be their most productive selves. They just cant focus with so much movement and conversation around them, which is why I believe the balanced workspace trend is the office design of the future.
This design model calls for more variety in the workspaces within an open office, including secluded or low-disruption areas for those who need fewer distractions in their workdays.
One example of a well-balanced workplace is the New York City loft office of online investment company Betterment. Its multilevel office is largely open floor space, furnished with couches, work benches, tables and even lounge chairs.
But the space also boasts closed-off sections, such as conference rooms for distraction-free meetings, and The Library, where noise must be kept to a minimum. This balanced layout has helped the company become an efficient startup in terms of productivity and morale.
Related: 8 Tips for Staying Healthy in an Open Office
Promoting productivity through balance
Whether starting from scratch or modifying a work in progress,business leaders should evaluate the diverse needs of their employees, designing a space that offers a variety of areas from which to work. Here are a few design ideas to get you started:
1. Create quiet zones.
While open offices are great for teamwork, they can generate a lot of noise. For employees who find noise bothersome, provide a quieter space away from the hustle and bustle of the shared workspace.
Set up a few couches in a corner of the main area with signage that discourages phone calls or talking. Or construct a few small, closed-off rooms at the edge of the office for important meetings or individualized work.
2. Allow headphones in the office.
Personally, I love listening to music at work; it helps me focus and knock out any project on my plate. But to others, music is just another concentration-breaker.
So, rather than play music over speakers at workstations or throughout the office, allow staff members to bring headphones to work. That way, they can either listen to music or enjoy the silence.
3. Let the natural light flow.
Studies have shown that employees exposed to natural light during the workday are less stressed and less sleep-deprived than those who work in windowless offices. Thats another great benefit of choosing the open office layout.
When it comes to finding the best location or design for your open office, look for a place with a clear view of the outside world. Opting for big windows and lots of natural light will decrease employee stress and build a more productive, creative team.
4. Think beyond the office chair.
Sitting from 9 to 5 every workday is truly terrible for you. In fact, it can bring on a whole host of health problems and even take years off your life.
So, when designing an open office space that encourages employees to mingle and collaborate, get creative with seating. Look into standing desks, yoga balls, lounge chairs and treadmill desks. Or, find other ways to encourage employees to interact and stay active, like game tables (foosball, ping-pong, pool, etc.), yoga time or meditation breaks.
5. Open your doors to new horizons.
Traveling has a big impact on creativity, and sending your employees on business trips has big psychological benefits. Adam Galinsky, a Columbia School of Business professor, is the author of several studies backing the connection between travel and neuroplasticity. Look for opportunities to send your employees out into the world, and break down the walls around your office building.
Related: 10 Questions to Ask When Designing Your Office
While the open office design may have some flaws, its not a lost cause. By recognizing the needs of a diverse workforce and incorporating some distraction-free zones into your office, you can achieve a balance that promotes collaboration, boosts productivity and keeps employees happy.
Related:
Forget the 'Open Workspace.' Say Hello to the 'Balanced Workspace.'
5 Simple Ways to Boost Productivity by Improving Your Workspace
7 Tips To Reduce Workplace Stress
Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Timber and wood product export prices could slide 5 to 7 percent.
Vietnams exports of timber and wood products to the United Kingdom will be affected after the latter leaves the European Union in around two years following the recent Brexit vote, Vietnamplus reported on Thursday, citing industry experts.
The expected falling demand for housing construction in the U.K. will have a direct effect on Vietnams timber and wood product industry.
Demand for imported wood products, including those from Vietnam, will surely decline in the future, said To Xuan Phuc, an expert from the Washington-based non-profit organization Forest Trends, at a seminar in Hanoi.
Phuc, however, said Vietnamese exports will not be hurt in the next two years while the U.K. completes procedures to leave the E.U.
Tran Le Huy, general secretary of a wood association in Vietnams central province of Binh Dinh, agreed demand for imported timber and wooden products in the U.K. is likely to go down after the country leaves the E.U. He said wood processing companies in the province are worrying about that scenario.
Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia are the top three exporters of timber and wood products to the U.K. Vietnams timber and wood product exports to the U.K. rose to nearly $270 million in 2015, from around $181 million in 2012, according to a Vietnamese government statement on Thursday.
In the long run, Vietnams export value of timber and wood products to the U.K. is expected to fall by about $50 million a year.
Brexit is forecast to make the export price of [Vietnamese] timber and wood products slide 5-7 percent compared to the current rate. This is a rather big drop that will cause considerable damage to companies, Nguyen Ton Quyen, general secretary of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association, said at the seminar. He said the current export price of timber and wood produts to the E.U. is between $1,200-$1,800 per container.
Experts also urged Vietnamese exporters to prepare for any future changes in tax, exchange rate, customs procedures or standards in the U.K.
Vietnams central government has asked three relevant ministries to evaluate the economic impacts of the U.K. leaving the E.U.
Policymakers and experts previously said Vietnams exports will face hurdles after the Brexit vote.
Related news:
> Vietnamese government to weigh impacts from Brexit
4.5 million Vietnamese live abroad in 109 countries and territories.
A new online project to teach Vietnamese for nationals living overseas has been approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
The project aims to help overseas Vietnamese people, especially younger generations, gain a basic understanding of their national language in order to nurture their love for the homeland and maintain Vietnamese traditions.
Overseas Vietnamese will have another way of learning their national language with the online program. Photo from giaoducthoidai.vn
The basic Vietnamese teaching program will have six levels as well as daily exercises, tests and online evaluation tools. Students will study through a portal which will be developed as part of the project.
Learning materials will consist of useful topics and themes in Vietnamese-English bilingual lessons, including Vietnamese culture, art, science and technology, travel and business.
The portal will also feature forums for students as well as teachers to communicate with each other.
The Ministry of Education and Training is already running a website to teach Vietnamese to Vietnamese living abroad at tiengvietonline.com.vn.
In 2015, 4.5 million Vietnamese lived abroad in 109 countries and territories, according to Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the State Committee on Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Vu Hong Nam.
Related news
> Overseas Vietnamese student busted in credit card fraud ring case
> Overseas Vietnamese visit Truong Sa archipelago
> Vietnamese start-up wins Obama-backed contest for language learning app
Fuku fingers. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
For a long time, as a devoted chicken-finger connoisseur, I was reduced to frequenting scuzzy diners or bashfully ordering from the kids menu. Id swallow my pride, ask if it was okay that I was over 12, and tackle my plate with a knife and fork (despite the deep-fried delicacys name, I will never disrespect a finger by eating it with my hands), alternately dipping little pieces into honey-mustard sauce and ketchup, sometimes both. Unlike its similarly declasse cousin the chicken wing, which has been ushered into respectability by Japanese izakayas, Korean fried-chicken franchises, and barbecue joints, the finger has remained fallow culinary territory likely because food people find its boneless, bland white meat too insipid to even consider. But with the rise of gourmet stoner food, the tenders time has come.
The specialist Stickys Finger Joint, which recently opened a third location in Hells Kitchen, pioneered newfangled flavors like salted-caramel pretzel and General Sticky Tso. Eli Zabar uses high-end Poulet Rouge poultry for the fingers at his Upper East Side beer bar, Night Shift. And at Carla Halls Southern Kitchen, which opened in May in Brooklyn, you can get her signature Nashville-style hot chicken in finger form. But it was David Chang who truly legitimized the finger as food for grown-ups when he collaborated with Danny Bowien last year on the incendiary Mission Chinese Fuku Fingers at Fuku+. Their replacement, the Sweet & Spicy Fuku fingers, is almost as good tender and crisp, balanced in flavor. And most important, I am never embarrassed to order them.
*This article appears in the July 11, 2016 issue of New York Magazine.
Shoppers patiently waiting for their labels. Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A national labeling requirement for food GMOs is now all but a certainty. The House passed the Senates bill yesterday afternoon, meaning President Obamas signature is all that stands between that box of Froot Loops and a warning that genetic modifications are lurking inside. If he signs the bill into law, as the White House suggests he will, the USDA will be charged with crafting a standard within two years that would apply to all food labels in the country. It would also override Vermonts labeling law that went into effect earlier this month.
Its no secret that the bill, which sped through Congress remarkably fast, isnt that popular with anybody (besides the lawmakers, who can claim it as a legislative victory). About half of the detractors see it as too milquetoast, while the other half argue its a tactic to push consumers away from genetic engineering, a technology that so far pretty much all tests have shown is safe. The FDA also says the bills vague wording could be a free pass for companies like Monsanto and DuPont that have perfected gene editing, a process very similar to genetic engineering, but one that doesnt run afoul of Congresss cloying federal label requirement as its currently written.
The biggest complaint, however, seems to be over labels themselves. Companies would get three options: Add simple text declaring the product contains GM ingredients, slap on a universal symbol that means I have GMOs, or use a QR code that curious shoppers must scan using a smartphone. Critics are pretty sure which option companies will prefer. As the Just Label It coalition tells the Times today: We dont think the QR code is a viable or even an honest disclosure. Its just another way of keeping citizens in the dark every 13-year-old knows QR codes are dead.
The good news for QR-code haters is, since Vermont beat the federal government out of the blocks, companies like General Mills, Mars, Kellogg, and Campbells already adapted their labels to that states standard, which requires simple text. And yesterday, conveniently timed to the Houses passage of the bill, Dannon announced all yogurt packaging by the end of this year will say if there are GM ingredients.
After initially launching Android Pay in the US last May, Google finally rolled out the mobile payment service in Australia for the first time. Android Pay is officially accepted in the following stores with McDonald's coming soon. Strangely, I remember McDonalds to be among the first adopters of NFC payments in the US.
This marks Android Pay as the last major mobile payment service to come to Australia. Apple Pay and Samsung Pay have already been operating in Australia before today. Now it looks like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay will have more competition. Because most people who dont own either a Samsung or Apple phone, most likely own an Android device, one of the requirements for the service.
The first bank to get Android Pay support is ANZ with other major banks coming later this year. Other institutions that support Android Pay include: Macquarie, American Express, MyState, Teachers Mutual Bank, and PCCU.
The site lists Bendigo Bank, EFTPOS, MasterCard, ING Direct, St. George, and Westpac all as coming soon. Additionally, the following apps will support seamless Android Pay transactions as well.
In-app Android Pay transactions coming soon to these apps
Happy buying!
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Xiaomi's next grand unveiling is taking place on July 27. The company has informed the media about this conference that will be held at China National Convention Center in Beijing.
You can see the invite in the image to the left, but it doesn't hold any clues as to what exactly will be introduced on that occasion.
Thankfully however, Xiaomi's director of new media has revealed via his Weibo account that not one but two products will be made official on July 27. He didn't name either one, of course, but did give us some clues as to what they are. See, he 'redacted' their names, thus revealing how many characters each has.
And it looks like the recently leaked Redmi Note 4 with its dual-camera setup on the rear and Helio X20 SoC will be present at the conference. And so might the much-rumored Xiaomi laptop, which could end up being called Mi Notebook. This will come with an Intel Atom processor and at first will be offered in two sizes - 12.5" and 13.3". It will have a light aluminum body, and should somewhat resemble Apple's MacBook line in terms of looks. At some later point we are apparently going to see a 15.6-inch version of the laptop too.
Source | Via
Vietnam arrested some 3,300 criminals involved in human trafficking over the last five years. Photo from the Ministry of Public Security.
Criminals are also targeting men, fetuses and human organs.
From 2011 to 2015, Vietnam detected 2,200 cases of human trafficking, jumping 11.6 percent from the previous five-year period. Police arrested some 3,300 offenders and rescued more around 4,500 victims.
Major General Nguyen Phong Hoa, deputy director of Vietnams General Department of Police, said that the crime has taken place in all 63 cities and provinces; and now men, fetuses and human organs are being targeted, rather than only women and children.
There was a case in the southern province of Can Tho where 75 men were tricked and sold to mine owners in China, Hoa said.
Apart from the substantial profits, Hoa attributed the problem to naivety, loose immigration management and a lack of human resources to fight traffickers.
Colonel Le Van Chuong, a senior official at the Ministry of Public Security, also shared the same opinion, adding that most victims often come from rural areas, where economic conditions have yet to develop. In addition, Vietnamese women who wish to marry rich foreign men are also prime targets.
Last year, Vietnam identified some 1,000 trafficking-prone victims, but there were no data about how many were subjected to sex or labor trafficking, how many were adults or children, or how many were exploited in Vietnam or abroad. Victim identification and referral mechanisms remained inadequate throughout the country.
According to a representative of United Nations, Vietnam should conduct research into human trafficking on a national scale to establish a basis for more a in-depth study in the future to find ways of stopping the illegal trade.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently earmarked July 30 as Vietnam's Anti-Human Trafficking Day.
Related news:
> Trafficking of Vietnamese women for sex and marriage expands across region: expert
Haiti - Social : Kouraj reactions to homophobic comments of Senatus
The Kouraj Association, Haitian organization promoting and defending the human rights of persons lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and inter-sex (LGBTI) takes note of homophobic comments held by Senator Jean Renel Senatus of the League Dessalinienne https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18018-haiti-politic-zokiki-declares-war-against-homosexuality.html
In a note, Charlot Jeudy, President of Kouraj reminds that on 19 July 2013, nearly a thousand people of different faiths, demonstrated to denounce the actions of Haitian gay groups for recognition of their rights. "This homophobic demonstration, organized by the Christian organization said moral and religious, had caused a wave of homophobic violence against LGBTI people in the country," demonstration
to which the former Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince, Jean Renel Senatus, had actively participated. During the day many LGBTI were lynched in particular front the Iron Market and on the Grand-rue while two others were killed in La Saline https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9065-haiti-social-intolerance-made-two-victims.html
"[...] Kouraj would like ask the Honourable Senator of West if his conscience let him sleep when, he knows that people die every day because they do not have access to hospitals because of the strike made by the doctors for better working conditions ? That police officers fall for over four months while they fulfilled their duties of protection to the people ? That the majority of the population can not eat because it lacks the means to afford basic necessities products ? [...] How many conference,press note or media statement have you given on these situations ? Are they not more important than to heap scorn on homosexuality ? You speak as if it was a wrong to promote respect for the rights of LGBTI people" Concluding his notes, recalling that homosexuals are also Haitian citizens who are part of the nation.
See also :
https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-13958-icihaiti-social-canada-supports-the-fight-against-homophobia-in-haiti.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9208-haiti-social-regrettable-incident.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9140-haiti-social-the-iachr-condemns-the-recent-wave-of-violence-against-lgbt.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9065-haiti-social-intolerance-made-two-victims.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-9040-haiti-social-the-bai-alongside-kouraj.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-8910-haiti-social-the-association-kouraj-deplores-the-homophobic-statements-of-a-group-of-religious-leaders.html
HL/ S/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - Diplomacy : The Ambassador of Haiti in DR, welcomes the Dominican decision
The Ambassador of Haiti to the Dominican Republic Idalbert Pierre Jean, welcomed the decision of the Dominican government to extend for one year the temporary migrant regularization card of early 143,000 of our compatriots, whose card was about to expire between 17 July 2016 and December. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18010-haiti-flash-danilo-medina-grants-one-year-more-to-140-000-haitians.html
He noted that this measure taken by the Dominican authorities took into account the difficulties posed to Haiti to help Haitian immigrants to complete the documents required by the National Plan for Regularization of Foreigners (PNRE) including a passport requirement.
The Ambassador of Haiti stated "[...] this is very good news [...] honestly, we're going to work, both the Government [of Haiti] and the Embassy for all immigrants Haitian included in this group of 143,000 foreigners, can complete their documentation."
Regarding the delay in the delivery of passports (for over 2 years...), the Ambassador explained that "the difficulty is that we do not produce the passport in Haiti, the production of booklets and forms we import them from outside," but assured that steps are taken to resolve this issue... The truth is that Haiti neglects its diaspora in neighboring Republic.
As Haiti struggling to meet the internal demand of passports of its citizens and it has just doubled its capacity https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-17919-icihaiti-politic-the-passport-application-increased-200-over-one-year.html , it is not clear how Haiti will be able to deliver more than 140,000 additional passports in the next 12 months... beyond the promises never kept...
See also :
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18010-haiti-flash-danilo-medina-grants-one-year-more-to-140-000-haitians.html
https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-17919-icihaiti-politic-the-passport-application-increased-200-over-one-year.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11414-haiti-socialhaitian-authorities-have-no-excuses-dixit-edwin-paraison.html
SL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - Politic : National Assembly, the saga continues
It is without surprise, except for those who have been victim of the disinformation war being done relentlessly between the majority and the opposition, for the 4th time, the attempt to hold a session in National Assembly failed.
Beyond the false information of the majority wanting to suggest that there were only some details to be solved and that the opposition had accept the extension of the mandate of Privert, it was not the case, Thursday, no consensus had previously been found neither signed between the 6 political groups as we write this week in opolitical groups as we write this week.
The absence of the G48 majority group of the Lower House "Parliamentary Alliance for Haiti" (APH) responsible for the reversal of quorum among Deputies is pointed by Pro-Privert blocks as "enemies of democracy" see "Kamikaze who prefer to blow themselves with the country".
For the deputies of the APH by boycotting the session in National Assembly, they prevented "a parliamentary coup [...] no question of violating the Constitution" they said. Recalling that this meeting was not to decide the fate of Privert which for them is already resolved by the Agreement of February 5, 2016 "Its mandate was maximum of 120 days" (maximum period allowed by the Constitution).
Recalling those who rejects the agreement with the back of the hand, the Constitution in Article 134.3 could not be clearer, stipulating that a President (even transient) cannot obtain an extension of its mandate and to run for a second before 5 years. Moreover the APH recalls that the legislature is not the sole repository of national sovereignty, calling for the involvement of the judiciary in this roadmap to the future uncertain.
But whatever the arguments of the opposition based or fanciful, the majority does not intend to bow to the minority. What's makes told more than one observer that we are far from being out of the woods... Meanwhile, Privert enters its second month of de facto President without legitimacy, with reduced flexibility since he can not make decisions involving the Haitian State.
See also :
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18030-haiti-flash-no-quorum-session-again-put-in-continuation.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17917-haiti-politic-quorum-reversed-youri-latortue-gives-his-version.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17874-haiti-politic-quorum-reversed-to-parliament-the-session-is-put-in-continuation.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17804-haiti-flash-national-assembly-postponed-sine-die-due-to-violence.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17799-haiti-politic-d-day-for-jocelerme-privert.html
HL/ HaitiLibre
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Published on 2016/07/14 | Source
The showbiz is about to hit a storm. News after news has been pouring out and some even say that society is trying to cover up something bigger with scandals like these. It's hard to believe cases have been coming up day by day which is causing the public's sentiment to become dark.
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Comedian Yoo Sang-moo, Lee Juno and Park Yoo-chun have all been accused for sexual offense. In addition, the unexpected Lee Min-ki was also charged with rape.
A media reported that Lee Min-ki was charged with rape then found not guilty. Netizens were appalled with another male celebrity's shameless behavior.
However, Lee Min-ki is different from Yoo Sang-moo, Lee Juno or Park Yoo-chun. Whether or not they were found guilty or not, these 3 were direct people involved with the accusers but Lee Min-ki was an accidental case.
To clarify, it looks like Lee Min-ki was sued for rape after having intercourse with a woman he met in a club, but actually, he has nothing to do with the case entirely.
Lee Min-ki did go to a club in Busan but the woman who accused him of rape said his name by mistake and cancelled the charges right away. She even apologized to him.
Later, Lee Min-ki was just found 'not guilty'.
The management released a public announcement explaining what happened and even so, was careful about saying too much in case it brought about any misunderstanding.
They added that they hoped no more meaningless harm came through this.
The scandal seems bad because it looks like Lee Min-ki was found not guilty after having sex with a woman he met in a club.
In addition, he is on Public Duty right now and is being criticized for intolerant behavior. As a Public Duty worker, he has to go through this to a certain point especially at a time like this when sexual scandals are being treated so sensitively.
However, Park Yoo-chun's case is different by nature. If he wasn't directly involved with the case and his name was put on the list of rapists by accident, it would be very unfortunate. Although he wouldn't be so free by moral compass.
Meanwhile, Yoo Sang-moo, who was charged with attempted rape in a motel, is about to be forwarded to the prosecutors. Lee Juno has been forwarded to the prosecutors already. He was charged with sexually harassing women in a club.
Park Yoo-chun who has been charged with rape on 4 accounts, was found not guilty but is still involved with prostitution, threat and false accusation charges.
Published on 2016/07/14 | Source
As summer has arrived, we've put together the names of the three stars, who showed their toned abs in their dramas: Song Joong-ki, Kim Woo-bin, Yoon Si-yoon.
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Song Joong-ki, 'hotter than the sun'.
Just like the title of his previous drama, "Nice Guy", Song Joong-ki shows off a pure-hearted and nice guy appearance. The prettyboy returned as a manly man when he was dismissed after serving the mandatory military service. When playing his famous role Captain Yoo Si-jin, his lady fans had to suffer from 'Yoo Ji-jin Syndrome'. His six pack revealed during the drama was good enough to steal lady drama fans' hearts.
Kim Woo-bin, 'you can take off your shirt any time, but please don't'
Kim Woo-bin's physique is as hot as his face. You can take a look at all of it in KBS 2TV's "Uncontrollably Fond". Since he debuted, his lady fans fell in love with him for his contrasting appeals, seemingly blatant yet soft-hearted inside. With his new role, Sin Joon-yeong in the currently running "Uncontrollably Fond", it is clear that drama fans will swoon over him again. Especially, as the episode on July 14 has revealed Kim Woo-bin's six pack, it may be one of the most memorable drama scenes so far.
Yoon Si-yoon, Kim Tak-goo has grown up well
He grew up so fast! After he was dismissed from the military after serving the Marine Corps, Yoon Si-yoon is such a masculine man now. As he joined KBS 2TV's 'One Night Two Days' as a new member, he also revealed his unexpected side being a pure-hearted man. He then took a challenge in his career to transform his acting style by taking a role in JTBC's "Mirror of the Witch". Especially when he took off his top in the drama, he showed off his hot appeal by revealing his toned ab. Contrasted to his docile look on the face, Yoon Si-yoon boasts his firm toned ab. Drama fans are falling for his unexpected appeal again.
6-year-old boy falls to death from high-rise building in Hanoi
He was left home alone.
A six-year-old boy died after falling from the balcony on the 11th floor of a high-rise apartment in Hanoi on Friday afternoon.
The accident happened at Rainbow apartment building in Linh Dam residential area in the southwest of Hanoi.
A neighbor living on the ground floor, after hearing a loud sound, rushed outside and found the boy lying motionless on the roof of the second floor.
The boy had been dead before the emergency personnel arrived.
Residents at the complex said the victim is a six-year-old boy living on the 11th floor and when the accident happened, he was left home alone.
It is not immediately clear if his parents have been informed of his death.
Residents started to move in 21-story Rainbow apartment building two years ago.
There have been a number of incidents that involved children climbing on balconies or climbing up to sofas placed near open windows. Police have warned parents against letting windows open or leaving any objects near windows or balconies.
In August of last year, also in Linh Dam complex, an eight-year-old boy luckily survived after falling from a balcony 30 meters above the ground. He was rushed to the hospital with multiple injuries.
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.
13:18, 27 OCT 2022
Activists who travelled to disputed Scarborough Shoal and were blocked by Chinese Coastguard a few months ago, watch an announcement by a government official, regarding a ruling on the disputed South China Sea by an arbitration court in Hague, in favor of Philippines, at a restaurant in Manila, Philippines July 12, 2016.Photo by Reuters/Erik De Castro.
Vietnam and the Philippines' efforts to build up support in ASEAN face an uphill battle.
The failure of Southeast Asia to issue a joint statement on the rejection by an international court against Chinas claims to vast swaths of the South China Sea has yet again epitomized the already growing rift among member states, analysts say.
That could also have a bearing on the enforcement of the recent headline-grabbing ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the analysts say.
But at the end of the day, the lack of a joint statement from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on this matter should come as no surprise to member states of a regional grouping where China has been wielding its economic and military clout more overtly than usual.
We have an expression know where your bread is buttered and countries like Cambodia and Laos are more concerned about losing Chinese support, said Dennis McCornac, a Hanoi-based analyst. For them it is all about economics.
The court on Tuesday ruled in favor of the Philippines, which brought the case in 2013, by dismissing Beijings expansive claim to sovereignty over the strategically important and resource-rich waters.
The 10-member ASEAN bloc reportedly debated whether it would speak out about the ruling. But AFP on Thursday quoted a Southeast Asian diplomat as saying that the bloc could not find common ground on the issue.
"ASEAN officials had prepared a draft text but there was no agreement to release a joint statement," the diplomat told AFP, adding that China was believed to have leaned on its ASEAN allies Laos and Cambodia to scuttle any statement. "Some ASEAN countries are definitely not happy. Beijing's action can be seen as interference in ASEAN's centrality," the source said.
China routinely outlines the scope of its territorial claims through maps featuring a so-called nine-dash line a demarcation that includes about 90 percent of the 3.5-million-square-kilometer South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea. But these maps have been emphatically rejected by international experts and fly in the face of competing claims by four ASEAN members.
While Vietnam and the Philippines remain outspoken opponents of Chinas territorial claims, Cambodia and Laos, Hanois historically close allies which are also among the world's poorest, have risen to Beijing's economic bait and budged on criticizing its major benefactor, analysts say.
Chinas ability to divide ASEAN on this issue has been clear for four years, said Gregory Poling, a Southeast Asia analyst at the Washington D.C.-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.
In 2012, Cambodia, as ASEAN chair, came under fire for blocking the customary joint statement at a regional summit in Phnom Penh - the first time it has happened in ASEAN's 45-year history. At a recent ASEAN-China Special Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Yuxi, China, media reports suggested that China, capitalizing on its economic largesse to Laos, railroaded the landlocked nation, the current ASEAN chair, into preventing the issuance of a joint statement by the regional grouping on the East Sea. Just last month, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also toed China's official line in dismissing the legitimacy of the court in The Hague, saying he would not support any judgment by it.
There was a time when its members made ASEAN centrality a cornerstone, said Zachary Abuza, a Southeast Asia analyst at the National War College in Washington D.C. Today, that core concept is jettisoned for the sake of some development projects. It's truly disgraceful.
The absence of an ASEAN statement on the ruling comes at a time when a collective response from the regional grouping would be significant.
It is critical, Poling said. The ruling can only be enforced by the collective weight of international opinion. That is what leads the overwhelming majority of arbitral rulings to be abided by, at least in spirit if not in law, he said.
On the bright side, however, some analysts say they are hoping that ASEAN can still issue a statement after the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting later this month. But to hash it out, individual ASEAN members must now issue statements in support of the ruling.
So far only the Philippines and Vietnam have done so. Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar have issued vaguely positive statements noting the ruling; while Indonesia and Thailand issued statements that didnt even mention it, which is especially troubling given Indonesias stake in the South China Sea, Poling said.
It will be deeply troubling if states invested in preserving international law and norms are unwilling to stand up and be counted out of fear of Chinese reprisals.
Related news
>ASEAN to keep mum on South China Sea ruling: diplomats
>US launches quiet diplomacy to ease South China Sea tensions
>Vietnam welcomes 'South China Sea' ruling
The two prime ministers meet after the ruling against China's territorial claims.
Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged his Chinese counterpart to avoid a knee-jerk reaction after an international ruling dismissed Beijing's claims in vast swaths of the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea.
Phuc met with Li Keqiang on Thursday in the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator on the sidelines of the 11th Asia-Europe Summit. During the meeting, Phuc asked both countries to strictly adhere to an agreement previously reached by top leaders on the East Sea.
He referred to the fact that the two sides have agreed to strictly implement the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China.
The two sides have so far agreed to resolve maritime disputes through peaceful means and maintain regular information exchanges and dialogues to seek long-term solutions.
The two countries have also agreed to develop a dialogue framework to settle maritime issues and resolve any disputes in the waters.
Prime Minister Phuc also urged China not to complicate the current situation and called for full respect for all provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). He also hoped that the countries in the Association Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China will soon finalize the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).
Last year, at the 48th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, Chinas foreign minister said China would keep five commitments on the South China Sea issue. They include maintaining peace and stability in the sea, peacefully solving disputes through negotiation and consultation, controlling differences through rules and regulations, maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the area, and gaining mutual benefits through cooperation.
Phuc said Vietnam welcomes the decision by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, stating that China has no legal basis to claim sovereignty over the waters.
In response, Chinese Premier Le Keqiang called on Vietnam to join China in ensuring peace and stability in the East Sea.
Li Keqiang valued the fact that both countries jointly control and settle maritime disputes in a reasonable manner so that China and Vietnam can continue to promote the development of bilateral relations.
Earlier this week, the international tribunal in The Hague overwhelmingly rejected Chinas claims to historic rights under the nine-dash line, also known as the cows tongue, in the East Sea.
Chinese state media Xinhua said China "does not accept and does not recognize The Hague tribunal's judgment.
The Spratlys and Paracels are two island chains in the sea that a number of countries, including Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, have laid claim to.
In a decision handed down on Monday, The Fair Work Commission ruled in favour of a teacher who said she was bullied by her principal for nearly two years, The Age reported.
Melbournes St Aloysius College principal, Mary Farah, was accused of bullying and causing distress to senior teacher, Susan Purcell.
The 16 incidents, which occurred between October 2013 and July 2015, included Farahs body language, angry glares and clenched fists, which Purcell said made her feel intimidated and frightened.
Val Gostencnik, the Commission's deputy president, found that four of the allegations when taken together constituted repeated unreasonable behaviour by Farah towards Purcell.
These included an incident where the principal knowingly mislead Purcell about the status of her long service leave application and the appointment of a junior to act as a mentor upon her return from six months leave. Based on these, Gostencnik concluded, Farah had bullied Purcell.
He added it was a sad indictment on the capacity of two education professionals that they had to resort to the tribunal to resolve an obviously tense interpersonal relationship involving some mutual animus.
The commission heard that Farahs decision not to allocate a dedicated classroom to the vocational program, Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning [VCAL] started the chain of events, which spiralled out of control.
Purcell, the school's VCAL co-ordinator, alleged that the decision led to a meeting where it was obvious from Mary's [the principal's] body language that she was angry.
Purcell alleged that, at the meeting, the principal folded her arms across her chest, kept shaking her head No, and stared at me unblinking.
A second incident on May 30, 2014, when Farah referred to a VCAL students Recycled Goods Market as a Fashion Parade led to a heated exchange of emails, resulting in a subsequent meeting where Purcell said the principal continued to stare at me until I dropped my gaze.
In response to the overall allegations of glaring, the deputy president said Farah's facial expressions had the unfortunate consequence that they may be interpreted by others as glaring.
Gostencnik urged the two parties to enter into a mediated series of meetings with the aim of repairing an obviously damaged working relationship.
A failure to do so will result in another hearing on July 25 to decide further action.
h media coverage of the four-week long Carlton & United Brewery (CUB) protests in Melbourne focusing on the affected workers, HC reached out to CUB to get their side of the story.In January this year, the firm announced to Quant which had been supplying maintenance services in 2009 that it would not be extending the contract past July, a CUB spokesperson said.Employees and the unions were informed at the time, they added, with CUB providing around six months notice of the change.In June the maintenance service contract between CUB and Quant ended. A company named Programmed was announced as the new provider as a result of a competitive tender.This impacted 49 employees who have since been paid all entitlements including redundancy and pay in lieu of notice, they added.As for the new contract, we understand the rates are above award, the spokesperson said.HC also spoke to Programmed provider of the new contract to learn more about the new contractual terms.Certain miscommunications have given the perception that workers under the new agreement will suffer a pay cut, their spokesperson said.It has become clear that some ex-Quant candidates have been misinformed about what is on offer for the roles at CUB.For clarification, they stressed that the pay offered is written into the employment contract and will not be reduced.All positions are based on a 38-hour work week with overtime and penalty rates based on the employees ordinary rate of pay, they added.When asked why this misunderstanding may have taken place, the spokesperson pointed to a clause in the new agreement which may have created confusion.However, this clause is not applicable to work at CUB. The rates of pay are committed in employment contracts. This has been confirmed with all successful candidates prior to appointment.
Crumbling community trust caused by scandals such as market manipulation, deceptive conduct and fraud have led to an independent remuneration review announced by the Australian Bankers Association (ABA) on Tuesday (12 July).
Results of the review may affect HR practitioners in the banking industry especially since advice about pay structure could extend beyond the retail banking sector.
"Banks know in the past they have not always lived up to their own standards, let alone those of their customers, ABA Chief Executive Steven Munchenberg told HC.
This remuneration review is part of a range of initiatives announced by the banking industry in April this year to protect customer interests, increase transparency and accountability and build trust in banks.
Headed by former Australian Public Service Commissioner Stephen Sedgwick AO, the review will look into product sales commissions, product-based payments and rewards for selling and providing advice on banking products. Payments made by banks to non-bank structures will also be considered.
Sedgwick will also be supported by a team of experts in competition, law and remuneration as well as a stakeholder advisory panel.
HR professionals should note that any remuneration practices recommended by the review are expected to be in place by December 2017. Some changes may require more time however due to potential impacts on agreements and contracts, as well as practical alignments with other areas such as performance reviews.
During the past two decades, The Duke Endowment Fund has provided nearly $7 million in grants to organizations in Avery County, according Duke Endowment President Rhett Mabry, who presented to the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk on July 12.
Mabry said that Grandfather Home for Children and Crossnore School received 63 grants totaling $3,961,983; Cannon Memorial Hospital received 19 grants for $1,632,916; and rural United Methodist churches banked 13 grants for $388,000.
Since 1924, The Duke Endowment has worked to help people and strengthen communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits.
Located in Charlotte, The Duke Endowment fulfills the visionary genius and innovative legacy of James Buchanan Duke, one of the great industrialists and philanthropists of the 20th century. Mr. Duke established the Endowment in 1924 with $40 million. In 1925, it was expanded with an additional $67 million from his estate. Adjusted for present value, Mr. Dukes total gifts would amount to almost $1.4 billion today.
Governed by a board of trustees, Endowment staff conduct grantmaking according to guidelines in Mr. Dukes original Indenture of Trust, a legal document that remains relevant and timely after more than 80 years.
The Endowment has awarded over $3.4 billion in grants since its inception, including nearly $1.6 billion to Duke University. With assets of $3.35 billion, the Endowment is one of the nations largest nonprofit private foundations. Today, almost 82 percent of our total spending goes to grantmaking.
Kiwanis meets on Tuesdays over the lunch hour on the campus of Lees-McRae College.
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The Town of Boone was recently named one of the best southern college towns by Southern Living magazine. Boone joins other small towns in the South, which is defined by the publication as a population of less than 350,000 and a place where the university is a driving force in the character of the town.
According to Southern Living magazine, Boone was chosen among other southern small towns with schools which are beloved by their fan bases and alumni, as well as schools that explore exciting academics and research that promises to reach the wider world. While all of these are true for Boone, our town stands out as being a creative small town filled with folk art and bluegrass, as well as an outdoor paradise.
Those of us who are lucky enough to call Boone home know these facts and more to be true.
The Town of Boone is proud of this distinction, and we invite you to view the entire list at http://www.southernliving.com/travel/2016-best-college-towns.
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He is also facing strict sanctions by the Communist Party.
An embattled senior official has been stripped of his lawmaker-elect status after the Communist Party held him accountable for massive losses at a major state-owned oil corporation and rebuked him for illegally using government license plate on his private luxury car.
Trinh Xuan Thanh, former vice chairman of the Hau Giang provincial government, was the only lawmaker-elect to be dismissed before the newly-installed National Assembly, Vietnam's legislature, convenes its first plenary session next week, Nguyen Hanh Phuc, the chief of staff of the National Election Council, said Friday.
Last May, around 69 million Vietnamese cast their vote to choose representatives for a 500-seat National Assembly. Thanh was elected along with other 495 candidates.
The National Election Council meeting chaired by Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, chairwoman of the National Assembly, on July 15. Photo by VnExpress
Thanh's dismissal came after the Communist Party's Central Inspection Commission on July 11 announced that Thanh, a party member, would have to bear responsibility for the losses PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC) incurred between 2007 and 2013, when he was its chairman.
He had already "voluntarily" withdrawn from the re-election race for the position of the provinces vice chairman after his alleged misuse of an official plate on his private luxury car raised public hackles, prompting an investigation.
Thanh is in the spotlight for three reasons. First, he used a blue license plate on a private Lexus LX570 that should only be used by government-owned vehicles. Second, PVC, where Thanh was chairman from 2007 to 2013, incurred heavy losses under his leadership. Third, it is still not clear why he has continued to be kicked upstairs despite his track record.
Following the public outcry, Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong ordered a probe into his promotion process.
In its statement, the Central Inspection Commission held Thanh, as PVC chairman during the 2007-2013 period, accountable for dereliction of duty and violations on economic management, resulting in losses of more than VND3.2 trillion ($142 million), according to Vietnam News Agency.
The commission proposed strict punishment against him.
Related news:
> Vietnamese official quits election amid luxury car scandal
> "Borrowed" luxury car lands Vietnamese government official in hot water
Editors Note: This is a press release from the campaign of N.C. Senate candidate Art Sherwood. Leading up to general election, HCPress.com will publish releases that local and regional candidates send our way.
Art Sherwood, the Democratic candidate for North Carolina State Senate District 45, today slammed efforts by Republicans in Watauga County to suppress voting by Appalachian State University (ASU) students and faculty.
On Tuesday, the Republican majority of the Watauga County Board of Elections favored an early voting plan that excludes the Plemmons Student Union, which is the favored site of the Democrats.
Instead, Republicans Bill Aceto and Nancy Owen voted for a plan that proposes using Legends on the campus of Appalachian State over the student union, which Democrat Stella Anderson proposed. Because the decision wasnt unanimous, the State Board of Elections will be tasked with adopting a one-stop site.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, SGA President Jalyn Howard stood up and spoke, We only recommend the student union. I dont see anywhere else on campus that will be suitable. I dont think there is any other solution to this problem the administration and the students have said: The student union is it.
Sherwood said, I concur with Jalyn. What the Republicans on the Watauga County Board of Elections are trying to do is suppress the votes of ASU students and faculty. This is just part of the ongoing assault upon our most basic civil liberty by Governor Patrick McCrory and the Republicans controlling the North Carolina General Assembly. They have conducted a relentless assault upon voters rights over the last several years.
Sherwood continued, One of the main reasons I filed for office was so that I could help eliminate voter suppression and gerrymandering. He continued, I support open and convenient access to polling places for all voters. I strongly oppose and will work to eliminate burdensome requirements designed to suppress voter turnout. I will work tirelessly to stop gerrymandering by supporting the establishment of an independent commission to draw congressional and General Assembly districts. I also support term limits, campaign finance reform and easing ballot access for third parties.
Sherwood remarked, Now that this matter is in the hands of the State Board of Elections, I hope they honor their mandate to protect voters rights and the integrity of the electoral process. ASU students and faculty have spoken. The student union worked in the primary. The only reason the Republicans have for wanting to change the location is fear fear of the younger generation that seeks to do away with the regressive policies implemented by the GOP in Raleigh.
North Carolina State Senate District 45 includes Allegany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell and Watauga counties. Sherwood is a resident of Caldwell County.
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By Jesse Wood
In a temporary, cost-saving maneuver, the Town of Boone recently dismissed its civil lawsuit against the Mountain View Speedway, according to a statement Boone Town Manager John Ward provided to High Country Radio News.
The town has dismissed the law suit involving Mountain View Speedway as a temporary measure to avoid unnecessary legal expenses while the matter is being heard through the Board of Adjustment process. The Board of Adjustment reconvenes on July 27th to hear the Speedways appeal of the notice of violation issued by the town, Wards statement reads. Once the Board of Adjustment process is completed, all options including refiling the civil suit will be on the table as we move forward with addressing this issue.
Ward didnt immediately respond to High Country Press on Thursday.
Conflict between the Mountain View Speedway and nearby residents began last year, when the Mountain View Speedway opened back up at the High Country Fairgrounds off of Roby Greene Road after a 17-year hiatus.
Prior to opening, Boone Planning Director Bill Bailey told a raceway promoter that racing was a grandfathered use in the fairgrounds, which is located in the towns ETJ.
Soon after racing started up again, a Locust Hill resident, Annette Reeves, complained about the noise of the racetrack to both Watauga County Board of Commissioners and the Boone Town Council. Last summer, the Boone Town Council meetings were regularly attended by raceway supporters, who feel that racing is just harmless, family-friendly fun on a Saturday evening, and residents who feel their quality of life is negatively affected by the action at the nearby raceway.
Two groups the Watauga Citizens for Local Control (WCLC) and Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) then filed an appeal to the Boone Board of Adjustment regarding the legality of the raceway under town code. At a Boone Board of Adjustment hearing earlier this spring, Bailey reversed his interpretation and stated that racing was not allowed under the towns ordinances.
The town subsequently issued a cease-and-desist order to the raceway operators, Mike and Cyndi Budka, in April, and the appeal by WCLC and BREDL was dismissed.
In May, the Town of Boone filed a complaint regarding the enforcement of the cease-and-desist order in Watauga County Superior Court. (Attorney Nathan Miller, who is representing the raceway, said that motions on this complaint will likely be heard in July.)
The Budkas and the Keller Brothers Inc., which own the property, responded by appealing the cease-and-desist order with the Boone Board of Adjustment, which meets in a couple weeks as Ward noted in his statement.
Racing continues during the Boone Board of Adjustment appeal process.
Read more about the conflict between neighbors and the speedway here.
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Nearly half of respondents to the survey said they consider age discrimination a moderate or serious problem at workplaces in Finland, while roughly one-third said they consider it an obstacle for the employment prospects of young people.
More than four-fifths, or 83 per cent, of the public are of the opinion that age discrimination is an obstacle for the career advancement opportunities of ageing employees in Finland, finds a survey commissioned by Philip Morris Finland and conducted by TNS Gallup.
Middle-aged people were most likely to be of the opinion that age discrimination is a serious problem at workplaces, says Sakari Nurmela, a business unit director at TNS Gallup.
One-fifth of all respondents also indicated that age discrimination is, at least to some extent, prevalent at their own workplace.
Age discrimination is a problem in Finland and we hope that there will be more discussion about the issue, Paivi Mononen-Mikkila, the head of public relations at Philip Morris Finland, said during a debate on age discrimination at Suomi Areena on Wednesday.
Almost 15 per cent of respondents equivalent to some 343,000 of the 2,450,000 people currently in employment according to Statistics Finland's Labour Force Survey indicated that they have experienced age discrimination at the workplace.
The experiences were common especially among 5564-year-old and under 25-year-old employees, with respective shares of 21 and 17 per cent, and respondents employed in the capital region. Women are also slightly more likely to experience age discrimination than men, according to the survey.
TNS Gallup interviewed 1,057 people in employment for the survey between 10 and 20 June. The survey has a margin of error of approximately +/-3 per cent.
Aleksi Teivainen HT
Photo: Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva
Source: Uusi Suomi
It's disconcerting that Minister for Foreign Affairs Soini has shrugged off [concerns about] the false facts circulated by the Brexit campaign by stating that election campaigns are election campaigns and shifting the blame to the media, says Anna-Maja Henriksson, the chairperson of the Swedish People's Party.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini (PS) has come under criticism for his comments on Brexit.
Soini is apparently of the opinion that politicians can say basically whatever they want in the heat of an election battle, concludes Henriksson.
This unfortunately seems to be partly true when it comes to the ruling parties: the Centre and the National Coalition promised before the elections not to cut back on education. We all know how that turned out, she highlights.
The Finns Party, she points out, opposed the bailout packages granted to Greece and other crisis-ridden countries for the entire duration of the previous electoral term. Soini indicated on the eve of the [parliamentary] elections [of 2015] that the Finns Party won't start supporting the packages. He turned his coat in record time in the Government, slams Henriksson.
She is concerned that broken election promises will erode at the credibility of the entire political system.
Aleksi Teivainen HT
Photo: Roni Rekomaa Lehtikuva
Source: Uusi Suomi
On the hunt for the king of all mushrooms
If you go down to the woods today... make sure you get there early!
Deep in the forest, lies a treasure known as termite mushrooms. They only grow at night and die within a day. On top of that, they only grow between June and September.
The only way to get a taste of this delicacy is to head for Vietnam's southern provinces, such as Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, Can Tho, Vinh Long, Ben Tre and the Mekong Delta, where it is crowned the king of all mushrooms.
Termite mushrooms.
In the early morning (between 3 and 4 a.m.) when the sun has yet to rise, the mushrooms pop out in a bud-shaped form. This is when they are at their best. If you wait until noon when they grow big, you will lose the sweetness and pleasurable crunchy texture.
It is crowned the king of all mushrooms.
This is also the time when termites eat the mushrooms. Only the early bird catches the mushrooms, in this sense. Rain is also its enemy. The mushrooms are crushed and blown away by even a light shower.
They also break easily, making it very hard and risky to transport them to distant provinces.
A wide range of dishes can be cooked with the mushroom, but the most recommended are mushroom cooked with creek premna (a forest leaf) and mushoom and chicken soup.
Rice with fried mushroom and creek premna.
Mushroom and creek premna soup.
Fried mushrooms cooked with chili is also a strong dish, allowing the flavors to really dominate.
Fried mushroom with chili.
Photos by VnExpress/Vo Van Phong
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The mass targeting of children, in a military zone in the north-western city of Peshawar, drew condemnation from around the world, as well as from across Pakistan's political and religious spectrums a rare display of unity in a country where Islamist violence is often quietly accepted and sometimes defended. The attack was also condemned by Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.
The bloody siege of an elite army high school Tuesday by Taliban gunmen, which killed at least 141 students and teachers, was an apparent retaliation for a major recent army operation after years of ambivalent policies toward the homegrown Islamist militants.
Some analysts suggested that after years of suicide bombings and attacks on markets, mosques, hotels and military bases, the insurgents had finally gone too far, and that widespread public outrage over this attack might signal a decisive turn in the nation's and the government's reluctance to fully take on the Taliban.
The massacre was the most intimate assault ever against Pakistan's military, the nation's most respected and powerful institution. The only comparable incident was in December 2009, when a small group of assailants penetrated army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi and killed more than 30 people praying at an army mosque.
The death toll on Tuesday also rivalled one of the highest in Pakistan in recent years, when suicide bombings in 2007 killed about 150 people in Karachi during celebrations to welcome former prime minister Benazir Bhutto back to Pakistan after years in self-exile. Bhutto was assassinated soon after.
Yet even when previous attacks have drawn strong condemnation and vows of action from military officials, Pakistan's military and intelligence establishment has remained deeply ambivalent about taking on the domestic Islamist forces and has often been accused of playing a double game in its partnership with the West in the war on terrorism.
One chief reason is that such extremist groups have long acted as proxies in Pakistan's rivalry with India, an issue that trumps all others for Pakistan's security leaders and that has long been seen as a far greater threat than Islamist militants. Terrorist attacks are routinely decried as the work of unknown foreign hands.
Pakistan's civilian leaders, for their part, have long deferred to the army in security and foreign policy, and they have also been reluctant to act against Islamist violence, for fear of alienating the nation's deeply religious Muslim masses and organized groups.
"Despite this national tragedy, I don't see any chance of the nation as a whole building an anti-terrorism narrative," said Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, a veteran Pakistani legislator from the northwest.
He noted that a variety of religious and political leaders have "deep sympathy" for the militants.
"For now they may tone down their support," he said, but in time they will "start showing their true colours again."
The army, however, has always been carefully attuned to public opinion, and Tuesday's attack provoked a remarkably swift, broad and emphatic outpouring of revulsion and anger. News channels showed grim scenes of dead children in hospital beds, many still wearing green school uniforms, and of weeping mourners carrying hastily made pine coffins out of hospitals in Peshawar.
"Today is the saddest day of the history of our nation," said Haniyah Siddiqui, 18, who was shopping in the port city of Karachi. "It is high time to make up our mind to fight terrorists and eliminate them in toto, not just mourning or condemning the tragic incident."
'Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who rushed to Peshawar, denounced the assault as a "cowardly act" and vowed to maintain military action "until the menace of terrorism is eliminated" from Pakistan. "The nation needs to get united and face terrorism," he added. "We need unflinching resolve against this plague."
Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager and Taliban attack survivor who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize for promoting girls' education, said from England that she was "heartbroken" by "these atrocious and cowardly acts" but vowed that even as she and millions mourn the students' deaths, "we will never be defeated."
Her denunciation was echoed by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the leader of Pakistan's Jamaat-ud-Dawa Islamist movement, whose followers were blamed for a 2008 terrorist siege on the Indian city of Mumbai. Saeed said the attack was "carried out by the enemies of Islam. It is open terrorism These are barbarians operating under the name of jihad."
Even the Afghan Taliban, which operates separately from the Pakistani group but shares a religious agenda, took the unusual step of indirectly condemning the attack. A statement from spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said, "The intentional killing of innocent people, women and children are against the basics of Islam, and this criterion must be considered by every Islamic party and government."
The Pakistani Taliban quickly asserted responsibility for the attack, saying it was to avenge Pakistan's sweeping military operation in June in North Waziristan, part of a tribal region that straddles the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The group had been warning for months that it would take revenge.
Hasan Askari Rizvi, a military analyst, said the attack was "unprecedented," even in a country that has experienced thousands of terrorist attacks over the past decade. He said the Taliban appears to be growing more desperate as the military operations continue.
"Now they are attacking the soft targets," Rizvi said.
But Mohammad Khorasani, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, said the attack was "a gift for those who thought they have crushed us in their so-called military operation in North Waziristan." He said such opponents were "always wrong about our capabilities. We are still able to carry out major attacks, and today was just the trailer."
In a statement, the group said six militants, including three suicide bombers, carried out the assault. After a gun battle that lasted nearly nine hours, Pakistani police officials said a total of seven militants had been killed.
An army spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa, said the attackers sought "to inflict maximum harm" and took no hostages. Hundreds of people were also wounded as classrooms erupted in chaos and carnage, with students and teachers shot point-blank.
The school, while open to the public, is funded by Pakistan's army, and many students are children of military personnel based in Peshawar.
"My son was in uniform in the morning. He is in a casket now," wailed one father, Tahir Ali, as he collected the body of his 14-year-old son, Abdullah, according to the Associated Press. "My son was my dream. My dream has been killed."
Pervaiz Khattak, chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said the Taliban attackers started "indiscriminate firing" after entering the school through a back door. The first students targeted were gathered in the auditorium to receive first-aid training, police said.
Muhammad Harris, 16, said he was in a room with 30 students and four teachers when they heard a commotion in the hall. The students said some of the attackers appeared to be speaking Arabic.
"Our female teacher went outside when we heard the firing and was shot dead," Harris said. "One attacker was crying, 'Help me, I am injured.' But he was not and was trying to trap us and shoot us."
Dozens of relatives, desperate for information about missing students, tried to reach the school on foot but were pushed back by a cordon of military guards as emergency and security vehicles rushed by. Some relatives shouted angrily; others milled about in distress.
One man looking for his nephew, an eighth-grader named Walid, said he had searched through the emergency wards and the morgue at Lady Reading Hospital, where many victims of the attack were taken.
"I saw all of the patients and all of the dead," said Hameed Mohammed, 38. "There was no sign of him."
As darkness fell, families were still waiting at the roadblock and the military school compound was shrouded in fog. From a distance, men with flashlights could be seen, searching slowly from room to room.
Tim Craig and Pamela Constable The Washington Post
Constable reported from Kabul. Aamir Iqbal and Haq Nawaz Khan reported from Peshawar, Shaiq Hussain from Islamabad and Nisar Mehdi in Karachi.
Photo by Max Becherer/Polaris for The Washington Post
The United States re-asserted its political and economic clout and its ability to twist arms and perhaps metaphorically break kneecaps when it successfully lobbied to help defeat a crucial Security Council resolution on the future of Palestine last week.
Nadia Hijab, executive director of Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network, told IPS, "Did [US Secretary of State John] Kerry manage to pull the rug out from under Palestine by convincing supportive Nigeria to abstain during the 13 calls he made to world leaders to torpedo the resolution? Or did the US pressure Palestine to go to a vote now, [in order] to ensure failure, since the 1 January change in Security Council composition favours the Palestinians?"
"If so, what promises of future support did it make?" asked Hijab.
The resolution failed because it did not receive the required nine votes for adoption by the Security Council. Even if it had, it likely would have still failed, because the United States had threatened to cast its veto.
But this time around, Washington did not have to wield its veto power and avoided political embarrassment.
The eight countries voting for the resolution, which called for the full and phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories by the end of 2017, were France, China, Russia, Luxembourg, Argentina, Chad, Chile and Jordan.
The two negative votes came from the United States and Australia, while the five countries that abstained were the UK, South Korea, Rwanda, Nigeria and Lithuania.
A single positive vote, perhaps from Nigeria, would have made a difference in the adoption of the resolution.
Days before the vote, Kerry was working the phones, calling on dozens of officials, who were members of the Security Council, pressing them for a vote against the resolution or an abstention.
According to State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke, one such call was to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, which ensured an abstention from Nigeria, a country which was earlier expected to vote for the resolution.
After the vote, there were three lingering questions unanswered: Did the United States put pressure on Palestine to force the vote on the draft resolution on Tuesday since the re-composition of the Security Council would have been more favourable to the Palestinians, come 1 January?
And why didn't Palestine wait for another week to garner those votes and ensure success? Beginning 1 January, the composition of the Security Council would have changed with three new non-permanent members favourable to Palestine: Malaysia, Venezuela and Spain.
Samir Sanbar, a former UN assistant secretary-general who keeps track of Middle East politics, told IPS it is beyond a misjudgment of the vote count or miscalculation of the timing when in only a few days there would have been more likely positive votes by Malaysia, Spain and Venezuela.
"The actual intent of the Palestinian Administrative Authority from that failed move and with whom it coordinated discreetly remains to be politically observed," he said.
"It is a tactical and strategic retreat at the expense of the universally supported inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, as stipulated in a succession of clearly assertive resolutions (including on statehood; right of return/or compensation; Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories; inalienable people's rights)."
These rights, he said, have been endorsed by an overwhelming majority when the Palestinian cause was predominant in UN deliberations, and when Palestinian leadership was united in its quest and all Arab states, let alone most of the international community, were solidly behind it.
Sanbar said political logic would suggest maintaining what was gained during a positive period because any new resolution in the current weak status within a tragically fragmented Arab world will obviously entail a substantive retreat.
"It may be more helpful if efforts were mobilised to sharpen the focus on implementation of already existing resolutions and gain wider alliances to accomplish practical steps based on an enlightened knowledge of working through the United Nations rather than merely resorting to it on occasions when other options fail," Sanbar declared.
Still, Hijab told IPS, whatever the case, many Palestinians breathed a sigh of relief that the resolution did not pass because it would have given a UN imprimatur to a lower bar on Palestinian rights.
The resolution implicitly accepted settlements with talk of land swaps and watered down refugee rights with reference to an agreed solution, effectively handing Israel a veto over Palestinian rights.
She said the Palestine Liberation Organization/Palestine will now be forced to take some meaningful action to maintain what little credibility it has with the Palestinian people.
"Despite US threats and blandishments, the PLO/Palestine does have room for manoeuvre in the legal and diplomatic arena it just has not yet been effective at using it," she said. "It must urgently do so in 2015."
Hijab said the Palestinian people need respite from this cruel reality, and they need their rights. After the vote, US Ambassador Samantha Power, told the Council: "We voted against this resolution not because we are comfortable with the status quo. We voted against it because... peace must come from hard compromises that occur at the negotiating table."
But she warned Israel, a close US ally, that continued "settlement activity" will undermine the chances of peace.
Riyad Mansour, UN ambassador to Palestine, told the Council, "Our effort was a serious effort, genuine effort, to open the door for peace. Unfortunately, the Security Council is not ready to listen to that message."
On the heels of the failed resolution, Palestine took steps on 31 December to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague specifically to bring charges of war crimes against Israel even though the US Congress, which is virulently pro-Israel, has warned that any such move would result in severe economic sanctions.
"There is aggression practiced against our land and our country, and the Security Council has let us down where shall we go?" Abbas said 31 December, as reported by the New York Times, as he signed onto the court's charter, along with 17 other international treaties and conventions.
"We want to complain to this organisation," he said, referring to the ICC. "As long as there is no peace, and the world doesn't prioritise peace in this region, this region will live in constant conflict. The Palestinian cause is the key issue to be settled."
Thalif Deen IPS
Kitty Stapp
Lehtukuva / AFP PHOTO / DEVRA BERKOWITZ
Israeli leaders said Sunday that they would welcome with open arms French Jews who fear for their safety in the wake of attacks by Islamist extremists against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and shoppers at a kosher supermarket in Paris last week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his cabinet linked arms with French politicians on Sunday during a march in Paris to commemorate the 17 people killed in three days of bloodshed in France. Netanyahu said, "I wish to tell to all French and European Jews Israel is your home."
His office said the families of the four French Jews slain in the hostage standoff at the kosher grocery in Paris on Friday, which elicited round-the-clock media coverage in Israel, asked that their bodies be flown to Israel for burial. Netanyahu said he would convene a special committee to encourage Jewish immigration "from France and other countries in Europe that are suffering from terrible anti-Semitism."
Israeli leaders pressed their case that Europe has allowed a dangerous rise of anti-Semitism and that Jews, even in the most developed countries on the continent, face not only hostility but also outright attack.
Israel routinely makes the case for Jewish immigration providing a haven for Jews in distress is, after all, one of the founding principles of the Jewish state. But in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, the pitch is being made in the blunt terms of survival.
Yair Lapid, Netanyahu's former finance minister and the head of a centrist party, said at a gathering in Israel, "Jews are being murdered because they're Jews, and intellectuals are being murdered because they're intellectuals. The Europeans are starting to understand that there can be no compromise with terror, racism and anti-Semitism."
Lapid said, "European Jewry must understand that there is just one place for Jews, and that is the state of Israel."
Naftali Bennett, Israel's economy minister and a hard-right politician who marched in Paris on Sunday, wrote on his Facebook page that he heard repeatedly from Jews that "there's nothing left for us in France."
French leaders, however, responded that they do not want to see the Jews leave.
"If 100,000 French people of Spanish origin were to leave, I would never say that France is not France anymore. But if 100,000 Jews leave, France will no longer be France. The French Republic will be judged a failure," Prime Minister Manuel Valls said.
The attacks in Paris came as Netanyahu and other Israeli politicians began their campaigns for national elections on 17 March.
While decrying the violence, the politicians used it to drive home the point that Israel serves as a "front line" against Islamist militant groups such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"They might have different names ISIS, Boko Haram, Hamas, al-Shabab, al-Qaida, Hezbollah but all of them are driven by the same hatred and bloodthirsty fanaticism," Netanyahu said.
Many Arab leaders denounced the Paris attacks and said the assailants did not represent Islam.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the assaults "a heinous crime that is in contradiction of religion and morality."
Abbas also attended the solidarity march in Paris, appearing beside French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and just a few steps from Netanyahu.
Some Israelis saw political motivations at play, especially in the backdrop of the coming elections.
"For Netanyahu and the other politicians, this is a double opportunity. It allows them to say to Europe, 'You see? This is what we're up against, so you shouldn't be so hard on Israel.' It also supports the Netanyahu narrative, casting himself as the defender of Jews, that he alone is the strong leader to face a dangerous world," said Anshel Pfeffer, a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called on France to protect its Jewish communities.
Rivlin said that Jews from France would be welcome in Israel but that it was important that their choice be "born out of a positive Jewish identity, out of Zionism, and not because of anti-Semitism."
About 500,000 Jews are citizens of France, the second-largest population of the community outside Israel and the United States. In the past three years, Jewish immigration from France to Israel has tripled, to almost 7,000 in 2014.
Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, a quasi-governmental body that facilitates Jewish immigration and absorption, predicted that more than 10,000 French Jews would come to Israel this year.
Sharansky blamed the hostile atmosphere for Jews in France in part on the country's embrace of "post-nationalism and multiculturalism" and, specifically, its lack of insistence that its Muslim immigrants support liberal democratic traditions.
He said he found French Jews, especially elderly ones, scared. "I never saw this before," Sharansky said.
"It is happening everywhere in Europe, but France has the biggest Jewish community and also the biggest Muslim community in Europe," Sharansky said in an interview in Paris on the sidelines of a previously scheduled immigration fair organised by Israel and attended by hundreds of French Jews.
"Inside France there is a core problem, and the country's leadership refuses to say where it is coming from," said Avi Zana, director general of AMI, a French organisation that encourages immigration to Israel. "They will not say that it is caused by Islamist extremism, because that is not politically correct."
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the director of the European Jewish Association, told I24 news that immigration to Israel, called "aliyah" in Hebrew for the act of "ascending," is not the only solution for French Jews.
"Anyone who is familiar with the European reality knows that a call to make aliyah is not the solution for anti-Semitic terror," Margolin said.
He said it would be better to preserve and protect Jews where they live in Europe.
William Booth and Ruth Eglash
The Washington Post
LEHTIKUVA / Antti Aimo-Koivisto
While hunger, poverty and depravity continue to stalk developing lands, the report by the prestigious Congressional Research Service (CRS) finds that the United States remains the single largest weapons supplier to developing nations, controlling more than 50 percent of the global arms market. From 2011 to 2014, Washington made arms supply agreements worth nearly $115 billion with developing nations.
BERLIN (IDN) - Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed, declared U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in April 1953. A new report shows that these remarks remain relevant and yet unheeded 62 years later.
The report says that though global arms sales were on decline since 2011, the U.S. arms exports rose to $36.2 billion in 2014 from $26.7 billion the year before, boosted by multibillion-dollar agreements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
Titled Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2007-2014, the study was delivered to the U.S. legislators less than ten days before the start of the year 2016.
According to the report, Russia followed the United States as the leading arms supplier, chasing $10.2 billion in sales, compared with $10.3 billion in 2013. Sweden ranked third, with roughly $5.5 billion in sales, followed by France with $4.4 billion and China with $2.2 billion.
The report reveals that a key U.S. ally South Korea was the worlds top weapons buyer in 2014, finalising $7.8 billion in contracts. Pitted against North Korea, Seoul has faced continued tensions with its belligerent neighbour in recent years particularly over its nuclear weapons programme.
The bulk of South Koreas purchases, worth more than $7 billion, were made with the U.S. and included transport helicopters and related support, as well as advanced unmanned aerial surveillance vehicles.
The report authored by Catherine A. Theohary, Specialist in National Security Policy and Information Operations, further reveals that Iraq followed South Korea, with $7.3 billion in purchases aimed at build up its military in the wake of the American troop withdrawal there and combating the extremist Islamic State.
Another developing nation, Brazil, was third, worth $6.5 billion worth of purchase agreements, primarily for Swedish aircraft.
The Congressional reports have been informing legislative debate in the U.S. since 1914. The latest, published in December 2015, is considered among the most detailed official, unclassified data from U.S. government sources on global arms exports, made available to the public. It updates and revises CRS Report R42017, Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2003-2010, by Richard F. Grimmett.
He was the chief author of CRS reports in international weapons and sales transfers. Since his retirement in 2012, Washington had not documented one of its biggest and most deadly weapons, remarked World Beyond War, a global nonviolent movement to end war and establish a just and sustainable peace.
Greater Competition
According to the current report, total global arms sales rose slightly in 2014 to $71.8 billion, from $70.1 billion in 2013. Despite that increase, the report concludes, the international arms market is not likely growing over all, because of the weakened state of the global economy.
2014 was the second successive year that worldwide weapons sales remained steady, an indication that the market has begun to stabilise after several years of extreme fluctuation.
The report finds that the lack of market expansion has led to greater competition among suppliers. Some arms producers have in fact adopted measures like flexible financing, counter-trade guarantees and coproduction and co-assembly agreements to try to secure sales.
Theohary, author of the report says: A number of weapons-exporting nations are focusing not only on the clients with which they have held historic competitive advantages due to well-established military-support relationships, but also on potential new clients in countries and regions where they have not been traditional arms suppliers.
The principal focus of the report, says Theohary, is the level of arms transfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world where most analysts agree that the potential for the outbreak of regional military conflicts currently is greatest, and where the greatest proportion of the conventional arms trade is conducted.
For decades, during the height of the Cold War, providing conventional weapons to friendly states was an instrument of foreign policy utilized by the United States and its allies, adds Theohary.
This was equally true for the now defunct Soviet Union and its allies. The underlying rationale given for U.S. arms transfer policy then was to help ensure that friendly states were not placed at risk through a military disadvantage created by arms transfers by the Soviet Union or its allies.
Following the Cold Wars end, U.S. arms transfer policy has been based on maintaining or augmenting friendly and allied nations ability to deal with regional security threats and concerns.
Data in the report illustrate global patterns of conventional arms transfers, which have changed in the post-Cold War and post-Persian Gulf War years. Relationships between arms suppliers and recipients continue to evolve in response to changing political, military, and economic circumstances.
Motivation
Whereas the principal motivation for arms sales by key foreign suppliers in earlier years might have been to support a foreign policy objective, today that motivation may be based as much, if not more, on economic considerations as those of foreign or national security policy, writes Theohary.
During the period covered by the report, 2007-2014, conventional arms transfer agreements (which represent orders for future delivery) to developing countries comprised 77.2% of the value of all international arms transfer agreements.
The portion of agreements with developing countries constituted 75.5% of all agreements globally from 2011-2014. In 2014 arms transfer agreements with developing countries accounted for 86% of the value of all such agreements worldwide.
Sales of conventional arms to developing nations from 2011 to 2014 constituted 62% of all international arms deliveries. In 2014, arms exports to developing nations constituted 44% of the value of all such arms sales worldwide, says the Congressional report.
However, as Eisenhower said: This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its labourers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some fifty miles of concrete pavement.
These figures have changed over the decades. But the message relevant and urgent coming from a man who was commanding general of the victorious forces in Europe during World War II, obtained a truce in Korea and worked incessantly during his two terms (1953-1961) to ease the tensions of the Cold War.
In his farewell speech, he warned of the menace of the military-industrial complex, which is meanwhile entrenched not only in U.S. but also in Russia, China and other leading arms suppliers of the world. [IDN-InDepthNews 30 December 2015]
Photo: An Apache helicopter from Fort Bliss, Texas, is transported to its parking location Dec. 13, 2015, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The helicopters were scheduled to take part in the annual Qatar National Day parade. Credit: U.S. Air Force photo/James Hodgman.
2015 IDN-InDepthNews | Analysis That Matters
Pic credits: LEHTIKUVA / AFP PHOTO / MOHAMMED HUWAIS
In exit interview, Apodaca recounts wins, losses
State Sen. Tom Apodaca
State Sen. Tom Apodaca says he had never before seen a controversy the magnitude of the Duke Energy plan last summer to run high-tension lines through Henderson County as part of its Lake Julian power plant upgrade. The ultimate outcome Duke's decision to abandon the connection from Asheville to the South Carolina Upstate was a victory for Apodaca, a strong advocate of the natural conversion who became an opponent of the widely panned transmission lines.
That was one of the political challenges Apodaca described on Friday, the day he resigned from the Senate. Having reached the highest pinnacles of legislative power in the state, the seven-term veteran said that after the General Assembly adjourned for the year last week, he had no more to do. The executive committees of Henderson, Buncombe and Transylvania counties are expected to appoint his replacement, most likely Chuck Edwards, the Republican nominee for the seat.
Edwards, a Hendersonville businessman, and school principal Norm Bossert, the Democratic nominee, face off in on Nov. 8.
"I can't say exactly what I'm going to do yet but I still have time to look at," Apodaca said in an interview from his Lake Keowee, where he was taking time off with his wife, Lisa, and looking ahead for the first time 14 years with no legislative session on the horizon.
As a former legislator, he's subject to a six-month quarantine during which he is not permitted to lobby the Legislature, which is one of the options he's considering. "I have had a couple of job offers already," he said. Some are in government relations and others "not even quasi-government relations but that have had dealings with the Legislature and have an interest in my working for them. It's nice to have options."
Apodaca endorsed Edwards as his replacement.
"I think it will be good for Chuck Edwards. I hope the executive committee appoints him," he said. "He'll be able to get to know the Legislature. The way he studies and the questions he asks he'll keep the staff very busy."
Among the top achievements he cites is his work to create a medical campus at MAHEC (Mountain Area Health Education Center) in Asheville, the science building at his alma mater, Western Carolina University, coal ash legislation after a major ash spill fouled the Dan River in the home district of the Senate's leader and efforts that led to Duke Energy Co. dropping a high-powered transmission line through Henderson County.
"That turned out to be the most controversial thing that I had ever seen during my term," he said, "followed closely by the building heights" in Hendersonville, when he pushed through a local bill requiring a binding referendum on high-rises in downtown Hendersonville. Other achievements he cited were his role in recruiting Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the behind-the-scenes efforts that resulted in the Pardee Hospital merger with UNC Health Care, repelling an effort by two county commissioners to put the county-owned hospital on the auction block.
His wife, Lisa, hollers out that he's forgetting perhaps his proudest moment guiding a bill to passage that was named the Raleigh Apodaca Service Dog bill, in honoring of his bulldog, Raleigh, who died last year.
Married to a teacher, Apodaca aspired to make a fundamental change that he thinks would significantly improve the K-12 education system.
"I wanted to do something about our testing system in schools," he said, "and I don't know that I made much of a difference." He favors a national testing standard that tests "how the kids are doing compared to other kids in the U.S. The education bureacracy is a tough bureacracy to pierce."
One his bigger regret was actually his last stand, when House members from Asheville attacked Apodaca's motives and methods in pushing a bill that require district representation in the city dominated by liberal Democrats. Twenty-two Republicans joined House Democrats in defeating Apodaca's bill.
"If you go down the list every one of them had a bone to pick because I said no to them on legislation" as the traffic cop for the flow of bills in the Senate, he said. "I don't necessarily think it's totally dead," he said of the district elections bill. And he clearly retains animosity for the legislators who helped sink it. "Asheville has the weakest delegation in the state for a metropolitan area."
A back bencher with no experience in elective office, Apodaca nevertheless rose quickly in the Republican caucus. Soon after his election in 2002, he joined the Republican leadership team that worked on raising money and recruiting Republican candidates around the state. In November 2010, voters in North Carolina and around the country pushed a huge tidal wave that gave the GOP supermajority control of both houses of the General Assembly. Two years later, the Republicans took control of both chambers plus the governor's mansion for the first time in 150 years.
"Globally, what we've done has been amazing," Apodaca said, giving Republican fiscal policies credit for a half a billion dollar surplus the state just announced this week and for tax cut and jobs growth. "It's a lot better than the way I found it, let's put it that way."
'Clydesdales' challenge runners to get fit for 5K
Clydesdale Running Club will race in the North Carolina Apple Festival Apple 8K on Saturday, Sept. 3
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The Clydesdale Running Club is challenging businesses to field teams and get fit for North Carolina Apple Festival Apple 8K through the "Couch to 5K" training program.
Pardee Hospital announced today that it will sponsor the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce Chamber Challenge 5K, on Saturday, Sept. 3. To help teams prepare for the event, Pardee will host a free "Couch to 5K" training program starting Wednesday, July 20, at 5:30 p.m. at Jackson Park.
To encourage business and industry involvement, a four-person team of area leaders has formed The Clydesdale Running Club. The team will run the 5K together and have issued a challenge to area business leaders encouraging them to follow suit and form a team. The Clydesdale team includes:
Les Boyd, Owner of Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick
Jay Kirby, CEO of Pardee Hospital
Mark Warwick, General Manager of WTZQ
Bob Williford, President of the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce
"Couch to 5K" participants will meet at specified locations where Pardee wellness experts will offer fitness tips and run/walk with trainees. Participants who sign up and attend at least four of the six events will be entered to win a prize. For more information about the Couch to 5K, contact Chelsea Darley at 828-692-4600.
We encourage everyone in our business and industry community to get active, adopt healthier eating habits and join us for this years Chamber Challenge 5K," said Johnna Reed, Chief Administrative Officer at Pardee Hospital. "Whether you train for the race with your coworkers or join the 'Couch to 5K' program, we hope to see you at the race on September 3."
Teams of four can join the Challenge for $100 total. Register here.
Judge David McHugh gave Mr Freer the formal warning that he must provide any alibi details to the prosecution within 14 days.
A land owner has been sent for trial accused of allowing his property to be used for the preparation of drugs.
John Freer (42) had a book of evidence served on him when he appeared in court.
The accused, of Buirg An Ri Walk, Balgaddy, is alleged to have knowingly permitted land he owned to be used for the preparation of a controlled drug last August 10.
He is also charged with possession of more than 13,000 worth of ecstasy with intent to sell or supply.
Diazepam
Mr Freer is further accused of having diazepam with intent to sell or supply at the same place and date.
Gda Sean Fitzgerald told Blanchardstown District Court that Mr Freer made no reply when charged at Ronanstown Garda Station.
A state solicitor said the DPP was directing trial on indictment.
Judge David McHugh gave Mr Freer the formal warning that he must provide any alibi details to the prosecution within 14 days.
He then returned him for trial to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He made an order for disclosure of copies of the video of the accused's garda interview to his defence.
A shoplifter who stole 48 boxes of painkillers and a children's jacket has been told to carry out community service to avoid a jail sentence.
Serial offender David Ward (43) admitted carrying out the thefts when he appeared in Dublin District Court.
Judge Ann Ryan ordered him to carry out 150 hours of community service instead of a six-month prison sentence.
She also told him to pay 147 in compensation to the victims.
Ward, with an address at Matt Talbot Court in the north inner city, pleaded guilty to theft.
Dublin District Court heard the first incident happened at the children's store Jojo Maman Bebe on Wicklow Street on July 22 last year.
A garda witness said Ward went in, took a jacket and placed it in a bag before leaving the store without paying.
He was later identified on CCTV but the property was not recovered.
On January 19 this year, Ward went to Aldi on Parnell Street and took 48 boxes of Panadol tablets.
He again put the stolen goods in a bag and left without paying.
Serious
In another incident, the accused was caught stealing T-shirts from a shop using a foil-lined bag to beat security sensors, a garda said.
The court heard the accused had 61 previous convictions, 44 of which were for theft.
He also had prior convictions for public order offences and failing to appear in court.
He had not lived at a fixed address for some time, his lawyer said.
Although he had pleaded guilty at an early stage, he realised the offences were serious given his previous record. He had received prison sentences in the past.
"I am urging the court to consider an alternative to custody by way of community service," his lawyer said.
The accused also had compensation to pay for the goods that were not recovered.
Ward consulted the probation service to assess his suitability for community service.
When he returned to court, the judge made the order after hearing Ward was found suitable.
She said the accused must comply with the order and stay out of trouble.
Seven of the ten fastest growing areas are in Dublin - with the remaining three lying on the commuter belt in easy reach of the capital.
The population of Dublin has jumped to 1.34 million, suggesting that the recovery is most acute in the capital.
More than 72,000 people have moved into Dublin in the past five years, an increase of 5.7pc.
The overall population jump in the country was 3.7pc to 4.75 million, but there is a clear trend in Dublin and surrounding counties which are recording the biggest jump.
The preliminary count of the census, which was completed just five weeks out from census night in April, is done by electoral division, of which there are about 3,500 in the country.
Seven of the ten fastest growing areas are in Dublin - with the remaining three lying on the commuter belt in easy reach of the capital.
Blanchardstown-Abbotstown, The Ward in Fingal and Tallaght-Springfield recorded the biggest increases in population.
Population
Meanwhile, Blanchardstown-Blakestown, Glencullen in south Dublin and Lucan-Esker in west Dublin and rural Balbriggan also made the top ten.
There are areas in Dublin, however, where a sharp fall in population has been seen since the last census. An area in Ballymun, Pembroke West and Merchants Quay have all shown drops in the number of people living there.
Justin Gleeson, of the All Ireland Research Observatory in NUI Maynooth, said this may be down to a number of reasons, including people being priced out of the city centre or changing family circumstance and a higher number of family homes or a better quality of life being available in the suburbs and the commuter belt.
Dublin also recorded the greatest inward migration of 7,981 and overall population increase of 5.7pc.
Elsewhere in the country, the census data has shown an emerging divide between rural and urban recovery, with the biggest growths to be seen in the east of the country and commuter counties like Kildare, Meath and Louth.
Donegal, Sligo and Mayo have seen a population drop, among 40pc of electoral areas which have seen a decline, many of them in rural and peripheral areas.
The largest outward migration came from Donegal, which lost 6,731 people and experienced a population drop of 1.5pc, the largest in the country.
"It's a very mixed picture, we can see that parts of the country are reviving but equally there are other places where there is an ongoing pattern of steady decline.
"We have a two-tier recovery," Piaras Mac Einri, lecturer in Migration Studies in UCC said.
The data also showed that women outnumber men in Ireland by a ratio of 978 men to every 1,000 women.
In Dublin there are 31,022 more women than men living in the county.
The figures account for the preliminary data gathered by the Central Statistics Office.
It will be next March before we get a the full picture from Census 2016.
Breach
The raw data has also shown that Ireland will need to add at least one TD to Dail Eireann so as not to breach the Constitution.
In Ireland there may only be 30,000 people per TD but the average now stands at just over that.
Three Dublin constituencies top the list as the ones most over the limit: Dublin North-West, with 32,299 persons per TD; Dublin Central with 32,016, and Dublin Rathdown with 31,375.
One year after the P5 + 1 countries and Iran reached their historic nuclear agreement on July 14, 2015, U.S. officials are hailing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, as a win for efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation and a win for diplomatic engagement in solving seemingly intractable problems.
In a statement released on the anniversary, President Barack Obama pointed out that the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified that Iran has implemented its nuclear related commitments under the agreement. It has shipped out 98 percent of its enriched uranium, dismantled two thirds of its centrifuges, filled its plutonium production reactor with concrete, and adopted the most intrusive inspection and verification program ever negotiated for a nuclear program, Mr. Obama said.
As a result, all of Irans pathways to a nuclear weapon remain closed, and Irans breakout time has been extended from two to three months to about a year.
President Obama noted too that the United States and its negotiating partners have also fully implemented their commitments to lift nuclear-related sanctions, and will continue to do so, as long as Iran lives up to its obligations under the deal.
The JCPOA demonstrates what can be achieved by principled diplomacy and a sustained commitment to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons, Mr. Obama said. We still have serious differences with Iran, but the United States, our partners and the world are more secure because of the JCPOA.
In remarks in Paris, Secretary of State John Kerry said the nuclear deal has enhanced the worlds safety because conflict in the region is not calculated on the basis of the potential of a nuclear confrontation or nuclear explosion. He also observed that the JCPOA underscores the value of diplomacy itselfThats why, Mr. Kerry said, we will continue to try to work first, before we decide to go into conflict, to see if we can resolve these kinds of problems.
Secretary of State Kerry noted that the JCPOA focused on the nuclear issue, and that there are other issues involving Iran, including its sponsorship of terrorism and destructive behavior in Syria and Yemen, that remain as challenges.
But regarding the JCPOA, Mr. Kerry said, The world can take pride in the fact that this multilateral, complicated negotiation has produced a result which makes the region less volatile and makes the world itself safer.
Breaking strict EU fiscal rules to spend more on capital investment could lead to financial penalties and potentially bar Ireland from getting structural funds, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said.
The minister said fines could amount to up to 0.2pc of the value of the economy.
He was responding to an argument from Ibec chief economist Fergal O'Brien in the Irish Independent yesterday that if Ireland can't get extra leeway from Europe for vital spending in areas like social housing, the Government should consider defying the rules and ask for forgiveness later.
But Mr Noonan said this was not the way to go.
"It's not good advice to break the rules. Spain and Portugal are in breach of rules this week and they're opening themselves to sanctions that could be as much as 0.2pc of GDP, which is a big chunk of money," the minister said.
"As well as that, the tap on structural funds can be turned off."
Ibec said the rules, which are laid down by the European Commission to ensure prudent and stable public finances, should be adhered to for day-to-day government spending and taxation. But the organisation claimed they don't make sense in the Irish case in terms of capital investment, describing them as "unnecessary" and "inappropriate".
Fergal O'Brien, Ibec chief economist, said the Government needs to take a renewed case to Brussels for flexibility.
But he said if that fails, we should defy EU spending rules, particularly in dealing with the deficit in social housing. He said 1bn should be spent outside the fiscal rules for social housing next year.
In 1986, Norman Borlaug, an agronomist and Nobel Laureate who is widely recognized as the "father of the Green Revolution," established the World Food Prize. This annual international award, known as the Nobel Prize for Agriculture and Nutrition, recognizes the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.
This year, four individuals share the Prize. All four work to improve the nutritional value of staple foods and to reduce hidden hunger: mineral and vitamin deficiency.
Dr. Maria Andrade of Cape Verde, of Dr. Robert Mwanga of Uganda, and Dr. Jan Low of the United States work for the International Potato Center. They were honored for developing the orange-fleshed sweet potato, the single most successful example of micronutrient and vitamin biofortification.
Plant scientists Dr. Andrade and Dr. Mwanga bred the sweet potato to be particularly rich in vitamin A, while Dr. Low structured nutrition studies and programs that convinced almost two million households in 10 African countries to plant, purchase and consume this food.
Vitamin A deficiency is one of the most pernicious forms of undernourishment in the developing world, and the leading cause of child blindness there. It causes stunting, weakens immunity in children under the age of 5, and increases their risk of dying from diarrhea, measles and malaria by around 22 percent.
Dr. Howarth Bouis of the United States, the founder of HarvestPlus at the International Food Policy Research Institute, pioneered the implementation of a multi-institutional approach to biofortification as a global plant breeding strategy. As a result, crops such as iron and zinc fortified beans, rice, wheat and pearl millet, and Vitamin A-enriched cassava, maize and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are being tested or released in over 40 countries.
These men and women represent the very best of their field, and they chose to put all their talent, energy, and skill in service of a better world, said USAID Administrator Gayle Smith.
Congratulations to our Laureates. You have proven that science matters and that when matched with dedication, it can change peoples lives. Thank you so much, for everything you do to build a more food secure world.
ELKO Native American students at Grammar No. 2 and in Owyhee will be getting some extra help in the classroom this year with the connotation of the school districts Title VII program.
Title VII is a program that funds teacher positions that assists Native American students, particularly in the English and language arts subjects.
Elko County School District Grant Writer Holli Kiechler said parents of native students have a lot of input in the direction of the program.
Title VII is a unique grant because its run by a committee of parents of native students, she said. They meet once a month and help steer that grant program and decide how the money is spent and what programs they want to focus on.
The program will be entering its third year in existence at the two schools this fall. Elementary Curriculum director Todd Pehrson is entering his second year as the head of the Title VII program as the school district liaison and said the goal of the program is to provide extra support for native students.
Theyre more in tune with whats going on with Native American students, he said. They know their culture better. Theyre just trying to help those students with whatever they need.
A big part of the committees decision-making process is the input they get from the schools participating in the Title VII program. Pehrson said the communication to the committee helps everyone get on the same page and determines what areas the committee of parents will focus on as they help Pehrson steer the direction of the program.
Theyve been supportive and theyve had some things in place. Weve had some discussions at our meetings and we look at graduation rates and funding when we make decisions, he said. Well have the schools that are participating in this give a report as to how things are going and it helps everybody communicate.
Even though Pehrson said he had not noticed any significant trend of Native American students falling behind academically, he pointed out that this program is a good resource for the native students who are struggling in the classroom.
Anytime we can give an extra net to help any kid thats our goal and this gives us that extra support, he said. I think they do identify the kids who are falling behind early on and that helps them succeed in the future.
Former Hagerstown youth hockey treasurer indicted for embezzlement
A former treasurer of the Hagerstown Youth Hockey Association was indicted Wednesday for allegedly stealing from the youth ice hockey nonprofit.
I finally collected enough first hand reports to answer the age-old question, How do you stop a runaway mule?
Ace Reid said he had been invited to be the parade marshal in Uvalde. They sat him up in the seat of a good-sized freight wagon pulled by a team of big mules. Halfway through the parade the mules spooked and started galloping down the street! The driver looked at Ace, handed him the lines and jumped ship! Ace said they were headed straight for a tuba player and two drummers ridin drag in the Sabinal High School marching band! He was able to alter the trajectory just enough so that the mules swung toward the sidewalk. When the wagon tongue hit the light pole, they stopped dead in their tracks!
Deanie and her husband Mike train horses up in the Yakima valley. One afternoon they went down to move a set of heifers from the high school section into the next pasture. She was ridin a two year-old filly and Mike was puttin the fine-tuning on a new mule. Deanie got a head start and was ridin around the heifers when she saw Mike, well, actually heard Mike comin! His mule was runnin like a race horse! Mikes ears were blowed flat against his head and hed applied one of his ol trainers tricks to gain control. He had pulled that mules head all the way back around til his nose was in Mikes left stirrup! Deanie watched as the mounted cartoonists slowed to a bangin trot and crossed the school house playground! She could hear Mike shouting instructions as they ran the obstacle course of sandboxes, teeter totters and jungle gyms! How they made it lengthwise through the swing set without strangling Mike is a miracle! The mules, still jerked into a U rebroke into a gallop, ran straight through the heifers and scattered em like balls on the break! Deanie swung to get outta they way but the mule rear-ended her at full speed! Stopped him in his tracks!
Out in California, Uncle Jack has a mule on his place that he called Son of the San Joaquin. Lon insisted on ridin him in spite of Jacks precautions. He watched Lon lope his mule up the road but it wasnt long til he heard the sound of pounding hooves! Over his shoulder Jack saw Lon shoot past him! They were kicked into overdrive in spite of the fact that Lon had the mules head pulled clean back to his boot top! The road turned right. The mule never noticed. He ran smack dab, flat into an orange tree! From Jacks vantage point, it looked like the orange tree had been struck by lightening! A terrible crashing sound ensued as Lon flew off the mule and shot through the branches like a six-foot smoked salmon fired from a battle ship!
Did it stop the mule? You bet, but they say you can still see pieces of Lons hat and shirt and glassed embedded in the bark.
Timothy and Timbre Young requested a conditional use permit to allow for an invalid residence for a family member at 1625 Royal Crest Drive in Elko. According to the application, a secondary independent living unit on a lot or parcel for an invalid or invalid caretaker is consistent with zoning. The building may not be attached if its a mobile home and the floor area of the secondary dwelling may not exceed that of the primary dwelling. The conditional use permit must be reviewed within two years and every two years thereafter. If it is a mobile structure, the secondary dwelling must be removed when it is no longer used for an invalid or an invalid caretaker.
OK, Im tired of writing about all the racial tension that President Obama and the Black Lies Matter agitators are causing. So this week lets take a look at a far less divisive topic
Illegal aliens.
OK, OK, fine. Illegal immigrants. But NOT undocumented immigrants.
The reason theyre undocumented is that theyre in our country illegally. Thats why they have no documents. Undocumented is just a propaganda term by the politically correct Speech Police.
And with that out of the way lets turn our attention to College of Southern Nevada (CSN) student body president Brenda Romero, an illegal immigrant living in Las Vegas who was brought here illegally by her parents as a child.
According to a recent article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, illegal immigrants such as Ms. Romero are ineligible for federal assistance to help them pay for college. But theres a reason for that: Shes in our country illegally.
Granted, that wasnt her choice. It was the choice of her parents. But children all over the globe are regularly affected adversely by decisions made by the people who bring them into this world. Actions, as they say, have consequences. And the consequences often harm the innocent.
Thats called life.
Anyway, Ms. Romero wants to help pay for the college tuition of illegal immigrants such as herself who are here illegally through no fault of their own. As such, shes set up a CSN Dream Scholarship Fund.
To get the program off the ground, the fund will reward two illegal immigrant college students $1,500 each this fall. Which is fine. Until you find out where the money is coming from.
You see, Ms. Romero isnt raising money from private, voluntary donations to give to these illegal immigrant students. Instead, shes taking money from mandatory student fees collected by CSNs student government.
As if the inflated cost of college tuition isnt bad enough as is, now were adding insult to injury by forcing the children of American citizens to fund a scholarship program for the children of illegal immigrants? Whats wrong with this picture?
This scholarship, said CSN President Michael Richards, was developed and put in place as a real tribute to students who want to help other students.
Laudatory.
But, um, what about students who are legal American citizens and are facing their own challenges paying for their own tuition and dont want to pay for the tuition of students who are in the U.S. illegally? Why should they be compelled to kick in to this scholarship fund?
This is exactly the kind of from each according to ability, to each according to need socialism that fueled the Bernie Sanders campaign among millennials. That its reared its head on a liberal college campus is, for some reason, no surprise.
Michael J. McDonald
Nevada Republican Party Chairman
On behalf of the Nevada Republican Party, I congratulate Governor Mike Pence on becoming the Republican choice for Vice President. Governor Pence has been a proven conservative leader with a strong record of job creation and investment in Indiana. Im confident he will bring much needed leadership and change to Washington as our Vice President. I look forward to working with Governor Pence and Donald J. Trump this election cycle to keep Nevada red and put a Republican back in the White House.
Roberta Lange
Nevada Democratic Party Chair
Donald Trump choosing Mike Pence to join him as his running mate confirms that this is the most dangerous Republican presidential ticket in a generation. In Congress, Pence bragged about being part of the Tea Party movement before it was cool (its not). Hes best known for sparking economic panic in his home state by recklessly legalizing discrimination against Indianas LGBT community. This is par for the course for a far-right social conservative who has championed divisive causes like opposing marriage equality, defunding Planned Parenthood and restricting a womans right to choose. And his anti-immigrant record is in lockstep with Trump: Pence is for mass deportation and against comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship. Nevadans are going to reject this extreme Trump-Pence ticket and elect Hillary Clinton in November.
Matt Brooks
Republican Jewish Coalition
The Republican Jewish Coalition welcomes the announcement of Governor Pence and congratulates him as the Republican Party Vice Presidential nominee. Not only has Governor Pence been a terrific governor in Indiana but he has also been a critical leader and important voice regarding Israel during his time in the House and as governor. Governor Pence understands that strong support by the United States is essential to maintaining the strength and security of the only democracy and our greatest ally in the Middle East. Governor Pence is a welcomed addition to the GOP team in 2016.
U.S. Sen. Harry Reid
The American people will never stand for Donald Trumps dangerous proposals and divisive rhetoric, no matter who his running mate is. But by picking Governor Mike Pence, Trump has doubled down on the fringe policies and partisan gridlock that fueled his rise as the leader of the dysfunctional Republican Party.
Throughout his time in Congress and as governor of Indiana, Pence played a key role in pushing the hateful anti-woman, anti-working people, anti-LGBT and anti-immigrant platform upon which Trump now stands. As a far-right member of the House of Representatives and minion of the Koch Brothers, Pence fought to shut down the government in an attempt to defund Planned Parenthood, the Affordable Care Act and programs critical to middle class Americans. He continued pursuing those policies as governor, all while enacting one of the most discriminatory anti-LGBT laws in the nation. Trump could not have selected a more extreme partner in his campaign of hate and division.
Americans have a clear choice between the Trump-Pence platform of hate, discrimination and dysfunction or Democrats plan for a fairer, more equal America. Senate Democrats will continue to push an agenda focused on bringing us together and getting things done for the American people, and we look forward to continuing that debate.
(JTA)-In the world of television, Rachel Goldberg is a rare character: a Jewish, female antihero.
She's the main character in "UnREAL," a scripted drama on Lifetime about the behind-the-scenes world of a "The Bachelor"-type reality show called "Everlasting."
Rachel is played by Shiri Appleby, who's best known for her lead role as Liz Parker on "Roswell"; more recently she played Adam's nice Jewish girlfriend, Natalia, on "Girls." Rachel is complex in the way that all humans are complex-though she masterfully encapsulates the neuroses commonly found in highly driven people in certain industries. She's manipulative yet self-sabotaging, vulnerable yet strong and, perhaps most of all, extremely good at her job.
Like its main character, "UnREAL" smacks of authenticity-that's because one of its co-creators, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, spent three years as a producer of "The Bachelor." Shapiro based "UnREAL" on her experiences there-from the punishing hours to producers being rewarded for making contestants cry on camera.
The first season of "UnREAL," which aired last June and is now streaming on Hulu, was met with acclaim, with many praising its feminism and originality.
"UnREAL" offers a singular meditation on stardom, media mendacity, sexism, and competition among women," D.T. Max wrote in The New Yorker.
Jewish references are sprinkled throughout the series, such as the time Rachel memorably said, "sheket b'vakasha," Hebrew for "be quiet"-or, more aptly, "shut up." And, this being about "the industry" there are loads of Jewish characters, too, from this season's Jewish contestant, Yael (Monica Barbaro)-called "Hot Rachel" by the crew, thanks to her passing resemblance to Appleby's character-and Rachel's new love interest, Coleman Wasserman (Michael Rady), who was brought on to replace Rachel as the show's on-set boss, or showrunner.
Next week's episode, the mid-point of the second season, was directed by Appleby herself-something she's long wanted to do. (In fact, Appleby got the "Girls" gig because she was shadowing a director of the show.) Appleby tells JTA that this episode will find Rachel dealing with the aftermath of a disturbing assault by her ex-boyfriend, as well as follow a Confederate flag-bikini wearing "Everlasting" contestant as she brings the African-American suitor to her Southern hometown.
In addition to directing more episodes next season, "I'm trying to get other directing [jobs] on other shows," Appleby says.
JTA spoke to Appleby about her own Jewish background, playing a complex antihero and more.
JTA: What was your Jewish upbringing like? I've read that your father is Ashkenazi and mother is Sephardic. Did you grow up with traditions from both?
Appleby: I grew up going to Hebrew school. We celebrated all the holidays. I was bat mitzvahed. My parents are involved in the temple. Judaism has been a huge part of my life.
Is it still?
Yes, it is. Our family is still very close. We still celebrate everything. I still have a Jewish identity.
Is it important to you to play Jewish characters?
It's not something that I actively seek out, but when it is a Jewish character, I can definitely relate to it.
Do you know if the character of Rachel was always written as Jewish, before you landed the part?
I think she was Jewish, but I don't think it was for her to be as Jewish as she's become. I think that has a lot to do with me just improvising and throwing things out, and the writers liking it.
We're seeing more female antiheroes like Rachel on television. As a woman, what's it like to get a part like this?
It's incredible. It's best-case scenario, obviously. I didn't realize that it was as groundbreaking as it is, but it's interesting to be a part of it and to be a part of the conversation.
Do you always agree with what Rachel does?
I don't agree with everything that she does, but at the same time, I understand why the writers are doing it and I'm playing a character. You don't need to agree with everything that she does to tell the story.
What do you think of her as a person?
I feel for her. I feel empathy for her. I don't think she knows what would make her happy. She obviously has a hard time trusting the world and that's a really unfortunate way to navigate life.
What are your hopes for Rachel going forward?
I hope that she learns to trust, quite honestly. Just to trust the world around her. I think that would be a huge step.
Speaking with passion and commitment, nationally known speaker/media expert Laurie Cardoza-Moore, founder and president of Proclaiming Justice To the Nations (PJTN), once again encouraged her audience in Altamonte Springs to take a stand against the BDS movement. The event was hosted by the Greater Orlando Citizen Action Network.
"My message... is if you stand by and you do nothing in your lifetime when you see what is happening to Israel and you see the rise of anti-Semitism, will you share the same fate as the Edomites?" Cardoza-Moore said, referring to what happened to the Edomites in the book of Obadiah.
Using a 30-minute trailer of PJTN's latest docu-tainment (a documentary produced in an entertaining way), "Hating Israel: In Search of the Truth Behind BDS," she hit home some of the important facts about the destructive nature of this movement against Israel.
For example, the movement's founder, Omar Barghouti, consistently states that he is not in favor of a two-state solution in Israel. He favors only one state, and that is a Palestinian nation. He further accuses Israel of being an apartheid state. His lies, and those of many in favor of BDS, are being spread throughout many college campuses across the United States.
This docu-tainment is targeted for Millenials with its message about why BDS is not only a death sentence for Israel, but the United States as well. It is fast-paced, humorous, and in-your-face with on-the-street interviews with Jewish and Arab Israelis and Palestinians living in Israel to Palestinians working in Israeli companies in Judea and Samaria, students on American college campuses and to Israeli rescue teams such as ISRAID. Christian comedian Brad Stine, who takes the viewers on this journey to find the truth, also speaks to a wide array of leading figures who help make sense of this anti-Jewish crusade.
The viewer gets an upfront look at what Israel really is about, as Stine can't help but highlight Israeli innovations and philanthropic projects that have positively impacted the lives of millions of people around the world, including Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinians.
(Spoiler alert: No apartheid was found in Israel, but that is not including the areas controlled by the PA.)
Cardoza-Moore couldn't emphasize enough the importance of informing and equipping college students with the truth about the BDS movement. Anti-Semitism is on the rise on college campuses, and the BDS movement is anti-Semitic.
"The goal is to take the documentary to churches, synagogues, university and college campuses and community centers, and to encourage people to spread the word about the truth behind the BDS movement," she stated.
The PTJN website (www.pjtn.org) will allow groups to register for a screening, with a Q&A session afterwards to engage the audience and to help them understand this narrative so it can communicate it back to their family and friends, and to encourage them to pass on the message.
The documentary premiered in Jerusalem last month and will be released in the U.S. this fall in two versions-one for Christian audiences and one for secular audiences.
Cardoza-Moore also spoke about another important issue facing our children in public schools.
"The battle is for our children's education and the future of this nation," she said about the need to reform school textbook material that has anti-American, anti-Christian and anti-Semitic references. In Seminole County high school history textbooks, 17 pages teach about Judaism, 13 pages teach about Christianity and 30 pages are devoted to Islam. Why the bias? Cardoza-Moore asked the audience. Which religion would most children come to the conclusion is the most important and largest? In fact, many high school students must learn Islamic prayers and make a prayer rug.
"We have a few brave legislators that are willing to take a stand but they cannot do it alone. They need the people of Florida to back them in order to be heard," she said.
Remember Hezbollah?...
With all the talk and worry about Isis these days, we almost put on the "back burner" terrorist organizations like Hezbollah.
DAVID HARRIS of the American Jewish Congress wrote the following (in part) on April 27th of this year:
"Nearly three years ago, The European Union finally overcame its longstanding resistance and addressed the issue of adding Hezbollah to its terrorism list.
The good news is that the 28 member states, prompted by the determination of Bulgaria, which experienced a deadly Hezbollah attack the year before, and Cyprus, which arrested a Hezbollah operative scouting out sites, took action.
The bad news is that the EU opted to bifurcate (divide into two forces) Hezbollah and place the 'military wing' on the terrorism list, while leaving its 'political wing' off it.
If ever there was a distinction without a difference, this was it. Don't take my word for it. None other than Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's Lebanon-based chief, said as much, stressing that no one could divide his organization.
Mocking the EU's decision, Nasrallah asserted 'A government (of Lebanon) without Hezbollah will never be formed. Just as a joke, I propose that our ministers in the next government be from the military wing of Hezbollah.'
It's not often that I agree with Nasrallah, but on this occasion... give him his due... he was right about the EU illusion that there are two Hezbollahs."
Remember, I write in advance...
Writing this column on the Fourth of July, Independence Day, I am so proud to be an American!
I am the widow of an Army veteran of the Korean War who is buried in the National Cemetery in Bushnel, Florida.
I am the mother of a Navy Lt. Commander who served in Iraq while in another branch of service. I am the mother of a psychologist who helped recruits at Great Lakes Naval Base, Illinois, and I am the mother of a Navy veteran who served on a minesweeper in the Persian Gulf.
Not a veteran myself, I still went through all the worries.
Now, there is terrorism to worry about. How frightening (and sad).
A Jewish Federation Mensch...
I am quoting directly from their email:
"In the wake of the horrific June 12 attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the Greater Orlando Jewish community has joined the wider community in mourning, praying and starting the healing process. During this painful period, one of the leading voices in the Jewish community has been Rabbi DAVID KAY of Congregation Ohev Shalom in Maitland.
Just hours after the attack, Rabbi Kay participated in an interfaith vigil at Jones High School, where he offered a powerful message of unity: 'As long as we come together, no act of terror, no act of murder, no act of hate can extinguish the light that has kindled from what we all start here tonight.'
After the Jones High vigil, Rabbi Kay fulfilled a prior commitment to work at Camp Ramah Darom in Georgia. Even while in Georgia, he helped organize a June 19 community vigil at Orlando's Lake Eola Park. A few days later he briefly returned home to serve as one of the featured speakers for the vigil, which attracted an estimated 50,000 people. Rabbi Kay also helped organize our community to support the Pulse victims' families at their loved ones' funerals by creating human chains to block protesters.
He has not slowed down in the days since. Rabbi Kay has taken a leadership role in helping the Jewish Community Relations Council plan the July 10 Sh'loshim event.
On behalf of the Greater Orlando Jewish community, we thank Rabbi Kay for providing strength and comfort at a time when our city desperately needs both."
(I think the world of Rabbi Kay also.)
An event my readers may want to attend...
On July 21, 22 and 23, Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 4545 Anderson Road, Orlando, will be holding a fantastic rummage sale sponsored by the Council of Catholic Women.
Items ranging from clothes, jewelry, housewares, furniture, linens, books and more, will be for sale. Clothing will even be sorted by size!
(In case you have trouble finding your way, it is off South Conway Road, south of Lake Margaret.)
Great jazz is coming our way...
On Sunday, July 31st, the fabulous JOHN ORSINI returns to the Altamonte Chapel. Our own ALAN ROCK is emcee of course. The music begins at 12:30 p.m.
Joing John will be: Greg Parnell (drums, Rich Walker (Guitar), Bob Thornton (Piano), Charlie Silva (Bass) and John Orsini on Tenor saxophone. This will be a super Quintet.
One for the road...
Inspite of all the terror and craziness in the world, don't let your worries get the best of you.
Remember: Moses started out as a basket case.
Elie Wiesel, the author of over 50 books, in the study of his New York City home, Oct. 14, 1986.
(JTA)-Most people know Elie Wiesel as the author of "Night," one of the first published autobiographical accounts of what life was like inside Nazi concentration camps. The book, which helped shape the American understanding of the effects of the Holocaust, has since become a staple on high school reading and best-seller lists.
But Wiesel wrote more than 50 books of fiction and nonfiction-and not all were focused on his harrowing experiences in the Auschwitz and Buchenwald camps. He was interested in political activism, philosophy and religion, and his books ranged from novels that question the existence of God to a journalistic expose on the plight of Soviet Jewry.
Here's the Wiesel reading list everyone should know.
"Night" (1960)
Arguably the most influential book on the Holocaust, "Night" brought the atrocities faced by Jews in the concentration camps to the forefront of American consciousness. The book's narrator, Eliezer, chronicles his hellish experience in Auschwitz through a lyric, fragmented style now acknowledged as a "genuine artistic achievement." Young Eliezer survives the torturous labor and murderous Gestapo, but his belief in God is forever altered.
"Dawn" and "Day" (1961, 1962)
Along with "Night," these two works form a trilogy that deals with the Holocaust and its after effects. Although "Night" has been variously described as a memoir, a novel and a "testimony" (by Wiesel himself), these two books are decidedly fictional. In "Dawn," a Holocaust survivor moves to pre-state Israel (what was then the British Mandate of Palestine), joins the Irgun (a predecessor of the Israel Defense Forces) and struggles with an order to execute a British officer. In "Day," a Holocaust survivor comes to terms with his World War II experiences while recuperating in a hospital after being injured in a car accident.
"The Jews of Silence" (1967)
In 1965, Wiesel was sent to the Soviet Union by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. His observations on the plight of Jews there-who suffered from anti-Semitic discrimination and were forbidden to publicly practice their religion-became the catalyst for an activist and political movement in the West that eventually helped thousands migrate to Israel and other countries in the 1980s.
"I would approach Jews who had never been placed in the Soviet show window by Soviet authorities," he wrote. "They alone, in their anonymity, could describe the conditions under which they live."
"A Beggar in Jerusalem" (1970)
Wiesel turned his imagination to the Six-Day War in this novel originally written in French, which won France's prestigious Prix Medicis award. Wiesel, who worked as a journalist in France after being liberated from Buchenwald, muses on suffering and loss through the protagonist David, a Holocaust survivor who runs into a group of beggars near the Western Wall days after the war. Their stories bring him back to his painful memories of World War II and fighting Arab soldiers in the 1967 war.
"Souls on Fire: Portraits and Legends of Hasidic Masters" (1972)
Wiesel, who struggled with his faith after his Holocaust experiences, never lost his fascination with Hasidism, the ecstatic spiritual movement of which his grandfather was a follower. "Souls on Fire" is a collection of lectures on the lives of the early Hasidic masters from Eastern Europe, starting with the movement's founder, the Baal Shem Tov, and including storytelling rabbis and kabbalists who continued the tradition. The portraits combine history and legend, and along the way, Wiesel wrestles with the question of whether men can speak for God.
"The Trial of God" (1979)
This eerie story-one of the very few plays Wiesel wrote-is set in a Ukrainian village in 1649, where a Cossack pogrom has just wiped out all but two of the town's Jews. Instead of staging a Purim play, the survivors-along with three actors-stage a mock trial of God.
Although the play is set in the 17th century, Wiesel has said he based it on an event he witnessed at Auschwitz, when three rabbis came together to indict God for allowing the Holocaust to happen.
Chris McCabe and Rabbi David Kay, two of the featured performers at the One Orlando Concert, are shown here during Theater at the J's May production of The Wonderful Wizard of Song.
On Sunday, July 17, The Roth Family JCC of Greater Orlando's Theater at the J will host a One Orlando Concert. All proceeds from ticket and concession sales will benefit the One Orlando Fund, established by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to assist victims of the Pulse tragedy.
Kerry and Amanda Giese, the directors of Theater at the J, felt that the amazing talent of the theater's performers could be helpful to raising money for the medical bills, funeral costs, and day-to-day expenses of the people whose lives have been affected by the shooting.
While they initially considered hosting a concert shortly after the incident, they realized that hosting it mid-July could be more beneficial.
"The times I have lost loved ones, the weeks after the memorials and vigils were done were the loneliest," Kerry Giese said. "Everyone else had gone back to their day-to-day lives and I was left, still without my loved one. I also quickly came to realize that the need these families have will go on for many months, if not years to come."
The evening will feature a collection of uplifting songs of love, featuring some of our theater's talented performers, such as Rabbi David Kay ("Funny Thing...Forum," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Wonderful Wizard of Song"), Desiree Perez ("Wonderful Wizard of Song"), Chris McCabe ("Wonderful Wizard of Song"), Thomas Limbacher ("Fiddler on the Roof"), Amanda Hudson Giese ("Funny Thing...Forum", "Fiddler on the Roof," "Wonderful Wizard of Song"), Elizabeth Loftus, and many more.
The concert, held in The Roth Family JCC's Harriett & Hymen Lake Cultural Center Auditorium, begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. General admission tickets are just $10 and for sale at orlandojcc.org/oneorlando. Seating is first-come, first serve. For more information, contact Kerry A. Giese, Theater at the J Director, at KerryG@orlandojcc.org or 407-645-5933 x282.
(The Nosher via JTA)-Look, I'm going to be honest with you: Deep frying is a huge pain. It's hot, it's splattery, sometimes things come out raw and it's not exactly healthy.
BUT! Big, big but. It is also, when done right, one of the best things in the world. Deep frying has given us french fries, doughnuts, falafel and, perhaps most important, fried chicken. If there's a better food than fried chicken, I don't know it.
To give this American comfort food classic an Israeli twist, I added plenty of zaatar and fresh thyme.
Another thing that makes this dish so special is the buttermilk brine. Most fried chicken recipes use either a buttermilk marinade or a spiced brine to tenderize the chicken. This recipe uses both, and to great effect! To keep things kosher, I make "buttermilk" with soymilk and lemon juice, and it works just as well. Soaking it overnight along with a saltwater brine (which has honey, zaatar, lemon and a variety of spices for flavor) seasons the meat and breaks down the proteins in the chicken to keep it moist as it fries.
The next day, the buttermilk-brined chicken is breaded in a sumac, thyme, zaatar and paprika-spiced flour mixture. A little bit of baking powder helps the breading brown and crisp more efficiently in the fryer, and the chicken is dipped into the flour mixture twice, which makes the skin even thicker and crispier.
This fried chicken is everything-herby and perfectly seasoned, succulent and juicy from the buttermilk brine, and best of all, it has a shatteringly crispy crust that will have you wanting more and more. The spicy, thyme-infused honey, which comes together in minutes, adds a touch of heat and sweet that's positively addictive.
Ready for an epic summer spread? Serve this alongside grilled corn with sumac mayo and minty-fresh limonana. Just don't be surprised by how fast this chicken goes-it truly is finger lickin' good.
Frying tips: If you don't have a deep fry thermometer, let the oil heat for around 10 minutes. When the oil has preheated, dip the handle of a chopstick into the oil. If the oil starts steadily bubbling, then the oil is hot enough for frying. If not, let it heat for a few more minutes.
Don't overcrowd the frying pan; the temperature of the oil will drop and that will result in greasy chicken. Fry three pieces at a time, preferably in a heavy bottomed pan (I used a cast iron). Use a neutral oil, such as canola, for its high smoke point. If the oil starts smoking at any time, the temperature is too high and must be lowered. If it's too high, the outside will brown quickly and look done, but the inside will be raw. On the flip side, if the temperature is too low, the chicken will be greasy and overcooked.
Wear long sleeves and closed-toe shoes to avoid painful oil splatters while frying. And lastly, once the chicken is fried, let it cool on a drying rack set over paper towels. Paper towels will remove a bit more oil, but they will also retain some moisture and make the chicken soggy, which must be avoided at all costs. Anyway, if you fry properly, the chicken won't be greasy at all.
Have fun frying! I know you'll do great.
Ingredients:
For the chicken and brine:
4 cups soy milk
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 peeled, seeded and halved lemon
1/2 cup honey
2 cups hot water
1/3 cup kosher salt
6 tablespoons zaatar
6 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
6 sprigs of thyme
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks
For the flour mixture:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons zaatar
3 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon sumac
1 tablespoon hot paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 quart canola or vegetable oil, for frying
For the spicy thyme honey:
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons chili oil
3 sprigs thyme
a few peppercorns
Directions:
In a large food safe container, add the soy milk and the juice of a 1/2 lemon. Let it sit until it curdles, around 10 minutes. This is your "buttermilk."
To the buttermilk, add the peeled, seeded and halved lemon. Crumble in the bay leaves. Add in the zaatar, smashed garlic and thyme.
Dissolve the salt in the hot water. This is the brine. Dissolve the honey in the brine. Add the brine to the container, along with the buttermilk and spices.
Add the chicken to the brine. Refrigerate for 1 day.
The next day, combine the flour, baking powder, zaatar, thyme, sumac and paprika and the salt in large bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine.
Remove chicken from buttermilk brine, but do not throw away the brine.
Coat the wet chicken in a thin layer of the flour mixture, and let come to room temperature on drying rack set over paper towels. (Cold chicken in hot oil will cause splatters and lower the temperature of the oil as well.)
Heat the oil to 370 degrees in large cast iron or heavy bottomed pot. Once chicken is close to room temperature, dip in the reserved buttermilk brine and then in the flour mixture once more, then drop gently into the hot oil.
Fry three pieces at a time. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and until instant read thermometer inserted into chicken reaches 165.
Remove from oil and sprinkle with fresh thyme. In a small saucepan, combine the ingredients for the spicy honey. Let come to a boil. Serve drizzled over the hot chicken, immediately.
Chaya Rappoport is the blogger, baker and picture taker behind retrolillies.wordpress.com. Currently a senior in high school, she's been blogging since 2012 and her work has been featured on The Feed Feed, Delish.com, Food and Wine and Conde Nast Traveler.
The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.
LONDON (JTA)- For two years, in her travels around the English capital, Natalie Pitimson has toted a library bag emblazoned with a word in Yiddish.
"The word 'schlep' written on the side perfectly describes my regular hour-long trek through central London," Pitimson, a senior sociology lecturer at the University of Brighton, wrote on her blog.
She had encountered no unpleasant incidents over the bag, whose slogan "reminds me of growing up in a lively Jewish family where such phrases littered otherwise very English sentences," she wrote.
But last week, the bag caused Pitimson distress when it invited a vicious verbal attack by a fellow passenger of the London underground. According to Pitimson, the man told her to "f--- off back to Israel with the other yids."
The June 28 incident left Pitimson "shaking and very upset," she wrote. "I thought about nothing else for the rest of the day. I have never been targeted in this way before."
Pitimson traces the schlep incident to a noticeable uptick in xenophobia following the June 23 referendum in the United Kingdom, in which 52 percent of voters supported a British exit from the European Union.
As the nation struggles to deal with the aftermath of the divisive vote, Brexit opponents cite such incidents as proof that the vote has unleashed a wave of racism. According to the National Police Chiefs Council, 331 alleged hate crime incidents were reported to police in the week after the vote, compared with a weekly average of only 63 before the vote (the statement did not specify the previous time period).
The Community Security Trust, British Jewry's watchdog on anti-Semitism, expressed its concern, along with other British Jewish groups, over this rise in incidents, which included hate graffiti against Polish immigrants and verbal abuse of other immigrants on the street.
But neither CST nor the Campaign Against Antisemitism, a smaller, volunteer-led alternative to the CST, can point to any directly related rise in anti-Semitic incidents following Brexit.
In the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Golders Green, some locals said they feel no less safe after the vote than they did before.
Nevertheless, reports of hate crimes and verbal attacks prompted front-page headlines and passionate op-eds in Britain's liberal media. Minister David Cameron, who has worked tirelessly to prevent a Brexit vote and resigned over his efforts' failure, condemned the spate of attacks.
"In the past few days we have seen despicable graffiti daubed on a Polish community centre, we've seen verbal abuse hurled against individuals because they are members of ethnic minorities," Cameron said in Parliament last week. "Let's remember these people have come here and made a wonderful contribution to our country. We will not stand for hate crime or these kinds of attacks; they must be stamped out."
But some Brexit supporters suggested Cameron and other Brexit opponents were exaggerating the severity of the situation to undermine the Brexit results.
Will Franken, a conservative London comedian and blogger, wrote that the media and watchdog groups reporting a rise in hate crimes were "scaremongering" to discredit those who voted to leave the EU.
CST's director of communications, Mark Gardner, said his organization was "taking very seriously concerns that anti-Semitism might be abused by those with other agendas than fighting racism."
But Gardner also said that complaints of racist rhetoric after Brexit nonetheless gives cause for concern.
"The racism that came out in Brexit's wake is based on the principle of 'taking the country back' and when that is the mode of thinking, it is very easy for Jews to also be labeled as aliens, as inauthentic to Britain," he said.
He added the "Brexit has been seized upon by far-right anti-Semites in social media circles, where some celebrated the vote as a defeat to Zionist bankers."
Pitimson has no doubt that her subway ordeal is Brexit-related.
"I've just been verbally abused-tell me again how racism played no part in Brexit," she titled her blog entry on the experience.
Though her interlocutor said nothing of the vote specifically, Pitimson feels his actions are an expression of nationalist sentiment against anyone perceived to be foreign. Immigration was a major theme for those who voted to leave the EU, many of whom cited concerns over the stream of 1.8 million Muslims who entered Europe this year from the Middle East. Migrant workers from Eastern European were also a major gripe.
In another London underground incident, filmmaker Haim Bresheeth said that on June 24, an "obvious Brexiter" confronted him because Bresheeth spoke in Hebrew on the phone. "In this country we speak English! Can't you speak English, sir?" the man told Bresheeth, but made no reference to the vote, according to Bresheeth's account on Facebook of the incident.
Elkos homeless humanitarian camp has been open for more than a year, and throughout that time the number of troubling incidents involving transients has dwindled to virtually zero.
Last summer the Elko Daily Free Press news staff presented a series of articles on the issue, and this week we are taking a look back.
Friends in Service Helping, better known as FISH, received a two-year permit to operate the camp on City-owned land on the southwest side of town in May 2015. Prior to its opening there were many problems such as homeless residents freezing to death, starting fires and polluting the Humboldt River with raw sewage.
The camp has isolated the homeless population away from the river, where there is better access to public safety services.
Depending on whom you ask, there are either fewer homeless people in Elko since the camp opened because many of them have moved on or they are still here but just doing a better job of staying out of sight. Either way, the population at the humanitarian camp has held pretty steady over the past year. This week there were only eight tents set up on the 10-acre lot.
The Citys intention from the start was for the camp to be a temporary measure. One of the most promising potential solutions is the proposed Joshua Tree Shelter spearheaded by Jennifer Kidwell. The first phase could house 14-24 people in a facility to be built along the Amtrak access road off 12th Street.
This week the city council approved a new zoning designation, despite opposition from Mayor Chris Johnson, who characterized it as spot zoning. We agree, but we also agree with the councilmen who approved the request because spot zoning is the status quo in Elko it always has been, master plan or no master plan.
Still, the project has serious hurdles ahead, both physically and bureaucratically. The next step involves ironing out a conditional use permit.
Last month the council rejected all but a small part of Joshua Trees request to waive curb and sidewalk requirements, which will add to the cost of construction.
And there is still the issue of pedestrians getting across 12th Street. Ironically, the very railroad that has historically brought transients to Elko is now a major obstacle to getting people in and out of the shelter site on foot.
Joshua Tree is making slow progress and we would be surprised if it is built by next May when the humanitarian camp permit expires.
Meanwhile, the City is looking at another option moving the camp to what is currently private land near FISHs thrift store. This week the city council tabled action on a proposal to purchase the land for $250,000, and also denied a request from a private company to purchase the current camp site from the City.
Moving the camp would put the homeless population closer to services. The Free Press will continue to follow any developments as they arise.
This summer our news staff will be focusing on another perplexing local issue: marijuana.
Nevada voters long ago approved medical marijuana, but the state only recently developed a system to make it available. It allows local governments to opt out, which Elko did by setting a moratorium on sales establishments.
Now, another voter initiative seeks to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Our series will look at how marijuana is currently used in the community, both legally and illegally, as well as the potential impact of legalization.
We will cover as many aspects of the marijuana controversy that we can, and we invite readers to submit feedback or questions.
(JTA)The families of five American citizens killed in terror attacks in Israel are suing Facebook for $1 billion, accusing the social network of providing material support to Hamas for its incitement and violence.
Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center, an advocacy organization based in Israel, filed the lawsuit Sunday night in Manhattan federal court. The suit alleges that Facebook is violating the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act by assisting terror groups such as Hamas in recruiting, radicalizing, and instructing terrorists, raising funds, creating fear and carrying out attacks.
The lead plaintiffs have been identified as Stuart and Robbi Force, the parents of Taylor Force, a graduate student at Vanderbilt University and a U.S. Army veteran who was killed in March in a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv. Force had been on a school trip to Israel to study the tech industry.
The other plaintiffs are the relatives of dual Israel and U.S. citizens, including the parents of Naftali Fraenkel, 16, who was kidnapped from a West Bank bus stop and murdered along with two other Israeli teens in June 2014; the parents of Chaya Zissel Braun, 3 months, who was killed in a car-ramming attack in Jerusalem in October 2014; the son of Richard Lakin, 76, killed in a stabbing attack on a bus in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem; and Menachem Mendel Rivkin, who was seriously wounded in a January stabbing attack in Jerusalem.
Facebook has knowingly provided material support and resources to Hamas in the form of Facebooks online social media network platform and communication services, the plaintiffs alleged in a statement issued to the media. Hamas has used and relied on Facebooks online social network platform and communications services as among its most important tools to facilitate and carry out its terrorist activity.
Facebook did not comment on the lawsuit when asked by several news outlets.
Since September, 34 Israelis and two American tourists have been killed in a wave of Palestinian attacks against Israeli targets.
Shurat HaDin was part of a class-action lawsuit filed last October by 20,000 Israelis against Facebook in New York State Supreme Court in Brooklyn claiming that Facebook posts have inspired many recent terror attacks.
According to that suit, Facebooks algorithms and platform connect inciters to terrorists who are further encouraged to perpetrate stabbings and other violence attacks against Israelis.
Parents of Hallel Yaffa Ariel and hundreds of supporters arrive to visit the Temple Mount in memory of Hallel Yaffa Ariel, July 12, 2016.
Five hundred Jews gathered Tuesday morning by the entrance to the Temple Mount, to ascend in memory of Hallel Yaffa Ariel, a teenage girl who was stabbed to death by a Palestinian on June 30.
In a YouTube video released last week, Amihai Ariel, Hallel's father called on the Jewish nation to join himself and his family on the Temple Mount on Tuesday for a memorial ceremony.
Rina Ariel, Hallel's mother, wrote a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his diplomatic trip to Africa last week, requesting that a group of 250 friends, family and supporters be permitted to hold the ceremony on the Temple Mount.
"We and Hallel have always felt a deep connection to the Temple Mount," Rina wrote, according to Ynet News. "We visited it and will continue to do so, as we believe that it is the house of God, and that it gives strength and life to each and every house in Israel."
"Just recently, 200,000 Muslims performed a mass prayer at the site," Rina wrote, referring to the traditional commemoration for Muslims at the conclusion of the month of Ramadan. "Would a Jewish group made of a tenth of that number not be allowed to convene there for a single hour?" she continued.
"The terrorist butchered our daughter in her heart, and our heart is in the Temple Mount," Rina Ariel told the press last week while mourning her daughter. "Anyone who can come strengthen our heart [should], not through war and not through hate. Support us so that our strength and our heart should continue beating."
Yael Kabillo, Hallel's aunt, told Breaking Israel News that the Prime Minister's office contacted the Ariel family Monday night, telling them that no Jews would be allowed on the Temple Mount on Tuesday due to security concerns. They were resigned to that disturbing possibility but resolved to pray for a reverse in the verdict. Indeed, several hours later, the PM's office called again to say a small group of family members would be permitted into the site.
Approximately 200 Jews entered the Temple Mount compound for the ceremony, which was closely monitored by Muslim officers to ensure it contained no words of prayer.
The private ceremony was accompanied by jeers and angry shouts of 'Allahu Akhbar' from the Muslims, but the Israeli police kept the crowds under control. Two Jews were arrested for violating the agreed-upon terms for visiting.
Amihai's cousin, Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel, was forbidden by the government from joining his family on the Temple Mount in accordance with the Israeli law prohibiting Knesset members from ascending.
Yishai Fleisher, prominent correspondent and spokesperson for the community in Hebron, gave an impassioned call for "basic human rights" in Jerusalem.
"We aren't asking to deny anyone else's rights. We aren't asking to be the only ones," he explained. "We are asking for basic human rights."
"We have a right to pray in our holiest place! This is a humiliation we cannot stand," he called out to the cheering crowd. Fleisher addressed the recent motion in UNESCO, in which they denied, for the second time, any Jewish connection to its holiest site.
"But who cares about letters or what they say?" Fleisher continued. "If our own government won't let us go up, everything else is meaningless."
Rabbi Yehudah Glick, the newly appointed Likud MK, was also prevented from entering the compound.
"We conquered the Temple Mount and all of Judea and Samaria in 1967," Rabbi Glick said to the crowd. "But that's not true. It wasn't the army. The ones who really conquered the land are the small child walking to kindergarten, the mother who goes to the store. The same thing is true here at the Temple Mount. We can scream at the politicians all day, but it won't do a thing. We need all these people to be here all the time."
Rabbi Glick then intentionally misquoted the commentary on Song of Songs (5:2), which says, "Open up for me an opening like the eye of a needle and in turn I will enlarge it to be an opening through which wagons can enter." Rabbi Glick changed it to, "I will enlarge it to be an opening the size of the Temple."
In the YouTube video, Amihai Ariel also asked that the Mughrabi Gate, the only gate through which non-Muslims are allowed to ascend to the Temple Mount, now be called the Hallel Gate, in memory of his daughter. Hallel, a popular name in Israel, means "praise" and is the collective name for the psalms that were sung in the Temple service.
The Mughrabi Arch, a wooden bridge and the only access to the gate, has been the focus of controversy, with the Waqf (Muslim authority) claiming that Israeli attempts to make a more permanent structure are intended to weaken the foundation of the Dome of the Rock.
NEW YORK (JTA)-Three months after Israel's Chief Rabbinate rejected his authority to perform conversions, one of America's most prominent Modern Orthodox rabbis joined with Natan Sharansky to advance a message: The rabbinate needs to become more open. But not too much more.
A widely respected rabbi in New York's Orthodox community, Haskel Lookstein saw his credentials called into question when a conversion he performed was deemed invalid by a rabbinical court in the Tel Aviv suburb of Petach Tikva. The court's decision has amplified calls for the haredi Orthodox-dominated rabbinate to reform.
On Wednesday, Sharansky spoke at a 200-person protest on Lookstein's behalf in front of the Chief Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem.
But in a joint interview with JTA Thursday in New York, the changes Lookstein and Sharansky proposed were relatively mild. They want the rabbinate to recognize a wider range of Orthodox rabbis. Sharansky-chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel-wants the Israeli government to accept or reject rabbis according to a set of objective criteria.
The two, however, stopped short of backing calls for the rabbinate to dissolve, to recognize non-Orthodox movements or to surrender its monopoly on Jewish marriage and conversion in Israel. They're not asking the rabbinate to change its core philosophy or mission-only its procedures.
"My specific overall goal is to reach a point where the Chief Rabbinate of Israel will recognize the conversion work done by recognized rabbis, respected rabbis, in America," Lookstein told JTA. "I believe it should be broader than the RCA-rabbis who are communally recognized as halacha-abiding rabbis."
The Rabbinical Council of America is the main professional association for Modern Orthodox rabbis in the United States.
Lookstein, who has performed hundreds of conversions, is the former rabbi of Kehilath Jeshurun, a tony modern Orthodox synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side. He also previously served as the head of school at the Ramaz School, an elite Manhattan Modern Orthodox preparatory school.
A woman who converted under Lookstein's auspices last year applied for marriage registration with the rabbinical court in the Tel Aviv suburb of Petach Tikva in April, only to have her conversion declared invalid. The court did not recognize Lookstein's authority because he was not on its list of approved rabbis.
The woman has appealed her case to Israel's Chief Rabbinical Court, which held her hearing Wednesday and is expected to deliver a judgment soon. Israel's Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau has vouched for Lookstein, making it likely the Petach Tikva court's decision will be overturned.
"They are guilty of persecuting a convert, for which the Talmud says there are 46 prohibitions," said Lookstein, who also supervised the conversion of Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka. "They are guilty of every single one of these prohibitions. This is very serious persecution of a person, and it casts doubt on the whole system that doesn't trust American rabbis."
The case has shined light on how the haredi Orthodox-dominated rabbinate has begun to alienate even its Orthodox allies. The rabbinate has never recognized non-Orthodox rabbis or ceremonies. But the past few years have seen it question the credentials of a few leading liberal Orthodox rabbis as well.
In 2013, the rabbinate rejected -then later accepted-a conversion by New York Rabbi Avi Weiss, who founded the liberal Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Last year, it threatened to revoke the appointment of American-born Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, who advocates progressive Orthodox policies, as chief rabbi of the West Bank settlement of Efrat. Sharansky said as long as the rabbinate's protocols stay the same, American rabbis will continue being delegitimized.
"We are lucky it happened with Rabbi Lookstein, because it makes a lot of noise," Sharansky told JTA. "OK, we accept Rabbi Weiss. OK, we accept Rabbi Riskin. OK, I'm sure they will say we accept Rabbi Lookstein. And tomorrow it will be some rabbi from Phoenix [or] Omaha."
Lookstein said the rabbinate should accept conversions by all U.S. Orthodox rabbis-including members of the Rabbinical Council of America and graduates of Chovevei Torah. Sharansky suggested Israel's Interior Ministry could set out objective criteria for Orthodox rabbis to meet: a congregation of a certain size, for example, and certification from a recognized Orthodox seminary.
Conversions should be accepted "as long as there's a community that is a recognized Jewish community, and there is a rabbi who got semicha," or rabbinic ordination, Sharansky said. "If there is a group of people who for years have this community, everyone can check if it is a real one."
But neither Sharansky nor Lookstein called for more radical changes to the rabbinate, which a coalition of Israelis-Orthodox and not-have pushed. Pluralism activists in Israel have long called for the rabbinate to be abolished or replaced with a system that also recognizes non-Orthodox movements. According to polls by Hiddush, a group that advocates religious pluralism in Israel, solid majorities of Israeli Jews support instituting civil marriage in Israel and recognizing non-Orthodox conversions.
Lookstein did not comment on calls to abolish the rabbinate or remove its monopoly over Jewish marriage in Israel. Sharansky said that despite the body's flaws, it provides valuable religious services to Israelis.
"I think the Chief Rabbinate is playing an important role in the life of Israelis," he said, crediting the rabbinate for "connecting the Jewish state with Judaism."
Lookstein said he generally refrains from criticizing Israeli government actions. But he spoke out on this issue, he said, because of the hurt it caused one of his converts.
"I did not start this fight," Lookstein said. "The rabbinate in Petach Tikva rejected a convert who was converted properly and was living a religious life."
The first joint meeting of the St. Augustine Historical Society and the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society will be held July 20, 7 p.m. at the Gamache-Koger Theater of the Ringhave Student Center, 48 Sevilla St., in St. Augustine, on the Blagler College campus.
Heres an opportunity to learn whats available in the libraries of the University of Florida to all who are interested in learning more about the history of St. Augustine. The presentation, titled Whats Available in the University of Florida Libraries for researchers of St. Augustine history?, will have two speakers: Rebecca Jefferson, PhD, head of Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica, and James G. Cusick, PhD, curator of P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History, both of the Department of Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida.
This event is co-sponsored by the St. Augustine Historical Society and the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society. The program is free, all are welcome, no advance arrangements are necessary. Call 904-819-6365 for best directions.
Shown here at the annual meeting of the Society of Crypto Judaic Studies are (l-r) Dr. Irwin M. Berg, scholar of the Lemba Jews of Zimbabwe; Rabbi Merrill Shapiro, president of the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society; and Rick Hendricks, Ph.D., historian of the State of New Mexico.
As scholars of the Crypto-Jewish world, those who study Jews who went into hiding during the Spanish Inquisition and beyond, gathered for their twenty-sixth annual conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rabbi Merrill Shapiro, president of the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society presented the case for the presence of Crypto-Jews in the oldest U.S. European city during colonial times.
The Santa Fe Conference attracted participants from nearly a dozen countries and four continents seeking to share what they have learned to better understand Jewish communities forced from the mainstream of Jewish history by persecutions going back as many as 1800 years. Keynote speakers included Richard Kagan, Ph.D., Arthur J. Lovejoy Professor of Early Modern European atJohns Hopkins University. The Martin Sosin Memorial Address was delivered by Professor Enrique LaMadrid of the University of New Mexico's Spanish and Portuguese.
After hearing the evidence of an early Jewish presence on Florida's east coast, members of the Society for the Study of Crypto-Judaic Scholars added new evidence of their own. They noted that Antonio Martinez Carvajal, well-known as the chief Harbor Pilot in St. Augustine in 1577 and 1578 was surely Jewish as no record exists of "Old Christian/Catholic" Carvajals in the New World. Carvajal was likely part of the family of Luis de Carvajal who rose from a position as an accomplished naval navigator to become the governor and captain-general of New Spain, including portions of today's Mexico, U.S. Southwest and Central America. Carvajal was noted for his determination to develop Spanish ports and naval operations for military and commercial benefit. It was usual and customary, in such situations, to rely on family members.
Luis de Carvajal's sisters were tried by the Inquisition for engaging in Jewish pracetices in Mexico City and burned at the stake in an auto de fe. Carvajal himself was imprisoned by the Inquisition, also for practicing Judaism and died while incarcerated.
Were there earlier descendants of the Spanish Jewish community expelled in 1492 from Spain by the Inquisition in Colonial St. Augustine? The St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society continues its quest to identify them and bring them to light!
The Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies was created to establish a global organization for the benefit of those researching the history of Crypto-Jewish and Sephardic communities around the world.
WASHINGTON (JTA)-"I am proud to be a Vlach," says Yiannis Boutaris, the mayor of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city.
Ostensibly, we're here at the Washington Hilton to discuss Boutaris' bid to put the Jewish back in Thessaloniki, a city-perhaps best known as Salonika-once home to the largest numbers of Jews in Greece.
But I'm the one who brought up the Vlachs, a dwindling minority of speakers of an ancient Latin dialect, scattered throughout the Balkans. When he ambles over, I greet him with the "Ci fac?" I have learned from my wife's family. Pronounced "Tzi fatz," it means "what's up?"
His eyes widen a little. "Gini!" he says, he's fine. He looks at his aide, Leonidas Makris, with a look that suggests, "I thought you told me this guy was Jewish?"
I explain my connection, through marriage, to the Vlachs, insular shepherds whose descendants, starting a century ago, assimilated throughout Balkan societies. He asks me where my wife is "from." I know better than to say Washington, and I tell him Perivoli, the tiny village in the Pindar mountains where our family has summered. He smiles, recognizing the village as one of a constellation of mountaintop Vlach summertime refuges, even before I have completely pronounced it.
Boutaris, a youthful, wiry 74, was here in June to be honored by the American Jewish Committee at its annual Washington conference. He is among 508 American and European mayors who have signed on to the AJC's Mayors Against Anti-Semitism pledge.
Boutaris stands out among the mayors, though, for his commitment to his city's Jewish meaning. At his most recent inauguration, he wore a yellow patch reminiscent of the ones forced on Jews during the Holocaust. It "was received as a definite position against the Golden Dawn," Greece's anti-Semitic, ultranationalist party, he said.
"Everyone knows what the yellow star was," he said.
The gesture also infuriated the city's powerful and at times intrusive Greek Orthodox leadership.
Boutaris, a vintner by trade, enjoys recounting his bouts with his city's prelates. He recalls his first election campaign, spearheading an alliance of left-leaning parties in 2010. "I said in a public speech, 'the archbishop acts like the mujahedin!'" he said, referring to the Muslim jihadis in various countries.
On Thessaloniki's national day, October 26, the archbishop warned him, "'you will never see the municipality chair'!"
The next month, Boutaris won the election handily. Of the archbishop's expressed enmity, he says: "I think this helped a lot," although he hastens to add that he has since achieved a detente with the church.
Boutaris' city, an Ottoman haven for Jewish refugees from the Spanish and Portuguese inquisitions, was famous for centuries for its Jewish plurality. Its reputation for tolerance diminished when the city was riven by nationalist struggles as the Ottoman empire collapsed in the early part of the 20th century, and then by a devastating fire in 1917 that drove many Jews to emigrate.
There remained a vibrant community nonetheless, even as the ethnocentric Greek nationalist movement exerted pressure on minorities-Turks, Jews, Vlachs-to repress their languages and identities and become Greek. Two of my Jewish grandparents were born there. In 1941, the Nazis occupied the city and in short order deported over 95 percent of the community to death camps and labor camps. Salonika's Jewish past is a faint echo now, recalled only in the occasional neighborhood name-like the Modiano market, named for a prominent Jewish family.
Boutaris, like the other 188 European mayors who signed onto the AJC pledge, casts it as a means of containing the anti-Semitism reemerging on their continent.
Boutaris and the other signers "are individually and collectively sending a powerful, if not unprecedented, message to their larger communities," David Harris, the AJC CEO, told JTA in an emailed statement.
He and Makris, his assistant, are not comfortable discussing Greece's status, according to Anti-Defamation League surveys in 2014 and 2015, as the continent's most anti-Semitic country. Some 67 percent of the population hold anti-Semitic views, the more recent survey said. The mayor and his assistant believe the survey is vastly exaggerated.
Makris tries to explain the results as a product of a deeply pessimistic Greek political culture, where poll respondents are likely to believe the worst about their leaders, immigrants, minorities, their next-door neighbors-just about everyone-but otherwise behave in a welcoming manner.
"There is an ambivalence among Greek people," he says, noting how Greeks simultaneously cast the flood of refugees from Syria as a burden, and yet have turned out en masse to assist them.
Boutaris says that Israel's conflict is keenly felt in a country that has ancient ties with the Arab world, and that has been influenced in recent decades by close relations between Arab nationalists and the Greek left. "Greeks wonder why they can't find a way of living together," he says of Israel and the Palestinians.
Yet the obsession with Israel among some Greeks clearly frustrates Boutaris, in a way that Israel's leaders would appreciate. Every country deals with internal and external threats, he says, some in ways that make Israel's actions pale by comparison. "You have to sit down and see what's happening in Syria!" he exclaimed.
There is a deeper, more resonant dimension to Boutaris' Jewish outreach, one that aligns with his origins as a Vlach, a people disappearing into Greece's forcefully monolithic culture.
Boutaris wants Greeks to remember that their country was once not so monocultural, that there were other peoples that once thrived here. He has proposed a monument to the Young Turks, who emerged in Thessaloniki in the first decade of the 20th century and whose uprising eventually led to Turkey's transformation in the 1920s into a secular state.
His focus in Washington is raising awareness about a Jewish cultural center he hopes to found. (The city has a small Jewish museum.) He has raised $20 million so far; he needs another $5 million or so for operating costs.
The one thing he does not want it to be is another Holocaust memorial; instead, he wants a monument to a community that thrived in Thessaloniki for 500 years and that helped define the city.
"Enough with the Holocaust, enough with the mourning, although we will never forget," he says. "We want to bring up the Jewish heritage, which should not stop with the Holocaust."
I bring up with Boutaris another personal connection to Thessaloniki: an incident from my first visit to the city, in 1996, that still haunts me.
A street in the Ladadika neighborhood, which used to be the Jewish quarter in Thessaloniki, Greece.
A newly met Greek friend plied me and my then fiancee with a little too much retsina, the sweet and potent Greek white wine, during a visit to his house. When I conked out and lay down, I overheard him, through a haze, ask my fiancee what had become of me. She told him I was sleeping it off, and he laughed and began to sing "Durme, Durme," the Jewish Ladino lullaby that at one time would have been familiar to the city's Jews and non-Jews alike.
I asked our Greek friend afterward if he understood the lullaby's Jewish origins; he had no idea. It was a song. It was another echo of a disappeared Jewish city.
Boutaris gets it, before I have even finished pronouncing "Durme, Durme"-he knows the lullaby. "Attention must be paid" might as well be his mission statement. "No one knows what Thessaloniki could have been," he says, "if it hadn't lost 95 percent of its Jewish community."
Netanyahu investigation has been launched, Israels attorney general confirms
JERUSALEM (JTA)Israels attorney general has confirmed that he has ordered an investigation into accusations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in what the Israeli media is reporting as a money-laundering probe.
Avichai Mandelblit stressed to the media that the investigation opened late Sunday is initial and not a criminal investigation, according to reports.
The attorney general reportedly discussed the accusations with the police intelligence unit, the state attorney and the Justice Ministry.
Following information received in matters pertaining among other things to the prime minister, and which has been presented to the attorney general by the polices investigations and intelligence department, the attorney general has conducted a number of discussions attended by the state prosecutor and other senior officials in the Justice Ministry and the polices investigations and intelligence department, said a statement issued by Mandelblits office. Upon their conclusion, the attorney general has decided to instruct that an examination of the matter be opened.
Many media reports on the probe published in recent days have been inaccurate, to say the least, the statement added.
The allegations have not been made public, although the reports say that it is a money-laundering probe separate from previous cases against Netanyahu.
Netanyahus office denied the allegations.
As with all the previous instances, when allegations were made against the prime minister that turned out to be baseless, nothing will come of thisbecause theres nothing there, the Israeli media quoted a Netanyahu spokesman as saying.
Egypts foreign minister visiting Israel, first time in a decade
JERUSALEM (JTA)The foreign minister of Egypt is in Israel to discuss his countrys recommendations for peace between Israel and the Palestinians with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Sundays visit by Sameh Shoukry is the first by an Egyptian foreign minister since 2007, according to Netanyahu.
Speaking at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said the visit teaches about the change that has come over Israel-Egypt relations, including President [Abdel Fattah] el-Sissis important call to advance the peace process with both the Palestinians and Arab countries.
The Egyptian foreign minister is coming on behalf of the president of Egypt; we welcome him.
Shoukry, who has been foreign minister for two years, visited Ramallah for the first time two weeks ago to talk about Egypts peace plans with Palestinian leaders, Haaretz reported.
Netanyahu and Shoukry are scheduled to meet in the afternoon and evening.
They also reportedly will discuss coordination between their two countries over the search for wreckage of the EgyptAir flight that crashed in May after some was recovered off the coast of Netanya on Thursday. The flight from Paris to Cairo crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, killing the 66 passengers and crew on board.
Mother of slain Israeli girl asks permission to hold memorial on Temple Mount
JERUSALEM (JTA)The mother of Hallel Yaffa Ariel, the 13-year-old Jewish girl killed in her bed by a Palestinian teenage attacker, requested permission to have a memorial ceremony on the Temple Mount.
Rina Ariel in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked to bring 250 people to the Temple Mount, which is holy to both Jews and Muslims and the source of much tension over the years. The group that would ascend to the Temple Mount on Tuesday would include the Ariel family and a group of friends and supporters, Ynet reported.
We and Hallel have always felt a deep connection to the Temple Mount. We visited it and will continue to do so, as we believe that it is the house of God, and that it gives strength and life to each and every house in Israel, Rina Ariel wrote to Netanyahu late last week, Ynet reported. And as it is only from there that all deficits can be filled, it is only from there that we will receive any sense of solace. For this reason we are asking to perform the mitzvah of visiting the Temple Mount and praying there for the ascent of Hallels soul this coming Tuesday, with 250 people who have pledged to join and comfort us. It is very important to me that the event be coordinated with the police and not carried out in any manner of confrontation.
Just recently, 200,000 Muslims performed a mass prayer at the site. Would a Jewish group comprised of a tenth of that number not be allowed to convene there for a single hour?
Jews can only ascend the mount during limited visiting hours and are forbidden from doing anything resembling worship such as kneeling, singing, dancing or rending their clothes.
The Jerusalem Districts police chief, Yoram Halevi, met last week with the family to organize the visit but requested the prime ministers final approval, according to Ynet.
Hallel was stabbed to death on the morning of June 30 as she slept in her bed in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba by a 17-year-old assailant from a nearby Palestinian village. Civilian guards shot and killed the attacker.
Israeli man shot in West Bank while in car with wife, 6 kids
JERUSALEM (JTA)An Israeli man was injured when his car was hit by multiple gun shots in the West Bank on Saturday evening.
Eitan Finkel, 30, of the southern Israeli city of Netivot, was driving with his wife and six children when his vehicle was hit near the Tekoa settlement, the Israel Defense Forces told the Israeli media. Finkel continued driving to the Efrat settlement, where he was taken by ambulance to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Speaking from the hospital, Finkel told the Hamodia newspaper that he was surprised when a gunman standing right across from us did not shoot.
It was a tremendous miracle. Only after we turned did he open fire on our car, he said. I managed to come out alive, and my wife screamed, Drive, drive, hit the gas.
I asked my wife right away how the children are. I kept driving for another 10 minutes, until I saw an army jeep and stopped. During the whole drive I didnt feel my leg, or that my shoe was filled with blood. My wife jumped out of the car and called the soldiers over, and from there I was evacuated to the hospital.
The family had been heading home after visiting the settlement of Metzad, The Times of Israel reported.
On Sunday, two West Bank Palestinian villages remained under a military closure as Israeli troops searched for the shooters.
Philistine cemetery found in southern Israel is historic discovery
JERUSALEM (JTA)Archaeologists in southern Israel have uncovered a Philistine cemetery, making an unprecedented discovery.
The discovery following 30 years of work in the Ashkelon National Park by the Leon Levy Expedition was announced Sunday.
The cemetery dates to the 11th to 8th centuries BCE. The findings may support the claim, inferred from the Bible, that the Philistines were migrants to ancient Israel.
Artifacts uncovered at the site, including ceramics, jewelry and weapons, as well as the bones themselves, hold the promise of being able to connect the Philistines to related populations across the Mediterranean.
Excavation there, particularly in areas where the burials were undisturbed, allows archaeologists and scholars to begin constructing a picture of the typical goods buried with the Philistines. Small decorated jugs filled with what is assumed to have been perfumed oil, storage jars and small bowls make up the bulk of the goods. A few individuals were found wearing bracelets and earrings, and some were accompanied by their weapons, but the majority were not buried with personal items.
The Philistines buried their dead primarily in pits that were excavated for each individual: male or female, adult or child. Later, additional individuals were sometimes placed in the same pit, which was dug again along roughly the same lines, but the new individuals were interred with their own grave goods. Cremations, pit interments and multi-chambered tombs were also found in the cemetery.
The Leon Levy Expedition, led by Lawrence Stager of Harvard University, has been conducting large-scale excavations in what was ancient Ashkelon since 1985 with the support of Leon Levy and Shelby White of New York. This summer is its final excavation season.
The expedition is organized and sponsored by the Leon Levy Foundation, the Semitic Museum at Harvard University, Boston College, Wheaton College and Troy University.
Iranian commander: Missiles ready for the annihilation of Israel
(JTA)The deputy commander of Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard said the country has over 100,000 missiles in Lebanon alone readied for the annihilation of Israel.
Speaking before last Friday prayers on Irans state-run IRIB TV, Hossein Salami also said that Iran has tens of thousands of additional missiles that are ready to wipe the accursed black dot of Israel off the map, according to a translation from the Farsi by the Middle East Media Research Institute, or MEMRI.
Salami is deputy head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is under the command of the countrys supreme leader.
Today, more than ever, there is fertile groundwith the grace of Godfor the annihilation, the wiping out and the collapse of the Zionist regime, Salami said, according to the MEMRI translation. In Lebanon alone, over 100,000 missiles are ready to be launched. If there is a will, if it serves [our] interests, and if the Zionist regime repeats its past mistakes due to its miscalculations, these missiles will pierce through space, and will strike at the heart of the Zionist regime. They will prepare the ground for its great collapse in the new era.
He also boasted that tens of thousands of other high-precision, long-range missiles, with the necessary destructive capabilities, have been placed in various places throughout the Islamic world.
They are just waiting for the command, so that when the trigger is pulled, the accursed black dot will be wiped off the geopolitical map of the world, once and for all, he said, referring to Israel.
Salamis remarks came as Germanys foreign ministry said it is closely watching Irans attempts to procure nuclear and missile technology, The Associated Press reported.
German intelligence agencies reported dozens of such attempts last year, according to AP. A separate report by a German domestic intelligence agency said that counter-espionage officials had spotted 141 procurements attempts in one German state in the last year.
Martin Schaefer, a spokesman for Germanys Foreign Ministry, said that Germany and its partners would work to enforce the agreement signed in Vienna last July meant to curb Irans nuclear program.
We are already talking to our partners in New York and elsewhere, and we wont hesitate to discuss this with Tehran, he said.
Israel occupation amendment rejected by Democratic platform drafters
(JTA)The committee drawing up the Democratic Partys platform rejected an amendment that would have called for an end to Israels occupation and illegal settlements, with members pledged to presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton reportedly leading the opposition.
The Clinton backers said adding such language to the partys call for a two-state solution would inflame tensions and hurt future U.S. efforts in peace talks.
Following the 95-73 vote on Saturday by the Democratic National Committees platform drafters, supporters of Bernie Sanders, Clintons rival for the nomination, reportedly jeered and chanted Free, free Palestine, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Prominent scholar Cornel West, a Sanders appointee to the Platform Committee and a proponent of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, spoke in favor of the amendment, saying Democrats should show double love.
We ought to have a love for our precious Jewish brothers and sisters and a love for Palestinians, he told the 187-member committee on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
The platform draft dated July 1 said of Israel: A strong and secure Israel is vital to the United States because we share overarching strategic interests and the common values of democracy, equality, tolerance, and pluralism. That is why we will always support Israels right to defend itself, including by retaining its qualitative military edge, and oppose any effort to delegitimize Israel, including at the United Nations or through the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement.
We will continue to work toward a two-state solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiated directly by the parties that guarantees Israels future as a secure and democratic Jewish state with recognized borders and provides the Palestinians with independence, sovereignty, and dignity. While Jerusalem is a matter for final status negotiations, it should remain the capital of Israel, an undivided city accessible to people of all faiths. Israelis deserve security, recognition, and a normal life free from terror and incitement. Palestinians should be free to govern themselves in their own viable state, in peace and dignity.
For months Sanders, the first Jewish candidate to win a major party nominating state vote, has sought to elevate the issue of Palestinian rights in the platform.
Clinton has secured enough delegates to win in the first round of voting for the nomination at the convention in Philadelphia July 25-28. Sanders was given five spots on the platform drafting committeeunusual for a losing candidatea reflection of the strength of his campaign.
Oldest American, Goldie Michelson, dies at 113a month away from birthday
(JTA)The oldest American, Goldie Michelson of Worcester, Massachusetts, has died at the age of 113 and 11 months.
Michelson, the daughter of Russian Jewish parents who immigrated with her family to Worcester when she was 2, died at home last Friday.
Born in 1902, she lived for 113 years and 335 daysnearly all of it in Worcesterand her age was a source of pride, the Boston Globe reported. Michelson credited her longevity to walking.
Michelson (nee Corash) was named the oldest living American in May.
She graduated from Pembroke College, which later became the Womens College of Brown University, and received a masters degree in sociology from Clark University in Worcester. Her thesis at Clark was titled A Citizenship Survey of Worcester Jewry and examined why many of the citys older Jewish-immigrant residents did not pursue American citizenship or learn English.
She told the Worcester Telegram in 2012 that her thesis was inspired by her time working with Jewish womens organizations such as Hadassah and the National Council of Jewish Women.
After the borders of the Soviet Union opened up for Jews in 1989, a new wave of Jewish immigrants came to Worcester. Michelson was among the volunteers to help them settle in and accustom themselves to American society.
Michelson was also active in community groups, including one that supported the founding of Brandeis University.
After graduating from college, she was a social worker in Worcester, and went on to teach religious education and direct plays at a local synagogue. She married David Michelson, a friend of her brother.
Michelson acted and directed nearly all her lifeshe directed a pageant performance of Fiddler on the Roof when she was nearly 100.
Her husband, a businessman who developed medical office buildings, died in 1974.
After his death, Michelson endowed the Michelson Theater and the David and Goldie Michelson Drama Fund at Clark University.
It never occurred to me that I would live this long, Michelson told Clark Universitys magazine in 2012. I just went on and on, and Ive loved it.
Progressive Jewish groups call on Jewish Republicans to withdraw Trump support
(JTA)Bend the Arc, a partnership of progressive Jewish groups, has called on the Republican Jewish Coalition to withdraw the organizations support for presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump.
The online petition was addressed to Matthew Brooks, executive director of the RJC.
Withdraw the RJCs support of Donald Trump until he actively rejects the white supremacistsincluding anti-Semiteswho are eagerly supporting his campaign, the petition launched July 7 says.
In a statement accompanying the petition, Bend the Arc said: For a national Jewish group to continue to support him is unconscionable. As a Republican group, the RJC has the ability to pressure his campaign to cease being a megaphone for hate. As a Jewish group, they are morally obligated to do so.
The petition came a day after Trump doubled down on defending a campaign tweet that featured a Star of David shape and dollar bills superimposed over an image of Hillary Clinton, and the same week his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner, defended Trump against charges that the candidate is anti-Semitic.
Bend the Arc has been working to stop a Trump nomination for president since the early fall.
The RJC endorsed Trump in May following his victory in the Indiana primary. The statement did not praise Trump, but dwelled on the need to defeat Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and hold on to majorities in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate.
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau sheds tears on Auschwitz visit
WARSAW, Poland (JTA)Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Auschwitz memorial, wiping away tears several times.
Among those joining Trudeau on his tour Sunday of the former Nazi death camp was Nate Leipciger, a former prisoner there who immigrated to Canada from his native Poland in 1948 at the age of 18. Among others in the delegation were the Canadian minister of foreign affairs, Stephane Dion, and Rabbi Adam Scheier of Montreal, vice president of the Council of Rabbis of Canada. Auschwitz Museum Director Piotr Cywinski welcomed the group.
Trudeau reportedly made a point of visiting the Auschwitz memorial following the NATO summit in Warsaw.
Members of the delegation visited much of the museum exhibition, including one block showing photographs documenting the arrival of a transport of Jews from Hungary. They also saw the room devoted to sorted looted propertyshoes, bags, glasses and brushesthat in the camp jargon was called Canada, and visited the building of the first gas chamber and crematorium at Auschwitz I.
In the second part of the visit, Trudeau and his group visited the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau and walked along the railway ramp where the Germans carried out the selection of the Jews. They also saw the ruins of the gas chamber and crematorium III, where the delegation said Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead.
Today we saw the possibilities of deliberate human cruelty and evil. Let us remember always this painful truth about ourselves, Trudeau wrote in the guest book of the museum. Never enough tolerance. Humanity must learn to love its diversity.
Canada is among the 36 countries that supported the Perpetual Fund of Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, which finances the maintenance of authentic remains of the concentration camp.
We have reached the point where moral equivalence has become a moral atrocity.
The smart set in the West has insisted for over a generation that Israel and the Palestinians are morally equal. There are extremists, on both sides, they say. Both sides are responsible for the absence of peace.
The first serious outcry against this lie came immediately after the Palestinians began their terrorist war against Israel in September 2000. That war, incited, directed, funded, commanded and celebrated by Yassir Arafat and his henchmen, including his successor Mahmoud Abbas, began two months after Arafat overturned the table at Camp David in response to then prime minister Ehud Baraks offer to withdraw from 95 percent of Judea and Samaria, all of Gaza and half of Jerusalem to enable the establishment of an independent state of Palestine in the areas.
The areas in question, Barak said, would be handed over to the PLO Jew free. The hundreds of thousands of Jews living in the areas set to become Palestine, would be forcefully evicted from their homes to ensure that the delicate, sensitive Palestinians, wouldnt be troubled by the Jews with their dirty feet, in the words of Abbas.
That wasnt enough for Arafat. And it was insufficient not because Barak failed to give him what he demanded. It was insufficient because his demands were insatiable. Arafat was never interested in peace.
As his deputy Faisal Husseini said at the time, the peace process was a Trojan Horse. Its purpose was to get the PLO bases of operation inside of Israeli territory in order to expand its ability to destroy the Jewish state. This is the reason that despite the fact that the international community has given them more financial assistance than any other people in the history of humanity, the Palestinians have not built a society. They have received tens of billions of dollars in development aid and failed to develop an operating economy.
This failure isnt due to incompetence or corruption. It is simply that the Palestinians dont want those things. They chose not to develop independent institutions. They do not want to build a state. They have spent the money to transform Palestinian society into the most anti-Semitic society in the world where the vast majority of its people want to kill Jews and destroy Israel. They have transformed Palestinian society into a place where Jews have no right to livenot because of some sort of occupation, but because they are Jews, and Jews, they have been indoctrinated to believe, are an abomination.
Anyone with eyes in his head can see this. It has been obvious for 16 years.
The smart sets failure to note reality back in September 2000 marked the beginning of its descent into moral oblivion. Its first step down that road was when its members coined the pernicious term, cycle of violence.
Cycle of violence, means that there is no moral distinction between a murderer and a policeman, between a society geared toward annihilating its victim and its victims actions to prevent that from happening.
The latest consequence of this moral depravity came on Friday with the publication of the so-called Middle East Quartets much awaited report that is supposed to show us the way to peace. That reportlike its predecessors insisted that a Jewish settler is the moral equivalence of a Palestinian murderer.
The day before the report was released, we sawyet againthe evil empowering nature of that claim.
Thursday morning, a hate-drenched, demonic Palestinian murderer took a knife and stole into the town of Kiryat Arbaa settlement.
He broke into the Ariel familys home. He walked into their childrens bedroom. He found 13 year old Hallel Yaffa asleep in her bed.
He stabbed her repeatedly. When there was no place left to stab her in her face and chest, he turned her over and continued stabbing her in the back.
The murderer set off the sensors in Kiryat Arbas security fence when he traversed it. It took but three minutes for the communitys security team to get to the house. They shot and killed the Palestinian assailant and so prevented him from moving to the adjacent high school and transforming his slaughter into a massacre.
But Hallel was already gone.
The next day, the Mark family was driving along Highway 60. A Palestinian car carrying murderers drove up beside them and opened fire on Michael Mark, his wife Chavi and their children. Mark was murdered, his wife and daughter seriously hurt and his son was wounded as the car flipped over and over, after Mark lost control of the wheel.
On cue, the Palestinians began celebrating the murders and the murderers. The PLO governor of Hebron paid a condolence call at the home of Hallels killer.
The Palestinian media celebrated their crimes. And a new high-quality animated film was released on Facebook directing viewers to murder MK Yehuda Glick. The film included driving directions to Otniel, and images of terrorists burrowing under the security fence to enter the community and avoid detection.
Amidst all of this, the Quartet released its report.
And although the report struck the tone of neutralityboth sides need to do this and both sides need to do that, the fact is that after 16 years of Palestinian atrocities against Israelis, the Quartets determination that they are the same is a moral atrocity.
The Quartet recommends that both sides de-escalate tensions. But of course, only the Palestinians are escalating tensions.
Both sides, the wise men tell us, should take all necessary steps to prevent violence and protect the lives and property of all civilians.
But only one side is fomenting violence and deliberately targeting civilians.
Both sides, the Quartet says, should exercise restraint and refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric.
But only one side is engaging in provocative actions and rhetoric, unless the Quartet says that Israel responding angrily to the slaughter of its children and families is acting provocativelywhich of course is what they are implying here.
And it gets worse. The report includes an empty call for the Palestinians to act decisively and take all steps within its capacity to cease incitement to violence and strengthen ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, including by clearly condemning all acts of terrorism.
The Palestinians of course, will do no such thing.
Abbas is the engine of the incitement and the violence.
He always has been. And the fact that hes been able to get away with this since taking over from Arafat 12 years ago shows that the moral miasma of the West has become a danger to world peace.
After pretending that the people who transformed Palestinian society into the hate-filled, murder applauding mob it has become are interested in doing the opposite, the Quartet turned its guns on Israel.
Israel needs to deny Jewish property rights. Israel needs to expand the powers of the Palestinian death cult into Area Cwhere all the Israeli communities are located and but two percent of the Palestinians live.
Israel needs to expand its security cooperation with Abbass U.S.-trained militias that have been marinated in the same Jew hatred as the rest of the Palestinians, and have often propagated.
Sunday afternoon, hundreds of people stood silently outside the Ariel home in Kiryat Arba, waiting to enter the modest home to console the family. The landscape outside is pastoral. The Ariels live off of their vineyard and the wine they produce. Surrounded by the vines, and the hills, the Ariels homestead looks like the sort of place where nothing bad can happen. A quiet family of profound faith, the Ariels were just going about their quiet lives, raising their daughters, tending to their vines when the evil beyond their gate entered their home and struck.
That is the difference between the two sides. One wishes to tend his vineyard. The other wishes to destroy it.
It is a clear distinction.
The international communitys pernicious refusal to recognize this basic fact, after so many years, is a major reason that there is no peace, and there is so much bloodshed.
This article was originally published in the j post. Reprinted with authors permission.
These are the days that Vladimir Putin has been aching for since the end of the Cold War.
On Dec. 5, 1989, three weeks after the Berlin Wall was torn down, angry crowds stormed the Dresden Headquarters of the Stasi, the brutal secret police of the Soviet puppet regime in East Germany. At the time, KGB officer Putin was based in the office across the street reserved for the representatives of the Soviet security apparatus. When Russias future president picked up the phone to demand military protection from the surging masses, he was told that nothing could be done without orders from Moscowand Moscow, said the person at the other end, is silent.
What a contrast that is with the present. The beleaguered KGB agent who personally witnessed the collapse of communism, and has nursed the wound ever since, is now running Moscowa world capital that is very far from silent.
In geopolitical terms, Russia trades on fear of its hard power in places like Eastern Europe and the Middle East. But fear is not the only factor; national leaders looking for fresh opportunities in the face of American isolationism and retreat are looking more and more to Putin for support. In that regard, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has met with Putin four times over the last year and with President Barack Obama only once, exemplifies this new trend.
Netanyahus most recent visit to Moscow took place earlier this month, when Russia and Israel countries marked 25 years since the resumption of the diplomatic relations severed by the Soviet Union after the 1967 Six-Day War. While there, the Israeli leader announced that his hosts would be returning an Israeli tank captured during the Lebanon War of 1982, which had been on display in a Russian museum. The symbolism here was uncomplicated and largely welcome: Russia, the gesture seemed to say, regrets its past hostility to Israel and will henceforth treat the Jewish state with respect.
But beneath the smiles and outward displays of reconciliation, Israel and Russia have many practical matters to talk about, and thats exactly what Netanyahu and Putin have been doing. Back in January, the Reuters news agency opined that Putin was the closest thing to a friend that Israel has ever had in Moscow, citing the Russian leaders comment during the 2014 Gaza that he supported Israels efforts to protect its citizens.
Yet the same article pointed out the potential for tension between Israel and Russia, in particular over the impact that the S-400 surface-to-air missiles that the Russians have stationed in Syria might have on Israeli aerial operations against the Hezbollah terrorist organization. In particular, Israel wants to avoid being thrust into the same position as Turkey was last November, when its air force downed a Russian jet that Ankara claimed had violated its airspace.
By talking to Putin and keeping him onside, Netanyahu believes he can avoid such mini-disasters in the future. The same reasoning applies to Russias close relationship with the Iranian regime, which now includes the provision of S-300 missiles to Tehrana weapons transfer that has left the Israelis understandably nervous.
In return, the Israelis can expect some degree of Russian diplomatic support. Netanyahu speaks for the vast majority of Israelis when he says that the Golan Heights, captured from the Syrians in 1967, should remain a part of Israel. The rest of the world doesnt agree. If Putin sticks by Israel with this demand, and Netanyahu apparently thinks he will, its case to retain the Golan becomes significantly more powerful if it is endorsed by the same country that is sustaining Bashar al-Assads regime in Syria. Thats why Netanyahus key strategic concerns with the Syrian warthe status of the Golan and the prospect of spillover led by Hezbollahare better addressed in Moscow than they are in Washington, DC.
Rather than fretting about the conflicts of interest arising from an alliance with Assad and Iran on the one hand, and a productive friendship with Israel on the other, Putin is positively embracing this novel state of affairs. Everyone needs Russia, he will conclude, and that might even allow him the wiggle room to take unprecedented positions on regional issueslike, for example, vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution recognizing a Palestinian unilateral declaration of independence that even the U.S. supports. That is, after all, how a tsar might have behaved.
Within the framework of power politics, then, it isnt hard to understand why Israel and Russia are coming closer together. Yet, even though its difficult to fault Netanyahus realist logic in actively shopping for new friendships and reviving old ones such as that with Turkey, Western supporters of Israel are correct to feel anxiousespecially when it comes to Russia, a nasty, violent, and corrupt dictatorship with a nuclear arsenal. Historically, Russia has treated its Jews abominably over the centuries. Even now, its ultra-nationalists remain close to Putins side. If you are going to bet on which country is more likely to be ruled by an anti-Semite in the next 50 years, Russia still looks a far surer prospect than does the U.S.
But Israel has more pressing matters to deal with, which is why there is little patience for hypothetical discussions about the future of Russian anti-Semitism. For that reason, there is little purpose in demanding that Netanyahu stop doing what any other leader in his position, inside or outside Israel, would also do.
Ultimately, if we are to prevent the Russification of Israel and, indeed, our other alliesby which I mean a general disdain for classically liberal values, mute acceptance of Russian aggression toward its neighbors, and a resigned attitude to the dilution of American global powerthen the solution lies in Washington. Absent that political will, and as much as it might break our hearts, the Putin-Netanyahu bromance will continue to flower.
Ben Cohen, senior editor of TheTower.org & The Tower Magazine, writes a weekly column for JNS.org on Jewish affairs and Middle Eastern politics. His writings have been published in Commentary, the New York Post, Haaretz, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. He is the author of Some of My Best Friends: A Journey Through Twenty-First Century Antisemitism (Edition Critic, 2014).
A single page in the weekend edition of Yedioth Aharonoth captures the essence of where we are. One article on the page is a rational assessment of recent violence, its decline, and concludes with the point that there is no solution, other than the ceasing of incitement among the Palestinians, which no Israeli should expect.
It was drafted before the weekends uptick in attacks, with two Israeli deaths in separate incidents in Judea and Samaria, three Palestinian attackers dead, and several Israelis injured.
Without being sure, we can guess that heightened celebrations at the end of Ramadan have something to do with this spurt. For nearly a month now, Muslim families have been fasting from first light to last light, then feasting with their large families of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Muslim families are said to spend half their annual income on food and other expenses of the holy month.
Its not hard to imagine that during those long nightly meals, a common topic of conversation is the evil of the Jews. Along with incitement in schools and media, that of families, with relatives killed or being punished by the Jews, seems likely to contribute to enough hatred for a young cousin to take a knife from the kitchen, and go to his or her death while trying to kill a Jew.
The two Israeli deaths were especially dramatic. One was a 13-year-old girl of a religious family. Another was a well-known rabbi, the head of a yeshiva, and father of 10.
What Judea and Samaria extremists did may have infected cousins in Gaza. A missile landed at night near a kindergarten in Sderot. It was the first missile since the operation of 2014 to land in an urbanized area. The IDF response was to bomb several Hamas installations, also late at night, when there werent likely to be any casualties that would spur a serious escalation.
There was rioting at one of the crossings north of Jerusalem. Several police were injured, and a Palestinian died, apparently from the affects of tear gas.
Another item on the same page of Yedioth Aharonoth reflects the emotions in the Jewish sector, heightened among the religious nationalists who are prominent in Judea and Samaria settlements. It deals with the challenge from one of the settlers political leaders, asking the prime minister why he didnt call a meeting of the inner cabinet to chart a course of defense after the killing of a young girl in the settlement of Kiryat Arba, like he did in response to a terror attack in an upscale neighborhood of Tel Aviv.
After the death of the young girl and the Yeshiva head, the prime minister did call a meeting of the cabinet.
Members of the extended family associated with the 17-year-old who died after killing a 13-year-old girl in Kiryat Arba lost their permits to enter Israel for work. Security personnel sealed the killers house in preparation for destroying it once all the court hurdles are cleared. The IDF closed off the area around Hebron, and for a while none will leave or enter. Soldiers have gone house to house looking for suspects. The cabinet voted to approve the construction of additional housing for both Arabs and Jews in East Jerusalem, and for Jews in Judea and Samaria settlements.
Responses are called mowing the lawn, or collective punishment, depending on ones political perspective. It lets the Palestinians know the cost of their mischief, without doing so much that might escalate into a wider conflict that wouldif it occurredalso not bring the underlying conflict any closer to an end.
Hopefully, the end of Ramadan will cool tempers, and well revert to the situation of tense co-existence.
Sadly there is no end. Occasional violence, with more Palestinian than Israeli deaths, is part of life in this corner of the Middle East. Trying to end it once and for all times would be like trying to end traffic accidents. One can do some things to minimize the carnage, but that seems to be the limit learned after more than a century of motor vehicles, which comes after many more centuries of mishaps from horses.
Taking everything into consideration and looking at governmental statistics, it appears that Israel is a safer place than the United States or almost every country in Western Europe.
Also in the news is yet another call by the Quartet of US, EU, Russia, and the UN that Israel must stop building in its Judea and Samaria settlements. This proclamation calls on Palestinians to stop inciting for violence, so the worthies can claim to be evenhanded while they contribute nothing more than their moderate voices to a conflict that will not end any sooner than traffic accidents.
A moment for despair or the acceptance of what is inevitable?
Perhaps a bit of both, feeling sorry for the unfortunates who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, just as we should mourn those caught in traffic accidents not their fault.
Comments welcome. Irashark@gmail.com.
(JTA)Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign never recovered after he was caught on video telling a group of millionaires that 47 percent of Americans will always vote for Democrats because they dont take personal responsibility for their lives and are dependent upon government.
The incident has become a case study not only in watching ones words (and being nice to your waiters), but in spin control. Hammered by the media and the Democrats for sounding elitist and insulting half the country, Romney first blamed the listeners, saying they had misheard what he intended as innocuous demographic analysis. Later, as the transcripts of the video made clear that he said what everyone thought he said, Romney fell back on the classic dodge that his remarks had been taken out of context.
A lot went wrong for Romney that year, and the remarks werent the only reason independent voters felt that Romney cared more about Wall Street than Main Street. But some regard the incident as a classic case study in bungled PR. Lanny Davis, the Clinton White House lawyer and an author of a book on crisis management, has suggested what Romney ought to have said: You know, that was a stupid mistake and I didnt mean itof course those 47 percent are composed of a variety of voters who have many reasons for not being for me not related to government, and I want to apologize to them for my mistake.
Had Romney admitted his gaffe, wrote Davis, the 47 percent issue would have gone away almost instantly. Davis rule: Tell it all, tell it early, tell it yourself.
Its probably safe to assume that Donald Trump hasnt read Davis book. If anything, now that Trump is having a bit of a 47 percent issue of his own, he seems to be following the Romney campaigns (failed) strategy: Deny you said it, blame the media, change the subject.
The current brouhaha started when critics noticed how a tweet from Trumps campaign lambasting Hillary Clinton as the most corrupt candidate ever featured a six-pointed star and a pile of money. Some critics, pundits and pols cried foul, arguing the image was anti-Semitic. Next, the millennial website Mic revealed the Twitter image had first shown up on message boards of the far-right, anti-Semitic alt-right movementthe same people who gave us the charming (((echo))) symbol to identify Jews.
Trump denied that the tweeted image was anti-Semitic, saying it was a Sheriffs Star. Nevertheless, Trumps people quickly removed the tweet and denied that their boss was an anti-Semite. Jared Kushner, Trumps Jewish son-in-law and increasingly important campaign adviser, put out a statement defending his wifes father: My father-in-law is an incredibly loving and tolerant person who has embraced my family and our Judaism since I began dating my wife. I know that Donald does not at all subscribe to any racist or anti-Semitic thinking. I have personally seen him embrace people of all racial and religious backgrounds. The suggestion that he may be intolerant is not reflective of the Donald Trump I know.
Kushners statement seems spot onat least when it comes to the Jews. For all his vilification of undocumented workers from Mexico and calls for a ban on Muslim immigration, theres not much evidence that Trump has a problem with Jews.
But Kushners statement also seems beside the point. The question isnt whether Trump is anti-Semitic. Rather, how is it that the Trump campaign ended up tweeting out a meme already making the rounds in anti-Semitic circles? And now that the origin of the image is clear, and the image itself is being hailed by the likes of David Duke, why is Trump doubling down instead of walking it back?
The best-case scenario for the Trump campaign is that, indeed, either Trump or a member of his skeletal staff passed on an internet meme without researching where it came from or how it might be receivedand Trump being Trump, hes not willing to admit a mistake.
Alternately, and ominously, Trump or his staffers knew full well where the meme originated and simply didnt care.
In either case, for those worried about emboldening white nationalists and other assorted haters, Kushners vouching for his father-in-law doesnt count for much. The fear isnt about whats in Donald Trumps heart but whether he is willing to speak out against the racists and anti-Semites, however marginal, seeking to make common cause with his campaign.
Trump could have put Stargate to rest had he made a Davis-like apology: You know, that was a stupid mistake by my campaign and one that wont be repeated. In our haste to engage with voters, we didnt properly vet a tweet that unfortunately originated with some rather nasty people. Rest assured that the Trump campaign does not welcome the support of bigots of any stripe, and that we reject their hateful messages.
Or course, if not a word of that statement sounds like Trumpand not a word of that statement sounds like Trumpthat could be your answer. That Donald Trump never admits a mistake is a theme of his biography.
Trump isnt the first politiciannor the only candidate in this campaignwho has trouble apologizing, or acknowledging a vulnerability. Jeff Greenfield recently wrote about how Hillary Clinton supported traditional marriage before eventually getting on board with gay marriage. Asked about her switch, Clinton grew testy at the very suggestion that her evolution might be explained by political calculation, Greenfield wrote.
I think youre trying to say I used to be opposed and now Im in favor and I did it for political reasons, and thats just flat wrong, Clinton told Fresh Airs Terry Gross, as if one of the most talented politicians of her generation was above political calculation.
But this controversy is about more than just the idea that being Trump means never having to say your sorry. Whether confronted with questions about support from Duke, a former Ku Klux Klan leader, or about the anti-Semitic internet trolls who torment Jews who write critically about Trump, the candidate demurs, denies or lashes out.
At the same time Trump was digging his heels in over the Star tweet, the Clinton camp was busy extinguishing a fire that most people hadnt even gotten wind of. Soon after Elie Wiesel died last Saturday, the virulently anti-Israel writer Max Blumenthal put out a series of tweets essentially calling the Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate a hypocrite and worse. Blumenthal has no connection to the Clinton campaign, although his father, Sidney, happens to be a longtime Clinton adviser. That was enough to prompt Hillarys people to come out with a strongly worded condemnation of Max Blumenthal, calling his remarks offensive, hateful, and patently absurd.
That kind of disavowal plays wells with the Jews, who also responded positively when candidate Barack Obama in 2008 gave a long and impassioned rebuttal of his own pastors dubious views on the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Trump could go a long way toward setting aside the anti-Semitism chatter, if he took a cue from his Democratic rivals and gave a similar speech disavowing the hatersor at the very least stopped hanging out with them on Twitter.
Mariano Rajoy on Thursday evening. ANDREA COMAS (REUTERS)
Spains political leaders have condemned the terrorist attack that took place on Thursday night in the French city of Nice, as the country was celebrating its national holiday.
The Spanish Foreign Ministry said there are no reports of Spanish casualties for the moment.
The Interior Ministry has decided to keep Spain on a terrorist threat level of 4 out of 5 for now.
The acting foreign minister has warned that the identification of the dead and injured has only just begun
In a special press conference on Friday morning, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said that we feel our neighbors immense pain as though it were our own.
France will count on Spains full cooperation in order to pursue and punish the terrorists, he added.
The Spanish leader noted that this global threat requires a global response and that Spain is part of that global response.
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Rajoy unveiled that he has called a meeting of the committee tasked with following up on the Anti-Terrorist Pact, which includes the vast majority of Spains political parties with a presence in parliament.
National and regional authorities observed a minute of silence at noon to protest the attack.
The answer to terrorism must rely on these three principles: liberty, equality and fraternity, said Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias in Congress, which also observed a minute of silence.
Twitter messages
Rajoy and opposition leaders had also expressed their condolences in a series of Twitter messages sent throughout the early hours of Friday, shortly after a truck plowed into the crowd in the southern French city, killing 84 people.
Madrid Islamic center speaks out The Islamic Cultural Center of Madrid has condemned the attack in the strongest terms. We Muslims reject terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations. We send our condolences to the families of the victims, to the government and to the people of France, said center leaders in a statement.
Shaken by the news coming out of Nice, which I am following with concern. My condolences to the entire French nation, wrote Rajoy on Twitter.
The Socialist Party leader, Pedro Sanchez, sent out a similar message: Dismayed at the news coming out of Nice. Our solidarity with the victims and all our support to the French people.
Pablo Iglesias, head of the anti-austerity Podemos, tweeted: Watching the heart-rending news coming from France. My solidarity with the French people and with the victims families.
Albert Rivera, president of the reform party Ciudadanos, also tweeted about the terrible events in Nice and sent out a message of solidarity with the French, as did Alberto Garzon, head of the United Left federation.
No Spanish victims for now
Acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said that for the moment there are no reports of Spaniards among the victims, but he warned that the identification of the dead and injured has only just begun.
Margallo confirmed that the Spanish consul in Marseilles has traveled to Nice to better liaise with the vice-consul there. Both diplomats are in touch with French authorities in order to locate any potential Spanish victims.
Speaking in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, where he is attending a European-Asian summit, Margallo told his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault that the Spanish government is ready to help in the fight against terrorism.
English version by Susana Urra.
NICE, France A truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of Bastille Day revelers who'd gathered to watch fireworks in the French resort city of Nice late Thursday in what officials and eyewitnesses described as a deliberate attack. Dozens of people appear to have been killed, officials said.
Sylvie Toffin, a press officer with the local prefecture, said that the truck "hit several people on a long trip" down the sidewalk near Nice's Palais de la Mediterranee, a building that fronts the beach. Wassim Bouhlel, a Nice native who spoke to the AP nearby, said that he saw a truck drive into the crowd.
"There was carnage on the road," Bouhlel said. "Bodies everywhere."
How many people have died is unclear, although the death toll appeared to be high and climbing. Calls to interior ministry and police officials were not returned. Images circulating on social media showed grisly scenes of piles of bodies in the street. The president of the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur regional council, Christian Estrosi, said in a message posted to Twitter that dozens of people appear to have been killed.
Bouhlel said he witnessed the man emerge with a gun and start shooting, but Toffin said she that, "to my knowledge" there was no gunfire.
She confirmed the incident was deliberate.
"It's an attack," she said. She said she did not have casualty figures.
It was not immediately clear who would have been behind the attack, but France has recently seen a spate of dramatic assaults from by jihadist groups, including the Islamic State group which straddles Iraq and Syria.
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If its purpose was to pick up equity in the talking space, the Congress has already marked its presence in the poll discourse in Uttar Pradesh. From obscurity to a degree of identityhowsoever nebulous!
Thats the immediate gain from former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshits projection as the partys face for the corresponding office in the crucial Hindi heartland state. Together with film star-politico Raj Babbar, the new president of the partys UP arm, shes a name that needs no introduction.
But can charisma alone pull the Congress out of electoral oblivion in a province where it hasnt tasted success for a quarter century? Not really. The party was as much in the talking space in the 2012 state elections when Rahul Gandhi led the charge from upfront. The result: a meager gain of six seats over its tally of 22 in the outgoing House elected in 2007 when the BSP formed a government of its own.
In the longer run, the party needs to work beyond projecting faces to reclaim its Dalit-Muslim-Brahmin construct decimated over the years by its main rivals: the SP that took away a big share of Muslims; the BSP that snatched Dalits and Muslims and the BJP that has claims to the Brahmin vote.
We cannot overnight reconstruct what weve squandered, admitted a Congress leader. The immediate goal, he said, was to fight for an honorable outcome; to win back sections of social groups that once gave the party the electability it had in UP.
The argument makes sense. As a national party, the Congress gave the BJP a veritable walkover in UP in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. It didnt contest for even a respectable defeat--- winning just the seats held by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi of the 80 returned from the State.
The Congress now has 28 seats in the 403-member assembly. Its effort is to make the most of an uninspiring scenario with a two-pronged strategy that entails enthusing cadres and consolidating presence in the 100-odd assembly constituencies where it won, stood second or wasnt a too-distant third. If we can double our strength to even 50- plus, it will be a big psychological jump in the run-up to the 2019 general elections, reasoned a UP-based leader.
For that to happen, Priyanka Gandhi will need to campaign outside the family pocket boroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli. In fact, Dikshit has almost made that a precondition to carry out the responsibility devolved on her: Priyankas a very popular leader. My plea would be that she campaigns with me across the state.
Besides attracting the Brahmins, an elite social group known to influences subaltern castes, the Dikshit-Priyanka combination of experience and youth could have traction with young voters across caste and gender. That the Congress hope, against hope! Whether the party machinery in its obtaining moribund state can translate that into votes could be a challenged difficult to surmount.
The truck bomb attack in Nice, France, on July 14, killing more than 80 people and injuring many more, should be roundly condemned. Radical fundamentalists have been frequently targeting France ever since the attack on the office of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper in early 2015. In another attack last November, more than 130 people died. During the last 20 years or so, European nations have seen more than 8,000 terrorist attacks in one form or another.
Read: Truck attacker ploughs into French crowd, kills 84 revellers in Nice
These attacks have exposed not only the chinks in the security system and intelligence networks but dented the confidence of European countries in controlling terrorism. War-torn Syria and the chaotic scene around refugee camps near the Hungarian border have created a quagmire in entire Europe. The rising tide of immigration and human smuggling across the borders in Europe have posed logistical and security challenges to Germany and the UK, and severely jolted the strategy of French President Francois Hollande, who wanted to come down hard on Islamic militants in Europe. Asylum-seekers have been arrested and charged with illegal immigration. Some had to be detained for not having enough to pay for deportation. Most of these illegal immigrants have been found to have a number of passports and move freely in European countries. It is high time European countries developed a sophisticated mechanism to handle the problem of migration.
Read: Terror attack in the French Riviera is a threat to India, the world
In a globalised world, the matrices of power turn on the highly visible, inegalitarian structure of the international economy and relations between different parts of the world are becoming obvious. At another level, the post-cold war international political-economic order is still a victim of the power game that was thrust on the world by the Big Powers of the day. The power network woven by the US and its allies in the entire West Asian region has provoked the ire of the opposition forces in almost every state where the US has had an interest-based relationship. Thus, as societies globalise and the curtains of opacity are raised through increased interaction, people in the underdeveloped countries are holding the Big Powers responsible for their inferior socio-economic positions.
The security apparatus and police need to diversify their activities by bringing together technical and professional expertise based on many decades of experience. In this regard, the most crucial thing is to develop the capability of anticipating security needs. This is possible by conducting specialised courses for monitoring security situations. Creating general awareness and organising public support against terrorist acts could be of immense use. Adequately protecting public places such as airports and Metro stations are important.
Read: Nice truck driver fired pistol several times: Official
The need of the hour is to cooperate and coordinate in the fight to finish terrorism. The states affected by terrorism should settle disputes and be willing to resolve long-festering problems. The efforts of states to maintain security in the face of terrorist threats should go hand in hand with increased devolution of power to the people and greater democratisation of the system of power and administration. This threat can be encountered by developing a mechanism bolstered by a multi-dimensional and multi-layered approach based on checks and balances. Unless we develop a high-level intelligence network to anticipate any such threats, building combating strategies would only remain a chimera. First of all, we must know about the people involved in terrorist activities and their motives. Sufficient data about the area in which the event is unfolding could be of immense use. But the government alone cannot do much to stop it. Individuals and groups can make a significant contribution towards improving the general security environment. On the other hand, there is a need for sophisticated security procedures such as airport screening. The international security apparatus and Interpol need to diversify their activities to stay ahead the race. However, all efforts will come to naught unless prompt and effective amendments are introduced in the criminal justice system and there is political will to implement suggestions given by different panels on our security apparatus.
Read: Nothing will make us yield in fight against terrorism: Frances Hollande
Sudhir Hindwan is Chandigarh-based professor of political science and an expert on strategic strategies
The views expressed are personal
The terrorist attack on Frances National Day, July 14, is the latest in a series that began in January 2015 when the offices of Charlie Hebdo were attacked and its editorial board wiped out. Other terrorist acts have followed; the most sensational and bloody being multiple assaults on November 13 that claimed 147 lives. Several other planned attacks have been foiled.
The choice of Nice, one of Frances wealthiest and most Right-wing cities, the symbol of sex and sun on the French Riviera should come as no surprise. For decades the city has been marked by right-wing crony capitalism and anti-immigrant, anti-Islamic sentiment, giving Marion Marechal-Le Pen, the niece of National Front leader Marine Le Pen over 45% of the vote in regional elections last year.
Read: Nice truck attack: Timeline of terror in France since Charlie Hebdo shootings
Thursdays attack struck the French State a bloody body blow. Bastille Day marks the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 and symbolises the toppling of powers temporal and spiritual, the triumph of the common man over the arbitrary and absolute power once wielded by the Catholic Church and the monarchy. With the fall of the Bastille prison, where French kings once imprisoned political opponents and ordinary men and women, France set out on a journey that would culminate in the absolute separation of Church and State and the institution of individual rights and democracy. The countrys much debated laws on Laicite that forbid the wearing of ostentatious religious symbols in public (widely known as the Burqa ban) also flow from the centuries-long tussle that has pitted adherents of faith against those who believe in the secular expression of individual will and freedoms.
Read: No Indian citizen affected in Nice truck attack, MEA opens helpline number
Bastille Day is a national holiday and an occasion for celebration, fireworks and feasting. There are street parties and balls organised by fire fighters unions. Like in the Rio Carnival, there is usually a peak in the number of births reported nine months later. The president makes a solemn, televised address and there is an impressive parade on the Champs Elysees, one of the grandest avenues in the world, which shows off Frances military and economic might. To commit an act of terror on a day when security is extremely tight, literally mowing down over 80 lives is to give the French State a mighty punch in the solar plexus.
Read: Bastille Day: Despite a bloody history, a celebration of French spirit
Since the simultaneous attacks in Paris last November, a state of emergency has been in force. These repressive measures invoked for the first time since the Algerian independence war in the late 1950s and early 1960, give security forces sweeping powers to arrest, interrogate or detain people, listen to their conversations, shadow them or intercept, electronic mail or SMS messages. A bewildered, angry and shocked French public is asking why the countrys security agencies have been unable to prevent attacks despite such a massive arsenal at their disposal.
Has Frances rigid, often anti-clerical approach that calls for religion to be strictly relegated to the private sphere so incensed certain religions that it is seen as a direct attack both on faith and identity, calling for the kind of terrifying reprisals seen recently?
Read: Whos behind Nice attack? Islamic State warned of similar strikes twice
Why has France become the favourite hunting ground of Islamic terrorism? Why is it that France, which is reputed to have a more repressive state apparatus than its neighbours, Italy, Britain, Spain, Germany, Belgium or Luxemburg is unable to prevent deadly terrorist attacks on its soil? Despite its famous intelligence services such as the Directorate-General for External Security, the General Directorate for Internal Security, the Directorate of Military Intelligence, the Directorate for Defence Protection and Security and the BRGE for intelligence and electronic warfare. Why has France, which has the largest Muslim population in Europe (estimated 5 million), so alienated people belonging to the countrys second-most-practised faith that thousands of young men and, surprisingly, women have gone to fight in Syria and Iraq with many coming back to commit deadly acts of terror at home.
A parliamentary commission set up to investigate the 2015 terrorist attacks pointed to a series of intelligence failures, suggesting that some of the attacks, especially in the Bataclan concert hall, could have been prevented. With six intelligence agencies answering to the interior, defence and economy ministries, information was not passed on or shared, the committee said, suggesting their merger and the nomination of a single, over-arching US-style national security agency.
Our country was not ready; now we must get ready. Faced with the threat of international terrorism, we need to be much more ambitious in terms of intelligence, said Georges Fenech, head of the committee.
The commission gave specific instances when the security agencies failed to prevent persons known to have been radicalised from committing terrorist acts simply because information was not passed on from one agency to another. This was especially true of Amedy Coulibaly or the Kouachi brothers who were known to be radicals and repeat offenders. French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve angrily brushed aside the commissions findings a few weeks ago. The spotlight will again be on the failure of the countrys security apparatus to keep the population safe.
President Francois Hollande has extended the State of Emergency, scheduled to expire on July 26, by another three months. So far, members of the commission say, Operation Sentinelle, launched in the wake of the November 2015 attacks have failed to have an impact.
These repeated security failures have led to several unanswered questions, intense soul-searching about what defines French society and an accompanying rise in Islamophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment. If there was any doubt that the extreme Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen would be on the ballot in next years presidential poll, this latest attack has resolved it, said political scientist Laurent Bertin. National Front leaders as well as those from the traditional right opposed to Socialist President Francois Hollande have not hesitated to launch a frontal attack on the President. In an electoral year, political opportunism beats national solidarity and the blame game has begun.
But the answer to the terrorism that is now stalking French streets does not lie only in improved policing and more muscular security measures. France has Europes largest Muslim population, mainly immigrants from French colonies in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and other parts of Africa. Although there are huge success stories of immigrants making good in business, IT, music or literature, a majority of them live depressed, underprivileged lives.
Inner city Paris shows none of the cultural and racial diversity that marks London. Immigrants often live in cheap housing in ghettoised council estates on the edges of Frances grand cities, whether Paris, Lyon or Bordeaux with Marseille being the only exception. Their integration and feeling of not belonging to the French Republic is a key factor that can no longer be ignored.
Frances core white population and its newer citizens who have come from its former colonies appear to be set on a collision course with a small section of Muslims increasingly attracted by a nihilistic, destructive and extremist ideology. Moderate Muslims who desire only to get on with their lives find themselves caught in a bind between destructive forces in their midst and a rising tide of Islamophobia fuelled by vitriolic attacks from the extreme right.
That the terrorist was of Franco-Tunisian origin can only add to the sense of fear and uncertainty felt by a growing number of French citizens. President Francois Hollande has ordered fresh attacks on Iraq and Syria. It is doubtful if they will help quell the sense of alienation and hatred felt by radicalised young French Muslims. The move will in all probability encourage more such attacks. The solutions clearly lie closer to home.
Vaiju Naravane is a commentator and professor based in Paris and Delhi
On Friday, France witnessed its third major terrorist strike in less than two years. A truck mowing down 84 people in Nice followed the attack on the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists in January 2015 and the near-simultaneous raids on a football stadium, concert hall and restaurants last November.
Read | Truck attacker ploughs into French crowd, kills 84 revellers in Nice
The scale of casualties, the chilling mode of execution and the frequency of attacks prompts questions about why France has become such a vulnerable target. However, understanding motivations for terror attacks is a complex subject that has no scholarly consensus.
Experts generally point to the following reasons:
First is the availability of French extremists radicalised by the so-called Islamic State, the terror group that has ravaged Syria and Iraq since 2014.
According to the United Nations, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the al-Nusra Front have managed to attract recruits from over 80 countries; around 1,400 are from France and many are believed to have returned home to fight the French State.
Secondly, is a strong ideological impetus for such an attack.
According to anthropologist Scott Atran, attacks in France are consistent with ISIS head, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadis call to his followers to erupt volcanoes of jihad everywhere. He also points to an ISIS manual titled The Management of Savagery / Chaos which talks of hitting soft targets, striking when potential victims have their guard down and the need to draw the West into a direct war through terror attacks. Atran writes that a key tactic in this strategy is to inspire sympathisers abroad to violence: Do what you can, with whatever you have, wherever you are, whenever possible. He says ISIS radicals are driven by sacred values with notions of overturning world order and establishing a caliphate that appeals to young people seeking purpose, significance and brotherhood.
Thirdly, and more immediately, the Nice attack could also have been a way to deter more French airstrikes in Syria.
A day before the attack, which coincided with Bastille Day (French National Day), President Francois Hollande announced that France would be redeploying the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier later this year to strike and destroy those who aggressed us here. The carrier had previously conducted airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria from November through to March.
Apart from such worldview-oriented and tactical considerations, what happened in Nice is likely linked to a fraught social climate in France that has developed over decades.
Religious extremists are able to exploit the deep sense of discrimination and exclusion that minorities experience in France. Waves of immigrants from former French colonies in North Africa and West Asia were, for instance, settled in underfunded, distant suburbs, called banlieues, which have come to connote slums marked by poverty and lack of opportunity. The discontent of young French citizens of Arab or African-origin is well-known. The French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has referred to the territorial, social, ethnic apartheid in France and mentioned that people face social misery and discrimination on a daily basis due to having the wrong name, the wrong skin colour, or even simply for being a woman.
We have to look at the reality of France in the face, he said in January 2015.
Read | French police identify Nice truck attacker, neighbours describe him a loner
Commentators also say that Frances state secularism compounds the problems that economic exclusion creates.
The European nation is known for its anti-clerical tradition and its habit of ridiculing religion. It has a long tradition of keeping church and State apart. In 2004, a ban was imposed on veils, crosses and yarmulkes, and in 2010, the Senate banned the public wearing of veils, including the niqab. These have been the kind of symbolic issues that extremists have been able to capitalise on in the backdrop of impoverishment.
Recent actions by the government have worsened social tensions.
A state of emergency was imposed last November that empowered local officials to impose curfews, limit freedom of movement, put suspects under arrest at will and search houses without warrant. The government is under a lot of criticism that these powers have been misused. According to one account, there is mounting evidence to suggest that security forces are overstepping their bounds, implicating people with no connection to terrorist groups and targeting others based on little more than mosque affiliation or social media posts. Ethnic profiling by security forces has reportedly intensified which inevitably feeds extremist agendas.
Groups like ISIS stage such horrific attacks at sensitive junctures to provoke extreme counter-reaction from the State, using this to recruit more young people and further their apocalyptic project.
Read more | Bastille Day: Despite a bloody history, a celebration of French spirit
Read more | Nice, a joyful memory shattered by terror and death
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Happiness, most would say, is a state of the mind.
Madhya Pradesh has laid out an ambitious plan to create that perfect state of mind for the people, becoming the first state in the country to have separate department for happiness.
The state cabinet on Friday gave its nod to creation of the department, to be called Anand Vibhag which will identify the parameters of happiness, make policies and implement all projects.
Said to be a brainchild of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the department has its roots in Bhutans concept of measuring gross domestic happiness adopted in 1972 by the Himalayan kingdoms fourth king Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Economic prosperity cannot be the only parameter of happiness
Chouhan said after the cabinet meeting that economic prosperity cannot be the only parameter of happiness.
People need to have the pleasure of man, atma aur buddhi (mind, soul and intellect), said the BJP leader who is a strong advocate of the Hindu way of life that lays stress on spiritual and philosophical enrichment over material achievements.
Chouhan had announced creation of the department during the state BJPs executive meet in Bhopal on April 1.
The government studied parameters adopted by the United Nations which put happiness on the global development agenda in 2011 -- besides the US and Bhutans for measuring the happiness index of society.
Bhutans concept of gross national happiness has four pillars for a healthy index good governance, sustainable socio-economic development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation. It is calculated based on nine parameters including psychological wellbeing, health, education, living standards and cultural diversity.
CM has a tough job at hand
Chouhan, however, has a tough job at hand given the fact that social indicators in the state are not too encouraging.
Official data show that since 2001, nearly 19,000 farmers have committed suicide, most of them due to economic reasons.
Statistics released in June have also put MP on top in infant mortality rate among all states with 52 deaths of children less than one year of age per 1000 live births.
42.8% of the children under five years are underweight, according to an official survey. The maternal mortality ratio of 221 mothers dying after giving birth is also way too high than the national average of 167 per 1,00,000 live births.
The crime rate including atrocity on women too has shown a marked rise in recent years.
The index of happiness is impossible to determine
Well-known writer-poet Udayan Vajpeyi said the new department should not try to create parameters of happiness but help the people find their own.
The index of happiness is impossible to determineA poem that makes me happy can evoke neutral sentiments out of anyone else. A genuine plurality, which guarantees the acceptability of cultural thoughts and actions, would be a genuine happy society.
Chouhan, who is likely to keep the department with him for the time being, said specialists will be invited to give suggestions on programmes to be taken up by the government which has earmarked an annual budget of Rs 3.80 crore.
The Congress mocked the government saying the move to create the department corroborated opposition charges that BJP regime has failed to provide happiness to the people in its 12 years rule.
Film-maker Aanand L Rai made his debut as a producer with Nil Battey Sannata. He is currently producing three other projects. Apparently, he makes it a point to make his directors comfortable. He tries to meet the requirements of his directors. He also likes to involve himself completely in the projects, says the source.
Read: Dwarf, guide, warrior: Shah Rukh Khans three upcoming roles
Anand L Rai is trying to make his directors comfortable. (Hindustan Times)
One of the movies being produced by Aanand is being directed by Navdeep Singh. The two recently took off to Rajasthan to scout for locations. The action-drama is based in the 18th century. The location needs to depict the era during which the Battle of Buxar was fought between the British East India Company, and the combined forces of the Nawabs of Bengal and Awadh and the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II. To get the landscape right, it will be shot in parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. They are therefore scouting for a location in Rajasthan, says the source.
Read: Aanand L Rai doesnt have a story for Tanu Weds Manu 3 right now
Spanish acting economy minister Luis de Guindos (left) with French counterpart Michel Sapin. EFE
Spain will not manage to reduce its deficit to 3.6% of GDP by the end of this year, as it has promised Brussels at least not according to a large group of Spanish financial analysts.
The 17 financial studies services that make up the panel of think tank Funcas agree that the deficit will be closer to 4.1%.
Spain has sent the European Commission a series of measures it is planning to implement in order to meet its deficit targets
These experts also doubt that Spain will be able to come down from the 3% barrier in 2017, as the administration of acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy has promised to do to avoid EU sanctions over its failure to meet its 2015 deficit target.
The consolidated deficit of the public administrations in the first quarter of the year was 8.3 billion, 500 million more than in the same period last year, said Funcas in a statement explaining its conclusions. This worse result is due to falling tax revenues together with increased spending.
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Spain has sent the European Commission a series of measures it is planning to implement in order to meet its deficit targets and avoid sanctions over this years deviation. If fined, Madrid could be asked to pay anything from a symbolic amount of one euro or less to 2.1 billion. Germany has been pushing for strict enforcement of the sanctions, while France and Italy are showing greater leniency, partly because they could be next in line for sanctions themselves.
Meanwhile, Brussels is pushing for more adjustments and reforms to the Spanish economy, while admitting that the political situation in Spain, where there has been a caretaker government since late last year, makes it difficult to undertake any major projects.
English version by Susana Urra.
Shilpa Shetty Kundra is a fitness enthusiast. She has been practicing yoga for years. Apart from releasing DVDs on yoga asanas, the actor-turned-entrepreneur also penned a book on fitness last year. Now, we she wants to try her hand at aerial yoga.
Read: I love my husband: Shilpa Shetty slams rumours of split with Raj Kundra
Apart from releasing DVDs on yoga asanas, Shilpa also penned a book on fitness last year. (Vikram Bawa)
Shilpa wants to take her workouts to the next level with aerial yoga. Last month, when she was in London, UK, she bought the equipment that is required to do aerial yoga, including aerial silks and yoga hammocks. She also picked up a few manuals and CDs to understand techniques better, says a source.
While the actor couldnt be reached for a comment, her spokesperson confirmed the news, and said, Shilpa wants to take up aerial yoga to explore, refine and advance her skills. She is also doing aerial yoga as it is popular in many western countries.
Read: I am offered rubbish roles: Shilpa Shetty Kundra
Superstar Salman Khan dodged press questions on his raped woman analogy for weeks but he has finally opened up on the controversy on Friday. He said that no matter what he says, his comment will get twisted.
I may say something, it will be taken as something else. Ek statement ko ghuma phira ke kya hota hai u know (You know how a statement gets twisted), he said during a press meet here for the success of the movie.
If I dont say anything I am boring. But if I say something my people wont like it, added Salman.
Congress women workers protest against Bollywood actor Salman Khan over his controversial rape remarks in Thane, Mumbai on Thursday. (PTI)
Further speaking about his response filed yesterday before the Maharashtra State Womens Commission, the 50-year-old actor said, You reply or dont reply, people will still write what they want to.
The Dabangg actor landed in a soup last month during the promotion of the recent blockbuster movie Sultan where he said, When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldnt walk straight.
Read: Salman Khans rape comment- How Bollywood reacted
Although Salman was quick to apologise immediately after the comment, saying that he shouldnt have said that, his statement irked women activists and other human rights groups, who demanded an apology from the actor.
The actors father Salim Khan and brother Arbaaz Khan had earlier come out in his support along with some other B-Town celebs stating that the intention behind the rape remark was not wrong.
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NEW DELHI: The 17-bank consortium led by the State Bank of India (SBI) has moved the Supreme Court against liquor baron Vijay Mallya accusing him of withholding information about his assets.
The group wants the top court to initiate contempt proceedings against for not complying with the judicial order directing him to disclose complete details of his properties including financial instruments.
Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, on Thursday, mentioned the contempt petition before a bench headed by Justice Kurien Joseph, which agreed to hear the plea on July 18.
It does not include 2,500 crore he received from Diago. Also, the property details are incomplete. For instance he mentions of a yatch. But he does not disclose where its location, the AG added.
SC had in April directed Mallya to disclose all assets both domestic and foreign held by him and his family after the creditors rejected his proposal to repay 4,000 crore debt his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines owed to the banks.
Mallya, the chairman of United Breweries, had then agreed to disclose the list but requested the court not to pass the information to his creditors. This was declined by the SC that permitted the banks to recover their money as per law. We dont see any tangible reason for not disclosing the details to the banks, the bench said.
MUMBAI: Indias largest software services exporter, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), on Thursday beat analyst estimates with a 9.4% rise in net profit during the first quarter, after new cloud computing and mobile services helped shore up revenue.
TCS net profit stood at 6,347 crore in April-June, compared to 5,773 crore a year ago. Analysts had expected the company to post a net profit of 6,060 crore during the quarter.
Revenue rose 14.1% year-on-year to 29,305 crore during the quarter.
Operating margins, a real indicator of the companys performance, stood at 25.1% in April-June.
It has been a strong quarter from multiple dimensions. Our dollar terms growth of 3.7% is best in last six quarter, CEO N Chandrasekaran said during a conference after the results announcement. All markets are growing. Sectors, including travel, utilities, energy and life sciences, are seeing exceptional growth driven by increased adoption to digital and cloud.
The performance came despite headwinds in the form of wage hikes and currency fluctuations, he added.
A flurry of startups and increased capital investment in technology companies have seen a wider acceptance for digital businesses, which have helped companies like TCS. We are seeing a big adoption of digital across the board. Also seeing a lot of traction in analytics and in the Internet of Things. Hopefully with the increase in digital and automation, we can push for increase in pricing, Chandrasekaran added.
Digital accounted for 16% of TCS revenue in the quarter.
Software companies have been the mainstay of Indian exports, since the industry is one of the biggest contributors to the export basket. But the UKs decision to exit the European Union has raised fears as Europe is the second-largest market for the industry, accounting for a third of the total exports from India; of this the UK has a 17% share. Need to watch how Brexit plays out, how companies, particularly financial firms react. Things are developing as we speak, Chandrasekaran said.
During the first quarter, the company posted incremental revenues of $155 million the highest in the last seven quarters driven by strong growth across core markets in North America, the UK and Europe.
Attrition rate fell for the third consecutive quarter to 13.6%. TCS added 8,236 employees on a net basis and had 362,079 employees as of June-end.
While analysts continue to speculate on the relative positioning of TCS to Cognizant and Infosys in the future, the current quarterly results reaffirm that they have directionally got their strategy right, said Sanjoy Sen, doctoral research scholar, Aston Business School, UK.
NEW DELHI: Twenty-one of the 25 colleges under Delhi Universitys Non-Collegiate Womens Education Board (NCWEB) have set same cutoff for admission to BA (Programme) and BCom at 78% and 88% respectively.
However, NCWEB centre at Miranda House fixed the cutoff for BA (Programme) and BCom at 88% and 92%. The same was 87% and 91% at Hansraj College.
The cutoff at Aditi Mahavidyala and Bhagini Nivedita College was at 76% and 87% for the two courses.
The same cutoff shows that all colleges are the same when it comes to studies. Students should not go by the name of college but pick the institution which is near their house, said Anju Gupta, officiating director NCWEB.
The admissions will begin today and will continue till July 18. The second cutoff list for NCWEB will be out on July 20.
From this academic session, the NCWEB -- which offers courses only for women students -- has added 12 new centres adding around 5,700 more seats to its undergraduate courses. This brings the total number of seats under the NCWEB to 11,700 seats.
NCWEB is preferred by students who want to pursue professional courses while pursuing an undergraduate degree to increase their prospects of getting a job. The non-collegiate students are, however, not allowed to pursue any other full-time degree course.
Students will have to submit their original certificates at the time of admission and the annual fee is approximately Rs 3,500 per year. However, no fee will be charged from students under the Persons with Disability (PwD) category.
The new NCWEBcentres have come up at Aditi Mahavidyalaya College, Aryabhatta College, B R Ambedkar College, Bhagini Nivedita College, College of Vocational Studies, Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Miranda House, Motilal Nehru College, Rajdhani College, Ramanujan College and Aurobindo College.
NEW DELHI: The AAP on Thursday demanded a CBI probe into irregularities in disbursement of pension by three civic bodies. The party alleged that BJP councillors were involved in the scam.
In a letter to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAPs Delhi convener Dilip Pandey claimed the gigantic scam, in the form of extending benefits to ineligible persons and siphoning off funds, amounted to over Rs 2,400 crore.
Pandey alleged that councillors including BJP leader Vijender Guptas wife Shobha Vijender, Pawan Singh Rathi and Bhumi Rachhoya were involved in the scam.
NEW DELHI: Delhi health minister Satyendar Jains daughter, who was as an adviser in the Delhi government for the mohalla clinic project, has resigned from the post after a controversy regarding her appointment.
Saumya Jain, an architect, was working on the design of the clinics and was not being paid any remuneration, the government spokesperson said. She was appointed as an adviser to the Delhi health secretary, who is also a director of the National Health Mission. Jain said her post was non-executive in nature.
My daughter has resigned and now I demand that the BJP make all those people, who are related to ministers, resign from the posts they are holding. Many such relatives are not just appointed, they are also drawing fat salaries, Jain said.
Saumya resigned after the Bharatiya Janata Party raised an objection to her appointment and accused the Aam Aadmi Party of nepotism and corruption.
My daughter had been working on the mohalla clinic project regularly for the past two-three months as an adviser. She has resigned as she did not want to be associated with any controversy. Neither was she paid a salary nor was she given any perks. She had got admission in IIM Indore but she let go of that so that she could help with the project. I did not ask her to resign. She has quit on her own. The news (about her appointment) was running in channels all day and it hurt her, Jain said.
NEW DELHI: An auto driver was shot at after an argument with two men who refused to pay the fare in southwest Delhis Chhawla.
Police said local residents called up the police control room about the incident that took place near the Chhawla bus stop.
Umesh Pal,32, told police that at around 11.30 pm on Wednesday, two men hailed his auto-rickshaw at Uttam Nagar and asked him to take them to Chhawla.
Pal first refused to ply by the meter and demanded Rs 200 but the two accused argued with him and convinced him to go by the meter fare.
When they reached Chhawla bus stop, the duo asked Pal to stop. The meter fare till that point came out as Rs 160. They said they did not have money and told him that one of them would wait inside the auto and the other would go to the house and get Rs 160, a police officer said.
Pal told the police that the man who was supposed to wait inside the auto also followed the other. When Pal tried to stop them, they thrashed him.
Pal tried to fight them off but they took out a gun and robbed him of his earnings of the day. When Pal resisted further, one of the accused shot at him.
Police said Pal was hit on his shoulder. He was rushed to a nearby hospital by local residents in his auto-rickhaw.
A senior police officer said a case of attempt to murder and under Arms Act has been registered. The police are scanning the CCTV footage from cameras installed near the crime scene to identify the gunmen.
Pal is now out of danger, the officer said.
NEW DELHI: The conviction of three men in the murder of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh has brought justice to one family and raised the hopes of another that of slain journalist Soumya Vishwanathan.
In September 2008, six months before Ghosh was shot dead, TV journalist Vishwanathan was murdered. She was 25. The accused in both cases are the same.
The judgment in Jigishas case gives us hope. It is a very fair judgment and we are happy. We are hoping something happens soon in Soumyas case as well, said Vishwanathans mother Madhavi Vishwanathan.
It took six months for Delhi Police to catch the accused in Vishwanathans murder. That too was by chance as Ghoshs killers also confessed to the former murder.
The trio allegedly also robbed and killed a taxi driver Mohd Nadeem.
Vishwanathan was shot dead near Vasant Kunj while she was driving home from work at 3am. In January 2009, Nadeem was killed in Vasant Kunj. Two months later, Ghosh was abducted and killed in nearby Vasant Vihar.
But Vishwanathans case has seen several delays.
We did not have a public prosecutor for a long time. Then there were several other delays from the side of the accused. Right now, the examination of witnesses is still under process. While the killers have confessed to their role in Soumyas murder, the evidence is circumstantial, said Madhavi Vishwanathan.
Vishwanathans parents had demanded that the case be fast tracked. But in 2014, the prosecutor in the case Rajiv Mohan left the case. For 10 months, there was no prosecutor in the case.
The Delhi government finally appointed Mohan as the special prosecutor in the case in August last year.
The case brought womens safety in the city into the spotlight in 2008-09.
The then Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit had waded into controversy in the case when she said that women should not be adventurous and should not travel alone at night.
GREATER NOIDA: An Uttar Pradesh court on Thursday asked police to file an FIR for alleged cow slaughter against the family of a Muslim man whose lynching last year sparked nationwide outrage amidst allegations of rising intolerance.
The Gautam Budh Nagar district court accepted a plea filed by a group of people accused of killing 55-year-old Mohammad Ikhlaq on September 28 at his house at Bisada village in Dadri.
Ikhlaqs son Danish was left with a fractured skull when the mob attacked them for allegedly slaughtering a cow and storing its meat for consumption.
Ram Sharan Nagar, a lawyer of the petitioners, said the FIR will name Ikhlaq and police will have to investigate his role in the alleged cow slaughter and beef consumption, both banned in Uttar Pradesh
Several states have stringent laws that bar slaughter of cattle considered sacred by Hindus and consumption of beef. Penalty for violation include jail term.
The mob had recovered a bowl of meat from Ikhlaqs residence and remains of an animal from near his house. Forensic tests later confirmed that samples collected from both places belonged to a cow or its progeny, first reported by HT online.
The court found enough evidence supporting our plea and ordered the police to register an FIR and investigate the matter, said Nagar. Eighteen people, including three juveniles, were arrested on charges of murderous assault on Ikhlaq. Two of the juveniles were later granted bail.
If found guilty, the accused can get a maximum punishment of seven years imprisonment and fined up to Rs 10,000 fine, said Thakur Shishpal Sisodiya, the counsel of another petitioner.
Families of those accused of killing Ikhlaq had moved court after police refused to charge the slain man and his family of cow slaughter.
This is what we wanted. The truth should prevail. They violated a law and they should face the law. We have full faith in the judiciary..., said Sanjay Rana, a former BJP member and father of an accused.
Anurag Singh, Dadri deputy superintendent of police, said they are yet to receive the courts order.
Yusuf Saifi, the lawyer for Ikhlaqs family, however, refused to comment as they are a part of the case and we respect the court.
The Dadri incident had led to stinging criticism of the BJP-led government at the Centre for allegedly failing to rein in fringe groups which were targeting dissenting voices and curbing freedom of personal choice.
A host of prominent historians, litterateurs, scientists and filmmakers had also returned different awards as a mark of protest against what they said was growing intolerance in the country under of the BJP-led government.
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Ricardo Cabrisas, Cuba's new Minister of Economy. REUTERS
More information Raul Castro cambia al ministro de Economia de Cuba
Amid a worsening economic crisis due in large part to the situation in Venezuela, Cubas President Raul Castro has sacked Economy Minister Marino Murillo.
Cubas economy, which is heavily dependent on Venezuelan oil imports, has grown by just 1% over the last year.
Murillo, aged 54, has been a key figure in the reform of Cubas economy over the last five years. He will be replaced by Ricardo Cabrisas, aged 79, who will now lead negotiations of Cubas foreign debt.
Some 18 months on from a thaw in relations with the United States, and two years ahead of Raul Castros announced retirement, the Cuban government is undergoing a major reshuffle. A week ago, Culture Minister Julian Gonzalez was replaced by Abel Prieto, while Jose Saborido has now taken over from Education Minister Rodolfo Alarcon.
The fall in commodity prices means that Cuba will earn less from its sugar and nickel exports, despite growing revenue from tourism and remittances
Murillo was appointed by Castro to lead change in Cuba, along with Vice-President Miguel Diaz-Canel, aged 56, seen as the favorite to take over from Castro in 2018. The regime is moving ahead with policies to liberalize the islands economy by opening up to foreign investment and stimulating private enterprise to kickstart its ailing centrally planned system introduced six decades ago.
Murillo was economy minister between 2009 and 2011, taking over the position again in 2014. He remains a member of the Cuban Communist Partys guidelines commission, responsible for setting economic policy.
A government communique explained his removal on the need to focus his efforts on the tasks linked to modernizing the Cuban economic and social model. He retains his post as vice-president of the Council of Ministers.
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But Cubas plans to gradually transform its economy have been skewed by the worsening economic situation in Venezuela, its main supplier of oil. Imports have fallen by 20% in the first half of this year, according to the Reuters news agency. Murillo told the countrys parliament that in the second half of the year, Cubas shortfall will be around 28%. The fall in commodity prices means that Cuba will earn less from its sugar and nickel exports, despite growing revenue from tourism and remittances. Castro mentioned this last week in parliament, but rejected rumors that the country was headed back to the dark days of the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the so-called Special Period was introduced.
Murillos response to the islands economic woes is belt-tightening. He told parliament last week that Cubans would have to use less electricity and that the island would restrict payments in foreign currencies. Similarly, he warned against getting deeper into debt: We do not have cash, but the solution cannot be simply to buy on credit.
English version by Nick Lyne.
NEW DELHI: Shyam Sunder Kausal, the man who lost his daughter to a stray bullet during celebratory firing three months ago, said the incident should be a wake-up call to authorities.
Kausal, who runs a tea stall near his home in Mangolpuri, said such incidents could happen to anybody if the practice of celebratory firing was not stopped.
His earnings barely meet the needs of his family of two daughters and a wife but he is bent on changing the status quo that led to the death of his daughter.
With help from friends and family and advocate Akash Vajpai, he filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court, seeking stringent guidelines to curb the practice of celebratory firing.
Taking note of his plea, the high court in May sought a response from the centre and the city government. The case is listed for hearing in August.
Main to bahut toot chukka tha (I was broken). Magar mujhe crime branch se umeedh hai (I have hope in the crime branch), he told HT after coming out of the courtroom. The high court had just ordered the probe in the case to be transferred to the crime branch.
Kausal said he was happy with the high court order and was looking forward to the crime branch bringing the real culprit to justice.
He described Anjali, his deceased daughter, as a bright student and said she was expecting good results in her Class XII exams that she had written just before her death. Usko teacher bannaa tha (she wanted to be a teacher), Kaushal said, adding that Anjali used to teach her younger sisters too.
He said his focus now would be on the PIL. Logon main awareness lana hai, taki joh mere beti ke saath hua woh kisi au rke saath na ho (Need to create awareness, so that we could prevent others from similar fate like my daughter), he said.
He, along with his advocate Vajpai, made suggestions in his plea, which he says may ensure the practice was curbed. Amongst others, it says that a new law prohibiting arms in marriage should be brought in.
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NEW DELHI: A gang of robbers and carjackers in Delhi-NCR that allegedly used Uber cabs for their crimes, was busted by the Delhi Police crime branch.
One member of the gang, a driver with Uber, has been ar rested for his alleged association with the Danish-Monu gang of robbers and car jackers, police said on Thursday.
Police arrested a Uber cab driver, Mohammad Intezar, 34, who was involved in two crimes reported in Delhi and Noida in 2015 and 2016.
Intezar used to ferry gang members posing as passengers in his cab before and after any crime. Intezar was last arrested in a house robbery case reported from Pandav Nagar area in east Delhi in March 2015.
A Hyundai Xcent car, owned by Intezar and allegedly belonging to Uber, was seized by the police. They claim the taxi was used by Intezar and other gang members when they robbed a Honda City car near Wave shopping mall in Noida in May this year.
A case of carjacking was registered at the Sector-20, Noida police station, said police.
Investigators told HT they were interrogating Intezar to find out how exactly he managed to get a job with Uber, despite having a criminal case against him for which he was already arrested.
They suspect he provided Uber with forged documents for permission to be associated with them.
Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (crime branch), said Intezar was arrested on July 5 after assistant sub-inspector Yudhveer Singh received information that he was wanted in Noidas carjacking case.
More information revealed that Intezar would come near Goyla Dairy in Dwarka to meet his associates.
Accordingly, a trap by our team led by ACP Sanjay Sehrawat and Inspector PC Khanduri near the dairy. When Intezar arrived driving his Uber cab, out team signalled him to stop. He tried to flee but was successfully apprehended, said Yadav.
Questioning Intezar revealed he joined the Danish-Monu gang around a year ago. The gang members used his services in one of the crimes committed in Noida.
We are interrogating him to ascertain if he was involved in some more crimes, the officer said.
In a twist to the Bisada lynching case, a petitioner in the matter told the court that a villager saw victim Mohammad Ikhlaqs brother Jaan Mohammad killing the cow.
Ikhlaqs familys lawyer rejected the claim as fabricated.
The petitioner is the man who had earlier sought registration of an FIR against Ikhlaq and his kin for allegedly slaughtering a cow.
Citing an eyewitness account, Surajpal Singh, 70, told a local court that Jaan Mohammad slaughtered the calf while Ikhlaq, his son Danish, mother Asgari, daughter Shaista, wife Ikraman and daughter-in-law Sona caught hold of the animal on Eid-ul-Zuha on September 25 last year.
A local resident Prem Singh saw Jaan Mohammad slaughtering the calf, Surajpal said in the court.
The counsel of Ikhlaqs family, Yusuf Saifi, said the petitioner was not a witness in the case and the families of the accused were distorting facts to implicate his clients in a cow slaughter case.
The petitioner claims the incident took place on September 25. If that is so, then why was the witness silent. They could have registered a case the same day but they waited till the night of September 28. This is a story and not reality. They are trying to frame the aggrieved family, said Saifi.
Jaan Mohammad said he was not there.
My family is innocent. However, I will cooperate with the police in the investigation. I have full faith in the judiciary and the police. I hope the investigation will unveil the truth, he told HT.
In his petition, Surajpal said a local resident, Prem Singh, saw Ikhlaqs family sacrificing the calf on Eid-ul-Zuha but he was scared to tell anybody. He said on September 28, Ompal, Kancchi and Ramjilal saw Ikhlaq throwing the remains of an animal in a black polybag.
Read: Bisada lynching: Court orders FIR against Ikhlaqs family for cow slaughter
When they asked him about it, Ikhlaq confessed to killing the calf which was missing for two days, Surajpal said in the petition.
Sanjay Rana, a local, informed the police about the incident at about 10.30 when a mob was beating up Ikhlaq and his son, Danish, Surajpal said.
Meanwhile, the police have registered an FIR against Ikhlaq and six members of his family after a court ordered the cops to do so.
An FIR under sections of prevention of cow slaughter Act was registered against Ikhlaq and six of his family members at Jarcha police station. The matter is being investigated, said Pradeep Singh, in charge, Jarcha police station.
After the FIR, the families of the accused have decided to not to call a mahapanchayat of 144 villages. The gathering could have spelt trouble since the administration has barred such events to avoid tension.
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On Friday afternoon, Sabita and Jaganath Ghosh, parents of Jigisha Ghosh, walked into the office of the cop who led the police team that cracked their daughters murder.
Seven years have passed since the day they were introduced to senior IPS officer HGS Dhaliwal.
Dhaliwal was then south districts deputy commissioner of police investigating the abduction-cum-murder of the couples only daughter Jigisha , 28.
A day after a city court convicted the three men accused in the young womans murder case, the couple met Dhaliwal. In the papers this morning, I saw Jigishas mother smiling for the first time. They were photographed outside the court after the verdict. They were waiting for this day all these years. I knew it would come, he said.
The three spoke about the couples only daughter, whom they had lost on the night of March 17. Last week, the couple had met Dhaliwal and discussed the possible outcome of the house.
Dhaliwal said the couple was hopeful of a conviction. I hope the court treats this as the rarest of rare case. Among many other criminal cases, the convicts were involved in Soumya Viswanathans murder, he said.
Remembering the investigation, the senior IPS officer said even the witnesses who deposed against the three stood by the police team. Dhaliwal said it was traditional policing.
Read: Shopping spree with Jigisha Ghoshs debit card nailed killers
Once we got a not-so-clear picture of them from a shops CCTV and the ATM,we printed hundreds of copies and our men went door to door. That is how we got our first lead. In all these years, the parents were threatened but never did they lose hope and continued their fight, he said.
On Friday evening, over tea, the top cop learnt more about Jigisha than he had in all these years. Her parents told me that she was deeply religious and had visited the Golden Temple, where she volunteered for some duty just days before her death. I wish to put on record that the conviction was a team effort of all the lawyers, the witnesses, the men who worked round the clock, and many others who were behind the scene.
The Ghosh coupls said they had gone to meet Dhaliwal to thank him for his support all these years. Dhaliwals team had also helped the couple in their household chores after their daughters murder. For days, the young womans parents were in shock.
Sabita Ghosh told HT, It is because of the hard work of the police department, especially Mr Dhaliwal and Atul Kumar, who investigated the case, that the culprits could be proven guilty. Their hard work was commendable. We thought we should personally go and thank the entire team to help us get justice for our daughter.
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There is good news for those planning to open restaurants in South Delhi. Unlike earlier, they dont need to waste time in visiting the municipal corporations office several times for obtaining the health licence. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will be introducing the online health trade licence policy in a couple of days.
The decision has been taken following the successful implementation of the online General Trade Licence Policy for traders in south Delhi. It was introduced in November 2016. Except for finalising a couple of things, the policy for issuing the online health trade licence has been formulated and will be introduced shortly. It will simplify the process of obtaining health licence for restaurants, eateries etc in south Delhi, said Shyam Sharma, SDMC mayor.
As per the terms and condition, every restaurant owner has to obtain a health/trade licence which is issued by the municipal corporation or the health department of the state before running the business. The proposal for introducing the online health trade licence was made in the budget for financial year 2016-17. And on the basis of the same department we worked on framing the policy. The move will not only save time, but also reduce the number of visits to the corporation office and documents required to get the licence, said a senior SDMC official. As per the source, as of now about 33 documents are required to be attached with the form for obtaining the health licence. But after the introduction of the online health licence, only 3-4 documents will be required to be attached with the form. The license fee can also be submitted through credit card while sitting at home, said Subhash Arya, leader of the house.
According to Arya, the corporation is also working on reducing the time required for getting the licence from 30 days to a week. The initiative is part of digital India campaign launched by the government of India to ensure that government services are made available to citizens electronically by improving online infrastructure, said an SDMC official.
It will promote transparency and e-governance in the system. However, to make sure that the information/facts shared by the applicant are authentic, the department will check 20% of the applications randomly, the official said.
Meanwhile, with the implementation of the new online General Trade Licence Policy, the SDMC has been able to collect `5.60 crore as licencing fee during the first quarter of 2016-17 compared to `2.63 crore during 2015-16. Out of four zones in SDMC, Central Zone was on the top with the collection reaching `2.38 Crore, South Zone second with collection of Rs1.68 crore. The new policy came into force in November last year.
The revenue collected during the first quarter pertains to 188 cases of fresh license and 2,974 cases of renewal. The total cases including fresh and renewal has been included 1,819 from the Central Zone, 1,417 from the South Zone, 781 from the West Zone and 812 from the Najafgarh Zone. The system has offered a hassle-free process along with convenience to the traders. We are expecting a massive increase in revenue from the trade licence head during the financial year 2016-17, said the official.
Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, it is mandatory for all traders/establishments to obtain trade/storage licence under section 417 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.
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Eleven-year-old Kapil was a student at the municipal school in Gopal Nagar, a working class neighbourhood in South West Delhi. In August last year, the municipal corporation decided to rebuild the school and he was shifted to another building, about a kilometre from his house.
Kapil said he was excited to attend classes in a new building but missed his old school. His teachers even told him told he could return to it once the construction was complete. But that never happened. Now, the 11-year-old has to walk for over 15 minutes to reach his new school and battle reckless drivers and cross multiple roads on the way.
The tussle between the South Delhi Municipal Corporation that is reconstructing the school and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation ,which has zeroed in on the site as ideal for a station, has left the residents of Gopal Nagar treading a tightrope between education for their children and connectivity and development in their locality.
Most students in these municipal schools come from impoverished backgrounds and the change of school has left them with no cheaper options nearby. So, rather than send them to expensive private schools, parents said their children might drop out from school altogether.
Read: Delhi civic bodies to rent out schools to coaching institutes
For the last five months, Gopal Nagar residents have been hoping to see light at the end of the tunnel. With every passing day, they hope that their long wait for the old school to reopen will materialize.
However, a solution seems remote, with both parties inflexible and unrelenting.
The school, on the Gopal Nagar main road, is the most appropriate location for an underground station, according to the DMRC.
The Dhansa bus stand underground metro station is proposed as an extension of the Dwarka-Najafgarh metro station, a 4.29 km-long route with three stations.
The construction of the new building has been halted since February 20 though it was slated for completion by August this year. (Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times)
As per the metro website, while over 58% work on the Dwarka-Najafgarh project has been completed as of March this year, the project is targeted for completion in December. DMRC sources say work on the proposed extension will begin soon after December this year.
Read: DMRC completes tunnelling on Dwarka-Najafgarh Metro corridor
In multiple communication exchanges between the two agencies, the DMRC laid stress on the prime location of the spot and the relief it would bring to the people.
The SDMC, on the other hand, expressed concerns the construction would pose for the education of the poor students in the area.
Municipal officials said on condition of anonymity that moving the school elsewhere would result in greater numbers of dropouts.
They estimate that over 2,500 students will be affected if the school is permanently shifted from Gopal Nagar.
Due to construction of the school building, the students were transferred to nearby schools. The transfer itself saw a decline in the number of students, and we fear that the number, rather than going up, would fall further if the school is not started soon, said a municipal official.
The official added that while the disputed school is the only municipal school in the area, the construction of the school building was already more than 50% complete when DMRC sought the land.
Though the municipal officials are still trying to find a way out, the construction on the school has been halted since February 20 even as it was slated for completion by August this year, said the municipal official.
Seti, a resident of Gopal Nagar, puts it thus: We are daily labourers and leave our children in school while we work. We had to pull out our child from school for a year when it was shifted as there was no one to take him to school. We have however enrolled him again, as my wife has quit her daily job and now she drops him to school.
Read: Minor reforms in education will not work, need major overhaul, say experts
DMRC officials cited the feasibility report and said that while the construction plan could not be changed, it would compensate the municipal corporation for the inconvenience. The Delhi Metro also assured the construction of an alternative school building in any locality close by as per SDMC requirements, or bearing the cost of construction.
The existing Dwarka Najafgarh corridor (Line-9) is proposed to be extended further to Dhansa Stand, approximately 1 km from the present last station Najafgarh. A new station, Dhansa Stand will come which will be an underground station. The area is congested and due to lack of space, DMRC had requested MCD to stop construction of this building at this location as new station will be constructed here, said a DMRC official.
The DMRC will ensure that the building is constructed in the fastest possible time with excellent quality & facilities necessary for the children, the official added.
But for the residents, a school anywhere else will not solve the problem. They worry that their lives will continue to derail and that their children will have to travel far to reach their school. For them, rebuilding the old school is the only option.
Delhi metro insists the station should come up on the land where the school is located. It has assured the construction of an alternative school building in any locality close by as per SDMC requirements. The civic body fears dropout if the schools is shifted elsewhere. (Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times)
Ravi Kapoor, Baljit Malik and Amit Shuklas shopping spree using Jigishas debit card after murdering her is what landed them in the police net in March 2009.
A Delhi court found the trio guilty of abducting Jigisha from outside her house in Vasant Vihar, robbing, murdering and abandoning the body in Haryanas Surajkund.
After dumping her body in the bushes near Surajkund in Haryana, the men returned home and distributed the booty, investigators told HT.
Baljit kept the Rs 20,000 cash they withdrew using Jigishas card, Ravi kept her emerald-studded gold chain and Amit took her green sapphire rings.
The next morning, the trio met again to go shopping, investigators said. First they went to PVR Anupam in Saket and withdrew Rs 5,000 using her card. To see if they could swipe her card directly, they bought a CD from a music shop at the district centre and even signed on the customer receipt. They bought a pair of Reebok shoes for Amit from a showroom in Saket.
Reebok shoes have a unique number engraved on them that is also mentioned in the receipts, besides the cards account number. The men ignored it. They also went to Sarojini Nagar to shop more, said a senior police officer.
The officer said they bought two pairs of sunglasses and a pair of Reebok shoes each for Baljit and Ravi. They followed it up with a wristwatch for Rs 10,000 and an LCD TV for Rs 20,000.
The men had little clue that Jigishas father would follow the lengthy paper trail they had left behind and hand it over to the police.
We went to all shops from where the men purchased all the goodies and accessed the CCTV footage from the cameras installed inside they had worn the caps such that their faces were covered. But in one of the footages, we spotted a tattoo on Baljits hand. The men werenabbed at Nelson Mandela Marg, an investigator said.
He said the car used in the crime, also a stolen property, and Jigishas jewellery were seized from them.
A 15-hour interrogation had the trio confessing to the crime, police said. They claimed they were drunk and looking for a target, when they spotted Jigisha. She was on the phone, outside her house. They forced her into the car, robbed her of her jewels and wallet, and took her to an ATM and asked for her password.
They withdrew Rs 20,000 and again took her to the car. They slapped her repeatedly, stepped on her face and smothered her to death. They drove her body around for half-an-hour before dumping it, a police officer said.
They admitted to killing journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, a sensational case that had hit a dead end, a few months before.
In Tihar Jail, their cells had to often be changed because they created a ruckus, police said. In January 2013, police arrested Tihar hospitals compounder for allegedly receiving Rs 50,000 from a Vaishali resident on behalf of Amit Shukla.
A domestic help allegedly stabbed a 60-year-old woman 22 times with a kitchen knife and robbed her at her flat in Sector 11 in Dwarka in southwest Delhi on Friday afternoon. The accused minor from Darbhanga in Bihar was held before he could flee from the spot.
The domestic help killed the woman as she had slapped him around three days ago, said the police.
This is the third murder case in a week wherein a domestic help allegedly killed an elderly woman. The other two were reported from Kalkaji in south Delhi and Pachim Vihar in west Delhi. In the three cases, the accused were annoyed with their employers.
The victim, Uma Sharma, was the relative of a secretary-level official in the ministry of civil aviation. Her husband, Pramod Sharma, is a retired engineer from KRIBHCO, Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd. He is working for a private company at Okhla in south Delhi, police said.
The elderly couple lives in Gold Croft Apartments in Sector 11, Dwarka. Their two sons are settled in the US.
On Friday, Uma and the boy got into an argument. The teenager turned violent, picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Uma multiple times all over her body.
Read: Sacked domestic help held for killing 71-year-old woman in Kalkaji
Thereafter, he removed her jewellery, collected the cash and other valuables from the flat. He allegedly locked the flat from outside, telephoned Pramod and told him four men had killed Uma and robbed the house. The help claimed the robbers had locked him in the kitchen.
The teenager had planned to flee from the crime scene before Sharma could return home from office. He thought Sharma would first return home to check on his wife and then call the police.
Sharma, however, informed his neighbours and the caretaker of the apartments about the crime. The neighbours immediately called the police and rushed to his flat, where they found the boy standing outside.
Deependra Pathak, joint CP (southwestern range), said within five minutes, the SHO of the Dwarka South police station reached the flat.
It took the SHO seconds to solve the crime. He immediately took the domestic help into custody and questioned him at length. The boy broke down and confessed to the crime. We also recovered the stolen valuables, said Pathak.
The teenager was employed at the flat only two months ago. The accused and the couple belonged to the same place in Bihar.
At the time of writing, 37 people are dead in protests following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. Hundreds of others have been injured, many with eye wounds from pellet guns that could cause them to lose their sight. Amongst them is a 14-year-old girl, shot by forces from within her house.
As curfew continues in the Valley, the front pages in New Delhi have shifted attention to Indias statement to the United Nations denouncing Pakistans use of terrorism as State policy. On TV channels, talking heads either focus on perfidious Pakistan or bemoan the growing alienation amongst Kashmirs young and angry.
There are casualties on both sides. On July 11, protestors pushed a police vehicle into the river Jhelum near Sangam, drowning its driver Afroz Ahmed. Close to 100 officials and 2,000 civilians are reportedly injured. There are reports of ambulances being attacked. Depending on which side of the argument you are hearing, these attacks are either by security forces or by protesters.
Read: CM Mehbooba repeating my mistakes: Omar Abdullah on Kashmir unrest
These are our people, our citizens. Can you imagine the outrage if 2,000 people were injured by forces during a protest anywhere else in India? Can you imagine the consequences if instead of water cannon and tear gas, police in Delhi in December 2012 had used pellet guns?
Yet, on social media, there is such prevailing vitriol that I am taken aback. Protestors are pigs. Those who ask questions about the crackdown are Islam apologists. Let them go to Pakistan, or elsewhere. We should have bombed those who attended Wanis burial. One news channel even suggests that instead of a burial, Wani should have been burned with garbage.
Read: From Ashfaq Majid Wani to Burhan Wani: Are protests in Kashmir a redux of 1990?
What kind of people celebrate the death of people they never met, never knew and whose existence does not impact them at all, questions a blog posted by a Rich Autumns.
Social media does not represent official State policy. It does, however, give a broad indication of a prevailing mood. I am not making a case for Wani. I do not for a second condone Pakistans involvement. Yet, when thousands of our own citizens are out on the street should we not be concerned? Can we claim Kashmir as a piece of real estate minus those who -- no matter how misguided in some eyes -- live in it?
Twitters nationalist snipers are quick to pick out journalists who report the other side as anti-nationals. And it takes a brave reporter to tell the story of anguish from the ground. In this environment, news gets co-opted to peddle a certain type of narrative through magnification or black-out. Nobody is just reporting the facts.
For Delhi papers, the civilian death tollis a statistic, writes Manisha Pande in Newslaundry. But for the Kashmiri media, dead protestors are not a mere number, theyre actual people.
Read: Social media hits out at top politicians for silence on Kashmir violence
We dont want to see the other side any longer. In the narratives we weave, Kashmiri citizens are denied the right to protest and must be blamed for their own swift and brutal repression. In the Kashmiri narrative, the crackdown is yet another instance of the mainlands immoral suppression of the natural Kashmiri longing for azadi. Neither side is prepared to hear the other. And the cycle of violence continues, each fuelling and fanning the other.
Why should we stand up for people who dont apparently believe in India? Its quite simple really. The land does not come without its inhabitants. Keeping it by force is costly for both sides, nor has it produced a solution so far. No State --- no matter how strong its will or its army --- can afford to have in its midst a large group of alienated citizens. If there can be no India without Kashmir, then surely it logically follows that there can be no Kashmir without Kashmiris.
In an unequal battle of stones versus pellet guns, its clear how this round will eventually end. The State will assert its might and a sullen normalcy will return. But unless we learn to listen first, you can be sure that the lull will not last for long.
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In the last few years the climate change threat has started to get a little too real to us. Temperatures have more or less stayed above 50 degrees C this summer in parts of India. The country has also been affected by drought for the second year running. We have already done enough emissions which shall make the (global) average temperatures go up. Climate change is not something which will happen in the future. It is happening right now. April 2016 was one of the hottest months on record. Earths average surface temperature has already increased by around 1 degree C compared to pre industrial times and it is estimated that we are headed for up to a 3 degree C rise which could lead to dangerous climate change impact.
The warning comes from climate change researcher Mihir Mathur, associate fellow, Earth Science and Climate Change Division at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi, who is picking up danger signals from planet earth and wants to mitigate the impact. For Mathur, climate change is a personal as well as global issue. Every individual has to worry. Those who think that it is the responsibility of only governments and researchers to learn (about) and find solutions to climate change are not thinking right. There is no point in having a national or a state level climate policy when people dont understand its importance or rationale.
What is the world going to look like in 2050? Mathur works on developing future scenarios using computer modelling (simulating what happens or will happen in a situation) to understand how policies can bring about desired changes. (Handout)
Surprisingly this researcher in climate change adaptation for policy formulation at the local and macro level comes from a finance background. He received his bachelor of commerce in accountancy from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara (his hometown), following it up with a masters degree in finance from the Sadhana Centre for Management and Leadership Development, Pune.
Read more: Earth needs caregivers: are you interested?
What led to the switch? While working in the stock markets Mathur discovered how fossil fuel depletion would put a limit on economic growth. He asked himself deeper questions: was the nature of this growth sustainable? As he found out more about the interconnections between fossil fuels, emissions and climate change, he felt a deeper calling to research upon sustainability issues rather than only use my skills in stock markets. The turning point came when he discovered the issue of oil depletion (popularly known as Peak Oil) which could hit the world much before climate change. Research on peak oil (point in time when oil production peaks and then begins to terminally decline) made him realise that the world was very close to reaching the peak globally and that a systemic shift was needed if the world had to sustain itself. That discovery drove him to take up research on finding solutions to peak oil and climate change.
For field work, Mathur has to interact with farming communities to find out how weather variations challenge their agriculture decision-making. He studies how weather forecasts and agriculture advisories (sent by the India Meteorological Department and other private players) are helping farmers cope with these variations. He also works on developing future scenarios using computer modelling (simulating what happens or will happen in a situation) to understand how policies can bring about desired changes. A modelling project was recently completed where he developed an urban model using system dynamics modelling (understanding complicated problems using mathematical modelling techniques) to understand city futures, how cities would grow in future and factors limiting their growth.
Solutions for human beings to adapt better to the changes in weather and climate could be social, financial, environmental, economic etc, so his research is, in a sense, interdisciplinary. His research findings help improve the body of knowledge on climate change and are likely to contribute as inputs for development planning and policy planning.
Read more: Water management experts are making every drop of water count
Mathur has been part of one of the biggest climate change adaptation programmes in India, implemented by Watershed Organisation Trust in Maharashtra, MP and AP, covering more than 50 villages. For him it was an experience to learn how rural India understood climate change and the practical challenges it faced while moving towards adaptation and mitigation measures. He feels the whole project was a success as they were able to implement renewable energy solutions at scale, generate livelihood opportunities, do watershed development work, promote water budgeting and management, develop biodiversity registers, create disaster risk reduction plans, install automated weather stations for real time weather data at village level etc.
Mihir Mathur: Happy to make the switch from the stock market to research on finding solutions to peak oil and climate change. (Handout)
More recently, Mathur has been practicing system dynamics modelling to better understand how social, economic and environmental systems function and interact with each other. The idea is to understand and present the complexity of real life systems to academia, policy makers, researchers and everyone else. Through the modelling, he explains I am able to show how seemingly different sectors interact with each other and intervening in one sector could create a cascading impact on other sectors. An increase in the water supply for a city would lead to increase in demand for electricity (through pumping etc) which in turn could lead to increase of power supply which again could lead to increased water consumption for electricity generation. And thats not all, increase in water consumption could lead to increased waste water discharge and without any increase in sewage capacities it could lead to water borne diseases. This is a hypothetical scenario but its clear that it is impossible to understand the dynamics of the real world without going through the process of studying their interlinkages.
When it comes to global negotiations on climate change, Mathur says India is not going wrong as the countrys per capita emissions are very low as compared to developed nations. It is not fair to expect India to go on an aggressive mitigation strategy at the cost of development which has yet to cover all of its people. However, a low carbon development vision would definitely mitigate emissions and achieve sustainable development. As Indias geography, cultures, ecosystems, agro ecological zones are very diverse it is almost impossible to have one strategy that fits all. To have bottom up development planning and integrating it with the top down climate change vision is a challenge. India has developed State level Action Plans on Climate Change and also has City Resilience Plans which are to get integrated with City Development Plans and Master Plans. Results, however, will only be visible in the future. India does have policies in place but to implement it and achieve the desired results at scale has been a problem. Mathur feels Indias greatest strength is its network of villages and if sustainable development is achieved in the countrys six lakh villages then the country could achieve its development and climate goals with much ease. Along with Indias focus on smart cities, it is important that the villages are not left out as they form the base of the countrys pyramid.
Models of a city that he has put together reveal that the quality of life in cities is going to deteriorate very soon (in some places it already has) mainly due to rising environmental pollution. While many of them may continue to choose to live in cities with a deteriorating quality of life, there would come a tipping point where cities become unattractive and people would start searching for other places to relocate. I have heard of such discussions already taking place among people living in big metropolises, Mathur says.
Mathur interacting with farmers as part of his field work. (Handout)
Thus, he hopes that through his modelling work someday he will be able to develop tools to enable effective decision making (at the government or global level) for climate change planning.
Climate change, in 20 words is
Non normal variations in rainfall and temperatures with shift in seasons and increase in frequency of extreme weather events
Institutes where you can study
TERI University (http://www.teriuniversity.ac.in/)
Indira Gandhi National Open University (http://www.ignou.ac.in/)
Indian Institute of Forest Management (http://iifm.ac.in/)
Centre for Environment Education (http://www.ceeindia.org/cee/index.html)
Skills needed for the job
Liking for quantitative and qualitative analysis, good communication skills, openness for learning new things, honesty, curiosity.
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Armenian MFA rejects reports on the death of second Armenian in Nice attack
16:40 The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs refutes the reports on the death of a second Armenian citizen in Nice. 14:58 The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms the death of a second citizen of the Republic of Armenia in Nice attack. The Ministry had earlier reported about one Armenian killed in the attack. Armenia's Consulate General in Marseille stays in touch with the victims family, the Ministry of Foreign Ministry says. 10:43 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia has condemned the bloody attack that took place during Bastille Day celebrations in the French city of Nice. We strongly condemn the attack in Nice and extend our condolences to the relatives of the victims, the Ministry said adding that they are trying to clarify whether there were any Armenians among the victims of those injured in the attack. There is no confirmed data so far. At least 80 people including children were killed and dozens injured when the attacker drove a truck through a crowd watching a fireworks display to mark the holiday. This was the third major attack in France in less than 18 months.
Forty two students flunked the Bihar Class 12 exams with one roll number but aced it with another, authorities have found as they probe large-scale irregularities in the states education sector.
Police SAY all these examinees were issued two sets of registration numbers, roll numbers and results. While the examinees wrote the exam with one set of registration and roll number, the college authorities managed scholars to write their examination against the other set of roll number.
Police say an examinee scored 37 marks out of 500 in five subjects, against one set of registration and roll number, but 370 in the other set.
Confirming this, Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP), Manu Maharaaj, said, The college had issued two registration numbers, two roll numbers and two results for each of the 42 students. This discovery has given a new dimension to the case.
All the 42 students belong to Vaishalis Vishun Roy College, which lost its affiliation after disgraced arts topper Ruby Rai who also studied at the institution claimed in an interview that she was taught cooking in political science.
Read more: Bihar intermediate scam: father of science topper arrested in Patna
This blew this lid off a huge scam in the Class 12 examination results that led to the scrapping of results of several toppers, who had supposedly aced subjects they had little knowledge of.
Rai subsequently flunked her re-test, managing only a single line Tulsidas ji, pranam when asked to write an essay on the poet on June 25. She was arrested and subsequently sent to a remand home after a local court pronounced her to be a minor.
Of the 42 examinees in the dock, 30 were from science stream, 10 arts and two from commerce.
The college used to hire scholars and manage the examination centre. All the 42 students will be interrogated, said the SSP.
Over 87% of the 630 examinees from Vishun Roy College passed the Class 12 examination with first division and three with third division. The initial toppers of science and arts stream were also from this college.
College principal Bachcha Roy, the lynchpin of the racket, and ousted Bihar State Education Board chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, are in jail after the scam surfaced in May.
The special investigation team (SIT) of Bihar police arrested the father of the controversial science topper in the Bihar intermediate examination from the Kanti Road factory area in east Patna early on Friday.
The science and arts stream toppers came into the limelight after they gave ridiculous answers to basic questions on their subjects in a video which went viral. It prompted the state government to order a crackdown on the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), following the merit muddle in May.
The science toppers father is the first parent to be arrested in the case, apart from senior officials and staff of the BSEB, eight of whom are already in prison. The boards chairman Lalkeshwar Singh, his wife, son-in-law, owners of some colleges and several others were found to have connived to manipulate results of undeserving students who paid lakhs to secure the first division.
Read: After toppers scam, Bihar grapples with record failures
The science topper and 13 others were summoned by the board for a re-test, which most of them failed. The arts topper, Ruby Rai, was sent to Beur model jail. Last week, she was shifted from Beur jail to a remand home after the court accepted Rubys age on the basis of her matriculation certificate stating her date of birth as November 15, 1998.
Rai was denied bail by a juvenile court on Wednesday.
The special investigation unit had earlier moved the court to institute cases against four of the toppers and their parents, who were on the run.
Read: After toppers scandal, Bihar govt fires 80 teachers caught cheating
Investigators have found details of collusion of BSEB top officials in the scam, by which colleges undeserving of affiliation were granted recognition without fulfilling criteria for land, laboratory, own buildings and prescribed quota of teachers, besides other things.
They also found that most of these colleges had no enrollment or teachers and only registered students at examination time who paid full fees and were asked to pay lakhs to secure first divisions.
The Vishun Rai college, which is in the eye of the merit storm, enrolled some 650 students of whom nearly 600 passed in first division and just three in the second division with one failure.
The Bihar government has now initiated an exercise to crackdown on sham institutions, including degree colleges affiliated to different universities in the state, after it was stung by irregularities surfacing in the functioning of private colleges.
State education minister Ashok Choudhary has written to all vice-chancellors to identify colleges that do not fulfil affiliation norms, but are still enrolling students at will.
There are 331 degree colleges affiliated to different universities and eligible for state governments performance-linked funding scheme. Under the scheme, an affiliated institution gets Rs 4,500 for every student passing in the first division, Rs 4,000 for every second divisioner and Rs 3,500 for every third divisioner.
The affiliated colleges are in addition to around 250 constituent colleges in the state.
Bihar has already decided to order a probe into all the 242 private intermediate colleges that get grants from the state.
According to sources, the matter of degree affiliated colleges came into focus after the government received a request for affiliation of an inter college in Sitamarhi district up to graduation level.
However, it was later found that the college, belonging to a political leader, had no additional infrastructure, but wanted to run the degree college from the same institution offering intermediate courses, they said.
Though Choudhary declined to comment on the issue, he admitted that there were many such instances, which called for an immediate need to set things right.
The chancellor is also aware of it and he will direct the VCs at his own level, but on my part, I have sought from the universities details of infrastructure, enrollment, the number of faculty members with qualification, the number of examinees etc, the minister said.
An education department official admitted that the exact number of affiliated college was still not known, though it had been tentatively estimated at 331.
Following the abolition of unaided education policy in 2008, the government has so far been able to release funds just once for 2007-10 session as utilisation certificates from these are never available. Instead, there are court cases by claimants asking for money, he added.
The official said around 50 cases have been filed so far in the court by teachers of affiliated colleges and it was getting tougher for the state. The government has earmarked Rs 109-crore for affiliated colleges for the 2008-11 session, but the disbursal has got stuck. This is 2016 and one can well imagine the scenario, he added.
According to a study on higher education conducted by MHRD in 2013, Bihar has just six colleges per one-lakh population (18-23 age-group), while the national average is 25. The average enrollment in the states colleges is 1852.
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The Institute of Chartered Accounts of India (ICAI) is expected to declare the Chartered Accountants (CA) final examination and Common Proficiency Test (CPT) exam results 2016 on July 18 at 2pm. The CA final exam was held in May, while the CPT exam was held in June.
Candidates will be able to check their results on the ICAI website.
The all-India merit list of candidates securing a minimum of 55% and up to the Rank 50 in the final examination will also be available on the ICAI website.
Steps to check the results:
1) Go to the ICAI website
2) Click on the link for the result of the exam in which you have appeared
3) Log in with your registration number or PIN number along with your roll number
4) The result will be displayed on the screen
You can receive your results via SMS. The service will be available through India Times.
Read more: SBI PO prelims exam 2016 results to be declared on July 18
For results through SMS:
a) For final examination result: CAFNL(space)XXXXXX (Where XXXXXX is your six digit final examination roll number. For example: CAFNL 000136)
b) For CPT result: CACPT(space)XXXXXX (Where XXXXXX is your six digit Common Proficiency Test roll number. For example: CACPT 000121)
and send the message to 58888.
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More than 50% of teachers in several government schools in Madhya Pradesh have been found to be absent from duty on any given day despite drawing full salaries, a top government official said on Thursday.
Some of the absent teachers were also found to have let imposters appear for duty in their place for monthly payments ranging up to Rs 5,000 each, said SR Mohanty, additional chief secretary in charge of education.
The massive misconduct was noticed during an extensive inspection drive conducted over the past few months across the state, with authorities warning of strict action, including pay cut, as they feel this has affected the attendance and performance of children.
In our surprise inspections over the past few months, we found that 55% teachers do not come to schools at all, but they collect their salaries at the end of every month. This will not be tolerated at any cost, warned additional chief secretary, education, SR Mohanty.
He has asked concerned authorities to take strict measures to curb absenteeism amongst teachers. Madhya Pradesh has more than 20,000 schools with about 4.5 lakh teachers in its rolls.
As per the instructions, extensive inspections will be carried out from state level to the block level. Officers at the district level will be required to travel for two days while state level officers will have to travel as often as possible.
These inspections would be random and surprise ones. If any teacher is found absent without sanctioned leave or prior information, immediate deduction in salary or in the leave account will be done.
Every school will have photographs and mobile phone numbers of all officially appointed teachers on display, for inspecting officials to check whether they are at work or not.
Teachers sometimes install someone to teach on their behalf for a mere Rs 5,000. In such cases, we will file a first information report (FIR) against both the teacher and the impersonator, Mohanty warned.
According to Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), only 50% students attend school every day in the state.
The reason children are not coming to school is because quality education is not being imparted to them and teachers do not come to school, Mohanty said.
The ASER report also sheds light on the falling standard of education, noting that in 2014, less than 30% children in Class 5 in the state can read English and Hindi properly and only about 30% could solve simple arithmetic sums, down from about 60-80% in 2009.
Mohanty said teachers will have to compulsorily mark their attendance on m-Shiksha Mitra, an app made for the government school teachers for attendance, grievance and redressal.
Currently, only 30% staff use the app as most are against the introduction of new technology and have asked for training.
Dismissing the complaints, Mohanty said, I fail to understand why they cant use this app when they can use WhatsApp with ease constantly.
Their claim of not being able to buy a smartphone is also baseless. The salary government teachers get now is equivalent to that of an IT professional, yet every second day, a group of teachers protest for a better pay, he said.
The education department has also decided that surplus teaching staff in cities would be shifted to village schools. The teachers will no longer be allowed to travel frequently to Bhopal for their personal work and will have to take prior permission if they wish to do so.
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Weve all heard the saying, Men are from Mars and women are from Venus. And now a research has found new evidence to show that male and female brains are wired differently. And that male and female brains react differently to stress.
The research has found that a brain region involved with stress and keeping heart rate and blood pressure high work differently in men and women.
While measuring brain activity with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during blood pressure trials, the researchers found that men and women had opposite responses in the right front of the insular cortex, a part of the brain integral to the experience of emotions, blood pressure control and self-awareness.
Read: Women need a good nights sleep, men just a nap
The insular cortex has five main parts called gyri serving different roles.
The researchers found that the blood pressure response in the front right gyrus showed an opposite pattern in men and women, with men showing a greater right-sided activation in the area while the women showed a lower response.
This is such a critical brain area and we hadnt expected to find such strong differences between men and womens brains, said the studys lead author Paul Macey from University of California, Los Angeles.
This region, the front-right insula, is involved with stress and keeping heart rate and blood pressure high.
Its possible the women had already activated this region because of psychological stress, so that when they did the physical test in the study, the brain region could not activate any more. However, its also possible that this region is wired differently in men and women, Macey noted.
Read: Night shifts more harmful for women than men
The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology.
We have always thought that the normal pattern was for this right-front insula region to activate more than other areas, during a task that raises blood pressure, added Macey.
However, since most earlier studies were in men or male animals, it looks like this normal response was only in men. The healthy response in women seems to be a lower right-sided activation, he noted.
We believe that differences in the structure and function of the insula in men and women might contribute to different clinical symptoms in some medical disorders, Macey said.
The cast and crew of upcoming erotic romantic drama film Fifty Shades Darker is safe after the Bastille Day attack in the French city of Nice that killed at least 84 people and injured over 150.
The film, starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, had been under production in the French Riviera for the past few weeks, reports variety.com.
Its unknown if production will be suspended this weekend. However, sources say the makers shot scenes on Thursday in the region but wrapped production before the attack happened in the night.
Earlier on Thursday, producer Dana Brunetti posted a photograph on Instagram the author of the books, EL James and producer Michael De Luca in the nearby city of Monte Carlo.
Read: France reels as Bastille Day terror attack leaves 84 dead in Nice
Heading to take down the house only to discover once we were in it had been taken down years ago. A photo posted by Dana Brunetti (@danabrunetti) on Jul 14, 2016 at 2:32pm PDT
Back safe in my hotel room. Thanks for everyones concern and messages, Brunetti tweeted after the carnage.
Read: Fifty Shades Darker - Take a tour with on-set pictures from the sequel
Back safe in my hotel room. Thanks for everyone's concern and messages. Dana Brunetti (@DanaBrunetti) July 15, 2016
Fifty Shades Darker actress Eloise Mumford later posted an image of the French flag with a broken heart icon.
The film is a sequel of 2015 film Fifty Shades of Grey.
Follow @htshowbiz for more
A group of 17 people who went missing from Kerala a month ago flew to Iran before going off the radar and possibly joining terror outfits, the Hindu reported on Friday.
New Delhi is now seeking help from Teheran authorities to trace the 17 Indians, including women and children, who travelled on Iranian tourist visas before disappearing, a senior intelligence official told the Hindu.
The official said the missing persons left India in two different groups about a month ago. One group reached Muscat and the other group reached Dubai.
Read: Kerala: Brother an NSG commando, sister may have joined IS
They took a flight to Tehran from Muscat and Dubai respectively. This might have been done to dodge any suspicion. Since they went on tourist visas and had family members along, nobody suspected them, said the official to the Hindu.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has informed the state assembly that the whereabouts of 17 people from Kasargode and four from Palakkad could not be ascertained. The missing from Kasargode included four women and three children. And two women were among the missing from Palakkad, he said.
Read: Kerala govt launches probe into reports of missing Muslim youth
Most of these people are highly educated and from affluent families.
Police suspect the role of Salafi groups in radicalising these people. Most of them are inspired by Wahabism. The IS too is driven by the same principles, said a Muslim reformist in Kozhikode who did not want to be named.
Read: IS pull? Two missing Kerala youth were in touch with Zakir Naik, admits father
Sources say the group might have reached Afghanistan, which shares its border with Iran and joined the Islamic State in Khorasan Province. The other possibility is that they have travelled to Iraq and from there on to Syria, the Hindu reported.
The government has condemned Pakistans decision to observe July 19 as a black day to protest Indian barbarism following the violent protests in Kashmir over Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wanis killing.
Expressing dismay over the development, a statement from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Friday termed the Pakistan governments move an attempt to interfere in Indias internal matters by an external party with no locus standi.
India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement read, adding that the neighbouring countrys glorification of terrorists paints a clear picture of where its sympathies continue to lie.
(Twitter: MEAIndia)
Read: Will observe July 19 as black day against Kashmir killings: Nawaz Sharif
The strongly worded statement from the MEA alleged that Pakistans attempts to draw political mileage from the Kashmir protests followed instances of cross-border infiltration and terrorism aimed at India.
The MEA further asked Pakistan to desist from interfering in Indias internal affairs and destabilising South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proposed the observance of the black day on Friday, while chairing a special meeting of his cabinet in Lahore to discuss the Jammu and Kashmir situation. His proposal was reportedly accepted by the cabinet.
The premier and Pakistans foreign ministry had recently angered India by referring to Wani, a commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, as a Kashmiri leader and describing his death on July 8 as an extrajudicial killing. At least 37 people have died in the protests following Wanis death.
Despite warnings from India, Sharif again described Wani as a martyr of (the) independence movement at the cabinet meeting.
During the event, Sharif trotted out Pakistans stated position of extending moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination, and described the movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom.
At least one of the four Muslim youths let off by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after being picked up in connection with an Islamic State terror plot, got into trouble because of his al-Baghdadi surname, a rights group has alleged.
The family of Abdul Qader Mohsin Mahmood al-Baghdadi, 32, who was one of the 11 arrested from the old quarters of the city on June 29, is of Arab descent and his forefathers hailed from Baghdad. The Hyderabad-based Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee that probed the latest arrests says the family surname shared by IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, doubled the trouble for Qader.
While five of the 11 were arrested immediately, Qader and five others were let off by the NIA the next day.
They were, however, made to visit the police station every day for questioning for the next two weeks, when two of them were arrested. Qader and three others were given a clean chit.
The police said the four including Qader were not part of any terror conspiracy and therefore no longer needed for questioning. Those arrested include the suspected chief of an alleged IS module, Niamatulla Hussaini.
According to Lateef Khan of the monitoring committee, Qader was also grilled about his opinion on Hindus and Christians, besides being asked about the IS at the CRPF camp in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana.
Attempts by HT to get a response from the NIA did not get any response. Rights groups and Muslim elders of old Hyderabad have often accused the investigation agency of targeting Muslim youths. Several youngsters from the city arrested in the past over alleged links to bombings and terror plots have been acquitted by courts after years-long ordeals. Lawyers of those let off meanwhile said the four have gone into hiding. It appears the NIA authorities have strictly warned them not to talk to media and reveal what had transpired during the questioning, lawyer Ghulam Rabbabi who argued for them in the court, told HT. Another advocate Abdul Jabbar Siddiqui, who had been fighting against their arrests for the last two weeks, was also clueless about the whereabouts of the acquitted youth.
They have not got in touch with me for the last few days. Siddiqui said. Most of those arrested are from the Talabkatta, Chandrayangutta, Hashimabad and Chattabazar neighbourhoods of old Hyderabad.
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U.S. Congress discusses fate of Armenian churches in Turkey (video)
Congressman David Trott (R-MI) has raised the issue of Armenian churches in Turkey in the U.S. Congress. I am still concerned about the seizure of Armenian churches in Turkey, including the fate of Surp Giragos Church.These are the consequences of the Armenian Genocide that took place 100 years ago, he said. Addressing the participants of hearings on the deteriorating situation of human rights in Turkey, Congressman Trott said when the United States criticizes Turkey for acts against democracy, people in Ankara remind that they are an ally of the United States and a member of NATO. Yet, it does not relieve Turkey of the responsibility, he stressed. According to experts participating in the hearings, the decline in democracy in Turkey has several reasons. Alan Makovsky, a Senior Fellow at American Progress, says one of the reasons is that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is eager to concentrate power in his hands. As a result, democracy in Turkey, which has never been perfect, is rapidly deteriorating. In almost all areas, including media, judicial system and political system of governance, the rights of Kurds, private companies or universities, freedom is decreasing and the power is becoming more concentrated in the hands of Erdogan, he said. Dr. Henri J. Barkey, Director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, says Erdogan is trying to repeat the example of [Vladimir] Putin by building an authoritarian system and imprisoning citizens for criticizing him. Over 1845 people have been convicted of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , he said. Summing up the results of the hearings influential Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said it is clear that Turkey is moving in the wrong direction. The people of the United States are grateful to Turkey for friendship which played an important role during the last decades. But, it is obvious now that Turkey has entered into a phase of dictatorship and radicalization. Only the thought of it is already appalling, Rohrabacher said.
The Allahabad high court on Thursday dismissed a PIL petition seeking Scheduled Caste category benefits for Muslims.
The order was passed by a bench comprising acting chief justice VK Shukla and justice MC Tripathi while hearing a petition filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights and two others.
The petitioners contended that as per the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, passed by the President of India, only Hindus (Sikhs and Buddhists) could be included in the Scheduled Castes category which was discrimination against Muslims on the ground of religion.
They said that members of the Muslim community should be included in the Scheduled Caste category according to their status in society and benefits such as reservation, protection from social evils, etc should also be provided to them.
Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki will seek a trust vote on Saturday after the governor declined to defer the trial of strength, potentially setting the stage for a fresh face-off between the Congress and the ruling BJP at the Centre.
The odds are heavily stacked against the Supreme Court-reinstated chief minister, who has only 14 MLAs in the assembly with an effective strength of 58.
His rival and former chief minister Kalikho Pul, on the other hand, claims the support of 43 MLAs including 30 of his own party, the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA). Pul had formed a rebel Congress government in February before his group merged with the regional party. The PPA is backed by 11 Bharatiya Janata Party and two Independent legislators.
Tuki was reinstated by the Supreme Court on Wednesday in what is seen as a setback to the BJPs political strategy for the largest state in the northeast.
The Congress, which accuses the Narendra Modi government of trying to dislodge democratically-elected opposition-ruled state governments, fired a fresh salvo on Friday, accusing the central government of defying the top court by intervening in the matter through the governor.
The Narendra Modi government has absolutely no respect for the democracy, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters in Delhi.
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said an assembly session can only be convened on the governments advice.
It is not the governors prerogative to call the House, Sibal said adding, We are ready for a floor test on July 24 or 25.
Read | Presidents Rule is contempt of public mandate, says Sonia Gandhi
Tuki wrote to governor Tathagata Roy on Thursday night and met him at the Raj Bhavan on Friday, seeking at least 10 more days to prove his majority.
The governor, officiating for JP Rajkhowa who is recovering from surgery, however, told Tuki that his government did not command the required majority in the assembly and advised him to prove his majority in the assembly on Saturday.
He also emphasised that (a) sense of security amongst the people must prevail and deterrent action must be taken to ensure fool-proof law and order in the state, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said.
Section 144 was imposed in Itanagar near the Assembly ahead of floor test, according to ANI.
#ArunachalPradesh Guv Tathagata Roy's letter to CM Nabam Tuki over latter's request to defer floor test in Assembly pic.twitter.com/tTdqrbTvJK ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
Tuki said the SC ruling, taking the clock back to what the assembly position was on December 15, automatically made the PPA legislators Congress members. This, according to him, puts the number of Congress MLAs at 45.
The direction to prove my majority on or before July 16 gives me less than 48 hours time since my arrival in Itanagar today (Thursday). Many of my colleagues/MLAs are out of station and I am trying to contact them, Tuki said in his letter.
Tuki also cited the Sarkaria Commission report that recommended enough time for an assembly to be summoned for a chief minister to prove his majority.
Assembly speaker Nabam Rebia also said was is not possible to hold the assembly session in such a short time.
If the governor wants us to overlook the formalities and hold the session, we will do it. But there are procedures such as getting notification from the parliamentary affairs department and summoning the MLAs.
State Congress president Padi Richo told Hindustan Times that the party will issue a whip to 45 MLAs including the 30 rebels who sided with Pul to trigger the crisis in the politically fragile state.
Pul and 34 other MLAs camping in Guwahati are expected to reach Naharlagun, where the state assembly is situated, on Saturday morning. Naharlagun is 12 km from capital Itanagar.
(With inputs from agencies)
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With three years still to go for the next general elections, the BJP is already drawing up a blueprint to expand its footprints in the Northeast. The BJP is seeking to unite non-Congress parties under the banner of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) with development as the buzzword.
Former Congressman who jumped ship ahead of the Assam assembly elections to join the BJP, and is now Assams Finance Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma is the pointsman for NEDA.
The setback of the Supreme Court order on Arunachal Pradesh coincided with the NEDAs launch in Guwahati on Wednesday, but it is unlikely to stop the BJPs quest to expand its base in Northeast, even if it means riding piggyback on regional players.
The Northeast with its eight states, remains largely underdeveloped and is plagued with migration and security concerns, and the BJP wants to capitalise on these issues by pushing its development agenda.
On Wednesday, BJP chief Amit Shah formally launched the NEDA, a conglomeration of 11 political parties to counter the Congress. Three chief ministers TR Zeliang (Nagaland), PK Chamling (Sikkim) and Kalikho Pul (Arunachal Pradesh) attended the meet. Leaders from 10 regional parties including the Asom Gana Parishad, Bodoland Peoples Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, Mizo National Front were also present.
These parties, BJP leaders say, add muscles to NDA and would be helpful for partys 2019 plans. Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the Northeast, Assam has the largest number with 14, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh have two each while Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim have one seat each.
In the 2014 general elections, the BJP won 8 and its allies, the Nagaland Peoples Front and the Sikkim Democratic Front one each. And despite a Modi wave across the country, the Northeast contributed 8 seats to Congress total kitty of 44 Lok Sabha seats. The CPM won two and rest went to regional parties.
Congress will be wiped out from northeast in the next Lok Sabha election, Sarma told HT. The Assam Finance Minister who is also the NEDA convener, has been tasked with the job of hunting for new parties, roping in influential leaders and expand the alliance ahead of next general election. Sarma is known for his political manoeuvring skills and doing a hatchet job on the opposition in tatters.
The NEDAs Guwahati declaration says the time has come for all of us to join hands together and fight for a common goal and destiny in the region by forming a common platform. NEDA will coordinate development works among all the NDA constituents and allies of the region. Its allies will increase political cooperation in respective states and develop a collective spirit at the regional level by means of dialogue and negotiation, says the declaration.
BJP leaders plan to launch an all out offensive on the Congress on the issue of development, blaming it for the backwardness of the region. The NEDA declaration also said a fragmented, disjointed and divided northeast India is beneficial to the Congress hegemony in the centre and in the region. Nearly 65 per cent of the population living in this region is young and the BJP is targeting to win them over with the promise of development.
BJP sources say Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also keen at winning hearts in the Northeast region that is home to 250 social groups and more than 185 dialects. He wants one union minister to visit north east every fortnight to push development activities.
Between January last year and April 2016, the Northeast saw 110 ministerial visits, 54 of them to Assam alone. Central ministers also visited Arunachal Pradesh (13 visits), and Meghalaya and Nagaland with 10 each are the next most visited.
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Hours ahead of the first Friday prayers after the killing of Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani last week, the Jammu and Kashmir government has clamped a curfew in the capital city of Srinagar as well in the wake of violent protests.
Authorities have decided to continue the restrictions on unlawful assembly in all the 10 districts of the Valley, as tension gripped the state last Friday after security forces shot down the 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander.
Authorities, fearing escalation of violence after the prayers, imposed curfew from 5 am. Friday is crucial. We hope the day passes off peacefully, said a senior officer, amid calls by separatists leaders to clerics to protest against the brutalities of the men in uniform.
Telecommunications continue to face increased problems in the Valley, as mobile networks of the private companies -- Aircel and Reliance -- were jammed. By 9.30pm on Thursday, the only telecom company whose services were functional was the government-run BSNL, which had suspended prepaid services earlier in the day.
Read: 35 dead in Kashmir violence, Syed Geelani detained in Srinagar
The decision to suspend mobile services has been taken to prevent spreading of any misinformation, sources said.
The annual Amarnath Yatra has been suspended because of the law and order situation in the Valley, officials said.
No yatri was allowed on Friday to move from Bhagawati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu city towards the valley, a senior police official told IANS in Jammu.
Separatist hardliner Syed Ali Geelani, the Valleys head cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Fronts Yasin Malik have appealed to the Imams of mosques to lead the Namaz-e-Janaza funeral prayers in absentia for those who died in the unrest during the past one week.
In a statement, the leaders condemned the use of brutal force against the protesters and their authorities compelling traders and transporters not to support the ongoing struggle.
The death toll in the clashes since July 8 touched 37, as another young protester succumbed to his injuries. Irshad Ahmad Dar was admitted to hospital with a critical head injury that was identified as severe haemorrahge.
He had very serious haemorrhage in his head and was fighting for his life since admission, said a doctor who treated him.
Sources said Dar suffered wounds on being beaten up by the security forces.
More than 1,400 people have been hurt in the six day of violence in the Valley. A majority of them, with bullet and pellet injuries, are being treated in various hospitals.
Scores of people are also reported missing amid continuing instances of sporadic clashes between the army and demonstrators. Reports from Pulwama said a dead body was allegedly found outside the district hospital, and the slain youth was yet to be identified.
Meanwhile, the curfew continued in all ten districts of Kashmir. Sporadic incidents of clashes also occurred between security forces and protesters.
Senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beig, MP, has questioned the legitimacy of the operation in which Wani was killed.
In a statement to local news agency, he had said the July 8 operation was against the ruling of the Supreme Court. The constitution bench of the apex court has given a judgement about the standard operation procedure on carrying out an operation even in places where AFSPA is in force, he told KNS.
The spirit of that judgement seems to have been violated in Burhans killing. According to a claim of an Army General, the operation ended in just three-and-a-half minutes, apparently not giving the militants an option to surrender, added the leader of the party which rules the border state.
Read: Life in curfew-hit Srinagar: Petrol in black, stores open half-shutter at night
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An escort car in the convoy of President Pranab Mukherjee skidded off the road and plunged into a gorge near Darjeeling on Friday morning, injuring five security personnel.
President Mukherjee was on his way to Bagdogra from where he was supposed to return to Delhi after a three-day trip when the accident happened around 11.30am in Sonada, about 16 kilometres from Darjeeling.
The car involved in the accident was the last vehicle in the Presidents cavalcade with chief minister Mamata Banerjees convoy immediately following it.
An officer of the central Intelligence Bureau, a special superintendent of CID, two sub-inspectors of West Bengal police and a state police constable, who was driving the car, were seriously injured in the accident.
After Pranabdas car moved on, the third car slipped and rolled down the incline. There were five men in the vehicle, all have been rescued. We immediately informed Pranabda and stopped all the vehicles to start rescue efforts, the chief minister said.
The roads become slippery in the monsoons. Men from state police, the security forces in other cars and others joined the rescue efforts.
She was also seen addressing the security personnel in the car through a public address system, urging them to keep calm as policemen began efforts to pull them up with ropes.
There was a lot of vegetation along the incline which saved the occupants, a police officer said.
They were rushed to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri.
The Presidents convoy moved on and waited at Kurseong that is about 16 km from the spot of the accident.
The schedules of the President and the chief minister was delayed by a few minutes, but both will reach Delhi in the afternoon.
The government has re-cast the fund allocated for Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) to focus on building more public toilets and urinals, two key areas that can put a check to open defecation, with no space for building toilets in many urban poor households.
The urban development (UD) ministry has woken up to the major flaw in the scheme almost two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched SBM to make India clean and open-defecation free by 2019. The government has set a target of building 1.04 core household toilets in urban areas by 2019.
The ministry had left out public toilets and urinals from the ambit of funding while apportioning a large chunk of the Rs 14,623 crore central share for constructing household toilets. Besides, a very small portion of central assistance was earmarked for building infrastructure to collect and process 1.70 lakh metric tonnes of waste that Indian cities produce every day.
The step to rework the funding pattern was taken after surveys carried out by state governments found that many households in cities and towns do not have the space to build toilets, driving them to defecate in the open.
The finance ministry on Wednesday approved extending 40% viability gap funding (VGF) or a system to bridge a shortfall in finances for the construction of public toilets and urinals. Earlier urinals were not included in the Swachh Bharat programme and public toilets were to be built by 100% private funding.
The Centre only provided 40% VGF for constructing community toilets.
The finance ministry has now approved increasing the quantum of central funds for building solid waste management projects to 35% from the existing 20%.
Its a midcourse correction. The recasting of allocation would provide nearly 75% higher central assistance for building public toilets and facilities for managing municipal solid waste, a senior government official said.
The official said recasting of funds was done after the ministry realised that the private sector was not showing any interest in undertaking SWM projects.
The thrust on building public toilets and solid waste management comes following a review of the program by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 1. According to sources, unhappy with the progress, Modi directed the UD ministry to ensure that the governments outreach doesnt just focus on open defecation in cities but target urination in public places as well.
The PM also wanted that managing municipal waste should be put on high priority instead of just building household toilets.
The Centres share over a period of five years - for the urban leg of the program - is Rs 14,623 crore only, barely a quarter of the Rs 62,000 crore the scheme entails.
Of this, states have to contribute Rs 4,874 crore and the remaining amount has to be sourced from the private sector, additional resources from states/municipalities, beneficiaries share and levying user fee among others.
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The government on Friday dismissed as wrong controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naiks allegation that Peace TV was denied broadcasting rights for being Islamic and said such discrimination never has or will exist in the country.
Information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the channel, run by Naiks Islamic Research Foundation, was denied the rights for not fulfilling due conditions.
One allegation was leveled that Peace TV was denied permission for being Islamic. No such discrimination existed in India in the past, [and] will never be there in future. These are wrong allegations, he told reporters, adding that the allegation was for Naiks own promotion.
Speaking to the media via Skype earlier in the day, Naik alleged that his channel was denied permission for being Islamic.
Naidu said the owners of Peace TV had applied for a licence to broadcast the channel in 2008, but the ministry of home affairs turned it down after due consideration.
When the owners applied again in 2009, the home ministry sought details such as directors and funding of the channel, he said.
They did not submit the details. So, there was no question of giving it permission. There is no question of banning a channel, which doesnt have permission, he said.
On the information and broadcasting ministrys role in the matter, Naidu said it had only written to states, alerting them on taking action against those who downloaded the channel in an unauthorised manner and transmitted it as it was against law.
This happened in 2008 and 2009. We are in 2016 now. This clears the situation. In 2012 too, the MHA had sought their details...for whatever reasons...someone may have approached it then. Those details they (the owners) could not furnish. Thats the end of the story, Naidu said.
According to the minister, the owners had applied as Supreme Multi Network Private Ltd to download the TV channel in current affairs category. The channel was permitted to be up-linked from Dubai at the time, he added.
Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel took an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday as he walked out of jail after nine months behind bars on sedition charges.
Referring to Modis 56-inch chest remark, the 22-year-old said, No body, no height...no 56-inch chest (a symbol of courage)...all I want is rights for my community. He, however, did not name the PM.
Under the law, he cannot enter Gujarat for the next six months and will stay at House No 190 in Shrinath Nagar on the airport road in Udaipur.
In the home state of Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, the seemingly frail Hardik is leading widespread protests by the influential Patidar community demanding reservation in education and jobs.
The Patidars have been the backbone of the BJP vote bank in Gujarat for three decades but the agitation has emerged as a cause for concern for the party, which lost badly in recent local body polls in rural areas.
Read: Hardik Patel released from jail, gets heros welcome
But despite the sedition charges, Hardik vowed to continue with his stir. The agitation will continue, but peacefully. We will see what has been given to the society and what more can available.
With political parties like the Nationalist Congress Party, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party trying to approach him, Hardik said, No political party can lay its claim on the agitation.
Local NCP leaders and a rebel BJP MLA, Nalin Kotadia, were present at the jail when he was released. Several thousand Patidar youngsters from all over Gujarat had arrived in four- and two-wheelers for his welcome.
He mounted on a decorated truck that will lead a rally end at Varaccha, a Patidar-dominated area.
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Kashmirs first topper in the Indian civil services examination on Friday accused a section of the electronic media of pitching one Kashmiri against another and breeding more alienation in the state rocked by violence over the killing of militant leader Burhan Wani.
Shah Faesal, whose success in the 2009 civil services exams has turned him into a role-model for Kashmiri youngsters, vented his anger in a Facebook post after a section of media juxtaposed his images with the slain militant commander to highlight what they said were two sides of the Valley.
By juxtaposing my photos with the images of a slain militant commander, a section of national media has once again fallen back upon its conventional savagery that cashes on falsehoods, divides people and creates more hatred, the 33-year-old IAS officer wrote.
Wanis death in an encounter on July 8 has triggered a wave of violence in the valley that has left more than 40 people dead in street clashes between protesters and security forces.
At a moment when Kashmir is mourning its dead, the propaganda and provocation being dished out from red and blue newsrooms is breeding more alienation and anger in Kashmir than what Indian state can manage.
He also threatened to quit his government post as the director in the education department if media did not stop drawing the comparison.
Besides making him vulnerable, Faesal said he was saddened by becoming part of the ridiculous debate surrounding him.
Have I joined IAS to do a job or to become a part of your sadistic propaganda machine? In fact when I qualified this exam I never thought of spending my whole life scratching the desk and if this nonsense around me continues, I might prefer to resign sooner than later, he added.
Faesal also criticised the governments handling of the situation saying when a state kills and maims its own citizens, its self-injury and self-decimation of the worst sort.
Faesal found support from other another IAS officer Yasin Chaudhary who said some news channels are not going to tell you the truth about Kashmir.
Sadly, our national news channels have been incessantly showing hate filled, vitriolic reporting which is meant to deliberately vilify these Kashmiri protestors, he wrote in a Facebook post.
I urge you to please dont accept this inhuman idea under the excuse of national security and integrity. This is the point where nationalism turns into aggression and xenophobia.
Read | Kashmir unrest: Two civilians killed, one cop critical on Day 7 of protests
Read | Kashmir protests: Information blackout, communication breakdown adds to woes
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Two civilians were killed and scores of others were injured in separate incidents in Kashmir on Friday, as numerous protests were reported from across the Valley on the seventh day of the ongoing turmoil after militant Burhan Wanis killing.
In one of the attacks, a policeman was seriously injured and is critical. Fearing escalation of the ongoing turmoil after Friday prayers, a curfew was imposed from early morning in all the 10 districts of Kashmir region.
In south Kashmirs Kulgam district, Yaripora police station was attacked with a grenade and fired upon. The attackers also included militants, police sources said.
Militants lobbed grenades and fired indiscriminately at the police party that was dealing with violent protesters. Seven police personnel and three civilians received gunshot and splinter injuries. One civilian died of militant firing, the police press statement said.
The seven injured policemen have been hospitalised among whom a constable, Mudasir Ahmed Shah, is critical, it added.
Police said in Drugmulla in Kupwara district, a mob attacked an army camp and one protester was killed in retaliatory firing. Two civilians were also injured.
Sources said the youth killed in Yaripora was Sayar Ahmad of Chitragam village of Shopian district and the one killed in Kupwara was Mushtaq Ahmed Ganie.
Separatists on Friday extended the shutdown call in Kashmir by three days to protest against the killing of civilians and demanded lifting of the curfew and authorities said strict curfew is likely to continue across several districts on Saturday.
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Dattatray Phuges claim to fame was a Rs 1.27 crore shirt made entirely of 22-carat gold. The gold was sewn on to imported white velvet fabric and the buttons were Swarovski crystals all weighing 3.5 kg in total.
I belong to Maratha community and Marathas passion for gold, he then said quite enthusiastically when media was busy clicking his pictures at Jewellers Pimpri showroom.
We dont know about other Marathas, but this man clearly did. Other than the shirt, he another three kg of ornaments on him -- a necklace, bracelets, rings and a belt, all made of gold.
Read: Punes gold shirt man killed with stones, nephew among four arrested
The shirt was made to order by Pune jewellers Ranka Brothers. It took 15 craftsmen 17 days to make the shirt, which could be folded and stored like those made of fabric alone. The gold is on the outside of the shirt; the inside is soft fabric.
Phuge used to wear the gold shirt on select occasions such as marriage and festivals. When prodded about his show of wealth, Phuge conceded that he likes to seek peoples attention.
Asked where he got the money, Phuge, who ran a chit fund, said he sold land and invested most of the money in his firm and the rest on the shirt.
While Phuges relatives and friends appeared to enjoy the publicity, the political party he and wife Seema represented -- the Nationalist Congress Party -- had denounced him in 2013.
Our party does not agree with such blatant show of wealth, NCP spokesperson Ankush Kakade had said.
Phuge had a penchant for gold ornaments since his childhood. Friends and neighbours recalled often seeing Phuge wearing around 6 kg of gold ornaments.
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Controversial Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma has said that male teachers who are below 50 should not opt to teach at girls schools in the state as girls after a certain age need special precautions, Mail Today reported on Friday.
Reports said under the new policy of the state, applicable from the current academic session, teachers below the age of 50 as on June 30, 2016, will be ineligible for transfer to any government secondary school for girls.
According to Sharma, who is an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the idea behind the step is to create a healthy atmosphere for girls so they are not distracted.
Running girls schools and colleges is a very tough and responsible job for any state government. Girls after a certain age need special precautions and we need to take action on every aspect to make a foolproof and secure education system for them, the minister was quoted as saying by Mail Today.
Even if any teacher still opts for girls schools, he would not be considered for transfer, according to the policy.
The education minister has said the guidelines are not based on the assumption that male teachers have malicious intent but they have been formed as an effort to create a healthy environment inside educational institutions.
The educational institutions for boys and girls were the same in the past and were separated following the recommendations of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. He has written in his book Satyarth Prakash that schools of boys and girls should be different and it was followed across the country, the minister said.
The move will only be implemented in schools.
There is no need to apply such a decision at the college level as girls colleges mostly have female teachers. We have prioritised the transfer of female professors in girls colleges and we will do the same at high and middle school level, Sharma said.
This is not the first time Sharma has been in the news.
Last month, Sharma sparked a massive row after he issued a directive to schoolteachers asking them not to wear jeans to work.
We are not worried about teachers wearing jeans to school. We will be worried if they come naked, Sharma said when asked about the order banning jeans.
The order was withdrawn after widespread criticism.
The government has reached out to the Congress seeking its support for the passage of the Constitution amendment bill to enable the rollout of the goods and services tax (GST), four days before the monsoon session of Parliament commences.
The GST bill is among the three key bills on economic reforms to have faced prolonged negotiations and delay in their passage in the last five years. The pension fund bill and insurance laws amendment bill are the other two.
The passage of the pension fund bill that introduced 26% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector and the insurance bill, which raised FDI to 49% from 26%, became possible only when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress agreed to do so.
For the GST bill too, the consent of two biggest parties in Parliament looks essential for its smooth sail.
The proposed legislation seeks to bring a uniform tax structure subsuming a number of imposts and the government claims that it will help add 1% to 2% to the countrys GDP.
Senior minister M Vankaiah Naidu called up leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday and solicited the principal Opposition partys support for the bill reminding him of that the Congress was its architect.
Sources said Naidu told Azad that regional parties like J Jayalalithaas AIADMK, which has been opposed to the bill, and the Trinamool Congress have broadly come on board although they have some concerns.
The government expressed its willingness to address the sticking points in the proposed legislation and come to the negotiating table with an open mind.
The Congress will now hold internal consultations on the issue following which a formal meeting between leaders of the main opposition party and finance minister Arun Jaitley could take place either Friday or Saturday.
The government is likely to consult former finance minister P Chidambaram, who has been entrusted by the party leadership with the task of formulating the Congress stand on the GST. Congress has been pressing for a cap of 18% as part of the constitutional amendment bill.
The party, however, has started indicating its flexibility and willingness to talk to the government over its list of three demands including the one on capping the GST rates at 18%, the major hurdle in its passage so far.
Numbers game
So, that brings the BJP again at the negotiating table with the Congress.
If we can get the Congress on board, it saves us from the trouble of gruelling negotiations with around 10-15 parties to ensure we have numbers at the right time. And it is always better to have the largest party on board because if the Congress decides to stick to its disruptive tactics, the Constitution amendment bill cant be passed due to the absence of order on the floor of the House, a senior minister said recently.
The number game in the Rajya Sabha makes it clear that if the Congress and the BJP come together, they alone can pass any bill, even if other parties are not forthcoming.
In case of the GST bill, the BJP has an advantage: almost all regional parties have asked for a speedy implementation of the bill.
The Left parties have their own list of amendments and even the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) wants a few tweaks in the current draft. But the CPI(M) and the BJD have also stated that they dont want to stand in the way of the GST bills passage.
The Congress has so far washed out two sessions in the Rajya Sabha where the GST bill is stuck. In all meetings on House agenda, the party had warned the ruling dispensation not to bulldoze the GST bill until there is a consensus.
And the BJP managers like Naidu, while boasting of enough numbers to pass the bill, have never failed to add: We want to take the Congress on board.
As far as the principal opposition party is concerned, the strategy of blocking the Rajya Sabha is losing its firepower. Party managers understand well that too much disruption can also isolate the Congress in the shrinking opposition space.
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, facing multiple probes over his alleged provocative speeches, on Friday said he has no plans to return to India this year even as he claimed his remarks were blown out of context and that he has never inspired any terror activity.
The televangelist, who had cancelled press meets thrice citing pressure from authorities of the venues where they were planned, had a lengthy interaction with media via Skype from Saudi Arabia, rubbishing the charge that his sermons had inspired terror activity, including the Dhaka attack.
Stating that he is a messenger of peace, Naik said, Killing innocent people is prohibited in Islam and I condemn all terrorist attacks and that he is a victim of media trial with his statements being blown out of context.
Referring to the footage of some of his speeches shown by media following the Dhaka carnage, he said, Indian media is running a trial against me because of unverified reports. Half sentences being shown, clips being doctored and statements being shown out of context to malign me.
It is unethical for the media to not take my answers on face value and doubt me. There are two thousand sentences in which I condemned terrorism...there may be ten sentences in which one may take out a double meaning...videos are being doctored for ulterior motives..., he said.
When asked about one of his speeches in which he said that suicide bombing is permitted by Islam, he said, it is haram if innocent people are being killed. But, if suicide bombing is used as a tactic of war, then it may be permitted. For example, in World War II, Japan used suicide bombing as a tactic of war.
Read: Suicide bombing is a sin in Islam, I never advocate killing: Zakir Naik
To a query on the probe by Mumbai police into his speeches, he said, So far no official government agency has approached me in the last 8-9 days to ask me to cooperate in their investigations. If they do, I will welcome it. I have never had any problems with governments or police in the past. I am willing to cooperate with any investigation agency.
There are some people in Islam misguiding people in the name of paradise after death. People are inspired by Prophet Mohammed...but he never said that innocent should be killed. Similarly I never said kill innocent humans, Naik asserted.
Naik also spoke in detail about his travel plans.
As per my plans I will come back to the country next year. I was not supposed to come back to India this year, I have realised it is easier to answer queries on skype or video conferencing. I am not running away but I have been very busy meeting important personalities. I am available to authorities but as per my plan I will come back next year, he said.
Whenever I come to Mecca, I return only after a couple of months. But seeing the media trial of mine, I was ready to come for one-and-half days...but when I heard hotels are not welcoming, I thought of taking it on Skype. Why should I change my plans because of media trial, he added.
Controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik, who is facing multiple probes over his alleged provocative speeches, claimed on Friday his statements have been doctored and taken out of context and that he unequivocally condemns all terrorist activities.
Naik has come under the scanner of the Indian government after reports emerged that two among a group of terrorists, who killed 22 people in an upscale Dhaka cafe last week, were allegedly inspired by his speeches.
He was addressing the media through video calling service Skype from Medina for the first time after Bangladesh banned his controversial Peace TV, claiming it incited the Dhaka attack.
Naik, the founder of Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation, began his press conference by condoning the latest attack in France, where at least 84 people were killed as a man ploughed a truck into a crowd in the French resort of Nice after a Bastille Day fireworks.
The Islamic preacher dismissed as misinformation that he had ever advocated suicide bombings, saying he always condemned them since innocent people are killed in those attacks.
Suicide bombing is not permitted in Islam. It is haraam. However, many scholars say that suicide attacks may be used as a tactic of war to save the country. In all other circumstances where innocents are targeted, it is condemnable, Naik said.
I have always said that killing any innocent human being is the second major sin in Islam. There is no scripture in the world apart from Quran that says if you have killed one human being you have killed the entire humanity, and if you save one human being you have saved the whole nation, he added.
He suggested that his lectures may have been doctored.
You go to our YouTube channel. I have spoken thousands of times. Maybe, there are 10 sentences where you can take out a double meaning. But there are thousands of sentences in my talks which condemn unambiguously that killing innocent human being is prohibited, said Naik.
He said that instead of blaming him, the media and security agencies catch people who are using his popularity for ulterior motives.
If people are inspired by my lecture but some of them are hijacked by certain speakers who are misguiding, how can I help? he asked. I meet thousands of people every day, shake their hands, but I have never knowingly met a terrorist, he added.
When asked why he thinks that his channel Peace TV is banned in India, Naik said, We had applied to the information and broadcasting ministry for downlinking rights in 2008. But the I and B ministry did not give us any answers for rejecting our application, and just said that it was confidential.
The 51-year-old medical doctor said he is not bothered by the media trial is he being subjected to and will reply to all the allegations he has been facing from the media. Just because media is raising allegations on me, why should I stop my positive work... I am doing a lot of positive work. There are so many people in the world who love me and respect me.
His name first cropped in 2002-2003 amid a series of blasts in Mumbai and led Mumbai crime branch to IRF. Naik was questioned extensively but Mumbai Police could not gather any evidence that linked him to any act of terrorism.
Since then Naik has been under continuous surveillance of the intelligence units and agencies.
The first batch of 156 people, including nine women and three children, evacuated from war-torn South Sudan arrived in India on Friday on board an Air Force plane.
The C-17 plane from South Sudans capital city Juba with minister of state for external affairs VK Singh escorting the evacuees, including two Nepali citizens, made a brief halt in Thiruvanathapuram where passengers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu disembarked before leaving for Delhi.
The IAF plane landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi this morning.
Sports minister Vijay Goel greets Indian citizens evacuated from war-torn South Sudan upon their arrival at the Palam airport in Delhi. (Arun Sharma/HT PHOTO)
The flight from South Sudan has landed in Delhi. My colleague Vijay Goyal is at the airport to receive them, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.
I welcome our brothers and sisters on their safe return from strife torn South Sudan. Your country is always with you in hour of crisis, Swaraj said in another tweet.
She expressed her gratitude to the Indian Air Force and its officers for safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the strife-torn territory. Our heartfelt gratitude to the Indian Air Force and their brave officers who carried out this mission, Swaraj said in another tweet.
I appreciate my MEA officers, Indian ambassador to South Sudan and his team for their meticulous work, she further tweeted.
There were over 550 Indians in Juba and another 150 in areas where the oil wells are located.
A man, who was evacuated from South Sudan, gestures after disembarking from an Indian Air Force aircraft at Palam airport. (REUTERS)
MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday said that the aim is to evacuate all the Indian nationals who have expressed their interest in leaving.
The evacuation exercise faced a hurdle when several Indians, after registering with the ministry for leaving South Sudan, refused to return, despite an appeal by Swaraj on Twitter asking them to move out.
When we landed, 156 came out with us. There were 30-40 people who had already booked their tickets when the commercial flights started and 300 people did not want to be evacuated due to their business concerns and other activities. There are nine women and three children among those evacuated, Singh told reporters at Thiruvanathapuram airport.
On those who turned down the governments plea to be evacuated, Singh said, We tried to convince them. I suppose business comes first, life comes later (for them).... After fighting broke out in Juba and its outskirts, our aim was to evacuate our people who were in danger. As per our information, there were 550 plus people in Juba itself with another 150 Indians in areas where the oil wells are, Singh added.
Singh said he had met vice-president of South Sudan on the situation there. The C-17 aircraft was brought via Uganda and the minister also met Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who on his part assured India of all help.
South Sudan is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city.
Kerala power minister Kadakkampally Surendran and Thiruvananthapuram district collector Biju Prabhakar were among those who received the travel weary passengers when they arrived in the city.
Indian leaders including President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, strongly condemned the terror attack in France on Friday, saying the pre-meditated massacre of innocent people, including many children, was an unspeakable crime.
In a letter to French President Francois Hollande, Mukherjee conveyed condolences on the loss of lives in the heinous act of terror in Nice and said India stands beside people of France with solidarity and sympathy.
Modi said the mindless act of violence was appalling and India shares the pain and stands firmly with France in this hour of immense sadness.
Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased, the Prime Minister tweeted.
I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain & stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness, he added.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that the terrorist attack on a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice reflects deep resentment to peace and democratic values.
President Mukherjee, who is in Darjeeling on an official visit, said, I am deeply pained to learn that France is once again afflicted by a major tragedy caused by a heinous act of terror last evening.
The pre-meditated massacre of innocent people as they were participating in Bastille Day celebrations - including, sadly, many children, is an unspeakable crime.
The people of India stand beside the people of France with solidarity and sympathy. We share your grief at the loss of lives and pray for the swift recovery of the injured, Mukherjee said.
India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people and government of France as it responds to this attack.
We will strengthen our cooperation with France and other countries in the fight against terrorism, Mukherjee said in a series of tweets.
A 44-year-old Pune man who shot to fame four years ago for making a Rs 1.27 crore shirt entirely of gold was attacked with stones and killed, allegedly in front of his son, early Friday morning.
Police arrested five people in connection to Dattatray Phuges death, and his nephew and friends were being interrogated for their alleged role in the crime. Officials probing the case said financial troubles could have been the motive for the murder.
Those arrested in the case include Amol Pathare, 24, Shailesh Walke, 26, Vishal Parkhe, 32, Nivrutti Walke, 45 and Pramod Dholpuria, 23.
Some of the investors had complained about financial irregularities in the past and could be behind his murder, sources said.
Police said Phuge was attacked in an open ground and bludgeoned to death.
Phuge and his son were invited by one of the suspects to celebrate a birthday. However we are investigating how Phuge reached the ground, Dighi police station inspector Navnath Ghogare said.
Phuges 22-year-old son, who reached the spot following a similar birthday invitation and witnessed his fathers murder, was spared by the attackers, police said.
The 44-year-old was aspiring to contest assembly elections and had brawls with some of these investors, police added.
Phuges wife Seema said some people came to their house in Bhosari late on Thursday night and asked her husband to accompany them.
After taking my husband to Bharatmata nagar in Dighi, they attacked him with stones and sharp weapons, said Seema, who is an ex-corporator from the Nationalist Congress Party. She was dismissed from the post after it was found that she submitted a fake caste certificate.
Phuges pictures first appeared in the media after he wore a specially made shirt using 22-carat gold that weighed 3.5 kilogrammes. At the time, Phuge had maintained that he made the gold shirt to attract peoples attention.
Police said Phuge had recently given his gold shirt to a Mumbai-based businessman, from whom he had borrowed money but could not repay it.
Read: Golden high for a Pune man
With inputs from PTI
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Reinstated Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki has sought more time from the governor to prove his strength in the assembly after a decision to schedule the floor test on July 16 surprised many.
The decision on floor test, Tuki said, was hasty and completely unwarranted.
In a letter to governor Tathagata Roy late Thursday night a few hours after occupying the chief ministers office at 3:45pm Tuki cited the Sarkaria Commissions recommendations on holding a floor test to justify his plea for reasonable time usually taken to be 30 days.
The direction to prove my majority on the floor of the house on or before July 16 gives me less than 48 hours time since my arrival in Itanagar today. Many of my colleagues/MLAs are out of station and I am trying to contact them, the Congress leader said.
The extremely short duration of time for holding the floor test to prove his majority not later than Saturday was inadequate and unwarranted, he said and added that the decision was taken in haste.
But the Raj Bhavan in Arunachal Pradesh said it has not received the letter. We have not yet (about 11 am) received the letter from the chief minister seeking time. We stand by the governors notification for trial of strength on or before Saturday, the 16th of July, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson told HT.
Tuki was ousted as CM earlier this year after a rebellion in the Congress led to the imposition of Presidents Rule in the state. The breakaway faction, led by Kalikho Pul, formed the government with support from the BJP.
But on Wednesday, the Supreme Court restored Tukis government, quashing all decisions made by the governor.
But experts indicate the Congress has an uphill task in proving its majority as it has just 15 members in the 60-member assembly. The current strength of the assembly is 58 because of two resignations.
Read: Its a political potboiler in Arunachal as BJP, Cong fight over MLAs
Tuki has said he has reached out to the dissidents but the quick floor test might spoil his plans.
In his letter, Tuki reminded the governor that the Sarkaria panel recommended reasonable time for the assembly to be summoned for a chief minister to prove his majority.
The panels report said: What is reasonable will depend on the circumstances of each case. Generally, a period of 30 days will be reasonable unless there is very urgent business to be transacted, such as passing the budget, in which case a shorter period may be indicated.
Even the Justice Punchahi Commissions report of March 2000 on Centre-state relations has endorsed the Sarkaria panels recommendations for holding floor tests, Tuki said.
The Punchahi panel recommendations were followed by the Supreme Courts five-judge constitution bench in case that led to the reinstatement of the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh, the chief minister said.
Because of the states topography and communication bottlenecks, the MLAs in far-flung areas would not be able to come to Itanagar for the floor test, Tuki said.
Besides, a meeting of the cabinet will be convened soon to decide the date for convening the sixth session of the sixth Arunachal Pradesh legislative assembly. Therefore, in consultation with the Speaker (Nabam Rebia), the governor will have to be requested to summon the house accordingly.
Meanwhile, Chowna Mein, who was deputy chief minister during Kalikho Puls four-month rule, said all the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) legislators camping in Guwahati would be reaching Itanagar by Friday evening for Saturdays floor test.
The 60-member assembly, with an effective strength of 58 because of resignations, has 30 PPA legislators. But Tuki said the SC judgement automatically made them Congress MLAs again.
The 30 were Congress MLAs who revolted against Tuki, formed a rebel Congress government under Pul on February 19 and merged with the regional PPA in March. The BJP with 11 legislators and two independents had backed Puls PPA government.
Including Tuki, the Congress has 15 MLAs. But we now have 45 MLAs because the SC order has turned the clock back and erased everything that happened after December 15 last year,
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Former Rajasthan governor Margaret Alva has disclosed that late Shankar Dayal Sharma, who later went on to become the President of India, was Sonia Gandhis first choice as Prime Minister in 1991 but he refused on age and health grounds. In an interview to HT, Alva says PV Narasimha Rao finally became the Prime Minister after several rounds of consultations and with Sonias blessings.
Q: You are saying Shankar Daya Sharma was Sonia Gandhis first choice for the Prime Ministers post. What had happened?
A: Shankar Dayal Sharmaji refused because he did not want it. He said his age and health does not permit him. Later, PV became the PM after consultations within the party. You know in the party consensus emerges, compromises are worked out, you promise to do something here and something there. One of the promises made by PV was that he will give up the party presidentship after becoming the PM but he never gave it up. Arjun Singh wanted to become the party chief. And that was the reason how their relations got spoiled.
Q: You have narrated an incident in the book that at Canberra in Australia a Member of Parliament tried to pull a housekeeper into bed with him after he presumed that she had been sent by the hotel for the night and this resulted in unexpected crisis?
A: He mistook the services that were offered by the hotel. We landed in quite a mess but we sorted it out. It was a huge embarrassment. We apologised and explained what had happened. Of course, we left the hotel early morning before the press could get to us. But yes he was not from the Congress party.
Q: After your expulsion from the Congress, how are your relations with Sonia Gandhi?
A: She stayed with me for two days in Dehradun when I was Uttarakhand governor. We have been very close even after I resigned on the Karnataka issue.
Q: You have said that you managed several non-Congress votes for Pranab Mukherjee in 2012 presidential elections? Who were they?
A: I can say very proudly that I got 18 votes for him from other political parties. I also spoke to 2-3 non-Congress chief ministers who were personal friends.
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The Congress decision to project a Brahmin leader as the partys chief ministerial face in Uttar Pradesh has upset the BJPs preparations to fight next years assembly elections in the countrys most populous state.
Struggling to find its CM candidate yet, the saffron party is a little concerned, if not worried, about its poll strategy in the politically important state with 403 Vidhan Sabha seats.
On Thursday, the Congress announced 78-year-old Sheila Dikshit--she hails from a Punjabi family of Khatris, who consider themselves of Vedic descent--as its CM face in UP, where influential political parties are into a social engineering of Hindu castes.
Read: Cong picks daughter-in-law of UP Sheila Dikshit as CM candidate for 2017 poll
To its credit, the BJP, which is keen wooing the Brahmin community in UP, has an array of senior leaders in the state. But that only makes the selection for CM candidate a tougher task.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh, the BJPs first choice for the CM face, is reluctant to take any formal role in UP. A Thakur stalwart, the 65-year-old leader with strong RSS connections is by far UPs last forward-caste chief minister. He is also the BJPs last CM in UP and one of the partys two leaders with a pan-state appeal.
But, Singh has moved on from UP politics, sources point out. Currently the number two in central government, he wont mind campaigning aggressively for the party in his home state. Even so, taking up a formal role as the CM or becoming campaign committee chief is something he is not open to, a source close to Singh told HT.
Also, they say it will not be a wise move to pit Singh against a young leader like Akhilesh Yadav, whose father Mulayam Singh is Rajnaths contemporary.
Caste-wise, Brahmins and Thakurs have historically fought with each other for political dominance in post-Independence Uttar Pradesh. On its part recently, the BJP gave the lone Rajya Sabha seat to a Brahmin and appointed one more union minister from that community without dropping Kalraj Mishra, who is a Lok Sabha member from UP.
Rajnaths image of a Thakur leader and his association with central UP leaders such as Raghuraj Pratap Singh and Braj Bhushan Sharan Singh could force the BJP into a rethink. The partys dilemma with 75-year-old Mishra is that age is not on his side.
That leaves the BJP with its second option: young Sultanpur MP Varun Gandhi, another leader with a Brahmin lineage. The two-time parliamentarian is the only leader after Rajnath having some following in every pocket of the state.
Varun, 36, however, is not known for sharing best his relationship with the party brass. BJP national chief Amit Shah dropped him as the partys national general secretary in 2014, while giving prominence to lesser-known UP Brahmin faces such as Lucknow mayor Dinesh Sharma and Noida MP Mahesh Sharma.
Gandhi has also set out to alter his image from a firebrand Hindu leader to a left of the centre liberal leader. That also doesnt go well with Shahs polarising strategy.
But, as a BJP functionary says, a situation has come where ignoring Varuns claim wont be easy. He is young, and has personal following in about two dozen Lok Sabha seats, he notes. Both sides (Varun and Shah) will have to walk towards each other to find a common ground.
Varuns name did figure on Thursday in a discussion at an ongoing RSS meet in Kanpur, but the Sangh decided to take a call on the matter at a later date. A coordination meeting of the Sangh and the BJP is expected in September, where the issues will again be taken up. Any call on projecting a CM face will be taken closer to the election (the dates of which have not been declared), an RSS leader said.
Om Mathur, who is in charge of the BJP affairs in Uttar Pradesh, sounded a similar note. It is an issue that will be decided collectively. We will decide as and when the time comes, he told HT.
But concerns have already started building in the BJP. The party is excited with the new enthusiasm among party cadre after last months executive meeting in Allahabad and Shahs extensive tour to the state to meet booth-level workers. It has started realising the need for a CM face in UP to capitalise of this new enthusiasm.
We have to find one, soon. Else, it will be a perfect recipe for disaster, said a BJP leader. It would be like seeking a good film--with good script, dance and music--but without knowing who the hero is.
This time, the BJP is targeting 60-65% of the UP electorate, which excludes the dominant Muslim, Yadav and Jatav.
In Akhilesh and Mulayam, the SP has strong OBC faces. The BSPs Mayawati remains tallest leader of Dalits, particularly Jatavs.
It is for the first time the Congress has projected a Brahmin as its CM face in UP to win over the priestly community, which owes allegiance to party veteran Narayan Dutt Tiwari who is now 90. The grand old party having dared such an experiment, the BJP cannot remain faceless when it comes to its CM candidate in the run-up to 2017.
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Sonia Gandhi was angry with prime minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1992 when his government decided to appeal against the Delhi high courts decision to quash a police complaint in the Bofors gun case, says senior party leader Margaret Alva.
What does the Prime Minister want to do? Send me to jail? snapped Sonia, who is now the Congress president, when Alva met her. Alva met Sonia to clarify that she, in her capacity as the minister for personnel, was in charge of the CBI but she had no role in the government decision as instructions had gone directly through the Prime Ministers Office.
What has the Congress government done for me? This house was allotted to me by the Chandra Shekhar government. I am not seeking any favours for myself and my children from him, Sonia told the minister who was trying to broker peace between Rao and Sonia.
She was really angry, says Alva in her autobiography, Courage & Commitment, published by Rupa Publications.
She (Sonia) seemed unable to trust him (Rao), not least because of his proximity to (godman) Chandraswami, who was being investigated for his role in Rajivjis assassination. The Prime Minister, on his part, had always been unnerved by her aloofness. But after the Babri Masjid episode, the undercurrent of coldness and suspicion increasedShe was doubly upset with him (after the governments appeal in Bofors case), says Alva, a senior Congress leader who had been stripped of party posts in 2008 after she alleged that party tickets were sold in Karnataka elections. The Congress denied a ticket to Alvas son for contesting elections, but she was later rehabilitated as a Governor.
Read: Shankar Dayal Sharma was Sonias PM choice: Margaret Alva
When Alva conveyed Sonias response to Rao, he snapped at her: What does she (Sonia) want from me? I cannot close the Bofors case, which is before the courts. It will go on.
Alva blames Prime Minister Indira Gandhis decision to impose Emergency in 1975 on her trusted team, claiming Indira was a committed democrat who had been driven by circumstances. She says Indiras advisors were humiliated by her son Sanjay who held a meeting with party MPs to draft a new Constitution responsive to the needs of a changing polity.
At first, we suspected that she did not oppose Sanjay simply because she couldnt--as she had confessed to close advisors. Yet, as days passed, we began to believe that Sanjay had his mothers support for all that he did. It began to dawn on us that Sanjay was being used as the sounding board.
After visiting Turkman Gate in Delhi, where Sanjay Gandhi had ordered a demolition drive to promote beautification, Alva went to apprise Indira of the plight of the residents. Indira gave her a cold response: Some hard decisions have to be taken sometimes. Otherwise, nothing can change, right?
Alva was opposed to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhis move to bring a legislation to nullify the Supreme Court ruling in the Shah Bano case which provided maintenance to divorced Muslim women.
As Minister for Women, I pleaded with the Prime Minister to stand firm. But I began to sense a note of disquiet in his responses. I persisted. Your grandfather had the courage to stand up to Hindu right-wing groups and bring in the Hindu Code Bill despite their opposition. Today everyone has accepted it. Please do not tarnish your image, I begged. Rajivji was upset. Yes, my grandfather was a Hindu dealing with Hindu law. Here I am a Hindu dealing with Muslim law. Do you see the difference?
At a meeting with Rajig, Alva tried to reason with him again. Light-heartedly, I asked, Why this proposed amendment only for Muslim women? What about Christian women? We are also minorities. Who will provide for us? Get divorced and come to me. I will tell you where to go! the Prime Minister shot back rather curtly. Do you know that educated Muslim women like Najma Heptulla and Mohsina Kidwai are pleading for this law? Get me 50,000 Muslim women to oppose this move at Rajpath, like you did at Bangalore, and I will concede your demand.
Alva went to Sonia and pleaded with her to stop the move as it will destroy Rajivs image. She agreed with me, but said, I do not interfere with his official work. There the matter ended.
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In the backdrop of the lone wolf terror attack in France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet state chief ministers on Saturday to discuss religious radicalisation and Pakistan-sponsored terror in the hinterland.
The meeting comes right on the heels of an interaction between state counter-terror chiefs that revealed the technological limitations police forces face while patrolling cyberspace, where most radicalisation is taking place, and their struggles to have adequate human assets on the ground.
The 11th Inter-State Council meeting, to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will focus on intelligence sharing, coordination for combatting terror, insurgency, police reforms and modernisation.
While the agenda paper accessed by HT does not mention the Islamic State (IS) threat or religious radicalisation, the topic will find resonance in a preliminary briefing to the chief ministers by home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi.
The agenda paper blames Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence for promoting terror in India through affiliate terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jasih-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and Indian Mujahideen. It says there have been at least 56 infiltration attempts in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year, and points to the presence of 12 terrorist training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and five in Pakistan.
The meeting of the counter-terror chiefs laid bare the polices inability to block online radicalisation since the servers of popular applications like Google Plus, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Pidgin are based in the US or Europe.
The police want these companies to have servers in India so they can immediately get to the location of IP addresses being used for radicalisation or planning terror attacks. They also want more human resources to develop intelligence on the ground to pre-empt any terror threat.
Online radicalisation has become a major security issue. No less than 60 Indians are in the Islamic State ranks in Syria, and recent news of 21 missing Kerala youth joining the terror group has brought home this threat even more.
The police have had some success in busting IS modules in Haridwar and Hyderabad, with the help of security agencies, and pre-empting their plans to attack temples and gatherings to cause communal tensions.
But despite the seriousness of the IS threat, states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal which has a real problem on its hands due to the rising influence of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh are yet to set up anti-terror squads due to political sensitivities.
The agenda paper also points to the threat from Left-wing extremists, who are trying to target new states and carve out a base on the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
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Pakistan said on Friday it will observe July 19 as a black day to protest against killings in Jammu and Kashmir, drawing an angry reaction from India which again accused Islamabad of interfering in New Delhis internal affairs and backing terrorism.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proposed the observance of the black day while chairing a meeting of his cabinet in Lahore that discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been roiled by protests over the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani last week.
Sharif and Pakistans foreign ministry have angered India by referring to Wani, a commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, as a Kashmiri leader and describing his death as an extrajudicial killing. At least 37 people have died in protests following Wanis killing.
India again dismissed Pakistans criticism of its handling of the situation in Kashmir, saying it was dismayed at Islamabads continued attempts to interfere in our internal matters where external parties have no role.
Read| Stay out of our internal affairs: India tells Pakistan over Kashmir remarks
External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said: India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and KashmirContinued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations makes it amply clear where Pakistans sympathies continue to lie.
Swarup asked Pakistan to respond constructively to Indias initiatives for peace and normalising bilateral ties.
Despite the ire expressed by India in the past few days, Sharif again described Wani as a martyr of (the) independence movement on Friday. He also characterised the movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom.
During the cabinet meeting, Sharif trotted out Pakistans stated position of extending moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris for their right to self-determination. The cabinet also decided to convene a joint session of parliament on the Kashmir situation
Read| Now, Pakistan army chief criticises Indias handling of Kashmir unrest
Calling on the UN to fulfill its incomplete agenda on Kashmir, Sharif said, I and entire Pakistan nation steadfastly stand by Kashmiris against Indian oppression. Describing the freedom movement as terrorism amounted to sheer dishonesty by India, he said.
Sharifs cabinet asked India to hold dialogue with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and to include Kashmiri leaders in the process. He directed government departments to highlight alleged atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir at international forums.
The cabinet also offered prayers for what it described as the martyrs of Kashmir.
Rebutting Pakistan, Swarup said Islamabads self serving actions to derive political mileage out of recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir had followed planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India.
Read| Pak extols virtues of terrorists, covets territory of others: India at UN
He hinted attempts by various players in Pakistan to ingratiate themselves with the Kashmiri people were aimed at forthcoming polls in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. We hope that Pakistan will desist from further interfering in Indias internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts, he added.
Sharif had expressed a desire for better ties with India soon after coming to power in 2013. However, Pakistans foreign and security policies are largely decided by the powerful military.
Following recent attacks by opposition political parties for his perceived silence on the Kashmir issue, Sharif and his ruling PML-N party have stepped up criticism of the Indian governments handling of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Read| Bad strategy: Why Pakistan wont gain by playing the Kashmir card
Rain revelry turned fatal for five-year-old Prince alias Nanu, when the child died after falling into an open sewage drain near VKI Road no 2 on Friday. The incident happened around 7:30 am when Nanu along with his friends went out to enjoy the pleasant weather and to get drenched in showers.
The sewage drain is situated near a private school and runs through the locality. The kids were having fun and had come near to the drain when Nanu wandered even closer and fell into it. A team of police rushed to the spot upon getting information and launched a rescue operation. The drain is approximately 8 feet deep, said assistant sub inspector, Murlipura police station, Sita Singh.
After searching for almost one and a half hour, we found the body of the child around 100 feet away from the place where he had fallen. He was rushed to the Kanwatiya Hospital but doctors declared him dead, said Singh, who is investigating the case.
He said Nanu, who hails from Motihari in Bihar, was living in Jaipur with his aunt. His father, a vegetable vendor, is on his way to Jaipur and a postmortem will be done after his arrival.
As the blame game erupted, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) suspended junior engineer (JEN) Kusum Lata Garg for negligence and lodged an FIR against a private contractor who was given the work to clear drains in ward number 4, where the incident took place.
JMC commissioner Hemant Gera said: The junior engineer Kusum Lata Garg has been suspended while executive engineer (XEN) Pawan Agarwal and assistant engineer Ratan Singh were charge sheeted.
Gross negligence on part of JMC
Open drains in the city show gross neglect on part of the JMC, which has done a cringe-worthy job when it comes to cleaning of drains before monsoon and covering them. In most areas of the city, drains are left open, making it risky for pedestrians and children and in some cases after cleaning the drain the garbage is also dumped aside.
I have raised the issue several times to the JMC administration but no one has ever listened to me. Most drains in our areas are open and the child drowned in such a drain, said Ward 4 councilor Sushil Sharma.
Executive engineer Agarwal, earlier in the day, claimed that most of the drains had been covered.
After doing the cleaning of the drains, we had covered them. Only those areas which were damaged during cleaning werent covered. The child drowned after falling in the drain in one such place where the covers couldnt be installed, said Agarwal.
Police, however, countered his claim, saying in other areas too drains are not covered.
Ashok Gupta, deputy commissioner of police (west), said: We are investigating the matter and if it is found that the drain was left open because of negligence of anyone then action will be taken.
The police sent a Class 12 girl, who forced her junior to strip, to a childrens shelter home and arrested the principal and a teacher of Jodhpurs Sohanlal Manihar Girls Senior Secondary School for allegedly trying to hush up the ragging case.
Five students of Class 12 allegedly ragged and forced a 17-year-old student of Class 11 to undress on July 8 inside a toilet. Two students forced the victim to undress, while two others assisted them in the act, the police said. Shocked by the harassment, the girl refused to return to school.
The victims parent lodged a case on Wednesday after school principal Vidharti Kalla and administration tried to brush aside the incident.
The police took the main accused into custody on Thursday and sent the minor to a childrens shelter home following the juvenile justice boards directions. Kalla and teacher Indermal Goyal were arrested late on Thursday night and produced before the court which granted them bail.
Police are now trying to identify the other students who were part of the ragging. The school management has suspended the key accused in the case for a week.
Victim writes to HM, records statement
The victim recorded her statement before a magistrate on Friday. The girl also wrote to the school administration to cancel her admission and refund fees.
In a letter to the state home minister, the girl has demanded that a special investigating officer be deputed to probe her case and urged the state government to cancel accreditation of all those schools where cases of ragging have been reported.
If such a step is not taken, several of the students will be forced to drop out mid-term, she said in her letter.
The girl warned in the letter that she might be forced to take an extreme step if not given justice.
A week into their enquiry against controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and his Peace TV channel, the Mumbai police have not found anything concrete that could be used to charge Naik with inciting terrorism or any other crime. A source in the police said, however, that a lot of material in the form of speeches, sermons and published works is yet to be scanned.
A source in the enquiry team said they will take legal assistance to have all the remaining materials checked before submitting a report to the state government in the next few days.
According to the source, the teams have come across contentious speeches but are continuing their search for stronger evidence as what they have so far is unlikely to hold up in court. Investigators also said they will take help of forensic experts to ascertain if any objectionable material found during the probe has been doctored.
The special branch of the Mumbai police is also compiling a list of former employees of Naiks Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and Harmony Media Pvt Ltd, which edits shows meant to be aired on his channel Peace TV, which is banned in India. Officials are hoping that former employees can give them details about the activities of Harmony Media.
Naik faces three cases in Maharashtra at Kurla, Sawantwadi and Vengurla over a speech he gave in 2013. However, police sources said he has already been questioned in those cases. He was, however, asked to report to the Mumbai police while leaving the country and on arrival, after the 2013 case was registered. Naik has also been booked in a few cases in other states. Officials said that a writ petition he filed in the Supreme Court, asking that a single agency investigate all the cases against him in various states, is also pending.
Naik has been in the spotlight ever since two of the six terrorists who attacked the Holey Artisan Cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh, two weeks ago claimed they had been influenced by his sermons. He had been on the polices radar well before that and was questioned by the states anti-terrorism squad in 2006 after the police found that a suspect in the July 11 train bombings that year was an employee at his Dongri office.
Days after her Twitter spat with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Pankaja Munde, who got back to the city from Singapore, told her supporters that she was not miffed over the loss of her water conservation portfolio in the cabinet reshuffle.
She was addressing her supporters, who had gathered at her official residence at Peddar Road on Friday morning. However, her address and the supporters mini show of strength seemed to suggest that alls not well in the Fadnavis cabinet.
Sources present told HT that Munde had spoken at the insistence of her well-wishers and had said she had never conspired against anyone, played games or stabbed anyone in the back.
This is being construed as a jibe against Fadnavis, who is being seen as someone who ousted his biggest rival from the cabinet, Eknath Khadse.
Munde, a CM aspirant, has also been seen as Fadnavis rival in the past but the two have worked together so far, with the latter even defending her during the chikki scam.
She said she had her father Gopinath Mundes legacy and would make golden any opportunity that she was given, a BJP party leader said. She also said she had worked hard to make the Jal Yukt Shivar scheme successful to make the state drought free and would similarly make her present portfolios popular.
She also asked her supporters to maintain peace.
Munde met the new water conservation minister Ram Shinde, who had come to meet her at her bungalow and wished him all the best. She said she was glad that someone who was like a brother to her had got the portfolio.
Shinde had refused to take charge of the department after the Twitter controversy erupted and only assumed office on Thursday after Fadnavis ticked him off.
Controversial Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik on Friday addressed a press conference via Skype from Medina in Saudi Arabia, at which he dismissed as misinformation allegations that he advocated suicide bombings or inspired terrorists. He said he has always condemned suicide attacks as they lead to the deaths of innocent people, which is anti-Islam. However, he went on to say that suicide bombings can be used in some situations.
Naik, the subject of a police inquiry since it was reported that two of the terrorists who took hostages in Dhaka two weeks ago had drawn inspiration from his sermons, began the press conference by offering condolences for the victims of Fridays carnage in Nice, France.
I did not inspire any terrorist. Suicide bombings targeting innocent people are condemnable, Naik said, adding that his statements on terrorism and suicide bombings had been doctored and tampered [with].
However, he soon contradicted himself sustaining a running theme in many of his sermons and speeches by saying, However, [suicide attacks] may be used as a tactic of war to save a country.
The press conference was attended by his supporters and plainclothes policemen, who recorded a video of the event.
Naik said, I have never advocated suicide bombing. I have always said that killing any innocent human being is the second major sin in Islam. There is no scripture in the world apart from Quran that says if you have killed one human being you have killed the entire humanity, and if you save one human being you have saved the whole nation.
He added, There are chances that you might have seen a doctored clip. Go to our Youtube channel. I have spoken thousands of times. May be there are 10 sentences where you can take out double meaning. But there are thousands of sentences in my talks which condemn unambiguously that killing innocent human beings is prohibited.
He then claimed that he was being used for ulterior motives, saying, What should the media do is and what the agencies should do is [catch] the people who are using Dr Naiks popularity for ulterior motives. Instead you are blaming me.
He also claimed that videos of him praising slain al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden had been doctored to show him in bad light.
When asked about Feroz Deshmukh, an alleged member of his Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) who was arrested in the Aurangabad arms haul case and is out on bail, he said, Deshmukh did not work with us, he worked in another office located near IRF and hence we were acquainted.
However, he confirmed that Raheel Shaikh, a wanted suspect in the 7/11 train blasts case, was an employee of IRF. Naik claimed he had no knowledge of Shaikhs background. I never go to check the persons background and if an employee goes rogue, the employer cannot be blamed, he said.
Naik was evasive on certain questions and claimed he didnt know who Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi (a top Lashkar-e-Taiba leader) or Hafiz Saeed (the founder of LeT) are, before adding that he was a proud Indian. He also refused to speak about the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, which Saeed allegedly masterminded, saying the questions were irrelevant.
On the finances of IRF and his television channel Peace TV, Naik said, In case there have been violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, let the agencies tell me. In the past too, a team of officers from Delhi came calling and probed the funding and other aspects of IRF, but found nothing.
When asked why he thinks Peace TV is banned in India, Naik said, We had applied to the Information and Broadcasting ministry for downlinking rights in 2008. But the ministry did not give us any reason for rejecting our application, and just said that it was confidential. He added, I am asking the I&B ministry - why have they not given downlinking rights to Peace TV?
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Mumbai has been put on high alert after the attack in France and security has been beefed up at almost all vital installations. Security at the Mumbai international airport too has been beefed up
Police sources said that the perceived threat has seen regular nakabandis being organised across the city. The bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) and other units carried out anti-sabotage checking at vital installations in south Mumbai, which has maximum sensitive and terror attack-prone installations.
The quick response team (QRTs) personnel, combat mobiles (vehicles) and assault mobile (vehicles) were placed on strategic locations, added police officials.
The railway police have also increased security on railway stations. We have identified at least eight sensitive railway stations in Mumbai and the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force will enforce heavy security.
You are not forgotten, you are on the agenda - Piotr Switalski to Armenians (video)
The European Union and Armenia have started to speak in the same languages in issues concerning corruption, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski, said on July 15. He says in the past there were differences between the EU and Armenia on the issue. Mr. Svitalski stressed that the EU has an ambitious agenda. We have entered the phase of intensive discussions with Armenia and we are witnessing rapid progress, he said. For Armenia, the EU has two priorities - strengthening and stabilizing. We want you to adopt norms related to democracy and human rights so that there will be no surprises, Ambassador Switalski said. He considers Armenias security to be another priority. The EU understands that Armenia has a specific priority and specific security threats and wants to be helpful to the country. In this regard, Mr Switalski recalled the words of Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, who, speaking about Armenia, said: It is possible to be a member of another security system and cooperate with the EU. Speaking about the political dialogue with Armenia, Piotr Switalski said, The level of our relations is determined by our Armenian partners. We do not crave for an egoistic level. Ambassador Switalski also had fresh information for Armenia. He had received documents from Brussels about the next Eastern Partnership summit which also offered to to ease visa regime for Armenia. In this sense, I am inclined to be optimistic. Armenia-EU visa regime facilitation is included in the list of priorities. Seeing the disappointment among Armenians, I want to say that you are not forgotten, you are on the agenda, the Ambassador said.
Eleven of the 12 men convicted in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape case told the Bombay high court (HC) on Friday that Bilkiss testimony was bogus and the CBI backed her story by fabricating evidence. The HC was hearing their appeals challenging their conviction by a special Mumbai court.
Harshad Ponda, senior advocate appearing for the convicts, raised doubts on the chronology of the events narrated by Bilkis, the FIR registered by the Gujarat police and the photographs of the dead bodies and other evidence collected from the spot.
According to Bilkis, on March 3, 2002, the convicts attacked her family when she was fleeing the Devgarh Baria village of Dahod district in Gujarat, in the aftermath of the Godhra riots. While eight people were killed, six others were reported missing and three Bilkis and her two family members, master Hussain and Sadaam survived. Bilkis said the family stopped in the village for her sister Shamims delivery.
Ponda argued the story that Shamim was pregnant and gave birth to a girl, who Bilkis claimed was killed in the incident, was fictitious. He disputed the veracity of the photographs of the bodies the CBI exhumed and other evidence recovered from the spot, as those who had taken the photographs had testified saying the CBI had tortured them into giving a statement.
When the CBI took over the probe in January 2004, it seized an envelope containing eight photographs and 10 negatives -- from one of the prosecution witnesses. Ponda argued that if only seven bodies were recovered, how did the CBI produce eight photos?
The CBI, meanwhile, seemed ill-prepared to refute Pondas claims and satisfy the court on the number and identity of the victims, the chronology of events, the charges faced by the convicts. CBI counsel Hiten Venegaonkar expressed his inability to read out the post-mortem report because it was in Gujarati.
At this, the bench of justices VK Tahilramani and Mridula Bhatkar directed the CBI to be better prepared.
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ITANAGAR/GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI: Arunachal Pradesh appeared to be headed for another round of political turmoil, after the Supreme Court restored the Congress government in the northeastern hill state on Wednesday. Acting governor Tathagata Roy on Thursday asked chief minister Nabam Tuki to take a floor test in the state assembly on Saturday to prove he has the numbers to rule.
The Tuki government could, however, be on a slippery ground with ousted chief minister Kalikho Pul parading 29 dissident Congress lawmakers before the media in Guwahati. He claimed the support of 11 BJP and two Independent MLAs in the 60-member assembly, in which two seats are vacant because of resignations.
I have the support of these 29 MLAs. So we are 30, half of the total strength of the assembly In the number game, I have the majority. In a floor test, my government will survive, Pul said.
That leaves the Congress with only 15 legislators, just half of the requisite majority figure in a House with an effective strength of 58. AICC secretary Jay Kumar flew to Itanagar to woo back the Congress rebel MLAs, who had sided with the BJP to unseat Tuki last December. The Arunachal capital was abuzz with talks about the possibility of horsetrading. Congress sources said the party could call the legislature party meeting ahead of the vote of confidence, and absent lawmakers might face disqualification. If Tuki fails to muster the numbers, sources said, he could recommend dissolution of the assembly and fresh elections. But he could face a gubernatorial hurdle in that case.
The decision of Roy, the Tripura governor officiating on behalf of his ailing Arunachal counterpart, to give only two days to the Congress government to prove its majority raised eyebrows too.
I will win the floor test, but I need 10-15 days. Many MLAs are away and they cannot come to Itanagar by Saturday because of the difficult topography and communication bottlenecks, Tuki said in Itanagar. Arunachal was placed under Presidents Rule on January 26 after 21 of 47 Congress legislators rebelled against Tuki, reducing his government to a minority.
Before the apex court reserved its verdict on February 20 this year, rebel Congress leader Kalikho Pul was sworn in as chief minister with the support of dissident Congress MLAs and BJP legislators. The Congress rebels joined the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) later.
The top courts order on Wednesday to maintain pre-December 15 status quo means the MLAs who went away to PPA are now Congress members, Tuki said. And so the Congress strength is now 45, as it was then. I have appealed to those who joined the other camp to return and take part in the floor test. All of them will have to abide by the decision of the Congress legislature party, he said.
Arunachal gover nor JP Rajkhowa, who got a rap from the apex court for his actions leading to the Tuki governments fall, was reportedly in Guwahati, the hotbed of action where Pul brought his flock of Congress dissidents to guard against poaching. Rajkhowa is on leave for medical reasons. He was discharged from hospital last Monday, but chose to recuperate in the Assam capital.
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday named former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit its CM candidate for next years crucial assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, hailing her vast political experience and good governance.
The party also said Sanjay Singh would head its campaign committee and Pramod Tiwari its coordination committee, days after it appointed Raj Babbar as its new state unit chief. All three are Rajya Sabha MPs.
The naming of Dikshit, 78, is a departure from past practice for the Congress. The party usually keeps the issue open and alive in the face of multiple claimants, except when it has an incumbent CM, and ultimately lets the elected legislators authorise the high command to take a decision.
A move to deviate from this policy didnt work in the 2012 Punjab polls when Rahul Gandhi declared Captain Amarinder Singh the chief ministerial candidate in the middle of elections. The Congress suffered a shock defeat at the hands of the Shiromani Akali Dal, which made history by returning to power in a state that had always thrown out the incumbent government.
There is a rule and then, there is an exception, Congress general secretary in-charge of UP Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Thursday.
Dikshit who ruled Delhi for three consecutive terms over 15 years before being shocked by Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party in 2013 thanked the Congress leadership for the big responsibility. She promptly appealed to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to join her in the campaign, saying, She is a very popular leader. My plea would be that she campaign across the state.
Born in a Punjabi Khatri family in Kapurthala, Dikshit is the daughter-in-law of the late Uma Shankar Dikshit, a Brahmin leader from UP who served as a minister in the Indira Gandhi cabinet and later as a governor.
The Congress election strategist Prashant Kishor had consistently pushed for a bigger role for her in the UP polls.
With this move, the Congress hopes to win back the support of the Brahmin community, a traditional vote bank that has over the years shifted loyalties to the BJP and even the Mayawatiled BSP.
The thinking in the party is that Brahmins, who make up around 12% of UPs voting population, have the ability to attract other castes, and along with Muslims another big vote block at around 19% could help the Congress consolidation in the state.
The Congress big announcement was marred somewhat as Delhis Anti-Corruption Branch sent Dikshit a notice asking her to join the investigation into the alleged Rs400-crore water tanker scam, a move the CM pick called politically motivated.
The Congress is backing her fully and plans to counter the corruption allegations against her with a demand for the removal of the chief ministers of BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh (Raman Singh), Rajasthan (Vasundhara Raje) and Madhya Pradesh (Shivraj Singh Chouhan), who also face graft cases. If the BJP takes action against its chief ministers, we will consider changing her, Azad said.
As a daughter-in-law of UP, Dikshit will still have to fight the outsider tag. But with her presence, the Congress hopes to bring different factions on board. She is far too senior for the others to create any problem, said one party leader.
Organisational weaknesses have often been blamed for the Congress poor show in UP, where the party is desperately seeking a revival of its political fortunes after being thrown out of power in 1989. With the fresh appointments, the party hopes it will once again emerge a key player in the political map of the countrys most populous state.
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Devyani Khobragade, the diplomat who hit the limelight following her arrest in the US in 2013 and who has fallen out with a section of the foreign policy establishment of late, may have a new patron in the government.
Newly-inducted minister of state for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, is said to be keen on bringing the former deputy consul-general of India in New York as his private secretary. Athawales close aides said that he has taken up the matter with the concerned authorities even as external affairs ministry sources maintained there was no such move yet. Khobragade, currently a director in the MEA, has been on study leave for over six months.
But MEA sources said they have not received any request from Athawales office in this regard.
Her father, Uttam Khobragade, a former IAS officer, is the national executive president of RPI-A, which is part of the BJP-Shiv Sena-led Mahayuti (grand alliance) in Maharashtra, and had joined the party in September 2014.
The Noida authority on Friday said that the Supreme Court has asked all parties builders and farmers to go to Allahabad high court again for a land dispute regarding 2,530 square metres (sqm) of land that is part of nearly 20,000 sqm of residential land on which Civitech Developers has developed 540 housing units.
Many homebuyers have already shifted to their houses in the project located in Sector 77.
While hearing a petition, the Supreme Court said on May 9, 2016 that some parties who have an interest in the land were not heard in the Allahabad high court. As per SC order, we appeared in the high court on July 4. Now, we have a hearing in the matter on July 18 in the high court, said Rajesh Prakash, additional chief executive officer (CEO) of the Noida authority.
In its order, the SC directed the high court to hear the contentions of all parties and dispose of the matter preferably before September 30, 2016.
We quash and set aside the impugned order without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case. We remit the matter to the high court, said the SC order.
On May 21, 2015, the Allahabad high court had quashed acquisition of 2,530 sqm of land that is part of Civitech Developers group housing project, causing panic among homebuyers.
As the SC order has quashed the high court order for the time being, homebuyers do not need to worry now. The authority and the builder will put forth details of this case on the July 18 hearing, said the ACEO.
The high court had in May 2015 also quashed the lease deed executed between the realtor and the Noida authority. As a result, buyers have been facing issues in getting registries of their flats executed.
The SC order is a big relief to homebuyers because the high court order remains quashed now. We will tell the high court in the July 18 hearing that we had purchased land from the Noida authority unaware that some farmers had a dispute over it. We will also tell the court that buyers have already started living in the housing society, said Ganesh Kandpal, deputy general manger (Marketing & Communication), Civitech Developers Pvt. Ltd.
The case was filed in the Allahabad high court in 2012 by Sorkha village farmer Devi Singh, who still hopes to get his land back. Our land was acquired in 2006 for industrial development by implementing the urgency clause of the Industrial Act of 1894. However, no industry has been set up till date and the land acquired has been allotted to realtors for residential projects. The Noida authority flouted procedures and did not give us compensation till 2011, said Singh.
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The manifesto gaffe has led to dissident voices in the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party. At a recent meeting of the partys campaign committee, some senior Punjab leaders expressed their disillusionment for being forced to cut a sorry figure over the party using a picture of Golden Temple with its poll symbol broom on the youth manifesto released by AAP national convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on July 3 at Amritsar.
Senior party leaders also told AAPs in-charge in Punjab Sanjay Singh, who chaired the July 12 meeting, that the party should avoid playing the religion and caste card in the state. The manifesto fiasco has validated the claims of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders and Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh that the AAP in Punjab is being run by outsiders who have no idea about states ethos or culture. While the points to be included in the youth manifesto were discussed at a meeting, no senior leader was taken into confidence on the cover of the manifesto. Relegating senior Punjab leaders to the back benches and keeping the Delhi team in the forefront could prove counter-productive, a senior leader present at the meeting said on the condition of anonymity.
Also read: Badal compares AAPs manifesto gaffe with 1984 riots, Operation Bluestar
It was also said that the visits of Kejriwal to deras has dented the partys secular credentials. Kejriwal had lured youth and other sections with the promise of fighting corruption. But his visits to the deras and babas have not gone down well with Punjabi NRIs who had helped the AAP storm Punjab in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. We cannot alienate one to please another, said the AAP leader.
During his March visit, the Delhi CM had tried to woo Dalit votes by visiting Dera Sachkhand Ballan which has following among the Ravidassia community and dera of Baba Pargat Nath of the Valmiki community. In May, he had met Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale in Patiala after an attack on his convoy had claimed the life of his close associate.
Sanjay Singh, however, denied any rift in the party after the recent setbacks. It was a general meeting of the campaign committee and everyone had put forth their views. Our structure is of a national party and leaders from all states are going across the country, be it Punjab, Goa or Gujarat. It does not mean we are undermining the local state leadership. It is Sukhbir Badal (SAD president) and state Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh who are saying Delhi leaders are running the Punjab show, not our Punjab leaders and workers. Is Captain running the show in Punjab Congress or Sonia and Rahul Gandhi (Congress president and vice-president)? Sanjay Singh questions.
On Kejriwals visits to deras, he said the AAP respects all religions and there was nothing wrong in visiting institutions of faith. Unlike the SAD-BJP, we dont use religion to fuel tension or divide and rule, he added.
When questioned if this claim does not get dented by the alleged involvement of AAP legislator Naresh Yadav in Quran sacrilege, Singh said: Yadav has nothing to do with it and he will come out clean. The main accused is a habitual offender with a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background. Will RSS act on behest of an AAP MLA? he asked.
Read more: Past, present MLAs agree on AAP hand, but many in Malerkotla have questions
Punjab AAP convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur said it was decided at the meeting not to give in to provocations of the SAD-BJP and the Congress. All leaders said any statement should be issued after due consultations. Like any national party, the AAP too has central leaders. But Kejriwal has himself said the Punjab leaders know the state issues better as it takes time for someone to get to know a new place better, Chhotepur said.
Also read: Chhotepur owns responsibility for AAP mistakes in youth manifesto release
On the back foot after playing the religion card, Kejriwal may be forced to rethink his religion and caste politics in Punjab as murmurs of discontent within the party grow louder. In his attempt to not allow any Punjab leader to overshadow him, many believe he has cut most to size be it Chhotepur, HS Phoolka, MP Bhagwant Mann or Sukhpal Khaira. But as the state inches closer to elections, he may be forced to cede more space to state leaders. As far as SAD-BJPs bid to target it is concerned, the view within the party is more or less unanimous the more Akalis come after them, the more public sympathy they gain.
Dont miss | HT ANALYSIS After AAPs self-goals in Punjab, Team Kejri on the defensive
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A shot of cheap drug at one of the countrys top health institutes has left 30-odd people with red, swollen, and watering eyes, besides poor vision.
On Thursday, the wards of Advanced Eye Centre at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here were filled with people who had been injected with Swiss company Roches cancer-treatment drug Avastin as eye medicine on Tuesday. The hospital has started calling all the patients operated on that day. There is no mistake on part of the PGI, said a senior doctor on duty, even as in January, the federal drugs controller had advised states not to administer this drug for treating the eyes.
My father was under cataract treatment at the PGI for five months. On Tuesday, doctors injected a drug into his operated-upon eyes, and on Wednesday, he started complaining of pain and swelling in the right eye. He got a call from the PGI, asking him to rush to the hospital to save his vision, said the son of patient Mewa Singh, who will undergo a second surgery on Friday.
Left with itchiness in the left eye, patient Ashok Kumar of Patiala also received a call from the PGI to report there without delay, confirms his relative, Dayawanti. I dont know whats going wrong here. I have been sitting since morning, she said. Ambalas Hemant Kumar said he had ignored affected vision and pain in the eye until the call from the hospital.
On the top floor of the AEC, more than 30 patients with bandaged eyes lay on the beds. I could never imagine that the PGI doctors could go wrong. It has shaken my trust in the institute, said the attendant of another patient.
Some of the patients who reported to the hospital on Thursday after the negligence came to light. (HT Photo)
The PGI authorities were unavailable for comment. Asked how many people could be suffering, a doctor said the drug controller of India would have to check. Similar cases have happened outside as well. The PGIs instruments were sterilised. It was the Avastin injection that reacted. Thats why we always tell people to buy expensive drugs... the special injection that costs Rs 23,000 and most patients say they cannot afford. Theres even a Rs 1500 injection that can be used for multiple patients, he said.
Asked if the PGI doesnt have these injections in stock, he said: We do but it costs the patient Rs 25,000 every month and we recommend a dose every four weeks.
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The city police busted a child-trafficking racket during a sting operation conducted with the help of a non-government organisation (NGO) late on Thursday night. Cops arrested two doctors of the city-based sperm bank and four others for trying to sell a four-month-old boy for Rs 5 lakh at Baj Celebration hotel on Garha road here.
Dr Ramandeep Kaur, 29, of Bangas Patti Mattwali village, Dr Vishal Bhanot, 45, of Urban Estate, Phase-2, Seema, 28, of Baba Bakala, Amritsar, Harjinder Kaur, 30, of Sangat Singh Nagar, babys maternal grandmother Asha, 50, and grandfather Brij Mohan, 55, of Madhuban Colony in Basti Bawa Khel of the city, were taken into custody. Dr Reena, who works in Jaswant Hospital near Dakoha railway crossing, and Nakodar based Jyoti are yet to be caught.
Read: Sperm bank was being operated from rented premises
The baby Navjots mother Jyoti, 35, is a divorcee. Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Harjit Singh said Jyotis parents wanted her to remarry, and hence wanted to sell the baby. Mediators Harjinder and Seema are egg donors and have sold eggs for Rs 15,000 thrice before.
STING OPERATION
Acting on a tip-off, the police sent two representatives of the NGO Punjab Human Rights Organisation as Delhi-based infertile decoy couple to Dr Ramans centre on Wednesday morning. They struck a deal of Rs 5 lakh in the hotel room where the couple had told Kaur about their stay. Dr Ramandeep, Dr Vishal, Harjinder, and Seema reached there on Thursday late night accompanying Jyotis parents and the baby and were arrested by the cops in civvies.
The accused have been booked under Section 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave) of the Indian Penal Code. Out of the hefty deal amount, the parents were to get Rs 2 lakh and remaining was to be distributed among the doctors and donors.
ANOTHER CHILD SOLD
Addressing a press conference here, the DCP said, The egg donors have confessed to have sold one more child before and named Dr Reena as an accomplice. We are verifying the information.
With no drainage system in place, Gill Chowk and Dashmesh Nagar have to struggle with the problem of waterlogging during monsoon every year.
Adding to the problem is lackadaisical attitude of the authorities concerned, who have failed to find a solution despite repeated requests.
Dont miss | Chronic waterlogging IV: With storm drains clogged, waterlogging haunting Dholewal Chowk for past 15 yrs
Residents say municipal corporation employees never pay visit to listen to their grievances.
Even after the rain on July 2, water had entered shops and houses due to blockage in road gullies, which are further connected to the sewer line. Blockage in these road gullies persists as some people throw garbage on roadsides, which gets collected here. Besides, there is a need to construct more road gullies.
Shopkeepers alleged that problem has worsened after the construction of flyover around five years ago. As the drainage pipes from the flyover are not connected to the sewer line, rainwater gets collected on Link Road, thus flooding the area.
Shutters of most of the shops remain closed whenever it rains.
MC superintending engineer Rajinder Singh said there is no storm drainage system. We will find out a permanent solution to the problem of waterlogging soon, he said.
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The Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party government is reconsidering the controversial provisions of the proposed Punjab Control of Organised Crime Act (PCOCA), a stringent piece of legislation pushed by the police as an antidote to the rampant criminal activities of gangsters in the border state.
Dont miss | HT Spotlight: Gunning for the gangs of Punjab
At the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal deferred the proposal after senior BJP minister Madan Mohan Mittal said that certain provisions of the Act were harsh and susceptible to misuse.
Mittal, who holds industries portfolio, also argued that bringing a tough law (PCOCA) barely six months before the assembly election was a bad idea. His logic: A tough law would not only attract controversy, it would buttress oppositions charge on a downslide in the law and order.
Picking holes in the draft legislation, Mittal pointed out that it allowed the police to intercept calls and messages, and treat it as evidence. This provision, he told the cabinet, could be misused by the police and politicians against their rivals.
In the wake of a surge in organised gangs in Punjab, senior police officials have made a strong case for the PCOCA, which is modelled on a legislation already in force in Maharashtra to deal with the underworld criminals. The bills draft was legally vetted and endorsed by the home department headed by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal before it was tabled in the cabinet.
An official note circulated in the cabinet meeting says that there are 57 active gangs in Punjab. Of 115 cases filed against gangsters from 1996 till 2016, only 10 cases have ended in conviction because eyewitnesses in most cases turned hostile during trial.
Talking to the media in Hoshiarpur on Thursday, chief minister, however, said PCOCA has been put on hold not for political reasons but to allay apprehensions on its misuse. He said the advocate general has been asked to review the draft and introduce necessary safeguards against the possible misuse of the act. We do not want to leave any lacunae, he said, adding: It is imperative to adopt such a law to curb the organised crime.
However, a section of the ruling alliance is worried about the negative political fallout of the proposed bill. It will give a handle to our political opponents at a time when elections are round the corner, said Mittal.
The proposal of the act is expected to be discussed afresh in the next cabinet meeting. On the cabinets green signal, the state assembly will pass the legislation before it is sent for the Presidents assent.
The process is unlikely to be completed before the expiry of the SAD-BJP governments tenure in January next. A similar act passed by the Gujarat assembly has been awaiting Presidents assent for a decade. So, piloting the POCOCA could be a futile exercise, said Mittal.
Mittals skepticism is shared by Akalis too. Agriculture minister Tota Singh suggested an all-party meeting to discuss the PCOCA proposal and to take opposition on board before clearing it.
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In a major success on Thursday, the crime investigation agency-II (CIA) of the city police arrested the owner of immigration firm Aakriti Overseas and his accomplice, who holds a masters degree in Information Technology (MSc-IT), and seized 119 passports, fake offer letters along with an SUV.
The accused have been identified as the firms owner Baljinder Singh (29) and Yugraj Singh (25) of Kot Khalsa in Amritsar. Both were nabbed from Amritsar.
The CIA team has also recovered 161 fake offer letters supposed to be issued by a Kuwait-based construction company, 29 fake visas, 73 copies of driving licences, 34 school certificates, 64 medical examination certificates and SUV (HR-70-C-6039).
A total of 145 fraud complaints have been filed against the firm by youths from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, who were defrauded on the pretext of sending them to Kuwait. An FIR was registered against him under Sections 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 24 of the Emigration Act (offenses and penalties) on May 31 against the owner.
Baljinder Singh had used a fake name Sarbjot Singh and submitted a forged voter ID card. The Gurdaspur address of Singh mentioned on his voter identity card as Nathupur village in Qadian of Gurdaspur district was also fake. There is no village by this name in Gurdaspur.
Addressing a press conference, additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP investigation) Vivek S Soni, assistant commissioner of police (ACP investigation) Harjinder Singh said Baljinder also faced a fraud case in Amritsar where he runs a similar business under the name of Guru Enterprises.
They said the accused had recently opened another office in the Ladhewali locality with a different name Urban Overseas and used Rajvir Singh as fake name. A total of 145 complaints from Mansa, Kapurthala, Pathankot, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Moga and Rupnagar districts of Punjab and Una in Himachal Pradesh had been filed so far Aakriti Overseas and both the accused had duped youths of around Rs 30 lakh. Those duped had paid Rs 30,000- Rs 70,000 to the firm for securing them visa for Kuwait. Before the CIA, the bus stand police were investigating the case, but in mid-June, the probe was shifted to the agency.
The 200 skin heads who wear white dhoti-kurta and recite shlokas at Kartarpur, about 12 kilometres from here, arent from ancient university Nalanda but Punjabs only Sanskrit school, founded in 1970.
Guru Virjanand Gurukul Mahavidyalaya attracts students from Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and all over Punjab. Affiliated to Gurukul Kangari University, Haridwar, the Kartarpur college gives them free lessons and hostel. Sanskrit is the medium of conversation here.
The day at the college starts with at 4am yoga and yagna, followed by regular classes from 8am to 2pm. The starting class has become so good that now they even quarrel in Sanskrit, principal Udyan Arya said pointing to a Class-6 student. A boy from Bihar said in Sanskrit that he always wanted to study the language. The institution has 15 teachers.
Also read: Indias only Sanskrit daily, Sudharma, fights for survival
Sanskrit creates its words, while other languages acquire them, said the principal. We say chalwaak for mobile and antarjaal for the internet. Its a myth that studying Sanskrit will kill Punjabi, when Punjabi originated from Sanskrit.
Asked to explain the shaved heads of students, Arya said: They are required to do this at admission, to keep their focus on studies. A Sanskrit student, he said, will never commit suicide.
Sanskrit is value education. Studying the language makes you strong psychologically, so our students never fall into drugs.
The intake is through an entrance examination. This year, the college had 300 applicants, of which 30 got through. Four students are from Nepal.
With the Supreme Court verdict on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal issue looming over the poll-bound Punjab, the Congress is now trying to steal the thunder of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.
During his sangat darshan (public contact) programmes, the CM is asking people to be ready for sacrifice and his speech in the Punjab assembly that the state does not have even a drop of water to spare is playing on FM radio channels. The Congress is trying to counter the CMs rhetoric, as there is a growing belief that the CM may resign if the Supreme Court ruling goes against Punjab and gain huge political capital out of the move.
In a press conference on Thursday, Congress chief spokesperson Sunil Jakhar and senior vice-president Lal Singh accused the CM of provoking people by asking them to be ready to make sacrifices for Punjab waters. The sacrifice should begin at home. Badal should ask his daughter-in-law, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, to sacrifice her Union cabinet berth, said Lal Singh.
Read more: Will fast unto death if SYL issue not solved, says Sunil Jakhar
Jakhar said that in February, the state cabinet had decided to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. The Supreme Court verdict will not be binding on the Centre. So what stops Badal from asking Modi not to accept any adverse verdict? Jakhar said. He alleged that the CM was spreading falsehood by claiming that the government had quashed clause 5 of the Punjab Termination of Rivers Water Act.
Reacting to CMs jibe that he is resorting to political gimmicks, Jakhar said unlike the CM, he was offering to sit on fast-unto-death if the SYL construction began, and not asking people to be ready for sacrifice. Badal can ask his son, deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, to fast along with me. Why should people sacrifice for the CMs follies? Either Badal is not opposing the Union cabinet decision on the SYL out of fear or he has reached a tacit understanding with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) that rules neighbouring Haryana, he alleged.
Documentary filmmaker Amlan Kusum Ghosh is all set to make his feature film debut in Bengali with a political thriller. It will explore the possibility of Indian revolutionary Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose resurfacing in the guise of a monk, post his alleged disappearance in the 1945 plane crash.
Titled Sannyasi Deshonayak: Quest for Truth and Justice, the movie goes on the floor in September 2016.
It is my responsibility (as a Bengali) to work on this subject. The films that have been made on Netaji so far deal with his life up to 1945 (the year of the plane crash), but I wonder why no director has worked on the fact that Netaji could have been alive post 1945, since so much information has come up, said Ghosh.
Read: West Bengal to release 64 files on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
Although there are several theories of the nationalist resurfacing and living in the guise of a holy man post the alleged crash, the director said he chose the Gumnami Baba lore (one of the most enduring theories) as the base of his film.
Since direct, circumstantial and scientific evidences identify Gumnami Baba (Gumnami Baba/Bhagwanji/Mahakal in Faizabad and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh) as Netaji, we have chosen to base our film around him, said Ghosh.
The Indian government constituted as many as three commissions to ferret out the truth behind the disappearance.
In 1999, the Mukherjee Commission, led by retired Supreme Court judge MK Mukherjee initiated an exhaustive six-year-long probe into the alleged disappearance.
Watch a documentary Blackbox of History by Amlan Kusum Ghosh on Netaji here:
Though Mukherjee, in the report, nixed the air crash theory, he did not conclude that the sanyasi was Bose due to absence of any clinching evidence.
Incidentally in Ghoshs documentary film footage (taken without Mukherjees knowledge) on the Netaji mystery titled Black Box of History, the retired judge was heard saying: I am hundred percent sure that he (the monk) is Netaji.
Read: Netaji family photos deepen mystery about Gumnami Baba
A lot of the research work was already done since I had made the documentary film, said Ghosh.
The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government in 2015 declassified 64 files on Netaji.
The Narendra Modi-led government, beginning this January, has made public a series of files revealing many sensational facts about the revolutionary.
Earlier in June the Uttar Pradesh government set up a judicial commission to probe the identity of Gumnami Baba, reigniting the debate whether the ascetic who lived in the states Faizabad district till 1985 was Netaji.
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Television actor Sambhavna Seth is now a married woman. She tied the knot with actor Avinash Dwivedi on Thursday in Delhi.
Sambhavna wore a red lehenga with intricate necklaces and mangteekas, complete with a big smile on her face. Avinash decided to not go for the traditional look and wore a navy blue suit for the ceremonies.
Read: Want to see pictures from Sambhavna Seths mehendi ceremony?
Check out a few pictures of the couple and their wedding festivities:
A photo posted by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) on Jul 14, 2016 at 9:29am PDT
A photo posted by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) on Jul 14, 2016 at 11:18pm PDT
A photo posted by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) on Jul 14, 2016 at 11:22pm PDT
A photo posted by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) on Jul 14, 2016 at 11:23pm PDT
Love u liza malik for being there A photo posted by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) on Jul 14, 2016 at 11:50pm PDT
Wishing Sambhavna Seth a happy married life! #sambhavnaseth #biggboss #instatelly #tellywedding #tellyworld #tellystar A photo posted by BookMyTV (@bookmytv) on Jul 14, 2016 at 10:14pm PDT
It was earlier reported that her parents were against the match. But they clarified that they never had any problems. He is a very sweet guy. It was just the media wrote that we are not in favour of the match. If we werent happy, why would we be here? Sambhavnas mother told us.
Sambhavana had met Avinash on the sets of a dance reality show where she was his mentor. He courted her for more than a year before she finally agreed to go out with him.
Read: Divyanka Tripathi reveals first picture of Mr and Mrs Dahiya
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A house abuzz with people, for the wedding of the youngest daughter, sees a brother-in-law on the lookout for a hidden treasure in the premises thats the plot of Iranian film, A Cube of Sugar, which will open at The Iranian Film Festival in the city. The film helmed by Reza Mirkarimi will be screened with 13 other films, over four days that will expose film buffs to Iranian cinema.
Expect films such as One Wanted To Talk To You, The Painting Pool, Track 143, A Line of Reality, A Time of Love & Betrayal, As Simple As That, All Alone, The Maritime Silk Road and So Far So Close.
A still from the Iranian film Gold & Copper.
Were screening all award-winning films. The schedule is designed in a manner that people get a glimpse of the culture of Iran, says C Senthil Rajan, director, Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF).
Read: Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi: Inner life of an Indian dancer
As part of the cine extravaganza, audience will get to see Iranian director Homayoun Assadians Kissing the Moon-Like Face story of two female neighbours, who are waiting for the bodies of their sons who disappeared during war. Another film by Assadian, Gold and Copper is the tale of a young cleric who visits Iran with his family to attend ethical classes, and his wife falls ill.
A poster of the Iranian film which will be screened at the festival.
Most of the films have narratives of common people, who get caught in the whirlpool of life situations. Some are even adventure tales, such as The Maritime Silk Road which revolves around two ship captains who want to transport consignments from the Indian Ocean to China and are attacked by pirates.
There are also films which explore the thin fabric of relationships such as So Far So Close (story of a neurologist who disconnected himself from his son) and A Time of Love and Betrayal (in which an unexpected event from her past life, shocks Parvana and her daughter).
Read: Locarno International Film Festival: Mohenjo Daro is the closing film
Also, there are movies which are narrated with the Iran-Iraq war in the backdrop. An example of this is Track-143, which tells the story of a mother waiting for her son who has been missing in pre-operation Valfajr (a smart torpedo system designed and developed by Iranian experts).
A scene from Maziar Miris The Painting Pool.
So from references to wars seen by its people, to the battle of relationships at home, these cinematic treats present the life of Iran in a nutshell. Alongside screenings of these films, there will also be an exhibition of Iranian artworks and handicrafts with 70 to 80 panels. A performance by Ronak Music Group from Iran, in the evening of the opening day, will be the highlight, adds Rajan. He informs that the festival is just a build up to the series of events being planned under the new cultural agreement between Iran and India.
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WHAT: The Iranian Film Festival
WHERE: Siri Fort Auditorium, August Kranti Marg
WHEN: July 16 to 19
TIMINGS: 10.30am to 7.30pm
NEAREST METRO STATION: Green Park on Yellow Line
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Bangladesh on Friday moved to regulate weekly sermons in hundreds of thousands of mosques as part of a stepped-up campaign to combat Islamist extremism, officials said.
The move comes after the deadly attack in an upscale Dhaka cafe in which 20 hostages were brutally shot and hacked to death in the nations worst attack by suspected Islamist militants.
Since then, authorities have shut down a television channel run by a controversial Indian preacher, and decided to monitor the social media and Friday sermons of local mosques in a bid to prevent radicalisation.
As part of the drive, the state-run Islamic Foundation, which works as a watchdog for mosques and religious establishments, has prepared a sermon for the main national mosque which it has asked other mosques to follow.
The sermon, which was published by the agency ahead of Fridays prayers, invokes Koranic verses and traditions of the prophet Mohammed to rail against murderous extremism.
Whoever kills a person unjustly, it is as though he has killed all mankind, it said, citing a verse of the Koran.
It also quoted the prophet as saying the killing of a human being is the biggest sin and urged parents to take good care of their children so they cannot be brainwashed.
It was not clear how many of Bangladeshs mosques, which are run by independent neighbourhood lay committees, would follow the instructions.
But a senior police official said local administrations, police and regional Islamic Foundation officials would monitor the sermons.
Foundation chief Shamim Mohammad Afzal told AFP that the sermon had been distributed to more than 300,000 mosques.
It is not mandatory but we hope the imams will follow our sermon or take their inspiration from it, he said.
Our core message is there is no place for terrorism in Islam. We want to make sure our children cannot be brainwashed to commit an act of terrorism.
Islamic parties, who have strongly denounced the cafe siege and a string of other recent attacks on minorities, have criticised the sermon regulation as undesirable.
Long before the Foundation issued its instructions, our clerics have been vocal against terrorism, said Mufti Faiz Ullah, secretary general of Islamic Oikya Jote, a faith-based party.
Last month, just ahead of the cafe attack, a pro-government council of clerics issued a fatwa against violent Jihad, which was endorsed by more than 100,000 imams.
Late Thursday night, a crowd had gathered around Nices Promenade des Anglias, watching the last embers of a firework display, when a truck deliberately ran over them.
As France mourns the 84 dead and more than 100 injured, many critically, president Francois Hollande said the country has been attacked by terrorists on its national day, the 14th of July, the symbol of freedom.
Bastille Day, which France celebrates as its national day, has a bloody history. It commemorates the fall of the Bastille prison to anti-monarchist forces in 1789, an event of great importance in the French Revolution. When the hassled French king, Louis XVI, asked a duke in his court if the storming of Bastille was a revolt, he famously replied, No, sire, a revolution.
The summer of 1789 was one of discontent for the French proletariat, and the winds of revolution were already gathering. The fear that the monarchy was trying to trample dissent led the citizenry to band together and march to Bastille, a fortress famous for holding political prisoners, to loot their stores of gunpowder and ammunition.
The battle that ensued between the prison guard and the people resulted in a bloodbath, with at least a hundred attackers killed and the prisons military governor publicly beheaded.
Read more: How media around the world reacted to the Nice attack
Bastille was a crucial link in a chain of events that led to the fall of the monarchy, the execution of the king and his queen, Mary Antoinette, and the establishment of a republic in France.
Literature and poetry of the time immortalised the French Revolution, enamoured with the idea that it was the harbinger of a better tomorrow. As an idealistic, bright-eyed 19-year old in 1789, poet William Wordsworth was thrilled with the idea of revolution, writing in The Prelude, Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive/But to be young was very heaven.
But it is Charles Dickens famous novel, A Tale of Two Cities, published 70 years after the event, which captured the brutality and the chaos that inevitably accompanies any churning, rightly summing it up as The best of times, the worst of times.
Though the birthing of the revolution was bloody, France commemorates the day less for the storming of Bastille and more for what it symbolised. Bastille Day is a celebration of the three tenets that fuelled and formed the basis of the French republic -- the ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Read more: Nice, a joyful memory shattered by terror and death
Before the day was adopted as a national holiday in 1880, Henri Martin, chairman of the French Senate at the time had said in his address: This day cannot be blamed for having shed a drop of blood, for having divided the country. It was the consecration of the unity of France..
A military parade, feasts and firework displays, patriotic renditions of the national anthem characterise the holiday. But the terror attack has ensured any future celebrations of Bastille Day will be tinged with mourning, reminding France of what it lost.
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A disgruntled former hospital worker was killed when a bomb he was carrying in his car exploded in an eastern Nevada farming town, but a second bomb that went off at a nearby house caused no serious injuries, authorities said on Thursday.
The precise circumstances behind the two blasts at about 8 pm on Wednesday in the community of Panaca, about 160 miles (255 km) northeast of Las Vegas near the Utah border, were not immediately clear.
The Lincoln County Sheriffs Office issued a statement confirming one death and one non-life-threatening injury from the first blast, which according to dispatcher Toni Lytle resulted from the detonation of explosives in the car.
A second bomb damaged a house, but no one else was reported hurt, Lytle said.
The man killed by the bomb he was carrying in his car was described as a disgruntled former night nurse at the Grover C. Dils Medical Center in the nearby town of Caliente. He apparently had targeted the house of a married couple who also worked as nurses at the hospital, one of them as the nursing director.
Nevada television station KTNV said a boy riding his bicycle in the area at the time was struck by debris and was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released.
The Lincoln County Record newspaper reported that the two blasts shook homes several blocks away. According to one account cited by the Record, the car bomb blast left the vehicle and telephone pole in flames and a nearby home heavily damaged.
Details from the incident last night in Panaca are still emerging, but I am fully committed to helping assist the victims, residents and Lincoln County community as they respond to this shocking event, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said in a statement.
Agents from the FBI and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were dispatched to Panaca to assist in the investigation, the sheriffs office said.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Panaca is southern Nevadas oldest permanent settlement, founded by Mormon settlers in 1864, the year Nevada became a state, and now home to about 800 residents.
China may build mobile nuclear power plants in the South China Sea, state media reported on Friday, days after an international tribunal dismissed Beijings vast claims in the strategically vital waters.
Marine nuclear power platform construction will be used to support Chinas effective control in the South China Sea, the website of the state-run Global Times cited the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) as saying on a social media account.
The Global Times cited the report as saying that marine nuclear power platforms will be used in the islands and reefs of the Spratly chain in the contested sea to ensure freshwater.
The original report was deleted from CNNCs account on social media platform WeChat on Friday, and a staffer at the firm told AFP that it needed to confirm its accuracy.
In the past, the freshwater provision to troops stationed in the South China Sea could not be guaranteed, and could only be provided by boats delivering barrels of water, the Global Times cited the report as saying.
In the future, as the South China Sea electricity and power system is strengthened, China will speed up the commercial development of the South China Sea region, it added.
China has rapidly built up reefs in the sea into artificial islands in recent months, installing civilian and military facilities on them.
The report comes after a Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) tribunal on Tuesday backed the Philippines case that there was no legal basis for Beijings maritime claims which extend almost to the coasts of neighbouring states.
It also found that Chinas activities had inflicted severe damage to fragile coral ecosystems and caused serious harm to endangered species.
China has insisted that it will ignore the decision while warning its rivals that increasing pressure on the issue could turn the resource-rich waters into a cradle of war.
The state-backed website The Paper on Friday quoted China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) engineer Zhu Hanchao as saying that 20 marine nuclear platforms were in development.
But Zhu added that they would be deployed to oilfields in the Bohai Sea off Chinas northeast coast, not in the South China Sea. CSIC could not immediately be reached for comment.
Beijing included the development of two marine nuclear power plants, to be built by CNNC and the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) respectively, in its five-year plan for 2016-2020, both companies announced this year.
It did not specify where the marine facilities would be constructed.
The CNNC plant is expected to start operation in 2019 and CGNs the following year, according to their statements.
Nuclear power is already used at sea for aircraft carriers and submarines, but doing so for civilian purposes appears to be unprecedented. A similar Russian project is reportedly already under construction.
A North Korean defector who had lived in South Korea has been arrested in the North for conspiring with Seouls spy agency to kidnap North Korean children, the Agence France-Press (AFP) and Japans Kyodo news agencies reported on Friday from Pyongyang.
The 53-year-old man, identified as Ko Hyon-chol, confessed to trying to kidnap two North Korean orphan girls and take them to the South, the agencies reported. The confession was made during a news conference for foreign media in Pyongyang.
I committed the unpardonable crime of being involved in attempted child abduction, Ko was quoted by AFP as telling the news conference.
Ko said he was sent by South Koreas National Intelligence Service (NIS) to the Chinese border city of Dandong to kidnap orphans from North Korea. He was offered $10,000 for each child, AFP reported.
Ko was arrested after crossing a river into North Korea from China in May, AFP and Kyodo reported.
The NIS denied any involvement in the reported case. South Koreas Unification Ministry said in a statement it regretted that the North had arrested a South Korean national and used him for what it described as propaganda.
Ko fled North Korea in 2013 and stayed in China for about a year before arriving in South Korea in 2014, AFP and Kyodo reported.
The report comes after North Korea accused the NIS of abducting 13 people who worked in a restaurant run by the North in China in April. The South Korean government has said the 12 women and one man had chosen to come to the South.
North Korea is also believed to be holding two Americans and a Korean-Canadian.
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump on Friday confirmed that Indiana governor Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate as had been speculated lately.
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate, Trump said in a tweet, adding, News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M.
Though he was scheduled to make the announcement at a news conference on Friday, he postponed it to Saturday after the terrorist attack in Nice, France on Thursday night.
But Trump went ahead with the announcement.
Read | Trump keeps suspense alive over choice of running mate
That he was picking Pence, or was leaning towards him, had become clear in recent days with several high-profile meetings, joint appearance and a breakfast between the two families.
Pence, a 57-year-old first-term governor of Indiana state, has been touted as a safe pick, whose understated, low-key profile complements Trumps flashy, larger-than-life style.
The others on Trumps very public shortlist governor Chris Christie and former Speaker Newt Gingrich were from the same mould as him, brash and outspoken.
Pence, who has had more than 10 years in the House of Representatives, also checks an important box on Trumps requirements from his VP pick legislative experience.
Pence is expected to help the nominee reach out to conservatives who remain wary of him, and there are still a lot of them around.
While Pence had not responded to the announcement, the Hillary Clinton campaign was quick to offload some of its opposition-research based dirt on him through social media.
In Pics | Hindu group celebrates Donald Trumps birthday with cake in Delhi
Get to know Trump's VP pick, Mike Pence: current governor of Indiana and potential disaster for America, said a tweet from the Clinton campaign, starting a flurry of hit-tweets.
The Clinton campaign sought to portray Pence as a supporter of tax cuts for the rich, opponent of abortion rights and someone who would deport immigrants and oppose immigration reforms.
Clinton has not announced her running mate yet, and was said to be waiting for Trump to announce first.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged restraint in Turkey after an attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In constant contact with EU Delegation in Ankara & Brussels from Mongolia. Call for restraint and respect for democratic institutions #Turkey, she tweeted from a regional summit in Ulan Bator.
Brussels will be watching with deep concern the events in Turkey, a key partner on its southeastern flank which has been trying to join the EU for many years without success.
The EUs controversial deal with Turkey in March to tackle the migrant crisis could be at risk, with implications for French and German elections next year.
Under the deal, Ankara agreed to take back migrants and refugees from the Greek islands and to stop people crossing the Aegean Sea. In return it is to get aid and visa-free travel for 80 million Turks to the EU.
The bloc overcame its aversion to Erdogans increasingly authoritarian rule, which has received sharp criticism from the 28-nation European Union.
Turkey will now likely dominate an EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday which will also be attended by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
A young Sikh freelance writer from the Greater Toronto area has found himself the victim of intense social media speculation over the identity of perpetrators who ploughed through a crowd of revelers in Nice, killing more than 80 people.
This is the second time in less than a year that Veerender Jubbal has been alleged to be a terrorist orchestrating militant strikes in France, despite never having traveled to the country.
After the November 13 terror attacks in Paris that killed 130 people, social media was littered with a selfie of Jubbal, showing him wearing a suicide vest and holding up a Quran.
Read: At least 84 killed in Nice attack; 18 people in critical condition
Racist fools are attacking Veerender Jubbal AGAIN?! Amadi (@amaditalks) July 15, 2016
He was described as one of the terrorists and that photograph made its way into international media, including a Spanish newspaper and an Italian television network.
But there was one problem: That image had been photoshopped. In the original, Jubbal was wearing a shirt and holding up a tablet. This photo is doing the rounds of social media again after the carnage in Nice shocked the world.
Despite the photo being altered, he was trolled incessantly and tweeted a clarification, Let us start with basics. Never been to Paris. Am a Sikh dude with a turban. Lives in Canada.
1.5 years after #JeSuisCharlie, someone is framing Veerender Jubbal again for #NiceAttack. This is what racism is about. Peter Lin (@prodigalgeek) July 15, 2016
Later, in a statement, he said, People are editing, and photoshopping my selfies as if I am one of the people causing the issues/problems in Paris.
Other than being trolled, he also received a death threat. Consequently, he went off Twitter. Jubbal may have been attacked since he had tweeted into the hashtag #StopGamergate2014, offending fanatic videogamers.
While that frenzy abated, another attack in France has led to that faked image being recycled on social media. Jubbal, so far, hasnt responded to this fresh wave of slander.
Read: Scores dead in France truck attack: What we know so far
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The Indian embassy in Turkey has advised all Indians in Turkey to avoid public places and remain indoors until the situation there becomes clearer in view of a military coup. It has also provided emergency help contact numbers.
Our Embassy in Ankara advises Indian nationals in Turkey to avoid public places and remain indoors until the situation there becomes clearer, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
The Emergency contact numbers for Indian nationals:
In Ankara: +905303142203
In Istanbul: +905305671095.
The Turkish military late on Friday night released a statement claiming to have taken over and martial law has been imposed.
The former head of Afghanistans main intelligence agency released documents on Thursday which he said showed that Pakistani intelligence services helped leaders of the Taliban and the feared Haqqani network in 2014 and 2015.
Rahmatullah Nabil stepped down from the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in December last year after opposing Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis efforts to improve relations with Pakistan and include Islamabad in peace talks with the Taliban.
Nabil told a group of journalists in Kabul that he had released the documents to provide concrete evidence of Pakistans collusion with the Taliban and the associated Haqqani group, which has been blamed for a series of kidnappings and high profile suicide bombings in the capital.
Pakistans foreign office and the armys media wing did not respond to several written and telephoned requests for comment in which Reuters outlined the accusations levelled against Pakistan.
Neither the NDS nor the Afghan government was available for immediate comment on the letters.
The Afghan Taliban insurgency has in the past said it is fighting against the government and Western allies with the support of the Afghan people, and has no need of outside help.
Nabil did not say how the letters had been obtained. Reuters could not independently verify their authenticity.
Since retiring from the intelligence service, Nabil has been strongly critical of Pakistan, which is routinely accused by Afghanistan of sponsoring the Afghan Taliban, a charge it has consistently denied.
For the past 14 years, no one has disclosed documents of this kind. Here, Im proving it, he told reporters, to whom he released the letters. They kill us every day and commit all kinds of atrocities, we have to show them.
One letter, addressed from a section of Pakistans military intelligence service in the northwestern city of Peshawar, is headed Arrangements of Secure Houses and Protection to Afghan Taliban and Their Leadership.
In the letter, dated August 2014, an official arranges for safe houses and vehicles to be provided for Afghan Taliban commanders forced out of a remote area of northern Pakistan while an army operation is conducted.
Another letter, dated March 2015, requests an update on Haqqani network personnel in Nowshera, Mardan and Swabi, in the border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A third letter addressed from the Directorate General Military Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, dated July 2014, is headed Kabul Airport Attacks and Release of Payments.
The letter says four members of the Haqqani network are to be paid 2.5 million Pakistani rupees ($24,000) each for the successful and comprehensive execution of assault on KB AP.
VICTIM OF TERRORISM
Authorities in Islamabad have long rejected accusations that Pakistan has provided support and sanctuary for the Afghan Taliban and its leaders, saying it has for years itself been a victim of terrorism, much of it from groups based in Afghanistan.
The release of the documents comes amid worsening tensions between the neighbouring countries in recent weeks, with days of clashes last month during which troops on the border exchanged artillery fire.
It also came days after Pakistan faced heavy criticism in a Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in Washington.
Afghan President Ghani sharply criticized Pakistan during a visit to a NATO summit in Warsaw last week, and has accused it of conducting an undeclared war against Afghanistan.
In response, Islamabad said that Afghanistan was playing a blame game instead of cooperating effectively to stop terrorism.
Pakistans critics say that it supports Islamist militants in Afghanistan to maintain influence and counter attempts by arch-rival India to gain a foothold, effectively surrounding it.
($1 = 104.7900 Pakistani rupees)
An attempted Turkish military coup appeared to crumble on Saturday after crowds answered President Tayyip Erdogans call to take to the streets to support him and dozens of rebel soldiers abandoned their tanks in the main city of Istanbul.
Erdogan told the nation his government is in charge after the coup attempt brought a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire across the capital that left dozens dead.
A successful overthrow of Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would have marked one of the biggest shifts in the Middle East in years, transforming one of the most important US allies while war rages on its border. A failed coup attempt could still destabilise a pivotal country.
Read | Martial law imposed in Turkey, PM says will not allow illegal attempt
Highlights on the incident
3.08pm: Situation completely under control after coup attempt: Turkey PM
2.13pm: Turkey coup bid increases threat to regional stability: Russian foreign ministry
1.32pm: Turkeys acting army chief says coup attempt foiled
12:20pm: 90 dead, 1,154 wounded in Turkey coup attempt: State news agency.
12:15pm: Nearly 200 soldiers at Turkey military HQ surrender: State news agency .
12: 12pm: Turkish parliament at extraordinary session after coup attempt.
12:10pm: A total of 1,563 military officers detained across Turkey: government official.
11.35am: Turkeys intelligence agency headquarters were attacked by military helicopters and heavy machinegun fire during an attempted military coup overnight, wounding at least three people, an intelligence source tells Reuters.
11.11am: Turkeys military headquarters are now held by pro-government forces but small groups of rebel soldiers behind an overnight coup attempt are still resisting and control some military helicopters, a senior Turkish official says.
11:10am: Turkish security forces on Saturday rescued the countrys top army general in an operation in Ankara after a coup attempt, taking him to a safe location, the private CNN-Turk television reported.
General Hulusi Akar was rescued after an operation was launched in Akinci air base, northwest of the capital, it said. Earlier reports said he had been taken hostage in the earlier stages of the coup bid late Friday.
11am: Turkeys state-run news agency says Turkish military chief is rescued in operation at air base.
10.47am: Turkeys Police chief Celalettin Lekesiz says 16 coup plotters have been killed in clashes at Turkeys military police command.
10.23am: Malaysia Airports, the operator of Istanbuls Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, says operations at the airport will continue to process flights in and out of Turkey despite the attempted coup
Supporters of Tukish President Tayyip Erdogan celebrate after soldiers involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey. (Reuters)
10.16am: State-run Anadolu Agency reports 754 members of armed forces have been arrested across Turkey.
10.10am: Fethullah Gulen, the US-based cleric and former ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, denied being behind the attempted coup in Turkey and condemned it in the strongest terms.
9.45am: At least 60 people killed, 336 arrested in Turkey during attempted military coup overnight.
9.30am: Turkey appoints new acting army chief of staff after coup bid. Commander of Turkeys 1st Army, General Umit Dundar, has been appointed. Whereabouts of the head of the armed forces was unknown.
#WATCH Gunfire and explosions near Bosphorus Bridge (Istanbul) as military attempted coup last night.https://t.co/oS2MUMHuNT ANI (@ANI_news) July 16, 2016
9.17am: Turkish coup soldiers in Istanbul surrender on Bosphorus bridge: TV
9.13am: Turkish F-16s launch air strikes against tanks outside palace: presidential source
DEVELOPING: Low-flying jets spotted over Turkey as attempted military coup is underway. https://t.co/tbiT5QNwgFhttps://t.co/wHoU6u859J ABC News (@ABC) July 15, 2016
9am: Turkeys Erdogan urges supporters not to leave public squares until situation returns to normal.
8.49am: Jets bomb near Turkish presidential palace in Ankara.
8.45am: Turkeys Erdogan says still a small disturbance in Ankara, hopefully will be overcome soon.
Maps showing events in Turkey on Saturday (AFP)
8.40am: Bomb attacks on Turkeys parliament are continuing, a senior Turkish official says.
8.37am: State-run Anadolu Agency says PM Yildirim has called all legislators for an emergency meeting on Saturday.
8.35am: Violence continues in Istanbul; explosion heard in the city.
8.30am: Footage shows the moment a parliament session is attacked:
The moment of attack on the Turkish Parliament during a session. Absolutely outrageous. pic.twitter.com/MiR2ljvQ4Z Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) July 16, 2016
8.05am: NTV television quotes prosecutors office in Ankara saying at least 42 people have been killed in attacks in the capital.
8am: Yildirim tells CNN Turk they expect soldiers up to the rank of colonels to have been involved in the coup attempt, but he has no information on who organised it.
What a footage: inside CNNTURK, Istanbul, military who took over building being arrested by police and journalists. https://t.co/twIrFhSdIh ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) July 16, 2016
7.40am: Rebel soldiers in Ankara and Istanbul are still firing from the air, although fighter jets have taken off to deal with rogue military aircraft, Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim says. He says more than 120 arrested and things are getting better every minute.
7.30am: A lawyer for the Turkish government says there are indications of direct involvement in the coup attempt of cleric Fethullah Gulen who is living in exile in Pennsylvania.
7.20: Erdogan says prime minister has given orders to eradicate those who are shooting from the air.
Turkish solders stay with weapons at Taksim square as people protest against the military coup in Istanbul. (AFP Photo)
7.15am: Erdogan vows will not leave Turkey to occupiers.
7.13am: Erdogan says attempted coup by a section of Turkeys military is an act of treason.
7.09am: Erdogan says he doesnt know whereabouts of Turkey army chief.
President Erdogan says Turkey uprising is an act of treason, and those responsible will pay a heavy price https://t.co/AcLTaK8MYe Sky News (@SkyNews) July 16, 2016
7.06am: Erdogan says his hotel on Turkeys Aegean coast bombed after he left.
7.05am:Erdogan says many arrests of officers are underway, he will finish cleansing of the military.
7.04am: Turkish President Erdogan says this shows Gulen structure is an armed terrorist organisation.
7.03am: Turkish President Erdogan says some in military have been taking orders from Pennsylvania, home of cleric Fethullah Gulen.
People stop a tank at Ataturk airport in Istanbul, early Saturday. (AP Photo)
6.33am: Turkish private broadcaster CNN Turk halted its live news broadcast early on Saturday, as a presenter said soldiers had entered the studio control room.
The channel showed a live shot of its empty red and white studio. The sound of gunfire was heard on the audio, as well as the sound of a crowd outside the station.
6.20am: Turkish broadcaster CNN-Turk says a group of soldiers have entered the headquarters of the Dogan Media group, which owns the television channel.
Here is first photo from Turkish parliament after bombed. v @odatv
Turkey Army take over attempt continues. pic.twitter.com/COY3NLcOz1 ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) July 16, 2016
The newscaster did not provide details on the number of soldiers who entered the building, which is also home to Kanal D television, the Dogan news agency and the Hurriyet newspaper.
The newscaster said she was not sure how much longer the station would be able to broadcast news.
6.16am: A place carrying Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was about to land at Istanbuls Ataturk airport Saturday after a military coup attempt to bring down his government, a presidential source said.
Turkish soldiers surrender their weapons to policemen during an attempted coup in Istanbul's Taksim Square, Turkey. (Reuters)
6.13am : Turkey has closed border crossings with Bulgaria, says the Bulgarian foreign ministry.
6.13am: Two more explosions hit Turkeys parliament building in the capital Ankara early on Saturday, a Reuters witness reported, after an earlier blast rocked the building.
Separately, a member of parliament reached by telephone told Reuters that lawmakers were hiding in shelters at the parliament.
6.05am: EU chiefs Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday backed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government and urged a swift return to normal after a coup attempt.
Foreign Office advice & phone numbers for people concerned about relatives & friends in #Turkey pic.twitter.com/H5omIDK6RW Jo Stevens MP (@JoStevensLabour) July 15, 2016
Turkey is a key partner for the European Union. The EU fully supports the democratically elected government, the institutions of the country and the rule of law, they said in a joint statement with EU foreign policy head Federica Mogherini.
We call for a swift return to Turkeys constitutional order.
5.57am: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogans plane has landed in Istanbul, a Turkish official said.
Separately, broadcaster NTV reported that two people were killed in clashes in the city earlier.
5.46am: Staff at Istanbuls Ataturk airport hope to resume international departures soon, European air traffic control agency Eurocontrol said early on Saturday.
This still frame taken from amateur video obtained by Reuters shows a tank driving past people, in Ankara, Turkey. (Reuters)
All arriving flights are being diverted until then because there is no room for any more aircraft at the congested airport following the suspension of departures since 2031 GMT on Friday, the agency said in a bulletin to airlines.
Ataturk hope to re-commence international departures shortly, but until they do, all inbound flights to Ataturk are being diverted, Eurocontrol said, although the situation is unclear.
5.45am: Turkish media reports have cited MIT, the national intelligence agency, as saying the coup has been defeated.
The MIT website was not immediately accessible from Turkey.
MIT spokesman Nuh Yilmaz said that Gen. Hulusi Akar, the military chief of staff, was back in control.
Footage of young coup soldiers being rounded up by civilians and police. They look terrified. pic.twitter.com/nZKpIhVSXc reported.ly (@reportedly) July 16, 2016
Yilmaz said Gen. Akar is back on top of his duties. He added: everything is returning to normal.
5.40am: The movement of the U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen has denied any involvement in the Turkish military coup attempt.
The Alliance for Shared Values says we condemn any military intervention in (the) domestic politics of Turkey.
5.36am: As the crisis unfolded in Turkey, there were reports that access to popular social media sites like Twitter and Facebook had been blocked within the country. Facebook declined comment, but Twitter said it suspected intentional interference with its service.
The company said in a statement that we have no reason to think weve been fully blocked in #Turkey, but we suspect there is an intentional slowing of our traffic in country.
A spokesperson would not elaborate.
Separately, YouTube said in a statement: We are aware of reports that YouTube is down in Turkey, however, our systems seem to be functioning normally.
5.26am: Situation largely under control after Turkey coup attempt, says Turkish PM Yildirim, adding that an attempted coup against the government was an act of rebellion by followers of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.
Yildirim also told broadcaster NTV that a no-fly zone had been declared over the capital, Ankara.
5.26am: US defence department Pentagon says there is no impact on Incirlik air base in Turkey and counter-ISIL air operations from there will continue.
Pentagon said that it is taking steps to ensure safety, security of service members, civilians, their families and facilities in Turkey.
5.20am: Turkeys MIT spy agency says situation back to normal after coup attempt: Spokesman
5.16am: A bomb has hit Turkeys parliament building in Ankara, state-run Anadolu Agency said, and Reuters witnesses in Istanbul reported the sound of a large blast echoing through the city..
5.06am: The military has taken position at the base of the Taksim monument at Taksim square in Istanbul, occasionally firing into the air to disperse a growing crowd of government supporters.
Military helicopters are flying overhead and many police are in position, separate from the military.
Meanwhile, a nearby mosque just made an anti-coup announcement.
5.05am: The Gulf state of Qatar said on Saturday it denounced and condemned a military coup attempt in Turkey, according to Qatar state news agency QNA.
Turkey set up a military base in Qatar in April as part of a defence agreement aimed at helping the two countries confront common enemies.
4.51am: German government spokesperson on Twitter: The democratic order in Turkey must be respected, all must be done to protect lives.
4.45am: Turkeys armed forces do not condone the coup against the government, the commander of the special forces said, after a group the government has described as a small military faction said it had seized power.
General Zekai Aksakalli made the comment to broadcaster NTV, adding that the attempted coup would not succeed and that his special forces were in the service of the people
4.38am: US President Barack Obama on Friday urged all parties in Turkey to back the democratically-elected government, after troops in the country launched a coup.
Detailing a call between Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry, the White House said both agreed all parties in Turkey should support the democratically-elected government of Turkey, show restraint, and avoid any violence or bloodshed.
4.35am: Turkeys state-run Anadolu agency says 17 policemen killed at Ankara special forces headquarters; however, there was no independent confirmation of the incident.
4.33am: Turkish F-16s shoot down helicopter carrying coup plotters: NTV television
#BREAKING Turkish F-16s shoot down helicopter carrying 'coup plotters': NTV television AFP news agency (@AFP) July 15, 2016
4.24am: Turkish news agency Dogan has reported that soldiers have opened fired on people trying to cross Istanbuls Bosporus bridge in protest of the attempted coup, and some have been wounded.
TV footage showed people running for cover as shots rang out.
4.18am: The Kremlin said it was gravely concerned about events in Turkey, and that it had instructed officials to help Russian nationals in Turkey return home at the earliest opportunity.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that President Vladimir Putin was being kept constantly updated on the situation in Turkey, where the government has said a military coup attempt is underway.
Peskov said events were moving too fast to fully understand what was happening, but he said Russia was concerned and wanted to see Turkey return to the path of stability and order, and for there to be a lawful outcome.
4.17am: Prime Minister Yildirim says Turkey is not a third-world country, people who have depicted Turkey in this way will pay a heavy price.
This is now the time to give necessary response to this heinous and immoral structure, said the PM, reports Reuters.
4.09am: Commander of Turkeys First Army division says those attempting coup are small faction, nothing to worry about.
4.08am: Turkeys AK Party is still in charge of the government, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said, after the military said it had seized power in a coup on Friday.
4.02am: Tanks opened fire around the parliament builiding in the capital Ankara, a Reuters witness said.
Gunfire was also heard at Ataturk airport in Istanbul, according to another Reuters witness.
3.55am: Turkeys minister for EU Affairs, Omer Celik, called on soldiers to disobey orders after the military announced on Friday that it was seizing control of the government in a coup.
Celik made the comment on broadcaster NTV.
3.50am: Loud explosions have been heard in Turkeys capital Ankara and CNN-Turk reports an explosion occurred at the state-run television building.
Turkeys state-run news agency report military helicopters have also attacked the headquarters of TURKSAT satellite station on the outskirts of Ankara and the Ankara Police headquarters.
Dozen of tanks were seen moving toward a palace that is now used by the prime minister and deputy prime ministers. A civilian car tried to stop one of the tanks, but it rammed through the vehicle as those in the car escaped, reports AP.
3.38am: Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweets, Our Embassy in Ankara advises Indian nationals in Turkey to avoid public places and remain indoors until the situation there becomes clearer.
#SituationinTurkey Emergency contact numbers for Indian nationals
In Ankara: +905303142203
In Istanbul: +905305671095 Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 15, 2016
Read | Indian embassy in Turkey asks Indians to remain indoors
3.39am: State-run news agency reports military helicopters have attacked headquarters of TURKSAT satellite station.
3.37am: UN chief Ban Ki-Moon appeals for calm in Turkey, United Nations seeking to clarify situation, says the spokesperson of the world body.
3:28 am: Turkish presidents office isnt disclosing Erdogans whereabouts, saying he is at a secure location, reports AP.
3.27am: A strong explosion was heard in the Turkish capital on Friday after the army said it had seized power and declared martial law and a curfew, AFP journalists reported.
It was not immediately known what caused the explosion but jets that had been present in the skies throughout the late evening were still flying over Ankara.
3.24am: A British Airways flight to Istanbul has diverted to Sofia, Bulgaria, and a Lufthansa flight to Istanbul is returning to its origin in Frankfurt, company spokeswomen told Reuters.
3.24am: Turkish state broadcaster TRT was taken off the air, after an announcer read a statement from the military saying it had taken over the government in a coup.
Military forces at Ataturk international airport in Istanbul https://t.co/pUJCXxHqYs Abhimanyu Kulkarni (@SansaniPatrakar) July 15, 2016
3.14am: Celebratory gunfire was heard in Damascus early on Saturday after Turkeys army said it had seized power from President Tayyip Erdogan, one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assads main regional opponents, reports Reuters.
Witnesses said people also took to the streets in the Syrian capital and in the government-held section of the northern city of Aleppo.
3.01am: Erdogan says he believes attempted uprising will be resolved within a short time.
3.02am: Erdogan says he does not believe coup plotters will be successful and those who attempt coup will pay heavy prices in courts.
2.59am: President Erdogan calls on people to go out on streets. He says, attempted uprising will be given necessary response and that we will overcome this.
2.58am: Turkeys President Erdogan says this is an act encouraged by parallel structure. He was speaking to CNN Turk on phone.
2.55am: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is safe, a presidential source said on Friday, adding that a statement made on behalf of the armed forces announcing a takeover of the government was not authorised by the military command.
The source also urged the world to stand in solidarity with the Turkish people.
2.54am: A coup attempt in Turkey involves substantial part of the military and not just a few colonels, a European Union source monitoring events in the EU candidate country said.
2.48am: White House says President Obama apprised of unfolding situation in Turkey and will receive regular updates
2.43am: Announcer on Turkeys state broadcaster TRT says martial law has been imposed in the country
2.34am: Russian foreign minister Lavrov says bloodshed should be avoided in Turkey, any issues should be settled within constitutional framework
2.33am: Head of Istanbul branch of Turkeys ruling AK party says soldiers have entered party building, asked them to leave: CNN Turk
2.33am: Frances foreign ministry has advised its citizens in Turkey to stay indoors following serious developing situation in Ankara and Istanbul: Diplomatic source
2.28am: Access to Facebook, Twitter and Youtube restricted in Turkey: Internet monitoring groups
2.27am: US Secretary of State John Kerry says I hope there will be peace and stability and continuity within Turkey.
2.23am : Turkish military releases statement, saying armed forces have fully seized control of running the country: Report
2.22am: The Turkish lira fell to a three-week low versus the US dollar trading on Friday
2.20am: All flights from Istanbuls Ataturk Airport cancelled, says Reuters citing pilot at airport.
2.15am: Reports on Turkish state news agency that the countrys top general held hostage at military HQ.
2.10am: The Turkish military on Friday said that it had assumed power over Turkey, in what the prime minister has termed an illegal act.
The power in the country has been seized in its entirety, said a military statement read on NTV television, without giving further details. The militarys website was not immediately accessible.
1.47am: A group within Turkeys military has attempted to overthrow the government and security forces have been called in to do what is necessary, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Friday.
Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command, Yildirim said in comments broadcast by private channel NTV.
The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.
1.44am: Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim says a group within the military engaged in an attempted coup, reports AP.
1.38am: Turkey PM denounces illegal attempt by a group in military, reports AFP.
1.22am: Gunshots were heard in the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday, a Reuters witness said, as military jets and helicopters were seen flying overhead.
Reuters witnesses in Istanbul, Turkeys biggest city, also spotted helicopters overhead.
Broadcaster NTV reported that both of Istanbuls bridges across the Bosphorus had been closed to traffic.
Read | EU urges respect for democratic institutions in Turkey
Read | Social media access restricted in Turkey
Almost 24 hours after the shocking attack in Nice, French investigators are trying to determine if the attacker, identified as Tunisian, was acting alone.
Authorities identified the attacker as 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel who ploughed a truck into crowds watching a fireworks display on Bastille Day on Thursday night before being shot dead. In what turned out to be the third worst attack in France in recent times, 84 people died while more than 200 were injured. President Francois Hollande said around 50 people were critically injured, battling between life and death.
Investigators, who are building up a picture of the attacker, say Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was a petty criminal who had no known terrorist links. He however had been convicted in a case of road rage this March.
Read | France killer truck driver was convicted for road rage
Lahouaiej-Bouhlels ex-wife was taken into custody as more details emerged about him. Police found fake weapons and explosives in the truck that he used to attack the crowds.
Though the Islamic State (IS) didnt claim responsibility, French authorities are looking to see if Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had any ties to Islamic militant groups.
Hollande, who said the attack was terrorist in nature, said the country would step up military action against IS targets in Syria and Iraq.
We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil, he said.
Read | Nothing will make us yield in fight against terrorism: Frances Hollande
IS has repeatedly singled out France as a prime target for its military action against the group in Iraq and Syria, and hundreds of jihadists have left France to fight in its ranks.
In November last year, near-simultaneous attacks had been carried out in Paris, targeting a stadium, a theatre and restaurants, killing 147 people. Authorities carried out search operations through France and its neighbouring countries in a bid to capture those responsible for the attacks, and a state of emergency was imposed.
Following Thursdays attack, Hollande said the imposition was being extended for three months instead of concluding this month as was planned.
Read | Nice attack: Who were the victims of the French Riviera horror?
Lahouaiej-Bouhlels victims included at least 10 children and teenagers among the dead as well as many foreigners who had come to see the pyrotechnic show.
Though no apparent link terrorist links surfaced in preliminary investigations, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said they would try to determine whether Lahouaiej-Bouhlel benefited from accomplices, and if he had any ties to Islamist terrorist organizations even though he was completely unknown to the intelligence services.
Although yesterdays attack has not been claimed, this sort of thing fits in perfectly with calls for murder from such terrorist organisations, he said.
Read | As it happened: Nice truck attacker identified as French petty criminal
Dramatic video footage showed police surrounding the heavily damaged truck and firing through the windscreen to kill the attacker.
In a Facebook video, witness Tarubi Wahid Mosta recounted the horror on the promenade.
I almost stepped on a corpse, it was horrible. It looked like a battlefield, he said.
World leaders rushed to condemn the bloodshed, with US President Barack Obama blasting what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack and the UN Security Council held a minutes silence. Two US citizens were among the dead.
The massacre again prompted questions as to why France is such a persistent target for attacks and what can be done to prevent such a unsophisticated assault.
Read | Three terror attacks in two years: Why is France a target
Read | Alienation of migrants at root of Frances jihadi problem
Hollandes political opponents however attempted to draw more blood, questioning how such a tragedy could strike France again, with French presidential contender Alain Juppe saying it could have been avoided if all measures had been taken.
The 31-year-old driver of a truck who killed scores of people on the Nice seafront was a Tunisian petty criminal described by neighbours as an unfriendly loner who showed no outward sign of being a devout Muslim.
Investigators were on Friday piecing together a picture of the father-of-three who slammed into crowds who had been watching a Bastille Day fireworks display, killing 84 people including 10 children and adolescents.
Anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins identified him as Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a delivery man, of Tunisian nationality, married and with children adding that he had a criminal record but no known terrorist connection.
His identity papers and a bank card were found in the truck and his identity had been confirmed by fingerprints, he said.
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was shot dead by police at the wheel of the 19-tonne lorry.
Read | Truck attacker ploughs into French crowd, kills 84 revellers in Nice
As forensic scientists, backed by armed police, searched his apartment in a four-storey block in a working-class neighbourhood of Nice, neighbours told AFP they had little to do with him.
They portrayed him as a solitary figure who rarely spoke and did not even return greetings when their paths crossed.
Sebastien, a neighbour who spoke on condition that his full name was not used, said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel did not seem overtly religious and often dressed in shorts.
Only one neighbour said she had had any concerns about him, describing him as a good-looking man who kept giving my two daughters the eye.
Never attended mosque
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was often seen drinking beer and never attended the small mosque near his home, other residents of his home district told AFP.
I never saw him at the mosque, said the caretaker of an apartment building as he sat in a restaurant next to the mosque, who asked not to be named. Three bearded Muslims with him agreed -- they had never seen the man at the mosque either.
Molins said that although Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had never been investigated by the security services, he was known to police.
He had a police and judicial record for threats, violence, theft and acts of criminal damage between 2010 and 2016, and had been sentenced by the Nice criminal court to a six-month term, suspended, on March 24 2016 for violence with arms, committed in January 2016.
On the other hand, he was totally unknown to intelligence services, nationally and locally, and was never flagged for signs of radicalisation, he added.
Read | As it happened: Nice truck attacker identified as French petty criminal
Lahouaiej-Bouhlels wife was brought in for questioning on Friday morning, Molins said.
Neighbours said the couple had three children, including a baby, but were separated.
One resident of the apartment block where the family had lived until 18 months ago before they split up said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was a violent man who had an extreme reaction to his wifes request for a divorce.
His wife had asked for a divorce after a violent argument, said the man, who also asked not to be identified.
He defecated everywhere, he cut up his daughters teddy bear and slashed the mattress.
I dont think there was a radicalisation issue, I think there was psychiatric problem, he added.
Police investigators and forensic experts entered the apartment where he moved to at around 9:30 am (0730 GMT) with an armed police intervention unit in support, and brought out bags of material later.
Eighty-four people were killed, including 10 children and teenagers, and 202 were injured, 52 of them critically, Molins added.
President Francois Hollande has declared the attack was of an undeniable terrorist nature.
Truck attacker was from Tunisian town Msaken
Meanwhile, Tunisian security sources said on Friday that the suspect came from the Tunisian town of Msaken which he last visited four years ago, reports Reuters.
Bouhlel was not known by the Tunisian authorities to hold radical or Islamist views, the sources said.
He was married with three children, they said. The sources did not say when he had last been resident in Tunisia.
Msaken is about 10 km (six miles) outside the coastal city of Sousse.
Tunisias consul in Nice said one of the 84 victims of the attack had been identified as Tunisian national Bilal Labawi, and that officials were working to check for other Tunisian nationals among the casualties, state news agency TAP reported.
Read | Absolute chaos: Screams, flying debris as truck ploughs into Nice crowd
At least 80 people were killed Friday when a truck ploughed into a crowd in the French Riviera resort of Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, the latest attack in a country still reeling from last years Islamic State terror assaults.
Here is a recap of major attacks and foiled attempts since the Charlie Hebdo shootings in January 2015.
January 7-9, 2015: Two men armed with Kalashnikov rifles storm the Paris offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo killing 12 people including eight cartoonists. A policewoman is killed just outside Paris the following day, while a gunman takes hostages at a Jewish supermarket, four of whom are killed. The Charlie Hebdo attackers and the hostage-taker are killed in separate shootouts with police, but not before claiming allegiance to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) respectively.
Read: France: At least 77 dead in Nice truck attack, terror link suspected
February 3: Three soldiers guarding a Jewish community centre in Nice on the French Riviera, are attacked by a knife-wielding man. The 30-year-old assailant, Moussa Coulibaly, is arrested. In custody, he expresses his hatred for France, the police, the military and Jews.
April 19: Sid Ahmed Ghlam, an Algerian IT student, is arrested in Paris on suspicion of killing a woman who was found shot dead in the passenger seat of her car, and of planning an attack on a church in the Paris suburb of Villejuif. Prosecutors say they found documents about al Qaeda and the IS at his home, and that he had been in touch with a suspected jihadist in Syria about an attack on a church.
June 26 : Frenchman Yassin Salhi, 35, kills and beheads his boss Herve Cornara and displays the severed head on the fence of a gas plant surrounded by Islamic flags. He tries to blow up the factory at Saint-Quentin-Fallavier in southeast France, but is arrested. He commits suicide in his jail cell in December.
July 13 : Four young men aged 16 to 23, including a former soldier, are arrested on charges of planning an attack on a military camp to behead an officer in the name of jihad. They proclaim allegiance to IS.
August 21 : American, British and French passengers prevent a bloodbath on a high-speed Thalys train from Amsterdam to Paris, tackling a man who opened fire on passengers. He was armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, an automatic pistol, and a box-cutter. The gunman is identified as 25-year-old Moroccan national Ayoub El Khazzani, known to intelligence services for links to radical Islam.
Read: Scores dead in France truck attack: What we know so far
November 13: Nine men -- most of whom had fought alongside IS extremists in Syria -- unleash explosives near the Stade de France stadium and open fire on people enjoying a night out at bars and restaurants in Paris, and at the Bataclan concert hall that lies just a short walk from where the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists were killed. In all, 130 people lose their lives and 350 are wounded. On November 14, the IS claims responsibility.
November 18: A teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Marseille is stabbed by three people shouting anti-Semitic obscenities and expressing support for the IS. The man, himself Jewish, is injured in the arms, legs and stomach.
January 1, 2016: A Frenchman of Tunisian origin tries to run down troops guarding a mosque in the southeastern town of Valence. He is charged with attempted homicide after telling emergency responders he wanted to be killed by soldiers and to kill soldiers... a way for him to appear like a martyr.
January 7, 2016: A man wielding a meat cleaver and carrying the emblem of the IS is shot dead as he tries to attack a police station in Paris. Convicted of theft in 2013, the man identified himself at the time as Sallah Ali, born in the Moroccan city of Casablanca in 1995.
June 13, 2016: Police officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing, 42, and his companion, Jessica Schneider, 36, are killed at their home in Magnanville, west of Paris, by Larosssi Abballa, 25. Salvaing is stabbed to death, while Schneiders throat is slit in front of their young son. Abballa is killed by a police SWAT team, but has already claimed the murders on social media in the name of the Islamic State group.
July 14, 2016: A truck barrels two kilometres (1.3 miles) through a crowd on Nices palm-lined Promenade des Anglais after a Bastille Day fireworks display, killing at least 77 people and injuring scores more. The driver is shot dead by security forces.
There is no immediate claim of responsibility but prosecutors say the probe will be handled by anti-terrorism investigators.
Read: Absolute chaos: Screams, flying debris as truck ploughs into Nice crowd
Indo-Canadian lawmaker Deepak Obhrai has joined the race to become leader of the opposition Conservative Party, saying he will stand up for all Canadians.
The leadership contest to replace former prime minister Stephen Harper, who left the post after the Tories lost the 2015 national elections to Justin Trudeaus Liberal Party, will take place in May 2017.
Obhrai, 66, confirmed to Hindustan Times that he is vying to lead the party: Yes, I am setting up a team, he said.
Standing up for all Canadians is my motto, Obhrai, the senior-most MP from a visible minority in Canadian Parliament, said in an interview.
Obhrai served as parliament secretary in successive Harper governments and is known for his significant role in fostering ties between India and Canada.
The member of the House of Commons has won seven consecutive parliamentary elections from ridings - as constituencies are called in Canada - in Calgary since 1997. As the senior-most and longest continuously elected MP, he briefly led the Conservative caucus after the 2015 election, when the new House was constituted. He currently represents the new riding of Calgary Forest Lawn in Alberta province.
Obhrai, who was born in Tanzania and moved to Canada in 1977, said the last election had seen new Canadians, including Indo-Canadians, desert the Conservatives, and his intent was to reverse that trend.
We are a very open, very inclusive party. I will represent all Canadians. I will be representing a different face (of the party), he said. He plans to spend the next couple of months building a credible team across the country to prepare a platform with which to approach the contest.
Next year could actually see another prominent Indo-Canadian politician vying for leadership of the countrys third national party, the New Democratic Party.
Jagmeet Singh, 37, is a member of Ontarios Provincial Parliament or MPP, equivalent of an MLA. There is speculation he may mount a bid to capture the NDP leadership.
Singh, though, has the dubious distinction of possibly being the only elected member of a Western legislature to be refused a visa by India. That was in December 2013, when the Indian consulate in Toronto turned down his application. In early June, he moved a motion in the Ontario legislature for the November 1984 riots in India to be formally recognised as genocide. However, the motion was soundly defeated.
Indo-Canadians are already well represented in the higher echelons of the ruling Liberal Party, including senior ministers like national defence minister Harjit Sajjan. With Obhrais candidacy and a possible bid by NDPs Singh, the communitys presence is poised to become more broad-based across Canadas federal political spectrum.
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Turkeys military said on Friday it had seized power, but the prime minister said the attempted coup would be put down.
If successful, the overthrow of President Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would amount to one of the biggest shifts in power in the Middle East in years.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the elected government remained in office. There was no immediate word from Erdogan. The Turkish sister channel of CNN said he was safe.
The armed forces had taken power in the country to protect the democratic order and to maintain human rights, the military said in a statement sent by email and reported on Turkish TV channels. All of Turkeys existing foreign relations would be maintained and the rule of law would remain the priority, it said.
The state-run Anadolu news agency said the chief of Turkeys military staff was among people taken hostage in the capital Ankara. CNN Turk also reported that hostages were being held at the military headquarters.
Turkey, a NATO member with the second biggest military in the Western alliance, is one of the most important allies of the United States in the fight against Islamic State.
It is a principal backer of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that countrys civil war, and host to 2 million Syrian refugees.
The country has been at war with Kurdish separatists, and has suffered numerous bombing and shooting attacks this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Istanbuls main airport that killed more than 40 people.
After serving as prime minister from 2003, Erdogan was elected president in 2014 with plans to alter the constitution to give the previously ceremonial presidency far greater executive powers.
His AK Party, with roots in Islamism, has long had a strained relationship with the military and nationalists in a state that was founded on secularist principles after World War One, and which has a history of military coups.
Yildirim said a group within Turkeys military had attempted to overthrow the government and security forces have been called in to do what is necessary.
Some people illegally undertook an illegal action outside of the chain of command, Yildirim said in comments broadcast by private channel NTV.
The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so.
Those behind the attempted coup would pay the highest price, he added.
Footage on local television channels showed military vehicles blocking bridges over the Bosphorus in Istanbul and tanks deployed at the citys main airport. In the capital Ankara, warplanes and helicopters roared overhead. A Reuters journalist heard gunshots.
A Turkish official who did not want to be named said soldiers had been deployed in other cities in Turkey, but did not specify which ones.
Dogan News Agency reported the national police directorate had summoned all police to duty in Ankara.
Angry residents in a rural South Korean town threw eggs and water bottles at the prime minister Friday to protest a plan to deploy an advanced US missile defense system in their neighbourhood.
Earlier this week, South Korea announced that the missile system called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, will be placed in the southeastern farming town of Seongju by the end of next year to better cope with North Korean threats. Seongju residents launched protests, saying they fear possible health hazards from the missile system.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, accompanied by the defense minister and others, tried to explain the decision to residents but was immediately disrupted by jeers.
Some hurled eggs and water bottles, shouting We oppose (the THAAD deployment) with our lives, according to TV footage.
Hwang didnt appear to be directly hit by any objects as security guards and aides used umbrellas and bags to protect him. But his suit jacket was tainted by eggs and he evacuated to a town hall office. When he and the others came out of the building into a bus, they were surrounded by hundreds of protesters, some using tractors.
South Korean officials have dismissed as groundless a belief that THAAD radar systems emit electromagnetic waves that can cause health problems. Defense officials say the US system is harmless if people stay at least 100 meters (yards) away from it.
Seongju residents criticized the government for unilaterally deciding on the deployment without consulting them. About 200 Seongju residents made a protest visit to Seouls Defense Ministry on Wednesday, and some wrote letters of complaint in blood. A group of 13 local leaders went on a hunger strike.
Defense Minister Han Min Koo told residents Wednesday he would personally stand in front of the radars to prove they arent harmful.
The planned missile deployment drew an angry response from North Korea and China. North Korea has threatened unspecified physical measures in retaliation while China suspects the system would help U.S. radars track its missiles. Russia also opposes the deployment.
US and South Korean officials have said the THAAD system only targets North Korea, not China or anyone else.
Seoul and Washington began their formal discussions on the THAAD deployment after North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test and carried about a long-range rocket launch earlier this year.
The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea. American-led UN troops fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War while China assisted North Korea.
Before it turned into the site of a carnage late Thursday night, Nice was the jewel in the French Riviera crown, drawing thousands of tourists every year to its balmy Mediterranean beaches.
A city of some 350,000 people, Nice has attracted Renaissance-era painters and aristocrats alike for centuries because of its sunny weather and stunning seaside scenery. Even today, it received nearly four million people every year.
Read | Live: 80 killed in Nice attack, Hollande confirms terror angle
But despite its flamboyant history, Nice is also a gritty metropolis. It has seen dozens of its Muslim residents travel to Syria to fight, a path taken by previous Islamic State attackers in Europe.
Neither the place nor the date are coincidental, a former French intelligence agent and security consultant, Claude Moniquet, told France-Info, noting the jihadist presence in Nice and the fact that July 14 marks Frances revolution.
The citys original name is Nice la Belle (Nissa La Bella in Nicard), which translates to Nice the Beautiful.
The attacker chose the most emblematic street in Nice, the crescent-shaped Promenade des Anglais that stretches gracefully along the Mediterranean coast, facing the sparkling blue seas of what is known as the Bay of Angels.
Read | Scores dead in France truck attack: What we know so far
The walkway runs from the airport to the oldest part of the coastal city. On the seafront is constructed a long walkway full of tourists while on the laen side, hotels, restaurants and cafes jostle for space.
The Promenade des Anglais walkway of the English was built by a British man Reverend Lewis Way in 1820 at his own expense.
It is here that thousands had gathered on a windy night with a slight, sporadic drizzle to celebrate Bastille Day, Frances most popular holiday. The woman and the man were there, with so many others, along the broad seafront promenade, as Nices annual fireworks display lit up the night sky.
Pierre Roux, whose apartment faces the sea, said he had first thought that the truck was simply out of control. But then he noticed that the lights were off and there was no honking. Nobody in the way stood a chance, he said.
Read | Nice truck driver shot dead, guns and larger weapons found
Islamic State supporters celebrate deadly attack in France on social media
Donald Trump is keeping suspense alive over his choice of a running mate, sidelining the announcement because of the deadly attack in Nice, France.
Hed planned to introduce his pick at a news conference Friday morning in New York, but said on Twitter Thursday evening that he would postpone the event in light of the horrible attack. This, after a day of rampant speculation that saw Indiana Gov Mike Pence emerge as a late favourite for the job.
Trumps campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, said Friday: I think that Mr Trump has reached a decision but he isnt prepared to announce it yet.
Manafort said on Fox News that Trump thought it would be totally inappropriate in the aftermath of the attack to announce the pick Friday.
It wasnt a matter of taking a little time to rethink things, Manafort said. It was a matter of taking a little time to honour what people were going through.
Manafort dismissed any notion that Trump is having second thoughts about his choice. He said Trump is planning on making an announcement this weekend.
I would think its going to happen before we go to Cleveland, he said.
In the French resort city of Nice, a truck drove on a sidewalk and ploughed through a crowd of Bastille Day revellers whod gathered to watch fireworks Thursday night. It was not immediately known who was behind the attack, but it prompted Trump to say that if elected president, he would ask Congress for a declaration of war against the Islamic State. His Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, said the US needs to stand strongly with France and strengthen the coalition against terrorism.
In addition to Pence, Trumps shortlist included former House speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov Chris Christie, according to people familiar with the candidates thinking.
After spending much of Thursday in Indianapolis, Pence flew to New York, according to a Republican familiar with the process. The person was not authorised to discuss the deliberations publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Indianapolis TV station WTHR posted a video showing Pence arriving Thursday evening at a private airport outside New York.
According to the Republican familiar with the process, the frenetic day was made more complicated by the fact that Trump was in California for a series of fundraisers, isolated from nearly all of his closest advisers, including his three adult children and his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Frustration among Trump and his advisers mounted because of news reports that Pence was the pick, sending top aides scrambling to insist no final decision had been made.
Trump is now up against two clocks: The Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland on Monday, leaving little time for re-scheduling; and Pence, who is running for re-election, faces a noon Friday deadline to withdraw from the race.
The paperwork has been drawn up for him to take that step, according to a Republican who was not authorised to publicly discuss the plans and insisted on anonymity. However, those documents have not been filed.
Jim Bopp, an influential conservative attorney who has previously advised Pence, said the delayed announcement creates an enormous legal problem for Pence, who is barred by Indiana law from seeking both offices. Bopp said that could mean Pence has to make a decision without an official announcement.
The convention and vice-presidential announcement give Trump back-to-back opportunities to reassure Americans as well as leaders within his own party that hes prepared for the presidency.
Top party officials are already in Cleveland, where a committee voted late Thursday to rebuff a push to let delegates vote for any presidential candidate theyd like. It was a major blow to Republican foes of Trump who have been working to try to thwart his nomination.
Pence, a staunch conservative who served six terms in Congress, is seen as a running mate who would have the backing of GOP leaders and ease some of their concerns about Trumps political inexperience and volatile temperament. He has deep ties to evangelical Christians and other conservatives, particularly after signing a law last year that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons. But the move alienated some moderates in the party.
Pence, 57, also has influential allies in Trumps inner circle. But some of Trumps children, who have been closely advising their father, are said to favour different candidates.
Two Indian men, detained for a week in China for allegedly molesting a Taiwanese tourist in the lift of a Beijing hotel, were deported to India on Friday.
The two tea dealers were at a detention centre for foreigners on the outskirts of Beijing.
The duo one a father of two and the other a grandfather allegedly attacked the girl last Thursday inside the lift of the Beijing International Hotel, where the men and the victim and her parents were staying.
They were identified as Beg Raj, in his late forties,and Akhil Goel, an MBA aged around 30.
The Taiwanese victim, a high school student, was in Beijing to attend the graduation ceremony of her elder sister, a student at Peking University.
The two men allegedly kissed the teenager, who was already in the lift when they entered it. They also allegedly forced her to remain in the elevator while it went up and down as the older man fondled her, sources said.
After rushing out of the lift, the victim alerted the hotel authorities, who in turn contacted police in the central business district of Beijing. Police then picked them up from their hotel rooms.
Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, has donated another roughly $2.86 billion of his holdings in the companys stock to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four family charities, as part of his plan to give away nearly his entire fortune.
Buffetts 11th annual donation to the five charities comprised 19.61 million Class B shares of Berkshire, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday.
The Gates Foundation, which focuses on improving education and health and reducing poverty, received about 14.96 million shares.
The donations were made on Wednesday, and brought Buffetts total contributions to the charities to more than $24.3 billion since 2006.
Also receiving donations were the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for Buffetts late first wife, and the Howard G. Buffett, Sherwood and NoVo Foundations, respectively overseen by his children Howard, Susan and Peter.
Buffett, 85, remains the worlds third-richest person, according to Forbes magazine.
Buffett still owns about 18% of Berkshires stock, down from 32.3% before the donations began in 2006. He controls about 31.7% of the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerates voting power.
Before the donations were announced, Forbes estimated Buffetts net worth at $68.4 billion, trailing Bill Gates $77.6 billion and Spanish retailing magnate Amancio Ortegas $74 billion. Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos followed Buffett, at $64.3 million.
Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corp, has known Buffett for a quarter century and counts him as a close friend. He is also a Berkshire director.
Buffett typically makes his donations in July, reducing the number of shares by 5 percent from the prior year.
The charities usually sell the Berkshire shares to finance their activities, reflecting Buffetts desire that his money be spent. Buffett also makes smaller donations to other charities.
Berkshire has roughly 90 subsidiaries including Geico car insurance, the BNSF railroad and Dairy Queen ice cream, and has large stakes in companies such as Kraft Heinz Co, Wells Fargo & Co, Coca-Cola Co and IBM Corp.
Buffett has run Berkshire since 1965.
No group has claimed responsibility for the truck attack in Nice that killed 84 people but experts were looking at the possibility it was carried out by a lone wolf inspired by the Islamic State, which has called for such attacks twice.
The attacker who deliberately drove his lorry through people celebrating Bastille Day has been identified by French media as a 31-year-old French Tunisian. The driver fired with a handgun before he was shot dead.
Tunisia is the country which accounts for the highest number of foreign fighters 6,000 in Iraq and Syria, according to the Soufan Group, which closely tracks jihadi organisations. About another 6,000 fighters have gone to the war-torn countries from Europe, a majority of them from France.
Read: Live: France reels as Bastille Day terror attack leaves 84 dead in Nice
Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani has twice called on Muslims around the world to carry out attacks on Americans and Europeans, including Frenchmen, with vehicles the first time in September 2014 and again in January 2015.
In the first message, he had said: If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him.
Read: Scores dead in France truck attack: What we know so far
In the January 2015, which also included an announcement about the creation of the IS chapter for Khorasan (an area comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of India), al-Adnani had said: Likewise, we renew our call to the muwahhidin in Europe and the disbelieving West and everywhere else, to target the crusaders in their own lands and wherever they are found. We will argue, before Allah, against any Muslim who has the ability to shed a single drop of crusader blood but does not do so, whether with an explosive device, a bullet, a knife, a car, a rock, or even a boot or a st.
The second message had also contained a reference to a terror attack on the Canadian parliament carried out.
Read: Nice terror attack: When vehicles turned weapons in other cases
It was also in the September 2014 message that al-Adnani had suggested individual attackers could carry out strikes on behalf of the IS. Do not ask for anyones advice and do not seek anyones verdict. Kill the disbeliever whether he is civilian or military, he said.
Animesh Roul, executive director of Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict, a New Delhi-based think tank, said investigators would be looking closely at the IS even though there was no claim of responsibility for the Nice attack.
Read: Islamic State supporters celebrate deadly attack in France on social media
Al-Adnanis statements may not be seen as a directive for ground operatives but they could be instructions for lone wolf attackers. These could be seen as general instructions for individual attacks with limited means, Roul told Hindustan Times.
Read: Nothing will make us yield in fight against terrorism: Frances Hollande
Here is a list of terror attacks that involved vehicles:
1. June 2007: Two men in a burning jeep loaded with propane canisters smashed into the main terminal building at Scotlands Glasgow Airport. One of the attackers, who was born in India, died and the other was jailed for life, with the judge describing him as a religious extremist.
2. October 2013: Three attackers and two tourists were killed when a group of men drove a SUV into a crowd at Tiananmen Square, described as the first major suicide attack in Beijing. The attack was claimed by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.
3. May 2013: Two Islamic militants of Nigerian descent rammed their car into British soldier Lee Rigby before trying to behead him on a London street. They said they carried out the attack to avenge the deaths of Muslims at the hands of British troops.
4. October 2014: Muslim convert Martin Couture-Rouleau, 25, used his car to run down two Canadian soldiers in Quebec. One soldier died and the attacker was shot dead after a chase. Couture-Rouleau called a police emergency line to dedicate his attack to the cause of jihad.
5. July 2016: A truck smashed into revellers celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing 84 and injuring scores more.
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France has been the victim of another attack, believed to have terrorist intentions, when a man drove a truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day, the French National Day, in Nice, killing at least 84 people. Words leaders are expressing dismay, sadness and solidarity with the French and here we look at all the reactions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned what he called a mindless attack.
Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2016
I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain & stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2016
UNITED STATES
President Barack Obama condemned what he said appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved-ones of those killed.
Noting that the attack occurred on Bastille Day, Obama praised the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world.
Secretary of State John Kerry called it a horrendous attack in Nice. ... I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy.
Both presidential candidates also condemned the attacks, albeit with distinctly disparate messages, with Republican Donald Trump declaring this is war and Democrat Hillary Clinton vowing we will not be intimidated.
Clinton said that every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: We will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life.
Trump, who postponed plans to announce his vice presidential pick because of the attacks, said this is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly its war and were dealing with people without uniforms.
EUROPEAN UNION
European Council president Donald Tusk expressed consternation that France was attacked on its national day and said the world stands united with the French people.
It is a tragic paradox that the victims of the attack people celebrating liberty, quality and fraternity. We will stand united with the families of victims, the French people and the government in the fight against violence and hatred, Tusk said at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar.
CHINA
Premier Li Keqiang said we strongly condemn terrorism of all forms. We express our condolences to the victims and we will fight all kinds of terrorism.
BELGIUM
Foreign minister Didier Reynders expressed dismay that France was once again the target of an apparent terrorist attack.
We condemn such an attack, maybe a terrorist attack, but such an attack in France again, he said.
PAKISTAN
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the government and people of Pakistan were deeply saddened by the attack.
In a statement Friday he said our hearts and prayers are with the victims of the attack and their families.
Being the frontline state in the war against terror, Pakistan itself has suffered immensely and has seen a series of tragedies, he said.
AUSTRALIA
Foreign minister Julie Bishop said three Australians suffered minor injuries while fleeing the scene.
It has shocked France, it has rocked it to its core, Bishop told reporters in the Western Australia capital of Perth. This should have been a time of great national pride and celebration.
Bishop condemned the violence, saying it was a reminder that no country is immune from terrorist attacks.
We support our friends and partners in France and we join with others around the world in hoping that this will be the end of this type of horrific incident that is targeted at unarmed civilians, she said.
SPAIN
Foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said he called his counterparts in France to express his condolences.
We are very sorry and very much with the French people and the French government, he said in at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar.
ESTONIA
Prime Minister Taavi Roivs condemned a terrible attack on innocent people celebrating their national day. Today, we all stand together with the French people.
Istanbul-based businessman wants to bring his business to Armenia
Istanbul-based Armenian businessman Onno Koluksayan, who makes leather handbags and other stylish accessories, wants to bring his business to Armenia. Onno Koluksayan arrived in Yerevan to participate in the Pan-Armenian Forum of Young Businessmen. Talking to journalists during the forum, the businessman said he was happy to be in Armenia and to have an opportunity to get in touch with local businessmen. The businessman is not acquainted with the requirements and challenges of the local market but he is sure that he wants to bring his family business to Armenia. Mr. Koluksayan says he exports the products of his small factory to the US, Holland and Italy and hopes they will be seen in Yerevan as well. Asked whether he did not see any risks in Armenia, Mr Koluksayan said the greatest risks were in Turkey. We have been in danger in Turkey for many years because of my business activities, he said adding that they have to hide the Armenian roots of their production. The Pan-Armenian Forum of Young Businessmen will be held in Yerevan from 15 to 22 July. Over 30 Armenian businessmen have arrived in Armenia from the US, France, Israel, Iran and the UAE to participate in the event. Sixty young businessmen from Armenia and Artsakh have joined the group in Yerevan.
LOS ANGELES: A Chinese national was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for hacking American defence contractors to steal trade secrets on Beijings behalf.
Su Bin, 51, who went by the names Stephen Su and Stephen Subin, was also ordered by a federal judge here on Wednesday to pay a $10,000 fine.
Su had admitted in a plea agreement with US authorities to conspiring with two unnamed militaryofficers in China to try to acquire plans for F-22 and F-35 fighter jets and Boeings C-17 military transport aircraft.
According to court documents, the trio managed to steal sensitive data by hacking into the computer networks of major defense contractors and sent the information to China. Su, who ran a China- based aviation and aerospace company from Canada, was arrested in July 2014 and after waiving extradition was transferred to the United States to face charges.
Over the course of years, this defendant sought to undermine the national security of the United States by seeking out information that would benefit a foreign government and providing that country with information it had never before seen, prosecutor Eileen Decker said in a statement.
According to court documents, Su travelled to the US at least 10 times between 2008 and 2014, working with his co-conspirators to steal the data.
BEIJING: China on Thursday continued to defy an arbitral tribunals ruling against its claims in the South China Sea, landing civilian aircraft on disputed islands in the region while state-run media referred to the US and Japan as worrying eunuchs.
Beijing rejected the ruling by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration( PC A) that it has no exclusive rights over islands and resources in the South China Sea, saying it was null and void. It also warned it could create an air defence zone over the contested waters.
In what appeared to be planned retaliation, China successfully tested two new airfields on the Nansha (Spratly) Islands with civil flights, state media reported. This took the number of air fields in the archipelago open to civil aircraft to three. The two flights, an Airbus A319 chartered by China Southern Airlines and a Boeing 737 by Hainan Airlines, both returned to Haikou after a short stay on the reefs, official news agency Xinhua reported.
The round trips came one day after a Cessna CE-680 flew to the two reefs to ensure that both airfields are prepared for civil flights, Xinhua reported.
Including the airport on the Yong shu Reef opened in January, China now has three functioning airports on the Nansha Islands, which lie under one of the world s busiest airspaces, it said. Statecontrolled media continued to castigate the US for purportedly manipulating the Philippines, which had approached the PCA, and for destabilising the region.
An editorial in the nationalist tabloid Global Times stood out for its use of language that usually doesnt get into print. It said the US and Japan were more worried than the Philippines, whose attitude was relatively mild after the tribunals ruling on Tuesday.
The editorial said the Philippines had described the ruling as a milestone decision and called for restraint.
An old Chinese saying goes The emperor doesnt worry but his eunuch does, meaning the outsider is more anxious than the player. In this case, Washington and Tokyo are the worrying eunuchs, it added.
TOKYO: Japans ancient monarchy was in tumult on Thursday, with the imperial household insisting its ageing emperor had no plans to abdicate after reports he wanted to step aside. Respected national broadcaster NHK -- citing palace and other sources -said on Wednesday that 82-year-old Akihito wanted to pass the throne to his eldest son sometime within the next few years. Any such abdication -- the first since 1817 -- would be a severe jolt to a country where the 2,600-year-old royal family symbolises stability and continuity.
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KATHMANDU: Embattled Nepal Prime Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is facing a no-confidence motion, hinted on Thursday that India could be playing a role in attempts to oust him from office.
Oli, a known India-baiter, made remarks to this effect at a seminar on national security in Kathmandu a day after the Maoist sand the Nepali Congress registered a no-confidence motion against him in parliament.
Meeting store move the government have not taken place on their own, but are being (remotely controlled) by batteries. Its a sad situation for the country, he said.
Oli stressed he wouldnt compromise on national security in the name of having cordial relations with neighbours. Neither we think against anyone, nor have we spoken against anyone. We won t let this country be used against others, he said.
In New Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup he wasnt aware of Olis reported remarks .I haven t seen any such comments. Even it there is one, we reject it, he said.
Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre chairman Push pa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba were invited to the seminar but they were conspicuous by their absence.
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BEIJING: If Japanese cars and goods were targeted during a wave of anti-Tokyo protests four years ago, the unlikely symbol of Chinese ire against a tribunals ruling this week against Chinas claims on the South China Sea is the highly rated Philippines mango.
Considered a top variety worldwide, mangoes from Philippines are popular in China, where they are imported and consumed in large quantities. The dried variety of the fruit too is widely available across China in mom-and-pop stores and 24-hour convenience shops.
Not any more, if one is a true Chinese patriot. Online groups are urging Chinese citizens to boycott man goes from the Philippines to protest against The Hague- based Permanent Court of Arbitration s( PC A) decision that went in favour of Manila and against Beijing. On Tuesday, a tribunal set up by the PCA said China had no historic rights over islands in the South China Sea and that Beijing had violated Manila s maritime rights. A subsequent onlineruling by some Chinese social media groups apparently says Filipino companies have no right to sell man goes in China. The nationalistic Global Times tabloid reported online groups had urged traders on Tao-bao, C hi na s biggest online retailer, not to buy man goes from the Philippines.
Vendors who sell snacks, especially imported dried man go from the Philippines on Taobao... began to change their advertisements into we boycott any products made in the Philippines and the rise and fall of the nation is the concern of every Chinese and our dried mango comes from Thailand and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, not the Philippines , the newspaper reported.
BBC reported slogans such as If you want to eat mango, buy Thailand s andStarve the Filipinos to death being circulated on Weibo.
WASHINGTON: Should South Asia replace India as more representative of the geographical spread of early civilisations on the subcontinent? Was religion a key aspect of the caste system?
These and many questions regarding the teaching of Indian history in California schools as part of a general overhaul, which have been debated fiercely over the past months, will get a final hearing and a decision on Thursday. Scores of activists, parents, experts and students have testified in multiple hearings held by the Instructional Quality Commission of Californias department of education over several months.
One of the most contentious changes being proposed is that of replacing references to India as a geographical entity with South Asia in the History-Social Science Framework, a teaching guide.
In a November 2015 note, the South Asia Faculty Group suggested changes to a section entitled The Early Civilisations of India in the Grade 6 curriculum. We recommend changing the Title of this Section to The Early Civilisations of South Asia. At several other places in the text, we also recommend substituting South Asia for Ancient India or India, the group said.
It argued the Ind us Valley Civilisations major urban centres, Harappa and Mohenjodaro, were both in Pakistan. Theother groups pushed back, arguing the word India was being erased from Californias textbooks. A petition was signed by more than 22,000 people. And the department decided to retain India in many instances, which was claimed as a victory.
WASHINGTON: Donald Trumps campaign has signalled he is likely to pick Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate, The New York Times reported on Thursday citing conversations his aides have had with Republican party officials.
Trump has said he will announce his pick on Friday, just two days ahead of the Republican convention in Cleveland, Ohio, where he is to be officially named as the presidential nominee. Pence, 57, is on a shortlist of four people whom Trump has been vetting privately and publicly, as only Trump can, through joint campaign appearances.
The other three are New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who ran against Trump for the nomination, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and Alabama senator Jeff Sessions. The Times said Trump advisers have told Republican party officials they are preparing an announcement with Pence, but warned the unpredictable Trump could still change his mind. The presumptive Republican nominee conducted an unusual vetting process, including joint public appearances and meetings that were announced to the press. Trump and his three adult children Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump had breakfast with Pen ce a this governor s mansion on Wednesday, with TV crews outside. Pence is a low-profile politician who, The Times said, was largely defined by his Christian faith, and is thus likely to help the nominee with conservatives still sceptical of him.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Thursday said she regretted making critical comments about Trump .On reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised and I regret making them, she said in a statement. Ginsburg had criticised Trump in a series of media interviews recently.
PARIS: The US is offering Russia a new military pact against the Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria, according to a leaked US proposal. If finalised, the arrangement could dramatically alter Americas role in the Arab countrys five-year civil war. The document published by The Washington Post calls for joint bombing operations, a command-and-control headquarters and other synchronised efforts. US and Russian officials with expertise in intelligence, targeting and air operations will work together to defeat the extremist groups, the eight-page paper states. US secretary of state John Kerry, who was to discuss the proposal in Russias capital on Thursday, declined to comment.
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When Congress passed the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798, it opened a heated debate about the limits of freedom in a free society.
By Larry Gragg
On July 4, 1798, the citizens of the capital city of Philadelphia turned out in large numbers to celebrate the nations independence day. While militia companies marched through the streets, church bells rang, and artillery units fired salutes, members of the United States Senate were trying to conduct a debate on a critical bill. One senator noted the military parade so attracted the attention of the majority that much the greater part of them stood with their bodies out of the windows and could not be kept to order. Once they resumed their deliberations, however, the Federalist majority succeeded in gaining passage of an implausible bill, one quickly approved by the House of Representatives and signed on July 14 by President John Adams.
Ironically, as senators celebrated the freedom they had won from Britain, they approved a sedition bill that made it illegal to publish or utter any statements about the government that were false, scandalous and malicious with the intent to defame or to bring Congress or the president into contempt or disrepute. This bill, seemingly a violation of the Constitutions First Amendment free speech protections, had a chilling effect on members of the Republican Party and its leader, Thomas Jefferson, who admitted that he feared to write what I think.
Support for this restrictive legislation had grown out of Federalist belief that the young nation was facing its gravest crisis yet, in the possibility of war with France and the spread of anti-immigrant feeling. The new law violated the beliefs of many Republicans, who regarded Federalists as reactionary defenders of privilege intent on bringing back the monarchy. Federalists saw their Republican opposites as irresponsible radicals eager to incite a social revolution as democratic as the one that had torn through France.
Nothing divided Federalist from Republican more than their response to the French Revolution. Republicans applauded the revolutionaries destruction of aristocratic privileges, the overthrow of the monarchy, and the implementation of constitutional government. Yet, Federalists saw the same dramatic changes as the degeneration of legitimate government into mob rule, particularly during the bloody Reign of Terror when counterrevolutionaries lost their lives on the guillotine.
Federalist fears deepened as they watched the new French republican government encourage wars of liberation and conquest in Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, and the Italian peninsula. Rumors were rampant in 1798 about a possible French invasion of America, one that allegedly would be supported by American traitors and a population of French emigres that had grown to more than 20,000.
The nations rapidly growing immigrant population deeply troubled Federalists. One Pennsylvania newspaper argued that none but the most vile and worthless were inundating the country. William Shaw, the presidents nephew, arguing that all our present difficulties may be traced to the hordes of Foreigners in the land, contended America should no longer be an asylum to all nations. Federalists worried about the 60,000 Irish immigrants in the new nation, some of whom had been exiled for plotting against British rule. These malcontents, they argued, along with French immigrants, and a sprinkling of British radicals like the liberal theologian and scientist Joseph Priestley, presented a grave challenge to the nation. The Federalists feared that the extremist ideas of the dissenters would corrupt and mobilize the destitute.
The British government, even more terrified than the Americans that ideas from the radical French regime might spread, had been at war with France for five years, trying to contain it. Both nations had seized neutral American ships headed to their enemys ports. President Adams initiated a two-pronged plan to stop the French from seizing any further ships. He sent three emissaries to negotiate with the French government, and he worked to push bills through Congress to increase the size of the navy and army. Federalist revulsion at anything associated with France reached a peak in spring 1798 when word arrived in Philadelphia that three French agents, identified only as X, Y, and Z, had demanded a bribe from the American diplomats before they would begin negotiations.
Insulted by the French government, convinced that war was inevitable, and anxious over a dangerous alien population in their midst, Federalists in Philadelphia were ready to believe any rumor. They saw no reason to doubt the warning in a letter found outside the presidents residence in late April. It supposedly contained information about a plot by a group of Frenchmen to sit [sic] fire to the City in various parts, and to Massacre the inhabitants. Hundreds of militiamen patrolled the city streets as a precaution, and a special guard was assigned to the presidents home. John Adams ordered chests of arms from the war-office, as he was determined to defend my house at the expense of my life.
In such a crisis atmosphere, Federalists took action to prevent domestic subversion. They supported four laws passed in June and July 1798 to control the threats they believed foreigners posed to the security of the nation and to punish the opposition party for its seditious libel.
Two of these laws represented the Federalist effort to address perceived threats from the nations immigrant groups. The Alien Enemies Act permitted the deportation of aliens who hailed from a nation with which the United States was at war, while the Alien Friends Act empowered the president, during peacetime, to deport any alien whom he considered dangerous.
Although some historians acknowledge that there were legitimate national security concerns involved in the passage of the two alien acts, others conclude that the two additional pieces of legislation were blatant efforts to destroy the Republican Party, which had gained many immigrant supporters.
The Naturalization Act extended the residency requirement for citizenship from five to 14 years. For a few politicians, such as Congressmen Robert Goodloe Harper and Harrison Gray Otis, even this act was insufficient. They believed that citizenship should be limited to those born in the United States.
Apart from its limitations on speech, the Sedition Act, the last of the four laws, made it illegal to unlawfully combine or conspire together, with intent to oppose any measure or measures of the government. While the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution established that Congress couldnt pass laws abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, there had been little discussion about the amendments precise meaning since its adoption seven years earlier.
In 1798 many Federalists drew upon Commentaries on the Laws of England written by Sir William Blackstonethe man considered by the framers of the Constitution to be the oracle of the common lawfor their definition of liberty of the press. Blackstone wrote, liberty of the press . . . consists in laying no previous restraints upon publications. However, if a person publishes what is improper, mischievous, or illegal, he must take the consequences of his own temerity. In other words, if a person spoke or wrote remarks that could be construed as seditious libel, they werent entitled to free speech protection.
According to the Federalists, if seditious libel meant any effort to malign or weaken the government, then the Republican press was repeatedly guilty. Republican papers, claimed the Federalists, such as the Philadelphia Aurora, the New York Argus, the Richmond Examiner, and Bostons Independent Chronicle printed the most scurrilous statements, lies, and misrepresentations about President Adams and the Federalist Party.
The presidents wife, Abigail, complained bitterly about journalistic abuse, deception and falsehood. Particularly galling to her were the characterizations of her husband in editor Benjamin Baches Aurora. In April 1798 Bache called the president old, querulous, Bald, blind, crippled, Toothless Adams. Bache, she argued, was a lying wretch given to the most insolent and abusive language. He wrote with the malice of Satan. The First Lady repeatedly demanded that something be done to stop this wicked and base, violent and calumniating abuse being leveled against the Government. She argued that if journalists like Bache werent stopped, the nation would be plunged into a civil war.
At the same time, Federalists were hardly models of decorum when describing Republicans. Their opponents were, one Federalist wrote, democrats, mobocrats and all other kinds of rats. Federalist Noah Webster characterized Republicans as the refuse, the sweepings of the most depraved part of mankind from the most corrupt nations on earth.
Although President Adams neither framed the Sedition Act nor encouraged its introduction, he certainly supported it. He issued many public statements about the evils of the opposition press. Adams believed that journalists who deliberately distorted the news to mislead the people could cause great harm to a representative democracy.
Letters and remarks of John and Abigail Adams made passage of a sedition bill easier, but the task of pushing it through Congress fell to Senator James Lloyd of Maryland and Congressmen Robert Goodloe Harper and Harrison Gray Otis. Although it passed by a wide margin in the Senate, the bill barely gained approval in the House of Representatives, where the vote was 44 to 41. To win even that small majority, Harper and Otis had to change the original bill in significant ways. Prosecutors would have to prove malicious intent, and truth would be permitted as a defense. Juries, not judges, would determine whether a statement was libelous. To underscore its political purpose, the act was to expire on March 3, 1801, the last day of President Adams term of office.
Prosecutions began quickly. On June 26, even before the Sedition Act was passed, Supreme Court Justice Richard Peters issued a warrant for the arrest of Benjamin Bache. Bache, the most powerful of all the Republican newspaper editors, was charged with libeling the President and the Executive Government in a manner tending to excite sedition and opposition to the laws. Less than two weeks later, federal marshals arrested John Daly Burk, editor of the New York newspaper Time Piece, for making seditious and libelous statements against the president. Neither faced trial, however. Bache died in Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic of September 1798, and Burk, who wasnt a citizen, agreed to deportation if charges were dropped. He then fled to Virginia to live under an assumed name.
During the next two years 17 people were indicted under the Sedition Act, and 10 were convicted. Most were journalists. Included among them were William Duane, who had succeeded Benjamin Bache as editor of the Aurora; Thomas Cooper, a British radical who edited a small Pennsylvania newspaper; Charles Holt, editor of a New London, Connecticut, newspaper; and James Callender, who had worked on the Aurora before moving to Virginias Richmond Examiner. Like Benjamin Bache, Callender delighted in condemning the president.
The Federalists didnt target only journalists. They went after other individuals, including David Brown of Dedham, Massachusetts, who spouted anti-government rhetoric wherever a crowd gathered. Brown was arrested in April 1799, charged with uttering seditious pieces and helping to erect a liberty pole with a placard that read A Speedy Retirement to the President. No Sedition bill, No Alien bill, Downfall to the Tyrants of America.
Incredibly, even an inebriated Republican, Luther Baldwin of Newark, New Jersey, became a victim. Following the adjournment of Congress in July 1798, President Adams and his wife were traveling through Newark on their way to their home in Quincy, Massachusetts. Residents lined the streets as church bells rang, and ceremonial cannon fire greeted the party. As the procession made its way past a local tavern owned by John Burnet, one of the patrons remarked, There goes the President and they are firing at his a__. According to the Newark Centinel of Freedom, Baldwin added that, he did not care if they fired thro his a__. Burnet overheard the exchange and exclaimed, That is seditious. Baldwin was arrested and later convicted of speaking seditious words tending to defame the President and Government of the United States. He was fined $150, assessed court costs and expenses, and sent to jail until he paid the fine and fees.
The most outrageous case, however, involved Congressman Matthew Lyon, a Republican from Vermont. This fiery Irishman was one of the sharpest critics of President Adams and the Federalists. He had even engaged in a brawl on the House floor with Federalist Roger Griswold. Convinced that the Federalists intended to use the Sedition Act to silence their congressional opposition, Lyon confided to a colleague that it most probably would be brought to bear upon himself first victim of all.
While not the initial victim, Lyon quickly felt the wrath of the majority party. In the summer of 1798, he wrote an article criticizing President Adams continual grasp for power and his unbounded thirst for ridiculous pomp, foolish adulation, and selfish avarice. During his fall re-election campaign, Lyon also quoted from a letter that suggested Congress should dispatch the president to a mad house for his handling of the French crisis. In October, a federal grand jury indicted Lyon for stirring up sedition and bringing the President and government of the United States into contempt.
United States Supreme Court justices, sitting as circuit court judges, presided in the sedition trials. These judges, all Federalists, rejected the efforts of defendants and their counsel to challenge the laws constitutionality. Samuel Chase, who sat in three of the cases, clearly was on a mission. There is nothing we should more dread, he argued, than the licentiousness of the press.
Chase and the other judges handed down tough sentences. While none imposed the statutes maximum penalties of a $2,000 fine or a jail sentence of two years, they often sent the guilty to jail. Most of the convicted endured three- or four-month sentences. James Callender, however, served nine months, and David Brown twice as long. The average fines were about $300, although Luther Baldwins fine was $150 and Matthew Lyons was $1,000.
As the trials progressed, two Republican Party leaders, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, tried to overturn the Sedition Act. Concluding that the Bill of Rights couldnt prevent abuses of power by the federal government, the two men collaborated on a set of protest resolutions asserting that the government was a compact created by the states and that citizens, speaking through their state legislatures, had the right to judge the constitutionality of actions taken by the government. In this instance, they called upon the states to join them in declaring the Alien and Sedition Acts to be void, and of no force.
While only Kentucky and Virginia endorsed the resolutions, the efforts of Jefferson and Madison encouraged Republicans to make the Alien and Sedition Acts major issues in the campaign of 1800. Voter anger over these bills, along with higher taxes and the escalating federal debt resulting from increased defense spending, gave Republicans a majority in the House of Representatives. The Federalists lost almost 40 seats, leaving the new Congress with 66 Republicans and only 40 Federalists.
There were other unexpected results from the passage of the Sedition Act. Clearly, Federalists had hoped to stifle the influence of the fewer than 20 Republican newspapers published in 1798. Some, like John Daly Burks Time Piece, did cease publication; others suspended operation while their editors were in jail. However, circulation increased for the majority of the periodicals. Most discouraging to the Federalists, particularly as the campaigns for the 1800 election got under way, was the fact that more than 30 new Republican newspapers began operation following passage of the Sedition Act.
Not even prison stopped Republican Congressman Matthew Lyon. The most visible target of the Federalists, Lyon conducted his re-election campaign from his jail cell in Vergennes, Vermont. Considered a martyr by his supporters, Lyon regularly contributed to this image through letters and newspaper articles. It is quite a new kind of jargon to call a Representative of the People an Opposer of the Government because he does not, as a legislator, advocate and acquiesce in every proposition that comes from the Executive, he wrote. In a December run-off election, Lyon won easily.
By 1802, in the wake of the Federalist election defeat, the Alien Friends Act, the Sedition Act, and the Naturalization Act had expired or been repealed. The Alien Enemies Act remained in effect, but no one had been prosecuted under its provisions because the United States hadnt declared war on France, a necessary condition for the laws implementation. After winning the presidency in the 1800 election, Thomas Jefferson pardoned all those convicted of violating the Sedition Act who remained in prison.
By virtually every measure, the Federalist effort to impose a one-party press and a one-party government on the fledgling nation had failed. Ironically, the Sedition Act prompted the opposition to expand its view of free speech and freedom of the press. In a series of essays, tracts, and books, Republicans began to argue that the First Amendment protected citizens from any federal restraint on the press or speech. Notable among them was a pamphlet entitled An Essay on the Liberty of the Press, published in 1799 by George Hay, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Hay argued that if the words freedom of the press have any meaning at all they mean a total exemption from any law making any publication whatever criminal. In his 1801 inaugural address, Thomas Jefferson echoed Hays sentiments, stressing the necessity of preserving the right of citizens to think freely and to speak and to write what they think.
For most, the arguments of Hay and Jefferson have prevailed, although even the Republicans were willing to acknowledge that states could and should impose speech restrictions under certain conditions. Moreover, there have been occasions, most notably during World War I, when the federal government declared that free expression was secondary to military necessity. In an effort to suppress dissent and anti-war activity in 1917, Congress passed the Espionage Act, a law that made it a felony to try to cause insubordination in the armed forces or to convey false statements with intent to interfere with military operations. It was followed by the Sedition Act of 1918, which banned treasonable or seditious material from the mail. Under this provision the mailing of many publications, including the New York Times as well as radical and dissident newspapers, was temporarily halted.
In the 200 years since the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, each generation of Americans has struggled to determine the limits of free speech and freedom of the press. In large part, it has been a dilemma of reconciling freedom and security with liberty and order. For the Federalist Party in 1798, however, the answer was simple; order and security had to prevail.
Larry Gragg, professor of history at the University of Missouri-Rolla, is the author of two books on the Virginia Quakers and the Salem witch crisis.
Park dedicated to freedom fighters built in Stepanakert
Another project being implemented within the frames of the program of cooperation established between the municipalities of Yerevan and Stepanakert is the construction of Azatamartikneri park. Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan who is Stepanakert with an official visit together with Stepanakert Mayor Suren Grigoryan and the president of Artsakh Azatamartikneri Union, Major-General Samvel Karapetyan visited Azatamartikneri park, familiarized himself with the with the process of construction of the recreation zone occupying about 2 hectares. Presenting the details of the program the persons in charge noted that the park would stand out with its architectural and landscaping solutions, fountain complex and walkways. An amphitheater will be built as well to stage performances and hold events. There will also be a walkway through the area of the park from Tumanyan street towards the school, the stadium and the square. The persons in charge assured that it would become a comfortable and beloved recreation areas not only for the residents of Stepanakert but for the guests of the capital of NKR.
News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.
Tuesday, October 25, 4:30 7 p.m.
Orr Area EMS Open House
Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.
Orr Fire Hall
4540 Lake St., Orr
Tuesday, October 25, 12 6 p.m.
Essentia Health Job Fair
Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.
901 9th St. N., Virginia
Before I started my own business, I was heavily entrenched in the Marriott International corporate brass, where group meetings business accounts for 40% of the overall revenue for their US hotels. As a leader in marketing and e-commerce disciplines, my team's focus was largely devoted to driving demand and revenue from the direct consumer segments and channels. For reference, our shorthand for all these activities was B2C, while those pertaining to groups were called B2B.
With the acquisition of Gaylord Hotels and the opening of several other large convention hotels in major US markets in the summer of 2012, I was tasked with assisting the sales teams in driving B2B revenues, both by developing tactics that could be utilized at that moment as well as strategies to last for many years to come.
With the rise of social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook, sales associates were increasingly being challenged to go out of their comfort zones to engage with customers by 'connecting' and 'friending' with current or potential customers through these channels to maintain engagement. Many team members did not currently have much, if any, experience in this field. Additionally, the adoption of search engines as the first point of research by meeting planners and key decision makers was also prevalent. Ergo, search engine marketing (SEM) that is, retargeting and Google Adwords as well as search engine optimization (SEO) would also play a dominant role in this endeavor.
Concurrently, within the company structure, sales and marketing had both been operating in separate silos. We needed to come together to understand how the two disciplines could work together to support our shared goal of heightening B2B revenues in our US hotels. This effort also needed collaboration with the analytics teams to understand what could be tracked as a result of marketing efforts through these digital channels.
There are two important statistics I like to be recall at this juncture to stress the underlying importance of building Marriott's presence on both social networks and search engine platforms.
"57% of the purchase decision is complete before a customer even calls a supplier." (CEB)
"67% of the buyer's journey is now done digitally." (SiriusDecisions)
The world has indeed moved online, and we needed to move with it. Understanding how consumer behavior evolved with the proliferation of these digital spaces was critical to effectively formulate a plan going forward.
It was determined, that beyond the traditional support that marketing provided to sales by way of 'sales tools and collateral', we needed to determine our role in driving demand and customer engagement in a purely B2B environment. While we played an active role in training the sales teams on how best to utilize these channels to connect and engage with customers, we also focused our efforts on what we know best that is, SEO and SEM.
Through Google analytics, we readily discovered that there was a high level of volume in meetings-type search terms and keywords, yet nowhere was Marriott International or any of our hotels visible. Our focus for SEM campaigns to date was not based on 'visibility' in the search engines, but rather on actual revenue. As reference, we examined search terms like 'convention hotels in San Diego', 'meetings in Chicago', 'event venues in Seattle' and so on.
From this, the strategy we devised included the following:
Established a goal around driving group demand via the number of e-RFP submissions via the brand meetings website as well as total revenue booked. We also set a growth metrics of X to Y by year-end. Established a thorough analytics and tracking process to monitor and measure efforts on a monthly basis. Assigned a budget to implement a paid search campaign otherwise known as pay per click (PPC) based on high volume and relevant search terms while also making necessary updates to the RFP form on the brand meetings website.
With these three streamlined actions, our results were as follows:
Exceeded goal in driving e-RFPs by 84%, which went directly into the sales offices.
Drove a high conversion rate at 14%, which showed we were getting the quality inquiries.
Exceeded the total in tracked booking revenue goals.
The final analysis from these activities showed that, just as with consumers, today's business decision-makers begin their purchases by researching products and services online by utilizing search engines and consuming various forms of content. In other words, even though these are 'businesses', we are still selling to 'people'.
The B2B sell may be more complicated, but we must nevertheless captivate and engage the interest of the potential buyer through various online channels. By the time they seek out sales professionals, they're well on their way to making a decision. Often, the reaching out stage of the process is less a call to be convinced and more a confirmation of the buyer already had in mind.
As a general takeaway, it is critical that hotels understand their audiences and how they may vary by segment in order to then determine what search terms are relevant for their properties and destinations. SEM isn't something that just tacked on to the marketing budget; these new digital channels need a well-defined strategy with specially tailored content if they are to be successful.
This may require a vastly different mindset in the hiring and training of the sales associate of the future as these methods of digital marketing must be incorporated into the everyday practices of the hotels' sales teams. Moreover, the collaboration between sales and marketing is no longer an option; it is a vital necessity in today's digital and social world.
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Legislation provides a thoughtful, measured approach to the Department of Labors drastic overtime proposal
he American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) and the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association (ORLA) issued the following statements on the introduction of Rep. Kurt Schraders (OR-5) legislation H.R. 5813, the Overtime Reform and Enhancement Act. The legislation would phase-in over three years the Department of Labors new overtime rule, which currently would raise the overtime threshold for eligible employees by December 1, 2016 from $23,660 to $47,476. This legislation would raise the overtime threshold by 50 percent to $35,984 by the initial compliance deadline. After that, the threshold would rise by $74 per week until December, 2019, when it will reach $47,476.
Our industry is ripe with opportunity and has a tremendous track record of providing the training and resources our employees need to move up through the ranks to more senior positions, said Brian Crawford, AH&LAs Vice President of Government Affairs. However, we are concerned that the significant increase in the salary threshold will have a profound negative impact on small and independent business owners who will face real challenges trying to implement this rule. The hotel industry applauds Representative Schrader for his leadership on this critical issue. This commonsense legislation provides employers with much-needed time to comply with the new regulation while also ensuring that our workers have up-to-date overtime rules.
"Representative Schrader continues to exemplify leadership qualities we need in our elected leaders," said Jason Brandt, President & CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association. His new overtime proposal represents a common sense compromise that helps protect workers and small business owners as they adjust to new marketplace realities. We hope that Congressman Schraders legislation can jumpstart Congressional action to lessen the blunt impact these new regulations will have on not only small businesses, but also the higher education community and employers in the non-profit sector.
Congressman Schraders legislation, the Overtime Reform and Enhancement Act, follows on the heels of other legislative efforts to lessen the impact of DOLs Overtime Regulation. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-7) introduced the Protecting Workplace Advancement and Opportunity Act (S. 2707 and H.R. 4773), legislation that would delay implementation of the DOLs overtime regulation until a full economic impact analysis and study could be completed.
He visits the capital for the first time in six years in September
Jamie T has announced a tour to coincide with the release of his new Trick LP complete with a stop at The Olympia Theatre.
Last seen on these shores in 2010 for a sweat-fest of a show at The Academy, the Londoner will be back in Dublin to kick off a lengthy jaunt. Having unveiled single 'Tinfoil Boy' earlier this month check it out below his new collection is an eagerly-awaited affair, as one of the more unpredictable and enigmatic figures in British music explodes into life once again.
The album lands on September 2; tickets for his September 27 show are on sale from next Friday (July 22), priced at 31.50.
Rebel Wilson leaves Pitch Perfect behind and joins the London stage as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls.
Rebel Wilson proves she can hold her own on stage as the lead in the play Guys and Dolls.
Ever since she took a supporting role in Bridesmaids, Wilson has become something of a phenomenon worldwide.
Her straight-forward attitude and humour has set her apart from the rest. Wilson also credits her stunning plus-sized body as something she uses to her advantage. Being comfortable with herself comes across in the roles she takes, and her newest one is no different.
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Guys and Dolls is directed by Gordon Greenberg, and Rebel Wilson will be performing as Miss Adelaide until August 21, 2016. The play is showing at the Phoenix theatre in London.
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Power-and-blood fantasy saga "Game of Thrones" ruled the Emmy Award nominations Thursday morning with a leading 23 bids, including best drama, while a real-life epic of murder and celebrity, "The People v. O.J. Simpson," was close behind with 22 nods.
"Game of Thrones" gets the chance to win its second top Emmy, while "Veep," last year's top comedy winner, also will get another shot at holding office and with 17 nominations was the comedy leader.
And Beyonce will have four opportunities earn her first Emmy award after her "Lemonade" visual album, which aired on HBO in April, reaped a quartet of nominations -- outstanding direction for a variety special, outstanding variety special, outstanding production design for a variety, nonfiction, event or award special and outstanding picture editing for variety programming.
Breakthrough nominations include a best comedy series nod for sophomore "black-ish," which brought the African-American family sitcom back to network TV, with bids as well for its stars, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross.
They were among a number of black actors recognized by TV academy voters, who have started to keep pace with TV's growing diversity in sharp contrast to moviedom's Academy Awards, which were slammed as "Oscars So White" this year.
Viola Davis, the "How to Get Away with Murder" star who last year became the first woman of color to win a best drama actress trophy, was nominated again. So was "Empire" star Taraji P. Henson.
"Game of Thrones" and "Mr. Robot" will compete with "Better Call Saul," "Homeland," "House of Cards," "The Americans" and "Downton Abbey," the last a nod for its farewell season. But the final season of "The Good Wife" was not recognized, and star Julianna Margulies also was snubbed.
Aziz Ansari received a lead comedy acting bid for his series "Master of None," a first for an Indian-American actor, and the show received a best comedy series nomination. Rami Malek, of Egyptian descent, earned a top drama acting nod for his role as a renegade hacker in another freshman, "Mr. Robot," which also will compete for drama honors.
But there was no major acting nods for the stars of "Fresh Off the Boat" or other Asian-American actors, or for Latinos, which has been a recurrent Emmy pattern. "Game of Thrones" and "Mr. Robot" will compete with "Better Call Saul," "Homeland," "House of Cards," "The Americans" and "Downton Abbey," the last a nod for its farewell season.
"The Americans," which gained in attention last season, also earned bids for its stars, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys.
Besides Russell, Davis and Henson, lead drama actress bids went to Claire Danes for "Homeland" and Tatiana Maslany for "Orphan Black."
Malek and Rhys will be competing with Kevin Spacey for "House of Cards," Dripping Springs resident Kyle Chandler for "Bloodline," Bob Odenkirk for "Better Call Saul" and Liev Schreiber for "Ray Donovan."
On the comedy side, "Veep," "black-ish" and "Master of None" will tussle for the trophy with five-time champ "Modern Family," "Transparent," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Silicon Valley," which includes Houston native Josh Brener among its cast.
A top acting nod for "Veep" star Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who plays a U.S. vice president now elevated to the Oval Office, gives her the chance to score her fifth consecutive win and set a record.
She and Ross will be competing with Ellie Kemper in "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," Laurie Metcalf in "Getting On," Amy Schumer in "Inside Amy Schumer" and Lily Tomlin in "Grace and Frankie."
The Sept. 18 Emmy show will be broadcast live on ABC from 8-11 p.m. EDT, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.
Here is the list of 2016 Emmy nominations:
Lead actor in a drama
Kyle Chandler, "Bloodline"
Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"
Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"
Matthew Rhys, "The Americans"
Liev Schreiber, "Ray Donovan"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"
Lead actress in a limited series
Kirsten Dunst, "Fargo"
Felicity Huffman, "American Crime"
Audra McDonald, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grille"
Sarah Paulson, "The People v. O.J. Simpson"
Lili Taylor, "American Crime"
Kerry Washington, "Conformation"
Lead actress in a drama
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Viola Davis, "How to Get Away With Murder"
Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"
Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black"
Keri Russell, "The Americans"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"
Lead actor in a limited series
Bryan Cranston, "All the Way"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "Sherlock: The Abominable Bride"
Idris Elba, "Luther"
Cuba Gooding Jr., "The People vs. O.J. Simpson"
Tom Hiddleston, "The Night Manager"
Courtney B. Vance, "The People vs. O.J. Simpson"
Lead actor in a comedy
Anthony Anderson, "black-ish"
Aziz Ansari, "Master of None"
Will Forte, "Last Man on Earth
William H. Macy, "Shameless"
Thomas Middleditch, "Silicon Valley"
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Comedy actress
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Ellie Kemper, "The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Tracee Ellis Ross, "black-ish"
Laurie Metcalf, "Getting On"
Amy Schumer, "Inside Amy Schumer"
Lily Tomlin, "Grace and Frankie"
Comedy series
"black-ish"
"Master of None"
"Modern Family"
"Silicon Valley"
"Transparent"
"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
"Veep"
Drama series
"The Americans"
"Better Call Saul"
"Downton Abbey"
"Game of Thrones"
"Homeland"
"House of Cards"
"Mr. Robot"
Outstanding limited series
"American Crime"
"Fargo"
"The Night Manager"
"The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story"
"Roots"
TV Movie
"All the Way"
"Confirmation"
"Luther"
"Sherlock: The Abominable Bride"
"A Very Murray Christmas"
When Oscar Del Toro tries to persuade his fellow Pasadena Latinos to vote, he appeals to them on practical and emotional levels.
Practical: If you and your neighbors get the voting numbers up in your precinct, elected officials will start paying attention to your neighborhood even if your candidate doesn't win.
Emotional: You'll feel better about yourself if you participate in your community. Del Toro's parents came to Pasadena from Monterrey, Mexico, and became U.S. citizens years before he did, but they never voted until he took them to the polls.
"You could see the pride in their faces," he says of that day.
Del Toro, 53, who runs a cartridge toner and laser printer business out of his home, lost a bid for a seat on the Pasadena City Council last year. His adopted hometown, meanwhile, was becoming a national symbol of the struggle to protect and expand voting rights for minorities and to boost the historically low level of Latino participation in elections.
It seems that the "sleeping giant" - the perceived potential of more than 27 million eligible Latino voters nationwide to help swing Texas and other Republican-dominated states toward the Democrats - has yet to be roused.
Take the November 2013 decision by Pasadena voters to change the city council structure from eight single-member district positions to six district seats and two at-large, or citywide, posts. The charter change passed by 79 votes out of more than 6,000 cast.
The move was seen as making it harder for Latinos to win a number of seats reflective of their population. (Of the city's roughly 140,000 residents, 63 percent are Hispanic, and 43 percent of voting-age residents are Hispanic.) The new system may have prevented Latinos from winning a fourth seat on the eight-member council; they now hold three. An analysis by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy found that 68 percent of Anglo-majority precincts favored the charter change, known as Proposition 1, while 67 percent of Latino-majority precincts opposed it. But the Latinos didn't turn out in sufficient numbers to block the measure.
"Given the overwhelming opposition to Proposition 1 among Hispanic voters who did vote in November's election, it seems safe to speculate that a small increase in Hispanic voter turnout would have defeated the proposition," the analysis concludes.
Moving goal posts
The result was discouraging to Del Toro and to like-minded Pasadenans like Councilman Cody Ray Wheeler, who is Latino. Both men are featured in "The Giant Still Sleeps," a new documentary by Austin-based filmmaker Miguel Alvarez. In the film, Wheeler suggests that the change in the council makeup could strengthen the sense among many Latinos that their vote won't make a difference. Mayor Johnny Isbell had pushed for the charter changes just weeks after a U.S. Supreme Court decision ended advance federal approval of election-law changes in some states with a history of discrimination.
"It almost validated what I kept hearing - they moved the goal posts back again," Wheeler says. "It doesn't matter; they're going to do what they want to anyway. As we get closer to making this city more equal, they're going to push back hard on us. It's very sad, but we have to come back even stronger."
Wheeler and Del Toro vow to continue their struggle, even as other residents who filed a lawsuit challenging the charter change await their day in court. The documentary includes shots of Del Toro speaking to civic groups and interacting with Pasadena Latinos who tell him that they have never voted - because their jobs and family responsibilities don't leave them with enough time, or due to cultural differences.
These factors shouldn't be discounted, Del Toro told me over coffee in the kitchen of his Pasadena house. He came to this country in 2000 and became a citizen six years later, but when he started voting he found the long ballot with its unfamiliar titles and overlapping jurisdictions bewildering: "Constable? Sheriff? What's the difference?"
'I love this country'
Del Toro says he intends to run for office in Pasadena again, having learned from the mistakes of his first campaign. But he seems less concerned about his own political future than about his community. This is a guy with a nice house on a tree-lined street, a businessman who belongs to the chamber of commerce and plays golf on Wednesdays. He's dug in.
"I love this country," he says. "I think I am blessed to live in this country. It opened the door for me, my wife and three kids."
He wants more of Pasadena's Latinos to share that sense of connection.
Dazie Williams wiped her eyes Thursday as she asked bailiffs if she could hug one of the men who killed her son.
In an emotional turn rarely seen at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse, Williams asked 23-year-old Anthony Quinn Wade if she could visit him in prison, to try to help him turn his life around.
Wade had just been sentenced to 40 years for his role as the getaway driver in an armed robbery that turned into a fatal shooting over a few pairs of expensive Air Jordans basketball shoes in 2012.
Williams spoke directly to Wade after he pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery.
"Mr. Wade, I'm here to try to comfort you. I forgive you," she said tearfully during a statement that lasted just a few minutes. "I want to ask you if I can come visit you on a regular basis."
Defendants typically are not allowed to respond during a victim's impact statement, but visiting state District Judge Frank Price allowed Wade to answer.
"Ms. Williams, I am allowing you to come visit," he said. "What happened wasn't supposed to happen. I apologize."
His response prompted Williams to ask if she could hug the handcuffed young man in an orange jail uniform, a request that was denied.
Williams has said she prays often for the four men who killed her son and their families, and she marks each one's birthday with prayer.
She has also created an organization called Life over Fashion to lobby Nike to sell the highly sought after sneakers online only. She has said the massive lines at shopping centers and malls during the much-hyped product launches allow criminals to target victims.
Her son, Joshua Woods, 22, was killed just days before Christmas 2012.
Wade and three other men followed Woods and a friend home from Willowbrook Mall after Woods bought three pairs of Nike Air Jordans at $185 each. One of the pairs of shoes was meant for his sister; he also bought a small pair as a Christmas gift for his young son.
When Woods stopped to drop off his friend, the men who were following him also stopped. One of the men demanded the shoes then shot the young father through the windshield as he tried to flee. The four men then fled, leaving the shoes behind.
The two who fired shots, Neal Bland and Daron Taylor, have been convicted of capital murder.
A fourth man, Kegan Arrington is expected to plead guilty to aggravated robbery, with his punishment to be decided by a judge. Arrington is expected to get less prison time because he cooperated with authorities and agreed to testify against his friends.
For taking responsibility in the death, Wade escaped a conviction on a charge of capital murder, which carries an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole. For taking the deal, Wade will be eligible for parole in 20 years.
WASHINGTON - "The most significant reinforcement of our collective defense any time since the Cold War," President Barack Obama called it. A bit of an exaggeration, perhaps, but it was still an achievement: Last week's NATO summit in Warsaw ordered the deployment of troops to Eastern Europe, the alliance's most serious response yet to Russia's aggression and provocations on its western frontier.
The post-Ukraine economic sanctions have been weak; the declamatory denunciations, a mere embarrassment. They've only encouraged further reckless Russian behavior - the buzzing of U.S. ships, intrusions into European waters, threats to the Baltic States.
NATO will now deploy four battalions to front-line states. In Estonia, they will be led by Britain; in Lithuania, by Germany; in Latvia, by Canada; in Poland, by the United States. Not nearly enough, and not permanently based, but nonetheless significant.
In the unlikely event of a Russian invasion of any of those territories, these troops are to act as a tripwire, triggering a full-scale war with NATO. It's the kind of coldblooded deterrent that kept the peace in Europe during the Cold War and keeps it now along the DMZ in Korea.
In the more likely event of a "little green men" takeover attempt in, say, Estonia (about 25 percent ethnically Russian), the sort of disguised slow-motion invasion that Vladimir Putin pulled off in Crimea, the NATO deployments might be enough to thwart the aggression and call in reinforcements.
The message to Putin is clear: Yes, you've taken parts of Georgia and Ukraine. But they're not NATO. That territory is sacred - or so we say.
This is a welcome development for the Balts, who are wondering whether they really did achieve irreversible independence when the West won the Cold War. Their apprehension is grounded in NATO's flaccid response to Putin's aggressive revanchism, particularly in Ukraine. Obama still won't provide Ukraine with even defensive weaponry. This follows years of American accommodation of Putin, from canceling a Polish-Czech missile defense system to, most recently, openly acquiescing to Russia's seizure of a dominant role in Syria.
And what are the East Europeans to think when they hear the presumptive presidential candidate of the party of Reagan speaking dismissively of NATO and suggesting a possible American exit?
The NATO action takes on even greater significance because of the timing, coming just two weeks after Brexit. Britain's withdrawal threatens the future of the other major pillar of Western integration and solidarity, the European Union. NATO shows that it is holding fast and that the vital instrument of Western cohesion and joint action will henceforth be almost entirely trans-Atlantic - meaning, under American leadership.
The EU, even if it doesn't dissolve, will now inevitably turn inward as it spends years working out its new communal arrangements with and without Britain. Putin was Brexit's big winner. Any fracturing of the Western alliance presents opportunities to play one member against another. He can only be disappointed to see NATO step up and step in.
After the humiliating collapse of Obama's cherished Russian "reset," instilling backbone in NATO and resisting Putin are significant strategic achievements. It leaves a marker for Obama's successor, reassures the East Europeans and will make Putin think twice about repeating Ukraine in the Baltics.
However, the Western order remains challenged by the other two members of the troika of authoritarian expansionists: China and Iran.
Their provocations proceed unabated. Indeed, the next test for the United States is China's furious denunciation of the decision handed down Tuesday by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague - a blistering, sweeping and unanimous rejection of China's territorial claims and military buildup in the South China Sea.
Without American action, however, The Hague's verdict is a dead letter. Lecturing other great powers about adherence to "international norms" is fine. But the Pacific Rim nations are anxious to see whether we will actually do something.
Regarding Iran, we certainly won't. Our abject appeasement continues, from ignoring Tehran's serial violations of the nuclear agreement (the latest: intensified efforts to obtain illegal nuclear technology in Germany) to the administration acting as a kind of Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the sale of about 100 Boeing jetliners to a regime that routinely uses civilian aircraft for military transport (particularly in Syria).
The troop deployments to Eastern Europe are a good first step in pushing back against the rising revisionist powers. But a first step, however welcome, seven and a half years into a presidency, is a melancholy reminder of what might have been.
Krauthammer's email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com.
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Zealands disability issues minister has launched an employment program that, she says, will not only support jobseekers with disabilities but also help Kiwi employers forge stronger teams.EmployAbility helps employers build successful businesses, great teams and stronger communities, said Nicky Wagner, after announcing the initiative.The scheme, targeted at jobseekers in the Bay of Plenty will assist people with health conditions and disabilities into employment. The new initiative is an extension of the successful Christchurch-based Project 300 employment program which saw 584 people find work.We want to hear from employers about the support they need to help them employ people with health conditions and disabilities, and what they need to become a disability confident employer, Wagner added.Under the scheme, Work and Income will match clients with a health condition or disability to jobs that suit their particular skills.Once a person gets a job, well offer ongoing support to them and their employer, to help ensure its successful for everyone, says Wagner, who noted that it was vital to support both employers and employees throughout the process.What we learnt from Project 300 is that engaging with and supporting both employers and employees helps to form a mutually beneficial relationship. Its about matching the right person to the right job, she said.People with health conditions and disabilities tell me that they want the same opportunity to work that other people have and that having a job is important to them, added Wagner.Having a job is more than just earning a living. Working gives people confidence and independence. It helps them build a better future for them and their family. It connects them with the community.For all the latest HR news and info straight to your inbox, subscribe here
A team of whiz kids from the University of Waterloo are heading to California to test a pod that could form part of a new, high-speed train in the coming years.
The students, known as team "Waterloop," designed a prototype as part of the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition.
The contest invites university students and engineers to design pods that could become part of the super fast Hyperloop within the next few years.
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The train could travel at over 1,200 km/h fast enough to carry passengers from Toronto to Vancouver in just three hours.
Pod prototypes will be tested on a 1.6-kilometre track at SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif. next month, according to Itbusiness.ca.
The would-be train works by setting a levitating pod inside a tube from which the air pressure has been sucked out. Those pods are moved using an electric motor.
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The Hyperloop has been touted by Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who unveiled the idea in 2013.
Waterloop is one of 31 teams that made it to the final of the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition.
The pod invented by the Canadian team has a rounded bottom to make turns easier, and a funnel shape at the front to collect air pressure and allow it to move more swiftly.
It also has room enough for 26 people.
"Our prototype has been designed to be as simple and economical as possible, while still performing all necessary functions for the full size Hyperloop," team member Montgomery de Luna said in a news release in April.
Passengers would walk into a pod with room for luggage, mirrors to give the impression of a larger space, and panoramic windows to give them a wider view.
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The pods will travel at about 350 km/h when tested in California next month.
The Hyperloop system, however, might not become reality for some time.
A number of companies are working to realize the concept as soon as possible. One of them, L.A.-based Hyperloop One, hopes to start using the concept in 2020.
If realized, the transportation technology could challenge other modes of transportation, like airplanes or even driving.
Also on HuffPost:
When the Tenors' Remigio Pereira added "All lives matter" to 'O Canada' at the MLB All-Star game, he hit a wrong note for many.
The group issued an apology, but Pereira said he did it out of love.
I speak for the human race and the lives of all sentient beings. Love, peace and harmony for ALL has always been my life's purpose. Remigio of TheTenors (@RemigioPereira) July 13, 2016
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"All lives matter" sounds like an innocent and inspiring rallying cry to many, including celebrities like Jennifer Lopez. But the phrase has been used in attempts to shut down conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement, police brutality and issues of inequality for black people, and, as a result, many feel it doesn't actually advocate for equality.
Observers were quick to denounce Pereira and J.Lo's "All lives matter" statements, and discussion on why the phrase is dismissive and misleading has been more prominent in the days after Black Lives Matter's Toronto Pride protest, the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and the shooting of Dallas cops at a BLM protest.
They're conversations one Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition co-founder thinks are critical.
Allies Can Engage And Educate
Instead of shutting people out, Janaya Khan believes allies who engage in conversations with those who say "All lives matter" can foster change of hearts.
"Its the work of allies to call people in, and create those teachable moments," Khan told The Huffington Post Canada. "Its up to educators to really step up, those who allocate resources, make policies; we need to name anti-black racism as a reality because I think its so easily and readily denied in a place like Canada especially and across the States."
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'Black Lives Matter' Is Inclusive: Co-Founder
Contrary to the belief of some, saying "Black Lives Matter" doesn't mean other lives don't.
The term "Black Lives Matter" first surfaced on social media in 2013, when, the Guardian reports, activist Alicia Garza wrote a Facebook post in response to the not guilty verdict given to George Zimmerman, after he killed black teenager Trayvon Martin.
Inspired by that post, Garza's friend Patrisse Cullors started to re-share Garza's message with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. It spread widely online after the hashtag was used as a slogan during riots in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black teen who was shot by white police officer Darren Wilson.
From the hashtag arose the movement Black Lives Matter (BLM), which operates as deregulated, grassroots chapters organizing against police brutality around North America. The chapters are driven in part by the activism of black women, as well as queer and trans black individuals.
"When we say Black Lives Matter, we are broadening the conversation around state violence to include all of the ways in which Black people are intentionally left powerless at the hands of the state," a BLM statement reads.
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"We are talking about the ways in which black lives are deprived of our basic human rights and dignity." Black Lives Matter
For Khan, what people fail to recognize is that BLM is a movement that fights for awareness of the issues affecting many groups.
"We are in solidarity with indigenous folks, in solidarity with Sikhs and Muslims, in solidarity with Palestine," Khan said. "We are a group that is largely made up of queer and trans people who are equally invested in fighting for sexual and gender diversity. More than anything, we are a freedom struggle and that pertains to freedom for all."
Why Are People Saying 'All Lives Matter'?
"All lives matter" has become a counterpoint expression to Black Lives Matter whenever it is brought up in conversation. It's often used by those, such as "Empire" actress Raquel Castro, who appeal for universal empathy and awareness on all violence, regardless of race.
You cannot cure hatred with hatred. #AllLivesMatter Raquel Castro (@RaquelCastro) July 8, 2016
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However, the phrase often appears when individuals, such as TV personality Piers Morgan, decide to rebut someone else's support of Black Lives Matter.
ALL lives matter. > RT @marclamonthill ALL black lives matter. Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 21, 2015
Saying "All lives matter" shifts the conversation away from the the inequalities and violence faced by black people, to a dismissive statement of goodwill, critics say.
So far, "All lives matter" hasn't been used as a call to action against all violence, political or otherwise. No anti-violence or anti-police brutality activism have resulted to date from the saying, which is a telltale sign for Khan that the expression does not support its literal meaning.
What's The Problem With Saying All Lives Matter?
"'All lives matter,' more than anything, has become a means to shut down and derail any comment around why black lives are important," Khan said. "That to me is very suggestive at this point in time."
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For Khan, those who continue to use it are willfully ignoring anti-black violence.
"Theres been an incredible amount of time, analysis, resources and curriculum as to why "All lives matter" is not a movement. You really begin to recognize that it's not because people dont recognize the distinction between 'All lives matter' and 'Black Lives Matter.' It's actually that they dont believe black lives matter," Khan said.
"I can say a hundred times that all lives matter in principle but not in practice, but really whats become clear is that we just dont agree. You dont actually agree that black lives have inherent value."
'All Lives Matter' Isn't Applied Universally
"When people say 'All lives matter' in response to 'Black Lives Matter,' they are not simply opening their arms to the greater diversity of humanity. Instead, they are taking race out of the conversation," writes attorney and HuffPost blogger David Bedrick. It ignores the violence that specifically affects black people and overlooks both personal accounts and statistics that show there is a problem with how black populations are treated by police.
For example, when adjusted for population size, unarmed black Americans are five times more likely to be shot than unarmed white Americans, the Washington Post reports.
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Twitter users have pointed out that "All lives matter" doesn't apply in all cases, using the hashtag #AllLivesDidntMatter to point out various incidents when "All lives matter" failed to deliver.
#AllLivesDidntMatter when the residents in Flint, Michigan had to drink that tainted water Yo! MTV Raps (@_RakimFromBK) July 11, 2016
#AllLivesDidntMatter when the U.S. unconstitutionally threw 120,000 Japanese-Americans in internment camps because they "could" be threats. Cole Haddon (@colehaddon) July 11, 2016
White people: All lives matter Syria: we got refugees in danger White people: new phone who dis McCuse me Bitch (@MADBLACKTWINK) November 20, 2015
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And so, "All lives matter" has become synonymous with a Black Lives Matter callback, rather than an inclusive statement.
Biggest and key difference between #BlackLivesMatter & #AllLivesMatter: The former is used to start discussion The latter to shut it down Jennifer Morrow (@jenniferemorrow) July 11, 2016
Explaining The Problem With 'All Lives Matter'
"All lives matter" has been compared to other reactionary slogans that derail conversation rather than addressing social inequity issues. Black Lives Matter Toronto Coalition co-founder Sandy Hudson told CBC that the phrase was similar to the term "heterosexual pride."
For anyone trying to slide into my mentions with the #alllivesmatter please miss me with that and read this. pic.twitter.com/3UiiaqMXtl Imani Hakim (@anakih1) July 6, 2016
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Many have analogized "All lives matter" in various ways online, in order to highlight how inappropriate derailing is.
Saying "all lives matter" is like crashing a funeral and yelling "WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO DIED?!?" RUSS BENGT$ON (@russbengtson) July 13, 2016
WTF is the impulse behind changing #BlackLivesMatter to #AllLivesMatter. Do you crash strangers' funerals shouting I TOO HAVE FELT LOSS Arthur Chu (@arthur_affect) November 27, 2014
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Change Does Happen: Khan
As one Reddit user opined, the phrase "Black Lives Matter" has an implicit "too." Black Lives Matter is a reminder that black lives, which have been historically dehumanized and enslaved, should also matter.
Khan said that BLM has seen success in engaging and educating those who may have at first supported "All lives matter."
"There are people... who have not understood what BLM is about and initially were very taken aback," Khan said. "Those folks have transformed in these [past] three years and have said 'I actually understand what this means, I understand that black lives matter is an intersectional movement.'"
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Also on HuffPost
Chris Wattie / Reuters Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2nd R) listens to Foreign Minister Stephane Dion (R) speak during a news conference in Ottawa, Canada, February 8, 2016. Also pictured are Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan (L) and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau. REUTERS/Chris Wattie
By Jacob Winter
Canadian aid is in the middle of an identity crisis. Since the demise of CIDA in 2013, Canadian international assistance has fumbled around in its new mega-department, adding more countries of focus to its programs as funding plateaus.
At the same time, pressures from above demand that Canada align itself to global shifts in rhetoric from New York and Istanbul, while Trudeau's friendly internationalism suggests a shift in the future of Canadian cooperation.
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In this rapidly changing landscape, newly appointed Minister of International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau called for a review of Canada's global development cooperation. The stated goal of this review is to refocus Canada's aid in order to 1) target the poorest and most vulnerable as well as fragile states, and 2) align with the 2030 Agenda.
A key part of the review is a public consultation with an extensive online survey accompanied by a 28-page discussion paper. Most NGOs, including the CCIC, welcome the attention to Canada's development efforts, but there are challenges to finding focus in such wide consultations.
First and foremost, the report sidesteps Canada's failure to reach even half of its pledge of giving 0.7 per cent of GNI as aid. The discussion guide records: "Some donors have chosen to meet this goal. Others recognize the goal's importance and look for opportunities to explore new approaches and to increase the focus on results achieved".
Second, the five pre-determined priority areas seem to make consultations perfunctory. The scope of "priorities" is wide, covering everything from children's rights to green growth. In an op-ed, the McLeod Group describe the consultations as "pre-scripted"-- following a long tradition of Canadian aid priorities adapting to political whim.
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Finally, the strategies suggested for delivering results give an unrealistic picture of what is "effective" for Canada's assistance. The discussion paper suggests that Canadian assistance must align with domestic policy goals and reflect local needs. Aid must be both "prudent" and "flexible"; "evidence-based" and "risk-taking". Attempting to 'harmonize' Multilateral, domestic and recipient-country agendas is unlikely to produce anything coherent. While $4.5 billion can fulfill multiple priorities, a lack of clarity is what spurred this review in the first place.
The reality that needs to be acknowledged is that policymaking requires tradeoffs. Canada has a relatively scant aid budget and must choose from an overwhelming world of needs and opportunities. This is less like choosing between chocolate or vanilla and more like deciding whether to run over a cat or swerve into a tree. A million dollars spent on youth employment programs forgoing a million spent on maternal health. It is impossible to judge which is more effective.
Where can Canada shine?
From among the hundreds of worthy pursuits, Canada must focus. Drawing on the consultation paper, there are three themes that could give shape to Canadian assistance. Canada could find clarity by prioritizing women, vulnerable states and human rights.
Women
The paper asserts that a "feminist lens will be applied throughout all of Canada's international assistance activities". Canada has long been involved in women's empowerment, from pioneering "women in development" in the 1980s, to Trudeau's famous assertion this spring that "men should not be afraid to call themselves feminists". Making policy and budget choices through the lens of "How will this affect women?" brings coherence in a way that "Is it effective?" or "Is it innovative?" do not.
Vulnerable
In the last few years, Canadian aid has chased investment potential in emerging markets instead of targeting those that need it most.
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By contrast, the Sustainable Development Goals emphasize "leaving no one behind". In line with this resolution, the discussion paper emphasizes that Canada's aid should target the poorest and most vulnerable, as well as fragile and conflict-affected states. While this focus brings the risk of aid following in the wake of Canada's military operations, clear criteria for country partnership will be extremely useful.
Human Rights
Perhaps the most significant development is the weight that Global Affairs places on human rights. While ODA legislation requires that Canada's aid be consistent with human rights standards, the review aims to make securing and promoting human rights as a key component of Canada's international assistance. CCIC's Fraser Reilly-King adds that in this approach, rights become both a means and an end of development. Foregrounding human rights could give Global Affairs a clear mandate for their work around the world.
While a policy review of Canada's global development cooperation framework is a welcome opportunity, the process risks yielding only a bloated list of aspirations. Like making syrup from sap, Global Affairs must distill their plethora of opportunities into a single, robust product. As stakeholders invited into this process, our voices will determine what boils off and what sticks.
Jacob Winter is a recent graduate of the University of Waterloo's International Development program. He blogs about development issues at noblenomore.wordpress.com.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of CCIC or its members.
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Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images British singer Simon Le Bon (Simon John Charles Le Bon) in concert with Duran Duran. On the screen behind him there is the realistic robotic face of one of the characters of the music video The Wild Boys. Paper Gods Tour, Assago Summer Arena. Milan (Italy), 12th June 2016 (Photo by Francesco Castaldo/Archivio Francesco Castaldo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
The late, lamented Vancouver nightclub Luv-A-Fair launched its signature '80s night pretty much the first Tuesday of 1990. Effectively, it just meant was that gritty warehouse club would continue playing the new wave "Retro Klassix" they'd built their reputation on.
But it was also a cheeky flag-planting for a decade and genre that never got the musical respect it deserved.
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Unlike the Boomer-backed rock and folk scenes of the 1960s and 1970s, or the alternative '90s return to guitar-based authenticity, 1980s new wave has always been seen as style over substance, superficial synthpop that pales next to the (correctly spelled) classics that came before and after.
It was considered by music critics and other rockist cultural gatekeepers to be as fluffy as a Valley girl's feathered hair.
For those of us who were kids in the '80s, who had no preconceived notions that rock was supposed to be better than pop or that dance music shouldn't be taken seriously or even that being on the cover of "Tiger Beat" killed your credibility, the music was just really good.
Some of that had to do with the heavy use of synthesizers in the wake of the "disco sucks" movement. Some had to do with the concurrent rise of MTV, which the boomers denigrated because "real" music didn't have pictures (except, I guess, all those Beatles movies but whatevs) and what was with all those quick edits anyway? Think of the children and their attention-spans! (Note: MTV used to play music videos.)
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For those of us who were kids in the '80s, who had no preconceived notions that rock was supposed to be better than pop or that dance music shouldn't be taken seriously or even that being on the cover of "Tiger Beat" killed your credibility, the music was just really good.
And Duran Duran's summer tour is a reminder of why.
Duran Duran through the years See Gallery
I was only six-years-old when the British band's self-titled debut came out in 1981, but I had an older sister and at that age an older sibling's musical taste *is* your musical taste. I remember playing the vinyl on my parents' record player, and getting her the subsequent albums, "Rio" and "Seven and the Ragged Tiger," as birthday gifts.
Duran Duran was the first non-kids music that I loved -- and I was not alone. They launched a second British invasion by sending their poppier New Romantic subgenre of new wave surging up the charts, eventually selling 70 million albums and clocking 21 hit singles.
So there was no way I was going to miss their current tour, even if these sorts of things are supposed to be guaranteed let-downs because how could they possibly live up to your memories?
Well, at 57, Simon Le Bon's voice is still incredibly strong, carrying notes longer and higher than one could have hoped. He's as much an underrated vocalist as Duran Duran is an underrated band.
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1980s new wave has always been seen as style over substance, superficial synthpop that pales next to the... classics that came before and after.
Le Bon also has such a unique tone that even when they opened with the title track off last year's album "Paper Gods," and returned to it later for "Pressure Off" and "Last Night in the City," the lesser known new songs fit in perfectly with their classic material.
Actually, the new album, their 14th, is pretty great. It was partly produced by Mark Ronson, fresh off of "Uptown Funk," and Nile Rodgers, who Le Bon reminded us onstage produced "The Reflex" way back in 1983 and whose band Chic was the opening act.
Still, the capacity crowd at Toronto's Molson Amphitheatre was there to hear the hits from their youth, and the band delivered them in droves throughout their 19-song set.
Nick Rhodes recently had to return to England unexpectedly to deal with a family emergency (sorry, ladies), pretty boy John Taylor was still on bass and a bored looking Roger Taylor was on drums. (Andy Taylor's not part of the reunited line-up.)
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But it's the singles, and Le Bon's singular voice, that all us olds came to singalong to and the sense-memory nostalgia rush came fast and furious. Duran Duran ran from the industrial crunch of "Wild Boys" and blue-eyed funk of "Notorious" to brilliant Bond theme "A View To A Kill" and '90s comeback tracks "Ordinary World" and "Come Undone" to a "Planet Earth" that incorporated David Bowie's "Space Oddity," a torch-waving take on "New Moon on Monday" and an encore of fan-favourite "Save a Prayer" paired with their radio smash "Rio."
When performed all together, what stands out about Duran Duran's back catalogue was that it wasn't an iteration of Boomer music. It was genuinely new.
Critics of the time dismissed them as pop lightweights that succeeded on the strength of music videos and pin-up looks. But while their genre defined its moment in time, Duran Duran's songs are so well written and ultimately influential to the electronic pop of our current era, that they now sound old but not dated.
That's why those of us in the crowd, who are also old but not dated, are still so eager to dance into the fire.
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Pop Stars of the '80s: Where Are They Now? See Gallery
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Despite my experience as a community activist and a former school trustee candidate, the new level of drama in Chinese Canadian politics comes as a surprise to me. For the most part, we are a community of hard working, placid individuals who typically shy away from politics.
However, this all changed when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi berated iPolitics' reporter Amanda Connolly. Just to make it clear, Amanda Connolly asked our own Foreign Minister Stephane Dion questions about China's terrible human rights record, its territorial ambitions in the South China Sea and its recent strange arrest of Hong Kong book store owners. Then Wang Yi interrupted and accused Connolly of not knowing anything about China, its policies, and being full of arrogance and prejudice.
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The Chinese community is divided over this incident. A vigorous debate soon started on WeChat, a popular social media tool similar to Facebook. Ontario Minister of International Trade Michael Chan led the efforts to defend China's human rights record and Wang Yi. Michael Chan and like-minded individuals all felt that Wang Yi was right to "corner" Amanda Connolly for asking "inappropriately provocative" questions. They felt not only was Wang Yi right in giving Connolly a piece of his mind, but Wang Yi also did the "honour" of restoring Chinese National Pride by "cutting off" Stephane Dion and reiterating the Chinese Government's talking points.
The rest of the Chinese community felt Wang Yi was rude, brash and lacking in the finesse that should be shown by a seasoned diplomat. Furthermore, they find that his propensity for lashing out at journalists who are just doing their jobs is rather distasteful. Most importantly, they believe that China should be pressed on human rights at every opportunity.
Journalists want to tell stories from a pre-defined narrative that suits the neo-liberal mindset of the West. That position has not evolved very much over the past 20 years.
It turns out that human rights is an extremely complicated issue in China. Neither Michael Chan nor Amanda Connolly got it right. None of them fully understands the multi-faceted, non-singular nuances of including human rights in our foreign policy with China through trade negotiations. When it comes to China, unfortunately, all of us suffer from myopia. From time to time, our journalists want to tell stories from a pre-defined narrative that suits the neo-liberal mindset of the West. That position has not evolved very much over the past 20 years.
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Wang Yi is probably correct that Amanda Connolly knows very little about China and does not understand its issues in depth. This certainly does not disqualify her from asking valid and probing questions at a press conference.
China has made improvements in human rights, but contrary to what Wang Yi suggested, it is not necessarily through the merits of the Chinese government, but rather through the advocacy of civic engagement of its people.
The Chinese government officially ended its isolationist approach after the Cultural Revolution. It opened the door to the West. Millions of Chinese have travelled and studied abroad as a result of the "Opening Up" policy Deng Xiao Ping so fiercely and aggressively implemented. The "unintended" effect of that is people have witnessed the model of democratic governance and civic disobedience. Since then, they have brought it with them upon their return to China.
Despite the global interest in the rise of China and its terrible human rights record, no one is paying much attention to China's de facto opposition: the Public Intelligentsia. China has a surprisingly lively intellectual class whose ideas may prove a serious challenge to the ruling Communist party. The Public Intelligentsia is made up of people from all walks of life: professors, teachers, economists, lawyers, TV personalities and so on.
Paradoxically, the power of the Chinese Public Intelligentsia is amplified by China's repressive political system, where there are no opposition parties, no independent trade unions, no public disagreements between politicians, and a media that exists to underpin social control rather than promote political accountability. Intellectual debate in that world can become a surrogate for politics. On a daily basis, the Chinese Intellectual goes on to Weibo (Chinese version of Twitter) to openly discuss the concepts of civic discourse, accountability, democracy and free elections.
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Just three weeks ago, about 80 people attended a town hall meeting in Shanghai Library. Among them were college professors, lawyers, working moms, teachers and white collar professionals. They were there to discuss the need for constitutional reform and democratic transformation. Following the passing of Lei Yang, an environmentalist who died after an altercation with the Beijing police, the public demanded a reinvestigation of this case because it appeared that Lei Yang was framed by the police.
Talk show hosts, writers, fashion bloggers and gay rights activists formed an unusual alliance. They mobilized and organized the movement "We Must Speak Out," where thousands of people signed the petition to demand an independent third party inquiry. They also successfully swayed public opinion in favour of opposition to police brutality and its abuse of power.
We have to highlight the numerous examples of success stories of their hard-fought battles.
Southern Weekly, which is dubbed as China's most influential liberal newspaper by the New York Times, often runs into trouble when its editorial board openly rejects the Communist party's propaganda. LIBRAIRIE AVANT-GARDE, voted by CNN as one of the most beautiful bookstores in China, frequently holds free lectures for citizens on civil rights, workers' rights, climate change and pay equity. Two weeks ago, in the city of Nanjing, thousands of parents demonstrated outside of the provincial Ministry of Education peacefully, demanding the ministry reverse its decision to remove 40,000 university admission spaces without consulting the parents, first. Yet we rarely hear these stories being covered in our mainstream media.
The point of pressing China for human rights reform at every opportunity is not just to embarrass China. Rather, the goal is to remind China, over and over, that human rights is a universal value which China must recognize if it wants to be a player on the world stage. Instead of covering the same old mundane stories 1,000 times, we must also start covering the real improvements in China, not to please or kowtow to the Chinese government, but rather to empower the people of China and let them know that through strong advocacy and engagement, change can and will happen.
We have to recognize that, as a rising super power, China does not always have to do what Canada wants it to do. Our press has to stop getting into the habit of being self-indulgent or exhibiting a moral superiority complex.
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We must stand with the people of China. We have a moral obligation to help them transition from "people" to "citizens," as Southern Weekly, China's most influential liberal newspaper put it. "We are not Spartan slaves, we are the citizens of Athens."
We have to highlight the numerous examples of success stories of their hard-fought battles. We need to correct our own myopia when it comes to China. It is time to take off our rose-coloured glasses and to view the problem through the prism of reality.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS Forensic officers stand near a truck with its windscreen riddled with bullets, that plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. At least 80 people were killed before police killed the driver, authorities said. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
Horror has struck again.
We saw it first on social media, then we saw it on the news. At least 84 people were killed in an apparent terror attack as an assailant in a truck drove at speed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France.
Like many of you, I was sifting through the utter pandemonium of the Internet as the events unfolded, trying to sort out what was happening. Twitter's Moments feature helped sort the social media snippets in a more logical way, but nothing painted a somewhat whole picture until news reports started flooding my newsfeed. As the body count rose, the reports heaped even more misery on my heart, already made heavy by a seemingly unending string of recent tragedies -- Orlando, Dallas, Paris, Baghdad... it is hard to name them all.
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As I was beginning to get a sense of what had transpired, I saw a tweet from an equally heartbroken user, no doubt trying to get a grip on the circumstances herself: "Publicity is what they want. Stop reporting these attacks."
On Facebook, a flood of similarly worded status updates implored news media to stop giving credit for acts of terror. Doing so, they felt, would deny terrorists the publicity they crave and rightly rob them of a platform for their message.
There's a growing number of people who think ending news reporting on acts of terror will somehow #SilenceTerror. And I could not disagree more with this all-too-convenient answer to a complex issue.
One can certainly argue that terrorism is overreported, with acts of terror down since the 70s even as ISIS looms large in the Middle East. This overreporting can make it seem like the world is a more dangerous place than it actually is. And the fact that you hardly see any widespread coverage of acts of terror that happen outside western countries, though true, is another debate entirely.
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I understand that these reports on terror attacks, mass shootings and other tragedies can make people feel uncomfortable by bringing tragedy into their otherwise peaceful living room or newsfeed. The fact that this makes us uncomfortable only means we are human. But comfort is irrelevant.
Chaos and misinformation are the objectives of terrorists -- and fact and reason are their natural enemies.
Social media has democratized publicity, giving terror groups a platform to hone their message and broadcast attacks regardless of whether or not news media give them coverage. Terror organizations can and do effectively leverage these platforms to spread their ideologies and create impetus for future attacks. Left unanswered in the insular world of social media, they are free to create any narrative they please.
Unfortunately, with few exceptions, context-free eyewitness accounts and shaky snippets of video shot by smartphones can do about as much to dispel this propaganda as #ThoughtsAndPrayers do to help victims heal.
That's why I think anyone using the hashtag #SilenceTerror couldn't have it more backwards. Chaos and misinformation are the objectives of terrorists -- and fact and reason are their natural enemies.
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Proper news reporting may seem to give credence to terrorist organizations who actively court such media attention, but it will never truly further their cause -- not when reporting often counters and negates the narratives spun by extremist organizations. Amid the shouting of social media, professional reporting offers fact, reason and, most importantly, context.
Knowing "why" helps us move on, heal and eventually even fight and destroy the root causes of terror.
Context is particularly important, as no act of terror exists in a vacuum. The thing is, knowing why something happened is just as important as the concrete fact of its occurrence. Reporting who is responsible for an act of terror, at times, is a key part of this. Indeed, in doing so news reporting does not give terror a platform -- it holds those responsible to account.
Knowing "why" helps us move on, heal and eventually even fight and destroy the root causes of terror (though I understand and share anyone's cynicism about that last part). Without news reporting our understanding of terror, at best, boils down to seemingly random acts of violence, chaos without rhyme or reason -- timelines filled with screams and pain, but without any hope of understanding what it all means. I don't know about you, but that sounds a whole lot more terrifying.
Modern mainstream media is far from infallible. However, I argue that the dispelling of ignorance and chaos makes reporting the facts of terror, in most cases, a worthy and intrinsically necessary endeavour.
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We cannot #SilenceTerrorism -- racism, sexism or any other negative force in this world -- by silencing the conversation surrounding it or by letting its perpetrators shrink into the shadows. What we can do is drown out the noise of terror with fact, reason, context and condemnation by representing its reality.
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The five things you need to know on Friday July 15, 2016
1) HORROR IN NICE
The sheer horror of the Nice terror attack is difficult to comprehend. Families in shorts and t-shirts, gathered for the Bastille Day fireworks, mown down over two kilometres by a white lorry packed with guns and grenades. The death toll is currently 84 but is sure to rise with more in a critical condition.
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Nice Matin journalist Damien Allemand wrote: An enormous white truck came along at a crazy speed, turning the wheel to mow down the maximum number of people. I saw bodies flying like bowling pins along its route. Heard noises, cries that I will never forget. A pink girl's bicycle was briefly seen overturned by the side of the road. Our colleagues on HuffPost France report how children were among those murdered.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson tweeted that he was shocked and saddened by the attack. No.10 has put out a statement: The Prime Minister is being kept updated on reports coming in from Nice. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible incident on what was a day of national celebration.
Theresa May is due in Scotland for her first engagement as Prime Minister but if it goes ahead it will be an altogether more sombre affair. It is unclear yet if she will chair an emergency Cobra meeting before her visit. On days like today, all her reserves of experience as former Home Secretary will mean she can swiftly assess the situation and authorise the necessary response.
2) STATE OF MAY
Mrs Mays new Cabinet certainly underlined how different she wants this Government to look. Ive written an analysis of firings and hirings HERE, but one of the most striking statistics is from the Sutton Trust. The education charity points out that Mays Cabinet has the lowest number of privately educated ministers since Attlees 1945 government.
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The state-school Tories, many of them from the north, are the vanguard of her mission to connect the Conservatives with working people and finally pivot the party away from the wealthy elite. The line from No10 was this is a bold Cabinet hitting the ground running..and a commitment to putting social reform at the heart of government.
Boris Johnson is the one big exception. But in promoting the unshowy deliverers of the past few years, the grafters rather than the grifters, May has created a Cabinet in her own image. James Brokenshire, ridiculed by the Cameroons for his attack on the metropolitan elite and their love of cheap migrant labour, gets a promotion. So too does Natalie Evans, the new leader of the Lords who is one of just two Tory ministerial peers who supported Brexit (though theres a good reason why she didnt go public - Im told she didnt want to compromise her husband, James Wild, who is Fallons spad). And the progress of the Gaukes, the Clarks and Greens is proof that nice guys can sometimes come first in politics.
We will get more appointments of junior jobs today and it will be interesting to see just how many more comebacks there are, as well as accelerations of younger talent. There will have to be a lot of women attending Cabinet for May to underline the female, and not just the state-school, face of her new Government.
The Times meanwhile has a fascinating coda to the Cameron era following Mays ruthless regime change. Francis Elliott reports that Cameron tore up the rulebook on severance pay to give his advisers extra cash, raising the total from 747,045 to over 1 million. John Manzoni, the cabinet office permanent secretary, strongly opposed the proposal. But Simon Case, Camerons former principal private secretary, ordered Manzoni to approve the payoffs because many advisers had effectively two days notice of their unemployment. Labour may wonder if Cameron wanted similar employment rights for millions of other workers
3) CITIZEN SMITH
Following the Nice attack, Owen Smith has rightly cancelled the leadership launch speech that had been planned in his constituency and hometown of Pontypridd today. It was an acceptance of the reality of where the medias focus will be today, but also a recognition that some things are actually bigger than domestic internal politics of the Opposition.
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But Smith has set out his stall further in an overnight blog for HuffPost, warning that the prospect of a split in Labour is dangerously real if Jeremy Corbyn remains as leader.
He also underlined a new pledge to give the British people another say over Brexit by offering a second EU referendum or general election to ratify whatever deal Theresa May came up with. Under my leadership, I would also trust the British people to have their say on whatever the final terms of the Brexit deal are its only right that people get the chance to ratify the deal, through a second referendum or general election.
The real problem for Smith remains his lack of profile. If youre pitch is that the general public would prefer you as an alternative PM, theyve got to know who you are in the first place. Angela Eagles team say that theyve been struck by just how many ordinary voters have come up to her in recent days to wish her well.
BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR
Watch Boris get booed at his very first engagement as Foreign Secretary
4) SUSPENSION BRIDGED
Its been an historic week for the Labour party, but one of the most significant developments was Unites vote yesterday to back mandatory reselection of MPs. It was a signal that civil war could indeed break out in coming months. Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop tells me that Kevin Parslow, the Unite member who moved the motion, admitted last year he was in the far-left Socialist Party.
And the impact of the NECs decision to suspend all local branch and CLP meetings during the leadership election is causing a real stir too. The suspension was imposed amid real fears of violent intimidation, as exemplified by the brick thrown through a window in Eagles constituency.
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There is real anger among many Labour MPs at this morning's Guardian report of party members in Eagle's Wallasey constituency organising an unofficial meeting - that was effectively then endorsed by Corbyn himself. Members of the New Brighton branch booked a hall to pass a motion of no confidence in their MP. The meeting then continued, in even more informal form, in a nearby pub. And here's what is causing fury among the PLP: Corbyn addressed that meeting by speakerphone.
The next morning, one angry New Brighton member then turned up to Eagle's constituency office to berate party staff. And Eagle supporters think that given all the intimidation of recent days, it's incredible that Labour's own leader egged them on. And worse, seemed to defy his own NEC's ruling on suspending meetings. "Extraordinary judgement by JC given everything that's happened in her seat and at the office," says one insider.
5) MANNY LEADSOM
Although lots of new ministers are round pegs in round holes, several of them could prove controversial appointments. One Whitehall source messaged me that "The new PM is basically trolling the civil service with these appointments". Priti Patel is at DfID, a department shes wanted axed in the past (and aides were heard on the Commons Terrace last night boasting of it); Boris is obviously an undiplomatic posting at the FCO; and Andrea Leadsom is at DEFRA.
And Leadsom continues to be a story machine. Her backing for fox hunting ban repeal is already an issue. But the Times (which has had an exceptionally good war over the past few weeks) releases a new extract from her infamous interview, and it could cause more PR headaches.
Leadsom suggested that male nannies were a no-no because of fears they could be paedophiles: Lets face it most of us dont employ men as nannies, most of us dont. Now you can call that sexist, I call that cautious and very sensible when you look at the stats. Your odds are stacked against you if you employ a man. We know paedophiles are attracted to working with children. Im sorry but theyre the facts.
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In 1998, I, along with thousands of other students, demonstrated against the introduction of 1,000 per year tuition fees by the then Labour Government, lead by Tony Blair. The fees would have no direct effect on me as I was in my final year of University. However, I felt compelled to add my support to this campaign. Believing then, as I do now, that education is one of the most significant factors in eradicating poverty, aiding social mobility and promoting community cohesion.
I carried my placard and felt an actual thrill of excitement as I thought, I'm a student on a demo; I'm making a stand; I'm part of a 'moment'; I'm going to make a difference. On that day, I really believed that I was - going to make a difference I mean.
Later that year, tuition fees were brought in and have risen since. I understand the arguments about funding our universities and I know the issues around access to higher education for all demographics in society are complex and varied and decisions are not solely about the rate of tuition fees. But, on that day, I honestly thought there was enough support from bright, engaged, interested young people and it would have some effect on Government policy.
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In 2003, thousands of people took to the streets of London to protest against taking military action in Iraq. Demonstrations were also held in Glasgow and Belfast and in countries all around the world. I have since read reports that suggest it was the biggest ever demonstration in the UK. Undeniably it was huge, massive, significant, tremendous - use any superlative you can muster and stick that word to what was a phenomenal amount of people demonstrating to the, once again, Tony Blair lead Labour Government, that a lot of people wanted their elected representatives to look again and have another think about their course of action. The war started on 20th March 2003.
I think for many that moment was pivotal in our national consciousness. I think it goes to the heart of what our democracy is and what we require of our MPs. What we require may be transient as opposed to constant and change subject to the time and circumstances. Of course there will be things that an MP is privy to that we will never know and frankly we probably don't want or need to know. Whether it is due to issues of national security or arguably economic complexity, there is much that an MP has to be briefed about and make an informed decision over that I have no desire to know the finer detail of.
However, MPs also need to use their role and their knowledge and information wisely and cautiously and always in the national interest. Like a patient trusting their nearest and dearest with power of attorney, there must be that faith that those that ask us to let them represent us and those that we do the honour of granting this request to, act in our collective best interest. It may be reasonable that once they have listened they choose a path we may not have chosen or we do not wholly agree with, but we have to believe that they are acting with integrity and we have to trust that if they are acting against our apparently visible wishes, it is for the best and not out of either a sense of patronising disregard or arrogant, self fulfilment.
That is why I think that the stop the war marches changed everything for a lot of people. Not only did the government apparently ignore wholeheartedly probably the largest public demonstration ever, but in light of the publication of the Chilcot enquiry, there is a feeling amongst some, that the action was taken lacking integrity.
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We elect our MPs to take decisions on our behalf. We also elect them to represent us. Therefore, are they our leaders or followers? This is an apparent dichotomy and one that both us and our MP's must wrestle with and negotiate, but crucially, always be mindful of.
The demonstrations held since the UK voted for Brexit have been a further interesting study over our role in decision making, the role of our MP's and our expectations of them. A majority voted to leave the European Union in the referendum on 23rd June. However, many MPs expressed a wish to remain. A significant proportion of the voters wished to remain also, but was the vote to leave a big enough majority to be sufficient to take such a significant step? The demographic split threw up myriad questions not least, why people voted as they did. What were they actually trying to tell their MP? Were over seventeen million people all fundamentally opposed to the single market or free movement or the other associated 'European' elements, or were a significant proportion of the leave voters hacked off with a Westminster system, seemingly unable or maybe, unwilling to look out and see anyone feeling fractured and disenchanted? Was it in reality a protest against the often called 'Westminster elite', the consequences of which are far-reaching and as yet, unknown? Do many of our current MPs possess the skill to understand what is happening in their constituencies, the needs and wants of both 'ins' and 'outs'? Maybe playing politics in Westminster is where they feel more comfortable?
We have a new Prime Minister, Theresa May and for now at least, her Cabinet appears to be in place. Labour are still naval gazing and disagreeing and it looks likely that Owen Smith will join Angela Eagle in challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership. I wonder if Owen Smith, representing Pontypridd, in the South Wales Valleys, an area so effected by the policies of our last female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher and from a region so riddled with the protests of the miners' strikes in the 1980's, would he be any more effective at listening and understanding what is happening in some of our communities? I wonder about the backgrounds, skills and abilities of Angela Eagle, Jeremy Corbyn and certainly Theresa May, as she is now our PM not simply an MP?
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British women fought long and hard for the right to vote, and the suffrage struggle has been immortalised in different forms. This includes the New Dawn illumination in St Stephen's Hall in the Palace of Westminster, the film Suffragette which went on general release only a few months ago, and the song in the Disney classic, Mary Poppins. But what would our 'sister suffragettes' think in terms of how far we have come in terms of women's rights and equality?
On the political side, in the UK, some women got the vote in 1918 and all women equally with men in 1928. Female representation has slowly, slowly, very slowly crept up to 29%, and a few days ago Theresa May become the UK's second female Prime Minister.
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The process of fighting for economic equality included the campaigning by the machinist women at the Ford Dagenham Plant in 1970s and the need to introduce equal pay legislation as part of the process of joining Europe, economically. However, women in the UK continued to be discriminated against in practice, because of gender segregation in work. In an attempt to counteract this, legislation was put into place on equal pay for work of equal value and this was strengthened again with the Equality Act of 2010. Even since then, there have been legal challenges because of continued discrimination.
In terms of the social context, norms have changed dramatically and different forms of violence against women have become criminal offences, including domestic violence in 1976. However, it wasn't until 2015 that legislation was passed acknowledging the problem of coercive control.
Whether you are a woman here in the UK, or anywhere else in the world, laws that protect, and guarantee human rights are good for all. The Human Rights Act is a crucial part of our government's toolkit to respect and protect women's rights - and wider society too. It has been used by women both inside and outside the courtroom to challenge unfair decisions to remove children from their mothers, to secure greater protection for domestic violence victims, to uphold the dignity of women living in care homes, and to safeguard vulnerable asylum seeking women with little other protection and respect for their rights. It is an act that is being applied to uphold fairness and dignity, to protect citizens.
Crucially, the Act can be used to hold public bodies to account. It has been used to bring about justice for victims and survivors of domestic violence and rape, when they were failed by inadequate police investigations, most notably in the case of John Worboys - a serial rapist known as the "Black Cab Rapist". We are still reeling from the revelations of countless cases of sexual violence and exploitation of primarily girls who have been failed by police and social services in towns and cities across the UK - the last thing we need is any further erosion of our human rights.
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Yet the government was, until recently, considering repealing the Human Rights Act and bringing into force a new British Bill of Rights. I hope our new female PM will now abandon the idea of such an erosion to human rights - to women's rights.
For why repeal an act that is being used, one that the UK was centrally involved in drafting and that is about the right to life, liberty and security of person, the right to a fair trial, protection from torture and ill treatment, to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, speech and assembly, the right to marry, to free elections, to fair access to education and not to be discriminated against.
Why would you repeal such an Act? It seems to me that there are four possible reasons. The first is that the new Bill will give us the same protection, in which case why are we spending time and money on drafting something new, if in essence nothing is going to change?
Alternatively, it could be that the new Bill will give us greater protection, but that could easily and be done, at less expense, by simply adding rights to the existing one, rather than repealing it altogether. A third option is that the new Bill would give us different rights, but there hasn't been a demand for a new set of rights. Or the final option is that the new Bill would take some away, weakening its powers to hold individual and public bodies to account. What a pity that would be for us in the UK and what a dangerous message to send out to the rest of the world - how would the British government continue to promote human and women's rights internationally, with confidence and authority, whilst clawing these back domestically?
We rely on the law to safeguard justice. It is the existence of laws and challenges when they are not followed that sustains our democracy. We are now likely to be entering a period of high economic instability and the Brexit vote is also likely to result in the loss of a number of legal protections from the EU around worker's rights for example. Now more than ever our Human Rights Act is pivotal.
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We must remember just how hard women have fought at every turn, for their voices to be heard, their experiences to matter, and for their rights to be recognised. My great-grandmother once said that 'justice and judgement lie often a world apart'. We must question the judgement to repeal the Human Rights Act, and the potential it has to push justice further out of reach of those that need it the most both here and abroad. We need to watch out, sister suffragettes.
Is this creepy website live-streaming YOUR living room? That was the Daily Mail headline in 2014, highlighting a Russian website that was providing links to access internet-connected cameras around the world.
The story was prompted by an ICO blog that had warned that the website had been able to access webcams, CCTV and baby monitor cameras because they had not been made sufficiently secure.
But two years later we are still seeing the same mistakes, with people not keeping their devices secure, and manufacturers not incorporating adequate security into products.
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This means Internet of Things products such as baby monitors, music systems and photo or document storage, which can be accessed online, are at risk of revealing your personal details to other people.
A lack of security when it comes to IoT devices could mean that a search engine is used by criminals to locate vulnerable devices and then gain access to them or others on your home network. An attacker could then use your equipment to mount attacks on others or take your personal data to commit identity fraud.
We're continuing to work with manufacturers about what they can do, but individuals need to play their part too. The public must act to protect themselves and their families when using these devices. If they don't they could find their personal files easily accessible by popular search engines, casual browsing or more determined attackers. If you wouldn't leave your house unlocked then make sure your digital home is equally secure.
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People using IoT devices should consider the following:
1)Research the security of a product before buying
Good research before buying a connected device will allow you to recognise the ones with poor security implementations. You should also look to see how a product will be updated in the future if a security issue is identified. As an example, some smartphones have never, and will never, receive security fixes.
If consumers reject the products that won't protect them, the developers should get the message quicker.
2)Is your router secure?
This will be your first line of defence on the perimeter of your home network. If you've installed a device in your home and connected it to your network, the default settings of your router might be exposing it to the internet and therefore everyone else connected to the internet.
This is necessary if you want to access that device from outside of your home but whilst some devices require some form of password protection, others either do not or they use a default (and potentially discoverable) password. Where no protection is in place, your personal files could suddenly become available on popular search engines.
3)Change passwords and usernames from default
The default password protection will only guard against casual observers. Default credentials for many devices are freely available on the internet and can be located with ease. You should always change passwords from the defaults and choose a suitably strong password. You should also use a different password for each account and device. This might sound complicated but if you are using a smartphone app to access the device this might be able to keep you logged in, meaning you don't have to enter it each time.
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4)Known security vulnerabilities
Check the manufacturers' website to see if there have been any updates which address known security vulnerabilities and install updates in a timely manner. This includes your router. But be warned, updating the firmware of an IoT device can overwrite the data or settings so check the manual and make sure you have a backup.
5)Take your time
Don't just plug your device in and skip as much of the set-up process as you can. Take time to read the manual and familiarise yourself with the security and privacy options available to you.
6)If there's a two-step identification option - use it
Two-step authentication offers you an additional layer of security when logging in to an online service.
Whilst few devices will offer this service, the website you use to view the data might. It often works by asking you an additional security question, or by sending a code to your mobile phone or email account that you must enter during the login process. Sometimes you can have a separate device which generates these codes.
There are thousands of part-time jobs available in London to help fund your studies and social life. International students who are studying in the UK on a Tier 4 student visa are usually allowed to work for up to 20 hours per week during term-time and full-time during the holidays. Working part-time while you study in not just great for your bank account, it can also enhance your CV and career prospects.
Here are some of the most popular part-time jobs available for international students:
Office Work
London is home to thousands of businesses in which you can find office and reception work. International students are often valued for their language skills, particularly at the many international companies in London.
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Student Ambassador
You can be an ambassadors for your university. This means you get to represent your university by leading campus tours, giving presentations and helping out at events. Your university will be aware of your study needs which means you can reduce your working hours during busy study times and increase them during the holidays.
Retail
Working in retail can have many advantages for students. Your working hours are often flexible, you can benefit from staff discounts and you can usually increase your hours during the holidays to earn more money. The sales and negotiating skills gained on the job can also be very beneficial for your CV.
Research Assistant
Universities in London are at the forefront of world-leading academic research. Look out for opportunities to work on research projects as a research assistant; a great opportunity for any students considering a career in academia.
Mystery Shopping
Mystery shopping is a fun part-time job which allows you to go shopping and try out different restaurants without spending your own money. You need to be able to provide honest and impartial reviews. There are a number of mystery shopping agencies you can sign up to online.
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How to search for part-time jobs?
Universities in the UK have dedicated careers services to help their students find work during and after their studies. You can make an appointment to discuss your job prospects and your CV, and search the university's online job portable for the latest job opportunities.
Credit 'Queen of Christian' by Edwin Antonio PhotoVogue featuring Dior Shoes EAS Original painting, Frederic Leighton, Flaming June,1895, Museo de Arte de Ponce.
"There is no progress in art, any more than there is progress in making love. There are simply different ways of doing it." Man Ray 'To Be Continued, Unnoticed (1948)
Photography and collage have been going steady since Victorian artists set out to challenge the declining interest in painting.
The photographic artist Henry Peach Robinson, created reconstructed fantasies from existing prints; pioneering the early technique of photo montage or 'combination printing' where multiple negatives or images were joined to create something new. This new way of seeing hit the mainstream, and photo-montage fantasy postcards became must-have collectables of the era.
The art of arranging, and re-arranging parts to form a photographic whole was also a creative tool used by Dadaists. May Ray, born into a family of tailors, ran with the montage baton, and developed a new technique he coined the 'Rayograph'. Arranging objects (his favourites were dressmaking tools) under the dark room enlarger, placing more on top, and exposing to the light; he moved photography forward, this time without the use of a camera at all.
If you engage with Instagram or Tumblr, you'll see a resurgence of artists using digital montage, particularly from those with a fashionable disposition.
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We've seen a trend in images that combine art history and fashion; where the artist deconstructs a catwalk image for example, by digitally replacing the face of a supermodel with a Vermeer muse, onto a backdrop which could anything from an alpine or Hockney landscape. The new fashion image, constructed by rising stars like Chris Rellas and Lizzie Gill; exist where they swap the modern muse for the historical, or perhaps replace the mirror in the Rokeby Venus with a coveted 'it' bag.
Credit 'Poised and Ready' Lizzie Gill 2015
Current artists are able to respond instantly to industry news. Hot of the press is Calvin Klein's Fall '16 campaign featuring Frank Ocean, Grace Coddington et al. Chris Rellas, aka Copylab created an instant artwork superimposing Ocean's face onto the 90's campaign artwork featuring Kate Moss. His artworks are uploaded with tongue firmly in cheek.
Some create work that is so adoring of the originals, that you can imagine them working away, wearing heart shaped sunnies at the computer.
22yr old student, Edwin Antonio; welcomes his followers with squares of high definition colour, wrapped around Renaissance women wearing high fashion looks. The viewer has an immediate commitment to engage, without having time to muster any pompous leanings towards intellectual interpretation.
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LM 44k Instagram followers Edwin, did you ever think that your art would be so popular when you uploaded the first image?
EA This idea began in one of the visits I normally do at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. It's very surprising that an idea that started three years ago appealed to so many.
LM You interpret images with a humility that stems from a clear love of the original works. Did you study art history or fashion, and what inspired you to merge these two interests?
EA My project is a tribute to all the painters and designers, old and new. I am currently studying art and photography at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon in Puerto Rico. As a child I took drawing courses at the Liga de Arte de San Juan in Puerto Rico.
LM Working with three mediums, can you share how you construct an idea.
EA The purpose is to create a contrast between the colours and clothing through a story or legend; and connect the space with the character.
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LM You created a series entitled 'Love' as a personal response to the recent events in Orlando, where you tragically lost two friends. Has your work always been a cathartic tool for you?
EA Yes. It was extremely hard to produce some ideas while thinking of my friends and all the families of the 49 victims. I was shocked. I will never forget them. I want to thank everyone who wrote to me with messages of condolences.
LM How have the magazines responded to your work?
EA It has been a very good response, especially from Vogue Italia, with it's platform for new talent 'PhotoVogue' directed by Alessia Glaviano and Chiara Nonino.
LM What plans do you have for developing your work in the future?
"It's for you" my wife said, handing me her mobile. She'd already got up, but after a long and historic week - in fact, a long three weeks since the referendum - I went to bed without setting the usual 6am alarm, figuring my young daughters would wake me up an hour or so later.
It turned out the newsdesk wanted me sooner, and on the phone was my colleague Julia. "You need to get to Nice, and we've got you on standby for two flights".
I knew why straight away. Before going to sleep, I always cast my eye over the headlines, and I'd seen that a lorry had hit a group of people in the city in the South of France. It read like a tragic accident though - the second in a week after the head-on train collision in Italy. Around a dozen people were thought to have been killed.
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As I now made for the shower, my wife said she'd heard on the radio around 80 people had died. "Eighty?!" I responded, incredulously. "How on Earth?" It was terrorism, clearly.
I'm writing this on the plane. Nice is one of my favourite cities, with a setting that has the best of both the mountains and the sea. I've spent happy times there, but my mind is once again drawn to that week in London, almost exactly eleven years ago, when the atmosphere changed from jubilant to terrified.
Within days of winning the right to host the Olympics (ahead of Paris), London was hit by the 7/7 bombings.
France, unfortunately, is experiencing even more jarring contrasts. The Charlie Hebdo attack at the start of last year, and then the terror that gripped the capital in November, centred on the Bataclan theatre, has left the country in a state of emergency.
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Despite that, and in defiance of those who want the French population to live in fear, it has successfully hosted Euro 2016, while the world's biggest annual sporting event, the Tour de France, is currently halfway through and is on its way toward passing within a stone's throw of Nice. The Tour celebrates much of the best of France, but this latest sickening attack represents the very worst it has to endure.
The UK may have decided to leave the EU, and may also have a new foreign secretary who his French counterpart is less than enamoured with, but France will always be our closest continental neighbour. They watched with fascination as a new Prime Minister moved into Downing Street less than 48 hours ago. The pain, confusion and concern they are now experiencing will also be keenly felt on our side of the Channel.
It's been almost a month since the British people voted for Brexit, but despite the mass hype, countless promises, threats and warnings made by both sides leading up to the vote... absolutely nothing has happened.
Back before the referendum I wrote a blog post explaining just how important EU membership was to the creative industries in this country, particularly in light of the fact that its a growth industry that create so much money for the economy. Obviously this plea is redundant now since the country has voted - albeit by a slim margin - to leave the EU. As frustrating as that is for remain supporters, the people have spoken and so the best we can do is take it on the chin and get on with things. The problem is we still don't know what's going to happen, which makes planning for a small business's future and survival, particularly one that is so reliant on trade with the EU, decidedly difficult.
As of today we are still an EU member, but for how much longer literally nobody knows - not even the people who are in charge of organising the exit. The new Prime Minister has assured us that "Brexit means Brexit" and in the last 24 hours I've been assured by the new "Brexit Minister" that our date of departure will be around December 2018 but other than that we are still in the dark.
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For those of us who have businesses integrally linked to the EU we are all living in a state of limbo waiting for the day that the rug will potentially be pulled out from underneath our feet. As if the stresses of running a small business aren't enough, it's clear that I am going to need to make changes to my business in order to survive in a post-EU Britain, but at this moment in time I have no idea how to plan for that.
Every day I see stories about the negative impact that the Brexit vote has had on the economy and the country, but nobody in power has stepped forward to explain how they are going to counteract this. Granted there has been a change of government but it still doesn't excuse those Brexit campaigners who were so forthright in their promises before the vote yet have now largely been silent on what Brexit really means. All we seem to have gotten are some vague reassurances that everything will be fine but without any evidence to back up their claims. As someone who spent the last 10 years - and most of my 20's - working every hour I could to establish a business, I find it particularly stressful that I have no idea what the future will hold for my staff, my family and myself who all rely on my small business for a living.
Brexit has become the equivalent of a group of politicians standing on the edge of the white cliffs of Dover daring each other to jump off first. Meanwhile we're all sitting here in limbo waiting to see what will happen when they hit the water.
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This whole atmosphere of not knowing what's happening isn't just affecting businesses but the people that work for, and indeed own, them as well. I have foreign friends and colleagues who work in the UK that say for the first time in their lives they feel unwanted in this country. Despite having jobs businesses, partners and properties here in the UK some of them are seriously considering leaving because, whether purposely or not, Brexit has sent a bug "Foreigners not welcome" message to those living here. Not only do they feel unwanted by the newly emboldened anti-immigration brigade, but they have no idea if legally they will even be allowed to stay here or not. Until someone in government steps forward to tell them if their future in the country is secure or not can we really blame them for feeling this way?
Just like Brexit itself, politicians are aware of this massive xenophobic shift towards the right but they are doing absolutely nothing to reassure EU citizens living in the UK of their future legal status, or indeed make them feel wanted. The wholesale flight of EU citizens might be music to the ears for the likes of people like Nigel Farage who famously feels uncomfortable hearing too many foreign voices on public transport, but for those of us who work with these people daily it casts yet another shadow of uncertainty on our small businesses.
Of course, the Brexit supporters who voted Leave specifically for anti-immigration reasons might suggest we should be able to simply replace EU workers with Brits, but that is completely missing the point of creativity and the creative industries. Highly talented artists, designers or performers for example don't just grow on trees; these people have talents that they were born with - the essential spark of creativity that some people just don't have no matter how much training they get. It was a testament to how strong our creative industries were that we attracted the best and brightest from all over the EU and these are not people that we can just replace. Now they feel like they are no longer welcome in our country, how long until they pack up and leave?
Ian Forsyth via Getty Images
It will be a deeply proud moment for me to stand up in my hometown, surrounded by party members, and launch my campaign to be Leader of the Labour Party.
It's clear that this contest takes places at a moment of real crisis for the Labour Party. If we don't now unite, the possibility of a spilt is dangerously real.
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This would be unforgivable, especially at a time when the post-Brexit crisis facing the country requires a powerful, determined and credible opposition to stand up for the interests of ordinary people. As I have no doubt the Tories will try to use Brexit as cover for stripping away workers' rights and pushing ahead with even deeper cuts to public services.
The Labour Party is the only vehicle for stopping that happening and giving people hope about the future of politics, in place of deep anxiety.
That is why I intend to run a leadership campaign that is full of energy, optimism and ideas for securing a better future for our country.
At the launch of my campaign and over the coming weeks I will show how Labour can go further than talking about anti-austerity, by setting out ambitions ideas to invest in Britain's future. Replacing failed austerity with credible plans to spark growth and prosperity. Using the full force of government to make a positive change in people's lives.
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This will be in stark contrast to the Tories, who this week have again shown their shortsightedness by scrapping the Department of Energy and Climate Change, at the time when global warming is the greatest single threat to our planet. We should be looking to lead the world in green technology, yet instead the Tories are turning their backs on the problem.
Under my leadership, I would also trust the British people to have their say on whatever the final terms of the Brexit deal are. As a result of the lies and misdirection from many senior figures in the leave campaign, we simply do not know what the final set of proposals will look like - although it's certain there'll be no 350million extra a week for the NHS.
So I think it's only right that people get the chance to ratify the deal, through a second referendum or general election.
Yet even though this will be a campaign about policy, I will also back it up with the commitment and competence needed to deliver. During my time serving loyally in the Shadow Cabinet I ran campaigns that forced the Tories to abandon plans to cut tax credits for low paid working families and remove thousands of pounds of support for disabled people.
I'll bring that same energy and determination to the role of Leader, ensuring we run the most effective opposition possible, as a step to delivering the next Labour government.
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In the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the European Union, the Conservative Party was teetering on the edge of a precarious situation. With David Cameron announcing his departure from the top job; many heads turned to former London Mayor Boris Johnson as his natural replacement. We all, therefore, predicted the continuation of the Notting Hill set's stranglehold upon the political sphere. Instead, the United Kingdom now finds itself with its second female Prime Minister and a more inclusive, progressive Conservative government.
It is worth noting that the Conservative party has given the United Kingdom both of its female Prime Ministers. Their gender not a concern; both Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May have not been the product of the all-female lists that came to symbolise the Labour Party under Tony Blair. Whilst positive discrimination has its place in this imperfect world, both female leaders have risen to the fore on their own tenacity and determination.
However, the lady who now finds herself at the helm is not a woman who naturally embodies such a progressive, one nation stance. May's voting record regarding the LGBT community is one such example of this. Theresa May voted against the motion to equal the age of consent. She also voted against the motion to repeal Section 28 (a Thatcherite policy) as well against same sex adoption.
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In more recent years, the socially conservative former Home Secretary has become more liberal in her approach. Under the leadership of Michael Howard, the member for Maidenhead voted in favour of civil partnerships. One of David Cameron's more positive legacies, the Equal Marriage Act, also owes some debt of gratitude to Mrs May. As Baroness Lynne Featherstone has affirmed, May's support for the motion was influential in convincing the Conservative leadership to push ahead with the Bill.
In her maiden speech as Prime Minister, Mrs May said that she would prioritise the working class. Yet this stands juxtaposed to her recent voting record. As a Minister under David Cameron, Theresa May voted through the Welfare Reform and Work Bill which cut disability benefit and seemingly supported her leader's commitment to austerity.
In the aforementioned speech May also stated that; "If you're a white, working class boy, you're less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university." Surprisingly, May initially voted against tuition fee rises but has subsequently changed that positon to align herself with Cameron's government. As a result, there exists a concern amongst commentators that she is a sheep-like MP - built to follow an agenda rather than constructing her own. However, her speech made remarks that would have not been amiss in a Miliband manifesto. Its inclusive tone was an obvious strategic swipe at Corbyn's imploding Labour Party. Perhaps with the keys to Downing Street in hand, May has realised the extent of her ambitions.
This progressive stance is not just restricted to Theresa May, either. Indeed, it is a fair assessment that the current Conservative Party is distinct from the Tory Party of old. Data obtained by the Conservative British tabloid the Sun showed that, whilst thirty-three percent of the party's members surveyed disagree with equal marriage, a majority of forty-four percent now support the change in law. Furthermore, nineteen percent of the same survey pool would like to see an increase in the number of LGBT MPs, whilst a minority of sixteen percent would like to see fewer.
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On this issue at least, May has come to realise the liberal wishes of the masses. Her voting record, whilst appropriately concerning some, is merely representative of a Conservative having to tug the party line in order to advance her own career. Her appointment of Justine Greening to Women and Equality Minister (as well as an expanded education brief) shows that her progressive, inclusive promises have some foundation. Whilst some have displayed dissatisfaction at the missed opportunity to disassociate the equalities brief from education, the fact that Greening is the first LGBT minister to have taken a lead on LGBT issues is a start in the right direction. So too is the promotion of Patrick McLoughlin, a former farm worker and miner, to the post of Party Chairman.
Having spent the last twenty years of my life traveling for a living, I'm getting to the stage where I'm returning to places repeatedly, and getting a sense of how they're changing over time. The results are inevitably depressing. On my most recent expedition, I returned to New Guinea, specifically the Asmat region of Indonesian-controlled Papua, a region I traveled extensively in 1997. Having seen the devastation wrought by slash and burn, and palm oil plantations in the other Indonesian provinces of Sumatra and Kalimantan, I was braced for the worst. Nothing could have prepared me for what I found there.
My 1997 solo expedition was something of a heroic failure, recorded in my book 'Looking for Adventure'. While I found sublime indigenous cultures, hunter-gatherer lifestyles, and miles and miles of pristine rainforest, there were also signs that the Asmat region was about to be truly plundered. As I journeyed down the Siretsj River, the lush green jungle was broken every few hours by clear-felled smouldering wastelands. There were logging camps and Wild West frontiers-ville forestry towns, where dangerous-looking armed men floated bundles of huge ironwood trees downriver.
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Near two decades later, my team began this section of the expedition where the highlands and lowlands meet, in a glorious Casuarina and Araucaria evergreen forest, with towering 4000 m peaks seething with mist beyond. It looked more like Alaska than New Guinea, and felt like the end of the Earth. There was no sign whatsoever of people, or of the demolition that inevitably follows human greed. But that was all to change. Sometime downriver. Surely? Mile after mile, day after day we continued downstream, squadrons of hornbills swooping noisily overhead, cockatoos and parakeets in chattery flocks, cicadas screamed like fire engine sirens, and trees were illuminated at dusk with a million fireflies. It felt as if we were in a fairytale Christmas tree plantation. Cassowary footprints lined the beaches, crocodiles dashed into the water at our approach, and gigantic butterflies from neon blue to malachite green flounced about like maiden's hankies. But where were the humans and their wanton destruction? Perhaps once a day we would see old hunting camps and trading posts, but they had been deserted for what seemed like years, and being reclaimed by the forest. Eventually we found ourselves at a village, set apart by the huge Clan longhouse they had just constructed. They had once had an airstrip and helipad, but these had long since grown over. The people greeted us like long-lost family, were happy and healthy, and reported that although modernity had come and gone, their lives were better than in the past. Their river was full of fish, their endless forests full of game. They could have education and healthcare if they wanted it, but they were also free to maintain their proud connection to the past and their traditions. At night they sat around fires in the longhouse playing on exquisitely carved ancient ironwood drums. I cautiously asked if I might be able to bargain to buy one, but was rewarded with a smile; they were memories of their ancestors and not for sale at any cost.
We continued on down to the coast, and never saw a single sign of the environmental degradation I was expecting. When we reached the Casuarina Coast, we flew for an hour over what must be one of the largest unbroken stretches of rainforest outside of the Amazon basin. Not a single road, village or plantation. So what happened? Time magazine reported in 2014 that Indonesia has the highest rate of deforestation in the world, with SE Asia as a whole losing forests faster than Brazil. And on my original trip in 1997, the whole of Southeast Asia was covered in a thick smog caused by the uncontrolled burning of forests such as these; in some places you could see only a few hundred metres through the haze.
It appears that the Asmat region (in size around 32,000 km or about the size of Belgium) has kind of been forgotten. In the 80s and 90s when I was here last, legal and illegal logging operations came in and took all the big and valuable trees out. However, the Asmat is a vast alluvial swamp, with much of the area being flooded by tides, and some of the rest going under in the rainy season, which makes it unsuitable for agriculture. The spindly Eucalypts, palms and pines were not worth the effort of wholesale pillage. So choice ironwoods were taken, but robust rainforest species quickly bounced back, in the greatest example of ecological succession I've ever seen. Granted, these are brutal, tangled secondary forests, and the biodiversity is no doubt reduced, but the unbroken ocean of green nearly made me weep with joy. I've never seen so many birds, or heard so many frog calls, and never travelled so far with so little sign of human hands.
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Another pleasant surprise awaited me at the coastal town of Agats, the largest in the regency. When I was last here, it was a tiny village of stilted fishing shacks, with deathtrap plankways leading between them, electricity for an hour some evenings, and little contact with the outside world. Now it has swelled to a decent-sized town, and would surely be blighted by the curse of all growing Asian towns; the motorbike. Perhaps my most potent example of this is Hanoi in Vietnam. When I first went there in 1991, Hanoi was a silent city, where you could be lulled to sleep by the whirr of a million bicycle wheels. Returning in 2001, it had become a roaring choking thunder town, with the demon moped being the main culprit. Entire families were carried around on mopeds, along with pigs, chickens and three-piece lounge suites. The noise was incessant, the air so thick you could ladle it out and serve it as noodle soup. I knew that Agats would have gone the same way.
In fact as we pulled up at the dock, the silence was almost spooky. It turned out that ten years ago, when Agats first started to build roads, the regency declared that as they were starting from scratch they would do it right. So this small town in the back end of nowhere has zero motorized transport. By law only electric mopeds, bicycles and handcarts are allowed. Papuan and Indonesian women sit side by side in the market selling betel nut and jackfruit, and smile with a warmth and surprise that suggests tourists are a welcome, but not regular sight here. I'm not going to suggest its perfect, there's plenty of rubbish, longtail boats still chug around the harbor, and it's a challenge avoiding being run over by mopeds you can't hear. But it's a great start.
Many Americans, and surely many people around the world, will be shocked to learn about the kinds of foreign policy "architecture" the President plans to leave for his successor. The main elements of this architecture, which the president outlined for The Washington Post, are the following: (a) The US will be in a quasi-state of war "for years to come". (b) The quasi-war will be carried out in scores of countries. The President did not identify them, but these involve the growing number of nations in which ISIS, its affiliates or similar groups, are rising. (c) The main tools of this continued warfare will include a mixture of drones, Special Forces, and CIA operations--and building up of local forces ("capacity building" in the Pentagon's lingo). (d) The goal of these operations is mitigating "low grade" threats by terror groups and "repairing fractured societies in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan."
None of this makes any sense to a sociologist like myself. How will drones strikes, Special Forces, and CIA operations repair societies? Let's assume that they will prevent ISIS from continuing to hold any territory in Iraq and Syria, thus dashing its claim that it is building a caliphate. Still, as is widely acknowledged, ISIS is an idea that cannot be squashed by use of military force. It and other such groups will continue to fester in places as far apart as Indonesia, the Philippines, Nigeria and Libya. Moreover, the old states--whose boundaries and compositions were set by colonial powers, are no longer viable. Hence Sunni and Shi'a, and Kurds and Turks, and Pashtun and Hazara, will continue to battle each other--even if all the ISIS fighters retire. The US has no choice but to let the people of the region work out their differences in their own way, which often does not entail "repairing" the existing structures but forming new borders and different regimes.
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Last but not least, the notion that the US can engage in capacity building in scores of countries, by sending small numbers of military advisers, drawing on small budgets, is a sociological illusion. The US sunk half a trillion dollars into nation-building in Afghanistan and Iraq over 15 years. In Afghanistan it "succeeded" in transforming it from one of the most corrupt nations in the world to the most corrupt. It has become the leading producer of opiates, which are flooding Europe. And it has a regime that cannot protect itself or pay for itself. In Iraq, since it was liberated by the US, at least 300,000 civilians were killed, many more maimed, and still more have been forced out of their home. The military and the police trained and advised by the US over 15 years are often used by the Shi'a government to kill and harass Sunnis. Why would anyone hold that a much smaller US force, with a much smaller budget, could achieve what the US could not when the numbers were twenty times higher?
The fact is that despite all the anti-American rhetoric, the main focus of ISIS and its affiliates is not the US, but the local regimes and other groups in the respective countries in which the fighting takes place. The often repeated line, that the US needs to fight them there so we will not have to fight them here, simply does not apply. On the contrary, if the US would stop trying--vainly--to "repair" these societies and butt out, it would be less of a target. Moreover, as we have seen, our domestic defenses have kept American casualties at home at a very low level, much below what we suffer when we try to repair the Middle East.
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Finally, ISIS is self-curing. While the Sunnis first tried to cooperate with ISIS in Iraq (because they viewed ISIS as a source of protection from the violent Shi'a) they soon found out that they didn't wish to live under the kind of regime that ISIS fosters. Many in Afghanistan first welcomed the Taliban, when they took over the regime in 1996, because they ended the total anarchy that preceded them. However, many Afghans soon discovered that they would rather fight the Taliban than live under its government. Sadly, we must let those who support ISIS and its ilk to find the errors of their ways on their own.
In short, the US has shown that its long and costly--in both blood and treasure--interventions in the Middle East cause little than more misery. The last thing the next President needs is an "architecture" that will perpetuate this policy and extend it to scores of other countries. Instead, the US should (a) work with other countries to offer peacekeeping forces--once the vying groups have settled their differences, and help them enforce whatever settlements they reach. (b) Use the funds now committed to warfare in the region to increase humanitarian aid to the millions of refugees in the region. (c) Enhance domestic security to protect against those lone wolfs and foreign terrorists who will continue to try to inflict on us what the President called 'low grade' harm. (d) Focus on nation building and peace building at home, recognizing that many more Americans are lost each year to gang warfare in our streets and clashes between the police and minorities--than to terrorism.
Image: Armenian mafia graffiti in Hollywood. Although the Russian mafia is the biggest overseas crime network from the former Soviet Union, gangs from other countries have an overseas presence as well. Author: UltraNow. Flickr
Russian officials began talking about diversifying the economy years before the price of oil began tanking in 2014.
But there's one commodity that Moscow has done a great job of exporting to the rest of the world since the early 1990s.
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The trouble is, the rest of the world doesn't want it -- because it's the Russian mafia.
I began reading stories about organized-crime syndicates from the former Soviet Union taking root in other countries in the mid-1990s.
Now the syndicates' presence overseas is so pervasive -- particularly in rich nations like the United States and Europe -- that not a month goes by when you don't read a story about the havoc that gangs from the former Soviet Union are wreaking.
Although the Russian mafia is the biggest overseas crime network from the former Soviet Union, gangs from a number of other countries -- including Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia -- have an overseas presence as well. So I'll refer to the crime syndicates from places in the region besides Russia as CIS mafia -- CIS for Commonwealth of Independent States.
Those who study overseas mafia say two key differences between CIS gangs and, say, Sicilian gangs is that many CIS gangs get their marching orders from crime bosses back home and -- critically important -- governments in their homelands protect the gangs.
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Western investigative journalists have written many stories about Russian politicians and government officials being on mafia payrolls -- and reciprocating by protecting the mobsters.
That's why Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian intelligence officer whom the Russians poisoned with radioactive polonium 210 in London in 2006, coined the term "mafia state" to describe Russia.
One of the most outrageous signs of Moscow's protection of mafia is its refusal to extradite Russians to countries where they are wanted for organized-crime activity.
Spanish prosecutors made international headlines a year ago by issuing arrest warrants for 12 Russian officials they contend have helped the Russian mafia in Spain pull off their crimes. All 12 were close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Western journalists noted.
At the top of the list were Vladislav Reznik, a member of parliament from Putin's United Russia Party; Nikolai Aulov, the deputy director of Russia's federal narcotics service; and Igor Sobelevsky, former deputy head of the Investigative Committee, Russia's FBI.
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Spain spent a decade looking into the way the Russian mafia bought Spanish property to launder money made illegally in Russia. It recently filed money-laundering charges against a half dozen Russia mobsters living in Spain, with expectations there will be more arrests.
Spain issued its arrest warrants for the 12 officials close to Putin on grounds that they helped crime bosses in Russia make the illegal money that was laundered in Spain.
Russian authorities reacted by calling the charges in the Spanish warrants preposterous -- the typical Russian reaction when other countries accuse Russian big shots of crimes. And, of course, Moscow refused to extradite the officials to Spain.
If it was just Spain, the story of the Russian mafia could be dismissed as a one-off. But it isn't just Spain.
Russian crime syndicates have become so entrenched in the United States -- particularly in the New York area and south Florida -- that the popular American cop drama "Blue Bloods" often features plots about police dueling with Russian baddies.
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Germany is so concerned about what it sees as the growing threat of the CIS mafia on its soil that the head of its equivalent of the FBI took the unusual step of discussing the matter publicly this month.
Holger Munch noted that "Russian-Eurasian" organized crime has been expanding both in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
One Russian mafia group alone has up to 40,000 members in Germany, he said, and CIS mobsters account for 8 to 10 percent of Germany's over-all prison population.
The Armenian mafia's grip on the United States has surfaced in shocking fashion with a series of mass arrests over the past five years.
In February of 2011 federal and state authorities arrested 70 members of the Armenian Power crime syndicate on charges that included kidnapping, extortion, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, credit card fraud, marijuana distribution, conducting illegal gambling operations, and conspiracy.
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Most of the arrests were in Los Angeles, which has the world's second-largest Armenian diaspora, although some occurred in other cities.
The majority of the suspects were Armenians, not Armenian-Americans, law-enforcement officials noted.
Unfortunately, the kingpins of the Armenian mafia are in the homeland, not the United States, authorities said in announcing the arrests.
Assistant U.S. Attorney General Lanny Breuer summed up the difficulty of exterminating the Armenian mafia on American soil by saying that its tentacles go beyond "international borders, reaching all the way back to the former Soviet bloc."
Underscoring the Armenian mafia's continuing threat to the Los Angeles area, the FBI and local law enforcement agencies have organized a Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force to investigate the crimes of mobsters from Armenia, Georgia and other countries in the neighborhood.
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It's embarrassing to law-abiding citizens in the former Soviet Union that the word "mafia" is the one of the first things that pops into the minds of a lot of people whose countries have substantial populations of immigrants from the Commonwealth of Independent States.
I understand how they feel. The only consolation I can offer is that makes for good TV cop shows.
BEIJING, CHINA - JUNE 25, 2016: China's President Xi Jinping (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a welcoming ceremony. Mikhail Metzel/TASS (Photo by Mikhail Metzel\TASS via Getty Images)
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- On July 8 and 9, at the NATO summit in Warsaw, leaders of the Western world met to "reinforce our collective defense ... at a defining moment for the security of our nations and populations." Just three days later in The Hague, an international tribunal on the law of the sea handed down a long-awaited ruling that determined China had no basis for its claim of ownership over the entire South China Sea.
These two events appear unrelated, but both will have the effect of pushing Russia and China closer in standing up to what they perceive as their shared foe -- the United States.
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It is absolutely clear to the Kremlin who the mastermind is behind these anti-Russian moves.
The NATO gathering left no doubt about the primary threat to its members -- "Russia's aggressive actions." The Warsaw summit communique's references to Russia read like a criminal indictment. Moscow is accused of, among others things:
[T]he ongoing illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea ... the violation of sovereign borders by force; the deliberate destabilisation of eastern Ukraine ... provocative military activities near NATO borders ... irresponsible and aggressive nuclear rhetoric, military concept and underlying posture; and its repeated violations of NATO Allied airspace.
The terrorist threat from the Middle East, which is also mentioned in the communique, comes a distant second to these threats. In order to deter Moscow, the allies agreed to deploy multinational battalion-size battle groups to the four NATO countries that border Russia -- Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
A Romanian officer at a ceremony for the U.S. Aegis Ashore missile defense base in Deveselu, Romania, on Oct. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Russia's response was predictably furious. Moscow views the stationing of troops in Poland and the Baltic states as a major breach of the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations between NATO and Russia, in which both sides agreed to avoid stationing troops near each others' borders. Russia is also seriously worried about NATO's ongoing efforts to build a ballistic missile defense system in Europe. Moscow does not buy the alliance's assurances that missile defense batteries in Romania and Poland are exclusively directed against potential threats emanating from the Middle East or North Korea.
The Kremlin was also offended by NATO's invitation to the tiny Balkan nation of Montenegro, which has historically close ties to Russia, to join the alliance as its 29th member. Moscow fears that the former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova may be next.
Putin and Xi's June 24 meeting was remarkable because of the unusually high level of thinly disguised anti-American rhetoric.
Moscow denounced the Warsaw meeting as an attempt "to demonize Russia" in order "to draw public attention away from the destructive role of the bloc and some of its allies in provoking crises and fanning tensions around the world." Even though NATO counts 28 members and all its decisions are based on collective consensus, it is absolutely clear to the Kremlin who the mastermind is behind these anti-Russian moves -- the U.S., supported by a few Russophobic European nations like Britain, Poland, the three Baltic states and Romania.
Just as Russia and NATO are facing off in eastern Europe, there is another drama unfolding on the opposite edge of Eurasia -- in and around the South China Sea. An international tribunal ruled that China's expansive claims to sovereignty over the sea have no legal basis. Predictably, Beijing called the litigation and its outcome "a political farce" and declared it "null and void." Similar to Russia, China sees Washington as the main culprit stirring up trouble in the South China Sea by inciting the Philippines and other countries to stand up to China. Incidentally, of the five-person arbitration panel, four judges represented America's NATO allies (France, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands). Beijing has no doubt that the tribunal ruling is part of Washington's plot to pressure, isolate and contain China.
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Chinese helicopter crew members practice near Sansha, in the South China Sea, on July 14. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)
In order to better deal with a rising China, even an Asian-style NATO may eventually be in the cards. The U.S. has been vigorously strengthening its bilateral alliances and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific, expanding their reach and networking them into a U.S.-centered strategic web, with Japan, Australia and India assigned the role of the main regional bastions against China.
Given the geopolitical circumstances, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a lot to discuss at their recent summit in Beijing on June 26. Although overshadowed in the world media by the "Brexit," the Putin-Xi meeting was remarkable because of the unusually high level of thinly disguised anti-American rhetoric. In their joint communique, Russia and China reaffirmed "mutual support on key issues of sovereignty, security and development." They accused the U.S.-led West of undermining strategic stability while seeking "decisive military superiority," and expressed their strong opposition to the U.S. missile defense buildup in Europe and Northeast Asia. Putin and Xi also adopted a separate statement on collaboration in cyberspace, emphasizing the need to "respect state sovereignty in the information domain" and set up a bilateral mechanism to coordinate cyber policies.
Things have only gotten worse.
Rhetoric aside, Russia and China have continued to advance practical cooperation on a range of sensitive political and security issues. In May, Russian and Chinese militaries held their first joint exercises of anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense units. In June, Moscow and Beijing reached an agreement on the joint production of liquid-fuel rocket engines, where Russia has a lot of expertise, in exchange for the supply of Chinese avionics for the Russian aerospace industry.
Last month, Chinese and Russian warships sailed simultaneously into the waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, ownership of which is a matter of dispute between Tokyo and Beijing, leaving the Japanese government wondering whether it was a coordinated move to put pressure on Japan. China and Russia might also be considering joint naval drills in the highly contested South China Sea. If Russian warships join the Chinese navy there, this would signify a major change in Moscow's policy that has so far tried to maintain strict neutrality on the sovereignty disputes between China and Southeast Asian claimants.
Two years ago, I wrote that America's policy of dual containment against both Russia and China was inevitably pushing them together to form an anti-Western quasi-alliance, possibly even recreating some conditions that, a century ago, led to World War I. Unfortunately, things have only gotten worse since then. World War III is still a remote risk, but the alarming naval and air brinksmanship in the Baltic, Mediterranean and the South China Seas is happening with increasing frequency.
Obama and Xi take a walk at the Annenberg Retreat in California on June 8, 2013. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
The opponents do keep communication lines open. Putin and Obama regularly talk over the phone, the NATO-Russia Council holds meetings, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently visited Moscow. Xi and Obama have had several personal meetings, and senior Chinese and American officials are engaged in strategic security dialogues.
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The problem is that those dialogues are not getting us anywhere, with the different sides talking largely past each other. The U.S. and its allies, as well as Russia and China, obviously need some shift in how they perceive and approach one another. But it remains an open question what it would take to execute such a shift.
Also on WorldPost:
[Cho Hyun (right), Korean Ambassador to India, welcoming PM Narendra Modi who visited Korean Pavilion, ahead of the opening ceremony of Maritime Summit held in Mumbai Convention Center in Maharashtra, India, on April 14./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo]
By Ha Man-joo, India correspondent, AsiaToday - Since Modi's taking office as Indian Prime Minister in May 2014, his administration has focused on promoting various economic initiatives, such as "Make in India", "Digital India", and "Skill India" by allegedly taking Korea as the main development model. Perhaps it's not an exaggeration to say the efforts of the Modi government as a part of "Look Korea."
The general view on "Look Korea" by diplomatic figures in New Delhi, that I've met over the past year, was generally positive. According to a diplomatic source, Korea is one of the four countries that are mentioned the most during Cabinet meetings under the chairmanship of PM Modi, along with the United States, China, and Japan.
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India has chosen Korea as the exclusive partner country for the first Maritime India Summit held in Mumbai on April 14-16. On June 18, the government set up a special management team - "Korea Plus" - under 'Invest India' promoted by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) to facilitate and fast track investment proposals from Korea. These are good examples showing that the Indian government's "Look Korea" is actually a practical movement, not just Korea's selfish view.
What are the reasons for this? Korean Ambassador to India Cho Hyun talked about the overall possibilities of India in this context.
[Cho Hyun, Korean Ambassador to India, having an interview with AsiaToday in his office in New Delhi on Thursday. He said, "This will be Korean companies' new renaissance to enter India."/ Photographed by Ha Man-joo]
In an interview with AsiaToday at his Korea Embassy office in New Delhi on Monday, ambassador Cho Hyun said, "South Korea had accomplished the most recent economic growth. Similar to India, Korea did not rely on its colony but its excellent human resources in order to overcome poverty. Thus India is asking Korea to share its experience and investment as it promotes economic growth initiatives. Besides, the cities in the West or in Japan are good results of urbanization. However, Korea has underwent many trials and errors in the process of sharp industrialization and urbanization and made a good business model such as reorganization of city, new town and smart city construction. Its experience is being the subject of a good benchmark for India."
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He said, "Korean companies such as Hyundai Motor, Samsung Electronics, and LG Electronics entered India 20 years ago when companies from the United States, Europe and Japan withdrew from. Their successful company activities in India is the third reason why India has chosen Korea as the partner country."
[Cho Hyun (left), Korean Ambassador to India, delivering a speech at the FICCI CSR Summit and Awards held at Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), New Delhi, on November 24, 2015./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo]
[Cho Hyun (left), Korean Ambassador to India, delivering a talk to the school personnel and students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Convention Center on November 19, 2015./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo]
He said, "I'm trying my best to promote this to the Indian government, opinion leaders, citizens, and college students."
In fact, he has been delivering talks in various organizations and universities in India two to three times a month since he arrived to India last October. Last month, he delivered a lecture in Gauhati University in Guwahati, which took him 2-3 hours of flying and 5 hours of riding a car.
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[Cho Hyun (left), Korean Ambassador to India, introducing Korean Pavilion and Korean firms to PM Narendra Modi (center), who visited Korean Pavilion at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex during the 'Make in India' weekly expo on February 13./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo]
He has diligently met Indian leaders and opinion leaders to discuss how to deepen Korea-India relations in various fields including politics, economy and culture. The figures he met include PM Narendra Modi; Arun Jaitley, Minister of Finance; Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways; Suresh Prabhu, Minister for Railways; Manohar Parrikar, Minister of Defense, as well as local government ministers, university presidents, and research institute heads.
As a resident ambassador, he is interested in the Indian government's decision-making system. He said that Modi's government's decision-making system works very well and that even high government officials move in strict order.
Cho said, "Indian businessmen that I've met so far, such as TVS Motor Company CMD Venu Srinivasan, who was earlier the Honorary Consul General of Republic of Korea, and Mahindra & Mahindra President Pawan Kumar Goenka, is concerned about what India can do to overcome poverty by asking questions about driving force of Korea's social development."
He meant that the driving force behind the development of the Indian society comes by sharing understanding among PM Narendra Modi, government ministers, senior officials, businessmen, and the general public.
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He said, "Just like Korea had a China boom 20 years ago, now is the moment where the fog created by incorrect information about India is lifting and a new entry boom is developing in India. As Korean companies such as Hyundai Motor, Samsung Electronics, and LG Electronics that entered India 20 years ago are now top companies in India, the requirements for new Korean company renaissance are ready."
The reasons were that India is growing rapidly, and various discussions are under way between the two countries in the government and private levels while Korea needs new investment market apart from China.
He said, "This renaissance should open a new way out for small businesses looking to enter Indian market as well as bringing additional investments by large companies. Picking good partners from India through Korea Embassy or Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) will be the first step to a successful investment."
He said the driving forces behind India's economic growth are India's domestic-driven economy not highly affected by the world economic situation, domestic consumption led by young generation, and the fact that India is now on its path to become an economically developed country with current per capital GDP of around $1,600. He also said Modi government's reform, anti-corruption policies, and drastic social overhead capital (infrastructure) investment are other driving forces behind the economic growth.
Yet, India's biggest potential energy beyond all this is Indian citizens' intense desire for a better life and higher education reminiscent of Korea in the 70s.
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Cho said, "Since its independence in 1947, India has grown into the world's largest democratic country without a single coup d'etat. Therefore its society cannot change suddenly depending on the government, and its economic growth policies remain, increasing transparency and predictability of the India's future. The interesting points to note will be education policies that solve rural problems, infrastructure, and illiteracy rate of 30%.
[PM Narendra Modi delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of Maritime Summit held in Mumbai Convention Center in Maharashtra, India, on April 14./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo]
[PM Narendra Modi participating in the mass Yoga Day demonstration in Chandigarh on June 21./ Photographed by Ha Man-joo]
Members of the public lay flowers at a make-shift memorial site on July 15, 2016 in Nice, in tribute to victims of the deadly Bastille Day attack. A Tunisian-born man zigzagged a truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing at least 84 and injuring dozens of children in what President Francois Hollande on July 15 called a 'terrorist' attack. / AFP / GIUSEPPE CACACE (Photo credit should read GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images)
WHAT THE HELL IS FRANCE TO DO?
France is still in shock from the horrific rampage in Nice last night. And right on cue, terrorist experts in France, Europe and around the globe -- including Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich -- are already counselling what new Draconian measures should be implemented to deal with the menace of Radical Islam.
But their mindless spewing has nothing to do with what happened in Nice.
The problem is the killer.
How on earth could anyone, with whatever laws and resources the country has, have stopped such a deranged individual? How could anyone have predicted that the 31-year-old truck driver was even capable of such a massively terrifying act?
From what is known so far -- (and granted everything is still very sketchy) -- his name was Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhel, he was an immigrant from Tunisia, had a French resident permit, a wife, and three children.
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He had never been to Syria or Iraq. He had no known links with ISIS or any fundamentalist organizations. Those who knew him say he was also not particularly religious.
He did however have a record with the French police, sentenced last March for as some unspecified violent crime. There are some who claim he had a history of domestic violence. His wife may have left him.
In other words, he was a something of a thug, unhappy, with a big chip on his shoulder. The same is true of many who have decided to act in the name of ISIS.
Indeed, ISIS or Al-Qaeda has yet to claim his act as theirs'
But even if they do -- what does that really mean?
Whether or not ISIS was able to specifically recruit him on line, the many terrorist acts in ISIS name, provide enough stark examples for misfits and criminals to take action themselves -- to express their hatred of France or society in general. They are advised to choose their own time and targets, make use of the most expedient weapon at hand and kill as many people as possible.
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In this case, Mohammed Bouhel happened to be a licensed truck driver -- his lumbering white van turned out to be as effective as an assault rifle for slaughtering scores of of people, no matter who they were.
And there you are, Mohammed--out in a blaze of gunfire--transformed from a "zero" to a "hero" -at least in your own eyes and the eyes of Isis and its supporters--overnight.
So, again, bottom line -- what the hell is France -- with 50 million citizens--to do?
With thousands or tens of thousands of potential "terrorists" like Mohammed Bouhel, who do you deport? Who do you put under preventative arrest? Who do you wiretap? Who do you put under full-time watch, when each 24 hour surveillance requires at least 18 police?
Mohammed Bouhel isn't the first to go like that -- nor will he be the last -- even if France turns its back on the traditions of July 14th, the traditions it is proudest of.
As the country -- hopefully, finally -- turns its attention to criminal justice reform in a concrete, non-rancorous, and constructive fashion, Pro Publica reporters Ryan Gabrielson and Topher Sanders have performed a great service through a first rate act of journalism. Their examination in the New York Times Magazine of innocent people pleading guilty in drug possession cases across the country based on false positive presumptive field tests reveals such miscarriages of justice are far more common -- tens of thousands of cases -- than even the most cynical suspected.
It's yet another hidden source of distrust, anger, and despair so many have justifiably felt for so long about the everyday functioning of the criminal justice system. And when we finally get around to counting these miscarriages of justice that generally arise from car and street stops who can doubt that we will learn that people of color have been disproportionally harmed? If, as President Obama recently observed, blacks are 30 percent more likely than whites to be pulled over and three times more likely to be searched after being pulled over, it's likely they are being victimized more often by false positive field tests. In Houston, Pro Publica found blacks made up 59 percent of the wrongfully convicted drug test defendants in a city where they are 24 percent of the population.
Yes, it's important to understand the underlying root causes of this problem are poverty, race and gross underfunding of criminal justice agencies. But individual stakeholders in the system must first acknowledge personal responsibility before we can make this right: the overburdened defense lawyers who take pleas without insisting on confirmatory laboratory tests, the prosecutors and judges who promote the pleas to get high rates of "dispositions" as quickly as possible, the back-logged crime laboratories that are relieved not to do confirmatory tests after guilty pleas, and police officials who ignore the high false positive rates and assume anyone who pleads guilty after a field test must have at least been attempting to possess drugs and couldn't be an innocent victim of an unreliable test.
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In fact, the most telling aspect of this tragic story is that, starting in 2008, federal officials were funding local police efforts to perform presumptive field tests as a way to relieve crime lab backlogs. The policy was based on the explicit assumption that thousands of defendants would plead guilty after positive field tests because no one would require the laboratories to do confirmatory tests. That assumption was correct -- 62 percent of laboratories do not do confirmatory tests after field test induced guilty pleas. But the policy overlooked the possibility that innocent people would plead guilty. It simply didn't occur to anyone that scared, poor, overwhelmed innocent people would plead guilty, even in misdemeanor cases where the risk of innocents pleading guilty just to get out of jail is generally recognized to be greater than in felonies. This is particularly troubling because the collateral consequences of misdemeanor convictions can affect nearly every aspect of a person's life including employment and licensing, housing, education, public benefits, credit and loans, immigration status, parental rights, interstate travel and even volunteer opportunities.
The good news is that there are heroes in this story. Inger Chandler runs the Conviction Integrity Unit in the Harris County (Houston) District Attorney's office. When she discovered that the crime lab had done hundreds of confirmatory tests showing defendants had years earlier pled guilty based on false positive field tests, she made every possible effort to notify the defendants and vacated hundreds of wrongful convictions. Her boss, District Attorney Devon Anderson, then instituted a policy that no one could plead guilty without a confirmatory drug test -- and drug dismissals in Houston increased the next year by 31 percent. If a Houston defendant pleads to get out of jail and into a drug program, the confirmatory test is still done.
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A policy along these lines can be efficiently adopted by every district attorney in the country with the assistance of police and crime laboratory officials. Defense attorneys and judges can take steps to make sure confirmatory tests are performed in new cases and old cases, if the evidence can be found. Federal and state funding should support these efforts. And serious consideration might be given to getting rid of the field tests entirely.
By Bijan R. Kian and JoEllen Chatham
We live in an angry world as we prepare to elect the next president of the United States. Speaking before a Joint Session of Congress on September 11, 1990, a decade before the attack on freedom and democracy in New York City, President George H. W. Bush expressed his vision for the future. "We have before us," he said, "the opportunity to forge for ourselves and for future generations a new world order; a world where the rule of law, not the rule of the jungle, governs the conduct of nations." He placed his confidence in a credible United Nations to bring about this rule of law. The word "order" can hardly be applied to the world we see today. Describing the United Nations as "credible" requires a stretch of the imagination and governing the conduct of nations has proven to be vastly unsuccessful.
The law of the jungle is the governing principle of non-state actors who continue to murder innocent people from Medina in Saudi Arabia to Paris, Istanbul, Brussels, San Bernardino, Orlando and beyond. Revolutionary guardsmen of the Islamic Republic of Iran capture and detain sailors of the greatest navy in the world and display them on their knees with their hands behinds their heads. The North Korean leader threatens to level New York City with his missiles. Russia and China pose expansionist threats and serious challenges to global security.
At home, our law enforcement officers are massacred on the streets while tension escalates between communities and nervous police officers as racial divide expands. Our attorney general encourages protestors "not to be discouraged." Cities like Chicago have turned into war zones. All this, due to lack of leadership by this administration.
On law and order, our former Secretary of State sends classified information through a private server kept in the basement of her house (safe, she said, because it was guarded by the Secret Service). Our FBI Director describes her behavior as "extremely careless," but then acts as judge and jury by recommending no prosecution and no referral to other authorities. His boss, our Attorney General "accepts" his recommendation without further investigation.
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On the economy, ninety-four million able-bodied Americans are not working and the median income of those who are working continues a downward slide. Not a stellar record for law and order and a grim picture for the economy.
As we face this crazy and increasingly dangerous world, America is divided. Despite the soothing lullaby of the Obama White House, our country is in serious decline. At this critical time in our history, we must address two key questions: How did we get here and what can we do to restore America's credibility both at home and abroad? Unlike the current administration which is losing the war on terrorism because it refuses to identify and name the enemy, we recognize that America cannot solve its leadership and credibility issues unless it first identifies how we got here.
We got here in large part because we forgot how to lead. In the not-too-distant past, the President of The United States was considered to be the leader of the free world. We were respected by our friends and could be counted on as a reliable ally in times of crisis.
We got here partly because we started wars with the idea of "shock and awe" instead of victory. We got here because we chose to "lead from behind." We drew red lines that faded as soon as they were crossed. We got here because we were careless: we ignored Iranian mischief in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Africa and Central America and its export of the Islamic Revolution. The supposed "Russia reset" was an abject failure and Libya is in chaos. We got here by subscribing to a mode of dishonest conduct we amicably call "political correctness." We say one thing and do something else.
Some will claim we got here because the world changed, that America is not the superpower it once was, and we have to adjust to this reality. What is missing in this misguided claim is that America's reaction to the changing world has helped bring about the state in which the world now finds itself. We applied our American lens to a world we did not understand. That world is a world of ideas, a world of ideologies.
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Military force is necessary for national defense and security. It is not enough in the Age of Rage. We can kill or capture terrorists but we cannot shoot, kill, or capture violent or extremist ideologies. We can win only by augmenting physical force with a superior ideology - one that values life over death, freedom over repression, prosperity over poverty and brotherhood over hatred and bigotry. We must stop apologizing for who we are and what we believe.
Our ideology has resulted in the greatest good for the greatest number of people and more freedom and prosperity than any other system in the history of the world.
After eight years of apologizing, "leading from behind" and empty promises of "hope and change," America's leadership and credibility in the world can only be restored by adhering to our values - vocally and publicly, without shame or hesitation. Devising and executing strategies for victory in this war of ideologies require creativity, imagination, boldness and commitment to the principles that made America great.
During her tenure as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton failed to use our most potent weapon - the ideology of freedom - against the greatest enemy our nation has faced. The poverty of intellect, lack of imagination and "extreme carelessness" have brought us to where we are. We cannot continue down the path of careless appeasement, weakness and self-deception.
President Ronald Reagan's slogan for his first presidential campaign was "Make America Great Again." His belief in America and its enduring values never wavered. He restored America's military might under the banner of "peace through strength," but also unabashedly promoted the ideology of freedom. He said "Nyet" to the Russians and the Soviet empire collapsed. The era of the Cold War ended.
This new era, the Age of Rage, will end only when the ideology of freedom triumphs over the ideology of terror. Reagan enlisted ideals and words in the battle against communism and put America back on the path to greatness. Our next president needs to follow this example, to Make America Great Again by reasserting commitment to our principles and helping to spread peace and prosperity throughout the world.
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The Honorable Bijan R. Kian is a twice Senate confirmed, former senior Administration official who worked directly under two Presidents of the United States from both major political parties 2006-2011.
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Hillary Clinton staggered out of the worst week of her 2016 presidential campaign with a 3 percent lead over Donald Trump. Nonetheless, it's likely she will move forward to a resounding victory in November. Here's what Hillary needs to do.
1. Avoid further screw-ups: Although Clinton came out of the email hearings with her lead intact, the process further damaged her trustworthiness ratings. We're now at the point where voters dislike both major candidates but continue to have stronger negative feelings for Trump. (Significant numbers of voters indicate they will support the Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson.)
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Going forward, the Clinton campaign can afford no further screw-ups. If they stay the course, Hillary will gradually enhance her positives - she's a disciplined campaigner. Her biggest problem will be keeping Bill Clinton under control; in 2016 he's proved to be a loose cannon.
The July 25th Democratic convention must be free from controversy. Clinton needs to reconcile with Bernie Sanders and his supporters. She also needs to take the correct tone regarding the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
2. Stay on message: The primary reason that Hillary leads Trump has been her ability to stay on message - after Bill Clinton met with Attorney General Loretta Lynch at the Phoenix Airport, Donald Trump had 10 days to blast Hillary on the email kerfuffle but failed to do so effectively - he continually veered off message.
In the next four months, Clinton needs to stay on message; talk about jobs, terror, immigration, and gun control. She must not respond to Trump's negative attacks on her - this should be done through surrogates. Hillary can build her leadership, competence, and trust numbers by staying on message while Trump fires random hate missiles at her.
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3. Bring excitement to her campaign: While the idea of Hillary Clinton, a woman, becoming President is exciting, Hillary herself is phlegmatic. The contrast between stolid Hillary and crazy Donald may be enough to guarantee Clinton's victory, but it would be ideal to spice up the Democratic campaign with an exciting running mate. At the moment, the best choice seems to be Elizabeth Warren.
While only a year younger than Hillary, Elizabeth seems more youthful and has a stronger appeal to Millenials. Warren has proven herself an effective advocate of progressive policies and an unusually effective Trump-basher. Elizabeth can be the foremost critic of all things Trump - in effect, the bad cop - while Hillary focuses on positive policy positions - plays the good cop.
The Trump-led GOP convention (July 18) will probably be chaotic. Democrats should contrast that with a calm but exciting convention (July 25).
4. Cleanup press relations: Hillary has not held a full-scale press conference in 2016. (Instead, she has given one-on-one interviews to cable news outlets such as CNN and MSNBC.) She has good reasons for this - the FBI email investigation was hanging over her head - but after the Democratic convention would be a good time for Hillary to give several press conferences. (And make herself more accessible to media outlets in swing states.)
5. Roll out the campaign: The Los Angeles Times recently reported that Hillary has outspent Trump 15 to 1 ($45 million versus $3 million) on TV advertisements in swing states.
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In a recent Politico article, Clinton had the dominant field organization in 10 swing states. "92 percent of GOP insiders said Clinton was better positioned on the ground."
Hillary should make effective use of surrogates such as President Obama, Vice President Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, and others. (Trump does not have anywhere near that number of surrogates.)
Today, in swing states such as Florida and Nevada, the Clinton campaign is registering new voters and bombarding voters with Hillary ads. At the moment, Trump is doing nothing.
6. Reintroduce herself to voters: The July 25th Democratic convention will be an opportunity for Hillary to reintroduce herself to voters. She has to do this as, coming out of the email kerfuffle, her negative approval rating is at 56.9 percent - almost as bad as Trump's 60.2 percent.
Writing in the Wall Street Journal, pollster Peter Hart suggested three things Clinton should do to boost her favorability ratings. "Reveal your compassionate side. In your campaign, you have shown mettle but you have lost your warmth and charm." (Recently, Ezra Klein discussed Clinton's compassionate side.)
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Hart's second suggestion was: "Show you leadership skills. [Many] Voters have no sense of your special leadership abilities." Finally, Hart suggested: "Be bolder and more focused... [Your campaign has] too many words and too many issues, and in the end there is no message. 'Hillary for America' and 'stronger together' are themes that say nothing." These are wise words that Hillary should heed.
7. Win the debates: Trump and Clinton will debate on September 26th, October 9th, and October 19th. Clinton should overwhelm Trump.
I was sitting by my lonesome, and wondering -- as I suppose many have been -- about how many people consider Hillary Clinton as dishonest while they glance hardly at all at Donald Trump's impossible claims about many things. Clinton's less than virtuous performance a propos of her email scandal, which revealed her as using a private server for some of her official business, is no doubt troubling. On the other hand, there is the Donald Trump who has been revealed as making false claims about his university that apparently trampled students who were less than positive in their evaluations.
So I was wondering: why is it that so many people are loathe to question Trump about his serious discrepancies, while people in general seem to flock in droves to judge Hillary Clinton as sleazy, untrustworthy, dishonest, a liar.
I have been reading and listening to articles pointing to Trump's appeal to white people who are feeling they have lost importance and possibility. He has been coming out against immigration and he has taken strong positions about bringing America back to its former glory. When there is this kind of nostalgia -- which is often a testimony and even worship of times that are never what we imagine them to have been -- it is often accompanied by a dissatisfaction that may seem curable only through simplifying. In this case the simplification seems to move along racial divides. And if this were the case here, it would explain a great deal about Trump's popularity at this point in time.
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The white anti-racist writer and speaker Tim Wise spoke on tape several years ago about an alternative interpretation of the claims made in What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives won the Heart of America by Thomas Frank (2005). The book spoke about the trends of much of the working class population to vote against their best economic interests. They tended to be Conservative despite Conservatives not being all that equitable when it came to the rights of working and lower class (economically) people.
Wise made the point that in fact the people that were described in the book, were not voting against their own interests. That is if one considered the fact that there was a racial issue that was the river that ran through the situation at hand. The same people who didn't make that much money, could on Sundays go into their churches and identify, not as poor people but as white people. The same person whose economic situation was compromised could fill the role of deacon in church, clinging to that very important difference between black and white (obviously this would be in a white church).
Wow, it came home to me. Trump may be lying about many things but he is telling the truth about one important thing. He is targeting the emotional truth that many white people are somehow fed up, and lo and behold the target of their being fed up -- is darker skinned people who are trying to invade our country or who have already become the class seen as takers, as criminals, as inferior and at the same time demanding.
The fact is that this connection may be emotionally true for many people while it is actually quite false in actuality. But in order to question this emotional truth, someone has to be willing to talk about these assumptions out loud. Does Hillary Clinton speak to any emotional truth of a large segment of the population? And does she have the courage and the depth to expose just how much Trump is playing with racist sentiment so he can win people over? And can she pose a real alternative if she is less than willing to expose the destructive role of big banks?
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We have seen in this campaign situations in which emotions and prejudices overrun facts and flood possibilities of discussion with the crassness of snide comments and demeaning accusations. We have seen the dishonesty of Donald Trump, if only in his brashness and quickness to answer impulsively what would be, should he be president, things he would have to think about. He lies when he makes believe he has quick answers to complicated questions.
Part of the problem in decoding the messages we are given by politicians and in how we interpret them, has to do with the fact that we generally leave the emotional quotient out of our conversations. We can't fix what we don't see, and we need help and leadership to turn the discussion to just how much emotion is running the voting decisions. We need help in becoming emotionally more fluent and to risk talking about loud about the feelings that motivate our actions. Otherwise we too are in a make believe state, where the real driving forces are ignored in conversation.
In this climate of divisiveness in which Trump might be winning the unspoken discussion that is racially tinged, my question would be posed to Hillary Clinton, and to those of us who are listening and interested. Is there a truth you speak to; is there an answer to the pulls of Trump towards an increasingly torn racial divide? Do you have a passionate statement in which you are willing to acknowledge your opponent's message in ways that help us articulate your choices and ours?
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) points to Indiana Governor Mike Pence (L) before addressing the crowd during a campaign stop at the Grand Park Events Center in Westfield, Indiana, July 12, 2016. REUTERS/John Sommers II
We begin today with a warning. Our regularly-scheduled Friday Talking Points are going on hiatus for at least three weeks. Next Friday, we'll be heading to the Democratic National Convention, and the Friday after that we'll be heading back home. For both today and next Friday we're taking a look back (through the lens of our talking points) at the entire 2016 presidential campaign season so far. We have no idea what we're going to do the Friday after that (indeed, we can't even promise that there'll be a column at all on July 29th, at this point). Regular FTP columns will resume the first Friday in August, just in time for the traditional "Silly Season" of American politics.
The next two weeks are going to be all about the conventions, which means there'll be so many talking points discussed during the course of each week that hopefully the lack of a list each Friday won't even be noticed. For now, we can only offer up a do-it-yourself talking point challenge, just for fun. Then we're devoting the rest of the column to taking a look at the past year, for a special reason. Because this will be rather lengthy, we are pre-empting all the other segments of the column to present it.
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OK, here's that challenge. Donald Trump has now officially selected Mike Pence for his running mate. This means it'll be a Trump/Pence ticket. Create your own humorous talking point around this matchup, and let everyone know about it down in the comments. Some ideas to get you started: "trumppence" -- something Dick Van Dyke might have said in his horrible Cockney accent, while ad-libbing during the filming of Mary Poppins? Or you could just go for the obvious concatenation of the names -- "it's the TP ticket!" Extra credit will be awarded on that last one for anyone who gets in a "Cornholio" reference. Heh. What would you call the Trump/Pence ticket? Share your thoughts in the comments, as usual.
Volume 400 (7/15/16)
This is the reason we're taking a look back today (and next Friday). Our odometer just rolled over, as this is the 400th of these columns to appear. Woo hoo!
This column began way back in 2007, and we certainly never expected to still be doing it 400 weeks later, but here we are. Actually, that's not even true, since it's been longer than 400 weeks by the calendar (FTP gets pre-empted numerous times each year, such as when we run our year-end awards columns).
We considered taking a look back at the previous 100 columns, but that proved to be too big a task to tackle. So we limited it to only the past 50 columns instead, which neatly coincided with the start of the presidential race. But even this was too big for one column, as we found out when assembling it. So we split it into two, since we really had nothing for next Friday anyways. Convenient, that.
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What follows are the most notable talking points from June of 2015 through the end of January of this year (around State Of The Union time, roughly). Some of these we've included because they still work perfectly well (nothing has changed, in other words), some were included for historical perspective (in case anyone's forgotten about Ted Cruz twirling, for instance), and some were just too funny not to run again.
Since this job was hard enough, we saved a lot of time on formatting by copying the talking point number (and title) verbatim from each previous article. So the numbers below aren't consecutive or anything. To set off the old from the new, we've also changed all our current commentary from this week by making it all italic. So, for this week and next, let's all take a stroll down memory lane, to the talking points of the 2016 presidential campaign season.
A Talking Point retrospective look at the 2016 campaign (so far)
Some of these we had to run again solely because they are still just as true as ever. Our first talking point comes from [FTP 351] which ran in June of last year, and the only thing that needs changing is "ten months" to "two years."
Congress does its job for two hours, then punts
This is just pathetic. There's really no other word for it.
"Ever wonder why President Obama feels the need to occasionally act without involving Congress? The answer is that Congress is incapable of doing even the most important of its jobs. Ten months ago -- that's ten months ago -- Obama began a military campaign against the Islamic State. At the time, Republicans complained that Congress should have been consulted. Obama stated that he had the authority to act, but then sent over a proposal for a new 'authorization for the use of military force,' in an effort to share the warmaking responsibility with Congress. This week -- the first time in ten months, mind you -- the House finally spent two hours debating the war. Then they gave up. Democrats had to use parliamentary procedure to even force the debate, because the Republicans running Congress have not done anything on the war with the Islamic State. Nothing. One of the Democrats pushing the issue, Representative Jim McGovern, did not mince his words, stating that Congress was, quote, guilty of moral cowardice, unquote. I could not agree more. They are indeed shirking their constitutional duties -- another phrase McGovern used -- and every citizen should bear this in mind the next time Republicans complain that Obama is acting without their approval."
There were a lot of hilarious moments from the Republican presidential campaign trail, and everyone has their favorites, but this surely has to be in the top ten (at the very least). From [FTP 352] comes the high point of the Ted Cruz campaign.
Twirling, always twirling
Ted Cruz, as noted earlier, put out a funny video this week. It would be an act of downright political malpractice if no Republican running against him ever uses this in an attack ad. Context: Cruz is actually quoting Kodos and Kang, the aliens from The Simpsons, from the "Treehouse of Horror" episode where they throw the Clinton/Dole presidential election. Even so, the funniest part (and the reason other Republicans should really use the clip) is that Cruz actually does perform a twirl, while reciting the quote:
"Forwards, not backwards! Upwards not downwards! And always twirling, twirling for freedom!"
Some of these we've included as a reminder that not everyone in the punditocracy was asleep at the switch. When Trump sewed up the GOP nomination, many pundits consoled themselves with "well, nobody saw this coming," which was complete and utter moose poop. Here's what we had to say about things -- on July 10, 2015 -- in a Friday article we subtitled "Donald Trump, Frontrunner." So at least some of us had the ability to read polls correctly, even that long ago. From [FTP 353], after the first talking point reinforced our subtitle.
The face of the Republican Party
This one hurts even worse.
"Donald Trump is not just a frontrunner in the race for the Republican nomination, he's actually become the face of the Republican Party. Think about it -- whenever any Republican candidate gets interviewed, what is one of the first questions asked? 'What do you think of what Trump said?' To put this another way: Trump speaks, then all other Republicans react. By definition, Trump is speaking for the party now, and everyone else is just playing catch-up. Establishment Republicans can deny it until they're bright red in the face, but it doesn't change the fact that Donald Trump is now the most prominent voice in their party -- Trump is indeed the face of the Republican Party."
And then some we've just included again because they're so funny. From [FTP 355], here's a good example of someone unclear on the concept.
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Language, boy, it's tough
There's this thing called "spell check"....
"One day after hurling McCarthy-style charges at a House hearing, attacking a witness over the actions of his brother and his father, Representative Steve Russell issued a press release calling the witness, quote: 'anti-Sematic.' That's S-E-M-A-T-I-C, which doesn't actually appear in the dictionary I use. Perhaps Congressman Russell was having his own problem being 'anti-semantic'? [Pause for laughter] OK, I apologize for that one...."
A recurring theme: the Republican Congress can't get anything done at all, period. From [FTP 356], another one that would just need the "five whole years" updated to "six whole years" to work perfectly today.
Trust us, we'll think of something
This is just becoming laughable.
"For over five years now, Republicans have been trying to kill Obamacare. All the Republican candidates for president agree that repealing Obamacare would be one of the first things on their to-do list as president. They've had all this time, and they still haven't got a single clue what to replace it with, though. They've held the House of Representatives for years now, and they have yet to even move a single replacement bill out of committee, much less held a vote on it on the House floor. There is absolutely nothing stopping them from doing so. And yet they haven't. Their answer, for five whole years, has been the same -- it was the same answer the Republican candidates gave on stage last night. Trust us, they say, and right after we repeal every word of Obamacare, we'll be sure to think of something to replace it with."
Another candidate for the top ten funniest 2016 campaign moments. From [FTP 358], remember Deez Nuts?
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Deez Nuts for president!
We normally wrap these up with one amusing final talking point. This week, we're going to do two instead, just because.
"Have you seen the recent polling? A fake candidate named 'Deez Nuts' is polling at a surprisingly high level among voters. For some unfathomable reason a few state-level polls included 'Deez Nuts' in a few of the questions they asked poll respondents about, and he's now getting nine percent in North Carolina, eight percent in Minnesota, and seven percent in Iowa! As the candidate explains: 'I am a 15-year-old who filled out a form, had the campaign catch on fire, and am now putting up the best third-party numbers since Ross Perot.' Right now his poll numbers are better than most of the Republican field, in fact. In a year when Donald Trump is the frontrunner, somehow it seems entirely appropriate that 'Deez Nuts' should be approaching second place in the race, don't you think?"
Something else we pointed out at the time, during the "glorious loyalty oath crusade" kerfluffle. From [FTP 360], we tried to warn them, we really did!
GOP is pledging loyalty to Trump
This really needs to be pointed out.
"The head of the Republican National Committee had to travel to Trump Towers on bended knee to get Donald Trump to sign an unenforceable loyalty oath. What Reince Priebus and the rest of the Establishment Republicans don't realize, though, is that it's more likely than not that the pledge is going to work out exactly the opposite from what they expect. If Trump wins the nomination -- which, so far, he's the favorite to do -- then all the other candidates will have pledged to support Trump. No wonder Trump made Priebus crawl before him -- because Trump may be the ultimate beneficiary of the whole stunt. He signed because he doesn't believe he will even need to run a third-party campaign. He's planning on winning the Republican nomination."
We're trying to make this retrospective a reasonable length (really we are!), but there are two talking points from [FTP 361] which really deserve a place here. The first pointed out, in early September, that Trump was the clear favorite to win (again, note to pundits: this stuff ain't rocket science, the facts were there if you cared to look at them). The second was, perhaps, the greatest takedown of Trump during the entire campaign. It didn't work for Jindal, of course, but that doesn't make it any less brilliant.
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Trump unstoppable?
Trump faces off with Fiorina next week. Should be fun for all!
"Can you actually imagine what would happen if Donald Trump became president? Faces he deemed not suitable for television would not appear -- we'd have only beautiful women, as defined by Trump. President Trump will save us all from ugliness ever appearing on our screens again! Think it's impossible? Yet Donald Trump's poll numbers continue to climb, no matter what comes out of his mouth. There is simply no ceiling yet to his mounting support within the party. He's now polling over 30 percent, and my guess is that if he gets above 35 percent and sustains it, he may well become unstoppable for the Republican nomination. It'll sure make for an entertaining campaign season, that's for sure! Can't wait to see the debates next week, when Fiorina takes him on in person."
Jindal gets off a good one
As promised, here is what Bobby Jindal had to say about Trump's religious knowledge. This is perfect for any Democrat to use, just preface with "...as Bobby Jindal said about Trump:"
Donald Trump has never read the Bible. The reason I know he has not read the Bible is that he's not in the Bible.
Chalk this one up on the long list of "apocalyptically-bad things Republicans lie awake at night worrying about, which never actually come to pass." I mean, seriously, we're going to invade Texas? Why? From [FTP 362], when yet another GOP conspiracy theory was definitively proven utterly wrong.
Still no occupation of Texas
Likely the last time we'll be using this one. One would like to hope, at any rate.
"As Salon just helpfully pointed out, the 'Jade Helm 15' military exercise just wrapped up, and Texas is still somehow not occupied by the American military. Instead of the wild-eyed expectation that troops would be 'marching through your town, implementing Obamacare, pardoning undocumented workers and replacing the Constitution with Sharia law,' absolutely nothing happened instead. I'm still waiting for Texas Governor Greg Abbott to admit he was 'horribly wrong about the whole thing,' but I'm not exactly holding my breath."
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A political bombshell hit Washington when John Boehner was essentially forced to resign. For a moment there, Republicans seemed to have the perfect replacement. Then he opened his mouth. From [FTP 364], that time when Kevin McCarthy messed up by admitting a big truth on camera.
That's an awfully big cat, Kevin
I'm sure the Clinton campaign will have some prime snark about this one.
"Kevin McCarthy, the man who will likely become the next speaker of the House, just let a rather large cat out of the bag. He admitted on national television that the entire Benghazi investigation was nothing more than a partisan pre-emptive attack on Hillary Clinton's political prospects. He actually sounds proud of the fact that he's been wasting taxpayer money on this witchhunt, even after six or seven other investigations found precisely nothing. Anyone with half a brain could see that this was the real reason behind launching yet another investigation -- attacking Hillary's polling numbers, as McCarthy just boasted. But while everyone knew this was the case, Republicans were never supposed to actually come out and admit the truth in such blunt language. This wasn't some fluffy little kitten McCarthy just let out of the bag -- it was more like a saber-toothed tiger. If this is what we can expect from McCarthy, then I look forward to hearing him interviewed in the future, on all kinds of issues."
Sometimes humor was the only way to go. In October (obviously) the House essentially had nobody who wanted to be speaker (after McCarthy self-immolated). From [FTP 365], something to scare Republicans with (contextual note: the Tea Partiers, at some point, relabeled themselves the Freedom Caucus).
Boo!
A timely reference if ever there was one.
"I think that for Hallowe'en this year, I'm going to dress up as a Freedom Caucus member and go around to all the House Republicans' offices. I can't imagine a scarier costume for them to see standing on their porch than that, personally. Boo! I've come to eat your brains! Everybody run!"
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Two weeks later, they had found a savior. From [FTP 367], when Paul Ryan rather reluctantly agreed to take Boehner's job.
Paul Ryan, savior
You could almost visualize the Republicans prostrating themselves while chanting: "We are not worthy!"
"Did Paul Ryan just get elected Pope? I even heard some Republicans were tweeting things like 'we have white smoke' when Ryan announced he'd reluctantly take the job of speaker of the House -- as long as he didn't have to work too hard at it. Ryan is being hailed as the savior of the House Republicans, but my guess is that this honeymoon is going to be pretty darn short. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Ryan eventually quits the job in frustration, just like John Boehner did. Paul Ryan doesn't actually walk on water or anything -- he's still got the job of governing the most ungovernable group of people in Washington. I mean, good luck to him and all, but I'm not exactly expecting miracles."
Some of these, we have to admit, we use pretty much on a yearly basis, just by updating the numbers. [FTP 368] has a perfect example of one of these, with the most jaw-dropping number yet.
Nice work if you can get it
A favorite subject for ridicule, at least in this column.
"I see the congressional schedules for next year are out, and it seems that the House will only be bothering to show up for work a paltry 111 days out of all of next year. In 2011, they worked for 175 days. In 2015, they managed to work 132 days. Next year? Down to 111 days. That is downright pathetic, folks. We're paying these slackers to show up for work, on average, for only two days out of the week for all of next year. Well, if they only want to work two days out of every five, how about we just cut their salaries by sixty percent? Seems only fair to me."
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Meanwhile, back in the presidential race, Trump kept outdoing himself on the outrageousness of his positions. From [FTP 369], Trump unveils his perfect plan to solve inequality.
Wages are too high
This is one of the Democrats' strongest issues, and Donald Trump just gave them a gift.
"When asked whether America should raise the minimum wage in the Republican debate, pretty much every candidate who responded said they would leave the minimum wage where it is. Except for one. Donald Trump thinks, and I quote, 'wages are too high.' Got that? The federal minimum wage is too high, not too low. I would like to see, in the next debate, all the Republican candidates asked whether they agree with Trump or not -- and whether they'd lower the minimum wage. Perhaps they'll get in a bidding war to see how low a minimum wage they each would support."
This idea was revived recently, complete with a sit-in and a filibuster to force votes. Some of us, however, have been pointing it out for quite some time. From November, in [FTP 370], we again have two talking points. The first should sound familiar, and the second one was just so wildly idiotic that we feel the need to remind everyone it happened.
2,000 guns sold
This is the best example to use.
"After 9/11, politicians were awfully quick to restrict Americans' civil liberties. The USA PATRIOT Act flew through Congress, as I recall. But the one civil liberty that Republicans refused to even address was the ownership of firearms. 'Maybe we should do something so terrorists who sneak into America can't get guns,' Democrats proposed, but the answer was a flat: 'Nope, we're not gonna do that,' from the Republicans. Well, in the past ten years two thousand guns were bought by people on the official government terrorist watch list. Doesn't that concern Republicans even a tiny little bit? Don't you think this is a bigger danger than some three-year-old Syrian who is going to have to wait two or three years to become an official refugee? This is what I mean about Republicans getting distracted from real, tangible, and downright dangerous loopholes in America's laws -- loopholes that have allowed thousands of guns to get in the hands of suspected terrorists."
Convert the heathens!
This one is just the essence of stupidity, really. Remember, too: he's supposed to be the sane Republican running.
"Republican presidential candidate John Kasich -- a supposed moderate -- had his own brilliant idea for how to win the hearts and minds of Middle Eastern terrorists. He's going to create a new Department of Judeo-Christian Propaganda, and beam Judeo-Christian messages into the conflict zone. Boy! What a great idea! Let's try to convert the heathens! I'm surprised someone hasn't come up with such a brilliant idea before -- to travel to the Holy Land and either convert or kill everyone there. You could even come up with a snappy title for the program, something along the lines of 'The American Crusade' -- because that'll be the ticket to solving the religious conflicts in the Middle East! And this is from the moderate Republican candidate, mind you."
By December, some Republicans had started to absolutely freak out. This phenomenon has grown over time, but even back then some were sounding the alarm. From [FTP 371] comes advice from a strategy memo (full of talking points, in other words) from the people whose political job it is to get Republicans elected to the Senate. Note well that "never, ever" is exactly where we find ourselves now.
Never, ever
As mentioned, the first four of these are from that Republican senatorial campaign memo. This was the very first bullet point from the memo, and it paints a very grim picture for Republicans.
Trump is a Misguided Missile. Let's face facts. Trump says what's on his mind and that's a problem. Our candidates will have to spend full time defending him or condemning him if that continues. And, that's a place we never, ever want to be.
Trump's international image was no better that it was here at home. From [FTP 372] comes this gem. Maybe she's got an anti-Trump spell to recommend? Expellitrumpus!
He-who-must-not-be-named
And, finally, the best putdown of the week.
"Donald Trump isn't too popular in Great Britain these days, it seems. Not only is there a petition (with hundreds of thousands of signatures on it) for Parliament to ban him from the country as a hatemonger, he is also being widely compared to Voldemort. Which brought the following response from J. K. Rowling: 'How horrible. Voldemort was nowhere near as bad.' It didn't stop the jokes about Trump's hair being one of his horcruxes, though."
By January, you'd have thought that the pundits would have realized that Donald Trump was the clear favorite to win, seeing as how he'd led in the polls for six solid months. You'd be wrong, though. In [FTP 373] we noted in the introduction that two columnists (one left, one right) both rightly identified their own logical error (the "Underpants Gnome Theory"), but then went right ahead and doubled-down on that error by explaining that Phase 2 simply had to happen -- it was inevitable!
Lefty Ezra Klein of Vox responded with a column of his own. Which is where the Underpants Gnomes come in. For those who are still wondering what the heck Underpants Gnomes are, we refer you to a synopsis of the "Gnomes" episode of South Park, or to a short video of their infamous business plan. Underpants Gnomes, you see, sneak around at night stealing children's underpants, as part of a grand get-rich-quick scheme. Here is their business plan, in all its glory:
Phase 1: Collect underpants Phase 2: ? Phase 3: Profit
Which is how Klein admits precisely what is missing in the conventional Washington "Trump must lose" wisdom:
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It's the Underpants Gnomes theory of Trump's loss. Step 1: Trump leads the polls for month after month. Step 2: ??? Step 3: He loses! Even if you think that's likely, it sounds a bit ridiculous when you say it aloud.
Even though Klein admitted how ridiculous it was, he stuck to his guns and stated that because Howard Dean lost, Trump would most assuredly also lose. No, really! Later on, in the talking points, came a few more items to add to that "has never happened" list.
Doom and gloom that never happened
I'm sure President Obama will be mentioning this in his upcoming State Of The Union address, but perhaps not in such a snarky way.
"When President Obama ran for re-election, Republicans predicted a heavy dose of doom-and-gloom for America. Looking back on some of these predictions shows how little attention should be paid to conservatives' dire warnings, of course. Gas was supposed to be over six bucks a gallon by now. Unemployment was supposed to be stuck at eight percent. Obamacare was supposed to have entered a death spiral. Instead, take a look around you. Gas is cheap, the economy is adding 300,000 jobs per month. Obama has averaged more jobs added to the economy per year than George W. Bush and his father combined, in fact. Unemployment is at five percent -- a full point lower than Mitt Romney promised by the end of his first term, mind you -- and over 11 million people have signed up for Obamacare already this year. The reality is a lot brighter than Republican predictions -- keep that in mind as you listen to them campaign this year, folks."
We noticed that we never properly gave credit for where we came up with our final item this week, so we'd like to rectify this now. We got the pun from the book title of a collection of Wizard Of Id cartoons published in the 1970s. Being a kingdom, the title was actually "The Peasants Are Revolting!" Mea culpa, Johnny Hart and Brant Parker. We updated this in [FTP 375], for today's political scene, as more and more Republicans began to revolt against their likely nominee.
Conservatives are revolting
And finally, we end exactly where we began.
"Boy, it's tough to keep track of the revolts going on in the Republican Party these days. Donald Trump is leading a revolt against the establishment Republicans. The National Review is leading a counterrevolt against Trump. The establishment Republicans are actually waving a big white flag and are now revolting against the National Review and sucking up to Trump. Ted Cruz is leading a revolt against pretty much every other Republican in existence, who are quite willing to badmouth Cruz in return. The party's voters are leading a revolt against the big money donors. Pretty much anywhere you look within the Republican Party, things are downright revolting."
That's it for this week! See you next Friday (same bat time, same bat channel) for part 2 of our look back.
Chris Weigant blogs at:
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Full archives of FTP columns: FridayTalkingPoints.com
There is so much wrong with the mass violence boiling through America. There are the unresolved racial issues we've glossed over for so long. There is the mass proliferation of guns including assault rifles. There is the clear evidence of widespread police brutality. There is the consistent economic uncertainty and a sense of more fear, more us versus them, in general.
The reasons for our mess are complex but one factor gets very little attention -- the damage done by the current sensationalist clickbait media model. In order to try to capture ratings, clickbait-driven corporate media outlets rush to report on events ahead of, and in a more entertaining manner than, their competitors.
I know from personal experience that this mad rush to break the news often involves speculation and results in grievous misinformation and inaccurate reporting.
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In coverage of both the terrible police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota and the heinous massacre of police officers in Dallas, the mainstream media's manic drive to report "Breaking News" just added to the terror, the conflict and the heartache.
With the Dallas shooting, it was first reported (as fact) that there were multiple shooters. That turned out not to be the case. There is no way of knowing how or how much the belief in multiple perpetrators affected the situation. It has since been stated that some of the police acted as they did on the scene because of the reports of multiple shooters.
Also, in this social media age, news reporters, even big name reporters, rely more and more on tweets and posts from other reporters and from people near the scene. Quite simply, that is a completely unreliable source for factual news.
After falsely reporting multiple gunmen, a man was falsely accused as the possible shooter! Apparently he was at the scene of the protest where the shooting occurred and, in what I would call a not so bright move, was openly carrying an assault rifle as part of the protest (exerting his right to own and openly carry as allowed under current U.S. gun laws). When the shooting started, he handed the gun to a police officer but was later misidentified as a suspect by the Dallas Police Department and his name and photo was blasted on CNN and from there all across other media and the internet.
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In studying the phenomenon of public shaming in the digital age, most of the blame is placed on social media -- Facebook and Twitter -- and the regular people out there who decide to go after someone. But very often, as in this case of falsely accusing someone of being a possible murderer, the biggest culprit was corporate media and professional reporters. What gets too little attention is how the current clickbait-driven media model feeds and is fed by the social media mob.
I now say, if you are watching "Breaking News", beware! You are not being informed so much as entertained. You are watching speculation and emotional spin-doctoring. And, you probably like it because it is carefully constructed to get and hold our attention!
As I've become all too aware of the incredible amount of inaccuracy, dishonesty and sensationalism in corporate, professional media, I have completely changed how I get my news. I now do my very best to avoid CNN, FOX, MSNBC etc. when they are in the "Breaking News" mode or the spun-up, drawn out "analysis" mode, which is actually just adding fuel to the fire to ring out every last bit of our attention span possible. I now rarely read, and always with a skeptical eye, corporate newspapers.
I get my news mostly from the Nation, the Guardian, public broadcasting like NPR and BBC and a dozen issue specific, independent sources. I peruse the daily headlines in The Week and if any of the stories seem worthy of my attention I look at them through multiple media lenses.
I feel for the guy who was falsely accused, even if I may disagree with him about my "right" to carry an assault rifle around town. Once one media outlet puts out misinformation or lies about you, most of the rest repost it as fact and there is no way to get that genie back in the bottle. He's been getting death threats and all sorts of anonymous hate-filled messages. He fears for his safety and that of his family. Scary, scary stuff.
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Interestingly, however, in his case, it does look like the mainstream outlets are trying to correct the misinformation. The internet is now filled with stories about the false accusation and even interviews with this man. But I'm skeptical. Are these media outlets really trying to clear up misinformation or simply skewering another piece of clickbait to the hook?
It's true that Americans, particularly black Americans, are in danger of finding ourselves staring down the barrel of one of the countless guns our country is awash in. But as scary as that may be, I think a bigger threat is a news industry that shoots first and tries to pick up facts along the way.
In this new norm, it isn't news they're breaking at all but the public trust and their sacred responsibility to inform us in a truthful, unbiased manner.
Call it the Eric Garcetti Trickle-Down Theory of Dishonesty, where the city's top executive has so consistently told half-truths to the public that mendacity has drip, drip, dripped down to his voluntary Commission appointments.
There was Garcetti's $1,400 per plate DC fundraiser for his re-election coffers on the eve of the LAPD Commission ruling on the Ezell Ford killing, which he told Black Lives Matter protesters was a trip to raise money for housing. He also claimed that veteran homelessness would be eradicated in LA by the end of 2015, at which time he admitted it was still rampant because the problem was twice as bad as he originally thought.
In recent weeks, I exposed here on Huffington Post his awkward, dishonest Tweets about Super Bowl LV coming "back to Los Angeles," and on CityWatchLA his untruthful claim that LA was on the verge of becoming a "No Kill" city, despite doctored statistics, thousands of unaccounted for animals and there being no such thing as a no kill city anywhere in the U.S.
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So, it was no surprise recently that Los Angeles City Council, as predicted, unanimously confirmed Garcetti's re-appointment of Roger Wolfson to the LA Animal Services Commission despite no prior background in humane affairs, a 41% absentee/tardiness record for the twice monthly meetings in 2015, on track for worse in 2016 and his ongoing failure to pay his overdue dog licenses or their late fees, while enforcing them on all other Los Angeles residents. In fact, City Council failed to ask Wolfson a single question as he sat in the front row with his arm wrapped behind LAAS GM Brenda Barnette.
But like Garcetti's half-truths, Wolfson's story about his background in the legal profession does not add up, especially between June 10, 2013 and June 17, 2015, and in his City Council file resumes.
On that 2013 date, in a gushing LA Times article about plays he puts on in his backyard, Wolfson said, "I'm not a doctor or lawyer, but I want to be a pillar of my community."
But on June 17, 2015, Wolfson described himself in an interview with TheNewHollywood.com as "a civil rights attorney."
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According to Wolfson's City Council file, which contains an overkill list of every speech he says he ever created or delivered, he was indeed an attorney, describing himself as a founding partner of Haft, Harrison and Wolfson, a NY law firm founded in 1999, which he started after working as an attorney at the law firm he says was founded by his mother and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.
Wolfson's resume, which appears to be identical for both of his Garcetti appointments, lists him as a member of the New York, Connecticut and District of Columbia Bars, but is unclear as to whether he is presently licensed to practice law before any of them.
According to the Connecticut Judicial Branch, Wolfson was suspended in 2000 for failure to pay a client security fee. He is presently listed as retired and therefore cannot practice law there.
In Washington D.C., records reflect that Wolfson is suspended due to his failure to attend continuing education courses and/or pay dues, and might not be able to practice there, either.
And according to the New York State Unified Court System, Wolfson's license lapsed in April.
(NOTE: Attorneys not actively practicing law often list themselves as "inactive." Suspensions, whether administrative or disciplinary, are considered a permanent black mark on an attorney's record.)
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Wolfson also lists himself as a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar Association, which is largely considered a vanity membership, except for those who actually practice law before the SCOTUS, which Wolfson does not appear to have done.
In the world of Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Los Angeles City Council, the truth glass is almost always half bull.
(Daniel Guss, MBA, is a contributor to CityWatchLA, Huffington Post, KFI AM-640, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Business Journal, Movieline Magazine, Emmy Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine and others. He blogs on humane issues at: EricGarcetti.Blogspot.com.)
In 2013, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2 (H. B. 2). The intent of the bill was to ensure the safety of women who were undergoing abortions. Many states enacted similar legislation due to the Kermit Gosnell case in Philadelphia. Gosnell ran an abortion clinic and was convicted of murder of three infants that were born alive and of manslaughter of a patient. It was felt that requiring abortion clinics to have the same requirements of an ambulatory surgery clinic would shut down the type of facility run by Gosnell. People opposed to the Texas law felt that it called for unnecessary health regulations whose primary purpose was to prevent a woman from obtaining an abortion.
The two provisions in question were (1) the admitting-privileges requirement which required the physician performing the abortion to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the "abortion facility", and (2) the "surgical-center" requirement which required the "abortion facility" to meet the same requirements of an ambulatory surgery center under Texas law.
Before the law went into effect, a group of abortion providers filed suit (the Abbott case), in which they lost a challenge to the constitutionality of the admitting privileges provision. After the law went into effect, another group of abortion providers filed another suit claiming that both the admitting privileges and the surgical-center provisions violated the Fourteenth Amendment.
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After a trial, the District Court held that the surgical center requirement and the admitting privileges requirement created an undue burden to all women seeking a pre-viability abortion. The Fifth Circuit reversed the District Court holding that res judicata barred challenging both the hospital privileges and the surgical-center provisions of the law.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and held that the admitting privileges requirement and the surgical-center provisions created an environment which would lead to an undue burden for those women seeking a pre-viability abortion; this burden on abortion access was deemed to be a violation of the Constitution.
Res judicata is a doctrine whereby cases that have been previously litigated could not be litigated again. There must be finality in the law or cases might go on forever. Assuming that the Supreme Court's conclusion that res judicata did not attach based on the previously litigated Abbott case, did the two contentious provisions create an undue burden for women seeking an abortion or did it just create a burden for those physicians providing the procedure?
The Admitting Privileges Requirement
Recognizing that complications can occur during an abortion, the Texas legislature decided that the practitioner should have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. This would allow for the transfer of a patient to a higher level of care if needed. It is hard to see how this requirement would lead to an undue burden for the women seeking an abortion, and it would allow for Texas to better ensure the safety of its women seeking abortions.
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It is not hard to get hospital privileges. The hospital would check on the licensure, training and experience of the provider and would query the National Practitioner Data Bank to see if there were any incidents of negligent care of the provider which led to a financial payment to a plaintiff. They would also query to see if there were any entries in the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) to check for any actions against the practitioner's license. Letters of recommendation would be required.
Call requirements may be required to obtain hospital privileges but these can be waived if the practitioner has good reasons to avoid the work.
Any practitioner who could not get hospital privileges should probably not be allowed to do abortions anyway!
Plaintiff's argued that this requirement would cause some providers to leave their practice which could have made it more difficult for women to get an abortion. The District Court should have required proof that these providers would leave rather than obtain hospital admitting privileges and that other nearby clinics could not have provided the care for the women affected.
Previous Court decisions came up with a 150 mile distance in order to meet the undue burden standard (Planned Parenthood v. Casey. 505 U.S. 833). Women who had to travel more than 150 miles due to their clinic closure would have an "undue burden." Again, the plaintiff should have had to prove this undue burden requirement.
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There was a severance clause in H.B. 2 which would have allowed the courts to sever any provisions of the law that were deemed to be unconstitutional. This clause could have been used to keep the other parts of the law intact.
Even if the admitting privileges requirement had been proven to cause an undue burden for women seeking an abortion, it would have been within the Court's power to sever this requirement for those areas of Texas where it was applicable, keeping in place the rules for other areas of the State. Texas' interests and women's interests could have both been met.
An alternative to this requirement could have been done utilizing the Emergency Medical Treatment Active Labor Act (EMTALA) whereby a patient suffering a complication could have been directly transferred to a nearby hospital which, by the law, would have been required to do, at least, a medical screening exam looking for an emergency medical condition or active labor. If the patient was deemed to have such condition, medical or surgical therapy to stabilize the condition would then be required. After this stabilization requirement was met, other care which may have been required would have to be provided as a doctor-patient relationship would have attached triggering medical negligence law if the patient were not cared for appropriately.
It is hard to see how this admitting privilege requirement would have limited the women's access to abortion, but it may have kept them out of the hands of a suspect surgeon.
The Surgical-Center Provisions Requirement
No one would argue that the states have a right and obligation to do what they can to ensure the safety of their citizens undergoing surgical procedures whether in a hospital or in an outpatient setting. In fact, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, the Court recognized that the state may use its regulatory power "all in furtherance of its legitimate interests in regulating the medical profession in order to promote respect for life, including life of the unborn." It is also clear that no State should so limit the access of women seeking an abortion that they would then seek the procedure from unlicensed or incompetent providers.
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The State requirements for surgery centers are detailed and some requirements are costly. The architectural requirements could have cost thousands of dollars to have the older abortion clinics meet standards. However, with the severance clause, the requirements which were shown to cause an undue burden could have been severed from the rest of the law. Requirements to comply with medically accepted standards of care could have been kept. Shouldn't the right to have medically accepted standards of care be at least as important for women as a right to obtain an abortion? It's hard to see why the whole law had to be deemed unconstitutional especially since the plaintiff's did not show that all of the requirements would have resulted in an undue burden to obtain an abortion.
Some of the requirements that could have remained are (1) a fire alarm system and emergency communication system, (2) eliminate hazards that might lead to electrical shock, burns, or falling, (3) form policies concerning teaching and publishing by staff, (4) obtaining informed consent if patients were to be part of a research study, and (5) formation of a data driven patient safety program. In fact, any provision that was not mentioned in the plaintiff's complaint as causing an undue burden could have been left in place. For some reason, the Court chose not to do this.
Justice Ginsburg, in a concurring opinion, writes that "[i]n truth, "complications from abortion are both rare and rarely dangerous." She is speaking as a lawyer looking at abortion as a constitutional right. I look upon abortion as a surgical procedure.
As a surgeon, I know that bad things can occur with any operation. Anyone put to sleep for a procedure, including an abortion, can die. Patients undergoing procedures where they are sedated or put to sleep, should be cared for by someone who can monitor the vital signs, secure an artificial airway if needed, control bleeding, give medications for low (or high) blood pressure, and treat cardiac arrhythmias. We should expect no less from our providers whether they work in a hospital or an outpatient center where surgical procedures, including abortions are performed.
Judges should not take unnecessary shortcuts from their traditional processes of decision-making for "doctrinal expedients." They should interpret the law and force the parties to meet their legal burdens rather than decide based on preconceived social or political opinions. These steps would go a long way in restoring the electorate's faith in our judicial system.
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The states have a right and an obligation to ensure the safety of their citizens undergoing surgical procedures. The Supreme Court should have let Texas meet this obligation. The case could have been sent back to the District Court to have the plaintiff's present evidence to prove what restrictions of the law would actually result in an undue burden for women seeking an abortion in their state. Under the law, any restriction meeting the burden of proof could have been severed from the statute while letting the rest of the law stand. That's what I would have done.
"One of the traditional calling cards of a public university has been its affordability. But the decline in state funding has forced public universities to lean far more heavily on tuition revenue. Since 2000, the average net tuition at public four-year institutions -- that is, published tuition and fees less financial aid -- has risen by 136 percent. By contrast, due in large measure to an investment of endowment funds into financial aid, net tuition at private institutions has risen by only 17 percent in the same period. There are now private research universities, such as Harvard and Emory that cost less after financial aid than a number of their public peers."
"Free the Public Universities," By Ronald J. Daniels, President of the Johns Hopkins University
The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 5, 2016
http://chronicle.com/article/Free-the-Public-Universities/236372?cid=trend_right
Pop quiz: thinking about an undergraduate degree purely in terms of dollars and cents, what's a better value -a public university or a private nonprofit institution?
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It's not a trick question, but neither is the answer an obvious one. What was once clear cut is no longer anything of the kind. There is indeed, as Johns Hopkins' Daniels suggests, a convergence between the economics of private colleges and those of public institutions.
Of course, it's not entirely about the economic return on investment (ROI) -- it's about the quality of the college experience. An institution like mine, Woodbury University in Southern California, offers the intangible but very real benefits of smaller class sizes, frequent and direct contact with professors, an ability to shape an academic career that is increasingly out of reach in the public system, and an innovative environment fed by the creative industries that surrounds it.
But just to throw a few more data points out there, consider:
oThe average annual rate of increase of published tuition and fees at private nonprofit four-year institutions declined from 3.5 percent between 1985-86 and 1995-96 to 3 percent between 1995-96 and 2005-06 and to 2.4 percent between 2005-06 and 2015-16. (CollegeBoard; http://trends.collegeboard.org/content/average-rates-growth-published-charges-decade-0)
oWithin public education, it's no longer clear what constitutes a four-year institution: "Currently, 54 percent of first-time CSU freshmen finish within six years, including 19 percent who finish within four years, according to the most recent Cal State statistics." (Los Angeles Times, Feb. 22, 2016: http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-csu-bill-20160222-story.html). "In 2009, graduating in even six years was a triumph. Now, [Chancellor Timothy] White said, the six-year graduation rate is 57 percent." (Merced Sun-Star, Jan. 28, 2016: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/opinion/editorials/article57066533.html)
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oThe "rack rate" at private institutions is less and less what it seems - a signal development for students and their families. In 2007-2008, the percentage of students receiving aid at four-year private nonprofit institutions increased from 86 to 89 percent; at public institutions, the percentage increased from 77 to 83 percent. (NCES; https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=31)
Money does matter. Graduating in four years and getting into the job market immediately has a big impact on ROI. According to Payscale.com, our students make on average $47,100 right out of college, so over a period of six years the net cost after aid (without taking into account the effect of taxes) is an average discounted tuition of about 4 x $30,000 minus 2 x $47,100 in earnings -- or about $26,000. By comparison, the net cost at a public college at, say, $8,000 per year for six years, is $48,000.
The horrific killing of Dallas police officers by Micah Johnson was apparently meant as retaliation for the actions, as depicted in numerous videos, of US police he perceived as periodically "executing" men for the "crime" of being black.
Maybe Johnson had personal experiences with racist and brutal police or knew others who had. Or, perhaps it was something noted in his biography, but not yet commented upon: having served in the US Army in Afghanistan, trained to fight against people who had never personally oppressed him or other blacks, he could have decided to be a soldier on the "home front" against those he viewed as more deserving of his fire than the Taliban: racist white people and their "soldiers", the police.
We may never know all the factors which produced Micah Johnson's actions. His extremism had no visible support among blacks, but police are far more distrusted within the black community than among whites.
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If perceptions of police behavior still differ substantially by race what evidence exists to resolve this disparity? Fortunately, there is a growing body of data which can greatly advance our understanding. It suggests that what has been captured by videos and gone viral is definitely an important part of the truth, one whites rarely are otherwise exposed to. But it is not the whole of it.
Let's start with cases throughout the US in which police kill civilians. The Washington Post has documented and summarized what is known about all 990 cases in 2015 in an ongoing project. In compiling the data, based on news reports, public records, internet databases and original reporting, each case was described with regard to whether the victim had a weapon, their race, gender, age, and what transpired. Contrary to the circumstances characteristic of widely discussed police killings caught on camera such as those of Eric Garner, Walter Scott, and Philando Castile, 91 percent of those shot had weapons on their person, typically guns or knives. In 77 percent of the cases the encounter was described as an "attack in progress" on the police officer.
I examined the critical subset of 93 cases in which the dead civilian was determined to be unarmed, eliminating several incidents where the deaths were likely unintentional, though possibly negligent (e.g. a bystander). In the remaining ones, whites represented 36 percent of those shot, blacks 43 percent and Hispanics 20 percent. Interestingly, 48 percent of unarmed whites were deemed to have been attacking the police officer who killed them, as compared to 41 percent of blacks and 28 percent of Hispanics. Data gathered on the 35 comparable cases in the first half of 2016 showed a nearly identical racial composition. There was no determination in the newer data regarding whether those killed were attacking, but reports of physical altercations or movement towards it, not merely verbal confrontation or refusal to obey police commands, indicated 67 percent of whites, 41 percent of blacks and 20 percent of Hispanics probably were.
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What can one conclude from these data? First, case summaries necessarily relied heavily, but not exclusively, on police reports. Moreover, the bare bones description of some well-known ones hardly capture their disturbing features. Nevertheless, unless one is prepared to largely disregard police reports and assume weapons reported were often "throw-aways" posthumously planted, the vast majority of instances in which police use lethal force on civilians occur when they can reasonably imagine they are under mortal threat.
Even if one might not take the crime reports entirely at face value they do suggest being white affords a significant level of additional protection in avoiding death in an unarmed confrontation with police. In other words, the bar is lower to shoot Hispanic or black civilians than white ones. Still, a sizeable minority of white unarmed civilians were killed despite not attacking a police officer. As the dramatic videos have shown, many fatalities could have been avoided regardless of the race of the victim, though a higher percentage of non-whites are likely to have been needlessly killed. Cases involving Hispanics might be most subject to second-guessing.
Two other studies, carried out by the Department of Justice in Seattle and Albuquerque deepen our understanding of police misuse of force and racial disparities in policing. In both departments an exhaustive review of all "force reports" indicated police often used it in situations where it was 1) unconstitutional (e.g., pedestrians are not required to stop if not under reasonable suspicion, or be respectful), 2) unnecessary to protect the officer or the public, 3) when civilians are incapable of complying (e.g. drunk), or 4) where police actions created unnecessary escalation. Weapons, such as Tasers, were often used without cause. Blacks and Hispanics were disproportionately subject to inappropriate force, but whites were also victimized. Interestingly, in Seattle, 20 officers in a 1300 person police department, accounted for 18 percent of all force incidents. Finally, both departments did little or anything to properly train, supervise or discipline officers.
It is the widespread use and perceived legitimacy of inappropriate force by what may be a small proportion of police officers, even if unprovoked lethal force is relatively rare, which creates an environment in which citizens, especially blacks and Hispanics, come to distrust law enforcement and assume the worst examples of police brutality and unwarranted killing of civilians are more common than they are. The viral videos that enraged Micah Johnson and millions of others, are atypical of police killings. Yet they are understandably not considered as such, especially by those who often have experienced, witnessed or heard of routine non-lethal violent police misconduct in their communities.
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NEW YORK - Following British Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation, Theresa May, the British Conservative Party leader who currently serves as the country's home secretary, is expected to succeed Mr. Cameron. In response to these developments, American Jewish Congress (AJCongress) President Jack Rosen and Vice President Dr. Munr Kazmir issued the following joint statement:
"On behalf of the American Jewish Congress, we are grateful that such a strong friend of Israel and the Jewish community will be leading Britain during this important time. Britain is a critical ally for Israel. May, through her actions protecting Jewish institutions in the UK and standing up for Israel's right to live in security, has shown time and time again that she is a true friend of the community. Under May's leadership, we look forward to continuing to work together with our partners in Britain to combat anti-Semitism, address radicalization and protect Israel's security."
The Pioneer Plaque
"It's a kindness that the mind can go where it wishes." Ovid, "The Poems of Exile: Tristia and the Black Sea Letters"
"Language is the only homeland." Czesaw Miosz
"These are all I have. I do not have the wide, bright beacon of some solid old lighthouse, guiding ships safely home, past the jagged rocks. I only have these little glimmers that flicker and then go out." Rebecca Wells, "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood"
The Silent Languages
It is Day Two of one of my headaches, which usually last for three. It is morning, and I am in bed, my head wrapped in a black-and-white Yasser Arafat scarf, one forearm pressed hard against my skull and the other resting on my husband's chest.
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It is on this latter arm that the jazz musician with whom I live is "playing," with the fingers of one hand, a tune. A silent tune, as my skinny forearm is no trumpet.
Dean knows that, while the pain in my left temple is relentless, language--of any sort--will tempt me out of the hole down which pain thrusts me. Eventually, I will have to know . . . what tune he is playing. Eventually, the language which he speaks so fluently, and hears constantly within his cranium, and which I can only hear (and then, imperfectly), when a band performs it, will charm me (as the flute, the cobra).
"What are you playing?" I ask, eventually.
He smiles and, in his endearing falsetto, pipes a bar or two. "'Spring is Here,'" he interjects.
"By?"
"Rodgers and Hart. Stan Kenton."
"So, I have an entire orchestra playing here? On my arm?"
The fingers are onto something else, however. "Now, what?"
"'Yesterdays.' By Kern and Harbach. Stan Kenton again, though."
Not skipping a beat, he begins 'Stompin' At The Savoy.'
Lying here, in almost total silence, one of us speaking through the fingers of a hand, the other listening, clumsily, through the skin of a forearm, we are something like the members of two early, isolated tribes of homo sapiens, upon first contact. I will never have time enough to learn the language-of-jazz in which my spouse has been steeped since early childhood. And, by this point in our marriage, I know he will never learn the proper use of "went" and "gone": his participles will remain, for this grammarian, blood-curdling, lo, unto the grave, whichever of us arrives there first.
"I've never went to . . ." says Dean.
"Gone to!" says Elizabeth. "Gone!*&%"
When one of us is in pain, in the little co-mingled tribe that is this marriage, the silent languages predominate: those comprising simply sounds, as opposed to words; those expressed through touch.
Throughout my husband's surgery of a month ago, and my own headaches, we have spoken, for the most part, without a lot of words. In fact, because I myself am so beset and beleaguered by words, living with a musician, who communicates primarily and happily and by choice via sounds alone, most of those sounds mediated by instruments (and, so, at a remove of one or two from the human breath or the human hand, or both), I have found being with Dean a relief, a refuge.
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In our house, there is much music, but most of it comes without lyrics.
Which is not to say we do not communicate profoundly. We communicate, with all our various languages, signs, and signals, across most silences and distances. But we speak best, usually, without words.
What, I wonder, did Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis "say," upon first encountering one another, over 100,000 years ago, somewhere in the Middle East? What was communicated in that first gaze?
In the way that we "use" language, and considering the languages we have chosen to learn well, even over the short course of our shared time on the planet, my husband and I could be members of different species. Here, we have an instance of Homo trumpetensis taking up residence with Homo comma-oxfordensis
.
No wonder one of us seems always to have a headache (she said, smiling).
Lost in Translation: "Saudade" & "Hiraeth"
We are losing human languages, year by year, as we lose the last native speakers of each.
Languages go extinct with their speakers, unless studied, recorded, and preserved for prosperity, and many, many human languages (I think, just, of all the extinct aboriginal languages of Australia) were gone before . . . we knew it. In this new century, with the death of their last-standing native speakers, we have lost Klallam, Linvonian, the Cromarty dialect of Scots, and Pazeh, along with at least 14 other distinct tongues.
Tongues: given my husband's (and Koko the gorilla's]) fluent fingers, tongues and breath are not essential for communication, but most languages may still be called tongues.
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Language has ever been based on breath. And tongues. Both human.
And, with every year, and every year of globalization, the tongues we speak decline in number. Soon, we will be left with what, which? Chinese? Spanish? English? Hindi? And, then? Just Chinese?
I grieve the loss of all tongues for, in and through each, we have expressed what is almost impossible to express in others.
There is one, solitary Portuguese word, saudade, for example, which originated in Galician, and for which English (and perhaps all other languages) has no twin, no cognate (or "blood relative").
Saudade (as per Wikipedia) "describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone that one loves. Moreover, it often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never return. A stronger form of saudade might be felt towards people and things whose whereabouts are unknown, such as a lost lover, or a family member who has gone missing, moved away, separated, or died. Saudade was once described as 'the love that remains' after someone is gone.
"Saudade is the recollection of feelings, experiences, places or events that once brought excitement, pleasure, well-being, which now triggers the senses and makes one live again. It can be described as an emptiness, like someone (e.g., one's children, parents, sibling, grandparents, friends, pets) or something (e.g., places, things one used to do in childhood, or other activities performed in the past) that should be there in a particular moment but is missing, and the individual feels this absence. It brings sad and happy feelings all together, sadness for missing and happiness for having experienced the feeling.
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"In Portuguese, Tenho saudades tuas(European Portuguese) or Tenho saudades de voce (Brazilian Portuguese), translates as 'I have saudade of you,' meaning 'I miss you,' but carries a much stronger tone. In fact, one can have saudade of someone whom one is with, but have some feeling of loss towards the past or the future.
"In Brazil, the Day of Saudade is officially celebrated on 30 January."
I, myself, "have saudade of" the lost languages of Klallam, Linvonian, the Cromarty dialect of Scots, and Pazeh, along with the other 14 tongues which have gone extinct since the year 2000. I have saudade, as well, of all those lost languages whose names I will never even know.
For me, in a sense, every day is The Day of Saudade.
And then, there is the Welsh word hiraeth. Wikipedia: "The University of Wales, Lampeter, attempts to define it as homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over the lost or departed. It is a mix of longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness, or an earnest desire for the Wales of the past.
"Oxford and Merriam-Webster define hiraeth as: (noun) 'a homesickness for a home you cannot return to, or that never was.'
If this sounds familiar: "Hiraeth bears considerable similarities with the Portuguese concept of saudade (a key theme in Fado music), Brazilian Portuguese banzo (more related to homesickness), Turkish gurbet, Galician morrina, Romanian dor."
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So, whatever language we speak, or no longer speak, we Homo sapiens, trumpetensis, and/or comma-oxfordensis, have coined a plethora of words with which to express A la recherche du temps perdu.
Extinction is a concept with which we have long been acquainted, but with which we are never, ever, comfortable.
Breath & Dragon's Breath
Recently, in my ongoing, Oedipal, and Conradian quest to nail down just when and through what mechanism runaway climate change will effect the Sixth Extinction, a planetary cataclysm resembling the great Permian die-off, in which fully 83 percent of Earth's genera went extinct, I came across a long, peer-reviewed article by marine biologist Dr. Ronald L. Shimek, former chair of the Biology Department at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, assistant director of the Bamfield Marine Science Centre on Vancouver Island, Canada, and a "CORAL Magazine" senior editor. (The version of the essay which I cite here, and which is available online is this one: http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2016/04/22/dragon-watch/)
Dr. Shimek, while researching coral reef extinctions, one of his areas of expertise, stumbled upon the research of Dr. Natalia E. Shakhova, "a Russian oceanographer and geologist who has been studying the permafrost methane distribution throughout the offshore region of the Laptev Sea known as the Eastern Siberian Arctic Shelf (or ESAS in scientific circles) and the adjacent onshore areas."
Shakhova's research has been in another neck of our shared woods, entirely, from that of Shimek. Her focus is the release of methane into the atmosphere, and the probability that the next great planetary extinction will be caused by a catastrophic release of the gas also known as "Dragon's Breath."
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Quoting from Shimek's piece: "[Shakhova] estimates the [methane] clathrate deposits in the ESAS to be between hundreds and thousands of gigatons. This is not easy to visualize, but the total mass of carbon in living plants and animals on Earth has been estimated at 500 gigatons, making these buried deposits of solidified methane unimaginably huge in the true sense of the word. Some observers have dubbed the collective, buried power of these deposits the 'Methane Dragon.'"
Shimek continues: "In 2010, Shakhova and her co-workers estimated that a catastrophic methane release in excess of 50 gigatons (a minuscule percentage of what is in that area) is possible at any time. She said, and continues to assert, that such a catastrophic release could take place over a period of one to ten years. The fear is not the potential explosive effect--terrifying caribou in the wild, barren north--but rather the massive infusion of enormous clouds of potent greenhouse gas into Earth's atmosphere. As a result of her work, the question that needs to be asked is this: 'Are her estimates of catastrophic release reasonable and possible? And, if they are, what difference would that make?'"
Shimek concludes his essay (and what can I really do but quote him at length?): "When and how things might unfold is profoundly uncertain, but the trigger point for the short-term catastrophic methane release postulated by Dr. Shakhova could be a temperature rise as low as an additional 1.5C or as high as an additional 10C. These are not the rantings of fearmongers, but scenarios described by respected Arctic oceanographers. The 50-gigaton decadal methane pulse scenario posited by Shakhova, Semiletov, and Alekseev, who are probably the leading experts on Arctic methane and methane ices, is considered plausible by scientists at the UK Meteorology Office, as well as multiple scientific reviews, including one written by more than 20 Arctic specialists. Current Arctic atmospheric methane concentrations are unprecedented, but the best minds believe that if 50 Gt were added to the atmosphere, conditions would become very bad, very fast. It would be, some experts fear, the beginning of 'runaway global warming' that humans would be powerless to stop.
"Given an effective meltdown of methane clathrates in the Arctic, climate expert Dr. Malcolm Light has estimated global temperatures of around 50C above averages between the years 2040 and 2050. In summer, if the normal average had been 30C (for example, where I live in Montana), the post-methane belch temperature would rise to 80C or 176F.
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"While the timing is unclear, the consequences can be predicted with some certainty. They include: Complete melting of polar ice caps; global flooding; Disruption of global ocean currents and gyres; demise of oceanic fisheries; Crop and food production failures; Spread of disease and parasites; Collapse of power grids and transportation systems; Mass human mortality in heat and cold waves; Catastrophic breakdowns in political, economic, and societal stability."
Shimek concludes: "There is no easy way to write these words: Should such an event occur, it is certain that the coral reefs I set out to research would have no chance of survival. More to the point, most of us would perish."
While We Have Breath
Other scientists believe all of us will perish, and the event will occur before the end of the current century. Day by day, I review the science, and it seems, to me, incontrovertible. The Sixth Extinction, the one brought about by mankind, will occur in the lifetime of our grandchildren, and it will snuff out every last creature "with breath," and most without, on our shared planet.
If I, with my small knowledge of science, know this truth to be self-evident, how long will it take my peers in "The Reading West" to surpass me in my researches? I would like to think that many, many of us will come "online" with the science rapidly, and turn global attention to what appears to be just ahead for us all.
In thinking out loud about extinction here, I have begun with the extinction of languages but, perhaps just after my own sojourn on the planet ends, and the small extinction my death will signify, language itself will become extinct along with any being who parsed, or will ever parse, language.
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Based upon and an expression of the consciousness of Homo sapiens (and Homo sapiens' forebears), language--the concept, the thing itself--will disappear with us, as though it, and we, never were.
Floating through space on the wings of Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecrafts were, are, the so-called Pioneer plaques, humankind's early-1970s "messages in a bottle" to the universe. If and when they are "received," and if ever they are "understood" by other beings--a possibility so remote as to defy all probability--perhaps someone, somewhere, in some dimension, may know that we lived and breathed: but the likelihood of our still being here then appears nil.
The enormity of that realization is now being pondered by relatively few homo sapiens, but will affect each and every one of us, whether we choose to inform ourselves, or not.
And many of us--the current ponderers--believe the time has long since passed when we might have avoided the iceberg, or the dragon's breath. The time now is for pondering alone. For facing the music as we can.
Readers still with me here may want to explore the writings of Dr. Guy McPherson and, perhaps, join me on Facebook in the (closed) group, Near Term Human Extinction Support Group.
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We who speak and breathe and touch and sing now face the end of humankind's tenure on Earth, and we will together be choosing how we face it; not if, or when.
While I have breath, and while I may be heard, I will continue saying, "Choose. Choose how we go forward. Choose together."
Congress is currently considering expanding the U.S. national missile defense system, despite the fact that -- nearly 15 years after the Bush administration began deploying it -- it has not been demonstrated to work under real-world conditions and is not on a path to do so.
What's the problem? According to a new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), it's that old adage, "haste makes waste." Lack of accountability, UCS found, doesn't help, either.
In its rush to get the system up and running, the George W. Bush administration exempted the program from standard Pentagon oversight protocols. That ill-advised decision has not only run up a $40-billion price tag for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program, it also has produced a system that is incapable of defending the United States from a limited nuclear attack.
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"The missile defense system is one of the most expensive and complex military systems in history, yet it is the only major defense program not subject to standard 'fly before you buy' performance standards," said UCS Senior Scientist Laura Grego, the report's lead author. "Fifteen years of this misguided, hands-off approach has resulted in a costly system that won't protect the homeland."
A Record of Failure
The goal of the GMD system is to defend all 50 states from an attack by a limited number of nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles. The presumed culprit? Iran or North Korea.
Testing began at a methodical pace at the tail end of the Clinton administration, but in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, there was a greater sense of urgency to deploy a system. Using North Korea's embryonic ballistic missile program as a pretext, the Bush administration withdrew the United States from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia, which prohibited each side from fielding a missile defense system to protect its entire territory. That opened the door for then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to exempt the Missile Defense Agency from customary procurement rules and testing standards to field a system within two years.
The results have been abysmal. Since the system was initially fielded in 2004, the Missile Defense Agency has conducted nine tests pitting an interceptor against a target. The system failed to destroy its target in six of them, even though operators knew ahead of time when and where the target missile would be launched, its expected trajectory, and what it would look like to sensors. Despite that record of failure -- which has worsened over time -- the Missile Defense Agency currently fields 26 interceptors at Fort Greely in Alaska and four at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California, and plans to install 14 more at Fort Greely.
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That less-than-reassuring 33 percent success rate, however, doesn't tell the whole story. Not only would U.S. missile defense operators not know the coordinates of an incoming missile in the event of a real attack, but any country capable of launching a long-range missile also would be able to outfit it with decoys and other countermeasures that could fool the GMD system's sensors and interceptors. Analysts at UCS and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology pointed out that inconvenient fact in a joint report they published back in 2000.
Unfortunately, the Obama administration insists on continuing this charade. It has not reinstituted normal oversight and accountability standards, and continues to claim the GMD system could destroy future, hypothetical long-range missiles from Iran or North Korea. Earlier this year, for example, Brian P. McKeon, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the "U.S. homeland is currently protected" against such attacks.
Likewise, as the UCS report points out, a number of Pentagon officials have made "unsubstantiated claims about the system's effectiveness," but at least one insider -- Pentagon chief weapons tester J. Michael Gilmore -- has acknowledged the program's serious limitations. His 2015 report on the GMD system concluded that that the tests have been "insufficient to demonstrate that an operationally useful defense capability exists."
In plain English, there's no proof the system would work against a real attack.
Making a Bad Situation Worse
Instead of demanding better performance, some members of Congress want to broaden the dysfunctional program's scope. Among other things, they want to build a third missile defense installation, which the Pentagon has not requested. They also want to develop a space-based defense system, despite the fact that a 2012 National Academy of Sciences study concluded that one with only a limited capability would still cost at least $300 billion.
Some even want to resurrect the idea of a building a missile shield that would defend the nation from a massive attack. The 1999 National Missile Defense Act called for deploying an "effective" system that would protect the United States from a "limited" nuclear attack. It was purposely defined that way to avoid provoking Russia or China into expanding their nuclear forces as a counterweight. The current fiscal 2017 draft defense authorization bill in the Senate includes an amendment proposed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that would delete the word "limited" from the legislation. Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) went even further in the House version of the 2017 authorization bill, tacking on an amendment that would strip both "limited" and "effective" from the 1999 law.
"Given the missile defense system's sorry track record, it would be reckless to expand it," said Grego, "not to mention the fact that it would only serve to exacerbate tensions with China and Russia. What Congress needs to do now is demand accountability, not promote a technologically and economically unrealistic pipe dream. And that means putting the missile defense system back under rigorous oversight. We still have serious doubts it would ever work in a real-world situation, but until there's some accountability, we will never know."
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U.S. Representative Mike Pence (R-IN) arrives for a news conference about their goal of permanently extending Bush-era tax rates at the Capitol in Washington, DC, U.S. on December 2, 2010. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
It is too amazing to be true. Donald Trump charged Arthur Culvahouse, the same DC lawyer who vetted Sarah Palin, with vetting his VP choices.
And Trump has ended up picking Sarah Palin, without the charisma.
One source who used to work as a senior staff member in the House of Representatives told me, "Pence, smart? I used to eat salads at the Rayburn cafeteria that had more brains than Mike Pence."
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That certainly fits Mike Pence.
Mike Pence who, in 2001, still was seriously trying to claim that cigarette smoking wouldn't kill you, writing "Time for a quick reality check. Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media, smoking doesn't kill. In fact, 2 out of every three smokers does not die from a smoking related illness and 9 out of ten smokers do not contract lung cancer."
Mike Pence who, just last year, looked like a deer in headlights on television, when asked to explain a law he just signed. He was completely unable to tell George Stephanopoulos if the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (Reminder: a bill he just signed) would allow bakers and florists to refuse service to same-sex couples being married. The performance was widely mocked, and thought to be the end of his Presidential ambitions.
Mike Pence who, when asked if he believes in evolution, had to repeat the question, before giving a nonsensical response.
Mike Pence who either didn't read, or didn't understand, that he signed a law that requires women to bury or cremate their periods, if they contain a fertilized egg, leading to the Periods for Pence movement.
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It isn't so much that Mike Pence is a lightweight in the brains department.
It's that Mike Pence is a lightweight in the brains department, and also ridiculously incompetent.
Remember that religious freedom bill that Pence signed, but couldn't explain? Upon finding out that it wasn't at all popular, that everyone realized it could be used to discriminate against gays and lesbians, and coming under pressure from a nationwide boycott of Indiana as a result, Pence was forced to sign an amendment protecting the LGBT community, thus taking out the reason religious groups wanted the original law in the first place. The result ended up being the whole ordeal was an epic waste of time, that needlessly had Hoosiers at each others' throats.
Pence, in his infinite wisdom, decided that banning needle exchanges would curb drug use, despite evidence to the contrary. What happened, because of inept Mike Pence? Oh nothing, just an explosion of HIV in the state. So much so that Pence was forced to sign needle exchanges back into law.
Mike Pence also once decided to start spending resources to develop a state-controlled news service, which would feed the media with prewritten stories, and be the one to break "news" (read: "propaganda") about his administration. When confronted with the fact that it was, well, kind of Soviet, Pence decided to stop developing the news service.
These are just some of the reasons that Mike Pence was very possibly on his way to being beaten for reelection as governor, by a state rep who hasn't been in politics for 14 years, before Donald Trump saved his hide.
How bad is his reputation in the state? Republicans want Pence out of Indiana. Reported CNN, "[Trump picking Pence] also makes for a good fit for Indiana Republicans, who are ready for Pence to go after a tumultuous first term in Indiana that has opened up a chance for Democrats to claim the governor's office."
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Oh, the title of that piece? "Indiana GOP to Trump: Take Mike Pence, Please!"
Like the former Congressional staffer above, the people of Indiana and Republicans found out, pretty darned quick, that Mike Pence is as inept and bumbling as he is lacking in intellect.
This is Donald Trump's first presidential-level decision, and he didn't just whiff.
He whiffed very, very badly.
In the student chaplaincy at Dartmouth College where I work, we say "All are welcome--no exceptions," and we do our very best to live that out. In my 3.5 years involved with the Episcopal Campus Ministry, 2.5 of which have been as the coordinator, I have seen this lived out. As a group, we do our utmost to live out this motto, and to extend hospitality to everyone who joins us at any of our events. Whether by luck or by design, though, we have it pretty easy, in that we don't really have people come to us who are hard to love. The students we draw, whether they're interested in our programming and seeking out spiritual sustenance, or they just want the free dinner we provide on Wednesday nights, come to us because they want to. Sure, we have agnostics, and atheists, and other people for whom religion and spirituality aren't their primary interest, and we welcome and enjoy their perspective. As yet, however, I have not experienced anyone who is openly hostile walking in the door.
To my knowledge, we've never had someone come in declaring their sinfulness and saying that they're utterly depraved and totally unlovable. The students we draw, however, show brokenness in different, subtler ways. I've had plenty of people come to me for advice, convinced that they don't belong in the Christian community. I'm too sinful, they might say. I've slept with too many people. I struggle with addiction. I'm too angry. I'm too sad. I drink too much. I'm too unlovable. God doesn't want me.
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God doesn't want me. Now, I ask you, what could make someone believe that God doesn't want them? It's not anything that God has said or done. The Almighty, so far as I know, isn't in the business of sending breakup texts or handing out pink slips. The God "in whom we live and move and have our being" is not one who throws away the work of God's own hands. No, my peers, when they come to me saying "God doesn't want me," are not saying that because they've heard it from God. They feel unlovable or say that God doesn't want them because other people have told them that, not because God has.
The God I worship is the very Source of Love, and "unlovable" is not something that ever comes about. The God I worship doesn't cast people aside because they are "too" anything. Mary Magdalene wasn't too sinful or too adulterous. The Gerasene demoniac didn't have too many demons. Zacchaeus wasn't too short. Petulant Peter, God love him, wasn't too stupid or stubborn. Even Lazarus wasn't too dead.
When someone comes to me feeling unlovable and excluded once I get them to this point, the question inevitably comes up, "What can I do to feel like a part of the Kingdom?" or "How can I feel more included?"
At that point, I remind them that, despite those tangled parables, at least some of Jesus' commandments were actually pretty straightforward. Barbara Brown Taylor puts it well when she says, "With all the conceptual truths in the universe at his disposal, Jesus did not give [his disciples] something to think about together when he was gone. Instead, he gave them concrete things to do--specific ways of being together in their bodies--that would go on teaching them what they needed to know when he was no longer around to teach them himself... 'Do this,' he said-- not believe this but do this--'in remembrance of me.'"
And that's all. To be united to God's love, for me, Eucharist, the sacrament of Communion, is as close as I can get to that on earth. Whenever someone starts to talk about mind-body dualism, or how this sinful flesh suit wrapped around our soul does nothing be lead us into temptation, I remind them that our Christian life is centered on two very important physical things.
First, the incarnation: we believe that somehow, God took on flesh and came to dwell among us. If physicality were so evil, God would not have become man. Much ink was spilled in the first few centuries of Christianity, trying to refute the "Arian heresy," which said that Jesus just looked human, or had the illusion of being human. Our Christianity calls us to embrace the mystery that Jesus was fully human AND fully divine.
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The second touchstone of our Christian life, after the incarnation, is that we are centered around something very physical: the reception of actual bread and wine, food and drink, in the Eucharist.
When we come forward for Communion, whether we receive standing or kneeling, we are making an open and public declaration of our own need. We reach out our hands, cupped and expectant, waiting to receive. We come forward to receive from the Church that which we cannot procure for ourselves. It is our right as children of God and adopted coheirs with Christ, and yet we are all unworthy of such an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace that we are constantly striving toward but can never fully achieve. In coming forward, we surrender. We release something of our pride and admit that we do not have all the answers or all the power. We receive that which we cannot earn and which we certainly do not deserve. And yet, Christ always meets us where we are. Aleksandr Shmemann, and Orthodox priest, said:
No one has been 'worthy' to receive communion, no one has been prepared for it. At this point, all merits, all righteousness, all devotions disappear and dissolve. Life comes again to us as a Gift, a free and divine gift... Everything is free, nothing is due, and yet all is given. And, therefore, the greatest humility and obedience is to accept the gift, to say yes--in joy and gratitude.
This is why we respond, "Amen." We come forward and are told that this bread is Christ's body, the bread of heaven. This chalice, the cup of salvation, contains Christ's blood. Even if we do not believe in the Aristotelian notion of transubstantiation, and that the substance of bread and wine become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ, we still affirm, "Amen. I believe." We are not asked to prove our belief or to take an exam in order to receive at Christ's table. We are invited, and the invitation is ours to accept or reject. Even when we have accepted it, it is ours to decide what we do with the experience. I fully believe that we can be transformed by Eucharist regardless of our own personal beliefs about the nature of the Sacrament. As one who believes in the Real Presence, I will take something different than someone who believes that Eucharist is simply a memorial meal. Someone who firmly believes in transubstantiation will take something different still. The beauty of the Sacrament, however, is that, even though we all take different things from it, we all take exactly what we need.
Anyone in any group of people can share food and drink, care for one another, and be to some degree transformed, whether inside or outside Christianity, believing or not. Christians, however, recognize this particular sharing of bread and wine as sacrament, as holy. We come to the altar for nourishment of both the physical and the spiritual variety. To quote Rachel Held Evans, we engage in the "collective memory [which brings] Jesus back to life in every breaking of the bread and pouring of the wine, in all the tastes, smells, and sounds God himself loves."
In a document promulgated by the Episcopal Church on the theology of the Eucharist, Reginald Fuller is quoted as saying, "Anglicans have always understood their liturgy to be more than just human activity initiated here on earth: it is a participation in the worship of heaven. The ultimate destiny of humanity is seen in participation in that worship."
Outcomes for young men of color will only truly change when we all have the courage to make radical change to challenge and restructure the current system.
y=g(k(h((x)))
At a child's birth, as with your own child, the perspective of his potential was infinite.
The x will represent our child's potential in our simulated equation.
The y is our outcome, the end of the journey, the desired result.
The variable g is representative of society's complacency,
The k represents antiquated (my words: racist and unjust economic systems), and
The h is the lack of investment.
The noise about Brexit, as historically and politically significant as it could be, has, over the past three weeks, allowed Italy to hide. However, whether its is the Financial Times about Italy's banking crisis, the New York Times, Italy's Plan for Banks could Roil Europe or The Economist Italy's teetering banks will be Europe's next crisis, serious media all came within a week to remind us that the reeal risk for Europe is Italian banking.
Why is Italy Protected? A lousy EU governance favrign large countries?
Every observer of the European Union tries to understand how Italy manages to escape the rules, hide its deficit and refuses to tackle its 2.3 billion euros indebtedness representing 132% of its GDP while the European rules allow a maximum of 60%.
How could Italian banks bad debt reach 17% of gross loans from 6% since the financial crisis?
There is an explanation that I hate to mention: the heads of the European Central Bank, of the European Banking Authority and of Director-General Economic and
Financial Affairs of the European Commission are all Italian.
But there is something more fundamental: the weakness of the governance of the European Union. The perfect example is the process to fine Spain and Portugal for breaching some ratios a few years ago and the lack of sanction when it comes to Italy, and probably for that matter Germany and France.
Unless smaller countries unite to create a counter-power to the large countries to derail their complacency, they risk to be the first victims of the ECB or the Commission policies that favor large countries.
Italian banks close to the brink could create a European banking crisis
Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the third largest bank, will need to be rescued. After capital injection, it still lost 90% of it market capitalization. It was foremost a political institution of the Partito Democratico and the Banca d'Italia and the Tesoro did not exercise their regulatory powers to stop it. The shortfall of equity reached 8 billion euros, while the ECB stress test limited it to 2 billion.
Banca Popolare di Vicenza (who passed the test) needs to be recapitalized, but its shareholder, Unicredit, Italy's klargest bank, does not have the 1 billion euros needed without undermining its own capital rules
These situations will not just be limited to Italy. BNP Paribas owns Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, the fourth largest bank and Deutsche Bank owns a bank with 25 billion euros of assets. An Italian banking collapse would immediately threaten France and create a European , and probably world systemic bank crisis.
Needless to say, the European Banking Union rules have not been applied. The two banks should have been put under the European Banking resolution and their Board and management replaced. Who will dare?
Italy's Government is conflicted
The extraordinary ownership of Italian debt by Italian banks reached 17% of their assets of which 10.4 % in Italian Bonds. Prime Minister Renzi vetoed a measure that would have limited the Eurozone banks ownership to 10% of assets. Nobody will challenge him since he needs the complacency of his banking system to finance its huge deficit.
The Bermuda triangle is now in place between the European Central Bank overexposed on Italian debt, Italian banks and Italian sovereign debt. It does not matter how the crisis will explode. The whole system will collapse.
"An American crucible," Jelani Cobb, in The New Yorker, called the moment after the police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, followed by the slaughter of five police officers in Dallas and the injury of seven others. In its aftermath, after a season of rising bellicosity at home and abroad, millions of Americans wonder if deepening fractures along racial and other lines can be reversed.
To counter despair, we would do well to recall the forgotten "second voice" from the civil-rights movement of the 1950s and '60s.
The public memory is the movement's prophetic moral voice against the outrages of segregation and racial bigotry. This voice was expressed in Martin Luther King Jr.'s call to "make real the promises of democracy" and testimonies like that of Fannie Lou Hamer, a Mississippi sharecropper who transfixed the nation by her account at the Democratic National Convention in 1964 of brutal efforts to prevent black voting.
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Now, as then, moral prophecy is one strand of change-making
But moral prophecy, without attention to the interests, needs, and fears of the audience, easily leads to a Manichean division of the world between the righteous and the damned. Here, it is crucial to remember that in the civil-rights movement moral prophecy was held in tension with a politics of engagement, based on the premise that to make real change requires understanding the complexity and interests of those to whom one is speaking, including adversaries.
The politics of engagement took shape in several ways.
The movement's signature practice, nonviolence, was expressed in the refusal to demonize segregationists--indeed, in the working belief in the possibility of their redemption. Martin Luther King Jr., came to nonviolence as a political strategy distinguishable from pacifism, a distinction he learned from the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. As Taylor Branch describes in his biography of King, Parting the Waters, Niebuhr saw nonviolence as "a particularly strategic instrument for an oppressed group which is hopelessly in the minority."
Nonviolence as discipline and belief in redemption was connected to a shrewdly crafted message aimed at winning over "middle America," racial moderates and even conservatives. This was the strategy of Bayard Rustin, organizer of the March on Washington in 1963, embodied not only in King's "I Have a Dream" speech but also in the comportment of marchers. The program notes called participants to act with dignity and discipline even if provoked. "In a neighborhood dispute there may be stunts, rough words and hot insults, but when a whole people speaks to its government the quality of the action and the dialogue needs to reflect the worth of that people and the responsibility of that government."
Finally, the movement schooled citizens in communities in a politics of engagement by teaching skills of work with others of different views and backgrounds on a large scale. Charles Payne's I've Got the Light of Freedom explains that a group of movement leaders taught this approach through citizenship and freedom schools. "If people like Amzie Moore and Medgar Evers and Aaron Henry tested the limits of repression, people like Septima Clark and Ella Baker and Myles Horton tested another set of limits, the limits on the ability of the oppressed to participate in the reshaping of their own lives," writes Payne.
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The Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Citizenship Education Program, CEP, directed by Dorothy Cotton, trained more than 8,000 people from 1961 to 1968 at the Dorchester Center in McIntosh, Georgia, teaching skills of nonviolence, literacy work, and organizing. They returned to their communities and trained thousands more. Cotton recounts the story in If Your Back's Not Bent: The Role of the Citizenship Education Program in the Civil Rights Movement. "People who had lived for generations with a sense of impotence, with a consciousness of anger and victimization, now knew in no uncertain terms that if things were going to change, they themselves had to change them."
The final chapter of King's work, the Poor People's Campaign, sought to put these elements together. King, Rustin, and others believed that an interracial movement of poor and working class whites as well as blacks was necessary to address structural and institutional questions such as unemployment, crime, poverty, and failing schools. King's sermon a month before he was killed, "The Drum Major Instinct," includes a conversation he had with working class white wardens in a jail, expressing his belief in the possibility of such interracial alliance. King assigned me, as a young field secretary for SCLC, to organize poor whites, which I did in Durham for seven years.
The hope for a politics of engagement materialized in the community organizing movement which spread through the seventies and eighties. I found when I interviewed many movement veterans that they saw themselves as building a "different kind of politics" with sustaining foundations. Its first premise is that you listen to others' self-interests, beginning "where people are" not where you would like them to be. This movement schooled the young Barack Obama.
The politics of engagement has not spread widely beyond community organizing, but its core idea is at the heart of American democracy. In the 1830s, the French observer Alexis de Tocqueville contrasted what he saw in America with European nations where the citizenry relied on government or great leaders. "In democratic peoples, associations must take the place of the powerful particular persons," he wrote in his classic Democracy in America. "In democratic countries the science of association is the mother science." People can learn that mother science, the politics of engagement.
There is no reason it can't be revived and taught in schools, colleges, and elsewhere. To do so requires that we remember when this occurred the last time, when the racial divide convulsed the nation.
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Peace between Israelis and Palestinians is now being encouraged by Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, the president of Egypt. He sent his foreign minister to Jerusalem on Sunday, July 10, and the minister had two meetings with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A week earlier, the Egyptian minister met in Ramallah with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority.
Accepted by both sides, the Egyptians are certainly in a good position to strengthen the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians. But having just returned from 10 days of visits to archaeological sites in Israel, Jordan and the West Bank, I'm convinced that the path to peace can be found closer to home: In the Galilee region of Northern Israel.
Galilee is where Jesus conducted most of his ministry, and it is where biblical history came alive for me when I took part in the excavation of an ancient Jewish community in 1980. But the history of Galilee since the time of Jesus is instructive for those who are anxious for peace in the Middle East.
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A few miles from Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus, is a Galilean city called Sepphoris. When Jews revolted against Rome around the year 70, Sepphoris chose to remain loyal to Rome and not participate in the revolt. As a result, it was given the name "City of Peace." Eric Meyers, a Duke archaeologist who led excavations there in the 1980s, says that the pro-Roman and peaceful stance of Sepphoris enabled it to "develop as a major center of learning for centuries to come." Romans and Jews lived side-by-side in a place that became an important site of Jewish religious and cultural life.
In Israel today, much political conflict arises from cultures and religions that refuse to live peacefully together. Jews claim the West Bank for themselves and build settlements; Palestinians respond with knife, gun and vehicular attacks. But Sepphoris proves that antagonistic groups can live together in Israel, even when both assert a claim to the land. There could be no more different religious and cultural groups than Jews and Romans, but they found a way to intermingle and enrich each other in Sepphoris.
Modern Galilee has enjoyed times of peace as well. For years, the city of Nazareth was 70 percent Muslim and 30 percent Christians, and the two groups cooperated. Tourism was a booming business, attracting those who wanted to visit the hometown of Jesus. But in late 2015, Israel's domestic intelligence agency arrested five residents of Nazareth who allegedly declared their allegiance to ISIS. Nazareth's Christians now worry that they are seen as the "infidels" on the ISIS hit list.
Many of Nazareth's Christians are loyal to Israel because of the protection it offers minority religions, but they worry about the rise of extremism on the Jewish side of the equation. Last summer, Jewish extremists firebombed the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish, near the Sea of Galilee. This is believed to be the site of the miracle in which Jesus fed thousands with just five loaves of bread and two fish. The vandals wrote on the church walls, "The false gods will be eliminated."
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Jews, Christians and Muslims will all suffer unless they can find a way to build cities of peace throughout Israel and the West Bank. If Jews and Romans could do it in Sepphoris, and Muslims and Christians could do it (until recently) in Nazareth, then the people of Galilee might be able to lead the way again. When Jesus originally appeared on the scene, a man asked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). Well, yes, I think it can.
In order for the Paris Agreement to "Enter into Force" and become international law 55 countries that account for 55 percent of the world's emissions will need to ratify the agreement through their domestic processes. Recent developments in Brazil and Ukraine highlight that both countries are on the cusp of formally joining this year. It is now looking very likely that the Paris Agreement will reach the entry-into-force threshold this year based upon publicly announced intentions from countries.
Earlier this week, Brazil's House of Representatives unanimously approved a legislative decree to ratify the Paris Agreement. The bill now moves to the Senate. Brazilian observers are confident that the Senate will pass a similar bill, possibly in the coming days or weeks. It would then be sent to Acting President Temer for his approval in order to make it domestic law. Each of these steps is very likely to happen this year. Brazil accounts for 2.5 percent of emissions towards the threshold.
The Ukraine government moved even closer to formally joining the Paris Agreement as its Parliament voted to ratify the agreement. The Ukrainian Government will now need to take the final step and formally notify the U.N. that they have ratified the agreement. Ukraine accounts for one percent of emissions towards the threshold.
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Eighteen countries have formally notified the U.N. of their ratification and 29 (including Brazil and Ukraine) have already announced their intent to join this year. The emissions from these 47 countries account for 54.08 percent of the world's emissions. With India, who signaled with President Obama their intent to join this year and have started their domestic process, we would be at over 58 percent of emissions. With Japan, who hasn't said anything publicly but could easily do it this year, we would be at about 62 percent of emissions (see figure and table). And reaching the 55 country threshold should be easily within reach as a number of small emitting countries are likely to join but haven't yet said anything publicly.
It now looks very likely that the Paris Agreement will enter-into-force this year. This continues the huge momentum for stronger climate action that has occurred since the agreement was finalized and signifies that countries are formally committed to delivering stronger climate action in the years to come.
The topic of forgiveness received a great deal of attention when parishioners in Charleston, South Carolina forgave the assassin who slaughtered their pastor, friends and family in the Methodist Episcopal church on June 17, 2015.
The churchgoers seemed to know intuitively what has been proved scientifically: forgiveness is good for our health.
Holding a grudge and vindictiveness causes health issues like high blood pressure and heart disease. Forgiveness increases our life span. (For details, please refer to these articles in the Huffington Post and Johns Hopkins.)
In forgiveness, we acknowledge our own fallibility, a trait we share with all people. It is the key that opens the door to the human condition. But, how do we arrive at forgiveness?
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First let's ask what forgiveness is and what it is not.
It is not condoning a person's actions. For example, we certainly don't condone murder or child abuse. (Yet we benefit by forgiving the murderer or abuser. )
It is not forgetting that a heinous act occurred.
It is not saying the mourning process is over. A person may suffer consequences of another's actions and still be able to forgive.
Forgiveness is:
Letting go of grudges.
Releasing resentment.
Turning away from vindictiveness.
Oscar Wilde wrote in The Picture of Dorian Gray,"
"Children begin by loving their parents, as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them." Forgiving our parents may be one of the most important factors in our sense of well-being. When we don't forgive our parents, we don't forgive ourselves. We can't extricate them from our lives, from our psyches. The psychological term introjection refers to the messages we have incorporated from them that have become our own. Sorting out the introjected thoughts that help us from those that hinder our progress is one of the major tasks of psychotherapy.
Some parents try hard to be good-enough parents; others don't. When they don't meet the grade, we have to mourn the loss of a good-enough parent. (We're not alone; sadly many others share this tragedy.)
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In his heart-wrenching memoir, Not My Father's Son, the brilliant actor Alan Cumming speaks about the abuse he experienced in the hands of his rejecting father. Finally, he is able to write, "Thank you, Alex Cumming, for siring me and ensuring I will always have lots of source material. I forgive you."
We can't force someone to forgive. Therefore, the road to forgiveness may also involve understanding the person who has harmed us. This requires starting off on a journey that may entail a close examination of the person we need to forgive. The journey can be long and torturous.
In Mona Simpson's novel, The Lost Father, the protagonist, Mayan, spends years searching for the father who abandoned her. When she finds him, and knows who he is, she can forgive. She also asks for forgiveness from those people who have helped her during her search and whom she may have harmed in the process.
Most consider the recently passed state budget as good news for education. The Governor funded an additional $3 billion for the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) for school districts, bringing the total LCFF funding to $55.6 billion in 2016-17. With this increase, districts with high percentages of students eligible for free and reduced price meals (FRPM), English Learners, and Foster Youth, will continue to see their per pupil funding increase more quickly than anticipated.
This good news, however, masks a significant threat to one of the key initiatives that we rely on to help close the opportunity and achievement gaps. California's nationally-recognized after school system is at risk of crumbling without additional state funding in this year's budget. While the costs, demands, and expectations of California's After School Education and Safety (ASES) programs have consistently increased, the funding has remained stagnant for almost a decade. With the California Consumer Price Index up 19 percent and the state minimum wage up 33 percent since 2007, programs cannot continue to provide the quality service we depend on with the same $7.50 per student per day. Instead of including an additional dollar per student per day in this year's budget, the Governor has made it clear that the fate of these programs relies on district LCFF investment.
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In the Mountain View Elementary School District (El Monte, CA), we've made sure that expanded learning opportunities -- both after school and summer programs -- are of the highest quality. And we are committed to maintaining that quality by continuing to invest LCFF money. A $450,000 LCFF investment supports seven weeks of summer programming, designed to keep our students engaged and learning all summer long. An additional $300,000 during the school year helps boost the quality of programming, including fine arts activities and an innovative journalism program for English Language Learners.
The results are palpable -- students enrolled in expanded learning programs attend school more regularly, are better prepared and participate more actively in class, and have a strong sense of connection to their peers and adults in the school community. Seeing these impressive benefits, parents, students, and teachers all spoke up in support of this investment during the LCAP process.
Despite the Governor's budget decision, we are fully committed to supporting expanded learning opportunities. The research is strong. Without summer learning time, our students -- particularly those who come from low-income families -- risk losing two to three months of reading level each summer. This annual summer slide accounts for two-thirds of the ninth-grade achievement gap between lower and higher-income youth. With about 600 hours of additional learning time (the equivalent of 90 extra school days), students in after school programs go to school more, see improvements in their behavior, and increase their likelihood of moving on to the next grade level and graduating.
Students spend only 20 percent of their time in school. If we are serious about closing the opportunity and achievement gaps we have to invest in their experiences outside of the regular school day. By increasing our LCFF allotment, districts like ours -- that serve a high proportion of low-income, homeless, and foster care youth -- must use our local resources to ensure that students get the supports and opportunities they need and deserve.
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Ethnic equality concept and racial justice symbol as a black and white crumpled paper shaped as a human head on old rustic wood background with contrasting tones as a metaphor for social race issues.
Thomas Jefferson's proposed separation of church and state has been a founding stone for the United States of America's democracy. Article 6 of the United States Constitution provides that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States".
Until then, the global norm was that monarchs ruled by the idea of divine right. This began to fall out of favor during the Enlightenment as a number of political philosophers argued against religion as basis for government authority.
Immanuel Kant, the great enlightenment philosopher, lost the argument against his peers. He had argued against the separation. However, Kant's scientific racism was not separated from the state. Sadly, race theory and state has not yet been separated in the U.S.
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Today Americans are still subdivided into racial (and ethnic) categories. Although, the race theory officially isn't based on genetic biology and isn't normative - favoring one race over another - as it did in Kant's days, it is still bogus science.
Race theory as we know it, is an old European construct that conveniently appeared when slavery, colonialisms and other Western geopolitical interest needed justification. Most states have separated race theory and state and don't register their inhabitants according to race; Only a few other states still do.
It might have made sense in an American context to speak of "blacks", because race discourse was also used as a tool of emancipation and has provided a cultural identity to many people. The Afro-American community also has a fairly unique genetic mix: The average
is 73% West African, 24% European, and 1% Native American. So outside of some level of cultural homogeneity there is also a degree of genetic similitude. However, there is no such
for Africans overall. Using the term "black" to depict all people of African descent is nonsensical. There is no general cultural unison and the genetic diversity among Africans is the highest of any continent. Humankind has mainly evolved in Africa and we only left Africa very, very late in our evolutionary path. This means that there is very little genetic diversity among those who left Africa and very much genetic diversity among those who stayed. Practically speaking non-Africans are on average more related to each other than average Africans are to other Africans. So if the U.S. had to adjust its race theory to genome research the list could change from an option of
White
Black (...)
American Indian (...)
Asian Indian
Chinese
Filipino
Other Asian
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Native Hawaiian
Guamanian (...)
Samoan
Other Pacific Islander
Some other race
to
Hamitic
Semitic
Hausa
Bantu
Guinean
Bantoid
Mande
Nilotic
Sudanic
Kanuri
Songhai
Khoi-San
Malayo-Polynesian
Other African
Some other race
We keep witnessing how very real racism is in the U.S. these days, but ironically race is not real. Genetically speaking, races you find in the U.S. census don't exist.
The U.S. census does point out that its concept of race is not "scientific or anthropological", but then ads that it takes into account "social and cultural characteristics as well as ancestry", using "appropriate scientific methodologies" that are not "primarily biological or genetic in reference"
and "generally reflect a recognized social definition of race." That "scientific methodology" sounds pretty hazy to me. I still think that, to be able to demarcate something it must be clear what it is. My point is, end of the day the term "black" must refer to something real in the world to make sense, and it doesn't.
To some Americans this might come as a surprise that traits such as skin pigmentation and other don't add up to any genetic grouping. These kind of human traits are not specific for any continent, but can be found anywhere where they represent an evolutionary advantage.
When you are not of African descent you don't necessarily understand why you now need to call people of African descent something different from what you did as a kid. The argument goes - we all know who we are talking about, so what's the problem? As per above, we don't. We don't refer to a specific group of people. We woulld not think it made sense to confuse Pacific Islanders, Inuit, and Mexicans with one another, yet they are more closely related than Africans are to one another.
You might also want to add, that the term does not refer to a real color, but is a translation of the racist N-words into English. Arguably, the term "black" comes with an even more sinister history than the holocaust. It is not an innocent descriptive word.
Minister Busingye Johnston the Minister of Justice for Rwanda, has had to lead his country from genocide to justice since 1994. I asked him how he intended to bring the Hutus, Tutsis and Twas together. His reply that the labelling and calling out of these three groups was the root of the genocide and that there now only was one group of people in its census, Rwandans. The U.S. is not all that different from Rwanda. It must stop falsely labeling its people.
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We inadvertently keep oppressing Africans when we label them by an approximated color - and even when we confuse a specific socio-cultural group such as the Afro-Americans with Africans.
Based on the census' racial grouping of "blacks", it is the group that perform the worst academically in the U.S., but based on nationality, the international norm, "blacks" from African countries perform far better than any other census group in the U.S. If we are to stay within a race logic, we must jump to the most likely conclusion that the European genomes in Afro-Americans contaminate and negatively influence their academic performance. Or we could just opt to discard race theory altogether.
In light of recent national events, I would like to share my personal experience with black lives not mattering.
I am sharing this in response to a number of (white) friends, who I love and respect, making online posts and commenting in personal conversations that, "all lives matter."
When I hear white people say, "all lives matter," my gut feeling tells me that they do not understand where black people are coming from at this critical moment in our nation's history.
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From 2005-2008, I was a member of the City Council in Asbury Park, NJ, a majority-minority community. During my tenure on the council, there were 18 murders in a city of less than 20,000 people. These murders included a young man being gunned down in front of a youth center and a young man being gunned down less than a block from the Middle School at 11 o'clock in the morning.
Tylik Pugh was the young man who was killed so close to the Middle School. Immediately after his murder, I spent the entire day in the neighborhood listening to the fears, concerns, anger, etc. of people in the community.
We had a City Council meeting that night. I arrived to the closed Executive Session five minutes late. When I arrived, my City Council colleagues and the key staff were talking about... redevelopment on the waterfront. I apologized for being late and asked them if they had already discussed the tragedy that happened earlier that day.
They had not.
Their response to me was pathetic. They opined that nothing could be done. One fellow Council member said, "It's the Hatfields and the McCoy's, you'll never stop it." I asked him if he planned to tell that to the scared kids at the school and their equally frightened parents. The Mayor had not even planned to discuss it in the open public session.
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An 18-year-old was murdered within fifty yards of our Middle School at 11 o'clock in the morning and the "leaders" of the community were not even going to officially discuss it.
Despite the fact that I was the "loyal opposition" to the Council majority, I wrote the Mayor's statement for him to read when the meeting was opened to the public.
Could you imagine if this happened in wealthy white community like Spring Lake, Rumson, Deal...? Would the murder of an 18-year-old boy outside the Middle School at 11am go without comment by the elected leaders of those communities?
When black people hear stories like this, they ask, "Why don't leaders speak out and act?" The answer they have felt in their hearts by the lack of words and actions of leaders when young black people are killed (most especially when they are killed by police officers) is that "black lives don't matter." Now, they are telling America with a clear voice that "black lives (DO) matter" and action is warranted.
So, I ask my friends and all reading this piece, please stop with "all lives matter" right now. Because the harsh truth is that since the start of our Republic, black lives haven't mattered in the same way white lives have mattered, to think otherwise is to ignore history. It's time we own this truth and work through this mess once and for all.
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Peace,
The EU emerged as an ambitious, yet modest, enterprise in 1957. Just six nations -- Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands -- signed the Treaty of Rome and created the Common Market. In 1973, Denmark, Ireland and the U.K. joined, bringing the number to a still-manageable nine. Greece was admitted in 1981, Spain and Portugal five years later -- an even dozen. In 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden were brought in, yet to this day, the official blue flag of the EU has just 12 stars. As the new century dawned and the euro became an established currency, an expansionist urge took hold. Ten more countries were admitted in 2004, two more in 2007, and the last one -- Croatia, just three years ago -- brought the membership to a whopping 28. Not only are the numbers staggering, but the 13 new members -- from Eastern Europe and the Baltic states -- are completely out of sync with the other fifteen: economically, politically, historically and culturally. At best, there should have been a two-track system, allowing the new states to integrate gradually. Instead, a kind of Affirmative Action mentality prevailed regarding the newcomers, resulting in the hiring of hundreds more interpreters and translators, and the daily production of reams of documents to cover all 24 languages. Presently, there are 50,000 people working in the various EU headquarters and agencies in Brussels and Strasbourg, earning huge salaries and enjoying lavish fringe benefits. A few years ago, I met Daniel Cohn-Bendit (known as Dany the Red during the student uprisings of May 1968, and a frequent delegate to the European Parliament). I asked him if he didn't think the EU had expanded too fast, admitting too many members who were so dissimilar. "Oh, no", he exclaimed. "The more the merrier!" Rather, the more the messier. Unanimity is required on every resolution, so progress is slow, often impossible. Moreover, issues range from the grandiose to the trifling, from agricultural subsidies to the labeling of olive oil. In all of this, there are no consultations or referendums among the citizens themselves, so their complaint that the EU is "undemocratic" is not so far wrong. Britain's Brexit vote has, understandably, sent a shock wave through Europe. The divorce, even if rapid, will be painful. At best, it will encourage a complete reassessment of the EU -- its purpose, its problems, its modification or reconstruction. At worst, it will provoke a wave of disillusion and rancor that will play into the hands of nationalistic movements. And the U.K., above all, will not be spared the disruption. It will have to deal with a divided nation: England and Wales in favor of leaving the EU, Scotland and Northern Ireland wishing to stay. It will have to forge much closer ties with the Commonwealth nations to make up for the loss of Europe. Already, the British pound has lost value and the future of London's financial center, the City, is in doubt. Ironically, two of the politicians who spearheaded the Brexit vote have announced their retirement from politics: Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage. "Apres nous, le deluge" they are saying, as they wash their hands of the affair. It is a shame that Britain's royal family, which was known to favor EU membership, could not have spoken out before the fatal vote was taken. Of course, they are denied political intervention, yet one must hope now that "God Save the Queen" will become "God Save Britain".
As ISIS struggles to survive, they unleash a series of attacks in Paris, Brussels, Baghdad, Orlando, Istanbul and quite possibly Nice, France. The question is whether it is the last act of a desperate group, like Japanese pilots in World War II, or a terrorist organization gambling for resurrection, as was the case with the Viet Cong.
At this time, we know from Charlotte Alfred and Willa Frej from The Huffington Post that a truck smashed into a crowd in Nice, France, which had gathered to watch some Bastille Day fireworks. More than 80 dead are dead, and many more wounded. Alfred and Frej added that someone from the French government said the vehicle had guns and grenades. The truck driver is dead.Emily Shapiro from Good Morning America added that not only did the French President, Francois Hollande label the event as likely due to terrorism, but he also called for an extension of the anti-terror "state of emergency," implemented after the attacks in November, for another three months.
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This attack, the Istanbul airport bombing, and ISIS taking credit for the Orlando shooting, are all designed to give the impression that the terrorist group is stronger than ever. But that's not the case. As early as this week, the Washington Post reported that ISIS is not only badly struggling, but was informing their followers that the caliphate would not last long. Losing members, leaders, territory, and money, the group has been a mere shadow of its boastful presence just two years ago, when it looked like it would overrun Iraq and Syria.
Critics of our ISIS policy fear this is another Tet Offensive. Some amateur historians believe that it was a tactical success, as it became the beginning of the end for American involvement in Vietnam. But that was hardly the case. Not a single structure attacked became a Vietnamese possession. Nearly half of the attackers were killed in the attacks. One of the leaders admitted that the goal of starting a Southern insurgency failed badly in this attack. So how did it succeed? Even though the NLF was struggling, they could at least claim that the American leaders were misinformed in their "positive indicators" approach was working. The Viet Cong could launch their attacks, and at least fight, if not win. The anti-war coalition picked up support from the media and many others. Despite being a tactical failure, it was a strategic success.
Or would this be similar to a desperate Japan during the final years of World War II? Losing islands, ships and planes, the Japanese launched desperate kamikaze attacks, where suicidal pilots would fly bomb-filled planes into Naval craft. Though terrifying, deadly, and damaging to 300 ships, such attacks did not change the outcome of battles. If anything, it seemed to harden American resolve to persist, even use destructive means to force surrender, figuring it was the only response to a self-destructive military policy.
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This begs the question: is this latest terror wave a last gasp, or a game changer designed to rattle attackers? Will the anti-ISIS coalition continue their progress of quietly dismantling the terror network with pinpoint bombings, allies on the ground, and an aerial coalition, or give in to nervous voters and politicians and indiscriminately bomb the countryside, producing an overreaction, as well as engage in domestic discrimination of Muslims, both of which would rally locals into joining ISIS, giving the group a new lease on life? Our response may well determine how successful the terrorist plan will actually be.
Balloons hang on a sign at the entrance to Sandy Hook School on December 15, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. The residents of an idyllic Connecticut town were reeling in horror from the massacre of 20 small children and six adults in one of the worst school shootings in US history. The heavily armed gunman shot dead 18 children inside Sandy Hook Elementary School, said Connecticut State Police spokesman Lieutenant Paul Vance. Two more died of their wounds in hospital. AFP PHOTO/DON EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)
Working with thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families has taught me that war trauma -- be it abroad or a result of cumulative, traumatic, war-like violence at home -- operates like an IED blast. The shockwaves shatter lives on multiple dimensions at once: Within body and mind, heart and soul, in families, care providers, communities, institutions, policy makers, legislators, and leaders at every level, right up to our president. The impacts disable vital connections and compromise the very capacities necessary for responding effectively, often resulting in maladaptive reactions that perpetuate or inflame the trauma. Restoring the connectedness and capacities that enable cumulative trauma to be processed is central.
On December 14, 2012, I watched scenes from the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut. I saw people hugging, comforting, and supporting one another. Connecting. We witnessed the sudden shock and the utter helplessness. The shearing loss of loved ones and of meaning. And then people came together again, at the interfaith ceremony. Not to meet the President, they said, but to support one another and feel the comfort of one anothers' presence.
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The impacts of traumatic loss were evident: glazing over, shock, numbness, disbelief, utter helplessness, and despair. People were literally blown away. But they made use of every shred that remained of their responsive capacity to connect with one another, within themselves, and with something greater than themselves. They created spaces, small and large, where they could come together to regenerate safety, trust, and hope, safe environments where their traumas could be represented. Not forgotten or eliminated but transformed from haunting and disabling traumatic residues into memories we can think about and integrate.
Without conscious effort, residents were repairing the pervasive fracturing and regenerating compromised capacities for connection. Unable to fully process or understand, they helped one another stand the trauma, stay awake, and stave off the familiar dissociative fog that ensues after such shocking, unspeakable loss and horror. The community held in trusteeship, as it were, emotions too overwhelming for them to yet explore. It struck me: this was the heart's natural intelligence at work.
On August 9, 2014, a police officer killed an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking massive street protests. The local police department responded by bringing in military vehicles, using tear gas, and confronting demonstrators who were primarily peaceful in a threatening manner, as if they were enemies in a war zone. This inflamed the situation and caused an alarming escalation. When the governor placed the Missouri Highway Patrol in charge of security, things changed.
Ron Johnson, a captain in the Highway Patrol, took a different approach, backing away from the ineffective tactics used by the police. He took to the streets by himself to meet and hear from the local people. "We're gonna start from today," said Capt. Johnson. "We're not gonna look back in the past when we talked about boots on the ground . . . my boots will be on the ground and actually I plan on tonight myself walking to QuikTrip, that has been called Ground Zero, and meeting with the folks there. And so we are gonna have a different approach, the approach that we're in this together [italics added]."
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We've seen a similar de-escalating and humanizing response from Dallas Police Chief David Brown and his department. Judge Clay Jenkins of Dallas County said, "You can really feel the palpable support of the community for each other and our police officers and you can see it behind me, they've been coming here in a steady stream since the events unfolded Thursday night and Friday morning. There are thousands of people down at the vigil. And we appreciate that. These officers need that. It's helpful and it's appreciated."
He continued, "We need this to mean something to this community and to this country. It's a senseless act of hate. But if it can mean that it's the opportunity to open that dialogue so that white people think about what a black family goes through as they teach their children a different set of rules than a white family will teach their children, so that non-first responder families think about what a first responder family goes through, wondering if their loved one is going to come home."
We are creatures of meaning. I've heard hundreds of veterans struggle with the meaning of their military service, wanting to feel that the loss and damage was not in vain.
As if sketching out a road map for community action, Judge Jenkins continues, "All the issues that are going on with our first responders right now as they deal with grief and they still go about doing their jobs on very little sleep. If we can begin to see things from each other's perspective, then that that gives it meaning and that leads to a stronger Dallas.
"We have shown compassion in the past in other instances and we`re ready to do that now. And the national spotlight can help us by not letting the politicians and the talking heads pull us back into our partisan corners, let`s use this as a time to have a real conversation and pass some real legislation that helps our officers that helps our communities, that keeps us safer."
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Mutual support, vigorous action that refrains from striking out in violence, grieving, real conversations, moving into policy initiatives, creating safety.
As the racial divide and tensions grow, it is instructive to examine other on-the-ground examples of people wanting be known and responded to as fully human, rather than as a stereotype:
At a restaurant outside of Pittsburgh a server attempted to seat an African American couple right next to a group of police officers. "The guy looks over at one of the police officers and was like, 'Nah I don't want to sit here.'" Officer Chuck Thomas said, "I looked over and said, 'It's okay sir. You won't have to worry about it, we won't hurt you. He looked at me hard again and said he's not sitting here and walked away." Thomas and the other officers paid the couple's dinner bill. He said he just wanted to convey that, "We're not here to hurt you, we're here for you. We work for the public." When the officers left, one of the people who wanted no part of them smiled and said thank you.
Dr Bryan Williams of Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, is a black physician who cared for injured white Dallas Police officers. Watch and listen as he struggles to retain the capacity for nuanced, complex thinking, holding two and more emotional experiences in his mind at the same time and expressing them vividly,
"...First and foremost, I stand with the Dallas Police Department. I stand with law enforcement all over this country. This experience has been very personal for me and a turning point in my life. There is the added dynamic of officers being shot. We routinely care for multiple gunshot victims ... but the preceding days of more black men dying at the hands of police officers affected me. I think the reasons are obvious. I fit that demographic of individuals.
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"But I abhor what has been done to these officers and grieve with their families. I understand the anger and the frustration and the distrust of law enforcement. But they are not the problem. The problem is the lack of open discussions about the impact of race relations in this country. And I think about it every day ... that I was unable to save those cops when they came here that night. It weighs on my mind constantly. This killing, it has to stop. Black men dying and being forgotten, people retaliating against people sworn to defend us. We have to come together and end all this."
Back to restaurants and breaking bread together, "When I see police officers eating at a restaurant," he continues, "I pick up their tab. Once when I was out with my daughter getting ice cream, I bought some for several Dallas Police officers. I wanted her to see me interacting with police in that way so she didn't grow up with the same burden that I carry when it comes to interacting with law enforcement."
Dr. Williams uses his voice to be seen as the complex human being he is, "I want Dallas Police to see me, a black man, and understand that I support you, I will defend you, and I will care for you. That doesn't mean that I don't fear you. That doesn't mean that when you approach me I won't immediately have a visceral reaction and start worrying for my personal safety. But I'll control that as best I can and not let that impact how I deal with law enforcement."
That's a beginning.
On Tuesday evening, TJ Williams and two unidentified men went live on Facebook using the platform's popular streaming feature. They were hanging out, smoking, and listening to music in their car in Norfolk, Virginia. Five minutes into the stream, chaos ensued. About 30 gunshots rang out as Williams' phone hit the floor of the car. One of the men screamed for help and pleaded for someone to call an ambulance. Emergency responders arrived. The three men - two of whom sustained life-threatening injuries - are recovering in a nearby hospital.
Once again, a tragedy was captured on video for all of America to see. But this time, it was not considered breaking national news. Unlike recent tragedies, this shooting will not bring national vigils and protests. The names of those shot will not be uttered by President Obama in a televised address or become hashtags trending across social media platforms - two of the men have not even been publicly identified at this time. There will not be the same public outcry for justice. Why not?
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Is it because T.J. Williams and his two friends were injured rather than killed? Is it because they were not injured in a mass shooting? Possibly. But there are 90 Americans who are shot and killed every day in America, and, outside of their families and friends, we as a nation rarely grieve for them.
Is it because they might have been smoking marijuana? Even if the victims were smoking marijuana - and it is not clear they were - we should still care. Time after time, we have seen African-American victims dehumanized, blamed for their own deaths or injuries when the behaviors under scrutiny are relatively common across all demographics. White men smoking marijuana are called "hippies" or "stoners" while black men are called racist names like "thugs" and "gang bangers." Their deaths are dismissed as unavoidable "inner city violence." These are terms are perpetuated by the gun lobby to diminish the value of black, brown, and beige lives.
Is it because they were not shot by a police officer? The recent deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were horrific, and justice should be pursued in both cases. These men did not deserve to die. While the split-second decisions police officers make every day are difficult, excessive gun violence at the hands of a law enforcement officer is gun violence nonetheless. We were raw, hurt, angry, and shocked by the senseless and avoidable tragedy of these deaths. We should also feel raw, hurt, angry, and shocked by the shooting of three young African-American males sitting in a parked car. But this is the type of gun violence that is largely ignored by the media, elected officials, and in communities across America.
Here is the reality: we have become so desensitized to day-to-day gun violence - particularly when the victims are black men -- that when three young men are shot live on a video stream, we do not even blink. We know that 33,000 Americans are killed by guns every year. We know that 90 Americans are shot and killed every day, and we know that eight children are among those killed. Yet the gun lobby discounts them with phrases like "black-on- black crime" and argues that suicide deaths are not preventable and therefore should not be counted. In doing so, they negate the value of so many lives - the lives of people of color, the lives of people in crisis, the lives of children accidentally killed. They tell us these casualties are the price of freedom.
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Every time a mass shooting occurs, it requires more shock value to capture our attention. Four people shot in a mass shooting is not a front page story anymore. School shootings have become so commonplace they are barely mentioned. Day-to-day gun violence in communities like Norfolk are so far down the list that they are not considered newsworthy by many media outlets, even when captured live on Facebook.
The morning after the attacks on Dallas police officers, Twitter user Erin Simpson summed up how many Americans feel:
I don't want black men shot at traffic stops. I don't want cops shot by snipers. I don't want kids shot at school. I don't want any of this. EM Simpson (@charlie_simpson) July 8, 2016
If we do not want this, we must be proactive. I pray for the recovery of TJ Williams and his friends. I grieve for the lives of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Lorned Ahrens, Michael Krol, Michael J. Smith, Brent Thompson, and Patrick Zamarripa. I grieve for the hundreds of family members who have been affected by gun violence in America this week and the hundreds more who will be affected next week.
But prayers and grief do not preclude action.
As tempting as it may be to divert our attention, we cannot look away and still maintain our humanity. We have to keep our eyes wide open and face the agonizing reality of all the lives destroyed by guns - not just the ones that grab the media's attention. The high-profile deaths are tragic, but our gun violence problem goes well beyond the headlines. We must recognize that every life lost to gun violence is a national disgrace. Everyday gun violence is a stain on this country that can only be cleansed by action. The names of the fallen - all of them - are our motivation to act quickly. Let's get to work!
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USA, New York State, New York City, Crime scene barrier tape
On Wednesday, New Yorkers awoke to news in the New York Times and New York Post that dozens of people in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn had severe reactions to a batch of K2, a commonly used name for synthetic cannabinoid products. This most recent outbreak follows a spate of emergency room admissions last summer centered on K2 use in East Harlem and unfortunately illustrate all too clearly the continued failure of our prohibitionist and punitive drug laws. The outbreak also serves as an important cautionary tale of basing policy on fear instead of facts.
Synthetic cannabinoids, work by acting on various cannabinoid receptors in the brain. However, their effects are different and often stronger than marijuana. Synthetic cannabinoids in their original form are powder or liquid chemicals, sometimes sprayed on herbal matter and sold in packages. One of the main risks of use of K2, as well as other novel psychoactive substances (NPS), is that very little is actually known about their composition or their effects on people who use them. Because the synthetic cannabinoid market is completely unregulated, people who use these substances never know what they are getting, and bad batches can easily flourish on the illicit market.
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Last month, the Drug Policy Alliance, the New School for Social Research, and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice hosted New Strategies for Novel Psychoactive Substances, in an effort to bring some concrete facts to the conversation about how to respond to NPS. In the case of K2, researchers, service providers, and people who use K2 concurred that one of the primary factors driving the use of K2 is marijuana prohibition. Unlike marijuana, K2 cannot be routinely detected by drug tests, and people who use K2 often do so to avoid detection on drug tests that may be required by probation, parole, shelters, or drug treatment programs. Moreover, according the limited epidemiology available, the vast majority of those ending up in NYC hospitals from K2 use are people who are homeless, have a mental illness, or both. It's no coincidence that use spikes in our most impoverished neighborhoods -- many people are using these drugs to cope with desperate social circumstances.
Given these motivations for using K2, it is perhaps not surprising that an effort to take K2 products off shelves has failed to solve the problem. Policymakers in New York responded to last year's outbreak in East Harlem by criminalizing the sales of K2, failing to heed to call of advocates who suggested that this approach would only worsen the problem. While K2 may no longer be on bodega shelves, the ban has merely moved the problem to another part of the city, and such bans can lead to the proliferation of new, often riskier versions of K2 as illicit manufacturers create new chemicals that skirt the latest laws.
Prohibitionist policies are not the only problem. The media needs to take some of the blame here for exacerbating the stigma surrounding the people who use these drugs and fomenting fear rather than focusing on solutions. Headlines that sensationalize the problem and refer to people who use these drugs as "zombies" only serve to dehumanize a group of people who clearly need our help and compassion, not our scorn. This kind of stigmatizing language and the inciting of "drug scares" in the absence of real facts is part of a long, despicable history in this country of using drugs to promote racist attitudes and policies.
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So what does work? First, we need to take a step back from the fear and the rhetoric and ground our responses in research and science. We need more research and more timely research on what these substances are, what effects they have, who is using them, and how and why people are using them. This kind of information can help guide the thoughtful responses we need at both at the individual and policy level.
At the New Strategies Summit last month, for example, clinical and harm reduction providers offered a number of suggestions for immediate responses to people, such as offering them a safe space to come down from the substances, while monitoring their health and ensuring their safety. Peer education and programs that allow those using these substances to check or test them to know what they are getting could also help avoid large-scale severe reactions like the kind we saw yesterday. Public health experts at the Summit also noted that we need to address the underlying social circumstances of those using these substances, including providing housing, medical services, and mental health care. Investments in a comprehensive harm reduction and public health response would be much more effective than stigma and criminalization.
Beyond responding to the immediate crisis, we need to take a broader look at our approach to drug policy writ large. The emergence of so many new "synthetic drugs" like K2 is yet another sign of the failure of the war on drugs. For instance, as the New York City Council Speaker has pointed out, one response to the emergence of synthetic cannabinoids ought to be revisiting our marijuana policies. K2 use would likely dramatically decrease if marijuana were legal and drug testing for marijuana was no longer used to penalize people.
Finally, it is time to acknowledge that prohibition does not work, and it never has. If we really want to improve the health and safety of our communities, we need look at system of regulation, not prohibition. Were we to enact a regulatory scheme, like that proposed in New Zealand, we could permit commercial sale of these substances but hold retailers accountable for products they sell, restricting access to vulnerable populations, like youth. We cannot afford to keep repeating the mistakes of the past. It's time for thoughtful and innovative solutions based on science and compassion, not fear and stigma.
Last weekend our son picked us up to drive out to our potential graves. It was a cool day, overcast, the kind of day Michael is most comfortable with, being a Brit, and one I welcome in the New York summertime because it clears the air of the usual snot soup and makes walking along the streets possible. It was early for us, 10 in the morning, a time when we're usually still lounging about the bedroom, maybe doing our laughable exercises or chatting about something we never got around to the previous day, or we're still sleeping or feigning it (one of us anyway), or listening to Brian Lehrer on NPR and doing the deep breathing.
He and I are on a kind of seesaw, if mortality is a playground. Not a slide, neither of us is going downhill that fast, and not a swing either because neither of us has those highs anymore. He is on oxygen day and night with COPD, and though he has an elegant little carrier with battery attachment that he can take anywhere, it needs to be replaced quite often, and walking tires him out. So generally we stay home. I've been in the lead in the mortality competition until this year, even though Michael is seriously older than me, already past his 89th birthday and ordinarily that would give him the edge. But I have the Big C, as we used to call it when John Wayne roamed the screens, 23 years of breast cancer, which turned metastatic a while ago, and also lymphoma as an alternate. When I have chemo I am worn out and liable to onslaughts out of left field, backaches and migraines, "spontaneous" fractures, fainting - a whole panoply, with more assortment than a shady salesman's wares.
We are lucky, in some ways. Lucky that after nearly 50 years of marriage, of all our fights and rediscoveries of each other, of political crosshairs and cultural misunderstandings, missed cues and betrayals of various kinds, we are still tied to each other, we have each helped the other define her/himself, we have come to a place where our very different lives meet, and for the first time in our long accommodation we share what life we have in the wake of finality.
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Last Saturday we rode out to Sleepy Hollow, home of Washington Irving, where a large cemetery holds the remains of many eminent New Yorkers, particularly the rich ones, Rockefeller and Chrysler and Carnegie - oh my!, and Washington Irving too, whose prose I could never properly digest and which, like the driest cakes of Austrian pastry makers, requires a hefty dollop of schlag, of pure whipped cream, to make it go down easier.
We were here, with our son and daughter-in-law, because at a certain point (when we got serious about our Wills), it occurred to me that if I survived Michael I would not know what to do about the funerary arrangements. Nor could I give or leave instructions on what to do with me when I died. My parents were totally secular; his were part of the church, his father a well-known Anglican priest who died when Michael was 2, leaving behind a legacy that caused Michael later to flee England and choose Mao over the Anglican god. My parents had come to America when Hitler annexed Austria, but I didn't discover that I was Jewish until the first grade teacher told us that if we were Jewish we only had to bring in 6, but if we weren't we had to bring in a dime. I had no idea what this meant, and when I asked my mother if we were, her face took on a look of alarm. But her good friend who'd accompanied her to pick me up after school, a kindly German philosopher, was able to extract the pertinent matter and I was told yes, I was indeed Jewish. The money referred to milk, 2 a day. Since there were to be Jewish holidays the following week, Jewish children did not have to pay for the days when they would be absent. To me it was a wonderful turn of events - not only would I be able to drink less milk (which I detested), I could also stay home (though in the event, I didn't, since the tallest boy in class was a Polish catholic and I adored him.)
Michael and I had no religious affiliations, no family traditions, no particular place where it might be natural for us to end up, either in the form of ashes or in toto corpore. Whenever M and I brought up the topic of our disposal after life, we ended up saying it didn't matter. But I realized it did, or would, to the survivor of us two, and to our son and to Michael's other children. Our lawyer for the Wills said it would be a good move to make our wishes known, particularly in Michael's case, where different offspring (of different mothers) might have differing ideas.
I looked up funeral homes in the neighborhood. Either they were run by people called O'Connor and Murphy, or by Goldsteins and Rosenberg, the first with crosses, the second with stars. But a third place, in Greenwich Village, had both, the O'Connors and the Rosenbergs, and I figured that was safe. I searched their site and came upon the tern "natural cemetery." I followed that - and found a new style of burial, greener pastures you might say. In a natural cemetery the body is placed in the earth in a shroud made of linen or cotton or silk, only natural materials. The grass grows over, the wildflowers bloom - and the photographs were gorgeous. I showed Michael, who became enthusiastic to the point of saying, "I can't wait to be there."
"I can," I told him drily, and kissed him. The thought of his dying brings a horde of winged things into my stomach, each one with a barb.
However, we'd stumbled on a possible solution. The most beautiful of these cemeteries are upstate, with acres of woodland and streams and rocks. But that made no sense for us, who live in Manhattan, our son and his family close by, our friends here.
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Saturday we toured the grounds with a pretty and capable guide named Christina. She knew her dead, and also the names of trees and other plants. M & I, former birdwatchers, asked about the birds in spring, the little warblers in their bright colors and funny masks flitting through the branches where perhaps a woodpecker is thrumming and below, a Thrasher may be cleaning away the leaves. We passed the slim Pocantico, which runs to the Hudson and we saw the big river at a distance. When we came to the natural part, we got out. Black-eyed Susans, my mother's favorite, blooming in profusion with the cone flowers flecking the little meadow in touches of orange and deep pink. A small, American meadow, perhaps too wild for Monet's brush, but nevertheless contained, with a wooden fence and a roughly-hewn bench made of logs.
It appears Donald Trump has made his choice for Vice President, the popular (at least in conservative circles) Mike Pence of Indiana. The governor has long been a conservative darling. When he was in the House leadership, he was the only one most rank and file members liked, let alone tolerated. In fact, some actually still hold a grudge against him for not attempting a coup against John Boehner in 2011 when over 60 new, very conservative House members made it possible for a GOP majority. Instead, the ambitious Pence played around with a run for president and settled on being governor of Indiana, which is a position he holds today. However, his polling does not give any reason to believe that he will still be in that position after January. His vulnerability may be the exact reason why he is very interested in being Trump's VP nominee.
Pence is very well respected among traditional conservatives ("3 legged stool" conservatives who give social issues, economics, and national security equal priority) and they have come out in praise of the selection. American Conservative Union's Matt Schlapp could not contain his enthusiasm about Pence, saying in a statement, "This is a great day for conservatism and great news for conservatives. Governor Mike Pence is an excellent pick to be the Vice President. He is a proven leader who has worked with grassroots conservatives to advance policies and solutions that strengthen our economy, our national defense, and our families. His Reagan-esque approach, as a great communicator with the courage of his convictions, sends the signal to conservatives across America that Donald Trump is eager to bring Americans together to reject Hillary Clinton's plans to continue President Obama's radical agenda. We are proud to call Mike and his wife Karen friends of ACU and we are very pleased with this selection."
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So, now that Trump has settled on Pence, people are asking what does this choice say about Trump? Here are a few of my observations:
Trump is not conservative. In spite of Schlapp's excitement about the choice, stating it "sends the signal to conservatives across America that Donald Trump is eager to bring Americans together," it also shows the billionaire recognizes his weak conservative credentials. Historically, the choice of vice president is based on balancing the ticket. When Ronald Reagan, the most conservative candidate in modern political history chose a vice presidential candidate, he looked to George Bush, who was the poster child of the GOP establishment. In 1998, moderate Bush chose one of the most conservative members of the US Senate in Dan Quayle as a running mate. This is typical and has been the case throughout history. Choosing someone who is considered one of the most conservative members of the GOP as a running mate, says something about Trump's own ideology. We know the billionaire has funded Democrat politicians at a much higher rate than Republicans over the years, that he has changed party affiliations often over the years, that he has funded his opponent's Clinton Foundation at the tune of $100,000, and has even advocated for a single payer healthcare system like Bernie Sanders. Instead of trying to explain away these inconsistencies, he is hoping Americans will forget about them with the choice of Pence.
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Trump is more than willing to abandon his core constituency. Trump ran as the anti-establishment candidate from the beginning of his campaign and has blamed America's problems on the political class. Pence has spent almost his entire life working in public policy or as an elected official. If the problem is career politicians, as Trump argues, the choice of Pence sends a disturbing message to those who have powered his revolt against the establishment.
Trump plans on doing serious fundraising. One of the major reasons the billionaire was popular with his core constituency was because "no one can own him." Reality shows, he has not spent very much money compared to other candidates and lags way behind his general election opponent in raising dollars. He told Lester Holt of NBC that he would go for Wall Street money ("a little"), but has shown no prowess to get it. One of the things Mike Pence is known for is his ability to raise money. The governor might find himself with a crooked finger at the end of the campaign after all the phone calling he will need to make to keep the Trump campaign financially relevant.
Trump knows he will have problems with a GOP controlled Congress. Trump has largely gotten weak endorsements from Republican members of Congress. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who initially said he would not support Trump even as the inevitable nominee, finally gave the softest endorsement possible. Trump is going to have serious problems with Congress and will have to have a Pence to get things done.
Syrian refugees both in the Middle East and Europe face harrowing adversity from escaping war and persecution to being resettled to ill-equipped, often uninhabitable, refugee camps and urban communities. As a direct result of this adversity, Syrian refugees exhibit alarmingly high levels of mental illness, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. Some health care workers offering services to refugees on the ground are developing stress responses as a direct result of their experiences with Syrian refugees. These stress responses are secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout. STS symptoms parallel those who have had direct exposure to the traumatic event and include intrusive images, avoidant behavior, and physiological arousal. An associated process, burnout entails elements of emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment. Emerging either while still on the field or, more often, after having finished their service trips and returned home, the stress responses of health workers are as a result of several factors. The principal contributing factor is their acute and overwhelming exposure to Syrians' stories of excruciating adversity, severe levels of psychiatric illness, and as well as their harsh living conditions. Furthermore, still on the ground, health care workers' stress responses are exacerbated by long days of service with limited time for breaks. On average, as a direct result of an overwhelming need and an acute shortage of resources and personnel across refugee camps in Greece, health-care workers are on the ground 10 hours a day. Lastly, the process of reintegration back home -- pretending to have been left unscathed after witnessing trauma -- has proven difficult for some health care workers. Danielle, now back from a medical mission, walks the streets of London looking for refugees walking along train tracks and tents on roadsides and old buildings. Matthew, back in California, has been experiencing acute sadness, hopelessness, and social withdrawal. In the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity, he questions what he has actually done -- or can do -- to alleviate conditions for refugees when the world has utterly and inexcusably failed them. Organizations to which health care workers belong must step up and address these mental health needs. Prior to deployment, organizations must provide accurate, descriptive information on the situation in refugee communities across Greece to prepare health care workers. This information must be specific to the country, as the health needs and living conditions of refugees there are drastically different than Syrian refugees living elsewhere. Also, while cognizant of the shortage of resources and personnel, organizations must establish longer breaks and appropriate, evidence-based debriefing sessions at the end of every day to ensure health care workers have space to process their experiences and share them. Lastly, organizations must ensure all health care workers have access to mental health services upon their return to their home countries to ensure better assimilation. At a time of incredible adversity and ineffable conditions, organizations must step up not only to meet the mental health needs of Syrian refugees but also, equally importantly, their health care workers.
Jyrki Katainen is the Vice-President of the European Commission for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness. He served as Prime Minister of Finland between June 2011 and June 2014.
Katainen was previously Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance (2007-11) - in which position he earned the accolade of "best Finance Minister in Europe" from the Financial Times in 2008. From 2004 to 2014, he was President of the Finnish National Coalition Party, and from 2006 to 2012 he was also Vice-President of the European People's Party.
Katainen was a member of the Finnish Parliament for 15 years, until 2014, having been elected for the first time in 1999. From 1998 to 2000, he served as Vice-President of the European People's Party youth wing from 2001 to 2004 and as First Vice-President of the Regional Council of Northern Savonia, Finland.
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Katainen obtained Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Tampere. Lan Anh Vu sat down with Katainen to learn more about his political career, obstacles he has overcome and the key lessons he has learned over the years.
As told to Lan Anh Vu
My Early Years
I grew up in Siilinjarvi, 400 kilometers north of Helsinki. My family was lower-middle class. My father was an aviation mechanic, and my mother was a secretary at the municipal council. My father taught me how to hunt and make food, so we cooked together often.
At school, I volunteered to participate in organizing school events such as Christmas parties. For some reason, I was always interested in the life of society and decision making. I was 22 when I was first elected to the local municipal council. In 1995-1996, I studied abroad in Britain. I was an exchange student with the Erasmus Programme at the University of Leicester.
I soon started to think about what I would do after the Erasmus Programme ended: whether I should stay in Britain or travel to Brussels to work. I had made the decision to quit politics when I received a phone call from a medical doctor, a very tough lady, whom I knew in Finland and who had been a candidate in many previous national elections. She told me, "I have decided to never run again for Parliament. You may have decided to quit politics, but I have decided otherwise, so you will go." She even flew to London to persuade me.
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It felt very good to know that people with experience in politics believed that I was capable of being a member of Parliament. So, I gave it a try. I returned to Finland and started planning to campaign. In 1999, at the age of 28, I was elected to Parliament. For two months, I had believed that I would quit politics forever, but then things changed. And I've been in politics ever since.
Challenges
When I was Prime Minister of Finland, I led a government of six parties that ranged from the left to the right of the political spectrum. The period was very difficult in terms of economics, and there was a need to cut spending, raise taxes, and implement structural reform in order to set Finland on the right course.
At many times, we were in situations in which we really needed to defend the credibility of the country. It was very difficult to make decisions because the ideologies were so distant from each other. We didn't have an ideological clue, so to speak. So, we replaced ideology with pragmatism. It was politically difficult, but we had no choice. It was necessary to make decisions that were understandable and agreed with common sense about what would move the country forward and reduce public debt. Even though it was very challenging, we managed to generate good results.
Lessons Learned
I've learned that you must be prepared to make compromises; otherwise, no decision will be made. Even if you don't make a decision, that's a decision. And problems usually only get worse if you don't try to solve them. Even an imperfect decision is better than no decision at all. So, a decision has to be made.
I've also learned that you have to be very open, especially if you are in a very difficult situation. You shouldn't avoid contact with people. The bailout packages that we gave to other countries were highly unpopular in my country. People did not understand why we helped them, and most people were angry. It was a very difficult time. I went everywhere to meet with people and continued to explain why the decision was reasonable. I've learned that it's better to bare all in front of people. Even if others disagree with you, they at least sense that you are sincere and open. People seem to respect the truth even when it is unpleasant.
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I've also learned that if you have a strong base of values, then that can help you to weather difficult times. I have four core values that I try to follow. The first is encouragement; I want to make decisions that encourage people to work hard and take responsibility. The second is education, because civilized humanity and education are ways in which we can distribute social justice and empower people to take responsibility for their lives. The third is tolerance, which is about dignity. And the fourth is caring, which means that we are all responsible for others, and we must take care of those who can't take care of themselves.
Structural Reforms in Europe
In some countries, the labor market is too rigid. That's why competitiveness is too low, which is why there is a lack of jobs. In some countries, the quality of education is not good enough, which poses problems not only in terms of social inclusiveness, but also in terms of innovation.
What we can do at the EU level is to encourage Member States to implement reforms, which are sometimes quite difficult, because people don't like reforms. But it's a precondition of the social market economy. If there is growth and job creation, then we have social welfare.
We can implement Europe-wide structural reforms, which means basically deepening and widening internal markets. However, digital products and services, for instance, still follow the regulations of 28 different national legislatures. Therefore, we have to harmonize the regulatory environment in digital products, and the same thing applies to the energy market and the capital market.
Preparing EU for the Future
In order to prepare Europe for the future, three issues are probably more important than all the rest. And these issues are typically in the hands of national governments.
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The first issue concerns the skills and quality of education, especially the quality of teacher training. There are huge differences among EU Member States on this issue. We have to pay attention to teacher training, as well as how basic education is organized, and how education should be prepared in many countries. The issue also concerns social justice, because the better educated you are, the more job opportunities you will have, and the better opportunities will be to understand changes that will exert constant pressure in the future.
The second issue is a fairer distribution of income. Globalization has been positive in many ways. It has helped many countries, not necessarily in Europe, but in other parts of the world, to rise above poverty and allow more people to escape poverty. It has also helped businesses to expand their activities and thus created a situation in which the distribution of wealth and income has become further polarized. This is an issue that we need to take care of and that we have to pay attention to in the future more than we have in the past in order to maintain the unity of societies.
And the third issue, we should reform our labor market, which has become more dynamic, because the nature of work has changed, and people are not seeking traditional full-time, 9-to-5 jobs. For instance, the collaborative economy has changed the nature of work. So, we have to be open-minded about reforming the labor market to be more adaptable and responsive than it is at the moment so that everyone can have a job.
Advice for Young People
Young people should invest in their education. They also need international experience to broaden their perspectives and to understand why people in different cultures think the way that they do. Open-mindedness is very important, and I would encourage young people to look at entrepreneurial opportunities. Entrepreneurship is an opportunity, because there are different kinds of need. You don't necessarily need to sell concrete products, but you can sell your knowledge and knowhow. Just thinking it is one of the options.
This interview has been condensed and edited.
We've been back in Piedmont, California, now for ten days. Tomorrow is the Fourth of July. Piedmont is a small enclave of 11,000 people entirely surrounded by the much better known somewhat infamous city of Oakland. Piedmont has always been a protected community with its own police, fire and most currently cogent, school system - which is why Denise, my wife, and I moved here twenty years ago from San Francisco with our two sons, Martin and Louie, who were seven and five at the time.
Piedmont is ridiculously perfect, just a five minute drive from the more diverse, challenging chaos of Oakland and Berkeley. For the first five days upon our return here the weather was equally sublime. Every day, sunny with balmy temperatures in the high 70s/low 80s (26 centigrade), was a notable contrast to the highs and lows of Melbourne, Perth, Singapore and Shanghai. We loved it.
Piedmont had always been wealthy Republican Party redoubt amongst the Communist pinkos of the Republic of Berkeley and the Black Panther militants of Oakland. But in the years we have lived here Democrats came to outnumber Republican voting booths on Election Day. Piedmont remains wealthy but is now far more liberal than in the past.
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Nevertheless, traditions remain and one of the biggest was/is Piedmont's Fourth of July Parade (now more than fifty years old). It's one of the few times (Halloween is another one) when people from all over the East Bay come to watch the locals and some invited participants parade down about fifteen streets through the center of town. All the flag buntings are out. Piedmonters begin putting their lawn chairs out more than a week before the event (you don't get to live in Piedmont - unless born here - without being a type A kind of person). Tomorrow Highland Avenue will be about four to five people deep with spectators cheering paraders parading.
Denise and I won't be there. We did our Fourth of July parades many times when the boys were younger. We used to go to our friends' front yard party that bordered along the parade route. But the friends no longer offer the party - most of the kids of our contemporaries' ages are in their late twenties. Many of the parents have also moved on.
Denise and I will walk around Lake Merritt - a very urban Oakland setting the morning of the Fourth. We expect to see America in all it's diversity out on the Lake that Day. The atmosphere will be festive, hopefully peaceful. We'll drive into San Francisco in the afternoon for an outdoor barbecue on Russian Hill with a view of North Beach, Telegraph Hill and the Bay Bridge - very urbane city San Francisco. We won't bother to stay for the fireworks because invariably the fog roles in by about 8 PM before it gets dark and makes fireworks viewing from anywhere but the Marina a rather futile experience.
Nevertheless, the holiday will be celebrated here. I cannot help but contrast this weekend with the last July 4th we "celebrated" in Melbourne last year. Denise and I had just arrived two days before. The cold rain and the early darkness (by 5:30 pm) literally struck us. We vainly searched online for some American ex-pat observance of our Independence Day. We found only an event in the north edge of Fitzroy that struck us at this very early stage of our knowledge of Melbourne suburbs as just too far away. I recall we went to bed early that night - no fireworks. We were so tired from our apartment hunting excursions in cold, wet Melbourne that day.
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Meanwhile, a week has passed since I started this blog. It's a reflection of the lack of time I've had since I've returned to the mainland. I've been absorbed with the demands of this next transition of resetting up my medical office and finding a place to live in the East Bay or San Francisco. Denise and I decided we didn't want to immediately return to our tranquil suburban home in Piedmont after living in the more vibrant Melbourne neighborhood of South Yarra.
But in that week I am clearer about some of the differences between Melbourne and San Francisco/Oakland, ergo Oz and America. Everybody is moving faster in America (well maybe not the aforementioned Hawaiians). Driving speed limits are ignored in a big way. Last year I received a speeding ticket (infringement) for traveling six kilometers or three and half miles over the limit on Punt Road in Melbourne. Now when I'm heading to San Francisco to Oakland over the Bay Bridge I routinely see drivers hurtling past me fifteen to twenty miles over the limit. In Aussieland everyone drives at or just over the limit everywhere (well maybe not in the deep outback). As a result I cannot recall seeing the evidence of even one roadside accident in the twelve months I spent in Melbourne and its environs.
There's also perceptible increase in the speed and tension of routine interactions with people compared to Oz. I'm speaking of the exchanges between retail or restaurant workers and me - maybe less so with friends. I noticed that all the workers at CVS, a large national drug store chain, now greet me with a formulaic "hello". I suppose it's meant to be friendly but actually feels quite false. One deadened, "Have a nice day," response from the drug store cashier confirmed this lack of sincerity - which I completely understand when you're being paid only $10US an hour.
As mentioned, I walked around Lake Merritt with Denise on July 4th. On one hand I appreciated the true mingling of whites and blacks as many of the informal groupings I saw contained members of both ethnic groups. However, the two organized events I passed: an enter-with-pay hip-hop lawn party on the Lake had only a sprinkling of whites while the audience for a Fourth of July concert by the Oakland City Band (a volunteer wind/brass orchestra) at the Lake band shell was exclusively white. It could just be musical preferences...
What made me really depressed though about my return to America was the news I was reading daily in the local San Francisco Chronicle or national New York Times. The homeless situation in San Francisco has reached crisis proportions with certain streets filled with people living in tents, open drug use and bizarre behavior often prevalent. Actually, having witnessed the favela equivalent in Los Angeles's Skid Row area last year just before I left for Australia, San Francisco's situation isn't as bad (or at least as large). Still Denise in her peregrinations about town searching for apartments reports that the homelessness problem was now much worse here than when we left a year ago.
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Then yesterday, the New York Times' front page headlines blared "Snipers Kill Five Police Officers At Protest of Police Shootings.". A Times columnist asks the same day "Are We Unraveling?" as a nation. Police shooting black men earlier in the week results in an unbalanced black man seeking revenge on the police. Guns, guns, guns in America! And it just doesn't seem like we can do anything about it. How crazy a country are we when our House of Representative Democrats stage a sit-in in order to dramatize their protest against our dysfunctional government's rigidity?
But it isn't just our guns alone that created this latest violent obscenity. Three hundred and fifty years of slavery and one hundred fifty of discrimination of Africans and African-Americans are America's birth legacies and tragic heritage. But returning to the U.S. after a year living in a much saner country I'm feeling twisted and sad.
Meanwhile over in Oz, you mates have had your share of problems. The undecided outcome of the federal election was finally resolved yesterday when Bill Shorten conceded and Malcolm Turnbull announced victory in cobbling together a majority government. Note this important Aussie story merited only seven very short paragraphs on the international page of the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/11/world/australia/election-results-malcolm-turnbull-liberal.html). Indeed there was no coverage at all in the Times between July 3rd and the 10th. I had to rely on my electronic edition of The Age to stay abreast of the party predictions and machinations .
But I'm sorry, mates. As screwed up as politics are Down Under, Aussies deep down know you blokes are bloody lucky dealing with Labour and Liberal pettiness compared to the mess we Yanks have permitted to develop in The States. I'm already reminiscing with longing for the "problems" of a more functional Australian society. I will take away from my year living in Melbourne, though, the certainty that a society can operate more fairly and equitably. I hope that knowledge helps me cope and hope that things can get better in America.
Editor's Note
A HuffPost article that previously existed at this URL has been removed.
And with Trump's rumored choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, he is doubling down on his agenda of hate. Pence's best-known achievement is the signing of an anti-LGBTQ bill that made his state the target of boycotts and late-night comedians' jokes.
Really, it's hard to think of anyone that Trump and Pence haven't insulted.
So we've decided to hit the streets to go talk and listen to the people who really matter in this election - the voters.
This weekend, July 15-17, People's Action and other major progressive organizations, including Center for Community Change Action, MoveOn.org, and dozens of state-based groups, are joining together for a National Doorstep Convention.
Thousands of volunteers throughout the country will go door to door to talk with voters about their values, and about coming together to take a stand - to vote against hate and in favor of a bold progressive economic agenda.
Volunteers are ready to hit the sidewalks in 16 states and more than 30 cities, to reach tens of thousands of voters now, and a half-million by November.
Door knocking by volunteers is usually a quick one or two minutes at the door. The National Doorstep Convention this weekend is different.
We believe the best way to reach voters is for neighbors to have real conversations with neighbors. Our goal is to give people a time to reflect on the choices that are presented to us in this election.
We will discuss our shared challenges, and how to move forward together to create a safe, healthy, empowering future for everyone. We want to build an economy that works for all of us, and that means building from the bottom up - starting with fair wages.
We can't solve the serious economic inequality in our country by electing someone like Trump who wants to divide the U.S. into two nations: one for the super-wealthy, the other for everyone else.
We need to move a real economic agenda that takes power from corporations and wealthy elites and puts it back in the hands of the people.
The Republicans and the corporations sponsoring the Republican National Committee are building an agenda that pits neighbor against neighbor and will tear our nation apart. We can't solve the serious problems facing us with more division and more hate.
No doubt that creativity is important in our everyday activities. It helps get out of the ordinary, of the routine. Creativity brings a spark to life and can make it more interesting and exciting. With the help of creativity we can come up with new ideas and approaches to different things, - thus, creativity is the main source of development and innovation. But why do some people get creative easily and naturally and for some people it is much harder to get out of the prescribed notions and the routine? Why are some people bursting with new ideas every minute and are willing to change the world for better, while others get stuck in an everyday routine and find it difficult to get out of it? I believe the main reason lies in the level of creativity development. The children who were encouraged to do creative things, play original games grow up with the creative spirit and never lose it during adulthood; children who were not involved in creative tasks get less lucky and, thus, might find it difficult to get out of the mundane. But it's never too late to learn something new and start getting creative. The two important things that can assist in developing a creative spirit are an exploration and imagination.
Our whole planet, the Earth is not only amazingly beautiful, - it's the ideal source of exploration. One can hardly find something so perfect and magnificent as our planet is. There are different ways of how we can explore our universe (and, of course, encourage the children to do so).
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Remember how children at a certain age start asking questions starting with "why?" "Why is the sky blue? Why is there a day and night? Why is the snow white?" And so on. These are not as easy questions to answer as they might seem at first sight. If you have the children you should always address those enquiries. Such questions make the mind regularly work and continue exploring the world around us. It's good not to lose that child in you and constantly ask yourself and others different questions regarding everything that's happening around you. Being an adult doesn't mean you know everything, - besides, the world is continually changing and only by asking questions you'll be able to view and understand those changes and come up with some innovative ideas.
Never miss the opportunity to see and explore the stars and the moon on a night sky. You can choose a nice beginner telescope for yourself, a fun telescope for kids and spend the nights with your friends and children watching the beautiful stars, asterisms, constellations you already know about, and then, who knows, you might be the next discoverer of some constellations we are not aware of. Besides, exploring the sky will significantly fuel your imagination. The same is true about underwater exploration. Get reliable underwater equipment and move on to a new adventure!
Always find the time for reading. Encourage children to read fairy-tales, read them yourself and never stop doing it when you are an adult. You can explore every genre in literature, from historical novels to philosophical ones, - and try to read the authors from different time periods. Via books we can learn how our ancestors lived, what they did in life and what problems faced. Books are also the largest source of knowledge and imagination.
crumple grunge flag of iran
As we mark the one-year anniversary of the announcement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) this week, the Iranian regime continues to repress its people. Far from a new era of freedom, there has been no meaningful change in the regime's deplorable human rights record, according to Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
When President Rouhani was elected in June 2013, there was a widespread, but incorrect, assumption that he would shepherd in an era of greater freedoms in Iran. Instead, even in the wake of the nuclear deal, the human rights situation has deteriorated even further. The Islamic Republic continues to commit serious human rights abuses, including limiting freedom of expression and the press; engaging in arbitrary detention and torture; and discriminating against women, ethnic, and religious minorities, and other vulnerable populations. The regime reigns over its citizens using repression and violence to rule through fear.
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The regime is suppressing internal dissent, and the IRGC has arrested hundreds of activists, journalists, and regular citizens in what human rights experts call the "largest crackdown since the violent state suppression" in 2009. Last year saw a record number of executions -- 966 individuals, the highest number of executions since 1989. Even worse, Amnesty International reports that Iran is "one of the world's last executioners of juvenile offenders." At least 73 juvenile offenders have been executed in Iran since 2005, and, as of January 2016, 161 juvenile offenders were sitting on death row. Amnesty International warns the numbers are likely much higher as information about the use of the death penalty in Iran is often shrouded in secrecy.
Women and girls are especially vulnerable to sexual violence, including marital rape in a country with an increasing number of forced marriages, according to the United Nations. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom warned that Iran engages in "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom" and the number of individuals imprisoned for their religious beliefs has increased since 2015.
Moreover, Iran's human rights abuses are not contained within the country's borders. A report by Syrian and Lebanese researchers found that there is sufficient evidence to charge the Iranian leadership with complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria. Iran's support for Syrian President Bashar Assad's murderous campaign against his people reached new levels in the last year, including the provision of IRGC ground forces, weaponry, intelligence, telecommunications, and financial support.
Iran has enabled Assad to remain in power, bombing civilians with impunity, leading to more than 470,000 deaths. Other civilians have fled to neighboring states and Europe, causing millions of displaced refugees, an ensuing humanitarian crisis, and a surge in terrorist groups operating in Syria and abroad. The Syria crisis, in turn, led to the rise of ISIS as brutalized Sunnis turned to protection from the jihadists, which is threatening multiple countries, including the United States and Europe. Make no mistake: the Islamic Republic's sectarian bloodshed is fueling the Islamic State.
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Despite this evidence, Tehran wants the nuclear agreement to wipe clean its record of systemic human rights abuses. It hopes that businesses seeking to enter the Iranian market will ignore this repression. The recently announced Boeing and Airbus aircraft deals, which could total $50 billion, run the risk of putting these Western companies at the service of the Revolutionary Guards and their deadly airlifts to support Assad and Lebanese Hezbollah.
The world must hold Iran accountable. The United States should be leading the moral charge. Sadly, since the JCPOA, the Obama administration has designated no individuals or entities for human rights abuses, and has issued only three designations (one individual and two entities) since Hassan Rouhani took power in the summer of 2013. Meanwhile Iran continues to hold hostage U.S., Canadian, and British dual nationals Bagher and Siamak Namazi, Homa Hoodfar, and Nazanin Ratcliffe.
Over time, the nuclear deal will politically and financially insulate the Iranian regime and weaken international leverage to change the regime's behavior. Iran will try to use the new environment created by the agreement to convince the international community to ignore the regime's deplorable human rights record in pursuit of limited nuclear goals and massive profits.
President Obama has fewer than 200 days left in office to signal to Iran's leaders that they cannot repress their people with impunity. New human rights designations by his administration would be a good start.
Mark Dubowitz is executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where he focuses on Iran and directs its Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance.
Nearly a generation of medical dogma on Lyme disease may be slowly unraveling as new test tube research shows that antibiotics long endorsed as curative do not kill what scientists call "persister" cells -- and may even promote their growth.
The corkscrew Lyme spirochete, known as Borrelia burgdorferi, had been shown in previous research to hide beneath slimy shields called biofilms and shape-shift into "round bodies," persisters that survive lethal drugs and may repopulate later.
But emerging science implicates the antibiotics long used to treat the tick-borne illness, including the predominant doxycycline, as a potential key to persistent infection: While killing most pathogens, the antibiotics commonly prescribed for Lyme disease have been shown in test tubes to leave behind a smattering of remarkably resilient Lyme bacteria. As the bacteria's growth slows under antibiotic assault, these persister cells increase, sometimes dramatically, three research groups found, providing a plausible explanation for a problem that has bedeviled Lyme disease care.
While most patients are treated successfully with go-to antibiotics, some 10 to 20 percent remain sick. With an estimated 300,000 U.S. Lyme cases annually,
that means 30,000 to 60,000 people every year develop lingering neurological, arthritic or other symptoms, some for months or years. Many are told their symptoms are "subjective," even psychological, and aren't tied to Lyme disease.
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Care guidelines challenged
Ying Zhang, a Johns Hopkins University researcher, said his and other test-tube research "clearly demonstrates Borrelia persisters are not killed by the current Lyme antibiotics." Scientists have tried stronger and combined antibiotic treatments in test-tube experiments and found many to be more effective than those in common use. They say funding is desperately needed to prove that persisters are causing illness in people -- the "missing link," said one scientist -- yet there is little money and huge resistance. In fact, Lyme disease placed 202nd in 2015 in a ranking of federal funding by disease -- this though the disease costs the healthcare system up to$1.3 billion a year.
The debate over Lyme disease, one of the most vicious and polarized in medicine, pits a small medical society founded by Lyme practitioners, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, against the hugely powerful and connected Infectious Diseases Society of America, whose guidelines have ruled Lyme patient care since 2001. Patient advocates say the protocols are rigid in limiting antibiotic courses, rely on diagnostic tests that often fail, and do not reflect other studies, some years before these latest ones, that have shown the Lyme spirochete survives antibiotic treatment.
The IDSA guidelines, recently taken off the National Guidelines Clearinghouse as out of date, say that single, short courses of doxycycline, amoxicillin and, sometimes, intravenous ceftriaxone are almost always enough to kill the Lyme spirochete in people, and their authors and supporters have sought to debunk and challenge research that calls them into question.
But in perhaps 20 papers since 2012, scientists from major research centers demonstrate their considerable, often frustrating, efforts to eradicate Lyme spirochetes in animals and test tubes, and, in particular, the persisters that survived initial antibiotic onslaught.
- A University of California, Davis, team gave ceftriaxone to Lyme-infected mice and was "stunned," the lead author said, to see the infection resurge after 12 months to the same level as in untreated mice.
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- A Northeastern University team found the bacteria's persisters were so ironclad that it took four "pulsed" doses of ceftriaxone or a single dose of a highly toxic anticancer drug, not recommended for Lyme patients, to kill them.
- A Tulane University experiment found the Lyme spirochete was more likely to form persisters if it had been treated with doxycycline at a certain phase in the bacteria's growth -- as did the Northeastern study -- and hitting the bacteria in repeated pulses of doxycycline did not stop growth or reduce the persisters.
- And last May, a Johns Hopkins University team reported that 23 drugs were more effective in the test tube against persisting "round body" forms of the Lyme spirochete than the two pillars of human treatment, amoxicillin or doxycycline.
Although the cause of post-treatment illness "is unclear," Hopkins researchers reported, "one possibility is the presence of bacterial persisters not effectively cleared by the current Lyme antibiotics."
Treatment guidelines of the smaller ILADS group -- which, unlike the IDSA's protocols, have the Guidelines Clearinghouse imprimatur -- allow for longer and repeated antibiotic courses. The rapidly emerging research doesn't go as far as to support that, at least yet, because the experiments have mostly been done on animals or in test tubes -- limitations that fail to convince IDSA supporters that the case has been made.
"The newer research still leaves the problem that it is not known to be modeling phenomena that occur in human disease," said Dr. Paul Lantos, a medical instructor at Duke University School of Medicine who has challenged the notion that Lyme disease can be chronic.
IDSA: No comment
Officials of the IDSA did not respond to requests for comment; two guideline authors also did not respond, while lead author Gary Wormser declined comment. Guideline authors and proponents have generally maintained that lingering spirochetes have been genetically impaired and are noninfectious, and that ongoing complaints of Lyme patients may be caused by some other illness or Lyme-related tissue damage or inflammation.
Nonetheless, the fast accumulating evidence that Lyme spirochetes survive antibiotic assault may be more difficult for naysayers to dismiss. For one, it is emanating from respected research centers, like Johns Hopkins, Northeastern, Tulane, UC Davis, and Tufts University. It has also produced breakthroughs, scientists say. At a small Lyme lab at the University of New Haven, in the shadow of Yale University, a scrappy scientist named Eva Sapi has shown why the Lyme spirochete is so resilient: in a word, biofilms, complex extracellular aggregates that shield the bug from the strongest drugs.
"She has shown unequivocally that Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto can form biofilms in vitro," said Garth Ehrlich, executive director of the Center for Advanced Microbial Processing at Drexel University who is renowned for research on biofilms in other bacteria. "And she has additional strong suggestive evidence that it can form biofilms in vivo," namely in people. In one experiment, Sapi found biofilm-encased spirochetes in archived biopsies from Lyme-infected patients.
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These results "strongly indicate the presence of persistent, viable, but uncultivable spirochetes." -- California researcher
Emir Hodzic, a professor and director of the Real-time PCR Research and Diagnostic Core Facility at UC Davis, led a team that treated Lyme-infected mice with antibiotics and found a resurgence in infection 12 months later. However, Hodzic couldn't cultivate the organisms; Lyme tests currently diagnose -- and often fail to diagnose -- the disease by finding Lyme antibodies and proteins in the blood of patients.
The lack of cultured spirochetes "gives the denialist the reason to deny such a condition (as post-treatment syndrome) ever exists," said Hopkins' Dr. Zhang. Indeed, Wormser, the IDSA guidelines author, reported several months after Hodzic's publication that he cultured spirochetes in untreated mice that were infected with the Lyme bug but not in treated mice, findings that "further document the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy."
Nonetheless, Hodzic, who tracked his mice for 12 months against Worsmer's three, found lingering infection in other ways: Uninfected ticks that fed on the treated mice actually acquired the spirochetes; the ticks later fed on and infected other mice. Tissue transplanted from treated to uninfected mice wound up infecting them. And spirochetal DNA was found in the treated mice.
These results "strongly indicate the presence of persistent, viable, but uncultivable spirochetes," Hodzic wrote in an email, noting "culture cannot be relied upon as a gold standard of viability."
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Research money short
Tufts scientists showed in another way that infection could survive antibiotic treatment. Lyme patients who had been treated with antibiotics agreed to have uninfected ticks feed on them -- and, in a reversal of the Lyme norm, ticks from two of 21 patients acquired the Lyme bug from their human hosts. The study said there was "insufficient evidence, however, to conclude that viable spirochetes were present in either patient."
"I remain open to evidence about whether there is chronic infection in the patient populations." -- Critic of 'chronic' Lyme diagnosis
That's why researchers who believe spirochetes survive antibiotic treatment want more money for studies, and question why it is so difficult to get. Lyme disease researchers got a mere $25 million from the National Institutes of Health in 2015, far less than many illnesses with lower case counts.
The Lyme debate has seemed to teeter before in favor of a new view on treatment, for example, in 2008 when then-Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, now a U.S. senator, charged that some on the Infectious Diseases Society of America panel that crafted the Lyme guidelines had "undisclosed financial interests" and forced their reconsideration. Nothing substantive came of the review, however.
But there may, nonetheless, be movement afoot. A longtime critic of the notion of chronic Lyme infection, Paul Auwaerter, is among the authors of three Johns Hopkins papers on the spirochetes' stubborn ability to persist after treatment, results he interpreted with caution.
"These experiments with drug combinations were in vitro only which means in a test tube," Auwaerter wrote through email when asked about the experiments. "Whether this approach will assist is unclear in my mind ... I remain open to evidence about whether there is chronic infection in the patient populations that hope antibiotics will fix them."
Patients: Find a solution
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To be sure, Lyme patients want to be fixed. But what they really want, after years of being told that Lyme disease is easy to diagnose and cure, is for medicine to recognize the problem of post-treatment or chronic Lyme -- whatever it may be called -- and devote the resources needed to find a treatment that works. Many patients say they cannot get doctors to care for them because the doctors simply do not know what to do. And some doctors have been professionally censured or lost licenses for treating outside of the prevailing Lyme guidelines.
"I was stunned as I started learning about all of this," said Drexel's Ehrlich, who referred several times in an interview to a "cabal" of powerful physicians who he said is unwilling to acknowledge that Lyme disease treatment needs re-examination.
"Lyme disease has somehow been so politicized," he said. "That's one reason we're so bad at it."
Another may very well be the tools we are using to fight Lyme disease: Several scientists said doxycycline alone was a poor choice as a frontline Lyme antibiotic. And their experiments show why.
"We do know that the spirochetes can remain in animals following doxycycline treatment," said Monica Embers, a Tulane researcher whose ground-breaking study in 2012 found live spirochetes in Lyme-infected Rhesus monkeys after they were dosed with antibiotics.
CITY HALL PARK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2016/07/09: For the third day in a row the Black Lives Matter movement took the streets of New York to protest police brutality in the aftermath of the release of the security camera video capturing the death of Delrawn Small contradicting the NYPD story spread on the media. An unconfirmed amount of arrests have been reported. (Photo by Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Philando Castile and I share birthdays in July. This year, I celebrated mine with friends and family. But Castile's friends and family are mourning his death, killed by a police officer in the St. Paul, Minnesota, suburbs after he was pulled over for a broken taillight.
He would have been 33. I am decades older -- older now, in fact, than my own father when he died.
And I am white.
My mother was from central Texas and my father from western New York, about 115 miles southwest of the small upstate town where I grew up. Their geographically disparate marriage was a product of the World War II disruptions that found men and women marrying people they met from far away instead of the boy or girl next door.
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Part of my Texas grandfather's family had come there from Alabama and I'm sure that if I dug deep enough into the genealogy, I would find Confederate veterans and very possibly slaveholders. My mother occasionally claimed that at least one family member had been in the KKK, but I have no idea whether it was true or simply said to shock her damn Yankee children.
Visiting relatives in Texas as a boy in the early 1960s, I remember seeing whites-only drinking fountains and restrooms in a local department store. I watched the civil rights struggle of the '60s on TV and in the papers: George Wallace standing in the door at the University of Alabama to keep two African-American students from enrolling; three young men disappearing during the Mississippi Freedom Summer of 1963; the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery; the passage of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, the assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr. and Jack and Bobby Kennedy.
Growing up in rural New York State, there was none of the overt public segregation I'd seen in Texas. Tolerance was taught at home, church and school. We even read Richard Wright's Native Son and Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man in English class. But for the kids in my hometown, "The Talk" you had with your parents was about the birds and bees, not about how to behave when stopped by a policeman.
And discrimination was there, all right. Racial stereotypes too often flourished and crude jokes were told. The very few black families were middle-class; many, if not most, of them were professionals at the veterans' hospital there, successful and upwardly mobile. Even so, there were whispers of efforts to keep African-American families from moving into certain white neighborhoods, whispers loud enough that even a youngster like me could hear.
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I moved to Washington, DC, to go to school a year and a half after riots had burned the city in the wake of the King assassination. The capital was majority African-American then, but still I lived in white neighborhoods and contact and communication were rarer than they should have been. I moved to New York and worked as publicist on the public affairs show Black Journal and handled press for such African-American filmmakers as Bill Miles. When I got into television production, I worked with many men and women of color. Friendships were formed.
None of it has been enough, for there are two things I know. First, as hard as I might try, I can never ever understand what it is like to be black in America, can never know what it's like to be discriminated against or abused or pulled over and hassled, maybe even killed, just because of the color of my skin.
Writing in The Atlantic about last week's murders of Philando Castile, Alton Sterling and five white Dallas police officers, Ta-Nehisi Coates notes:
"...Wanton discrimination is definitional to the black experience, and very often it is law enforcement which implements that discrimination with violence. A community consistently subjected to violent discrimination under the law will lose respect for it, and act beyond it. When such actions stretch to mass murder it is horrific. But it is also predictable."
So I can condemn the murder of innocent black men and white police officers but have damn little, if any, right to pass judgment on or criticize those peaceably struggling to overcome centuries of racism, except to be supportive and try when I can or when I'm asked to do what I can to help.
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Second, I know that no matter how liberal or progressive I profess to be, no matter how successfully, how diligently I seek to be enlightened and nuanced in my understanding of the world and those around me, I know that there still is a tiny, virulent nugget, a germ of prejudice that exists deep within me -- the product of those stereotypes and awful jokes of childhood and adolescence, and that it must always be powerfully held at bay by reason, understanding and love.
That is why it is so frightening to see how in others that vein of hatred has been exposed and encouraged to grow strong again by the candidacy of Donald Trump and far too many of his supporters. Nicholas Confessore reports in The New York Times:
"In countless collisions of color and creed, Donald J. Trump's name evokes an easily understood message of racial hostility... passions aroused and channeled by Mr. Trump take many forms, from earnest if muddled rebellion to deeper and more elaborate bigotry. "... [O]n the flatlands of social media, the border between Mr. Trump and white supremacists easily blurs. He has retweeted supportive messages from racist or nationalist Twitter accounts to his 9 million followers... In fact, Mr. Trump's Twitter presence is tightly interwoven with hordes of mostly anonymous accounts trafficking in racist and anti-Semitic attacks. When Little Bird, a social media data mining company, analyzed a week of Mr. Trump's Twitter activity, it found that almost 30 percent of the accounts Mr. Trump retweeted in turn followed one or more of 50 popular self-identified white nationalist accounts."
And now Trump makes the outrageous and completely unfounded claim that Black Lives Matter and other activists held a moment of silence for Micah Johnson, the murderer of the Dallas policemen. "The other night you had 11 cities potentially in a blow-up stage," Trump lied to an Indiana rally on Wednesday. "Marches all over the United States -- and tough marches. Anger. Hatred. Hatred! Started by a maniac! And some people ask for a moment of silence for him. For the killer!" Trump's demagoguery, appeal to white fear and not-so-subtle incitement to violence at its worst.
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The mind reels, the heart and soul cry out. Events of the last few days have brought to the forefront a mix of issues both profound and perplexing, from race in America and extremist politics to the nature of law and order, the militarization of the police and the gun violence that kills both police and innocent bystanders of every color and creed. What I do know is this: to quote former President George W. Bush, of all people, when he spoke at Tuesday's interfaith service for the slain Dallas policemen, "Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions, and this has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose."
Parents: It's time to have "the talk" with your kids.
The Pokemon Go talk.
"But my kid would never play Pokemon Go," you say. "My kids are too young. I'll talk to them about it when they're older," you say.
Well, with 10 million downloads and counting, chances are your kid is already playing Pokemon Go. Don't believe it? Just check the data usage on your family cell phone plan.
Pokemon Go is a location-based augmented reality game, which involves physically walking around and catching tiny cartoon monsters. It does what virtually no mobile game has done before: It's getting kids and adults alike to go outside and explore their cities. But it's also getting them robbed and landing them in hot water for trespassing.
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Before your tween, teen or millennial child runs up your bill, or worse, walks into a tree or wanders into traffic in search of an elusive Electabuzz, talk to him or her about how to catch Pokemon safely and responsibly. Here are a few ways to start the conversation.
1. Watch where you're going.
Remind your kids to be aware of their surroundings, watch for traffic and keep an eye out for potentially dangerous obstacles while playing, suggests Clair Jones, a children's safety specialist with home safety site SafeWise.
"Never enter the street to catch a Pokemon, and be alert to environmental risks, like ditches, steps, and trees," says Jones, whose stepchild is a Pokemon Go enthusiast.
And make sure your child knows to avoid certain situations altogether, such as walking alone in a dark alley at night.
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2. Don't break the law.
The law still applies when you're playing in augmented reality, so warn your child against trespassing while hunting pocket monsters. That means no scaling fences, no roaming parks after the posted closing times, and no wandering around in your neighbors' backyards.
"It is not OK for them to enter the yard, porch or living areas of others without their permission, no matter what rare Pokemon they might catch there," Jones says.
And, if your Pokemon player is 16 or older, issue this important reminder: Don't Pokemon and drive.
3. Keep tabs on your data.
It's easy for kids to forget about trivial things like data usage when they're trying to "catch 'em all." But you can use the Pokemon Go craze to teach yours how to be responsible with their allotted gigabytes.
Talk to junior about how much data you have in your cell phone plan and, if that data is shared, how much he or she is allowed to use each month. Then demonstrate how to monitor usage so your kid can make sure not to use more than his or her fair share.
If your child has an Android device, he or she can do this by going to "Settings," then "Data usage." This app shows a device's total data usage over a given timeframe, which you can align with your billing cycle. It also shows the amount of data each application on the phone uses.
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iPhone users will find data usage details under "Settings" and "Cellular."
Some carriers preinstall apps on their phones that allow you to check data usage.
4. Protect your data.
Pokemon Go, like most mobile apps, asks for permission to access information from your phone. Most kids -- and most adults, for that matter -- agree without giving it a second thought.
Instead, teach your kids to ask questions before accepting an app's terms, such as, "Why does this app need this information?" "How will it use my information?" "How will it keep my information safe?"
This is important, considering a potentially major security issue was identified within days of Pokemon Go's launch. The app asked for full access to iPhone users' Google accounts, which some worried gave it permission to peek at emails, calendars and Google Drive files.
Google and the app's developers have since corrected this issue. And Google confirmed that Niantic, the software company that created Pokemon Go, didn't access anything beyond an email address and user ID.
The app still asks for access to your location data; the photos, media and files on your device; your contacts; and the ability to take pictures and record video. Location data is the only thing you need to allow to play Pokemon Go.
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Kelsey Sheehy is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: ksheehy@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @KelseyLSheehy.
You have just a few days to learn everything there is to know about a subject you know nothing about. Now what?
"Don't boil the ocean," Terry said as he slapped a tall stack of papers on my desk. "Just tell us what we need to know."
I was staring at a serious problem. To help our firm win a multimillion-dollar consulting contract, I had five days to tell my new boss everything there was to know about airline bankruptcies. Problem was, I didn't know the first thing about airline bankruptcies.
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I barely knew the first thing about anything. It was my first month of my first job out of college, and I had no idea how I--a 23-year-old with zero existing insights on the industry--was going to tell a senior partner anything that wasn't going to get me fired.
"Feel free to use the Internet," Terry said as he shut the door to my office. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
No one warns us that adulthood is full of such sweat-inducing dilemmas, where the stakes are your reputation, your career, and (rightly or wrongly) even your sense of self-worth. When you're in over your head, how do you quickly figure out what's important? Is there a way to go from incompetent to in control--really, really fast?
As I've since discovered, there is. Here's how it works.
1. GOOGLE ONCE, THEN START SKETCHING
Ted Greenwald knows all about deadlines. As a news editor at the Wall Street Journal with almost 35 years of experience in journalism, Greenwald's job depends on delivering stories on time and on point.
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Greenwald recalls having to get up to speed for a story on network security, a particularly gnarly topic for an outsider. "I really could not make sense of the article," Greenwald tells me. To make things worse, Greenwald confesses he is "a very slow reader" who doesn't have time to consume huge piles of research or take multiple passes through material. To survive in the newsroom, he developed two routines.
First, Greenwald says he always "Googles once." Whenever he starts working on a new story, "instead of reading anything, I do some searches. I just open up a bunch of tabs that look promising; I might very quickly have 20 tabs open." This doesn't strike you as all that revolutionary; you probably do the same thing when you're trying to understand something unfamiliar to you. But you probably also find yourself falling down an infinite digital rabbit hole, right? The key, according to Greenwald, is to build a quick overview of what other people have said--and then stop Googling.
To prevent getting sucked into a time-wasting vortex of endless searching, Greenwald says it's important to move on after the initial search. You've got to do it in one sitting. "Whatever I get there, that's it--I'm done at that point," he says. "It's a limited view, but it skims the cream."
And the best cream, according to Greenwald, is something you wouldn't expect a business journalist to search for: pictures. Particularly when the information he'd like to understand involves data, Greenwald suggests looking for images, which convey dense information better than text or raw numbers. "I just imagine what graph I would like to see and type in some words that describe that in Google Images. You may not get the graph you want, but you'll get something that's related to it."
But sometimes, Greenwald admits, image searches come up empty. Even then, he still has to put the pieces of the story together on his own. And that's when he goes to the drawing board--literally.
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"If I'm trying to understand a process, often I will sketch it out as a diagram. It helps me understand the gaps in my knowledge." Just by using a pen and paper, Greenwald can get to the root of the problem, which is how his story on network security came together. "I probably went through 20 pieces of paper," Greenwald says, but in the end he finally grasped the complex topic and was ready to write.
2. GET INSIDE THE RIGHT PEOPLE'S HEADS (NOT JUST THE EXPERTS')
Jules Maltz gives away hundreds of millions of dollars for a living. The 36-year-old partner at Institutional Venture Partners has helped make bets on some of the hottest tech companies of the past decade, including Twitter, Snapchat, Slack, and Dropbox.
But writing big checks isn't as easy as it sounds. If he takes too long, a hot startup will find other investors. If he rushes in, he risks getting caught in a bad deal. "I see all sorts of companies in different industries," Maltz tells me. "If I don't make the right call quickly, I risk missing out on the next big deal."
When the pressure is on, how does he decide which companies to back and which to let go? Maltz's secret isn't just talking to smart people. It's "talking to the right smart people."
When Maltz led his firm's investment in Oportun, a financial services company primarily serving Hispanic communities, he had to figure out what mattered most in retail banking--not his professional forte. "I picked up the phone," Maltz says. "We talk to 10 to 20 people before we make any investment.
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That's more than just a venture capitalist doing his due diligence--it's a way of efficiently circumventing a lot of bad (or just superficial) information and getting straight to the heart of the matter. Maltz believes there's never a shortage of Googleable experts and industry analysts willing to share their knowledge. Once you find a few, Maltz recommends "letting people ramble a bit" before asking the most important question of all: "The best thing you can ask is, 'What questions should I be asking?'"
When Maltz posed that question about Oportun, he learned that, above all else, success in retail banking hinged largely on customer enthusiasm. And, as smart as the industry analysts might be, there was no way they could tell him how much Oportun's customers loved the bank; it was time for Maltz to get outside his office and inside customers' heads.
"I had to learn about a customer who wasn't me," the red-headed, Jewish, native Oregonian told me. Maltz stalked retail locations to find customers willing to talk about their experience. Call it old-school market research if you like, but it was also the most efficient and reliable way for Maltz to brush up. Only by collecting insights straight from customers' mouths could he understand if the bank was a company people would stick with over the long term.
Guided by questions from industry experts, the insights Maltz collected helped him make the case for a $47 million investment. However, without the firsthand information Maltz heard from Oportun's customers, the deal would never have happened.
As Maltz sees it, a hotline to experts is one shortcut to getting up to speed. But there are key insights experts can't reveal. The most valuable insights often come from people who are are closest to a product, policy, or service but outside your sphere.
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"Many people only look at a problem from their point of view--that's a terrible way to do things," Maltz says. Knowledge often comes not only from asking the right questions, but meeting with the right people.
3. TEACH TO KNOW
If anyone knows how to digest new information quickly, it's author Shane Parrish. His blog has over 80,000 subscribers hungry for his weekly insights on a wide range of topics, from business tips to creativity advice.
"When I used to learn new subjects, I would explain them with complicated vocabulary and jargon," Parrish wrote in a post. "The problem with this approach is that I was fooling myself. I didn't know that I didn't understand."
Sometimes insider terminology can make a project appear more intimidating than it is. Unfamiliar words, acronyms, and shorthand can seem like gibberish to someone just getting started. But not knowing jargon can be an advantage.
The famed Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (whom Parrish has written about) believed in two kinds of knowledge: the shallow kind, which only reveals the names of things, and real knowledge, which comes from truly understanding how they work.
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Your more experienced colleagues might be able to spout familiar terms, but that doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. As Feynman once wrote, "If you ask a child what makes [a] toy dog move . . . the answer is that you wound up the spring." But "spring" is just the word used to describe what's visible outside the toy. What happens inside is the object of real knowledge. "Take apart the toy; see how it works. See the cleverness of the gears; see the ratchets. Learn something about the toy, the way the toy is put together, the ingenuity of people devising the ratchets and other things."
In my case, the "ratchets and gears" were the mechanisms of airline finances and bankruptcies, and to take them apart and put them back together again, I did what Parrish recommends:
Write out everything you know about the subject as if you were teaching it to someone else. Not your smart friend but rather a toddler. This may sound silly, but this part is incredibly important and has worked wonders for me learning new things.
If you try this and find your explanation depends on a convoluted vocabulary, you likely don't understand the subject well enough and it's time to go back and simplify.
Today, I'm an author, speaker, and consultant, and I use these techniques to brush up on practically any topic while I'm under the gun. At my first professional job, with a multimillion-dollar deal at stake, I couldn't fake it--I had to get up to speed. I started by getting a lay of the land on what's already known. Next, I synthesized what I'd learned with a few rough sketches and then got on the phone with industry experts who could help me spot the gaps. Finally, I broke down the problem and practiced explaining what I'd learned in simple language that anyone could follow.
I hustled, but five days proved plenty of time, even for a 23-year-old starting from zero.
Nir's Note: Have you ever had to quickly get up to speed on a subject you knew nothing about? How did you do it? Share your tips in the comments section below.
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by Viveca Novak
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's presence on the presidential ticket could make for fundraising headaches. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
When Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, he dealt a potentially serious blow to his fundraising prospects, lawyers are saying.
Pence is a sitting governor. That means contributions to the ticket will be limited by the SEC's 2010 pay to play rule, also known as Rule 206(4)-5 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The rule prevents "SEC registered investment advisers" from contributing more than $250-$350 to state or local officials who could select the firm that would manage a state or local pension fund, or some part of it.
That means most hedge funds and private equity firms -- their PACs, their executives, their fund managers and probably their investor relations staff -- can't give to the ticket. If they violate the rule, they face a two-year ban on managing Indiana's pension money -- or at least, on collecting management fees and a percentage of the profits they earn for the funds, which certainly takes all the fun out of it for firms.
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The Indiana Public Retirement System had about $29.9 billion in assets under management at the end of 2015.
That was a big problem for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's presidential fundraising, and for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's, and it will be for Trump's too.
Lacking instrumentation other than a cell phone and a flashlight, and having nearly crashed into a lake, our aerial cinematography helicopter had landed in a farmer's field at the end of last week's blog. Farmer Fritz got the volunteer fire department to guide us to the airport, where we parked the chopper for the night, got into a rusty old Suburban, which I insisted upon driving, and headed to our motel where we'd catch a few hours sleep before a 4AM call time. The plan was to get up, mount the camera to the nose of the helicopter and be over the Apostle Islands in time to get sunrise footage.
En route to the motel, our pilot informed the cinematographer and myself that he was rather peckish, and might we consider stopping somewhere for food. I offered him the pie on a paper plate that Mrs. Farmer Fritz had sent us off with, but he required something more substantial, or as "luck" would have it, liquid.
We pulled up to a sleepy little tavern at 1AM -- the only place left open in the town of Bayfield, Wisconsin. While they had stopped serving food, they were still serving alcohol, and that was apparently all the sustenance Captain Arg-More-Rum-For-Me-Mates required.
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I went out to the truck and brought in the pie, which the cinematographer and I devoured with our bare hands while Jack Sparrow ordered six shots of tequila. As there were three of us, I assumed he meant for everyone to have two shots before closing time, and while I was just about to decline as I needed to be up in less than three hours, Captain Rumbottom slammed all six so fast his hands were a blur.
"What kind of pilot are you?" was all I could eke out, and he then proceeded to tell us exactly the type of pilot he was.
Of the many combat missions he had allegedly flown in 'Nam, none were as dangerous, or "rewarding" as the many times he had flown around the tri-State area of Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. Nearly every single time, some sort of equipment malfunction caused the helicopter he was piloting (I am guessing it was the same one we were getting back into in a couple of hours) to fail, and Yablonski was forced to auto-rotate (a method of reversing the rotation of the chopper blades in order to reduce the speed with which the aircraft smashes into the ground).
I'm sure there was apple pie on my chin and falling out of my mouth -- my jaw was, after all, resting on a sticky Formica table top as Yablonski went on to say that in each case paramedics were summoned, as it was thought the pilot must surely be mortally injured.
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The really remarkable thing was that each time he crashed the helicopter, instances numbering in the dozen range, the first responders were buxom women wearing tight jumpsuits unzipped to there, who, in order to save his life, administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to an area well south of the standard mouth region, where such medical assistance is usually rendered. Oh lord.
It was at that time my spirit left my body and I hovered over the scene, noticing for the first time that our fellated flyboy was wearing a toupee. It was perfect. I paid the check and the cinematographer and I helped Leonard to the truck, as he was so drunk he could not walk. We had to be in the air in three hours.
At promptly 4AM I met the cameraman at the truck. At 4:10 I went to Yablonski's room and knocked at his door, but there was no answer. I rapped louder, until finally kicking it as hard as I could.
"What?" came the grouchy reply.
"Uh, up and at 'em, slugger." Corny now, but at the time it was all I could come up with other than 'get your f-ing ass out of bed you drunken sot or I will come in there and kill you and there won't be any CPR in your future unless we can count beating you senseless with a tire iron as cardio pulmonary resuscitation.'
"Let's just do this tomorrow," he replied, and I swear I heard him pull a pillow over his head.
There was ground crew waiting for us later in the day, and a full on marching band all set for a parade scene that afternoon. There was no "tomorrow" on this job. I marched my ass to the office, which at 4:15AM was naturally empty. I rang a little silver bell on the counter to no avail. I went behind the counter, found a key to which the word "Master Key" was taped, and I stomped back to Yablonski's room and let myself in. I glanced around for something with which to poke him, fearing should I get too close he'd mistake me for a paramedic and think I was there to... it doesn't matter.
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I ripped the pillow off his head, yanked the blankets away and screamed, "GET UP!"
Ten minutes later we were in the Suburban on our way to the airport. The cinematographer had the camera mounted to the nose of the aircraft in nothing flat. We fueled up the chopper and made it over the Apostles just in time to miss a spectacular sunrise.
Next stop on the Wisconsin Death Tour was to be Prairie du Chien, a gorgeous area of cliffs and valleys along the Mississippi River. En route we passed over a gentle hillside of honey blonde wheat, being traversed by a harras of stunning Andalusians, their white white mane flashing in the sun.
"Bank to the right!" I shouted into my headset. Yablonski promptly banked hard, and to the left. "Your other right," I snarled, and he banked so hard to the right that my arm flew off its spot holding the towel under the motor, and oil splattered my face. By the time I wiped my eyes and could see again, the horses were about 5 miles behind us and had taken cover under a copse of oaks. "Go back!!!" I bellowed, and I swear we did a barrel roll in the Bell Jet Ranger. I grabbed the airsick bag and hurled.
The airsick bag was full, the bath towel was saturated, signaling we needed to add oil, and the horses were nowhere to be found. I vomited again once we were on the ground. Kneeling in the tall grass I looked up to see the Andalusians gallop past. They appeared to be laughing.
"You'll want to empty that," Yablonski said, motioning to the airsick bag clutched in my hand. "It's the only one."
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I know we got some cool shots of the cliffs, hang-gliders, the river and other natural wonders because I have seen the footage, but I do not remember any of that. What I do remember is getting sick over and over because of the smell of the used airsick bag. And I vividly recall the thick fog we got lost in somewhere in the vicinity of the Prairie du Chien Municipal Airport. We literally could see nothing above or below us, and without a radio or functioning instruments we had no way to know our exact position relative to the airport, or the ground.
"We've got plenty fuel," Yablonski informed us. "We'll just hover here until the fog breaks. I think we're practically on top of the airport."
"They land private jets here," I said, having done my research ahead of time. "Won't we get crashed into?"
Yablonski's shoulders went up and down as though he were laughing. "Sweetheart," he condescended into his headset. "Jets fly at 30,000 feet. We're hovering at about 1,500. Do the math."
I did the math. "When they take off and land they must pass through every measurement between 30,000 and zero. We are in that zone!"
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"You worry too much" were his last words before he decided he had had enough of being second-guessed and we were informed it was time to "punch through" and see what was below us. Before anyone could ask what "punch through" meant, we began a rapid descent that almost immediately resulted in the chopper jerking to stop, then bouncing up a few feet.
Until now the cinematographer had remained relatively stoic, which I later learned was simply him praying silently. "What the fuck?!" he yelled.
Down near about 40ft, where we were, the fog had thinned considerably, and I was able to see the power lines we had just bounced off of. I mouthed, "Power lines," unable to make the sound come out, like in a very bad dream. The cameraman had no such trouble.
"Fucking power lines!!!!" he shouted, reaching over and hitting Yablonski in the face, at which time Yablonski yanked the cyclic stick and up we went, only to jolt to a stop. Yablonski fought with the cyclic to no avail. I looked out and saw one of our skids was hooked under a power line. I found my words.
"WE'RE HOOKED!!!!!!"
After some maneuvering, Yablonski unhooked us and managed to put the helicopter on the ground at an abandoned gas station in the middle of nowhere. The cinematographer got on his cell and called a cab, telling them he didn't care how much it cost, he needed a ride to Milwaukee -- 181 miles away.
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"But we still have stuff to shoot," I said weakly.
"Have a nice time," he told me.
Yablonski stuck a forefinger into his mouth, and then held it in the air. "Fog'll be lifting any minute," he reported, based on this action. Like a zombie I climbed into the front of the aircraft where the cinematographer had been sitting, I put my headset on, and tried to figure out how the nose-mounted camera worked. By the time the fog lifted I felt relatively confident I could shoot the remaining footage, and we left the cameraman at the abandoned gas station, waiting for a cab. We fueled up at Prairie du Chien, and then headed to Milwaukee.
For all his faults, the one good thing about Leonard Yablonski was his absolute willingness to break the law in order to get me the coolest damn footage ever of downtown Milwaukee, including swooping between buildings only feet above the cars, buzzing boats in the Milwaukee River, and hovering right outside my friend Deb's high-rise apartment on Prospect Avenue, over-looking Lake Michigan. Len got me so close I could tell Deb hadn't flossed her teeth.
Len even delivered me to our wrap party. On Milwaukee's Southside, where the best Mexican restaurants are, he put down in an empty lot across the street from Pepe's taqueria, like I was a rockstar. I drank ten margaritas in a row and don't remember anything until the next day when I called Yablonski to tell him I didn't think we should have to pay the full amount since we missed sunrise over the Apostle Islands and lost our cinematographer half way into the shoot thanks to pilot error.
"Okay," he said. "Whatever you think is fair." I sent him a check for half, and then tried to put the whole thing behind me. The cinematographer reported Yablonski to the FAA, but saw him at a trade show a few years later, working his "aerial photo pilot" booth under a different name.
"You're Leonard Yablonski!" the cinematographer hissed. "Nope. I am not," Yablonski replied. "I am Sven Yablon."
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The moral of the story is best conveyed by a slogan rejected by the Wisconsin Tourism Association, "Wisconsin. Come here once." Oh, I almost forgot. You get what you pay for.
In her 2013 TedWomen Talk, entrepreneur Jane Chen noted that "there are 15 million pre-term and underweight babies born every year around the world and one of the biggest problems they face is staying warm."
Premature babies can't properly regulate their body temperatures and need an incubator in order for their organs to develop properly. If a baby is wasting energy on trying to stay warm, a range of problems can result: diabetes, heart disease, low IQ, and sometimes death. Four million of these babies die annually.
Shortly after receiving her MBA from Stanford University, Chen moved to India and set up her company, Embrace Innovations, in order to develop a low-cost, portable, reusable incubator to help women in remote areas of the world where a lack of reliable electricity and the high cost of medical equipment made the traditional incubators we have in hospitals impossible.
After two years of clinical testing, setting up manufacturing and distribution, Chen's company launched the Embrace. The comfortable infant wrap uses phase-change material to melt at human body temperature and stay the proper temperature for eight hours. After that, the heat source can be replaced with a new one and continuously supply a nurturing environment for babies that need it.
In a new post for Forbes magazine, Chen talks about what happened next.
"After five years as CEO, I returned to San Francisco and was on the verge of closing a deal with a major medical device company that was taking the full round of our next investment and would become our global distributor. I was ecstatic. This was exactly where I had hoped to take the company -- this would make us scalable, and would significantly increase the impact we could make."
But then, as she describes it, in a "cruel twist of fate," the company she had signed on with fired its CEO and the deal she had worked so hard on disappeared overnight. Her company had seven days of cash left.
She went on to describe the whirlwind that many start-ups go through: she took out two bridge loans and asked everyone she knew for small investments to keep her company going until she could arrange another deal. She finally found an angel investor in Marc Benioff, the CEO and founder of Salesforce.com, who had personal experience with his own child needing an incubator. He gave her company the lifeline it needed to stay afloat and give Chen the time she needed to look for a new way forward.
Later that year, she started surfing in Hawaii, another lifelong dream of Chen's. She likens her experiences with her start-up to the profound lessons she has learned as a beginner surfer: "Everything is impermanent. When the waves knock you down, try again. Take the lessons you can from it, and move on to the next wave. Don't be afraid to catch bigger waves. Accept what cannot be changed. And always have fun."
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As "someone who has failed many times," she urges people to "try, try, and try again." Her biggest lesson? "Don't waste energy fighting the things that cannot be changed. Instead, adapt to the situation and learn to ride with it."
It worked for her. Today, Chen's company is flourishing and she has turned an idea into a product that has helped save thousands of lives. To date, the Embrace has helped over 200,000 children in 15 countries. She hopes to grow to the point where the Embrace will save 1 million babies globally, and recently launched Little Lotus, a line of baby swaddles, sleeping bags and blankets for the US market with a temperature control function to help babies sleep better, and a 1:1 model - every purchase helps to save a baby in a developing country with the Embrace warmer.
A scene from "In the Soup," an episode of Leave it to Beaver directed by Norman Abbott. [photographer unknown]
The sit-com was a new invention when director Norman Abbott, who died at age 93 on July 9th, started making them in the early sixties. And the series he helped to create -- Get Smart, Leave It to Beaver, The Munsters, Sanford and Son, to name a few -- are among the all-time landmarks of classic television comedy. (Though, to be sure, he never quite eclipsed the legacy of his uncle, Bud Abbott of Abbott and Costello.)
I conducted a one-on-one interview with Abbott in August 1997 for a newspaper article, but ended up not using the interview for the piece. Hence, my audiotaped Q&A with him has been unpublished -- until now. Here's my conversation with him.
Paul Iorio: What is your favorite [Leave It to Beaver] episode of all the ones you did? What's the best one?
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Norman Abbott: I like the one in the soup cup on the billboard. [The 1961 episode "In the Soup," in which Beaver gets stuck in a giant cup on an advertising sign.]
Iorio: How did that evolve? What about your part in that?
Abbott: We were sitting around talking. I had just come back from New York and was talking about Times Square. And [writers] Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher had also been in New York. And we were talking about the sights. And there was an actual billboard in Times Square -- I think it was a soup cup or a bowl or something with heat coming out of it. And Bob and Joe said, "Let's put Beaver up in one of those cups." It was their idea, based on our kicking around stories about New York City. And that's how it happened.
*************
Iorio: You started directing [Leave It to Beaver] in '60, '61?
Abbott: Some time in there. I was working at ABC as a stage manager and my first show was Bachelor Father with John Forsythe. And from that show, at the Universal lot, I got the Leave it to Beaver job.
Iorio: So you weren't there with the CBS incarnation of the show?
Abbott: It was on ABC initially, I think. Wasn't it?
Iorio: No, actually, I think it was on CBS for one season and then was canceled by CBS.
Abbott: Yeah, that's probably right.
Iorio: For a time, you were the main director, though Norman Tokar --
Abbott: Norman Tokar was the one. Norman Tokar was responsible, really, for the success of the show. The writing was very good. Connelly and Moser did most of the writing. They hired Norman Tokar, who set the style of the show, he was a very gifted director and worked for Disney for many years.
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Iorio: Who do you think was most responsible for the character or Eddie Haskell? Because he is the one thing, whenever you bring up the show --
Abbott: I don't know where the character came from... There was no antagonist on the show -- ever. Everyone was a protagonist. No bad guys. And Eddie kind of fit that picture [of an antagonist] a little bit. He was abrasive, he was someone you could bounce off of. And good writing comes from that kind of an attitude.
Iorio: Did you ever think of basing a spin-off show around Eddie Haskell, like Eddie and the Gang?
Abbott: No, I don't recall any talk of doing a spin off with Eddie, because Beaver was too important to Bob and Joe.
*************
Iorio: The show was obviously done on a back lot.
Abbott: Yes
Iorio: But my research says there's a house at 1727 Buckingham Road in L.A. that apparently the facade is based on. Was it ever filmed on site?
Abbott: I doubt it very much. The Beaver house was on the back lot. And on a three-day schedule, which is all we had, we had a day of rehearsal, we had a three-day shoot, and time was always of the essence because the boys had to be in school. We would never go off the lot to shoot. Once in a great while, maybe. But, generally, everything had to be done in that three-day period. Because [the child actors] had to have five hours of school everyday. And we only had an eight or ten-hour day to shoot.
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Iorio: Everybody always mention how well-crafted the show was. But everybody also mentions that the series had an idealized portrait of suburbia, never a hair out of place --
Abbott: All of that can be attributed to Joe Connelly. Joe came from an Irish-Catholic family and he attributed the good life to his lifestyle. And [Barbara Billingsley's character] was always the epitome of what every mother should be, as far as Joe was concerned. And that in turn cast the perfect husband, understanding to the children. And while we never did anything religious on the show, Joe was staunch in that area.
Iorio: What did you do after Leave It to Beaver?
Abbott: We went on to do [The Munsters]. There were two writers who worked for us, Norm Liebman and Ed Haas. They worked for Joe and Bob. And Ed Haas was an artist in his heart and would take the trade papers every day and [jokingly] re-do whatever picture was on [the cover]. He would erase the face and put a new one on. That sort of thing.
One day there was a Frankenstein picture in the paper and he redid it with a smile on Frankenstein's face. And -- I remember the day so well -- that's how The Munsters started.
He then took the picture to Joe and Bob and said, "Look at this funny thing I did." With no idea they would say, "Hey, that's a good idea for a pilot!" But that's how the Munsters pilot started. Exactly as it started. We did a ten-minute presentation, we didn't even do a full pilot. And I had a friend at CBS in charge of programming. And we had two days of shooting. The second day, you couldn't get near the soundstage. Everybody on the lot came down to see what we were doing. And I called my friend at CBS and said, "I don't know what the hell this is, but, my god, you can't get near the place, you'd better send for the film once we finish it." And he did. And it went on the air.
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Iorio: The Addams Family --
Abbott: That came afterwards.
Iorio: Who was in production first?
Abbott: We were.
Iorio: Did you ever think of doing Leave It to Beaver as a feature film?
Abbott: No, never entered my mind. At that time, not many television shows were being done as features.
Iorio: Are you surprised at the durability of these shows (you were involved with]?
In view of (yet another) grotesquely inhumane attack it is worth pondering the very old interplay between France, Islam, and Liberty. I was in Nice two days ago and the immediacy of all this makes me humble.
This is Bastille day, after all, the celebration of the triumph of republican liberty over the forces of brute authority. America galvanized France into the event France celebrates today, as France enabled the victory we Americans celebrated 10 days ago.
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And yet the specter of Islamist illiberalism hangs above it all:
Ambassador Abdarahaman of Tripoli said in 1784 that it was their Koran-inspired "duty" to kill or enslave infidels, a sentiment repeated by ISIS in almost exact terms in this day of butchery.
Jefferson advocated military intervention to stop the predation by "piratical Islamic powers." In fact the USS Constitution, bathed now in semi-mythological glory, was built expressly for this purpose, though often forgotten today.
John Adams tried to caution Jefferson away from the militant confrontation with Islamist powers, saying, "We ought not to fight them at all unless we determine to fight them forever."
Well, it appears that Adams was probably right: we will be fighting them forever or at least until such time as freedom can flower in the Islamic world again.
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Everyone is prejudiced to some degree. We may suppress those feelings from being outwardly expressed, or we may deny them even to ourselves. The key to keeping biases to a minimum is to turn off the personal filters that cloud judgment and focus instead on accepting other people's realities. Acknowledge the differences and then accept, embrace and appreciate them. The importance of personal reflection and self-knowledge to creating a blinders-free perspective cannot be overstated. People who truly know themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin tend to be the most open-minded -- i.e., the most impartial and the least judgmental. They are confident about their own values and beliefs and, as a direct result, do not feel compelled to force those values and beliefs on others. On the other hand, people who have never delved deep inside to test and question their beliefs and values are far more likely to fear and denigrate the mass of others who do not look, sound, or act exactly like they do. These less reflective individuals are driven to persuade and/or punish the "others" to accept and validate their particular worldview. It's "my way or the highway" for those whose self-knowledge is constrained by ideology and indoctrination -- as well as a lack of general curiosity about and appreciation for the larger world around them. Their life's journey consists of a single track in the shape of a circle. They go round and round seeing the same things over and over again. And the more they see those same things, the more partial they become towards them. This circular journey drives the why in every terror attack and hate crime, and it's the why that becomes the focus of law enforcement and the media in the immediate aftermath. Why would this or that seemingly normal person turn into a senseless killer? Why attack so randomly knowing that many innocent people (including children) will be among the dead and injured? The focus is on the search for a specific cause -- a specific rationale -- ranging from Islamic jihad to ethno-centric separatism to religious fundamentalism, homophobia, and pure racism.
Whatever the "specific" cause, the root cause is unequivocally indoctrination followed by blind faith to a person, organization or orthodoxy. Blind faith refers to beliefs that are held without true understanding, reasoned discrimination, or experiential proof. While an argument can be made that all "faith" is "blind" by definition, let's focus on the articles of faith that serve to dehumanize and engender hate.
Take a moment to consider your most deeply held beliefs, and then focus on those that originated from an external source. The beliefs you hold because you were taught to hold them. Examples might include the belief that women are subservient (and belong in the kitchen and out of the boardroom), homosexuality is an abomination (and gay marriage will destroy traditional marriage), Muslims are terrorists (and shouldn't be allowed to build mosques in "our" neighborhood), Jews are stingy and greedy (and plotting to take over the world), and Mexicans are lazy (and so we have to build an electrified fence on our southern border to keep them out and stop them from taking our jobs). No one -- and I truly mean no one -- ever derived these beliefs on his or her own. They are the result of indoctrination by one or more of the groups we belong to (family, school, church, friends, etc.), and the lack of a questioning mindset of our own.
Our educational, corporate and community institutions have trained us to repeat and regurgitate. Introspection and personal reflection are unvalued, ignored, discouraged or -- in extreme cases -- punished. We've become a world of blind followers with little insight into our personal character, and our society suffers as a result.
Most people believe what they've been taught to believe. They do what other people tell them to do, and say what others expect them to say. That's why the "lives of quiet desperation" that Thoreau described are so prevalent today and why civil discourse has been replaced with the coarse language of divisiveness and disdain.
Few people take this blind faith to the extreme of the Orlando and Charleston shooters, the Istanbul bombers, or the maniacal truck driver in Nice; but we all suffer from it. The only way to truly overcome and eliminate blind faith -- and the indoctrination that nurtures it -- is to focus on personal reflection and self-knowledge. If you can't explain what you believe, then you don't truly "believe" it. You've simply been taught to believe it.
How has being exiled from Egypt changed you and your plans for life? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights.
Answer by Bassem Youssef, The Democracy Handbook with Bassem Youssef, former host of Al-Bernameg, on Quora.
It's been very interesting because at the age of 42 I had to start all over again. I had a change of career when I was 37, when I was a heart surgeon moving into media. I thought, "Oh my god, that's late." At 42, though, I am not just in a new country, but changing a whole career. It's still in media, but in a different country, in a different language, not my native language, and I'm doing material that is directed at Americans from an Arab who is making fun of some of the aspects of their policies. It's quite challenging because you worry that people will reject you, will tell you "who are you to tell us about democracy." I'm not telling people about democracy though, but satirists around the world are equal-opportunity offenders for everything.
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On a social level, I live in California. I have a Prius and I'm already a vegan, so I am fitting right in. Right now I'm juicing, not like testosterone / steroids, but I'm on a green juice regimen for 8 days now. No solid foods for 8 days. I was inspired by the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. I did this because after a long flight from Dubai to New York, I kind of cheated a little bit on the airlines, because it was 15 hours and I didn't have anything to do, but I felt terrible when I landed. So I fasted one day and then I did two days, and then 3 ... oh, how does 5 days sound? Now it's been about a week. This has been my life in exile.
(Painting by Matt Furman- follow on Instagram @_illvision)
The first time I ever saw a gun was when I was 17. To this day, I still have no idea whether or not it was loaded. Although most of my memory from that evening in Atlanta has dissipated, I do remember that it felt cold--solely because it was pressed firmly into my head by a misguided young black man. A game of Russian roulette followed. Thankfully, I survived the events of that evening in 1991--but not before they imprinted a vivid memory on my impressionable mind, informed my worldview and handed me the gift of discomfort with the way men viewed and valued women.
My family is from Nigeria, the most populous and often infamous country in Africa. Yet, it is a land of unparalleled beauty, history and possibility. It is a country where black is honored as beautiful and where black people occupy the roles of both princes and paupers, top politicians and bottom beggars. Although I was born in England and now work with survivors of rape and sex trafficking between the United States and West Africa, it is the one place that will always be home to this proud, African woman.
My arrival in the United States when I was 15 was not the first time I had been away from the safety and security of home. In an effort to provide me with what my parents believed was a stellar education, I was shipped off to boarding school in Jos, a city in Northern Nigeria, when I was 9. Although the missionary school was predominately operated by whites, the students were overwhelmingly black and I remained surrounded by Nigerian language, music, culture and beauty. By the time I arrived in Atlanta in 1989, I was accustomed to a life of independence. And confidence.
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This was because my framing narrative as a child was one that repeatedly affirmed the colour of my skin. I did not grow up questioning whether I belonged. Of course I did. Judgments about who I was were based on the content of my character and not the colour of my skin. In Nigeria, I walked with my head held high and with pride and privilege, black privilege, which was laced with the same sense of entitlement that white people in America often take for granted.
It was not until I arrived in the United States that I observed the brutality of racism. Initially, my mind struggled to conceptualize the possibility that one could be prejudged because of the colour of one's skin--before a single word was uttered. Doing so seemed completely unevolved and unintelligent. I simply could not understand why so many black Americans appeared grateful to be given a seat at the table, while their fellow white citizens felt completely entitled to be there. Racism seemed to me to be a crippling burden that black Americans attempted to carry without being completely stripped of their pride and dignity. They were constantly aware of its daunting presence in a way that I was often oblivious to. It was a shadow that taunted and haunted them, regardless of whether they were educated and confident, whether they were professional athletes whose talents were sold to the highest bidder or even America's beloved, Ms. Oprah Winfrey. For me, racism was initially incomprehensible; that is, until it began to fiercely weave itself into the fabric of my own personal experiences as a young, naive African student and later, as an accomplished attorney in corporate America.
Around the same time, I also began to note the frequency of gun violence in America, particularly in communities of colour. I simply could not reconcile how people whose lives had been historically oppressed were also the most plagued by what appeared to be a potential threat to their survival. The reality of black on black gun related violence is certainly real. I experienced it. However, so is the disproportionate reality of white on black police related violence. As I matured into adulthood in American society, I realized that for many decades and in multiple forms, black Americans had been screaming "black lives matter...too." However, not enough white people were listening or willing to get on board. Too many conveniently opted for the role of bystander and dismissed the harrowing screams because it meant that they would have to face the truth about their own biases, prejudices and racism. And then...be accountable to do something. As an activist and organizer for #BringBackOurGirls, the global movement demanding the return and rehabilitation of the still missing Chibok Girls of Nigeria, I certainly recognized the all too familiar presence of apathy, one of Nigeria's closest allies.
No, not every incidence of white on black police related violence involves racism. However, enough possibly do and for the sake of those whose lives have been and will be obliterated, the system that was intentionally built to prioritize one group over another requires dismantling. The reality is that when it comes to black men, America seems to have adopted what Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, refers to as "the danger of a single story," i.e., if we repeatedly hear only a single story about another person or group of people, we risk a critical misunderstanding of that person or group. American media has predominantly fed a 'single story' of the black man to Americans. He is the big, aggressive, thug life loving, jeans sagging, tattooed, marijuana smoking jail bird who constantly packs a weapon because he is unjustifiably angry at the world and thus, a ticking time bomb. In the same way Africa's "dark continent" narrative was packaged and sold with a false sense of credibility, this dehumanizing 'single story' of the American black man has been repeatedly packaged, advertised and regurgitated to the American public and has now been adopted as truth. From an outsider's perspective, it is what potentially breeds fear in the hearts of non-blacks, including some police officers, and causes them to respond with a heightened level of aggression that unfortunately, sometimes results in the use of deadly force as we have seen in recent days.
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It is this crippling 'single story' of black men (and increasingly, black women) that has resulted in a heightened sense of fear by whites and resentment from blacks who feel trapped in a system that they tell me has no interest in leveling the playing field. Adopting the 'single story' is dangerous, not only because it leads to "othering" and dehumanizing, but also because it inevitably generates more divisive rhetoric in a world that is already harboring too many diseased souls.
America needs to stop shooting. Period. None of the victims who lost their lives as a result of the recent killings in Baton Rouge, Falcon Heights or Dallas deserved to. Every human being should be able to sincerely express that very sentiment without reservation and yes, black Americans also have a major role to play in changing the narrative. However, until the entire country awakens to the fact that it has a major problem as the world's leading human exterminators, the heinous killing cycle will inevitably continue. In some ways, this America certainly does not feel like the "American Dream" that I was sold.
As the US-led NATO accelerates its efforts to tighten the arc around Russia with the most recent declaration out of its two-day Warsaw summit, it seems apparent that the goal of the military escalation and preparation for war with Russia over the last two years will be adequately in place by Hillary Clinton's inauguration.
As we already know from her unwavering support of Israel and the Iraq war, skeptical support for President Obama's Iran nuclear deal, a noticeable predilection toward Russo-phobian 'aggression" (aka as protecting one's own borders), the brutal destruction of the Ukraine, Libya and Syria and other ill-conceived military misadventures, the woman's testosterone level is dangerously elevated.
To suggest that President Clinton II will surpass the current President's support for armed conflict, despite his occasional reluctant warrior image while spreading more bombing, violence and chaos than his predecessor, is probably a safe bet. Although in general, President Obama presents a considerably smoother facade and is more verbally facile than Mrs. Clinton especially when he rationalizes war, more war and war again to his gullible liberal base. Mrs. Clinton, by contrast, carries a personal edge in her manner and expression, a marked lack of expressing sincere compassion; there is little warm and snuggly about the new grandmother.
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In any case, during Obama's recent press conference in Warsaw he began by distracting the audience from NATO's reinvigorated commitment to war with Russia by comments that attempted to neuter recent police violence against an unarmed black population with the US "is not as divided as some have suggested" and then, just as smoothly moved on to make the case for war in eastern Europe. Can it be that officials of those Baltic countries neighboring Russia fail to grasp the reality that their citizens will be in the direct line of fire.
History may ultimately show that any difference between Obama's and Clinton's militarist credentials may depend more on rhetoric and style rather than substance.
Central to the American-instigated military build up in eastern Europe is an assortment of formidable US guided missile destroyers including the USS Donald Cook which has been cruising in both the Baltic (2016) and the Black (2014) Seas and has, more than once, drawn the attention of a Russian SU-24 fighter jet. No doubt the Obama - Clinton team would define such encounters as "mounting Russian aggression" although, with the Cook and other Sixth Fleet destroyers thousands of miles from its US home base, it might be more accurately described as intentional violation of international sovereignty.
Commissioned in 1998 and upgraded in 2012 for an undetermined cost in order to function as part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, we can assume that the Cook's mission in the Black Sea as it trolled the edges of Russian territorial water was considerably more than seeking a friendly port to provide its crew with a weekend pass.
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In April, 2014, the Cook was deployed to the Black Sea to 'reassure its NATO allies of the US commitment" shortly after the overthrow of Ukraine's democratically elected President with key guidance from Victoria Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State (rumored soon-to-be Hillary's Secretary of State) and the subsequent annexation vote to return the Crimean Peninsula including Sebastopol. Sevastopol is a strategically important port and naval base for Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF) as is Kaliningrad, home port to the Russian Baltic Sea Fleet.
Equipped with long range surface-to-surface Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, assorted surface-to-air missiles and antiballistic missiles, one of the world's most advanced underwater surveillance systems as well as AEGIS, one of the world's most advanced naval weapon systems touted by the Pentagon as a "computerized, quick reaction air and ballistic missile defense system, provides extraordinary capabilities against attacking aircraft and missiles. The heart of the Aegis system is the SPY radar that automatically detects and tracks virtually everything in the air allowing DONALD COOK to identify, evaluate, and engage the enemy with incredible firepower and accuracy," any reasonable person might ask why a fourth-generation $1.8 billion (not including costs for its various weapon systems) fully loaded destroyer would be touring the Black Sea other than to taunt the Russians.
As the US warship approached the Crimean peninsula skirting Russian waters, an unarmed Sukhoi SU-24 fighter jet, carrying only electronic gear, made several 'close passes' to the Cook and ultimately simulated numerous offensive maneuvers; thereby, according to the US State Department, 'gravely demoralizing' the Cook's crew.
That's an interesting use of the word 'demoralize' and we can only surmise that the Russian fly-by perhaps caused a near-panic situation on-board as the enlisted crew may have been less than enthusiastic to participate in a potential nuclear exchange with Russia. Smart lads they are and good reason for the Pentagon to ponder.
As it turns out what may have been 'demoralizing'to the crew was that as the Russian jet approached the Cook, which was narrowly close to Sevastopol, the ship's much-vaunted AEGIS system was entirely shut down rendering the Cook's entire communication system useless, its radar based weapons jammed and its anti-air missile function disrupted. With the crew unable to restart AEGIS, we might better understand why there might have been some consternation on-board the Cook.
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Few western media covered the story, most dutifully denying any such neutering of AEGIS had occurred and that if the SU-24 was carrying any electronic warfare (EW) equipment known as Khibiny, it would have been visible on the jet's wing tip where it would normally be found on similar Russian jets. A Khibiny is a mounted EW capsule, considered the most advanced in the world and since there was no observable Khibiny located on the wing dip, such a report of a muted AEGIS must be erroneous. What was not mentioned however was that the video of the jet 'buzzing' the Cook clearly indicates a pod mounted on the center line of the Russian SU-24 as well as a basket under the fuselage - either could be a Khibiny pod.
While the Pentagon did not directly refute the AEGIS failure, the mention of a "demoralizing" crew becomes more understandable with reports that, after AEGIS ceased to function, the SU-24 flew over the Cook's deck repeatedly while simulating an offensive attack on the ship. Once in port, as is reasonable to expect that young sailors freaked out, sufficiently so that 27 of the 270 member crew allegedly requested reassignment papers after the incident. While an enlisted crew cannot simply walk away from its position, the story nevertheless lends some credibility to the AEGIS malfunction.
Al Jazeera's news report that the Pentagon fired off an 'angry response' with accusations of Russia's "provocative and unprofessional action" .... "inconsistent with international protocols and previous agreements" smacks of nothing short of an appalling hypocritical double-standard.
Two years later, on April 12th, 2016, you may have read that the USS Donald Cook, was buzzed a second time by another unarmed Sukhoi Su-24 this time while on patrol in the Baltic Sea.
What you probably did not read was that the Cook, on 'routine patrol' in support of "US national security interests' was approximately 50 miles off the coast of Kaliningrad and home to the Russian Baltic Sea Fleet. The US formally issued a protest to Russia.
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US Secretary of State John Kerry added a statement that said "under the rules of engagement, that (Russian jet) could have been a shoot-down" adding that the "US is not going to be intimidated on the high seas."
After the Cook's encounter in 2016, a U.S. European Command spokesman affirmed that under rules of engagement, the Commanding Officer has the authority to take defensive action if the safety of their vessel is in danger and that since the aircraft was unarmed, there is nothing to be done.
We can only imagine the national uproar, the media hysteria, the pandemonium on the floor of Congress, the terror of American citizens if a Russian warship in the Atlantic Ocean dared to approach the territorial waters close to the Norfolk Naval Yard.
A number of years ago, I had returned on a flight from Portland, Or to Chicago, Il . I was living in Waukegan, Il and working in Chicago. I was returning from visiting my family in Pacific Northwest. When the plane landed, I went and got my luggage and then my wife and I proceeded to long-term parking at O'Hare Airport to pick up our car.
We got into the car and were preparing to leave and that's when we noticed that no cars were moving at all. What was the reason for the stall in traffic ? My wife and I heard several drivers getting impatient, several car horns honking, several people yelling. Finally, it became clear that the exit booth for the parking lot was malfunctioning. The gate guard would not raise up and allow vehicles to leave. The attendant for the exit booth look very frustrated while dealing with all of the irate drivers who wanted to leave but who were prevented from departing because of this technical problem. A half an hour later, the gate problem at the exit booth was resolved and vehicles were able to depart.
Sometimes, you can feel like you are being stranded in a parking lot without the ability to leave. Currently , there is a lot of turmoil in our country surrounding the treatment of citizens, particularly people of color, by police. There is the continuing trauma of terror due to the endless events of violence that we have witnessed in Paris, Brussels, Orlando and now in Nice. Is there an orderly way to leave the parking lot or are we stuck to wait until the gate guard is fixed that will allow traffic to again move freely?
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Feeling stuck, either in your personal life or as a country, can be demoralizing. Your aspirations can feel thwarted, your hopes and dreams can be derailed. How do you begin to break free and not remain immobilized?
Cornell West of Princeton University has recently observed
"I have deep empathy for brothers and sisters who are shot in the police force. I also have profound empathy for people of color who are shot by the police. I have always believed deliberate killing to be a crime against humanity." Obama has failed victims of racism and police brutality, The Guardian -- 1 day ago
Like drivers in cars who find themselves frustrated being stuck in a parking lot, we have voices that are clashing in frustration and anguish regarding violence being done to people of color and violence being done to police. The common theme, of course, is the continuing problem of violence in our society.
There is an on-going need for civil constructive discourse in our country. We need to be able to talk about the reality for security against terror while being committed to the support of civil liberties. We need to demand that law enforcement abandon the hideous practice of racial profiling and to constructively work on skills regarding conflict resolution, without resorting to the immediate use of firearms.
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I remember that I was happy and relieved that day when the gate guard at the exit booth at O'Hare Airport was fixed and was again operational. I didn't like feeling stranded and trapped in my vehicle and not be able to move.
The good news is that we, as a people, do not have to feel trapped and stranded either. There are conversations we can have with one another and actions that we can take that can help open the gates and allow the path " to be made straight."
Protesters display their message during a rally outside of the Chinese Consulate hours before the Hague-based UN international arbitration tribunal is to announce its ruling on South China Sea Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Makati city east of Manila, Philippines. The protesters are urging China to respect the Philippines' rights over its exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf as mandated by the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines just scored a historic legal victory against China in the South China Sea. The much-anticipated decision came more than three years after the Southeast Asian country filed for compulsory arbitration, under Article 287, Annex VII of the United Nations on the Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), against China, which boycotted the whole proceedings and has refused to acknowledge its jurisdiction.
Most experts foresaw a favorable verdict for the Philippines, but few expected it to be such a clean sweep. The Philippines won on almost all of its arguments against China, which has bitterly dismissed the verdict as 'null and void'. The arbitration outcome marks a significant setback for China, which seeks leadership and respect in the region and beyond.
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It also provides the new Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte a crucial bargaining chip as Manila seeks to re-open long-frozen diplomatic channels with Beijing, prevent military conflict, and revive previously robust investment relations between the two estranged neighbors.
For years, China has sought to procedurally undermine the Philippines' arbitration maneuver by invoking jurisdictional and admissibility concerns. In its position papers, China has repeatedly argued that the UNCLOS and arbitration bodies under its aegis lack the mandate to oversee what are essentially sovereignty-related disputes.
China also cited exemption clauses under the UNCLOS (Art. 298, Section 2, Part XV), arguing that it has opted out of arbitration proceedings that concern its sovereignty claims. It also accused the Philippines of abusing international legal mechanisms and violating prior bilateral and multilateral agreements by opting for compulsory arbitration.
Beijing also stepped up its diplomatic counter-maneuvers. For instance, it solicited the support of up to forty countries on the issue, with at least eight of them -- mostly landlocked African countries -- openly rejecting Manila's legal maneuver. It also announced its decision to set up alternative international arbitration bodies to counter what it describes as Western-dominated existing legal institutions.
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China also engaged in a systematic effort to denigrate, delegitimize, and distort the nature of the Philippines' arbitration proceedings at The Hague. China threatened to withdraw from the UNCLOS, while aggressively lobbying members of the tribunal to drop the case. The Arbitral Tribunal, however, stood its ground.
In its final verdict, it ruled China's doctrine of 'historic rights', a foundation of its nine-dashed-line claims, as 'incompatible' with prevailing international law, arguing that 'there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources.'
The verdict also makes it clear that China 'violated the Philippines' sovereign rights' by preventing the Southeast Asian country from exercising its sovereign rights particularly its ability to exploit natural resources such as fisheries stock and hydrocarbon deposits within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as provided by the UNCLOS. It also rejected China's longstanding claim that the contested land features in the Spratly chain of islands -- particular Mischief, Gaven, McKennan, Hughues, Johnson, Cuarteron and Fiery Cross reefs -- as well as the Scarborough Shoal constitute naturally-formed islands.
Most of them, the Tribunal ruled, are low tide elevations that can neither be claimed as sovereign territory nor generate their own entitlement claims. The Tribunal also ruled that China's massive reclamation activities in the Spratly chain of islands are 'incompatible with the obligations' of member states, since it 'inflicted irreparable harm to the maritime environment' and 'destroyed evidence of natural condition of features' in the area.
The case regarding the Philippines and China on the South China Sea is heard at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, the Netherlands. (Permanent Court of Arbitration via AP)
In unequivocal terms, the Tribunal ruled that China has violated various provisions of UNCLOS, rejecting its sweeping maritime claims as well as assertive and provocative activities in the area. The verdict, per Article 296 as well as Article 11 of Annex VII of the Convention, is final and binding, regardless of China's protestations. But enforcement is far from assured.
Nevertheless, the verdict marks a huge strategic setback for China. To begin with, the United States and key allies such as Japan, Australia, and France, among others, can utilize the verdict as a legal pretext for conducting multilateral, expansive and sustained Freedom of Navigations Operations close to Chinese-occupied low-tide-elevations in the Spratly chain of islands.
Moreover, the verdict sets a strong precedence for Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia to contemplate, if not actually file, similar arbitration cases against China, which has stepped up its para-military maneuvers and fishing activities across the South China Sea basin.
More fundamentally, the verdict puts into question China's claim to being a peaceful, responsible and law-abiding power, which also seeks leadership and respect in Asia and beyond. It now risks being branded as an outlaw.
Much, however, will also depend on the Philippines' newly-elected President Rodrigo Duterte, who has made it clear that he will not flaunt the verdict to taunt China. Eager to revive bilateral ties and avoid conflict with Beijing, which has offered massive infrastructure investments in recent weeks, the Duterte administration shunned any triumphalist statement on the verdict, even if majority of Filipinos ecstatically embraced what they see as unequivocal moral victory.
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It is highly likely that the Philippine government will try to leverage the highly-favorable verdict in prospective bilateral talks with China. In exchange for not issuing a strongly worded statement -- calling for Chinese compliance and international assistance to enforce the verdict -- the Duterte administration will seek certain concrete concessions from China.
It could, for instance, ask China to provide greater leeway for Filipino fishermen straddling disputed waters and a guarantee that China will neither establish military facilities on the Scarborough Shoal, located only 110 nautical miles from Philippine shorelines, nor impose an exclusion zone in the Spratly chain of islands.
But this will surely not sit well with America and other allies, who expect a strong statement from the country that initiated the arbitration proceedings. What is clear, however, is that the Duterte administration's diplomatic mettle will be tested like never before. The foul-mouthed former provincial mayor has suddenly found himself in the middle of a high-stakes global geopolitical chessboard.
Above all, if China refuses to abide by the verdict, it will be openly branded as an outlaw, undermining its longstanding claim to regional leadership as a responsible power. For now, all eyes are on the Philippines' new president, Rodrigo Duterte, who has expressed his refusal to flaunt the verdict to taunt China in order to avoid further escalation. For the Dutetre administration, it appears that what is more important is to leverage the verdict as a bargaining chip in upcoming high-stakes bilateral negotiations with China.
Most likely, the Philippine government will shun a strongly-worded statement regarding the arbitration verdict in order to revive long-frayed bilateral ties with China and seek tangible concessions on the ground. What is clear, however, is that China's actions in the South China Sea are in contravention of international law. That is now beyond dispute.
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France is under attack again. By extension -- and by association -- Europe is under attack for a third time in less than a year. The second major attack in France speaks volumes about the growing threat levels and the government's inability to rein in on the bad guys. More importantly, it reflects the failure of the European Union in leading the fight against terror and its contributing factors. One response -- and Marine La Pen would strongly advocate for it -- would be to call for stringent security measures at the cost of civil liberties and moving towards a divorce from the EU. This, however, will only aggravate problems for France. Terrorism has become a European problem and France wouldn't be able to tackle it on its own.
There are certain realizations that Europe has to make after the Nice attacks. As was evident from the earlier events, the EU has largely been left to its own devices at its time of greatest need. United States, which still claims to be the key ally, has chosen to ignore the European predicament. It refused to shoulder the responsibility of the Syrian refugees and, more importantly, shut down European calls for a swift and decisive action in Syria. The Obama administration, through its constant dithering, abetted the Assad regime and his allies and also overlooked the rise of the Islamic State. Since then, it has embarked on an ill-advised and half-hearted campaign to tackle the outfit.
In Iraq, US has sided with the Iran-backed Shiite militias who are prone to carrying out mass violations of human rights. The Iraqi army has taken territory back from ISIL but has also antagonized the Sunnis. The United Nations reported massive abuses, torture and executions by the army and Shiite militias in Fallujah, which forced the civilians to flee the city en masse. The US largely turned a blind eye, according to the Human Rights Watch.
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Fallujah and ultimately Mosul may be recaptured by the Iraqis with US support but it will only be a temporary victory. The same happened only ten years ago when al-Qaeda was routed by the Americans. The deeply contemptuous policies of the Nouri al-Maliki government towards the Sunnis ultimately gave rise to ISIL. Haider al-Abadi is following in the footsteps of his predecessor. Fast forward a few years and there may be no ISIL but a new outfit with a more violent agenda.
This brings one to the Syrian quagmire. The root-cause of all contemporary evils is the Syrian cauldron. The Assad regime has doubled down on its mass annihilation campaign with full support from Iran and its proxies. The Americans are turning towards the Russians in coordinating attacks against the ISIL and the Nusra Front. They now seem least concerned about the mounting human toll and about bringing the perpetrators to task. That they are working with Russia, which is responsible for thousands of civilian deaths in Syria, indicates the heartless workings of international diplomacy.
Americans can afford that luxury. They can choose to follow whatever policy deemed viable for them, even if it comes at the cost of ditching long-touted claims of humanitarianism. Their isolated geography makes them largely immune from the fallout of the Syrian civil war. Russia is shielded by its closed borders and a police-state-like hierarchy. Europe, unfortunately, has no such barriers. As has become evident over the last two years, Europe can no longer follow a lame-duck policy.
One option, and this has been tried numerous times before, is to carry out a few airstrikes on ISIL in Syria. This largely serves as a quick antidote to the growing public anger. Francois Hollande may follow the same route but it will not bring any results. Perhaps the time has come for Europe to adopt a muscular policy. The more pressing -- and ever growing -- issue of refugees can also be resolved if Europe joins forces to tackle the Syrian/ISIL challenge head-on.
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Covering the ecological and economic opportunities in Thailand led a film team to discover challenges in filming a nation rebranding itself.
Over 20 years ago, Thanom Phungern built a sugar palm tree plantation that led to a major resurgence of the trees' products in the economy of Phetchaburi, Thailand. When filmmakers Prachi Mehrotra, New York University (2017), and Vincent Cota, Tisch School of the Arts at New York University (2017), learned about the opportunity to uncover the story behind the sugar palm trees in Phetchaburi, they leapt at the chance to fly to Thailand and film. "The opportunity was provided by the Thailand Department of Tourism. They wanted to have the millennial generation uncover and provide a new story to what Thailand is about," said Mehrotra, "Thailand is not just beaches and food. It's culture, it's economics, it's art... people should experience more, but they don't know what more means. That's where [Vincent] and I come in."
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The back drop for their film, "Sweet Success", involved Phetchaburi's sudden uptake in economic opportunity that was equally paired with devastation: sugar palm trees are difficult to grow, take more than 20 years to yield fruit, and the tree's high quality wood is in great demand, used in a variety of household items and desserts. For cinematographer Cota, Phetchaburi's prime location was challenging in setting the tone for the film. "There's a distinction to be made between spontaneity and distraction [in filming]. The former involves actively searching for details relevant to your story and the latter relies purely on the aesthetic," detailed Cota.
The production pair interviewed Mr. Thanom Phungern on their fourth day in Thailand, and it was the hardest interaction for the pair. Mehrotra and Cota been required to come up with a list of questions beforehand, and the translators would communicate the list to Mr. Thanom. It wasn't until the evening, after the interview, that the filmmakers would sit down with the translators to understand the story that had been recounted to them earlier that day. "We couldn't understand on the spot what was being told," said Mehrotra, "we would only get a gist of the exact answer and couldn't immediately change the direction of the conversation. It's hard enough doing interviews in English, and the language barrier added to the challenge."
When the film team moved into postproduction in Bangkok, the pair realized that each minute of footage was extremely valuable and continuously adjusted their storyboard to cater to the film footage. As Cota explained, with a competition with such a short turnaround time, the work of the editor (the writer in the documentary genre) stays extremely close to the work of the cinematographer. "On this film, we're one and the same, however we can't waste time with anything we wouldn't possibly use," according to Cota, "Our work continuously focuses on the selection and rejection of details relevant to the story at hand."
For Cota and Mehrotra, Thailand was an experience too short. "Thailand is not just an [Eat, Pray, Love] place. It's one of those places you have to force yourself to be off the grid. Making "Sweet Success" was our chance to be off the grid but we needed more time," said Mehrotra. For Cota and Mehrotra, they hope that their 7-minute film will be enough to win the Amazing Thai Film Challenge and inspire others to travel off the grid. "We used a lot of social media to tell people what we were doing, as Thailand is developing in ways mainstream media won't cover. Take a risk, fulfill a challenge, do something out of the ordinary. Thailand created it's own "Sweet Success" and everyone should want to experience it," said Cota.
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Yellow police tape says 'police line do not cross' is set against blurry background.
Imagine a young black soldier coming home from war.
After a bloody tour abroad, he returns to America expecting, on some level, the same regard for his personhood that he received as a uniformed enlisted man overseas. In the ensuing weeks, he sees fellow black Americans abused by police and maligned by neighbors. He becomes disillusioned and angry. He and his comrades realize the promise of returning home "safely" was a false one. In combat, at least, "if death should come, it would come with honor, and without the complicity of their countrymen."
The young man goes downtown one night--he has been drinking, maybe--and he gets into an altercation with white police officers. Rumors circulate, but one thing is sure: the soldier ends up shot dead, and he is not the only casualty.
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Though the narrative is familiar, this is not the story of Micah Xavier Johnson, the now-infamous Dallas cop killer. Johnson killed five police officers and shot seven others on Thursday, and he wound up dead. He was also a decorated Army vet: a "good guy with a gun." We do not know the words that Johnson left in his "manifesto;" it has not been released.
The words above are James Baldwin's, excerpted from his seminal 1955 work Notes of a Native Son. Baldwin narrates the shooting of the young American soldier, and he examines the paradox of black World War II vets returning home to a segregated America. The shooting helped ignite the Harlem race riots of 1943.
I begin with Baldwin, because I am a writing teacher. I believe that words are as important as weapons in the current iteration of the "race war."
In 1955, Baldwin wrote: "Harlem exploded."
60 years later, Dallas exploded.
I wonder: how is it that we are still telling the same stories?
Despite how damn familiar it is, the narrative of men in blue vs. men that are black continues to claim premier real estate in the American consciousness. And by picking sides and participating in online screaming matches, we rob the conversation of all complexity. This is a writing teacher's nightmare.
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By now, we should know that the "good guys" aren't always good, and the "bad guys" aren't always bad. My brother-in-law, a police officer in Nashville, routinely uses reason instead of force, when the latter may be tempting. But there are cops like Michael Slager, who shot Walter Scott in the back in South Carolina. The late Alton Sterling wasn't a model citizen--he was a sex offender with a criminal record. But Philandro Castile was by all counts an admirable man: a public school cafeteria worker, beloved by students.
Do noble cops mean there isn't a racial bias in our police force?
Do previous offenses mean black victims deserve a death sentence?
Here, I offer no subtlety. It is a resounding "NO."
In America, the reality of everyday violence has made us desensitized to the potency of our words, and the danger of using the wrong ones. How does the rhyme go? AR-15s and bomb-dropping drones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me... The problem is: words DO hurt. And more than hurt, words shape consciousness; they spark movements; they fuel biases.
Last weekend, Chuck Canterbury, President of the Fraternal Order of Police (the largest police union in the US), issued a press release titled "Hate-Fueled Violence Kills 5 in Dallas." Canterbury is on a campaign to get the definition of "hate crime" changed to include acts of violence against police officers. It's more than a little ironic that hate crime legislation was enacted to protect marginalized groups--like racial, ethnic, and gendered minorities--from more powerful perpetrators. While the U.S. police force is growing in diversity, it is still about 75% white, and armed to the teeth. "M-16 rifles, grenade launchers, silencers and more -- are ending up in local police departments," The New York Times has previously reported. In fact, Johnson was taken out by a "bomb robot" dispatched by the Dallas police.
That doesn't sound like a marginalized group that needs to be protected by hate crime legislation.
In the release, Canterbury blasts President Obama as giving "tacit approval for those who spew their hate and contempt for our nation's law enforcement officers." He conveniently leaves out the fact that the President just called the incident a "vicious, calculated, despicable attack on law enforcement," and issued a press release "Honoring the Victims of the Attack in Dallas." Describing this response as "tacit approval" is lazy at best, more bluntly: an inflammatory lie.
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Canterbury's rhetoric hammers home a narrative of police victimization. He calls the killings of Sterling and Castile "police-involved shootings of armed suspects" (Suspect of selling bootleg CDs? Suspect of having a busted tail light?), yet describes the killings in Dallas as "hate crimes." He describes the Pro-Black protests in Ferguson as "hate speech" directed at Officer Darren Wilson, who was "cleared of any wrong doing." The fact that Wilson was cleared of wrong doing offers no evidence that he was innocent of wrong doing. Last year, the FBI recorded 990 police killings of civilians, and zero on-duty police officers were convicted of manslaughter. No convictions.
Perhaps the most rankling are Canterbury's sweeping generalizations: "All of this violence began or was triggered by hate spewed on social media," he claims, and implicitly points the finger at the Black Lives Matter movement, whose leadership has remained non-violent. "We're being treated as the enemy," Canterbury writes, "not because of the color of our skin, but because of the color of our uniform." Equating a uniform--something you can take off and throw in a washing machine--to institutionalized racism that has enslaved and oppressed people of color in America for hundreds of years is shockingly irresponsible.
The phrase "enough is enough" appears a total of three times in the press release, and it states forebodingly, "We have to end this."
But want to hear the most frightening part?
This release was disseminated to police officers across the country on Friday night, before they went out to "keep the peace" at Black Lives Matter demonstrations nationwide. If I were a white police officer, feeling anxious in the wake of Dallas, reading this press release would offer me just the rhetorical ammunition I needed to "end this," were I challenged by a particularly persnickety protester.
Make no mistake: we've seen violent, hateful words on social media from both Pro-Black and Pro-Police activists (which are not mutually exclusive, it needs to be said). But there is a big difference between this language being used by cretins in corners of the Internet, and perpetuated by the head of the biggest police organization in the country.
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I am not a police officer, nor am I a black person in America. I do not know fear or violence like these people do. But I do know about the influential power of words. I do know about the impressionability of people in crisis.
This week, a clip has been circulating of New York radio station Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg rhetorically unleashing on a cop who called in and refused to condemn police brutality. Rosenberg says, "Police officers never want to say 'y'all did a bad job,' and that's the reason the public thinks you're all bad."
But it's not just radio personalities and English teachers that need to respond to statements like Canterbury's. I can't send the President of the FOP to detention, or give him a stern talking to after class. More crucially, I don't have the authority to implement mandatory body cameras, or to retrain officers with regard to racial bias, or reconsider quotas that motivate so many arrests.
Officers: we know that it is difficult to be scrutinized and attacked. We appreciate that being in danger is frightening. There are plenty of Americans that can empathize. But we ask for the highest level of courage from our police. I hope we can expect to hear more and more brave men like Dallas Police Chief David Brown, who has spoken out this week on gun violence and policy issues.
It is a logical mistake to conclude that you are all "bad cops." We desperately need to hear the voices of the "good cops."
(Photo: May Xiong/Getty Images)
By Melissa Dahl
I write this to the soundtrack of a literal chainsaw; there are men at work outside my window attempting to - well, I'm not exactly sure what they're attempting to do. Cut down a tree? Cut down branches of a tree? Whatever it is they're doing, they are making an awful lot of noise as they do it.
Much has been written about "noise pollution," a phrase coined in the 1960s, when scientists discovered that everyday exposure to the loudness of highways and airports was linked with a variety of health concerns: heart disease, sleep problems, high blood pressure, and, least surprisingly, hearing loss. And, as Maggie Koerth-Baker reminds in FiveThirtyEight this week, sounds can become so intense that they can even cause much more immediate damage, strong enough to tear a hole in your eardrums or even bowl you right over.
So: Excessive noisiness is bad. Its opposite -- silence -- has largely been understood for what it is not; it is not noise. It is the absence of sound. If too much exposure to loud sounds is bad for us, lack of sound means a lack of that physical harm caused by noise pollution. Silence is neutral. But as science writer Daniel A. Gross writes in a feature included in a recent Nautilus series on noise, some recent research is suggesting that prolonged and repeated exposure to silence may result in improved health, just like prolonged and repeated exposure to noisiness can result in poorer health.
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What's especially fascinating about the scientific study of silence is how much of it came about by accident. For many of the researchers Gross interviews for his piece (which, by the way, was republished by Nautilus this week, but originally posted in 2014), findings about the benefits of quiet came as a surprise -- several of them initially set out to study the neuroscience of sound, or of music in particular. One mouse study led by Imke Kirste, a biologist at Duke University, found that "even though all the sounds had short-term neurological effects, not one of them had a lasting impact," Gross writes. "Yet to her great surprise, Kirste found that two hours of silence per day prompted cell development in the hippocampus, the brain region related to the formation of memory involving the senses."
Remembering Nice. Like the rest of the world I watched the news in horror as the vehicle tore through the crowd and took more than 80 innocent lives in Nice. It made one think of the fragility of life and the murderous stupidity of those who cause these deaths. There is always a special horror when a celebration turns into a tragedy -- and when the tragedy has tentacles that reach out and touch the world. Such is this event in Nice. It feeds the fears of those who conflate freedom with danger -- and helps the likes of a Donald Trump. His campaign will depend upon every tragic act of terrorism between now and November to frighten his way to an electoral victory. Trust me on this, terrorism is a big part of his playbook -- his promise to end it or control it by huffing and puffing and cursing the terrorists while attacking innocent Muslims degrades the lives lost and compounds the problem. The Middle East is filled with cities where car bombs and suicide bombers cause multitudes to die -- but it is only when it reaches a beloved city like Nice that the Western world truly shivers and thinks, "It could have been me."
Time travel. How the world has changed. Nice -- 1953. My new young wife and I have flown to Nice on a small single-engine plane to escape Franco's Spain where she had become violently ill -- some form of food poisoning. She had eaten some chocolate covered pork sandwich purchased from a street stall in Madrid and was sickened by it. The only doctor we could find in Madrid was an ex-Nazi who clicked his heels as he examined her. We felt that he would soon tell us to join the others on the right line heading for the "showers" and we left for the nearest safe city -- Nice being that city. The one-engine plane that we took was buffeted by strong winds, its only other passenger was a nun with a Mediterranean mustache who was praying loudly for our safe landing.
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My wife departed the plane -- it was a time when everyone left a plane, small or large, by way of a portable stairway -- and she became ill again. A photographer took a photo of this beautiful woman looking sick and disheveled -- and asked if we would buy it. Since I could curse in seven languages I told him what he could do with his photo in my best high school French. He had greater success with the nun.
Inside the courtrooms of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and in local communities, we are hearing the voices of those who have survived some the world's most heinous crimes. Stories of tremendous loss. Stories of human suffering that could have- - and should have -- been prevented. "I lost my entire family." "I have lost my dignity." "The only hope I have left is for justice."
In our own lifetimes, in conflicts unfolding even today, atrocities have been planned and executed, leaving behind victims of widespread or systematic crimes. Societies across the globe have been deeply scarred and divided by crimes such as attacks on civilians, murder, using child soldiers and rape as a tool of war. Violence in one place inevitably causes instability in others. For some, this may seem a distant if disturbing fact, but for hundreds of thousands of others, it is their only reality.
18 years ago, the world took a huge step forward in committing to bring to justice those responsible for such crimes. On 17 July 1998, I witnessed this event first-hand, at a conference in Rome. Nations worldwide adopted on that date an international treaty, the Rome Statute, for the creation of the International Criminal Court. With staunch determination, states, civil society and other like-minded groups then worked to obtain sufficient ratifications of the treaty to make the ICC a reality. Its mandate is to hold perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide accountable.
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In the years since, much has been done to address these crimes. The ICC has grown into a robust judicial institution. Its Office of the Prosecutor has opened investigations in 10 conflicts across 9 countries. The Prosecutor is analysing several other conflicts, extending work across several continents. Convictions have been handed down for the use of child soldiers, murder, sexual violence. The Court has ensured participation of 13,000 victims in its cases, through legal representation. At the ICC, we have the tools to ensure fair trials. We are committed to fighting impunity and providing justice to victims.
Atrocious crimes still occur. Much more work is to be done. Therefore, this 17 July, on the anniversary of the Rome Statute and International Criminal Justice Day, we call again for solidarity in working to make justice effective and ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished.
The Rome Statute recognizes that grave crimes threaten peace, security and the well-being of humanity and aims at contributing to the prevention of such crimes by making their perpetrators accountable. Support for this aim is essential. We need global support from states yet to ratify the Rome Statute, from states that have ratified, as well as from all those who stand against injustice.
The ICC also requires specific forms of cooperation to investigate and prosecute perpetrators and ensure access of victims to justice. We need witnesses that come to the Court and give their testimony so that the judges can know what happened. We ask everyone to help the Court to protect the witnesses including by respecting their anonymity when needed. Since we do not have our own police force, we rely instead on the cooperation of states to make arrests. States and organisations also help in gathering and preserving evidence, freezing suspects' assets, and enforcing sentences. The Rome Statute also created the Trust Fund for Victims, which is supported by state contributions to ensure reparations and support to victims. Already more than 180,000 victims have benefited from its assistance programmes. Beyond our daily work, to reach our broader aims, and to seriously address atrocity crimes, there must be a unified, comprehensive response from the international community. We have to demonstrate that there are consequences for those who commit genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is our duty to do our utmost to provide justice to victims of such acts. None of this can happen unless national, regional and international actors alike are aligned in their commitment to the rule of law, human rights and justice. To deter future crimes, we must establish a consistent pattern of accountability.
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For those who have suffered harm, we stand firm in our commitment to make sure that justice is done. For this and future generations, we will do our utmost to help prevent further suffering. We ask everyone to join us in this cause.
While our country is bracing for possible conflict at the RNC convention in Cleveland next week, we at Purple America are planning for civility. Welcome to the Purple Tent, the civility destination at the RNC convention, where national thought leaders will lead conversation about our shared values and how we actually can get along.
Rodney King, the black Los Angeles taxi driver who, in 1991, became the national poster child for police brutality, challenged all of us with a question that still prevails today: "People, I just want to say, can we all get along, can we all get along?"
Unfortunately, this question still rings true for race relations and current-day politics.
This last week has been a devastating one in America. The two shootings of innocent black men by police in Baton Rouge and St. Paul reinforce continuing feelings of distrust, disrespect and disregard between the African American community and police. The massacre of five innocent police officers in Dallas by a black man whose anger bubbled over shows us how anger and resentment can be accelerants that can turn things destructive and ugly.
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In the wake of these recent incidents, there have been the usual condemnations, observations and platitudes that we have heard over and over again since Ferguson, Charleston, San Bernardino, Orlando, Baton Rouge, St. Paul and, now, Dallas.
Dallas' mayor Mike Rawlings called for us to "... Come together at this time and to love one another deeply." Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson called for empathy. Senator Cory Booker said that, "... We need people who bind our wounds." These statements may be appropriate, but they don't tell us how. How do we, how can we love one another?
If you listen to the pundits, many say that America is terribly divided. But these pundits give us few solutions about how we can actually do better or be better. Chuck Todd, moderator of Meet the Press, said last Sunday that, "America is becoming more tribal, divided by income, religion, politics, and race." Former Philadelphia Police Chief Charles Ramsey, now the head of the President's Task Force on Community Policing, said that, "We are sitting on a powder keg. You've got too many people dealing in extend rhetoric. We need to come together." Nice observation, but how can we get along?
Los Angeles Times columnist Doyle McManus recently observed that, "In an era of partisan polarization, the problem isn't merely a deficit of great leaders capable of binding the nation together. It's also a shortage of citizens willing to listen."
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Between platitudes from leaders and doomsday scenarios proffered by media, many ordinary Americans choose to check-out, to become tone-deaf, shaking their heads and drowning out the noise, while concluding that division and conflict represent a new normal that cannot be changed. To these people -- those who are not directly affected or in the line of fire -- the default solution may be to isolate oneself from the daily din, effectively climbing into a isolationist hole where no one will bother them.
Other Americans react by preparing to protest. Still others, loners like Dallas shooter Micah Johnson -- and I believe there are many of them -- are building up anger within themselves that someday will explode. All of these scenarios are facts of life in current-day America. None of them will improve division, hate, anger, resentment or isolation.
Another scenario will -- conversation. It sounds simple, but it works. Why? Because conversation is the medium of human interaction. It allows us to forge bonds, understand one another, empathize, and then seek common solutions.
We are lacking in conversation in America. For whatever reason, aside maybe for retirees congregating at Panera over coffee and bagels, groups don't routinely assemble to discuss issues. Maybe because we've been spoiled by talk radio and television; maybe by the ease of just observing conversation in action on TV or chatting on the Internet; maybe by the constant droll of talk show hosts that give up their daily dose of expert opinions and tirades; maybe by the false illusion that, by sending emails or text messages, we are having a conversation.
Some of that does involve conversation. But much of that involves venting. We have become a nation of venters. Venting is not conversation. Yes, you get stuff off your chest, but without conversation, venting goes nowhere.
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Conversation requires two or more people sitting down and having a civil discussion. Not ranting; not yelling; not texting or emailing; not finger-pointing, not point-counterpointing. Just talking.
What do you talk about? Issues and values.
I have learned through 22 years of involvement in Project Love workshops, involving 83,000 teenagers, that even the most distressed and dysfunctional school can be turned around through conversation. That when teenagers talk about their issues in a calm, civil, authentic way, they invariably also talk about their values: right and wrong, fairness and what kind of school community they want to have. This is true for suburban, urban or rural teenagers. It's true for all socioeconomic, racial and religious blends of teens.
Last year, when Cleveland experienced multiple police-community incidents and shootings, Project Love, Purple America and other groups -- nonprofits, churches and synagogues, and government, as well -- brought diverse people together for community conversations. We talked, listened and, together, defined core values. Police, prosecutors, council members, victims, and ordinary citizens attended. Anger occasionally vented and then was dealt with respectfully within the conversation. Cleveland, unlike Baltimore and Ferguson, did not burn!
Cleveland is still a work in progress. Government is implementing a Department of Justice consent decree to deal with excessive force issues within the Cleveland Division of Police. The community is working on community policing and equality issues. And, most significantly, we all are continuing the dialogue.
That is why we at Purple America believe that it's appropriate that, during the RNC Convention, Cleveland set an example by having a destination that will model civility and conversation, The Purple Tent will provide an example for our country, community and politics of something that we can do: talk to one another.
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Within the Purple Tent, as opposed to venting, national thought leaders, community citizens, out of town gawkers, and RNC delegates will be discussing how to get to civility and common ground, how to influence media to be positive and promote solutions, how to engage Millennials, and how to take a lead in standing for civility.
Many have concluded that America is dividing and disintegrating. I believe that Americans are really looking for solutions that make us the nation of our shared values, the America whose vision, actions and outcomes we can embrace and be proud of.
Until that vision is shaped and buttressed through authentic conversation and thoughtful leadership, anger will occasionally bubble over intrude on our lives.
But, while venting and anger will not solve our national issues, I believe that conversation will. Conversation will also forge bonds, empathy, mutual understanding and solutions.
Whether you choose to watch our live streaming at www.purpletent.us or participate by visiting the Purple Tent in Cleveland (July 18-20) during the RNC Convention, I hope that you will be a part of the national conversation to restore civility to our country. The stakes are high. The moment is now. And you can be part of the solution. Tweet your thoughts @purpleamericaus, hashtag #purple4civility. To see the entire Purple Tent schedule, go to www.purpletent.us.
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Sri Lanka's cabinet has recently approved the creation of a development organization which is to be comprised of both civilians and members of the military. The announcement was made by cabinet spokesperson Gayantha Karunathilake in Colombo.
How significant might this news be?
According to Kusal Perera, a journalist based in Colombo, this development illustrates that Sri Lanka's new government "is far worse than the [Mahinda] Rajapaksa regime in playing against reconciliation and war crimes probes."
This news would also appear to directly contradict recent remarks from Mangala Samaraweera, the foreign minister. During a press conference in Colombo earlier this month, Samaraweera indicated that Sri Lanka would "complete the demilitarization process" by 2018. That's a pretty bold plan. After all, demilitarization has not even begun. Samaraweera's already dubious assertion looks even less credible now.
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Militarization in Sri Lanka is nothing new. For the past several years, military personnel have been engaged in a host of civilian commercial and social activity, especially in the Tamil-majority Northern and Eastern Provinces. This includes tourism and agriculture. Their strong presence has also contributed to significant social problems for civilians.
Perera believes that President Maithripala Sirisena would like to present himself as "more Sinhala-Buddhist than [the] Rajapaksas and that he even accommodates the military."
Illegal fishing and its associated criminal activity at sea is an intractable and major international problem. It involves high-profile white-collar crime syndicates that move vast amounts of illegal fish and seafood. But it also involves other crimes, like human and drug trafficking.
Recently, South Africa fined three Chinese fishing boats R1.3 million (about US$91,000 at current rates). They were fined for possessing fishing gear without a permit, non-compliance with the lawful instruction of a fishery control officer and various contraventions of the country's maritime legislation.
Such prosecution is very rare, as most offenders are never caught. This is because the criminal networks involved are highly organised, well financed and work in national and international waters. They have become so extensive that they are, in effect, a parallel economic system that is undermining sustainable economic growth.
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The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation recently estimated that illegal fishing accounts for annual catches of up to 26 million tonnes, with a value of up to $23 billion. But as this is a black market, estimates are not necessarily reliable. Some experts put the annual figure at about 11 million tonnes.
The situation off the coast of West Africa is particularly critical. Here, illegal and unreported fishing accounts for an estimated 40% of fish caught.
Based on the Food and Agriculture Organisation's analysis, the share of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels has exhibited a downward trend. They have shown a decline from 90% in 1974 to 68.6% in 2013. So 31.4% of fish stocks were estimated as over-fished in 2013. Of all the stocks assessed in 2013, 58.1% were fully fished and 10.5% under-fished.
South Africa and Norway join forces
South Africa, like many other seaboard countries, is struggling to combat this crime. Prosecutions for fisheries-related crimes often fail or are ineffective. The penalties for illegal possession of fish and seafood species, and operating storage facilities and fish processing facilities, are hopelessly inadequate. To discourage criminals from participating in such activities, increasing their sentences will help significantly.
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To address the legal and administrative weaknesses, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's Centre for Law in Action, the Norwegian Department of Trade and Industry and Fisheries, and South Africa's Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries are partnering up to address the issues.
Through the collaboration, Norway has agreed to fund an academy at the university called FishFORCE. An amount of approximately R50 million over five years is to be allocated to the academy. The main purpose is to combat sea fisheries crime and related criminal activities.
The initiative will train fisheries control officers, police officers and prosecutors along the South African and East African coastlines, as well as in Namibia. There is a plan to extend the training all around the Indian Ocean Rim, including countries like Indonesia.
The agreement falls under a broader partnership between South Africa and Norway. This is being developed through Operation Phakisa and the Oceans Economy, whereby South Africa plans to utilise the ocean economy more effectively and sustainably.
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FishFORCE will work to achieve knowledge- and intelligence-led investigations. The aim is to increase successful prosecutions of criminals engaged in fisheries crime. It will also enable fisheries law enforcement officers to obtain formal qualifications, including higher certificates, diplomas and postgraduate diplomas, with access to further academic qualifications.
This is critical for South Africa, where the training of fisheries law enforcement officers, police officers and prosecutors involved in fisheries law enforcement is conducted on an ad hoc basis. In South Africa the regulating, policing and law enforcement of fisheries vessels is too compartmentalised. It's full of loopholes because of the large number of different players involved.
South Africa's high-profile case
In 2013 three prominent members of fishing industries in South Africa and the US were charged in the international case, US versus Arnold Bengis et al.
From 1987 to 2001 they engaged in a scheme to illegally harvest large quantities of South African south and west coast rock lobster for the US market. This was far in excess of applicable quotas.
The defendants under-reported the fish harvested to South African authorities and bribed South African fisheries inspectors to help them carry out their scheme. They also submitted false export documents to authorities to conceal their crimes.
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They arranged for previously disadvantaged South African citizens, who did not have valid US work permits, to work for low wages at their fish processing facility. The defendants were fined nearly $29.5 million, awarded in favour of South Africa.
The problem is not just illegal fishing
Earlier this year, the Sri Lankan navy seized 101kg of heroin on an Iranian fishing dhow just off the country's coast. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime responded immediately, facilitating support as requested by the Sri Lankan authorities to assist with the police investigation. The drug stamps found matched with records of the Compendium of Drug Seizures at Sea. It clearly established that the same drug trafficking networks operating from the Makran Coast - between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman - to East Africa are now operating to southern Asia.
Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing has been linked to numerous crimes that violate the rights of vulnerable people.
Migrant labourers and fishermen fall victim to human traffickers for the purpose of forced labour aboard fishing vessels, rafts or fishing platforms, in ports or in fish processing plants. Women and children in fishing ports are vulnerable to organised sexual exploitation in the form of prostitution by fishers. There are also reports of women and children being kidnapped and kept on vessels for the purpose of sex.
Violence appears to be a common method of controlling labour. A 2009 report told of Cambodian boys being bused from small, impoverished villages and towns after being promised decent wages. The reality is that they were taken to sea as prisoners and forced to fish for as many as 20 hours a day. Their captains forced them to take amphetamines to keep them awake. After the gruelling fishing season, many were worn out, at which point they were shot and thrown into the sea. A more recent New York Times investigation documents similar atrocities.
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According to a 2012 report, along the coastline of sub-Saharan Africa, the use of forced labour has become more evident on Asian and European-flagged fishing vessels that are seeking to catch fish in poorly regulated waters. Traffickers have exploited victims in the territorial waters of Mauritius, South Africa and Senegal.
Traditional legal approaches to combating illegal fishing and the associated illegal activities have been met with limited success. An alternative approach that is gaining momentum is to approach illegal fishing as a transnational organised crime. To investigate the policing, legal and policy implications of using transnational criminal law and procedure will strengthen fisheries law enforcement.
Hennie van As, Professor in Public Law and Director of the Centre for Law in Action in the Faculty of Law, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Heavy fighting in the South Sudanese capital of Juba over the past few days has led to hundreds of deaths and the suggestion that the country is "back to war". The question on everyone's lips has been: who is behind the violence?
This question is all the more curious given that President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar have both seemed incapable of explaining what's happening. In fact, the leaders of the main rival factions in the recent civil war were together for a meeting when one of the episodes of gunfire occurred.
Missing from the meeting, however, was the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) chief of general staff. The former governor of Northern Bahr El Ghazal state, Paul Malong, is a figure who many see as the true power behind the Salva Kiir's presidential throne.
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The power behind the throne
I have written about Malong and Kiir's relationship before. And I have come to the unsurprising conclusion, as have many South Sudanese, that Malong is the one who holds the real power.
Malong established his authority over Northern Bahr El Ghazal and the SPLA during the civil war that spanned from 1983 to 2005. In this period, Malong dominated the local war economy and used its proceeds to cement strategic allegiances. He did this through the practice of large-scale polygamy and by godfathering his supporters' marriages, a practice shared by other Nuer commanders in Unity state, for example.
One of Malong's supporters was Salva Kiir. Malong provided financial support after Kiir fell out with then SPLA leader John Garang in 2004. One illustration of Malong's influence is that he recently offered to pay for the bride wealth for Kiir's new wife. That role is traditionally taken up by a groom's father and his close and extended kin. In 2005, after Garang's death, Kiir took over as vice-president of Sudan. And in 2008, Malong was appointed state governor of his home area of Northern Bahr El Ghazal.
In the following few years, as episodes of fighting with Sudanese forces continued, Malong managed to convince Kiir of the need to create a militia that would be loyal to them both. He began recruiting and training men from Kiir's home state of Warrap, but the majority were from Northern Bahr El Ghazal.
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Malong was trying to position himself as the first leader from Northern Bahr El Ghazal with national stature. The militia he led came to be known as Mathiang Anyoor, meaning "brown caterpillar" in Dinka. But it was also known as Dot ku Beny or Gel-Beny or "rescue the president".
Lethal power and lame ducks
In December 2013, war broke out in now-independent South Sudan. It began as a political battle between President Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and Vice-President Machar, an ethnic Nuer. Much of the violence soon became codified along these ethnic lines despite the fact that military alliances did not always follow strict lines.
As the fighting progressed, Malong - with the help of the Mathiang Anyoor - organised the massacre of thousands of ethnic Nuer in Juba. Soon after, he was promoted to chief of general staff of the SPLA and he came to dominate the entire SPLA system of corruption. The proceeds were invested strategically to sustain military allegiances, both within and outside the SPLA.
Since then, Malong has continued to recruit young men in what has become known as the "new" Mathiang Anyoor. And both "new" and "old" Mathiang Anyoor have been used to reinforce the SPLA in Upper Nile, Unity and Jonglei states.But Malong's influence goes even further. The Dinka commando units that have wrought havoc on Western and Central Equatoria states since October 2015 - despite the signing of a peace agreement between Kiir and Machar in August 2015 - also reportedly answer to Malong.
It is understood that the power he commands has led to rifts with Minister of Defence Kuol Manyang. In contrast to Malong, the influence of South Sudan's official main leaders appears to be weak. The recent fighting in Juba and Kiir's apparent ignorance of what was happening reveals his lack of control over the SPLA. And it is increasingly clear that the president has lost a great deal of credibility and power amidst rumours of alcoholism and health issues.
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If Kiir is a lame duck, the same might be said - albeit to a lesser extent - of Riek Machar. The first vice-president never seemed to control his troops and never had as much military gravitas as his peers in the so-called SPLM-In-Opposition (IO). Furthermore, he has made the grave mistake of dismissing IO's most experienced generals in the past year.
International powers to blame, too
With fighting returning to South Sudan despite an internationally brokered peace agreement less than a year ago, the international community must also take some responsibility:
Juba's demilitarisation took the form of a 25km radius around the city. Why was the SPLA allowed to encircle the capital while blocking possible escape routes for IO?
And why was a stronger stance not taken regarding the fact that SPLA soldiers had clearly removed their uniforms but remained inside Juba?
Why was the national security body allowed to expand exponentially over the past few months without action?
If anything, the recent violence in Juba has shown how easy it is for the SPLA to breach security arrangements. The heavy fighting on July 10 and 11 suggest that the situation might become even worse than when civil war began in December 2013. Fighting engulfed different parts of the city. Rocket-propelled grenades were fired. Civilian houses were shelled. Government helicopter gunships circled Juba's skies. And United Nations (UN) premises were hit.
The Juba bridge was also closed off and Machar's troops were unlikely to back down since they knew there was no way out, especially with Malong's commando units able to attack them easily from their bases in Central Equatoria. Machar's troops and SPLA forces were fighting right outside UN premises and reports emerged that Nuer generals, who had remained allied to the SPLA but were now being targeted by SPLA soldiers, were asking for shelter inside the UN compound.
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Real threat for unarmed civilians
Reports also emerged that both sides had started inflicting reprisals on civilians. On the evening of July 11, Kiir and Machar declared a ceasefire.The question throughout the fighting - still valid should the war in Juba resume - has been: who will protect the civilians?
Many believe that Malong is the one behind the recent events and point to the fact that on July 8, SPLA troops around J1, the presidential palace, were reinforced from both the area surrounding Juba and from Luri, a cattle camp where Mathiang Anyoor recruits stayed before the 2013 Juba massacre.
Malong did make a statement on July 9 saying the situation in Juba was under control. But this was done through an intermediary and it was not clear where the man himself was. At any rate, it is difficult to imagine the SPLA could have decimated Machar's bodyguards on July 8 without the top orders coming from its chief of general staff.
There are rumours that Malong intended to wreak havoc and maybe even take control of Juba. He may also split from Kiir, but either way he would retain control over his Dinka militias, who are spread all over the Equatorias, as well as over some of the Bul Nuer fighters, who are based in Unity state and have close ties with Khartoum.
Malong will also continue cultivating his popularity with Dinka communities who do not want to relinquish their desire for their own state, especially after Kiir opened a Pandora's box with his unilateral decree in October 2015 to replace South Sudan's ten states with 28.
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Depending on whether or not the ceasefire holds, and on who is officially blamed for the recent fighting, Malong may open up a new front, most likely from Northern Bahr El Ghazal. If such a war were to begin, Kiir might break with Malong to save himself and be forced to mend fences with Machar's IO as well as other victimised ethnic groups.
Much remains uncertain. But the future of South Sudan looks grim - and not just in Juba. Other state capitals have seen troop movements and even some fighting.
Just five years after independence, and less than one year after a peace agreement was signed, a new phase of South Sudan's civil war seems to have begun.
This article first appeared in African Arguments and has been slightly modified since.
Clemence Pinaud, Assistant Professor, Department of International Studies, Indiana University
Womam grabbing some cash out of a wallet
So, you just went through the most traumatic moment of your life. All you want to do is forget that you were raped. Thankfully, you can. How? By balancing your budget!
That's right. American hospitals are so thoughtful that they charge survivors of sexual assault anywhere between $800 and $1,500 to process their rape kit. Now, instead of thinking about any injustices against you, you can distract yourself with your finances!
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Here are some easy ways to balance your budget while dealing with your recent rape:
Shop in thrift stores
You probably got into this situation in the first place because you were wearing a flashy outfit. Thankfully, you can't afford clothes like that anymore! Simply go to your nearest Goodwill, find some baggy bargain bin clothes, and wear them for the rest of your life. You'll never want a romantic partner again, anyways--you'll be too busy dealing with emotional trauma and your complicated relationship with the U.S. government.
Buy off-brand tampons in bulk
Congratulations, your rape didn't result in a pregnancy! To celebrate, treat yourself to some off-brand, cardboard tampons from Costco or BJs. You'll save a couple dollars each month on those pesky "luxury" items. Plus, the stiff, cardboard applicator will leave scratches inside of your vagina that are a lasting reminder of how badly that douchebag, and the government, is fucking you over!
Cook your own food
Preparing meals at home is cheaper and healthier than eating at restaurants. Besides, you'll be so filled with anxiety about your recent sexual assault (and subsequent debt) that you won't want to leave the house, anyways! It's a win-win.
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Cancel your gym membership
Exercising outside can be just as effective as a fitness class in a gym! Or, even better, stay in your apartment for days on end with a sinking feeling that America doesn't care about the mental or physical health of women. Bonus: You won't spend money on public transportation!
Eliminate luxury expenses
There are some things women buy that they simply don't need: designer purses, expensive makeup, therapy, and regular doctor visits. Once you cut these items out of the equation, you can spend all of your money on what really matters--paying a hospital back for a rape kit that constantly reminds you of the worst moment of your life.
Now that your budget is balanced, are you concerned that you won't have anything to distract yourself from your sexual assault? Well, don't worry. For the next few months, or if you're lucky, years, you can wonder if your rape kit will ever be tested! That's right--thousands of rape kits are sitting, untested, in police storage facilities all over America. Instead of getting justice, you can wonder why the U.S. government refuses to prioritize sexual assault cases--and that's a mystery that might never be solved.
This piece by Jillian Richardson originally appeared on The Establishment, a new multimedia site funded and run by women.
By John Perkins
Attorney General Loretta Lynch on July 8, 2016 said about the shooting of police officers in Dallas: "The answer is never violence."
I totally agree with the Attorney General.
I have to wonder why President Obama and just about every other politician - Democrat and Republican alike - and just about every US government official does not agree with her. Why can they not see that violence only begets violence?
Why do more than 50 cents of every tax dollar you and I pay on April 15 go to support the military in one form or another? (According to Michael Moore's new film, Where to Invade Next, it has now reached 59 cents of every dollar.)
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Can we truly convince ourselves that the world is a better place or that we are safer because we invaded Iraq and then Afghanistan and Syria? Or because we have gun-toting troops in more than 130 countries?
Do we believe that civilian-killing drones are winning the hearts and minds of people anywhere? Or that taking out Saddam, Osama, and Muammar improved people's lives in the Middle East and Africa - or here in the US?
Or that getting rid of Putin will convince the Russian people that US corporations don't covet their oil, gas, iron, tin, lumber and other resources? ("America won the Cold War," I was told during a recent meeting with Russian journalists. "Ever since, your leaders have sent your military to any country that tries to protect itself from exploitation by your corporations. Russia has lots of resources. We have every reason to fear you.")
I am for gun control. Yes, we need much stricter laws to control the ownership and use of firearms. But the gun epidemic is a symptom. It is not the disease.
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The disease is a belief in violence as an answer. THE answer. Now is the time to address the disease. It is time to listen to the wisdom in: "The answer is never violence."
During this election year we'll hear a great deal about the size of government. Let's remember that over 50% of our tax dollars goes to support violence.
Want to reduce the size of the US government? Cut the military. Cut the industries that produce drones, armor plates, guns and missiles. Want to end anger and hatred - in the Middle East, our own inner cities, and between countries? Invest in policies that end hunger, economic exploitation, and desperation.
"They" are not the problem. Not the Russians, the Muslims, immigrants, or anyone else. The problem is a belief system - a perception - that we must be tough, that a war, any war, can be "a war to end all wars." Perceptions shape reality. A perception that violence solves problems leads to police shootings of African Americans and sniper shootings of police. A perception that sending gun-totting soldiers into other countries will make things more peaceful frequently leads to increased anger and radicalization, and more violence.
The real solution is a new belief system - a perception - that was summed up by Attorney General Loretta Lynch:
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"The answer is never violence."
One might assume that a sizable majority of federal career employees who have reached the GS-14 and GS-15 levels would aspire to move up to the next and highest rung of government--to become members of the Senior Executive Service.
But a recent poll found only about half of these employees across the government expressed interest in advancing to the SES or to senior level non-executive professional and technical jobs. This is troubling when you consider the critical role that the career executives play in implementing policies and programs, and the fact that two-thirds of current executive corps will be eligible to retire in the next five years.
My nonprofit, the Partnership for Public Service, and McKinsey & Company recently examined the state of the SES. And we found four areas where increased focus could lead to improvements, potentially making the leadership corps a more attractive option and helping to better recruit and retain highly qualified applicants.
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The four areas examined in the report, "A Pivotal Moment for the Senior Executive Service," are culture, recognition and prestige; recruiting and hiring; performance management; and leadership development. While there are many ways to address these issues, several agencies are taking steps in each of these areas that could serve as a useful template for others to follow.
The latest polls, and the latest terrorist attack, make it appallingly clear that Donald Trump really can be elected president. Though many are still in denial about that, the sense that things are increasingly out of control and established elites can't be trusted to handle them plays right into Trump's longstanding media narrative.
Despite a solid month of Trump blunders, Hillary Clinton was unable to build a lead larger than mid-single digits. Now, even though cleared of criminal liability in her rather silly e-mail scandal, an FBI director scolding and attendant media hysteria has knocked her down into either a tie with Trump or a lead within the polling margin of error. (Ignore the Rasmussen polls, showing a sizable Trump lead, which are disinformation once again as they were with Obama's elections.)
As I've been saying for nearly a year, Trump's rise means this election can end up very badly for America. The election of an aggressive know-nothing neo-fascist chickenhawk bully boy should be unthinkable; Trump should have been at least 20 points behind by now.
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Instead, the presidential election, and the Enlightenment ethic which drove the founding of the American republic, is teetering on the edge of an abyss.
If a few things that can go wrong do go wrong -- like an economic downturn, major jihadist terrorist attacks, geopolitical humiliation -- expect to see Duce Donald's gold-plated flying travesty replace Air Force One.
Bernie Sanders gave a full-throated endorsement to Hillary Clinton when the two appeared together this week in his New Hampshire stronghold.
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Trump, after all, is finally getting more of a campaign together. And his family, led by daughter Ivanka, and a less sycophantic crew of advisors, led by a veteran hired gun for foreign dictators, are starting to rein in Trump's mad social media habit.
Hillary could make a good president, but she may be too conventional and compromised to do more than play the steady hand who sometimes attacks Trump.
She's simply not going to win this election, and stave off the triumph of Trumpism, without a lot of help. Which brings us to Bernie Sanders.
Sanders may be just what the doctor ordered, at least for a big chunk of the task.
Since he's not the presidential nominee, he'll never undergo the savaging that would drive his polling numbers down. And he has great credibility in the economic populism wheelhouse that Trump is so brazenly and ludicrously trying to claim for himself.
Though Sanders took a lot of media guff -- the LA Times ran a lead front page story trashing his failure to get out of the race even after it was evident that his Clinton endorsement was imminent, and Washington insider columnists and tip sheets, keyed as always to the Beltway Bandit culture, snarked endlessly -- Sanders actually did what he and his campaign signaled they would since losing the California primary last month.
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They throttled down the anti-Clinton component of the campaign and concentrated on the Democratic platform and electoral reform.
Thanks largely to the Sanders influence, the Democratic national platform is more liberal, and more populist, than it's been since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt. In some ways more so, in fact, since the racist white South is no longer part of the Democratic coalition.
With the platform process completed (and he didn't win quite everything he wanted), Sanders then gave Hilary his full-throated backing in a spirited New Hampshire event on Tuesday. His backing came right when any reasonable person looking at the process calendar would expect it to.
"She will be the Democratic nominee and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States!" Hillary, Sanders intoned, "will make an outstanding president."
Hillary is going to need every bit of help she can get from Sanders especially if her campaign goes down the conventional running mate path of a steady but dull figure like Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, the former governor and Democratic national chairman.
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Unlike Trump, Hillary doesn't need someone to anchor her, she needs someone who can help her soar. The usual grind-it-out mode may just not do in an increasingly chaotic situation in which Trump looks increasingly reasonable.
With Bill Clinton somewhat hamstrung by Trump attacks, and never the steadiest advocate for his wife, and Barack Obama vying with possibly more than he can handle in the Oval Office, Hillary has a decidedly problematic situation. Fortunately for the Dems, Sanders sounds up for his part.
By Jon Sung
As a Starfleet officer, you've got to be ready to deal with anything out of the ordinary; as Captain Kathryn Janeway herself would put it, "Weird is part of the job." Nobody on any Federation starship would be better prepared to back that statement up than the medical staff in sickbay, who end up dealing with more than their share of mysteries one way or another. The Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE hereby salutes those unsung heroes of Starfleet with the top five weirdest afflictions thus far encountered by the boys and girls in blue:
Dr. Paul Manheim does a C+ job at best explaining just what's wrong with him (Star Trek: The Next Generation s01e24, "We'll Always Have Paris")
Manheim's Interdimensional Malady
In what might be best described as a stern metaphysical warning against tampering with the underlying structure of the universe, Dr. Paul Manheim got some essential part of himself trapped between dimensions while running experiments on time and gravity. The convulsions, hallucinations, and general systemic havoc just don't seem worth the trouble, especially given that it's fatal and the only existing treatment is to repair the interdimensional rift that causes it -- better hope you have a science-savvy android handy.
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"If I could talk, I'd tell you what a strange day you're all about to have" (Star Trek: The Next Generation s02e13, "Time Squared")
Post-Traumatic Time Vortex Catastrophe Syndrome
It turns out there's a kind of time travel nobody wants to try: the one where your ship encounters a hungry funnel in space that blows it up, throwing you six hours into the past and turning your entire being into an "opposite day" version of itself. Stimulants act as life-threatening sedatives, and your mind has so much trouble interacting with your body that you can't even get a word out until you're dangerously close to repeating your earlier doom. Maybe do as Captain Jean-Luc Picard did and have your "past" self put "present" you out of your misery.
Fall unconscious a youthful commander, wake up a grizzled captain, and you might have a similar look on your own face (Star Trek: The Next Generation s04e08, "Future Imperfect")
Altarian Encephalitis
Who wants to catch a disease that can lie dormant in your brain for years before suddenly flaring up, putting you in a coma and wiping all your memories back to the point of infection? Just ask Commander William Riker, although he might have quite a story to tell you.
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In which Counselor Troi is finally happy with the temperature and humidity settings in her quarters (Star Trek: The Next Generation s07e19, "Genesis")
Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome
If you're unlucky enough to be shipmates with a hypochondriac who demands inoculation against things as harmless as the Urodelan flu, warn the doctor on duty against solutions that involve a synthetic T-cell injection. Otherwise, you might end up dodging crewmates who've had their DNA devolved to become anything from a spider-person to a frog-woman to a hulking, angry crab-beast.
To be fair, Cardassian user interfaces aren't super intuitive even without the aphasia (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s01e05, "Babel")
Bajoran Aphasia Virus
What's worse: to not be understood by anyone when you speak, or to not be able to understand anyone else? "Why not both" is the answer Bajoran Resistance bioweapons engineer Dekon Elig came up with when he designed a viral agent to confound and ultimately wipe out the Cardassians running what eventually became Deep Space 9. You'd find yourself wandering the promenade with your language centers completely scrambled, telling people to "Salt way link" before your autonomic nervous system shut down completely, which is way less fun than it sounds.
There are, of course, plenty more weird contagions, disorders, and general ailments out there to be found, but these are our top five. What are yours?
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Jon Sung is a contributing writer for XPRIZE and copywriting gun-for-hire to startups and ventures all over the San Francisco Bay area. When not wrangling words for business or pleasure, he serves as the captain of the USS Loma Prieta, the hardest-partying Star Trek fan club in San Francisco.
Mama didn't talk much about her girlhood in the Jim Crow south. I didn't know about "colored" and "white" designated water fountains until I watched Cicely Tyson's parched lips take the screen in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.
Like a lot of black folks, the elders in my family kept the horrors of discrimination and police brutality to themselves. I remember learning about South Africa in the early 1980s. Even then--when, to my mind, the sting of the Civil Rights struggle might've subsided--the cat got Mamas tongue.
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"Apartheid" seemed such a strange word at the time. I'd read a school book quoting Martin Luther King Jr. saying that Birmingham, her birthplace, was to segregation what Johannesburg was to apartheid. I asked, "What do you think about that Mama?" She responded: "You know good and well I've never been to South Africa."
My granddaddy was even worse. He'd mutter a gruff "Hush, child!" Classic. Old black folks' favorite go-to explanation to queries about lynching, sharecropping--any and all atrocities lobbed by The White Man.
Well, today I am a parent myself--to three beautiful, black children. And guess who's tongue-tied now?
After last week's murderous rampage, which my gut tells me is but a hint of the racial climate my parents experienced in the Fifties and Sixties, I am struggling. There are no words to explain the evil that stole the life beat from two unarmed black men in Louisiana and Minnesota as well as five police officers in Texas. First on Thursday, watching the still and bloodied body of Alton Sterling. And the next night listening to the voice of "Diamond" Reynolds' as Philando Castile lay dying. I could not will my limbs free of the fetal position I'd struck for several hours--one eye watching the cable news networks I love to hate; the other eye closed in prayer.
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Then, Dallas. Five cops. An angry black man fixed on redemption. And a robot killer...a freaking robot.
It was like being in the middle of a B-movie. Only it was real life. Make that reel life, because unlike in Mama's day, we get to see the images over and over again--from all kinds of angles. Live action. In color. In slow motion.
I've made a career as a parenting editor. Back in the day, I'd scribe pithy features on "How to Tame a Tantrum" and "10 Ways to Please a Picky Eater." In times of crisis, I know what the experts say. You're supposed to keep kids away from heavy media exposure and reassure their safety concerns. Sounds good, right? I pretty much believed myself when I said things like, "Honey, a terrorist plane is not going to hit our house." And I never felt that I was straining credibility telling them we were safe from earthquakes and wild fires.
But I'd be lying if I told tell them not to fret over brutal, trigger-happy police. I cannot look my babies in the eye and say...Well, that's just it. What do I say? Should I tell my daughters that their sass is not only inappropriate but could also get them killed? Maybe I should say to my sweet, little brown man-child, "Boy, don't ask so many questions. You're going to mess around and be late for school...or get yourself shot!"
A woman wears a banner displaying the colours of France's flag in a heart during a minute of silence in front of the City Hall in Turin on July 15, 2016, one day after the deadly Bastille Day attacks in Nice. A Tunisian-born man zigzagged a truck through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing at least 84 and injuring dozens of children in what President Francois Hollande on July 15 called a 'terrorist' attack. / AFP / MARCO BERTORELLO (Photo credit should read MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images)
On July 14, 2016, having barely recovered from the Paris massacre in November, France suffered the second major terrorist attack on its territory in one year. In Nice, a truck plowed through a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day, France's national holiday, leaving more than 80 dead and many others wounded. Many have made sure to follow the events minute by minute.
On the evening of the 14th, you receive a notification from Le Monde, you read an information banner on television, or you watch for news on social networks. It is time again to follow an evening attack, your new morbid routine.
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On Facebook, or by telephone, you make sure that your loved ones are well. Nice, being home to a large Franco-Tunisian community, requires it.
The "Safety Check" only happens later in the evening. If you have a lot of Facebook friends in Nice, they'll do this for you. You'll hear from the ones you might not have thought to reach out to, but you are still very happy to hear that they are safe.
On Twitter, you see images and videos you wouldn't have otherwise sought out, and you see tweets of the recovery immediately after the events. Both of these make your stomach turn.
The news channels around the world are on alert, after Brussels, Orlando, Istanbul, and Baghdad (though actually, not really for Baghdad). Now it's Nice in the spotlight. You feel like you're reliving the Paris attacks from last November.
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You monitor social networks while watching television, and you start to confuse confirmed information with rumors. Between the burning Eiffel Tower, the taking of hostages, and the gunman who fired on Nice.
You watch the death toll, knowing it will still rise before the night is done. APBs flood your newsfeed. The poor people who came to the waterfront to watch fireworks. Tonight, you don't want to get geopolitical, you don't want to think or step back. Time is emotion.
You take stock of the details of the attack: the truck zigzagging to hit more people, the parents who swung their kids out of the way to save them. Each detail plunges you into a higher degree of horror.
You acted like an expert the whole evening, predicting the #PorteOuverte hashtag and all the others, but you're still surprised by the generous impulses of others. They warm your heart, which is frozen by habit. For example, the taxi drivers in Nice who gave free rides to pedestrians and took care of victims.
You stay glued to your screens in your utter helplessness. But you tweet, you retweet, and you feel like you're doing something. If you are in Nice, you reassure yourself by saying tomorrow (which is actually today, since it's 3am by this point) you will go donate blood.
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You wait for Francois Hollande's speech, for the state of emergency, the new security measures, the plans to address "terror" and "horror."
In the course of one evening, you've already experienced and condensed the four phases of terrorism described by Simon Jenkins: first horror (just the facts themselves), then advertising (which I am doing here), then political bombast (there are too many examples for me to name one) and finally the major policy change (starting with the three-month extension of the state of emergency, but there is still more to come).
You do not sleep. You should, because tomorrow you have work, school, something to do. This shouldn't keep you awake, it shouldn't affect you anymore.
But no, you're not accustomed to it. And it's probably better that way.
Advocates say healing takes time after former police officer arrested
After a former Hutchinson police officer was arrested in a series of rapes and sexual assaults, victim advocates worry some victims might stay silent.
Time Travel, Teleportation And Music Publishing Metadata
This article looks at the value of metadata, as well as the challenge of keeping it accurate and up-to-date over time, as ownership and rights can easily change from year to year, as well the difficulties of dealing with geographical shifts.
_____________________________
Guest Post by Annie Lin
If you work in music publishing, you've probably heard a lot about metadata this year.
When people discuss music publishing metadata, the debate typically focuses on the availability and quality of ownership information, or the absence thereof. It is generally understood that quality metadata can (or should be) used by licensees to secure licenses and pay rights holders. Some believe that metadata should be made widely available, while others believe that access should be restricted. Either way, metadata is typically portrayed as a linear roadmap that can help a prospective licensee get from songwriter and publisher to a license for a sound recording.
However, the reality is that the information captured by metadata is multi-dimensional, not linear. Good metadata is not a static one-to-one map of who owns what, but rather a log that records actionable copyright business information over time. In its most complete form, song metadata captures all of the information needed to ensure that participants in a chain of rights are compensated appropriately. Metadata not only documents all of the music rights that make up a song copyright, but also the people and business entities that interact with the copyright, as well as the business implications of those interactions over time.
Music Rights and Chronology
Those who work in music publishing often refer to the life of a copyright which, like the life of a person, is the sum of an infinite number of moments over time. During the life of a copyright, the rights which make up a song copyright can infinitely be unbundled, subdivided, licensed, and transferred to various parties, during various periods, and throughout various territories. Even for a single song, a complete metadata picture accounts for ownership information not merely for today, but also for yesterday and all of the days, months, and years which make up that song's copyright term.
Because of this, information that does not capture chronological information often raises more questions than it answers. Due to catalog acquisitions, deaths, bankruptcies, and many other factors, the answer to the question "who owns that song" may not always be the same as you travel back in time. The history of any given song may be simple or, in the case of commercial music that is recorded, released, re-released, and/or used in a variety other media, incredibly complex. For example: if you attempt to pay royalties under a 2009 license with a rights holder that no longer owns the song, you might ask: when was the song sold to someone else? Who owns the song now, and more importantly, who should I pay?
Music Rights and Geography
Geography is another dimension that is relevant to song metadata, since a rights holder may reserve the right to administer a song in certain territories or transfer those rights to a sub publisher, whether permanently or for a period of time. This is the reason why a particular right may be associated with one of any number of territorial restrictions (some examples: "the United States and its territories and possessions", "worldwide ex-US", or event "BRT British Reversionary Territories only").
This dimension of song metadata means that a music user must consider not only who owns a song, but also whether the parties own the song in the territory where the song may be used. You would not, for example, seek a license for song usage in the US from a German sub publisher; you would seek the rights holder that has the ability to license in the United States. Each music publisher has its own set of business rules drawn from what sub publishers it has appointed to handle collections or certain types of licenses in other territories, and these rules also need to be reflected in any robust metadata system that supports worldwide licensing.
The Long Game: Investing In Music Rights Infrastructure
At its best, music metadata presents a comprehensive summary of the transactions that can take place during the life of a music copyright. Since publishing revenue is generated by micro-transactions (streams) and then allocated based on metadata, even seemingly arcane pieces of information can have a significant downstream impact.
As such, the ability to ingest, understand, and effectively parse music metadata is almost as important, or arguably as important, as the information itself, regardless of the prevailing opinion in the metadata debate. If licensees must first contend with label deals, then publishing deals and the infrastructure needed to support those deals must follow. Metadata-friendly infrastructure is a long-term investment that will become increasingly important as licensees seek to extract and code business logic based on catalog data.
ABOUT ANNIE LIN: Annie Lin is general counsel at Loudr. She's also a former touring musician who has worked in music rights for more than a decade. When she's not overseeing business and legal affairs at Loudr, she can usually be found at various rock shows and record stores in San Francisco.
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Such curbs are called out as a threat to the open internet in a report on internet governance set to be released today at an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development meeting in Cancun, Mexico.
At least a dozen countries are considering or have enacted laws restricting online speech, a trend that is alarming policymakers and others who see the internet as a valuable medium for debate and expression.
The report, reviewed by Reuters, warns of dangers for the global internet, including intrusive surveillance, rising cybercrime and fragmentation as governments exert control of online content.
It was prepared by the London-based Chatham House think tank and the Centre for International Governance Innovation, founded by former BlackBerry Ltd co-chief Jim Balsillie.
China and Iran long have restricted online speech. Now limitations are under discussion in countries that have had a more open approach to speech, including Brazil, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bolivia, Kenya and Nigeria.
Advocates said some of the proposals would criminalize conversations online that otherwise would be protected under the countries' constitutions. Some use broad language to outlaw online postings that "disturb the public order" or "convey false statements" - formulations that could enable crackdowns on political speech, critics said.
"Free expression is one of the foundational elements of the internet," said Michael Chertoff, former U.S. secretary of Homeland Security and a co-author of the internet governance report. "It shouldn't be protecting the political interests of the ruling party or something of that sort."
Turkey and Thailand also have cracked down on online speech, and a number of developing world countries have unplugged social media sites altogether during elections and other sensitive moments. In the U.S. as well, some have called for restrictions on Internet communications.
Speech limitations create business and ethical conflicts for companies like Facebook Inc, Twitter Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, platforms for debate and political organizing.
"This is the next evolution of political suppression," said Richard Forno, assistant director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Center for Cybersecurity. "Technology facilitates freedom of expression, and politicians don't like that."
"FIGHTING DELINQUENCY"
Tanzania and Ethiopia have passed laws restricting online speech. In others, including Pakistan, Brazil, Bolivia and Kenya, proposals are under discussion or under legislative consideration, according to a review of laws by Reuters and reports by Internet activist groups.
In Bolivia, President Evo Morales earlier this year said that the country needs to "regulate the social networks." A bill has been drafted and is ready for introduction in the legislature, said Leonardo Loza, head of one of Bolivia's coca growers unions, a supporter of the proposal.
"It is aimed at educating and disciplining people, particularly young Bolivians, and fighting delinquency on social networks," Loza said. "Freedom of expression can't be lying to the people or insulting citizens and politicians."
A bill in Pakistan would allow the government to block internet content to protect the "integrity, security or defense" of the state. The legislation, which has passed a vote in Pakistan's lower house of parliament, is supposed to target terrorism, but critics said the language is broad.
It comes after Pakistan blocked YouTube in 2012 when a video it deemed inflammatory sparked protests across the country and much of the Muslim world.
Earlier this year, YouTube, which is owned by Google, agreed to launch a local version of its site in the country. But now, the internet report said, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority can ask the company to remove any material it finds offensive.
COMPANIES IN THE CROSSFIRE
U.S. internet companies have faced mounting pressure in recent years to restrict content. Companies' terms of service lay out what users can and cannot post, and they said they apply a single standard globally. They aim to comply with local laws, but often confront demands to remove even legal content.
The new laws threaten to raise a whole new set of compliance and enforcement issues.
"There's a technical question, which is, could you comply if you wanted to, and then the bigger meta question is why would you want to cooperate with this politicized drive to suppress freedom of expression," said Andrew McLaughlin, Google's former director of global policy and now leading content organization at Medium.
Facebook, Twitter and Google declined to comment for this story.
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/proposals-curb-online-speech-viewed-100001384.html
President Obama recently announced his intent to nominate Missouri Department of Insurance Director John M. Huff as one of the members of the Board of Directors of the newly formed National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers (NARAB)."These fine public servants bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their important roles. I look forward to working with them," the president said in a press release.In total, the NARAB board will consist of 13 members. This count comprises eight state insurance commissioners and five insurance industry representatives.The NARABs goal is to create a universal and standardized licensing platform for insurance agents and brokers looking to operate across different states.At present, agents and brokers who are doing business in multiple states must complete separate applications, pay multiple licensing fees and meet different continuing education requirements in each state they are active in."I am honored by President Obama's announcement and look forward to serving on NARAB's Board of Directors," Huff said in a release published by the Missouri Insurance Department. "It is imperative that we leverage technology and cut burdensome red tape to reduce regulatory costs so that insurance agents and brokers can continue to effectively serve consumers."Although the NARAB will implement national standards for nonresident licensing, agents and brokers are still responsible for resident licensure under their home states insurance regulations.Huff assumed his role as director of the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration in 2009. He is also the current president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
A Texas insurance and financial services software professional and his young son were among at least 84 people killed Thursday in Nice, France, when a truck plowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day. 202 others were injured.Sean Copeland, 51, was a vice president at Lexmarks Kapow Software Division. Kapow provides integration and automation platforms for the insurance industry. Also killed was Copelands 11-year-old son, Brodie. The two were in Nice on a family vacation, according to a report by the Austin Statesman.Sean and Brodie Copeland were among at least 84 people who lost their lives Thursday when Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove his truck into a crowd in what French President Francois Hollande is calling a terrorist act. Bouhlel was shot and killed by police officers as he wielded a firearm, according to the New York Times.While the 31-year-old, Tunisian-born Nice resident was not on any watch list as a suspected militant, he had had repeated run-ins with the law, according to a Reuters report. However, hed been convicted only once for road rage.There was an altercation between him and another driver and he hurled a wooden pallet at the man, French Justice Minister Jean-Jaques Urvoas told reporters.Bouhlel was given a suspended sentence and ordered to contact police at least once a week which he did, according to Reuters.Tunisian security forces told Reuters that Bouhlel has held a French residence permit for the past 10 years without obtaining French nationality. They also said he wasnt known to hold radical or Islamist views.But neighbors in Nice described Bouhlel as frightening.He didnt have a frightening face, but a look, one neighbor told Reuters. He would stare at the children a lot.While no terrorist group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, the Islamic State and Al Qaeda have praised it, according to the Times.
The Selectmen reviewed goals for the upcoming year during a workshop meeting on Wednesday.
Adams May Look at Medical Marijuana Dispensary Possibilities
ADAMS, Mass. The Selectmen may look into bringing a medical marijuana dispensary to town.
Selectman Joseph Nowak told the board during its workshop meeting on goals Wednesday that he would like to work on bringing a medical marijuana dispensary to town.
"I think there are a lot of misconceptions about marijuana dispensaries, and ... I feel we could fill up the void in the Northern Berkshires," Nowak said. "Anything a person can do that can take away their suffering I believe strongly in that ... I would like to bring this to the forefront as soon as possible."
Nowak said when he first ran for selectman, he advocated for getting Adams ready for a dispensary, but it fell to the wayside. He said he wants to refocus on it.
He said with the possibility of the state legalizing recreational marijuana in the future, Adams should do all it can to be ready.
"If we are able to get a dispensary here in Adams that would give us the foot up if recreational marijuana becomes legalized in the state," Nowak said.
Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said he has worked in communities with dispensaries and he never saw a problem. He agreed with Nowak and said the more business friendly and ready the town can be, the better.
"There is a benefit to being ready and prepared ... that is what 90 percent of it is, being welcoming and being ready if it does happen," Mazzucco said. "The first place anyone starting a business looks for is what communities are ready so if Savoy is ready that is where they are going to go."
Chairman Jeffrey Snoonian said a dispensary could be a good fit for Adams and he welcomes any new business to the area.
"I think it is a great idea, and I think it is a growing business that certainly does not need to be located in Boston, Snoonian said. "It is something we could capitalize on.
Nowak said he plans to ask the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals their opinion, as well as the police chief and town counsel. He said he plans to bring it up at a future selectmen's meeting to see who is onboard and to get the ball rolling.
Nowak also wanted the town to continue to focus on regionalization efforts.
Snoonian said one of his goals is to capitalize on Adams being an age-friendly community.
"Adams could really be in the forefront of being an incredibly age-friendly town, and there are a lot of things that we can publicize," Snoonian said. "All of our festivals could be considered age-friendly because they are all on the bus route and they are all level."
Snoonian said this could also apply to the Greylock Glen and the town could install senior friendly trails. He also wants to square away issues at the wastewater treatment plant.
Along with starting a charter review and working with state Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Planning Organization to finish various projects, Selectman John Duval said he would be interested in supplying police cruisers with dashboard cameras.
Mazzucco said the department has a few but they are not functional in the cruisers. He added that because the state has agreed to pay for the town's dispatch service for a year because of its transfer to the sheriffs office, there may be money in the budget to buy a few cameras.
He said if not, he plans to work it into next years capital budget.
From this point on, he said, whenever the town buys a cruiser, a camera will be included in the initial price.
Selectman Richard Blanchard agreed with many of his fellow selectmen's goals and said he would like to focus on capitalizing on the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Author J.K. Rowling of the popular "Harry Potter" book series announced that the fictional American wizarding school is on Mount Greylock.
Mazzucco said he plans to hold public meetings where everyone can get together and brainstorm about how to tap into Pottermania.
The condition of Notre Dame's supporting buttresses is considered 'dangerous' by engineers.
North Adams Seeks Emergency Preservation Funds for Notre Dame
Three buttresses will be to partially demolished and rebuilt.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The city is asking the state for emergency funding to help address the "dangerous condition" of Notre Dame Church.
It will take an estimated $200,000 to repair the brick buttresses that began failing this past winter when water infiltration and freezing began to eat away at the mortar, particularly in the southwest and southeast corners of the vacant building. Loose bricks were removed on the southwest corner by city workers and the parking area behind the East Main Street church were blocked off for safety.
The city is asking Secretary of State William F. Galvin, who oversees historic preservation matters, for $50,000 in emergency preservation funding to be matched by $50,000 from the city.The total estimate by Barry Engineers and Constructors Inc. comes to $211,770. Mayor Richard Alcombright on Tuesday told the City Council he anticipated requesting a transfer from the stabilization account for the repairs.
His plan is to use any emergency funds and the city match totaling $100,000 to fix the water collection system ($14,270) and the balance toward as much of the brickwork as can be restored. The city would apply for another round of preservation funding later in the year to complete the restoration.
Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund are available at the "secretary's discretion for stabilization of resources considered in imminent danger."
In his letter to Galvin, the mayor notes the city has already lost the historic St. Francis of Assissi Church to the wrecking ball because of "catastrophic structural failure."
"... the Notre Dame Church has been vacant now for well over 15 yearse and is beginning to show its age," he said. "The attached reports and photos from Barry Engineers and Constructors Inc. shows a significant need for brickwork that will allow us to keep the building 'in play' for future development."
City officials had not considered the church as in as a dire a strait as St. Francis, but Barry Engineers and Constructors Inc. in its report said the "building structure must be repaired immediately to avoid partial or a major building collapse."
The engineers are concerned that service loads such as "gravity, wind, snow and seismic" will put undue pressure on the weakened buttresses.
"Repairs must be completed prior to the winter season to avoid snow loads and continued water entry and freeze and thaw conditions," the report states.
The water issues were the result of the vandalizing and theft of the roof gutter that allowed water to pour down on the brick masonry. The engineering report focused on the affected areas and not other parts of the church, including the steeple, and was limited to visible observation.
There is no indication of water infiltration in the interior; but buttress 11, in the rear, has fully collapsed and buttress 10 is near collapse. An interior staircase at buttress 11 shows a wall crack. Both buttresses will require complete restoration. A third buttress also needs significant repair and five others moderate repair to minor repointing. The brownstone caps also need repointing and the one over the front door to be reset.
Election 2016: Harrington Endorsed by Mass Women's Political Caucus
RICHMOND, Mass. Andrea Harrington, a local attorney and small business owner running in the Democratic primary for state Senate, has been endorsed by the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus.
The non-partisan organization has a proven record of electoral success in Massachusetts, including its support of the campaigns of Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Auditor Suzanne Bump, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
This announcement follows recent endorsements from Western Massachusetts Carpenters Union Local 108 and SEIU Local 888. Harrington is a Democrat running for state Senate for the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District soon to be vacated by Sen. Benjamin B. Downing.
"I am honored to have the Mass Women's Political Caucus supporting my campaign for State Senate. I am running for office to be a bold, progressive voice for Western Massachusetts, and I look forward to working with residents across the district on the issues that matter to us," said Harrington. "I am committed to fighting for important causes like pay equity, paid family leave, and universal pre-K. I will be a tireless advocate for our communities as we work to combat the opioid epidemic, invest in public education, and develop comprehensive strategies to promote environmental sustainability and create jobs for our region."
Harrington grew up in Richmond, where she currently lives with her husband, Tim, and their two young sons. Harrington is an attorney and owns a small business in West Stockbridge. She has been actively involved in the region, serving as a member her local Affordable Housing Committee, School Council, and as an advisory board member of the regional non-profit, BerkShares Inc. She is a graduate of Taconic High School in Pittsfield, the University of Washington, and American University's Washington College of Law.
Imperial Valley News Center
Remarks With Russian President Vladimir Putin
Moscow, Russia - Remarks With Russian President Vladimir Putin:
PRESIDENT PUTIN: (Via interpreter) Distinguished Secretary, dear colleagues, allow me once again to welcome you to Moscow. Id like to note our mutual efforts to settle and resolve the conflicts that we believe are of importance and should be resolved.
And my last phone conversation with President Obama makes me convinced that its our sincere desire not only to pursue the process but to yield tangible results. And I hope that after todays consultations and please, by the way, give my regards to President Obama I hope after todays consultations, youll be able to advise him of the progress made and of a possible headway for us to make.
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, Mr. President, thank you very much for taking time. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to meet. President Obama sends you his regards. He thought it was a constructive conversation, and hopefully we will be able to make some genuine progress that is measurable and implementable that can make a difference to the course of events in Syria. So I look forward very much to a serious conversation this evening and again tomorrow with Sergey. And we have a lot of work to do.
The president and I both believe this president that the United States and Russia are in a position to make an enormous difference in the course of events not just in Syria, but obviously Ukraine, and even in other potential areas of cooperation. So were anxious to get to work. Weve done a lot of ground work, but were not where we need to be yet. We hope to be able to get there.
So Im ready to work, and I know you are. Lets go.
PRESIDENT PUTIN: (Via interpreter) President Obama drew my attention to the fact that Russian Federation helped release one of the American citizens.
And Ill tell you that at your behest well keep working in this way, and I really hope that if need be, the American side will reciprocate in efforts and would accommodate our request as well.
SECRETARY KERRY: Mr. President, well aware of your request. Let me say that we are all grateful for Russias help. You made a difference the difference and were very grateful for that. And we are indeed aware of your request for reciprocation.
Imperial Valley News Center
Attack in Nice
Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "Today's horrendous attack in Nice is an attack against innocent people on a day that celebrates Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.
"On behalf of all Americans, and especially the great many with close ties to France, I offer our deepest condolences to the friends and family of those who were killed and our hopes for a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
"I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed.
"Our embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for the welfare of U.S. citizens in Nice. Any U.S. citizens in Nice should contact friends and family directly to inform them of their well being."
Visit of President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico
Washington, DC - Today, the President will welcome President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico to the White House. This visit follows the two Presidents meeting during the North American Leader Summit in Ottawa on June 29 as well as a meeting at the White House in January 2015.
The President looks forward to hosting President Pena Nieto in Washington to build upon the significant progress made at the North American Leaders Summit and to reaffirm and deepen our bilateral partnership on a range of issues.
California gets $18 million from federal program for farmworker housing
Sacramento, California - Six farmworker housing projects in California have been awarded $18 million in loans from the USDAs Farm Labor Housing Loan and Grant Program to help qualified organizations develop housing for farmworkers, make housing repairs, and provide household furnishings.
A total of $26 million was provided nationwide. The California loan recipients are:
Mutual Housing of California $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 39 affordable apartments in Woodland, Calif.
The Community Revitalization and Development Corporation $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 58 affordable apartments in Bakersfield, Calif.
Corporation for Better Housing, LP $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 72 affordable apartments in Ukiah, Calif.
Corporation for Better Housing $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 68 affordable apartments in MacFarland, Calif.
Corporation for Better Housing $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 64 affordable apartments in Greenfield, Calif.
Pacific Southwest Community Development Corporation $3 million loan. Funds will be used to develop 60 affordable apartments in Calexico, Calif.
The program has a track record of success in California. To help relieve a shortage of affordable housing in Calistoga, Calif., the Corporation for Better Housing last year utilized a Farm Labor Housing Loan and Grant Program loan to open the doors to a 48-unit Net Zero Energy farm labor housing complex. The state-of-the-art project generates as much energy as it uses through a large solar array and other energy-efficient features, leaving residents with nearly non-existent utility bills. The complex recently received a Gold Nugget Award of excellence at the PCBC (Pacific Coast Builders Conference) home-building trade show.
Governor Brown Issues Statement on Passing of Senator Sharon Runner
Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued the following statement on the passing of Senator Sharon Runner:
Anne and I were saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Sharon Runner who so selflessly served her constituents, her community and the state of California over the years. Our thoughts are with the Runner family on this difficult day.
In honor of Senator Runner, acting Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered Capitol flags to be flown at half-staff.
Secretary of State John Kerry's Call with United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Johnson
Washington, DC - Secretary Kerry spoke by telephone today with newly appointed U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to offer his congratulations.
The Secretary and Foreign Secretary Johnson agreed that the U.S.-U.K. special relationship is as essential as ever, and they pledged to work closely together as NATO allies to address the full range of challenges we face and to meet our responsibilities around the world.
The Secretary stressed U.S. support for a sensible and measured approach to the Brexit process and offered to stay engaged as the U.K. government develops its plans.
The two ministers also spoke briefly about the situation in Syria, the broader Middle East and agreed to meet at next week's Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.
Officials from U.S. and Japan Participate in 35th Bilateral Meeting in Washington to Discuss Antitrust Enforcement
Washington, DC - The heads of the antitrust agencies of the United States and Japan met today in Washington for their 35th Bilateral Competition Consultation. Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justices Antitrust Division Renata Hesse participated in high-level meetings with Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) Chairman Kazuyuki Sugimoto and a delegation of officials from the JFTC.
The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including recent enforcement developments, antitrust policy and enforcement involving intellectual property and technology, and international enforcement cooperation. The purpose of the meeting is to reinforce ties of cooperation and share knowledge in light of the increasing internationalization of antitrust enforcement.
FTC representatives met today with senior officials from the JFTC. Pictured are (from left to right): Andrew Heimert, Office of International Affairs; Randy Tritell, Director, Office of International Affairs; Debbie Feinstein, Director, Bureau of Competition; and Chairwoman Edith Ramirez.
We value our longstanding and productive relationship with the JFTC, said Chairwoman Ramirez. The opportunity to exchange views on both current enforcement efforts as well as cutting edge policy issues such as intellectual property and the sharing economy helps to advance enforcement cooperation and the development of sound competition policies globally.
The fact that this is our 35th bilateral meeting is a testament to the depth and strength of our relationship, said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hesse. Given the importance of our economic ties and our shared interests in antitrust, we are incredibly fortunate to have such a close and productive relationship with the JFTC.
The United States-Japan bilateral competition consultations date back to 1976, making them the U.S. antitrust agencies longest-running annual consultations with any foreign antitrust agency.
CNO to Visit China
Washington, DC - Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson is scheduled to visit China, July 17 to 20, to meet with People's Liberation Army (Navy) (PLA(N)) commander Adm. Wu Shengli
The goal of the three-day visit to Beijing and Qingdao is to improve mutual understanding and encourage professional interaction between the two navies.
This is Richardson's first visit to China as CNO and will be the first in-person meeting for the two leaders. Over the last year, the two admirals have held three discussions via video teleconference.
Discussion topics include the South China Sea; the ongoing Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise; and future opportunities for the two navies to operate together.
"I have been looking forward to this trip and to meeting Admiral Wu for some time," said Richardson. "These are important times for our two navies and for maritime forces throughout the region. As we seek to learn from each other, there is no substitute for these types of face-to-face meetings."
While in Beijing, Richardson is scheduled to visit PLA(N) headquarters and meet with other senior Chinese defense officials. In Qingdao, home of the Chinese North Sea Fleet, he is scheduled to visit the Chinese Navy's submarine academy and tour the aircraft carrier Liaoning (CV-16).
WiSci Girls STEAM Camp in Peru Begins July 23
Washington, DC - Following the success of the first-ever WiSci (Women in Science) Girls STEAM Camp last year in Rwanda, this years WiSci Girls STEAM Camp will take place in Peru, July 23August 7. The two-week program will help 100 girlstalented and driven high school students from Chile, Mexico, Peru, and the United Stateslearn science, technology, engineering, arts and design, and mathematics (STEAM) skills and encourage them to pursue careers in those fields.
As part of the Let Girls Learn initiative, the camp is a public-private partnership designed to expand STEAM education opportunities for adolescent girls. This years camp is also part of a broader U.S.-led initiative through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to enhance womens participation and advancement in STEAM fields in the 21 APEC economies.
The program is led by industry experts and will be conducted in Spanish. Campers will learn about coding and app development, engineering and robotics, renewable energy, micro- and molecular biology, design, mapping, and sustainable development. Sessions will also focus on leadership development and teamwork, cultural exchange, educational excursions, and mentorship opportunities.
At the end of the camp, the girls will present project ideas and designs that use the skills and tools they gained to address a social or development challenge. Mentorship and professional development opportunities following the camp will encourage campers to continue to engage in STEAM fields.
The 2016 WiSci Girls STEAM Camp is organized by the U.S. Department of State, United Nations Foundations Girl Up campaign, Google, and the Intel Corporation, with support from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany; CONCYTEC Peru; and Freeport-McMoRan. Additional programmatic support is being offered by Laboratoria, the American Society for Microbiology, OpenStreetMap, Technovation, and UNESCO.
This Isnt Our Last Love Letter
Dear Don Don,
Way back in 92
I walked into the room and knew
Never felt this way before
I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes
And the feeling grew
As I took a seat I knew
A love that would have my heart
Forever
I knew
Way back in 92
They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true
We were the exception to that rule
Our love had no where to hide
A spark set fire
As if this is how the universe started
I never doubted our love or what we could do
Together we grew
Forming a bond everlasting
That became our glue
My euphoria was YOU
Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared
For how fortunate we were :
to have and to hold
through sickness and in health
Til death do us part
Until we are together again
This isnt our last love letter
I love you with all my heart and soul
Yours forever,
Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)
Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.
A True American Hero
I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.
I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.
I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.
But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.
In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.
Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.
I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.
I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.
No one will ever do what he did.
I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO
David Jurist
IMUS IN THE MORNING
FIRST DAY BACK!
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People waking up to news of the horrific Bastille Day terror attack in Nice have been paying tribute to those killed and injured with cartoons expressing their wishes for peace, love and unity.
Eighty-four people have been confirmed dead with many more wounded after a lorry ploughed through a crowd watching celebratory fireworks on the waterfront of French Riviera city. The attacker has been identified as a 31-year-old French-Tunisian man, who was shot by police after deliberately driving his truck at revellers and shooting.
President Francois Hollande has said that the terrorist character [of the attack] cannot be denied and a horror has come down on France again, with world leaders sending messages of solidarity to the country after hearing the tragic news.
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
Thousands of others have been posting tributes to those who died on social media, using the hashtags #PrayForNice and #JeSuisNice. Many have been sharing a cartoon by Le Monde artist Plantu, who drew a crying dove of peace in the middle of a map of France, with a black Nice banned covering one bleeding corner.
Nice Attack: Witnesses speak
Here are some of the most powerful cartoons to emerge so far:
From Plantu, for Nice:
This image of the French flag in the shape of a heart has gone viral, while others are sharing a picture of three hearts in a row - one blue, one white and one red:
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine shared this harrowing cartoon by Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, based on the tragic photo of a doll lying next to a child in a body bag:
Others are reusing the hard-hitting cartoon Latuff drew following the Paris attacks in November, showing the dead lying beneath a bleeding French Tricolore:
This particularly horrifying cartoon by Swaha references the truck that killed scores of people in Nice:
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac depicts angels telling people to Be Nice after the atrocity:
This message has been shared by some people to express their despair at repeated terror attacks. The post, when translated, reads I am Charlie, I am Paris, I am Orlando, I am Brussels, I am Instanbul, I am Nice, I am Baghdad, I am Bangladesh, I am exhausted:
Geraint Smith sketched a big blue tear with the word Bastille inside it and shared it on Twitter:
The terror attack has sent shockwaves around the world, with Louison expressing the widespread disbelief at the violence:
This cartoon, signed Mesia, is being shared on social media, showing a pair of bloodied footprints on a Nice seafront painted red, white and blue:
This image of a bruised and bloodied globe looking through a memories box of more peaceful times is also proving poignant:
This round-up will be updated as more tribute artworks emerge.
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Disney continues to keep a very tight lid on their first slated Star Wars spin-off, Rogue One; but it looks like its with very good reason, as the upcoming movie is so far set to be unlike anything weve ever seen before in the Star Wars universe. And that is something to get very, very excited about.
Hype reached an absolute peak at Londons Star Wars Celebration; where a panel of cast and creators teased the upcoming film with a few well-placed hints, some confirmations about the identities of its central characters, and a general sense of whats in store for fans.
Its a style that is unlike any other Star Wars movie, enthused LucasFilm President Kathleen Kennedy at the panels opening. This is going to be an incredibly immersive experience. One of the most striking elements that weve seen so far is merely the sense of location to this film, of Stormtroopers crossing crystal-blue waters with an eerie sense of foreboding.
That location, it turns out, is the Maldives; part of a move to film in as many tangible locations as possible, including Londons very own Canary Wharf. Director Gareth Edwards revealed his very first job in London included the DLR route, one that hed always remarked as distinctly futuristic in its appearance and worthy of an appearance in a future film of his.
Though whod knew it would be a production as massive as Star Wars? Filming for the scene was inevitably an intensely secretive operation; with crew diving in after the stations midnight closure to set dress, followed by a mere four hours to shoot the scene.
The films cast also joined the stage to discuss their own characters at least, discuss them to the extent they were allowed to before Kennedy shot a discerning glare in their direction. At the centre of the film is Felicity Jones Jyn Erso.
She's the criminal misfit who becomes embroiled in the Rebellions most improbable of missions: steal the plans for the Death Star. These events, of course, directly link into the first scenes of A New Hope; when Princess Leia is seen concealing the plans in R2-D2 before she's captured by the Galactic Empire.
Whats unlike previous Star Wars heroes, Jones explained, is that Jyn is a woman who already possesses a sense of self; We know where she comes from, and that fact is what propels the story.
One of the biggest reveals of the panel was a better look at the films new droid, K-2SO. Diego Luna, who plays Cassian Andor in the film, said, One of the most important members of this team is a droid, an Imperial droid that is programmed by the rebellion. Hes probably the best friend Cassian has in the Rebellion, or the only one.
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Alan Tudyk, who provides a motion-capture performance for the role, had this to say about the not-so-friendly creation. Cassian reprogrammed him, and did like a data wipe. When he reprogrammed him, hes not quite all there. He speaks his mind and says things, I dont know, that can be unsettling. Hes very honest. If you know any old people, hes like that; he just says whatever he thinks. It was great. It was really great to play him.
Riz Ahmed later described his own character Bodhi as, a pirate. He works for the Empire to make a living. People who work at big organisations, they dont agree with everything they do. Hes questioning things; the planet that hes from is an occupied planet.
The panel also brought confirmation that Mads Mikkelsen will, indeed, be playing Jyn Ersos father Galen Erso; though theres a particular secrecy around his character that hints to his having a significant role in the Star Wars universe. Mikkelsen intriguingly teased that Galen, once invented something so beautiful, so fantastic that it could change the universe.
Since the interview, Mikkelsen has been confirmed to be playing Galen Erso
Also kept under secrecy is Ben Mendelsohns Director Orson Krennic, though the actor had little to give away at the panel; jokingly teasing that hes an Australia kind [of villain]. We do villainry very well. Hes smarter than most of his predecessors, more inventive; perhaps a little sexier than some of them, perhaps not quite as sexy as some of the others.
The panel also further once more confirmed Darth Vaders appearance, and particularly James Earl Jones involvement in voicing him. Yet, the one highlight any fan will be taking away from the panel was a brand new trailer shown only to Celebration audiences that briefly revealed Vader himself.
Merely a moody, reflective shot of the iconic villain taking in breath, theres nothing story wise to be particularly gained from the new footage; except to say that something quite spectacular-looking is on the horizon.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits UK cinemas 16 December 2016.
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Simon Pegg has revealed that he based a new Star Trek Beyond character on none other than Oscar-winning actor Jennifer Lawrence.
The actor and screenwriter told a press conference that female alien Jaylah was inspired by Lawrences breakthrough performance as Ree in 2010 drama Winters Bone.
He said that himself and co-writer Doug Jung began calling the character Jennifer Lawrence in Winters Bone while struggling to come up with a name. We were trying to create this very independent character but we didnt have a name for it, so we just called it Jennifer Lawrence in Winters Bone, said Pegg. Thats a long name. It started getting tiring always saying, Jennifer Lawrence in Winters Bone is fighting here. So we started calling her J-Law and then she became Jaylah.
Jaylah features on the Star Trek Beyond poster
Vox describes Jaylah as more or less a loner, fending for herself and trying to scrape together a living without much help from any sort of parental or authority figure. She enters the galactic fray after bumping into the USS Enterprise crew, apparently.
Star Trek Beyond Trailer New
Jaylah will be played by Sofia Boutella, who joins returning actors Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana for Justin Lins new film. Star Trek Beyond arrives in UK cinemas on 22 July, with Idris Elba another new addition to the cast.
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MPs have blamed the Governments totally inadequate attempt to prevent the UK property market from being exploited by international money launderers, saying the UK has laid out a welcome mat to criminals.
The Home Affairs select committee said in a report that the current tools for detecting suspicious activity across the financial services sector and connected industries, such as real estate, are overloaded to the point of being completely ineffective.
It called for an immediate and radical overhaul of the systems used to track seized assets.
Recommended Read more Super rich who hide money in tax havens to be unmasked
Keith Vaz, committee chair and Labour backbencher, said the current proceeds of crime legislation have failed as 100 billion was being laundered through the county every year. This is the equivalent to the GDP of Ukraine, according to Vaz.
Last year there were 1.2 million property transactions in the UK. But those 2.4 million buyers and sellers generated just 355 suspicious activity reports, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Investment in London properties is a major route which tarnishes the image of the capital, Vaz said.
Supervision of the property market is totally inadequate, and poor enforcement has laid out a welcome mat for launderers and organised criminals, he added.
How is money laundering done through property?
The NCA system of reporting suspicious transactions brings together information from banks and law enforcement agencies. It is overwhelmed with nearly 382,000 reports per year, yet it was designed to manage no more than 20,000.
This has rendered the whole system a futile and impotent weapon in the global fight against criminal financing, with no indication from the Home Office as to when a new state of the art system will be purchased, Vaz said.
Henry Pryor, RICS and housing market commentator, said in his opinion it was without question that London property market was a destination for laundered money.
I would say that if, for example, the buyer of a property was the second son of a world leader in a country in the middle of South Americahow does he have 8 million to buy a flat in Mayfairpersonally I would be suspicious, Pryor said.
But it does not seem that my professional colleagues are as sceptical as I am, which is unfortunate, he added.
A spokesman for the NCA admitted the system was not effective or efficient, but the organisation is awaiting a Home Office review before deciding how to updatetheir reporting system.
A Home Office spokesman said: We are committed to attacking criminal finances, making it harder to move, hide and use the proceeds of crime, as set out in the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy.
Outrageous property deals in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Outrageous property deals in pictures Outrageous property deals in pictures The Park Lane townhouse set to become one of the UK's most expensive student flats at 4,000 a week A town house situated in Park Lane, one of the most affluent places in London, is about to become the capitals most expensive student residence. Most of London students usually live in halls of residence before moving on to house-share. For this reason it is fair to say few will able to afford the 3,540 square foot three-bedroom flat, which is available for 4,000 a week, 16,000 per month or 192,000 per year. Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures London's most expensive flat goes on sale at Buckingham Palace near Buckingham Palace priced at 150m A luxury flat in Londons historic Admiralty Arch, which overlooks Buckingham Palace, could sell for up to 150 million. If sold for that price, the 15,000 sq ft apartment will become London's most expensive flat, topping One Hyde Park, a flat which sold for 140 million in 2014.The Grade I listed property boasts 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms Outrageous property deals in pictures Little White House inside the US embassy complex in London goes on sale for 2.5m A luxury home inside the US embassy complex has gone on sale for 2.5m. The property is said to be the most protected home in Britain and any visitor is asked to carry an identity card at all times. The complex has patrolling US marines, a 24-hour British police presence, checkpoints, anti-tanks blocks and CCTV.But potential buyers looking for a fortress should not get their hopes up as all the security will disappear once the US embassy moves to a new site in Nine Elms in 2017. The home, located at 4 Blackburnes Mews near Grosvenor Square, dates back to 1732 and owes its nickname to its white facade, grand entrance and sweeping staircase as well as its proximity to the US embassy. It provides nearly 3,000 sq ft of living space and benefits from access to communal gardens. Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures First London luxury flats to contain their own private art gallery with prices going from 3.8m up to 7.7m The first private luxury apartment building in London with its own private art gallery has been unveiled in March. The Chilterns at 24 Paddington Street contains 44 luxury residences, the majority of which were sold in 2013. It contains a signature restaurant, a 24 hour-hotel style concierge service, a gymnasium and sauna and a private cinema. The new art gallery, with original pictures of the area by David Bailey, is part of the lobby of the building and is one of the most exciting and unique features of the Chilterns, according to Stephen Conway, CEO of Galliard Homes. With prices going from 3.8 million up to 7.7 million for a three bedroom flat, the residence is located between the local shops of Marylebone High Street and Baker Street. Outrageous property deals in pictures Margaret Thatcher's Belgravia home is up for sale for 30m Margaret Thatchers six-floor townhouse in Belgravia is on the market for a cool 30 million. The Grade II listed building on No. 73 Chester Square, one of Londons most prestigious addresses, now boasts a lift, a newly constructed mews house with a roof terrace and a private garage after a three-year refurbishment by Leconfield, a development and construction company. Some features from Thatchers time at the property remain. The layout and design of the formal dining room and interlinking study on the ground floor has been reinstated exactly as the Iron Lady had it during her 22 years at the property, from 1991 until her death in 2013. Outrageous property deals in pictures Tiny London house that is just 10ft wide goes on market for 800,000 A tiny terraced house that measures no more than 10ft wide has gone on the market in south London for a staggering 800,000. The house, generally labelled "unique" by estate agent Foxtons, looks all the more unusual because it is sandwiched between two regular-sized homes. It doesn't even have a proper back door - images of the interior suggested renovators had sought to maximise the property's space by including a folding aperture to the similarly narrow back garden. Outrageous property deals in pictures The Mayfair penthouse that sold for 30 million A Mayfair penthouse on Albemarle Street, one of Mayfair's oldest roads, sold to a mystery buyer for 30 million in December. The 5,845 sq ft, three-bedroom family home is thought to be one of the most expensive properties sold in the capital this year, and comes with an annual service charge of 61,000. supplied by Estate agent Peter Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures The dilapidated pre-fab 'shed' sold for nearly 1 million A pre-fabricated bungalow in south-east London has sold at auction for just under 1 million. The 1950s property in Peckham comes with 0.6 acres of land, is in need of renovation and has no fitted bathroom, but still sold for 950,000. A guide price of 590,000 was initially set, but increased rapidly during the bidding. Google Maps Outrageous property deals in pictures The starter home flats that went for a combined 60 million Some 215 affordable starter homes, specifically designed for first time buyers, sold out in just three hours in November, after dozens of aspiring homeowners camped overnight and queued in bad weather to get their hands on the flats. The starter home flats at Trinity Square by Galliard Homes went for a combined 60 million, or an average of 700 per sq ft. Londoners looking for affordable housing did not hesitate to camp out for up to two days to snag a flat, despite the fact that the project will not be complete for another two years. Galliard Outrageous property deals in pictures The longest lateral flat where H.G wells hosted a book club: yours for 3.65m The 2,200 square foot apartment in Chiltern Court in Marylebone was also home to author Arnold Bennett and political cartoonist David Low. Now on the market for 3.65 million through Rokstone agency, the four-bedroom flat has been refurbished into a luxury apartment, providing an exceptional 40 meter window frontage and depth. It claims to be the longest and most outstanding lateral flat - ones that stretch the full width of a building, or sometimes across two buildings - currently for sale in Londons West End. Rokstone Outrageous property deals in pictures Gatti House: the flats with celebrity links and private "pizza" lift that sold for a collective 16.5 million Celebrity links, a famous history and a private pizza lift has helped set a new record for price per square foot for a block of flats in central London. The four flats have sold for a collective 16.5 million at Gatti House on Londons Strand. Gatti House, a magnificent grade II building built in 1867, was sold as four separate apartments priced from 2.95 million to 5.95 million by CBRE Residential and Beauchamp, which has completed the last remaining sale. CBRE Residential and Beauchamp Outrageous property deals in pictures Londons most expensive office A newly refurbished office in the heart of Mayfair measuring 6,000 sq ft was unveiled by Enstar Capital in October. At 500 per sq ft, it is set to be the most expensive commercial fit out ever undertaken in the West End, according to the developer. The workspace on 54 Brooks Mews features gold-plated executive washrooms inspired by Armani-hotel in Italy, timber flooring imported from a 16th century monastery in Tuscany and an Art Deco entrance restored with a new 54 entrance logo replicating Steve Rubells famous studio 54 nightclub logo from the seventies. While the directors floor include a rooftop terrace dressed with loungers and an outside meeting and dining table. Enstar Capital Outrageous property deals in pictures Former garage in Mayfair become worlds most expensive mews house at 24m in Mayfair In September, the worlds most expensive mews house, in Reevews Mews, sold to a Qatari buyer for an eye-watering 24 million. Outrageous property deals in pictures A penthouse where you canoe from your front door, yours for 16.95 million London luxury dockside complex located on Chelsea creek is due for completion by the end of 2016. But its luxury flats are already on sale including this penthouse yours for 16.95 million. Its future residents will be able to slip down the river for a work out on the water at anytime of the day. Outrageous property deals in pictures The only property in London too expensive for the citys super-rich property buyers A 45 bed-room mansion near Hyde Park, previously owned by a Saudi Prince, received a private bid for 280 million. If accepted this would have made the property he most expensive single home ever to be sold in Britain. It was originally listed with an asking price of 300 million more than double the price of the UKs second most expensive home.
The Government seized a total of 1.2 billion from criminals between April 2010 and March 2016, with more assets recovered in 2015-16 than ever before.
Some 36,342 properties in London have been bought through hidden companies in offshore havens, according to a comprehensive study carried out into the long-suspected money laundering route through central London real estate, by Transparency International, an anti-corruption organisation.
While a majority of those will have been kept secret for legitimate privacy purposes, vast numbers are thought to have been bought anonymously to hide stolen money, the organisation said.
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The Government is being urged to scrap a controversial higher education (HE) Bill in the wake of Theresa Mays Cabinet reshuffle.
The University and College Union (UCU) has said changes to government departments, cabinet appointments, and the Brexit result mean continuing to push the HE and Research Bill through Parliament regardless would be absurd.
Recommended Read more Student leaders meet Jo Johnson as Government plans to raise fees
The Bill is the first of its kind for a decade, and includes some of the biggest university reforms in recent years. Published by the Government in May - after being set out in the Queens Speech - it will enact the reforms in the recent white paper, including the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
Students and the wider HE community have been arguing against proposals to link TEF with an increase in tuition fees, a move which caused mass outrage with the sector disputing that students are already being saddled with too much debt, even more than their counterparts in the US, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia.
With Mrs May now having moved the Universities and Skills brief from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills - which was originally tasked with implementing the Bill - to the Department for Education (DfE), UCU says the implications of the Brexit vote on universities alone should have been enough to halt proceedings.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said the extraordinary events of the last three weeks mean it is quite absurd to believe domestic politics can simply carry on regardless. She added: However, the Bill is currently still proceeding through Parliament and due its second reading next week.
The Bill was conceived in a pre-Brexit world and, whatever its merits or otherwise, its significance for HE is dwarfed by the implications of the UK leaving the EU. Now the universities and skills brief has been moved into a different government department, it is time to put the Bill to one side.
We would like to see a non-partisan inquiry looking at how we can safeguard the future of our brilliant universities and colleges, and ensure staff and students from around the world continue to be welcome here.
Dame Julia Goodfellow, president of Universities UK, said moving HE and skills into the DfE provides benefits in terms of making the valuable link between schools, universities, and skills. However, she added: We will need to know how science and research links within this new structure. Teaching, research, and local partnerships are core to what universities do, so it is important this is recognised in the structure of departments.
Student leaders from across the country had only just met with Universities Minister Jo Johnson this week to challenge the Bill and express their disapproval of Tory plans to further increase fees.
Attendees at the meeting also discussed the need for a stricter regulatory regime for new providers and substantive student protections requirements, while also bringing up the need to make meaningful change to widening access and participation, making it clear they want to be included and listened to in any debates about the future of the HE system.
The National Union of Students (NUS) said it was pleased to see new Education Secretary, Justine Greening, as the first in the role to have gone to a comprehensive school, with Mrs Mays Cabinet, overall, having the lowest number of privately-educated ministers in more than 70 years.
NUS vice president for higher education, Sorana Vieru, said: We hope this gives her a more equitable view of education as a whole. We look forward to working with her and we hope she takes the views of students more seriously than previous ministers.
This is a very important time for students with potentially damaging changes to HE on the horizon. Given the uncertain political climate, we expect to be listened to so that students interests are prioritised.
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Sadiq Khan has announced plans to review Londons safety measures in the wake of a deadly terror attack on Nice during celebrations for France's national day.
The Mayor of London confirmed the capital would be reviewed after at least 84 people, including many children, were killed when a man driving a refrigerated lorry deliberately ploughed into spectators celebrating Bastille Day in the French city.
The driver was shot by police after reportedly opening fire on officers. He has been identified as a 31-year-old Tunisian-French man.
UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA 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
Speaking on a visit to Gatwick Airport, Mr Khan said: I will reassure all Londoners that today we will be reviewing our own safety measures in light of this attack and that I and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will do everything possible to keep Londoners safe.
Londoners today stand united with Nice and all of France in our grief, he added.
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We're also united in our determination to root out and defeat the sick and evil individuals who have tried to divide us with this cowardly act of terror.
They will not win. Not in France, not in London, not anywhere.
We will defeat their poisonous and twisted ideology.
The new Prime Minister Theresa May has echoed Mr Kahns message, telling the people of France that Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with them after the horrifying terror attack.
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Tom Hiddleston has addressed conspiracy theories about his relationship with Taylor Swift in a forthright manner.
Hollywood's newest power couple dubbed Hiddleswift have attracted global attention with their open displays of affection for each other.
Their jaunts around the world have been breathlessly documented by tabloids and gossip sites grateful for a new romance to latch onto. In a moment of acute self-awareness, Hiddleston decided to parody the situation by wearing an I love Taylor Swift t-shirt.
But their highly-publicised world tour has also prompted suggestions this whirlwind romance is actually just part of filming for her forthcoming music video. That it could simply be a piece of performance art has proved to be one of the most convincing theories - until now.
Taylor Swift career in pictures Show all 44 1 /44 Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performs onstage during the first ever Academy Of Country Music New Artists' Show Party for a Cause. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performs during the rehearsals for the 42nd Academy of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2007 in Las Vegas. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift sings the national anthem before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies on opening day at Dodger Stadium on April 9, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift arrives at the 41st Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards in 2006 in Las Vegas. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift arrives at the 2007 CMT Music Awards in 2007 in Nashville. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift arrives at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performs onstage during day 2 of the 2008 Stagecoach Country Music Festival in 2008 in Indio, California. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift arrives at the 43rd annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2008. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performs on stage during the 42nd Annual CMA Awards in 2008 in Nashville. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift attends the 40th Annual CMA Awards in November 2006. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performs with her bling guitar on stage. AP Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performing at MTV EMAs. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift in her new 'Blank Space' video. YouTube Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures The album sleeve for Taylor Swift's 1989. Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift seems to have left her country roots behind her to pursue a poppier sound. Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures ...as she performs on ABC's 'Good Morning America' to promote her new album '1989' in New York Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performs on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards 2014 Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift's performance at this year's VMAs Getty Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift crawls through the legs of twerking dancers in her 'Shake It Off' music video Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift at the 56th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift arrives at the 2014 Grammys GETTY Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performed on the Victoria's Secret catwalk back in November last year Getty Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures The Duke of Cambridge singing with Taylor Swift and Jon Bon Jovi at the Centrepoint Gala Dinner at Kensington Palace, London last year PA Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift with her four gongs at the 2013 American Music Awards Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift's music appeared on the first Hunger Games soundtrack AP Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift poses in the press room during the 47th Annual CMA Awards holding her trophies Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Award winning Taylor Swift at the Video Music Awards Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performing on stage with Ed Sheeran at the Capital FM Summertime Ball PA Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift onstage at the Capital FM Summertime Ball at Wembley in London last year PA Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift performs at the 2013 Brit Awards Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift on the red carpet of the Brit Awards 2013 Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift at the Grammy Awards 2013 EPA Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift celebrates her three awards at the MTV EMA last night Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Singer Taylor Swift accepts the award for Best Live on stage at the MTV EMA's 2012 Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift's roots are in country music AP Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures US country music star Taylor Swift kicks off her world tour to support her album, 'Speak Now' All rights reserved Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Singer Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift celebrates after winning the Best Country Album award for Fearless at the 52nd Grammy Awards Getty Images Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Kanye West takes the microphone from best female video winner Taylor Swift as he praises the video entry from Beyonce at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards in New York REUTERS/Gary Hershorn Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Swift finishes her previously interrupted acceptance speech for best female video as Beyonce watches at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards REUTERS/Gary Hershorn Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Swift cultivating a huge teen following while on stage in 2009 REUTERS Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Swift's appearance at a country awards show in 2009 Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Swift's album 'Fearless' Taylor Swift career in pictures Taylor Swift career in pictures Times of innocence: Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift AP
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter shortly after being nominated for an Emmy, Hiddleston firmly quashed rumours.
How best to put this? That notion is look, the truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we're very happy. Thanks for asking. That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt.
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Men should not be hired to look after young children because of the risk they might be paedophiles, Andrea Leadsom has said.
The Conservative MP and former leadership candidate said the odds were stacked against people who hired men and worried they would abuse their children.
She made the comments in an interview with The Times newspaper during the Tory leadership contest.
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In the same interview Ms Leadsom, now the Environment Secretary, raised eyebrows when she appeared to suggest she would be a better Prime Minister than Theresa May because she had children.
She accused the newspaper of distorting what she had said, but her words were confirmed on the release of a taped recording.
Now further controversial, previously unpublished, comments about childcare have been released by the newspaper.
As an employer were not, lets face it, most of us dont employ men as nannies, most of us dont, she said. Now you can call that sexist, I call that cautious and very sensible when you look at the stats. Your odds are stacked against you if you employ a man.
Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Show all 27 1 /27 Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Andrea Leadsom Andrea Leadsom has been appointed Secretary for Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Priti Patel Priti Patel has been appointed International Development Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Alun Cairns Alun Cairns will stay on as Welsh Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Karen Bradley Karen Bradley is now Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rex Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Greg Clark Greg Clark has been appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? James Brokenshire James Brokenshire has been appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Stephen Crabb Stephen Crabb has resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa Villiers Theresa Villiers will not return as Northern Ireland Secretary. She was reportedly offered a role by Theresa May, but turned it down, saying it was not one she felt could take on Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Chris Grayling Chris Grayling has been appointed Transport Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Damien Green Damien Green has been appointed Work and Pensions Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liz Truss Liz Truss has been appointed Justice Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Patrick McLoughlin Patrick McLoughlin who was Transport Secretary has been appointed Tory Party chairman and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Justine Greening Justine Greening has been appointed as Education Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson is to become the new Government Chief Whip Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt will continue as Health Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Nicky Morgan Nicky Morgan lost her job as Education Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Gove Michael Gove has been sacked as Justice Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? John Whittingdale John Whittingdale left his job as Culture Secretary EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Oliver Letwin Oliver Letwin, the Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, has been sacked from his role in the cabinet PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Philip Hammond The former Foreign Secretary has been made Chancellor EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Boris Johnson Leading Brexit campaigner is given the role of Foreign Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Amber Rudd Leading Remain campaigner takes Theresa May's old job of Home Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Fallon Stays as Defence Secretary AP Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liam Fox The former Defence Secretary is named as head of new Department for International Trade PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Davis The former shadow Home Secretary and leadership rival to David Cameron is named Secretary of State for Leaving the European Union - aka Brexit minister PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? George Osborne Gone as Chancellor - and fails to secure any new role in May's government GETTY Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Mundell The Conservative Party's only Scottish MP retains his role as Scottish Secretary Getty Images
We know paedophiles are attracted to working with children. Im sorry but theyre the facts.
The comments led to Ms Leadsom facing further criticism.
Lucy Powell, who was previously Labour's shadow education secretary, told the newspaper: These comments show an enormous lack of judgement on Andreas part.
"She should know as well as I know that not only are men just as capable of doing childcare jobs, but we should want to encourage more men into those jobs as they can bring other benefits.
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Britain will not trigger Article 50 to start the process of leaving the European Union until Scotlands position in negotiations is clear, Theresa May has signaled.
Though the UK voted to leave the European Union by 52 per cent to 48 per cent, Scotland, along with Northern Ireland and London, overwhelmingly voted to stay.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she will seek to ensure Scotland remains in the EU; she has not ruled out a second independence referendum.
Theresa May's first speech as PM: Unity with Scotland and Ireland is important
The Prime Minister said after a meeting with Ms Sturgeon she would not formally start the process of leaving the bloc until there was a coherent UK approach to negotiations.
Scotlands very important to me. When I stood on the steps of Downing Street on Wednesday I made clear that I believe in the United Kingdom, she said.
Ive just had an excellent meeting with the First Minister a very positive and constructive meeting.
I'm willing to listen to options and I've been very clear with the first minister today that I want the Scottish government to be fully engaged in our discussions.
Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA
I have already said that I won't be triggering Article 50 until I think that we have a UK approach and objectives for negotiations I think it is important that we establish that before we trigger Article 50.
It has previously been suggested that Scotland could inherit the UKs EU membership.
Support for independence and a second referendum on secession from the UK has also picked up in the wake of the referendum
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Scotland might be able to have a different relationship with the EU than the rest of the UK, Theresa May has suggested after talks in Edinburgh with Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP First Minister.
The Prime Minister also hinted that she will delay formal negotiations with the EU on Britains exit terms a move that would anger other EU members, who want the talks to start as soon as possible. I won't be triggering Article 50 until I think that we have a UK approach and objectives, she said.
After a 45-minute meeting, Ms May ruled out a second referendum on Scottish independence, which Ms Sturgeon has described as highly likely after Scots voted to remain in the EU while the UK as a whole voted for Brexit. As far as Im concerned, the Scottish people have had their vote, they voted in 2014 and a very clear message came through. Both the United Kingdom and the Scottish Government said they would abide by that, Ms May said.
The Prime Minister said she would consider any options put forward by the Scottish Government before starting the formal withdrawal process. Asked if Scotland could have a different relationship with the EU than the rest of the UK, Ms May replied: I want to get the best possible deal for the United Kingdom out of our negotiations for the UK leaving the EU, but Im willing to listen to options. Ive been very clear with the First Minister today that I want the Scottish Government to be fully engaged in our discussions and our considerations, and I will listen to any options that they bring forward.
She said she had an excellent meeting with Ms Sturgeon, and looked ahead to more constructive and positive discussions. Her decision to choose Edinburgh for her first official visit since entering Downing Street symbolised her determination to preserve the Union. I'm very clear that the government I lead will be for all parts of the United Kingdom and for all people, she said.
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Ms Sturgeon, who argues that it is her duty to protect Scotlands status within the EU, said she was very pleased with the Prime Ministers open and flexible approach to the exit negotiations, which would allow the Scottish Government to be fully involved.
The SNP leader said: If we want to protect our relationship with the EU, then Scotland may have to consider becoming an independent member. If it proves not to be possible to fully protect Scotlands interests through the UK process, then the Prime Minister knows that a second independence referendum is of course on the table. However, Ive also been consistently clear that I want to examine all options for protecting Scotlands position, protecting our interests, protecting our relationship with the EU.
Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Show all 27 1 /27 Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Andrea Leadsom Andrea Leadsom has been appointed Secretary for Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Priti Patel Priti Patel has been appointed International Development Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Alun Cairns Alun Cairns will stay on as Welsh Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Karen Bradley Karen Bradley is now Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rex Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Greg Clark Greg Clark has been appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? James Brokenshire James Brokenshire has been appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Stephen Crabb Stephen Crabb has resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa Villiers Theresa Villiers will not return as Northern Ireland Secretary. She was reportedly offered a role by Theresa May, but turned it down, saying it was not one she felt could take on Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Chris Grayling Chris Grayling has been appointed Transport Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Damien Green Damien Green has been appointed Work and Pensions Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liz Truss Liz Truss has been appointed Justice Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Patrick McLoughlin Patrick McLoughlin who was Transport Secretary has been appointed Tory Party chairman and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Justine Greening Justine Greening has been appointed as Education Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson is to become the new Government Chief Whip Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt will continue as Health Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Nicky Morgan Nicky Morgan lost her job as Education Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Gove Michael Gove has been sacked as Justice Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? John Whittingdale John Whittingdale left his job as Culture Secretary EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Oliver Letwin Oliver Letwin, the Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, has been sacked from his role in the cabinet PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Philip Hammond The former Foreign Secretary has been made Chancellor EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Boris Johnson Leading Brexit campaigner is given the role of Foreign Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Amber Rudd Leading Remain campaigner takes Theresa May's old job of Home Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Fallon Stays as Defence Secretary AP Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liam Fox The former Defence Secretary is named as head of new Department for International Trade PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Davis The former shadow Home Secretary and leadership rival to David Cameron is named Secretary of State for Leaving the European Union - aka Brexit minister PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? George Osborne Gone as Chancellor - and fails to secure any new role in May's government GETTY Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Mundell The Conservative Party's only Scottish MP retains his role as Scottish Secretary Getty Images
Although Ms Sturgeon had big political disagreements with the Prime Minister, she added: We are both women who approach business in a similar way, so I think we can have a good working relationship.
Ms May has said she would not invoke Article 50 until after the end of this year, but that timescale was based on her taking power in September before she won the Tory leadership on Monday without a ballot of party members. She wants informal talks with other EU leaders first, since the EU will hold the whip hand once the formal process begins because there is a two-year time limit unless the EU extends it. But the European Commission opposes informal talks
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Owen Smith has delayed the formal launch of his challenge against Jeremy Corbyn for leadership of the party in the wake of an atrocity that killed dozens on the seafront in Nice, France.
At least 84 people are believed to have been killed, including a number of children, after a lorry ploughed through a large crowd celebrating Bastille Day. Mr Smith, the former shadow work and pensions secretary, called off the event on Friday morning.
Mr Smith posted on his Twitter account: In light of the heartbreaking news from Nice, I am cancelling today's campaign launch. Solidarite et fraternite avec le peuple Francais.
The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, added: Shocking and horrific attack in France. My thoughts are with the victims & their families. Solidarity with emergency services & people of Nice
Mr Smith was due to launch his leadership bid at a rally in his constituency, Pontypridd, and was expected to claim that he is the only candidate in the race that can step forward and secure Labours future. He will add, when the event is rescheduled, that the on-going fight within the party has created a moment of deep peril for Labour.
His backers believe he has a decisive advantage in the wake of the Chilcot report as he did not vote in favour of the Iraq War because he was not an MP when the decision to go to war was made in 2003.
The Labour Party must pull through this crisis and unite, we owe it to the millions of people across Britain who look to the Labour Party to provide hope and optimism for their lives, Mr Smith will say.
So now it falls to a new generation of Labour MPs to step forward and secure Labours future. I am the only person in this race that can do that. Its not enough just to talk about being anti-austerity, Labour needs to set out the details of how we overcome Tory austerity and secure the next Labour government that delivers investments, not cuts.
He is expected to add: It is in my town that my politics, my socialism, is rooted. I was 14 when the miners strike began and we had friends and family who were at the heart of that terrible year-long strike. For me it was an awakening, a moment when I saw what solidarity and community really meant and how politics can make or break them.
Of all the Smiths, does anyone know who Owen Smith is?
Angela Eagle, the former shadow business secretary, has already launched her campaign and both contenders, alongside Mr Corbyn, have been invited to take part in a hustings in front of their fellow Labour MPs at lunchtime on Monday.
But there is growing pressure from fellow MPs for one of the two challengers to drop out, to give the other the maximum chance of defeating Mr Corbyn. One senior Labour source told The Independent that it makes total sense for one of the challengers to step down. They added the decision should be made shortly after the hustings event next week.
Mr Smiths bid comes after delegates at Unites conference in Brighton passed a motion demanding the controversial move which Labour MPs fear would be used by Mr Corbyns allies to launch a purge against them.
The union also overwhelmingly voiced support for Mr Corbyn as he faces attempts to try to oust him.
Meanwhile, one of Labours biggest donors announced he will legally challenge the partys decision to allow Mr Corbyn onto the leadership ballot without seeking nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party. Michael Foster, whose family has given 400,000 to the Labour Party, said he was concerned over the apparent manipulation of party rules by the partys governing body.
Owen Smiths reaction to Jeremy Corbyn's party conference speech
On Tuesday the National Executive Committee (NEC) voted 18-14 to allow Mr Corbyn onto the leadership ballot without the backing of 51 MPs or MEPs.
And under revised rules, supporters who want to register to get a vote in this years leadership contest will have to pay 25 compared with 3 in 2015. Party members will get an automatic right to vote only if they have been members for at least six months, eliminating the 130,000 who have joined since the referendum, believing they would get a vote.
But a spokesperson for the Jeremy For Labour campaign said: A Labour subcommittee cant just make up rules to get the result they want; they have to be accountable to our party. This confusing rollercoaster of changes does absolutely nothing to promote the positive and healthy party culture we need.
Worst of all, they seem to have pulled a Wonga fleecing up to 6 million from new members over the last half a year and then charging them another 25 to vote. This cynical approach is precisely what turns people off from politics, and will price out the very people that Labour was founded to empower.
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The Liberal Democrats have hailed their best night of local election results in a decade as the party benefits in the aftermath of the EU referendum fall-out.
The liberals picked up four council seats in town hall by-elections across the country on Thursday night amid Labours collapse into infighting.
The party took seats off Ukip and the Tories in Newquay and North Norfolk respectively. They also made gains at the expense of independents in Cornwall and Wiltshire.
Recommended Read more Liberal Democrats pledge to ignore referendum result and stop Brexit
Since the EU referendum the Lib Dems have made headlines by taking an unambiguously pro-EU stance and pledging to bring Britain back into the bloc if elected to government.
With a pool of 48 per cent of voters clearly supportive of staying in the bloc, Tim Farrons party appear to be picking up some converts.
In the seats won by the party it recorded increases in vote share of 33 per cent, 13 per cent, and 32 per cent respectively. It also won 41 per cent in a seat in which it stood no candidate at the previous election.
Though the local gains will have little impact on national politics, council by-election results are often seen as one of the best aggregate barometers of a partys electoral fortunes.
This is the best night of local elections we have had in a decade, Lib Dem party president Sal Brinton told the Independent.
Four council gains means that we have four more councillors to fight for more council housing, a living wage and more environmental action in their communities.
We won seats from UKIP, the Conservatives and Independent candidates. While Labour rip themselves apart people are lending their vote to the Liberal Democrats to make sure progressive politics is delivered in their town hall.
Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Show all 12 1 /12 Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A woman poses with a home-made European Union flag as Remain supporters gather on Park Lane in London to show their support for the EU in the wake of Brexit PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Remain supporters demonstrate in Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest the result of the EU referendum PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A majority of people in the capital voted to remain in the European Union Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Protesters chanted: What do we want to do? Stay in the EU PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The march follows a similar rally in Trafalgar Square that was cancelled due to heavy rain but which tens of thousands of people turned up to anyway Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum by 52 per cent to 48 per cent Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London But support for the Leave campaign in urban areas and among young people was significantly lower Rex features Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Marchers gathered at Park Lane at 11am and marched towards Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Some protesters held up baguettes in a display of affection for our continental neighbours PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The disparity between different parts of the country has promoted a four million signature petition calling for a second referendum and even a renewed push for Scotland to cede from the UK PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The events organiser, Kings College graduate Kieran MacDermott, wrote: We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button" Reuters
If the Liberal Democrats are recovering, the road to full health will be long. The party hit a historic low after the 2015 general election, losing all but eight of their MPs after shedding many scores of local councillors across the country while in coalition with the Tories.
An Ipsos MORI showed the party on 11 per cent this week, after winning just 7.8 per cent of the vote in 2015. Other polls have shown the party with a lower share, however.
Tim Farron recreates John Barnes' World In Motion rap
Labour held three seats up for election in Bradford, Islington, and Newham, with broadly flat shares of the vote. It narrowly lost a seat on Yorkshires Selby council to the Conservatives
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Theresa May has been praised for having the lowest number of privately-educated ministers in a new Prime Ministers Cabinet in over 70 years.
Social mobility charity, the Sutton Trust, analysed the backgrounds of her new Cabinet to find only 30 per cent have received a private education, the lowest proportion since Labour PM Clement Attlee in 1945.
The move is already reflective of Mrs Mays first statement as leader of the Tory Party when, prior to entering number 10 for the first time as Prime Minister on Wednesday, she said her new Government will be fighting against the burning injustice that if youre at a state school, youre less likely to reach the top professions than if youre educated privately.
With 44 per cent of ministers educated at non-selective state schools, the new Cabinet has a higher number of comprehensive-educated ministers than David Camerons 2015 Cabinet - 43 per cent - or the 2010 Coalition Cabinet, at 21 per cent. With the addition of grammar school alumni, an impressive 70 per cent are state-educated.
The educational background of the new Cabinet:
Ministerial Responsibility Name School Type School University Prime Minister Theresa May Independent age 11-13; Selective age 13-18 St. Julianas Convent School for Girls; Holton Park Girls Grammar School Oxford Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond Comprehensive Shenfield School Oxford Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson Independent Eton College Oxford Home Secretary Amber Rudd Independent Cheltenham Ladies College Edinburgh International Trade Liam Fox Comprehensive St Brides High School Glasgow Exit from EU David Davis Selective Beck Grammar School Warwick Justice Liz Truss Comprehensive Roundhay School, Leeds Oxford Defence Michael Fallon Independent Epsom College St Andrews Health Jeremy Hunt Independent Charterhouse Oxford Education Justine Greening Comprehensive Oakwood Comp School Southampton International Development Priti Patel Comprehensive Watford Grammar School Keele Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Andrea Leadsom Selective Tonbridge Girls Warwick Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark Comprehensive South Bank St Peters Roman Catholic Cambridge Transport Chris Grayling Selective Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe Cambridge Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid Comprehensive Downend Comprehensive Exeter Work and Pensions Damian Green Selective Reading School Oxford Culture, Media and Sport Karen Bradley Comprehensive Buxton Girls School Imperial Cabinet Office Patrick McLoughlin Comprehensive Cardinal Griffin Roman Catholic School None Scotland David Mundell Comprehensive Lockerbie Academy Edinburgh Northern Ireland James Brokenshire Selective Davenant Foundation Grammar Exeter Wales Alun Cairns Comprehensive Ysgol Ddwyieithog Ystalyfera University of Wales Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Evans Selective Henrietta Barnett Cambridge Chief Whip Gavin Williamson Comprehensive Raincliffe Secondary School Bradford University Leader of the House of Commons David Lidington Independent Haberdashers Askes Sch Cambridge Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke Selective Northgate HS Oxford Attorney General Jeremy Wright Independent Taunton Sch, Somerset Exeter Cabinet Office Minister Ben Gummer Independent Tonbridge Cambridge
New Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is the only Old Etonian to have remained under Mrs May, while seven ministers went to grammar schools. New Education Secretary, Justine Greening, is the first in the role to have gone to a comprehensive school.
Despite developments, though, Cabinet ministers are still over four times more likely to have gone to a fee-paying school for most of their secondary education when compared with the overall UK population, of which just seven per cent went to private school.
Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Show all 27 1 /27 Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Andrea Leadsom Andrea Leadsom has been appointed Secretary for Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Priti Patel Priti Patel has been appointed International Development Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Alun Cairns Alun Cairns will stay on as Welsh Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Karen Bradley Karen Bradley is now Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rex Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Greg Clark Greg Clark has been appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? James Brokenshire James Brokenshire has been appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Stephen Crabb Stephen Crabb has resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa Villiers Theresa Villiers will not return as Northern Ireland Secretary. She was reportedly offered a role by Theresa May, but turned it down, saying it was not one she felt could take on Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Chris Grayling Chris Grayling has been appointed Transport Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Damien Green Damien Green has been appointed Work and Pensions Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liz Truss Liz Truss has been appointed Justice Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Patrick McLoughlin Patrick McLoughlin who was Transport Secretary has been appointed Tory Party chairman and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Justine Greening Justine Greening has been appointed as Education Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson is to become the new Government Chief Whip Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt will continue as Health Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Nicky Morgan Nicky Morgan lost her job as Education Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Gove Michael Gove has been sacked as Justice Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? John Whittingdale John Whittingdale left his job as Culture Secretary EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Oliver Letwin Oliver Letwin, the Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, has been sacked from his role in the cabinet PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Philip Hammond The former Foreign Secretary has been made Chancellor EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Boris Johnson Leading Brexit campaigner is given the role of Foreign Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Amber Rudd Leading Remain campaigner takes Theresa May's old job of Home Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Fallon Stays as Defence Secretary AP Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liam Fox The former Defence Secretary is named as head of new Department for International Trade PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Davis The former shadow Home Secretary and leadership rival to David Cameron is named Secretary of State for Leaving the European Union - aka Brexit minister PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? George Osborne Gone as Chancellor - and fails to secure any new role in May's government GETTY Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Mundell The Conservative Party's only Scottish MP retains his role as Scottish Secretary Getty Images
Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said he was heartened by Mrs Mays commitment on the importance of social mobility in her first statement. He added: She was absolutely right to highlight the importance of ensuring that everyone should get as far as their talents can take them.
Anyone should be able to become a minister, regardless of social background. It is good to see so many more comprehensive and grammar-educated cabinet ministers, reflecting the schools attended by 90 per cent of children.
May's new cabinet
But these figures remind us how important it is to make sure young people from low and middle income backgrounds also have access to the best schools and the best universities that will enable them to get to the top of so many of our professions which remain largely the preserve of the privately-educated.
Overall, the proportion of independently-educated ministers attending Cabinet is nearly half that of the previous Cabinet, and much lower than the Coalition 2010 Cabinet, at 62 per cent. This is significantly less than earlier cabinets under Tory PMs - John Majors with 71 per cent in 1992, and Margaret Thatchers at 91 per cent in 1979.
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both had 32 per cent of those attending Cabinet privately-educated, while only a quarter of Clement Attlees first Cabinet had been to a private school.
The Trusts analysis came on the day Mrs May carried out a ruthless reshuffle which saw her cast out key figures under Mr Cameron while promoting her own allies.
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After more than 13 years of secrecy, US intelligence officials have released 28 classified pages from the congressional investigation into the September 11 terror attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania in 2001.
The document was released with minimal redactions and details information about the 19 hijackers 15 of whom were Saudi nationals and their known associates who assisted them in their living situations and helped them attend flight school. The pages were believed to provide evidence that the Saudi Arabian government supported the hijackers.
Acccording to various FBI documents and at least one CIA memorandum, osme of the September 11 hijackers, while in the United States, apparently had contacts with individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government, one section of the document reads.
Victims and lawmakers have urged Congress to declassify the top secret pages since 2003, accusing the inquiry of not adequately investigating the apparent connection between Saudi officials and the hijackers 15 of whom were Saudi nationals.
The bipartisan inquiry did not investigate the extent of the relationship between the hijackers and the Saudi government because it recognised that such a task would be beyond the scope of this Joint Inquiry.
Instead, the inquiry said it delivered the information to the FBI and CIA to further investigate those connections.
Saudi officials had called for the release of the documents from the 2002 investigation in order to respond to allegations and take punitive action against any members of the government or nationals who provided support to the hijackers.
The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world Show all 4 1 /4 The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644536.bin The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644604.bin The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644534.bin REUTERS The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644535.bin REUTERS
Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, Saudi ambassador to the US Abdullah Al-Saud said in a statement, have investigated the contents of the 28 Pages and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks.
We hope the release of these pages will clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions about Saudi Arabia's actions, intentions, or long-term friendship with the United States, he added. Saudi Arabia is working closely with the United States and other allies to eradicate terrorism and destroy terrorist organisations.
'28 Pages' from 9/11 Congressional Inquiry by Indy USA on Scribd
Prior to the Friday afternoon release of the document, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the report would confirm what [the Obama administration has been saying for quite some time, explaining that the redacted pages only included preliminary investigative information.
Former Sen Bob Graham, who co-chaired the first congressional inquiry, had pushed the Obama administration for the release of the documents. On Thursday, when officials first announced that they expected to release the documents, Mr Graham told CNN he was very pleased with the news. Yet, the Florida Democrat remained skeptical.
It is going to increase the questioning of the Saudis' role supporting the hijackers, Mr Graham said. I think of this almost as the 28 pages are sort of the cork in the wine bottle. And once it's out, hopefully the rest of the wine itself will start to pour out.
New York celebrates opening of World Trade Center deck
He added: Would the US government have kept information that was just speculation away from American people for 14 years if somebody didn't think it was going to make a difference?
However, House intelligence committee chair Devin Nunes said that the declassification of the pages does not put forward vetted conclusions, but rather unverified leads that were later fully investigated by the intelligence community.
The official 9/11 Commission Report, released in 2004, said that evidence suggested that the Taliban was the only government supporter of al Qaeda and the hijackers.
It does not appear that any government other than the Taliban financially supported al Qaeda before 9/11, although some governments may have contained al Qaeda sympathizers who turned a blind eye to al Qaeda's fundraising activities, the report said.
Saudi Arabia has long been considered the primary source of al Qaeda funding, but we have found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organisation. (This conclusion does not exclude the likelihood that charities with significant Saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al Qaeda.)
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Barack Obama has become the first sitting US president to publish an academic paper, focussing on his flagship policy Obamacare.
In the article, Mr Obama discusses the advances made by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and outlines a blueprint for future improvements to the health care system in the US.
I decided to prioritise comprehensive health reform not only because of the gravity of these challenges but also because of the possibility for progress, he wrote.
The paper called United States Health Care Reform: Progress to Date and Next Steps was published by the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and has been viewed more than 500,000 times.
Although the article published as a special communication - was not formally peer-reviewed, the journals editor-in-chief Howard Bauchner told Bloomberg it had been revised and edited.
While we of course recognised the author is the president of the United States, JAMA has enormously high standards and we certainly expected the president to meet those standards, he said.
Mr Obama, occasionally derided as 'Professor Obama' by right-wing populist critics who claim he is too intellectual, admitted in the paper that he had not solved all the problems with the American healthcare system.
"Too many Americans still strain to pay for their physician visits and prescriptions, cover their deductibles, or pay their monthly insurance bills; struggle to navigate a complex, sometimes bewildering system; and remain uninsured," he said.
Obama hails Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare
However, he added: The ACA experience makes me optimistic about this countrys capacity to make meaningful progress on even the biggest public policy challenges.
"Many moments serve as reminders that a broken status quo is not the nations destiny.
According to the paper, around 20 million Americans have gained insurance coverage since the launch of the policy, with the number of uninsured people falling to historic lows.
The sharp decline in readmission rates also suggests the policy has improved the quality of care, Mr Obama said.
While Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has said she will continue to work on the ACA, the Republicans' Donald Trump has said he will scrap the policy and replace it with something better, although he has given details of his scheme.
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Prominent civil rights activists closely associated with the Black Lives Matter movement say members of the FBI have attempted to contact them in the days leading up to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Samuel Sinyangwe and Johnetta Elzie, co-founders of Campaign Zero, an organisation that aims to end police violence through policy change, both told The Independent that FBI agents made attempts to contact them in recent days.
Recommended Read more Louisiana police arrested activist DeRay McKesson and several others
Mr Sinyangwe, 25, said that he received a phone call on Friday from an unknown number. The caller identified himself as an FBI task force officer.
He was interested to hear my plans related to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, he said. I told him I dont have any plans to go to the convention.
The agent told Mr Sinyangwe, according to his account, that the Bureau had received threats that posed a potential risk and they are discouraging activists from going to the convention, and he told me not to go.
Delegates are expected to cast their votes in favour of Donald Trump at the convention, which begins 18 July. Mr Trump's campaign has galvanised the enthusiasm of white supremacist groups such as California Neo-Nazis, who plan on attending the convention. Mr Trump's outspoken contempt for undocumented immigrants, Muslims, and the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked protests at his rallies across the country.
"I think the FBI should be more concerned with investigating and dissuading the known white supremacists and people with ties to known terrorist organisations from attending the convention, versus trying to intimidate people who are speaking out against injustice," Mr Sinyangwe said.
Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Show all 10 1 /10 Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Gerald Herbert/AP Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Brittany Weiss/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Brittany Weiss/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Bryn Stole/Twitter Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Alton Sterling/Facebook Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Google Maps Protests after Baton Rouge police fatally shoot Alton Sterling Family Handout
In their phone conversation, the agent told Mr Sinyangwe that he attempted to contact him at his San Francisco apartment, where he slid a business card underneath the door an effort that the activist found disconcerting and asked for a good time to meet in person.
He got to my door, which is scary because you have to use a keycard to buzz in through two gates, you have to go up four flights of stairs to get to the door, he explained. And somehow [the agent] managed to do that. Im not sure how.
The Independent received photo evidence of the business card, but has chosen not to publish it over privacy concerns.
Ms Elzie, too, just missed agents who she said were trying to contact her at her grandparents home in St Louis. She was en route from demonstrations in Baton Rouge over the weekend.
I cant help but think they were trying to intimidate my grandparents, my family. People who have nothing to do with the protests at all, Ms Elzie, 26, said. She has been a highly visible figure in the police reform movement since protests erupted in Ferguson, after a police officer shot and killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown in August 2014.
When the agents showed up at her grandparents door, they asked where Ms Elzie was and when they expected her to return to the house.
You know shes in Baton Rouge, and you know when shell be back, Ms Elzie said her grandmother told the agents, who identified themselves as FBI.
Black Lives Matter March Thousands Strong Through Manhattan
The agents said they had seen an exchange between Ms Elzie, DeRay McKesson, and Mr Sinyangwe on Twitter although, the accounts were apparently impostors. They said they were simply trying to figure out Ms Elzies involvement in protest activity surrounding the political conventions this summer.
Her grandmother "started talking to them about open carry laws and how they dont apply to black people, [and] the cases in Minnesota and Louisiana, where black men Philando Castile and Alton Sterling were shot and killed by police officers.
Ms Elzie said that the agents did not have cards to pass along to her, but one wrote down their contact information on a piece of paper.
Im not giving that to my baby, her grandmother said, before throwing the paper in the garbage.
Mr Sinyangwe expressed his concern about why he and Ms Elzie would be the focus of FBI surveillance.
[Campaign Zero] is an organisation that is focused on policy change, he said. Im not sure why the FBI was threatened by that. But it certainly is consistent with a long line of tactics that the FBI has used against black activists in the past.
The subject of the FBIs apparent surveillance of activists involved in Black Lives Matter activities came up during President Barack Obamas White House Convening on Building Community Trust, the Washington Post reported. The White House meeting was attended by activists including DeRay McKesson, who co-founded Campaign Zero with Ms Elzie, Mr Sinyangwe, and Brittany Packnett.
Mr McKesson reportedly asked the President to instruct the FBI to stop visiting activists at their homes.
The Intercept reported last year the extent of the FBI and the Department of Homeland Securitys involvement in monitoring of activists involved in the Black Lives Matter movement since it gained national momentum after Ferguson.
Documents obtained from the DHS by the news outlet confirmed that federal authorities had been surveilling protest movement on social media. The report also showed that FBI and DHS officials acknowledged that the protests they were monitoring were peaceful in nature.
Ive made peace with [the idea that] everything Ive been doing has been watched since 2014, Ms Elzie said. Never have they shown up to my or my grandmas house.
Mr Sinyangwe echoed these concerns.
This is certainly another step in terms of actively trying to dissuade protesters and activists from protesting or attending political events, he said.
A spokesperson for the FBI did not address accusations that they were attempting to discourage activists from attending the Cleveland convention.
"To help prepare for the RNC, law enforcement is reaching out to people to request their assistance in helping our community host a safe and secure convention," special agent Vicki Anderson of the Cleveland field office said via emailed statement.
"The FBI is not singling out any one particular group; we are speaking to numerous groups with the same purpose in mind, maintaining an environment where all can assemble peacefully and exercise their right to free speech."
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An Indian tea company has delivered 6,000 tea bags to Donald Trump in an attempt to purify the Republican presidential nominee.
Tea-a-Me, an Indian company that sells flavoured teas internationally, has released a video in which a large box of Assam green tea is delivered to the Trump Tower, accompanied by the message: "It is never too late to cleanse yourself."
The video suggests green tea - a drink the company says "fights against harmful free radicals" - can help "change" Mr Trump.
Set in New York, the video begins by saying: Donald Trump has got the whole world worried and reeling off a list of groups he has offended including Mexicans, Muslims, Jews [] democrats and even Republicans.
The voiceover proceeds to explain that while the tea company cant stop him, maybe they can change him.
A delivery van then appears and a voice delivers a message for the presidential candidate.
Dear Mr Trump. Namaste from India, we are sending you lots and lots of natural green tea, the voice says.
It fights against harmful free radicals. It helps purify mind and body and regain a healthy balance. It has also proven to make people smarter.
Please Mr Trump drink the tea. For your sake, for Americas sake, for the worlds sake.
The footage then shows the box being carted to the door of the Trump Tower, followed by applause from people in the street.
The Indian tea companys epic mission recieved 1.3 million views in less than 24 hours, with people using the hashtag #TeaForTrump to share the message on social media.
trump Show all 4 1 /4 trump trump Reuters trump Reuters trump Reuters trump Reuters
Sumit Shah, the company's managing dirrector, said: We believe that green tea with all its goodness can help Mr Trump and in turn benefit his country and the world at large.
"We therefore prescribe at least three cups a day for Mr Trump. If he needs more, well be happy to provide.
More than four-fifths of American voters say that the prospect of either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump becoming US president makes them afraid.
The US presidential election will take place in November 2016.
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One of Donald Trump's top picks for vice president has demanded the government deport Muslims who follow Shariah law following an attack in France which left 84 people dead.
Just hours after a lone lorry driver killed scores of people in Nice during Bastille Day celebrations, former house speaker Newt Gingrich told Fox News that he is happy with "modern Muslims" who do not follow Shariah law but all other Muslims should not be allowed to stay in the US.
Western civilization is in a war, he said.
"We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization.
Fox News host Sean Hannity said he wholeheartedly agreed with Mr Gingrichs claims.
They both agreed that they would blame president Barack Obama for lacking the guts to do what is right - and Mr Hannity questioned whether the US government could ascertain if incoming refugees "really wanted to assimilate".
Mr Gingrich responded that the government must ask refugees questions and monitor their internet activity, mosques, the madrasas and "expel" Shariah schools.
Video shows the moment lorry drove into crowd on Nice promenade
We're like sheep wondering why the wolves keep killing us. These people are opposed to our way of life, he said.
And, again, I just want to cite, because it's so remarkable, I mean Daniel Silva's new book, "The Black Widow", which is a novel, the opening couple of chapters are so scary in being exactly what you just saw tonight in Nice, that I can't recommend it too highly, he added.
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
Donald Trump has postponed formally announcing his running mate for the 2016 presidential election in the wake of the attack in Nice.
Mr Trump first made his call to ban Muslims from the US last November, shortly after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Mr Gingrichs comments were condemned by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
When former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggests that American Muslims be subjected to an Inquisition-style religious test and then expelled from their homes and nation, he plays into the hands of terror recruiters and betrays the American values he purports to uphold, said CAIR national executive director, Nihad Awad.
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United States leaders were quick to condemn the attack in Nice, where a man ran a lorry more than a mile through a crowded promenade during a Bastille Day celebration. At least 84 people were killed.
And for their parts, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were broaching the matter with war on their minds.
Well, it sounds like here we go again, Mr Trump said on Foxs On the Record. Its going to be a whole different world. Were living in a whole different world. There is no respect for law and order. There is no respect for anything or anybody. And this has to be dealt with very harshly.
In a separate interview on The OReilly Factor, Mr Trump agreed with the host, who said this is a world war scenario.
Recommended Read more Newt Gingrich calls for Muslim deportation after Nice attack
Its out of control. We have a president that doesnt want to call it what it is, he said. And you know you look at World Trade Center, you look at San Bernardino, you look at Paris 130 people killed and so many injured in Paris from that attack, and you look at Orlando. Its out of control.
Unless we get strong and really strong and very, very smart leadership, its only going to get worse.
Mr Trump previously said on Thursday night that he would prevent terrorist attacks in the US by making it very hard for people to come into our country [from] terrorist areas by requiring extreme documentation.
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
Acknowledging that perpetrators of attacks could be US citizens, he said: Second generation [children of immigrants] turns out to be very bad for whatever reason, the New York businessman said. But second generation and again, who knows the new one in France? Maybe it's not, but you probably have a pretty good gut instinct.
Mr Trumps remarks mirror former Republican House speaker Newt Gingrichs call to test all US Muslims on their beliefs.
We should frankly test every person here who is of Muslim background and if they believe in Sharia [law], they should be deported, Mr Gingrich told Foxs Sean Hannity. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilisation. Modern Muslims, who have given up Sharia glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was more measured in her response, but still acknowledged that the nation is at war with Isis.
Weve got to do more to understsand that this is a war against these terrorist groups, the radical jihadist groups, Ms Clinton told Bill OReilly. As we take territory back from Isis forces, they will try to engage in other terrorist attacks.
Ms Clinton added in a second interview on CNN that Its a different kind of war, and we need to be smart about how we wage and win it.
French in London react to Nice
Isis has not claimed responsibility for the deadly attack in Nice at the time of this writing. Investigators have identified the driver of the truck, but have not determined a motive.
On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack, Mr Obama said in a statement in the immediate aftermath. He ordered US officials to work with France to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice.
Secretary of State John Kerry was in Paris to commemorate Bastille Day on Thursday before he issued his statement.
Todays horrendous attack in Nice is an attack on innocent people on a day that celebrates Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, he said. On behalf of all Americans, and especially the great many with close ties to France, I offer our deepest condolences to the friends and family of those who were killed and our hopes for a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
We will provide whatever support is needed.
This is the third time in 18 months that France has undergone such a tragedy.
In November 2015, Isis operatives opened fire and set of explosives throughout Paris killing 130. In January of that year, 10 staffers of the controverisal political satire magazine, Charlie Hebdo, and two police officers were killed when two gunmen opened fire at their Paris offices. A Yemeni Al Qaedo group claimed responsibility for the attack.
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A mosque in Rhode Island has been defaced with anti-Muslim graffiti and has had its windows smashed.
The vandalism occurred shortly after the attack in Nice when a man in a lorry ran over more than 100 people, killing 84.
The defaced mosque is near the University of Rhode Islands main campus and is attended by students and university staff.
Recommended Read more Newt Gingrich calls for Muslim deportation after Nice attack
Mosque spokesman Nasser Zawia said nothing like this had happened since the mosque was founded in 2001, as reported by CBS News.
Our community has been there since midnight, working on cleaning it, he said. Weve never faced anything like this.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has strongly condemned the attacks in France, has called for state and federal police to investigate the vandalism of the US mosque as a possible hate crime.
CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper told The Independent he had personally received a spike of anti-Muslim hate emails after the Nice attacks.
One person said to me that Muslims should accept a few broken windows given whats happened in France and other places, he said. Its always a delicate issue in terms of are we, by highlighting anti-Muslim hate crimes, somehow diminishing condemnation of the attacks in France?
The vandalism comes one day after a fire was lit outside the Islamic Centre of Tucson, about 120 miles south east of Phoenix, Arizona. CAIR has called for law enforcement to investigate the motive for the incident, which they claimed appeared to be intentional.
CAIR has highlighted several cases of potential hate crimes this month, including a Muslim doctor who was shot and stabbed outside the Fort Piece Islamic Centre in Florida and two Muslim teenagers who were badly beaten outside a Brooklyn mosque.
On 30 June, a man in Minnesota opened fire on a group of people outside a mosque after making disparaging remarks about Muslims.
On the day of Eid, president Barack Obama condemned the rise of Islamophobic attacks in the US.
No one should ever feel unsafe or afraid in their place of worship, he said.
Several Muslims were kicked off American airline flights this year for how they looked or making staff feel uncomfortable.
A businessman from Abu Dhabi in traditional dress was also shouted at and searched by multiple officers with guns after they were mistakenly informed that the man had pledged allegiance to Isis.
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Tony Blair was hurried out of an educational ceremony in the United States along with two former presidents when a wild storm hit, smashing windows and prompting a tornado warning.
Officials in Little Rock, Arkansas, confirmed on Friday that Mr Blair as well as former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush had to be rushed out of the gymnasium of a Little Rock high school on Thursday night when the frightening weather system struck.
Your weather is interesting, the former Prime Minister offered during a visit to the Clinton presidential library in Little Rock on Friday, eliciting widespread mirth. He said he had been asked on Thursday night whether he had ever seen a tornado in England.
We have the odd gust of wind, but that was quite something last night, Mr Blair remarked.
No tornadoes were reported but the storm, which hit wide areas of both Arkansas and Oklahoma, wreaked serious damage, blowing over a lorry on a nearby highway, toppling scores of trees, downing power lines and leaving roughly 200,000 people without power.
The three former leaders were in Little Rock to attend a graduation ceremony for an educational program called Presidential Leadership Scholars.
It became apparent that the weather might constitute a serious threat to the former leaders when the glass in the school windows began to shatter. As sirens sounded, everyone attending was moved to the basement of the school. Messrs Blair, Clinton and Bush were also hustled into a separate beneath-ground room, officials said, where they remained until the worst of it had passed.
The leadership programme is a joint initiative of the presidential libraries of Bush, Clinton and former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Lyndon Johnson. It offers scholarships to elite students committed to sharing a commitment to helping solve societys greatest challenges, according to its website.
Before the powerful storm was over, some areas had been soaked with two inches of rain. Flash floods were reported in several areas including one that saw a post lorry swamped halfway to its roof with water. In some spots, wind gusts got close to hurricane force, weather reporters said.
We're still kind of rocking and rolling across Arkansas [and] Tennessee into Alabama into the evening, Kait Parker, a meteorologist for The Weather Channel, said later in the evening.
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The nomination of Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee at next weeks party convention in Cleveland is all but assured, after efforts by a dissident group of anti-Trump members to change the voting rules to derail him were summarily thwarted.
Members of the #NeverTrump movement had pinned their hopes on forcing a change in the rules of convention procedure that would have unbound delegates to allow them to vote with their consciences rather than according to the results of primary voting in their respective states.
However, the group was easily pushed back at a meeting of the so-called Rules Committee convened in Cleveland in the run-up to the convention, which formally opens on Monday and will continue for four days.
The group had always faced an uphill battle as both the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee had been toiling feverishly for weeks to ensure the convention could not dissolve into a messy "floor fight" which would have put party disunity on display for the whole country to see.
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Their defeat means that Mr Trump should be granted a smooth coronation, at least as far as proceedings inside the Quicken Loans Arena are concerned. That does not mean that anti-Trump protests outside might not draw attention particularly if, as some fear, they turn rowdy or even violent.
Mr Trump sought to generate fresh momentum going into this weekend and the convention itself by announcing his running mate on Friday Governor Mike Pence of Indiana, a social conservative who will be seen as a safe, if not thrilling, pick.
Mr Pence comes from the crucial Midwest, Indiana itself is likely to be a swing state in November. He presence on the ticket will reassure conservative Republicans who have voiced suspicions that Mr Trump is not really one of them. But his hardline positions on abortion and gay rights may not help Mr Trump win over more progressive independent voters, however.
A planned press conference on Friday with Messrs Trump and Pence together was shelved because of the Nice lorry attack in France. Instead Mr Trump confirmed his choice via Twitter, surely a first in American politics. The press conference will now be on Saturday.
In two quick votes at the end of a 12-hour session of the Rules Committee in Cleveland on Thursday, members made sure that any notion that the delegates would be free to ignore the outcomes of primary voting in their states was removed from the table.
Anti-Trump people get crushed at Rules Committee. It was never in doubt: convention will honour will of people & nominate @realdonaldtrump, Peter Manafort, Mr Trump's campaign manger, declared in a message on Twitter.
Mr Manafort and his allies argued that to ignore the will of voters expressed in primary and caucus votes in all 50 states would have been morally unacceptable and an insult to democratic process. There will now surely only be one floor vote to confirm the nominee and Mr Trump will easily capture the 1,237 delegates he needs.
But others, including Utah Senator Mike Lee, were clear that delegates attending the convention had a right to express their views as they saw fit. Many in the party remain deeply troubled by the ascent of Mr Trump, what his nomination could do to party unity and the fear that he has no chance of winning the presidency in November.
This problem, this angst isnt going to go away just because we paper over it with rules, Mr Lee said. So I say to Mr Trump and those aligned with him, make the case, make the case to those delegates who want to have a voice ... don't make the case that their voices should be silenced. That's not going to help, that's not going to help make him president. That's not going to help our party in the long run.
Mr Lee and his allies failed to muster the majority they needed, however. I have no intention of returning to those people who I rely on to keep me in office and telling them I had some part in shredding their votes, said Ross Little Jr, a member of the Rules Committee from Louisiana.
If the nomination itself is secure, that doesnt mean that this convention will be quite like others before it. Most notably, there are large numbers of senior Republicans who normally could be counted on to show up and jostle for speaking slots, who instead have conjured compelling (and some not so compelling) excuses to stay away because of their distaste for Mr Trump.
Former party nominee and Arizona Senator John McCain has arranged to go hiking in the Grand Canyon during convention week, apparently concerned that his own attempt to be re-elected to the US Senate could be harmed by his showing any love for the New Yorker. His fellow Senator from Arizona, Jeff Flake, has said, I will be mowing my lawn.
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The Black Lives Matter movement has reached the United Kingdom.
Last week, thousands took to the streets of London and Manchester to show solidarity following the police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in the United States.
Footage of both fatal shootings was uploaded online and it led to wide condemnation.
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In 2016, 518 people in the United States have been killed by police officers, 24% of whom were black despite the fact that black Americans only account for 13% of the population.
In 2015, black men accounted for 40% of all unarmed people fatally shot by police, making them seven times as likely as unarmed white men to die from police gunfire.
The disproportion is universal over sex, with at least six black women killed by police officers last year; leading to #SayHerName to trend.
Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Show all 19 1 /19 Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors demand justice for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors lie in an intersection during a demonstration for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors lie in an intersection during a demonstration for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protestors demand justice for Philando Castile on July 7, 2016 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters march throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters march throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters are arrested by NYPD as they call for justice throughout New York City. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Protesters are arrested by NYPD as they call for justice throughout New York City. AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police AFP/Getty Images Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Getty Protests and outrage across the US following killings by police Getty
More demonstrations are planned in the United Kingdom and across Europe; and it is clear the movement will not stop until these incidents become less frequent.
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A 10-year-old boy caught bubonic plague while hunting with his grandfather in Siberian mountains.
The Russian is believed to have caught the potentially deadly disease when he cut himself with a knife while skinning a marmot.
Marmots are large rodents which are known to be susceptible to carrying the disease.
Marmot hunting is banned in the area due to the risk of catching bubonic plague but the ban is widely ignored.
Bubonic plague caused the Black Death epidemic in the 13th century, killing an estimated 30 per cent of the European population.
The unnamed child is in a "serious but stable condition" according to doctors, Mirror reports.
Vaccines, enough for at least 15,000, are being rushed to the remote area of Kosh-Agach in the Altai Mountains to combat any potential outbreak.
Marmots are known to be susceptible to Bubonic plague and hunting them in Siberia is banned as a result (Reuters)
At least 4,000 local residents will be vaccinated as a precaution. Local authorities have quarantined the 17 people who came into contact with the boy.
More than 6,192 people in the district have been vaccinated prior to the latest outbreak as it is a high risk area for the disease.
According to the World Health Organisation, people infected with bubonic plague usually develop "flu-like" symptoms after an incubation period of three to seven days.
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China plans to build nuclear power stations in the South China Sea to establish effective control of disputed islands, officials have reportedly said.
The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) made the announcement just two days after the Hague-based tribunal concluded China had no legal basis for its claim to almost all of the South China Sea.
The area is home to rich fishing grounds and oil and gas fields, while some 3.8 trillion in global trade passes through the area every year.
According to the state-run Global Times, the CNNC wrote on a social media account: Marine nuclear power platform construction will be used to support Chinas effective control in the South China Sea.
The power plants would be created to ensure freshwater supplies on the Spratly islands, the CNNC added.
In the past, the freshwater provision to troops stationed in the South China Sea could not be guaranteed, and could only be provided by boats delivering barrels of water, the CNNC said.
In the future, as the South China Sea electricity and power system is strengthened, China will speed up the commercial development of the South China Sea region.
The tribunal ruled against China after the Philippines asked it to rule on ownership of several of the disputed areas. China boycotted the case.
A number of other countries, including Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, also claim ownership of various parts of the South China Sea.
China is also involved in disputes over islands in the East China Sea with countries including Japan and South Korea.
On Friday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Japan should stop interfering with the South China Sea issue.
Meeting at a regional summit in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, Mr Li told Mr Abe that Chinas stance on the South China Sea was completely in line with international law, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Japan is not a state directly involved in the South China Sea issue, and thus should exercise caution in its own words and deeds, and stop hyping up and interfering, Mr Li added.
Japans Kyodo news agency said Mr Abe told Mr Li that international rules must be respected.
Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said Mr Abe reiterated the fundamental positions regarding the South China Sea during his meeting with Mr Li.
The situation of the South China Sea is the concern of the international community, the spokesman said. The tribunal award of 12 July is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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US President Barack Obama has condemned the Bastille Day attack in Nice, in which some 75 people are thought to have been killed, saying he has directed US officials to work with their French counterparts to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice.
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In a statement, Mr Obama said: On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded.
The President, who just a month ago visited the families of victims of Americas worst-ever mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, went on: We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.
On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life."
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Terror has again hit the streets of France after a lorry was driven, seemingly deliberately, into a large crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day on the seafront in Nice, France.
At least 84 people have been killed, including a number of children, and more than a dozen remained were critically injured, according to the latest count from the French interior ministry. The driver of the truck, identified in French media as a 31-year-old local of Tunisian origin, is understood to have been shot dead by police at the scene.
Many hundreds were told to run from the scene by police, and the president of the local region, Christian Estrosi, urged everyone in the city to remain indoors.
Witnesses said the driver hit the crowd at high speed, swerving to hit as many as possible before climbing out of the car and shooting more dead.
Mr Estrosi said the lorry was loaded with grenades and guns.
He said "every heart" was with them: "We must stand firm. Proud of the solidarity which is being organised in Nice".
President Francois Hollande rushed back to Paris in the wake of the attack, and announced three security measures, including the extension of France's state of emergency - due to end on 26 July - for a further three months.
"A horror has come down on France again," he said, adding that "the terrorist character [of the the attack] cannot be denied".
The attack happened on the Promenade des Anglais at around 10:30pm local time at the end of a firework display in what local officials are treating as serious terror attack.
Amid rumours of a hostage situation at a hotel in the city and of an accomplice inside the truck itself, police said they are working to establish if the driver was "working alone".
Images emerged of the badly damaged truck, its windscreen riddled with bullets. Witnesses say there was an exchange of gunfire between the driver and police.
Anti-terror investigators have taken over the scene which has been cordoned off to the public, and an anti-terror probe has now officially been opened.
A spokesman for France's interior ministry said there is going to be "a very high death toll".
One witness, Colin Srivastava, said: "The police told us run, now!"
Another, Roy Calley, told the BBC shots between the driver and police were fired as soon as they began to approach.
A student at the celebration told local newspaper Nice Matin: "We were at Neptune Beach and the fireworks ended so we started to head back.
"At that moment we saw the white lorry. It was around six tonnes and going at around 60-70km per hour.
"I saw behind the wheel. The driver was decided on where he was going. It happened two metres from us. I saw people lying, I saw a child on the ground".
A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack (Reuters)
Facebook has activated its security check service for people in the area to let people inform there families and friends.
People on social media are using the hashtag #PortesOuvertesNice (Doors Open Nice) to help visitors stranded in the city after local authorities told people to remain inside.
One image on Twitter shows dozens of people lying injured on the floor with another showing a white lorry stopped in the middle of the street with four police officers observing it from a nearby palm tree.
Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd - possibly killing as many as 30 people (Reuters)
The British Foreign Office has said it is contacting local authorities to help any British citizens in the city.
A No 10 spokesman said Theresa May is being kept informed about the situation and has expressed her condolences to the victims' families.
Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump has cancelled his news conference on Friday in light of the attack.
President Barack Obama has released a statement condemning the attack
Mr Hollande expressed solidarity with the victims of the attack, while sounding a defiant note, saying France would continue its operations in Syria and Iraq.
"After Paris, Nice is now hit," he said. "It is all of France which is under threat of Islamic terrorism.
"It is clear we need to do all we can to fight against terrorism," he said. "France is strong, and France will always be stronger, I assure you."
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An image of a doll lying next to the covered body of a young victim killed in the Nice attack has underlined the horror of the massacre that left scores of people dead.
The photograph, taken by Eric Gaillard for Reuters, shows the aftermath of the attack on crowds celebrating Bastille Day, which killed at least 84 people and injured hundreds more. At least 50 children were in hospital.
Parents reportedly threw their children over fences in order to get them out of the path of the lorry, which hurtled into the crowds at a "breakneck speeds", according to witnesses.
What happened in Nice: 84 killed as lorry drives through crowd
:: Warning - Story below contains image of a child, covered by a sheet, who was killed in the attack in Nice
One mother, called Linda, told Frances iTele: My husband picked up the kids and started running, I turned around and just saw so many dead people. I even saw a baby with its head totally crushed."
Another woman who lost her eight-month-old son in the panic of the attack has been reunited with him following a Facebook appeal.
Nice's children's hospital said it had treated around 50 children and adolescents injured in the lorry attack, including two who died following surgery.
The communications director for the Lenval foundation hospital, Stephanie Simpson, said the children had fractures and head injuries.
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
In a phone interview with the Associated Press, she said: "Some are still life and death."
She was not able to say exactly how many children were in hospital or the ages of those who died.
Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised (Reuters)
The hospital has one of the France's biggest paediatric emergency units and is also offering psychological counselling to relatives of those injured.
Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff created a drawing based on the upsetting image of victim and the doll. It was shared by the broadcaster Jeremey Vine alongside the original photo
The lorry driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was shot dead by police after he swerved through the crowd, maximising casualties, and shot people for about 30 minutes.
France has declared three days of national mourning and extended the nation's state of emergency.
President Francois Hollande condemnded the massacre as a "monstrosity" and said the "terrorist character" of the attack was undeniable.
"All of France is under the threat of Islamic terrorists," he said.
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Several Muslims are thought to be among the victims of a lorry attack in Nice that has left at least 84 dead and at least 100 injured.
The lorry ploughed through a crowd of people watching fireworks to celebrate French national holiday Bastille Day in the city on the French Riviera.
No clear motive has yet emerged why the driver, who was known to police for petty crimes, carried out the attack, but the incident is being treated as a terrorist incident.
Iranian journalist Maryam Violet told the Guardian: There were so many Muslim people who were victims because I could see they had scarves over their head and some were speaking Arabic. One family lost a mother and in Arabic they were saying shes a martyr.
She added: People were shouting, Its a terrorist attack, its a terrorist attack, it was clear that the driver was doing it deliberately.
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
The French Muslim Council has condemned the atrocity as a barbarian attack. In a statement the council said: France has been hit yet another time by a terrorist attack of the utmost severity. It added the odious terrorist act took aim at our country on the very day of its national holiday, a day which celebrates liberty, equality and fraternity.
The council called for French Muslims to pray on Friday for the memory of the victims of this barbarian attack.
The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, called for volunteers from across Frances religious communities to help in the wake of the attacks.
We will work with the imams, priests and rabbis who will also join us to help the victims and families who are suffering and will probably never heal their wounds ... I want to thank people who welcomed passersby and those people who show us tonight that hopefully, solidarity still exists in a world that is too egoistical and individualistic.
What happened in Nice: 84 killed as lorry drives through crowd
The attacks on Bastille Day are yet to be claimed by any extremist militant groups, but Isis has reportedly told supports to await confirmation it was behind the massacre, through an announcement by its press agency Amaq.
France has an estimated Muslim population of at least five million the largest in Western Europe, and there were several Muslim victims among the Paris terror attacks last November.
A French government handout of Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhel (French Government)
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Here are the latest updates:
At least 84 people have been killed, including a number of children, after a lorry ploughed through a large crowd celebrating Bastille Day on the seafront in Nice, France.
More than a dozen were critically injured, according to the latest count from the French interior ministry.
The driver of the truck, identified in French media as a 31-year-old local of Tunisian origin, is understood to have been shot dead by police at the scene.
Many hundreds were told to run from the scene by police, and the president of the local region, Christian Estrosi, urged everyone in the city to remain indoors.
What happened in Nice: 84 killed as lorry drives through crowd
Witnesses said the driver hit the crowd at high speed, swerving to hit as many as possible before climbing out of the car and shooting more dead.
Images emerged of the badly damaged truck, its windscreen riddled with bullets. Witnesses say there was an exchange of gunfire between the driver and police.
The attack happened on the Promenade des Anglais at around 10:30pm local time at the end of a firework display in what local officials are treating as serious terror attack.
Anti-terror investigators have taken over the scene which has been cordoned off to the public, and an anti-terror probe has now officially been opened.
A spokesman for France's interior ministry said there is going to be "a very high death toll".
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
President Francois Hollande rushed back to Paris in the wake of the attack, and announced three security measures, including the extension of France's state of emergency - due to end on 26 July - for a further three months.
"A horror has come down on France again," he said, adding that "the terrorist character [of the the attack] cannot be denied".
Mr Hollande expressed solidarity with the victims of the attack, while sounding a defiant note, saying France would continue its operations in Syria and Iraq.
"After Paris, Nice is now hit," he said. "It is all of France which is under threat of Islamic terrorism.
"It is clear we need to do all we can to fight against terrorism," he said. "France is strong, and France will always be stronger, I assure you."
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The Nice lorry attack that has left 84 dead could have been carried out by a bedroom terrorist who was inspired by Isis, rather than organised by the group directly, intelligence experts have said.
No extremist group has yet come forward to claim responsibility for the attack, but the Isis press agency Amaq has told supporters to await confirmation it was behind the massacre.
Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, who had dual French-Tunisian nationality and was a resident of Nice, has been identified as the man who carried out the attacks.
He was known to French police for petty crimes including theft and violence, but had not been connected with any terrorist activity and was not on intelligence service watch lists.
The rise of so-called bedroom terrorists is a growing threat to intelligence services, and one which Isis has capitalised on, said Will Geddes, a security specialist.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Mr Geddes said: Its all part of the very clever and insidious means of recruitment that Islamic extremists are currently using.
They keep the network of those in the know about planning an attack limited, and theyre appealing to the disenchanted and even those with mental illness That community is much more susceptible to this insidious recruitment remotely.
The situation we used to have to deal with was where individuals would go to a training camp in Afghanistan or in Pakistan or in Iraq.
These are what I would call the bedroom terrorists, who have been remotely recruited, and thus makes it incredibly difficult for the intelligence agencies to detect.
Mr Geddes said the attack appeared to be from a single individual rather than a co-ordinated attack such as the Ataturk airport massacre in which three gunmen stormed the building.
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
He said: My speculation on this, and it is speculation, is that compared to the Istanbul airport attack or the Brussels attack or the Paris attack for that matter, where there was a larger group of individuals who were highly motivated, well equipped, well-resourced and well planned, that the attack we saw in Nice last night was probably a disenchanted individual who was more inspired than they were directly instructed through a chain of command.
Were seeing a very different model to the hierarchy of Islamic State now than what we conventionally used to see with al-Qaeda, which had very clear routes and channels of communication.
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French police have formally identified the man who drove a truck through Nice and killed more than 80 people.
The man, who had previously been said by unofficial sources to be a 31-year-old French-Tunisian man, drove for hundreds of metres along the famous Promenade des Anglais on the seafront, before he was shot dead by police.
He had previously been identified from papers found in the cab of the lorry, which was filled with grenades and firearms, according to local reports. Those papers suggested that the man was a resident of Nice, the same reports said.
The suspect was known to police in connection with common law crimes but not to French intelligence services, reports had previously said.
French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve had previously said that identification of the criminal was in progress during a press conference at the scene, and said he had refused to confirm reports that an ID card was found.
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President Francois Hollande has return to Paris for a crisis meeting as reports emerged of a major suspected terror attack on crowds celebrating Bastille Day on the seafront in Nice.
At least 60 people have been killed and many more injured after a truck ploughed into people who had assembled to watch fireworks. The driver of the truck has died in a shootout with police.
Mr Hollande was on holiday in the south-east of France near Avignon. He is heading back to the Interior Ministry Crisis Center in the capital, where he will orchestrate the government's response through the night.
Recommended Read more At least 60 feared dead after lorry crashes in Bastille Day crowd
Theresa May, the new British Prime Minister, has been briefed on the events, and the UK Foreign Office tweeted: "We are in touch with the local authorities following the concerning incident in #Nice and stand ready to help any British nationals."
The US President Barack Obama has also been briefed, and the presidential candidate Donald Trump has cancelled a campaign event in light of the events.
The former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, expressed on Twitter his deep emotion over the incident.
"Profound emotion and infinite sadness in light of the attack in Nice," he wrote. "Solidarity to the residents of Nice and Alpes-Maritimes."
And the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, tweeted: "On behalf of Parisians, all our support and fraternity to the people of Nice. Our cities are united."
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The wife of Nice terror attacker Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel has been arrested, police have revealed.
Bouhlel lived with his wife Harj Khalfallah and their children in a 12th floor flat in Nice. The 41-year-old worked as a chauffeur and delivery man.
Digital material seized from the couple's flat is being examined by investigators along with a mobile phone found in the lorry.
Bouhlel was shot dead by police after driving a 19-tonne lorry into a packed crowd celebrating Bastille Day on Nice's seafront promenade, killing at least 84 people and injuring many more.
French Security Services had no record of the Tunisian-born Bouhlel showing any sign of radicalisation.
A cousin of his Ms Khalfallah, Walid Hamou, has claimed Bouhlel was not religious, did not go to the Mosque and physically abused his wife.
He was already known to local police for petty theft, violence and threats.
What happened in Nice: 84 killed as lorry drives through crowd
Bouhlel was convicted on March 24 and given a six-month suspended sentence on charges of violence with a weapon.
A wooden pallet had been used in an altercation with another driver after a traffic incident.
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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the attempted coup by sections of the military will be put down.
We will overcome this, Mr Erdogan said, speaking by mobile phone to the Turkish sister station of CNN. He called on his followers to take to the streets to defend his government and said the coup plotters would pay a heavy price.
The army seized media outlets, including the state-run TRT channel. The channel has broadcast a statement on the orders of the military. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the military that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. The country would be run by a peace council that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said.
The statement said: Turkish Armed Forces have completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and general security that was damaged.
All international agreements are still valid. We hope that all of our good relationships with all countries will continue.
A source at TRT told The Independent she and her colleagues were evacuated by the military earlier on Friday.
Mr Erdogan and his supporters have blamed the Islamist Gulen movement of the US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, once considered his allies and now his enemies, for the coup. However, the movement denied any involvement in the Turkish military coup attempt. The Alliance for Shared Values said: we condemn any military intervention in (the) domestic politics of Turkey.
It remains unclear just how much support the attempted coup has among the Turkish military. They were clashes between the military and police on Friday night. A Turkish military commander said fighter jets had shot down a helicopter used by the coup plotters over Ankara. State-run Anadolu news agency said 17 police were killed at special forces headquarters there.
Crowds appeared to be answering Mr Erdogan's call to take to the streets, defying orders by the coup leaders to stay indoors.
We have a prime minister, we have a chief of command, we're not going to leave this country to degenerates, shouted one man, as groups of government supporters climbed onto a tank near Istanbul's Ataturk airport. Crowds also gathered to greet President Erdogan as he arrived back in Istanbul early on Saturday.
Access to Internet social media sites was cut off in some areas, and troops sealed off the two bridges over the Bosphorus in Istanbul, one of which was still lit up red, white and blue in solidarity with victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in France a day earlier.
Turkey, a Nato member with the second biggest military in the Western alliance, is one of the most important allies of the United States in the fight against Isis.
It is a principal backer of opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in that country's civil war, and host to 2 million Syrian refugees.
The country has been at war with Kurdish separatists, and has suffered numerous bombing and shooting attacks this year, including an attack two weeks ago by Islamists at Istanbul's main airport that killed more than 40 people.
US Secretary of State John Kerry says he hopes for stability and continuity in Turkey following reports of the attempted coup.
Moscow has called on the country to avoid bloodshed and Russia's foreign minister is advising countrymen in Turkey to stay inside amid coup uncertainty.
Reuters contributed to this report
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Beleaguered President Erdogan has called for citizens to take to the streets in response to a coup attempt.
Thousands seople have been heading to iconic areas of Istanbul and other areas in defiance of a military imposed curfew.
The army - which is on the streets in armoured vehicles and full battle dress - has declared martial law and soldiers have urged people to go home.
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Turkey's president has urged citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government after the military said it seized full control of the country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking to CNN-Turk through FaceTime, called the actions by the military "an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces."
In addition to Erdogans call, Interior Minister Efkan Ala urged people to go out in city center in every city.
A large group of people have gathered in Istanbuls Taksim Square, waving the national flag.
Supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in front of soldiers in Istanbul's Taksim square (AP)
Some appeared on top of tanks and apparently challenged the soldiers.
Reports have indicated they are protesting the coup but this has not been independently verified by The Independent.
Similar rallies are apparently taking place in Ankara and other cities.
The situation has become very unstable amd tanks have allegedly opened fire around the parliament building.
Loud explosions have been heard and witnesses witnesses claimed to see a military helicopter firing bullets over the capital, Anakara. Television images of the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul showed people as crouching as gunfire can be heard. Tracer bullets were reportedly fired on the Asian side of the structure. There were also reports of shooting at Aturtuk airport, also in Istanbul.
Turkey's minister for EU Affairs, Omer Celik, called on soldiers to disobey orders after the military announced on Friday that it was seizing control of the government in a coup.
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Here are the latest updates:
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Turkey's military has claimed to have seized power of the country - but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the attempted coup would be put down.
If successful, the overthrow of Mr Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003, would transform one of the most important US allies in the region while war rages on its border. Even a failed attempt could destabalise the country for years.
We will overcome this, Mr Erdogan said, speaking by mobile phone to the Turkish sister station of CNN. He called on his followers to take to the streets to defend his government and said the coup plotters would pay a heavy price.
The army has seized media outlets, including the state-run TRT channel. The channel has broadcast a statement on the orders of the military. An announcer read a statement on the orders of the military that accused the government of eroding the democratic and secular rule of law. The country would be run by a peace council that would ensure the safety of the population, the statement said.
The statement said: Turkish Armed Forces have completely taken over the administration of the country to reinstate constitutional order, human rights and freedoms, the rule of law and general security that was damaged.
All international agreements are still valid. We hope that all of our good relationships with all countries will continue.
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Turkey's prime minister says a group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup.
Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "It is correct that there was an attempt."
Mr Yildirim didn't provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any "initiative that would interrupt democracy."
"We are focusing on the possibility of an attempt (coup)," Mr Yildirim said.
"There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy."
The Hurryiet newspaper reported the PM as saying the security forces would respond with to force with force.
Goverment officials said a statement issued by the military was done without authorisation.
US State Department confirmed reports of the "possible attempted uprising" in the country. They have told US citizens in Turkey to contact family and "remain vigilant".
Similarly, the Associated Press says that Russian officials have urged citizens in Turkey to remain indoors amid the uncertainty caused by the coup.
More follows....
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Turkish troops have reportedly shut down Ataturk airport and blocked the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, one of two main links between the European and Asian landmasses.
There are reports of explosions in the country's capital of Ankara where jets and helicopters have been spotted flying low.
A crowd has been gathering in Taksim Square in central Istanbul where troops and police are already present
Military personnel and troops have occupying other key areas including the ruling AK party's headquarters.
Local TV channels have shown soldiers wearing full battle dress, with rifles and helmets dispersing in different parts of the city.
Turkish presidential sources have said senior military leadership were not been involved in this attempted coup.
Military troops have taken control of the state news channel TRT, according to Reuters news agency.
After a military statement was read out, TRT has gone off air.
Pictures claim to show police officers being detained by soldiers in Istanbul.
In addition, a video purporting to show a helicopter opening fire has surfaced on social media.
The Dogan news agency says one-way traffic on the Bosporus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges were blocked. Video footage showed the bridge being blocked by military vehicles.
Dorian Jones, a British journalist, told Sky News: Tanks are seen in the streets. There are reports of clashes between the police and the army.
I have been speaking to various friends across the city, some are reporting that they are hearing gunfire in the streets.
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Around 100 EU students have reportedly cancelled their places at Aberystwyth University in Wales amid concerns of the impact of Brexit.
According to BBC News, the universitys acting vice-chancellor said some 50 prospective students pulled out the day after the shock Leave vote was confirmed, an impact he called stunning on the institutions finances.
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A spokesperson for the university told the Independent, however, it was too early to come to any final conclusions on what the potential impact of Brexit will be, but said: We are pleased we have been able to reassure prospective EU students in our communications with them that we are looking forward to welcoming them.
The spokesperson also insisted that nothing will change with regards to student recruitment in the immediate future, with the rules around EU nationals who have applied for a place at the university from this August remaining unchanged.
Welsh Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, addressed concerns raised in the aftermath of the EU referendum while touring Swansea Universitys new 450 million science and innovations campus on Thursday.
She emphasised how those from across the EU studying at universities in the country are still valued and wanted members of the education community, and also praised EU staff who are vital to the sector.
She acknowledged how the sector is facing uncertainty and worry following the referendum, and said: I want to be clear that students and staff from across the EU are still welcome at all Welsh universities. Those already studying here, and those who are planning to come, are still welcome and our places of learning are still there for you.
She also made reference to reports regarding the rise in racist and xenophobic incidents across the country, something which also affected a small number of staff and students at the University of Exeter.
On this, Williams said: Let me be clear: we will not tolerate any form of racial abuse, whether on our campuses or within the wider communities in which we are rooted. Welsh universities will continue to recruit and teach students from the EU and the wider world.
Our universities are central to our social and economic future, and they thrive through the diversity of the people who come to them.
The Welsh Government, she concluded, is determined to protect the countrys reputation as a friendly and tolerant place to study and carry out world-class research, adding: Whatever the long-term implication of the vote, we remain an outward-looking and welcoming nation where we are committed to sharing knowledge across national borders.
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Universities UK also moved to remind prospective EU students that there will not be any immediate change to the immigration status of current students, further emphasising they will have access to the fees and support system for the duration of their course, even courses starting this autumn.
Maastricht University (UM) in the Netherlands - one of the worlds top young universities - also recently warned UK students to apply as soon as they can if they want to continue enjoying low tuition fees of 1,600 a year before Britain officially leaves the union. UM said the amount could rise to 8,360, considering the UK does not join the European Economic Area.
However, UM president, Professor Martin Paul, said: We are asking British students to continue to apply to Maastricht. The university welcomes students from the UK because they are contributing to and benefitting from our international atmosphere.
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Mark Twain wrote: Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all ones lifetime.
Perhaps, with the summer holidays upon us, and Brexit-based discussions about tolerance, immigration and our relationship with foreigners ringing in our ears, its worth examining Twains quote. Does travel really broaden the mind, or does it tend to reinforce existing prejudices?
Parts of the travel industry have long been accused of creating a home away from home, with English bars and familiar pizza restaurants to reassure Brits that their holiday experience will be different, but not that different. Its perfectly possible to remain within the resort and have limited contact with the locals.
At the other end of the spectrum, parts of the industry offering more immersive experiences in far-flung places are fond of marketing slogans such as come back different or life-changing travel an indication that they see their holidays as transformative, which is not always true.
For some people meeting strangers, often with different languages and ways of life is very exciting, and the essence of travel, for others its quite naturally a little scary. How the tourist chooses to manage this - whether you are an experienced traveller, like me, heading to Kenya to be hosted by the Maasai on safari, or a young family on your way to Spain for the first time is more important than how much cash they have or what they book.
Regardless of the type of holiday we choose or can afford, as Westerners we often have the habit of thinking we know best, that our ways of doing things and our focus on being on time are universal. We learn little travelling this way. Travellers who instead develop the habit of asking questions, being open minded, curious and respectful find its reciprocated and their holiday is enriched.
Of course many tourism businesses have wised up to this and help facilitate mutually beneficial encounters with local people, by designing trips responsibly with good local benefits, a warm welcome and open door to learn about and experience different ways of life. Perhaps its time to re-appraise our approach to strangers at home and on holiday.
Justin Francis is CEO of Responsible Travel
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Since the EU referendum, the pound is down against the two crucial currencies, the euro and the US dollar. It has sunk by about 12 to 15 per cent (as predicted by the Treasury). That has pushed the price of everything from a cup of coffee to admission to top attractions abroad through the roof. The Louvre in Paris is the most expensive its ever been, at 15 (13), while a trip to the top of New Yorks Empire State Building will set you back $32 - which not so long ago was worth 16, but is now 25.
Unless you are an international financier, you cannot do much to influence the feeble state of sterling, but you definitely can minimise the amount that the banks or bureaux de change collect when you change money. So when you have trawled the internet or the high street for the best holiday deal, found an annual no-frills travel insurance policy that costs less than a pizza in Pisa, and booked airport parking or a train to the terminal at bargain rates, you really need to sort out your holiday money smartly. If you leave it to the airport (or ferry port, or Eurostar terminal), to change cash, you are throwing money away.
Do I change money now or just before my holiday?
With sterling slumping, its more important than ever to stretch every pound. But it depends what you think will happen to sterling, which is affected by all manner of things. Some financial forecasters such as HSBC and UBS are suggesting the pound could fall back to parity - one euro to one pound, about one-sixth worse than today. Thats because they fear foreign investment in the UK will drop. But others say that theres no reason to expect the seizing up of investment and therefore the pound could improve.
If you can afford to take the risk that it will fall further, then wait until shortly before you go away. Otherwise, try to lock in at 1 to around 1.15 or $1.25
How can I get the best deal for euros or dollars?
Compare rates for euros and dollars online, and on the high street - where travel agents and specialist bureaux de change are getting more competitive. Consider ordering in advance and picking up at the airport, or ordering by post.
When you are comparing rates, simply ask: How much, in sterling, will it cost me to buy 500? (or however much you want to change, in whatever currency). That will iron out all the wrinkles such as commission charges, delivery fees, etc.
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What about other currencies?
Just because Croatia and Bulgaria are in the EU, that doesnt mean their currency is the euro. Its the kuna and lev respectively. And in those countries, as well as Turkey, you get significantly better rates in the destination, so I just take sterling cash.
Nordic cash is trickier. As minority currencies, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland dont have a very competitive market either here or there. So I try to use my (loading-fee-free) Halifax Clarity credit card wherever possible, which is almost everywhere these days. However, in Denmark they have an extra fee on foreign credit cards.
As with euros and US dollars, I always try to source Australian dollars, South African rand, Swiss francs and Canadian dollars in the UK. The rates here are normally good.
For the rest of the world, I dont change here. In Dubai, and touristy parts of the UAE, there are plenty of good bureaux de change offering excellent rates. The same goes for resorts in countries such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Thailand which get a lot of UK visitors - for example Cancun on Mexicos Yucatan peninsula, Punta Cana in the Dom Rep, or the Thai island of Koh Samui. But away from tourist areas in these countries, and in other parts of the world, taking US dollars (bought here at the best possible rate you can) is a smarter idea.
What is the best plastic to take?
A credit card without any charges for being used abroad - which means something like my credit card, mentioned above, or the Metro Bank debit card.
The Supercard by Travelex - which links to a domestic credit or debit card - looks like a smart development, and much easier than managing pre-paid cards. But Ive not yet been able to test it.
Whenever youre paying with plastic, beware of dynamic currency conversion if youre invited to pay in sterling abroad, say no, or youll be charged an additional 5 per cent or so.
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As political leaders across the world swear to engage in total war against Isis in the wake of the massacre in Nice, not enough notice is being taken of the fact that the long-term prospects of the group will be boosted if Hillary Clinton is elected as the next US President. President Obama and the Pentagon have been giving priority to first weakening and then eliminating Isis, and have been having a fair measure of success. The Iraqi army backed by US-led air strikes have recaptured Fallujah and the self-declared Caliphate has suffered a series of defeats in both Iraq and Syria.
But Hillary Clintons expected choice as Defence Secretary, Michele Flournoy, has just co-authored a report by the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS) in Washington that recommends that the destruction of Isis should no longer be the overriding objective of the US in Syria, but that equal priority should be given to taking military action against President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian Army. A new pro-US armed opposition would be built up to fight Assad, Isis, al-Nusra and other al-Qaeda clones, a process that the report admits could take years and during that time the dangers posed by Isis will remain. This is not a marginal opinion among hawks in Washington, as a recently leaked memo from 51 serving State Department officials argued very much the same thing.
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This proposed change of policy by a Clinton administration is all too likely, going by her past record of choosing military solutions to complex problems even when it means fighting more than one war at a time and when the outcome is unclear. As a Senator, she voted for the Iraq war in 2003 and, as Secretary of State in 2011, she was the driving force behind the Nato military intervention in Libya that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi and handed over the country to criminalised warlords. Her opinions normally coincide with those on the hawkish end of the US foreign policy establishment, whose policies Obama contemptuously described in a famous interview with The Atlantic Monthly as the Washington Playbook.
Once Hillary Clinton is in the White House, the Playbook that Obama so despises will be very much back in business. A frightening preview of what is to come can be found in the CNAS report, which comes across as a caricature of Washington wishful thinking that is woefully detached from real conditions on the ground.
Instead of focusing on fighting one war against Isis and al-Qaeda until it is won, the report recommends also taking military action against Assad but without destroying the Syrian state, and this demonstration of US military strength is expected to deter Russia and Iran from further engagement in Syria. The study is reminiscent of the battle plan of a First World War general, full of certainties about how enemies and allies will respond to an attack when in reality their response is unknown.
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It is worth giving some lengthy quotes from the CNAS document to get the full flavour of these preconceived notions: In western Syria, for instance, the US must not look for a political agreement between government and rebels forces, but should instead emphasise arming and training local groups that are acceptable to the United States regardless of whether or not they are fighting Bashar al-Assad or Isis. Such groups, which do not currently exist and which all efforts to create by the CIA and others have ended in humiliating failure, are intended not only to fight Isis and Assad, but to prevent any terrorist safe havens being created and to marginalise al-Qaedas influence and presence. In other words, they will presumably be fighting al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham and their tens of thousands of experienced heavily armed fighters as well as Isis and the Syrian Army. Protagonists of a multi-tracked US military strategy in Syria have argued that the Syrian Army is not fighting Isis, but this is demonstrably untrue since it has recaptured Palmyra, ended the long Isis siege of Kweiris air base and advanced towards Raqqa, the de facto Isis capital in Syria.
Potential members of this pro-US force may be intimidated by this array of merciless enemies, but they should have no fear. The report recommends that the United States should also be willing to increase its use of military coercion and be willing to threaten and execute limited military strikes against the Assad regime in order to protect these actors while signalling to all of the key external actors in Syria, including both its Middle East partners as well as Russia and Iran, that it is willing to get more engaged. Keep in mind that the civil war in Syria and Iraq involves many confrontations, but the most important struggle is a sectarian one between Shia and Sunni. Yet the authors of the report are under the impression that the Shia in this part of the Middle East, who see themselves as fighting a battle for their very existence, will pack up and go home because of some limited American air strikes.
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The concept of the CNAS report is eerily similar to the plot of Graham Greenes novel The Quiet American, in which the undercover CIA agent Alden Pyle is seeking to create a pro-American Third Force in Vietnam that will be an alternative to communism and colonialism. In Syria, other players are to remain curiously passive while they wait for the US to reconstruct the political landscape to its liking. Overall, the report makes the classic blunder of assuming opponents will quail before limited threats when it may be more likely that they will respond with some counter-move of their own.
The world may soon regret the passing of the Obama years as a Clinton administration plunges into conflicts where he hung back. He had clearly learned from the outcome of wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya in a way that she has not. He said in a speech on terrorism in 2013 that any US military action in foreign land risks creating more enemies and that the Washington foreign establishments tendency to seek ill-considered military solutions was self-defeating. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates would write that when Hillary Clinton was pushing for bombing Libya in meetings in 2011: I would ask, Can I just finish the two wars were already in before you going looking for new ones?
All this is good news for Isis and al-Qaeda, whose spectacular growth since September 11 is mainly due to the US helping to spread the chaos in which they flourish. Obama could see the risks and limitations of military force, but Clinton may play straight into their hands.
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It was, with the possible exception of appointing Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary, the starkest statement of intent made by Theresa May in her first 24 hours in Downing Street.
Amid mounting concern that the world must do much more to prevent the worst effects of climate change, our new Prime Minister decided to abolish the UKs climate change department.
In 2013, in the teeth of an energy bill crisis, David Cameron reportedly said it was time to get rid of all the green crap. That statement can be interpreted in two ways: cut everything green because its all crap or cut the green policies that are crap and keep those that work.
To be fair to the departed Prime Minister, while support for renewable energy was slashed under his watch as the fossil fuel industry continued to benefit from lavish subsidies there was still significant funding to help offshore windfarms and biofuels, for example. About half the power generated by the giant Drax power station currently comes from biofuels thanks in part to Government help.
And Cameron never decided climate change was such a trivial issue that it did not deserve its own Government department.
Mays priorities could not be more clear. The clues are in the titles.
Britain now has a Secretary for Exiting the European Union a very sensible move if Brexit is inevitable a Secretary for International Trade and a Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. You wouldn't know it, but the latter will be responsible for dealing with climate change.
The majority of experts warned leaving the EU would cause serious economic problems for the UK and, potentially, the rest of the world. Michael Gove, sacked from the Cabinet, dismissed their warnings, but May most certainly did not.
So, it appears, Britain will concentrate on one thing for the next four years preventing the economy from disappearing down the toilet.
Fear of a Brexit apocalypse seems to have prompted May to sacrifice the fight against climate change in the hope of avoiding a recession that would almost certainly see her removed from office by her own side, if not Labour.
But, make no mistake, this could be a historic blunder of global proportions.
'Brexit Means Brexit' - Theresa May Gives First Speech as Tory Leader
The UK and Germany drove much of the European Unions world-leading environmental policies. Only last month, the then Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd announced the UK would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 57 per cent by 2030.
It was target widely praised by environmentalists with Hugh McNeal of industry body RenewableUK hailing the clear signal that the UK would show bold leadership on carbon reduction.
Rudd is regarded as a genuine green blue, a Conservative who understood the pressing need to deal with climate change even if it meant making an announcement that sounded better than it actually was ahead of the Paris climate summit.
The new Home Secretary was a driving force behind international deal agreed at Paris last December, according to Professor Corinne Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia.
Asked about the prospect of occasional climate sceptic Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister before Mays coronation, Rudd stressed she would be very, very clear and very vocal in holding Britains next leader to account on the issue.
But as she struggles, and likely fails, to deliver Mays ambitions to reduce immigration to tens of thousands, she may find that commitment slipping down her agenda.
Now at international meetings, world leaders expecting to meet the UK climate change secretary will instead be introduced to the Business Secretary.
There are worse people than Greg Clark who could have been in this role. The UKs new Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom, on becoming Energy Secretary last year, decided to make her first question to officials Is climate change real? She claimed she had since been convinced but it shows an alarming lack of knowledge and interest in the worlds most pressing issue.
Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA
Clark was hailed as an excellent appointment, someone who understands climate change and the the benefits of Britain developing a low-carbon economy by Richard Black, director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit.
But in a Cabinet packed with people with dubious voting records on climate change and funding links to sceptics, Clark may find projects that do not immediately turn a profit get short-shrift.
And he may come under pressure from companies with the mindset of Volkswagen -- which "cynically" deceived the authorities to enable their cars to pump out exhaust fumes at levels harmful to human health to push for the cutting of red tape and Brussels-style bureaucracy that hit their profits in the Brave New World of Brexit Britain.
That this red tape helped reduce the number of premature deaths caused by the air pollution may be overlooked, as it was during the referendum campaign.
The UKs focus on the need to survive Brexit may be sensible. But the risk is we become dangerously short-sighted.
Stripped of a leader on climate issues, the worlds efforts to prevent global warming already half-hearted at best may falter. The talk at Paris was limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, but the actual pledges could see temperatures rise by more than 3 degrees perilously close to a scenario so extreme and unpredictable that few experts attempt to predict what the world would be like. If those pledges turn to nothing, our children may find out.
Another possibility is that Britain will be left behind as the world moves to a different kind of economy, one turbocharged by the virtually free power that mass renewable energy is already starting to deliver. In Germany, customers have even been paid to consume electricity.
The UK would then be forced to belatedly catch up by buying technology from other countries many of our windturbines already come from Denmark.
A future Britain could be a bleak place: lashed by devastating Atlantic storms, sweltering in heatwaves that kill the young and the old in ever-increasing numbers, a countryside left scarred by disused fracking wells as fossil fuel companies go bankrupt.
But I dont think this will happen. I actually think we the UK and the world are too sensible for that. We will wake up just in time. We will.
I just hope those experts are wrong and that Brexit wont be so bad the British government decides to think of nothing else.
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I described yesterday what Britains political class had wrought an unnecessary referendum, a dishonest debate, a Leave campaign that had no idea what to do following its victory, and a Government that was unprepared.
Some have described the countrys situation today as being the most difficult since the Second World War. People at all levels of society readily reveal their concern at what has happened. There is a high level of foreboding.
I drew attention to the growth of this political class that has encamped itself in the House of Commons. It comprises MPs who have done nothing with their professional lives except politics since their early twenties.
Thus some 40 per cent of todays Conservative MPs had careers as political advisers, or as research assistants, or as analysts in policy research bodies or as lobbyists before being elected to Parliament. The comparable figure for Labour, including former trades union officials, is 60 per cent.
This political class has no training for government and little aptitude for it. That explains why we so often feel that we are living in a dysfunctional state. Instead the political class is consumed by the day-to-day political battle and how to position its leaders for it. I put forward a proposal that would stop membership of the House of Commons being a career for life rather than a satisfying public duty.
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This is that MPs should be subject to term limits. This would mean that they would be able to serve for, say, only three sessions of parliament. To put it another way, they could stand for re-election no more than twice. As a result, MPs would have to have had careers outside politics to which they could return.
Term limits are common in presidential systems of government. They are less often found in countries operating a parliamentary system of government. Indeed, there is absolutely no chance that the House of Commons as presently constituted would vote for such a measure. Is there any way round this obstacle?
I think there is. We should to turn to civil society.
What is civil society? It is the space between the state and the market. It comprises a wide variety of voluntary associations devoted to promoting the public good. Many of them are self-help initiatives. The sector includes charities large and small as well as think tanks, trades unions and churches.
The National Trust is part of civil society. So is the Salvation Army, which was founded in the east end of London by a Methodist preacher in 1865 and now spans the world with its shelters for the homeless. Food banks are another example.
But civil society is more than just the kinds of organisations mentioned above. It is also comprises the millions of citizens like the readers of The Independent who are prepared to work for the public good when the opportunity presents itself.
When civil society sees a social problem, it does the research and finds a solution. Then it sets up an organisation to promote reform. It raises the necessary funds by seeking private donations.
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
In one way or another, it gets on with it a welcome contrast to parts of Whitehall. Here are three examples.
The Howard League for Penal Reform is a membership organisation that has an enormous influence on prison policy while itself employing a staff of little more than 30 people. It campaigns on children in prison, women prisoners, suicide and self-harm, community sentences, prison education, and young offenders. It has also set up student societies that organise events and lectures.
The national charity for single homeless people, Crisis, was founded in 1967 in response to the Ken Loach TV play Cathy Come Home, broadcast the previous year. It offers year-round education, employment, housing and well-being services from centres in London, Newcastle, Oxford, Edinburgh and Merseyside. It campaigns for action to prevent and mitigate homelessness. It raises more than 20m a year from individuals, events, gifts in kind and donated services, and from companies and trusts.
In contrast, the educational philanthropist Sir Peter Lampl founded the Sutton Trust, the educational charity, nearly 20 years ago. It describes itself as a do tank, and it commissions regular research to influence policy and to inform its programmes to improve social mobility through education. It is particularly concerned with breaking the link between educational opportunities and family background, and in bringing about a system in which young people are given the chance to prosper, regardless of their family background, school or neighbourhood.
These three impressive initiatives are typical of civil society. It is in this area of our national life that I believe we should be able to find the help required to repair our badly working political system.
These are my two hopes. The first is that civil society should start the work of writing some sort of manifesto for the next general election using all its insights and practical experience. I should like the introduction of term limits for MPs to be among the proposals.
And the second is that when this has been done, ordinary members of civil society should be prepared to stand for Parliament as a public duty, probably only for one term, with the hope of carrying out the manifesto recommendations and clearing out the political class.
All this would require an enormous effort, but it could be done.
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The act was obscene. President Hollandes description monstrous was adequate so far as it went, but created the old problem. What happens when three or four hundred innocents are killed by a murderer? Or five hundred? Does that become really monstrous or very monstrous indeed? But the political reaction to this crime against humanity in Nice was mundane to the point of lunacy. Hollande or General Hollande as the French press dubbed him when he sent his legionnaires to fight against Islamists in Mali announced that France would reinforce our action in Syria and Iraq.
Sure, I get the point. If Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel of Tunisia had anything to do with Isis or Nusrah (and when he spoke, Hollande would not have known if this was true), then firing more French missiles into the burned sands of Mesopotamia or the desert around Raqqa in the hope of striking Isis would have no effect other than to reinforce the old feel good factor of biffing world terror for the sake of it.
Tunisia, of course, is well over a thousand miles from Syria, let alone Iraq, but one bunch of murderous Arabs is much like another to our foreign ministries and if Bouhlel turns out to have Isis roots no matter how self-declared then the bigger the bombs the better.
In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman arrives with a toy and a bouquet of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A woman reacts as she places flowers in front of the memorial set on the 'Promenade des Anglais' where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People gather to view the floral tributes near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts near bouquets of flowers as people pay tribute near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Floral tributes are laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A child's toy is placed among the floral tributes laid out near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Investigators continue at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Crime scene investigators work on the 'Promenade des Anglais' after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice EPA In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A forensic expert evacuates a dead body on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice, after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man reacts as he sits near a French flag along the beachfront the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Discarded items are left on the beach, not far from the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bullet holes in the windscreen of the lorry that was driven into the crowd at high speed Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks through debris on the street in Nice, France, the morning after a lorry ran into a crowd, killing at least 84 and injuring 50 Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Rescue workers help an injured woman to get in a ambulance AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Authorities investigate a truck after it plowed through Bastille Day revelers in the French resort city of Nice, France AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Celebrations of Bastille Day were targeted by the lorry driver AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack People cross the street with their hands on thier heads as a French soldier secures the area after at least 84 people were killed along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A paramedic attends one of the dozens of people injured in the Nice Bastille Day attack In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Soldiers march on street where the lorry crashed into the crowd REUTERS In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man sits next to a body seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Bodies are seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Children were among the 84 killed in the atrocity, with around 50 more hospitalised Reuters In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (2nd L) speaks to the media in Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack A man walks with his hands up as police officers carry out checks on people in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack With injured people laying in the street police and onlookers react near to a truck in Nice AP In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers, firefighters and rescue workers are seen at the site of the attack AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police officers speak with a soldier after a truck that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Bastille Day Nice attack Police shine a light into the cab as they approach the driver's cab of a truck, in Nice AP
Everyone who dares to point this out and European leaders are always threatening Isis, just as Isis is always threatening the West is immediately cast out of society as a friend of terrorists. There is, in fact, a whole vocabulary of abuse for anyone who says that there are reasons for these acts of mass murder which we need to know, however crazed they are. At present, the Isis/Western hate mail to each other is almost identical with King Lear: I will do such thingswhat they are, yet I know not, but they shall be the terrors of the earth
Of course, I fear we are going in the coming hours to be inundated with painful repetitions of atrocities past: relatives who had "no idea" their son/brother/nephew/uncle might be a violent killer, neighbours who will attest that the attacker was always a quiet man (who probably kept himself to himself, as they say), Muslims who will again insist on the peacefulness of their religion. In addition to this, we will have politicians who will promise to stamp out terror and cops who will praise their brothers-in-arms for their courage (even when the Nice attack was not exactly a triumph for the French security forces).
Nice Attack: Witnesses speak
And we will forget Frances fraught colonial history in Algeria and Tunisia, the 125th anniversary of its Tunisian protectorate this year and the 70th anniversary of Tunisias independence and the Islamist presence that has grown frighteningly within the body politic of Tunisia since the 2011 revolution. It is no good holding up this painful history as some sort of excuse or root cause of the mass murders in Nice. But at some point, we in the West are going to have to learn that if we intervene militarily in Mali or Iraq or Libya or Syria or interfere in Turkey, or Egypt, or the Gulf, or the Maghreb then we will not be safe at home.
Its an old story now. In the past, we could go on foreign adventures in Korea or Vietnam without worrying that North Koreans would blow up the London Underground or that the Vietcong would attack New York with airliners. Not anymore. Foreign adventures come at a terrifying cost. Claiming they do not or pompously declaring that their bombs in London or Paris have nothing to do with our bombs in Iraq is dishonest.
At some point in history though how far into the future, when we will have cut away the foundations of our own freedoms with our own new laws we will probably have to re-think our relationship with the Middle East and with history. Yes, and with religion.
Its no good just running through the copy cat nature of Islamist crime: a BBC reporter was drawing parallels yesterday with the car-ramming Palestinians who have killed Israelis. But the last phone-video I saw which had any parallel of scale with Nice was a horrifying piece of footage during the Egyptian revolution of 2011 when an Egyptian army trucks was driven at speed and swerving wildly into a crowd of peaceful protestors. Why didnt we remember that after Nice? Because the killers were never caught? Because no-one remembers yesterdays news? Or because the victims were Arabs involved in a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know by and large -- nothing.
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Those who believe in Britains duty to help reduce poverty and promote human rights worldwide should be alarmed at Prime Minister Theresa Mays appointment for the role of Secretary of State for International Development.
Priti Patel is on record as saying that she advocates bringing back hanging.
Capital punishment was rightly banned in this country because it was not a significant deterrent and was shown on countless occasions to have sent innocent men and women to the gallows.
It is astonishing that in 2016 a British Secretary of State could believe in hanging, either from a practical or a moral point of view.
Theresa May Gives Maiden Speech Outside Downing Street as new PM
She is also on the record as saying that her new department should be abolished and that aid should be a tool to serve UK business interests.
British aid has helped and continues to help the poorest in the world and marginalised groups. It has strengthened health systems across the developing world, contributing to a 53.5 per cent reduction in child mortality between 1990 and 2015 a total of 6.8 million lives saved.
Britain is also among the biggest contributors in aid to eradicating malaria, which is on track to being eliminated by 2040.
Britain has learned from experience that tying aid to UK commercial interests undermines its development impact because it will be used not for poverty reduction but for the subsidy of British business and the security state.
It was exactly this tying of aid to commercial interests that resulted in a series of scandals throughout the Thatcher and Major governments, including the notorious 200m aid-for-arms deal with Malaysia that became known as the Pergau Dam scandal.
Britain provided aid for a British company to build a dam of little development value in Malaysia in exchange for Malaysia signing a billion-pound arms deal with a private UK arms firm.
Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Show all 27 1 /27 Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Andrea Leadsom Andrea Leadsom has been appointed Secretary for Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Priti Patel Priti Patel has been appointed International Development Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Alun Cairns Alun Cairns will stay on as Welsh Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Karen Bradley Karen Bradley is now Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rex Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Greg Clark Greg Clark has been appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? James Brokenshire James Brokenshire has been appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Stephen Crabb Stephen Crabb has resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Theresa Villiers Theresa Villiers will not return as Northern Ireland Secretary. She was reportedly offered a role by Theresa May, but turned it down, saying it was not one she felt could take on Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Chris Grayling Chris Grayling has been appointed Transport Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Damien Green Damien Green has been appointed Work and Pensions Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liz Truss Liz Truss has been appointed Justice Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Patrick McLoughlin Patrick McLoughlin who was Transport Secretary has been appointed Tory Party chairman and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Justine Greening Justine Greening has been appointed as Education Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson is to become the new Government Chief Whip Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Jeremy Hunt Jeremy Hunt will continue as Health Secretary Getty Images Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Nicky Morgan Nicky Morgan lost her job as Education Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Gove Michael Gove has been sacked as Justice Secretary Reuters Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? John Whittingdale John Whittingdale left his job as Culture Secretary EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Oliver Letwin Oliver Letwin, the Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, has been sacked from his role in the cabinet PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Philip Hammond The former Foreign Secretary has been made Chancellor EPA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Boris Johnson Leading Brexit campaigner is given the role of Foreign Secretary Getty Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Amber Rudd Leading Remain campaigner takes Theresa May's old job of Home Secretary PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Michael Fallon Stays as Defence Secretary AP Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? Liam Fox The former Defence Secretary is named as head of new Department for International Trade PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Davis The former shadow Home Secretary and leadership rival to David Cameron is named Secretary of State for Leaving the European Union - aka Brexit minister PA Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? George Osborne Gone as Chancellor - and fails to secure any new role in May's government GETTY Theresa May's Cabinet: Who's in and who's out? David Mundell The Conservative Party's only Scottish MP retains his role as Scottish Secretary Getty Images
After coming to power in 1997, Labour scrapped the Aid and Trade Provision, the official mechanism by which aid was used to subsidise British company contracts, and in 2001 untied aid from UK commercial interests.
The International Development Act 2002 for the first time legally committed the UK to spending aid only on poverty reduction.
Labours reforms to protect aid from becoming a bribe to the leaders of poor nations to sign contracts with British companies is exactly what Priti Patel is against.
Her vision of aid is that the alchemy of free trade is all that is required to reduce poverty in the Sahel or in Bangladesh.
It is this kind of thinking ignores the power dynamics at play when rich and powerful nations strike tax and trade deals with poor and powerless countries.
Only untied aid and a strong Department of International Development can ensure British aid is used for the good of the worlds poor and not for the good of vested British interests.
Putting her in charge of the Department for International Development is like putting a fox in charge of chicken safety.
Diane Abbott is Shadow Health Secretary and MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington
An excavation has begun on land near where six-year-old Mary Boyle disappeared on March 18 1977.
Gardai confirmed the dig was taking place in Co Donegal, understood to be on bogland near Cashelard, a few miles from Ballyshannon.
Mary disappeared while visiting her grandparents' home a few miles from the town 39 years ago.
Her twin sister Ann Doherty intensified a campaign over the last year over the handling of the original Garda investigation and her lawyers wrote to the force during the week over reports that the case had been handed over to the cold case detective unit.
Ms Doherty is also understood to be lodging a complaint with the Garda Ombudsman over the development being reported in the media without her being notified.
The Garda press office said the Mary Boyle disappearance is under active investigation and that it will continue.
It said there have been two reviews of the case. The latest started in 2011 and included interviews with "a wide range of people" and "a number of searches with the assistance of forensic and geology experts".
One man was arrested and released without charge.
It also confirmed the cold case unit - the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) headed by Detective Superintendent Walter O'Sullivan - was recently asked to examine the case.
"The primary purpose of a review is to assist senior investigation officers who are investigating a serious crime by identifying new and potential investigative opportunities. Members of the SCRT are trained in homicide investigation and in the reviewing of unresolved homicides," it said in a statement.
A march aimed at raising awareness of the case is taking place in Ballyshannon on Saturday.
Mary was from Belcruit, Kincasslagh, in the north of Donegal and went missing while on a St Patrick's Day visit to relatives with her parents Ann and Charlie and siblings.
Her body has never been found and her disappearance remains the longest running case of its kind in Ireland.
Repeated searches have taken place in bogland and fields around Cashelard over the years.
Mary had been playing outside when she followed her uncle across fields near her grandparents' house but was never seen after she turned to go back.
Galway has been announced as the European Capital of Culture 2020
Galway has been named European Capital of Culture 2020.
The city beat off competition from Limerick and the Three Sisters of Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford to share the accolade with Rijeka in Croatia.
The theme of the bid was Making Waves - Landscape, Language and Migration, which swayed the judges who visited the sites over the last week.
Heather Humphreys, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, praised the Irish bids.
In the wake of the Nice terror attacks, the minister said one of the aims of the award was to bring Europeans closer together and improve mutual understanding.
"We can only respond to such attacks by strengthening our resolve and commitment to our culture and our way of life in Europe.
"It is at moments such as this that we say aloud that we will not stop celebrating what is great about living in Ireland, in France or in Europe," she said.
Ms Humphreys said the respectful 1916 centenary commemorations and the French values of "liberty, equality and fraternity" will prevail in Europe no matter the provocation
Ireland has previously hosted the European Capital of Culture in Dublin in 1991 and Cork in 2005.
"In 2020, we will celebrate our unique Irish cultural heritage, while also celebrating our European influences," she said.
The European Commission said the original mo tivation of the award is more relevant than ever - learning about cultures and sharing history and values.
Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner responsible for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, said: "The competition in Ireland illustrates that this EU initiative remains fresh and vigorous, highly popular with cities and citizens."
The successful bid had to show its programme would have a lasting impact and that it could be paid for.
Current capitals of culture are Wrocaw in Poland and Donostia/San Sebastian in the Basque country in Spain.
Next year it will be Aar hus in Denmark and Paphos in Cyprus, followed by Leeuwarden in the Netherlands and Valletta in Malta in 2018 and Matera in Italy and Plovdiv in Bulgaria in 2019.
The Central Bank will publish revised economic forecasts later this month in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Financial Regulator Cyril Roux and other officials held talks with financial sector representatives yesterday about the potential consequences for the sector, following the outcome of the referendum held in the UK on June 23. Mr Roux said the purpose of the engagement was to allow the sector to present their views on the impacts for the regulated financial sector.
"Prior to and since the referendum, the bank has been in close contact with the firms it supervises, as well as the Irish Government, ECB-SSM and other EU institutions, and continues to monitor carefully developments in the financial markets and on the regulated financial services providers," the Central Bank said in a statement.
Last month, Central Bank Governor Philip Lane said forecasts would be revised, and he warned of uncertainty for some time.
The Central Bank said the revised outlook would be published in the Quarterly Bulletin later in the month.
"The bank is confident that the contingency measures in place are appropriate to address any such issues that may arise in the short to medium term," the bank added.
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"In respect of firms or funds potentially seeking to locate in Ireland, the Deputy Governor said the bank remains committed to providing a clear, open and transparent authorisation process while ensuring a rigorous assessment of the applicant against regulatory standards so as to continue to ensure a high, consistent level of consumer protection."
Prof Lane said the Central Bank had prepared for the possibility of a Brexit and that it would continue to closely monitor the risks to financial stability. Meanwhile, the chief economist at the Office for National Statistics in the UK, Joe Grice, said it is "aware" of the appetite among economists for concrete figures on Brexit effects.
"In the short term, we won't see figures fall off a cliff - it will be a longer-term impact," he said. The ONS has been meeting to determine which figures can reliably be used," Mr Grice said.
Philip Hammond wouldnt comment on plans by his predecessor to slash the countrys corporation tax rate. Photo: AP
The newly appointed UK Chancellor of the Exchequer has pledged to do whatever is required to restore confidence in the British economy - but wouldn't comment on plans by his predecessor to slash the country's corporation tax rate.
Philip Hammond, who has replaced George Osborne, said the vote to leave the European Union had "rattled confidence" and he will take "whatever measures" needed to shore up the British economy.
But there appeared to be no repeat of the tough talk on corporation tax from Mr Osborne, who suggested the rate should be slashed to below 15pc, putting it in direct competition with Ireland for foreign direct investment.
Mr Hammond, in a series of media interviews yesterday, declined to commit himself to plans made by Mr Osborne in the wake of the referendum.
Earlier this month Mr Osborne outlined plans to aggressively cut the UK's corporate tax to less than 15pc as he unveiled his plan to galvanise the economy.
That would take Britain close to the 12.5pc corporation tax rate in Ireland, which has been a cornerstone of our economy and helped attract major employers, including Apple, Pfizer and Google.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Michael Noonan congratulated Mr Hammond, and said he was planning a call with him.
He also expressed "regret" at the departure of Mr Osborne, whom he described as a colleague in Europe and a friend to Ireland.
He also recalled Mr Osborne's support in providing Ireland with a bilateral loan as part of the bailout programme.
As Theresa May strode towards 10 Downing Street for her first full day as Britain's new prime minister, the media were in a flap.
"This is a brutal reshuffle, Mrs May, isn't it?" shouted the BBC's Norman Smith.
"A brutal reshuffle?" Mrs May smiled, sunnily.
True enough, numerous senior figures had got the boot. Among those following George Osborne to the backbenches were Nicky Morgan (previously education secretary) and Oliver Letwin (a close friend of David Cameron). Theresa Villiers (Northern Ireland) and Stephen Crabb (work and pensions) both resigned.
Michael Gove, the justice secretary, arrived to work in a ministerial limo and left in a cab. What a comedown.
He was later spotted in a book shop, buying a copy of 'Blood Wedding', a grim psychological thriller about a woman whose life falls apart and who is suspected of murdering her boss. I could be wrong, but I'm not sure he's taking this very well.
One of the few of David Cameron's senior ministers to keep their jobs was Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary.
Intriguingly, when Mr Hunt arrived for his meeting with Mrs May, he wasn't wearing his usual NHS badge; yet, when he emerged, he was wearing it again.
I wonder why he'd removed it. Maybe he'd filled his pocket with different badges, so he'd have an appropriate one ready for whichever department Mrs May gave him. He looked relieved.
Every so often, bouquets of flowers were delivered to Number 10, although whether they were sent by foreign heads of state or hopeful Tory MPs was unknown.
TV crews stood around, waiting anxiously for someone new to talk about.
Adam Boulton, presenting for Sky News, cut short an interview with a colleague to announce: "We're just seeing another arrival in Downing Street," he reported, squinting. "I can't quite see who it is Coming through"
It turned out to be a burly-looking man plastered in tattoos, delivering a green box. Mr Boulton returned apologetically to his colleague. "I thought it was a woman in a green dress," he said.
To Andrea Leadsom, who had been Mrs May's fiercest rival for Number 10, the prime minister awarded a promotion. Well, I say a promotion. The former junior energy minister was made environment secretary.
This job will, in due course, require Mrs Leadsom to explain to Britain's farmers why they're no longer receiving the subsidies they currently get from the EU - the membership of which Mrs Leadsom campaigned vociferously against.
I'm beginning to wonder which is worse - being sacked by Mrs May or being promoted by her.
Sean Mulryan's Ballymore has set its sights on the much-desired Ringsend Glass Bottle site in Dublin, its founder has said.
Speaking on Breakfast Business with Vincent Wall, Mr Mulryan said his company is always looking for new opportunities but that the Ringsend site is of particular interest.
"A lot of people are going to be interested, its a very significant site. Its a big opportunity, youre going to have a lot of people looking at that when the opportunity arises," he said.
Ballymore is set to leave Nama by the end of the year after it repaid 2.6bn plus interest on its original borrowings.
The carriers parent company, IAG, is to fund the purchase of two Airbus A330-300 long-haul aircraft at a discounted price as passenger numbers are tipped to rise to 15 million by 2020
Aer Lingus is set to grow its transatlantic fleet next year, according to a company statement.
Two new aircraft for lucrative North American routes will be provided by parent group IAG.
IAG will order two Airbus 330-300 long-haul aircraft at a discounted cost of the $414m (372m) list price. The new planes will be delivered in 2017 and will be used to expand services to the US and Canada.
Aer Lingus' parent company has yet to reveal how it will fund the purchases, but did state that it has a number of funding options which it will be examining before the planes are delivered.
IAG bought Aer Lingus for 1.36bn last year in a deal which saw the Government sell its stake in the national carrier.
The global aircraft group also own British Airways, Vueling and Iberia. The company became Europe's second largest airline this year on the back of its purchase of Aer Lingus. A report from Goodbody Stockbrokers forecast that passenger numbers on Aer Lingus transatlantic routes would rise from 9.8 million to 15 million by 2020.
Davy has tipped Irish Continental Group (ICG) to "sail through" the effects of Brexit but has reduced its earnings before interest tax depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) targets for the next two years, citing a cautious outlook on car volumes.
The stockbroker has dropped its EBITDA target for the ferry operator for 2016 down to 85.2m from 90m. Despite Britain's decision to leave the European Union, Davy has kept its rating for ICG at outperform.
It announced in May that it would invest 144m in a new ship with a capacity for 1,885 passengers and 300 cars.
Davy analyst Stephen Furlong said the new ship represents "an opportunity to underpin the group's medium-term earnings".
"ICG is a high quality, industrial transport name with an enviable track record of best-in-class operating efficiency and optimal capital allocation.
"However, we are marking to market recent dislocation following the Brexit outcome for current exchange rates and fuel," Mr Furlong said in a note.
Last year the Irish Ferries parent, which is headed up by chief executive Eamonn Rothwell, generated around 20pc, or 69.5m, of its revenues from sterling point of sales.
ICG's share price was hit heavily following the UK's decision to leave the EU. The Irish company was among a host of firms involved in a bloodbath on the Irish Stock Exchange on the day after the Brexit vote.
Its shares dipped by 9.17pc in early trading on Friday, June 24. ICG shares stood at 4.60 at 2pm yesterday as it struggles to regain ground lost after the vote.
Analysts have tipped the company to become debt free in 2016. In the opening quarter ICG reduced its net debt to 25.9m from 44.3m.
Speaking at the company's annual general meeting in May, Mr Rothwell didn't seem overly concerned by a Brexit, saying preparing for such an event was "a waste of time".
He said that due to the uncertainty around the details of Brexit it wasn't possible to anticipate what the exit deal would look like.
Mr Rothwell, who recently ruled out retirement, made a profit of 4.43m on the exercise of share options and thier sale soon after last month. In December Irish Continental's market capitalisation exceeded 1bn for the first time, that has since dropped to 866m.
Exports to the UK declined by 162m in the three months to the end of April compared to a year earlier. Photo: Bloomberg
Exports to the UK fell between January and the end of April and could worsen again in the fallout from the Brexit vote.
Irish imports from Britain have also slowed, reducing by 116m compared to the same period last year.
Exports to the UK declined by 162m in the three months to the end of April compared to a year earlier.
Volatile currency markets are understood to be one reason for the decline.
"This could be related to the dramatic drop in the price of sterling since November last year," said Simon McKeever of the Irish Exporters Association. The Brexit vote may exacerbate the trend, he said.
"Given the outcome of the UK referendum on EU membership, this trade relationship may possibly get a lot more complicated. We have been trading with the UK for over 1,000 years and we will continue to have a strong bilateral trade relationship with it, albeit with potentially more costs and complications," he added.
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The figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the excess of exports over imports - known as the trade surplus - declined from 20.3bn in 2015 to 16bn this year. Exports to the UK between January and the end of April were 4.75bn, a marginal decline on the previous year's figure. Exports to the rest of the EU for the period were 14.4bn, showing a rise of almost 400m.
Ireland's trade surplus with the UK was 1.4bn to April.
Germany was the largest market for Irish goods and services within the euro area, with the country importing 2.2bn worth of Irish goods.
That was followed by France with 1.9bn.
Irish exports to the US were down by 480m, while Irish imports from the US fell by 771m.
Ireland has a low corporation tax, that much isn't news. What is new is the Americans openly mocking it in satirical videos.
A new series of short clips have appeared online coming from the RATE Coalition, a collection of businesses, associations and other like-minded groups that are looking to reform the tax code in the US.
The advocacy group is fed up with US companies moving abroad to pastures new boasting lower corporation tax rates.
The videos follow a fairly routine format. Something Irish to begin with, followed by "unlike the US's corporation tax rate".
Have a look at the videos below.
Here are the main business stories from this morning's papers:
Irish Independent
* The hit to Bank of Ireland's pension scheme from Brexit will dent the bank's capital, making a dividend pay-out to shareholders less likely, an analyst has warned.
The State's 14pc stake makes it the bank's biggest shareholder. In a trading update released to shareholders, BoI said the Brexit decision has resulted in the bank revising its standard defined benefit pension deficit to around 1.2bn at the end of June, a significant deviation from December, when it stood at 740m.
* The Central Bank will publish revised economic forecasts later this month in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Financial Regulator Cyril Roux and other officials held talks with financial sector representatives yesterday about the potential consequences for the sector, following the outcome of the referendum held in the UK on June 23. Mr Roux said the purpose of the engagement was to allow the sector to present their views on the impacts for the regulated financial sector.
* Breaking strict EU fiscal rules to spend more on capital investment could lead to financial penalties and potentially bar Ireland from getting structural funds, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said.
The minister said fines could amount to up to 0.2pc of the value of the economy.
The Irish Times
* Tech giant Microsoft has won a case in a New York appeals court that means it does not have to turn over emails stored in Ireland to the US government.
The government had requested the emails as part of a drugs investigation.
* Oil firm Providence Resources has said that a number of super major oil groups are lingering over its Druid and Drombeg prospects in the Atlantic Ocean.
The company highlighted the interest at an EGM yesterday where shareholders voted in favour of a 63m rescue fundraising.
* Consumer prices in Ireland increased by 0.4pc in the year to date new data from the Central Statistics Office has shown.
Miscellaneous goods and services increased by 6pc in the year with education costs also running by 3.8pc.
Irish Examiner
* IDA Ireland has paid out 9.4m to buy out a lease on a building that it wasn't using, which was costing the State agency 1m a year.
The Public Accounts Committee heard the building, which is based in Ballsbridge in Dublin, wasn't being used but the IDA was locked into a lease.
* The National Treasury Management Agency is unlikely to change its plans for bond issuance for this year, saying the Brexit didn't signal a cataclysmic fallout on Irish bonds.
According to a report in the Irish Examiner, the NTMA's chief executive Conor O'Kelly said the agency doesn't need to jump into tap sovereign debt markets.
* Starbucks is looking to up its food offering by taking a stake in Italian bakery company Princi, which sells pastries, pasta, and pizza across Europe.
According to a report in the Irish Examiner, the Italian goods will begin to be sold in Starbucks' roastery locations - opening in Shanghai and New York next year.
Burger chain Five Guys is due to finally open in the Republic of Ireland, it can be confirmed.
A lease agreement has just been signed that will see the popular fast food outlet open in Dundrum Town Centre at the beginning of October, a spokesperson for Five Guys confirmed to the Independent.ie.
Based on previous openings Five Guys typically hire between 30 and 40 part and full time staff per outlet.
The company had previously been looking at a site in Dublin's city centre.
It is understood Five Guys will look to roll out another five to 10 outlets across the Island of Ireland in Dublin, Cork, Galway and adding more to its current outlets in the North.
The lease agreement has just been signed off on between Five Guys and new Dundrum Town Centre owners Hammerson.
The bulk of the Commission's positive report on Ireland is associated with licence and patent revenues from abroad.
The European Commission has released new data suggesting that Ireland's small businesses rank highest in the EU for "innovation".
The Commission's "digital scoreboard" says Irish SMEs came out on top in a comparison among 28 member states because of their strong record of "in-house innovation, the fast growth of jobs in the Irish innovation sector and the high growth in knowledge-intensive industries".
However, the Commission also said that finance for Irish businesses has declined in the last 12 months by at least 5pc.
And it claims that the venture capital investments have gone down by 8.8pc, a figure that appears to clash with rival statistics from the Irish Venture Capital Association, which has reported a doubling of venture funding in the first three months of the year to 237m.
The bulk of the Commission's positive report on Ireland is associated with licence and patent revenues from abroad.
The Commission was unable to clarify whether this includes revenue from multinational firms that have bases in Ireland.
Earlier this week, the Central Statistics Office came under fire for not explaining growth figures it published suggesting that Ireland's GDP grew by 26pc last year while its GNP grew by 18pc.
The CSO's figures appeared to be partly based on corporate 'inversions' last year, where large multinational firms redesignated Ireland as their corporate base for tax-avoidance reasons.
"Ireland is the leader for innovation in small and medium-sized companies, followed by Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Austria," said a spokesman for the Commission.
"These countries are characterised by high shares of SMEs involved in innovation activities. They introduce more innovative products and generate more new jobs in fast-growing young companies."
According to the European Commission, Sweden is the EU's "innovation leader", followed by Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands.
Sweden leads European "innovation" in human resources and "quality of academic research", according to the Commission.
Finland is top for "financial framework conditions". Germany has the best score for "private investment in innovation" while Belgium leads in "innovation networks and collaboration".
Overall, the fastest growing "innovators" are Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, the Netherlands and the UK, according to the European Commission.
Earlier this year, a similar report from the European Commission indicated that Ireland ranked first of 28 EU countries at incorporating technology at work, a jump from third place last year. It said that Ireland scores especially well in eCommerce and online sales compared to EU rivals.
Just under a third (32pc) of Irish small to medium-sized businesses sell products or services online, said the European Commission. This is twice the average among European small businesses, which stands at just 16pc.
Similarly, Irish small and medium-sized businesses record 19pc of turnover from eCommerce activities, compared to an average of 9pc of turnover across the rest of the EU.
Ireland also tops the European tables for selling online across borders, with 16pc of small and medium-sized firms trading on the internet with cross-border business partners.
This compares to a European average of just 7.5pc. However, the report also showed that Ireland lies 20th in broadband take-up.
Breaking strict EU fiscal rules to spend more on capital investment could lead to financial penalties and potentially bar Ireland from getting structural funds, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said.
The minister said fines could amount to up to 0.2pc of the value of the economy.
He was responding to an argument from Ibec chief economist Fergal O'Brien in the Irish Independent Business Week yesterday that if Ireland can't get extra leeway from Europe for vital spending in areas like social housing, the Government should consider defying the rules and ask for forgiveness later.
But Mr Noonan said this was not the way to go.
"It's not good advice to break the rules. Spain and Portugal are in breach of rules this week and they're opening themselves to sanctions that would range from 0pc to 0.2pc of GDP, which is a big chunk of money," the minister said.
"As well as that, the tap on structural funds can be turned off."
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Ibec said the rules, which are laid down by the European Commission to ensure prudent and stable public finances, should be adhered to for day-to-day government spending and taxation. But the organisation claimed they don't make sense in the Irish case in terms of capital investment, describing them as "unnecessary" and "inappropriate".
Fergal O'Brien, Ibec chief economist, said the Government needs to take a renewed case to Brussels for flexibility.
But he said if that fails, we should defy the rules and spend what is required, particularly in dealing with the deficit in social housing. He said 1bn should be spent outside the fiscal rules for social housing next year. "In the context of everything that's happening in the global economy, maybe we should go and do that and ask for forgiveness. Particularly on social housing," Mr O'Brien told the Irish Independent.
At the launch of the National Treasury Management Agency's (NTMA) annual report, Mr Noonan said he is negotiating in Brussels to get extra flexibility to invest and to be able to make greater use of public private partnerships.
"We're making some progress," he said. Under the EU's Stability and Growth Pact (SGP), countries are obliged to adhere to strict debt and deficit targets set by the Commission. Ireland has moved from the corrective arm of the SGP, to the preventive arm, thereby freeing up more so-called fiscal space for spending.
The Commission has already agreed to a loosening of the rules in Ireland's case, which Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said results in an additional 1.5bn becoming available in fiscal space. But in its Budget 2017 submission, Ibec argues that far too little is being put into investment.
Ibec also said the Government needs to realise that Budget 2017 will be the "first meaningful policy lever" that the Government is going to pull in terms of reaction to the Brexit vote.
The lobby group said the Budget should also deliver a major overhaul to our personal and business tax offering.
"Yes, we need to cooperate with the UK on areas of mutual interest, but we also must compete agressively in areas where we need to stay ahead," said Ibec chief Danny McCoy.
"We need to stay competitive and keep business costs under control."
EU Commissioner of Competition Margrethe Vestager gives a press conference on antitrust cases in Brussels. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Google has been hit with fresh charges from the Euopean Commission regarding suspected breaches of antitrust legislation.
Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager announced a dual probe yesterday at a press briefing in Brussels.
"Google has come up with many innovative products that have made a difference to our lives," Ms Vestager said.
"But that doesn't give Google the right to deny other companies the chance to compete and innovate.
"Today, we have further strengthened our case that Google has unduly favoured its own comparison shopping service in its general search result pages.
"It means consumers may not see the most relevant results to their search queries."
She added: "If the evidence shows that Google has broken the competition rules, we have a duty to act."
The first strand of the Commission's investigation focuses on whether Google abused its position by favouring its own comparison shopping service in its general search results.
The Commission also asserts that Google protected its dominant position in online search advertising.
It is claimed the company prevented competitors from entering and growing in a commercially important area.
In a statement released to the Irish Independent, a Google spokesperson said: "We believe that our innovations and product improvements have increased choice for European consumers and promote competition.
"We'll examine the Commission's renewed cases and provide a detailed response in the coming weeks."
Microsoft won't be forced to hand over emails stored in Ireland to the US government, a court said in a decision that may affect data security throughout the US technology industry.
A US federal appeals court in New York yesterday overturned a 2014 decision saying the company must hand over messages of a suspected drug trafficker.
The company argued that the earlier decision would create a "global free-for-all" with foreign countries forcing companies to turn over evidence stored in the US.
The Manhattan-based court overturned a ruling by US District Judge Loretta Preska rejecting Microsoft's challenge to the US demand for the contents of a customer's MSN.com email account. The messages were stored on servers in Ireland. The name and home country of the customer haven't been made public.
The law doesn't "authorise courts to issue and enforce against US-based service providers warrants for the seizure of customer email content that is stored exclusively on foreign servers," the appeals court said Microsoft was supported by companies including AT&T Inc and Apple, which argued in favour of higher privacy standards for customer emails.
Internet service providers might have a hard time selling web-based programs if they can't keep records stored in foreign countries safe from unilateral US seizures.
The US government said a ruling in favour of the software company would create a legal loophole to be exploited by fraudsters, hackers and drug traffickers.
Prosecutors argued that the process for requesting evidence through foreign governments can be time-consuming. American law permits them to get the data directly from US-based companies that choose to store it offshore, prosecutors said.
The dispute centred on the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, a law passed before the widespread use of email, instant messages and internet-based social networks.
The case is In the Matter of a Warrant to Search a Certain E-Mail Account Controlled and Maintained by Microsoft Corp, 14-02985, US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Manhattan. (Bloomberg)
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) and Danish Ambassador Charlotte Laursen (Source: VNA)
Meeting Ambassador Laursen, Ngan said Vietnam values the development of comprehensive partnership with Denmark one of its important partners in Northern Europe with two-way trade surpassing USD534 million.
She hailed the Danish government for choosing Vietnam as one of the top 10 countries for its growth strategy, and told her guest that Vietnam has offered incentives and support to foreign firms, including Danish firms, to operate over the long term in the country.
With the Vietnam-EU free trade agreement (VEFTA) to be signed, new cooperation opportunities for the two countries business communities remain wide open, she said.
On the occasion, the host thanked Denmark for its supply of official development assistance to Vietnam over the past years, which she said, have been effectively used in the priority fields of poverty reduction, public governance, administrative reform, climate change adaptation and environment.
Laursen, for her part, said Vietnamese and Danish ministries and agencies should work closely together to seek more effective measures for priority fields.
Denmark is ready to share experience and back Vietnam in the national target programme on efficient energy use and the national strategy on green growth, she said, adding that she will continue working to enhance bilateral ties between the two legislatures via the exchange of visits to learn from each others experience in law-making, supervision and enforcement.
In a separate reception for Mellander, the NA Chairwoman congratulated Sweden on being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2017-2018 tenure.
Lauding Sweden as Vietnams important trade partner in Europe and Northern Europe, the top legislator appreciated the ambassadors support for Swedish firms to do business in Vietnam, especially the opening of trade and investment promotion offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2013.
She also took the occasion to ask Sweden to call on the EU to sign and approve the VEFTA soon and recognise Vietnam as a market economy.
Mellander, in reply, said apart from economic collaboration, both sides need to enhance ties across education and training, science and technology, and health care.
In the near future, Vietnam and Sweden should promote the exchange of visits and dialogues between ministries, agencies and legislators to foster political trust and mutual understanding, she said.
The guest pledged that in any position in the future, she will continue nurturing traditional friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Sweden./.
Whether you are staying in or going out, we pick the events not to miss this week.
Going out
The gig: Rufus Wainwright
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Crooner Wainwright indulges himself slightly on his new collection of Shakespeare sonnets set to music. But with a back catalogue brimming with heartbreaking ballads, he's surely entitled to chase his muse now and again.
National Concert Hall, Dublin, Wednesday
The festival: IMMA Summer Party
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'Peaky Blinders' actor Cillian Murphy takes a break from slashing enemies with his flat-cap of death to - hipster alert - curate an evening of music at the modern art museum in Kilmainham. Eccentric piano-man Hauschka headlines while David Kitt's fantastic New Jackson side project will play a DJ set.
Imma, Dublin, Saturday
The event: West Cork Literary Festival
The small festival with the big heart, this year's event welcomes such literary goliaths as Zadie Smith, Gloria Steinem and Louis de Bernieres for a week of readings and public interviews. What better excuse for a trek into gorgeous West Cork.
Bantry, from Sunday
Video of the Day
Staying in
The TV show: The Secret Agent
The clammy fingers of the surveillance state are everywhere in a new adaptation of the classic Joseph Conrad novel. This tale of Russian secret agents, anarchist terrorists and ruthless British spies may take place in Victorian London, but the modern resonances are clear. Toby Jones, Vicky McClure and Ian Hart star. BBC One, Sunday, 9pm
The book: The Muse, Jessie Burton
Burton's 2014 debut 'The Miniaturist' was a critical and commercial smash.The follow-up swaps 17th-century Amsterdam for 60s London and pre-Civil War Spain and weaves a complex tale of art forgery and overweening ambition. One of the summer's smarter page-turners.
The box-set: Stranger Things, Netflix
Steven Spielberg meets Stephen King, with a dash of 'The X-Files' for good measure in this major new series from Netflix. Winona Ryder puts in one of her best performances as a small town mom whose child is abducted by mysterious forces in the early 80s. Nostalgia and terror come together in a heady cocktail.
- Ed Power
Watch this hilarious video of nuns dancing a co-ordinated dance on a beach in what can only be described as a real life Sister Act performance.
The Sisters of St. Faustina Order from Mysliborz in Poland recorded their dancing talents in the hope of engaging young people in World Youth Day.
The dancing nuns who are later joined by a group of children soon went viral across the world.
Watch out for the nuns struggling with the poster of Jesus towards the end its gas.
World Youth Day 2016 will be held in Krakow Poland July 25 to 31 and brings young people from around the country together to celebrate Christianity.
An international security expert has revealed that an attack like we have seen in Nice tonight was what Islamic State have been calling for, for some time.
Olivier Guitta, international security expert CEO of Global Strat (geopolitical risk and security consultancy firm with a regional specialisation on Europe), speaking to Sky News:
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It was clear that the south of France was possibly a target for Islamic State. The intel that we had gotten was that they wanted to target beaches and beach resorts in the south of France, Italy and Spain.
The modus operandai that they used tonight, with a truck driving into a crowd is exactly what Islamic State has been calling for since 2014.
Using cars to basically try to kill as many people as possible and unfortunately weve seen that tonight.
I would say that the fact that Hollande today announced the state of emergency would be lifted in the next 12 days was just a coincidence.
We know that jihadists really try to hit the west during symbolic days, so Bastille Day is ideal for them in terms of symbolism and destabilise the French state.
The fact that even though you have thousands of police and army patrolling the streets of Paris and Nice is really not enough if you dont have the intel of the potential attack and thats really the main issue that the French will have to deal with is revamping their intel services.
Failure of intelligence?
In a way yes, but its too early to tell. I suspect that probably those people were on the radar of our security services. Before I answer this question we have to find out if that person is really somebody that is out of the blue that just decided on a whim to attack and was inspired by jihadist group or if it was a much more seasoned terrorist. That will give us a better feel about the professionalism and how the security services could have handled it.
Unfortunately as weve seen in many cases theres only so much our security services can do, theyre way overstretched, they have to follow so many leads and they dont have enough people to do that.
I would think a revamping of how much money are we going to put in our security services needs to be addressed very quickly.
To follow just one potential terrorist you need 30 officers, 30 people.
The amount of potential people our security services has to follow has been multiplied by 100in the last two or three years.
Terror analyst Afzal Ashraf, told Sky News: Those (Isis) are sadly the most likely suspects in this. Theyre probably prime suspects.
This is exactly the sort of target that terrorists want. They want to cause horror, they attack unarmed civillians, they have no compulsions against attacking children, the elderly, women, it doesnt matter. The more vulnerable in many ways the more shocking it is, and of course they want to cause shock, they want to cause fear, they want to cause panic, they want us to be afraid.
The vehicle idea was one that I came across seven years ago in a magazine that Al Queda pushes out so the idea is not new. It was an encouragement for those who could not easily get hold of guns and bombs to use vehicles and other means, which they listed as to how they could inflict terror and horror within the societies in which they were.
I dont think that every time they mention a type of target like beach resorts and the like that we should stop going there, because this is exactly what they want.
They want to cause fear in advance of their attacks, they want to cause fear during their attacks and they want to cause fear after their attacks."
Boris Johnson has huge admiration for Winston Churchill and therefore must be familiar with his definition of diplomacy.
Churchill reckoned it was the "art of telling people to go to hell in such a way that they ask for directions".
It could be argued that the new British foreign secretary achieved exactly that during the Brexit referendum, convincing people that the EU was akin to something that Napoleon and Hitler had tried previous but "by different methods".
That sort of rhetoric and bombastic populism have got him this far but the former mayor of London is about to enter a world where loud statements often need to be drowned out by consensus.
Over the years few have been spared Johnson's swipes. He once said the potential next president of the United States had "dyed blonde hair and pouty lips, and a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital".
The Chinese he believed are overrated in terms of global importance.
"Compared with the old British Empire, and the new American imperium, Chinese cultural influence is virtually nil, and unlikely to increase."
And in 2009 he sparked controversy by cancelling a St Patrick's Day Gala Dinner in London to save money.
He said the event was "lefty crap" like "spending 20,000 on a dinner at the Dorchester for Sinn Fein".
But subsequently apologised for those remarks, telling the Irish Independent: "I am profoundly sorry if I have offended any Irish person. I hope that people will see I was making a point about cost cutting."
Organisations pointed out that the black-tie night was self-financing and embraced the entire Irish community, including the likes of Bob Geldof, the Irish Ambassador and chef Richard Corrigan.
As a result Mr Johnson wrote to the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith to clarify his position.
"Although I note that the guests of honour at the 2008 St Patrick's Day dinner were Martin McGuinness and Pat Doherty, these were not dinners for Sinn Fein and, of course, I make absolutely no assumptions about the political allegiances of those who attended the dinners," he said.
Until now his interactions with Irish politicians have been limited but Rural Development Minister Michael Ring did enjoy a day at the London Olympics with him four years ago.
Mr Ring found himself sitting beside a dapper David Cameron and the glamorous Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton was behind him.
"Boris was there that day with no suit but he gets away with it," the Mayo TD told the Irish Independent.
"He didn't seem like the typical politician. It is certainly an interesting appointment for him to be entering the diplomatic corps. It's going to be different, the way he does business."
Joan Burton used Boris Johnson to explain why Ireland should have living wage, quoting the London version that he championed as mayor. "He has seen that it actually works," she enthused a couple of years ago.
And President Michael D Higgins has had occasion to meet with Mr Johnson, most notably during his historic State visit to Britain in 2014.
But it's not clear what other exposure to Ireland and our ways Boris has had.
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan is hoping for an early meeting to discuss Brexit and Anglo-Irish relations.
Perhaps we should offer to host that meeting in Dublin and show him some hospitality because Boris is back and we need to be diplomatic even if he's not.
Vincent Ruane, a company director at the Co Mayo-based firm, pleaded guilty on behalf of the company to the offence at dates unknown between January 23, 2012 and March 31, 2012.Vincent Ruane, a company director at the Co Mayo-based firm, pleaded guilty on behalf of the company to the offence at dates unknown between January 23, 2012 and March 31, 2012. (stock photo)
A company was fined 250,000 for breaching construction regulations before the collapse of a wall at a DIY store, killing two men and injuring two others.
Paddy Gaffney (63) and Sean Mulleady (49) died when an internal wall at the former Connacht Gold premises, Farneyhoogan, Athlone Road, Longford collapsed on January 29, 2013.
Vincent Ruane Construction Limited was charged with breaching Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations by failing to provide restraints at the head and end of an internal block wall.
Vincent Ruane, a company director at the Co Mayo-based firm, pleaded guilty on behalf of the company to the offence at dates unknown between January 23, 2012 and March 31, 2012.
The court was told there were four employees on site at the time along with four customers and a sales representative.
Both Mr Mulleady and Mr Gaffney were taken to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar but died later.
Denise Nolan, a daughter of the late Mr Gaffney, told the court that her father had survived a back operation, triple heart surgery and beaten cancer before tragedy struck three years ago.
On the day of the incident, his wife Patsy Gaffney had been waiting in the car for her husband when she was alerted to an incident inside the store.
She found her husband surrounded by debris, sitting upright with blood pouring from a head wound.
"He was able to tell me that he 'wasn't going to make it this time'," the court heard.
On behalf of Mr Mulleady's wife Teresa, her sister Eileen Sorohan said instead of receiving flowers from her husband on New Year's Day, she now puts them on his grave.
Judge Hannon said there was conflicting evidence as to who was responsible for deciding to build the wall to the roof along with its supervision and design.
He said arguably the most compelling factor was evidence provided by a blocklayer who claimed he wasn't privy to plans in relation to the detail that was needed to be followed in its construction.
Judge Hannon said the maximum fine the court could hand down was a fine of 3m.
However, taking into account the company's plea and the fact the firm was "asset rich but cash poor", he said the penalty handed down "must be realistic".
"Don't think that the fine reflects in any way the value of the lives that have been lost," he told the victims' families.
A furniture removal man has been jailed for five years after being caught with 2.5 million worth of drugs and a large cache of weapons.
Patrick Brunell (35) was observed by gardai handing over the haul to another man outside his father's transport company in Tallaght, Dublin.
The weapons included an AK-47 type assault rifle, a sniper rifle, and a shotgun as well as another rifle which was fitted with a silencer. He also had four different types of ammunition.
Brunell refused to say who the guns and drugs belonged to out of fear for his life. He said he was asked to hold them because it was known that he had access to his father's lock-up.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard his father's business had suffered because of media coverage of the garda operation.
Brunell of Kiltalown Road Tallaght pleaded guilty to possession of 29kgs of cocaine, 6.4kgs of heroin, a Czech made CZ rifle with silencer, a Beretta shotgun, a Yugoslavian AK 47 style assault rifle and a German Sauer rifle with telescopic sight, along with 105 rounds of ammunition.
The Director of Public Prosecutions said the offences lay in the upper range of seriousness due to the variety and types of weapons found and recommended a sentence of between 10 to 14 years.
However Judge Patrick McCartan said the offence, while very serious, was in the middle range because Brunell was not dealing the drugs himself and was holding the guns for other people.
He imposed a seven year sentence with the final two suspended and told Brunell that he was sorry for him.
You've made dreadful mistake and you'll have to pay the consequences, Judge McCartan said. Hopefully you'll appreciate that I've been as lenient as I can.
Sergeant Brian Cagney told prosecuting counsel Garret Baker BL that a confidential tip-off led gardai to put the Greenhills Road premises under surveillance. On October 28, 2015 they saw two cars arrive outside.
Brunell got out of one car and handed over two black hold-alls containing the drugs to the driver of the second car. Gardai moved in and arrested both men. Another bag containing the guns was found in the back of Brunell's car.
He told gardai he had held onto the items for two weeks and that he expected to be paid between 1,500 to 2,000. He said he did it for the money to support his family but also because he didn't feel he had any choice.
They wouldn't take no for an answer, he said in interview.
Brunell is married with two children. He has 13 previous convictions for road traffic offences and drug possession.
Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC said Brunell was a decent man who co-operated with gardai despite refusing to give any names. Counsel submitted that it was to his credit that he was not caught with mixing agents or other drug deal accessories.
A woman accused of murdering her colleague by driving him into a harbour, where he drowned, told gardai he was dead because of his love for her.
Memos of the waitress's garda interviews were read to the Central Criminal Court on the eighth day of her trial.
Marta Herda, who escaped from the car, told gardai the deceased was in love with her but that she didn't feel the same.
She said it was '24 hours a day' and that she couldn't take it any more.
Ms Herda (29), of Pairc Na Saile, Emoclew Road, Arklow, Co Wicklow, is charged with the murder of 31-year-old Csaba Orsos on March 26, 2013.
She has pleaded not guilty to murdering the Hungarian at South Quay, Arklow.
They both worked at Brook Lodge Hotel in Aughrim.
Detective Sergeant Fergus O'Brien testified that he arrested Ms Herda at her home on August 2, 2013.
She was interviewed at Wicklow Garda Station.
The statement of a man working at the harbour was put to her. He described the speed of a car he heard as "pedal-to-the-floor stuff".
"Yes, I was stressed and nervous," she said, when asked if the car was going fast.
"I didn't want to drive there. It was an accident," she said.
"I couldn't understand what he was saying and then, boom," she said, denying that she had driven into the water deliberately.
She was asked if she'd agree that she was driving recklessly.
"No, I don't think so," she replied. "I wouldn't hurt anyone. I could have killed myself. I didn't want to die. I have a family."
She said it would have been easier if the deceased was there to explain. "I wish he was still here," she said.
Asked whether he had shouted at her to stop, she said there was screaming in the car all the way from her house.
She was then shown CCTV footage of her car travelling through Arklow at 5.28am. She was asked how many were in the car.
"One," she replied.
"Where's Csaba?" she was asked. She said she didn't know.
"You told us he got into your car at your house," said the gardai. "I don't know," she replied.
Call records were put to her, showing that she had rung the deceased at 5.20am.
She agreed that she had 'probably' rung him at 5.35am to come out to her. She agreed she knew he couldn't swim.
"Would you agree that Csaba Orsos is dead because of your criminally dangerous act?" she was asked.
"He is dead because of his love for me," she replied.
The trial heard earlier that the handbrake had been applied before the car entered the water and that the only open window was that of the driver.
The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury.
Barrister Eileen McAuley told Judge Jacqueline Linnane that a worker in Northside Shopping Centre in Coolock, Dublin, 'blindly pushed' a pallet trolley stacked with boxes. (Stock Picture)
An 88-year-old housewife who was struck by a trolley in Dunnes Stores has been given the maximum 60,000 personal injury damages a Circuit Civil Court judge can award.
Barrister Eileen McAuley told Judge Jacqueline Linnane that a worker in Northside Shopping Centre in Coolock, Dublin, "blindly pushed" a pallet trolley stacked with boxes.
Ms McAuley, who appeared with Synnott Lawline solicitors, said the shop worker had failed to see Christina O'Reilly shopping with her daughter Mary.
"Prior to the accident, Ms O'Reilly had led an active social life which included ballroom dancing every Sunday night, which she had to give up," Ms McAuley said.
"She can no longer do her own shopping."
Ms McAuley told the court that Dunnes Stores had, just before the case was opened in court, conceded liability for the accident, meaning that the case was now one of an assessment of damages only.
She said the entering of a full defence earlier against Ms O'Reilly, who lives at Adare Drive, Coolock, Dublin, had delayed the proceedings coming to court due to her legal team having been put on full proof of what had happened.
She said Ms O'Reilly's daughter Mary, who was with her in the store when the accident happened, had since died.
Ms O'Reilly was helped in court by another daughter, Bernadette Gallagher, and insisted on giving evidence despite serious hearing difficulties.
Dependent
Judge Linnane said Ms O'Reilly had led a full, active social life up until the accident and had been living independently. She was now dependent on the help of her family.
The judge awarded Ms O'Reilly 60,000 damages and her legal costs and when counsel for Dunnes Stores asked for a stay to facilitate consideration of an appeal to the High Court, Judge Linnane ordered payment of 45,000 to Ms O'Reilly.
A charity treasurer who is alleged to have misappropriated 161,000 has not explained what happened to the money, the High Court has heard.
A meeting has taken place between representatives of Carline Learning Centre and accountant Greg Walsh.
However, barrister Eamon Marray, for Carline, said that Mr Walsh had not co-operated in the manner required.
A solicitor acting for Mr Walsh said that his client had information in his possession but he was still "doing his homework".
Mr Justice Paul Gilligan has now given Mr Walsh until 2pm on Monday to provide an affidavit to the charity.
Mr Walsh had previously consented to orders requiring him to return the cash and explain what happened to it.
The judge said those undertakings were to continue and he adjourned the matter to next Thursday.
The west Dublin charity, which receives more than 500,000 a year from the State, provides educational services for disadvantaged teenagers.
It claims that Mr Walsh diverted cash by making out cheques to his business, Walsh & Company Accountants, and two other companies.
Some of the diverted money was supposed to have been used to cover PAYE and PRSI obligations.
But it is claimed that the cash was not handed over to the Revenue Commissioners, leaving the charity owing more than 72,500 in taxes.
Concerns about financial irregularities stretching back to 2014 first came to the attention of accountants last September.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (left) and Speaker of the Parliament of Mongolia Miyegombo Enkhbold. (Photo: VNA)
Speaking at the meeting in Ulan Bator on July 14th, both sides expressed their delight at the progress in the Vietnam-Mongolia traditional relations and the close coordination between the two countries legislative bodies.
The two leaders agreed to intensify cooperation in multiple bilateral issues and at international forums while increasing experience exchange in legislation and supervision.
They also plan to adopt a united stance in regional and global issues in the future and boost economic and trade ties to tap the two nations full potential.
Prime Minister Phuc congratulated Miyegombo Enkhbold on his new election as the parliament speaker and thanked Mongolian people for their valuable support for Vietnam during its struggle for independence in the past.
He proposed the two countries maintain the regular exchange of all-level visits to enhance all-round relations. He also conveyed the invitation of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to Miyegombo Enkhbold to visit Vietnam.
For his part, the host said Vietnam is Mongolias key partner in Southeast Asia, hoping that the country will support Mongolias bid to become a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum./.
A JOB applicant sexually assaulted a staff member at a Dublin school as she was showing him around the premises after the interview.
Noel Ward (28) grabbed the shocked woman's bottom three times and told her she had a "fine a**e" during the assault.
Judge Anthony Halpin described it as one of the "most peculiar cases" he had dealt with and adjourned sentencing at Dublin District Court.
Ward, of Barry Road, Finglas West, pleaded guilty to sexual assault.
The court heard the incident happened at a school on June 10 last year.
Ward had attended for a job interview and the victim was showing him around the complex afterwards.
He then touched her inappropriately three times.
The first time, the victim thought it had been accidental.
The second time she looked at him and in the third, he grabbed her and said "that is a fine a**e you have there".
The victim reported the incident to the gardai and Ward was later arrested.
He had no previous convictions and made full admissions to gardai when he was later questioned. The accused was also extremely apologetic for his actions on the day, his barrister said.
It was totally out of character for him and he had never been in any court for any offence before, he said.
Ward's defence said he had seen "dramatic negative changes" in the accused, who had not been eating because of anxiety over the case.
Ward had worked as a warehouse operative and was unemployed when he applied for a position at the school through the Tus community employment scheme.
"Was he on drugs?" the judge asked. "Even if you have a burning desire to do something, if it is against the law, you have to control yourself. I find it a very strange case."
Mr Griffin accepted it was a "totally bizarre set of circumstances".
The victim explained to the court the incident had affected her greatly and an apology "doesn't really mean anything to me".
The judge said it was a credit to the victim that she had "come out of this" and reported what must have been a "source of embarrassment".
"I was mortified," she said.
The judge said he wanted to consider the case before finalisation.
Disgraced Console chief Paul Kelly, who lavishly spent charity funds on his personal lifestyle, will be pursued for some of the money after Console closed yesterday with crushing debts of almost 300,000.
Interim CEO David Hall told the Irish Independent that legal proceedings were under way to secure "the return of monies".
This could see assets such as the Kellys' plush family home in Clane, Co Kildare, being seized.
Mr Hall was speaking after the High Court had liquidated Console and it was announced that another charity, Pieta House, will take over the operation of its helpline, the suicide bereavement liaison service and the counselling service.
The liquidator will now have to decide how to deal with the trail of outstanding debt, amounting to 294,808, including 77,500 due to Revenue, 74,421 owing in wages and 90,860 to suppliers.
The HSE will transfer the funding it was paying Console to provide the service to Pieta House, but this will be more costly, at around 1.5m a year.
Pieta House chief Brian Higgins has said he will be talking to former Console counsellors in the coming days and the hope is that there will be continuity for the 317 people who were receiving support from Console following the death of a loved one from suicide.
He will also be talking to the landlords of the various counselling centres used by Console with a view to maintaining them as part of the new system.
Mr Hall said that Console's 12 staff would be offered statutory redundancy but that they were still owed outstanding wages.
He declined to divulge the list of assets submitted to the court by Mr Kelly, but said that it held no surprises.
Mr Kelly, who a HSE audit revealed had spent extravagant sums of the charity's funds on cars and foreign travel, was not present in court yesterday for the final winding-up of the charity he founded.
Scandal
His legal team made a separate application to the court on Wednesday to free up some money to allow for his family's living expenses.
Mr Kelly was briefly a patient in a psychiatric hospital following the scandal, but has since been discharged.
Mr Hall said that part of the switching of the service to Pieta House involved protection of client data. This was overseen by the court.
The injunctions freezing bank accounts remain.
The liquidator now takes over the legal proceedings, which were lodged for the pursuit of monies, said Mr Hall.
Seven separate investigations are under way into the financial irregularities and running of the charity.
Rose Kenny (centre) is surrounded by family and friends as she leaves the Central Criminal Court. Photo: Collins Courts
A Dublin mother who was brutally stabbed and left to die by her former partner outside her home said she has to "live with the guilt" that she brought this man into her life.
Rose Kenny (51) was leaving her home at School Street Flats, Dublin 8, on September 23, 2014, when she was savagely attacked and stabbed multiple times in the body, neck and throat.
She had emergency life-saving surgery in St James's Hospital and is still recovering from her physical and mental scars.
Last June, Rose's former partner Denis Leahy (50), of Queen Street in Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to her attempted murder.
He was due to be sentenced yesterday but Judge Paul Butler adjourned the matter until next Thursday after hearing a victim impact statement from Rose and submissions put forward on behalf on Leahy.
Ms Kenny bravely read out a victim-impact statement about how her life had been normal until September 23, 2014.
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"I always had a carefree spirit that my family and friends enjoyed. I never gave a second thought to stepping outside my house and just got on with my normal day-to-day activities. I tried to be a good mother, a good daughter, a good sister and generally just to be a good person," she said.
"Now my life is in two segments. My life before the attempted murder on me and my life after it.
"I was attacked that morning by a man that I didn't recognise as being Denis Leahy, a man that I had shared many years with as my partner.
"Although I'm the victim here, I have to live with the guilt I feel of how I brought this man into my life and without knowing that I put my life and that of my daughter and family and friends' life in danger.
"How could I have known that he was capable of doing such gruesome things to another human being? Every day I ask myself how could I have been such a bad judge of character."
Ms Kenny said that immediately after the attack she never lost consciousness until she reached the hospital.
"I knew if I closed my eyes I would never open them again," she said. "Denis Leahy left me in hospital for seven weeks with horrendous injuries. For four of them weeks I couldn't even swallow my saliva and had to have a suction tube in my hands at all times. I couldn't walk, talk or swallow and was totally dependent on others.
"I had my sister Jeanette and my beautiful daughter Jamie sleep with me all night in the hospital for the first week as I was so sure I was going to die. I spent 12 hours in surgery the day of the attack.
"My back, abdomen, chest and neck are destroyed with stab wounds but these can be hidden.
"But what I can't hide is my horrible gravelly voice, it embarrasses me when I speak and especially when strangers in shops that are serving me ask was I out singing last night. How I wish that was the case."
Rose said she was never able to return to the home or community she had lived in for 22 years, but instead moved in with her 80-year-old mother who had to learn how to dress her wounds.
"I just feel so broken. I don't trust the world in the same way that I always had. I'm always in a state of anxiety for both myself and my family. I fight these feelings every day but some days I just want to curl up and stay in bed," said Rose with emotion.
"I now have a new flat where I had to start from scratch. I'm waiting to get speech therapy and then with the help of my counsellor I hope to return to work next year. I know I will never be the carefree easygoing woman that I was before Denis Leahy tried to murder me but will try very hard to get as near as possible to being that person again."
Local historian Eugene Markey, from Canningstow, examines an old wireless radio, part of house contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
General view of doll collection, part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
Pair of riding boots and hat, part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
General view of interior of St. Lawrence House with contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
General view of some of the rings on offer as part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
Ornaments, part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
Pair of lamps, part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
Wall-mounted Eastern Tapestry, part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
Four-poster bed, part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan.
Chinese marble-backed chairs and a four-poster bed belonging to a well-known Irish businesswoman are among 500 rare antiques up for auction this weekend.
The items are from the lifetime collection of Sheila Germain who left Cavan as a young girl and made her name in the US.
Ms Germain (nee Kettle) passed away in 2014 aged 90, but is still remembered for her active support of local projects in her Irish hometown of Bailieborough.
Auctioneer Damien Matthews said there were 549 items and counting to be sold, and said there could be even more antiques to be found around the house.
There are a few things in the house that I havent found yet, but theres an awful lot," he said.
The possessions are on sale at Ms Germains home as the new owners of the property move in.
They include a set of Chinese marble-backed chairs valued at between 300 and 500, and a fine four-poster bed with drapes for between 400 and 700.
Mr Matthews called Ms Germain an extraordinary woman who was also generous and humble.
Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close General view of some of the rings on offer as part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. General view of interior of St. Lawrence House with contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. General view of St. Lawrence House with contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. General view of garden animal statues at St. Lawrence House, contents of which are up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. General view of St. Lawrence House with contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. General view of St. Lawrence House with contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. Local historian Eugene Markey, from Canningstow, peruses the contents that are up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. General view of doll collection, part of contents up for auction on Sunday 17th July. St. Lawrence House, Bailieborough, Co. Cavan. / Facebook
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She was a woman with no qualifications. Her family here was not wealthy, he said. She went to work in America as a young girl, and made her name from there.
While living in New York, she married Laurence Germain but also built a reputation as a prominent business leader in her own right.
At one point, she owned two penthouse apartments in Manhattan.
But she never forgot her Cavan roots, and bought Saint Lawrence House in Bailieborough, where she often spent summer and Christmas holidays.
Ms Germain had a passion for collecting antiques from across the world, and would bring most of the objects she purchased back to her property in Cavan.
Locally, Ms Germain is remembered for significant donations she made to local causes in her home county.
During her lifetime, she gave money towards Bailieborough Leisure Centre and Cavan General Hospital, as well as local schools, churches and other causes.
Mr Matthews said Ms Germain was a great benefactor to the area of Cavan and Bailieborough.
Anything that was needed, she would pay for if asked, he said. She was wealthy, but she never became too above where she came from. She kept her feet very firmly on the ground.
Once asked why she contributed so much, she replied: "My mother used to say there are no pockets in the shroud - you can't bring it with you.
"The people [in Bailieborough] are very generous, she added. If there is a crisis they're all there to help you."
There are about 400 individuals convicted of sexual violence in the Irish prison system at any one time, with 300 in the Midlands Prison (pictured) and 100 in Arbour Hill. Photo: Collins
Only 19 of the 60 sex offenders to be released from Irish jails for the remainder of this year are engaged in the Irish Prison Service's dedicated treatment programme.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) confirmed it was extending the National Treatment Programme in order to tackle the low numbers of prisoners availing of the service's Building Better Lives (BBL) programme.
There are about 400 individuals convicted of sexual violence in the Irish prison system at any one time, with 300 in the Midlands Prison and 100 in Arbour Hill.
Until now, there has been no dedicated sex offenders' treatment programme at the Midlands Prison. However, this was about to change, the IPS confirmed yesterday. The capacity of the IPS to treat large numbers of prisons on the BBL is constrained by the programme having capacity for only eight prisoners at any one time at each prison.
The low numbers of sex offenders being treated is underlined with figures from the IPS showing that of the 67 sex offenders released to date in 2016, only 25 have engaged in the BBL programme across the Irish prison system.
In addition, the Probation Service has engaged or is currently engaging in offence related work including risk management work with 25 men in the Midlands Prison.
A statement from the IPS also confirmed that only those men convicted of sexual violence who admitted their offence were accepted on to the programme.
A series of emails and letters between Transport Minister Shane Ross, the Taoiseach and Finance Minister reveal the true tensions between the Independent Alliance and Fine Gael.
Mr Ross demanded that Enda Kenny and Michael Noonan not appoint an unnamed person to a 270,000 job without advertising the position publicly.
And the first time minister then engaged in correspondence on the minute detail of how Irelands vice-president on the European Investment Bank would be selected.
Last week the Department of Finance refused to release details of their exchanges as it might serve to impair the proper functioning of government.
However, the Independent.ie has now obtained a number of letters under the Freedom of Information Act which show Mr Ross was unlikely to back down in the row.
The dispute took place just weeks before members of the Independent Alliance defied the Taoiseach in order to vote for Wexford TD Mick Wallaces abortion.
That row caused serious tensions within Cabinet but now the full details of the behind-the-scenes dispute over a plum EU job can revealed.
On May 19, Mr Kenny alerted Mr Ross that he wanted to directly fill the plum position.
It is understood that the pair disagreed strongly over the appointment and on May 23, Mr Ross personally sent an email to the Taoiseach stating: As I told you, I was uncomfortable with the suggestion and would revert after speaking to my Independent Alliance colleagues.
After consultation with them, we are of the unanimous view that this position should only be filled after a transparent, open, independent process.
It should include advertising the post, followed by interviews to ensure that the successful candidate is properly qualified for this 270,000 a year job.
He added that Mr Kenny must understand that appointments being made subject to rigorous non-political processes is a fundamental principle of their group.
Mr Kenny replied by letter hours later saying that understood his ministers view and was happy to discuss.
Ultimately the Taoiseach caved in. Four days later an official at Mr Noonans office devised an interview process but within hours Mr Rosss special adviser was in contact seeking five distinct changes.
He wanted the position advised on publicjobs.ie as well as the departments website, a shortlist system to be run through the Public Appointments system and a three-person interview panel including two independent nominees.
Revealed: Full details of salary and benefits of 270 post
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Under Mr Rosss plan the interview panel would ultimately propose a maximum of two people to the Government.
The Public Appointment system wasnt possible in this case as it takes 12 week, while the Taoiseach and Finance Minister wanted their Secretaries General on the interview panel.
Eventually Mr Ross settled for a four-person panel made up of the two Secretaries General and two independent members.
They will have to reach a consensus, said a finance official in an email to Mr Rosss office.
The back and forth ended on May 31 with a representative from the Department of Finance writing to confirm the advertisement would go public the following day, and that if your Minister has any further questions, my Minister suggests that they discuss it on the margins of next weeks Cabinet meeting.
Despite the row the job ultimately went to the Taoiseachs long-serving economic advisor, Andrew McDowell.
Separate briefing documents obtained by the Irish Independent show that on top of the 270,000 salary, Mr McDowell is entitled to an installation allowance of 46,000 and a resettlement allowance of 23,000.
His cost of travel to Luxembourg and moving expenses will also be covered.
And the ECB will pay 3,472 towards his monthly living expenses and another monthly allowance of 911.
There were no objections from anyone in Cabinet to Mr McDowells appointment.
The country does not have enough TDs and officials will have to redraw a number of constituency boundaries based on the new Census data.
For the first time the number of TDs is constitutionally too low, with 25 constituencies under-represented.
The problem is worst in Dublin but Galway, parts of Cork, Cavan-Monaghan, Kildare and Laois have less than one TD per 30,000 residents as set down in the Constitution.
Housing and Local Planning Minister Simon Coveney yesterday issued an ministerial order establishing a Constituency Commission to study the boundaries for Dail and European elections.
It will be chaired by Chief Justice Robert Haughton.
Based on the preliminary population count of 4,757,976 people and the current total of 158 TDs, the average number of persons per TD for the country as a whole is 30,114.
"Clearly there will have to be at least more TDs to bring us back under 30,000," said Deirdre Cullen, senior official with the Central Statistics Office.
The constituency with the largest ratio of residents to TDs is Dublin North-West with 32,299. Dublin Central has 32,016 persons per TD and Dublin Rathdown has 31,375.
At the other end of the scale, Limerick County has a TD for every 27,916 residents.
The fastest growing constituency is Dublin Fingal which saw its population increase by 10,596 over five years.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny's Mayo constituency was one of just four to witness a fall in their population. The other three were Sligo-Leitrim, Donegal and Limerick County.
A major redrawing of constituencies took place ahead of this year's election but boundaries are now likely to be reset again.
Ms Cullen said the CSO would be handing over data to the commission today - but ultimately their decisions would be based on the final Census report.
"They proceed with that work. It typically takes them about a year, once they get the definiti ve results next March.
"The definitive results will be very, very close to the preliminary results. They'll sign off on that work and it's up to the Dail then to accept those figures," Ms Cullen said. "To have the whole state over the 30,000 limit is a new situation."
Along with Mr Justice Haughton, the commission comprises of the Clerk of the Dail Peter Finnegan, the Clerk of the Seanad Deirdre Lane, the Ombudsman Peter Tyndall and the Secretary General of the Department of Environment John McCarthy.
They are required to report to the Dail no later than three months after the final figures are published by the CSO.
President Tran Dai Quang (R) shakes hand with former Chilean President Eudardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle who now serves as Ambassador for the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo: VNA)
President Quang welcomed the Chilean former Presidents visit to Vietnam at a time when the two countries celebrate the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and organize the second session of the Vietnam-Chile Free Trade Council.
He praised the important contributions that former President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle has made to developing the ties between Vietnam and Chile and the cooperation in the Pacific basin, particularly at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the Forum for East Asia - Latin America Cooperation (FELAC).
The Vietnamese head of State conveyed an invitation to Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to visit Vietnam again.
The President said he was pleased at the establishment and increasingly effective operation of the bilateral free trade council and political consultation at deputy foreign ministerial level.
Highlighting the strong development of bilateral ties across the fields, he noted that political ties between the two countries have become close and trustful, as demonstrated in the exchange of visits and meetings of senior officials at international forums.
On the economic-trade aspect, Chile was the first country in the western hemisphere to sign a bilateral free trade agreement with Vietnam, and also one of the first countries to recognize Vietnams market economy.
The two countries have also promoted bilateral affiliation in culture, training, science-technology and people-to-people exchange.
President Quang suggested the two countries increase visits at different levels and improve the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation mechanism, while coordinating to push for the early ratification and enforcement of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.
The two sides should also create favourable conditions for their businesses to access each others market as well as the greater market in Southeast Asia and Latin America, he said.
The President proposed Vietnam and Chile should continue to coordinate closely and support each other at international organisations and multilateral forums, particularly the United Nations. He asked Chile to back the Vietnamese candidate for the post of Director General of the UNESCO in the 2017-2021 tenure.
Mentioning issues related to maritime and overflight freedom in the region, President Quang reiterated Vietnams stance of dealing with disputes by peaceful measures without the use of or threat to use force, with full respect for diplomatic and legal process in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Former Chilean President Eudardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle affirmed that Chile supports the peaceful settlement of disputes with respect for international law.
He stressed that Chile wants to bolster its economic, trade and investment ties with Vietnam, particularly within the new cooperation frameworks such as the TPP, and through which, boost its affiliation with ASEAN countries./.
For much of the last 43 years the British relationship with the European Union has been presented as fundamentally adversarial in nature - from Margaret Thatcher winning the rebate, to 'Up Yours Delors' [the famous headline from 'The Sun', calling on its readers to tell Jacques Delors - then President of the European Commission - "where to stuff his ECU", the single currency that would become the euro] and a decade of battles to escape the currency, the Schengen Area and the Social Chapter.
However, despite all the fights over federalist ambitions, Britain still remained a member of the EU club, which explains why - often through gritted teeth - Europe's leaders gave the UK such privileged status, granting it a series of opt-outs from the project.
In February this year, as David Cameron conducted his 'renegotiation' with Europe, there was a widespread feeling in Brussels that the EU had once again bent over backwards to accommodate the Brits, offering a semi-legal "benefits brake" that would have reduced payouts to EU workers.
They stopped short of giving Cameron his desired 'caps' on EU migrant workers but even at that late stage Cameron could have walked away from the negotiating table, plunging the talks into crisis and - just perhaps - forging a better deal.
But as we know, Downing Street chose not to do that, betting instead that a snap June referendum, backed by a fig-leaf deal, would be enough to get them over the line. As the now former prime minister knows, that was a gross miscalculation.
Unfortunately for Theresa May, her predecessor's failed gamble has backed Britain into a very nasty corner whose nastiness - to judge by the comments of politicians and campaigners on both sides of the post-Brexit debate - is still to be fully appreciated.
The June 23 vote heralds a step-change from what went before, because it means that Britain and the EU are no longer just seen to be in an adversarial relationship; they really are now at odds, with conflicting interests, starting with the declaration of Article 50.
Until Brexit, the nastiness of negotiations between the UK and EU was ultimately limited by the knowledge that, at end of it all, Britain would still be in the club, playing its key role of strategic bridge to the US and release-valve for the intense Franco-German relationship. A deal had to be done, and it often was. But not any more.
When May invokes Article 50, as European capitals are already putting her under increasing pressure to do, a very different negotiating process begins than the one that unfolded in February.
In those talks Mr Cameron still had the choice to walk away when he didn't like the deal; under Article 50, May emphatically does not have that choice, unless she wants a disorderly exit from the EU, casting the UK into the economic wilderness with no trade deal at all.
Underlying the arguments for Brexit has always been the presumption that the EU 27 will give Britain a decent deal - they wouldn't dare not to - but the risk for Britain (and May herself, who will now have to meet public expectations based on this assumption) is that that turns out to be a fallacy.
It is striking, even after Brexit, how little effort both the British media and its politicians have made to understand the positions and emotions of their soon-to-be-former EU colleagues and now adversaries at the negotiating table.
Given Britain's economic and strategic heft and the flaws and divisions among the 27, a deal can be done with the EU, but it cannot be born of wishful thinking.
As Sun Tzu wrote in the 'Art of War', if you know the enemy and know yourself, "you need not fear the result of a hundred battles", but if you know yourself but not the enemy, "for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat".
Just take the issue of the free movement of people, which will be at the heart of the coming divorce talks, but which is viewed in much of Britain as some federalist shibboleth that any fool can see is entirely outdated and unsustainable.
But that is not how the EU sees it, and under Article 50, they have the whip hand. For the vast majority of the EU 27, free movement of people is indivisible from their idea of Europe - for poorer nations, it is a key reason they aspired to join the EU, while for richer nations it is fundamental to the notion of a post-nationalist European ideal that they believe has delivered 70 years of peace.
At an intuitive, emotional level, Brits mostly don't understand this.
An island mentality and the wartime role as unconquered liberator is often cited as the historical reason why Britain has always been the odd-man-out in the European Union, but despite the Erasmus Programme, Easyjet, the Chunnel and the Open Skies, that disconnect continues to this day.
For millions of Europeans the principle of free movement and the Schengen Area is not abstract, or negative, it is the very oxygen of the Union, a very physical incarnation of its political and philosophical raison d'etre. Every day, 1.7 million workers cross borders in Europe to go to work, they speak each other's languages and far more than us, mix, marry and meld across a single landmass. Put another way, free movement is an emotional issue for them, as it is a negative one for many Brits.
So when it comes to accessing the single market, the quid pro quos that Europe will demand for offering a post-EU Britain the right to curb such a fundamental principle will surely reflect that.
Peter Foster is Europe Editor of The Telegraph
It felt like 9/11 all over again. Except rather than watching from thousands of kilometres away, we had missed this terror attack by the slimmest of chances.
Earlier on the train from the little village of Villefranche on the fringes of Nice, I suggested to my wife and three friends that we should head into the iconic Promenade Anglais.
There we might sample the festive Bastille Day atmosphere, catch the fireworks, and hopefully a drink at a snazzy hotel.
Thank God we happened to be just too tired by the time we were heading home from another day at the beach on the French Riviera.
Since arriving, we had noticed extra police with guns patrolling streets, beaches and towns.
It was somewhat unsettling, but also reassuring that the authorities were doing their best to protect the millions that flock to this legendary European tourist hotspot.
When I heard the news first I was just climbing into bed, and was inclined to think that a truck driver had conked out behind the wheel.
But a quick search on Twitter revealed that this was much more sinister, and when we turned on Sky News the full horror of the latest mass attack on the French public began to unfold.
Even as I'm sitting here, the death toll continues to rise, and a look at footage online has turned my stomach. In the same way that it took my brain the best part of 30 minutes to process just how significant the Twin Tower attacks really were, the shocking reality is just beginning to dawn. Families, children, tourists, all mown down by a crazed terrorist.
What will we do in the days ahead? What precautions do we need to take flying out of Nice? The official line is that people should stay indoors. But knowing the French people, they will want to show the perpetrators that they will not be bowed.
This is a shocking end to our holiday in the sun, but the battle against terrorists for Europeans, and the French in particular, is only set to intensify.
The Brexit vote convulsed the British political establishment. On this side of the Irish Sea, the damage of its reverberations is still being assessed in dismay. Meanwhile, John Bull has dusted itself off, ready for the next battle. And it will be a battle. Stage two for Britain is about getting the best deal it can out of Brussels. To this end, in London there is already a new prime minister and cabinet. Let's not forget that it took us 70 days just to put a Government together.
Chancellor Merkel has decreed that there will be no special deal for Ireland. We cannot take this lying down.
No other country will be hit as hard as this one by the British decision to decamp. In view of the scale of the risks, the case for the appointment of a specific minister to manage Brexit and fight for the Irish interest is overwhelming. In the short term, we must deal with the prospect of competing against a weaker sterling and a possible change in the status of the Border, affecting the peace process. The adverse impact on the economy for pensions and for businesses must also be contained.
Britain is in a far better place to absorb and manage the fallout and yet it saw fit to task a minister with handling it. There is no downside to our following suit, considering the stakes involved. In his book 'Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy', Raghuram G Rajan, wrote: "Not taking risks one doesn't understand is often the best form of risk management."
We must not dice with chance. An unchecked resolve to take risk without due regard to the dangers became almost institutional in the run-up to the crash. There is nothing to be lost from being cautious.
A minister armed with the right experience, knowledge and insight is essential to manage these variables.
What do you get when you bring legendary revolutionary Michael Collins face-to-face with famous writer Frank O' Connor?
Answer: An exciting stage production entitled 'The Big Fellow'.
Based on Frank O'Connor's 1937 biography of Michael Collins, Declan Gorman's widely acclaimed play, will have its only Cork run for 2016 at the Theatre by the Lake' in Gougane Barra from July 25th - 30th.
Premiered at the Drogheda Arts Festival on May 1st 2016, the show has enjoyed a successful run at Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin and an initial tour of the East-Midlands region where it was universally greeted with standing ovations and positive reviews.
Actors Gerard Adlum (as O'Connor) and Cillian O Gairbhi (as Collins) were singled out for their "outstanding energetic and passionate" performances and their "humour" while the musical score by ex-Waterboys Colin Blakey was acclaimed as "atmospheric".
Cillian O'Gairbhi as Michael Collins and Gerard Adlum as Frank O'Connor in The Big Fellow.
Described as 'an edge-of-your seat rollercoaster of a drama', The Big Fellow is hugely entertaining, laced with comic interludes and the wild adventure of young men at the height of their passion and daring, taking on the mightiest empire on the globe before tragedy and recriminations break out.
Emer O'Kelly in the Sunday Independent described it as 'A combination of physical energy and historical passion ... totally engaging' while regional newspapers noted that "a wonderful use of humour is what differentiates Gorman's drama from other historical narratives," (Westmeath Examiner).
The play opens on Monday 25th and runs for six performance only. Seating is limited so early booking is advised on 026 47069 and www.gouganebarrahotel.com
A Fingal Sinn Fein TD has called for the re-opening of Rush Garda Station in the wake of the shocking shooting of a man on Dun Emer estate in Lusk last Tuesday morning.
Sinn Fein TD for Dublin Fingal Louise O'Reilly has condemned the shooting and said Sinn Fein is campaigning for increased garda resources in the area including the reopening of Rush Garda station.
Speaking on the day of the shooting incident that shattered the peaceful estate of Dun Emer in Lusk, Deputy O'Reilly said: 'This morning's shooting in Lusk will bring shock and fear to the local community. I hope the man who has been injured can make a full recovery.'
The Sinn Fein TD who lives in nearby Skerries, said: 'Sinn Fein has been campaigning for increased garda resources in this area including the reopening of Rush Garda station. The recent spate of murders and violent crimes shows the need to bring the number of gardai up to pre-recession numbers.'
She concluded: 'That is what Sinn Fein campaigned for in the recent general election. Others preferred to offer tax breaks for the well off.'
An Ecuadorian man who attempted to bring cannabis into Ireland so he could sell it to pay for an operation for his daughter has been jailed for nine months.
Angel Felix Garcia (30) told gardai after his arrest at Dublin airport last February that after watching TV documentaries he had bought the drugs and swallowed it in 150 pellets.
Tragically, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that following the earthquake in Ecuador in April Gracia's two daughters and former partner are on the missing persons list after their home was destroyed.
Defence counsel, Pieter Le Vert BL, said Garcia had been in custody in Ireland since his arrest at the airport and was 'absolutely distraught'. He wished to search for his family as soon as possible.
Garcia, who lives with his current partner in Granada, Spain, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis at Dublin Airport on February 5, 2016.
Judge Melanie Greally noted Garcia had made admissions to gardai with 'uncommon candour' and entered an early guilty plea.
She imposed an 18 month sentence with the final nine months suspended, backdated to when he went in custody.
Garda Niamh Carey told James Dwyer BL, prosecuting, that a customs officer stopped Garcia for search and interview after his arrival at the airport from Spain. He admitted having swallowed pellets and passed 150 in total with a weight of 1.5 kilograms and value of under 9,000.
Garcia works for a local authority in Spain caring for the elderly and had previously been in the Spanish army, completing tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He had also worked in restaurants in London and travelled back and forth between Spain and his native Ecuador.
He told gardai his daughter in Ecuador needed an operation on her eye which would cost 5,500.
He had 3,000 saved but was unsuccessful in securing a loan for the balance in Spain. He bought 2,500 of drugs with his savings and hoped to sell it on for 6,000 to cover the operation. He told gardai he had learned how to do it by watching TV documentaries.
Mr Le Vert said following the earthquake Garcia's father had gone to check on the home of his former partner and daughters but found it destroyed. They are now on the list of the disappeared.
He said this had caused his client 'great desperation' and he wished to go looking for his family.
He was willing to leave immediately and his mother, who also lived in Spain, would pay for a ticket.
Counsel said that since being in prison Garcia had seen the harm of drug addiction and was sorry for his actions. He had written a letter of apology to the court.
Fianna Fail Senator and Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Lorraine Clifford Lee says the latest shooting in Lusk marks a 'frightening escalation in gangland associated crime'.
Commenting on the shooting at Dun Emer, Senator Clifford-Lee said: 'I am extremely concerned that there is an apparent link between this latest shooting and the spate of gangland related killings over recent months. I am shocked and dismayed that a crime of this nature could take place in a quiet suburban neighbourhood such as Dun Emer.'
'As brutality of this kind spread over recent months, we saw condemnation from the Minister for Justice and repeated promises to crack down on these criminal gangs. Despite this, the feuding between criminal gangs has continued.'
Fianna Fail TD in Dublin Fingal, Darragh O'Brien says the latest shooting demonstrates the critical need for a 'comprehensive plan to effectively overcome gangland associated crime'.
He said: 'The reality is that the Dublin Fingal area has experienced a cut of over 20% to Garda resources over the course of the past five years by the previous FG/Labour Government. I have continually raised the need to increase Garda numbers and provide the necessary resources required to tackle gangland crime.' Deputy O'Brien added: 'I am extremely concerned that this kind of crime could take place in Dublin Fingal. This Government must wake up to the fear and danger that many communities are experiencing.'
Leah Dugdale, Woody Bennett and Carmen Sanchez, who are helping out with the organisation of the upcoming event Bewellvillage in Raheen Family Resource Centre
Raheen Family Resource Centre has organised a week long programme of workshops and events linked to positive mental health for young people later this month. The centre which works with young people in the community has held number of very successful seminars and events for young people on the topic of physical and mental health over the past number of years.
Bridget Kavanagh of Raheen Family Resource Centre said: 'This summer we are delighted to be hosting "The Be Well Village". This is a youth lead project which aims to develop awareness and stimulate conversation about youth mental health and well being.'
The project is organised by Raheen Family Resource Centre and financially supported by The Community Foundation for Ireland. On the week commencing Monday, July 25, a series of free workshops and events will take place in Raheen village, as well as a "Well being Fair" on the Wednesday, July 27 and Thursday, July 28.
Organisations like Talk to Tom, FDYS Community Based Drugs Initiative, Console, Squashy Couch, LGBT Support Group, Mental Health Ireland will be hosting stands and offering information to the young people.
Some of the events during the week include: yoga, mindfulness, consent, five ways of wellbeing, a drumming workshop, Chat + Chill, Art 4 Health, a drama workshop and a graffiti workshop.
The activities are designed and chosen to link with the five ways of Wellbeing (give, connect, be active, keep learning and take notice) with a strong focus on inclusion and accessibility. On Wednesday, July 27 and Thursday, July 28, there will be fun events all afternoon including live music, dancers, and also a DJ.
The activities and workshops are all free of charge to young people over the age of 14 but they do need to be booked in advance on 051-428805 or email thebewellvillage@gmail.com.
The event is held by Cultural Centre of the Philippines, the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the Philippines, the Malolos Local Government and San Isidro Labrador Parish Church in Bulacan, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Philippines - Vietnam bilateral relations.
A performance of Vietnamese traditional musical instruments
(Photo provided by Vietnamese Embassy in the Philippines)
In the framework of the event, the gala presentation of the Youth Theatre of Vietnam has been held at the Cultural Centre of the Philippines Little Theater.
There has been an exhibition on Vietnamese Lacquer and Brocades, featuring a collection of traditional lacquer products; Ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume), wedding costume of the Red Dao ethnic minority people, and other Vietnamese ethnic minority groups of HMong, E De, Lo Lo; a collection of dolls in ethnic costumes; and different kinds of brocades. This exhibit aimed to introduce to Filipino people Vietnams rich textile tradition and cultural heritage, to foster better appreciation of the creativity and genius of its peoples./.
A team of Tus workers from the district have built a stunning 26ft traditional cot rowing boat modelled after the Slaney cots of old.
Built using Douglas fir and spruce over a six-week period, the boat was launched at St Kearns, Saltmills in late June.
The Tus workers built the boat as their Woodworking course project, which was carried out in conjunction with Tommy Kelly of Bevel Furniture in Saltmills. The course has been run successfully for three consecutive years.
TUS Supervisor Peter O'Brien said: 'The aim of 2015/16 boat building project which commenced in October 2015 was to build a 25ft rowing boat for St Kearns Rowing Club, modelled on the traditional design Slaney Cot. The boat which was built over six weeks. The rudder, row locks and foot plates were made by Kent Stainless Ltd.'
There is a strong tradition in Wexford of building flat-bottomed boats for fishing and the Slaney Cot which was traditionally used for salmon and trout fishing on the Slaney is one of these.
While the Slaney cots used for racing have the same design as the old fishing cots, they are made longer to allow for four people and a coxswain, instead of the traditional crew of just two fishermen.
Tommy Kelly of Bevel Furniture supervised the build, which was carried out by Tus workers through a Community Work Placement initiative run by Wexford Local Development. John Colfer, of Slade, assisted the project with his boat building knowledge and experience.
A St Kearns Rowing Club spokesperson said club members are looking forward to rowing this wonderful new boat and are delighted to see the children of one of the Tus workers involved in the build, joining the club and winning races already.
The boat is named after the late Terry Bird of Garrycullen who gave tremendous help and support to the St Kearns Rowing Club in its early days. The first boats used by the club were built in Bird's Yard.
Terry was always making sure everyone was 'fed and watered', as well as getting stuck in with painting etc. The St Kearns Committee felt naming a boat in her honour would be a lasting tribute to Terry.
Tus is a Community Work Placement initiative providing 340 quality work placement opportunities annually across County Wexford. These placements are for people who are unemployed and the European Commission provides co-funding to Tus for participants under 25 years.
The initiative is jointly funded by the Youth Employment Initiative, the European Social Fund and Department of Social Protection. Wexford Local Development is responsible for the day-to-day running of the programme and operates 17 schemes, each with 20 participants across the county. As part of the experience, participants are given the opportunity to take part in additional training and courses.
Leona Hunt and Alice Gainfort at the Three Sisters window at The Book Centre in Wexford
Members of the panel who will decide on the fate of the Three Sisters' bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2020 are due in the region tomorrow (Wednesday, July 13).
Two panellists, Sylvia Amann, from Austria and Christina Farinha, from Portugal, will take part in a one-day visit incorporating the cultural highlights of Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford.
Three Sisters is urging everyone to come out on the streets to show their support for the event, and give a cheer as the panel and the Bid Team walk by.
During the visit, the panel will view the new Waterford Walls Project mural, Wexford National Opera House, Waterford City Hall, Spraoi International Street Arts Festival workshop and Kilkenny Collective for Arts Talent at Callan, along with a range of other site visits and activities.
Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford are jointly bidding as the Three Sisters to become European Capital of Culture for 2020, with the winner due to be announced on Friday (July 15). Three Sisters is competing against Galway and Limerick.
A new, all-natural yoghurt brand called ProU hit the shelves last week and the Wexford producers are promising a convenient product that's tasty but also does good.
The brainchild of Michael and Jane Murphy of M & J Nutrition Ltd, the creamy yoghurt contains twice as much protein and three times more calcium than the average shop bought yoghurt. It is labelled as 'yoghurt for muscles and bones' owing to the focus on three key ingredients for bone and muscle health.
Each 150g pot contains ten grams of protein and over 80 per cent of your RDA of calcium, as well as all of your daily Vitamin D requirements, which is essential for calcium absorption.
Produced by Killowen Farm in Courtnacuddy, ProU is the first product to be launched by M&J Nutrition Ltd., - a company set up by Michael Murphy from Oulart and his wife Jane from Foulksmills. As Managing Director of the company, Michael said there were several things that led to the creation of ProU.
'The inspiration was two-fold. Most recently, my job was as Markets Director with Bord Bia which meant I had to travel a lot. I was exposed to a lot of trends, particularly in terms of milk protein,' said Michael, who has over 20 years of experience in the food business. 'Also, on a personal level, I saw family and hospital and the nutrition they were getting. I thought that the food industry could do better in terms of providing products with health benefits.'
Michael and Jane worked closely with Teagasc to bring their idea for the yoghurt to fruition. According to Michael, they were delighted to be able to team up with Killowen Farm to produce the yoghurt.
'I'm delighted that it is being produced in Wexford and it's great to be working closely with the Dunne family,' he said. 'Their yoghurts have one of the cleanest labels of any other Irish yoghurt out there.'
Foods fortified with calcium, vitamin D and protein become increasingly important for older people hoping to prevent age-related conditions including osteoporosis. However, according to Michael, it is never too early for anyone to start working on their bone and muscle health.
'We want to remain healthy and active and in order to do that, we need to have strong muscles and bones,' he said. 'Bone and muscle health is as important to a 15-year-old playing rugby as it is to a 90 year-old out walking their dog.'
The range of ProU products currently includes raspberry, strawberry, mango and passionfruit and natural, which comes in 150g and 375g pots. The natural yoghurt contains only milk and Glanbia milk protein, Vitamin D and milk calcium, while the fruit versions include fruit.
Launched in Pettitt's SuperValu stores, ProU is also on sale in SuperValu stores in Dublin, while discussions to sell them in Tesco are at an advanced stage.
Hotel and guesthouse owners in Wexford are concerned about the impact that Brexit will have on their business over the next 12 months, according to the latest report from the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF).
The UK is Ireland's largest source of inbound tourists, accounting for over 40 per cent of overseas visitors into the country. The economic uncertainty surrounding the UK's relationship with the EU has fuelled concerns amongst 95 per cent of hoteliers nationally, highlighting the ongoing risks to Wexford tourism from external events.
While concerns about the impact of Brexit loom, results show the tourism industry has performed strongly so far in 2016. Some nine of ten hoteliers report that business levels are up compared to the same period last year with overseas visitor numbers up 14 per cent year to date while British visitor numbers are up 16 per cent. Of those hotels catering for corporate meetings and business events, 60 per cent are seeing an increase in this area of their business compared with last year.
Aidan Quirke, Chair of the South East Branch of the IHF said that tourism now supports 9,000 jobs in Wexford and contributes some 170m to the local economy annually. However, he said, that the continued recovery in the sector cannot be taken for granted and that the local tourism industry remained vulnerable to external economic shocks beyond its control, such as the UK decision to leave the EU.
Dick Walsh, General manager at the Talbot Hotel, Wexford, said the impact Brexit will have on Wexford is a major concern.
'Often things like this don't tend to impact for 18 months to two years because people have booked well in advance but it is a major concern. The majority of Irish tourism is British visitors and we have really seen an increase in this over the past number of years.
'Tourism in Wexford has really grown because of a number of factors including a better road infrastructure, the strength of Rosslare Europort, the Three Sisters bid and more tourist attractions but any change in Britain has an effect on us. The result wasn't a positive outcome for us.'
Colm Neville, owner of the Riverside Park Hotel in Enniscorthy, said the tourism industry is 'very vulnerable to the sterling verses euro exchange rate. Over 40 per cent of our business comes from sterling origin. I read that the sterling difference is making Ireland 16 per cent more uncompetitive than this time last year and in any market a hike of 16 per cent on prices will see customers reacting negatively.
'We don't know yet how things are going to settle and some people predict that the sterling will drop further. That's a real danger. However I don't think we should be making massive plans to change our marketing strategy just yet. I think people need to stay calm and see how it all settles down.
'That doesn't mean there won't be an impact but the last thing we need now is people panicking and being too concerned. In a state of concern investors won't go ward and invest and consumers are worried about their jobs and won't buy and people depend on consumers to keep buying.
'From a hoteliers point of view we need to oppose anything that causes uncompetitiveness. There is talk about increasing the VAT rate back to 13.5 per cent. That might be able to be sustained in Dublin where there is overheating of the market but not in other areas of the country. We can see that in Wexford and Portlaoise. While things are improving they are anything but comfortable.
'We would be very worried about anything that would impact on customer prices.'
Managing director at the Brandon House Hotel in New Ross Pat Quinn said the bulk of the visitors to the Brandon House are domestic visitors so he doesn't anticipate the effect will be as great there as it may be in other hotels.
'Between 80 to 90 per cent of our business is domestic with the vast majority of them coming from Dublin I don't expect us to be to badly hit. But where it could affect us is in tour business. We are not big tour providers but we do ad hoc tours and that's the side I could see us being most affected by especially if the sterling keeps dropping or stays the same.
'It makes Europe more expensive for British people. Another area which could affect us is commercial business. We get a lot of English contractors coming over to places like Lake Region but for the moment we haven't seen a negative effect but it is a concern to take forward.'
Paul Finnegan, general manager at the Ashdown Park Hotel, said while the Ashdown hasn't experienced any impact yet from Brexit there is reason for concern.
'The real impact has yet to be seen because a lot of people will have booked before the vote took place. However sterling is down 15 to 16 per cent on where it was last year and this certainty has a negative impact on British visitors in terms of what their spend is worth.
'A lot of our business comes from Northern Ireland and that is a very important piece of our market so there is a real concern there. Coupled with the decreased value of sterling there is also the uncertainty factor. If Britain invokes Article 50 in January that's a two year exit process which means there will be two and a half years of uncertainty. That uncertainty feeds down to consumer spending because people are worried about their jobs and so forth.
'Nationally 40 per cent of Ireland's international market is the UK market and we really need to look at how to incentivise that in the next 12 to 18 months and maintain our foothold in the market.
'Failte Ireland will be speaking to the Government about this. Currently a 1 spend on destination marketing results in a 34 spend here which is a very good return and needs to be focussed on. Here in the Ashdown we will be monitoring the market and trying to react to the situation.'
Alexander Skarsgard in the titular role in The Legend Of Tarzan
It's been almost 100 years since Edgar Rice Burroughs' muscular protector of the jungle swung into action on the big screen in the swaggering form of silent movie actor Elmo Lincoln.
Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller popularised the iconic role in the 1930s and 1940s before more recent incarnations including Greystoke: The Legend Of Tarzan with Christopher Lambert and Disney's animated rendering.
Written by Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer, The Legend Of Tarzan is an entertaining and rumbustious romp that focuses on the love story between the orphaned hero and his plucky sweetheart against a backdrop of late-19th century treachery.
Director David Yates, who worked his magic at the helm of the final four films in the Harry Potter saga, orchestrates vine-swinging action sequences with aplomb, festooned with a menagerie of computer-generated animals that look incredibly realistic in close-up.
Digital might beats its chest in every lush frame including a bone-crunching fight between Tarzan and one of his ape brethren and a terrifying stampede.
However, Yates is careful to stoke the smouldering on-screen embers between an impressively bare-chested Alexander Skarsgard and the luminous Margot Robbie so we root for the lovers when the odds are stacked heavily against them.
It has been many years since Tarzan (Skarsgard) left behind the jungles of Africa to settle into gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane (Robbie).
The lush paradise of the Congo is a sweet, distant memory till the British Prime Minister (Jim Broadbent) passes on an invitation from King Leopold II of Belgium to visit the Congo as a trade emissary of Parliament.
John initially refuses, but gun-slinging American envoy George Washington Williams (Samuel L Jackson) persuades the Greystoke heir to go in order to investigate rumours that Leopold has enslaved local tribes to build his railroad.
John, Jane and George depart for the Congo, unaware that they are pawns in a deadly game masterminded by Machiavellian Belgian envoy, Captain Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz), who has agreed to deliver Tarzan to Chief Mbonga (Djimon Hounsou) in exchange for the legendary diamonds of Opar.
A stand-off ensues and Jane is captured as tantalising bait.
'He's Tarzan, you're Jane. He'll come for you,' smirks Rom.
Faced with the prospect of losing his soulmate, John gathers together his animal friends and unleashes the primal warrior of the past.
Shot at Warner Bros. Studios near Watford and on location around the UK, The Legend Of Tarzan captures the bare necessities of Burroughs' source text with gusto.
Skarsgard and Robbie are an attractive pairing, the latter imbuing her heroine with steeliness and resolve.
Two-time Oscar winner Waltz has portrayed too many sadistic schemers in recent years for his turn as the pantomime villain here to send shivers down the spine.
Denizens of the jungle snarl with more ferocity.
Uncertainty, doubt and anxiety are words local farmer Eddie Davitt describes reactions to the Brexit result.
It's more than two weeks on from the referendum where the British public spoke and their message was clear - they want out of Europe.
The knock-on effects to Ireland and in particular border counties like Sligo remains to be seen in the weeks and months ahead.
Cloonacool native Eddie said it's a worrying time for farmers here, who are already struggling with cash flow problems.
"It's uncharted waters, the sense of the unknown. No one knows what the effects will be, not even the experts themselves seem to know what this all means.
"At the moment, it's very hard to know where it's going to end up. It's a big one definitely, looking at it from the point of view of our live export trade with Northern Ireland and Britain, it's massive for our economy.
"It's worth in the region of five billion to our economy, which is massive. Another big fear we have in Sligo being so close to the North is will we have borders in place again?
"That certainly would be like going in reverse rather than forward," Eddie pointed out.
He said it's a disappointing time for the farming community and the country as a whole. "It's unknown waters and the sad part is it'll take awhile to see how it properly will affect us.
"From speaking to other farmers in the area, the whole Brexit result is a concern for everyone. We are worried about our futures, especially in border counties like Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal and so forth. We depend a lot on cross-border trading, it's big.
"We depend on buyers from Northern Ireland travelling to marts in places like Manorhamilton, Dowra, Balla for example to buy our cattle. That's another big one and whether it will be effected by this, no one is sure yet."
He added there's already changes happening in factory prices which have been fluctuating since the Brexit result was revealed. "Factories have already taken advantage and dropped the price of cattle by ten to twelve cents. They blamed the drop on Brexit. "This resulted in a decrease of forty or fifty euro a head on the price of cattle. In Britain, the beef price actually came up and they were trying to blame this on the currency. The problem with our factories is that they use any excuse to drop prices, especially at this time of year when there's bad weather or oversupply. Like those scenarios, they're using Brexit to drop prices. That's disappointing as the factories seem to jump on the bandwagon."
Eddie explained lamb prices following Brexit have held their own. "We do export a lot to Britain and we send quite a few lambs to France but beef is our main exporter."
Another worried sector after Brexit is the dairy farmer, who already is struggling, he added. "The dairy sector is struggling in terms of milk prices and oversupply. Since the quota was done away with, it's encouraging mass production. "The prices were 39 cent a litre 18 months ago, that's now down to 22 cent. They're producing at a rate away below the cost of production."
Another huge concern is cash flow issues. "Every farmer has massive cash flow problems, no matter what enterprise they are in. Farming is in a precarious position at the moment, it's a fairly depressing place to be honest. There's a lot of schemes not delivering money, such as the beef genomics, I think it should be revisited. There was 52m allocated to that scheme and a lot of farmers have pulled out as they feel it's unworkable, with potential damages to our well-respected trade.
"The West of Ireland has a proud history of producing top quality weanlings that go to Continental markets. People are sick at this scheme and it should be re-looked as it's not reaching the pockets of farmers."
Another concern is grants allocation for upgrading the likes of slatted sheds, sheep fencing and so forth. "Sadly these are layered in bureaucracy and delays too." Eddie said the long winter last year meant farmers had to deal with high cost bills and the late spring also saw a decline in incomes. "This has a major impact, the old Reps schemes are gone with farmers down thousands annually. When you're still doing the same amount of work that's a huge reduction on income." More and more young farmers are finding it tough as they can't compete at making farming viable in a time when they're promised a lot and not getting it, Eddie said.
"When you're getting a week's wages once a month, it's not easy. It's serious. And Brexit is only adding to that with an extreme uncertainty. We can't go scaremongering or saying something might happen. The whole thing has changed in Europe. There's a population of seventy million in Britain and that means there will be seventy million less in the EU. Unless they rerun the vote but I don't think the EU will go with that as their nose is out of joint. People protested recently in London but it's too late.
"I don't think the British people ever expected the exit vote would win, it was out of the blue. It's left uncertainty and it will take awhile to see the final results of it. Farmers already have cash flow problems and Brexit's uncertainty is fuelling the fire. These are difficult times for farmers, the farming sector plays a big role in the rural economy. It's a massive employer indirectly, worth hundreds of millions of euro to companies who have never seen a cow, they only see it on a plate.
"Sadly for such a big enterprise worldwide, it's the farming community who are getting the lowest price for their product and take the hit."
What happens now? That seems to be the question being asked in the wake of the Brexit result.
The Irish Farmers Association says the immediate outcome of the dropping sterling will impact the value of exports to the UK, and so the concern is how this will effect the price of agricultural produce. Long-term issues surround how the exit will actually happen. Ireland cannot negotiate its own special trade agreement with the UK, instead this is done between the UK and the EU, of which Ireland is only one of 27 members.
The IFA said it will be putting agriculture and agri-food issues to the top of the political agenda. The top two issues are: minimisation of any barriers to trade - no tariffs, continuation of free movement (or as free as possible) of agricultural produce between Ireland and the UK, particularly between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Early agreement and certainty on the EU and CAP Budget up until 2020 must be a priority, it added, with specific attention and provision must be made for cross-border farms.
Wicklow hoteliers and guesthouse owners have voiced concerns over the impact Brexit could have on local business over the next 12 months.
40 per cent of overseas visitors to Ireland hail from the UK.
While the tourism industry has performed well in 2016, with 90 per cent of hoteliers reporting that business levels are up, there are fears that Brexit could dampen the growth in the market.
Gerard O'Brien, Chair of the Wicklow Branch of the IHF, states, 'the concerns expressed by Wicklow hoteliers following the UK's referendum result reflect the significant risks posed to the sector, with many hotels and guesthouses still in recovery mode.
'This comes at a time when the increasing cost of doing business in Ireland already poses a serious challenge for tourism businesses. While it is too early to predict the full effect that the decision will have on Wicklow tourism, there can be no room for complacency, particularly given the potential impact on visitor numbers from the UK and business levels within the domestic market.'
He stresses that the recovery isn't necessarily being felt nationwide and the conditions for the industry still remain challenging.
'Increased investment in product development and marketing is vital to the long-term success of our tourism product,' continued Mr O'Brien. 'Time and time again, Irish tourism has shown itself to be an excellent investment with every euro spent in destination marketing by the state resulting in 34 being spent by visitors in the country. Now is not the time to take this investment for granted, particularly given the uncertainty around Brexit and the potential impact on visitor numbers to Wicklow from the UK.'
America is not even close to where it needs to be in terms of resolving issues between police and the communities they serve, President Barack Obama has said.
His comments came after a meeting at the White House with community activists, politicians and police representatives. But Mr Obama expressed optimism and said the participants, including members of the 'Black Lives Matter' movement, agreed such conversations needed to continue despite emotions running raw.
Mr Obama has devoted his attention this week to the gun violence directed at officers as well as shootings by police, days after a black US Army veteran killed five policemen in Texas as revenge for the shooting of black men in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Minneapolis suburbs.
On Tuesday, the president attended a memorial service for the five Dallas officers and called the families of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota to offer condolences.
He said he wanted Americans to have an open heart so they could learn to look at the world through each other's eyes and Wednesday's White House meeting, which lasted more than three hours, followed that theme.
Mr Obama said it would be key to repeat the "kind of respectful conversations we've had here" across the country.
"The conversation that took place around this table is very different than the one that you see on a day-to-day or hourly basis in the media," he said.
But he also said making progress was hard. "We're not even close to being there yet, where we want to be," Mr Obama said.
The nearly three dozen people invited to the White House included some police organisations that have little regard for 'Black Lives Matter', a group they blame for inciting violence against police officers.
White House officials acknowledged that enhancing the trust that has been frayed in so many communities will be a job for future presidents, but said Mr Obama was determined to get all sides to commit to steps they could take to improve relations.
Police groups and activists emerged from the meeting saying they did not always agree with each other on the issues, but they did concur that the meeting was productive and could lead to building trust and improving accountability in police departments.
"From the law enforcement perspective, we hear it, we understand it," said Terry Cunningham, president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. "I think that too often we comment about statistics. This isn't about statistics from one side or another. This is about emotion. This is about people's lives. This is about fear in the community and it's our job to make people safe."
US Senator Tim Kaine is widely seen as the "safe choice" to become Hillary Clinton's vice presidential running-mate, and that may be the biggest mark against him.
With a resume that includes a stint as a missionary in Honduras before becoming a civil rights lawyer, Mr Kaine could help Ms Clinton check a lot of boxes in the list of requirements for a running mate.
Fluent in Spanish, he could build on her efforts to reach out to Latino voters.
Mr Kaine is also affable, savvy about foreign policy and has executive experience as a former governor of Virginia and a former mayor of Richmond, the state's capital. And as a Virginian, Mr Kaine could help Clinton win a battleground state in the November 8 race against Republican Donald Trump.
He is the obvious safe choice, according to many Democratic members of Congress. And though the Clinton campaign is keeping the vice presidential selection process tightly under wraps, many Democrats in Washington see Kaine as the front-runner.
But in a year when standard political playbooks are being tossed aside, some Democrats in Congress and in outside groups want to see Ms Clinton make a more unconventional pick for her already historic run as the first female presidential nominee of a major party.
US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a fierce critic of Wall Street, and Julian Castro, a Latino who is the US secretary of housing and urban development, are among two popular figures mentioned by Democrats who want to see Ms Clinton be bold in her vice presidential decision.
As Ms Clinton moves toward a final decision before the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, from July 25-28, she was due to head out on the campaign trail yesterday with Kaine, where the two will appear at a rally in Northern Virginia.
Read more: Trump picks conservative Pence as his running mate
Annette Magnus, executive director of Battle Born Progress, a progressive advocacy group in Nevada, said she did not think Kaine would be the best choice.
"For the demographics that we're looking to motivate in this election, I think it's going to be really important to have especially a person of colour as her running mate," Ms Magnus said.
Besides Ms Warren and Mr Castro, Labour Secretary Tom Perez, Representative Xavier Becerra of California, US Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and, more recently, retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis have all been mentioned as possibilities.
Asked about Mr Kaine, Artie Blanco, a super delegate from Nevada, said he would not be her top pick.
"Excited, no. Okay with, you know, sure," she said.
Ms Blanco said she likes Mr Becerra and Mr Perez as potential picks. She said Ms Warren "would be fantastic" and she likes Mr Brown's stance on worker issues. The event with Mr Kaine will give Ms Clinton an opportunity to gauge whether the 58-year-old Harvard-educated senator would help her fire up a crowd and make for a comfortable fit on the campaign trail.
Some Democratic senators on Wednesday rallied around Mr Kaine.
Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with Mr Kaine, said in a brief interview: "If you look at the totality of Tim's life and his work, I think there are elements that would bridge that divide" between progressive Democrats and more establishment Democrats who have fostered Ms Clinton's drive for the White House.
Donald Trump has picked Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate, Republican sources said last night.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee is due to formally announce his choice today in Manhattan.
Mr Trump told national Republican officials that he had settled on Mr Pence, according to the sources.
Mr Trump will be formally nominated as the party's candidate for the November 8 election at the Republican National Convention next week in Cleveland. Traditionally, the vice-presidential choice is used to build enthusiasm among party loyalists.
Mr Trump's choice of running mate is seen as critical because his defeat of 16 rivals in the Republican primary race left the party divided and some party leaders are still uneasy about some of his campaign positions, and his style.
Washington media outlet Roll Call said Mr Trump was reportedly impressed with Mr Pence's calm demeanour, his experience on Capitol Hill and as a governor, and Mr Pence's potential to assist in governing if Mr Trump wins in November. Mr Trump, a New York businessman, has never held elected office.
Mr Trump had also considered former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich (73) and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (53) as finalists.
Mr Gingrich said earlier yesterday he would not be surprised if Mr Trump chose Mr Pence.
Mr Pence (57), a former congressman, is seen as a safe choice, not too flashy but popular among conservatives, with Midwestern appeal and the ability to rally more party faithful behind Mr Trump.
Mr Pence also could give a boost to Mr Trump's campaign fundraising efforts. The governor has strong ties to billionaire donors Charles and David Koch, including current and former staff members who have worked for them.
Read more: 'Safe choice' Kaine front-runner for Hillary Clinton's No.2
Mr Pence is to the right of Mr Trump on social issues, signing restrictive abortion legislation and pushing to de-fund the Planned Parenthood women's healthcare organisation. Mr Trump has said he opposes abortion, but his views have been inconsistent, and he has said Planned Parenthood provides some valuable services.
Mr Pence also criticised Mr Trump's proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country. And in 2006, he introduced immigration legislation that would let illegal immigrants apply for US work visas if they left the country for a period.
Mr Pence and Mr Trump met on Wednesday at the governor's residence in Indianapolis. They were joined by members of Mr Trump's family.
Mr Pence had backed a Trump rival, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, in April before the Indiana primary, but he praised Mr Trump and said he would work on behalf of the eventual Republican nominee. Mr Trump won Indiana anyway, prompting Mr Cruz to drop out of the race to be the party's nominee.
Mr Pence had considered running for president himself in 2016 before deciding to run for re-election as governor. Conservatives had urged him to seek the White House, but missteps last year related to an Indiana law seen as anti-gay hurt his national profile.
This year, he was the target of a mocking social media campaign by women outraged at a law he signed creating new restrictions on abortions. Feeling that the law invaded their privacy, women responded by calling Mr Pence's office to describe their periods or tweeting similar messages.
Mr Pence ran unsuccessfully for Congress twice before he won election to the House of Representatives in 2000, where he was chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservatives.
The future of Japan's monarchy was thrown into confusion yesterday when the national broadcaster reported that Emperor Akihito was planning to abdicate after 27 years on the throne.
No Japanese monarch has abdicated for almost 200 years and the revered emperor symbolises national stability and continuity.
Yet both NHK, the national broadcaster, and Kyodo News, a major news agency, reported that Emperor Akihito (82) was planning to step down in the near future to make way for his son.
The Imperial Household Agency took the unusual step of issuing a categorical denial. "It is absolutely not true," said Shinichiro Yamamoto, the Vice Grand Steward. He added that the emperor has "long refrained" from discussing any issues of this kind out of "consideration for His Majesty's constitutional position".
But observers believe that neither NHK nor Kyodo News would have taken the risk of reporting such claims without strong sources.
With a history of 2,600 years, the Japanese monarchy is believed to be the oldest in the world. If the Emperor wanted to abdicate, the law would have to be revised in order to permit him to do so.
Emperor Akihito has been something of a reformer. He was the first Japanese monarch to marry a commoner and the first to visit China, publicly acknowledging that his country had inflicted "great suffering" on its neighbour during World War II.
But he has been in frail health in recent years. Crown Prince Naruhito (56) has assumed a more prominent role, often attending events on behalf of his father.
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guides the test fire of a tactical rocket in this undated file photo released by North Koreas Korean Central News Agency. Photo: Reuters
A North Korean defector who had lived in South Korea has been arrested in the North for conspiring with Seoul's spy agency to kidnap North Korean children, the North's official media reported.
The 53-year-old man, identified as Ko Hyon-chol, confessed to trying to kidnap two North Korean orphan girls and take them to the South, the KCNA news agency reported.
The confession came during a news conference in the North's capital, Pyongyang.
"I confess to being involved in anti-Republic conspiracy after being taken in by puppet intelligence service gangsters and the extra serious crime of abducting minors, although it ended in an attempted crime," KCNA quoted Ko as saying.
Ko said he was sent by South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) to the Chinese border city of Dandong to kidnap orphans from North Korea, according to KCNA.
Earlier, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported Ko saying he was offered $10,000 for each child.
The North Korean news agency cited Ko as saying South Korea's NIS had told him kidnapped North Korean children would be put up for adoption in other countries, including Canada.
Ko was arrested after crossing a river into North Korea from China in May, KCNA said.
The NIS denied any involvement in the reported case.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, said in a statement it regretted that the North had arrested a South Korean national and used him for what it described as propaganda.
Ko said he fled from North Korea in 2013 and stayed in China for about a year before arriving in South Korea in 2014, lured by NIS agents operating in China near the border with the North.
The report comes after North Korea accused the NIS of abducting 13 people who worked in a restaurant run by the North in China in April. The South Korean government has said the 12 women and one man had chosen to come to the South.
North Korea is also believed to be holding two Americans and a Korean-Canadian.
Mike Pence has been chosen by Donald Trump as his running mate (AP)
Republican presidential contender Donald Trump has picked Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate.
Mr Trump revealed his decision on Twitter and said he will hold a news conference on Saturday morning.
The businessman had originally planned to announce his running mate earlier on Friday but he delayed the announcement because of the attacks in Nice.
Mr Pence had already flown to New York before Mr Trump announced the postponement.
AP
The staunchly conservative 57-year-old served six terms in Congress before being elected governor and could help Mr Trump navigate Capitol Hill.
He is well-regarded by evangelical Christians, particularly after signing a law that critics said would allow businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Mr Trump's announcement came about an hour before a deadline for Mr Pence to withdraw from his re-election race in Indiana. State law prohibits candidates from being on the ballot in two races.
His hectic decision-making process was made more complicated by the fact that the businessman was in California on Thursday for a series of fundraisers, isolated from nearly all of his closest advisers, including his three adult children and his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Frustration for Mr Trump and his advisers mounted because of news reports that Mr Pence was the pick, sending top aides scrambling to insist no final decision had been made.
The billionaire said in a series of television interviews on Thursday night that he had not yet settled on a "final, final" choice, leaving open the possibility the unpredictable presumptive nominee could change his mind.
But Mr Manafort dismissed suggestions in an interview on Fox News Channel that Mr Trump was having second thoughts about his choice.
Mr Trump's choice of Pence as his running mate adds political experience - and a dose of unflappability - to the Republican presidential ticket.
He will be a reliably conservative number two with a calm demeanour and deep ties to Washington.
Mr Trump also seriously considered offering the running mate post to former House speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey governor Chris Christie, according to sources.
Mr Trump was up against the clock in unveiling his pick. In addition to Mr Pence's deadline in Indiana, the Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland on Monday.
Top party officials are already in Cleveland, where a committee voted late on Thursday to rebuff a push to let delegates vote for any presidential candidate they would like. It was a major blow to Republican foes of Mr Trump who have been working to thwart his nomination.
Mr Pence would have the backing of party leaders and ease some of their concerns about Mr Trump's political inexperience and volatile temperament.
Mr Pence also has influential allies in Mr Trump's inner circle but some of his children, who have been closely advising their father, were said to favour different candidates.
Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign said Mr Trump has "doubled down" on what they called his "disturbing beliefs" by choosing Mr Pence as his running mate.
Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said Mr Pence is "an incredibly divisive and unpopular figure".
He said Mr Pence is known for supporting "discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favour millionaires and corporations over working families".
Mrs Clinton's campaign said he was an early advocate for the tea party in Congress and, as governor, pushed a law that discriminated against gays and lesbians and alienated businesses in Indiana.
The Clinton team noted Mr Pence led the fight to cut funds from Planned Parenthood and restrict abortion rights and has opposed raising the federal minimum wage.
AP
Sultan Ali (front right), 16, with friends from Hall Green Secondary School, as the teenager with a life-limiting condition arrived at his school prom in an ambulance - after asking hospital staff to make sure he could join his classmates.Credit: St John Ambulance/PA Wire
A teenager with a life-limiting condition arrived at his school prom in an ambulance - after asking hospital staff to make sure he could join his classmates.
St John Ambulance volunteers stepped in to take Sultan Ali from Birmingham Children's Hospital to a hotel hosting a leavers' ball for pupils at the city's Hall Green Secondary School.
Sultan, who has Morquio Syndrome, hailed his arrival as "epic" and "every bit as good as I imagined it would be" after turning up in the ambulance, crewed by Jon Mannion and Neil Hadley.
The 16-year-old, whose condition affects the heart, bones, respiratory and central nervous system, asked his occupational therapist, Sian Phillips, if she could arrange for him to arrive at the prom in the "pretty cool" vehicle.
The health worker said: "Since his admission to Birmingham Children's Hospital myself and the neuro rehabilitation team have thoroughly enjoyed working with Sultan to maintain and increase his independence following spinal surgery.
"He has remained so motivated to complete daily therapy sessions whilst completing his GCSEs here at the hospital's school, which for any young person can be a more than challenging time.
"Sultan said his rehab goal was to attend his school leaving prom, just like his friends, which we are all so pleased he was able to achieve."
Police officers and rescued workers stand near a van that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice on July 14, 2016. AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHEVALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images
The driver in the Nice lorry attack was a 31-year-old French-Tunisian man, reports claim.
Sources were cited as saying the suspect was known to police in connection with common law crimes but not to French intelligence services.
In a press conference at the scene, French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said identification of the criminal was in progress, refusing to confirm reports that an ID card was found.
Scores of people including several children died after the truck drove through crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the city in the south of France.
Eyewitnesses said the driver swerved from side to side as he drove for hundreds of metres along the famous Promenade des Anglais on the seafront, before he was shot dead by police.
Police officers seal off the area of an attack after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Ciaran Fahey)
World leaders expressed dismay, sadness and solidarity with France over the Nice attack, carried out by a man who drove a lorry into crowds of people celebrating France's national day, killing 84 people.
UNITED STATES
President Barack Obama condemned what he said "appears to be a horrific terrorist attack" in Nice.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved-ones of those killed."
Noting that the attack occurred on Bastille Day, Mr Obama praised "the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world".
Secretary of state John Kerry called it a "horrendous attack in Nice. ... I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy".
Expand Close Twitter feed video grab courtesy of @harp_detectives of people running away after dozens of people are believed to have been killed when a lorry ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice. @harp_detectives/PA Wire / Facebook
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Whatsapp Twitter feed video grab courtesy of @harp_detectives of people running away after dozens of people are believed to have been killed when a lorry ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice. @harp_detectives/PA Wire
Both presidential candidates also condemned the attacks, with Republican Donald Trump declaring "this is war" and Democrat Hillary Clinton vowing "we will not be intimidated".
Mrs Clinton said "every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: we will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life".
In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
Mr Trump, who postponed plans to announce his vice-presidential pick because of the attacks, said: "This is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war and we're dealing with people without uniforms."
GERMANY:
Expand Close Twitter feed video grab courtesy of @harp_detectives of people running away after dozens of people are believed to have been killed when a lorry ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice. @harp_detectives/PA Wire / Facebook
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Whatsapp Twitter feed video grab courtesy of @harp_detectives of people running away after dozens of people are believed to have been killed when a lorry ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice. @harp_detectives/PA Wire
German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the attack in the French Riviera city of Nice in which 84 people were killed and said Germany would stand by France's side in the "fight against terrorism".
"All of us who have come together at the ASEM summit are united in our feeling of disbelief at the attack of mass murder in Nice," Merkel said on the sidelines of the major summit between Asian and European leaders in Mongolia.
"Germany stands in the fight against terrorism at France's side, united with many, many others. I am convinced that, despite all the difficulties, we shall win this fight."
IRELAND:
Today, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: I am deeply shocked and saddened at this horrific attack in Nice. Once again innocent people have been targeted at an occasion of joy and celebration. French people have suffered appallingly and have again been the victim of cynical, and wanton violence.
We cannot and will not yield to the malevolence.
On behalf of myself, the Government and the Irish people I want to express our deepest sympathies and our solidarity to President Hollande and to all of France.
EUROPEAN UNION
European Council president Donald Tusk expressed consternation that France was attacked on its national day and said the world stands united with the French people.
"It is a tragic paradox that the victims of the attack people celebrating liberty, quality and fraternity. We will stand united with the families of victims, the French people and the government in the fight against violence and hatred," he said at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar.
CHINA
Premier Li Keqiang said "we strongly condemn terrorism of all forms. We express our condolences to the victims and we will fight all kinds of terrorism".
BELGIUM
Foreign minister Didier Reynders expressed dismay that France was once again the target of an apparent terrorist attack.
"We condemn such an attack, maybe a terrorist attack, but such an attack in France again," he said.
AUSTRALIA
Foreign minister Julie Bishop said three Australians suffered minor injuries while fleeing the scene.
"It has shocked France, it has rocked it to its core," she said in the Western Australia capital of Perth. "This should have been a time of great national pride and celebration."
Ms Bishop condemned the violence, saying it was a reminder that "no country is immune from terrorist attacks".
"We support our friends and partners in France and we join with others around the world in hoping that this will be the end of this type of horrific incident that is targeted at unarmed civilians," she said.
SPAIN
Foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said he called his counterparts in France to express his condolences.
"We are very sorry and very much with the French people and the French government," he said in at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in Ulaanbaatar.
ESTONIA
Prime minister Taavi Roivs condemned "a terrible attack on innocent people celebrating their national day. Today, we all stand together with the French people".
INDIA
Prime minister Narendra Modi condemned what he called a mindless attack.
"I am appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased," he said.
"I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters and brothers in this hour of immense sadness."
In a landmark admission of historical guilt, Germany is to recognise as genocide the massacre of 100,000 of the Herero people of Namibia by German troops between 1904 and 1908.
A spokesman for Angela Merkel's government said Germany would formally apologise to Namibia.
The systematic extermination of up to 100,000 Herero and some 10,000 of the Nama people by German colonial troops is widely regarded as the first genocide of the 20th century, and a precursor to the Holocaust.
Tens of thousands of Herero and Nama were driven into the Namibian desert to die of starvation and dehydration.
Others were sent to concentration camps where they died of disease and abuse.
Many victims were beheaded, and their skulls sent to Germany for scientific experiments.
But while Germany has been clear in its admission of guilt for the Holocaust, its response to the Herero genocide has been equivocal until now. A former minister first apologised for the killings more than a decade ago. Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul described the massacres as a "genocide" on a trip to Namibia as development minister in 2004, but her remarks were not adopted as government policy.
Foreign ministry guidelines started referring to the killings as a "genocide" a year ago, but only this week has the government confirmed in a written answer to a parliamentary question that this is now official policy.
"The federal government has been pursuing a dialogue with Namibia on this very painful history of the colonial era since 2012," Sawsan Chebli, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry, said on Wednesday.
"We seek a common policy statement on the following elements: a common language on the historical events and a German apology and its acceptance by Namibia."
But the government made clear it would not pay any reparations to Namibia and instead would contribute development aid.
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Pope Francis is leading a determined push to fundamentally alter the relationship between the Vatican and China, which for decades has been infused with mutual suspicion and acrimony.
Interviews with some two dozen Catholic officials and clergy in Hong Kong, Italy and mainland China, as well as sources with ties to the leadership in Beijing, reveal details of an agreement that would fall short of full diplomatic ties but would address key issues at the heart of the bitter divide between the Vatican and Beijing.
A working group with members from both sides was set up in April and is discussing how to resolve a core disagreement over who has the authority to select and ordain bishops in China, several of the sources said.
The group is also trying to settle a dispute over eight bishops who were appointed by Beijing but did not get papal approval - an act of defiance in the eyes of the Vatican.
In what would be a dramatic breakthrough, the pope is preparing to pardon the eight, possibly as early as this summer, paving the way to further detente, say Catholic sources with knowledge of the deliberations.
A signal of Francis' deep desire for rapprochement with China came last year in the form of a behind-the-scenes effort by the Vatican to engineer the first-ever meeting between the head of the Roman Catholic Church and the leader of the Chinese Communist Party.
Aides to the pope tried to arrange a meeting when both Francis and Chinese President Xi Jinping were in New York in late September to address the United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting didn't happen. But the overture didn't go unnoticed in Beijing.
While the two sides have said they are discussing the issue of the bishops, Catholic sources gave the most detailed account yet of the negotiations and the secret steps the Vatican has taken to pave the way to a deal.
Crackdown
The current talks come more than six decades after victorious Communist Party leaders, having vanquished the Nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek, expelled Vatican envoy Antonio Riberi from Beijing in 1951 as they banished missionaries and began a crackdown on organised religion.
The Vatican remains the only Western state that does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing, maintaining instead formal relations with the Republic of China, based in Taiwan, which Beijing views as a renegade province.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris, Turkey, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Kenan Gurbuz
Turkey's president has urged citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government after the military said it seized full control of the country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking to CNN-Turk through FaceTime, called the actions by the military "an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces".
The president's office refused to disclose Mr Erdogan's whereabouts, saying he was at a secure location.
Mr Erdogan said "I don't believe this coup attempt will be successful.
"There is absolutely no chain of command here. Right now the chain of command has been put on hold."
Loud explosions were heard in Turkey's capital Ankara and CNN-Turk reported an explosion at the state-run television building.
Turkey's state-run news agency said military helicopters had also attacked the headquarters of TURKSAT satellite station on the outskirts of Ankara and the Ankara police headquarters.
Dozen of tanks were seen moving towards a palace that is now used by the prime minister and deputy prime ministers.
A civilian car tried to stop one of the tanks, but it rammed through the vehicle as those in the car escaped.
The White House said President Barack Obama hads been briefed on developments in the key Nato ally.
The National Security Council said Mr Obama had been apprised the "unfolding situation" in Turkey and would continue to get regular updates.
US secretary of state John Kerry says he hoped for stability and continuity in Turkey following the reports.
Mr Kerry, in Moscow for talks with Russian officials on Syria, said he did not have details of the situation rapidly unfolding on the ground in Turkey and said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on developments.
But he expressed hope that the key ally and strategically important member of the coalition fighting the Islamic State would remain at peace.
Turkish news agency Dogan said soldiers had opened fired on people trying to cross Istanbul's Bosporus bridge in protest of the attempted coup, and some had been wounded.
Turkey's Istanbul-based first army commander said the soldiers involved in the attempted coup "represent a small group" and "there is no cause for concern", according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Umit Dundar told Anadolu that "we are working to solve the problem here. They represent a small group within the First Army Command. There is no cause for concern. We are taking the necessary precautions with (soldiers) who have not joined them and remain within the military chain of command."
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced he will be "reviewing our own safety measures" following the attack in Nice.
He declared that the capital would "stand united" with France and insisted the "poisonous and twisted" terrorists would be defeated.
Speaking on a visit to Gatwick Airport, Mr Khan said: "I will reassure all Londoners that today we will be reviewing our own safety measures in light of this attack and that I and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will do everything possible to keep Londoners safe."
Mr Khan offered his "deepest sympathies" to the people of Nice.
He described the attack as "a horrific and unspeakable act of terror on a day of celebration".
The French people "have suffered so much pain in recent times", he said.
Mr Khan went on: "Londoners today stand united with Nice and all of France in our grief.
"We're also united in our determination to root out and defeat the sick and evil individuals who have tried to divide us with this cowardly act of terror.
"They will not win. Not in France, not in London, not anywhere.
"We will defeat their poisonous and twisted ideology."
Thomas Wagner, the founder and manager of German internet company Unister, has been killed in a plane crash.
Unister, which operates popular travel websites, said the 38-year-old was among four people killed in the accident in western Slovenia on Wednesday.
The US-registered Piper 32 had been flying from Venice in Italy to the German city of Leipzig.
Slovenian air traffic control said the pilot reported problems with icing before the aircraft disappeared from the radar.
Wagner founded Leipzig-based Unister in 2002. The company, which operates German holiday-booking sites fluege.de and ab-in-den-urlaub.de, now has some 1,200 employees.
The company said it will name a successor soon.
AP
Omar al Shishani, with his distinctive red beard, was Isils second in command. Photo: Reuters TV
A key Isil military commander - who was described as the terror group's 'minister of defence' - has been killed in Iraq in what would be a major symbolic victory for the US-led coalition.
Omar al-Shishani, a red-bearded ethnic Chechen from Georgia, who was considered to be Isil's second-in-command, died fighting in the town of Shirqat, south of Mosul, according to a statement by the Isil-affiliated Amaq news agency.
Shishai has been reported dead several times, including by the US in an air strike in March, but this is the first such claim from Isil itself.
Isil supporters exchanged notes of praise and condolence on social media, including pictures of the ginger-bearded fighter and pledged to launch a fresh offensive in his honour.
The announcement comes as a US-backed Iraqi and Kurdish offensive closes in on Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and a stronghold of the terror group since 2014.
The death in Shirqat of Shishani, a field commander who led several hundred troops, would show how important the battle for Mosul is to Isil.
Shishani, whose real name was Tarkhan Batirashvili, was born in 1986 in the Pankisi gorge region of Georgia, then part of the Soviet Union, to a Christian Georgian father and Muslim Chechen mother.
In the early 2000s, he fought briefly alongside Chechen rebels in Russia, before joining the Georgian army in 2006.
He received training from US special forces instructors and fought in Georgia's five-day war with Russia in August 2008, but was subsequently discharged after being diagnosed with TB.
He was arrested in 2010 for weapons possession and spent more than a year in jail, before leaving Georgia in 2012 for Istanbul and later Syria.
Shishani swore allegiance to Isil in 2013 and soon rose through the ranks to become a close military adviser to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed caliph who heads Isil.
As Isil's 'minister of defence', he was considered by some to be second only in the group's hierarchy to Baghdadi himself.
He was one of the Isil leaders most wanted by Washington, which had put a multi-million-dollar bounty on his head.
Shishani, who was often heard speaking Russian in propaganda videos, was the most prominent of several thousand fighters from the former Soviet Union believed to have made their way to Syria to fight with Isil.
The 'Russian' contingent in Isil was brought to international attention last month, when 45 people were killed by three suicide bombers at Istanbul airport.
Two of the attackers were identified as Vadim Osmanov and Rakim Bulgarov, both Russian citizens. The third attacker is believed to have been from the former Soviet Central Asia.
Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
The number of South Sudanese refugees in East Africa could pass one million this year, the United Nations refugee agency warned.
Ann Encontre, a UN refugee coordinator in South Sudan, said there is concern about fresh outflows of refugees following military clashes in the capital, Juba. She appealed for 701 million million in relief aid.
Even before the resurgence of violence in the past week, hundreds of thousands of refugees had been sheltering in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia and elsewhere since civil war began in December 2013.
But there are new reports that South Sudan authorities are blocking some citizens, including those with US or Canadian dual nationality, from leaving the country.
AP
"They are supposed to be the generation of tomorrow, the generation that will lead and rebuild their country, but right now, they are suffering enormously," Ms Encontre said. "They have been deprived of a normal life."
Opposing army factions have clashed in Juba over the past week, with forces backing President Salva Kiir pushing many opposition forces out of their bases in the city and bombing the home of former rebel leader Riek Machar, who is now the country's first vice president.
The fighting has threatened a peace deal reached in August to end the civil war between supporters of Mr Kiir and Mr Machar that left tens of thousands dead. The deal called for a transitional government that included members of both sides.
Both men on Monday called for a ceasefire, which has appeared to hold.
But the UN has said more than 40,000 fled their homes in the latest fighting to seek shelter at UN and other sites in Juba.
AP
French soldiers advance on the street after at least 30 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday July 14, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
A helicopter flying near the scene after a van ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
A vehicle of the Raid special intervention unit of the French police is seen near the site of the attack in the French Riviera town of Nice. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Police officers and firefighters arrive near the scene after a van ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice. . Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Police officers stand near a van that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Police officers speak with a soldier after a van that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
A soldier stands guard near the site of an attack in the French Riviera town of Nice, after a van that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display on July 14. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
At least 60 people are feared dead after a van drove into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French resort of Nice. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Police officers carry out checks on vehicles in the centre of French Riviera town of Nice, after a van drove into a crowd watching a fireworks display on Bastille Day. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
French police and rescue forces vehicles are seen on the Promenade des Anglais after at least 60 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday. Photo: Reuters
French police and rescue forces vehicles are seen on the Promenade des Anglais after at least 60 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday. Photo: Reuters
French police forces and forensic officers stand next to a truck that ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais killing at least 60 people in Nice, France. Photo: Reuters
French police forces and forensic officers stand next to a truck that ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais killing at least 60 people in Nice, France. Photo: Reuters
Police officers and a soldier stand by the sealed off area of an attack after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France. Photo: AP
Video grab shows ambulances and Police cars after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who had gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice. Photo: BFMTV via AP
Police officers stand near a van that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
French soldiers stand guard by the sealed off area of an attack after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France. Photo: AP
Police officers seal off the area of an attack after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France. Photo: AP
French soldiers advance on the street after last night's terror attack. Photo: Reuters/Eric Gaillard
French soldiers cordon off the area after a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday. Photo: Reuters/Eric Gaillard
People cross the street with their hands on their heads as a French soldier secures the area after the terror attack. Reuters/Jean-Pierre Amet
Ambulances line up near the scene of the attack. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
French police forces and forensic officers stand next to a truck that ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais killing at least 60 people in Nice, France. Photo: Reuters
A security guard walks near the scene of an attack after a truck drove onto the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
The truck which slammed into the crowd that had gathered for a Bastille Day fireworks display in the Riviera city of Nice. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
French forensic police continue their investigation as they gather clues the day after a truck at high speed ran into a crowd killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday. Reuters/Eric Gaillard
Parents of victims embrace each other near the scene of a truck attack in Nice, southern France. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
An Irish man living in Nice has told how he heard gunshots being fired on the streets while he was locked into a pub for safety for up to 40 minutes last night.
Ian Daly, a chef from Roscommon who lives and works in Nice, said he first knew something was wrong near Promenade des Anglais when he saw huge crowds of people running towards him at a tram station.
Mr Daly arrived in Nice by tram from Cannes when he was met with the chaos.
I got off the tram and there were hundreds and hundreds of people running towards the tram to get on for safety.
As Ian made his way to Ma Nolans Irish pub in the city, the heaving crowd continued to run for cover. Once Mr Daly arrived at the pub, the police ordered that everyone be locked inside.
Once our owner Christophe was in contact with the police we were locked into the pub for about 30 or 40 minutes.
Nobody knew what was going on, we heard gun shots but we didnt know where they were from, were they attacks, were they police? People were just running through the streets.
Because of the celebrations yesterday there were a lot of children in the pub that were on lockdown and they were very upset.
Mr Daly and his colleagues began to frantically text their other colleagues who they knew had been celebrating Bastille Day by watching the fire works on the beach by Promenade des Anglais.
There was another concern for us last night because a lot of them were on the beach watching the fireworks for Bastille Day.
Thankfully, they were all ok.
Ian and the other occupants of the pub didnt leave until around 1am this morning. As he walked back to work again this morning, he witnessed a very sombre city.
Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Members of the Australian French community reacts during a minute of silence during a vigil in central Sydney, Australia, July 15, 2016 to remember the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/David Gray A Republican Guard pays respects after lowering the French national flag at half-mast at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 15, 2016, the day after the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer Police officers work near the truck that mowed through revelers in Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016 (AP Photo/Francois Mori) Flowers are seen attached to a fence to remember the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice in front of the French embassy in Rome, Italy, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Max Rossi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Flags fly at half-mast to pay tribute to victims the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard A man reacts by flowers left in tribute to the victims near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, in Nice, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Jean-Pierre Amet People gather near flowers left in tribute to the victims the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, in Nice, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Jean-Pierre Amet People stand near a makeshift memorial for the victims killed in an attack where a truck mowed through revelers in Nice, southern France (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani) A woman reacts by flowers left in tribute to the victims the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, in Nice, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Jean-Pierre Amet A life-size copy of renown Michelangelo Buonarroti's David is diplayed supine, as a tribute to the victims of Nice attack, after a ceremony at Repubblica square in Florence, Italy (Maurizio Degl'Innocenti/ANSA Via AP) A woman sits next to a baby stroller as people gather on the Promenade des Anglais to pay tribute to the victims the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard People gather near flowers and candles left in tribute to victims the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more on the Promenade des Anglais who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, in Nice, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard A life-size copy of renown Michelangelo Buonarroti's David is diplayed supine, as a tribute to the victims of Nice attack, during a ceremony at Repubblica square in Florence, Italy (Maurizio Degl'Innocenti/ANSA Via AP) People stand in front of the Rome's city hall, "Campidoglio" (Capitoline Hill) lit up in blue, white and red, the colors of the French flag, in tribute to the attack victims of Nice, in Rome, Italy, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Tony Gentile People gather to leave flowers in tribute to victims the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more on the Promenade des Anglais who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard An Israel woman takes a picture of the Tel Aviv city hall as it is lit up in the colors of the French flag in tribute to the attack victims of Nice, in Tel Aviv, Israel July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Baz Ratner A Republican Guard pays respects after lowering the French national flag at half-mast at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 15, 2016, the day after the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer A man reacts near bouquets of flowers near the scene where a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol Members of the Australian French community cry as they sing the French national anthem during a vigil in central Sydney, Australia, July 15, 2016 to remember the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/David Gray Members of the Australian French community cry as they sing the French national anthem during a vigil in central Sydney, Australia, July 15, 2016 to remember the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/David Gray Sylvie Bermann, France's Ambassador to the UK, speaks to the media outside the French Embassy in London, following the death of at least 84 people Hannah McKay/PA Wire Armed soldiers patrol along the beach in Nice, France, July 15, 2016 the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol People place candles in a circle during a vigil in a tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day tragedy, in Sydney, Australia, Friday, July 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) A woman places a candle during a vigil to honor victims of the Bastille Day tragedy in Nice, France, in Sydney, Australia, Friday, July 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) Members of the Australian French community place candles during a vigil in central Sydney, Australia, July 15, 2016, to remember the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/David Gray People place flowers to pay tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, in front of the French embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich Investigators continue to work at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard A woman places flowers to pay tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, in front of the French embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich A woman places flowers to pay tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, in front of the French embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich A man places flowers to pay tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, in front of the French embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich Members of the Australian French community stand around candles during a vigil in central Sydney, Australia, July 15, 2016, to remember the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/David Gray French Ambassador to Japan Thierry Dana (C) delivers a speech as French residents in Japan gather to mourn victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, at the official residence for the ambassador in Tokyo, Japan, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato A French gendarme craft patrols along the coast in Nice, France July 15, 2016 the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday. REUTERS/Jean-Pierre Amet French residents in Japan and French embassy staff gather to take a moment of silence to pay tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, at the official residence for the French ambassador to Japan in Tokyo, Japan, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato French residents in Japan gather to mourn victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, at the official residence for the French ambassador to Japan in Tokyo, Japan, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato French residents in Japan and French embassy staff gather to take a moment of silence to pay tribute to the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice, at the official residence for the French ambassador to Japan in Tokyo, Japan, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato Armed French police secure the entrance to the Pasteur Hospital the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Jean-Pierre Amet French police secure the area as the investigation continues at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard Handout photo taken with permission from the twitter feed of Cheshire East Council (@CheshireEast) of Councillor Peter Groves with the French flag which will be flown at half-mast todayCheshire East Council/PA Wire French police secure the area as the investigation continues at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard French President Francois Hollande leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 15, 2016, after attending an emergency defence meeting the day after the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer French President Francois Hollande leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 15, 2016, after attending an emergency defence meeting the day after the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer A woman places a candle during a vigil to honor victims of the Bastille Day tragedy in Nice, France. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) / Facebook
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Whatsapp Members of the Australian French community reacts during a minute of silence during a vigil in central Sydney, Australia, July 15, 2016 to remember the victims of the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. REUTERS/David Gray
Its sad. You can feel sadness. There is a lot of security. Its hard to describe, you can feel the sadness in the air.
Since the Paris attacks last year security in Nice has been really high. After the Euros in Nice too its been very good. The emergency services acted so quickly last night, it was amazing. It was impressive how quickly they reacted; they were on the streets within minutes. Theres going to be more security brought in now for the next few weeks and months."
Meanwhile, Dermot Mulhall, who is originally from Kilkenny but living in Nice for the last three years, said he was a couple of blocks away from Promenade des Anglais when the tragic events occurred.
Mr Mulhall said a large group of his friends were all attending the celebrations and fireworks last night, but he decided to stay away.
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Whatsapp Dermot Mulhall, who has been living in Nice for three years.
He could hear the crowds screams when he got a phone call from a friend telling him not to come near the area.
We heard screaming. That was the first thing we heard, which would be unusual here for that time of night. Its unusual to see mass running and screaming.
There was a group of friends down there watching it and the plan was to go there and sit down on the beach.
Straight away the phone rang and it was one of my friends who had been on the upper end of the promenade.
She rang to know was I on it?, something was after happening, and wanted to know was I Ok? She said stay away from it, we dont know whats happening. She headed home straight away.
For the next few hours, Mr Mulhall and his friends were reaching out to all their friends to make sure everyone was safe and accounted for.
The next couple of hours was basically making sure everyone was OK. We made contact with almost everyone by 3am.
It came through a few minutes later a police officer had informed a friend of an attack.
Last night, from about 11.30pm, Nices streets were deathly quiet, which would never happen on Bastille Day which Mr Mulhall described as Frances St Patricks Day.
Its Paddys Day to them. There would have been a huge amount of people on the beach with picnics and bottles of wine.
The Mayor of the region asked us all to stay in. It was immediately alerted. The streets went very quiet afterwards. People took the message, everyone stayed in, Bastille Day would never be that quiet.
I was walking at 7.30am today and it does make you look over your shoulder as youre walking along. Around 11.30pm last night the streets were emptied.
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny issued a statement to condemn last night's attack.
I am deeply shocked and saddened at this horrific attack in Nice. Once again innocent people have been targeted at an occasion of joy and celebration. French people have suffered appallingly and have again been the victim of cynical, and wanton violence, Mr Kenny said.
We cannot and will not yield to the malevolence.
On behalf of myself, the Government and the Irish people I want to express our deepest sympathies and our solidarity to President Hollande and to all of France.
An Irish father of two has described how he desperately attempted to save those injured in the attack in Nice on Thursday night.
Thomas McKenna (38), from Miltown Malbay in Co Clare, was about to head home after an evening with his family on the Promenade des Anglais before the chaos began.
It was myself, my brother and his wife. We stayed to look at the fireworks and have a drink or two. Literally on the last drink the whole thing kicked off 20 yards away from us, this white truck was leaving dead bodies behind it, Mr McKenna told the Herald.
There were bodies lying everywhere, it was absolute devastation. A couple of us ran out onto the road, these people were just lying there dying, just kids.
It was absolute carnage...it was horrific...I cant put it into words, he said.
The Clare native then tried to help those who were seriously injured, but were rushed off the street by the local police.
I was just numb, but I tried to get out there and do something but the problem was we were so unsure at that stage, there was talk of seven more terrorists and a hostage situation, there was a whole host of issues.
We tried to help people but the gendarmerie put us back into inside the cafe, it was two hours of chaos after that and fear, pure fear. Im just glad to be back home, Mr McKenna said.
Another Irishman described how he witnessed the truck leave a trail of devastation in its wake and heard 50 gun shots in a few seconds.
James Browne, from Raheny, Co Dublin, spent three weeks in the coastal region before the callous atrocity.
The fireworks finished at 10.21pm so we moved slightly to the left where a rock band were playing.
I turned around and within 20 yards a truck flew by... there were thousands of people on the street and there was just a trail of bodies after it went by babies, old people, everyone, they were just lifeless on the ground, Mr Browne said.
We just started to run after that, and then we started to hear gunshots. It was crystal clear that they were gunshots because the fireworks had finished. It lasted no more than about a minute.
We ran in the opposite direction and got back to the apartment, everything was just silent, it was horrific.
It was just mayhem; people were jumping over railings and onto roofs of restaurants."
'Initially we thought it was fireworks... and then your stomach drops'
Stephen Milton and his boyfriend Ben Terry were enjoying their evening at the Bastille day festivities when all hell broke loose in Nice on Thursday night.
The Irishman described the fear of the crowds as he said; "Initially we thought it was fireworks... and then your stomach drops".
Some 84 people, including at least ten children, are dead after the suspected terror attack on Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France.
The gunman responsible for the mass killing, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was a 31 year-old Franco-Tunisian born in Tunisia, a police source close to the investigation said.
The man was not on the watch list of French intelligence services, but was known to police in connection with common law crimes such as theft and violence, the source said.
A lorry hit crowds who had gathered to celebrate the French national day in the Mediterranean city on Thursday night.
An Irish citizen is understood to be in a critical condition in hospital following the attacks in Nice, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said on Friday morning.
A further 18 people are in a critical condition and French president Francois Hollande said the country's state of emergency would be extended for a another three months.
Irish people in Nice at the time have opened up about the atrocity as photographs of the first victims of the atrocity have begun to emerge.
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'My stomach dropped'
We were on the promenade watching the fireworks, loving the atmosphere of the Nice summer evening, Stephen Milton told Independent.ie.
We were at the turn where the truck did the damage. Within half a minute there was a trickle of people running, then there were more and more.
At first they didnt recognise the sound of the gunshots. Initially we thought it was the fireworks. And then your stomach drops. Its one of the most terrifying things you can hear.
We heard the gunshots and then we were gone. We ran, we sprinted.
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Stephen and Ben were standing at the epicentre of the attacks, near the Hard Rock Cafe. If we didnt move off the promenade when we did we easily could have been wiped out by it, said Stephen.
Stephen and Ben sought shelter in a nearby restaurant. Everyone on the street was panicking. We ran into an alleyway and into a restaurant storeroom, we holed up there for an hour. It was under lockdown. One person pulled down the shutters, but every time they pulled them up to let people in we felt very vulnerable.
There were about fifteen in the storeroom, mostly French. There were lots of teenagers. They were trying to call their loved ones. It was a mixed bag. Some of them were breaking down; some just couldnt believe it was happening.
It wasnt until theyd left the restaurant that they got coverage on their phones and realised the extent of the attacks.
We were told not to walk towards the water, to walk away from the water by the people in the restaurant, said Stephen. Everyone was nonchalant on the street. But then our phones started working and we saw the initial reports that twelve were dead and that there was a gunman, and we were horrified.
Stephen said that the atmosphere is 'weird' in Nice on Friday. The promenade is cut off; we can see the truck still there and the cordons. I dont know if theres still bodies out there.
Both living in Dublin, Stephen and Ben are staying in an apartment just 2km away from the scene of the attacks.
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They had originally intended to stay in Nice for the weekend.
We werent even aware we were flying in for Bastille day, said Stephen. We dont even know our options. We havent slept, were speaking to our families trying to reassure them. We might fly out this evening.
We were just terrified, horrified that this was happening, he added.
'Nobody knew what was going on'
An Irish man living in Nice has told how he heard gunshots being fired on the streets while he was locked into a pub for safety for up to 40 minutes last night.
Ian Daly, a chef from Roscommon who lives and works in Nice, said he first knew something was wrong near Promenade des Anglais when he saw huge crowds of people running towards him at a tram station.
Mr Daly arrived in Nice by tram from Cannes when he was met with the chaos.
I got off the tram and there were hundreds and hundreds of people running towards the tram to get on for safety.
As Ian made his way to Ma Nolans Irish pub in the city, the heaving crowd continued to run for cover. Once Mr Daly arrived at the pub, the police ordered that everyone be locked inside.
Once our owner Christophe was in contact with the police we were locked into the pub for about 30 or 40 minutes.
Nobody knew what was going on, we heard gun shots but we didnt know where they were from, were they attacks, were they police? People were just running through the streets.
Because of the celebrations yesterday there were a lot of children in the pub that were on lockdown and they were very upset.
Mr Daly and his colleagues began to frantically text their other colleagues who they knew had been celebrating Bastille Day by watching the fire works on the beach by Promenade des Anglais.
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There was another concern for us last night because a lot of them were on the beach watching the fireworks for Bastille Day.
Thankfully, they were all ok.
Ian and the other occupants of the pub didnt leave until around 1am this morning. As he walked back to work again this morning, he witnessed a very sombre city.
Its sad. You can feel sadness. There is a lot of security. Its hard to describe, you can feel the sadness in the air.
Since the Paris attacks last year security in Nice has been really high. After the Euros in Nice too its been very good. The emergency services acted so quickly last night, it was amazing. It was impressive how quickly they reacted; they were on the streets within minutes. Theres going to be more security brought in now for the next few weeks and months."
Irish people in Nice have described the aftermath of Thursday nights attack on a Nice promenade as being similar to a scene from the Walking Dead television show.
'It was just horrendousA horrible sense of fear and terror'
Speaking to RTEs Liveline show on Friday afternoon, a man named Paul, who lives in the area, said there was still a sense of loss and confusion this morning.
He explained: Some people are putting flowers down. Some people are lighting candles.
Theyre just trying to understand why someone would do that. They dont understand why anyone would do something like that. Theres no sense to it.
He added: Certainly the message that I would be getting is that they wont lie down under this.
Another caller, Valerie said she was staying in a hotel along the promenade with her partner, while her son was in an academy in the area.
Valerie described the immediate scenes on Thursday night as mayhem.
She told the show she was sent to her room in the hotel and told to stay there.
It was just horrendousA horrible sense of fear and terror.
She said the area around where the attack took place is closed off and covered with army personel, however she said people were trying to leave and some were dragging their bags to the airport.
Valerie was due to leave France with her partner on Friday, while her 14-year-old son was due to stay on in Nice, however she cancelled the flights as she couldnt get an extra ticket for her son.
She said: Were hoping to bring him home [Saturday] night.
My partner is very practical about it.
She added: My gut is telling me I want [my son] home with us.
Dermot Mulhall, who told the show he has been living in Nice for the past three years, described the atmosphere around the area on Friday as eerie.
He explained: Theres a strange feeling around the place.
There is a heavy, eerie feeling this morning.
However he said that the area became busier as the day went on.
The French people are extremely resilientI think support and sympathy are all they want right now.
Dermot told the show he was at home when the attacks took place and that if his dog hadnt been scared of the noises from the fireworks, he might have gone to the promenade.
I was sitting on my terrace and the next minutethe noise changed and the atmosphere changed too.
A minute or two later my phone rang and it was a friend of mine.
By the time I went in and turned on the TV it was already starting to unfold in front of us.
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RTEs Ear to the Ground presenter Darragh McCullough also spoke to the show, saying he was just up the coast from Nice.
McCullough described the aftermath of the attack as kind of surreal.
Here I am and its like life goes on. Maybe thats what the French and tourists feel they have to do.
Everybodys kind of carrying on as normal.
I think the French and the tourists here are determined to get on with it and defy this act of terror.
He told the show he had been with his wife and her friends in France and he had suggested they go to the promenade in Nice to celebrate.
However one of the women was too tired and the group decided to stay in for the night.
He said: One of our party is flying home this evening and she certainly isnt going to take public transport.
Thats the shocking realitywe dont know which way to twist or turn.
It was just on a pure chance we didnt end up in it.
'We heard screaming'
Dermot Mulhall, who is originally from Kilkenny but living in Nice for the last three years, said he was a couple of blocks away from Promenade des Anglais when the tragic events occurred.
Mr Mulhall said a large group of his friends were all attending the celebrations and fireworks last night, but he decided to stay away.
He could hear the crowds screams when he got a phone call from a friend telling him not to come near the area.
We heard screaming. That was the first thing we heard, which would be unusual here for that time of night. Its unusual to see mass running and screaming.
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There was a group of friends down there watching it and the plan was to go there and sit down on the beach.
Straight away the phone rang and it was one of my friends who had been on the upper end of the promenade.
She rang to know was I on it?, something was after happening, and wanted to know was I Ok? She said stay away from it, we dont know whats happening. She headed home straight away.
For the next few hours, Mr Mulhall and his friends were reaching out to all their friends to make sure everyone was safe and accounted for.
The next couple of hours was basically making sure everyone was OK. We made contact with almost everyone by 3am.
It came through a few minutes later a police officer had informed a friend of an attack.
Last night, from about 11.30pm, Nices streets were deathly quiet, which would never happen on Bastille Day which Mr Mulhall described as Frances St Patricks Day.
Its Paddys Day to them. There would have been a huge amount of people on the beach with picnics and bottles of wine.
The Mayor of the region asked us all to stay in. It was immediately alerted. The streets went very quiet afterwards. People took the message, everyone stayed in, Bastille Day would never be that quiet.
I was walking at 7.30am today and it does make you look over your shoulder as youre walking along. Around 11.30pm last night the streets were emptied.
'We had no clue... it was just mayhem'
Irish PR agency owner Valerie Roe has revealed her devastation after she was caught up in the Nice attacks last night.
She was returning to her hotel, the Radisson Blu on the Promenade des Anglais last night when she and husband Denis Flannelly witnessed a scene of utter chaos.
Expand Close Denis Flannelly and Valerie Roe pictured at the Keith Duffy Foundation Charity Ball at Powerscourt Hotel in Enniskerry to raise funds for Irish Autism Action and Finn's First Steps Charities. Picture: Brian McEvoy / Facebook
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We were driving back to our hotel last night and we just caught the end of the fireworks as we were coming in. We just saw loads of people running towards the car, screaming. We had no clue what was going on. It was just mayhem, she told the Herald.
Denis got out of the car and spoke to the hotel concierge and he told us to go straight up to the room and stay there. Nobody had a clue what was happening. You could just see all the ambulances driving around and hear sirens going off.
We went up to the balcony and could see everything going on so we stayed up watching it all on the news. There was some scaremongering then about hostages in hotels and everyone was saying just stay in your room. I was just paralysed in the bed.
This morning, the staff in the hotel were ringing everyone in their rooms to see they got back safely.
She said that this morning, the mood in Nice was one of shock and disbelief as news of the tragedy sank in.
Theres army everywhere, army boats going up and down the seafront. The streets and beaches are totally empty. Theres a horrible calm here today. I just feel sick. Im devastated for their families and those kids that died. I just cant imagine whats happened, its beyond belief, she said.
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'He was cutting through people... it was horrific'
Robert Greene, from Coolock in Dublin, saw one man's body torn in pieces on the Promenade des Anglais as a woman cried over him, while the shattered remnants of a child's bike were strewn across the road.
The 33-year-old had just got off a bus with a group of friends as the Bastille Day celebrations and firework display drew to a close.
Mr Greene said of the truck driver's progress: "He came behind us and beside us as he was cutting through people.
"He was as close as 10ft away.
"I saw this truck and he cut through three or four people, he was already missing the bumper. It was horrific."
Some of Mr Greene's friends ran down a flight of steps to the beach below the promenade as the driver weaved along the road with the lights of the truck off, running over people indiscriminately.
Still in deep shock after witnessing the deaths, he described the carnage the truck left in its wake.
"A woman dropped to her knees, someone in her family had been killed, just lying there. There was not even a thing anyone could do, there was no CPR, bits of him were lying around," he said.
"It was horrific."
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Whatsapp Handout photo of barman Robert Greene who was 10 feet from the carnage in Nice as he watched the truck driver plough through men, women and children. Photo: Robert Greene/PA Wire
The barman added: "There was a young child's plastic tricycle, smashed up and left in bits.
"I stayed on top of the stairs looking around. It was surreal. People screaming, children crying, young children running around the place alone, a woman on roller blades screaming for her child. She found him."
Mr Greene arrived in Nice in the middle of May to work in Ma Nolan's Irish bar and to soak up the atmosphere at Euro 2016.
He was returning to the city with friends after a pool party at a hotel on the outskirts of Nice and said he thought the attack began close to where his group had got off the bus.
"There was no noise. He came in between us and the beach. I remember turning around and then hearing noise but there wasn't a huge amount of noise. We must have been close to the start," he said.
"Some people pushed their youngsters out of the way, we ran to the beach."
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Two of their group went missing in the immediate confusion, one of whom was on crutches, but they were reunited a short while later.
Mr Greene added: "It doesn't seem real. When it was happening I remember thinking: why is he not stopping? He was starting to come closer. Then he started to veer in and veer out.
"I was not really looking at the driver at the time. I was more fixated on the truck and the people, the bumper was gone. That's when I thought, he's not just going to stop, this isn't an accident, he was ploughing into people.
"His lights were out. There was no noise."
The group took refuge in the Neptune restaurant on the beach where mattresses were thrown up against the walls and windows.
Staff and patrons watched reports of the attack on news channels for an hour and a half before firefighters came and gave them an escort across the Promenade.
Mr Greene said the group returned to their apartment in the city centre and followed the updates through the night before coming to work.
"I was told to come out and work here for the Euros ... (they) said it would be great craic," he said.
French soldiers advance on the street after last night's terror attack. Photo: Reuters/Eric Gaillard
Police officers stand near a van, with its windscreen riddled with bullets, that ploughed into a crowd leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice. Photo: AFP/Getty Images
French forensic police continue their investigation as they gather clues the day after a truck at high speed ran into a crowd killing scores celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday. Reuters/Eric Gaillard
The truck which slammed into the crowd that had gathered for a Bastille Day fireworks display in the Riviera city of Nice. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
A picture taken on July 14, 2016 shows a flash of lightning as fireworks explode over the French riviera city of Nice, southeastern France, as part of France's annual Bastille Day Celebrations. / AFP PHOTO / VALERY HACHEVALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images
The Department of Foreign Affairs is warning Irish citizens in Nice to stay indoors after upgradin its travel advice today following the suspected terrorist attack in Nice which left 84 dead and at least 18 fighting for their lives.
The security status warning was elevated to exercise a high degree of caution this morning following the attack around 10:30pm local time on Thursday.
A 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian man deliberately drove a lorry into crowds celebrating the French national holiday Bastille Day on the packed Promenade des Anglais in the heart of the citys tourist district. He was shot dead by police after reportedly firing into the crowd.
A spokesman for the department said it is still awaiting word from French authorities over any Irish casualties.
Its obviously a very confused situation, he said.
The department has received a small number of calls from Irish citizens concerned about their loved ones in France, he said.
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However, French authorities have not yet confirmed whether any Irish are among the dead and wounded, he said.
The departments website doesnt mention the deadly atrocity, but rather describes it as a serious incident.
Irish citizens in Nice should closely follow the advice of local authorities, which is currently to remain indoors. The Embassy is in contact with the French authorities, and we will update this page as information becomes available.
Irish citizens throughout France should exercise a high degree of caution, and follow the instructions of local authorities, it read.
It also reminds people to be vigilant in public places following the Paris terrorist attacks on November 13, 2015.
Any Irish citizen who is concerned about loved ones in France can contact the department on 01 408 2000.
Ken Ruinard/Independent Mail file photo Max Allen, Chief of Staff for Clemson University President Jim Clements, helped lead talks with student protesters during the Sikes Sit-In in April. The standoff ended after eight days, when administrators agreed to setting timetables for the university's diversity and inclusion efforts.
SHARE Clemson University President Jim Clements met with students during the Sikes Sit-In in April, an efforts by students to draw attention to race problems on campus. Clemson's Chief Diversity Officer, Lee Gill, seen here fielding questions about the Sikes Sit-In and diversity issues in April, told university trustees Friday that diversity and inclusion efforts are central to Clemson's ability to prepare students for the world.
By Mike Eads of the Independent Mail
CLEMSON Diversity and inclusion are central to preparing Clemson students for the world, according to the students, faculty and administrators who addressed the university's Board of Trustees on Friday.
Chief Diversity Officer Lee Gill made the case plain for the trustees during summer quarterly meeting at the Madren Conference Center on campus.
"This is not social engineering, it's not affirmative action, it's not that we're trying to change any organizational constructs; it is simply the fact that the world has changed," said Gill, in his first appearance since being hired from the University of Akron last April. " We have to be willing and able to enhance our student body's involvement and engagement. We would be doing our students a grave disservice if we didn't prepare them with the global and social competencies needed to succeed in this world."
President Jim Clements told the trustees that minority recruitment and retention efforts are showing some signs of working. Nine percent of the 3,650 freshmen (about 330 or so) expected on campus this fall will be black, up from seven percent for last year's class, according to Clements.
An open dialogue on the campus climate and the issues brought up by students, faculty and staff during the Sikes Sit-In was part of this summer's orientation available to freshmen and their parents, Clements said.
Clements also mentioned that Gill has already organized a national conference for next April that will address graduation rates for black and Hispanic men. It's set for the TD Convention Center in Greenville and is expected to draw "big name speakers," Clements said.
Faculty Senate President Mary Beth Kurz told trustees the sit-in and subsequent campus meetings have injected some urgency into campus efforts to address exclusion.
"They showed the pressures that staff members who are African American have that I don't have I know they are real," said Kurz, who was a frequent visitor to Sikes during the April standoff.
Joey Wilson, undergraduate student president for the coming school year, said he and his officers have discussed the issues with Gill and Student Affairs Vice President Almeda Jacks, and they are ready to help.
"Every single student at Clemson University has a place in our family," Wilson said.
In a related matter, the trustees voted Friday to instruct their History Task Force Implementation Committee to finish new biographies of past university luminaries, including 19th century politician and white supremacist "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman, before the fall semester begins.
The committee also was instructed to "address the signage associated with Tillman Hall (Old Main)." Before the building was renamed in honor of Tillman in 1946, it was commonly known as "Old Main."
Proponents of taking Tillman's name off the building have taken to calling it Old Main, but board chairman Smyth McKissick emphasized Friday that the university is not changing the building's name; it is merely a reference to a past nickname for the building.
The state's Heritage Act requires a two-thirds vote by the state Senate and House to approve such name changes, and Clemson trustees have not asked for any vote.
The university's $1.1 billion budget for 2016-17 also got full board approval Friday. It includes $101.5 million more in spending than the 2015-16 budget, including $39 million in better pay and benefits for staff and faculty, some of which was mandated by the state Legislature earlier this year. Legislators also approved $118 million in direct financial support, which will cover about 11 percent of Clemson's budget.
The demolition of Clemson House also got final approval Friday. It closed for good in May after students left campus for the summer. Brett Dalton, the university's vice president in charge of finance and facilities, said the 66-year-old dormitory is the most expensive to operate on campus and would cost too much to renovate when compared to the price tag for a new building.
No date has been set for the work, which is expected to cost $3.8 million. Dalton assured trustees Thursday that the dorm's iconic electric sign and the metal tiger out front would eventually be installed elsewhere on campus.
The lost bedrooms will be replaced by the $96 million Core Campus development, which will house 700 students, dining space, meeting rooms and retail in the center of campus.
In other business:
Clements told board members that Money Magazine recently ranked Clemson to be the 12th best public university in the United States, and 21st among all private and public universities. The university tied for 21st in the last year's U.S. News and World Report rankings of public universities and 61st overall.
McKissick said there would be news next week about the conclusion of Clemson's Will to Lead fundraising campaign. The 10-year, $1 billion effort launched in 2006 exceeded $930 million by the beginning of this year. University officials are expected to confirm that the campaign made its goal.
Undergraduate student president Joey Wilson told the trustees that his organization would square off against their peers at the University of South Carolina this fall in a voter-registration drive, to be called Lead the Way. There will also be information on absentee balloting for those voters on campus who are registered elsewhere.
Mark Land will take over Aug. 22 as Clemson's vice president of university relations. He will oversee the university's marketing, internal and external communications efforts.
Land succeeds Cathy Sams, who stepped down earlier this year. He worked in newspapers before moving into corporate communications in 2003. He's been with the University Indiana, his alma mater, since 2011.
Follow Michael Eads on Twitter @MikeEads_AIM
Pastor Mark Burns of Easley, in his TV studio(Photo: Leland Outz)
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By Ron Barnett, rbarnett@greenvillenews.com
From a makeshift studio in a small office building on a side street near downtown Easley, Pastor Mark Burns reaches out to the world with the gospel message via his Internet-based Christian TV network.
Next week, he will be reaching out to the world at the Republican National Convention with what he sees as a similar message: fostering love and unity in a time of hate and racial division.
It's not the first time Burns, who pastors a small church in the same office building on Wyatt Avenue, has stumped for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
He's been a part of the Donald Trump touring team ever since before the billionaire businessman officially began his campaign, firing up crowds before the candidate takes the stage in venues across the country, and in interviews with major media outlets.
He told The Greenville News on Thursday that he plans to say Monday at the RNC much the same kind of things he's been saying during Trump events.
"My message across this country on the Trump rallies has been consistent, which is about unifying our people," he said. "And when I say our people, I mean Americans that we should not be focusing on the colors that divide us but really focus on the colors that unite us. That's the red, white and blue of America."
And Donald Trump, he says, is the candidate who has the ability to do that.
"I think he is, by really focusing on issues that are not color based but real issues that are impacting the human race," Burns said. "And that is, No. 1, jobs.
"Poverty doesn't know any color. Poverty doesn't recognize a race. Poverty can affect anyone despite the color of their skin."
How a small-town preacher who had no reputation as a political mover and shaker came to be a surrogate for Trump can be traced back to his internet-based TV network, theNOWnetwork.org.
Through it, Burns became acquainted with evangelist Paula White, a Trump ally, who invited Burns to participate in a meeting at Trump Tower in New York last September. Trump was exploring the possibility of running for president at the time and wanted input from evangelicals, Burns said.
"I didn't try to maneuver, I didn't suck up to nobody, I didn't try to get my name out there," Burns said. "I just simply spoke truth, and I used my conscience of the Holy Spirit to speak to me and I repeated what I heard the Lord say."
Trump apparently liked what he heard.
"He's a smart man. He knows authenticity," Burns said. "I believe he knows and recognizes real character."
Burns, who runs the television network and church with his wife, Tomarra, downplays his high profile role and professes that he has no political aspirations of his own. He said he only wants to correct what he believes is a false impression many people have of Trump.
"I literally just saw the heart of the individual, knowing that a lot of the media was portraying him to be one thing when in reality he was a person of the people," the pastor said. "And somebody had to stand up and speak the truth."
Considering that many, even in his own party, view Trump as one of the most divisive political figures in American politics, hearing an African American paint Trump as a healer of racial wounds may seem jarring to some. He is the same candidate who, in announcing his plans to build a wall to keep immigrants from crossing the border illegally, portrayed Mexicans as criminals, drug dealers and rapists.
Burns shrugs that off as illustrative that Trump "is not the trained, polished politician."
He also dismisses the notion that Trump is using him to show that he's not racist, to pander to black voters. The belief system behind that question is indicative of what's wrong with many Americans' view of race, he says.
"I can't be just a man supporting a presidential candidate that believes and is speaking publicly what millions are saying privately, and saying certain things that lines up to my moral compass as a man," Burns said. "No, I have to be a black man in this country that supports a white presidential candidate.
"And as long as this type of divisive language is being used, I think we will always have some form of hatred, race bating, race issues."
Burns said he voted for President Obama in 2008.
"I'm not ashamed to say that as a black man I wanted the first black man to enter the office," he said.
But he didn't feel that Obama measured up to his values enough to earn his vote again in 2012.
"I've always voted the Bible as close as possible," Burns said. "And really that will be the candidate that will speak in the language that is closest to what I believe, and my moral compass."
Burns said he will leave for Cleveland on Saturday and address the convention on Monday, but he doesn't know what time. He plans to stay the entire week and do interviews as a surrogate for Trump.
Dia de los Muertos: What to know about the celebration of life
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SHARE Rev. Evan Hill (left) speaks near Rev. Paul Garrett (middle), Pleasant Hill Baptist church and more than 50 law enforcement, residents, and religious leaders in a community prayer at Carolina Wren Park in downtown Anderson. Rev. Evan Hill (left) speaks to more than 50 law enforcement, residents, and religious leaders in a community prayer at Carolina Wren Park in downtown Anderson. Rev. Evan Hill (left) speaks to more than 50 law enforcement, residents, and religious leaders in a community prayer at Carolina Wren Park in downtown Anderson. Related Photos Community Prayer at Wren Park
By Mike Ellis of the Independent Mail
Standing in front of a crowd of more than 50 law enforcement officers, ministers and many others at Carolina Wren Park, Anderson resident Jennifer Walling said she came out to a prayer vigil on Thursday morning because she thinks emergency responders don't get paid enough.
"Police, EMS, fire, all of those who do service for us, they need to be respected more," Walling said.
The Rev. Evan Hill, an organizer with Engage Anderson and pastor at Hopewell Baptist Church in Anderson, said the vigil spoke to both faith and law enforcement, but the bigger aim is to get the broader community to hear a message of peace.
"We don't want Anderson to be a national headline," he said.
In the wake of recent shootings by and of police officers, people need to rely on their faith, Hill said.
He said officers do something he thinks is unfathomable every day: put on a belt of gear and go off to work with the knowledge they may not come back home.
Just as unfathomable, Hill said, was the knowledge that parents of many children have to instruct them in how to avoid escalating a confrontation with police.
The Rev. Paul Garrett of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Belton told the crowd that what communities in the area need the most right now is peace.
"This is an opportunity to evaluate where we are and be part of a solution rather than continue the same problems that have plagued us for generations," said Garrett, who also is an associate principal at T.L. Hanna High School.
He said he gives the same message to teens, officers and civilians: "Treat everyone with dignity and respect."
Standing in a parking lot above the crowd and scanning the park for safety, Anderson Police Sgt. Russell McClellan said he was keeping an eye on his fellow officers as he held his ball cap over his heart during prayers.
"A week ago, I probably would have been down there with them, arms around my brothers," McClellan said.
But the shooting of police officers in Dallas caused him to take a protective approach to the vigil.
McClellan said he was looking out for the officers in case there was an ambush.
"It's a hard job," he said. "But at the end of the day we're all brothers and we look out for each other and for you."
Follow Mike Ellis on Twitter @MikeEllis_AIM
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By James F. Aldridge, Anderson
America's second President John Adams said, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Unfortunately, too many of our politicians, especially those now in power, have ignored that advice, along with a complicit news media and a clueless population. As a result, we now have millions of Third World aliens in our country who do not conform to our standards of morality and way of life.
About 680,000 aliens are given U.S. citizenship each year, and thousands more are here illegally because of open borders and visa overstays. Many are loyal to regimes hostile to us; some are terrorists sent to murder us; and some are homegrown killers created by the parents we fools have made citizens. Pat Buchanan points out in his book "The Death of the West" that the immigration tsunami rolling over America is not coming from Europe but from Asia, Africa and Latin America; and they are not assimilating.
Omar Mateen, who killed people in Orlando, was born to Afghan parents who came to U.S. as refugees; and his father, Seddique Mir, was a well-known person with anti-American views and a strong supporter of the Afghan Taliban a regime which murders those who don't share its radical views. If Omar's family hadn't been allowed to migrate here, 49 U.S. citizens would be alive and well today and 53 more wouldn't be injured.
SHARE Ken Ruinard/Independent Mail Evie Clifton (left), Marie DeFrahm (middle), and Amity Cutter (right) pray with Virginia Mobley (in mirror) during an Upstate Women's Network prayer group at the Corner Bagel Shop in Anderson. Ken Ruinard/Independent Mail Evie Clifton (left), Marie DeFrahm (middle), and Amity Cutter (right) talk about prayer requests during an Upstate Women's Network prayer group at the Corner Bagel Shop in Anderson. Evie Clifton gets prepared for an Upstate Women's Network prayer group at the Corner Bagel Shop in Anderson.
By Charmaine Smith-Miles of the Independent Mail
For the Upstate Women's Network, focusing on their faith happens sometimes over a plate of barbecue instead of in a church pew.
The local women's group, which was going strong for about 15 years, has come back after about a six-year hiatus.
Their monthly prayer group meets at the Corner Bagel Deli on East Greenville Street last week, and about 60 women, some of whom brought their daughters, met at the Little Pigs barbecue restaurant on North Main Street in Anderson in June.
Each time they gathered, they laughed, they prayed and they talked about God.
"Our goal is to reach women who have been hurt or burned out by the church," said Arlene Grimes, the group's organizer. "We like to connect women with each other, with God and with the community."
Some of the women don't fit into church, but they want to find support with other women. The Upstate Women's Network tries to fill that gap.
In Anderson, the Upstate Women's Network is the rebirth of an older organization, Anderson After Five, which met for about 15 years. After declining attendance, the group stopped meeting in 2010. And now, it is coming back together this time under a new name.
But all of the work is still part of Stonecroft Ministries, an international organization.
According to the ministry's website, Stonecroft Ministries' roots go back to 1938 when Helen Duff established the Christian Business Women's Council. Then, the group was a way that the Gospel could be presented to career women across America.
Today, the international ministry has more than 25,000 volunteers who lead women's groups, like the Upstate Women's Network, in 50 states. The ministry also has partners in 40 countries around the globe.
When the ministry started with Duff, meetings were held over dinner.
Today, they still are.
At the Upstate Women's Network summer meeting, held in June, women gathered to hear from Upstate native and author Kae Harper Childs.
Childs was born in Anderson, and grew up in Spartanburg, Greenville and Columbia.
And the nearly 60 women all shared a meal together. They prayed together. They watched a couple demonstrate the state dance, the shag.
And they listened to Childs tell her story of faith, and how the fellowship of women she met through a Stonecroft Ministries' group in Charleston helped her to learn how to be faithful and to trust in God through some difficult times in her marriage.
"I just loved the leader of the group, and in that group, I learned so much about marriage," Childs said. "I began doing little things just to show him how much I loved him. The women of Stonecroft helped save my marriage."
Grimes said she has been involved in the Stonecroft Ministries for about 30 years. She was part of a group in Florida before she moved to Anderson in 2002. It was how she met women that she could form friendships with when she made the move.
"When I lived in Florida, I was a nominal believer in Christ," Grimes said. "But when I went to a Stonecroft event, I was so impressed with the extent that these women went to for this event. I listened to the stories that women shared and I felt at home. I, at times, felt the way these women felt like a fish out of water."
Now, Grimes is a regional administrator for Stonecroft Ministries. She said she has always enjoyed the low-key, relaxed atmosphere of the meetings.
There are no membership dues. The ministry is not affiliated with any church denomination.
She said that they host outreach meetings that are held over dinner, like the one in June, the monthly prayer meetings, and Bible studies are hosted in women's homes.
"We try to show that is possible to meet real women who have real faith," Grimes said. "And always, in the meeting, those who attend will hear the Gospel."
Follow Charmaine Smith-Miles on Twitter @Charmaine_AIM.
The most awaited film in Kollywood 'Thala 57' has begun shooting a few scenes here and then would move to Bulgaria and other locations in Europe, where the entire movie is set with Ajith playing a Bondlike Interpol agent.
'Thala 57' directed by Siruthai Siva has Kajal Agarwal, Karunakaran and Thambi Ramiah in the cast while the powerful villain role has been offered to many high profile stars like Vijay Sethupathi, Arvind Swamy and Prasanna.
Industry insiders are coming up with a new angle to the antagonist role, suggesting that Thala himself will play dual roles of both the hero and the villain. So far Kamal Haasan in Indian`, Aalavandhaan` and Dhasavatharam` and Ajith in Vaali` and Varalaaru` have played the negative and positive roles. We have to wait and see how far this bit of info is true, but it sure sounds super exciting.
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www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others.
Hafiz Saeed, the founder of the Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba and mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks has warned that violence in Kashmir will escalate.
BCCL
In an interview with the Associated Press on Wednesday, Saeed also said he will lead nationwide demonstrations in Pakistan to force its government to sever ties with the US if it cannot convince Washington to intervene in the decades old " Kashmir dispute ".
BCCL
Saeed was commenting about the ongoing unrest and violence in Kashmir since security forces killed terrorist Burhan Wani there last week. Protests erupted after Wani's killing and at least 31 people have been killed in Kashmir since then, in clashes with security forces.
BCCL
"America is supporting this oppression by India by saying it is an internal matter," Saeed said in the interview, which took place at his home in the eastern city of Lahore.
"This has given India encouragement and because of this the killings and violence will continue."
BCCL
The US has designated Saeed a terrorist, and declaredthe Lashkar-e-Taiba that he founded, a terrorist group. Saeed also has a $10 million bounty on his head.
Also Read: An Indian Army Major's Open Letter To Burhan Wani Raises Some Uncomfortable Questions!
In 2015, Pakistan banned Saeed, but he travels freely and openly gives speeches inciting people to attack Western and Indian interests. The Indian government has long demanded Islamabad arrest Saeed.
BCCL
A Pakistani national, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was the only person arrested for the Mumbai attacks, testified that he received training at a Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Muridke, located outside Lahore, where Saeed now lives. Kasab, who was hanged in India in 2012 for his part in the attacks, also said Saeed was among the inspirational speakers that would visit the training camp.
Also Read: Burhan Wani May Be Projected A Martyr, But Kashmiri Youth Will Do Well To Stay Away From Militancy
India has repeatedly demanded Pakistan arrest Saeed but when he has been detained, his incarceration has been brief and Pakistani courts, including its Supreme Court, have cleared him of terrorism charges.
"Many times I have been arrested on the order of America and India . . . (but) the Lahore high court freed me and also my organization saying we were innocent of terrorism charges and did not participate in any terrorist activities," said Saeed.
Also Read: Pakistan Calls Burhan Wani's Killing Wrong, India Refuses To Get Dragged Into A Pointless Discussion
In order to cash-in on the growing dissent among Kashmiris over the killing of terrorist Buhan Wani, Pakistan today declared that it will observe July 19th as black day to express solidarity with people of Kashmir.
BCCL
The decision was taken in special cabinet meeting held in Lahore to discuss the situation in Kashmir. Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination, said Pak PM Nawaz Shariff while terming Wani as martyr of independence movement.
BCCL
Though Kashmiris are unlikely to fall in this trap but this action by our neighbours clearly hints that it would leave no any stone unturned to give New Delhi a tough time.
If sources are to believed Sharif has instructed all relevant departments of the Pakistan establishment to highhlight Kashmir issue at international forum.
Indian brutalities will give impetus to the freedom struggle and Kashmiri people will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them," said Sharif.
AFP
According to sources, the observing of July 19 as Black Day is Sharif's own idea and that's why meeting was called in haste.
Sharif in order to appease the West and international community also gave lip service and condemned the recent terrorist attacks in France, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia.
Zakir Naik finally addresses media, says I am messenger of peace, have never encouraged anyone to kill innocent people
Suicide bombings are not permitted in Islam, it is prohibited. It is the second major sin in Islam, it is haraam. I condemn it, said Islamic preacher Dr Zakir Naik who is on the radar of Indian security agencies after one of the suicide bombers involved in Dhaka terror attack allegedly claimed that he was inspired by his speeches.
Sun Tv
The media trial on me started after Bangladeshi Newspaper Daily Star reported that one of the attackers was inspired by me. Few days later on July 9, the newspaper corrected itself and said it never reported that Dr Zakir Naik any terrorist to kill innocent people. I thank them for correcting the information. I wonder why the Indian media which started a trial against me based on one single report do the same after the Bangladeshi publication retracted the story, said the televangelist while interacting with the media through Skype from abroad on Friday for the first time after the controversy arose.
BCCL
After a series of cancellations of the news briefing on account of alleged denial of venue, it finally took place today at a banquet hall in Mazagaon, Mumbai.
He had earlier booked two five star hotels, a three star hotel and then a community centre for the press conference but the booking was allegedly cancelled by the venue owners at the eleventh hour at the behest of the Mumbai Police, which outrightly denied the allegation calling it baseless.
He began the press conference with recitation of Quranic verses and condemned all terror attacks anywhere in the world
I condemn the terrorist attack in Nice, France. I condemn such attacks in India and anywhere in the world. This should not happen, he said in his opening remarks.
He said he is shocked when he saw panel discussions against him in the past few days on different TV channels.
My statements were taken out of context, sometimes only one sentence was taken into consideration, some of the clips were doctored and they were asking their panellists whether they agree or disagree. Without knowing the context and seeing the entire clip, how can they make any statement against me? Imagine, if all panellists agree that Dr Zakir Naik says in his lectures that all Muslims should be a terrorist and imagine I take that statement and show it on television saying that this journalist is saying every Muslim should be a terrorist, this becomes a firing line. It is not fare, he added.
Dr Naik said he has replied to all allegations made on TV against him and compiled and saved them on pen drives for reporters. If you listen to them without any bias, you will be convinced that I am a messenger of peace and I condemn every terror attack be it takes place in India or any part of the world, he said requesting journalists present in the news briefing to ask questions and he will speak for hours if needed.
AFP
Asked he has been seen in his videos advocating peoples killing in way of suicide bombings, the preacher said, It is a misinformation. If suicide bombings are carried out to kill innocent people, it is condemnable; it is not permitted in Islam; it is prohibited. It is haraam and is the second major sin in Islam. All Islamic scholars have condemned it. But if it is chosen as a tactic of war as has been done in the past, in which the amin (the head or leader of the army) gives permission to carry it out to win a war and defeat the enemy, in this case only it can be permitted. Otherwise, in all other cases it is condemnable.
Referring to the limited justification of the suicide bombing he gave in the reply, he said if you ignore the first and take the second part of my statement on suicide attacks, it will appear as if I am advocating it. And it will spread a misinformation.
The sun
Asked should not he think that he should be sensitive enough to make such comment because it can be misinterpreted by the huge fan following he has, Dr Naik argued, If an Army general says we can win a war and save our country from the enemies if few of them blow themselves off at a place where the enemies are gathered, hundreds of people would be ready to do it to save their country. But it is a special case involving the safety and security of the country and does not legitimise suicide attacks at public places where innocents die. This is the complete answer and should not be taken into isolation to avoid any confusion. I dont think any logical person will take it out of context. I am giving sermons for years and no one has ever objected to what I say despite the fact that most of the participants of my public speeches are non-Muslims. They listen to what I say completely and never take it out of context. It is the media change meaning of my statements for ulterior motives. My answers are altered to misguide people. Those who do that should be held responsible.
Asked why didnt he explicitly condemned suicide bombings and other terror acts as he is doing now and why did he chose to give ambiguous replies to this question in his public speeches, Dr Naik challenged the reporter to show him any single unedited video in which he is giving ambiguous replies on the issue of terror.
I challenge you to show me any unedited recording of my lecture in which I have not condemned suicide bombings that kill innocent people. It is your remarks. We have the recordings. Why are you relying on doctored clips or an answer which is out of context?? he asked referring to Quran that Chapter 5, Verse 32 of Quran says killing innocents is crime. No scripture other than Quran says killing one innocent is killing humanity, he added.
Tribune
Asked about Peace TV, he defended his channel saying that Peace TV is a legal religious satellite channel. Show me one program that has negative content. I am being targeted for running an Islamic channel.
Peace TV applied for downlinking permission in 2008 and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting denied it. The only reason I can think of why I&B Ministry did not give permission to Peace TV for downlinking in India is because it is a Muslim channel, he alleged.
Also Read: Thought Zakir Naik Only Incited Terror? Here Is What He Feels About Rape, Homosexuality, Wife Beating And Other Issues
He reiterated that no government authority has approached him or his team with any question over the past few days. If anyone approaches me, I will answer their questions. So far, I have had no problem with the Indian government of the police. I have never encouraged any single person to kill innocent people in my entire life. Knowingly I have never met any terrorist, but if some people stand next to me to take photographs, I smile. I dont know who they are, he clarified.
While the Capital Bhopal and other key cities of the state are battling floods, Madhya Pradesh government headed by CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan cleared a proposal to form a Happiness Ministry on Friday.
BCCL
The Ministry, however, will be called a department and will coordinate with other departments and create policies to increase the level of happiness among the masses. The cabinet has allocated Rs 3.80 crores to set up Anand Vibhag that will carry out experiment and research. Madhya Pradesh is the first state to have set up such a department.
BCCL
If sources are to be believed the idea to set up a department for happiness was the idea of CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Later after clearing the proposal in cabinet meeting, he said material progress alone was not sufficient to make people happy. He said it will take value-based development, spiritual progress and an overall sense of well-being for people to lead happy and satisfied lives.
Even while the scars of Charlie Hebdo and Paris is still fresh in the minds of the French people the country was once again hit. This time in southern French city of Nice. The victims- those celebrating Bastille Day, the national day of France.
AFP
The attacker who has been identified as a 31-year-old French citizen born in Tunisia. He was said to be known to police but not on a terror watch list.
He drove a truck into a crowd who were gathered to witness the fireworks on Bastille Day. The attacker was gunned down by police who also recovered guns and ammunition from his truck.
AP
While no groups including ISIS have claimed responsibility of the attack, French President Francois Hollande termed in an act of terror.
Ever since the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015, this is the third time the country has been hit by a major terror attack.
This is more than any other European country has witnessed in the recent times. This have raised serious questions on why the country have become a soft target for terror attacks.
France stands for everything ISIS hates
The liberal and free values that the French society has upheld for centuries is something that the Islamic State could never accept.
While claiming the responsibility of the Paris terror attacks last year ISIS termed the French capital the capital of prostitution and vice.The terrorist group also stated that France and all nations following in its path are at the top of the target list for the Islamic State.
Reuters
According to Neil Fergus, chief executive of Intelligent Risks (IR), is an Australian-based expert on international terrorism, France was a prime target for IS-related terror attacks because it was a beacon of liberty, egalitarian and with social values.
France's crackdown on Islamic terror globally
Be it in Iraq and Syria in the recent times or Afghanistan in the past decade, France a NATO member country has been for many years in the forefront of the "war on terror."
AFP
Over 10,000 French troops are currently deployed abroad over 3,000 in Western Africa, 2,000 in Central, and 3,200 in Iraq. In fact one of the attackers in Paris was heard shouting "This is for Syria."
Home grown terror
In all the recent terror attacks in France most of the attackers were either first or second generation French citizens. France which is home to the biggest Islamic population in Europe has been struggling to check the spread of radicalisation for sometime now.
ivarfjeld
This is a significant recruiting pool for radical Islamic groups, like al-Qaeda and ISIS. French authorities were currently investigating more than 150 cases in the greater Paris region as part of their ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
Failure to integrate immigrants
France's 7-9% Muslim in a population of 66 million, mostly immigrants and descendants of immigrants from its colonial era in North Africa. While they have been living in France for years they complain that they haven't been welcomed "to be like French citizens," in a society which takes pride in its multi-cultural population.
The Sun/ Representative Image
This resentment along with lack of job opportunities have made a lot of disenfranchised youth to take up arms, a desire which groups like IS gleefully preys on.
There are some love stories you hear that make you want to believe in destiny over coincidence. Ben and Noas story is one such. They met via Airbnb and ended up getting married at their San Francisco atrium.
Ryan Kim
One day not so long ago (two years previously to be precise), there was a boy who was searching for an Airbnb in Tel Aviv, Israel, but he ended up staying at an alternative home because the one he wanted was unavailable. At the time, he didnt know that the owner of the house he so desired, Noa, was the woman he would end up marrying.
Ryan Kim
Turns out Noa was on vacation in Brazil at the time and forgot to make her apartment unavailable on the platform. Upon returning to Tel Aviv and discovering the thoughtful notes from Ben and feeling horrible about the mistake, she arranged to meet him at a local coffee shop.
Ryan Kim
And as the story goes, they hit it off immediately. Both Ben and Noa travelled back and forth from their respective countries to meet each other and ended up getting married on July 6, 2016 at Airbnbs atrium in San Francisco.
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Attack In Nice Committed By French National
By Justin Salhani J
July 15, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Thursday evening as scores of people celebrated the 14th of July in Nice, France, a truck driver swerved into the crowd. At least 84 people were killed as a result and many more were injured. While certain political figures were quick to jump on blaming foreigners and refugees, the attacker was identified by local media as a French national.
After attacks in Paris, Brussels, San Bernardino, and Orlando, many political figures have used the opportunity to turn on refugees. But in each of these instances the attacker or attackers were often locals.
In the attacks in Paris in November 2015, police identified Salah Abdeslam, Brahim Abdeslam, Omar Ismail Mostefai, Chakib Akrouh, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, Samy Amimour, Foued Mohamed-Aggad, and Bilal Hadfi. All these men were French or Belgian citizens and were born in one of the two countries. While some of them are thought to have radicalized and then subsequently traveled to Syria, all had spent the majority of their lives in Europe.
Brussels attackers Ibrahim and Khalid El-Bakraoui and Najim Laachraoui were also European nationals. Laachraoui was born in Morocco but raised in Brussels while the El-Bakraoui brothers were Brussels born and raised.
San Bernardino attacker Syed Rizwan Farook was born in Chicago and lived and worked in San Bernardino as an environmental health specialist. His co-conspirator and wife, Tashfeen Malik, was not an American citizen but entered legally on a K1 visa for fiancees of U.S. citizens in July 2014 more than a year before the attack.
In Orlando, the attacker was New York-born and Florida resident Omar Mateen.
Blaming refugees for terrorism is not only setting a dangerous precedent for some of the world's most vulnerable people, but it is also factually incorrect.
"It is factually wrong for blaming refugees for the very terror they are fleeing, and it is legally wrong because it violates our laws and the values on which our country was founded, Cecillia Wang, director of the American Civil Liberties Unions Immigrants Rights Project, said.
The attacker in Nice was a French-Tunisian dual national who lived in Nice and was identified by local media as 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. In fact, the attackers in November's Paris attack and the subsequent one in Brussels were all citizens of France or Belgium.
To date, no refugees have been identified in any of the attacks in Europe and not a single refugee has been arrested in the United States for domestic terrorism since 9/11.
"The real problem here isn't refugees or migrants," Vox reported in March. "There's no reason to believe that refugees or foreigners are the source of these terrorist attacks, so keeping them out won't prevent further attacks. And even if fighters returning from Syria are a potential source of danger, they're citizens even the most stringent immigration controls wouldn't keep them out."
@2005-2016 CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS ACTION FUND
France reels as attack leaves 84 dead in Nice : A large truck plowed through revelers gathered for Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, killing at least 84 people and sending others fleeing into the sea as it bore down for more than a mile along the Riviera city's famed waterfront promenade.
Why so many children were injured in the Nice attack : More than 50 children were injured by the suspected terrorist attack, and French officials said that more than 10 of the 84 dead were children too.
Pictured: Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel who was gunned down by police in the vehicle he used to kill 84 people : ID card belonging to Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a French Tunisian man, 31, from Nice, found next to his body
What we know about Nice suspect: Father of 3, solitary & not very religious : The neighbors described the attacker to Nice Matin newspaper as a solitary figure who even didnt return greetings when their paths crossed.
Terrorism: the 'new normal' for today's traveller: I've been to Nice. Paris and Brussels, too. Chances are you probably have as well. A bomb goes off in Baghdad, killing hundreds, as was the case the other day, and it hardly hits the homepage.
Nat-Gas Prices Fall on Outlook for Warm U.S. Temps Barchart - 23 minutes ago Dec Nymex natural gas (NGZ22 ) on Thursday closed -0.244 (-3.99%). Dec nat-gas prices Thursday fell on expectations for prolonged warmer U.S. temperatures that would reduce heating demand for nat-gas.... NGZ22 : 5.868 (-4.10%)
Crude Oil Rallies on Positive U.S. GDP Report Barchart - 52 minutes ago Dec WTI crude oil (CLZ22 ) Thursday closed up +1.17 (+1.33%), and Dec RBOB gasoline (RBZ22 ) closed up +0.0639 (+2.48%). Crude oil and gasoline prices rallied after Thursday's Q3 U.S. GDP report of +2.6%... CLZ22 : 89.01 (+1.25%) RBZ22 : 2.6319 (+2.11%)
Cocoa Prices Close Higher on Reduced Demand Concerns Barchart - 1 hour ago December ICE NY cocoa (CCZ22 ) on Thursday closed +36 (+1.58%), and December ICE London cocoa #7 (CAZ22 ) closed up +12 (+0.63%). Cocoa prices Thursday closed higher after the U.S. Q3 GDP report of +2.6%... CCZ22 : 2,314s (+1.58%) CAH23 : 1,869s (+0.54%)
Sugar Prices Extend 2-week Decline on Prospects for Higher Production Barchart - 1 hour ago March NY world sugar #11 (SBH23 ) on Thursday closed -0.15 (-0.84%), and Dec London white sugar #5 (SWZ22 ) closed down -2.10 (-0.40%). Sugar prices Thursday extended the 2-week sell-off, with NY sugar... SBH23 : 17.71s (-0.84%) SWZ22 : 517.20s (-0.40%)
Coffee Prices Sink on Continued Demand Concerns Barchart - 1 hour ago December arabica coffee (KCZ22 ) on Thursday closed down -0.90 (-0.50%), and Jan ICE Robusta coffee (RMF23 ) closed +3 (+0.16%). Arabica coffee prices Thursday extended the sharp sell-off seen in the past... KCZ22 : 178.85s (-0.50%) RMF23 : 1,878s (+0.16%)
Coffee Prices Sink on Continued Demand Concerns Barchart - Thu Oct 27, 11:55AM CDT December arabica coffee (KCZ22 ) today is down -1.25 (-0.70%), and Jan ICE Robusta coffee (RMF23 ) is up +3 (+0.16%). Arabica coffee prices today extended the sharp sell-off seen in the past three weeks... KCZ22 : 178.85s (-0.50%) RMF23 : 1,878s (+0.16%)
Triple Digit Losses for Midday Cotton Barchart - Thu Oct 27, 11:49AM CDT Cotton futures are down at midday with losses of as much as 264 points led by the Dec contract. Dec is now printing lows not seen since April of 2021. Cotton export sales were 68,437 RBs for the week... CTZ22 : 75.11s (-3.48%) CTH23 : 74.81s (-3.32%) CTK23 : 74.53s (-2.89%)
Hog Prices Fading through Thursday Barchart - Thu Oct 27, 11:49AM CDT Lean hog futures are trading with triple digit midday losses of as much as $3.15 in the December contract. The USDA National Average Base Hog Price was $91.65 on Thursday morning after a $6.66 drop. The... HEZ22 : 85.125s (-3.81%) HEJ23 : 92.125s (-2.18%) KMZ22 : 95.500 (-1.27%)
It's that time of year again, as Warren Buffett parts with another big chunk of Berkshire Hathaway stock$2.86 billion worthas part of a giving plan he started in 2006.
That was when Buffett made his historic pledge to donate much of his fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. People have been so fixated on the unique philanthropic alliance between Buffett and the Gateses that little attention has been paid to the other part of the 2006 pledge, which was to funnel an additional sizeable chunk of stock to four foundations controlled by Buffett's childrenHoward, Susie, and Peter.
As I've argued before, this is actually the more interesting part of the story of what will happen to America's second largest fortune.
Related: The Buffett Universe: A Surprising Look at the MostPowerfulFamily in U.S. Philanthropy
Together, the Buffett siblings oversee annual giving that may now be approaching a billion dollars a year (we don't have 2015 data) and this flow of money is bankrolling some of the edgiest grantmaking that you'll find anywhere in the philanthrosphere.
The biggest family foundation is the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, which is powered both by a large endowment of nearly $3 billion and annual infusions of Berkshire Hathaway stock, valued at over $200 million in a recent year. That explains why STBF has such deep pockets, with annual giving approaching a half-billion dollarsmaking it one of the biggest grantmakers around.
What's more, as we've described, STBF is laser-focused on advancing reproductive rights worldwide, operating at the forefront of what is one of the most contentious (and important issues) issues of our time. As we just reported yesterday, STBF is far and away the largest funder of abortion services in the United States, and it's also backed pioneering work in recent years to reduce teen pregnancy rates through better contraception. (Never, ever think of STBF as "pro-abortion," since probably no foundation in America has done more to reduce the number of women who seek and get abortions following unintended pregnancies.)
Related:
Then there's the NoVo Foundation, which Peter Buffett runs with his wife Jennifer. As we've been reporting, NoVo has lately emerged as the leading funder drawing attention to the long-neglected challenges facing young women and girls of color, including a recent $90 million commitment in this area.
More broadly, it's fair to describe NoVo as the biggest and best-funded feminist foundation in history, in terms of how it consciously advances feminine values of collaboration and partnership in opposition to what it sees as a world based on domination and exploitation. NoVo last reported assets of $$527 million in 2014, and you can bet that pile is much larger now, given two more huge infusions of Berkshire Hathaway stock.
Related: "Now Is Our Chance." Behind NoVo's New Big Bet on Girls and Women of Color
And let's not forget about Howard Buffett, whose foundation is pulling in similar money every year from Warren, and doing its best to give away those funds as quickly as possible. As we've reported, the Howard Buffett Foundation is backing one of the most ambitious agricultural projects in Africa ever undertaken by a foundation, with its half-billion-dollar investment in Rwandaon top of a range of other agricultural projects aimed at helping subsistence farmers do better, especially in adverse climates.
Related: A Test Case in Africa: Howard G. Buffetts $500 Million Commitment to Rwandan Farmers
Nearly as ambitious are Howard's efforts to stabilize the Great Lakes region of Africa, one of the bloodiest corners of the world over the past two decades. A cornerstone of that work comprises the foundation's expensive investments in small hydroelectric power plants. Buffett's theory is that peace will never come to the Congo and surrounding areas without jobs that can employ young men now bearing arms, and that energy is a linchpin of such economic activity.
Related: Which Big Funder is Coming to Congos Rescue?
There's a lot more to say about Buffett family philanthropy, and we're regularly getting down into the weeds on different components of this.
The bottom line, here, is that if you think that Warren Buffet is giving "all his money" to the Gates Foundation, you're missing one of the biggest stories in U.S. philanthropy right now.
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The year is shaping up to be one of the best ever for the master of macro mayhem.
Automation and data and analytics are not a case of the machines taking over, according to one expert, and could help brokers boost their businesses.Alec Gardner, general manager, Advanced Analytics at Teradata, told Insurance Business that brokers need more education around the use of data, analytics and digital to help their businesses grow.There are definitely a couple of things, Gardner said of areas brokers need to be educated around.In particular, it is that pride in customer service and personal service that brokers particularly bring and that independent view and then the flip-side of digital automation they are not mutually exclusive.I think for brokers in particular, there is a great opportunity to find that balance.To be able to increasingly provide digital services were appropriate, where customers demand them, because if you think about how we all engage nowadays, we like things to be simplified, we do like to be able to do quite a lot of research and all of that can be provided in a digital manner.If organisations can capture that, understand what customers are looking for and looking at and continue the personal, independent level of service and advice, supported by extra data and extra information, then I think that will continue to actually provide more value.They are not mutually exclusive; it is not a case of the machines taking over or anything like that.Gardner continued that the use of data and analytics within the insurance industry is no great leap as the industry has always relied on similar techniques.In the insurance industry we use algorithms, we use mathematics, we use data all the time so it is an extension of that rather than something completely new and alien, Gardner said.Granted, there are techniques and technologies about how to store your data, how to capture digital data and process it to then infer and give you some of those insights but the overriding principle is around mathematics.There is a transition that is available for people to be able to understand these digital services and look at the maths and analytics behind that customer experience and then be able to use that within their own organisation. It is not the massive jump that people seem to think it is.Gardner stressed that the benefits of using and understanding data and analytics could help increase customer loyalty.There is a lot being said about customer experience becoming the new marketing and the new area where organisations will compete, Gardner said.That customer experience is increasingly digitised so the more you can understand about the level of customer service and really fine-tune the balance between the personal service, that brokers in particular pride themselves on, and being able to provide a level of automation, the appropriate level of digital self-service perhaps, improves that customer experience more and will increase customer loyalty and customer efficiency.
The Hollard Insurance Company Australia will utilise a rating software from Duck Creek Technologies to change its product definition and deployment capabilities and enhance its business management capabilities.The new business-to-business platform powered Duck Creek Rating will allow Hollard to advise brokers throughout Australia about preferred pricing options for property insurance products that can be quoted based on customer needs.Using the B2B rating platform, brokers can see the pricing options based on submitted criteria, and select the one that best suits the customer.The Duck Creek team will be supported by the expertise of two Duck Creek Global Alliance Partners: actuarial and management firm Finity Consulting, that will provide the best practice analytics; and global system integrator Mindtree, that will assist in the implementation of the rating software.Its exciting to be working with Hollard as they modernize their systems to improve how products are brought to the marketplace and capitalize on new revenue opportunities, said Michael A. Jackowski, Duck Creek Technologies president.And together with our alliance partners Finity and Mindtree, well deliver the technology that will enable Hollard to be more responsive to customer and market demand, a differentiation that can give them a competitive edge.
XL Group Plc, the insurer that expanded last year with the purchase of Catlin Group Ltd., said second-quarter catastrophe costs were probably about $240 million pretax, with wildfires in Alberta, Canada, responsible for about half the total.Flooding in Europe and earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador also contributed to the losses, the Dublin-based company said in a statement Wednesday. The sum includes $140 million in the reinsurance segment and $100 million from primary coverage.XL joins insurers including Chubb Ltd. in releasing preliminary results for a quarter in which the industry was hit by costlier-than-average natural disaster claims. Chubbs pretax costs probably totalled $390 million, the Zurich -based company said Tuesday.These preliminary estimates involve the exercise of considerable judgment, XL said in the statement. Given that the facts are still developing, as well as the complexities of the nature of the events, there is considerable uncertainty associated with the loss estimates of these events and such estimates are accordingly subject to revision. The company will post complete results on July 27. Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd. announced Wednesday that its losses were about $65 million in the quarter, led by claims from the Canadian wildfires that were the most costly natural disaster in that countrys history. At Assurant Inc., the figure was at least $22 million, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday.The worlds insurers, banks and pension funds are "inherently susceptible" to threats from climate change and must make adjustments, from shifting investment toward environmentally friendly industries to revamping strategies to reduce risk, said the Global Risk Institute.Climate change is a top priority that must be addressed systemically and without delay," concludes a report by the Toronto-based group that researches risks to the global financial services industry.Climate change poses a real and potentially devastating risk to investment portfolios, including $35.4 trillion overseen by the worlds pensions. Global investment portfolios may lose up to 45 percent due to short-term shifts in climate sentiment, the institute said, citing a 2015 University of Cambridge study. Half those losses could be avoided by reallocating portfolios, though half would be unhedgeable without system-wide action on climate change.To avoid financial liability and mitigate climate change-related risks, pension funds must diversify their portfolios across all sources of risk and increase allocations to low carbon technologies and green energy, the institute said.Insurers, whose insurance losses from weather events swelled from an annual average of about $10 billion to around $50 billion in the past decade, face threats from physical events, risks tied to liability and transition risk" from adjusting to a lower-carbon economy, the report said.Climate change poses a direct risk to bank operations and lending, with real estate, infrastructure and agricultural businesses particularly threatened, the report said. Banks should scale back exposure to high carbon industries and assets that may suffer in tackling climate change and pursue new green opportunities in commercial and investment banking, according to the report.Aussie comparison website comparethemarket.com.au has welcomed a new addition to its insurance panel for health insurance.HBF Health Limited joins comparethemarket.com.au, making the site the only place where Aussies can both compare and buy products from the six large health funds.A spokesperson with the comparison website said: We are delighted at the support of HBF as well as the interest of other health funds to join the panel.HBF has been supporting the health of Australians for 75 years and is one of Australias few remaining not-for-profit funds. Originally established as a Western Australian health fund, today HBF provides health cover for over a million members nationwide.We are now the only service that helps Australians for 75 years both compare and buy health policies from the top six health funds. People from around Australia can now feel assured that when they come to us, we have them covered for all their health needs.Comparethemarket.com.au, a part of Budget Holdings Limited (BHL) Group, was launched in September 2012. It has teamed up with Australias insurance providers to empower consumers in comparing and choosing the deal that suits their needs.
A construction company convicted in the death of a worker in a New York trench collapse has been sentenced to fund a series of worker safety public service announcements.
But an attorney for Harco Construction LLC told a judge Wednesday it wont comply, saying the sentence violates its First Amendment rights and would be an admission of wrongdoing.
The judge then imposed a $10,000 fine if the company doesnt comply with the sentence.
Harco was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment in the April 2015 death of Carlos Moncayo. The Ecuadorean immigrant died when a 14-foot trench caved in at a Manhattan building site.
The company plans to appeal the conviction.
Criminal cases are pending against an excavation subcontractor and two people.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics New York Construction
Escalating a political fight over global warming, a Republican House chairman issued subpoenas this week to two Democratic state attorneys general, seeking records about their investigation into whether Exxon Mobil misled investors about man-made climate change.
Texas Rep. Lamar Smith, chairman of the House Science Committee, is pursuing records from New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey along with nine environmental, scientific and philanthropic organizations. Smith insisted he acted only after they refused for months to give the panel information lawmakers had requested on the Exxon Mobil case.
Smith, who is among a large group of congressional Republicans who reject mainstream climate science, said Schneiderman and Healey were pursuing a political agenda on behalf of environmental groups that are fighting Exxon over decades-old research related to climate change.
The groups accuse Exxon of hiding early findings showing a link between global warming and the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and gas. Exxon denies that it suppressed findings from its own research that dates back more than 30 years.
Smith and other Republicans portrayed the issue as a matter of free speech, charging that Schneiderman, Healey and their allies were trying to intimidate scientists and others who question man-made climate change.
The actions by the attorneys general amount to a form of extortion, Smith said at a news conference at the Capitol. The two officials and their allies want an out-of-court settlement with Exxon and other companies so they can obtain funds for their own purposes, Smith said.
A spokesman for Schneiderman said the science panel had no legal authority to issue subpoenas to a duly elected, constitutional officer of a separate sovereign government.
Spokesman Eric Soufer accused a small group of radical Republican House members of trying to block a serious law enforcement investigation into potential fraud at Exxon. Chairman Smith and his allies have zero credibility on this issue, and are either unwilling or unable to grasp that the singular purpose of these investigations is to determine whether Exxon committed serious violations of state securities fraud, business fraud and consumer fraud laws.
Exxon has called the state investigations an effort to silence the company in the public debate about climate change.
Two environmental groups that were issued subpoenas said Smith and other Republicans were acting on behalf of Exxon and other oil companies that have contributed thousands of dollars to their campaigns.
Rep. Smiths acceptance of large donations from Big Oil and Gas provides explanation into his history of baseless attacks against climate science, the groups 350.org and Greenpeace USA said in a statement. Since 2008, Smith has received a total of $675,597 from the fossil fuel industry, $19,500 which came directly from Exxon Mobil, the groups said.
Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., called the subpoenas nothing more than a political stunt and a gross abuse of power. The panels actions show just how far House Republicans obsession with denying climate change really can go, Crowley said.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Lawsuits Fraud Energy Oil Gas Climate Change Pollution Politics
Police say a potato stuffed into a vehicles tailpipe helped lead them to a 19-year-old Connecticut stripper whos now charged with setting fire to a business in a dispute over money.
Willow Martin, of Naugatuck, was charged this week with several offenses including second-degree arson, in connection with the fire last September at MTM Masonry in Prospect. She was held on $110,000 bail pending arraignment. It could not be determined if she has an attorney.
Authorities said the fire was at a business belonging to the stepfather of Martins best friend, who owed her money.
The businesss owner found the potato in his vehicles tailpipe. Police processed it for DNA and tied it to Martins boyfriend. The boyfriend said he handled the potato, but Martin put it in the exhaust pipe.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Connecticut
Eight months after a murderous rampage in Paris, a deadly attack in the coastal city of Nice on Bastille Day left at least 84 people dead and scores injured, threatening to throw a still-traumatized France into a tailspin and raising terror alarms across Europe.
Television and amateur video images showed a truck plowing into a late-night crowd of revelers in the southeastern French city, leaving people sprawled in its path and hundreds fleeing, including some pushing strollers. More than a dozen children were among the dead. The rampage, which ended after the driver was shot to death by the police, forced President Francois Hollande to call up military reserves and extend the state of emergency that he had intended to let lapse.
Horror again has struck France, Hollande said in the early hours of Friday.
The Nice assault is the third major terrorist attack in France since the January 2015 shootings at the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper and a kosher store near Paris. In November, organized teams killed 130 people in Paris, in cafes and at the Bataclan concert hall. Four other attacks of smaller scale in the last 18 months bring the tally close to 240 dead with hundreds injured.
From the lone wolf attack in Orlando to this latest incident, Europe and the U.S. have been engulfed by waves of violence carried out by Islamic State sympathizers at a time when there is a populist backlash against immigrants and the political establishment, be it bureaucrats in the European Union or lawmakers in Washington.
Immigrant Backlash
This is making Europe so much weaker at a time when Europe doesnt know what it stands for, said Ian Bremmer, head of consulting firm Eurasia Group. Youre going to see more anger at immigration, you have to do more than express your sympathy when the problem is that there is no leadership in dealing with the problems.
Most of the assailants in the prior French attacks, and in the killings in Brussels that left 32 dead in March, were of immigrant descent and from the Muslim faith. In the Nice attack, media reports said identity papers of a 31-year-old Tunisian with French residency were found in the truck. Police identified him as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.
France 2 television said he was known to the police for criminal offenses, although he wasnt on any terrorism-watch list. French TV stations cited his neighbors as saying he had three children, was going through a divorce and wasnt particularly religious. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attacker drove about two kilometers (1.2 miles) down the Promenade des Anglais, the main strip running along its beach where revelers had been watching Bastille Day fireworks. Weapons were found in the car, although French media cited police sources as saying the grenades were duds and the rifles fake. He did have a small 7.65 mm working pistol, BFM TV said.
Global Impact
Hollande said in an early morning address that the state of emergency, which Thursday he said hed let expire July 26, would be extended, and that 10,000 military personnel would continue to guard sensitive sites. He had planned to reduce that number to 7,000. The French president flew to Nice with Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
France declared a three-day national period of mourning starting July 16. Paris anti-terrorism prosecutor Francois Molins is scheduled to provide details on the attack at a press conference at 5:00 p.m. local time.
The tragedy in Nice was immediately seized upon by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has made the deportation of illegal immigrants a cornerstone of his campaign: Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France, he wrote on Twitter. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse.
Across the English Channel in the U.K., where Britons recently voted to leave the EU, the latest attack may do little to quell the frustration at what a majority of voters perceive as unchecked mass migration. France is battling some of the same demons.
In France, Bremmer points out, the anti-immigration and anti-EU National Front performed well on the heels of the Paris assault and may get a bump in the polls come the 2017 presidential election. The attacks in the past months were used by nationalist groups across Europe to step up calls to expel foreigners.
This attack may nonetheless contribute to Frances sense that, with Islamist attacks on the rise and its old ally in the U.K. apparently in retreat, it has to take a more hawkish and assertive line to protect its citizens, said Richard Gowan, New York-based fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Be Relentless
All of France is under the threat of Islamic terrorism. Our vigilance must be relentless, Hollande said.
While Hollandes response to terrorism has in the past earned him support across the political spectrum and two discernible improvements in popularity, his governments failure to prevent this most recent killing may hurt any ambition to stay in power.
The first round of the presidential election is barely nine months away and Hollande has not declared his intentions on running again. Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen of the National Front has said she will run for office. On the mainstream right, more than a dozen politicians are seeking the nomination of The Republicans, including former prime minister Alain Juppe. Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy is campaigning though is yet to declare himself a candidate.
The attacks in France and Belgium pose both a security and political challenge to political leaders. Assailants are bringing chaos into the heart of the EU, claiming their acts are to seek revenge for the coalition vow to destroy Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Hollande said that France would step up its bombing of Islamic State targets in reaction to events in Nice.
The tragic paradox is that the subject of the Nice attack was the people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity, said European Union President Donald Tusk on Twitter.
Related:
Europe Terrorist Attacks in 2015 Most Lethal in Nearly a Decade: Aon Risk Map
Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
Topics Europe France
A.M. Besthas upgraded the financial strength rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating to a from a- of Preferred Physicians Medical Risk Retention Group Inc. (Preferred Physicians) in Kansas City, Mo. The outlook for each rating has been revised to stable from positive.
The ratings reflect Preferred Physicians strong risk-adjusted capitalization, its extended trend of above average earnings driven by very profitable underwriting through market cycles, and a business profile focused on providing medical professional liability coverage to anesthesiologists in multiple states.
Historical underwriting gains have been driven by the companys focused underwriting strategy, extensive risk management program, geographic diversification, low claims frequency and conservative reserving that has produced redundancies year-over-year.
These positive rating factors are partially offset by Preferred Physicians narrow spread of risk as it operates exclusively in the anesthesiology segment of the medical professional liability market, which is characterized by its low frequency and high severity of claims.
Given its market segment concentration, the company also faces the inherent challenges as they relate to price competition, legislative (tort) reform, as well as rising underwriting expenses and loss cost trends. However, despite the companys limited business profile, underwriting is also supported by extensive data related to its specialty focus.
Source: A.M. Best
Topics Medical Professional Liability
Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has donated another roughly $2.86 billion of his holdings in the companys stock to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and four family charities, as part of his plan to give away nearly his entire fortune.
Buffetts 11th annual donation to the five charities comprised 19.61 million Class B shares of Berkshire, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday.
The Gates Foundation, which focuses on improving education and health and reducing poverty, received about 14.96 million shares.
The donations were made on Wednesday, and brought Buffetts total contributions to the charities to more than $24.3 billion since 2006.
Also receiving donations were the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for Buffetts late first wife, and the Howard G. Buffett, Sherwood and NoVo Foundations, respectively overseen by his children Howard, Susan and Peter.
Buffett, 85, remains the worlds third-richest person, according to Forbes magazine.
Buffett still owns about 18 percent of Berkshires stock, down from 32.3 percent before the donations began in 2006. He controls about 31.7 percent of the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerates voting power.
Before the donations were announced, Forbes estimated Buffetts net worth at $68.4 billion, trailing Bill Gates $77.6 billion and Spanish retailing magnate Amancio Ortegas $74 billion. Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos followed Buffett, at $64.3 million.
Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corp., has known Buffett for a quarter century and counts him as a close friend. He is also a Berkshire director.
Buffett typically makes his donations in July, reducing the number of shares by 5 percent from the prior year.
The charities usually sell the Berkshire shares to finance their activities, reflecting Buffetts desire that his money be spent. Buffett also makes smaller donations to other charities.
Berkshire has roughly 90 subsidiaries including GEICO car insurance, the BNSF railroad and Dairy Queen ice cream, and has large stakes in companies such as Kraft Heinz Co., Wells Fargo & C.o, Coca-Cola Co. and IBM Corp.
Buffett has run Berkshire since 1965.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)
Arkansas-based Simmons Prepared Foods says its recalling 5,850 pounds of frozen chicken products that may have been breaded with flour contaminated with E. coli bacteria.
Simmons says the frozen, uncooked chicken tenderloins were produced on Jan. 25 and sold in bags labeled Simmons Uncooked Chicken Tenderloin Fritters and Uncooked Chicken Breast Tenderloin Fritters. The products were distributed in Arkansas for institutional use.
A recall notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says Simmons received notice last week that flour sold to the company had been recalled by General Mills because of the E. coli concern. The flour had been used to bread the chicken fritters sold by Simmons.
Simmons says there have been no illnesses or adverse reactions so far linked to its products.
Related:
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Arkansas
Civil rights groups and activists sued Baton Rouge law enforcement agencies over their treatment of protesters rallying against the police shooting death of a black man, saying officers used excessive force and physically and verbally abused peaceful demonstrators.
The lawsuit, announced July 13 by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, came hours after Cameron Sterling, the 15-year-old son of the slain man spoke publicly for the first time, calling for peaceful protests following the death of his father, 37-year-old Alton Sterling.
Sterling was shot to death July 5 as two white officers pinned him to the pavement outside a convenience store. The killing was captured on cellphone video and circulated widely on the internet, sparking widespread demonstrations across the capitol city.
Authorities arrested about 200 protesters over a three-day period, often taking to the streets in riot gear or riding in military-style vehicles. The arrests came amid heightened tensions in the city following Sterlings death, a deadly police shooting in Minnesota and the killings of five police officers in Dallas.
The governor and the Baton Rouge police chief have defended the response, with the chief saying Tuesday that authorities discovered an alleged plot against police over the weekend. Authorities said they found out about the plot after they arrested three suspects in the burglary of eight guns from a pawn shop.
The chief said one of the suspects said the burglary was carried out to harm police officers, but he didnt give any details about when or where a possible plot would be carried out.
We have been questioned repeatedly over the last several days about our show of force and why we have the tactics that we have. Well, this is the reason, because we had credible threats against the lives of law enforcement in this city, Police Chief Carl Dabadie said.
The lawsuit, which names Baton Rouge police as well as other agencies, blames law enforcement for escalating the situation. Members of the five organizations that filed the suit either took part in the demonstrations or observed them.
Plaintiffs have engaged in this peaceful speech, association, and protest on the streets, sidewalks, and medians of Baton Rouge, the lawsuit read. Unfortunately, this exercise of constitutional rights has been met with a military-grade assault on protestors bodies and rights.
Among the allegations:
Law enforcement officers gave contradictory and confusing orders to protesters and then arrested them when they didnt comply.
Demonstrators were arrested for obstruction for stepping foot on any paved surface adjacent to the road, even if they didnt obstruct anything.
Authorities used unconstitutional levels of force, including physically tackling nonviolent demonstrators and use mace, taser charges, and/or pepper spray on nonviolent protesters.
People in jail said they were Maced or pepper-sprayed for making comments or singing protest songs.
A spokesman for the police said they do not comment on pending litigation and the state police said they were still reviewing the suit. The sheriffs department did not respond to a request for comment.
Alton Sterlings son spoke of the protests while addressing reporters Wednesday morning. Calling his father a good man, he urged protesters not to resort to violence.
I feel that people in general, no matter what their race is, should come together as one united family, Cameron Sterling told reporters outside the store where his father died. The teen remained composed as he spoke, a contrast from a week ago when he broke down in sobs and had to be led away as his mother talked in front of television cameras about his fathers death.
In the first few days after Sterlings death, police took a reserved approach to enforcement, keeping a low profile as hundreds gathered outside the convenience store where Sterling died.
But protests escalated during the weekend as demonstrations moved away from the store and into other parts of the city, marked by a show of force by law enforcement that included police wielding batons, carrying long guns and wearing shields.
The Justice Department opened a federal investigation into Sterlings death, but Justin Bamberg, an attorney for Cameron and his mother, Quinyetta McMillon, said the family also hopes state Attorney General Jeff Landrys office one day will get involved.
Landry said in a statement he wont have access to details of the federal investigation until its completed and a decision has been made on potential federal charges.
Santana reported from New Orleans. Associated Press writer Cain Burdeau contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement
Law enforcement has released the Pulse nightclub in Orlando to its owner just a month after it was the scene of the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history.
Officials with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Wednesday that the agency and the Orlando Police Department have ended their control of the property.
They said that the investigation by the FBI and the FDLE is continuing.
Gunman Omar Mateen opened fire at Pulse during Latin Night on June 12 in a rampage that left 49 victims dead and injured 53 people.
In a statement, Pulse owner Barbara Poma described it as a bittersweet day.
She says she can now make plans for the future of Pulse, though she said she is uncertain what those next steps will be.
Related:
Topics Law Enforcement
Federal government scientists have released a final update of their study of the January 2014 chemical spill that temporarily fouled the drinking water supplies of 300,000 Charleston-area residents, reporting no significant new findings.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail cited the report as finding most of the spilled chemicals had no effects in the studies that were performed after the spill of coal-cleaning agent Crude MCHM at a Freedom Industries site near the Elk River that year.
The work was conducted by the National Toxicology Program at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The newspaper said scientists found any potential for negative health effects would only occur at significantly higher doses than residents would have had in their water under a health advisory set up after the spill.
One concern not addressed in the report is how dangerous inhalation of the chemical might be. Residents may have been exposed to airborne MCHM when they followed state-promoted guidelines for running hot and cold water to flush the chemical out of their pipes. Federal officials originally planned to study that and come up with a limit for how much MCHM is safe in the air, but they quickly abandoned the idea and no air sampling was done.
John Bucher, associate director of the NTP, said in a phone interview, We really had no clue about what kinds of levels of exposures were happening during the flushing.
Bucher also said its not clear why the federal study found skin irritation from the chemical only at very high exposure levels, while residents reported such effects as a common symptom when they sought medical help following the spill.
NTP report also mentions a birth weight study performed by the state Department of Health and Human Resources. That report was posted on a state website but hasnt been widely publicized. It found no increase in the percentage of pre-term and low birth-weight babies born in the region affected by the spill.
Related:
Topics Pollution Virginia Chemicals
A data-storage center company sued Nevada electricity regulators and NV Energy this week, saying it got an unfair deal when it tried to leave the grid and suffered at the hands of a former state employee who tweeted about the companys case under a fake name.
Switch, a Las Vegas-based company, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Nevada. The lawsuit is alleging fraud, negligence and conspiracy, and it seeks at least $30 million in damages to compensate for higher rates the company had to pay through the arrangement that regulators approved.
Switch argues that the motive was to unlawfully retain Switch as a customer of the monopoly NV Energy and impair renewable energy development in the State of Nevada, all while unlawfully enriching NV Energy.
Public Utilities Commission spokesman Peter Kostes said the agency hadnt been served with the lawsuit and thus didnt have comment.
NV Energy responded by saying they planned to vigorously defend our company and our employees from baseless claims if they were served.
Switch is a very important customer to NV Energy, and given how far we thought we had come over the past two and a half years of working with their team on a variety of issues and opportunities, we are surprised and disappointed with this turn of events, the company said in a statement.
Switch applied to leave NV Energy and buy power directly from a solar company in late 2014. Regulators barred the company from leaving outright, saying Switch would harm the overall customer base if another company of its size didnt fill in the gap, according to the complaint.
Regulators ultimately allowed the company to strike the deal, but with NV Energy as a pass-through agency.
Other companies have since been authorized to leave the grid if they pay an exit fee, including MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts, which are paying more than $100 million combined to reduce the financial impact their departure would have on NV Energy.
Switch argues the process the company went through was unfair and pointed to social media postings that the PUCs lead attorney, Carolyn Tanner, wrote on a variety of websites under the pseudonym Dixie Rae Sparx. The company says the posts allowed her to communicate about the case that was before regulators outside of the proper channels, and says that Tanner has an anti-solar bias.
Switch says the PUC should have known that Tanner was engaging in inappropriate activity, and abusing her role as General Counsel, and failed to enforce rules, guidelines, policies or procedures that would protect Switch against a miscarriage of justice.
Tanner left the PUC last month, and she has deactivated or hidden social media accounts she used, according to the complaint. Reached on Wednesday, Tanner said she couldnt immediately comment but planned to thoroughly respond once shes served with the lawsuit.
The lawsuit comes as a ballot measure moves forward that would allow companies the right to buy power from the open market, rather than only through the state-regulated utility companies that have a monopoly in their service territories. Switch was one of the first to publicly support the measure, which gets its primary financial support from the Las Vegas Sands casino company that also wanted to leave NV Energy.
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Topics Lawsuits
Ukraine has increased its daily order on Friday for the import of natural gas from Slovakia by 4.2 times, from 0.484 million to 2.048 million cubic meters, the Slovak gas transmission system operator Eustream has reported.
In the past three days, imports from Hungary amount to 1.6 million cubic meters a day, which brings the daily amount of imported gas brought to the country in the two directions to 3.6 million cubic meters, PJSC Ukrtransgaz, the operator of Ukraine's gas transport system, has said.
As was reported, Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolev said on June 30 that the state holding was planning to start importing gas for pumping it into underground storage facilities at its own expense in the first ten days of July and at the expense of funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the last two weeks of July.
Naftogaz's recent reports say that the minimum stocks in the storage facilities prior to the 2016/2017 heating season should be 14.5 billion cubic meters gas, which corresponds to their replenishments from April by 6.1 billion cubic meters.
As reported, Ukraine in June 2016 imported a mere 19.7 million cubic meters of gas, imports in May were 96.4 million cubic meters.
Ukrtransgaz, wholly owned by NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, operates the system of main gas pipelines and 12 underground gas storage facilities in the country.
Even six years after the Panama Papers leaked a confidential list of offshore accounts held by the global elite, tax morality is still very much on the table.
Antitrust laws apply to virtually all industries and to every level of business. Governments design them in order to make sure there's fair competition in the market. They prohibit a variety of practices that restrain trade including price-fixing, anti-competitive corporate mergers, and predatory acts designed to achieve or maintain monopoly power. In simpler terms, antitrust laws prevent companies from making and boosting their profits by playing dirty.
Without these laws in place, consumers wouldn't have the choices they do and would be forced to pay higher prices in order to get the goods and services they require. Some companies may try to circumvent the laws to try to position themselves as a leader in the market. The government may step in to stop them from establishing a monopoly, thus knocking out the competition. This article focuses on the 1998 Microsoft antitrust case. Read on to learn more about the case and the ruling that followed.
Key Takeaways Antitrust laws ensure one company doesn't control the market, deplete consumer choice, and inflate prices.
Microsoft was accused of trying to create a monopoly that led to the collapse of rival Netscape by giving its browser software for free.
Charges were brought against the company which was sued by the Department of Justice in 1998.
The judge ruled that Microsoft violated parts of the Sherman Antitrust Act and ordered the company to break up into two entities.
Microsoft appealed the decision, which was overturned.
The Microsoft Antitrust Case
Microsoft (MSFT) was one of the world's most successful software companies in the 1980s. The company's rising presence in the personal computing market raised alarm bells with federal authorities. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched an investigation in the early 1990s to determine whether Microsoft was trying to create a monopoly. Although that investigation was closed, the Department of Justice (DoJ) picked it up.
On May 18, 1998, the DoJ and the attorneys general of 20 different states filed antitrust charges against Microsoft to determine whether the company's bundling of additional programs into its operating system constituted monopolistic actions. The suit was brought following the browser wars that led to the collapse of Microsoft's top competitor, Netscape, which occurred when Microsoft began giving away its browser software for free.
Charges were brought against Microsoft to determine whether its bundling of additional programs into its operating system constituted monopolistic actions.
The government case accused Microsoft of making it difficult for consumers to install competing software on computers operated by Windows. If Microsoft was found to have made it unreasonably difficult for consumers to uninstall Internet Explorer and use a competing browser, the company's practices would be deemed anti-competitive. The case meandered along with accusations of misleading statements and a variety of courtroom distractions. A group of economists even published a full-page open letter to President Bill Clinton in major newspapers in support of Microsoft stating that antitrust laws hurt consumers as well as the success of domestic firms in global competition. They urged authorities to drop protectionism fueled by antitrust laws.
Problems With the Case
The trial didn't necessarily run very smoothly. In fact, the DOJ's case against Microsoft was plagued with problems. First, there were questions about whether charges should have been brought against Microsoft in the first place. Microsoft claimed that its competitors were jealous of its success. Meanwhile, those who supported Microsoft proposed that if the company was to be considered a monopoly, it was, at best, a noncoercive one. They argued that even with options like Unix, Linux, and Macintosh, consumers demonstrated a preference for the convenience of Microsoft's Windows product on their computers. Windows may not have been the superior product, but it could run on a Toshiba laptop or on a number of clones. The ease of its installation and its other bundled software allowed it to become the norm.
The Ruling
Despite the creative editing of video, facts, and emails, Microsoft lost the case. The presiding judge, Thomas Penfield Jackson, ruled that Microsoft violated parts of the Sherman Antitrust Act, which was established in 1890 to outlaw monopolies and cartels. He found that Microsoft's position in the marketplace constituted a monopoly that threatened not only the competition but also innovation in the industry. Jackson also called for Microsoft to divide the company in half and create two separate entities that would be called baby bills. The operating system would make up one half of the company and the software arm would make up the other.
Microsoft's Appeal
Microsoft didn't take the ruling lightly and appealed the decision. The company took issue with the judge's position, citing bias in favor of the prosecution. The appeals court overturned Jackson's decision against Microsoft. Instead of seeking to break up the company, the Department of Justice decided to settle with Microsoft. In its settlement, the DoJ abandoned the requirement to break up the company, In return, Microsoft agreed to share computing interfaces with other companies.
Post-Antitrust Case
The company saw its once invincible market share erode due to old-fashioned competition. But the lessons learned from the case continue to resound. Many now wonder if bringing antitrust cases against non-coercive monopolies is merely a costly redundancy of work the free market can do at no charge.
Ukrzaliznytsia, General Electric sign agreement to transfer locomotive to Ukraine for testing
General Electric will transfer a locomotive to Ukraine to demonstrate its capabilities on the Ukrainian railway.
According to the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure, General Electric and PJSC Ukrzaliznytsia signed a relevant agreement on July 14, 2016.
The locomotive of American production will arrive in Ukraine in the next two week. It will be on display on the Ukrainian railways for 120 days. Ukrainian experts will involve it in domestic rail transportation.
As reported, a memorandum of understanding between Ukrzaliznytsia and Canada's Bombardier to create a joint venture for production of traction rolling stock in Ukraine has been signed this week.
General Electric is a U.S. diversified corporation, a manufacturer of many types of equipment, including locomotives, power plants (including nuclear reactors), gas turbines, aircraft engines, medical equipment, photo equipment, household appliances and lighting equipment, plastic and sealants.
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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.
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Health and Wellness Stock News - Endexx (OTCBB: EDXC) Secures Third Order for Non-Nicotine Vape Product HYLA Worth Approximately $1.5M in Revenue for First two Fiscal Quarters of 2023
CAVE CREEK, Ariz. - October 27, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Endexx Corporation (OTCBB:EDXC), a provider of innovative, plant-derived, and sustainable health and skincare products, today announces it has secured three key significant orders for its newly acquired, non-nicotine plant-based vape product, HYLA.
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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.
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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.
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Peter James Powers died earlier this month at the age of 72. Powers was a Queens Irishman. His father, Thomas, was a union organizer, while his mother, the former Florence Fitzgibbon, raised Peter, as well as his two brothers. Powers went to Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn. It was there he befriended an Italian American classmate named Rudolph Giuliani. The two would go on to Manhattan College together, as well as New York University School of Law.
Powers began a flourishing career as a corporate tax lawyer. But in 1989, his childhood pal Rudy decided to run for mayor of New York City. Things werent initially going very well so Giuliani recruited Powers to impose order on his chaotic novice mayoral campaign, as The New York Times put it.
Giuliani lost the 89 campaign, but with Powers help, made it to City Hall in 1993. Powers was installed as (Giulianis) even-tempered alter ego to manage New York Citys government, the Times noted.
Peter was like Robert Duvals Tommy Hagen (in The Godfather), the consigliore to the boss. Being the Irish guy wasnt the only thing they had in common, Cristyne L. Nicholas, Giulianis director of communications, wrote in the New York Observer. Itwas about management. Peter ran City Hall like a business.
An even temper -- heck, even some plain old business-minded common sense -- is certainly something Giuliani could use these days. Lord knows that after the events of the past week -- the seemingly unprovoked shootings of two African Americans, the subsequent assassinations of five police officers in Dallas -- we could all use a breather, a pause button.
But Giuliani, who has settled into a bizarre role as the right winger who will say things that other right wingers only think, decided that now was the time to turn up the volume.
Lets teach everyone, including the children of the black community, that most of those police officers are the reason youre alive, Giuliani told Brian Williams on MSNBC.
Because the real danger to you is that black kid who is going to shoot you on the street, because that happens many, many more times than police officers. Lets talk about it honestly.
And Donald Trump may put this guy in his cabinet.
Look, there are serious debates to be had about violence, crime and policing. But Giulianis style of honesty is not going to contribute anything constructive.
It grossly implies that black people dont know much about any of the dangers that might be lingering in whatever neighborhood they happen to live in. But most people, whatever color they happen to be, know all too well what they need to be wary of when they walk out the door.
The unavoidable problem here is that black males, whatever others forms of adversity they may be facing, also seem to have to worry if they will survive any given encounter with a police officer.
That does not mean all police officers are racist or corrupt. That certainly does not mean officers should face the sort of horrific retribution we saw in Dallas.
But it also does not mean that people who dare to speak out against police brutality are somehow to blame for the actions of the deranged sniper in Dallas. If Giuliani was so enamored of Powers ability to get down to business, then Giuliani should know that we need to get down to the business of finding ways to heal the terrible wounds weve opened in recent weeks.
Twenty years ago New York City endured its own tensions related to police brutality and racism. There were the horrible cases of Abner Louima and Patrick Dorismond, who Giuliani famously called no altar boy -- when it turned out Dorismond had, in fact, been an altar boy.
Back then, this seemed to be a unique product of New York Citys racial and ethnic history. Cops were generally Irish and Italian and were sent in to police high crime areas that were largely black and Hispanic. Perhaps conflict was inevitable.
But these tensions have now gone national. And theres a lot more fueling this than ethnic history.
One thing we do know: If Giuliani is going to continue spewing his form of honesty, than we are all going to miss Peter Powers.
Acting Ukrainian Defense Minister Ivan Rusnak has met with United States Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James to discuss the development of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The meeting was held in Kyiv on Thursday, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service said.
"In the context of the Air Force's development the Ukrainian side is interested in cooperation in the areas of development of professional and leadership faculties of personnel, development of airfields and infrastructure, as well as the training of aviators and ground personnel in line with the NATO standards," Rusnak said.
In turn, the U.S. Air Force secretary noted substantial progress in the implementation of Ukraine's reforms in the area of security and defense and assured that the U.S. would continue its assistance to Ukraine's efforts to restore its territorial integrity and develop modern Armed Forces.
A Dublin barman was just 10ft from the carnage in Nice as he watched a lorry driver drive through men, women and children.
Robert Greene, from Coolock in Dublin, saw one man's body torn in pieces on the Promenade des Anglais as a woman cried over him, while the shattered remnants of a child's bike were strewn across the road.
The 33-year-old had just got off a bus with a group of friends as the Bastille Day celebrations and firework display drew to a close.
Mr Greene said of the truck driver's progress: "He came behind us and beside us as he was cutting through people.
"He was as close as 10ft away.
"I saw this truck and he cut through three or four people, he was already missing the bumper. It was horrific."
Some of Mr Greene's friends ran down a flight of steps to the beach below the promenade as the driver weaved along the road with the lights of the truck off, running over people indiscriminately.
Still in deep shock after witnessing the deaths, he described the carnage the truck left in its wake.
"A woman dropped to her knees, someone in her family had been killed, just lying there. There was not even a thing anyone could do, there was no CPR, bits of him were lying around," he said.
"It was horrific."
The barman added: "There was a young child's plastic tricycle, smashed up and left in bits.
"I stayed on top of the stairs looking around. It was surreal. People screaming, children crying, young children running around the place alone, a woman on roller blades screaming for her child. She found him."
Mr Greene arrived in Nice in the middle of May to work in Ma Nolan's Irish bar and to soak up the atmosphere at Euro 2016.
He was returning to the city with friends after a pool party at a hotel on the outskirts of Nice and said he thought the attack began close to where his group had got off the bus.
"There was no noise. He came in between us and the beach. I remember turning around and then hearing noise but there wasn't a huge amount of noise. We must have been close to the start," he said.
"Some people pushed their youngsters out of the way, we ran to the beach."
Parents of victims embrace each other near the scene of a truck attack in Nice
Two of their group went missing in the immediate confusion, one of whom was on crutches, but they were reunited a short while later.
Mr Greene added: "It doesn't seem real. When it was happening I remember thinking: why is he not stopping? He was starting to come closer. Then he started to veer in and veer out.
"I was not really looking at the driver at the time. I was more fixated on the truck and the people, the bumper was gone. That's when I thought, he's not just going to stop, this isn't an accident, he was ploughing into people.
"His lights were out. There was no noise."
The group took refuge in the Neptune restaurant on the beach where mattresses were thrown up against the walls and windows.
Staff and patrons watched reports of the attack on news channels for an hour and a half before firefighters came and gave them an escort across the Promenade.
People react in the French Riviera town of Nice
Mr Greene said the group returned to their apartment in the city centre and followed the updates through the night before coming to work.
"I was told to come out and work here for the Euros ... (they) said it would be great craic," he said.
Donald Trump has abruptly postponed plans to announce his vice-presidential running mate following the "horrible attack" in Nice that left scores dead.
The Republican White House hopeful had planned to hold his first event with his yet-to-be-named running mate this morning in New York, but announced the change of plans on Thursday evening on Twitter.
The stunning announcement raised questions about the status of Mr Trump's selection process.
Indiana governor Mike Pence had emerged as a late favourite for the job, though Mr Trump said he had not finalised the pick and advisers warned he could change his mind.
"I haven't made my final, final decision," Mr Trump said on Fox News Channel.
He said that while his running-mate selection would "absolutely not" be changed by the France attack, he did not feel it was appropriate to hold a news conference in its aftermath.
In addition to Mr Pence, Mr Trump's vice-presidential shortlist included former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey governor Chris Christie, according to people familiar with the candidate's thinking.
Soon after last night's attacks, Mr Gingrich called for the expulsion of any Muslim who believed in Sharia law from the US.
The former Georgia congressman told Fox News Channel's Hannity that the US "should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported.
"Sharia is incompatible with Western civilisation".
Scores of people were killed in the French southern resort city when a lorry drove on to a pavement, ploughing through a crowd of Bastille Day revellers who had gathered to watch fireworks.
Mr Trump told Fox News that if he was elected president he would ask Congress for a declaration of war on the so-called 'Islamic State' group.
Democrat rival Hillary Clinton, also appearing on Fox, said the US needed to "stand strongly" with France and strengthen alliances, including with Nato, to ferret out terrorism and prevent future attacks.
She said she would intensify efforts to put together a more effective coalition against terrorism.
After spending much of Thursday in Indianapolis, Mr Pence flew to New York late in the day. Indianapolis television station WTHR posted a video showing Mr Pence arriving at a private airport outside New York.
Mr Trump did not say when he planned to announce his running mate but he is up against a clock - the Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday.
Top party officials are already in Cleveland, grappling with a rules fight that could increase the odds of nationally-televised clashes at the convention.
Late on Thursday, a committee at the Republican National Convention defeated an effort by conservatives who want to let delegates vote for any presidential candidate they would like. Conservatives hoped that would lead to delegates blocking Mr Trump's nomination.
The convention and vice-presidential announcement give Mr Trump back-to-back opportunities to reassure Americans - as well as leaders within his own party - that he is prepared for the presidency.
Mr Pence, a staunch conservative who served six terms in Congress, is seen as a running mate who would have the backing of party leaders and ease some of their concerns about Mr Trump's political inexperience and volatile temperament.
He has influential allies in Mr Trump's inner circle. But some of Mr Trump's children, who have been closely advising their father, are said to favour different candidates.
Campaign chairman Paul Manafort was among those urging caution in assuming any decision, saying on Twitter that Mr Trump's choice "will be made in the near future".
The contenders have been vetted by a top Washington lawyer and all have spent time with Mr Trump in recent days.
But the final decision rests with the candidate, who is known for making decisions more on instinct than other factors - and for sometimes changing his mind.
Mr Trump was in California on Thursday for several fund raisers. His schedule put him at a distance from many of his closest advisers, including Mr Manafort and his three oldest children.
Mr Pence is running for re-election, but Indiana law prevents him from seeking two offices at once. He faces a Friday deadline to withdraw from the governor's race.
Update 1.20am: Turkish media reports cited MIT, the national intelligence agency, as saying the coup had been defeated. The MIT website was not immediately accessible from Turkey.
MIT spokesman Nuh Yilmaz said General Hulusi Akar, the military chief of staff, was back in control.
Mr Yilmaz said "General Akar is back on top of his duties. Everything is returning to normal."
Update 12.45pm: The Anadolu Agency has reported that a bomb has hit the Turkish parliament in Ankara.
Footage appears to be #Ankara, shows crowds around (surrounding?) troop vehicles. https://t.co/eyyRK9PRtI #Turkey 'Troops came to palace' Mark Coughlan (@Mark_Coughlan) July 15, 2016
Update 12.10am: Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency has said 17 police officers were killed in a helicopter attack on police special forces headquarters in outskirts of Ankara.
Update 11.45pm: Turkish news agency Dogan said soldiers had opened fired on people trying to cross Istanbul's Bosporus bridge in protest of the attempted coup, and some had been wounded.
Turkey's Istanbul-based first army commander said the soldiers involved in the attempted coup "represent a small group" and "there is no cause for concern", according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Umit Dundar told Anadolu that "we are working to solve the problem here. They represent a small group within the First Army Command. There is no cause for concern. We are taking the necessary precautions with (soldiers) who have not joined them and remain within the military chain of command."
Rogue soldiers open fire at coup protesters on Bosphorus Bridge, injuring at least 5 https://t.co/zVkqI7ttaa pic.twitter.com/eYwAuJlJjd BNO News (@BNONews) July 15, 2016
Update 11.20pm: Loud explosions were heard in Turkey's capital Ankara and CNN-Turk reported an explosion at the state-run television building.
Turkey's state-run news agency said military helicopters had also attacked the headquarters of TURKSAT satellite station on the outskirts of Ankara and the Ankara police headquarters.
Dozen of tanks were seen moving towards a palace that is now used by the prime minister and deputy prime ministers.
A civilian car tried to stop one of the tanks, but it rammed through the vehicle as those in the car escaped.
The White House said President Barack Obama hads been briefed on developments in the key Nato ally.
Flag-waving crowds gather in Istanbul's Taksim Square after Turkey's President urged people to take to the streets https://t.co/SxkRWtk7GF Sky News (@SkyNews) July 15, 2016
The National Security Council said Mr Obama had been apprised the "unfolding situation" in Turkey and would continue to get regular updates.
US secretary of state John Kerry says he hoped for stability and continuity in Turkey following the reports.
Mr Kerry, in Moscow for talks with Russian officials on Syria, said he did not have details of the situation rapidly unfolding on the ground in Turkey and said it would be "inappropriate" to comment on developments.
But he expressed hope that the key ally and strategically important member of the coalition fighting the Islamic State would remain at peace.
VIDEO: Military helicopter opens fire at Turkish Intelligence Agency MIT HQ https://t.co/B86WmvscrR https://t.co/abXOZuFW2M RT (@RT_com) July 15, 2016
Update 11pm: Turkey's president has urged citizens to take to the streets in a show of support for the government after the military said it seized full control of the country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking to CNN-Turk through FaceTime, called the actions by the military "an attempt at an uprising by a minority within our armed forces".
Helicopters buzz Ankara as military attempt to take over govt https://t.co/B86WmvscrR pic.twitter.com/KEZlymG4Oj RT (@RT_com) July 15, 2016
The president's office refused to disclose Mr Erdogan's whereabouts, saying he was at a secure location.
Mr Erdogan said "I don't believe this coup attempt will be successful.
"There is absolutely no chain of command here. Right now the chain of command has been put on hold."
Update 10.50pm: Reports of helicopters opening fire and a 'strong explosion' in Ankara.
#BREAKING Strong explosion heard in Turkish capital Ankara: AFP AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 15, 2016
Update 10.30pm: President Erdogan is calling on people of Turkey to go out into the streets, Reuters reported.
[social]twitter]https://twitter.com/laurapitel/status/754064845415280640[/social]
Hundreds of people pour into streets in #Istanbul as news of military coup spreads. Picture: Twitter. pic.twitter.com/fTqNKGHifp Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) July 15, 2016
Update 10.25pm: Irish citizens in Turkey are advised to stay indoors until the situation becomes clearer.
The phone number for the Irish Embassy in Istanbul is +90 212 482 1862.
Update 10.20pm: A military statement read on state TV said armed forces have seized power, citing rising autocratic rule and increased terrorism.
Update 10pm: The Dogan agency reported that the statement said that the military did this "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for the law and order to be reinstated".
The military statement went on to say that "all international agreements and commitments will remain. We pledge that good relations with all world countries will continue".
MORE: Turkish military jets fly low over Istanbul https://t.co/pC7pYvXEli pic.twitter.com/TC4CrO7deq RT (@RT_com) July 15, 2016
Update 9.50pm: Reports say the Turkish military has released a statement saying armed forces have "fully seized control" of running the country.
Update 9.45pm: AFP are reporting that Turkey's top general is being held hostage.
#BREAKING Turkey's top general 'held hostage' at military HQ: state agency AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 15, 2016
Update 9.40pm: "We are focusing on the possibility of an attempt (coup)," Mr Yildirim said.
"There was an illegal act by a group within the military that was acting out of the chain of military command. Our people should know that we will not allow any activity that would harm democracy."
The Dogan news agency says one-way traffic on the Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridges were blocked. Video footage showed the bridge being blocked by military vehicles.
Turkish state-run television network TRT has been shut down, Bloomberg reported.
#BREAKING Turkey army says has taken power over country: TV AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 15, 2016
Earlier: A group within Turkey's military has engaged in what appeared to be an attempted coup, Turkey's prime minister says.
Binali Yildirim told NTV television: "It is correct that there was an attempt."
Mr Yildirim did not provide details, but said Turkey would never allow any "initiative that would interrupt democracy".
Earlier, military jets were heard flying over the capital, Ankara.
Media reports said ambulances were seen in front of Turkey's military headquarters.
Turkish soldiers block both bridges on the Bosphorus in Istanbul and jets flying low in Ankara. Reason not clear yet pic.twitter.com/tMG7KKYvGh Selin Girit (@selingirit) July 15, 2016
A tank on the streets of Istanbul pic.twitter.com/9ZH9a769my omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) July 15, 2016
The company, which shook up its top management ranks earlier this week, still plans to go ahead with the plant in Leeds, England, though is being very cautious on its investment plans, chairman John Peace said after its annual meeting in London.
Weve certainly put it on hold for the moment, but that might be for a very short period of time, Peace told reporters.
It depends on how events unfold. Its not in terms of reversing our decision to do it or not. But its the speed at which we invest.
Burberry announced in November that it planned to build the facility, which will employ 1,000 people and be dedicated to production of its famed trenchcoats.
Work was due to start this year and be complete by 2019.
The Brexit vote has led to delays on a decision on the expansion of Londons Heathrow airport and on the governments sale of its stake in Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc.
Every day is a lifetime at the moment in terms of news flow, Burberrys Mr Peace said.
The group known for its camel, red and black check design incurs about 40% of its costs in Britain, but makes only 10% of its sales in its home market and more than half of those come from foreign tourists in London, analysts estimate.
It said its adjusted profit for the year would be boosted by about 90m (108m) if exchange rates remain at current levels, compared with a previous forecast of 50m.
The pound has fallen to 31-year lows since the UK voted on June 23 to leave the EU.
Burberrys sales in Britain picked up in its first quarter, through June 30, but the company had said it was too early to assess any impact of the Brexit vote on demand.
The core drivers of globalisation are alive and well, the think-tank of American consultancy McKinsey wrote in a 2010 study, while the world was still recovering from the financial crisis.
To be unconnected is to fall behind, its researchers wrote in 2014. But a study McKinsey released yesterday stresses the economic gains of changes in the global economy have not been widely shared lately, especially in the developed world.
Its called Poorer Than Their Parents? Flat or Falling Incomes in Advanced Economies.
Prospects for income growth have deteriorated significantly since the financial crisis, the report finds.
Britains vote to exit the EU exemplifies what happens when people feel like the system is letting them down, Richard Dobbs, the co-leader of the research, said on Wednesday, ahead of the reports release.
He likened the build-up of resentment over globalisation to a dangerous natural gas leak in a row of houses.
One of them will explode. I did not think that it would be the UK first, said Mr Dobbs, a senior partner of McKinsey and a member of the McKinsey Global Institute Council.
The study found 65%-70% of households in 25 advanced economies were in income segments that had flat to falling incomes between 2005 and 2014, up from less than 2% between 1993 and 2005.
Mr Dobbs described the institutes stance on globalisation as an evolution, not a reversal. Were not saying throw it all out. ... Its about a sophistication in our thinking, he said.
The McKinsey Global Institute still sees value in offshoring, immigration, trade, and so forth.
Mr Dobbs said: Generally were pro those, but theres a however, and we need to be more aware of the however. -
The European Commission sent the Alphabet unit two statements of objections yesterday, widening a five-year probe and increasing the risk of hefty fines for the US Internet giant.
Adding to an antitrust complaint over Googles Android smartphone software earlier this year, EU regulators said they have a broad range of additional evidence and data Google systematically favours its own comparison-shopping service in its general search results.
We see that happen very, very, very often, EU antitrust commissioner Margrethe Vestager told journalists about how often Google pushes its own search results.
This is where we have the strongest evidence and its the same kind of investigation we are pursuing when it comes to travel and local search to see if we find a pattern that suggests Google is abusing a dominant position in general search, she said.
Google also hindered competition for online ads with its AdSense for Search product to place advertising on websites, including retailers, telecommunications operators and newspapers, the commission said.
The company prevented customers from accepting rival search ads from 2006 and maintained restrictions on how competitors ads were displayed when it altered contracts in 2009, according to the EUs antitrust arm.
We believe our innovations and product improvements have increased choice for European consumers and promote competition, Google said in a statement.
Well examine the commissions renewed cases and provide a detailed response in the coming weeks, it said. The EU has expanded its investigations into Googles business practices since Ms Vestager took over as the blocs antitrust chief in late 2014.
This demonstrates her determination to pursue the matter vigorously and to follow the investigation wherever it leads, said Thomas Vinje, a lawyer with Clifford Chance who represents FairSearch Europe, whose members include Expedia and Nokia.
IFA president, Joe Healy, said while up to 15,000 acres of farmland in Ireland are under some form of solar contract, questions remain to be addressed on the feed-in-tariff to be applied to solar energy, grid connection, farm-scale projects, and community participation in solar development projects.
Addressing IFAs solar seminar in Portlaoise, Mr Healy said: The European Commission will next week set out Irelands emission reduction targets to be delivered by the year 2030 for the non-ETS sector, which includes farming.
"Solar energy has significant mitigation potential. The Government must come forward with greater policy certainty to facilitate this, as well as to deliver on our 2020 renewable energy obligations.
The use of farmland for solar PV could supplement and strengthen farm incomes, providing some level of guaranteed income to allow farmers. However, more clarity is needed around solar development so farm families can make informed decisions.
The IFA notes solar PV accounts for 6.3% of all energy requirements in Germany come from solar generation, while that figure is 9% in Italy.
It also said Ireland must learn lessons from previous mistakes with renewable energies, and that all stakeholders need to be heard in the National Energy Forum announced by Government last December.
James Murphy, IFA renewables chairman, said while there are good reasons to be optimistic about solar energy in Ireland, farmers should exercise caution in signing up to any agreement.
He cautioned the use of exclusivity agreements by solar companies represent a one-way bet in which farmers take on all of the uncertainty and developers get all the commitments they need, usually at no cost.
Meanwhile, Michael Bradley, CEO of Irish renewable firm Solar 21, said he believed farmers account for the bulk of the 329 solar applications made to ESB Networks in 2015; ESB connects power generators to the national grid.
Just two applications were made in 2014.
Vitol Group and Trafigura Groups Puma Energy are adding ships and storage to trade bitumen, a thick, syrupy petroleum product used to make asphalt for roads and tar for roofs.
Transport of the material, traditionally by truck, train, or barge from refineries to local builders, has swelled into a global marketplace as demand climbs far from the source of production.
The fight for profits from bitumen, said to come from the bottom of the barrel because of its weight, has been driven by fundamental changes in the market.
Supply has dropped as aging refineries in Europe and the US are closed or converted, while road construction in Asia and Africa has pushed up consumption.
Thats created demand for massive oceangoing tankers that keep the material heated.
It used to be mostly a small distribution business, Chris Bake, a senior executive at Rotterdam-based Vitol, said. Now it is a whole arbitrage business requiring a global reach.
Vitol, the biggest independent oil-trading house, is well-placed to meet the demand. Its the largest bitumen trader after teaming up in March with US-based transporter Sargeant Marine.
Their Valt venture has a fleet of 16 bitumen and asphalt ships, some of which can handle shipments of more than 35,000 metric tons.
Puma, a Singapore-based unit of Trafigura, recently added four bitumen vessels and is targeting emerging Asian. The companys 11-strong fleet can carry about 165,000 tons.
We see a definite upward trend in the number of nautical miles for bitumen, said Valt chief commercial officer Nick Fay, who estimates an annual increase of about 7%. All the new refineries that are getting built dont make bitumen, he said.
Global annual demand is about 100 million tons, according to Mr Fay, and less than 20% of that is currently shipped by sea in fewer than 200 ships.
Through its VTTI subsidiary, Vitol owns the ATPC refinery in Antwerp, Belgium, one of the largest dedicated bitumen plants in Europe with a processing capacity of 3,300 tons a day. Vitol and Valt also own a bitumen tank in the Port of Rotterdam with a storage capacity of 30,000 tons.
Puma has 500,000 tons of bitumen storage.
Mastercard charges on UK credit and debit card transactions restricted competition according to a Competition and Appeal Tribunal judgment published yesterday.
The judgment is the first in a series of claims brought by retailers in the UK and Europe, alleging Mastercard and Visa charged anti- competitive and excessive fees on debit and credit card transactions.
The retailers are seeking combined damages of more than 1.2bn.
This marks the first substantial award in a competition damages claim in the UK, and, we believe, in Europe, Sarah Houghton, a lawyer at Mishcon de Reya advising the supermarket chain, said.
It has an importance well beyond the precedent it sets for claims against the Mastercard and Visa schemes.
The 69m victory is equivalent to more than a days sales for Sainsbury, which brought in 23.5bn last year.
The ruling follows news British consumers are preparing a 19bn class action lawsuit against Mastercard.
The claim would be the UKs biggest and one of the first filed under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Though the ruling resulted in compensation for Sainsbury, the tribunal may have boosted Mastercards defence against that class action, after it concluded the retailer didnt pass the costs to consumers in the form of higher prices, Mastercard said.
The credit-card provider will take a pre-tax charge of about $90m in its second quarter to cover the judgment.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims who have been killed in a recent act of terror in Nice, France.
"A terrible terrorist attack in Nice. Shocked. The whole Ukrainian nation and myself express condolences to the families of those killed in France," the president tweeted in the early hours of Friday.
According to media reports, a terrorist gunman killed 84 people and wounded scores when he drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday.
The driver was shot dead after barrelling the truck two kilometers (1.3 miles) through the festive crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais.
The worlds biggest coffee-shop chain is buying a stake in Princi, which sells pastries, pizza and pasta in Europe, according to a statement.
Starbucks will also act as a global licensee of the Italian company, helping it to expand globally. Financial terms of the deal werent disclosed.
Princi goods will be sold in Starbucks new Roastery locations opening in Shanghai next year and New York in 2018, as well as another location that hasnt yet been disclosed.
Starbucks also may open a Princi-branded shop in its hometown of Seattle next year. Princi currently has four locations in Italy and one in London.
I can think of no better pairing and am excited by the possibilities we envision in Princi food elevating everyday breakfast, lunch and dinner in Starbucks Roasteries and Reserve Stores, Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz said in the statement.
Starbucks has been trying to upgrade its food to attract more diners and maintain sales growth. In 2012, it bought Bay Bread for $100m, giving it access to the higher-quality La Boulange brand of croissants and scones.
The Seattle-based chain plans to continue selling La Boulange at its cafe locations in the US and Canada.
The Princi partnership will bring baking inside Starbucks locations for the first time.
The manufacturers plan for fixing Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche models equipped with 3.0-litre engines rigged to cheat on emissions tests was inadequate, the California Air Resources Board has said.
The regulator, along with the US Environmental Protection Agency, will continue talks with Volkswagen in hopes of finding a fix, the board said in letters on Wednesday to Volkswagen executives and attorneys.
It seems that a buyback is a definite possibility if theres not a solution that makes them street legal, Kelley Blue Book senior analyst Rebecca Lindland said.
A buyback of cars with 3.0-litre engines would mean re-buying luxury vehicles such as Audis top-of-the line A8 sedan and Q7 sport utility vehicle as well as Porsche Cayenne SUVs.
That could add another $2bn (1.8bn) to $3bn to Volkswagens costs related to the cheating in the US, said Juergen Pieper, a Frankfurt-based analyst at Bankhaus Metzler. The rejection shows the scandal that emerged in September is far from over, despite last months landmark $14.7bn settlement covering 480,000 cars with 2.0-litre engines.
Volkswagen downplayed the risk. The board announcement was a procedural step under state laws governing recalls, spokeswoman Jeannine Ginivan said.
We continue to work closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board to try to secure approval of a technical resolution for our 3.0-litre TDI vehicles as quickly as possible, Ms Ginivan said.
Volkswagen shares rose 2.4% at one stage yesterday. That pared the stocks decline this year to 12%, compared to a 7% in the benchmark Dax Index.
The board has been in talks with the German company over the 3.0-litre engines since at least February 2, when the manufacturer filed its first single, incomplete recall plan, according to the agencys letters.
Additional data submitted by Volkswagen as recently as June is also incomplete and substantially deficient for legal requirements, said the board.
The lizard picked a spot right in front of the stores automatic doors and refused to budge as staff tried in vain to get him to leave.
Apparently, the lizard had no interest in moving because it was basking in the shops air conditioning.
We've heard about Google credentials being accessed and players being led to locations where they have been robbed but an incident in San Diego has caught the attention of the world - two men playing Pokemon Go have fallen off an ocean-side cliff.
One of the men was found 90 feet down on the beach while the other man was found unconscious 50 feet down. Both men were rushed to a nearby hospital but thankfully neither were seriously injured.
Sean David Doyle of Melrose Avenue in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, was due to make his confirmation less than two months later. An inquest into his death at Dublin Coroners Court heard that Gardai are seeking a criminal prosecution in relation to the boys death.
Sean Doyle died on February 26 last following an incident at St Cuthberts Road in Clondalkin around 1.40pm. He was one of three friends travelling on the pony and trap, the other two boys escaped unharmed.
The call has come from the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) as a High Court challenge begins against the Department of the Environment, Community, and Local Government by Robert Sinnott of the Blind Legal Alliance. The action claims people who are blind or vision-impaired cannot vote in secret.
People with sight loss are entitled to enlist the assistance of a trusted friend or the presiding officer when casting their ballot.
The NCBI said the current system denies someone who is blind or vision impaired the right to cast a secret ballot and they have no way of verifying that the person assisting them has marked the ballot paper in the way they requested.
Accessible voting is facilitated in other countries through the use of a tactile voting device or tactile ballot template, telephone voting and internet voting.
NCBI believes that a suite of accessible voting options would be the most appropriate.
CEO Chris White said that successive governments had to prioritise the right to vote independently for people with sight loss.
For 10 years we have been asking the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to investigate the feasibility of accessible voting methods but to date little progress has been made, said Mr White.
The department has failed to live up to its commitments to prioritise accessible voting and to conduct its own research into suitable methods. NCBI fully supports Mr Sinnott in his case and we hope that his perseverance and commitment will lead to much-needed change.
Mr White said the right to vote in secret was a fundamental right denied to a minority of people in Ireland.
A minority are excluded because it is awkward or difficult to organise the same rights and freedoms that other members of society enjoy and the lack of progress on this issue from successive governments isnt good enough, said Mr White.
There are currently 247,000 people with sight loss in Ireland, ranging from mild vision impairment to total blindness.
Three quarters of people with sight loss in Ireland (185,000) are over the age of 18 and eligible to vote.
Ciara, 21, was born with intractable epilepsy and cerebral palsy and was later diagnosed with developmental delay and autism.
Mentally, Ciara has never developed beyond the age of two so, although she is 21, she is still in nappies and has to be washed, dressed, and fed. Everything has to be done for her, said Moira.
Moira was at the launch in Dublin yesterday by Family Carers Ireland of their assessment of what the National Carers Strategy has achieved for family carers since it was launched four years ago.
When the strategy was introduced, it was cost-neutral and limited in what it could achieve. However, with the economy improving, Family Carers Ireland is now calling for a funded strategy.
Head of communications with Family Carers Ireland, Catherine Cox, said that even if 30m was spent on priority areas over the next three years, it would allow better supports to be provided for carers.
If we could target funding in the key areas where carers are feeling the most pressure, we believe it could have a positive impact on carers lives, she said.
Moira, from Walkinstown, Dublin, said her other children were a great help when they lived at home.
Obviously, it is a bit more hands-on for my husband and I and a bit more hectic, she said.
Ciara is in good health but does not sleep at night because she gets a lot of seizures. A lot of the time she would wake up in the early hours of the morning and stay awake from then on.
Moira would love for the Government to ring-fence funding for people like Ciara when they are adults and their parents were too old to look after them.
Ciara is on a waiting list for residential care, but it could be years before she gets a place.
We are now at a point where one of us could fall into bad health, and the other would not be able to continue caring for Ciara, said Moira, adding that funding should be made available for people like Ciara so their parents could plan ahead and not worry so much about the future.
But we are nowhere near getting an agreement on a planned placement. It is not even on the radar, she said.
When parents reach their sixties it is usually when their children have grown up, and they have time for themselves. But we dont have a minute; we dont even get a nights sleep.
She did not want to have to wait for a crisis to arise before Ciara got the care she needed.
The National Carers Strategy Monitoring Committee has stressed that home and community care will remain underfunded and insufficient until it is put on a statutory footing similar to that of the Nursing Homes Support Scheme.
Family carers such as Moira contribute 6.2m hours of unpaid care each week, saving the State 4m a year.
Kerry calls for more active fight against terrorists in Syria, more rapid settlement of Ukrainian problem
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry spoke in favor of a more active crackdown on the Islamic State (ISIL) and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups (both outlawed in Russia) during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, the U.S. State Department said.
At the same time, Kerry said that "diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely," the State Department said.
Kerry also "urged an acceleration of negotiations on implementation of the Minsk agreements, especially on the security elements," it said.
A sign reading Welcome to Togher has been vandalised following complaints from some residents that the new sign has been wrongly erected in the Wilton area.
However, the community group behind the sign is adamant it is in the right place, having looked up maps of the city, and consulted with council officials.
Niall McCarthy, chairman of Togher Community Association, said the community was frightfully disappointed with the reaction to the sign, one of a set put up by the group in May.
The five signs were erected atpoints approaching the suburb, including along the Sarsfield Road, a location that has proved to be contentious with some living in the area who claim their address is in Wilton.
Mr McCarthy said the group received calls, letters and a petition following the installation.
Earlier this week, the word Togher and its Irish equivalent, Tochar, were painted over by an unknown vandal.
It is the second time the sign has been defaced in recent weeks, following an incident during which an A4 sheet reading Wilton was sellotaped over the place name.
Some people didnt realise the area is actually in Togher, Mr McCarthy said. Over the years when estate agents were selling houses in the area they picked that name [Wilton], maybe they thought theyd get a better price. People assumed all along the area was Wilton, he said.
Mr McCarthy said his group has written to some objectors highlighting the mapping of the area.
They now agree that they are in the Togher parish, he said.
Noreen Keohane has written to local TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire to complain the signs location has been determined by ancient maps that do not apply to here and now.
Ms Keohane said the neighbourhood is devastated by the development.
We got our land back from the British only to have it snatched from us by an Irish Community Association shameful, she wrote.
Lisa Power, who lives in Elm Park, said she grew up believing the area was in Wilton, not Togher.
I know were in Togher parish but if people asked where I am from Id say Wilton the post coming to the house says Wilton, she said.
Ms Power said she has not yet come across a petition being circulated in the area against the sign, but has heard concerns from some people in the neighbourhood: Some are quite angry, they bought houses here in Wilton and they think it will affect the value of the houses if they are in Togher, its not an unfair thing to say, she said.
Mr McCarthy said that the signs, paid for with grants from the County Council, are here to stay: We are very proud of Togher; there has been a huge amount of work done in the area in the last 20 years upgrading the community centre and establishing our music school.
You see signs across Cork like Welcome to Ballincollig or Welcome to Douglas or wherever. We are proud of Togher and want to do the same thing, he said.
His successor, Judge Tom ODonnell, yesterday described Ollie McCarthy as the heartbeat and fabric of life in the Limerick court building.
Mr McCarthy ran down the Tricolour outside the courthouse for the final time yesterday as he stepped into retirement at the age of 70.
Abbey Murphy, 7, from Ballyvolane in Cork, was due to fly to Londons Great Ormond Street Hospital today for specialist tests as a private patient to determine her future medical treatment for a distressing condition which causes her to vomit faeces.
But following the intervention yesterday of her local TD, Jonathan OBrien, and Health Minister Simon Harris, it has emerged that the world-renowned hospital cannot accept funding from the HSEs treatment abroad scheme for private patients.
The HSE said it couldnt comment on Abbeys case for reasons of patient confidentiality, but in a statement said: The HSE treatment abroad scheme assesses applications received for and prior to any treatment in the public health system of another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland. Private patients are not eligible to access the scheme.
Abbeys family, who had flights booked to London today, were in limbo last night as frantic efforts got under way to find a way of paying for the procedures, estimated to cost about 16,000 (19,100).
Abbeys distraught grandmother, Kathleen Weir, outlined their plight on The Neil Prendeville Show on Corks Red FM yesterday, and claimed the HSE would not release the funds.
Moved by Abbeys plight, listeners pledged 22,000 within an hour, but all the money has yet to be transferred.
It is understood the treatment abroad scheme funding was never withdrawn, and is available if Abbey is treated as a public patient.
Mr OBrien, who contacted Great Ormond Street yesterday, said a hospital spokesman told him it cannot accept the state payment for a private patient.
Abbey was diagnosed at the age of three with diaphragmatic hernia a hole in the diaphragm which allows the abdominal organs to move into the chest cavity.
She underwent surgery to repair it, but has endured the complex bowel condition for almost five years.
A consultant at Great Ormond Street told Abbeys family in February that she needs specialist tests at the hospital to determine future medical treatment, and that the tests should be done as soon as possible.
Within months of applying to the hospital for the treatment as a private patient, she secured next weeks appointment. She faces a three-year wait on the public list.
Ms Weir said she fears her granddaughter could die of poisoning unless the issue is resolved soon.
The transfer of helpline services is already completed under arrangements that were outlined yesterday at the High Court. It appointed a provisional liquidator to Console after hearing that it was 294,000 in debt and unable to ensure its services could be maintained.
The HSE has been providing funding to three of Consoles services the 24/7 suicide helpline, the suicide bereavement liaison service, and the suicide bereavement counselling service.
The health authority, together with the interim chief executive for Console, David Hall, was involved in discussions with similar support organisations on maintaining the service in recent weeks.
Currently, 314 people receive one-to-one counselling from Console, while its helpline receives an average 29 calls every day. Mr Hall encouraged all staff and service users to be patient and to engage fully with Pieta House during this period of change.
Use the services. They are now in safe hands, said Mr Hall. He was made interim chief executive after Console founder Paul Kelly stepped down from the job in the wake of revelations last month about spending of the charitys funds.
Yesterday afternoon, the HSE asked representatives from Pieta House to Dr Steevens Hospital in Dublin to recommence discussions on taking over Consoles services with immediate effect.
At a press briefing later, Pieta House chief executive Brian Higgins said everything possible would be done to ensure that clients of Console receive the same high-quality service.
For us, it is also crucial to assure our existing clients, supporters and staff there will be no impact on the counselling services we currently offer to people in suicidal crisis and people who self-harm, said Mr Higgins.
Mr Higgins said the 24/7 helpline (1800 247 247), now being managed by Pieta House, was up and running. He said the charity aimed at having bereavement counselling and liaison services to former Console clients up and running as soon as possible.
He hoped that, where possible, Console counsellors would be given contracts by his charity and that Pieta House would be able to rent the premises formerly occupied by Console.
HSE national director of mental health services Anne OConnor and the minister of state for mental health, Helen McEntee, thanked Console staff for continuing to provide essential services in what must have been a very distressing period for them.
Mr Hall expects staff to be made redundant today but he was hopeful that that State redundancy scheme would kick in for them.
The High Court heard yesterday that the charity employs 12 people full-time and contracts 60 counsellors around the country, but 74,421 in wages falls due to staff next Wednesday.
The Revenue Commissioners were owed 77,500, and most of the remaining creditors are suppliers owed 90,860.
HSE officials will be quizzed on the issue when they go before the Dail Public Accounts Committee this morning.
The hearing is scheduled to look at HSE controls on how taxpayers money is used by voluntary hospitals and charities which it funds, but a major focus will be on its monitoring of Console before the recent audit of the organisation.
Health Minister Simon Harris last night said that it was regrettable that the issues around spending seemed to go on for years.
With the benefit of hindsight we all wish it was identified sooner, he told RTEs Six One.
National Office for Suicide Prevention director Gerry Raleigh said a number of other organisations, such as the Samaritans, Aware, Grow, and Shine also offered to help.
News: 8
However, the increase, which brings the total headcount to 4,757,976, is unbalanced across the country with numbers growing much more rapidly in the east and some counties in the west undergoing a decline.
There is also a growing gender imbalance, with the number of males falling to 978 for every 1,000 females lower than the previous low point of 986 per 1,000 recorded in 1996.
Brendan Murphy, statistician with the Central Statistics Office said there was an overall population increase of 3.7% since the previous Census in 2011 but the results varied widely across the country.
We had a low of -1.5% in Donegal in terms of population change, and the highest increase was in Fingal at over 8%, he said.
There is an east-west divide in terms of population growth and population decline or stagnation.
The fastest-growing area was Dublin and its commuter belt, outside of which Cork showed the highest growth. Mayo and Sligo joined Donegal in losing population.
Total population increased despite a complete reversal in migration trends, with 28,558 more people leaving the country between 2011-2016 than came to live here. In the five years up to 2011, 115,800 more people came to live in Ireland than left the country.
A natural increase in the population meaning more births than deaths of 198,282 more than made up for the losses to emigration, however, leaving an actual increase in headcount of 169,724 compared to 2011.
Again, there were wide variations in migration figures across the country from county to county, ranging from -6,731 in Donegal to 7,257 in Dublin City.
Big inflows were recorded in Cork City (4,380) and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown (4,380), while substantial outflows were experienced in Galway county (-3,168), Limerick county (-3,375), Mayo (-3,246) and South Dublin (-4,271).
In terms of natural gain, Fingal, with its relatively young population, topped the list, gaining an average of 15 people per 1,000 of its population each year over the five years, while Cork City, with its relatively older population, had the lowest natural increase, gaining just three people per 1,000.
Business groups urged the Government to plan for the needs of the growing population. Mark OMahoney of Chambers Ireland said: There will be increased pressure on State resources over the coming years. It is crucial that Government prioritises increases in capital investment in the short term to ensure that our housing, transport and education infrastructure can cope.
Ibec called for measures to reinvigorate the Atlantic seaboard economy. Ibec chief Danny McCoy said: Economic activity continues to gravitate toward the capital. It is creating a worrying economic and social imbalance. A new Atlantic cities strategy is needed.
The results are the first to emerge from the massive number-crunching exercise that began 12 weeks ago following Census night on April 24. Other findings relating to religion, ethnicity, education levels, language proficiency and transport habits will be released on a phased basis throughout 2017.
Deirdre Cullen, CSO senior statistician, said compliance with the Census was high.
A small number of people did refuse to co-operate with the Census and we will be taking prosecutions, said Mr Cullen.
In cases where the occupants of properties could not be contacted, households were quantified by estimated. Ms Cullen said these represented fewer than 1% of total dwellings.
About 510 people have signed up for the 12th annual Vibes & Scribes Lee Swim, which will be staged in association with Cork Lions Club, tomorrow.
With entries from Australia, Austria, England, Germany, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland, and the US, this years event has attracted the highest number of entrants since its relaunch in 2005.
Some 170 women and 340 men will dive into the river at 3pm at the Old Distillery on the North Mall to complete the 2km course. Up to 325 swimmers, or 64% of all participants, will swim in wetsuits the highest number to date.
Enable Ireland Cork is the nominated charity with the funds raised being used to help it develop a new multi-million facility on the site of the former ESB social club in Curraheen, on the citys western outskirts.
Enable Ireland provides a range of services to over 5,000 children and adults with physical, sensory, and intellectual disabilities. It provides specialist hydrotherapy at its 36-year-old treatment pool at the Lavanagh Centre in Ballintemple.
Physiotherapy in this environment is highly effective. Also, having users suspended in water allows them to use their bodies in ways not possible if in a wheelchair or on the ground, a spokesperson said.
Enable Ireland bought the former ESB facility about three years ago and lodged a planning application last November to build a new childrens service centre and swimming pool there.
If sanctioned, the new facility will include offices, meeting rooms, staff accommodation, conference facilities, treatment rooms, a pre-school, and associated ancillary accommodation. A planning decision is expected soon.
Since 2005, almost 5,000 Lee swimmers have raised over 70,000 for various charities. The event is now one of the most popular open water swimming events in the country.
The gardai, drawn from experienced crime investigators, will be appointed to the Special Crime Task Force on a full-time basis.
Plans for the taskforce were announced by Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald and Garda commissioner Noirin OSullivan on May 31 as part of their response to organised crime and the murderous Kinahan-Hutch feud.
Seven people had been killed by that stage, six of them by the Kinahan cartel, the most recent the murder of Gareth Hutch on 24 May.
The taskforce will:
n Co-ordinate national and international operations against organised crime gangs; n Focus on gunmen planning, or in the process of conducting, shooting; n Provide a targeted approach to people involved in all ranks of a criminal organisation; n Work with the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the Criminal Assets Bureau; n Take on much of the additional work of CAB in targeting the assets and income of lower level members of criminal gangs and local drug dealers
The taskforce will be Dublin-based and have its own offices, vehicles, and firearms.
The taskforce will be targeting people running around with guns and going after them proactively, targeting those shooting people and involved in organised crime and if there is wealth attached to them, seize it, said one source.
The source said it will benefit CAB, which was almost overwhelmed with the demands on its services.
The taskforce will co-ordinate activity in Dublin divisions, including in emergencies where gunmen are travelling across the city to carry out attacks.
The unit is also expected to be involved in any decisions to send officers abroad to conduct inquiries with the permission of local police, such as in Spain, where the Kinahan cartel have a base.
Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald told the Dail that the taskforce would provide a dogged focus on people involved in gangland crime.
The justice minister said the Government had recently approved an extra 55m for gardai.
She was speaking during the second stage of the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill 2016, which will allow CAB to seize and detain the proceeds of crime without making a court application.
It also lowers the threshold of proceeds that can be targeted, from 13,000 to 5,000. This will assist in tackling mid-level criminals in local communities.
Recent months have seen those subordinates of the offshore drug barons bring murder to our streets in an unprecedented way, said Ms Fitzgerald.
Disgruntled TDs, keen for a leadership change, have dismissed the Taoiseachs attempt to break bread and have coffee with his detractors as a charade and a fickle show of affection.
A heated row broke out at Fine Gaels midweek parliamentary party meeting over Mr Kennys recent reappointment of James Reilly as deputy leader.
Mr Reilly, a former health minister and now a senator, yesterday said he would take advice from local members of Fine Gael and TDs on how the party could change before the next election.
My role is very much a link between members, the party, and the leadership. There are people who are unhappy and I have absolutely no problem at all sitting down and talking to them, he said.
Following criticism from backbenchers about being crowned deputy leader again despite losing his Dail seat, Mr Reilly refused to say if he had considered not taking up the role.
The position is in the gift of the leader, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland.
Mr Reilly had told the party meeting on Wednesday that angry TDs were using him as a proxy to get to the Taoiseach.
Potential Enda Kenny successors must go public with ambitions to replace Kenny https://t.co/b5TlqODaq3 pic.twitter.com/sa1D44R9El Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 12, 2016
Some TDs are in fact poised to move against Mr Kenny again if he displeases them.
The Reilly appointment came during the week of a bad poll for Fine Gael as well as a dressing down by unionists over a failed idea about an all-island post-Brexit assembly.
TDs say they will move, possibly with the support of more senior figures, if Mr Kenny is involved in any other serious errors or bad situations for Fine Gael, even over the summer.
One TD said: This was a shot across his bow so he doesnt make any more fuck-ups. If he gets something else wrong, theres no fear. We will be speaking.
Another TD said the rebel TDs would be watching Mr Kennys actions closely. Our mission is accomplished, for now. This has speeded up the process [his resignation]. If something else happens during the silly season, it could precipitate more senior figures moving [against him].
Cork South West TD Jim Daly said the position of Fine Gael deputy leader should have been voted on by the parliamentary party.
A conversation about the leadership still needs to happen, he claimed.
Parliamentary party chair Martin Haydon said Wednesdays meeting was robust and cathartic.
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, whose party is propping up Fine Gael in government, said there is a need to focus on improving services and what Ireland requires following the Brexit vote. He said Mr Kenny should still be supported in office.
He told RTE that general calmness had descended on Leinster House in recent days, but cautioned against Fine Gael members becoming distracted over a heave, after only recently voting to return Mr Kenny as Taoiseach. Its incredible some would question their own decisions in that regard.
The teenager was invited by gardai to attend Mayfield Garda Station for an informal discussion about the incident at the Cara Junior School in Mayfield last month.
He attended in the company of his mother and was interviewed by detectives investigating the arson attack, which destroyed a toy storage shed.
Garda investigations are continuing and it is expected that a file will be prepared for the DPP in due course.
Two people were recorded by CCTV cameras scaling the schools playground fence at 9.25pm on June 27. They were seen setting a fire inside the storage shed before climbing the fences again and making off across waste ground.
The shed was ablaze within minutes, destroying toys and specialist play equipment.
School principal Emir Duffy said the incident had a devastating and disruptive impact on their pupils who have a dual diagnosis of autism and intellectual disability, within the mild-to-moderate range, and who require structured play and routine to understand and interact with the world.
Meanwhile, Garda investigations into the malicious fire at the N-Steak Restaurant on Corks Camden Quay last month are also ongoing.
Up to 100 people living in apartments over the ground-floor restaurant were evacuated when a fire broke out in the building in the early hours of June 8.
Gardai revealed almost two weeks later that they were satisfied the fire was started maliciously.
They appealed for people who took mobile-phone photos and video footage to contact them.
A Garda spokesman said an extensive trawl of CCTV footage from the area is ongoing.
The 29-year-old former Today show fitness expert, with an address at Lanesboro, Finglas in north Dublin, is accused of assault causing harm to model Emma Murphy.
The attack allegedly took place at FX Fitness gym in Santry in north Dublin on July 3 last year.
The charge is under Section Three of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
Mr Usanga made his third appearance at Dublin District Court yesterday.
Mother of two, Ms Murphy, 26, a model and fitness blogger, did not attend the proceedings but had been present for an earlier hearing.
Dressed in a black coat, T-shirt, grey trousers and black runners, Mr Usanga remained silent during the hearing. The prosecution had already been ordered to provide disclosure of evidence to the defence.
His solicitor Daniel Hanahoe told Judge Hugh ODonnell that a hearing date was required.
He confirmed, when asked by the judge, that his client was pleading not guilty to the charge.
Judge ODonnell ordered that the non-jury district court trial would take place on a date in November.
The DPP has directed summary disposal. This means the case should not be sent forward to the circuit court, which has tougher sentencing powers.
Earlier, medical reports were furnished to the court which also heard an outline of the allegations.
It will be alleged that the altercation occurred following a dispute between both parties, there had been series of rows, Det Sergeant Michael Mulligan has told the court.
Jurisdiction was accepted meaning the case will remain in the district court which, on conviction, can impose a sentence of up to 12 months as well as a fine.
Mr Usanga previously appeared in TV3s Red Rock series and has also appeared as a fitness trainer on RTEs The Today Show presented by Daithi OSe and Maura Derrane on a number of occasions.
A former BScene model, he also appeared in Jennifer Maguires dating series, One Night Stand, in 2010. He formerly worked at FX Fitness, in Santry, north Dublin.
At his previous hearing on March 30, free legal aid was granted after a statement of his means was furnished to the court which was also told he is currently unemployed.
Last year Ms Murphy made a video in which she spoke about the alleged assault and it went viral online.
Illegal armed formations in Donbas attacked the positions of the Ukrainian armed forces participating in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) 64 times on Thursday, July 14, widely using large-caliber artillery systems, which are banned by the Minsk peace agreements, the ATO headquarters reported on Friday morning.
"In the past 24 hours, the Russian occupation forces shelled the ATO positions in Donbas 64 times. In particular, there were 38 shelling instances in the Mariupol sector, 20 in the Donetsk sector, and six in the Luhansk sector," the ATO HQ wrote on Facebook.
The ATO strongholds in the towns of Maryinka and Krasnohorivka in the Mariupol direction came under fire from 152mm artillery systems, which are banned under the Minsk agreements.
Militants also used 122mm self-propelled artillery systems to shell Krasnohorivka. Further, they lobbed 120mm mortar shells into Maryinka and the village of Shyrokyne, which is close to the Ukrainian-controlled strategic port city of Mariupol. The villages of Vodiane, Lebedynske and Berezove came under 82mm mortar fire.
The town of Avdiyivka remains the hottest spot in the Donetsk sector. Militants used 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, large-caliber machine-guns, and small arms. They also used 120mm mortars to shell the village of Novoselivka Druha, while ATO forces in the villages of Opytne and Zaitseve were attacked with the use of 82mm mortars and grenade launchers.
The Luhansk sector saw both aimed and random fire focusing on in the villages of Novo-Oleksandrivka, Stanytsia Luhanska, and Novozvanivka.
Garda Daniel McEnery arrested Ruairi Maher, of 12 Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co Tipperary, and Jessica OConnor, of Rosebank House, Ballyhar, Killarney, Co Kerry.
Both students were charged with conspiring with another to possess a controlled drug for the purpose of sale or supply to another in Cork City on January 18 and that the drug was known as N-bomb.
Inspector Finbarr OSullivan said at Cork District Court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had already decided that the cases would not be heard at District Court level and should proceed by indictment at Cork Criminal Court.
Frank Buttimer and Andrew OConnell, solicitors, were appointed to represent Mr Maher and Ms OConnor, respectively, on free legal aid.
Judge Leo Malone said the next sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court were not scheduled until October 24, so there would be no reason for a brief adjournment while the books of evidence were prepared.
On the application of Insp OSullivan, the case was adjourned until September 15 at Cork District Court to allow time for the preparation and service of books of evidence. Mr Maher, aged 22, and Ms OConnor, aged 20, were both remanded on bail until that date.
It is anticipated that the cases will be sent forward, ultimately, for trial by judge and jury on a date to be set at the October sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
Alex Ryan, aged 18, from Liscahane, Millstreet, Co Cork, died on January 23. Last week, Cork Coroners Court heard that the teenager died after consuming the synthetic drug. He was one of six people at the party at St Patricks Terrace on Green St in Greenmount, Cork City, to have been hospitalised.
At the inquest into Mr Ryans death last week, Margot Bolster, the assistant State pathologist, said a postmortem examination had revealed that Mr Ryan died from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy lack of oxygen to the brain due to cardiac arrest from ingestion of 4-iodo-2 5-dimethoxy-n -2-methoxybenzyl) phenethylamine, or 251NBOMe, a psychedelic drug known on the streets as N-Bomb.
Witnesses reported at the time that party-goers were in states of extreme distress when they were found, with reports that some had slashed themselves with broken glass and that others were hallucinating widely.
Mr Ryans family consented to organ donation after his death, with four people in the UK benefiting .
There was no reference to the late Mr Ryan in the charges brought yesterday against Mr Maher and Ms OConnor.
Wesley Pruitt, from Idaho, got disorientated after a long days driving and collided with another car as he drove out of a garage.
Mr Pruitts wife suffered minor injuries and one of the people in the other car sustained three broken ribs, Inspector Finbarr OSullivan said yesterday at Cork District Court.
Mr Pruitt, from Frontier Road, Jerome, Idaho, was arrested by Garda Aisling Murphy and charged with dangerous driving.
Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the prosecution was prepared to accept a plea of guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving if that was acceptable to Judge Leo Malone. The judge accepted that.
Garda Murphy testified that the American visitor got confused as he drove out of a garage on Bandon Road and in effect did not wait until his passage was clear and caused the collision with the other car.
Mr Buttimer said the rental car was fully insured, the defendant had no previous convictions and he co-operated fully with the investigation.
The solicitor said Mr Pruitt had been honeymooning in Ireland with his wife for the past fortnight and had become disorientated on the journey on Wednesday, July 13 and had ended up on the wrong road before the lunchtime accident occurred. Mr Buttimer suggested that it was not an overt act of dangerous driving but was certainly at the upper end of carelessness.
Judge Malone fined him 400, which was paid immediately, on the careless driving charge. I understand, it is quite easy to make a mistake, it has happened to many Irish people on the continent, the judge said.
Denis Leahy, aged 50, of Queen Street, Dublin 7 was charged with attempting to murder Rose Kenny at School Street Flats, Dublin 8 on September 23, 2014.
On June 22 at the Central Criminal Court, Leahy pleaded guilty to the charge.
Leahy had previously pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Ms Kenny, 51, at the same address on the same date.
Yesterday, Ms Kenny read her victim impact statement to the court.
The court heard that on the morning of September 23 in 2014 she was a normal 49-year-old woman living a normal existence.
I had family obligations and I had worked since the age of 14, she said.
I always had a carefree spirit that my family and friends enjoyed. I never gave a second thought to stepping outside my house and just got on with my normal day-to-day activities.
I tried to be a good mother, a good daughter, a good sister and generally just to be a good person.
The court heard that Ms Kennys life can now be categorised into before the attempted murder on her and her life after it.
Ms Kenny read that on the morning of September 23, 2014 she left her flat to make the 40-second journey to her place of employment at the local Family Resource Centre that also operated as a creche.
I was a key holder but I never got to open that morning and have never returned to my flat that I had lived in for the past 22 years. I just couldnt walk up them stairs again where the attack happened.
Ive relocated from an area that I lived and worked all my life and had to leave a community that I so belonged to, she read.
Ms Kenny told the court that she was attacked by a man that she did not recognise as being Denis Leahy, a man she had shared many years with as her partner.
Although she is the victim, she said: I have to live with the guilt I feel of how I brought this man into my life and without knowing that I put my life and that of my daughter and family and friends life in danger.
How could I have known that he was capable of doing such gruesome things? Every day I ask myself how could I have been such a bad judge of character.
Denis Leahy will be sentenced next Thursday.
Thursday, the first full day of racing, was also Ladies Day and the customary, relatively informal inspection, through the spectacular grounds of the course, saw judges Theresa Walker, marketing manager with sponsor Dawn Milk, and Lisa Cannon from TV3s Xpose mingling with the crowd from the off.
In one of the most stylish gathering in years, the winner of the Dawn Milk Queen of Fashion wore an ensemble of vintage, department store and self-designed. The second major competition, best hat, also went to a vintage outfit.
In fact , the trend this year was one of upstyling, acccording to Ms Walker.
It was a co-incidence that both winners were vintage but this is the trend now. Everyone is putting their own take on fashion and everyone is upstyling, said Ms Walker.
It is Dawn Milks 23rd year sponsoring the Queen of Fashion at Killarney.
Lisa Cannon, who does the round of race meetings, said the style in an attendance made up of visitors, locals, and racing enthusiasts was amazing.
Winner of the Queen of Fashion was local woman Agne Kremenskiene, who wore what judges described as a classic outfit. It included a peach vintage lace dress and nude underlay, altered by Ms Kremenskiene herself.
She also designed her own hat, described as percher style in deep forest green covered in soft velvet fabric and with peach handmade flowers.
Her bag, in emerald green, and other accessories were from Killarneys TK Maxx.
Ms Kremenskiene, originally from Eastern Europe, has lived in Killarney for a number of years and has recently moved to Cork. She has worked in fashion and now has her own hat design business. And yesterday she was accompanied by a number of friends, all wearing hats she designed.
Her prize was an all-in trip for two to Paris, a crystal trophy, and flowers.
The runner up was Yvonne OReilly from Glenbeigh, in a white crepe dress. She deisgned her own outfit and got the items made the dress was made by Cait Murphy of Killarney and the black and white headpiece by Sula in Killorglin.
The second big prize of the day, with a prize of a break in Milan, Italy, the Dawn Milk most stylish hat went to Sinead Hayes from Cork. Again Ms Hayes look was vintage style the vintage style coat in baby pink was matched by a floral headpiece in baby blush pink which was designed by Marc Millinery of Douglas in Cork.
The runner-up in the hat category was Siobhan Wharton OSullivan, who wore a red and white ensemble.
Meanwhile, not only were attendances up this year on family day and on Ladies Day, but the ground for the main attraction the horses- was described as good and yielding.
Social Democrat TD Stephen Donnelly made claims in the Dail that, in one situation, a company was promoting helping children but also involved in avoiding paying huge sums of tax here.
Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald said Revenue, the Department of Finance, and the charity regulator would look at how vehicles or structures are investing in property or abusing a charity status.
Mr Donnelly described how a US vulture fund had set up its Irish subsidiary, Mars Capital, to avoid paying taxes in Ireland on its Irish profits. This mirrored other cases.
I believe these vulture funds are about to pull off the largest avoidance of tax on Irish profits in the history of the State. The scale is likely to be in the tens of billions of euro in missed taxes, said Mr Donnelly, speaking under Dail privilege.
He described how Mars Capital, a mortgage company, was owned by a registered charity, the Matheson Foundation. The charitys mission was to help Irish children to fulfil their potential.
It also contributed to causes such as the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Barnardos, and Temple Street Childrens University Hospital, TDs heard.
The company, through the charity, was not paying tax on its profits here under a corporation tax loophole called section 110, said Mr Donnelly. In one year, it had paid a total 250 on profits of 14m, the Dail heard, made from buying up distressed mortgages.
At a time when public faith in the charity sector has been rocked yet again, a childrens charity is being used to help a vulture fund avoid paying taxes to the Irish State on its Irish profits, said Mr Donnelly.
He went on to say that he understood almost all of the vulture funds whose profits are generated in Ireland have section 110 status.
How big is the scale of the tax avoidance by these vulture funds? he asked.
Such actions were costing the taxpayer potentially 20m a week, he added.
Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald said officials from the Department of Finance and Revenue were currently examining the use of certain physical vehicles for property investments.
Should investigations uncover tax avoidance schemes or abuses, then appropriate action would be taken including legislative change.
Ms Fitzgerald said separately that she had asked the charities regulator to examine Mr Donnellys concerns.
MAYBE if they were Hollywood-gorgeous and sporting sexy bra-and-thong-sets, it wouldnt be so objectionable.
Maybe if they werent hogging all the main roles.
Or, maybe if they werent there at all.
Because thats the problem women playing Ghostbusters.
The avalanche of negativity which has surrounded the re-make of the 1984 blockbuster has been described by the director as some of the most vile, misogynistic s**t Ive ever seen in my life.
The reason is simple, says Cliona Saidlear, Director of the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland. Its because women are occupying space that some men feel entitled to. Heres a selection of the comments made about the film:
Women ruin everything, whined one online troll.
Declared another: Whose genius idea was it to remake a total guy movie with an all-female cast? Good way to lose both audiences.
The re-make, by the way, was given the seal of approval by original buster Dan Ackroyd.
Nevertheless, another one of the objectors airing their reactions on YouTube and Twitter ranted that: This looks awful. An all-female cast was a big mistake.
The outraged trolls, its widely speculated, even went so far as to purposefully make the films first trailer the most down-voted on YouTube.
One social media user tweeted resentfully: Every time I watch the actual Ghostbusters movie the all-female remake makes me angrier and angrier. About the cast, another griped: Fat woman, loud black woman and two other women. How about remaking Rambo with all women? Declared someone else: Really?! Chicks? Corny jokes? Its been ruined. Damn.
Barrister and former Labour Senator Lorraine Higgins is well acquainted with trolls and their little ways she was at the receiving end of deeply misogynistic comments during and after the European elections and right up until her term in the Seanad finished last April.
I was getting abuse on a sustained basis. It was personal, abusive, deeply misogynistic; I was called vile names and issued with death threats, she recalls.
To her the storm of misogyny surrounding the advent of a team of female ghost-busters is simply evidence of the presence of a small percentage of men who want women to continue to be viewed as second class citizens who should not put their heads above the parapet.
This is about resenting female advancement in the political sphere, in business, the arts or anything else.
The trolls were also angered by the idea of Chris Hemsworth (most people are more familiar with him as Thor) playing the part of dumb blond, sex secretary Kevin the dim-witted eye-candy role that women have been forced to take on since the dawn of Hollywood itself.
Stop objectifying men, squealed one, while another griped sourly: Wow Sony feminazis, look at Thor do a womans job. Sooo funny, Ha Ha. This reboot is pure garbage and will go down in history as one of the worst films ever made. What theyre all missing, of course, is the irony in Kevin, Ghostbusters is pointing the finger at Hollywoods penchant for casting intelligent, gorgeous females as dim-witted window-dressing, solely for the purposes of objectification and gender-jokery.
Now that its a man, however, things have taken a bitter turn.
The casting of Kevin in this way questions traditional gender stereotyping after all, Kevin wouldnt be making headlines in the first place if such female stereotyping wasnt the norm but they dont like it.
Chris Hemsworth playing a bimbo secretary role is to make us reflect on how that role is being assigned to women without comment and how once a man is put playing that role, they find it utterly unacceptable, Cliona Saidlear, adding that, however, such positive movement is always followed by a virulent backlash:
When women try to get out of their place , theres always someone telling us to get back into the place. The backlash always comes on the back of any movement. This film is the movement and the backlash is the misogyny, she says.
Ghostbusters director Paul Feig described the backlash as chilling, while Melissa McCarthy has fired back at chauvinist critics of the upcoming all-female re-boot, saying she hopes they find a friend.
The US actress and comedian, who stars as Abby Yates alongside Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones in Feigs controversial new movie, made fun of the negativity:
All those comments Youre ruining my childhood! I mean, really, she said in a recent interview.
Four women doing any movie on earth will destroy your childhood? I have a visual of those people not having a Ben (her husband Ben Falcone), not having friends, so theyre just sitting there and spewing hate into this fake world of the internet. I just hope they find a friend. In a different interview she sarcastically described the online critics as terrific fellas! and joked: What they dont say when theyre typing is that one minute after they type their mum is like, Get upstairs and take out the garbage! Youre 45 years old! Leslie Jones has defended her casting, writing on Twitter:
Why cant a regular person be a Ghostbuster? Im confused. And why cant I be the one who plays them, I am a performer. Just go see the movie! Part of the problem is that the female ghostbusters are taken seriously by the film hence, as women, they dont fit the conventional Hollywood star type, observes Saidlear.
Theyre not there to look sexy so thats another thing against the film. I suspect that if they had more conventionally sexy roles, the film might not have got the backlash. However, this is about women getting out of a role which is about being sexual objects and not being out in front as strong personalities.
Whats particularly striking, believes Orla OConnor, Director of National Womens Council of Ireland, is that such a a lot is being made of an all-female ghostbusting crew:
It shows how completely unused we are to seeing female-dominated casts, and female leading roles , she muses. Its all about the fact that its an all-female Ghostbusters. It shows how the norm is seeing men in leading roles, she says, adding that she believes the resentment is an example of a knee-jerk reaction to the sight of women moving up in every sectors. Its about refusing to accept change. Whats interesting about Ghostbusters is that as soon as it was announced that there would be an all-female cast, it was immediately criticised.
There is this resentment to change and about womens equality. It has to be challenged. Labour Councillor Martina Jenockey knows how trolls operate she was targeted by vitriolic online abuse in the run up to the local elections two years ago.
The negative reaction experienced by the Ghostbusters team happens across the board its is not about any particular profession, she believes, its purely a gender issue:
It seems that when women put themselves out there they seem to attract it.
Its about men who really resent seeing women in a high profile position or having to hear their voices.
Its primarily about being anti-women the high-profile performers in the film are women. Its about their gender.
If it was a different film, one where the women were wearing sexy outfits and were not strong, funny characters but conformed to the Hollywood look then the film would be seen in a very different way!
Ghostbusters is currently screening in the cinemas.
The drive to work takes half an hour. I have coffee on the go.
Beaumont Hospital beckons on a Monday morning where we start the week with a multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting to discuss colorectal cancer cases.
7.30am
As part of the Dublin North East Hospital Group, were responsible for treating rectal cancer in an area with a large catchment population.
As a result, a substantial number of cancer cases are discussed at the MDT where the focus is on how best to manage and treat patients.
Recently the Bons became the first private hospital in Ireland to attain JAG (joint advisory group) accreditation, formal recognition that an endoscopy department is operating to the highest standards; and many of these cases are discussed also. Within the Group, I look after patients with large rectal polyps.
I trained in the US in a procedure called TAMIS (transanal minimally invasive surgery) and I manage these lesions often identified by screening colonoscopy.
10am
Inpatient consults are part of the morning agenda.
I see patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammation that causes damage to the colon) and Crohns disease (inflammation that can occur anywhere in the digestive tract).
I trained in IBD surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in the US and this is a large part of my practice.
On Fridays, I tend to operate on these and patients discussed at our MDT in Beaumont.
In 90% of these major procedures I perform laparoscopically (keyhole surgery) which leads to smaller incisions and shorter recovery times.
12.30pm
I have lunch with a colleague after tackling paperwork, such as reviewing referrals to my public and private clinic, prioritising urgent cases.
1.30pm
Monday afternoon is dedicated to surgery at the Bon Secours, including hernia operations and gallbladder surgery.
I also treat patients with proctology problems, such as haemorrhoids, fistulae and fissures.
These are rewarding cases, often with an immediate benefit to the patient.
6.30pm
I head home for dinner with my wife and hopefully in time to help put the kids to bed.
With three boys a newborn, an 18-month-old, and a three-year-old its a busy house.
John Burke, is consultant general and colorectal surgeon, at Bon Secours Hospital and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.
This award-winning design-led jewellery store is celebrating five years of business with the unveiling of a new collection, Duille Nua, or New Leaf.
The collection is designed by head-goldsmith and owner, Tuula Harrington.
This is a 9ct yellow gold leaf ring with 0.03ct diamond, 400, and silver stack ring with 0.10ct diamond in 9ct yellow gold setting, 275.
www.tuulaharrington.com
Time to update your clocks? Check out these birch-ply wall-clocks, lacquered with either zesty orange, lime green, grey or cream and with a contrasting colour splash design.
Theyre new to the Urban by Beveledge range and one is all yours for 55, available to buy from www.beveledge.ie
CREATE launched this week in Brown Thomas, Dublin, showcasing exciting emerging Irish design talent.
Now in its sixth year, the installation celebrates the work of 19 talented designers. One such s Susannagh Grogan. I love this ladybird and stripe print scarf, 125.
Find out more on www.brownthomas.com or www.susannaghgrogan.com
Showcasing at CREATE 2016 is Una Burke. Shes a multi-award winning luxury leather accessories designer and artist and lists Rihanna as one of her clients.
This shell bag is crafted by hand in her South London Atelier using vegetable tanned bovine leathers and solid brass fittings.
See www.unaburke.com or www.brownthomas.com for more details.
These colourful energy panels by Patricia Murphy make up part of the Design Island exhibition during Galway International Arts Festival.
Patricia says her work is about energy as expressed through the idea of light, weather and elemental things, you can find out more on www.patriciamurphyartist.com
Think pink with this fabulous flamingos wallpaper by Sanderson. Its 95 per roll at MRCB Paints & Papers, www.mrcb.ie
Make it a sweetie jar or a pen holder, a key keeper or a cotton bud buddy. These containers from newly-rebranded Flying Tiger Stores are limited only by your imagination. Yours for 2.
www.tiger-stores.ie
This funky Thais chest has 9 drawers that I would have absolutely no problem filling. I love the higgledy piggledy vibe.Its available from Harvey Norman,249, www.harveynorman.ie
Kyiv's Solomyansky District Court on July 14 remanded the former director of the state enterprise Ukrainian Ecological Investments to pretrial custody for 60 days, setting bail at UAH 5.5 million, according to the press service of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).
"He [the former director] is suspected of conspiring with a group of individuals to embezzle funds, UAH 480 million, received by Ukraine under the Kyoto Protocol in line with the UN Convention on Climate Change. The actions of the suspect fall under Part 2, Article 15 (intent to commit a crime), Part 5, Article 191 (using public office for personal enrichment) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
NABU's press service said they had identified four individuals involved with misappropriation of the funds received by Ukraine under the Kyoto Protocol.
A criminal case was opened into the alleged misappropriation of funds on January 21, 2016. NABU on May 16 detained the secretary of the committee for state procurements at Ukrainian Ecological Investments. The second suspect was arrested in the town of Starobilsk, Luhansk region, on June 1.
US PRESIDENT Barack Obama proclaimed to the American people, we are not as divided as we seem, in a soaring and mournful address in Dallas, Texas, to honour the lives of five police officers killed by sniper fire when a peaceful protest went horribly awry.
This is the America I know, said Obama, pointing out the way in which the Dallas police department has been on the cutting edge of criminal justice reform and community-policing initiatives nationally.
Adopting his role as his nations chief eulogiser, Obama elegantly touched on contentious truths about race, class and violence in America that exploded into national tragedy last week.
The deaths of officers Brent Thompson, Patrick Zamariripa, Michael Krol, Lorne Ahren, and Michael Smith threw into sharp relief patterns of racial injustice, poverty, violence, and bias in Americas criminal justice system, historic trends that continue into the post-civil rights era.
Black Lives Matter protests have revealed the depth and breadth of Americas fractured racial landscape, a place where poverty and institutional racism have turned into a combustible force that threatens our democracys stability.
Black people who are routinely harassed, profiled and brutalised by police in major cities and smaller hamlets reside on the outskirts of the one American family, Obama eloquently noted in his speech.
In too many cases, law enforcement approaches poor black communities as if entering another country, one that stands far apart from the unified family Obama imagines America, at its best, to be.
Issues between US police and communities "not even close" to being resolved, says Obama https://t.co/hgU1jOwKlw pic.twitter.com/zDTIJf6kpn Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 14, 2016
In Dallas, Obama suggested that, rather than viewing each other as enemies, Black Lives Matter activists and police would do better to see each other as allies in the larger fight against social injustice. That would demand not just substantive policy changes but also a cultural shift that starts at the personal level.
Obama acknowledged the presence in Dallas of social-justice advocates, who grieved alongside law enforcement officials.
He cited this display of unity as a national example for all Americans in what has been a mean season of racial tension, violence and recrimination, one that echoes the political and social turmoil associated with the 1960s.
The president recognised the limits of rhetoric: Ive seen how inadequate words can be in bringing about lasting change.
Obamas speech demanded accountability from both sides of the seemingly insurmountable divide between law enforcement and poor and working-class black communities.
We know that an overwhelming majority of police officers do an incredibly hard and dangerous job fairly and professionally, the US president observed. They are deserving of our respect and not our scorn.
He discussed how the legacies of slavery, racism, and Jim Crow, continue to haunt American society. If were honest perhaps weve heard prejudice in our own heads and felt it in our own hearts, said Obama.
None of us is innocent and no institution is entirely immune.
Shifting to his professor-in-chief mode, Obama cited ways in which the criminal-justice system continues to discriminate against people of colour.
We cant simply dismiss protests and demonstrations as political correctness or reverse racism.
Such denials by white friends and co-workers, and larger democratic institutions, is painful and wrong.
The president observed that society asks police to do too much and asks too little of ourselves, while refusing to invest in good schools, mental health care and social services required to build thriving communities.
Barack Obama pays tribute to police officers after Dallas shootings https://t.co/bQzyRCV4bu pic.twitter.com/iJhjBov1qe Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 12, 2016
Obama placed last weeks violence within the larger context of a divided political system that lacks the will to change the conditions of abject poverty, institutional racism, easy access to guns and racial tensions, which contributes to a seemingly endless cycle of violence, resentment and anxiety.
Quoting from the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, Obama urged Americans to pray for an open heart that will allow police and citizens to view each other as human beings instead of enemies. He noted how, while some in the audience may not like the phrase black lives matter, the lives of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the black men killed by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Falcon Heights, Minnesota, respectively, were important to communities and families who mourn them.
Obama demanded accountability from law enforcement and Black Lives Matter activists. He reminded the police that rooting out racial bias was not anti-police, and he told advocates of racial justice not to universally condemn the criminal-justice system.
The America I know theme, which ran throughout Obamas speech, reimagined democracys unfinished business of creating racial justice as a challenge to be confronted and addressed. It should not be viewed as an insurmountable obstacle that dooms the nation to division and destruction.
Speaking in the twilight of his administration, Obama humbly admitted that this historical moment required the kind of concerted action that transcended mere words, even those coming from a sitting American president.
On this score, Obama implored America to move beyond the dehumanization and denigration of political opponents and to see the world from a new perspective. From this vantage point, the president said, a police officer could look at a young black teenager wearing a hoodie and see his own son, instead of a dangerous thug, and a young person could view law enforcement with the respect they would give an adult in their family.
We know theres evil in this world, thats why we need police departments, Obama said. Yet, this evil, argued Obama, would always be overcome by the strength, perseverance, and goodwill of the America people.
Parts of his speech could be read as a valediction of Obamas efforts to lead the nation toward a more perfect union, even as he acknowledged his relative lack of power to inspire substantive change during the past six months of his term.
#WorldNews: Barack Obama pays tribute to slain Dallas police officers https://t.co/2FUc9R3IDV pic.twitter.com/tAp2712GGo Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 13, 2016
I believe our righteous anger can be used to produce more justice and peace moving forward, said Obama.
Such a shift, one that inspires civil yet robust debate among political opponents and that believes principled compromise can lead to national consensus, might extend the America described in Obamas brilliant speech into a place its own citizens recognise and can be proud to call home.
Peniel E Joseph is Barbara Jordan chair in ethics and political values and founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and professor of history at the University of Texas-Austin. He can be followed on Twitter at @penieljoseph
SEVEN years, 12 volumes of evidence, findings, and conclusions, and one executive summary later, the Report of the Iraq Inquiry, more commonly referred to as the Chilcot Report (after its chairman, John Chilcot), is available for one and all to read.
Few people will get through all of it; the executive summary alone (well over 100 pages) is so long that it calls for its own executive summary.
But it would be a shame if the report were not widely read and, more important, studied, because it contains some useful insights into how diplomacy operates, how policy is made, and how decisions are taken. It also reminds us of the centrality of the decision to invade Iraq in 2003, and of the aftermath, for understanding todays Middle East.
A central theme of the report is that the Iraq War did not have to happen, and certainly not when it did. The decision to go to war was partly based on faulty intelligence. Iraq constituted at most a gathering threat, not an imminent one.
Alternatives to using military force above all, strengthening Turkeys and Jordans lacklustre enforcement of and support for the UN sanctions designed to pressure Saddam Hussein were barely explored. Diplomacy was rushed.
Making matters worse was that the war was undertaken without sufficient planning and preparation for what would come after. As the report rightly points out, many in both the US and British governments predicted that chaos could emerge if Saddams iron grip were removed.
Angry reactions to Chilcot Report: This should not be the end of the matter https://t.co/lNOUHFBZBf (DOD) pic.twitter.com/jTOiMNOSDH Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 7, 2016
The decisions to disband the Iraqi army and to bar all members of Saddams Baath Party (rather than just a few of its leaders) from positions in the successor government were huge mistakes. Iraq was not just a war of choice; it was an ill-advised and poorly executed policy.
Much of the report focuses on British calculations and then-prime minister Tony Blairs support for US policy. The decision to associate the UK with the United States was a defensible strategic choice for a smaller country that derived much of its influence from the closeness of the bilateral relationship.
Where the Blair government got it wrong was in not pressing for more influence over the policy in exchange for its support. George W Bushs administration might well have rejected such efforts, but the British government could then have exercised the option of distancing itself from a policy that many believed was unlikely to succeed.
Many lessons should be taken from the Iraq War. One is that, because assumptions fundamentally affect what analysts tend to see when they look at intelligence, flawed assumptions can lead to dangerously flawed policies.
Nearly everyone assumed that Saddams non-compliance with United Nations inspectors stemmed from the fact that he was hiding weapons of mass destruction. In fact, he was hiding the fact he did not have such weapons.
Likewise, before they started the war, many policymakers believed that democracy would emerge quickly once Saddam was gone. Ensuring that such fundamental and consequential assumptions are tested by red teams those not supporting the associated policy should be standard operating procedure.
Alastair Campbell: Chilcot report shows no sexing up of WMD dossier https://t.co/ozuugmunbQ (DOD) pic.twitter.com/ZnxIZpjks9 Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 7, 2016
There is also the reality that removing governments, as difficult as that can be, is not nearly as difficult as creating the security that a new government needs to consolidate its authority and earn legitimacy in the eyes of the public. Creating anything like a democracy in a society lacking many of its most basic prerequisites is a task of decades, not months.
The report said little about the legacy of the Iraq War, but it is important to consider. First and foremost, the war disrupted the regional balance of power. No longer in a position to distract and balance Iran, Iraq instead came under Iranian influence.
Iran was free not just to develop a meaningful nuclear programme, but to intervene directly and via proxies in several countries. Sectarian fighting poisoned relations between Sunnis and Shia throughout the region. The alienation felt by soldiers and officers of Saddams disbanded army fueled Sunni insurgency and, ultimately, led to the rise of the so-called Islamic State.
The war had a profound effect not just on Iraq and the Middle East, but also on the UK and the US. The British parliamentary vote in 2013 against participation in any military effort to penalise Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for defying explicit warnings not to use chemical weapons in his countrys civil war was surely related to the view that military intervention in Iraq had been a mistake. It is also possible that some of the mistrust of elites that led a majority of voters to support Brexit stemmed from the Iraq War experience.
The Iraq War and its aftermath similarly affected the thinking of US President Barack Obamas administration, which had little appetite for new military ventures in the Middle East at a time when many Americans were suffering from intervention fatigue.
The danger, of course, is that lessons can be overlearned. The lesson of the Iraq War should not be that all armed interventions in the Middle East or elsewhere are to be avoided, but rather that they must only be undertaken when they are the best available strategy and when the results are likely to justify the costs. Libya was a recent intervention that violated this principle; Syria has been even more costly, but in its case for what was not done.
Tony Blair faces calls for Iraq war legal action after Chilcot Report https://t.co/Nbr2yM6hbY pic.twitter.com/o6e6lFbcjo Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 7, 2016
The Iraq War was costly enough without people learning the wrong lessons from it. That would be the ultimate irony and only add to the tragedy.
Richard N Haass is president of the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of War of Necessity, War of Choice: A Memoir of Two Iraq Wars. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2016.
They wont go away. No amount of tea or cake will silence their concerns and those demanding leadership change are just waiting for the Taoiseach to slip up again before taking their next shot.
Nonetheless, the mini-rebellion will stand down for the moment, content in the knowledge Kenny knows they can raise a storm and will over issues that matter for ordinary TDs.
At the centre of the criticism is the reappointment of Senator James Reilly as deputy party leader. Understandably, the former minister accused his critics this week of using him as a proxy to get to Kenny.
Several of the TDs involved deny this. Their concerns are about what might happen if there was a snap election and Fianna Fail were riding high in the polls.
Real change is wanted for the party, especially after its loss of 26 seats in the election and a low level of support emerging in polls.
As sure as day follows night, there will be another cock up. There was no big hit, the dissidents were shot down by the loyalists but there a change of guard coming, said one experienced TD.
While there is no strategy around how Fine Gaelers might press Kenny again to step aside, many expect those who got no rewards after the election to stay snapping at his heels.
Some people got ministries, some got junior ministeries while some just got coffee, said one party insider yesterday. This was in reference to Kennys attempt to calm nerves after the heated Wednesday night party meeting by bringing rebel TDs for tea and coffee in the Leinster House canteen. This wont be enough.
The show of affection in the canteen was the Taoiseachs doing, it wont work, said one rebel TD.
In the meantime, the two favourites to head any leadership race, Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Simon Coveney, are said not to want any contest right now. Timing is everything.
It is understood Coveney is also willing to give the Taoiseach his own time to decide when to go. That level of trust though is not clear when it comes to Varadkar, say party insiders.
He will do it in his own time. He wont be pushed around, said one Cabinet source about Kenny.
A lot of Kenny loyalists would also look to Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald as a natural successor and the justice minister should not be ruled out as having a strong chance, if a vacancy arises.
In the meantime, party dissidents (who are quite happy to label themselves that) are content in the knowledge they have forced the first big conversation about Kennys leadership since the last failed heave in 2010. Those TDs will watch over the summer, and particularly in September, for an opportunity to push for leadership change again.
The logical argument is that he goes in September, in an orderly and calm fashion. But by putting a gun to his head, that will make it much harder, said a magnanimous rebel TD.
Algerians don't remember too much "egalite, liberte and fraternite" from their horrific war of independence with France between 1954 and 1962 which France attempted to suppress with appalling ferocity. French estimates of the death toll run to about 450,000 while the Alergian estimate is 1.5 million people.
The 50th anniversary of the peace agreement was marked with official queasiness but it was then-President Sarkozy who came out in the city of Nice with the line, "There were atrocities on both sides... but France cannot repent having conducted this war."
When I visited refugee camps in Greece last month "being sent to France" was a running bad joke among the Syrians who mostly seemed to see France as an oppressor.
Travelling around Tunisia and Morocco I have had cause to be glad we were colonised by the British and not the French for they are countries in which the ability to self-govern seems to have been severely compromised.
Our lack of any will to understand that we westerners are often seen as savage oppressors in the Muslim world creates the vacuum into which leaders like Tony Blair and George W. Bush can step and create mayhem. Which in turn creates a scenario for a lone psychopathic Tunisian to con himself that there is justice in ploughing into innocent people out enjoying themselves on a public holiday.
Which in turn creates a scenario for a lone psychopathic Tunisian to con himself that there is justice in ploughing into innocent people out enjoying themselves on a public holiday.
Even a glance at the main findings of the Chilcot report into the Iraq War should bring a chill to the heart of every citizen of the western world.
It makes clear that there was no urgency about disarming or effecting regime change in Iraq. British intelligence believed Iraq probably had biological and chemical weapons, because the US had sold Saddam Hussein anthrax and Thatchers government approved chemical and munitions factories there.
Theresa May makes her first speech as Britain's prime minister outside her new home https://t.co/VPlfMBjLlx pic.twitter.com/zE4SksUpka Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 13, 2016
But they asked: Why is it now so urgent that we should take military action to disarm a military capacity that has been there for 20 years and which we helped to create? As for Iraq posing a terrorist threat, British Intelligence had told its government that there was no evidence of any collaboration between Iraq and Islamic terrorists and they judged it unlikely.
Yet the pretence for the invasion of Iraq was 9/11 and Chilcot says that Mr Blair encouraged President Bush to address the issue of Iraq in the context of a wider strategy to confront terrorism after the attacks. I have always seen the 9/11 context as a convenient excuse for regime change considered necessary for the free flow of oil out of the region. After reading Chilcot, I have changed my mind. It seems paranoia gripped the US and UK establishments after 9/11, born from their astonishment that mere
I have always seen the 9/11 context as a convenient excuse for regime change considered necessary for the free flow of oil out of the region. After reading Chilcot, I have changed my mind. It seems paranoia gripped the US and UK establishments after 9/11, born from their astonishment that mere A-rabs could launch a major attack on western soil.
Blair himself conflated al Qaeda with Iraq when asked if he was worried that an invasion would recruit Islamic terrorists: Unless we take action against them, they will grow.
How could it be argued that attacking Saddam Hussein would disarm al Qaeda, unless from the position that Arabs are all the same? Arabs or anyone else silly enough to wear tea-towels on their heads, such as Afghans had to be taught once and for all who was boss.
We tend to forget that Islamic terrorism and indeed the war on terror originated in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the last stand-off of the Cold War between the USSR and the US.
Afghanistan, sitting as it does bang in the middle of the Passage to India and all that tea, was invaded by Britain in 1839, 1878, and 1919 but the only policy they evolved in relation to this mountainous country was to arm the locals against each other.
Tony Blair regrets not disputing WMD claims before Iraq war https://t.co/bmdbywhzt5 (DOD) pic.twitter.com/OQlYqtCSdL Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 8, 2016
The Soviets, who invaded in 1979 were defeated by local Islamist fighters armed by the US and controlled by Pakistan. Back then, American paranoia was mostly triggered by Russkies, not Muslims. As Afghanistan expert Christina Lamb puts it in her book, Farewell Kabul, the US was happy to use Islam as a rallying cry.
The University of Nebraska produced textbooks for primary school-children known as the ABC of Jihad which contained such charming ditties as J is for Jihad. Jihad is an obligation.
The Americans were apparently delighted to see the Afghan Jihad attract fighters from all over the Middle East and Lamb says reception centres were set up for Arabs in Pakistans airports. They were particularly delighted when a rich Saudi arrived called Osama Bin Laden.
The US set up Afghanistan as the perfect laboratory conditions in which to grow the Islamist terrorist movement which plotted 9/11. They temporarily defeated the Taliban in the wake of the atrocity But Christina Lambs portrait of US-mandate in Afghanistan is devastating.
She writes of Tarts and Taliban dress-up parties in western compounds, of poor and under-resourced military planning and of walking into President Karzais HQ to find his officials watching Tom and Jerry cartoons.
Meanwhile Islamist terrorism was allowed to fester, ISIS was forming in Iraqs Camp Bucca and Osama Bin Laden had a nice house less than a kilometre from Pakistans leading military academy.
Tony Blair allied with George Bush months before war https://t.co/NvhVCQX29d (DOD) pic.twitter.com/qv9CfRNxKz Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 7, 2016
Everything about the taking out of Bin Laden compounded Western errors. There was no fire fight, as Barack Obama told the American people. Bin Laden was shot at point blank range, watched on TV by Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton back in Washington. We got him, announced Obama, as if he had just caught a big fish.
Back in an aircraft hangar in Afghanistan Admiral William McRaven laid Bin Ladens corpse out to measure it and make sure he had the right man but he didnt have a measuring tape. Obama later presented him with a measuring tape mounted on a plaque.
The fiction of a West so powerful it can win wars while watching telly has continued. Any remaining hummock of moral high ground was abandoned. Bin Ladens son Hamza is vowing to take revenge for his fathers death and he will succeed.
Radical Islamic terrorism is clearly a response to Western imperialist invasions of Islamic countries. The taking out of Arab dictators such as Saddam Hussein and Bashar-al-Assad has cleared the ground for the growth of Islamic terrorism but the hatred of the Western Crusader has been their rallying cry.
Tony Blair was explicitly warned by British intelligence that an invasion of Iraq would act as a recruiting sergeant for a young generation through the Islamic and Arab world and his numbskull response was that the West had to get its retaliation in first. It seems any Arab nation would do.
A quarter of a million people died in the Iraq War, including 179,585 civilians. At least 92,000 Afghans have been killed since 2001, 26,000 of them civilians. We are faced with the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. And Theresa May, who voted for the invasion of Iraq, has a tough stance on immigration as her calling card.
Chilcot must mark the end the use of Shannon by US military. It is time for Ireland to move definitively away from the UK and the US on foreign policy and take the line of France and Germany who refused point blank to support this mindless invasion.
****
THE FULL TEXT OF VICTORIA'S ORIGINAL COLUMN
Radical Islamic terrorism a response to our Western imperialist invasions
Is it time for Ireland to move definitively away from the UK and the US on foreign policy, asks Victoria White
EXACTLY a week since the Chilcot Report found that one British prime minister had undermined the UN by invading a sovereign state due to an unfounded conviction that it posed a terrorist threat a new prime minister eis installed whose big promise is a tough stance on immigration.
Earlier this year Theresa May even suggested ending the UKs support of the European Convention on Human Rights because it tied their hands when seeking to deport foreign nationals. Her big win was the deportation of Islamic cleric Abu Qatada though it was claimed he might face torture in Jordan. He was eventually found not guilty of any links with terrorism.
She hasnt come out with Donald Trump and said shes going to stop Muslims coming to the UK. Shes just said shes going to bring immigration down to sustainable levels. I predict a wee difference of opinion as to what is a sustainable level of immigration between Brexit voters and those in the EU negotiating the UKs access to their markets.
The Tories have done Tony Blair a big favour by creating such a rumpus this week that Chilcot has virtually disappeared from the news media. But even a glance at its main findings should bring a chill to the heart of every citizen of the western world.
It makes clear that there was no urgency about disarming or effecting regime change in Iraq. British intelligence believed Iraq probably had biological and chemical weapons, because the US had sold Saddam Hussein anthrax and Thatchers government approved chemical and munitions factories there.
But they asked: Why is it now so urgent that we should take military action to disarm a military capacity that has been there for 20 years and which we helped to create? As for Iraq posing a terrorist threat, British Intelligence had told its government that there was no evidence of any collaboration between Iraq and Islamic terrorists and they judged it unlikely.
Yet the pretence for the invasion of Iraq was 9/11 and Chilcot says that Mr Blair encouraged President Bush to address the issue of Iraq in the context of a wider strategy to confront terrorism after the attacks. I have always seen the 9/11 context as a convenient excuse for regime change considered necessary for the free flow of oil out of the region. After reading Chilcot, I have changed my mind. It seems paranoia gripped the US and UK establishments after 9/11, born from their astonishment that mere A-rabs could launch a major attack on western soil.
Blair himself conflated al Qaeda with Iraq when asked if he was worried that an invasion would recruit Islamic terrorists: Unless we take action against them, they will grow. How could it be argued that attacking Saddam Hussein would disarm al Qaeda, unless from the position that Arabs are all the same? Arabs or anyone else silly enough to wear tea-towels on their heads, such as Afghans had to be taught once and for all who was boss.
We tend to forget that Islamic terrorism and indeed the war on terror originated in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the last stand-off of the Cold War between the USSR and the US.
Afghanistan, sitting as it does bang in the middle of the Passage to India and all that tea, was invaded by Britain in 1839, 1878, and 1919 but the only policy they evolved in relation to this mountainous country was to arm the locals against each other.
The Soviets, who invaded in 1979 were defeated by local Islamist fighters armed by the US and controlled by Pakistan. Back then, American paranoia was mostly triggered by Russkies, not Muslims. As Afghanistan expert Christina Lamb puts it in her book, Farewell Kabul, the US was happy to use Islam as a rallying cry.
The University of Nebraska produced textbooks for primary school-children known as the ABC of Jihad which contained such charming ditties as J is for Jihad. Jihad is an obligation. The Americans were apparently delighted to see the Afghan Jihad attract fighters from all over the Middle East and Lamb says reception centres were set up for Arabs in Pakistans airports. They were particularly delighted when a rich Saudi arrived called Osama Bin Laden.
The US set up Afghanistan as the perfect laboratory conditions in which to grow the Islamist terrorist movement which plotted 9/11. They temporarily defeated the Taliban in the wake of the atrocity But Christina Lambs portrait of US-mandate in Afghanistan is devastating. She writes of Tarts and Taliban dress-up parties in western compounds, of poor and under-resourced military planning and of walking into President Karzais HQ to find his officials watching Tom and Jerry cartoons.
Meanwhile Islamist terrorism was allowed to fester, ISIS was forming in Iraqs Camp Bucca and Osama Bin Laden had a nice house less than a kilometre from Pakistans leading military academy.
Everything about the taking out of Bin Laden compounded Western errors. There was no fire fight, as Barack Obama told the American people. Bin Laden was shot at point blank range, watched on TV by Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton back in Washington. We got him, announced Obama, as if he had just caught a big fish.
Back in an aircraft hangar in Afghanistan Admiral William McRaven laid Bin Ladens corpse out to measure it and make sure he had the right man but he didnt have a measuring tape. Obama later presented him with a measuring tape mounted on a plaque.
The fiction of a West so powerful it can win wars while watching telly has continued. Any remaining hummock of moral high ground was abandoned. Bin Ladens son Hamza is vowing to take revenge for his fathers death and he will succeed.
Radical Islamic terrorism is clearly a response to Western imperialist invasions of Islamic countries. The taking out of Arab dictators such as Saddam Hussein and Bashar-al-Assad has cleared the ground for the growth of Islamic terrorism but the hatred of the Western Crusader has been their rallying cry.
Tony Blair was explicitly warned by British intelligence that an invasion of Iraq would act as a recruiting sergeant for a young generation through the Islamic and Arab world and his numbskull response was that the West had to get its retaliation in first. It seems any Arab nation would do.
A quarter of a million people died in the Iraq War, including 179,585 civilians. At least 92,000 Afghans have been killed since 2001, 26,000 of them civilians. We are faced with the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. And Theresa May, who voted for the invasion of Iraq, has a tough stance on immigration as her calling card.
Chilcot must mark the end the use of Shannon by US military. It is time for Ireland to move definitively away from the UK and the US on foreign policy and take the line of France and Germany who refused point blank to support this mindless invasion.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna and, more improbably, the US pop star Cher were among those to comment after the appointment of the blond Brexiteer-in-chief to the UKs top diplomatic post.
Outgoing US president Barack Obama, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan are among those who Mr Johnson has turned his attention to in recent weeks.
In April the MP for Uxbridge and Ruislip was criticised for describing Mr Obama as a part-Kenyan who harboured an ancestral dislike of Britain.
He made the comments in a newspaper article in April after the USs first black president came out in favour of the Remain campaign during a visit to Britain.
Labour MP Chuka Umunna, whose father was Nigerian, tweeted after Mr Johnsons new role was revealed, saying: Foreign secretary Boris Johnsons first official meeting with president Obama will be interesting. Suggest it starts with the word sorry.
Mr Johnson followed his comments on Mr Obama by winning 1,000 (1,200) in a competition run by the Spectator magazine the following month, for a limerick he composed describing Mr Erdogan having sex with a goat and calling him a wankerer, to rhyme with the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Last November local officials called off a visit to Palestine on safety grounds after the then-London mayor told an audience in Tel Aviv that a trade boycott of Israeli goods was completely crazy and supported by corduroy, jacketed, snaggle- toothed, lefty academics in the UK.
Palestinian officials accused him of adopting a misinformed and disrespectful pro-Israel stance and said he risked creating protests if he visited the West Bank, although Mr Johnson claimed his comments were very much whipped up on social media.
The month previously he had made a more light-hearted gaffe when he was filmed knocking over a 10-year-old Japanese schoolboy during a game of street rugby on a visit to Tokyo.
In 2008 Mr Johnson apologised for a Daily Telegraph column written six years previously, while the MP for Henley, in which he described the Queen being greeted in Commonwealth countries by flag-waving piccaninnies a derogatory term for black children.
The same column mentioned then prime minister Tony Blair being greeted by tribal warriors who will all break out in watermelon smiles on an upcoming visit to the Congo.
In a November 2007 column in the same paper he described Hillary Clinton as having a steely blue stare, like a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital.
After sacking Mr Camerons right-hand man George Osborne within hours of taking office on Wednesday, Ms May went on to take the axe to Michael Gove, Oliver Letwin, Nicky Morgan and John Whittingdale.
But Jeremy Hunt kept his job as health secretary, despite being widely-tipped for the chop.
The new PM rewarded her leadership campaign manager Chris Grayling with the post of transport secretary, adding him to the phalanx of Leave backers in cabinet which already included Boris Johnson, Liam Fox and David Davis.
Michael Gove
Labour said the appointment of a string of right-wingers contradicted Ms Mays warm words on her entry into 10 Downing Street about seeking to govern not for a privileged few, but for every one of us.
Shadow cabinet minister Jon Ashworth said: Theresa Mays appointments are completely out of kilter with her words on the steps of Downing Street yesterday.
"Its difficult to see this new-look Cabinet as anything other than a sharp shift to the right by the Tories. The test now is to demonstrate that all members of the Tory Government are wholly committed to the priorities Theresa May set out yesterday.
Jeremy Hunt
Ms May announced changes to the machinery of Whitehall which spelled the end for the department of energy and climate change established by Gordon Brown in 2008 to lead the UKs contribution to the fight against global warming.
Greg Clark was appointed to the new role of secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, while his old role at the head of the department for communities and local government went to former business secretary Sajid Javid, in an effective job-swap.
The business departments responsibilities for universities, further education, skills and apprenticeships were transferred to the department for education under its new secretary of state Justine Greening, who also became minister for women and equalities.
Chris Grayling
She replaced Ms Morgan, who made clear her departure was unwilling by saying she was disappointed to lose the job.
Green MP Caroline Lucas denounced the decision to shut down DECC as a serious backwards step, as it would mean no dedicated minister for climate change at the cabinet table.
Meanwhile, failed leadership candidate Stephen Crabbs
job of work and pensions secretary went to Damian Green, who served under Ms May at the Home Office for four years as immigration minister and policing minister until his surprise sacking by Mr Cameron in 2014.
And Ms Mays former number two at the Home Office, James Brokenshire, entered the cabinet for the first time as Northern Ireland secretary, replacing Theresa Villiers.
Andrea Leadson
Ms Villiers announced she was resigning from the government after Ms May told her she was being moved from the post she had held for almost four years and offered her a job which was not one which I felt I could take on.
A week after seeing his hopes of the Tory leadership dashed when he came third in a poll of Tory MPs, Mr Gove lost his justice secretary job to Liz Truss, who became the first female lord chancellor in the 1,000-year history of the role.
Prominent Brexit backer Andrea Leadsom was promoted from energy minister to the cabinet role of secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs.
James Brokenshire
Karen Bradley, who worked under Ms May at the Home Office, was promoted to culture secretary, while prominent Brexit campaigner Priti Patel became international development secretary as the new PM boosted the representation of women around the cabinet table.
Other eye-catching appointments on the second day of the formation of Ms Mays government included former transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin as Conservative Party chairman and chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster.
Alun Cairns kept his job as Wales secretary and Mr Camerons former parliamentary aide Gavin Williamson became chief whip.
Sacked ministers put a brave face on their departures in public statements. Mr Gove said that being a cabinet minister for six years had been an enormous privilege and wished the new government the best of luck, while Mr Whittingdale wished his successor every success.
More than a quarter (27%) of women are planning an all-female holiday in the next two years, a survey commissioned by travel insurer Sheilas Wheels found.
Some 11% of this group intend to visit either India, Egypt, Turkey or Kenya, which are in the top 10 danger spots for female travellers as defined by the International Womens Travel Centre.
Burma Govt Forms Committee to Prevent Interreligious Violence
A committee involving senior members of the government is formed to prevent and mitigate interreligious violence, in cooperation with local authorities.
RANGOON The government has formed a high-level Emergency Management Central Committee tasked with preventing and mitigating interreligious violence in Burma, according to a statement from the Presidents Office.
According to the statement, prepared on Tuesday but released on Friday morning, the committee includes Vice President (2) Henry Van Thio, ministers of defense and other Union ministries, the attorney general, ministers from state and divisional administrations, and police commanders.
The committee will work to prevent other religious problems in the country, and clamp down on instigations of violence, the statement read.
The committee will work directly with state, divisional and also local-level authorities, including branches of the police. It will also work, if required, with civil society on strategies to preempt violence locally, and will make use of media to spread awareness and combat any harmful instigations coming from within the media.
More detailed plans will be worked on in consultation with state and divisional governments, and training will be provided to the latter on how to manage incidents and conflagrations.
Burma has seen bouts of anti-Muslim religious violence across the country in recent years, most recently in Pegu Division, where the government refused to take action against those responsible, and Kachin State, where some arrests have been made.
The ultra-nationalist Buddhist monks association Ma Ba Tha, which has been accused of fomenting anti-Muslim violence through hate campaigns, was declared illegitimate by the State Sangha Maya Nayaka Committee, the highest clerical authority in Burma, on Tuesday evening.
On Thursday, Culture and Religious Affairs Minister Aung Ko said that, if Ma Ba Tha kept making problems with other religions, disturbing the peace and flouting Buddhist discipline, the government would take action against them according to the existing laws.
Burma Human-Elephant Conflict Threatens Wild Elephant Population
Burmas wild elephant population declines due to increased human-elephant conflict, loss of habitat and illegal poaching.
RANGOON She was born in a small ravine in Burmas Southern Arakan mountain range bordering the Irrawaddy Division. The heavy raindrops of monsoon season were her first shower.
Deep forests in the Arakan mountain range would have been her home if her mother hadnt left her in the ravine when bamboo harvesters shooed her away without knowing they were together. The bamboo harvesters brought the wild, newborn elephant to Dr. Myo Min Aung, veterinarian and head of the Myanmar Timber Enterprises (MTE) Emergency Elephant Response Unit in Irrawaddy Division.
He named her Mi Kaunt Ya which translates to adopted girl. She survived for 23 days and died from diarrhea on July 3 at the Thayet-san elephant camp in Irrawaddys Hinthada district.
Her case is one of many consequences of human-elephant conflicts, Myo Min Aung told The Irrawaddy, explaining how his team tried to care for the days-old Mi Kaunt Ya.
It was actually a misunderstanding between the bamboo harvesters and the mother elephant, he said. The mother elephant wasnt there to harm anyone but was giving birth to her child.
He added that similar human-elephant conflicts happen in Irrawaddy Division frequently, as the region has a remarkable concentration of wild elephants.
Burma is home to 4,000-5,000 wild Asian elephants and has the worlds largest captive elephant population with nearly 5,000, according to the UK-based EleAid Asian Elephant Conservation. The countrys wild elephant population has been in dramatic decline throughout the past few decades, due to loss of habitat and illegal poaching and trading of elephant body parts, EleAid said.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Myanmar) facilitated a workshop in Naypyidaw last week to address human-elephant conflict and conservation of the countrys wild elephant population.
Human-elephant conflicts happen when wild elephants come close to villages where there could be paddy fields, in search of food because of the loss of their original habitat, Ye Min Thwin, WWF-Myanmar communication officer, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday.
When wild elephants come close to humans, people shoo them away or capture them, he said. Our plan is to find ways that could minimize harm for both parties, in areas where the possibility of frequent conflict between the two sides exists.
He explained that the conflict will not cease completely. But when working toward conservation efforts, people who live in communities near elephant habitats need to be educated in order to adapt their behaviors during such conflicts, he added.
Conserving elephant habitatsthe most effective way to reduce these conflictsis not only advantageous to humans and elephants, but also benefits other wild animals, forestry conservation and climate, Ye Min Thwin of WWF-Myanmar said.
Burma started designing the Myanmar Elephant Conservation Action Plan (MECAP) last year in coordination with international environmental conservation groups and the draft is almost complete, according to WWF-Myanmar.
Last August, a group of six wild elephants got lost in central Burma and wandered around, destroying paddy fields and scaring local villagers. Officials from the forestry department had to get them back to the forest. Unfortunately, one baby elephant was separated from the group and had to be kept under the forestry departments control.
During the workshop in Naypyidaw last week, the minister of natural resources and environmental conservation highlighted the increase of land utilization and illegal hunting, which contribute to frequent incidents of human-elephant conflict.
Recognizing the decline of the elephant population in the country, minister Ohn Win said, It is important to address weak policies and recommend suitable ones that are in accordance with the current times in order to manage human-elephant conflict mitigation successfully.
Myo Min, director of the ministrys forestry department, told The Irrawaddy that the workshop came up with seven main recommendations including conducting surveys on human-elephant conflicts and elephant occupancy across the country, drawing standard land use maps, and forming elephant emergency response units in areas where there are frequent incidents.
It is necessary to implement effective control of illegal hunting and limit access to forests in order to reduce conflicts, said Khin Maung Win, chairman of Save Elephant Foundation-Myanmar. Under Burmas wildlife and natural area protection laws, violators can face imprisonment from three to seven years. But Khin Maung Win urged wildlife laws specifically covering elephants be enacted as well.
To control poachers, there needs to be specific laws just for elephants not covering all wild animals, because then its quite generic and vague when taking legal action, Khin Maung Win told The Irrawaddy.
At the same time, it is also important that humans be aware that elephants are also afraid of them, and wont come to villages without reason, he explained.
Humans can scare elephants and conflict can happen when elephants try to protect themselves or their companies and babies, he said. But its natural that people dont like elephants eating their paddy fields.
Thats why we need to educate people who live close to elephant habitats and train them on how to manage such incidents, he added.
For Dr. Myo Min Aung, the case of Mi Kaunt Ya was a life lesson. He confessed that he did not have experience in dealing with wild elephant calves and could not give her the veterinary care required to save her life.
I wish an incident like this doesnt happen again or, that I am able to give proper care if it does happen again in future, he said.
Burma Nationalist Provocateur Let Free in Defamation Case
Ma Ba Tha supporter Nay Myo Wai, accused of sharing Facebook posts defaming top national leaders, is let free by a court citing insufficient evidence.
PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division After being detained for over two months for allegedly defaming the countrys top leaders on social media, ultra-nationalist provocateur Nay Myo Wai was discharged by a court in Irrawaddy Division on Friday.
Nay Myo Wai is a vocal supporter of the Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha and serves as chairman of the Peace and Diversity Party, which contested the November general election on a hardline anti-Muslim platform but failed to win a seat.
Nay Myo Wai has in recent years been a notorious propagator of anti-Muslim sentiment on Facebook, and has also taken part in public demonstrations alongside Ma Ba Tha and other hardline groups.
Wai Yan Aung, an executive member of the Burma Teachers Federation, filed a lawsuit against Nay Myo Wait under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, accusing him of sharing posts on social media that defamed President Htin Kyaw, Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi.
The offending posts featured doctored of images of Suu Kyi as a beggar and others portraying her in sexually suggestive positions. A photo of Min Aung Hlaing was overlaid with a speech bubble saying that he wouldnt stage a coup because he wished to have an affair with Suu Kyi.
Another post called Htin Kyaw the president of a government formed by the prostitute and kalar party, referring to the ruling National League for Democracy and using a word used pejoratively to describe Muslims and people of Indian descent in Burma.
Article 66(d) carries a punishment of up to three years imprisonment for using a telecommunications network to defame, and was used in several instances by the previous government to imprison those who mocked the president and military on social media.
Nay Myo Wai was arrested on May 4 just outside of Rangoon and has since been kept in a jail in Pathein, the Irrawaddy Division capital. On June 5, Ma Ba Tha publicly demanded his release, claiming the offending posts had been issued under fake Facebook accounts bearing his name.
The litigant Wai Yan Aung said that, during a trial hearing on Friday at a court in Irrawaddy Divisions Kangyidaunt Township, Nay Myo Wai denied that he had personally shared the offending Facebook posts.
The judge decided to discharge him saying there was not enough evidence to accuse him of personally sharing the posts, Wai Yan Aung said.
The judge made the decision without properly questioning the witnesses, said Wai Yan Aung, who insisted that it was Nay Myo Wai who was behind the Facebook posts and photos that instigated unrest and defamed leaders.
I doubt the judiciarys uprightness, said Wai Yan Aung.
More than 60 of Nay Myo Wais supporters showed up at the trial and cheered his name when the favorable verdict was handed down.
The State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, the high clerical council appointed by the government to oversee Buddhist monastic discipline in Burma, declared on Tuesday that Ma Ba Tha was not a lawful monks association.
Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs Aung Ko has said that a Hate Speech lawwhich would criminalize verbal attacks on other religionsis being developed in consultation with interfaith groups comprising members of Burmas various religious communities.
The Presidents Office announced on Friday the formation of a high-level Emergency Management Central Committee tasked with preventing and mitigating interreligious violence in Burma.
Such moves could indicate a new willingness from the government to confront Buddhist ultra-nationalism and anti-Muslim hate speech, which have grown in Burma recent yearsthanks partly to rocketing social media usage and increased freedom of expression. Its growth was abetted by what critics have variously called a timid, indulgent or even collusive approach from the previous administration of President Thein Sein.
One Ukrainian citizen was killed and another wounded in the Nice terror attack, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has said.
"According to the preliminary information coming from the Ukrainian Embassy in France, one person was killed and another was injured," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mariana Betsa told Interfax-Ukraine.
The night before a heavy truck drove at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice, after which the driver opened fire on passers-by. The truck driver, a 31-year-old native of Tunisia, a French citizen, was shot dead by police. After the attack small arms and ammunition was found in the truck.
French President Francois Hollande called the terrorist attack in the French Nice a tragedy.
According to the French Interior Ministry, the number of victims of terrorist attacks in Nice has increased to 84 people. More than two dozen people are in critical condition.
Burma Aung Kyi to Head Govt-Linked Peace Think Tank
An old regime stalwart heads a new think tank linked to the governments peace secretariat, alongside veterans of the peace process under Thein Sein.
RANGOON Aung Kyi, an information minister under the previous Thein Sein government, has been appointed head of a new three-member think tank adjoined to the governments re-branded peace secretariat, which includes various peace process veterans from the previous government.
The new think tank is an adjunct to a six-member peace commission created on July 11 under the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), a peace secretariatnow chaired by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyiknown under the previous government as the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), which facilitated peace talks with Burmas various non-state ethnic armed groups.
The think tank also includes Min Zaw Oo, formerly the director of ceasefire negotiation and implementation under the MPC, and Hla Maung Shwe, another MPC veteran who is currently secretary of the 21st Century Panglong peace conference. It is charged with advising the peace commission in furthering Burmas peace process, and aiding in the design of NRPC policy.
The peace commission is chaired by Tin Myo Win, with Thein Zaw as his deputy, who was vice-chair of the Union Peace-Making Work Committee, the key peace negotiation body under the previous government. Ex Army Lt-Gen Khin Zaw Oo is the secretary of the commission. Professor Aung Tun Thet, an economic advisor to the Thein Sein government, Naing Ngan Linn, Rangoon Division social affairs minister, and Lower House lawmaker Aung Soe are also members.
Aung Kyi has served in the military and government administration for more than 50 years. He graduated among the 40th intake at the Officers Training School, and rose to the rank of major general in the Burma Army before being transferred to the Ministry of Immigration and Population, where he served as deputy minister from May 2006 under the military junta.
He was appointed as deputy labor minister in November 2006, during a time of increased pressure from the International Labor Organization, and was made labor minister the following year.
In October 2007, Aung Kyi was charged with conducting negotiations with pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, while she was under house arrest. He was the highest-ranking official in 19 years to have been given this brief, and met with Suu Kyi nine times up until January 2010.
Under the reformist Thein Sein administration, Aung Kyi concurrently served as minister of labor and of social welfare, before he was appointed information minister in 2012. He was replaced by his deputy Ye Htut in July 2014; according to a statement from the government, Aung Kyi was allowed to resign of his own volitiona phrase commonly used by the former military regime on sacking high-ranking officials.
Aung Kyi has published books on state building, politics and conflict resolution under the penname Min Ba Htoo.
Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
Business Traders Call on Govt to Support Jade Market
Jade traders in Mandalay collect signatures to accompany a proposal requesting government support for an improved jade market.
RANGOON Jade traders in Mandalay have collected signatures to accompany a proposal requesting government support for a better jade market, they told The Irrawaddy on Friday.
As Burmas jade market began to decline last year, traders called on the countrys leadership to address the market situation.
On July 12, traders in Mandalay initiated a signature campaign to collect and send their ideas on how to improve the market to government representatives ranging from State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi to Union and regional ministers.
Were expecting to get more than 100,000 signatures to send our suggestions to seven parties, as we have seriously suffered the worse jade market situation [in years], said Aung Win Oo, owner of the Diamond Gold Star jade trading company in Mandalay.
Mandalay jade traders aim to submit signatures and accompanying proposals to government members and political parties before end of July and to coincide with the start of the next session of Parliament.
Jade traders in both Mandalay and Rangoon have attributed the cooling of the jade market to uncertainty linked to the transition of political power from a military-backed to a civilian-led government in Burma earlier this year, as well as shifts in Chinas economic policy under President Xi Jinping; merchants from Mainland China are some of the primary purchasers of Burmese jade.
Many jade lots are going to China via the border area, so the market is bigger on the Chinese side, rather than here, said Aung Win Oo. [Here] there are many jade lots piling up and prices are going downits no longer worth it for traders, he said, adding that some figures indicate that they have a backup of 100,000 jade lots on the local market, which could be displayed and sold over the next three years.
During that period, the government can take time to review the Gems Law, which could harm the local industry, and reconsider the limiting of jade operations, Aung Win Oo said.
Kyaw Kyaw Oo, central executive committee member of the Myanmar Gems and Jewellery Entrepreneurs Association said he agreed that the jade market in Burma needs urgent support from the government.
The main problem is that many jade lots are brought to the Chinese side [of the border] illegally, this is what the government should see and take action on, Kyaw Kyaw Oo said, adding that the local market in Mandalay remains oversaturated with jade that will not sell.
Another concern among traders is that the government is now attempting to limit jade mining operations in Hpakant, Kachin State, reducing the amount of raw jade entering the market. The restrictions come after hasty jade extractionaided by heavy machinerycaused multiple deadly landslides in the region, reportedly killing more than 150 people in total last year.
While civil society has urged increased regulation of the industry, traders are critical of the restrictive measures.
If the government places limitations on the jade mines, less quantities of raw jade will be in the local market. How can we survive in this situation? Aung Win Oo said.
One significant example of the changes taking place is the annual reduction in displays of raw jade lots at the annual Gems Emporium in Naypyidaw by the Myanmar Gems Enterprise. Six thousand lots of raw jade were laid out for purchase in the latest emporiumsignificantly lower than the 9,000 lots displayed in the previous emporium in December, according to an official at the event.
Some government figures indicate that the rate of jade sales has fallen significantly each year. The Myanmar Gems Enterprise reported that it earned around 600 million euros (US$668.3 million) in the latest emporium, less than Decembers event, where sales generated around 900 million euros (more than $1 billion).
[gallery type="square" ids="113541,113549,113548,113547,113546,113542,113543,113544,113550,113545"] RANGOON The Veterinary and Slaughterhouse Department of the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) sterilized and vaccinated stray dogs in Sanchaung Township on Thursday, in cooperation with Blue Heart, a Rangoon-based animal welfare group. According to YCDC, the move was part of a pilot project for rabies free status in three townshipsSanchaung, Lanmadaw and Mingalar Taung Nyunt. The project is primarily funded through donations raised by Min Lee, the wife of former US Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell. According to the YCDCs figures, about 180,000 stray dogs live on the streets of Burmas commercial capital, which has increased from over 70,000 in 2013. YCDC had used lethal methods,scattering poison-laced meat in the streetsto control Rangoons stray dog population for decades. Animal welfare activists have campaigned against poisoning stray dogs and suggested that the trap-neuter-return (TNR) method is the only sustainable solution for decreasing the population in the long run. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a person dies every 15 minutes from rabies globally. More than 95 percent of rabies-related human deaths occur in Asia and Africa, and within those areas, Burma is considered a high rabies endemic country. The WHO states that Burma has the highest number of rabies-related deaths in Southeast Asia with some 1,000 deaths per year.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry positively assessed the chances of the Ukrainian settlement process following his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking at talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday, Kerry described his negotiations with Putin as productive and thanked the Russian leader for that. Kerry also said that a great deal of homework would have to be done. He said there was every chance to secure a real settlement of the situation in Ukraine.
However, Moscow and Washington still have some unresolved issues in the context of the crisis in Ukraine, Kerry said, adding that hopefully they would be solved during today's talks.
Kerry said that his conversation with Putin on Thursday was extremely straightforward and sincere.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week approved a proposal, originally made last month, to make high spectrum available for auction. The FCC will make 11 GHz of spectrum available for flexible, mobile and fixed-use wireless broadband uses.
This is an important step in the evolution to 5G. The key is that the hype and some of the technical developments in 5G are getting ahead of other necessary steps for them to actually roll out. Managing evolution, therefore, is important.
In that context, decisions on what spectrum will be used and how it will be doled out are critical milestones. CNET said that the United States is the first to move on spectrum issues, though other countries have taken aggressive steps in other areas. Verizon and the CTIA-The Wireless Association both applauded the announcement.
Surprise: PC Sales Shipment Numbers Not All Bad
The quarter by quarter decline of the PC market continues. But, Tech Radar points out, there is a silver lining this time around: Gartner says that worldwide PC shipments were 64.3 million in the second quarter. Thats 5.2 percent less than the year-ago quarter and is the seventh consecutive down quarter.
The good news is that sales increased 1.4 percent in North America. The reason may have been a Windows 10 refresh among businesses, according to Mikako Kitagawa, a Gartner principal analyst.
TelePacific Moving to SD-WAN
TelePacific said this week that its deploying a software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) nationally. It has been working on the project for 18 months. The platform will support hosted PBX services, which the company said is difficult to do on a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network.
TelePacific will now be able to serve customers outside of its footprint. In March, it acquired Massachusetts-based DSCI, which will add to its off-network capabilities.
FDIC Was Probably Hacked
Cyberattacks are one of the biggest fears of the modern world. They can open bridges, take grids down and cause financial havoc.
Reuters reported this week that the Chinese government probably hacked the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in 2010, 2011 and 2013. A Congressional report cited an internal FDIC investigation that was kept quiet to protect the job of FDIC chairman Martin Gruenberg.
An independent cybersecurity expert doubted that China was behind the hacks. The perpetrators, whoever they were, apparently sought economic intelligence.
The Digital Transformation Meets Resistance
Digital transformation, according to Datamation, offers lots of advantages. It paves the way for better business analytics, mobility, social media and cloud computing. It can also optimize employee speed and the quality of work and interactions.
This would suggest widespread acceptance. But, according to a cited Sungard survey, that is not the reality:
More than half (52 percent) of the IT decision makers recently quizzed by the pollsters at Vanson Bourne on behalf of software and IT services provider Sungard said their organizations digital transformation efforts werent moving as fast as management expects. Fifty-four percent said the pace of digital transformation was failing to meet the expectations of office workers.
The survey, which again illustrates the fact that progress is almost always resisted, is based on responses of 715 decision makers and 1,400 business employees in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Sweden.
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.
On Thursday, July 14, U.S. magazine Consumer Reports called on Tesla Motors Inc to disable its automatic steering function in its autopilot partial self-driving system that's under investigation by U.S. officials after a deadly accident.
Tesla has rolled out its autopilot driving technology in a "beta-test." The move forces automakers and safety agencies to reassess the basic relationship between increasingly sophisticated cars and human drivers.
The magazine Consumer Reports states that that Tesla should block its autopilot steering technology and rebrand it. According to the same publication the name autopilot is "misleading and potentially dangerous." After Tesla is already under investigation, the critics coming from the magazine are giving another blow to the image of the automaker's self-driving technology.
The automatic steering portion of autopilot has the role to automatically steer, accelerate and brake Tesla vehicles on lane-marked highways. The publication asks that the feature should be deactivated until it is reprogrammed to make it mandatory for drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel.
Tesla Motors' autopilot system is now under intense scrutiny following a series of crashes, one of which was fatal. According to USA Today, the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already launched investigations into the crash of 40-year-old Ohio resident Joshua Brown. Brown was killed when his Tesla Model S slammed into a truck while having its autopilot activated.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requested Tesla detailed information about its autopilot system in a letter sent last week. The NHTSA is asking for detailed logs of when the system has prompted drivers to take over steering, as well as any design changes and updates to the system. The Wall Street Journal also reports that the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether Tesla did not announce its investors about the crash in a timely fashion.
Tesla's autopilot technology comprises multiple systems, including Auto Lane Change and Autosteer. These systems use radar, cameras and ultrasonic sensors to automatically change lanes, steer down the highway and adjust speed in response to traffic.
While Tesla Motors claims these features can reduce the driver's workload and help the vehicle avoid hazards, the series of recent crashed have given a different image. The incident has caused safety advocates to question whether the name autopilot promoted a dangerously premature assumption that the system is capable of truly driving on its own.
Marvel Comics is set to release in late 2016 a number of new and twisted storylines involving characters such the Avengers, Iron Man, Spiderman, Thor, X-Men and others. Here are some of them
It seems that Marvel will release two comic books presenting a new twist on Iron Man, according to blastr. Writer Brian Michael Bendis is set to run a story entitled "Infamous Iron Man". The surprise protagonist is Victor Von Doom who sheds his old armor to wear the Iron Man suit. Apparently, Doom grew a conscience and has decided to try being a hero despite the fact that he is known as one of the most villainous characters in the whole Marveldom.
"Invincible Iron Man (I.M. Woman) would certainly raise many eyebrows among the comic reading public. The white male Tony Stark has been replaced a young black lady named Riri Williams. There is not much story of how she gets to wear the suit, though.
"Amazing Spider-Man: Renew your Vows" returns to a time where Peter Parker and MJ are still happily married to each other. No one is exactly sure how long this Gerry Conway story is going to run.
Marvel will have three new Avengers stories line up. "Avengers 1.1" is a throwback story back in the old days and way before the civil war. Writer Mark Waid is said to be in charge of the project. "Occupy Avengers" hints of a political leaning story even if the plot has yet to be revealed. The artwork did show Hawkeye standing with a group of people.
"Great Lakes Avengers" brings Big Bertha, Doorman, Flatman, Mister Immortal and other wannabe heroes back. They are simply a group who want to prove to their community that they are legitimate superheroes.
In "Unworthy Thor", readers will follow the Asgardian's quest to find and successfully wield a new hammer. Scott Summers of the X-Men, The Hulk (Amadeus Cho) Miss Marvel, Viv Vision and Miles Morales are presented as youngsters forming their own group, in the new comic book "Champions".
What's the best network choice for your business? The nbn has connected much of Australia, but 5G is a real game-changer. One provides robust fibre
Microsoft has won a landmark victory in a case where it argued that personal data held in a subsidiary overseas was not accessible using a warrant issued in the US.
The data in question was emails held on a server in Ireland that the US government was seeking to obtain, saying that they had relevance to a drug-trafficking operation.
The warrant demanded Microsoft release the contents of all emails stored in the particular account; records and information about account identification (including username and method of payment); all user records, including images and files; and all communications between Microsoft and the user about the account.
The case began well before the disclosures by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden about the blanket surveillance of Americans by the NSA.
According toin the The Intercept, the company was earlier held in contempt of court by a Southern District of New York ruling, after it refused to hand over the date stored in Dublin.
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals based in New York reversed that decision on Thursday. The US government is expected to appeal the decision.
"We conclude that 2703 of the Stored Communications Act does not authorise courts to issue and enforce against USbased service providers warrants for the seizure of customer email content that is stored exclusively on foreign servers," the court verdict said.
After the Snowden disclosures, American companies have lost business due to the fear that any data they retain within US borders will be fair game for the NSA.
In 2013, the British newspaper, The Independent, reported that based on its analysis of financial filings by IBM and Cisco, the two companies had seen a drop in business of more than US$1.7 billion year on year in the Asia-Pacific region since Snowden's first disclosures in June 2013.
From mid-August to mid-October, IBM's sales in the Asia-Pacific region fell by 15% compared to the corresponding period in 2012, the newspaper reported. This was twice the fall compared to the period prior to Snowden.
Cisco lost 8.75 per cent of its business in the Asia-Pacific region in the quarter after the spying scandal came to light; The Independent pointed out that the figure was 2.84 per cent for the three months prior to the exposures.
Boeing appears to have been hit as well, with Brazil opting to place a US$4.5 billion order for fighter jets with Sweden's Saab in 2013.
Given this, American companies have offered to hold data in overseas subsidiaries in order not to lose orders. In March, Microsoft announced that it would be setting up cloud services in a German data centre, offering Microsoft Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online.
To avoid any repeat of the Dublin imbroglio, Microsoft made it plain that it would have no access to the data unless permitted to do so; it said the keys, both logical and physical, that controlled access to customer data would be held by a German company T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, that would act as a data trustee.
One civilian was injured in the ATO zone in Donetsk region on July 14, according to the management of information policy and the press issues of the regional state administration.
The report, published on the official website of the regional administration on Friday, says the victim is a resident of Avdiyivka and is receiving outpatient treatment.
Australia is ripe for a switch to electronic voting and the technology available today could provide safe, secure and reliable voting capability, according to the vice-president of the ANZ division of an electronic signature technology and digital transaction management company.
Brad Newton of DocuSign told iTWire he favoured a system which enables voting from a citizen's personal smart device, be it a phone, tablet or a PC.
DocuSign was founded by Tom Gonser in 2003 and has headquarters in Seattle. Gonser is chief strategy officer while Keith Krach is the chief executive.
Newton said he did not lean towards systems in which electronic devices used at venues or a centrally networked arrangement so that one could vote from a dumb terminal.
His comments come in the wake of the recent Australian federal election; held on 2 July, it took 10 days for the results of the lower house to become clear, with a small voting base of around 15.4 million. The Senate results may well take until August to become clear.
"I believe the technology available today can facilitate a safe, secure and reliable voting capability accessible to a voters personal device," Newtonsaid.
He did not visualise a system that operated as a private network. "To deliver a voting experience to an individuals personal device, it would need to be via the internet with the right level of security and authentication in place," Newton said.
To overcome the social issues involved like fear, uncertainty and doubt spread by those who opposed electronic voting, he said education was the key. "However the general public have been using the Internet to conduct transactions for many years, including those involving highly sensitive personal information.
"At DocuSign we are seeing the trend to digitise transactions increasing rapidly, with a big driver being customer demand as much as it is the businesses themselves."
Newton was categorical about one thing: any electronic voting system should be built by commercial companies, rather than the government creating something like NBN Co to do the job. "Government efforts always end up costing more and taking longer, so buying the best commercially available components is a much better alternative," he said.
While he did not mention the inevitable politicisation of any process which was being created by the government, that again is a reason to avoid a public sector effort.
Newton has been in the job with DocuSign since February last year. Prior to this, he was the chief operating officer for Hills Limited for two years. He also has worked with Symantec, Citrix and Avaya.
Asked to list what he saw as the benefits in the system he was advocating, Newton gave the following as the strengths:
Cost benefits more than 40 times cheaper to complete a transaction digitally than face-to-face.
Speed vote counts could be completed in hours.
Convenience voters can lodge their votes anytime, anywhere from any device.
Accuracy electronic voting process could ensure the voting forms are completed accurately.
Retention electronic voting forms can be easily stored and retrieved, if required.
Audit electronic transactions are more easily audited and can ensure a complete audit trail.
Newton said what was key to such a system was ensuring appropriate levels of authentication and security.
"There is great potential to leverage the work the government has already done with the myGov portal. This authentication method, combined with a strong digital transaction management platform, could offer a safe, secure, convenient and fast way to deploy electronic voting capability in Australia," he said.
He did not deny that his interest in e-voting was driven by the fact that the company he represents could benefit from being part of a solution.
"DocuSign provides a complete digital transaction management platform. The platform could provide a number of benefits including:
Rapid digitisation and deployment of existing voting documents no need to redevelop;
Bank-grade security and encryption voting forms could be accessed digitally from any device anywhere in a fully secure and encrypted format; and
Audit once completed DocuSign can capture a full audit trail and securely encrypt the form with a tamper proof seal to ensure authenticity. The audit trail produced would be legally enforceable and court admissible complying with current Australian federal and state electronic transaction acts."
Newton did not see any teething problems in the implementation. "DocuSign has 85 million daily users and is growing so we know our technology can scale rapidly," he said.
Asked about the current system of early votes/postal votes, he said these only existed because there was no electronic voting option. "I would assume electronic voting replaces these options due to the number of benefits."
Newton said there was the potential for substantial savings if e-voting was implemented. "The governments own studies suggest its more than 40 times cheaper to complete a transaction digitally than face-to-face. DocuSign sees a saving of at least $30 per transaction when completed digitally."
Counting would become an automated digital process with the benefit of speed and accuracy, as potential human error would be removed from the process, Newton pointed out.
Asked about possible complaints and recounts and how DocuSign would deal with these, he said a good digital transaction management process could produce a clear, detailed, legally enforceable and court-admissible audit trail. "This information could be easily produced to address concerns and complaint."
Finally, regarding creation of a paper trail and preventing people from double-dipping, Newton said: "As mentioned above a good digital transaction management platform can produce a clear, detailed, legally enforceable and court admissible audit trail. This combined with a strong authentication process can ensure double voting and other issues are avoided."
DocuSign began operations in the ANZ region two years ago. More than 225,000 companies use its service with more than 85 million users in 188 countries. Thirteen of the top 15 US insurance services companies, 12 of the top 15 US financial services companies, 14 of the top 15 global pharmaceutical companies, and seven of the top 10 US technology companies use DocuSign.
When it comes time to rest your mind, what better way than turning off your digital equipment and resting in your backyard with a pizza
You have spent all this money on software, hardware, cloud, Omni-channel, and comms. How do you know it is working?
Australian software development and collaboration platform Atlassian has acquired StatusPage, a market leader in status and incident communication. As it is wont to say Service without status is like a cell phone without signal bars. Or worse, a Web page that loads too slowly or not at all.
StatusPage is the single source of truth for the status of cloud services for thousands of customers ranging from start-ups and cloud leaders like Intercom, Venmo, and New Relic to enterprises like Intuit and Citrix.
It lets any company create a hosted status page for communicating up-to-the-minute status on the health of their technology services with their internal and external customers.
This is not just for technology companies. Traditional media companies like PBS now primarily deliver their content over the Internet: downtime is lost advertising revenue. Universities provide content to thousands of students online 24/7. Healthcare companies like Oscar and HealthEquity communicate and engage with their customers almost entirely online. Status communication isnt just for hi-tech companies.
Internal status pages are just as important as customer-facing ones. As companies build and depend on their internal services, internal status pages allow IT and operations departments to efficiently communicate status across the company.
In June, StatusPage customer FiveStars Loyalty experienced a serious production incident. Overwhelmed by phone calls to their support centre, they redirected on-hold customers to their public status page. Their status page received 10,000 visits over two days, while call volumes dropped to manageable levels. The support team, freed up from potentially thousands of phone calls and emails, doubled their service performance levels and resolved 98% of callers' issues. This is a common story for StatusPage customers.
Atlassian says StatusPage will continue as a standalone service. The company announcement is here.
In what is claimed to be Australias first contact centre on demand, the Contact Centre Hotel has opened in Sydney.
The Contact Centre Hotel is a fully-equipped facility offering seats on a per-month basis. Clients can lease between five and 200 seats as well as meeting rooms and other spaces. Each workstation is fully equipped with a computer, broadband network link and telecommunications services all supported through the state-of-the-art Genesys cloud-based contact centre technology platform.
Many companies grow rapidly and find they need additional contact centre seats in impossibly short lead times to support their operations, said Contact Centre Hotel chief executive, Barry Cottrill. Our facility provides them with immediate access to this valuable resource.
The facility will particularly appeal to organisations needing contact centre resources to support short-term campaigns or projects. Capacity can be leased for the length of the campaign and then simply relinquished at its completion.
Contact centre-as-a-service (CaaS)
Contact Centre Hotel changes the cost of operating a facility from a capex to an opex item. Rather than needing to invest significant up-front funds in office space, fits outs and technology, the resource can instead be rented and scaled to match demands.
Its a similar approach to that taken by public cloud computing providers, said Cottrill. Instead of the burden of building and operating a facility, companies can take a contact-centre-as-a-service approach to fulfilling their requirements.
Cottrill said the centre-as-a-service concept also removes the potential for delays which can jeopardise the success of short-term projects. Setting up a contact centre from scratch is a complex and time-consuming task that can often take longer than planned, he said. The Contact Centre Hotel removes this uncertainty from the equation.
Budget certainty
Leasing capacity on a per-seat basis ensures clients know upfront how much their contact centre resource will cost. Seats are leased at an agreed daily rate, inclusive of internet and telecommunications costs.
Should extra capacity be required mid-way through a campaign or project, extra seats can be quickly added, said Cottrill. In an in-house contact centre, this would require an additional capital outlay and unexpectedly higher operating costs.
Expanding an existing contact centre
The Contact Centre Hotel also provides organisations with a simple way to extend the capacity of an existing centre. Should additional seats be required, they can be leased and linked directly to the back-end systems of the in-house facility.
The Contact Centre Hotel becomes a natural extension of a clients existing facility, said Cottrill. This approach can also be taken if the existing facility is out of action for a short period due to maintenance or upgrades.
Maintaining business focus
The contact centre-as-a-service approach offered by the new facility also frees senior management from the time and responsibility of establishing a new centre. They can instead remain focused on their business and take advantage of new opportunities.
Building a new centre is a multi-million dollar commitment and, as such, requires significant senior management oversight, said Cottrill. Using an on-demand facility makes it a much less risky endeavour as capacity can simply be given up at the end of the agreed lease period.
Industry-leading facility
The Contact Centre hotel is housed in a dedicated facility owned by call centre operator Customers 1to1 in St Leonards, Sydney. Staff can enjoy a pleasant office environment with access to meeting rooms, lunch areas and car parking.
Google's Android Pay mobile payments system has arrived in Australia with American Express and Visa cards first off the rank, with MasterCard to be added "in a few days".
Like Apple Pay, Android Pay uses the combination of NFC and tokenisation to allow a mobile phone to be used in place of a contactless payment card. And there's a mechanism for in-app payments, again like Apple Pay.
The first round of Australian financial institutions backing Android Pay are American Express, ANZ, Bank Australia, Bank of Sydney, Beyond Bank, CAPE Credit Union, Central West Credit Union, EECU, First Option Credit Union, Goulburn Murray Credit Union, Holiday Coast Credit Union, Horizon Credit Union, Intech Credit Union, Laboratories Credit Union, Macquarie Bank, Mystate Bank, Northern Inland Credit Union, People's Choice Credit Union, QT Mutual Bank, Queenslanders Credit Union, South West Slopes Credit Union, Sydney Credit Union, Teachers Mutual Bank, The Mac, The Rock, WAW Credit Union Co-Operative, Woolworths Employees' Credit Union, and Wyong Shire Credit Union.
And "coming soon" are Bank of Melbourne, Bank SA, Bendigo Bank, RAMS, St George Bank, and Westpac.
NAB and Commonwealth are notable by their absence, but both have their own mobile payment apps already ( NAB CBA ).
Google's list of participating institutions will be kept updated.
Early adopters of in-app Google Pay include Catch of the Day, GoCatch, Jetstar, Kogan and Menulog.
The Google Pay app is supposed to work with any non-rooted NFC-enabled Android device running KitKat 4.4 or later. But there are some reports that it is not working with all phones meeting that specification.
COMPANYNEWS: Shane Parkinson, former Head of Software Engineering at News Ltd and more recently Head of Delivery at Attribute Consulting, has taken up the role
Lenovo has announced the immediate appointment of Sumir Bhatia as the companys new vice-president of Data Centre Group (DCG) for Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, Bhatia will report directly to Ken Wong, senior vice-president and president, Lenovo Asia Pacific.
Bhatia will succeed Amar Babu as Asia Pacific Data Centre Group lead, driving growth in Lenovos data centre business across the region.
"Asia Pacific presents tremendous opportunities for Lenovo, where the data centre business continues to be a critical focus. I am excited to lead the charge in expanding our data centre business here, with the support of a talented, motivated and committed team, said Bhatia.
Bhatia joins from Dell, where he built an exceptional track record over six years in Asia Pacific leadership roles. He brings more than two decades of IT industry experience across sales, business development and marketing in top multinational organisations.
He has held senior roles across sales, business development, channels and marketing in multinational corporations such as Nortel Networks, HCL Group, Thakral Group and Motorola JV.
He has a Bachelor of Engineering and Computer Science from the BMS College of Engineering, India, and is presently based in Singapore with his family.
Wong said, Bhatia comes with a proven track record and a wealth of industry experience across the region. The US$87 billion data centre space is one of Lenovos three growth engines across the world (with mobile and PCs), and it is aggressively investing in the right talent and portfolio to accelerate its momentum in Asia Pacific. He is a timely and valuable addition to our leadership team and we look forward to even more success with him at the helm.
Bhatia added, Asia Pacific presents tremendous opportunities for Lenovo, where the data centre business continues to be a critical focus. I am excited to lead the charge in expanding our data centre business here, with the support of a talented, motivated and committed team. I believe that the biggest growth is still ahead of us as we focus on delivering an arsenal of IT offerings that are unencumbered by legacy thinking or traditional technologies.
The announcement comes after the Lenovo Tech World event in San Francisco on 9 June, where the company announced its intensified focus on the data centre technology market.
Qantas chief information officer Luc Hennekens is leaving the airline after three years in charge of IT.
Hennekens will depart Qantas in September to join an unnamed company in France.
The Qantas official previously worked in France at Procter & Gamble and joined Qantas in 2012 from Contact Energy in New Zealand. He was chief technology officer at Qantas before being promoted as chief information officer.
The airline says it will undertake a worldwide search for a replacement.
A number of major IT projects were implemented during Hennekens time at Qantas, including a major step by the airline to move its IT to an outsourced software-as-a-service model as part of a cost-cutting strategy.
In 2014, Indian software and services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced it had upgraded Qantas Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12 through a SaaS model hosted at Macquarie Telecoms Sydney Intellicentre data centre. The new cloud-based version of the software provided Qantas with key benefits, including enhanced system functionality, reduced system management complexity and unification of vendors.
US-based digital marketing agency Search Optics has announced that Tom Wright will head its APAC operations as managing director, working from its Sydney Office.
Search Optics has a strong track record in the US, UK, Canada and South America, helping OEMs and car dealers with digital marketing strategies and technology to help them generate higher quality leads and improve sales. Overseas clients include General Motors, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, and Volkswagen.
Wright will be working closely with Australian OEMs and local dealer groups to help them adopt more effective digital marketing strategies to attract higher quality leads and improve sales.
With many consumers now using mobile to evaluate vehicles when deciding on purchases, many dealers miss out on sales opportunities because of old-fashioned technology, with many not using mobile responsive websites.
Wrights appointment aligns with Search Optics continued growth strategy and a strong focus on the automotive industry.
He joins Search Optics as a highly successful leader with extensive knowledge in the digital advertising and digital technology platforms. He has a global MBA from Manchester Business School. During a career of more than 16 years, he has created and delivered digital transformation strategies in senior leadership roles throughout EMEA and APAC, including Auto Trader, News International, Trinity Mirror, Thoughtworks and Sopra Steria.
With sales, consulting, business development and marketing experience, Wright has provided solutions to many major automotive OEMs, including Audi, BMW, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, Nissan, Rolls Royce and Volkswagen. He also has a deep understanding of the car dealership network, having sold directly and indirectly to them for more than a decade.
Wright said, Australia is a key growth opportunity for our rapidly expanding global brand. Our international focus, combined with local talent, ensures we can deliver highly tailored solutions to clients in each of our key markets. From my early observations in Australia, as we have seen in other markets around the world, OEMs, dealer groups and owner/operator dealerships can implement digital strategies that are far more effective. For example, a mobile first approach will generate better leads and drive more sales.
David Ponn, chief executive, Search Optics, said, At Search Optics we understand the importance of supporting our customers based on the nuances, opportunities, and challenges within each local market. With his deep background in digital and the automotive industry, Toms leadership comes at a crucial time for our growth and our customers in Australia and Asia Pacific. His wealth of knowledge will be a great asset to our customers who are looking to get more from their current digital marketing efforts.
With more than 1300 Google-certifications, the most in the industry, Search Optics won the Google Premier SMB Partner Mobile Champion Award in North America in 2015, proving its extensive expertise and capability for providing tangible results through practical tactics that bring in fresh sales leads.
Getty Images has created a new executive data and insights role as part of its investment in data capabilities and new revenue streams in both the B2B and consumer space.
A world leader in visual communication, Getty has appointed Andrew Hamilton to the newly created role of SVP of Data and Insights a pioneering role which sits on the companys executive committee. Hamilton will launch and lead the companys expansive data strategy and joins from dunnhumby, a world leader in customer science.
Based in New York and reporting to Getty Images chief executive Dawn Airey, Hamilton's appointment marks the next step in Getty Images strategy to extend its core B2B licensing business and establish new revenue streams in the consumer market.
Almost 97% of visitors to the Getty Images website are consumers browsing and admiring imagery. Hamilton will be responsible for developing and implementing a data strategy that will enable it to apply a better understanding of consumer behaviour across the business, while also developing new commercial opportunities.
Airey said, Our Getty Images Everywhere strategy is delivering our world-class content to everyone to our almost one million advertising, publishing and corporate customers, as well as to people that simply love viewing and sharing the worlds very best imagery. Establishing an even more in-depth understanding of the interests and needs of visitors to gettyimages.com is integral to this strategy. Andrew brings with him a rich background and expertise in data and strategic insights, and will play a critical role in Getty Images future growth. We are thrilled that he will join our team.
Hamilton, said, Getty Images creates the worlds best imagery we live our lives surrounded by it on the covers of newspapers, movie screens and throughout our social media feeds. I am thrilled to be joining the company at this exciting time, as it looks to embrace new opportunities within both the B2B and consumer space. I look forward to contributing to the companys strategy for growth.
Hamilton joins Getty Images from his role as global head of strategy and planning at customer science and data consultancy, dunnhumby. Before joining dunnhumby, Hamilton held senior management consulting roles at Accenture in London and Booz Allen Hamilton in the US. An accountant early in his career, Hamilton was later a captain in the Marine Corps, specialising in information systems and security.
This hire follows a series of recent new appointments to Getty Images executive committee as the company drives forward its strategy for growth. In June 2016, the company announced a new innovation group spearheaded by Steve Heck, chief innovation officer. These appointments follow the launch of the Getty Images Virtual Reality Group, a new business dedicated to the creation and global distribution of virtual reality content.
There's no point to expect a large-scale war in Donbas this summer, but escalation of the conflict is possible, Head of the Center for Applied Political Studies Board Penta Volodymyr Fesenko has said.
According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin offers partnership to the West, so a large-scale war in Donbas would be counterproductive.
"Local conflict escalations could take place Donbas, but Putin is expecting that the West will reduce and mitigate the sanctions against Russia, not immediately, but towards the end of the year. A serious aggravation of the war in Donbas will frustrate all [Putin's] sanctions policy," the expert said during the press conference on Friday.
Fesenko said not to expect changes in the next several years in Russia's policy towards Crimea. He said the Russian Federation has removed the Crimea issue from the negotiations agenda with the West.
Pronto Software has tripled in size during Jackman's 17-year tenure; he led the staff buyout of the company in 2002.
That growth was internally funded, without resorting to debt or external shareholders.
Part of the culture he nurtured was to recognise and value the contribution of long-serving staff, so it is no surprise that an internal successor was appointed.
"The hallmark of Pronto Software is our ability to adapt and build long-term success and industry leadership through our continual investment in innovation and people. Succession planning is part of our commitment to excellence and it is with great pleasure that I pass on the responsibility to Chad, a proven executive that has grown with the business over the past 11 years. Chad has deep knowledge and longstanding experience, from marketing and product development to customer engagement whilst also being a respected individual and leader," said Jackman.
"Pronto Software has evolved over the years, adapting to growth and ever changing technical and customer needs. Chad has already made immeasurable contributions to the company's success, and will continue its progress into the future. Big thanks to the wonderful team at Pronto Software for their commitment and enthusiasm over these many years. I know that our customers will continue to prosper as they improve their business outcomes using our products and services."
Gates has been with the company for 11 years, and, as chief operating officer since 2014, was responsible for the latest releases of Pronto Xi and prepared the company for the launch of Pronto Cloud Managed Solutions and digital consultancy Pronto Woven.
"I'm incredibly honoured to be appointed as managing director. Pronto has a strongly agile, innovative and open culture and I am excited to lead the talented team and execute our long-term growth strategy. We will continue to make significant investment in the areas of cloud, analytics and mobile applications ensuring we deliver smarter and more flexible ERP solutions that help our customers excel and succeed," said Gates.
"David has been an inspiration and mentor during my time at the company, and I wish him all the very best on his new chapter."
The handover from Jackman to Gates has been underway for two years and culminates today.
D-Link has nailed it with what is arguably the most fully featured prosumer security camera it is a full HD, Wi-Fi AC, ultra-wide 180 angle, camera.
The DCS-2630L has as its main selling proposition a 180 ultra-wide angle lens. Compare that to a standard smartphone camera lens of up to 35 and you can see a lot more, in fact, typically a whole room width instead of a metre or so width.
Fisheye lens (usually from 100-180) distorts the image, but D-Link has a de-warping technology that displays the image in reasonably straight format.
It uses Wi-Fi AC. Setup is either via an iOS or Android app or can be done at the MyDlink web portal. Note it does not support the Microsoft Edge or Chrome browsers at this time, but only IE, Firefox, or Safari.
I used the camera for two weeks to monitor the apartment. The app lets you remote view in real time (about a two-second delay), and you can even use its built-in speaker and microphone to talk to someone.
Image quality
It has an option for 720 or 1080p @30fps H.264/MJPEG video. For most purposes, 720p is fine and will reduce the data stream. It will also take a still JPEG image. Colours were realistic, and the app allows for brightness, saturation, contrast and sharpness. It has B/W mode, flip to turn the image upside down, and mirror to horizontally flip the image.
The lens has a 1/3 3MP CMOS sensor, F/2.0 aperture, records 180 (H) x 180 (D) and 112 (V). It has an 8x digital zoom. IR will give up to 5M depth at night.
Recording
You can set it to record to a microSD card activated either by a schedule or motion detection. It will overwrite the card when full. A 128GB card will record about 7 days of 1080p video. You can then view the video on almost any device using the micro-SD card.
Cloud storage is expensive D-Link has the right idea.
Motion/sound detection
You can select a part of the image to monitor for motion detection. Once done, you can select from 0-100% sensitivity to ensure that say a pets movement does not set it off. Also it has passive infrared PIR detection for night detection. Sound detection can be set similarly, though that is based on what comes via its microphone and is not based on room layout.
Detection can trigger an event record, send an email alert, etc.
Wi-Fi
It has Wi-Fi AC dual band 2.4 and 5GHz. It first needs to connect to the router using WPS. The minimum data rate is 256Mbps. If you dont have a Wi-Fi AC router, then you will need to get one.
Size/Weight/Build
It is 85.6 x 85.6 x 140.0 mm and weighs 345g. It is well built, and the stand can be screwed to a wall or placed on a desk. It allows for rotation and, with image flip or mirror, should accommodate most large rooms. One caveat - to transfer recorded video you remove the microSD card and place it in a computer. Don't place the camera where it is hard to get the card out.
Power
It uses a USB 5V/2A micro-USB charger (supplied) and has a 3M long cable. It will work with any modern 2A+ adaptor.
Uses
It is good for delivering live video images over the Intranet for remote monitoring, including industrial and public monitoring, homes, offices, banks, hospitals, child-care and more. It is not meant for outdoor use unless covered. Because it records locally, there are no ongoing cloud storage fees.
D-Link has other apps (at a cost) that allow for up to 32 cameras, recording to a hard drive and identity monitoring.
Cost/Summary
It costs $499.95 from D-Link online or good security stores look online for a bargain but only if you are a dedicated DIY. Otherwise a security store may be a great option to look holistically at your needs and even install it.
Its selling point is the 180 ultra-wide angle lens. As far as I can find the nearest competitors have smaller wide angle lenses and can charge up to $400 per year for cloud storage.
If you have a use for this, then its a great buy. But if you dont need one, have a look at D-Links Wi-Fi range as it has cameras starting from under $100 that do a lot of what this model will. It also has outdoor-rated cameras that may cover the back yard etc.
I would also look at getting a home NAS storage device. The DNR-202L Network Video Recorder supporting four cameras at $120 sounds pretty good.
There is a video here.
A minion in accounting receives an email from the chief executive requesting transfer of funds to a company and it needs to be done yesterday, or there will be dire consequences. The chief executive is uncontactable, and it seems legitimate what does said minion do?
Well, usually they will raise the matter with their boss who coincidentally has received a copy of the request, so consider it done.
Symantec calls this the business email compromise (BEC) and according to recent FBI reports more than US$43 billion has been lost in the past three years by 22,000 known victims.
Symantec says its email security cloud data shows that over 400 businesses are being hit by BEC scams daily and of that 38% are affecting small or medium enterprises while the remainder are larger with finance, technology, healthcare, energy, and retail the top five targets.
What is most concerning is that apart from fairly low-tech spoofing of the chief executive's email address, the cyber criminals know whom to send it to, whom to copy in, and when the chief executive is uncontactable all elements which ensure success of the scam.
Symantec says this is an extension of the old Nigerian 419 email scams where a well-connected, deposed prince wants to share his ill-gotten gains with you if you will just be kind enough to share your bank account details. Easy money.
In fact, 46% of the BEC scams originate in Nigeria, followed by 27% from the US (more about email hosting than the country) and 15% from the UK. One group, in particular, is responsible for 12% of all BEC and has at least 68 legitimate email accounts, targeted over 2700 businesses and is smart enough to send BEC during business hours from 0700 to 1100 and then 1400 to 1800 in target countries.
Subject lines always contain one or more of the following words: request, payment, urgent, transfer, inquiry. There are simple, innocuous subject lines less likely to arouse suspicion and are also harder to filter.
Symantec says minions should question any emails requesting actions that seem unusual or arent following normal procedures. Responding to the email Hi Boss did you mean this? simply lets the scammers reply Yes, I did mean this.
The reason why Google launches so many products and then abandons them is because only those who launch new products are in a position to
Telstra continues to ramp up its strategic investment and aggressive acquisition strategy, with its latest announcement that it is acquiring MSC Mobility (MSC), a leading provider of Enterprise Mobility solutions in Australia.
While the big telco has focused on the global marketplace with many of its investments, particularly in the Asia region, it has turned its attention once again to the local domestic market with its agreement to buy MSC.
Australian-based MSC has been a Telstra enterprise mobility management partner for more than a decade, delivering device management services for Telstras enterprise customers.
Telstra executive director global products, Michelle Bendschneider says this latest acquisition of MSC is a key step in the telcos global enterprise and services (GES) focus on enterprise mobility which has been prioritised as a fundamental part of Telstras growth strategy.
This acquisition is an investment capturing the fastest growing segment of the enterprise mobility market: managing the supply of apps, content and mobile services to enterprises. To achieve our growth aspirations in enterprise mobility, we need to develop our customer relationships from a holistic mobility view, rather than just what sits on their device or tablet.
By acquiring MSC we can now work with a customers entire enterprise mobility experience and can manage it through one unified platform. This provides Telstra with an enhanced offering in the market and a seamless experience for our customers.
In addition, MSCs established processes and platform can be expanded to host and support the service in Asia, Europe and the US, which also supports our objective of growing this portfolio globally.
Leuk Andersen, managing director, MSC, says the sale to Telstra will give the two companies powerful capabilities in device and mobile applications management, security, IoT, machine to machine and asset tracking".
This is a great fit for our people and we are really excited by the opportunity to be part of Telstra's strategic plan.
MSC employs around 100 staff, mostly based in Sydney, and is a founding member of the Global Enterprise Mobility Alliance (GEMA).
The acquisition of MSC is one of a string of businesses picked up by Telstra in recent years.
Only last month Telstra announced the acquisition of another Australian company, Readify, an application development and management services consultancy. And, it moved further into the mining industry with the purchase, also in June, of Brisbane-based mining communications technology services business, CBO Telecommunications, and the formation of a new business division, Telstra Mining Services.
Other successful acquisitions and integrations by Telstra over the past three years include O2 Networks, Bridge Point Communications and NSC.
Telstra Health has also been busy expanding, buying up Silver Chain Group technology arm EOS Technologies and investing in UK health analytics firm Dr Foster, Medibanks Anywhere Healthcare, and iCareHealth, one of Australias primary providers of software solutions to the aged care sector.
There are lies, damned lies and statistics, according to former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Alcatels Australian boss Sam Skontos has called out recent smartphone market share reports especially about how the data is collected.
iTWires Alex Zaharov-Reutt reported on the Kantar World Panel Comtechs latest market research that essentially says Huawei is the fastest growing smartphone vendor. But is it?
Skontos says the figures reflect the collection methodology and explains that Kantar Worldpanel Comtech is based on market research not on either verifiable "ship-in" or "ship out" figures which show a very different story.
Kantar uses a pool of people in 60 different countries and polls them quarterly using subjective questions like Have you changed your phone in the last quarter or Are you likely to change your phone in the next quarter and so on. It is a legitimate use of market research to show sentiment, but it is not at all accurate for market share in that it is not based on manufacturers actual sell-in figures as fed into International Data Corporation (IDC) or sell-out figures as measured by Gesellschaft fur Konsumforschun (GFK)," he said.
iTWire has noticed substantial discrepancies between all the market share reports Kantar, Gartner, GFK, IDC, Trendforce (that uses component manufacturers figures), and more.
iTWire was given approved access to confidential IDC figures and it seems these are more accurate as they take into account actual sales (sell-in) to distributors and direct customers worldwide. Over a year it averages out things like channel stuffing (where large quantities are ordered, but may remain in stock for some time). They also reflect issues like dumping (at lower cost) when models do not sell well etc.
What they all dont reflect is the average value per unit and the market share by type value, mass, mid and flagship.
Skontos says that because of the different methodologies there are far too many unsubstantiated claims, and he wants to set the record straight.
We appreciate Kantar's role as broad market researcher. We feel that its methodology means its results cannot be extrapolated to provide a true reflection of market share in Australia. On the contrary, we know from our own sales data that this is simply not the case. To be clear, this is not simply a challenge to determine who has the biggest market share? There is a much bigger issue here; that speaks to the honesty and openness which some companies in the mobile market are approaching and treating Australian consumers, he said.
The facts are that in Australia Alcatel is, by units sold, the third largest smartphone maker shipping 509,600 units in the 2015 calendar year and notching up an impressive 126,501 for Q1, 2016. Alcatel has a large range of phones sold via corner stores, petrol stations, grocery, mass market retailers, and white labelled by Telcos the brand is everywhere. Globally in 2015 it ranked in the top five for smartphone shipments.
The Australian consumer who is looking for a great value handset has embraced our brand, which is why we have hit the number three position for three quarters in a row. We appreciate the growing recognition by Australians as one of the best value handset propositions in the market, Skontos added.
Apple shipped the most smartphones, 4.2 million, in 2015, followed by Samsung at 2.77 million. The wild card in IDCs Australian figures is Telstra at number four that shipped 655,412 handsets this is not broken out by brand. That same is true of handsets sold by other telcos.
IDC figures show that HTC and Huawei are neck-and-neck for fifth and sixth place, with Microsoft at seventh place selling 47,063 Windows 10 Mobiles in Q1.
IDC figures for Q2 in Australia will be released in a couple of weeks and that will be even more telling.
Nvidia's Ansel game camera technology is now available in Mirror's Edge Catalyst.
Announced earlier this year, Nvidia Ansel allows in-game photography from angles not always available from the player's point of view, and at extremely high resolution up to 32x the screen resolution.
It also provides 360-degree panorama capture, extensible post-processing filters, and OpenEXR export for compatibility with a range of image editing tools including Photoshop.
Those panoramas can be viewed with the Nvidia VR Viewer for Android, among other methods.
Ansel requires an Nvidia GeForce GTX 600-series or higher card, the latest Game Ready driver, and must be explicitly supported by games. According to Nvidia officials, that only requires around 100 lines of code
Ansel is now available in the PC version of Mirror's Edge Catalyst. This includes the free camera capability, which will be disabled in some games to avoid cheating, for example by obtaining a bird's eye view of a maze.
Other games that will support Ansel include Fortnite, Lawbreakers, No Mans Sky, Obduction, Paragon, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Witness, Tom Clancys The Division, and Unreal Tournament.
Privacy-minded people have long relied on Tor for anonymity online, but a new system from MIT promises better protection and faster performance.
Dubbed Riffle, the new system taps the same onion encryption technique after which Tor is named, but it adds two others as well. First is what's called a mixnet, a series of servers that each permute the order in which messages are received before passing them on to the next server.
If messages arrive at the first server in the order A, B, C, for example, that server would send them to the second server in a different order, such as C, B, A. The second server would them reshuffle things again when sending the messages on. The advantage there is that a would-be attacker who had tracked the messages points of origin would have no idea which was which by the time they exited the last server.
A mixnet used with onion encryption is protected against passive adversaries, which can only observe network traffic. But active adversaries, which can infiltrate servers with their own code, are another matter. If one has commandeered a mixnet router and wants to determine the destination of a particular message, for instance, it could simply replace all the other messages it receives with its own, bound for a single destination. Then it could passively track the one message that doesnt follow its own prespecified route.
That's where Riffle's third protective measure comes in. Essentially, it takes a two-pronged approach to validating the authenticity of messages using techniques called verifiable shuffle and authentication encryption. Verifiable shuffle keeps things secure while each user and each mixnet server agree upon a cryptographic key; authentication encryption, which is much more efficient, then takes over for the remainder of the communication session.
The overall result is that Riffle remains cryptographically secure as long as one server in the mixnet remains uncompromised, according to MIT. Meanwhile, Riffle also uses bandwidth much more efficiently than competing systems, its creators say. In experiments, it required only one-tenth as much time as similarly secure experimental systems to transfer a large file between anonymous users.
Riffle was developed by researchers at MITs Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. The system isn't yet available for public use, but the researchers will present a paper describing their work at the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium in Germany next week.
The idea of mixnets has been around for a long time, but unfortunately, its always relied on public-key cryptography and on public-key techniques, and thats been expensive, says Jonathan Katz, director of the Maryland Cybersecurity Center and a professor of computer science at the University of Maryland. One of the contributions of this paper is that they showed how to use more efficient symmetric-key techniques to accomplish the same thing. They do one expensive shuffle using known protocols, but then they bootstrap off of that to enable many subsequent shufflings.
If Donald Trump is elected president, he will be "a disaster for innovation," according to some of Silicon Valley's technology leaders. But the innovation disaster they're warning of is already ongoing in America.
U.S. support for research is declining, and just last month China surpassed the U.S. in number of supercomputers on the Top500 list. Both countries are now in a race to build exascale systems (1,000 petaflops), a competition the U.S. is almost certain to lose based on published road maps.
The U.S. has set 2023 as its goal for exascale; China is aiming for 2020.
The Silicon Valley letter doesn't mention supercomputing, or any of the problems affecting science in the U.S.
The approximately 150 people who signed the letter -- including Vint Cerf, a vice president and chief internet evangelist at Google; Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak; and Padmasree Warrior, a former top technologist at Cisco who is now the CEO of NextEV, an electric vehicle company -- fix a laser-like focus on Trump's shortcomings, and nothing else.
It may well be, in the minds of Silicon Valley leaders, that Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, would double-down on the U.S. retreat from science investment if he were elected.
China now has 167 systems on the Top500 list, a global accounting of the world's most powerful supercomputers -- at least those publicly known. The U.S. has 165. China also built the world's fastest supercomputer without U.S. chips.
"That's the first time this has happened," said Alex Larzelere, a senior fellow at the U.S. Council of Competitiveness, in an interview prior to the release of the letter. Ten years ago, China only had 28 computers on the list; the number of U.S. computers on the list has declined in the past 10 years.
China's rise in supercomputing also means it is developing an ecosystem for high-performance computing: The middleware, operating system software, mathematical libraries and other systems, said Larzelere.
"The Chinese are continuing up, and the U.S. seems to be level, at best" in supercomputing, said Larzelere, who has developed advanced modeling and simulation capabilities at U.S. Department of Energy national labs. "It's not really a problem today, but it can potentially be a huge problem down the road.
"China has said you can't be a superpower without supercomputing," said Larzelere.
The Silicon Valley letter, signed by tech inventors, entrepreneurs, engineers, researchers and others, doesn't ask lawmakers to take a hard look at the direction of U.S. IT research investments. That's because the real focus of the Silicon Valley letter is on Trump's immigration policies.
Trump would put some curbs on employment-based green cards, and particularly the use of H-1B visas.
Trump, "stands against the open exchange of ideas, free movement of people, and productive engagement with the outside world that is critical to our economy -- and that provide the foundation for innovation and growth," the letter says.
The document isn't an endorsement of Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee; it doesn't even mention her. But Clinton's proposal to "staple" green cards to the diplomas of foreign students who graduate with advanced degrees from U.S. schools is exactly the kind of policy the tech industry has lobbied for.
Clinton has released a tech agenda that calls for improved research funding, while Trump has yet to produce his plan. And even if Trump pens a tech policy to appease Silicon Valley, its condemnation of his immigration plan is total -- and immigration is at the heart of his campaign.
The Silicon Valley letter accuses Trump of holding "a fundamental belief that America is weak and in decline." The "declinist" doctrine, as it's called, has real roots apart from the U.S. retreat in science research funding.
In the 1990s, the U.S. abandoned efforts to develop a super collider. Meanwhile, Europe built the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva, making that region a center for physics research.
Funding for NASA, an engine of innovation, has been declining as a percentage of the federal budget.
About six years ago, the U.S. published plans identifying 2018 as the rough target for completing development of an exascale system, but funding and support lagged. Meanwhile, China's push into this area is relentless and a high national priority.
Ukrainians bring flowers on Friday to the building of the French Embassy in Ukraine in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack who were celebrating France's national holiday, Bastille Day on the previous night.
"National Day, July 14, is very important for us, because it symbolizes our values: freedom, equality and fraternity. Those who organized the terrorist attack committed an assault on these values," the ambassador of France to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont said.
As reported, on Thursday night, a large truck drove at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in Nice on the French Riviera. The truck driver, a 31-year old native of Tunisia, a French citizen, opened fire on passers-by before police shot him dead. Small arms and ammunition was found in the truck.
French President Francois Hollande called the terrorist attack in the French Nice a tragedy.
"It is definitely a terrorist act," Hollande said, in his address the French people.
Last year, Microsoft announced that it planned to have a billion devices running Windows 10 by the middle of 2018. Now, the company is saying that was too ambitious.
"Were pleased with our progress to date, but due to the focusing of our phone hardware business, it will take longer" to reach the goal, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Yusuf Mehdi said in an emailed statement. "In the year ahead, we are excited about usage growth coming from commercial deployments and new devices.
The missed target is rough news for the company, which has relied on that promise to attract developers to build apps for Windows 10.
Microsoft's reorganization of its phone business, to get away from manufacturing a broad selection of Windows smartphones, has been a key factor in the delay. The company announced last year that it would lay off 7,800 people in the phone business, just ahead of the Windows 10 launch.
Microsoft will still be able to make it to a billion Windows 10 devices at some point, Gartner analyst Steve Kleynhans said. In his view, the only question is how long it will take Microsoft to reach that billion-device mark. There are already 350 million Windows 10 devices ahead of the free upgrade deadline at the end of July, and businesses are aggressively deploying the new OS.
The current growth rate on PCs is about as good as Microsoft could expect, IDC analyst Al Gillen said in an email. The rest of the company's growth would have to come from devices like the Xbox and Windows smartphones. There are about 340 million tablets, 2-in-1s, and PCs running Windows 10 today, making up the overwhelming majority of Microsoft's 350 million number, he said.
Kleynhans also faulted a shrinking PC market for contributing to Microsoft's problems. The company is facing a variety of complications, including currency exchange rates that are driving down sales and Britain's recent vote to exit the European Union. He wasn't expecting Windows 10 Mobile smartphones to be major contributors to that 1 billion device number.
"Our expectations [for Windows Phones] have always been somewhat muted," he said. "So from our point of view, we weren't expecting phones to contribute much to that billion, but maybe [Microsoft was] expecting more."
Kyiv's Holosiyivsky District Court has remanded two ex-officials of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the former deputy head of the NBU Oleksiy Tkachenko and former director of the NBU's banking oversight department Roman Yakovlev, to 60-day pretrial confinement, setting bail at UAH 20 million and UAH 10 million for the suspects, respectively, the Kyiv-based TSN.ua TV news agency has reported.
"The prosecution requested setting bail for both suspects at UAH 400 million, but defense attorneys argued against this," the report says.
As reported earlier, Tkachenko and Yakovlev were detained on Wednesday. The detainees are suspected of violating Part 1, Article 255 (creation of a criminal organization), Part 4, Article 28 and Part 5, Article 191 (using public office to embezzle funds) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to the brief of the main military prosecutor's office of Ukraine, the two suspects embezzled NBU funds in the amount of UAH 787,396,148. The money had been provided to PSC Real Bank as a bailout loan. The document also says that Tkachenko and Yakovlev acted "as part of a criminal organization" with businessman Serhiy Kurchenko, former NBU governor Ihor Sorkin and former governor of Real Bank's board Volodymyr Agafonov.
Tkachenko and Yakovlev were fired from their positions by NBU governor Stepan Kubiv in March 2014.
At the beginning of September 2015, the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO) sent a request to detain Sorkin and Agafonov in connection with the charges and put them on the wanted list.
"The individuals during 2013 and 2014 are suspected of conspiring with a criminal group led by Kurchenko to commit a number of serious crimes, including using public office to misappropriate NBU property and funds for a total of UAH 800.000 million," the PGO's office said.
Kyiv's Dniprovsky District Court on Thursday relieved former deputy head of the Health Ministry of Ukraine Roman Vasylyshyn of his duties until September 8, the press service of the Kyiv office of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (GPO) has said.
Vasylyshyn is relieved from performing his duties at the health ministry, in order to take part in the criminal proceedings and the pretrial investigation. Bail for Vasylyshyn on July 12 was set at UAH 2 million.
Vasylyshyn in November 2015 was appointed deputy health minister and put in charge of ministry personnel. He had previously worked as the chief doctor at Kyiv's Central Clinical hospital, known as the Oleksandrivska Hospital.
Special Report
DND photo IS10-2015-0007-006 by Corporal Darcy Lefebvre
The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance, Addresses Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces
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Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.
- Alexander the Great
General Jonathan Vance, CMM, MSC, CD, was commissioned upon graduation from Royal Roads Military College in 1986. He later served as Deputy Commander of the Allied Joint Force Command in Naples and Commander of the Canadian Task Force in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010. He then went on to be Commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command in September 2014, and on 17 July 2015, he was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff.
Introduction
Canadas rich military heritage is one of the nations most cherished achievements. Forged on the heights of Vimy Ridge, the murky waters of the North Atlantic and in the violent skies over England and occupied Europe, and more recently in places like Afghanistan and Iraq, our military legacy was shaped by unsurpassed courage, breath-taking audacity and an undeniable fighting spirit. From Mafeking to Medak and Kapyong to Kandahar, Canadas warriors have consistently proven their mettle amongst the worlds best.
Yet ours is not merely a legacy of boldness and bravery. One of the hallmarks of Canadian military achievement has been our unwavering humanity regardless of how harrowing the environment. Indeed, the feats of Canadian sailors, soldiers and airmen and airwomen over the decades have almost always been characterized as much by compassion for those afflicted by conflict as by other attributes of our warrior acumen.
Canadas fortunate and much-envied geography has dictated that most of our war-fighting, past and present, has occurred not at home protecting Canadian territory, but on foreign soil in support of allies and in defence of the national values we hold sacred: freedom, respect, dignity, fairness and opportunity. They are ideals over which Canadians have fought and died at home and especially abroad.
Embodying these values has always been central to the fabric of the Canadian military. This is why the revelations suggested in spring of 2014 and confirmed a year later that the Canadian Armed Forces continues to struggle with a problem it believed it had addressed many years ago is so devastating. That some CAF members have chosen, however consciously, to shun core values the CAF exists to defend is disturbing and merits immediate, decisive attention. However, as a professional soldier, to realize that this problem has manifested itself in situations where some serving members have preyed upon fellow brothers and sisters in arms is completely indefensible and utterly shameful.
Important as it is for the CAF to consistently uphold the national values it exists to defend, this is not the only reason why the institution must address the pressing problem of harmful and inappropriate behaviour. Fundamentally, every man and woman who willingly serves their country despite the many dangers and sacrifices of military service deserves a professional environment in which they are treated with respect and dignity. Yes, the nation regularly sends them into harms way, with the inherent dangers of injury, illness or even death. This is central to the function that we fill and the risks we take. However, it is unfathomable that serving members are psychologically or physically disrespected, threatened or victimized from within the organization they so proudly serve. As part of a leading national institution, Canadian Armed Forces members merit better.
Equally fundamental, any attitudes or behaviours adversely impacting the camaraderie, cohesion and confidence of serving members the principles at the heart of a professional fighting force will corrode the CAFs operational effectiveness over time. If the implicit and unflinching mutual trust and confidence in one another regardless of gender or background is diminished in any way, we are less likely to step up with the same assurance, determination and effectiveness in the next firefight. There is no greater menace to the integrity and effectiveness of a force of last resort than the erosion of trust amongst serving members standing shoulder to shoulder.
DND photo IS01-2015-0005-058 by Sergeant Yannick Bedard
When I became the Chief of the Defence Staff last July, I outlined that the CAFs problem of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour would be one of my top priorities because of its impact upon the continued success of our proud institution. I remain as convinced now as I was then that we must address this problem decisively and permanently.
I am regularly reminded by Canadians of all walks, including serving and former CAF members, that misguided attitudes and behaviours towards sexual behaviour have become a societal scourge affecting military and non-military organizations across the country and around the planet. Of course, they are not wrong. In recent years, the problem has become more pronounced, and countless organizations find themselves facing challenges very similar to ours.
My response to this is always twofold. First, the fact that the CAF is not alone in facing this situation does not make it any less serious to those in uniform afflicted or affected by it. And secondly, the problems eventual consequences on the CAF are much more profound than on almost any other organization. For most, it may translate into tarnished reputation, reduced market share or diminished bottom lines. For a professional fighting force, the impact of weakened trust and cohesion is often loss of life as well as decreased reliability on operations. Regardless of what is happening around us, we have a serious problem that we must fix now.
DND photo IS10-2015-0013-07 by Corporal Darcy Lefebvre
How did the CAF get here?
It is difficult to know exactly how or when the problem of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour in the CAF came about. As with most complex issues, a combination of factors has resulted in the present situation. The institution relied on partial metrics that appeared to indicate that the situation was improving over time and was no longer a major problem. These included unit climate surveys and statistical data on female member attrition rates. In the wake of Madame Deschamps report, weve realized that some of this analysis was insufficient. Stated simply, we were not fully aware of the situation and its impacts.
Additionally, the institution and its leadership became somewhat tone-deaf around sexual misconduct, interpreting the environment through a prism that did not consistently reflect the realities on the ground. In my view, this was neither intentional nor manipulative, however its effects were no less harmful to the organization generally, and affected members specifically.
Finally, nothing happens in a vacuum. The twenty year period from the early-1990s to the early 2010s, dominated by protracted commitments in the Balkans and Afghanistan, was one of the most operationally intensive in modern Canadian military history. It catalyzed profound shifts in how we think, organize and operate that are still being untangled and codified. The first priority was operational, as it must be during such spikes. Amidst the pervasive change, some non-operational imperatives did not receive the level of attention they otherwise would or should have.
What is obvious, and what matters most, is that the issue of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour within the Canadian Armed Forces has dogged the institution for much too long and must be solved rapidly, decisively and permanently a commitment against which the CAF will rightfully be judged moving forward. We will not fix this by orders or decrees, and positive, sustainable change will not be imposed unilaterally from the top-down. The shifts in behaviours and attitudes required of the CAF must come from all of its members across the organization. The well-worn phrase that we are all in this together could not be more accurate.
This is not to suggest for a moment that all or most of the members of the Canadian Armed Forces are guilty of thinking or behaving inappropriately. This is simply not the case. There is little doubt that the perpetrators of uniform-on-uniform sexual harassment and sexual violence are a small minority. However, the environment within which such acts are occurring is one shaped by each and every CAF member. Madame Deschamps spoke of the prevalence of a sexualized culture within the grassroots of our institution. Regardless of the label put on it, the reality is that this environment must change. Achieving this will be an all-hands effort.
If our recent history tells us anything, it is that previous initiatives implemented to solve the problem were not effective, or effective enough. Past emphasis tended to focus on short-term behavioural change rather than alterations in longer-range attitudes essential for sustained culture change. Once attention on the problem decreased or shifted elsewhere, previous behaviours and attitudes generally returned.
In tandem with this punctual perspective was the absence of systemic measurement of the specific outcomes and overall change intended. Training and education programming on harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour was developed and delivered. The expectation was that it would yield the necessary results. Unfortunately, the outcomes it actually generated were not systematically measured, precluding the opportunity to confirm within the institution that the intended behavioural and attitudinal change was in fact occurring, or apply necessary adjustments to bring this about.
Finally, the CAFs approach to addressing harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour has traditionally been framed as an organizational or corporate priority. For most organizations, this is imminently sensible. However, for a professional military force, with its unrelenting focus on operations, this approach has proven largely ineffective. In the eyes of many in uniform if not most, it relegated the endeavor to secondary importance. The direct relationship between solving this problem, upholding the warrior ethos, and sustaining CAF operational excellence was not made strongly enough. Instead, members were left to connect these dots and come to their own conclusions as to the significance of eliminating this scourge from the professional landscape.
These are shortcomings we cannot repeat if we are to finally break the cycle and inculcate the long lasting behavioural and attitudinal change needed.
DND photo
Operation HONOUR
I launched Operation HONOUR last August as the over-arching effort within which the Canadian Armed Forces would address harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour within its ranks. I adopted this approach for one simple reason the CAF does not fail on operations. We demonstrated this in Croatia, Bosnia, Afghanistan and a myriad of other daunting theatres throughout our modern history, just as we are proving it in Iraq and elsewhere today.
A major component of Operation HONOURs remit is implementing the ten recommendations of the spring 2015 Deschamps Report. While these constitute the brunt of the effort, the operation is not limited to the recommendations and will cover additional ground.
The kick-start of Operation HONOUR was an unequivocal reaffirmation of the institutions expectations regarding the behaviours and attitudes of all CAF members toward harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour. I communicated this in the clearest of terms to my senior commanders shortly after becoming the CDS, and they rapidly did likewise with their subordinate commanders. The result was that all CAF members, including those deployed in overseas operations, were reminded of what is expected of them both behaviourally and attitudinally, regardless of situation or context.
The responsibilities and accountabilities of Canadian Armed Forces leaders at all levels were specifically underscored because only sound, fully engaged leadership will solve the problem this time. As such, commanders throughout the organization were reminded of the vigilance required to identify incidents of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour, and the diligence needed to respond decisively to victims, perpetrators and enablers. The requirement for vigilance and diligence was also repeated and reinforced further to all CAF members, including those who may have been less mindful of organizational expectations vis-a-vis sexual harassment and sexual assault before Operation HONOUR.
Central to this message is the imperative that we must consistently provide compassionate care to victims and protect them from contributing circumstances and environments following acts of inappropriate behaviour or the commission of crimes. Not only must complaints be handled quickly, compassionately and decisively, our people need to perceive this to be the case. Moreover, there must be confidence that the mechanisms in place consistently deliver justice and protection throughout the reporting, investigation, and adjudication processes.
One of Operation HONOURs defining features is its focus on victims the start point for the CAFs response to harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour. I have made it clear to CAF leadership that providing more responsive and effective support to victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault is the first priority, consistent with our absolute responsibility to care for our people. This message has been emphasized throughout the CAF chain of command, directing leaders to be more attuned and responsive to the needs of victims. Moreover, Ive ordered the commanders and custodians of existing mechanisms designed to support victims to review their practices and methodologies in the aim of improving the range, quality, accessibility and transparency of the services on offer. Victims must come first!
DND photo SW2015-0156-07 by Corporal Jennifer Chiasson
As importantly, I directed the establishment of the first-ever dedicated independent support centre for CAF members that have been adversely affected by sexual harassment and sexual assault; the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC). The creation of the SMRC aligns with a central recommendation of the Deschamps Report. One of its key tenets is that it is positioned outside of the military chain of command, providing victims with a unique option compared to those already in place. For example, the SMRC allows CAF members to reach out for information or support without automatically triggering formal reporting, and the subsequent investigative and judicial processes that follow. This practice was identified by Madame Deschamps, and reinforced by former and serving members, as a significant impediment to CAF members in coming forward and asking for information or support.
At present, the SMRC provides CAF members with basic support services an offset required to stand up the centre in record time. Its mandate and range of services will expand considerably as the SMRC matures, eventually delivering more comprehensive support offerings as well as influencing core elements of the CAF effort to prevent harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour, including policy and training development.
Another new structure dedicated solely to the CAFs response is the CAF Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct (CSRT-SM). Established concurrent with the final development of the Deschamps Report, it is dual mandated to (1) coordinate all components of the Canadian Armed Forces response to the problem and (2) develop and execute pan-CAF solution elements such as policy and training modernization, and institution-wide performance measurement. As with the SMRC, such an entity dedicated exclusively to the problem of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour has never existed within the Canadian military until now. While its function is not nearly as visible as that of the SMRC, it plays a pivotal role.
Woven into multiple aspects of Operation HONOUR is the integration of external expertise and experience in modernizing related policies and training, and advising the bodies and leaders involved in the endeavour. Previous CAF efforts to address this problem were decidedly insular in nature. As functions of both the longevity of the CAFs challenge and its evolving nature as a societal issue, it was recognized that an exclusively made-in-CAF solution would not provide the sustained positive change sought. For this reason, the institution has reached out to researchers, academics, care practitioners and respected observers to understand and integrate their perspectives into various aspects of the CAF response.
DND photo IS2013-2001-032 by Master Corporal Marc-Andre Gaudreault
One of the most important elements of the Canadian Armed Forces response to harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour and Operation HONOUR is the onus on performance measurement. As stated earlier, a key shortcoming of previous attempts to address the problem was a lack of regular, structured assessment of outcomes. The fire-and-forgot approach did not deliver sustained results despite a belief to the contrary because initiatives and actions were both well-intentioned and diligently executed.
Organizational culture change depends not only on the change implemented, but on the response of the concerned stakeholders (internal and external) to this change. They must first become aware of it, then understand it, eventually believe in it, and ultimately become part of it in order for large-scale change to take root and succeed. Such buy-in on a matter already generating high levels of skepticism requires tangible proof that positive change is happening and will continue. Hence, the demonstrability of the effects of Operation HONOUR in solving the CAFs problem of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour is essential to inculcating and sustaining this change.
For this reason, the current CAF response integrates systemic performance and outcome evaluation measures throughout the various Operation HONOUR components. A centerpiece of institutional measurement is a CAF-wide survey specifically measuring member attitudes and behaviours on this issue. Conducted by Statistics Canada at the request of the CAF due to the formers world-class track record in executing public environment research within large organizations, along with its ability to ensure complete confidentiality to respondents, the survey will have engaged Regular and Reserve Force members in April and May. It is the first ever institution-wide survey dedicated strictly to harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour. It will be repeated at regular intervals, providing the CAF with a better understanding of the progress achieved in reshaping organizational culture.
DND photo IS2012-2002-40 by Master Corporal Marc-Andre Gaudreault
Buttressing the Statistics Canada project will be a range of quantitative and qualitative outcome measurement initiatives administered at lower levels of the institution and tied to specific elements of Operation HONOUR. These will contribute to a much fuller understanding of operational progress as it evolves.
Ultimately, I will not decide whether Operation HONOUR has succeeded, nor will my senior commanders. Rather, members throughout the organization will make this determination. They will judge whether their environments are less permissive to inappropriate behaviour than they were, and whether attitudes and behaviours are really changing or have changed. CAF members at the organizations grassroots will be the final arbiters of the efforts success, which is why the organization must systemically tap into them to assess the effects of Operation HONOUR-triggered change as it unfolds.
Finally, my approach to the CAF response to harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour through Operation HONOUR has been highly visible. I have done so deliberately to provide added impetus to the gravity of the situation and its potential impact on the CAFs continued operational excellence. I mapped out my posture at my change of command ceremony my initial statement as the Chief of the Defence Staff. Moreover, I directed that the launch of Operation HONOUR be as visible as possible to demonstrate the CAFs intent to both internal and external stakeholders. The principle of transparency was firmly embedded in the Operation HONOUR operation order, making clear the importance of sustained visibility on the endeavor. Lastly, I committed to delivering regular progress reports at six-month intervals. The first of these was released to CAF members and external stakeholders, including interested media, on February 1st of this year. The reports narrative was open and forthright, pointing out both initial progress and areas requiring greater attention.
We live and work in a turbulent and unpredictable time, and the Canadian Armed Forces is constantly shifting focus to meet new threats and emerging imperatives. This is inherent in the profession of arms. However, this reality cannot allow us to lessen our attention to issues that fundamentally affect what the organization is and why it matters. If this has caused us to lack perseverance, endurance or follow-through with past efforts to solve this problem, the highly visible posture adopted this time out will ensure that our feet are held to the fire until we have proven that weve achieved the sustained culture change to which we aspire.
DND photo RP001-2015-0024-010 by Corporal Nathan Moulton
Progress to Date
Culture change is a long-term endeavor it is one of the most difficult leadership challenges an organization can undertake, especially one as steeped in tradition as the Canadian Armed Forces. It takes time to generate and inculcate; there are neither magic bullets nor quick fixes.
Given the profile of Operation HONOUR, I am frequently asked how much progress we have achieved to date and whether the organization will now succeed when it has failed in the past. My response is that we are off to a solid start though it is still just a start. Last spring and summer, there was inordinate skepticism directed at both our desire to solve our problem of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour, as well our capacity to do so. While much of the skepticism remains, and will until we have unequivocally proven that we have implemented sustained positive change, the mood is shifting. CAF members, including those at junior levels, are telling me that awareness has increased appreciably. There seems to be a growing belief that this time will be different. I am also already detecting behavioural changes amongst our members, and being advised of similar observations by the chain of command. This is in stark contrast to the prevailing sentiment six-plus months ago.
DND photo ET2015-5502-06 by Leading Seaman Ogle Henry
There are also early signs that leadership is increasingly vigilant on the issue and more diligent in responding decisively to occurrences of it. Individuals have been called to account and action has been taken by the chain of command that has resulted in some losing their command positions. We have recently put in place stronger methodology to identify and track trends in terms of the chain of commands response to harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour, and will very soon possess a more thorough depiction of results than we ever have.
While all this is highly encouraging, I am anxious for more concrete results, as are our stakeholders. The data from the Statistics Canada survey will provide us with a stronger understanding of where we are at, and where we are headed. So, too, will supporting performance measurement applied throughout the institution.
Operation HONOUR has prompted considerable activity, which is equally positive. The policy modernization underscored in the Deschamps Report is advanced, and a comprehensive draft specific to the realities of the CAF environment will be ready for approval in the summer. It will include updated terminology and key definitions, as called for by Madame Deschamps.
A comprehensive audit of Canadian Armed Forces training and education content was recently completed, and the modernization of all related curriculum is underway. This will result in a number of training modules and tools currently in development, intended for use as of this summer. The objective is to deliver to all CAF members more modern, pertinent and resonant training on harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour across the continuum of their careers. The progress achieved on both the policy and training/education fronts have been strongly influenced by our evolving partnerships and consultations with external subject matter experts.
It is fair to question whether this progress is occurring fast enough, and whether it will eventually trigger the culture change intended. The tasks, timelines and objectives outlined in Operation HONOUR will help us gauge this and adjust accordingly, but ultimately it is the response of our members that will continue to indicate the breadth of success as the endeavor progresses.
Having stated all this, there is still considerable work to be done much more than has been achieved to date. There are still incidents of sexual misconduct occurring, and it is very likely that there are still victims who have not come forward because they do not have complete trust in the complaint mechanisms, the military police structure, the military judicial system, the chain of command, or a combination thereof. This remains unacceptable.
There has been some criticism of the target I established for Operation HONOUR that of eliminating harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour. There are concerns that it is unrealistic, however I cannot and will not accept a different target. The Canadian Armed Forces of tomorrow and beyond must nurture its members and secure their wellbeing. It must be an employer of choice despite the reality of sending people in harms way. And it must be respected not only for what it accomplishes but for what it is and represents. This can only be sustained if we set the highest aspirations for the institution and its integrity, and assiduously work towards attaining them. Ensuring a professional environment of dignity and respect is a cornerstone of such an institution.
DND photo TN2013-0060-25 by Corporal Owen W. Budge
The Role of Bystanders
Edmund Burke famously said; The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. The Canadian Armed Forces will not accept the indifference or willful blindness of any of its members on this issue. Bystanders are an integral enabler of an environment where there is sexual harassment and assault, however unintentional their role might be. Accordingly, they must be central to shifting behaviours and attitudes in creating an environment that is no longer permissive. Of course, it takes courage to stand up to ones friends and colleagues if they are behaving inappropriately, especially when that behaviour may seem inconsequential or inoffensive. However, for members of the Canadian Armed Forces, standing up to any form of harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour is absolutely essential, both on moral grounds as well as in terms of building and maintaining the trust and cohesion amongst one another and towards leaders that underpins a professional military force. That means intervening when one hears an inappropriate joke or misguided comment, or calling someone out for a misplaced gesture or touch. The sins of omission can be as damaging as the sins of commission, if not more so.
Every CAF member is responsible for the culture and reputation of our institution and the environment it sets out for its people. Those who hear, witness or otherwise become aware of situations of degradation or exploitation of any sort must show the moral courage to take a stand against it. Not doing so diminishes the CAFs capability and dishonours the institutions noble history and traditions. Indifferent behaviour by anyone in uniform cannot and will not persist.
DND photo IS01-2015-0007-040 by Sergeant Yannick Bedard
Conclusion
In the words of the immortal Winston Churchill; To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often. The change that is upon us of creating a culture ensuring a respectful, dignified professional environment for every member of the Canadian Armed Forces is both necessary and unavoidable. It is what is owed to those who risk all to defend their nation and its values. And it is pivotal to our continued success as a world-class fighting force. As with all our operations, Operation HONOUR will succeed.
Poroshenko administration: One Ukrainian serviceman killed, four wounded in ATO zone over past 24 hours
One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and another four suffered injuries as a result of fighting in Donbas over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian Presidential Administration spokesman for ATO issues Andriy Lysenko has said.
"One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another four were injured in the hostilities over the past 24 hours," Lysenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.
He said the serviceman was killed and another two suffered injuries in a mortar and artillery attack near Maryinka; one soldier was wounded in Avdiyivka and another in Zaitseve.
In the Luhansk sector, the hostiles continued firing on Stanytsia Luhanska for over an hour, Lysenko said, adding that the Ukrainian army had to return fire. An armed provocation against Ukrainian positions in the village of Syze was staged from the western bank of the Siversky Donets River, and Ukrainian servicemen stationed in Popasna came under four attacks, including by use of mortars. In all, six shelling incidents were observed in that area in the past 24 hours.
The number of shelling incidents reduced to 20 in Donetsk region. Mortars were used in nine attacks, and artillery was silent.
Tensions remained highest in the Avdiyivka industrial zone and Zaitseve. Militants continued firing mortars day and night, Lysenko said.
Militants mounted two attacks with a total duration exceeding two hours near Novoselivka Druha, southwest of Horlivka; mortars, large-caliber machineguns and various types of grenade launchers were fired, the Ukrainian Presidential Administration's spokesman for military issues said.
The hostilities in the Mariupol sector were most intense near Maryinka, Krasnohorivka and the pre-Azov area. Militants fired approximately 70 artillery projectiles and 50 mortar mines after midnight.
Around ten single shots were fired from grenade launchers, machineguns and armored vehicles in the Berezove-Hranitne section.
In Shyrokyne, militants constantly fired single shots from grenade launchers and small arms and opened mortar fire in the evening, Lysenko said.
In all, 38 attacks on Ukrainian army positions, including 11 by use of heavy armaments, were observed in the Mariupol sector.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has prohibited the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the area of command and staff exercises, named Summer Storm 2016. Any UAVs detected will be shot down.
"Please be advised, drones in the training area of military units, military facilities and training grounds will be shot down. Persons who launched or operated the UAVs will be taken into custody and brought to justice," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote on its Facebook page on Friday.
Summer Storm 2016 drills are held in several stages. The active phase of the exercise was carried out on July 11-15.
School Zone The Journal Sentinel education reporters offer news and notes from their beat SHARE
By of the
New federal legislation rooted in research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was proposed this week to simplify the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) for low-income students by eliminating the need for Pell Grant recipients to refile applications for subsequent grants after receiving their first one.
The Wisconsin HOPE Lab at UW-Madison, a translational research lab that aims to improve equitable outcomes in postsecondary education, brought the idea to the House bill's sponsor, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the Education and the Workforce Committee. Scholars at several other universities joined the HOPE Lab in supporting the bill.
The File Once FAFSA Act seeks to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make it easier for nearly 3.5 million low-income students to obtain Pell Grants and complete college, according to the Wisconsin HOPE Lab, which announced the bill's introduction on its Facebook page Friday.
Currently, low-income high school students provide their parents' financial information on the FAFSA before starting their first year of college. They then must refile the FAFSA each subsequent year to trigger subsequent Pell Grants. If enacted, the bill would require Pell recipients to file FAFSA just once.
"Each subsequent year, the student could count on receiving their Pell Grant without having to go through the entire application process," Scott said in prepared remarks. "I hope this proposal will help to address the complex application barriers that too often burden low-income students.
Research suggests the complexity of the application process prevents many students from obtaining aid. In fact, 1 in 10 Pell Grant recipients who reenroll the following year do not refile a FAFSA, according to the Wisconsin HOPE Lab.
"One particularly onerous part of refiling for dependent Pell Grant recipients is the requirement to annually provide their own and their parents financial information," the Wisconsin HOPE Lab said on its Facebook page.
"While financial information is useful when determining Pell eligibility initially, due to the consistency of Pell Grant awards for dependent students who reenroll, this information is unnecessary to collect year after year."
The Wisconsin HOPE Lab was built on research by founding director Sara Goldrick-Rab, a professor of educational policy and sociology. A vocal critic of changes in tenure policy for the UW System this past year, Goldrick-Rab left UW-Madison last month for a similar position at Temple University.
Goldrick-Rab took with her a five-year, $2.175 million grant awarded July 1 by the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct a national experiment aimed at increasing retention of finanial aid and college persistence.
Goldrick-Rab still is a contract employee of the HOPE Lab, however. She said the lab will fulfill all remaining grant commitments.
Emptying Concourse E will help the airport run more efficiently while it plans for a possible conversion of Mitchells small concourse into an international terminal. Credit: Mike De Sisti
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Regular travelers who use Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport should prepare for changes in the months ahead as the airport gears up for a long-term plan to create an international terminal.
The changes will start in mid-August when Air Canada is expected to move to Concourse C from Concourse E. United Airlines will make the same move in early September. Concourse C's other airlines are Southwest and Sunwing.
Airport officials said Friday the change is needed for two reasons. The first is that it will make the airport more efficient to have more activity in Concourse C beginning this fall.
The airport has empty gates following the industry moves that saw the likes of Midwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines and AirTran no longer using Mitchell as a hub, said airport director Ismael "Izzy" Bonilla. "We need to right-size ourselves, and United and Air Canada are in a facility that really doesn't have suitable amenities," he said.
The second reason for the move is to enable the smallest concourse, E, to be converted into an international terminal in the years ahead.
The airport management has been approached by airlines that are "looking at us for international travel for more than just seasonal travel," Bonilla said.
Bonilla, who became director of the Milwaukee County government-owned airport earlier this year, told the Journal Sentinel in an interview in February that one of his goals was to attract more international flights so that more travelers fly from here rather than Chicago to Europe or Latin America.
The current International Arrivals Terminal is in a separate building, detached from the rest of the terminal complex at Mitchell. As a result, travelers face a lengthy walk or shuttle ride to get to the main terminal and parking garage.
"I'm sure our passengers and airlines will appreciate that we are taking the initial steps necessary to eventually improve the international arrival experience here at MKE," Bonilla said. "Any traveler who has recently used our existing international facilities will tell you that we need significant improvements."
Mitchell offers nonstop flights to 36 destinations, with international destinations that include Toronto, Jamaica and five cities in Mexico. A 37th nonstop will begin Aug. 7, when Southwest Airlines begins daily flights to San Diego.
Bonilla said Concourse E could be modified or rebuilt to allow international flights to arrive and continue to be used for departures for domestic flights. The airport's staff and consultants are reviewing a variety of alternatives.
More details about the potential cost of the move will be available later once more planning is done. If all goes well, detailed engineering and design for the terminal would take place next year with construction to follow in 2018, Bonilla said.
Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy has closed the fourth parliament session of the eighth convocation on Friday.
The Rada Chairman reminded the deputies before closing the last session that the next session will open on September 6, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reports. At the same time, he expressed confidence that, if necessary, 150 signatures of MPs will be connected to hold an extraordinary session.
Parubiy says next week MPs will work in committees, commissions and factions, according to the schedule.
At least 100 deputies had remained in the hall of the Verkhovna Rada by the end of the last plenary meeting of the current session.
Parliamentarians made a group photo from the parliament's rostrum and presidium before leaving on recess. .
Parliament deputies did not support a draft resolution, which suggested extending the current session until the opening day of the next parliamentary session.
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Shoppers often buy in bulk to save money, and that same principle is gaining traction for homeowners in southeastern Wisconsin looking to add solar power.
A solar group-buy program encompassing the city of Milwaukee and village of Shorewood could result in dozens more solar systems installed here this year.
The program seeks to produce savings for homeowners and businesses by bundling installations together.
This year, the program has expanded to include the entire city of Milwaukee, and it's working with a new program in the village of Shorewood.
"Since we've expanded the program's outreach focus to the entire city, we're seeing interest from the Sherman Park neighborhood, the Jackson Park neighborhood," said Elizabeth Hittman, solar program manager with the city. "Really, folks from all over the city are interested in solar."
A total of 17 customers have already signed up, helping the group-buy program achieve the 50-kilowatt threshold that results in lower prices for every customer. Another 33 customers have received formal proposals and are considering whether to proceed with adding solar by the deadline, which is late next month.
Among the first to sign up this year was Ben LeFort of Bay View, whose solar system was installed last month.
"It's an easy, affordable investment in your property," said LeFort, who said he liked the program's simplicity and the fact that he's able to take advantage not only of the falling cost of solar power but also the extra financial benefit created by the group buy.
Quintin Bendixen of Bay View said he has been considering adding solar for several years but jumped at the chance this year thanks in part to falling panel prices.
"The math just wasn't there last year," he said. "The panels are cheaper this year and the panels are also more efficient this year, so it's fewer panels for more energy for a lower price. It's easier to swallow when the math works."
The group buy creates bigger discounts for all involved as more people sign up, Hittman said.
Overall, the group-buy program results in a typical system, about 3 kilowatts, costing roughly $9,000 instead of $10,500 to $12,000, she said.
Because the program already hit the 50-kilowatt milestone, homeowners are seeing additional savings of about $180 for an average-size system. If twice as many panels are installed, the discounts for a typical system will jump to $270.
On his Bay View home, Bendixen had a smaller system installed, with six panels generating just under 2 kilowatts. A bigger system wasn't necessary because of steps he and his wife had already taken to make their home more energy-efficient, he said.
"If you take those steps to make your home efficient it's easier and cheaper to go solar," he said.
Peter Murphy, market development manager at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, says the group-buy concept is seeing results here and elsewhere.
An Illinois program that recently finished in Champaign-Urbana was completed with 82 households and businesses taking part, he said.
To date the biggest year so far for the Milwaukee program was 2014 when it was focused on the Bay View neighborhood. A total of 36 customers signed on that year.
Murphy said the MREA is seeking to set up another group buy that would provide additional discounts or financing help for low- to moderate-income people looking to add solar. "We're looking for a philanthropic partner to help with it," he said.
Solar information sessions are planned for 6 p.m. Sunday at Riverwest Public House, and 11 a.m. Aug. 6 at the Milwaukee Central Library. More information is at: www.midwestrenew.org or www.milwaukeeshines.com
Today, as Portillos expands it eventually will have locations numbering in the teens in Wisconsin, according to chief executive Keith Kinsey weeks of training go into making sure Portillos food offerings and environment do more than pass muster. Credit: Michael Sears
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Brookfield It's probably safe to say that of the 150 or so people who showed up Thursday for a VIP and media event at the new Portillo's restaurant, only four left disappointed.
But that doesn't mean they won't be back.
Beth Mrozinsky, a Palos Hills, Ill., native well-acquainted with the Chicago-based hot dog and Italian beef restaurant, came to the new 1950s diner-themed Portillo's at 17685 W. Blue Mound Road the first in Wisconsin with three Milwaukee co-workers to show them what she considers some of the best food around.
They thought the restaurant already was in business. But it doesn't officially open to the public until next Tuesday.
"We'll come back when it's open," Mrozinsky said as she and her team returned to their vehicle to head back to Milwaukee.
What makes Portillo's worth the trip?
"Something as simple as an Italian beef sandwich," she said. "It is truly a real Italian beef sandwich nothing like what we have up here that they say is Chicago Italian beef. It's not close. Portillo's is it. The hot dogs, the tamales, everything. It is the best."
Mrozinsky may be part of what company founder Dick Portillo, who attended the Brookfield event, describes as a "cult following" that has developed for the restaurant over the decades. Portillo used his life savings to start the business first known as The Dog House in Villa Park, Ill. in 1963.
Meeting with the news media and other guests for the private gathering Thursday, Portillo said he had been in the U.S. Marine Corps and then worked a variety of jobs before it occurred to him that there could be a market for a hot-dog stand in Villa Park. He said he focused on three things he had learned in the Marines to grow the business: the value of teamwork, the value of organization and the value of training.
He said he also always has remembered how a popular Marine officer he served under oversaw the troops, no matter their rank.
"He was an inspiration to me on how to treat people," Portillo said. "He treated them with decency and respect. He understood the value of those people."
Today, as Portillo's expands it eventually will have locations numbering in "the teens" in Wisconsin, according to chief executive Keith Kinsey weeks of training go into making sure Portillo's food offerings and environment do more than pass muster.
"Portillo's is a truly inspiring American success story," Brookfield Mayor Steve Ponto said at Thursday's event. "Legendary food and legendary services have, not surprisingly, created a very large and loyal customer base."
About two years ago, Dick Portillo sold Portillo's to the private equity firm Berkshire Partners, but he remains involved in his namesake business.
Wisconsin is Portillo's sixth state. The Brookfield location is its 44th restaurant.
Guests at Thursday's VIP event were treated to Portillo's menu items after a news conference.
Brookfield residents and longtime Portillo's fans Tony and Jeannette Corrao, whose granddaughter is among about 200 employees at the restaurant, expect to be regular customers.
"It is tops," Jeannette said.
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A federal regulator wants the former top executive of Waupaca's First National Bank to reimburse the bank $1.6 million, pay a $175,000 fine and be banned from the industry for alleged misconduct it says excessively benefited him at the expense and safety of the bank.
In a notice of charges disclosed Friday by the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the regulator contends that Archie G. Overby, who was president, chief executive and a director of the bank from 1979 through May of this year, "recklessly engaged in unsafe and unsound practices conducting the affairs of the bank and/or breached his fiduciary duties to the bank."
The OCC alleges Overby "acted with personal dishonesty and a willful and continuing disregard for the safety and soundness of the bank" from at least 2010 through 2013. His misconduct caused a "more than minimal" loss to the bank, the OCC asserts.
The OCC alleges that during that four-year period, Overby a major Waupaca Bancorporation Inc. stockholder who influenced many decisions at First National Bank tallied $1,620,514 in bank-paid personal expenses. That was in addition to legitimate business expenses, the OCC says.
Overby was paid a total of $3,573,000 in salary and bonuses between 2010 and 2014, the OCC says. From 2010 to 2013, Overby proposed and voted on his own pay as a member of the bank's executive compensation committee, the OCC states. His salary alone in 2013 and 2014 was $700,000 a year.
Overbay also is accused by the OCC of causing false entries in the bank's books and records.
Federal law enforcement authorities are investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin declined to comment Friday.
Overby could not be reached for comment Friday. He faces a hearing before an administrative law judge in federal court on the OCC's allegations.
In a statement Friday, Stephen Johnson, director of compliance for First National Bank, said the bank has fully cooperated with the OCC and that the bank is not a defendant in the case. He said the bank parted ways with Overby before the OCC notice of charges and that Don Sorenson has been appointed interim president and CEO. A search is underway for a permanent president and CEO, Johnson said.
Johnson said, "It is important to note that in no way were customer accounts mishandled or negatively affected."
Johnson added, "We do want to stress that FNB continues to operate with capital in excess of the ratios of most of our peer banks, and we are confident about our ability to serve our personal and business customers, along with the communities we serve, now and into the future."
The bank had been under special scrutiny by regulators since 2013. The bank hired an outside consultant to conduct a management study, which found Overby was "the dominant influence in all aspects of bank operations" and his decisions were rarely challenged credibly by other executives of the bank, the OCC document states. The management report also concluded that Overby's "prior resistance to acknowledging and implementing separation of duties and traditional controls has exposed the bank to elevated risk," the OCC said.
In late 2014, First National Bank was ordered by the OCC to develop a compensation program that was market-based and proportionate to duties. The OCC also ordered First National Bank to adopt a conflict-of-interest policy and a policy for use of bank-issued credit cards.
Among other allegations by the OCC in the notice of charges:
In 2013, Overby hired his son-in-law as controller of the bank, making him the third-highest paid employee of the bank and Overby's future successor, even though his son-in-law had never worked at a bank or credit union as an officer or director. When the son-in-law and Overby's daughter moved back to Texas in 2014, Overby had the bank buy their house. His daughter continued to work remotely for the bank from Texas, receiving an annual salary of about $80,000, which later was reduced to $60,000.
In addition to salary and bonuses, Overby received other benefits, such as: a 100% match to the bank's 401(k) retirement plan; use of a new bank-owned vehicle every three years (including a Cadillac Escalade costing more than $86,000); two cellphones, three iPads and plans for the devices costing about $500 a month from 2010 through 2013; and a Waupaca Country Club membership.
Overby used his bank-issued credit card to pay for part of a 2012 safari in Tanzania and charged expenses for trips and lodging in places such as New York, Disney World and Grand Cayman.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. records show that in the past 10 years, Waupaca's First National Bank has posted an annual loss only once in 2014, when it lost about $1.1 million. The bank has nine branches and about $525 million in assets.
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Lisa Mauer, chief executive of Rickert Industries in Milwaukee, was elected Thursday as president of the board of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the state's commerce agency.
The election was held at WEDC's meeting at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Mauer succeeds Dan Ariens, president and CEO of the Ariens Co., who was elected vice chairman.
Nancy Hernandez, president and founder of ABRAZO Multicultural Marketing and Communication in Milwaukee, was re-elected secretary, and David Drury, a partner with Milwaukee-based Wing Capital Group, was re-elected treasurer.
A 1970s period room at the Chipstone Foundation in Fox Point, created by artists Shana McCaw and Brent Budsberg.
Mary Louise Schumacher Art City An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue. SHARE A 1970s period room at the Chipstone Foundation in Fox Point, created by artists Shana McCaw and Brent Budsberg. Photo by Jim Wildeman. Jim Wildeman The Study for a Character installation at the Chipstone Foundation, created by artists Shana McCaw and Brent Budsberg. Courtesy Brent Budsberg and Shana McCaw. Brent Budsberg and Shana McCaw The Study for a Character installation at the Chipstone Foundation, created by artists Shana McCaw and Brent Budsberg. Brent Budsberg and Shana McCaw
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A lonely mansion tucked away in Fox Point is home to the Chipstone Foundation's collection of American furniture, historical prints and 17th- and 18th-century British pottery. The staff is sparse, the space is vast and there are secrets unfolding everywhere.
Far from being a musty, eroded collection, Chipstone contains a series of rooms recently made by living artists, contemporary art that interweaves with historical work, and a touchable, teachable environment that includes workshops on historical techniques and innovative interactions with the collection.
The Chipstone Foundation was created from the legacy of Polly and Stanley Stone, a local couple, and their collection of objects. The foundation's mission is to create new ways to examine these objects and to reinterpret viewers' experiences. Sarah Anne Carter, a Chipstone curator, describes how viewers can encounter objects and their meanings in new ways far removed from the traditional, don't-touch museums experiences with wall texts and art behind glass. At Chipstone the experience of history is immersive. One can smell, taste and walk within it.
Artists were asked to create environments on the Chipstone grounds, rooms that comment on and use the collection. They call it "The Museum of Rooms." The anchor is a space that reimagines a 1970s American living room. Artists Shana McCaw and Brent Budsberg created a wood-paneled, shag-carpeted room with the colors and vibe of the period.
An LP record was playing when I walked in. I was invited to pour a drink from the bar or smoke if I desired. Earth-toned Op-Art hung on the wall and lamps glowed amber. Instead of walking around and looking at objects, I sat and listened to the record and felt like I was somewhere familiar but unattainable, a liminal, half-remembered dream. A clock ticked, but its hands turned in reverse. I noticed a small, roughly hewn ceramic owl tucked into a niche.
This whimsical, weird bird melds perfectly with the groovy room, but is in fact an English Staffordshire work from the late 18th century. It is an object out of time, reappearing in another age. The fact that this little owl feels like it is from the '70s begs viewers to ask why. What is the difference in the maker's intent as opposed to the viewer's interpretation? How does context affect how we see historical objects? This room reminds us that nothing is objective and that history, like the backward clock, does not move in seamless progression.
McCaw and Budsberg also created an adjoining room called "Study for a Character." As its title suggests, someone was just there. A candle is burning, there are herbs and sage bundled on a table and bottles, bird's nests and dried plants scattered about. The character appears to be an amateur collector or someone who spends her days outside and brings precious parts of it back with her. There is an economical, caned rocking chair and careworn wooden desks filled with apothecary bottles and specimens. It might be an American settler's house on the edge of a vast wilderness, but we cannot know for sure.
The room evolves into a character. Everything that has been touched, arranged and examined is a compilation of the self. It becomes a somewhat uncanny experience, like seeing a ghost.
"Study," by Ashley Morgan, is a room with a romantic view of Lake Michigan that once contained bookshelves, a desk and a trash can. However, now the room only houses dust. The furniture and artwork have been removed. Only the silhouettes of these objects remain, outlined in the neglected gloom. The ceiling is crumbling and the paint is peeling. We must imagine the titles of the books and the subjects of the artworks. It is a reflection on absence and memory.
Other works in "The Museum of Rooms" include an architectonic installation by Tim Stoelting that feels like a hypermodern spaceship. It reduces architecture to minimal black and white necessity and furniture to the precarious edge of functionality. I was reminded of "The Matrix," and rightly so. Stoelting is now a resident artist at NASA.
The Fox Point campus of the Chipstone Foundation keeps a low profile. Located in a residential neighborhood, it is unable to accommodate large groups. Luckily, Chipstone also has exhibits and permanent installations on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The mysterious "Mrs. M---s Cabinet" utilizes objects from the Chipstone collection to flesh out a fictional character. In addition, ceramic vessels by the African-American slave Dave the Potter are on view as well as other treasures from Chipstone's holdings.
Though somewhat sequestered, The Chipstone Foundation has created indelible marks on the study of art and how we experience it.
The Chipstone Foundation in Fox Point is open by appointment only. Other ways to engage with Chipstone collections include its galleries at the Milwaukee Art Museum, videos and resources online and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture.
Rafael Francisco Salas is an artist, a professor of art at Ripon College and a regular Art City contributor.
SHARE Multiple Choice. By Alejandro Zambra, translated by Megan McDowell. Penguin Books. 128 pages. $15.
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Alejandro Zambra's "Multiple Choice" made me laugh repeatedly, often ruefully. Zambra refashions the Chilean Academic Aptitude Test, a precollege exam like our SAT, into an instrument for fiction, simultaneously mocking standardized testing and demonstrating how choices are central to storytelling. While committing these metafictional and postmodern pranks, Zambra also crisply fictionalizes romantic and parental woes and mocks hypocritical Chilean society.
Anyone who has felt ground by the pestle of testing will appreciate the clever ways that Zambra grinds back. In the opening segment of 24 problems, "Excluded Term," he asks us to choose which term doesn't fit the initial word. The possible responses to "10. Copy" should make any hurried computer user chuckle: "A) cut B) paste C) cut D) paste E) undo.) "15. Childhood" embodies angst about being a parent that shows up elsewhere in this book: "A) childlike B) childproof C) childcare D) childless E) childfree." "23. Silence" reminds that Zambra, born in 1975, grew up during a repressive regime: "A) fidelity B) complicity C) loyalty D) conspiracy E) cowardice." "24. Silence" adds a disturbing coda.
Zambra's passing salutes to the former dictator includes this little gem of wordplay: "You try to go from the general to the specific, even if the general is General Pinochet."
His "Sentence Completion" section gives readers familiar, even template-like phrases, with a choice of words to fill them in. Questions 51 through 54 address the same bitter trio of prompts: "You were a bad son, but ," "You were a bad father, but " and "You are alone, but ".
The "Sentence Elimination" segments ask readers "to mark the answer that corresponds to the sentences or paragraphs that can be eliminated because they do not add information or are unrelated to the rest of text." Unrelated is the critical word here: A reader's choice determines relatedness and causality, which changes the story. For example, in "57" the reader decides if a curfew led to sleeping over, then to sex, pregnancy and a birth. In the six-sentence "59," about an older woman with breast cancer, readers can choose to remove any one of the sad sentences involved except the final one: "But she never forgot she was missing a breast."
In the concluding unit, "Reading Comprehension," Zambra presents three short stories, followed by multiple-choice questions that mock, challenge and suggest varying interpretations of these fictions. "Text #1" offers a remarkable tale of academic cheating by the legendary Covarrubias twins, as related to the youthful narrator by his former religion teacher, now a Metro conductor (it pays better). The tale and the follow-up questions indict the testing enterprise in a pleasingly cynical way.
In "Text #3" a father addresses his son with a mixture of apology, explanation and cluelessness, unwisely recalling an argument in which mother and father, long separated now, each compared having a child to having a pet. In one of this book's pithiest moments, Zambra asks this question:
"88. In your opinion, which email folder would be the most appropriate for a text like this one?
A) Sent messages B) Drafts C) Inbox D) Spam E) Unsent messages."
In a review last year of an earlier Zambra book, "My Documents," New Yorker critic James Wood pointed out the author's affinities with fellow Chilean Roberto Bolano and American writer Paul Auster. Fellow readers of John Updike will see "Multiple Choice" as a heftier cousin to the American writer's "Problems," a set of emotional dilemmas cast as mathematical word problems. While the characters glimpsed in "Multiple Choices" don't appear to be dreamers like those in Haruki Murakami's fiction, Zambra shares a predilection for writing about slackers and underachievers.
Based on the outcome of "Multiple Choice," Zambra is superbly equipped to major in writing fiction about the unhappiness of human beings, with secondary concentrations in lampooning hypocrisy and satirizing repression. I recommend you admit him to your reading list immediately.
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A man who was in the U.S. illegally was sentenced to five years in federal prison Friday for his role in bringing 30 pounds of cocaine hidden in elevator parts into Milwaukee from California.
Alfredo Romo, 47, pleaded guilty to possessing 500 grams of cocaine with intent to deliver. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman gave him the mandatory minimum sentence, which both the prosecutor and defense recommended. He will be deported after his sentence, Adelman said.
Another defendant in the case, Gilberto Hernandez-Ordunez, who also was in the country illegally, is a fugitive.
Hernandez-Ordunez was in custody but late last year U.S. Magistrate Judge William Duffin ordered him released pending trial, over the objection of the prosecutor.
At the time, Duffin said it was a close call as to whether he was a flight risk. He said the government had a strong case, but he decided to release Hernandez-Ordunez based on his background and his lack of a serious criminal history.
Hernandez-Ordunez came to court for one appearance but has been missing since he failed to show for an appearance in January. A warrant was issued for his arrest.
Romo has been living in the United States illegally for 23 years, much of it under a false name. Romo had a 19-year-old warrant for his arrest from Ozaukee County for battery. His attorney said Romo beat a man who tried to rape his sister.
Hernandez-Ordunez and Romo were involved in a drug-dealing operation that was bringing dozens of kilograms of cocaine into Milwaukee, hidden inside metal elevator shaft parts and delivered by semitrailer trucks to a warehouse on the city's northwest side, according to court documents.
Each load was 20 to 60 kilograms or 44 to 130 pounds of cocaine, sealed in the elevator parts coming from California. It took a metal-cutting torch to get the drugs out. The cocaine was stashed at businesses on the south side and sold from there. They were caught with 15 kilograms at the warehouse in the 8600 block of N. 107th St. in November.
Romo's attorney, Victor Plantinga, said his client was a hard worker who had lost jobs because he was not here legally. Romo was hired because he was skilled as a welder and could retrieve the cocaine from the parts, he said. His desperation for work led him to keep working for what he learned was a drug front.
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Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn Thursday told President Barack Obama that although residents of disadvantaged communities of color need police officers the most, for social and historical reasons police are distrusted in those neighborhoods.
"The challenge is how do we talk about both things at the same time without acting like we're blaming the African American community for their victimization or that we're assuming that all police are racially biased?" Flynn said at a town-hall meeting featuring the president on ABC.
Flynn told the president that he understands the Black Lives Matters movement exists because there's a sensibility that black lives didn't matter.
"But for us the problem is this: all there is is the police in the community," Flynn said.
"There's no cavalry coming."
Flynn, pointing to the killing of five police officers in Dallas, decried the easy availability of high-powered firearms.
"How did that guy get that assault rifle and why could he walk down the street with it and then use it?" the chief asked before calling on lawmakers to address the issue.
"That requires some political courage," Flynn said.
Obama said the Black Lives Matter movement serves to bring attention to inequities in poor and minority communities and is "not meant to suggest that other lives don't matter."
"It just means that other folks aren't experiencing this particular vulnerability" the president said.
"We shouldn't get too caught up in this notion that people who are asking for fair treatment are somehow automatically anti-police or are trying to only look out for black lives compared with others."
State Rep. Dale Kooyenga (left) and Milwaukee Teachers Education Association executive director Lauren Baker are shown before a forum in May at Marquette University on The Future of Education in Milwaukee: One Conversation, Two Points of View. Credit: Mark Hoffman
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There's a perfect storm heading toward our kids' Wisconsin public schools. If nothing is done, the damage will be widespread. For most urban and suburban kids, there may be no shelter to hide. The damage done would be 100% man-made by Madison politicians. Let me share three reasons why I'm so worried, why you should be, too, and what we can do about it.
State revenue is down, way down:Wisconsin's budget already is under water. Gov. Scott Walker has already delayed $101 million in debt payments. And according to the Wisconsin Budget Project, state revenue which funds our kids' public schools, among other priorities is $90 million below projections as of May 2016. Despite low unemployment, the state isn't seeing increased tax revenues. Why? WBP speculates that either the jobs numbers being touted are wrong or "the jobs being added are low-wage and not adding much to income taxes."
If we don't have revenue, we can't support our kids' K-12 schools. Without correction, the storm's floodwaters will deepen our state's already-underwater budget.
The floodwater looms despite repeated promises from state Rep. Dale Kooyenga of Brookfield, who infamously predicted in 2014 that the state's tax cuts would beam sunshine on the economy and drive new revenue to fund schools. Those blue skies never came.
A year later, in a room filled with concerned public school parents, including me, Kooyenga again predicted that tax cuts would create plenty of revenue, bring budgets above water and fully fund our kids' K-12 schools. Again, those blue skies didn't come.
We nonpartisan suburban public school parents aren't ideological advocates for either tax cuts or tax increases. But we do believe in sound budgeting. We do it all the time and we put our kids' needs first. If a politician looks parents in the eye and says, "Believe me, there will be blue skies over your child's school," and then deeper darkness arrives twice that politician should apologize and work to right his wrongs.
Politicians such as Kooyenga inevitably will leave citizens to fight over the life rafts. They'll say there's not enough resources to help protect all Wisconsinites from the storm. We can't have schools, roads and care for seniors, they'll say. But we have news for the politicians. We parents will not be lured into a false fight with our friends. We will stand together and question politicians who appear unable to manage our state's finances and keep our state's priorities afloat.
School boards can't fully fund schools: Legislation currently prevents locally elected school boards from levying enough property tax revenue to adequately support our kids' schools. A revenue cap set by politicians regulates how much revenue Wisconsin's school boards can raise.
When the storm hits, budget floodwaters deepen, and our kids' schools are cut or closed. Surprised parents may turn to their school boards for support. However, these local officials are currently forbidden by the state to offer shelter from the storm.
One simple solution would be to raise the revenue cap, enabling locally elected school boards to raise enough revenue to protect their schools. For so many reasons, it can and it must be done.
Expanded private school vouchers: Every dollar we spend on private school vouchers is a dollar that no longer supports our kids' public schools. And over the next decade, the state will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on this program that despite 25 years of trying hasn't improved education in Wisconsin one iota by any meaningful measure. One simple solution is for Madison politicians to stop the expansion of private school vouchers until Wisconsin's budget isn't under water.
Man-made storm clouds are heading towards our kids' schools but the good news is that there are solutions. We need leadership from politicians such as Kooyenga if we're going to keep our kids' public schools safe from the storm.
Mary Young of Wauwatosa is president of Support Our Schools Wauwatosa.
Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump signs autographs during a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center on July 6 in Cincinnati. Credit: Getty Images
The Republicans have only themselves to blame for the Trump Carnival that pitches its tent in Cleveland this week. Party leaders were so out of touch with their own members that they couldn't imagine that a reality TV star with an ego the size of Manhattan and an interest in the issues the size of a grain of sand could seize control of the party. And yet, here we are.
Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, deserves a big share of the blame for the debacle. Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post laid out Priebus' mistakes in gory detail, including his failure to speak up forcefully when Trump repeatedly slurred Mexicans, women, Muslims and the disabled. "Priebus utterly failed to act as the guardian of the party's values," she writes. As she points out, a majority of Republicans didn't vote for the real estate mogul. What about them?
There is very little chance of derailing the Trump train now, and the problem for the party always has been: Even if the train is derailed, then what? No, it looks as if the GOP is stuck with Trump. His selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a former congressman and conservative stalwart, does little to mask the central problem the party faces. It's Trump.
This is a candidate who has called for a religious test to enter the country, called for the deportation of all undocumented immigrants, called for a wall at the southern border and for punitive tariffs that could touch off a trade war. Trump seems to admire dictators, including Vladmir Putin and Saddam Hussein. In his rallies, he has encouraged loutish behavior while modeling the same from the rostrum. He has declined to release his income taxes, which would shed light on his checkered business career and whether he's really worth as much as he claims. He was the birther-in-chief, who shamelessly pursued the discredited notion that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. He repeatedly belittled his political foes, even suggesting that the father of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was implicated in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
And this is a candidate who has exhibited no more than a passing knowledge of the key issues facing the nation and shown just as little interest in learning what they are or where he stands on them. Comparing Trump to Ronald Reagan as Pence did last week is laughable. Reagan had years of governmental experience before being nominated in 1980. And Ronald Reagan knew his own mind. Trump does not. He switched parties seven times from 1999 to 2012, The Washington Post reports, and has leaned this way and that on a range of issues, from health care to abortion.
The Republicans may yet leave Cleveland a united party and Trump may yet be competitive in the fall. His opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is a career politician with a major truthiness problem in a restive year. The two of them are the least popular presidential candidates in recent memory.
But it says something that GOP heavyweights such as the two President Bushes and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2012 nominee, won't be in Cleveland. It says even more that Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. will be.
The country deserves a legitimate, reasonable challenge to a third Clinton term. Unfortunately, Donald Trump is not up to that challenge. For that, we have the GOP's leaders to thank.
One Ukrainian was killed and two were wounded as a result of the terrorist attack in the Nice on the French Riveria, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
"One Ukrainian person was killed and another two Ukrainian citizens received minor injuries. They are provided with the necessary medical care," spokesman of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Marian Bets told Interfax-Ukraine News Agency on Friday.
An earlier report said one Ukrainian died and one was wounded in the attack.
Gov. Scott Walker shown speaking at a Chamber of Commerce summit last April in Washington, D.C., spent most of the campaign money he raised in the first half of 2016, new records show. Credit: TNS
By of the
Madison Gov. Scott Walker's campaign spent money as quickly as he raised it in the first half of 2016, finishing June with just $161,000 in the bank.
Walker managed to raise $1.1 million in the first six months of the year in spite of also fundraising to pay off debt left over from his separate and unsuccessful run for president last year. But the campaign's filing with state elections officials Friday underlined the challenges that the Republican governor will have if he decides to run for a third term in 2018.
The governor has spent $970,000 so far this year, leaving him with no war chest that might help intimidate potential challengers and scare them away from a run against him two years from now.
Walker's campaign pointed to the governor's efforts on behalf of other Republican candidates during this election cycle, which focuses on other races at the state and federal level.
"Gov. Walker appreciates strong ongoing support from grass-roots activists as he continues working for Wisconsin and actively helping the efforts of like-minded reformers across our state," spokesman Joe Fadness said.
Walker will speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next week, giving him an opportunity to recapture some of the attention of conservatives around the country.
But he still contends with sagging poll numbers in Wisconsin, where the latest Marquette Law School poll released Wednesday found that only 38% of voters approved of his job performance, compared with 58% who disapproved of it.
'This is the right time to exhale': David Stearns ends seven-year run
The 37-year-old cited a desire to spend more time with family in stepping back to an advisory role, but the New York Mets are sure to be interested.
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A 20-year-old Waukesha woman with no memory of the 2014 crash that killed her friend as they drove to softball tryouts has now been charged with a felony.
Danica Molina could face up to five years in prison if convicted of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle.
According to the criminal complaint:
Molina, who has no prior record, was driving an SUV south on Ryan Road in Lisbon just after noon Aug. 2, 2014, when she left the road and hit some trees. She and her passenger, Alyse Krauss, were both seriously injured.
Krauss, 15, of Pewaukee, died two days later.
During an interview in the hospital, Molina told a detective she had been trying to change lanes and lost control.
Later the complaint doesn't indicate when the same detective tried to re-interview Molina after she had been released from the hospital. By then, she suffered memory loss from her injuries, a fact confirmed by doctors. All Molina could recall was that she thought she just lost control.
The stretch where witnesses said Molina left the roadway was a no-passing zone along a slight curve.
Molina's attorney, Ray Dall'Osto, said the delay in the criminal case was attributable to negotiations and insurance settlements.
"It's just really unfortunate, they were good friends," he said. "But ultimately, the state felt it went beyond 'just an accident.'"
No alcohol, drugs or texting was involved in the crash, Dall'Osto said. Krauss and Molina were classmates at Waukesha North High School.
Both he and Waukesha District Attorney Sue Opper said they don't expect the resolution of the case to take nearly as long.
Dall'Osto said Molina was in the hospital less than a month but continues to recover through intensive follow-up treatment.
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By of the
While most of the Midwest experienced an extremely wet week, southeastern Wisconsin was added to the federal drought monitor for the first time this year.
Southeastern Wisconsin has been classified as "abnormally dry."
At this time during a normal year, the area should have had about 18 inches of rainfall. This year, the total is about 12 inches a 6-inch deficit.
The area has been slowly accruing a rain deficit this spring, continuing into summer, said Ed Hopkins, assistant state climatologist.
During the past seven days, southeastern Wisconsin has received between 5 and 25 percent of the typical amount of rain for this time of year.
"For a long time period, it wasn't so bad," Hopkins said. "But we have a deficit that's been accumulating through the year and it's been steadily getting worse."
Over the past 90 days, the area received about 75% of typical rainfall. A lot of precipitation in the winter kept the area from entering the drought monitor sooner.
"From December early into the first several months of the year were doing pretty well," Hopkins said. "It's been fairly dry since then. We were sort of drawing on the bank account of water."
Forecasts from the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center anticipate that southern Wisconsin will continue to experience below average precipitation for the next couple weeks. With continued dry weather, the region could be upgraded from abnormally dry to moderate drought.
"If we get some timely rain, then we may stay in abnormally dry conditions, but I don't know," Hopkins said. "It doesn't look too good right now."
The National Weather Service forecasts a chance of showers and thunderstorms Saturday night and Monday. Highs for the weekend will be in the high 70s and low 80s, cooling off overnight.
In this 2014 photo, a channel containing manure flows from a farm field, eventually reaching the Little Eau Pleine River in Marathon County. The Department of Natural Resources has released plans for new rules to limit manure use where animal waste poses a greater chance of polluting streams and groundwater. Credit: Journal Sentinel files
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Under pressure from citizens and environmental groups, state officials took a step this week in advancing regulations that would impose stricter controls on manure spreading on Wisconsin's most vulnerable soils.
The Department of Natural Resources released plans for new rules to limit manure use in certain zones where animal waste poses a greater chance of polluting streams and groundwater.
Currently, Wisconsin has uniform standards for manure spreading, but if the changes are made, farmers in some regions would be required to limit their spreading more.
"This is the first time that we would have different practices for specific areas," said Russ Rasmussen, who is leading DNR efforts on manure issues.
The measures are an outgrowth of a task force of citizens, farmers and public officials in northeastern Wisconsin, which met for months. After completing work, they recently called for limits on manure spreading and more government oversight of farming practices.
The initial reaction from two environmental groups and the state's largest farm group was generally positive. But both sides said they will be watching how the process plays out, which could color their opinions.
Another key player, the Dairy Business Association, which is aligned with large dairy farms, milk processors and other businesses, declined to comment.
DNR officials set up the task force after six environmental groups petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in October 2014 to investigate water and well contamination in dairy-intensive Kewaunee County. They said regulators failed to protect drinking water despite having authority to regulate wells, groundwater and the practices of large-scale dairy farms.
Large farms known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs have a minimum of 700 mature cows. Kewaunee County has 16 CAFOs, the third highest in the state. The average number of cows on a farm in Wisconsin is 129, according to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
Animal waste especially involving farms with thousands of cows is an increasingly volatile issue in the dairy state.
The flashpoint is Kewaunee County, where thin soils, fractured bedrock and an abundance of cattle have created conditions where waste has polluted wells or surface waters.
In December, 34% of wells tested in the county failed to meet health standards for drinking water, according to a study by the U.S. Agricultural Research Service and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
"We are taking this from a county level to a state level and amping up the discussion," Rasmussen said.
The DNR will ask the state Natural Resources Board at a meeting in Ashland on Aug. 3 to approve a scope statement the first step in Wisconsin's rule-making process that spells out the themes for the new regulations.
The document calls for identifying areas where the thickness of soils and underlying geology make it prone to manure pollution. The rules would then establish manure handling standards for the area.
Kewaunee County's karst topography, where cracks in bedrock have threatened groundwater, is an example.
But Rasmussen said zones could be designated in other areas of the state.
The rules could include reduced manure spreading and timing fertilizer and manure applications.
Another requirement would make setback requirements for spreading near public and private wells.
In the months ahead, Paul Zimmerman, lobbyist with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, said negotiations will focus on the details. For example, moderating manure use might mean spreading the same amount, but splitting it up over several days.
There are likely to be areas "where maybe we should not be applying manure at all," he said.
Zimmerman agreed there is an issue in northeastern Wisconsin, but downplayed the problem elsewhere.
"It isn't like this has been a widespread issue across areas of the state for a long time," he said. "We are not objecting to the scope statement. We understand the need to have this discussion."
Wisconsin's process for writing new rules requires public hearings, input from stakeholder groups and approval by the Legislature a process that can take years. Rasmussen said the DNR hopes lawmakers take it up before the end of the 2018 legislative session.
Environmental groups, which have been critical of the DNR under Gov. Scott Walker, said they were cautiously optimistic.
The work groups that met in Kewaunee County "talked about the need to move away from a one-size-fits-all, so this is definitely a step toward what we were discussing," said Tressie Kamp, an attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates. "I think there are folks who were hoping that this would have happened years ago."
In an email, Elizabeth Wheeler, an attorney for Clean Wisconsin, said:
"We think that it is absolutely appropriate and long overdue to revise the CAFO regulations to address groundwater contamination. Whether the final rule goes far enough to address the problems in Kewaunee and elsewhere in the state is yet to be seen."
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |
French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve has extended the French state of emergency, which suspends key civil and human rights, in the aftermath of the gruesome truck attack on Bastille Day in Nice, which at this writing has left 80 dead and over a dozen in intensive care.
As with the victims in Ankara, Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad, Beirut and Sousse, my heart goes out to them and their friends and relatives. Longtime readers know that I grew up partly in France and have a soft spot for the country, the people, and the culture. This hurts.
Early unconfirmed reports suggested that the truck driver may have been a Nice native, 31, of Tunisian descent.
The elite Paris counter-terrorism unit has been mobilized. But the fact is that most unfortunately, this kind of attack probably cannot be forestalled. No amount of surveillance or suspension of civil liberties could stop a single individual or small cell of close friends or relatives from committing a soft-target nihilistic attack of this sort.
This crime has some resemblance to the murders of a serial killer, which are notoriously difficult to stop or solve. In an ordinary murder of the sort the detective or crime-solving mystery writers focus on, the police are said to look for means, motive and opportunity. But serial killers dont have a specific motive, just a general one, that they get off on killing. A general motive is too vague and lacking in detail to provide any help to solving the case. That is why some serial killers can polish off dozens of victims over years before they are caught. They dont know the people they kill, and have no ordinary motive to kill them. Nothing would show up in bank accounts or email files. For the victim, it is more like a natural disaster, like taking a mountain hike and running into a hungry black bear or accidentally driving into a tornado.
Just as a nihilistic criminal such as a serial killer cannot easily be prevented from striking again, so a lone wolf and small-cell terrorist cannot easily be forestalled from wreaking havoc.
I have argued that what Daesh is up to is not terrorism in the classic sense of killing civilians to accomplish a specific political goal or change some government policy. The driver of the truck made no demands. He did not hit an important piece of civilian infrastructure, but killed randomly, individuals attending a fireworks display in Frances fifth-largest city. If it was terrorism, he should have desperately wanted French President Francois Hollande to do something or not do something. What would that be, exactly? If it was terrorism, he should have hit a target of symbolic or strategic significance.
You could take the position that Daesh is protesting the French air strikes on its capital, al-Raqqah, in Syria. But France only began those air strikes last September because it received intelligence that Daesh was planning to hit Paris (the intelligence was correct). So they had it in for France before that country was much involved in the Syrian civil war. The motivation must lie elsewhere.
Since I made the argument that al-Qaeda and Daesh are sharpening contradictions and trying to drive European Muslims into their arms by provoking white Europeans of Christian heritage to mistreat them, acknowledgment of that tactic has become a commonplace.
So what to do? Daesh wants us to be afraid, to hate, and to push Western Muslims into their arms. The only effective riposte is Gandhian. Show Muslims some love, and include them in political society. No, Muslims arent peculiar in the amount of violence they have generated in the past century. And no, the religion of Islam does not permit terrorism; the Quran decries each murder as a form of symbolic genocide.
France has a problem of slums around some of its cities, slums which are disproportionately African and Middle Eastern. Make them enterprise zones and site some factories there. Often the labor is not living where the jobs are. Social policy has to be implemented to close that gap. (The African and Middle Eastern labor often came to France in times of rapid economic expansion, when they were needed, but they got left high and dry by robotification or factory relocation.
Here is another Gandhian proposal: Vastly expand economic aid to Tunisia. I dont mean military aid, which is problematic since it strengthens the security forces over democratic institutions, and typically has few economic benefits to the recipient.
I mean civilian economic aid and investment, which seems to be on the US side about $50 million a year right now. That is less than a single F-35 joint strike fighter jet. The US budget is $3.8 trillion, and foreign aid, contrary to what people think, is a piddling little part of it, especially once you get past Israel and Egypt.
Tunisia overthrew a seedy dictatorship and has moved smartly toward more democracy has in fact been an exemplary country in the Middle East. And the US cant help out on the civilian aid and investment side even to the tune of one airplane.
Why is this point important? Tunisias economic growth is anemic. In part, this slowing of growth derives from successful terrorism, which has harmed Tunisias tourism sector (5% of the economy). Its economy only grew by 1 percent in the first quarter, and the best it might do for this year is 2.5%. Last year it was 0.8%. Add in population growth, and the economic advance is zero or less. There have been massive demonstrations by youth protesting high rates of unemployment. And Daesh recruiters guess what? target unemployed youth.
If the West cant be bothered to proffer genuine and substantial aid to a success story like Tunisia, then it will get more basket cases like Syria, which spill over onto the West. And while the terrorist in Nice was French rather than Tunisian, the existence of a pool of Tunisians driven by marginalization, humiliation and desperation to join Daesh creates a nexus of potential recruitment.
So the answer to Nice is the opposite of what the politicians think. It isnt to declare war on Daesh (Trump), or to do more warrantless surveillance (HR Clinton), or to get rid of the Rights of Man (Francois Hollande). On Bastille Day, commemorating the French Revolution that helped invent the very idea of human rights, we should defend it by defending them, not by emulating dictators and absolute monarchs.
Finally, the West needs to play better peacemaker in places like Syria. We have former Obama administration officials like Dennis McConough, who when he was in office thought like this:
Mr. McDonough, who had perhaps the closest ties to Mr. Obama, remained skeptical. He questioned how much it was in Americas interest to tamp down the violence in Syria. Accompanying a group of senior lawmakers on a day trip to the Guantanamo Bay naval base in early June, Mr. McDonough argued that the status quo in Syria could keep Iran pinned down for years. In later discussions, he also suggested that a fight in Syria between Hezbollah and Al Qaeda would work to Americas advantage, according to Congressional officials.
To be fair, McDonough took this stance so as to be able to oppose arming the Syrian rebels and getting practically involved in the Syrian civil war. But both his and the CIA policy are wrong-headed. Prolonging the war by sending in weapons to Salafi jihadis creates more Salafi jihadis, and some of them hail from or go to Europe. Syria has become an infective agent in an epidemic of nihilist violence.
And tolerating or promoting the prolongation of the war gives the militiamen more military and munitions experience, and more stockpiles, and more resources for planning attacks in the West.
So thats my prescription. You want to reply effectively to Nice? Reject fear and reject hate. Find a local Muslim and shower that person with love and respect. Speak out against Islamophobia. Work to strengthen democracy and inclusiveness and basic human rights. Stand up for the raid on the Bastille of 1789, and the freeing of prisoners of conscience. Invest some billions, not measly tens of millions, in success stories like Tunisia, to promote democracy and economic growth. And give John Kerry the backing and the resources to bring the Syrian civil war to an end.
The standard politicians responses will just make things worse.
Related video added by Juan Cole:
France 24: Nice attack: explosives and heavy weapons found inside the truck that rammed into crowd
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Maan News Agency |
HEBRON (Maan) Israeli forces have reportedly torched 10 dunams (2.5 acres) of land planted with olive trees south of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority.
The Hebron office of the authority released a report on Monday that said its inspectors saw the scorched land in the Um Suwwana neighborhood near the village of al-Ramadin, and managed to take photos from a distance but couldnt access the land because it lay just beyond Israels separation wall.
The trees belonged to the al-Sawaada family from al-Ramadin.
The authority estimated that the land was torched a few weeks ago, and determined it had been carried out by the Israeli army based on testimonies gathered by locals.
An Israeli army spokesperson could not immediately confirm the reports as the authoritys statement excluded a specific date of the incident.
The Environmental Authority carries out regular field visits across the occupied West Bank to document Israeli violations against environment in Palestine.
Via Maan News Agency
Related video added by Juan Cole:
TeleSur: Palestines Olive Tree: A Symbol of Resistance
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TeleSur |
According to a leaked U.S. plan, Washington and Moscow would merge their respective air campaigns against non-state armed groups in Syria.
The United States will propose increasing military cooperation and sharing intelligence with Russia to identify and target Islamic State group and al-Qaida headquarters, training camps and supply routes in Syria, the Washington Post reported.
The extent of coordination set out in the document would represent a major shift after years of rivalry between Washington and Moscow.
The proposal, set out in a document published by the newspaper, will be presented by Secretary of State John Kerry during a visit to Moscow on Thursday, it said. The report comes after Kerry referred earlier this week to two Islamist rebel groups in Syria, Jaysh al-Islam, Ahrar al-Sham, as subgroups of al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, appearing to echo the Russian line and justifying airstrikes on both under the auspices of a joint U.S.-Russian bombing campaign.
Kerry declined to comment when asked about the report in The Washington Post. Ill have comments, going to Moscow, meeting with President Putin tonight; well have plenty of time to talk about it and Ill give you all a sense of where we are, he told reporters in Paris.
A senior State Department official told Reuters that Kerry would discuss how to deal with Islamic State and al Qaeda in Syria, as well as efforts to reduce the violence, allow humanitarian access and move towards political transition.
At present we are not conducting or coordinating military operations with Russia, nor is it clear we will reach an agreement to do so, the official said.
The document published by The Washington Post called for intelligence sharing to identify leadership targets, training camps, supply lines and headquarters of the Nusra Front, al Qaedas affiliate in Syria. Strikes against those targets could be carried out by U.S. or Russian jets.
It said that expanded coordination between the United States and Russia would be channeled through a Joint Implementation Group, based in the vicinity of the Jordanian capital Amman.
Via TeleSur
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Related video added by Juan Cole:
AFP: Top US envoy Kerry arrives in Moscow for Syria talks with Putin
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang(L) holds talks with Mongolian Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 14, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
ULAN BATOR, July 14 (Xinhua) -- China and Mongolia Thursday agreed to speed up the alignment of development strategies and boost cooperation to forge closer ties, as Chinese Premier Li Keqiangwas visiting this landlocked country.
"We both agreed to steer the development of bilateral ties into the right direction," Li told a joint press conference after talks with his Mongolian counterpart Jargaltulga Erdenebat.
Li, in a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, reiterated China's stance on the South China Seaissue, saying that any dispute should be solved through bilateral negotiations by parties directly concerned.
SINO-MONGOLIAN TIES
Li arrived in Ulan Bator on Wednesday afteroon to pay an official visit. It was his first trip to Mongolia since he took office in 2013.
Sharing a 4,710-km-long borderline, China and Mongolia have witnessed warmer relations in recent years thanks to closer economic links and political trust.
During his talks with Erdenebat, Li said that China and Mongolia are neighbors, friends and partners, and the two countries have maintained a good momentum in building a comprehensive strategic partnership reached by both sides in August 2014.
Li said that the two countries respected each other's core interests and major concerns. China respected Mongolia's state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as the development path chosen by the Mongolian people.
"China looks forward to working with Mongolia's new government in continued efforts to consolidate political mutual trust and maintain exchanges between high-level officials, so as to deepen cooperation in all respects," Li said.
Li said the two neighbors are economically complementary and new opportunities in deepening cooperation have become available. China stands ready to dovetail its Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Steppe Road program. China is also willing to start a feasibility study on a free trade pact with Mongolia.
Besides, China stands ready to make new progress with Mongolia in such fields as the processing of farm and pasture products, housing and infrastructure, said Li, who also suggested the two sides strengthen financial cooperation and expand currency-swap scale, and enhance people-to-people exchanges.
Erdenebat, for his part, said that economic cooperation and trade are major pillars in bilateral ties and the Mongolian side is willing to advance cooperation with China in such fields as agriculture, livestock farming, energy, minerals and infrastructure, he said.
Erdenebat welcomed more investment from Chinese firms, adding that Mongolia is positive with starting the feasibility study of a free trade pact.
China has for years been Mongolia's largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment. According to official statistics, two-way trade has expanded 50 times over the past two decades.
Following the talks, Erdenebat and Li witnessed the signing of 15 cooperation agreements ranging from trade, technology and infrastructure to radio and TV broadcasting.
Li also met with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Chairman of the State Great Hural Miyegombo Enkhbold in the day to discuss ways to improve bilateral ties.
TWO-WAY NEGOTIATION ON SEA DISPUTES
On Thursday, Li also met with leaders of Vietnam, Latvia and Laos, all of whom will attend the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit to be held in Ulan Bator from July 15 to 16.
Li told his Vietnamese counterpart that the South China Sea issue should be solved through bilateral negotiations by relevant parties on the basis of historical facts and in accordance with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
The DOC, signed in 2002 by China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, including the Philippines, stipulates that the parties concerned undertake to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned.
On the award issued Tuesday by an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, Li said China has been very clear on its stance of not recognizing or accepting the award. The DOC has helped maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea over the past years, he said.
The Chinese premier called on Vietnam to value the hard-won momentum in the development of bilateral relations and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea with China.
Nguyen Xuan Phuc, for his part, said Vietnam respects China's stance on the arbitration, which was unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, and Vietnam maintains that the disputes should be solved peacefully through negotiations.
On bilateral ties, Li said China-Vietnam relations have shown a positive momentum since last year, with early results yielding in maritime, land and financial cooperation.
Phuc said Vietnam and China enjoy a "comradely and brotherly" relationship with common interests significantly overriding differences.
Vietnam stands ready to push forward the mechanism of bilateral maritime negotiations and properly manage differences with China, so as to contribute to regional peace and stability, Phuc said.
In a meeting with Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis, Li said China is ready to join hands with Latvia to synergize their development strategies, promote cooperation in such areas as transportation, infrastructure construction and trade, achieve dynamic equilibrium of bilateral trade, and boost people-to-people exchanges in youth, media, tourism and other areas at different levels.
China supports Latvia in hosting the fifth leaders' meeting between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. China is willing to work with Latvia to promote cooperation within the China-CEE framework -- known as 16+1 -- so as to benefit both sides, Li added.
Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Clean Commodities Corp. (TSX-V: CLE) (CLE or the Corporation) is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement to raise up to $250,000 (the Financing) through the issuance of up to 2,500,000 units (a Common Share Unit) at price of $0.10 per unit.
Each Common Share Unit will consist of one common share and one common share warrant. Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share of the Corporation at a price of $0.25 per common share for a period of one year from the closing date.
Proceeds of the Common Share Units shall be used for the acquisition of additional mineral tenure (including, without limitation, the Corporations Labrador Trough Project in Quebec (see MERN-Gestim)) and for general working capital purposes.
The Corporation may pay cash finders fees equal to 7% of the gross proceeds of the Common Share Units and issue non-transferrable finders fee warrants equal to 7% of the gross proceeds of the Common Share Units which in turn may be exercised at a price of $0.10 per finders warrant for a 12 month period following closing.
Shares issued pursuant to the Financing shall be subject to a four-month hold period pursuant to applicable securities laws of Canada.
About Clean Commodities Corp.
Clean Commodities Corp. (TSXV:CLE) is an exploration company holding a diverse portfolio of clean commodity assets including lithium, uranium and PGE projects. For more information, please visit www.cleancommodities.com.
Signed,
Ryan Kalt, Chief Executive Officer
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently expected or forecast in such 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.
Contact Info:
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604-652-1710
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JURIST Guest Columnist Kami N. Chavis of Wake Forest University School of Law discusses the recent proposals to add police officers to hate crime statutes
In May, the state of Louisiana enacted a law that would make it hate crime to target police, EMS personnel, and firefighters. In light of the recent massacre in Dallas, other states may rush to enact similar legislation that adds police as a protected class to existing hate crimes legislation. Policymakers should resist the temptation to enact this similar legislation, as a symbolic gesture of solidarity with police officers. Protecting police officers is an important goal. Expanding the class of protected individuals to include police officers, however, subverts the purpose of traditional hate crimes legislation which is to protect historically marginalized groups from being targeted based on characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identify.
On July 7, 2016, Micah Xavier Johnson perpetrated an unspeakable act when he fatally shot five police officers and injured seven others as they protected peaceful demonstrators in Dallas, Texas. Johnson told negotiators he initiated the attack because he wanted to kill white people, and citing recent police shootings, Johnson also said he wanted to kill police officers. This tragedy came only days after the nation was reeling from the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, which were the events that inspired the protestors to demonstrate in downtown Dallas. Had Johnson survived to face prosecution, his statement that he wanted to kill white people would likely be enough evidence to prove he was motivated by racial bias and would subject him to a prosecution of a hate crime in many states and under federal law. His targeting of police officers, however, might subject him to enhanced penalties, but would not be prosecuted as a hate crime in most jurisdictions because police officers currently are not a protected class under the federal hate crimes statute nor under most state statutes. Prior to the Dallas incident, however, there have been federal and state bills introduced that would make targeted violence against police officers hate crimes. In the wake of the tragedy, there is likely to be a strong push for such laws, but for the reasons outlined below, adding police officers as a protected class is a misguided way to demonstrate solidarity in the wake of the Dallas tragedy.
These efforts to expand hate crimes statutes should fail for several reasons. First, adding officers as a protected class is unnecessary because many jurisdictions already have enhanced penalties for those committing violent acts against police officers or interfering with their official duties. Second, while protecting police officers against those who would target them is an important goal, the Louisiana law and other recent proposal do not appear to be based on legitimate goals to protect police, but many critics see them as thinly veiled backlashes to recent calls for police reform. Viewed as such, these laws could be far more detrimental to building the trust and strengthening relations between police officers and the communities, which are past the tipping point. Such laws are inextricably linked to the widespread public protests in response to the recent spate of high profile deaths at the hands of police. The videotaped death of Eric Garner at the hands of police and the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, as well as aggressive police tactics that police used to confront peaceful protestors in the wake of Browns death, are widely referenced as the catalyst for the current calls for criminal justice reform. Immediately following these events, several other high-profile police-involved deaths of unarmed black people, including Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland and Walter Scott, many criminal justice advocates called for widespread reforms in the criminal justice system, with a particular emphasis on policing reform. Just as the individual officers who committed these acts should not mar the reputation of their profession and officers nationwide, legitimate calls for police reform cannot be seen as an indictment on the entire profession. There are real systemic issues within policing and the criminal justice system that policymakers need to confront, and engaging in dialogue about necessary improvements does not mean that these critics are assailing the motives of every individual police officer.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, adding police officers as a protected class to hate crimes statutes whose original purpose was to eliminate violence against traditionally marginalized group actually dilutes the power of the statutes. Examining the historical context in which hate crimes statutes were created demonstrates why adding police officers as a protected class within those statues does not comport with the underlying rationale of such laws. The federal government originally enacted hate crimes laws to deter widespread violence and domestic terrorism blacks experienced during Reconstruction. Between 1877 and 1950, 3,959 blacks were lynched [PDF]. Traditional hate crimes statutes typically protected immutable characteristics such as race or ethnicity and many jurisdictions have expanded them to other traditionally marginalized groups and include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes. These groups stand in stark contrast to someones chosen occupation, no matter how vital or dangerous that occupation is.
Moreover, there have been far more reported instances of bias-motivated crimes against traditionally protected groups than fatalities of police officers, which calls into question the need to include police officers alongside these other groups. In 2014, there were 5,462 reported hate crimes against individuals based on traditional protected status (race, gender identity, sexual orientation). In contrast, during 2014, there were 145 police fatalities, and it is likely that only a small fraction of these police fatalities were the result of perpetrators specifically targeting police. As the 21st century Task Force noted, police departments and localities should focus on building trust and legitimacy between police and the community. Adding police officers to these protected classes when they clearly are not facing widespread or systemic targeted violence (as other groups have), is not only unnecessary, but prompts questions about the true motivations underlying the current campaign to include officers as a protected class.
In addition to concerns about diluting the import and symbolism of hate crimes legislation, there are several practical reasons to avoid expanding protected classes to include occupations such as police officers. First, as mentioned previously, adding this class of victims to the many state statutes would be redundant. Second, it is notoriously difficult to meet the burden of proof in hate crimes because the prosecution has to demonstrate. Not all racial minorities or other people in traditionally protected groups are targeted because of their membership in these groups, so proving that a perpetrator was motivated by bias is extremely difficult. Although the shooter in the Dallas massacre specifically mentioned his intention, there will be many instances where determining whether a victims occupation motivated the suspect. Finally, some might argue that providing greater protections to police in this manner is necessary to avoid a chilling effect on officers in the the performance of their duties. However, police officers already enjoy a number of special privileges and immunities designed for this purpose. Under the doctrine of qualified immunity, police officers are protected from liability as long as their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights. In addition to qualified immunity, several states and police unions have incorporated various aspects of the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights, which is set of provisions intended from investigation and prosecution involving performance of their official duties. These provisions often impede oversight or reform of police practices and make it difficult to discipline officers who may have engaged in misconduct.
When an event such as the Dallas tragedy occurs, it is tempting to respond with symbolic legislation to demonstrate solidarity with those noble men and women who are tasked with keeping the public safe. However, any such effort must be properly contextualized and should not become a distraction from the larger issue of criminal justice reform. It is true that police officers and other responders do not often get the recognition and praise they deserve for the difficult and important role they play in keeping our society safe. A few bad apples in police departments have tarnished the image of police officers in general, but it is important to note that these bad apples are often products of institutions that have tolerated or encouraged improper practices or procedures. Advocating for reform and increased accountability of police officers and police departments as a whole is a legitimate goal, and cannot be viewed as an indictment against all officers.
It is clear that proponents of adding police officers as a protected class are searching for ways to support police officers at a time when increased scrutiny has tarnished the reputation a noble profession. Focusing on higher pay, more time off, and increased opportunities for professional development and training would also be effective ways to demonstrate respect for the role of police officers and acknowledge their service. In addition to suggesting recommendations to build community relationships, the Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing also made several recommendations for promoting officer wellness such as promoting mental health issues unique to officers and ensuring funding for the distribution of individual tactical first aid kits and asking Congress to expand the Bulletproof Vest Program. Legislators concerned about officers would be well-advised to advocate for those practical recommendations rather than pressing for the inclusion in legislation intended to deter crimes against traditionally marginalized groups.
Kami Chavis is a Professor of Law and the Director of the Criminal Justice Program at Wake Forest University School of Law.
Suggested citation: Kami Chavis, Hate Crime Laws to Protect Police are Misguided, JURIST Forum, July 13, 2016, https://www.jurist.org/forum/kami-chavis-hate-crime.php.
This article was prepared for publication by Alix Ware, an assistant Editor for JURIST Commentary. Please direct any questions or comments to her at commentary@jurist.org
Local groups and the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana [advocacy website] filed a lawsuit [complaint, PDF] Wednesday against the Baton Rouge Police Department for violating the First Amendment rights of protestors who were peacefully protesting the police killing of Alton Sterling [press release]. The suit claims that the police used excessive force, physical and verbal abuse, and wrongful arrests to intimidate and scatter those who were gathered. The complaint alleges that those attending the protest felt compelled to leave to avoid indiscriminate arrest and aggressive police practices by a highly militarized police force in violation of their First Amendment rights.
The suit comes after the US Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Louisiana [official website] announced an investigation [JURIST report] into Sterlings killing, which was recorded on video. The situation has occurred amid a national conversation about police use of force, particularly against black citizens, and subsequent retaliation. In a press conference held last week in Washington, DC, Attorney General Loretta Lynch gave her response to the shooting of police in Dallas during a peaceful protest. Lynch stated that the Department of Justice [JURIST report], including the FBI, ATF, and US Marshals Service and US Attorneys Office were conducting an investigation into the Dallas shooting. In May Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed into law an amended hate crimes bill [JURIST report], referred to as the Blue Lives Matter law, including police, EMS personnel and firefighters in the category of those protected. The bill has drawn the contempt of some civil rights groups, including the Black Lives Matter movement. Earlier this year the US Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an investigation [JURIST report] of the San Francisco Police Department following the shooting of an unarmed African American. In December an Ohio grand jury decided not to indict [JURIST report] two officers involved in a 2014 shooting resulting in the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. Earlier that month the DOJ announced that it would be opening a full investigation [JURIST report] into the Chicago Police Department following the 2014 police shooting death of a black teenager.
[JURIST] In a report [report, PDF] released Thursday, Amnesty International (AI) [advocacywebsite] documented numerous human rights violations committed by Cameroon authorities in the countrys crackdown on Boko Haram [JURIST news archive]. In a military campaign that AI West and Central Africa Regional Director calls the right end accomplished through the wrong means, [press release] Cameroon citizens have reportedly been subjected to arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearances and incommunicado detention, and the death penalty is a near certainty for those convicted of supporting Boko Haram100 people, including women, have been sentenced to death since July 2015. Once detained these citizens are placed in desperately overcrowded prisons, in insanitary conditions where malnutrition is rampant. In one prison it has been noted that, on average, between six and eight prisoners will die as a result of these conditions each month. The heightened military offensive has also led to an increase of unnecessary force used against citizens and those detained, including extrajudicial killings and, in at least one case, the burning of houses. Those opposed to the countrys anti-terror tactics claim the human rights violations are a result of draconian and ambiguous anti-terrorism laws introduced in 2014. AI, in the report, called upon Cameroon to setup a number of measures to address the numerous issues outlined and investigate all human rights violations alleged by citizens.
Cameroons harsh practices have come in response to atrocities committed by Boko Haram which, according to a report [JURIST report] earlier in September by AI, is accountable for the death of at least 400 civilians in Northern Cameroon. The militant Islamic group Boko Haram, whose name means Western education is a sin, has been fighting to overthrow the Nigerian government in the interest of creating an Islamist state. In February UN human rights experts urged [JURIST report] the Nigerian government to guarantee the safety of areas liberated from Boko Haram. In November the UN Secretary-General condemned [JURIST report] yet another attack by Boko Haram in Nigeria that left 30 dead and approximately 80 injured. In April 2015 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein reported [JURIST report] that Boko Haram militants in Nigeria have been murdering women and girls previously taken captive by the group. The group has been increasing the intensity and frequency of its attacks [JURIST report] ever since it lost most of the territory it overtook earlier last year to the Nigerian army. Most of these attacks have centered around markets, bus stations, places of worship and hit-and-run attacks on villages.
[JURIST] The House Intelligence Committee on Friday released declassified 28-pages [report, PDF], detailing connections between Saudi Arabia and 9/11 hijackers. Whether 28-pages should be released was a hotly debated matter, spanning years as victims families and lawmakers had pressed for the report to be released. Some calling for the release of the report believed that the US had been attempting to cover up Saudi Arabias involvement in the attacks. While the document acknowledges that some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government, other sources, including the 9/11 Commission report, have held that the Saudi government was in no way involved in the September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers. Despite containing only leads to possible Saudi ties to the 9/11 hijackers, which were investigated by government officials, former Senator Bob Graham was happy with the release in that it would lead to further questioning of the Saudi governments potential involvement. He also added that I think of this almost as the 28 pages are sort of the cork in the wine bottle. And once its out, hopefully the rest of the wine itself will start to pour out.
In May the Senate approved a bill [JURIST report] allowing 9/11 victims families to sue Saudi Arabia. The bill must now pass the House and be signed by President Barack Obama, who has threatened to veto the bill. In 2012 a judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed a motion [JURIST report] to reinstate Saudi Arabia as a defendant in a civil compensation lawsuit by victims against the perpetrators of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The claim against Saudi Arabia was dismissed in 2008 by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit due to insufficient evidence that the Kingdoms princes has actual knowledge that their money was going to be used in the attacks. In 2005 Judge Richard Casey dismissed [PDF text; JURIST report] Saudi Arabia, its defense minister and its ambassador to the UK as defendants in litigation stemming from the terrorist attacks, ruling that all had sovereign immunity [Cornell LII backgrounder].
[JURIST] The Supreme Court of El Salvador [official website, in Spanish] on Wednesday struck down the amnesty law of 1993 [backgrounder, PDF], opening the way for prosecution of those associated with various war crimes and crimes against humanity during the countrys civil war. In a 4-1 decision the court held [WP article] the law unconstitutional and stated the government was under obligation to investigate, identify and sanction the material and intellectual authors of human rights crimes and grave war crimes, as well as grant reparations to those affected. The decision was hailed as a victory [UN press release] by many human rights advocates, including a group of independent experts of the UN who claimed that the decision by the highest court will restore the fundamental rights to justice and integral reparation of the victims. Some are less optimistic, however, as they believe the ruling will lead to a political witch hunt and intensify current political polarization. Mauricio Ernesto Vargas, a retired general who had been involved in the peace negotiations, stated [t]he country doesnt have the economic and social conditions to add one more destabilizing ingredient to the mix. It is believed that the conflict led to the death of 75,000 and the disappearance of 8,000 more, as well as many more victims of torture, sexual violence, and displacement.
This decision will allow El Salvador to follow suit with the US, which has made significant strides over the past decade in prosecuting those involved in the El Salvadoran civil war. In 2011 the Obama administration charged [JURIST report] General Eugenio Vides Casanova, former defense minister of El Salvador, for human rights crimes committed during the civil war while he served as the countrys top military officer. The US was also seeking to deport [La Pagina report, in Spanish] Vides, who retired in Florida after completing his six-year term as defense minister. Vides was successfully deported [JURIST] in 2015. In 2006, US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit [official website] upheld a $55 million verdict [JURIST report] against Vides and his co-defendant Jose Guillermo Garcia for allowing torture and other human rights violations during the war. In 2005, a US federal court reached a verdict against Nicolas Carranza, top commander of El Salvadors security forces during the civil war, for $2 million in compensatory damages [JURIST report]. The case was brought by five Salvadoran citizens who alleged torture or had family killed by Carranzas soldier during the war. In 2000, however, the US lost the battle to seek justice for the murders of four American churchwomen [NYT report] during the civil war when both Vides and Garcia were acquitted. The ruling was grounded in the doctrine that the generals, although responsible for their soldiers, may not have had complete effective power to reign in the abuses of their troops.
[JURIST] Following Thursdays attack in Nice, French President Francois Hollande has chosen to extend [Telegraph news release] for three months the state of emergency, which had been set to expire on July 26. Stating that [i]t is the whole of France which is under threat from Islamic terrorism, Hollande stepped back from his previous statements that it would be impossible to prolong indefinitely the state of emergency, which had been declared following the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris. Following his announcement, Hollande stated that the government would reassess the domestic terror threat, calling a meeting of the countrys defense committee today. He also promised to increase military involvement in Syria and Iraq. The perpetrator has been killed, though it remains to be seen whether he acted alone as France remains on high alert.
At least 84 citizens were killed [BBC report] during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice Thursday as a man driving a truck slammed through a crowd. The man, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, was killed by police. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, though the attack follows a call by Islamic State (IS) spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani for IS followers to kill non-believers in the West through any means possible. The Bastille Day tragedy is the second most deadly in a string of terrorist acts in France, including the November 13 Paris attacks [BBC news archive], which claimed 130 lives, and the murder [BBC report] of two French police officials by a man claiming allegiance to IS.
[JURIST] An 18-person UN human rights panel called on Kuwait Friday to amend [report, DOC] its compulsory DNA testing law. The law, a counter-terrorism measure put in place by Kuwaits parliament in 2015, facilitated a DNA database of citizens and residents of Kuwait, and imposes a one-year sentence to anyone who refuses to provide their DNA. The panel stated the law imposes unnecessary and disproportionate restrictions on the right to privacy. Jamal Alghunaim, Kuwaits ambassador to the UN argued that the law was substantially related to protecting against terrorist threats and had sufficient safeguards against persons or groups acquiring the information. The panel was not convinced with this sort of logic, though, saying that [w]easked them to amend it to ensure that DNA collection is limited, only on the basis of individuals suspected of having committed serious crimes and on the basis of a court order.
The collection and retention of DNA samples by the government and police has sparked a complex argument on procedures and ethics of such practice relative to privacy. In the US it has been a particularly difficult question to answer. In 2014 a US district court struck down [JURIST report] a California law which required anyone suspected of committing a felony to provide a DNA sample as soon as administratively possible. The court held that doing so before a judicial determination of probable cause was not reasonable. In 2013 the United States Supreme Court had ruled [opinion] that collecting DNA from an individual arrested for a felony was a legitimate police booking procedure. Some also believe that DNA collection altogether violates [JURIST commentary] the Fourth Amendment guarantee of privacy.
[JURIST] According to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] Zeid Raad Al Hussein, 200,000 civilians stuck in three Syrian towns are in grave danger [press release] as attacking forces draw near. Opposition-controlled areas of Aleppo, following recent airstrikes over the past few months, have lost around 10,000 to 30,000 civilians, who have fled, leaving at least 150,000 civilians effectively totally trapped. Opposition shelling of government-held areas of Aleppo have further endangered these civilians, with 44 being killed between July 8 and 9. These citizens face not only death and injury from further airstrikes and military offensives, but also minimal supplies of food, water, and medicine running out. Zeid also expressed concern about thousands now in a similar situation in Darayya, in Western Ghouta. The some 8,000 civilians have been condensed to one square kilometre of devastated urban ruin with no electricity, virtually no water and even less access to food than before. These civilians also face the threat of airstrikes and Zeid stated his discontent with what may happen to them if the city falls to the attacking forces. Finally, Zeid stated that he was perhaps most concerned with the situation Manbij in the eastern rural area of Aleppo Governorate, where the conflict between ISIL and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has intensified. Caught directly between the two fighting parties, civilians have been killed through airstrikes, ground offensives, and landmines. As SDF continues to move in on ISIL forces, civilians have been refused the ability to flee, leaving them without access to water, electricity, and cemeteries to bury their dead and killed relatives. Those killed in Manbij are believed to be in the dozens and the number of war crimes and human rights violations surpasses the worst nightmares. Zeid called upon those in conflict to limit any further civilian casualties and further war crimes. He also urged those parties to ensure that the fundamental needs of the besieged population such as food and water are met, stating that if they choose to ignore such needs there will be a reckoning for all these crimes.
The Syrian Civil War [JURIST backgrounder] has been ongoing since 2011 when opposition groups first began protesting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and the increasingly bloody nature of the conflict has put pressure on the international community to intervene. In March AI reported that Russian and Syrian armed forces were deliberately attacking hospitals and other medical facilities as part of a military strategy to clear the way to northern Aleppo. Just prior, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee passed [press release] two resolutions calling for an international tribunal in the Middle East to address the alleged war crimes [JURIST report] committed by the government of Syria and its allies, specifically Russia and Iran. In February the UN reported that the Syrian government is systematically exterminating detainees [JURIST report]. In November Human Rights Watch released a report stating that the practice of caging captured soldiers and civilians constitutes hostage-taking [JURIST report] and an outrage against their personal dignity.
The UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [website] released a report [report, PDF] Thursday claiming that an estimated 9,300 people in Ukraine. including 2,000civilians, have been killed since the beginning of the separatist conflict in 2014. The report stated that there has been very little accountability [press release] for the deaths, and called for an end to impunity. Although the UN has found 90 per cent of conflict-related civilian deaths resulting from indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, it noted that citizens have also seemed to be targeted for their alleged political beliefs, particularly in the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk. The report also claimed that a number of the killings could amount to crimes against humanity. The report focuses on the civilian deaths, but notes extrajudicial killings of both servicemen and civilians, and also documents the intentional homicide of Ukrainian servicemen.
Russia and Ukraine have been in conflict since the annexation of Crimea [JURIST backgrounder] in March 2014. In June the OHCHR reported that the human rights situation in Ukraine remains troublesome [JURIST report] following two years of conflict with Russia. In February Russia filed suit [JURIST report] against Ukraine over Ukraines default on $3 billion in bonds. A Ukrainian official said in January that the nation plans to sue Russia [JURIST report] in the International Court of Justice [official website] on claims of financing terrorism. In August a Russian military court sentenced [JURIST report] two Ukrainian activists to substantial jail time for the charge of conspiring to commit terror attacks. In March of last year the EU committed to stand by its policy of refusing to recognize Crimeas annexation [JURIST report]. In February 2015 Russian liberal political activist Boris Nemtsov was shot in the back four times [BBC report] in the middle of busy downtown Moscow. Nemtsov was openly politically opposed to Russias annexation of Crimea and its role in Ukraine.
BEIJING, July 15 -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said here on Thursday that the South China Seaarbitration will not "in the slightest way" shake China's resolve to pursue the path of peaceful development.
Yang made the remarks in an interview with state media on the so-called award of the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration.
"To seek peaceful development is not a matter of expediency. It is a strategic choice China has made in line with the trend of the time and its own fundamental interests," said Yang.
Yang said China remains committed to developing friendly relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, and deepening win-win cooperation and connectivity with its neighbors.
China adheres to negotiation and consultation as a means for addressing relevant territorial and maritime delimitation issues, and resolutely safeguards peace and stability in the region, he said.
The Hague-based tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the former Philippine government issued its final award on Tuesday, denying China's long-standing historical rights in the South China Sea.
In response, China issued two statements on July 12 and on July 13, a White Paper entitled China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippinesin the South China Sea, stating China's solemn position of non-acceptance and non-recognition of the award and reaffirming China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
Stressing that China's position on the arbitration fully complies with international law, Yang said the basic fact has been thoroughly elaborated in a series of position papers issued by the Chinese government.
"The attempt to mount an all-out smear campaign against China by distorting this basic fact has once again exposed the nature of this arbitration, that is, a farce in which certain countries use international law as a cover to pursue their own hidden agenda," said Yang.
In response to the role of some non-regional countries, Yang said the South China Sea arbitration "is a case in point of how non-regional countries interfere in the South China Sea issue."
He said in recent years, certain countries outside the region, driven by their own agenda, have frequently intervened in the South China Sea issue under the pretext of upholding "freedom of navigation" and "maintaining regional peace," leading to an escalation of tension.
"Such highly irresponsible moves have become the major source of risks that affect peace and stability in the South China Sea," Yang said.
The South China Sea issue is an issue between littoral countries and should be left to the countries concerned to resolve through peaceful negotiations, Yang said.
He said China has never rejected the legitimate rights and interests of non-regional countries in the South China Sea, calling on relevant countries to respect the independent choice of China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea and do more to facilitate sustained peace and stability in the region.
On the China-Philippines ties, Yang said the arbitration is a major political obstacle to the improvement of relations between China and the Philippines, calling on the new Philippine government to bear in mind the common interests of the two countries and the broader picture of bilateral ties and properly handle relevant issues.
The South China Sea issue is not an issue between China and ASEAN, said Yang, adding that China will maintain communication and consultation with those ASEAN member states who are directly concerned to address the specific disputes in a proper way.
The Gloucester County School Board [official website] in Virginia filed an emergency application [text, PDF] Wednesday asking the US Supreme Court [official website] to block a ruling in favor of a Virginia transgender student. The application, filed to Chief Justice Roberts [official profile], asks the court to halt the application of both an order [text, PDF] by the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia [official website] and a ruling [text, PDF] by the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit [official website], which mandate that a transgender student be allowed to use the restroom that aligns with his gender identity. The school board is asking the court to put the injunction on hold until it decides if it will review the case. The school board is concerned that if the mandate were to take effect it would disrupt the upcoming school year. The district also alleges that the lower court gave too much deference [Reuters report] to the Obama administrations stance on gender identity and sex discrimination.
Gavin Grimm, a high school student at a Gloucester County school who identifies as male, was granted an order [JURIST report] by the district court in June allowing him to use the boys restroom while the court considers the legal issues of the case. This order came after a decision by the federal court in April, which reversed a lower court decision in holding Grimms rights under Title IX [official website], which prohibits discrimination in schools, were violated by the school board refusing his use of the mens restroom. It was at that time the Gloucester County School Board first stated its intention to ask the US Supreme Court to review the Fourth Circuit decision.
Around 73 people killed in France when truck crashes into crowd
Rescuers are seen after at least 73 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday July 14, 2016. [Photo: Weibo]
At least 73 peoples were killed and many others injured as a truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, local TV channels reported early Friday, citing the prosecutor of Nice.
At this stage, "we can not describe these things as an attack, but many elements suggest that," BFMTV quoted Jean-Michel Pretre as saying.
At 22:30 Thursday night local time, a truck drove at high speed into the crowd who gathered on the promenade to watch fireworks marking July 14, the French national day, wrote Christian Estrosi, president of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, on Twitter.
Estrosi described the incident as "the worst Nice drama of history."
BFMTV said the truck "traveled for two kilometers ploughing people."
The driver in the incident, which was earlier reportedly described by the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes as an "attack", was neuralized and probe was launched to determine whether he acted alone, the interior ministry said.
French President Francois Hollande, who was in Avignon, was going back to Paris where he will directly go to the crisis unit at the Interior Ministry, according to Elysee.
Bernard Cazeneuve, Interior Minister, will arrive at Nice in the coming hours, said Pierre-Henry Brandet, the spokesperson of Interior Ministry, adding that there was no hostage in the incident.
Photos Credit: Delfin Amazon Cruises
By the time Id stroked the thick, fuzzy abdomen of a wild tarantula from a local trackers hands in the jungle, I knew many travel firsts would be achieved in the coming three days. Its not the norm to have fished for piranhas in a creek, have mischievous capuchins leap upon your groups skiff as they help themselves to your banana supply or encounter the indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon. Yet there was no retreating to some sweltering tent amongst creatures that hiss, but onto the Delfin II, a sleek, all-suite riverboat for travelers who prefer not to completely rough it in the worlds most spectacular rainforest region.
Adventurers, gourmands and eco-travelers are all in good hands with Peru-based Delfin Amazon Cruises, which traverses Upper Amazons malaria-free tributaries with two luxury vessels: the intimate four-suite Delfin I and the 14-suite Delfin II. Accommodations on both boats, clad in tanned local woods, feature generous panoramic windows which might reveal sights of pink river dolphins swimming past your cabin. If on the Delfin II, you likely wont spend much time in your suite with the elaborate Peruvian three-course lunches and dinners in the dining room, plentiful excursions and opportunities to sip pisco with your cruise mates. Youll be further occupied trying out its latest additions which include an enclosed deck lounge (a welcome respite from the flying insects) and a small spa and gym space.
Local and expert naturalists will have you up bright and early to seize the day for multiple excursions, and though it might be tempting to skip one to sleep in, be sure to participate in all of them. Doing so will preclude any regrets of missing flocks of blue-and-yellow macaws and kingfishers soaring overhead or watching your guide tackle five-foot-long white caimans (crocodiles) on a night trek. In one of the worlds most-biologically diverse regions, experiencing the wildlife on this South American safari often left me speechless.
The dining program also allows guests the chance to sample the fresh bounty of the region. I acquired a deep fondness for the fruit-punch like nectar of camu camu, a sour berry exclusively grown in the region and now sold as a pricey health product in the US. I also enjoyed the delicate flesh of the doncella fish, grilled inside large bijao leaves and laden with diced tomatoes and onions. Beyond mealtimes, the main chef and team provide informative and exotic fruit tastings and a chance to take center stage and prepare a popular regional dish among fellow passengers.
The cruise line is devoted to social responsibility as well. On the final day, passengers get the chance to visit Puerto Miguel, an impoverished yet spirited 400-person village of indigenous Amazonians. Guests are encouraged to pack donation supplies for the villages sole grade school. Youll never forget the little ones toothy smiles and the warm welcome of the staff and teachers. Vibrant woven crafts made by the communitys women are available both in the village and on the Delfin II (all proceeds go to the school). Though youre lapping in luxury onboard and ticking off that Amazonian bucket list, you can still make a difference.
MEXICO CITY, July 14 -- Mexico is exhibiting for the first time the treasures of the Spanish frigate Mercedes, a Navy vessel sunk by the British off the coast of Portugal in 1804.
Treasure-hunting company, Odyssey, first found the wreck on the Atlantic ocean floor in 2007 and, in subsequent years, pulled up a vast amount of booty, including over 600,000 coins, paintings by the famous Francisco de Goya, historical documents and Spanish artifacts dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.
These pieces can now be admired at Mexico City's National Museum of Anthropology and History from July 1 to Oct. 2 in an exhibition entitled "The last journey of the frigate Mercedes."
"This exhibition has left Spain for Mexico due to the excellent collaboration the two countries enjoy for historical and cultural matters, as well as joint subsea exploration projects they are carrying out," Jose Enrique Ortiz Lanz, national coordinator for the museum, told Xinhua.
"The main objective of this exhibition is to rescue the memories of a key moment in Spanish history, which has surfaced again with the discovery of this treasure," he added.
The pieces on display in Mexico City, recovered at a depth of 1,200 meters, include around 30,000 coins, cannons, tools from the ship and paintings of King Carlos IV of Spain and his wife, Maria Luisa de Parma, by Francisco de Goya.
The Mercedes left Lima in Peru on Feb. 28, 1803 before making a long stopover in Montevideo, Uruguay, from where it left on Aug. 9, 1804, bound for Spain as part of a flotilla.
The flotilla was only a day out from Cadiz when the British Navy struck. In the fight, an explosion on board the Mercedes sank it in deep waters, near the southern coast of Portugal.
The exhibition is jointly organized by the Spanish and Mexican governments and is expected to receive over 150,000 people.
All disputes should be solved peacefully by negotiation: Czech official
PRAGUE, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The South China sea dispute should be resolved peacefully via negotiation, Jan Hamacek, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, said on Thursday.
In an interview with Xinhua, Hamacek said arbitration is an acceptable solution only when all parties agree to it beforehand.
"As China didn't agree to the arbitration, in this aspect I don't think it's right," he said.
Hamacek said he understands China is ready to negotiate directly with all parties concerned and hopes negotiations will take place.
Hamacek said China's stance -- that all disputes should be solved peacefully by negotiation -- "is absolutely in line with our opinion on how it should be settled."
BEIJING, July 14 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday encouraged young people to cultivate skills and promote the innovation strategy.
Li made the remarks in an instruction ahead of the World Youth Skills Day on July 15
"The youth are precious wealth of any country and are a core force that can promote the economic and social development," Li said.
By marking the World Youth Skills Day, the government aims to create a social atmosphere of respecting labor and admiring skills, and guide young people to gain more skills and carve out their careers, Li said.
Authorities should train more young people, optimize the employment structure and promote economic upgrading, he said.
BEIJING, July 14 -- The pursuit of justice unites all countries. With regard to the findings of the recent arbitration award, however, a concern for justice was conspicuous by its absence, and this sets a dangerous precedent.
The tribunal handling the South China Seaarbitration case, initiated by the previous Philippine government, issued its final award Tuesday, and many countries joined China in highlighting that it had no jurisdiction.
The award itself also lacked common sense and indicates poor professionalism. For instance, the award said Taiping Island is a "rock." On which rock there have been fresh water, cultivated land, human residents and livestock?
Moreover, the arbitration occurred at the same time as increased U.S. military presence in the South China Sea: Is this just coincidence, or are the two connected?
For those reasons, China has the right to not accept or recognize the award. Experts, lawyers and ordinary citizens from all walks of life in China snubbed the award, calling it ridiculous and questioning how the arbitration could get it so wrong.
For those reasons, the arbitration is nothing but a farce and has nothing to do with justice that arbitration should pursue.
And more importantly, China's attitude toward the so-called award is also for safeguarding international justice, because China may not be the only state to be on the receiving end of a biased, false and ridiculous process.
What is Justice? It is not invading a country on the allegation of it holding a weapon of mass destruction, nor is it violating other countries' territorial waters on the pretence of "freedom of navigation."
The "award" has done nothing but make the South China Sea issue more complicated.
China still stands by the settling of disputes through negotiation between those involved -- dialogue is the best possible way to pursue international justice and maintain regional stability.
BEIJING, July 15 -- On 14 July, State Councilor Yang Jiechi gave an interview to state media on the so-called award of the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Seaarbitration during which he elaborated on China's position. The full text of the interview is as follows:
Reporter: On 12 July, the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration issued its so-called award, which attempts to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. In response, China issued a Statement on the Award of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration Established at the Request of the Republic of the Philippines, Statement on China's Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights and Interests in the South China Sea and a White Paper entitled China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, stating China's solemn position of non-acceptance and non-recognition of the award and reaffirming China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. How do you view the award by the so-called Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration?
Yang Jiechi: The Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration has issued its so-called award. This award is illegal and invalid in every sense. The Chinese government has released relevant statements and a White Paper stating its solemn position of firmly opposing the arbitration and not accepting or recognizing the award. This position of the central government has the strong support and endorsement from people of various social sectors in China. They have expressed their unequivocal attitude of opposing the illegal arbitration and safeguarding sovereign rights and interests by contributing articles and articulating views through the press, TV and SMS as well as online platforms like WeChat and Weibo.
The South China Sea arbitration has been a political farce all along, staged under the cover of law and driven by a hidden agenda. Certain countries outside the region have attempted to deny China's sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea through the arbitration. They have even brought other countries into the scheme to isolate and discredit China in the international community with a view to holding back China's peaceful development. But such attempts are futile, to say the least, and in so doing, they are only lifting a stone to drop it on their own feet. I must point out that the arbitration runs counter to the spirit of international rule of law, puts regional peace and stability in jeopardy, and undermines the interests of the international community. Most countries in the world see this clearly. Over 70 countries and international and regional organizations have made statements showing their understanding of and support for China's position. This speaks volumes about the attitude of the international community toward the political farce, proving the futility of certain countries' scheme to hem in and smear China.
Sovereignty is a bottom line for China. Big as China is, we cannot afford to give away a single inch of territory that our ancestors have left to us. China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea have been formed over the course of over two thousand years. They are fully backed by historical and legal evidence. Under no circumstances can they ever be negated by a so-called award that is full of nonsense. The award can neither change historical facts nor deny China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea. Still less can it waver our resolve and determination to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. China's position of not accepting or recognizing the award will not change. At the same time, China will stay committed to following a path of peaceful development, to resolving the disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation and consultation, to developing friendly relations and win-win cooperation with its neighbors, and to working with others to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Reporter: Why do you believe that the Philippines' initiation of arbitration is against international law?
Yang Jiechi: A basic requirement of international rule of law is that actions must be taken in strict accordance with the law. The crux of disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea are issues concerning territory and maritime delimitation. Territorial issues are not governed by UNCLOS. On maritime delimitation, China made a declaration on optional exceptions in 2006 pursuant with UNCLOS stipulations, excluding it from the dispute settlement mechanisms of UNCLOS. By unilaterally initiating arbitration, the Philippine government under Aquino III has gone against its long-standing bilateral agreement with China that disputes in the South China Sea shall be settled through negotiation, violated the DOC signed in 2002 by China and ASEANcountries, the Philippines included, and breached international law and UNCLOS. Hence, this arbitration has been illegal since the very beginning. It cannot be seen as an application of international law.
Reporter: Why do you think that the Arbitral Tribunal lacks legitimacy and impartiality? Why is the award illegal and invalid?
Yang Jiechi: If you look at the composition of the Arbitral Tribunal, most of the arbitrators were appointed by Shunji Yanai, the then President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and a right-wing Japanese intent on ridding Japan of post-war arrangements. In the proceedings, some arbitrators and experts even backtracked from their long-held views to make the case for the Philippines. Anyone with good sense can see the tricks.
In disregard of China's staunch position, the Arbitral Tribunal willfully went beyond its authority, turned a blind eye to the history and reality of the South China Sea and misinterpreted relevant stipulations of UNCLOS. It has deviated from UNCLOS from the very beginning and overstepped and expanded its authority to render this award. Naturally, such an award can only be illegal and invalid. The Tribunal can in no way represent international law, still less equity and justice in the world.
Reporter: How will the award affect China's dotted line in the South China Sea?
Yang Jiechi: History brooks no distortion and law no abuse. China's sovereignty, rights and relevant claims in the South China Sea are gradually formed and developed by the practice of the Chinese people throughout millennia and have been upheld by successive Chinese governments. As early as in 1948, the Chinese government marked the dotted line in the South China Sea on its officially published map, which affirmed China's sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and maritime rights and interests in their adjacent waters. This is a historical fact beyond any doubt. As a state party to UNCLOS, China is fully entitled to its rights under UNCLOS. China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea long predate the signing of UNCLOS. They shall by no means be denied by UNCLOS, still less by an unwarranted and flawed award. China' s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea are protected by both international law and UNCLOS.
Reporter: Given that the award has been rendered, how will China safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea, important to the Chinese people since ancient times, is our heritage to which our forefathers devoted their wisdom and even lives. The Chinese government remains unwavering in its resolve to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The Chinese people do not covet other countries' interests or envy their development. At the same time, we will never give up our legitimate interests. No country should expect us to trade our core interests away or swallow the bitter consequences of our sovereignty, security and development interests being undermined. The Chinese government and people will remain united and act resolutely to safeguard every inch of our land and every swath of our waters.
Reporter: Some people accuse China of defying international rules by not accepting or recognizing the award of the Tribunal, believing that China has changed its policy of peaceful development. How will you respond to that?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea arbitration initiated by the Philippines violated the bilateral agreements between China and the Philippines. It breached regional rules as embodied in the DOC and international rules, including those under UNCLOS. China's position on the arbitration fully complies with international law. This basic fact has been thoroughly elaborated in a series of position papers issued by the Chinese government. The attempt to mount an all-out smear campaign against China by distorting this basic fact has once again exposed the nature of this arbitration, that is, a farce in which certain countries use international law as a cover to pursue their own hidden agenda.
China has all along been an active player in building up and enhancing the regional and international order. Over 70 years ago, China participated directly in the design and building of the post-war international order. Over the past 70 plus years, China has consistently upheld the international order and system based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter with the United Nationsat the center, and steadfastly safeguarded and promoted international rule of law. China will work with other countries to maintain and build a sound international order and international system.
The arbitration will not in the slightest way shake China's resolve to pursue the path of peaceful development. To seek peaceful development is not a matter of expediency. It is a strategic choice China has made in line with the trend of the time and its own fundamental interests. China remains committed to developing friendly relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, and deepening win-win cooperation and connectivity with its neighbors. It adheres to negotiation and consultation as a means for addressing relevant territorial and maritime delimitation issues, and resolutely safeguards peace and stability in the region.
Reporter: What impact will the arbitration case have on China-ASEAN relations? How do you see the prospect of this relationship?
Yang Jiechi: The South China Sea issue is not an issue between China and ASEAN. In fact, ASEAN has long made clear its neutrality on this issue and its position of not intervening in specific disputes. Therefore, it should not take sides on issues related to the arbitration. China and ASEAN member states have maintained candid and friendly communication regarding the South China Sea issue. The two sides are ready to fully and effectively implement the DOC and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea through continuous dialogue and consultation. In the meantime, we will steadily take forward consultations on the Code of Conduct to promote early conclusion of the COC based on consensus. As for specific disputes, China will maintain communication and consultation with those ASEAN member states who are directly concerned to address them in a proper way. China means what it says and follows a consistent policy.
China-ASAEN relations enjoy sound momentum of growth and broad prospects. This year marks the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. Over the past quarter century, the China-ASEAN relationship has withstood test of time and produced fruitful outcomes. Two-way trade has grown from less than US$10 billion 25 years ago to nearly US$500 billion, making China and ASEAN each other's major trading partners. The growth of this relationship has brought tangible benefits to the people of all countries in the region, setting a fine example of countries, big or small, treating each other as equals and working together for common development.
In the coming September, China will be represented at the leadership level at the Summit marking the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations to be held in Laos. The Chinese leader will work with leaders of ASEAN countries in drawing a blueprint for the future development of China-ASEAN relations. They will endeavor to deepen political mutual trust through enhanced strategic communication, and strengthen practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges to achieve peaceful development for mutual benefit.
Reporter: How do you view the future of China-Philippines relations?
Yang Jiechi: China and the Philippines are close neighbors across the sea. Our friendly exchanges date back over 1,000 years. In recent years, however, bilateral relations have run into serious difficulty as a result of the previous Philippine government's hostile policy toward China on the South China Sea issue and its unilateral initiation of the arbitration. The arbitration violates both the agreement between China and the Philippines and international law, and goes against the common interests of the two countries and peoples. It is a major political obstacle to the improvement of bilateral relations. We call on the new Philippine government to bear in mind the common interests of our two countries and the broader picture of bilateral ties and properly handle relevant issues. As long as China and the Philippines remain committed to the principles and spirit of the DOC, to properly settling differences through dialogue and consultation and growing friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation, our bilateral ties will enjoy a bright future.
Reporter: What is your comment on the frequent intervention by countries outside the region in the South China Sea issue and how will China respond to that?
Yang Jiechi: The arbitration is a case in point of how non-regional countries interfere in the South China Sea issue. It is an issue between littoral countries and should be left to the countries concerned to resolve through peaceful negotiations. Thanks to the concerted efforts of China and the relevant ASEAN countries, the South China Sea has long remained peaceful and stable, laying ground for regional development and prosperity.
In recent years, certain countries outside the region, driven by their own agenda, have frequently intervened in the South China Sea issue under the pretext of upholding "freedom of navigation" and "maintaining regional peace", leading to an escalation of tension. Such highly irresponsible moves have become the major source of risks that affect peace and stability in the South China Sea.
We have always maintained that China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea have the wisdom and capability to manage differences and build the area into a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship. We have never rejected the legitimate rights and interests of non-regional countries in the South China Sea. This is what we have been saying and doing. We hope relevant countries will respect the independent choice of China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea and do more to facilitate sustained peace and stability in the South China Sea, not the contrary.
Reporter: What is China's approach to resolving the South China Sea issue?
Yang Jiechi: China firmly follows a path of peaceful development, a foreign policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors, and a policy of settling disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation. Thanks to these policies, since the founding of the PRC, China has settled boundary issues left over from history with 12 of its 14 neighbors on land. The settlement has been achieved based on historical facts and basic principles of the international law and through bilateral consultation and negotiation. Borders of over 20,000 kilometers have been demarcated, accounting for over 90% of the total length of China's borders. Moreover, China and Vietnam have delimited the maritime boundary in Beibu Bay through negotiation and consultation. China and the ROK have also launched negotiation on maritime delimitation in the Yellow Sea.
As a major country in the region, China is fully aware of the importance of upholding regional peace and stability and its responsibility in the region. China has all along been firmly opposed to the illegal occupation of some islands and reefs of Nansha Islands by certain countries and their infringement of China's rights in relevant waters under China's jurisdiction. That said, China is ready to settle the disputes through peaceful negotiation with countries directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in compliance with international law, UNCLOS included. China is ready to discuss with countries concerned about temporary arrangements pending final settlement of the dispute, which include joint development in relevant waters in the South China Sea for mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, so that together we can maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Central Iowa Healthcare has been treating about 15 detasselers who came into contact with herbicide north of Conrad Thursday afternoon, according to a news release.
Marshalltown police are asking residents to avoid the area of South Third Avenue and Church Street pending an ongoing decontamination operation.
"I was in shock," Alejandro Segura said. "Some people were having trouble breathing and stuff. It happened so fast."
Segura said it was a tractor -- not a plane -- that sprayed the workers.
Fire crews were notified around 4:35 p.m. Thursday that a Monsanto crew had been contaminated when the wind carried an herbicide being applied by a ground sprayer into the area they were working.
"There was a vehicle that was spraying around through our lanes and stuff," Segura said. "They weren't supposed to be spraying that."
The workers then complained of sore throats and itchy eyes.
The victims were taken to the hospital as a safety precaution, according to officials. They are being decontaminated and evaluated at the hospital.
"They put us through a little shower," Segura said. "They washed us up. They basically took our clothes off. They put our clothes away, and then we got sanitizing stuff."
The Marshalltown Police Department assisted with traffic control as people were urged to avoid the area.
"That's just for the safety of all the passersby," said Deb Borton, director of marketing at the Central Iowa Hospital. "It allows the public safety professionals to work in a safe environment."
All workers are expected to be released by Friday.
BEIJING/HEFEI, July 14 -- China said Thursday it will "prepare for the worst and strive for the best" after more than 200 people died following floods across the country.
"Although the water levels in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are slowly dropping, most are still above warning levels," Zhang Jiatuan, a spokesperson for the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, told reporters.
He said the situation was "still quite critical" as central and eastern parts of China are expected to see a fresh round of heavy rain over the days to come.
Over 1,508 counties across 28 provinces have reported floods, with 237 fatalities and 93 missing as of Wednesday.
Some 147,200 houses have been destroyed, Zhang said, adding that over 5.46 million hectares of farmland had been inundated.
Direct economic losses, he said, were at 147 billion yuan (22 billion U.S. dollars).
So far, the central and southeastern parts of China have been worse hit by floods. As the rainy season continues, "the possibility of flooding in northern rivers can not be ruled out," Zhang said.
Safeguarding dikes, especially old and ill-maintained ones, is a "major yet difficult" task in the near future, he added.
Huang Xianlong, another official with the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, echoed Zhang's remarks and said there was one time that over 800,000 people were working on the dikes.
The Eastern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) sent another 600 men to reinforce rescue and relief efforts in the city of Anqing, Anhui Province on Thursday.
The theater command has so far sent more than 23,000 troops to Anhui, Jiangxi, Fujian and Jiangsu, and some of whom have been fighting floods for two weeks.
The military authority asked all troops to be ready for a "protracted war."
Meanwhile, authorities will closely monitor potential typhoons, and address hazards.
Typhoon Nepartak, the first to hit this year, made landfall in Fujian Province on July 9, claiming 69 lives and leaving six others missing as of 6:00 p.m. Thursday, local authorities said.
Regarding the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower project built a decade ago to reduce the potential for floods, Huang dismissed some misleading reports alleging it to be useless or counterproductive.
"In fact, the more critical the situation is, the more obvious and positive the dam exerts its role," he said.
ULAN BATOR, July 14 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday reiterated China's solemn position of non-acceptance of and non-participation in the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.
Wang made the remarks while meeting with Federica Mogherini, the European Union (EU)'s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.
Wang said the South China Sea arbitration is a politically manipulated case and China's position is in fact defending the solemnity of international rule of law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The disputes between China and the Philippines, he added, should be resolved through dialogue and consultation.
Prior to the meeting, Mogherini also stayed in Beijing and held talks with Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan on the sidelines of the 18th China-EU summit from July 12 to 13.
Wang said China and the EU reached broad consensus on strengthening cooperation under the new circumstances.
China has sent a positive signal that it supports the European integration and is willing to see a united, stable and prosperous EU, he added.
Wang noted that China is ready to work with the EU to further promote the development of bilateral relations, have closer communication and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and jointly promote global trade liberalization and sustainable development of the world economy.
For her part, Mogherini said the China-EU summit has achieved positive results.
The two sides have conducted sound coordination and cooperation on international and regional affairs, she said, adding that the EU attaches great importance to China's role in settling the Iranian nuclear issue and issues concerning Afghanistan and the Middle East.
The EU is willing to continue constructive cooperation with China, Mogherini noted.
For details on who was arrested and who police are still looking for check back at this site, or see the Weekend Hub.
Americans must congratulate the British Conservative Party in its quick choice of Theresa May as prime minister in the wake of the vote June 23 to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union.
May, 59, on Wednesday replaced David Cameron as prime minister and head of the Conservative Party. He submitted his resignation in the immediate wake of the momentous choice of British voters, by a relatively close 17 million to 16 million, to leave the EU. Cameron had put the referendum on the table in an effort to remain as prime minister last year. In the event, his action proved unnecessary as the Conservatives won a decisive victory in 2015, probably on other issues.
May served as home secretary in effect, minister of the interior for six years and as a member of Parliament for 19 years. She studied at Oxford University and has a reputation for being serious and even-tempered, if not charismatic. She became the Conservatives first choice to replace Cameron when her final rival for the post, Andrea Leadsom, dropped out of the race for lack of support. Leadsom had blotted her copybook when she made remarks that suggested she thought that she, as a mother, was better qualified to be prime minister than the childless May.
The new British leader has a brutal task ahead of her as she tries to negotiate the United Kingdoms way out of the EU, retaining the advantages of the relationship while respecting the British electorates mandate to leave. She herself had opposed leaving but has pledged to carry out the mandate. Last year, 52.2 percent of the U.K.s imports came from EU countries and the EU bought 43.5 percent of U.K. exports. Sticky business. In addition, two pieces of the United Kingdom, Scotland and Northern Ireland, voted not to leave the EU and are now thinking about succession from the U.K., another problem for May.
The United States, as it tries to cope with its own divisive issues, will find the U.K. under the new prime minister to be a still-interested partner, but one also intensely preoccupied with EU and internal issues.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Local civic leaders, military members, family and friends attended a bust unveiling ceremony in honor of Col. Lawrence E. Roberts, a Tuskegee Airman, July 13, at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, Gulfport, Miss.
Roberts, whose name also adorns the Roberts Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Facility here, served 32 years in the U.S. Army Air Corps and Air Force and retired in the local area after completing his final assignment here.
Im just so very proud to have him in a place where I think hed love to be; he loved flying, said Dorothy Roberts, Lawrences daughter.
In addition to local mayors and family members, Col. C. Mike Smith, 81st Training Wing vice commander, spoke on Roberts legacy.
Col. Roberts met adversity with the utmost courage while with the Tuskegee Airmen, a group that served gallantly in dangerous missions during World War II, he said. This amazing man and father demonstrated to us that though life may present stumbling blocks on the path to success, determination to serve a bigger purpose than ourselves and living the values we advocate will surely overcome any obstacle.
The bust will accompany other tributes to Mississippi aviators on display at the airport for travelers to view as they pass through the terminal.
When I travel and I see a bust or monument, it reminds me that life is much broader than myself; it reminds me theres other people in this world that have done and achieved things, she said. It can inspire and motivate people like it inspires me. Today has been a joyous day.
Iraqi security forces close a bridge leading to the heavily guarded Green Zone during a demonstrating supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, July 15, 2016. Tens of thousands of supporters of a powerful Iraqi Shiite cleric have rallied in central Baghdad to press demands for reform and an end to alleged corruption in the government. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
'We cannot lose one centimeter of inheritance left by the ancestors,' nation's top diplomat says
Beijing said on Thursday that it will respond resolutely if any party seeks to use the ruling in the unilaterally initiated arbitration on the South China Sea to harm China's interests.
State Councilor Yang Jiechi said he expected the new Philippine government to properly handle the issue to "start a bright future for bilateral ties".
"The sovereignty issue is China's bottom line," Yang, China's top diplomat, said in an interview with Chinese media on the ruling.
"Though China is large, we cannot lose one centimeter of inheritance left by the ancestors," Yang said.
He added that China is willing to discuss temporary arrangements with other countries involved on partnerships for development in the sea.
The ruling, issued after an arbitration process that was unilaterally initiated by the government of former Philippines president Benigno Aquino, will not influence China's policy, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing.
"We want to stress that if anyone wants to use the ruling to take any action that provokes China's interests, the Chinese side will definitely respond resolutely," he said.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that its foreign secretary, Perfecto Yasay, would raise the issue at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit, to be held on Friday and Saturday in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.
Premier Li Keqiang will attend the meeting.
The Philippines' statement, which said the decision by the Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague should be respected, was the strongest yet from Manila on the ruling.
Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said on Monday that the ASEM summit was "not an appropriate venue" to discuss the South China Sea.
During the news conference on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu also said he was "a bit shocked" at the comments of Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who said on Wednesday that it "would be a serious international transgression" if China ignores the arbitral ruling.
Lu said China had formally protested Australia's "wrong remarks", and China hopes Australia will not harm regional peace and stability.
"We hope that Australia can be more serious about international law and not treat it as a game," Lu added.
On Wednesday, the Philippine Coast Guard conducted a joint maritime exercise with the Japan Coast Guard in the vicinity of Manila Bay, deploying vessels including an oil tanker, a rigid hull inflatable boat and a helicopter to carry out drills, the Spanish news agency EFE reported.
Observers from Malaysia, Australia and the United States were present at the exercise, which the Philippine Information Agency said was focused on combating piracy and armed robbery at sea and aimed to boost the capabilities of the coast guards of the Philippines and Japan.
Meanwhile, China welcomes the new Philippine government's willingness to restart dialogue, Lu said. He added that the two countries have made contact through diplomatic channels since Rodrigo Duterte became the Philippines' president last month.
Duterte has not made a statement since the tribunal announced its ruling on Tuesday.
Yin Zhuo, director of the Navy's Expert Consultation Committee of the People's Liberation Army, said that the tension in the South China Sea could escalate if the Philippines and other countries, including the US, continue to provoke China in the region.
Premier Li Keqiang vowed on Wednesday to cultivate a fair, transparent and predictable market environment to attract European investors, especially in high-end manufacturing, modern services and infrastructure in western China.
The premier also said China would like to expand two-way investment.
"European companies are welcome to pour investment into China. ... We will encourage Chinese companies to invest in Europe and hope the EU can facilitate the working visa process," Li said on Wednesday. He spoke while co-chairing the opening ceremony of the 11th EU-China Business Summit with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
The annual event, held in Beijing, brought together 600 people from 450 companies, the premier said.
China achieved 6.7 percent GDP growth year-on-year in the first quarter, and the second quarter's growth will be stable as expected, he said.
With increasing urbanization, China has great potential demand for such things as iron and steel products, providing room for investments from Europe, Li added.
The premier said the EU's investment in China only accounted for 2 percent of its overall outbound investment, while Chinese investment to EU countries was just 1 percent of the union's inbound investment last year.
Last year saw a 7 percent year-on-year increase in EU companies investing in China, and the increase surged to 22 percent during the first five months of this year, Li said. This indicated that European companies are optimistic about China's economic prospects and the improving market, he added.
Li said Chinese enterprises have invested in all EU member states to create about 70,000 jobs.
China is willing to initiate feasibility research on a free-trade zone with the EU, and both sides should cultivate an environment that facilitates a boost in trade, considering that the two economies are complementary, the premier said.
Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said both sides have been working on an investment agreement and have reached consensus on the agreement's contents.
Juncker said the EU is willing to accelerate negotiations on the investment agreement.
>>Related: Peoples Daily calls for return to negotiating table to resolve South China Sea dispute
China sticks to the path of peaceful development, and the history will finally tell who is the real guardian of peace and stability in the South China Sea, Peoples Daily said on Thursday, refuting those who have attempted to escalate regional tensions by capping China as saboteur of regional peace.
China regards the South China Sea as a bond for peace, friendship, cooperation and development, added the editorial published under pseudonym Zhong Sheng, a homonym in Chinese for voice of China that is often used to express the paper's views on foreign policy.
The history will tell who is the guardian of peace and stability in the South China Sea and who is the staunch supporter of basic norms of the international law and international relations, the editorial stressed.
The following is the translation of the article:
China on Wednesday successfully tested two new airfields on the Nansha Islands with civil flights. Two airliners touched down for the first time on runways on Meiji Reef and Zhubi Reef, and returned to Haikou in the afternoon.
On the day before, civil calibration aircraft concluded test flights on the newly-built airports. The tests show that the airports are capable of supporting secure operation of civil aircraft.
This is a second successful test flight by China to Nansha Islands after an earlier flight to Yongshu Reef in January. It is justified and beyond reproach for China to charter passenger planes for test flights on newly-built airports within Chinas territorial sovereignty.
However, those who try to stir up tension in the South China Sea cannot wait to contain China based on the so-called arbitration case. They always make irresponsible remarks and point fingers on this.
Despite of the clamor, most people can assume a serious attitude toward history and reasoned perspective on facts when reviewing the course of construction on islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
First of all, as a major power claiming indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Islands, China only carried out construction on seven islands and reefs within its control. Such acts have indicated Chinas maximum restraint and utmost efforts in safeguarding peace and stability in the region.
Moreover, according to relevant international law and international practices, sovereign states are independently responsible for national aviation activities, and such activities shall not be subject to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and related regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
These aviation activities conducted by China, with a civilian purpose, do not affect international public welfare agenda or the safety of international civil aviation transportation.
It falls completely within Chinas sovereignty to independently conduct the calibration of the airports and test flights. The legitimate, reasonable and plausible move neither affects nor targets any country.
Last June, China voluntarily released the latest progress and purpose of the construction on relevant Nansha islands and reefs to the international community. Such confidence-building and clarification gesture fully demonstrates the transparency and legitimacy of Chinas construction.
The construction done by China aims at providing better service for ships from China and other countries that pass through the South China Sea as well as meeting other civilian purposes.
When put into use, the newly built airports will significantly increase the service capability of air transportation in the South China Sea region and offer other services including aviation meteorology observation, emergency landing, maritime rescue, marine monitoring and environmental research.
Meanwhile, beacons built by China in the South China Sea can light up the way for passing merchant ships. The first hospital built by China on Nansha Islands improves the capacity for emergency humanitarian aid in the region.
As for people making groundless and vicious accusations against China, what have they done for the South China Sea? What are they doing now?
Since 1980s, the Philippines has been building military facilities on parts of Nansha Islands it illegally seized from China. During the 1990s, the Southeast Asian country continued to build airports and navy and air force bases on them, especially on the unlawfully occupied Zhongye Island. Military camps and ports were also renovated to accommodate more heavy transport, combat jets and warships.
Afterwards, the Philippines stepped up its maritime violation in a more aggravated manner. Abandoning the agreement to resolve disputes through bilateral negotiation and breaking its promises in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, the Aquino III administration unilaterally initialed the so-called South China Sea arbitration case as an attempt to negate Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.
As for the US, on the one hand, it overlooked the illegal construction by certain countries on Chinas islands and reefs, and on the other hand, it sent warships from all the way across the Pacific Ocean to Chinas coastal waters. The superpower even sought to increase military deployment in the Philippines and other neighboring countries in the South China Sea.
As the mastermind behind the South China Sea arbitration, the US immediately jumped out to endorse the illegal award on the day it was announced as if it would be too late to create obstacles for all sides to properly manage the maritime situation and peacefully resolve disputes.
The international community is perfectly clear that it was the US, the Aquino III administration and the temporary arbitration tribunal who created enormous risks for peace and stability in the South China Sea by abducting and damaging international rule of law as well as violating Chinas rights and interest.
Time will reveal the truth. China, who sticks to the path of peaceful development, regards the South China Sea as a bridge connecting China and neighboring countries as well as a bond for peace, friendship, cooperation and development between them.
China will never change its determination because of provocation and incitement of certain countries. History will tell who is the guardian of peace and stability in the South China Sea and who is the staunch supporter of basic norms of the international law and international relations.
After China released a white paper reaffirming its position concerning the South China Sea, the Peoples Daily published an editorial on Thursday stating that China would always keep a door open to negotiation and consultation as these are the only way to resolve disputes over the South China Sea.
However, the paper also stressed that China has historically established sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea, and the Chinese people have long been the masters of the islands in the South China Sea.
The editorial was published under the pen name Zhong Sheng, a homonym in Chinese for voice of China that is often used to express the paper's views on foreign policy.
The following is a translation of the editorial:
Chinas State Council on Wednesday issued a white paper to reiterate its position on the South China Sea after the tribunal in The Hague announced its so-called verdict concerning the arbitration that the Philippines unilaterally filed despite Chinas repeated objection.
The white paper, titled China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, clarifies the facts behind the disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea and reaffirms Chinas consistent position and policies concerning the issue.
Laying out the evidence concerning Chinas sovereignty of the waters over the course of its 2,000-plus years of history, the over-20,000-word document is a solemn statement to the world that China has historically established sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea, and the Chinese people have long been the masters of the islands in the South China Sea.
After reading the white paper, anyone with a conscience should have no excuse to tolerate the distortion of right and wrong that has occurred.
China stated that it would not participate in the process nor accept any verdictsas soon as the Aquino administration started this flawed political farce in 2013 by unilaterally filing the South China Sea arbitration
Peace-loving countries both in and outside the region also voiced their strong support of Chinas stance that disputes should be resolved through negotiation and consultation.
This support not only demonstrated these countries recognition of Chinas efforts in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, but also indicated that the international community expects China to resolve relevant disputes through negotiation and consultation with those parties directly concerned.
For historical reasons, there are still many complicated disputes concerning sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. The solution to this is not a simple matter of drawing a line of maritime delimitation. For such a line to be accepted and respected, aspects such as history, the law, politics and even national feelings must also be taken into account.
For those regional countries whose interests and destinies are tightly interwoven, negotiation and consultation among related parties is a far better way to solve these complex and sensitive disputes than going through some third-party mechanism.
Vietnam respects China's stance on the South China Sea arbitration case, which was unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, and maintains that such disputes should be solved peacefully through negotiations, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Thursday night.
During a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, Phuc also said Vietnam stands ready to push forward bilateral maritime negotiations and properly manage differences with China, in order to contribute to regional peace and stability.
Li called on Vietnam to jointly safeguard peace and stability with China in the South China Sea.
The meeting was held at the hotel where Li and his delegation are staying on the eve of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit.
Phuc said the common interests of Vietnam and China far override their disparities, and Vietnam ranks its ties with China as a top priority in its foreign relations. He added that Vietnam is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with China and enhance cooperation in various fields.
Li also met with Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis on Thursday.
They also will attend the ASEM summit, scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Ulaanbaatar.
Li reiterated Beijing's stance on the South China Sea, saying the issue should be resolved through bilateral negotiations by relevant parties on the basis of historical facts and in accordance with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Li said China has been very clear on its stance of not recognizing or accepting the ruling issued by the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague on Tuesday.
The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea has helped maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea for more than a decade, Li said.
Xu Liping, a senior research fellow with the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the meeting of Li and Phuc, which came at the peak of tensions in the South China Sea, has sent an important signal to the outside.
"It shows that China and Vietnam, two countries that also have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, have the political will to solve the issue,"said Xu.
"That means there is a strong political foundation between the two nations to solve the issue through a bilateral and peaceful way. The situation in the South China Sea is in control, unlike what is described by foreign media.
Pan Jin'e, an expert on Vietnamese studies with the academy, said that besides the discussion on the South China Sea, the meeting was important because it was the first between the two leaders after Vietnam's key Party conference elected the new leadership.
"The new Vietnam prime minister's remarks can be seen as a promise that the previous framework of bilateral cooperation, including that on maritime negotiation, will go on under the new administration."
Gardai in Kilkenny are awaiting directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to a stabbing incident in the city on Wednesday of last week.
Garda Inspector Liam Connolly told Kilkenny District Court Judge Colin Daly yesterday (Tuesday) that he had asked the DPP's office for a decision on how to proceed in the case and was awaiting a response.
Inspector Connolly said that further charges and possibly more serious charges were being considered and might be brought forward against the accused and he asked for an adjournment pending a decision.
Judge Daly agreed and adjourned the matter to the August 2 sitting of the district court.
Mr Dowling's solicitor, Mr Con McDonnell of Con McDonnell and Company solicitors, Patrick Street, Kilkenny also agreed to the adjournment.
Judge Daly expressed his dissatisfaction that the van bringing Mr Dowling from Cloverhill Prison to the court yesterday had not arrived on time for the beginning of the court.
Mr Dowling's case was heard at 11.42am well over an hour after he arrived. He was kept in the detention cells under the court before his case was called and he was brought into the court room by a prison officer.
Ger Dowling (39), with an address at No. 120 The Sycamores, Freshford Road, Kilkenny City, was charged with Assault Causing Harm and Possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, Market Cross Shopping Centre on Wednesday, July 13.
Dressed in a grey tracksuit bottoms, off-white top and white runners, the defendant did not speak during either of his two court appearances.
At an earlier hearing of the court, Garda Paul Coleman said he had arrested Mr Dowling on July 13, and charged him with the offences the following day at 5.58pm. Mr Dowling made no reply to the charges.
Mr Dowling's solicitor Con McDonnell told the court at the first hearing, that they would be reserving their position on bail for the present time.
He said that Mr Dowling had a 20-year history of mental illness, and had been a regular user of psychiatric services. He asked that he be psychiatrically assessed. Mr Dowling was remanded to Cloverhill Prison, Dublin with a psychiatric assessment to take place on his arrival and was granted free legal aid.
There's disappointment in Kilkenny this afternoon following the announcement that we have been unsuccessful in our joint bid to host the European Capital of Culture in 2020.
Shortly after noon today, it was announced that the successful bid was Galway's. The fact that Kilkenny's bid was coupled with Waterford and Wexford as a regional approach presented unique challenges, but a lot of effort went into it nonetheless.
Two panellists, Sylvia Amann from Austria and Christina Farinha from Portugal, were in the Three Sisters region on Wednesday for a a one-day visit incorporating the cultural highlights of Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford.
Not winning the title is a huge loss given the estimated value of hosting the Capital of Culture, but there still may be some good to come of it.
The three counties have been working together on a number of key issues, and have still agreed to formulate a regional tourism policy to boost the south-east's prospects going forward.
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By Kitsap Sun Staff
PORT ORCHARD A 42-year-old Poulsbo man accused of lighting afire a pile of gasoline-doused debris piled in the street before fighting with a police officer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to counts of attempted second-degree arson and felony harassment.
Police had responded to the scene after receiving reports of a man acting irrationally and yelling at neighbors.
On July 6, the man was booked into the Kitsap County Jail on $500,000 bail but is awaiting a bed at an inpatient facility, according to court documents. The man had been suffering from severe mental health problems, Poulsbo police officers learned speaking to his Navy captain.
On July 5, a Poulsbo police sergeant went to the man's house on Claret Loop, off NW Finn Hill Road, where he saw the man light the pile on fire, igniting a large patch of gasoline that ran at least 100 feet down the road, with flames rising 20 feet high.
As the sergeant struggled with the man, a bystander had to get into the sergeant's patrol car and move it as the flow of ignited gasoline ran under it, according to documents. Bystanders also helped restrain the man until other officers could arrive.
During the struggle the man made multiple threats to kill officers, specifically female officers, and told the sergeant to kill him, according to documents.
The sergeant sustained a strained arm and bicep and multiple cuts and bruises while subduing the man.
By Christina Henry of the Kitsap Sun
SOUTH KITSAP The South Kitsap School Board has named three finalists for the job of interim superintendent.
The public is invited as the school board interviews the finalists starting 3 p.m. Tuesday at the administrative office, 2689 Hoover Ave. SE. The board will accept written comments from the audience.
Superintendent Michelle Reid announced in June she will leave to lead Northshore School District in north King and south Snohomish counties. Reid's contract with Northshore begins July 1, but she has agreed to split her time between the two districts until South Kitsap's interim can take over.
Five people applied for the interim position, which involves guiding the district through the 2016-17 school year until a permanent replacement is found.
The three finalists are:
Tony Apostle, retired superintendent from the Puyallup School District.
Karst Brandsma, a retired state school administrator.
Jane Pryne, a retired superintendent from the Port Angeles School District.
Apostle also served in the Kent School District as interim superintendent for the 2014-15 school year. He has a doctorate from Washington State University.
Brandsma has served in a number of interim leadership roles since his 2009 retirement from the Everett School District, according to SK spokeswoman Amy Miller. He has held interim superintendent and district administrator positions with the Oak Harbor, Mount Baker and Bellingham school districts. He holds a Washington State Superintendent Certificate from Seattle Pacific School District.
Pryne has held a faculty position at Northern Arizona University in addition to principal and district level leadership roles in Arizona. She served the Marana Unified School District in Tucson as interim superintendent for the 2004-05 school year. Her doctorate is from the University of Arizona.
The South Kitsap School Board will meet in executive session after Tuesday's interviews to discuss candidates, and the board is expected to announce its selection at its 6:30 p.m. Wednesday meeting at the district office.
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By Rob Woutat
Historians could probably tell us if we've ever had two such unpopular candidates for president as we do today.
A Quinnipiac University poll taken at the end of June found that 48 percent said they would never vote for Trump and 45 percent said they would never vote for Clinton. Forty percent said they were less enthusiastic about this election.
Forty-eight percent said they had a strongly unfavorable opinion of Trump; 50 percent had a strongly unfavorable opinion of Clinton. Fifty-eight percent said Trump would not be a good president; 53 percent said Clinton wouldn't be good either.
Few Americans have ever heard of the candidates from the Libertarian and Green parties.
So is this what we're left with: two candidates with such high levels of dislike and distrust? Or is there still time for a third candidate who might draw votes from both sides?
Despite the number of Trump's delegates, maybe it's not too late for the Republican Party to save itself from him. Its rules committee can decide how the nominating process will run at the convention in Cleveland. As of now, the rules bind most delegates to vote for their candidate. But the rules committee can choose to free delegates to vote for somebody else, and if such a rule change is approved by a majority of delegates, that could be the end of Donald Trump's candidacy.
But whom might the Republicans put in his place to defeat Clinton? I'll suggest four possibilities, all of them well qualified by experience and temperament. Two have expressed interest in the presidency in the past.
Robert Gates, a former Defense Secretary in both Republican and Democratic administrations, has also been head of the CIA, an officer in the Air Force, president of Texas A&M University, president of the Boy Scouts of America, chancellor of the College of William & Mary, and member of several corporate boards. At 73, he's close to the ages of Clinton and Trump, and he's much more trustworthy. If he could be persuaded to replace Trump, he could be a very strong candidate.
He hasn't run for political office before, but his background leaves no doubt about his willingness to serve the country, and his trail of success is unmarred by scandal.
Tom Ridge, 70, a Republican, is well qualified too. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania for 12 years, then the state's governor for 12 more. Under Ridge's leadership, his state made improvements in economic development, health care, the environment, and education. After the attacks on New York City and our capitol, he was appointed the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. It wouldn't hurt his chances that he earned six medals as a soldier in Vietnam.
At this stage, conservatives might want to take another look at John Kasich, 64, a person with considerable talent and experience in government and none of the hostility generated by Trump, Cruz, and Rubio.
He was a state senator in Ohio and was elected nine times as a Republican member of the House of Representatives where for 18 years he was a member of the Armed Services Committee and, for six years, a chairman of the Budget Committee. He was instrumental in passing welfare reform and the Balanced Budget Act of 1999.
He was a commentator on the Fox News Channel for six years; he has been an investment banker. He was elected to two terms as governor of Ohio, and in 2014 he defeated his Democratic opponent by 30 percentage points.
Finally, although a long shot, General David Petraeus, 64, could be a strong candidate. A retired four star general, he spent 37 years in the Army where ultimately he was commander of the multinational force overseeing all coalition forces in Iraq. He is a soldier/scholar with a Ph.D. in International Relations and was an assistant professor of international relations at the U.S. Military Academy. Before resigning from the Army, he was unanimously confirmed as director of the CIA.
The question is whether voters would forgive him his iniquities, i.e. his affair with his biographer, and his guilty plea for unauthorized removal and retention of classified information, which cost him two years' probation and a $100,000 fine. (Because of his guilty plea, he is not a felon.) But maybe like Nixon he'd welcome a chance for redemption.
The other question is whether the Republicans would risk alienating those delegates still clinging to Trump to improve their chances of winning the White House and saving it from two Clintons.
But in my view, the eight-page China Watch PR/propaganda sheet (take your pick) seems self-destructive for this respected media brand.
According to a report in China Daily, which will write the views, the liftout will appear in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Age and the Australian Financial Review. It has also run in Fairfax NZs Dominion Post.
It will not be the first time that ad supplements have had a political dimension, but the tone of China Watch is sometimes lecturing.
China Watch in localised form also runs as a liftout in the London Telegraph and the Washington Post, both of which have had strong histories of reporting on world events and are not known as propaganda sheets.
These big boys have the resources and independent journalism to balance any propaganda. With all due respect, if you want a nuanced examination of the rumbling dispute in the South China Sea, you do not turn to the Wellington broadsheet.
Fairfax NZ group executive editor Sinead Boucher distanced the companys editorial operation from the arrangement, saying it had no involvement in what was a commercial printing operation utilising the Fairfax distribution channel.
She noted there was a clear note on the liftout saying Fairfax editorial staff and resources were not involved.
But in my opinion, the willingness to run politicised content overwhelms that distinction. Who is next North Korea?
The good news is that China Watch features so much heavy handed PR and boosterism, only a moron in a hurry would confuse it for editorial.
The Dominion Post does not have the resources to challenge any assertions from the Chinese propaganda ministry, which the Financial Times has described as having a budget of US$10 billion.
The Australian ABC programme MediaWatch has described Fairfax as running propaganda for the Chinese.
For example, China Watch declared the Philippines did not have a leg to stand on in its territorial dispute with China, but an international tribunal subsequently found in Manilas favour.
Fairfax is playing in dangerous waters.
BEIJING - China's gross domestic product expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2016 to reach 34.06 trillion yuan ($5.08 trillion), the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.
Stable macroeconomic policies will boost the structural transformations and domestic demands that are now pillars of China's economy, Premier Li Keqiang said at a State Council meeting on Monday.
China's GDP increased by 6.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, which Li said surprised many foreign leaders.
Five speakers at the meeting agreed that consumption and the service sector have become important areas for growth. However, they also said that periodic and structural conflicts still exist and require a balance between economic growth and restructuring.
"Amid a sluggish world economy and global demand, domestic reforms and restructuring must keep the growth rate within a reasonable range, even though downward pressure still exists," the premier said.
Li expressed confidence in steady and healthy economic growth by promoting restructuring and keeping a sober mind about difficulties amid complex international and domestic conditions.
The premier said innovations must be promoted to boost market vitality. Meanwhile, potential must be unleashed for urbanization to enhance demand and strengthen infrastructure, such as flood control facilities, as well as fortifying the country's social security systems.
Li said new economic dynamics have supported employment by creating more jobs.
The first half-year saw 7.17 million new jobs created in urban areas, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Guan Xiyou, chairman of the board of Shenyang Machinery Tool Co and one of the speakers, said the premier's remarks gave his company more confidence to focus on new business opportunities.
Chinas Belt and Road Initiative faces growing risks from terrorism and regional instability, but implementation of the initiative can help to promote international counter-terrorism cooperation, a government report explained on Friday.
The new report, compiled jointly by the Center for One Belt One Road under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and CITIC Foundation for Reform and Development Studies, is the first one to detail the development of various Belt and Road construction projects.
Many countries included in the Belt and Road Initiative are currently going through social and political transitions, many of which result in social instability. Specifically, the report noted that parts of Central Asia have been penetrated by religious extremist activity, including new terrorist groups. In Kazakhstan, more than 10 terrorist groups have recently made their presence known, and the whole region is under threat from returning Islamic State (ISIS) fighters.
All this could potentially disturb "Belt and Road" construction, as well as threatening the security of Chinas investments and overseas employees, the report noted. However, one of the intended benefits of the initiative is "the establishment of a new political and economic order of justice."
Elaborating on that theme, one passage read, Essentially different from the double standard pursued by Western countries, China upholds global counter-terrorism cooperation both guided and coordinated by the UN Security Council... China adheres to comprehensive management that addresses both the symptoms and roots of the problem of terrorism, which differs from the Western approach of fighting violence with violence.
The report further encouraged cooperation between China and other countries on appropriate counter-terrorism efforts, which can simultaneously facilitate the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.
As introduced by President Xi Jinping during his overseas visits in 2013, the Silk Road Economic Belt stretches northwest from China's coastal area through Central Asia, the Middle East and on to Europe, while the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road runs through Chinas southern regions to Southeast Asia, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Photo taken on July 14, 2016 shows the street view which is some 300 meters away from Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France. A truck rammed into crowd in Nice, southern France, killing dozens and injuring around 100, local media reported. (Xinhua/Hu Renai)
PARIS, July 15 -- The death toll continues to rise from an attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.
At least 80 people have been killed and 18 remain in "critical condition," said the minister.
President Francois Hollande said the death toll included "several children."
Hollande announced an extension of a state of emergency for three months in the country, where Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris about eight months ago.
He said "the terrorist character" of the truck attack cannot be denied.
Anti-terror investigations have started. Identity papers of a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian male, in addition to weapons and grenades, were found in the heavy truck involved, according to reports. The truck driver was shot dead after opening fire at police.
The tragedy took place at the city's famous Promenade des Anglais seafront. The truck ploughed at high speed into spectators watching the fireworks.
Christian Estrosi, president of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, described on Twitter the incident as "the worst Nice drama in history."
Traffic is closed in Promenade des Anglais, and scheduled cultural events including a jazz festival have been canceled.
European Council President Donald Tusk said the attack was a "tragic paradox." He tweeted a photograph of himself and other European and Asian leaders standing in tribute to the Nice victims at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit currently held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attending the ASEM summit has extended condolences to the victims and their families while condemning "terrorism in all forms."
The United Nations Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack" which took place in Nice, France.
U.S. President Barack Obama has condemned the attack, saying it "appears to be a horrific terrorist attack" in Nice.
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Applications are being accepted through July 25 for the Knoxville Startup Day 2016 pitch competition, in which six East Tennessee startups will have a chance to win a $5,000 cash prize. To apply for the pitch competition, eligible startups must be located in the East Tennessee region. Fill out an application at innov865week.com/pitch-application/. Startup Day 2016 is Sept. 22 at the U.S. Cellular Stage at The Bijou Theater.
The Knoxville Area Tennessee Small Business Development Center will sponsor a free government contracting program presented by the UT Procurement Technical Assistance Center and Vendor Registry on Wednesday from 9 a.m.-noon at the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, 17 Market Square, No. 201. Register at tsbdc.org or call (865) 246-2663.
The East Tennessee American Payroll Association will meet Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at Calhoun's on Bearden Hill, 6515 Kingston Pike. The topic will be employee embezzlement and theft. The cost is $20 for ETAPA members and $25 for non-members. Register at etnapa.com/meetingsseminars.html.
Small and mid-sized businesses interested in working with local governments can meet with up to 20 municipalities plus tradeshow vendors at the East Tennessee Purchasing Association's 11th annual Business Matching and Tradeshow event on Thursday from 8:15 a.m.-3 p.m. at Rothchild Conference and Catering Center. Registration is free for attendees at etpanews.org. Tradeshow booths and sponsorship opportunities are available.
Work is underway on an expansion to the Beverage Control, Inc., warehouse on News Sentinel Drive and Western Avenue. The wine and spirits distribution built the original building and moved to the site in 2012. G. CHAMBERS WILLIAMS III/NEWS SENTINEL
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By Chambers Williams of the Knoxville News Sentinel
Beverage Control, Inc., the locally owned wine and spirits distributor owned by the Scruggs family, has begun a large addition to its warehouse at Western Avenue and News Sentinel Drive.
The additional space is needed to keep more wine in the company's inventory to serve Knoxville area supermarkets and convenience stores that began selling wine on July 1, when a new state law went into effect allowing sales in places other than liquor stores.
When Beverage Control moved to its current location about four years ago, President and CEO Andy Johnson said the company would need more space and flexibility if wine were to be allowed to be sold in grocery stores.
The business was started in 1961 by John T. Gilbertson, who "resigned his position as a Circuit Court judge to sell wholesale liquor," said his son, Bob Gilbertson, who operates Bob's Package Store in Knoxville.
John Gilbertson sold Beverage Control in about 1971 to E. Carleton Scruggs Jr., his son said. Carlton Scruggs died in 1974, and was succeeded as owner of the business by his brother, William Arthur "Pat" Scruggs, who passed away in 2007. Pat Scruggs also served two terms as president of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee, a trade association.
CEO Andy Johnson is the son-in-law of Pat Scruggs, and the husband of Jennie Scruggs Johnson.
Liquor and wine distributors in Tennessee serve hundreds of liquor stores and bars, but adding thousands of grocery stores, many of which don't want to stock large inventories, could be a burden to those that are not prepared, Bob Gilbertson said, which explains why Beverage Control is expanding.
"They need more room, more trucks, more everything," Gilbertson said. "They're having to make a major investment."
When Beverage Control relocated to its current facility about five years ago, Johnson said the company would need more space and flexibility if wine were to be sold in grocery stores. Johnson did not return calls seeking comment on the company's expansion on Friday.
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By Sean Kinch, Chapter16.org
Christopher Hebert's new novel, "Angels of Detroit," features a cast of characters who believe the apocalypse is coming, and the mass of humanity is too narcotized or distracted to pay attention. "The planet [is] heating, ice caps melting, species dying, ecosystems collapsing," one character thinks. "The sixth extinction would wipe out everything now living, changing the world forever." Hebert's doomsayers, drawn from diverse generations and socio-economic backgrounds, share two characteristics: they don't appear overly sad about the prospect of annihilation, and they live in Detroit.
"Angels of Detroit" paints its urban setting as a crumbled wasteland. Burned-out buildings, razed factories and boarded-up houses appear in every vista. Grand streets still featuring Gothic churches and art-deco offices are so empty they can't sustain a decent criminal element. One newcomer to Detroit finds the "city grid intact, but the city itself had disappeared. Empty."
For readers unfamiliar with the five-decade decline of the Motor City, Hebert a Knoxville novelist who earned an M.F.A. from the University of Michigan offers demographic facts and visual aids: "a city of one hundred forty square miles, a third of it abandoned, the emptiness combined larger than the entire city of San Francisco. Boston. Manhattan. Almost two million inhabitants at the city's height. Two-thirds of them now departed." What better place to envision the end times than a beleaguered metropolis that seems to have suffered the cataclysm already?
Hebert takes his time weaving together the various narrative strands, making connections that seem merely coincidental at first but deepen as the chapters progress. McGee, an idealist who believes corporate sabotage is justified, makes a peculiar alliance with Darius, a night-watch security guard with anti-capitalist schemes of his own. Their target, the fictional HSI corporation, plans to shut down its last local factory, though it is getting pushback from executive Ruth Freeman, a Detroit native suffering twinges of conscience. Another story line follows the travails of a young prophet, Dobbs, whose quasi-religious pilgrimage to Mexico runs way off track. Indebted to the leader of an underground cartel, Dobbs is sent to Detroit to set up advance operations for a large-scale criminal undertaking, the outlines of which come slowly into focus.
The characters alternate in the central frame, but Hebert's concentration remains on the city itself. In this novel, Detroit is emblematic of the coming annihilation, its collapse a model for imminent worldwide catastrophe.
This heavy theme could have become a slog, but Hebert elevates the mood through comic characterizations. McGee's small faction, which includes her boyfriend and a handful of friends, provides humorous reminders that, even on the brink of Armageddon, young people will drink too much, make dubious sexual choices and define themselves by consumerism.
The novel maintains a balance of comedy and drama, juxtaposing cockamamie plans for infiltrating a corporate headquarters with the very real dangers that Dobbs faces. Despite the novel's dark outlook, Hebert drops in wisecracks that push the needle away from the tragic and toward the absurd. When at fourteen Dobbs announced that he was giving up "pork chops and fish caught with anything other than a pole," his parents, both professors, trust he has a future in ecology: "It was as if they believed that the world couldn't be extinguished as long as there was graduate school."
"Angels of Detroit," pays homage to a city that at one time embodied the country's image of homegrown success, built with a uniquely American combination of brains and brawn. Whether the angels will save it from destruction or accelerate its tragic fate, the broader question this novel asks is whether the rest of the U.S. is fated to follow its path.
To read an uncut version of this review and more local book coverage visit http://chapter16.org/, an online publication of Humanities Tennessee.
FICTION
Angels of Detroit by Christopher Hebert (Bloomsbury, 432 pages, $27)
DISCUSSION
Who: Christopher Hebert
Where/when: Union Ave. Books on July 17 at 2 p.m.
Where/when: John C. Hodges Library at the University of Tennessee on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.
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LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. The Rev. David Graves, senior pastor of Church Street United Methodist Church in the Holston Conference, has been elected as a United Methodist bishop by delegates at the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. He will serve the Alabama and West Florida Conference.
Graves, 58, was elected Wednesday, July 13, at the jurisdiction's quadrennial meeting at Lake Junaluska, N.C.
Graves was one of five bishops elected at the July 13-15 meeting.
"I want to thank you, the Southeastern Jurisdiction, for putting your faith in me," Graves said after his election. "So we go forth to win people to Christ, see the unseen, transform lives, and help the United Methodist Church change the world."
Graves was elected by the SEJ's 376 total delegates, an equal number of clergy and laity, from the nine states forming the Southeastern Jurisdiction. His four-year term of service begins Sept. 1.
Prior to coming to Church Street, Graves served six years as superintendent for the Kingsport District of the Holston Conference. In 2011 and 2012, he served as dean of the Cabinet.
Graves has been an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church for more than 27 years and previously served as senior pastor of Ooltewah United Methodist Church in Chattanooga for 11 years. Earlier in 2016, he led the Holston delegation to General Conference as the first elected clergy delegate. In 2013, the Holston Annual Conference presented him with the Denman Evangelism Award.
Graves is Knoxville native and University of Tennessee graduate with a bachelor's degree in business administration. He received a master's of divinity degree from Candler School of Theology.
He has been married to Nancy Graves for 34 years. They have two children and a grandson.
A consecration service for Graves and four other new bishops was held July 15.
Jane Moon Dail/The State/TNS The Mathias quadruplets, Grace, from left, Emily, Anna and Mary Claire, turned 16 this year.
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By Jane Moon Dail, The State (Columbia, S.C.) (TNS)
LEXINGTON, S.C. Sisters Anna, Emily, Grace and Mary Claire Mathias are similar in that they're all sassy, giggly and sharp, which is in contrast to how they initially gained notoriety. Well, with the exception of the giggly part.
The Lexington girls make up a set of identical quadruplets, one of only about 70 sets in the world and even rarer in the fact that they were conceived naturally.
The rising high school juniors turned 16 in February and have the wonders and woes of their late teen years to look forward to, from driving to figuring out career pathways and college.
The quadruplets, or quads, spent a week at camp in June, and it seemed every day someone would, perhaps not organically, find the famous video of the girls sprawled across their mother, Allison, while they belly laughed in unison at their father's antics.
Mary Claire said at camp she had a girl tap her on her shoulder out of the blue and ask if she's a quadruplet. She's hardly the only one, as the quads face questions "all the time."
"You want to write a sign that says, 'Yes, there are three more of me," she said.
GETTING RECOGNIZED
You might have seen them in that laughing video winning the quarter-million dollar grand prize on "America's Funniest Home Videos," or perhaps on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," "Late Night with Jay Leno," the documentary "Super Quads" or even a series of holiday Target commercials.
Emily said people will recognize them about once a week, though sometimes people they're around frequently, including at school, are just figuring out they are quadruplets rather than one person or a set of twins.
Emily cut her hair into a pixie cut in recent years while the other girls have shoulder-length hair. Because she's a quadruplet, she find she has to justify it.
"They want some reason, maybe that I wanted to be different from my sisters," she said. "I just wanted to cut my hair."
CLOSET QUALMS
The biggest obstacle facing harmony among the quads seems to be one plaguing any household with sisters close in age: clothes.
Grace said the quads raid each others' closets constantly, causing typical sisterly discord.
"People will ask, 'Do you fight? If so, what do you fight about?'" she said. "Clothes. That's it. And who gets the last piece of pizza."
Allison said she has given up on her girls' bickering over clothes.
"I just let them fight like junkyard dogs," she said.
Garment-oriented madness ensues notably when the girls are getting dressed for church.
"We can prove that there's a devil, because he's here on Sunday mornings," Allison remarked as the girls giggled. "You know he doesn't want you to go to church."
The girls range in height from 4-feet 9-inches to right under 5 feet.
Though it was cute when they were younger, Mary Claire said the girl do not dress alike. At least not on purpose.
"We don't do it recreationally," she said. " We don't do it for fun."
DRIVING AND BOYS
None of the quadruplets have reached the milestone that many pine for when they turn 16: getting a driver's license.
They don't see it as a necessity quite yet because they usually travel as a pack.
Emily said that time will come eventually, though it will happen sporadically among the girls like "popcorn."
Grace admits she has driven in parking lots before and knows the basics, but she's "too lazy to do it."
Anna, on the other hand, wants no part of it.
"It terrifies me but I'm the one who needs to drive the most because I'm starting to do more stuff, like orchestra (rehearsals)," she said.
Driving is one thing, but dating is something half of the quads aren't afraid to dabble in.
Mary Claire and Emily said they don't want boyfriends now but will have the occasional crush.
Grace joked that her boyfriend is everyone's boyfriend, though she later clarified that he's more like a brother to the others.
"This is not an episode of 'Sister Wives'," Allison chimed in.
GIGS AND APPEARANCES
Now that they're older, the girls seldom do gigs, as they made their last public appearance, with the exception of interviews with local media outlets, in American Girl Magazine when they were 10.
Verizon reached out to the quads recently about possibly appearing in a commercial, though they ended up not getting the part. But no one's left heartbroken.
Besides, they already have quite the resume.
The girls agreed their favorite experience when they were younger was filming the documentary.
They were five at the time, and Grace said they thought the crew from London was the "coolest" because of their accents.
With her focus on the future, Mary Claire said she often forgets the adventures of her childhood.
"That's not something I go about thinking about every day, 'Oh yeah, I was on this show,' " she said. "Unless somebody brings it up, I forget that it happened."
Emily remembers the simpler things from an appearance on Oprah.
"I was really excited to go back to the green room and get one of the jelly donuts they had sitting on a tray," she said. "I don't remember anything else, just the jelly doughnut."
COLLEGE-BOUND QUADS
Other than their physical features, the quads are similar in that they share an interest in the arts and humanities. This is something they keep in mind as they consider where to attend college in two short years.
Grace and Anna are leaning toward the University of South Carolina, where Grace is considering learning photography and Anna music education.
Though she readily admits she hasn't a clue what she wants to do for a career, Emily, who said she enjoys drawing and music, is considering USC.
"I really don't know what I want to do, but I'm sure I'll find it soon," she said. "I definitely thought about (going to USC) because there are so many options."
Ever the lover of art, specifically drawing, Mary Claire said she has considered Savannah College of Art and Design but says she's a homebody and might not want to stray too far.
"I don't know if I want to go that far from home, because I'm really attached to home," she said.
If, somehow, the quadruplets ended up going to four different colleges, Grace said they would be fine, though it would take some getting used to.
"It'd be hard to adjust not having them around all the time at the same place, but I think we'd be all right," she said. " We're all pretty independent, but we enjoy having each other."
Clayton Hensley/Special to the News Sentinel Dunlap, Tenn., proclaims itself as the hang gliding capital of the East.
SHARE Downtown Pikeville has plenty of small town charm. The remnants of more than 200 coke ovens stand as a testament to history in Dunlap, Tennessee. The Children's Holocaust Memorial in Whitwell is an example of how one small idea can lead to something big.
By Clayton Hensley, Special to the News Sentinel
About 15 minutes south of the Cumberland Homesteads near Crossville, U.S. 127 begins a steep descent into a long narrow valley sliced right out of the Cumberland Plateau. The Sequatchie Valley is just a few miles wide and more than 100 miles long. At the upper end, rock outcroppings line the top of the ridgeline and dot the slopes. Fields of corn and other crops create a patchwork of vivid colors along the valley floor. In this part of the valley, the tallest structures are the silos and barns and the most likely cause of a traffic jam is a slow moving tractor or the U.S. 127 Yard Sale in August.
small town charm
The northernmost town in the valley is Pikeville, a frequent stop for folks making their way to Fall Creek Falls State Park. Visitors heading downtown will find plenty of small town charm along Main Street just past the Pig-n-Catch and the Piggly Wiggly. Two stone pillars and a rustic metal sign spelling out the town's name sit at the start of a revitalized business district. Along the wide sidewalks, businesses like The Starling Cafe, Little Maggies Ice Cream Parlor and Scotties sit across the street from the Bledsoe County Courthouse. Soon, a new Veteran's Park next to the Courthouse will serve as a centerpiece of the town's revitalization. At the center of the park is a 32-foot, five-point star with flags at the end of each point representing the five branches of military service.
Bird's eye views
Some of the most dramatic views of the Sequatchie Valley come when you cross it. Coming down the slope of Walden Ridge on the east side near Dunlap, it is easy to understand why this town is the hang gliding capital of the East. Just off State Highway 111 the Tennessee Treetoppers have created an oasis for thrill seekers wanting a bird's eye view of this magnificent valley. This club for hang gliders operates a ramp high atop Walden's Ridge for experienced hangliders and folks wanting to ride with them.
For people not up to taking the more than 1,000-foot leap onto the valley floor, an overlook on Highway 111 provides great views of the hang gliders in action. Weekends provide the best chance for watching the flights, and you might just want to bring binoculars. Even if there isn't anyone in flight, it's easy to enjoy the amazing view of Dunlap in the valley below and Highway 111 as it snakes its way up the other side and up onto the Cumberland Plateau.
Fueling history
At the start of the 20th century, coal mining and the production of coke (a process used to take impurities out of the coal) helped transform the region. Today, remnants of the coke ovens stand as a reminder of this chapter of the town's history. They are the centerpiece of Coke Ovens Park, the vision of a group of dedicated volunteers wanting to preserve history. Back in the mind 1980s the history buffs set out to build a replica of the company store as well as unearth the stone arched ovens that had succumbed to decades of exposure to the elements. At the peak of operations more than 200 coke ovens were in use in Dunlap. Now, just a few dozen shells of the ovens stretch out along the forest floor just behind the Coke Ovens Museum.
The steep slope leading up to the coal mines created challenges for its operators. An incline rail was used to haul the coal up and down the mountain, but it's what the miners themselves did to go up and down that's perhaps the most interesting part of the story. At the beginning of the shift, miners would walk up to the mines, but to get back down they got a little inventive. Each miner had a small seat that could be clipped to the rail line and they would "skate" down the mountain at speeds up to 60 miles an hour. When the miners weren't working they would often race each other down the slope, creating a "sport" unique to this area. Visitors to the museum can catch a glimpse of these skate-like seats and even a picture of the miners using them.
Serving up surprises
Whitwell is just a few minutes down the road on State Highway 28. Like many other small towns there may seem to be few reasons to stop. However, this small burg serves up Civil War history in a unique way and even has a place where children are helping others learn about one of the darkest chapters in modern history.
Venturing off the main highway and onto Main Street you'll see an old church building that has a new lease on life. According to its website, The Buttonwillow Civil War Dinner Theater "holds nothing back" in the effort to tell the story of life back in 1864. That includes the use of traditional recipes used to prepare the lunches and dinners for the show.
A few miles away on the other side of Whitwell, an old German boxcar sits under a covered structure in front of the middle school. Back in the late 1990s a few educators launched an after-school program that used lessons about the Holocaust to help children better understand the concept of tolerance and diversity. To help illustrate the scope of the Holocaust, children started collecting one paperclip for each of the 6 million Jews who died. In the end, more than 30 million paperclips were collected from people all around the world. Today, inside that German boxcar, some of the paperclips along with other items stand as a testament of how just one idea can create positive change. The Children's Holocaust Memorial does not have regular operating hours, but you can learn more about it by contacting Whitwell Middle School.
A natural wonder
The community of Sequatchie is nestled close to the base of Cumberland Mountain toward the lower end of the valley. In this quiet community, the Owen Spring Branch flows out of a cave that is now part of a state natural area. The small park is home to the federally endangered royal snail and the endangered caddis fly. While there is a small picnic area near the cave, anyone wishing to go inside it must make arrangements with the State Division of Natural Areas.
From here, the Sequatchie Valley stretches southwest a few more miles. The roads leading out of the valley take you into Northern Alabama and to the outskirts of Chattanooga, making this a great alternate route when heading that direction.
The Ghostbusters Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon), Patty (Leslie Jones), Erin (Kristen Wiig), Abby (Melissa McCarthy) with their receptionist Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) in "Ghostbusters."
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By Jake Coyle, Associated Press
The easy, electric chemistry of the four leads in Paul Feig's "Ghostbusters" acts like a firewall against the supernatural and the adolescent, alike, in this spirited reboot of the 1984 original. Ghouls and Internet commentators who have flocked to their thumbs-down buttons ahead of the film's release share plenty of characteristics. Each is likely to drool and quickly disappear when you turn on the lights. Feig's "Ghostbusters" ain't afraid of either.
Why should he be, anyway? In his corner he has the best comic actor of the decade, Melissa McCarthy, the klutzy wit of Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live" standout Kate McKinnon and the big-screen breakthrough of Leslie Jones, the film's secret weapon. His "Ghostbusters" makes some winks to the uproar that preceded his gender-swapping film, but it mostly steers straight ahead, too busy being funny to worry much about misogynist detractors. It does, however, pay a lot too much attention to placating "Ghostbusters" fans with the familiar showdowns and iconography of the original two films.
I was proudly raised on Bill Murray comedies, but the preciousness many have over a "Ghostbusters" remake is nevertheless mystifying. This isn't "Stripes" we're talking about here. It's not even "Meatballs." Ivan Reitman's "Ghostbusters" equal parts spectacle and deadpan, inspired by "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" was good, all right, but it wasn't some sanctified ground never to be trod on again. It already spawned a mediocre sequel.
Here, the iconic ambulance has been traded for a borrowed hearse and cameos from original stars (excepting Harold Ramis, who died in 2014) have been awkwardly forced in. The team, once assembled, is astonished at the sky-high rent required for the original's firehouse and instead relocates to a Chinatown office above a takeout joint.
After an early ghost sighting (featuring an excellent Zach Woods) and the familiar synths of Ray Parker Jr.'s theme, screenwriters Feig and Katie Dippold bring the foursome together.
Wiig is a physics professor trying to make tenure at Columbia but she's disgraced by her latent belief in the paranormal. Her old friend, Abby (McCarthy, reliably solid if somewhat restrained), has stayed on the case, though, with her eccentric gizmo-making sidekick, Jillian (McKinnon). The bug-eyed, fizzy-haired McKinnon is like a blow torch of steampunk fire to the movie.
Jones, who plays a subway worker, might have been expected to be the broadest performer of the bunch, given the punch of her "SNL" appearances, but her character is impressively grounded.
Murray, Ramis, et al excelled at finding laughs when nothing was happening, without seeming to be trying at all. Feig's film never has that anything-can-happen feeling, and it suffers for it. I wish he had let his talented cast truly loose.
Big-budget special effects are the enemy of comedy: They suck the air out. In a sense, this "Ghostbusters," which swells to a bloated CGI finale in Times Square, has overpowered one Hollywood specter sexism only to be stifled by another: the all-powerful force of franchise-making.
Still, the freewheeling and funny solidarity of the four leads win out in the end, even if Feig shows more timidity than he did in "Bridesmaids," "The Heat" or "Spy." Chris Hemsworth, playing a ditzy secretary, is one of the most clever stereotype reversals: He's the office eye candy.
It feels a little like this "Ghostbusters" was a cultural test that we (not the movie) have already failed. Feig's film may be a feminist milestone: a big ol' popcorn movie taken over by women (something that should have happened long ago and engendered far less vitriol). But it's also simply a breezy good time, one that just happens to culminate with four very funny ladies shooting a monster in the crotch.
Linda and Bob Caughey pose with a lamb and a dog at their farm in Pontiac, Ill., where they raise sheep. The couple will speak at the second annual Alzheimer's Tennessee Frontotemporal Dementia Conference on Tuesday in Knoxville. Bob, a lawyer, has a language variant of FTD.
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By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel
Bob Caughey first sensed something was wrong when he found himself unable to call the exact word he wanted from the recesses of his mind to the tip of his tongue.
For Caughey, a lawyer, words were the tools he used to change the direction of a courtroom. Not being able to call them forth readily was a major obstacle to doing the job he loved.
But Caughey, 75, with the help of his wife and a speech therapist, learned ways around a condition he'd never heard of before being diagnosed in 2014: primary progressive aphasia, a neurological syndrome in which people slowly and progressively lose language capabilities. It's a language variant of frontotemporal dementia, when the brain loses the majority of the neurons in the frontal or temporal lobes, which can cause not only language deficits but significant behavioral changes, including blunting of emotions.
"Eventually, there will be other challenges," said wife Linda Caughey, but she said the couple was relieved doctors ruled out stroke or brain cancer as causing the problems.
The Pontiac, Ill., residents, along with their speech pathologist Becky Khayum, co-founder of MemoryCare, are among speakers at Alzheimer's Tennessee's second annual Frontotemporal Dementia Caregiver Conference on Tuesday at Fellowship Church in Knoxville. The conference, for families and professionals, runs 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The cost $25 for family caregivers and $45 for professionals (including 5.75 continuing education credits) covers course materials and lunch.
"We hope to be a blessing to others and to give them hope that there are ways to deal with this," Linda Caughey said.
For example, the Caugheys have found scripts useful. Bob has one for ordering at favorite restaurants, another for explaining his condition to clients. Until recently, he worked full-time, and he still takes clients on contract.
Linda Caughey said although there's no cure, Khayum's speech therapy and the "homework" she prescribes help Bob retain as much language as possible. As the disease progresses, she said, he may begin to use a device on which he can prerecord words and phrases, playing them by pressing buttons with pictures on them.
"Physicians do not always prescribe language therapy" for people with frontotemporal dementia, said Alzheimer's Tennessee executive director Janice Wade-Whitehead. "But I think it's crucial families seek out the therapy, so the words are there for as long as they can be."
Wade-Whitehead said Alzheimer's Tennessee expected about 50 caregivers at its FTD Caregivers Conference last year. Instead, it drew more than 150, from five states. The condition is second only to Alzheimer's as a cause of dementia.
Other speakers at this year's conference include Dr. Monica Crane, clinical research director of Cole Neuroscience Center at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, who will present an overview of the medical aspects of the condition; Dr. Rocio Huet, a holistic physician with UT Medical Center's Internal Medicine and Integrative Health, who will discuss the importance of caregivers' own physical and mental health; certified Elder Law Attorney Amelia Crotwell, who will speak on important legal issues faced by those with FTD and other forms of dementia; and licensed clinical social worker Susie Stiles, who will outline useful strategies for caregivers.
To register, call 865-544-6288, or visit www.alzTennessee.org.
Undergraduate college student Theresa Sheets, right, along with research mentors investigates the spread of hantavirus as part of the NIMBioS summer research program at the University of Tennessee Thursday, July 14, 2016. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)
SHARE University of Tennessee microbiology major Aubrey Sawyer, left, talks with undergraduate college students Jeff DeSalu, Theresa Sheets, Joe Moran and Morganne Igoe, as they, along with research mentors, investigate the spread of hantavirus as part of the NIMBioS summer research program Thursday, July 14, 2016. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL) Colleen Jonsson, center, with the University of Tennessee, talks with undergraduate college students Jeff DeSalu, Theresa Sheets, and Morganne Igoe, as they, along with research mentors, investigate the spread of hantavirus as part of the NIMBioS summer research program Thursday, July 14, 2016. (AMY SMOTHERMAN BURGESS/NEWS SENTINEL)
By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel
Since 1993, a little more than 650 people in the U.S. have had Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.
But 36 percent of those with the syndrome caused by a family of viruses carried by rodents died of it.
Besides pulmonary disease, hantavirus can cause hemorrhagic fever and kidney failure.
"It's second only to Ebola in terms of mortality," said Colleen Jonsson, Beaman Distinguished Professor of Microbiology at the University of Tennessee and director of the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, or NIMBioS, at the university.
Jonsson has spent decades studying hantavirus, typically transmitted to humans when they breathe the aerolized feces of infected rodents. This summer, she's overseeing a group of six undergraduate students from colleges across the country, who are using mathematical modeling to study how hantavirus spreads.
Students in the competitive eight-week Summer Research Experience, which is funded by a National Science Foundation Award with additional support from UT, come from a variety of majors. Jeff DeSalu of Ohio State, Morganne Igoe of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Joe Moran of Unity College in Maine and Theresa Sheets of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, are working at NIMBioS under Jonsson and associate director Suzanne Lenhart. Texas Tech University adjunct professor Robert Owen is in Paraguay, where he collects rodent samples for the study from the Mbaracayu Reserve and sends them to Jonsson's lab for processing. There researchers can determine whether mice have the virus or were ever exposed, and sequence the virus.
Using that data, the students created computer simulations to look at the virus's prevalence over time among rodents of different age groups and different environmental conditions, such as those that affect the rodents' habitat and food source. The virus seems to be cyclic; at times, as many as 40 percent of rodents are infected, while other times the infection rate could be close to zero, Jonsson said.
The hope is to develop a model that shows "what factors drive these oscillations in prevalence and what's keeping hantavirus around and alive and not dying out," to help eradicate the virus, Moran said.
Though this data is being collected from mice at the Paraguay reserve, hantavirus is just as prevalent in this region, Jonsson said, especially in rural areas and agriculture buildings.
This model will hopefully form the basis for future research, DeSalu said.
"It's a little abstract because you're looking at data and spreadsheets, and there's a disconnect between what you're doing and the impact that it has," DeSalu said. "Coming from a background where I don't get to connect (with people), it's nice to know that even an indirect connection could be made to something that could conceivably shape public health (policy) going forward."
At present, there's not a commercially available hantavirus vaccine, and one in Phase 3 trials is not thought to be effective against all hantavirus. Treatment is limited to supportive care.
The students in the hantavirus project are among 16 conducting research at NIMBioS this summer. In a typical year, about 1,000 people from around the world come through the 8-year-old national program, which will host a major conference on diversity in mathematics this fall.
People offer flowers to the victims near the site of the terrorist attack in Nice, France, July 15, 2016. The death toll rises to 84 from an attack in which a truck rammed into a crowd marking the French national day in Nice. French President Francois Hollandesaid "the terrorist character" of the truck attack cannot be denied. He announced an extension of a state of emergency for three months in the country. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
PARIS, July 15 -- In the wake of the deadly Nice attack on Thursday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Friday morning declared three days of national morning, to begin on July 16.
"We are facing a war that terrorism is inflicting on us," Valls said after a meeting in the Elysee Palace, adding "the only response is that of a united France."
French flags will be flown at half mast on all public buildings in the country, Valls added.
The death toll continues to rise from an attack in which a truck drove through a crowd, ramming into people celebrating the French national day in Nice, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Friday.
At least 84 people have been killed and 18 remain in "critical condition," said the minister. French President Francois Hollandesaid the death toll included "several children."
According to local media, at least 50 children have been hospitalized.
Hollande announced he would extend the current state of emergency in the country for another three months, despite saying Thursday it would not be extended past July 26.
A state of emergency was instated eight months ago the day after Islamic State gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris.
The draft bill will be presented next Tuesday to the Cabinet, followed by the National Assembly on Wednesday and Thursday.
Hollande confirmed the attack on Friday morning had been of a "terrorist" nature.
"France is under the threat of Islamic terrorism... Nothing will make us surrender our will to fight against terrorism and we will further strengthen our actions in Syriaand Iraq. We will continue to strike those who attack us on our own soil," Hollande stressed.
But for Gilles Kepel, an academic expert on the Islamic and Arab world, France fails to understand the form of third generation terrorism whose method of carrying out attacks is becoming more and more simple.
The French political class is "useless" when it comes to facing this kind of terrorism, he told France Inter radio Friday morning.
Anti-terror investigations have begun. Identity papers of a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian male, in addition to weapons and grenades, were found in the truck he had been driving, according to reports. The truck driver was shot dead after opening fire at police.
He was known to police for acts of violence with weapons.
The tragedy took place at the city's famous Promenade des Anglais seafront. The truck ploughed at high speed into spectators watching the fireworks.
Christian Estrosi, president of the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, described the incident on Twitter as "the worst drama in Nice's history."
Traffic is closed on the Promenade des Anglais, and scheduled cultural events, including a jazz festival, have been canceled.
Saul Young/News Sentinel
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By News Sentinel Staff
Early voting for the Aug. 4 state primary and county general election got underway Friday.
Knox County's turnout was slow, as expected, according to Christopher Davis, assistant administrator of elections for the Knox County Election Commission.
"The first day of early voting is always the slowest day. We have all 10 of our polling locations open, and so far, we've had 468 come out to vote (as of 3:20 p.m.). The biggest location for voting is Downtown West, and it accounted for around a third of all the voting today."
How does this compare to previous early voting periods?
"July is always the slowest time for early voting. More people came out last March, and the largest amount of people will come out for early voting for the November election. But we're trying to get more people out during the summer," he said.
When does he expect to see the biggest voting turnout?
"Usually, we see more people come out in the last week of early voting, specifically on the last three days. This time, that would be Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We usually have a bigger turnout on the weekdays as well."
Voting will continue from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, through July 30.
Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging voters to take advantage of early voting, which allows people to cast a ballot when it's convenient for them, according to a news release on Friday.
"Tennesseans broke records during the March 1 'SEC Primary' by taking advantage of early voting," Hargett said. "It will be exciting to see Tennesseans participate in the electoral process this August and November."
The easiest way for voters to find their early voting and Election Day polling locations, view and mark sample ballots, see their elected officials, districts and county election commission information as well as access online state and federal election results is through the GoVoteTN app. Voters can download the app in the App Store or Google Play or visit GoVoteTN.com to view specific information.
Tennesseans voting early or on Election Day should remember to bring valid photo identification. Photo IDs issued by Tennessee state government, including driver's licenses, or the federal government are acceptable even if expired. College student IDs are not acceptable.
More information about acceptable IDs can be found at GoVoteTN.com.
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker
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By Thomas Novelly, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
After withdrawing his name from consideration to be Donald's Trump Vice-President last week, Sen. Bob Corker said in an interview Friday that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was an excellent choice.
"He's a great choice," Corker said. "He's served in Congress for a number of years, he has been a governor and brings those executive skills. Pence more fully fits the prototype we are looking for."
Trump tweeted publicly Friday morning that he chose Pence as his official running mate, and will hold an official conference on Saturday at 11 a.m. to formally make the announcement.
The former Mayor of Chattanooga and current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee visited Nashville Friday to give a brief talk to the National Association of Secretaries of State and visited Cheatam County to talk with residents, but said he found time during his full day to congratulate Pence.
"I'm very happy for him," Corker said. "I actually just gave him a phone call and sent him a text this morning congratulating him, but he hasn't responded just yet. I'm sure he is being inundated with people this morning."
On Wednesday, news sources confirmed that Corker was officially withdrawing from consideration as Donald Trump's potential running mate.
Corker, who was on a shortlist of candidates vetted to be potential VP picks, withdrew his name publicly on July 6. He said the vice presidency was never his ballgame.
"At 63, you understand who you are," Corker said. "I'm more of a policy guy. On the front end of every discussion I had, whether it was with Trump's son Eric, his daughter Ivanka, or his son-in-law Jared, I started off saying, 'Guys, I just want to let you know I've never imagined myself serving in this kind of capacity.'"
Corker, who has spoken publicly with Trump before at rallies, said that he would not have an official speaking role at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next week. He clarified, however, that he would still be attending the convention, but would be appearing at various social events to speak with groups instead of taking the spotlight.
Corker also visited Ashland City.
"There were discussions back and forth about me speaking, but I'm just more of a conversational guy. Getting up in front of zillions of people and giving a speech from a teleprompter is not my best use of time. I'll be speaking at small events with numbers of groups. But in the way I do it. Conversationally."
While speaking with community leaders in Cheatham county earlier Friday, he said one resident mentioned the recent attorney general report that stated Rep. Jeremy Durham had sexually harassed 22 women while in office. Corker said that was the first he had heard about it, and said he had not read the report.
"I can't even recall ever meeting the guy, to be honest," Corker said. "I just don't know much about it."
Corker will be heading up to Cleveland for the Republican National Convention on Sunday, and will have several meetings with politicians as well as Tennessee delegates.
Corker said he is in full support of Trump, and thinks voters will support the Republican candidates VP pick as well.
"When people think about a VP decision they say, 'Is this person capable of being President if something happens," Corker said. "He is very capable of doing that. I'm very happy for Pence and I think he is really excited about this."
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.(Photo: J. David Ake, AP)
Everyone talks about global warming, but nobody does anything about it. At least, the people who talk about saving the planet the most seem to have the biggest carbon footprint. But I have some ideas for fixing that.
In this, Im inspired by Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Tex., who noticed something peculiar recently. It seems that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, who spends a lot of time telling Americans that they need to drive less, fly less, and in general reduce their consumption of fossil fuels, also flies home to see her family in Boston "almost every weekend"; the head of the Clean Air Division, Janet McCabe, does the same, but she heads to Indianapolis. In air mileage alone, the Daily Caller News Foundation estimates that McCarthy surpasses the carbon footprint of an ordinary American. Smith has introduced a bill that wouldn't target the EPA honchos personal travel, though: It provides, simply, that None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay the cost of any officer or employee of the Environmental Protection Agency for official travel by airplane.
This makes sense to me. Were constantly told by the administration that climate change is a bigger threat than terrorism. And as even President Obama has noted, theres a great power in setting an example: We cant drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK.
Likewise, its hard to expect Americans to accept changes to their own lifestyles when the very people who are telling them that its a crisis arent acting like its a crisis. So I have a few suggestions to help bring home the importance of reduced carbon footprints at home and abroad:
*Extend Smiths bill to cover the entire federal government. We have Skype now, and Facetime. Theres no reason to fly to meetings. Id let the President keep Air Force One for official travel, but subject to a requirement that absolutely no campaign activity or fundraisers take place on any trips in which the president travels officially.
* Obama makes a great point about setting the thermostat at 72 degrees. We should ban air conditioning in federal buildings. We won two world wars without air conditioning our federal employees. Nothing in their performance over the last 50 or 60 years suggests that A/C has improved things. Besides, The Washington Post informs us that A/C is sexist, and that Europeans think its stupid.
* In fact, we should probably ban air conditioning in the entire District of Columbia, to ensure that members of Congress, etc. wont congregate in lobbyists air-conditioned offices.
* Speaking of which, members of Congress shouldnt be allowed to fly home on the weekends. Not only does this produce halfhearted attention to their jobs the so-called Tuesday to Thursday Club but, again, it produces too much of a carbon footprint. Even if they pay for the travel out of campaign funds, instead of their own budgets, they need to set an example for the rest of us and for those skeptical foreigners that Obama mentioned.
But, you know, its not just the government. Weve been told that global warming will cause rising sea levels that will inundate coastal cities and produce devastation. I think we need to get ahead of that problem by encouraging people to move away from the coasts before things get bad. We can do that by a steadily-increasing tax on coastal property that will discourage people from moving to, or staying in, coastal cities. Sure, this will hurt property values in Boston or New York, but we all have to do our share.
And speaking of air travel and carbon footprints, it hasnt escaped my notice how often the biggest advocates for reducing peoples carbon footprints have the biggest footprints themselves. Leonardo DiCaprio, for example, recently brought 500 guests from Los Angeles to St. Tropez to hear him give a speech about . . . climate change. (He also flew by private jet between Los Angeles and New York six times in six weeks recently, as revealed in the WikiLeaks hack of Sony emails.)
Well, we dont want to regulate with a heavy hand, but we should put a $5-per-gallon carbon tax on jet fuel burned in private jets, perhaps rising to $10 over a few years, to discourage this sort of thing. And we should also deny corporations the ability to deduct private jet flights as a business expense.
These are actually modest proposals, considering the huge importance of saving the planet. After all, if the Pentagon is ordering commanders to take climate change into account in its war plans, surely the non-military missions should feel the pinch, too. And if our ruling classes show themselves willing to make this sort of sacrifice, ordinary Americans might be willing to do the same. Heck, I might even turn my thermostat up to 73.
Glenn Harlan Reynolds, a University of Tennessee law professor and the author of The New School: How the Information Age Will Save American Education from Itself, is a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors.
Today is first day of early voting ahead of Election Day, Thursday, Aug. 4. Turnouts typically are low for these elections, a shame because the balloting decides important matters, especially many county commission seats. Knox County Commission budgets more than three-quarters of a billion dollars, more than six in 10 of which go to our schools. The commission also decides important land-use issues.
I served on commission from 2006 to 2010, often seated next to the 1st District's (downtown and East Knoxville) Sam McKenzie. Sam is leaving, respecting the will of the voters for eight-year term limits. Sam has been an independent, thoughtful public servant. I expect the same from Evelyn Gill, a teacher committed to improving the infrastructure of the district.
Amy Broyles, also respecting term limits, will be leaving commission. Michele Carringer, a Republican former commission appointee who already lost a 7th District race, got redistricted into the 2nd. The much better choice is Laura Kildare, an inspiring teacher who recently finished a doctorate in special education. She has taught in the district and now works at Career Magnet Academy, bringing valuable experiences to the commission job.
Former University of Tennessee Architecture Dean Marleen Davis is used to getting things done in a male-dominated field, but she'd be more than a fresh breeze in a commission routinely male, pale and stale. Davis knows our county population is set to grow about 30 percent in 25 years, and is pushing mixed-use zoning as one response. Her 4th District opponent, and nearly all the Republican candidates, seem to be leaning on the R behind their names on the ballot.
In West Knox County north of Interstate 40, 6th District Commissioner Brad Anders found a legal loophole to attempt to serve beyond eight years. Democrat Donna Lucas is slamming him for that, and for his equivocation that delayed an emergency radio communication contract.
South of I-40 in West Knox County, Sheri Ridgeway, an attorney who helps families with juvenile justice issues, is running an animated campaign stressing sustainability and service, as is James "Brandon" Hamilton in South Knox County. Hamilton is a Knoxville native with experience in finance and insurance.
In East Knox County, Commissioner Dave Wright is trying the same term-limits avoidance maneuver as Anders and faces an Independent challenger, Don Wiser.
This election also is a party primary for the Tennessee House and Senate. The most intriguing contest is the 18th District, neighborhoods west of downtown. State Rep. Martin Daniel actually is in two contests. The unofficial one is for the Stacey Campfield Cup, a yet-to-be-created prize (perhaps a lucha libre mask affixed to a can of Mountain Dew) as the successor in outrageous behavior to the former state senator.
Pig excrement polluter-turned-assault weapon door prize advocate Rep. Andy Holt is making a strong case, as is Rep. Jeremy Durham, banished to a remote office because of sexual harassment concerns. Daniel, however, has tweeted against Muhammad Ali, objected to social justice messages in school assignments and harangued UT for its diversity efforts. He's in a four-way Republican primary getting a lot of attention. Look for a strong November challenge, however, from my choice. Democrat Brandi Price is an energetic young lawyer who'd bring respect, moderation and intelligence to that seat.
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Early voting for the Aug. 4 Knox County and Farragut general elections and the state primary begins today and runs through July 30.
Voters can cast ballots at one of 10 locations scattered throughout the county:
n Downtown City County Building, 400 Main St.
n East Love Kitchen, 2418 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.
n East Carter Library, 9036 Asheville Highway.
n North New Harvest Park, 4775 New Harvest Lane.
n North Halls Recreation Center, 6933 Recreation Lane.
n North Clinton Plaza Shopping Center, 4952 Clinton Highway.
n South Big Lots Shopping Center, 4536 Chapman Highway.
n West Downtown West, 1543 Downtown West Blvd. (stand-alone building).
n West Farragut Town Hall, 11408 Municipal Center Drive.
n West Karns Senior Center, 8042 Oak Ridge Highway.
With the exception of the City County Building, hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Polls will be closed on Sundays.
Voting hours at the City County Building will be noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the exception of today, when the hours will be noon to 7 p.m. Saturday hours will be 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on July 16 and 23, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 30.
Offices on the ballot for the general elections include Knox County Law Director, Knox County Property Assessor, seven Knox County Commission seats, four Knox County Board of Education seats and two Farragut Board of Mayor and Alderman seats. The state primary ballot will include candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, state Senate, state House of Representatives, Democratic State Executive Committeewoman. Additionally, state judges will be up for retention votes. Several candidates are unopposed.
The News Sentinel's Voter Guide, endorsements and election coverage may be found online at www.knoxnews.com.
We urge all eligible voters to go to the polls, and it would not be a bad idea to take advantage of the convenience of early voting. Whether voters cast their ballots early or on Election Day, however, it is important they participate in this most basic expression of democracy.
BEIJING, July 15 -- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has made a rare announcement on its website, saying it's "a totally distinct institution" from the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), under whose secretarial assistance, an arbitral tribunal has issued an award on the South China Sea dispute.
The five-member arbitral tribunal based in The Hague, the Netherlands, on Tuesday rendered its ill-grounded award, denying China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
Some Western media mistakenly believed that the tribunal was related to the ICJ, which is also based in The Hague, saying the tribunal was backed by the United Nations.
The United Nations made it clear earlier Wednesday that it has nothing to do with the PCA via China's twitter-like social media weibo.
Later, the official website of the ICJ announced that "the ICJ, which is a totally distinct institution, has had no involvement in the above mentioned case (the South China Sea arbitration)."
The ICJ, as the United Nations' principal judicial organ, was set up in June 1945 in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.
The PCA, established by the 1899 Hague Convention, is not subordinate to the United Nations.
For the PCA, the arbitration and relevant actions should obey states' will, which makes the status of the PCA lower than the states'. Its arbitration is not a part of the international judicial system. Its arbitration may have some juridical validity, but it is far from the adjudication of the ICJ in terms of sanctity and solemnity. Therefore, the PCA is not the best mechanism to settle disputes between states.
On the contrary, once states agree to submit their disputes to the ICJ, the adjudication by the ICJ must be executed. According to the Charter of the United Nations, the UN Security Council has the authority to execute the adjudication.
When it comes to the relevant fees of the two organizations, the fees of the PCA's arbitration and the salary of the tribunals are paid by the parties in the arbitration. Meanwhile, in the ICJ, all the fees and salaries are paid by the United Nations.
As to the South China Sea case, the Philippine government has paid the tribunal for its own part as well as China's, since China has proclaimed its stance of non-acceptance of and non-participation in the case from the outset, because the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Due to the existence of the ICJ, the PCA is not a general international procedure to settle disputes any longer, as the PCA's status in international law is inferior to the states'.
Hanwha Galleria CEO Hwang Yong-deug, center, poses with actor Song Seung-heon, third from right, and other dignitaries during the grand opening ceremony of the Hanwha Galleria Duty Free Store on Yeouido, western Seoul, Friday. / Courtesy of Hanwha Galleria
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Hanwha Galleria Duty Free store, having completed its interior expansion, held a grand opening inside the 63 Building in Yeouido, western Seoul, Friday.
Having a limited opening on December 28, Hanwha Galleria Duty Free store has strengthened not only its interior but also content preferred by tourists to offer a so-called One Stop Tour service.
In a bid to provide such content, Hanwha Group has rebuilt its aquarium, 63 Sea World, under the concept of "Real Nature," and changed its name to Aqua Planet 63.
"Hanwha Galleria Duty Free suggests differentiated shopping content where tourists will enjoy some 530 famous brands as well as its beautiful aquarium," said Hwang Yong-deug.
"We will do our best to make Yeouido a tourist landmark."
Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn also visited the 63 Building a day before the grand opening to encourage staffs at the duty free store.
"Hanwha Galleria Duty Free store's differentiated shopping experiences will contribute to the nation's tourism," Kim said.
Along with the duty free store's grand opening, Hanwha Galleria is expected to invest a total of 200 billion won and bring 6,000 new jobs for the next five year.
Hanwha Galleria Duty Free is currently maintaining 600 million to 700 million won in daily sales and plan to achieve an 1 billion won daily sales by the end of this year.
Separate from the grand opening of its store, Hanwha Group also signed a cooperation contract with China's largest retailer Wanda Group to enhance its marketing content.
Under the contract, Hanwha Galleria Duty Free will promote its shopping and tour content to the Chinese retailer's 120 million members.
South Korea's finance minister on Friday said he will speed up efforts to roll out an extra budget in a "timely" manner, adding the detailed plan will be handed to the National Assembly this month.
"The timing is crucial when it comes to an extra budget," Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said during a meeting with the ruling Saenuri Party. "The bill will be handed in to the parliament as soon as possible."
Yoo added the extra budget will be aimed at generating jobs amid the industrywide restructuring efforts.
"South Korea's economy has been facing uncertainties from home and abroad amid worries about industrial restrucuring and the Brexit issue," the policymaker said, adding employment conditions in the manufacturing sector have been deteriorating this year.
The country's top three shipyards suffered a combined operating loss of 8.5 trillion won (US$7.49 billion) last year, due largely to increased costs stemming from a delay in the construction of offshore facilities and a worldwide dearth in demand.
The trend has emerged as one of the major drags on the South Korean economy, with the restructuring process likely to lead to layoffs for large numbers of workers. (Yonhap)
Hyundai Merchant Marine CEO Lee Paik-hoon speaks at a shareholders' meeting held at Hyundai Group headquarters in downtown Seoul, Friday. The shareholders approved a plan to reduce the shares of large shareholders. / Yonhap
By Yoon Ja-young
Hyundai Group's flagship Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) will become a subsidiary of the Korea Development Bank (KDB) after a shareholders' meeting voted to remove family control over the group following capital reduction.
At a general shareholders' meeting, Friday, the HMM shareholders approved a plan to reduce the shares of large shareholders. Among the 14.3 million shares participated in the voting, 99.9 percent supported it.
As a result, the combined stake held by large family shareholders Hyundai Elevator, Hyundai Global, and Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun will fall to 3.64 percent from 20.93 percent. The shares of Hyundai Elevator will drop to 866,610 from over 6 million, Hyundai Global to 87,651 from 613,563, and Hyun to 81,632 from 571,428. The reduction will take effect on Aug. 19.
The stake of the large shareholders is scheduled to fall to below 0.5 percent when the creditors complete a debt for equity swap. Hyun, who has already resigned from the board, will lose managerial control over HMM following the capital reduction.
The creditors, meanwhile, will become the biggest shareholder of HMM as their stake will surge to around 40 percent. Following approval by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) HMM will be split off from the Hyundai Group. It will become a subsidiary of the main creditor KDB, and Hyundai Group, which will have only Hyundai Elevator left as a subsidiary, is likely to be delisted from the FTC's list of conglomerates.
"Hyun and other large shareholders accepted the capital reduction for the normalization of management, sharing the burden and taking responsibility," an official at HMM said.
The shipping company was launched in 1976 by the late Hyundai Group Honorary Chairman Chung Ju-yung. It once rose to be the world's eighth largest shipper, but failed to overcome the global recession that hit the industry. Despite Hyundai Group's 3.3 trillion won self-rescue plan, the liquidity problem continued and the company entered bank receivership in March. The creditor bank requested that the company should restructure debt with private creditors as well as lowering down ship charter fees and joining an alliance of global shipping operators.
The company succeeded in meeting the conditions requested by the banks. It completed negotiations with ship owners to lower charter fees as well as getting approval from private creditors for debt restructuring. It also said Thursday that it signed an MOU with the 2M container alliance, comprising Maersk Line and MSC, the largest two shippers in the world.
At the shareholders' meeting, HMM CEO Lee Paik-hoon said the company is successfully going through restructuring. After appreciating shareholders for accepting reverse stock splits in March, Lee said HMM is "preparing to face continuous challenges to be a top shipping company."
By Kim Bo-eun
Park Hyun-jung, former CEO of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), has filed a damages suit against former SPO director Chung Myung-whun for allegedly spreading false rumors about her.
Park filed the suit with the Seoul Central District Court, March 9, demanding 600 million won in compensation from Chung. Park also filed a complaint with the prosecution against Chung separately for defamation charges.
According to Park, Chung made it appear in media interviews and in letters addressed to SPO members as if allegations of her sexual harassment and verbal abuse of SPO members were facts.
"This issue concerns the human rights of SPO members," Chung said in an interview with a local paper last August.
"As the director, I could not sit back and do nothing when 17 members requested my help, claiming they were insulted by the CEO."
Conductor Chung Myung-whun quizzed over embezzlement allegations Maestro Chung Myung-whun steps down from SPO 'Maestro's wife behind defamation' Maestro Chung under embezzlement probe Park claims the SPO members were instructed by Chung's wife, surnamed Koo, to spread false rumors about Park in order to oust her from the CEO position. Park and Chung were reportedly at odds since the former assumed the post in 2013. Police also support these claims.
Police cleared Park of sexual harassment earlier this month, citing inconsistency in testimonies against her.
Park also filed another damages suit against three Seoul Metropolitan Government officials and two SPO members, demanding 500 million won.
Park stepped down from the CEO post last December, after 17 SPO members claimed she had physically and verbally harassed them, and demanded her immediate resignation.
The three-month police investigation began the same month Park filed a complaint.
Police raided the SPO office three times and questioned 33 SPO members on 85 occasions.
The case has been sent to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office. Police have requested that the prosecution indict 10 SPO members for their alleged involvement in spreading false rumors about Park.
Chung also resigned in December, ending his 10-year tenure with the SPO.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn visited the town of Seongju, which was tapped as the site for the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system, on Friday, in the face of strong opposition from the residents who questioned the safety and legitimacy of the government's decision.
The trip is seen as a move to alleviate concerns that residents may have about the health issues related to the missile system's powerful radar and questions raised about the fairness of the government's decision-making process.
"I would like to apologize for making the decision without prior notice," Hwang said during his visit, adding that the government will make efforts to ease residents' concerns over the safety.
During his visit, however, protesters threw water bottles and eggs at Hwang, reflecting their anger over the deployment.
Residents of the town, located 296 kilometers south of Seoul, began protesting this week after the government announced it would deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) there.
"The government will inspect THAAD thoroughly to guarantee its safety," the prime minister said. "We will also gather the residents' opinion on deciding the placement of the battery."
Hwang added the government will not deploy THAAD if there are any "slightest risks" in regards to safety issues.
He, however, pointed out that North Korea is constantly making nuclear threats and that under such circumstances the government had no choice but to take countermeasures to protect the country and safeguard its people.
Seoul and Washington decided to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea last week.
While the government and conservatives claim THAAD is necessary to better deal with Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats, the country's opposition parties and progressive elements have expressed reservations over potential diplomatic conflicts with China and Russia. (Yonhap)
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, center left, is pelted with raw eggs thrown by residents of Seonju, Friday, protesting the government's plan to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in their county in North Gyeongsang Province. He and other government officials visited the county to reassure residents over concerns about a possible radiation hazard from THAAD's radar; but they were greeted by fierce protests from the residents. / Yonhap
Prime minister pelted with eggs and water bottles
By Jung Min-ho
Thousands of angry residents threw waters and raw eggs at Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn in protest of the government's plan to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in their backyard.
Hwang and Defense Minister Han Min-koo visited Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Friday, to persuade the residents that the anti-missile system would not cause any radiation hazard.
However, his speech was met with jeers from some 3,000 villagers who were holding a protest in front of the Seongju County office.
The protestors blocked the van carrying Hwang and other government visitors from leaving the place using tractors. Government officials left the area after being stuck there for six-and-a-half hours.
County head Kim Hang-gon and residents demanded a "total cancelation of the plan."
"We oppose THAAD with our lives," a protester said, holding a red banner bearing the same message. "Is THAAD more important than the lives of 50,000 residents?" Many yelled and cursed at the visitors, while some tussled with their bodyguards.
Wearing a suit with egg stains, Hwang apologized for determining the site without collecting the residents' opinions, but he insisted that the THAAD system was not a threat to health or the environment.
Citing the Green Pine radar system that emits as much electromagnetic radiation as THAAD, Hwang said the system, which will be deployed on a hill, is safe for people who live at a lower altitude and the government will continue to make efforts to ensure their safety.
"The government had to make the decision to protect the country against North Korea that constantly makes nuclear provocations," he said. "The government will inspect the system thoroughly to ensure its safety."
However, residents turned a deaf ear to his speech. The residents blockaded the visiting officials in the county office building for some time. After sneaking out of the building to the exit of another building complex connected to the county office building, the visitors got into their van, but were blocked again.
The protesters cracked the windows of the van as they threw water bottles and food waste, shouting at the prime minister who refused to accept their request.
Police later deployed officers to disperse the protesters. While the officers were confronting the crowd, the visitors moved to another car and left the area.
For the residents, the missile defense unit is not just health threat but also an economic one. About 70 percent of all Asian melons sold in the country come from the region. Many fear that its radar will negatively affect their farming businesses.
"Why is the government forcing us to make a sacrifice? We cannot accept the decision, which was made without proper communication," the county head said.
Some parents have refused to send their children to school as part of the protest. About 40 primary and secondary school students in the region reportedly stayed home.
The government plans to install the THAAD battery by late 2017.
According to a survey conducted by local pollster Gallup Korea this week, 50 percent of 1,004 respondents said they support the THAAD deployment, while 32 percent said they didn't.
Following the decision to deploy the system in Seongju, which is about 300 kilometers away from Seoul, President Park Geun-hye urged the nation to stay united saying it was not an issue for debate.
By Yi Whan-woo
The nation is being thrown into turmoil following a decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here as concerns remain over national security, and health and environmental risks associated with the system.
Rival parties and their potential 2017 presidential candidates are divided over whether THAAD, an advanced U.S. missile defense system, will help Seoul bolster its "self-defense measures" against North Korea's military attacks, or deteriorate relations with China and Russia.
Lawmakers from the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) and two minor opposition parties the People's Party and the Justice Party have criticized the government for its "closed-door" decision to deploy THAAD without consulting the National Assembly.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, accompanied by Defense Minister Han Min-koo, visited Seongju County in North Gyeongsang Province, which was selected as the location for the battery, to persuade angry residents only to meet strong protests.
Rumors are circulating that electromagnetic radiation emitted from THAAD's long-range radar can damage the residents' health and agricultural products, despite the defense ministry's explanations that these are groundless.
Parties on collision course
Reps. Kim Moo-sung and Yoo Seong-min, and Gyeonggi Provincial Governor Nam Kyung-pi three of the ruling Saenuri Party's probable contenders for the presidential election next year promoted the deployment.
The party agreed with the government's claim that THAAD was "an indispensable element" for South Korea's self-defense against Pyongyang.
"There are no other alternatives concerning national defense," said Kim who was the party's former chairman.
Yoo, who served as the party's floor leader, said "THAAD is essential to protect people's lives against Pyongyang's nuclear missiles."
Nam said he was "ready to comply with the government" concerning its choice of the THAAD location, citing Pyeongtaek, a provincial city, was once seen as a candidate site.
Two possible presidential contestants from the MPK Moon Jae-in and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, disagreed.
"THAAD can widen the rift within society," said Moon, the former MPK chairman.
Citing discontent and opposition from China and Russia, the Seoul mayor speculated that THAAD deployment "will worsen security on the Korean Peninsula."
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, a former co-chairman of the People's Party, called for parliamentary approval and also suggested a referendum concerning THAAD deployment.
During a discussion led by opposition parties, Rep. Lee Jong-kul accused the defense ministry of "not being sincere" in its explanations related to the missile system.
Yoo Jeh-seung deputy minister for policy at the defense ministry, rebuffed this saying, "Only a limited number of people should be allowed access to the classified information related to THAAD."
In Seongju, Hwang apologized to farmers for falling short of explaining how their town was picked.
Lee Kang-yun, a political commentator, held the government responsible for the political chaos.
"The government should have approached the case in a more convincing manner," he said.
In Seoul, conservative activists called on bolstering South Korea's indigenous missile defense network in tandem with the THAAD deployment.
Liberal activists opposed the idea and asked the conservative Park Geun-hye administration to withdraw its decision on the deployment.
By Kim Se-jeong
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will screen 28 movies along the Han River starting today through Aug. 20,
According to the government, the screening will take place at riverbank parks under four bridges the north side of Seongsan Bridge, the south side of Wonhyo Bridge, the north side of Cheongdam Bridge and the south side of Cheonho Bridge.
The list of films to be screened includes "Han" (2007) by Na Hong-jin who directed the popular "The Wailing"; "The Host" (2006) by Bong Joon-ho; "Modern Times" (1936) by Charlie Chaplin; and "Sing Street" (2016) by John Carney.
"Han" will also be featured at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival as well which begins on July 21. Seven other short films from the Bucheon film festival will be screened at the four locations as well.
On Aug. 13 and 20, the residents can see eight award-winning short films in a contest organized by the city government. The contest is ongoing until July 29, and those who want to participate can visit http://hangang.seoul.go.kr/project2016/contest.
"We are pleased to present these films for city residents. I hope they will enjoy the films," a city official said in a statement.
Admission will be free for all the screenings. For detailed list of screenings, visit http://hangang.seoul.go.kr/project2016.
A passenger jet of China Southern Airlines lands on the airport on Meiji Reef, July 13, 2016. China successfully carried out test flights on two new airports on the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on Wednesday, further enhancing its capability to provide public services as a responsible player in the region. Together with the one on Yongshu Reef, the two airfields, respectively located on Meiji Reef and Zhubi Reef, bring tangible benefits to vessels sailing in and planes flying over the area, thanks to their convenient location in the middle of the vast water body. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)
THE HAGUE, July 15 -- The International Court of Justice (ICJ)on Thursday denied its involvement in the South China Seaarbitration.
"There is indeed a confusion," Andrey Poskakukhin, head of the ICJ's Information Department, told Xinhua in a telephone interview. "We have made it clear on our website we do not have anything to do with this case."
A statement regarding the case has appeared on the ICJ's official website since Wednesday afternoon to clarify that it did not participate in the case.
The ICJ "wishes to draw the attention of the media and the public to the fact that the Award in the South China Sea Arbitration was issued by an Arbitral Tribunal acting with the secretarial assistance of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)," said the statement.
"The ICJ, which is a totally distinct institution, has had no involvement in the above mentioned case and, for that reason, there is no information about it on the ICJ's website," it said.
The clarification by the ICJ came one day after an ad hoc tribunal, set up at the unilateral request of the former Philippine government, issued an ill-founded award, denying China's long-standing historic rights in the South China Sea.
The Chinese government said that China will not accept any proposition or action based on the decision made by the law-abusing tribunal, which exceeded its power to rule on a case that it did not have jurisdiction over.
However, reports of some media, including some popular media in the United Statesand Europe, referred to the tribunal as a "UN-backed tribunal," or even "UN tribunal," causing confusion among the public.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Thursday told a news briefing that the arbitral tribunal "is not something that involves the Secretary-General."
Established in June 1945, the ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, also known as "the world court" or "the UN court," while the PCA, on the other hand, is a permanent framework established in 1899.
The ad hoc tribunal handling the South China Sea arbitration does not belong to the PCA and only enjoys the secretarial services offered by the PCA, which includes helping appoint experts, publish information and press releases, organize tribunals in The Hague and pay arbitrators and other staff for their services.
However, the tribunal has relations with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), as most of its members were picked by Shunji Yanai, then ITLOS president and former Japanese ambassador to the United States.
One of the reasons why the tribunal was set up in The Hague and not in Hamburg, Germany, where the ITLOS sits in because the tribunal wanted to be bound to the PCA because of its long history and international authority and credibility, says Liu Nan, an international law researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The PCA also enjoys a higher demand for its arbitrators than ad hoc tribunals.
So far the PCA has not yet responded to Xinhua's request for comment.
By Lee Han-soo, Park Si-soo
Lee Jin-wook
Korean actor Lee Jin-wook has been accused of alleged sexual assault of a woman in her 30s.
According to Suseo Police Station in Seoul, a woman filed a case against Lee, Thursday, accusing him of sexual assault. The actor denies the allegation.
The U.S. Defense Department urged North Korea to work toward reducing tensions Thursday as the communist nation threatens to take "physical" action in response to a decision to deploy the U.S. THAAD missile defense system in South Korea.
The North's military made the threat earlier this week after the South and the U.S. announced a decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in the South to better defend against growing nuclear and missile threats from the North.
The North said the deployment is aimed at invading the country.
In an apparent protest against the THAAD deployment decision, the North test-launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Saturday, but the test ended in failure with the missile exploding at an altitude of some 10 kilometers.
"We, obviously have seen provocative statements from the North Koreans in the past and provocative actions from the North Koreans. And again, we would urge the North Koreans to take every step they can to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said of the North's threat.
"We continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with South Korea and with our allies in the region. Deployment of the THAAD system reflects our commitment to the alliance, and appropriate steps that we're taking with our allies to try and protect against those North Korean provocations," he said.
The U.S. had long desired to deploy THAAD to the South, but Seoul had wavered over whether to accept the deployment because of strong objections from China that claimed the system, especially the powerful X-band radar that comes with it, could be used against it.
North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January and the long-range rocket launch the following month provided a strong impetus for the U.S. and South Korea to move ahead with formal discussions about the potential placement of THAAD in the South.
"We've been clear, as I believe the South Koreans have as well, that the purpose of the THAAD system, it is a defensive system. It is intended to protect against the very real threat that we've seen coming from North Korea," Cook said.
"The Chinese and the Russians should not have concerns about that system because of the way it's designed and its purpose, which is again, to protect against the very real North Korea threat," he added. (Yonhap)
By Rachel Lee
President Park Geun-hye speaks during the opening session of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Mongolia, Friday.
/ Joint press corps
President Park Geun-hye called for international cooperation in pressing North Korea to give up nuclear ambitions in a speech at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Mongolia, Friday.
"The world is still vulnerable to endless threats from terrorists and North Korea's nuclear weapons," Park said. "The world should take joint action to make North Korea give up its nuclear development program. It is threatening the world with more nuclear tests despite international sanctions."
On the sidelines of the meeting, Park held bilateral talks with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, respectively.
She asked for them to cooperate in handling Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, Cheong Wa Dae said.
South Korea has been expanding ties with countries that have maintained traditional ties with North Korea in an effort to isolate the hostile country further.
The presidential office said Seoul will continue to seek international collaboration to change North Korea and make it a responsible member of the international community.
During the meetings with the EU leaders, Park discussed ways to strengthen Korea-EU strategic ties. The two reaffirmed their commitments to cooperate following Brexit.
This was the second time for Park to meet with the current EU leadership since the 8th Korea-EU Summit in Seoul last September.
She also held bilateral talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Laos' Prime Minister, Thongloun Sisoulith.
Park gave the speech to Asian and European leaders as the first speaker representing Asia. Leaders from 51 countries across Asia and Europe were in Ulaanbaatar for the two-day event under the theme "20 years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity."
During the speech, Park stressed the importance of expanding free trade amid economic uncertainties fueled by Britain's recent decision to leave the EU and suggested the resumption of the long-suspended ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting in Seoul to discuss detailed measures.
Park called for Laos's "constructive" role in dealing with issues surrounding the Korean peninsula including the North's nuclear threats.
The presidential office said talks with Laos, leading the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, will be a good opportunity to establish bilateral relations not only with Korea but also with many other nations. Laos has traditionally maintained close relations with North Korea.
This was the first time for the President to hold talks with the Laotian leader since he took office in April.
Park also called for support from Vietnam in backing her policy towards Pyongyang. On the basis of the Korea-Vietnam free trade agreement that took effect last December, the two leaders discussed ways to expand strategic ties especially in relatively new sectors including new energy, information and communications technologies, and health care.
Following the ASEM summit, Park will hold a meeting with Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj.
They are expected to seek ways to strengthen cooperation in tackling climate change through the development of renewable energy, and an anti-desertification program. They also are expected to discuss cooperation in telemedicine and electronic governance, as well as cultural areas, according to the presidential office.
This was her first visit to Mongolia during her presidential term.
Park will return home, Monday.
Bilingual speaking contest participants smile onstage at Seoul National University of Education in southern Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education
Multicultural background is an asset
By Choi Ha-young
Being multicultural in Korean society used to be an obstacle to equality but not so much now. A recent conversation between a multicultural child and her Korean mother went like this.
"Mom, am I a Korean or Russian?" Eight-year-old Diana Jeon, born to a Korean mother and a Russian father, asked her mother.
The answer her mother, Jeon Young-hee, gave her was this, "You are both. How cool is that! Try to be a nice Earthian."
This is the story Diana shared with participants during a bilingual contest for children of multiracial families organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) at Seoul National University of Education in southern Seoul, Tuesday.
Like Diana, multicultural children in Korea, a perceived racially-homogenous society, face identity issues. They also often face discrimination in their daily lives because of their unique looks.
"Diana's older sister once said during her daycare center days that, The mother of a boy whom I liked told him not to marry a mixed blood girl,'" Jeon said. "So I told my daughter: The boy's mom is wrong. You can marry anyone on earth, except an outer space creature.'"
Despite such difficulties, students and teachers who participated in the contest voiced that bilingual ability is a competitive advantage in a globalizing society. A total of 40 elementary, middle and high school students who have Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Vietnamese backgrounds shared their stories about settlement, identity, school life and their future hopes in both Korean and other languages.
"Even a few years ago," the Japanese mother of 13-year-old Ahn So-hyun said after the contest, "parents in multicultural families used to have their children focus on the Korean language rather than a foreign language, but these days it's changing. I hope my daughter does not forget her Japanese. Others pay money to learn a second language, she doesn't have to."
Choi Subin, 14, who has a Russian name, Nicole, is learning her mother's language at a private academy. Her parents installed Russian satellite TV at home to encourage her to study Russian.
Choo Ji-won, 17, born to a Korean mother and Chinese father, said she wants to be an international lawyer to solve the conflicts between Seoul and Beijing. She won first place in the contest.
Her mother said, "It's a recent trend that students from wealthy families enter a Chinese school to learn Chinese and prepare to study abroad. I want my daughter to be a global leader."
Diana's mother Jeon boasted that a multicultural background helps children have balanced views, in the "Americanized Korean society."
"Many Korean media reports about THAAD or the territorial dispute between Russia and Ukraine are biased. My children can listen to various opinions thanks to their multicultural background," Jeon said.
Students dream about various careers: interpreter, translator, journalist, tour guide, application developer, chef and historian.
"I want to be a historian to bridge the historical awareness between Korea and Japan," said Mori Saran from Seonjung High School, who is interested in making a joint history textbook among Koreans, Japanese and Chinese.
Interestingly, Saran knew nothing about Korea until her parents encouraged her to go to Korea to experience the broader world.
"As we saw today, multicultural students can develop positive, confident identities," said Won Jin-sook, director of the Institute for Multicultural Education at the university.
"Recently, anti-multiculturalism is growing all over the world as seen by the refugee issue in Europe and Brexit. Education for Korean students to gain sensible and humane views on their multicultural peers is also necessary. Korea, which has a low birthrate, cannot maintain itself without immigrants," Won added.
South Korea urged North Korea on Friday to release its nationals being held in the communist country, including one accused of trying to kidnap North Korean orphans.
In a press conference held earlier in the day, North Korea said it arrested a South Korean named Go Hyeon-cheol, 53, for committing the crime at the orders of South Korea's state spy agency.
"We strongly demand North Korea swiftly release our detained nationals, including Mr. Go Hyeon-cheol, and return them to us without delay," the South's unification ministry said in a statement.
Three other South Koreans -- Kim Jeong-wook, Kim Kuk-gi and Choi Chun-gil -- have also been held in the North since their arrests in 2013 and 2014. (Yonhap)
By Rachel Lee
A North Korean border guard died from his wounds in a rock-throwing attack while on patrol last Sunday near the border town of Hyesan in Ryanggang Province.
Radio Free Asia reported Friday that a group consisting of at least two suspects pelted two guards with stones several times, leaving one dead and the other unconscious. Their weapons were found left on the site, the U.S.-based media said.
Pyongyang has been on emergency alert since the attack searching the area for the suspects, but it has not identified any of them yet.
The location of the incident has been a "key smuggling route" but it does not mean smugglers were solely responsible for the attack since defectors and many other border guards frequently visited the area, according to sources. Railway construction is currently underway there.
"Even the rest of the border guards don't know how long they can survive," a source said. "This incident could be left unexplained."
Over the last few years, there have been several cases in which North Korean border guards crossed the border and killed people in China. As Beijing strongly protested against the killings, Pyongyang has equipped its guards with blanks instead of live ammunition to prevent these from happening again, sources said.
By Yi Whan-woo
North Korea warned of a nuclear missile attack on South Korea, Friday, in response to Seoul's decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
In a statement issued by the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, which handles inter-Korean affairs, the North said the South will pay a price in most harsh and brutal ways, calling the decision an "unpardonable atrocity."
This was the first reaction from North Korea after the Ministry of Defense announced, Wednesday, that THAAD will be located in Seongju to counter Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats.
Pyongyang previously vowed to take "physical measures" after South Korea and the United States decided on where to locate THAAD, an advanced U.S. missile defense system.
"The deployment of THAAD will be an unpardonable atrocity that will turn the Korean Peninsula into a theater of war and let its fate fall to the hands of outside forces," the committee was quoted as saying by the state-controlled Korean Central News Agency. "The deployment will accelerate the division of the Korean people while providing the perpetrators from the U.S. to invade South Korea eternally."
Citing opposition from China and Russia against deploying THAAD, the committee raised the possibility of military conflict among regional powers in Northeast Asia. It claimed that there may be "a nuclear strike on THAAD through a means of unknown nationality."
"We can't let that happen considering we have the power for self-defense. And we'll let the government of Park Geun-hye pay the price in the most harsh and brutal ways for betraying the Korean people," the committee said.
The Kim Jong-un regime also said it will continue to develop nuclear weapons for "self-defense."
"We know South Korea is riding on the back of the U.S. to increase pressure on us as we're consolidating our reputation as a nuclear state while Seoul's denuclearization first policy has been failing," it said. "But no matter how hard Seoul tries, we'll enhance our nuclear arms capabilities both quality- and quantity-wise."
The committee cited protests from residents in Seongju and opposition lawmakers in Seoul as well, in what was seen as a move to intensify a rift within South Korean society over THAAD.
The Ministry of Unification accused North Korea of "slander and libel," Friday.
"It is North Korea that has been threatening peace on the peninsula through a series of nuclear and missile provocations despite warnings from us and the international community," the ministry said.
"The government's decision concerning THAAD was a measure of self-defense to ensure national security and the people's safety.
"We strongly denounce Pyongyang for trying to cause a division in our society through its slander and libel," it said.
The Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Forces Korea initially planned to announce the THAAD location late July when they agreed on its deployment on July 8.
But the government made the announcement this week amid growing confusion over the location nationwide.
By Sah Dong-seok
All men must be equal before the law. If decisions in law enforcement agencies or courts can be at the mercy of "human relations,'' not "law,'' you can never call such a society one overflowing with justice. To our regret, however, that's what is happening here.
In Korea, it's not difficult to find cases in which those who seem guilty are released in the course of investigations by police and the prosecution or the results of trials are reversed. Behind all this irrationality is an evil practice unique to Korea, called "jeongwanyeu,'' which gives privileged treatment to retired judges and prosecutors.
The fact is that incumbent prosecutors or judges make favorable decisions or rulings in dealing with legal cases undertaken by lawyers who were their seniors while they worked as prosecutors or judges. This means that clients can have a higher likelihood of obtaining good results should they leave the cases with lawyers who were prosecutors or judges and the higher their rank while in office were, the better the results could be.
Affected by the evil practice to a large extent, people's confidence in the Korean judiciary is among the world's lowest level. According to a 2015 survey of 42 countries, including eight non-members, conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, only 27 percent of Koreans trust their judicial branch. That put the country at 39th among the 42 nations, leaving only Colombia (26 percent), Chile (19 percent) and Ukraine (12 percent) behind Korea.
Given that the average percentage reached 54 percent, Koreans' confidence in the judicature remained at half of the average level, suggesting that the absolute majority of people here believe that their legal professionals are failing to realize social justice.
This woeful state of faith in the rule of law may be natural if prosecutions or rulings largely serve the interests of well-to-do persons who can afford to buy attorneys who were prosecutors or judges.
Calls for rooting out the corrupt practice mounted recently when two high-profile lawyers were detained for illegally lobbying incumbent judges and prosecutors who were their juniors to help Jung Woon-ho, the CEO of a popular cosmetics company, get an acquittal or receive a lighter sentence after accepting huge legal fees.
In May, prosecutors arrested Choi You-jeong, a judge-turned-lawyer, on charges of violating the Attorney-at-Law Act. She was charged with promising to help Jung receive a lighter punishment over his illegal gambling abroad in return for 5 billion won in illicit legal fees.
Last month, the prosecution indicted Hong Man-pyo, a senior prosecutor-turned-lawyer, in its investigation into the lobbying scandal. He was suspected of receiving 300 million won last August from Jung under the pretext of lobbying senior prosecutors. He was also accused of receiving another 200 million won from Jung earlier.
Over four years since he became a lawyer in 2011, Hong has earned nearly 10 billion won in legal fees, 9.1 billion won of which was earned in 2013 alone. There were suspicions that his huge wealth was thanks to his influence peddling targeting prosecutors, but the top law enforcement agency cleared all incumbent prosecutors from suspicions by concluding that Hong's lobbying efforts failed.
The funny thing is that the lobbying scandal was brought to light after Choi, the female lawyer, sued Jung for physical assault in late April. Jung allegedly twisted Choi's arms and cursed at her during her visit to him in prison after his demand that Choi return the 2 billion won he paid in advance was rejected.
The main clientele of lawyers with connections to incumbent prosecutors and judges includes owners of large family-run conglomerates and their kin, and the newly rich like Jung who are often subject to legal punishment for misconduct or business-related offenses. Law firms scout these lawyers with promises to pay high salaries, believing that they will play the role of lobbyists for rich clients. The truth is that incumbent prosecutors and judges never fail to feel pressured if their former seniors bring up specific cases.
Everyone knows why "jeongwanyeu'' lingers on; it's certainly the lure of money. Prosecutors and judges, while in office, receive relatively generous remunerations, but many of them believe that their salaries are not high enough to compensate for their "hard labor.'' So they seem to take it for granted that they can use the long-standing practice to make a quick buck in a short span of time after quitting public positions probably two to three years. And sitting prosecutors and judges don't hesitate to give special treatment to their former seniors, thinking that they also have to be equally treated after retirement.
A law intended to uproot the practice went into effect in May 2011, barring retiring prosecutors and judges from accepting lawsuits handled by prosecution offices and courts where they had served for one year. But the law is said to be almost useless because offenders face only disciplinary action by an association of lawyers instead of criminal penalties.
Few would concede defeat if one loses a lawsuit merely because of being poor. But the saying one law for the rich and another for the poor is increasingly becoming the norm in Korea.
The first step toward restoring public confidence in the law, to be sure, should begin with the fast removal of this evil practice.
Jeon Kyoung-soo, the founder and president of the Institute of Drug-Related Crime, during an interview on July 8 in central Seoul / Korea Times
By Kang Hyun-kyung
The shutdown of the Coast Guard in 2014 after the sinking of the passenger ferry Sewol in the waters off the southwestern island of Jindo has made the sea border with China porous to drug smugglers.
With the absence of the maritime drug enforcement team, some experts worry that the sea lanes in the West Sea are left defenseless from drug smugglers who ship methamphetamines from China and North Korea to South Korea. Northeast China and North Korea are home to manufacturers of the drugs made from toxic chemicals designed to stimulate the central nervous system.
"Some fishermen in the West Sea became addicted to methamphetamines after they were lured by smugglers to take drinks containing them," Jeon Kyoung-soo, the founder and president of the Institute of Drug-Related Crime in Seoul, said. "The situation is much more serious than you would think. Farmers, housewives and even students are victimized by drug dealers and these addicts are gradually dying as the chemicals in the drug destroy their organs."
Jeon, 64, a former drug enforcement official with the National Police Agency, said that the closure of the Coast Guard was a big policy mistake.
In May 2014, President Park Geun-hye directed the scrapping of the Coast Guard because of their ineffective rescue efforts following the sinking of the passenger ferry Sewol which claimed hundreds of lives, mostly high school students heading to the scenic southern island of Jeju for a school excursion.
"The Coast Guard paid greater attention to its own survival and expansion while neglecting to fulfill their key duties of rescuing the victims of maritime accidents," she criticized.
Following the reshuffle, rescue functions of the maritime police were taken over by the Ministry of Public Safety and Security's National Disaster and Safety Control Center. The drug enforcement team of the Coast Guard, meanwhile, was integrated into the inland police.
The jurisdiction void in maritime security made the sea lanes neighboring China vulnerable to illegal fishing by Chinese fishermen, causing Korean fishermen to suffer the consequences. Crackdowns on illegal fishing were part of the Coast Guard's duties. The scrapping of the Coast Guard also opened the door for illegal smuggling of prohibited drugs, such as methamphetamines from North Korea via China.
Previously, methamphetamines produced in China and North Korea have been smuggled into South Korea through air routes. The maritime security void after the scrapping of the Coast Guard, however, has enabled smugglers to make the most of the sea lanes, according to Jeon.
Methamphetamines, better known as "philopon" in Korea, are strong central nervous system stimulants made with chemical ingredients, including sodium bicarbonate, hydrochloric acid, chloroform and activated carbon. Methamphetamine addicts show the symptoms of schizophrenia, illusion and auditory hallucination caused by the impairment of their frontal lobes. About 80 percent of illegal drugs consumed in South Korea are methamphetamines.
Jeon said methamphetamines are even worse than other prohibited drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. "Cocaine and heroin are made with natural ingredients and thus their harmful effect on humans are not comparable to that of methamphetamines," he said. "Methamphetamines are toxic chemicals. Once people become addicted to the drugs, there is no way to treat them. They crave the drugs for the rest of their lives and slowly and horribly die as the toxic chemicals gradually destroy their organs."
The number of methamphetamine users in Korea has sharply increased since the 1980s. In the early 1970s, less than 200 people annually were addicted to the drugs. But the figure rose to over 10,000 per year since the 2000s and some 3,000 addicts who cannot live without the toxic chemical have been put behind bars. Since 2012, methamphetamines worth 100 billion won have been smuggled into South Korea from North Korea via China, showing that demand for the drugs is high.
In a recent television program, some North Korean defectors said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had encouraged its military to drink an alcoholic beverage called "Jeonseon" or a war spirit containing methamphetamines to help the soldiers ease their fear of war.
"During World War II, methamphetamines were used as stimulants by Imperial Japan's kamikaze pilots who made suicide attacks on the Allies' warships," said Jeon. "I think Kim thought about the role of the drug during the war when he made such an order to his military."
The production, sale and use of methamphetamines are illegal in South Korea. There were methamphetamine producers in the nation until the 1980s, and prostitutes in the southeastern port city of Busan were their main customers. In 1989, the Roh Tae-woo government declared war against organized crime and methamphetamine addicts as they had emerged as serious social problems.
Most of the methamphetamine producers were arrested during the successful campaign. But some managed to avoid the crackdown and migrated to the northeast of China near the Chinese-North Korean border and kept conducting their business there. Some 2-million ethnic Koreans are living in the northeastern region of China near North Korea.
Some drug producers there were executed by the Chinese government after being caught producing the illegal drugs. But those who survived the crackdown continue to conduct business with their North Korean partners. Production facilities are based in North Korean border cities such as Shineujoo and Chungjin. The chemical drugs produced in the region are sent all across Asia, including South Korea, Southeast Asia and even to the Middle East.
"Methamphetamines are brought to South Korea by ethnic Koreans who enter the country for work or travel. They are asked by their friends or relatives who are involved in the drug business to carry bags of the drugs and hand them them to the smugglers and dealers living in the South," he said. "Most of the ethnic Koreans are innocent victims because they are unaware that what they are carrying are the prohibited drugs."
Jeon said the wrong-guided drug policy is mainly responsible for an increase of methamphetamine consumption, saying the government has paid greater attention to arresting drug addicts, rather than removing the root causes.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is in charge of methamphetamines. Jeon said the CDCP is not the right authority to handle methamphetamines because they are not medicinal drugs. He said CDCP is not a law enforcement authority and thus it cannot crack down on smugglers and dealers of the prohibited drugs.
Jeon said many methamphetamine addicts, including the late actor Kim Sung-min, are the victims of the short-sighted policy.
"They were lured to swallow drinks containing methamphetamines on the recommendation of their friends or relatives. Many victims followed their advice because they were told these were healthy drinks," he said. "Some addicts become drug dealers themselves because they find it difficult to finance their drug habits. We call them go-sa-bari."
Jeon retired from the police force in 1998, after 22 years of service as a drug enforcement official, after witnessing the seriousness of drug addiction while investigating numerous cases. He has since dedicated his life to studying drug-related crimes and raising the public's awareness of drugs, particularly methamphetamines.
Later, he teamed up with doctors and law professors to establish the healing center to help drug addicts recover.
Americans must congratulate the British Conservative Party in its quick choice of Theresa May as prime minister in the wake of the vote June 23 to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union.
May, 59, on Wednesday replaced David Cameron as prime minister and head of the Conservative Party. He submitted his resignation in the immediate wake of the momentous choice of British voters, by a relatively close 17 million to 16 million, to leave the EU. Cameron had put the referendum on the table in an effort to remain as prime minister last year. In the event, his action proved unnecessary as the Conservatives won a decisive victory in 2015, probably on other issues.
May served as home secretary in effect, minister of the interior for six years and as a member of Parliament for 19 years. She studied at Oxford University and has a reputation for being serious and even-tempered, if not charismatic. She became the Conservatives' first choice to replace Cameron when her final rival for the post, Andrea Leadsom, dropped out of the race for lack of support. Leadsom had blotted her copybook when she made remarks that suggested she thought that she, as a mother, was better qualified to be prime minister than the childless May.
The new British leader has a brutal task ahead of her as she tries to negotiate the United Kingdom's way out of the EU, retaining the advantages of the relationship while respecting the British electorate's mandate to leave. She herself had opposed leaving but has pledged to carry out the mandate. Last year, 52.2 percent of the U.K.'s imports came from EU countries and the EU bought 43.5 percent of U.K. exports. Sticky business. In addition, two pieces of the United Kingdom, Scotland and Northern Ireland, voted not to leave the EU and are now thinking about succession from the U.K., another problem for May.
The United States, as it tries to cope with its own divisive issues, will find the U.K. under the new prime minister to be a still-interested partner, but one also intensely preoccupied with EU and internal issues.
This editorial appeared on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON, July 14 -- The award of the South China Seaarbitration is nothing but a result of the "political manipulation" by Washington, a U.S. expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.
The award issued on Tuesday sweepingly sides with the claims by the Philippines, which unilaterally initiated the compulsory arbitration against China in 2013 in violation of bilateral agreements and international law.
"Well, the result is extremely disappointing because I think the whole thing was manipulation," said William Jones, Washington Bureau chief of the U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review.
"The Philippines, with the backing of the United States, took this to the arbitration court instead of negotiating with China."
Manila and Washington have their own reasons for taking the case to arbitration. The Philippines hoped to gain more from China while the United States wanted to maintain its hegemony in the region by containing China, Jones said.
He criticized the arbitration as "a breach of international law," because the judges were simply playing politics rather than practicing the law.
"I think I agree with the Chinese position that it's illegal. It was a violation (of international law), it was a political manipulation, and it should not be accepted," Jones said.
He added that this case has "set a bad example" for the world, by breaching the international law that governs relations between nations.
China has declared from the start that it will not accept nor participate in the arbitration. Neither will it implement the award issued by the arbitral tribunal, which has no jurisdiction over territorial issues and maritime delimitation.
In light of a new president taking office in the Philippines, Jones said he is "relatively positive" that the Philippines and China can sit down to talk about resolving their differences.
"Now with Mr. (Rodrigo) Duterte, I think there's a possibility," he said.
However, Jones said Washington holds the key to the success of such talks, but that he doubts its willingness.
He blasted Washington for its "confrontational rhetoric" on the South China Sea issue, trying to play the role of "referee."
Jones also warned Washington against trying to be an "enforcer" of the arbitration ruling, by sending more warships to the South China Sea to conduct "freedom of navigation" operations in waters concerned.
A series of incidents showing the lax morale of public servants have inflamed public rage.
Koreans erupted last week over remarks made by Na Hyang-wook, a director-general at the education ministry, when news reports surfaced that he had mocked the people as "nothing but dogs and pigs" during a private dinner with journalists. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se was slammed for shopping at a department store located far away from the ministry headquarters in Gwanghwamun on the day of the government's highly controversial announcement to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, a U.S. missile defense system, in Korea.
A senior official with the Korea Environment Institute, affiliated with the Prime Minister's office, was criticized for paying tribute to the emperor of Japan during a recent workshop and bragged about his grandfather's collaboration with the Japanese during colonial rule. A director with the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning is being investigated by the police for allegedly frequenting prostitutes.
The ministries in question apologized to the public, but that has not been enough to assuage serious concerns over officials' misconduct. Amid the public's fury, the government has belatedly vowed to tighten discipline among officials. During a meeting Tuesday, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn instructed ministries to pay particular attention to this. Lee Suk-joon, minister of government policy coordination at the Prime Minister's Office, gathered officials from 44 ministries and their affiliated organizations Wednesday to urge them to properly regulate officials' behavior.
To fundamentally bar officials from getting away with unruly behavior, it is necessary to apply stricter penalties. Lax punishment has been a practice of ministries, such as temporarily discharging offenders and then transferring them to a different post after some time has passed. Officials should be subject to immediate penalties, such as a demotion or a pay cut, for serious offenses. There should also be a tighter screening process on hiring and promoting senior officials. Ministries should implement a meticulous ethical review of officials to director-general level and above.
The immoral conduct of public servants undermines the public's trust in the government. The government should prepare measures to adopt a higher level of discipline among officials to ensure they conduct themselves within the boundaries of law and common sense. This is particularly important in the SNS age where news travels far and wide at lightning speed. The public is more informed than ever before of what goes on in government and will judge officials harshly for any kind of misconduct. Public officials should always remember that they are held to a higher moral standard by taxpayers who pay their salaries.
Bak Han-chul
By Lee Kyung-min
For police officer Bak Han-chul, nothing is more rewarding than watching a person, whom he located after receiving a missing report, reunite with his or her family.
"I genuinely feel happy for the family that I helped come together, thanking me for saving them from the thought that the person who went missing was dead," said Bak at the Incheon Bupyeong Police Station.
Bak, who became a police officer in 2005 and started at the missing persons department in July 2014, said his new line of work is emotionally more rewarding than his earlier mission including crackdowns and arrests.
"Catching a bad guy is of course the duty of a police officer, but I feel I become more of a help to people who are desperately looking for their loved ones," he said.
Out of some 800 missing persons reported annually to the Incheon Bupyeong Police Station, the most memorable incident was when he recently helped a dementia patient, 92, who was staying in a state-run mental hospital, find her son, 71.
The two met 19 years after she left home in 1996. The son, who became blind during their period of separation, had thought his mother was dead and has since held memorial services every year on the holidays and on her birthday.
"I heard that the woman had no family. I confirmed her identity based on her fingerprints, and I found her son soon after that," he said.
"Initially, I was worried that they might not recognize each other, given that the son became blind and his mother was suffering from a psychiatric condition, because all that I had to confirm their identities were fingerprints, but as the two looked so much alike, I was relieved," he added.
Bak said help from the public is crucial in locating missing persons, especially from those who set up surveillance videos.
"Finding the elderly suffering from dementia or children who went missing is virtually impossible without tracking recorded footage. When I ask for cooperation, however, many people ask for a search warrant or some form of compensation such as cash or valuables. I wish they could empathize with the families in despair," he said.
The father of two children added that during the summer season, parents should particularly beware of the possibility of their children getting lost while on family outings at amusement parks or on countryside travel.
"Have them wear necklaces or bracelets with their names and addresses and parents' cell phone numbers on them, and file a report immediately after they go missing to minimize the response time," he said.
By Kim Yoo-chul
Samsung Electronics is buying a stake in Chinese electric vehicle and battery maker BYD.
"Samsung reached an agreement to directly invest in BYD, which means that we will purchase a stake in the Chinese company," the company said Friday. "Further details will be announced soon."
The company said the agreement will help Samsung strengthen its electric vehicle component and smartphone parts businesses.
"But the agreement doesn't mean Samsung Electronics will be participating in the management of BYD," it said.
Officials say Samsung Electronics' investment in BYD will be 500 billion won, or 3 billion yuan, about a 4 percent stake in BYD.
The agreement comes as Samsung's battery unit Samsung SDI was excluded from a list of certified electric vehicle suppliers by Beijing.
Officials say the exclusion has shown that the protectionist threat from China is real because Beijing is preparing several measures to boost its local electric vehicle companies.
Therefore, the investment decision could be a key factor in Samsung SDI obtaining battery certification in the fifth certification round, in August. Samsung Electronics is the biggest shareholder in Samsung SDI, with 19.58 percent.
"The investment will help BYD develop its next-generation battery technology and also be beneficial for Samsung to expand its electric vehicle component business in China without policy risks," an official said.
BYD, which counts Berkshire Hathaway as a shareholder, said earlier it was planning to raise up to $2.4 billion, or some 15 billion yuan, to expand capacity and produce batteries for coming advanced electric vehicles.
BYD is one of the Chinese automakers that has been busy selling shares to raise money for research and development to meet Beijing's toughened emissions standards. SAIC Motor said it plans to raise as much as 15 billion yuan through a private share sale to develop its own brands and new-energy vehicles.
Meanwhile, as the smartphone sector slows, the investment shows Samsung's aggressiveness to find new businesses to utilize its manufacturing capability.
"The smartphone business is no longer a hot category," said a senior fund manager from a U.S.-based investment bank in Seoul that has invested millions of dollars in Samsung Electronics. "Therefore, Samsung Electronics is looking for the next promising business supplying batteries and components to leading electric vehicle manufacturers."
The official said: "Another interesting point is that Samsung wants to supply its batteries exclusively to BYD, just like Tesla's reliance on Japan's Panasonic."
He said the deal will be beneficial to Samsung given the dominant market share of BYD in the Chinese electric vehicle market.
BYD became the world's biggest electric vehicle producer by sales last year, followed by Tesla and Nissan of Japan. It sold 61,772 electric vehicles.
"Samsung Electronics has ambitions to actively participate in the electric vehicle component supply chain," Morgan Stanley analyst Shawn Kim said. "It built its automotive components team in December 2015 in the process of developing advanced technologies related to autonomous driving and infotainment. We see significant long-term growth opportunities that could benefit its semiconductor, display and consumer electronics division."
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang(L) meets with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, July 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
ULAN BATOR, July 15 -- Russia opposes internationalization of the South China Seadisputes or any interference from forces outside the region, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday.
Medvedev made the remarks during a sideline meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in the Mongolian capital.
The Russian side supports the China-initiated principles of resolving the disputes, Medvedev said, calling for bilateral negotiations and consultations between directly relevant parties to solve the issue.
On bilateral relations, the two leaders agreed to strengthen economic cooperation and hold the regular prime ministers' meeting in the second half of this year in Russia.
With highly complementary economies, China and Russia should expand two-way investment, improve trade structure and financial services, Li said.
Trade between the two countries has shown positive signs, while major cooperation projects of strategic significance have seen great progress, the Chinese premier said.
To increase the trade volume, China and Russia should consolidate and expand their cooperation in the field of traditional energy based on the principle of sharing risks and benefits, Li said.
Li also called on the two sides to hold active discussions on industrial production capacity cooperation as well as seeking three-party cooperation so as to lift their win-win cooperation to a higher level.
As this year marks the 15th anniversary of Sino-Russian Good-Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, China stands ready to consolidate mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation with Russia and intensify interaction in international and regional affairs, Li said.
"China will collaborate with Russia within the frameworks of ASEM and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to safeguard common interests and promote peace and development in both countries, Eurasia and the world at large," Li said.
Medvedev said Russia and China enjoy a high-level comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, as evidenced by the unprecedented mutual political trust and frequent high-level exchanges.
He said Russia-China relations are in a great period with smooth progress in major projects and promising trade ties.
On July 13, as an elderly man was taking his grandson for a walk along the street, a middle-aged woman suddenly snatched the baby out of its stroller and threw it into a nearby river. This shocking scene occurred in Zhaoping county in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The baby was just over 1 year old. After it was thrown into the river, the baby's grandfather immediately jumped into the water and tried to rescue it. However, the man failed to find his grandchild in time.
After receiving a call describing the strange and tragic event, local police quickly organized a group of rescue divers to look for the baby. Divers searched the waters where the baby was last seen. However, as of the noon on July 14, the child had not yet been found.
Police said the suspect, surnamed Yu, gave herself up about 30 minutes after she committed the crime. She is currently being detained on murder charges. The motive is still under investigation.
Shocked by the case, many netizens have expressed their outrage and called for a severe punishment for Yu.
A special birthday party was held on July 14 for Yang Yifan, a soldier with the armed police detachment of Jiangxi's provincial armed police corps. The party was held in the village of Lianhu in Jiangxi's Boyang County. During the party, villagers offered the soldier "long life noodles," a traditional and auspicious Chinese dish, along with their heartfelt best wishes.
Yang's detachment has been hard at work on flood control measures in the region for the past 10 days. They have been helping to secure the Boyang dyke.
On 14 July, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi gave an interview to state media on the so-called award of the Arbitral Tribunal for the South China Sea arbitration on Thursday, during which he comprehensively elaborated on China's position.
Yang said the Chinese government has released relevant statements and a White Paper stating its solemn position of firmly opposing the arbitration and not accepting or recognizing the award. This position of the central government has the strong support and endorsement from people of various social sectors in China.
Defining that this award is illegal and invalid in every sense, the State Councilor tore down the veil of the case, saying that the arbitration case has been a political farce all along, staged under the cover of law and driven by a hidden agenda.
The arbitration runs counter to the spirit of international rule of law, puts regional peace and stability in jeopardy, and undermines the interests of the international community, he further explained.
The State Councilor further noted that with most countries in the world clear about the facts, over 70 countries and international and regional organizations have made statements showing their understanding of and support for China's position.
Sovereignty is a bottom line for China.Big as China is, we cannot afford to give away a single inch of territory that our ancestors have left to us. the State Councilor said, stating that fully backed by historical and legal evidence, China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea have been formed over the course of over two thousand years.
The award can neither change historical facts nor deny China's claims of rights and interests in the South China Sea. Still less can it waver China's resolve and determination to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Yang reaffirmed.
He stressed that the crux of disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea are issues concerning territory and maritime delimitation which are not governed by UNCLOS.
By unilaterally initiating arbitration, the Philippine government under Aquino III has gone against its long-standing bilateral agreement with China that disputes in the South China Sea shall be settled through negotiation, violated theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed in 2002 by China and ASEAN countries, the Philippines included, and breached international law and UNCLOS, Yang said.
Hence, this arbitration has been illegal since the very beginning. It cannot be seen as an application of international law, he concluded.
According to him, in disregard of China's staunch position, the Arbitral Tribunal willfully went beyond its authority, turned a blind eye to the history and reality of the South China Sea and misinterpreted relevant stipulations of UNCLOS. Naturally, such an award can only be illegal and invalid, said he.
Commenting on the impact of the so-called award on China's dotted line in the South China Sea, Yang said that as early as in 1948, the Chinese government marked the dotted line in the South China Sea on its officially published map, which affirmed China's sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and maritime rights and interests in their adjacent waters.
This is a historical fact beyond any doubt, he reiterated Chinas stance, stressing that China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, protected by both international law and UNCLOS, shall by no means be denied by an unwarranted and flawed award.
The South China Sea, important to the Chinese people since ancient times, is our heritage to which our forefathers devoted their wisdom and even lives.The Chinese government remains unwavering in its resolve to safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, Yang said, adding that the Chinese government and people will remain united and act resolutely to safeguard every inch of land and every swath of waters.
Yang also refuted those accusing China of defying international rules by not accepting or recognizing the award of the Tribunal, clarifying that China's position on the arbitration fully complies with international law.
This basic fact has been thoroughly elaborated in a series of position papers issued by the Chinese government. The attempt to mount an all-out smear campaign against China by distorting this basic fact has once again exposed the nature of this arbitration, that is, a farce in which certain countries use international law as a cover to pursue their own hidden agenda, he explained.
The State Councilor emphasized at the same time that China has all along been an active player in building up and enhancing the regional and international order, and the arbitration will not in the slightest way shake China's resolve to pursue the path of peaceful development.
Yang also believed that the South China Sea issue is not an issue between China and ASEAN when talking about the prospect of their future relationship.
He also gave Chinas remedy to those specific disputes, saying that Chinawill maintain communication and consultation with those ASEAN member states who are directly concerned to address them in a proper way.China means what it says and follows a consistent policy.
China-ASAEN relations enjoy sound momentum of growth and broad prospects. This year marks the 25th anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. Over the past quarter century, the China-ASEAN relationship has withstood test of time and produced fruitful outcomes. The State Councilor illustrated that two-way trade has grown from less than US$10 billion 25 years ago to nearly US$500 billion, making China and ASEAN each other's major trading partners.
On China-Philippines ties, he said that bilateral relations have run into serious difficulty as a result of the previous Philippine government's unilateral initiation of the arbitration.
We call on the new Philippine government to bear in mind the common interests of our two countries and the broader picture of bilateral ties and properly handle relevant issues, he said.
During the interview, he also criticized the role played by some non-regional countries in the South China Sea issue, saying that the South China Sea arbitration "is a case in point of how non-regional countries interfere in the South China Sea issue."
He said in recent years, certain countries outside the region, driven by their own agenda, have frequently intervened in the South China Sea issue under the pretext of upholding "freedom of navigation" and "maintaining regional peace," leading to an escalation of tension.
"Such highly irresponsible moves have become the major source of risks that affect peace and stability in the South China Sea," Yang said.
He expressed Chinas hope that relevant countries will respect the independent choice of China and its neighboring countries in the South China Sea and do more to facilitate sustained peace and stability in the South China Sea, not the contrary.
In the end, Yang underlined that China firmly follows a path of peaceful development, a foreign policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors, and a policy of settling disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation.
China is ready to settle the disputes through peaceful negotiation with countries directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and in compliance with international law, UNCLOS included.China is ready to discuss with countries concerned about temporary arrangements pending final settlement of the dispute, which include joint development in relevant waters in the South China Sea for mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, so that together we can maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. he said at last.
After the tribunal in The Hague announced its so-called verdict concerning the arbitration that the Philippines unilaterally filed despite Chinas repeated objection, several countries including the US have been pressuring China to accept the void verdict under the banner of respect for law.
Their acts, against the rule of law and the basic principles of international law and relations, obstructed relevant sides to manage maritime tension and seek a peaceful settlement. Their blind eye to the basic facts also exposed the inglorious role played by these external powers in the entire political farce.
Ever since the administration of Benigno Aquino III filed the South China Sea arbitration, the US, Australia, Japan and some other countries accused China as a violator of international law and requested China carry out the so-called award.
But this tough talk only exposed their dirty strategic motives. Such tricks are not able to cover the legitimacy of Chinas stances, nor alter the strong support to China from those international forces standing for justice.
It's worth mentioning that the above countries adopted a completely different attitude when themselves were involved in issues related with the international rule of law. The sharp contrast speaks for their hypocrisy and arbitrariness.
For years, with double standards on international law, some Western countries have set a plate of bad precedents. They supported international judicial rules that they can benefit from, but trampled on those not in favor of them.
As the strongest maritime power in the world, the US, worried about a possible cripple of its marine hegemony, never ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). While evading its obligations, it is still enjoying the rights under the UNCLOS.
The US has never been accused under UNCLOS because the Washington has never ratified the law, one article on Foreign Affairs wrote in an ironic tone.
Back in 1980s, Nicaragua charged the US with taking military and paramilitary actions in and against Nicaragua and violating the sovereignty of Nicaragua in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The ICJ ruled in favor of Nicaragua and awarded reparations to Nicaragua. But the US, with a tough attitude, refused to participate in the proceedings and rejected the verdict delivered by the ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the UN.
The US later blocked enforcement of the judgment by the UN Security Council and thereby prevented Nicaragua from obtaining any actual compensation.
The US argued that the Court did not have jurisdiction, with then US ambassador to the UN Jeane Kirkpatrick dismissing the Court as a semi-legal, semi-juridical, semi-political body, whose rules nations sometimes accept and sometimes don't.
The same goes for Australia, which always wants to follow the international police posture. When concluding maritime rights treaties with Timor-Leste, the Australian government unilaterally rejected such articles concerning maritime delimitation and third-party dispute settlement procedure. Without any other options, Timor-Leste had to file for arbitration to overrule the validity of the treaty.
In order to stop Timor-Leste from initiating the arbitration, the Australian intelligence agency resorted to despicable actions such as searching the legal representative office of Timor-Leste in Australia, detaining documents and preventing witnesses from appearing before the tribunal.
Japan also did not wait too long before joining in the clique of violating the international law. Its whale-hunt in the Antarctica was ruled as breaching the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling by the ICJ, which ordered Japan to stop issuing whaling permits in the South Pole.
Though talking a good talk about respecting the verdict, the Japanese government did not match its actions with words. No effective measures were taken to curb domestic whaling. Even its ally Australia could not stand it and condemned Japan for violating international law.
In sharp contrast to these Western countries, China has always staunchly supported the authority of international law. At the commemoration marking the 60th anniversary of the "Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence", Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that all countries should advance the rule of law in international relations together.
We should urge all parties to abide by international law and well-recognized basic principles governing international relations and use widely applicable rules to tell right from wrong and pursue peace and development, Xi said in his speech.
This not only is a solemn commitment of China to the global community in safeguarding and building the international rule of law, but also expounds that the fundamental key to build international rule of law is to tell right from wrong, stop disputes and uphold win-win collaboration by adopting widely-applicable rules, instead of encouraging hegemony in the name of the international law and stirring up conflicts to stray away the international rule of law.
The law cannot execute itself. Unlike Western countries who selectively apply international law, China always applies the spirit of the international rule of law in its diplomatic practice. So far, China has established over 23,000 bilateral agreements and joined more than 400 multilateral treaties.
Moreover, China has participated in almost all inter-governmental organizations and demarcated nearly 90 percent of land borderlines with 12 out of its 14 land neighbors through negotiation and consultation.
For China, equal treatment is the cornerstone in its diplomacy regardless of the territorial size and national strength of the other country. China will never bully any state.
Regarding the international rule of law, the US and some other countries can hardly qualify as a teacher to China. In addition, they should look back to their past mistakes, abandon their long-upheld hegemony, egoism, hypocrisy and double standard and implement the basic norms of the international law and international relations through practical actions.
File photo: The United Nations' headquarters in New York City, U.S.
The United Nations (UN) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently issued statements reiterating that they have no connection to the temporary arbitral tribunal established under UNCLOS for the South China Sea case brought unilaterally by the Philippines.
The spokesperson of UN Secretary-General also stated that the UN doesn't have a position on the legal and procedural merits of the case or on the disputed claims at a daily briefing on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the UNs official account on Sina Weibo, Chinas answer to Twitter, posted that the tribunal has nothing to do with the UN.
The ICJ, located at the Peace Palace, is the principal judicial organ of the UN, which was established in accordance with the UN Charter, reads the post.
The Peace Place is built to house the Permanent Court of International Justice, the predecessor of the ICJ, by the Carnegie Foundation. The UN donates to the foundation annually for using the building, the post explained.
Another tenant of the Peace Palace is the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) established in 1899, but it has no correlation with the UN, the post further pointed out.
Former ICJ Judge Abdul Koroma confirmed the UNs post to Peoples Daily. He said that the temporary tribunal is not an UN institution and the PCA is not a court in a real sense.
Many people who are not familiar with the situation would confuse the tribunal with the ICJ who shares the same office building, Koroma noted.
The PCA is merely an international mediation agency that allows arbitration for non-state entities and individuals. According to Koroma, only 16 arbitration requests have been accepted in its 117-year-long history.
The ICJ also released a statement on its official website on Thursday, stating that the Award in the South China Sea Arbitration was issued by an Arbitral Tribunal acting with the secretarial assistance of the PCA. The ICJ, which is a totally distinct institution, has had no involvement in the above mentioned case.
According to insiders of the ICJ, the temporary tribunal only used the hall room of the PCA during court hearing. The arbitral tribunal is just a provisional organization set at the unilateral request of the Philippines for compulsory arbitration.
An unnamed staff member of the PCA told Peoples Daily that arbitrators of this temporary set-up have no work ethic and they only care about money. This institution is no place for justice. It has been reduced to a commercial venue for private interests, said the employee.
In an interview with Peoples Daily, Rao Pemmaraju, former Chairman of the International Law Commission, explicitly pointed out that territorial issues are not subject to the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea and delimitation issues have been excluded from compulsory arbitration procedures in statements of the Chinese government, thus the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case.
Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana, Mr. Mano Tittawella, Secretary General Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms (SCRM) and other government officials briefed members of civil society and Permanent Missions at a side event on Recent Developments in Sri Lanka on the sidelines of the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council held at the Palais des Nations on 28 June 2016.
H.E. Mr. Ravinatha Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva moderated the event.
Civil Society Representatives and Representatives from the Permanent Missions in Geneva participated in the event.
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
29 June 2016
The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary
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Carolyn See, the Los Angeles-raised writer, teacher and critic who wrote often of her city, died Wednesday of cancer in Santa Monica, her daughter Lisa See announced.
See "wrote of the Southland with a natives intimacy," says the nice Los Angeles Times obituary by former staffer Mary Rourke. "Her fourth novel, 'Golden Days' (1986), brought her the greatest attention. A dark comedy set in Topanga Canyon, where See lived for many years, the story builds around misfits, free spirits and the starry-eyed graduates of self-help workshops. The novel sealed her identity as a writer."
Carolyn was the defining voice for a certain kind of California experience in the mid-70s and 1980s," author, critic and lawyer Jonathan Kirsch says in the obit. Others looked at California as a cliche, a broken dream, a joke. Carolyn looked at the same California and saw redemption. in a 1993 piece, Kirsch called See "the poet laureate of Topanga Canyon."
Also from the LA Times obituary:
In Golden Days, the narrator, Edith, rails against the powerful men in Washington who seem bent on war and the ruin of her utopia. Then, a lone crazy drops a nuclear bomb somewhere in Central America. Edith and her friends see nuclear fallout as the start of a better world to come. They watch for new growth on the hillsides and they survive while others in See's story do not....
Sees most recent novel was 2007s There Will Never Be Another You. She moved fluidly between fiction, criticism and nonfiction. Her 1995 memoir, Dreaming, Hard Luck and Good Times in America, was among of her most popular books. Her parents' drinking binges, her mother's nasty snipes and her own wild streak are detailed with humor and understanding. Carolyn could be brutally honest, never more so than about family, author Judith Freeman, a longtime friend, said in 2008. Her third novel, Rhine Maidens, (1981) established See as a distinctive voice from the West Coast. The story builds on the strained relationship between a mother and daughter that seems inspired by See's own experience with her mother.
See grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Marshall High School, Cal State LA and UCLA, where she earned a Ph.D. and taught creative writing in the English department for many years. See also created a $100,000 endowment at UCLA, for the study of Southern California literature. Her father had been a reporter for the original LA Daily News and later wrote pornographic pulp fiction.
Her website
Some tweets from the SoCal books community.
My mom, Carolyn See, passed away yesterday. Here's her obituary from the L.A. Times https://t.co/44a2qJuKY2 Lisa See (@Lisa_See) July 14, 2016
Had hoped this wasn't true. Teacher, mentor, friend: Carolyn See, award-winning Southern California writerdies at 82 https://t.co/A4JAxsKFJ6 Lynell George (@lynellgeorge) July 14, 2016
Terribly sad at the death of my friend Carolyn See. No one made me laugh the way she did. https://t.co/iPhqmJJI38 Kenneth Turan (@KennethTuran) July 14, 2016
Thank you, Carolyn See, for helping us make our literary lives. Love to you. https://t.co/dLNoysZUjh Tara Ison (@TaraIsonWriter) July 15, 2016
I only knew Carolyn See a little, but those few interactions made me a fan for life. RIP. https://t.co/OpAItJmBmH https://t.co/LnvgskbCmG Maret Orliss (@maretorliss) July 14, 2016
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
The US Secretary of State John Kerry said he hopes to continue with Russia the discussions that have taken place in recent months not only about Syria but also other hotspots ranging from Libya to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sputnik reported July 15.
The whole world expects comprehensive joint effort from Russia and the US in fighting against terrorism, said Kerry during his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.
I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way of them feeling that everything that is possible is being done to end this terror scourge and unite the world in the most comprehensive efforts possible to fight back against their depraved approach to life and death, added Kerry.
PRESS RELEASE
Declassify All or Part of the 28 Pages
July 14, 2016 (EIRNS)According to both the House and Senate Intelligence Committee ranking members, the Obama Administration is about to bow to public pressure and declassify all or part of the 28 pages. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, and Richard Burr, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, both told CNN on Thursday that they expected to receive a copy of the 28 pages from the White House any day now for publication. Assistant Secretary of State Anne Patterson, testifying at House Judiciary hearings on JASTA on Thursday, made a similar announcement about imminent declassification.
PRESS RELEASE
Philippine President Duterte: War Is Not an Option; Deploys Former President Ramos to China for Talks
July 14, 2016 (EIRNS)Speaking at a testimonial dinner in his honor in Manila today, the newly inaugurated President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, forcefully addressed for the first time the Hague Arbitration Court ruling against China.
"War is not an option," he said clearly.
"So whats the other side? Peaceful talks. I cannot give you the wherewithal now. I want to consult many people, including President Ramos. I would like to respectfully ask him to go to China and start the talks."
Former President (and General) Fidel Ramos, who was in the audience, said he had to consider his age (88) and would discuss it with Duterte.
Although Ramos is infamous as the primary hitman for George Shultz in the Washington-orchestrated coup against the last nationalist president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, in 1986, he is also a so-called "realist" who has opposed the anti-China hysteria in the Philippines. He has said that the Philippines was destroying itself economically, since China was the only source of real development support. Ramos was one of the founders of the Boao Forum for Asia (called "Davos East") held in China every year.
Duterte also addressed the economic implications of the decision of the Hague Court, which, although portrayed as pro-Philippines, is actually very damaging to Dutertes effort to re-establish ties with China and integrate his nation into Chinas win-win Maritime Silk Road development plans, including joint development in the South China Sea.
Duterte warned that the ruling could disrupt trade with China, "even the insurance of cargoes and boats and ships there. It will create another problem for our economy."
PRESS RELEASE
Kerry in Moscow To Talk Cooperation While Saboteurs Run Rampant in Washington
July 14, 2016 (EIRNS)U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Moscow today, for two days of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Syria, Ukraine, and other issues. (Putin also received Kerry today.) A major topic of discussion on their agenda is reportedly proposals for U.S.-Russian military cooperation against terrorist groups in Syria. Back in Washington, theres a huge policy fight going on within the Obama Administration over overtures of cooperation with Russia in the military realm; opponents of such policies are attempting to sabotage them by means of leaks to the news media.
The most prominent receiver of these leaks is the Washington Posts Josh Rogin, who published, late yesterday, an eight-page document titled "Approach for Practical Russian-American Efforts against Daesh and Jabhat al-Nusra and Strengthening the Cessation of Hostilities," which proposes the establishment of a Joint Implementation Group in Amman Jordan for carrying out coordinated military action against Jabhat al Nusra. This new document "would open the way for deep cooperation between U.S. and Russian military and intelligence agencies and coordinated air attacks by American and Russian planes on Syrian rebels deemed to be terrorists," Rogin reports. "What hasnt been previously reported" about the plan
"is that the United States is suggesting a new military command-and-control headquarters to coordinate the air campaign that would house U.S. and Russian military officers, intelligence officials and subject-matter experts."
The document, while still maintaining many of the Obama administrations axioms about Syria and its president, Bashar al Assad, nonetheless represents a major shift from the policies of the recent past. Rogins publication of the leak is "a signal to all the enemies of this sort of thing to get going and stop it," as New York University Professor Stephen Cohen told radio host John Batchelor on July 12. Cohen was actually describing an earlier leak by Rogin on White House consideration of executive actions on nuclear policy, but his description holds true in this case, too, as Rogin himself clearly indicates.
"Even in the best-case scenario, where Russia and Syria hold up their end of the bargain, the result could be major advances for the Assad regime,"
Rogin concludes. "While Jabhat al-Nusra is a problem, teaming up with the Russian air force might not be the best solution."
The possibility that Kerry might be bringing some sort of proposal to the Kremlin has already been circulating for days, and the word in Moscow is "be cautious."
"We know that in such issues the devil is in the details. The U.S. State Department spokesperson says that our positions on Syria are not that far apart, but he doesnt specify where exactly we do stand far apart and where we stand closer to each other,"
Andranik Migranyan, Russian political analyst and professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) told Radio Sputnik.
"Thus we should treat such comments with cautious optimism. We should wait and see exactly what suggestions John Kerry will bring to Moscow, then well be able to understand how close we have come to each other on the Syrian issue,"
he added.
In the late summer of 1962, poet Robert Frost was invited to visit the Soviet Union. During the visit, he read at a Moscow library. The poem he chose was Mending Wall, which is ostensibly about two New Englanders setting out to repair the stone barrier between their farms.
In the first line of the poem, the narrator famously expresses a hesitation about this task: Something there is, he announces, that doesnt love a wall. You can be sure that, for the party hacks in the audience, that image recalled not so much rural New Hampshire as Berlin, cleaved in two the previous year with slabs of concrete.
The Russians didnt know whether to laugh or what, the Associated Press reported. I am surprised that Frost made it back home.
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The first line of Mending Wall is its second most famous. The one that most often is repeated is the twice-uttered refrain of the narrators partner in the wall-mending business: Good fences make good neighbors.
Sarah Palin quoted this line in a 2010 post on Facebook, though with a bit of creative license (Fences make for good neighbors.). This was meant to serve as a warning to a journalist who was moving in next door to Alaskas first family as part of the research for his book on the disastrous former vice presidential candidate. A blogger for the Atlantic mocked Palins allusion to Frost, calling his poem a polemic against building walls. Yet the poem is not a polemic in even the most casual use of the word, and it is not against the notion of walls. Only mediocre poets write polemics, or poems that are explicitly for or against anything.
As with Frosts most famous poem, The Road Not Taken, Mending Wall is regularly quoted but rarely understood. Like so much of Frosts poetry, it fools the reader with its bucolic imagery. If all you see is a pretty picture, Im afraid you arent seeing much.
I hadnt thought about the poem for a while, as contemporary life doesnt leave many moments for poetic contemplation. But during a June visit to the campus of Dartmouth College, which Frost attended without graduating, I came across a bronze statue of the poet on a secluded, hilly rise of land. He is sitting, hunched over a writing pad, on which is written the first line of Mending Wall. The rest of the pad is blank.
To think of walls in this madding election season is to think principally of the one Donald Trump promises to build between the United States and Mexico. As you can imagine, both supporters and detractors of Trumps idea have used Frosts poem to their ends. Good Fences Make Sovereign Nations was the headline of a pro-Trump article on the conservative website the Blaze. The liberal Brookings Institution, in an anti-Trump blog post, quoted the poems first line while also cleverly subverting its last: Good fences make good neighbors, and bad fences make bad ones.
So which side is correct, the one that celebrates the poems first line or the one that touts its last? Well, neither. And both. People are frequently misunderstanding it or misinterpreting it, Frost said of Mending Wall.
The secret of what it means I keep.
The poem itself introduces a quality that political pundits abhor: complexity. The narrator is openly skeptical about the efficacy of walls, complaining about the gaps at spring mending-time, which appear even if No one has seen them made or heard them made. Yet he isnt unwilling to join with his neighbor to set the wall between us once again. He will do the work, even as he confides in us that it is all just another outdoor game.
The secret of what it means I keep. Robert Frost
The wall at the U.S.-Mexico border at Calexico, Calif. (Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images )
The poems most forthright and forceful lines come near the end, when the narrator drops some of his gentle mockery to reveal why, exactly, he is reluctant about this enterprise:
Before I build a wall Id ask to know / What I was walling in or walling out, / And to whom I was like to give offense.
About 38% of American voters support Trumps proposal for a wall with Mexico, according to polling in the spring by the Pew Research Center. And half support another wall, this one invisible, that would ban all Muslims from entering the United States, a centerpiece of the Trump plan to make America great again. He seems to know exactly whom to wall in and whom to wall out, and he clearly does not mind giving offense. Giving offense might well be the whole point.
It is likely that some of those who support Trumps walls are genuine racists, thrilled to find their convictions, long bred in silence, suddenly shouted by the presumptive Republican nominee, then repeated ad infinitum on cable news, treated as serious stuff by unserious people. But many of those who support Trump are simply frightened; the wall represents a bulwark not so much against the Islamic State or the Sinaloa Cartel, but against the 21st century, blowing across the dark fields of the republic like one of those punishing New Hampshire winds that come in October and stay through March.
Frosts narrator recognizes this same impulse in his neighbor. He thinks about teasing him (I could say Elves to him), about pointing out that theyd need only a fence to bar the trespasses of cattle, except here there are no cows. The narrator refrains, recognizing mockery wont help, a reminder to those of us on the left who smugly caricature all Trump supporters as ignorant rubes.
So what is the answer? Poetry, I am afraid, doesnt provide one that fits into a Breaking News chyron. Frost took an almost Joycean delight in confounding his readers, and so Mending Wall ends on the conviction about good fences making good neighbors, making the entire poem a gorgeous act of equivocation.
You know that the narrator doesnt believe this, so why does he let it stand? Because some do not love walls, but others do, and always have. Hence the wall in Berlin, but also Hadrians Wall and the Great Wall of China.
To wall off is an ancient human impulse, and there is no use in pretending that weve transcended that desire. Its what we do with that impulse that matters. A demagogue like Donald Trump will use it to his own hateful ends. An artist like Robert Frost will take the same and, listening to the complex rhythms of the human heart, create a thing of beauty.
Nazaryan is a senior writer for Newsweek.
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Frustrated by the rising cost of prescription drugs, California health advocates hope sunlight and a dose of shame will discourage drugmakers from raising their prices too quickly or introducing new medications at prices that break the bank.
Theyre promoting legislation that would require drugmakers to provide advance notice before making big price increases. Pharmaceutical companies have come out in force against the measure, warning that it would lead to dangerous drug shortages.
Attention to prescription drug pricing has mounted since Turing Pharmaceuticals bought an old drug commonly used with HIV patients and raised the price from $13.50 per pill to $750. The companys combative chief executive, Martin Shkreli, was widely castigated for the price hike.
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Yes, they should make a profit, but not so much they gouge the public at the expense of the consumer and the taxpayer, Sen. Ed Hernandez, a Democrat from West Covina who wrote the legislation, said of drug companies. There needs to be a balance.
Vermont passed the nations first drug price transparency legislation earlier this year, and similar measures were introduced in at least five other states, including California.
California voters also will decide in November on a ballot measure that would prohibit the state which covers millions of poor people, inmates and government retirees from paying more than the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pays for drugs. The VAs massive negotiating power allows it to secure some of the lowest rates for drugs.
Both presumptive presidential nominees have cited drug prices in their campaigns. Republican Donald Trump suggested ending a restriction on Medicares ability to negotiate drug prices. Democrat Hillary Clinton has slammed drug pricing that she labels predatory.
Drug costs represent about 10% of overall healthcare spending and about 19% of costs for employer-sponsored health plans, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. After several years of modest growth in drug spending, and even decreases in 2010 and 2012, pharmaceutical spending surged 11.4% in 2014, according to Kaisers analysis of data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Estimates for 2015 suggest prices rose 6.8%.
Experts attribute the recent rise in drug spending to the proliferation of new specialty drugs, many of them used to treat cancer, and fewer patent expirations that allow for generic competition.
Sovaldi, which can cure hepatitis C without the excruciating side effects of earlier treatments, debuted in 2014 at a shocking cost of more than $80,000 per course of treatment. The price has since come down.
Californias Senate Bill 1010 would require pharmaceutical companies to provide advance notice to drug purchasers before increasing the price of a drug by 10% or $10,000 a year. For generics, the threshold is $100 a month or 25%. Insurance companies would be required to report data on drug prices to state regulators, including the portion of premiums attributable to pharmaceuticals.
Proponents hope the advance notice will give governments, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers a chance to negotiate.
But drugmakers warn that it could create regional shortages of some drugs if large pharmacy chains or distributors horde medications to beat a price increase. That would create an environment for speculators to drive prices up, not down.
Drug manufacturing is a highly regulated industry, with complex supply chains, that relies on predictable demand, said Brett Johnson, director of state and local policy for the California Life Sciences Assn., an industry group.
This isnt an industry where they can really react quickly to surges in demand, Johnson said. So that creates complications when were talking about things like price signaling.
Drugmakers also say the transparency requirements would create a distorted view of drug pricing, failing to account for negotiated discounts or price decreases.
The bills supporters dispute the risk of shortage, noting that many of the specialty drugs that would trigger the notification have a short shelf life and require careful handling, making it difficult to stockpile them.
The measure has cleared the Senate and is moving through the Assembly, which tends to take a much more skeptical view of business regulations.
The measure barely survived a hearing in the Assembly Health Committee last month and faces an even tougher test in the Appropriations Committee when lawmakers return to the Capitol following a July break.
These medications are not like other products, said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access, one of the advocacy groups sponsoring the measure. People and patients and insurers are often not in a position to say no.
Herbalife Ltd. agreed Friday to pay $200 million and change its business practices to settle federal regulators claims that it falsely told people they could quickly get rich by selling its weight-loss shakes, teas and other supplements.
The Federal Trade Commission issued a stinging rebuke of the Los Angeles-based companys business model, saying in its complaint that Herbalife had misled people into becoming its distributors or its members with videos and brochures showing mansions, fancy cars and boats and telling them they could quit their jobs.
The overwhelming majority of distributors earn little or no money, the government said. And many have lost thousands of dollars after being encouraged to lease space to set up Nutrition Clubs, where people pay a daily fee to drink a protein shake and tea.
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Herbalife is going to have to start operating legitimately, making only truthful claims about how much money its members are likely to make, said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, and it will have to compensate consumers for the losses they have suffered.
The company, which had revenues of $4.47 billion last year, said Friday that it disagreed with many of the FTCs allegations, but had decided to settle to avoid the financial cost and distraction of protracted litigation.
Herbalife is going to have to start operating legitimately. Edith Ramirez, FTC chairwoman
Herbalife said it had also agreed to pay $3 million to settle an investigation by the Illinois attorney generals office. The two settlements resolve all active investigations against Herbalife, the company said.
The settlements are an acknowledgment that our business model is sound and underscore our confidence in our ability to move forward successfully, said Herbalife Chief Executive Michael O. Johnson. Otherwise, we would not have agreed to the terms.
The FTCs investigation began in March 2014 after billionaire investor William Ackman claimed that Herbalife was operating a pyramid scheme.
Ackmans hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital Management, bet more than $1 billion that Herbalifes share price would fall, by selling the companys stock short. He followed that with a relentless campaign against Herbalifes business practices, in videos and in personal presentations to investors.
Herbalife executives bitterly contested Ackmans claims, saying the companys business model is sound and compares to that of Tupperware or Amway.
With the FTC settlement falling short of Ackmans claims that the company should be shut down, Herbalifes shares soared on Friday by nearly 20%, before falling back and closing at $65.25. That was a gain of 10% over the previous days closing price.
The FTC charged that the companys compensation system was unfair because distributors were rewarded more for recruiting others to join and purchase products than they were for selling products as a result of actual demand for them.
The agency said Herbalife must change its system so that at least two-thirds of the rewards were based on retail sales of products that were tracked and verified.
The FTC said that at least 80% of sales must be to legitimate end-users or the current compensation must be reduced.
This settlement will require Herbalife to fundamentally restructure its business so that participants are rewarded for what they sell, not how many people they recruit, Ramirez said.
The agreement also stops the company from misrepresenting how much people can earn or from claiming they can quit their job and enjoy a lavish lifestyle by selling Herbalife products.
The settlement applies only to Herbalifes sales in the U.S., or about 20% of its operations.
The agency said the average amount that more than half the distributors, known as sales leaders, earned in 2014 was less than $300.
Those members who created a Nutrition Club spent an average of $8,500 to open the business, but 57% reported making no profit or losing money.
In 2012, Herbalife said 3,700 clubs were operating in North America, mostly in the U.S. Herbalife said the clubs drive 30% to 35% of its U.S. product purchases.
Club operators are encouraged to pass out flyers on the street and at their childrens schools, inviting people to visit.
The idea originated in Mexico, the complaint said, where the club was supposed to be a neighborhood gathering place promoting health and wellness. Instead, the clubs operate primarily as a tool for recruiting new members, the agency said.
Many club owners incur thousands of dollars in expenses that they are unable to recover, the complaint said.
The days when I would earn a living cleaning houses are behind me, said a distributor in a Spanish-language brochure used until 2013, because now we are fully dedicated to our prosperous Herbalife business.
Part of moving forward involved an announcement by Herbalife on Friday that billionaire investor Carl Icahn was granted the right to increase his holdings in the company to nearly 35%, from the current limit of 25%.
Icahn holds about 18.3% of Herbalifes outstanding common stock.
I have the greatest confidence in Herbalifes CEO, Michael Johnson, and the entire management team, who have skillfully led the Company through adversity, including holding firm against a high-profile PR campaign against the company by Bill Ackman where it was alleged more than once that the company would be shut down, Icahn said.
Obviously, we are still here, he said.
Antonio Wright, a pastor and Herbalife distributor in Stafford, Va., said he planned to continue to sell the companys products, which have helped him lose weight.
It will not change what Im doing, he said, of the settlement. I knew it wasnt a pyramid scheme.
Puzzanghera reported from Washington and Petersen from Los Angeles.
jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com
Follow @JimPuzzanghera on Twitter
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UPDATES:
2:26 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details and background.
8:35 a.m.: This article has been updated with information about the Federal Trade Commissions determination regarding allegations that Herbalifes business practices were an illegal pyramid scheme.
This article was originally published at 7:45 a.m.
Tesla Motors Inc. Chief Executive Elon Musk is disputing reports that a Model Xs autopilot feature was involved in a nonfatal crash in Pennsylvania this month.
Musk tweeted Thursday afternoon that the onboard vehicle logs show that the semi-autonomous driving feature was turned off in the crash.
Moreover, crash would not have occurred if it was on, he tweeted.
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According to the Detroit Free Press, the driver of the Model X told police he was using the autopilot feature. The SUV reportedly hit a freeway guardrail and struck the center median before flipping onto its roof.
Last week, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said it was investigating whether the autopilot feature was engaged in the wreck. The news came a week after the agency said it had opened a preliminary probe into the autopilot feature, which had been used during the May 7 fatal crash of a Model S sedan in Williston, Fla.
On Thursday, Consumer Reports called on the Palo Alto-based maker of electric cars to disable its vehicles automatic-steering capabilities and to stop calling the feature autopilot, saying that the dual messages that the car can drive itself but that drivers may need to take over control at a moments notice created potential for driver confusion. Tesla declined.
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samantha.masunaga@latimes.com
For more business news, follow me @smasunaga
Uber drivers who refuse to transport passengers with service animals may soon be ousted from the platform, according to new policies the ride-hailing company is adopting as part of a lawsuit settlement with the National Federation of the Blind.
As part of the settlement, which was granted preliminary approval on Wednesday by the U.S. District Court in Northern California, the San Francisco firm has also agreed to train its customer service employees on how to handle alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, report anonymized data of alleged violations to the plaintiffs attorney, and agree to compliance testing over the next 3 years.
When the settlement receives final approval, current and new drivers must agree to transport riders with service animals to keep driving for the company.
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Allergies and religious objections are not exceptions, reads the proposed text that drivers would see. Uber will terminate its contractual relationship with any drivers who refuse to transport riders with service animals as required by governing law.
In addition to the policy changes, Uber will pay $45,000 to the Disability Rights Advocates Client Trust account, and $225,000 to the National Federation of the Blind to support its testing program.
In granting preliminary approval, the judge in the case described the settlement as fair, adequate, and reasonable.
The National Federation of the Blind sued Uber in 2014 on behalf of all blind individuals in California who use a service animal and were denied rides. The lawsuit came after some members of the group were refused service by Uber drivers who did not want to have guide dogs in their cars.
tracey.lien@latimes.com
Twitter: @traceylien
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At a time when voters are by all accounts mad as hell and not willing to take it anymore, the conditions seem ripe for an American version of the Angry Young Men movement that transformed the postwar British theater.
The charge led by John Osborne in 1956 with Look Back in Anger successfully brought the furious proletariat into the spotlight. In an instant, drawing rooms of chitchatting swells were bulldozed to make room for under-heated flats, where working class hotheads were finally allowed to get a few things off their chests.
Of course a 21st century U.S. version of this theatrical phenomenon wouldnt be just for the Osborne-inspired bros. Women, still earning less on average than their male counterparts, have perhaps even more reason to look back in anger.
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But playwrights from the allegedly over-parented millennial generation dont seem particularly comfortable venting their spleens. Playing nice is ingrained. Like their Gen X predecessors, they tend to rely more on irony than ire.
Could bad tempers be an outdated luxury of baby boomers? Maniacs, as Jesus said of the poor, will always be with us, though Im not talking about rampaging psychotics. Im on the lookout for those willing to take a forceful stand against oppression and injustice, those brave enough to unapologetically demand a clarifying corrective to the way business is being done.
Inciting fury over a ludicrous status quo has been part of the dramatic tradition since the ancient Greeks.
Overgeneralizing about millennials has become a journalistic pastime but growing up with technology has conditioned this group to translate its anger into fiery emoticons and social media snark. Political passions swing freely in the classroom, but these laid-back activists would rather occupy a park than storm the proverbial ramparts.
The generational distinction is reflected culturally as well as politically. Stylists of truculent comedy, Edward Albee, David Mamet and Bruce Norris, three dramatists who have long been eligible for AARP membership, are renowned for giving indignation free theatrical rein. Never at a loss for a lethal quip, Albee has long dramatized the highball-clinking sadism of the upper crust. Mamets cussing crew have shown what dog-eat-dog capitalism can make men do. Norris has been brewing a comedy so toxic with hypocrisy and resentment that the laughter practically scalds our throats.
From left, playwrights David Mamet, Bruce Norris and Edward Albee. (Associated Press / Los Angeles Times )
Younger playwrights such as Annie Baker, Tarell Alvin McCraney and Samuel D. Hunter, to name three of our most talented dramatists under 40, seem like good Samaritans by comparison. Their Chekhovian empathy dulls the edge of villainy in their plays. Post-structuralism, still the philosophical mothers milk of literary studies, has taught them that the system is to blame, and so they opt to contextualize rather than to indict. Tout comprendre cest tout pardoner to understand all is to forgive all could sum up their collective worldview.
From left, playwrights Tarell Alvin McCraney, Annie Baker and Samuel D. Hunter. (Los Angeles Times / South Coast Repertory / John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation )
But given the melodramatic scale of our problems an environment turning apocalyptic, an economy dancing attendance on the super rich and racial injustice still getting away with murder maybe the bad guys need to be smoked out. If nothing else, the theater, the most democratic-minded of the arts, could be doing a better job of intelligently channeling the mounting frustration of the public.
In life, making a tumultuous scene is a sign of poor manners, but on the stage its more or less a requirement. The great playwrights provoke us not for provocations sake, but to wake us up. Inciting fury over a ludicrous status quo has been part of the dramatic tradition since the ancient Greeks.
If society is in danger, it is not because of mans aggressiveness but because of the repression of personal aggressiveness in individuals. D.W. Winnicott
Aristotle was the first to formally recognize the salutary function of stoking the more clamorous emotions through drama. Catharsis, in his view, wasnt just healthy for the individual it was good for the state. The term is often interpreted as a purgation of pity and terror, but an alternative understanding suggests a clarification of those feelings dramatists are bringing to a boil. The goal isnt just equilibrium but enlightenment.
The influential 20th century British psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott opens one of his papers with a modern defense of anger: If society is in danger, it is not because of mans aggressiveness but because of the repression of personal aggressiveness in individuals.
I copied this provocative remark into a commonplace book of mine crowded with wisdom from Shakespeare, Chekhov and Proust and have long pondered its implications in the field of drama. My understanding of Winnicotts thinking about the role of aggression in child development is admittedly incomplete, but his belief that the expression of aggressive impulses (anger included) is essential for the achievement of an autonomous identity and that inhibition of this energy can have a warping effect is readily applicable to an art form that thrives on conflict.
Change, growth, the movement of consciousness toward maturity the short story tends to depict these processes with serene melancholy, but the stage is a more head-butting place. For a theatrical character to transform, present circumstances must be challenged. The bigger the obstacle in a protagonists path, the more explosive the drama.
Anger bespeaks conviction (you dont defend or oppose what you dont care about), but its bad reputation (for being irrational, for making people lose control) isnt undeserved. The dramatic repertoire is replete with examples of characters either paralyzed by resentment or transformed into vengeful monsters.
Sophocles Philoctetes is so furious at his comrades who deserted him on a desert island that he is willing to pass up his only chance at rescue if it means having to help them in their war against the Trojans. The incontinent rage of Shakespeares Timon of Athens may be wholly explicable but it is as much a character flaw as his former prodigal generosity. The marital combatants in August Strindbergs The Dance of Death give irreconcilable differences a bad name.
Why should our political theater be tamer than our political reality?
But dramatic plots move inexorably toward confrontation. The building blocks of tragedy may be two characters and a dispute with no easy resolution. This might sound overly simple, but revolutions have sprung from such basic stage tussles.
The greatest example may be Ibsens A Dolls House, in which Nora, disillusioned by the cowardice of her conventional husband, slams the door on their marriage in an ending that sent shock waves throughout Europe after the plays 1879 premiere. The patriarchy, some might argue, has yet to recover.
Id like to see more playwrights follow Ibsens lead and raise hackles. Theatrical decorum is there to be overturned. To avoid offending anyone in the audience is to settle for the most anodyne drama.
The better playwrights are inevitably drawn more to questions than answers, but in turbulent times a God-like neutrality can seem like an abdication of responsibility. To put the matter in Yeatsian terms: Why should the best among us, our writers, lack conviction, while the worst, a tough call but lets go with our representatives in Congress, be full of passionate intensity?
This years Tony winner for best play, Stephen Karams The Humans, tackled head on the beleaguered state of the middle class, though more with melancholy resignation (dontcha think it should cost less to be alive) than with a furious appeal to fairness. The play is deeply moving in its compassionate depiction of these scrambled lives, but I longed for just one of the characters shafted by the new economy to shout something akin to Willy Lomans bitter retort to his boss in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman: You cant eat the orange and throw the peel away a man is not a piece of fruit.
No one is arguing for characters to devolve into a ruckus of name-calling and fisticuffs. Most of us have had our fill of vitriolic family drama. (I reached my satiation point after Tracy Letts August: Osage County.) But why should our political theater be tamer than our political reality?
Wunderkinds Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a playwright who marries a heightened social awareness with a playful postmodernism, and McCraney, a dramatic poet whose conscience is communicated through music and myth, are extraordinary talents. But in this era of Black Lives Matter, the American theater could use some of the insurgent energy of the late Amiri Baraka, whose play Dutchman translated the civil rights struggles of the 1960s into pugnacious theater.
Yet what if the rage just isnt there to call up? A Freudian would say seek and ye shall find. I would ask writers to consider how the desire for success might be making them more circumspect about voicing unpleasantries. But repression provides its own fund of rich material.
Young Jean Lees Straight White Men looks at what happens to a group that no longer feels it has a legitimate claim to anger. Conscious of their white male privilege, a father and his three grown sons have trouble articulating their conflicts with one another and the wider world. Instead of hashing out their differences, they act out their feelings in horseplay and various forms of cultural appropriation. When matters are finally brought to head, the outcome, distorted by the neatly pressed straitjackets of their identities, is brutal.
Comedy has traditionally been a safe vehicle for angry young men and women to air their gripes. Laughter makes it easier to listen to a rant. Yet whether couched in humor or spoken in deadly earnest, those subjects that incense us are artistically invaluable. Not only do they reveal ourselves to ourselves but they expose the cracks in a broken world.
charles.mcnulty@latimes.com
Follow me @charlesmcnulty
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In 1952, TV manufacturers with such now-forgotten brand names as Philco, Admiral and Westinghouse were the exclusive sponsors of network coverage of the Democratic and Republican national conventions.
They sought to motivate Americans to head to their local appliance dealer to purchase their first televisions, and ABC, CBS and NBC helped by offering viewers hours of meetings in smoke-filled rooms, rallies, speeches and balloon drops that accompanied the selection of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson as the parties nominees. Bob Hope even showed up at the end of NBCs coverage each night to deliver a few gags about the days proceedings.
Sixty-four years later, the conventions provide little in the way of drama thanks to the lengthy primary process that chooses the presidential candidates well ahead of time. As a result, the broadcast networks air just one prime-time hour per night (PBS airs three hours nightly). But the two four-day events, the first of which starts Monday with the Republicans in Cleveland, are still used to drum up business for cable news and online video streaming. They are also a boon to late-night comedy.
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The stunning development of having Donald Trump as the Republican nominee brings an element of unpredictability to the GOPs event, which is not lost on network executives who have covered the coronation-like conventions of recent decades.
This is a bit of a wild card, said CNN Washington Bureau Chief Sam Feist, who has covered 14 political conventions. There are always elevated ratings levels on CNN for convention coverage, and one might predict that a Donald Trump convention will be even higher.
All of the cable news channels will be based in Cleveland and then Philadelphia for the nomination of Hillary Clinton at the Democratic convention, which starts July 25. The broadcast networks will have their morning shows and evening newscasts based on site as well. Additional reporters and producers are showing up for any possible civil unrest outside the convention areas.
With the intense interest comes a business opportunity. CBS News is looking to the conventions to boost to its live streaming channel CBSN. Launched in November 2014, the 24-hour video service available to broadband Internet users without a cable subscription will have gavel-to-gavel coverage of both events.
While free online streams of the convention proceedings are available on Facebook, YouTube and C-SPANs website, CBSN is offering reporting and analysis from CBS reporters and anchors around the clock, a throwback to the days of Walter Cronkite. CBS also has a deal to have the stream carried on social media site Twitter, which is looking to offer more video content to its users.
CBS News President David Rhodes believes continuous coverage of big events are what can draw younger viewers to sample CBSN, especially as an over-the-top alternative to cable news channels such as CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. A recent study from the research firm GsK finds that 38% of 18- to 34-year-olds now live in households that dont rely on a cable or satellite subscription for television.
We think those viewers who are cord-cutters and have broadband internet will come to us when there is news and then spend more time with us, Rhodes said.
ABC News is also providing a live stream of additional convention coverage over its streaming video channel to supplement its broadcast news programs.
Cable news networks have already seen how the conventions can bring new viewers into their tents. Fox News Channels positioning as a network for viewers who perceive other outlets as too liberal is reflected in the ratings for its Republican convention coverage, which have increased every four years. Fox News Channel delivered more than 6 million viewers more than any broadcast or cable network on the nights when the GOP candidates gave their acceptance speeches in 2008 and 2012.
Jay Wallace, executive vice president for news and editorial at Fox News, said a chunk of those viewers stick around after they sample its prime-time hosts such as Bill OReilly or Sean Hannity, who can deliver commentary when it gets a little dull on the convention stage.
The great thing about it is, if its someone who we dont feel is particularly interesting well go with the stars who got us here, Wallace said. Having those guys in the stable, they will always fill the gap.
NBCs cable news channel MSNBC got a ratings lift during the Democratic conventions in 2008 and 2012. But the network has moved away from progressive political commentary during the day and put a greater focus on breaking news. Executives expect convention viewers who have not watched lately to notice the shift that has occurred throughout the 2016 campaign season.
Its something weve been doing throughout the cycle, said an NBC News spokesperson. But this will be a main stage for the greater synchronicity between NBC News and MSNBC.
While Trump has been a shot of ratings adrenaline for TV news, hes also been comedy gold for late-night TV. Several shows are staying up late to do live commentary after the conventions to ensure that they will be part of the conversation the next morning.
Comedy Central announced Friday that The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, which has not been high on the radar in the current campaign season, will do live shows after each night of both conventions, joining Real Time With Bill Maher on HBO, NBCs Late Night With Seth Meyers and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS. (Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart is set to have a cameo on Colbert.)
The idea that we can digest and talk about it is an obvious idea we should have thought of a long time ago, said Late Night executive producer Mike Shoemaker. Its too good to pass up.
Of course, for many young viewers, late night will be how they learn about the conventions as studies repeatedly say the comic programs are often a primary news source.
I used to believe that was not true, Shoemaker said. Now I have to say I learn about a lot of news when we go up with our monologue every day.
Twitter: @SteveBattaglio
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
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The OSCE monitoring held July 15 along the contact line between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has passed without incidents, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry July 15.
The monitoring was held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the contact line to the south of the Horadiz village of Azerbaijans Fizuli district, the ministry said.
On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was carried out by the field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Jiri Aberle, Simon Tiller, as well as the representative of the OSCE High-Level Planning Group, Lieutenant Colonel Dan Harvey.
On the opposite side, the monitoring was carried out by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov, Peter Svedberg, as well as head of the OSCE High-Level Planning Group, colonel Hans Lampalzer.
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.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have come a long way since announcing to the world in March 2014 that they would be consciously uncoupling: What was in fact a plain-old divorce has crossed the legal finish line.
The split was finalized in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday and neither party will pay spousal support, the Associated Press reported Friday.
The actress and the Coldplay frontman, who have two kids together and were married for almost 10 years, reportedly reached a deal on finances and custody in April through their business managers and filed for divorce without enlisting attorneys.
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Remember the uncoupling announcement? In it, they explained that they had been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate.
Apparently, its mission accomplished.
Were still very much a family, even though we dont have a romantic relationship. Hes like my brother, the Shakespeare in Love Oscar winner told Glamour in February as she talked about how she and her ex now spend time together with Apple, 12, and Moses, 10.
As for the split, Paltrow said, We put a lot of thought into how to do it so that the damage would be minimized.
Martin, 39, said in April that it had taken him a year to get the breakup. A year of depression and all that. Post-split, hes been linked with women including Jennifer Lawrence (briefly) and Peaky Blinders Annabelle Wallis. Meanwhile, the Goop guru, 43, is moving on with producer Brad Falchuk.
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Mick Jagger and girlfriend Melanie Hamrick are expecting a baby her first, his eighth.
Jaggers rep confirmed the news to the Los Angeles Times on Friday. The Rolling Stones frontman, 72, and the American Ballet Theatre dancer, 29, have reportedly been an item since 2014. The Virginia native headed to New York when she was 17 and became a full member of ABTs corps de ballet in April 2004.
Jaggers current brood he has daughters and sons ranging in age from 45 to 17 includes Karis, with Marcia Hunt; Jade, with Bianca Jagger; Lizzie, James, Georgia and Gabriel, with Jerry Hall; and Lucas, with Luciana Gimenez. He also had grandkids and even a great-granddaughter, who was born to Jades daughter Assisi in 2014.
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Stones guitarist Ron Wood said in April that the band, which had played Cuba a month before that in the wake of President Obamas visit to Havana, would have a new studio album out this year.
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Take a good, long look at the next big Star Wars film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The cast and crew from Rogue One helped kick off the three-day Star Wars Celebration in London with a massive offering of brand new, never-before-seen images during their official panel. Plus, the cast nervously shared lots of new character details. This new film is finally beginning to take shape!
Host Gwendoline Christie (who previously donned the silver armor of new Star Wars character Captain Phasma), started off by welcoming director Gareth Edwards, executive producer John Knoll, head of story Kiri Hart and Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy to the stage. Very little is known about the next Star Wars film apart from the simple plot, which revolves around a group of rebels who are tasked with stealing the plans to the yet-to-be-revealed Death Star. The film is set between Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope.
On stage the crew chatted about the feel of Rogue One. Knoll called it a caper and said he was inspired by films such as Oceans 11 and The Guns of Navarone. They were looking for that caper-type vibe when a group of people come together to accomplish something larger than life, he said.
Edwards revealed that the beach location previously revealed in an earlier teaser trailer was shot in the Maldives and is supposed to be a planet called Scarif. It was by far his favorite location: Sometimes you gotta take one for the team, Edwards joked.
The director also said he used the Maldivian army to stock his Stormtrooper legion, and was shocked to find out that very few of the actors had actually seen Star Wars.
The crew was later joined by the full cast of Rogue One including: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, Donnie Yen and Forest Whitaker. Then, the dance of describing this story without revealing too much, began. Heres what we learned.
Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso)
Main character Jyn is allegedly a lot different from the former franchise heroes of Rey and Luke. Shes not a character who is asking, Who am I? and Where have I come from? We know that about her, Jones explained. We know where shes come from. And that fact propels the story. And thats the beginning is to find out what her reason is and whats her course.
Diego Luna (Captain Cassian Andor)
Lunas character has been seen next to Jyn in most of the earlier released images. Thats because hes a part of the rebellion. He works for the rebellion in intelligence, Luna said. [As] the team grows, like any team, theres friction and its Cassian that keeps them together.
And his best friend is an Imperial droid named K-2SO, played by actor Alan Tudyk.
Alan Tudyk was not in a droid suit for his Rogue One character K-S20, but a motion-capture suit. (Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images) (Test)
Alan Tudyk (K-2SO)
Before the cast began speaking, a behind-the-scenes video (which you can see above), with Tudyk in a motion-capture suit, was screened. Thats because hes playing a 6-foot-tall droid. But hes not your typical droid: In a little clip with K-2SO, someone hands the droid a bag and he just kind of drops it to the floor.
Hes not your go get the bags droid, Tudyk explained. Formerly an Imperial droid, [when] Cassian reprogrammed him, and he did a data wipe when he reprogrammed him, hes not all there. He speaks his mind and says things that could be very unsettling. If you know any old people, its like that. He says whatever he thinks.
Riz Ahmed (Bodhi Rook)
Christie pointed out that the character played by Ahmed, whos currently gaining fame on HBOs The Night Of, is wearing an Imperial patch but that hes a member of the rebel team, Whats going on there?
Bodhi is a pilot and he works for the Empire to make a living, Ahmed said. People work various organizations and they dont agree with everything they do. You dont have to get judging. Hes kind of questioning things. The city that hes from is actually an occupied planet, and its the actions that hes involved with there that make him question his career counselor.
Donnie Yen (Chirrut Imwe)
The character has been spotted in stills fighting, outnumbered by a group of Stormtroopers. I play a blind warrior, Yen said. I cant see but I can feel with my heart and I believe in the spiritual of the force. We [referencing Jiang Wen] are the baddest fighters. Its character-based, and we are very good friends.
Jiang Wen (Baze Malbus)
Wen didnt have much to say and warned that English wasnt his first language. But what he did say, he made it large. He has a huge gun, Wen said. He has a weapon, the weapons are very huge. I have a gun, a huge gun. Emphasis on big and gun.
Forest Whitaker discusses watching Clone Wars to discover his character in Rogue One Saw Gerrera. (Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images) (Test)
Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera)
Whitaker is playing a character that was previously introduced by George Lucas in Clone Wars. But this is the characters first time as a live-action being.
Hes a guerrilla fighter, Whitaker said. Hes been controlling a group of rebels that are [very] extreme. There are a series of different rebel groups coming together [to form an] alliance. However, Whitaker said his characters group gets things done by any means necessary.
He will do what he needs to do to save the world. He was trained by guerrilla fighters and the Jedi as well, Whitaker said.
Mads Mikkelsen talks about his character Gal Erso at Star Wars Celebration in London. (Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images) (Test)
Mads Mikkelsen (Gal Erso)
After much speculation online, Mikkelsen confirmed that his character is Jyns father. But theres more: Hes a scientist and he, at one point, invented something so beautiful, something so fantastic that it might change the universe. Our guess? The character could be the J. Robert Oppenheimer of the Star Wars universe.
Ben Mendelsohn in character, and in costume at Star Wars Celebration in London. (Ben A. Pruchnie /Getty ) (Test)
Ben Mendelsohn (Director Orson Krennic)
Mendelsohn showed up in character, big white cape and all. But despite the fanfare, he was hesitant to say anything much about this new villain. When asked how his big bad will be different, he said: Hes an Australian kind.
We do villainy very well. He is smarter, I think, than most of his predecessors. Hes more inventive, He's perhaps a little sexier than some of them. Not quite as sexy some of the others. he said.
One more shot of Ben Mendelsohn on stage at Star Wars Celebration, in character. (Ben A. Pruchnie / Getting Images) (Test)
And to top off the new images and character details, the panel also released the first poster for Rogue One, which shows the assault on paradise Edwards previously described. Voila:
First poster for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. (Lucasfilm/Disney ) (Test)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set to hit theaters on Dec. 16.
In the hullabaloo over the Brexit vote several weeks ago in Britain, while many commentators were obligatorily running through the implications for the European Union and the global market, a voice stood out.
Beaming from a small studio in the college town of Eugene, Ore., it belonged to Dan Carlin, a podcaster whos part of the little-covered but influential army of minds trying to make sense of the current political confusion. On that day, he was offering up a genre of commentary rarely heard on the commercial airwaves: subtle anger.
If you live in a society where people have the right to vote and you ignore too many of their needs for too long, they will kill you, he said on his podcast, Common Sense. In every system on the planet, you have people who prosper and do well and people who dont. The question is how many of the losers you can have and still have the society functioning, before they will make you feel their pain.
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It was a sophisticated intellectual two-step. Carlin had managed to ride the anger without taking a side in the controversy it caused. Carlin wasnt saying this was the right movement for those who undertook it just that it existed, and that leaders ignored it at their peril.
If you live in a society where people have the right to vote and you ignore too many of their needs for too long, they will kill you. Dan Carlin
In a world of podcasts for seemingly every taste and fan group, Common Sense roughly hour-long installments, posted every few weeks is an underrated gem. Though not unprecedented, popular political podcasts run outside established media companies are rarer than youd think.
One of the advantages for those who do practice the form is that they enjoy access to the same homes as mainstream news outlets but without nearly the same financial pressures; its a reason why they can be as freewheeling as talk radio and cable news themselves were when they began. Carlin serves as a notable example of this behavior: a person who can discuss issues deeply and idiosyncratically.
Maybe most important, he demonstrates how a podcast can be more limber to the complicated rage of the electoral moment eschewing the simplistic paranoia of talk radio or the shoutiness and self-serving partisanship of cable-news punditry for a more finely tuned approach. He is less likely to rail for or against an outsider candidate than seek to explain the attraction to them in the first place.
I dont think anger is good unless its goal-oriented anger, he said by phone from his Eugene headquarters last week. And unlike radio, with podcasts, you dont have people artificially yelling at you.
Carlin, 50, knows firsthand about the temptation to scream. The commentator who grew up in Los Angeles the son of movie people (his father worked as a producer and his mother was an actress nominated for an Oscar for her role in 1968s Faces) toiled in commercial TV and radio for nearly two decades.
Working at a radio station in Eugene in the early 2000s, Carlin found himself clashing regularly with bosses over how much to play up conflict. Of course there were fissures in American public life, he thought, but surely, there was a way to explore them without simply adding to the din? Leaving mainstream media and a steady paycheck behind, Carlin launched Common Sense in 2005, in the platforms infancy.
The problem with todays radio and TV is that people tune in and out at all times so the conversation can never get to a certain level. Dan Carlin
Tonally, Common Sense offers a mix of the low-key and passionate; its a show that manages to place the frustrations of everyday people in the more genteel wrapping of, say, a discussion about a good recipe. Carlins innovation lies with his sly belief that anger doesnt have to sound angry.
And while his reluctance to take defined positions can veer the show to generalities, it also makes for a fresh trans-partisan approach. This is the era when lunch-bucket Democrats vote for Donald Trump and new voters turn out for the Independent Bernie Sanders. A broadcast that eschews traditional divides couldnt be more timely.
When I was growing up, it was the fumes of the 60s, and people felt they had to wear their ideology like a totem, he said. Now, its more about whether something works than whether it can fit an ideological template.
Carlin says he can support himself and his family off his podcast work, which is driven by both advertisements and listener donations. Common Sense generates about 700,000 downloads per episode (that can be done, free, on iTunes) with an additional number of streaming listeners from his website harder to quantify. He also is behind a popular podcast called Hardcore History, a series of colorful and epic-length (four-hour!) episodes on critical past world events.
Carlins specific politics are hard to pin down. Labeling himself a civil libertarian, he rarely betrays his position, though running under his commentary are themes of disenfranchised working people and a system thats failed them. Two words that come up often in talking with him are transparency and accountability, and the role of new platforms to bring them about.
I really believe most of the stuff Im angry about and a lot of people are angry about could not stand up to the light of day if there were three newspapers and three networks and they were talking about these issues, like Watergate, he said. The problem with todays radio and TV is that people tune in and out at all times so the conversation can never get to a certain level, because people are always leaving. Podcasts and blogs have the freedom to talk about things more deeply.
He added, The power people have if we didnt have to focus on Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian is amazing. But we cant maintain it.
steven.zeitchik@latimes.com
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Tom Morello, who is perhaps best known as the guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, has long paired music with activism. The artist, who has worked with Bruce Springsteen and has a new project, Prophets of Rage, touring this summer, was asked by The Times to express why politics and pop live in harmony.
Music made me feel that I could have my hands on the steering wheel of history.
All music, and art for that matter, has a political point of view. Saccharine pop reality show hit-makers encourage escapism. In punk rock basements, dangerous truths are revealed.
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Music and meaning are always on a collision course in our culture. Music has the unique property of speaking to the individual and community in the language of our earliest ancestors. The right combination of rhythm and rhyme, when it washes over a throng or transmits through an ear bud, can feel like the truth and resonate deep in our reptilian brain in a way that can provide a spark for action.
Can music change the world? Of course it can. It does every day. Music changed me. It was the music of Public Enemy and the Clash; the truth that resonated in the beat, the lyrics and the chords of those bands that made me feel less alone in my worldview.
Music made me feel that there were actions that I could take within and without the borders of my small Illinois hometown that could affect the future. Harmonizing and hell-raising, poetry and politics, singing and striking, rhythm and rebellion. The message was a simple one: The world aint gonna change itself. Thats up to you.
At 17, I didnt choose to be a guitar player; the guitar, more or less, chose me. Once saddled with that as my calling I had to figure out how to use the damn thing to great purpose. Was it possible to forge a guitar into a divining rod of truth and fury?
There has never been a successful social movement in this country that has not had a great soundtrack. Tom Morello
Then it dawned on me that there has never been a successful social movement in this country that has not had a great soundtrack. Joe Hills union anthems put wind in the sails of those fighting for an eight-hour workday in the early 20th century. We Shall Overcome steeled the resolve of Freedom Riders during the civil rights movement.
Jimi Hendrixs The Star Spangled Banner channeled the moral cacophony of the Vietnam War through a Marshall stack at Woodstock. And one or two Rage Against the Machine songs were heard pumping in the streets as Starbucks windows were shattered during the Seattle anti-globalization uprising.
But what is the responsibility of the artist in troubled times to speak to the issues of the day? I believe the only responsibility we have as artists is to tell the truth as we see it. I would never suggest that musicians who have no political point of view pretend to have one for my sake. If however you do have a point of view and censor yourself out of fear or passivity then youve done yourself and your times a grave disservice.
Was it possible to forge a guitar into a divining rod of truth and fury? writes Tom Morello. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times )
To weave ones convictions into ones vocation is a responsibility that extends beyond the arts. As Martin Luther King famously said, The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who remain neutral during times of moral conflict.
You dont abdicate your responsibility to your convictions simply because you dont have a microphone or a recording studio at your disposal. If youre a nurse you do it via the nurses union. If youre a student you do it via a campus organization. If youre a soldier or police officer perhaps you do it by following your conscience instead of your orders.
So, while the powers that be would prefer that you and I remain in a hashtag/Instagram briar-patch of inaction, thats not how the world changes. Its changed by average, everyday ordinary people who have had enough of the status quo standing up for a world that is more decent, just and humane.
Its changed by people willing to use their intellect, creativity, strength and courage to make that world come to be. What can you do to change the world? Dream big and dont settle. And remember that any substantive progressive, radical or revolutionary change that has ever occurred in our country has come from below, not above. Aim for the world you really want to live in without compromise or apology.
That ideal seems quite distant today as our country is teetering on the edge of the abyss. Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee because racism, misogyny and advocating war crimes are not seen as character flaws in the Republican Party. Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee because subservience to Wall Street and being complicit in war crimes are not seen as character flaws in the Democratic Party. This election season it feels like we are in Pompeii with the volcano erupting and the only boat out of town is the Titanic. Do I vote? Yes, I do, but casting a ballot into the void every four years for one of the two monopoly party candidates is not enough. The masters tools will never dismantle the masters house.
This election season it feels like we are in Pompeii with the volcano erupting and the only boat out of town is the Titanic. Tom Morello
Thats why we formed Prophets of Rage. Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill all smashed together into an elite revolutionary task force. Chuck D, B-Real, Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk, DJ Lord and myself. Three radical groups forged into an alloy of hip-hop and hard rock firepower bent on having our say during these tumultuous times. Our music and our politics do not change because of opinion polls, focus groups or lobbyist payoffs. The message is written in the mosh pit. Dangerous times demand dangerous songs.
What do we sing about? Empowerment. Poverty. Police brutality. Immigrant rights. Racism. Militarism. Threats to civil liberties. Union busting. But it all amounts to nothing unless its got a roaring soundtrack, a ripping guitar solo and a huge groove that can decimate a club or make a field of 50,000 bounce until the Richter scale shakes.
The Prophets of Rage: Tim Commerford on bass, from left, Chuck D on vocals, Brad Wilk on drums, B-Real on vocals and Tom Morello. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times )
The goal is a simple one: boost morale and lift the spirits of those fighting for a better world while playing a devastating, ass-kicking, ear-shattering rock n roll show. Both the Trump and Sanders campaigns are often described by the media as raging against the machine. Sorry, but we intend to demonstrate what raging against the machine really means.
We will not sit on the sidelines of history. We will not go quietly into that dark night. The first stop on our Make America Rage Again Tour will be a protest concert outside the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
People sometimes say, Hey Tom, shut up and play your guitar! Oh, Im gonna play my guitar all right, you can bet on that. But Im never gonna shut up about human rights. Im never gonna stop fighting for a more decent, just and humane planet. And if that pisses some people off, too bad.
Harmonizing and hell-raising, poetry and politics, singing and striking, rhythm and rebellion.
What better place than here? What better time than now?
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In 1995, O.J. Simpson case lead prosecutor Marcia Clark was fighting a battle against anger. Not the one roiling outside the courtroom, where years of police brutality turned the trial into a referendum on race.
The one inside the courtroom where Clarks performance was increasingly judged as over-emotional.
Clark seems made of adrenaline,wrote the Washington Post during the trial. Her hands are frantic. She hits the lectern more than anyone else She objects at times when sitting back might look more generous. Her face betrays every vibration of anger or frustration. These are all mistakes that, according to the article, Simpson defense lawyer Johnnie Cochran would never make.
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Back then I was portrayed by the press as this cartoon storming into court with steam coming out of my ears, says Clark, now a criminal trial lawyer and best-selling author. If I raised my voice, they would say I was being shrill and hysterical. Its a courtroom. Its war. What was I supposed to do, whisper and curtsy?
So no one was more surprised than Clark when a television miniseries based on the trial portrayed her as competent, compassionate and even likable.
If I raised my voice, they would say I was being shrill and hysterical. Its a courtroom. Its war. What was I supposed to do, whisper and curtsy? Marcia Clark, lawyer and author
I was shocked, says Clark of FXs The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Initially I was miserable when I heard they were making the miniseries. But it turned out that they got a lot of the really big issues right, and they were sympathetic or as I like to say, realistic about the all the sexism. It blew my mind.
More important, the show became a key part of a powerful wave of original series, talk shows and made-for-TV films in which a womans anger is portrayed as reasonable, warranted and central to the story line.
For years, television shied away from any depiction of female anger that wasnt a victims rage or simple hysteria. And as anger is at the core of nearly every powerful drama, female lead roles were hard to come by.
There was a whole movie named 12 Angry Men, and that was a good thing, says feminist leader Gloria Steinem. When men are angry its usually assumed to be for a reason. When women are angry its been considered unfeminine, or a character defect.
Aided by social media, however, a new generation of women have no qualms about expressing their anger over rape on campus, domestic violence, police brutality, even the sexist attacks against the female cast of the new Ghostbusters.
Now, as Steinem says, society is listening to the reason for the anger rather than judging the tone, and that shift is reflected on television. Where women were once forced to control their emotions until they could find a BFF to unload on or, more commonly, a safe place to cry, female characters such as Sarah Lancashires detective in Happy Valley and Julia Louis-Dreyfus character in Veep regularly unleash rage, righteous and otherwise.
On Netflix, Jessica Jones has a superpower often triggered by her anger, and the first season pushed her to accept both as a part of her own valuable self.
HBOs Game of Thrones has recently become a pride of angry women; the Mother of Dragons is literally flaming anyone who thinks a woman cannot be queen.
When any group is truly treated with great injustice, then their anger is feared because they have something to be angry at, says Steinem. The angry woman -- she definitely has something to be angry at.
Clark is not the only female lawyer whom television recently reinterpreted; Anita Hill, a law professor once discredited for testifying against then Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas, has made a comeback as a fearless example of truth and conviction in HBOs Confirmation starring Kerry Washington.
Narrow definitions are also being challenged by the wonderfully flawed and messy characters in critically acclaimed series such as HBOs recently canceled Getting On and Netflix comedy Orange Is the New Black.
Uzo Aduba, who plays Suzanne Crazy Eyes Warren on Orange Is the New Black had one of the most complex, anger-motivated scenes of any major character on TV this year, but for the actress, provoking conversation is the whole point.
Whatever [viewers] thought of a woman expressing herself before, they now have to rethink that, she says. What [show creator] Jenji [Kohan] does in the writing is give us the space, which I think is whats been absent for so long in roles for women.
No one is more determined to tear down the angry-equals-mad-equals-crazy stereotype than Samantha Bee. In a late night talk show landscape dominated by men, the host of TBS Full Frontal regularly chooses tone it up over tone it down.
Following the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., Bee rejected the traditional role of a calming influence.
After a massacre, she said matter of factly on her show, the standard operating procedure is that you stand on stage and deliver some well-meaning words about how we will get through this together. How love wins, how love conquers hate. And that is great, that is beautiful. But you know what? I am too angry for that Is it OK if instead of making jokes I just scream for seven minutes?
As the endless retweets and commentary proved, it was more than OK. It was a scream that spoke for millions.
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Music may be the food of love, but anger has long been its faithful foot soldier.
In fiction at least, the mismatched pair who bickers and barks in Act 1 is certain to be gazing at each other in chagrined bliss by the end of Act 3.
For television writers its a bit more complicated. They live in a perpetual state of Act 2 where, according to conventional wisdom, the longer you keep the couple apart, and exchanging barbs, the better. As with Jane Austen protagonists, once the lovers unite, the end is near. (This is often known as the Moonlighting curse, because thats what happened when Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis antagonistic PIs finally stopped fighting.)
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Many shows have proved the curse wrong Bones, Castle, New Girl though each has had to go to great lengths to replace separation by mutual loathing with something else: kidnapping, undercover work, a contrived breakup. Even so, nothing quite matches the sting and energy of a smart, sexy snipe-fest, which is why so many comedies are about long-married couples: Having kindled desire, irritated banter goes full circle and replaces it.
But lately, anger is not the spark nor the substitute, its the thing itself.
In Hulus Difficult People, the marriage of best friends played by Billy Eichner and Julie Klausner is almost completely based on their shared, and constantly vocalized, furious contempt for other people. Amazons Catastrophe revolves around a couple whose idea of an endearment runs something like Even if I wanted to kill you, I wouldnt kill you. Or have you killed. And the title of FXXs Youre the Worst pretty much says it all Gretchen (Aya Cash) and Jimmy (Chris Geere) are narcissistic, self-destructive nightmares who scrape something like love from the ashes of a relationship they are continually burning down.
Rage has become the new romance.
Comedy has always had a river of anger running through it, and when television recently exploded from its literal and creative confines, anger did a lot of the pushing. Dark comedy became a hallmark of male-centric cable dramas such as The Sopranos, Rescue Me and Breaking Bad while the outrageous behavior of catfight shows like The Real Housewives franchise and The Bachelor gave women more license to lose, and take, control. Though they share a sexual freedom made possible by Sex and the City, rage-filled female comedies like Nurse Jackie, Veep and Orange Is the New Black may owe as much to the Kardashians as to Livia and Carmela Soprano.
What happens on cable rarely stays on cable, and the satiric hostility of Married With Children is now all but passe. The multitasking exhaustion/resentment that has come to define motherhood is mirrored on even mild-mannered shows such as Modern Family, The Middle and Fresh Off the Boat, where fathers are often the more low-key parent. Indeed, a perpetually furious but still lovable and very attractive mother like Constance Wus Jessica Huang on Fresh Off the Boat would have been impossible to imagine even five years ago.
With anger roiling in the before and after of loves tender bloom, its only natural that it would seep into the flower itself, and as a rage/romance hybrid, Catastrophe probably wins Best in Show.
Creators Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney play a barb-trading couple, conveniently named Sharon and Rob, who enjoy what appears to be a string-free weeklong hook-up; Sharon, who is Irish, lives in London where Rob, who is American, is visiting on business.
Fun times, until Sharon discovers she is pregnant.
Rob flies back, the two decide to marry, for convenience but also because they each possess an equal ability to seesaw between quick judgmental anger and rueful big-hearted acceptance. I wouldnt want a bus to hit her, but maybe she could be arrested for tax fraud something to wipe the smug off her, Sharon says early on of one of her friends, and Rob completely gets it.
With its backward trajectory baby then marriage then something like love bumps are guaranteed, and not just of the baby variety. There are breakups, including one on the honeymoon, and though the second season opens with them married and expecting another child, fond, and not so fond, insult remains their lingua franca. Who doesnt want to take care of their kids, Rob says as they attempt to celebrate their anniversary. But this, this is a slog. Thanks, lover, Sharon replies with a laugh.
In the first season, some of the anger is born of fear, in the second, parental exhaustion, but most of it is personally essential, which is the shows most dazzling feat.
Horgan and Delaney are hilarious, as writers and performers, together and separately, and their willingness to cross even the line at the edge of out there is admirable. But what makes Catastrophe a flagship of the new rage-filled rom-com is its refusal to buy into the beloved myth of loves transformational proprieties. As if saying a few words, or signing a paper could turn one sort of a person into another. By skipping, literally and figuratively, the honeymoon period Catastrophe rejects the notion that two previously prickly people miraculously become a cozy couple until years of marriage erode the filters and return them to their original state.
Sharon and Rob, like the leads of Youre the Worst and Difficult People, reject the filters and remain in their original state no matter what their relationship status. Mercifully, in each show, everyone has a thick skin in addition to a sharp tongue, which keeps their battles from becoming abusive.
But the anger is also real because living with other people is difficult, even if you choose to. For some, love may be all about surrender, for others it will always be a series of skirmishes followed by temporary truce. And that reality needs its own romantic fiction too.
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The shifts in the TV landscape brought on by online video streaming are more apparent than ever in the nominations for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards announced Thursday.
HBO dominated the competition with 94 nominations the most of any network for the 16th consecutive year for the awards presented by the Television Academy. But its total was down from the 126 it received in 2015, a sign of how streaming services as well as other cable outlets have upped their game in the scripted programming arena.
For the record: A previous version of this story said that Robin Wrights Emmy nomination was for Homeland. It was for the series House of Cards.
One significant indicator of the new TV world order: Three out of the seven nominees in the comedy series category Master of None and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, both on Netflix, and Amazons Transparent are only available through online viewing. Broadcast networks had dominated the category as recently as 2011, but this year only ABC was represented with black-ish and Modern Family. The commercial broadcasters have not had a series nominated for drama series since that same year.
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Netflix received 54 nominations, a gain of 24 over last year. Its signature series House of Cards received 13 nominations, tying its previous high in 2014. It also had several first-year nominees, including two for Jessica Jones, four for Master of None and six for What Happened Miss Simone?, its documentary on legendary soul-jazz artist Nina Simone.
HBO had plenty to crow about, led by its wildly popular and enduring hit series Game of Thrones, which received the most nominations of any program, with 23. The premium cable networks come-dies Veep and Silicon Valley earned 17 and 10 nominations, respectively, while its original movieAll the Way, starring Bryan Cranston as President Lyndon Johnson, picked up eight. Beyonces audacious visual album Lemonade, which premiered on HBO, earned four nominations.
But the networks lead was shortened by FX, which had the most critically hailed and talked about program of the year in The People v. O.J. Simpson. FX set a record for nominations by an ad-supported basic cable network with 56, up from 38 last year.
The People v. O.J. Simpson received 22 nominations, the most for any limited series or miniseries and trailing only Game of Thrones overall. The second season of the limited series Fargo, a winner last year, earned 18 nominations to finish with the third highest total.
See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour
VIDEO: Watch Sterling K. Brown, who plays Christopher Darden, talk about converging with his character in the glove scene of The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Amazon saw its nomination total rise from 12 to 16 which includes 10 nominations for Transparent, while Sonys Crackle service earned three, thanks to Jerry Seinfelds Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and SuperMansion, a stop-motion animation series.
Several programs from streaming services were also recognized, even though they did not come from a corporately supported platform. Nominations went to Louis C.K.s self-financed series Horace and Pete, and Acting Dead, a short-form series comedy about unemployed actors who decide to pursue zombie roles in TV and movies, made available on the website ActingDead .com.
Her Story, a scripted series about two transgender women in Los Angeles, was independently produced and distributed over YouTube. It earned a nomination for short form comedy or drama series.
The influence of streaming video was also seen in the late-night category. James Corden, host of The Late, Late Show on CBS, toils in the 12:35 a.m. time slot. But his Carpool Karaoke segments became a sensation on YouTube, likely helping to earn him a nomination for variety talk series.
Cordens nomination is notable as his better-known lead-in Stephen Colbert, who replaced David Letterman on The Late Show and a previous winner for The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, did not make the cut in the variety talk category. Other nominees included Comedians In Cars With Coffee, HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live and NBCs The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Along with Colbert, Daily Show alum Samantha Bee also failed to get recognized. Former Daily Show correspondent John Oliver did score six nominations for his HBO show, Last Week Tonight.
The list of nominees included a significant number of first timers that critics believed worthy of greater recognition.
USA Networks Mr. Robot earned a drama series nomination in its first year of eligibility, while FXs much-lauded The Americans is getting recognized in the category after four seasons on the air.
The newcomers will contend against Game of Thrones, House of Cards, AMCs Better Call Saul, Showtimes Homeland and PBS Downton Abbey.
Rami Malek of Mr. Robot and Matthew Rhys of The Americans are also first-time contenders in lead actor in a drama series, up against Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul, Liev Schreiber of Showtimes Ray Donovan, and Kevin Spacey for House of Cards.
Keri Russell also earned a first-time nomination for The Americans in the lead actress in a drama category, putting her against five returning contenders Claire Danes for Homeland, who won in 2012, last years winner Viola Davis for How To Get Away With Murder, Taraji P. Henson for Empire, Robin Wright for House of Cards and Tatiana Maslany for BBC Americas Orphan Black.
UnReal, Lifetime dramatized behind-the-scenes look at a reality dating show, broke through with a supporting actress in a drama series nomination for Constance Zimmer. She is up against formidable competition from three Game of Thrones stars (Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey and Maisie Williams) and previous winner Maggie Smith for Downton Abbey.
Kit Harrington gets a first-time nomination for his work as Game of Thrones hero Jon Snow in the supporting actor in a drama category. He faces an Academy Award winner in Jon Voight who will try to win his first Emmy for his work on Ray Donovan.
Others in the category are two-time winner Peter Dinklage for Game of Thrones, Michael Kelly for House of Cards, Ben Mendelsohn for the Netflix series Bloodline and Jonathan Banks for Better Call Saul.
On the comedy series side, HBOs Veep scored the most nominations overall with 17, including comedy series. It defends its crown against black-ish, Master of None, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Transparent, Modern Family and its HBO stable mate Silicon Valley.
The lead actress in a comedy series category had two first-time nominees with Tracee Ellis Ross for black-ish and Ellie Kemper for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. They will face four past winners in Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Veep, Amy Schumer for Inside Amy Schumer, Lily Tomlin for the Netflix series Grace and Frankie and Laurie Metcalf for HBOs Getting On.
Metcalf also earned guest actress nominations for Horace and Pete on the drama side and Big Bang Theory in comedy, while Schumer had multiple nods thanks to her Live At the Apollo special for HBO and a hosting stint on Saturday Night Live.
Thomas Middleditch of Silicon Valley and Aziz Ansari of Master of None are the first-time nominees for lead actor in a comedy series, up against Anthony Anderson of black-ish, last years winner Jeffrey Tambor of Transparent, William H. Macy of Showtimes Shameless and Will Forte of Foxs The Last Man on Earth.
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story is a contender for limited series against ABCs American Crime, FXs Fargo, A&Es Roots remake and AMCs The Night Manager (which landed 12 nominations overall).
The six-episode series about Simpsons trial for murder has Sarah Paulson competing in the lead actress in a limited series or movie category, while Cuba Gooding Jr. and Courtney B. Vance will contend on the lead actor side. Three cast members will compete in the supporting acting category with Sterling K. Brown, David Schwimmer and John Travolta.
The winners of Emmy Awards will be presented at a ceremony held Sept. 18 at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. and televised on ABC.
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Danny McBride, the star and co-creator of HBOs Eastbound & Down, is back as the star and co-creator (again with Jody Hill) of HBOs Vice Principals.
Premiering Sunday, the series is a kind of temperamental sequel to the last. As high school vice principal (in charge of discipline) Neal Gamby, McBride again has a bearish case of arrested development; hes insecure and overbearing, a font of imperfect wisdom and injured pride whose ego seems to grow in proportion to the degree in which its bruised which it continually is. Like Eastbounds fallen ballplayer Kenny Powers, we are meant to find Neal sort of horrible and sort of heroic. McBride makes that possible.
When the school principal Bill Murray in a brief guest shot retires, Neal goes to war with rival vice principal (in charge of curriculum) Lee Russell (Walton Goggins) for the top job. When it goes instead to an outsider, Dr. Belinda Brown (Kimberly Hebert Gregory), a black woman from up north, the two men join forces to bring her down.
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Browns character is an invitation to political incorrectness when told she graduated from Berkeley, Neal responds, Im pretty affirmative how she got in but that attitude is more a side dish here than an entree; despite their conniving, these characters are lunkheads at worst. A line like Neals comment to a drivers ed student, I know that driving doesnt come natural to women, but I am impressed with your abilities, is meant to tell us that hes a fool, but that his foolishness is subject to improvement; he is forced to admit from time to time that he doesnt know everything.
Similarly, there is something in his crush on a new English teacher (Georgia King) and his imagined competition with the good-natured new husband (Shea Whigham) of his ex-wife (Busy Philipps), for the affection of his daughter (Maya G. Love) that at once underscores his need for love and the fact that hes his own worst enemy.
Theres a softness to McBride and Goggins alike that makes the bromantic-frenemies aspects of the story obvious and also a little hard to figure in some respects. It is sexually ambiguous in a way that isnt quite clear, but feels intentional. This is a high school mean girls comedy built around adult men. (In one scene, Lee snubs Neal by going to get his hair cut with another teacher.) The kids are mature by comparison.
While its true that all comedy is a matter of taste, and that one persons guffaw is anothers groan, some comedy seems to be especially so. Im not sure that Vice Principals is funny in the way that I was sure that, say, 30 Rock was funny because I could hear myself laughing. But there is a kind of comedy in which the actual proper reaction is horror or pity.
Indeed, there are scenes, as when a characters house is destroyed, for no good reason, where laughter would serve only to indict the viewer as heartless. Like its predecessor, Vice Principals goes all in for profanity and the trading of childish insults (Keep walkin, sassypants is one I can quote), and there is a certain melodic delight in hearing Goggins pronounce the multisyllabic bad words the basic-cable rules kept from him saying on Justified. But the comic returns do diminish.
At times, Vice Principals seems a dark-hearted comedy about the pursuit and illusion of power The first thing Im going to do as principal is not fire you, but keep you on staff as my slave, Neal tells Ray and at other times, a warm-hearted comedy dressed in black. Ive watched six episodes 18 have reportedly been produced, to air over two seasons, which suggests character development is not out of the question. I was wary of Eastbound & Down at the beginning, but a fan by the end; I expect something of the same could happen here.
In a film, these changes would be locked in by the time two hours were up. Here, bad behaviors and counterproductive actions will hold sway for who knows how long; light is glimpsed, and then the blinds are drawn. But they may be raised again.
Vice Principals
Where: HBO
When: 10:30 p.m. Sunday
Rating: TV-MA (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 17)
robert.lloyd@latimes.com
On Twitter: @LATimesTVLloyd
Kylie Jenner and SinfulColors have united with the Los Angeles LGBT Center and Stomp Out Bullying to host the Be Konfident, Kompassionate & Kourageous Stomp Out Bullying event.
It is part of a campaign to advocate and educate to help make a difference in the initiative to end bullying and discrimination. SinfulColors has created a limited-edition #IAmMoreThan Charity Nail Polish Set that will be up for auction starting July 14 through July 21st on Charitybuzz.com.
Featuring 10 nail polish sets autographed by Jenner, all proceeds will be donated to Stomp Out Bullying and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Valued at $75 per set, each one includes three polishes made with sapphire flakes: Kompassionate (a vibrant blue shimmer), Kourageous (a champagne shade with a strong blue shimmer) and Konfident (a bold gray with a blue sapphire shimmer) in custom designed packaging. SinfulColors announced its collaboration with the emerging beauty mogul in February hot on the heels of her meteoric launch of her Kylie Lip Kits. SinfulColors is the number-two mass market nail color brand in unit volume.
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Stomp Out Bullying, created in 2005, is the leading national bullying and cyberbullying prevention organization for kids and teens in the U.S. It is recognized as the most influential antibullying organization in America and beyond. The Los Angeles LGBT Center is dedicated to building a world where LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal and complete members of society.
Headline changed, details added (first version posted at 13:31)
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Seba Aghayeva Trend:
Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said he discussed the political cooperation and security with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Baku.
Mammadyarov made the remarks at a joint press conference with the Turkish FM July 15.
He said the sides also discussed the ways to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
I informed my colleague about the talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement, Mammadyarov added. As a leading country in the region and as an OSCE Minsk Group member, Turkey must be aware of the developments in the conflicts settlement.
He stressed that the normalization of the Turkey-Russia relations will certainly have a positive impact on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement.
Cavusoglu, for his part, said Turkey supports the recent efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
We support all the conflict settlement efforts that correspond to Azerbaijans interests, and we hope the efforts will be successful and lead to the final settlement of the conflict, he said.
FM Mammadyarov speaking about the Azerbaijani serviceman, Lieutenant Togrul Mammadov, killed by an Armenian sniper on July 14 night, said the tragedy shows that it is necessary to further intensify the negotiation process.
It is necessary to intensify the conflicts settlement to put an end to such incidents, he stressed. Soldiers must be withdrawn from the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. We are ready to further work in this direction."
In his turn, Cavusoglu stressed the need to avoid instigating actions on the line of contact.
As a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, Turkey will continue to make efforts for the conflicts resolution, said Cavusoglu.
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.
The story of Salazar begins with a tortilla. Or at least I think it begins with a tortilla, because it might also begin with an old auto body shop tricked out into a restaurant, a grill that creaked into being when a gas line couldnt quite be permitted, or a laissez-faire outdoor arrangement of tables, chairs and desert plants that resembles the Texas Mad Max-style trailer-centered joints you find in South Austin more than it does pretty much anything in Los Angeles.
The view, such as it is, is out over the industrial buildings and browning palm trees of Elysian Valley, an area also known as Frogtown for a noisy wave of amphibians that erupted from the neighboring Los Angeles River in 1954. (You will explore quite a bit of Frogtown on the half-mile walk to the restaurant from where you will eventually park your car. Wave hi to the Elysian supper club. I hear its quite good.) There is a gravel lot on the lower level that is usually crowded with people waiting for a table to open up, unless theyre just drinking margaritas in which case: cool.
Some of these people have brought their dogs. The dogs talk to one another while their owners contemplate maybe trying a michelada. Up the hill, inside the kitchen, chef Esdras Ochoa works inside what resembles a smoke-filled aquarium, flipping steaks and chops on a crank-operated Santa Maria-style grill. Behind him, tortillas are being made.
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Food Esdras Ochoa, the taco missionary The origin myth of the taquero is often embedded in a street scene, maybe from a Cormac McCarthy border town, or a home kitchen somewhere in Sonora or Michoacan or East L.A., tortillas made by mothers and grandmothers, meat on a fire.
You may know Ochoa from Mexicali Taco & Co., which he nurtured from the greasy table he manned late nights down on Beaudry Avenue into a well-regarded taqueria near Dodger Stadium. (Mexicali Taco & Co. is a mainstay on The Times 101 Best Restaurants list.) That restaurant is known for its quesadillas and garlicky cheese-stuffed vampiros, and also for its well-made salsas, but mostly for its grilled-meat tacos made with flour tortillas, in the style associated with Mexicali.
Mexicali Taco & Co. brings up its flour tortillas several times a week from Mexicali. If you come from a region where flour tortillas are the standard Texas, Sonora, Arizona a well-made flour tortilla is like oxygen, an element without which life itself is impossible. While the supremacy of corn tortillas is grudgingly acknowledged, there is something of a flour-tortilla renaissance in town at the moment, led by Loqui, Sonoratown, Burritos La Palma and La Azteca, among other places. A friend who grew up eating the tortillas from St. Marys in Tucson is still dismayed by the state of flour tortillas in Los Angeles, but she does make frequent road trips from the Westside out to El Monte for the goods.
At Salazar, Ochoa is experimenting with his own tortillas. In the restaurants first months, sometimes the tortillas have been stretchy and thin in the Sonora style, sometimes thicker and nearly as flaky as croissants. One hot evening they were a little pasty, as if they had been insufficiently hydrated. One evening the flavor was perfect, but the consistency was slightly leathery. The chemistry and mechanics of tortillas is as complicated as that of bread.
Hand-made tortillas cooking in the kitchen at Salazar restaurant. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times )
Ochoas carne asada? Simpler, actually: marinated with soy and lots of garlic, grilled over blazing hot mesquite, chopped and stuffed into a flour tortilla. If youve ordered guacamole, add a dab of that, maybe a drizzle of the grilled tomatillo salsa and youre good smoky meat, a hint of nuttiness from the flour, a subtle jab of chile. The marinated pork al pastor is sweet, slightly charred, with a bit of burnt pineapple; the grilled chicken is full-flavored if a bit dry, like something a favorite uncle may have cooked up in his backyard, if the uncle happened to have grown up in East L.A. The grilled vegetable tacos are served on corn tortillas instead, but hey, why not eggplant, zucchini, peppers.
You can have a taco or two as an appetizer. You can supplement them with a cocktail of cold, wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico arranged around the rim of a martini glass, or a Little Gem Caesar salad blasted with anchovy, or an arrangement of cold, grilled beets. The side dishes are kind of great: gooey potato puree with small, plump sausages floating in it like strawberries in oatmeal; chilled, fire-blackened corn kernels tossed with chiles, cream and herbs; beans cooked with all manner of pig products.
Or you may be inclined to treat Salazar as a steakhouse that leans toward strong flavors; organic, sustainable meat; taco-friendly pre-slicing; and flour tortillas. The pork chop is marinated with chile and pineapple in the manner of al pastor before it hits the grill, but the juiciness and sweet char are a step or two above. (Make sure to snag the meaty bone when nobody else is looking.) The flatiron steak comes out as a luxe version of the carne asada. Ochoas moist but perhaps under-seasoned version of the marinated, grilled fish called pescado zarandeado, perhaps made with trout, wont tempt you to forgo regular visits to Inglewoods ConiSeafood, where that dish is a specialty, but it is good enough for a hot summer night, a sweaty bottle of beer, and the happy murmuring of friends.
You are going to want to try a Paloma cocktail, the Mexico City standard made with grapefruit and tequila, which is keener and more refreshing than other versions in town. The corn flan is sweet yet sharply salted, garnished with a handful of popcorn: delicious. And I cant wait to see what Ochoas tortillas are going to be like in a year.
Salazar
The chef behind Mexicali Taco & Co. opens a Sonora barbecue restaurant in an old mechanics shop.
Location: 2490 Fletcher Drive, Los Angeles, salazarla.com. No phone.
Prices: Tacos $3.75; appetizers $10-$12; grilled meats $21-$42; side dishes $6-$8; desserts $8-$9.
Details: Open Tues.-Thurs., 5 p.m. to midnight; Fri., 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Sun., 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Credit cards accepted. Full bar. Difficult street parking only.
Recommended dishes: Tacos; Gem Caesar; frijoles charro; flan.
The conversation about restaurants in Los Angeles is most often about food, and rightfully so, but the experience of dining in restaurants is also about something else. The lighting, the music, the thrill of being remembered on a return visit this is the domain of the front of house, a brigade made up of hosts, bussers, bartenders, servers and managers. Its called hospitality, and just like the food itself and the expectation of the diners it continues to be reinvented.
In the last five years L.A. has seen the biggest change in restaurants, says Donato Poto, who along with chef Michael Cimarusti co-owns Providence, the elegant, white-tablecloth establishment that maintains the No. 1 spot on Jonathan Golds 101 Best Restaurants list. Three years ago the duo opened a second restaurant, Connie and Teds, their contemporary riff on a West Hollywood seafood shack where instead of tableside salt-roasted prawns you can get a decidedly casual bowl of Wicked Good Chowda.
Connie and Teds laid-back aesthetic exposed wooden beams and plastic tomato-colored chairs belie the rigor behind Potos front-of-house training, a two-week process that includes daily quizzes and shifts at every station. The restaurant is proof of L.A.s evolving notion of hospitality, that casual environs can dish out serious service.
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Ask Angelenos about restaurant hospitality and Potos name invariably comes up. Whether dressed in an Armani suit at Providence (some people spend money on drugs, I spend it on suits) or wrapped in his signature red Hedley & Bennett apron at Connie and Teds, he is the consummate front of house personality. Born on the Amalfi Coast, he has an effortless tableside manner that comes from decades of experience, first at school in his hometown of Salerno, where he studied hospitality, and later at apprenticeships in Europe, including one job that had him deboning game birds blindfolded to prepare him for tableside service. In 1986, when he was 22, he landed in L.A. and found a home at the now-shuttered Primi in Santa Monica, where he credits legendary restaurateur Piero Selvaggio (whose restaurant Valentino celebrates 44 years this December) as his mentor. Stints as the general manager of Water Grill (where he met Cimarusti) and Bastide followed, before he and Cimarusti opened Providence in 2005.
Poto recalls the exact moment, eight years ago, when he saw service in L.A. make a radical shift. It was midnight at Animal, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolos first restaurant on Fairfax Avenue, when Poto and his wife sat down for dinner. The server approached the table, and after a friendly Hey folks took a seat next to Potos wife to explain the menu. I was speechless, he recalls. I didnt know if I should laugh or tell the guy to get up.
Helen Johannesen was less amused when she witnessed a server sit down with the guests on her first shift as general manager at Animal. Coming from Craft restaurant group where she was the maitre d, she immediately ended the practice and began refining service to feel polished yet relaxed, a style shes replicated as director of operations for Shook and Dotolos burgeoning empire: Son of a Gun, Trois Mec, Petit Trois, Trois Familia and Jon & Vinnys.
It was the Wild West, Johannesen, now 33, remembers of the early days. We had to adapt our service to be even better because people walking into Animal feel intrigued, but some people feel uncomfortable. Its pig ears, veal brains, were playing hip-hop, its a little louder. In New York this was happening, but for people in L.A. it was a different experience.
In the three years before Animal opened its doors, Yelp exploded, food blogs flourished and Top Chef debuted on Bravo. By 2008, diners arrived at the table armed with culinary knowledge and ready for an adventure.
I didnt know if Id ever see the day in Los Angeles, says David Rosoff of the new wave of restaurant-goers. People are finally willing to go along for the ride. Substitutions and deletions are going away.
Rosoff, a native Angeleno with three decades of fine-dining experience, credits Animal with liberating L.A. restaurant professionals from the white glove of old-fashioned service. Earlier this year he abandoned ceramic dinnerware in favor of bamboo plates and cardboard boxes when he opened Moruno, a Spanish restaurant and takeout window with locations at the Original Farmers Market and Grand Central Market, two open-air food halls where basic comforts like walls and air conditioning are noticeably absent.
The 49-year-olds resume includes managing restaurants such as Michaels, Opaline (where he was part-owner), Campanile and Mozza (where he ran the dining room for the restaurants first eight years). Talking outside Morunos Grand Central Market location in the midst of a recent triple-digit heat wave, Rosoff motions to the open-air footprint and describes how his own hospitality style has evolved.
Its 102 degrees right now and theres no AC here, Rosoff says. So if someone doesnt understand why the air conditioning isnt on, I can apologize and explain why thats the case, but the way I was raised I would probably apologize profusely, tell them it was my fault, buy them their meal and invite them back for another one.
Like Johannesen at Animal and Poto at Connie and Teds, Rosoff hasnt abandoned tradition, but instead adapted the tools of the trade attention to detail and an emphasis on consistency to suit a customer base that would rather wear a T-shirt than a tie to dinner.
For Maxfield Schnee, a Rosoff protege and general manager of Orsa & Winston, Josef Centenos tasting menu concept in downtown L.A., great service isnt about fancy appointments, but about anticipating the guests needs before they arrive and the ability to adapt to their preferences once they sit down.
Of the nine walnut-topped tables at Orsa & Winston, one might be occupied by a couple decked out in a ball gown and a three-piece suit, while next to them sits a young man in board shorts with sand in his hair. If both the ball gown and the board shorts are black, both will receive black napkins to ensure their laps dont end up spotted with white lint. Fine dining isnt dead in Los Angeles, he says, its just that weve redefined it so many times. We cant help but do things our way, and our way is exciting.
Poto is more cautiously optimistic. The restaurant business has evolved much more in food, creativity and appreciation, he says of Los Angeles. Service is not moving at the same speed as the food.
Poto considered opening a small hospitality school but instead uses Providence and Connie and Teds as his training ground. Headhunters call him three times a week in search of capable managers who have trained under his supervision, but as the restaurant industry has exploded, the number of qualified candidates remains stagnant. Before you had a choice of 10 managers and 10 restaurants, he says. Now you have 10 managers and 50 restaurants.
Over the next two years Los Angeles will see even more restaurants opening, including new concepts from out-of-town chefs accustomed to working with a high level of service in the dining room. James Beard Award-winners like Jessica Largey, formerly of the three-Michelin Manresa in Los Gatos, Dave Beran of Next in Chicago, April Bloomfield of New Yorks Spotted Pig and Charles Phan of San Franciscos Slanted Door all plan to open restaurants in Los Angeles within the next two years, but the question remains whether Los Angeles hospitality industry can supply the front-of-house staff to match the back-of-house prowess.
As for what service will look like in their L.A. restaurants, Schnee is less sure, but its certainly not going to be a 5,000-page, leather-bound tome of wine set down on an over-starched white linen with Rachmaninoffs Third playing in the background.
Schnee views the coming wave of talent as a call to arms for his hospitality colleagues. Were going to have to rise to the occasion, he says, because people like [Largey and Beran] arent going to settle for anything less than the best.
When it came to girls, I was shy.
Its not that I feared that they would beat me up, like the bullies I evaded on the playground in East Los Angeles. I simply feared rejection.
For some mysterious reason that I still dont understand, I felt that if I got rejected, all my friends and complete strangers would find out and make fun of me for eternity. I didnt want to be that kid. Life was difficult enough trying to survive in the projects. It didnt help that Ive been thin all my life. As a teenager, for instance, when most of my friends joined a local gang, my gang application was rejected since I couldnt defend the neighborhood.
Once I arrived at UCLA as a freshman, my entire world changed.
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Being one of the few Chicanos on campus, I became a student activist. I began to break out of my shyness. From advocating for immigrant rights to demanding more racial minorities in higher education, I became passionate and bold. By my sophomore year I was co-chair of the Chicano Education Project (ChEP), through which UCLA students mentored underprivileged students in public high schools about college.
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I will never forget that one organizational meeting when a beautiful Chicana, Antonia, joined us for the first time. She was a first-year student from the Westside and had it all: good looks, smarts and commitment to social change. Later, I found out that our parents had strikingly similar backgrounds. Both of our mothers, for instance, worked as domestic workers and our fathers first arrived in the U.S. from Mexico as agricultural workers under the Bracero Program.
I initially thought that Antonia was out of my league. But with my new sense of confidence thanks to my student activism, I was no longer that math nerd in high school who perpetually found himself in the dreaded friend zone with girls.
I decided I just needed to be strategic in my approach, especially since I could sense that I had competition on campus.
Utilizing my new political skills, I developed a master plan. Before asking out Antonia for a date, I approached my competitors or predators, as I fondly recall them and told them of my intentions. For those who didnt respect my request actually, it was more like a demand I had no option but to undermine them with Antonia.
Once I did away with the competition, I worked up the nerve to ask her out.
Its not like I want to be your boyfriend or anything like that, but do you want to do something off-campus, since my financial aid just arrived? I recall asking her.
Sure, she said.
Looked like my new political skills were working. Well, it was more like stalking, since I coincidentally registered for the same classes as her and accidentally visited her dorm on more than one occasion.
On one such occasion she asked: What are you doing at the dorms?
Im recruiting for ChEP members to visit San Fernando High School, I said, without missing a beat. (It helps when you stay up all night thinking about the different responses to potential questions, just like preparing for a college debate.)
After spending more time together, I decided to take the next step.
Its not like I want to marry you or anything, but do you want to be my girlfriend? I asked.
We kissed in my blue VW Beetle and I said, I think Im in Disneyland.
Im just glad that nobody from my old neighborhood overheard me.
After leaving UCLA, we continued seeing each other.
Eventually, I popped the big question.
Will you marry me? I asked, with confidence.
Yes! she exclaimed.
Many moons later, as our son, Joaquin, will soon be applying for college, I wonder if he will have the same luck.
Huerta is an assistant professor of ethnic and womens studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
L.A. Affairs chronicles the current dating scene in and around Los Angeles. We pay $300 a column. If you have comments or a true story to tell, email us at LAAffairs@latimes.com.
To read this article in Spanish, click here
California lemon growers and their allies are seeking reinforcements in their campaign against proposed imports from Argentina.
Now both sides in this international citrus clash will get more time to rally. This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture extended until Aug. 10 a public comment period that has already revealed deep anxiety within the U.S. lemon industry.
We do not need any more problems with disease and unknown chemicals on imported fruit, said Lyle Neutz, a resident of Tulare County in Californias San Joaquin Valley.
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Neutzs emailed comment was one of 150 the USDA had received through Monday, the original deadline. Many commenters voiced opposition, often using identical language.
We need to know more about Argentinas production practices, pests and disease risks before we let their growers ship to the U.S., said Dan Adams, a citrus grower from the Tulare County community of Visalia.
This proposed rule is the result of more than 10 years of technical negotiations between the U.S. and Argentina. Jose F.F. Carbonell, president of the Argentina Citrus Federation
Argentinas advocates, too, have been planting comments in hopes of swaying USDA officials, who must make a diplomatically and politically charged decision.
This proposed rule is the result of more than 10 years of technical negotiations between the U.S. and Argentina to provide the import authorization with the scientific support that this trade decision needs to be based on, said Jose F.F. Carbonell, president of the Argentina Citrus Federation.
Carbonell noted that Argentine lemons would be shipped during the off-season for U.S. growers, providing the U.S. consumer with a more stable supply year-round. The Argentine lemons would primarily enter the United States between April 1 and Aug. 31, according to the USDA. The marketing season for California lemons runs year-round and the Arizona lemon season runs from September to March, according to the department.
California producers account for about 92% of commercial U.S. lemon production, and Arizona growers about 8%. The U.S. lemon crop was valued at $647 million in the 2013-14 season, the most recent year cited by the USDA.
Under a USDA proposal made public in May, lemons from northwest Argentina would be admitted to the United States if produced and handled in a designated manner. The proposal specifies registration, monitoring, pest control and harvesting requirements, among others.
An average of nearly 20,000 tons of lemons from Argentina probably would enter the United States each year, according to the USDA. U.S. lemon production averaged nearly 548,235 tons annually from 2008 to 2013.
The price decline would be about 2% for U.S. consumers, the USDA estimated.
Not for the first time, Congress has been drawn into the fight.
I have heard from a number of Arizona residents and citrus farmers who have serious concerns about the impact this rule, if enacted, would have, said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
The California growers have likewise been forwarding their concerns to their respective members of Congress.
In 2000, the Bill Clinton administration riled California farmers and the states congressional delegation by lifting an earlier ban on Argentinas citrus. Some growers sued, and the ban was reimposed in 2001.
Argentina officials, in turn, filed a dispute in 2012 with the World Trade Organization. The WTO took no action, but negotiations ensued between the United States and Argentina.
Doyle writes for McClatchy.
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The cellphone video shows a mans life ending violently at the hands of Fresno police officers, who shoot him twice as he lies on the ground.
There are no words exchanged, no why only the brutal end.
The recording, filmed by a bystander from a distance, fueled protests and prompted calls for an FBI investigation.
But Fresno police this week took the unusual step of releasing footage from body cameras worn by officers at the shooting recordings that showed the deadly encounter in clear and graphic detail.
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In doing so, the department broke ranks with other law enforcement agencies that have resisted making similar footage public. The cameras are becoming increasingly popular with police departments at a time of heightened public scrutiny of police use of force, especially against African Americans.
Because these incidents are playing out in the court of public opinion, departments are under pressure to play that game. Derek Hsieh, executive director of Assn. of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.
In the videos from the body cameras worn by the Fresno officers, 19-year-old Dylan Noble ignores repeated commands to show both his hands and to get down on the ground. He walks toward the officers, gripping an object in his right hand that turned out to be a 4-inch plastic container with malleable clay.
Just before the first bullet hits him, Noble says that he hates his life.
As more agencies equip their officers with the cameras, questions about whether the footage should be released are taking center stage in controversial shootings like the one in Fresno. The case highlights the intense pressure police chiefs face to make video evidence public when confronted with fierce criticism.
Because these incidents are playing out in the court of public opinion, departments are under pressure to play that game, said Derek Hsieh, executive director of the Assn. of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs. Theres a real need for agencies to get ahead of misinformation.
Police chiefs have raised a number of concerns about making footage public. Among them are the possibility of jeopardizing investigations, potentially inciting violent protests and violating the privacy of crime victims and others caught on the recordings.
On Thursday, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, whose practice has generally been to not release recordings, said he was open to releasing certain footage at the proper time in the proper framework. There are still privacy concerns, he said. And he wants to ensure that the public release of video wont interfere with criminal or administrative investigations.
I dont want to ever impair that because of a rush to release, he said. But Im not opposed to coming up with a way where we can satisfy more concerns here.
Several police commissioners, including board president Matt Johnson, agreed that the department should revisit the issue as cameras are distributed to thousands of LAPD officers. Withholding the video should be the exception, not the rule, said Robert Saltzman, a longtime police commissioner.
Its in the officers interest and the departments interest as well as the publics interest to have this video made more available, Saltzman said.
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department plans to equip its deputies with cameras but has not purchased them yet or crafted a policy for the release of video footage. However, Sheriff Jim McDonnell is committed to being transparent and will release as many videos as he can, balancing the publics need to know with privacy and other issues, said a spokesman, Cmdr. Eddie Rivero.
After all the legal issues and concerns have been met, our expectation is that we will be putting out videos, Rivero said.
Last December, the department was confronted with questions over why deputies opened fire on a man crawling on the ground in Lynwood an incident captured on cellphone video posted online. The footage showed the man being repeatedly shot.
In response, McDonnell released a video and still photos obtained by the department that showed the man gripping a gun before the shooting. The gun was not visible in the cellphone video.
Max Huntsman, the Sheriffs Departments inspector general, applauded McDonnells decision in the Lynwood case. But he cautioned that the department needs to develop a clear policy without falling into the trap of releasing only those videos that exonerate deputies.
If its a good shooting where theres no question about the person being armed, you see footage of a gun, but every time theres a serious question about was this person armed, and the video doesnt come out, then people are going to scratch their heads and say, Whats going on here? Huntsman said.
Hsieh, the union executive director, said he does not generally oppose the release of body camera videos as long as deputies are notified in advance.
Many California police departments have been looking to state lawmakers for guidance, but battles over what sort of recordings, if any, should be released ended this year in a virtual stalemate as proposals on the issue died in the Legislature. The result is that police departments throughout the state have been left on their own to decide how much access to provide.
That has left law enforcement agencies to improvise.
Oakland police, for example, allowed a group of journalists last year to view recordings from body cameras worn by officers involved in two controversial incidents that resulted in the death of civilians. A robbery suspect was shot by officers in one of the encounters and another man died after a foot chase in the other.
The Oakland Police Department said at the time that showing reporters the footage would correct misleading rumors amid protests over the deaths, but civil rights attorneys criticized police for not making the recordings public. A month later, the department released edited videos from the body cameras to the San Francisco Chronicle and a local TV News station in response to a Public Records Act request.
Earlier this year, Fresno police released recordings of officers shooting a shirtless man in September almost immediately after ordering him to get on the ground. Police said the video shows the man reaching for a black spray nozzle in his shorts pocket that closely resembles a pistol.
Sid Heal, a retired L.A. County sheriffs commander and use-of-force expert, said police agencies should look at each incident to decide whether body camera footage should be released.
In Fresno, Heal said, people were jumping to the wrong conclusions without the video. The recording, he said, showed that there was more to the encounter between police and Dylan Noble.
In some cases, we are one spark away from a forest fire and I am praying that this video doesnt serve as that spark in our community. Chief Jerry Dyer
In releasing the videos, the citys police chief said he hoped the move wouldnt spark violence. He said he had intended to make the videos public last Friday but waited because of the killings on Thursday of five Dallas police officers at a protest against the shootings of black men in Baton Rouge, La., and Minneapolis. Noble was white.
The tensions are high, not only here but in other agencies and cities across America, Chief Jerry Dyer said. In some cases, we are one spark away from a forest fire and I am praying that this video doesnt serve as that spark in our community.
Nobles father, Darren, had pushed for the release of the videos in hopes they would inspire an outside investigation into the shooting, said Warren Paboojian, an attorney for the father. Paboojian said the recordings from the body cameras gave more information that the police did not follow proper protocol and dangerously escalated the situation.
The final two shots, captured by both the cellphone and body camera videos as Noble lay wounded on the ground, were tantamount to a homicide, Paboojian said.
Times Staff Writers Matt Hamilton and Joseph Serna contributed to this report.
kate.mather@latimes.com
cindy.chang@latimes.com
For more law enforcement news, follow us on Twitter: @katemather and @cindychangLA
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Gaspar Marcos stepped off the 720 bus into early-morning darkness in MacArthur Park after the end of an eight-hour shift of scrubbing dishes in a Westwood restaurant.
He walked toward his apartment, past laundromats fortified with iron bars and scrawled with graffiti, shuttered stores that sold knockoffs and a cook staffing a taco cart in eerie desolation. Around 3 a.m., he collapsed into a twin bed in a room he rents from a family.
Five hours later, he slid into his desk at Belmont High School, just before the bell rang. The 18-year-old sophomore rubbed his eyes and fixed his gaze on an algebra equation.
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Minutes ticked by, and others straggled into the class, nine in all. Like Marcos, most had worked a full shift the night before sewing clothes, cooking in restaurants, painting homes.
Most were immigrants from Central America, part of several waves of more than 100,000 who arrived as children in the U.S. in the past five years without parents, often after perilous journeys.
Gaspar Marcos is an unaccompanied minor in Los Angeles. This is his story.
Many ended up in classrooms throughout the country. In Los Angeles Belmont High, nearly 1 in 4 of the schools estimated 1,000 students came from Central America many of them as unaccompanied minors.
They crossed the border to reunite with mothers and fathers or to find refuge from unprecedented gang violence at home. Some dare to dream they will find success in America, not just the means to survive.
Belmont Principal Kristen McGregor said it has forced the school to reimagine its role in its students lives.
Our students, a lot of them have to work. A lot of them have to send money home or pay for rent, she said. This is going to take a rethinking of education in general. Sure, they get into school, but whats next? How do we support them?
She first noticed a surge of students from Central America in the spring 2013. Some of the Guatemalan students spoke only indigenous languages, such as Quiche and Mam. She bought a Quiche dictionary. For the hungriest, McGregor turned a bookcase into a food pantry stuffed with canned peas, Sloppy Joe sauce and dried fruit.
When some students ended up homeless, she found places for them to stay.
They come here to have a better life, but thats not always the case, McGregor said.
::
Marcos grew up in an indigenous village in Huehuetenango, a poor community where most residents speak Chuj. When he was 5, his mother and father fell ill. There was no doctor in town, and they died.
Orphaned, Marcos was taken in by a neighbor. She kicked him out when he was 12.
Belmont High student Gaspar Marcos rushes to get ready for work at his Westlake apartment. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Youre a man now, she said. You have to find your own way.
Marcos shined shoes to scrape together a living. He earned enough money to put himself through the better private school in his village, where he learned to read and write in Spanish. A year later, work dried up, and the teenager set his gaze north. He called up a half-brother who lived in L.A.
Marcos had never even been to Guatemala City. He wore a T-shirt and pants for the long trip. He forgot to take a backpack.
Like most children who make the journey to the U.S. without a parent or guardian, a smuggler often referred to as a coyote is paid to guide them along the trip.
Marcos spent three days lost and without water in the Sonoran Desert. He didnt eat for a week. At one point, he fainted. The smuggler abandoned him after he fell behind.
He made it to Falfurrias, Texas, where Marcos said he was kidnapped by two men who wanted him to pay $3,000 to let him go.
They spoke only English, and Marcos spoke some Spanish. They used a translation app on a cellphone, he said. Marcos said he was able to negotiate the price down to $1,000. His relative wired the money and bought him a bus ticket to Los Angeles. But immigration officials caught him in Arizona.
He was 13 at the time, so they gave him a notice to appear in immigration court, before releasing him to a half-brother hed never met. A few months later, the brothers had a falling out, and Marcos struck out on his own.
He got a job paying about $5 an hour to sew clothes in a factory in downtown L.A.
Later, hed land a job at a restaurant making $10.50 an hour and hed pay $600 a month in rent as well as a few hundred dollars in groceries. Every month, he peeled off $300 to pay off the $10,000 smuggling debt that brought him to the U.S.
What can I do? he said in Spanish. Its just the life I was given to lead.
::
His formal learning cut short in Guatemala, Marcos knew that education was the most important thing.
If you dont have education, nobody will respect you, he said. If you dont educate yourself, you dont have employment. I want to be a good person and have an education have a good, stable job. I want to have a home, the sort of home I never had.
McGregor said some of the immigrant children who came to L.A. showed up at Belmont in the Westlake neighborhood almost immediately. Others enrolled a few years later, having first gone to work.
Because of this, many students, like Marcos, are older than other students at their grade level.
They start here in the ninth grade, regardless of how old they are, McGregor said. Some finish at 19 or 20 years old.
Many of these children have ended up at Belmont High because it had a reputation for welcoming them.
At Belmont, teachers contend with the trauma many of these children suffered in their countries of origin or along the treacherous journey north. Some of the students struggle against resentment and abandonment issues while getting to know a mother, father or family member who left them behind. Some run away.
Some of algebra teacher Marvin Centenos students studied until only the third or fourth grade in their home country.
At the same time they are trying to learn and working, many of the students also have to navigate a complex immigration system that will decide whether they get to stay in the U.S., said Federico Bustamante, who manages a transitional shelter for unaccompanied migrant children called Casa Libre.
Bustamante helped Marcos retain a pro-bono attorney through Kids in Need of Defense, an advocacy organization that works to find representation for these children in immigration court.
Marcos was allowed to stay at Casa Libre until he turned 18. A condition of staying there was attending Belmont High, something Marcos thought he couldnt do because he wasnt in the country legally. At school, he declined to take food from the makeshift pantry, believing other students needed it more. But he devours any advice from McGregor about improving his English.
Marcos has at least one advantage over some immigrant students: He was able to receive a special immigrant juvenile visa, usually given to children who were found to have been abused, neglected or abandoned by one or both parents. That makes him eligible for legal residency, for which hes in the process of applying.
But he still struggles with balancing school and work. Many of the immigrant students attend school every day, McGregor said. But for some, work and other complications become an obstacle to education.
Worried about earning enough money, Marcos rarely turns down extra work shifts. Sometimes he oversleeps and misses morning classes. Other days, he doesnt show up at all. As and Bs started sinking into Cs. McGregor often turns to pleading with students like him to show up.
If you have to pay off a coyote who brought you up here, at what point does school play a role? she said.
During his second-period biology class, Marcos thumbed through two textbooks one in English, one in Spanish with a laptop within reach.
What are some of the plants that live in this biome? he read out loud to himself, pulling on the top of his hair as he searched for the answer.
When a student sitting next to him asked Marcos a question in Chuj, he answered in Spanish, thinking it disrespectful to leave other classmates out of the conversation.
The last week of school, Marcos was in and out. McGregor pulled him aside and again urged him to come to school. On the very last day, his desk sat empty during first-period algebra, and then again during his biology class.
When third-period history started, he slid into his desk.
cindy.carcamo@latimes.com
Twitter: @thecindycarcamo
Para leer esta historia en ingles haga clic aqui
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A woman charged with felony animal torture is set to stand trial later this month.
The Sacramento Bee reports Friday that 23-year-old Kayla Wright will go on trial on July 28 in Sacramento Superior Court.
Authorities claim Wright was responsible for wrapping a speaker cord around a dogs neck, killing it and leaving it in a trash bin in a Carmichael, Calif., neighborhood.
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A second dog was found alive with its neck strung with cord and painters tape around its jaws.
Authorities say a third dog was found cowering under a parked car after the owner reported the dogs missing.
Wright also faces dog theft charges in two December 2014 incidents in a Sacramento suburb.
Sheriffs officials said images from neighborhood surveillance cameras linked her to the animal thefts.
Rabbi Dov Wagner walked into work at the Rohr Chabad Jewish Center at USC and immediately realized he was dealing with a burglary.
Early Wednesday morning, someone found their way inside the center and stole $8,000 to $10,000 worth of equipment and religious artifacts, according to police and center officials.
The items taken included a computer, video projectors and three pairs of tefillin sets of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah.
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Wagner, the director of the Chabad center, said workers at the center reported tools missing, while Wagner discovered that a desktop computer in the office was missing as well. When he checked the security camera for answers, he got one.
There was a man who entered the property around midnight and spent some time in the house, Wagner said. He leaves a little before 2 a.m. and then comes back about 4:50 a.m. and loads everything hes collected from the house into his car. He picks up everything and leaves in around 20 minutes.
The suspect also took all the keys in the house, which prompted Wagner, 40, to change all the locks, including the ones leading to the laundry room.
The guy went through the house completely, Wagner said. He was very organized. He had everything waiting in the back door in laundry baskets and a garbage can full of things.
The Chabad center is a popular place for USC students to spend time at, Wagner said. The center is visited by about 200 students every week.
Wagner said he didnt recognize the suspect in the security footage and he hasnt been able to determine how the thief broke in.
A GoFundMe page was created by USC alumni and students to replace the items stolen. More than $900 has been raised so far.
The silver lining has been to see the support, Wagner said. Were trying to provide a safe place for students to come. Right now, were feeling the violation. Were hopeful well be able to come back stronger than ever.
The Los Angeles Police Departments Southwest Station is investigating the burglary. Anyone with information about the incident can call Detective Potter at (213) 485-2582.
alexia.fernandez@latimes.com
Twitter: @alexiafedz
A former Compton school board member who committed an unwanted sex act on a sleeping man in a San Diego hotel room was sentenced Thursday to six years in prison.
Skyy DeAnthony Fisher, 33, was convicted of the crime in late January.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Runston Maino rejected Fishers motion for a new trial and sentenced him to the middle term available under state law.
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I cant grant probation in this type of case, Maino said, after hearing arguments from the attorneys. I think the victim was [particularly] vulnerable. He was sleeping. He had been drinking.
The emotional injury on this victim, I think, has been profound, the judge added.
According to testimony, Fisher and the victim had known each other about a year before they made the trip in 2014 from Los Angeles County to San Diego. Fisher was described as a mentor to the younger man, who was a college student at the time.
In San Diego, they went to bars with friends in the Gaslamp Quarter before returning to a hotel early the morning of April 5, 2014. The two men shared a room at the Keating Hotel on F Street, but had separate beds.
The victim testified that he woke up in bed about 7:30 a.m. and found Fisher performing oral sex on him. Before the man could say anything, Fisher jumped back onto the other bed and pretended to be asleep.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Lisa Fox argued that prison was appropriate, given the effect Fishers actions had on a young man who had trusted him.
Deputy Public Defender Luis Guerrero argued that sending Fisher to prison would accomplish little. The attorney stated that Fisher had already lost his political career and had been in jail since Jan. 28.
Upon his release, Fisher will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com
Littlefield writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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Nearly 100 firefighters battled a large commercial fire Thursday night in El Sereno, authorities said.
The fire was reported about 6:15 p.m. in a one-story building in the 5000 block of Alhambra Avenue, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott said.
The 5,000-square-foot building was well-involved in flames and firefighters took a defensive approach to controlling the blaze, Scott said.
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Footage of the fire broadcast by KTLA-TV Channel 5 showed flames ripping through the roof of the building and a plume of gray smoke rising into the air.
Firefighters managed to knock down the fire by 7:30 p.m.
The cause and the extent of the property damage were under investigation. No injuries were reported.
For more news in California, follow @MattHjourno.
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UPDATES:
7:57 p.m.: This article was updated with details on firefighters knocking down the blaze.
This article was originally published at 7:17 p.m.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
The OSCE Minsk Groups co-chairs will try to organize the next meeting of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan as soon as possible, James Warlick, US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, told RIA Novosti July 15.
A trilateral meeting of President Aliyev, President Sargsyan and Russian President Vladimir Putin was held in St. Petersburg, June 20.
Following the meeting, the sides issued a joint statement. In the statement, the sides stressed the achievement of mutual understanding on a number of issues, resolving which will create the conditions for a progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement.
Although the date of the next meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents has not been set, the US, Russia and France, as co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, will try to organize the presidents next meeting as soon as possible, said Warlick.
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.
A day after Fresno police released video footage of officers shooting and killing an unarmed 19-year-old, the mans father filed a legal claim saying the department has a culture of using grossly disproportionate force against residents.
In a new claim filed against the city on Thursday, Dylan Nobles father alleged that the Fresno Police Department acted with reckless or callous disregard for his sons rights. Darren Noble claims the city and Fresno Police Department have maliciously and with deliberate indifference, taken no effective steps to terminate the policies that led to his sons fatal shooting.
Because actions have not been taken, he said, there is a culture and belief in the department that it is acceptable to use deadly force against unarmed people and that no disciplinary actions will be taken.
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The actions of the officers who killed Dylan Noble were taken contrary to the written policies and practices of the city of Fresno and the Fresno Police Department, the claim said. Those actions were consistent with the Fresno Police Departments culture of deliberate indifference to the use of excessive and often deadly force in encounters with civilians, when it is a grossly disproportionate response to a situation, and even when no reasonable basis exists for any use of force whatsoever, as in this case.
The fathers attorney Warren Paboojian said the claim is the first step before moving forward with a wrongful death suit in Fresno County Superior Court and seeking justice for Dylan and his father. Dylan Nobles mother, Veronica Nelson, also filed a similar claim this week.
The city of Fresno will now have to either accept or reject this claim, he said.
The fathers claim comes after Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer on Wednesday publicly released the body-camera footage of officers fatally shooting Noble, 19, last month. Dyer said he released the videos because of intense public interest in the fatal shooting, which sparked outrage and protests throughout the city. He hoped the videos would clarify what happened.
The graphic videos show officers firing four gunshots into Noble, a white man, on June 25 during a traffic stop.
Officers had been responding to a report of a man armed with a rifle, when they spotted Nobles black pickup and began pursuing the truck with police sirens blaring.
The video shows Noble leading police to a Chevron gas station, where he stopped his truck, with officers parked a few yards behind him. An officer is seen brandishing his gun on the steering wheel shortly before driving into the gas station. Dyer said the officer believed the pickup driver was armed.
An officer is heard yelling: Turn off the truck. Get your hands out the window. Both hands out the window. Later, an officer screams: Let me see both your hands. Get both your hands out.
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Noble exited the truck and approached, then retreated from the officers.
Police called for backup, and officers gave about 30 commands for Noble to show his hands, lift his hands or lie on the ground, Dyer said.
The video shows Noble ignoring officers orders and turning around to face them. He reached his right hand behind his back and appeared to carry an object determined to be a 4-inch plastic container with malleable clay. The plastic container was in his right hand, leading officers to believe it could be a weapon, Dyer said.
Noble is heard saying that he hates his life.
One officer shoots him twice. Noble falls to the ground, rolls over and is seen moving his hand into his waistband and under his shirt. The officer fires a third round at Noble, and after about 12 seconds, another officer fires the fourth bullet into the man.
Noble was taken to an area hospital and died during surgery.
Dyer has acknowledged that the final two gunshots may generate questions and criticism, but declined to offer an opinion on whether the shooting and officers actions fell in line with department policy.
He said he was waiting for the conclusion of an internal investigation as well as one by the Fresno County district attorneys office, which is expected to concluded by late August.
The FBI and the U.S. attorney generals office also have agreed to investigate the shooting.
Times staff writers Richard Winton and Matt Hamilton contributed to this article.
veronica.rocha@latimes.com
For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.
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The president of the civilian body that oversees the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday that he wants to reconsider the departments policy against publicly releasing police videos, such as those created by body cameras worn by LAPD officers.
Matt Johnson said that the citys Police Commission plans to review how other departments around the country are handling the thorny issue of what footage to release and when. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has previously said that in general he didnt plan to release the recordings unless required in court.
Our video release policy was never written in stone and I believe now is a good time to revisit it, Johnson said in a statement to The Times.
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He said any change in policy needed to avoid interfering with reviews by the district attorneys office of police shootings and other controversial incidents and to comply with state laws.
Video, while an important piece of evidence, does not tell the entire story, Johnson said. I want to make sure that when video is released it is done within a framework of releasing other evidence that helps complete the picture.
At least one other member of the five-person commission supported revisiting the rules, and a third said he wanted to hear whether Beck has reconsidered his views.
Beck said that hes spoken with police commissioners, the mayor and district attorney about how to handle body-camera footage from shootings involving officers or other high-profile incidents. Theyre keeping an eye on San Diego, where officials are considering a plan to publicly release recordings.
Were having that discussion, Beck said.
Beck said he would be open to releasing certain footage at the proper time in the proper framework. There are still privacy concerns, he said. And he doesnt want the public release of video to interfere with criminal or administrative investigations.
I dont want to ever impair that because of a rush to release, he said. But Im not opposed to coming up with a way where we can satisfy more concerns here.
Carl Marziali, a spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti, said the LAPDs policy for video footage has been evolving as the department rolls out new technology, including the body cameras.
Mayor Garcetti has always been open to changes in the policy, with the understanding that we must preserve the integrity of the disciplinary and criminal justice processes, and the fundamental rights to privacy and due process that everyone deserves, in or out of uniform, Marziali said.
The LAPD is rolling out thousands of body cameras across the department, setting it up to be the largest police agency in the country to use the devices on a widespread scale. The department is also wrapping up its installation of cameras in patrol cars.
The divisive issue over how to handle such recordings surfaced again this week when Fresno police released body-camera footage after officers fatally shot an unarmed 19-year-old man last month a killing that generated fierce protests amid a roiling national debate over policing.
Chief Jerry Dyer said at a news conference Wednesday that he decided to release the graphic videos of officers firing four gunshots into Dylan Noble, who was white, because of the intense public interest in the shooting.
In Los Angeles, protesters this week have demonstrated over the killing of a black woman in South L.A. last year, who police say was shot by police when she approached officers armed with a knife. The Police Commission ruled Tuesday that the officer who shot Redel Jones, 30, did not violate the LAPDs rules on using deadly force.
Officers at the scene were not wearing body cameras, as the devices had not yet been distributed to their division.
Last year, the L.A. Police Commission approved a department policy that warns LAPD officers that the recordings are confidential but does not prohibit the LAPD from officially releasing them.
In an interview last year, Beck said the cameras still would bring transparency, even if the public lacked access to all footage. He noted the LAPDs civilian overseers the Police Commission and inspector general, along with the district and city attorneys offices would have the authority to review the recordings.
I think people misunderstand transparency as having everybody and all the public have access to everything. And it isnt so much that as having the ability for oversight by multiple entities outside of the Police Department, Beck said at the time. I think thats the meaning of transparency. I dont think that transparency means we post every interaction on YouTube.
The chief said he felt there was a moral prohibition as well.
People invite us into their homes on their worst possible day, and I dont think they invite us with the intention of having that interaction made public, he said. Families call us when theyre in crisis. Victims call us when theyve had horrific things done to them by evil people. And to make those things public re-victimizes them, doesnt serve justice. And I dont think its the right thing to do.
The American Civil Liberties Union has sharply criticized Becks position and the policy the commission adopted, which allows officers, but not the public, to view recordings. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice last year, the civil liberties group said the rules undermine the goals of transparency, accountability and creation of public trust that body-worn cameras should serve.
Robert Saltzman, a longtime L.A. police commissioner who expressed concerns about the LAPD policy when it was crafted, said Thursday that he agreed it was time to revisit the issue. A blanket refusal to release video undermines the attempts to build public trust in policing by having the body cameras, he said.
I continue to think that its very important that we have a much more liberal policy regarding releasing the video, he said. Not releasing the video should be the exception, not the rule.
Having the footage from body cameras has been helpful during the Police Commissions closed-door reviews of police shootings and other serious uses of force, Saltzman said. Watching video is different than reading an interview or reports from an incident, he said. The recordings often confirm the accuracy of department reports but sometimes raise questions, he said. The footage also shows how quickly something can unfold when police respond to a call.
Its in the officers interest and the departments interest as well as the publics interest to have this video made more available, he said.
Releasing more video could also signal to the public that the Police Commission and department are responding to all of the public attention thats being focused on the interactions between the police and the public, Saltzman said.
There are some things we can do and some things we cannot do, he said. This is something we can do and that can make a difference in how the department is perceived by the public. I think thats important.
Steve Soboroff, another police commissioner and longtime advocate for body cameras, noted that when the LAPDs policy was crafted last year, the chief said there may be circumstances in which he would consider releasing camera footage. Now that the LAPD along with other agencies have more experience with the cameras, Soboroff said he was interested in hearing the chiefs definition of what those circumstances may be.
We set that policy in pencil, not in marble, he said. I think that is something that can be discussed. What are the circumstances under which release is appropriate, and is it broader now that weve had a year to see how its working? Or is it the same?
Soboroff stressed the need to protect the constitutional, legal and civil rights of both officers and the people being recorded by the cameras, as well as evidence that may be used in criminal cases. If video is released more broadly, he said, it should be done using consistent guidelines.
The video should not be used to make a point, he said. That doesnt buy any credibility.
kate.mather@latimes.com
For more LAPD news, follow me on Twitter: @katemather
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Los Angeles moved one crucial step closer Thursday to tightening city rules meant to stop mansionization the phenomenon of big, boxy homes popping up on not-so-big lots.
Local politicians first sought to tackle mansionization years ago, passing city rules to curb the size of new and renovated homes based on the size of the lots they were built on.
Neighborhood activists soon complained the rules were riddled with loopholes that afforded builders additional square footage and allowed them to continue erecting hefty homes on modest lots. Critics also lamented that some parts of homes such as attached garages and covered porches -- did not count toward the size limit.
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After an impassioned hearing Thursday at City Hall, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted to support proposed changes that would eliminate some of those loopholes. The planned alterations still must be reviewed by a City Council committee and approved by the council before they can become law.
Many of the proposed changes were welcomed by local residents worried about mansionization: The new rules would no longer allow a 20% bonus in square footage for using ecologically friendly building methods. They would also reduce the square footage that would generally be allowed for homes in residential areas, changing it from 50% to 45% of the lot size. And porches and patios that are covered would count toward the legal limit on building size, rather than being exempt.
However, the recommended changes fall short of what the Los Angeles Conservancy and many neighborhood groups had sought. For instance, the city would continue to exempt hundreds of square feet of attached garages when it calculates how much someone can build.
Residents such as Shelley Wagers, a board member with the Beverly Wilshire Homes Assn., argued that attached garages represented a tremendous amount of bulk that should be counted toward the city limitations to prevent massive homes from looming over neighbors.
It gets so you just want to crawl in a hole and die rather than take a walk in your own neighborhood, Studio City resident Barry Johnson told the commissioners, urging them to stop exempting attached garages.
The commission, whose members are appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, ultimately decided to exempt up to 200 square feet of garage space attached to the front of the home half of what is now exempt and retain the existing exemption for up to 400 square feet of garage space for detached garages and garages attached in the rear of a home.
Some residents had also warned that the proposed changes would not do enough to restrict out-of-scale development in the hillsides. Adrian Scott Fine, advocacy director for the Los Angeles Conservancy, said the Planning Commission recommendations were not perfect, but a middle ground.
Existing rules to curb mansionization have a lot of loopholes and shortcomings, Fine said. This makes a lot of difference.
The local chapter of the Building Industry Assn. of Southern California argued that the proposed rules were so restrictive that they would unfairly pinch property values and crimp construction of homes that could accommodate bigger and multi-generational families.
Some L.A. homeowners complained that they or their families would be penalized by the new rules and argued that the restrictions had not been prominently publicized to local residents. Steve Mayer, a father of three who lives in Rancho Park, said that his home would be limited to 2,600 square feet, even though 4,000-square-foot mansions abounded around him.
They got their mansions, Mayer said in an interview shortly after he testified at City Hall. At least give me a chance to expand adequately.
The planned changes have been years in the making: City Councilman Paul Koretz first proposed that the city tighten its rules more than two years ago. As a stopgap measure, L.A. has already imposed temporary restrictions on the scale of new construction in nearly a score of neighborhoods where residents had complained about mansionization.
emily.alpert@latimes.com
Follow me on Twitter at @LATimesEmily
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The federal government sued a Riverside County homeowner, alleging that his negligent maintenance led to a 27,500-acre wildfire in 2013 that destroyed more than 20 buildings and forced thousands of residents to evacuate.
In a lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court, prosecutors from the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles contend that an electrical box on Tarek M. Al-Shawafs 20-acre property shot sparks, igniting what was dubbed the Mountain fire.
But an attorney representing Al-Shawaf has disputed the governments claims and said his client was not responsible for starting the inferno.
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The blaze broke out on July 15, 2013, near Idyllwild and charred through a large swath of rugged mountains southwest of Palm Springs. More than 3,000 firefighters battled the flames, which forced more than 5,000 residents to evacuate.
Charred landscape along Apple Canyon Road in Mountain Center (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times )
The suit names Al-Shawaf and two caretakers, James and Donna Nowlin, whom he hired to maintain the property. Al-Shawaf is the founder and president of Saudconsult, one of the oldest engineering and architectural firms in Saudi Arabia, the Desert Sun reported.
According to the complaint, a plastic electrical box on Al-Shawafs property stored wires but its lid was not properly secured. When the box had an electrical discharge, it sent sparks onto dry vegetation, the suit states.
Once the fire began, it took about 16 days for it to be contained.
NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj
Al-Shawaf, as the owner of the estate known as Gibraltar West, and his caretakers had a duty to properly inspect and maintain their electrical equipment to ensure that they were safe, properly secured and clear from dangerous conditions, according to the lawsuit.
U.S. Atty. Eileen M. Decker faulted the homeowner and caretakers for endangering the lives of residents and the scores of firefighters who were deployed to the blaze.
Property owners and their agents have a responsibility to ensure that property under their control is maintained in a safe fashion, Decker said in a statement.
A burned structure at a church camp on top of Apple Canyon Road in Mountain Center. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times )
But James R. Lance, an attorney representing Al-Shawaf and the two caretakers, disputed that his clients played a role in starting the fire. He noted that the lawsuit filed Thursday was nearly identical to lawsuits filed last year in Riverside Superior Court by homeowners and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Our investigation indicates the fire did not start as alleged in the lawsuit filed today by the federal government, Lance said in an email.
Our clients are not responsible for starting the fire or the damages caused by the fire.
The federal lawsuit was filed in the Central District of California on the eve of the third anniversary of the fire and seeks nearly $25 million from Al-Shawaf and the caretakers.
The firefight cost the U.S. Forest Service more than $15 million, and the flames caused about $9 million in damage to the environment. The emergency rehabilitation cost an additional $300,000, according to court papers.
The suit was filed after Al-Shawaf and the caretakers failed to cover the costs demanded by the Forest Service, prosecutors wrote.
For more news in California, follow @MattHjourno.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and the Los Angeles Police Department are urging residents to remain vigilant of suspicious behavior following a deadly terror attack in France, but say neither agency has received specific or credible threats locally.
A truck attack on crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, on Thursday left 84 people dead and 202 wounded. The carnage prompted local law enforcement agencies to issue public statements of condolence as well as public advisories.
See the most-read stories this hour >>
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Theres no known threat that were aware of, LAPD Sgt. Aloaf Walker said Friday. But, if residents do see something suspicious, they should immediately call the police and report.
In a statement released after the attack, the LAPD said that we encourage our residents and visitors to be vigilant; always aware of your surroundings.
The statement said that people should report anything suspicious to iWatchLA, a free terrorism reporting App available for download on Google and also available on Android and IOS.
The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department released a similar press release, saying the department was in a heightened state of situational awareness.
We stand united with our French residents, locally and globally, the statement said. We at the LA County Sheriffs Department send compassion and prayers to those families who lost loved ones today.
The department statement said that if people wanted to stay anonymous while reporting suspicious activity, they can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS; or text the letters TIPLA, plus the tip information, to CRIMES (274637); or by using the lacrimestoppers.org website.
alexia.fernandez@latimes.com
Twitter: @alexiafedz
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Police have made an arrest in a shooting last week at a San Bernardino liquor store that left three people dead, including a 9-year-old boy and his father, authorities announced Friday.
At a morning press conference, San Bernardino Police Chief Jared Burguan said Trayvon Brown, 26, had been arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder in connection with the slaying of 9-year-old Travon Williams; his father, Travon Lamar Williams, 26; and Samathy Mahan, 25.
San Bernardino police said the three were exiting the Superior Liquor & Grocery on Del Rosa Avenue about 9:15 p.m. on July 8, when a man armed with a handgun approached them from behind and shot all three.
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It was 30 seconds to kill three people, store manager Saifaldin Baji told The Times after the shooting.
The motive for the shooting is not yet known, but Mahan was a known gang member and was believed to be the intended target, police Sgt. Vicki Cervantes said. It was unclear what Mahans relationship may have been to the boy and his father, she said.
The childs mother, Ebony Newman, 27, came upon the scene at the liquor store as she and her husband Travons stepfather and Travons two younger sisters were out walking.
She did not realize that her son was one of the victims at first, when someone told her that the dead boy, whose face was covered, was 11 years old.
I pulled up to the scene, thinking its another situation in San Bernardino, and its my baby, she said, crying uncontrollably. What mom in her mind would think, thats my baby? This is not right. This is not right.
The boys grandfather, Steven Newman, 52, said the family all lived in the neighborhood. He said the childs father, the older Williams, was not gang affiliated, and he was unsure how Williams knew Mahan.
Travons dad was no gang banger, he said. He was a dancer and a rapper.
Baji, the manager of the liquor store, said the three victims lived in the apartments behind the store and were regular customers.
See the most-read stories this hour >>
I would see them every day, five, six times, he said. Theyre really cool, humble people laughing, having fun, everything nice.
Brown is being held on $1.5 million bail and is due in court Monday, San Bernardino County jail records show.
The three deaths along with the death of another man in another part of town earlier the same evening raised the grim tally of homicides in San Bernardino this year to 37, putting a city still recovering from a mass shooting in December, well on track for its most violent year since the 1990s.
The recent shootings have inspired community members to organize and rally against violence and to call for change, but other than a lull during several weeks in late spring and early summer, it continues.
In March, another child, 12-year-old Jason Spears, was shot and killed in front of another convenience store like Travon, just blocks from his home.
Staff writers Paloma Esquivel and Abby Sewell contributed to this report.
For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.
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A man suspected of killing three homeless men and critically injuring two others in a series of brutal early-morning attacks across San Diego was arrested Friday, an hour after the fifth victim was found.
The latest victim, a 55-year-old man who was sleeping near an Interstate 5 overpass at C Street, is expected to survive, police said.
In custody is Jon David Guerrero, 39, Capt. David Nisleit said at an afternoon news conference. Guerrero faces three counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of arson.
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Court records show a history of arrests and mental competency hearings, including one judges order that sent Guerrero to Patton State Hospital for psychiatric treatment.
Both Nisleit and police Chief Shelly Zimmerman said they are confident Guerrero is the serial killer police have been looking for.
I firmly believe, and want everyone to know, I am firmly confident Guerrero is the suspect, Zimmerman said.
There is no doubt in my mind, Nisleit said earlier in the day.
Nisleit, who has headed the investigation since the first victim was slain, then set on fire July 3, said detectives found physical evidence at the scene of the Friday attack and in a search of Guerreros downtown San Diego residence that definitively links Guerrero to the killings.
We have the right person in jail, he said.
Police had arrested another man, Anthony Padgett, last week, noting he had a 2010 conviction for setting a homeless man on fire. He also resembled a man caught on a Bay Park convenience-store surveillance video near one of the current series of attacks. Padgett was released from jail Monday with investigators saying they had evidence that excluded him as a suspect.
Nisleit said officers scouring neighborhoods around the latest attack found Guerrero three to four miles away. He strongly resembles a person from the surveillance video and a police sketch, authorities said.
This is just good police work ... having a lot of officers available in a quick minute [to] flood an area, looking at all possible avenues of escape, Nisleit said.
About 4:30 a.m. Friday, two Harbor Police officers headed toward their station heard a man screaming, Nisleit said. They found a homeless man at 19th and C streets, bleeding from a severe chest wound.
The victim, all he can tell us is that he was asleep and was awakened when he was attacked, Nisleit said.
Investigators quickly determined that the attack fit the pattern, in which men sleeping alone suffered major upper body wounds. Police have not disclosed what type of weapon has been used, and Nisleit did not say whether a weapon was found near the latest victim. Two of the five victims were set on fire after being wounded.
Guerrero was spotted riding a bicycle, wearing a gray hoodie and shorts and carrying a backpack. An officer recognized him as a possible suspect from photos. Guerrero was wearing a green, Greek fisherman-style hat backward, the same kind as the man in the surveillance footage. A hammer was found in the backpack, authorities said.
Nisleit said Guerrero grew up in Coronado, but he didnt know if the suspect had ever been homeless or knew the victims.
Michael McConnell, an advocacy worker for the homeless, said he was having breakfast when he heard about the latest attack.
Its going to be a huge relief for the homeless, McConnell added. Law enforcement certainly werent going to stop until they got him. This is certainly particularly heinous. What would drive a person to do this?
Guerrero has an extensive criminal record in San Diego, according to public records, as well as mental health cases filed in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
He was arrested in 2007 and pleaded guilty the next year to charges of burglary, grand theft, and possession of marijuana and narcotics paraphernalia. His mother, Kathleen Guerrero, wrote a number of letters to the court on her sons behalf, seeking psychiatric treatment for him in jail.
In one letter she pointed to Davids lack of hearing and speaking ability. In the past a symptom of his illness has been to insert foreign objects into his body orifices and I am concerned that this may be the case again.
He was arrested again in 2009 and pleaded guilty to robbery for repeatedly knocking down a homeless woman and stealing her bicycle. Again placed on probation, he violated the conditions and was ruled not mentally competent. He spent time at Patton State Hospital.
His attorney, arguing for a lesser sentence, wrote that Guerrero begins to hear good and bad voices when his medication wears off, but that on the appropriate medication he can lead a normal, productive and crime-free life.
In earlier cases, from 1999 to 2001, he was convicted of burglary, grand theft and possession of stolen goods
The first attack in the series occurred about 8 a.m. July 3 in Bay Park, where the body of Angelo De Nardo was found off Morena Boulevard, near railroad tracks. He had been killed, then set on fire. Video of the man believed to be the killer was caught at a nearby gas station convenience store, and the clerk who sold the man a gas can assisted police in creating a sketch of the suspect, which was widely circulated.
On July 4, about 4:50 a.m., Manuel Nunez Mason, 61, was critically injured in the Midway District. Less than two hours later, Shawn Mitchell Longley, 41, was found dead in Ocean Beach.
Then, about 5 a.m. on July 6, witnesses heard loud pounding noises and saw a man in a gray hoodie set another man on fire in a grassy spot along a walkway between condominium complexes in downtown San Diego. Investigators said a towel was ignited on top of the critically wounded man, Dionicio Derek Vahidy, 23. A witness grabbed the towel before the victim was burned. Vahidy later died of his injuries.
City Councilman Todd Gloria issued a statement saying, With todays arrest, I am hopeful that these senseless and cowardly attacks on some of our citys most vulnerable neighbors will now come to a definitive end.
No community should ever be serially terrorized or forced to live in fear, and I have the utmost confidence that our police department will continue to ensure that all residents and all communities remain safe and that the district attorneys office will prosecute to the fullest extent.
McConnell, the advocacy worker for the homeless, said he is in touch with other advocates around the country and finds that violence against the homeless is generally on the rise.
How much of it is driven by the negative perception we have toward these people? McConnell asked. How do you gauge that?
He said he believes the homeless are reporting violence more often now in San Diego because of the severity of the assaults. They dont often bother reporting less-vicious attacks such as being kicked or having objects thrown at them, he said.
It will be satisfying to see that someone doing this is off the streets, McConnell added. But it wont surprise me if we see more.
pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com
Repard writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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UPDATES:
8:30 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with more details, comments from officials.
This article was originally posted at 7:45 a.m.
The winner of the fourth season of the show So You Think You Can Dance was charged Thursday with felony domestic violence against a woman he attacked three times this year, Los Angeles County prosecutors said.
Joshua Demon Allen, 27, pleaded not guilty to two counts of willfully injuring a girlfriend after a prior conviction and a count of assault with a deadly weapon using a glass vase during the June 19 attack, prosecutors said.
According to the criminal complaint, a protective order had been issued against Allen in January prohibiting him from contacting his ex-girlfriend after he was convicted of a domestic violence-related misdemeanor.
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He is suspected of attempting to strangle the same woman on April 13 and of chasing her her into a coffee shop and trying to attack her again on June 19 as bystanders tried to intervene.
Allen threw a glass vase at a woman who tried to help and vandalized the shop until he was subdued by customers, prosecutors said.
Allen is being held on $100,000 bail and is due back in court Aug. 17. If convicted, he faces more than 10 years in prison.
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As soon as Nicolas Leslies parents found out about the attack in Nice on Thursday, they tried to call him. The calls didnt go through.
Leslie, a 20-year-old UC Berkeley student, was one of dozens of California students celebrating Bastille Day in France when a rented refrigerated truck moving at 25 to 30 mph crashed into a crowd on Promenade des Anglais, near Nices Palais de la Mediterranee. At least 84 people were killed and 202 people have been injured, 52 of them critically.
Through a UC Berkeley study abroad program, 85 students from Berkeley and some surrounding schools were in Nice, many celebrating on the Promenade. As of Friday evening, the university had accounted for 84 of those students: everyone except Leslie.
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UPDATE: UC Berkeley student is confirmed dead in Nice terror attack
Leslies mother, who is Italian, dispatched family and friends in the area to check hospitals and try to find her son in person, said a family friend who was with Leslies mother at her Del Mar home on Friday, but asked only to be identified by her first name, Antonella, to protect her privacy and the familys privacy.
Three other UC Berkeley students were injured in the attacks: Vladyslav Kostiuk, 23, and Daryus Medora, 21, suffered broken legs, according to a UC Berkeley news release. Diane Huang, 20, suffered a broken foot.
Kostiuk and Huang were released from an area hospital and have returned to their dorms in Nice. Medora was still in the hospital as of 5 p.m. PDT on Friday.
UC Berkeley student body president William Morrow doesnt personally know Leslie or the injured students, but has many friends who are participating in the program, including his chief of staff, he said in a phone interview Friday.
I found out about the attacks almost instantaneously, Morrow said. One of my good friends posted on Facebook saying they were in hiding, and there was shooting.
1 / 33 Thousands gather on Monday on the Jardin Albert and the Promenade des Anglais in Nice to observe a minute of silence for victims of the deadly attack. (AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 33 The crowd applauds police officers and rescue teams after a minute of silence on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 3 / 33 Ghassan Zaour watches people gathered around a makeshift memorial after observing a minute of silence to honor the victims of deadly attack on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 4 / 33 People observe a minute of silence on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, to honor the victims of the attack. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 5 / 33 A man scans notices of people missing after a man drove a truck into a packed crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. (Boris Horvat / AFP/Getty Images) 6 / 33 A woman reacts after learning of the death of a relative at a Nice hospital. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 7 / 33 A woman walks alone on a deserted beach beside the Promenade des Anglais on July 6, 2016, in Nice, where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 8 / 33 People hug outside Pasteur Hospital in Nice after the July 14 truck attack that killed 84 people. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) 9 / 33 The Eiffel Tower in Paris is illuminated in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with the victims of the terror attack in Nice. (Christophe Petit Tesson / EPA) 10 / 33 A woman sits under French flags lowered at half-mast in Nice, following the deadly Bastille Day attacks. (GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP/Getty Images) 11 / 33 Police secure the area where a truck drove into a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations, killing scores of people in Nice, France. (Andreas Gebert / EPA) 12 / 33 A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in Nice, a day after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day. (Boris Horvat / AFP/Getty Images) 13 / 33 People react near the scene where a truck drove through revelers in Nice, France. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 14 / 33 Crime scene investigators work on the Promenade des Anglais after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France. (Olivier Anrigo / EPA) 15 / 33 People gather in front of the memorial set on the Promenade des Anglais where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 16 / 33 A man holding the French national flag stands near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice, France. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 17 / 33 Flowers placed near the site of the deadly attack on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 18 / 33 Floral tributes are placed near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 19 / 33 Riot police officers and gendarmes are seen Friday outside the Pasteur Hospital in Nice, France. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 20 / 33 Police researchers inspect the cab of the truck that crashed into Bastille Day revelers in Nice, France. (Alberto Estevez / EPA) 21 / 33 Roses are attached to a barrier near the scene of the truck attack in Nice. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 22 / 33 An image grab from the Twitter account of harp_detectives shows people fleeing the scene of the truck attack Thursday in Nice, France. (AFP/Getty Images) 23 / 33 An image grab from the Instagram account of GA Morrow shows people fleeing the scene of the truck attack in Nice, France. (AFP/Getty Images) 24 / 33 The truck that plowed through Bastille Day revelers, its windshield riddled with bullets, is examined by forensics officers in Nice, France. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 25 / 33 Emergency workers tend to a woman injured in the truck attack. (Olivier Anrigo / EPA) 26 / 33 Soldiers, police officers and firefighters walk amid bodies covered with blue sheets along the Nice seafront. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 27 / 33 A body lies on the ground after the Nice attack. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 28 / 33 People gather near the scene of the attack. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 29 / 33 Police officers and rescue workers stand near a truck that plowed into a crowd of people leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice on Bastille Day. Dozens of revelers were killed. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 30 / 33 Ambulances line up near the scene of the attack. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 31 / 33 A soldier stands guard alongside police officers near the site of the truck attack. (Ciaran Fahey / Associated Press) 32 / 33 Residents walk with their hands up as police conduct checks. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 33 / 33 Police officers inspect a vehicle after the truck attack in Nice. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images)
Morrow immediately contacted his friends on Facebook and iMessage to make sure they were safe, and spent time Friday talking to administrators about offering extra counseling and other resources to students, he said.
University officials are working with local police, the U.S. consular office and his family to locate Leslie, the university said.
We have 85 over there. We found 84, said university spokeswoman Claire Holmes. Were devastated were hoping that Nick is coming home.
Four of the 85 students attending the program through UC Berkeley have decided to return home immediately, said university spokesman Robert Sanders. Three more will leave this weekend. The injured students have decided to stay in Nice, he said. The program, a 15-day Entrepreneurship and Innovation program in Europe that is part of the international European Innovation Academy, is scheduled to run through July 24.
Leslie has visited Nice with family before, speaks Italian and English, and is familiar with the city, Antonella said.
The family is concerned and they are grieving for everybody that has had any loss there and sending their prayers to everybody. They are confident that Nicolas is well, Antonella said. Hes not in any of the list of the deceased so thats comforting to them. They think that he might be in shock or just trapped some place and need the help of the police to get out.
Leslie is an only child who is adored by everyone who knows him, said Antonella, who has known the family for 15 years. Hes a wonderful, caring, young adult, extremely motivated.
Leslies uncle, Fabeo Bottini, and Bottinis wife, went from hospital to hospital looking for his nephew, the Wall Street Journal reported. He was staying in student housing, but didnt return to the building after the attack.
Yesterday he was in the zone of the accident. From yesterday, we dont know he is missing, he told the newspaper.
His uncle said a friend saw Leslie running away from the promenade as the truck was passing.
Maybe he is alive, but I dont know, maybe he is confused, he said.
Truck rampage in Nice raises painful questions: How many terror attacks can France withstand?
The truck driver was gunned down by French authorities. He was identified as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, born in Tunisia on Jan. 3, 1975.
While there are 85 students participating in the program through UC Berkeley, some of them are enrolled at other college campuses, including UC Merced, UC Davis, James Madison University and the local Peralta Community College District, Sanders said.
The program director, Ken Singer, has visited the three injured students in the hospital, Holmes said.
University officials have suspended the program temporarily to observe three days of mourning in France, and will continue it through its planned end date on July 24. The university offered to fly students home if they wanted to leave before it ended.
According to Leslies Facebook page, he is from Milan, Italy, and went to Torrey Pines High School in San Diego. Holmes said the missing student is known for being active in the campus community and has an interest in economics. He is a junior majoring in the College of Natural Resources.
Morrow also posted on Facebook Friday, reminding students at home of on-campus resources available to them. The Nice attack is the latest tragedy to strike the Bay Area campus in less than a month. A reminder to Berkeley students that the Tang Center has increased drop-in advising with their CARE advocates if you are having difficulty processing, he wrote.
The campus is still reeling from the loss earlier this month of Berkeley student Tarishi Jain, Morrow said. Jain was one of 20 hostages killed July 1 during a standoff at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Bangladesh. Authorities said armed extremists stormed into the bakery, saying they wanted to kill non-Muslims. In a battle with security forces, six attackers were killed.
Its scary how small the world can be sometimes, Morrow said. And how easy it can sometimes feel to be disconnected from this violence.
Friends of Leslie have taken to Facebook to express their grief and encourage others to look for him.
Please help find my friend!! He was out with us last night before everything happened, and in the midst of all the chaos he was nowhere to be found, reads one post from someone named Erika Ho, who is part of the Facebook group of participants in the study abroad program. We are all praying for the best but please help by sharing this post and spreading the hashtags!!
Vice Provost Cathy Koshland and dean of students Joseph Defraine expressed condolences for the families, students and French community for the tragic event and senseless violence.
veronica.rocha@latimes.com
For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.
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Two years of terror: 278 people have died in recent terror attacks in Europe
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UPDATES:
6:30 p.m.: This story was reworked and rewritten.
5:41 p.m.: This post was updated with information from William Morrow.
4:59 p.m.: This post was updated with information about the injured students.
4:47 p.m.: This post was updated with online comments from friends of the missing student.
3:32 p.m.: This post was updated with an additional detail about an injured student.
3 p.m.: This post was updated with additional details about the injured students.
2:22 p.m.: This post was updated with additional details about Leslies family.
1:41 p.m.: This post was updated with additional details on the international program and the missing student.
1:10 p.m.: This post was updated with additional details on the missing student.
This article was originally published at 12:25 p.m.
A new trolley line for San Diego is getting closer to realty.
The California Coastal Commission has approved a permit for the planned Mid-Coast Trolley, a mark of progress that follows action in Washington that is expected to provide funds to pay for a new tracks and stations between Old Town and University Town Center.
Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to give the San Diego Association of Governments approval to build the new line, which will roll through 3.5 miles of designated coastal zone. The 11-mile project to extend the existing Blue Line includes nine new stations and will link the countys two largest job regions.
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Constructed within San Diego city limits, the line hugs Interstate 5. It runs from Santa Fe Depot downtown on existing tracks to the Old Town Transit Center just south of Interstate 8. From there it will head north on new tracks to University City. Once at University City, the tracks change from running at-grade to elevated rail.
The project is expected to relieve traffic congestion, shorten travel times, improve reliability, and reduce transfers for people traveling to University City, a commission staff report says.
SANDAG said construction is expected to begin this year and the new line will be open for service in 2021. Its projected cost is $2 billion. The regional planning organization expects the population on the trolleys corridor to increase by 19 percent by 2030 and employment to rise 12 percent.
Last week, funding for the trolley line passed a significant milestone when financing passed from the Federal Transit Administration to the Office of Management and Budget. From there it will go to Congress for consideration.
We are getting very close to something that has been a dream for almost two decades, SANDAG Chairman and county Supervisor Ron Roberts said recently.
Roberts said he doesnt anticipate any sort of legislative roadblocks.
Money from the half-cent TransNet sales tax will pay for a portion of the project, he said.
Stewart writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
Azerbaijan's Embassy in France is reviewing whether there are any Azerbaijani citizens are among those injured and killed in the terrorist attack committed in Nice, France, the embassy told Trend.
Azerbaijan's embassy is in contact with local authorities to obtain more accurate information.
In the aftermath of a truck running into a crowd of people celebrating France's Bastille Day, killing at least 80 and injuring 120.
The autopsy of the gunman who massacred 49 people in a Florida nightclub attack last month revealed he was HIV-negative and likely a long-term user of steroids, two U.S. law enforcement officials said.
The revelation comes as FBI agents continue to scour the background of Omar Mateen for clues as to why he launched his June 12 rampage at Orlandos Pulse nightclub, the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
The 29-year-old had became radicalized in recent years, FBI officials have said, and pledged allegiance to Islamic State militants during his attack.
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Federal investigators are not sure if steroids played a role in the shooting. A medical examiner found evidence of physical changes to Mateens body that were consistent with long-term steroid use, the officials said, and is seeking to confirm that assessment through further testing.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports on its website that using high doses of steroids, which help build body mass and muscle, increase irritability and aggression. Some steroid abusers report that they have committed aggressive acts, such as physical fighting or armed robbery, theft, vandalism, or burglary.
A spokeswoman for the Orange County, Fla. medical examiner declined to comment on the preliminary findings.
Whether or not an individual used steroids can be determined through specimen tests, Carrie Proudfit, the spokeswoman wrote in an email. Toxicology reports would reflect those results. Theyll be made available to law enforcement.
Proudfit referred further questions to the FBI. Bureau spokeswoman Carol Cratty declined to comment.
The results, if confirmed through further testing, would not be entirely surprising. Mateens ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, told reporters shortly after the shooting that the former security guard had a history of steroid use. A former coworker of Mateens told CBS News that the gunman told him in 2006 that he had started using steroids.
The law enforcement officials also disclosed that the autopsy determined that Mateen was HIV-negative.
FULL COVERAGE: Orlando nightclub shooting
On June 21, Spanish-language television network Univision aired a report in which Miguel, a man wearing a disguise to conceal his identity, alleged that he had sex with Mateen after meeting him on a gay dating app. Miguel said Mateen had sex with other men too, including a threesome with a Puerto Rican who allegedly told Mateen, after having had unprotected sex with him, that he was HIV-positive.
Several Pulse regulars have also come forward, claiming to have seen Mateen at the club or to have been contacted by him on the gay dating apps Grindr, Jackd and Adam4Adam.
The FBI, however, has been unable to find evidence to corroborate such claims. Agents have failed to find any photographs, text messages, smartphone apps, gay pornography or cell-tower location data that suggest that Mateen -- who was twice married to women and had a young son -- had a secret gay life, law enforcement officials have told The Times.
Twitter: @delwilber
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Hours after Donald Trump revealed that Mike Pence would be his running mate, the silver-haired Indiana governor occupied prominent space on a presidential campaign website. The only problem: The website was Hillary Clintons.
Clintons team published a page to attacking Pence almost immediately after the announcement, describing Trumps pick as a would-be disaster for America.
Meanwhile, on Trumps website, mention of the Indiana governor was practically invisible, save for an automatic stream of the real estate moguls Twitter feed far at the bottom of the page.
Trumps announcement fittingly made on Twitter, where he has elevated his unfiltered musings to a political art form lacked many of the digital trappings of a modern presidential campaign, a reflection of the presumptive GOP nominees unorthodox and at times haphazard operation.
And the roll-out stood in stark contrast to Clintons rapid response, which included a slickly produced video and talking points in Spanish.
It's a highly professional, mechanized campaign in Clinton world in Brooklyn, and then over at Trump Tower, its all being run out of his back pocket. It's by the seat of his pants, said Rob Stutzman, a Sacramento-based Republican strategist who does not support Trump.
Soon after Trump tweeted his choice Friday morning, journalists and political observers noted the unveiling was markedly incomplete. One reporter catalogued 11 details the Trump campaign overlooked in the announcement, including a failure to secure relevant Web domains and update Pences own campaign website. (Pence dropped out of the governors race on Friday in order to join the ticket.)
https://twitter.com/ShaneGoldmacher/status/753969144853299200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/ShaneGoldmacher/status/753970724818325504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Meanwhile, the Clinton campaign was quick to capitalize on the announcement. It organized a conference call with groups supporting gay and abortion rights to denounce the pick, and texted supporters about the news, coupling attacks on Pences record with a fundraising appeal.
And then theres Trumps new logo, revealed in a fundraising missive. The interlocking T and P struck some observers as hastily designed, with its apparently inadvertently graphic overtones.
https://twitter.com/ChrisMegerian/status/753981865686474752
These may be small details, but Stutzman said the omissions were symptomatic of a disorganization that could spill over into crucial digital operations like fundraising or targeting key voters.
This is evidence that suggests that this is not a well-managed, well-run, state-of-the art campaign, he said.
melanie.mason@latimes.com
Follow @melmason for the latest on national politics.
As Clinton stumbles, Trump takes an apparent slim lead in new tracking poll
Trump chooses Mike Pence as his running mate, a pick that could soothe nervous Republicans
Republican stalwarts just blocked the last big push to stop Donald Trump's nomination
Donald Trumps selection Friday of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate was the latest in a long series of efforts to stabilize his high-drama campaign, but the fumbled announcement showed the unpredictable New York business mogul is not adapting easily to the canons of running for high office.
Pence had already flown from Indianapolis to New York in preparation for joining the Republican ticket when Trump, by phone from his Beverly Hills mansion, told Fox News on Thursday night that he hadnt yet made up his mind on a running mate.
Trumps campaign denied reports by CNN and NBC that the soon-to-be GOP presidential nominee was so unsure about Pence that he was asking aides around midnight Thursday whether he could switch to someone else.
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The lurching rollout, further disrupted by a major terrorist attack in Nice, France, was in keeping with the iconoclastic campaign of a brash celebrity who has upended the Republican Party with his raw brand of racial politics and breaches of GOP orthodoxy.
But it marred a major campaign event that was supposed to make Trump more broadly acceptable, particularly to the fractured group of Republicans gathering in Cleveland for the party convention that starts Monday.
If it continues to be as chaotic as it has been over the last 24 hours, it will be a lingering problem, said Michael Steel, a Republican consultant who worked for Jeb Bushs presidential campaign.
A longtime champion of conservative and evangelical causes, Pence, 57, was a favorite of GOP leaders who have resisted embracing Trump.
Trump had planned to introduce his choice publicly Friday in New York, but postponed the event after the attack in France. In the end, Trump revealed his choice Friday morning on Twitter. He and Pence plan to appear together Saturday morning in Manhattan.
Pence, who backed Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in the presidential primaries, is well-placed to firm up Trumps support among conservatives, particularly evangelical Christians who preferred Cruz.
But Pence differs with Trump on key issues. In December, he called Trumps proposed ban on Muslims entering the U.S. offensive and unconstitutional, a stand that will draw extra attention in the aftermath of the attack in France.
Pence is also a longtime champion of the free-trade agreements that Trump denounces as a threat to American jobs.
The mild-mannered governor is a relatively low-risk choice for Trump, whose free-wheeling bombast often backfires.
One of the other contenders for the GOP ticket was former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who stirred up fresh controversy Thursday night by saying all Muslims in the U.S. should be tested and then deported if they believe in sharia law.
And another pugnacious finalist, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, drew a fresh burst of negative publicity Thursday when one of his closest associates, David Samson, pleaded guilty to bribery.
Hillary Clinton, Trumps Democratic rival, lost no time criticizing Pence. Her campaign chairman, John Podesta, highlighted Pences tea party leanings and accused him of backing failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families.
Clintons campaign also signaled that it would use Pences stands on gay rights to amplify its charge that Trump is a bigot. Clinton allies cited Pences signing of a law that allowed Indiana businesses to ignore anti-discrimination rules that conflict with their religious beliefs, a measure widely denounced as anti-gay after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage.
Pence has never left any question about his animus toward LGBTQ people, Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, told reporters on a call organized by the Clinton campaign.
Democrats also pounced on Pences abortion record. In March, he signed a bill barring women from seeking abortions solely because a fetus could be born with disabilities, a law now facing court challenge.
But anti-abortion groups, wary of Trumps shift from pro-choice in the 1990s to pro-life in the presidential campaign, applauded Pences record.
Mike Pence is a pro-life trailblazer and Mr. Trump could not have made a better choice, said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List group.
Pences selection was also welcomed by Republican establishment leaders who have winced at Trumps emergence as the party standard-bearer.
Mike Pence comes from the heart of the conservative movement and the heart of America, said House Speaker Paul D, Ryan of Wisconsin. I can think of no better choice for our vice presidential candidate. We need someone who is steady and secure in his principles, someone who can cut through the noise and make a compelling case for conservatism.
On Twitter, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a former Trump rival for the GOP nomination, called Pence rock solid. And Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, a leading Trump critic among Republicans in Congress, described Pence as a good man.
He adds a great deal to the ticket, Flake said.
An Indiana native, Pence is a former talk radio host who served six terms in the House before winning the governorship in 2012.
For congressional candidates who fear that Trumps hard-edged style could drive voters from the GOP, the selection of Pence probably does a lot to help reassure you that theyre taking this seriously, said Josh Holmes, a Republican strategist who ran the 2014 reelection campaign of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky).
I think they had enough reality TV on the ticket, he said, and they needed somebody who had done the job of governing.
Finnegan reported from Los Angeles and Memoli from Washington, D.C.
michael.finnegan@latimes.com
Twitter: @finneganLAT
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UPDATES:
2:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional reaction.
10:25 a.m.: This story was updated with comment from House Speaker Paul D. Ryan.
9 a.m.: This story was updated with comment from Hillary Clintons campaign.
11:37 a.m.: This story was updated with background on Pence.
This article was originally published at 11 a.m.
In the months following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, FBI agents chased down tantalizing leads that a Saudi official and a princess in the Saudi royal family may have helped two hijackers settle in San Diego before the strike.
But when a 2002 congressional inquiry into the hijackings was released, 28 pages of details about those leads were blanked out, leading to conspiracy theories that the U.S. government was trying to protect Saudi Arabia, its ally, from scrutiny.
The Obama administration on Friday finally declassified those pages, and Congress released the documents to the public. Many of the allegations already have appeared in news reports, government reviews and court documents over the past several years.
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White House spokesman Josh Earnest stressed Friday that the pages, which were originally part of the 858-page Joint Inquiry into the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001, reveal no evidence that the Saudi government funded Al Qaedas plot.
CIA director John Brennan said in May that the leads were based on unsubstantiated reports. The FBI investigated, he said, and did not find evidence that Saudi officials knew about the 9/11 plot or that Saudi government funds reached the hijackers.
According to the declassified portion of the report, While in the United States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government. There is information, primarily from FBI sources, that at least two of those individuals were alleged by some to be Saudi intelligence officers.
The report stated that the FBI and CIA had told congressional investigators in 2002 that they are treating the Saudi issue seriously, but both still have only a limited understanding of the Saudi Governments ties to terrorist elements.
The FBI later determined that the Saudi officials who had connections to two hijackers living in San Diego, Nawaf Al-Hazmi and Khalid Al-Mihdhar, were not aware of a terrorist plot or their connection to Al Qaeda.
Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Abdullah Al-Saud welcomed the publication of the previously secret pages, saying that the kingdom has long called for their release.
We hope the release of these pages will clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions about Saudi Arabias actions, intentions, or long-term friendship with the United States, Saud said in a statement.
Family members who lost loved ones in the attacks have sued Saudi Arabia over its alleged role in the attacks and called for the passage of a law that would revoke sovereign immunity for diplomats from countries that support terrorism. Of the 19 hijackers, 15 were citizens of Saudi Arabia.
Lawyers for the families said the release is a first step toward more transparency around Saudi Arabias role in aiding terrorist groups in the years leading up to Sept. 11, 2001.
The public has a right to know. The families have a right to know, Jim Kreindler, one of the lawyers representing families of those who were killed or injured in the Sept. 11 attacks, said in an interview from New York.
It is really mind-boggling to say there were breadcrumbs to follow that will show Saudi Arabia participated in the worst terror attack in the United States ever, Kreindler said. Are we going to let them get away with 3,000 murders because they have been behaving themselves better in recent years?
Seth Jones, a former U.S. counterterrorism official who helped research a 2015 FBI review of the bureaus counterterrorism investigations, said hes never seen persuasive evidence that senior officials in the Saudi government had any awareness or complicity in the Sept. 11 attacks.
The question becomes if there were individuals that one could trace money to in the consulate in Los Angeles, to what degree were they aware of the plot? To what degree were they funding it?
Much of the focus of the early leads centered on Omar al-Bayoumi and Osama Bassnan, two men who spent time with the hijackers, according to the declassified pages. Investigators initially suspected the men were Saudi intelligence officers, though the FBI never was able to confirm that.
Both had many contacts with Saudi officials, the report states. Investigators suspected that Bayoumi was introduced to the two hijackers by a Saudi consular official named Fahad al-Thumairy. Thumairy was an imam at King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, where Hazmi and Mihdhar visited after arriving in Southern California in early 2000.
Bayoumi visited the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles and saw Thumairy on the same day he met the two would-be hijackers at a restaurant, FBI investigators found. Hazmi and Mihdhar stayed in Bayoumis apartment in San Diego for a few days before Bayoumi co-signed a lease on an apartment for them and possibly paid the first months rent, the report states. Bayoumi was taking a salary from a Saudi company associated with the Saudi Ministry of Defense but rarely showed up for work, FBI investigators found.
Bassnan was a friend of Bayoumis and lived across the street from the San Diego apartment rented by the two hijackers. From 1999 to 2002, Bassnan and his wife received $73,000 in financial support for medical treatments from Princess Haifa bint Faisal, the wife of Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. at the time, according to the report. The FBI told 9/11 commission researchers that agents had found no evidence that Bassnan gave that money to the two hijackers.
The FBI and the CIA looked deeper into the nature and extent of Saudi support for terrorism in 2005 and found no evidence the Saudi government or members of the Saudi royal family knowingly provided support for the Sept. 11 attacks, according to the executive summary of the joint FBI-CIA intelligence report that also was declassified and made public Friday.
The 2005 assessment did find that many Saudi government agencies have been infiltrated by people associated with Al Qaeda, and that official Saudi entities had given financial and logistical support to individuals in the United States associated with terrorism-related activity.
brian.bennett@latimes.com
Twitter: @ByBrianBennett
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UPDATES:
2:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background.
This article was originally published at 11:45 a.m.
Mike Pence stresses an unyielding support of Trumps plans for a border wall and ban on Muslims
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence affirmed his support of two key tenets of Donald Trumps candidacy building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and a ban on Muslims entering the country in his first interview since being tapped as the billionaire businessmans running mate.
Building the wall, establishing border security, has to be job one, said Pence on Fox News Hannity on Friday night. "... We need to focus first and foremost ... on border integrity and building the wall.
But Pence, who is in his first term as governor of Indiana, had criticized Trumps proposed ban on Muslims soon after it was announced, saying that such a ban was offensive and unconstitutional.
On Friday, Pence sought to tamp down any areas of division with Trump, saying he should have chosen his words more carefully.
I dont think things came out quite right or how I would have done it, but I want folks to know that I strongly agree with Donald Trumps call that weve got to do something different, he said.
Trump and Pence are set to appear together as running mates for the first time on Saturday at a news conference in New York.
Pence also demurred Friday when asked about his vote as a member of the House in favor of the Iraq war. Trump has insisted he was against the war, despite audio in which he says he supported entering Iraq.
Reasonable people can differ on whether or not we should have gone into Iraq, Pence said before then casting blame on President Obama and Hillary Clinton over the phased withdrawal of troops from the country.
Barack Obamas precipitous withdrawal from Iraq created a vacuum in which ISIS was created, Pence said, using an acronym for the Islamic State militant group.
When pressed about his views on the violent coup attempt in Turkey that killed dozens, Pence said that he and Trump were monitoring the situation and that it was evidence the world needs stronger leadership from America.
America needs to be strong for the world to be safe and secure, and Donald Trump is going to provide the kind of broad-shouldered American leadership on the world stage that I think will make the world a more stable place, Pence said.
Trump and Clinton both see U.S. at war with jihadists in aftermath of attack in France
Donald Trump struck a bellicose posture on terrorism and immigration Thursday in the aftermath of the truck attack that killed scores of people in France, saying he would take extreme measures to keep Islamic jihadists out of the country.
Asked by Fox News host Bill OReilly whether he agreed that we are in a world war scenario, Trump said: I certainly do, and I have been saying it for a long time, and its out of control.
The Republican presidential hopeful, who has called for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., vowed to make it very, very hard for people to come into our country from terrorist areas.
I would do extreme vetting, he said in one of two phone interviews with Fox from his house in Beverly Hills before leaving for a campaign fundraiser in Bel Air. I would call it extreme vetting, too.
Trump said he would ask Congress to declare war on the Islamic State terrorist group. He attacked President Obama for letting Syrian war refugees into the United States and criticized the former secretary of State for supporting the policy.
Were weak, and were weakly led and ineffective, he said. Trump also accused Clinton of creating the Islamic State terrorist group with her stupid policies.
In a CNN phone interview, Clinton said the U.S. was at war with these terrorist groups and what they represent.
Its a different kind of war and we have to be smart about how we wage it and win it, she said.
She called for focusing on intelligence, partnering with other nations and cracking down on the Islamic States ability to recruit members online. But she urged caution at the prospect of waging a traditional boots-on-the-ground effort to defeat them.
They would love to draw the United States into a ground war in Syria, she said. They actually think the end times could be hastened if we had some great confrontation in the region.
Clinton largely avoided engaging Trump, except when asked about his remarks on Syrian refugees.
Trump has said this repeatedly and has been called out for his blatant lies about it, she said, adding that refugees would only be admitted after they were thoroughly screened.
Both candidates spoke as French authorities were still clearing dead bodies from the streets of Nice, where a truck loaded with weaponry plowed over revelers at a Bastille Day fireworks celebration on the waterfront.
Im Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I dont want you to miss today.
TOP STORIES
A Trail of Death on Bastille Day
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The crowd in Nice was celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity on Frances national day. Thats when an enormous white truck came along at a crazy speed, turning the wheel to mow down the maximum number of people, one eyewitness wrote. The vehicle, loaded with weapons and hand grenades, drove onto the sidewalk for more than a mile. The scenario of terror attack involving a truck is one law enforcement in California and beyond have long analyzed. Follow the latest on the Nice attack here.
Reverberations on the Campaign Trail
After the attack in France, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both made clear that the U.S. is at war with jihadists. How each candidate proposes to go about that will be a major campaign issue. In the short term, it caused Trump to push back his announcement of a running mate, believed to be Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, from Friday morning to the weekend. In the long term, it could change the dynamics of an already unpredictable race. A slew of the most recent polls showed Trump closing the gap with Clinton nationally and in battleground states after FBI Director James Comey called out Clinton, but before Bernie Sanders endorsed her.
More Politics
-- Tim Kaine tried to show he can give a needed boost to the Clinton campaign.
-- You cant bring a water gun to protest the Republican National Convention, but you can bring an AK-47. Really.
-- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg apologized for her ill-advised criticism of Trump.
The FBI and the Orlando Shooter
From May 2013 to March 2014, a veteran FBI agent and a local sheriffs deputy tracked him. They ran his name through databases and looked at his phone records. They had informants meet with him. After 10 months, the agent and his supervisor concluded the man was not a threat and closed the case. But two years later, he massacred 49 people at an Orlando nightclub. Read on to see what senior FBI officials told The Times theyve learned from that investigation.
The Paradox of Pakistans All-Female Islamic Schools
Al-Huda is the best known of a growing number of female-only academies for Islamic studies in Pakistan. In a country dominated by men, they give women a place to study and feel empowered. At the same time, some say the schools interpretation of Islam is contributing to Pakistans growing fundamentalism. Heres what it is like inside a school that gained unwanted notoriety after it was revealed one of the San Bernardino shooters was a former student.
Body-Camera Footage: To Show or Not to Show?
Police body cameras are starting to become standard law enforcement equipment. Should releasing the video from them become standard too? Officials are trying to weigh the publics need for information versus concerns about ongoing investigations and the privacy of people on camera. As a shooting in Fresno shows, its a debate that will come up again and again.
The Emmys, They Are a-Changin
With all the trouble in the world, the Emmy nominations were a welcome diversion. But as Times TV critic Mary McNamara writes, this years nominations were very much connected with reality, in that a number of shows with socio-political themes including distrust and race were recognized. Our complete coverage is here.
CALIFORNIA
-- Should felons be allowed to vote from behind bars?
-- The city of L.A. takes a step toward tighter rules to curb mansionization.
-- An L.A. County proposal to let landowners use hauled-in water worries environmentalists.
-- No game is worth your life: the perils of playing Pokemon Go.
NATION-WORLD
-- Boris Johnson, Britains new foreign secretary, has a history of insulting people in other countries.
-- Three members of the same Honduran environmental group have been murdered over the last four months.
-- Chinese people are going to great lengths to get Pokemon Go. Theres a knockoff version too.
-- As Rio braces for the Olympics, a defensive mayor insists the city will be ready.
HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS
-- Emmy nominations for The People v. O.J. Simpson reinforce how the case still holds power after two decades.
-- Fox News on-air talent supports Roger Ailes, but wheres Megyn Kelly?
-- Carolyn See, an award-winning Southern California writer, has died at age 82.
-- Ringling Bros. talks about its first circus without elephants and why other animals remain.
-- Movie review: Under the Sun is one of the latest and best looks inside North Korea.
-- Mexicos N.A.A.F.I. record label is changing club culture around the globe.
BUSINESS
-- A trade group for online payday lenders says it is combing the web for sites making misleading claims.
-- The FCC sets the stage for the next generation of wireless services: super-fast 5G.
SPORTS
-- The health of Clayton Kershaw is a pressing question as the Dodgers go into second half of season.
-- Adoree Jackson, USC footballs jack-of-all-trades, begins to specialize.
OPINION
-- The time has come for a statewide ban on single-use polystyrene foam containers.
-- A black son, white parents and the conversation.
WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING
-- Newt Gingrich told a Republican group in a private speech that Trump would lose in a landslide if he doesnt change his approach. (ProPublica)
-- An outspoken critic of the government in Cambodia was fatally shot while drinking coffee. The suspect: a former monk. Was it a political assassination? (The Cambodia Daily)
-- David Camerons final hum inspires musical remixes. (PRI)
ONLY IN L.A.
Start with a 1924 Spanish bungalow. Add some Finnish designers. And in the end, you get a modernist retreat that wraps around a ginkgo biloba Tree of Life that helps blend indoors and outside. See the before-and-after pictures of a total home transformation in Beverly Grove.
Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.
For more than a quarter century, a choice surf spot on the Palos Verdes peninsula has been jealously guarded by locals intent on keeping the waves to themselves. The stories of visitors being bullied and intimidated and sometimes even subjected to vandalism and violence by generations of so-called Lunada Bay Boys have changed little over that time.
And above it all stands an illegal stone perch a fort, some call it on the waters edge where the members of this exclusive upper-middle-class surf gang congregate to check the swell, talk about the waves they caught, do drugs and drink alcohol (according to police reports) and, perhaps, celebrate their long reign over this watery domain.
The fort is a monument to their warped sense of entitlement, and its high time it came down.
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Its removal will send an important message, finally, that this kind of territoriality is not only unacceptable, its antithetical to the California Coastal Act, which ensures the publics access to the ocean. This right has been impeded in Lunada Bay for too long, aided by local authorities who looked the other way or brushed off reports of violence and harassment by local surfers.
Far too long. An editorial in The Times on July 6, 1991, lamented the same distressing territoriality and noted that if black or Chicano kids tried to stake out a stretch of beach as ours, the authorities would dub them a gang and be down on them in a flash. So what makes the surfers at Lunada Bay any different?
A good question then, it remains so now. And we might still have been asking ourselves that question in 2041 were it not for an undercover video by Guardian journalistslast summer showing the world what was going on at this locally infamous stretch of beach, and the subsequent filing of a class-action lawsuit by people who say they were harassed and intimated by locals. Then the California Coastal Commission intervened and warned the city of Palos Verdes Estates that it must bring the unpermitted fort to code and improve accessibility to the water, or tear the structure down. Citys leaders have decided on the latter, and its the right choice.
Although the Lunada Bay Boys conduct has been egregious, theyve hardly been the only Californians to exhibit a distorted sense of ownership about the coastline. Similar scenes of conflict occurred up and down the coast as locally beloved surf spots grew crowded and those who lived nearby felt they had a right and even a responsibility to protect a particular stretch. Beachfront residents too have struggled to accept the idea of public access, though generally they have resorted to building fences and installing gates rather than threatening visitors. In Malibu in particular, wealthy homeowners have tried to for years to deny public access to the beach and keep the sand and surf to themselves.
Many of these folks may acknowledge that the state of California owns the beach from the high-tide line down to the water, but they dont seem to recognize the implication: that the public must be able to reach and use what it owns. The state Constitution guarantees the public access to the Pacific Ocean and all other navigable waters; the Coastal Act calls for that access to be maximized, and bars anyone from blocking routes to the water that were acquired through use or legislative authorization. For Palos Verdes Estates residents to treat a section of the ocean as if it were a private neighborhood park is not just illegal, its absurd.
Demolishing this pile of rocks wont necessarily stop the local surfers from engaging in bad behavior. That will take consistent enforcement by local police. But it will send a powerful message to locals and perhaps to surf gangs in other communities that their proximity to the coast doesnt give them the right to keep people out, and that visitors should not have to risk bodily harm to exercise their legal right to ride the waves.
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The recent spate of shootings, rising extremism, protests and counter-protests have left our society on edge. Police brutality against black Americans inspired Dallas shooter Micah Xavier Johnson to murder cops; in St Paul, Minn., police officers clad in riot gear launched tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, who returned fire with rocks and glass bottles; former Congressman Joe Walsh tweeted: This is now war watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you. He claims to have received more than 17,000 death threats in response.
The tone of America today feels like America in the late 1960s, which was similarly riven by cyclical violence and discontent. Our elected officials and law enforcement authorities can learn from how their predecessors responded to civil unrest but mostly by negative example.
During the five summers of Lyndon B. Johnsons presidency, the nation witnessed 250 separate incidents of urban unrest. A majority of these emerged in response to some form of police brutality, as the Kerner Commission revealed in a 1968 report on civil disorder.
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Yet the Johnson administration and Congress held the citizenry specifically, the African American citizenry accountable for the turmoil. As a solution to instability, policymakers deployed militarized police forces in urban neighborhoods.
Congress granted local police departments a 90% off coupon to purchase walkie-talkies, bulletproof vests, tanks, computerized fingerprinting systems, helicopters and surplus M-1 military carbines via the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 the first major piece of national law enforcement legislation. By contrast, federal representatives funded crime-prevention efforts at up to 40% of their cost.
The Safe Streets Acts initial 3-year, $300-million allocation (roughly $2 billion in todays dollars) enabled law enforcement authorities at all levels to smoothly build up their weapons arsenal and technological capacity. No less than three out of every four dollars of this funding went to police departments. Meanwhile, innovative police-community relations programs including resident patrols, block watches, cultural enrichment classes for officers and community dialogues constituted less than 5% of the measures supported by the legislation.
State and local officials followed the federal governments incentive structure, prioritizing the effort to expand police forces in targeted neighborhoods and provide officers with cutting-edge equipment. Community-based crime prevention initiatives, on the other hand, were often short-lived or fell by the wayside.
Black activists, residents and civil rights organizations had different ideas about how to address crime and disorder: with job creation measures, access to decent housing, educational resources and comprehensive rehabilitation programs.
Unwilling to accept these alternatives, in the long-term, policymakers at all levels of government consistently responded to socioeconomic grievances with more and better-equipped police on the streets. Nor did they heed the residents and activists who pleaded for greater degrees of oversight in police operations which is precisely why the dynamics the nation confronted in the 1960s have resurfaced in our own time.
Alton Sterling, who was killed by police in Baton Rouge, La., last week, might still be alive today if the two officers involved in his shooting had been charged and disciplined for any of the four use of force complaints between them. Sterlings death underscores the urgent need for responsive grievance boards, a measure many organizations and activists have been recommending for decades.
In white and middle-class communities, police seldom initiate contact with residents, waiting for 911 calls or reported incidents instead.
We wont solve the policing crisis in our society without fundamental changes within police departments. Officers act the way they do because that is how they have been conditioned and trained, and they are trained that their duties differ depending on the groups of citizens they are charged with protecting.
In white and middle-class communities, police seldom initiate contact with residents, waiting for 911 calls or reported incidents instead. They are typically expected to guard property from outsiders. In black communities, law enforcement authorities are assigned the opposite task.
Less than 24 hours after police killed Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, officers pulled over Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minn., because his wide set nose fit the description of an armed robbery suspect. Castile had no felony convictions, but had been stopped by police 52 times over the course of his 32 years. The last time was fatal.
There are signs, though, that the tide is finally shifting. The rise of anti-racist social movements has forced new conversations about our national priorities.
Following the Dallas shootings, the secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson, committed to building bridges of dialogue and understanding between vulnerable communities and law enforcement. Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck, among others, has made similar comments in recent days. Thats familiar language, of course, but some officials are actually beginning to implement the principles behind such rhetoric. During the demonstrations in Inglewood on Sunday, for instance, law enforcement took a hands-off approach, and the protests proceeded peacefully as a result.
We will, however, need more than simple restraint on the part of the police if we are to realize the unfinished struggle at the heart of our society: for every citizen to be treated like a full human being by their government and the public, regardless of their identity. To be afforded the same protections under the law. To be free from the oppression of exploitative institutions. And, on the most basic level, to no longer have to tell children how to comply during routine interactions with police officers, lest they turn dangerous, as Philando Castiles mother had once taught him.
Elizabeth Hinton is an assistant professor of history and African and African American studies at Harvard University and author of From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America.
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Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry has condemned the terrorist attack committed in Nice, France.
We strongly condemn the terrorist attack committed in Nice. We offer deepest condolences to the families and relatives of those killed and wish speedy recovery to those injured, Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry, told Trend July 15.
He pointed out that Azerbaijan, as a country suffering from terrorism, strongly condemns any form of terrorism.
Azerbaijans embassy in France is checking the presence of Azerbaijani citizens among those killed and injured as a result of the terrorist attack, said Hajiyev.
We urge Azerbaijani citizens in France to adhere to the security measures taken by the French authorities and to avoid crowded places, he added.
To the editor: Although the members of the Police Commission determined that the officers involved in Redel Jones death did not violate the departments deadly force policy, I understand that they and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck were very critical of their actions leading up to the confrontation. (Amid protests, panel finds that LAPD did not violate deadly force rules in shooting of black woman in South L.A., July 12)
Even if you accept the position that no criminal charges are appropriate, I have not heard that any disciplinary action has been taken. I understand that the officers are entitled to the privacy of their personnel records, but the public should be told something.
We are entitled to know that there are consequences for breaches that can set up a tragedy like this. We should not have to accept a criminal charges or nothing resolution that too often winds up feeling like a devaluation of the victims experience.
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Cheryl McDonald, Pasadena
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Annie Yu is one of my talented young colleagues who is a social media producer for the Los Angeles Times. Her desk is right across from mine in the newsroom. I suppose I should have been surprised Tuesday afternoon when I saw her trying on a flak vest and helmet, but I wasnt.
I had no trouble guessing what was going on. She was being fitted with combat gear because she is going to be reporting from the streets during the Republican National Convention next week in Cleveland. After I made some jokes to Annie about how I expected her to shield me in case of trouble, I turned to my editor and asked, Wheres mine?
Ive been to most of the presidential nominating conventions since 1980. Generally, the biggest risk is eating too many hot dogs. This year might be different perhaps it wont be as bad as some people fear, but, then again, recent events in Dallas have proved that the worst is all too possible.
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All modern conventions have attracted protesters. Security procedures, at least since 1968, have successfully kept the conventioneers sealed off from the folks in the streets.
In Cleveland, there will be a large contained area designated for protests. What is unusual this time is that the left-leaning activists who always are attracted to these events will be sharing the space with militants of a very different political persuasion. Black Lives Matter marchers and New Black Panther Party members will be bumping up against white nationalists, skinheads and people touting anti-abortion and anti-immigration causes. The combination of hot rhetoric, hot tempers and the hot summer heat might easily cause things to boil over.
Oh, and there is this: While squirt guns are banned from the protest area, real guns are not because Ohio is an open carry state. Hows that for insane?
Inside the convention hall, there is also potential for conflict if the large portion of delegates who are appalled by their presumptive nominee gather enough gumption to attempt a revolt. Supporters of Donald Trump would not take this sitting down. Chairs and bunting and banners could fly, along with fists.
One way or another, this Republican convention promises to be like no other. It already is notable for who will not be there. Ohios Republican governor, John Kasich, is not planning to show up, even though the shindig is taking place in his state. Numerous Republican leaders, including the last two Republican presidents and the last two GOP presidential nominees, are not attending. Key conservative political players are avoiding the event in droves.
Few in the GOP establishment are eager to celebrate Trumps elevation to standard-bearer of their party. Veteran party strategist Jason Roe told Politico, I dont want anything close to the appearance of supporting Trump. This ship can sink without me as a passenger.
Recent conventions have been little more than tightly scripted television shows four-night infomercials for the years brand with delegates relegated to the status of studio audience. Cleveland could be very different. Perhaps the lack of pre-planning will show (although there is finally a list of speakers Sarah Palin is not on the list, but all the Trump kids are). Perhaps the lack of enthusiasm on the part of party loyalists will become obvious (and maybe break out into a full-blown Stop Trump insurrection). Perhaps there will be battles in the street unlike anything weve seen since the police riot in Chicago in 68. (No squirt guns allowed!)
Or perhaps it will all go smoothly, and we will all be bored. That could happen too. But I still might want a helmet and a flak jacket, just in case things get too interesting.
David.Horsey@latimes.com
Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter
Donald Trump on Friday chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as running mate for his presidential campaign, days ahead of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Donald Trump says he has chosen Mike Pence as his running mate
Now, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is expected to do the same before July 25, when the party will convene in Philadelphia. Here are some of her top contenders for vice president:
Tim Kaine | Elizabeth Warren | Sherrod Brown | Julian Castro | Cory Booker | Tom Perez
Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) listens on Capitol Hill. (Lauren Victoria Burke / AP) (Test)
Tim Kaine
U.S. senator, Virginia
Age: 58
Background: Tim Kaine is Virginias junior senator, elected in 2012, and previously served as the states governor and the mayor of its capital, Richmond. Kaine served as Democratic National Committee chairman for two years, and was on President Obamas shortlist for running mate in 2008.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Republicans need to win Virginia, and Kaines presence on the ticket could help keep the state in the Democrats column in November. Clinton may be facing pressure not to pick a white man as her running mate, but Kaines resume could mitigate some of the pressure: He is a fluent Spanish speaker with blue-collar roots and focused his law practice on housing discrimination. He also has strong ties to party leaders and donors across the nation because of his stint as DNC chairman. But he is a centrist, potentially alienating Bernie Sanders supporters. And he can be dull.
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren addresses a witness during a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing in Washington, D.C. (Kris Tripplaar / TNS) (Test)
Elizabeth Warren
U.S. senator, Massachusetts
Age: 67
Background: In less than four years in the Senate, Warren has established herself as one of the American lefts most popular leaders, on a par with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. A former law professor, Warren advised President Obama on setting up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crash. In 2012, Warren ousted Republican Sen. Scott Brown, then quickly built a huge national following with her unabashed advocacy of liberal causes, from fighting Wall Street abuses to cutting the cost of a college education.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Warren has strong potential to mobilize Sanders voters who have resisted Clintons candidacy. The historic nature of an all-female ticket could enhance Clintons prospects. Warren has relished taking on Trump, mocking him with apparent glee. But with loyal Democrats already strongly motivated to vote against Trump, Clinton could be better served by a running mate more appealing to moderate swing voters. Its also unclear how the outspoken Warren would adapt to the subservient role of vice president.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is seen in Cleveland. (Andrew Harnik / AP) (Test)
Sherrod Brown
U.S. senator, Ohio
Age: 63
Background: Brown served in the House from 1993 until his election to the Senate in 2006. He is known for his opposition to free trade deals and helped rally Republicans and Democrats against NAFTA in 1993.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Clinton gets along well with Brown, and Ohio will be a critical battleground state in November. Brown is also popular among the blue-collar voters whom Trump is trying to pull into his column. But if Clinton taps Brown as her running mate and they are elected, the Democrats will lose a member in the Senate because Ohios Republican governor will get to pick Browns temporary replacement. Brown is also a career politician known for having a sharp temper. He would not bolster Clintons hopes of attracting moderate Republicans who do not support Trump.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro takes part in a news conference at the Texas Democratic Convention. (Eric Gay / AP) (Test)
Julian Castro
U.S. secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Age: 41
Background: The former mayor of San Antonio has served two years as President Obamas HUD secretary. The identical twin of a Texas congressman, Joaquin Castro, he worked as a White House intern when Bill Clinton was president. Castro is a lawyer by training. He gained national attention with his keynote speech at the 2012 Democratic national convention in Charlotte
Advantages/Disadvantages: Castro could help Clinton secure Latino support in three battleground states: Nevada, Colorado and Florida. His youth and charisma could prove to be an asset to Clinton, who is 68. But his limited experience in federal affairs could be troublesome. And Trump has already so thoroughly alienated Latinos that its unclear that Clinton needs help from her running mate to expand her support in that community.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker addresses a gathering during a naturalization ceremony at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. (Mel Evans / AP) (Test)
Cory Booker
U.S. senator, New Jersey
Age: 47
Background: Cory Booker has represented New Jersey in the Senate since 2013. He was previously the high-profile mayor of Newark, N.J., known for his lively Twitter feed and on-the-ground work with constituents. He shoveled snow for residents and once ran into a fire to save a woman. Booker developed a national political profile with frequent appearances in the media. He is socially liberal but displays some centrist tendencies, such as supporting education reform and defending private equity.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Booker is young and African-American, adding diversity to the ticket. He is dynamic on the stump, a fluent Spanish speaker and a cheerful attack dog who appeals to the coalition of voters who turned out in record numbers to put Obama in the White House in 2008. Bookers approach to crime and economic revitalization could help neutralize what some see as the criminal justice failures of Bill Clintons administration.
He does nothing for Clinton geographically since New Jersey is safely in Democratic hands. If Clinton taps Booker as her running mate and they are elected, the Democrats will lose a member in the Senate because New Jerseys Republican governor will get to pick Bookers temporary replacement.
U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez speaks at a news conference at the Treasury Department in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik / AP) (Test)
Tom Perez
U.S. secretary of Labor
Age: 54
Background: The son of Dominican immigrants, Perez is a former federal prosecutor who was deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights when Bill Clinton was president. Perez later served as Marylands labor secretary. In 2009, President Obama named him assistant attorney general for civil rights. Four years later, Obama promoted Perez to the Cabinet, appointing him as labor secretary.
Advantages/Disadvantages: Perez has close ties with organized labor, a major base of support for Clinton. He could help Clinton win Latino support in key battleground states, but thats not necessarily a top priority in a campaign against a Republican who is deeply unpopular among Latinos.
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As the presidential race moves into a key two-week period, with the announcement of running mates and the party conventions, Donald Trump has taken an apparent slim lead over Hillary Clinton, based on strong support from white voters, particularly men.
That finding, from a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Daybreak tracking poll, a new survey that begins publication Friday, marks a significant shift in a race that most polls indicated Clinton has led since mid-May.
It comes amid a flurry of other surveys, both nationally and in battleground states, that show support for the former secretary of State declining since last week when FBI Director James B. Comey characterized her handling of classified material while in that office as extremely careless. Comey also said her conduct and that of her aides did not clearly violate the law or warrant prosecution.
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Heres the FBI directors full statement on Hillary Clinton email investigation
What isnt known is whether the new surveys are capturing Clinton at a low that will prove temporary, as voters react to Comeys criticism and the renewed attention to her use of a private email server, or whether they reflect a more lasting shift that could hobble the presumed Democratic nominee for the remainder of the campaign.
The polls do not yet measure, for example, whether Clinton will receive a significant boost from Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsement on Tuesday. The next couple of weeks also could prove pivotal as voters tune in to the campaigns during the conventions.
Trump continues to face formidable obstacles to winning. Even as new surveys show the race tightening, he has not significantly increased his support: Since February, when he began to dominate the Republican primaries, his backing in head-to-head matchups with Clinton has rarely risen above 40%.
Instead, several new surveys show Clintons support declining, while the number of voters saying they will vote for a third-party candidate has risen.
In the new tracking poll, through Thursday night, Trump led Clinton 43% to 40%.
In the new tracking poll, through Thursday night, Trump led Clinton 43% to 40%. Thats within the polls margin of error of 3 points in either direction, meaning the apparent lead could be the result of chance.
By Friday morning, the poll, which will be updated every day through the election, was showing a decline in Trumps lead.
The poll shows big gaps along the lines of race, gender, age and education that have surfaced consistently during the campaign. Through Thursdays results, Trump led among men, 47% to 36%, while Clinton had a smaller, 41%-34% edge among women. Trump led among voters 45 and older, Clinton among those younger.
Some of Trumps strongest support comes from white voters who have not graduated from college, among whom he led 53% to 24%. Clinton, by contrast, dominates among minorities, leading 77% to 3% among blacks and 51% to 30% among Latinos.
Clinton also held a narrow edge among white college graduates, 42% to 40%. If she wins that group, Clinton would be the first Democrat to carry white college graduates since polls began asking such demographic questions in the early 1950s.
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The poll also offers some support for a prediction that Trumps backers have made that he would appeal to disaffected voters who did not cast ballots in 2012. Those who did not vote that year or voted for a minor-party candidate were more likely to favor Trump than Clinton, the poll indicated.
Although respondents to the poll narrowly favor Trump, they dont necessarily expect him to win. In a separate question asking people who they think will prevail, Clinton led 53% to 41%.
Research has shown that that question often although not always forecasts election results more accurately than asking people their voting intention, particularly months before the vote is counted.
The Daybreak tracking poll differs from traditional polls in two major respects. Rather than questioning a different group of respondents for each poll, the survey relies on a panel, currently consisting of about 3,000 people recruited at random to represent U.S. households.
The panel is part of a larger Understanding America Study conducted by USCs Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research. The election survey is being done in partnership with The Times and USCs Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics.
Because of the panel design, we have the same people every time, so changes in the poll are really people changing their minds, rather than the result of variations in who answers a particular survey, said Arie Kapteyn, the director of the USC Dornsife center, who pioneered the approach for the 2012 election while at Rand Corp.
The panel design typically shows less volatility than traditional polls. Four years ago, it proved more accurate than most other surveys in forecasting the election result, although maybe that was beginners luck, Kapteyn said.
The other major difference is that the poll, using a 1-to-100 scale, asks respondents to say what the chance is that they will vote as well as the chance that they will cast a ballot for Clinton, for Trump or for another candidate. The results are weighted based on those probabilities, so that a voter who is 100% sure of his or her choice has more impact on the forecast than one who is 60% sure.
That approach is one way to resolve one of the biggest problems that polls have deciding who is going to vote, Kapteyn said.
Most polls use several questions to try to determine who is a likely voter and make a forecast based on that, but efforts to predict likely voting are often wrong, particularly far in advance of the election. Employing probabilities means you get to use all the data, Kapteyn said. In theory, that should lead to more reliable results.
See the most-read stories this hour
Several other polls released in the last couple of days point to the damage that the email issue has caused Clinton.
A New York Times/CBS News poll released Thursday morning, for example, showed that voters by a wide margin said Clinton would be better than Trump at handling several major issues.
But 67% of voters in the survey said Clinton was not trustworthy, an increase of 5 points from a CBS survey taken last month. The two candidates were tied in the new New York Times/CBS poll, with each receiving 40% of the vote.
A national poll by Marist College for McClatchy newspapers also showed a significant drop in support for Clinton. That July 13 survey showed Clinton leading Trump, 42% to 39%, but in April, a similar Marist poll had found Clinton with a 9-point lead.
Clintons support has dropped 8 points since then. Trump dropped 2 points, and 13% now say they would not vote for either of the two, the poll found.
A 50-state compilation released Thursday by Morning Consult, a media and polling firm that conducts surveys online, found Clinton still leading in enough states to win the presidency, with 320 electoral votes for her, 212 for Trump, and Iowas six electoral votes a dead heat.
In addition to Iowa, there were eight states where Clinton and Trump were within 2 points of each other, according to the firms surveys, which were based on responses from 57,000 voters in all 50 states. Those were Ohio, where the firm found Trump narrowly ahead; and Florida, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all of which leaned slightly to Clinton.
Compared with a previous round of surveys in April, Clinton had lost significant ground in Iowa, Wisconsin, New Hampshire and Ohio. She had gained, however, in Georgia and Nevada, both states with large minority populations. Nevada is now firmly on the Democratic side, the Morning Consult surveys showed.
New polling from Fox News showed Clinton leading in two other states where minority voters are likely to hold the key Virginia and Colorado.
Additional evidence of greater risk for Clinton in battleground states came from three other surveys released Wednesday.
Wisconsins closely followed Marquette Law School poll showed Clinton with a 4-point lead, 45% to 41% among voters likely to cast ballots in that state in November. That was down from a 9-point margin, 46% to 37%, among likely voters in the same survey last month.
Polls in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Iowa by Marist for NBC News and the Wall Street Journal found Clinton ahead in Iowa and Pennsylvania and tied with Trump in Ohio. In all three states, however, Clinton had lost ground since previous Marist polls.
Polling by Quinnipiac University of voters in Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio similarly showed Clinton losing support. Their surveys found Trump narrowly ahead in Pennsylvania and Florida and a tie in Ohio.
The Quinnipiac polls have generally shown Clinton doing somewhat worse than other surveys, so whats most significant is the downward trend for her, which matches that found by Marist and Marquette.
david.lauter@latimes.com
For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter
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Local school officials say they have received concerns from parents over the potential disclosure of student information to attorneys as part of a 2012 lawsuit against the California Department of Education.
The lawsuit, filed by the Morgan Hill Concerned Parents Assn. and the Concerned Parents Assn., alleged noncompliance by local educational agencies under the Individuals with Disabilities Act, although the California Department of Education denies the allegations, according to a statement.
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Most recently, the state Department of Education has advised school districts to inform parents how to object to the potential release of the information before an April 1 deadline to file objections.
The court has said that it will not provide the student data to the plaintiffs unless it determines that plaintiffs have the ability to secure it, according to a statement by the California Department of Education.
Under the California Education Code, student records are protected, unless they are ordered to be released by a court order, said Kelly King, assistant superintendent. of Glendale Unified, when reached by phone Tuesday.
At the request of State Supt. Tom Torlakson, local school districts, including Glendale and Burbank, are letting parents know how to object to the potential release of the data, which could include students names, addresses and special education programs in which they have been enrolled, King said.
The lawsuit alleges that students with disabilities have not received a free and appropriate public education.
Were sharing this information with our parent community. PTA chapters are sharing with their parents. Parents can individually decide if they want to object to this information being shared in the court, King said.
In Burbank, school board member Larry Applebaum said during a meeting on Thursday that he has sensed parents frustration over the potential disclosure of data.
He and Burbank Supt. Matt Hill confirmed that local districts are not releasing any student information a current misperception among some parents.
People have the mistaken belief that were going to be sending information from Burbank Unified, uploading it to some place, Applebaum said.
As far as Burbank Unified school district, we wont directly release any information, but the California Department of Education already has some information, Hill said.
If the information is ultimately released to the plaintiffs, it would not be made public, King said.
There is an expectation of confidentially. Its sealed within the court, she said, adding that the information would only be used in relation to the case. Its not information they can then use in the future.
Both Glendale and Burbank school districts have posted links to the objection forms on the main pages of their websites, gusd.net and burbankusd.org, respectively.
--
Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
Whats a fair without a theme?
Some slogans might sound goofy, off the wall or cute and descriptive, but they all aim to define the party and provide something specific to rally around.
Slightly creepy? Were Puttin A Bug In Your Ear was the Orange County Fairs 1996 salute to insects.
Spot-on appropriate? Its the Wheel Thing was its 1993 tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Ferris wheel.
Somewhat confusing? The number of years devoted to Hawaiian Holidays.
Somewhat repetitious? 1979: A Touch Of Country; 1980: A Touch Of Country; 1981: Theres Still A Touch Of Country.
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The theme of this years OC Fair, which begins Friday in Costa Mesa, is Get Your Fair Face On.
This theme tries to capture the true experience of a fairgoer, fair officials said, whether its the face of a person right before taking a bite of funnel cake or the expression of a child who just won a huge stuffed animal. These faces are what define the fair, organizers say.
Michele Richards, the fairs vice president of business development, believes a fair face has no limits. Ideally, she explains, the theme is meant to express the look of the fair when people come to visit.
Past themes have had more of an emphasis on food and farming, both of which are huge aspects of any fair. For example, the 2011 Lets Eat! and 2003s Red, Ripe and Rockin The Year of the Tomato both expressed the values of food and harvest time.
Rebekah Villanueva rests on her steer, Stefan, in the livestock area at the Orange County Fair in 2013, when the fairs theme was Come & Get It. (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)
For years, the fair has introduced a plethora of foods of the fried variety Oreos, avocados, Kool-Aid and displayed freshly grown fruits and vegetables with pride.
Last years One Big Party theme was a nod to the 125th year of the Orange County Fair, a monumental moment to celebrate and party. An ice museum and a live butterfly exhibit were among the many attractions.
With each year comes a different theme, but who dictates how the OC Fair will be presented?
According to Robin Wachner, the fairs communications director, the theme often is decided in a collaborative manner involving the fairs ad agency, internal graphics department and other staff members. They will brainstorm to come up with a concept that suits that years fair and all its festivities.
With fairgoers in mind, a theme is selected to be interactive and used throughout the fairs run, Wachner added. The fair usually incorporates it in various contests.
This years theme will be the focus of a nightly mosaic of guests photos of their fair faces.
Patrons can submit photos of themselves through social media or the fairs website at ocfair.com/ocfairface. The images will be uploaded to the site, and every night at 8:30, the video screen in front of the Hangar will show an image of two people on a ride. A closer look will reveal that the image is made up of hundreds, maybe thousands, of smaller ones of visitors enjoying the fairgrounds.
Such creativity isnt the sole province of Orange County. Interesting fair themes from elsewhere include Cows Just Wanna Have Fun! (Merced County Fair, 2012), Race to the Fair (San Diego County, 2011, to celebrate the car culture), Suesscentennial Celebration (San Diego County, 2004, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Dr. Seuss Theodore Geisels birth) and A Fair to Remember: Celebrate the Worlds Fairs & Balboa Park (San Diego County, 2015).
Davis County, Utah, took cute liberties with the key word fair as well, with Fairadise and The Fair Necessities.
Dare to Fair is Los Angeles Countys choice this year.
So, why a theme?
Theyre just plain fun.
Fairgoers love that we have themes and are thrilled when theyre revealed, Wachner said.
::
Some past Orange County Fair themes
1952-53: Port-O-Plenty
1959: Better Living Through Agricultural, Industrial and Educational Living
1960-63 and 1965-67: Hawaiian Holidays
1973-76: Good Old Days
1982: The All-American Fair
1983: Everythings Coming Up Rosy
1985: Its Wild and Woolly
1988: Were Beefin It Up
1990: Very, Berry Extraordinary
1997: Were Goin Tropical and Nuttin But Fun
2000: ""Hot! Hot! Hot!
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What: Orange County Fair
Where: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
When: Friday through Aug. 14. Noon to midnight Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturdays and Sundays
Cost: $12 general admission; $7 for senior citizens 60 and older and children ages 6 to 12; free for children 5 and younger
Information: ocfair.com or (714) 708-1500
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Writers Debbie Zucco and Michael Miller contributed to this report.
New owners, new look.
After New Jersey-based Prudential Real Estate Investors teamed with Costa Mesa-based McCarthy Cook & Co. to acquire MetroCenter at South Coast, the new owners plan an extensive makeover that they hope will re-energize the 17-acre business complex.
The companies closed the purchase of the Costa Mesa property last month, obtaining MetroCenters three 12-story office buildings at 535, 555 and 575 Anton Blvd. and the 24 Hour Fitness health club at 589 Anton.
The office buildings cover about 800,000 square feet and were built in phases starting in 1984.
Edward Cook, co-president of McCarthy Cook, said the biggest and most dramatic change will be the creation of an indoor and outdoor work environment for the tenants of the cube-like office buildings. Current tenants include credit reporting agency Experian Inc. and real estate financing company Sterns Lending.
The architecture of the 60s and 70s favored a more boxed and closed look as having AC in the building became a luxury that people enjoyed, Cook said. But today, theres a totally different texture on how people eat, work and play. We live in the best weather, so youll see that these indoor-outdoor workplaces are becoming more common.
Over the next year and a half, designers and construction workers will create more seating areas outdoors, install reverse-osmosis drinking fountains in the campus central courtyard and replace some of the dark glass windows on the first floor with massive sliding doors that will lead to outdoor patio areas.
The plans not only will give MetroCenter tenants a comfortable place to work but also an exhilarating place to eat, Cook said.
For the first time, the central courtyard will accommodate a runway for food trucks during lunch hour.
What we want to provide is a revolving door of gourmet food trucks, Cook said. Theres a certain energy when youre walking to get food and you know its going to change every week.
The owners also plan to build a 1-mile fitness loop around the campus with stations for yoga, pull-up bars and water bottle fill-ups. The fitness path likely will connect with the 51,000-square-foot 24 Hour Fitness.
A new bike-share program will enable tenants to ride communal bikes to neighboring attractions such as South Coast Plaza, The Camp, The Lab and South Coast Collection, Cook said.
Many of the renovations were inspired by the workspaces of Silicon Valley and were chosen to appeal to working millennials, McCarthy Cook officials said.
Its not so much about the location [of Silicon Valley] but its more about how they work, Cook said. They do things like inviting food trucks for people to have food from around the world and keeping the worker energized. The [MetroCenter] campus will express itself in a similar way.
According to JLL, an Orange County real estate market research group, millennials defined as residents ages 22 to 34 are heavily concentrated in cities such as Costa Mesa, Orange and Fullerton, making up 22% to 28% of the population.
We definitely think Costa Mesa is the hip city of Orange County with places like The Lab and The Camp nearby and that its attracting millennials, said Brian Harnetiaux, McCarthy Cooks vice president of asset management. Our goal is to help attract the talent to the property and to retain the talent once theyre here.
MetroCenters owners are working on the propertys new designs with architects from the Newport Beach and San Diego offices of Gensler, a planning and consulting firm. Officials plan to break ground on the multimillion-dollar renovations late this summer and be finished in May 2017.
Prudential and McCarthy Cook acquired MetroCenter for an undisclosed price from an affiliate of San Francisco-based RREEF Funds LLC, which owned the property for about a decade.
The convicted drunk driver who caused a head-on crash that killed three Costa Mesa residents last year in Oregon was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison, according to the prosecutor and victims family members who attended the hearing.
Joshua Gibson, 28, also of Costa Mesa, pleaded guilty in May to three counts of manslaughter, two counts of assault and one count of driving while intoxicated.
Because Oregon law bars early release for inmates convicted of certain violent crimes, Gibson must serve the entire 15 years of his sentence, minus the time he has already spent behind bars since his arrest in November, said Josephine County District Attorney Ryan Mulkins.
I just hope and I pray that its enough time for him to turn his life around, Darlene Stinson, the mother of one of the victims, said after the hearing.
Stinsons son, Steve, was one of the three people killed the evening of Sept. 10 when Gibson, driving them and another passenger in a Buick, tried to illegally pass the car in front of him. The Buick smashed into an oncoming pickup on Highway 199 just south of Kerby, Ore., according to police.
Claire Honsaker, 25, and Christoffer Burke, 27, also died in the wreck, according to Oregon authorities.
Gibson, the pickups driver and the fourth passenger in the Buick, Kean Krause, 21, of Costa Mesa, were hurt, police said.
Our lives have been shattered by it, said Kari Johansen, Burkes mother, who was one of at least a half-dozen grieving family members who spoke at the hearing.
The group expected the 15-year prison term, having been told the terms of a plea agreement between prosecutors and Gibson. Nevertheless, some asked the judge to instead sentence Gibson to life in prison.
Johansen said she couldnt yet answer the question of whether she thinks the sentence is just.
Five years for each life seems very minimal, but 15 years in prison without any possibility of parole is a long time, she said.
When Darlene Stinson spoke in court, she addressed Gibson directly.
I told him I dont like him and sometimes I get angry with him, but I dont hate him, she said. I do forgive him.
Steve Stinsons sister Stephanie Janicki said most of the group in the Buick that night were close friends. But, she added, her family had never heard of Gibson before the crash.
I thought hearing him speak today would make me feel better, and it didnt, Janicki said. It didnt at all.
The tragedy, she said, could have been avoided.
There was a sober person in the vehicle; why didnt she drive? Janicki said. And she had to die instead.
After the hearing, Janicki reminisced about the last time she saw her brother. It was at a birthday party for their grandmother, who has since died.
That day, Janicki said, her brother spent time with her two children, ages 2 and 5. The trio spent more than an hour scouring the backyard for turtles.
Something about her brother had changed recently, she said.
The way that he said he loved me when we said goodbye was just different, Janicki recalled. Everything about him was just different. He was more content than Id seen him in the past.
Steve, she said, had a new goal. He had been saving money so he could move to Oregon, where he planned to buy land and live off it.
In the meantime, he would take trips to the state, spending a few months at a time working and socking away money to reach his dream.
He had his life savings with him the night of the crash, she said.
Two friends who opened a restaurant in Montrose this week plan to feed their patrons the same way they feed their families.
After two years of planning, Theresa Rosette and Kristina Evans opened their first restaurant, Rest Farmhouse Inspired, serving up dishes made from locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.
We like to think of the menu as rustic French, Evans said.
Evans and Rosette have been friends for more than 20 years after meeting through their husbands, who shared an office in Maryland. Now, both husbands work at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Over the years, one theme in the womens friendship has remained consistent.
The topic of conversation has always been around food, Evans said.
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Kristina Evans and Theresa Rosette, co-owners of the new Rest Farmhouse Inspired in Montrose. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer)
Prior to opening their restaurant, Evans worked as a personal chef, and Rosette would help her on various cooking gigs.
When Evans and Rosette decided to open Rest, they were determined to emphasize local ingredients sourced from farmers Evans has developed relationships with while working as a chef.
If customers ask, they can learn the name of the farm where the grass-fed, free-range meat on the menu came from.
This is the way we feed our families, Evans said. This is the way we wanted to feed Montrose, too.
Some menu items include beef-and-chicken-bone broth, a roasted beet salad, and house-made jams such as the bacon jam used in their Parisian sandwich made with brie on sourdough bread.
They also sell pastries and Annaboo sodas, named after their creator, Evans daughter Anna.
The Earl of Montrose soda is made with lavender simple syrup, club soda and Earl Gray tea with lemon.
The menu also features daily Chefs creations, and this week, Wednesdays special was a slow-cooked mocha-rubbed, grass-fed beef roast, served with baked sweet potato.
Fridays special offers grass-fed bison-stuffed peppers served with cilantro-lime cream.
Leading up to this weeks opening, both women said they are grateful for the way their family members have pitched in to help.
Evans has two daughters, ages 15 and 13, while Rosette has three sons, ages 17, 15 and 12.
During recent evenings, both womens husbands helped prepare the restaurant for its debut after each had put in a full days work at JPL.
We couldnt do this without their support, Rosette said.
The restaurant, located at 2420 Honolulu Ave., is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
A 4,300-foot sewer-pipe project will cost about $7 million more than initially planned after a consultants report failed to identify underground boulders that would get in the way of construction.
The City Council voted Tuesday 5-0 to allocate the additional funds to redo parts of the Chevy Chase Sewer Diversion Project, which will treat wastewater locally instead of letting it flow to a treatment plant in Los Angeles.
Last year, the city rewarded a $14.1-million contract to Upland-based Mladen Buntich Construction Co. Inc., which in November informed city officials there were boulders and cobblers in the way.
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Part of the project had to be redesigned, and the need for bigger machinery and bigger pipes arose, said Roubik Golanian, the citys public works director.
There is going to be extra work, extra effort and extra cost involved to move forward with the work, he said.
There is going to be extra work, extra effort and extra cost involved to move forward with the work. Roubik Golanian, Glendale public works director
The projects completion will also be delayed by a year, with a target date now set for 2018.
The borders of the construction are San Fernando Road, Elk Avenue, Chevy Chase Drive and Pacific Avenue.
Fugro Consultants Inc., a geotechnical agency, didnt identify the subsurface rocks in its soil survey, Golanian said.
Golanian said the experience, so far, has been disappointing and frustrating, and that the city is looking into whether Fugro could be held liable.
Officials at Fugros Los Angeles office referred the News-Press to its Houston office, which did not return calls for a comment.
The goal of the project is to divert wastewater initially heading for the Hyperion Plant for treatment in Los Angeles and instead send it to the Los Angeles Glendale Water Reclamation Plant.
Another component of the project would have some of the wastewater be converted into recycled water for city vehicles, such as street sweepers, and save about 2.5 million gallons per year.
Golanian said because of the savings, it was estimated the project would recoup its cost in 14 years, but with the delay and additional costs, it will likely take about 17 to 21 years for that to happen.
However, City Manager Scott Ochoa told council members that moving forward with the project would still be worthwhile because once costs have been recouped, the diversion project will save the city about $1 million a year.
Council members elected to stay with Mladen Buntich Construction Co., although the option to terminate the contract and find another contractor to do the work was also on the table.
Just based on the critical points, the shorter completion date, the least impact to the community and the least expensive those things ring well with me, said Councilman Ara Najarian.
The additional money will come from the public works departments sewer fund, which had enough to cover the extra work.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today received a delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu.
The president said he had an opportunity to discuss the strengthening of Azerbaijan-Turkey relations with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when they recently met in Warsaw, adding that the bilateral ties are successfully developing.
President Aliyev stressed the importance of the fact that Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim made his first visit to Azerbaijan.
He also touched upon a timely implementation of joint projects.
The president noted that Azerbaijani-Turkish unity and friendship is strengthening and has already stood many tests.
Our nations and other countries see that this unity and brotherhood is strong and invincible, he added.
Saying the two countries will continue standing by each other, President Aliyev expressed his confidence that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglus visit to Azerbaijan will be another step towards strengthening the bilateral relations.
Cavusoglu conveyed greetings of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to President Aliyev.
He stressed the importance of President Aliyevs attending NATOs Warsaw Summit and his meetings on the sidelines of the event. Cavusoglu thanked President Aliyev, on behalf of his country and people, for assistance in normalizing Turkish-Russian relations.
The Turkish foreign minister said measures taken in Azerbaijan in recent years to diversify economy has yielded good results, adding that these accomplishments are welcomed in his country.
Describing Turkish-Azerbaijani relations as perfect, Cavusoglu said the bilateral ties became closer over the past year.
President Aliyev thanked Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Binali Yildirim for greetings, and asked the foreign minister to extend his greetings to the Turkish president and prime minister.
Paul Paulsen stood beneath the canopy formed by seven trees at the Cal State Fullerton Memorial Grove on Tuesday evening and reflected on the meaning behind them: one planted for each of the seven people killed in a shooting rampage 40 years ago by a janitor who worked at the college.
Over those decades, the young trees have grown into majestic pines, and if a visitor stops and listens closely, he can almost hear the long-silenced voices in the rustling of branches.
Like that of his older sister, Debbie.
On Tuesday night, Paulsen was among about 50 people at a candlelight vigil marking the 40th anniversary of the massacre, which until recently was Orange Countys worst mass killing.
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Family members, university employees and law enforcement officials took turns addressing the crowd, urging unity in the face of growing discord across the country after numerous cases of gun violence.
Paulsen began by thanking those in attendance, saying each persons presence affirmed the unbreakable bonds of community.
He spoke about his sister, the quintessential flower child, who played acoustic guitar badly, embraced the British Invasion and was a magnet for stray and abandoned animals. She named her Alaskan husky Clancy after the Buffalo Springfield song, Nowadays Clancy Cant Even Sing.
Paulsen has regularly visited the memorial, which serves as a living tribute to the seven people killed and two wounded on July 12, 1976, by Edward Charles Allaway.
They were professors, custodians, students and artists, who all had known their killer.
Allaway, who was eventually deemed mentally ill, went from room to room in the campus library, firing 23 rounds during the attack and killing Debbie Paulsen, Frank Teplansky, Stephen L. Becker, Seth Fessenden, Paul F. Herzberg, Bruce A. Jacobson and Donald E. Karges.
He wounded Maynard Hoffman and Donald W. Keran, who have both since died.
Allaway was found guilty of the shooting by reason of insanity and remains at Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino.
Grief has never been far away for surviving family members and friends.
She had such promise, Paulsen said about his sister. Debbie was a gentle, caring and compassionate soul, which makes the circumstances of her death a cruel irony.
Debbie thrived in academics and was a graduate student in English literature. She wanted to be a professor. In the meantime, she worked as a custodian at the college to finance her degree. Shed work morning shifts, then go to night classes.
She would never see her 27th birthday.
Pat Almazan lost her father, Frank Teplanksy, a graphic artist who worked in the campus media center.
He was a gifted pianist, self-taught magician and talented caricaturist, who once illustrated a book for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
People will ask me, Why dont you have closure? but you cant put a time limit on grief, said Almazan, 70. For some, its short, but for others, its a lifelong pain of remembering a loved ones murder.
Almazan has tried. She visited the killer in 2006 to try to find an answer to the misery and put some of the pain to rest. But when she asked why he had targeted her father, Allaway said he couldnt remember. At that moment, she knew he wasnt going to reveal anything.
Almazans grief has fueled her efforts to ensure that Allaway remains locked up. Its important for survivors to remain involved and support each other, she said, noting her friendship with Paul Paulsen.
Itd never be a good idea to have Mr. Allaway released, said assistant Dist. Atty. Dan Wagner in remarks to the crowd. Who wants to have a mass murderer living next door to them? Its a very unwarranted risk.
In 2001, Allaway put in a request for release, but it was denied when a Superior Court judge concluded that doctors had difficulty predicting whether Allaway might kill again, given his long history of schizophrenia. Allaway, 77, can petition for release once a year.
Cal State Fullerton President Mildred Garcia said there are always good people who stand against violence, and the master of ceremonies, Paul Miller, Cal State Fullertons police chaplain, said the campus stood in solidarity with the victims.
At the time of the shooting, Miller was director of handicapped student services and had arrived to work late on the morning of the shootings in time to see the ambulances and other emergency personnel. Millers office was originally in the library, across from Allaways workspace, but he had moved before the shooting spree.
That Dallas was burying its five slain police officers this week following grim violence in Louisiana and Minnesota wasnt lost on the crowd.
Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer implored those gathered to be vigilant to prevent similar bloodshed.
Forty years ago, this was an outrageous aberration; today, its common, he said. It scares me. Im worried about it. We should all worry about it.
Just as a sunset began to darken the trees, Paulsen and Almazan lit candles before framed black-and-white portraits of the six slain men and one woman.
They gestured for others to flicker a light.
Thank you, everyone, Paulsen said, his voice shaking. Thank you for being here.
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Kathleen Luppi, kathleen.luppi@latimes.com
Twitter: @KathleenLuppi
At 22, Wahabba Husain had never worn a headscarf. As she walked into the classroom at Al-Huda, an all-female Pakistani institute for Islamic studies, on a December afternoon in 2014, she felt a pang of worry.
Would the other women judge her immodest a bad Muslim?
Husain exhaled when she saw many of her classmates had removed their veils. Her teachers, some as young as she was, had angelic faces. For the next several months, studying the Koran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad among two dozen women every Friday became a haven for her in male-dominated Pakistan.
Wahabba Husain, 23, studied at Al-Huda, an Islamic institute for women in Karachi, Pakistan. (Shashank Bengali / Los Angeles Times )
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I wanted something to feel at peace, Husain said, lingering over a juice at an upmarket cafe in Karachi. There is a very big sense of masculinity in this city. The classes are one of the best ways for women to connect with God in a way that is ours.
Al-Huda which caters mainly to educated urban women is the best known of a growing number of female-only academies that form an important outlet in an increasingly conservative country. They offer women a space outside the home to study and socialize while empowering them with a measure of the religious authority long monopolized by powerful male mullahs.
Yet there is a paradox at the heart of the schools appeal. Even as they seek to embolden women, many preach an austere interpretation of Islam that segregates the sexes, tolerates unequal gender roles and rejects other strains of the faith philosophies that critics say contribute to Pakistans growing fundamentalism.
A former Al-Huda student was Tashfeen Malik, who went on a shooting spree with her husband in December at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, killing 14 people and wounding 21 others. Before the killings, the couple pledged loyalty to the leader of Islamic State, raising questions about the role Al-Huda might have played in radicalizing Malik during the several months she spent attending classes in the southern Pakistani city of Multan.
It was the first time the school was directly linked to such an attack. Al-Hudas founder, Farhat Hashmi, a Pakistani-born woman living in Canada, said the organization denounces extremism, violence and terrorism of all kinds and should not be held responsible for students personal acts.
Husain said none of her teachers at Al-Huda or any other academy endorsed violence. Ive been to all of them and they never taught me anything like that, she said. There are so many girls going to these institutions. If all of them went around shootingwell, the ratio is very, very low.
Many women say the academies have allowed them to reassert themselves in a society that often feels hostile to their gender. In Karachi, the sprawling port city where Husain lives, violence and lawlessness, combined with a creeping religious orthodoxy, conspire to restrict even many educated working women to roles as wives and homemakers.
Classes taught by women, for women, fill the drawing rooms of the citys best neighborhoods and banquet halls in five-star hotels, as well as classrooms and more modest venues. Tickets for Koranic lectures are sold at coffee shops and perfume boutiques, aimed squarely at women from the middle class and above.
Its an alternative space outside the home or kinship networks that women didnt have access to earlier, and its important that they can justify to their families that it is something noble and religious, said Faiza Mushtaq, a sociology professor at the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi.
Farhat Hashmi and others like her have shrewdly found a space that spoke to the needs of these women. You could call it Islamic feminism: they offer a chance to be modern but also religious and educated at the same time.
One Karachi woman said she began studying Islam in 2000 to cope with the emptiness she felt after giving birth to two daughters. Al-Huda drew women from different social classes together, a rarity in stratified Pakistan. Women who came to classes in chauffeur-driven SUVs picked up middle-class friends from the bus stop.
Yet the woman, a journalist in her mid-40s, quit after a few years in frustration over her teachers failure to address social issues such as rape and extremist violence.
I didnt see anything that advised us to act in a violent way. But it did make people profoundly religious, she said. I sensed that I was becoming more rigid. I was avoiding my husbands male friends and [avoiding] visiting places that had music. It started to create problems at home.
Like other women interviewed for this story, the ex-student requested anonymity because she has not disclosed to co-workers that she studied at Al-Huda, which remains controversial despite its popularity. The religious establishment regards Hashmi as unqualified to teach the Koran and her methods as too modern. In liberal and secular circles, she is seen as reactionary and anti-feminist.
Founded in 1994, Al-Huda began as a response to the traditional schooling administered by large Islamist organizations, which many educated women had begun to view as regressive and overly political.
Muslim women have long gathered for informal study circles known as dars. Hashmi, who earned her PhD in Islamic studies from the University of Glasgow in Scotland, created a university-style system with admissions requirements, fixed class schedules, homework assignments and an 18-month diploma program.
In lectures, Hashmi advocates womens right to go to school and hold jobs. She has raised the ire of traditionalists by ridiculing certain ritualistic beliefs, such as barring women from entering mosques when theyre menstruating or not allowing them to pray while wearing nail polish.
But generally Al-Hudas curriculum much of which is available online is in line with the orthodox Sunni Muslim establishment that has held sway in Pakistan since the 1980s. Shiite Islam, Sufism and other strains of the faith are seen as sacrilegious. Some students said divorce was discouraged. All said they began to dress more modestly.
About a year after she began attending classes, Husain decided to don the Islamic headscarf, or hijab. She hangs out with her friends less often in public places now, preferring to invite them to her house for barbecues. Recently, she was engaged to a young man of her familys choosing.
But she hasnt shunned her other male friends or broken off her old friendships. She listens to Islamic music, but she remains a huge fan of pop artists like Taylor Swift and Imagine Dragons.
Music continues to be my weakest point, Husain said laughing. I would still call myself a struggling practicing Muslim.
Another woman, a psychotherapist, appreciated many of Hashmis views but found some former teachers and classmates too conservative. She recalled one class in Karachi where all the women were dressed in full-length abayas and gloves.
They all looked like Ninja Turtles to me, she said. She felt more comfortable at Zaynab Academy, a moderate institution in Karachi that often holds classes at teachers houses, followed by tea and snacks.
NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj
Al-Huda, Zaynab and other academies operate outside the jurisdiction of the five waqfs, or boards, that govern Islamic education in Pakistan. Most operate as nonprofits, which gives the government authority to inspect their finances, but otherwise there is no formal oversight of their curriculum.
Some Pakistanis assume that, because the Islamic institutes have proliferated so quickly in a country where mainstream schools lack sufficient teachers and basic supplies, the institutes have received at least some funding from Saudi Arabia. U.S. officials and international experts have found that Saudi Islamic charities are among the primary financiers of religious schools in Pakistan, a key ally and part of the kingdoms strategy to spread Sunni orthodoxy across the Muslim world.
They are contributing to the more conservative, more intolerant, narrowly sectarian view of Islam thats spreading in Pakistan, Mushtaq said.
But there is no question that they are empowering women. They have unsettled the model of Islamic learning and knowledge that was dominated by men.
shashank.bengali@latimes.com
Twitter: @sbengali
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Thursdays attack in the French Riviera city of Nice was callous and shocking, but not uncommon given the number of prominent terrorist assaults on European cities in recent years. In the last two years alone, 278 people have been killed in attacks by Islamic extremists in several European capitals, including London, Paris and Brussels.
Here are some of them:
Nice, France | 84 killed, 202 injured
At least 84 people, including 10 children, were killed and 202 injured, dozens of them critically, after a man identified by French authorities as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove an 18-ton refrigerated truck into a crowded seaside promenade where revelers were celebrating Frances Bastille Day. Among the dead were Americans Sean Copeland, 51, and his son 11-year-old-son Brodie, who were vacationing in Nice from Texas.
French prosecutors said Bouhlel, 41, a Tunisian-born French citizen, was killed during an exchange of gunfire with security forces.
Bodies lie on the street after a truck plowed through a crowded seaside promenade in Nice, France. (Antoine Chauvel / For The Times) (Test)
Magnanville, France | 2 killed
Two French citizens -- a police officer and his wife -- were stabbed to death in Magnanville, France, by a man swearing his allegiance to Islamic State. The attacker was a convicted terrorist identified as Larossi Abballa, 42.
Brussels | 35 killed, 300 injured
Brussels bombings include two suicide bombings in Brussels Airport and one bombing in Brussels Metro that resulted in 35 deaths and more than 300 wounded.
London | 1 injured
A man was seriously injured in a knife attack at a subway station in London. The incident was labeled as a terror attack because the attacker reportedly shouted, "This is for Syria" during the attack.The attacker was arrested after being tasered by police
Crime scene investigators collect evidence at Leytonstone tube station in east London. (Getty Images) (Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)
Paris | 1 killed
French police shot a man as he attempted to gain access to a Paris police station while brandishing a knife. The incident occurred on the first anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks.
Paris | 137 killed, 368 injured
A series of coordinated attacks in Paris, which consisted of mass shootings and suicide bombings, was the most fatal event on French soil since World War II.
Arras, France | 5 injured
A shooting and stabbing incident took place on board a Thalys train in France on its way from Amsterdam to Paris. The train had just crossed the border from Belgium into France when the suspect opened fire in a train carriage before being subdued by passengers, one of whom he stabbed.
Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, France | 1 killed, 11 injured
A French Muslim of North African descent, Yassine Salhi, allegedly decapitated his employer Herve Cornara and drove his van into gas cylinders at a gas factory in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier near Lyon, France, which caused an explosion. Salhi was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder linked to terrorism.
Paris | 12 killed, 11 injured
Two brothers forced their way into the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Armed with assault rifles and other weapons, they killed 11 people and injured 11 others in the building. After leaving, they killed a French National Police officer outside the building.
Paris | 5 killed
A policewoman was killed along with four civilians at a Jewish supermarket in an attack connected to the Charlie Hebdo assault. The suspect named as Amedy Coulibaly was later shot dead by police.
As prayerful chants echoed through this Riviera resort citys cathedral, France plunged Friday into an achingly familiar ritual of grief and recrimination after a truck-borne attacker plowed a path of carnage through a holiday crowd, killing at least 84 people and injuring more than 200.
The third major terrorist attack on French soil in 19 months raised painful new questions about the security services ability to defend against weapons as mundane as a delivery truck, about the integration of the countrys large and often downtrodden North African population, and the sense that not only Nice but an entire way of life had again come under siege.
Authorities said an eight-month-old state of emergency would be extended, and announced plans to deploy thousands of police reservists to counter threats.
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A special anti-terrorism unit was spearheading the investigation into the truck rampage late Thursday on the citys crowded seaside Promenade des Anglais, which left a trail of crumpled bodies, bloodstained shoes and clothing and the detritus of what had been a joyous celebration of Frances national holiday, Bastille Day.
Reflecting the citys status as both tourist magnet and melting pot, the dead and injured were of many nationalities, and online appeals proliferated as people from across Europe and around the globe searched for missing loved ones.
The State Department said two Americans were killed, and relatives in Texas identified them as 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his son Brodie, 11. An American student from UC Berkeley was reported to be unaccounted for.
Prosecutor Francois Molins, speaking at a news conference, said fingerprints had identified the slain driver-assailant as a deliveryman named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian emigre with permission to live in France.
He said it was still unknown whether Bouhlel, a father of young children who was separated from his wife, had acted in concert with accomplices, shown any signs of radicalization, or had links to any jihadist group.
French television showed footage of investigators leaving the modest apartment where Bouhlel had previously lived, carrying bags of forensic evidence, and authorities said associates and relatives including his estranged wife were being questioned as part of the effort to ascertain whether he acted alone.
With condolences pouring in from around the world President Obama called the assault tragic and appalling France was set to observe three days of official mourning. President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls flew to Nice in a show of determined solidarity in the face of the assault, eight months after devastating strikes in Paris.
1 / 33 Thousands gather on Monday on the Jardin Albert and the Promenade des Anglais in Nice to observe a minute of silence for victims of the deadly attack. (AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 33 The crowd applauds police officers and rescue teams after a minute of silence on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 3 / 33 Ghassan Zaour watches people gathered around a makeshift memorial after observing a minute of silence to honor the victims of deadly attack on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 4 / 33 People observe a minute of silence on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, to honor the victims of the attack. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 5 / 33 A man scans notices of people missing after a man drove a truck into a packed crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. (Boris Horvat / AFP/Getty Images) 6 / 33 A woman reacts after learning of the death of a relative at a Nice hospital. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 7 / 33 A woman walks alone on a deserted beach beside the Promenade des Anglais on July 6, 2016, in Nice, where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 8 / 33 People hug outside Pasteur Hospital in Nice after the July 14 truck attack that killed 84 people. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) 9 / 33 The Eiffel Tower in Paris is illuminated in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with the victims of the terror attack in Nice. (Christophe Petit Tesson / EPA) 10 / 33 A woman sits under French flags lowered at half-mast in Nice, following the deadly Bastille Day attacks. (GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP/Getty Images) 11 / 33 Police secure the area where a truck drove into a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations, killing scores of people in Nice, France. (Andreas Gebert / EPA) 12 / 33 A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in Nice, a day after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day. (Boris Horvat / AFP/Getty Images) 13 / 33 People react near the scene where a truck drove through revelers in Nice, France. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 14 / 33 Crime scene investigators work on the Promenade des Anglais after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France. (Olivier Anrigo / EPA) 15 / 33 People gather in front of the memorial set on the Promenade des Anglais where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 16 / 33 A man holding the French national flag stands near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice, France. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 17 / 33 Flowers placed near the site of the deadly attack on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 18 / 33 Floral tributes are placed near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 19 / 33 Riot police officers and gendarmes are seen Friday outside the Pasteur Hospital in Nice, France. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 20 / 33 Police researchers inspect the cab of the truck that crashed into Bastille Day revelers in Nice, France. (Alberto Estevez / EPA) 21 / 33 Roses are attached to a barrier near the scene of the truck attack in Nice. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 22 / 33 An image grab from the Twitter account of harp_detectives shows people fleeing the scene of the truck attack Thursday in Nice, France. (AFP/Getty Images) 23 / 33 An image grab from the Instagram account of GA Morrow shows people fleeing the scene of the truck attack in Nice, France. (AFP/Getty Images) 24 / 33 The truck that plowed through Bastille Day revelers, its windshield riddled with bullets, is examined by forensics officers in Nice, France. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 25 / 33 Emergency workers tend to a woman injured in the truck attack. (Olivier Anrigo / EPA) 26 / 33 Soldiers, police officers and firefighters walk amid bodies covered with blue sheets along the Nice seafront. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 27 / 33 A body lies on the ground after the Nice attack. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 28 / 33 People gather near the scene of the attack. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 29 / 33 Police officers and rescue workers stand near a truck that plowed into a crowd of people leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice on Bastille Day. Dozens of revelers were killed. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 30 / 33 Ambulances line up near the scene of the attack. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 31 / 33 A soldier stands guard alongside police officers near the site of the truck attack. (Ciaran Fahey / Associated Press) 32 / 33 Residents walk with their hands up as police conduct checks. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 33 / 33 Police officers inspect a vehicle after the truck attack in Nice. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images)
We are facing a long battle, a haggard-looking Hollande said in a televised mid-afternoon statement from the stricken city, in which he hailed security forces who, in a now-familiar pattern, rushed to respond to the attack. Accounts of wrenching heroism emerged Friday of police and others trying desperately, and at grave risk, to stop the trucks fatal trajectory.
But in a sign of growing public anger over the numbingly repetitive attacks, Hollande was booed and heckled by some onlookers, and as in U.S. politics the security issue swiftly took on sharpening political overtones. Analysts suggested the series of attacks over the past two years, with a death toll surpassing 200, could leave the French president vulnerable to ouster.
There is rhetoric coming from the right, the extreme right and also the extreme left that in Hollandes duty to defend the country, there was a complete breakdown in intelligence, said Thomas Guenole, a French political expert who teaches at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, commonly referred to as Sciences Po. For Hollande, the question is, how will he survive politically? I think hes a goner.
Frustration mounted, as well, over a sense of official impotence in foiling attacks.
How is it possible, when the Promenade des Anglais was closed off, that this vehicle could access it? asked Christian Estrosi, a former mayor of Nice and president of the regional council. How many national police were deployed? What means were used, when our country is still in a state of emergency, to avoid this?
Authorities were poring over CCTV footage, tracing the movements of the commercial-sized white truck used in the attack. The prosecutor said the vehicle had been rented on Monday on the outskirts of Nice and not returned on Wednesday as scheduled.
Rejoicing erupted on online networks associated with extremist groups, although even many hours after the attack, no claim of responsibility had been issued. Suggesting a degree of exaggerated bravado on the part of the attacker, most of the weapons found in the truck were nonfunctioning or replicas, authorities said, though there was a working automatic pistol and ammunition clip in the cargo bay, and the attacker was said to have exchanged fire with police.
The militant group Islamic State for months has issued propaganda videos urging lone-wolf attackers to use any means at hand, however low-tech, to stage attacks against a variety of Western targets. One such video disseminated online in mid-April included the chilling exhortation: Fill your car with gas. My brother, hurry up! Your neighbor is a kafir (unbeliever.)
There was no mistaking the heavy-handed symbolism of the attack, staged on a cherished holiday commemorating liberty, and targeting late-night, midsummer revelers watching the offshore fireworks display from Nices palm-fringed, sea-hugging Promenade des Anglais.
World leaders swiftly expressed sympathy and renewed determination to confront terrorist threats wherever they originated. In a variety of venues, there were moments of silence and flags flown at half-staff.
In Nice, incongruously, some of the rhythms of tourist-city life went on, with waiters setting up tables at the citys outdoor cafes. In a token of the jittery atmosphere, an unattended-bag scare briefly emptied the terminal at Nices airport, but it reopened soon after.
Still dazed and horrified, witnesses recounted an attack that began with terrifying suddenness.
Julie Aubin, a New Yorker in Nice for a business trip, was relaxing and watching the fireworks from a hotel rooftop and then was sickened by what she saw occurring below.
I live in New York; I know what gunshots sound like, and they were definitely gunshots then we saw people running, she said. Its hard to describe how I felt when I realized what was going on disgusted, shocked, scared.
King reported from Washington, and special correspondent Harvey reported from Nice. Special correspondent Nabih Bulos in Amman, Jordan, and Times staff writers Tracy Wilkinson in Washington, David Ng and Alexandra Zavis in Los Angeles, and Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Houston contributed to this report.
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UPDATES:
2:25 p.m.: The article was updated with additional background and analysis.
10:20 a.m.: The article was updated with an additional witness interview.
9:20 a.m.: This article was updated with additional information on the suspect and the investigation.
8:38 a.m.: This article has been updated with identification of the suspect and comments from Secretary of State John F. Kerry.
This article was originally published at 6:50 a.m.
The Canadian couple Id just met screamed a warning: Sarah, run!
People scattered all around, fanning in different directions down the maze of medieval streets in this town Ive called home for the last year. Everyones eyes, I remember, looked the same: wide open and full of fear.
I had been among those watching fireworks on Bastille Day, a French national holiday, less than a hundred yards from the scene of what I later learned was Frances latest terrorist attack.
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I spent Thursday night and early Friday morning with dozens of fellow Couch Surfers -- named for a travel website that helps people make friends and find a spare sofa to crash on in foreign countries. A group of us -- visitors, hosts and friends -- often gather to hang out.
This week we watched the fireworks and then headed to a bar nearby in Cours Aleya, the main tourist strip in the Old Town of Nice.
As we settled into our seats, the wind whistled outside. Gray clouds had hung over Nice all afternoon.
At first, when it began, I noticed frantic running.
A wall of people -- at first a few and then dozens and then more -- came toward us on Promenade des Anglais, the street parallel to us. Some sprinted, others walked, still unsure of what had happened.
I tried to calm the group.
Dont worry, I said, its probably just heavy-handed crowd dispersal tactics.
I dont know someone replied.
By then, the sprinting crowd had turned to hundreds. No one said much of anything. I just remember peoples eyes.
One of my new Canadian friends shouted: Its happening -- somethings happened!
1 / 33 Thousands gather on Monday on the Jardin Albert and the Promenade des Anglais in Nice to observe a minute of silence for victims of the deadly attack. (AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 33 The crowd applauds police officers and rescue teams after a minute of silence on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 3 / 33 Ghassan Zaour watches people gathered around a makeshift memorial after observing a minute of silence to honor the victims of deadly attack on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 4 / 33 People observe a minute of silence on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, to honor the victims of the attack. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 5 / 33 A man scans notices of people missing after a man drove a truck into a packed crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. (Boris Horvat / AFP/Getty Images) 6 / 33 A woman reacts after learning of the death of a relative at a Nice hospital. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 7 / 33 A woman walks alone on a deserted beach beside the Promenade des Anglais on July 6, 2016, in Nice, where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 8 / 33 People hug outside Pasteur Hospital in Nice after the July 14 truck attack that killed 84 people. (Anne-Christine Poujoulat / AFP/Getty Images) 9 / 33 The Eiffel Tower in Paris is illuminated in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with the victims of the terror attack in Nice. (Christophe Petit Tesson / EPA) 10 / 33 A woman sits under French flags lowered at half-mast in Nice, following the deadly Bastille Day attacks. (GIUSEPPE CACACE / AFP/Getty Images) 11 / 33 Police secure the area where a truck drove into a crowd during Bastille Day celebrations, killing scores of people in Nice, France. (Andreas Gebert / EPA) 12 / 33 A forensic expert examines dead bodies covered with a blue sheet on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in Nice, a day after a gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day. (Boris Horvat / AFP/Getty Images) 13 / 33 People react near the scene where a truck drove through revelers in Nice, France. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 14 / 33 Crime scene investigators work on the Promenade des Anglais after the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France. (Olivier Anrigo / EPA) 15 / 33 People gather in front of the memorial set on the Promenade des Anglais where the truck crashed into the crowd during the Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France. (Ian Langsdon / EPA) 16 / 33 A man holding the French national flag stands near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice, France. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 17 / 33 Flowers placed near the site of the deadly attack on the Promenade des Anglais seafront in the French Riviera city of Nice. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 18 / 33 Floral tributes are placed near the site of the truck attack in the French resort city of Nice. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press) 19 / 33 Riot police officers and gendarmes are seen Friday outside the Pasteur Hospital in Nice, France. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 20 / 33 Police researchers inspect the cab of the truck that crashed into Bastille Day revelers in Nice, France. (Alberto Estevez / EPA) 21 / 33 Roses are attached to a barrier near the scene of the truck attack in Nice. (Francois Mori / Associated Press) 22 / 33 An image grab from the Twitter account of harp_detectives shows people fleeing the scene of the truck attack Thursday in Nice, France. (AFP/Getty Images) 23 / 33 An image grab from the Instagram account of GA Morrow shows people fleeing the scene of the truck attack in Nice, France. (AFP/Getty Images) 24 / 33 The truck that plowed through Bastille Day revelers, its windshield riddled with bullets, is examined by forensics officers in Nice, France. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 25 / 33 Emergency workers tend to a woman injured in the truck attack. (Olivier Anrigo / EPA) 26 / 33 Soldiers, police officers and firefighters walk amid bodies covered with blue sheets along the Nice seafront. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 27 / 33 A body lies on the ground after the Nice attack. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 28 / 33 People gather near the scene of the attack. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 29 / 33 Police officers and rescue workers stand near a truck that plowed into a crowd of people leaving a fireworks display in the French Riviera town of Nice on Bastille Day. Dozens of revelers were killed. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 30 / 33 Ambulances line up near the scene of the attack. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) 31 / 33 A soldier stands guard alongside police officers near the site of the truck attack. (Ciaran Fahey / Associated Press) 32 / 33 Residents walk with their hands up as police conduct checks. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images) 33 / 33 Police officers inspect a vehicle after the truck attack in Nice. (Valery Hache / AFP/Getty Images)
Someone ran by, mumbling about a gun, and the 30 or so of us Couch Surfers sprinted for the street, stopping to catch our breath on the corner. The group had splintered off, zigzagging the chaotic streets.
I lost track of the Canadian couple, who I last saw running for high ground on a hill, and took shelter inside a cafe with a friend, whod just gotten a phone call from her mother in Egypt. Her mother had just seen news of the attack on TV.
As we tried to guess what mightve happened, a few people looked as if they might burst into tears. But mostly, we sat stunned.
The citys busiest streets, Cours Saleya and Rue de la Prefecture, quickly emptied, leaving behind a tableau of quick escape. Unfinished plates of food, half-finished glasses of wine.
Shouts of fear echoed through the streets, cutting the silence, as did the sound of metal shutters slamming closed as business boarded up in the darkness.
My friends phones buzzed with tips and rumors -- there was, perhaps, a gunman on the loose. Phone networks jammed, but we got information in confusing tidbits. We heard, at the time, that 20 people had died. Some people heard it was car bomb, others a shooting. And, there was also something about a truck.
We knew we had to get off the street, so we rushed into the first place we found open, a jazz club called Shapko.
Inside, a live band, oblivious to the chaos outside, played a bluesy rendition of No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley and the Wailers.
After about 20 minutes, the music cut off. We waited in near silence for an all-clear.
Before long, when we learned that a truck had plowed through the crowd, mowing down bystanders, the crowd grew more anxious.
Some asked to leave, others took long drags from cigarettes, easily ignoring the indoor smoking ban. The smell -- one I usually hate -- felt different. It felt nostalgic, a reminder of long-ago days.
We finally left around 2 a.m. and a group -- many scared to travel across the city -- gathered at my apartment, a two-minute walk from the club.
Glued to our phones, eager for more details, only soft chatter filled the room. We hugged each other and sometimes cried.
I cracked open the only food in my apartment: a bottle of rose and a bag of chocolate marshmallow bears.
I poured the rose into glasses, only a few swigs for each person.
Any wine is good right now, one French friend said.
We rested our heads on each others shoulders and drifted in and out of sleep.
Eventually, around 3:30 a.m., when it became clear no more attacks had been reported, guests began to trickle out of my building. We kissed each other on both cheeks -- the traditional bisou style for saying goodbye -- and they promised to text me as soon as they got home to confirm they were safe.
As the details trickled in -- a truck had bulldozed through the seaside promenade, killing at least 84 people -- messages from friends all over the world lit up my phone.
Im so sick of hearing these stories, a friend in Canada wrote. Be safe!
Another, more pleading, came from a local friend: I have no reception...r u ok??? Something happened and everybody was running. Please text me you are OK.
Outside, large groups of armed paramilitary police scoured the streets.
On Friday morning, as street cleaners made their rounds, I went for a walk. In this tourist city, strangers dont usually warrant a second glance, but this day, everyone seemed to hold eye contact for a beat or two longer than usual, taking in every single person walking past.
Harvey is a special correspondent.
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As she walked along the promenade above the ocean, past the horror-scape of broken bodies, Maryam Violet could hear the cries and murmurs of the hurt and grieving in Arabic.
One family had lost a mother. They called her a martyr.
There were so many Muslim people who were victims because I could see they had scarves over their head, Violet, who was vacationing in the seaside resort city, told the Guardian.
That numerous Muslims reportedly were among the scores killed when a truck driver plowed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks on the Promenade des Anglais came as little surprise to those familiar with this French Riviera town. Long known as a playground for Europes elite, with its pebbly beaches and aquamarine waters, Nice is a diverse, multicultural city with a large population of North Africans from former French colonies like Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
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On Friday, French authorities identified the driver of the deadly truck driver as a Tunisian-born deliveryman named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who had permission to live in France and stayed in a modest apartment in Nice.
But despite its diversity, Nice the fifth largest city in France -- remains largely segregated along ethnic lines. Like other French cities, it has struggled to assimilate growing migrant populations, particularly Muslim immigrants from North Africa.
In Nice an ancient city of some 343,000 people elderly millionaires favor the Mont Boron neighborhood, known as the Beverly Hills of Nice, as well as the palm-tree-lined Carre dOr quarter. The citys center is inhabited by middle-class teachers, hotel staffers and office workers, while Western expats and tourists flock to Old Town.
The scene of the attack, the crescent-shaped, seafront Promenade des Anglais the Walkway of the English itself dates back to 1822, and is named for the aristocratic English families who flocked to the temperate Mediterranean city and built the wide walkway, which is lined with historic hotels and outdoor cafes.
Meanwhile, many working-class minority residents live in isolated neighborhoods of towering apartment buildings, and state-funded housing projects sprawling inland.
The neighborhoods supply a share of ready young minds on which local jihadist recruiters prey. The Economist
Bouhlel, a known petty criminal who was fatally shot by police after slicing through the holiday crowds in the truck, resided in a crowded, high-rise concrete apartment complex a scene far removed from the sea-hugging promenade where he carried out his attack.
The neighborhoods supply a share of ready young minds on which local jihadist recruiters prey, the Economist wrote.
In the wake of the Paris attacks, many homes in the city were raided by police under anti-terrorism laws.
Last year, two teenage boys were taken off a departing plane at the Nice airport after authorities were alerted that they were headed for jihad, according to the Economist.
And last month, a waitress of Tunisian descent working in a central Nice cafe reported that she was harassed in Arabic and assaulted by two men for serving alcohol on the first day of Ramadan.
Eric Ciotti, a lawmaker for the region that includes Nice, responded angrily, telling The Telegraph newspaper: This attack should be placed in a national context that has seen a constant rise in religious fundamentalism and ghettoized communities.
hailey.branson@latimes.com
Special correspondent Harvey reported from Nice and Times staff writer Branson-Potts from Los Angeles.
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The 31-year-old man at the wheel of a truck that plowed through Bastille Day revelers in this southern resort city was known to the police as a violent petty criminal who immigrated from Tunisia about 10 years ago.
But he was not known to have any links to terrorist groups, and neighbors said he did not seem interested in religion.
Many questions remain about Mohammed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, whose identity documents, cellphone and bank card were found inside the 19-ton commercial vehicle, and what might have motivated his murderous assault. Was he in touch with Islamist extremists? How did he procure the gun he fired at police before he was shot dead? Did he act independently or was he working with others?
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The country has faced a number of horrific attacks by Islamist extremists, but as of late Friday, no group had claimed responsibility for Thursdays carnage in Nice.
Bouhlel was born in Tunisia and raised in Msaken, an affluent suburb of Sousse, where dozens of tourists were gunned down on a beach last year. He moved to France around 2005 and worked as a delivery-truck driver.
Like the perpetrators of previous assaults, Bouhlel had numerous brushes with the law, dating back to 2010, according to the Paris prosecutor, Francois Molins. But he was never flagged for signs of radicalization and was completely unknown to the countrys intelligence services, Molins told reporters Friday.
He was accused of various crimes including theft, vandalism and domestic violence but had only one conviction in France. He received a six-month suspended sentence in March for assaulting a driver with a wooden pallet during an altercation following an accident, Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas said.
His lawyer at the time, Corentin Delobel, said his client did not appear to have psychological problems or to hold extremist views.
He was quite normal in what he said, even in his physical appearance and his attire, Corentin Delobe told French TV.
There was nothing to indicate that he might be headed in this direction, Delobel said.
Although he was once married and had young children, Bouhlels neighbors in a blue-collar area of Nice said he lived alone on the first floor of a modest five-story apartment block. He kept a small van parked nearby and was often seen carrying a bicycle into his apartment.
I used to walk past him on the stairs sometimes, said Hiba, a French-born woman of Tunisian descent who, like others interviewed, did not want her full name published. I didnt like the way he looked at me, it was creepy. No manners either, always rude, and he pushed past everyone like he thought he was important.
At a nearby cafe, a grizzled man sipping from a glass of mint tea remembered seeing Bouhlel around the neighborhood.
I notice everyone here. Everyone who comes, everyone who goes, said the man, who asked to be identified as Mr. Mehdi. This man, he was not very popular. He never did anything bad to me, but he always had a bizarre attitude. And always alone. No friends! I heard he had a woman, but I never saw her. He always complained about her. Everyone knew this. A very bad man.
Bouhlel did not strike people as particularly religious. He was known to drink and smoke marijuana, did not attend mosque and often wore shorts.
Clearly not a real Muslim, said Yassine Adam Hamza, an 18-year-old, as she was leaning on a bicycle.
He was just a weird loner I heard him shouting sometimes, I think maybe yesterday or the day before yesterday. See, he doesnt know how to behave.
A Tunisian man, who said he comes from the same village as Bouhlel, described to LExpress newspaper an ominous exchange the night of the attack.
What happened Thursday night is that he drank with a colleague of his, said the man identified as Wissam. They argued. His friend told him, You are worth nothing at all. He answered him: One day, you will hear people talk about me!
Preliminary investigations did not suggest that he acted in the heat of the moment.
According to French news reports, Bouhlel rented the truck on Monday from a company in the nearby city of Saint-Laurent-du-Var, then parked it on Wednesday in Auriol, an eastern neighborhood of Nice.
Surveillance footage shows him returning to the neighborhood on a bicycle at around 9:30 p.m. Thursday. He enters the truck and drives west toward Promenade des Anglais.
At about 10:30 pm, he arrives in Magnan, a neighborhood just north of the famous palm-fringed boulevard, which was packed with people for a fireworks show.
Roughly 15 minutes later, he steers the truck into the crowd.
Zavis reported from Los Angeles. Special correspondent Harvey reported from Nice.
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UPDATES:
5 p.m.: This article was updated with comment from Bouhlels former lawyer.
This article was originally published at 4 p.m.
The Turkish capital was rocked by violent clashes overnight as the government fought back against a military coup, but authorities said Saturday they had managed to stave off a rebellion that has plunged one of the United States most important NATO allies into chaos.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday called the coup attempt an act of treason, and Turkeys army chief of staff said the plot was carried out by a militant faction within the armed forces.
Turkey has a democratically elected government and president. We are in charge and we will continue exercising our powers until the end, Erdogan said after landing in Istanbul.
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At least 160 people, including 104 plotters of the coup, were killed in attacks in Ankara, and 2,831 members of the armed forces have been arrested, government authorities said.
The coup attempt began late Friday, when a statement from the military was issued proclaiming that it had seized control of the country to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms.
But by Saturday morning, Turkish television was showing images of soldiers who had participated in the takeover attempt surrendering, and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told broadcaster NTV that the country was largely under control.
The president had been unable to return to Ankara on Friday from the seaside resort where he was vacationing because rebels controlled the airspace around the capital and instead flew to Istanbul.
While the government appeared to be consolidating control in Istanbul, the situation remained more uncertain in the capital.
The chaos enveloping a country that is a NATO ally, regarded as pivotal in the fight against Islamic State militants, boded ill for a region already roiled by violence. Both NATO and the U.S. administration were watching late-night and early morning developments with something close to alarm.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry said in a statement that the Obama administration viewed the situation with gravest concern, and said he had spoken with his Turkish counterpart and voiced U.S. support for the elected Turkish government. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, calling Turkey a valued member of the alliance, called for calm and restraint, and full respect for Turkeys democratic institutions and its constitution.
Both the Bosporus Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, which connect Istanbuls European and Asian sides, were closed to traffic on Friday, blocked by tanks, and gunfire erupted at one point when citizens protesting the coup attempted to cross.
In Ankara, a bomb exploded at the parliament building, the Anadolu news agency reported, and Erdogan said rebel bombs targeted the seaside resort hotel where he was thought to be vacationing.
Diego Cupolo, an Italian American photographer living in Ankara, described the scene there Saturday as, massive, massive death. Everybody is stressed. Theres a lot of broken glass and people are scared.
He said jets had been circling the city and dropping bombs. Overnight, he said, I heard people coming around with megaphones calling people into the streets: Come support your country! It was an organized effort to support Erdogan.
A local imam could be heard praying all night, he said.
Recent months have been filled with turmoil across Turkey. Violence from Syrias multisided war has increasingly spilled across the Turkish border, with the government blaming Islamic State for a deadly attack last month on the main international airport in Istanbul.
Turkey was also at the center of a migrant crisis that boiled over last summer when thousands of refugees used it as a springboard for the short crossing to Greece, although measures by the European Union have since stemmed that flood.
Turkey coup attempt live updates: Official claims coup has been repelled as explosion reported in parliament
In a fast-developing and turbulent series of events, tanks and soldiers blocked the entry to the main Istanbul airport, and incoming flights were turned away as outgoing flights were halted.
Ankara appeared to be the epicenter of the uprising, with repeated explosions hitting outside the parliament building and gunfire ringing out. After midnight, two fighter jets ripped low through the sky, their afterburners creating a deafening racket.
A statement attributed to the powerful military declared that the army had seized control in order to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country.
The military has been a traditional bastion of secularism, while Erdogan, initially considered politically moderate, has taken an increasingly strident Islamist stance since his rise to power in 2002.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said what he called limited elements of the military had failed to wrest control of the government.
Speaking to Turkeys private NTV television, he characterized events as a coup attempt by certain groups who took arms entrusted to them by the state and pointed them toward the state.
In Ankara, hundreds of bearded men backers of Erdogan walked along a main boulevard toward the prime ministers office, waving Turkish flags and chanting, God is great! One marcher called the situation a mini-war, and another denounced the attempted overthrow.
The people are resisting, said the man, who gave his name as Adnan.
But opponents of the Turkish leader were out on the street as well. One man who identified himself as Engin Zengin used an obscenity to describe the Islamist-leaning president. He wanted to make Turkey like Iran, to make us all Islamic fundamentalists, he said.
The turmoil was reminiscent of coups that rattled Turkey from the 1960s to the 1990s, but Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, had managed to instill a sense of stability in recent years. Human rights groups and Western governments, though, have expressed deepening concern about a continuing erosion of rights and harsh measures by Erdogan to muzzle dissent, stifle the media and bolster his personal power.
The Turkish leader has also launched a punishing war on Kurdish separatists, deeming them a far more dangerous threat than the jihadists of Islamic State.
It was several hours before the president was able to take to the airwaves to denounce the attempt by what he called a minority of the Turkish military to take power. For a man who up until now controlled most of the countrys news media, he was reduced to communicating with CNN Turk, a television channel he considers to be an opponent, through the Facetime mobile app.
They will pay the price, the highest cost at the end, Erdogan vowed.
The U.S. Embassy in Turkey issued an alert in response to the violence warning Americans to shelter in place.
A visiting California academic in Istanbul, David Selim Sayers, reported that he had seen stores shutting their doors, people rushing for their cars, and long lines outside corner stores and ATMs. In a dorm at Bosporus University, where Sayers is a guest lecturer, he said there was a rush on a vending machine selling Oreo cookies.
We dont know how its going to go, said Sayers, who teaches at San Francisco State University, but people are preparing for the worst.
A military faction calling itself the Peace at Home Council appeared to be spearheading the uprising. The group accused the president of destroying constitutional order and undermining the secular democratic state. The groups name evokes a phrase used by Kemal Ataturk, modern Turkeys founding father.
Erdogan blamed the uprising on Fethullah Gulen, a retired Islamic cleric and former political ally who once had a sizable following in the Turkish police, judiciary and military.
The president has purged the police and judiciary of reputed Gulen sympathizers over the last two years, and had been due to hold a meeting of the body overseeing the military, the High Military Council. There were reports he was planning to oust anyone still linked with Gulen.
Gulen, whose movement denied any involvement, now lives in exile in Pennsylvania, and Erdogan has tried, thus far unsuccessfully, to obtain his extradition to face allegations of supporting terrorism.
By Saturday morning, it appeared that Erdogans government was consolidating control, but Cupolo, the photographer living in Ankara, was not convinced. He wasnt venturing outside yet.
Well just have to see in the next few hours and days, he said. This could go any way . Whatever happens is probably going to change the trajectory of this country.
Times staff writer King reported from Washington and special correspondents Johnson from Ankara and Gutman from Istanbul. Times staff writers Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Houston and Marisa Gerber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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UPDATES:
7:10 a.m., July 16: The article was updated with a witness from Ankara and an updated death toll.
9:35 p.m.: The article was updated with a witness from Ankara and a revised death toll.
8:40 p.m.: The article was updated with reporting of additional clashes in Ankara and deaths.
7:10 p.m.: This article was updated with new information about Erdogans return to Istanbul and additional comments.
5:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with reaction and analysis.
4:25 p.m.: This article has been updated with Times reporting.
3:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with news about soldiers firing on protesters.
3:20 p.m.: This article has been updated with news about explosions.
3:05 p.m.: This article has been updated with comment from Turkeys president.
2:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with more details.
2:35 p.m.: This article has been updated with a statement from Russias foreign minister
2:10 p.m.: This article has been updated with a statement from a Turkish news agency.
1:35 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details
This article was originally published at 1:20 p.m., July 15.
Brits in Turkey advised to avoid public places
(Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP/Getty Images)
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he had spoken to his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, to underline support for Turkeys democratic elected government and institutions in the wake of the overnight coup attempt.
The Foreign Office is advising Britons in Turkey to stay indoors, avoid public places, especially demonstrations, and remain vigilant.
British Airways said it was canceling all flights to and from Turkey on Saturday, but budget airline EasyJet said it planned to runs its scheduled flights, largely to Turkish resort towns. The airline says the schedule will be kept under continuous review.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev has extended condolences to Frances President Francois Hollande over the terrorist attack in Nice.
We were deeply saddened by the news of a heavy loss of life and injuries as a result of horrible terrorist attacks in the city of Nice, President Aliyev said in his letter of condolences.
We are extremely outraged by this ruthless incident, and consider it important and necessary to mobilize forces and carry out a joint and resolute struggle against terrorism which has grown into a global evil, he added.
Sharing your grief in these hard times, on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my deep condolences to you, the bereaved families, the loved ones of those who died and the whole people of France, and wish the injured the swiftest possible recovery, said President Aliyev.
Secretary of State John F. Kerry wrangled for hours with senior Russian officials in Moscow on Friday, discussing a plan that includes first-time coordination between the U.S. and Russia on airstrikes targeting militant groups operating in Syria.
Late Friday, amid distractions over an unfolding military coup in NATO ally Turkey, Kerry announced agreement on a series of steps that he said, if implemented in good faith, could ease the Syrian civil war, which has claimed nearly a half-million lives.
But he declined to specify those steps, saying they need more work in order to work and that publicizing them now would expose them to spoilers.
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The results will not be tomorrow or the next day. They will not be immediate, Kerry told reporters. But our patience is not limitless.
The fraught effort comes as the Obama administration becomes increasingly exasperated with the failure of Russia to cooperate in the broader goals of ending the war in Syria, getting rid of President Bashar Assad and stopping gains by Islamic State and its allies. In fact, Russias actions have largely shored up Assad and given him an upper hand in the fight, while continuing deadly attacks on civilians.
U.S. officials have made clear that what they view as the Russia-backed Syrian regimes repeated violations of a partial ceasefire, which Kerry helped negotiate earlier this year, are undermining all diplomatic efforts.
See the most-read stories in World News this hour
But entering into closer military action with Russia poses a host of risks that have alarmed Syria watchers inside and outside of the administration. Instead of easing violence against civilians, which Kerry has said he hopes to achieve, it could have the reverse effect of unleashing even deadlier attacks.
We have some homework to do, but there is a possibility ... of actually making some further progress, Kerry said Friday during a break between meetings. We still have some gaps, and my hope is that in the course of this conversation and work right now we can close those gaps and find a positive way forward.
Earlier, a State Department official indicated that there was tough going in the talks, which started Thursday night when Kerry met President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. Kerry complained to Putin about repeated violations of the so-called cessation of hostilities and emphasized that absent concrete, near-term steps, diplomatic efforts could not continue indefinitely, department spokesman John Kirby said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also cast a negative light on the discussions so far, saying genuine cooperation had not yet started, according to the official Russian news agency RIA Novosti. He described a fairly constructive, frank and detailed dialogue, adding that many issues remain, to do with actual cooperation in the course of implementation of the operations in Syria.
Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, meanwhile, did agree on one thing: Thursday nights massacre in Nice, France, underscored the urgency in fighting extremists in Syria.
I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way [to show] that everything possible is being done to end this terrorist scourge and to unite the world in the most comprehensive efforts possible to fight back against their nihilistic and depraved approach to life and death, Kerry said.
Kerry is proposing the U.S. share intelligence and targeting data with Russia and coordinate bombing missions against Islamic State and Al Nusra Front jihadist forces operating in Syria. U.S. and Russian air forces would maintain their separate headquarters but would share a joint command center in Amman, Jordan. Currently, the two nations coordinate air operations only to maintain the safety of each others aircraft, not in terms of targeting or intelligence on locations of rebel positions.
Nusra is the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda, but many of its forces fight against Assad alongside other rebel groups that the U.S. supports. Despite the partial ceasefire in effect since February, Russia and the Syrian regime have made no distinction, bombing all the groups as terrorists.
The fear is that if the U.S. begins coordinating bombing runs with the Russians, Americans could be drawn into attacks on the very groups it supports. Kerry and other administration officials have insisted that Moscow would be made to pledge not to hit those groups, but others doubt Putin would keep his word.
Weve always made clear that we would welcome ... a military contribution from Russia, as long as they were focused on ISIL and Al Qaedas presence in Syria, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, using an acronym for Islamic State. Unfortunately, weve seen them devote too much of their attention to using their military might to prop up the Assad regime.
Even as Kerry was arriving in Moscow, reports from Syria quoted residents in the Kafr Hamra village area near Aleppo as saying about 30 airstrikes by Russian warplanes dropped 10 barrel bombs and 130 shells. Information on casualties and damage was not immediately available.
The cessation of hostilities, in addition to attempting to end slaughter, was aimed at allowing desperately needed food, medicine and other humanitarian aid into besieged enclaves. Its breakdown led to the collapse, at least temporarily, of political talks between pro- and anti-Assad parties aimed at a transition to a new government.
Nicholas Heras, an expert on the Middle East at the Center for a New American Security, said that for Washington to join military operations with Russia now would be a betrayal of the last five years of U.S. support for armed opposition factions in Syria. There is a wide chasm that is not easily bridged between U.S. and Russian goals in Syria, and even in their definitions of who the opposition groups are, Heras said.
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UPDATES:
5:20 p.m.: This story was updated with Kerrys remarks late Friday.
This story was originally published at 12:45 p.m.
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Democratic presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton marked her League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) speech by holding firm to her pledge to expand on President Obama's executive actions on immigration.
If elected, Clinton vowed to "introduce comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship," all within her first 100 days in the White House.
"I will send a proposal to Congress that will include a path to citizenship... a place where people from around the world come to start new businesses," she told a spellbound audience gathered in Washington for the organization's four day convention.
The former secretary of state and first lady also promised to increase the scope of the president's action, which stood to prevent millions of people brought to the U.S. as children from facing the threat of deportation.
Trump Pushing Deportations
By contrast, presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump has insisted he plans to deport up to 11 million immigrants and build a wall along the southern border to further keep them out of the U.S.
"I want to do everything I can as president to keep families together and that's one of the many reasons to finally get immigration reform through," Clinton added.
Back in June, the now shorthanded Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 on the legality of the actions enacted by the president, leaving a preliminary injunction in place that thwarted Obama's proposals as the law of the land.
Supreme Court's Shorthanded Ruling
The high court has operated with just eight justices ever since the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia earlier this year.
Throughout her speech, Clinton sought to empathize with immigrant voters by insisting she understood "how painful it was" to hear the SCOTUS ruling.
As Clinton made her appearance and delivered her speech, Trump busied himself by disseminating a release titled "CLINTON'S FIRST 100 DAYS OF AMNESTY."
The release featured news clips focused on her first 100 day promises.
Activists and scholars are banding together in Texas to oppose the use of a textbook in public schools on Mexican American history blasted as filled with "racist" overtones.
"Mexican American Heritage" is among the textbooks being considered for use as early as next year by the Texas State Board of Education for a new course on Mexican-American history.
Authors Expertise Questioned
Critics charge the book is filled with inaccurate depictions of Mexican-American history and culture and was penned by two authors with no known expertise in the field of Mexican-American studies.
"It is one of the most racist textbooks I've ever had the displeasure of reading," said Tony Diaz, a Houston-based educator, community activist and author who has led the recent charge for the implementation of a Mexican-American studies class.
"The people who wrote it obviously have no understanding of the difference between the term Chicano, Latino, Hispanic so that any time the word is uttered in the book, it's used incorrectly," added Diaz. "There's no way to edit it to fix it. The book needs to go."
Word is one passage of the book ties Mexican Americans to undocumented immigrants and claims that illegal immigration has "caused a number of economic and security problems in the United States," including "poverty, non-assimilation, drugs, crime, and exploitation."
Still another section describes Chicanos of the 1960s Civil rights era as people who "adopted a revolutionary narrative that opposed Western civilization and wanted to destroy this society."
Under Review
The book is now slated to be reviewed by a panel of educators who will peruse it for factual errors and decide ultimately determine if its meets state standards. In September, the state board will hold a public hearing on the matter and to go over the panel's findings.
The state board will conduct a final vote in November to either approve or reject the book's usage.
Between now and then, Diaz insists he and others plan to hold regular community meetings all over the state to spread the word and educate people about the book's flaws.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Seba Aghayeva Trend:
Relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are priority in all areas, said Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Baku July 15.
Cavusoglu made the remarks during a joint press conference with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.
Many projects in the region have turned Azerbaijan into a hub, he said. The two countries have become transit centers and we will continue this cooperation.
Turkeys foreign minister said it is planned to create a new format of trilateral cooperation, which is to include Azerbaijan, Turkey and Kazakhstan.
There is a preliminary agreement on creating such a format of cooperation, he added.
Turkey is one of the main economic and trade partners of Azerbaijan. Currently, the Azerbaijani investments in Turkey exceed $6 billion.
More than 2,600 Turkish companies operate in Azerbaijan, and there are nearly 1,600 Azerbaijani companies in Turkey.
Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey stood at $534.9 million in January-May 2016, and $414.1 million out of this accounted for the import of Turkish products, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.
Turkey ranks third among Azerbaijans trade partners.
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Follow the author on Twitter: @Asebaa
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by head of the Swiss Federal Department of Finance, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer.
Maurer informed the president about the aim of the visit and the meetings that he held in the country.
Highlighting Swiss-Azerbaijani relations, Maurer hailed the importance of the activities of Azerbaijan State Oil Company (SOCAR) in Switzerland.
He expressed confidence that the two countries will maintain their good ties.
Describing the bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Swiss Confederation as very fruitful, President Aliyev hailed good potential for developing these ties in economic, investment making and other fields.
Pointing to energy cooperation, the president underlined the importance of the Swiss Confederation's support for TAP project.
President Aliyev praised Swiss companies active work in various sectors of Azerbaijans economy.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, MP, head of the workgroup for Azerbaijan-France interparliamentary relations, Mehriban Aliyeva has extended condolences to Frances President Francois Hollande and French people over the terrorist attack committed in Nice on July 14.
I would like to extend my deep condolences to you and French people over the heavy loss of life and injuries as a result of the terrorist attack committed in Nice on July 14, said Mehriban Aliyeva in her letter of condolences.
Unfortunately, the ruthless terrorist attacks today inflict a heavy blow on peace and security in the whole world and claim the lives of thousands of people regardless their religion and nationality, said the first lady.
Azerbaijan, which has experienced the severe consequences of terror, is saddened and outraged with these crimes that target the innocent people, said Mehriban Aliyeva.
I once again share your grief over the tragedy. I express my deep condolences to you, the families and relatives of those killed and the whole French people, and I wish speedy recovery to those injured, she added.
Bethlehem officials were in a celebratory mood Friday afternoon despite the heat, as they broke ground at the new home for the city police department's Mounted Unit.
"We found the perfect site," said officer John Buskirk, who rides Pharaoh in the unit, before shovels and rakes were used during Friday's ceremony at the Langhorne Avenue site.
This courtesy rendering shows the new barn for the Bethlehem police horses.
The nonprofit Friends of the Bethlehem Police Mounted Unit signed a lease for a 10-acre spot near the Holy Saviour Cemetery on Linden Street. The property is owned by the Diocese of Allentown.
Plans are for a new three-story barn and training ring on a spot that is surrounded by corn fields and woods.
"It was so close to our hearts to be able to do this for those that serve us everyday in law enforcement," said Monsignor Alfred Schlert.
Buskirk said the new home will help the officers take better care of the animals and their gear, as well as providing ample grazing space.
"We get to worry less about the health and well-being of our horses," he said.
The police department's four horses -- Grey, Asa, George and Pharaoh -- have lived at the historic Burnside Plantation since the unit relaunched in 2009. But officials said the historic barn couldn't provide the climate-controlled space needed for the team and its supplies.
The two-year search included plans to build a stable on Bethlehem's favorite sledding hill, but that was abandoned amid public outcry.
"It's really great to see this day come to be," Mayor Bob Donchez said.
The bucolic lot sits at the dead-end of Langhorne Avenue in a quiet residential neighborhood. Neighbors came out to the groundbreaking, and officials said they have been supportive of the plans.
"I like my new neighbors," said Michael Cummings, who lives down the street from the site. Cummings has lived at the home of his sister, Catherine Cummings, for the past five years. He said the neighborhood has always been quiet and "I'm sure it's not going to change now."
Tom Tenges, president of the group's board of directors, said the horses will be able to move in eight to 10 weeks after construction begins. Seeding was already begun, and fields of the mix are already ready for the new trimmers, although Pharaoh couldn't wait and began munching as Buskirk spoke.
It may take a village to raise a child, police Chief Mark DiLuzio said, but it takes a community-police partnership to raise this barn.
The nonprofit friends group started a capital campaign to raise $475,000 for the barn, a training ring and maintenance. No tax dollars will be spent for the project, which Tenges said is a collaborative community effort.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The real fireworks from Easton's Heritage Day may have come after Sunday's festival.
More than 40 vehicles were towed during the event from private lots in the city, police Chief Carl Scalzo said. And he wants many of those vehicle owners to contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office to document what he calls "unjust" and "predatory" practices of private towing companies.
A sign at an Easton business indicates what will happen if you park there illegally. (Tony Rhodin | For lehighvalleylive.com)
At the moment, this isn't a criminal investigation, Scalzo said. It's just an attempt to get more names of those towed and a list of private lots so police can determine specifically what happened, Scalzo said.
Those affected can start here to get the to attorney general's complaints page. Or they can call 800-441-2555 to begin the process.
"'It would be helpful if you document all contacts and conversations you had with the property owner and tow company regarding the incident," police say in a Facebook advisory.
There are two issues, Scalzo said. It's immediately unclear if the tow truck companies had permission from lot owners to tow the vehicles, and the companies were charging significant amounts for people to get their vehicles back.
The question is, Scalzo said, did the companies tow vehicles in an "ethical and legal way."
There is no question, he said, that drivers cannot park in private lots without permission or for reasons other than for which the parking is offered. And lot owners can hire tow truck drivers to remove unwanted vehicles.
The police already have a list of people who complained, but now they want to "get the word out there as quickly as possible" that the next step is to contact the attorney general's office, he said.
The city is also working with the Northampton County District Attorney's Office on the case, Scalzo said.
"This has been a nuisance," Scalzo said.
Business owners and tow truck operators spoke to their positions in a Morning Call story Friday. Some folks had to pay up to $300 to get their cars back.
In addition to the investigation, the city is planning an ordinance to require tow operators to contact police before the tow begins in a private lot, Scalzo said. A police officer would need to respond and try to contact the vehicle owner before the tow truck driver could proceed.
"The ultimate goal is to get the vehicle removed," Scalzo said.
The question remains how.
Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Two Easton men seen breaking into a car early Thursday in Palmer Township fled from police on 20-inch-wheel BMX bicycles before they were taken into custody, court records say.
Tyler C.J. Hammerstone, of the first block of South 10th Street, and Jason A. Utter, of the 1200 block of Washington Street, were each arraigned on multiple charges and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $20,000 bail.
The haul totaled $23.37 in change, according to police. Police recovered another 16 cents outside the car, along with a soy sauce packet and a blue toothpick, police said.
Utter, who turns 28 this weekend, told police he and the 21-year-old Hammerstone were riding along the Palmer-Bethlehem Township Bikeway when Hammerstone pitched the idea to check for unlocked vehicles in the township, records say.
Utter reportedly told police he didn't take anything, only checked car doors. Hammerstone, when caught by police, claimed not to know Utter's last name, only that his first name was Jason, records say. By then Easton police, along with Wilson Borough police, were apprised of the investigation and told Palmer Township police the identity of the alleged second perpetrator from a previous encounter.
"Yes that makes sense because they call him Utter Butter," Hammerstone reportedly told police.
Township police said they were called about 2:20 a.m. to the 2600 block of Anthony Court for the report of a vehicle being broken into. An officer spotted two male BMX bicyclists and hit the lights and sirens, but the pair rode off, court records say.
One of them, later identified as Utter, crashed on the sidewalk along the 2600 block of Tamlynn Court but got back on his bike and continued riding, police said.
Hammerstone was caught in the area of South 21st Street and Ealer Avenue in Wilson Borough, sweating heavily with grass clippings on his cheek and carrying the $23-plus in change, police said. He reportedly claimed his accomplice took the money and gave it to him.
Utter was caught in the 1200 block of Lehigh Street in Easton, with fresh, bleeding scrapes and scratches on his hands, police said.
Both were arraigned before District Judge Jacqueline Taschner on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude police, theft, conspiracy and disorderly conduct, with Hammerstone charged additionally with receiving stolen property.
Each faces a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled July 28 before Taschner in her Palmer Township courtroom.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Little Mermaid at Zoellner, Sing for America
'The Little Mermaid' at Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem is the 14th musical production for Sing for America, an organization that raises money for military families. (Courtesy photo)
Sing for America is wrapping up its presentation of the Disney classic "The Little Mermaid" this weekend.
Remaining shows are set for 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday at Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Ave., Bethlehem.
Tickets are $18 for adults; $12 for students and senior citizens; and $9 for children 6 and under.
Lehigh Valley-based Sing for America raises money for military families. This is its 14th musical production.
For information, check out the Sing for America website or call 610-417-2189. Tickets can be ordered at 610-758-2787 or through the Sing for America website.
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Route 22 vehicle fire.jpg
A vehicle burns late in the morning of July 15, 2016, on Route 22 East near the Airport Road exit. (PennDOT traffic camera photo)
A vehicle was burning just before noon Friday on the shoulder near the eastbound exit from Route 22 at Airport Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.
It wasn't clear if anyone was in the vehicle, which was engulfed in flames and black smoke, according to a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation traffic camera.
A firetruck came down the wrong way on the ramp and quickly engaged the vehicle as the black smoke became white and rose high into the air. Within a few minutes there appeared to have the fire knocked down.
A county dispatcher said the firetruck was from Han-Le-Co Fire Co.
Traffic was slowed as it moved around the incident and the exit stayed open throughout.
Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
One person was reportedly hurt at a public swimming lake during Thursday's storm as it moved through Warren County, leveling a barn, cutting power to thousands and leaving debris in its wake.
The storm did not appear to have spawned a tornado, said Frank Wheatley, the county's public safety director and emergency management coordinator.
"There was no tornado," he said toward 7 p.m. "It was definitely straight-line winds, as we can attest to by the way that barn was damaged."
Rather than being twisted, pulled up and displaced, according to Wheatley, "It was just pushed over."
Warren County saw the worst of the storm in and around the Lehigh Valley. The National Weather Service had some reports come in of trees and wires down in Upper Mount Bethel Township, but a Northampton County 911 dispatch supervisor had no road closures or signifiant damage to relay Thursday evening.
The White Township farmer whose barn was destroyed along Route 519 in White Township told lehighvalleylive.com, "This was no storm.
"I saw that black cloud coming across the field and it was turning. It was twisting," Tom Smith continued.
The weather service's Philadelphia region forecast office at Mount Holly, New Jersey, was continuing to seek reports of storm damage Thursday night, meteorologist Sarah Johnson said. A determination would then be made Friday morning on whether to send a survey crew to Warren County to look for any signs of a tornado.
"We had a line of storms that moved through," Johnson said Thursday evening. "There was some tight rotation on radar, and that's what prompted the tornado warning that was issued."
Looking for damage reports in Warren & Morris ctys in NJ & Northampton cty in PA. Send us report & any images you may have. Thx! #njwx #pawx NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) July 14, 2016
Smith's barn suffered the most significant damage across Warren County, according to Wheatley.
He said he was aware of an injury report at Oxford Township's Oxford Furnace Lake but that it wasn't a person struck by lightning, as initially feared.
"There was definitely no direct lightning strike," he said. "There's no life-threatening injuries."
Complicating the emergency response to the lake was tree debris brought down on the access road to the recreation area, Wheatley said. Responders eventually gained access and evacuated "several people who were stuck," he said.
An ambulance could be seen headed from the lake to an area hospital, he said.
FirstEnergy's JCP&L was reporting about 7 p.m. 2,117 customers without power in Warren County, or 4.16 percent of its customer base county-wide. Belvidere, Washington and the townships of Harmony, Mansfield, Oxford, Washington and White had outages numbering in the hundreds, with additional outages reported in Hackettstown, Phillipsburg and the townships of Allamuchy, Franklin, Frelinghuysen, Liberty and Lopatcong.
The utility reported 40 outages in Hunterdon County.
Met-Ed, also a FirstEnergy company, reported a handful of outages in Northampton County and none in Lehigh County, while PPL Electric Utilities reported four outages in Lower Macungie Township and none elsewhere across Lehigh and Northampton counties.
Wheatley said residents should avoid and report any downed wires.
Public works crews and fire companies were working to clear debris into the evening Thursday, he said: "We have a good handle on things."
The storm left clear skies behind, though the heat that prompted an advisory for Thursday afternoon remained.
"The storm came through fast and furious," Wheatley said.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Seba Aghayeva Trend:
There are no Azerbaijani nationals among those killed and injured in the terrorist attack in the French city of Nice, Trend learned from Azerbaijans diplomatic mission in France.
Information on the attack victims has been clarified and it was found out that there are no Azerbaijani citizens among the casualties.
French city of Nice was hit by a terrorist attack on July 14 night.
Reports indicate that a truck plowed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday on the Nice seafront.
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the attack.
The safety of pedestrians in OConnell Square, Mountmellick is a cause for concern for Laois County Council, after a site visit revealed a high number of N80 drivers using it for a shortcut.
N80 passing traffic is diverting onto The Hollow, a one way street, and through the town's square, to avoid the difficult T junction to the main street.
Cllr Paddy Bracken brought it to the attention of senior engineer Brenda Cuddy, who visited the square recently.
He had asked for traffic calming on The Hollow to help elderly residents, but Ms Cuddy is more concerned about safety of pedestrians in the square.
Until I met Ger OMahoney (General site supervisor) yesterday I wasnt sure where the problem was, but further to my site visit we have had discussions, she said.
The volume of traffic flow is unbelievable, cutting off from the N80. There are elderly residents living on The Hollow, interjected Cllr Bracken.
More important to me is to protect pedestrians on OConnell Square. My plan is to prepare a proposal for works next year, and take it from there, said Ms Cuddy.
A huge amount of traffic is taking the shortcut, it is very dangerous the speed cars are going, agreed Cllr James Kelly.
Cllr Bracken has also requested traffic calming at the T junction at Glanbia.
Its a huge issue for people walking, we need something that makes it safe for pedestrians crossing, he said.
The idea of traffic calming is to slow traffic. The junction itself slows traffic to a full stop, replied the engineer.
There is no funding for the work in OConnell Square in the councils 2016 roads budget which has been already fully allocated to other works.
As to the N80 junction at Glanbia, the councils road design section is to talk to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly NRA) regarding the request for safety measures.
The wind energy debate rumbles on in Kildare. With a decision on the Maighne Wind Farm due in the near future, journalist Conor McHugh presents a pro-wind farm argument.
Some day when youve nothing else on, hit the road for Dundalk the border town with the delightful and difficult accent and a great tapas place I was in a couple of years ago.
As you approach, even from several miles out, youll see a large wind turbine that seems to rise out of the town centre itself.
As you get nearer it becomes clear that its in the campus of Dundalk Institute of Technology.
Built in 2006 with funding and support from the Centre for Renewable Energy at the college, it cost 1,127,000 and provides a good chunk of the colleges electricity needs and sends 30% of the electricity produced back to the grid.
In 2006 the turbine knocked 120,000 off the colleges 366,844 electricity bill. The saving would have been even more if the ESB had paid the college for the 435 megawatts of electricity it had pumped back into the grid.
Over time, as the price of electricity is expected to rise, it is thought the savings will increase and therefore it would pay for itself quicker than the 10 years predicted.
It is called an urban turbine and was the first one in the world to power a college and was heralded at the time as an idea that might one day be a common occurrence the world over.
Its not, I should say, one of the biggest turbines out there. Its only 86 metres, compared to the 100 metres or more of the industrial sized ones youll see out in Mount Lucas for instance.
But its literally right beside the college, and less than 300 metres from the nearest dwelling.
If you search on Google, its hard to come across any objections to it.
I eventually came to Boards.ie, truly the home of ill-informed outrage, certain to find something, and I found a guy who was clearly trying to see if the Dundalk experience could be used to help him oppose a similar project.
But he got nowhere.
One person replied: Never really noticed it, both living in the vicinity and while being a student at DKIT and having classes practically under it. Bit of a swish sound maybe but no more disruptive than say a car passing your house.
Another person admitted: I strongly opposed it when it was been built because I was one of the closest houses to it. I tried my damndest to block them every step of the way. But looking back it was foolish. I was reading all these reports online with people saying it can cause havoc with tv signals, its noisy, people living around turbines are more inclined to have heart attacks due to the stress etc but honestly after it was built I didnt even notice it.
If the windows are opened wide and you had the television/radio switched off you will just about hear a very faint whoosh sound from it. Its really not worth getting yourself in a twist over it.
Well, isnt that interesting. Urban turbines, taking big chunks out of our bills for relatively modest levels of investment, are a great example of the kind of innovation that Ireland needs.
Imagine if every industrial estate, retail centre, school or hospital was encouraged and enabled to have their own turbine attached?
We keep hearing about the great wind resources Ireland has - maybe this is the approach our wind industry should take. And maybe even obstinate no-to-everything paranoid wind protesters could learn the lessons from Dundalk as well.
Although some expressed doubts about the timing of a border poll on Irish unity, Leitrim's councillors unanimously backed a call for the Irish Government to press the British Government to facilitate a referendum on this issue within 12 months.
Following the vote for Brexit, Sinn Fein councillor, Padraig Fallon put forward the motion which asked the Irish Government to press the British Government to facilitate a Border Poll on the possible reunification of both parts of the island of Ireland.
He said it now looked likely that Scotland would be seeking a second referendum on independence and the same opportunity should be given to the six counties in Northern Ireland, especially in light of the fact that the majority of people across the border voted to remain within the EU.
We in Leitrim know what it is like to have a hard border and I think that a hard border should remain in the past and the only way to ensure that is to have no border at all, he said.
His Sinn Fein colleagues rowed in behind his motion stating that it was ridiculous to have to separate governments on an island of this size with this small a population.
However Independent councillor, Des Guckian, said he felt the move to a referendum would be premature in light of the fact that Brexit wouldn't become a reality for at least two years.
He advised that councillors should wait til the dust settles on Brexit.
Fianna Fail councillor Justin Warnock said he would like to support the motion but he, too, was concerned that the call was coming too soon.
I would be fearful if the vote was held in the next 12 months it wouldn't be carried. I feel there should be more discussion at this point, he said.
His party colleague, Cllr Sinead Guckian agreed stating she would have concerns about the early call for a referendum.
We need to be focused on the implications of Brexit. We need to not confuse what we want with what we need at the moment, she warned.
Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said that like his Fianna Fail colleagues he would like to be in a position to support the motion but he felt moving too soon on seeking reunification of the 32 counties could result in a negative poll which would set us back 20 years in the move to reunification.
Fine Gael's Cllr John McCartin said that he shared the ambition of a united Ireland but also shared the concerns expressed by previous speakers on this issue.
I wouldn't like the Chamber to defeat the motion, he said, but I would ask Cllr Fallon to defer it for a little while to see whether Article 50 is triggered (in the UK as part of Brexit) or if any other things come into play like an election in Britain.
Rather than vote against this I would ask you to kick it down the road for a bit.
However Sinn Fein councillor, Seadhna Logan, said that this issue had already been kicked down the road for long enough.
Cllr Enda Stenson agreed with the suggestion that the motion be deferred for a period to see exactly what the fallout would be from Brexit.
The worst thing would be for us to be divisive on this, he said.
Cathaoirelach Cllr Mary Bohan said that the wish for a united Ireland was not merely the monopoly of one person or one party.
She pointed out that the peace process was a joint effort and it was important to remember this and asked Sinn Fein if this motion would be even more divisive for communities in the north, especially at this time of the year.
Cllr Sinead Guckian agreed saying sectarian problems were already quite high in the north without adding to this, although she said it was clear the Chamber was in agreement on the wish for a united Ireland.
Sinn Fein's Cllr Caroline Mulvey, said she fully supported Cllr Fallon's motion as it stood, a move agreed by Cllr Brendan Barry.
After initially considering putting the motion back to September, Cllr Fallon said he wanted it to stand before the current meeting.
The motion was subsequently carried.
I get it. I really do. We have been a difficult partner for the whole time we have been in the EU and its predecessors. And after the Brexit referendum vote, you had to put up with Nigel Farage being his usual unpleasant self in the European Parliament. You should know that many of us felt exactly the same as Mr Vytenis Andriukaitis whose facepalm went viral on social media (and we enjoyed his heartfelt blog as well).
So, I understand it when you demand that the UK get on and serve an Article 50 notice. You want us to get on with it. But I ask you to think again.
When I think of the Article 50 notice, I think of a scene in the Batman movie The Dark Knight. The Joker has rigged two ships full of explosives, one of hardened criminals and one of innocent civilians. Each ship has a trigger to blow up the other one and save themselves. The Tory leadership are like the boat of criminals torn between a desire to trigger Article 50 to save their own skins and the consequences if they do.
One thing that I have heard a lot is that serving an Article 50 notice will reduce uncertainty. That cant be right. If an Article 50 notice is served without a deal already being worked out in outline, uncertainty will massively increase because of the risk of a Hard Brexit in two years time.
The British Prime Minister is now Theresa May. You may be confused why negotiations will be led by a Remain supporter. This is because the three stars of the Leave campaign proved themselves incapable. First, Michael Gove killed off the challenge of Boris Johnson by saying he was not up to the job. The effect of this act of treachery was to kill off his own campaign. Finally, the sole remaining Leave candidate, Andrew Leadsoms candidacy blew up after embellishing her CV and insulting childless people. The failure of the Leave campaign to have a credible candidate for Prime Minister tells you everything you need to know about the dishonesty and incoherence of their campaign.
Theresa May has made it clear that she would much rather have pre-negotiations before triggering Article 50. Even the new minister for Brexit wants consultations (although not with you). But consulting with Scotland, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland will give him the firm message that they want to stay in the EU.
So, I ask you to forget about the Article 50 notice and instead have informal discussions with an open mind to see what can be salvaged of the relationship. There is a major contradiction in the Leave case which needs time to become clear. Lord Ashcrofts detailed polling showed that the top reasons were (1) the principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK and (2) control of migration. So, the EEA requirements of following EU legislation (but with no possibility of influencing it) and being required to accept EU migrants is anathema to them. On the other hand, very recent polling from ComRes shows that a clear majority of voters want access to the single market prioritised over curbs on migration. Squaring that circle is going to need some creative thinking not the binary process we could well have under Article 50.
* Mark Goodrich is a former vice-chair of Richmond & Twickenham Liberal Democrats, a former expat who saw Brexit unfold from the other side of the world and now lives in Sevenoaks, Kent
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THE CHIEF executive of one of Limericks biggest charities, Milford Care Centre, says he is appalled and disappointed by the revelations of gross mismanagement of funds at suicide bereavement charity Console.
And, Pat Quinlan says the negative publicity at the current time has the potential to pose a very real threat to any charity, even those that are fully compliant and operating to best practice as applies in our own case.
We have received one or two direct queries from the public seeking clarification on our own practices in the light of the controversy, which we have responded to, Mr Quinlan told the Leader this Wednesday.
However, we are very mindful as to the concerns that this controversy has caused in the minds of the general public and the board of directors has published its own statement of reassurance to our many and valued supporters which is displayed on our website.
Milford Care Centre provides a number of services including palliative care which aims at improving the quality of life for people living with advanced life-threatening illness.
Mr Quinlan said his reaction to revelations of financial abuse by Console founder, Paul Kelly, was no different to everyone across the country Im sure - I was appalled and disappointed.
This Tuesday, the Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald told the Dail that she was working with the charities regulator to ensure that, by September, it will have the staff it needs to investigate allegations of wrongdoing in the sector.
Mr Quinlan said it is essential that the charities regulator is properly resourced to probe cases.
One of the key functions of the charities regulator is to ensure that there is public trust in the sector and so it must use its available powers and resources to protect the charity, its staff and volunteers and most importantly the beneficiaries and clients of the charity.
Fundraising is a vital source of funding for the services we provide to the public.
There are in excess of 350 staff and 200 volunteers engaged in Milford Care Centre services on an ongoing basis, with an annual turnover of in the region of 19m.
Milford Care Centres CEO salary has been reduced since 2014 to 119,883 which, Mr Quinlan explained, is funded from a number of sources, primarily by the HSE and a fixed contribution from Milford Nursing Home (private facility), with the balance being derived from private health insurance and other income, along with very limited support from fundraising.
There are eight board directors and they receive no remuneration for their voluntary input to this role.
Meanwhile, a search for Limerick charities on the website of the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA), displays 295 results under the register of charities, including voluntary housing associations and community development groups.
When contacted this week, charities across Limerick expressed fear that there will be significant damage to the charity sector as a result of the Console revelations.
Limerick priest, Fr Pat Hogan, who founded the charity Calcutta Calling described the scandal as a big betrayal of the people.
It will turn people off - it will make people cynical, he said.
People are very disappointed that people would, in those circumstances, take advantage of people and use that situation, continued Fr Hogan who was the parish priest in Southill for almost 10 years.
Its very disappointing, especially for people who are so vulnerable and then all the people in the organisation who were doing such a powerful job - they must be really gutted. All those counsellors and the staff, giving their heart because they believed in it, and obviously not at the top pay rate. It is a big betrayal of the people, continued Fr Hogan who recently returned from Calcutta
We run a charity and there are no expenses paid to anybody - everything we get is given away. We have a very small operation and we operate out of a very small circle of people. We explain to people everything as we go along.
David Moloney, CEO of Boher, the charitable organisation which uses livestock in development aid, said the trend has been that the sector is adversely affected every time one of these scandals come to light.
We were absolutely shocked - that is absolutely shocking what has transpired, he said.
Back in 2013 we were hugely affected. We took a huge hit as a result of the recession and the scandal at the Central Remedial Clinic [which used charitable funds to top up the salaries of senior staff members].
We were once 28 people and now we are down to eight. Our income halved during that period. Last year we showed the first evidence of audited upsurge, continued the CEO of the charity which has its head office in Limerick city.
Financial information for the charity which is available on the charitys website states that the CEO remuneration is less than 100,000 per annum. Our board members are volunteers and are not salaried - they travel from around the country to participate in our bi-monthly board meetings at their own expense, it further states.
Brendan Ring of Clionas Foundation also fears that local charities will suffer a backlash as a result of the scandal.
I think so, said the founder of the charitable organisation founded in 2007 to provide financial assistance to families who have children undergoing long-term medical treatment for critical illness.
Some people have already said it to me - close friends and family members have said; Look, Brendan, this is going to affect maybe even Clionas Foundation because the trust element isnt going to be there any more.
We publish our accounts online and, even that for some people, wont be quite good enough. We have to try and work around that whole issue but, certainly, it would be damaging - there is no doubt about that.
Mr Ring, from Lough Gur explained that an administrator is the only person who gets paid within the charity.
Im glad to say that both Terry [his wife] and I are voluntary in Clionas Foundation. We have our own business in town at Cube Printing. My own time is given voluntary, as it is with Terry. I want to be clear that I fully understand that as organisations grow, including Clionas Foundation, if we have to add resources to help more families eventually and we have got to pay for that in relation to running our offices with staff, then that has to be done. What Im clear about is that both Terry and I, for Clionas Foundation, we will remain voluntary and thats where I stand. Im not pointing the finger at all at charities that have staff members that get remunerated. Our accounts are audited by Deloitte and we can stand over those, no problem whatsoever.
The Iranian government has signed a deal with Italy's highway agency ANAS for the construction and management of a 1,200 km (745 miles) road project that will cost 3.6 billion euros ($4 billion), ANAS said on July 14.
The first stretch of highway covering 350 km will be completed by 2022 at a cost of 600 million euros, Reuters quoted ANAS.
The project is to build a road linking the Gulf port of Bandar Imam Khomeini to Bazargah on Iran's border with Turkey. Italy has worked hard to secure lucrative deals in Iran following a deal last year to lift crippling sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limiting its nuclear activities.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made Italy his first stop in Europe in January as he sought to drum up investment in the Iranian economy, while Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited Tehran in April with a large business delegation.
ANAS said the deal signed on Thursday with the Iranian Ministry of Roads was a follow-up to a memorandum of understanding initialed in February.
LIMERICK has been allocated over 9m in the new round of LEADER programme funding which will run until 2020.
The figure of 9,276,593.96 was signed off last week by Heather Humphreys, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, from a total allocation of 250m. It will, she said, unlock vital funding for rural communities across Limerick.
The money will be distributed to the Local Action Groups responsible, West Limerick Resources and Ballyhoura. However, it is not expected that the money will be available to the Local Action Groups until later in the year.
I know that communities across Limerick are very eager to access this funding, for the benefit of local groups and organisations. Upon taking over responsibility for rural and regional affairs, I was very keen to ensure the Funding Agreements could be signed as quickly as possible so that this money can start to flow into rural Ireland, the minister said.
TD for Limerick and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Patrick ODonovan also welcomed the allocation who said it would support jobs and investment throughout the county.
This funding for Limerick comes in the first batch of funding agreements under the LEADER Programme 2020.
I want to ensure that the fruits of our recovering economy are used to support local communities in Limerick.
The whole idea behind LEADER funding is to empower local groups on the ground to prioritise where the money can be best spent. This will ensure that the people who really need it can benefit."
THEY may only be three and five years of age but Luke and Conor Power are already able to wax lyrical about the benefits of beekeeping.
Despite their tender age, the Fedamore brothers have no fear of approaching a swarm of honey bees - thanks to their grandmother Pauline Walsh from Knocklong who has introduced them to life as a beekeeper.
Luke has been doing it for two years - for as long as I have been doing it, explained Pauline who trained in The Organic College in Dromcollogher and got her first batch of bees three years ago.
Conor, along with Luke, regularly don their white, protective beekeeping suits and inspect the hives with Pauline.
Im not scared of them because I have my suit on and it stops the bees stinging. The bees make honey. We have baby chicks as well and we are getting more, said Luke who is going into senior infants at Carnane National School.
Pauline currently has three full hives and two smaller hives.
A full hive at this time of year can have 50,000 to 70,000 insects at the one time. In the winter it goes down to about 20,000 because they die off, Pauline explained.
A bees full summer lifecycle is six weeks, from the hatching of the eggs to death. They spend three weeks in the hive and three weeks outside foraging. They forage to death.
Every day, Pauline - and her grandsons - if they are with her - look in on the bees to ensure they are well.
You look at them without opening them when you are passing them every day but then you check them once a week.
Checking them involves opening up the hive while wearing the suit and with a smoker. You check to see that the queen is present and laying and that they are healthy with no infections.
According to Pauline, the queen is identifiable by her longer, slimmer body.
She is elegant whereas the drone is big and burly with big eyes. The drones are there for cooling the hive and mating. He has no sting.
The queen has a sting but she only uses it to sting other queen rivals that would be born at the same time as her.
Its a cut-throat business, laughs Pauline.
If she is born first she kills any more that are in queen cells because she doesnt want them to hatch out - otherwise there will be a fight.
You have to check them to see that they dont swarm - swarming means the old queen will leave and take half the hive and half the honey.
Pauline managed to fill 71 jars of honey from the two hives last year.
Beekeeping is costly business, it seems.
To buy the bees - I bought them without the box - was 150. To buy the box is 40. The bigger box is about 150 to 200.
There are also costs to be a member of an association, to have insurance and to buy the protective suit.
You can get a suit for 50 which isnt too bad and you can get more expensive ones for 160.
Pauline, and indeed the boys, display no nerves when it comes to getting up close and personal with the bees.
I wouldnt be nervous but I had to walk away from a hive yesterday because they took a dislike to me, said Pauline.
They were dive bombing and one of them stung me in the bum. I had a half suit on. If they decide they are going to sting you, they will just keep at you.
I had to walk well away but when I went to the next aviary and went to other bees I was fine. They can turn on anybody. It was just a little peck through the suit rather than the venom going in.
Luke and Conor, she says, are more hungry for knowledge than they are scared of getting stung.
We walk down without our suits and we look at them. When we are opening the hive, we have to have our suits on - they know that.
Last week one of my lot of bees were dive bombing a bit and Conor said; They are at my head and I said; Walk up to the tunnel. He walked up to the tunnel and he was fine.
They dont panic. They are generally giddy, normal children but when they are beekeeping, they are calm. They have the chickens as well so they are getting as much nature as possible and learning how to be gentle.
THE Mayor of Limerick City and County has offered his sympathies to the people of France following the tragedy in Nice overnight.
More than 80 people were killed in the popular tourist city when a man drove a truck through a crowd of people who were celebrating Bastille Day.
The armed man is believed to have driven for 2km through the crowd in an incident French president, Francois Hollande, has said appears to be a terrorist attack.
Mayor of Limerick Kieran O'Hanlon, who was at the French embassy in Dublin on Thursday night, says his thoughts and prayers are with the French people.
"I want to pay my respects to the people of France, and the people of Nice especially.
These terrorists are the most inhumane people. It's absolutely horrific to see so many people, including ten children killed," he said.
Mayor O'Hanlon was at the embassy to celebrate Bastille Day.
There, he met French ambassador Jean-Pierre Thebault, and extended a formal invitation for him to come to Limerick city.
A LIMERICK man who is on holidays in Nice has described the terrifying scenes which saw 84 people were killed after an armed truck driver drove through the Bastille Day celebrations in the French city.
David Allen, 26-year-old native of Ballybrown, was less than an hour in the country when he noticed a concentration of blue lights, sirens and panic on the streets of Nice, at around 10pm yesterday.
He was walking along the promenade a few hundred yards from the attack with two Irish women in their 40s when they spotted people running from the scene that left 84 dead and more than 100 injured.
I did not know what was going on until my father text me and told me that there had been an accident, and that it had just come on the news. And as we were walking up, people were running away telling us that it was a terrorist attack. This was only within 10 minutes of it actually happening. We just kept walking on and walking past people who were saying that it was absolutely awful. A few people told us that there was an attack and that dozens of people were dead.
He said that they were able to keep calm until they spotted numerous bodies, covered in white sheets, on the streets.
As we were walking towards it, we could see white sheets on the ground, and we couldnt understand that there were no police around them it was just four or five bodies covered in white sheets, blood all over them, and a handful of people around with them. There were no emergency services, and as we got closer and closer, there were more ambulances, and the police told us that we couldnt go any further.
The two women just pointed ahead and said, Jesus, they are all dead bodies. Jesus, no. The armed police then approached us and just told us to get off the promenade and try to avoid it. They saw that we were tourists, carrying our suitcases, so they were nice about it and said: You dont want to see whats up there. Its absolute carnage, he told the Leader, early Friday morning.
Mr Allen, who has been holidaying in Nice since he was three, said that he has never seen the city this quiet.
People were celebrating Bastille Day, and it holds the same significance as St Patricks Day. And while I was walking home last night, I was walking home through one of the busiest parts of the city, and there was barely anyone on the streets. Restaurants were closed, and they had left their tables and chairs outside, they didnt bring them back in.
Early this morning, Mr Allen, who works in insurance and is a University of Limerick graduate, was searched entering the local shopping centre. He said that all people are being searched in built-up areas.
He added that his family and friends in Limerick are very relieved to see that he is safe and well, and that his phone has been hopping all night and all this morning, since the attack occurred.
- For more, follow the Limerick Leader online, and pick up Limerick Leader Monday tabloid and next weekends broadsheet editions.
LIMERICK has lost its bid to be European Capital of Culture in 2020, with Galway being announced as the winner this Friday in Dublin.
The prized European designation, awarded by the EU Commission and worth an estimated 170m to the winner, is to be held jointly in Galway and the city of Rijeka in Croatia in 2020.
At an announcement in the National Concert Hall in Dublin this Friday, Chair of Panel Steve Green, declared that Galway had won the bid to hold the Capital of Culture designation.
It followed extensive site visits by members of the ten person judging panel to Galway on Monday, Limerick on Tuesday and the Three Sisters bid of Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny on Wednesday.
A large delegation from Limerick travelled to Dublin for the announcement, including Mayor Kieran OHanlon and Conn Murray, CEO of Limerick City and County Council, who was part of the presentation to the judges on Thursday ahead of the announcement.
Reacting immediately after Galway was unveiled, Limerick 2020 bid director Mike Fitzpatrick congratulated the winning city and said the team behind its bid had "obviously put in a fantastic effort to win the title, because all three cities worked incredibly hard.
"Limerick saw on Tuesday the feeling and the ambition of the people getting behind the bid. I suppose we have to figure out a way that that doesn't dissipate, that we don't lose that.
"Obviously we are disappointed, but fair play to Galway, they have really had to work hard to get this and it will be a fantastic year for them. Certainly, we have every intention of working with them and collaborating with them, they are just up the road. So it will be of benefit to Limerick also, and we will just have to treat it like that.
"We have learned so much, we have gained so much, we have made so many plans, if we can put part of those in use, that is the way forward, and that is all you can do.
"I think Limerick's cultural awakening happened in 2014, nothing is going to change that," he added.
Mayor Kieran O'Hanlon said that "those involved in the bid have done Limerick proud. They have worked tirelessly on the process and proved what can be achieved when we all work together.
"The level of engagement by the public and the arts community shows that everyone bought into this and there has been a real collective beating of chests with pride over the past 18 months or so. It demonstrates that Limerick has a great cultural heartbeat and it is getting stronger and stronger.
Reacting, chairman of Limerick's 2020 bid steering committee and UL president Professor Don Barry, said that Limericks "cultural star will continue to rise and the success of our time as National City of Culture in 2014 combined with the imagination, vision and experiences from the Limerick 2020 campaign will provide a marvellous foundation for uniquely Limerick cultural developments in the future.
"We wish our fellow competitors every success in the future - particularly Galway during 2020," he added.
The CEO of Limerick Chamber, Dr. James Ring, has said that Limerick is still a winner from the European Capital of Culture 2020 bid process despite Galway being chosen.
"We are all, of course, disappointed but we are immensely proud of the bid team and, indeed, of the entire city. We did everything possible to win this; everyone got on board and, in that regard, this has been an incredibly unifying time for the city.
"The 18 month campaign ensured that the cultural candle has continued to burn bright post our 2014 designation as national capital of culture and come 2020 it will be burning even brighter. Theres incredible momentum in Limerick today and we owe a debt of gratitude to Mike Fitzpatrick and his team for adding to that.
"We have a proud city and we are as proud today as we have ever been.
Enormously disappointed #Limerick2020 has lost out to Galway but the city must now build on all that has been achieved in the bid campaign Alan English (@AlanEnglish9) July 15, 2016
Disappointed for @Limerick2020. Everyone involved should be incredibly proud of their contribution. #Limerick2020 Maria Byrne (@senatormbyrne) July 15, 2016
I feel a bit like a teenager who's just been dumped for his mate with a flashy car #ECoC2020 #Limerick2020 Michael Finneran (@soilsitheoir) July 15, 2016
Not the decision we wanted!
Well done to all who put the brilliant #limerick2020 campaign together!
Best of luck to #Galway2020. Tweety Stone (@TheTweetyStone) July 15, 2016
FOR the third time in less than two years, the Alliance Francaise de Limerick will hold a vigil in Pery Square this Saturday to reflect on the latest attack on French soil - this time in seaside resort of Nice, which has claimed at least 84 lives.
Marie Hackett, the vice consul honoraire de France, who lives in Limerick and was recently honoured with the Legion d'Honneur, said she has been left saddened and numb by the latest terror attack, which occurred on Bastille Day, a day of French celebration.
"I was at the French Embassy in Dublin last night to celebrate Bastille Day, and there was a marvellous atmosphere. I was travelling home when I heard about what happened in Nice.
"At first there were reports of a small number of casualties, and now this morning we see the death toll is at least 84. It is horrific, just carnage. It's a human catastrophe. Terrorism is affecting all of us and out lives will never be the same again," the native of Burgundy told the Limerick Leader.
She said Limerick's growing French community have been left reeling by the atrocity, and invited French and Irish citizens alike to attend the vigil at 11am this Saturday for a "moment of reflection."
The Alliance previously opened books of condolences following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris in January 2015, which claimed 12 lives, and after the attacks on the Bataclan nightclub and in other areas of the French capital in November 2015, when 137 people were killed.
They will not be opening a book of condolences on this occasion, as they feel it is just too painful at present, and fear other attacks. The Alliance also organised a march of solidarity through the streets of Limerick after the last attacks.
The truck driver in Nice was identified by police sources as Tunisian-born Frenchman Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31, who was known to police for crimes such as theft and violence, but was not on the watch list of French intelligence services.
Many children were among the dead, as well as French, German, American, Swiss and Armenian citizens, according to reports so far, while there are concerns for one Irish citizen.
Molly McGann, a fifth-year student at Laurel Hill Colaiste in Limerick, who is currently in Nice along with three other school friends to improve their French, was on the beach on Thursday night to watch the fireworks for Bastille Day, when the truck driver drove some 2km down the famous Promenade des Anglais, claiming 84 lives.
"There's a big group of us here from Ireland," explained Molly, on Live 95FM this morning, "and most of the time we meet up on the beach. We said we'd go down to watch the fireworks, there were about 15 of us, having a great time, having a ball, taking pictures and sending videos to our families."
She said that about ten minutes after the fireworks ended, they saw blue flashing lights and people starting to run.
"My friend told me to start running, and we ran as fast as we could. We were right along the Prom. It was quite scary, because we got split up and was very nerve-wracking."
She and her friend Roisin Howard, 17, from Fedamore, county Limerick, got separated from their fellow students, Roisin Begley, 17, from Clonlara, county Clare, and Mary Egan, 17, from Killaloe.
They bumped into a French family, who spoke English and told them what happened, and walked them home to safety, past many of the dead on the street.
"We're still on lockdown and haven't left the apartment yet. We're staying put. We're afraid to go down and see the damage. We're just watching the news," she said this Friday morning.
"It's such a holiday destination, we never expected anything like this at all. We can't believe that this has happened."
They are due to fly home in the coming days.
- Are you from Limerick and in Nice at present? If so, please get in touch with us by email at news@limerickleader.ie, call the newsdesk on 061-214503 or on Twitter @Limerick_Leader
A SPECIAL exhibition dedicated to the women behind the 1916 Rising, which will include local female activist Kathleen Clarke, will take place at the Hunt Museum next week.
Kathleen Clarke, nee Daly, who was one of the eminent Daly sisters in the influential insurrection which led to the War of Independence, will be featured in artist Ciara Harrisons showcase, entitled Shadowed Women.
The exhibition opens on July 20 at the Rutland Street museum.
To be displayed in the Prologue Room of the Museum, Shadowed Women features seven exquisitely embroidered portraits involving the transfer of charcoal drawings from photographs to cotton organdy, a material which is paradoxical in its qualities, being both strong and fragile.
The finished work commemorates the lives of seven Irish women widowed after the execution of their husbands following the 1916 Easter Rising.
Exhibiting artist Ciara Harrison said: I wanted to create a series of sensitive works which would reflect the fragility of their life-stories but at the same time portray the strength and sacrifice of these women who lived in the shadow of the Rising.
Naomi ONolan, head of exhibitions at the Hunt Museum expressed how delighted the museum is to showcase these wonderful works during 2016 as part of their 1916 programme.
Born in Limerick in 1878, Kathleen Clarke, who was married to Rising leader Thomas Clarke, got involved with women of different backgrounds, including Maud Gonne MacBride, Grace Plunkett and Muriel MacDonagh amongst others, as a result of the revolutionary activities of their husbands in early 21st Ireland.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Elena Kosolapova Trend:
The process of closing the office of Shell Business Development Central Asia BV, a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Shell Plc, subject to regulatory and legal requirements, will be completed by the end of 2016, the company told Trend.
The company said Shell has had no operations in Azerbaijan since withdrawing from the Inam PSA in 2008.
Shell had a 5-percent share in the development of Azerbaijans Inam offshore structure together with Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR (50 percent), BP (25 percent), and Korea National Oil Corporation (20 percent).
In 2009, the partners developing the Inam structure in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea cancelled the production sharing agreement (PSA) on it and ceased the project.
Shell was also considering the possibility of transporting a profitable part of its oil, which will be extracted from Kazakhstans Kashagan field, via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, but later it was decided to transport all the volumes of Kazakh oil via the CPC pipeline (Caspian Pipeline Consortium).
The company also said Shells activities in Kazakhstan have not been linked to Azerbaijan.
Oil export options for subsequent phases of Kashagan development in Kazakhstan are yet to be determined, added the company.
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Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
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Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Dalga Khatinoglu Trend:
There is no legal obstacle for signing Irans newly designed oil and gas contract model, known as Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC), or even production sharing agreements (PSAs) with foreign companies, a petroleum ministry official told Trend.
IPC was approved on July 12 after some amendments by Irans Resistance Economy Headquarters to replace the old, less popular buyback agreements to attract foreign companies.
According to the Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs and Trading Amir Hossein Zamaninia, it is expected that the first agreement with a foreign company over developing an upstream oil and gas project, based on IPC, will be signed in three to four months.
Iran unveiled the generalities of IPC in November 2015, offering 49 oil and gas projects to foreigners. Since then, some hardliners criticized the government on abusing the national interests by sharing the reserves with foreigners.
In IPC, Iran has kept its sovereignty over its hydrocarbon reserves, but payment of all direct and indirect expenses, as well as finance and operation costs will be dependent on allocating a portion (maximum 50 percent) of products or proceeds based on current day sale prices.
IPC has some advantages over the contract-based and buyback contracts.
The source in petroleum ministry, who wanted to be unnamed, explained that neither IPC nor PSAs share the oil and gas reserves with a foreign company (FCO), which is banned by the constitutional law.
Irans newly designed contract is categorized mostly in service contracts, though it shares some terms with PSAs, said the source.
According to her, in legal and contractual terms, contractors will not hold stake in oil and gas reservoir or even output based on PSA. Of course, contractors will have the right to extract oil and gas [in IPC or PSA], but their ownership is defined at a certain point, for example a port, from which oil and gas is exported.
Subjects IPC Buyback PSA Concessionary Petroleum Operation Integrated No Integration Integrated Integrated Operator Cont/JOC IOC IOC IOC Supervision NIOC NIOC NIOC Government Reservoir Risk Contractor and NIOC Contractor before handover/NIOC after handover Contractor Contractor Market Risks NIOC and Contractor NIOC Cont/NOC Contractor Cost Recovery Duration 5-7 years Based on Contract Period 5-10 Years No cost Recovery
Despite offering the right for oil and gas extraction, IPC is not a PSA, but it is categorized as a service contract.
I should note that participation in production sharing contracts is not in contradiction to articles 44 and 45 of Irans Constitution. Moreover, based on note 3 of paragraph T of article 3 of the Petroleum Ministrys charter, the ministry has been allowed to attract internal and external capitals with the aim of developing hydrocarbon fields giving the priority to joint fields through defining new models of contract, including participation with domestic and foreign investors without transferring the ownership of oil and gas reservoirs, she said.
According to the Iranian law, the ownership of oil and reservoirs should not be transferred to contractors.
This is why concessionary, license, or lease contracts are not concluded in Iran, but participation in production sharing contracts are not in contradiction to the Constitution because the ownership of oil and gas reservoirs and also produced oil and gas will remain in the hands of the government, added the official.
Subjects IPC Buyback PSA Concessionary Exploration Risk Contractor Contractor Contractor Contractor Fee Per barrel of oil produced, or per million cubic feet of gas produced A percentage of the capital costs Certain percent of profit oil No fee Start of cost recovery First production First production solely for costs related to first production First production N/A Fee payment First production Final production First production N/A Oil prices impact Crude oil price formula No oil price risk to contractor Direct impact on contractor Direct impact on contractor
According to the law, transfer of the ownership of a property, i.e. oil, gas and condensate, are conducted based on a purchase deal. So, all the contracts for selling crude oil, which are concluded by the Oil Company and buyers, lead to transfer of the ownership of crude oil (not oil reserves).
It should be noted that sometimes, based on annexations to buyback contracts the ownership and selling a part of produced crude oil or gas condensate are transferred to contractors. So, the law has not forbidden selling oil, gas or condensate based on a sell and purchase contract, said the source.
Subjects IPC Buyback PSA Concessionary Reserves ownership Government Government Government Contractor Contract term 20 years with a 5-year extension Maximum 5 years for development operations 25 years with a 5-year extension The entire field life cycle Title to assets Government Government Government Contractor
As for the governments guarantee for repayment of foreign investments put in the Iranian oil and gas projects through buyback contracts between National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and foreign investors, the source said there was a legal barrier for governments guarantee.
Although there is no such barrier in the new model of contracts, in my opinion the government will not guarantee repayment of investment costs and expenditures related to Irans oil contract, she added.
The contracts related to improving or increasing recovery rates in operational fields and reserves are based on engineering studies until their termination.
Upstream contracts between the NIOC and eligible contractors for investment, exploration, description, development, production, and operation are concluded after meeting legal requirements.
Also, it is possible that under the approval of the NIOC, eligible Iranian companies, as the partners of qualified oil companies, can import technological know-how and managerial skills.
It has been foreseen that all the direct and indirect costs, as well as finance and payment expenditures and operation costs should be paid by contractors and repaid based on the contract through allocation of a portion of revenues of the contract (maximum 50 percent) via selling products based on current prices or in cash.
In the new model of oil contracts, all the risks and expenses in case of not discovering a field or a reservoir commercial, or not meeting the contractual goals or insufficient reserve for settling financial debts, should be borne by the contractor.
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Dalga Khatinoglu is the head of Trend Agency's Iran news service, follow him on Twitter: @dalgakhatinoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Elena Kosolapova Trend:
Kazakhstans Prime Minister Karim Massimov met with Mongolian leadership at the 11th ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to discuss the expansion of bilateral cooperation, the Kazakh PMs website reported July 15.
During Massimovs meeting with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, the sides discussed the current state of bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, as well as the prospects for expansion of that cooperation.
Kazakh PM and his Mongolian counterpart Jargaltulga Erdenebat discussed the bilateral trade and economic ties, and strengthening the contacts between the two countries business communities.
During the meeting with Erdenebat, Massimov pointed to the significant potential for increasing trade turnover between the two countries, as well as expressed willingness to further expand cooperation and enhance trade and economic relations.
He also said the energy and mining industries, agriculture, transportation infrastructure, housing, mining and processing of gold and uranium are the most promising areas for establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships between Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
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Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 15
By Huseyn Hasanov Trend:
Turkmenistan and Switzerland discussed topical issues of intergovernmental cooperation in finance and banking spheres, said the Turkmen government in a message July 15.
The discussions were held during the meeting of Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with the Head of the Swiss Department of Finance Ulrich Maurer.
Turkmen president said the main and constant vector of Ashgabats foreign policy is the extensive international cooperation on a bilateral and multilateral basis.
Maurer, in turn, noted that European financial circles praise Turkmenistans effective steps to strengthen national financial and banking systems, which allows the country maintaining stability and high rates of social and economic growth in a difficult time for the global economy.
Thirty companies operate in Turkmenistan with Swiss capital. The sides said prospective directions of cooperation between the two countries are fuel and energy complex, transportation and communication, high technology industry, investments and tourism.
Meanwhile, Turkmenistan is interested in partnership with Switzerland in such spheres as machine building, chemical, processing and food industries, pharmaceutical and biochemical production.
The visit of Turkmenistans President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Switzerland in October 2012 gave an impetus to the two countries relations and a package of documents was signed on the results of this visit.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 14
By Khalid Kazimov Trend:
Iran plans to invest at least $12 billion in its sewage and water systems, Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian has said.
Addressing a number of representatives of British companies involved in water and sewage projects in the UK, Chitchian said the investment is planned to take place over the next five years, IRNA news agency reported July 14.
Chitchian is in London in a bid to establish cooperation between Iranian and UK companies on energy and water.
Highlighting the need for developing smart grid water systems in Iran, the minister called on the British companies to invest in water projects in his country.
Elaborating on water management projects in Iran, Chitchian further said the country has already constructed 160 large dams, which are now operating, and 90 more dams are under construction.
The Iranian ministers UK visit took place one year after the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was sealed between Tehran and the worlds major powers.
As a result of the implementation of the JCPOA, the nuclear-related sanctions on the Islamic Republic were lifted.
Many in Iran and around the world expected that the implementation of the JCPOA would give a huge boost to the countrys economy after almost a decade of isolation from the global economy.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Emil Ilgar Trend:
Iran doesnt agree with getting only 13 percent share of the Caspian Sea, Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour said, Fars news agency reported July 15.
He didnt mention any specific figure, but said that 13 percent share is small and that the Sea should be dissected based on equality principle.
Rahimpour said Iran doesnt insist concretely on 20 percent share, but we want the workgroup to study the legal aspects of Caspian Seas status and reach a common position with other neighbors.
Based on common formulas and sea laws, Irans share is 13 percent, but Iran hasnt joined the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and believes that the Caspian Sea is a lake and has its own conditions, he added.
He said the dissection of the Caspian Sea based on the shape of shores doesn't meet Irans interests.
Rahimpour added that the Caspian countries will have a meeting or several meetings in Tehran in late August at the workgroup level, and about one month later the workgroup will hold another meeting in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Two months after that, the states will negotiate at ministerial level and the heads of states will meet in 2017, he explained.
A meeting of foreign ministers of the Caspian littoral countries was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, July 13.
The Caspian states - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Iran - signed a Framework Convention for Protection of Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on delimitation of the northern part of the Caspian Sea in order to exercise sovereign rights for subsoil use in July 1998. The two countries signed a protocol to the agreement in May 2002.
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian Sea and a protocol to it on Nov. 29, 2001 and Feb. 27, 2003, respectively.
Additionally, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on the delimitation of adjacent sections of the Caspian Sea on May 14, 2003.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
By Emil Ilgar Trend:
Iran strongly condemns the terror attack in Nice, France, the Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said July 15.
He said terrorism is a menace that should be dealt with through cooperation and international consensus, according to a message posted on the Iranian Foreign Ministrys website.
Qasemi further said that any negligence and double standards in fighting terrorism will lead to failure.
French city of Nice was hit by a terrorist attack on July 14 night.
Reports indicate that a truck plowed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday on the Nice seafront.
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the attack.
A bipedal robot can now put its best foot forward, stepping with a heel-toe motion that copies human locomotion more closely than flat-footed robot walkers can.
By rocking its "feet" forward from the heel and pushing off at the toe, the DURUS robot closely imitates the walking motion of people, making it more energy-efficient and better at navigating uneven terrain, according to Christian Hubicki, a postdoctoral fellow in robotics at the Georgia Institute of Technology and one of the researchers who helped DURUS find its footing.
Enhanced walking capabilities could help robots navigate environments that people move around in, and could improve the performance of bots created for disaster response, Hubicki told Live Science. [Robots on the Run! 5 Bots That Can Really Move]
The humanoid robot DURUS was designed collaboratively by the research nonprofit SRI International and Georgia Tech's Advanced Mechanical Bipedal Experimental Robotics (AMBER) Lab. An earlier DURUS design was modified to accommodate the new manner of walking, enabled by a novel mathematical algorithm that adjusts the robot's momentum and balance, one step at a time.
Well-heeled
Robots that walk on two legs typically have "feet" that are large and flat, to provide a more stable platform, Hubicki told Live Science.
Heel-to-toe walking makes DURUS more energy-efficient and more stable than flat-footed walkers. (Image credit: Christian Hubicki / Georgia Tech)
"Bigger feet mean a bigger polygon of support, and the harder it is to fall," Hubicki said.
The algorithms that dictate a robot's forward momentum typically keep those big feet flat on the ground when pushing off, to minimize the risk that the bot will tip over.
"As soon as you lean on an edge, you're like a pendulum on a pivot point that can fall forward or backward," Hubicki said.
But while a flat-footed walker might perform well on a treadmill, uneven terrain in the real world that doesn't accommodate a flat foot could confound the algorithm and stop a robot in its tracks.
Enter the AMBER Lab researchers, who designed a new algorithm that works to keep a robot upright and moving forward even if only parts of the foot are engaged. Hubicki and his colleagues tested DURUS using a modified foot with an arch; every step began with the heel making contact the "heel strike," according to Hubicki and then rolling to the ball of the foot to push off from the ground. Springs installed by the robot's ankles act like tendons, storing the heel strike's energy to be released later, as lift.
On July 12, AMBER Lab posted a video of a confidently striding DURUS on YouTube. DURUS' new feet are about the same size as human feet about half as long as the feet on the original model. And to emphasize the similarity, the team laced them into a pair of sneakers.
"We wanted to show that our algorithms could make it walk with human-size feet," Hubicki said. "What better way to do that than [by] putting shoes on it?"
The algorithm may even have applications beyond robotics, Hubicki added, suggesting that it could be used to improve the design of prosthetics and exoskeletons to help people who use assistance to get around.
Original article on Live Science.
Interlacing waves of clouds decorate the sky above the coast of Angola in a new satellite image.
The image, taken June 26 by an instrument on NASA's Terra satellite, highlights the atmospheric patterns off the coast of West Africa. The clouds are called gravity waves, which form as gravity and buoyancy try to balance each other out. (Gravity waves are different than gravitational waves, which are ripples in space-time.)
According to NASA's Earth Observatory, the culprit here is dry, cool air moving out of the nighttime Namib desert and over the ocean. This cool air pushes the humid and warm ocean air up (there's the buoyancy part of the equation). As the moisture rises and condenses to form clouds, gravity pushes it back down, where it hits the rising column of dry air and gets hoisted up again. (A similar push-and-pull occurs at the ocean's surface because of the interactions of wind and gravity.)
[See Photos of the Namib Desert's Fairy Circles]
Gravity twists these clouds into a wave-like shape. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen)
The ripple-like clouds seen in this image represent the peaks of the gravity waves, where the moisture in the air condenses. The clear skies between the peaks are the troughs of the gravity waves.
On the day the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on the Terra satellite captured this image, winds were creating gravity waves in all different directions, Bastiaan van Diedenhoven, who researches ice-containing clouds at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told the Earth Observatory. The result was a complicated pattern of crisscrossing clouds curving across at least 620 miles (1,000 kilometers). These patterns are often seen off Angola and Namibia in the morning and early afternoon, van Diedenhoven told the Earth Observatory, and tend to be pushed out to sea as the day goes on.
Gravity waves may be important for commercial air travel. A study presented in 2012 at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union found that gravity waves can break against an aircraft just as ocean waves break against a beach, causing turbulence in otherwise clear skies.
Original article on Live Science.
A photo of Victoria Beckham kissing her 5-year-old daughter, Harper, on the lips has sparked a wave of outrage online.
Some commenters called the photo "disgusting" and "wrong," but others defended Beckham's show of affection. Some users responded with their own photos of them kissing their children.
Although some people may find the gesture odd, a mother kissing her daughter is not inappropriate, said Dr. Alan Manevitz, a clinical psychiatrist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. [10 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids]
Rather, research suggests that intimacy between parents and children has a positive effect on a child's development, Manevitz told Live Science. "Intimacy," in this case, refers to displays of affection such as holding, hugging, tickling or kissing a child, he noted.
Showing affection is an essential part of a healthy childhood, and kissing is a very normal behavior for babies and young children, Manevitz added. Babies use their mouths to explore the world, he said.
But does kissing a child on the lips lead to a sexualization of images like Beckham's? Manevitz said, "There's no real evidence of that, in terms of studies that I'm aware of," he said. It's more likely that displays of affection have a positive effect on a child, he said.
Manevitz noted that kissing and other acts of affection do have the potential to be interpreted as sexual. There's a tremendous amount of media coverage about adults sexually abusing children, so seemingly natural behaviors, such as bathing with a child or sharing a bed with a child, now may be viewed by some as nefarious acts, he said.
But one question from a psychological standpoint is, Why is a person sexualizing this act? he said. People's condemnation may be a projection of their own issues with sexualization, he said.
You probably don't need to question the parenting abilities of a parent just because they kiss their child on the lips, Manevitz said.
It's also important to understand the context, Manevitz said. What's normal in one family may not be the norm in another family, he said. A mother knows her child, and knows what is appropriate in their family, he said.
Originally published on Live Science.
Most of those injured in the Nice attack are foreigners, with nationals of Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Spain and France among them, a hospital employee told Sputnik on Friday.
Some 80 people were killed on Thursday night, when a truck rammed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks.
"We have people that have been injured at the hospital. We have 15 victims of the incident here in our hospital. They sustained traumatic injuries, no surgeries have been performed. Most of them are foreigners. We have several patients from Switzerland, from the UK, Spanish, some French of course," the member of staff of the Clinique Saint George said.
Member of the British royal family Prince Harry took an HIV test this week, with the goal of destigmatizing testing for the virus. But exactly who should get screened for HIV, and how often?
The prince's test, which was broadcasted on Facebook Live yesterday (July 14), took just a few minutes, and the results were negative.
"If you're a man, woman, gay, straight, black, white, whatever even ginger why wouldn't you come and have a test?" Prince Harry said. "If we're trying to destigmatize the testing, my understanding is to normalize this situation, surely it's better that everybody goes and gets tested," he said.
Prince Harry is correct that everyone should get an HIV test at some point; in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people ages 13 to 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of their routine health care, regardless of their risk of contracting the virus.
About one in eight people with HIV in the U.S. don't know they're infected with the virus, according to the CDC.
Even people in monogamous relationships should find out for sure if either they or their partners are infected with HIV by getting tested once, the CDC said. [Quiz: Test Your STD Smarts]
People should be tested more often if they have certain risk factors. For example, people should get tested for HIV at least once a year if:
They had sex with more than one partner since their last HIV test
They had sex with an HIV-positive person
They are a man who had sex with another man
They injected drugs and shared needles with others
They were diagnosed with or sought treatment for another sexually transmitted disease
They were diagnosed with or treated for hepatitis or tuberculosis
Gay and bisexual men who are sexually active may benefit from more frequent HIV testing, about every three to six months, because this population is at higher risk of contracting HIV, the CDC said.
Women who are pregnant should also be tested for HIV, the CDC said. Doctors can then take precautions to reduce the risk that the virus will be passed from the mother to the child during pregnancy or childbirth, the CDC said.
Original article on Live Science.
France plans to increase the intensity of strikes on Islamists in Iraq and Syria after Thursdays incident when the country once again came under an attack probably staged by Islamist terrorists, French President Francois Hollande said in a televised address to the nation, TASS reported.
The incident in Nice when dozens of people were killed when a truck hit a crowd of people was a terrorist attack, Hollande said.
Hollande said he decided to use reservists to ensure security in the country.
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A local Fine Gael TD has called for an end to scaremongering, after rumours that the A&E departments in nine Irish hospitals were under threat.
Deputy Peter Burke was responding to speculation relating to an article in the Sunday Business Post, which centred on the recommendations of the Trauma Steering Group. Looking at the way in which trauma patients are treated, it was stated that one of the groups recommendations was to centralise specialist departments in larger hospitals. It was thought that as part of that plan, the A&E departments in nine hospitals, including the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar and Cavan General Hospital, would be closed.
However Deputy Burke claimed he had been in touch with Health Minister Simon Harris, who confirmed that Mullingar A&E would not be closing and in fact is undergoing an upgrade.
This report was written by RCSI, is not finished and has not even been read by anyone in the Department of Health yet, Deputy Burke continued. There is no evidence whatsoever that this report will hold any weight or that the report would have any impact on Mullingar A&E.
Deputy Burke's words were backed up by a statement from the Department of Health to the Leader which said; The Trauma Centre Strategy is with the Department of Health and as far as we are aware nothing has been finalised. Therefore, we have no comment to make at this time.
Meanwhile, Fianna Fail TD , Robert Troy told the Longford Leader that any efforts to downgrade services at the hospital must be resisted.
According to these reports, the HSE is examining a proposal to reduce services provided at Mullingar Hospital. Its a dangerous plan which would mean a full accident and emergency service would not be available at the hospital into the future, Deputy Troy said, calling on Minister Harris to make a statement.
Ive submitted a request for a special Dail debate to be held on this matter in the coming week, he added.
Mid-Longford Sinn Fein also called on Minister Harris to clarify the future of the nine A&E departments involved and recommended that voters write to the Minister to express their shock and concern.
Downgrading hospital A&Es will leave people feeling very vulnerable, said Sinn Fein PRO Brendan Farrell, who described Longford as a high risk zone for those who were injured in the county. The health system is in chaos, with many reports that recommend investment being shelved and those that recommend cuts being implemented. Minister Harris needs to move immediately to reassure communities, and the wider public, that any restructuring will be done in a way that enhances service delivery and improves patient outcomes.
Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 15 2016
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a new series of aggressive enforcement actions to combat the illegal sale of K2 and other synthetic drugs.
Albany, NY - July 14, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a new series of aggressive enforcement actions to combat the illegal sale of K2 and other synthetic drugs. The Governor announced the State Department of Healths Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, in partnership with the New York State Police, will step up enforcement efforts in communities across the state to crack down on the illegal sale of K2.
Local News, Health & Wellness, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 15 2016
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the State of New York is on track to reduce the number of new HIV infections.
Local News, Crime, National & World News, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 14 2016
Governor Cuomo: "New York stands united with France and all our allies in the face of terror."
Albany, NY - July 14, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo responds to the terror attack in Nice:
The horrific rampage in Nice is a direct attack on the universal values our two countries have long championed and upheld. As the French people came together to celebrate liberty and unity on their independence day, extremists sought to undermine it with hate and intolerance. They will not succeed. New York stands united with France and all our allies in the face of terror. This is not only an attack on France, but an attack on democracy.
"I have directed state law enforcement officials to step up security at high-profile locations around the state, including our airports, bridges, tunnels and mass transit systems. The Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Emergency Management Watch Center will be on heightened alert, monitoring world events. DHSES regional staff have all been notified to maintain a heightened state of awareness at mass gathering events. The New York State Police and the Joint Task Force Empire Shield have deployed additional troops in the New York metropolitan region. Public safety is paramount, and New York will continue to work aggressively with all local and federal partners to keep residents and visitors safe.
On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest condolences to the people of France, the families who have lost loved ones, and all those grieving around the world.
Missing Teen Alert: 17-Year-Old Girl From West Babylon Missing and In Need of Medication
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 14 2016
Suffolk County Police First Squad detectives are investigating the circumstances involving a West Babylon teen who was reported missing this month and may need medication.
Latrice Bettis, 17, of West Babylon was possibly seen in Manhattan. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call 631-854-8152 or call 911.
West Babylon, NY - July 14, 2016 - Suffolk County Police First Squad detectives are investigating the circumstances involving a West Babylon teen who was reported missing this month and may need medication.
Latrice Bettis, 17, of West Babylon, was reported missing on July 5. Bettis was possibly seen on 123rd Street in Manhattan with an acquaintance on July 10. Bettis has a psychiatric history and may be in need of medication.
Bettis is black, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 110 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing denim shorts and a pink shirt.
Anyone with information on Bettis location is asked to call 911 or First Squad detectives at 631-854-8152.
School & Education, Local News, Business & Finance, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 15 2016
Attorney members of the Nassau County Bar Association are available to speak on all types of topics at organization meetings during the fall, winter and spring.
Mineola, NY - July 12, 2016 - Attorney members of the Nassau County Bar Association are available to speak on all types of topics at organization meetings during the fall, winter and spring. Program directors of community groups, business and civic associations, fraternal and philanthropic organizations, church groups, youth clubs, senior centers, classroom teachers, librarians and any others who are planning programs for the coming year may obtain free speakers on a wide variety of important legal topics through the Nassau County Bar Association. NCBAs Speakers Bureau is a free public education service to help citizens understand the ever-changing legal system as it relates to their lives.
More than 500 attorneys volunteer go out into the community to talk about the newest developments in just about every area of the law. New topics added to the list are mediation and arbitration, laws regarding student loans and LGBTQ legal issues. In addition, NCBA provides speakers on constitutional rights, law enforcement, estate planning, medical issues, securities, taxes, real estate, consumer fraud, local government, employment topics, discrimination, DWI, immigration, starting a business, divorce, and much more. Speakers will be matched to the topic requested, and they will tailor presentations to the specific interests of the group.
To request a speaker, or for information on any of the Bars free community education programs, contact Caryle Katz at the NCBA, 516-747-4070, email, or download the Speakers Bureau request form on the website. Attorneys speaking Spanish and other languages are available.
About the Nassau County Bar Association
Founded in 1899, the Nassau County Bar Association is the leader in providing legal information and community service on Long Island. NCBA consists of private and public attorneys, judges, legal educators and law students who demonstrate their commitment to the community by offering a variety of services for the public, including lawyer referral services, mortgage foreclosure, Sandy recovery and senior citizen legal clinics; judicial screening and public education programs. The Nassau Academy of Law provides the largest program of continuing education for the legal community. We Care, part of the Nassau Bar Foundation, NCBAs charitable arm, assists children, the elderly and others in need, through countless projects and donations. For more information, call (516) 747-4070 (language translation available), email, or visit nassaubar.org.
Local News, Crime, National & World News, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 15 2016
Although there are no known imminent threats to Nassau County, police are monitoring the situation along with federal, state and local authorities.
The public is reminded if they see any suspicious activity to contact 911 immediately.
Nassau County, NY - July 15, 2016 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and Acting Police Commissioner Thomas C. Krumpter express their condolences to the people of Nice, France in light of the recent terrorist attacks.
Although there are no known imminent threats to Nassau County, police are monitoring the situation along with federal, state and local authorities. Nassau County Police will be resuming two person patrols and intensifying patrols in all areas of mass transit, critical infrastructure and will increase patrols at any significant public events.
The public is reminded if they see any suspicious activity to contact 911 immediately. If you see something, say something or hear something, say something.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
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09:35(GMT+4) The death toll as a result of the Nice terrorist attack has reached 84, RIA Novosti reported citing the statement made by Frances Interior Ministry.
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03:48 (GMT+4) A terrorist act was committed on Thursday night in Nice, the prefecture of the department Alpes-Maritimes said, TASS reported.
At least 80 people were killed, 120 were injured, the BFM TV channel reported.
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02:26 (GMT+4) Dozens of people were killed in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday when a truck ploughed into crowds watching fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday, the mayor said on Twitter, Reuters reported.
BFM TV said at least 30 were dead after the truck drove through people on the famed Promenade des Anglais on the Nice seafront. BFM said local authorities were treating the incident as an attack. Almost exactly eight months ago Islamic State militants killed 130 people on a Friday night in Paris in November.
"Dear Nicois," local government leader Christian Estrosi wrote in a tweet. "The driver of a truck appears to have killed dozens of people. Stay at home for the time being. More news to follow."
Regional newspaper Nice Matin quoted its own reporter at the scene saying there were many injured people and blood on the street. It published a photograph of a damaged, long-distance delivery truck, which it said was "riddled with bullets" and images of emergency services treating the injured.
Damien Allemand, the paper's correspondent, was quoted as saying: "People are running. It's panic. He rode up onto the Prom and piled into the crowd ... There are people covered in blood. There must be many injured."
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01:59 (GMT+4) At least 30 people were killed in the southern French town of Nice when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday on Thursday night, French TV channel BFM TV said, Reuters reported.
The truck rammed into the crowd on the Promenade des Anglais seaside walk in the center of town, regional newspaper Nice Matin reported, citing its own reporter at the scene.
French television channel BFM TV said the local prefecture in Nice was treating the incident as an attack and was asking people to stay at home.
The reason for the crash remained unclear.
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01:49 (GMT+4) A truck has crashed into a crowd gathered for Frances Bastille Day fireworks on the seafront of the southern city of Nice, French media have reported.
The local police prefect of Alpes-Maritimes warned of an attack and asked Nice residents to stay indoors, France info radio reported.
People are running, its panic, a local newspaper journalist from Nice Matin was reported saying. There is blood, no doubt injuries, the Guardian reported.
Crime, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 15 2016
The Major Case Bureau reports the details of an Attempted Robbery which occurred on Friday, July 15, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. in Roosevelt.
Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.
Roosevelt, NY - July 15, 2016 - The Major Case Bureau reports the details of an Attempted Robbery which occurred on Friday, July 15, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. in Roosevelt.
According to Robbery Squad detectives, two male black suspects, described as 5 6 5 8 tall wearing dark clothing entered an All Island Taxi on Gombert Place in Roosevelt. The first suspect who entered the front seat of the taxi displayed a handgun. The male victim, 58, began kicking the suspect with the gun. Both suspects exited the car and fled on foot southbound on Gombert Place before heading west on Park Avenue. No injuries or proceeds are reported at this time.
Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases
By Long Island News & PR Published: July 15 2016
Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating the circumstances involving a teen reported missing this week.
Yamila Guerrero, 14, of Coram was reported missing this week. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call 631-854-8652 or call 911.
Coram, NY - July 15, 2016 - Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating the circumstances involving a teen reported missing this week.
Yamila Guerrero, 14, of Coram, was reported missing on July 12. Detectives believe Guerrero may be traveling to Mexico with Katherine Aleman, 21.
Anyone with information Guerreros location is asked to call 911 or Sixth Squad detectives at 631-854-8652.
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
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the terrorist attack in the French Riviera city of Nice and said Germany would stand by Frances side in the fight against terrorism, Reuters reported July 15.
All of us, who have come together at the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) summit are united in our feeling of disbelief at the attack of mass murder in Nice, Merkel said on the sidelines of the major summit between Asian and European leaders in Mongolia.
Germany stands in the fight against terrorism at Frances side, united with many, many others, she noted. I am convinced that, despite all the difficulties, we shall win this fight.
French city of Nice was hit by a terrorist attack on July 14 night.
Reports indicate that a truck ploughed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday on the Nice seafront.
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the attack.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
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A Russian woman was killed and another woman was injured in the terrorist attack in Nice, France, Consular Department of Russian Foreign Ministry said on Facebook, RIA Novosti reported July 15.
The whereabouts of three other Russian citizens is still unknown, said the Foreign Ministry.
Russias Federal Agency for Tourism (Rosturizm) recommended Russian citizens in France not to leave their residences unless absolutely necessary, to avoid crowded places and follow the instructions of local authorities.
French city of Nice was hit by a terrorist attack on July 14 night.
Reports indicate that a truck ploughed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday on the Nice seafront.
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the attack.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
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Italys Interior Minister Angelino Alfano called an emergency meeting of the national anti-terrorism committee on July 15 morning in the wake of Thursday night's terror attack in the southern French city of Nice, The Local Italy reported July 15.
The minister said Italy will be stepping up its controls at the French border following the attack.
Alfano said at a meeting of the national security and public order committee that the country must maintain a high level of alert and strengthen security measures across the entire national territory, especially at vulnerable targets.
French city of Nice was hit by a terrorist attack on July 14 night.
Reports indicate that a truck plowed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday on the Nice seafront.
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the attack.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
Trend:
French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls arrived in Nice on July 15 following the deadly attack in the city, the Sputnik International news agency reported.
First, Hollande and Valls are expected to go to a hospital to support those injured in the attack.
French city of Nice was hit by a terrorist attack on July 14 night.
Reports indicate that a truck ploughed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday on the Nice seafront.
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the attack.
Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here.
Culture / Events
Jul 15, 2016 | By Nadya Wang
The boutique art fair, Art Stage Jakarta, will take place from 5 to 7 August 2016 at the Sheraton Grand Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel, with a focus on art from Indonesia. It complements Art Stage Singapore, which held its sixth edition earlier this year. With the support of an active collector base, as well as the strength of artworks that have emerged from Indonesia in recent years, Art Stage Jakarta is poised to reinforce Art Stage Singapores success and recognition as Southeast Asias international flagship contemporary art fair.
Altogether, there will be approximately 50 galleries at the fair. The majority of the galleries will come from Indonesia. From Jakarta, the following galleries will participate: Andis Gallery, Galeri Canna, D Gallerie, Edwins Gallery, Nadi Gallery, Rachel Gallery, REDBASE Art, ROH Projects, Ruci Art Space and Sunrise Art Gallery. Bandung-based Bale Project, Lawangwangi and Zola Zolu Gallery will also be at the fair, together with Equator Art Projects and Srisasanti Syndicate from Yogyakarta, as well as Semarang Gallery from Semarang.
Galleries from Singapore form the next biggest group, with representation by Art Porters, Element Art Space, Gajah Gallery, Intersections, Mizuma Gallery, Ota Fine Arts, Pearl Lam Galleries and Yeo Workshop. Among these galleries, Gajah Gallery also has a space in Yogyakarta, while Mizuma Gallery and Ota Fine Arts both have spaces in Tokyo, and Pearl Lam Galleries is established in Shanghai and Hong Kong as well.
From elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Manila-based galleries Galerie Joaquin, Galerie Stephanie and The Drawing Room will be presenting their artists at the art fair, along with Kuala Lumpur-based G13 Gallery and Wei-Ling Gallery. And from Asia, Korean galleries Gallery Apple and Johyun Gallery, Japanese galleries COHJU Contemporary Art, Shonandai Gallery and Toki-no-Wasuremono, as well as Taipei-based gallery Nunu Fine Art will be setting up booths at the fair. Other galleries at the fair are Anna Pappas Gallery from Melbourne, Khankhalaev Gallery from Moscow, Schuebbe Inc. from Dusseldorf, and Galerie Perrotin, which has spaces in Hong Kong, Paris and New York.
The Indonesian galleries will be showing the best in contemporary Indonesian art. Fair goers can look forward to the works of both established artists and emerging ones. Nadi Gallery will present well-known artists Agus Suwage, Eddie Hara and Heri Dono, for example, while Galerie Canna will present the works of I Nyoman Masriadi. ROH Projects will show younger artists, including Syaiful Aulia Garibaldi, Syagini Ratna Wulan and Bagus Pandega, and Rachel Gallery will have artists with similar profiles, such as Yuli Prayinto, Eddy Susanto and Ivan Sagita. Some of the galleries are bringing a mix of works from both groups of artists, such as Semarang Gallery, which will show works of Eko Nugroho, Lugas Syllabus, and M. Irfan, among others.
A number of the international galleries will be presenting artists who may be new to Indonesian collectors. Galerie Perrotin will present a selection of artworks from an international group of artists, including Chen Ke, Dong Dawei, Bernard Frize, Laurent Grasso, Izumi Kato, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Park Seo-Bo and Aya Takano.
Some galleries are bringing a combination of local and international artists to the art fair. One such gallery is Mizuma Gallery, which has spaces in Singapore and Japan. It will present works in varied media from painting and photography to installation and sculpture by Indonesian artists Agan Harahap, Agung Prabowo, Angki Purbandono, indieguerillas, Nasirun, Pupuk DP, Singapore artist Robert Zhao, as well as Japanese artists Eguchi Ayane, Okada Hiroko, and Ken + Julia Yonetani. Commenting on the selection of artists for the fair, Theresia Irma, gallery manager at the Singapore-based Mizuma Gallery says, For this inaugural edition of the art fair, we hope to introduce artworks by Singaporean and Japanese artists to the local audience, and to present selected works by local artists alongside international names. As envisioned by Mr Mizuma Sueo, the founder of the gallery, we hope to create a new vector of dialogue within Asia by promoting art and cultural exchange between Singapore, Japan, and Indonesia.
REDBASE Art, based in Jakarta, will showcase Indonesian and Chinese artists working in various media. Indonesian artists the gallery is bringing to the fair include Ichwan Noor, known for his compacted sculptures of Volkswagen Beetles. They will also show the works of finalists from their Young Artist Award programme at the REDBASE Foundation in Yogyakarta. In addition, they will present new paintings by Chinese artists Luo Qing and Zhu Xingguo. Nancy Nan, Founder and CEO of REDBASE Art says, We believe our featured artists have great potential in the local and international scenes, both for their interesting and challenging choice of media, and the social and cultural messages that they bear.
There are also galleries focused on introducing homegrown artists to the Indonesian art market. Kuala Lumpur-based Wei-Ling gallery will present mainly Malaysian artists. We are delighted to join Art Stage in their first edition of the fair in Jakarta. This will be our first time showing in the city and we are excited about the prospect of introducing contemporary Malaysian art to Indonesian collectors. Representation of Malaysian art has been thin on the international front, so regional fairs like this are important platforms for us, says the gallerys founder Lim Wei-Ling. We will be showing a key selection of our represented artists to present a cross-section of artists working in Malaysia at the moment, namely important socio-political commentator and artist Anurendra Jegadeva, established printmaker Juhari Said, prominent abstractionist Hamidi Hadi and contemporary woman painter, Yau Bee Ling. The gallery will also bring works of Pakistani sculptor Amin Gulgee who creates copper sculptures.
Participating galleries have expressed their optimism for Art Stage Jakarta. Having been a part of the hugely successful inaugural Art Stage in Singapore in 2011, we are confident that the Jakarta edition will not fall short, says Wei-Ling. Mizuma Gallery echoes the same sentiments. As we actively work with Indonesian artists and collectors, Art Stage Jakarta will be an opportunity for us to catch up with our friends in Indonesia. And of course, by participating in the new Art Stage Jakarta, we hope to be able to expand our horizon and build new contacts, says Theresia.
The sentiment is that it is the right time for the creation of the fair. Jasdeep Sandhu, founder of Gajah Gallery says, We feel that this is a positive step for Art Stage, and also for the Indonesian art scene, which we believe has great potential. Gajah Gallery has been involved in the Indonesian art scene for over 20 years, and we have seen it grow from strength to strength, and this fair is indeed a step in the right direction. Gajah Gallery will show Indonesian artists, including Yunizar, Rudi Mantofani and Mangu Putra and Ashley Bickerton, a long-time American artist residing in Indonesia. In addition, it will present a range of works produced by the Yogya Art Lab, which was co-founded by Jasdeep, Yunizar and Richard Hungerford, formerly the head of print-making at Singapore Tyler Print Institute in 2012, including a crushed glass sculpture by Singapores Suzann Victor and a major bronze sculpture by Yunizar.
The traditional art fair format, with its gallery booths, will be complemented by a special exhibition of works from six Indonesian collectors, whose names were not yet announced at time of print. Curated by Enin Supriyanto, the exhibition will be a survey of Indonesian masterpieces, including both modern and contemporary pieces, revealing the themes that Indonesian artists have worked with across time.
A Board of Art Patrons and a Board of Young Collectors have been formed for Art Stage Jakarta. They represent the more established as well as the younger collectors in the Indonesian art scene, and demonstrate the support that the local collectors are lending to the art fair. Presiding over the Board of Art Patrons is preeminent art collector Deddy Kusuma. He says, I have known Lorenzo Rudolf since he founded and directed SH Contemporary in 2007. His latest project, Art Stage Jakarta, will help Indonesian art in its ambition to go international.
The Board includes other important collectors in the Indonesian art scene, such as Alex Tedja, the owner of the art fairs venue, Sheraton Grand Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel, as well as Haryanto Adikoesoemo, founder of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (MACAN) that will soon open, as well as Caecil Papadimitriou, who is the guardian of her late husbands collection of artworks by modern Indonesian masters.
Working alongside the Board of Art Patrons is the Board of Young Collectors, representing the next generation of art collectors in Indonesia. Its President is Tom Tandio, who was appointed the Regional Director of Indonesia for Art Stage Singapore in 2014. Commenting on the board members role, Tom says We are involved in maximising Art Stage as a platform to contribute to the Indonesian art scene. We will take part in the collectors show, organise art talks, host after parties and so on. Everything is still under discussion, but essentially, we are looking to contributing to the success of the fair in any way we can.
This article was first published in Art Republik.
36th Annual Taste of Charleston Returns September 23-25, 2016
The main event takes place on Sunday, September 25 at Boone Hall Plantation, featuring over 40 of the Lowcountry's most popular restaurants serving samples of delicious cuisine, along with chef demos, live music, and beer and wine tastings. To kick off Taste of Charleston weekend, the GCRA and the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) have partnered to host its Iron Chef Competition, taking place Friday, September 23 at the Charleston Gaillard Center.Taste of Charleston occurs from 10 a.m. 5 p.m. on September 25. In addition to sampling mouthwatering bites from some of Charleston's best restaurants, guests can pay a visit to the new SCHA Cooking Well Village, featuring exciting cooking demos and action-packed chef competitions. Also not-to-be missed is Taste of Charleston's imported beer tasting tent and live musical performances on the main stage from Cowboy Mouth , Waiters' Race and Kid's Kitchen Sideshow. Participating restaurants include Swig & Swine, 82 Queen, Graze Restaurant, Lowcountry Bistro, Swamp Fox Restaurant, Aya Cookhouse, Hyman's Seafood, BLU Restaurant & Bar, Carpentier's Wine and Dine, Burton's Grill of Mt. Pleasant, Wild Wing Cafe, Zeus Grill & Seafood, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Carolina Ale House and Sticky Fingers. Tickets are $17.50 in advance/$25 day of.The Iron Chef Competition occurs from 6 9 p.m. on September 23 at the Charleston Gaillard Center. Showcasing some of Charleston's most creative local chefs, guests can watch as teams compete in a heated head-to-head battle to see who can produce the best dishes utilizing the secret ingredient. Heavy hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine are included. Tickets for the Iron Chef Competition are $100.Tickets for both Taste of Charleston and the Iron Chef Competition go on sale beginning July 17 and can be purchased at the link below:Food and drink tickets for Taste of Charleston are sold separaretly. Children 10 and under are free. Rain or shine. No pets, coolers or tailgating. Free parking. Carpooling is encouraged.For a complete list of available packages at participating Charleston hotels and resorts and to book reservations, please visit www.charlestoncvb.com/special-offers/packages/ *The Hampton Inn & Suites Charleston/Mt. Pleasant-Isle Of Palms is offering a special rate for Taste of Charleston attendees.
Cabo Invites Guests to Celebrate the Last Fling Before the Ring
This makes it the perfect spot for bachelors and bachelorettes looking to celebrate that last fling before the ring in true Cabo style. The resort's new Sea Spa at Land's End, built into the natural rock surrounding the property, provides bachelorettes the ultimate girlfriends spa day. Offering half-day spa treatments in huts overlooking the majestic Pacific Ocean, the bride-to-be and her closest gal pals can pamper themselves while indulging in a healthy, gourmet meal or snacks as they gear up for a night on the town. For bachelors, Solmar's sport fishing fleet offers a variety of boats equipped with captain and mate, a live bait tank, interior cabin and two fishing chairs for the guys to kick-back, throw in a line and cruise along the Sea of Cortes, which is often referred to the World's Aquarium as coined by Jacques Cousteau. After a long day out at sea, the groom and his guys can take advantage of the property's "Hook & Cook" program, which will turn their catch of the day into the meal of the night.The resort's on-site restaurants and various weekly activities are great ways for guys and gals to kick off the fun before heading to Cabo San Lucas' downtown to hit up popular bachelor and bachelorette hotspots like Cabo Wabo, El Squid Roe and Mandala. The ladies might be interested in the property's wine making and tasting class, while the gentleman might prefer a tequila tasting. The foodies, male or female, might want to arrange a cooking class. All of these offerings can be arranged through the resort's concierge upon or prior to arrival.From intimate groups of just two or three in the resort's one-bedroom suite all the way up to groups of 14 in the resort's four-bedroom penthouse suite with a private plunge pool, Grand Solmar can truly accommodate groups of all sizes for this very special occasion. For more information, or to make your reservation please visit: http://www.solmar.com.Located on Baja California's most exclusive and private beach, Solmar Hotels & Resorts offers guests privacy while still being able to enjoy the excitement of downtown Cabo San Lucas. The collection of five all-suite resorts offers guests the highest quality of service and hospitality. Within the past year, Playa Grande Resort and Spa as well as Solmar Resort were awarded the RCI Gold Grown Resort Award. Additionally, TripAdvisor recognized Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa among TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice Awards. The property was ranked 8th among the Top 25 Hotels in Mexico and received TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence. Grand Solmar Land's End Resort additionally ranked 5th among the "The Best Beachfront Hotels in Los Cabos" by USA Today. Grand Solmar Land's End Resort was also recognized by Travel + Leisure ranking 2nd among the World's Best Family Travel Hotels in Mexico, and 99th in the Top 100 World's Best Hotels. For more information about Solmar Hotels & Resorts, visit
Oberoi Hotels & Resorts Voted World's Best Hotel Brand
These rankings are the result of a Readers' Poll conducted by the magazine. Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards are amongst the most prestigious in the travel industry as it is the readers who define excellence in hospitality and travel. Readers rate their experiences and evaluate hotels across the world on the following characteristics rooms and facilities, location, service, restaurants, food and value.Mr. P.R.S. Oberoi, Executive Chairman, The Oberoi Group said, I am very proud that Oberoi Hotels & Resorts have been voted the World's Best Hotel Brand and The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur has been voted the best hotel in the world. The awards are an affirmation of The Oberoi Group's unwavering commitment towards offering guests world-class facilities and unsurpassed service. I dedicate the awards to our people who are our biggest asset and who have worked passionately to ensure our guests receive warm, personalized and caring service.Mr. Nathan Lump, Editor at Travel + Leisure said, It's a pretty tough thing to be named both the top hotel brand and have the top-ranked hotel in the same year, but Oberoi Hotels & Resorts have made it to the top spots. Thanks not only to properties of exceptional quality in picture-perfect locations, but also due to service standard that Travel + Leisure readers say go above and beyond.Visit website:
Travel Wright Celebrates 150 Years of Frank Lloyd Wright
Travel Wright, which designs international and domestic cultural tours inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's work, has created special tours for 2017 to honor the 150th anniversary of Wright's birth. Each tour has a discounted price through Sept. 1.Experts will lead the Trust's excursions to Japan and the United Kingdom. Curator-led domestic tours include a weekend visit to New York City and MoMA's exhibition, Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive, as well as Travel Wright's popular California Craft overview of modern architecture in Los Angeles.Here is more information about Travel Wright's 2017 excursions:July 8-10, 2017 This activity-packed weekend is ideal for the Frank Lloyd Wright aficionado. Included are private tours of Wright's landmark Guggenheim Museum; the Frank Lloyd Wright at 150 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art; and the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, housing the most extensive Wright archive in the world.Feb. 10-13, 2017 Against the backdrop of Los Angeles' most stunning scenery, California Craft features curator-led tours surveying the art and architecture that defined California modern in the early 20century. Entry into private homes by Wright, his apprentices and architects of the Craftsman era is included.June 9-18, 2017 Led by Arts and Crafts expert Peter Cormack, this special tour covers the very best of British Arts and Crafts. Destinations include London; the Cotswolds, where the Arts and Crafts movement flourished in the late 1800s and early 1900s; writer and critic John Ruskin's home in the beautiful Lake District; and Glasgow, home to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, an early pioneer of modernism.Sept. 2-13, 2017 Led by author Kevin Nute, an expert on Wright's Japanese influence, Travel Wright's 2107 trip to Japan has a special itinerary built expressly for Wright 150. The tour will explore architectural masterpieces by Wright and his disciples in Tokyo, Nikko, Nagoya, Ise, Kyoto, Kobe and Hiroshima.For more information about these tours and Frank Lloyd Wright Trust's Travel Wright Cultural Journeys by Design, visit travelwright.org
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 15
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Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to Frances President Francois Hollande and the French people in a TV address on July 15 after the deadly terrorist attack in Nice, Sputnik reported.
Dear Francois. Russia knows what terror is and what threats it poses to all of us, said Putin. Our people have repeatedly faced similar tragedies and are deeply affected by what happened.
We feel for the French people and stand in solidarity with them, he added.
French city of Nice was hit by a terrorist attack on July 14 night.
Reports indicate that a truck plowed into crowds watching a fireworks display on France's Bastille Day national holiday on the Nice seafront.
Frances Interior Ministry said 84 people were killed in the attack.
US President Barack Obama was briefed on Friday on what the White House called "the unfolding situation" in Turkey, a NATO partner and ally for the United States in the fight against the militant group Islamic State.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone interview on broadcaster CNNTurk that a "minority group" in the military has attempted a coup.
Erdogan said the parallel state, referring to the followers of the U.S.-based scholar Fethullah Gulen, has promoted the attempt.
"We will not leave the ground to them," he said, vowing to end the "occupation" by the group, called on nation to unite at squares and airports. Erdogen said he would also be on the streets.
The move is not as part of the chain of command, he said.
"I am the chief commander," he said.
Pandora is an internet radio company based in Silicon Valley. It serves the US, Australia and New Zealand. One of the big focuses for the company in the next year is to figure out how to expand internationally.
When you are dealing with music and licensing, depending on what the regime is, a lot of people will say: I think the UK should be next! Nakeena Taylor, an IP lawyer and compliance expert at Pandora, tells Managing IP. When it comes to considering all the regimes and extra costs, its wise to stop and think: does this make sense?
Issues regarding territorial expansion are mainly handled by Pandoras strategy and licensing team. Taylor says her focus is helping product and advertising managers, engineers and fellow employees to consider their plans from a business perspective.
Thinking through that is interesting because its unchartered territory and there is growing competition, Taylor explains.
We are giving a lot of information on how to think through these scenarios without having a lot of information to pull from. We are learning and looking around us saying: Spotify has this lawsuit coming up, maybe we need to think about how we do this, so we dont have to go through that same thing.
Nakeena Taylor
Ambiguity in IP law
In addition to ever-increasing competition in music technology, Taylor predicts more partnership with the music industry.
Were having a much bigger push on policy, she says. There is a lot of talk about updating rules, but they are never usually in favour of the new up-and-coming technology. This adds a little bit of pressure.
To illustrate her point, Taylor refers to a case in 2012. A users listening history was inadvertently posted and the plaintiff discovered some obscure law about borrowing and video rental history, she says. Does this really apply? You are talking about something in the sense of VCRs and VHS while trying to talk about a streaming service that is more of internet radio service!
She continues: It was really tortured in the sense of trying to apply these old laws. The issue was more related to privacy. Even in talking about how the technology works, it still does not apply so we are always playing catch-up. At the same time, as advisors, we are trying to figure out what kind of claims can be made that might actually outplay of a lot of these really old laws.
Taylor says this type of issue can make it hard to be able to give clear advice and manage risk. There are some risks that seem so out there but people will still try, because there is no other law to go to, she says.
Licensing and royalty determination
Taylor highlights a number of legal areas surrounding music technology that she feels are in need of modification.
It would be helpful to have clarity on anything related to royalties so that there is a set rate and a rate that is fair. Here in the US, we have different rates for terrestrial radio, streaming, on-demand, depending on the type of interaction. Thats fine; the problem is that they change all the time.
For example, the US Copyright Royalty Board last December announced the per-performance rate for 2016 will increase to $0.0017 for ad-supported streaming, up 21% from $0.0014 under the present "Pureplay Rate" for 2015. However, the rate decreased to $0.0022 for subscription streaming from $0.0025.
Taylor also mentions law surrounding pre-1972 recordings, looking for the correct rights owners and data mining as additional challenges of accurate and efficient licensing.
Before becoming a lawyer, Taylor worked in music and licensing. Taylor suggests a national database of rights owners: We need to come up with something that will enable us to actually get the money to where its supposed to go, so we can start to the change the narrative of musicians feeling they are not getting their fair share.
She continues: We have plans to introduce more transparency of what we pay out and how, for that very reason. We want to put that pressure on all the stake holders in the industry to do the same. This is why we need reform.
At the end of 2015, Pandora negotiated a licensing deal with leading performance rights organisations ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and BMI (Broadcast Music Inc. The company agreed to pay 2.5% revenue to BMI as part of their commitment to ensure that music thrives and grow the music ecosystem, as stated by Pandoras then-chief executive officer Brian McAndrews.
Recently, the antitrust division of the United States Department of Justice has received criticism from music artists, producers and songwriters for its decision to proceed with plans to introduce 100% music licensing. The decision comes as a nasty shock and despite strong opposition from the music community over concerns that the decree will impose greater depreciation of royalty payments to content owners.
Creative industries and innovation
With an educational foundation in media, culture and communication, Taylor maintains respect for artists and creative professionals
Before going to law school, I knew I wanted to go into the creative industry, she says. For me, trade mark, copyright, media and the creative industry was really interesting. After taking cross-registered classes in media law, Taylor opted for a career in IP law.
I wanted to be on that side. I found a really good medium between the IP industries and technology industry, mixed with the business side, she says. I am excited by these industries and I know that they cannot exist without IP.
Pandora is mostly recognised for its Music Genome Project technology in which a team of musicologists listen to all content on the system and suggest songs for users based on hundreds of scoring attributes, instead of algorithms. The exact list of attributes is a trade secret, but Taylor says it is hard to keep secrets in such a competitive industry.
Its one of those things that might change, especially when we go into the on-demand area, she says. Essentially, we are using those new features and aspects of the service as ways to attract customers to our services and stand out from our competitors.
With this considered, Taylor rhetorically asks: What can you actually protect? She responds: We need to protect the technique. It is what makes Pandora different. Eventually, we may also need to protect music playlists.
She adds: We are having these conversations and dont really have the answers right now, but the future is exciting.
The reluctant lawyer
Despite the fact that she has been in the legal profession for almost a decade, Taylor says she at times sees herself as a reluctant lawyer.
I was late. I did not decide that I wanted to be an IP lawyer until I was in the middle of my degree! she explains. There are so many stereotypes attached to the legal profession that I never felt that I identified with, but I love this profession. I feel that the more diversity we get in thought and perspective, the better.
Outside her role as corporate counsel, Taylor is president of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Northern California. Reflecting on her responsibilities in the IP community, Taylor says: I rise to the challenge, but sometimes it takes some nudging from the network around me.
What drives Taylor in her philanthropic efforts? Its about representation, honestly. Just both from being a black female and just being a female in technology and IP; it has its own challenges. You want more people to be able to say: You know what? I can do this! Thats really why I try and get involved outside my main responsibilities at work.
In addition to promoting better representation of women and underrepresented groups in the legal profession, Taylor is a champion of diversity within the IP field: A lot of people tend to focus on patents and prosecution. There are all these other roles centred on protecting IP that you dont learn about at law school, such as product counsel. I decided to get out there and show a different example, a different path and perspective.
She continues: You have these other pressures. Sometimes you want to tap out and you start to think maybe this isnt the right lifestyle. For me, I do still feel the pressure but we have got to be present for something to change.
Taylor : We need to continue to reach back to make sure that people who are in the industry, those that are coming in, and new attorneys are supported. We also need to be able to reach even further back, whether that is to middle school or before that to support others early on so that when they get to this point, they are confident already.
Thiruvananthapuram : The first Indian Airforce flight C-17 carrying 156 persons, who were evacuated from war-torn South Sudan's capital city Juba, arrived here early today. The evacuees also included two Nepali citizens, besides nine women and three children. The passengers from Kerala and some from Tamil Nadu disembarked after a brief halt here before leaving for Delhi. Minister of State for External Affairs, V K Singh, who accompanied the passengers, told reporters at the airport that 156 persons have been evacuated, of whom two are from Nepal. There are over 550 Indians at Juba and another 150 in areas where the oil wells are located. "When we landed, 156 came out with us. There were 30-40 people who had already booked their tickets when the commercial flights started and 300 people did not want to be evacuated due to their business concerns and other activities.
There are 9 women and three children among those evacuated," Singh said. On those who turned down the government's plea to be evacuated, Singh said, "we tried to convince them. I suppose business comes first, life comes later (for them).." "After fighting broke out in Juba and its outskirts, our aim was to evacuate our people who were in danger. As per our information, there were 550 plus people in Juba itself with another 150 indians in areas where the oil wells are there..," he added . The evacuation exercise faced a hurdle when several Indians, after registering with the External Affairs Ministry for leaving South Sudan, refused to return, despite an appeal by External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter asking them to move out.
Singh said he had met Vice President of Sudan who spoke of the situation out there. The C-17 aircraft was brought via Uganda and the minister also met the Ugandan Prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda who on his part assured of all help. South Sudan is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city. State Power minister, Kadakkampally Surendran, Thiruvananthapuram district collector, Biju Prabhakar, were among those who received the travel weary passengers when they arrived here.
PTI
A truck ploughed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 80 in what President Francois Hollande today called a "terrorist" attack on revellers watching a Bastille Day fireworks display. The driver was shot dead after barrelling the truck two kilometres through the festive crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies. Authorities said they found identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian citizen in the truck, as well as "guns" and "larger weapons".
The attack was of an "undeniable terrorist nature," a sombre Hollande said in a televised national address, confirming that "several children" were among the dead as families came together to celebrate France's national day. The bloodshed came on Bastille Day, a celebration of everything France holds dear, its secular republic and the values of "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" (Freedom, Equality, Fraternity). The attacker struck after a day of military pomp and ceremony in Paris -- where armed forces, tanks and fighter jets swooped down the Champs Elysees avenue -- and spectacular firework displays. "France was struck on its national day ... The symbol of freedom," said Hollande.
A photograph showed the front of the truck riddled with bullet holes and badly damaged, with burst tyres. A lone doll lay abandoned on the promenade where families celebrated the holiday just hours earlier. Robert Holloway, an AFP reporter who witnessed the white truck driving at speed into the crowd, described scenes of "absolute chaos". "We saw people hit and bits of debris flying around. I had to protect my face from flying debris," he said. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve told reporters on the scene that the death toll stood at 80, with scores injured including 18 in "critical condition".
The attack is the third major strike against France in less than 18 months and prosecutors said anti-terrorist investigators would handle the probe. It comes eight months after Islamic State attacks on Paris nightspots left 130 people dead, dealing a hard blow to tourism in one of the world's top destinations. US President Barack Obama condemned "what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack", although no group had yet claimed responsibility. Hollande announced he would extend France's state of emergency for three months in the wake of this latest attack and "step up" the government's action against jihadists in Syria and Iraq. He also called up army reservists to bolster the country's security services that are stretched to the limit.
PTI
New Delhi : Indian leaders including President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, today strongly condemned the terror attack in France, saying the pre-meditated massacre of innocent people, including many children, was an unspeakable crime. In a letter to French President Francois Hollande, Mukherjee conveyed condolences on the loss of lives in the heinous act of terror last evening in Nice and said Indian stands beside people of France with solidarity and sympathy. Modi said the "mindless act of violence" was appalling and India shares the pain and stands firmly with France in this hour of "immense sadness".
"Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased," the Prime Minister tweeted. "I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain & stands firmly with our French sisters & brothers in this hour of immense sadness," he added. Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that the terrorist attack on a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice "reflects deep resentment to peace and democratic values".
The President, who is in Darjeeling on an official visit, said, "I am deeply pained to learn that France is once again afflicted by a major tragedy caused by a heinous act of terror last evening. "The pre-meditated massacre of innocent people as they were participating in Bastille Day celebrations - including, sadly, many children, is an unspeakable crime." The people of India stand beside the people of France with solidarity and sympathy. "We share your grief at the loss of lives and pray for the swift recovery of the injured," Mukherjee said.
PTI
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 16
Trend:
Turkeys military has left the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, captured earlier in an attempted military coup, Turkish media reported.
Civilians, who earlier took to the streets to support President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have taken up the airport.
Reports suggest that tanks withdrew from the airport.
A criminal case has been launched with regard to the military men who carried out the coup attempt.
Earlier, Turkish media reported that a military coup attempt took place in the country.
Wartsila and other leading marine industry players have formed a coalition, known as SEA/LNG, to accelerate the widespread adoption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel.
The coalition aims to help break down the barriers hindering the global development of LNG in marine applications, thereby improving the environmental performance of the shipping industry.
In addition to Wartsila, the other partners in the SEA/LNG coalition include Carnival Corporation, DNV-GL, ENGIE, ENN Group, GE Marine, GTT, Lloyds Register, Mitsubishi, NYK Line, Port of Rotterdam, Qatargas, Shell Downstream and Tote.
Each member organization commits mutually agreed human resources, data analysis, and knowledge sharing in support of the SEA/LNG initiatives and activities.
This is a strong coalition combining the expertise of major fleet owners, classification societies, port facilities, and energy experts. Wartsila contributes its vast experience and know-how in gas driven propulsion systems and the entire gas value chain. By working together, we plan to overcome the challenges and speed the general acceptance of LNG. Having been a pioneer in the use of LNG as a marine fuel, and a developer of major technologies facilitating the adoption of LNG fuel, it is natural that Wartsila supports wholeheartedly the aims of the SEA/LNG coalition, says Timo Koponen, Vice President, Flow & Gas Solutions, Wartsila Marine Solutions.
LNG offers significant environmental advantages for shipping compared to heavy fuel oil (HFO), which remains the predominant fuel used today.
By comparison with HFO, NOx emissions are cut by approximately 85%, SOx emissions are almost completely eliminated since natural gas contains no sulphur, and particle production is practically non-existent, thanks to the efficient combustion of natural gas, a fuel with almost no residuals.
The main areas of focus for the coalition include supporting the development of LNG bunkering in major ports, educating stakeholders as to the risks and opportunities in the use of LNG fuel, and developing globally consistent regulations for cleaner shipping fuels.
Shipping industry veteran Dan Gardner is director of Mobileweight, which helps to streamline processes and create efficiencies for the container shipping industry. The firms first-of-its-kind mobile application and online portal Mobileweight aims to offer a reliable, fast and easy way to comply with SOLAS and electronically file the VGM with ocean carriers.
Gardner weighs in on the latest SOLAS VGM requirements which entered force on July 1, and discusses their potential impact across the container shipping sector.
Based on your interaction with shippers and other industry participants, what are some of the most common concerns regarding the SOLAS VGM requirements?
Were working with hundreds of shippers around the world, but in terms of U.S. exporters concerns, there are several. One of the more common concerns is how to comply with the SOLAS VGM Amendment in terms of how cargo will be weighed in the physical world. Specifically, what access to scales will companies have, where are they located and how they will access them in a timely and accurate manner?
Another concern revolves around Standard Operating Procedures for transmitting container-specific VGM information. In essence, shippers have been trying to figure out the best method for sending VGM data, manually or electronically, and in the case of the latter, how they will get that done. The last concern revolves around cost. People are still unclear on what charges will be levied from scale operators, forwarders and other service providers related to the VGM process.
In general, how prepared is the industry for the new SOLAS VGM rules?
If you look at things from a U.S.-perspective, Id say, somewhat prepared; on a global scale, Id say, not very prepared at all. Of course, the 90-day period for a practical and pragmatic approach to implementation issued by the International Maritime Organization gives shippers who failed to be ready for July 1 time to catch up, but theres a danger that too many companies have interpreted this period (incorrectly) as an invitation to not do anything. With so many companies kicking the VGM can down the road during the 90-day period, we will only be able to tell how well people have prepared after the 90 days are over. With that said, there are already reports coming out of places like China that show a very low level of preparation.
Also, in the U.S., people may be relying too heavily on the terminal-weighing solution that was approved by the Coast Guard in its Equivalency to Regulation statement issued back in April. While viable, there are a lot of variables in the terminal-weighing approach, like possible terminal congestion, on-terminal charges, and most pressingly - the handling of on-dock rail. The inability to terminal-weigh on-dock rail is an issue for which there is no solution right now. In the short term, as the 90-day period expires and terminal-specific weaknesses are exposed, people will have to come up with long-term solutions.
What are some of the largest initial challenges of the VGM requirements, and what can be done to overcome them?
I think we need to break down the challenges into different categories to truly understand the complexity of the SOLAS VGM amendment. The first is for an exporter to understand the physics of their particular export profile. For example, how many ports does the exporter ship from, how many terminals are on those ports, how many steamship lines do they work with and what are the terminal/carriers policies specific to VGM? The second challenge is the technology side of VGM. Submitting VGM data manually is a dicey proposition, so it comes down to finding a technology solution that is ubiquitous, timely and cost effective. The final challenge would have to be the administrative/operational side of things; particularly how an exporter incorporates the VGM process into ongoing export activities, and tracks everything they have to do related to VGM.
How does the global nature of the shipping industry complicate the road to compliance?
Lets not forget that 171 nations have signed on to the SOLAS VGM amendment. As such, that means that the maritime eco-system in each of those 171 countries has to come up with solutions around specific ports, the terminals on those ports, access to scales, the technology they may or may not use to receive VGM dataa whole slew of considerations. Not all countries have the same maritime or intermodal infrastructure as the U.S., nor do they have the means with which to enforce VGM on a country-wide scale. Taking all those things into consideration, uniform, across the board compliance with VGM is going to be difficult to achieve, even with a 90-day grace period.
Short term and long term, what impact will the VGM rules have across the supply chain?
In the end, companies still have to buy and sell goods internationally. So, not unlike the U.S.-specific ISF 10+2 filing requirement for maritime imports, people will work the VGM requirement into their supply chain processes. In the end, it is about making adjustments to existing processes, so it will take some trial and error, but it will work.
What is already a bone of contention with some shippers are the charges that are surfacing related to VGM filing and compliance. A number of large forwarders have come out with their VGM service portfolio and pricing, along with a number of ports and terminals around the world. Like any other new service in a capitalist model, the pricing will come down to what the market will bear, but there are already some unhappy shippers out there.
For readers unfamiliar, what is Mobileweight? How does it help streamline the VGM compliance process?
In the simplest of terms, our service is all in our name, Mobileweight. We offer a web based application that allows exporters anywhere in the world to capture, transmit and confirm container-specific VGM data to a carrier. So, an agricultural exporter in Nebraska can literally be standing next to a weigh bridge and upon weighing the container, key VGM data into our app on a smart phone or tablet and send it to the carrier via the INTTRA network. Or, an exporter in Seattle can be at a scale, take a picture of the weight certificate and our patent-pending technology will convert the picture into an EDI message and send it to the carrier. In both instances, the message is sent to the carrier via the worlds most reliable maritime e-commerce B2B platform: INTTRA. So, VGM is taken care right at the point of weighing and any mysteries or concerns around weighing on a terminal become a moot subject.
Additionally, Mobileweight will send confirmation emails and text messages to as many recipients as the user wants. Its a feature we included to ensure the user can instantly update all interested parties and streamline bookkeeping efficiency and accuracy. The whole idea is to make it easy to file VGM no matter where you are or where the container is going.
Dan Gardner - Director, Mobileweight, LLC
A shipping industry veteran, Dan Gardner offers clients of Mobileweight the benefit of his decades of experience in supply chain strategy and management, third party logistics, and advanced education and training for industry professionals. Gardner leads the company's global marketing and sales efforts. Prior to joining Mobileweight, Gardner co-founded Trade Facilitators, Inc, a consultancy that specializes in global logistics and supply chain management. Previously he spent 23 years in the third party logistics field where he held senior management positions with Fritz Companies and DHL Global Forwarding.
Gardner has been an adjunct professor of logistics and supply chain management in the graduate business schools of The University of Miami, and Florida International University where he was voted Top Professor by the students in the Masters of International Business Program. In addition to designing coursework for several universities, Gardner has authored several books, including Supply Chain Vector: Methods for Linking the Execution of Global Business Models with Financial Performance, and How To Use International Trade Terms for Competitive Advantage & Financial Gain.
He earned an MBA from The University of Miami and has been a licensed customhouse broker in the U.S. since 1989. Additionally, he is a Black Belt in Six Sigma, holds a Certification in Production & Inventory Management with APICS, and is certified as a Physical Security Professional by The American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS).
The construction of M/V Hezekiah and M/V Lady Dora, two 35-meter offshore security patrol vessels, has been completed for an undisclosed client in Lagos, Nigeria. The vessels are designed by Incat Crowther, classed by Bureau Veritas (BV) and were constructed by Veecraft Marine in Cape Town, South Africa.
The vessels are slated to provide surveillance, intervention and protection to offshore assets of the Nigerian AGIP Exploration (NAE) located in the Gulf of Guinea. The vessels are also capable of providing replenishment of crews, fuel, and potable water to the NAE offshore facilities.
Propulsive power for the vessels is supplied by three Caterpillar C32 ACERT engines, each producing 1,450hp at 2,300 rpm, driving Teinbridge fixed pitch propellers through ZF 3050 gearboxes. The vessels have a service speed of 25 knots.
Electrical power is provided by two Caterpillar C4.4 generators and maneuverability is enhanced by a Hydro Armor Type 800 bow thruster.
The efficiently arranged accommodations provide generous space for a complement of 22 crew and security personnel as well as 15 passengers. Included in the accommodations are 11 staterooms, five heads, a medical room, galley, crew lounge, mess area, laundry space, and a walk-in cooler. External decks provide plenty of space for transportation of supplies and also include armored positions for weapons installations. The aft portion of the hull is fitted with an integrated RHIB well with a hydraulically actuated transom door for easy deployment of an 8m fast rescue craft. The pilothouse is constructed of ballistic resistance steel and windows to provide protection to NIJ Level III.
Incat Crowther has designed a new fleet of vessels for Hornblower, the selected operator of New York Citys new Citywide Ferry Service.
The undertaking announced by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will create a network of ferries serving the entire city by the end of 2018 with a focus on areas that are currently underserved by transit. The new service includes longer runs to the Rockaways in 2017 along with South Brooklyn and Astoria. Service to the Lower East Side in Manhattan and Soundview in the Bronx begins in 2018.
Incat Crowther is already delivering production engineering to satisfy an aggressive build schedule at multiple shipyards, with at least a dozen boats scheduled to be delivered in 2017.
The 150-passenger vessels will have spacious interiors, with ADA access, wide aisles, a concession stand and Wi-Fi. The design features bow loading specifically designed to integrate with standard infrastructure, some of which will be built or redeveloped for this project. The foredeck also houses bicycle racks and room for strollers.
The design has been developed in close cooperation with Hornblower, leveraging Incat Crowthers experience and expertise in the U.S. ferry industry to satisfy challenging operational and regulatory requirements. Key attributes include low wash, high fuel efficiency and low emissions, cold water operation and the robustness to reliably service a high frequency commuter operation, estimated to service 4.6 million passenger trips per year once the service reaches its full potential.
The vessels will form the backbone of a modern, comfortable and efficient urban ferry fleet that will be New York Citys first city-wide ferry system in over 100 years.
The two opposition parties have announced their stance against the military coup attempt in Turkey late July 15.
This country had suffered a lot from the coups. We do not these difficulties be repeated, Kemal Klcdaroglu, the leader of the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) said in a written statement. He stressed that the CHP will protect the Republic and democracy, saying It should be known that the CHP fully depends on the free will of the people as indispensable of our parliamentary democracy.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli phoned to Prime Minister Binali Yldrm after news broke, expressing his partys support to the democracy and free will of the people.
1862 - While CSS Arkansas makes her way down the Yazoo River, she encounters the Union gunboats USS Carondelet, USS Tyler, and USS Queen of the West. In the ensuing battle, CSS Arkansas damages the first two vessels and makes her way into the Mississippi River, where she boldly fights through the Federal fleet to find refuge at the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg, Miss.
1896 - USS Oregon (BB 3) is commissioned.
1942 - USS Grunion (SS 216) sinks the Japanese submarine chasers (25 and 26) off Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
1942 - USS Terror (CM 5), the first minelayer built as such, is commissioned. During World War II she participates in Operation Torch, the Battle for Iwo Jima, and the Okinawa Invasion, where she is struck by a kamikaze on May 1, 1945.
1943 - TBF aircraft from (VC 29) from USS Santee (CVE 29) sinks German submarine (U 509) south of the Azores.
1943 - PBY (VP 92) and British destroyer HMS Rochester and frigates HMS Mignonette and HMS Balsam sink German submarine (U 135) west of the Canary Islands. Previously, (U 135) sank 3 and damaged 1 Allied vessels, none from the United States.
(Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division)
Today South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) welcomed the Hannover Bridge, first post-Panamax size vessel to call Charleston after transiting the newly-opened Panama Canal expansion.
"SCPA is already benefiting from the upsizing of vessels in response to the expansion, with 16 of the 26 weekly container vessel calls in Charleston now being served by large ships formerly known as post-Panamax," said SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome. "The arrival of the first 8,500-class vessel to pass through the newly-expanded Panama Canal locks bound for Charleston is a milestone for our port and maritime industry. We look forward to seeing this larger class of vessels more frequently in our harbor, which offers the depth and capacity required to serve the biggest ships deployed to the Southeast."
The Hannover Bridge, an 8,200 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) "K" Line vessel, calls Charleston as part of the CKYHE Alliance's weekly All Water East Coast Loop 3 Service (AWE3) that connects the Southeast with China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea.
On the heels of larger vessel deployment and the opening of the Panama Canal expansion, SCPA expects to handle its first 14,000 TEU vessel call later this year. Charleston is currently the deepest harbor in the Southeast, routinely handling ships over 1,100 feet long and 150 feet wide with drafts up to 48 feet.
When the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project to 52 feet is completed, Charleston will offer the deepest harbor on the East Coast. Beyond harbor deepening, SCPA has a 10-year, $1.3 billion capital expenditure plan that includes the construction of a new container terminal, the Leatherman Terminal, and the modernization of existing facilities and technology.
17 police officers killed in helicopter attack on police special forces headquarters in outskirts of Ankara, Anadolu Agency reported.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a phone interview on broadcaster CNNTurk that a "minority group" in the military has attempted a coup.
Erdogan said the parallel state, referring to the followers of the U.S.-based scholar Fethullah Gulen, has promoted the attempt.
"We will not leave the ground to them," he said, vowing to end the "occupation" by the group, called on nation to unite at squares and airports. Erdogen said he would also be on the streets.
The move is not as part of the chain of command, he said.
"I am the chief commander," he said.
MARTINSVILLE Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry Perry and other members of the community discussed race relations and ways to improve communication during a forum Wednesday at the Martinsville branch of the Blue Ridge Regional Library.
The meeting was organized by 19-year-old Brandon Kellam. Wendy Kellam, Brandons mother, started the meeting by asking the group whether or not everyone had prejudices and why they existed.
I think they are socialized in us, Imam James Shabazz said. We are taught prejudices.
Although this is a larger issue, it is a personal issue as well, Natalie Hodge said.
Hodge said that limited interaction between racial and religious groups has caused stereotyping.
People fear what they dont understand, Imam Shabazz said. The biggest mistake that we can make right now is to ignore it; to not address it directly.
Brandon Kellam noted that talking about the issue was the first step to fostering a transition in perceptions.
I believe the change starts with yourself, he said.
Chad Martin said that young people recently have discovered their ability to bring about change.
They are realizing they have courage, and they have a voice and that voice can be heard. We dont have to change that, he said. We dont need to change that. Thats great. What we have to do is we have to take that and channel it in a positive manner.
Imam Shabazz spoke of misguided courage.
Our boys are going out acting like little Al Capones, taking whatever they want, he said. We have communities of frustration and aggravation and disparity.
Perry spoke about vigilante justice and how impatience often leads to bad decisions. The sheriff told personal stories from the field, including one instance involving an armed citizen.
He had a 12-gage pistol grip shotgun. I gave him three warnings. By Gods grace, he threw the gun down. We witnessed to him afterwards, Perry said.
Perry later commended his staff for protecting the community.
If I could bring several veteran officers in here, they could tell you about the lives that have been preserved, he said. I dont want the accountability of hurting anyone. We dont want to lay hands on anyone.
Reverend Dr. Kenneth Davis spoke about the undercurrent of discord being sewn in the United States.
I caution everyone to watch where were going. Why arent we out there rioting for jobs? For education? Were being manipulated, Davis said.
While Hodge said that Wednesday nights discussion would not immediately bring about change, it was a good start.
Were not coming together to have a discussion until emotions are high, Hodge said.
Hodge suggested continued meetings.
This small little room is not going to do it. We need an auditorium, Imam Shabazz said.
Perry said, Sometimes, you cant see an evil heart, a biased heart. If we see any of those traits, youre gone. Ive fired people. I dont want the scandal. I dont want the liability. I want the community treated fairly. Every life has value.
As the library closed for the evening, Brandon thanked everyone for attending the round table discussion.
Its an important issue. You start to solve the problem by getting everybody together and addressing it, he said.
Rallies In Manila Over The South China Sea Dispute (Photo : Getty Images)
The international ruling is out and is in favor of the Philippines but China remains indignant and rejects the decision that "trampled" the laws per a Chinese editorial.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has released its ruling on the arbitration case on the South China Sea maritime dispute in favor of the Philippines.
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However, China maintains its position and expressed its firm opposition to the ruling that state-run media Xinhua News deemed "ill-founded" and called the Permanent Court a "law abusing tribunal."
Key Points of the Ruling
A report from the South China Morning Post highlights some of the major points that the international ruling presented on Tuesday.
First, the ruling rejected China's infamous nine-dash line that Chinese authorities said were based on ancient maps, saying that the country does not have any legal basis on the claim.
Apparently, there was no proof that China controlled the territory or its resources "exclusively" and that the historic rights and entitlements of Beijing in the waters had no connection to sovereignty.
Next, the court ruled that there are no Spratlys islands and that the landforms in the area are legally known as "rocks" because none of them could sustain a community or any economic activity.
The ruling also states that the rocks were dependent from resources from outside which means they cannot be considered "islands." Because of this, none of the "rocks" can be considered an exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
In addition, only those with nearby major islands can draw EEZs to this area, something that China does not have.
The court also said that China violated the Philippines' sovereign rights when it established artificial islands and installations in the Mischief Reef which is covered within the archipelago's EEZ.
Also, China is deemed to be in interference with the Scarborough Shoal when Chinese law enforcement vessels tried to stop Philippine fisher folk from approaching.
Other points in the ruling include the Chinese reclamation that the court deemed harmful to the environment, threatened endangered species, and brought harm to coral reefs.
China Bites Back
Immediately after the ruling was made public, Chinese media immediately published a response, particularly from the country's leaders.
According to a report from Xinhua, Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping both rejected the ruling.
Xi said that the country "has always been a guardian of international rule of law and of fairness and justice" while Li explained that by rejecting the ruling, China is actually "safeguarding the international law."
While China declined to acknowledge the international ruling, both leaders of the country reiterated their willingness to undergo bilateral talks with involved parties to peacefully settle the South China Sea disputes once and for all.
The [new French] labour law will be adopted in the National Assembly by 22 July, after final feedback from the Senate. The Socialist government has won this battle. To do so, they resorted to levels of police repression unprecedented in recent history, as well as a violent campaign of insults and stigmatization against the activists of the CGT involved in the struggle. Using the presence of thugs (rioters) as a pretext to discredit the movement, the government subjected the latest protests in Paris to massive police supervision and security screening, de facto restricting the right to demonstrate.
In its press release of 8 July, the inter-union association (CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, UNEF, UNL, LDIFs) announced a new day of actions and initiatives on September 15, for the repeal of the labour law and the conquest of new guarantees and safeguards. But there have already been 12 days of action over the past four months. It is therefore clear that September 15 will not force the government to repeal the labour law, let alone concede new guarantees and safeguards. Do the authors of the statement themselves believe what they are saying? Probably not. They want to conceal the defeat. We believe it is better to recognize it and seek to draw the lessons.
As we have pointed out since March, the government would be likely to retreat only if faced with open-ended strikes in an ever-increasing number of industries. However the open-ended strikes and blockades which began in several sectors in mid-May have not expanded significantly. For example, the railway strike was not strong enough to completely paralyse traffic. The strike at RATP [the Paris transit authority] was not widely enforced and had virtually no impact. In this context, refinery and port workers - who were, as in 2010, the vanguard of the movement could not be asked to hold indefinitely. Without rapid expansion of open-ended strikes, the movement could only retreat. By the second week of June, the retreat was clearly underway. Therefore the government knew it was in a strong position and had only one idea in its mind: to end it as quickly as possible, in particular by limiting the right to demonstrate.
Why did the open-ended strikes not spread? This question had already arisen after the defeat of the movement of autumn 2010 against the attacks on pensions. A typical response is, because workers did not want it; they were not ready. But this explanation does not explain much. It reduces the combativeness of workers to an abstraction, of who would show itself, or not, regardless of the overall dynamic of the struggle. The central element of this dynamic being the leadership of movement, its slogans and programme. This explanation is the favourite of union leaders because it absolves them from any responsibility.
It is clear that workers are not always willing to fight. A general strike cannot be decreed, as the union leaders are fond of saying. Indeed, if it could, capitalism would have been overthrown long ago. However, we cannot content ourselves with such statements. Ultimately, the degree of combativeness of the workers is borne out in the struggle itself. However it is necessary that the struggle is properly led, that the strategy and the slogans put forward create the conditions at each stage of the struggle to bring out the highest expression of the combativeness of workers.
Photo: Remi Ange CouzinetTo begin with, the leadership of the movement must give workers a clear idea of the real balance of power. However from the outset, the union leadership has based its entire strategy on organizing days of action when it was obvious that this could not make the government back down. It was the pressure of the Nuits Debout movement and the of the CGT delegates during the congress in mid-April to finally make open-ended strikes a central slogan. Under the pressure of the rank and file and faced with a fait accompli of the beginning of open-ended strikes, Philippe Martinez came out in support of the strikes and even called to expand them.
However no plan was developed by the leadership of the trade union confederation to support the expansion of open-ended strikes. Martinez presented the open-ended strikes as a form of struggle among others, when they were the only form of struggle that could achieve victory. In complete contradiction with the real dynamics of the movement - that is to say, the need to rapidly expand open-ended strikes the statement from the union confederation on May 20th simply announced two days of action on May 26th and June 14th. The day of action on May 26th could play a dynamic role in expanding the open-ended strikes that were launched in the middle of May. But June 14th is far too distant in the future. As we wrote on May 23rd: By June 14th, either the open-ended strike will spread to other sectors, or the movement will have ebbed. At least that is the most likely prospect - and consistent with the experience of 2010.
Philippe Martinez referred the choice on the methods of struggle to the workers gathered in general assemblies. But as we wrote on May 23rd: Of course it is impossible to launch a serious ongoing strike against the will of a majority of workers in any company. The need to organize general assemblies is also evident. Trade union activists understand this. What they need is a clear, offensive and determined attitude of their national leadership. When they call for a general assembly of the workers in their company, they need to show them that the CGT- starting with its national leadership - will not leave them alone and that the CGT will conduct a systematic, energetic, massive campaign to mobilize as many sectors as possible for the movement.
Faced with the Labour Law, the open-ended strike is not, in the words of Martinez, only a "form of struggle" among others; it is now the only form of struggle that could lead to a victory. This is the message that should be hammered home by the tops of the CGT. Without this, the workers of a general assembly will look over the shoulder of their unionized colleagues, towards the leadership of the CGT - and, noting a hesitant, vacillating attitude they will say: "If we strike, we risk being left alone.
Another weakness of the movement has been its programmatic slogans. The withdrawal of the labour law has been, logically, the central demand. But many workers, including civil servants do not feel immediately threatened by this counter-reform (even when they understand that any setback in the private sector prepares the ground for setbacks in the public sector). Conversely, in the private sector, many workers are already confronted with types of provisions contained within the Labour Law, they are already subjected to the hellish system of permanent precariousness of unpaid overtime and other abuses from the bosses. The character of the struggle is too exclusively defensive. In order to bring wider layers of workers into the movement, it is necessary to bring both positive and offensive demands to the platform - for example on wages and working hous. Instead, union leaders repeat that the fight is to obtain in addition to the withdrawal of the Labour Law - new rights with a labour code for the 21st century. What new rights, concretely? And what is a labour code for the 21st century? It has not been specified. This ritual formula has no specific content.
Again, there is no guarantee of an a priori victory of the movement; the degree of the combativeness of the workers is shown in the real struggle. The problem, is that the erroneous strategy of the union leadership, instead of fostering this fighting spirit, constitutes an obstacle to its full expression. However there are several elements that clearly indicate the great potential of the movement: the level of opposition to the Labour Law among the population (over 70%), the broad large support for the open-ended strikes (in-spite of the furious media campaign against the CGT), the unprecedented isolation of the government in the opinion polls, the phenomenon of the Nuit Debout movement and the radicalization of the slogans from rank and file of the unions and the youth, such as the slogan for a general strike.
Political Radicalization
More generally, its clear that after years of economic turmoil, skyrocketing unemployment, and austerity, an enormous amount of anger and frustration is accumulating in the depths of French society. An intensification of the class struggle is inevitable in the coming period. With this perspective, the government and the ruling class will have to pay the price for passing the heavy handed Labour Law. Coming out of this fight, bourgeois democracy and the mainstream media are more discredited than they already were going in. Moreover, the repression by police will leave a mark on the consciousness of the people. As a result, the consciousness of the youth and workers will sharpen and radicalize. In this sense, the ruling class and their politicians have achieved a pyrrhic victory. They dont have any solutions to the crisis of capitalism, which paves the way for even more powerful social explosions.
In the immediate short term, the class struggle will move to the political arena, with next Aprils presidential elections in sight. Many youth and workers will say we need a government that will repeal the Labour Law and proclaim an end to the politics of austerity. From this point of view, the movement against the Labour Law and the attitudes of the different parties throughout the struggle have imparted certain lessons. Lessons that will not be forgotten by everyone.
The Socialist Party, already discredited before the Labour Law, marches towards abysmally low popularity numbers. The party has even decided to cancel its summer school, convinced (with good reason), that it would be the target of all those who opposed the Labour Law. For 2017, the last hopes of the leaders of the Socialist Party is that the same process of discretization will hit the Republicans as badly as it has hit them.
The unfortunately famous left-wing rebels of the socialist party were only capable of demonstrating their opposition to the Labour Law with empty rhetoric. They did not want to vote for the motion of censure put forward by the right wing Republican and UDI parties. Instead, they wanted to pass a law from the left but purposefully ensured the number of signature threshold was so high it could never be met. On two occasions they very carefully failed, coming two signatures shy of the 58 requisite signatures. Those who signed were just as complicit in this fraud as those who did not. The rebels took a page from the big playbook of parliamentary farce for two reasons. First, it protects their nominations in the upcoming parliamentary elections. More importantly, they did this because they do not defend a serious alternative to the politics of the government. Since the beginning of Hollandes term, the rebels have contented themselves in demanding for a little less austerity. They never fought against austerity in principle because they didnt know what to have in its stead. For example, they have consistently voted for budgetary cuts.
The Republicans agree with the substance of the Labour Law. Having already received assurances that their censure motion would be successfully rebuffed, the Republican motion was simply political posturing as they did not want to topple the government. In the Senate, the Republicans made the law even tougher, not in the hopes that their changes would be upheld, but to signal their political intentions if they were to once again come to power. The different candidates in the Republican primaries are also an indication of their true colours. Currently the lead goes to the candidate that promises the biggest cuts in public spending (Juppe promises 85-100 billion euros, 100 billion by Sarkozy, 110 billion by Fillon, and 150 billion by Le Maire). At the same time, they are all proposing to massively lower the burden on capital and big business. The message is clear: its a declaration of war against workers, the unemployed, and all of the victims of the crisis.
In the last four months of the struggle against the Labour Law, the Front National has practically dropped off the political radar. These hypocrites who claim to tell the story of the French people are quietly hiding while working people are engaged in the class struggle on a massive scale. They agree with the Labour Law and would like to go much further. However, they have done the math that in the 74-percent-strong opposition to the El Khomri Labour Law, there are a good number of past and potential FN voters. As a result, they have taken to the shadows, evading microphones and have gone back to working on distilling their contradictory declarations, which Jean-Luc Melenchon fully acknowledges on his blog.
With the ebb of the mass struggle, the FN will quickly come out of its hiding place and re-take their anti-system demagoguery. They will exploit everything: the Socialist Party debacle, the faint-heartedness of the rebels, the crisis of the Republicans, the economic quagmire, the rise of unemployment, Brexit, and the EU crisis - as well as any other occasion that arises that allows the FN to stigmatize foreigners. It is even possible that they will critique the Labour Law, retrospectively. They will present themselves like an alternative to the status quo, the adversary of the tried and corrupt political class.
Nevertheless, another credible alternative to the status quo the alternative of the left can and must emerge on a mass scale in the months to come. The movement against the Labour law has once again demonstrated the potential. Coming back to the main point, the experience of this movement is favorable for the development of a left-wing alternative. The failure of the Socialist Party opens up a massive political vacuum on the left.
However, this vacuum will not be automatically filled by whoever desires to occupy it. Melenchon and his movement will not benefit from the current political situation by some crude mathematical formula. In order for a movement to develop and get engaged around Melenchon and his movement, they need to get in tune with the current aspirations, anger and radicalism of the masses. In the future, we will discuss more about the type of campaign, according to us, Melenchon should put forward and what program we think he should defend, but for now it suffices to recount one of the key lessons from the movement against the Labour Law: The overwhelming popular support that he has benefited from comes from, above all else, his clear class content. Melenchons campaign itself should have a very clear class content. This would be the best way, and really the only way, to pull the rug from underneath the reactionary demagogues of the FN.
China's "Belt and Road" initiative is a landmark project initiated by President Xi Jinping. (Photo : Reuters)
Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd. and Dunhuang Smart Tourism Co., Ltd. have joined hands to develop Dunhuang into a smart city, China Daily reported.
Located in Gansu province, the county-level city was regarded as a major stop on the ancient Silk Road.
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In a bid to welcome its new role in the Belt and Road Initiative, the partnership is seen as a pivotal way to integrate information technology into its development.
The local government eyes to invest 1.3 billion yuan."As mapped, the overall plan includes 'one center, nine sectors and thirty-one projects', the two underway platforms are part of the 'one center'", Sun Xiaoqiang, the president of government-backed Dunhuang Smart Tourism Co., Ltd., revealed.
Xia Zongchun, the general manager of the Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.' s Smart City and General Integration Bureau, explained that "the project is to build a basic platform for Dunhuang's Smart City Plan and will play a prospective role in the whole map."
"We will help Dunhuang to develop a data center, a platform for sharing and exchanging information, five basic libraries, a geospatial information platform, a smart decision-making system, a credit management platform, a public platform for government affairs and a gateway website. The item amount is 27 million yuan ($4.06 million)," Xia added.
Known for its historic significance, Dunhuang is once again pushed to the frontline as China embarks on its iconic Belt and Road initiative.
"We hope the world can hear the voice of Dunhuang via technology," Sun shared.
Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd. has built its reputation in the smart city industry for using Tsinghua University's strengths in research and human resources, and has become a giant in the smart city industry.
"We offer one-stop service to our clients---investment, construction and operation of a smart city," Xia enthused.
"We appreciate Tongfang's strong academic background and rich experience in how to build smart cities." Liu Xiaofeng, the general manager of Dunhuang Smart Tourism Co., Ltd., remarked.
Established in 1997, Tongfang Co., Ltd. is a high-tech firm whose minor businesses include "information, security and energy-saving technology" and "financial investment and Science Park."
A visitor views a model of the ARJ21 regional jet at the China International Exhibition Center on September 19, 2007 in Beijing, China. (Photo : Getty Images)
China Aircraft Leasing Group (CALC) has acquired 30 Comac ARJ-21 regional jets with plans to order 30 more in a deal potentially worth $2.3 billion.
The aircraft would be used by an unnamed Indonesian airline in which CALC's parent firm, Hong Kong-based investment firm Friedmann Pacific Asset Management, plans to invest in, the company told Reuters in a statement on Monday.
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The 78-90 seater ARJ-21 jet, which can carry up to 90 passengers, will be delivered over the next five years while Comac, a Chinese state-owned firm, will establish maintenance and after-sales facilities in Indonesia as part of the deal.
CALC, which previously ordered 20 of Comac's larget C919 narrow-body planes in 2012, said the latest deal highlights its confidence in China-built aircraft and gave it more flexibility in providing leasing options for airlines in the region.
The company said it currently has 70 Airbus and Boeing aircraft and plans to add another 103 Airbus planes by 2022.
In a separate statement, Comac said it had also received another order for 30 ARJ-21 jets from AVIC Leasing, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The company did not disclose the value of the deal.
The orders are a boon for the ARJ-21, which is more than a decade behind its original schedule and had its maiden commercial flight with Chengdu Airlines in late June.
The aircraft competes with similar small passenger jets manufactured by Brazil's Embraer SA, Canada's Bombardier Inc, and Russia's Sukhoi Superjet.
More than 300 orders have been made for ARJ-21, most of which from domestic carriers, with General Electric (GE) supplying the engines, according to Reuters.
The jet has yet to receive certification from the United States' Federal Aviation Administration and other overseas regulators, meaning that only airlines in China and recognize the Chinese certification process can operate the aircraft.
China is eager to establish itself as a global aircraft supplier. Its homegrown C919 narrow-body jet is designed to compete with the established Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, while the country has recently entered a joint widebody aircraft project with Russia.
A villager walking in the flood of Niushan Lake on July 14, 2016 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese authorities on Thursday said it will "prepare for the worst and strive for the best" after more than 200 people died from floods in the country.
"Although the water levels in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are slowly dropping, most are still above warning levels," Zhang Jiatuan, a spokesperson for the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, told the Xinhua News Agency.
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Zhang noted the situation as "still quite critical" as central and eastern parts of China are expected to see a fresh round of torrential rain in the next couple of days.
More than 1,508 counties in 28 provinces have reported floods, with 237 dead and 93 missing as of Wednesday.
An estimated 147,200 houses have been destroyed, Zhang said, adding that over 5.46 million hectares of farmland are now submerged in floodwaters.
According to Xinhua, direct economic losses caused by the floods were at 147 billion yuan ($22 billion).
China's central and southeastern regions have borne the brunt of the damage and, as the rainy season continues, "the possibility of flooding in northern rivers cannot be ruled out," Zhang said.
Securing dikes, especially the old and ill-maintained ones, will also prove to be a "major yet difficult" task in the future, he added.
Huang Xianlong, another official with the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, said that up to 800,000 people have been working on the dikes.
Meanwhile, the government will closely monitor for new typhoons and address hazards.
Typhoon Nepartak, the first to hit China this year, made landfall in southeast Fujian province earlier in July, killing 21 and leaving 13 others missing, local authorities said Thursday.
Huang also dismissed reports of the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower station built a decade ago to control flooding, being useless and counterproductive.
"In fact, the more critical the situation is, the more obvious and positive the dam exerts its role," he said.
CHAMP, the EMP weapon of the U.S. Air Force, attacks an enemy target. (Illustration) (Photo : USAF)
Russia claims its unmanned sixth-generation drone fighters will be armed with electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons capable of destroying the electronics on enemy aircraft at long-range.
Russia intends to deploy this EMP or microwave weapon by 2025 when its first sixth generation aircraft take flight. That deadline is suspect, however, since Russia only plans to take delivery of its first operational fifth generation PAK FA stealth fighters in 2025.
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The Russian EMP gun can "hit targets within a radius of tens of kilometers," claims Vladimir Mikheev, a director of state-owned Russian electronics firm KRET. Mikheev said the gun will only be mounted on unmanned sixth generation drones since there is no adequate way of preventing a pilot from either being disabled or killed by the deadly EMP burst.
"The electromagnetic pulse fired by the microwave weapon is so powerful that it is extremely difficult to protect the pilot from his own weapons," said Mikheev.
He believes these drones will be hypersonic (or capable of speeds of Mach 4 to Mach 5) and will have a flight ceiling of 100,000 meters, which is close to outer space.
The United States, however, already has an operational airborne EMP weapon named CHAMP for "Counter-electronics High-powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project." This weapon, which is mounted on a specially modified cruise missile, is believed to have entered service in 2015.
The U.S. Air Force and Boeing said CHAMP is capable of targeting and destroying electrical systems without the collateral damage. In 2012, it was reported that a CHAMP test in Utah hit and disabled seven separate targets in one mission, demonstrating its accuracy and precision.
It is CHAMP's ability to target individual buildings and not cities that makes it so effective.
The Air Force has revealed that CHAMP is "an operational system already in our tactical air force."
ASEM (Photo : ASEM)
China's repudiation of a UN court's ruling its "nine-dash line" claim is illegal, which is also seen as an assault on the rules-based international order, will subject Beijing to global criticism for its intransigence from nations led by the European Union and the United States at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) opening today, July 15, in Mongolia.
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The South China Sea ruling last July 12 by the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration is expected to feature prominently at ASEM despite China's efforts to exclude it, saying ASEM isn't the channel for discussing this issue.
ASEM is the first major international gathering since the arbitration court sided with the Philippines, dealing a heavy blow to Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The Philippines, however, will talk about the arbitration court's ruling, making it impossible for China to dodge discussions about the issue. It has urged China to respect the ruling.
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto Yasay will discuss within the context of ASEM's agenda the Philippines peaceful and rules-based approach on the South China Sea and the need for parties to respect the recent decision of the Arbitral Tribunal.
Yasay will also hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts on matters affecting bilateral relations and common concerns on global and regional issues. He will also share President Rodrigo Duterte's priorities and key socio-economic policies in ASEM.
"Refusing to have a meaningful discussion on the issue will only solidify the growing image of China's intransigence and high-handed diplomacy," said Tang Siew Mun, head of the ASEAN Studies Center at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
"Much to Beijing's displeasure the South China Sea issue will find its way into the region's major discussions and summits."
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan is also expected to call for the arbitration tribunal's decision to be respected.
"I'll underscore the importance of the rule of law and peaceful resolution (of the issue)," said Abe.
ASEM is an informal dialogue involving 51 countries from Asia and Europe and the ASEAN Secretariat and the EU. ASEM dialogue addresses political, economic and socio-cultural issues. It aims to strengthen the relationship between Asia and Europe.
No other nation apart from Beijing's clients states in Asia and Africa numbering less than a dozen have taken to condemning the ruling. Even Russia has refused to back Beijing and has instead called on China to craft a code of conduct for the South China Sea, a code Beijing has refused to talk about for years.
While big toymakers seemed content to keep engineering toys for boys, Debbie Sterling saw a gap in the market for girls tired of pink and princesses.
Thats how Sterling, 33, founded in 2012 GoldieBlox http://www.goldieblox.com/ , a San Francisco-based toy company thats exploded by adding a dash of social conscience in its mission to win consumers.
Sterling told the Montana Innovation Symposium http://innovatemontana.com/symposium audience of about 450 people that she wants to instill a love of math and science in girls at an early age, and shes found a profitable way to do it.
By ERIK OLSON [email protected]
Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/business/toys-for-girls-innovator-aims-to-inspire-billings-business-group/article_066c6d22-0135-514e-82e3-b3a4e6c479ff.html
Ten months after launching charter flights between Missoula and Billings, Neptune Aviation http://www.neptuneaviationcharter.com/ has seen its passenger counts grow and the service rise in popularity within the business community.
Neptune, widely regarded for its aerial firefighting service, launched the nonstop charter flight last September. The service boasts no waiting lines, no tickets and free parking. Passengers need not remove their shoes before boarding the plane.
By Martin Kidston
Full Story: http://www.missoulacurrent.com/business/2016/07/missoula-billings-charter-flights-catching-2/
Suite aux differentes allegations formulees contre le ministere du Commerce et de la Protection des Consommateurs suivant le deces de Mlle. Nisha Kowlessur, qui assumait les responsabilites de Acting Procurement and Supply Officer / Senior Procurement and Supply Officer au sein de lorganisme, le ministere tient a apporter les precisions suivantes pour dissiper tout malentendu et mettre un terme aux rumeurs qui circulent a la suite de cet evenement tragique.
Mlle. Nisha Kowlessur a ete postee par le ministere des Finances, de la Planification Economique et du Developpement au ministere du Commerce et de la Protection des Consommateurs le 6 Juin 2022, et elle a pris ses fonctions quelques jours plus tard.
Du 22 aout au 11 septembre 2022 elle etait en vacation leave et elle a repris le travail le lundi 12 septembre 2022.
Du 12 septembre 2022 au 14 septembre 2022, lofficier na fait part daucun probleme quelle rencontrerait au niveau de son travail ni au niveau relationnel avec le personnel du ministere. Il est important de souligner que Mlle. Kowlessur na jamais evoque un quelconque probleme ni au departement des ressources humaines du ministere, ni a ses superieurs hierarchiques au ministere des Finances, de la Planification Economique et du Developpement.
Depuis son arrivee au ministere du Commerce et de la Protection des Consommateurs, Mlle. Kowlessur na ete appelee a traiter aucun dossier majeur.
Il convient de faire ressortir que, contrairement aux rumeurs, elle na ete sujette a aucune pression au travail.
En ce qui concerne les pressions dont Mlle. Kowlessur aurait, selon certains, ete victime de la part des auditeurs par rapport a certains dossiers, il est imperatif de souligner que ces derniers sont au ministere depuis le debut du mois de septembre 2022, mais ils ne lavaient pas encore rencontree au 14 septembre 2022.
De nombreux commentaires ont aussi ete faits au sujet dune trentaine dofficiers qui ont demande et obtenu leur transfert vers dautres ministeres.
Il faut comprendre que cela fait suite au relogement du ministere du Commerce et de la Protection des Consommateurs de Port-Louis a Ebene en 2020.
Ce deces afflige grandement le ministere du Commerce et de la Protection des Consommateurs qui tient, dailleurs, a presenter ses sympathies a la famille de Mlle. Kowlessur. Le ministere est pret a collaborer pleinement a toute enquete liee a ce drame.
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A player tries out the ASUS G751JY G-SYNC laptop with the GTX 980M, not the GTX 1060 or the GTX 1050 Ti mobile version. (Photo : YouTube / Tech of Tomorrow)
NVIDIA has recently launched the GTX 1060 6GB model and it looks like the company is planning to launch a GTX 1050 instead of the rumored GT 1060 3GB model.
One of the reasons why the GTX 1060 was launched was to compete with the AMD Radeon RX 480 which has seen good reviews so far except for the fact that it has a glaring power draw problem. NVIDIA was expected to launch another GTX 1060 3GB model but reports are now claiming that they will just be launching it as the GTX 1050 instead or even the GTX 1050 Ti which would be the equivalent of the GTX 950 today.
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When the rumors of a GTX 1060 3GB model surfaced, most fans were disappointed to know that the VRAM was too little or that it was below than the base Radeon RX 480 4GB model from AMD. It would not make sense for NVIDIA to release it at the same product range as the 1060 or the 480.
The GTX 1060 3GB model was expected to have 1152 CUDA cores which is lower than the 6GB model's 1280 CUDA cores, Ocaholic has learned. In that sense alone, it could be expected that it should be on another level considering that it already has lower specs besides the VRAM capacity.
It would also make no sense for the 3GB model to take on even the RX 480 4GB. It would have less powerful performance which would mean that it should actually be classified as another card besides the 1060.
There are now claims that the GTX 1060 3GB will be culled and be replaced instead with the GTX 1050 or GTX 1050 Ti which would be launched in December, TweakTown reported. It is now known whether it will have the same specs or if it will have even lower specs to take on the RX 470 or RX 460 at the same price range.
If it will have the same specs but with just the lower CUDA cores and VRAM count, it could possibly be better than the RX 470. The GTX 1060 6GB model already trumps the RX 480 8GB model even if it has a lower VRAM capacity.
NVIDIA could make the announcement several months from now if the rumors about the GTX 1050 or GTX 1050 Ti are true. The GTX 1060 6GB model already beats the RX 480 and the same could be said about the upcoming Pascal video card against the RX 470 and RX 460 from AMD.
This is a section of the three-dimensional map constructed by BOSS. The rectangle on the far left shows a cut-out of 1000 sq. degrees in the sky containing nearly 120,000 galaxies, or roughly 10% of the total survey. (Photo : Jeremy Tinker and the SDSS-III collaboration)
More than a hundred scientists have joined forces to build the largest 3D map of the universe to unlock the biggest secrets of the cosmos. More specifically, this massive cosmic map can provide more information about dark energy, which is an invisible and powerful force that is now expanding the universe at unprecedented rates.
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Astronomers have mapped he universe based on a great survey of the universe in order to observe how dark energy is changing regions of the known cosmos.
According to co-author of the study, Rita Tojeiro from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, during the past 10 years, the team have prepared in conducting the largest survey of the universe yet.
Tojeiro explains that the team measured the positioning of more than 1.2 million galaxies seen from more than one quarter of the sky, where they based their three dimensional structure of the universe from there, with an estimated volume of 650 cubic billion light years. This map has also been essential in obtaining the most precise measurements of dark energy and how it drives the expansion of the universe.
This international team of scientists that are led by a British team all helped put together this most intensive map of the universe, that is also based on the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey that focused on pressure waves that are observed travelling throughout deep space.
These pressure waves are similar to sound waves that can leave a mark on the universe, as scientists observe and explore those waves in the cosmic microwave background, which is the afterglow imprint or remnant of energies that emerged right after the Big Bang event.
Tojeiro adds that there is a crucial link of these sound wave imprints that are seen on the comic microwave background, which emerged 400,000 years after the Big Bang event and ultimately created clusters of galaxies some seven to 12 billion years later.
Egypt's traffic authorities said a major thoroughfare in the capital's Mohandiseen district will be partially closed for 45 days for construction work on the third line of Cairo's metro system, state news agency MENA reported.
Ahmed Orabi Street was due to be closed as of Thursday in one direction, towards the busy Sphinx Square, MENA added, a move expected to increase traffic congestion in the already crowded neighbourhood, whic his located a few kilometres away from downtown Cairo.
Cairos underground metro, launched in 1987, is one of the oldest in the Middle East and Africa, serving over 3.5 million passengers daily.
Construction operations in the fourth and final phase of the capital subway's third line started last year. Once fully completed, the third line is expected to span over 47.8 km from Cairo airport to Cairo University, passing through downtown Cairo and into the Giza part of Greater Cairo, including the neighbourhood of Mohandiseen.
Construction of the fourth metro line, expected to reach 6 October city, a satellite city in Cairo's western suburbs, began earlier this year. This line is expected to begin operations in 2019 or 2020, according to government statements.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged people to take to the streets to protest against what he described as a coup attempt by a minority faction within the military, vowing that it would meet with a "necessary response".
He told a CNN Turk reporter via cellphone that Turkish people must gather in public squares to show their response to the attempted military takeover, in comments broadcast live on television.
Erdogan said he believed the attempted coup would be over within a "short time" and said those responsible would pay a heavy price in the courts.
He said the act was encourage by the "parallel structure" - his shorthand for followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Muslim cleric who he has repeatedly accused of attempting to foment an uprising among his followers in the judiciary and the military.
The Turkish military on Friday said that it had launched a coup, in what the prime minister termed an illegal act aimed at usurping the authorities.
Soldiers were seen on the streets in Istanbul and Ankara as jets flew low overhead, while ordinary citizens rushed for the safety of their homes after witnessing the coup attempt.
"The power in the country has been seized in its entirety," said a military statement quoted by Turkish media.
It said the move had been made "in order to ensure and restore constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms and let the supremacy law in the country prevail, to restore order which was disrupted."
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Egypt's top Muslim authorities condemned on Friday the "vile" and "ugly" mass killings in the French resort city of Nice a day earlier, urging unity to combat terrorism.
Al-Azhar, the highest seat of Sunni Islamic learning, said such "vile terrorist attacks contradict Islamic teachings."
"Al-Azhar... affirms the importance of uniting efforts to eliminate terrorism and rid the world of its evil," the Islamic authority said in a statement Friday, a day after a gunman ploughed a heavy truck into crowds celebrating France's national holiday in the Mediterranean city, killing at least 84 revellers.
Shawki Allam, the country's official interpreter of Islamic law, said that people who commit such ugly crimes "are corrupt of the earth and follow in the footsteps of the devil... and are cursed in life and in the hereafter."
"Islam never called for shedding blood," Allam, who is currently in Germany, said in a statement carried by Dar Al-Ifta, the main authority responsible for issuing religious edicts.
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Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
by Tanya Gazdik , July 14, 2016
On Thursday, Mastercard unveiled an update to its red and yellow logo and a new look and feel for branded communications and experiences.
Mastercard is one of those unique brands that is instantly recognizable around the world, said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer, Mastercard, in a release. To thrive in this new digital world where business moves faster than ever, we want to modernize and elevate the brand in a design that is simple and elegant, yet unquestionably Mastercard.
Mastercard also introduced its new Masterpass global digital payment service, which enables consumers to make simple and secure digital payments anywhere they want to shop. The system can be used online, in-app and now in-store across devices and channels and at more than 5 million brick-and-mortar merchant locations in 77 countries.
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The evolved brand identity, including the most comprehensive brand design system ever introduced globally within Mastercard, will be rolled out to all Mastercard products, communications, and experiences, starting with Masterpass later this month, and across Mastercard beginning in the fall.
Weve been on a fantastic trajectory, with digital technology being an increasingly important part of our business, Rajamannar said. Now its time for our brand to embody the company weve become.
Designing a brand mark to work seamlessly across all digital platforms, retail channels and connected-devices, while preserving its heritage was key to the overall effort, which also includes the most comprehensive brand design system ever introduced globally within Mastercard, said the company.
by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, July 14, 2016
T-Mobile is again pushing the envelope on net neutrality with a new zero-rating service: The company said today it will exempt the popular Pokemon Go from its customers' monthly data allotments until August of 2017.
The move means that T-Mobile customers will be able to play the popular augmented reality game without incurring extra charges.
As with other zero-ratings plans, consumers aren't likely to complain. After all, they're getting a free benefit -- at least, if they play Pokemon Go.
But net neutrality advocates have long warned that broadband carriers can implement data caps -- and their exemptions -- in ways that undermine net neutrality principles. "They distort competition, thwart innovation, threaten free speech, and restrict consumer choice," advocates said about zero-rating services in an FCC filing earlier this year.
T-Mobile has been among the biggest proponent of zero-ratings services. Last year, the company launched "Binge On" -- which exempts video streams offered by around 100 companies from data caps, but also throttles all video to 1.5 Mbps. Binge On is activated by default, but users can turn it off.
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Other wireless companies also offer zero-ratings services: AT&T and Verizon zero-rate data from companies that pay to sponsor it, and in Verizon's case, from its own video service, go90. Those initiatives, while also controversial, don't appear to have drawn the same degree of attention as T-Mobile's.
The net neutrality rules prohibit broadband providers from blocking or degrading service and from creating online fast lanes. The regulations also broadly ban Internet service providers from engaging in conduct that interferes with people's ability to access Web content. Zero-rating could violate that prohibition depending on the circumstances, but the FCC so far has said only that it will take a case-by-case approach to the question.
But at least some observers think the FCC will have a hard time cracking down on companies for giving consumers free benefits.
Earlier this week, former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt, a Clinton appointee, reportedly predicted the current agency will allow carriers to implement zero-rate services. "Being against free is not very popular," he reportedly said at a conference of the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council.
T-Mobile recently told the FCC that consumers have streamed over 500 million hours of free videos since the launch of Binge On last year, and that 92% of customers say they intend to watch more videos, thanks to the zero-rating service.
Gimbal, a beacon manufacturer and mobile location intelligence company, announced the beta release of a proximity data platform that will allow mobile app publishers to visualize audiences in the real world better.
App publishers that incorporate Gimbals SDK will have access to a free toolset that, with help from initial partners including the Kochava Collective and Unacast, will help them to monetize their data.
Several challenges face publishers as they strive to collect actionable location data without destroying the user experience. Gimbal SVP and GM of Marketplaces Paul Cheng says that app developers have two options when trying to generate and collect location data.
They can either roll out their own solution using the mobile OS location frameworks with a developer team; or integrate a location SDK and utilize the associated platform to collect and manage this data.
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Initial partners the Kochava Collective and Unacast are working with Gimbal and its PDP app partners on monitoring specific locations which are of interest to advertisers and marketers.
"The data is then used to enhance existing anonymous audience segment information that is used in advertising targeting and retargeting," says Cheng.
"In other words, the data is being used to help advertisers stop wasting money serving ads and offers to people who do not want them and making any ads and offers more relevant to those whom they are being served."
by Thom Forbes @tforbes, July 15, 2016
By a wide margin, the House yesterday passed a law requiring labels on products that are made with genetically labeled organisms that has most Big Ag and food companies dancing in the laboratory aisles. It will supersede any state laws, such as the tough one in Vermont that took effect on July 1, and faces days in court over several issues. The bill passed the Senate last week, and will be signed into law, according to a White House spokeswoman.
The bill will require labels to be reworked or updated to show whether any of the ingredients had their natural DNA altered, but will take years to phase in and will give companies the option of using straightforward language, digital codes or a symbol to be designed later, reports Heather Haddon for the Wall Street Journal.
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Haddons story begins with In a victory for food companies . And the second paragraph of the New York Timescoverage by Stephanie Strom is an ecstatic reaction by Grocery Manufacturers Association CMO Pamela G. Bailey:
Todays vote is a resounding victory not only for consumers and common sense but also for the tremendous coalition of agricultural and food organizations that came together in unprecedented fashion to get this solution passed, she said.
Bailey elaborated in a statement hailing the 306-117 House vote that followed the 63-30 Senate tally: Republicans and Democrats found consensus on the common ground that a patchwork of different state labeling laws would be a costly and confusing disaster for the nations food supply chain. They also joined together to give consumers more access to consistent and helpful information about genetic engineering.
Conversely, food-transparency activists are not at all happy with the feds takes on labeling, as a Time headline informs us.
It is a non-labeling bill disguised as a labeling bill, says Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety, a sham and a legislative embarrassment. The CFA and other organizations, such as the Environmental Working Group, want the President to veto what they have labeled a new DARK [Denying Americans Right To Know] Act.
A patchwork of laws in several states had begun to emerge with different labeling requirements, writes Times Justin Worland. That, of course, is precisely why manufacturers, for the most part, were in favor over an overarching federal law that is less stringent and, shall we say, more pliable to gobbledygook and obfuscation.
We dont think the QR code is a viable or even an honest disclosure, Gary Hirshberg, a founder of Just Label It, tells the NYTs Strom. Its just another way of keeping citizens in the dark every 13-year-old knows QR codes are dead.
Wireds Sarah Zhang takes a different view. Genetic modification is nuanced, and a QR code-linked Web page could relay the full complexity of the issues surrounding genetic modification if companies actually disclosed everything and if consumers actually cared, she writes. The GMO conversation tends toward oversimplification (good? bad?), and our savior among labels could theoretically be the QR code.
The law leaves many details of the new labeling scheme to be worked out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These include, for instance, whether refined products like soy oil or sugar from beets will need to be labeled. While they are made from GMO crops, the final product doesn't contain any genetically modified material, such as proteins or DNA, reports NPRs Dan Charles.
And the NYTs Strom observes that the wrangling over how the language of the law will be interpreted and put into practice will probably go on for years, and eventually wind up in court.
In any event, it must be noted that a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released in May is the latest to declare that foods containing GMOs are safe to eat. But it also made clear, as we reported at the time and have suggested for years, that consumers want GMO labels.
Things are not always what they seem. The big reveal in Amy Harmons How Square Watermelons Get Their Shape, And Other GMO Misconceptions in the New York Times the other day is that they, like seedless watermelons, are not the result of genetic engineering. The angular melons are simply grown in boxes.
Hmmm. I wonder what went into concocting those interesting lemon plums my wife brought home last night. My QR scanner simply says unknown product. Oh, I see. A four-digit number which they have means its conventionally grown. Eight numbers would mean theyre genetically modified and nine would mean theyre organic. But everybody else probably knows that already, right?
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, July 15, 2016
The Garage/Team Mazda could face off with Universal McCann this year in what should prove to be an entertaining event. Bing will hold an Agency Awards event later this summer and is inviting search advertising partners to nominate their agencies.
The Bing Ads Agency Awards event will take place Sept. 15, 2016 in New York at Gotham Hall.
Earlier this week, Bing launched a domain and posted on Twitter the introduction to the event.
"The Bing Agency Awards aims to recognize and reward outstanding creative, effective and passionate work by Search Advertising individuals, teams and agencies working with Bing Ads," according to the Web site.
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Bing partners can nominate their agency for multiple categories -- there are 12. Other categories include Partner of the Year, Featurist of the Year, Optimizer of the Year, and Agency of the Year. There are also individual and team categories such as Exec of the Year, and Bing Ads Trailblazer of the Year. Nominations will remain open until July 31.
Voters can only cast votes one time, so include all nominations for every category on the list. Fields left blank will not count.
Every search advertising professional at each agency can vote, and the more votes received per agency, the stronger the case will become, Bing notes.
Bing has posted a list of nearly 100 eligible agencies including 360i, 3Q Digital, Acronym Media, Adlucent, Adobe Systems, AI Media, AKQA, Assembly Media, Beeby Clark + Meyler, Bennett Kuhn Varner, Camelot Communications, Canvas Worldwide, Carat, Carmichael Lynch, Catalyst, Catalyst Canada, Cossette Communications, Cossette Media, Did-It LLC, Digitas, Direct Access Digital, Element Agency, Elite SEM, Empower Media, Essence Digital, FKQ Advertising, GroupM, Perperjam, Performics, SapientNitro, Shopzilla, and many, many more.
by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, July 15, 2016
The horrendous attack in Nice, France, last night again shook the core of Western Europe. The big news today, Trumps official announcement of his vice presidential choice, which we now know will be Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, was postponed in light of the events in the Mediterranean city.
Todays cycle will clearly be dominated by the catastrophe in Nice and keep the GOP nominees vice presidential decision mostly to the news ticker. With the Republican Convention just three days away, we may expect changes to the planning and organization of the happenings in Cleveland.
Pence, who had been in the midst of his reelection bid for the Indiana governorship, dropped out of that race yesterday, according to The Indianapolis Star.
What comes along with Trumps numerous non-political qualities is his lack of experience in matters of government. Pence can partly assuage those worries, having served as an Indiana congressman from 2001 until he became governor of that state in 2013.
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Pence may not be the most exciting choice, but his calm demeanor can serve as a powerful counterweight to the conservative populist caricature we know as Donald Trump.
The conservatism Pence ascribes to will also soothe qualms among staunch conservatives, who disagreed with some of Trumps more liberal positions on social issues. Pence was part of the Tea Party movement that helped sweep in a Republican U.S. Senate in 2012 and has largely toed the party line.
In 2015, he was a central player in the much criticized religious freedom law imbroglio, which extended legal protections to establishments that didnt want to be involved in same-sex marriages.
Moreover, Pence is an evangelical Christian, a group that has responded uncomfortably to Trumps nomination. Having made up almost half of Republican voters at around the halfway point of the primary cycle, evangelicals play a significant role in the party, and may be placated by Trumps decision to choose Pence.
While Gov. Pence may be a safe choice and could help coddle some conservatives in the establishment wing of the GOP, his approval ratings as Governor of Indiana are weak. A May 2016 poll conducted by Bellwether Research showed a 42% disapproval rating, with only 40% of Hoosiers approving of his governorship.
That same poll, however, showed Trump ahead of Clinton 40-31 among registered voters in Indiana.
by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, July 15, 2016
Social media is a great way to meet people but it may not be so good at teaching you how to treat them. In fact, around half of British parents polled by researchers at the University of Birmingham and the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues think that social media is undermining their childrens moral development.
The researchers asked 1,700 parents with kids ages 11-17 about the impact of social media on their kids and found that 40% of respondents were either concerned or extremely concerned that social media had harmful effects on their childrens characters, while just 15% said they thought social media had a generally positive influence.
Asked which negative character qualities they believed were amplified by social media, 60% of British parents named anger and hostility, while 51% said arrogance, 43% ignorance, 41% bad judgment, 36% hatred and 30% vanity. Asked which positive character qualities they believed were least represented on social media, 24% named forgiveness, 24% self-control, 21% honesty, 20% fairness and 18% humility.
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Earlier this year I wrote about a separate survey that found parents are concerned social media is contributing to stress in their teenage children. The WebMD Teens and Stress Consumer Survey of 579 parents of teens found that over half of respondents, 55%, rated their teens stress level as moderate or high, with teen girls in particular reporting high levels of stress resulting from their online social networks.
Meanwhile another survey of parents by Pew Research Center found that 60% of respondents with children ages 13-17 have checked their teens social media profiles to make sure theyre not doing something harmful to themselves or others.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, social media also contributes to anxiety in parents themselves. According to a study from Deakin University in Australia, mothers of young children who spend more time on social media are more likely to report feelings of anxiety than peers who spend less time on social media. The researchers polled 528 mothers of pre-school aged children, and found that their levels of self-reported anxiety rose with each additional hour they spent online, with women ages 25-44 twice as likely to report feelings of anxiety as men were in previous studies.
by Larissa Faw , July 15, 2016
Horizon Media has outgrown its digs.
The media agency is expanding its footprint in its New York office to encompass 362,000 square feet across more than seven floors. When all of its renovations are completed, the office will have space to accommodate more than 1,000 employees.
In the 12 past months, Horizon has hired more than 400 employees and continues to seek new talent as it wins business -- like LG Electronics -- and expands its service offerings.
The agency now occupies approximately one-third of the total office space of One Hudson Square, making Horizon Media the largest tenant in the building.
We looked at other spaces in Manhattan to accommodate our expansion, but we have such a special place here. At 75 Varick St., weve created a space that our people love, and we wanted to build on that. says Vinnie OToole, executive vice president, chief operating officer/chief financial officer, Horizon Media.
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The agency is partnering with Architecture Plus Information and Reidy Contracting Group to ensure this space is employee-friendly.
Horizon asked its employees to submit ideas for their ideal Dream Space before construction began, with viable ideas incorporated into the 15th floor design. These suggestions included a massive 1,000-gallon aquarium and the creation of a more natural, organic environment with foliage, stones, sand and cacti all integrated into the design.
The additional square footage also features a boardwalk with surrounding cafe tables and several conference rooms. The space already has folks taking notice. The design was honored with the Best Interior award by the 2016 American Institute of Architects earlier this year.
Construction will now commence on the 11th and 12th floors. These two floors will feature high ceilings, oversized windows, panoramic views on all four sides and sprawling terraces.
This growth isn't just happening on the East Coast. We are in preliminary design phase of expanding our LA space by an additional 24,000 square feet," says O'Toole. "The plans include a full floor, located directly below our current office space in Century City."
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will fly to Rwanda Saturday to take part in an African Union (AU) summit, during which he is due to hold talks with African counterparts on mutual ties.
El-Sisi's participation in the 27th AU summit in the Rwandan capital of Kigali is meant to foster Egypt's role in Africa and bolstering Cairo's ties with African countries as part of efforts to achieve economic and social developments, peace and stability in the continent, his office said.
El-Sisi will kick off his multi-day stay at the small eastern African country with meetings with continental counterparts on Saturday during which the leaders will discuss means to boost financial the resources of the African Union, presidency spokesman Alaa Youssef said in a statement Friday.
The 10-18 July summit, which focuses on human and women's rights, will address issues including an African free trade zone agreement and AU commission elections.
On Wednesday, Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoury held talks with counterparts from South Sudan, Uganda and Ghana in Kigali on the sidelines of the summit. Matters discussed included the current conflict in South Sudan and Cairo's relations with Nile Basin countries.
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Facebook has merged two of its most treasured efforts: Instant Articles and Messenger.
Soon, Messenger users will begin to see a lightning bolt on the top right corner of select links shared in the popular app. These indicate that the link is an Instant Article.
Currently, links shared via Messenger load in a mobile browser, which can be a slow experience, Josh Roberts, product manager at Facebook, admits in a new blog post.
With the change, however, people can have the same fast, interactive experience reading Instant Articles in Messenger that they have in the Facebook app, according to Roberts.
For publishers participating in Facebooks Instant Articles, no additional effort is need. Soon, the social giant plans to render the Instant Articles version of their articles whenever its URL is shared in Messenger.
For Facebook, the change is part of a bold effort to establish Messenger as a communication hub of Facebook-like proportions. Already, Messenger boasts more than 900 million monthly active users.
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What Facebook is doing with Messenger is a big deal, experts at OMMA Boston recently agreed. Marketers should be most excited about the direct lines of communication it is creating between themselves and consumers, according to Josh Engroff, chief digital media officer at The Media Kitchen, and managing director of KBS+ Ventures.
The industry has never really had direct communication between brands and consumers to such an immense degree, Engroff told OMMA Boston attendees. Technology and media are at a tipping point. Already, users can order a car via Uber and share a song via Spotify directly on the popular app.
Rarely does a week go by without Facebook adding some big new feature to Messenger. Among other additions, Messenger recently added group calling, Dropbox file sharing, and Video Chat Heads, which allows users to talk to friends from a smaller chat head instead of using their full phone screen.
Many cancer deaths occur because cancer cells develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs, prompting a field of research bent on overcoming this treatment barrier. An important step forward took place recently when researchers showed a newly discovered class of molecules can kill mouse cancer cells that have become multi-drug resistant.
Share on Pinterest The study shows a new class of compounds has the potential to overcome cancer cells resistance to chemotherapy, a cause of cancer deaths.
The team, including members from the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, and Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland, describes their work so far with the new class of drugs called selenocompounds in the journal Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
Lead author Dr. Enrique Dominguez-Alvarez, from both the University of Navarra and Jagiellonian University, says:
Our research reports a new way to fight multi-drug resistance in cancer. We are realistic and we know that much more research needs to be done, but we are excited about these promising results that open new and unexplored possibilities.
The new study arises from previous work that identified 57 compounds with anti-cancer properties, among which the team believed there were some that might boost the power of chemotherapy drugs.
The study focuses on a common defense mechanism called the efflux pump that develops in cancer cells exposed to chemotherapy.
Situated inside cell membranes, efflux pumps are proteins that push toxic compounds like chemotherapy drugs out of the cell. One such protein is called ABCB1.
A new, minimally invasive procedure appears to be effective for many patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (FED), a common eye disease, without the potential side effects and cost of the current standard of care, a cornea transplant.
In a proof-of-concept study, published in the journal Cornea, researchers led by Kathryn Colby, MD, PhD, the Louis Block professor and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the University of Chicago, showed that removing a few square millimeters of a single layer of cells on the inside of the cornea allowed rejuvenation of the surrounding tissue, without the need for a corneal transplant. This simple procedure restored clear vision to three out of four patients suffering from FED, the most frequent cause for corneal transplantation in the United States.
Over the past two years while at Harvard Medical School, Colby performed the new procedure, known as Descemet stripping, on 11 patients, aged 51 to 91. Two patients had the procedure in both eyes, one at a time.
When assessed six months after the operation, ten of the treated eyes (77 percent) had clear corneas and eight had 20/20 vision or better (two patients had retinal disease that limited their final vision). The other three eyes did not respond and required a standard cornea transplant.
"It's too soon to call this a cure," Colby said. "We performed the first operation just over two years ago. But when it works, it's a wonderful thing. It's quick, inexpensive and it spares patients from having someone else's cells in their eyes, which requires local immunosuppression."
The first patient to undergo Descemet stripping, 69-year-old Eric Thorp of the Boston area, was pleased. "It's quite a breakthrough," he said. His vision, now 20/20 in that eye, "is equivalent to what I had as a boy," he said. "Amazing."
"It's kind of an honor to have been the first," he added. "It was worth doing."
Descemet stripping involves removing a small patch of the corneal endothelium (the pumping cells that stop working in FED) attached to an underlying layer (the Descemet membrane). In patients with FED, water accumulates in the cornea, the clear front window of the eye, because of the dysfunction of the pumping cells, causing reduced vision, glare and haloes. If left untreated, the condition progresses to painful blindness.
Removal of the central dysfunctional cells enables healthier peripheral cells to migrate to the center of the cornea, where they reestablish pumping capacity and removal of fluid from the layers above. This gradually restores clear vision.
"Although Descemet stripping is a relatively simple procedure, its potential is revolutionary," Colby said. In 2015, 14,000 corneal transplants were performed in the United States, just for FED, the most common reason for this operation. The transplants work well, but the tissues are expensive and there is a limited supply in some areas of the world. Because the corneal transplant tissue is foreign, patients must apply topical steroids for the rest of their lives to dampen their immune response and prevent rejection of the transplanted cells. Steroid eye drops are known to cause glaucoma and cataract and can predispose to infection.
The researchers classified patients into four groups based on how they responded to Descemet stripping. Fast responders regained clear vision within a month after surgery. Responders recovered within three months. Slow responders took more than three months. Nonresponders had persistent corneal edema and required endothelial keratoplasty - a streamlined cornea transplant.
Of the 13 eyes treated, four were fast responders, four were responders and two were slow responders.
The next step is to try to understand why some patients, about one out of four, don't respond to removal of the dysfunctional cells. Fuchs dystrophy is a polygenic disease, but in the last few years researchers have found connections between the extent of a repeating nonsensical genetic abnormality seen in other neurological diseases and the severity of FED. Colby hopes to find genetic clues that predict which patients are most likely to respond to this approach.
Thorp, the first patient treated, had 20/20 vision when last assessed in January of 2016 at the University of Chicago, 24 months after his operation. He was first diagnosed with FED and had a cornea transplant in his right eye in 2002, a two-stage operation. It was successful, but the recovery process meant "foggy vision" in that eye for nearly a year. This prevented him from driving.
That eye slowly recovered, but by 2013 vision in the left eye began to decline. After Colby offered her new procedure and explained the logic behind it, Thorp felt "a great deal of confidence and understanding in what she was doing," he said. He volunteered to go first.
"It certainly turned out to be worth it," Thorp said. His operation, removal of a cataract plus Descemet stripping, took less than 30 minutes. That was "about 20 minutes for the cataract and one minute for the stripping," he recalled.
"After I performed Mr. Thorp's surgery, I waited eight months to make sure nothing unexpected happened to his cornea," Colby said, "then I started offering the procedure to patients whom I felt could benefit."
"Few things remind you as constantly as deteriorating vision," Thorp recalled. "Your world steadily narrows as you lose the ability to see. But mine expanded again at the other end. I remember walking the dog at night right after the operation. Each night, the streetlights would be a little more in focus. You could see the improvement, night after night over the course of a few weeks, like the fog lifting out of London. It was cool. Really cool."
The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Article: Treatment of Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy by Descemet Stripping Without Endothelial Keratoplasty, Borkar, Durga S. MD; Veldman, Peter MD; Colby, Kathryn A. MD, PhD, Cornea, doi:10.1097/ICO.0000000000000915, published 15 June 2016.
Most women will get hot flashes or night sweats at some point in life. However, when these symptoms occur and how long they last can vary dramatically among women. New findings show that women fit into four distinct groups when it comes to getting hot flashes and night sweats, with potential ramifications for therapy and prevention of future health conditions, according to the research led by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
The epidemiological investigation followed hundreds of women for an average of 15 years and identified characteristics that predisposed them to certain trajectories for getting hot flashes and night sweats - collectively known as "vasomotor symptoms." The findings are published in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society and were funded by the National Institutes of Health.
"Most women get vasomotor symptoms, and we used to think these symptoms lasted from three to five years, right around the time of the final menstrual period," said senior author Rebecca Thurston, Ph.D., a professor in Pitt's Department of Psychiatry and an epidemiologist at Pitt Public Health. "We now know that these symptoms persist for far longer - typically seven to 10 years - and occur at different times for different women. This is strong evidence that we need to further investigate the underlying physiological causes of vasomotor symptoms and their link to potentially preventable health conditions."
Hot flashes and night sweats involve a sudden flush of feverish heat and are linked to menopause, the time when a woman's menstrual period stops.
Dr. Thurston and her colleagues followed 1,455 women enrolled in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) who had not yet gone through menopause when they enrolled. The women lived in Pittsburgh, Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Calif., or Newark, N.J., and were not on hormone therapy, nor did they have a hysterectomy. Each year, the women reported their vasomotor symptoms, along with receiving a clinical examination and sometimes a blood test.
The researchers found that the women could be relatively equally divided into four distinct trajectories for vasomotor symptoms as they went through menopause transition, and that certain characteristics were more common in different categories:
A consistently low chance of having symptoms throughout the menopause transition was more common in Chinese women.
A consistently high chance of having symptoms throughout the transition was more common in black women, those with less education, those who reported drinking alcohol moderately or heavily, and those who reported symptoms of depression or anxiety.
An early onset of symptoms in the decade before the final period with cessation thereafter was more common among women who were obese, had symptoms of depression or anxiety, were in poorer health than their peers and at an older age at menopause.
A late onset of symptoms after the final period that gradually declined in the following decade was more common in women with a lower body mass index (ratio of weight to height), those who smoke and black women.
Hormonal fluctuations were correlated with vasomotor symptoms but were not perfectly consistent, indicating that they did not fully account for the symptoms.
"It's fascinating that we can distinguish these unique patterns and then pinpoint specific characteristics associated with each of these trajectories," said co-author Maria M. Brooks, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and associate professor of biostatistics at Pitt Public Health, and principal investigator of the coordinating center for SWAN. "When we see patterns like this, it indicates that there's something going on beyond hot flashes and night sweats being a passing nuisance. Depending on which category a woman falls into, there may be important implications regarding her health."
In a different, recent study, Dr. Thurston found evidence that some of these trajectories were associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
"At this point, we can't completely untangle any causal relationship between vasomotor symptoms and health outcomes or suggest preventative measures for vasomotor symptoms without further study," said Dr. Thurston. "But women and their doctors can use these findings now to help them get a better idea what they're likely to experience as they go through menopause and to plan the best ways to manage their symptoms."
Additional authors on this study are Ping G. Tepper, Ph.D., Samar R. El Khoudary, Ph.D., Joyce T. Bromberger, Ph.D., Kristine Ruppert, Ph.D., and Bobby Jones, Ph.D., all of Pitt; John F. Randolph Jr., M.D., of the University of Massachusetts; Sybil L. Crawford, Ph.D., Sioban Harlow, Ph.D., Daniel S. McConnell, Ph.D., and Huiyong Zheng, Ph.D., all of the University of Michigan; Ellen B. Gold, Ph.D., and Bill L. Lasley, Ph.D., both of the University of California, Davis; Hadine Joffe, M.D., M.Sc., of Harvard University; Rachel Hess, M.D., of the University of Utah; and Nancy E. Avis, Ph.D., of Wake Forest University.
SWAN has grant support from the NIH through the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Nursing Research and the Office of Research on Women's Health (grants U01NR004061, U01AG012505, U01AG012535, U01AG012531, U01AG012539, U01AG012546, U01AG012553, U01AG012554, and U01AG012495).
Article: Characterizing the trajectories of vasomotor symptoms across the menopausal transition, Thurston, Rebecca C. PhD et al., Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society, doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000676, published 11 July 2016.
New research, using a Bayesian inference model of audio and visual stimuli, has shown how our perception of time lies mid-way between reality and our expectations.
90 participants were tested across four experiments, and asked to report on the timing of the last event in a regular sequence of beeps or flashes.
The findings, published in Scientific Reports, displayed that participants anticipated future occurrences of the stimuli in line with the regular pattern, but the perceived accuracy of their response differed from reality when the stimuli was either accelerated or delayed.
If the timing was regular, participants were able to anticipate the stimulus. However, when the final stimulus was delivered early, the participants perceived that it had occurred 'only slightly earlier' than expected, around halfway between their predicted response and the reality.
Similarly, when the final stimulus was delivered late, the participants had a similar perception of halfway between their prediction and the reality.
The researchers, from the universities of Birmingham and Sussex, believe their findings suggest that humans do not perceive time as it really is - rather as a mid-way between reality and their expectations. These findings suggest that the brain continuously updates the probability of encountering future stimuli based on prior experiences.
Dr Max Di Luca, from the University of Birmingham, explained, "Our brain relies on past events to predict what will happen next. These predictions are essential to survival because they allow us to react faster to the environment around us and plan what actions to perform."
"Our perceptions are also affected by these predictions; they are the result of the combination of our expectations and actual sensory information. We don't perceive the world as it really is, or as we expect it to be, but somewhere in between."
"Imaging a bad musician playing a cover version of one of your favourite songs. You have an expectation of which notes to expect and when to expect them. Even when poorly performed, your expectations will help 'soften the blow' and make it sound relatively better. However, if you were listening to them play a song you had never heard before, you would have no real expectations and so every mistimed note would be evident."
Dr Darren Rhodes, now at the University of Sussex, added, "We are not passive watchers. We use what we know about the world to inform us about when something is likely to happen. If our predictions are slightly wrong, we perceive the world somewhere in between expectation and reality. We hear, see and feel what we think we should be experiencing, not what is really happening out there."
"The conclusions that that can be drawn from this research can be applied to several technological domains" says Dr Di Luca.
"Knowing how the brain predicts the world can be used to teach robots how to behave and think in a way similar to humans, for example," says Dr Rhodes, who is working at a European-funded project on the interaction between neuroscience and robotics.
VIB research marks new step in understanding neurodegenerative diseases.
Research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) conducted by VIB-KU Leuven has led to interesting and unexpected conclusions. When scientists were investigating the relevance of the higher expression of the IP3R2 protein in blood of ALS patients, the general expectation was that lowering the expression of this protein would have a protective effect on the affected motor neurons. But the exact opposite was true: IP3R2 turned out to be a protector against the negative effects of inflammation during ALS. Even more, the same mechanism may also apply to other diseases, such as stroke and multiple sclerosis.
This research was conducted in the VIB Laboratory of Neurobiology, led by professors Ludo Van Den Bosch and Wim Robberecht (VIB-KU Leuven). Other laboratories involved include Adrian Liston's Translational Immunology laboratory (VIB-KU Leuven), Jo Van Ginderachter's Inflammation Research Center (VIB-Vrije Universiteit Brussel), UZ Leuven and the Brain Science Institute RIKEN in Japan. The study's remarkable conclusions are published in the renowned scientific journal Human Molecular Genetics.
Protective receptor
ALS is a fatal and currently incurable neurodegenerative disease caused by the progressive loss of motor neurons and denervation of muscle fibers, resulting in muscle weakness and paralysis. In Europe, 2.7 out of every 100,000 people are diagnosed with ALS on a yearly basis. Around 10% of all cases are hereditary, 20% of which are caused by mutations in the gene encoding superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). For this type of ALS, mouse models have been developed and were used in this VIB research project.
Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch (VIB-KU Leuven): "In blood of sporadic ALS patients, as well as in models of chronic and acute neurodegeneration, there is a significantly higher expression of the intracellular receptor IP3R2. When we removed the gene encoding IP3R2, the ALS mice didn't just die quicker, we also saw systemic inflammation and increased expression of certain cytokines, proteins that plays an important role in the immune system. As a consequence, we conclude that doing the opposite, which is increasing the amount of IP3R2, is a protective response. Not only for ALS, but also for other neurogenerative diseases."
An unexpected twist
The research process is a prime example of good science, where no hypothesis whatsoever pre-determines the outcome. Although the scientists expected that deleting the gene encoding IP3R2 which is responsible for the release of calcium from intracellular calcium stores would have a positive effect on the survival of motor neurons, the study proved the opposite: IP3R2 deletion had a negative effect on the survival of the ALS mouse model.
Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch (VIB-KU Leuven): "The negative effects of IP3R2 removal in other cell types seem to outweigh the potential benefits of removing IP3R2 in motor neurons. In the case of unexpected findings like this, a researcher has two options: to stop the project, or to dig deeper into the problem. The last strategy is the most challenging one, as the outcome is uncertain. But, in this case, it has yielded interesting new insights, supported by our data."
Next steps
The VIB lab is currently involved in a new ALS study in collaboration with the Stem Cell Institute Leuven (SCIL) and supported by the Belgian ALS Liga. Focusing on different cell types derived from skin fibroblasts of ALS patients, scientists are looking for aberrations in their calcium metabolism. The research into the role of the IP3R2 can serve as an important foundation, as it helps to strengthen the scientific community's understanding of the mechanisms that may protect motor neurons.
Prof. Ludo Van Den Bosch (VIB-KU Leuven): "We have now proven that some aspects of inflammation could play an important role in the disease, which could eventually open new therapeutic options for patients. But if we really want to cure ALS, we need to understand all the ins and outs of ALS on the patient's cellular level. Studies like ours are crucial pieces of this complex puzzle that we need to solve before we can develop a successful therapy."
Article: Genetic ablation of IP3 receptor 2 increases cytokines and decreases survival of SOD1G93A mice, Kim A. Staats, Stephanie Humblet-Baron, Andre Bento-Abreu, Wendy Scheveneels, Alexandros Nikolaou, Kato Deckers, Robin Lemmens, An Goris, Jo A. Van Ginderachter, Philip Van Damme, Chihiro Hisatsune, Katsuhiko Mikoshiba, Adrian Liston, Wim Robberecht and Ludo Van Den Bosch, Human Molecular Genetics, doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddw190, published online 4 July 2016.
Arteries over veins prove better for heart bypass surgery in patients with diabetes.
Diabetic patients who undergo heart bypass surgery are living longer and have much better long-term outcomes when cardiothoracic surgeons use arteries rather than veins for the bypasses, according to a new study published online by The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
"Going into this study, we believed that diabetic patients would do better using total arterial techniques," said James Tatoulis, MD, FRACS, from the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia. "But it was gratifying to actually prove it and also be able to document the significant magnitude of the difference."
Dr. Tatoulis and colleagues in Melbourne examined more than 63,000 cardiac surgical cases from the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) Database. In their review, they identified 34,181 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery for the first time from 2001 to 2012. Of those, 2,017 were diabetic patients who had CABG using only arteries (total arterial revascularization, TAR) and 1,967 diabetic patients who had conventional CABG, predominantly using veins.
This study showed that when TAR/CABG is used for diabetic patients, long-term survival improves significantly. For every 100 diabetic patients undergoing CABG surgery, four more will be alive at 10 years when arteries are used for the bypasses rather than just one arterial graft together with veins (82 vs. 78, respectively), explained Dr. Tatoulis.
A strong correlation exists between coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. According to the American Heart Association, adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease than adults without diabetes. In addition, the American Diabetes Association estimates that 29.1 million Americans have diabetes, with 1.4 million more being diagnosed each year.
"With the incidence of diabetes increasing in the United States, happening together with the continued improvement in life expectancy, it is probable that there will be more and more diabetic patients requiring CABG surgery in the future," said Dr. Tatoulis. "Thus, the superiority of TAR/CABG will assume progressive importance."
Another important finding from the study was that TAR/CABG can be performed on diabetic patients without increasing the rate of complications, such as angina (chest pain), heart attacks, heart failure, and hospital readmissions.
CABG surgery has been performed for more than 50 years. In the US, it is one of the most common major surgeries, with almost 400,000 CABG surgeries performed each year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CABG surgery is designed to help restore blood flow to the hearts of patients with CAD. CAD is caused by a buildup of plaque (calcium, fat, cholesterol, etc.) in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart and other parts of the body. During CABG surgery, a blood vessel is removed or redirected from one area of the body and placed around the narrowed area to "bypass" the blockages and restore blood flow to the heart muscle. This vessel is called a graft.
Dr. Tatoulis said the average conventional CABG surgery involves three to four grafts: one artery is usually used, along with vein grafts from the leg or thigh for the remaining new bypasses. In TAR/CABG surgery, only arteries are used.
Currently, only 5% of all patients in the US who undergo CABG surgery receive multiple arterial grafts, stated Dr. Tatoulis. "As a result, there is room for a much larger proportion of patients to have this type of coronary surgery and receive the benefits of a longer life, better quality of life, and reduced medical costs," he said.
The study also confirmed that TAR is achievable and can be performed by any well-trained cardiothoracic surgeon. "TAR/CABG is definitely within each cardiothoracic surgeon's ability and should be part of their repertoire," explained Dr. Tatoulis.
Article: Total Arterial Revascularization: A Superior Strategy for Diabetic Patients Who Require Coronary Surgery, Tatoulis J, Wynne R, Skillington P, Buxton B, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2016.05.062, published online 14 July 2016.
Researchers have developed a method to measure how the brain responds to electrical stimulation and use the response to maximize efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) - a therapy that has been successfully used to treat advanced stages of Parkinson's disease. The study, published in PLOS Computational Biology, provides a patient specific approach to tuning parameters that may dramatically improve efficacy of deep brain stimulation.
Deep brain stimulation uses an electrode placed deep in the brain to deliver electric stimulation for the treatment of diseases such as Parkinson's disease. For Parkinson's disease it is hypothesized, but still controversial, that electrical stimulation suppresses pathological neural oscillations, called beta rhythms.
Deep brain stimulation amplitude and frequency must be set by a clinician, who usually watches the patient's symptoms and side effects to select parameters. Setting stimulation parameters is a time intensive and laborious process, and does not guarantee that the settings are optimal for the patients, which can result in stimulation that requires more energy or greater side effects than necessary.
The current deep brain stimulation devices deliver stimulation like a metronome, completely blind to the patient's neural activity. New devices are being developed by Medtronic and other medical device companies that can allow both stimulation and monitoring of the neural activity which can facilitate tuning of the parameters and even delivery of stimulation triggered by neural activity.
Holt et al, at the University of Minnesota, with collaborators at UC Santa Barbara, demonstrate their approach in a computational model of the brain. They hypothesize that triggering stimulation at a particular phase of a neural oscillation may be more effective at suppressing the pathological activity than periodic stimulation. Furthermore, applying bursts of stimulation at select phases of the oscillation may be even more effective than a single pulse.
By applying stimulation and measuring how each pulse shifts the oscillation, they can generate a measure of the brain's response, called a "Phase Response Curve". This curve allows them to predict how the oscillation will respond to any stimulus pattern (within reason). The authors, utilizing control theory approaches, were then able to use the phase response curve to then design stimulus patterns optimized to suppress the oscillation.
In this study they measured phase response curves from a computer simulation of brain activity, predicted what stimulus patterns would suppress the neural oscillations, and then demonstrated that the stimulation patterns predicted to suppress the oscillations were in fact effective.
This method therefore provides a patient specific approach to tuning parameters that may dramatically improve efficacy of deep brain stimulation. In the future, they plan to test this in animal models of Parkinson's disease and translate it to humans.
This work was supported by National Science Foundation Collaborative Grant 1264535 (TIN JM) ; National Science Foundation CAREER Award 0954797 (TIN) ; and MnDrive Neuromodulation Student Fellowship (ABH); UMN Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (MS); NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates NSF DMS 0847749 (MS).The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
The authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: Pending patent application: UMN 20150256 / UCSB 2015-973; Tuning Phasic Burst Stimulations Based on Phase Response Curve Slope (AH DW JM TIN). AH: Biomedical Engineering Summer Research Associate, Medtronic, Summer 2015. TIN: Consultant at Medtronic: Fall 2015-Spring 2016.
Article: Phasic Burst Stimulation: A Closed-Loop Approach to Tuning Deep Brain Stimulation Parameters for Parkinson's Disease, Abbey B. Holt, Dan Wilson, Max Shinn, Jeff Moehlis, Theoden I. Netoff, PLOS Computational Biology, doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005011, published 14 July 2016.
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The atomic structure of the rhinovirus C virus has been solved by a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Purdue University.The findings are published in theand provide the foundation for future antiviral drug and vaccine development against the virus, rhinovirus C."Rhinovirus C has been the 'missing link' in explaining illness caused by the common cold," says Michael Rossmann, Hanley Distinguished Professor of Biological Science at Purdue and co-lead of the study with UW-Madison's Ann Palmenberg, professor of biochemistry and with the Institute for Molecular Virology. "This is sure to spark major new efforts toward the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs, particularly for the prevention of asthma."In fact, multiple pharmaceutical companies have been waiting for the data, Palmenberg says.Last fall, using a rhinovirus C preparation grown in the Palmenberg lab - currently one of the few places in the world capable of culturing the virus - and an imaging technology new to Purdue, Rossmann's graduate student, Yue Liu, first author of the study, was able to map the full atomic structure of a rhinovirus C particle.Discerning the structure of microscopic biological agents like viruses allows them to be studied and understood in ways not possible by other means. For instance, Liu uncovered physical features of rhinovirus C that help explain why it is resistant to standard antiviral treatments, how it interacts with cells to cause infection, and why it behaves as a different disease from other members of the enterovirus family."We found some interesting things," says Palmenberg. "Unlike normal rhinoviruses, this one has spikes on the surface of the particles. We had not anticipated that."This and other virus surface changes help explain why clinical rhinovirus drug trials, which rely on different virus surfaces, have generally failed when tested against rhinovirus C isolates over the last four to five years, says Palmenberg.However, the spikes present new binding sites for the human immune response to infection and as such, may present promising new targets for the development of different types of drugs. Or, they may contain structure elements that could be leveraged for effective vaccines."Another new finding is that 30% of the virus particles were empty and do not contain genetic material," Palmenberg says.The "empty" particles are not capable of causing infection, but like tiny molecular mimics, they present virus-specific information to the immune system."They could be immune decoys," says Palmenberg, luring the body to fight off noninfectious viral particles, leaving infectious virus free to do its dirty work. "No other rhinoviruses seem to do this naturally."They could potentially be used for vaccines.The virus was among the first samples analyzed with a new cryo-electron microscopy system at Purdue, which was designed to operate at vastly higher resolution than previous instruments. The system allows for multiple imaging of single virus particles, rather than relying on a composite of images from thousands of individual viruses. Therefore, the system is faster, more accurate and gives higher resolution structures from less virus material.While the rhinovirus C structure determination was certainly accelerated by this new technology, it was also dependent upon Rossmann's many years of expertise, Liu's efforts, and years of work by Palmenberg's experienced team in order to get the virus to grow under laboratory conditions."If you can't grow it, you can't do experiments," says Palmenberg. "That was the linchpin for this structure. It took us two-and-a-half years of work to figure out how to put sufficient virus into a tube so we could give it to Purdue."That process has now been licensed by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, a private nonprofit that manages intellectual property at UW-Madison.While learning how to culture rhinovirus C, Palmenberg's research team discovered the virus only infects certain lung cells that express a particular genetic form of a cell-surface molecule called cadherin-related protein 3 (CDHR3). The team published those results in 2015 in PNAS.When a rhinovirus C particle encounters a cell bearing the right CDHR3 protein, it can lock onto and gain entry into the cell. During the ensuing infection, it makes many copies of its genetic material, using the cell's machinery, and this reassembles into many more virus particles that are then released to infect more cells.When CDHR3 is expressed on cells deep in the lungs, the virus infections can wreak havoc, says Rossmann. "It creates the perfect storm for the severest type of asthma-inducing, lung-scarring events.""But knowing how to grow it doesn't tell you what it looks like," says Palmenberg. Multiple types of rhinovirus C exist and they are part of a larger group of illness-causing viruses, including cold viruses rhinovirus A and B. "We knew it would be different from rhinovirus A and B: It didn't respond to drugs, it used a different receptor, it had different biological properties. So the question was, what was going on?"With the new structure data, the team is much closer to finding answers. In fact, mapping the rhinovirus C particles also showed where on these surfaces the virus likely makes contact with the CDHR3 molecules, presenting yet another opportunity to design drugs which may prevent infection.Palmenberg and Rossmann have collaborated for 34 years, ever since her former mentor, UW-Madison professor emeritus Roland Rueckert, and Rossmann collaborated to become the first to determine the structure of rhinovirus B.Source: Newswise
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This medical triumph has now given hope to thousands of young people who undergo gruelling bouts of cancer treatment each year. The University of Edinburgh, which has led the research, announced the procedure is now open to all NHS patients. By removing healthy tissue from the organs before treatment, patients are given a chance of becoming parents in the future.Prof Richard Anderson, Elsie Inglis chair of clinical reproductive science, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh, said the treatment has given hope to girls and young women undergoing treatment that may render them infertile.Rob Thomson, of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), which collaborated on the scheme said, "We are pleased to hear this wonderful news and are proud to have been part of this scientific breakthrough, a first in the UK."The research has been predominantly focused on girls but the team has now developed a system which allows them to offer the service to boys too. Scientists are freezing tissue from the reproductive organs of boys and girls as young as one, which can then be re-implanted once they reach adulthood. The pioneering new service for pre-pubescent boys has been launched by Edinburgh University, in the hope that the tissue could be re-implanted when they reach adulthood. Restoring fertility in men is more difficult than in women as the testicular tissue of pre-pubescent boys is not yet able to produce sperm. Adult sperm cells can be frozen, but young boys currently have no way of preserving their fertility as their cells are too immature. One of the first patients is a five-year-old boy, who is currently receiving high dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy in Edinburgh after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. The tissue will be stored for up to 55 years.Dr Rod Mitchell, clinical fellow at MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh, said the team recently developed a service to store testicular tissue from boys as young as one who are at risk of infertility as a result of cancer treatment. That process is still in the experimental stage. But the option to store tissue combined with research aimed at developing methods to restore fertility, offers real hope of fatherhood for these patients.The university worked in collaboration with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service on the research, which was funded by the European Union, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the charity Children with Cancer.Source: Medindia
HURDLES IN KIDNEY STONE MANAGEMENT IN SPACE - A BIG CHALLENGE
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PORTABLE ULTRASOUND AND BURSTWAVE LITHOTRIPSY- A STEP FORWARD
Either a shockwave lithotripsy is done where in the patient is made to lie down on a refrigerator like machine and large amounts of ultrasound waves are focused to break the stone or using an endoscopic approach and breaking the kidney or bladder stone using laser under direct vision.However due to the technicality and size of the machines used in these methods of treatment, this is not very feasible in outer space. Several data from NASA suggests that the astronauts are very much prone to develop kidney stones. And so if the astronaut does not pass the stone in the urine they might cause various complications and they would need to be called back from the mission to get treatment on Earth. One such incident has been recorded in NASA ISS (international space station).And another hurdle is in the detection of the kidney stone itself. The kidney stones are generally detected using X-rays, ultra-sound and Computed tomography scans. But due to the heaviness of the machinery involved it is not suitable for space travel.The research team at the University of Washington's Applied Physics Lab are working to solve this difficult space scenario. The team is working on developing a portable Ultrasound machine which will help to detect and disintegrate the kidney stones without the need for surgery or large equipments. This research is funded by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute.This technology focuses Ultrasound waves to detect the exact location of the stone in the kidney or the ureter and then uses short bursts of sound energy to break the stone into tiny pieces, small enough for the astronaut to pass in urine.Michael Bailey, the principle investigator of the research, said.This technology will be very helpful in space missions especially for long distance Mars mission that will take over a year to complete and where the astronaut cannot be sent back very easily. The team has already developed the technology to detect the location of the stone, the next process is to develop the technology to break the stone, on which the researchers are working on currently.Based on the mechanism of Shockwave lithotripsy, Adam Maxwell, an assistant professor of Urology at UW has developed(BWL) which uses smaller, more frequent bursts of ultrasound to break the stone. Anne Zwaschka, a student working with the team explained that the difference between shock wave and burst wave lithotripsy is that the older technique is like breaking theNow that the challenge of focusing the wave has been crossed, soon the research team will move on to testing BWL's abilities, finding out its possible side effects and drawbacks. Eventually they will start doing clinical trials. BWL can also be used in various other problems faced by the astronauts in space like stopping bleeding, strengthening bones or even performing ultrasound surgery, without breaking the patients' skin. Due to the flexibility of its software, apps can also be developed to extend its functionality.Similar technology is being used in Swedish Medical Centre in Seattle to treat patients with tremors without involving invasive and dangerous brain surgeries and also in some medical centers in treatment of cancer prostate with good results.Source: Medindia
Life is indeed precious. The death of a loved one can mean the end of the world for those left behind. Undoubtedly, it is one of lifes toughest journeys. Grieving is important, as it is a natural process of healing.
Bereavement is a word used to denote grief, pain, and sadness following the loss of a loved one. Even though death is an inevitable part of life, the finality and irrevocability of death lend a lethal blow, making it unacceptable for those left behind. It is truly one of lifes most stressful periods, with nothing to match the intensity of sorrow experienced during this time.
Bereavement is also a time of overwhelming and conflicting emotions. What may begin as shock and disbelief may give way to reflection, realization, and acceptance as time passes by. Physical signs of bereavement may be portrayed as crying, expressing anger, loss of appetite, dip in energy levels, and even sleeplessness. Psychological signs could be depression, feeling lost, being aloof or withdrawn, guilt and even anger.
Support from loved ones, caring, talking ones grief out and even seeking professional help are ways to cope with the bereavement.
"Bereavement is darkness impenetrable to the imagination of the unbereaved." - Iris Murdoch
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The sorrow for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced. Every other wound we seek to heal, every other affliction to forget; but this wound we consider it a duty to keep open; this affliction we cherish and brood over in solitude. - WASHINGTON IRVING, THE SKETCH BOOK, IN MOFFAT 1992, 270
Grief is nothing but a profound expression of loss. It is normal and even healthy to grieve. Grieving helps in the acceptance of loss, which is crucial to cope and move on with life. On the contrary, if one does not grieve properly, pent up emotions, and refusal to accept reality can negatively impact ones emotional health.
Though grieving is universal, the manner of grieving varies from person to person. Some take longer to recover following the death of a loved one, while some come out of it faster. Though there are no distinct stages of grieving, it is observed that the process of grieving the death of a loved one could take anywhere from one to two years, before a person can actually accept the loss and move forward.
The initial reaction to the death of a loved one is usually a feeling of numbness or disbelief. This state of disbelief or shock could last anywhere from a couple of hours to days following the death.
In the days following the death, physical and psychological signs of grief may show up. Crying, talking about the dead person, and even seeing glimpses of the person in familiar places are some of the ways in which people express their loss.
Mood swings are very common during the initial days of grieving. Anger, guilt and denial of death could be some of the emotions experienced during this period. Those grieving may also experience sleeplessness, loss of appetite, appear withdrawn and may become weepy all of a sudden. They could also appear disoriented and confused. Some of them experience a deep urge or yearning for their loved one which intensifies their grief.
Recalling conversations, the good times, even the tense moments or conflicts with the one who has passed away, including feelings of regret and remorse are all a natural part of grieving.
Some people withdraw from family and friends. Over time, the sadness and pain get tempered and the bereaved begin to adapt to life without the loved one. Although the sense of loss remains, the bereaved learn to cope and live with it.
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Children also experience the same emotions as adults. It is good for children to grieve and express their feelings instead of bottling it all up. Children are endowed with abundant positivity, which helps them cope much faster than adults and move on in life. Yet, suppose some continue to feel depressed, experience mood swings and portray other visible signs - sleeplessness, lack of interest, loss of appetite - medical advice, and counseling can help children sort out their feelings.
Talking to children offers them comfort and security, while also allaying any fears due to the loss of a loved one. It is important to treat children with patience and care and not criticize them as it might only precipitate their anxiety and insecurity during a testing time.
Relationship with the dead person and manner of death can also influence the grieving process. Even if the death was expected as in cases of terminal illnesses where families may have undergone anticipatory grief and are supposedly prepared for the loss, facing the reality of death can still be traumatic. The suffering undergone before death also increases the pain and sorrow of the bereaved.
The loss of a spouse can be extremely traumatic. For some, it can be life-changing, especially if the spouse was the sole breadwinner, which can bring both emotional as well as financial stress on the bereaved spouse.
The loss of a child is by far the worst form of grief. It can send parents into a state of deep shock and denial. Grief over the loss of a child is also accompanied by guilt, a sense of injustice and anger, and also wishes of what could have been if the death was averted. Memories of the precious one could haunt ceaselessly, making it one of the toughest bereavements to cope with.
Unexpected deaths due to accidents or suicide, or even a sudden illness can also be very difficult to cope with. The bereaved experience extreme guilt, and may blame themselves for the situation especially in cases of death by suicide where they feel the death could have been prevented. Accepting the loss of a loved one in such cases may take longer.
Multiple deaths within a family can also exacerbate grief making it very tough for those left behind. An acute sense of shock envelops the aggrieved, who could go through stress, trauma, anxiety and depression. Professional help and counseling may be the best way to deal with such trauma.
Expression of grief is sacrosanct to acceptance of the loss, leading to sound emotional health.
Do not be too hard on yourself
In these extremely turbulent times, it is important to allow the experience of all the different emotions that well up in the mind. Hurt, sadness, pain and hopelessness are a natural part of grieving, and should not be blocked.
Acceptance of loss is a time consuming phase and will not happen in a day
Shock, denial, why me?, anger, guilt, tearful outbursts are some of the reactions as people come to terms with the death of their loved one. Depression and sadness in the initial days and months following the death is a form of grieving. One may not feel like performing the usual chores. It is important to give oneself ample time and space to sort out feelings in order to regain composure.
Talk your feelings with family and friends
Sharing the pain and talking about it can ease the burden to a great extent. Asking for help in whatever way from close family and friends will enable time to sort out the raging emotions during this period.
Seek professional help
Though it may take one or two years to completely recover from the death of a loved one, the intensity of grief begins to abate during the six months period following the death of the loved one. Yet for some, depression sets in and becomes worse with every passing day. The services of psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors can be sought. Bereavement counseling can be a great blessing to help the bereaved come to terms with the loss.
Join a support group
Support groups are a means to get in touch with people in a similar situation. Communication with those in a similar circumstance helps share the pain and anguish while also opening channels for ways to cope. This can be a great route to healing and moving on with life.
Support groups are especially helpful for those who do not have family or friends to bank on to share their grief. One can also lean on support groups after family and friends have moved on with their own lives.
"He that conceals his grief finds no remedy for it" Turkish Quote
Family and friends must rise to the occasion in these extremely testing times. Even small acts of assistance can make a world of difference for those whose world has crumbled.
Listening, patience, allowing space, caring and just being around can offer great comfort to the bereaved. Understandably, many are unable to find the right words to console the bereaved. Actions can speak louder than words at such times. Mere presence and being around can offer strength and moral support for those grieving the loss of their loved one.
The death of a loved one throws life out of gear. Routine work and chores may come to a standstill, and confusion may prevail. At such time family and friends can chip in unconditionally to help with chores, and even provide food giving the bereaved time and space to sort out the upheaval in their lives.
Being around when they need to talk, listening patiently, and comforting words will always be remembered as a great blessing during lifes most tumultuous times.
Bereavement counseling and support groups
Though the persons loss is irreplaceable, yet counseling and sharing pain are ways to cope with the loss.
Though grieving is normal and takes time, some people continue to be depressed for longer periods. Even though it may take anywhere between one-two years for people to completely recover, positive signs are evident within the six months following bereavement.
If somebody is withdrawn, experiences suicidal thoughts, is unable to work through the grief, and is not in a position to carry out routine tasks, it is time to seek professional help.
Some bereaved have to brave it alone and do not have families to support them during the loss. Such people can fall back on the services of bereavement counselors who can be a great blessing. Psychologists and counselors help the aggrieved work through their feelings with strategies to cope. They hold their hand till such time the person is demonstrating sufficient strength to carry on with life.
Joining support groups and talking to others in a similar situation help ease the pain and also open avenues to cope with ones own loss.
Hopeful Tomorrows
Healing happens in time and with patience. Life cannot stop after the death of a loved one, it has to go on. Death gives life a whole new perspective, making it all the more precious. To have loved and lost can make the journey of life very difficult, but letting go and accepting the loss help people pick up the threads of their life. A phase will arrive when the bereaved fondly recall the memories of their loved ones without so much pain and anguish, replaced instead by love and hope.
There are many grief sharing support groups online. Some of them are listed below.
Share grief following bereavement http://www.bereavementuk.co.uk/ http://www.griefnet.org/ Suicide survivors bereavement group http://www.foundation2.org/Content/Services/Support-Groups/Suicide-Survivors-Bereavement-Support-Group.aspx Bereavement support group for the loss of a child http://www.compassionatefriends.org/home.aspx http://www.agingcare.com/Message-Boards/116159/Support-group-for-death-of-an-adult-child.htm http://www.athealth.com/consumer/disorders/parentalgrief.html Bereavement support group for the loss of a parent http://www.hospicechesapeake.org/events-calender/view/669/142 http://www.dailystrength.org/groups/adults-grieving-the-loss-of-a-parent
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the endless amount of losses among the public. One of the unbearable losses includes that of loved ones.
People have lost their parents, spouses, children, friends, and many more. The outburst of or buried emotions breaks the survivors deep within. The unpredictable circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic led to situations where people couldnt be with their loved ones when they die or werent able to even mourn at someones death in a person with friends and family.
This can further worsen a persons ability to adapt, heal, and recover. The heightened stress during this pandemic also generates crushing fear and anxiety. Certain COVID-19-related factors that may lengthen the grief period following bereavement during the pandemic are:
The death of the loved one was unexpected and perhaps preventable
Loved one suffered and died alone at the end of their life
Unable to testify the death of the loved ones due to physical distancing
Fear of contamination and isolation with insufficient healing opportunities (as one may not reach out normally)
Financial worries and burden
The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to [email protected] with "Membership" in the subject line.)
Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to [email protected]. Please include your name, title, and organization in your email.
EXCLUSIVE: In New Audio Message, Commander The Sahara Region Of Al-Qaeda In The Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) Threatens France, U.S.
On July 8, 2016, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) released an audio recording of Yahya Abu Al-Hummam (aka Jamal Ukasha), the commander of its Sahara branch, in which he denounces France's occupation of Mali and the aid it receives from local armies. He also threatens France and the U.S., stating that the mujahideen will not sit still in face of "cross worshipper'" attacks on Muslims, while noting that "fighting has now arrived," and that it will continue until these countries pull their armies out of all Muslim lands.
EXCLUSIVE: Video By Media Company Associated With ISIS Threatens Coming Attacks On Western Cities Including New York, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Moscow
On July 13, 2016, Al-Waa'd Media Production, a media company associated with the Islamic State (ISIS), published a 7-minute video titled "In Your Own Homes." The video, which was also posted to the Al-Khilafa Telegram channel, includes threats of attacks on central Western cities.
EXCLUSIVE: Al-Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Newspaper Publishes Image From Video Documenting Police Killing Of Black Man In Baton Rouge, Louisiana
On July 7, 2016, Al-Masra, a weekly newspaper affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), published an image taken from a video documenting the killing of Alton Sterling, a black man from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by two police officers.
EXCLUSIVE: Massachusetts Husband And Wife Express Support For ISIS On Facebook - And Show Off ISIS Flag Bought On Amazon
On July 4, 2016, a Facebook user updated his profile picture to a photo of himself holding an ISIS flag. On his Facebook account, he states that he is 33 and a resident of Massachusetts, that he is from Boston, and that he attended Umass (University of Massachusetts) Lowell.
EXCLUSIVE: New ISIS Recruitment Video Targets Young Secular Syrians, Encourages Them To Join Its Ranks
On July 9, 2016, the information office of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Al-Raqqa province, Syria, published a 10 minute video titled "The Story of Recruitment." The video, which was also posted to the Al-Khilafa Telegram channel, targets young Syrians in ISIS-controlled areas, and encourages them to join the ranks of the organization. It is possible that the timing of this video is related to the heavy losses that ISIS has recently been suffering and its urgent need to recruit new volunteers. The video is a dramatization that "simulates reality" and follows a young man named Muhammad from the city of Al-Raqqa, who decides to join the Islamic State.
EXCLUSIVE: In New Video, AQAP Presents Special Operations Brigade, Vows To Fight Until Liberation Of Al-Aqsa Mosque
On July 13, 2016, Ansar Al-Sharia Correspondent and Al-Malahem, the media arms for Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), released a video presenting members of the group's Special Operations Brigade demonstrating their skills in conducting various military exercises inside a training camp named for Hamza Al-Zinjbari aka Jalal Bal'idi aka Hamza Al-Marqashi - a senior commander who was killed in February 2016.
EXCLUSIVE: TIP In Syria Urges Xinjiang Muslims To Join The Jihad In New Video
On July 11, 2016, the Syrian contingent of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) released a new video urging Uyghur Muslims in China's Xinjiang region to join the ranks of the mujahideen in Syria.
EXCLUSIVE: Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri Praises Late AQAP Leader Nasser Al-Wuhaishi For His Loyalty To Al-Qaeda And The Taliban's Islamic Emirate
On July 11, 2016, Al-Sahab, the media arm of Al-Qaeda, released an audio recording featuring the group's leader, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, in which he praises Nasser Al-Wuhaishi, the late leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), who was killed in June 2016, for his loyalty to Al-Qaeda and to Osama bin Laden, whom he accompanied for years in Afghanistan, as well as to the Islamic Emirate of the Taliban.
EXCLUSIVE: In New Audio Recording, Al-Shabab Leader Urges Somalis To Join Jihad, Calls Upon Muslims In Kenya, Ethiopia To Target 'Disbelievers' In Any Way Possible
On July 12, 2016, Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen, Al-Qaeda's Somalia branch, released an audio recording of its leader Abu Ubaida, aka Ahmad Omar, titled "Shari'a or Martyrdom." The recording features Abu Ubaida praising Al-Shabab's jihad against their enemies, and calls upon them to intensify their attacks against the Somali government and the "invading Crusaders," a reference to the Ethiopian, Kenyan, and other Western-backed African troops, in Somalia.
Reactions To Death Of ISIS Commander 'Omar Al-Shishani: ISIS Supporters Vow Revenge; Jabhat Al-Nusra Official Abu Suleiman Al-Muhajir Expresses Satisfaction
On the night of July 13, 2016, the ISIS-affiliated news agency A'maq issued a statement confirming the death of senior ISIS military commander Sheikh 'Omar Al-Shishani. The statement, which was also posted on the Al-Khilafa Telegram channel, read: "Military source to Amaq Agency: Shaykh Umar ash-Shishani [sic] martyred in Shirqat as he participated in clashes to repel the campaign against the city of Mosul."
In Video, British ISIS Prisoner John Cantlie Reports From Bombed Areas Of Mosul
On July 12, 2016, the Islamic State (ISIS) news agency Amaq released a three-minute video featuring British ISIS prisoner John Cantlie. In the video, which is titled "John Cantlie Speaking about the U.S. Bombing Mosul University and Popular Areas in the City," Cantlie shows the aftermath of airstrikes on Mosul University, the Yabisat district of Mosul, and the Nasraf Rafadin square, which he stresses is the absolute center of Mosul.
JTTM subscribers click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
Hamza Bin Laden Vows Further Attacks Against The U.S.
On July 9, 2016, Al-Qaeda's Al-Sahab production company released a 21-minute audio message titled "We are all Osama". It was delivered by Hamza bin Laden, the son of Osama bin Laden, who addressed the American people and threatened further attacks on U.S. soil. Hamza bin Laden boasted that his father was actually victorious in his war against the U.S. given its growing strength since his death.
AQAP Claims Attack On Al-Solban Military Base In Aden, Yemen, Says It Came In Retaliation For Airstrikes In Lahj, Abyan
On July 6, 2016, Ansar Al-Sharia News, an official Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Twitter account, released a statement claiming responsibility for the bombing of Al-Solban military base in Aden, Yemen, in retaliation for the killing of civilians in Lahj and Abyan.
On Facebook, Australian ISIS Fighter Comments On Australian News Stories, Shares Updates From Syria
An Australian Islamic State (ISIS) fighter is frequently active on Facebook, posting reactions to news events in both Australia and ISIS-controlled territories. In addition to closely monitoring the headlines, he followed and communicated with two radical Western clerics - Abu Haleema from the U.K., and Abu Ousayd al-Islami from Australia. He does not reveal many personal details about himself, however, according to his entries, he is 32 and married.
Australian Jabhat Al-Nusra Fighter Recounts How Syrian Neighbor Blew Up His House While Making Explosives; Shares Photo Of His Home
A Jabhat Al-Nusra fighter originally from Sydney, Australia, claiming to be based in Aleppo, Syria, recently returned to posting on his Facebook page after a brief two-month hiatus. In recent posts he has railed against Russian troops in Syria, and has shared a photo of his neighbor's destroyed house.
Pro-ISIS Hacking Group On Telegram Releases Kill List Featuring U.S. State Department Employees
On July 13, 2016 the pro-ISIS hacking group United Cyber Caliphate (UCC) released a "kill list" featuring the names of 22 U.S. State Department employees. The employees on the list are almost all exclusively stationed in the U.S.' however, one allegedly works in Kabul. The United Cyber Caliphate also posted a message mocking and threatening the FBI.
Pro-ISIS Telegram Channel Threatens Christians In Tripoli, Lebanon
On July 12, 2016, the administrators of a pro-Islamic State Telegram channel called "News of Muslim Lebanon" posted a threat to attack Christians in Lebanon, especially in the northern city of Tripoli. The threat follows a recent series of attacks in the village of Al-Qaa' and the opening of radical Salafi cleric Ahmad Al-Asir's trial.
Reports: ISIS Starts Circulating Its New 'Gold Dinar' Currency
According to recent news reports, the Islamic State (ISIS) has officially begun circulating its new currency, the "gold dinar," and has ordered merchants to use it exclusively when purchasing oil from ISIS-controlled territory.
ISIS Takes Responsibility For Downing Russian Attack Helicopter East Of Palmyra
On July 8, 2016, the Islamic State's (ISIS) Homs province published an official communique announcing that organization members managed to down a Russian attack helicopter east of Tadmur (Palmyra) and kill its crewmembers. According to the communique, the incident occurred at a time that ISIS fighters were conducting an attack in the region and took over three Syrian army checkpoints.
Hours Before The Euro 2016 Soccer Finals In Paris, ISIS French Media Share Threatening Posters Online
On July 10, 2016 French speaking Islamic State (ISIS) media supporters distributed images on Telegram threatening the Euro 2016 finals which are due to take place under high security later today in the Stade de France near Paris.
In recent days, a massive Saudi media campaign in support of the Iranian opposition has been underway. The campaign was launched right after former Saudi intelligence minister and ambassador to the U.S. Emir Turki Al-Faisal attended the July 9, 2016 Paris conference of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an umbrella organization of five Iranian opposition groups in exile, the largest one being Mojahedin-e-Khalq.
Addressing the conference, Al-Faisal harshly criticized the Iranian regime, and expressed explicit support for the opposition's demand to topple the Iranian regime - the first time a Saudi official has expressed such support. Al-Faisal further emphasized that the Iranian people cannot go on suffering from the regime's policy of oppressing and humiliating its opponents and minorities within the country, particularly its Arabs, Sunnis, and Kurds.
Al-Faisal's speech received widespread positive coverage in the Saudi press, and this coverage was accompanied by increased expressions of anti-Iran sentiment and of support for the opposition in that country. Several articles in the Saudi press,[1] including editorials, launched withering attacks on Iran and called for toppling its regime. The articles claimed that the Iranian regime had adopted a policy of racial repression and discrimination within Iran and was even exporting this policy to several Arab countries via Iranian support for various terrorist organizations operating within these countries. The articles encouraged the Iranian opposition to work at bringing down the Iranian regime, a course of action defined as "the optimal way" for restoring peace and security to the entire region. Articles in a similar vein were published in the Kuwaiti and Bahraini press.[2] .
Numerous articles praised the Iranian opposition and its resistance to the regime;[3] also published were cartoons, images, and posters attacking the Iranian regime.[4]
It should be noted that on social media, Saudi intellectuals, for example, the author and journalist Turki Al-Hamad and Muhammad A'al Al-Sheikh, who tweeted on their Twitter accounts that Turki Al-Faisal's participation in the Paris Iranian opposition congress was a mistake. Al-Hamad even argued that by his participation, Al-Faisal may have provided justification for Iranian intervention in the neighboring countries.[5]
Following are examples from the Saudi anti-Iranian regime media campaign:
Turki Al-Faisal At National Council Of Resistance Of Iran Conference: "I Also Want The [Iranian] Regime To Be Toppled"
In his statements at the National Council of Resistance of Iran conference in Paris, Emir Turki Al-Faisal harshly criticized the Iranian regime for oppressing its people. He said that ever since the days of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the Iranian regime had worked to export the Islamic Revolution to the Arab and Islamic countries, in an attempt to control them by means of interfering in their internal affairs and establishing sectarian terrorist organizations on the pretext of defending "the oppressed" in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. He also accused Iran of aiding armed sectarian groups, as well as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah, and Al-Qaeda, in order to foment chaos in the region. Stressing that this Iranian policy has caused devastation, spread sectarianism, and led to bloodshed in Iran and the Middle East, he added that it has, first and foremost, impacted Iran's own citizens. In response to audience chants of "The people wants to topple the regime" - a common slogan during the Arab Spring - Al-Faisal said: "I also want the [Iranian] regime to be toppled."[6]
Editorials: Toppling The Iranian Regime Is The Best Way To Achieve Global Peace And Security; Al-Youm: Iranians Call To Topple Regime, Many Countries Around The World Agree
Following Turki Al-Faisal's statements, many articles condemning the Iranian regime and supporting its removal were published. The official Saudi daily Al-Youm's July 11 editorial criticized the Iranian regime's policy of exporting the Islamic Revolution to the countries in the region, leading to their destruction, and argued that toppling the regime was the best way to ensure peace and security in those countries that are subject to Iranian interference.[7] The editorial stated: "Exporting the Iranian Khomeinist revolution to the world has led only to the destruction of all nations that experimented, and are still experimenting, with the dictates and principles of this revolution of devastation... Removing the regime of the Rule of the Jurisprudent from Iran, the region, and the world in general is the best way to spread security, peace, and tranquility in many communities that experienced the Iranian regime's interference in their affairs. The Iranian people [itself] is still calling for toppling the regime of the Rule of the Jurisprudent, and many countries around the world agree [with this call], in light of the crimes, horrors, and terrorist actions it carries out...
"The oppression that was and still is being carried out by the Iranian regime against the Ahwazi people and in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Lebanon, as well as its open support for the Lebanese terrorist organization Hizbullah and its total support for destructive and terrorist actions around the world, confirms [the statement] that toppling the regime of the Rule of the Jurisprudent is the best way to achieve security and peace in many regions and countries around the world.
"Since the days of Khomeini, the Iranian regime has tried to force its authority on the Islamic countries and to spread the principle of exporting the revolution to the Arab and Islamic countries. However, this aggressive attempt has only led to the sowing of widespread conflict [in these countries], and to their destruction - sparking wars there and undermining the stability and security of [their] communities. The blatant Iranian interference in the affairs of the other has caused conflicts, riots, and wars."[8]
Iran's satanic policy in the Arab region - the devil remains "on" while the angel is permanently "off" (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, July 11, 2016)
Senior Saudi Writer: Arab Representation At The Paris Session - A Message To The Iranian People To Stop Showing Restraint Towards The Regime
Ayman Al-Hamad, an editorial writer for the official Saudi daily Al-Riyadh, also criticized what he called the Iranian regime's racist policy towards non-Persian minorities, and described how it attempts to apply this policy in other Arab countries, leading to their destruction, which benefitted Israel. He wrote: "The Iranian regime in Tehran has turned its back on its sons, who have criticized its policy and rule... Those who oppose the concept of the Rule of the Jurisprudent and its authority is against the revolution that brought the slogans of liberty, victory for the Iranian man, and the struggle against corruption. The fall of the Shah regime gave rise to an extremist theocratic segment that utilized all forms of barbaric behavior, constitutionally legitimized sectarianism, and championed the Persian race...
"The Iranian regime... attempted to export its crisis in religious guise, by undermining regional security and stability, supporting armed factions in the Arab and Muslim countries by egging them on and aiding them with weapons and training under revolutionary or religious slogans, and later by carrying out terrorist acts [using these same armed proxies]. Today we find in the Arab countries those who are tempted by the slogans of the Iranian clerics who are attempting, by means of these slogans, to win over the Shi'ites, to play upon their religious sentiment, to try to undermine their sense of nationalism, and to cast doubt upon the legitimacy of their leaders. This comes while the regime in Tehran is not concealing its racism against the Arab Shi'ites in Iran - the events in Al-Ahwaz being the best evidence of this regime's racism - and is showering praise on the Palestinian issue, which it sees as its ticket [into] other Arab [countries]...
"It is Iran and its militias that have served the Israeli occupation, through their hostile actions towards the Arab countries, particularly after the Arab Spring. [Iran's] support for the Syrian regime's [actions] against its own people led to the destruction of Syria. This is also true for Iraq. These two countries began dealing with the threat of division, which led to the two greatest Arab armies leaving the Arab balance of power because of Iran's policy, enabling Israel to sleep soundly. The Iranian opposition summit that was held two days ago [July 9] included large-scale Arab and international representation, reflecting the aversion to the existing regime in Tehran and to its actions against its people and its Arab and Muslim neighbors. This Arab, Islamic, and international representation is a message to the Iranian homeland not to continue to show restraint as it witnesses the economic destruction of its cultured, capable, and lofty country, and the expulsion of its people - all for the sake of the empty words of its ayatollahs."[9]
Al-Sharq: "Peoples Can Withstand Any Regime, But At Some Point Things Go Too Far"
The July 11 editorial of the official Saudi daily Al-Sharq argued that the Iranian regime was not working in the interests of its people, and that it was not seeking regional stability because it would ultimately lead to a change that it did not desire, since the peoples always win in the end:
"Peoples can withstand any regime, but at some point things go too far, and in the case of the Iranian people, this point was reached many years [ago]... The Iranian regime does not seek stability in the region, and does not want its people benefiting from the country's resources via development programs and services; rather, it wants illogical and useless adventures aimed at harming peaceful peoples and interfering in their affairs in a way that is unacceptable to the entire world. The rulers in Tehran should note the fact of a turning point, which could lead them to a situation they do not desire, as peoples always emerge victorious."[10]
Articles, Cartoons, Posters In Saudi Press Criticizing Iranian Regime, Praising Iranian Opposition
The Saudi media campaign to topple the Iranian regime also included cartoon, posters, and articles supporting the Iranian opposition and its call for toppling the country's current regime. Below are a few examples:
"The people wants to topple the [Iranian] regime" ('Okaz, Saudi Arabia, July 11, 2016)
The two-faced Iranian "Mullah regime" funds the terrorist organizations while it executes the "Iranian people" (Al-Jazirah, Saudi Arabia, July 12, 2016)
Article in Saudi daily supports Paris conference with headline in Arabic and Farsi: "Freedom Summit... 'Very Good'... Death to Supreme Leader [Khamenei]... 'Death to the Leader of Iran'" accompanied by image of Khamenei crumbling to dust ('Okaz, Saudi Arabia, July 12, 2016)
Infographic: "100,000 Iranians expose the shame of the Rule of the Jurisprudent" (Makkah, Saudi Arabia, July 11, 2016)
Saudi daily posts video titled "The Ayatollah Terrorism" highlighting organizations supported by Iran, such as Hizbullah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen ('Okaz, Saudi Arabia, July 11, 2016)
Article in Saudi daily titled "The Rule of the Jurisprudent Coordinates With ISIS, As the World Turns a Blind Eye to Iran's Terrorism" ('Okaz, Saudi Arabia, July 12, 2016)
Infographic titled "Iran and Israel - Two Sides of the Same Coin" compares Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and Iran's treatment of Arab Ahwazis (Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, July 11, 2016)
"Ahwazi Revolution" strikes blow against "Iranian Government" (Al-Jazirah, Saudi Arabia, July 11, 2016)
Infographic: "The Acid of the [Iranian] Basij Disfigures Iranian Women" (Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, July 11, 2016)
Headline in Saudi daily: "Media: Ayatollah Regime Faces Grave Situation, Undergoes Worst Crisis Since Its Establishment"; the subhead reads: "Former French Human Rights Minister: Political Situation In Iran Is Shaky" (Al-Youm, Saudi Arabia, July 12, 2016)
Infographic: Ayatollah Khomeini's false promises to the Iranian people for a rosy future after the Islamic Revolution (Al-Sharq, Saudi Arabia, July 12, 2016)
Infographic: "The Courts of the Iranian Islamic Revolution - The Most Dangerous Body Established After 1979 [the year of the revolution]" (Al-Sharq, Saudi Arabia, July 12, 2016)
Infographics: "After the nuclear agreement, Iran has become more aggressive" and increased its terrorist acts around the world (Makka, Saudi Arabia, July 11, 2016)
E. Ezrahi is a Research Fellow at MEMRI.*
Endnotes:
The Cyber & Jihad Lab monitors, tracks, translates, researches, and analyzes cyber jihad originating from the Middle East, Iran, South Asia, and North and West Africa. It innovates and experiments with possible solutions for stopping cyber jihad, advancing legislation and initiatives federally including with Capitol Hill and attorneys-general and on the state level, to draft and enforce measures that will serve as precedents for further action. It works with leaders in business, law enforcement, academia, and families of terror victims to craft and support efforts and solutions to combat cyber jihad, and recruits, and works with technology industry leaders to craft and support efforts and solutions.
Zeinab Salem said she was assaulted by a police officer after she complained about the treatment of an arrested relative
Egypt's interior ministry is investigating an MPs claim that she was assaulted by a police officer at a Cairo police station, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported on Friday.
The ministry has relieved the officer involved in the alleged assault from his duties while the investigation is being carried out, a security source told Al-Ahram.
Zeinab Salem said that she was physically assaulted by a police officer at Nasr City police station in Cairo on Thursday evening, where she was visiting a family member.
Salem was accompanying her sister to see her nephew, who had been arrested the same day after getting involved in an argument.
Salem told several media outlets that a police officer assaulted both her and her sister physically when she objected to how her nephew had been beaten during his detention.
Ahram Online was unable to reach Salem by phone on Friday.
According to news reports, the MP sent a message to an MPs group on the WhatsApp messaging service asking for help. Several MPs arrived at the police station and found her on the floor in disarray and without her veil.
Salem, who is currently undersecretary of the parliamentary tourism committee, is a member of For Support of Egypt, the main pro-Sisi parliamentary bloc.
The bloc's spokesperson, MP Alaa Abdel-Moneim, has denounced the incident and demanded the ministry open an immediate investigation.
"The assault against any citizen in any police station is something we completely reject," said Abdel-Moneim in a Friday statement, adding that For Support of Egypt also rejected any kind of insult or assault on any Egyptian citizen.
Abdel-Moneim said that the incident would be discussed in parliament on Sunday.
The interior ministry will issue a statement about the incident soon, according to the security source that spoke with Al-Ahram.
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When you talk about Bollywood, two words other than acting that sound synonymous to it would surely be style and glamour. It wouldnt be wrong to say that one can totally get into Bollywood on the basis of his style alone. While its always good to be stylish, acting should be the only criteria to get in, wed recommend. Having said that, Bollywood is the primary source of style inspiration for us normal people to know whats trending and whats not.
A lot of style trends that we have today are influenced by Bollywood. We thought of giving you all some more style inspiration and feature these actors whose style game totally blew us away.
Here Are 7 Stylish Men Of This Week
1. Starting the week with Hrithik Roshan, who was spotted promoting his upcoming movie Mohenjo Daro, in this black ethnic kurta pyjama with black Peshawari sandals styled by Akshay Tyagi.
A photo posted by Akshay Tyagi (@thetyagiakshay) on Jul 12, 2016 at 4:05am PDT
And he made another appearance the next day and wore a similar outfit changing the colour of the kurta and added a black scarf instead.
A photo posted by Akshay Tyagi (@thetyagiakshay) on Jul 13, 2016 at 5:37pm PDT
2. Varun Dhawan was seen promoting Dishoom in this out-of-the-box Rahul Khanna-Rohit Gandhi outfit styled by Nitasha Gaurav.
A photo posted by Nitasha Gaurav (@nitashagaurav) on Jul 12, 2016 at 4:20am PDT
3. Ayushmann Khurrana looked dapper as always at his music concert in Toronto in this outfit styled by Isha Bhansali.
A photo posted by Isha Bhansali (@ishabhansali) on Jul 10, 2016 at 10:01pm PDT
He made a second appearance in Toronto for a media interaction and wore this chic outfit. A maroon bomber jacket from Aiman with white casual pants, totally killing it!
A photo posted by Isha Bhansali (@ishabhansali) on Jul 13, 2016 at 10:43pm PDT
4. And look who came back to India yesterday. Ranveer Singh came back in his full flamboyant avatar wearing a camouflage sweat suit.
Twitter
5. Arjun Kapoor was all decked up for Ice Age promotions wearing this smart casual outfit styled by Antara Motiwala. The white shirt and those shoes are totally stealing the show.
A photo posted by @afashionistasdiaries on Jul 14, 2016 at 9:22am PDT
6. Aftab Shivdasani, Riteish Deshmukh and Vivek Oberoi promoted their movie Great Grand Masti and looked uber cool in their respective outfits. Their style has evolved from what they were when they came out with the first part of Masti.
Instagram
A special mention to Riteish Deshmukhs hairstyle which looked super trendy and completely suits his character. Glad to see Bollywood actors trying out new styles like this.
Instagram
I have a question. And its just this:
Are we even remotely human?
Are we not overwhelmed by our guilt? Are we not struck by grief? Are we not scathed by the barbarity of our own kind? Who No, WHAT the f*ck are we?
Do we not know the difference between giving and taking life? Do we not understand the difference between human and savage? Do we not understand the difference between the death of an innocent human being and an animal?
Weve gone back to the dark ages in a lot of ways in the recent past. But, the one incident that cinches the deal is the Akhlaq Murder Case.
DNA India
Mohammad Akhlaq was an ironsmith in the village of Dadri, Uttar Pradesha region where cow slaughter is punishable by the law. And all Akhlaq did was eat a meal that was not vegetarian. That was enough to turn the inhabitants of an entire village into butchers. Akhlaq and his son were dragged outside their house because they were rumoured to be eating beefa claim that was never really proven, even by forensics. Akhlaq was beaten to death by this mob while his son suffered serious injuries.
HuffPost India
Someone was ruthlessly murdered. An FIR was lodged. Someone was the convicted and it was not the monstrous villagers who committed a heinous crime. The convicted were Akhlaqs family.
Why? Because BJP Leader, Sanjay Ranas son was of the opinion that the other side of the story should be told, as well. Agreed. But which other side? The other side that pleaded innocent of Akhlaqs murder? The other side that pleaded guilt with remorse for the same? No. Ranas son is talking about a whole other side altogetherthe side that is out to prove that killing Akhlaq was right; that Akhlaqs family indeed had beef, and not mutton.
The FIR doesnt show the deceaseds family as victims, no. The FIR is to prove that the victim in this case is the illiterate, ruthless mob who took no time to jump walls, fences and burst into Akhlaqs house and kill him.
My question is this:
HOW DARE THEY?
And how dare you, as a government official let them? Do younot as a politician, not as a religious fanatic; but, as a human beingnot see whats wrong with this?
How do I believe in the religious secularism of a country where the only Muslim, peace-loving, family was brutally assaulted, accused and robbed off their right to live in peace, die on their own terms and then, grieve for their losses?
Reuters
How is the loss of meat greater than the loss of human life that was definitely more important than any of yours, given how sick your brains are?
We worry about the ISIS taking over the world; we worry about tyrants like Trump coming to power; we worry about Gods wrath and the apocalypse. WHY do we, when the real enemy is not outside of the countrys borderlines?
We should be worrying not about the enemy from beyond when the real enemy sits within the country, inside palatial walls that they did not lose sweat to build; eating meals they never worked hard to earn and having a sleep that they robbed off innocent victims. We should be worrying for the barbaric who sit in the parliamentary sessions and shout at the top of their voices just like the animals in the wild. We should be worrying not about the terrorists waiting to strike from outside. We should, instead, be worrying about the sadists who sugarcoat and shout in the name of religion, waiting to strike with their cold and scaly hands, at the very throats of those who earn their bread and butter by slogging their lives away.
Reuters
My message to them is this:
If you think that proving that meat was beef makes you look less guilty, youre wrong. If you think jailing Akhlaqs family will make you more powerful youre wrong. If you think venerating a dead cows life more than an innocent mans makes you pious, then youre f*cked up. There is a special place in hell for murderers like you. Its called hell. And your God will make sure you get there one day. Until then, enjoy the confines of your lavish walls while you hunt down merciless beings and get others to wash your dirty laundry.
On a visit to Moscow, the speaker says he believes Russian-Egyptian flights may soon resume
The speaker of Egypt's parliament, Ali Abdel Aal, told Russia's Sputnik news agency on Friday that he believed the investigation into the fatal crash of a Russian passenger jet in Sinai last year would be closed soon.
"Egypt's general prosecutor will visit Moscow at the end of July and will present results of the investigation to the Russian side. I think the case of the crash of the plane will be closed soon, and the flights between Russia and Egypt will be resumed," he told Sputink during a visit to Moscow.
The MetroJet plane crashed in northern Sinai in October last year after departing from Sharm El-Sheikh airport, killing all 224 people on board.
ISIS-affiliated militant group Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis claimed responsibility for bringing down the airliner with a bomb, and the Russian authorities and other countries subsequently declared that the incident was a terrorist act.
Egyptian authorities say that no conclusions will be announced until after the end of the official investigation currently underway in Egypt.
A number of countries, including the UK and Germany, suspended direct flights to and from Sharm El-Sheikh airport after the incident; Russia followed suit and has since 6 November suspended flights from all Egyptian airports.
Abdel Aal met the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Sergey Naryshkin, in Moscow on Friday. They discussed a number of issues, including the resumption of Russian flights to Egypt.
The decision to halt flights has been a major blow to the already-ailing Egyptian tourism industry.
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Leading Muslim clerics joined Gulf Arab leaders on Friday in condemning a truck attack that killed at least 84 revellers in the Mediterranean resort of Nice on France's national holiday.
Egypt's top Muslim cleric Shawki Allam condemned the assailant as an "extremist" who "follows in the footsteps of the devil."
"Islam never called for the spilling of blood," Allam said in a statement.
"People who commit such ugly crimes are corrupt of the earth, and follow in the footsteps of Satan... and are cursed in this life and in the hereafter."
The six Gulf Arab states issued a joint statement saying that they "strongly" condemned the "terrorist" act in Nice.
"The Gulf Cooperation Council states stand in solidarity with the French republic following this cowardly criminal incident whose perpetrators have been stripped of all moral and human values," the bloc's secretary general, Abdullatif al-Zayani, said.
Regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia issued its own statement condemning the "heinous terrorist" act, adding that it stands in "solidarity" with France and will "cooperate with it in confronting terrorist acts in all their forms."
United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said: "This heinous terrorist crime makes it imperative for all to work decisively and without hesitation to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are members of a US-led coalition which has carried out an air war against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria alongside France.
At least 84 people were killed when a gunman rammed a truck through a crowd of thousands celebrating Bastille Day on the French Riviera on Thursday evening. Scores more were wounded, 18 of them critically.
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Top US diplomat John Kerry stressed the urgency of closer cooperation in Syria after the Kremlin said Friday a US proposal for direct military cooperation in the war-torn country had not been addressed in earlier talks with President Vladimir Putin.
On the second and final day of his visit to Moscow, Kerry called for stepping up cooperation between the United States and Russia to thwart jihadist groups and revive the stalled Syria peace process, hours after at least 84 people were killed in an attack in Nice.
"Nowhere is there a greater hotbed and incubator for these terrorists than in Syria," Kerry said after observing a minute of silence in honour of the victims ahead of his talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
"And I think people all over the world are looking to us and waiting for us to find a faster and more tangible way" to fight terrorism, Kerry said.
"And you and I and your teams are in the enviable position of actually being able to do something about it," he added, addressing Lavrov.
Kerry's meeting with Lavrov follows what the top US diplomat said were "serious and frank" talks with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
But the Kremlin said Friday that direct military cooperation between Moscow and Washington in Syria, a proposal Kerry was set to make, had not been addressed in Thursday's talks.
According to a leaked document seen by the Washington Post, Kerry's key proposal is to offer Russia closer US military cooperation against the Al-Nusra Front jihadist group.
In exchange, Moscow would be required to pressure its ally Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad to ground his own jets and end attacks on civilians and the moderate opposition.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that the talks between Putin and Kerry had not marked the start of cooperation "to significantly improve the effectiveness of efforts in the fight against terrorism."
US officials were careful not to call the talks a last chance for diplomacy to resolve the bloody five-year-old conflict, but they warned time is running out.
Washington blames the failure of the peace process on Assad's ceasefire violations and on Al-Nusra's increasing influence among the surviving rebel factions.
"If we cannot get to a solution that resolves both of those problems we're going to be in a very different place, and the reality is that time is short here," a US official said.
Meanwhile, there was no sign in Damascus that Assad feels under any pressure to agree to talks on a new government, the next stage in the process if a ceasefire is restored.
Speaking to NBC News in Damascus, in an interview broadcast Thursday, Assad insisted Putin and Lavrov had never raised the issue of his departure or a political transition.
"Only the Syrian people define who's going to be the president, when to come, and when to go. They never said a single word regarding this," he said.
Moscow and Washington and the 22-nation contact group they co-chair have called for a nationwide ceasefire and Geneva-based talks on a "political transition".
A landmark partial ceasefire they brokered in February -- which did not include Islamic State or Al-Nusra -- has since all but collapsed amid continued heavy fighting.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura urged Russia and the United States to push for a resumption of the talks next month.
Russian forces are fighting in support of Assad's regime against a variety of rebel factions while a US-led coalition focuses its fire on the Islamic State group.
Syria's civil war erupted in 2011 when Assad brutally suppressed anti-government demonstrations and has evolved into catastrophe that has left more than 280,000 dead.
Efforts to end the war have taken on greater urgency since the emergence of the Islamic State jihadist group, which seized control of large parts of Syria and Iraq in mid-2014.
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Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias today met with the Foreign Minister of Norway, Brge Brende, within the framework of the proceedings of the ASEM Summit in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The two ministers discussed issues of international and regional interest, with emphasis on the future of Europe, as well as on the Syria issue and its repercussions for the security of the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Finally, Mr. Kotzias had the opportunity to set out Greeces positions on the resolution of the Cyprus issue, which, as he explained, cannot be resolved without the departure of the occupation troops and the elimination of the anachronistic system of guarantees.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, youre in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia for the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, but some news that came from Nice, from the south of France, has overshadowed all other events on the planet. What is your assessment, what is your view of the attack in France?
N. KOTZIAS: It think we are living in a transitional period, when many people think that human life has no value or other punishers have the right to strike what is most dear to our society: life itself. I condemn and we condemn as the Greek government and all of Greece this brutal crime, and we stand beside the French people and the French government. And I send my condolences, through the Athens News Agency, to the families of the victims.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, the Asia-Europe Meeting is very important, its been happening for 20 years now. Does it have anything new to offer?
N. KOTZIAS: Yes, it began during the Greek Presidency of 1996.
JOURNALIST: And I would say that you were among those who worked on the negotiations at that time
N. KOTZIAS: Yes, and I always believe that Europe and Asia must have special institutional systems and forms of cooperation, to the benefit of both sides and of all the peoples on these two large continents.
JOURNALIST: Fifty-one countries participate in ASEM, the countries of the European Union and the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). What is the central theme?
N. KOTZIAS: The central theme is how we will connect the societies and economies of Asia and Europe. In the second intervention I made today, I underscored the importance of culture and the need for us to find forms of joint cultural action among the European and Asian states.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, with the Prime Minister, you recently visited China Beijing and Shanghai where, I would say, an important intervention was carried out regarding the strengthening of the political and economic ties between the two countries. How do you see Greeces role in Asia? Are we perhaps too small a country to be able to play a role?
N. KOTZIAS: What you say is correct. Greece is a small country, but it has a great history and a great culture. And it is no coincidence that we agreed with the Chinese foreign minister to implement the proposal I have put to a number of states around the world over the past year: for forming a union of states with historic cultures that to this day are leaving their mark on the culture of humanity. The Chinese, for example, believe that only one state, only one culture was equal to theirs which Asia formed thousands of years ago and that is Greeces culture. We have a great tradition. We have to respect it and capitalize on it to the benefit of the Greek people and Europe. I remind you that culture is not just something beautiful and good. Culture is a soft form of power, smart power, which also brings economic advantages, given that in our day the culture industry is one of the most important economic activities.
JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, one last question. At this Meeting, I would say that there has been a lot of talk about the developments in the South China Sea, where, to many observers, there are developments or issues that are analogous, if not similar, to our neighbourhood, in the Aegean and the Mediterranean. How do you see this situation developing?
N. KOTZIAS: In the South China Sea, what we see developing is a different interpretation of international law and the role of custom and history between China and seven states that have different interpretations. One of these, the Philippines, brought China to international arbitration not to the International Court, because it was a unilateral referral, only on the part of the Philippines. And this decision rules against China, but China does not accept the legality of this action, as China itself did not agree there was no agreement on bringing the case to arbitration. I would like to note this: that the text of the ruling, which is 475 pages long, is of very great political and scientific interest. Very few politicians have studied it so far. We at the Foreign Ministry, together with our team of special collaborators, have studied it. It has many, many positive elements with regard to the interests and views of Greece. It also has one or two points where a critical assessment is needed.
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias today met with Dr. Mohamad Maliki Osman, Senior Minister of State and Foreign Affairs of Singapore, within the framework of the proceedings of the ASEM Summit in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
During the meeting, they discussed the course of and ascertained the shared will for further promotion of bilateral relations. Mr. Kotzias referred to the historic cultural ties between the two countries and expressed Greeces intention to proceed to the opening of an Embassy in Singapore at the s oonest possible time.
The two ministers also discussed international and regional issues of mutual interest, as well as investment issues. Mr. Kotzias briefed his colleague on the emergence of Piraeus as a port of pivotal importance for the Mediterranean and Europe, and expressed Greeces interest in attracting investments from Singapore in the technology and finance sectors. Finally, the two Foreign Ministers agreed on the need to cultivate bilateral cultural and academic exchanges, which, among other things, will be discussed during Mr. Kotzias visit to Singapore this coming November.
Thousands of Iraqis defied warnings from authorities and rallied in the heart of Baghdad on Friday, renewing pressure on the government to carry out reforms targeting corruption and sectarianism.
Although protests over the past year have resulted in repeated promises of reform, little in the way of concrete progress has been made, as those in a position to effect change benefit from the existing system.
Populist Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who had called for the demonstration, made a brief appearance at the rally in Tahrir Square, which was packed with flag-waving protesters.
Protesters fought to get closer for a glimpse of the cleric but he quickly departed, and his remarks were instead read out by another speaker.
Sadr called for measures including the dismissal and trial of corrupt officials, an end to sectarian and political party quotas through which positions are shared out, and the formation of a government of technocrats, according to the remarks.
He has organised repeated protests calling for reforms, during which demonstrators have on several occasions breached Baghdad's Green Zone, a fortified area that is home to key government institutions and foreign embassies.
Speakers led the protesters in chanting slogans including: "Yes, yes to reform," "No, no to sectarianism" and "No, no to corruption."
The rally went ahead despite a warning from the government that it could distract security forces from the war against the Islamic State group.
A statement from the Joint Operations Command termed it "unauthorised" and said anyone who appeared with arms would be treated as a "terrorist threat."
The Friday demonstration, which started to wind down after Sadr's demands were read, was the first to take place in weeks, as the cleric called for a break in protests during Ramadan, when observant Muslims fast from dawn to dusk.
Security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators at previous protests, but this was one was much more tightly stewarded by organisers.
Protesters were repeatedly searched by men posted at makeshift checkpoints on the way to the demonstration, and strands of barbed wire kept them away from the bridge across the Tigris River that they had previously used to reach the Green Zone.
The route to the bridge was also blocked by slabs of heavy concrete blast wall and defended by riot police.
Internet connections were cut during the demonstration, but restored later in the morning.
"We are tired (of) corruption. Corruption is killing us," Mohamed al-Daradji, an activist and film-maker, said in a speech at the protest.
"These people (who) came after 2003... they failed. They failed! They didn't do anything," Daradji said, referring to politicians who came to power after the US-led overthrow of dictator Saddam Hussein.
Asked why he came to protest, Abu Mushtaq al-Awadi said: "We have rights, and we are demanding our rights."
Awadi said he wants an end to sectarian and party quotas, the trial of corrupt officials, the return of stolen money to the Iraqi people and the formation of a government of technocrats.
Sadr has previously called for a technocratic government to replace the current party-affiliated ministers -- a measure proposed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi -- but parliament has repeatedly failed to approve new ministers.
Abadi first called for a cabinet including technocrats in February, but has faced significant opposition from powerful political forces that rely on control of ministries for patronage and funds.
Some of Abadi's cabinet nominees were finally approved by parliament in April, but in a blow to the premier, a court later scrapped the session, which some disruptive lawmakers were barred from attending.
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Air raids on Friday killed at least 11 civilians in a region of eastern Syria controlled by the jihadist Islamic State group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
"At least 11 civilians -- among them four women and four children -- were killed in Syrian or Russian air raids on the Al-Boulil region that is controlled by the Islamic State group in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor," the Britain-based monitor said.
The area is some 30 kilometres (18 miles) southeast of the provincial capital Deir Ezzor city, which has been largely under IS control since 2013.
Syria's state news agency SANA reported that government aircraft destroyed "two sites containing weapons and military equipment of the Daesh (IS) terrorists" southeast of Deir Ezzor.
IS has been trying to take the entire province, where part of the capital and the military airport are still under the control of government forces.
On Thursday, the jihadist group said it had shot down a regime MiG warplane south of the provincial capital, killing its pilot.
It said the jet had attacked several villages before being targeted and crashing.
The Observatory -- which relies on a network of sources inside Syria for its information -- said the plane downed on Thursday was the fourth shot down by IS since April.
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The Turkish military on Friday said that it had assumed power over Turkey, in what the prime minister has termed an illegal act.
"The power in the country has been seized in its entirety," said a military statement read on NTV television, without giving further details. The military's website was not immediately accessible.
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The Turkish army announced a curfew on Friday after it said earlier that it had assumed power over Turkey, in what the prime minister has termed an illegal act, Skew News Arabia reported.
"The power in the country has been seized in its entirety," said a military statement read on NTV television, without giving further details., AFP reported. The military's website was not immediately accessible.
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A Kalamazoo judge ruled Wednesday there was enough evidence to bind over 25-year-old Daveeta Walker in the March death of Kharisma Richardson.
The Associated Press left a message Thursday seeking comment from lawyer Ronald Pichlik, who is listed as representing Walker.
Officers responding to a 911 call at a Kalamazoo apartment on March 26 found the girl unresponsive and not breathing. An autopsy showed she had blunt force trauma injuries and burns with blisters on her feet.
The night officers arrived at Walker's home, they found three other children in a bedroom watching a pornographic movie. They were removed from Walker's custody.
Scorched and torn business papers from the collapsing towers and radio transmissions from the fiery pit are part of the collection titled "Rendering the Unthinkable: Artists Respond to 9/11," which opens Sept. 12.
Thirteen artists contributed paintings and a sculpture, as well as works on paper and video.
In one video clip, a young woman washes her fire chief father's shirt soiled from three days spent working in the smoking World Trade Center rubble.
Brooklyn resident Christopher Saucedo created his papier-mache artwork, "World Trade Center as a Cloud," as a way to remember his firefighter brother, whose remains were never found.
Other artists lost friends or witnessed the attacks.
Monika Bravo, a native of Colombia living in Brooklyn, had filmed a thunderstorm passing over the city on Sept. 10, 2001, from her studio on the 92nd floor of the north tower. The footage is now condensed into a piece dedicated to a fellow artist who died a day later in the same tower.
"Through the lens of art, we reflect on the raw emotion we all felt on that unforgettable Tuesday morning 15 years ago," said Alice Greenwald, the memorial museum's director. The artists are not asking "that we revisit the horrors of that day but that we try to make sense of what was left in its wake."
Some works incorporate papers, in many pieces, that were blown out of the disintegrating skyscrapers and landed as far away as Brooklyn across the river. They included a rumpled sheet in Japanese and an application for a marketing job written days before the Sept. 11 attacks.
The exhibition was assembled by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum that oversees two reflecting pools bearing the names of the nearly 3,000 people who died that day in New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The display is the first in the museum's special exhibition gallery where various 9/11-related topics are planned in the future.
The Long Island Power Authority's board of directors is expected to approve the proposed 90-megawatt, 15-turbine wind farm east of Montauk at a meeting next Wednesday, the utility's chief executive officer, Thomas Falcone, told The Associated Press.
The U.S. lags behind Europe and others in development of offshore wind energy. Many wind farms in Europe are already producing hundreds of megawatts of power. The U.S. has seen other proposals for big offshore wind farms, but none have yet come to fruition.
"This is the first in New York, it's the largest to date, but we're looking at this and seeing a tremendous offshore wind resource that will be developed and it's not the last," Falcone said in an interview with the AP on Wednesday. "I think this is a very big step ... for New York, but also for the United States."
LIPA is awarding the project to Deepwater Wind, a private company that's already building the nation's first offshore wind farm near Block Island, Rhode Island. That five-turbine 30-megawatt project is expected to go online later this year.
Exact financial terms between LIPA and Deepwater Wind still need to be negotiated, Falcone said, but he expressed optimism an agreement could be reached by early 2017.
Falcone said because the Long Island project is to be located in the same federally approved waters as the Rhode Island wind farm, he expected construction could be expedited and power could be reaching Long Island customers by the end of 2022.
The project is one of a number being considered in the Atlantic Ocean, but it will be the next to be constructed, Falcone said.
"There's already construction going on there," he said. "It's in the same area."
The turbines would be placed about 30 miles offshore, putting them over the horizon and out of view of land.
The project would produce enough energy to power approximately 50,000 homes in the Hamptons. Deepwater's proposal also includes plans to build two new battery energy storage facilities. The facilities will consist of lithium-ion battery technology designed and installed by General Electric; they will be used when LIPA is facing peak demand for electricity.
"Not only will the project reduce air pollution emissions on Long Island, but it'll also defer the need to build costly new power plants and transmission systems on the South Fork," Deepwater Wind CEO Jeffrey Grybowski said when announcing the proposal last year.
Federal officials announced earlier this year plans to auction the rights to build a wind farm on a 127-square-mile wedge, 11 miles south of Long Island's popular Jones Beach. That project, which has the backing of New York state officials, still faces regulatory and other hurdles before it can proceed.
Wayne County prosecutor's office spokeswoman Maria Miller tells The Detroit News that Teana Walsh is working on a contractual basis and returned to the office earlier this year.
The newspaper says Walsh declined to comment about her return. The Associated Press sent an email to her seeking comment.
Walsh's now-deleted post on her personal Facebook page said the "solution" for "large swarms of people throwing bricks at police" is "Shoot em. Period." The prosecutor's office has said her post was "out of character."
Walsh's resignation came as Baltimore's top prosecutor announced criminal charges in Freddie Gray's death.
Tribune Staff Reports
UPPER THUMB The Aleda E. Lutz Veterans Affairs Medical Center recently announced updates regarding access, the homeless veteran program and mental health services for veterans.
The center, which serves over 35,000 veterans, operates out of Saginaw, and also has community based outpatient clinics in Alpena, Bad Axe, Cadillac, Cheboygan County, Clare, Gaylord, Grayling, Oscoda and Traverse City.
We want to take this opportunity to talk about several programs which include outpatient access to care, the Homeless Veteran Program, a new initiative whereby our VA is collaborating with Community Mental Health to provide more timely and convenient mental health care to Veterans who may not be able to get to a VA facility, and care in the community, states a news release.
Regarding access, the VA hospital in Saginaw and local clinics have completed 96.9 percent of appointments across all clinical services within 30 days of the patients preferred date of care, year to date. Appointments within 14 days of the Veterans preferred date were completed 93 percent of the time, and appointments within seven days 88 percent of the time. Mental Health and Primary Care appointments scheduled within 30 days for new patients occurs on average 100 percent of the time.
We have made great strides in decreasing the wait times for appointments over 30 days by 15 percent across all clinical services, all while increasing the number of appointments offered by 11,000, the news release states. Outpatient primary care has offered and completed 44,859 appointments year to date over 43,919 last year. The Saginaw VA has dedicated the months of June, July, and August to the following access-related goals: increasing same day access in primary care across all facilities; increasing same day access in mental health across all facilities; and increasing direct scheduling options for veterans seeking an appointment with audiology or optometry clinics.
This summer, the VA has planned seven homeless Veteran Stand Down events in seven communities in an attempt to reach out to homeless veterans and those veterans who may be at risk of becoming homeless. Four of these events have already taken place (Cadillac, Traverse City, Shiawassee County, and Flint); future events are planned for Atlanta on Sept. 7 and Bad Axe on Sept. 9. All veterans and families are welcome to attend, as there is an array of homeless service providers and veteran-oriented groups on hand to discuss the various services they provide to all veterans.
The Saginaw VA Housing and Urban Development VA Supported Housing Program has also reached a milestone by achieving a 93 percent utilization rate of the 201 housing choice vouchers. The partnership between HUD and the Saginaw VA HUD-VASH program has allowed our VA to house 188 formerly homeless veterans and in some cases their family members within the 35-county catchment area. The primary goal of the HUD-VASH is to move veterans and their families out of homelessness. A key component to the program is VAs case management services. These services are designed to facilitate the attainment of the veterans recovery goals by supporting stability in safe, decent, affordable, and permanent housing of the veterans choice. While VA provides case management services, HUD provides permanent housing stability to veteran participants and their immediate families by allocating rental subsidies from its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program.
Although the VA provides homeless veterans and formerly homeless veterans with case management services, we would not be nearly as successful as we are without the support of our community partners, the news release states. The Saginaw VA collaborates with numerous homeless assistance provider agencies in the community where we have built bridges to collectively provide services to our veterans in need rapidly.
Regarding mental health services, the VA is working on a collaborative to allow veterans access to mental health services by using Telehealth videoconferencing from Community Mental Health locations throughout Michigan.
We are engaging in a sharing agreement with Ausable Valley (West Branch), Centra Wellness (Benzie and Manistee), Shiawasee County, and Lapeer County, the news release states. The VA will work closely with these community mental health agencies to identify veterans seeking care and be able to connect them with VA mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and other VA staff. This new program will more immediately provide services to veterans in need and eliminate the need for sometimes lengthy travel to the nearest VA facility.
Veterans needing care the VA cannot provide as defined by services offered, distance, or timeframe requirements, have a choice through the Veterans Choice Program (VCP). VA staff work closely with veterans and a contracted third party administrator to schedule that care in the community. However, more recent developments have given the VA the opportunity to establish VCP Provider Agreements. These agreements will help VA expand its provider networks to offer veterans more health care options in their local communities.
The programs mentioned are only a small example of the great things VA staff are doing to promote health and healing at the VA facilities here in Michigan, the release states. We continue to evaluate processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and initiate change to better serve those who have served.
The Aleda E. Lutz VAMC in Saginaw operates an 81-bed skilled nursing and rehabilitation community living center, with an additional eight-bed acute medicine and telemetry wing. It provides care to over 34,700 Veterans in a 35-county geographic area, from mid-Michigan to the Mackinac Bridge. For more information, visit www.saginaw.va.gov.
James Arthur Schumacher, 81, passed away Wednesday, July 13, 2016, at home in Pigeon.
Born Nov. 7, 1934, in Pigeon, he was the son of Arthur J. and Mildred (Burke) Schumacher. A polio survivor, Jim was stricken at age 17, and completed his education while home-schooled from Pigeon High School. He graduated with the Class of 1953.
After high school, he attended Central Michigan University, the University of Wisconsin School of Banking, and the University of Michigan School of Banking. He began his banking career in the mid-1950s at Pigeon State Bank, and retired from Thumb National Bank as president in 1986.
Jim was a former member of the Pigeon Lions Club, and was an active member of Cross Lutheran Church in Pigeon, where he served on the church council for many years.
He was known to have a quick wit with a keen sense of humor. He loved his family, summers in the backyard pool, and traveling to Disney World. He enjoyed traveling and adventure.
He is survived by his wife, Janet; daughter, Maria Lynn Schumacher of Holly and her fiance, Bruce Fitzgerald; sister-in-law, Judith (Tony) Bayer of Ontario; brother-in-law, Fred Taylor of Massachusetts; several nieces and nephews; and a grand-niece.
The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 16 at Cross Lutheran Church, Pigeon, with Rev. Timothy Loehrke, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Cross Lutheran Church, Pigeon.
Memorials may be made to Cross Lutheran Church or to the charity of the donors choice.
Please share memories online at MeyersieckBussemaFuneralHome.com.
In photography, timing is all and there is no better example of the dictum than this gem of a snapshot capturing a surprising moment from ordinary London life during the Second World War.
The image shows two airmen in Luftwaffe uniform walking through the Underground. One is a corporal, the other an Oberleutnant (the highest-ranking type of lieutenant), and together they stroll with studied nonchalance, relaxed, with hands in pockets.
The men are young, broad-shouldered, good-looking, and well-groomed and, for all they seem to care, they could be off to the pictures for a night out. Is it possible that the second of the two is even forming his lips into a carefree whistle?
They are escorted not in handcuffs, nor with any evident high security, but by a file-toting military-secretarial type whose demeanour hardly seems tense or intimidated.
Of course, what makes the photograph extraordinary, and almost comical, is the astonished reaction of the onlookers in the background.
An older gentleman in a three-piece suit and hat appears to have just turned around, and, registering what he sees, stares in open-mouthed astonishment, as if to say, Whats this? Germans? On the Tube? A second onlooker can just be glimpsed, his eloquent, widened eye peering over the shoulder of the first man.
Pilots and aircrew may have been the first German prisoners on British soil during WWII, shot down or bailed out during bombing raids. But it is unclear how common a practice it was to transport PoWs through Londons public transport system. It certainly seems astonishing to modern sensibilities.
There appears to have been a strong bond of chivalry between RAF and Luftwaffe pilots. Perhaps by treating these highly skilled warriors as gentlemen, their captors expressed the hope that they would be treated in a similar manner should they themselves be caught.
By Maria Earle
This article was published in issue 71 of Military History Monthly.
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.
Iran said on Friday it was deeply concerned about the crisis in neighbouring Turkey after reports of an attempted military coup there.
"Stability, democracy and safety of Turkish people are paramount. Unity and prudence are imperative," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on his Twitter account.
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NORFOLK, Va. Approximately 6,000 Sailors from Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 8 returned home July 13, after completing an eight-month combat deployment.
Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) with embarked CSG 8 staff, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio (CG 68), Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28 staff and guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) and USS Gravely (DDG 107) pulled into Naval Station Norfolk following an extended deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. USS Ramage (DDG 61) remains deployed and will return to Norfolk later this month.
The deployment is credited with supporting U.S. strategy to degrade the Islamic militant group, ISIL. "We received the best training in the world prior to deployment and were extraordinarily fortunate with the opportunities that presented themselves over the course of the last eight months. Being a part of this team, with the standards of professionalism sustained across the entire crew, is something I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life," said Rear Adm. Bret Batchelder, commander, Carrier Strike Group 8.
As a result of OIR missions, analysts report a significant reduction in funding operations and estimate up to 45 percent of territory in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria has been seized from the terrorist force.
"Throughout deployment, more than 200 days at sea, the crew excelled in every opportunity to deliver direct and positive effects in theater, especially during Operation Inherent Resolve," said Capt. Ryan B. Scholl, Truman's commanding officer. "I couldn't be more proud of their performance."
Truman, the carrier strike group's flagship, began deployment conducting integrated carrier operations with the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle Strike Group over a six-week period in the Arabian Gulf.
During the coalition fight against ISIL, Truman and embarked CVW-7 completed 2,054 combat sorties, expending 1,598 pieces of precision ordnance--the most carrier-based ordnance throughout OIR--to degrade ISIL resources and leadership. "The close-air-support sorties we conducted supported coalition forces, taking the fight to ISIL," said Capt. David Little, commander, CVW-7. "By engaging dynamic terrorist targets and delivering precision guided ordnance we contributed significantly to the coalition goals of ultimately destroying ISIL."
Anzio, commanded by Capt. Frank Castellano, served as Air-Missile Defense Commander and expertly managed the congested battle space in the Arabian Gulf to enable uninterrupted air strikes in support of OIR. "The technology employed on board escort vessels, such as Anzio, allowed for early and accurate identification of inbound air traffic," said Castellano. "This early identification enabled prompt de-confliction and appropriate action, if required, to ensure the safety and security of U.S. and partner forces operating in the region."
Strike group destroyers performed escort and maritime interdiction missions as well as seven partnership-enhancing exercises. In addition, Gravely partnered with patrol ship USS Sirocco (PC 6) to seize more than 1,500 suspected Iranian arms in transport to Houthi Rebels in Yemen.
"The destroyers operating in Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28 conducted operations across a dispersed area, in support of OIR, theater security cooperation, and other national missions," said Capt. Derek Lavan, commander, DESRON-28. "In addition to escort duties for Truman, they demonstrated the Navy's flexibility and adaptability by successfully conducting simultaneous operations in the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation."
In June, the strike group disaggregated to support OIR from both the Arabian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea - marking the first time during OIR a U.S. carrier conducted air strikes from the Mediterranean. Although separated by distance, the strike group remained connected through seamless communications.
"I'm extremely proud of the Combat Systems and Information Operations teams that performed brilliantly during deployment," said Capt. Rod Burley, information warfare commander. "Their efforts provided, by far, the best off ship connectivity I've experienced on any deployment. Individual unit teams worked around the clock to ensure networks were secure, protected, and defended."
"The strike group was successful not only because of its exceptional Sailors, but because we were all part of a larger team effort," said Batchelder. "We had incredible collaboration across 65 nations and our joint partners, specifically the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, which is a testament to the global priority of OIR."
The squadrons of CVW-7 include the California-based "Wallbangers" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 117, the "Fist of the Fleet" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25, and the "Patriots" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140; the Virginia Beach-based "Rampagers" of VFA-83, the "Jolly Rogers" of VFA-103, the "Pukin' Dogs" of VFA-143, the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 and the "Nightdippers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5; and the Florida-based "Proud Warriors" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 72.
Batchelder summarized the feelings of the strike group's Sailors as CVW-7 launched their fly-off: "We can't thank our families and friends adequately for the love and support they provided over the entire deployment. They are patriots in the truest sense of the word and our many successes were built on their sacrifices and the strength they provided each and every day."
Air Wing aircraft returned to their home stations July 12.
NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO, Calif. U.S. Marines and the Mexican Navy ship ARM Usumacinta (A-412) conducted assault amphibious vehicle operations at Naval Base San Diego as part of the multinational exercise Rim of the Pacific, July 6, 2016.
Six U.S. Marine AAVs, attached to Company B, 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion, took part in the exercise. This event served as the initial certification for U.S. amphibious assault vehicles that embarked Usumacinta.
This exercise is really one of the first times that we were able to get some foreign crews familiarized with AAVs, their capabilities and limitations, and what we can offer a ground force as well as an amphibious force, said 1st Lt. Robert Plante, Company B, 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion. This evolution promotes joint operability that can pay dividends in the future.
The AAVs launched from Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in transit to the Usumacinta, moored at Naval Base San Diego. Mexican and U.S. forces worked side-by-side to safely recover the vehicles, guiding them onto the ships ramp and into the well deck. The scenario tested the Marine combat team's versatility, while providing realistic training to the Mexican navy.
We are certifying not just the vehicles but our signalmen and our trafficmen, said Lt. Diego Galeana, ARM Usumacintas officer in charge. This experience for the crew and the U.S. Marines has been a unique one. Through working together we are strengthening the partnership between U.S. and Mexican forces.
The Southern California portion of RIMPAC allows U.S. and partner nations to train together with sea and shore based commands. Participants will receive relevant and realistic training in amphibious operations, explosive ordnance disposal, mine warfare countermeasures, and dive operations.
Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971.
WASHINGTON Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the Air Combat Command commander, discussed the importance of air superiority and the need to assure it by modernizing the combat air force during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee in Washington, D.C., July 13.
This is the second of two hearings where ACC leaders have testified on air superioritys importance to the nations defense. Carlisles testimony followed a similar hearing with the ACC vice commander, Maj. Gen. Jerry Harris, at the National Museum of the Air Force on Jun 18. The purpose of the hearing was to discuss the United States future air dominance and the key role of fifth-generation fighter aircraft like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
America cannot effectively wield its military as an instrument of national power without the means to control the skies, Carlisle said. When our means can be challenged, our ability to deter and dissuade washes away and is replaced with an adversary who sees a weakness a weakness to be exploited and used to reinspire thoughts of armed conflict.
Currently, the Air Force conducts the air superiority mission with a mix of fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft, which include the F-15C Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 and F-35.
Todays air superiority mission rests upon a mix of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters, supported by a highly refined command and control network, and flown by the worlds best trained Airmen, Carlisle said. However, balancing future capacity, capabilities and readiness at the desired levels is near impossible within current financial constraints.
He stressed that while ACC continues to design and advocate strategies to define requirements, increase acquisition agility, and reduce procurement timelines and life cycle costs, these efforts can only go so far without the men and women who carry out the mission.
American Airmen are the best problem solvers in the world, Carlisle said. We need to give them the resources to solve this one the future of air superiority and we need to do everything in our power to keep them in our Air Force.
He went on to explain that while the nations air superiority capability remains at the highest level, near-peer adversaries are modernizing their capabilities to threaten U.S. enabling technologies and systems, such as the electromagnetic spectrum, space and cyberspace.
Although aircraft are some of the most expensive and challenging systems to develop and field, our competitors have made progress in the quest to match and counter American aerial capabilities, Carlisle said. We are witnessing the emergence of advanced aircraft such as the T-50 from Russia and the J-20 and J-31 from China, with full expectations that foreign military sales are in their future.
Carlisle stated that the Air Force is rising to these challenges through a strategy that deliberately capitalizes on the services strengths while exploiting adversary weaknesses, specifically in terms of achieving a decision advantage. He explained that the F-35 was a prime example of a weapon system that is able to process large and multiple sources of data, analyze and then display it to the warfighter to create an advantage over the adversary.
Carlisle also noted the F-35 acquisition schedule and projected service life of the remainder of the fighter fleet continue to drive a requirement for 1,763 F-35As in order to preserve sufficient air capability and capacity for the military. Currently, 48 F-35s are set to be produced annually, but in order to address shortfalls in the F-22 procurement, the desired production rate is 60.
According to Carlisle, continued investment in U.S. air superiority is critical, as adversaries will continue to test the nations might.
"Forty-four years ago, DESOTO 03 was the last (U.S.) Air Force air-to-air loss," he said, referring to the call sign of an F-4 Phantom II shot down over North Vietnam by a MiG-21. "(ACC) is tasked to ensure that never changes."
Upon concluding his testimony, Carlisle thanked the committee members for their service to the country and its armed forces, and for their support in assuring continued U.S. air superiority capabilities.
I have no doubt that this partnership will continue to propel our forces and the combat output so desperately desired by our combatant commanders, Carlisle said. I look forward to continued collaboration and the success it will bear for the joint force and our nation.
NEW ORLEANS Crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Cypress assisted the Institute for Marine Mamma Studies and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration in releasing two Pygmy Killer Whales more than 60 miles off the coast of Gulfport, Mississippi, Monday.
The two male pygmy killer whales were found stranded in a marsh near Waveland, Mississippi, by an angler Sept. 9, 2015. They were rescued and transported to IMSS for rehabilitation.
During rehabilitation, scientists learned about their health, behavior, and how to care for this species in the future.
"We are delighted to assist NOAA and IMMS in this release," said Lt. j.g. Summer Dupler, CGC Cypress operations officer. "Assistance to wildlife in distress is part of the mission of the Coast Guard."
FARNBOROUGH, England -- A British company is teaming up with the Air Force to design a system that could assess and even treat hypoxia-like symptoms in pilots before they become a threat.
Executives with Cobham Plc said the company is in the early stages of development with a system that could monitor a pilot's breathing, metabolic and physiological state and more by means of unobtrusive sensors mounted onto the pilot's breathing hose and mask.
Rob Schaeffer, product director for environmental systems at Cobham, told Military.com that the product development was in response to a request for proposals from the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
Cobham already builds the on-board oxygen generation systems used in F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and other fighter aircraft.
The request for proposals follows a troubling series of incidents in recent years. In 2011, the Air Force grounded its fleet of F-22 Raptors in order to investigate a pattern of pilot blackouts and other hypoxia-like symptoms. The force ultimately installed automatic oxygen backups in the aircraft.
More recently, Breaking Defense reported an uptick in "physiological events" indicative of oxygen deprivation symptoms for Navy F/A-18 Hornet pilots over the last five years.
Schaeffer emphasized that the root causes of these problems is not known, and hypoxia is only a hypothesis. The system now under development, he said, could isolate the root causes and generate data to help researchers determine when the problem occurs and how best to fix it.
While the current model of the system is platform-agnostic, linking in to a pilot's breathing apparatus, Cobham is also evaluating a platform-specific design that would be built into the aircraft.
"If you have a sensor like this, what we'd like to do is integrate this into the aircraft and make this an automated backup oxygen system," said Stuart Buckley, Cobham's senior director of business development and sales.
Cobham plans to deliver airworthy hardware to the Air Force by April 2017 for testing according to the service's flight protocols that would demonstrate the sensors' ability to collect pilot data and download it at the end of flight.
While there is no formal agreement with the Navy regarding the project, Schaeffer said the service is aware of it.
"We have participated in many briefings with [U.S. Naval Air Systems Command] and the Office of Naval Research, and there is a high degree of interest," he said.
The final solution could analyze pilot health in flight far beyond oxygen levels: Schaeffer said the company was looking at building in electrocardiogram capability and assessing factors like Gs pulled, climbing altitude, temperature, humidity and pressure to isolate causes of hypoxia-like incidents in order to solve the problem.
"If I can help the government find the root cause, I've got a better chance to solve the problem," Buckley said.
-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
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The value of military spouse employees has largely gone unrecognized, according to a new report that looks to build a business case for companies who are considering hiring military spouses.
The report, developed by the Institute of Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, examines data from a series of studies on military spouse employment, and uses it to present 10 positive spouse employee characteristics such as resilience, adaptability and resourcefulness.
"Outlining a business case that demonstrates military spouse strengths is a first step in helping corporations, businesses, hiring managers and human resource professionals understand why hiring military spouses is an advantageous component of a talent diversity strategy," the report says. "As a group military spouses are educated, motivated to work, and have attributes that employers value."
No complete data exists on the exact military spouse unemployment rate. Researchers estimate the rate to be between 12 and 18 percent, while over 30 percent of spouses examined in a 2013 study reported that they are underemployed based on education background.
Funded by Prudential Financial, the new paper marks the first time a non-military support organization has been a part of such an effort. All past reports and studies have been produced military affiliated organizations or the Defense Department.
"We know that more than one third of [military spouses] say they are unemployed or underemployed. We want to help turn that around by providing them with meaningful career opportunities," James Beamesderfer, Prudential's vice president of veterans initiatives said in a statement.
While most programs and efforts, including a past report from the Institute of Veterans and Military Families, focus on hiring veterans, researchers wanted to produce something that could be used specifically as a tool for hiring spouses, said Deborah Bradbard, a senior research associate at the organization.
"What we're trying to do here is say those veteran efforts have been successful because people have come to the table let's do the same thing with spouses," she said. "We want this to be sort of a hands-on set of products that can be part of that conversation."
Military spouse employment experts said they hope that businesses see Prudential's investment and take time to examine the subject for themselves.
"I think what's going to happen is it's going to gain traction on different levels for the folks that haven't been engaged prior to this," said Elizabeth O'Brien, who directs military spouse programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes. "It's going to bring in those folks who haven't been a part in the past."
The report was released today at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's quarterly meeting. It is the first in a series of three planned reports, officials said. The next two will build off the employee characteristics presented in the first paper by examining a series of military spouse case studies and giving managers guidance and others guidance on recruiting and hiring military spouses. Those reports are expected to be released late this year.
--Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @amybushatz.
U.S. Navy Adm. John Richardson will make his first trip to China as chief of naval operations next week to ease tensions over South China Sea territorial disputes and also get a look at China's aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, the Navy said Thursday.
Richardson, a career submariner, during the July 17-20 trip will also head to China's submarine academy in Qingdao, homeport of China's North Sea Fleet, and meet for the first time with Adm. Wu Shengli, commander of naval forces in the People's Liberation Army.
"I have been looking forward to this trip and to meeting Admiral Wu for some time," Richardson said. "These are important times for our two navies and for maritime forces throughout the region. As we seek to learn from each other, there is no substitute for these types of face-to-face meetings."
The agenda for Richardson's meetings will include discussions on the South China Sea, the ongoing Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises off Hawaii and the southern California coast, and future opportunities for the two navies to operate together, the Navy said.
The Liaoning, a Soviet-era Russian ship that China bought from Ukraine in 1998, was rebuilt in Chinese shipyards and commissioned in 2012. China has plans for three more short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR) carriers in the effort to become a "blue water navy" with global reach.
Richardson's China visit will come a week after the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued a stark ruling against China's wide-ranging territorial claims in the South China Sea and its construction of artificial islands.
However, the court has no method of enforcing its ruling and China on Thursday undertook a series of actions to show its defiance of the ruling in the case brought by the Philippines.
Two Chinese aircraft landed on disputed reefs in the South China Sea and Beijing's coast guard reportedly blocked a Filipino boat from a contested shoal. China's state media also said that the country had completed construction of four lighthouses on disputed reefs and was beginning to build a fifth.
Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims in the South China Sea which conflict with China's so-called "nine-dash line" on maps encompassing nearly all of the South China Sea.
In addition, China challenged the legitimacy of the court and its ruling. A commentary in the official news agency Xinhua said that the tribunal "in the South China Sea arbitration is nothing but a puppet tribunal established at the unilateral request of the former Philippine government, and its so-called award' by no means represents international law."
The U.S. has called for calm and renewed diplomacy while suggesting that the various claimants in the South China Sea consider negotiations on joint development of the region's fish and mineral resources.
"We are trying to encourage them to use this decision (by the tribunal) as the basis for discussion and potentially basis for agreement on exploring things like joint development," a senior State Department official said on background Tuesday.
--Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman said in a televised speech late Friday that all parties, including the opposition, reject the ongoing coup attempt after the army announced earlier that they took over the country, local media reported.
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MADISON, Wis. Soldiers from a Wisconsin Army National Guard medevac unit answered the call for help in the aftermath of major flooding in northern Wisconsin this week.
The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa notified Wisconsin Emergency Management July 13 that five members of the tribe living on the Bad River Reservation needed to find a way to get to their dialysis treatment in Ashland, Wisconsin.
Severe weather, torrential rains and extreme flooding that struck northern Wisconsin July 12 prompted a state of emergency declaration and cut off road access to the reservation, making it impossible for the dialysis patients to travel to medical treatment facilities in Ashland.
Enter the Wisconsin National Guard, which received the mission from WEM and dispatched a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from Company F, 2nd Battalion, 238th Aviation to the Bad River Casino parking lot, where the five dialysis patients were waiting. The flight crew took two separate trips to transport the patients to the local airport in Ashland where first responders waited to transport them to the treatment facility.
Four Soldiers from the West Bend, Wisconsin-based flight crew responded to the medevac mission and were grateful for the opportunity to lend a helping hand.
"People were really excited to be able to get the opportunity to help out here, especially on stateside mission where we're flying all the time," said Capt. Robert Hofer, the pilot in command. "The crew did just a phenomenal job. From the start everyone was completely engaged, and the mission went really well."
Hofer noted that the Soldiers in the unit have trained for medevac missions for years. In recent years the unit has conducted extensive military medevac training in exercises and at places like the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. Having the chance to apply those skills on a real-world mission where people were in need was a rewarding experience, he said.
"Being able to do what we've trained to do and actually help people in need was really rewarding," he said. "Personally I think the medevac mission is one of the most noble missions that the Army has. So being able to go out there and do it was really great."
He credited his crew with ensuring the dialysis patients were comfortable and well cared for.
"Looking in the back of the aircraft and seeing the people get in, you could see they were nervous at first, but the crew members in the back Staff Sgt. [Paul] Thomas and Sgt. [Jon] Walsh really made them feel comfortable about flying on the aircraft," he said. "Our flight medic actually spent a portion of the flight sitting next to one of the ladies who was really scared to fly."
The unit had transported all five of the patients within an hour-and-a-half of receiving the mission.
Residents of the Bad River Reservation were grateful for the Guard's assistance.
"When I saw that helicopter I just started crying because I knew that our people who needed dialysis were going to get help," Esie Leoso-Corbine, the director of social and family services at Bad River, said.
"It was a relief that they were getting the dire medical attention they needed in order to sustain life," she added. "So everyone that was standing there, there were tears coming down."
Fulfilling the medevac mission was at the very core of the National Guard's unique dual-mission as the first military responder in the homeland in times of emergency and as the primary combat reserve of the Army and Air Force. The Soldiers that responded to the medevac mission did so in their traditional Title 32 state status a status unique to the National Guard that allows Soldiers and Airmen to respond immediately to state emergencies.
The Wisconsin National Guard remains ready to assist as needed. The state of emergency declaration gives the adjutant general the authority to call National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to state active duty, if deemed necessary, though at this point, no Guard members are serving in a state active duty status. The Wisconsin National Guard's Situational Awareness Tool is deployed to northern Wisconsin to monitor and assess the situation on the ground.
A gunman smashed a truck into a crowd of revellers celebrating Bastille Day in the French Riviera city of Nice, killing at least 84 people in what President Francois Hollande on Friday called a "terrorist" attack.
Police shot the driver dead after he drove the truck two kilometres (1.3 miles) through a crowd that had been enjoying a fireworks display on France's July 14 national holiday.
The palm-lined Promenade des Anglais was left strewn with bodies as hundreds fled in terror.
Authorities said they found identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian citizen in the 19-tonne truck, and that the driver had fired a gun several times before police shot him dead.
The man was known to police, authorities said.
Hollande said in a televised national address that the attack was of an "undeniable terrorist nature" and he confirmed that several children were among the dead.
"France was struck on its national day ... the symbol of freedom," said Hollande.
Interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said 84 people were killed and scores injured, including 18 in "critical condition".
Bastille Day is a celebration of everything France holds dear -- its secular republic and the values of "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite" (Freedom, Equality, Fraternity).
Earlier Thursday, onlookers had enjoyed a day of military pomp and ceremony in Paris -- where armed forces, tanks and fighter jets swooped down the Champs Elysees avenue -- and spectacular firework displays.
In a video viewed over 4,500 times on Facebook, a trembling Tarubi Wahid Mosta recounted the horror on the promenade, where he took photos of an abandoned doll and pushchair and came home with a victim's Yorkshire terrier.
"I almost stepped on a corpse, it was horrible. It looked like a battlefield," he said.
In a series of posts, he described the sense of helplessness faced with the carnage.
"All these bodies and their families ... they spent hours on the ground holding the cold hands of bodies dismembered by the truck. You can't even speak to them or comfort them."
Forensic police were still swarming the promenade as the sun rose over the picturesque bay, which has drawn sun-seekers and the jet-set since the 19th century.
The truck was still in the position where it had ground to a halt, its front badly damaged and riddled with bullet holes and its tyres burst.
A police source said the vehicle had been rented in the region "a few days ago".
Robert Holloway, an AFP reporter who witnessed the white truck driving at speed into the crowd, described scenes of "absolute chaos".
"We saw people hit and bits of debris flying around. I had to protect my face from flying debris," he said.
While officials made an urgent call for blood donors, dozens took to Twitter with desperate pleas from for news of loved ones.
Pictures of a young girl with braces or a teenager pulling a funny face were among those posted.
World leaders rushed to condemn the carnage, with US President Barack Obama blasting "what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack".
The attack was the third major strike against France in less than 18 months and prosecutors said anti-terrorist investigators were handling the probe.
It comes eight months after Islamic State attacks on bars, restaurants, a concert hall and the national stadium in Paris left 130 people dead.
Hollande announced he would extend France's state of emergency for three months in the wake of this latest attack and "step up" the government's action against Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq.
"We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil," he said.
He also called up army reservists to bolster security services that are stretched to the limit.
France has been under a state of emergency ever since the November 13 Paris carnage, which came after 17 were killed in another attack in January at various sites including the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a Jewish supermarket.
IS has repeatedly singled out France as a prime target for its military action against the group in Iraq and Syria, and hundreds of jihadists have left France to go and fight in its ranks.
A witness named Nader told BFM television he had seen the whole attack from start to finish, and had initially thought the driver had "lost control".
"He stopped just in front of me after he (crushed) a lot of people. I saw a guy in the street, we were trying to speak to the driver to get him to stop.
"He looked nervous. There was a girl under the car, he smashed her. The guy next to me pulled her out," he said in broken English.
Nader said he saw the driver pull out a gun and start shooting at police.
"They killed him and his head was out the window."
A source close to the investigation said an "inactive" grenade was found inside the truck, as well as "several fake rifles".
Over the past week, France had been breathing a sigh of relief after successfully hosting the month-long Euro 2016 football championship, which passed off without incident despite fears of attacks.
The tournament brought an all-too-brief burst of joy to a gloomy France, bogged down after the two attacks in 2015, violent anti-government protests, strikes and floods.
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Identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian were found inside the truck which barrelled through a crowd of Bastille Day revellers in Nice, killing 77, a police source said Friday.
"The identification of the truck driver is still underway," said the source. The identity papers indicate the man is a resident of Nice.
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Leaders of Asia and Europe condemned international terrorism at a summit in Mongolia Friday, as an attack in Nice drew attention away from Beijing's rejection of a tribunal ruling dismissing its extensive South China Sea claims.
The biennial Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is supposed to be a venue for increasing cooperation across the Eurasian region and exploring ways to strengthen global agreements governing everything from trade to civil aviation.
Counter-terrorism efforts were already due to be discussed, but the issue was given renewed urgency by the carnage in Nice, where a truck ploughed into Bastille Day revellers, killing at least 84 in what President Francois Hollande called a "terrorist" attack.
Leaders and representatives of governments from Ireland to Indonesia held a minute's silence for the victims at the opening of the summit in Ulan Bator.
In a statement they condemned "heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks" and pledged to fight "the plague of terrorism".
European Council President Donald Tusk said: "It's a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity."
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that "despicable terrorism engulfing innocent people can never be forgiven", and German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that "we are all united in shock".
France's foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault cut short his visit and prepared to return to Paris, thanking the dignitaries for their "spontaneous and sincere solidarity towards the French people".
"The whole world shares France's ordeal," he told AFP.
The gathering was the first major international conference since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled, in a case brought by the Philippines, that Beijing's claims to much of the strategically vital South China Sea have no legal foundation.
The Asian giant, which boycotted the hearings, says the tribunal has no jurisdiction, and has poured scorn on the verdict.
But participants defied its demands that the subject should not be brought up at ASEM, crticicising Beijing by emphasising the importance of respecting the global legal frameworks that undergird cooperation on terrorism, among other issues.
"Dialogue and a strong commitment to the rules based international order are necessary," said Tusk during the opening ceremony.
Manila has pledged not to "taunt or flaunt" the verdict, but its foreign minister Perfecto Yasay told the summit it "strongly affirms its respect for this milestone decision", calling for "all parties to exercise restraint and sobriety".
Tokyo is embroiled in a territorial dispute of its own with Beijing, and in remarks to reporters Abe brought up the South China Sea in the same breath as terrorism and North Korea as an issue of international concern.
Earlier he met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the summit sidelines, but did not give details about their discussion.
The criticism comes as Beijing, a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, seeks a greater presence on the global diplomatic stage.
It hoped to use the ASEM summit -- official theme "Partnership for the Future through Connectivity" -- as an opportunity to showcase its global initiatives, such as the One Belt, One Road programme, an ambitious plan to build infrastructure projects across the Eurasian region.
China has sought to assert its claims in the South China Sea by building a network of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations, and this week reiterated its right to declare an Air Defence Identification Zone in the area, which would demand civilian flights submit to the authority of its military.
Other issues on the agenda at ASEM included Britain's vote to leave the European Union.
Following his meeting with Abe, the EU's Tusk sought to reassure Asian countries over the grouping's future, saying that "the European Union remains an engaged and active global player".
"We will continue to do so as an EU of 27 states, once the UK leaves," he added. "There is no shift in our foreign policy."
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The following people were sentenced June 28, 2016, in circuit court.
14th CIRCUIT COURT
MUSKEGON COUNTY
Judge Timothy G. Hicks
Jeffrey Scott Anderson, 25, of Muskegon Heights, 25 days jail (time served), 18 months probation, for concealed weapons, $1,158 fees/costs.
Steven Lynn Bailey, 28, of Muskegon Heights, 363 days jail (time served) for controlled substance possession marijuana second or subsequent offense, and domestic violence aggravated assault, $1,291 fees/costs, sanctions reportable to State Police suspended for 365 days.
William Griffith Brown, 38, of Grand Blanc, 126 days jail (time served), for probation violation of 2011 charges of interfering with electronic communications and domestic violence, $901.20 fees/costs.
Gerald Dwayne Clark, 54, of Muskegon, 15 months to 15 years Michigan Department of Corrections for accessory after the fact of a felony, fourth-time habitual offender, $198 fees/costs.
Patrick Andrew Dunham, 44, of Muskegon Heights, 48 days jail (time served), 60 months probation for embezzlement between $1,000 and $20,000, $19,601 restitution/fees/costs, and controlled substance possession less than 25 grams, $64.95 balance restitution/fees/costs.
Aimee Lynn Ferguson, 31, of Belding, 11 days jail (time served), 12 months probation for embezzlement between $1,000 and $20,000, $26,121.44 restitution/fees/costs.
Brittney Janelle Sharp, 22, of Muskegon, two years MDOC for firearm discharge in a building, receiving/concealing firearms and felony firearm, $394 fees/costs.
Gregory Speech, 49, of Muskegon Heights, 23 months to 10 years MDOC for felony firearm possession, concealed weapons, third-time habitual offender, probation violation of a 2014 charge of felony firearm possession, $1,583.60 balance fees/costs.
Patrick John Slack, 53, of Muskegon, one to eight years MDOC for controlled substance deliver/manufacture, controlled substance possession marijuana, fourth-time habitual offender, $716 fees/costs.
Malachi Barrett covers community news for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email him at mbarret1@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter @PolarBarrett or on Facebook.
NORTON SHORES, MI - Facing the potential of 20 years in prison, a former bookkeeper who stole nearly $208,000 from Western Michigan Christian High School will spend no more than 12 months in jail.
Kathleen Wilkie pleaded guilty to embezzlement over $100,000 Friday before 14th Circuit Judge William Marietti. She told the judge she stole from the private school between March 2009 and December 2015.
The judge said he agreed to an agreement that Wilkie serve not more than 12 months in jail, with work release, and she be ordered to pay $207,957 in restitution. She will be formally sentenced at 1:15 p.m. Aug. 23.
Wilkie, 56, worked for the school for 18 years until the alleged embezzlement was discovered late last year, according to a statement released by the school. Tighter controls uncovered the payroll "irregularities," according to the statement.
She was arrested in April.
Parents pay tuition to send their children to the private school, which has grades seven through 12. Based in Norton Shores, Western Michigan Christian has students from Muskegon, Ottawa, Oceana, and Newaygo counties.
Lynn Moore is a reporter for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at lmoore8@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
SAGINAW, MI -- A regional convention of Jehovah's Witnesses is coming this weekend to The Dow event center in downtown Saginaw.
The convention is scheduled for Friday, July 15, through Sunday, July 17, with doors opening at 8:15 a.m. each day. The program's theme is "Remain Loyal to Jehovah."
Events are scheduled from 9:20 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 9:20 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, and the public is welcome.
Witness volunteers from across the state gathered on Thursday, July 14, to clean the event center in preparation for the event.
Wayne M. Schmeling, the regional media contact for the event, said the group wants the event center to be "as clean as it can possibly be" for the event. He said it's also an act of goodwill.
"If we can do something that can help (The Dow event center), then we're glad to do it," he said.
This year's program will consist of 49 presentations on the theme of loyalty, according to a press release.
In addition, the Witnesses have prepared 35 video segments for the program and two short feature films to be shown on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday, there will be a water baptism for those who have dedicated their lives to Jehovah. On Sunday, the public is invited to a discussion on the topic, "When Will Loyal Love Triumph Over Hatred?"
The convention is expected to draw 3,500 to 4,000 attendees, Schmeling said. That's about how many attended the first part of the convention at The Dow last weekend.
The Dow has hosted the annual two-weekend event since 2006, and dates are reserved for the event to continue there through 2021, Schmeling said.
"We rent a total of 4,385 hotel rooms with a total cost of $357,756, and with the average American spending roughly $33 a day when they travel, and with about 9,000 people attending, that's quite an economic impact," he said.
Matt Blasy, the general manager of The Dow said the convention is "a positive for the community."
"The hotels and the restaurants and the impact it has on our region is pretty significant," he said.
Schmeling said the free event is family friendly and Bible based.
"You will gain knowledge from the Bible," he said.
Learn more about the convention here and learn more about the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses here.
Heather Jordan is a reporter for MLive. She can be reached at 989-450-2652 or hjordan@mlive.com. For more news, follow her on Twitter.
Scene in Alma where seven-year-old boy accidentally shot stepfather to death
Officials with the Alma Police Department responded to reports of a man covered in blood in the 800 block of E. Superior Thursday, July 14, 2016. The 27-year-old man was pronounced dead at an area hospital.
(Jeff Schrier | MLive.com)
Update: Alma woman charged with murder following death of 27-year-old man
ALMA, MI -- A bloodied man who police say was assaulted in Alma died as a result of his injuries, and police have arrested a woman he knew in connection with his death.
Alma police officers were dispatched about 7:44 p.m. Thursday, July 14, to investigate a 911 hang-up and follow-up calls concerning a man who was "covered in blood" on the 800 block of E. Superior, according to an Alma Police Department news release.
Upon arrival, officers rendered medical aid to the 27-year-old man. Mobile Medical Response then transported him to MidMichigan Medical Center-Gratiot, where he was later pronounced dead, the release states.
Two family members accompanied the victim and gave police information that led to the apprehension of a 21-year-old woman he knew who lived in the home where the alleged attack occurred, according to police.
The subsequent police investigation and interviews of the woman led to her arrest. She is expected to be arraigned Friday, July 15.
The victim's name was not included in the police department's initial press release. The Saginaw News could not immediately reach the detective handling the case for comment Friday morning.
Alma Police Department was assisted by St. Louis Police Department, Gratiot County Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police Crime Lab, Mobile Medical Response and Gratiot County 911.
Heather Jordan is a reporter for MLive. She can be reached at 989-450-2652 or hjordan@mlive.com. For more news, follow her on Twitter.
New British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will meet Sunday with EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini, but she has scrapped a dinner for him and his 27 counterparts to discuss Brexit, officials said.
Brussels is the first trip abroad for Johnson -- who campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union in the June 23 referendum -- since he was appointed on Wednesday by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Former London mayor Johnson and Mogherini will "meet Sunday evening for an initial contact," her spokeswoman Catherine Ray said, before a full meeting of all 28 EU foreign ministers on Monday.
But contrary to what had been planned, "there will be no dinner for foreign ministers Sunday evening," she said without giving a reason for the change.
The ministers will on Monday formally discuss the conflicts in Syria and Libya as well as the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, including at a breakfast with visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Officials in Brussels insist they will welcome Johnson like any new foreign minister to Brussels -- where he lived in the 1990s as a journalist -- even though he had led the British campaign to leave.
May's decision to appoint the eccentric Johnson as Britain's top diplomat raised eyebrows around the world as he is known for his distinctly undiplomatic gaffes about a host of foreign leaders.
During his visit to Brussels, Johnson will hold his first talks with his EU counterparts, including Jean-Marc Ayrault of France who said Johnson "lied a lot" during the referendum campaign.
The Sunday dinner was to have tackled the impact Britain's exit will have on EU foreign policy and its ability to mount military operations, a diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Britain's defence budget is the largest in the bloc.
However, the diplomat said, several EU member governments opposed holding the dinner, saying it would amount to informal negotiations with London before May's cabinet has formally notified Brussels of its intent to leave the bloc.
May has told the leaders of France and Germany that she would "need some time" to prepare for triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty.
Johnson's own influence in the Brexit process may be limited however as she has named leading Conservative eurosceptic David Davis as a special minister for Brexit.
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SANFORD, MI -- A memorial to the 58,479 U.S. service members killed or missing in the wake of the Vietnam War is currently on display in Sanford.
The Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the well-known Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., is on display for nearly four days from July 14 to 18.
Sanford's American Legion Post 443, 2080 N. Meridian, is hosting the memorial.
U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, is the congressman who represents the area and said the memorial "serves as a powerful reminder about the price that has been paid to defend freedom."
"Our veterans know more than anyone about the ultimate sacrifice that was made by the men and women listed on The Moving Wall," Moolenaar said. "We thank them and their families for all they have done for our country."
The Moving Wall is on display around the clock, from the opening ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14, until the closing ceremony at 2 p.m. Monday, July 18.
The Moving Wall organization -- headquartered in White Pine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula -- has been traveling the country for the last 32 years.
The national Vietnam Veterans Memorial was built 34 years ago in 1982.
John Devitt, a former helicopter door gunner and Army veteran, founded the Michigan organization in 1984 after attending the 1982 dedication ceremony of the national memorial.
According to the group's website, Devitt "felt the power" of "The Wall" and "vowed to share that experience with those who did not have the opportunity to go to Washington."
Devitt, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall, and it went on display for the first time in October 1984 in Tyler, Texas.
Two versions of The Moving Wall now travel the country from April through November, spending about a week at each site.
The memorial has been on display in several Michigan communities, including a stop in Auburn in 2014, Birch Run in 2012, White Cloud in 2010, Brighton in 2008, Lapeer in 2007 and Oscoda in 2005.
It's not the only Vietnam War memorial in the area this month.
The Michigan Vietnam Memorial Wall, which honors Michigan veterans killed during the war, will be on display in Saginaw's Old Town district on July 16 and 17.
There is also an organized motorcycle ride from Saginaw scheduled on July 16 to view The Moving Wall in Sanford.
Mark Tower covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-284-4807, by email at mtower@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.
Campaign 2016 Trump
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence speaks during the Innovation Showcase, Thursday, July 14, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
(Darron Cummings)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump has offered Mike Pence the job of vice president, and Trump aides have told the Indiana governor the formal announcement could be made on Saturday.
That's according to a Republican with direct knowledge of the process, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the details of Trump's search for a running mate.
Trump made the offer Thursday afternoon, before Pence traveled late in the day to New York, the Republican said. The announcement had been planned for Friday morning in midtown Manhattan, but Trump delayed his plans after the truck attack in Nice, France, that left more than 80 people dead.
The staunchly conservative Pence, who is 57, served six terms in Congress before being elected governor and could help Trump navigate Capitol Hill. He's well-regarded by evangelical Christians, particularly after signing a law that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
The announcement delay created a complication for Pence. He's up for re-election in Indiana, but state law requires him to withdraw from that race by noon Friday if he's joining Trump on the Republican ticket.
Pence's team has drawn up the paperwork for the withdrawal, the Republican said, but as of Friday morning, the documents had not been submitted.
Trump's frenetic decision-making process was made more complicated by the fact that the businessman was in California Thursday for a series of fundraisers, isolated from nearly all of his closest advisers, including his three adult children and his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Frustration among Trump and his advisers mounted because of news reports that Pence was the pick, sending top aides scrambling to insist no final decision had been made.
The billionaire said in a series of television interviews Thursday night that he'd not yet settled on a "final, final" choice, leaving open the possibility the unpredictable presumptive nominee could change his mind.
But Manafort said Friday morning he believed Trump had "reached a decision but he isn't prepared to announce it yet."
Manafort dismissed suggestions in an interview on Fox News Channel that Trump was having second thoughts about his choice. He said Trump was planning on making an announcement this weekend.
A second Republican said Friday he spoke to Trump on Thursday morning, and the New York real estate mogul said he had chosen Pence and would be calling the governor to make the offer and ask him to fly to New York.
That Republican also spoke on condition of anonymity, because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the conversation.
Trump's prospective choice of Pence as his running mate adds political experience -- and a dose of unflappability -- to the Republican presidential ticket.
Pence would be a reliably conservative No. 2 with a calm demeanor and deep ties to Washington. His apparent selection signals Trump is serious about addressing GOP concerns about his own conservative credentials and lack of Washington experience.
Trump also seriously considered offering the running mate post to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to people familiar with the process.
In a brief interview with The Associated Press Friday morning, Gingrich said he had still not been told by Trump that he would not be the choice.
After spending much of Thursday in Indianapolis, Pence flew to New York. Local television stations posted video showing him arriving at a private airport outside New York and then entering a hotel.
Trump has little time to re-schedule his announcement. The Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland Monday.
Top party officials are already in Cleveland, where a committee voted late Thursday to rebuff a push to let delegates vote for any presidential candidate they'd like. It was a major blow to Republican foes of Trump who have been working to try to thwart his nomination.
Pence would have the backing of GOP leaders and ease some of their concerns about Trump's political inexperience and volatile temperament.
Pence also has influential allies in Trump's inner circle. But some of Trump's children, who have been closely advising their father, were said to favor different candidates.
The French government will put US$1 million toward a feasibility study for a 690-megawatt hydropower project in Rakhine State, ministry officials said yesterday.
The Ministry of Electricity and Energy agreed to the funding during a visit by the French minister for foreign affairs and international development to Nay Pyi Taw last month, said U Aye San, direct general at the Department of Hydropower Implementation.
He proposed funding a feasibility study for the Laymyo hydropower project in Rakhine State. [Brussels-based] Tractebel will do the survey. Further steps in the project have not been discussed yet.
The Laymyo dam was suspended by the previous government.
Another ministry official said Tractebel has been working on the project for two years.
The company has been involved since the former government was in power, but the project was suspended in 2014 without a clear policy, said U Aung Ko Ko, a director from Department of Electric Power Planning.
The project was originally due to be built as a cascade system Laymyo 1 would provide 600MW and Laymyo 2 would provide 90MW according to U Aung Ko Ko.
Now we are preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding for the project. The Presidents Office has already approved it, he said.
Myanmar has the potential to produce than 100GW of hydropower resources, mainly from its major rivers such as the Ayeyarwady, the Chindwin, the Thanlwin and the Sittaung.
But only 3GW has been developed so far according to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
The government targets 100 percent electrification by 2030, while only 30pc of the population has access to electricity at present.
There are more than 50 hydropower projects around the country at the planning stage or in the process of being built, according to the ministry.
Many more were suspended by the former government due to their environmental and social impact, or financing issues.
High-rise developers ordered to drastically change the designs of their projects are planning to challenge the government, on the basis that its review of Yangon developments was not transparent.
A high-rise inspection committee was formed last month to review 64 unfinished projects across the city, to ensure they were in line with draft zoning plans. The committee gave its first round of feedback to 12 developers earlier this week.
Almost all 12 have been told to cut floors from their project designs. In some cases they will have to knock down floors already built while, in others, companies have pre-sold apartments which they are now not allowed to build.
The Yangon Region government planned a small press conference yesterday to explain its decision, but later cancelled it, claiming too many people had turned up. Among the crowds were several developers, hoping for an explanation.
U Zay Win Htut from Naing Group, which is developing a 20-floor project on East Horse Racecourse Road, said he feels cheated after being told to cut the number of floors to 16 because the project does not have enough parking spaces.
The company will challenge Yangon City Development Committee, because the project complied with all the previous governments rules. We will meet with the person responsible, because we have no idea which standards they used to make this decision. They have not given us the method, only the result, he said.
We do not want to knock down floors, which cost around K3 billion each to build. This is a huge loss for us. In the worst case, we hope we can use the lower floors, which were supposed to be used as office space, to extend the car park.
He said his company will seek advice from lawyers, because the project had permission from the previous government. This is a very bad way to treat people who have been following the law. The [current government] should have passed a new law before doing this review. Now there is no new law, and [the committee is] using its results as law, he said.
When the review was announced in May, the head of YCDCs engineering department (building) U Than Htay explained it by saying, The standard adopted in the past might not be the same as the standard we adopt now.
U Tin Than Oo, who consults on property law, said angry developers can turn to the legal system. In my opinion, developers have a chance to solve this problem the legal way. But it is their responsibility to compensate customers for the pre-sale of apartments [that will not be built].
Yangon developers usually sell units through pre-sales, whereby buyers pay for an apartment before it is built, either upfront or through an instalment system, with payments tied to progress at the construction site.
U Win Naing of Pyae Soan Win Naing, the developer of The Illustra, a high-profile luxury project on Phoe Sein Road, also plans to complain after being told to cut the number of floors at his project by an unspecified amount.
We will complain about this. The result is unclear and [the committee] does not know anything about our project. I think other developers will complain too, because all of the results are unreasonable, he said.
A spokesperson for Living Square, the developer of Kabaraye Executive Residence, said his company had followed all the rules set out by the previous government. The project was due to reach 32 floors, but the government has told the company to stop building at 18.
We have invested around US$30 million and we have already bought construction materials for the whole building, because we were granted a permit to build. That is why if they cut the size of our high-rise now, we will suffer big losses, he said.
The company will ask the government to reconsider its decision. If it refuses, they will seek legal help, he said. Our project has foreign partners including contractors and architects, so if the government treats us in this way, foreign investors will be afraid too.
U Kyaw Kyaw Naing, developer of i-Green company, which is building a 12.5-storey project on Sein Lae May Yeikthar Road, said his company will lose around K1.6 billion in construction costs if the government follows through with an order to demolish four floors that have already been built. Commenting as a major developer in Yangon with joint-venture foreign partners, Daw Sandar Htun of Shwe Taung Development said the government should create a stable business environment.
We believe business certainty is a key factor in attracting investment, both foreign and local, and that clarity on the rules and regulations will certainly help to bring more investment into our country, she said.
Mya Myitzu, the innovative designer behind Rangoon Tea House, returned to Yangon in 2012 after a decade in California, where she honed her skills styling celebrity homes with famed interior designer Kelly Wearstler. She has since designed some of Yangons most stylish interiors, and her latest project, the Indochine-inspired Rau Ram, is set to become Yangons hippest new hangout.
Weekend caught up with Mya Myitzu at the uber-stylish new restaurant to talk inspiration, chinoiserie, and why money does not buy taste.
Have you always been interested in design?
I went to international school with students from all over the world, and even at a young age I was fascinated by how different their homes were from mine, and how culture affects the makings of our homes. Once, when I was in eighth grade, I discovered a book by John Falconer called Burmese Design and Architecture and I took it upon myself to renovate my entire bedroom much to my mothers dismay.
Ten years later, I was working at an interior design firm in Beverly Hills, and I saw a copy of Burmese Design and Architecture on a shelf in the office. It was as if this book followed me there: like things had come full circle. Life is funny like that, I guess.
Is there a particular period or style that appeals to you?
It is hard to choose as there are so many periods and styles from which inspiration can be drawn. I love to collaborate with my clients and tailor designs to suit who they are and what they like.
The concepts that appeal to me personally are a mixture of brutalist architectural details and clean contemporary interiors. Of course, I also love local Myanmar design but not in the traditional sense. I have been exploring and experimenting with a fresher, lighter, younger version of what Myanmar design could be, as I believe there is a future for this.
Rau Ram is your second project for Pun + Projects it seems like youre a perfect match.
I got to know Ivan [Pun, founder of Pun + Projects] after the launch of the TS1 gallery. I really loved what was done there, and hope that in the near future more dockyards can be devoted to small businesses especially art galleries. Ivan is an incredible tastemaker he travels the world and collects design and art vibes like a CIA agent.
Ivan and I connect as friends due to our love of all design. When he wants to try a Beverly Hills palms wall motif with chinoiserie, I do not bat an eyelash. When I suggest adding chevron patterned black and white tiles and opium-house inspired sofas, he is game. I think we are both design-conscious enough to know it will all work together.
What was the inspiration behind the design for Rau Ram?
The inspiration was definitely the movie Indochine (1992). It is serendipitous to say this because when Catherine Deneuve who stars in the movie came to Myanmar last year, Ivan and I hosted a private dinner in her honour.
We also worked on a concept file, gathering all these images of Indochina, from fashion references and architectural details of doors and awnings down to materials like the speciality inlaid bamboo which was produced by Ivans own factory as part of his new Paribawga furniture line.
Whats next?
I am in the process of refurbishing a 30,000-square-foot former factory into a multiplex which will launch soon, and the new Rangoon Tea House has already been designed it will be very exciting to share the updated look with customers.
Do you have any favourite interior design trends?
I am not a follower of design trends but there are design elements that I like, and hope to keep using in future projects. I will always love doing statement bathrooms, and using hip but stark materials such as black stainless steel, brass and metals is always fun. I will also never tire of using marble Mother Nature is truly the greatest artist.
Engineered and innovative materials are on the rise in Myanmar. I find Dekton sheets (available through the Luxe Design Hub at Pearl Condo) very interesting they make for highly durable table tops, walls and even flooring.
Any design hates?
The interiors of some of the houses in some of Myanmars luxury neighborhoods, like Golden Valley and Inya Road. I understand many people are cash-rich here some of these homes are worth as much as some of the homes I worked on in Beverly Hills but sooner or later the owners have to realise that good design is part of the homes equity, even in an highly inflated market.
We cannot continue to live in an uninspiring world where, just because you have money, you go and buy every available colour and pattern of tile from Thanlyin Homeport and stick it everywhere without rhyme or reason, all over the inside of the house, and even on the fence.
What tips do you have for people who want to inject a bit of design into their homes?
Buy some design books, but since you wont have the help of drafters, interior designers or engineers, remember to keep it simple, comfortable and manageable. Even a wooden hut with good air conditioning and an open-plan kitchen is better than a city apartment with terrible curtains and tiles. And remember there is almost nothing a coat of paint cant fix.
Adding to the backlash against hardline nationalist group Ma Ba Tha, the Union religious affairs minister yesterday warned the group to stay away from hate speech, or face legal retribution.
Ma Ba Thas future may be uncertain if they spread hate speech to create conflicts between religions ... and among races, AFP reported the religious affairs minister, Thura U Aung Ko, as saying yesterday at the conclusion of a two-day meeting of senior Buddhist officials. He added that the government is trying to create stability.
The State Buddhist authority, the Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, has disavowed Ma Ba Tha, and said it does not, and has never, recognised the anti-Muslim group as an official order.
The Committee for the Protection of Nationality and Religion had claimed that it was formed in line with the Sangha charter.
The disassociation delivered a crushing blow to the incendiary monk-led groups legitimacy and has cast uncertainty over its future. The Sangha had previously been quiet on the issue as Ma Ba Tha leveraged the association for political clout.
In the three years of its existence, Ma Ba Tha has often been accused of stoking anti-Muslim sentiment and has led the charge in several anti-Muslim protests. Prominent members have disseminated rhetoric decried as hate speech amid an upsurge in sectarian violence across the nation.
But the religious affairs minister warned new legislation will give the government more muscle to prevent such incitement.
We have been trying to finalise the draft hate speech law, which has involved consultation with leaders from interfaith groups and organisations representing every religion, Thura U Aung Ko said at the meeting with the senior Buddhist clerics.
Outspoken Ma Ba Tha member U Wirathu is already potentially facing a defamation charge. The Myanmar Times learned that a charity group called Thet Daw Saunt (bodyguard) filed a lawsuit against the monk for a 2015 protest during which he referred to the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar as a whore.
Police in Tarmwe township said they are waiting for instructions from the Sangha in order to proceed.
U Wirathu has not taken easily to the tarnishing of his reputation or to the existential threat posed to Ma Ba Tha. He shot back with a Facebook post accusing the Sangha of falling prey to the influences of a dictatorial womans government, an apparent reference to State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
But U Tun Nyunt, director of the Yangon religious affairs department, said yesterday that the Sanghas decision was made freely and independently. Commenting on recent developments, U Tun Nyunt offered a spiritual parallel.
Our Buddha was also accused and assaulted by a woman as an embryo, he said.
In a statement released on July 12, Ma Ba Tha sought to clarify its status by alleging it is actually a religious missionary group comprised of monks and individuals committed to resolving religious tensions through peaceful means.
Thura U Aung Kos rebuke yesterday came as surprise after his own previous, positive dealings with Ma Ba Tha. The minister courted controversy when, soon after taking up the mantle of his new post, he met with U Wirathu.
He also raised the ire of some but the support of the nationalists after remarks about religious minorities. In an April interview with Voice of America, Thura U Aung Ko said that Muslims and Hindus are not entitled to be full citizens.
The minister was clear in his repudiation of Ma Ba Tha yesterday however, amid a campaign by the new government against the nationalists.
Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein spearheaded the move, after he openly called for the group to be disbanded, saying it is unnecessary and redundant earlier this month.
Additional reporting by Laignee Barron
Residents from all 17 Rakhine State townships are signing on to a petition demanding that they be given local control over their natural resources, the most notable of which is oil, said Jockai Khaing, director of Arakan Oil Watch.
The 2008 constitution gives the central government the right to control all the countrys natural resources above and below the ground, above and beneath the water and in the atmosphere leaving local, regional and state governments with little say in the matter.
It is expected that 300,000 signatures will be collected all over the state in this petition about decentralisation, Jockai Khaing said. Whether natural resources in Rakhine State are extracted or not will be decided only by Rakhine State. The residents must have the right to own their states natural resources.
The signature collection process is expected to be completed by the end of the month. The petition will then be submitted to the president, the hluttaw, the Committee on Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.
According to a March report by Arakan Oil Watch, 10 companies from 10 countries have been extracting oil and natural gas, and four companies have been mining metals, in Rakhine State since 2002.
One of those projects, at an offshore site called Shwe, is producing 500 million cubic feet of natural gas daily, 80 percent of which is exported to China, according to the report. The rest is earmarked for domestic use. The project was awarded to China for US$1 billion annually, which goes to the central government in Nay Pyi Taw, the report said.
The organisation claims that while natural resource projects in Rakhine State have cost the local people land, their human rights, a healthy environment and jobs, those same people have not reaped the resources benefits, which could pay for infrastructure, education and healthcare.
Rakhine State has one of the highest rates of poverty in the country.
Translation by Kyawt Darly Lin
This article has been corrected to reflect that the name of the director of Arakan Oil Watch is Jockai Khaing, not U Kyaw Khaing.
Related May defends UK unity in Scotland visit
President Barack Obama telephoned new British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday and looks forward to working with her on shared goals through the end of his term, the White House said.
"The president called to offer his congratulations to her on her new leadership position; the president reiterated our oft-stated commitment to not just protecting but deepening the special relationship between the United States and the UK," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing.
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The mainly stateless Muslim people who identify as Rohingya have been called the most persecuted people in the world but in the IDP camps and surrounding villages in Rakhine State, where an estimated 140,000 are interred, members of another, often-overlooked Muslim minority are also suffering. The Kaman ethnic group, who say they are ignored by the international community, report facing abuse and discrimination at the hands of the Rohingya, and it seems even those who claim to represent the Kaman politically refuse to stand up for those in the camps.
Sometimes when I want to sell fish, some of the Rohingya people say, Dont buy from Kaman people. says Kyaw Myint, a 53-year-old displaced Muslim living in Tae Chaung IDP camp in Rakhine State.
A fish-buying boycott is hardly the worst form of discrimination to be found in a country where people from ethnic minorities have for decades suffered murder, torture, rape and rights abuses at the hands of the authorities.
Indeed, Kaman people interviewed for this article also spoke of death threats, assaults, intimidation and eviction by their Rohingya neighbours from the shelters they had taken refuge in after being forced to flee violence from Buddhists who had attacked the two Muslim groups without distinction.
Yet the irony of a Muslim in Myanmar staging a sectarian shopping boycott is evident to anyone who watched the Buddhist nationalism promoted by the monk-led group known as 969 grow from a relatively low-key boycott of stores owned by Muslims into support for violence and gross human rights abuses.
No one in the IDP camps or surrounding villages suggested tensions between the two Muslim populations equals that which both groups face from Buddhist extremists and state-backed oppression. But for the forgotten Kaman trapped between Rakhine Buddhist extremists, hardline Rohingya activists and apathy from the international community the present is a fearful place and the future one that often seems hopeless.
We had to move to this house three weeks ago after our [Rohingya] landlord put our rent up so much we could not afford to stay there. We had been living there for three years, but he didnt want us any more, says Kyaw Myint. If we had a chance to go back to [our home] in Kyaukphyu I wouldnt stay here a minute longer, but there is no way.
A place in history
According to history books, the Kaman people, also known as Kamein, arrived in Myanmar in the mid-17th century along with the Mughal prince Shah Sujga. Eventually, they were banished to Rambre Island off southern Rakhine in 1710.
Unlike the Rohingya, most of whom are stateless and denied citizenship rights despite many having lived in the country for generations, the Kaman belong to one of Myanmars 135 recognised ethnic groups.
But the conflict that broke out between the Rohingya and Rakhine Buddhist communities in northern Rakhine State in 2012 also sparked religious violence in the states southwest, including the town of Kyaukphyu on Rambre. Several thousand Kaman are estimated to have fled their homes and joined the Rohingya in IDP shelters that would soon become, in effect, open prisons.
The displaced Kaman found themselves subject to the same rights abuses suffered by the Rohingya. Many had lost their identification papers when they fled, but even those who still have them say, like the Rohingya, they too face restrictions on movement.
I have an ID card and an NRC [national registration card], but the government does not allow us to go home or even visit Sittwe even if we have an ID card, says U Kyaw Myint. Even if we have an ID card, the government calls all of us Bengali because we stay in the same place and they treat us and consider us the same.
They threatened they would kill me
Camp residents say initial relations between the two communities were good. Kaman community leaders say Rohingya rights campaigners were happy to have the Kaman included in camp numbers as they sought foreign aid and international support for their plight.
But in 2014 with the backing of the UN and other international actors Myanmar held its first national census in three decades. Despite initial guarantees that the Rohingya would be allowed to use the controversial name, a volte-face by the government just before the big day meant enumerators were told not to count those who called themselves Rohinyga.
The betrayal, though widely predicted, sparked anger and protests by Rohingya in the camps. Those residents who said they were Kaman, and therefore eligible to be counted, were accused of betraying the cause.
My problems started at the time of the census, says Maung Win (not his real name). I was staying in another village, Da Paing, at that time, and afterward my Rohingya neighbours said to me, You identified as Kaman, so get out of here.
A tall man in his late 20s, he says he did not face physical violence, but the threats were enough to make him move to Tae Chaung.
They threatened that if I identified as Kaman they would hit me or kill me. I thought if I stayed, violence might happen so I left.
He now lives surrounded by other Kaman, but tensions and fear of violence remain.
Almost a month ago, a man, about 30 years old, who was mentally disabled ran out of his house at midnight. He was detained by the guards. When he was released the next morning, Rohingya people beat him up because they knew he was Kaman, says Maung Win.
The victim, he adds, was attacked by five or six people who beat him up and burned him with cigarettes, leaving him hospitalised for several days.
The big problem started at the census, but the tensions go on, says Maung Win. I think the problem will continue. Even if they live together as neighbours the Rohingya and the Kaman will be strangers.
Another Kaman community leader points out that relations are not always bad and that some Rohingya help their Kaman neighbours on the basis of their shared religion. But he adds it is often a problem when Kaman people want land to build a house and the Rohingya leaders wont allow them to have it.
The Kaman are the minority here, so we face the same problems that minorities everywhere, he says.
A tragedy reveals a forgotten people
According to U Chan Kyi, a Kaman community leader living in Tae Chaung, the Kaman people are not widely recognised by the international community and have few public representatives of their own. Those who do claim to represent the Kaman in the wider political realm have been accused of putting self-interest above that of those living in the camps.
U Chan Kyis claims are backed by an incident in April when a boat carrying IDPs from a remote camp near Sin Tet Maw village sank en route to a Muslim village outside Sittwe, claiming at least 21 lives.
The story of the Rohingya tragedy soon hit social media and made international news headlines, particularly when the US embassy used the controversial name in a statement on the event, prompting a protest by nationalists in Yangon.
The UN, which keeps details of the ethnicity of camp residents, also released a statement on the sinking. It did not mention the Kaman. No one, it seems, noticed or cared that most of those on board were Kaman, originally from Kyaukphyu.
Even more bizarrely, when The Myanmar Times revealed the true identity of those who died after speaking to dozens of relatives, survivors, community leaders and medical staff, the claim was denied by a Yangon political party that claims to support Kaman rights.
A spokesperson for the Kaman National Progressive Party insisted to reporters that no Kaman had drowned and that only a handful of Kaman lived in the Sin Tet Maw camp. But UN records show the number of Kaman living in the camp is close to 2000.
There is no organisation here [specifically] helping the Kaman and just one organisation in Yangon the development party [KNPP], says U Chan Kyi, expressing disappointment that the party, which he said had sent letters to the camp about elections, had denied Kaman people had been on board.
Betrayed by their own
Why would a group that claims to represent an ethnic group deny the existence of its own people when they are trapped in camps living under an abusive regime?
Writing in Islam and the State in Myanmar, Nicholas Farrelly of the Australian National University notes that the KNPP whose executive committee is made up of retired government officials and businessmen stresses national race status in Myanmar politics.
Mr Farrelly quotes party chair Zaw Win a former joint director of the Yangon Region High Court as telling the magazine Mizzima in the lead-up to the 2010 election, In Arakan State, Muslims are not allowed to travel freely. So, if we win some seats, well address these and other problems. Though we should limit the rights of people who are not Burmese citizens, all Burmese citizens should get their deserved rights.
In choosing to focus on Kaman entitlement to recognition as a national race, is it possible that party leaders have been willing to sacrifice those who have lost their identification cards and are accused of being Rohingya/Bengali to safeguard the rights of the city-dwelling elite?
This claim is backed up by a seemingly unlikely source. U Aung Win, a well-known Rohingya activist in Sittwe, denies there are disputes between the Rohinga and the Kaman in the camps, but says Kaman people in Yangon are determined to distance themselves from those who live close to the Rohingya in case it affects their citizenship claims.
The Rohingya and the Kaman in Rakhine live peacefully without discrimination, U Aung Win says. But some Kaman people in Rangoon dont want to communicate with Rohingya people and want to say we are very different people and we dont mix.
Whats in a name?
KNPP general secretary U Tin Hlaing Win continues to deny that those on board the sunken boat or most of those living in Sin Tet Maw are in fact Kaman, insisting such claims are a ploy to trade on Kaman ethnic recognition to gain citizenship.
Since the time of military rule,many people from Rakhine State tried to get NRCs identifying them as Kaman from corrupt immigration officers. Thats why we do not believe those who cant show an NRC that does not mention the Kaman name, he told The Myanmar Times this week.
Real Kaman people have a long family tree. There are fewer than 50,000 Kaman in the whole country now and fewer than 30,000 in Rakhine State. We will not be approve those people who do not have a long family tree of Kaman
history.
In reality no one knows for sure how many people who identify as Kaman there are in Myanmar, as the ethnic identity figures from the controversial count have still not been made public more than two years later.
Yet in Rakhine the claim that Rohingya are identifying as Kaman is rejected out of hand by representatives of both groups.
People are proud of their name, says U Aung Win. Rohingya people would not call themselves Kaman, and Kaman would not call themselves Rohingya.
Kaman community leader U Chan Kyi repeats that idea, saying that even under pressure, whether to avoid discrimination from authorities or neighbours, people dont give up their name.
Everyone loves their own ethnicity. The Kaman say they are Kaman, he says. The government does not accept the Rohingya, but the people [themselves] know that is their name, so they do not say they are Kaman.
Can anyone help the displaced Kaman?
Humanitarian organisations point to the grim effect that the travel restrictions placed on both Rohingya and Kaman Muslims have on peoples everyday lives.
Whether you are a recognised citizen or a stateless person, if you dont have freedom of movement you will be vulnerable and will face many of the same hardships, says Pierre Peron, spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Myanmar.
Without freedom of movement, farmers cant go to their fields, fishermen cant go to the sea, traders cant go to the market, students cant go to university and sick people cant get to the nearest hospital, he says. Restrictions on peoples freedom of movement severely compromise their basic rights to food, healthcare, education, livelihoods and other basic services.
Kyaw Myint, who spoke of his hopeless desire to go home to Kyaukphyu, explains the impact that travel restrictions have on the Kaman when discussing the possibility of moving from the camp.
There is only one place [outside the Sittwe camps and surrounding villages] we would feel safe: Thandwe, he says. He is referring to the town in southern Rakhine near the tourist haven of Ngapali Beach where Kaman Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists live in relative harmony, and where the National League for Democracy won a rare victory in Rakhine State at the 2015 election.
But even if we had the money to make a home there, how could we travel? We are not allowed.
Kaman community leaders express fears that their situation will not be relieved in the foreseeable future.
The new government has taken to describing those who self-identify as Rohingya as Muslims from Rakhine State.
But the move, while attempting to find a sensitive compromise, has not only angered both Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya but also may further erode distinctions in the state between Kaman and Rohingya.
For some Kaman living in the camps, the renaming highlights what they see lies at the heart of the problems they face.
I dont think it is a matter of ethnicity for the government, says U Chan Kyi.
I think the government wants to restrict the Islamic religion.
Who are the Kaman?
The Kaman, or Kamein, trace their history back to 1670 when they arrived in Arakan (modern-day Rakhine) alongside the Mughal prince Shah Shuja, who was on the run after a failed attempt to claim the Mughal throne.
Shah Shuja and his followers were initially welcomed to Mrauk-U by the king of Arakan, Sanda Thudhamma, but good relations soon faltered. Within a year Shah Shuja was dead after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow his host.
But while the rest of the princes family soon met a similar deadly fate, his surviving soldiers were given a place in a special archers unit in the Arakan palace guard. It is from this role that the Kaman gained their name which comes from the Persian word for arrow.
Despite being relatively few in number, the Kaman archers played an influential role in Arakans complex politics, but in 1710 they were banished to Rambre Island by King Sanda Wizaya I where their descendents remain to this day.
According to historian U Thant Myint-U, Unlike in other parts of Rakhine where records from the 1930s show there was a lot of mixing between the different Muslim groups living there at that time, the Kaman - perhaps partly because of their unusual and romantic story - may have kept a clearer sense of separate identity that is still there today.
Their long and distinct history means that the Kaman were seen to be entitled to recognition as one of Myanmars 135 official ethnic groups under the 1982 Citizenship Law. There were 2686 Kaman in Arakan in 1931. Figures on ethnic identity from the most recent census are yet to be made public. (back to top)
Mandalay Alinn Daily News printed its last edition yesterday. Messenger Media, which distributes Mandalay Alinn, the only private daily newspaper in the region, stopped production yesterday due to budget difficulties, said editor-in-chief U Thant Zin Oo.
The newspaper has been troubled for a while, he said. From a long-term standpoint, it is a bit related to getting advertisements. Some advertisers are going to the government newspapers.
The private newspaper launched on February 17, 2015. Early on it sold about 5000 copies a day for K100 (US$0.09) and by the time it shuttered, more than 500 issues later, it was selling 10,000 per day for K150, he said.
The other two daily newspapers in Mandalay are owned by the government. Mandalay Daily Newspaper is distributed by Mandalay City Development Committee and Yadanarpon Daily Newspaper is distributed by the Tatmadaw.
Myanmars print media witnessed an explosion of new publications after then-president U Thein Seins government loosened its grip on the sector starting in 2011. In April 2013, the first private daily newspapers were launched, but many have since folded due to low advertising revenues and strong competition. Competition from state media is often blamed as one of the key reasons that private publications are shuttering their operations.
U Tint Swe, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Information, told The Myanmar Times last month that state media has been scapegoated, and added that each media organisation should define a clear operational strategy.
According to the MoI, it granted more than 30 licences, but many dailies were soon suspended after struggling to survive. Only around one-third of licenced operations print regularly, according to the Press Scrutiny Department.
In June, after three years of printing, Pyi Myanmar suspended publication with no relaunch date slated. In January, The Irrawaddy pulled the plug on the last of its print editions, axing its weekly publication and taking operations all online for financial reasons.
Economics in Myanmar are becoming more capitalist while the country is heading toward a democracy, local Mandalay writer U Nyi Pu Lay said. It is a situation where only those with a lot of money will win. It is hard for newspapers and journals owned by those without big money to run continuously. I am really sad that it is stopping. There should become more and more newspapers representing Mandalay.
There were about 15 journalists working at Mandalay Alinn Daily News.
Translation by Emoon
The Ministry of Construction is trying to speed up completion of the notoriously dangerous Yangon-Mandalay highway, and upgrade its safety standards amid the annual rise in accidents.
[The] highway is a half-finished case, said Union Minister for Construction U Win Khine said at a National Traffic Danger and Road Safety meeting on July 7. Were trying to quickly get it up to international highway-level quality so that we can practise highway law.
In September 2015, the Ministry of Construction announced that it had finished building boundaries on the highway, creating start and end points, installing on- and off-ramps and exchanges, naming the road and numbering the cross-streets, and adding tollbooths and bus stations, U Myint Maung Win, deputy permanent secretary from Ministry of Construction, said on July 13. They have fixed the highway from mile marker zero to mile marker 352.6 in Hlegu township, he said. Beyond 352.6, motorcycles arent allowed.
If drivers see something anything dangerous on the half-constructed highway, they can call the highway police force its number is listed on the signs along the highway.
They are opening cases, U Myint Maung said. Highway law is set but roads are not yet up to highway standards so the law is difficult to enforce. Motorcycles are not allowed on parts of the road, according to the highway law, but when riders ask where they are allowed to ride, we have no answer.
Right now, if a motorcyclist is killed by a car in a highway accident, the driver of the car holds no responsibility, he said. Highway law cannot be practised, he said, because the road is not perfectly finished.
In the first half of 2016, an average of nearly 14 people were killed in traffic accidents countrywide each day.
Translation by Khine Thazin Han
Five new members will be appointed to the Mandalay City Development Committee (MCDC) within the next two weeks, according to the committees joint secretary U Thet Naing Tun.
The six other elected members will be voted on to the 11-member committee within the next three months. An election date has yet to be set.
On July 7, the previous 11 committee members were relieved of their posts by the Mandalay mayor in accordance with a decision from the regional government. The local administrative body, as with Yangon City Development Committee, was disbanded in order to reappoint new members that will serve a term that coincides with the five-year Union governments time in office.
The five appointed members of MCDC will be chosen by the regional government; the township administrators from 22 of the Mandalay Regions 28 townships will vote to select those five members. The remaining six members will be chosen by the electorate in those six remaining Mandalay Region townships.
The recently sacked 11 committee members were elected or appointed in July 2015 under the rule of the Union Solidarity and Development Party-backed government. The new government is changing the municipal code so they have decided to appoint and elect new members.
Translation by Khine Thazin Han
The living held their hands. They knew they were dead, but they could not bring themselves to let go.
Hours after unspeakable horror was visited on families who had gathered to watch the Bastille Day fireworks on the Nice seafront, the dead still lay scattered across the Promenade des Anglais.
Here and there people sat with them, sometimes alone, sometimes in little huddles of family and friends.
Some had only the comfort of strangers in the aftermath of Thursday evening's massacre.
One victim, a small child who like so many others had been allowed to stay up late to see the fireworks, lay dead on the tarmac with a doll close by.
"You would think you could do something to help by being there. But we were useless," said Tarubi Wahid Mosta, who tried to do what he could in the aftermath of the attack.
"All these families who have already spent a long time at their sides are likely -- given the horrible number of the dead -- to spend hours on the ground holding the cold hands of bodies dismembered by the truck.
"You can't even speak to them or comfort them. That is the hardest thing, to be useless at such a horrible moment," the actor wrote on his Facebook page.
One photograph he posted showed a women wearing a headscarf kneeling over a body.
"In the middle of all this is a Muslim family... one of whom did not escape this crazy lorry," he said. "Once again everyone has been touched, whether they were believers or not."
Outside a Nice hospital a grieving family later told reporters that their mother, a devout Muslim, had been the first of the lorry's 84 victims.
Long after dawn broke some of the victims were still lying on the promenade covered with blue and white sheets as the first of the morning joggers set out along the Bay of Angels.
Nice is a town that likes to party and was built to a great extent as a playground for the European aristocracy and industrialists who wintered on the French Riviera in the late 19th century.
Its carnival is the third biggest in the world after Venice and Rio.
Like the carnival, the Bastille Day fireworks display is a huge family occasion, with children allowed to stay up well after their normal bedtimes to enjoy the spectacle.
Several children were among the dead, President Francois Hollande said. Authorities later confirmed that around 50 were hurt, many seriously.
Such was the violence with which the lorry tore through the crowds that a family was separated from their eight-month-old baby who had been in a pushchair.
He was found by a young woman who took him home with her and reunited him with his parents after they posted a picture of the boy on Facebook, a family friend told AFP.
After a night of little sleep and many tears, the resort city was still struggling to come to terms with the horror.
"I saw a whole heap of dead people in front of me," said a retired man called Charles, who lives close to where the lorry first drove into the crowds.
"There will be no more parties, no more festivals. Yet if we are to face down the terrorists life has to continue," he added.
"This will not stop us living our lives," said Jean, an astronomer who was caught up in the panic with his wife Myriam and his two children and their dog.
He said the dog had led them to safety, to a hotel where the manager told them to go into one of its rooms.
With fears that other gunmen could be on the loose, Myriam told AFP that she locked the children in a shoe cupboard and they remained in the room for three hours before deciding that it was safe to leave.
Yet the family were back on the promenade on Friday "so the children would not be terrified", Myriam added.
But even for those who grew up with war, the attack was shocking. Lebanese MTV presenter Jimmy Ghazal said he found himself lying on the ground praying he would survive as the lorry driver fired shots into the crowd.
"Why did I come from a country where I could die to this place where, without divine intervention, I could have also been left as a corpse on the ground?" he wrote on Facebook.
Many of Nice's bars and cafes were closed Friday, as was its lifeguard station on the beach.
Lifeguard, Mehdi Zid, 21, told how he had managed to help "four of five people who where frozen by shock" the night before.
"One lone person is impossible to stop," he said.
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Controversial Ghanaian music producer and programs manager at Accra-based Hitz FM, Mark Okraku Mantey has dismissed claims that Ghana's local Twi movie industry, Kumawood is flourishing.
According to him, the industry is not doing well as being portrayed to the general public.
Speaking on Hitz FM's Day Break morning show on Thursday, he created the impression that the industry has been struggling in the last two years.
the information I had is that Kumawood at the moment is not doing well. Pat Thomas told me about two years ago that the way people say the industry is thriving, that is not what it is. That is why Pat Thomas has gone heavily on songs.
Mark's claim however comes at a time when some English speaking actors have started crossing over to Kumawood for various reasons, more so because that industry is tagged successful.
The likes of Van Vicker, Juliet Ibrahim, Prince David Osei, Bismark The Joke, and others were some of the English speaking actors who have already crossed to Kumawood.
According to Mark, the English speaking movie industry is currently also in 'coma' if not dead, stating that the country's energy crisis called; dumsor and lack of proper structures for movie makers by government were some of the reasons for the predicament.
By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee50 Email: [email protected] )
Tributes have began pouring in following the death of acclaimed gospel music icon Danny Nettey Friday morning.
The gospel minister fell unconscious while sleeping and was later confirmed dead. He was well and bubbly the night before.
A friend and confidante, Ace Ankomah who is a Legal practitioner said he met Danny when they were all trying to develop their talent for gospel music back in the day. They were friends together with the likes of Bright Davis and Zap Mallet.
But as fate would have it, Ace Ankomah a talented keyboardist, branched off into the legal profession, while Danny preserved his arguably uncharted territory of contemporary gospel.
Ace Ankomah now more popular in public life for his legal arguments than his gospel talent, reminisced that he probably should have taken up his love for gospel music into full-time ministry.
He expressed deep admiration for Danny Nettey for exploiting his God-given talent to the furtherest.
Photo: Danny Nettey performing
He said he often impressed upon Danny to step up his rehearsals despite his great talent.
I used to quarrel with him that he had so much skill but didnt rehearse enough..but what is there to rehearse. Danny was a complete musician.
According to Ace Ankomah, he was Dannys manager for less than a year, helping him out with his contracts.
The last time he met Danny Nettey, they were on the same flight to Accra and although to promised to meet up one day, contact was reduced to communication on Whatsapp. Any chance to met Danny again would be in the afterlife.
On the personal level, he said despite his serious posture, Danny Nettey loved a good joke. We would sit down and laugh and tease, he said.
It is a very big blow to the entire Christian world.he is irreplaceable, the lawyer struggled for words.
Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected]
Fans of Ghanaian gospel artiste, Daniel Nettey have gathered at his residence to mourn with his family, following his demise.
The Gospel legend, died in the early hours of Friday.
Citi News' Lorrencia Nkrumah who visited Danny Nettey's residence said: it's quite a solemn gathering here of family members and close friends.
I have seen some gospel ministers here. One is Minister Amankwah; one of the guys who worked with Danny Nettey. He was crying uncontrollably when I entered and I have seen his sisters. I have seen his brothers-in-law and some of the family members as well. It is a sad situation here but they have all gathered. No one is speaking for now,she added.
About Danny Nettey
He begun his music career with his own group, 'Danny Nettey and Pals,' which focused on ministry in Secondary Schools and churches.
Nettey released his debut album, 'Positive Change', in 1995 which ushered in the contemporary style of gospel music in Ghana and endeared him to many young people back then.
He followed that album with two more, 'This Time' and 'I believe'. Over the course of his music career, Nettey ministered alongside the likes of Bishop T. D. Jakes, Don Moen, Bebe Winans, Ron Kenoly, Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, and Alvin Slaughter.
He was also known to have mentored mainstream gospel artistes in Ghana like Joe Beecham and Nii Okai.
Danny Nettey was recently honoured for his contribution to the gospel music industry at a ceremony in May at the National Theatre.
By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah
When Sharon Dodua Otoo moved from Ilford to Hanover as an au pair in 1992, her family were concerned. Would a black girl from outer London cope with provincial Germany? They were really panicked about it. 'Don't stay too long,' they said.
Twenty-four years later Dodua Otoo not only still lives in Germany, but has just won arguably the most prestigious award in the German language, the Ingeborg Bachmann prize for the first and only short story she has ever written in the language of her adopted homeland.
Her entry, Herr Grottrup Sits Down, is centred on the historical figure of Helmut Grottrup, a scientist who worked first on the Nazis' V2 rocket, then on the Soviet rocketry programme and later wound up inventing the chip card. In a twist that stretches the conventions of anthropomorphism to their limits, the story is partially narrated from the perspective of an unboiled egg.
At the prize event in Klagenfurt, the jury hailed Dodua Otoo's story as a surrealist parable grappling with fundamental philosophical issues around identity and otherness, drawing comparison with the work of Austrian absurdist Thomas Bernhard and the German comedian Loriot. You have this British author telling the story of a forgotten chapter of German history I think that's incredible, said critic Sandra Kegel, who had nominated Dodua Otoo for the competition.
A review in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung described the prize-winning story as the kind of work of literature that you have to go searching for because it hardly knows how sought after it is.
The accolade is likely to provide a major career break for a writer who has until now only published two short novellas with Edition Assemblage, a small leftwing German publishing house that specialises in nonfiction.
Dodua Otoo submitted her story on the suggestion of a friend, without being aware of the prize's significance. That was probably a good idea, she told the Guardian, otherwise I wouldn't have submitted anything.
Since winning the 25,000 (21,000) prize, which is chosen using a three-day X-Factor-style competition screened live on Austrian, German and Swiss television, Dodua Otoo has been swamped with offers from German publishing houses and literary agents. She is determined to take the opportunity to turn the short story into a novel. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, she said.
Raised in a very strict Ghanaian household in Ilford, Dodua Otoo studied German and management studies at Royal Holloway University after a year-long stint in Hanover and now lives in Berlin with her four sons.
Though she describes herself as a black British mother, activist, author and editor, her feelings towards her country of birth are mixed, she said. I have a British passport and London is my home, but there was still this something in the background music that said: 'You don't really belong here.'
British people know how to be polite and not to use the n-word, but I still felt there is a glass ceiling. In Germany, people say really stupid things to your face, and they say it with a smile because they don't know it's racist, but it just feels so refreshingly honest. I can deal with that.
As an example, she cited the fact that some German journalists had insisted on carrying out interviews with her in English even after she had just won a prize for a German-language piece of fiction: If you're being confronted with images of war-torn refugees all the time and then you sit in front of a black person who is just like you, sometimes that just crashes your hard drive.
Recently, Dodua Otoo said, Germany's anti-immigration party Alternative fur Deutschland had held a small demonstration right outside her Berlin flat, chanting Wir sind das Volk (We are the people). She and her eldest son had simply shouted back at them from their window, chanting: No, we are the people too.
The desire to make a stand against xenophobia and rightwing populism may have also played a part in the jury awarding her the prize, she said, but I think in the end they voted for the quality of the story.
She cites German-language writers such as Bertolt Brecht and Max Frisch as inspiration, for combining sharp analysis of society with humour, as well as Toni Morrison and Mildred D Taylor, women writers who made the black experience in the US very tangible to me.
Politics can be very polarising and confrontational. With my writing, I would like to say: we can go out and demonstrate, but at the end of the day all we all want is to be understood and be treated with empathy.
Information reaching Joy News indicates that Minister Danny Nettey has died.
He died Friday dawn after being found unconscious around 2:00 am.
This was confirmed to Joy News Nhyira Addo by family members. According to him, he was bubbly hours before and had prayers with his family before retiring to bed only to be found unconscious later at dawn.
His mother and brother rushed him to the emergency centre, where the doctor pronounced him dead
Danny Netty, an employee of Multimedia and host of Worship Zone was on air only on Sunday with his usual soul inspiring gospel selection. He did not look sick.
He was born in Accra where he developed the love for music at a tender age. He is reputed for writing songs for most gospel artistes in the country and songs, some of which were ministered in his local church.
He attended high school at Accra Academy where he became the Music director and also the President of the local Scripture Union Fellowship. He was the senior prefect at the time.
Beginning his music career, Danny nettey started his own group, Danny Nettey and Pals. This group sought out to take gospel to the Secondary Schools and ministering in churches across West Africa through the word and song ministration.
A gospel musician par excellence, Danny Nettey has three albums to his credit- Positive Change, This Time and I believe.
Through his music ministration, hes travelled to the United Kingdom and United States and has ministered on several platforms including performing on stage with; Bishop T. D. Jakes, Don Moen, Ron Winans, Bebe Winans, Ron Kenoly, Kirk Franklin
-myjoyonline
15.07.2016 LISTEN
The family of the legendary Ghanaian gospel artiste, Danny Nettey, has confirmed his demise, but say the cause of death is not known yet.
The family said this in a statement signed by his uncle, Daniel Clottey.
The statement stated that Danny Nettey was confirmed dead at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Friday [July 15, 2016] morning.
The cause of death is currently unknown and will be established after an autopsy [has been] completed. Information regarding his funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in the coming days.
About Danny Nettey
He began his music career with his own group, 'Danny Nettey and Pals,' which focused on Christian ministry in Secondary Schools and Churches.
Nettey released his debut album, 'Positive Change', in 1995, which ushered the contemporary style of gospel music into Ghana and endeared him to many young people back then.
He followed that album up with two more, 'This Time' and 'I believe'.
Over the course of his music career, Nettey ministered alongside the likes of Bishop T. D. Jakes, Don Moen, Bebe Winans, Ron Kenoly, Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, and Alvin Slaughter.
He was also known to have mentored mainstream gospel artistes in Ghana, such as Joe Beecham and Nii Okai. In May 2016, Danny Nettey was honoured for his contribution to the Ghanaian Gospel music industry, at a ceremony that was held at the National Theatre in Accra.
By: Jeffrey Owuraku Sarpong/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @ojsarpong
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The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Charlotte Osei, has criticized the media for ignoring relevant reforms the commission has rolled out to ensure the success of this year's election.
She said the media reports with glee spurious allegations about how the EC and its Chair intend to rig the election.
There has been no publication in the media seriously examining the more than 20 reforms which the electoral commission is implementing in this year's election cycle and their consequences on the elections. We have not seen a single report on how the results can actually be compromised or manipulated from an operational perspective; which will now require that the media will call on the EC to resolve those operational gaps that they have identified.
She made the comments at a workshop organised by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping training Centre.
The theme for the workshop was: Towards a peaceful elections: Reporting on elections and security in 2016.
Yet every day, we are inundated with spurious reports in the media of how the EC and the chair of the EC as a person are rigging the election; and these comments are reported with extreme speed and glee and it's just amazing to us, she said.
Charlotte Osei added that a discredited EC is a recipe for disaster.
-Ghana Decides
Photographer Nourhan Maayouf is the first Egyptian to the top prize at the annual Barclays LAtelier contemporary art competition
Egyptian photographer Nourhan Maayouf was announced as the winner of the main prize at the 2016 Barclays LAtelier, described on its website as the South Africa's most prestigious contemporary art competition.
The competition, which was open for entries between January and March, has revealed the results this week.
The award comes with R225,000 prize ($15,700) and a six-month residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris.
Maayouf listed as Nourhan Refaat on the prize's website entered a body of work titled July Tale, a series of three portraits, each depicting "the complexity of a relationship. The attachment of two souls in spite of being blind and silent about their mutual issues," the notes accompanying the work reveal.
According to the competition's website, 26-year-old Maayouf is a self-taught artist and a graduate from the Faculty of Commerce at Ain Shams University and The American University in Cairo.
She also obtained an Integrated Marketing Communications Diploma from the International Advertising Association.
Barclays LAtelier is an annual competition launched in 2007, which each year expands to new African countries with Barclays operations.
Since 2015, artists from South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Eqypt, Mauritius and Seychelles have been able to submit their entries. The competition is open to artists with formal training as well as those self-taught, aged 21 to 35 years old.
The jury selects the finalists from whom they then award one main winner and three Merit Awards (first, second and third).
Nourhan Maayouf is the only Egyptian artist to have reached the finalist shortlist this year and the only Egyptian to have won the main award in the competition's history.
For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture
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The Speaker of Ghanas legislature has underscored the need for a balanced reportage in the media ahead of the November polls.
Edward Doe Adjaho explains the peace and stability of the country will be dependent on the information the media put out, hence the call for fairness.
Already the atmosphere is charged with regards to the conduct of the 2016 elections and if people want to report on proceedings of Parliament they must do so correctly, he said.
The Speaker disclosed this when he addressed Members of Parliament (MPs) on the numerous electoral instruments pending the approval of the House.
With barely four months to the November polls, many Ghanaians have urged the nations media regulators namely, the National Media Commission (NMC) and the National Communication Authority (NCA) to keenly monitor and regulate intemperate language in the media.
This call comes on the back of comments made by two panellists on Accra-based Montie FM in which they allegedly said they will murder justices of the Supreme Court (SC) if its ruling on the electoral roll in a case brought by a former National Youth Organiser of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Abu Ramadan, and Evans Nimako does not favour the Electoral Commission. The two were challenging the credibility of the electoral roll.
The panellists, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn have been cited for contempt by the SC alongside the host of the Pampaso programme, Salifu Maase popularly known as Mugabe and owners of Montie FM.
Even though the case was called on Wednesday, it has been adjourned to Monday, July 18 to give the accused enough time to prepare their defence.
With this development, Mr Adjaho believes the only way to quell the political tension in the country will be for the media to be circumspect in their reportage to avoid chaos.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has challenged the media to be responsible.
The media must guard against political influence in their reportage, he said.
I am confident that majority of Ghanaians would express disappointment with what they are seeing in the media, but that wouldnt be that they would say every media house, every journalist is not doing their work as it should be, he stated.
Mr Braimah entreated the media to reshape its image in the eyes of the public ahead of the election.
Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | Email: [email protected]
15.07.2016 LISTEN
1st July is celebrated every year as republic day in Ghana, but the question is: Is Ghana really a republic? Well, to many people who are not familiar with the nature of government very well they will say Ghana is a republic, taking into consideration the most common definition of republicanism: a country is a republic when it elects its own head of state. This definition for Republic is not only vague but fails to distinguish between republic and a democracy. Hence, a majority of people confuse republic with democracy. Whiles both are systems of government, provides for the election of political representatives, the essential difference lies in the source of the law.
Under Democracy, they say vox populi, vox dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God) but a Republic is under law. In a Republic the people may democratically elect their representatives, but their representatives do not simply rubber stamp the will of the people, but govern according to the organic law. Organic law is the fundamental law of a country derived from the principles of human rights. In republic, the people select representatives who are (presumably) older and wiser (e.g., from the Latin, senates, which comes from senex, old man) to make decisions according to law.
Democracy has become a common term today than republic and this is because the ruling elites in our society prefer democracy to republic. After all that is the only way by which the masses can be enslaved by assuring them that they are ruling over themselves. H.L. Mencken pointed out: democracy is the system of government by which the voters get what they want, good and bad. Democracy is a government by the majority. When most people speak of the virtues of democracy, they are usually pointing to a form of government for, by, and of the people commonly referred to in Ghana as kabi na menka bi (speak and let me also speak). This is actually the basic meaning of a Republic. It is illogical to use two words that mean two different things to mean the same thing. This would be like using the words orange and apple to mean the same physical object. This situation is the same in principle to the democratic republic problem, but the importance of the orange and apple comparison is infinitely smaller. The basic tenet of a democracy is that the will of the majority shall dominate regardless of consequences.
In short, the essential difference between a democracy and a republic is that, under democracy the government governs according to the whims of the people whiles under republic the government governs according to objective laws. For those who are confused by the issue, the essential point is this: is it right for another man to rape, rob and murder another? Republic says never, Democracy says yes if the majority does embrace that (just a scenario).
The following quotation has been attributed to Alexander Fraser tyler, although it has also been occasionally attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville: A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefit from the public treasury with the result, a democracy always collapse over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the worlds greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through these sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage: From courage to liberty: From liberty to abundance: From abundance to selfishness: From selfishness to apathy: From apathy to dependence: From dependence back to bondage.
From the preceding paragraphs one is right to conclude that Ghana is more of a democracy than becoming a republic. The Bi-partisan afflictions brought upon us by the two party monopoly systems (NPP NDC) in our contemporary politics, cannot be the result of republic but democracy. Currently, what is happening in Ghanas parliament denote that any government in power can pass any bill into law despite opposition by the minority. We have witnessed these instances most times in parliament, the VAT bill, spy bill, affirmative action law, public wage bill, and the appropriation bill, deposit bill, among other incoming bills.
There is no principle by which we are being governed. Any government in power can amend the constitution to favor itself and there are no laws restraining the power of the government, demeaning the purpose by which the constitution was created. The purpose of a constitution is to severely limit the power of the government and guarantee the rights of the most oppressed minority that has ever existed the individual. Democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51 percent of the people may take away the rights of the other 49 percent. ~ Thomas Jefferson.
The BASTIAT INSTITUTE OF LIBERTY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (BILE-GHANA), a non-profit policy institute in Tema, wants all Ghanaians to reflect on the values of republicanism rather than the full traits of democracy in our government circles. Democracy created the status quo. Democracy has been in dominance in Ghana politics from one-party state at the beginning of its republican status in 1960 through military interventions to its current burgeoning democracy. Lets embrace democratic capitalism in our governmental structure.
Capitalism is anti-thesis of anything that democracy stands for. The social system under a Republic is capitalism whiles that of a Democracy is socialism. Capitalism allows for the protection of individuals inalienable rights to life, liberty and pursuance of happiness (right to property) which democracy can violate through majority vote. As this is also an election year, we want Ghanaians to examine thoroughly the democratic manifestos of the politicians the politics of entitlements, we want people who take nothing for something and not something for nothing, and bring home bacon to the district political promises. Ghanaians must demand freedom and just rule from their political leaders not material things which put a drain on the public purse.
Mr. Eric Coffie
Research Assistant
Bastiat Inst. Of Liberty and Entrepreneurship (BILE-GHANA)
Tema- Ghana.
15.07.2016 LISTEN
Ghana has urged the international community to act impartially in all cases of human rights violations.
In order to maintain the credibility of the international human rights architecture, we must demonstrate through our actions that every citizen of the world deserves the same level of respect and protection, Ambassador Martha Pobee, Ghanas Permanent Representative to the United Nations stated in her address at the High Level thematic debate of the General Assembly in New York on "[email protected]: Human Right at the center of the global agenda.
As we get to the close of the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Council, she said Ghana is concerned at the rise in reported acts of racial discrimination and hate speech, which seem to be gaining grounds in public discourse.
This is because the plight of growing numbers of migrants, displaced persons and refugees especially women and children around the world are even more alarming saying that it therefore behooved on the global community to give meaning to the various international human rights instruments and act to safeguard the dignity and sanctity of human life.
The Ambassador underscored her countrys firm believe that human rights should remain central on the global agenda and assured that the government of Ghana will continue to uphold human rights and work with all national and international stakeholders to ensure that respect for fundamental human rights for all is further improved and advanced.
In this vein, she affirmed Ghanas continuous co-operation with special procedure mandate holders and the continental African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), to which it (Ghana) was the first country to submit itself for open assessment by other African States.
Indeed most of the recommendations of these mechanisms have been implemented and a number of administrative reforms have been undertaken on the basis of those recommendations, the Ambassador pointed out, emphasising that the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), our independent national human rights institution is constitutionally empowered to investigate and prosecute cases of human rights violations based upon the petition of any Ghanaian.
The protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Ambassador said remained key principles on which Ghanas democratic governance is anchored.Our commitment to these principles is derived from the Constitution of Ghana, which guarantees equality, freedom and justice for all its citizens. My delegation, therefore, welcomes every effort made by the international community aimed at genuinely addressing human rights concerns across the globe.
In recognition of the fact that all human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, Ghana has acceded to several international human rights instruments with the objective of not only attaining international human rights standards provided in those instruments, but also contributing to the setting of international norms and standards that would guarantee healthy respect for the rights of all persons regardless of their gender, colour, race or religious persuasion.
Ghana welcomes continued dialogue and capacity-building in the field of human rights learning in an atmosphere of tolerance and respect. This is buttressed in our firm belief that each nation or society faces peculiar challenges of its own and that no particular nation has the best model in every field of human rights, Ambassador Pobee said.Furthermore, there is also a strong culture of civil society participation in decision-making. Civil Society and the media continue to play their watch dog roles whilst at the same time promoting transparency and accountability in every aspect of governance.
She was particularly pleased that respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms had been made an integral part of the SDGs, noting that this is a clear recognition that we cannot as a global community divorce human rights from development. Promoting human rights principles must, therefore, not be seen as an end in itself but should be interwoven with the attainment of economic and social development such as the provision of education, food, safe drinking water, basic sanitation and health care.
15.07.2016 LISTEN
On the morning of Wednesday, 24th June 2016, the youth of the United Kingdom, mostly the ones aged between sixteen and thirty years, woke up to discover to their horror that because of their apathy and general disinterest in the issues that affect society, their seniors had voted to change their lives, for the foreseeable future, whether for ill or for better remains to be seen. Certainly, those who are either studying or plan to study some of the languages of the countries of the union, with a view to landing jobs in the European Union are now having to think again.
In many homes around the country, some young people who bothered to register to vote in the referendum are now refusing to speak to parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and other senior members of their own families.
The voting age in the United Kingdom was reduced from 21 to 18 in 1969. Since then, the process of registering and voting in national elections has been made so simple that it beggars belief why young people do not bother to register. Meanwhile, registration is compulsory (voting is not) in the United Kingdom.
As soon as a person turns eighteen, the registration materials are automatically mailed to their last known address. The house owner or parent receives another letter in which he or she has to confirm the names of the people of voting age who still live at the address. Everyone who lives at the address is required by law to register, and there is a choice to vote by post in the comfort of ones bedroom or living room.
A few days before the recent referendum, it dawned on many young people that the result of the referendum could be crucial for their future. The numbers of people who tried to log on to the electoral commissions website to register before the deadline was so huge the system crashed for nearly a day. It was so hectic the Prime Minister asked for a two-day extension to allow as many people as possible to register.
In the end, only 30% of this age group (18-30) were registered to vote, and of that, 72% voted to remain in the European Union. With a margin of just about two million, the result could have been different, if this most affected age group had bothered to register and had actually gone to the polling stations to vote.
Ghanas Election 2016
In view of what has happened to the youth of the United Kingdom over the past few weeks, the youth of Ghana, those aged between 14 and 25 ought to open their eyes and ears and stake their claims to the fortunes of the country. Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, politicians have taken huge loans in the name of generations of unborn Ghanaians, with very little sustainable infrastructural development to show for those loans.
Roads that are supposed to have been built with these loans develop grave-like potholes before they are completed. In many parts of the country, school children still attend classes under trees in the twenty-first century. Where parents cannot afford tables and chairs for their wards, children have to carry tiny stools to school or will be forced to sit on bare floors, to take lessons.
Parents mostly in the rural areas and the less affluent ones in the cities and towns cannot be absolved from the treacherous dissipation of national resources. They are the ones who take pitiful bribes and inducements to vote for incompetent and thieving politicians at election time.
The youth of Ghana should serve notice to their parents, and older relatives that they are not going to allow them to vote for party A or candidate B just because he or she speaks their language or comes from their local area. Simply put, the youth of Ghana should work to remove John Dramani Mahama and his National Democratic Congress party from office in November because they have failed miserably. In seven years as vice president or president, he and his governing party have not made any meaningful impact on the future of these young people. Instead, every aspect of national life has gone into reverse gear.
Booby traps
Through sheer incompetence and irresponsibility, these old hags and geezers have built booby traps which are bound to hurt future generations. Large parts of nearly every town and city in Ghana now floods within just thirty minutes of rain beginning to fall and the reason is that state officials that are paid to oversee town and country planning and development have looked on as state institutions, private and commercial developers built concrete jungles in every town and city. In the twenty-first century, we still build open gutters to carry our compatriots to their early graves in floods.
Local chiefs, opinion leaders and politicians have connived with local illegal miners, Chinese and other foreign operators to destroy water bodies that have served our rural communities for centuries. Today, some rural communities have to depend on water that is not fit for watering plants and animals, for their daily water needs.
Those responsible for these outrages cannot be allowed to get away with it. If they cannot be prosecuted in the law courts, they must be punished at the polls to serve as deterrent to all future leaders of the country.
Cannon fodder
Ghanaians within the age group of 16-25 face the bleakest prospects that any generation of Ghanaians has ever had to deal with. The vast natural resources of the country are being depleted like there is no tomorrow. A very large proportion of this age group has been condemned to a mediocre education system that is not fit for purpose. Most of them are just going through the motions with very little prospect of acquiring any meaningful skills for the future.
Meanwhile, it is this age group that politicians use as cannon fodder, for their selfish political ends. They are the foot (more like fool) soldiers for electoral malpractices. It is this age group that politicians feed with strong drink and cheap food to go and bash heads and cause trouble at rallies. As usually happens in many African countries, it this same group that is used to indulge in vote stealing and dumping polling stations at election time.
The youth of Ghana have to resolve not to allow politicians to use them for their dirty work and dump them like rags after elections.
Young people ought to use the social media, the internet, twitter, WhatsApp, text and everything at their disposal, to kick out the present government, and as they do so, they should serve notice to whoever comes next that he or she has exactly four years to make a tangible impact on the fortunes of the country and its future, or be kicked out as well.
If we can make one-term presidents and parliamentarians for the next twenty years, Ghana will be on the path to sustainable development for generations unborn. The politicians will begin to take the people of Ghana and particularly young generation more seriously.
I shall return, God willing with my beaded gourd.
Naana Ekua Eyaaba has an overarching interest in the development of the African continent and Black issues in general. Having travelled extensively through Africa, the Black communities of the East Coast of the United States as well as London and Leeds (United Kingdom), she enjoys reading, and writes when she is irritated, and edits when she is calm. You can email her at [email protected] , or read her blog at https://naanaekuaeyaaba.wordpress.com/.
The Volta Regional Minister has entreated residents of Ho, the capital of the region to be wary of persons who come to them with promises of doubling their investments.
Helen Adwoa Ntoso said there is nothing like something for nothing, adding, if they had questioned some of the investment companies that approached them, they would have known their true intention.
Our people should be very careful. The people come and introduce themselves to you and whether they are actually a properly registered company or not they refuse to demand, she said.
The Volta Regional Minister disclosed this to Joynews when reacting to news of dozens of residents who have been duped by some fan clubs.
The city of Ho caved in on Thursday when more than two hundred angry customers of investment clubs demonstrated on the principal streets demanding government helps them retrieve their lost investment.
The customers predominantly women clad in red outfits held placards with various inscriptions. Our money, No Vote, Prosperity bring our money, and No money, No vote among others were some of the inscriptions.
Some of the clubs are Clear Image Investment, Devine Rain, Little Drop Investment Club, Prosperity and Good Health, Royal Foundation, and Royal Care among others are alleged to have sprung up between 2014 and 2015.
They promised persons who invested between GHa380 450 returns in the range of GHa5,000 to 6,000 depending on the duration of ones investment.
This development comes in some months away from what financial analysts have described as one of the investment scams of the century.
DKM Microfinance company and four others such as God is Love Fun Club, Jaster Motors and Investment Limited, Care for Humanity Fun Club and Little Drops Financial Services took deposits from clients for investment and ended up running with their money.
Though the government and Bank of Ghana promised to help the customers retrieve their lost investment, nothing has been done so far.
The Minister expressed worry and called on residents to exercise restraint in their actions as they handle the disappointment.
She promised the Volta Regional Police Command has been notified and will take up investigations into the matter.
Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | Email: [email protected]
15.07.2016 LISTEN
A team is a group of people who are collectively accountable and responsible for specific outcomes, and have a high degree of interdependence and interaction (Baldwin, Bommer, and Rubin 2008).
Besides, teams are supposed to work collaboratively towards achieving a high level of performance, possess complementary skills, trust in one another, commit to a common purpose, and have goals (both explicit and implicit) for which members are held mutually accountable (Katzenbach and Smith 1993).
Thus, team working has a perceptible likeness to harnessing a crab, a swan, and a pike onto a single wagon and expecting them to move (Tubin and Levin-Rozalis, 2008).
Needless to say, the aforementioned creatures have dissimilar adaptations and there is no propinquity between them. In other words, they differ in nature and more so culturally incongruous.
So, in order to get them moving together effectively, they must first learn how to do that, in other words, they must undergo group process to unlock the innate barriers (Bushe and Coetzer, (2007).
To put it metaphorically, tying a swan, a crab and a pike and tasking them to move together smoothly without tackling the inherent barriers would be an uphill task by all means. For it is apparent that they would not be able to communicate with one another initially.
For example, a swan may speak swanese language; a crab speaks crabi language and a pike probably speaks pikian language.
Again, they are different creatures and therefore have different ways of doing things.
Patently, there are inequalities between them, although the three creatures all have some kind of sea life knowledge, needless to say, they have differing adaptations. For instance, a swan can fly, a crab can only probably swim and crawl, on the other hand, a pike cannot fly but may swim adequately. In essence, they may not understand each other, hence the need to assimilate or undergo group process. Unsurprisingly, therefore, inequalities between professional groups have been identified as hindrance to collaboration (Millward and Jeffries, 2001).
Apparently, learning to work collaboratively and share new knowledge across professional boundaries can be a complicated and challenging process (Wenger, 1998; Gilley and Kerno, 2010).
Moreover, while group or team working can be a challenge, there is an established recognition of the importance of frameworks, interpretive models, systems and flexible methodologies in enabling groups, or specific teams, to identify common values and learn to handle challenges and work collaboratively and systematically to achieve a common goal (Checkland & Poulter, 2006).
Succinctly put, groups need to develop into effective teams in order to be able to coordinate individual activities for pragmatic outcomes (Hoegl and Gemuenden, (2001).
Consequently, Hoegl (2005) posit that the quality of teamwork can comprehensively be assessed by considering six thematic factors of the collaborative work process: communication, coordination, and balance of member contributions, mutual support, effort, and cohesion.
The six teamwork quality facets espouse elements of both task-related and social interaction within teams (Cummings, 1978; Hoegl et al., 2003).
For example, let us consider a team consisting of a community nurse, a psychologist and a social worker, who have the responsibility of working collaboratively in order to safeguard and/or enhance patient care. Obviously, the aforementioned professionals have different cultures; professional inequalities, varying abilities and skills. So, in order to be able to achieve pragmatic outcomes, they would have to interact effectively and break the inherent barriers. In essence, the professionals have to identify themselves with the team (Bushe and Coetzer (2007).
Some experts however posit four pillars of an effective integrated team as degree of integration, team membership, team process issues, and team management (vretveit 1997).
While Baker, Day, & Salas, (2006) observe that service delivery is a joint effort by team members, whose tasks, interaction and collaboration need to be synchronised.
Similarly, team collaboration has been identified as a shared aims, interdependence, and a collegial and equal relationship between the participants and shared decision-making efforts (DAmour, Ferrada-Videla, San Martin-Rodriquez, & Beaulieu, 2005).
In the same vein, Housley, (2003) notes that the development of effective teams involves examining work and the object of work as a whole, integrating competence and expertise from various areas in the team. The expectation is that team collaboration would enhance quality of service delivery (Baker et al., 2006).
Besides, the aim of team collaboration is to strengthen the effectiveness of service delivery by strengthening integrated working across board (DAmour et al., 2005). Nevertheless, Moore (2007) postulates that despite its importance, collaborative working has been identified as extremely complex due to many diversities and disparities in professional practice such as values and professional inequalities.
There is also a school of thought that argues that collaborative working is often marked by fragmentation, competing priorities, arbitrary divisions of responsibility, inconsistent policy, unpooled resources and unshared boundaries (Hannigan, 1999).
Whats more, the absence of coordination, unpooled resources and lack of operational integration produce wasteful and inefficient services (Hannigan, 1999).
Despite the apparent umpteen challenges associated with team working, some optimists however contend that in the presence of periodic on-job training courses, effective interactions, mutual respect and understanding, the team can work synergistically towards achieving a common goal (Reeves et al. 2009).
In essence, Mahamas team which is similitude to that of a crab, a swan and a pike would definitely require all the attributes of an effective team before they can achieve the desired objectives.
K. Badu, UK.
References:
Baker, D. P., Day, R. & Salas, E. (2006). Teamwork as an Essential Component of High Reliability Organisations.
Baldwin, T. T., Bommer, W. H., & Rubin, R. S. (2008). Developing management skills. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Bushe, G. R. And Coetzer, G. H. (2007). Group Development and Team Effectiveness: Using Cognitive Representations to Measure Group Development and Predict Task Performance and Group Viability.
Checkland, P. & Poulter, J. (2006). Learning for Action. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Cummings, T. (1978). Self-Regulating Work Groups: A Sociotechnical Synthesis.
DAmour, D., Ferrada-Videla, M., Rodriguez, L.S.M., & Beaulieu, M.D. (2005). The Conceptual Basis for Inter-Professional Collaboration: Core Concepts and Theoretical Frameworks.
DAmour, D. & Oandasan, I. (2005). Inter-Professionality as the Field of Inter-Professional Practice and Inter-Professional Education: An Emerging Concept.
Gilley, A. & Kerno, S. J. (2010). Teams, and Communities of Practice: A Comparison.
Hannigan, B. (1999). Joint Working in Community Mental Health: Prospects and Challenges.
Hoegl, M. & Gemuenden, H. G. (2001). Teamwork Quality and the Success of Innovative Projects: A Theoretical Concept and Empirical Evidence.
Hoegl, M. (2005). Smaller TeamsBetter Teamwork: How to Keep Project Teams Small.
Housley, W. (2003). Interaction in Multidisciplinary Teams. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Katzenbach, J. R. & Smith, D. K. (1993). The Discipline of Teams.
Millward, L.J. & Jeffries, N. (2001). The Team Survey: a Tool for Health Care Team Development.
Moore, L. J. (2007). The Ethical and Organisational Tensions of Developing the Work based Inquirer.
vretveit, J. (1997). How to Describe Inter-Professional Working. In: vretveit, J., Mathias, P. & Thompson, T. (Eds.), Inter-Professional Working for Health and Social Care (p. 933). London: Macmillan.
Reeves, S., Rice, K., Conn, L. G., Miller, K-L., Kenaszchuk, C., Zwarenstein, M. (2009). Inter-Professional Interaction, Negotiation and Non-Negation on General Internal Medicine Wards.
Tubin, D. & Levin-Rozalis M. (2008). Interorganizational Cooperation - The Structural Aspect of Nurturing Trust.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity. New York: Cambridge University Press.
15.07.2016 LISTEN
In their scholarly journal article published in the prestigious journal of personality and social psychology, Kteily, N., Hodson. G and Bruneau, E (2016), asserted that dehumanizing an out-group is a pervasive and potent intergroup process that spark-off discrimination and conflict. The researchers therefore defined meta-dehumanization as robotizing or dehumanizing out-group. The purpose of this article is to adumbrate the significance of regional and tribal integration relative to political and national appointments and thereby decreasing a covert meta-dehumanization which is a recipe for conflict, using Ethiopia as a case study.
Just as the Austrian diplomat, Clemens von Metternich (1773-1859), described Italy in the first half of the 19th century as a mere geographical expression due to that countrys dis-unification, the same could be said about the Horn of Africas landlocked country of Ethiopia. In his brilliant documentary, Ethiopia failed state circulating on youtube.com, the writer, Miller Hansen, described the current government of Ethiopia as ethnocratic, plutocratic and totalitarian. This is because the Tigris people liberation front (TPLF) continue to carryout intimidation, torture, abduction, imprisonment, massacres, ethnic cleansing, assassination and genocide. The press freedom in Ethiopia is now fizzled in a thin air. The arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of journalists have been very rife.
According to the recent World Bank group latest poverty assessment, poverty in Ethiopia fell from 44% in 2000 to 30% in 2011. In spite of economic strides in poverty reduction, about 37 million of Ethiopians continue to wallow in poverty, and from the recent World Bank data, the poorest in Ethiopia have become even poorer in the sense that the high food prices that improves lives of many farmers also make buying of food more challenging for the poorest especially those in the rural areas. Illiteracy is another major reason why Ethiopia wallows in poverty. The government of Ethiopia formed on Tigris ethnic group is heading Ethiopia towards disintegration.
The framers of the 1992 constitution of Ghana envisaged the danger of forming government based on one ethnic group. This partly explains why regional integration and regional balance were captured in the constitution. However, the makers of the constitution forgot about the real danger associated with it and what I call the tyrant of executive president. This is because the excessive powers wielded by the executive president could easily sink the idea of regional balance into oblivion. When political appointments are excessively based on ethnic lines like Ethiopia today, the likelihood of corruption, mismanagement, administrative ineptitude is obvious.
Conflicts do not happen by chance. Underneath every conflict in society is a remote factor. In his book: Europe since Napoleon, page 4, David Thomson intimated that revolution may begin, as wars often begin, not because people positively want them. They happen because people want other things that, in a set of circumstances, implicate them in revolution or in War. Leaders must refrain from pursuing politics that could lead into disintegration such meta-dehumanization and ethnocracy.
The former United States Supreme court judge, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr, said that, If there is any principle of the constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other it is the principle of free thought, not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate. As a country we cannot swallow our dangerous cough for the fear of hurting others. Looking at the recent political appointments in all the sensitive positions in Ghana, any objective analyst including NDC stalwarts and aficionados will be surprised and assert: ebei, Mr. President, the Akan, the Ga-Adangbe and Ewe lives matter. For example, the governor of the central bank is from the north: Dr. Abdul-Nashiru Issahaku, National Insurance commissioner, Miss Lydia Larriba Bawa, National petroleum authority (NPA), Mr. Moses Asaga all from the north.
Far from doubting the educational qualification of the aforementioned personalities, the concentration of the northern people only could not help the country to develop. They are all highly qualified for the job. However, for the safety of the nation and the welfare of the regional balance and integration, I succinctly suggest to Mr. President to conduct self-introspection on his appointments relative to regional balance and integration. Such self-appraisal will enhance the electoral fortunes of himself as a president and NDC as a party. The mode by which the inevitable comes to pass is effort (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr). There are other qualified people from other parts of the country. I respect people of northern Ghana for their hard work and honesty, even so a right thing must be done.
In his book, the history of Ghana, page 8, Roger Gocking, asserted that about 44% of Ghanas population are Akans, who live primarily in the forest regions of the country. The Akans can be further subdivided into 11subgroup, the largest of which are the Asante, Bono, the Fante, the Akyem, the Akwamu, the Akuapem and the Nzimas. Tribalism, nepotism are all forms of corruption. . In his book entitled: The Africans, A triple heritages page 11, Professor, Ali. A. Mazrui, opined that the ancestors of Africa are angry, for those who believe in the powers of the ancestors, the proof of their anger is obvious. For those who do not believe in ancestors, the proof of their anger is given another name. What are they angry about? Things are not just working in Africa. My own adaptation of Professor Mazruis statement is that the people and ancestors of Ghana are angry. Things are not properly working in Ghana and it is imperative we change our changeability. For example, I struggle to catch the drift of Ghanas economics when it comes to import duties. Why must a country put high taxes on goods they dont produce such as cars while people travel in a moving coffin from Odorkor to Kwame Nkrumah circle via Kaneshie?
In sum, covert meta-dehumanization inherent and pervasively revealed by political appointments base on tribal line is a recipe for conflict. Just as the Eastern African country of Ethiopia is now poverty-stricken frightened economy as a result of forming government on Trigris ethnic stock, the leaders of Ghana must not shelve the idea of regional, ethnic and religious balance in the composition of government. This will bring peace and development into our beloved country. Fellow countrymen, this article is not motivated by political campaign.
I am intelligent because I know that I know nothing (Socrates). I humbly stand for Corrections.
Nana Yaw Osei (Padigo), PhD Candidate, Psychology
College of Doctoral Studies
Grand Canyon University, Arizona, USA
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Writer
15.07.2016 LISTEN
Britain is receiving blow after blow these days. First, the British people decided to pull their country out of the European Union. This was then followed by threats from the Scots and the Northern Irish to pull out of the United Kingdom. Just as the dust started to settle down, England bade farewell to Euro 2016 in France when they lost to tiny Iceland, a result that was seen as a disaster equal to pulling out of the EU... But that is not all.
Now a report prepared by Sir John Chilcot, an official inquiry, has shattered British confidence and has shown that the invasion of Iraq by the United States and Britain 13 years ago was a great mistake based on lies and deception and has served to ruin Iraq, divide it into pieces, push the Shiites into the laps of the Iranians, create DAESH and eliminate Saddam Hussein. But for the one Saddam Hussein that was removed, another 1,000 Saddam's have emerged. It has also led to the groundwork that has pushed neighboring Syria into utter chaos...
Then-U.S. President George W. Bush and then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair today are trying to justify what they have done. Up to now, nearly a million Iraqis have died because of the mess these two created and nearly 5 million people have been displaced. The two have being justifying themselves by saying Saddam was a tyrant and had to be deposed of. But what they have created and the mess they have left behind is unforgiveable. The Chilcot report shows that while the legal basis for the war was "far from satisfactory" it also shows that the British had no plans to build a new Iraq after the invasion. In view of the current events, the same is valid for the Americans who have left a devastated country in total collapse. This columnist was in Iraq on and off from 2002 until 2007 and has seen the developments in the post-Saddam era with deep concern. While nation-building and creating democratic institutions may have been a serious problem in Baghdad, it could have been achieved in most of the country in Northern Iraq, where there was no violence. Yet the Americans and the British did nothing. The Kurds did their own brand of nation-building, but in a Middle Eastern manner, and thus ended up with the current mess in Northern Iraq with the Kurdistan Regional Government, which currently faces nightmares of all kinds...
Today Iraq is being run by Shiite feudal lords controlled by Iran, one third of the country has been invaded by DAESH and no one can dislodge them. The Kurdish area has been devastated by political bickering and discord, as well as a lack of finances, and the people are simply fed up. This is the legacy of Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair. Are they proud of themselves?
What is sad is that the Iraqi people and most probably the Syrian people are paying the price for their hypocrisy.
But worse, the Turks are also paying a heavy price for all this. We are hosting 300,000 migrants from Iraq and about 3 million from Syria because of the remaining instability in our neighbor's countries. We have lost trade money and our security has been seriously jeopardized because of the PKK and DAESH terrorists exploiting these areas of instability against us. The wars in these countries have hurt Turkey and there is no prospect that the suffering will end.
Yet today we see the Americans and the British turn a blind eye to all this and continue their policies of further creating conditions of instability in our region. It seems both Bush and Blair have much to explain not only to the American and British people, but to the masses in Turkey as well as in all other countries in the Middle East...
ILNUR CEVIK
Modified from the original: They killed 1 Saddam and created 1,000 others (Daily Sabah)
Parliament has approved a US$150 million tax waiver for equipment being purchased for the Western Corridor Gas Infrastructure Project.
The project is expected to lay out a network of gas pipelines for the commercial operations of the Ghana National Gas company on the Western Corridor.
But contributing to deliberations on the tax waiver, Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, criticized the total sum of the waiver explaining that it was too huge.
The total sum of US$152 million is 37.4 percent of the CIF value of $US430 million. Mr. Speaker, to me this on the higher side because, many a times we do grant some of these tax waivers without looking at the implications of these things that we do. Left to me alone, this waiver, in money terms, can be, perhaps, government of Ghana's share in the project itself.
If they were to pay this, it would have increased the cost of the project. By not paying this, the cost of the project has been understated, he added.
Agreement was not laid before parliament for approval
Mr. Awuah also expressed concern with the fact that, the original agreement between Ghana Gas and Chinese contractors, SINOPEC, was not approved by parliament.
He recalled that the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Dr. Anthony Osei Akoto, had demanded that the agreement be brought to the house for consideration by the Energy Committee, but for almost two years since he made that call, that particular contract has not been brought to the floor of this particular House.
But today, we are being called upon to approve a waiver which is in connection with this same contract which this house has not approved, Mr. Awuah added.
Agreement would have been breached if
The Chairman of Parliament's Finance Committee, James Kludze Avedzi, however clarified that failure to grant the tax waiver on the project would have amounted to a breach of the agreement between Ghana Gas and SINOPEC for the said project.
The project has already been executed and the granting of the waiver was a condition precedent and obligation under the contract, failure of which would constitute a breach on the part of government, he explained.
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Scores of Ghanaians and other African nationals have demanded the immediate release of former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
The call was made at the official launch of the Free Gbagbo Campaign at the Teachers Hall in Accra.
President Gbagbo was arrested at the Presidential Palace in La Cote DIvoire by French Special Forces, following the second round of voting in the disputed Ivorian General Elections of November 2010 in which he was declared winner by the Constitutional Court.
The Constitutional Courts declaration was in accordance with Article 94 of the Ivorian Constitution, which both determines disputes in and proclaims the results of Presidential elections.
Since his arrest and subsequent extradition to the ICC on November 30, 2011, protests have taken place across the world, including France, in fierce opposition to the attempt to impose an illegitimate government on the people of La Cote DIvoire.
The Editor of the Insight, Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, at the launch said he considered the continuing incarceration of President Gbagbo a part of the coercion of progressive African leaders whose governments sought to take their countries out of the grip of imperialism.
According to him President Laurent Gbagbo is before the ICC because he saw through the machinations of the imperialists and worked to ensure that the situation in which the foreign reserves of Francophone Africa was kept in the central bank of France is brought to an end.
Mr Pratt condemned the attempt by, what he described as, foreign forces and their local collaborators, who sought to introduce conflict between Ghana and La Cote DIvoire over the ownership of oil resources in the waters of the two countries.
He urged West African leaders to come together and float one common company owned by all the governments and the people of West Africa to exploit oil and other resources of the region for the benefit of all.
According to Mr Pratt, President Gbagbo is being held at the ICC in spite of the fact that the prosecution has failed to provide sufficient evidence to warrant his trial.
The ICC must be a very strange court, because my little knowledge of the judiciary and judicial processes is that when the prosecution fails to prove its case, the accused person is acquitted and discharged, but that is not the case at the ICC, he maintained.
The court itself sat and came to the conclusion that the evidence of the prosecution was not enough to sustain the charge against Laurent Gbagbo.
Mr Pratt therefore explained that, at that moment the court should have freed Laurent Gbagbo, but rather, the court said the prosecution should go and look for better evidence.
According to Mr Pratt, in spite of the absence of proper evidence President Gbagbo will be kept in detention at the ICC until the prosecution is able to find or manufacture some evidence, but called for mass action to campaign and expose the injustice and the corruption of the ICC as an organ of the West, fashioned to stifle the advancement of the African people.
Paa Kwesi Adu, President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) contested the charges against Laurent Gbagbo when he said: President Laurent Gbagbo is not a criminal. He is a true son of Africa who seeks the interest of the suffering people of his country and on this continent (Africa) and we demand his immediate release from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to the President of NUGS, Laurent Gbagbo as a teacher of history and as a leader of the union of teachers, taught Africa how to struggle and free its resources from the hands of the neo-colonialist and imperialist forces.
He noted that Laurent Gbagbo is in detention at the ICC, because the very forces that imposed slavery and pillaged the resources of Africa were still at work.
We are left in no doubt that the assassination of Patrice Lumumba of The Congo, Amilcar Cabral of Guinea Bissau, Captain Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso and several others, including the coup that toppled the regime of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah in 1966 was a clear attempt to curtail the forward march of a united Africa, where every African will live a dignified life and contribute towards the achievement of a new society based on the principles of social justice and equality for all he emphasised.
The former Deputy Registrar of the Ghana School of Law and the chairperson at the function, Mr John Yaw Opoku, considered it disgraceful that the residence of the head of state in La Cote D Ivoire is a property of France, for which rent was paid.
He added that he, feels proud that President Gbagbo took adequate measures to fight for the independence of La Cote DIvoire and establish control over Ivory Coast.
According to Mr Opoku, it must be a blot on the conscience of every African that our oil and minerals and every other resources, are not exploited for our benefit and what is sad is that we have our own Africans who help to take them away for nothing and this is why, for me, Gbagbo is my hero, because he sought to bring an end to this massive rape of his country.
Justin Katinan Kone, a former minister in the Gbagbo regime said President Laurent Gbagbo undertook a vast programme of electrification and safe water supply to rural communities, instituted a comprehensive health insurance for all people living in the country and extended scholarships for the poorest students at the university.
Mr Kone revealed that in January 2001, about four months after Gbagbo took office, militias allied to Allassane Quattara and protected by Blaise Campoare, attempted a coup against the newly elected President, but failed.
On September 19th, 2002, while on an official visit to Italy, another coup was planned against him, but that also failed . Even so, 300 people, mostly civilians, lost their lives in resistance to the coup. Among the dead, was the Minister of the Interior and many other officers.
According to Mr Kone, it was President Gbagbo, who in his quest to save La Cote D Ivoire from civilian war, initiated peace talks under the supervision of ECOWAS, adding that as soon as all the parties were about to agree to a common position, the French government manipulated the peace talks, stopped it and summoned another conference in Paris, where it invited all the parties except President Laurent Gbagbo.
The outcome of that conference was that, President Gbagbo was asked to replace the Prime Minister with another person who was close to the rebellion, with a further demand being that the President appoint another member of the rebellion as Minister of Interior and Defense. Unfortunately, that arrangement proposed by France was viciously opposed by the civilian population.
The UN's cultural agency on Friday added a ruined Armenian city inside Turkey's closed border with the ex-Soviet state to its World Heritage list, as it elevated eight other sites across the world to the list ranking.
The site of Ani, which lies outside the Turkish city of Kars, was the capital of an Armenian kingdom around the end of the first millenium, before its conquest in 1064 by Seljuk forces hastened a decline then completed by the Mongol conquest and an earthquake.
In another sensitive inscription, UNESCO elevated to World Heritage status caves once inhabited by Neanderthals in Britain's overseas territory of Gibraltar, which is claimed by Spain.
They joined seven other sites including in Iran, India, China, Micronesia and Spain in being added to the World Heritage list at the meeting of UNESCO in Istanbul.
The ruined churches and secular buildings of Ani are a hugely sensitive site, lying directly on the other side of Turkey's completely closed border with Armenia.
Ankara has no relations with Yerevan with the two countries mired in a dispute over the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I which Armenians and several Western parliaments regards as genocide.
For years an official permit was required to visit the Ani site but this has now been dropped and the Kars authorities are keen to promote its haunting beauty to boost visitor numbers.
It remains to be seen if Ani's new status could help reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, with a normalisation process currently stalled and Yerevan occasionally accusing Ankara of failing to protect Armenian heritage in the country.
"The time has come to end the clash of civilisations," said Turkey's envoy to UNESCO Huseyin Avni Botsali, quoted by the state-run Anadolu Agency.
"We give hope to future generations," he said, adding his Armenian counterpart had made the "very nice gesture" of congratulating Turkey.
UNESCO said Ani presents a "comprehensive overview of the evolution of medieval architecture through examples of almost all the different architectural innovations of the region between the 7th and 13th centuries".
The Gorham's Cave Complex on Gibraltar meanwhile "provide evidence of Neanderthal occupation over a span of more than 125,000 years", including abstract rock engravings, it added.
The sites named by UNESCO in the Middle East and Asia included the so-called qanat water systems in Iran, the Zuojiang Huashan rock art cultural landscape in China and the archaeological site of Nalanda Mahavihara in India.
The landscape in China is all that remains today of the bronze age culture -- known as "bronze drum" after its most characteristic artefacts -- once prevalent across the country's south, the agency said in a statement.
The site in Iran is an example of an ancient water-supply system -- known as qanat -- suited for the most arid areas.
The fourth site is Nan Madol -- a ceremonial centre of eastern Micronesia in the Federated States of Micronesia containing medieval palaces and tombs.
The Micronesian site is a series of 99 artificial islets built with walls of basalt and coral boulders.
It was, however, immediately placed on UNESCO's list of heritage-in-danger due to the construction of navigation channels which was making the historic edifices more fragile.
The heritage-in-danger list is intended to highlight the risks facing world heritage sites that need protection and allows the committee to allocate immediate support from the World Heritage Fund.
Also included on the World Heritage list were medieval tombstones found throughout the Balkans known as Stecci as well as the remains of the walled city of Philippi in Greece founded by the Macedonian King Philip II.
The ninth site included is the neolithic and Bronze Age Antequera Dolmens site whose megalithic monuments are among the most important in Europe, UNESCO said.
The meeting, which is considering over two dozen nominations for World Heritage status, will end on July 20.
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A haunting photo of a deadly crash scene has gone viral because of what it appears to capture.
The roadside photo shows a crowd gathered around a motorcycle crash victim. Above the first responders heads hovers a transparent shadow eerily resembling a human figure.
In the stirring Facebook photo, truck driver Saul Vazquez says he rolled down his window before snapping the scene along Highway 15 near Stanton, Kentucky, on Tuesday afternoon.
Zoom in and pay attention to the shadow just off the top of the state trooper hat, he wrote.
He suggested that he didnt know what happened to the victim at the time, writing, I hope everyone involved is okay!!
The crash victim was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after, according to Lex 18 News.
Vazquez told the station the picture had not been altered.
The photo has been shared on Facebook more than 7,600 times as of Thursday. Many commenters called it freaky and amazing, and suggested it shows the victims spirit or some other supernatural entity.
Two mystified Seattle news anchors also shared their thoughts on what they were seeing during a live broadcast.
It almost looks like Mary, Q13 reporter Marni Hughes said of its resemblance to the Virgin Mary, who is often seen with outstretched arms. I dont know. It could be an angel. It certainly looks like something.
It seems like the figure is sort of gesturing to him, chimed in reporter David Rose, so other people think that its the body going up, hopefully to heaven.
Vazquez did not immediately return a request for comment.
15.07.2016 LISTEN
The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says victory for him in this year's elections will mean an opportunity for his government to truly implement the Free Senior High School policy a policy he espoused in the run-up to the 2008 and 2012 elections.
Despite the Mahama government initially describing the policy as not feasible and later turning around to try to implement it, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that the inability of the Mahama government to implement the policy for the benefit of suffering Ghanaian parents is because they have no belief or understanding of the policy.
At the commencement of his 5-day tour of the Ashanti Region in the Ahafo Ano South East constituency, on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, Nana Akufo-Addo assured parents who still cannot afford to pay the fees of their wards that his government, God-willing from January 2017, will rectify that anomaly.
I indicated in 2012 that if I won the election I would solve the problem of poor Ghanaian parents who cannot afford to pay the fees of their wards by introducing the Free SHS policy. I was bastardised by President Mahama, who said it was a misplaced priority, a lie, and could only be achieved in 20 years, Akufo-Addo said.
He continued, When President Mahama won, he changed his mind and said it (Free SHS) was possible and could be done.
Even after saying it could be done, he has failed woefully to implement it. He said he was going to build 200 Community Day Schools, and even that he has built only 5, after 4 years.
Speaking at Adugyama, his first port of call in the AhafoAno South East constituency, Nana Akufo-Addo assured that when he wins the elections of 2016, I am coming to truly implement the Free SHS policy, adding that: I will not give a promise to Ghanaians for which I know I cannot keep. Whatever I have said I will do, I will surely do it so Ghanaians can move on.
Lamenting the difficulties the Ghanaian people are facing on a daily basis, he indicated that it is time Ghanaians are taken away from the hardships and suffering imposed on them by the Mahama government.
We are coming to change Ghana and bring relief, progress and prosperity to all Ghanaians in every part of the country, without discrimination. The stealing of public resources by those in government is just too much, and the reason why there is little to show for all the resources of our country. This will stop, because we are coming into government to root out corruption and end the stealing of the country's resources, he said.
Oil palm
With the mainstay of the people of the entire Ahafo Ano constituencies being agriculture, particularly the cultivation of oil palm, the NPP flagbearer indicated that the times of over-reliance on cocoa are over, assuring that his government is going to pay particular attention to the diversification of the country's agriculture.
Improving agricultural productivity, he noted, will be spurred on by the production and marketing of additional cash crops such as cotton, coffee, oil palm, cashew and maize, which will boost export earnings for the country.
Citing the example of Malaysia, which earned $16.1 billion in 2015 from the exports of palm oil and palm-based products, Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that his government, God-willing from January 2017, will help establish an oil palm processing factory in the district, to help create jobs for the teeming masses of unemployed youth in the constituency, as well as earn foreign exchange revenues for the country.
He further added that, it is only though rapid industrial expansion and an increase of agricultural productivity that Ghana can generate the hundreds of thousands of jobs that the young people of Ghana need.
Patronise exhibition exercise
Nana Akufo-Addo, in concluding, urged all registered voters to take the upcoming voter register exhibition exercise seriously, and make sure their names can be found in the voters' register.
This year, no one should ignore the voter register exhibition exercise. This is because this is the year when we will use our thumbs to effect the change we all desire.
Go to the various exhibition centres and make sure your name can be found in the register. We don't want the situation where your name will be missing from the roll on Election Day, he added.
The NPP flagbearer, who also visited Sabronum, the main town in the constituency, appealed to voters to repose their confidence in the NPP, and in the party's parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Francis Manu Adabor, by voting massively and increasing the party's margin of victory.
Khartoum (AFP) - Dozens of Sudanese women and children arrived in Khartoum from Juba on Friday as Sudan began evacuating its nationals from South Sudan, which split from the north five years ago.
South Sudanese voted for independence from Sudan under a peace agreement in 2011 but the world's youngest country fell into a civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people.
South Sudan was rocked by fighting again last week when fierce battles erupted in the capital ahead of the country's independence anniversary.
Although a ceasefire has held since late Monday, the United Nations has warned of the possibility of fresh fighting in Juba.
Specially chartered planes have been taking foreign nationals out of the country since Wednesday.
Sudan too began evacuating its nationals, and the first flight carrying 76 Sudanese arrived in Khartoum on Friday afternoon.
"We are focusing on bringing women, children and elderly people first," government official Gamal Ahmed told reporters at Khartoum airport.
"There will be other flights today bringing more people."
Officials said on Thursday that Sudan will operate three to four flights a day to bring its nationals home.
"Most of them are traders and those working in international NGOs. They are in thousands," government official Hajj Magid Suor told Sudan Media Centre, an outlet close to the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service.
Four days of intense battles last week between soldiers loyal to President Salva Kiir and former rebels backing Vice President Riek Machar left hundreds dead in Juba and prompted more than 40,000 to flee their homes.
The latest violence marks a fresh blow to last year's deal for ending the conflict, which erupted when Kiir accused Machar of plotting a coup.
The fighting has largely been along ethnic lines, pitting Kiir's Dinka against Machar's Nuer, the country's two largest groups.
The conflict has witnessed horrific atrocities between the two groups, including gang rapes, the wholesale burning of villages and even cannibalism.
Tens of thousands have been killed and more than two million driven from their homes.
15.07.2016 LISTEN
But Crime Office Dilly-Dallying With Case
From Alfred Adams, Takoradi
THE Western Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) has taken over the criminal case involving a Military Police Officer, Corporal Dampson and five civilians, who have been accused of trying to forcibly eject a Shareholder of SeaWorld Engineering Company Limited, Mr. Gideon Kwame Ahoto from his residence without recourse to law.
The Military-Police Officer, together with the five civilians, on the June 17, this year, reportedly went to the residence of the SeaWorld shareholder cum Board Member and attempted to eject him forcibly from his residence.
The conduct of the Military man came on the heels of a fracas Mr. Gideon Kwame Ahoto had with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company, Mr. Alfred Fafali Adagbedu.
But for the timely intervention of the Takoradi Central Police Command, the SeaWorld shareholder cum Board Member would have been ejected forcibly from his residence.
The Takoradi Police subsequently arrested the Military Police Officer who led the attack and the other five accomplices and detained them.
The accused have since been granted bail after they mentioned the CEO of SeaWorld as the one who ordered them to eject Gideon Kwame Ahoto from the residence. The statement of the CEO has also been taken by the Police.
Though the Regional Police Command has taken over the case from the Takoradi Central Police Command where the case was first reported, they seem to be dilly dallying with the case.
The Regional Police Crime Officer, Mr. Reuben Asoko, though confirmed that his outfit had taken over the case, saying the case had not gathered much water.
The complainant in the case, Gideon Kwame Ahoto is, however, suspecting foul play. According to him, he was issued an ejection notice by the CEO of SeaWorld to quit the residence he was staying, following a fracas shareholders of the company, including himself, had had with him, over the running of the company.
A copy of the ejection notice he showed to this reporter, dated May 6, 2016, under the headline: 'RE-Notice To Quit Plot 186 Chapel Hill, Takoradi' reads: 'I hereby give you notice to vacate my property within 4 weeks of the date of this letter as I intend to use the property myself.'
Another reminder to the earlier ejection notice was dated June 16, 2016, under the headline: RE-Occupancy of Plot 186 Chapel Hill, Takoradi'. This letter also reads: 'I hereby give you notice to prepare my property stated above for my occupancy. Please treat this as urgent'.
Continuing, Gideon Ahoto said on June 17, 2016, a day after receiving the CEO's reminder letter, the Military Police Officer and the five other accomplices stormed his premises, forcibly entered his room and began removing the louver blades and the roofing.
The complainant said he told the suspects that the issue of the residence was a subject of court litigation at a High Court so he would not give in to their demands and subsequently alerted the Takoradi Police Command who came to arrest the suspects.
He added that the suspects, led by the Military-Police officer, upon interrogation by the Police mentioned the CEO of SeaWorld as the one who sent them to eject him.
The CEO is reported to have written his statement in the case leading to the granting of bail to the accomplices.
The Regional Crime Officer who spoke to this reporter in his office was not coming forth with information. He however confirmed that he had interrogated the SeaWorld CEO and he did not see the case as criminal.
However, he believes the case should be channeled to Rent Control since it has to do with rental issue.
15.07.2016 LISTEN
The full interview with the Guardian of Nigeria
By Emeka Anuforo, guardian.ng
His Excellency, former President of Ghana, Flt Lt (rtd) Jerry John Rawlings, was twice head of state of Ghana. In this no-holds-barred interview with EMEKA ANUFORO, he speaks on a range of issues, including Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari, corruption in Africa, his country, Ghana, and the way forward for African countries.
On things that destroy the moral fabric of societies
In the first place, I think that things have gone astray since the collapse of the bipolar world. I keep talking about Pope John Paul II castigating the dominant Western economic philosophy when he called it the savagery of capitalism.
The conduct of affairs internationally has pretty much gone out of hands. But some of us appear to be immune to it or appear to be getting used to it. All the things you don't expect to happen in a healthy government, in a democratic context, are happening: the greed, the impunity, the selfishness being displayed. And it is even worse with us in the so-called developing world in terms of the monetisation of values.
The very moral fabric of integrity is broken. I am saying that there was a dramatic moment when this turning point could actually be felt. That was when George Bush Jnr moved into Iraq. That cynical moment turned a very important human value upside down in the sense that, from that moment, as they stepped in and decided to just move into the capital and literarily destroyed so much human life and natural habitat, I told the world in one sentence that, the right of might now supersedes the might of right.
So, others began to take a cue. I do recall that when Bush and Blair made their presence felt, like 'this is going to be a new world order under our leadership', I think they attempted to crack a whip on Africa because 'things are not going well on this black continent either.'
President Mugabe was to be their first victim, if you remember. His name was the one poisoned the most. Two people were sent down there to go and ask him to get out of office: Obasanjo and Kufuor, who were then in office. The Southern Region leadership told them to get out. Fantastic, beautiful!
They needed a culprit. If they couldn't have Mugabe, then someone else. That was how Charles Taylor was picked up. I am not saying that Charles Taylor to an extent didn't deserve what he got or completely ignorant of the Liberian brutalities.
But Obasanjo had gone to the US at that time for whatever reason, but not even the State Department would receive him unless he produced Charles Taylor. Remember at that time, Charles Taylor was living in Nigeria and he set off, attempting to go to another country, when he was arrested at the border and handed over.
Now, generally speaking, and you know, a whole lot of nasty things were going on following the Bin Ladin's insurgency on September 11 with his allied Taliban forces. That moment brought another face in the history of humanity across the globe and has reshaped the America's home security and international policy.
All of a sudden, America decided to start chasing people up. They erred in some ways. Instead of chasing, arresting and bringing to justice, they used the words: 'We would hound and kill'. The word 'justice' was lost and it appeared every statesman or woman had to use the same language, otherwise they would lose their political influence.
If a world like that is going to talk about pursuing people, so-called terrorists, and kill them, without justice, we also take the cue. I am saying so much went wrong, so much impunity. The world is still in search of true Justice.
It is no surprise President Carter, many years down the line, should castigate the US and say America had lost its moral standing. That is why the world at that time, even the USA, was so excited that the world simply wanted, was craving for some international political morality with such a passion. If you remember, the world held on to people like Mandela. But that was earlier.
When somebody like Obama emerged, didn't you see how the world was excited about him? He clearly represented the new spirit, the refreshing spirit that the world was looking for, and especially to be a leader in the US. He has been doing his bit. But the point is that the wrongdoings, the manner in which things have gone astray since the collapse of the bipolar world, much of that has taken a life of its own in various ways.
On Ghana and corruption
Not too long after I left office, I was giving a talk in Tanzanian and I said the world was going to see an exponential growth of terrorism. I had left office and the western media and western governments were desperately whitewashing the image of Ghana in spite of the atrocities and the corruption that was going on in my country after we had left office.
Ghana had become a captive state, being whitewashed. You see how they orchestrate things? This is what I want you to wake up to. Now, it might interest you to know that, while they were whitewashing, making these claims and things were also falling apart, as late as just a few months ago, BBC now claims that terrorism had risen by 84%, creating a false impression at that time. This is the power of the Western media.
They kept whitewashing the image of my country in order for it to serve as the role model for the rest of Africa. It is shocking and mindboggling to know that, some perceived celebrated companies in Ghana and Africa with so much media hype and political patronization, were just nothing but a package of mirage. It is no wonder Ghana is so corrupt today.
Remember when I said the world would see a multiplier effect of terrorism, I knew what was going on in Ghana; I knew what was going on in Africa: the way the global situation was affecting us; our country was suffocating but leadership seemed immune to the realities.
Meanwhile, I am repeating what the Pope says about the savagery of capitalism. Where is it going to lead to and what was going on for him to describe this kind of scenario? Corruption could get worse. Even as a party, we used to win elections with the force of conviction. The one who came after I left office just capitulated and decided to use the money factor.
On Nigeria's decision to change things
Out of this growing darkness, Nigerians of all people seem to have decided that enough is enough and they voted for a man with the qualities to deal with the problems of Nigeria. For me, this is one of the greatest gifts that your country has offered us.
Hold on to it and support it to restore the foundation of integrity in your national affairs. You can do things the corrupt way. But I believe it is better to do things the non-corrupt way. The non-corrupt way is healthier, more stable and takes away anxieties. It can achieve a lot more; even take you to the moon.
So, a lot of these things just destroyed the moral fabric of our societies. For me, it is just a sweet sensation to think that Nigeria came out of that construct, showing us that that kind of corrupt environment that seemed to have solidified can be turned around, can be reversed.
I am just hoping that it can inspire the rest of West Africa. I'm not saying is a single effort of an individual but rather a sense of responsibility of every individual to take ownership of integrity and accountability but somebody must take the lead. We had a taste of that.
On his relationship with Abacha
It is unfortunate that Abacha should also be caught up in such practices like a few of his predecessors. But he was one hell of a nationalist and very patriotic. Abacha saved the country.
Some of you may not know this. But I also had my fingers on things. Some may not want to hear it. But the departure of that gentleman called Abiola, the one who passed away, saved Nigeria from a probable explosion.
Shonekan couldn't handle the situation and Abacha stepped in. There is also something else we shouldn't lose sight of. When I am talking about the possibility of an explosion, it's about the circumstances and the personalities involved.
Abiola plus Shonekan (who was a man of integrity) could not even be seen to hold it. Does it surprise you that Nigerians, I think either through some national instinct or wherever the perception came from, some think that they needed retired generals who cannot be intimidated by the military?
That was how come characters like Obasanjo could come back or for that matter, this gentleman, President Buhari, who cannot be intimidated by the military.It has its value, but I think it is a transition that we are all going through or you are going through.
On his anti-corruption and alleged $5million 'gift' from Abacha
The point I want to make here is around that period, we were preparing for constitutional rule. We needed funds for some activities and we got contributions from few places.
The interesting thing is that I never went to, or asked Abacha for any contribution. And this is something that impressed me about the man. I didn't ask him for a penny. But he obviously understood certain situations, our situation, and graciously sent me a small suitcase of money. I think there were two cars or three that came to the Air Force station to look for me. I was going for fly at that afternoon.
So, I was at the Air Force Station when a gentleman came over there and when he said he had a message from Abacha, I cancelled my flight and they set out to wait for me. I drove after them to the caste. As we got out of the car and we were about to move up, this elderly gentleman, Gwarzo he is called, had one of his assistants try to bring out a suitcase from the boot of a car.
I had an idea of what it could be. So I said: 'Leave it, shut your boot and let's go upstairs first and talk'. He said he had brought something from Abacha. I said two things: 'I hear you people don't provide assistance without the world hearing it with a twist'.
He just kept quiet looking at me. I said two: 'Don't think that when you bring this, whatever it is, that would shut me up from criticizing if I think you are wrong, or if I disagree.' He then opened his mouth and said 'Sir, we need you more than you need us'. I am quoting him. He didn't speak much.
He was a very noble, quiet looking and elderly man. He was respectable looking. In fact, what he said simply disarmed me. So I said it was okay. He could send for the parcel. His assistant then went and brought in the parcel: 2million dollars: new notes packed in plastic bags, fairly heavy. We left it in the sitting room.
We finished with some niceties and he left. I informed some of my close comrades of the parcel from Abacha. I gave away about 350,000 dollars to two people for urgent disbursements. One of our senior colleagues who was in charge of an exercise drew down certain amounts. We went on like this until the suitcase was exhausted.
Later when Abacha died and your country instituted an investigation into his assets, I read in one of your newspapers that Mr. Gwarzo, this fine gentleman, allegedly said that he brought me 5million dollars. I am glad I still have that suitcase. It shocked me a bit that such a fine respectable man could make such a claim. The amount he mentioned shocked me. That he could tell such a lie.
My colleagues knew about it. I didn't know why I should be keeping these things secret. Moreover, I didn't have any personal account to be putting these things into anyway. Besides we needed to use them for some national needs.
But lo and behold! Many years down the line when I fell out with some of my colleagues and they decided to get poisonous, two of them wrote a book on district assembly elections and the decentralization programme, and inserted in somewhere, when it was absolutely not necessary, something about Gwarzo's supposed $5million just to poison my name. I just feel sad that Gwarzo should do this. I am prepared to be subjected to polygraph test. May be that's what he needs also.
When General Abubakar took over, I told him to watch out. That that report in the papers about $5million was $2million and not $5million. He didn't make any comment. He didn't say anything. Obasanjo took over I thought I should straighten it out with him. The comment he made was:
'Yes, that is how they behave. When they are given something to take somewhere, they will take the majority, the bigger share.' That was the comment Obasanjo made.
I wasn't used to those things. Otherwise, I could have called Abacha. I don't even think I even called him over that. Maybe I should have called him to say thank you for the $2million and then he would have called his people to order.
You see what I mean? I wasn't used to money being thrown up and down. Money was not my thing. Yes, we were poor enough as a country, but we were working day and night to making sure we put the country on a solid foundation for economic explosion. We had our pride and our dignity was not out for sale.
I recall that in the early days I didn't have any money in the account and somebody gave me a million dollar cheque. I just threw it on the workshop table. Eight years later, one of our comrades reminded me about the cheque and said we would need the money for something and I asked him to go look for it.
The mischief that our people get involved in hurt me. When I was a kid my grandmother used to say: 'A liar is more dangerous than a thief', and we could never understand it. It didn't make sense to us, because as kids we were always denying something or telling fibs about something, and nobody gets hurt or anything.
But you get whipped for stealing and more. When you grow up to my situation today then you wake up to what my Granny was saying, how liars are the most vicious and cowardly creatures. They can destroy a whole image and reputation.
That was why Chinua Achebe's counterpart, Ayi Kwei Armah, wrote 'The Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born'. When I grew up, I realized he was wrong. The beautiful ones are born.
They are there, but the platform is so dirty they dare not step on it to campaign to be leaders, because they would be slammed down with some of the nastiest fabrications. Nobody wants to have their name spoilt, so politics becomes a monopoly. No wonder he said the beautiful ones were not yet born.
But no, when I got in, I said no way. I brought the beautiful ones all on board when I came back the second time. That was how come we succeeded so beautifully. We provided a leadership of credibility and integrity. These are the hallmarks I stand for.
How to strengthen institutions to keep beautiful ones alive
A lot depends on the leader, his sensitivity, his will, his strength and determination, because the vast majority of the people are suffering from the decay.
They want to see a change for the better. I think that the number one should be bold enough and identify the right people to take over and move to those institutions in an effective and efficient way.
Put your foot down, because those institutions are manned by human beings; and if those human beings lack the character, the strength and the spirit to be able to defy that which is wrong, then we cannot defend freedom and justice.
The leader has to give a clear signal, sense of direction and the passion to drive the change. When I was in office, I spent 30-40 per cent of my time watching out for corrupt or corruptible indications or behaviour or lifestyles. I wouldn't tolerate it. It is so easy. It brings the best out of your people. They would do 70 per cent of the work for you.
I can understand Buhari's style. It is okay. Let it be. My style was to provoke the needed consciousness and invite the involvement of our people so that you had moral outrage from the general populace. So, even in your villages and workplaces, you can't misbehave and get away with it. I don't have to have a policeman there.
We don't have enough policemen. But the moral outrage of the society is dynamite. It is a weapon waiting to be used and utilized. The people were policing themselves for the just course. Do you get me? Do you get me, my brother? That's what I meant by positive defiance.
Some may end up being intimidated by it, sadly. But no, it is there to help you. After all, that is what you have in those countries, those developed countries. They have not destroyed their moral outrage.
Halting Ghana's slide on the corruption table
All I can do is speak up. I find myself in a situation where I have moral responsibility and no executive authority. I would have wished that my moral authority could have the same influence. But that is not the case, corruption has infiltrated our institutions and their leaders so badly today that they use some kind of lens to demonstrate that you can keep your moral authority, but this is executive power at work.
So all I can do is to critique and advocate for my people. I can't hide it. And I believe that was how I won the respect from the larger populace, from both sides of the political divide. I have remained principled. My wife is still standing where she is, cut off from our party that she was very responsible in building up because it became corrupted from Mills' time.
We now fight on the terms of the opposition or the main opposition party. Fortunately for them, they have a leader who is not known for messing around with material things. The situation is so bad. So unfortunate! This is why Buhari has to alter things. You have got to make it. He doesn't have much time and can't afford for inertia to set in or for the momentum to go down.
On remarks by Kofi Annan that some African leaders were tempting the military. The point is that in waging a campaign in the international community, bringing pressure to bear to keep the military in the barracks, our hope was that the quality of democracy would also have improved.
I like to think that you can use good governance to prevent military intervention. Quite frankly, our parliaments do not appear to be strong enough to impeach Presidents who are getting out of hand. That is one way of preventing a coup. That is a legitimate way of doing it, an institutional way of doing it.
But too many of us appear to have been compromised and our principles also compromised. So we seem unable to make a move against an erring government and a government that is becoming very corrupt and endangering situations. So I am not surprised he said what he said. I am not surprised at all.
We left behind an exemplary institution or institutions the Armed Forces. But they made sure they corrupted it in order to survive because they could not measure up to the standards that we left behind. That is as far as that is concerned.I could have said this, but if I had done so it would seem that I was calling for it. People would misinterpret it. Now that Kofi Annan himself has said it, I hope people will see through the situation.
Corruption has warped our development process and programme. I am not just taking about the materialistic or monetary corruption, but the extent to which your very culture, the moral standing of a society can be so.A few months ago I said in one of our universities that it appears you cannot get ahead by doing the right thing anymore.
When you have to do it the right way, you won't succeed. Instead, you should be prepared to cut corners, offer bribes or do some foolish things before you get along. I'm glad some of our local companies got blacklisted by the UN and other donor agencies for such unhealthy moral practices.
When you have reached that stage, that level, then you know that things are bad. I don't want to create the impression of no hope because things are bad.That is why, for me, I am holding on to you people, Nigeria, to turn things around. Buhari is God-sent.
By Maxwell Ofori, Parliament House
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma West Constituency, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has stated emphatically that the protest march held by some Women Association in Accra on Tuesday, this week, against Kennedy Agyapong, MP for Assin Central, was fueled by a political party just to run down the image of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to her, some political parties have taken advantage of the fact that the comments were made on an NPP platform, to win political points by associating the NPP to the comments and they are describing the party as having no respect for women.
In an exclusive interview with The Chronicle at Parliament House on Wednesday, she described the protest by the coalition of concerned women as hypocritical, adding that, what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.
She noted that it was right for people to speak against any bad attack on women but should not be done hypocritically, because of political gains.
When NDC is wrong lets say it, when NPP is wrong we have to say it, but we should be careful how we handle issues. Not because you dont support that party, so you wont be objective on their issues, she noted.
However, as part of the protest, a petition was given to the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Doe Adjaho to compel the MP in question, Kennedy Agyapong, to apologize for passing those comments. The Women Caucus in Parliament received the petition on behalf of the Speaker.
Among them was the MP for Tano South and a Deputy Minister of Agriculture, in charge of livestock, Hanna Louisa Bisiw, but her colleague MP for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu expressed her disappointment in the former, describing her as hypocrite.
Hanna Bisiw has no moral right to have followed the crowd to condemn Kennedy Agyapong because she has insulted me before, she explained. The outspoken MP for Ablekuma West, Mrs. Ursula Owusu, cited that most women have been insulted because of their positions but nobody raised a finger. She swiftly indicated that, maybe this is what has made them to start fighting for the dignity of women.
Meanwhile, she maintained that, the fight should cover all women, not some. If we want to fight for women then we should fight for all. We dont have to be selective, she cautioned.
On the same sex for job comment, the minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, issued a statement to condemn it, but Ursula Owusu saw the move by the minister to be hypocritical, asking where was Nana Oye Lithur when I was insulted? she quizzed.
She noted that such words should not be used on women, but I dont support how people are exhibiting their hypocrisy. I have decided not to insult any woman but if you do the wrong thing I will tell you, she opined.
Mrs. Ursula Owusu revealed that for the past three years in Parliament, she was not in good terms with Dr Hanna Bisiw because she realised that the Deputy Minister for Agriculture responsible for livestock had no regard for women in particular.
We have settled the issue so we started talking in this last year (4th year in Parliament). I will fight for Hanna when she is in trouble so she should also be able to fight for me. We women in Parliament are not many so we have to be one, she urged.
In another interview with Hannah Bisiw to hear her side of the allegations levelled against her, she said she is a woman and holds the dignity of women in higher esteem and, therefore, could not use any derogatory words on any woman.
I have not insulted her. If shes saying that Ive insulted her, then she should produce the tape. On which platform did I insult her? She should bring the tape, Dr Hannah Bisiw dared Mrs. Ursula Owusu.
15.07.2016 LISTEN
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has been at the forefront in the fight against corruption in this country. Ever since he left office, Mr. Rawlings has smeared almost every president and minister that has served the country with corruption.
President Kufuor, Professor Atta Mills and now President Mahama have all been accused of either indulging in corruption or presiding over corruption.
In all these cases, the former military pilot painted himself as a man of integrity, and that he had never entangled himself in any form of corruption.
Meanwhile, somewhere in 1996, the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), after years of investigations, found some of Mr. Rawlings' key ministers guilty of corruption. Surprisingly, the government he presided over issued a White Paper to exonerate all the ministers of the corruption charges.
The case died its natural death, because CHRAJ had, and still not, been clothed with prosecutory powers to drag the affected ministers to court.
Then came the bombshell in 1998, where Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings was accused of having received a $5 million bribe from the then Nigerian brutal military dictator, General Sani Abacha. According to the story, which The Chronicle pursued vigorously at that time, the said money was brought to Mr. Rawlings by Mr. Ismaila Gwarzo, then National Security Advisor to General Abacha.
President Rawlings did not make any official comment on the issue, but his ministers and parliamentarians defended him with all the forces they could marshall, to the extent that an attempt made by the Minority to push for a parliamentary inquiry into the allegation was torpedoed by the Majority.
The man had painted himself as a clean man, but when the opportunity came for him to prove to the world that he was indeed incorruptible, he failed the test.
Like his ministers' case, the alleged bribery allegation also died naturally, without any investigation to either confirm it, or otherwise.
Eighteen solid years down the line, the former president has now come to confirm that, indeed, he received the money from the late General Abacha, but denied it was $5 million, saying it was only $2 million that was brought to him by Mr. Gwarzo.
Granted that it was indeed $2 million that Mr. Rawlings received, why did he keep quite when his ministers were jumping from one radio station to other, denying that he had ever received a bribe from Abacha.
As the adage goes, he who preaches equity must always come with clean hands. The word corruption is like a chewing stick in the mouth of President Rawlings, which is good, we must admit, because it keeps our governments on their toes.
What is not known to Ghanaians, however, was that whilst preaching corruption here, corruption there, corruption everywhere, he himself had delved deeper into it and benefitted tremendously. Yet, we are talking about the man who shot and killed Messrs R.E. Kotei, I.K. Acheampong, Utuka, Feli, Amedome, F.W.K. Akuffo, Afrifa, and Air Vice Marshall George Yaw Boakye for allegedly indulging in corruption.
The money allegedly misappropriated by these slain people comes nowhere near the $2 million Mr. Rawlings claimed to have received, yet they were shot and killed, but our former president did not blink his eyes before collecting the Nigerians tax payers' money, which he had not worked for.
Clearly, Rawlings has exposed his hypocrisy to millions of Ghanaians, and those beyond the borders of this country, for admitting finally that he, indeed, took the Nigerian money handed to him on a silver platter by Abacha.
It is the hope of The Chronicle that President Buhari, who has waged a relentless war against corruption, will pursue Mr. Rawlings to take back the $2 million he has publicly admitted to collecting. We end this editorial with the famous Nigerian folklore: The day the monkey is destined to die, all tree branches become slippery.
Government has taken delivery of 400,000 barrels of light crude oil to power the country's thermal plants and to ease the crippling power crisis in the country.
This was confirmed by the Deputy Power Minister John Jinapor in an interview on Joy FM, Friday.
According to him, the crude oil when treated will add about 450 megawatts of power to the installed capacity.
It will however take at least seven days for the crude oil to be treated and pumped into three of the thermal plants at Aboadze.
The country has been experiencing a resurging power crisis which has affected many businesses across the country.
There have been calls for the Electricity Company of Ghana to release a load shedding schedule to help business men plan but those calls have been watered down by president John Mahama who insists the current situation, while regrettable, is not akin to the popular power crisis.
The Deputy Power Minister in an interview with Kojo Yankson explained the reason for the recent outages.
"The major challenge that is been confronting us for days now is being the lack of fuel within the Aboadze thermal enclave. This is because fuel we had established LC for and was expecting on the 23d, the suppliers couldn't deliver the fuel arising from militant attacks in Nigeria.
"Five terminals were blown in Nigeria," he explained, adding, "it delayed the fuel. Eventually the vessel took 400,000 barrels of fuel in Nigeria and even on the way had to take a detour.
"Normally it takes about one day for the vessel to navigate to Ghana but this time had to take about three days because it had to take a detour in Sao Tome," he stated.
"We have fuel now, we are going through the treatment," he said, describing the strides made as a "big shot in the arm."
The Deputy Minister said the country is currently shedding 200 megawatts of power but the crude oil will now supply 450 megawatts which means "all things being equal, there will be no dumsor" he promised.
He also denied assertions that Ameri plant is lying idle whilst the country pays huge monies for it.
Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah
As the Electoral Commission (EC) prepares exhibit the voters register, some Members of Parliament (MPs) have expressed concern about the schedule in the House for the next few weeks.
The MPs argued that there is a need for them to travel back to their constituencies during the exhibition exercise to make sure that their names are in the register but are worried about how it might affect their work in Parliament.
The EC announced that the voters register will be exhibited from July 18 to August 7 ; a change from the usual 10-day process.
The date for the exhibition is slated for Monday 18 of July 2016, to 7th August. This year's exhibition exercise is a bit different from the previous ones for some reason. In other words, this particular exhibition exercise is characterized by three main innovations. First of all, the Commission has decided to extend the 10 to 14 days that we normally use for the exhibition exercise to 21 days, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Samuel Tettey, said
He stated that, the exercise is relevant because it offers voters an opportunity to know where their polling station is.
The MPs have, therefore, requested that their programmes during the period be amended to allow them take part in the exhibition exercise and effectively conduct their duties in the House.
As MPs I think we are expected to play some roles and the matter [exhibition] will be going on for three weeks. At the same time we are expected to be in the house to also do this other part of our job. I'm wondering if the leadership of the business community has taken this into consideration. Certainly it would not be wise for the MP to decide not to go at all but at the same time we also recognize the urgency we are face with in terms of passing bills, MP for Old Tafo, Anthony Osei Akoto said on the floor of Parliament.
I'm wondering if it's been taken into consideration to allow us to partially perform these two functions both of which are equally important to the welfare of our people and of Ghana.
Edward Doe Adjaho, Speaker of Parliament
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, urged the leaders of the majority and minority to meet and reach a consensus on the schedule for the period
The issue is perching on people's constitutional obligations. So they [MPs] are asking that they go and check their names during the period. Fortunately for us also, it's not a one-day event. I would suggest that leadership should meet and plan the movement of MPs so that we are able to hold the House together and also allow members to go to their constituencies to check their names and be able to come. I believe that through consultations and discussions, we should find a common ground in dealing with this matter, he stated.
According to him, although the MPs had an obligation to be in Parliament, it was also imperative that they make sure their names are in the register.
If your name is not in the register, you can't file your nomination so we can't say that members should not go and check their names. At the same time you have a duty for which you are being paid by the taxpayer in the chamber, he said.
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Egypt's foreign ministry urged Egyptian citizens in South Sudan's capital Juba to take extreme care and stay in their places of residence until clashes cease, according to a statement issued late Tuesday, the first day of a ceasefire that followed five days of violence.
The Egyptian embassy in South Sudan is following up and getting in contact with Egyptian citizens to offer help, ambassador Ayman El-Gammal said.
Forty-five Egyptian citizens were received at the embassy where they are currently seeking refuge, the ambassador said.
Violence erupted in the city last Thursday during the anniversary of the youngest country in the world's independence from Sudan.
The ceasefire was signed between President Salva Kiir and his opponent Vice President Riek Machar.
Flights were still suspended in and out of Juba's international airport until Tuesday, AP reported.
The foreign ministry said it would take the necessary procedures to help Egyptians leave Juba once flights are resumed.
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Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II has given his blessings flagbearer to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of the November polls.
I pour my blessings on you. Go forth, and when you become successful, implement these policies you have outlined for the wellbeing of Ghanaians. All we are looking for in Ghana is progress and development. It is not about violence or insults, he added.
Otumfuo made the blessing when Nana Akufo-Addo paid a courtesy call on him and the Asanteman Council, at the Manhyia Palace yesterday [Thursday] as part of the NPP flagbearer's tour of the Ashanti Region.
The NPP flagbearer is current on a five-day campaign tour of the party's political stronghold.
Nana Addo has been on a campaign tour for some weeks now.
Nana Addo has so far been to the Eastern, Central and Brong Ahafo regions where he had a number of chiefs endorsing him for the presidency.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II also urged the NPP flagbearer, and his people to ensure a peaceful campaign.
By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin
15.07.2016 LISTEN
Archbishop Emeritus Peter Akwasi Sarpong must know by now that the very notion of a celibate Roman-Catholic priesthood is decidedly a jaded phenomenon that is nowadays accepted or believed to be practicable or normal by only the most naive of parishioners or congregants.
Indeed, so ridiculed has this institutional practice been subjected that it has become a veritable joke among even the global Catholic prelate itself. Which may well explain why the retired Oxbridge-educated Bishop of Kumasi would seek to relatively downplay this most immoral of moral misdeeds (See Sexual Acts Involving Catholic Priests Not Worst of Sins Archbishop Ultimatefmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 7/1/16).
At its worst, sexcapades among the celibate priesthood has taken the patently criminal form of pedophilia, the wanton abuse of children, the most vulnerable and defenseless of the human species. And the irony here is that it has taken the sinister guise of priests as mentors and role-models of these largely innocent humans.
It well appears that minors have been made the prime targets of pedophile priests because so blindly trusting are their adult parents that in a legion of instances, it has taken decades for the parents of the victims to come to a woefully belated realization of the lethal harm that has been done to their now-adult sons and daughters.
For an institution that is so morbidly homophobic, it is curious to note that most of the instances of clerical pedophilia, especially in the West, have been between Catholic priests and male underage children well below the age of consent or discretion. In the Third World, particularly in Africa, these illicit sexual encounters have largely taken place between philandering priests and young women.
And to be certain, there have been quite a remarkable number of cases in which such encounters have ended in the deaths of these women who, faced with unwanted pregnancies by priests who were either not emotionally and psychologically mature enough and/or responsible enough to accept parental responsibilities, sought to abort these pregnancies.
And so it is rather scandalously facile for Archbishop Sarpong to presume that virtually each and every one of these illicit sexual encounters between Catholic priests and the women they have sworn not to sexually violate have largely been one of pleasure devoid of pain.
And so the decidedly lame notion that people who oppress, murder or steal to support their ill-acquired habits or further their political ambitions are, somehow, more malicious in both intent and practice, is inescapably chimerical. And the last person that any fair-minded Ghanaian would have expected to harbor such inexcusably lame ideas is Dr. Akwasi Sarpong.
Maybe it is the trivial characterization of predatory sex among members of the celibate priesthood as a sin of weakness, rather than one of the Seven Deadly Sins, which it definitely is, that enables men of the cloth like Bishop Sarpong to indulge their basest instincts with reckless abandon, while also assuming an imperious sense of moral superiority over the laity.
And by the way, quite a considerable percentage of priests, both Catholic and Protestant, have been known to steal church money to support their sexual habits. To be certain, there is ample documentary evidence of the deleterious impact of illicit conjugation on the coffers of the Church and its properties as well, dating back as far as the European Middle-Ages.
Then also, there is this lurid and pat notion that the Church has been very forthcoming in its apportionment of punishment for priestly sexual predators. Well, Bishop Sarpong and those who reason like him would do themselves and the rest of us great good by watching Spotlight, the 2015 movie that meticulously exposes the globally infamous pedophilia scandal that rocked the Boston, Massachusetts, Arch-Diocese under the virtual monarchical leadership of Cardinal Bernard Law. And I bet you thought a God-fearing prelate with the surname of Law was what the proverbial doctor ordered. Or didnt you?
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Accra, Ghana The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today announced a five-year program, SERVIR West Africa. This program will promote the use of satellite imagery to help improve the West Africa regions resilience; lessen negative impacts of climate change; ensure that land use management is sustainable; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With this program, West Africa becomes part of the Global SERVIR network, which includes Eastern and Southern Africa, the Hindu-Kush Himalaya region, and the Mekong River Basin.
SERVIR West Africa will be funded by USAID and NASA and implemented by the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) subsidiary, the Agriculture, Hydrology and Meteorology (AGRHYMET) Regional Center. AGHRYMET will implement this program together with a consortium of West African partners serving the region with support from Tetra Tech, Inc. The program will help governments and other key decision-makers take advantage of publicly available satellite imagery, geospatial data and maps to make more informed decisions in four areas: food security and agriculture; water and disasters; weather and climate; and land use, coastal zones and forest management.
SERVIR has already demonstrated its usefulness in countries where it has been operating. For example, in East Africa, where climate change has altered rainfall patterns and flood cycles, SERVIR is assisting the Kenyan Department of Water Resources to improve flood forecasting. A near real-time satellite data system has been co-developed that allows government authorities to alert communities so they can prevent loss of life, property, and livelihoods caused by floods. Via the use of SERVIR, the Sahel and West Africa regions are poised to improve reliability and timeliness of data sources. Producers, technicians, and policy-makers thank the U.S. Government for its continued support both financially and technically, stated Dr. Djime Adoum, Executive Director of CILSS.
There is an immediate demand to connect available science and technology to development solutions in West Africa, said Alex Deprez, Director of USAIDs West Africa regional office. SERVIR West Africa will engage scientists across the region to partner with each other to address the greatest challenges in the region. What we seek in the long term are African solutions to African problems.
Operating as a regional hub, SERVIR West Africa will promote collaboration among technical institutions in the region, leveraging their respective strengths. It will also work across the region to increase awareness, and improve access to and the capacity to use geospatial information. In this initial phase, the program focuses on four countries: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger and Senegal. The program will work with decision-makers to provide user-tailored information services.
"NASA is deeply committed to Earth science and the value it provides people around the globe. Im proud to say SERVIR is now serving more than 40 countries," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, who took part in the facilitys official opening Thursday. "Together with USAID, we are continuing the effort to bring space-based science down to Earth for real time, real world uses that are changing peoples lives where they live."
Globally, SERVIR connects USAIDs network of development partners in countries with data gaps with NASAs science, technology, research activities, and extensive satellite data assets. Together with leading regional organizations and local partners, SERVIR has developed 70 information products and tools and provided training to people in more than 41 countries. More information on SERVIR is available at www.servirglobal.net .
By Lydia Asamoah, GNA
Doduakrase-Nkoranza (B/A), July 15, GNA - The First Lady Lordina Mahama has appealed to traditional rulers to advise the youth in the various communities to stay away from causing mayhem as the nation approaches the 2016 elections.
'As we approach this year's elections, I will plead with you to advice our youth to stay away from doing negative things and using abusive language, in order not to disturb the peace we currently enjoy in Ghana,' Mrs Mahama told Chiefs and people of Nkoranza at a durbar during the Munukuo festival on Wednesday.
Mrs Mahama, who is the Sompahenmaa of Nkoranza Traditional Area, under the stool name Nana Akosua Fremaa Ampoma Sika I, joined Nana Agyeman Kudom IV, Omanhene of Nkoranza and the people to celebrate this year's Munukuo festival on the theme: 'Enhancing Unity and Development in Nkoranza Traditional Area'.
She said the theme reflected the need to better the lives of the citizens, especially in the Nkoranza area, adding that it is the responsibility of all to ensure that development come to communities such as Nkoranza.
The First Lady thanked Okatakyie, Nananom and the people of Nkoranzaman for installing her as Sompahenmaa of Nkoranza Traditional Area, and pledged her resolve to work together with the other queenmothers to bring development to the area.
She also extended her appreciation to the Nkoranza Traditional Council, Queenmothers, the youth and all hardworking mothers of Nkoranza, for the energy and the experience they have invested in fostering and keeping the unity and peace in the traditional area without which there can be no development.
She said her Lordina Foundation, for instance, has facilitated the construction of an Ultramodern Community Information Centre for the Kintampo community and its environs at Ampoma that will serve as an ICT Hub for the community and afford schools in the area access to the ICT Lab as well as Internet facilities.
The centre, built by Huawei Technologies Ghana Ltd as part of their corporate social responsibility, is to provide ICT skills training for the Youth of the community.
The centre has a 20-seater capacity, a reception area, manager's office and one other room for training purposes.
'I will again state that as First Lady of Ghana and a native of this area, I pledge to continue doing my best in our quest to bring sustainable development to this community. Let us embrace the opportunity of today. We must never forget that the future of Nkoranza lies in our hands'.
She said government led by President Mahama, on its parts, had rolled out massive development projects across the country.
Mrs Mahama further promised to energize and mobilize the people, especially the women, 'in the next phase of our commitment to make life worth living for the people of this traditional area and Ghanaians at large'.
GNA
By Patience A. Gbeze, GNA
Accra, July 15, GNA - Mr Edward Ameyibor, Vice President of HelpAge (HAG) Ghana, has called on government to expedite action on the passage of the National Aged Bill to improve the well-being of the elderly.
He said the passage would also protect and promote the rights of the older persons as well as help establish the National Council on Ageing to coordinate the implementation of the National Ageing Policy approved by Cabinet in 2010.
Mr Ameyibor said this when a delegation from the HelpAge Ghana paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection in Accra to discuss issues that impact on the well-being of the elderly in Ghana.
The call, which formed part of HAG's activities to commemorate this year's World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, was also to submit written recommendations for consideration by the Ministry towards addressing the issues to be raised.
Mr Ameyibor said the United Nations designated June 15 every year as World Elderly Abuse Awareness Day (Resolution 66/127).
He commended the government for the various interventions put in place to comfort the elderly in the society.
He urged the Ministry to facilitate engagements aimed at improving the quality of healthcare services received by the elderly, specifically taking advantage of the offer made through Akrowa Aged Life Foundation in Ghana.
Mr Ameyibor said the Ministry should team up with offices of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and District Assemblies to embark on community awareness campaigns to increase the understanding of rights and entitlements of older persons under the National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852).
'Particular effort should be made to package the awareness messages in a form that would easier for older persons, especially the illiterate to understand. This will go a long way to increase in a more sustainable and cost-effective way access of older persons to services under the NHIS, 'he added.
Mr Ameyibor also urged the Ministry to engage with relevant institutions with the aim of increasing access of older persons to legal aid services when their rights are violated and abused.
Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, on her part, said the Bill on the aged is at the A-G's office for fine tuning and congratulated the delegation for the recommendations.
She said as part of government policy they had put in place measures such as the EBAN Card to facilitate access to banking and healthcare services by older persons and to provide 50 per cent rebate on public transport fares for them.
Others, she said, include free registration of older persons for healthcare services under the NHIS, increasing enrolment of poor older persons who are over 60 years and above on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Cash transfer Programme across the country.
'Inauguration of the National Advisory Committee on Ageing and launch of the National Social Protection Policy in June, 2016, among others are some of the government efforts towards older persons in Ghana,' she said.
Nana Oye Lithur said since they started the free registration of older persons, they have managed to register over 16,000 people while 21,000 older persons were registered on the EBAN Card project with 4,000 yet to be registered.
She said the Ministry is deliberating on rolling out on pilot basis older volunteer services and their first point of call would be retired teachers and hospital workers.
'We would work with the national Service Scheme to see how to work around it aside the law. We are thinking about core of retired teachers to do remedial for children who fail their examinations and are from poor homes who want to go back to school,' she added.
The Minister said one of the chiefs from Keta had offered the Ministry a land for the establishment of Day Care Centre for the older persons but currently the Ministry is having problem with funding and urged the private sector to partner with them to ensure the realisation of the project.
She said plans are underway to mainstream geriatric care with the country's health training institutions' curriculum so that more people could be trained in that direction.
GNA
The Deeper Christian Life Ministry has once again launched its annual National Campus Congress in Accra.
This years congress which will be a gathering of great intellectuals from various tertiary institutions in the country is expected to attract 7000 participants.
The congress is dubbed Dayspring 2016 and it is on the theme: Supernatural visitation from on High. It will take place from 27th to 31st July, 2016.
Speaking at the launch, the National Coordinator of the Deeper Life Campus Fellowship, Pastor Francis Fosu said this years congress is a must win battle against spiritual and moral decadence in our society.
He noted that this year marks the 21st anniversary of the Campus Christian Congress; as a result, the programme will be held at two venues concurrently.
Those in the Southern sector of the country will hold theirs at the Deeper Life Headquarters at Anyaa, Accra while those in the Northern sector will have theirs at the Deeper Life regional camp ground at Brofoyedru, Kumasi.
Pastor Fosu also urged the media to scrutinize their content since some of it pollutes the minds of the youth. According to him, the media needs to use its numerous platforms to preach against homosexuality, abortion, armed robbery, alcoholism and other vices.
Story by Ghana/Myjoyonline.com
This week ended on a gloomy note with the shocking demise of Minister Danny Nettey. It didn't start that way. In fact, for Security expert Emmanuel Bombande, the week would be his happiest and the beginning of a great challenge in a new career-politics.
On Monday, President John Mahama appointed the security expert, Emmanuel Bombande as a deputy Foreign Affairs minister.
Emmanuel Bombande pictured above
Also the Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said about 2,230 non-teaching staff received Book and Research allowance.
On Tuesday, the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Kojo Bonsu resigned from office . His resignation came after several calls by the Kumasi Traditional Council for his removal.
And two Supreme Court Judges, Justice Sule Gbadegbe and Justice Georgina Theodora Wood recused themselves from a contempt case involving panellists of an Accra-based radio station, Montie FM.
The apex court ordered the owners of Accra-based Montie FM, Edward Addo and the first contemnor to reappear on Monday, June 18 when a judgement will be made.
Also, the Electoral Commission said it had deleted names of National Health Insurance (NHIS) cards registrants from the voter's register following an order by the Supreme Court.
On Wednesday, the Electoral Commission set Monday, July 18 for the re-registration of NHIS registrants whose names have been deleted from the register.
On Thursday, a pro-opposition pressure group, Let My Vote Count Alliance dismissed the Electoral Commission's claim of deleting names of NHIS registrants from the electoral roll.
And some aggrieved customers of investment clubs in Ho, in the Volta Region threatened not to partake in the upcoming elections if the government fails to assist them in retrieving monies from the clubs.
Also, the 2016 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo together with some party stalwarts sought the blessings of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The NPP delegation at the Manhyia Palace
Also, France suffered another terror attack on this day. At least 84 people were killed during the Bastille Day celebration in a city called Nice after a lorry ploughed through the crowd. From the sad news in France it was the turn of Ghana to experience another gloom, even if on a smaller scale.
Ghanaians woke up to the sad news of Minister Danny Nettey's sudden death on Friday. Many tributes poured in for the affable gospel musician.
And the Deputy Power Minister John Jinapor confirmed to Joy News government had taken delivery of 400,000 barrels of light crude oil to power the country's thermal plants. This was meant to ease the crippling power crisis in the country.
Also on this day, Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood swore in 13 High Court judges to replace some judges who were sacked from office following an expose by Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Some of the Judges pictured during the swearing in
Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com| Akosua Asiedua Akuffo| [email protected]
15.07.2016 LISTEN
By Dennis Peprah, GNA
Techiman, July 15, GNA - The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has applauded the government for the five per cent increase in fertilizer subsidy.
Alhaji Mohammed Abdul Rahman, the National President, said they found the upward adjustment of the subsidy from 21 to 26 per cent significant and commendable.
He, however, pleaded for further reduction of the price of fertilizers to make these affordable to the smallholder farmer.
He was speaking at the launch of an 'Agro-ecology project' in Techiman, to be implemented by the association.
The project is being funded by Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA), an NGO, with the African Climate Change Adaptation Initiative (ACCAI) and Organization for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (OSARD) as the other implementing partners.
The goal is to promote appropriate agronomic practices to sustain increased food production.
Mr. Rahman said the association was not unaware of the stepped up effort by the government to support the growth of the agricultural sector and appreciated that.
He cited the introduction of organic fertilizer as part of the fertilizer subsidy project, revamping of collapsed agro-businesses and irrigation projects.
He drew attention to the need to improve farmer access to agricultural extension services to expose them to new farming technologies.
That, he said, required lifting of the employment freeze on agricultural extension officers.
Mr. Rahman kicked against the imposition of 20 per cent tax on imports including agro equipment, saying, the farmers were already finding it difficult to buy these equipment and that the tax would make things worse for them.
He called for deliberate steps to be taken to woo investors into the sector to support 'agro-ecology and climate resilient farming'.
Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, the Food and Agriculture Minister, in a speech read for him, announced the incorporation of ecological organic agriculture into the nation's revised medium term agriculture sector investment plan.
An organic desk, he said, had been set up to participate in the implementation of the 'Pro-Eco-Organic Africa Project' which sought to generate scientific evidence and knowledge on the productivity and profitability of organic farming systems in Ghana and Kenya.
The Minister expressed concern about reports of abuse of agro chemicals and advised leadership of the association to cooperate with the ministry to address that to enhance food safety.
GNA
Until the British public voted to leave the European Union, the refugee crisis was the greatest problem Europe faced. Indeed, that crisis played a critical role in bringing about the greater calamity of Brexit.
The decision by Brits to go solo was a great shock; the morning after the vote, the disintegration of the European Union seemed practically inevitable. Brewing crises in other EU countries, especially Italy, deepened the dark forecast for the trade bloc's survival.
But as the initial shock of the British referendum wears off, something unexpected is happening: the tragedy no longer looks like a fait accompli. Many British voters have started to feel a degree of "buyer's remorse" as the hypothetical becomes real. The British Pound has plunged. Another Scottish referendum has become highly likely. The erstwhile leaders of the "Leave" campaign have engaged in a peculiar bout of internecine self-destruction, and some of their followers have started to glimpse the bleak future that both the country and they personally face. A sign of the shift in public opinion has been a campaign, supported by more than four million people so far, to petition Parliament to hold a second referendum.
Just as Brexit was a negative surprise, the spontaneous response to it is a positive one. People on both sides of the cause most importantly, those who didn't even vote, particularly young people under 35 have been mobilized. This is the kind of grassroots involvement that the EU has never been able to generate.
The post-referendum turmoil has highlighted for people in Britain just what they stand to lose by leaving the EU. If this sentiment spreads to the rest of Europe, what seemed like the inevitable disintegration of the EU could be instead, creating positive momentum for a stronger and better Europe.
The process could start in Britain. The popular vote can't be reversed but a signature collecting campaign could transform the political landscape by revealing a newfound enthusiasm for EU membership. This approach could then be replicated in the rest of the European Union, creating a movement to save the EU by profoundly restructuring it. I am convinced that as the consequences of Brexit unfold in the coming months, more people will be eager to join this movement.
What the EU must not do is penalize British voters while ignoring their legitimate concerns about the deficiencies of the Union. European leaders should recognize their own mistakes and acknowledge the democratic deficit in the current institutional arrangements. Rather than treating Brexit as the negotiation of a divorce, they should seize the opportunity to reinvent the EU making it the kind of club that Britain and others at risk of exit want to join.
If disaffected voters in France, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Poland and everywhere else see the EU benefitting their lives, the EU will emerge stronger. If not, it will fall apart faster than leaders and citizens currently realize.
The next trouble spot is Italy, which is facing a banking crisis and a referendum in October. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is caught in a Catch-22 situation: if he cannot resolve the banking crisis in time, he will lose the referendum. That could bring to power the Five Star Movement, a partner of the Eurosceptic and right-wing populist UK Independence Party, in the European Parliament. To find a solution, Renzi needs the assistance of European authorities, but they are too slow and inflexible.
Europe's leaders must recognize that the EU is on the verge of collapse. Instead of blaming one another, they should pull together and adopt exceptional measures.
First, a clear distinction must be drawn between membership of the EU and of the eurozone. Those fortunate countries that are not members of the eurozone should not face discrimination. If the eurozone wants to be more closely integrated, as it should be, it needs to have its own treasury and budget, to serve as a fiscal authority alongside its monetary authority, the European Central Bank.
Second, the EU should put its excellent and largely untapped credit to use. Leaders would be acting irresponsibly if they failed to employ the EU's borrowing capacity when its very existence is at stake.
Third, the EU must strengthen its defenses to protect itself from its external enemies, who are liable to take advantage of its current weakness. The EU's greatest asset is Ukraine, whose citizens are willing to die in defense of their country. By defending themselves, they are also defending the EU rare in Europe nowadays. Ukraine is fortunate to have a new government that is more determined and more likely to deliver the reforms for which both its citizens and its outside supporters have been clamoring. But the EU and its member states are not providing the support that Ukraine deserves (the US, in contrast, is much more supportive).
Fourth, the EU's plans for dealing with the refugee crisis need to be thoroughly revised. They are riddled with misconceptions and inconsistencies that render them ineffective. They are woefully underfunded. And they use coercive measures that generate resistance. I have proposed a detailed remedy for these problems elsewhere.
If the EU makes progress along these lines, it will become an organization to which people will want to belong. At that point, treaty change and further integration will once again become possible.
If Europe's leaders fail to act, those who want to save the EU in order to reinvent it should follow the lead of the young activists in Britain. Now more than ever, the EU's defenders must find ways to make their influence felt.
George Soros is the chairman of Soros Fund Management and chairman of the Open Society Foundations
current-affairs-trends Banks seek contempt action in SC against Vijay Mallya A bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman agreed to hear the fresh interim application of banks on July 18 after Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi mentioned it for urgent hearing.
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business Infosys Q1 profit falls 4.5%, cuts FY17 dollar revenue guidance The country's second largest IT services exporter lowered its constant currency revenue growth guidance to 10.5-12 percent from 11.5-13.5 percent.
business RIL Q1 beats estimates, profit up 4.4%; GRM surges to $11.50/bbl Reliance Industries' first quarter gross refining margin surged to USD 11.50 a barrel for the quarter ended June 2016 from USD 10.8 a barrel in March quarter.
(Shanghai) The New Development Bank (NDB), a one-year-old, infrastructure-focused lender backed by emerging BRICS economies, said this week it would issue 3 billion yuan, or US$ 447.8 million, worth of bonds in China's interbank market on July 18.
It is also the first time the multilateral bank, set up by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has issued bonds denominated in a currency of a member country.
The bond is a five-year green bond, which raises funds for projects that benefit the environment in ways such as improving energy efficiency and preventing pollution.
The bond yield will be decided on the day of issuance, according to the bank, which is headquartered in Shanghai. Analysts expect it to fall between 2.8 percent and 3.6 percent per annum.
Leslie Maasdorp, NDB's vice president and chief finance officer, told Caixin the bank plans to sell bonds worth 10 billion yuan over an unspecified period of time. He said they were communicating with Chinese bond regulators to get approval for the sales.
He said the bank will issue bonds denominated in the currencies of other member states, apart from China, when it receives a credit rating from an internationally recognized rating agency. Two Chinese rating firms, China Chengxin Credit Rating Group and China Lianhe Credit Rating Co., have assigned their highest AAA rating to the bank.
The NDB opened for business in July last year, with US$ 50 billion in capital contributed by its five members. The investment will be increased to US$ 100 billion in future. The bank's main goal is to help settle payments for trade between its members in local currencies and fund infrastructure projects in developing countries.
In April, the NDB gave its first batch of loans worth a combined US$ 811 million to projects in four countries.
All the projects were related to the renewable energy sector, information released by the bank showed. The NDB has lent US$ 300 million, US$ 250 million, US$ 80.8 million and US$ 180 million, respectively, to companies in Brazil, India, China and South Africa, to help pay for the construction of clean energy projects, bank data showed.
Funding for the loans came from the bank itself, Maasdorp told Caixin earlier in an interview.
(Rewritten by Wang Yuqian)
(Beijing) Police should not arrest or detain scientists in-charge of "key research and development projects," who are being investigated for corruption, until they are formally charged by a state attorney, the country's top prosecutor's office said in a document released on July 13.
The Supreme People's Procuratorate, however, did not specify what qualifies as a "key R&D project" in its guidelines. But it said, when research personnel in-charge of important scientific initiatives are detained for questioning or arrested, their employers should be notified immediately to ensure research programs are not disrupted.
The document, which the prosecutor's office said aimed to provide legal safeguards to the scientific community, comes as the central government attempts to foster innovation as a new engine of growth to support the economy amid a slowdown.
"Scientists should be allowed to continue their research work in instances where it does not compromise the investigation process," the prosecutor's office said.
Chinese research institutions including those in universities, that are mostly state-run, have been hit by a string of scandals involving officials and heads of research programs accused of taking bribes or siphoning money from funds entrusted to them.
Zhou Wenbin, former president of Nanchang University, a leading school in the eastern province of Jiangxi, was jailed for life in December for accepting bribes and embezzling funds worth over 80 million yuan earmarked for construction and research projects, prosecutors said.
Meanwhile, a general lack of guidelines and transparency on how research funds should be spent have left scientists and academics groping in the dark when it comes to how much risks they can take with their R&D budgets, according to some analysts.
The top prosecutor's office said that a clear line should be drawn between losses from errors caused by "decisions made in good-faith" and those resulting from criminal activities such as embezzlement.
The guidelines also say that if scientists in-charge of R&D projects being investigated did not personally benefit from a loss, and the losses incurred were "not serious," then they should not be pressed with criminal charges. However, the top prosecutor did not define what amounts to a loss that can be regarded as "not serious."
Under the new guidelines, police should not confiscate equipment, freeze funds and other assets owned by research facilities, the prosecutor's office said.
(Rewritten by Li Rongde)
With Britain's vote to leave the European Union a surprise to many investors, United Kingdom banks fell, but Italian bank stock prices also collapsed. The banks declined, in our view, as a result of investor concerns over whether Italy would be the next to hold a referendum to leave the EU, which would significantly destabilise the Italian banking system.
Investors' concerns are valid, as leaving would isolate Italy's economy further from the broader EU, setting back Italian GDP growth prospects for one of the euro-system's weakest members. Our view on an Italian exit is similar to our view on the U.K.'s departure; it does not make economic sense.
Still, roughly 40% of the Italian populace views the European Union unfavourably according to Pew Research Centre, and the Five Star Movement, which has won between 20% and 25% of Italian votes in recent years and consists of avowed Eurosceptic, or "Leavers", won 19 out of 20 mayoral races in June, which is a setback to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Italy is holding a vote in October on several constitutional reforms, and if the vote does not pass, he has said he will step down.
Italian Banks in Trouble In short, the political situation in Italy is already unstable. For the Italian banks, we believe investors consider the system to be in a "negative feedback loop, where no one wants to provide capital to the banks, which means they cannot write off nonperforming exposures, as it stands, the banks have delayed writing off nonperforming loans because of the years it takes to close out a loan via bankruptcy court, making the situation worse and making it even less attractive for third-party capital. However, we give Renzi credit for not wasting the Brexit vote, seeking 40 billion from EU regulators directly afterward for the banking system, which was immediately rejected, as it violates EU bail-in rules. At the same time, the 1 billion capital raise for Veneto Banca attracted no interest from private investors, and Veneto Banca had to be bailed out by the 4.25 billion Atlas fund, which has now deployed 3.5 billion to bail out three Italian banks. We expect a second fund to be announced shortly, likely in the 5 billion range, to be focused on purchasing nonperforming exposures. With Brexit, resolving Italy's banking issues have become more urgent, which we think will lead to significant changes in the Italian banking system before the year is over. The European Union has substantial incentive to make the U.K.'s departure as difficult as possible, with the idea of discouraging further departures such as Italy, and the October vote will provide an important signal to the EU and Italy about the strength and willingness for the Italian citizens to pursue this option. We also believe the European Central Bank's stress test results, which will be announced on July 29, will reveal a need for substantial capital by the Italian banks. According to the ECB, its adverse "scenario implies a deviation of EU GDP from its baseline level by 3.1% in 2016, 6.3% in 2017 and 7.1% in 2018. The adverse scenario also includes a shock in the residential and commercial real estate prices, as well to foreign exchange rates in Central and Eastern Europe. Cumulative GDP growth in the advanced economies, including Japan and US, would be between 2.5% and 4.6% lower than under the baseline scenario in 2018. Among the main emerging economies, the total GDP would stand between 4.5% and 9.7% below the baseline projections in 2018, with a stronger impact for Brazil, Russia and Turkey." Even if NPLs are not assumed to be around 25% of gross value as we assume, we believe the ECB will find substantial enough capital shortfalls to force the banks to raise capital. The European Central Bank also asked Monti dei Paschi, one of the weakest Italian banks, to reduce NPLs by 40% over the next three years. All of these events threaten to further destabilise the banking system, encouraging the banks to act now, and we anticipate events in Italy to move relatively quickly over the next few months.
A recent report points to the increasing need for brokers to provide the type of financial advice many already pride themselves on offering.
Canadian Millennial and Gen-Xers are less confident about achieving their financial goals than they were at the beginning of the year, according to a recent report by CIBC.
"We had a very gloomy start to 2016, with a reeling loonie and a soft economy and jobs market, and much of that sentiment continues to weigh on confidence," Sarah Widmeyer, managing director and dead of Wealth Strategies Group at CIBC, said in the report. "Our poll also reveals the stress of everyday life for Millennials and Gen-Xers - going to school, working, paying your household bills, trying to save for a house, or taking care of your family. Combined with a string of gloomy economic news no wonder this cohort is feeling less certain they'll achieve their financial goals."
According to the report, 72% of Millenials and 66% of Generation-Xers admit they will be able to achieve their financial goals within the next year. Both those figures represent a 12% drop from just six months ago.
Overall, 73% of those polled are confident they will achieve their financial goals in the next year.
The study also found a drastic drop in confidence among Ontarians, with 68% feeling confident down from 80% six months ago.
CIBC suggested setting goals to help achieve financial health.
"While macro events, like Brexit, can spark fear and gloom in the markets, these are things beyond our control," Widmeyer said. "What you can control is your personal finances and how you manage them. The key is to set and prioritize realistic short- and long-term goals, and take concrete steps each month to achieve them. When you have the right plan, then periodic market noise becomes just that, noise, that really shouldn't change your financial priorities."
But it obviously takes work to set those financial priorities. And while many may turn to financial advisors for help and advice, brokers are increasingly viewing themselves as provider of financial advice as well.
The bank suggested Canadians reach out to professionals, who can help them feel more optimistic about their individual financial situations.
"When you feel negative about the status of your finances, you should sit down and talk to someone who can help you assess your situation, give advice and boost your confidence," Widmeyer said. "There's always something that can be done."
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Downtown Midland has a new look as EnLink Midstream Partners makes its Permian Basin presence known.
The EnLink logo is now displayed on the exterior of the west wing of the Bank of America Tower at 303 W. Wall St., where the Dallas-based company occupies approximately 56,000 square feet on two floors.
EnLinks new regional office is designed to underscore the companys commitment to Midland, Odessa and the Permian Basin, where it employs 250 people. The new offices consolidate EnLinks natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil services that encompass the Permian Basin into one location.
The companys Permian operations consist of natural gas gathering and processing - including approximately 450 million cubic feet per day of processing capacity - and crude oil gathering, transportation, stabilization, treating, and marketing services.
In announcing the new regional office, EnLink Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Barry E. Davis said in a statement, EnLink is focused on being the premier midstream company in our industry, and this move is just another step in reinforcing our commitment to customers throughout the Permian Basin. The Permian is a significant core growth area for EnLink; in fact, we have invested over $1.1 billion in the Permian over the last 18 months.
Since EnLink was formed in the summer of 2014 by the combination of Crosstex Energy and Devon Energys midstream assets, the company has experienced significant growth. In January 2015, the company paid approximately $100 million for Midland-based LPC Oil Marketing LLC and adding its crude oil gathering, transportation and marketing operations in the Permian Basin to EnLinks natural gas gathering and processing services.
The next month, Midlands Coronado Midstream agreed to sell its natural gas gathering and processing facilities in the Permian Basin, for approximately $600 million.
In September, the company expanded its Delaware Basin footprint with the $43 million acquisition of the Delaware Basin system of gathering and processing assets in Loving County from Matador Resources. EnLink said it also planned to spend an additional $400 million to $500 million through 2017 to expand its Delaware Basin footprint, including additional processing capacity and new gathering pipelines in Loving and Reeves counties in Texas and Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico.
Just last month, the company announced plans for the Greater Chickadee crude oil gathering project to be built in Upton and Midland counties.
EnLink will invest approximately $70 million to $80 million to build Greater Chickadee, which will include more than 150 miles of high- and low-pressure pipelines that will transport crude oil volumes to several major market outlets and other key hub centers in the Midland area. The project also includes the construction of multiple central tank batteries and pump, truck injection, and storage stations to maximize shipping and delivery options for EnLinks producer customers. The initial phase of Greater Chickadee will be operational in the second half of this year with full service expected early next year.
Ben Lamb, senior vice president, finance and corporate development with EnLink told the Reporter-Telegram, Even in a difficult commodity market, there are parts of North America that are still economic for oil and gas production, and the Permian is one of those. In an environment in which a lot of companies are scaling back, EnLink is investing in areas like the Permian and central Oklahoma because we believe they represent the best supply areas in North America.
As oils upward climb runs out of momentum, more analysts expect the markets next move will be back down toward $40 a barrel.
Brent crude prices almost doubled between January and June, signaling that markets were finally healing as falling U.S. output, rising demand and disruptions from Nigeria to Canada all helped eliminate a global production surplus. Now, as consumption falters and halted supplies return, analysts from BNP Paribas to JBC Energy warn prices may sink once more.
While theres still a consensus that the worst of the oil glut that sent prices to a 12-year low is over, the International Energy Agency cautioned this week that the road ahead is far from smooth. Inventories are brimming after two years of surplus production and U.S. demand for gasoline -- the key driver of prices in summer -- is proving to be disappointing. As unwanted barrels pile up, traders have been forced to hoard the most crude at sea on tankers since 2009, according to the Paris-based agency.
For the time being, the path of least resistance for oil prices is lower, Mike Wittner, head of oil market research at Societe Generale SA in New York, said by phone. Even though weve made this shift from an oversupplied to a balanced market, our short-term caution comes from inventories still being high and crude coming back from disruptions.
The supply disruptions that helped lift crude above $50 in recent months are fading. Oil-sands producers in Canada have restored most of the output halted when wildfires menaced facilities in May and curbed more than 1 million barrels a day, or about 40 percent of supplies. OPEC member Nigeria revived some output in June after militant attacks cut production to a three-decade low, the IEA said.
Theres a chance Libya could increase exports this month after the two rival branches of the state-run oil company agreed to start working together again, although previous efforts to unify the divided country have failed.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 1.1 percent to $46.83 a barrel at 7:19 a.m. Friday on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.
Unplanned supply-side factors brought the market near balance in the second quarter, and it is again supply-side factors that will hinder that balance in the near term, Harry Tchilinguirian, head of commodities research at BNP Paribas SA in London, said by email. We are looking to return to $40 or below for the U.S. benchmark, West Texas Intermediate.
Its not only the production of crude oil that has analysts concerned. There is an epic overhang of gasoline after refiners built up stockpiles of the fuel at the beginning of the year when crude was cheap, said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at London-based consultants Energy Aspects Ltd. Still, she said a drop to as low as $40 a barrel is unlikely unless theres significant selling by speculative investors.
Threats to demand are especially strong as concern over the U.K.s exit from the European Union clouds the economic outlook, Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS Group AG in Zurich, said by email.
When the macro dust settles, which might take a while, it will become apparent that oil fundamentals are weaker than many realized, said Julius Walker, senior consultant at JBC Energy in Vienna.
The main narrative of a globally balanced market remains intact, said Societe Generales Wittner. That means buyers would return before crude revisited the lows of earlier this year. WTI crude fell to $26.05 a barrel in February, the lowest level since May 2003.
Im not uber-bearish, Wittner said. I think theres a point where you see some bargain-hunting coming, and that point is $40 a barrel.
Trinty School junior Bella Spangher soon will be heading for Peru for a three-week volunteer trip.
Spanghers visit to the South American nation is being organized by Global Leadership Adventures and will include activities such as building sustainable, food-producing structures as well as weekend excursions such as a trek to Machu Picchu.
Spangher, who leaves July 30, is excited about the project, despite apparent obstacles she might face.
Im really excited about traveling to somewhere Ive never been before and also helping people and going to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, she said in a phone interview. I think my biggest challenge will probably be the language barrier because I dont speak much Spanish.
With volunteer projects making up at least two hours of each day, by the end of the trip, Spangher will have accumulated a total of 60 volunteer hours. In addition to volunteering and hiking to Machu Picchu, Spangher and other volunteers plan to climb the Andes Mountains.
I think the most rewarding part of the trip will be working with the kids and hiking the Andes as well -- just looking over the top of the mountain and all, she said.
Above all, Spangher hopes that this once-in-a-lifetime trip will help her to get a new, fresh view of the world.
I'm looking forward to getting the experience of traveling and also of meeting new people, she said. And Im not sure how, but I think it will change my perspective on things.
Odessa police arrested Steven Wayne Redwine, 40, at approximately 7 p.m. on July 11 on a charge of driving while intoxicated third or more, third-degree felony
Odessa police arrested Carlos Manuel Rocha, 40, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on July 12 on a charge of tampering with physical evidence (parole violation warrant), a third-degree felony.
CLEVELAND - Donald Trump announced Friday that he has selected Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, ending days of feverish speculation and recruiting to the GOP ticket a soft-spoken and seasoned conservative who could help unify the divided Republican Party.
I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate, Trump wrote in a Twitter message delivered this morning.
Saturdays planned press conference will be held in New York at the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan.
Fridays social media proclamation capped a period of extraordinary uncertainty and mixed signals about Trumps selection, only days before the Republican National Convention is set to open in Cleveland.
Trumps elevation of Pence, a former House leader who is has built a deep well of relationships across the conservative movement, was received enthusiastically in some quarters of the GOP -- at least initially having Trumps intended effect of bringing together Republican factions that had been cool to his candidacy.
But Democrats were swift to eviscerate Pence and portray him as a divisive and intolerant ideologue out of touch with the diversifying nation. Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons campaign issued a video attacking Pence on issues related to womens health, gay rights and immigration. The video ends with this message: Donald Trump and Mike Pence: building a great, big, beautiful wall between America and progress.
Although the Trump campaign sent strong signals that Pence would be the vice-presidential candidate, Trump insisted late into the evening Thursday that he had not finalized his decision -- and he postponed a planned Friday rollout, citing the terrorist attack in Nice, France.
He felt the pain of the people there and he said its just not right to do something self-serving and political the day and the morning after. So he said, I want to postpone it, campaign chairman Paul Manafort said Friday morning on CNN. Trump, however, continued his campaign activities in the shadow of the tragedy in France, holding fundraisers Thursday night in California.
Pence emerged from an intensive vetting process that yielded two other finalists, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House speaker Newt Gingrich, both of whom Trump praised in a string of media interviews on Thursday.
Throughout the day Thursday, Trumps campaign aides were preparing to formally announce Pence as the vice-presidential candidate. The governor flew from Indiana to New York in advance of the event and his allies in Indianapolis prepared for him to withdraw from his reelection campaign as governor. Pence faced a deadline of noon Friday to file papers with the state taking his name off the ballot for governor.
By the time Pence flew to New York, he felt reassured. It was never not him, according to one Republican briefed on the private talks between Pence and Trump who requested anonymity to discuss them. Manafort kept in close touch with Pence and his aides throughout the day and night to help soothe any nerves, and he was spotted meeting Friday morning at Pences hotel.
Trump arrived back at his home at Trump Tower in the early hours of Friday morning following a red-eye flight from Los Angeles, where he had meetings and fundraisers. He was spotted entering his building near dawn, his blue tie loosened and saying nothing to reporters as he ducked inside.
Kellyanne Conway, a Trump strategist who is also a longtime Pence adviser, said in an interview that the pair would complement each other in tone and content and style, and dismissed speculation by some political consultants that Pences folksy personality would not click with Trump.
Pence has a very latent and very robust sense of humor that will surface fairly quickly, Conway said. She also described him as an attack dog ready to take on presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton only at 5 or 6 decibels and said that his understated presence would calm a lot of donors and voters about down ballot.
Clintons campaign signaled it was ready for such a brawl. In a statement, campaign chairman John Podesta said, Pence is the most extreme pick in a generation. He called the Indiana governor an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families.
A deeply conservative former congressman and talk-radio host, Pence, 57, is a seasoned politician who could help bring together disparate blocs of the Republican coalition. Trump would rely on Pence especially to bring aboard social conservatives and establishment leaders who remain skeptical of, if not outright hostile to, Trumps candidacy.
Trump has long said he wanted a running mate with governing experience who could help him enact his agenda in Washington, and Pences credentials as a former House Republican leader seem to fit the bill.
However, Pences gubernatorial tenure has been marked by controversy over a state law considered by critics to be discriminatory against gays and has alienated Democrats, who consider him a rigid, socially conservative ideologue.
Pence has not always agreed with Trumps policy ideas. In December, for instance, the governor criticized Trumps controversial proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States. Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional, he tweeted.
On trade, Pence and Trump have been on opposite sides. While Trump campaigns as a strident protectionist, opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership and vowing to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, Pence has been a proponent of such deals. As a member of Congress, Pence voted for every free-trade agreement that he faced.
Throughout Trumps weeks-long deliberations over a running mate, his political advisers, including Manafort, have urged him to select Pence, people familiar with the discussions said.
Early reports that Trump had settled on Pence were welcomed Thursday on Capitol Hill, with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Wis., calling the governor a good movement conservative.
Moments after Trumps tweet announcement, praise of Pence poured in from a galaxy of conservative groups -- including the Club for Growth, a group that ran millions of dollars in advertisements opposing Trump during the Republican primaries.
Ive been privileged to call Mike a friend for more than 20 years, Club for Growth president David McIntosh said in a statement. Members of the Club for Growth have been cheering his principled stands for economic conservatism since he came to Congress.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, an anti-abortion group, said, Mike Pence is a pro-life trailblazer and Mr. Trump could not have made a better choice.
Brent Bozell, chairman of ForAmerica and tea party leader, called the selection of Pence a home run for Donald Trump. Its the best conservatives could possibly want. Its a powerful signal, and a welcomed one. This was a top priority for conservatives, and Trump came through in a smashing manner.
Not every Trump supporter was celebrating, however. Robert Jeffress, a Dallas pastor who has traveled with Trump, said in an email that some evangelicals like myself are disappointed that Pence caved to pressure from big business on a religious liberty bill. That said, Jeffress noted that he is not disappointed enough to vote for Hillary Clinton. Trump still has my full support.
Trump is known to value loyalty and those who have supported him from the early days of his unconventional campaign. Unlike Christie and Gingrich, Pence endorsed Trumps chief primary rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, shortly before the Indiana primary in May. Although the endorsement was notably tepid and seemed designed to offend Trump as little as possible, they were clearly at odds with each other.
With his comfortable victory in Indiana a few days after that endorsement, Trump effectively clinched the nomination - knocking out his final two opponents, Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. The sweeping Indiana victory remains a point of pride for Trump that he often celebrates on the campaign trail.
Since then, Trump and Pence have gotten to know each other with a series of visits, the most recent in Indiana this week. They had dinner together on Tuesday night and appeared a rally and fundraiser in the Indianapolis area, and on Wednesday their two families gathered at Pences gubernatorial residence for breakfast. Trump and Pence established trust with each other and developed a warm rapport, according to allies of both men.
AUSTIN An Austin-area father and son who were vacationing in Europe with their family are among the victims of the deadly truck attack in Nice, France, relatives said Friday.
Sean Copeland, 51, and his son Brodie, 11, were killed Thursday evening in what French authorities have described as a terror attack, family friend Jess Davis said.
We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean Copeland, a wonderful husband and father, the Copeland family said in a statement released by Davis. They are so loved.
Davis said the Copeland family from Lakeway, 20 miles northwest of Austin, were on a European vacation that began in Spain with the running of the bulls in Pamplona.
Then on to flamenco dancing in Barcelona and they had been celebrating Bastille Day in Nice when this unthinkable and unfair act of terror took Sean and Brodie from the world far too soon, Davis said. It is a terrible loss.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said earlier that two Americans were among the at least 84 people killed, but he didnt identify them citing privacy.
Davis said the surviving Copeland family members remain in Nice and are overwhelmed and dont want to deal with media inquiries.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that Sean Copeland was vice president of an Austin software company.
WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump is on the verge of picking his vice presidential running mate, with top contenders on standby Thursday afternoon for the Republican nominee's decision.
On Trump's shortlist: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, according to people familiar with the candidate's thinking.
Pence quickly exited a speaking event in Indianapolis Thursday morning without taking questions from reporters. His staff had not released details of any other planned appearances Thursday.
Pence is running for re-election, but Indiana law prevents him from seeking two offices at once. He faces a Friday deadline to withdraw from the governor's race.
A Republican familiar with Pence's thinking said the paperwork has been drawn up for him to take that step. However, the documents have not been filed, according to the Republican, who insisted on anonymity because that person was not authorized to publicly discuss Pence's plans.
Trump was making his final decision from California, where he is scheduled to attend a series of fundraisers at a distance from many of his closest advisers. His campaign chair, Paul Manafort, is currently in Cleveland, and none of his children are in the state with him.
All three of the finalists have had extensive conversations with Trump and his family in recent days.
Gingrich told The Associated Press he had expected to hear from Trump one way or the other sometime after 1 p.m. Reached by phone later, Gingrich said he had not heard from Trump, but still expected to receive word Thursday afternoon.
In a Facebook Live chat, Gingrich said he had told Trump in earlier conversations that his choice was between having "two pirates on the ticket or a pirate and a relatively stable, more normal person."
Trump and his new running mate will make their first appearance as a team Friday in New York. The timing is aimed at energizing Republicans ahead of next week's Republican convention in Cleveland.
Trump considered a broader group of candidates before settling on the three finalists. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the first senator to endorse Trump, was among that larger group, but told reporters Thursday that he was not the choice.
Each of Trump's top contenders would add significant political experience to the GOP ticket. Trump, a political novice, has said for weeks that he wanted a running mate who could help him work with Congress.
Beyond their political backgrounds, the finalists bring different strengths to the ticket.
Pence, 57, is a steady, staunch conservative who would help calm nervous Republican wary of Trump's impulsive style. He served six terms in Congress before becoming Indiana governor. He also has deep ties to evangelical Christians and other conservatives, particularly after signing a law last year that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Trump took notice of Pence during the Indiana primary, noting that the governor had high praise for him despite endorsing one of his rivals.
Gingrich is a boisterous rabble-rouser who has spent decades in Washington and helped define the political battles of the 1990s. The 73-year-old would be the oldest candidate ever to become vice president.
Gingrich has been a steadfast Trump defender for months and has become a trusted adviser to the businessman.
So, too, has Christie. The New Jersey governor quickly endorsed Trump after ending his own presidential bid, stunning many of his supporters.
A former U.S. attorney, Christie, 53, is widely seen as one of his party's most talented retail politicians and has proven himself a biting attack dog on the trail. He's also become a valuable partner for Trump, joining him at events on the trail and taking on the important role of heading Trump's transition planning.
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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) Prosecutors in Fort Worth won't seek the death penalty if the 32-year-old estranged wife of an internationally known pianist is convicted of capital murder for the deaths of her two young daughters.
An attorney for Sofya Tsygankova (tsih-GAN'-koh-vah), Joetta Keane, tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (http://bit.ly/2a1rUtH ) that her client's family and friends are relieved at Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson's decision. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor, Samantha Jordan, said Thursday that Wilson made the decision after reviewing the investigation and circumstances of the slayings.
If Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is in fact Donald Trumps choice for a running mate, then he is not just a good choice. Hes about the best choice Trump fans could hope for -- at least based on what we know about the Indiana governor so far.
The Republican Party remains divided, with many party actors, including high-profile politicians, rejecting the reality-star nominee. So divided, in fact, that it seemed possible that Trump might be stuck with a scandal-ridden, unpopular retread (such as Newt Gingrich or Chris Christie) or some obscure figure without any obvious presidential credentials. Instead, if its Pence, he winds up with someone who wouldnt have been a surprising choice for Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio or Scott Walker, if one of them had been the Republican nominee.
Pence would bring to the ticket both conventional qualifications for office (he served six terms in the House of Representatives, and was elected governor in 2012) and a record as a solid mainstream conservative. Very few Republicans would likely have any significant problems with him on any major policy question. If the main electoral imperative in running-mate selections is to Do No Harm, Pence appears to fit the bill.
Yes, Pence has opposed several of Trumps signature positions, including on trade. Thats to be expected for any mainstream conservative Trump might have picked. Theres no evidence voters care about such things.
Moreover, for Republicans who are skeptical of Trump but open to being reassured that hed be a normal Republican president, Pence is about as good a signal as Trump could possibly send. And for the media and anyone else looking for evidence that Trump could act responsibly in office, Pence would fill that role.
This is especially true when you compare Pence with the other finalists for the job. Gingrich is unpopular, has a history of scandals, and proved himself awful at governing when he was House speaker for a brief period.
Christie is unpopular in his home state and still has the bridge scandal kicking around. He also, fairly or not, acquired a reputation over the last few months as a spineless lackey for Trump, an image that would have reinforced the impression that Trump couldnt deal with independent politicians.
Pence, by contrast, endorsed Ted Cruz for the GOP nomination. In choosing him, Trump pays lip service at least to uniting the party. Granted, its normal for a presidential nominee to give those assurances, but its a normal Trump has repeatedly fallen short of (such as in his continued attacks on New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, the chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association).
The necessary caution with Pence is that the national media has not closely scrutinized him, so we wont know yet what they and the Hillary Clinton campaign might turn up on him. And, no, Trumps campaign cant be trusted to have done a thorough job of vetting, even after hiring experienced Republican operatives for that purpose. And we dont know how Pence would actually perform on the campaign trail. Fellow Hoosier Dan Quayle looked OK on paper before he was selected, but he quickly turned out to be a dud.
Some pundits thought Gingrich would be a stronger veep choice, because Gingrich -- glib and shameless -- would be unbridled at defending Trump. But that gets it all wrong. As Ive said, the question isnt about how the running mate does at defending the nominee. Its whether the nominee has to defend the running mate. Based on what we know so far, Pence would need less defending than Trumps other top options.
For work on reversible underwater adhesives, the Office of Naval Research has recognized an engineer from Michigan Technological University with a Young Investigator Program award.
Bruce Lee, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering, focuses on adhesives inspired by nature. More specifically, the natural glues made by mussels that anchor them to rocks, boats and docks. Lee's past work on hydrogels and tissue adhesives led him to look more closely at what makes these adhesives work underwaterand how people could use them.
As a participant in the Office of Naval researchs Young Investigator Program, Lee plans to continue delving into not only what makes mussels sticky but also how to reverse that adhesion.
"This work is novel in the sense that there is no smart adhesive out there that can perform underwater," he says. "The chemistry that we can incorporate into the adhesive, causing it to reversibly bond and de-bond, is quite new."
Adhering to Biomimicry
Lee looks at a specific amino acid found in mussel foot proteins, called DOPA (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine), which is related to dopamine. In past research, Lee and his graduate students showed that DOPA could be manipulated to design a hydrogel actuator, which is a mass of jello-like polymers lined with iron bands that enable it to move on its own.
The challenge now is to figure out how to apply an electric current, causing the DOPA-based adhesive to release, and then reapplying the current to make it glue-like again.
"A smart adhesive can bind sensors underwater; it can attach to a ship hull; it potentially could help underwater robotics or unmanned vehicles and integrate with naval systems," Lee says.
He adds there is also a biomedical component: "Think of a band-aidour adhesive would be a less painful way to remove a bandageor being able to detach or reattach a prosthetic limb or a wearable sensor."
Sean Kirkpartick, chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, says Lee's work is a good example of innovative and creative research.
"The YIP program is one of the most selective research funding programs in the country," he says. "The fact that Lee received this award shows that the faculty and the research programs in the Department of Biomedical Engineering are on par with the best programs in the nation."
Basic Science
To Lee, the key to making this research project work is leaving it fairly open-ended. Basic science is about understanding the mechanism of a phenomenonin this case, the chemical reactions driving adhesionthen the materials and research can be tailored for more specific uses.
He also says collaboration is an important part of his work and is one of the reasons he received the YIP Award.
"We have a lot of water-focused research going on through the Great Lakes Research Center (GLRC), and I'll have opportunities to collaborate with colleagues on campus," Lee says, adding that he will work closely with Guy Meadows, the center's director, to test the adhesive on underwater autonomous vehicles.
"Lees work has the potential to change the way we connect components underwater," Meadows says, explaining that he and other GLRC researchers started working with Lee to attach a camera to a living, five-foot-long Great Lakes sturgeon to learn where they go after spawning.
From following fish to healing wounds to monitoring submarines, Lee's mussel-inspired adhesion research is sure to stick around a while.
Young Investigator Program The Office of Naval Research runs a competitive national grant called the Young Investigators Program (YIP), which recognizes high caliber researchers and funds one of their naval projects. This year they awarded more than $25 million dollars to 47 scientists.
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.
Some government officials and politicians are ...
Sheriff Rick DiBasilio View Photos
San Andreas, CA The Calaveras sheriff shares thoughts and concerns as the county ramps up regulating medical cannabis cultivation under its local urgency ordinance.
On the plus side, Calaveras County Sheriff Rick DiBasilio says, We are on the forefront of this and I think that we are going to set a precedent, if we can make this thing work. I know Colorado has some issuesI spent a couple of days [in Denver] last week, talking to them about their programs but we are doing things in a better fashion than they are.
Describing efforts to-date, the sheriff confides, The emergency ordinance has allowed us to get more funding to put more manpower on it and to deal with the marijuana grows. Is it enough at this point? No, but it is a start. We still have people starting grows who should not be..because they are starting after the May 10th deadline that the county imposed [under the emergency ordinance]. But those are just things that we just are going to have to deal with and combat as we get to them.
The sheriff estimates there are now over 700 commercial growers among the registered applications with the county planning department, admittedly a lot of background checks to complete, which will take some time. I am in the process of hiring four extra hired help just to go through the backgroundsit has changed the way we do businessit is just an added portion of our department, right now, he says, matter-of-factly.
Some Wildfires Tied To Cannabis Grows
While DiBasilio offers his perspective on several related issues, he emphasizes that, presently, I think that what people really need to pay attention to is the fires. We have had quite a few fires in the past week and most of those fires have been caused by bad electrical connections from people trying to enhance their grow sites, with either their generators for their wellsor homes or caddy shackswhatever they are living in. That big Appaloosa Fire was caused by faulty wiring from a generator and one of the fires [last] Sunday was caused from a generator where someone was trying to wire a well, or something. So the fires have been an issue and a lot of them have been directly related to marijuana grows.
Certainly, now while conditions are tinder-dry, all residents need to make sure that they do their due diligence to have that 100-foot clearance around their residence to keep their home safe, the sheriff says. For those who do not and cause a fire, like the two grow-related ones just referenced, he warns, It is my understandingthat [CAL Fire] is going after those growers in a civil and criminal [neglect] aspect to collect their costs for doing businessrecoup their fees for fighting the fires.
Earlier this week the Calaveras supervisors chose to push forward a locally-supported regulation initiative for voters to decide in November. Throwing in his two cents, the sheriff opines, I was opposed to this particular initiative because it has a lot of unclear language that is not going to assist me in doing my job to protect the citizens of my county. So it is in the voters ballpark right now. He points out that, if it does not pass in November, the urgency ordinance will remain in place until Feb. 14, 2017, when the board will reconvene to decide whether or not to extend it.
DiBasilio adds, I understand that the folkswho want to [enact] the ban against marijuana are still doing a petition, to try to do a special election in March. My question to them was where are we going to get the funds to combat a complete ban, because, even if we say that we have a complete ban, it does not mean that [growers] are going to leave. At this point, that is water under the bridge. We need to deal with it.
Regulation Safer Than Bans?
The sheriff maintains that Colorado law enforcement officials hold similar views that regulation is the way to go, since banning it in either state is no longer an option due to insufficient manpower and resources.
Too, he figures, the writing is on the wall for recreational marijuana to become law in the Golden State, perhaps following the November ballot, if voters give their nod. DiBasilio shrugs, We need to get a handle on it. Every law enforcement officer I have talked to for the most part has come to the conclusion. He points to San Diego and San Benito counties as examples of jurisdictions getting overrun with illegal grow activities because they do not have local ordinances in place and lack dedicated enforcement resources.
As Calaveras works to get its arms around regulating its burgeoning cannabis industry, the sheriff admits, To be honest with you, it is going to take a couple of years to get this under control. First of all we have to gear up with our manpower to be able to combat it. I think the marijuana growers know thatare going to take advantage of it as much as they can this year. I think that next year we will have manpower in placethe ability to control it a whole lot better.
The sheriff shares empathy with residents who would prefer the cannabis industry to pack up and leave. I have a grow two doors away from me and theres another one that is probably about seven doors awayand they are pretty large grows, he says with the tone of one reluctantly resigned to the situation. They have registeredhave paid their fees, so in essence they are a legal grow so there is not much I can do about it. Does it make me happy? No, butI said at the board meeting [this week]who am I to stop entrepreneurship? If that is the business that they want to be in and the State of California states that it is legal at this point.
Still, It Aint Like Growing Tomatoes
DiBasilio chuckles, commenting, There are a lot of different thoughts out there on where this industry is goingand how it is going to be dealt with. I have had people say, well you know it is just like growing tomatoes you dont get to background check everybody that works on those sites. Yes, but people that grow tomatoes dont carry guns that is where I have the issue.
Technological tools, such as the countys mapping system program will be key in enforcing the cultivation regulations. Numerous overflights of the whole county have already been recorded, according to the sheriff. He maintains, We will know who didand who did not have a grow prior to the May 10th deadlineif they started their grow after the fact, we can legally go in there and shut them down.
In time, he warns, enforcement officials will have the ability to shut a lot of the non-compliant grows. Too, he emphasizes, If they register and say that they were in compliance and we can prove that they were not they will never get a license to grow, either through us or through the State of California, because if we deny them the State of California automatically denies them.
Asked about public safety concerns come harvest time at the end of September, DiBasilio states, I cannot give you an honest answer because I dont know what is going to happen. I know that we had that triple homicide [in Rail Road Flat] last year where people tried to steal some marijuana and they got shot. Is that a potential again this year? Absolutely. But maybe because of the number of people out theretrying to be legitimate grows, they will have more eyes and ears for us to let us know what is going on. So hopefully, those issues wont reoccur.
Congressman Tom McClintock View Photos
Local Congressman Tom McClintock has some strong words for Democrats who participated in a recent sit-in on the House floor. He calls it replacing the rule of law with the rule of the mob.
McClintock was Fridays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words, as spoken on the House Floor.
Mr. Speaker:
On the afternoon of June 22nd, a large number of Democrats brought the deliberations of the House of Representatives to a standstill in one of the most disgraceful and childish breaches of decorum in the history of this institution. In complete contempt of this House and the rule of law, they shouted down all with whom they disagreed, they blocked access to the microphones as members sought to address the chair, and they illegally occupied the Hall of the House forcing an early adjournment and costing this House three full days of legislative deliberations.
Abraham Lincoln said it best, There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law. What we saw was the mob law of Occupy Wall Street brought to the House Floor.
They are seeking to use the recent terrorist attacks as justification for making it harder for law-abiding Americans to defend themselves. A strange logic, but so be it. They certainly have a right to their opinions, a right to express those opinions on the House floor, and a right to use all of the procedures of the House to act on their opinions. What they do not have is the right to prevent those with different views from exercising the same rights. Yet thats precisely what they did.
These Democratic members have many procedures and opportunities to bring their bills to the House for a vote. They could have executed a discharge petition to bring their bill immediately to the floor. They could have moved to have their bill inserted into any bill pending on the House Floor a common motion that we routinely hear and vote upon several times a week.
The fact is, their proposals were considered in the Senate and voted down. Their proposals were considered in a House Committee and voted down. Their discharge petition is pending at this desk right now, awaiting enough signatures to execute it.
Their only problem is that they dont have enough votes. Well sorry, thats called democracy. The majority of their colleagues simply disagree with them for some very good reasons.
Their rights were honored and protected by the Republican majority under the rule of law. Yet they denied those same rights to others by replacing the rule of law with the rule of the mob and they did so on the most sacred ground of our democratic republic the Hall of the House of Representatives.
Instead of working within the time-honored rules of the House to convince the majority to their way of thinking, they decided to tear down the rules. This was the lawless Left on full display and I hope the American people took a long hard look at it, and understand the threat to our democratic traditions and institutions that this conduct reveals.
In recent days, we have seen other Leftist mobs assembled under a foreign flag violently attack American citizens who were merely trying to exercise their right to peaceably assemble in support their candidate for President. We have seen this administration attempt to criminalize political dissent, and use our government to intimidate people out of participating in our political process. And now we have watched this lawless behavior imported onto the floor of the House of Representatives.
The House leadership decided not to confront this unprecedented spectacle as it unfolded, and I do not gainsay their decision here. It was obvious the members involved were trying to provoke a physical confrontation.
But serious damage was done that day to our orderly process of government and it cannot go unchallenged. Doing so would establish a dangerous and corrosive precedent antithetical to everything which this institution and our country stands for.
The Constitution provides that the House may sanction members for disorderly behavior, and the members responsible for the events of June 22nd and 23rd must be called to account for their actions. If we fail to do so, we will have replaced the House Rules with Rules for Radicals.
The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 AM.
Fatal accident on Hwy 4 View Photos
Copperopolis, CA The CHP reports that a 28-year-old female died in a crash Thursday evening on Highway 4 west of Copperopolis.
A Honda Civic heading westbound crossed into the eastbound lane and collided head-on with a Ford Focus, according to the CHP. The crash occurred on a stretch of Highway 4 in Stanislaus County, west of Milton Road. The driver of the Honda, an unidentified 28-year-old female from Elk Grove, suffered fatal injuries. A passenger in the Honda, 41-year-old Kimberly Cota of Elk Grove, sustained major injuries and was taken to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto. An individual in the Ford Focus, 23-year-old Laura Murphy of Los Altos, also sustained major injuries and was taken to Memorial Medical Center.
CHP Officer Eric Parsons says, We are not sure at this time if alcohol or drugs were involved. All of the parties were wearing their safety restraints. The crash is still under investigation.
The fatal incident occurred around 10:45pm.
In the wake of the Pulse nightclub attack, Rep. John Mica is asking why the federal government downgraded the terror risk in Orlando two years ago.
Mica wants to know if more could have been done to protect Orlando
Homeland Security downgraded Orlando's terror risk 2 years ago
Central Florida law enforcement in DC to testify at Mica's hearing
The decision stripped hundreds of thousands of dollars from Central Florida law enforcement for counter-terrorism measures.
"We have now been probed, which makes us more of a target, said Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings at a congressional hearing Friday. He was joined by Orlando Police Chief John Mina.
Mica called the hearing on the Urban Area Security Grant, which the Department of Homeland Security uses to disburse funds to local governments across the country for counter-terrorism measures.
Mica says for the third straight year, Orlando is set to not receive federal terrorism funding because Central Florida's terror risk level is not high enough. It's something he says that needs to be corrected immediately.
A lack of funding has prevented the expansion of a video surveillance program in Orlando's tourist corridor, as well as forced a reduction in the number of intelligence analysts at a center made up of Central Florida law enforcement agencies, Demings said.
"One credible attack in Central Florida to a theme park will be disastrous for our economy, Demings said.
Mica said while Orlando was dropped from the program, other places in the country were not using the money properly.
"We found expenditures that were not justified in this program. Michigan bought 13 snow cone machines, Mica said.
But Mina explained past terrorism funding has been money well spent in Orlando.
"The funding has provided us with much needed training for our response and much needed equipment," he said. "But training skills perish, equipment needs to be replaced.
So just looking at the Pulse incident, there's so much more equipment that I would have liked. There's thermal imaging to see where the suspect was behind those walls, Mina said.
Orlando was left off the list for the grant in 2015 and 2016 because of changes in how funds are distributed based on rankings.
Brian Kamoie, an official with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the rankings are determined by an area's relative risk of a terrorist threat based on past plots.
In 2015, Orlando was No. 32 on the list. The 28 highest-ranked metro areas got funds. In 2016, Orlando was No. 34.
Mica said he wants another look at how funds are allocated. He said the Pulse attack shows Orlando was susceptible.
"We missed the mark dramatically in Orlando they're hitting soft targets, Mica said.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
AMARILLO - Something can be learned from every wheat harvest, but Texas A&M AgriLife Research wheat breeder Dr. Jackie Rudd said it is just fun to see the success of this years bounty.
After four years of drought, a battle with stripe rust and a hailed-out crop last year, reaping 65-70 bushel-per-acre dryland wheat and 90-100 bushel-per-acre irrigated wheat this year in the AgriLife Research plots was a nice change, Rudd said.
It was a lot of fun, he said. It was outstanding this year because of the high yields. As a breeding program, what we do is develop new varieties for this area, and the research is all dependent on the environments we get.
Rudd explained that research plots are similar to those of the producer, subject to losses from disease, pests, hail, drought and flooding.
So much of the rest of the state was either planted late or not at all because of too much water this year, he said. And a lot of what was planted was hit by stripe rust or sprouting or harvested late because of continuing rains during harvest time.
This year things came together for the High Plains wheat harvest, Rudd said. Test weights were high, yields were high and even though the protein was a little low, it is a very marketable crop.
He explained the protein was a little low because no one was really expecting such a good crop, so additional fertilizer to compensate for the higher yields was not applied. Good April rains and slightly cooler May temperatures were an unexpected bonus for the wheat crop.
Developing a new wheat variety is a 10-15 year process, so after the four drought years of 2011-2014 and last years heavy stripe rust, varieties that made it through are showing the best drought tolerance I can honestly say that we have ever had.
This year we were able to see the high yields on top of the drought tolerance and on top of the disease resistance, Rudd said.
He said several experimental lines looked promising. TAM 111 and TAM 112 are generally used as the germplasm base for these experimental lines.
Those two varieties did quite well this year, but we had experimental lines that have better drought tolerance than TAM 112 and are higher-yielding than both TAM 111 and TAM 112.
Additionally, TAM 113 and TAM 114 are some of the Texas A&M wheat breeding programs newer varieties for the High Plains, and they did extremely well also, he said.
Its been very rewarding to see the things we have developed in the past five years perform so well. Its the wide variety of environments that we are able to test under that really contributes to our success.
Rudd said the varieties are not only adapted to the Texas Panhandle and High Plains, but are grown all the way from the southern plains of Texas to Nebraska.
The reason they are so adaptable, he said, is they are tested in research plots across Texas.
We are not necessarily trying to breed a single variety for the entire state of Texas, but it is important to know how they survive the severe disease pressure found in South Texas, the extreme temperatures of the Rolling Plains, the heavy rains of North Texas and the persistent droughts of the High Plains.
We know it is our environments throughout Texas that help us develop the best disease resistance that can be found in any wheat program, Rudd said.
This extensive research takes a tremendous team, he said. From fellow wheat breeders and geneticists to the wheat quality lab in College Station to all the assistant and associate researchers and student workers involved in the process, we have a fantastic team that has led to the success of our TAM wheats.
And the research cant be done without extensive funding from outside the agency, such as the Texas Wheat Producers Association and other private industry sources, Rudd said.
Rudd said he expects all the yield data to be released in the next few weeks at http://varietytesting.tamu.edu/wheat/index.htm.
WASHINGTON - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on July 11 signed a proclamation declaring Aug. 7-13 as "National Farmers Market Week." This year marks the 17th annual National Farmers Market Week to honor and celebrate the important role that farmers markets play in local economies.
"Farmers markets are an important part of strong local and regional food systems that connect farmers with new customers and grow rural economies. In many areas, they are also expanding access to fresh, healthy food for people of all income levels, said Vilsack. National Farmers Market Week recognizes the growth of these markets and their role in supporting both urban and rural communities."
Throughout the week, USDA officials will celebrate at farmers market locations across the country. On Saturday, Aug. 6, Elanor Starmer, the administrator of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service - which conducts research, provides technical assistance, and awards grants to support local and regional food systems - will kick off the week visiting a farmers market and wrap up the week at USDAs own farmers market in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Aug. 12.
Farmers markets are a gathering place where you can buy locally produced food, and at the same time, get to know the farmer and story behind the food you purchase, said Starmer. These types of markets improve earning potential for farmers and ranchers, building stronger community ties and access to local foods.
To help farmers market managers across the country promote and celebrate National Farmers Market Week, USDA is sharing online free farmers market related graphics that market managers and others can use to customize posters, emails, websites and other promotional materials. The graphics, along with a short demonstration video, can be found at: www.ams.usda.gov/resources/NFMW
Over the course of the Obama Administration, USDA has invested close to $1 billion in 40,000 local food businesses and infrastructure projects. Farmers markets provide consumers with fresh, affordable, convenient, and healthy products from local producers. With support from USDA, more farmers markets offer customers the opportunity to make purchases with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program; and the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs.
Supporting farmers markets is a part of the USDAs Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food (KYF2) Initiative, which coordinates the Department's work to develop strong local and regional food systems. USDA is committed to helping farmers, ranchers, and businesses access the growing market for local and regional foods, which was valued at $12 billion in 2014 according to industry estimates. You can also find local and regional supply chain resources on the newly-revamped KYF2 website and use the KYF2 Compass to locate USDA investments in your community.
HART -- Deryl and Joan Clevenger have called Hart home since 1959. They moved to a farm six miles east of Hart, which they purchased in 1963. And, in 1964, they built the home they call home, located four miles east of Hart just north of TX194.
Deryl Duane was born in December 1929 in Swisher County to Jeff and Oma Reeves Clevenger. He lived in the Tulia area until he moved to Hart. He attended school at Union Hill, and then transferred to Tulia Consolidated Schools.
He continued his education at Abilene Christian College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in General Agriculture in 1951.
In Tipton Orphans' Home in Tipton, Oklahoma, Joan McCasland was growing up in the Church of Christ-supported orphanage. She was born in August 1928 to Joe and Belle Daniel McCasland in Caddo County, Oklahoma. She and two brothers were placed in the home because things at home weren't good.
She graduated from Tipton High School in 1947 and then attended Abilene Christian College. There she met Deryl; they were married on Dec. 9, 1949. In February 1951, Iona Lynne was born to the young couple. Then they moved to Tulia, where he farmed until 1956. While in Tulia, two other children were born: Dee Anne, December 1953 and Duane, July 1955.
Deryl was active in Boy Scouts, and she in Girl Scouts. Deryl served as Hart's Scoutmaster for 12 years. They also were active in the Hart School PTA. Joan taught in Hart schools for several years, and Deryl served as a school board trustee for nine years. He also had served on the board of directors for Hart Producers Co-op Gin. He currently is president of the Hart Golden Group.
He was named "Aggie of the Year" for Abilene Christian College in 1968. He was the fourth ACC recipient, being the honoree for the ACC chapter of Delta Tau Alpha, national honorary society for agriculture students. In 1970, he was named "Man of the Year" by the Hart Lions Club.
Deryl substituted for a time for Hart's ag teacher, Lanny Tucker. Joan also taught in the elementary, being the first Head Start teacher for the school district, at the request of then Superintendent Paul Kennedy. She taught for several years at Hart ISD. She did not receive a teacher certification, but did complete some college classes through correspondence at then West Texas State College in Canyon. She filled in at Hart in the absence of a classroom teacher, receiving substitute pay, she adds.
The three children attended Hart schools, graduating from Hart High School, and being active in extracurricular activities. The three attended Lubbock Christian College, now Lubbock Christian University.
Iona met her husband, Neil Baldridge, at LCC; they married in 1971 and both graduated from LCC in 1973. Iona earned a Master of Education in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin and also has her Ph.D. from Texas Tech University. She is a biology professor at LCU, teaching at the university for 36 years. Neil earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and works with computers. They have two children, Lisa Kretzschmer and Stephen Baldridge. Stephen's son, Hobson, says of his grandparents: "They aren't "shot" doctors, but teacher doctors."
Dee married Dale Gannaway in 1975; they met while students at LCC. He earned his bachelor's degree and is in education at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs. She is a substitute teacher. They have two children, Kristan Hanes and Geoff Gannaway.
Duane married a hometown girl, Marie Davis Scoggin, in November 1975. They have four sons, Guy Scoggin, Gary Clevenger, Scotty Clevenger and Chris Clifford. Duane and Marie farmed and lived east of Hart; he died unexpectedly in January 2010.
Marie later moved into Hart, and Scotty and his family moved to the farm, continuing Clevenger Farms. Guy lives in Amarillo; Gary, Lubbock; and Chris, Albuquerque, N.M. Chris found himself in a precarious family situation at 14 and was living by himself in his maternal grandparents' house. Duane and Marie asked him if he wanted to live with them, and he wholeheartedly accepted, Joan says.
Deryl helps keeps Duane's memory alive by sending in mostly hilariously funny, sarcastic columns to the monthly Plainview Herald's Reader's page. Duane wrote for The Hart Beat and the Herald, and had the ability, in the words of his mother, to get his opinion across without making anyone mad.
Deryl retired from farming in 1999. He and Joan enjoy traveling, but because of "old age," their last trip was four years ago when they went to Alaska, for the third time. They have visited all 50 states and 23 countries on four continents.
They attend Garland Street Church of Christ in Plainview, where he served as elder until retiring from that position; they also have attended the Churches of Christ at Hart and Edmonson, where Deryl also served as an elder. He has been a song leader and Bible teacher.
Joan likes to read, but doesn't much anymore because her eyes aren't as good as they used to be. She also likes to sew, making clothing for Nicaraguan children through her church; she doesn't do this anymore. Deryl used to enjoy hunting for rocks and was a member of the Hi-Plains Rock Club of Plainview.
The couple has eight grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
Plainview Rotary Club
The Plainview Rotary Club met Tuesday at the Plainview Country Club.
President Lydia Castillo called the meeting to order. Coralyn Dillard gave the invocation and Ross Owen led the Pledge of Allegiance
Visitors were Bob Copeland, traveling Rotarian, Lori Franklin and Danny Salazar.
A past president plaque was awarded to outgoing President Stan DeMerritt by Lydia Castillo.
Also, a special presentation shadow box was given to Sue Brightbill to honor her father, the late Elton Wilson. In the shadow box were his Rotary memorabilia.
Kim introduced the day's speaker, Plainview Unger Memorial librarian Mariya Hapyi. She was born in Chortkiu, Ukraine. It is a town the size of Plainview.
She attended teacher's training school. She also attended Precarpathian Nation University to teach English. Her daughter, Viktoriya, was born in the Ukraine. She is married to Robert Hurst.
When she came to the United States, she was an instruction librarian aide. She then went to Texas Woman's University and received a Master's of Library Science. She also worked at Southern Methodist University as a metadata creator. She also worked as a reference librarian to help students and teachers.
The next chapter of her life is working at Unger Memorial Library. She explained that the library is a 21st century library with a well-developed collection.
There are 50,000 books on the shelves with 1,000 magazines and programs.
The library has a Summer Reading Club. Wednesday is story time. The local Paws of Plainview displays pictures of dogs.
The library has a highly professional staff, strong technical support and community involvement.
Ross led the Four-Way-Test and Lydia dismissed the group. -- Cynthia Gregory
Plainview Lions Club
We feline assembled at noon on Wednesday at the civic center to feed and growl in the midst of 104-degree heat outside. Cary Eaves led both pledges, Travis Thornton and Jim Tirey led singing and parson Fred Meeks gave the blessing. Our regular Padre of the Cloth, Rey Rodriquez, selected psalms of wisdom to bestow our souls from readings in his little black magic box. Lion Don Eversole was recognized for work he does weekly with Meals On Wheels in signing volunteers to deliver noon meals to less fortunate individuals. He has headed this responsibility for several years with members of this club doing the leg work (thanks to you all). Guest at the conclave was Mary Beth Fox with husband Lion Mike, who was responsible for our program this week. He is executive director of Plainviews Economic Development Corp. and discussed his position with EDC with film strips and explanations of his present work in bringing business to our city. Our raffle netted $57 for the local Boy Scout troop.
Its great to be a Lion
We Serve - Ron White
A Plainview child is in intensive care after reportedly near drowning at a YMCA pool Thursday evening.
According to police records, Plainview Fire/EMS were dispatched to the Plainview YMCA, 313 Ennis St., just after 7:40 p.m. Thursday.
At the scene emergency crews said they discovered a 3-year-old male not breathing by the indoor swimming pool.
The 3-year-old reportedly was swimming in the pool with a family member during the YMCAs open swim session.
Though details are still being gathered, it is believed that the child went under the water after the family member turned away briefly.
Plainview EMS said the child had been pulled from the water and CPR started when they arrived.
The child was successfully resuscitated and subsequently transported by Plainview Fire Department EMS ambulance to Covenant Health Plainview.
After arriving at the Plainview hospital, a call was put in for an AeroCare helicopter to take the child to a Lubbock medical center. However, that flight was initially delayed due to inclement weather.
Plainview Police Capt. Manuel Balderas confirmed Friday afternoon that the child eventually was transported to Lubbock and was being treated in an intensive care unit there.
Plainview YMCA representatives said staff and lifeguards on hand followed protocol in connection with the situation, which has been ruled an accident.
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved, said Plainview YMCA Associate Executive Director Ashley Mayberry.
LUBBOCK -- Michael Galyean, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources has been appointed interim provost of Texas Tech University. He will take over responsibilities on Aug. 1.
Galyean replaces Provost Lawrence Schovanec, who was announced last week as the 17th president of the university beginning Aug. 1. Schovanec will convene a search committee, which will conduct a nationwide search for the next provost. Galyean will be allowed to be a candidate for the position if he desires.
Dr. Galyean is a distinguished scholar and educator with an extensive record of professional service and leadership, Schovanec said. As dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, he has earned the respect of colleagues within CASNR and across campus. I have great confidence in the leadership Dr. Galyean will provide as our chief academic officer.
Galyean served on the faculty of New Mexico State University from 1977-1996 and West Texas A&M University from 1996-98. He joined the Texas Tech faculty in 1998 and was named a Paul Whitfield Horn professor in 2006. He is the Thornton Distinguished Chair in Animal Science and became dean of the college in 2012.
He received his doctorate in animal nutrition from Oklahoma State University and has published more than 300 peer-reviewed journal articles, invited papers and book chapters. He has directed the graduate work of more than 50 masters and doctoral students, served on several National Research Council committees and recently chaired the Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. He was president of the American Society of Animal Science Western Section, served on the ASAS Board of Director and was section editor and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Animal Science.
To serve as the interim provost at a Tier One, Big 12 university is something I would never have dreamed of a few years ago, and I am honored Dr. Schovanec has asked me to take on this challenge, Galyean said. I look forward to working with him and our great faculty, staff and students as we continue to advance the academic and scholarly missions of Texas Tech University.
The Marriott Courtyard in Rye City on Midland Avenue by the border of Port Chester and near the Home Depot is bragging about a new renovation of the property. The PR release says the renovation will be finished this summer.
The Courtyard is the only proper hotel in Rye City. There has been discussion in the past about another hotel on Theall Avenue / Playland Access Road (off I-95 Exit 19) but concerned were expressed early abut dubious uses of these hotels including kids renting rooms to throw parties.
Here is the PR release:
Newly Renovated Rooms at Courtyard Rye Offer a Quiet Sanctuary near the Big Apple Lights
Hotel near New York City undergoes multi-million dollar renovation in guest rooms, lobby, fitness center and on-site bistro
RYE, N.Y., July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ Soothing shades of white, grey and blue offer a serene oasis in the reimagined guest rooms and reinvigorated public spaces at Courtyard Rye.
Travelers spending the night will notice a change the minute they step foot in the Rye hotel near New York City, which is wrapping up a multi-million dollar renovation.
Calming, neutral shades top the beds, adorn the walls and cover the floors of guest rooms and suites, while pops of yellow in decor and on new Lounge-Around sofas and chairs aim to energize and inspire tired travelers. Upgraded bathrooms include walk-in showers in select rooms. Guests can now stay more connected than ever before with complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property.
All guest rooms and suites at the hotel feature Marriott's signature mattresses topped with plush duvets and piles of fluffy pillows to ensure a sound night's sleep. Rooms are designed to keep the business guest productive with ergonomic work desks and in-room coffee makers. Mini-refrigerators afford the opportunity to chill bottles of wine to enjoy in downtime, when guests can watch premium movie channels, CNN, ESPN and HBO on flat-screen TVs.
Stepping into the lobby of Courtyard Rye will now be more of an experience rather than an exchange, with inviting seating arrangements and innovate touches for a more personalized encounter. The lobby is home to The Bistro Eat. Drink. Connect., which offers menu items to satisfy even the most critical of eaters. Offerings range from Starbucks coffee, made-to-order eggs and parfaits to evening cocktails and soups, salads and sandwiches for dinner. A 24-hour business center is adjacent to the lobby, featuring computers and free printing, faxing and copying services, as well as a Boarding Pass printing station to help avoid long lines at the airport.
Fitness fanatics are welcome to use the newly remodeled fitness center, featuring modern cardiovascular equipment and free weights. The indoor swimming pool provides an energy boost to weary travelers.
All guests are welcome to host business gatherings and social occasions in the hotel's two updated event spaces, offering more than 1,300 square feet for board meetings, birthdays or family reunions in Rye. The beautifully landscaped outdoor terrace provides an aesthetically pleasing alternative to the traditional venue.
The renovation is expected to be complete by late summer 2016. To book a newly renovated guest room at the best available rate, visit www.marriott.com/HPNRY.
About Courtyard Rye
Courtyard Rye at 631 Midland Ave. in Rye, NY offers a prime location 30 miles outside of New York City. Nearby attractions include Rye Playland Amusement Park, the Bronx Zoo and Westchester Broadway Theatre. The hotel features 4 floors with 133 rooms and 12 suites, an on-site bistro, fitness center, indoor pool and 2 meeting rooms with 1,308 square feet of space. Complimentary wireless internet access is available in guest rooms and all public areas.
Federal prosecutors plan to wind up their pipeline-safety case against Pacific Gas and Electric Co. next week without testimony from some high-ranking PG&E personnel who had previously been listed as witnesses.
After an abbreviated session Friday, the start of the trials fifth week, prosecutors said they would call two or three more witnesses and rest their case by Wednesday. They included an FBI agent, a federal regulatory official, and possibly former PG&E executive William Hayes, who took part in the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the lethal September 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion.
Absent from the list were Peter Darbee, chief executive of PG&E Corp. until 2011, and Brian Cherry, a fired PG&E vice president who was the companys chief delegate to the state Public Utilities Commission. Also missing was Leslie McNiece, who was hired by PG&E in 2012 to improve its record-keeping and, according to prosecution court filings, was prepared to testify that higher-ups resisted her efforts.
Darbee and Cherry had been granted immunity from possible prosecution in exchange for their testimony, the same agreement accepted by a series of present and past PG&E employees who have made up the bulk of the prosecutions case. Prosecutors did not explain their decision not to call them, but U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson has expressed frustration at the slow pace of the trial, prompting lawyers to omit testimony they didnt need.
PG&E hasnt said which witnesses, if any, it plans to call. Company lawyers previously estimated that the defense case would take two weeks.
The utility is charged with 12 felony violations of laws that require gas pipeline operators to inspect and test lines, using specified methods for potential hazards, and prohibit knowingly keeping inaccurate records. The company is also charged with obstructing the federal investigation of the San Bruno explosion, which killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes.
The obstruction charge was a subject of Fridays testimony by Calvin Lui, manager of the PG&E unit that determines maximum internal pressures on gas pipelines. Prosecutors contend the company tried to hinder the federal investigation by falsely denying that it had a policy of pressuring lines up to 10 percent above the levels allowed by federal law, a policy that PG&E says it never implemented.
Jurors saw a memo Lui sent to an engineer working for him in March 2010 that said gas pressure in a pipeline was supposed to rise to the maximum federal limit, but no more than 10 percent over.
But Lui testified that any such excesses would have been unintentional and that PG&E hadnt finalized (its) approach to the subject when he wrote the memo.
Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
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Friends, relatives and government officials were frantically searching Friday for a UC Berkeley student who was in the French resort city of Nice and has not been seen since a terror rampage there Thursday killed at least 84 people.
Loved ones pleaded on Facebook and Twitter for help finding Nick Leslie, 20, while holding out hope that he escaped the carnage of the deadly truck attack on Bastille Day that left 202 people injured, including three other UC Berkeley students.
We just want our son back, said Conrad Leslie, the students father. We havent gotten the bad news. Our thoughts and prayers go to the people who have.
Leslies uncle was going from hospital to hospital in the South of France coastal city Friday trying to find him. Conrad Leslie said his family has received incredible support from the UC Berkeley campus and U.S. and French government officials in the search for his son.
A State Department spokeswoman said the U.S. Consulate in Marseille, France, is working to account for every U.S. citizen in Nice but that privacy considerations prevented the agency from discussing specific cases.
Were just hoping that Nick is safe and hes coming home, said Claire Holmes, an assistant vice chancellor. He was very connected to the campus. A lot of people know him.
Leslie, a junior in UC Berkeleys College of Natural Resources, was among 85 UC Berkeley students in Nice for a four-week-long European Innovation Academy, an international program that helps students with their startup ideas, according to the campus. The program was put on hold for three days of national mourning after the attack, and several students left the program early and were on their way home Friday.
UC Berkeleys study-abroad staff was working with local officials to find Leslie, the university reported.
Three of Leslies peers were injured in the attack. UC Berkeley students Vladyslav Kostiuk, 23, who suffered a broken leg, and Diane Huang, 20, treated for a broken foot, were both discharged from local hospitals, university officials said Friday afternoon. A third student, 21-year-old Daryus Medora, remained in the hospital with a broken leg.
Mustapha Khokhar, a friend of Leslies, said he received a video via Snapchat from him just 15 minutes prior to the attack. It showed Leslie dancing at the Bastille Day celebrations, said Khokhar, who hasnt heard from Leslie since.
Im hoping he just lost his phone, Khokhar said. Fingers crossed.
UC Berkeley is providing on-the-ground counseling in Nice for students affected by the attack. Students from UCs Davis, Merced and Santa Cruz campuses were also in the city, according to Holmes. Leslie remains the only Berkeley student unaccounted for.
According to his Facebook page, Leslie lived in Del Mar (San Diego County) before attending UC Berkeley and was originally from Italy.
Two Americans, a father and son from Texas, have been reported as among the dead.
Earlier this month, another UC Berkeley student, 18-year-old Tarishi Jain, was one of the hostages killed in an attack at a popular restaurant in Bangladesh. Jain, a native of India, had just started an internship in Dhaka, Bangladesh, through a UC Berkeley program.
The campus community has really connected with the tragic violence around the world on a real personal level, said William Morrow, 21, UC Berkeleys student body president. It shows how interconnected our world is, how interconnected violence is.
As students got word that Leslie was missing, some on the Berkeley campus said recent terror attacks made them wary of studying abroad.
UC Berkeley student Brenda Zhang, 19, said the latest attack in France made her more cautious about her travel plans for Europe. But others, like Lee Chen, a graduate student, said their intentions to go abroad hadnt changed.
The fear is what theyre trying to create, Chen said of terrorists. I dont want to give in to that.
San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Kevin Schultz contributed to this report.
Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
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A Mexican cartel allegedly tried to smuggle 13 tons of cocaine by hiding it in barrels of hot sauce.
According to the website Blog del Narco, the Mexican navy found the barrels full of zesty condiment and cocaine in Manzanillo, Colimo, about 500 miles west of Mexico City. The drugs are believed to belong to the Sinaloa Cartel.
SEE ALSO: 'El Chapo' is still behind bars, but Twitter users showed preparedness amid rumors of a third escape
Blog del Narco reports the drugs were found inside a container from Ecuador and were bound for the port of Mazatlan, Sinaloa.
The Mexican government was tipped off to the cocaine-laced "salsa picante" through intelligence work among different government branches.
When the barrels were recovered by authorities isn't clear. Blog del Narco's report on the 13 tons of cocaine taken by authorities was published Wednesday.
SEE ALSO: Released Mexican drug lord trying to get back into business
The blog also reports that on Tuesday, the Mexican navy found 33 packages of cocaine floating in the water, off the coast of Chiapas, near Guatemala.
Blog del Narco reports the cocaine recovered in Chiapas weighed almost 2,000 pounds and could fetch up to $810 million, according to the Mexican government.
The Sinaloa Cartel is an infamous syndicate that operates in Culiacan, Sinaloa. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is probably the most well known member of the cartel for his numerous escapes from jail.
The Ku Klux Klan recruitment flyer that sparked outrage in San Franciscos Haight neighborhood this week was legitimate, a Klan official said Thursday, adding that the organization had recently received a surge in interest amid police shootings and protests.
On Tuesday, neighborhood news outlet Hoodline posted a picture of the flyer, which was reportedly being distributed around Haight and Clayton and Oak and Lyon streets.
Will Quigg, grand dragon of the KKKs West Coast region, said the picture showed one of the pamphlets that members tend to leave in driveways.
Our organization is actively recruiting in all of California and all of the United States, Quigg said. Were getting a lot more calls, especially in the last few months with what Obamas doing, what Hillarys doing and especially Black Lives Matter calling for war and saying theyre trying to kill all whites.
The recruitment flyer stated Black Lives Matter Black Panthers are telling followers to kill white people and police officers in the name of justice for the killing of Negros by policemen in the line of duty. These Negros were not innocent, they were thugs breaking the law, and standing up against police.
It appeared the message was meant to incite fear of the Black Lives Matter movement, capitalizing on rising racial tensions since last weeks killings of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, and the slayings of five police officers in Dallas.
San Francisco NAACP President Amos Brown said the countrys strained race relations was not a result of Black Lives Matter but instead came from the rhetoric of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Donald Trump ought to be ashamed of himself, Brown said. He is the one out of his self-centered interest who has created this climate.
Brown said the KKK flyers were not surprising given the current atmosphere.
Its time, as one theologian said, that people stop their silence, Brown said. Silence does give consent to evil, and the Ku Klux Klan is evil. The Klan took a sacred symbol of Christianity to terrorize black people. The terror of the Klan emerged in Pulaski, Tenn., to disenfranchise blacks and to keep them from having equality of opportunity, justice and equality.
Quigg, however, insists the organization is a new Klan that doesnt condone violence and only passively recruits by leaving flyers in neighborhoods.
We do not go knocking on peoples doors. We dont do that type of recruitment because we dont want to make any people feel uneasy or scared because they do not understand we are a new Klan, he said. We are a white, Christian, nonviolent civil rights organization.
Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno
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A scandalous San Antonio case that continues to shock people from all over the country who hear about it will air on cable channel Investigation Discovery (ID) at 7 tonight.
Unflinching documentary "Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four" chronicles the nightmarish persecution, trial and imprisonment of Elizabeth Ramirez, Cassandra Rivera, Kristie Mayhugh and Anna Vasquez.
Recently showcased at Tribeca and other prominent film festivals, the critically acclaimed movie details the ordeal of the four women, who were convicted of sexually assaulting two girls in San Antonio more than 20 years ago, during what ID describes as the "Satanic Panic" of the '80s and '90s.
It documents how those heinous 1994 claims were preposterously linked to the sexuality of the accused, as if being gay automatically made them capable of committing such acts.
After the case, based on highly disputed medical evidence and the testimony of two young children, was tried, the women were sent to prison for many years. Throughout their incarceration, they've maintained their innocence and have waged an ongoing fight for exoneration.
"Southwest of Salem" begins inside a Texas prison, over a decade after Ramirez, Rivera, Mayhugh and Vasquez were put behind bars. The memories voiced by Vasquez and her friends are both moving and troubling.
The film also show how an expert witness hinted at satanic ritual; thus, the title of the movie, which is a reference to the Salem witch trials of the 17th Century.
Filmmaker Deborah S. Esquenazi weaves together emotional interviews with the women, who came to be known as the "San Antonio Four," and their families with news footage and home videos, showing how so many lives were torn apart as a result of these accusations and convictions.
None of the four ever took a plea bargain or even considered it, despite serving their time in separate prisons.
While the state offered deferred adjudication, requiring no time in prison but probation for 10 years, the women turned down the offer, maintaining their innocence and faith in truth and justice.
Esquenazi also follows the work of attorneys from the Innocence Project of Texas, who played a pivotal role in securing an on-camera recantation by one of the victims, now 25 years old, and the women's release from prison in 2013.
Today, the four continue their fight for exoneration; their case is currently up for review with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
The film, which, over the past few months, has played in theaters all over the country has prompted support for the women from Hollywood celebrities, including actress and television personality Rosie O'Donnell and Taylor Schilling of Netflix prison drama "Orange is the New Black."
Most recently, as in Tuesday, syndicated health show "Dr. Oz" featured the four in a segment that explored resilience and strength. Specifically, how the women are coping with the pain of their experience and how they've managed to move on with their life, even with the possible threat of more prison hanging over them.
"ID is honored to share their story with our passionate, action-oriented audience," Henry Schleiff, president of Investigation Discovery, stated in a release, "to bolster this endeavor and to influence the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals, with whom the case currently sits, to do what is right."
jjakle@express-news.net
SAN DIEGO Theyre the best 1-2 punch in the majors, but Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto now are a 1-3 punch.
Manager Bruce Bochy said hes altering his rotation in the wake of Cuetos 32-pitch outing in Tuesdays All-Star Game.
Bumgarner will pitch Fridays second-half opener against the Padres, and Jeff Samardzija will get the ball for Game 2 of the series. Rather than returning on three days rest, Cueto was pushed back a day and will start Sunday.
Jake Peavy pitches Tuesday in Boston, and Matt Cain will go Wednesday if he comes out OK from his rehab start with Class A San Jose (at Lancaster) on Friday.
Once we saw Johnny would start the (All-Star) game, we knew hed throw a few more pitches, so well give him another day, Bochy said.
The Giants are off Monday and Thursday, so Bochy could tweak his rotation to reunite Bumgarner and Cueto. But he said thats not the plan.
Its not a priority for us, Bochy said. Were fine with the way its set up right now.
With Bumgarner and Cueto pitching back-to-back in the first half, the Giants posted the best record in the majors. Among starters with enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, the two Giants rank behind only Clayton Kershaw.
Bumgarners ERA is 1.94, Cuetos 2.47. Combined, theyre at 2.21.
Im happy to give Johnny another day, Samardzija said. He put a lot of extra work in during the All-Star Game. Hes been throwing a lot anyway. If he needs another day or two, Im more than happy to help him out.
Cueto leads the majors with 1311/3 innings. Bumgarners second at 1292/3.
Briefly: Right fielder Hunter Pence (hamstring) could start playing rehab games as soon as Saturday. Hed play in the minors for about a week before rejoining the Giants. Bochy said Pence is nearing 100 percent. ... Second baseman Joe Panik (concussion) also is close to playing his first rehab game, perhaps Sunday. ... Third baseman Matt Duffy (Achilles) isnt progressing as quickly as he and the team had hoped. Well slow-play him a little bit more, Bochy said. ... The Giants gave their All-Stars the option to miss Thursdays workout at Petco Park. Brandon Belt and Bumgarner showed up.
John Shea is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jshea@sfchronicle.com Twitter @JohnSheaHey
On deck
Friday
at Padres
7:40 p.m. Channel: 11
Bumgarner (10-4)
vs. Cashner (3-7)
Saturday
at Padres
5:40 p.m. CSNBA
Samardzija (9-5)
vs. Perdomo (3-4)
Sunday
at Padres
1:40 p.m. CSNBA
Cueto (13-1)
vs. TBA
Leading off
Rolling: The Giants, with the best record in the majors at 57-33, are on pace for 103 wins. They have won 100 games three times: 1962, 1993 and 2003.
John Shea
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Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard J.J. Redick is selling his Austin estate.
The 10,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style mansion is set on more than one acre of land in the prestigious West Lake Hills community. It has six bedrooms, nine baths and a number of notable entertaining spaces, including a media room, two bars and a private office.
RELATED: Woodlands mansion with 3-story closet going to auction
Cami Wright Interiors designed the space, which has a curious wine storage room outfitted with brick-arch storage shelves. Other standout spaces are the dining area with a brick ceiling and the elegant grand foyer.
Outside, Hill Country panoramas can be enjoyed from the infinity-edge swimming pool. There's also a fully equipped, enclosed summer kitchen with a separate lounge. A cabana with a fireplace and tech connections offers a full view of the outdoor dining area, pool and the lush green background.
SEE ALSO: NFL star Adrian Peterson lists estate in The Woodlands for sale
Engel & Volkers Austin listing agent Kathryn Scarborough, who represents the sellers, says that the Redicks love Austin they have friends there and enjoy the city. She explains that the family will stay in Austin but are searching for a home that better suits their current lifestyle.
The home has been featured on the cover of "Modern Luxury" magazine and has already been reduced from $5.3 million to $4.995 million.
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Set on 50 acres of land in Glen Rose, Texas is a stunning, rustic ranch listed at $1,500,000.
The Somervell County property has a 3,822-square-foot main house with four bedrooms and three baths. The structure is outfitted with reclaimed wood finishes, hand-distressed wood floors and a limestone fireplace. Stained concrete floors add a modern touch to the space.
Interior designer Andrea Campbell redesigned the kitchen area, adding custom cabinetry, a built-in coffee bar, multiple pantries and a commercial-grade range.
SEE ALSO: Country homes in Texas embrace modern design
Outside, on the sprawling expanse of land, is an air-conditioned, custom-built $30,000 chicken coop illuminated by a chandelier.
There's an outdoor living area as well as a 10-foot-deep heated swimming pool. Elsewhere, a 2800-square foreman's residence includes a separate entrance and driveway.
RELATED: Facts about Texas' most prominent, historic ranches
According to the listing, the ranch also includes "three stock tanks total, three barns, two wells, and a ranch foreman's residence with its own street address at 4005 County Road 2007. Twenty acres of the ranch are cultivated, with the other 30 acres bearing native grasses."
Shannon Houchin at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty has the listing.
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The Austin Police Department debuted a LGBT Pride-themed patrol vehicle with rainbows, stickers and decals supporting the sub-community of the states capital.
The pride vehicle is adorned with rainbow stickers, the words Pride, Equality, Peace, and various aspects of the patrol car are replaced by rainbow colors.
RELATED: Pride filled Crockett Park for annual festival
The idea for the vehicle came up following the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando that left 49 people dead. A corporal on the force noticed that the NYPD had made a patrol car with rainbow colors, decals and even a rainbow light bar, after the shooting to show support and solidarity for the LGBT community in New York, according to a news release.
The corporal then sent messages up the chain of command to Chief Art Acevedo, who agreed the Austin Police Department should do something similar.
Detective Michael Crumrine, who is also the president of the Lesbian & Gay Peace Officers Association, said during a press conference Thursday the chief saw this as a great way to use resources to show their support for the LGBT community.
The chief saw the value in getting this done and ended up having the vehicle outfitted, Crumrine said.
RELATED: Mayor Ivy Taylor facing backlash from LGBT community ahead of Orlando vigil appearance
The detective said this blatantly shows support for the LGBT community, which is exactly the point. Its more than empty rhetoric, Crumrine said.
The Austin Police Department stands with the LGBTQ community in support of the fallen souls that were tragically taken in Orlando, Crumrine said.
This isnt the first time the department has decorated a vehicle in this way for an group.
APD has done the same thing for the Komen Foundation, Click It or Ticket and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Crumrine said.
KXAN reported on the vehicles introduction and the response from commenters on Facebook has been mixed. Some have praised the vehicles design, while others have claimed the vehicle doesnt look professional. Others have sparked concerns over how the sticker job on the vehicle was paid for.
Crumrine said during the press conference the vehicles sticker job cost was minimal.
RELATED: Open Carry Texas offers escort for LGBT events, says armed patrons could've stopped Orlando massacre
The vehicle will be a part of this years Austin Pride Festival on Aug. 27, but until then, the vehicle will be driven around town by a variety of people, including officers, to give the vehicle a presence in the Austin community.
Austin Pride starts Aug. 20, with the festival and parade taking place on Aug. 27.
Once the parade is over, the vehicle will return to its regular look and be used as a patrol vehicle.
twhite@mysa.com
Twitter: @tylerlwhite
SALADO A nieces wedding brought me to Salado, a town of 2,000 about 50 miles north of Austin. I made a road trip out of it with quick visits to Georgetown and Round Rock, both north of Austin on I-35.
A calm, pastoral world emerged once I left the interstate and entered Salados Main Street, which runs parallel to I-35. In its 1.5-mile length, Main Street crosses over the clear, flowing Salado Creek with green cut banks and is lined by more than 60 shops, many in renovated historic cottages and buildings. The marks of an artisan community are seen in the sculptures and artworks scattered throughout the town. Several artists have shops with their studios in the back.
My first night I stayed in the smallest room in the Manor, a large Victorian house at the Inn on the Creek. Although I had to be careful not to bump my head on the slanted dormer walls, my stay there was incredibly comfortable. The Inn has 19 rooms in four renovated houses, two restaurants, a gallery and event area all bordering Salado Creek.
At 4 p.m. courtesy snacks and drinks were served on the porch of the Alexanders Distillery, an upscale restaurant and cocktail lounge. Some of the guests stayed on the porch, which offered a great view of the creek, while others went closer to the creek bank to sit in the Adirondack chairs or lie in the large hammock. The complimentary breakfast of stuffed French toast or omelette and southern biscuit was served in the restaurant.
More Information If you go Salado:salado.com Georgetown: visit.georgetown.org Round Rock: Downtownroundrocktexas.com, roundrockhoney.com See More Collapse
Dinner was at The Shed in the Inns compound. The tavern had a ramshackle appearance in keeping with its name. I opted for a large salad with a margarita for dessert. Prices were reasonable and my dinner was less than $20.
This particular weekend, Salado Glassworks was having a Blow Your Own event for Fathers Day. At the working glassblowing studio and gallery of hand-blown glass visitors can participate in part of the glassblowing process. This weekends participants could choose among a mug, shot glass and a larger tumbler. I chose the tumbler. It was hot in the workroom where three furnaces were operating. One held molten glass, the other two were for melting and keeping the glass at a certain temperature. The furnaces operate at 2,300 degrees farenheit. In comparison, the hottest volcanic lava is 1,832 to 2,282 degrees.
Participants put the glass on the hollow rods, apply color, apply another layer of molten glass and blow the hollow inside the glass to start the container. The remainder of the work is left up to the shop apprentices. I picked up my tumbler the next morning.
The rest of my time I explored the shops. Mud Pies Pottery became a fast favorite because I found a wedding present in the popular microwave egg baker that the owner, Titia Arledge, developed. The shop also carries fudge about 20 varieties, including creme brulee, salted chocolate caramel, pecan and peanut butter chocolate.
Another favorite was the Strawberry Patch for its variety of coffees roasted specifically for the shop.
Georgetown
I drove into Georgetowns attractive Victorian town square and was impressed with how it oozed charm. All the storefronts were occupied and well kept. Parking was free for three hours in front of businesses. Nearby parking lots are free all day.
Like Salado, the art community has a strong presence. All along the square are permanent and temporary art sculptures. Just off the town square is the Georgetown Art Center located in the Historic Firehouse No.1. at 816 S. Main St.
Boutiques, antiques, flower, gallery, jewelry, home furnishing, bakery, coffee, handcraft, music, sweet and glass studio shops populate the square. My time was running short and I overheard a woman mention in The Escape, a shop of crafts and gifts, Cianfrani Coffee Company as a have to visit. I made my way to the shop, passing by an odd bronze statue of a man with a pegleg, but his leg was bent so the knee rested on the peg. I discovered that this was Three-legged Willie, George Washington Glasscock Sr. who donated the land for the town in 1848. The latte at the coffee shop was worth the stroll.
Round Rock
Named for the large distinctive round rock in Bushy Creek that marked a safe crossing, Round Rock has a small, clean downtown that distinguishes it from the larger metropolis area of Austin at its doorstep. Most of the buildings have been renovated and repurposed from their original use and have a framed photo and information on its origins attached to the outside.
At lunchtime, I chose Svantes, next to Star Coffee Texas. Featuring grass-fed beef from the SMS Ranch, Svantes and the ranch are owned by the descendants of Svante Mangus Swenson who started the ranch.
Next to Svantes, people were taking advantage of the interactive fountain splash pad on the Main Street Plaza. The plaza has an activity area and stage for regular and special activities.
Round Rock Honey offers tours on Saturday that end with a honey tasting. $20 per person.
jterry@express-news.net
/ H John Voorhees III
DANBURY - Residents who want to take civics to the next level are invited to attend the Citizens Government Academy.
The seven-week course, led by Mayor Mark Boughton and other city officials, teaches participants about the inside workings of the Hat City.
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Temperatures soared to 91 degrees Friday, leaving western Connecticut residents looking for relief from the heat.
Kate Behling, a New Milford resident, said Friday she drank water and enjoyed the air conditioning in her friends car to try to stay cool, but the heat was still a lot.
It is wicked out, she said. I live about six blocks from the New Milford Green, and by the time I got to the green today I was drenched.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said on its website that the air quality on Friday was moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups. The agency predicts the same conditions for Saturday and Monday.
Over the next two of the three days, we are expecting air quality that will impact children, the elderly and those with respiratory disease such as asthma, Commissioner Robert Klee said in a press release. It is advised that those people with respiratory and other health problems limit their time outdoors and avoid prolonged strenuous activities or exercise.
Ridgefield Director of Health Ed Briggs said being out in the heat for an extended period of time can cause hypothermia, heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
Being out there too long, people sweat too long they lose a lot of electrolytes, he said. Their bodies systems can fail. Their body temperatures get too hot.
The New Milford Senior Center opened as a cooling station from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Director Carolyn Haglund said about 35 seniors were at the center on Friday morning, taking advantage of the air conditioning, AARP safe driving class, yoga and exercise classes, and Wii bowling game.
Albany
Republican congressional candidate John Faso's campaign criticized Democrat Zephyr Teachout for accepting Gov. Andrew Cuomo's rather generic endorsement of his 2014 primary rival.
"I will support the Democratic nominee for Congress in that district" was the extent of Cuomo's support, offered Wednesday in the 19th Congressional District race.
Teachout's response to the governor's thumbs-up was similarly pro forma: "While the governor and I obviously have had our differences, I appreciate his support," she said in a brief statement. "I look forward to working with him in advocating nationally for economic growth in the Hudson Valley and Catskills."
The Thursday release from Faso's campaign referred to Teachout, who teaches at Fordham Law School, as "Vermont-native-turned-New York City-professor-turned Hudson-Valley-weekender-turned-NY-19-congressional-candidate" and claims she has "dived headfirst into the transactional worlds of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and presumptive Democratic Party presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in order to enlist their financial and material support in her run for Congress."
Teachout "got herself famous in left-wing circles by calling out Andrew Cuomo and Hillary Clinton as corrupt shills for monied interests in Albany and Washington and on Wall Street, and now she's hitched up with both of them because it's politically advantageous to her," Faso spokesman Dain Pascocello said in a statement. " ... Just like with Sean Eldridge, the people of this district can sense a phony."
Eldridge was the deep-pocketed Democrat crushed in the 2014 election by GOP Rep. Chris Gibson, who is not seeking re-election.
Faso is a former assemblyman who unsuccessfully ran for governor and state comptroller. He subsequently joined the a partner law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, one of the state's top lobbyists. Faso left that firm in 2013 to launch his own Kinderhook-based consulting business.
Teachout's campaign declined to respond.
cseiler@timesunion.com 518-454-5619 @CaseySeiler
STAMFORD An audit of the Board of Educations finance department found it requires little justification for bid waivers, lacks an automated system for tracking contracts and fails to comply with the city purchasing ordinance.
City Internal Auditor Teresa Viscariello said it was extremely difficult to review the school districts contracts because they are monitored manually, using Excel spreadsheets instead of a database that allows it to accurately track various contract types.
In her report, which covers the fiscal years ending in 2012, 2013 and 2014, Viscariello said city and school purchases should be placed under a single authority, but the district opposed the recommendation.
In a written response, district officials said the suggestion is an attempt to shift the BOE expenditure authority to city staff.
Hugh Murphy, the school districts finance director, said the purchasing process is meant to generally follow the city ordinance and is not expected to fully comply with it.
His written response cited a Connecticut statute that states money appropriated to public schools shall be expended by and in the discretion of the board of education.
This is a boilerplate policy for all boards of ed throughout the state, Superintendent of Schools Earl Kim told the Board of Finance at a meeting Thursday.
The audit, conducted every three years, found the school board does not require staff to fully justify bid waivers. All five of the waivers selected for testing lacked number sequencing, and two did not reference a requisition number, according to the report.
District officials said they process a minimal amount of bid waivers about 10 a year which makes it relatively easy to identify purchases made without bids.
The district agreed to provide more detailed information on bid waivers, improve contract tracking and work with the city to find efficiencies.
Going forward, we will be more careful about filling in all the fields, said Kim, who started on the job last week.
But he said he worries that combining district and city purchases could add a layer of bureaucracy.
My concern is that, as we go farther from the classroom, the understanding of the underlying need gets lost, he said. There are more questions asked, things get bounced back and the purchasing process gets elongated unnecessarily. I would hope to avoid that, but we can look into it.
District officials said they are generally receptive to sharing more services with the city to save money. The city and the school board already share payroll, accounts payable, accounting, non-certified personnel, risk management, engineering, information technology, legal services and other areas, officials said.
Board of Finance member Sal Gabriele said the city should have more control over district purchases.
I understand that the superintendent oversees the staff and the students, but the City of Stamford has oversight on the buildings, he said.
Murphy disagreed.
The City of Stamford owns the buildings, but the Board of Ed pays for the maintenance and upkeep of the buildings, he said.
Citing a recent Advocate investigation into the relationship between AFB Construction Management, the districts facilities contractor, and AMC Environmental, an asbestos testing firm, Gabriele asked Murphy whether potential conflicts of interest are disclosed on bid-waiver forms.
Murphy said they are not disclosed, but staff is required to follow the districts ethics policy.
The Advocate investigation found that, over the last five years, AFB used AMC Environmental on asbestos projects 90 percent of the time. AFB and AMC share the same Bridgeport office.
AFB and its CEO, Al Barbarotta, are under investigation by Stamford police and the FBI for possible extortion. Authorities are looking into whether Barbarotta used his position as facilities director to win business with another contractor working for the city.
The audit also found the districts accounting system, H.T.E., does not have numbers that are accurately logged to identify bids, bid waivers or requests for proposals. The school board said it began changing the system to include more specific information last year, after the audit was done.
The review also found the districts purchasing manual is out of date. The last update was completed in 2000.
Board of Finance member Dudley Williams said the panel is not looking to interfere in the school boards educational decisions.
This was an attempt to make sure were following best practices from an accounting point of view, he said. Theres a way to go about having that review on a regular basis without being concerned that somehow the city is usurping the Board of Educations independence.
noliveira@hearstmediact.com, 203-964-2265, @olivnelson
State to crack down on K2 following overdoses
ALBANY New York state is taking steps to address the illegal sale of the drug K2 following a mass overdose in Brooklyn that sent 33 people to the hospital.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says Thursday that state police will increase enforcement of laws banning the substance, which is a type of synthetic marijuana.
The Democratic governor says the "evolution" of synthetic drugs presents "an alarming public health risk."
State health officials and other regulators will also participate in the effort, which is focused on bodegas and other shops that illegally sell K2.
Five bodegas in Brooklyn were raided by police Wednesday following Tuesday's mass overdose. Witnesses reported seeing victims lying on the sidewalk, shaking and leaning against trees and fire hydrants in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
Associated Press
Business phone books mass delivery to end
ALBANY Verizon will soon end the mass distribution of business phone directories in New York state in another example of how the internet has changed daily life.
State utility regulators gave Verizon permission to cease the widespread distribution of business phone books on Thursday. Verizon is the state's largest phone company.
The move is intended to save money and eliminate wasted paper. Phone books will still be delivered upon a request by a customer.
The state allowed Verizon to end the mass delivery of residential directories in 2010, saving an estimated 13,600 tons of paper each year.
Verizon now makes listings available for free online. A spokesman for the company says Thursday the vast majority of people now use the internet to look up numbers.
Associated Press
State misspells city name on road sign
CICERO Someone in the state Department of Transportation needs help spelling Syracuse.
A road sign near the Syracuse airport has the city's name misspelled as S-R-Y-A-C-U-S-E. The "Sryacuse Airport" sign directing motorists to the airport is located along the on-ramp to Interstate 481's southbound lanes in the town of Cicero, just north of Syracuse.
The Post-Standard of Syracuse reports that it's unknown when the sign was erected.
Syracuse Hancock International Airport officials say they were unaware of any new signs going up.
A DOT spokesman said he was unaware of the misspelled sign but would look into it.
Associated Press
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SACRAMENTO Donald Trump has named Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee made the announcement in a tweet Friday morning and said he plans to hold a news conference Saturday.
Trump had planned to hold his news conference Friday, but sent out a tweet after Thursdays deadly truck attack in Nice, France, that he would delay it.
His announcement of Pences selection came three days before the Republican National Convention opens in Cleveland.
Before selecting Pence, Trump was also reported to be considering former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Pence, 57, was a syndicated radio show host before he was elected to Congress in 2000. He became popular with conservative and religious groups, and he won re-election five times. He was elected governor of Indiana in 2012 and has been facing a tough re-election battle this year.
He had until Friday to drop his re-election bid to enable Republican leaders to name a replacement candidate. Media reports said his attorneys filed the required paperwork Friday.
His selection clearly shows Donald Trump meant what he said when he said he wants a partner in government, someone with Washington, D.C., experience, said California Republican Party Chairman Jim Brulte. You dont get elected to Congress six times and elected as governor of a state without having a certain electorate think highly of you.
Pences record on LGBT issues spurred immediate backlash from gay-rights groups, who called Trumps pick troubling.
I think Mike Pence has been one of the most LGBT-phobic people on the national stage, said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. I guess Im not surprised given the campaign Donald Trump has waged.
Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
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Over the course of two weeks, a multi-agency initiative has uncovered a string of illegal gambling establishments located along one highway in La Joya.
The raids are a part of "Operation Shut Down," a joint-law enforcement initiative targeting eight facilities suspected of illegal gambling that involved nine raids resulting in about 700 illegal gambling machines and $100,000 seized and 11 arrests made.
RELATED: Police: More than 200 gambling machines, $400,000 seized in South Texas bust that netted 5 arrests
"This office, we've been tracking down these establishments that we have found in the course of investigation that they're operating illegally," District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez said Thursday in a phone interview with MySA.com.
Click through the gallery to see booking photos for the 11 suspects arrested in relation to illegal gambling in Hidalgo County.
On July 6, eight state search warrants were executed at the following locations in La Joya, Texas, near McAllen:
Red Diamond at 324 West Expressway 83
El Diamante at 213 West Expressway 83
124 West Expressway 83
Chino's Amusement Center at 660 East Expressway 83
208 N. Diamond
Vegas Nights at 828 East Expressway 83
Pasa Tiempo at 840 East Expressway 83
Safari Games at 705 East Expressway 83
During the first round of raids, the task force seized 656 gambling machines and $88,000, Rodrgiuez said. Seven people were arrested on various gambling charges, according to Hidalgo County jail records.
RELATED: Texas Attorney General: Daily fantasy sports is 'illegal gambling'
Then, on Tuesday, July 12, police raided an old Ramon's Auto Service building in La Joya, which resulted in 80 slot machines and $12,000 seized and four people arrested on various gambling charges.
Casino-style gambling is illegal in Texas.
RELATED: Bexar Sheriff releases photos of suspect in illegal gambling room slaying
"These individuals can set up these machines however they want," he said, adding owners of the machines are "basically stealing people's money."
Rodriguez could not confirm if there was connection between the suspects running the illegal operations, since the investigation is still ongoing.
He said this kind of illegal activity is something "people need to be aware of."
The Hidalgo County District Attorney's Office led the raids in association with the FBI, Texas DPS, the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, the Mission Police Department and county constables, a release said.
kbradshaw@express-news.net
Twitter: @kbrad5
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A convicted drug trafficker and former Mexican TV newsman who once lived in Austin testified Thursday that he saw Zetas cartel gunmen execute at least 30 people in 2011 and narrowly escaped execution himself.
A. Tavira was testifying as the prosecution wrapped up its case against Marciano Chano Millan Vasquez, who Tavira and other witnesses described as running the cartels Piedras Negras operations. Millan, arrested last year in San Antonio, is accused of killing in furtherance of drug trafficking and other charges.
Tavira said he was picked up, handcuffed and taken to a location at the edge of Piedras Negras where he saw more than 30 others held captive as part of what others have described as a Zetas roundup and execution of 300 people across northern Coahuila, the response to cartel leaders correct suspicion that one of their high-ranking bosses, Mario Alfonso Poncho Cuellar, was cooperating with U.S. authorities.
But the Zetas top leaders let him go when told he was no longer working for Cuellar but for another Zetas boss, Tavira testified. He said he saw men, women and children in the group and identified several who he said had no connection to drug trafficking but simply knew Cuellar.
Se escucharon balazos (Shots were heard), Tavira said, choking up. Los asesinaron en sangre fria. (They killed them in cold blood).
The bodies were thrown in trucks and driven away, he said.
Tavira spent most of the day on the witness stand, describing a lengthy association with the Zetas that included watching them prepare a campaign contribution a Chevrolet Suburban full of cash to deliver in 2012 to the governor of Coahuila, Ruben Moreira. A spokesman for the governor vehemently denied the assertion in a phone interview and a prepared statement late Thursday, pointing out that Moreira was elected in 2011, not 2012.
Read the full story in Fridays Express-News or at ExpressNews.com.
gcontreras@express-news.net
Twitter: @gmaninfedland
SAN ANTONIO A motorcyclist was seriously injured on Friday morning after slamming into a car that pulled out in front of him on the South Side.
San Antonio Police Department officers were called out to the crash in the 1300 block of Pleasanton Road, near the intersection of Robert E. Lee inside Loop 410, around 10:15 a.m.
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Rio Hondo ISD Police Chief Nick Garza filed a grievance complaint Tuesday after he was placed on administrative leave for allegedly smoking marijuana from a bong in a photo that surfaced Monday, a claim he refutes, according to media reports.
The photo, reportedly taken over the Fourth of July weekend, was sent anonymously to local media outlets Monday with an email message questioning Garza as a role model for children, the Valley Morning Star reported Monday. Garza was placed on administrative leave the same day after Rio Hondo ISD officials saw the photo.
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Officials from the school district, located near Brownsville, did not immediately respond for comment. Garza's attorneys, John Shergold and Jose Hernandez, did not immediately respond for comment Friday. It is also unclear whether the school district is paying for Garza's legal counsel.
Garza said the item seen in the photo, supposedly a bong, contained alcohol, not marijuana. His attorneys are calling for him to be reinstated immediately.
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In his complaint, Garza said: "My reputation and good name has been tarnished by the actions and improper information release by my employer regarding my employment status to the news media.I am being subjected to libel and slander by an anonymous third party known as the defender that my employer is allowing to affect my legal status concerning my employment as the Rio Hondo School District Police Chief."
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"We want to know who the defender is and we need to know why this anonymous individual or individuals have been allowed to destroy my client's reputation," Shergold told the Valley Morning Star.
At a Wednesday press conference, Shergold said the photograph in question "shows no illegal activity." The attorney would not confirm whether Garza took a drug test following the photo surfacing.
Garza has been working for the district for three years, and before worked for the U.S. Department of Public Safety and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy.
kbradshaw@express-news.net
Twitter: @kbrad5
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The Austin-based NLand Surf Park filed a counter federal lawsuit against the Travis County Commissioners Court this week after the court filed suit to prevent the park from opening later this year.
The main reason the county has filed suit is because it suspects the park could be at risk for deadly amoeba infestation.
This concern comes after an 18-year-old patron of a Charlotte, North Carolina, whitewater rafting course died, an unrelated event that resulted in the whitewater rafting activities being shut down by officials, according to People.
Naegleria fowleri is the brain-eating amoeba in question that has the county up in arms over the water regulations at the surf park, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If contracted, the amoeba can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a terrible infection that can cause death.
Public health standards for man-made water courses must be taken seriously, the county said in a statement.
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There is no debate that the NLand Surf Park is a pool, the Commissioners Court said in a statement. The debate is whether it should be treated differently from other pools because of its unique characteristics.
Travis County said in a statement the park will be filled with about 11 million gallons of non-potable rainwater run-off, and that water will not be circulated, filtered nor treated in the manner required for pools under state law.
The county also said as of Thursday, the park developers had not yet applied for the necessary permits under state law, even though the developers claim the park will be open to the public within a few weeks.
RELATED: $250 million resort, water park planned just north of Austin
But NLand Surf Park responded with a federal lawsuit against Travis County, who they said has been blindly applying regulations against the park.
The park, which reports the county filed their suit on July 5, said the county is treating the park differently than other, comparable facilities, and applying regulations in an irrational and unfair way.
The park also invites them out to the facility to see what step they are taking to ensure the water is treated properly, according to a news release issued Friday.
Chris Jones with NLand Surf Park said in the news release the regulations would waste millions of gallons of water and endanger guests because the body of water is 45 times larger than an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Jones said no one from the county has come to the park to check on the water levels.
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The County is not making any more comments regarding the park pending the litigation.
NLand Surf Park currently has employed about 200 people in the greater Austin area, with more than 50 of them being teenagers from the Del Valle and Cedar Creek areas of Austin, the news release said.
twhite@mysa.com
Twitter: @tylerlwhite
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A 32-year-old known Barrio Azteca gang member pleaded guilty Thursday to participating in a large-scale racketeering conspiracy and other gang activities.
El Pasos Luis Humberto Hernandez Celis, also known as "Pac," pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone in the Western District of Texas to not only racketeering, but to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to import heroin, cocaine and marijuana, a news release issued Thursday said.
RELATED: Lieutenant of Barrio Azteca gang sentenced in West Texas case tied to heroin overdose killing
In court, information was presented that explained that in and around 2009, Hernandez Celis was an associate of the Barrio Azteca gang, which has a large presence in West Texas and the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
During his time with the Barrio Azteca, he made violent threats and used violence against people in order to advance financial goals of the gang. This includes stealing cars, collecting money from people and coordinating drug distribution points, according to the news release.
He was one of 35 alleged gang members indicted in March 2011. So far, 33 of those people have been arrested. Of those defendants, 25 have pleaded guilty, one defendant committed suicide while in prison during his trial and another was found guilty by trial, the news release said.
RELATED: 21 alleged members of drug cartel-affiliated Barrio Azteca gang arrested in West Texas
Hernandez Celis was 1 of 3 defendants recently extradited from Mexico. The other defendants were Ricardo Valles de la Rosa and Alberto Nunez Payan, known as Chino and Fresa, respectively.
The Barrio Azteca gang formed in the late 1980s as a violent prison gang that later turned into a larger, more organized criminal organization primarily based in West Texas; Juarez, Mexico; and throughout state and federal prisons in Mexico and the U.S., the release said.
RELATED: 10 facts about the Barrio Azteca, one of the most dangerous gangs in Texas
The gang has a militaristic command structure with captains, lieutenants, etc. and the activities the gang is known to partake in include drug trafficking, money laundering, violence, extortion, murder and more.
twhite@mysa.com
Twitter: @tylerlwhite
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A San Antonio man who ran over a stranger in a bar parking lot after arguing with his friend about the noise of a car alarm has pleaded guilty to murder and faces up to 16 years in prison.
Christopher John Cerna, 39, entered his plea Wednesday before state District Judge Melisa Skinner. He is expected to be sentenced Aug. 11.
Cerna admitted killing Miguel Alonzo, 29, on Nov. 13, 2011, in a parking lot in the 280 block of Bitters Road on the North Side.
According to court records, Alonzo, of Canyon Lake, forgot his ID and was waiting on three friends who were inside Falls Night Club. When Cerna and his then-girlfriend, Veronica Garcia, 31, left the club and did not remember where they had parked, Cerna clicked the panic button on his keys so the alarm would sound on his Jeep.
One of Alonzos friends, Robert Herrera, 26, yelled, Shut that (expletive) thing up, and Cerna replied, You dont know who youre messing with, and the men began to argue, a narrative filed with the court states.
The couple got into the Jeep, and Cerna sped toward Herrera, clipped him and knocked him to the ground, court documents state.
Alonzo, who was nearby, started running after the vehicle. Witnesses told police that Cerna made a U-turn, chased Alonzo in the parking lot and hit him. Alonzo landed on top of the vehicle, rolled off and then was run over. Cerna left the scene. Alonzo died at a hospital hours later.
Police arrested Cerna in August 2012 following a lengthy investigation.
Court documents indicate surveillance video from a Hobby Lobby in the parking lot showed a dark-colored SUV run over the victim and continue on to the Bitters Road exit, and that it rocked from side-to-side as it ran over the victim. Additionally, the investigator who saw the video stated that it appears that the SUV had to over steer to hit the victim, the documents state.
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SAN ANTONIO A San Antonio masseur was arrested on Wednesday on sexual assault charges after allegedly groping a woman during a massage parlor on the far Northwest Side.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the victim made an appointment for a two-hour massage at Massage Heights, 23535 Interstate 10 West, on her birthday earlier this week.
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She arrived and the location and met with her masseur, identified in the document as 28-year-old Arturo Chamberlain.
As her massage came to an end, Chamberlain began fondling the womans breasts and touching her genitals, the document said.
According to the report, Chamberlain told the woman I hope you enjoyed my services at the end of the appointment.
RELATED: Motorcyclist injured on South Side after crash with sedan
The complainant stated that she was very upset and scared and responded spontaneously, If you ever do that again; I have a gun in my purse and will shoot, the affidavit said.
Chamberlain was released from the Bexar county Jail on Thursday, according to jail records.
National franchisor Massage Heights released the following statement after the arrest:
Massage Heights has a zero tolerance policy against inappropriate behavior, including sexual misconduct. Franchisees are encouraged to conduct background and reference checks prior to hiring all licensed massage therapists. The local franchisee suspended the employment of its licensed massage therapist while we conduct an internal investigation of these allegations. Massage Heights is dedicated to the well being of the thousands of members and guests our franchisees serve, and these policies are designed to create a safe and secure environment in each and every retreat.
mdwilson@express-news.net
Twitter: @MDWilsonSA
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There's one big, "huuuge," policy difference immediately clear between Donald Trump and his reported running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence a ban on Muslims entering the country.
In a Dec. 7, 2015 news release, Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States." He said in the statement, which he has not backed down from, that Muslims will be allowed to enter the U.S. after the "country's representatives can figure out what is going on."
The Cabinet of Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May will be tasked with negotiating the country's withdrawal from the European Union. But her appointment of Boris Johnson as foreign secretary, one of the key figures of the campaign to leave the EU, has prompted surprise and even some anger from allies around the world
His first trip is likely to be to Brussels next Monday for an EU meeting and that won't be easy, according to Ian Bond of analyst group the Center for European Reform.
"Given the number of countries and foreign leaders that he has insulted in recent months, I think that's going to be quite a difficult meeting,"
In May, Boris Johnson angered many European allies by claiming the EU was pursuing a similar aim to Adolf Hitler in trying to create a super state. The French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault offered an unusually blunt message to his new British counterpart Thursday.
"During the campaign he lied a lot to the British people and now it is he who has his back against the wall, his back against the wall to defend his country but also with his back against the wall so this relationship with Europe should be clear," Ayrault told French media.
For the first, oh, 30 years of my adult life I bought into the image of Dallas as a cauldron of right-wing paranoia and violence.
That image was cemented with the assassination of President John Kennedy when I was a high school freshman, but it had an older and broader basis.
It was part of the citys DNA.
Dallas was less than 20 years old in July 1860, when a fire started in a popular drugstore and spread, destroying most of the downtown of the fledgling city. Fires also raged in nearby Denton and Pilot Point.
Cooler heads attributed the fires to new-fangled phosphorous matches imported from the North, which probably flashed spontaneously in the 110-degree heat.
But others, including the young editor of the Dallas Herald, decided it was a slave rebellion urged on by abolitionist preachers who plotted to devastate, with fire and assassination, the whole of Northern Texas.
At least 30 victims, black and white, and possibly as many as 100 were lynched or otherwise killed in the panic that ensued.
By the time of the Kennedy assassination in 1963, Dallas was a hotbed of extremism as depicted in the book Dallas 1963 by former Express-News reporter Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis.
A month before Kennedys fateful visit, U.N. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson was surrounded by hecklers after giving a speech in Dallas. A woman hit him on the head with a sign and a man spat on him.
On the day Kennedy arrived in Dallas, the News ran a full-page ad with a black border that basically accused the president of being a communist sympathizer.
Its signature was a pseudonym, but its funders turned out to include Nelson Bunker Hunt and H.R. Bum Bright, who would become owner of the Dallas Cowboys.
And the newspapers editor approved the ad.
All these things and more would build Dallass national image as a city of hatred.
But in the past decade Ive found myself stunning friends up North when they made comments about the conservativeness of Texas and particularly Dallas.
Are you aware, I would ask them, that Dallas elected a black district attorney who made it his cause to discover and overturn wrongful convictions? Or that Dallas has a Latina lesbian sheriff who has been re-elected twice?
These facts had their effect, even if DA Craig Watkins did lose after two terms because of self-inflicted controversies.
But I was unaware of the progress that Dallas had made in the realm of policing by current Chief David Brown and his predecessors.
Not that the job is over.
Blacks say they still are stopped for no reason far too often, and black parents still feel the need to warn their children to be polite and compliant even if they feel they are being treated unfairly by officers.
Brown knows there is more work to do, and he is not defensive about it.
He and his predecessors have reduced excessive force complaints by 64 percent since 2010.
Police shootings dropped from 23 in 2013 to 11 in 2015.
For some, last weeks slaughter of five police officers will bring back images of Dallas as a hate-filled city.
But the images I take away are of protesters taking selfies with police officers before the shooting started.
Of police officers dressed in summer uniforms, not riot gear, to handle a large but peaceful demonstration.
The image of a black man with a rifle being questioned and released not shot by officers in the tense moments after the violence started.
The image of Chief Brown calling on the protesters to enlist in the police force to make it better rather than joining some politicians in charging they are cop haters who provoked the assassin who killed his men.
And the image of Dallas cops running toward the shooter in their effort to protect their colleagues and the protesters.
Dallas has a new image, one the rest of the nation should be striving for.
This column first appeared as the Last Word on KLRNs Texas Week with Rick Casey. The program appears Friday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
After the tragic Dallas sniper killings of police officers, a finger of blame has been pointed at the entire premise for the Black Lives Matter movement. As the argument goes, more whites than blacks are killed by police officers.
And this is true. But citing these figures without adjusting for population leads to skewed conclusions.
Fortunately, the Washington Post tracks police shootings and does it properly. Its recently published analysis underscores what concerns Black Lives Matter.
As of July 10, 732 whites and 381 blacks (and 382 of another or unknown race) were victims of fatal shootings by on-duty police since January 2015. Whites are about 62 percent of the U.S. population and 49 percent of those killed by police; blacks are 13 percent of the population and 24 percent of those shot and killed by officers.
This translates into blacks being 2.5 times as likely as white Americans to be shot and killed by police, according to the Post. The figure gets worse for males between 18 and 29 who were unarmed and killed 18 for whites, 24 for blacks since January 2015. So, of all unarmed men shot and killed by police, 40 percent were black, though black males are only 6 percent of the U.S. population.
Enter other arguments. These disproportionate numbers occur because black Americans commit more violent crime, causing police to respond more forcefully in minority communities. And there is an offshoot of that argument there should be more concern about black-on-black murders, which far outnumber fatal police shootings.
Both arguments have flaws. That blacks victimize blacks more often than do white cops is purely a function of criminals generally staying in their own neighborhoods, which is illustrated by the fact that 82 percent of white murders are committed by whites, according to the latest available FBI data.
Or as academic and author Michael Eric Dyson darkly quipped recently in the New York Times if you want interracial crime, have more interracial neighborhoods.
And black Americans do consistently voice concerns about crime in their neighborhoods.
But, yes, blacks disproportionately commit more murders and other violent crimes in the United States, says the Post. The problem is that the Post analysis indicates, and other experts consistently say, there is no correlation between violent crime and who is killed by police officers. There is no correlation of officers shooting and killing an unarmed person in a high-crime area.
And an independent analysis of the Posts data revealed, in fact, that blacks fatally shot by police were less likely to pose an imminent threat to officers when they were killed than whites shot by police.
This just bolsters our confidence that there is some sort of implicit bias going on, Justin Nix, a criminal justice researcher at the University of Louisville, said in April. Officers are perceiving a greater threat when encountered by unarmed black citizens.
Yes, all lives matter. The slogan Black Lives Matter does not say only black lives do. Those killings of unarmed white men by police officers should concern us all and, in fact, have resulted in uproar, investigations and civil settlements. But the point is how much more likely black Americans are to die at the hands of police. It deserves examination, and not just by Black Lives Matter. It points to unsettling conclusions.
There is, however, a correlation that were certain exists. Why are officers who stop residents so afraid, whether those stopped are black, white or brown? Could that have to do with the number of guns out there?
We would be remiss not to give due credit to many law enforcement leaders, including Dallas Police Chief David Brown, who have made serious strides in increasing sensitivity and improving community relations.
Still, the seriousness of the situation is illustrated by the creation of the bipartisan U.S. House Task Force on Community-Police Relations, which will be led by the Judiciary Committee.
Whether your skin is black or your uniform is blue, individuals should not feel targeted in this country, San Antonio U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, who has been named to the task force, said in a prepared statement. Its time for our communities to unify and break down the barriers that cause distrust and lead to violence.
While we dont expect a congressional task force to miraculously solve this complex problem, its creation is a welcome development.
Finding solutions will be hard work, but we are encouraged to see the issue reach this level of scrutiny. And we urge the task force to examine all facets of the problem in a clear-eyed, fact-based manner.
Re: More hate, violence not the answer, Editorial, Saturday:
Ive heard people try to blame the police ambush in Dallas, in part, on the Black Lives Matter protesters, saying, They whip up emotions, publicly denounce police, and its just a matter of time before someone goes overboard.
Your editorial rightly denounces that view. The protesters were peaceful, even taking photos with police. The shooter acted on his own.
That same line of reasoning should be applied to expressions of traditional Christian sexual morality. Yet you ran an article in which traditional Christian values were denounced as setting the stage for the mass shooting of homosexuals by a fundamentalist Muslim (Religious roots of hatred surface in Florida, Faith, June 19). No! Conservative Christians had nothing to do with it. The shooter acted on his own.
Rev. J. David Trawick
Get informed
Getting at the truth of what is happening in local, state and federal government has always been hard, requiring real investigative work to find the needle of truth in a haystack of exaggeration, deception and outright lying.
Today the problem is more difficult due to the prodigious outpouring of words on television, the internet, rag newspapers and magazines. The size of the truth needle has not changed, but the size of the haystack has grown.
How can you fact-check? Read more than one newspaper, emphasizing those with a reputation for excellent and thorough reporting; read reputable magazines and books using your local free library; read reputable foreign newspapers available on the internet and in your public library.
The only safeguard for a solid and well-working democracy is an informed, actively learning citizenry concerned to know what actually is happening.
Richard Albanese
Picking losers
I hope your Editorial Board is not going to endorse Hillary Clinton for president.
But, then again, go ahead since you tend to pick losers.
Howard Monroe, Garden Ridge
The tactics change. The goals do not.
This time it was a truck plowing into people watching fireworks in Nice, France on Thursday. There were reports that the driver fired shots into the crowd as well before being killed by police.
Whether it was a group effort or a lone wolf, the goal is the same: Sowing fear, causing paralysis and a weakening of will from those countries victimized. By Friday, the death toll from the latest attack was at least 84, but was expected to grow. This is on top of the 147 deaths from terrorist attacks in France in January and November 2015.
There was something different in this attack, but also something the same. If French authorities suspicions about who drove the truck are true, this is yet another case of someone with roots in an Arab-speaking country this time, Tunisia being a perpetrator. This points to a level of disaffection among the nations Arab-speaking immigrants that France must deal with.
Dealing with root causes is smart if it done smart. Blaming or targeting all Muslims for the acts of a fanatical few isnt. But, make no mistake, no level of disaffection can justify what occurred in Nice on Thursday.
We are certain that France will not acquiesce in the terrorist goals of causing paralysis and a weakening of national will. That non-acquiescence will best be expressed by accomplishing what a parliamentary inquiry recommended this month better coordination among Frances intelligence agencies, merging them and creating a national coordinating entity such as the National Counterterrorism Center in the United States. And there must be better international coordination and sharing of intelligence as well.
Its uncertain, however, that any of this would have prevented this latest attack. But future attacks might be thwarted.
This time it was France again but the list of victim counties is long. Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain, Turkey, Denmark, Iraq, the United States. And thats a partial list.
The world must be united in the face of this common enemy, whether the perpetrators are homegrown, as they have been of late in the United States, or whether their actions are directed from abroad.
The Islamic State, even if it hasnt claimed responsibility for this latest attack, is the face of international terrorism these day. As it loses territory in Iraq and Syria, it is likely to step up its terrorism abroad.
Terrorists everywhere must be denied sanctuary and the means to launch such attacks. That means disrupting their funding sources and their tools of recruitment.
But what to do about the lone wolf, inspired by terrorists elsewhere but with no direct ties?
Thats the question nations everywhere will have to answer. And that answer is likely about dealing with root causes and finding the disaffected before they strike. No easy task but one that countries, the United States among them, must undertake.
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The Board of Supervisors will finally get its hands on a ballot measure to create a public advocates office that its progressive members say had been held hostage by a moderate-controlled committee.
On Thursday, the Rules Committee voted to move two identical measures to the board for consideration at its Tuesday meeting. The vote came after all six progressive supervisors on Wednesday called for a special meeting of the full board to be held Friday evening to consider the ballot measure.
I have no idea what to expect on Friday, Supervisor Malia Cohen said at the committee meeting. I would like to see both measures go to the full board. I will reserve my comments on these items for Friday. I will be conserving my energy.
The ballot measure was introduced by Supervisor David Campos. He says it would create greater transparency at City Hall and dilute Mayor Ed Lees powers. But critics contend that Campos, who is termed out this year, is simply trying to create a job for himself.
Last week, Cohen introduced amendments that would mandate a gap period during which an elected official could not run for the office, strip the position of its appointment powers and impose term limits. That angered Campos, who accused her of hijacking the legislation.
At Thursdays Rules Committee meeting, Chair Katy Tang said that holding back the charter amendments to keep them from reaching the board was never the intent.
We have seen history play out where we have had our own measures amended over our own objections, Tang said to the allegations. Its been best practice here.
Supervisor Eric Mar voted Thursday to eliminate one of the duplicate copies, but Cohen and Supervisor Katy Tang voted to keep both. Thats because they are unsure what to expect from Fridays meeting, Cohen said.
I think its sad that we have to resort to this where you have to have a special meeting to get something voted on, Campos said after Thursdays meeting. In the end, I think we will have the votes to make the public advocate happen.
The Rules Committee also considered a charter amendment to create a Housing and Development Commission, which would oversee the Department of Economic and Workforce Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development.
The first department oversees business, commerce and development planning. The second helps direct financing for the purchase of affordable housing.
It was held over from last week as the committee continues to seek a compromise on some of the measures stipulations. Supervisor Aaron Peskin appeared before the Rules Committee to introduce amendments that would take workforce development, development agreements and real estate except for surplus property out of the commissions umbrella.
The amendments scope has been intentionally left broad because the desire is to to be overly prescriptive, he said. This is keeping with the focus: A commission that would provide strategic mission.
But the commission would only oversee parts of those departments not the departments in their entirety.
I dont know, Cohen said. Maybe it is time to put some oversight over some of the departments. Where Im struggling is how we put a commission over a department but require them to have responsibility only over part of the departments function.
Both measures have until July 29 to be approved by the supervisors to make it onto the November ballot.
Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn
A trip to Wendy's turned sour for a mother and daughter in Detroit after the three-year-old little girl bit into a hamburger tainted with shards of glass.
About the Incident
CBS Local News Detroit is reporting that the incident occurred at the Wendys restaurant on North Line Road near Allen Road in Southgate. The pair was dining at the restaurant following a visit to the dentist, according to WXYZ-TV.
The mother told reporters she knew something was wrong as soon as her daughter bit into the hamburger.
She started to crunch this super loud crunch that was not normal, she told the TV station. I was telling her, Dont swallow, dont swallow!'
The mother opened her daughters mouth and found blood as well as particles of glass. The little girl was rushed to the hospital and treated for a cut to the mouth.
According to a police report, the manager told officers that glass was broken in the back room where food is prepared. Starboard Group, which owns the restaurant, later told the station that a light bulb may have broken during maintenance activity in the restaurant.
Officials at Wendys say they are aware of the incident and are taking the matter very seriously.
Important Information About Fast Food
The Food and Drug Administration, state and federal inspection boards and other quality control agencies exist to ensure that fast food is not detrimental. Unfortunately, there are many potentially dangerous factors that agencies cannot patrol continuously.
The extremely high volume of food that restaurants handle can spread dangers faster than the drive thru.
Savvy consumers, on the other hand, can reduce the risks of unhealthy fast food by understanding what dangers may exist and how to avoid or reduce the problems.
Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry Personal Injury Law. 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.
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduros announcement this week that the military will lead the battle against widespread food shortages overlooks one key fact: The armed forces have played a big role in Venezuelas economic mess.
Since Maduro took office in 2013, he has named a number of active and retired generals to run the economy. All five of his food ministers who manage one of the governments largest budgets have come from the armed forces. And they in turn have placed dozens of their military cohorts to lead everything from a state-run chain of supermarkets to an agency overseeing food imports.
None of those moves, however, can match the scope of Maduros promotion this week of Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino to head what is called the Great Mission of Sovereign Supply.
The goal is to boost production and guarantee the smooth distribution of food in the face of what Maduro sees as economic sabotage by his opponents. As part of the overhaul, all ministries will take orders from Padrino, and the nations ports will fall under the total control of the military.
That has led some to compare the move to a discreet power grab by the armed forces, the historical arbiter of Venezuelas political disputes.
Were going to defeat this economic war because theres political will, from the peoples power and the armed forces, said Gen. Pedro Alvarez while carrying out the inspection near the capital.
But despite the media blitz, little has changed for most Venezuelans.
In several Caracas neighborhoods, the day began as it always does, with blocks-long lines of shoppers waiting for hours for the arrival of delivery trucks and the chance to buy whatever is unloaded before it hits barren shelves.
At the entrance to the port of La Guaira, where most of the food that Venezuelans consume enters the country, there were no signs of an impending military buildup, just a few relaxed, unarmed civilian police. More worrisome: Not a single docked ship could be seen.
The doubling-down on the armed forces would appear to make political sense for Maduro, who lacks the military background of his predecessor and mentor, the late Hugo Chavez. With Maduros popularity low amid daily food riots and an opposition push to recall him from office, its vital for him to have the loyalty of the armed forces, which put down a wave of antigovernment protests in 2014.
But leaning on the military is unlikely to yield the economic miracle Venezuela desperately needs at least judging by its record so far.
A press tour in March of a military-run farm near the central city of Maracay showed soldiers readying empty chicken pens and tending a small plot of tomatoes. But it was nothing close to the scale of what Venezuela needs to revive farming and food output, which has withered under more than a decade of price controls that have choked private producers.
In addition to the militarys inexperience in economic matters, there are also concerns that it is profiting from the mounting problems.
Security forces frequently appear on state TV seizing warehouses of smuggled goods. When the cameras are off, however, troops have been seen taking goods for themselves or demanding bribes at military checkpoints that have proliferated across the country in the past year.
Posted on 07/15/2016, 9:00 am, by mySteinbach
Farmers at Keystone Agricultural Producers advisory council meeting in Brandon yesterday voted to support the Brandon Chamber of Commerce in its efforts to attract a large-scale soybean processing plant to Manitoba.
The soybean acreage in the province has been steadily increasing as a result of new varieties that are suited to western Canadas shorter growing season, said KAP president Dan Mazier. Traditionally, this crop was only produced in areas with longer growing seasons.
Manitobas soybean production has increased from 100,000 acres in 2005 to an estimated 1.7 million in 2016, and is expected to increase further next year.
There are several smaller facilities in the province that process soybeans, but there is nothing as large as the proposed plant. As a result, much of our soybean crop is shipped elsewhere for processing, Mazier said.
An in-province facility of this size would mean lower shipping costs and would help farmers realize a greater profit for their soybeans. In addition, it would create jobs and economic activity here in Manitoba.
Farmers at the meeting also passed a resolution to call on the federal government to develop regulations that would protect their data. In this age of high-tech farm services, a variety of agriculture technology providers such as equipment manufacturers routinely collect farmers data as they provide products and services.
This information is stored on a variety of platforms, and unless an agreement is in place with the farmer, it has the potential to be shared with other agri-businesses, said Mazier. We want this type of agreement to be mandatory, and not voluntary as is currently the case.
Other resolutions include lobbying the provincial government for highway upgrades near the Pas to accommodate agricultural machinery and trucks, and increasing KAPs support for Camp Wannakumbac.
Posted on 07/15/2016, 1:00 pm, by mySteinbach
Manitobans and visitors alike are invited to take advantage of free access to all provincial parks this weekend as part of the 27th annual Canadas Parks Day celebrations. This announcement was made by Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox.
We know Manitobans love the outdoors and we encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to explore our great province, Cox said. Whether youre planning a day trip to the beach or a longer vacation getaway, there is no shortage of familiar destinations and many new improvements just waiting in Manitoba parks and campgrounds.
Visitors to provincial parks will not require park vehicle permits from July 15 to 17 and, in addition to free entry, a number of special events, tours and activities have been planned, the minister said. She added nightly camping fees and fees in national parks will still apply.
Manitoba provincial parks offer numerous Parks Day-themed programs including campfire talks, guided walks and amphitheatre presentations. These programs are designed to showcase each parks natural, cultural and historical resources.
Some highlights of the many interpretive programs this weekend include:
guided tours of restored homes from the 19th-century French community at the St. Norbert Provincial Heritage Park from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. today and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Monday,
meeting conservation officers in the St. Malo Provincial Park Friday evening and learning how they protect and manage the provinces natural resources,
wildlife ambassadors from Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre presentation at Birds Hill Provincial Park on Saturday,
learning to canoe and a guided paddle of Marshs Lake in the Spruce Woods Provincial Park on Saturday and a guided hike of the Spirit Sands on Sunday, and
guided walks through the historical Hecla Village in the Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park and the Bannock Point Petroforms in the Whiteshell Provincial Park on Sunday.
Other parks have special celebrations planned including Asessippi, Bakers Narrows, Clearwater Lake, Duck Mountain, Grass River, Manipogo, Nopiming and Wekusko Falls provincial parks.
For information on these and other Canadas Parks Day events, visit www.manitobaparks.com.
A savvy and effective Islamic State terror group commander with a penchant for surviving U.S. airstrikes was the target again this past Sunday, according to the Pentagon.
Defense officials confirmed Thursday they targeted Abu Omar al-Shishani, also known as "Omar the Chechen," in a strike July 10 during a meeting of IS officials south of Mosul.
A spokesman said officials were still assessing the results of the airstrike.
Shishani was reported killed Wednesday by the Aamaq News Agency, an IS-linked organization. Aamaq said Shishani was killed in the town of Shirqat while trying to "halt the military campaign" against the self-declared caliphate's Iraqi capital of Mosul. IS had previously denied claims Shishani had been killed.
U.S. and coalition forces have targeted Shishani numerous times, including in an airstrike March 4 in al-Shaddadi, Syria, initially deemed to have been successful.
"The intelligence that we had at the time led us to believe we killed Shishani," Defense Department spokesman Matthew Allen told VOA, adding, "We recognized at the time that our intelligence picture was incomplete."
"When he reemerged, we took a strike against him," he said.
Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook described the intelligence that led to the strike as "very recent." He said 16 other IS leaders also were thought to have been present at the time of the July 10 strike.
While the Donald Trump campaign is insisting the presumptive Republican nominee for president has yet to select his vice presidential candidate, U.S. media reports say Trump will announce Friday that Indiana Governor Mike Pence is his running mate.
The billionaire real estate mogul, who has never held public office, had also been considering former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who was once a Republican candidate rival of Trump.
Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign chairman, was pushing for Pence, according to the news magazine U.S. News and World Report. Sources within the Trump campaign told the magazine the former U.S. congressman is viewed as reliable and respectable, yet "someone they can control."
Pence is seen as one of Trump's more conventional options in an unconventional political season. Pence spent more than a decade serving in the U.S. House of Representatives before taking office as the governor of Indiana in 2013.
He is known as a social conservative, having signed into Indiana law a measure that protects Indiana businesspeople from prosecution if they choose not to provide services for same-sex weddings. He also recently signed an abortion law that makes it illegal in Indiana to provide an abortion when the fetus has a disability.
Pence is aligned with the tea party movement, a key constituency for a Republican candidate. He also has ties to the Koch brothers, extremely wealthy political donors who have proved a powerful resource for conservative causes.
The U.K. supermarket chain won a $90.8 million judgment against the credit card firm because of high fees the grocer had to pay.
LONDON A London judge sided with U.K. grocery chain Sainsbury in its lawsuit against MasterCard, ordering the credit-card firm to pay the retailer $90.8 million, MarketWatch reports.
The judge found MasterCard had set too-high interchange default fees, leaving merchants with few options other than to allow cards from all credit card issuers. That left MasterCard with the authority to put unilateral rates in place that were more than they would have been if the retailer could have negotiated with MasterCard.
Retailers who find the default rate too onerous had only unattractive alternatives, the judge wrote, including filing complaints, refusing to accept certain cards, or tacking on surcharges to card users. Other U.K. merchants have filed similar lawsuits against MasterCard.
The judge also said that transaction fees should be 0.5% for credit cards (instead of 0.9%) and 0.27% for debit cards (instead of 0.36%). The judge based the damage amount on those rate differences.
In June, a U.S. federal appeals court overturned a $7.25 billion antitrust settlement between Visa, MasterCard and millions of retailers after the court found some merchants included in the pact hadnt been represented adequately. That ruling related to the fees retailers had to pay when accepting cards and the regulations imposed as conditions from MasterCard and Visa.
In response to the ruling, NACS CEO Henry Armour said, We are pleased that the Second Circuit Court of Appeals has thoughtfully addressed the problems we have long identified with this proposed settlement. We will work to help ensure that this moves forward in a way that recognizes the best interests of merchants and the consumers they serve.
WASHINGTON, D.C. On Thursday, the House passed the Senates version of a new federal standard for the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This ends more than a year of debate in Congress about how the federal government should treat GMO labeling.
Last year the House had passed a voluntary labeling standard advanced by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS). However, many pro-labeling advocates and their congressional allies did not believe that bill went far enough.
Just before Vermonts onerous new rules went into effect on July 1 of this year, the top senators on the Senate Agriculture CommitteeChairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)reached a compromise on the issue, though that legislation wasnt passed in the Senate until last Friday, July 8.
Rather than take more time to attempt to compromise between the two measures, House leaders decided to acquiesce to the Senate bill with yesterdays vote. The measure, which importantly preempts Vermonts law and others that are in the works, will now be sent to the presidents desk for his signature. Once enacted, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will have two years to complete the regulatory process to write the new final rule.
Yves here. The raft of articles correctly pooh-poohing Jamie Dimons use of an increase in wages for JP Morgans low-end workers as if he were an enlightened manager still wind up vastly understating the gap between the bank CEO and his underlings. They mention that his pay last year was $27 million. That is minuscule compared to his net worth of $1.1 billion.
By Elizabeth Preza, an AlterNet staff writer focusing on politics, media and cultural criticism. Follow her on Twitter @lizacisms. Originally published at Alternet
Tuesday, Jamie Dimonthe billionaire president and CEO of JPMorgan Chase who in 2012 misled investors and regulators after losing $6.2 billion through derivatives bettingwas provided prime real estate in the New York Times to tout his monstrous banks recent decision to raise his employees minimum wage by all of $1.85, spread out over a three-year period.
A pay increase is the right thing to do, Dimon writes before launching into a finger-wagging monologue about how every business can do its part through whatever ways work best for it and its community.
Dimon, who New York Magazine reports earned $27 million last year, may have received a round of applause from the Internet for his oh-so-generous decision to raise the minimum wage for his companys lowest-paid employees by half a cup of coffee. But the increase is really just a PR talking point for the largest bank in America, bolstered by a leading and self-congratulatory op-ed in the Timesas if the largest bank in American needs the column inches to promote its brand.
Wages have been on the rise this year; a February article in the Times reveals that falling unemployment and a hiring boom in recent years has finally resulted in wage increases, a sign the job market could be tightening enough to force companies to pay more to attract and retain employees.
Which of course is whats happening to JPMorgan. But please, New York Times, give this billionaire one-percenter ample opportunity to float his altruistic rich people can save the world mantra, which he does splendidly and without a hint of irony:
America has been dealt an extraordinary hand, and I am optimistic about our future. Our universities are second to none. We have many of the best businesses on the planet small, medium and large. Americans are among the most entrepreneurial and innovative people in the world, from those who work in entry-level jobs on the factory floor to Bill Gates. We have a reliable system of law, extremely low corruption and a hugely resilient and self-correcting democracy.
Yes, America is awesome. But its pretty head-in-the-sand of Dimon to insist businesses are the ones pushing for a higher minimum wage as opposed to, oh, I dont knowthe workers themselves. The National Retail Federation and the National Federation of Independent Business were among the associations lobbying Congress to reject the proposal for a $10.10 minimum wage back in 2014. And any notion that pay increases today are the result of a corporate CEOs Kumbaya momentas opposed to the practical thing for a business to do if they want to retain employeesobfuscates the work of millions of low-wage workers whove fought for an increased minimum wage in recent years.
JP Morgan made $5.5 billion in the first three months of this year. The bank can afford a lot more than the $1.85 minimum wage increase Dimon is so proud of offering. But does he really need the opportunity to pat himself on the back about creating more widely shared prosperity in the form of making a necessary adjustment to his business model? Unlikely.
'It just flipped': Busch details final season with Joe Gibbs Racing in 'Race for the Championship' In the latest episode of USA Network's "Race for the Championship," Busch describes the change at JGR and is introduced with a new team.
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A Franciscan Friar who first took an interest in photography almost 35 years ago has published a book of his photos.
A Franciscan Friar who first took an interest in photography almost 35 years ago has published a book of his photos.
The book, titled Gods Beauty in Nature, was launched by Fr. Richard Callanan at the Franciscan Friary in Clonmel.
Fr. Richard, who has been based in Clonmel for the past 9 years, will leave the town next Monday to return to Rossnowlagh in Donegal.
Included among the books 58 pages are images of local areas, landmarks and beauty spots including Kilmanahan, St. Marys Church in Irishtown, St. Patricks Well, the village of Newcastle, Christmas lights on Mitchel Street, the foothills of the Comeragh mountains and the river Suir at Knocklofty. These are interspersed with photos taken around the country at locations including Dunmore East, Waterford city, Killarney, Kinsale, Connemara and Rossnowlagh.
Rossnowlagh, which is near Ballyshannon in Donegal, is where it all started. The guardian at the friary suggested that Fr. Richard take a camera that had lain on a shelf, unclaimed, for some time, and since then photography has been his hobby. Incidentally the guardian in Rossnowlagh at that time was Fr. Oscar, who spent some time in Clonmel more than 40 years ago and now lives in Cork city.
Ive been taking photos for years and I know what people like. People have told me that my photos are like postcards, says Fr. Richard, whos originally from Navan and moved to Ballsbridge in Dublin with his family when he was 10.
John Denby, a photographer in Carrick-on-Suir (where Fr. Richard also served) and Kilcash-based artist Mia Carney suggested that he stage an exhibition, and a selection of his photos went on display at last years Clancy Festival in Carrick. He also contributed photos to a Franciscan calendar before the publication of the book, which was produced by Colette Magnone and Clare Brophy, the secretary of the Franciscan Provincial.
In the foreword to the book Fr. Richard says I always had an eye for the beauty of the created world. Under the influence of St. Francis, this love was deepened. When I go touring with the camera, I feel peace. God feels present in a special way.
His book is a fitting parting gift to the people of Clonmel and South Tipperary, and Fr. Richard is wished the very best in his future endeavours.
It may be a while before Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati ends its eight-year dealmaking drought.
The $140 billion-asset company disclosed Thursday in a regulatory filing that the Federal Reserve Board downgraded its Community Reinvestment Act rating to "needs to improve." The rating applied to a 2011-2013 timeframe.
The downgrade reflects "legacy issues" that have since been addressed, Fifth Third said in its filing. The company earlier this year pledged to provide $28 billion in loans and other services to underserved communities in its regions.
Still, the rating could hamper Fifth Third's plans to get back into bank acquisitions, John Pancari, an analyst at Evercore, wrote in a July 14 note to clients.
During a conference call in April, Chief Executive Greg Carmichael expressed an interest in bank deals particularly in the Carolinas, Tennessee and the Chicago area. Fifth Third's last acquisition was in 2008, when it bought the $4.8 billion-asset First Charter Bank in Charlotte, N.C.
The timing of the company's next evaluation, for the 2014-2016 time period, has not yet been disclosed, Pancari said. It's likely that the rating will remain in place until then.
Regions Financial also received a "needs to improve" rating earlier this year, and, as a result, was restricted from buying banks.
Fifth Third is set to report its second-quarter earnings on July 28.
While all prospective homebuyers may face challenges to buying a home, the perception of what those obstacles are can take different forms based one's race or ethnicity, according to the results of a survey by the Futures Company in partnership with the California Association of Realtors Center for California Real Estate.
The obstacle cited most among all respondents was saving enough for a down payment at 29%. Next was housing supply constraints at 27%, followed by access to credit and financing at 22% and personal debt at 19%.
And among African-Americans and Asians a similar trend played out. The highest share of respondents in these two groups cited a lack of down payment or savings as the main barrier to homeownership, with 33% of African-Americans and 32% of Asians.
But among Hispanics, a third of respondents chose access to credit and financing as the biggest obstacle. And 31% of non-Hispanic whites, meanwhile, selected constrained housing supply as the most challenging barrier.
"With record high rents and only about a third of the state's households able to afford to buy a median-priced home, the dream of owning a home in California is evaporating," CAR President Pat Zicarelli said in a news release Thursday. "It's even more discouraging for prospective ethnic homebuyers who must face greater obstacles to scrape together a down payment or obtain credit and financing."
But there was some stronger agreement across racial and ethnic lines on other issues. For example, 70% of poll respondents looking to buy a home said that they want the current presidential candidates to address housing affordability during their campaigns.
Additionally, 84% of respondents said that owning a home "gives them a greater sense of well-being and control," the CAR noted in the release, and 72% cited homeownership as part of their retirement strategy.
Korea has 386 colleges and universities, including vocational colleges and cyber-colleges, according to the ministry.
They are expected to admit about 510,000 students for the academic year 2017 out of some 520,000 applicants who want to go to college, the Education Ministry estimates. Only four years ago the quota was 560,000, and dwindling numbers will fall short of the student quota from academic year 2019, and by 2023 there will be about 110,000 fewer freshmen than there are places.
The falling birthrate is starting to manifest itself in falling student numbers at universities and colleges, which will need to adapt to smaller classes and raise their game.
Some 630,000 students born in 1998 are supposed to take their college entrance exams this year, but around 110,000 will either fail or not want to go to college. The student population is expected to dwindle fast to 470,000 in 2020 and 400,000 in 2023, the ministry predicts.
The government will have to make good on its perpetual promises to reform universities and colleges and close failing private institutions once and for all in the face of dwindling numbers.
If nothing is done they will gradually wither and die and in the meantime provide substandard education to half-empty classrooms.
The ministry plans to adjust the quota step by step as numbers shrink.
But Statistics Korea estimates that by academic year 2030 only 220 universities and colleges will be needed, a mere 56 percent of the current number. That means more than 160 will have to close over the next 14 years
But that number includes many degree mills and vanity colleges set up by regional worthies, which will be no great loss to the educational landscape.
Thousands of beer lovers are expected to fill the streets of Sinchon in western Seoul on Friday, as the second annual Sinchon Beer Festival gets underway.
The neighborhood is a famous hot spot for university students, who gather to eat, drink and make merry.
Street vendors will offer beer from all over the world, along with plenty of snacks.
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's former music director Chung Myung-whun was questioned by prosecutors Thursday over a criminal libel complaint by a former orchestra president.
Chung is embroiled in a legal battle with Park Hyun-jung, the ex-president of the orchestra, who resigned in March over allegations of sexually and verbally harassing some members of the orchestra in 2014.
Park filed a complaint against Chung, who sided with the musicians, of libeling her. Prosecutors believe the conductor's wife instructed his staff to spread the rumors, which Chung then repeated in letters to the orchestra and press interviews.
Heading into the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Chung told reporters, "I believed my colleagues who I worked with for 10 years. There needs to be a thorough investigation, and that is why I came here today."
In late 2014, 10 members of the orchestra filed a complaint against Park. But in March this year, police said the musicians and Chung's wife had deliberately slandered Park to get her out of the way.
Chung's wife denies the allegations but has refused to return to Korea from abroad to answer questions.
He is to be quizzed again by police on Friday over allegations that he used orchestra funds to pay for his family's airfares. Civic groups filed a separate complaint against Chung earlier this year accusing him of embezzlement and breach of trust.
An audit by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which runs the orchestra, revealed that Chung's children and other family members were given business-class tickets for personal use. He abruptly quit late last year when the board stalled over renewal of his contract and canceled his remaining schedule.
But supporters point out that he raised the orchestra's status immeasurably in his decade at the helm.
On 27 June 2016, on the banks of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office (NLO) to Central Asia, Rosaria Puglisi, took part in the opening of the second edition of the International Summer School for Junior Diplomats. The event brought together 21 young representatives from the five Central Asian countries, Afghanistan and Mongolia.
In the span of a week, junior diplomats met ambassadors and heads of international organisations as well as senior Kyrgyz diplomats. They addressed issues ranging from regional security to peacebuilding, from sustainable development to human rights, from Islamic radicalism to the protection of refugees. The course provided also an opportunity for potential future decision-makers to establish connections with their counterparts and further their understanding of neighbouring countries.
Talking about the role of NATO in the region, the Head of the NLO stressed how good governance, effectiveness and accountability, also in the security sector, are crucial elements to guarantee the safety of a country. By assisting in the fight against corruption in the armed forces or by helping reform the defence education system, NATO is engaged in increasing the defence capability of its partners, also in Central Asia, Ms Puglisi said.
The summer school was organised by the Kyrgyz Diplomatic Academy and co-sponsored by NATO, the United Nations Development Programme and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Alaskans calling genetically engineered salmon "Frankenfish"
Senator Lisa Murkowski takes to the Senate to voice Alaska's disapproval of GE salmon
(NaturalNews) In light of the Senate's recently passed GMO fake-labeling bill, giving food manufacturers voluntary responsibility to label their products' GMOs, Alaskans received an additional blunder.Republican Senator, Lisa Murkoswki, took to the Senate floor on July 7 to discuss her concerns with the Senate's recent approval allowing food companies to manufacture and sell genetically engineered salmon in the state of Alaska without providing clear, transparent GMO labeling.Prior to the recent approval of the Monsanto-backed GMO fake labeling bill , Alaskan law required labels on all products containing genetically engineered salmon. As laid out in the Biotechnology Labeling Solutions Act, the new legislation "would allow the Agriculture Department to determine which foods qualify as genetically modified and let companies choose the method of disclosing genetically modified organism (GMO) ingredients to consumers."This marks the first time in history that the FDA signed off on allowing the production and sale of a genetically engineered species designed specifically for human consumption.To make this GE salmon, scientists are taking DNA from an ocean pout, a type of eel, and combining that with DNA from a Chinook salmon to produce what many Alaskans are calling a " Frankenfish ."While the FDA has reassured concerned Alaskans that the voluntary labeling stipulations of the recently passed bill will be enough to ease their worries, Alaskans are not convinced.Alaskan Senator, Lisa Murkowski, voiced her concerns to the Senate last week over the approval of voluntary labeling stipulations for this genetically engineered salmon. "My opposition here is to anything that would mistakenly allow genetically engineered salmon into anyone's home and have it mislabeled as salmon," Murkowski said.Alaskan citizens have voiced their disapproval as well, as over 1.5 million of Alaska's population wrote the FDA detailing their unified opposition to the bill. Additionally, numerous Alaskan grocery stores, including Safeway, Kroger, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Target, have announced they will refuse to sell genetically engineered salmon without mandatory labeling requirements.Not only does this pose huge health concerns for Alaskans, as they will not know whether the salmon they buy at the grocery store is true, wild Atlantic salmon or if it is some genetically engineered "Frankenfish," it also poses an enormous threat to Alaska's seafood industry.Providing more than 63,000 jobs and contributing over $4.6 billion to the state economy, Alaskan fisheries play a critical role in the maintenance of the state's overall livelihood. Under the stipulations of the FDA's approval for aqua bounty technology last November, these genetically engineered salmon eggs will be produced in Canada, and then shipped off to Panama to be raised in pens, providing no benefit to the American economy, let alone the Alaskan economy.Senator Murkowski spoke of the grave dangers this poses to the Alaskan economy, claiming GE salmon "has the potential to wreak havoc, to do harm to our natural stocks ... [and] poses a serious threat to the livelihood of our fisherman."As a result, Senator Murkowski is pushing for the approval of an amendment to the recently passed non-GMO labeling bill requiring the FDA to create a new market name for GE salmon, but has been met with strong opposition."We will not accept that ge salmon, or this Frankenfish, be sold to us without clear labeling," Murkowski told the Senate last week.As Alaskans remain united in their opposition to the sale of unlabeled GE salmon, Senator Murkowski is doing everything she can to be make sure the voice of her people is being heard. Wild Alaskan salmon provides a myriad of tremendous health benefits, providing a natural source of lean protein , Omega 3's, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and niacin. It would be a shame to see a nutrient depleted, genetically modified "Frankenfish" be sold alongside true Alaskan salmon as one in the same.
Germany has declined to approve a new North Korean ambassador, Radio Free Asia reported Wednesday.
Incumbent ambassador Ri Si-hong, who had been recalled to Pyongyang in late April, had to rush back to Berlin to continue his former job.
It is not clear who Ri's replacement was to be and why he was rejected. RFA speculated the ambassador designate may have been involved in illegal activities like smuggling or money laundering.
The German Foreign Ministry had no comment. It is rare for an ambassador who has been recalled to his home country to return to his former job.
(NaturalNews) A new eye test that is simple to perform could help primary care providers effectively diagnose Alzheimer's disease many years before signs and symptoms show up in patients. That means it may also be possible to conduct medication trials for treating or preventing the progression of the disease, according to new research.As reported by, scientists at the University of Minnesota discovered differences in light pattern reflection off the retinas of mice that progressively changed as they developed Alzheimer's disease. That suggested to researchers that the ailment could be detected long before symptoms present themselves either to patients or to their doctors.At present there is no reliable test for Alzheimer's disease. Currently it is diagnosed from a set of symptoms that present themselves and grow progressively worse over time.And, while scientists still don't know exactly what causes the disease, research indicates that amyloid plaque buildup in the brain may be the culprit. Scientists have linked the buildup which can be detected utilizing a special device to steadily declining mental, memory and cognitive skills as the disease progresses.Researchers at the Center for Drug Design at the University of Minnesota note that the retina and brain undergo similar changes as a result of Alzheimer's; they are both connected because they are part of the central nervous system. However, because the retina is readily accessible for examination, the changes there are much easier to detect,reported."We saw changes in the retinas of Alzheimer's mice before the typical age at which neurological signs are observed," Dr. Swati More, an assistant professor at the Center for Drug Design, said in a press release . "The results are close to our best-case scenario for outcomes of this project."In conducting the study, which was published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science recently, researchers said they built a spectral imaging system that utilized a machine vision camera and tunable wavelength apparatus to measure light reflection off retinas of test mice.When comparing the variances in how light was reflected in mice with Alzheimer's and age-matched wild-type mice that were disease-free between the age of 3 and 8 months, scientists discovered that mice with the disease had reductions in the amount of light that was bouncing off their retinas.Changes in light reflection indicate a buildup of amyloid in the retina, and therefore, also in the brain. As such, using the technique developed by the University of Minnesota researchers, it is possible to detect the disease long before cognitive and memory declines are seen.In the coming days, researchers are planning to begin phase 1 of clinical trials of their retina imaging system with humans. They say they hope eventually to develop an inexpensive diagnosis method that could then lead to effective, early treatment of the disease, instead of simply managing its symptoms To treat the disease, Dr. Robert Vince, director of the Center for Drug Design, said patients would have to begin therapy before there were signs of the disease. Until now, he added, the possibility of testing the efficacy of treatment regimens was not possible, because no diagnostic tool existed to measure treatment effects."Using currently available detection methods, you have to wait until the plaque is formed to identify Alzheimer's disease," Vince said in a press release . "This technology is a noninvasive way to identify Alzheimer's disease before plaque is formed."No matter how the disease is diagnosed, other experts and medical professionals prefer natural treatments and that is the subject of an upcoming Alzheimer's and Dementia Summit , featuring Sayer Ji. To find out more, sign up today.
'We will continue to see refugees with latent TB'
The problem is global and getting worse
(NaturalNews) It's another one of those things that is happening in our country that we're not supposed to talk about, because to do so gets us labeled as bigots and racists (by people who arethe bigots and racists). But it is a subject that needs to be roundly discussed in the public forum, because it is something that directly threatens the health and safety of all Americans.That subject is the spread of a disease tuberculosis that was rare and well under control in America. But not anymore. In fact, after 25 years of steady decline, TB infection rates are rising again. And for the new danger, we can thank the Obama administration and its lax border enforcement and generous refugee resettlement initiatives.As reported by, even some medical professionals are not only warning about the dangers, but are condemning state and federal officials who have either ignored the resurgence of the disease, or have failed to speak out about it.In recent days, the head of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Jane Orient , criticized Vermont health officials for neglecting to warn residents about a latent risk of contracting TB from one of the state's 6,300 newly-acquired refugees, most of them from the war-torn Middle East where the disease is rampant."It is grossly irresponsible for a public health official to be cavalier about the introduction of even one case [of active TB] in her jurisdiction," Orient said, in response to news that Vermont State Epidemiologist Patsy Kelso recently attempted to downplay the fact that health officials diagnosed at least 17 refugees with the disease In fact, many were diagnosed, according toBut in an interview with, Kelso, who has a Ph.D. in public health, said that figure was "not a concern of mine as the state epidemiologist.""We will continue to see refugees with latent TB infection and we will continue to see, in rare cases, active TB illness in refugees like we do all the time in U.S.-born Vermonters," she added.Only, that's not true because, again, TB infection rates had beennationwide for a quarter century, making Kelso's statement bizarre at best, and dangerously politically correct at worst."Because of its easy transmissibility (you can catch it on the bus), TB is one of the most serious health threats. One nurse or one visitor to the labor and delivery suite who turns out to have active TB can require identification and testing and tracking of dozens or hundreds of contacts," Dr. Orient told. "Latent TB is there for life and can activate at any time resistance breaks down (say a course of treatment for asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, or cancer)."What's more, Orient who is managing editor of the said in her interview that there is no decent vaccine to protect against TB, and that treatment for the disease is prolonged, expensive and difficult. Worse, TB that has been imported is probably even more resistant to multiple drugs or even all drugs."TB is one of the most lethal diseases and likely has killed as many people as any other plague in history. It was controlled in the US only with tremendous effort," Orient said, adding that patients who have contracted latent TB need frequent monitoring, chest x-rays and other care. Also, such patients endanger all who care for them.The problem is even bigger than this, however. As Dr. Madhukar Pai, writing for the Huffington Post noted, antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, is becoming a massive problem worldwide. And, by 2050, on its current trajectory, AMR is likely to claim 10 million lives a year, and cost the global economy $100 trillion.While it is not possible to protect yourself from every threat, what you can do is take steps to reduce your vulnerability, by preparing for the worst
Herbalife, the multi-level marketing giant selling nutritional supplements, weight-loss shakes and personal care products, has agreed to pay US$200 million and restructure its U.S. business to settle FTC charges that the company duped consumers into thinking they could earn substantial sums selling its products, the government announced Friday.
In a complaint, the government alleged Herbalife operated an unfair compensation structure because it rewarded distributors for recruiting others to join and buy products to advance in its marketing program, and not in response to actual retail demand for the products. This economically hurt many Herbalife distributors, the FTC alleged.
This settlement will require Herbalife to fundamentally restructure its business so that participants are rewarded for what they sell, not how many people they recruit," FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a statement. Herbalife is going to have to start operating legitimately, making only truthful claims about how much money its members are likely to make, and it will have to compensate consumers for the losses they have suffered as a result of what we charge are unfair and deceptive practices."
On Friday, Herbalife also announced an agreement to pay $3 million as part of a settlement with the Illinois Attorney General. The company said it was not aware of any other active investigations by other state attorneys general.
"The settlements are an acknowledgment that our business model is sound and underscore our confidence in our ability to move forward successfully, otherwise we would not have agreed to the terms," said Michael Johnson, chairman and CEO of Herbalife, in a statement.
The FTC settlement fell short of predictions by hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Capital Management that Herbalife would be found by the government to be operating a massive pyramid scheme.
The government did not specifically charge Herbalife with being a "pyramid scheme," a term that is not defined in any federal statute but has been distinguished from legitimate multi-level marketing (MLM) businesses in court decisions over the years.
The popular takeaway from the settlement was that FTC had declared Herbalife is not a pyramid scheme. However, when pressed on this issue during a media conference, Ramirez said she does not endorse the statement that FTC has declared Herbalife is not a pyramid scheme. The word 'pyramid' does not appear in our complaint, she said. They were not determined not to be a pyramid scheme.
Ramirez told reporters the agencys focus was not on the pyramid label. Our focus was on articulating allegations in the complaint that we believe reach the core of the issue, the core problem with what we consider to be unlawful practices that Herbalife has engaged in, she said. I will lead you to draw your own conclusions.
Even though FTC's settlement with Herbalife omitted "pyramid scheme" language, Pershing Square said the government's findings equated to a pyramid scheme under the relevant court decisions over the years.
"We expect that once Herbalifes business restructuring is fully implemented, these fundamental structural changes will cause the pyramid to collapse as top distributors and others take their downlines elsewhere or otherwise quit the business," the hedge fund management company said in a statement. "The FTC complaint and settlement provide a roadmap for regulators in 90 other countries around the world to enforce similar requirements. We intend to work with these regulators to ensure that no future victims are harmed whether in the U.S. or otherwise."
Ackman, who bet $1 billion against Herbalifes stock, has predicted the company's eventually collapse, but Wall Street responded positively to Fridays news. Shares of Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) jumped to more than $70 a share and fluctuated between $65 and $70 throughout the morning. Ackman bought HLF at $47 a share and said his breakeven point would be a price somewhere in the low $30s.
"I have the greatest confidence in Herbalifes CEO, Michael Johnson, and the entire management team, who have skillfully led the company through adversity, including holding firm against a high-profile PR campaign against the company by Bill Ackman where it was alleged more than once that the company would be shut down," billionaire Carl Icahn, who owns shares in Herbalife and has representatives on the company's board of directors, said in a statement. "Obviously, we are still here."
Michael Swartz, an equity analyst with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, reacted to Friday's news in a research note.
"Put simply, many of terms of the settlement had already been implemented by HLF in one form or another ... but will now be fully indoctrinated (and likely by the industry, as well)," wrote Swartz, who maintained a "neutral" rating on Herbalife's stock. "In our view, any improvements to transparency should also help investors ultimately get a better grasp on business fundamentals."
"We are encouraged that this 3+ year saga can now come to an end," the analyst continued. "[The] removal of this major distraction should, in our view, not only reduce volatility/headline risk, but eliminate an overhang on the stock."
Ramirez said FTC will be issuing further guidance on multi-level marketing based on what it learned in this case.
What we achieved in this case is unprecedented," she declared.
The National Consumers League (NCL) said it looked forward to the guidance and welcomed the settlement with Herbalife.
The FTCs action today addresses many of the concerns that NCL and other experts on pyramid schemes raised about Herbalifes business practices," NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg said in a statement. "Specifically, consumers will benefit greatly from the settlements requirement that Herbalife base its compensation structure on verifiable retail sales to end-users of the product, not recruitment of new distributors. This is the core distinction, as enumerated by more than 30 years of case law, between a legal direct-selling company and a fraudulent pyramid scheme."
Since 1977, the frequency of snacking has doubled, and currently, snacks have overtaken meals in terms of caloric intake, according to Peter Leighton, founding partner & CEO, Abunda. Consumer are on the go, so they need food to be convenient, but they also respond to healthy messages in product marketing.
In this episode, Leighton and Sandy Almendarez, editor in chief, INSIDER discuss:
The evolution of the definition of snack
Consumers desires to snack while also eating healthy foods
The three key things consumers are looking for in the snack packaging
Leighton will be speaking on marketing snacks to consumers at the SupplySide West Panel Discussion: Bite-Sized Satisfaction: Snacking to Better Health on Friday, Oct. 7, at 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Las Vegas. Visit supplysideshow.com for more information and get registered. This session is underwritten by BASF, the official education sponsor of SupplySide West.
Links and Resources:
Juno spacecraft sent its first photo of Jupiter and its moons after entering the planet's orbit on July 4 and the photo is nothing short of amazing.
Aww snap. My first in-orbit view of #Jupiter. Getting up close and personal again on Aug 27. https://t.co/Xw4VHVO6rJ pic.twitter.com/b2FuTpriKf NASA's Juno Mission (@NASAJuno) July 12, 2016
This photo marked Juno's 20-month mission orbiting the giant gas planet to study its composition. JunoCam aboard the solar-powered spacecraft captured the image 2.7 million miles away from Jupiter. The distance was very short that some features of Jupiter, such as the Great Red Spot, as well as three of its four largest moons, were visible in the image.
"This scene from JunoCam indicates it survived its first pass through Jupiter's extreme radiation environment without any degradation and is ready to take on Jupiter," Scott Bolton, principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute said in a statement. "We can't wait to see the first view of Jupiter's poles," Bolton added.
Bolton and the Juno team rejoiced as the image is also proof that Juno survived the engine break maneuvering that enabled Juno to enter Jupiter's orbit. Juno traveled for five years to reach the destination planet and is expected to orbit Jupiter for 37 times in the course of its mission.
The Juno mission is one of the most fascinating albeit dangerous missions within the Solar System. The spacecraft needs to withstand the harsh environment of Jupiter dubbed as the biggest and baddest planet in the Solar System, including its high level of radiation.
One way or another, I'm gonna see ya. Powering up my science eyes + ears for next orbit https://t.co/iq4tEPosNZ pic.twitter.com/1jjb5YS6Yn NASA's Juno Mission (@NASAJuno) July 8, 2016
Juno will move near Jupiter in August and NASA is expecting science to arrive on Earth by September. Juno made the closest approach to Jupiter in history. Its position near the north pole of the host planet will also give the spacecraft a different perspective in capturing images of the planet.
A few days ago, an eagle tried to carry a boy up in the air by clawing his head. The shocking incident was captured by a certain person named Christine O'Connell who uploaded the image on her social media account. Since then, the photo has been shared multiple times on various social media platforms.
The photo shows the eagle attempting to drag the boy in a green hoodie.
Not the sharpest photo but lucky just to snap it. At a nature park in Alice Springs we decided to go to a bird show the young boy in the green kept pulling his zipper up and down. For some reason the Wedge Tailed Eagle did not like it and instead of flying over to the log he is meant to for a photo opportunity he flew straight at the young boy and attacked him. The show was quickly cancelled and the boy taken off to first aid. Those talons are huge he was a very lucky young boy. A photo posted by Chris | Australia Rural Vic (@55chris) on Jul 10, 2016 at 3:47am PDT
The caption reads: "At a nature park in Alice Springs we decided to go to a bird show (and) the young boy in the green kept pulling his zipper up and down. For some reason, the wedge-tailed eagle did not like it and instead of flying over to the log he is meant to for a photo opportunity, he flew straight at the young boy and attacked him."
While most netizens were disturbed and shocked by the image, others were curious as to why the eagle behaved that way. Did the boy do something to taunt the eagle? Or was the eagle simply curious?
According to a report in The Telegraph, the incident occurred during a bird show at the Alice Springs Desert Park in Australia's Northern Territory. The wedge-tailed eagle was part of the show. During their rehearsals, the bird was trained to land on a perch, but on that particular day, it decided to ignore the stunt and do its own gimmick.
Since the incident, the park has decided to remove the wedge-tailed eagle, who is known as Australia's largest bird of prey. A thorough investigation of the incident will be done.
In an attempt to explain the eagle's behavior, John Parks, a professor of animal science at Cornell University, had an interview with National Geographic. He enumerated two possible reasons for the incident.
First, he said that such behavior is in the eagle's nature.
"Instinctively they are carnivorous animals that are looking for something to eat, or defending themselves from something that may be a threat," he says. "That's just the nature of the beast."
However, he also emphasized that it was still unusual, since captive animals are supposed to be fed well and therefore, less inclined to hunt for their own food.
The second speculation is that they boy did something to distract the eagle.
As mentioned in O'Connell's caption, the boy was doing repetitive movements as he pulled his zipper up and down during the show. Parks said it might have grabbed the eagle's attention.
"It decided to strike at the child, maybe in a defensive kind of motion or movement, and then kept going when there was no real threat," he said.
Australia Zoo describes the wedge-tailed eagle as a large raptor that hunts by high soaring flight. They are usually found in forests and in open country plains and mountains throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania.
The Tasmanian subspecies is listed as endangered by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, while the mainland species is classified as secure.
Obesity is three times deadlier for men than for women, a new study shows.
The study also shows that even being slightly overweight raises the risk of early death.
The study, which is one of the most extensive researches conducted on the subject of weight and death, analyzed data on about 4 million men and women around the globe.
According to the researchers, men of normal weight were 19 percent more likely to die before reaching the age of 70 and women of normal weight were at 11 percent.
However, the risk significantly increased for men and women who were obese, with a 30 percent likelihood of early death for men and 15 percent for women.
"We found that men who were obese were at much higher risk of premature death than obese women," Dr. Emanuele Di Angelantonio, a lecturer at the University of Cambridge in England, said in a statement published in The Telegraph.
"This is consistent with previous observations that obese men have greater insulin resistance, liver fat levels, and diabetes risk than women."
According to lead researcher Richard Peto, a professor of medical statistics and epidemiology at the University of Oxford in England, obesity is the second leading cause of premature deaths in America. Smoking ranks first.
"If you could lose about 10 percent of your weight, a woman would knock 10 percent off the risk of dying before she was 70, and for a man it would knock about 20 percent off," Peto said.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data on 3.9 million adults aged 20 to 90 years old gathered from 189 previous studies in Europe, North America and other parts of the world. The researchers also included data on people who lived at least five more years.
Dr. David Katz, president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, said in a report by WebMD that while there are clear and decisive evidence linking obesity to premature deaths, the obesity-mortality link has always been periodically challenged.
"The obesity pandemic continues to advance, putting ever more of humanity at risk," Katz said.
"What we already had abundant cause to think, this paper gives us ample cause to know, that risk includes early death. This constitutes an urgent call for corrective actions at a global scale."
An old and rather "pungent" leather jacket belonging to one of the greatest scientists in history was sold at a London auction for $144,424.
The jacket, which belonged to Nobel Prize-winning scientist Albert Einstein, was sold during Christie's Valuable Books and Manuscripts sale in London on July 13, and it came complete with the strong odor of the scientist's pipe.
According to Christie's, the jacket was sold alongside Einstein's pocket watch and building blocks from his childhood.
"The jacket first appears in a number of photographs of Einstein, taken at the height of his fame in the mid-1930s," specialist Thomas Venning said in a report published at Christie's website.
According to Venning, the jacket was picked up by Einstein when he came to America to escape Nazi rule in his home country Germany. The jacket, which was made by Levi Strauss, may have "captured" the scientist's mood as he received his permanent U.S. residency during that time, Venning said.
Venning said that Einstein and the jacket were almost inseparable, a fact mentioned by Einstein's Princeton colleague Leopold Infeld in one of his memoirs. Einstein wore his hair long, and "one leather jacket solved the coat problem for years," wrote Infeld.
The scientist had worn the jacket so often that, even after several years, the clothing still retains his scent.
"Einstein was an incessant pipe smoker and, astonishingly, 60 years after his death, his jacket still smells of smoke," Venning said, adding that the clothing had been an "electrifying" temporary addition to Christie's books department.
According to Gizmodo, the Indiana Jones-style leather jacket provided a clue of how fashionable the scientist might have been.
Einstein's pocket watch, however, was somewhat older - about the time when Einstein had just graduated. "It dates to around 1900, when Einstein was still a total unknown," Venning said.
"Einstein carried this watch with him while working as a patent clerk in Switzerland, before he came up with one of the great ideas to change the world."
A small but emotional gathering took place Thursday night outside the French consulate in San Francisco, just hours after the deadly attack in Nice, France.
Far from home, French nationals here in the Bay Area are once again expressing pain and sorrow after a terrorist attack.
"It's the third time," said Maiwenn Regnault, of San Francisco. "My brother lives in Nice. I was like, damn, that could be him."
The Bastille Day attack, in which a truck plowed through crowds of people celebrating on the streets of Nice, killed at least 80 people.
"I have goose bumps thinking about what happened today," said Olivier Azancot, of Cafe Bastille in San Francisco. "Most of them are kids watching fireworks, trying to enjoy the night."
Azancot has been throwing a Bastile Day party at the cafe on Belden Place for the past 25 years. With the reality of the attack setting in, Thursday's event didn't feel like much of a celebration.
"When is it gonna stop? Azancot said. "That's the question. What can we do to make it stop?"
Emile Lacampagne, of San Francisco, could barely find words: "My heart drops," he said. "Terrible."
As Donald Trump prepares to announce his candidate for Vice President, a Supreme Court Justice is apologizing for her comments about the presumptive republican nominee. But experts say despite this, the damage is done.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is known for being outspoken, a trailblazer or womens rights. But Thursday, the Justice backtracked, issuing a statement calling her comments about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump ill-advised.
It certainly was surprising and perhaps even unwise, Santa Clara Laws Deep Gulasekaram said. Its certainly a little naive to think Supreme Court Justices dont hold those political opinions. Theyre people; they vote; they have first amendment rights just like everybody else. But its mostly about our perception about Supreme Court Justices and what they should and should not be doing.
The associate law professor says theres not much the candidate can do about Ginsburg even if he became president. That didnt stop him from firing back, tweeting: If I win the presidency, we will swamp Justice Ginsburg with real judges and real legal opinions!
NBC Bay Area political analyst Larry Gerston calls the Justices comments the best gift Ginsburg could have given Trump.
It allows Trump and others to say, Look, see what were up against? You better vote for me because if you dont, were going to have more Ginsburg in the Court, Gerston said.
In the statement, Justice Ginsburg says she regrets comments she made about Trump, but political experts say there are no take-backs.
Some legal experts also say Ginsburg may have to recuse herself in future cases because of the controversy, but Gulasekaram says, This does not seem to be the grounds for recusal. Again, its more about what we think of how justices should act, and whether this violates boundaries. But those boundaries may be changing.
There was no follow-up tweet from Trump after Ginsburgs apology. His only comment Thursday afternoon was a tweet announcing he would delay the formal announcement of his vice presidential pick in light of the attacks in France.
The summer vacation to France was Sara Lukas first trip to that country.
She and her children, Tiger, 8, and Nell, 6, had flown from Walnut Creek to Europe to do what most tourists set out to do: Enjoy the sights, tour museums, soak in a new culture and have a good time.
Thats what they were doing on Thursday night at a Bastille Day fireworks celebration in the southern French city of Nice, when they saw the white truck plow into revelers, killing more than 80 people.
Sara Luka
I grabbed my daughter, Luka said, her voice still shaking, in a phone interview Friday morning with NBC Bay Area from her hotel room. I told them not to look at people.
Graphic video taken on the street outside the Promenade des Anglais, a seaside boulevard, shows people dead and dying on the ground.
About 10:30 p.m., a truck, driven by a man the Nice mayor identified as 31-year-old Tunisian-born Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, drove into the crowd, mowing down people right and left until he was shot and killed by police officers. Why he did it, and his affiliation to any group, if any, has not been made clear.
Bay Area Mourns Bastille Day Attacks
Luka, who was born in Poland before she moved the Bay Area in 1992, could barely put words to describing the Zombie-like aftermath: Imagine hundreds of people running and screaming with you. I cant even tell you how many people. You see all these people just crying and screaming. Not just 20 people but hundreds of people, thousands of people.
She said her son keeps asking her: "Why are terrorists trying to kill people?"
Before that, she said, the evening had been wonderful. She and her children, who attend French school in Oakland, had joined other spectators, which also included Livermore couple Mark and Jennifer Duran, for the annual Bastille Day celebration. Everything was beautiful, she said. Everyone was clapping at the end of the fireworks. Because of the noise, we didnt even realize that a truck had driven into people.
What started out as a much needed vacation for Mike and Jennifer Duran, of Livermore, turned into terror on the French Riviera on Thursday. Laura Malpert reports.
Then there were sounds that sounded like bombs. And crying. And screaming. "It's really hard to explain the feeling of seeing so many people running for their life at the same time," she said.
On Friday morning, Luka said she wasnt sure what she was going to do next. She had original plans to go to Poland, but had inquired with the airlines about leaving earlier than July 21, but was told there was $1,000 change fee that she didnt way to pay.
Outside the hotel room is a lovely park, one her children would love playing in. But Luka said she wasnt going to let them go there. Im afraid, she said. Its a very popular thing in Europe to talk and smoke on the street. Today, they are also out on the street. But they are just looking at each other in quiet. Everybodys so sad.
What started out as a much needed vacation for Mark and Jennifer Duran, of Livermore, turned into terror on the French Riviera on Thursday.
Moments after watching a fireworks show during a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, chaos erupted.
"We were hit with a wall of thousands of people running off of the beach and had literally four seconds before we were going to be completely trampled," Jennifer Duran said.
A truck loaded with weapons and hand grenades had driven onto a sidewalk for more than a mile plowing through crowds of revelers, killing 80.
Duran said she didnt know at first why they were running, but she knew it had to be bad.
"Everyone is in panic," she said, describing the scene. "They were literally throwing merchandise into the stores."
When she found out what happened, Duran said she cried.
"Basically, where the truck ended is right where we were," she said. "So if that truck had exploded, I dont know what would have happened."
Durans one hope is that the community will recover.
"Im just a tourist; I get to leave," she said. "These people have to live with this forever."
The Durans' car was still parked in the middle of the crime scene in Nice, and they were unable to get to it. The couple was scheduled to come home Friday.
San Francisco may be cool and foggy, but Muni riders will soon be blasted with AC.
Most of Munis but fleet will see air conditioning installed, according to an email sent by John Haley, director of transit at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation his staff on Wednesday, provided to the San Francisco Examiner.
In the letter, Haley said the move to provide cool air came from bus operators, who voiced a need for air conditioning in an open forum a few months ago. Haley told the Examiner that 98 of the fleets 880 buses will have air conditioning installed by September. The rest of the fleet should be air conditioned by the end of, he said. Air conditioning on the 40-foot buses is about $15,000, and the cost on 60-foot articulated buses is about $25,000. The total cost will be about $5.1 million, SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose told the news agency.
A group of protesters looking to recall Mayor Ed Lee rallied on the steps of San Francisco City Hall Friday.
Protesters said they are frustrated with issues ranging from Lee's handling of homelessness, rising housing prices and fatal police shootings.
"He has forced middle- and low-income families out of San Francisco to benefit developers, big business," said Yayne Abeba with the Committee to Recall Mayor Ed Lee.
The protest was met with counter protesters who showed up in big numbers, triggering a shouting match.
A group called Stop the Wasteful Recall Coalition said a recall would cost taxpayers $3.5 million.
Recall organizers were undeterred, and said they are waiting for approval from the Department of Elections to begin gathering an estimated 40,000 signatures needed to start a recall election.
Two San Jose business people have been arrested in connection with illegally providing immigration services to unsuspecting customers, the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office announced on Friday.
Owner Al Sanchez and employee Patricia Garcia Abonce of Al Sanchez Bookkeeping and Tax were booked on misdemeanor charges for allegedly violating the immigration service regulations, including receiving proper clearance from the California Secretary of State and having the required $100,000 bond.
The California Business and Professions Code essentially states that a business is not allowed to act as an immigration consultant for compensation without going through the necessary background checks, and providing services such as securing birth certificates for their client.
Someone who answered the phone at the bookkeeping business on S. Jackson Avenue on Friday asked not to be bothered anymore.
With immigrants making up more than 30 percent of the Bay Areas population, according to the most recent Census, continuing fraud could lead to serious safety issues, the sheriff's office pointed out.
The sheriff said it's awful when people who take on the role of helpers end up gaining the trust of immigrants, and then deceive them, which can them to lose money and even be deported.
Immigrants can be very vulnerable targets for abuse and fraud, Sheriff Laurie Smith said in a press release. Cracking down on unlawful immigration service providers ensures immigrants get the services they are promised and the services they paid for.
The San Francisco jail system serves as a "default mental institution" due to the high number of inmates with mental health problems and needs better staffing, training and procedures for communicating and tracking information about inmates to handle the load, according to a Civil Grand Jury report released Thursday.
Nationally, almost two-thirds of jail inmates have mental health issues, while in San Francisco around 35 to 40 percent of inmates receive care from Jail Behavioral Health Services and around 15 percent are being treated for a serious mental illness. Health issues, mental illness and substance abuse problems are common among inmates, and 31 percent have been homeless within the past year.
"The crises in public health and social services has made the Jail an unintended provider of psychiatric and social services for the mentally ill and the homeless services the jail has neither the capacity nor the mandate to provide," the report states. "This increase of mentally ill and homeless inmates in need of health, psychiatric, and re-entry services further depletes the resources of the department."
Among the grand jury's recommendations are calls for Jail Behavioral Health Services to be staffed 24 hours a day, and crisis intervention and suicide prevention training for all staff that work with inmates.
The report focuses in particular on suicide prevention efforts, noting that suicide is the leading cause of inmate deaths nationwide. The risk is particularly high, seven times higher than in the general population, for those not yet convicted but awaiting trial.
The grand jury report also recommends better communication between arresting officers, sheriff's department staff and medical staff and tracking of inmate medical information. In addition, it calls for the establishment of a reliable method for family members of inmates to communicate concerns about mental and physical health to jail officials.
The sheriff's department had planned to improve mental health care in part by constructing a new jail with better facilities to replace an unsafe jail at the San Francisco Hall of Justice. However, the Board of Supervisors voted against that plan in December due to concerns that it emphasized incarceration over treatment and services.
Sheriff's department officials Thursday said they were reviewing the grand jury report and working with the jail replacement work group on plans for a new project. The working group is expected to complete a report before the end of the year.
Two men suspected of shooting and robbing an armored car guard in the North Bay are connected to several other violent crimes across California, including the carjacking of a Pokemon Go player.
Earlier in the day, Sergey Gutsu and his alleged accomplice, Ivan Morales, appeared in court. Both Gutsu and Morales are charged with attempted murder and armed robbery.
Investigators said Morales used a rifle to shoot and rob an armored car guard outside Windsor's Chase Bank on Tuesday afternoon.
Morales is charged as the shooter of the guard, while Gutsu is charged with possessing a firearm during the robbery.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office also confirmed late Thursday the two allegedly carjacked a man playing Pokemon Go at a Sacramento area park Sunday night, then used the car to commit the robbery and shooting in Windsor.
Carlos Alvarez was working inside the Verizon store next to the bank when it all went down. He is relieved the suspects are off the street.
"To think they're responsible to do such a crime, it's awful to think about," Alvarez said. "I think they should be locked away and definitely not out in the public for a long, long time."
Gutsu also faces attempted murder charges in Napa County for allegedly shooting at a Calistoga police officer. The officer in response rammed his patrol car into the suspect's SUV, injuring Gutsu's face.
Both Gutsu and Morales are also tied to at least two more crimes throughout the state.
Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said during the investigation into the Windsor robbery and shooting, detectives have linked the pair to an armed car robbery in Granada Hill and a robbery and homicide in San Dimas.
The armored car robbery took place in Granada Hills on Tuesday, March 29.
The robbery and homicide took place in San Dimas on June 2, 2015.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps newly-announced running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, hasnt always seen eye-to-eye with the divisive billionaire.
Pence, who endorsed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the lead-up to Indianas June presidential primary, has condemned a variety of Trumps campaign proposals.
Among them, was Trump's proposal to bar foreign Muslims from entering the U.S.
In December, Pence tweeted that calls to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. were offensive and unconstitutional."
Pence also chastised Trump during an interview with Indianapolis RTV6 in June over his comments about the Indiana-born judge who is presiding over civil fraud lawsuits against the billionaire's beleaguered Trump University.
Trump lodged multiple attacks at Hispanic U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in June, calling him a hater of Donald Trump. The presumptive GOP candidate claimed Curiel could have a bias against him due to certain policy proposals, including his plan to build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
Of course I think those comments were inappropriate, Pence said. I dont think its ever appropriate to question the partiality of a judge based on their ethnic background.
Pence has also backed a series free trade deals that Trump vehemently opposes, including the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
[NATL] Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail
Additionally, Pence voted for the Iraq War in 2002. Trump has repeatedly said that he opposed the war before it started.
I said it loud and clear, Youll destabilize the Middle East, Trump said during a February GOP debate.
Trump and Pence will now be front and center at next weeks Republican National Convention in Cleveland working to unify a divided party.
We come from diverse areas of the city, said Troy McMillian, a member of the Board of Directors for the non-profit group Friends of the Parks.
We are diverse in age and ethnicity, she said, adding, Dont call me names, dont call me a chardonnay-drinking elitist.
Formed in 1975 with a mission to protect Chicago parks, as well as 24 miles of lakefront land, Friends of the Parks has been both praised and damned in its two-year battle with movie mogul George Lucas.
At issue was the proposed Lucas Museum for the Narrative Arts which he, along with his wife Mellody Hobson, wanted built on the citys lakefront.
In an unprecedented interview, eight of the 25 board members, along with Executive Director Juanita Irizarry, agreed to talk about what they did and the asphalt parking lot next to Solider Field that became ground zero.
In an NBC 5 exclusive, the Friends of the Parks group opens up about the contentious battle over the Lucas Museum in Chicago. Carol Marin reports.
Years ago, says Irizarry, the city pledged to turn the lot into green space.
They have failed to live up to their own commitments, she said, because they enjoy the revenue that comes from that parking lot.
In October 2015, Lucas and Hobson won city approval to build the museum on the site.
It became very clear as that progressed that this was going to be a rubber stamp, said board member Fred Bates. It was a done deal from the beginning.
It was more like a vanity project, said Thurman Foreman, also a board member. Thats how I saw it.
In an NBC 5 exclusive, the Friends of the Parks group opens up about the contentious battle over the Lucas Museum in Chicago. Carol Marin reports.
Friends of the Parks had already filed a federal lawsuit arguing the land was public--and protected--space, and that Lucas could, and should, build elsewhere.
After months of public debate with neither side relenting, Lucas and Hobson announced in June 2016 they would look elsewhere. Lucas cited the ongoing litigation and Hobson accused Friends of the Parks of hijacking the process that would have led to a cultural enrichment for Chicago.
Museum supporters decried the loss of jobs and opportunities for children of color.
Black and brown children, white children, children of all colors would have enjoyed that museum anywhere, said Pat Ballman. It did not need to be the lakefront.
The Art Institute is not there, the Peggy Notebaert Museum is not there, said Deborah Strauss, countering an argument by Mayor Rahm Emanuel that the Lucas Museum should be part of the Museum Campus. So this whole campus argument seems to be specious."
In the very public battle, the group was belittled as North Side snobs.
Father Michael Pfleger likened them to the Gangster Disciples. They were Public Enemy Number One to some.
I didnt think about it, said Sylvia Y. Jones, an African-American board member for five years. You have to have thick skin about it and I have thick skin and I love what I do, so it's not work and its not harmful to me. You know I could care less what they say.
To be very clear we were completely in favor of the museum, Brian Whitehead added. There are many alternate sites, including one 600 feet to the west.
But disharmony, the mayor claimed, caused division even in the group's own debate.
Boards have healthy arguments, healthy disagreements," said Strauss, a five-year board member, otherwise that board is a rubber stamp.
When someone wants to invest $750 million in our city, we should take that very seriously, said Paul Boyd, the chief dissenter on the board.
Still the conditions of the lease caused him concern.
If [Lucas] chose to leave after 10 years, he gets the right to take his collections back, Boyd said. If you donate your assets to the Art Institute, you dont get them back. Sue doesn't come back if the Museum of Science and Industry falters and fails.
Political tempers became taut, none more aggravated than the mayor.
I asked him was he mad at me? He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Well give a hug' and we hugged, recalled Sylvia Jones.
The battle over the museum has not exhausted the group, said Thurman Foreman, who noted, The Lucas Museum highlighted Friends of the Parks, highlighted our mission.
A mission grounded in the vision of Daniel Burnham, they say, to keep 24 miles of lakefront property forever open, clear and free.
This is one mans vision, said Fred Bates, "but [Lucas] should not be asking for a donation of an almost priceless part of our public history and legacy to house his museum."
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump took to Twitter to announce Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate Friday. Pence, a Christian Conservative with longstanding ties to the Tea Party, isnt the most recognizable choice for Trump, although he has a long career in politics. Before becoming Indianas governor, Pence served in Congress for twelve years.
Heres everything you should know about Trump's pick:
He Endorsed Ted Cruz
Pence endorsed Trumps opponent, Ted Cruz, in the lead-up to Indianas June primary. During a radio appearance on Indianapolis WIBC in May, Pence voiced his support for the Texas senator.
I see Ted Cruz as a principled conservative who has dedicated his career to advocating the Reagan agenda, Pence said. And Im pleased to support him."
Hes Up For Re-Election
Pence is locked in a tough reelection bid against Democrat John Gregg in November. According to a recent Indianapolis Star poll, Pence is only leading by a few points. The Republican governor beat out Gregg in the 2012 Indiana gubernatorial election by a slim margin.
Pence cannot legally run for vice president and governor at the same time, and faces a deadline to withdraw from the gubernatorial race on Friday.
He Was at the Center of Indianas Religious Freedom Debate
Pence faced sharp criticism last year after signing a controversial religious freedom bill that many believed would allow for discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
Following widespread condemnation, Pence agreed to amend the law to clarify its intent.
His Name Has Been Floated as a Presidential Candidate
Pences name was floated in 2008 and 2012 as a potential presidential candidate.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Pence received the majority of votes in a straw poll at the 2010 Values Voter Summit, a meeting of conservative activists.
He Called Himself Rush Limbaugh on Decaf
As a conservative talk-radio host in the 1990s, Pence described himself as Rush Limbaugh on decaf, according to the Indianapolis Star.
The governor hosted The Mike Pence Show from 1995 to 1999. The show was ultimately syndicated on 18 stations throughout Indiana, including WIBC in Indianapolis.
What's better than a bunch of food pictures and selfies on your Instagram feed? Adorable animals.
With Clear the Shelters just one week away, we've put together a list of local shelters and famous pet Instagram pages leading up to the nationwide adoption event hosted on July 23.
Below is a list of fun pages to help you get your fix of local animal social media stars and shelters dedicated to finding adorable animals a happy, caring home.
Chicagos Favorite Pets
Manny the Frenchie
Manny is an all-around philanthropist in the Chicagoland area. He is a five year old Frenchie dedicated to giving back to the community, traveling and making new friends.
Blind Dog Jacks Family
Jack-Jack, an adopted Pomeranian, lived his life at an Indiana puppy mill before being rescued by his owner. Upon getting him, she realized that Jack-Jack was completely blind from Progressive Retinal Atrophy and was later diagnosed with a Maxillary Plasma Cell Tumor. According to the Blind Dog Jacks Family Facebook page, Jack-Jack went through 20 radiation treatments before passing in 2014.
His three siblings carry on his legacy and raise money for canine cancer while teaching the community about the dangers of puppy mills.
Gretchen & Leo
Twins Gretchen & Leo are twin cats from Garfield Park that were adopted three years ago. The duo enjoys lots of fun, hiding and relaxing, which is evident through their page!
Pudge the Cat
Pudge was adopted in Chicago over five years ago and is famously known for her distinct white mustache, and two-toned face. She is a huge fan of donuts and enjoys spending her free time sleeping.
Shelters
Josh Feeney
Josh Feeney is a Chicago photographer who aims to change "the perception of shelter animals through photography." On his page, you will see stunning action shots and close ups of dogs that are looking for a happy home along with descriptions of where they can be rescued. He works often with Safe Humane Chicago and Chicago Animal Care & Control.
Alive Rescue
Alive Rescue is located in the Roscoe Village neighborhood and is dedicated to promoting a healthy life for animals. On their page is a blend of photos featuring dogs and successful adoption stories. This shelter is one of many that will participate in Clear the Shelters in the Chicago area on July 23.
Chicago Animal Care and Control
Get up close and personal with Chicago Animal Care and Control dogs. Each post is a photo with a description of the dog looking to be adopted. The array of photos will keep you smiling. Visit the shelter on July 23 during the nationwide event of Clear the Shelters.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHkV_txD
PAWS Chicago
PAWS Chicago is dedicated to ending the killing of homeless pets. Their Instagram page shares posts featuring pets of all kinds, volunteers, care practices and more. Follow Chicagos largest no-kill humane organization or pay them a visit on July 23 for the Clear the Shelters event.
The Anti-Cruelty Society
This is a feel good page for all animals looking for a happy home. Featuring a variety pets, coverage and fun times, the Anti-Cruelty Society is dedicated to educating the community and caring for pets in a sustainable manner. This shelter is also a participant in the local Clear the Shelters event.
An Uber driver was charged with sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman he was hired to drive home last month.
The woman never remembered getting into Alexander Marreros red Hyundai while she was out with her family and friends on Division Street in the early morning hours of June 26.
But when she woke up during the ride to her apartment elsewhere in the city, her shorts and underwear were pulled down, Assistant Cook County States Attorney Elena Gottreich said, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.
Marrero, 35, had reached back and assaulted her from the drivers seat, prosecutors said.
The 23-year-old woman had been stumbling when her stepsister and cousin placed her in the back of Marreros car, Gottreich said.
Gottreich then outlined this sequence of events:
Given the womans condition, the cousin had used an app to request a ride from Uber, a ride-hailing service. The cousin then called the womans roommate and asked that she be outside when she arrived. The cousin also sent a picture of the Hyundai and the cars license plate to the roommate.
A short time later, the roommate, 24, saw the Hyundai down the street.
When no one got in or out, the roommate walked over to the sedan. The car had tinted windows, so the roommate knocked on the front passenger window. She could hear someone crying inside and could make out that the driver was turned toward the center of the Hyundai, Gottreich said.
No one responded to the taps on the window and the car drove away instead, and the roommate saw the car go around the corner.
Marrero returned several minutes later and told the roommate that he was her friends Uber driver. Marrero had to support the woman as they walked toward the roommate. When they were alone inside, the woman complained about pain and told her what had happened.
The woman was later taken to a hospital and the roommate identified Marrero, of the 500 block of North Troy, in a photo array, Gottreich said.
The Hyundai Marrero was using for Uber was registered to his wife, Gottreich said.
Uber officials said Marrero no longer drives for the ride-sharing service.
Whats been described is deplorable and something no one should ever go through, Uber spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said.
Were working with local authorities to support their investigation and proceedings in any way possible, she said. The individual has been permanently banned from the app.
Marrero had been arrested previously for several misdemeanors, including solicitation of an unlawful business, marijuana possession, and domestic battery, and he was convicted of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct, according to court records.
Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Marrero held in lieu of $150,000 bail for criminal sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping.
In the wake of three drowning deaths in the last week, a report shows that Lake Michigan is the deadliest of all five Great Lakes.
Of the 40 drowning deaths in the Great Lakes so far in 2016, exactly half occurred in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.
The nonprofit dedicated to improving water safety has compiled statistics on drowning deaths since 2010. It appears as though drownings have increased, as 23 people died in Lake Michigan in the entire year in 2015, compared to 20 in just over six months of 2016.
478 people have drowned in the Great Lakes since 2010, according to the GLSRP, 223 of which have been in Lake Michigan. The statistics are based on reports from the U.S. Coast Guard, first responders, and news outlets.
Lake Michigan had 83 drownings and 253 rescues of swimmers caught in currents between 2002 and 2015, according to data compiled by the National Weather Service and Michigan Sea Grant, the Chicago Tribune reports. That is more than double the number of current-related incidents for the four other Great Lakes combined.
Most recently, two men drowned at a northwest Indiana beach on Saturday while attempting to rescue a child from the powerful currents of Lake Michigan.
Earlier in the day, the National Weather Service issued a Beach Hazards Statement warning beachgoers to stay out of the water, as high waves and strong currents were predicted to be treacherous.
Experts say the distinctive shape of the lake, with long, parallel shores makes it more susceptible to these dangerous currents, according to the Tribune. Lake Michigan also has the sandiest shores of the Great Lakes, the Tribune reports, drawing the most visitors to its beaches.
What to Know The once-classified chapter raised questions about Saudi links to the hijackers
The ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told NBC News the docs don't prove the Saudi gov't was connected to the attacks
The pages were withheld from the 838-page report on the orders of President George W. Bush
Congress on Friday released a long-classified and highly controversial 28-page section from the congressional inquiry into 9/11 that revealed suspicions about a Saudi government link to the terror attacks, but no "smoking gun" that linked the country to al-Qaida's operation.
The redacted pages from the 838-page report were published on the House Intelligence Committee's website on Friday afternoon, less than a day after they were sent to Congress for review. The documents implicate several Saudi nationals in the planning and funding of the attacks but don't appear to provide a definitive link to the nation's government -- as officials who had previously seen the documents have maintained.
"Certainly a lot of smoke, certainly a lot of financing from Saudi individuals, but those who are hopeful that those pages contain a smoking gun will be disappointed," Rep. Adam Schiff said before the chapter was released.
Read the redacted pages here.
The newly declassified document, with light redactions, names people the hijackers associated with before they carried out the attacks, killing nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and on a plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. It identifies individuals who helped the hijackers get apartments, open bank accounts, attend local mosques and get flight lessons. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals and several were not fluent in English and had little experience living in the West.
Later investigations found no evidence that the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials knowingly supported those who orchestrated the attacks. The document released Friday said that "neither CIA or FBI witnesses were able to identify definitively the extent of Saudi support for terrorist activity globally or within the United States."
The document goes on to detail associates of the hijackers and their dealings and connections with the Saudi government. The document alleges that at least two people who supported the hijackers were Saudi intelligence officers.
The document said, though, that the inquiry made "no final determinations as to the reliability or sufficiency of the information" from FBI and CIA sources, and that the information could allude to either terrorist involvement or more "legitimate and innocent" explanations for any Saudi connections to the attacks.
[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More
Later, the document states that FBI agents noted that the Saudi government was "useless and obstructionist" in investigations into terror before and after the attacks.
Lawmakers and relatives of victims, who don't think all Saudi links to the attackers were thoroughly investigated, campaigned for more than 13 years to get the final chapter of the 2002 congressional inquiry released.
Saudi Arabia has called for the release of the chapter since 2002 so the kingdom could respond to any allegations and punish any Saudis who may have been involved in the attacks.
"Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, have investigated the contents of the '28 Pages' and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks," Abdullah Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, said in a statement Friday.
"We hope the release of these pages will clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions about Saudi Arabia's actions, intentions, or long-term friendship with the United States," he said. "Saudi Arabia is working closely with the United States and other allies to eradicate terrorism and destroy terrorist organizations."
House intelligence committee Chairman Devin Nunes said that while he supported the release, "It's important to note that this section does not put forward vetted conclusions, but rather unverified leads that were later fully investigated by the intelligence community."
However, others including Former Florida Sen. Bob Graham, the co-chairman of the congressional inquiry believe the hijackers had an extensive Saudi support system while they were in the United States. Graham has said that the pages "point a very strong finger at Saudi Arabia as being the principle financier."
The pages were withheld from the 838-page report on the orders of President George W. Bush, who said the release could divulge intelligence sources and methods. Still, protecting U.S.-Saudi diplomatic relations also was believed to have been a factor.
On Friday, several families of 9/11 victims said that they welcomed the release of the documents, noting that they wanted more government transparency on possible Saudi involvement in the attacks.
The online 28pages.org, an Internet site pushing to get the documents released, points to another document declassified in July 2015 that outlined ways in which the commission could examine possible Saudi links.
The 47-page document lists several pages of individuals of interest and suggests questions that could be pursued. One name is suspected al-Qaida operative Ghassan al Sharbi.
Al Sharbi, who was taking flight lessons in the Phoenix area before 9/11, was captured in 2002 in the same place in Pakistan as Abu Zubaydah, a top al-Qaida trainer who was apprehended and waterboarded dozens of times by U.S. interrogators.
The document said that after al Sharbi was captured, the FBI discovered some documents buried nearby. One was al Sharbi's pilot certificate inside an envelope from the Saudi Embassy in Washington, although it's unclear whether the license had been mailed by the embassy or if the envelope was simply being reused.
A CIA's inspector general report in June 2015 said there had been no reliable reporting confirming Saudi government "involvement with and financial support for terrorist prior to 9/11." But it also said that people in the CIA's Near East Division and Counterterrorism Center "speculated that dissident sympathizers within the government may have aided al-Qaida." The rest of chapter, titled "Issues related to Saudi Arabia," is blacked out.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is responding to Thursday night's truck attack in France by arguing for the expulsion from the U.S. of any Muslim who believes in Sharia law.
Gingrich is being considered as a possible running mate by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
The former Georgia congressman said on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" that the U.S. "should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported. Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization."
Gingrich is calling the attack in Nice, France, which killed at least 80 people, "the fault of Western elites who lack the guts to do what is right, to do what is necessary, and to tell us the truth, and that starts with Barack Obama."
A 73-year-old Manchester man was killed in a crash early Friday morning.
Police said they responded to a serious crash at the intersection of Tolland Turnpike and Oakland Street at 12:22 a.m. and found that a 21-year-old Manchester man hit the back of 73-year-old Solomon Reids 2003 Nissan Murano.
Reid sustained serious injuries and an ambulance transported him to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, where he died from injuries sustained in the crash, police said.
The other driver was transported to Hartford Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.
Police said the intersection and the Interstate 84 exit 63 ramp were closed for several hours while police investigated.
The Manchester Police Department Traffic Unit and the Metro Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team are investigating and ask anyone who saw the crash or has additional information to call Officer Helvidio at 860-645-5560.
Documents obtained by NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters reveal that the licensee of a Stamford daycare, where a two-month-old baby died, safety concerns and hazards from the last two years.
Stamford EMS responded to Little Bears Beginnings Daycare, on Wardwell Street, around 3:12 p.m. Tuesday after a worker called 911 and reported that the baby girl, Bella Redondo, of New Canaan, was having trouble breathing, police said. Bella was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the baby's death a homicide and said the cause of death is blunt force trauma to the head, police said.
The most recent inspections outline various safety concerns and hazards within the daycare from both late last year and a couple of months ago. The documents also reveal the licensee failed to complete a corrective action plan until recently.
In December of 2015, a state inspector from the office of early childhood paid an unannounced visit to the Little Bears Beginnings Daycare on Wardwell Street.
Little Bears main childcare provider Nydia Carillo got licensed in April 2015 to run the family daycare from the second floor of the rented home. Carillo's husband, William Corleto and sister, Claudio Carillo also worked at the daycare, according to documents.
When a state inspector arrived in late December, they documented concerns that Claudia Carillo did not have a medical tuberculosis test done, nor a completed background check, the documents read.
Additionally, reports show the inspector found a curling iron plugged into a lamp where a child was asleep on the floor.
Inspector Miriam Johnson wrote in the report the "backyard (is) unsafe for childcare at this time" after observing gas grills, propane tanks and a pile of fencing wood with nails exposed in the back yard during the Decemeber inspection.
The report also said an electrical outlet and sockets were left uncovered in a bathroom.
While some repairs were made on sight that same day, letters from the state indicate that Nydia Carillo failed to submit the entire corrective action plan need in February or March.
A supplemental report of inspection from May 18 recorded a heavy metal piece of construction equipment propped up against a wall in the backyard play area, two stairways in the back yard that werent protected with gates not fully secured.
The report also said a child was seen walking into a gas grill and sharp edge that resulted in a minor mark on the side of his face.
The problems noted in the May 18 report were fixed according to a corrective action plan and returned to state officials on June 1 of this year.
Following two-month-old Bella Redondos death, NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters was told its likely an inspector will visit Little Bears again.
Since the Medical Examiner ruled Bella's a homicide, police are talking with three people from the daycare, but have not identified them.
NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters has reached out to an attorney for the daycare.
The commissioner declined to speak with NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters on camera on Thursday.
On the commissioner's website, parents are advised to look for a copy of the license and medical forms and to ask any questions they need to.
Five people were indicted accused of moving stolen goods in two separate New Haven area fencing operations, according to a press release from the US Attorneys Office.
Officials said all five face federal charges that stemmed from an FBI investigation. According to a press release, George Connelly, Jr., 45, of New Haven, Paul William Muzyka, 46, of North Haven, and William Reidell, 40, of Branford, were each indicted June 23 on one count of conspiracy and multiple counts of interstate transportation of stolen property.
Andrew Sacco, 43, of East Haven and Matthew Harwood, 42, of Stratford were each indicted July 7 on one count of conspiracy and multiple counts of interstate transportation of stolen property. Both indictments were released today, according to officials.
According to the first indictment, Connelly and Muzka operated a licensed secondhand store called Ace Amusements at 42 Kimberly Avenue in New Haven. The document alleges that the pair knowingly purchased stolen property from boosters who were typically shoplifters with opiod addictions - then resold the stolen goods at Ace Amusements and online. Reidell is accused of purchasing stolen property from Connelly and Muzyka then reselling it online.
Sacco and Harwood are accused of knowingly purchasing stolen property from boosters and reselling the property online, officials said. Their indictment alleges that they rented cars for boosters to assist with the crime.
Connecticut State Police, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the Connecticut Chief States Attorneys Office, and the New Haven, North Haven, Milford, West Haven, Wallingford, Hamden and Orange Police Departments all assisted in this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and John T. Pierpont, Jr. are the prosecutors in this case.
A Southbury woman is waiting for answers after friends and loved ones texted her saying they were at the location of the Nice attack.
"I'm sorry but it's too hard to see...so many people assassinated so many lives," said Marda Gutierrez, president of the Alliance Francaise of North Western Connecticut, as she reads her text message.
A friend in Nice, France explained the experience after a man took more than 80 lives by plowing a truck through a Bastille Day celebration Thursday night.
"Traumatized for life... I can't speak about it," Gutierrez read.
She said a friend's teenage daughter is injured.
"A very dear friend whose daughter is hurt and is in the hospital," she said.
Gutierrez's husband grew up in Nice and said France's independence day celebration is something anticipated and enjoyed.
"It would have been a family affair. It would have been everybody out for a night," she explained.
Now she waits for news of her loved ones well-being and hopes no more texts like the one she received comes in the future.
Stamford Hospital's delay in reporting signs of a head injury to a 2-month-old baby, who was transported after she was having trouble breathing at a daycare, has hampered police's homicide investigation, police said.
Bella Redondo had "evidence of head trauma" when she was transported to Stamford Hospital on Tuesday at 3:40 p.m., Lt. Diedrich Hohn confirmed with NBC Connecticut.
Stamford EMS responded to Little Bears Beginnings Daycare, on Wardwell Street, around 3:12 p.m. Tuesday after a worker called 911 and reported that the baby girl, Bella Redondo, of New Canaan, was having trouble breathing, police said. Bella was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Hohn said the hospital should have reported the injury to police two hours sooner than they did. He said the baby's injuries were "obvious" and should have raised suspicion that a criminal act had probably occured, Hohn confirmed with NBC Connecticut.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the baby's death a homicide and said the cause of death is blunt force trauma to the head, police said.
Stamford Hospital told NBC Connecticut it notifies "law enforcement and authorities as soon as a patient's immediate medical condition does not require our full attention."
"Privacy laws and concern for our patients and their families prevents us from commenting on individual cases. However, in a life or death situation in our emergency department, our main priority is to save a patients life. We notify law enforcement and authorities as soon as a patients immediate medical condition does not require our full attention. It is important for the public to understand that in grave situations, it is the life of the patient that is most important. We have great respect for the role that law enforcement plays and, in this and every case, we fully cooperate with reporting requirements and the complete investigation," the hospital wrote in a statement.
On Wednesday, documents obtained by NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters reveal that the licensee of a Stamford daycare, where a two-month-old baby died, safety concerns and hazards from the last two years.
An inspector wrote in the report the "backyard (is) unsafe for childcare at this time" after observing gas grills, propane tanks and a pile of fencing wood with nails exposed in the back yard during the Decemeber inspection.
The report also said an electrical outlet and sockets were left uncovered in a bathroom.
While some repairs were made on sight that same day, letters from the state indicate that the daycare licensee failed to submit the entire corrective action plan need in February or March.
A homicide investigation is still underway.
Many North Texans have stepped up to help support the families of the five officers who were gunned down one week ago.
For Dallas restaurateur Joseph Palladino, the loss carries a heavy burden.
Palladino is a retired officer with the New York Police Department.
"It made me angry," he said. "It reminded me that our city is blessed with some of the bravest men and women in uniform. Police officers put their lives on the line every day and they're asked to do so much, so often, for so little."
Palladino is giving 100 percent of Thursday night's proceeds from his Dos Jefes restaurant in uptown Dallas to the Guns & Hoses Foundation of North Texas. Guns & Hoses is dedicated to assisting families of fallen first responders.
The event is called Dine for Dallas Blue.
Palladino, who also owns Nick & Sam's Steakhouse, is auctioning off signed memorabilia donated by Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks players to help raise money as well.
The event runs from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Dos Jefes, located at 2816 Fairmount Street in Dallas.
Physicians and nurses at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas treated several of the police officers and civilians shot during the ambush on law enforcement last Thursday night in downtown Dallas.
At the front lines of the trauma department were nurses Erick Jenkins, Brad Blacketer, Brittany Fairchild, Greg Terry and Kaley Almanza.
"I've worked in the E.R. of Baylor for three years, but I've been a nurse for almost six. I have never experienced anything like this in all my six years of nursing," Fairchild said.
The five started their 12-hour shift at 7 p.m., about two hours before injured officers started arriving.
"On the TV, I saw everything unfolding. The next thing you know, I see respiratory therapists running past so I knew something had happened," Almanza said.
Their training kicked in, but so did unexpected emotions as lives were saved while others were lost.
"Outraged. I couldn't believe someone was capable of actively targeting police officers intentionally," Jenkins said.
"I didn't expect to be as sad days later as I was. As much horror as I've seen in my career, I can distance myself from that relatively easily. This, I could not do that with this," Terry said.
"Emotionally, you have to go home and cope with it somehow," said Blacketer, who said he coped through spending time with his children.
For Jenkins, the biggest issue in the days after shooting was the constant questions from others.
"The thing for me, when I came back was I didn't want to keep answering the questions about how it was. People kept asking. Patients would ask," Jenkins said.
For Fairchild, the days since the shooting have been difficult.
"I still think about it every day. I see it all over social media. It's just something that you can't really avoid. It's all over the news. It's all anybody seems to be talking about for good reason but it does make it very, very hard to move on," she said.
Everyone, however, returned to work the next day, ready to serve.
That includes Almanza, who finished her trauma department orientation four days before the shooting and is married to an Ellis County sheriff's deputy.
"I try to not put myself in that position, to think, 'What if that was my husband, right then, right now? I need save this person's life first.' I did have those thoughts in the aftermath," she said.
"It was hard not to break down multiple times. Definitely one of the hardest things hardest shifts I've ever had to go through," Almanza added.
What to Know There have never been documented cases of Zika transmitted from a woman to a man until the CDC's findings announced Friday
There have been 310 confirmed cases of Zika in New York City
The species of mosquito most commonly associated with Zika's spread hasn't been found in the tri-state, but a similar species lives here.
The first documented case of the Zika virus transmitted by sexual contact from a woman to a man was reported in New York City, the Centers for Disease Control announced Friday.
The finding is the first time the CDC has documented the illness being spread from a woman to a man. All prior cases of sexually-transmitted Zika involved a man who infected a woman, according to the CDC.
The Zika virus causes only a mild illness, at worst, in most people. But infection during pregnancy can lead to severe brain-related birth defects for the fetus. The New York woman was not pregnant.
While this is the first documented case of a woman spreading Zika through sex, health experts say it is not surprising because most diseases that can be spread through sex can be spread by both men and women. It has likely been happening throughout the recent Zika outbreaks in Brazil, Latin America and elsewhere, though experts say it is probably not very common.
On the day the New York woman returned from a trip to a Zika-infected country, she had vaginal sex with her partner, without a condom, health officials were told.
She went to her doctor three days after her return, after developing common Zika symptoms such as fever, fatigue, rash and back pain. Tests showed Zika infection.
Seven days after they'd had sex, her male partner developed similar symptoms. Two days later, he went to the same doctor. The doctor tested him even though he hadn't traveled from a Zika outbreak area and no cases of female-to-male transmission had been reported. He tested positive for Zika.
They both are in their 20s, but no other details about them were released, including where the woman traveled or when the infection started. Both have recovered, a CDC official said.
The woman began menstruating the day after they had sex. Health official say she may have spread the virus through vaginal fluid or menstrual blood.
The primary concern about Zika infection is the virus's threat to pregnancies, and health officials have issued cautions to pregnant women who have a male sex partner who may have been infected.
Male-to-female transmission is considered far more likely than the other way around, experts said. One reason is that Zika virus has been found to linger in semen for more than two months, but is thought to stay in vaginal fluid no more than two weeks, said Dr. John T. Brooks, a CDC expert on sexually-transmitted diseases who is part of the agency's Zika response team.
The case likely does not complicate efforts to fight the virus or show an important additional pathway for transmission, Brooks said, because female-to-male transmission is relatively difficult.
In the New York case, for example, several factors lined up to allow the disease to spread. The couple had sex just before the woman developed symptoms, a time when the amount of virus in her body may have been particularly high. They had sex just before her period started, so there may have been a small amount of early bleeding. And the man was uncircumcised, and uncircumcised men are considered at higher risk of catching sexually transmitted diseases.
The news comes two days after the city Health Department announced there have been 310 confirmed cases of Zika in the five boroughs, including 36 women who were pregnant at the time of infection.
Nationwide, more than 1,300 people in all 50 states and Washington have been diagnosed with Zika. At least 14 of the patients came down with the illness through sexual contact; all of the others contracted Zika while in another country.
Zika has been linked to microcephaly, a condition in which a newborn's brain is underdeveloped and the head is abnormally small. In addition to sexual contact, the virus is spread through specific species of mosquitoes.
The mosquito species most commonly associated with Zika's spread is not found in the tri-state, but a similar species that scientists think could transmit the disease inhabits the area.
New York City health officials have said they've been monitoring populations of the insect and applying pesticides to keep mosquito-borne diseases like Zika at bay.
All pregnant women with sex partners who travel to or live in Zika-stricken areas should use barrier-based contraception, such as a condom, according to the CDC. The recommendation now also includes women who have sex with women, even though there have been no documented woman-to-woman transmissions.
A program already underway to promote one neighborhood is the type of attention Southern Dallas community leaders seek to unite the city in the wake of police shootings.
Rebirth of Red Bird is a combination of Dallas Police, government, church, community and business people all working to revive the neighborhood.
This is my target area, said Dallas councilman Casey Thomas who represents the Red Bird area. This is where were putting a lot of city resources, and were committed to making this area thrive once again.
Red Bird is home to Dallas Executive Airport. Homes in the Red Bird area rival North Dallas neighborhoods. But decaying shopping centers and code violations plague Red Bird.
Its the basics, Thomas said. We want to make sure the basics are taken care of. The neighbors and the residents, they want economic development. They want quality retail. They want sit down restaurants, and all of those things. And we have to make sure neighborhoods are clean and safe if we want to get development.
A Rebirth of Red Bird meeting is set for Saturday morning at Friendship West Baptist Church in the neighborhood.
Friendship West Church Senior Pastor Frederick Haynes attended a White House meeting Wednesday in Washington, DC. Police and community leaders from around the nation met with President Barack Obama to discuss unity after police involved violence the past two weeks. Five Dallas Police officers were murdered by a shooter and two citizens were killed by police in other states.
I think it was a very healthy conversation, Haynes said.
As Dallas mourns the officers killed, Haynes said Southern Dallas has not forgotten citizens who died in past police shootings. The Pastor said Dallas police have made strides to improve community relations and reduce the use of deadly force but he wants more progress.
When we start creating healthy communities, we also will create healthy relationships with the policing community, Haynes said.
I believe this can be a transformational moment so we can say next year at this time -- we can say in honor of those police officers -- these steps have been taken. And a part of that will have to do with the development on this side of town. And when we develop the side of town that has been characterized by neglect, you will see a healthier interaction with police, and a healthier Dallas city."
Citizens are invited to attend the Saturday Rebuilding of Red Bird meeting at Friendship West Church on Wheatland Road from 10:00 a.m. to Noon.
Christelle Thimon urgently tried to reach her family in France on the phone Thursday after news broke of the attack in Nice. A truck drove onto a crowded sidewalk following a fireworks display along the seafront in Nice, France. The interior minister says 80 people have been confirmed dead, while 18 of the injured are in critical condition.
She was in a parking lot, about to attend a Bastille Day Celebration in the Bishop Arts District.
I couldnt get through to them at first, she said.
Thimon, who now lives in Grand Prairie and works for a credit financing company in Dallas, grew up near Nice and still has family members living there.
Then my brother called me back, she said. And when he called I was crying. He said, 'Im OK, we're OK, we're OK.' And I was like, 'What about auntie?' And he was like, 'She was in bed. She's sleeping. It's fine. It's fine.'"
She reached her brother a second time on Facetime.
"He says he's fine but he can't sleep, she said, holding up her screen.
At the Dallas celebration, the mood was festive. Live music blared from every corner.
"You have to just live your life, said longtime Bishop Arts resident Trixie Tincher. You have to trust. You have to live your life."
She said she is not afraid.
"This is what it's all about, she said. Love your neighbor."
Thimon said she recently talked with a family member in France who was afraid to send her daughter to Dallas after last week's attack on police.
"My sister in law called, because my niece is coming, Thimon said. And she said, 'I can't believe she's coming to you next month, in August, and this is happening. And I replied this could have happened anywhere, even to you. And it happened."
But on this night, the party continued, with a crowd determined to celebrate life, instead of fear it.
"It's a lot. It's too much, Thimon said. You try to make sense of it, but there's no sense to be make of it. I don't want fear to overcome me, so I won't let fear overcome me.
A large U.S. flag hung from the ladders of two fire trucks as hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of Michael Krol, a Michigan native who moved to Dallas to become a police officer.
Law enforcement personnel from across the country attended the service Friday at Prestonwood Baptist Church in the Dallas suburb of Plano to honor the 40-year-old Krol.
He was one of the five officers killed last week by a lone gunman during a march to protest recent fatal shootings of black men in Minnesota and Louisiana by police.
Krol's mother said in a statement that he was a caring person who wanted to help others.
Funerals for three of the officers were held earlier this week. A funeral for Patrick Zamarripa is scheduled for Saturday.
By the time the staff of Parkland Memorial Hospital's Rees-Jones Trauma Center received word of gunshots fired, the first victim had just arrived at the hospital's Emergency Department unloading dock.
"There was no notification," said Jorie Klein, BSN, RN, Director of the Trauma Program.
Klein spoke to NBC 5's Bianca Castro about the night a gunman opened fire on police officers who were working a planned demonstration in downtown Dallas last Thursday.
Four Dallas police officers and one Dart Transit officer were killed.
Seven of the 10 injured officers were transported to Parkland.
"To hear that an officer has been shot is like part of your family has been shot," said Klein.
She says the hospital enacted a code yellow level three.
Code yellow level ones are reserved for catastrophic events, while a code yellow level three is used in situations with multiple casualities.
"At Parkland, we use our disaster system quite a bit for training and for response, so if theres an opportunity, we will use it to make sure people are comfortable with it, that they know what to do, they know how to use their radios and how to use their forms," said Klein.
As the injured officers arrived, they were assigned a letter of the greek alphabet until they were indentified.
Nurses performed disaster triage on each one.
"In disaster triage, youre really using your eyes, your ears, your fingertips and your smell and thats the only thing you're doing," explained Klein. "If I say to you, 'what's your name,' and you answer me back, that tells me you have an airway, you're breathing. If I touch your skin and it's warm and dry, and I take your pulse, it's not count how many beats, it is to see, 'is it fast, is it weak?'" said Klein.
After that brief initial assessment, the most critical officers were brought to the critical care rooms, where about 20 doctors, nurses and a respiratory therapist would attend to the patient.
Klein said in all, doctors went through 90 units of blood.
As the victims were rushed through the trauma center, their families and fellow officers packed into two large family rooms inside the Emergency Department.
Klein estimates about 70 other officers stood guard in the halls and another 200 waited outside.
Klein says the trauma system worked as planned, but what made this situation different was treating the amount of officers, many of whom, they consider family.
"Thats really hard. I mean, Ive certainly been here when other officers have died, but seeing that number of them and the large number of officers here to wait for them, that was almost overwhelming, again, because were so integrated with them," said Klein.
Three officers died at the hospital.
"I've seen alot of things at Parkland, but watching my nurses walk behind them after they pushed three of those officers out and loaded them into the medical examiner's vehicle... all the officers that were here were lined up, that shows their respect, their love, their comraderie. That was probably one of the most touching emotional points that I've seen," says Klein.
Klein said her team has changed certain procedures from lessons learned that evening, such as strengething internal communications protocol.
A truck loaded with weapons and hand grenades has plowed through a crowd of people on a sidewalk in the French resort city of Nice, killing at least 80 people. A group of Texas students were not too far away from the deaths.
Emily Laughlin, a law student at St. Mary's Law School in San Antonio is visiting Nice with four other students from the same school. They are part of a much larger group of about 30 students from St. Mary's attending a summer program in Austria, returning in mid-August.
"People just started to get panicked and they were running and screaming," said Laughlin to NBCDFW via Skype.
"A bunch of us got on our hands and knees and we crawled into the bathroom."
Worried about a second attack, French officials are warning officials to stay indoors.
"The people who were outside were walking very quickly," said Laughlin. "You could tell everyone wanted to be back to their houses."
Phoenix police released a new sketch Thursday of a gunman who has been ambushing people near their homes and cars, killing seven people since March, NBC News reported.
A $30,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the suspect who has been stalking Maryvale neighborhood streets, leaving bodies in his wake.
The killer has struck after dark and has killed men, women and children ranging from 12 to 55 with not apparent motive.
Police initially linked four shootings to the same culprit, but confirmed this week that four other incidents showed the same pattern.
The celebration and revelry of Bastille Day turned into death and destruction of on Thursday when a truck plowed into a crowd of people celebrating the holiday on the streets of Nice, France.
In the aftermath of the attack that left at least 84 people dead, people offered prayers and support using #PrayForNice on social media.
Some residents of Nice offered their homes to those who may be stranded or in need of shelter by tweeting with #PortesOuvertesNice, meaning "Open House Nice."
The violence started as thousands of people were leaving the beach about 20 minutes after a large fireworks display to celebrate the holiday, said Kevin Motamedi, a doctor from Denver who stopped in Nice on a six-week tour of Europe.
"It was the scariest moment of my life, easily," he said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was discharged from the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio on Friday afternoon, following treatment for his 2nd and 3rd degree burns.
Governor Abbott sustained severe burns on his legs and feet last week while on vacation in Wyoming. The cause of the burns has not been made public.
Upon his return to the Lone Star State, the Governor rushed to Dallas to respond to the Dallas Police Ambush, but was hospitalized soon after.
Doctors on Monday found a minor infection that developed as a result of the burns and had to undergo a skin graft procedure.
Although Abbott was originally scheduled to be released on Tuesday, he stayed under the hospital's care until July 15 due to the infection.
The Governor said in a statement that he and his wife "are thankful to all the doctors and medical professionals at BAMC who provided excellent care during their stay this week, and to the public for their overwhelming support and prayers. "
Governor Abbott will be returning to Austin where he will continue to recover.
Police body-worn camera footage released Wednesday shows a tense traffic stop last month, during which Fresno officers shot a 19-year-old man who they believed was armed four times.
Dylan Noble was shot on June 25 after police responded to a call about a man who was armed with a rifle, NBC News reported. Officers contacted Noble, who was driving a pickup truck, and followed him off the street and into a gas station near Clovis and Clinton avenues around 3 p.m.
The two minute-plus video depicts officers giving Noble dozens of commands, including "Show both hands," "Drop whatever you have in your hand," and "You're going to get shot, man!" Despite being ordered to lie on the ground, Noble disobeyed the police and advanced toward them, with his right hand behind his back.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said the officers thought their lives were in danger and opened fire when they saw Noble reaching into the waistband of his pants, potentially to draw out a gun. He added that the men who shot and killed Noble are veteran officers, each serving more than 15 years on the force.
"One of the officers said during his interview that he felt Noble was either taunting him or practicing pulling out a gun," Dyer said at a news conference Wednesday.
Dyer also said that when the officers confronted Noble, the teen said he "hated his life." After shooting at him twice, the officers continued to yell at Noble to stop moving his arms. He refused to comply, and was shot again, twice.
NBC News reported that the Fresno Police Department is investigating the need for the last two gunshots.
"I, too, have questions about the last two rounds that were fired," Dyer said. "Were they based on a reasonable fear?"
Police have since said Noble was unarmed and was carrying a ceramic container full of clay, NBC News said. The source of the original report about Noble carrying a rifle remains unknown.
Unfortunately, Dyer said, the officers didnt know, in the heat of the moment, that Noble was not carrying a firearm.
"I've had the luxury of watching this video 40 times in my office and on the big screen, a luxury those officers didn't have," Dyer said.
The FBI is looking into Noble's death and a criminal investigation, scheduled to be done by August, is expected to rely on a coroners report and toxicology results, NBC News reported. The outcome of the investigation will decide whether the officers use of force was justified, police said.
"Tensions are high," Dyer said. "In some cases we are one spark away from a forest fire. And I pray this video doesn't serve as that spark ... This is not a time to become violent."
Even before police released the footage Wednesday, the fatal shooting had garnered nationwide attention because of graphic cell phone video recorded by a witness. It shows Noble lying on the ground as the two police officers stand over him, with their guns trained on his body. One shot is fired, and then another, as a third officer approaches the scene.
At one point, Noble's blurry body can be seen, with his arms raised, saying, "I've been shot."
Police have said that they believe Noble may have been trying to end his life, but people who knew him have disputed that allegation, the Fresno Bee reported.
On Wednesday, Stuart Chandler, the attorney for Dylan Nobles mother Veronica Nelson, said, "We are pleased to discover from the media that Chief Dyer is belatedly providing the body camera footage to the general public."
Nelson has filed a lawsuit against the city for the officers' use of excessive force. It seeks unspecified damages.
Editor's note: The following video contains graphic content.
Officers from the Covina Police Department's tactical team deployed their best moves in a video this week to help raise money for a 3-year-old Corona girl with cerebral palsy.
Dressed in full SWAT gear, officers groove to Meghan Trainor's "Better When I'm Dancing," busting out "The Lasso," "The Bunny Hop," and "the "Lawnmower" in a video posted on the Covina Police Department's Facebook page.
The video is a response to #daretodancechallenge, an internet campaign to raise money for a surgery that could drastically change the life of Finley Smallwood, who was born with a chronic neuromuscular condition that severely limits her muscle control. She has been going through physical therapy all her life and needs assistance to walk and perform other day to day tasks.
Finley's adoptive mother set up a YouCaring page to raise a goal of $60,000 for selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery, in hopes of keeping Finley out of a wheelchair and off pain medication.
The family started #daretodancechallenge based on Finley's love of dancing.
"Everyone has dreams for their children and ours is simply to just watch our little girl dance one day," said Finley's mother in a YouTube video.
Those challenged have to dance it forward by challenging others to create a dancing YouTube video of their own.
The Covina Police Department is one of several who have accepted the challenge to dance for Fifi. The Los Angeles Fire Department also joined in on the challenge earlier this week.
Covina has called on the Azusa, West Covina, Pomona, and Glendora police departments to step up to the challenge and dance for Fifi.
A University of California, Berkeley student is missing in Nice, France, following Thursday's terror attack that killed at least 84 people and injured scores of others, according to university officials.
Twenty-year-old Nicolas Leslie was among 85 Berkeley students attending a study abroad program nearby, officials said Friday. Three other Berkeley students in the group were injured in the attack, in which a gunman drove a truck through crowds leaving a Bastille Day fireworks celebration in the seaside tourist destination.
Friends tell NBC Bay Area that Leslie avoided being hit by the truck but was separated during the stampede and chaos that followed. They also say he was active on social media after the attack but has been silent since, which they describe as unusual. [[387002501, C]]
Leslie is a junior at Berkeley, majoring in the College of Natural Resources.
Berkeley spokesperson Robert Sanders said that staff with campus study abroad, risk services and student affairs offices were working with Leslie's family, students in France, the program director on the ground, local officials and U.S. consular officials to find him.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Leslie's uncle, Fabeo Bottini, has been going from hospital to hospital in Nice trying to get information about his missing nephew.
The Daily Beast reported that a friend of Leslies saw the 20-year old running through the streets of Old Nice. But Leslie's aunt, Bottinis wife, said the student never returned to his student housing Thursday night.
Leslie's friend, Anoop Baliga, has been reaching out to Leslie via social media along with many others hoping to hear from him soon. Baliga says Leslie's last Snapchat story post was from a restaurant about 10 minutes away from the attack's location. He says there has been movement on his Facebook page, but he thinks it's because people are using his laptop to try and find him.
Chandrabh Akireddy, who knows Leslie from the Net Impact Berkeley Undergrad program at Berkeley, said a couple of his friends who were in the square with Leslie, who friends call Nick, checked in after the attack.
"Some people saw him escape ... One of the students said he ran off with Nick during the attack but they got separated," Akireddy said. "The guess seems to be that he is OK."
Akireddy's friends saw Leslie active on Facebook messenger after the attack.
"We're taking that as a good sign and hoping that his phone died or something, and that he's still hiding somewhere," he said. "He's a great guy, we're optimistic."
Akireddy said that Leslie spent his childhood between San Diego and Italy. He added he met Leslie after joining Net Impact last year.
Leslie's Facebook page shows that he studies at Berkeley, lives in Del Mar, California, and is from Milan, Italy. He attended Torrey Pines High School in San Diego.
Mustapha Khokhar, a friend of Leslies at Berkeley, said he received a Snapchat from Leslie at 1:20 p.m. PT Thursday, but that he hasnt heard from him since. That radio silence is odd for someone who has been snapchatting or streaking, as its often called relentlessly over the course of his vacation.
We had a 20+ day streak going, Khokhar said. Hes been essentially documenting his whole trip to me over snap. And that streak ended yesterday.
Khokhar said its possible, but out of character, for Leslie to have accidently let his phone die.
Nick isnt the type to go AWOL and pass out with his phone dead, he said. The dude is attached to his phone but I would hope thats what happened.
Khokhar, who has known Leslie for more than two years, described his friend as someone with a heart of gold.
Hes one of the most genuine and sincere people I know, he said. If you need help with work he will be there. If you call him at 3 a.m. asking to be picked up cause youre drunk, he will be there.
According to Sanders, two of the students identified as Diane Huang, 20, and Daryus Medora, 21 sustained broken legs and were receiving treatment at a hospital in Nice.
A third, 23-year-old Vladyslav Kostiuk, suffered a broken foot.
Kostiuk posted a photo of his injury on his Facebook page, with the caption: "I would say only one thing: I was lucky, I'm alive, unlike other people that were walking with me. Just got out from a surgery. Picture: in a casino where I was taken first."
Paige Basconcillo, a Berkeley student from Bakersfield, California, who is also in the Study Abroad group, has been tweeting about Leslie as well, asking people in Cote d'Azur (the French Riviera) to search for him.
All of the students in the study abroad program were attending a 15-day program on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe, part of the international European Innovation Academy, which was suspended to observe the three days of national mourning in France.
The program will go on through its planned end date of July 24, university officials said, but the campus has offered to bring home any students who wish to leave. So far, three students have opted to return home to the U.S.
UC Berkeley officials said in a statement late Friday that a representative of the study abroad program is heading to Nice to support the students, who experienced Thursday's horror.
UC Berkeley student Nick Leslie is missing following the Nice attack in France. His friend, Anoop Baliga, has been reaching out to Leslie via social media along with many others hoping to hear from him soon.
University Vice Provost Cathy Koshland and Dean of Students Joseph Defraine Greenwell joined the Bay Area community to express sympathy to to all the students, families and the French community who have been affected by this tragic event and senseless violence.
A message posted by Berkeley student Abhinav Kukreja on Facebook talks about Leslie missing since Thursday's attack.
"We know he successfully avoided colliding with the truck, but we lost him during the stampede and chaos that follow. Please share this so Nick an get back to his friends and family," Kukreja wrote.
Recent terrorist attacks have impacted other Berkeley students. Berkeley sophomore, Tarishi Jain, was among 20 hostages killed by Islamist militants in Dhaka, Bangladesh on July 1.
Gillian Edavane and Ryann Vargas contributed to this report.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick confronted President Barack Obama over the way he has responded to recent police-involved shootings, urging him to be careful that he is not "too quick to condemn the police without due process until the facts are known."
Obama dismissed the comments, saying he relies on law enforcement "to protect me and my family just like everybody else does" and has spoken out repeatedly in support of police.
During the tense exchange, which came during a Thursday night town hall meeting televised on ABC and ESPN, Patrick told Obama that his "words matter" when he responded to the recent string of shootings by police.
"I'm concerned that police officers across the country, they know you support law enforcement of course, but do they really in their heart feel like you're doing everything you can to protect their lives?" asked the Republican who has clashed previously with the Obama administration. "Yesterday you had meetings at the White House and afterwards you said that the tension between the police and between black America is only going to get worse."
The meeting followed the deaths of five Dallas police officers, gunned down at the end of an otherwise peaceful protest of the police shootings of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota. Patrick called the protesters "hypocrites" for relying on the police for protection once the single gunman began firing on the officers though later said he might have used the wrong word to describe them.
Obama told Patrick that he had been unequivocal in condemning rhetoric directed at police officers, beginning with the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.
"I think, lieutenant governor, you'd have to find any message that did not include a very strong support for law enforcement in all my utterances dating back to Ferguson," the president said.
"So I appreciate the sentiment," Obama added. "I think it's already been expressed. But I'll be happy to send it to you in case you missed it."
Obama also said that data showed a disparity in how police treat white people and people of color an inequity not good for building trust and not good for police officers either, he said.
"We have to address that honestly," he said. "But I think that the one thing that all of us need to do, you and me, is to make sure that we don't pretend as if there aren't potential problems in how police and certain communities interact and that when we raise those issues or people raise those issues that the perception is somehow that that's anti-police."
Patrick asked the president to light the White House with blue in honor of the police, a request the White House has denied.
Among the others who questioned Obama was Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend of 32-year-old Philando Castile, the man killed by police in Minnesota. Reynolds, who livestreamed what followed his shooting on Facebook, said she was scared for her daughter's future and asked the president remotely, "What do we do?"
Obama said it was important for officers to know the community they were protecting and to undergo training to avoid "implicit biases."
"We all carry around with us some assumptions about other people," he said, one of which is often that black men are dangerous.
After the taping of the meeting in a Washington, D.C., theater, the daughter of Eric Garner, who was choked to death by police officers on Staten Island in 2014, began shouting when her question was not taken.
"That's what I have to do?" Erica Garner asked. "A black person has to yell to be heard?"
Garner was able to speak with Obama afterward, according to ABC and the White House.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
A massive search continues in Fort Lauderdale after a murder suspect escaped police custody at the Broward County Courthouse Friday morning.
Around 9:30 a.m., an inmate later identified as 21-year-old Dayonte Resiles reportedly jumped out of the jury box inside a courtroom and ran. Resiles broke free of handcuffs and shackles before leaving his jumpsuit on the ground in the hallway. Detectives say they have received information that Resiles is armed.
(Photo Courtesy J.A.A.B. Blog)
Witnesses inside the courtroom said that a BSO deputy was able to grab onto Resiles' clothing, but the inmate got loose. A prosecutor was also hurt when she was hit by the door to the courtroom as Resiles fled.
Veteran prosecutor Brian Cavanagh was in the courtroom when Resiles ran off.
"I saw a blur and I saw a black and white striped blur, like a very quick Cheshire cat running in the corner of my eye and obviously it was a defendant, I knew it was somebody who was in the jury box," he said.
A short video released by the BSO showed Resiles running out of a courthouse door.
Broward Sheriff Scott Israel said Resiles was shackled appropriately at the time of his escape.
"We've left no stone unturned, every tactical unit I have available to me, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and all our assets and resources, our canine, our helicopters, our marine patrol, are looking for Mr. Resiles," Israel said.
Resiles was arrested after the 2014 murder of Jill Halliburton Su. Su, a relative of the Halliburton oil empire in Texas, was married to Dr. Nan Yao Su, a prominent entomology professor at the University of Florida's Research and Development Center in Fort Lauderdale.
She was found by her son inside the family's Davie home.
Resiles was in court Friday for a hearing over prosecutors' efforts to seek the death penalty in his case.
His defense attorney said he was stunned and hoped his client would turn himself in.
"Sit and wait and hope he turns himself in without someone else hurting him in the process," attorney Dohn Williams said.
Fort Lauderdale Police and Broward Sheriff's Officers searched the area around the courthouse, along with the surrounding neighborhood. Resiles was last seen wearing a white shirt and black shorts.
At one point, deputies and officers responded to the 500 block of Northwest 4th Avenue after hearing possible shots fired, officials said. A perimeter was set up and authorities cleared several apartments but Resiles wasn't found.
In addition to the 2014 murder arrest, Resiles' record shows multiple arrests for burglary and grand theft.
Stay tuned to NBC 6 on air and online for updates.
Tony Duva wasnt happy about sharing his backyard with bees.
"The longer you stand here the more aggressive [the bees] get," said Duva, looking over his neighbors fence where the bees live. "I think its a big safety risk."
Duva, who lives in Miami-Dade County, says the bees showed up a few months ago and have gotten worse. He says two of his lawn workers went into his backyard to fix a broken pipe and were attacked by the bees.
"He and his helper ran around all the way to the side of the house and they chased him all the way into the garage," said Duva of the attack. "One got bit five times, one got bit three times."
Duva was concerned that the bees could attack again and hurt someone who was allergic. And as a kidney transplant recipient, Duva worried about his risk.
"I dont know what would happen with the drugs that I have to take now, he said. "It could cause a lot of problems for me."
According to Duva, he spoke to the homeowner, who didnt live in the home, after the incident and was assured the bees would be gone.
He was very nice on the phone and he said that he was not aware of it, that he would take care of the problem, Duva recalled. A few weeks went by and nothing happened.
Duva contacted the homeowner multiple times after, but never heard from him again. He then turned to Miami-Dade County, searching for answers.
I called 3-1-1. I talked to them, he said. They said that they really couldnt do anything about a bee problem.
Thats when Duva decided to reach out to NBC 6 Responds for help.
"I figured even a phone call from you guys might wake the guy up," he said.
NBC 6 Responds called the homeowner and was told that the problem would be taken care of. Duva reported seeing fewer bees since the call, but claimed the problem wasnt completely fixed.
NBC 6 Responds also called the county. A spokesperson said residents can report bee problems to 3-1-1 or to code enforcement directly. Now the county is planning to make sure all 3-1-1 staff knows how to respond to those complaints.
Armed with that information, Duva filed a complaint with the county. A county spokesperson tells us they sent out an inspector to the property, who determined the beehive had been removed. The county still issued the homeowner a warning for junk and trash on the property.
New details have emerged after a University of Miami student was hurt in a explosive accident inside New York Citys Central Park earlier this month.
Investigators from the NYPD determined that the device was a combination of commercially available products sold to the general public. They wouldnt go into further detail about the exact substances involved or any possible leads into where they were purchased or who made the device.
Connor Golden, a then 18-year-old student, traveled with several friends from his native Virginia, had part of his leg amputated following the July 3rd incident. Golden celebrated his 19th birthday this past Sunday.
The incident sparked a shutdown of the area near the scene, while officials figured out what took place. NYPD officers quickly ruled out terrorism, saying it appeared to be a homemade device left in the park.
A $10,000 reward is being offered for anyone with any information on the case.
Miami-Dade and Sweetwater Police are investigating the death of a 54-year-old woman who was found dead inside of her home Thursday evening.
Officers were dispatched to a home located off SW 107th Avenue and 5th Street around 6:30 PM after receiving a call from a woman saying she couldnt reach her sister who lived at that address.
Once inside, crews found the body of Lisbeth Sandigo. A cause of death is unknown, as are the whereabouts of her son, 32-year-old Joaquin Villagra, who lived inside the home with Sandigo.
Detectives are looking for her vehicle as part of the investigation, a beige 2005 Toyota Corolla with a Florida tag X13-3ZE. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Sweetwater Police or Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers.
Turkey's president declared he is in control of the NATO country early Saturday as loyal military and police forces fought to squash a coup attempt during a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire that left dozens dead, NBC News reported.
A faction of the armed forces attempted to seize power using tanks and attack helicopters, some strafing the headquarters of Turkish intelligence and parliament in Ankara, others seizing a major bridge in Istanbul.
At least 194 people were killed in clashes, Gen. Umit Dundar told a press conference. He said that figure included 47 civilians, 41 police officers, two soldiers and 104 alleged coup plotters. An additional 1,154 people were injured.
The coup attempt crumbled after crowds answered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call to take to the streets and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks. Government officials blamed the unrest on a U.S.-based Islamist cleric.
[NATL] Tanks, Protesters Take to Streets During Attempted Coup in Turkey
President Barack Obama urged all sides in Turkey to support the democratically elected government. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and called for respect for democracy.
NBC
Erdogan and other officials blamed the attempted coup on followers of Fethullah Gulen, an influential cleric in self-imposed exile in the U.S. who once supported Erdogan but became a nemesis.
[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More
The U.S. State Department urged Americans in Turkey not to attempt reaching the U.S. Embassy or consulates, telling them instead to "shelter in place." President Barack Obama discussed the events with Secretary of State John Kerry, and they agreed "the democratically-elected Government of Turkey" should be supported by people in Turkey, according to a White House statement.
What to Know Lifeguards have been cut at all state parks, including Squantz Pond, where 20 people have drowned in the last 15 years
The park implemented new outreach programs, but Spanish-language outreach has fallen off
A supervisor for the pond said he didn't think multilingual outreach about the cuts was necessary, saying the signs were universal
New Yorkers heading to a popular lake in Connecticut with a staggering history of drowning deaths are facing increased danger this summer and NBC 4 New York discovered they may not know it.
As part of state budget cuts enacted this month, lifeguards have been eliminated two days a week at all Connecticut state parks, including Squantz Pond in New Fairfield, where 15 people have drowned in the past 20 years. But NBC 4 New York found the swimming risk is not being communicated to Spanish-speaking visitors who flock to the park.
Its a dangerous oversight, says John Hodge, a former first selectman for New Fairfield who pushed the state to enact sweeping safety changes in 2007 after a rash of drowning deaths.
"By and large its not Connecticut residents whove drowned in this pond. Its New Yorkers," he said. Were so close to the New York border. Its mostly New Yorkers drowning there.
Signs and fliers in Spanish and English, and a bilingual interpreter, were among the safety changes credited with reducing drowning deaths. Only two people have died in the park since 2007.
"Theres no doubt that the procedures that were put into place worked, said Hodge.
But this week, on the first day at the park without lifeguards on duty, NBC 4 New York found Spanish-language outreach to be nonexistent. The only sign in Spanish near the beach was installed years ago and reads: "Our beautiful lake on average has one death each summer. Please dont be the ONE.
Squantz Pond State Park Supervisor John Guglielmoni said he didnt think Spanish-language outreach about lifeguard cuts was necessary.
"I think everybody pretty much gets the message. The flag key really is universal. But the key, on the empty lifeguard stand, is written in English.
When pressed on safety outreach for visitors who dont read or speak English, Guglielmoni said it really wasnt a concern.
"Amazingly, I havent run across them. I have to be honest. Ive been able to communicate with every group of people that have come to this park, of all different ethnicities and backgrounds," Guglielmoni. "If theres a certain individual who cant [speak English] theres always someone in their group who can.
But NBC 4 New York found it wasnt that simple. Some visitors didnt speak English, and some who were bilingual hadnt seen the signs or flag key.
New Fairfield First Selectman Susan Chapman has been fighting to have the lifeguards reinstated. Shes especially worried about not having lifeguards on Monday and Tuesday, which are the lowest attendance days at the park.
Of the seven weekday drownings, five of them were on a Monday or a Tuesday, said Chapman. So the state, theyre determining Monday and Tuesday as low risk days, but for Squantz Pond, Monday and Tuesday are not low Risk days.
She also questions the cost savings.
"Quite frankly, how much would lifeguards on two days a week for the next eight weeks how much is that really going to cost?" Chapman asked. "Is the state of Connecticut really going to achieve any savings at this park not having any lifeguards here Monday and Tuesday?"
NBC 4 New York found the savings dont add up to much. The top wage for a state lifeguard is $14 per hour. The cost of two lifeguards working eight-hour shifts on Monday and Tuesday until Labor Day would be $3,584.
A professor at the New York Institute of Technology has been arrested on charges he placed a camera disguised as a pen in a bathroom at the school's Old Westbury Village, Long Island campus.
Police say 39-year-old Jackie Conrad, of New York City, was arraigned Thursday on charges of unlawful surveillance.
He was arrested after a person reported finding a pen with recording capabilities in a handicap-accessible bathroom on the third floor of the Kenneth Riland Building. Police believe the camera had been in the bathroom for several hours.
A school spokeswoman released a statement saying Conrad, who was a professor in the anatomy department, was no longer an employee. She added that the security team inspected all buildings on campus and no other devices were found.
Conrad's lawyer, Kevin Keating, told Newsday his client had an "exemplary personal and professional relationship."
What to Know More than 80 people died when a truck plowed into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice
Scores were injured
French President Francois Hollande called it an "obvious terrorist attack"
A New York City woman vacationing in France was dining at a Nice restaurant amid Bastille Day festivities when people suddenly started stampeding past the eatery, she says.
The woman, who asked only to be identified as Kat, had just finished watching the fireworks for the French national holiday along with thousands of others, and went to dinner at a restaurant called Frog, just off Nice's famed seaside boulevard, Promenade des Anglais.
Suddenly, "people just started running down the street toward us," she told NBC 4 New York over the phone. "Everyone from the street just flooded the restaurant."
"All the restaurants, they shut their front gates and turned the lights off. Everyone was sitting on the floor, and we heard gunshots," she said.
Kat said everyone sat on the ground for an hour, hushed, unable to connect to anything online because phone service suddenly shut down. Rumors flowed through the restaurant as patrons and shelter-seekers speculated about what was happening outside.
One worker at the restaurant had a relative who worked for the local police, and she told him over the phone to keep everyone inside the restaurant -- "it's not all clear."
People started getting antsy and wanted to leave when they started to see others walk by the restaurant, Kat said. The restaurant owner resisted, saying, "No, we're not clear to let you go."
Finally, when he allowed them to leave, the owner and workers told them they "absolutely cannot go to the right -- go left and keep walking. This whole area is shut down by police," according to Kat.
"When we got to where we could turn, there was this square and it was just swarmed with [the French version of] National Guard and police," said Kat.
They were on high alert, and anyone who approached them would have a gun drawn at them, Kat said.
As Kat walked back to her AirBnb, she said there was a "strange calm" amid the heavy military and police presence and the wailing of police sirens.
"Like people trying to act calm as they're walking home, but they're totally freaked and darting from one place to the other," she told NBC 4.
"All the restaurants were totally deserted. It was a night of people eating out and celebrating -- and suddenly there's restaurants closed, food left on plates, glasses full of wine, people gone. It was like a ghost town. Like everybody just vaporized," she said.
She finally got back to her AirBnb, where friends and family were glued to their TVs, trying to understand what was happening.
Kat added, "Please commend the owners of the bars and restaurants who just let everyone off the street. They housed them, tried to keep them calm and informed and safe."
Asked if she was certain that the sound she heard from inside the restaurant was gunshots, Kat said she couldn't swear to it but was fairly confident: "I lived in Bed-Stuy and someone was shot on my doorstep. It sounded similar to that."
NBC News reports 84 people died after a truck a plowed into pedestrians during Bastille Day celebrations as a crowd watched a fireworks display. Eighteen others are in critical condition.
A local official told French media the driver shot at people before he was fatally shot by police.
French President Francois Hollande called it an "obvious terrorist attack."
A 21-year-old New York University student who had been reported missing was found dead along the Hudson River, authorities say.
Police say Patrick Healey, a mathematics major at the College of Arts and Science, was found along the river shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, a day after he had been reported missing and four days after he was last seen.
Healey, a National Honor Society member and cross-country runner, was pronounced dead at the scene.
He had last been seen at his West 83rd Street home Sunday.
The medical examiner's office will determine how he died.
Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and loved ones, NYU spokesman John Beckman told DNAinfo. The University is making counselors available to support those affected."
Elected officials sent condolences to France Thursday as police stepped up security across New York City following a truck attack in Nice that killed at least 84 people and left dozens more injured.
The NYPDs heavily-armed Hercules team stood watch over the French consulate, where flags were being lowered in tribute to the dozens who were slaughtered in the Bastille Day rampage.
There was an increased police presence in heavily trafficked areas of the city after Gov. Cuomo directed state law enforcement officials to step up security at high-profile locations around the state, including airports, bridges, tunnels and mass transit systems.
NYPD officers lined 42nd Street near Bryant Park and officers stood watch over other tourist-heavy areas in midtown, including Rockefeller Center and Times Square.
The sight was an all too familiar response to recent acts of terror. But police commanders said Friday they've been bracing for a truck attack for years.
"We have been looking at the use of vehicles for some time, ever since Inspire Magazine referred to trucks as the 'ultimate mowing machine,'" said John Miller, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Counterterrorism.
In fact, 14 years ago a New Jersey man named Ronald Popadich plowed down 19 people at a jam-packed Herald Square crosswalk, motivated then by mental illness and depression -- not global terror.
"This is not something we started thinking about last night," said Miller, pointing out that there have been more concrete barriers, sanitation trucks and heavy planters set up across the city in recent years, all designed to prevent a car or truck from hitting crowds. Those measures were visible when the pope visited last year.
Meanwhile, Cuomo said New York stands with France on its independence day and in the face of terror.
The horrific rampage in Nice is a direct attack on the universal values our two countries have long championed and upheld. As the French people came together to celebrate liberty and unity on their independence day, extremists sought to undermine it with hate and intolerance, Cuomo said.
"On behalf of all New Yorkers, I extend my deepest condolences to the people of France, the families who have lost loved ones, and all those grieving around the world," he said.
Mayor de Blasio took to Facebook to condemn the attack and send condolences to France.
"Sickened by news of another senseless attack. On this Bastille Day we are all patriots of France. Nice, we are with you," de Blasio wrote in a post that included a candle emblazoned with the French flag.
For French expatriates, what was supposed to be a joyful Bastille Day celebration at the French consulate turned into a solemn realization that their homeland had been attacked yet again.
Expatriates were celebrating at the consulate when the consul general walked in with tears streaming down his face to announce that dozens had been killed in Nice.
"It's a very sad day for us, for France," said Catherine Demait-Harper, who was at the consulate for Bastille Day. "We didn't serve any champagne because that was certainly not appropriate. It was very disturbing."
"Everybody was very sad. Everybody was thinking about the victims and the people who died," said Herve Riou outside the consulate.
As night fell, the Helmsley Building above Grand Central Terminal lit up the colors of the French flag. Eight months ago it was also lit up in the colors to pay tribute to those killed in the November terrorist attacks that claimed 130 lives in Paris.
World leaders are expressing dismay, sadness and solidarity with France over the attack carried out by a man who drove truck into crowds of people celebrating France's national day in Nice, killing at least 84 people:
UNITED STATES
President Barack Obama conveyed deep condolences to the French president and said the heart of Americans are with the people of France.
Speaking at a White House reception Friday for diplomats from around the world, Obama said he reminded Francois Hollande in a phone call that "France is America's oldest ally, and one of the strongest. We owe our freedom to each other... and we will stand united now."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved-ones of those killed," he said.
Noting that the attack occurred on Bastille Day, Obama praised "the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world."
Secretary of State John Kerry called it a "horrendous attack in Nice. ... I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy."
Both presidential candidates also condemned the attacks, with Republican Donald Trump declaring "this is war" and Democrat Hillary Clinton vowing "we will not be intimidated."
Clinton said that "every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: We will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life."
Trump, who postponed plans to announce his vice presidential pick because of the attacks, said "this is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war and we're dealing with people without uniforms."
EUROPEAN UNION
European Council president Donald Tusk expressed consternation that France was attacked on its national day and said the world stands united with the French people.
"It is a tragic paradox that the victims of the attack people celebrating liberty, quality and fraternity. We will stand united with the families of victims, the French people and the government in the fight against violence and hatred," Tusk said at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar.
VATICAN
Pope Francis is praying for the victims of the attack in Nice and their families. In a tweet, the pontiff wrote "I asked God to convert the hearts of the violent blinded by hate." [[386954001, C]]
In a statement, the Vatican said "we condemn in an absolute manner all manifestations of homicidal folly, hatred, terrorism and attacks against peace."
CHINA
Premier Li Keqiang said "we strongly condemn terrorism of all forms. We express our condolences to the victims and we will fight all kinds of terrorism."
BELGIUM
Foreign Minister Didier Reynders expressed dismay that France was once again the target of an apparent terrorist attack.
"We condemn such an attack, maybe a terrorist attack, but such an attack in France again," he said.
INDIA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned what he called a mindless attack.
"I am appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased.
I hope the injured recover soon. India shares the pain and stands firmly with our French sisters and brothers in this hour of immense sadness," Modi said.
PAKISTAN
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the government and people of Pakistan were deeply saddened by the attack.
In a statement Friday he said "our hearts and prayers are with the victims of the attack and their families."
"Being the frontline state in the war against terror, Pakistan itself has suffered immensely and has seen a series of tragedies," he said.
TURKEY
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu:
"We strongly condemn and damn the terrible terror attack that occurred in the French city of Nice. We deeply share the pain of the French people. Turkey is in full solidarity with France in the fight against terrorism. We will continue our struggle against these baseless (people) with determination. First and foremost, terrorism is the rape of humanity and universal values."
AUSTRALIA
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said three Australians suffered minor injuries while fleeing the scene.
"It has shocked France, it has rocked it to its core," Bishop told reporters in the Western Australia capital of Perth. "This should have been a time of great national pride and celebration."
Bishop condemned the violence, saying it was a reminder that "no country is immune from terrorist attacks."
"We support our friends and partners in France and we join with others around the world in hoping that this will be the end of this type of horrific incident that is targeted at unarmed civilians," she said.
KUWAIT
The ruler of oil-rich Kuwait has condemned the attack in Nice, France, saying it "runs counter to all religious teachings and humanitarian values."
The state-run Kuwait News Agency said the ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, sent a cable of condolence to French President Francois Hollande over the assault.
Sheikh Sabah said Kuwait "supports all measures France might take to protect its security against the terrorist acts." The Kuwaiti Embassy in Paris also urged its citizens in France to be careful while checking to make sure none of its citizens were wounded.
Tiny Kuwait faced an Islamic State group suicide attack last year during Ramadan at a Shiite mosque which killed at least 27 people and wounded 227.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The seven sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates condemned the "heinous terrorist crime" that struck Nice.
In a statement Friday on the state-run WAM news agency, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan pledged to stand with the people of France after the assault.
Sheikh Abdullah also stressed the attack "makes it imperative for everyone to work together decisively and without hesitation to counter terrorism in all its forms."
The UAE is part of the U.S.-led coalition targeting the Islamic State group and hosts American and Western military personnel involved in the fight. While its neighbors have been struck by extremis attacks, the UAE's capital of Abu Dhabi and its commercial hub of Dubai have escaped the violence.
QATAR
Tiny gas-rich Qatar has condemned the "heinous" attack in Nice, France.
A statement Friday from the peninsular nation's Foreign Ministry said the assault "is contrary to all human, ethical values and religions." It said it stood in solidarity with France after the attack.
Qatar, on the Arabian Peninsula, hosts a major American military base home to U.S. Central Command and has not faced any militant attack like neighboring Saudi Arabia. That U.S. base is involved in the battle against the Islamic State group.
JAPAN
Japan expressed "strong shock and anger" following the truck attack in Nice.
Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan also aims to strengthen its counter-terrorism measurements to ensure safety of Japan.
Suga said the government with work together with public sectors to work on "border control, strengthening security at the important locations and relevant targets, trust building and furthering interaction with the communities of foreigners (in Japan)."
SOUTH AFRICA
President Jacob Zuma said in a statement released by the Foreign Ministry that South Africa "stands firmly with the international community in condemning all forms of terrorism and stands in solidarity with the government of the Republic of France as they mourn the death of their citizens."
"South Africa shares in the grief of the French people and wishes the injured survivors a speedy recovery. Terrorism in any form and from whichever quarter cannot be condoned."
SPAIN
Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said he called his counterparts in France to express his condolences.
"We are very sorry and very much with the French people and the French government," he said in at a meeting of Asian and European leaders in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar.
ESTONIA
Prime Minister Taavi Roivs condemned "a terrible attack on innocent people celebrating their national day. Today, we all stand together with the French people."
CANADA
[[386895351, C]]
ITALY
"We're used to seeing postcards from Nice full of beauty, not images of death with a doll near a destroyed stroller. Reacting is a moral duty," Italian Premier Matteo Renzi wrote on Facebook.
As Seen On
As seen on News 4
Just like this years presidential election, the 2016 Republican National Convention is sure to be full of historic moments and surprises.
To make sure you dont miss a moment of the action, NBC10 is sending a team of veteran journalists to Cleveland, Ohio to provide around-the-clock coverage on TV and online.
Anchors Jim Rosenfield and Tracy Davidson and political reporter Lauren Mayk will connect with local GOP supporters and delegates as they navigate the convention and help provide context to every development.
From husband and wife teams supporting Donald Trump to women and gays' thoughts on the presumptive nominee to the legislators who wont be attending the event, the crew will cover it all and much more.
Our goal is to provide a hyper-local perspective from the convention, said Rosenfield. Well be talking to our neighbors and lawmakers who are representing our communities and helping to decide the GOPs future while our partners at NBC News will provide a broader, national view of the convention.
The RNC team has a combined 75 years of experience reporting on local and national politics and has covered several political conventions in past years.
The presidential race has been unpredictable so nobody knows what to expect from the convention. Thats why its important that we have an experienced team to provide context to whats happening in real time, said Mayk, whos covered politics in different parts of the country over the course of her career.
Starting Sunday, NBC10 will have live reports every half-hour during our morning, afternoon and late night newscasts. Each evening during the convention at 7 p.m. NBC10 will present Live at the RNC, an hour-long special showcasing the major developments of the day, analysis from NBC10 political experts and interviews with local delegates.
NBC News will provide live coverage from inside Quicken Loans Arena at 10 p.m. airing the most anticipated speeches from GOP members.
No other local news outlet will be providing the breadth and depth of coverage that NBC10 is offering, said Anzio Williams, Vice President of News. This investment in vital political coverage demonstrates our commitment to provide the best local news to our community no matter where it happens.
NBC10s RNC team will be sharing new information and moments not only on TV and on NBC10.com, but also through social media. Keep an eye out for Facebook Live broadcasts on the NBC10 Philadelphia Facebook page and tweets from the @NBCPhiladelphia team with the latest updates about the race.
"Now more than ever people want to learn about the process: what actually happens at a convention. Well be able to help our viewers understand how it works," Davidson said. "What's especially exciting is that we'll not only will we have on-air reports, but because of our around-the-clock team coverage youll be able to follow us on social media and never miss a thing."
Make sure to download the free NBC10 app to get the latest updates, stories and video from our team so you dont miss a moment of the action.
Count on NBC10 to be your expert local source for political news this presidential election season.
Call me simple, but on a Saturday in San Diego, my day is made when just two things come together: beer and bands. And when those bands have a hand in that beer (kind of literally?), well spin me around and call me Fred, because the time to tap is now.
The first ever Beers & Bands Thing toots its own hyper-local horn by bringing together celebrated SD brewery Pizza Port and Pour House, an on-the-rise bar in North County that cant stop wont stop spreading the local-music word with their regular free shows. For this collaboration, Pizza Port took in three bands to create three new beers, each of which will be tapped at Pour House in Oceanside on Saturday, July 16, when the bands play head-banging sets fueled by the head-rushing creations they helped brew. Its gonna sound a whole lot like Harsh Toke, Monolith and Petyr -- and, if all goes according to plan, itll taste a little like them, too.
Acid rockers Harsh Toke have swirled up a batch of what theyre calling Pick 666, a Czech-style pilsner on the lighter side so you can party with the dudes late into the night.
Comin in heavy, Monolith brewed the Heavy Met-ale, a golden ale spiked with grapefruit honey and juice that comes in at a solid 6.66% ABV. Because rock & roll.
Petyr, meanwhile, got dirty with some English hops to bring us Grease Lightning Shocking Pale Ale, because beer is the grease, says bassist Luke DeVigny in this video, and you need to lube the bearings, adds drummer Nick McDonnell.
Now I realize that a lot of you will be out at Harrahs SoCal for our SoundDiego Summer Splash with La Luz and Botanica Chango -- but if for some reason my car broke down and I wasnt able to make it to the free round-trip party bus heading out to Valley Center (which picks up at the PB Staples at 6 p.m. btw), you bet your sweet ass Id be downing some brews with these dudes and trying to touch their hair when they werent looking. Lots of locks to love, baby.
Harsh Toke, Monolith and Petyr play Pour House on Saturday, July 16, at 9 p.m. The show is free, 21+.
Hannah Lott-Schwartz, a San Diego native, moved back to the area after working the magazine-publishing scene in Boston. Now shes straight trolling SD for all the music she missed while away. Want to help? Hit her up with just about anything at all over on Twitter, where -- though not always work-appropriate -- she means well.
San Diego police identified the man they've arrested in the investigation of a series of attacks on homeless men while they sleep.
Jon David Guerrero, 39, of San Diego has been taken into custody based on a "significant amount of evidence," Chief of Police Shelley Zimmerman announced at a Friday afternoon news conference.
We can all rest a little easier tonight knowing this predator is off our streets, Zimmerman said.
Guerrero is accused in five attacks that began July 3 and believes to have acted alone.
Guerrero was taken into custody near the most recent attack at 18th and C Street just after 4:30 a.m. Friday.
Two Harbor Police heard a male screaming for help and found a 55-year-old man with significant trauma to his upper torso.
He was asleep and he was awakened by being attacked, Nisleit said.
One person was detained on Laurel Street a couple of blocks east of Interstate 5.
Nisleit would not release information about the weapon used in the attack.
"Today detectives discovered physical evidence at the scene and the suspects residence that definitively and uniquely links together the recent murders and brutal attacks against the homeless community," Capt. David Nisleit said.
No motive was discussed in the media briefing on Friday.
Guerrero will face three counts of first degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of arson.
He was booked into the San Diego Central Jail in downtown on Friday.
linda baldwin
Four men were attacked between July 3 and July 6. Three of the men died from their injuries. A fourth is in critical condition and unable to identify his attacker, police said.
The victim in Friday's attack was not identified by name but police officials said he was hospitalized in critical condition.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
A 67-year-old man who died last week after a fall from Sunset Cliffs has been identified as Gregory David Genochio, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office.
Genochio, a San Diego resident, was stuck on Sunset Cliffs on July 5, and San Diego Lifeguards and San Diego Fire-Rescue Department engaged in a difficult rescue attempt.
About 40 minutes into the rescue operation, officials confirmed the man had died.
Witnesses reported seeing him standing on the edge of the cliff before falling to beach area. The medical examiners office concluded Genochio died from multiple blunt force injuries.
The Port of San Diego has chosen to exclusively continue conversations with one company proposing a $1.5 billion redevelopment of the prime area along downtowns waterfront, including the site of the local landmark, Seaport Village.
After sifting through six proposals and giving the public a first look at the possibilities on Wednesday, the Port announced Thursday that it will now continue discussions solely with one candidate to redevelop the land and water area spanning 70 acres along Central Embarcadero.
That company is Protea Waterfront Development (PWD). The Port will further evaluate PWD's plan for the prime waterfront site. The final selection of the company handling the major project is expected to be formally announced in the coming months.
PWDs plan for the property along the bayfront includes a redesign of Embarcadero Marina Park North, expanding the park and using Pacific Coast Highway and Kettner Boulevard as major gateways to the San Diego Bay.
The proposal includes new, sandy space for recreation with visions to host wellness activities at the site, including volleyball, Tai Chi and outdoor spin classes. The proposal says visitors will also be able to rent kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and bikes in that area, or sit on the sand and have a picturesque picnic with views of the San Diego Bay and the Coronado Bay Bridge.
The plan also includes Aquarium Park, an area that will feature an aquarium and habitat for Seaport Village ducks, plus a park with trails heading to habitat restoration sites at Embarcadero Marina Park North.
Other features of PWDs plan include:
The Esplanade: a half-mile pathway at the waters edge designed for pedestrians, bicyclists and sightseers. The path will be 50 feet wide, with 35 feet dedicated to a plant-lined promenade with lighting strung overhead. The wooden boardwalk will also include seating areas.
G Street Pier: This area at the northernmost Seaport features upgrades to Tuna Harbor Park including a new family-friendly beach, a dock for paddleboarding near the USS Midway and a floating Olympic-sized swimming pool. The proposal says this section will integrate the existing Fish Market restaurant at first, with the opportunity in the future to relocate the restaurant to the Seaport core and expand the park uses of the pier.
Ruocco Park: This area, south along the Esplanade, will be expanded to include more park space, an Observation Tower and an exhibition hall that will include the relocated Looff Carousel from Seaport Village. The new park will also include an amphitheater for movies and performances in the park, and a plaza for pop-up markets and special events.
Market Street & Pier: This section includes a stone-paved pedestrian path similar to Pike Place in the Pike Place Market, the proposal states. This is the path pedestrians can take to various retails shops and fish markets and where buskers and holiday displays can be featured. The Market Street area would start at the terminus of Pacific Coast Highway and end on the Market Pier near fishing boats.
Pacific Place: Located where Pacific Coast Highway meets the sea, Pacific Place includes a plaza with views of San Diego Bay described in PWDs proposal as a grand outdoor theater and a floating stage for movies, bands and interpretive programming. A cafe in this plaza will offer ice cream, coffee and casual dining in adjacent seating areas.
California Paseo & Pier: Another stone-paved pedestrian street, this shopping and dining area links the Seaport Core to The Headquarters and Embarcadero Marina Park North. This path will be lined with retail shops, bars, restaurants and small businesses relocated from Seaport Village.
The Spire: This 500-foot-tall feature, located near hotel towers, will include a passenger gondola ride and spots where visitors can view the San Diego skyline from high above.
To see PWDs full proposal, click here.
PWD is based in San Diego and spearheaded by Yehudi Gaf Gaffen, founder and CEO of Gafcon, and Jeff Jacobs, former Qualcomm chief marketing officer and current co-owner of Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa. Jeffrey Essakow, co-owner of Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, developer of Flower Hill Promenade and co-founder of Challenged Athletes Foundation, is also a PWD partner.
After the Port's announcement Thursday, Gaffen spoke with reporters at Seaport Village and said he was in shock that his company was chosen to lead this major redevelopment project.
"Being selected really, really feels good," Gaffen told NBC 7.
Gaffen said PWD's plan is to improve upon and revitalize an area that is so special and authentic to San Diego. This includes keeping many of the small Seaport Village shops that have been in business for decades in the area.
"This will truly become a mecca. We see this as a new place in San Diego -- a place that hasn't existed," he added, saying that a revamp of the area is long overdue.
Gaffen estimates the plan, once everything is said and done, will cost around $1.5 billion.
"We anticipate breaking ground at the beginning of 2020," he explained.
Gaffen said the build-out will take approximately four years and the new recreation, shopping and dining hub will open in phases.
Over the next few years, Gaffen said PWD will also look into the parking, transportation and environmental impacts of the redevelopment project and make sure the plan falls in line with requirements.
The family of a University of California, Berkeley student, who hasn't been heard from since Thursday's terror attack in Nice, are traveling to France, hoping to find him.
On Saturday, NBC News confirmed that Nicolas Leslie's father, Conrad, left his home in Del Mar and was headed to the airport. He was accompanied by two other people.
An attacker, identified as 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a Tunisian citizen living in Nice, is accused of driving a truck through crowds leaving a Bastille Day fireworks celebration, killing 84 people and injuring scores other.
Nicolas Leslie, 20, was among 85 Berkeley students attending a study abroad program nearby, officials said Friday. Three other Berkeley students in the group were injured in the attack, in which a gunman drove a truck through crowds leaving a Bastille Day fireworks celebration in the seaside tourist destination.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, French officials are refusing to identify people who were injured Thursday and are undergoing treatment at local hospitals.
"Were trying to get ourselves to France right now," Conrad Leslie, Nicks father, told the Chronicle. "Were going crazy."
The Wall Street Journal reported that Leslie's uncle, Fabeo Bottini, has been going from hospital to hospital in Nice trying to get information about his missing nephew.
Friends told NBC Bay Area that Leslie avoided being hit by the truck in Thursday's attack but was separated during the stampede and chaos that followed. They also say he was active on social media after the attack but has been silent since, which they describe as unusual.
Bay Area Mourns Bastille Day Attacks
Leslie is from Del Mar in San Diego's North County and attended Torrey Pines High School, according to his Facebook page.
NBC News spoke with a neighbor Saturday who has lived near the Leslie family for many years in Del Mar.
Geert Schmid-Schoenbein said he was shocked to learn that Leslie is missing after the attack in Nice and cant wrap his head around the fact that someone he knows was involved in such a horrific event.
"The fact that this kid goes on an education abroad trip to France and goes there to a celebration and is entangled in an event like this and hopefully survives is beyond any probabilities that one can ever think of," Schmid-Schoenbein said.
The neighbor said he has nothing but "good memories" about Leslie and his family. Schmid-Schoenbein said he has watched Leslie grow up -- from the day his parents brought him home from the hospital to Leslie getting his driver's license and going off to study at Berkeley.
It breaks my heart, he said. This is just frightening. Im speechless.
Schmid-Schoenbein said Leslie is an only child who often returned to Del Mar to visit his family. He remembers Leslie, who many call Nick, as a nice young man who was active in sports and did well academically.
"We never heard any problems about Nick. We saw with great enthusiasm that he was going up to Berkeley," he told NBC News.
Schmid-Schoenbein said Leslie's parents have always been fully devoted to their son and very supportive of him.
"Nothing else but a wonderful family," he added.
Schmid-Schoenbein said Leslie's mother is originally from Italy.
Leslie is currently a junior at UC Berkeley, majoring in the College of Natural Resources.
UC Berkeley spokesperson Robert Sanders said that campus study abroad, risk services office and student affairs staff were working with fellow students in France, the program director on the ground, local officials, U.S. consular officials and Leslie's family to find him.
The Daily Beast reported, however, that a friend of Leslies saw the college student running through the streets of Old Nice. But Leslie's aunt, Bottinis wife, said the student never returned to his student housing Thursday night.
Leslie's friend, Anoop Baliga, has been reaching out to Leslie via social media along with many others hoping to hear from him soon. Baliga says Nick's last Snapchat story post was from a restaurant about 10 minutes away from the attack's location. He says there has been movement on Nick's Facebook page, but he thinks it's because people are using his laptop to try and find him.
Chandrabh Akireddy, who knows Leslie from the Net Impact Berkeley Undergrad program at UC Berkeley, said a couple of his friends who were in the square with Leslie checked in after the attack.
"Some people saw him escape ... One of the students said he ran off with Nick during the attack but they got separated," Akireddy said. "The guess seems to be that he is OK."
Akireddy's friends saw Leslie active on Facebook messenger after the attack. "We're taking that as a good sign and hoping that his phone died or something, and that he's still hiding somewhere," he said. "He's a great guy, we're optimistic."
Akireddy said he met Leslie after joining Net Impact last year.
He said that Leslie spent his childhood between San Diego and Italy.
Mustapha Khokhar, a friend of Leslies at UC Berkeley, said he received a Snapchat from Leslie at 1:20 p.m. PT Thursday, but that he hasnt heard from him since. That radio silence is odd for someone who has been snapchatting or streaking, as its often called relentlessly over the course of his vacation.
We had a 20+ day streak going, Khokar said. Hes been essentially documenting his whole trip to me over snap. And that streak ended yesterday.
Khokar said its possible but out of character for Leslie to have accidently let his phone die.
Nick isnt the type to go AWOL and pass out with his phone dead, he said. The dude is attached to his phonebut I would hope thats what happened.
Khokar, who has known Leslie for more than two years, described his friend as someone with a heart of gold.
Hes one of the most genuine and sincere people I know, he said. If you need help with work he will be there. If you call him at 3 a.m. asking to be picked up cause youre drunk, he will be there.
According to Sanders, two of the students identified as Diane Huang, 20, and Daryus Medora, 21 suffered broken legs and were receiving treatment at a hospital in Nice.
A third, 23-year-old Vladyslav Kostiuk, suffered a broken foot.
Kostiuk posted a photo of his injury on his Facebook page, with the caption: "I would say only one thing: I was lucky, I'm alive, unlike other people that were walking with me. Just got out from a surgery. Picture: in a casino where I was taken first."
Paige Basconcillo, a Berkeley student from Bakersfield, California, who is also in the Study Abroad group, has been tweeting about Leslie as well, asking people in Cote d'Azur (the French Riviera) to search for him.
All of the students in the study abroad program were attending a 15-day program on Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe, part of the international European Innovation Academy, which was suspended to observe the national three days of mourning in France.
The program will go on through its planned end date of July 24, university officials said, but the campus has offered to bring home any students who wish to leave. So far, three students have opted to return home to the U.S.
University Vice Provost Cathy Koshland and Dean of Students Joseph Defraine Greenwell joined the Bay Area community to express sympathy to to all the students, families and the French community who have been affected by this tragic event and senseless violence.
A message posted by UC Berkeley student Abhinav Kukreja on Facebook talks about Leslie missing since Thursday's attack.
"We know he successfully avoided colliding with the truck, but we lost him during the stampede and chaos that follow. Please share this so Nick an get back to his friends and family," Kukreja wrote.
Recent terrorist attacks have impacted several UC Berkeley students. Berkeley sophomore, Tarishi Jain, was among 20 hostages killed by Islamist militants in Dhaka, Bangladesh on July 1.
Despite higher officer pay, benefits and recruiting pushes, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) is still a revolving door.
The force is among the most lightly-staffed urban law enforcement agencies in the country.
As of June 30, SDPD was running a nine percent deficit of "sworn officers" empty, but budgeted job slots, according to a department report to the City Councils Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee.
Those in uniform included administrative and training officers, light-duty personnel, and 143 men and women still in the academy or "field training".
"Now if you take those numbers and boil it down to the people that are actually on the street, doing the job, it's not much higher. It's pretty close to the number that were on the street when I was hired forty years ago," said retired SDPD Sgt. Bill Nemec.
As a past president of the San Diego Police Officers Association, Nemec is quite familiar with department staffing and funding issues and he worries that the city's cost-containment priorities are robbing the force of experienced, "tenured" officers who are relied on to train those with less time in the field.
Even with hiring sprees, the city loses a lot of applicants who get conditional job offers, but opt out to work for other agencies instead; 22 did that last fiscal year alone.
On a yearly basis, the department is losing a dozen officers a month, many retiring from an aging force.
Observers say San Diego's crime problems, fortunately, aren't so severe that the work itself is causing an attrition rate thats so challenging to keep up with.
"I think the thing I'd like to see more from the city is a clear description of what is driving 'leaving the force', so we can have a clear understanding of whether the proposals to change it and fix it are actually going to work, says Andrew Keatts, who has reported extensively on SDPD issues for NBC 7s media partner Voice of San Diego.
I don't know how you can prescribe solutions if you haven't diagnosed the problem completely quite yet, Keatts added in an interview Thursday.
So far, there has been no response to NBC 7s requests for input from the offices of the mayor, police chief, or Police Officers Association.
While raises and recruiting efforts are targeting a shortage of dispatchers, resulting in 18 recent hirings, there also a nine percent deficit of civilian employees in the department.
San Diego Police have detained a suspect in connection to a series of attacks on the homeless. NBC 7s Steven Luke has the latest information on the case.
A new attack reported in downtown San Diego is connected to a series of homeless killings, San Diego Police homicide investigators said Friday.
Just after 4:30 a.m. two Harbor Police were driving up the 1800 block on C Street when they heard a male screaming, according to homicide Capt. David Nisleit.
As the officers checked the area not far from the San Diego Police Headquarters, they found a 55-year-old man with significant trauma to his upper torso.
He was asleep and he was awakened by being attacked, Nisleit said.
That got extra officers into the area, Nisleit said, and they detained one person found on Laurel Street a couple of blocks east of Interstate 5.
Police detained the suspect for a short time this morning, but they have not yet announced an arrest. The current suspect is different from the previous suspect arrested late last week, that police released on Monday.
Nisleit would not release information about the weapon used in the attack. Investigators say that it appears to be in line with similar methods used in the previous attacks.
Theres no doubt in my mind this is part of our series," Nisleit said, referring to the series of attacks involving homeless men who were burned and killed that's has startled San Diego since it began July 3.
Were at the very preliminary stages, Nisleit said. We just have a person detained.
On Thursday, homicide investigators released a new composite sketch in the series of homeless killings. Four men were attacked between July 3 and July 6. Three of the men died from their injuries. A fourth is in critical condition and unable to identify his attacker, police said.
linda baldwin
One person is believed to be responsible for the attacks. Homicide investigators want to question a man spotted on store surveillance video near the scene of the first attack along Morena Boulevard in the Bay Park area.
The man purchased a gas can, a gallon of gasoline and a lighter about 15 minutes before the first victims body was discovered.
Another attack, reported at 4:06 a.m., occurred near 1300 1st Avenue. In this incident, a man was struck in the head with an unknown object, police said. The assailant was last seen leaving the area on a bicycle heading north on 2nd Avenue.
Police say this attack appears to be unrelated to the subsequent attack on the 1800 block of C Street. At this point, they say it is an entirely different case.
No other information was immediately available.
At this time we don't know if this attack was related to a similar attack that occurred Wednesday in the East Village where another homeless man was hit in the head. The suspect in that incident was seen riding away on a blue mountain bike, police said.
Check back for updates on this breaking news story.
The children's hospital in Nice says it has treated some 30 children and adolescents injured in the France truck attack, including two who died during or after surgery.
The youngest victim was just around 6 months old, according to the Lenval foundation hospital spokeswoman Stephanie Simpson.
At least 84 people have died, 10 of those children and teenagers, after a man driving a rented refrigerator truck plowed through a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day in the seaside town on Thursday night. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins also said at a news conference Friday that 202 others were injured in the attack, 52 critically. Twenty-five others were on life support.
Simpson told NBC News the hospital received 39 victims overnight, all but nine were children and teens, and that those remaining are still between "life and death."
"They were in a bad state," Simpson said. "A lot of trauma... broken legs."
She said the hospital staff had been trained for mass casualty situations, and were "really ready for this and really prepared" because Nice was "on a red mark for attacks."
"It's not like we were not aware, we were really ready," Simpson added.
Because the hospital only treats children, the adults who were taken there were transferred to other hospitals, she said. Three of those adults died, including one during the transfer.
The hospital, which is equipped with one of France's largest pediatric emergency units, also called the families of children it was already treating before the attack to ask them to pick up their children to free up rooms for the attack victims, according to the AP.
"There are still some children whose parents can't find them, they're not in the hospital and they dont know where they are," Simpson told NBC. "There's one child. That we dont know his or her identity."
The hospital is also offering psychological counseling to parents and siblings.
What to Know Resolution calling for police reform lists 10 people who died.
Union says some of those victims did not die at hands of police.
Grosso said he wanted to start a dialog between the community and police across the country about ways to reduce police-involved killings.
The chairman of D.C.s police union says his officers will work to unseat 10 council members, who signed a resolution calling for police reform.
The resolution written by Council member David Grosso (I-At Large) lists the names of 10 people he and other council members say were killed by police.
Basically spatting in our face telling us how violent, how police officers are just criminals, D.C. Fraternal Order of Police Chairman Matt Mahl said.
Mahl says in some of those cases, the officers were found to not have committed any crime.
A lot of these incidents are still being investigated or some sort of judicial process, Mahl said.
Grosso said he wanted to start a dialog between the community and police across the country about ways to improve policing and reduce the number of police-involved killings.
Mahl went to the Wilson Building Thursday to let council members know how upset he and many of his fellow officers are at the resolution introduced Tuesday, the same day suspects shot at police in two incidents.
My members realize that they have no support coming out of the Wilson Building, he said.
Its a ceremonial resolution that is just saying that the council of the District of Columbia really cares, is paying attention to the issues around police brutality and the country, and in fact, what happens here as well, and that theres something needs to be done about it, Grosso said.
The victims named include Sandra Bland, who was jailed after a white Texas state trooper pulled her over a year ago for a minor traffic violation and their exchange turned combative. She was found hanging from a cell partition three days later.
Mahl pointed out her death was a suicide, not at the hands of police officers.
These are things my members are enraged about, he said.
Im sorry if it upset the police officers independently on this issue, but its time to have this tough conversation and really understand what is the bias we understand, Gross said. Why are more black residents of our city, more black residents of our country being impacted by violent acts?
Trayvon Martins name really angered police, since Martin was killed by an armed citizen.
It's just another demonstration of where a black man has been killed at the hands of violent acts, Grosso said. Its part of the frustration in our country. Its not all about the police. I made that point clear in my resolution. Its about the whole society not embracing change.
Mahl also pointed out none of the names on the list was from an incident in D.C.
Hes so upset he plans to take this issue to the voters.
During this next election cycle, Im going to call upon the fire union, the teachers union, nurses, all of our public service unions to go out and find candidates that are viable candidates for this city council that are going to support our public service workers, and were going to fight to get them in office and remove the ones who dont have faith in the police department, he said.
Of course it sounds like Im going after one or two incidences, Gross said. What Im really saying is, from the broader picture, the bigger picture, we have to address this bias and we have to do something about it.
As D.C. leaders write a constitution in hopes of making the District the 51st state, Donald Trump's selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate may be an indication a Trump administration would support giving D.C. a vote in Congress.
While Trump is on record as being "okay" with giving D.C. representation in Congress, Pence has been on the record for almost a decade as a staunch supporter, calling the District's lack of voting representation on the Hill "a historic wrong."
Pence took to the House floor in March 2007, when he represented Indiana's 6th Congressional District, and spoke in support of D.C. residents.
The fact that more than half a million Americans living in the District of Columbia are denied a single voting representative in Congress is clearly a historic wrong," he told his colleagues, the Congressional Record shows.
The single overreaching principle of the American founding was that laws should be based upon the consent of the governed," he continued. "It is inconceivable to me that our founders would have been willing to accept the denial of representation to so great a throng of Americans in perpetuity.
D.C. shadow Sen. Paul Strauss, who was in the House gallery during Pence's remarks, said he sees Pence's spot on the Republican ticket as an opportunity.
"Pence's willingness to cross party lines on the D.C Voting Rights Act was encouraging," he said. "His position on the ticket is helpful because it gives us an opportunity to engage Republicans on the issue of D.C.'s status with more visibility, on a bipartisan basis."
Trump has been noncommittal on his support of D.C. voting rights, and in March, he told The Washington Post he's opposed to statehood.
"I think statehood is a tough thing for D.C. I think its a tough thing. I dont have a position on it yet. I would form a position. But I think statehood is a tough thing for D.C.," he said in a meeting with the paper's editorial board. "I dont see statehood for D.C."
When Trump was asked about granting D.C. residents a vote in the House of Representatives, he said: "I think thats something that would be okay. Having representation would be okay."
Then-Rep. Pence knew when he spoke on the House floor in 2007 that he was going against the will of the Republican Party.
It is my privilege to stand today, albeit in opposition to some of my most cherished colleagues, and stand in support of the D.C. Voting Rights bill," he said in April 2007, the Congressional Record shows.
If they gave awards for getting outrageously snubbed, Samantha Bee would be a winner, at least once over.
While shes said she was never interested in replacing Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, some fans believe Bee, the programs longest-running (12 years) and perhaps strongest correspondent, earned the job.
But theres no doubt she was done wrong Thursday by Emmy nominators, who skipped over "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee," her by turns hilarious and searing TBS show, in the Outstanding Variety Talk Show category.
The slight represents the product of narrow-minded Emmy voters and a wide array of high-quality comedy programs.
Sure, some of Bees fellow "Daily Show"-tied performers Stephen Colbert, Larry Wilmore and Trevor Noah didn't make the cut, either. And its hard to argue against the nominees, among them "Daily Show" alumnus John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon and Jerry Seinfeld, who crashed the late-night comedy field with his "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" web series (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Yet there is something deeply wrong with the lack of recognition accorded Bee, whose "Full Frontal" employs unflinching humor to expose absurdities and hypocrisies like no other current show in the fake news game Oliver's standout "Last Week Tonight" included.
Bee stormed her new perch in February, armed with her "Daily Show"-honed deadpan interviewing style (just check out her focus group with Donald Trump supporters, in which one fan notes the simplistic, but evocative language used by the presumptive GOP presidential candidate. "So you acknowledge Trump speaks to our lizard brains?" Bee calmly asked).
But she's newly distinguished herself with powerful and precise verbal gymnastics during in-studio segments no more so than in her emotional monologue after the Orlando massacre. "Maybe we're not praying right can we check the instruction manual?" Bee said, slamming politicians who focus on calls for prayer, rather than gun control after mass shootings.
Like Oliver, her strongest material is driven by research (spotlighting backlogs of untested rape kits across the country) and stunts with a point (showing its far easier to legally buy guns than purchase a costume of Eddie the Eagle, the NRAs kid-aimed mascot). Bees labor-intensive weekly show has taken her around the country and even to Jordan, where she interviewed Syrian refugees the people were incoherently yelling about.
Fueled by outrage, Bee does some yelling herself, but rarely loses sight of the punch line. The Canadian comic brings a much-needed feminist voice to a late night talk show comedy game that's still a boy's club, aside from Chelsea Handler's new Netflix show.
Bee doesn't deserve an Emmy nomination because she's a woman. She deserves a shot at the prize because week in and out she is fearlessly operating at the highest levels of TV comedy, boldly making the most of her big moment. Its just too bad that Emmy voters are behind the times on "Full Frontal."
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.
In celebration of National Ice Cream Month, Blue Bell announced a new flavor of ice cream Friday.
The Brenham, Texas-based company announced the release of Cookie Two Step, vanilla ice cream with chunks of chocolate creme filled cookies and chocolate chip cookie dough pieces.
"Cookie Two Step combines ingredients from two of our top-selling flavors," Blue Bell spokesman Ricky Dickson said in a news release.
The new flavor will be available in stores beginning Friday, according to the company.
Dickson said the company will release more flavors within the next few months.
"Most will be returning favorites and we plan to have another new one soon," he said.
A home contractor in Maryland is accused of taking more than $600,000 from homeowners across the state, only to abandon the work he promised to do, according to documents obtained by the News4 I-Team.
Maryland's Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) suspended the contractor's license for Prompt Restoration indefinitely. The News4 I-Team first reported about the company in May after getting complaints from homeowners.
Since then, more homeowners have come forward to say they also felt cheated -- including Debra Battista of Glen Echo. She said she hired Prompt Restoration to renovate her house last year after a fire tore through the first and second floors.
But six months after the fire, and after a payment of $63,000 to the company, very little work had been done, according to Battista.
"We hired an independent inspector who came in, and he wrote up a report in thorough detail about everything that had been done," Battista said. "He concluded the house was basically 10 percent finished after all those months."
Battista took her complaint to MHIC, which confirmed her case is among at least a dozen under investigation. MHIC didn't give the I-Team specifics on her case but did provide details on four other cases.
According to a consent order agreed to between Prompt Restoration and MHIC, a woman whose house burned down in Upper Marlboro in 2014 paid more than $45,000 for work abandoned "without justification" by Prompt Restoration and its president, Jim Martin.
Identical narratives mentioning other fire survivors -- in Springdale, Fort Washington and Bethesda, paying amounts upwards of $96,000, $299,000 and $166,000 for abandoned jobs -- are also laid out in the consent order.
Martin signed the order, in which he agrees that his license suspension is "proper" based on those complaints. The order also prevents him from entering into any new home improvement contracts and states he could face criminal and/or civil penalties for doing so.
The I-Team repeatedly reached out to Martin and his company for a response. While he didn't answer questions about his license suspension, his lawyer previously told us: "Prompt Restoration had clients that never paid the company ... which led to an immediate cash flow crunch" and the company "wanted to do the right thing by entering bankruptcy to recover the money and pay its debts."
Prompt Restoration filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February.
Like other homeowners who spoke to the I-Team, Battista said she must go to court to get back just a fraction of what she says she lost. She hired attorney Rene Sandler, who said she's seen plenty of other companies failing to keep their end of a bargain, but she still calls Battista's case unusual.
"This is an educated, intelligent, self-sufficient woman, and this happened to her," Sandler said of Battista. "I have never seen a case where an individual ... just shows up on their doorstep at the most vulnerable time after a fire loss and proceeds to take their money."
Battista and Sandler are also hoping to recover some money from a special state fund for cases just like hers, though the amount available is limited. But Battista also said it's about more than getting her money back.
"I hope the truth is revealed about everything," Battista said, "and that justice is served so that he doesn't hurt anybody else.
Reported by Tisha Thompson, produced by Ashley Brown, and shot and edited by Steve Jones.
The man who pleaded guilty to killing his ex-girlfriend in the parking lot of a Target store in Maryland will learn his fate next month after a judge denied his request to withdraw the plea.
Donald Bricker Jr. twice confessed to shooting 24-year-old Marie Folasade "Sade" Adebayo in Germantown in June and told the judge he was guilty in December.
Bricker was supposed to be sentenced in April, but instead, fired his attorney and asked to withdraw his plea.
On Thursday, a judge denied his request and scheduled his sentencing for Aug. 25.
Prosecutors have said Bricker, a registered sex offender, "circumvented" the system and purchased an antique-style weapon that operates using black powder through the mail.
Assistant States Attorney Debbie Feinstein said Bricker used the replica antique firearm to kill Adebayo the same day he received it.
A video of investigators interviewing him in his hospital room shortly after the homicide shows him confessing.
All I can remember is her getting out the passenger side door, and then I shot her and then I shot her again, he said.
Asked why he shot her, he said he didnt know.
Adebayo, a graduate of the University of Maryland, had dated Bricker for about six months, her family said. The couple had broken up, but she agreed to meet him in the Target parking lot to talk.
"'Come to closure,' that's what he said to her. So, being the good person that she is, she agreed to it," her mother, Cassandra Atkens, previously told News4.
Witnesses outside the store heard Bricker and Adebayo arguing in a car. Prosecutors say Bricker shot Adebayo when she got out of his truck, and that he then stood over her and fired the handgun at her again at close range.
Atkens never met Bricker and said her daughter didn't know he had been convicted of rape in 2008 and was a registered sex offender.
The University of Maryland, College Park graduate dreamed of helping others by becoming a counselor, her family previously told News4.
"She was so kind and so non-judgmental. She was great," a cousin of Adebayo said.
A northern Virginia man caught in a government sting trying to join the Islamic State group has been sentenced to 8 and a half years in prison.
Twenty-nine-year-old Joseph Farrokh of Woodbridge was sentenced Friday in federal court in Alexandria. He is one of about a half-dozen men from the region arrested this year on terror-related charges arising from government sting operations.
Farrokh was arrested in January at Richmond International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Chicago. Officials said once he reached Chicago, he intended to board a flight to Amman, Jordan, with an ultimate destination of Syria.
At Friday's hearing, Farrokh apologized and denounced the Islamic State group. Court papers spell out in detail how the Pennsylvania native quickly became radicalized.
Prosecutors sought at least 16 years in prison while the defense asked for a five-year term.
For three weeks a steady stream of water flowed down a Maryland neighborhood sidewalk, and the utility company didnt help find the source, residents said.
Residents who live along Colfax Drive and Cornish Street in Fort Washington worried the water would eventually cause property damage.
It's a leak, but we don't know where it's coming from, Gracie Reece said.
They called Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission numerous times but didn't learn the source.
Just to say they send trucks out, and folks look and leave and no communication, Reece said.
Fed up with the flowing water, Reece called NBC4 Responds. We contacted WSSC, and just a few hours later they sent out another crew. By the next morning, they found the source.
After conducting pressure tests at multiple properties on the pipe segment, WSSC confirmed the origin of the leak was a property on Colfax Drive, the utility company said. According to WSSC, it was the homeowner's responsibility to fix it. The home is at a higher elevation, according to WSSC, so the water followed the topography.
NBC4 Responds also contacted the homeowner, and although he had 30 days to fix the leak, he didn't wait. The pipe was repaired Wednesday.
Donald Trump is on the verge of picking his vice presidential running mate, with top contenders on standby Thursday afternoon for the Republican nominee's decision.
On Trump's shortlist: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, according to people familiar with the candidate's thinking.
Pence quickly exited a speaking event in Indianapolis Thursday morning without taking questions from reporters. His staff had not released details of any other planned appearances Thursday.
Pence is running for re-election, but Indiana law prevents him from seeking two offices at once. He faces a Friday deadline to withdraw from the governor's race.
A Republican familiar with Pence's thinking said the paperwork has been drawn up for him to take that step. However, the documents have not been filed, according to the Republican, who insisted on anonymity because that person was not authorized to publicly discuss Pence's plans.
Trump was making his final decision from California, where he is scheduled to attend a series of fundraisers at a distance from many of his closest advisers. His campaign chair, Paul Manafort, is currently in Cleveland, and none of his children are in the state with him.
All three of the finalists have had extensive conversations with Trump and his family in recent days.
Gingrich told The Associated Press he had expected to hear from Trump one way or the other sometime after 1 p.m. Reached by phone later, Gingrich said he had not heard from Trump, but still expected to receive word Thursday afternoon.
In a Facebook Live chat, Gingrich said he had told Trump in earlier conversations that his choice was between having "two pirates on the ticket or a pirate and a relatively stable, more normal person."
Trump and his new running mate will make their first appearance as a team Friday in New York. The timing is aimed at energizing Republicans ahead of next week's Republican convention in Cleveland.
Trump considered a broader group of candidates before settling on the three finalists. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the first senator to endorse Trump, was among that larger group, but told reporters Thursday that he was not the choice.
Each of Trump's top contenders would add significant political experience to the GOP ticket. Trump, a political novice, has said for weeks that he wanted a running mate who could help him work with Congress.
Beyond their political backgrounds, the finalists bring different strengths to the ticket.
Pence, 57, is a steady, staunch conservative who would help calm nervous Republican wary of Trump's impulsive style. He served six terms in Congress before becoming Indiana governor. He also has deep ties to evangelical Christians and other conservatives, particularly after signing a law last year that critics said would have allowed businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Trump took notice of Pence during the Indiana primary, noting that the governor had high praise for him despite endorsing one of his rivals.
Gingrich is a boisterous rabble-rouser who has spent decades in Washington and helped define the political battles of the 1990s. The 73-year-old would be the oldest candidate ever to become vice president.
Gingrich has been a steadfast Trump defender for months and has become a trusted adviser to the businessman.
So, too, has Christie. The New Jersey governor quickly endorsed Trump after ending his own presidential bid, stunning many of his supporters.
A former U.S. attorney, Christie, 53, is widely seen as one of his party's most talented retail politicians and has proven himself a biting attack dog on the trail. He's also become a valuable partner for Trump, joining him at events on the trail and taking on the important role of heading Trump's transition planning.
It was supposed to be a day of celebration, as French citizens all over the world marked Bastille Day but now, people are reacting to the horror and mourning the dead.
"It's very hard to stomach," said Sylvain Bruni, an elected representative with the French Consulate of Boston, of another mass killing in his home country. "A lot of people here are calling their family over there in the region to make sure they are safe."
Bruni was at the Cambridge Home of the Consulate, celebrating Bastille Day, when he learned that a truck had plowed into a crowd in Nice, leaving scores dead.
People all over New England, including police and lawmakers, took to Twitter to express their condolences.
An antique shop burst into flames Thursday night in Brockton, Massachusetts, and the fire struck seven alarms.
The blaze broke out at 243 North Montello St. around 8:30 p.m. Fire officials believe it was caused by a car backfiring inside the 100-year-old building.
The shop, which was barely operating and selling off its last items, was completely destroyed.
One firefighter sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital.
Power was turned off to much of the neighborhood as crews battled the flames. As of 10:40 p.m., it was still burning. Crews are expected to be on the scene all night.
A dog was reported missing at the scene, but was reunited with its owner.
An Army veteran who barricaded himself inside a Holyoke, Massachusetts, home for hours is now in the hospital.
Police started negotiating with the 26-year-old around 7 Thursday night at a home on Upland Road.
Officers say he had several rifles with him, including one strapped to his back.
During the standoff the man moved in and out of the house with a rifle strapped to him as he talked with police.
Around 1 a.m. Friday police took him down with bean bag rounds. He was not seriously hurt and was taken to a hospital.
Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger believes the Army veteran suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
He said, "Please realize this is a difficult time for him and his family. The end result here tonight, all we want to do is get him the help he needs."
No one else was inside that home, but police did keep neighbors back.
Authorities remain on the scene Friday morning after a massive 7-alarm blaze tore through an old furniture warehouse in Brockton, Massachusetts.
The fire was reported around 8:30 p.m. Thursday on North Montello Street. Surrounding homes were evacuated and power in the area was cut.
The fire has been put out, but crews are monitoring for hot spots.
Fire officials say one firefighter was treated at a local hospital with minor injuries. No other injuries were reported. Two people living on the property were able to get away safely.
Deputy Chief Kevin Galligan says the MBTA had to be shut down because the tracks for the Montello and Downtown stops run behind the building.
He says the building is at least 100 years old and is completely uninhabitable.
A former middle school teacher in Naples, Maine, has admitted under a plea deal that she sexually assaulted a teen boy in nearby Sweden last year.
The Sun Journal in Lewiston reports (http://bit.ly/29AhfFF ) former Lake Region Middle School teacher Michelle Dunn pleaded guilty on Wednesday to unlawful sexual touching.
The 41-year-old Woodstock woman must complete a sex offender evaluation and isn't allowed to contact the student. She won't have to register as a sex offender and her 90-day jail sentence was suspended.
Dunn taught English language arts to seventh- and eighth-grade students. Authorities say she sexually assaulted a 14- or 15-year-old boy in September. She resigned weeks later.
State officials say Dunn's license to teach in the state is active until July 2017. It's unknown if it will be revoked.
New Englanders are mourning following a deadly attack in which a truck driver plowed into a crowd in Nice, France, killing at least 84 celebrating Bastille Day at a fireworks display.
This attack comes as the French Cultural Center gets ready to celebrate Bastille Day in Boston.
The 41st annual celebration is Friday night in the Back Bay. There is no word on any changes to the event in light of the attack.
[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More
Officials with the French Cultural Center released a statement on Facebook saying they "are very saddened" and their "thoughts are with the families and friends who are grieving and the victims who are recovering from this terrible attack."
They have been working with state and local authorities to create a safe party. Boston Police say they are monitoring the situation in Nice.
We are saddened by this senseless attack as we learn of the tragedy in Nice. France, we stand with you, on #BastilleDay and on all days. Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) July 15, 2016
#BPD - through the Boston Regional Intelligence Center - is steadily monitoring the unfolding situation in Nice, France. Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) July 15, 2016
Our condolences and prayers for those murdered in #NiceFrance #Nicestrong Newton Police (@newtonpolice) July 14, 2016
Our thoughts are with the people of Nice, France during this tragic event. pic.twitter.com/L4b8YUsmf8 Plaistow Police (@PlaistowPolice) July 14, 2016
A horrifying tragedy in Nice. Our hearts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the people of France. Governor Dan Malloy (@GovMalloyOffice) July 14, 2016
"Heartbreaking reports from the horrific attack in Nice. Our prayers are with the people of France during this dark time." - MH Gov. Maggie Hassan (@GovernorHassan) July 14, 2016
Sadness and anger about another attack on the Citizens of France. God Bless all of the families hurt or killed. Scott P. Brown (@SenScottBrown) July 14, 2016
Red, white & blue: those are our brothers & sisters, & this was their 4th of July. Liberty will prevail. It must. pic.twitter.com/kKrGqaX6RQ Burlington Police (@OneNorthAvenue) July 14, 2016
Sending prayers for the people of Nice, France as we hear these horrific reports Kelly Ayotte (@KellyAyotte) July 14, 2016
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families and friends of France ????. BU Police Department (@BUPolice) July 15, 2016
Our hearts go out to the people of #NiceFrance & our French colleagues. @FranceinBoston Boston EMS (@BOSTON_EMS) July 15, 2016
Sylvain Bruni, a French citizen, was celebrating Bastille Day in Massachusetts when he learned about the truck attack in Nice.
He said "It is really sad that so regularly now we have to face those kind of attacks and the death and the criticality of people just running for their lives when they should be enjoying their freedom and the celebration that was happening in Nice."
New England officials took to social media to offer condolences.
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A New London man had hundreds of files of child porn on his computer, police said.
Alan J. Gonzalez, 31, was arrested on Friday after police accused him of having more than 500 images of child pornography on his computer in his New London home.
An investigation began when Connecticut State Police Computer Crimes Unit were notified about Gonzalez downloading and sharing the inappropriate content, which included children from infant age to middle teen years, New London Police said.
New London Police served Gonzalez with a search and seizure warrant at his Mountain Avenue home and found the files, containing images and video of children engaging in sexual acts, police said.
Gonzalez faces one charge of first-degree possession of child pornography and his bond was set at $250,000.
The cause of the June 30 fire at Bob's Turkey Farm in Lancaster, Massachusetts, has been determined, Public Safety and Security Department of Fire Services announced.
State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Lancaster Fire Chief Michael Hanson found that the fire was caused by either "a mechanical or electrical failure" of newly installed propane-fueled heat lamp.
"This fire was a terrible blow to an area landmark raising turkey for New England's Thanksgiving tables," Chief Hanson said.
7,000 turkeys were killed in that massive fire.
A star student athlete at Phillips Exeter Academy accused of sex assault has been given an unusual punishment that advocates say could have harmed his alleged victim even more.
According to an email received by necn late Thursday afternoon, an alleged cover-up has alumni outraged.
An open letter to the Board of Trustees, essentially a petition, was signed by almost 700 Academy graduates who pledge to withhold financial support until the school makes some changes.
The explosive allegations hit newsstands this week in the Boston Globe.
A 17-year-old recent Phillips Exeter Academy graduate claims she was sexually assaulted by a fellow senior, 18-year-old Chukwudi Ikpeazu, while they were in school together last fall.
"The punishment in this case is outrageous," said Lyn Schollett, the executive director of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
The alleged victim says Ikpeazu touched her breasts even after she told him no.
The encounter allegedly happened inside the Phillips Church basement, so she went to the school minister first. Reverend Robert Thompson allegedly suggested Ikpeazu perform an "act of penance." The alleged victim told the Globe that instead of going to police, she let Ikpeazu bake bread and deliver it to her once a week - a solution that Schollett says was likely more traumatizing than the abuse itself.
"Forcing the victim to interact over and over with the offender is not only unjust, but quite possibly terrifying for this victim," Schollett explained.
Before graduation in June, the alleged victim went to Exeter Police - a decision she says academy leaders tried to avoid.
"We have a concern that perhaps they are more interested in public perception of the school than justice for individual victims," Schollett said.
That concern is being echoed by hundreds of Academy alumni who are pledging to withhold financial support from Phillips Exeter, signing a letter to the Board of Trustees calling this incident, "one of total systemic failure at the highest level."
Phillips Exeter Academy Spokesperson Robin Giampa issued a statement Thursday saying, in part, "We approach this investigation with humility, openness and a sincere desire to improve wherever we can in matters of student safety and well-being."
After reaching out to Rev. Thompson and Ikpeazu's lawyer, necn hasn't yet heard back from either party.
Ikpeazu will be arraigned on a misdemeanor sex assault charge in August.
A town employee in Plymouth, Massachusetts, was arraigned Friday after allegedly assaulting a woman.
The suspect, 28-year-old Daryl Moyer, is accused of using pruning shears to attack the woman at Morton Park Thursday afternoon.
Moyer was a seasonal worker with the Parks Department. He was terminated form his job following the alleged incident.
Police say Moyer attacked the woman from behind as she was jogging.
A passerby intervened and allowed the victim to escape. He was allegedly threatened by Moyer.
The victim was taken to South Shore Hospital in serious condition, but is expected to recover.
Moyer is facing charges including armed assault, intent to rape and threatening.
He was held on $100,000 bail and is expected in court Friday morning.
Police in Worcester, Massachusetts, have arrested a woman who allegedly slashed her boyfriend's arm with a razor blade while intoxicated Thursday morning.
Officers responded to a hospital and met with the 31-year-old victim, who was receiving treatment for a cut to his left forearm.
He told police he was walking with his 29-year-old girlfriend near the intersection of May and Park Avenue around 6 a.m.
He said his girlfriend was drunk and swung a razor blade at him and punched him several times. His arm was cut when he attempted to disarm her.
She accompanied him to the hospital and was waiting in a vehicle in the parking lot when police arrived.
Police arrested her and charged her with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and domestic assault and battery.
No names will be released due to domestic nature of the incident.
A woman was killed in a train crash in Brattleboro, Vermont, Friday afternoon, police said.
Police found the woman's body on tracks between Veteran's Memorial Bridge and Walnut Street in Brattleboro upon arrival. According to the preliminary investigation, the woman was hit by a southbound passenger train.
Police identified the woman, but did not release her name.
Police will later release additional information.
Police ask anyone with information to call Detective Erik Johnson at (802) 257-7950.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton sent out a series of tweets Friday condemning presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trumps newly announced running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
Trump officially announced Pence as his running mate Friday morning, tapping the low-key social conservative ahead of next weeks Republican National Convention.
Clinton quickly sent out a series of tweets, claiming Trump was sticking with his dangerous plan for America by picking Pence.
"By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families," campaign chairman John Podesta said in a statement.
One of Clinton's tweets includes a campaign video that highlights aspects of Pences political career, including his involvement in the controversy surrounding Indianas controversial religious freedom bill last year.
As governor, Pence was willing to shut down Indianas economy to allow discrimination against LGBT people, the video said.
It's official: @realDonaldTrump just chose Mike Pence as his running mate. What you need to know about him:https://t.co/VpmloblDhS Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 15, 2016
Cities and businesses boycotted the state over the controversial law that many believed would allow for discrimination against the LGBTQ community. Following widespread condemnation, Pence agreed to amend the law to clarify its intent.
According to Forbes, the law cost Indianapolis $60 million in lost revenue.
The video also claims that Pence was "willing to shut down the government to defund Planned Parenthood, highlighting his staunch pro-life stance.
Additionally, Clintons video argues Pence as bad for immigrants.
A clip of Pence saying Americans dont want comprehensive immigration reform in included in the video.
Donald Trump and Mike Pence: building a great, big, beautiful wall between America and progress, the spot concludes.
Clinton also tweeted a five things you should know about Gov. Mike Pence meme Friday.
If you had any doubts about Trump sticking with his dangerous plan for America, say hello to his VP pick. pic.twitter.com/xuFClfZeLi Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 15, 2016
The list touches on Pences push to defund Planned Parenthood, as well as the controversial religious freedom law and his stances on abortion and immigration reform.
The meme also claims that Pence slashed higher education funding to pay for corporate tax cuts.
Clinton tweeted another meme that shows Pences alignment with Trump on a series of hot-button issues, like supporting tax cuts for millionaires and opposing a bump in the minimum wage, defunding Planned Parenthood and restricting abortion access, opposing immigration reform and deporting immigrants and repealing the Affordable Care Act.
The tweet also claims that both Trump and his running mate wont tackle climate change.
Clinton also tweeted a link to donate to her campaign, in order to keep Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and their extreme agenda out of the White House."
New book features Norwich Holocaust missionary hero
A leading human rights lawyer has written a new book which includes the story of Norwich missionary and Holocaust hero Elsie Tilney, which he is now promoting worldwide.
A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost.
A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost.
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
Executive assistant and nursery manager jobs SOUL Church is a vibrant, welcoming and growing church in Norwich. They are seeking an organised and versatile Executive Assistant to provide key support to the churchs Senior Pastors, as well as a qualified Nursery Manager to head up SOUL Nursery. Read more
Halloween light in Gorleston church On Halloween this year, St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston will be preparing to welcome around 200 families to experience their Light on a Dark Night event. Read more
An opportunity for Norwich to pray for the nation 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. Read more
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
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
MicroStrategy, a veteran of the business intelligence and analytics market that is , has plenty to boast about and isnt shy about doing it.
Its revenue comes in at more than half a billion dollars, the company is profitable, and it serves giant customers like eBay and the U.S. Postal Service. A competitor of vendors such as SAP and Tableau, MicroStrategy gushes over how Gartner analysts rate it. And according to globetrotting CEO and Co-Founder Michael Saylor, Version 10 of MicroStrategy's flagship product is the most powerful software ever released -- so much so that a customer could feel secure including "a nuclear order of battle into an [encrypted and geolocked] application, put it on an iPad and hand it to the President of the United States."
Whoa.
At the Tysons Corner, Va.-based companys MicroStrategy Symposium this week in Framingham, Mass., Saylor kicked things off with an update on the new Version 10.4 of the software, then turned things over to what company execs referred to as the stars of the show MicroStrategy customers. Beyond MicroStrategy employees and partners, the event was attended mainly by IT and line-of-business professionals, and organizers were good enough to invite me as well. While this isn't a side of the business I cover closely, the event was right down the road from our office, so why not take a break from the Pokemon Go media storm and check out this company that has managed to thrive and survive since 1989?
Bob Brown/NetworkWorld MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor swore allegiance to open source architectures to address scale and flexibility needs of enterprise IT shops
During Saylors presentation, he said four out of 10 customers have upgraded to MicroStrategy 10 since it rolled out last year, and that 10,000 downloads of the desktop version have been registered as the company expands beyond web-based tools.
MORE: SplunkLive! makes for revealing IT management showcase
Customers have been enthusiastic about building big sophisticated data cubes in RAM, exploiting new types of data sources, and working with D3.js and R to build new apps, says Saylor, noting that the companys analytics are backed by security, mobility and data modeling technologies that ensure apps can be deployed across an enterprise and provide insights, action and access. He adds that apps built using MicroStrategy tools fit with traditional enterprise resources such as OLAP databases, LDAP directories and mobile device management systems as well as with new open source architectures, such as Apache Spark and Kafka.
Saylor was also big on digital badges, what he described as a new document type that can be downloaded to your phone and serve as an ID (i.e., student, employee or customer credential) for unlocking computers, VPNs, websites and even physical access controllers, such as for elevators and parking lot doors. Retailers, banks and hospitals might be among the sorts of MicroStrategy customers that could take advantage of badges, for identifying VIP customers, providing an alternative to ATM cards and providing faster emergency service.
MicroStrategy customers speak
While digital badges never came up during a customer panel that followed Saylor's talk (he told me the product is still pretty new), these BI and analytics experts had plenty to say about other topics.
Mike Kowalsky, business informatics lead at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, says demand for analytics help among employees at his organization has been on the rise, especially since a new e-health system was rolled out and his team held a road show to spread the word about BI. "My managers were worried that we were soliciting too much demand because the backlog was really growing," he said.
Virginia Coburn, a manager at Boston Children's Hospital's Enterprise Reporting Group, was feeling Kowalsky's backlog pain. "My group is responsible for not only developing and gathering demand for dashboards and reports, but promoting a self-service environment as much as possible because we can't keep up with our demand," she said.
MORE:
The emphasis on analytics to date, she said, has been patient care-focused (though marketing and finance applications are also possibilities down the road). Having a structured electronic medical records system in place has allowed Coburn's group to provide tools for clinicians to analyze large volumes of data, which gives them better visibility into outcomes, readmission rates and more. As a beta user of MicroStrategy 10, Children's has been able to encourage self-service usage in part through a more streamlined end user requirements process that limits going back-and-forth with lots of sample data, only to find that real data mucks up the works. One initial hesitation Children's had in going with MicroStrategy was a fear of finding staff knowledgable in the software, but Coburn credits the company with making its tools easier to use over the years for not just members of the reporting group, but for all sorts of end users.
Kowalsky says it's not unique to healthcare that people across an organization don't always realize enterprise-level analytics now exist. "When we start to gain efficiencies like this, some lightbulbs start to go off in executives' heads and they say, "Let's stop doing these decentralized operations of building your own data warehouses. Let's leverage the enterprise version that we're already paying for anyway... Why don't we do that and allocate some of the other operational expenses to cure cancer'," he said.
(As an aside, MicroStrategy sales director and panel moderator Claire Carpenter relayed how tough a negotiator Kowalsky is, "when he tells me every penny they spend on MicroStrategy is a penny not spent curing cancer.")
Like Coburn's team, Kowalsky's has encouraged more self-service analytics use among employees. "We were using self-service in Version 9 on top of an architected presentation layer," he said. "In Version 10, we're staging the information, enabling the ability to connect to that data store and now people who are more savvy than they were a few years ago are able to go out and build their own analytics... So self-service is really taking off for us."
Todd Plank, global BI manager at Saint-Gobain Abrasives, said his organization has been using MicroStrategy for 10 years, and while it uses the software for traditional sales and financial reporting, it also employs analytics for tracking customer service (its version of patient care, so to speak), including for distributors of its materials.
"We leverage data we receive from our customers, such as point-of-sale data, that helps us to understand who is actually using our products, not just who we're selling them to," he said. More glamorously, as a sponsor of the US Olympic luge team, Saint-Gobain uses analytics software to help the sledders figure out how materials might work best to improve their runs.
Like the others, Plank says self-service capabilities are key, even if that means his group provides an initial dashboard that departments can then tweak for their needs.
One clever technique employed by Saint-Gobain to spread the word across the organization of what's available for analytics and BI tools has been to publish a series of TED-like talks internally. And naturally, I imagine, those can be accessed in a self-service manner.
Raspberry Pi was originally aimed at students and hobbyists, and it can now function as a Linux computer.
And if support for Microsoft's Windows 10 desktop OS is added to the latest Raspberry Pi 3, it could become a viable computer for millions of PC users who are not technically savvy.
Support for Windows 10 desktop is on founder Eben Upton's wishlist for Raspberry Pi 3, which shipped in February. The mini computer already supports Windows 10 IoT Core, a stripped-down version of the OS for Internet of Things devices.
But that decision is not in Upton's hands. It's feasible, but not now contemplated as part of Raspberry Pi's relationship with Microsoft, Upton said.
"It's a Microsoft decision," he said. "I would love it if Microsoft would do that. I'd love to see it."
The Raspberry Pi 3 is already being used to make smart devices, robots, drones, media streamers, and thin clients like ViewSonic's SC-T25.
In the meanwhile, Raspberry Pi is taking other steps to make the computer user friendly. Raspberry Pi 3 is widely considered a computer for enthusiasts, but Upton wants to "grandma-proof" it so it's easy for everyone to use.
Raspberry Pi 3 has entry-level PC features with a 64-bit ARM processor, Wi-Fi, and a high-definition graphics processor. An intuitive user experience with a graphically attractive OS and standard software is needed to make Raspberry Pi a viable PC alternative, Upton said.
To that effect, Raspberry Pi is moving to make Chrome a standard browser in Raspbian, the official Raspberry Pi OS. Other Linux distributions like Ubuntu can also be installed on Raspberry Pi.
Windows 10 desktop is compatible with only x86 chips. The mobile version of Windows 10 can serve as a desktop-like OS in a pinch, but it is compatible only with Qualcomm-based ARM chips. Microsoft would have to make one of the Windows 10 versions compatible with the 64-bit Broadcom ARM chip in Raspberry Pi for the OS to work on the device.
Microsoft is relying on Raspberry Pi to expose its Windows 10 IoT Core to the growing community of enthusiasts making smart gadgets and IoT devices. The partnership has been successful, and Microsoft's Azure cloud provides the middleware needed for makers to connect devices to services, Upton said.
Raspberry Pi is also being used in IoT implementations, and it is becoming difficult for Upton to track how the boards are being used. He's seen them used in networking and storage equipment, and "homebrew" devices designed by companies for internal use.
The industrial sector is the next big push for Raspberry Pi, Upton said. There's a growing demand for industrial IoT devices and computers to operate industrial equipment, and Raspberry Pi could meet both needs.
The first Raspberry Pi shipped in 2012 as an inexpensive computer to help students learn to program. The board has since sold in the millions, inspired look-alikes, and spawned a cottage industry of small companies developing components and connectors.
In the speedy growth, Raspberry Pi hasn't lost its primary educational focus. Next month, the book "Learning Computer Architecture with Raspberry Pi," written by Upton and Jeffrey Duntemann, will be released. It will provide an in-depth look at the Raspberry Pi hardware architecture and will be a reference book for students and hardware enthusiasts.
"We're still having fun. When we stop having fun, we'll stop making it," Upton said.
Some banking software is so old that programmers have had to come out of retirement to fix glitches in the code and integrate it into mobile phone device interfaces. Thats if the banks could find the poor guy, who's probably out fishing somewhere, or if hes still alive.
Yet banks havent wanted to invest in from-scratch, well-documented re-engineering. Its too expensivebankers prefer to count money than spend itand its difficult to justify a new back end to owners because code is so invisible. Banking code has thus stagnated and gotten patched when necessary, or possible, despite fraud and cyber theft.
+ Also on Network World: What is blockchain and how does it work? +
A modern, safe operating system designed specifically for banks that promises to end theft, along with resulting reputation damage, and costs a lot less would be a solution stakeholders might go for, though.
Vault OS, a blockchain technology that recently emerged out of stealth, promises to fix all of bankings tech problems by running scalably in the cloud, thus ending central points of failure; being consequently cheaper; and operating a highly secure, real-time ledger using cryptography a la Bitcoin.
Bitcoins system of peer-to-peer transactions occurs directly between users electronically rather than through a bank. Bitcoin transactions are verified by the network and are documented in a cryptographic publicly available ledger known as the blockchain.
Vault OS is using private blockchain-style technology, says ThoughtMachine, the U.K.-based developer, in a press release.
The benefits to banks could be significant.
Eliminating the need for traditional bank data centers
Employee-reducing scalability is obtained through use of the cloud rather than data centers, the company claims. That cloud-focus enables a bank to scale from one customer to tens of millions, it explains.
Costs are kept down in part because the banks dont need people to run the data centers. And the fact that the solution is brand-new, means banks dont need software engineers to keep legacy systems from failing, further reducing costs, ThoughtMachine says.
The company claims its blockchain product is future-proof, too, because it uses machine learning to help banks develop new products. They can roll out new ones in days, it says.
All of the transactions are recorded in real time, unlike the overnight appearance that it can take for a customer to see transactions appear on ledgers in traditional banking.
This should help with compliance issues, ThoughtMachine says. Within seconds of, say, a customer swiping a credit card, the transaction appears on the banks balance sheet. So a bank, or indeed a customer, should always know its financial position in real time.
Its the Bitcoin-technology, blockchain nature of Vault OS thats revolutionary. Thats primarily because of those transactional improvements over traditional ledgers.
A challenge: The public's perception of Bitcoin
One of the problems that model Bitcoin has had is that, in the publics eye, it has been unable to separate the transactional system improvementswhere the cost of sending money is one or two electrons, rather than an entire building full of peoplefrom the speculative element. Thats where someone gets a Bitcoin, and it goes up or down in value, creating millionaires or the penniless.
If one thinks of blockchain technology for banks, not in Bitcoin terms and its media-hyped wealth creation, but purely in terms of transactions, Vault OS makes a lot of sense.
But it also prompts the question: If all one is doing is cryptographically passing electrons back and forth, what do you need banks for anyway? In the case of Vault OS, has the horse not already bolted?
AT&T is now using drones to conduct aerial inspections of its cellular towers and foresees them as a way to beef up its wireless LTE network.
Down the road, the carrier said it might use a drone as a Flying Cell on Wings (COW) to enhance LTE coverage at a large concert or sporting event where thousands of fans can clog the network. Or a drone could be used in rapid disaster response, offering wireless coverage when a vehicle is unable to drive to an area hit by a storm or other catastrophe.
AT&T Future possible applications include turning a drone into a Flying Cell on Wings to beef up LTE coverage at a concert or to quickly set up LTE service in a disaster-ridden area.
Some of those ideas were laid out in a blog this week by John Donovan, chief strategy officer for AT&T.
The blog includes a video showing how drones are already being deployed to inspect tall cell towers. The inspection drones use live video fed wirelessly to an engineer in an office who can do up-close inspections of cables and components high above the ground. The process is quicker and safer than using humans and allows access to parts of a tower that a person could not access.
Drones can also be connected to an LTE network in a specific area to capture data for analysis through remote AT&T servers to allow for networking changes and fixes in real time if problems occur.
+ ALSO ON NETWORK WORLD Commercial drones gaining altitude with top IT vendors +
Art Pregler, drone program director for AT&T, said the drone inspection information tends to be more accurate than what's been available in the past. "This is exciting," he said. "We're in the infancy of drone use in the commercial sector. The sky's the limit."
As drones continue to evolve, so do robots and artificial intelligence, he noted. "We can see all of this coming together in a very interesting man-machine relationship," Pregler said.
AT&T is also exploring the use of drones for use by its business customers in developing Internet of Things (IoT) applications in insurance, farming, facility inspections and delivery service, Donovan said.
Interest in the commercial use of drones is quickly expanding. Google and Amazon have drone projects in the works as does Verizona direct competitor to AT&T.
Last December, Verizon announced a pilot project with drone partner PrecisionHawk to monitor a grape crop at Hahn Estate, a winery in Soledad, Calif. Verizon said it wants to the use the pilot to help develop mapping and analytics for agribusiness.
The interest by both major U.S. carriers in IoT applications for customers comes as wireless services revenues are on a steady decline. Carriers are seeking new areas of revenue with IoTincluding by using drones.
This story, "AT&T deploys drones for cell tower inspections, network expansion" was originally published by Computerworld .
"Take cover," the French government warned people in Nice via its official terror alert app.
But the alert came almost three hours after police shot the driver of a truck as he plowed through crowds gathered on the waterfront late Thursday to watch a firework display celebrating France's national holiday.
The System to Alert and Inform Populations (SAIP) app, introduced last month, is supposed to provide more timely and informative warnings than the existing nationwide network of sirens and radio messages. The ministry began working on the app after the terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015, finally putting it into service on June 8.
Thursday night was the first real test of its efficacy, but the government will need to be sure it can rely on it with the country's state of emergency -- initiated after the Paris attacks -- extended for another three months, and the terror alert level expected to remain elevated for some time.
This time around, Twitter provided the more rapid and effective means of communication for officials, with the mayor of Nice, the chief of police and others all taking to the messaging service to provide updates and advice.
The country's Deputy Minister for Digital Affairs, Axelle Lemaire, told those in Nice to "reassure their loved ones by activating the safety check 'safe in Nice' on Facebook" -- a full hour before the Ministry of the Interior's app delivered its message advising people curtly to "take cover" and providing telephone numbers for the public information unit and a victim support group.
The deputy minister's Facebook advice, relayed by the Twitter accounts of many other government officials and departments, drew criticism from some Twitter users for its support of a commercial service.
Facebook activates its Safety Check feature in the wake of certain disasters, natural or man-made, encouraging its users to check in to say they're safe. That way, their contacts on the social network can see they are still alive.
The thousands of people on the seafront Thursday, many of them using their phones to seek information or reassure family and friends, overwhelmed the cellular networks, prompting the Ministry to encourage Twitter users not to jam phone numbers for emergency services, and to telephone only in case of life-threatening emergencies.
As for the Ministry of the Interior's app, it wasn't network congestion but "a technical problem encountered by the contractor who manages the SAIP app," a government source told Les Echos journalist Anaelle Grondin.
The app contains code developed by Paris-based Deveryware for delivering location-based alerts without the user's location being logged on a central server, an important privacy feature in France.
Representatives of Deveryware had been summoned to the Ministry on Friday afternoon, Grondin reported.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Spare Change: Hard-working farmer Louis Escobar was one of a kind
Louie performed the kind of job most try to avoid. And he did it with little, if any, complaint.
Reporter
Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
Researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan have demonstrated that a molecule, called biglycan, plays an intrinsic role in attracting tumour cells toward the inner wall of tumour blood vessels.
Biglycan is a normal component of the supportive matrix outside cells and appears to modulate the biological activities of a number of growth factors. It is also released by immune cells in inflamed tissues.
The team conducted investigations by grafting low-metastatic (LM) and high-metastatic (HM) melanoma tumour cells under the skin of mice.
They found the "endothelial" cells forming the inner lining of blood vessels in the HM tumours secrete increased levels of biglycan, which then binds to specific receptors on the tumour cells, attracting them to the endothelium. When they neutralized the biglycan receptors with antibodies, tumour cell migration toward the endothelium was inhibited.
They then asked why biglycan expression was increased in the endothelial cells, and found that the promoter region of the gene was de-methylated, meaning the gene was switched on. They speculate that the tumour cells created a micro-environment that could induce abnormal gene expression in the neighbouring tissue.
The team analysed a large database that contains gene expression data in cancer patients. They found that high biglycan expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast, lung and colorectal cancer. Further investigation on a specific metastatic cancer case showed high levels of biglycan in the blood of patients with metastatic cancer, while it was barely detected in another non-metastatic case.
The research provides clear evidence that biglycan plays an important role in determining tumour malignancy. Blood vessel endothelial cells act as "gatekeepers", the researchers write in their study published in the journal Scientific Reports. In highly metastatic tumours, these cells give tumour cells the "key" molecule, biglycan, which allows them to break through the gate and proceed into the blood stream, resulting in metastases.
"The present observations, together with unravelling certain remaining issues, may contribute to establishing accurate diagnostics or potent anti-metastatic strategies that target the communications between tumour cells and endothelial cells," the researchers conclude.
An international team of ecologists has identified the bat species with the greatest potential to harbor filoviruses--a family that includes Ebola virus. Writing in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, they suggest that areas where many of these species overlap, notably in Southeast Asia, should be targeted for disease surveillance and virus discovery efforts.
"Using machine learning methods developed for artificial intelligence, we were able to bring together data from ecology, biogeography and public health to identify bat species with a high probability of harboring Ebola and other filoviruses," said the paper's lead author Barbara Han of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. "Understanding which species carry these viruses, and where they are located, is essential to preventing future spillovers."
Filoviruses, which originate in animals and can be transmitted to humans, pose a serious threat to human health and to primate conservation. Ebola virus disease has a 50 percent human fatality rate, according to the World Health Organization, and among great apes like gorillas and chimpanzees that rate is even higher.
Identifying which animals serve as Ebola virus reservoirs--sources from which it can spread to humans and other susceptible animals--is critical for preventing future outbreaks. This has proven difficult in part because of the enormous geographic range of the virus across equatorial Africa and the sheer number of potential reservoir species within that range. There is mounting evidence, however, that certain bats are the likeliest culprits.
Han and colleagues from the University of Georgia and Massey University in New Zealand set out to develop a "trait profile" of filovirus-susceptible bats. Looking at more than 50 biological and ecological traits of the 21 bat species known to harbor filoviruses, they found several that distinguish them from other bats with 87 percent accuracy. These include earlier maturity, more frequent litters, and pups that are larger at birth. Their geographic ranges are also larger, and overlap with more mammal species, than those of other bats.
They used machine learning--complex computer programs that can analyze enormous amounts of data and find hidden patterns--to compare all 1,116 of the world's bat species to the profile. This allowed them to determine which other species share those traits and are therefore potential filovirus hosts. Finally, they mapped the geographic ranges of all the species that fit the trait profile to pinpoint potential filovirus hotspots.
Their results contained some surprises.
While many of the species that most closely fit the profile are found in sub-Saharan Africa, the top 10 percent of likeliest hosts are much more widely distributed than the researchers expected. Species range across Southeast Asia and Central and South America. Several hotspots, where a number of potential reservoir species overlap, are outside Africa, most notably in parts of Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam and Northeastern India.
The findings provide information that could be used to target surveillance more efficiently by focusing on the likeliest filovirus carriers, many of which have never been tested.
Senior author John Drake, director of the new UGA Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases at the Odum School of Ecology, said that the results also highlight the importance of the multidisciplinary approach that is the center's hallmark.
"One thing the center aims to do is to perform synthetic (multi-disciplinary) research that reaches from basic science all the way out to wildlife management, public health and clinical practice," he said. "This work exemplifies how the center supports such endeavors by bringing together subject matter experts (in this case David Hayman of Massey University) with 'big picture' scientific visionaries like Barbara Han via the methodology of modern data science (UGA's Drake and J.P Schmidt)."
In addition, UGA undergraduate Laura Alexander, now a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley, reviewed the primary literature to compile a comprehensive picture of what was and wasn't known about the subject area, and UGA doctoral student Sarah Bowden--now a postdoctoral scientist at the Cary Institute--developed the maps.
The findings have raised questions for future research that will require a similar multidisciplinary approach.
"We suspect there may be other filoviruses waiting to be found," Drake said. "An outstanding question for future work is to investigate why there are so few filovirus spillover events reported for humans and wildlife in Southeast Asia compared to equatorial Africa."
By combining data on optometry patient's eyes with advanced computational methods, Indiana University researchers have created a virtual tissue model of diabetes in the eye.
The results, reported in the journal PLOS Computational Biology, show precisely how a small protein that can both damage or grow blood vessels in the eye causes vision loss and blindness in people with diabetes. The study could also lead to better treatment for diabetic retinopathy, which currently requires multiple, invasive procedures that aren't always effective in the long term.
The research was conducted by scientists at the IU School of Optometry and the Biocomplexity Institute in the IU School of Informatics and Computing.
A common cause of vision loss in people with diabetes, diabetic retinopathy is responsible for 1 percent of all blindness worldwide and a leading cause of blindness in American adults.
"With the current epidemic of diabetes in adults, the number of people with vision damage from diabetes will continue to rise," said Thomas Gast, an ophthalmologist and senior scientist at the IU School of Optometry, who was a lead author on the study. "This paper establishes a step-by-step pathway from a diabetic's elevated blood sugars to the vascular complications in the eye. Therapeutically, understanding a disease can lead to improved treatments."
A major way diabetic retinopathy threatens vision is diabetic edema. In this condition, the smallest vessels supplying the retina with oxygen become leaky, causing fluid to swell the central retinal area and impairing the type of vision required for precise activities such as reading.
This happens because the loss of blood flow in a vessel causes the local oxygen level to drop, which stimulates local production of vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, a protein which in most tissues causes the growth of new blood vessels to repair damage. However, in a retina with elevated sugar levels, instead of repairing the damage, physicians observe a cascade of damage that propagates from the initial blocked vessel. The rate and area of the damage's progression also vary greatly between patients in a seemingly unpredictable way.
The virtual retina model in the IU study provides the first strong evidence for why this pattern of disease progression is so variable, and predicts where damage will occur next. It shows that the blockage of one vessel causes a local loss of oxygen in the retina, which triggers release of VEGF that spreads over a larger region, which, in turn increases the probability of blockage in the surrounding vessels, creating a "domino effect."
The spread of damage from region to region depends on the detailed pattern of blood vessels in each patient and the amount of blood they carry, both of which vary greatly from person to person. Based on a patient's specific vascular structure, the IU scientists' new model calculates how much a blockage in one blood vessel will increase the probability of blockage in each neighboring vessel. As a result, their program predicts the specific rate and pattern of this cascading vascular damage in the individual.
Current treatment to stop this spread, called laser photocoagulation, places an approximately 1 millimeter square grid of burns uniformly across the back of the retina outside the area of good vision. These burns destroy areas of retina that consume oxygen, allowing extra oxygen to move into the retina from deeper vessels behind the retina. They also create blind spots, and many patients require multiple treatments that can impair their side and night vision.
"Our analysis suggests treatment of the retina with a large number of very small laser burns could prevent this 'domino-like' progressive loss of small retinal blood vessels and prevent elevation of VEGF and the major complications of diabetic retinopathy," Dr. Gast said.
This individualized therapy would strategically place "firebreaks" of much smaller burns around areas from which the model predicts that vascular damage will spread in that patient, greatly reducing the total amount of damage and reducing the probability that damage will spread between the burns and propagate despite treatment. The IU team is now planning studies in animals and, ultimately, will look to others to partner on clinical trials that implement the new treatment in humans.
They also point out that the same mechanism found to cause damage to blood vessels in the eye may cause diabetic damage to the kidneys and nerves.
"Our goal is not only to deliver answers about one disease or biological process, but to provide a tool that allows researchers to answer many types of questions," said James Glazier, director of the IU Biocomplexity Institute, who is also an author on the paper as well as another recent paper that computationally described the mechanisms underlying polycystic kidney disease. "No effort anywhere else attempts to provide a general solution for deploying virtual tissues across a whole range of significant biomedical questions."
When adults develop blood cancer, they are frequently diagnosed with what is referred to as acute myeloid leukemia. The disease is triggered by pathological alterations of bone marrow cells, in which, in addition, an important mechanism is out of action: these cells do not die when they are damaged. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now discovered a molecular signaling pathway for self-destruction that is suppressed in leukemia cells.
Leukemia involves pathological alterations in the body's hematopoietic system. In acute myeloid leukemia, it is specifically the bone marrow (Greek: myelos) that is affected. In a healthy body, different blood cells, which perform different functions in the blood, are formed from stem cells and what is referred to as progenitor cells in the bone marrow. A genetic mutation can lead to alterations in stem cells and progenitor cells and turn them into leukemia-initiating cells, which are referred to as LICs for short. Like healthy progenitor cells, LICs multiply in the bone marrow. The genetic mutation, however, causes LICs to remain without function and prevents them from developing into mature blood cells, which ultimately leads to the repression of healthy hematopoiesis in the bone marrow and the onset of leukemia symptoms.
The most frequent genetic alterations in myeloid leukemia include mutations in the FLT3 gene. A team led by Dr. Philipp Jost from the Department of Hematology/Oncology at Klinikum rechts der Isar at the Technical University of Munich has now discovered that the effects of this gene on pathologically altered cells in a way provide certain indications for the treatment of the disease. The mutation causes a permanent activation of the FLT3 gene. As demonstrated by the scientists, this triggers inflammation-like stimuli in the cell, subjecting it to permanent stress.
Growth despite inflammation and damage
Under normal circumstances, such permanent inflammatory stimuli would trigger a program known as programmed cell death to replace damaged cells. This is a kind of self-destruction mechanism used by a cell to initiate its own destruction in a coordinated fashion and allow it to be replaced by a healthy one. "By contrast, LICs manage to grow and proliferate despite the inflammation and damage," states Philipp Jost. "In our study, we have taken a closer look at the molecular causes of this resistance."
To gain a better understanding of the research project described by the TUM scientists in the medical journal "Cancer Cell", it is important to understand that cells have different ways of self-destructing. So far, the primary research focus in trying to ascertain why cancer cells survive longer than they should has been placed on a process called apoptosis. However, the fact that inflammatory processes occur in LICs pointed Philipp Jost and his colleagues in a different direction. Another way to initiate cell death is through what is referred to as necroptosis. Whereas, in apoptosis, a cell shrinks in a coordinated fashion, in necroptosis, a sudden destruction occurs, which releases the contents of the dying cell along with numerous messenger substances. This induces a strong inflammatory stimulus in the vicinity of the cell.
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Cancer cells block activation of protein
Necroptosis is triggered by the activation of a protein called RIPK3, which subsequently initiates processes within the cell that lead to its death. The scientists used cell cultures to discover that leukemia takes a particularly severe course when RIPK3 is blocked inside LICs. This led to the cancer cells surviving particularly long, accompanied by their strong division and conversion to functionless blood cells (blasts). "We conclude from our findings that particularly aggressive cancer cells have the capacity to block RIPK3," states Ulrike Hockendorf, lead author of the study. "Exactly how they accomplish this, however, remains to be investigated."
Inducing cell death in a LIC by means of necroptosis has repercussions which also affect neighboring leukemia cells. The inflammatory stimuli triggered by the substances released during necroptosis are significantly stronger than the processes caused by the mutation in the FLT3 gene in a LIC. This inflammation has positive effects on the area surrounding the cell: induced by the messenger substances, neighboring leukemia cells begin to mature similar to healthy cells, leading to a less aggressive progression of leukemia.
With cell death blocked - apoptosis, too, is "neutralized" in many cancer cells - individual LICs manage to survive and proliferate even after chemotherapy or radiotherapy. "The new findings on the impact of the RIPK3 signaling pathway and the messenger substances released could open up new options for the treatment of leukemia," states Philipp Jost. "If it were possible to artificially reproduce the effect of RIPK3 using medication, one could launch a targeted attack on leukemia cells."
People are editing, and photoshopping my selfies as if I am one of the people causing the issues/problems in Paris.
Veerender Jubbal (@Veeren_Jubbal) November 14, 2015
People are wrongly identifying my Sikh friend as being responsible for the #Nice attack. Please help end the rumors. pic.twitter.com/anzl3guO8z Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) July 15, 2016
Veerender Jubbal, a freelance writer and journalist who specialises in gaming was falsely accused of being one of the ISIS terrorist responsible for the attacks in Paris last year. One of his selfies with an iPad was photoshopped to make him wear a bulletproof vest and was shown holding a Quran. Jubbal, who is a Canadian resident, said that he had never even been to Paris.Jubbal had even tweeted about it before people started coming to his aid and tweeted about the racial profiling and rumour mongering before things could take a turn for the worse.The same rumour mongering started again today, after an attacker killed 84 people and injured scores when he drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice late on Thursday. His friend Simran Jeet Singh, an assistant professor of religion at Trinity University in Texas, tweeted about the false accusations.And while things are in utter chaos at Nice, France post the attacks, it is important to squash every attempt at spreading hate through false rumours and racial profiling. We tried to contact Veerender Jubbal on Twitter, but he hasn't been active on the social media website since December last year. We shall notify you with all updates.
Two dead kids. One suits the left's agenda, the other doesn't and will be blamed on anything but Islam. #NiceAttack pic.twitter.com/Y6MnL71UTx Angry Aunty (@AuntyNeville664) July 15, 2016
That photo of a doll next to a child's covered body in Nice is just devastating. This has to stop. #PrayForNice David Kaye (@DavidKaye9) July 15, 2016
This little child was innocent when will it all end the killing of innocent people #NiceAttack #Nice pic.twitter.com/JCghhvADdK John (@bigknightywhu) July 15, 2016
The photo of the doll lying next to a child's body in #Nice is too devastating for words! A true depiction of the innocence that was lost Genna Hansen (@gennahansen) July 15, 2016
The picture of the little girl lying next to her doll in Nice has honestly knocked me ill. What is wrong with this world Rossy (@safc0308) July 15, 2016
On 14th July, during Bastille Day celebrations, an attacker took the lives of 84 people and injured several others as he drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd watching the celebratory fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice.This tragedy has been determined to be a terrorist attack and it comes only 8 months after the terrorist attack on the city of Paris.While there have been several gory videos and images of the attack and its aftermath, one of the images that has gone viral on the social media is that of an abandoned doll lying by the covered up dead body of a child.Reuters lists this photo captured by Eric Gaillard with the caption "A body is seen on the ground July 15, 2016 after at least 30 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday July 14".While there has been no identification of the dead body as of yet, the internet has been gravely affected by the image. People all over the world tweeted about how this image is one of the most haunting and devastating things they have ever witnessed.
Pakistan Army's Strategic Forces Command has moved as many as seven battalions - roughly 5000 to 7000 soldiers into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir since June 15, sources said on Friday.
CNN-News18 learnt this was confirmed after the Indian Army managed to get satellite imagery of the movement of these seven additional battalions to POK.
Sources said that the immediate reason could be the fear of political violence because of the elections which are due on July 21.
The second reason could be that the Pakistan Army is worried that similar cries for Azadi may erupt from PoK after seeing the protests in Jammu and Kashmir over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.
Such a large contingent of troops may also have been moved with the aim of providing cover for terrorists to infiltrate into India.
Wani was killed on July 8 in a gunbattle with government forces in Kashmir, sparking off days of deadly violence that have left at least 37 dead so far.
Opn #SankatMochan On Indian soil at last! Scenes from the arrival of evacuees in Thiruvananthapuram pic.twitter.com/iDIeshWKiQ Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 15, 2016
This was part of the 'Operation Sankat Mochan' to evacuate Indians from the African country initiated by the Indian government and was led by Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh.
The first batch of one hundred and fifty six persons who were evacuated from South Sudan arrived on a special Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft at the international airport in Thiruvananthapuram early on Friday.According to officials, at least 500 more Indians will be evacuated in the course of the next few days after a civil war broke own between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city leaving more than 250 dead.Among those rescued included 46 Keralites, two Nepalese nationals, seven women and three children.The remaining passengers hailed from other South Indian states. The Kerala government has made special arrangements for their onward journey.The flight touched here around 5 a.m. Speaking to reporters at the airport, Singh said two aircrafts were involved in the evacuation operation and the other flight will land in Delhi."There were more than 500 Indians evacuated. Over 300 Indians will continue to stay there for their business interests. About 150 Indians are there who work in the oil wells and for them it's easier to go towards Sudan where there are not much issues," Singh said."While I was there, I spoke to the vice president of South Sudan and he told me what they are doing with regards the safety of the people there," added Singh.The Kerala government was represented by State Minister for Electricity Kadakampally Surendran and district officials.South Sudan President Salva Kiir had on Monday evening ordered a ceasefire after days of heavy fighting between government troops and rebels loyal to Vice President Riek Machar.The UN has said 36,000 South Sudanese civilians have fled their homes due to the civil war. Embassies and aid organisations in South Sudan are moving to evacuate staff from Juba amid the tenuous ceasefire.
New Delhi: The government once again sought support from the Congress for passage of the crucial GST bill, which is pending due to stiff resistance in the parliament.
Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Ananth Kumar met senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma to build a consensus on it.
"We are trying to build consensus on GST. We have discussed all the points. Once the monsoon session starts, we will meet again after discussing the issue within our respective parties," Jaitley said after the meeting.
Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who earlier handled Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, called up Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and his deputy Anand Sharma to seek Congress' backing for passage of the crucial bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament starting July 18.
Government is desperate to reach out to the Congress party in a bid to enlist their support for the crucial tax reform legislation.
Speaking to the reporters on GST, Azad said, "Yes, we had talked but cannot disclose anything."
Top Congress leaders had on Thursday deliberated on the strategy for the session with party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence where GST was also discussed.
Congress has been pressing for a GST cap of 18 per cent as part of the Constitutional Amendment bill with which the government is not in agreement.
Insiders say the demand has become a sticking point, but Congress may relent and agree to a cap in the statute and not as part of the Constitution bill.
(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: India on Friday unequivocally rejected the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying Pakistan has no locus standi in the matter and asked it to refrain from interfering in it.
"Continued glorification of terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organizations makes it amply clear where Pakistans sympathies continue to lie," the statement said.
The reaction comes after Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja M Asif blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Kashmir unrest. He said, "Massacre and genocide in Indian occupied Kashmir is an extension and re-enactment of ethnic cleansing started by Modi in Gujarat."
A special cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday to declare July 19 as 'black day' to mark complete solidarity with Kashmiris.
Sharif expressed shock over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter in Kashmir and deplored "oppressive measures" and "excessive" force used against civilians in the latest wave of violence in the Valley.
New Delhi: India is pushing for a final discount of nearly 1,50,000 Euros in the much-anticipated Rafale fighter jet deal with France even after successfully bringing down the price by nearly two billion Euros.
The French side, however, is adamant on the price it had offered way back in April which comes to about 7.89 billion Euros for the 36 fighter jets in fly away conditions, defence sources said.
The price was brought down from nearly 10 billion Euros, as sought initially, due to various reasons, including the discount offered by the French government and reworking of some of the criteria.
The Indian side is now directly negotiating with the French Embassy here rather than the negotiating team, which used to fly down from Paris, as talks are more focussed on price rather than other areas.
"There is a limit till which France can really come down to," a defence source said, adding that the deal is finally set to be inked.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has made it clear that he will bargain for discount to get the best deal for the aircraft which will come as a boost to the depleting strength of the Indian Air Force.
The deal will be signed once the file moves from the Defence Ministry to the Finance and then to the Cabinet Committee on Security.
The deal is unlikely to face bureaucratic delay as the government is keen on getting the fighter jets for IAF. The deal comes with the clause of delivering 50 per cent offsets, creating business worth at least 3 billion Euros for smaller Indian companies and creating thousands of new jobs in India through the offsets.
The toughest phase in the negotiations that began in July 2015 three months after Prime Minister Modi announced in Paris India's plan to purchase 36 Rafale jets was to get France to agree to 50 per cent offsets in the deal.
Initially, Dassault Aviation, the maker of the combat planes, was willing to agree to reinvest only 30 per cent of the value of its contract in Indian entities to meet the offset obligations.
The French side finally agreed to invest 50 per cent of the value following a phone conversation between Modi and French President Francois Hollande late last year.
France has offered to help India revive the unsuccessful Kaveri engine project for indigenous Tejas aircraft and in a host of other high-end collaboration as part of the offsets in the deal.
The French side has made a 30 per cent offset commitment for military aerospace research and development programmes and the rest 20 per cent for making components of Rafales here.
The offsets will be carried out by French companies Safran, Thales, MBDA and Dassault, all part of the Rafale project.
Mumbai: Controversial televangelist Zakir Naik on Friday said suicide attacks may be used as a "tactic of war" to save the country and that in all others circumstances it is condemnable.
Addressing the media via skype from Medina, the Islamic preacher said, "it (suicide attacks) may be used as a tactic of war to save the country. In all other circumstances where innocents are targeted, it is condemnable," Naik said.
He also dismissed as "misinformation" that he had ever advocated suicide bombings, saying he always condemned them since innocent people get killed and this is "anti-Islam".
Earlier, Naik had denied he ever said that all Muslims should be terrorists saying the video which allegedly showed him doing so was doctored.
Naik, who is president of the Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), has been under the scanner ever since his name cropped following the Dhaka Terror Attack.
Bangladesh government had also banned Peace TV headed by Zakir Naik in the country following reports that he his speeches have allegedly been influencing the minds of youngsters to commit terror attacks.
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja M Asif on Friday blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Kashmir unrest.
He said, "Massacre and genocide in Indian occupied Kashmir is an extension and re-enactment of ethnic cleansing started by Modi in Gujarat."
Meanwhile, a special cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday to declare July 19 as 'black day' to mark complete solidarity with Kashmiris.
On July 11, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been under attack from the Opposition for remaining "silent" over the killing of protesters in Kashmir, came out with a statement condemning the action of Indian security forces.
Sharif expressed shock over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter in Kashmir and deplored "oppressive measures" and "excessive" force used against civilians in the latest wave of violence in the Valley.
"The Prime Minister of Pakistan has expressed his deep shock at the killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians by the Indian military and paramilitary forces," Sharif's office said in the statement.
Patel Quota agitation leader Hardik Patel was released from Surat's Lajpore Central Jail on Friday morning almost 9 months after he was arrested on charges of sedition.
His supporters who were accompanied by 11 young girls welcomed him outside the jail as part of a traditional ceremony they had planned for their leader.
However, the Patel quota agitation spearhead will have to stay outside Gujarat for the next six months, as directed by the high court on Friday when it granted him bail in two sedition cases.
Gujarat High Court had on July 12 removed the last hurdle by granting him bail in a case related to violence at Visnagar MLA's office.
Hardik was accused of inciting violence to put pressure on the government to accept the demand of OBC reservation for Patels.
His mega rally on reservation held in Ahmedabad on August 25 last year had sparked violence, in which, 10 people, including one policeman, were killed and public properties and vehicles damaged across Gujarat.
Aftr givg it a lot of tho't I've decided to restrict my Twitter updates to my film&dance activities.I am an artiste & will always remain one Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) July 14, 2016
I startd ths fr my fans&will continue to giv thm news of my activities othr than politics. Tht side of my life is any way coverd by th media Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) July 14, 2016
As an MP I have always worked sincerely for my constituency & will continue to do so without being prompted by anyone.My conscience is clear Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) July 14, 2016
And now for somethg for my fans. Shimla Mirch is ready for release. A lovely lighthearted film, it is bound to find favour with everyone. Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) July 14, 2016
I have just completed the dubbing &feel happy with the result.Wking with Ramesh Sippyji was a pleasure & I'm lookg frward to the release too Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) July 14, 2016
After drawing flak for tweeting about a film shoot last month when Mathura in her Lok Sabha constituency was engulfed by violence and tension, veteran actress-politician Hema Malini has said she would "restrict" her Twitter updates to "film and dance activities".In the violent confrontation between the police and encroachers, 24 persons, including two senior police officers, were killed in firing by encroachers. It caused disruption of life in Mathura and its neighbourhood.It was only after her party leaders directed her that Hema Malini rushed to Mathura from Mumbai."Good afternoon everyone! I am fine and I always read all your comments! Thank you all for your patience and for encouraging me every day! After giving it a lot of thought I have decided to restrict my Twitter updates to my film and dance activities. I am an artiste and will always remain one," Hema tweeted on Thursday.Hema added that she started tweeting for her fans and will continue to give them news of her activities "other than politics"."As an MP I have always worked sincerely for my constituency and will continue to do so without being prompted by anyone. My conscience is clear," she added.The 67-year-old actress shared that her upcoming film "Shimla Mirchi", which also stars Rajkummar Rao, is ready for release.She said: "And now for something for my fans. 'Shimla Mirch' is ready for release. A lovely light-hearted film, it is bound to find favour with everyone."The Bollywood Dream Girl actress says she has completed dubbing for the film and is happy with the results."Working with Ramesh Sippy ji was a pleasure and I'm looking forward to the release too," she added.
The "Ice Age" movies will be remembered primarily for giving us lovable and hilarious characters that endeared themselves to us even when the stories felt rushed or rehashed. The misadventures of Scrat, our acorn-obsessed squirrel, and the shenanigans of Sid the Sloth never seemed to get old. But with "Ice Age: Collision Course", fifth film in the series and the so-called "defining chapter" in a saga that has lasted 14 years, the evidence is on the screen this franchise has officially run out of fresh ideas.In the new film, our old friends Manny the mammoth, Diego the sabre-toothed tiger, and Sid must put aside their respective struggles with family and romance to lead all prehistoric species to safety before a meteor smashes into Earth.In visual terms, "Collision Course" offers the filmmakers a chance to explore new color palettes and to scale up the quality of the animation. But theres a weary, exhausted feel to the writing, which is evident in the lazy throw-everything-at-the-screen approach. So a bunch of new characters are introduced, who sadly contribute nothing to the plot. Old favorites are brought back too like scene-stealing madcap weasel Buck (Simon Pegg), who alerts the gang to the repercussions of the meteor attack and plots a near-impossible mission to divert its course.Additionally, fans of the series will be happy to know that Scrat is no longer relegated to the sidelines. In fact the films plot is spurred into motion by the long-suffering critter and his eternal chase of the acorn. When hes accidentally shot into space, Scrat's continuing fumbling and bumbling causes a realignment of the planets, which in turn triggers the meteor in the direction of Earth.Disguised as a frenetic adventure, the plot serves up the same old message about family values. It's strictly serviceable stuff that might engage the kids but will likely leave older fans bored and eager to bid the franchise a final farewell. Im going with two out of five for Ice Age: Collision Course. It was nice knowing you folks, but your time is up.2 / 5
Dark clouds are gathering across the muddied Ganga swollen to its majestic span by torrential downpours upstream. A fisherman oars furiously in his attempt to reach the safety of the nearest ghat before it starts to pour. He casts a furtive glance over his shoulder at the menacing horizon and pulls at the scull with a renewed vigour.About two hundred years ago, the last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, also sought refuge on these very banks of Ganga. Banished by the Company Bahadur, he settled down with his kinsmen in Bithoor- twenty kilometers north of Kanpur- to a pension of 6 lakh rupees per annum. Much later, somewhere amongst these scattered ruins, Baji Rao's adopted son Nana Sahib and his valiant general Tantiya Tope must have planned their offensive on the Company Cantonment during the 1857 rebellion. Maybe Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi also visited Bithoor at some point in time during the mutiny to coordinate her combat moves.The choice of this venue by the RSS to hold the annual meeting of its prant-pracharaks may be a bit of a coincidence, but it certainly has the overtones of an impending political battle due next year - the Uttar Pradesh elections. The entire top brass of the Sangh including its chief Mohan Bhagwat has been closeted in a sprawling campus of a private college for the last five days. The RSS media incharge Dr Manmohan Vaidya however insists this meeting has got nothing to do with politics.Of course, it is BJP and not the RSS which will don the battle gear in UP. (It is needless to reiterate here that the RSS does not dabble in politics). It is another matter that the new state BJP president Keshav Maurya is from the VHP stock. And it could also be that two senior RSS pracharaks, currently on deputation to the BJP, are attending the meeting by some sheer quirk of fate.All this notwithstanding, UP elections of 2017 pose a stiff challenge to the BJP as it attempts to return to power in the state after 15 years. As for the RSS, UP could be the first test of its aggressive Dalit outreach in recent months.Post Bihar elections and post Rohith Vemula, the Sangh in tandem with the BJP has worked on a well laid out strategy on this front. The reason and logic behind these moves is - outside UP and Bihar, a section of the Dalit votes may be adrift with the depleting political capital of the Congress' party. So attempt is to mop up everything up for grabs in this state of flux.In UP however, Dalit politics remains firmly anchored to Mayawati which remains a strong impediment to any attempts at forging a larger social coalition- both social and political. Triumph in UP has the potential completely to alter the dynamics in the caste matrix in the state and outside.Secondly, as BJP throws a challenge at the Samajwadi Party to make the best of the anti-incumbency against the state government, there is also a realisation that the party in the days ahead will have to tactfully sidestep any queries on its own performance at the Centre. The scale of the 2014 victory which propelled BJP to absolute majority at the Centre may have its side effects in the coming days. Performance of the party MPs ( and there are 71 of them in UP) could also come under scrutiny if it is not a wave-election.When in power, the complex overlap of authority and accountability between the BJP and RSS to shield the latter from the omissions and commissions of the former gets strained.This loose coupling was put to test right at the venue of the Sangh conclave when a motley group gathered seeking audience with the RSS chief. They wanted to know from the RSS about the progress made in cleaning up the Ganga promised during NDA regime. It may be that some local politics was also at play, but when RSS seems to wield enormous clout over the ruling dispensation, questions will be asked-especially on issues which are seen to be part of Sangh's core agenda.To discuss this and a lot more, two months from now the RSS and BJP ministers will hold their annual coordination committee meeting. The last one in Delhi was attended by the Prime Minister himself. And if everything goes according to the plan, it will be held in UP. On the banks of another Ganga- Ram Ganga which flows by the brass city of Moradabad.
New Delhi: Happiness may arguably be the most elusive chase for humankind, but the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has signed up to institutionalize its delivery. In a first for the country, MP cabinet led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has given a go ahead for the setting up of a 'Happiness department'.
Chouhan whos idea it is, will be top boss of the department as it's minister. "Happiness will not come into the lives of people merely with materialistic possessions or development but by infusing positivity in their lives so that they don't take extreme steps like suicide in distress," Chouhan said.
The Department of Happiness, MP is inspired by the Gross National Happiness index, in operation in Indias Himalayan neighbour Bhutan. "While you cannot pray on an empty stomach, the attitude towards life is also important. Yoga, meditation can add to people's sense of contentment", added the CM of a state which has over three crore below poverty line (BPL) population.
The department will have an annual budget of Rs 3.80 crore for salaries besides other expenses. The officer who will head the Happiness department will draw a salary of Rs 1.50 lakh per month. The government will consult spiritual gurus like Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Sri Sri Ravishankar among others to develop a roadmap for happiness for the population of 73 milllion.
While initial reports in April called it a proposed ministry of happiness, MPs latest governance initiative 'Anand Vibhag' will be a department, much like the directorate of Gopalan (cow rearing) in neighbouring Rajasthan.
Those picturing smiling faces painted all over the state should however, slow down. For a state that has been making national headlines for rampant child malnutrition, farmer suicides, and corruption driven mysterious deaths, sceptics feel the idea of a happiness department could just be a tool for an image makeover the state could completely do with. "It's just the BJP leaders in MP who continue to be in a state of happiness for the past 15 years. MP tops the dubious lists of crime against women, malnutrition and infant mortality rate. It's beyond us what sort of happiness are they celebrating", said Congress leader Mukesh Naik.
The department, as visualized by Chouhan, will organise yoga, meditation and cultural programmes among others to keep people happy. Wellness isnt all that novel a concept for the BJP. Yoga, has been the partys flagship success story and every BJP ruled state government has pursued Yoga at various levels. It could well have been the Yoga department except Happiness scales up the PR potential.
India ranks as low as 118th among 156 countries in the UN's World Happiness Report 2016, lower than Pakistan, China and Somalia. MP which has positioned itself as the 'heart of the country' in it's tourism campaigns now sees itself as the perfect place to begin delivering smiles.
Carl Pei, Co-founder of OnePlus is visiting India and carrying his gold edition of OnePlus 3 . And he says it's going to come to India very soon.The OnePlus 3 is the company's flagship killer for 2016 and comes with a colossal 6GB RAM along with Dash charging. The phone launched in India recently and the company for the first time made it available on an open sale. OnePlus was known for selling their smartphone through an invite only system.The gold OnePlus 3 is basically a gold colour variant of the device. Instead of a front black colour finish you get white bezels with the display.Carl Pei also expressed his gratitude towards Indian tech enthusiasts who have received the company's new smartphone really well in India. He also said that OnePlus has already started working on the 2017 flagship killer device and the company will be sharing the details very soon. Though he refused to comment as to when exactly the company will launch gold edition of the OnePlus 3, but has promised that it will be coming to India soon.The OnePlus ditched the sandstone back on the OnePlus 3 and instead gave it a metal frame. The Gold colour on the OnePlus 3 is quite similar to the one that you find many smartphones these days.The gold colour really compliments the design of the OnePlus 3 and under different lighting conditions different shades of Gold can be seen on this special edition.
People cried, some holding their heads in their hands. One woman with bruises on her face sat in a wheelchair, weeping and looking desperate.
The attack came eight months after the Islamist militant shootings and suicide bombings in Paris that killed 130 people.
We were all very happy, ready to celebrate all night long, we had a big plan!," said a 20-year-old woman in the hospital room who gave her name as Fanny.
I just froze ... The beach attendants were the first on the scene. They brought water for the wounded and towels that they placed over those for whom there was no hope."
Small areas were screened off at regular intervals. What appeared to be bodies covered in blankets were visible through the gaps.
The Bastille day fireworks had just ended when a large white truck drove fast and deliberately at the crowd on the Nice waterfront on Thursday.A few hours later, the 40 or so people gathered in a room for victims' families at the Pasteur hospital in the French Riviera town had the horror of it all etched on their faces.More than 80 people died in the carnage and many more were injured in what President Francois Hollande said was clearly a terrorist attack, with several children among the dead.Laurence Marie, who works at Lenval paediatric hospital, said "many" more children were undergoing serious operations there.Hollande had announced just hours earlier, while marking France's national day celebrating the birth of the world's first republic, that he would lift the state of emergency that was put in place after the November killings."As we were just starting to walk after the fireworks, I saw a truck driving into the pedestrian area, it was going very fast and zigzagging. At first I thought the truck didn't realise the road had been made pedestrian for the celebration. But when I saw people on the ground I started realising it could be a terror attack," she told Reuters."Luckily my brother, my mum and myself are all fine now but some of my friends were not as lucky, they are having operations as we speak. It's very hard, it's all very traumatic."Nurses had told some of those waiting that the medical team didn't have time to take records of the identities of the wounded because the priority was treatment.Patients were being classified by numbers.At the scene of the attack on the Promenade des Anglais, bodies lay covered in white sheets and witnesses could barely believe what they had seen."I saw bodies flying like skittles as it drove along," said local journalist Damien Allemand on the Nice-Matin newspaper's web site.Back in the hospital, Marco de Feo, 29 from Milan, said he and his four friends had only learned of the celebration from their hosts, a Romanian couple living in Nice, and decided to go along at the last minute."I saw a truck turning into the road and driving fast in our direction," he said."Luckily I saw it in time to avoid it, but our friend got hit and fell on the ground. We fled to the beach and then found shelter in a hotel. One of our friends went back on the scene to carry our injured friend who couldn't move nor speak but was still breathing. She was then taken to hospital in an ambulance."The driver of the truck was shot dead by police, but some witnesses said they thought he was firing a gun as he drove."I saw this enormous white truck go past at top speed," said Suzy Wargniez, a local woman aged 65 who saw the scene unfold from a cafe on the promenade."It was shooting, shooting."Dawn revealed pools of dried blood, smashed children's strollers, an uneaten baguette and other debris strewn about the promenade.The trail of broken waste bins, signage, and police barriers suggested the driver had mounted the kerb from the road to the promenade just outside the Lenval hospital, where some of the child victims were taken.
Many of the revellers fled into the sea as the truck bore down for more than a mile along the Riviera city's famed waterfront promenade.
Partiers in summer apparel ran for their lives down Nice's palm-tree-lined Promenade des Anglais, the famous seaside boulevard named for the English aristocrats who proposed its construction in the 19th century.
The driver of the truck which ploughed through Bastille Day in Nice killing at least 84 people has been identified as Mohamad Lahouaiej Bouhel, French officials said.The 31-year old French-Tunisian was shot dead by police and no one immediately claimed responsibility for the Thursday night attack that took place on France's national holiday.French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced a three day national mourning on Friday from July 16-18 after a large truck ploughed through revellers gathered for Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, killing at least 84 people.France was still dealing with the aftermath of two attacks in Paris in 2015 that killed a total of 147 people."Terrorism is a threat that weighs heavily upon France and will continue to weigh for a long time," Prime Minister Manuel Valls said after an emergency government meeting on Friday.The truck ploughed into the crowd over a distance of two kilometers (about 1.2 miles), a lawmaker said, and broadcast footage showed a scene of horror up and down the promenade, with broken bodies splayed on the asphalt, some piled near one another, others bleeding onto the roadway or twisted into unnatural shapes.Some tried to escape into the water, Eric Ciotti, a lawmaker for the region that includes Nice said Friday, giving new details of the horrifying last minutes of the attack."A person jumped onto the truck to try to stop it," Ciotti told Europe 1 radio.Flags were lowered to half-staff in Nice and in Paris, and Hollande extended the state of emergency imposed after the November bloodshed another three months. The government declared three days of national mourning to begin Saturday.Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, who traveled to the scene, said police were trying to identify the driver. Ciotti said identification papers were found in the truck and that investigators were trying to determine whether they were legitimate."France was struck on the day of its national holiday, July 14, the symbol of liberty," Hollande said early on Friday, denouncing "this monstrosity" a truck bearing down on citizens "with the intention of killing, smashing and massacring ... an absolute violence."Hollande said it was not immediately clear whether the driver had accomplices. The Paris prosecutor's office opened an investigation for "murder and attempted murder in an organized group linked to a terrorist enterprise."
Moscow: Two American citizens were killed in the truck attack in Nice, which has left at least 84 people dead, the US State Department spokesman said today. "At this time, we are aware of and can confirm two US citizens were killed in the attack in Nice on July 14, 2016," spokesman John Kirby said.
"We express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of those killed." The statement was issued as US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Moscow for talks on Syria with his Russian counterpart.
Kirby did not identify the two dead but added the United States was providing "all possible consular assistance" to its citizens. A Texas-based newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, reported that 51-year-old Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie were among those killed in Nice, citing their friends and relatives.
A gunman drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day last night in the French Riviera city of Nice in what authorities have called a "terrorist" attack.
Kirby's announcement came after US President Barack Obama strongly condemned what he said was a "horrific terrorist attack" and said the United States stood "in solidarity and partnership with France."
"Our embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for the welfare of US citizens in Nice," Kirby said. "Any US citizens in Nice should contact friends and family directly to inform them of their well being."
London: Britain's new Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday said the country must "redouble" its efforts against terrorism in the wake of the Bastille Day attack in the French city of Nice in which at least 84 people were killed.
Downing Street said a "small number" of British citizens were injured when a Tunisian-born man ploughed a lorry through crowds in the beach town.
"If, as we fear, this was a terrorist attack then we must redouble our efforts to defeat these brutal murderers who want to destroy our way of life," May said.
She said she would speak to French President Francois Hollande "and make clear that the United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with France today as we have done so often in the past".
A meeting has already been called of senior officials in the UK government's emergency Cobra committee to see what Britain can do to help, May indicated before heading to Scotland for Brexit talks.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he would review the capital's safety measures in light of the attack along with the Scotland Yard.
"I and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will do everything possible to keep Londoners safe. The Met police services and security services do an amazing job every day keeping us safe. They regularly review security measures but clearly as the terrorists evolve the way they try and hurt us we've got to evolve how we keep ourselves safe.
"It's really important we don't allow these terrorists, those involved with this evil and cowardly attack, to allow them to change the way we live our lives," he said.
The National Police Chiefs' Council is asking all UK forces to review major events over the next week to ensure "appropriate" security is in place. Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain's new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador's Bastille Day party here yesterday, tweeted: "Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life."
French media reports say the attacker has been identified as 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, who lived locally. The attack in Nice's Promenade des Anglais occurred at about 2300 local time during celebrations to mark Bastille Day - France's national day.
Meanwhile, May made Scotland her priority as Britain's new Prime Minister as she travelled to Edinburgh to hold talks with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
The two leaders discussed the future of the UK and its relationship with the European Union (EU) after Britain voted to exit the economic bloc even though Scotland had voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining within the EU.
May left Sturgeon's official residence, Bute House, after about 45 minutes, following a meeting she described as "positive". "I'm willing to listen to options and I've been very clear with the first minister today that I want the Scottish government to be fully engaged in our discussion," she said after the meeting.
City fire officials are eyeing proposed federal regulations that could give them access to more information about highly flammable oil trains that roll through the area.
The regulations, proposed Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Transportations Pipeline and Hazard-ous Materials Safety Administration, would require railroad companies to give monthly updates to state public safety departments about the type and amount of oil coming through local areas, according to a DOT news release.
Im glad to hear that the Department of Transportation is proposing comprehensive response plans for oil train accidents, and information sharing with our first responders. We know from our experience in Lynchburg in 2014 that this is a serious issue, and we need to give our first responders all the tools we can to effectively respond to any accident, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in a news release Wednesday.
The regulations come in the wake of several Bakken crude oil trains derailing in recent years, including the April 2014 derailment in Lynchburg that spilled almost 30,000 gallons of oil into the James River and caused more than $1.2 million in damage.
Exactly how much impact the proposed regulations would have on local firefighters depends on how much state public safety departments disclose, Lynchburg Fire Chief Brad Ferguson said.
Well have to wait and see what they have, I guess, to see if its really helpful, Ferguson said in a phone interview Thursday.
The departments relationship with CSX Transportation grew in the months after the derailment, according to Ferguson. Now, first responders can look up a railcar ID number and instantly find out the contents, thanks to information provided by the company.
That wasnt the case two years ago.
It took us a number of hours to actually get the contents, Ferguson recalled of the 2014 derailment. He added that even if firefighters had that information, Im not sure it would have changed our response.
Among other information, railroads would be required to disclose to state officials are a contact person for the company and routes the trains take.
CSX spokeswoman Melanie Cost said the company is reviewing the proposed rules.
CSX takes a proactive approach to sharing information with first responders, state emergency planning organizations and fusion centers, and other federal, state and local agencies, and maintains comprehensive state-specific spill plans for these and other commodities, Cost said in an email Thursday.
Ferguson said any additional information is helpful for first responders, who hope for the best while increasing amounts of volatile oil roll through the city.
Sometimes hopes not a strategy, though.
The Richmond Times-Dispatched contributed.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus in the Marvel Universe ... and he's a mutant!
No, really. Is starting the holiday season sooner and sooner every year Santa's Marvel mutant power?
Breaking Blue
The association, founded earlier this year, comprises of five members Kristy Anantol, Kim Bryan, Satori Hassanali, Sian MacLean and Sarah SooHon all practising art therapists and art psychotherapists.
According to SooHon, the small group, comprising of the only local art therapy professionals, has been meeting informally for some time and finally collaborated on a project.
We decided that its the right time to work towards an association because art therapy is an emerging profession here and we really want to work on developing it, she said in an interview. In the near future the association will be focusing on professional seminars and workshops.
The association also has a mission to bring about public awareness and to dispel misconceptions about art therapy. Its also about ethical standards and the need for people to know what art therapy is, who are the people doing it and what qualifies you to perform interventions, Bryan added.
According to SooHon there are many myths about art therapy.
Most people believe that you have to be an artist to do art therapy, that art therapy is about an end-product and not interaction with art materials, which, as you get into art therapy, you realise its more about the process of making art as a tool of expression rather than the final product. Another common misconception noted by the group was that art therapy is perceived locally as a method for treating children only.
Bryan defined art therapy as a psychological therapy that uses art as it primary medium of expression. Art therapy is particularly important to persons who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally, added SooHon. Art therapy in particular appeals to persons who sometimes dont have the words to say what they would want to say or how they feel and it fills a gap between creative expression and the therapeutic space so its not just creative expression for the sake of it but to have a person process really intense emotional experiences in a safe space, she said.
Hassanali believes that art therapy is primarily about relationships.
Its really about the relationship between the artwork the patient and the therapist and it isnt necessarily that we as art therapists are going to interpret the artwork, he shared. Breaking Blue features work by the association clients who had completed therapy for depression and other co-morbidities such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The exhibit also included an interactive art wall which encouraged audiences to tell their stories and empathise with the client process. Hassanali said the viewer response wall as a key component of the exhibit.
I think whenever you talking about art, youre talking about something that is very experiential and theres only so much that we can articulate about art therapy both in terms of what can be articulated and also because the concept is governed by a certain amount of confidentiality. The experience of making art is therapeutic and the interactive aspect of the exhibit was just to get people to explore themselves and to explore the art materials and see where that might lead. He added that it was the simple exploration of art materials that lead him to the art therapy profession.
Another person might explore aspects about themselves that they cant encounter otherwise. Its a very small step to pick up a crayon or marker and just make the first step. That step could lead to limitless places. Hassanali also believes that the creative nature of local culture makes TT an ideal place for art therapy to flourish. It does have really good potential in our culture because we arent really a therapy culture and there is still a lot of stigma around psychological issues that we havent really been able to break. On the other hand, we are a very creative, artistic people so it might be a good foot in the door to discussing mental health and mental health issues in our society. To find out more about the Art Therapy Association of TT and the exhibit: 680-1041.
Medulla Art Gallery is open Monday to Friday 10 am - 6 pm and Saturday 11am 2 pm
US: We See
No Signs
Putin Will
Use Dirty Bomb
(Newser) Nearly 20 years ago, Longaberger Co. employees moved into their new headquarters in Newark, Ohioa seven-story, 180,000-square-foot building shaped like a picnic basket. On Thursday, that stay comes to a close as the last of those employees who work in the "Big Basket" move out and over to the company's manufacturing facility in Frazeysburg, about 20 minutes away, the Columbus Dispatch reports. It's a somewhat melancholy ending for a building that the Kansas City Star says was "considered one of the strangest, craziest office buildings in the world," with Mental Floss giving it a shoutout on its "10 Buildings Shaped Like What They Sell" list a few years back. "It's a Longaberger Medium Market Basket that's been blown up to 160 times its normal size," the Mental Floss description reads. "The basket includes a seven-story atrium, heated handles that prevent ice formation, and two 725-pound gold leaf Longaberger tags."
Company lore goes that company founder Dave Longaberger became irritated during a building planning meeting, spotted one of his firm's baskets, and told designers: "Make it look exactly like this." And selling baskets back in 1997 was apparently a booming business worthy of such a structure, which originally held more than 500 employees who brought in sales of $1 billion at the company's peak in 2000. But Longaberger died in 1999, the economy started faltering (meaning basket-buying was no longer a priority), and the company fell behind in taxes on the building: It currently owes more than a half-million dollars, the Newark Advocate reports. As of last year, fewer than 70 employees still worked in the Big Basket, per city records, and the final 10 prepared to clear out Thursday. Still, workers aren't too upset, as they'll now all be in Frazeysburg. "It will make it easier for all work groups to interact with each other and feel even more like a true family," a rep for Longaberger's parent company tells the Dispatch. The building is on the market. (Read more strange stuff stories.)
(Newser) There's no accounting for tastebut if you want to blame anything on how you were raised, your taste in music could rank up there, a new study suggests. In music, chords can be broken down into many categories, two of which are called "consonant" and "dissonant." A consonant chord consists of two or more notes spaced certain degrees apartthe first and fifth notes of a scale, for instance, are so pleasing to many Westerners that the interval is called "perfect." A dissonant chord, on the other handdrop that fifth note down a half step, sayproduces what some describe as nails on a chalkboard, or dark, or even the "devil's music," explain scientists at Brandeis University. But now those researchers report in the journal Nature that these preferences do not appear to be hardwired from birth, and that people develop preferences for whatever music they are most exposed to growing up.
To test this, they traveled to the Tsimane tribe in remote Bolivia. To establish a base point, they also surveyed US undergrads, Bolivians in the capital city of La Paz, and Bolivians in the rural town San Borja, all of whom had exposure to Western music. Turns out the Tsimane were the only ones to express no preference for consonant or dissonant musiclikely because their music consists only of one person singing at a time. So any harmony, consonant or dissonant, was new to them. "Your brain basically gets tuned to the environment around it," one researcher tells Nature News. Another researcher writes in an opinion piece in Nature that the hypothesis "provides food for thought," but that it doesn't necessarily rule out innate preferences. So if you like, say, Bjork, whose songs can be quite textured in dissonance, it's possible you were born that way, but it could come down to whatever music your parents played. (Check out which US cities will get you the most music exposure.)
(Newser) First they painted a house across from the Westboro Baptist Church the colors of the rainbow. On Thursday the Planting Peace charity erected its next measure of support for the LGBT community: a giant billboard on West 25th Street in Cleveland showing Donald Trump and Ted Cruz about to smooch. It's located just a few minutes' ride from where the Republican National Convention will kick off Monday, the Huffington Post reports. "Love Trumps Hate. End Homophobia," the sign reads. Mashable reports it'll be up for a month, and it notes it's not the first time Planting Peace has used billboards as a social justice tool: The group has put up signs in North Carolina and Mississippi for LGBT rights as well.
CNN notes that one of the most prominent topics for GOPers toiling away on their party's platform in advance of the convention was LGBT issues, and the 112-member panel has rebuffed some delegates' efforts to adopt a more moderate stance toward gay Americans. Instead, the panel is going forward with a platform that protects businesses refusing to serve patrons in the name of religious liberty; approves of bathroom restrictions for transgender people; and opposes same-sex marriage. "What Donald, Ted, and the Republican platform either fail to realize, or realize and just don't seem to care about, is that their words and actions toward our LGBT familyespecially LGBT childrenhave meaning and impact," a message about the billboard on the Planting Peace website reads. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
(Newser) Newt Gingrich managed to out-Trump Donald Trump in the wake of Thursday night's horrific attack in Nice, calling for nothing less than the ideological testing of all Muslims in the US and the expulsion of those who don't pass muster. "Let me be as blunt and direct as I can be. Western civilization is in a war. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported," Gingrich told Fox News' Sean Hannity, per CNN. "Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization. Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizens." Gingrich added that Muslims should also have their mosques and online activities monitored.
Gingrich went on to blame the attack on President Obama, saying it was "the fault of Western elites who lack the guts to do what is right, to do what is necessary, and to tell us the truth, and that starts with Barack Obama," the AP reports. He predicted that Obama will give a press conference "in which he'll explain that the problem is too many trucks." Gingrich, who had been in the running to become Trump's VP choice, told Hannity that it now appears that Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has gotten the nod, "but I've not been officially told yet." Trump, who spoke to Fox's Bill O'Reilly, didn't go as far as Gingrich, but he said as president, he would ask Congress to declare war on global terrorism, reports the New York Times. "If you look at it, this is war. Coming from all different parts," he said. "And frankly it's war, and we're dealing with people without uniforms." (Trump has delayed his VP announcement, which had been scheduled for Friday morning.)
(Newser) A major and perhaps final blow to the "Never Trump" movement: The Republican National Convention's 112-member Rules Committee rejected an "unbinding" proposal Thursday that would've allowed delegates bound to Donald Trump to use a "conscience clause" to dump Trump and choose another as the nominee. The voice vote was so one-sided that a tally wasn't even recorded, reports the Washington Post. The Hill reports there were only about a dozen supporters, and the chairman of Trump's campaign says they were "crushed." The vote followed one in favor of an amendment ensuring delegates are bound to primary and caucus results. "Never before have things looked so bleak for those looking to unseat the presumptive GOP nominee," observes Politico. "It's over, folks," says an Iowa delegate. "Let's get behind our nominee right now."
Never Trump supporters have claimed they have the 28 member signatures needed to move the proposal to the convention floor, where 2,472 delegates would have their say, but that wasn't evident with Thursday's vote. To vote their conscience is a delegate's "God-given right," Colorado delegate Kendal Unruh argued in favor of the proposal, supported by Utah Sen. Mike Lee, the highest-ranking elected official on the committee. He urged Trump to "make the case to those delegates to support you. Don't make the case that their voices should be silenced," per the Hill. "My understanding is that you represent the grassroots," a Texas delegate countered. "If we're really representing the grassroots, we need to listen to those voters [who voted for Trump]." (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
(Newser) Georgia on Friday executed its sixth inmate this year, the most in any calendar year in the state since the death penalty was reinstated four decades ago. John Wayne Conner, 60, was put to death for beating a friend to death during an argument after a night of partying in January 1982, the AP reports. Warden Eric Sellers told witnesses the time of death was 12:29am. Conner didn't make a final statement and declined to have a prayer said for him. According to court documents, Conner beat his friend JT White to death on January 9, 1982, in the town of Milan, about 150 miles southeast of Atlanta, after a night of heavy drinking.
Lawyers for Conner had argued that imposing the death penalty after he spent 34 years on death row was unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment. They also said Conner was raised in poverty in a home where extreme violence and substance abuse were the norm and exhibited signs of mental impairment that led his teachers to believe he was intellectually disabled from an early age. Georgia executed five inmates last year and in 1987. Only five states have carried out death sentences this year, for a total of 15 executions. Aside from the six in Georgia, six inmates have been executed in Texas and one each in Alabama, Florida, and Missouri. Conner's execution was the nation's first in more than two months. (A May execution in Missouri was delayed by severe weather.)
(Newser) A 28-year-old Broadway costume designer recently decided to switch career gears, and it's a big changeshe wants to become a nun, CBS News reports. But there's one major roadblock to Alida Taylor's dream to enter the Sisters of Life convent in September that only divine intervention, generous patrons, or a lottery win may be able to remedy: She needs to completely pay off the $18,000 student loan she took out to get her fashion degree from the University of Louisiana. "That financial debt, having that be resolved allows her to freely enter into her vocation," the convent's Sr. Mariae Agnus Dei tells CBS New York, which notes that each congregation determines whether it will accept women with debt.
Taylor can't even take on an outside gig during her convent stay to knock her debt down, because, as the sister notes, "religious life is a full-time job." So Taylor has set up a GoFundMe page, where she explains she first felt the pull toward a religious life when she was just 8 years old. "I had a difficult time reconciling these desires I had for my life with choosing this unique path, such as marriage, a career, adventure," she explains. And even though her current life is "beautiful," she says, after a move to a Catholic discernment house, a place for aspiring nuns to reflect on their choice, she realized that "the Lord has made his call clear." If Taylor is unable to find a way to resolve her financial issues? The convent says there's always next year. (Maybe she could get this other convent to throw in a prayer for her.)
(Newser) What are the three most horrifying words in the English language? Wrong. The correct answer is "amateur testicle surgery." The BBC reports 56-year-old Allan Matthews pleaded guilty Wednesday to removing another man's left testicle at an Australian motel despite not being qualified to practice medicine. The unsanctioned surgery took place in May after a 52-year-old man posted an ad online seeking help for a medical issue, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The man was apparently still suffering after being kicked in the groin by a horse years earlier but couldn't afford an actual doctor.
A week after Matthews allegedly removed the man's testicle, infection set in. The man went to the hospital, and the police launched an investigation. Authorities say a raid of Matthews' home last month turned up medical equipment, seven guns, and four bottles of what may be amyl nitrate. In addition to performing surgery without being a doctor, Matthews also pleaded guilty to gun and drug charges. He did not plead guilty to inflicting "reckless grievous bodily harm." AAP reports Matthews is out on bail until another hearing next month. (An Oregon man claimed surgery left him with an 80-pound scrotum.)
(Newser) The sheriff of a county about 70 miles north of Seattle says the owner of a Chinese restaurant has asked that law enforcement no longer dine there. Per the AP, Skagit County Sheriff Will Reichardt said on Facebook that after four deputies finished lunch at Lucky Teriyaki in Sedro-Woolley Thursday, the owner asked them not to eat there anymore. Reichardt says the deputies were told that customers didn't like law enforcement there. The sheriff says his chief deputy called the owner later Thursday and says the request was confirmed, along with a request to spread the word among other law enforcement agencies. "I understand a business owner has a right to refuse service if he wants to," Reichardt wrote in his Thursday post, which has since gone viral. "I also understand that as customers we all have the right to find some other restaurant to take our lunch break in."
But a slightly different story has emerged on KOMO, which says the owners of the restaurant, through an interpreter, are calling the entire incident a giant misunderstanding that was brought about by a language barrier. They say that during the deputies' lunch, other customers became upset after some soup and water spilled; a worker thought maybe it was because the deputies were nearby and asked the deputies if they were getting ready to leave. An employee then further misunderstood when the chief deputy called to confirm the story, the owners say. A video on Q13 FOX shows the restaurant's owner breaking down while talking about the incident, and his son appears on camera to apologize for his lack of English skills; the owners are also inviting law enforcement members to eat there for free on Monday. The AP's calls to the restaurant for comment were met with busy signals. (Read more Washington state stories.)
(Newser) The first case of a woman sexually transmitting the Zika virus to a man is now in the books. Before the New York City case occurred, officials believed only males could transmit the virus sexually (either to women or to other men). But then, the CDC reports, a man developed Zika symptoms even though he hadn't traveled outside the United States any time during the prior year. His female partner, however, had just returned from an area where Zika is present, and had developed the illness herself the week prior. Before realizing she had the virus, she'd had unprotected sex with the man. He saw the same doctor as her, who suspected she'd passed the illness to him sexually; the city's health department confirmed that suspicion.
CNN calls the development "startling." The CDC is now changing its guidance for pregnant women, since this means woman-to-woman transmission may also be possible: All pregnant women, whether their sexual partners are male or female, should use barrier methods when having sex if they live in or their partner has recently traveled to an area where Zika is present. The virus can cause birth defects, may cause developmental problems post-birth, and may also be linked to pregnancy loss, the New York Times reports. There have now been 1,305 travel-related cases of Zika reported in the US, and 14 known cases of sexually transmitted Zika in the US, per CNN. (Read more Zika virus stories.)
Juba:
C-17, Airforce flight, carrying Indians stranded in South Sudan landed in Delhi after a brief halt at Trivandrum. With 156 people on board, the flight reached Trivandrum on Friday morning.
The evacuees also included two Nepali citizens, besides nine women and three children.
Minister of State for External Affairs, V K Singh, who accompanied the passengers, told reporters at the airport that 156 persons have been evacuated, of whom two are from Nepal.
There are over 550 Indians at Juba and another 150 in areas where the oil wells are located.
In Pics: VK Singh led Sankat Mochan Operation
"When we landed, 156 came out with us. There were 30-40 people who had already booked their tickets when the commercial flights started and 300 people did not want to be evacuated due to their business concerns and other activities. There are 9 women and three children among those evacuated," Singh said.
On those who turned down the government's plea to be evacuated, Singh said, "we tried to convince them. I suppose business comes first, life comes later (for them).."
"After fighting broke out in Juba and its outskirts, our aim was to evacuate our people who were in danger. As per our information, there were 550 plus people in Juba itself with another 150 indians in areas where the oil wells are there..," he added.
The evacuation exercise faced a hurdle when several Indians, after registering with the External Affairs Ministry for leaving South Sudan, refused to return, despite an appeal by External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Twitter asking them to move out.
Singh said he had met Vice President of Sudan who spoke of the situation out there.
The C-17 aircraft was brought via Uganda and the minister also met the Ugandan Prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda who on his part assured of all help.
South Sudan is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city.
State Power minister, Kadakkampally Surendran, Thiruvananthapuram district collector, Biju Prabhakar, were among those who received the travel weary passengers when they arrived here.
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Mumbai:
Islamic preacher Zakir Naik on Friday morning held a press conference via social networking website Skype, claiming all allegations on him are baseless.
While speaking to media via video conferencing, he said, Bangladesh government did not say anything against him
The 50-year-old Mumbai-based televangelist, who is currently abroad, was slated to interact with the media on Thursday but cancelled his press briefing, citing pressure from management of the venue where it was organised.
The management of the Mehfil hall in Agripada, on Wednesday, told our team present at the venue that they cannot allow the press conference to go ahead. Given no choice, our team removed arrangements made for the meet and left by around midnight, Naiks aide said earlier in the day.
The preachers media interaction was first scheduled earlier this week at Trident Hotel in South Mumbai, but the venue was subsequently changed to World Trade Centre. Later, it was shifted to Mehfil hall.The organisers of Naiks press briefing had on Wednesday claimed Mumbai Police have instructed top hotels in the city not to provide space for his conference, a charge they later retracted.
There were media reports that Naiks provocative speeches had inspired some of the Dhaka attackers.The sermons of Naik are under the scanner of the state and the Central agencies in India. The radical preacher, a medical doctor by professional training, has denied promoting terrorism in anyway.
His sermons are telecast on Peace TV, run by his Islamic Research Foundation, and he also organises public lectures. His speeches on Peace TV were said to be popular in Bangladesh, where the network has been banned post the terror attack.
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New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condemned the terrorist attack on Nice city of France, which left over 75 dead and over 100 injured. Sharing his despair on social media site Twitter, Modi said, Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased.
Appalled by the horrific attack in Nice. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2016
Recreating the nightmare of November Paris attacks, a lone truck drives ploughed through the Bastille Day crowd and opened fire, killing at least 75 people dead and over 100 injured. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed earlier that no Indian has been harmed in the attack.
President of Indias office also tweeted on the behalf of President Pranab Mukherjee and promised that India will increase cooperation with France to strengthen fight against terrorism.
We will strengthen our cooperation with France and other countries in the fight against terrorism #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 15, 2016
Addressing a press conference after the attack, the French president, Francois Hollande, said, France is horrified by what has taken place, this monstrosity of using a lorry to deliberately kill dozens of people who had come to celebrate 14 July.
France as a whole is under the threat of Islamic terrorism. We have to demonstrate absolute vigilance and show determination that is unfailing, he said.
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New Delhi:
IIT students, reeling under recent fee hike, will now be able to avail interest-free loans. HRD ministry on Thursday announced that it has come out with a subvention scheme to ensure that students of IITs, whose fees were hiked recently, can secure interest-free loans.
According to an order issued by the Prakash Javadekar-led ministry, the facility will be made available to all the students whose household income does not exceed Rs 9 lakh per annum.
Officials said that the scheme shall only cover the tution fee and the subvention of interest will be applicable maximum for a period of five years.
They said while the fee for these institutes was hiked recently, the government also wants that students and their parents do not face any hardship.The ministry has planned the subvention scheme which will ensure that the interest part on loans is taken care of by it, an official said.
Under Javadekars predecessor in the HRD ministry Smriti Irani, the fee was increased from Rs 90,000 to Rs 2 lakh per annum. However SC, ST, the differently abled and economically backward sections were provided waivers.Officials said that the scheme will help those who do not come under the categories but still may need assistance to pay increased fee.
When the IIT fee was hiked, it was mentioned that students would be able to get interest-free loans under the Vidyalakshmi scheme. However, according officials, there has been some feedback regarding difficulties prospective students are facing in securing interest free loans and the ministry is trying to ensure that these are addressed.
The fee hike comes into effect from this academic year, when the new batch joins.
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Srinagar:
Following killing of militant Hizbul Mujahideen, authorities have imposed curfew across the Kashmir Valley on Friday as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
"Curfew has been imposed in all 10 districts of Kashmir Valley today as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order," a police official said.
District Magistrates issued the orders for imposition of curfew in their respective areas of jurisdiction on Thursday evening, an official spokesman said.
The spokesman said no vehicular movement will be allowed except for medical emergency vans.
The mobile telephone network will also be snapped around this midnight to prevent rumour mongering, a police official said.
The mobile Internet services are already suspended in the Valley since Saturday.
Violent protests erupted in the state after the killing militant Burhan Wani by security forces in an encounter.
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Washington:
Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Thursday postponed the announcement of his vice presidential candidate in wake of terrorist attack on Bastille Day crowd in Nice city of France, which left 75 dead and over 100 injured.
Trump, on Wednesday, had declared on twitter that he would announce his running mate in New York on July 15.
Although there was no word from the Trump campaign yet, but media speculations have pitched Indiana Governor Mike Pence as most likely candidate.
Donald J Trumps campaign has signalled to Republicans that he will pick Gov Mike Pence of Indiana as his running mate. It is seen as a cautious choice, media reported.
At the same time it cautioned that Trump, known for his unpredictability, may still backtrack.Fox News said Pence, who has spent quite substantial amount of time in the last few days with Trump including campaigning together, is abandoning his re-election bid as Indiana Governor.
He was elected as the Indiana Governor in 2013.
Before this he was a member of the US House of Representatives for 19 years from 2003 to 2013.
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New Delhi:
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today strongly condemned the deadly terrorist attack on a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice and said that it reflects deep resentment to peace and democratic values.
Expressing her deepest condolences to the families of those killed, the Congress President said that her party stands firmly with the people of France in these difficult times. This deadly attack reflects deep resentment to peace and democratic values, Gandhi said in a statement here.
At least 80 people including children were killed and dozens injured when the attacker drove a truck through a crowd watching a fireworks display to mark the holiday in the French Riviera resort of Nice.
Gandhi, in her statement, also called for strict action and harshest punishment against those who are behind these attacks.
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Kolkata:
In a bid to dissuade the youth from getting attracted to ISIS and other terror organisations, Imams here are contemplating using social media to spread the message of peace and educate them on the true meaning of Islam. The social media initiative, led by Qari Fazlur Rehman, a senior cleric of Bengal, comes after reports that ISIS is extensively using social media to radicalise youngsters.
Nothing has been finalised as of now. I am talking to various clerics, and Islamic scholars on this issue. What I have seen is that various groups including ISIS is misleading the youth by misinterpreting the versions of Islam and Quran, Rehman said.
This has to be countered. Islam doesnt teach us violence or bloodshed. Islam teaches us peace and brotherhood. And our aim is to spread the true version of Islam on social media in various languages so that it has the maximum reach, he said.
After the matter is finalised, languages such as Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Hindi and English will be used to spread the message on social media as part of a concerted campaign. Rehman said that terror groups were luring the youth across the globe through sites like Facebook, Whatsapp and Youtube.
A few days ago, a youth, Mohammed Musiruddin, with suspected links to the ISIS and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), who had gone to Kashmir to train, was arrested in the state.
If you have to combat this trend you have to use the social media so that young minds dont get polluted by the malicious campaign. I am talking to authorities and a number of organisations in this regard and we will come to a concrete decision very soon, he said.
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New Delhi:
After spending nine months behind bars, quota agitation leader Hardik Patel has walked out of Lajpore jail in Surat on Friday morning, days after the Gujarat High Court granted him bail in cases of sedition and violence pertaining to Patidar stir last year.
Dressed in white and a scarf tied around his head, Patel walked into a crowd of his supporters who fed him sweets and shouted slogans. He was arrested in October when his agitation for reservation in government jobs and colleges for his Patel community turned violent.
As per the schedule released by Patidar Anamant Andolan Samiti (PAAS), Patel will travel to several places during 48 hours before leaving Gujarat for six months. HC has directed him to leave Gujarat within 48 hours after his release from jail. Moreover, he has to leave the state immediately for six months, which was a condition for his release.
"We have got some of what we want but not everything. We will first have talks with the government and ask peacefully," Patel told reporters. Patel's supporters have planned roadshows as he travels from Surat, where he was imprisoned, to his hometown Viramgam.
In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modis 56-inch-chest remark made during 2014 election campaign, Hardik said, I want to say that I dont want height, weight or a 56-inch chest. All I want is rights for my community.
Our agitation will continue in coming days. Our demand for OBC status for Patels is still there. In coming days, there will be a change in the style of our working, but, our attitude (tevar) will remain the same, Hardik said.
Moreover, he added, This agitation is not a property of any political party. No party should think of taking political benefit out of this. This agitation will not stop just because I or someone else wants. It will only end when Patel community gets their right."
Besides, Hardik thanking the judiciary for his release said, In coming days, we will take a proper decision in the interest of our community. We dont mind if we have to sit and talk with government for arriving at a solution."
After a road show in Botad, Hardik and his supporters will visit Khodaldham temple in Rajkot district and then Umiyadham temple in Jamnagar district in evening. Both these temples are supreme bodies of Patel community.
Patel's arrest was followed by large-scale arson and violence by his supporters in some of Gujarat's biggest towns.
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New Delhi:
The world today woke up to the horror of yet another terror attack on French soil. This time a lone man ploughed through the crowd gathered to celebrate Bastille Day, a French holiday, in Nice on Thursday. He crushed dozens under his massive grenade-laden truck, before opening fire on scrambling mob, leaving 80 dead and another 18 critically injured. The shooter was gunned down by the local police.
No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but, the French president Francois Hollande, on Thursday, announced in a televised address to the nation that the agencies suspect Islamic States role in the attack.
Unfortunately, it is not the first time that a lone wolf has carried out horrific violent incidents recently. On June 12, 2016, a 29-year-old American man, opened fire in a gay club killing 49 people and wounding 53 others. It was both the deadliest mass shooting by single shooter in US and most violent hate crime against LGBT community. The shooter, Omar Mateen, claimed to be answering call of duty by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, chief of Islamic State.
Only three days later, Larossi Abballa, 25, stabbed a police commander to death outside his home and killed his partner. He later posted a video of killings on Facebook from their home, crediting the murders to Islamic State. The incident was hailed as exemplary by the Islamic terrorist organisation.
Iraq-based Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called all his disciples across the globe to kill infidels at home with their families". He encouraged believers in Islamic State to contribute their bit in the holy jihad by taking individual actions in their local regions and killing those who lead sinful lives. Thus, creating a potential wave of Lone Wolves.
Islamic State has managed to find sympathisers amongst Muslims and non-Muslims, across the globe. In such a scenario, a call for individual action can prove to be dangerously uncontrollable for anti-terror organisations. Lone Wolf attacks are far less likely to require extensive planning, or interactions with other terrorists, which could be tracked or tapped for averting the incident.
It is time for world to prepare for a battle against not only the threat of terrorist intruders but also home grown lone wolf threats.
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New Delhi:
Former Bigg Boss contestant Sambhavna Seth, who has tied the knot with Avinash Dwivedi, says she did not believe in marriage before meeting the dancer.
I feel on the top of the world right now. I am the happiest bride. I was that one person who never believed in the institution of marriage. I was a tomboy. But then I met Avinash and everything changed, Sambhavna, who got married last evening, told PTI in an interview.
The couple got married in the presence of family and close friends. Sambhavna, 35, says her parents were against the marriage initially but they are now very happy.
The actress-dancer plans to throw a party in Mumbai for industry friends before planning their honeymoon.
We have plans for Bali or Ko Samui but not immediately because I have some work lined up. We will finalise a date after that, she said.
Sambhavna met Avinash during the shooting of a regional dance reality show, where she was his mentor in 2010. Avinash, who is also a dancer, will next be seen in a web-series.
We are reaching Bombay on July 17 and from the next day I will be shooting. Sambhavna will also be busy with her own work commitments, Avinash said.
New Delhi :
Former Deputy Consul-General of India in New York Devyani Khobragade has been appointed as the Private Secretary to Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale. A source close to the Republican Party of India (RPI-A) chief said an order appointing Devyani was passed today.
Her father Uttam Khobragade, a former IAS officer, is the national executive president of RPI-A, which is part of the Bharatiya Janta Party-Shiv Sena-led Mahayuti (grand alliance) in Maharashtra, and had joined the party in September 2014.
The 1999-batch IFS officer was arrested on December 12, 2013, in the US when she was Indias Deputy Consul-General in New York on visa fraud charges and for allegedly providing false declarations in a visa application for her maid.
She later was released on a USD 250,000 bond.
The incident had triggered a diplomatic row between the US and India.
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New Delhi:
In one of the dreadful attacks, a terrorist drove a lorry through the crowds, during Bastille Day celebrations in France Riviera city of Nice, killing 84 people including several children. The French police is suspecting Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, 31-year-old French-Tunisian delivery driver, to be a mastermind behind the attack.
He is reported to have driven a 19-tonne white Renault lorry into crowds. Lahouaiej Bouhlels identity as the driver has not been confirmed by the French police.
The perpetrator of Nice's worst ever terror attack was reportedly a married father of three who neighbours described as a "loner" with a George Clooney haircut.
As per several French reports, Bouhel was born in Tunisia in 1985 and had a French residency permit. Police raided his flat, where he supposedly lived alone, in the Abattoirs area of the city on Friday morning.
Besides, according to Tunisian security sources, Lahouaiej Bouhlel hailed from the Tunisian town of Msaken, which is close to the seaside city of Sousse, where 38 people, including 30 Britons, were gunned down by terrorists in June 2015.
One of the French television stations reported that he was a divorced father of three who had become depressed following the breakdown of his marriage. His neighbors told the channel he was not particularly interested in religion, adding that he preferred girls and salsa.
They said that he had been unhappy since his divorce and that he suffered from financial problems. Neighbors described him as "depressed and unstable, even agressive" of late. They put this down to his "marital and financial problems".
Furthermore, police are searching for any accomplices to the attack, which appears to have been well thought-out. They found a pistol, a larger gun, and a number of fake weapons and grenades in his vehicle after the attack.
It is believed that he may have hired the lorry on Wednesday night and boarded it "in the hills of Nice" before driving down to the promenade, according to CCTV footage. More than 100 were injured in the horrifying attack.
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New Delhi :
Taking strong umbrage to Pakistan declaring July 19 as black day to express solidarity with Kashmiri people over killing of Burhan Wani, India today asked it to desist from further interfering in its internal affairs and destabilising the situation in the region through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
External Affairs Ministry also hit out at Pakistan for continuing to glorify terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations, saying it makes it amply clear where Pakistans sympathies continue to lie.
India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where, we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Further needling India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today declared Wani, the slain Hizbul commander, as a martyr and said July 19 will be observed as black day to express solidarity with people of Kashmir. He was addressing a special cabinet meeting in Lahore to discuss the situation in the state.
Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination, Sharif was quoted as saying by Radio Pakistan.
India also asked Pakistan to desist from further interfering in its internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
The self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in J&K follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the International Boundary.
The attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of J&K in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistans illegal occupation will not succeed, Swarup said.
India also hoped that Pakistan will respond constructively to its initiatives for peace and normalising bilateral relationship, Swarup added.
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Brasilia:
Brazils interim president will hold an emergency meeting with cabinet ministers today to bolster security for next months Olympics, officials said after a suspected terrorist attack in the French city of Nice.
We think we will have to intensify the security monitoring system. We will have to increase the number of checkpoints and controls, Defense Minister Raul Jungmann told TV station Globo. He said interim president Michel Temer would huddle with ministers today afternoon in response to the Nice attack, which killed at least 84 people.
Islamabad:
Pakistan has shot off letters to the UN Secretary-General, the Security Council President, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Secretary-General of the OIC, expressing serious concern over the violence in Kashmir.
Prime Ministers Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz has addressed letters to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of the UN Security Council Koro Bessho, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Iyad bin Amin Madani and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein to express Pakistans serious concern on the alarming situation in Kashmir.
An official statement said today that the letters were written to draw attention to the brutal killings of innocent civilians and grave violations of the fundamental human rights of the Kashmiris....
In his letters to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, the Adviser noted that in these times of democracy and accountability, the international community, led by the United Nations, cannot remain passive to the callous behaviour and grave violations of human rights by India in Kashmir over the last many decades, the statement said.
Aziz noted that non-resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute was a constant source of tension and instability in the region and a threat to international peace and security.
Continuing to needle India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today also declared slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a martyr and said July 19 will be observed as black day to protest atrocities against Kashmiris by Indian security forces.
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KSRTC will set up a group booking system for devotees coming in groups to book a bus. This way, they will be able to journey together. A group must be 40 members.
BRIDGEPORT Thirty-four years after he last held the job, former economic development director Thomas F. Gill is returning to his old position.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Gill, who now serves as chief operating officer of downtown-based Black Rock Capital, will lead the citys Office of Planning and Economic Development. He could begin as early as Monday.
Gill served as head of the department from 1976 to 1982, under then-Mayor John Mandanici. He left city government when Mandanici was defeated by Republican Leonard Paoletta.
The economic development office has been without a leader for a week, since interim director Ed Lavernoich finished his 90-day term on July 8. Lavernoich was on loan to the city from his present employer, the Bridgeport Economic Development Corp., which is a partnership between the city, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council and the business community.
Lavernoich was filling in while the city looked to replace David Kooris, a holdover from former Mayor Bill Finchs administration, who left the citys top development post for a job managing a federal coastal resiliency grant for the state.
After his stint in the public sector, Gill served as first vice president of the Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. and then a senior-calling officer in the banks national division, according to his biography on the Black Rock Capital website.
Then, in 1986, Gill became president, chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors of the Fairfield First Bank & Trust Co. He worked there until he, George K. Booth and James P. Flaherty founded Black Rock Capital in 1994.
Gill holds a bachelors degree in economics from the University of Bridgeport and a graduate degree in banking from the University of Wisconsin.
ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227
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Ah, wholesale shopping. You go to Costco or Sam's Club and you don't need to shop for paper towels again for a year.
(Wait, where do we put all these now?)
But which store is cheaper. The Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco, or Sam's Club, owned by mega-retailer Wal-Mart.
Both offer oversized everything to the bargain shopper's delight.
RELATED: Whole Foods vs. H-E-B: A price comparison
Let's think about a few things before we compare. Costco has its popular store brand, Kirkland Signature, offering up discounted prices all over the place. While Sam's Club also gives steep high-volume discounts, most of its products appear to be popular name brands, which may give it a disadvantage on the price front.
Furthermore, you have no idea how many differently sized packages exist of dog food, hummus and pasta sauce. And, often, Costco and Sam's Club will offer completely different volumes. But we broke out the calculator to work out those differences.
So what are we waiting for? Let's compare prices. See the gallery above for the results.
Which is your favorite wholesale store? Or would you rather buy normal-sized stuff? Are the comparisons fair? Let us know in the comments.
An organization that runs community health centers in Connecticut, including one in Danbury, has been chosen to take part in a major federal study that aims to prevent and treat disease based on individual differences in lifestyle, environment and genetics.
Community Health Center Inc. was chosen to be part of The Precision Medicine Initiative Cohort Program, which aims to enroll at least 1 million people by 2020.
The National Institutes of Health this month allocated $55 million to the project, which includes funding for four regional medical centers and six community health centers nationwide to help launch the study later this year.
President Barack Obama proposed the precision initiative last year, saying it would help doctors get the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.
The project includes creation of a massive database to track the health of those 1 million volunteers, going beyond standard medical exams to include day-to-day wellness information gathered from smartphones or wearable sensors.
The nonprofit Community Health Center Inc., which provides primary care, dentistry and behavioral health services to about 145,000 patients each year, will take part in the federal program. The Danbury site, on Delay Street, serves more than 8,000 of these patients each year.
The center already does research in primary care at its affiliate, the Weitzman Institute in Middletown.
Our care for the underserved, who too often get left out of important medical research, led us to create the Weitzman Institute to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be active participants in studies that can improve health outcomes, said Mark Masselli, president and CEO of the health center. We look forward to bringing our experience providing quality care to the underserved together with the Weitzman Institutes research expertise to this important effort.
Dr. Gwynne Jenkins, the chief of staff for the precision initiative, said in a statement community health centers have a unique capacity to enroll underserved communities into the program, helping to ensure that the cohort reflects Americas rich diversity and includes those historically underrepresented in biomedical research.
Health care provider organizations will be an important part of the program, she added, helping to engage, enroll, and retain participants; conduct the baseline physical evaluations of participants; collect blood and urine samples and send them to our biobank; and transfer elements of participants electronic health record data to our Data and Research Support Center.
NIH, working with the federal Health Resources & Services Administration, reached out to a small sample of community health centers, also known as federally qualified health centers, to identify six centers to work with on this pilot program that runs through next year.
The six (federally qualified health centers), including Community Health Center, Inc., in Middletown, demonstrated the necessary expertise and experience to help us learn how to make the PMI Cohort Programs launch and evolution a success, Jenkins said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
NEWTOWN - The towns water utility is asking residents to take shorter showers and observe other voluntary water conservation measures.
Aquarion Water Company in a statement asked residents to cut down on non-essential water use in response to unusually dry weather and high water demand.
A straw hat left near the scene of a New Milford cell phone store break-in three years ago proved, eventually, to be a Derby mans undoing, according to police.
Frederick Rogovsky, 54, appeared in Superior Court in Bantam Thursday after he was arrested June 14 for breaking into an AT&T store and walking off with 12 items valued at a combined $6,570 in 2013. Hes been charged with felony third-degree burglary, felony third-degree larceny and third-degree criminal mischief.
Although Rogovsky committed the crime years ago, court documents said, it took police two years to tie him to the crime with DNA collected from a straw hat. It then took police another year to arrest him.
According to court documents, Rogovsky, in all black clothes, a white face mask and a tan straw hat, smashed a pane of glass with a metal mallet and entered the sales floor of an AT&T store on Danbury Road May 29, 2013. They claim Rogovsky then snatched merchandise, setting off the stores alarm, and left two minutes before police arrived.
Police arrived on the scene, and found the mallet. Just outside of the store was one tan straw hat.
Police took the headware into evidence and sent off DNA collected from it to the state.
Then on Jan. 6, 2015, a New Milford detective was finally notified that the DNA on the hat matched Rogovsky, documents said.
The state had Rogovskys DNA on file because of several previous arrests.
The detective then found Rogovsky at a court appearance in Derby. He swabbed Rogovskys cheek to confirm that the DNA on the hat was, in fact, Rogovskys. In March, the detective received a report that the DNA was a match.
Police then tried to track down Rogovsky, with no luck. When they went to his apartment in Derby, Rogovskys wife told them that she hadnt seen Rogovsky in days, adding that he has a tendency to disappear for long stretches of time, documents said.
When asked by police if she saw Rogovsky with a trove of cell phones, Rogovskys wife said: Not a large amount ... a couple.
Rogovsky has been arrested in Connecticut 48 times, and has been convicted of larceny and burglary several times in courts across the state.
He is still in custody with a $5,000 bond.
His next court date is July 21.
OTTAWA, July 14, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada's Building Trades Unions (CBTU) welcomes TransCanada's signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada and the Pipeline Crafts. With this MOU, TransCanada demonstrates its commitment to hiring members of the four Union Partners of PLCAC: The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Labourers International Union of North America (LiUNA) and Teamsters Canada.
"This MOU signing is very significant for TransCanada," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are committed to hiring the best workers this country has to offer for the over 14,000 jobs Energy East will create annually across Canada during the nine years it will take to develop and build the pipeline. And above all, we are committed to ensuring Energy East is built safely.
Speaking on behalf of CBTU, Canadian Director Robert Blakely said: "Our membership, half a million strong across the country, is looking forward to this project. This MOU demonstrates a commitment to the men and women who build Canada. The Energy East Project will be an important employer once this project is approved and today shows the intensity with which our members are following the process. Canadians, now more than ever, need to know that the pipeline jobs and the construction jobs of this utility are not the primary employment opportunity - the jobs in the extraction and upgrading facilities in the West and in the refineries and other facilities in the East are long term, high skilled well-paying jobs for large numbers of Canadians."
"Pipeline construction work requires a large number of highly skilled workers, which in turn creates high paying jobs for Canadians," said Joe Mancinelli, International Vice-president of LiUNA. "A project of Energy East's magnitude can generate the annual income for a worker and his or her family. This MOU to work on Energy East provides our members across the country and across the pipeline route with an opportunity to contribute to a monumental project for this country that will help restore the strength of the middle class."
CBTU notes that the Energy East project still has additional reviews to undergo before final approval. It is our hope that those reviews commence quickly and be completed expeditiously, albeit with care, in order to get our members to work.
Canada's Building Trades Unions is an alliance of 14 building and construction unions that represent a membership of more than 500,000 skilled tradespeople across Canada.
SOURCE Building & Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
For further information: Christopher Smillie, Sr. Advisor for Government Relations and Public Affairs, CBTU, at (613) 236-0653, Cell at 613-620-0653 or [email protected]
BANGALORE, July 15, 2016 /CNW/ -
- Q1 Revenue Growth at 2.2% qoq in USD Terms; 1.7% in Constant Currency Terms
- Q1 Revenue Growth at 10.9% yoy in USD Terms; 12.1% in Constant Currency Terms
- Added 3 Clients to $100 Million + Category Taking Total Count to 17
- FY 17 Revenue Guidance Revised to 10.5%-12.0% in Constant Currency
Financial Highlights
Consolidated results under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the quarter ended June 30, 2016
Quarter ended June 30, 2016
Revenues were $2,501 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2016
QoQ growth of 2.2% in reported terms; 1.7% in constant currency terms
YoY growth of 10.9% in reported terms; 12.1% in constant currency terms
Operating profit was $602 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2016
QoQ decline of 3.7%
YoY growth of 11.3%
Net profit was $511 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2016
QoQ decline of 4.1%
YoY growth of 7.4%
Earnings per share (EPS) was $0.22 for the quarter ended June 30, 2016
QoQ decline of 4.1%
YoY growth of 7.4%
Liquid assets including cash and cash equivalents and investments were $4,918 million as on June 30, 2016 as compared to $5,202 million as on March 31, 2016 and $4,750 million as on June 30, 2015 . Dividend payout of $481 million was made during the quarter.
as on as compared to as on and as on . Dividend payout of was made during the quarter. The Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Board of Directors of Infosys Limited at its meeting held on July 14, 2016 , approved the grant of 1,857,820 RSU's at par value which shall be made on August 1, 2016 , to a total of 7,898 eligible and identified high performing employees upto mid-level managers of the Company and its subsidiaries under the 2015 Employee Stock Compensation Plan. The RSU's shall vest over a period of four years from the date of grant which shall be exercisable within the period as approved by the committee. Out of these RSU's, a total of 1,515,135 equity shares will be issued out of the existing treasury shares held by the Infosys Employee Benefits Trust and the balance will be in the form of ADR's and Phantom stock rights.
, approved the grant of 1,857,820 RSU's at par value which shall be made on , to a total of 7,898 eligible and identified high performing employees upto mid-level managers of the Company and its subsidiaries under the 2015 Employee Stock Compensation Plan. The RSU's shall vest over a period of four years from the date of grant which shall be exercisable within the period as approved by the committee. Out of these RSU's, a total of 1,515,135 equity shares will be issued out of the existing treasury shares held by the Infosys Employee Benefits Trust and the balance will be in the form of ADR's and Phantom stock rights. In accordance with the Postal ballot approved by the shareholders on March 31, 2016 , Dr. Vishal Sikka , CEO and Managing Director has been granted RSU's amounting to $ 2 Million which shall be made on August 1, 2016 . The RSU's are time based and will vest over a period of 4 years subject to continuous service. The exercise price for the grant is equal to the par value of one share per RSU.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130122/589162 )
"We had unanticipated headwinds in discretionary spending in consulting services and package implementations as well as slower project ramp-ups in large deals that we had won in earlier quarters, resulting in a lower than expected growth in Q1," said Dr. Vishal Sikka, CEO. "Despite this, I am very encouraged by our progress in the execution of our strategy. We launched Infosys MANA, our AI based approach to helping clients continuously renovate their business processes and have already delivered on first client successes. We continued to see strong momentum in large deal wins in which we are bringing the best of our Renew-New strategy to every deal; and we continued to see growth in our delivery services due to their renewal on the basis of Zero Distance, Design Thinking and automation. Going forward, we will continue our strong focus on our long-term goals and vision of transforming Infosys where open, intelligent technology amplifies people and frees them to innovate in a culture of learning and collaboration, while bringing operational excellence and cost discipline to every aspect of our business."
"Our client additions and top client growth was strong during the quarter. Automation continues to be a core lever in the renewal of our traditional service offerings." said U B Pravin Rao, COO. "We are making impactful internal process changes through our simplification initiatives with a focus on better employee experience and improved productivity.", he added.
"Our focus on optimizing cost efficiency levers helped us during the quarter and our cash generation was strong" said M.D. Ranganath, CFO. "We navigated a volatile currency environment effectively."
Outlook*
The Company's outlook (consolidated) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, under IFRS is as follows:
Revenues are expected to grow 10.5%-12.0% in constant currency*.
The above constant currency guidance translates to 10.8%-12.3% in USD terms based on March 31 st rates and 10.0%-11.5% based on June 30 th rates
*FY 16 constant Currency rates - AUD/USD - 0.73; Euro/USD - 1.10; GBP/USD - 1.51
Currency rates as of March 31, 2016 - **AUD/USD - 0.77; Euro/USD - 1.14; GBP/USD - 1.44
Currency rates as of June 30, 2016 - ***AUD/USD - 0.75; Euro/USD - 1.11; GBP/USD - 1.35
Investments
This quarter we made an investment in Trifacta, a leading provider of data wrangling software that enables non-technical users to easily transform data for analysis. As part of this investment Trifacta will provide a data wrangling solution for the Infosys Information Platform (IIP) and Infosys' other platforms and offerings.
Business Highlights
We continue to execute on our strategy of bringing automation and innovation to help our clients Renew their existing businesses and IT landscapes while enabling New kinds of opportunities through new user experiences, leveraging new open intelligent technology and platforms, and driving deeper problem-finding using Design Thinking. This quarter we launched Infosys Mana, a knowledge-based AI platform; we continued to grow our top accounts and increased our momentum in large deals; and we began to monetize key initiatives such as Zero Distance - our program to drive innovation in every client project.
Purposeful AI for the Enterprise
We launched Infosys Mana, a knowledge-based AI platform that brings machine learning together with the deep knowledge of an organization, to drive automation and innovation - enabling businesses to continuously reinvent their system landscapes. We are already working with a number of clients including JCI and Syngenta.
Syngenta AG is transforming their IT organization towards innovation and delivering more value to business. Towards this Syngenta has chosen Infosys Mana platform that will help accelerate this journey. Robert Weltevreden, Head of SBS at Syngenta, said, "We have chosen Infosys Mana, a Knowledge-based Artificial Intelligence Platform, to help us with insights, drive automation, innovation, efficiency and excellence across the organization. Mana will help us capture knowledge across systems and process, identify and execute opportunities to lower cost of change, and fundamentally help transform business processes on an ongoing basis."
Syngenta AG, one of the world's leading Agribusiness companies, has selected Infosys as their key strategic partner in IT Services across a multi-year managed service engagement. Syngenta and Infosys shall jointly accelerate innovation and bring in a paradigm shift through a Design Studio operating on Design Thinking principles. This partnership will bring in new capabilities, agility, and on-demand services to stay a step ahead on bringing new technology to service business needs proactively.
Jeff Augustin, Vice President and CIO at Johnson Controls, said, "Johnson Controls (JCI) is transforming the role IT plays in accelerating growth and delivering value to the business. Towards this objective, we have chosen Infosys Mana, a Knowledge-based Artificial Intelligence Platform, to help us drive automation, innovation, efficiency and excellence across the enterprise. We will be leveraging Mana to identify and execute on opportunities to lower the cost of maintenance, capture the know-how of our often fragmented and complex systems and enable our businesses to be more nimble and agile."
IIP as the Data Storage and Machine Learning Foundation for Mana Continues to See Good Adoption
Hermes Parcelnet Ltd, a leading European consumer delivery specialist, has selected Infosys to implement a next-generation BI platform based on the Infosys Information Platform (IIP). Steve Bower, Head of Management Information at Hermes Parcelnet Ltd, said, "Infosys provided a comprehensive assessment of our Management Information (MI) capabilities. This included a strategic roadmap which helped us implement a set of tactical improvements on our current MI estate and provided stability as well as a smooth peak. In addition, Infosys is in the process of helping us deliver our Big Data platform which will improve our ability to make decisions on a real time basis and enhance our operational efficiencies. We are confident that our partnership with Infosys will help us deliver even more value for our business in the future."
Strategy and Design Consulting: Finding and Solving the Most Significant Challenges of Our Clients
Over the last quarter, we made significant progress in leveraging design thinking to proactively drive new business transformation programs for our clients.
Carlos E Amesquita, Chief Information Officer, The Hershey Company, said, "Infosys is partnering with us in our key transformational initiatives spanning SAP implementation, sales, digital and being an insights driven organization. In all of these, Infosys' approach of Design Thinking is helping us drive a cultural transformation, while enabling key organizational processes and capabilities with speed."
JIM WARREN, Business Unit Director, Jabil, said, "Jabil and our medical division, Nypro, has deep expertise in hardware design and manufacturing of healthcare wearables. We have partnered with Infosys for their Design Thinking, Big-Data analytics and Cloud Service capabilities to create the next generation of connected healthcare services that are both agile and medical device agnostic. We are very excited about this partnership and the immense value Infosys has brought to the table thus far."
Panaya, Skava & EdgeVerve
We continue to see traction with Panaya and Skava. Infosys and Kohl's are working together, using Design Thinking and leveraging the Skava digital platform to enhance customers, associates, and the overall Kohls experience.
The EdgeVerve business continued its strong market momentum with 16 wins and 21 go-lives for both the Finacle and Edge suite of solutions across markets.
EdgeVerve Systems launched its Blockchain Framework designed to further the adoption of blockchain technology by the global financial services sector. This permissioned ledger will allow banks to rapidly deploy blockchain-based services, providing them an opportunity to leverage a technology that has fundamentally challenged the operating principles underlying banking transactions and book keeping.
The Finacle Core Banking solution was selected to power Paytm's new payments bank business. Paytm will leverage Finacle's proven platform for its deposit products and payments platform, enabling it to rapidly roll out innovative offerings.
Shinjini Kumar, CEO, Paytm Payments Bank, said, "After considering multiple core banking solutions, Paytm is happy to announce that we have chosen Infosys Finacle as the core banking solution for our payments bank. With its large deployment base in India including some of the largest banks, Finacle has proven to be a scalable solution and we are confident that it will be able to support our aspiration to be a large and robust platform for small value, high volume transactions for millions of Indians."
Speaking on their selection of AssistEdge, Pranav Chandra, Digital Strategist, Stora Enso said, "Stora Enso has embarked on a journey to automate its business processes. Towards this, I am pleased to confirm that we have now chosen Infosys as our preferred partner for the Robotic Process Automation Proof of Concept project. After initial discussions internally with our Group Finance Delivery and Group Sourcing, we believe Infosys will be able to provide the adequate mix of technical and business process expertise and competence within Robotic Process Automation, driven by Infosys AssistEdge."
"Infosys' suite of services increased our agility, helped us operate as a standalone company, and subsequently merge smoothly with the COFCO Group with minimal business risk. After the success of the integration, CofcoAgri has selected Infosys as the preferred partner for our global program to transform global operations across applications, infrastructure and end user computing powered by Infosys EdgeVerve," said Dean Zia Dar, Group CIO, CofcoAgri.
Strengthening client relationships and adding new clients
National Australia Bank has chosen Infosys to build and run the technology solution that will enable it to participate in the New Payments Platform (NPP), an industry-led program in Australia that is aimed at delivering faster, flexible and data-rich payments.
"NAB has selected Infosys as our partner to build and run the technology solution for our payments platform, using D+H's Global PayPlus payments software. We look forward to working with Infosys to deliver new and exciting capabilities for our customers," said Michael Starkey , NAB Executive General Manager of Deposits and Transaction Services.
that is aimed at delivering faster, flexible and data-rich payments. "NAB has selected Infosys as our partner to build and run the technology solution for our payments platform, using D+H's Global PayPlus payments software. We look forward to working with Infosys to deliver new and exciting capabilities for our customers," said Carl Zeiss Group AG , the world's most respected company for precision optics and optoelectronics manufacturing, has selected us as its key strategic partner for consulting and application services. As strategic partner, we will support the Zeiss Group as it consolidates and transforms its SAP landscape over the next five years, as well as helping in the transition towards HANA and cloud-based services such as MS Azure. Infosys' support for Zeiss is enabled by a strong backbone of AI-based automation, design thinking framework and leveraging the power of open source and cloud.
, the world's most respected company for precision optics and optoelectronics manufacturing, has selected us as its key strategic partner for consulting and application services. As strategic partner, we will support the Zeiss Group as it consolidates and transforms its SAP landscape over the next five years, as well as helping in the transition towards HANA and cloud-based services such as MS Azure. Infosys' support for Zeiss is enabled by a strong backbone of AI-based automation, design thinking framework and leveraging the power of open source and cloud. Prem Chander , Chief Executive Officer, London Energy Trading, said, "As part of our global expansion plans there is an inherent need for us to transform and automate our trading, risk management and logistics business processes to handle the agility and real time nature of our business across 30+ countries. We selected Infosys to define the IT strategy and roadmap for addressing the global ETRM (Energy Trade Risk Management) Platform requirement for London Energy Trading, for which Infosys has brought in their extensive experience in Energy Trading coupled with their high end consulting capabilities to define the operating model for future proofing our business."
said, "As part of our global expansion plans there is an inherent need for us to transform and automate our trading, risk management and logistics business processes to handle the agility and real time nature of our business across 30+ countries. We selected Infosys to define the IT strategy and roadmap for addressing the global ETRM (Energy Trade Risk Management) Platform requirement for London Energy Trading, for which Infosys has brought in their extensive experience in Energy Trading coupled with their high end consulting capabilities to define the operating model for future proofing our business." Rutherford and Associates, a Direct Store Delivery solution provider, has chosen us as a strategic implementation partner for its flagship product eoStar - which is a popular choice among leading beverage distributors across North America . Paul Rutherford , President Rutherford and Associates, said, "We are extremely excited about the expertise in project implementations and ability to scale that Infosys brings to this partnership. Due to the vast experience in ERP solutions for the CPG industry that Infosys possesses, it is a natural fit that we feel will help scale our company to the next level."
Grassroots Innovation through Zero Distance
Zero Distance - Evolving from project coverage to delivering value
Our Zero Distance, the grassroots innovation program across projects at Infosys, has evolved over the last year from project coverage to delivering value to clients in the form of incremental or adjacent innovative solutions that have had a direct impact on their business.
Owen Shier, Finance Controller APAC, Hudson Global Resources, said, "Infosys has been our trusted partner for the last seven years and has done a fantastic job delivering the required services. In the past few years, Infosys' focus towards automation and innovation under its Zero Distance Programme and Design Thinking Movement has added significant value to our partnership. Infosys has proactively identified opportunities to make the existing streams of work more efficient by implementing automation and working closely with us to deliver innovative solutions. This has produced results which have not just met, but exceeded our expectations. I am sure this change in approach of proactively seeking new areas of improvements and innovative thinking will bring in lot of value add to Infosys' existing and new customers. I look forward to further successful initiatives and collaborations from Infosys over the next few years."
Extending the Reach through our Ecosystem
We continue to expand and enter into multiple strategic partnerships to offer innovative solutions to our clients:
Expanded our relationship with Microsoft Corp. to simplify and automate migration to Microsoft products and to accelerate Microsoft Azure-based and other digital transformations for clients
Entered into a strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to offer a suite of technologies to ease transition from legacy IT to a modern cloud-based platform
Partnered with KUKA Aktiengesellschaft to jointly develop solutions to support companies embracing Industry 4.0. The aim of the collaboration is the development of a software platform that will allow customers to collect, evaluate and utilize data to improve their own processes
Infosys Finacle and Samsung SDS partnered to provide end customers a secure, fast and convenient way to use mobile banking and payment services. This partnership offers financial services customers a seamless user experience and hassle-free access without lengthy authentication processes
Infosys Finacle partnered with Onegini to integrate its mobile security platform with Finacle banking solutions. This integration will allow banks to provide their customers enhanced security such as fingerprint, facial, eye and voice recognition as well as multi-factor authentication, as they transact on devices
Awards and Recognition
Positioned as a Leader in Everest Group's 2016 PEAK Matrix for Independent Testing Services
Recognized as the 'IT Services Provider of the Year - Banking Financial Services and Insurance Sector' by Frost & Sullivan
Infosys Finacle positioned as a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Global Retail Core Banking
Infosys Finacle rated 'Best-in-class' in Advanced Technology and Breadth of Functionality in Celent's report, 'Ubiquitous Digital For Channel Banking: Global Digital Platforms Solutions Vendors, 2016'
Beyond Business
We are committed to contributing towards and giving back to the communities in which we are present.
In India, the Infosys Foundation continues to serve as a powerful catalyst to bring about a positive change in the society. In this quarter, among various programs, the Foundation provided several grants towards education and healthcare. Some of these include grants to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research - Pune and Bangalore Life Science Cluster
Through the quarter, Infosys Foundation USA relentlessly pursued its mission of providing equal access to Computer Science and Maker education to under-represented communities in the US. To evangelize the Maker movement, the Foundation launched the #WhyIMake social campaign at the June Nation of Makers event at the White House as well as announced the winners of the spring cycle of the Infy Maker Awards. At CrossRoads 2016, the Foundation's annual thought leadership conference, the Foundation announced its CS for All Community Giving program in partnerships with National Science Foundation and DonorsChoose.org. The program pioneers a new model of crowdsourced funding for training of computer science teachers in public schools.
About Infosys Ltd
Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in more than 50 countries to create and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From engineering to application development, knowledge management and business process management, we help our clients find the right problems to solve, and to solve these effectively. Our team of 190,000+ innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and technologies, that we bring to every project we undertake.
Visit http://www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. These filings are available at http://www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that the date of this press release is July 15, 2016, and any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.
Infosys Limited and subsidiaries
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Balance Sheets as of
(Dollars in millions except equity share data)
June 30, 2016 March 31, 2016 ASSETS
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents 4,598 4,935 Current investments 83 11 Trade receivables 1,761 1,710 Unbilled revenue 484 457 Prepayments and other current assets 805 672 Derivative financial instruments 9 17 Total current assets 7,740 7,802 Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment 1,624 1,589 Goodwill 561 568 Intangible assets 142 149 Investment in Associates 16 16 Non-current investments 258 273 Deferred income tax assets 93 81 Income tax assets 772 789 Other non-current assets 111 111 Total non-current assets 3,577 3,576 Total assets 11,317 11,378 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities
Trade payables 39 58 Derivative Financial Instruments 1 1 Current income tax liabilities 609 515 Client deposits 4 4 Unearned revenue 228 201 Employee benefit obligations 210 202 Provisions 79 77 Other current liabilities 1,014 940 Total current liabilities 2,184 1,998 Non-current liabilities
Deferred income tax liabilities 37 39 Other non-current liabilities 20 17 Total liabilities 2,241 2,054 Equity
Share capital- 5 ($0.16) par value 2,400,000,000 (2,400,000,000) equity
shares authorized, issued and outstanding 2,285,633,494 (2,285,621,088) net
of 11,311,170 (11,323,576) treasury shares, as of June 30, 2016 (March 31,
2016), respectively 199 199 Share premium 571 570 Retained earnings 11,014 11,083 Other reserves - - Other components of equity (2,708) (2,528) Total equity attributable to equity holders of the company 9,076 9,324 Non-controlling interests - - Total equity 9,076 9,324 Total liabilities and equity 11,317 11,378
Infosys Limited and subsidiaries
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Comprehensive Income
(Dollars in millions except share and per equity share data)
Three months ended
June 30, 2016 Three months ended
June 30, 2015
Revenues 2,501 2,256 Cost of sales 1,592 1,434 Gross profit 909 822 Operating expenses:
Selling and marketing expenses 137 129
Administrative expenses 170 152 Total operating expenses 307 281 Operating profit 602 541 Other income, net 112 119 Share in associate's profit / (loss) - - Profit before income taxes 714 660 Income tax expense 203 184 Net profit 511 476 Other comprehensive income
Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss:
Re-measurement of the net defined benefit liability/(asset) (2) (1) Equity instruments through other comprehensive income - -
Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:
Fair valuation of investments - (2) Cumulative impact on reversal of unrealized gain on quoted debt
securities on adoption of IFRS 9 (5) - Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations (173) (137) Total other comprehensive income, net of tax (180) (140) Total comprehensive income 331 336
Profit attributable to:
Owners of the company 511 476 Non-controlling interests - -
511 476 Total comprehensive income attributable to:
Owners of the company 331 336 Non-controlling interests - -
331 336 Earnings per equity share
Basic ($) 0.22 0.21 Diluted ($) 0.22 0.21 Weighted average equity shares used in computing
earnings per equity share
Basic 2,285,622,329 2,285,610,264 Diluted 2,285,768,122 2,285,672,309
NOTE:
1. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated interim Balance sheets and Condensed Consolidated interim Statements of Comprehensive Income for the three months ended June 30, 2016 have been taken on record at the Board meeting held on July 15, 2016
2. A Fact Sheet providing the operating metrics of the company can be downloaded from http://www.infosys.com
IFRS-INR Press Release: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2016-2017/q1/Documents/IFRS-INR-press-release.pdf
Fact Sheet: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2016-2017/q1/Documents/fact-sheet.pdf
SOURCE Infosys
By Olivier Ferret 15 July 2016 - 10:49
Max Verstappen
Hungaroring is a great track and Budapest is a really cool city. Normally when we arrive its pretty warm which is nice. I always enjoy driving there because its a small track with a big car so it gives a bit of a go kart feeling, its also pretty tough due to all the turns, so you dont really get a chance to rest and usually end up pretty sweaty in the heat. Sector 2 is my favourite part of the track, its all about hitting the apex of one corner right so you are in the right position for the next one. If you get it wrong its a big time penalty, so you need to be really focused.
There are some really good restaurants in Budapest, I have had some amazing meals there. The good food and the good atmosphere means I always really enjoy going there. I have been there a few times testing with 2.0 litre, with Formula 3 and once with F1 so Im really looking forward to it again.
After Hungary we head to Germany, another back to back race so we will be ready for the summer break after that.
Daniel Ricciardo
I think the track in Hungary is very fun and busy. The second sector is great because its corner after corner and there is not much time to rest and think so you can just get into a good rhythm and once you find that rhythm it feels really nice. I won pretty much every category there so Ive always enjoyed it.
Its also always around the summertime so its normally nice and hot and you get a good summer feeling when you go there. Also you know that the holidays are around the corner. Apart from that, Budapest is a fun city. It has really good restaurants on offer and the people are always very friendly.
Then its straight on to Germany. I think the Hockenheimring is actually a pretty fun track. I like entering the stadium section. Also the fans are huge motorsport fans, which is always pretty awesome. There are some cool little towns around the track which offer some traditional German food and after my week in Austria I cant wait to enjoy my second round of Schnitzels.
Ayuba Wabba, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says despite the inability of some governors to meet up with the demands of p...
Ayuba Wabba, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says despite the inability of some governors to meet up with the demands of paying salaries, they have not stopped looting resources of their states.Expressing grievances over the plight of workers, Wabba said salaries were not an allocation to workers, but remunerations earned in line with international best practices and in consonance with convention 138 of the International Labour Organisation.He said NLC might be forced to declare a state of emergency over the non-payment of salaries, disclosing that congress would meet with all its state councils to encourage them to respond effectively to some of the challenges in the states.The labour leader was speaking in Abuja on Thursday.Salaries of workers are not an allocation; therefore, the pronouncement by some of these governors, I think it is something that needs to be condemned, he said.We are condemning it in strong terms; how much is N18,000?How much is the quantum of money that the governors are collecting and looting; let them compile it so that we can all see it. Political office holders are still collecting their money even though they are proposing the reduction; they are still collecting the security vote we are talking about and they are still issuing bogus contracts.Do not also forget, these workers need to leave a decent life and to work and provide such services.If you do not pay them or pay them half of their salary, how would they leave a decent life?How will these workers be able to take care of their immediate needs? We may declare a state of emergency in the area of non-payment of salaries and we are going to have a meeting with all our state councils to respond effectively to some of these challenges.We want to take stock of exactly what the issues are and we will also put appropriate employers on notice.We will declare a state of emergency because workers should not be made to bear the brunt of the challenges because they are not responsible. When the economy was good they did not enjoy, now that there is a challenge, they are the worst-hit, it should not be so; these are our arguments.He said most countries that had experienced economy recession, had to take all interests into consideration before deciding to either cut salaries or stop payment of workers.Wabba advised governors not to cut or stop payment of salaries due to economy recession but rather fashion out ways of generating funds for their states.
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are expected to sto...
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are expected to storm Benin, the Edo state capital, tomorrow for the official flag-off of the partys governorship campaign for its candidate in the September 10th Edo election Godwin Obaseki.This was disclosed yesterday by the state chairman of the party, Barrister Anselm Ojezua, while speaking on the preparation for the flag off. He added that some of the governors will arrive Friday evening ahead of the campaign on Saturday.Ojezua also stated that arrangements are on to mobilize all Edo people in and outside the state for the flag off.He revealed that some notable members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state will be received into the APC at the flag off.
The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said anyone who is found guilty in the current Federal Governments anti-corruption war sh...
The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said anyone who is found guilty in the current Federal Governments anti-corruption war should be jailed.He said this on Thursday in Abeokuta at the sideline of activities marking his 82 birthday.He clocked 82 on Wednesday.Soyinka had earlier played host to pupils from 82 secondary schools across the state, who participated in the Wole Soyinka Essay Competition titled, Challenges or Not, You Must Love Your Country.The Nobel laureate, who had been asked a question around the theme of the 7th edition of the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange programme entitled, Corruption: A battle for the arts; called on all stakeholders across the nation to join hands in the fight against corruption.The respected scholar said the nation must be returned to its place of honour and dignity where anybody found to be corrupt in the society should be ashamed to walk freely.He said, There is only one way for corrupt people; it ends in the prison. It ends in Ibara or Oba (prisons in Abeokuta) or Kirikiri(Lagos prison).Yes, its a battle for everybody and definitely the arts must be in front as usual. Not just the arts, the theologians, the moralists, the philosophers, the architects, builders, its everybodys work.The law, Nigeria Bar Association; everybody is involved, even including you (journalists).Soyinka while speaking on the theme of the event enjoined creative writers and artistes to use their work to fight corruption.The state Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who was also present at the event, urged the pupils and indeed the nations youths to emulate the life of heroes like Prof. Soyinka.He advised them never to give up on Nigeria in spite of the many challenges facing the nation.Amosun said, Just like Prof. Soyinka is doing, you must continue to show love and support for the country irrespective of the challenges facing the nation.The governor also expressed joy that many Nigerians appeared to appreciate arts while promising to extend the participation in the subsequent edition of the programme to all pupils across the country and beyond.The highpoint of the event was the presentation of trophies to Miss Naomi Akinremi of St. Peters College, Olomore, Abeokuta; Miss Adedoyin Sotonwa of Mayflower Secondary School, Ikenne; and Friday Zacheaus of Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu-Ode who came first, second and third respectively, in the essay competition.
A closed associate to the Governor of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, Abiodun Agbele, has instituted a N500 million suit against the...
A closed associate to the Governor of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, Abiodun Agbele, has instituted a N500 million suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over his detention without trial.EFCC had on June 27 arrested Agbele over an alleged N1.3bn traced to the personal account of the Ekiti State Governor.The commission claimed Agbele was a conduit through which the said sum from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, was paid to the governor during the build up to the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State.Agbele, in the suit filed by his lawyers, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and Olalekan Ojo before a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Abuja described his detention by the anti-graft agency as illegal.He prayed the court to award him the sum of N500m as damages for the alleged unlawful arrest and detention.Citing relevant sections of the 1999 constitution as amended, Agbele sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights to liberty, human dignity and acquisition of properties.Agbele also urged Justice Olukayode Adeniyi to order the agency to effect his immediate release.Counsel to EFCC, Raymond Ezekiel, at the commencement of the matter, yesterday prayed the court for an adjournment till today.According to Ezekiel, this was to allow him time to respond to the constitutional issues raised by the applicant in the suit.Despite Ozekhomes objection, Justice Adeniyi adjourned the matter till today.
Ex-Spokesperson to the ex- President Goodluck Jonathans Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode, has regained his freedom after ...
Ex-Spokesperson to the ex- President Goodluck Jonathans Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode, has regained his freedom after spending over 65 days in detention for allegedly laundering of N4.9 billion.His media aide confirmed the development. Recall that Mr. Jude Ndukwe, the Media Adviser to Fani-Kayode, on Monday, said Fani-Kayode has met all the bail conditions granted him by a Federal High Court in Lagos, last Tuesday. Fani-Kayode, former Finance Minister, Nenadi Usman and three others charged with money laundering, were granted bail by a Federal High Court in Lagos, in the sum of N250 million. Ndukwe in a statement stated that Fani-Kayode has met all the conditions for his bail and the relevant documents have been duly filed and submitted at the Federal High Court in Lagos.He however said Fani-Kayode was yet to be released owing to the delay by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to verify the filed documents.The terse statement read: Kindly be notified that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has met all the conditions for his bail and the relevant documents have been duly filed and submitted at the Federal High Court in Lagos. We are now waiting for the EFCC to verify the documents after which he would be released.Despite the fact that he has been locked up for the last 62 days, he remains confident, strong, healthy and in very high spirits. He misses his family very badly, especially his five month old son Aragon, and he looks forward to coming home to be with his family, friends and loved ones.
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has explained why he's in support of the agitation for Biafra.
Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has explained why he's in support of the agitation for Biafra.Speaking on Aljazeera on Thursday, Soyinka said, ''I am very much pro- Biafra because I recognise that the Igbo have been wronged desperately. They have been brutalised in a way that justifies their feeling that they were not part of the nation.''Let me also say this, Biafrans are not entirely innocent in this affair. They were not, but the unleashing of such venom, such devastation on them as a people, was sufficient to justify their decision not to be part of the nation. I was pro-Biafran in the sense that I felt that they needed justice.He criticised the removal of History and teaching of the Biafran crisis in schools.Officials do not want to confront their own history, especially the history in the making of which they feel uncomfortable but, if you do not confront your past, you are going to mess up your future.
Italian champions Juventus have signed Medhi Benatia on loan from Bayern Munich with the option of making the deal permanent in 2017.The Italian champions said on their website that they have an option to buy the 29-year-old at the end of the deal.Juventus said they have paid $3.3 million (2.5m) for the loan period and will have to part with $18.8 million (14.3m) to make the move permanent.It is a return to Serie A for Benatia after spells at Udinese and Roma.He signed for Bayern in 2014 and made 23 appearances for the German club last season.He had hinted earlier this year that he would consider his future after Bayern re-signed Germany defender Mats Hummels from rivals Borussia Dortmund.Benatia was born in France but opted to play for Morocco at international level and has now earned 42 caps.
Trouble seems to be brewing yet again in the P-square household as Peter Okoye, now known as Mr P, took to his Instagram page to disasso...
Trouble seems to be brewing yet again in the P-square household as Peter Okoye, now known as Mr P, took to his Instagram page to disassociate himself from a concert that was held in Congo recently.The duo of Peter and Paul were meant to perform at the show together as a group, but amazingly Paul performed without his twin brother. Paul is yet to say anything about the issue.He however shared pictures and videos of the concert on his social media accounts. In his disclaimer posted on Instagram on the 8th of July, Paul wrote: This goes out to all my fans in Congo, and the entire world in general. My attention has been drawn to a much publicised show holding today 8th July, 2016 (VIP SHOW) and tomorrow 9th July, 2016, (in Goma) and on the 17th of August in Kinshasa wherein the name P-square was used maliciously and mischievously to garner patronage and huge fans attendance as against the stage name Rudeboy which is used when my twin brother, Paul, and co-owner of the stage name Psquare performs alone.I never endorsed the usage of my name as the contractual terms presented were not favourable to me, thus I am not part of the show booked by our former manager Jude and I wholeheartedly disassociate myself from the unauthorised use of my co-owned stage name (Psquare) and images for promotional and economic reasons without my express written consent or permission.Contrary to the wild allegations making the rounds that I could not attend the show because I am sick and missed my flight along with my crew members, I wish to counter same and state categorically, that I am 101% healthy. I shall take appropriate legal actions in the nearest future against the promoters and the sponsors of these events for character assassination and malicious misrepresentation.
The Southwest Zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday demanded an apology from Senator Dino Melaye for allegedly threateni...
The Southwest Zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday demanded an apology from Senator Dino Melaye for allegedly threatening Senator Olufemi Tinubu on the floor of the Senate during plenary on Tuesday.The party, in a statement by its Secretary, Mr. Ayo Afolabi, yesterday condemned Melayes behaviour, describing it as undistinguished.According to the statement, members of the party in the zone felt scandalised and traumatised that we are in the same political party with the like of Senator Dino Melaye, who was credited with using the sovereignty of the floor of the Senate chamber to address Senator Oluremi Tinubu, a distinguished senator and wife of our leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in rude, indecent and uncouth language.It faulted Melayes behaviour, saying it confirmed he has no disrespect for women.We, at the All Progressives Congress (Southwest Zone) call on the undistinguished senator to publicly withdraw his tantrums and apologise not only to Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu but also to the entire Tinubu family, womenfolk and the APC in the Southwest Zone. We invite all women society organisations to see this as a fight against the denigration of the Nigerian woman, the party said.The party called on the Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to note Melayes alleged threat to kill anybody who testifies against the accused persons in the Senate forgery case.The APC scribe called on the national leadership of the ruling party under the Chairmanship of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to call Melaye to order, saying the latest misconduct was typical of the senators record in politicsWe think Dinos threat is not just running his usual verbal diarrhoea, but his outburst was a demonstration of the hatred he harbours for Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the APC said.Also yesterday, the senator, representing Osun West, Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, described the comment of Melaye on Senator Tinubu, as unparliamentary.In a statement by his media adviser, Olumide Lawal, the senator said it was unfair of a co-senator to have descended so low and confronted another female senator, who being a woman, should in the first instance be accorded some measure of respect, being a mother and wife to someone in the society, whom they all defer to in respect.Adeleke, who was the first civilian governor of Osun State, cautioned any would-be senator that takes joy in stirring the hornets nest, to have a rethink and stop throwing-up indecent behaviour that could portend danger to our democracy.The womens group of Osun State APC also condemned the statement credited to the Kogi State senator.In a statement by its leaders, Alhaja Kudirat Fakokunde and Mrs. Taiwo Oluga, the group described Melayes attack on Mrs. Tinubu as a disgrace to the Senate and a dent on the image of Nigerian women because it portrays women as mere object of sexual pleasure and an anatomical symbol.The women demanded a public apology, which they said must be tendered to Senator Tinubu, Nigerian women by Melaye and the Senate President Bukola Saraki.The group said: In the least, Melaye must be suspended forthwith preparatory to its expulsion. A criminal indictment and prosecution on this matter must follow immediately. Even though the direct victim of the primitive attack of Senator Melaye was Senator Tinubu, a fellow woman and leader of our party, we consider the attack as a collective attack on women in Nigeria.It is lamentable that a senator could reduce our Senate to a platform of abuse, physical and verbal assault, sexual harassment of a woman and consequently against the people whose interests he ought to protect.
Second Republic Senator, Ayo Fasanmi, has called for the suspension of senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye from the upper ...
Second Republic Senator, Ayo Fasanmi, has called for the suspension of senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye from the upper legislative chambers over his outburst against his colleague and wife of the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.Recall that Melaye had on Tuesday threatened to assault Mrs Tinubu, a Senator representing Lagos Central in the senate during a closed door session.Melaye, however, claimed he was only responding to an insult from Mrs. Tinubu who called him a dog and a thug when the impeachment move against President Muhammadu Buhari was been considered.However, the elder statesman while condemning Melayes action said the lawmaker has dented the image of the hallowed chambers.Fasanmi in a solidarity message during an emergency meeting of Lagos Central District leaders and stakeholders held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos Mainland, urged Nigerians to examine the quality of lawmakers they select to represent them at the National Assembly.At the meeting which was held with the aim of reaffirming their loyalty and support for Senator Tinubu, Fasanmi called on the National leadership of the APC to sanction Melay.I am very sad about what is going on in the Senate. All former senators and members of the House of Representatives should be sad. Senator Dino Melaye is rude to a woman of substance and a diligent senator who has brought pride to the party, her constituency and the womenfolk. He should be suspended from the Senate with immediate effect, Fasanmi said.
Two Central Jersey healthcare foundations have each received a New Jersey Health Initiatives grant of up to $200,000, it was announced Thursday.
The Hunterdon Healthcare Foundation and the Somerset Healthcare Foundation are two of 10 community coalitions across New Jersey that will each receive up to $200,000 in grant funding.
The grants will help fund community-focused coalitions of organizations from different fields to develop policy-oriented, long-term solutions for healthier living, according to a news release.
New Jersey Health Initiatives is a statewide grant-making program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the nation's largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health and the largest foundation headquartered in New Jersey.
The 10 recipients join 10 funded in 2015 under the initiatives' Building a Culture of Health in New Jersey - Communities Moving to Action, according to the news release.
"This is a terrific opportunity for communities across the state tell us what their biggest health challenges are and how they are collaborating across sectors to address them," said Bob Atkins, director of the initiative. "Our Round One grantees are already putting innovative ideas into practice.
"This second round of grantees increases our spread across New Jersey for a strong Culture of Health to take root."
The coalitions are eligible to receive a total of $200,000 over four years to develop and implement a Blueprint for Action in their communities. To ensure their work continues beyond the four years of grant funding, they are required to provide matching funding of $35,000 in the final two grant years, according to the news release.
Teams representing each coalition will also attend a Boundary Spanning Leadership Institute, led by the Center for Creative Leadership, where participants will focus on developing strong, cross-sector relationships to better address the many factors that influence health.
This article has been updated to include the Aug. 20, 2016, fatal accident in Clinton Township in Hunterdon County.
Accidents on the 30-mile stretch of Interstate 78 from the Pennsylvania border to the Interstate 287 interchange in Somerset County have claimed the lives of six people in eight months.
The six fatal accidents this year is more than the number of fatal accidents in 2015 on the same stretch of road, according to State Police.
The average number of fatalities on this section of Interstate 78 is 4.8 per year, according to a NJ Advance Media analysis of state Department of Transportation traffic data from 1997 to 2014.
From 1997 through Aug. 20, a total of 100 people have been killed.
One man was killed, and two people, a woman and a juvenile, were injured in the Aug. 20 accident on eastbound Interstate 78 in Clinton Township.
Ariel Lozano, 32, of Reading, Pa., who died, was a rear-seat passenger in a minivan driven by Tiasha Falu, 35, also of Reading, Pa. A 16-year-old boy also from Reading, Pa. was the front-seat passenger in the minivan.
She was charged with driving while intoxicated and her case has been referred to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office for the filing of criminal charges.
In July, a tractor-trailer driver died in a one-vehicle crash in Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County and a person was killed in a crash involving a Ford Fusion, a pickup truck and a New Jersey Department of Transportation crash truck.
The worst year for fatalities was 1997, when 11 people died. In 2014, there was only one fatality. Most years the number of fatalities is between four and eight.
From 1997 to 2014, there were a total of 13,336 accidents. Of those, 3,029 were accidents with injuries.
The fatal accident on July 22 began when a Ford Fusion merging into the left lane of Interstate 78 East struck a pickup truck, which then rolled and hit a New Jersey Department of Transportation crash truck, New Jersey State Police said.
The pickup, which was hauling a motorcycle trailer, flipped several times after the apparent glancing blow against the truck, Capt. Steve Jones said. The female passenger in the pickup was killed and the male driver was seriously injured. It happened just after 10:45 a.m. in Greenwich Township, about four miles past the Pennsylvania line.
An accident on July 14 claimed the life of a tractor-trailer driver, who was killed when his rig struck a bridge abutment on eastbound Interstate 78 in Tewksbury Township and burst into flames.
The accident snarled traffic on this expressway heavily used by commuters coming from the Lehigh Valley and the Delaware Valley into Central Jersey and beyond to North Jersey and New York City.
The eastbound side of Interstate 78 was closed for nearly six hours, stranding drivers and creating gridlock on Route 22 and other highways and back roads throughout Hunterdon and Somerset counties.
Even at 9:30 p.m. on July 14, some 14 hours after the crash, two lanes of the eastbound side of the expressway remained closed with ongoing heavy delays.
This year's other fatal accidents include:
Jan. 6 at 11:40 a.m. -
April 18 at 6 p.m. -
May 25 at 12:30 p.m. -
July 14 at 7:25 a.m. -
July 22 at 10:45 a.m. -
Aug. 20 at noon -
NJ.com readers had different thoughts as to why this stretch of Interstate 78 continues to be dangerous:
yankeesfan01x: "...what are the odds that those people who moved to the Lehigh Valley from Jersey and still work in Jersey have to drive a little bit more offensive in the AM to make it to work on time? And think about the timing of it to? People from Northwest Jersey probably didn't start really moving out to Eastern PA until the last few years and go figure the accident rate is up on 78 by a ton."
RUmrshorty93: "...The increase in accidents is the volume of traffic coupled with excessive speed and inattentive drivers of both trucks and cars. Speeding and inattentive drivers have all different kinds of license plates."
Capt Ron: "My sincerest condolences to the trucker and his family. Anyone who commutes in the NJ/NY/PA/CT area knows the highways are overcrowded. Add to that the size difference between passenger vehicles and over the road trucks. I've often wondered why not restrict the usage of over the road trucks on these highways during the peak rush hours. It is my understanding they need to stop and rest anyway so why not during these times? Just a thought."
NJNana: "First off to the trucker RIP. To the family my deepest sympathy. Why do people ASSUME it is always the trucker's fault? I travel 78 twice a day for the last 16 years. Everyday I see cars (NJ & PA) and motorcycles weave in and out of the 3 lanes. There are times when I actually gasp because they come so close to the tractor trailers when they cut in front of them. I Don't see the truckers texting or on their cell phones, but I do see people in cars doing it."
jr1975: "With all the accidents and massive truck traffic and all this talk of transportation fixes and even a possible gas tax, yet there is never a discussion on making truck and car lanes like the NJ turnpike has. IF there were separate car and truck lanes, you could close the one section and still get traffic through on one of the roadways....but of course even with all the money, environmentalists would shoot it down. I'm just glad I don't have to sit in that congestion everyday!!"
yknot819: "We need more patrols on this road and more people pulled over for speeding, texting, etc. Also, why do I rarely see a police car pulling over a trucker? Only passenger vehicles? There is so much dangerous behavior and the only way to stop it is to ticket it."
HAMILTON -- Autopsy results on Myung Jeon, the woman stabbed at a Hamilton sub shop in 2014, are pending further studies, officials said Friday.
Jeon, 49, died earlier this week at a hospital in Delaware County, Pa., and authorities identified her as the victim stabbed several times at the Subway sandwich shop on Sunnybrae Boulevard in December 2014.
The Delaware County Medical Examiner's Office said Friday the cause of death, from an autopsy performed Thursday, was listed as pending further studies.
The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday they will review the autopsy results, and all medical records, before making any decisions in the case against Sung Yoon Choi, the man charged with attacking her.
On Friday, First Assistant Mercer County Prosecutor Doris Galuchie said the office had no comment on the progress of the results.
Choi, of Silver Spring, Md., was charged and later indicted on attempted murder and related weapons charges. His next court date is in September.
Authorities have alleged Choi and Jeon were former lovers and he allegedly stabbed her when he found out she had married another man.
Hamilton police arrived at the sandwich shop at about 1 p.m. they day of the crime and found Jeon laying in a large pool of blood.
Witnesses described the stabber and his vehicle, and Choi surrendered to police a couple of hours later on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Jeon suffered severe injuries, including paralysis, and underwent multiple surgeries to treat her wounds.
Choi later told police during a videotaped confession that he had threatened to murder the victim if she ever married someone else, prosecutors have alleged.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
MIDDLESEX -- Fatama Mohmad, the wife of the 52-year-old truck driver killed in a fiery crash on Interstate 78 on Thursday morning, wanted to see her husband's body, but due to the extent of the burns and injuries, the medical examiner said he was left unrecognizable.
Essam Fawaz, 52, of Middlesex borough, was killed in a fiery crash while driving a truck on I-78 on Thursday, July 14, 2016.
"(The medical examiner) said we wouldn't be able to get the graphic image out of our head," said Mohmad's 13-year-old daughter Gannat Moustafa, who was standing next to her mother at their home in Middlesex Borough.
Essam Fawaz, 52, a driver for Beltway Transportation Logistics, was killed while driving a tractor-trailer east on I-78 when it veered off the left side of the expressway and hit a bridge abutment. State police had said a preliminary investigation showed a possible blowout of one of Fawaz's tires, which may have contributed to the crash.
The investigation remains ongoing.
It was mid-afternoon on Friday and Mohmad and Moustafa had just arrived back at their home at an apartment complex off Warrenville Road. Mohmad, dressed in a black abaya, was quiet and somber.
With Moustafa helping to translate, Mohmad, who is Egyptian, said she was doing OK, but that it had been a difficult time for her and her daughter.
Police found Mohmad at her job on Thursday and informed her that her husband had died in the crash.
Pictured left, Gannat Moustafa, 13, and her mother, Fatama Mohmad, of Middlesex borough, in the living room of their home on Warrenville Road, on Friday, July 15, 2016. Mohmad's husband was killed in a crash on I-78 on Thursday.
"She fainted and it took her 30 minutes to wake up," Moustafa said. "Someone from work drove her here."
Mohmad said police told her that Fawaz died instantly from the impact. He had been partially ejected and burned from a gasoline leak caused by the crash.
With most of her family in Egypt, only she and her daughter remain. The two are concerned about paying bills, as Moustafa said her mother doesn't make enough money at her job at the moment.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help raise money for the family.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.
MORRISTOWN -- A former Madison police officer who admitted receiving nude photos from a 17-year-old girl was sentenced Friday to two years of probation, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.
Chad Rybka, 33, of Bernards Township, pleaded guilty in May to third-degree possession of child pornography, a form of child endangerment.
Rybka admitted that he received photos over a four- to six-month period from a girl in Brunswick, Ohio.
Under terms of his plea agreement, Rybka resigned in May from the Madison department and also forfeited future employment as a public employee in New Jersey.
In the sentence imposed Friday in Superior Court in Morristown, Judge Thomas Critchley ordered Rybka to serve two years probation, pay $905 in fines and to undergo continued psychological treatment, Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said in a statement.
During the proceeding, Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Meg Rodriguez read a statement from the victim's family "condemning Rybka's actions," but also expressing concern for the "good officers of the Madison Police Department" who would have to "rebuild the damage (Rybka) brought to their department," Knapp said.
Police in Brunswick, Ohio, learned in February that the 17-year-old girl was using a Twitter account to communicate with a man and that she sent nude images of herself to the man at his request, they said.
Investigators in Ohio determined the man was Rybka and that he'd been in contact with the girl on Twitter's messenger application. Brunswick police then reported the matter to the Madison police, who informed the prosecutor's office.
An investigation by the prosecutor's Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment unit found that Rybka was in possession of a number of nude images of the girl.
In a statement issued in May, Madison Police Chief Darren Dachisen said, "The Madison Police Department has zero tolerance for any police officer misconduct that affects the borough's reputation or the integrity of the police department. The actions of one individual do not define our agency and the outstanding work my officers do on a daily basis."
Rybka, who joined the Madison department in 2007, received the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety's DWI Top Gun Award in 2012.
Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Why the Four Seasons project at the World Trade Center still faces a legal fight
This chart outlines money for coastal restoration projects that the state expects to receive over the next eight years.
Colin Farrell may be headed to Louisiana for 'The Beguiled,' per Variety
The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.
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.
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The Warriors have lost forwards Jacob Lillyman and Bodene Thompson to injury ahead of Saturday's clash with Manly in Perth.
Lillyman and Thompson were both initially named to line up for the Warriors but have withdrawn with ankle injuries, with Lillyman picking up his injury in State of Origin III on Wednesday night.
McFadden named an extended bench for the trip with utility Tuimoala Lolohea joined by middle forwards Sam Lisone, Bunty Afoa, Charlie Gubb and James Gavet.
Utility Jazz Tevaga, who has made six NRL appearances so far this season, was added to the travelling squad.
The final make-up of the Warriors 17 will be confirmed an hour before kick-off on Saturday.
The injuries, suspensions, rumours and likely team changes heading into the weekend's Telstra Premiership matches.
Draw Widget - Round 19 - Dragons vs Titans
Dragons: Both Josh Dugan (jaw) and Benji Marshall (hamstring) will miss Friday night's match. Their omission has triggered a backline reshuffle, with Josh McCrone the man most likely to partner Gareth Widdop in the halves, Jason Nightingale to move to fullback and Kurt Mann shifting out to the wing to accommodate the return of Tim Lafai.
Scans showed a broken jaw, surgery to put a plate in tomorrow! Will be doing everything I can to get back ASAP for the dragons Josh Dugan (@Josh_Dugan) July 14, 2016
Titans: Expected to be as per program.
Draw Widget - Round 19 - Sea Eagles vs Warriors
Sea Eagles: Nate Myles could force his way into the final 17 after not being named on Tuesday and making it through his return in Origin largely unscathed.
Warriors: UPDATE: Queensland prop Jacob Lillyman and second-rower Bodene Thompson have both been ruled out for the Warriors with ankle injuries. The team will confirm the duo's replacements an hour before kick-off.
Draw Widget - Round 19 - Rabbitohs vs Broncos
Rabbitohs: Promising youngsters Ed Murphy or Angus Crichton could come into the South Sydney 17 with Greg Inglis to miss his side's next three matches through suspension. Adam Reynolds will be fine to play despite withdrawing from Origin III, while George Burgess will make his long-awaited NRL return. Sam Burgess (knee) should also be cleared to take to the field.
Broncos: UPDATE: Matt Gillett is in serious doubt after failing to train on Friday. If Gillett is out, Alex Glenn will move to the second row with Jordan Kahu shifting to centre and Lachlan Maranta joining the side on the wing. Corey Parker will be missing after being suspended for the first time in his illustrious NRL career, with Jai Arrow likely to join the final side after being named on an extended bench on Tuesday. Also part of the extended squad, Marion Seve could come into contention for his NRL debut if Corey Oates fails to back up from Origin III. Darius Boyd, Sam Thaiday, and Josh McGuire have all been named and should back up.
Draw Widget - Round 19 - Knights vs Storm
Knights: Jarrod Mullen should be fit to make his first NRL appearance since Round 8 after being named on Tuesday. Dane Gagai is set to take his place at the back for the Knights after finishing Origin III without incident.
Storm: Craig Bellamy said on Thursday that Cameron Munster was unlikely to take his place at Hunter Stadium on Sunday, with Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk to be rested "at some stage" on the run home.
Draw Widget - Round 19 - Panthers vs Eels
Panthers: Matt Moylan and Josh Mansour should be fine to play after their strong showing for NSW on Wednesday night. Hooker Peter Wallace has been unable to train this week with an elbow injury, with Tyrone Peachey the most likely candidate to spend time at hooker if Wallace is out after being omitted from the first grade squad last week.
Eels: With Corey Norman stood down, Kenny Edwards is a strong contender to partner Jeff Robson in the halves.
Draw Widget - Round 19 - Roosters vs Sharks
Roosters: Despite Blake Ferguson and Aidan Guerra both being left out of the Roosters squad named on Tuesday, both could be late inclusions on Monday night.
Sharks: Andrew Fifita (suspension) is the only Sharks Origin player set to miss out on Monday night, with Paul Gallen, Jack Bird, Wade Graham and James Maloney all likely to back up after making through the match unscathed. On the back of a solid club debut against the Panthers, prop Jesse Sene-Lefao should be the man to join the 17 for Fifita.
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On Feb. 19, 1926, what started as a small boiler issue in the Academy of Music building quickly became a much bigger fire even though the building was well constructed. The wind picked up, fanning the flames. Firefighters quickly realized the building couldnt be saved.
They were fearful they would lose the entire block, Porter County Historian Kevin Pazour said. So their efforts changed to abandon the Academy of Music and save everything else.
Kauffman Bargain Store was next door, along with two restaurants, and there was a fancy bank.
They thought if they could get up, get onto the roof, and get the water onto that building, they could create a barrier, Pazour said.
It had just opened not very long before, the very first for Valparaiso, an art deco building, the bank that stood on this block, that they spent $100,000 building. There were three little buildings between the Academy of Music and this bank, and they were determined not to lose their investment.
So these guys in fact its remarkable, if you go back and read the old newspaper they pulled everybody in town, and I imagine by word of mouth and just running down the street. Anybody who was a firefighter, even if they were retired, was recalled to be a firefighter. Other departments from other towns were called to fight this fire. So they got up on that roof, and they dropped as much water as they could, and at one moment, in the blink of an eye, everything went wrong.
As that back wall, that south wall, collapsed, and it fell into the Kauffman building. And in the newspaper they said it collapsed it like an egg shell.
These guys who were on the roof, that guy sitting on the firetruck, (Wilbur) Fish Cowdrey who would go on to fight a fire here (the courthouse) when that bell gave in and fell with a clank all the way to the basement he was up on the roof with a hose. And that guy who came to the aid of the commissioners, Bill Pennington (see previous blog post), who was the sheriff? Well, he wasnt the sheriff anymore, he was a firefighter again that day. He was up on the roof.
And we have an image, with a handwritten note, that these guys with a little arrow were up on the roof, and when that wall fell, and collapsed it, the pressure of that hose almost pulled Fish Cowdrey ) into the fire, and if it wasnt for Bill Pennington, who put a hand on him and pulled him back to safety, he would have ended up with the six guys who fell into that building and unfortunately, two of them died.
It was the first instance of something like this happening.
The restaurants next door that were saved served food and coffee for everybody. Lowenstine's Department Store, on the opposite side of the courthouse square, donated mittens to everyone suffering in the cold.
This whole community came together to help and do what they could.
Pazour is right about that. A fund drive for the firefighters and their families was quickly established. A banner headline told of residents being urged to donate a days pay to the fund.
The brick-lined bank vault in the art deco building that burned was saved, and it actually worked the next day. Operations resumed in a nearby building.
On July 8, 1917, Farmers State Bank reached an agreement with the Specht-Finney Department Store to use half the stores building at the northeast corner of Franklin and Lincolnway, where Chase Bank stands today.
If you look closely, and in the right light, youll find an inscription at the entrance to the building that tells of its prior uses.
The art deco building on Washington Street that they were so proud of in 1926 was razed in the 1960s, when so many historic buildings were destroyed not just in Valparaiso, but across the country.
After Premier Theater town down in 1984, that was the last straw. Preservation became common after the public outcry over the demolition of a building that held so many fond memories for residents.
It wasn't the last fire to hit the courthouse squae.
On the east side of Franklin, across from the courthouse, stood Lowenstines, which donated mittens to everyone involved in fighting the 1926 fire. Lowenstines 1915 building stood there until it was destroyed by a colossal fire in 1996. Lowenstines had closed by then. It was Highland Department Store at the time.
For Chuck Williams, there's an excitement in taking an old building, planning out concepts for it and seeing its transformation.
It's very satisfying, the Valparaiso real estate developer said.
Williams, owner of C.L. Williams and Cos., recalled purchasing a building in 1999 at 212 E. Lincolnway in the city's downtown.
Williams renovated that structure, which now is home to multiple businesses. On the main level is a Buffalo Wild Wings. The second floor includes offices for C.L. Williams and Cos. as well as for Elegan Customwear, which formerly was owned by Williams.
The rehabilitation and preservation of the property earned Williams an Indiana Main Street award in 2004, he said.
Williams said he has renovated five buildings so far in Valparaiso's downtown and would like to do more.
In addition to the joys of seeing the completion of a renovation project, Williams also is interested in learning about the history of the buildings he's rehabbing.
He said the Lincolnway building once included an auto repair garage, and vehicles were serviced on all levels of the structure. He said a large elevator was used to lift the cars in the building.
Besides the work to improve properties, it's also necessary to find tenants for his buildings.
Williams said that process involves networking. Sometimes, businesses will reach out to him after hearing he is involved with a development. There also are other occasions in which he's contacting prospective tenants to find out their needs.
It's competitive, but people want good space, he said.
Mike Micka, a vice president of development at Holladay Properties, said Williams has played a large role in revitalizating Valparaiso's downtown.
Micka has known Williams for about 20 years, and formerly served as his banker for projects. He said Williams helped to influence bringing special liquor licenses to the city's downtown, which helped make the area a dining destination.
Williams said Valparaiso officials were involved in other enhancements, such as streetscape improvements and facade grants to revitalize the downtown.
The city's done a great job, Williams said.
Williams, a former Valparaiso city councilman, said the popularity of the city's downtown has left that area with few empty spaces for retailers. That wasn't always the case in Valparaiso. In 2003, the downtown had a vacancy rate of around 40 percent, Williams said.
As Williams looks to the future of that area of the city, he believes more residential opportunities are on their way, too.
Both millennials and baby boomers want to move downtown, he said.
In many cases, buildings in that area of the city have retailers on the main levels, and the second tiers have been devoted to office space.
Williams said Valparaiso has a real livable downtown with many restaurants and other amenities, and there will be efforts to convert the second-level office spaces into residential areas as well.
I think that's what you're going to see, he said.
Williams said residential units on upper levels of buildings in downtowns isn't a new trend. It's going back to what originally took place in those types of areas.
He said he is renovating a property at 206 Lincolnway, which was built in 1895. A blacksmith once operated out of that facility, and a second floor was added to that building for the blacksmith's family to live in, Williams said.
What you're seeing in these little urban centers is people are moving back to them, he said, You're seeing that all over the country.
Williams said three or four current projects are converting office spaces into residential areas in the city's downtown.
It's great to be in a town that people want to invest in, he said of Valparaiso.
Outside of Valparaiso, Williams is involved in the major Dunes Pavilion renovation project.
He is a principal of Pavilion Partners, which has a 35-year lease with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to renovate the pavilion and operate dining and event spaces there.
Williams said existing amenities at the site haven't kept up with the market and demand. Plans for the pavilion include a restaurant and banquet area, which could be used for weddings and other activities.
Williams said private companies operating concessions at parks is a growing trend throughout the country.
The government doesn't run restaurants well, Williams said. He said planning for the pavilion is proceeding well.
We're excited, he said.
Williams said Northwest Indiana has a lot of promise, and the Region needs to take advantage of its opportunities to continue to be a great place to live and for businesses to thrive.
Although many of his projects have been local, Williams is pursuing development work outside the Region. He said he is currently looking at mixed-use development in the Indianapolis area.
Williams said he has experience planning mixed-use properties. He said he was involved with the University Promenade project, which includes 28 residential units, restaurants, a medical office and space used by Valparaiso University.
He said University Promenade was a very successful project that created a nice gateway to the campus.
Congressman Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., testified on Thursday before the International Trade Commission in favor of tariffs on imports of structural tubing from Korea, Mexico and Turkey.
Local producers of the steel product include Independence Tube, in Chicago; Atlas Tube on the far Southeast side of the city; and Bull Moose, in Elkhart. Northwest Indiana steel mills also make the flat-rolled metal thats shaped into tube thats used in oil exploration and energy production.
American steelmakers are pursuing countervailing tariffs of between 11.9 percent and 113.7 percent on rectangular welded carbon steel pipes from abroad.
American steel is the backbone of our infrastructure. We construct bridges, skyscrapers, and transportation systems with steel produced by hardworking American steelworkers and steel companies, Visclosky testified at the ITC hearing in Washington, D.C.
The product we are discussing today, heavy walled rectangular pipes and tubes, are used to construct building frames, support columns, and protective barriers, he said. They are used to build truck beds, trailers, and agricultural implements. We cannot continue to allow illegal imports of products that are the foundation of the economy and transportation infrastructure of our communities.
Imports captured a record 29 percent of the market share last year, more than when most domestic steelmakers went bankrupt in the early 2000s.
The International Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Commerce will weigh the evidence gathered at this weeks hearing when deciding whether to levy countervailing tariffs, which are designed to offset the difference between what foreign steelmakers sold the metal for in the United States and what the going prices are in their home market. Additional hearings on steel tubing tariffs will take place in September and October.
While the entire steel industry is facing a constant onslaught of illegal imports, the pipe and tube market has been hit particularly hard, Visclosky said. In 2015, imports captured 65 percent of the pipe and tube market share, an 11 percent increase from 2014, while domestic shipments decreased by 38 percent. This is absolutely unacceptable.
The International Trade Commission already has imposed 42 anti-dumping and countervailing tariffs on steel pipe, tube and fittings, but Visclosky said more needs to be done. Korea, Mexico and Turkey are repeat offenders, and American steelworkers deserve a level playing field without subsidies or dumping for less than what steel can be sold for back home, he said.
I also would point out that the countries cited in this case are exporting more pipe and tube products into the American market than almost all of our other foreign competitors, he said. For example, this past June, the U.S. imported 316,882 metric tons of pipe and tube products. Of those imports, 69,285 metric tons came from Korea, 22,008 metric tons came from Turkey, and 53,057 metric tons came from Mexico.
Leading veterans groups are disturbed by the way veterans hired as prison guards are portrayed in the new season of the Netflix series, Orange is the New Black.
The veterans groups say they take issue with the way the new guards disparage the inmates throughout season four of the drama that takes place in a womens prison and the way they talk about their combat experiences.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars called the show offensive. Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans Of America said it will further stigmatize veterans, and Disabled American Veterans said the show is out of the touch with the reality of the veteran experience.
Netflix didnt respond to multiple messages left Thursday and Friday seeking comment.
In one scene in the finale, a guard tells another guard about innocent people he killed in Afghanistan.
After spending so much time chasing bad guys, he said, you get so mad, tired and bored that you just grab a farm kid and make him juggle live grenades until one blows up.
Thats egregious, and just one way veterans are misrepresented, said Dan Clare, the national spokesman for DAV and an Iraq War veteran.
The danger, Clare said, is that Orange is the New Black is a popular show airing at a time when many service members are returning home and looking for jobs. If the public has a negative perception of veterans, that will affect how theyre able to transition back into civilian life, he said.
VFW national commander John A. Biedrzycki Jr. said the shows writers and producers chose to offend all veterans because they needed new villains. He spoke out Thursday, after a 27-year-old Air Force veteran, Tahlia Burton, wrote an opinion piece about the show for a military news and culture website, Task & Purpose.
Burton describes herself as a huge fan of the show. After binge-watching the fourth season, released in June, she said she was appalled because veterans are shown as bloodthirsty, heartless killers and sexists. She said shes not saying veterans deserve hero status, but dont portray us as a group of monsters.
Orange is the New Black had the opportunity to portray veterans in a way that shed light on an identity thats widely misunderstood, she wrote. But instead, the show fed into the very worst stereotypes that weve been working so hard to overcome.
At IAVA, policy officer Jonathan Schleifer said the shows producers are unfortunately telling stories that will further stigmatize a community that has been through so much. Biedrzycki said the deranged veteran story line must change and he asked for an apology.
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CROWN POINT Officials are expected to be barred from making public statements about the pending criminal case against a Lake County police officer accused of causing a crash, according to court records.
Defense attorney Paul Stracci filed a motion asking the court to impose an order that would prevent officials involved in the case against his client, Lt. Guy J. Mikulich, from commenting on it, according to court records.
Mikulich, 37, of Merrillville, faces 13 criminal charges, with the most serious being leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury after operating while intoxicated, a Level 3 felony.
Stracci declined to comment Friday on behalf of his client citing the motion he had recently filed with the court.
Mikulich is accused of crashing into Derrick Dircks, who was arranging items in the rear of his 2014 Toyota Sienna van near Oak Avenue and Pike Street in Gary. A witness told police Mikulich looked back at the crash before driving away.
He was wearing his police uniform and was in his black unmarked Ford Crown Victoria squad car during the crash, according to the affidavit. He had been working at the Gary Air Show.
More than five hours after the crash, tests determined he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.15, according to court records.
The case was originally assigned to Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez. He recused himself from presiding over the case because he is, familiar and has had previous contacts with Mikulich, according to court records.
As of Friday, the criminal case was transferred to Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel Cappas.
After posting a $3,000 cash bond, Mikulich was given permission by the court to live at a residential treatment program in Palm Beach, Florida, according to court records.
Mikulich was placed on paid administrative leave pending a hearing next week in front of the Lake County sheriffs department Merit Board. Lake County Sheriff John Buncich is seeking his termination from the department.
Mikulichs next court hearing in the criminal case is scheduled for Sept. 8.
CROWN POINT A Gary man this week dodged two murder charges in a double homicide that prosecutors alleged stemmed from a drug deal gone bad.
After deliberating for six hours Wednesday, Shelton T-Man Curtis was acquitted of a murder charge in the shooting death of James Powell, 18, of Gary. A Lake County jury found him guilty of attempted dealing in marijuana, a Class A misdemeanor. He will be sentenced July 21.
Curtis, 23, had faced an additional charge of murder in the shooting death of Raymond Washington-Whitehead, 17, of Merrillville. The Lake County prosecutors office dismissed that charge Monday when Curtis trial started in Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquezs courtroom.
The shooting happened Aug. 6 inside a home in the 1100 block of Lane Street in Gary. Curtis rented a room in the home and the men had arranged to purchase an ounce of marijuana from him.
During a dispute about the marijuana, prosecutors said Washington-Whitehead pulled out a gun and pointed it at Curtis. That led to a tussle between the two.
Curtis testified that Washington-Whitehead slammed him to the ground. Curtis said he pulled out his own loaded gun, which he had purchased at an auction in Crown Point, and started shooting. He demonstrated for jurors how he covered his eyes with one hand and fired his gun with the other.
Washington-Whitehead was shot in the chest and died in the living room. Powell was shot nine times and died just outside of the home.
Defense attorney R. Brian Woodward argued that Powell and Washington-Whitehead never intended to buy marijuana from his client. Instead, they had planned to rob his client at gunpoint.
Kevin Blackmon testified during the three-day trial that he saw the tussle, but he ran to a bedroom after seeing a gun being waived around.
Bullets dont have eyes, he said.
Blackmon faced charges of assisting a criminal and attempted dealing in marijuana. The state plans to dismiss the charges in exchange for his testimony.
The shooting happened last summer during a wave of violence in Gary. Washington-Whitehead and Powell were two of eight people who were killed in an eight-day period.
The only other case that resulted in criminal charges was the shooting death of Alec McCloud. Like Curtis, Gentry Jackson claimed he shot McCloud in self-defense, but jurors rejected his story. Jackson was convicted of murder and was sentenced last month to 48 years in prison.
EAST CHICAGO A 22-year-old man is accused of shooting at a man and then running into a strangers home, according to court records.
Darryl D. Hampton, of Hammond, faces charges of criminal recklessness, residential entry, resisting law enforcement and carrying a handgun without a license.
Hampton is accused of shooting at a man on Monday who was riding his bicycle in the 3500 block of Guthrie Street in East Chicago. The man was not injured.
The man told police that Hampton, who goes by Lil Man, and another man began yelling and arguing with him after spotting him on his bicycle. Hampton told the man, Whats up now? as he pulled out his gun and fired two shots toward the man, according to the affidavit.
Hampton is accused of running into a strangers home as police arrived at the scene, according to the affidavit. As officers escorted Hampton out of the strangers apartment, the man who was shot at yelled, Thats him! There go Lil Man right there, according to court records.
Hampton remained Thursday in Lake County Jail without bail.
GARY Police searched the Carter G. Woodson library in the city's Miller section on Thursday after a male called the library and said a bomb would go off.
Police officers and a supervisor responded about 12:30 p.m. to the library in the 500 block of South Lake Street after the threat was received, Lt. Dawn Westerfield said.
Police diverted pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the area, notified surrounding businesses and cleared the library. A search of the building turned up nothing suspicious, she said.
The threat remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (219) 881-1209. To remain anonymous, call (866) CRIME-GP.
INDIANAPOLIS The Indiana Supreme Court has sided with Porter Superior Court Judge David Chidester over county prosecutors in a dispute over how certain drunken driving cases are handled.
The Supreme Court ruled 3-2 Thursday that it would not prohibit Chidester from ordering prosecutors to file police reports with specific drunken driving cases where there is a breath test refusal.
Porter County Prosecutor Brian Gensel said Friday morning he will comply with the order.
There was no prior statutory or caselaw precedent on the issue, he said.
Chidester said he was prepared to follow the Supreme Courts order no matter which way it came down.
Our system is based upon following court orders, he said.
Before the dispute found its way to the Indiana Supreme Court, Chidester had scheduled a hearing for Gensel and three deputy prosecutors to appear before him to explain why they should not be held in contempt of court for failing to comply with his original order. The hearing was delayed just a few days before to allow consideration by the higher court.
The dispute centers on Chidester ordering prosecutors in April to file photocopies of the arresting officers narratives in three drunken driving-related cases, according to court documents.
Chidester argued that the information will allow him to make more fully informed decisions if defendants later seek to terminate their refusals to take a chemical test at the time of their arrest.
Prosecutors, arguing the police reports are confidential, privileged attorney work product materials, made an unsuccessful attempt to challenge Chidesters order.
The Indiana Attorney Generals Office stepped in to represent the prosecutors before the state Supreme Court.
Chidester said in a court document that in almost every case with a refusal of a chemical test, the defendant later seeks to terminate it to avoid the subsequent drivers license suspension.
In addition to facing the limitations of a heavy caseload, Chidester said prosecutors defending a chemical test refusal have not informed the court of a multitude of important factors found in the police narrative.
Having the police narratives in the file, as has been done in neighboring LaPorte County for more than 40 years, would assist in the fact-finding mission, Chidester said. If a defendant does not seek relief from refusing a chemical test, the police narrative will remain unread in the confidential portion of the file.
The attorney generals office responded on behalf of county prosecutors that the court has no proper purpose for the police reports and no legal right to demand the documents.
The defendants in question have not challenged their license suspensions and if they do, it is up to the attorneys to decide what evidence to introduce to best make their cases, according to attorney general.
The judge cannot simultaneously serve as prosecutor, defense attorney, and fact finder, the attorney generals office said in a brief.
Chidester said Friday he intends to give prosecutors ample time to comply with his order.
As President Lincoln said in 1865 when asked what he would like to have done with rebel leaders after the war was over, he said, my advice is to let em up easy, Chidester said. That is what I intend to do.
INDIANAPOLIS Leaders across Indiana and the nation reacted strongly both favorably and unfavorably after presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump confirmed Friday he had selected Gov. Mike Pence for vice president.
Heres a sampling of what they said:
Indiana Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb Donald Trump has selected as his running mate a man of unimpeachable integrity, broad experience and a deep love of this country. Gov. Mike Pences record of leadership in balancing budgets and supporting a business climate where ingenuity can flourish will be invaluable and needed assets to the country.
House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City Mike Pence created chaos when he governed, hes leaving chaos behind him and now hes running into the arms of a chaotic candidate. I wonder if he took note of the cast of reputable Republicans who completely rejected any possibility of partnership with Trump. ... Im afraid that ambition got the best of him. Donald Trump rescued him from a very likely loss for governor.
U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind. Gov. Pence is a proven leader with both executive and legislative experience. As Indianas governor, he has continued our states remarkable economic progress and pushed for more effective, efficient government. Hes served in leadership in Congress and understands how the federal government operates. Gov. Pences communications skills, long history as a conservative leader and midwestern common-sense will be an asset to the Trump campaign.
John Podesta, campaign chairman for Democrat Hillary Clinton By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families.
Jeff Cardwell, Indiana Republican Party chairman His unwavering commitment to Hoosiers both in his public life as a congressman and governor and in his personal life as a father and husband, and faithful servant, has been his utmost priority his entire life. As my friend for more than 25 years, I know that he will be a determined and enthusiastic voice for those who feel the system has left them behind.
John Zody, Indiana Democratic Party chairman Mike Pence has spent the past three years focused only on his personal ambition. He has embarrassed Hoosiers, signed divisive and discriminatory legislation into law, and alienated the business community costing our state money in the process. Unfortunately, that qualifies him as a compatible running mate for Donald Trump, who is out only for himself and running one of the most toxic presidential campaigns in history.
Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne Mike Pence is an outstanding selection to serve as Donald Trumps running mate. Under Gov. Pences leadership, Indiana has been a national leader in economic performance and responsible state government that puts taxpayers interests first. As vice president, Mike will bring a much-needed dose of Hoosier common sense to Washington.
Brett Voorhies, president, Indiana AFL-CIO Mike Pence is running away from the people of Indiana and into the arms of Donald Trump, and the pair could not be more perfect for each other. Trump and Pence are both driven by a divisive political agenda that focuses more on ideologies than actual practical solutions to the issues plaguing working people.
Mike Fichter, CEO of Indiana Right to Life Gov. Pence is devoted to protecting the unborn and their mothers. Gov. Pences pro-life stance is more than a talking point; Gov. Pence has put his pro-life position into action time and time again. Indiana is a better state for the unborn and their mothers because of the governors pro-life leadership.
Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America For women, for LGBT families and for the diverse families that make America great, our nations potential future just got a lot scarier. While Trump has only hypothesized that women should be punished for having abortions, Gov. Pence has turned this theory into law. Gov. Pence is a man who has worked to make abortion illegal, imprison doctors for providing abortion services for women and ban some of the most common forms of contraception.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis I congratulate my friend Mike Pence on the unique and high honor of being the vice presidential candidate on our partys national ticket. I know Mike and Karen will continue to serve our country with humility and distinction.
Annie Mansfield, campaign manager for Glenda Ritz, Democratic state superintendent of public instruction Indianas teachers, parents and students can rest a little easier knowing that Mike Pence will now be absent from Indiana and soon be unable to force his political agenda on our classrooms.
SPRINGFIELD When Republicans convene in Cleveland beginning Monday to make Donald Trump the partys official presidential nominee, only a handful of GOP members of the Illinois General Assembly will be there.
The real estate mogul and reality TV star has largely received a tepid response from the Republican establishment in the Land of Lincoln, with elected officials from U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and Gov. Bruce Rauner on down the line keeping their distance and skipping the Republican National Convention.
As Rauner and his fellow Republicans seek to cut into the Democrats supermajorities in the Illinois House and Senate this fall, what impact, if any, Trumps presence at the top of the ticket will have on races down the ballot remains a major question.
State Sen. Jason Barickman, of Bloomington, appeared on the March Republican primary ballot as a delegate candidate for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Barickman said that if Rubio had won the nomination, he would be making the trip to Cleveland, but he planned to stay home otherwise.
Hes never been to a national convention, he said, and with two small kids at home, he tries to limit his time away.
But Barickman does have some concerns about Trump becoming the partys standard-bearer.
"He campaigned in the primary on a message of anger and divisiveness, and that is not a message thats going to resonate with the general election," Barickman said.
As the campaign moves forward, he hopes to see Trump become "a voice for Republicans and conservatives," something he hasnt always been thus far.
"I hope that he becomes the leader that our party needs to have," Barickman said.
State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, a former chief to U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville and former U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood of Peoria, also will be skipping the convention. He last attended in 2008 and said he made up his mind not to go this year well before even the primary, adding that attending costs a lot of money.
Butler said that despite some misgivings about Trumps rhetoric and policy positions, he respects the will of Republican primary voters.
"I wish he would change his tone on some issues," Butler said. "Theres things Im going to disagree with him on, but I respect the will of the people. Im a Republican, and Im going to support our party.
Like Barickman, state Rep. Terri Bryant of Murphysboro was a delegate candidate for Rubio and is skipping the convention. Her decision has nothing to do with Trump, she said, adding that hes "fine with me. He is very popular in my district."
Rather, Bryant is staying home to focus on her re-election campaign against Democrat Marsha Griffin of Jonesboro.
One Republican lawmaker who will be in Cleveland is state Sen. Chapin Rose of Mahomet, who was elected in the March primary as a delegate for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
Rose believes Trump will do well in November throughout downstate Illinois, noting that he and Cruz each received more votes in Macon County than presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Rose said that when you walk around Decatur, Illinois, and hit the coffee shops in Sullivan and Shelbyville and Paris and talk to people and ask them, Are we heading the right way or the wrong way? most will reply, The wrong way.
People think that it needs shook up, and I agree with them, he said, adding that Trump can do that in Washington.
Rose said he sees a big enthusiasm gap between Trump supporters and Clinton supporters that strongly favors the Republican.
As for Trumps impact on state legislative races, lawmakers and observers say it could vary widely by region.
While his presence on the ballot might help Republicans in southern Illinois, it could hurt them in the Chicago suburbs, said Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois.
The key will likely be which candidate and party inspires more voters to come to the polls or to stay home, Mooney said.
Its not about changing peoples minds, he said. Its about motivating your people to come out to vote and demobilizing the opponents voters.
Butler, who is running unopposed in November, said he thinks factors other than the top of the ticket will determine who wins state races.
The races in Illinois are going to be a lot more about whats going on under the Capitol dome, he said.
INDIANAPOLIS At least three current Republican officeholders are vying to succeed Gov. Mike Pence as the GOP candidate for Indiana governor.
Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb; U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, a Munster native; and U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks all terminated re-election bids for their current offices Friday to become eligible to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination, since state law does not permit a candidate to run for more than one office per election.
Their withdrawals closely followed Pence officially ending his gubernatorial re-election campaign at 10:05 a.m. Region time, once Donald Trump confirmed, via Twitter, that Pence will run on the national Republican ticket with him as vice president.
The Statehouse office of Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson was packed with reporters from Hoosier and national media outlets as Holcomb and Rokita personally filed their CAN-24 forms.
Holcomb was first to arrive, just 10 minutes after Pence withdrew from the governors race.
The Indianapolis native and Navy veteran who was appointed lieutenant governor March 3, following the resignation of Sue Ellspermann to become Ivy Tech Community College president, said hes running for the states top job to continue the work Pence began.
Here in the state of Indiana, weve proven the principles on how to get a country, or a state, back on track and moving forward, Holcomb said, citing Indianas record employment, low taxes and top credit rating.
Holcomb never has been elected to public office, losing a 2000 Indiana House race and dropping out of the GOP U.S. Senate primary this year when Pence chose him for lieutenant governor.
However, Holcomb was a top aide to former Gov. Mitch Daniels during his eight years in office, including serving as Daniels 2008 campaign manager.
Holcomb said the problem-solving experience he gained working with the popular former governor, who now is president of Purdue University, makes him most qualified to replace Pence on the GOP ticket.
Rokita, a Munster High School graduate, former two-term Indiana secretary of state and three-term congressman for a district that includes Newton and Jasper counties, said hes been preparing a gubernatorial run since last week when it became clear Pence could be picked as Trumps vice president.
I am running for governor because Indiana has made incredible progress the last 12 years, Rokita said. Were going to beat John Gregg because this state cannot, cannot go back to the backwater it was before Republicans, starting with Mitch Daniels, took the reins.
Rokita has had a sometimes controversial tenure in Congress, including once suggesting that child refugees entering the United States from Central America could be carriers of the Ebola virus, which at the time was confined to Africa.
Nevertheless, Rokita proclaimed after filing his paperwork in his old office that he loves Indiana, loves every person in the state and intends to keep the Hoosier economy, jobs and state agencies all running well if hes elected governor.
With less than four months to go until Election Day, Republicans need to nominate a proven winner with a record of executive and legislative success reflecting a positive agenda that Hoosiers can unite around, Rokita said.
Brooks did not comment on her nascent gubernatorial campaign. Instead, a Brooks aide delivered her paperwork to an auxiliary elections office in a building adjacent to the Statehouse.
The Carmel resident is a former six-year U.S. Attorney, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2001.
She also previously served as Indianapolis deputy mayor and the lawyer for Ivy Tech, prior to winning election to Congress in 2013 where she was a member of the House committee that investigated the 2012 terrorist attack on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya.
The 22-member Republican State Central Committee is scheduled to meet July 26 to pick a replacement for Pence on the general election ballot.
It also will pick a lieutenant governor candidate on August 1 since Holcomb gave up his nomination for that office.
Republicans who want to run for governor or lieutenant governor can file for committee consideration up to 72 hours before the selection meetings.
Other individuals reportedly considering a run for Indiana chief executive include State Auditor Suzanne Crouch, former Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, state Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, and Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
They did not have to file any documents with the secretary of state Friday since they are not up for election this year.
At the same time, there is a process by which Holcomb, Rokita and Brooks can reclaim the ballot slots they gave up to run for governor if not selected as the Republican candidate.
Though Holcomb said hes focused entirely on becoming governor and would not be interested in running for a full term as lieutenant governor, should he fail to win the nomination.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, who was expected to join the race for governor, said given the recent tumult in Indiana politics hes instead running for re-election to his House seat to ensure that a tested, conservative leader remains at the helm of the Legislature.
Daniels also has ruled out running for a third term as governor.
Gregg, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, said the GOP candidate switcheroo does not alter his plans to reach out to Hoosiers.
This campaign has always been about Indianas future and who is best equipped to clean up the mess Mike Pence made, Gregg said. I look forward to hearing from my opponents if theyll continue his damaging policies or join me working to correct them.
MICHIGAN CITY Ivy Tech Community College has named a new president to lead its Michigan City campus.
Dr. Peter Linden who now serves as senior academic dean of career and technical education at Joliet Junior College in Illinois, will assume his new role Aug. 1, according to an Ivy Tech Community College news release.
Linden succeeds Rick Soria, who left Ivy Tech in February to become president of Miami Dade Colleges Wolfson campus in Florida.
Dr. Linden has a Ph.D. in higher education and policy leadership from Loyola University of Chicago, according to the release.
He also holds a masters degree in business administration from North Park University, a Bachelor of Science in Business and Management from Northeastern Illinois University, and an associates degree in Occupational Studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Dr. Linden has a wealth of experience in instruction, curriculum, student success, fundraising, and administration, Dr. Thomas Coley, chancellor of Ivy Techs Northwest and North Central regions, said in a statement.
He brings the skills and attitude the Michigan City campus needs to contribute to student success and community engagement.
After embarking on a career in the culinary arts and hospitality industries elsewhere, Dr. Linden landed in Chicago with United Airlines Corp.
He then entered the field of education, progressing from instructor to program coordinator for Business Education, and then Technology & Education department chair at Chicago State University, according to the release.
From there, he advanced to the position of associate dean of education in the Career and Technical Education Department, McHenry County College.
He later moved to his current position at Joliet Junior College.
His background includes managing large grants in addition to securing support from corporate partners.
EAST CHICAGO An elderly woman was pulled from a burning home late Thursday and taken to a local hospital, officials said.
NICTD Transit Police Officer Raul Agosto noticed a fire alarm call about 11 p.m. for an address in the 5500 block of Reading Avenue and went to check because East Chicago police were on shift change and not in the immediate area, according to a police report.
Agosto arrived, saw flames in a kitchen window, notified dispatch and was told East Chicago firefighters were en route.
A neighbor told Agosto an elderly woman was in the home, and he relayed the information to firefighters as they arrived, the report said.
Firefighters forced their way through the front door and rescued the woman, the report said. She was taken to St. Catherine Hospital.
Acting Fire Chief Anthony Serna said hes proud of his men for rescuing the woman.
When my guys do something good, I want them to get the recognition they deserve, Serna said.
Those who aided in the womans rescue include: Steven Snyder, acting assistant chief; Geno Nowacki, acting captain; Dan Mika, firefighter; Michael Wiedemann, acting captain, Richard Stephens, acting chauffeur; Paul Russell, acting captain; and Jessie Barrera, chauffeur.
NICTD Transit Police Chief Robert Byrd said Agosto recently retired from the East Chicago Police Department and was hired by Transit Police full time in July 2015.
Were very proud of him helping out the East Chicago community, Byrd said.
GARY Police will be enforcing the city's ban on cellphone use while driving this weekend as the Pokemon Go craze continues.
Gary ordinance prohibits the use of a cellphone while driving, police Lt. Dawn Westerfield said. Such use includes talking on a cellphone without a hands-free device, looking at social media, using mapping apps, texting and playing video games, she said.
Extra officers will be on patrol Friday, Saturday and Sunday in an effort to reduce distracted driving and crashes. Funding for the program comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, held in Warsaw, Poland, July 8-9, has been generally overshadowed by other news. Competition for media attention regarding Europe has been dominated by the British referendum vote to leave the European Union.
That is unfortunate.
NATO has demonstrated productive unity, and summit decisions are positive for international stability, especially over the longer term. Russian aggression in Europe and instability in the Middle East and South Asia were properly priority focuses.
The Warsaw venue was good-sense symbolism, always important in diplomacy, linking the past with the present in useful ways. The invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939 sparked World War II in Europe.
The Warsaw delegates agreed to commit troops to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Montenegro was formally invited to join NATO. The nation is in the Balkans, a traditional region of Russian expansionism.
The administration of George W. Bush pursued alliance membership for both Georgia and Ukraine, a strong provocation to Moscow. Russias President Vladimir Putin responded by invading parts of both countries. Admitting Montenegro avoids a comparable slap in the face while underscoring the point that NATO today includes Eastern as well as Western Europe.
NATO also underscored commitment to Afghanistan, confirming direct involvement in that country to 2020. The senior civilian representative of NATO in Afghanistan is a Turkish diplomat, Ismail Aramaz. This is a particularly important point, given Turkeys crucial front-line position against the Islamic State and Ankaras sometimes vexed relationship with the rest of Europe.
British voters narrow but clear decision to leave the EU has generated alarm, notably among business executives as well as politicians and civil servants. They fear economic instability and even recession may result. So far, these fears have not by realized, except for the relative decline in value of the British pound.
One important neglected point is that Britains long-term role as military leader in Europe and the wider Atlantic area will probably be reinforced.
Article 51 of the United Nations Charter explicitly supports collective self-defense. In March 1947, representatives of Britain and France signed the Treaty of Dunkirk. The main perceived potential threat at that time was Germany. The text of the treaty stated the signatory nations would protect one another from any threat arising from the adoption by Germany of aggression ...
By then, severe strains were growing between the Western allies and the Soviet Union. In March 1948, the Dunkirk alliance was widened into the Brussels Pact. The resulting Western Union included Belgium, Britain, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands and was a positive precursor to the European Economic Community established in the following decade.
Britain steadily fostered cross-Atlantic military cooperation as the Cold War developed. Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin kept the far left of his Labour Party at bay. He was effective in dealing with Jean Monnet and others in forging the European Coal and Steel Community, and in the formation of NATO.
In a time of European economic uncertainty, NATO provides promising transatlantic cooperation.
Most police officers offer selfless service and protection to the communities in which they work.
But cops who do the opposite of that sworn creed should be relieved of their badges.
Such is the case with Lake County Sheriffs Lt. Guy Mikulich, 37, who is accused of driving with a blood-alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit, crashing into a Frankfort, Illinois, mans vehicle and severely injuring the man in Gary this past weekend.
A witness at the scene said she saw the uniformed Mikulich, who had been working security at the Gary Air Show, look back at the accident and then speed away in his unmarked squad car.
The incident also was captured on surveillance video, and Mikulich was later arrested and charged with four felony and three misdemeanor counts, including two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with bodily injury and doing so while intoxicated.
Police say he registered a .15 blood-alcohol content. The legal driving limit is .08.
And during his arrest, Mikulich told the arresting Gary police officer, I know Im (expletive) up because I can hear me slurring my own words, and I can take a lot. I can drink a lot, but when I can hear me slurring my own words, I know Im (expletive) up, an affidavit in the case states.
If Mikulich truly honors the Lake County police force and the citizens it serves, hell resign pending his criminal charges.
But if he wont, he should be stripped of his badge.
Lake County Sheriff John Buncich said he will be asking the departments Merit Board next week to approve firing Mikulich, a 16-year, high-ranking veteran of the department.
The Merit Board should grant Buncichs request.
No police officer should continue to hold office in the wake of such allegations and evidence. Mikulich deserves his day in court, but he shouldnt be carrying this case into daily police work.
And this isnt the first sign of trouble in Mikulichs career.
He previously was demoted from department commander early this year after a New Years Eve scuffle with a man at the Merrillville Radisson Hotel.
And in 2009, the county paid $130,000 to a one-armed man who alleged Mikulich used his authority as a police officer to severely beat the victim.
Theres plenty of smoke emanating from Mikulichs career to warrant termination. Such examples are liable to cause flames that will continue to burn the reputation of the sheriffs department and endanger lives.
There have been several cases of police shootings and brutality caught on video recently, but some local lawmakers say there are still too many instances of police preventing people from recording. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following report.
Ruben An says he was wrongfully arrested by NYPD officers while recording them in 2014. Community activists and some City Council members say this happens too often, even though citizens have a First Amendment right to train their cameras on officers. Now, they also want a local law strengthening the right to record.
"I don't know that everyone knows they have a right to videotape," said City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez of Brooklyn. "Some people do know. Not everybody knows. This now would make it the law of this city."
The Legal Aid Society is representing Ruben An in a federal lawsuit against the city.
An was arrested after he was told he was in the way of pedestrians. Critics say police too often falsely accuse those making recordings of interfering with police operations, or blocking traffic.
Councilman Jumaane Williams is a co-sponsor of the bill. He says it gives anyone blocked from, or arrested for, recording the police the right to sue the NYPD.
"It actually specifies what the police can and cannot do when it comes to recording," Williams said.
The CCRB says so far this year, there have been 47 complaints of police interfering with recordings. Last year, there were 75 complaints.
The sergeants' union accused Council members of political pandering, saying, "The right to record police officers has always existed. What people dont have the right to do is cause a nuisance or act in a disorderly or obstructive manner....this is once again another feeble attempt to make themselves appear effective at the expense of dedicated police officers."
The NYPD and mayor's office said they will review the legislation, but that officers already are advised the public can videotape interactions, even arrests. Council members say their bill will clearly state people cannot interfere with the police while recording.
The city's French community is reacting to an attack in the French city of Nice that officials say left at least 84 people dead, including two Americans.
Police officers stood guard outside the French Consulate on the Upper East Side, where 200 people took part in Bastille Day festivities.
NY1 spoke with some French natives there.
"Everybody's very sad, everybody's shocked, but not surprised. It's a little bit deja vu all over again," said one French native. "And I think people getting use to this kind of attack."
"Nowadays, we're not surprised about anything. That's the worst of it, because we expect it at every time, everywhere," said another.
At least 84 people were killed and more than 200 people were hurt in Nice after a truck plowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day, according to authorities, swerving to hit as many people as possible.
A couple of dozen of the wounded are on life support. Officials said 50 total people are listed in critical condition.
The State Department said two Americans are among the dead.
Family members say Sean Copeland of Austin, Texas and his son Brodie, 11, were killed in the attack while in Nice on a family vacation.
Authorities said the truck drove more than a mile into a crowd of people watching fireworks along the waterfront.
One witness described bodies being jettisoned like bowling pins. At least ten children are among the dead.
Witness described the truck driver, Mohamed Bouhlel, then exiting the truck and opening fire at people around him.
The truck's driver was killed by police after an exchange of gunfire. Authorities the truck was loaded with arms and grenades.
Bouhlel is a 31-year-old Frenchman of Tunisian descent, and identity papers were found next to his body, according to officials.
He had some prior misdemeanors but no known links to extremist groups, according to officials. He had been living legally in Nice.
Authorities said they took into custody a woman who was divorcing Bouhlel.
The Paris prosecutor's office said it has launched a terror investigation.
President Barack Obama condemned the attack.
In a statement, he said the United States will offer any assistance it can, called the massacre a "threat to all of us," and renewed promises to go after and defeat terrorist organizations.
Mayor Bill de Blasio also spoke about the tragedy at a town hall in Brooklyn.
"There are some Bastille Day celebrations. We're going to have a presence at those. We're going to have a presence, obviously, as we always do, in the well-traveled areas of the city, Times Square and other key locations. So, NYPD is very much on alert right now."
The NYPD says there are no credible threats against the city.
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said there are no known credible threats to the city but the NYPD is taking every precaution, such as stepping up its presence in areas like Times Square.
The department took similar precautions after the attack on police in Dallas last week.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo also responded by saying, "As the French people came together to celebrate liberty and unity on their independence day, extremists sought to undermine it with hate and intolerance. They will not succeed. New York stands united with France and all our allies in the face of terror."
Cuomo has also directed state law enforcement officials to increase security at high-profile locations across the state, like airports, bridges, tunnels, and mass transit systems.
The presidential candidates are also speaking out, with Hillary Clinton reiterating that the U.S. stands with France and that, "we will not be intimidated."
In an interview on Fox News, Donald Trump said that "this is war" and called the Islamic State militant group a "cancer," although it has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
French President Francois Hollande denounced what happened in Nice as a terror attack. The country has also declared three days of national mourning.
In an address to the nation, Hollande said he is extending the country's State of Emergency for another three months.
"Nothing will lead us to give into our will to fight against terrorism, and again we're going to strengthen our actions in Syria and Iraq and to continue to confront those who are attacking us on our very soil," Hollande said.
Hollande visited survivors in a hospital in Nice earlier Friday and warned of a long struggle ahead.
In November, 130 people were killed and hundreds were injured in a series of terror attacks in Paris.
A book of condolences has been opened at the French consulate in Manhattan for people to sign, and a memorial gathering has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday in Washington Square Park.
At least 84 people are dead, including two Americans, and over 200 more injured in southeast France after a truck plowed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day.
Police say Mohamed Bouhlel, 31, drove a truck more than a mile into a crowd of people watching fireworks along the waterfront in the city of Nice.
According to the Paris prosecutor, 202 were wounded, with 25 on life support and 52 in critical condition.
Bouhlel was killed by police after an exchange of gunfire. France's justice minister says Bouhlel had a record of petty crime but nothing matching the seriousness of Thursday night's rampage.
The president of that region says the truck was loaded with arms and grenades.
In an address to the nation, French President Francois Hollande said he's extending the country's state of emergency another three months.
"Nothing will lead us to give into our will to fight against terrorism," he said. "And again, we're going to strengthen our actions in Syria and Iraq and to continue to confront those who are attacking us on our very soil."
Meanwhile, the Paris prosecutor's office says it has launched a terror investigation.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has condemned the Nice attack and called for a 'redoubling' of efforts to defeat violent extremists.
The new prime minister called the attack "horrifying'' and said: "We must redouble our efforts to defeat these brutal murderers who want to destroy our way of life."
Several neighbors at the address listed for the man identified as the truck driver said police officers raided the 12th floor apartment earlier Friday but that the man had not lived there in three years. The apartment was occupied by the man's estranged wife, who was led away by authorities, three of the neighbors said. The apartment showed visible signs of having been forced in, including a hole where the lock had been.
Four young men inside the apartment told The Associated Press they were family of the wife, who they said was divorcing her husband.
The family members and the neighbors refused to identify themselves.
Back in November, 130 people were killed and hundreds were injured in a series of terror attacks in Paris. The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility.
French President Francois Hollande and Provence Alpes d'Azur regional president Christian Estrosi were booed by an assembled crowd as their convoy drove through Nice following the French leader's televised address.
Hollande's government, whose popularity has hit record lows, has recently been buffeted by allegations that France's intelligence services have failed to get a handle on the country's jihadi threat.
The Eiffel Tower will be lit red-white-and-blue Friday evening in honor of the Nice attack victims, according to the monument's managers.
Two people have been charged in connection with an assault on an elderly man in Manhattan.
Police say 20-year old Deangelo Coleman knocked the 75-year-old man to the ground, then kicked him in the face until he passed out.
It happened Wednesday afternoon in front of the Salvation Army on 14th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues.
Police also say 19-year old Brianna Crusade acted as a lookout during the attack and stole the victim's cellphone.
Investigators say the pair was caught stealing from a K-Mart in Midtown and police recognized them from surveillance video of the attack.
Coleman was charged with two counts of assault, and Crusade was charged with grand larceny.
It's estimated that as many as 800 languages are spoken in New York City. There are efforts to make sure one of them does not die. NY1's Erin Clarke filed the following report.
Every Saturday, Milton Guity teaches his native language, Garifuna, free of charge.
"I think it is our duty as parents to transmit the language," he said.
Garifuna originated on St. Vincent, in the Caribbean, a mix of languages indigenous to the Antilles islands, with influences from West Africa and Europe. The British exiled its native speakers in 1796 to an island off of Honduras. They later settled in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
"It is part of me, part of my identity, and I love to speak it," Guity said.
Today, it's estimated that 200,000 people, mainly in Central America, still speak the language, but the numbers are dwindling.
"Most of them are not situated in their traditional homeland, and most of the young people are shifting to majority languages like English or Spanish. Then, that language is at risk of going extinct within a few generations," said Teresa O'Neill, a linguist at the Endangered Language Alliance.
But some of the Garifuna living in the city are determined to pass on the language, creating interest among a younger generation.
"I really do want to know my native language. My parents are fluent, and they speak it to the family all the time," said Amani Clotter, a student in the Garifuna language class. "But the generation that was born here in New York, we don't know Garifuna at all."
Teofilio Colon Jr., who also takes Milton Guity's class, said it was time to learn the language after a friend asked him questions about his native Honduras that he couldn't answer.
"It was at that point where I was like, 'Look, I don't ever want to be in that position again where I can't say something substantive about my people, my culture,'" he said.
Colon Jr. began doing research and soon started the website beinggarifuna.com.
"I try to encourage people my age and younger to appreciate all the different aspects of the culture," he said.
Experts who work to document and preserve lesser-known languages say efforts like these might just help Garifuna survive.
Twenty-eight pages of classified material about the September 11th attacks were released to the public Friday after pressure and lobbying from victims' families, politicians and the media. Zack Fink filed the following report.
The classified 28 pages were part of a joint Congressional report from 2002 that explored what U.S. intelligence agencies knew before and after the September 11th attacks in 2001.
They suggest hijackers had ties to possible Saudi government agents. The report finds that "While in the United States some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government."
Charles Wolf lost his wife Catherine in the attacks.
"Knowing that a foreign government that we traded with extensively for oil would do that kind of thing makes you wonder who are your friends and who are your enemies," Wolf said.
The pages give details of meetings that took place between individuals who appear to have been paid by the Saudi government and hijackers. Some of those details have already been in news reports, but the declassfied information confirms those details.
Although parts of the pages are redacted, they do indicate Saudi Arabia refused to help uncover the 9/11 plot. It reads, "When a high-level officer was asked how the September 11 attacks might have been prevented, he cited greater Saudi cooperation, pointing to an example from the summer of 2001 when the U.S. Government requested Saudi assistance with no success."
Family members of victims say this is only the beginning, what they need to do is sue the Saudi government, and only passage of Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, will allow that.
"The law reads we cannot go after that government. We have no recourse unless the House of Representatives passes JASTA and President Obama signs it,"
"If the Saudi government was complicit in 9/11, they should pay the price to the families that deserve justice. And they should pay the price so no other government will think of playing footsie with terrorists,"said Sen. Charles Schumer.
The question going forward will be how this affects the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia going forward. That's a question the Obama administartion will have to contend with, and it could become an issue in this year's presidential contest.
Stranger Things, starring Winona Ryder, is nostalgic for 1980s films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Poltergeist. East Los High begins a new season by exploring some pressing issues for Latino millennials. And Robert F. Kennedy Jr. talks about the 1975 murder of Martha Moxley.
Whats Streaming
STRANGER THINGS on Netflix. Matt and Ross Duffer tap their nostalgia for the 1980s a decade when less could often be more, where thrillers were concerned in their tale about Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), who is headed home on his bicycle in the dark after a game of Dungeons & Dragons when he encounters something sinister. Soon all of Hawkins, Ind., with its secret-filled United States Department of Energy lab, is looking for him. Winona Ryder plays Wills unraveling mother. But the child actors are the real stars: Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo as Wills friends, and Millie Bobby Brown as a young girl who materializes out of nowhere. This supernatural mystery mixes the youthful wonderment of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with the spine-tingling qualities of Poltergeist, Neil Genzlinger wrote in The New York Times. There are a few good shocks here, but mostly there is patience.
EAST LOS HIGH on Hulu. A fourth season of love, dance, sex and teenage drama kicks off as this Emmy-nominated series, focusing on Latino millennials, tackles controversial subjects including immigration, detention centers and reproductive health and imagines a president who instigates hate crimes. The series has partnered with organizations like Planned Parenthood and United We Dream to ensure that story lines are accurate.
Summer associates that we wanted to hire began mentioning what a big burden student debt was, said Mike Epperson, the firms chief operating officer. They could have more than $100,000 in debt and they were worried. The firm already has a profit-sharing plan, but we decided that student loan repayment help was one more way we could show our younger attorneys that we wanted to help them from the very beginning.
The program, which starts this fall, will help Devon D. Williams, 29, pay off the loans she took out for her law degree from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in Raleigh, N.C. She is in her second year practicing labor and employment law at Ward and Smith.
According to Gradifis debt calculator, if Ward and Smith contributes $200 a month, a graduate like Ms. Williams with $45,000 in debt borrowed, for example, at 6 percent interest, could save $5,518 in interest over the life of a 10-year loan and shorten the repayment period.
Conscious of their debt, Ms. Williams and her husband who works for a health insurance company watch their budget. Their top monthly debt is her loan repayment, which is more, she said, than the mortgage on their home in Cary, a suburb of Raleigh. One reason, she said, is that she borrowed money when loan rates were high.
And, she added, We dont have enough equity in our house to consolidate our loans yet. But were trying to be pretty aggressive about paying them off.
A major consideration is that they want to have a family.
Of course, you want to get your debt down before you think about having children, Ms. Williams said.
At Orrick, James M. Fee, 27, of Needham, Mass., owes $150,000 he borrowed to earn his degree from Boston College Law School. He joined the firms New York office in September. His monthly loan repayment is the second-highest expense he has after his apartment rent.
HONG KONG China on Friday reported its second-quarter economic growth figures. The numbers are among the worlds most closely watched because the country has been a major driver of global economic growth. But data from China are notoriously questionable. This is what you should take away from Fridays results.
China to World: Everything Is O.K.
Chinas second-quarter gross domestic product rose 6.7 percent compared with a year ago.
Fridays figure suggests theres no reason to panic. Chinas economy is slowing but at a reasonable, steady pace well in line with Beijings expectations. It also matches the first-quarter number, and still came in at a pace that other countries envy.
Of course, Chinas headline G.D.P. figure is one of the countrys least-trusted economic indicators. Li Keqiang, currently Chinas premier, once famously described the figure as man-made. Some economists argue that the real rate of expansion is substantially lower than the reported figure.
These two people, in their confined environment, simply have to talk all the time, Mr. Babenco said in an interview with The New York Times in 1984. My task was to make it fresh and open, dynamic.
He was successful. The film, made in an era when gay characters were rare onscreen, earned critical accolades for the actors, who agreed to forgo their salaries in exchange for a share of the films profits. Mr. Hurt won the Oscar for best actor, and Mr. Babenco was nominated for best director. Kiss of the Spider Woman was later a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, with music by John Kander and Fred Ebb and a book by Terrence McNally.
Mr. Babenco went on to direct the film adaptation of Ironweed, William Kennedys Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set during the Depression. The movie, starring Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep, was released in 1987.
Though those films established Mr. Babenco in Hollywood, he did not stray far from his roots. Many of his later films, like Foolish Heart (1998) and Carandiru (2003), hinted at his own passions or had personal meaning to him. Pixote (1981), his best-known film before Kiss of the Spider Woman, depicted the grim lives of boys growing up on the streets of Sao Paulo and was told through the eyes of a boy who encounters rape, blackmail and murder.
Kathleen Dursts storybook marriage to a wealthy real estate heir had descended into violence and recrimination by 1982, when she suddenly vanished on a rainy winter night from the couples stone cottage on Lake Truesdale, about 50 miles northeast of Manhattan.
Ms. Dursts body never turned up. Nor is there an official crime scene.
Now, more than 34 years later, her family is asking Surrogates Court in Manhattan to finally declare that Kathie died on Jan. 31, 1982, when she was murdered by her husband, Robert Durst.
Legally, Ms. Durst has been considered an absentee. But for decades her family, her friends and investigators in three states have suspected that Mr. Durst killed his wife in the midst of a heated argument on that rainy night.
This month, Mr. Dursts lawyers responded in Surrogates Court, saying that it can and should presume that she died three years after the date of her unexplained absence. (Three years is the time after which a missing person may legally be presumed to have died.) The lawyers deny the allegations that Mr. Durst murdered her.
Federal prosecutors are investigating the finances of the president of the City College of New York and her family, as well as those of a nonprofit foundation affiliated with the institution, according to the college and a lawyers letter obtained by The New York Times on Thursday.
The Times reported in May that City Colleges 21st Century Foundation had paid for some personal expenses of the president, Lisa S. Coico, such as fruit baskets, housekeeping services and rugs when she took office in 2010. The foundation was then reimbursed for more than $150,000 from the Research Foundation of the City University of New York, which manages research funds for the CUNY system, the largest urban public university in the country.
That arrangement raised concerns among some experts in government and nonprofit ethics because such funds are typically earmarked for research. And now, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York is taking a closer look.
2. World leaders expressed solidarity and outrage as France reeled from its third major terrorist attack in 19 months.
The times have changed, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said, and France is going to have to live with terrorism.
The weapon was chillingly mundane: a 19-ton refrigerator truck, driven into a crowd of people watching holiday fireworks in the Mediterranean city of Nice.
At least 84 people were killed including children and more than 200 injured in a mile-long trail of carnage.
For the first time, one of several lawsuits filed in recent years accusing McDonalds of unfair pay practices has been granted federal class-action status, which is often the only practical and affordable way to sue when many people are affected.
The development is another step forward in the battle for fair pay for low-wage workers that began in 2012 with a walkout by fast-food employees in New York City and mushroomed into a national movement.
The lawsuit, begun in 2014, charges that employees were systematically and deliberately underpaid at five McDonalds restaurants, owned by a single franchisee, in Northern California. The alleged violations included unpaid overtime, misrecording of timecards to reduce pay, failure to pay the minimum wage and failure to pay wages owed to employees who quit or were fired. In documenting the alleged violations, the lawsuit goes back to 2010 and asserts that most of the practices continue today.
Donald Trump can be a lot of things: outrageous, bigoted, mercurial, funny, unthinking and relentless. But in this long presidential campaign he has not been dull until, that is, he selected Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana as his running mate.
Its relatively obvious why Trump picked Pence, a Midwesterner and one of the Republicans who turned the House G.O.P. caucus into a right-wing fringe movement dominated by politicians who want to make their version of Christian values the driving force in government. He is, as he once put it, a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order.
Presumably Trump and his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, thought that picking Pence would please Midwesterners, Christians and hard-core conservatives. Certainly, Manafort knows a crazy right-winger when he sees one. He made his Washington bones lobbying on behalf of dictators like the Angolan butcher Jonas Savimbi, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines and Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine.
Trumps pickings were slim. He reportedly was down to people like Newt Gingrich, whose only real achievement was leading the campaign to take the House for Republicans in 1994 and getting forced out of the speakership a few years later; and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, whose lack of skill at presidential campaigning in the 2016 cycle was positively breathtaking.
SEATTLE THE police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and the sniper killings of Dallas police officers are terrible reminders that the disconnect between American citizens and the police officers hired to protect and serve them is greater and increasingly deadly. That is why, as the Cleveland Police Department prepares for next weeks Republican National Convention, it must take special precautions to avoid clashes inside and outside the convention hall.
Groups opposed to the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump, have vowed to fill the streets outside the convention site, the Quicken Loans Arena. Mr. Trump has himself predicted rioting if he is somehow denied his partys nomination, encouraged his supporters to get into fistfights with his detractors and hinted that hed punch a protester if given the opportunity. Some of his supporters are also vowing to carry weapons to demonstrations and other events outside the convention hall. (Ohio is an open-carry state, but guns will not be allowed inside the arena.)
There are good and bad ways for handling big events where both security threats and peaceful demonstrations are in play. I can tell you all about the wrong ways because I was the police chief in Seattle during the 1999 protests against the World Trade Organization, which became known as the Battle in Seattle.
Despite all the unsettling news coming out of Europe, not least Britains divorce from the common market, one traditional trans-Atlantic alliance remains essentially intact: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization. At its latest summit meeting in Warsaw, NATO did what it had to do to stay relevant and reasonably united. Were moving forward with the most significant reinforcement of collective defense any time since the Cold War, was the way President Obama summed things up.
Even so, the alliance will remain under strain and in need of regular tending and adjustment. Its manifold social and political challenges include wave upon wave of migrants, the rise of right-wing political parties and terrorist attacks on European soil. (Scores of people were killed by a truck in Nice, France, on Thursday night in what President Francois Hollande called a terrorist attack.)
Meanwhile, to bolster the fight against the Islamic State, NATO has agreed to begin training Iraqi troops inside Iraq and Jordan. It authorized a center in Tunisia to coordinate antiterrorism initiatives, and the use of surveillance aircraft to support alliance operations in the Middle East and North Africa.
And then there is Russia. Decades after the end of the Cold War, Moscow, led now by the ambitious, aggressive and unpredictable Vladimir Putin, has returned as a major threat. And once again, NATO has said it is fully prepared to defend the alliance, and even pledged an increase in military spending.
The old RBK leaders had been fired. In the previous couple of years, they had turned RBK, once an obscure service that focused on market indexes, into a formidable enterprise that included a newspaper, a magazine and a television channel. Under the leadership of the editor-in-chief, Elizaveta Osetinskaya, RBK started publishing investigative articles that made other Russian journalists gasp in awe: It did great reporting and was brave enough to publish the stories.
RBK published a piece on a major redevelopment project in Moscow, apparently operated as a state concession by one of President Vladimir V. Putins daughters, Katerina Tikhonova. It ran a report on Kirill Shamalov, who is believed to be Ms. Tikhonovas husband and had become a billionaire by his early 30s. RBK journalists wrote about Sergei Roldugin, a cellist who is one of Mr. Putins oldest friends and a very wealthy man.
Soon after that report was published this spring, Ms. Osetinskaya and several of her top editors were forced to leave RBK. The billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who owns the company, has also come under pressure from the Kremlin because of its derring-do.
Ms. Osetinskaya and her team had been cautious, too. When they published the piece on Ms. Tikhonovas redevelopment project, for example, they did not identify her as Mr. Putins daughter but let a friendly blogger tie up the loose ends. So you could say that even with the old editors, there was a bit of wink-wink going on, or a cat-and-mouse game. But those metaphors are much less accurate than the traffic one.
Wheres the solid double line? asked a journalist at the meeting last week.
Unfortunately, no one knows where the solid double line is, responded one of the new bosses.
Dr. Alfred G. Knudson, who deduced how certain cancers strike a family generation after generation, died on Sunday at his home in Philadelphia. He was 93.
His death was announced by the Fox Chase Cancer Center, where Dr. Knudson worked for 40 years.
Cancer, in which a genetic glitch causes cells to grow out of control, is generally thought to be caused by chance, exposure to toxic chemicals, or as a consequence of unhealthy behaviors like smoking.
It thus seemed strange to think a propensity to some forms of cancer could be passed from parent to child. Funny as it may sound, heritable cancer was hardly discussed in the 1960s and 1970s, Dr. Albert de la Chapelle, a professor in the human genetics program at Ohio State University, said in an email.
Dr. Knudson, trained as a pediatrician, tackled the issue by looking at retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eye that strikes children, even newborns. Childhood cancers would be easier to understand, he reasoned, because there would be fewer confounding factors, like the random mutations that accumulate over a lifetime.
A fecal transplant is exactly what it sounds like: To treat certain gut disorders, doctors transfer stool from a healthy donor to a sick patient.
Just a few years ago, only a few doctors turned to fecal transplants, typically as a last resort. But in randomized trials, the procedure has proved remarkably effective against potentially fatal infections of bacteria known as Clostridium difficile.
The evidence has overwhelmed any squeamishness that physicians might have felt. Were doing this treatment almost weekly, said Dr. Harry Sokol, a gastroenterologist at Saint-Antoine Hospital AP-HP in Paris.
Now scientists are testing fecal transplants against such diseases as ulcerative colitis, and even obesity and diabetes. A batch of new companies, well funded with venture capital, hope to commercialize the research.
BALTIMORE The arguments were familiar, but the stakes for prosecutors perhaps as high as ever.
Armed largely with the same narrative they employed unsuccessfully in three previous trials, prosecutors in closing arguments on Thursday tried to convince a judge that Lt. Brian Rice of the Baltimore police was criminally negligent for his conduct during the arrest of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who suffered a fatal injury in police custody in April 2015.
Two of the three trials, of Officers Edward M. Nero and Caesar R. Goodson Jr., ended in acquittals. The third, of Officer William G. Porter, was declared a mistrial. With Officer Porters retrial pending and two more officers still to stand trial, another acquittal could further erode confidence in a prosecution that was welcomed by many after the disorder that followed Mr. Grays death.
In the Rice case, prosecutors charge that the lieutenant showed reckless disregard for Mr. Bray by failing to restrain him with a seatbelt when he helped load him into a police van.
Lieutenant Rices decision on April 12 cannot be blamed on poor judgment or error, said Jan Bledsoe, a deputy states attorney. His decisions were intentional acts that formed when put together a chain. And that chain led to the death of Freddie Gray.
Edmond L. Browning, who as the presiding bishop in the United States welcomed women into the hierarchy of the Episcopal Church, supported a role for gay and lesbian congregants, and lobbied aggressively for civil rights and against the nuclear arms race, died on Monday at his home in Dee, Ore. He was 87.
His death was announced by the Episcopal Church.
When he was elected in 1985 to lead the 2.8-million-member Christian denomination, which broke from the Church of England after the American Revolution, he immediately set the tone for his 12-year tenure by declaring, I want to be very clear: This church of ours is open to all there will be no outcasts the convictions and hopes of all will be honored.
We are no longer a middle-class white church, Bishop Browning said in statements at the time. We are a church that is multicultural, and the leadership of the church is beginning to make that clear.
He consecrated the churchs first female bishop (the Rt. Rev. Barbara C. Harris of the Diocese of Massachusetts in 1989); brokered a compromise with the worldwide Anglican Communion, based in Britain, that allowed individual dioceses to decide whether to ordain women; and commissioned a report that similarly left it to the discretion of local dioceses to ordain gay Episcopalians.
ST. PAUL The Minnesota police officer who fatally shot an African-American man during a traffic stop last week had recently undergone specialized training that critics say can lead officers to believe they are under constant threat of being harmed and can intensify encounters with civilians.
The officer, Jeronimo Yanez, of the Police Department in St. Anthony, Minn., shot and killed Philando Castile after a traffic stop in nearby Falcon Heights, Minn., on July 6. The shooting is being investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The Justice Department has said it is monitoring the case.
Policing tactics have been under heightened scrutiny since the fatal police shooting in Ferguson, Mo., of Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, in August 2014. The police officer in that encounter was not indicted but the department was sharply criticized for its tactics in a report by the Justice Department.
Since then, many police departments across the country, with encouragement from the Justice Department, have opted for what they refer to as a guardian mentality, in which de-escalation of potentially violent situations and similar techniques are emphasized.
WASHINGTON Congress limped out of town Thursday for a seven-week recess, leaving behind a trail of partisan fights, a failed bill to help fight the Zika virus, a stalemate on gun safety and a few mundane accomplishments that members hoped to sell as awesome to voters in an unsparing mood.
The fierce partisanship was evident as some House Republicans filed a resolution to impeach the Internal Revenue Service commissioner, John A. Koskinen, while Hillary Clinton, over lunch at the Capitol with Senate Democrats, stressed that their hopes of reclaiming the majority were bound up with her aspirations of winning the White House.
Although Congress began the year with some legislative accomplishments, including an important energy measure, Democrats have been eager in recent months to rob Republicans of even modest victories as they head into the election. Republicans, in turn, have been unable to resist attempts to legislate social policy through spending and other unrelated bills, furthering the impasse. The result has largely been inertia.
I am glad we have been able to make some bipartisan accomplishments, said Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas. But I am disappointed by the dysfunction.
Republicans have begun gathering for their convention even as they are gripped by an identity crisis.
The House speaker, Paul D. Ryan, will gavel the quadrennial meeting, which opens on Monday in Cleveland, into session as an exemplar of the partys familiar profile: free markets, small government, strong defense. He reflects the consensus among Republican strategists that their future prospects depend on winning more of the growing nonwhite electorate.
But Mr. Ryan will yield the spotlight to a presidential candidate veering in another direction. Donald J. Trump denounces recent trade deals, opposes cuts in government benefit programs, calls his Democratic opponent pro-war, and excoriates Muslims and Mexican immigrants.
The arms-length alliance between the two men doesnt hide the competition between their visions. If Mr. Trump captures the White House, he will also win the opportunity to lead the Republican Party beyond 2016 with a fundamentally different character.
ANNANDALE, Va. Senator Tim Kaine had already mastered the requisite body language of a vice-presidential hopeful.
He nodded vigorously. He pumped both fists. He proved a loud and demonstrative clapper.
Are we ready for Hillary? he asked a crowd of more than 1,000 at a community college gymnasium here on Thursday.
The people roared.
Less clear: Is Hillary Clinton ready for Mr. Kaine?
With Mr. Kaine, a first-term senator from Virginia, moving to establish himself as a leading Democratic vice-presidential contender, the event doubled as his most conspicuous audition yet for the role. During a 15-minute introduction of Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Kaine seemed inclined to capitalize.
Test-driving catchphrases, talking with his hands, slipping effortlessly into Spanish, Mr. Kaine praised the presidential candidate beside him as she grinned and nodded, clasping her hands at her midsection.
WASHINGTON It was not one particular shooting that moved Senator Tim Scott to come to the Senate floor, speaking in strikingly personal terms about being a black man in America. Rather, it was the fact that they just kept coming: the police shooting in Baton Rouge, La.; another in Falcon Heights, Minn.; and then the shooting in Dallas that left five police officers dead.
Their collective weight prompted Mr. Scott to recount his own troubling encounters with the police, some even within the Capitol complex where he serves.
Mr. Scotts hometown, North Charleston, S.C., felt the unwanted glare of the national spotlight last year after a white police officer in that city fatally shot an unarmed black man in the back as the man fled. He said that prayer and an invitation to speak at a local church after the most recent shootings convinced him to open up.
I felt like if I could maybe, perhaps, tell the whole truth and not just one side of the truth, he said in an interview. Both sides are very important, but you have to have the whole picture so we can move forward.
WASHINGTON A leading Democrat in Congress is pushing back against an effort to impose new constraints on a civil liberties watchdog agency that investigates the nations security programs.
The agency, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, is a bipartisan five-member panel that Congress created after a recommendation by the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Its members and staff have security clearances and a mandate to investigate government practices that affect individual rights.
The Senate and House intelligence committees have increasingly sought to impose new rules on the boards work, including a series of proposals in a pending intelligence authorization bill. But in a letter this week to Senate Intelligence Committee leaders, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, demanded that the proposals be withdrawn.
Since the independent board began fully operating three years ago, it has produced a high-profile report about the once-secret National Security Agency program that collected bulk records of Americans phone calls. It called the program ineffective and illegal and said it should be shut down. Congress later did so by enacting the U.S.A. Freedom Act.
MEXICO CITY In a ruling that clears the way for El Salvador to prosecute the perpetrators of war crimes committed during its brutal civil war, the countrys highest court has struck down an amnesty law that has protected soldiers, rebel fighters and death squads for more than two decades.
The Supreme Court announced its decision late Wednesday in a ringing statement, citing international human rights law to declare the amnesty unconstitutional.
The amnesty is contrary to the access to justice and the protection of fundamental rights, the court said, because it impedes the state from fulfilling its obligation to investigate, try and punish grave violations of those rights.
The ruling is a startling reversal after successive governments refused to confront the legacy of the crimes that characterized the civil war, from 1980 to 1992, between leftist guerrillas and a military-backed government supported by the United States.
An eerie tableau of death and dying extended along a mile-long stretch of the graceful, crescent-shaped Promenade des Anglais on Thursday night, running from Nices airport to the oldest part of the coastal city.
One moment, there was a great street celebration for Frances Bastille Day holiday and the next, a truck came barreling through at high speed, leaving a trail of bodies, shock and despair through a French Riviera fiesta.
Among the first people killed by the speeding truck on the sidewalk next to Lenval Beach was the middle-aged Muslim woman. Two of her sons and other family members stood, weeping or frozen in stunned silence, around her body, which was covered in a pale blue tartan blanket.
LONDON A scientific article published in April, asserting that a 2012 exhibition of work by Damien Hirst at Tate Modern had dangerously high levels of formaldehyde fumes, will be retracted. Mr. Hirsts company, Science Ltd., and one of the papers authors, Pier Giorgio Righetti, announced the decision on Friday.
In April the peer-reviewed journal Analytical Methods, run by the Royal Society of Chemistry, published a report by researchers who said that formaldehyde fumes orders of magnitude higher than legal levels had been found in the air at Mr. Hirsts 2012 show at Tate Modern. Mr. Hirsts best-known artworks feature real animals embalmed in clear cases of formaldehyde. The findings were published in a study about the effectiveness of a new fume sensor.
A spokeswoman for Mr. Hirsts company sent a statement on Friday saying that after the article was published the company and the papers authors conducted independent research with the help of an Oxford University professor and found that there cannot have been formaldehyde present at the dangerously high levels originally cited in the paper.
The statement, which the spokeswoman attributed to Science Ltd. and Mr. Righetti, said that Science Ltd. and Mr. Righetti had subsequently agreed to retract the papers findings.
Anne Webber, a founder of the commission, said her researchers concluded that the resale of looted art to Nazi-tied families had hardly been isolated. They called them a return sale, she said. Why were they returned to them rather than the family from whom they were looted? Nobody knew.
The return sales to Nazi families first reported in late June by the Munich daily Suddeutsche Zeitung are also causing political recriminations. This week, a Bavarian state Parliament committee demanded an accounting from government officials about the extent of the system to resell art to Nazi families and a tally of how many looted works remain in government possession that could be returned to the proper heirs.
Mrs. von Schirachs grandson Ferdinand von Schirach a best-selling German author whose grandfather was imprisoned for 20 years for the deportation of more than 60,000 Austrian Jews is also pledging to investigate the provenance of his late grandmothers art.
We need to know about the evil, he said. Thats the only way we can live with it.
The discreet art trade with Nazi relatives emerged in 1949, four years after the war, when the American military transferred responsibility for restitution of looted works to the West Germans and Austrians. Munich became the hub of a network of art dealers and state officials who had helped drive Nazi looting and then after the war fostered trafficking in those works.
The painting collections archives illustrate in great detail the efforts by families like the von Schirachs to retain the art. The family patriarch was Baldur von Schirach, a Nazi governor in Vienna who was tried for war crimes in Nuremberg. While he was imprisoned in Spandau, his wife, Henriette, and relatives worked for more than a decade to reclaim art, carpets and furniture.
Image The small oil painting View of a Dutch Square, apparently from the studio of the Dutch artist Jan van der Heyden in the late 17th century. Credit... Kraus Family and Commission for Looted Art in Europe
According to archival documents, her father, Heinrich Hoffmann, who was Hitlers personal photographer, sought to claim a list of 278 paintings that had been confiscated by units like the Monuments Men, an Allied group devoted to recovering and returning looted art.
LONDON It has been a longstanding given that writers should write what they know, so is it any surprise that three plays running concurrently in London all deal with the creative process, though in differing ways? Each inhabits its own distinct world, while sharing an interest in the often maddening process that leads or maybe not to art.
Brian Friels gorgeous play Faith Healer, newly revived at the Donmar Warehouse through Aug. 20, may concern itself with the itinerant goings-on of one Frank Hardy, the Irish purveyor of balm of the title. But embedded within its four monologues is a rending, self-questioning consideration of the late dramatists own much-cherished talent. (Friel died last October at 86.)
Just as Stephen Dillanes suited, bearded Frank traverses the stage, recounting the very capacity for healing that guides him against expectation to the abyss, one is aware of the writing itself pondering that unknown realm that gives rise to any gift, whether one is enabling the lame to walk again or summoning up a play that, in this case, deepens every time one sees it. (A Broadway flop when it premiered in 1979, Faith Healer has since frequently been revived to notable success on both sides of the Atlantic.)
You might expect Frank to exult in the curative skills that mark him out as a one-man Lourdes when in fact this ruminative obsessive seems more rattled than exalted by the power he exerts (but not always) over others. And what happens on those occasions when the promised healing doesnt work? The answer comes from the three characters competing, often contrasting accounts of much the same story, the objective truth of which is left for the playgoer to piece together from the narrative strands that collectively make up a mesmeric whole.
Our original goal was, Lets entertain people who have our sense of humor who like that wordplay, who like that absurdism, he said. But then all these people showed up, as I predicted, who were there out of guilt or curiosity or a sense of I want to learn more about someone in my family. Were not writing for them, but we understand those people come and were happy to have them.
The troupe is on a 13-city tour across the United States, which signals a huge leap for the comics, who had previously never done more than four shows a year together. (Three are in school and in their 20s; the other is a professor, in his 30s.) The tour leads up to what they hope will be their big break Aspergers Are Us, a documentary produced by Mark Duplass that will be on Netflix this fall. It had its premiere in April at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex., to critical praise, with some writers calling it the toast of the festival.
With each performance, their audience seems to grow. On Thursday, they played a packed show at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore, and on Sunday they will reach their most prestigious stage yet, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.
One stereotype of people on the autism spectrum is that they can be socially awkward and have difficulty understanding emotions or multilayered subtle humor. But wild humor that favors wordplay binds them.
In the Wall Street dogfight between two billionaire investors, William A. Ackman won a moral victory but Carl C. Icahn won the war over the future of Herbalife, the nutritional supplements company.
On Friday, federal regulators imposed stiff sanctions on Herbalife for deceiving buyers and sellers of its products but stopped short of shutting down the company. Mr. Ackman had wagered big on Herbalifes demise, while Mr. Icahn had been betting on its ultimate survival.
In a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, Herbalife will pay $200 million in consumer relief, hire an outside monitor and make substantial changes to its business practices in the United States that could affect its bottom line, but the company will continue to operate.
For nearly four years, Mr. Ackman argued loudly and often that Herbalife was a pyramid scheme that took advantage of customers at one point staking $1 billion on a decline in Herbalifes shares in a characteristically brash move to prove his point. He gave numerous public presentations using hundreds of slides and videos to make his case that Herbalife was predatory. He even invoked members of Congress to pressure regulators to take action against the company.
LEIZHOU, China Mo Ping for years made his living by tending the mango and jujube trees that he grew on less than an acre on this tip of land in the far south of China.
Then last year Mr. Mo and others in his village near the city of Leizhou received what they considered a lowball offer to sell their land to make way for a $1.5 billion coal-fired power plant. Most rejected it, but the local government sent in bulldozers anyway.
There were several hundred police on the scene, and they wouldnt allow us to get anywhere near the farm, said Mr. Mo, a 51-year-old with dirt caked under his close-trimmed fingernails. My heart ached and I cried because I was really upset.
The coal plant is part of a huge and expensive government push to reinvigorate the Chinese economy. Officials have fast-tracked the plant in recent months along with scores of bridges, railways, factories and other construction projects to counter an economic slowdown. China on Friday reported that its economy grew 6.7 percent in the quarter ended in June compared with a year ago, a level that matches the slowest pace since the global financial crisis.
BRUSSELS The United States and the European Union have had 14 rounds of talks over three years on a trade and investment deal aimed at creating the worlds largest trading zone, but they are making slow progress.
Facing stiff headwinds in Europe (over wariness about the influence of business) and the United States (because of mounting skepticism over free trade), the negotiations have languished. The most recent round of talks concluded on Friday with no breakthroughs announced.
Here is a primer on the deal: the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or T.T.I.P.
Whats at stake?
At its core, the deal seeks to provide economic stimulus by bolstering trade in the aftermath of the financial and European sovereign debt crises.
But there is more at stake. A grander goal of the negotiations has been to enable Western countries to compete with rising economic powers like China and India by setting mutually agreed standards in areas like car safety, cosmetics and chemicals. A backlash against globalization on both sides of the Atlantic, however, makes the deal a test case for the Wests commitment to trade liberalization.
In the music industrys streaming battles, the fight extends to even the minutiae of copyright.
Apple, in a government filing on Friday, proposed simplifying the highly complex way that songwriting royalties are paid when it comes to on-demand streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify and Tidal.
According to Apples proposal, made with the Copyright Royalty Board, a panel of federal judges who oversee rates in the United States, streaming services should pay 9.1 cents in songwriting royalties for every 100 times a song is played. This formula would replace the long passages of federal rules for streaming rates, which often leave musicians bewildered about just how the money flows in streaming music.
But even in this seemingly innocuous proposal, which was not made public but was obtained by The New York Times, Apples target is clear: Spotify, its archenemy in streaming music. The proposal would significantly raise the rates that Spotify pays, and the filing includes lines that are clearly directed at Spotify and its so-called freemium model.
An interactive stream has an inherent value, Apple wrote, regardless of the business model a service provider chooses.
Even as Philippe P. Dauman, Viacoms embattled chief executive, pushes ahead with plans to sell a 49 percent stake in the companys Paramount Pictures film and television studio, it appears increasingly unlikely that such a deal will come to fruition.
In a statement on Friday, National Amusements the private theater chain company owned by Sumner M. Redstone called Paramount one of Viacoms most valuable assets and said that pursuing a sale now could hinder Viacoms business prospects as well as limit the value of a sale for all of Viacom at some point in the future.
Mr. Redstone, who is 93 and in poor health, controls about 80 percent of the voting shares in Viacom and CBS through National Amusements, which was started by his father. Mr. Redstone has said through representatives that he disapproved of a deal for Paramount, yet until Friday neither he nor National Amusements specifically outlined why.
The fight over Paramount is one of the crucial battlegrounds in the war over the future of Mr. Redstones $40 billion media empire. At an investor conference last month, Mr. Dauman pitched the Paramount deal as one that would ignite growth at Paramount, which has delivered dismal results. The studio has been a drag on Viacom; the companys stock price has plunged nearly 30 percent in the last year.
In an analysis conducted by the Bradford researchers, 189 participants were shown images and provided with stories of violent events, including the Sept. 11 attacks, school shootings and suicide bombings.
The researchers analysis showed that 22 percent of those who participated were significantly affected by what they saw.
The study also found that people who view violent events more often were more affected than people who saw them less frequently, and that people who described themselves as extroverts with outgoing personalities were at a higher risk to be disturbed by the images.
What can we do about it?
The self-care advice hasnt changed. It is natural to want to follow along with incremental updates on social media and in the news. But its important to know that this can heighten your anxiety.
Anne Marie Albano, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders, said in an interview after the 2015 Paris attacks that it might be a good idea to limit your exposure to social media.
Designating times to plug into the news checking Twitter in the morning over coffee, but not listening to the radio while driving your kids to school, for instance can help you manage anxiety if you are feeling stressed.
This will help you balance a realistic and credible threat with information that is sensationalized, Dr. Albano said, or a rush to report something or talk about something that doesnt have the impact that you would think it has.
At least seven children have been born with birth defects and five pregnancy losses related to Zika in the United States. The lifetime cost of care is estimated to be $10 million for each sick child.
Each case is a tragedy, Dr. Frieden said. A child that may never walk or live independently.
The New York case is the first in which a man was infected by a woman, and it raises the prospect that other men with no travel history to Zika-affected areas and no reason to suspect that they might have the virus could become infected and pass the virus on, creating a new chain of transmission.
In the report, researchers found that a man, who was in his 20s and did not travel outside the United States during the year before his illness, contracted the virus after one instance of vaginal intercourse, without a condom, with a woman who had recently returned from a country where the virus is endemic.
Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the citys health commissioner, said there were several factors in this case that might have raised the risk of infection: The man was uncircumcised, the woman was in the early stages of her illness when her viral load was high, and she was also at the beginning of her menstrual cycle.
The woman, described as being in her 20s and not pregnant, had sex with her partner the day she returned to the city. The report does not name the country she visited, but the virus is now widespread in nearly 50 countries throughout South America and the Caribbean.
She reported having headache and abdominal cramping while in the airport before returning to N.Y.C., the report said. The next day she developed a number of symptoms associated with Zika, including fever, fatigue, a rash, back pain, swelling of the extremities, and numbness and tingling in her hands and feet.
To the Editor:
Re Truck Attack on French Crowd; Scores Die (front page, July 15):
Paris, Brussels, Orlando and now Nice. How can you stop them, especially since the terrorists change tactics every time?
In Paris they employed drive-bys: pull up to a restaurant, open fire, then move to another site. In Brussels, they used bombs on defenseless soft targets outside airport security. In Orlando, it was a lone wolf. Now at Nice they reverted to 9/11 tactics but instead of planes they used a truck as a delivery system.
Theyre smart and willing to die. Thats a bad, bad combination.
JOHN M. DEDERER
Stratford, Conn.
To the Editor:
All world citizens must be vigilant about any slight change in their surroundings, because any outdoor location can become a battlefield, as we saw when a truck continuously rammed the crowd over a distance of more than a mile in Nice. And the Bastille Day crowd was celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity. Is there anything nobler?
The truck attack shows that anything can be made into a weapon by heartless mass murderers. So cautiousness is a must in any outdoor location. Because yesterday it was Nice, and tomorrow we dont know where.
Yahoo, we hardly knew ye.
But then again, ye hardly knew yourself.
Vindu Goel and Michael de la Merced write that the auction for the internet companys core services like email, search and advertising is about to close. With that, a company that led the first wave of the internet, the onetime feel-good portal to a billion online adventures, will still exist, but it will almost certainly never again be what it was.
It is hardly a surprising turn. Yahoo is 21 years old, and for more than half its life people have wondered if the company could get the magic back. More than anything, that is a mark of the good will Silicon Valley long held for the company, and its seemingly boyish founders, Jerry Yang and David Filo.
That good will leached out over years, with sad stories like the chief executive who padded his resume, the end of Yahoos independent search business, or the current chiefs many poor business deals. The most recent example of those deals: Yahoo may owe Mozilla which, for goodness sake, is an open source foundation $1 billion.
For many, not least shareholders, Yahoo would have been better off taking Microsofts $44.6 billion bid in 2008, which is almost $50 billion in todays money. The company is now valued at $35 billion, and the figure is that high only because in February Yahoo decided to sell its core assets (around the same time it announced a big layoff).
Nostalgic gaming fans can stop digging through their attics. Nintendo surprised traditionalists on Thursday with a new way to defeat Dr. Wily, Mother Brain and Bowser.
The company announced that a mini-replica of its original NES console, first released in 1985, will be available on Nov. 11, preloaded with 30 of its most recognizable games and priced at $59.99.
Called the NES Classic Edition, it will fit in a single hand and come with an HDMI cable and AC adapter to plug into modern TVs, plus one classic controller. Extra controllers will cost $9.99 apiece.
The list of games features several of Nintendos biggest hits, including the first three Super Mario Bros. games, the first two Zelda games, Mega Man 2, Metroid and Excitebike.
The Obama administration sent a declassified version of the document, with some redactions, to the congressional leadership on Friday. Its release on the website of the House Intelligence Committee later in the day marked the end of a years-long fight by lawmakers and families of the Sept. 11 victims to make public any evidence that Saudi Arabia may have played a role in the attacks.
It is by no means a Rosetta Stone that deciphers the lingering mysteries behind the attacks. But it is also a far more substantial document than many American and Saudi officials from the White House press secretary to some members of Congress to the Saudi foreign minister tried to indicate in a flurry of news conferences and emailed news releases on Friday afternoon.
And it was made public at a particularly troubled moment in Americas decades-long relationship with Saudi Arabia. The Senate unanimously passed a bill in May that would make it easier for families of Sept. 11 victims to sue the Saudi government for any role in the attacks. The bill is now being considered in the House.
The White House has threatened to veto the legislation, but the Obama administration has had its own recent period of tension with Saudi leaders over the Iran nuclear deal and the grinding war in Syria.
Much of the push over more than a decade to get the document declassified was led by former Senator Bob Graham, the Florida Democrat who was one of the co-chairmen of the congressional inquiry. In a statement on Friday, Senator Graham compared the release to the removal of the cork at the end of the bottle that should lead to even more information to be declassified.
The suit against Jennings was filed the same day as one against Ferguson; both sought an end to some of the cities jailing practices, as well as compensation for those who had been caught up in them. If the settlement receives final approval from Judge Carol E. Jackson at a hearing in December, it could lead to compensation for people who, combined, spent nearly 8,300 days in the citys jail between early 2010 and late 2015.
The St. Louis County court system came to national attention in summer 2014 after Michael Brown was fatally shot by a Ferguson policeman. Many of the 90 cities around the county were generating substantial proportions of their revenues by aggressively charging fines and fees for violations as minor as broken taillights. Warrants were issued for those who could not or did not pay, and jail time for unpaid traffic tickets was routine.
The courts in St. Louis city and the county collected over $60 million in revenue in 2013, according to a report by the St. Louis-based nonprofit Better Together, with some cities depending on such fines for more than 40 percent of their general fund. The report found that the cities most dependent on such revenue were majority African-American with large impoverished populations.
Those who were fined and jailed would routinely be shuttled around the county from jail to jail on various warrants for unpaid traffic tickets. In Jennings, which has a population of roughly 14,750, the lawsuit found that the city had issued about twice as many warrants as there were households, mostly in cases involving unpaid debt for tickets. In 2013, a 24-year-old inmate in the Jennings jail who was imprisoned for unpaid tickets hanged himself.
The plaintiffs in the suit were eight impoverished people who had spent time in the city jail, which was described in the suit as crowded, foul and unhealthy.
Hillary Clinton is leading Donald J. Trump in Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, according to a new set of polls that show the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee with solid advantages in four crucial swing states.
According to NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist surveys, Mrs. Clinton leads Mr. Trump by a margin of 44 percent to 37 percent in Florida; 43 percent to 35 percent in Colorado; 44 percent to 35 percent in Virginia; and 44 percent to 38 percent in North Carolina.
The states account for 66 electoral votes and give Mrs. Clinton a strong foothold as the Republicans and Democrats head to their conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia this month.
The polls show that large numbers of voters in each state remain undecided between the two leading candidates, and that both are viewed unfavorably by the electorate.
Donald J. Trump raged at the leaked reports of his plan to choose Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana, as his running mate. In public, he denied having made a final, final decision, and postponed a planned event to unveil his choice. In a Thursday evening phone call with top aides, he asked for reassurance that Mr. Pence was really right for the job.
In conversations late into the evening, Mr. Trump repeatedly hesitated over selecting Mr. Pence, according to people briefed on the tense deliberations, who insisted on anonymity to describe the confidential talks. Even as his emissaries reassured Mr. Pence, Mr. Trump fielded a last-ditch appeal from Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, another finalist, who once again pressed his own case.
Advisers and family members stressed over and over to Mr. Trump that he was selecting a running mate to unite the Republican Party, not a new best friend.
Mike Pence, who has served as governor of Indiana since 2013, will be Donald J. Trumps running mate on the Republican presidential ticket. Mr. Pence, a staunch social conservative, was elected in 2000 to the House of Representatives, where he served in the party leadership. Here is a look at his stand on important issues, and how he compares with Mr. Trump.
Immigration
Mr. Pence is opposed to granting amnesty for people who have come to the United States without authorization. He has supported increased border security measures, strict enforcement of laws prohibiting unauthorized residents from working in the United States and a government-run guest worker program that would place prospective immigrants with employers who cannot find American workers to fill open jobs. Earlier this year, he sought to bar the resettlement of Syrian refugees in his state.
Where they differ After Mr. Trump called for a ban on Muslim migration to the United States, Mr. Pence said on Twitter that the proposal was offensive and unconstitutional. Mr. Trump also initially said that Syrian refugees should be taken in, but he quickly reversed that opinion.
_____
Gay Rights
Mr. Pence, who has supported numerous legislative efforts to ban same-sex marriage in Indiana, was at the center of the national debate over so-called religious freedom laws that critics said could make it easier for businesses to refuse service to gay couples. As a congressman, Mr. Pence opposed federal funding that would support treatment for people suffering from H.I.V. and AIDS, unless the government simultaneously invested in programs to discourage people from engaging in same-sex relationships. He also resisted changes to hate-crime laws that would have included acts against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. And he opposed the end of dont ask, dont tell, a Clinton administration policy that allowed closeted L.G.B.T. people to serve in the military.
Newt Gingrich is clinging to hopes that he might become Donald J. Trumps running mate, and on Thursday night he offered a fresh take on one of Mr. Trumps most provocative proposals for combating terrorism, calling for a religious test for all Muslims who wish to remain in the United States.
In an interview with Fox News, after the terrorist attack that left dozens dead in Nice, France, Mr. Gingrich said that American intelligence agencies need to more closely scrutinize mosques and internet chatter. He also said that any Muslim who believes in Sharia law should be required to leave the country.
Western civilization is in a war, Mr. Gingrich said. We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background, and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported.
He added, Modern Muslims who have given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizens.
Sharia is Islams legal system and serves as a code that Muslims are supposed to follow. It was not clear how such a test would work, but Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker and Georgia congressman, said that Sharia is incompatible with Western civilization.
HONG KONG The Hong Kong government said on Thursday that candidates for the legislature must acknowledge the semiautonomous city as an inalienable part of China and faced possible criminal penalties if they did not uphold the pledge.
Some scholars and lawmakers said the announcement, made days before nominations open for a legislative election in September, could harm political freedoms guaranteed under Hong Kong law.
Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese control in 1997, maintains much of its own legal and economic system. But after 2047, that model of one country, two systems will expire, and many worry it is already eroding under increasing pressure from mainland China.
In recent years, supporters of independence or greater autonomy from China have grown increasingly vocal. Some candidates in the September elections have expressed support for those ideals or at least for allowing the public to vote on the future status of Hong Kong.
SEOUL, South Korea A man who had defected to South Korea from the North turned up in a government-arranged news conference in the Norths capital on Friday, saying that he was arrested there this year while trying to smuggle orphans out of the impoverished country.
The man, Ko Hyon-chol, 53, confessed to trying to kidnap two North Korean orphaned girls and take them to the South at the behest of South Korean intelligence officers, Agence France-Presse reported from Pyongyang, the Norths capital.
I committed the unpardonable crime of being involved in attempted child abduction, Mr. Ko said as he cried during the news conference attended by foreign news media and diplomats.
Mr. Ko said he originally fled North Korea in 2013 after being involved in illegal smuggling and arrived in the South the next year.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Posters urging the Pakistani Army chief to take over the country in a military coup sprouted suddenly across Pakistan this week, with a photograph of Gen. Raheel Sharif, a burly man with a thick mustache, and an emphatic, pleading request: For Gods sake, take over.
They had been posted on the main thoroughfares of major cities by an obscure political party called Move On Pakistan, which believes that civilian leaders cannot be trusted.
The posters immediately sparked all-too-familiar speculation. Is the military planning a coup? Are the powerful generals tired of prodding the civilian government, saddled by one crisis or another?
Theres no direct evidence of the involvement of the army and its intelligence agencies in the posters, Ejaz Haider, a prominent political analyst and talk show host, said in an interview. That said, past experience tells us that one or the other intelligence agency can quietly push certain disgruntled elements to start such campaigns in the physical and virtual worlds.
SEOUL, South Korea South Koreas prime minister was pelted with eggs and water bottles by angry villagers on Friday as he paid a visit to the rural county chosen as the site of a planned United States missile defense system.
The visit by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn to Seongju, about 135 miles southeast of Seoul, the capital, was meant to defuse continuing opposition to the missile range. Instead, he was forced to retreat as thousands of residents who had gathered in front of Seongjus government headquarters shouted, Go away! according to television footage.
Facing the crowd, Mr. Hwang said South Korea needed the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or Thaad, to defend against North Korean missiles.
He also apologized for not having explained the rationale for the deployment before the county, which has a population of about 50,000, was named as the site for the missile base on Wednesday.
BEIJING A liberal Chinese journal whose publisher and top editors were dismissed or demoted this week says it is fighting back with a lawsuit.
On Tuesday, the Chinese National Academy of Arts, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and oversees the monthly journal, Yanhuang Chunqiu, announced on the publications website that it was removing Du Daozheng, its founding publisher, because Mr. Du, 92, is in his advanced years. He will be replaced by Jia Leilei, a deputy director of the academy.
The academy also demoted the journals chief editor, Xu Qingquan, to deputy editor and replaced him with Hao Qingjun, a deputy researcher on literature at the academy. Four other people from the academy were assigned to top editorial positions.
Calls to the academy on Friday went unanswered.
In response to the reshuffle, Yanhuang Chunqiu issued two announcements. The first, released on Thursday, said the academy had violated a 2014 agreement that gave the journal control over personnel issues and that it planned to sue. The second, on Friday, said several academy staff members had moved into the newsroom. Eating meals and sleeping at the office day and night have disrupted our work, it said.
But how do you defeat an ideology? Destroying the Islamic States so-called caliphate in Iraq and Syria, some argue, would undercut its grandiose claims and dampen its appeal. It would also limit the groups ability to coordinate large-scale attacks, which in turn help inspire lone actors who may, or may not, be driven by ideology.
Still, even as the group loses territory, its propaganda would survive online. And the problems that contributed to that ideologys rise in the Middle East would remain: authoritarian states that often use violence themselves, religious institutions often seen as complicit, stifled economies that grant young people few opportunities, and a cycle of conflict that encourages tribalism and extremism.
This is why many analysts are urging Western governments to look at their own populations and ask not whether terrorist ideologies can be eradicated, but why individual citizens might become susceptible to messages telling them to kill on behalf of a foreign terrorist group.
Its a social and political problem, said Peter Neumann, a professor at Kings College London and the director of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization.
Mr. Neumann said that, increasingly, Western citizens who turn to terrorism are not deeply ideological or even religious."
Rather, such individuals often seem to come to terrorism as a way to bring meaning to their lives or to explain their own sense of helplessness or isolation.
PARIS Twice before in the past year and a half, the French people and their leaders had faced devastating attacks with a remarkable spirit of unity and resilience. On Friday, as the country woke up to the slaughter in Nice, the mood was different.
Ordinary citizens questioned whether enough had been done to protect them. The political opposition was critical of the governments antiterrorism effort. There was little linking of arms or cries of liberte, egalite, fraternite.
Instead, there was recognition of an unpleasant new reality that everything France has tried so far has failed to protect it from terrorism.
That grim realization, in turn, has given rise to new frustration and in contrast to the aftermath of attacks in January and November last year new disunity and partisan sniping.
The countrys Socialist president, Francois Hollande, breaking records of unpopularity in the polls, is severely weakened. He confronts a rising populist onslaught from the far right, and even challenges within his own party. Facing an election next year, he is almost certain to lose if he is a candidate.
The finding is hardly the first to debunk important elements of the Russian governments narrative of who shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people aboard, in the worst atrocity of the war in Ukraine.
At the time, Russias state news agency, RIA, initially reported that Russian-backed separatists had shot down a Ukrainian military aircraft, but quickly backtracked once it became clear a civilian airliner had been brought down.
Russian state television devoted considerable airtime to conspiracy theories, including assertions that the Ukrainians were trying to shoot down President Vladimir V. Putins plane, that the plane had been filled with dead bodies and crashed in an elaborate ruse to embarrass Russia, or that the Central Intelligence Agency was behind the attack. Ukraine and Western governments say that none of this is true, and that active-duty Russian soldiers backing the rebels fired on the airliner, perhaps mistaking it for a military aircraft, as it flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital.
The photographs were published on the websites of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense just days after the crash. They were presented as having been taken by one or more Russian spy satellites on July 17, 2014, as war raged in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian presentation asserted that according to our information on the day of the accident the Ukrainian armed forces deployed three to four artillery battalions of Buk-M1 missiles, and provided two satellite images to support the claim.
ISTANBUL A military coup attempt plunged Turkey into a long night of violence and intrigue on Friday, threatening its embattled president, leaving nearly 200 dead and injecting new instability into a crucial NATO member and American ally in the chaotic Middle East.
The coup attempt was followed hours later by an equally dramatic public appearance by the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose whereabouts had been unknown for hours after the plotters claimed to have taken control. Flying into Istanbul Ataturk Airport from an undisclosed location early Saturday, Mr. Erdogan signaled that the coup was failing.
A minority within the armed forces has unfortunately been unable to stomach Turkeys unity, Mr. Erdogan said after the private television channel NTV showed him greeting supporters. Blaming political enemies, Mr. Erdogan said: What is being perpetrated is a rebellion and a treason. They will pay a heavy price for their treason to Turkey.
Mr. Erdogan suggested that the plotters had tried to assassinate him, referring to a bombing in the Turkish Mediterranean resort town of Marmaris after he left on Friday. It would appear that they thought I was there, he said.
Fethullah Gulen
Mr. Gulen is a former imam and onetime ally of Mr. Erdogan who now lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, and has an extensive following in Turkey. He has promoted a more liberal stream of Islam, and his ideas are popular with the countrys police and intelligence establishments, though not necessarily the military. Mr. Erdogan accused Mr. Gulen and his supporters, whom Mr. Erdogan has called terrorists, of being responsible for the coup; he has repeatedly accused Mr. Gulen of plotting against him in the past. The Gulen movement has denied any involvement in the coup attempt and denounced any military intervention in Turkeys domestic affairs.
Republican Peoples Party
The leftist main opposition party is considered less pro-American than the governing Justice and Development Party. It has been trying to find a way to break Mr. Erdogans political grip, but it would not be likely to benefit from a coup; in the past, the military has tended to sideline leaders of all political parties when it took power. In a statement, party leaders spoke out against the coup.
NATO and the United States
Turkey has been an American ally and a NATO member since 1952. Though the Obama administration has criticized Mr. Erdogans crackdown on civil society in Turkey, the United States sees him as a stabilizing and mainly pro-Western leader in a volatile region. The American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq makes heavy use of Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.
JANA PANARITES was about to make a midlife career shift in 2010 when her father died. At age 50, she had completed a masters degree in cultural diplomacy at the University of Southern California and was looking for a position in the nonprofit sector. That plan ground to a halt when she moved back to Maryland, where she grew up, to take care of her mother.
Like a lot of caregivers, I had no idea what I was getting into, she said. I wound up spending so much time taking care of her, there was no time to take care of myself, let alone produce an income.
Ms. Panarites has no regrets about the three years she spent caring for her mother, who now lives in an assisted-living facility in Florida. On the contrary, she said, its one of the most important things Ive ever done.
But the detour damaged not just her career prospects but her future retirement security as well. Her annual Social Security income projected at $18,500 if she files for benefits when she reaches full retirement age in 2026 will be at least 20 percent less than she could have expected had she not left the work force, according to a rough estimate from the Social Security Administration.
AS college students prepare for a new academic year, they can expect changes in the process of choosing a bank account to receive their financial aid balances.
Federal rules that took effect July 1 prohibit colleges and universities from steering students to specific bank accounts to deposit aid.
Often, students have money left known as a credit balance refund after a college deducts the cost of tuition and fees from financial aid. Students can use the balance for other costs, like textbooks and living expenses. The refunds tend to be more typical at state institutions and community colleges, which generally have lower tuition, said Elizabeth Clark, director of federal affairs for the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
But concern had arisen in recent years about colleges that hired private companies to manage and distribute the refunds. Students often received marketing materials that implied they had to open a special account, often a debit card account with hefty fees, to get their money. In some cases, companies mailed a debit card to students with instructions to activate it, suggesting that not doing so would delay receiving the funds.
And longer term?
I want to grow the company. Id love to grow it to 20 dancers, but theres no rush. One of the projects Id like to do is a collaboration with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Were talking about scores that require a larger group of dancers.
What does the residency in Arles offer you?
It gives us a home to create in a place that is going to be very important for contemporary art for years to come and keeps me in touch with what goes on in Europe.
Im interested in this idea of monetizing content. How will that work?
I dont want to say too much, because these are my secrets, and I dont want other companies to steal them. (Laughs.) Im brainstorming with people in the private sector to figure out a way to monetize the company. There are quite a few brands that are interested in a relationship. We will make content together, most likely digital content.
You already have a relationship with Van Cleef & Arpels, for instance.
Theres this organic connection there because of Jewels and Balanchine. [Jewels is a 1967 ballet by George Balanchine inspired by gemstones, the idea for which was suggested by Claude Arpels.] They sponsored three ballets of mine that have become part of the archive of Van Cleef & Arpels. They can use this in their materials, and they invite their clients. Its not a homage to Jewels or anything, but I took the simple concept of the stones and created these three works. [One of them, On the Other Side, will be performed in New York.]
But L.A. Dance Project is still a Los Angeles company?
Yes, and I also want to emphasize the presence in Los Angeles. My goal is to have a home that is open to the city. Im looking for an open space, essentially a warehouse where we can put hundreds of seats, where we can do longer runs, but thats also a place that can be used for art exhibitions. It will have multiple functions. And I might invite other people to perform there.
What is the lure of Los Angeles for you?
What I love is the diversity. If you drive around, you see the buildings from the 20s, 30s, 60s, 70s, right next to each other. All these people and areas colliding under this beautiful light. My life on a daily basis provides me with aesthetic pleasure. I think I realized how sensitive I am to color in general. A lot of my work is very colorful.
LYON, France Mesdames et messieurs, a voice calmly boomed from the loudspeakers a few minutes into intermission at the Lyon Opera on July 7. A murmur passed through the throng waiting at the bar as the announcement continued: The audience would have to evacuate the theater.
No reason was given, but the order was taken seriously by a crowd that had been watching a new production of Mozarts Abduction From the Seraglio, an opera with an impolite not to say inflammatory take on relations between Europeans and Muslim Turks. Though the evacuation was canceled not long after it began (thered been an alarm malfunction), it was an unsettling punctuation to an unsettling performance: Now, as in the 18th century when it was new, Abduction evokes the rawest and most violent of conflicts.
But without sidestepping the seething resentments at the works core, the Lyon staging offered a fresh way of considering them. Directed and, crucially, with new dialogue by the Lebanese-French writer Wajdi Mouawad, the production fleshed out notoriously caricaturish characters. It made an onstage attempt to link corners of the Mediterranean at a moment when the real world is trying, and often failing, to do the same.
This Abduction is part of a shift toward using opera still assumed in America to be more or less politically inert to reflect on cross-cultural tensions and liaisons. The performance in Lyon came at the end of a week that also brought the premiere, at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, of Kalila wa Dimna, a chamber opera in French and Arabic with a score for a mixture of Western and Middle Eastern instruments playing a pan-Mediterranean blend of styles. And an Aix production of Mozarts Cosi Fan Tutte shifted the plot to colonial East Africa under the rule of the Italian Fascists, giving the operas love games a brutal racial charge.
Fagans novel balances the oncoming climate disaster with the human-scale stories of these characters, focusing especially on Stella, whose feelings about her sexual identity are refreshingly resolute. Her confidence about her girlhood, and the pleasure she takes in it, as well as the way she stands her ground when dealing with the hurtful rejection of schoolyard bullies, reveal that she possesses a kind of resilience that may serve her well in uncertain times. She is supported by her mother, although not by her birth father, a fact that causes her to hope for the romance between Constance and Dylan she senses brewing.
Stellas intrepid and sometimes dangerous attempts at self-care, and her coming-of-age under the pressure of societal disapproval and global threat, are the emotional anchors of the narrative. The interior lives of the adults in the novel are not quite as precisely drawn. We dont learn much more about Constance than that she is an adept survivor who keeps her emotional entanglements at a safe distance. Dylan is a somewhat unformed man whose lack of direction and self-knowledge might be ascribed to the fact that his lineage has been kept from him, information that he will uncover during the course of the novel and that he fears will threaten his relationship with Constance and Stella. This conventional narrative ruse the unearthed secret is not wholly persuasive in a book that admirably avoids melodrama, especially since the revelation does not have the weight of meaningful consequence. What does matter, and something Fagan handles with deceptively effortless prose, is the way in which ordinary, even banal, life dramas unfold while the existential noose is tightening. The girls sense of the dislocation is tender. Her voice is sending her odd notes. Her body is becoming a strange instrument, Fagan writes evocatively, and then, easing from the distanced poetry of the writers omniscience into the mind of this witty child, Any day now a tiny man is going to set up a loudspeaker in her throat and his voice will make declarations in a baritone and everyone will think it is her speaking, but it wont be.
The mercury plummets, ultimately reaching an unfathomable and unsurvivable minus 56 degrees. As the days grow short and most of life must be spent inside the confines of a trailer, the claustrophobia Stella feels inside a body that might soon betray her is mirrored by what is happening in the world. When she takes an ill-advised bike ride into the freezing weather, we feel not only her physical desire to break out of her trailer home but also her desperation to escape the gender she was born into. Fagan joyfully summons the sheer jubilance of the girls physical power as well as her fear when she realizes shes out of her depth in the freeze. The evocation of that maturational tipping point where wisdom trumps desire is one of the novels wrenching explorations. There is so much for this young girl to lose. That she receives news of frozen bodies and devouring sinkholes, of food shortages and economic collapse from the internet makes her isolation that much more devastating. A young Italian transgendered man who is Stellas online consigliere suddenly disappears from the web, and we, like Stella, can only wonder if he has fallen victim to the freeze.
The Sunlight Pilgrims is a stylistically quieter novel than Fagans bravura debut, The Panopticon a fiery and voice-driven effort that landed her on Grantas 2013 list of the best British novelists under 40 years old but it is no less critical in its portrayal of marginalized people under the pressure of societys norms. When Stella and her mother visit a doctor in hopes of getting Stella started on hormone therapy, the unhelpful man suggests antidepressants. At a community meeting, the nuns who run Stellas school, and who do nothing to support or accommodate the girls gender transition, greet the oncoming freeze with educational leaflets and announcements about community preparedness plans including ideas on how to insulate and heat your homes, information that will be useless when the temperature drops and resources become scarce. At the meetings closing prayer, Stella gazes around at the bended heads and Mother Superior is looking at her . . . and there is a faint distaste in her eyes. It is easy to imagine that this young, marginalized girl and her anti-authoritarian mother will get no special help from their local church, insulation or otherwise. The difference in the argument from Fagans first novel to her second is that with the world tipping into disaster, intolerance will seem like a petty thing. No one, not even those who hew to ideas of perceived normalcy, will be spared. In this way, the satire in this novel is even sharper. A church that largely recoils from embracing difference can do nothing when it comes to protecting the earth from human abuses and vanities.
Fagan is a poet as well as a novelist, and many of her images of this unbidden winter are shot through with lyric beauty. Early on, we are told that in this worst of winters icicles will grow to the size of narwhal tusks or the long bony finger of winter herself. Later, when the threesome venture out of the caravan to witness an icebergs arrival, they observe all those peaked figures of ice, like all of their ancestors have been caught by the elements on the long walk home, their souls captured by ice and snow, and below them the North Sea cracks and groans as ice floes creak and collide. Strange beauty can be found in destruction, and Fagan is fearless and wise to allow her characters to be as entranced by natures awesome power as they are terrified of it. The mythic reach of such imagery mirrors the way Fagan overlays elements of the tribal onto the quotidian. The novels three central characters are as much recognizable humans as they are visitations from a folk narrative. Dylan is an orphaned giant whose mother, to obscure his troubling lineage, told him he was the product of a fallen angel and a mortal woman. To ward off the worst of the chill, Constance frequently dons the pelt and preserved head of a wolf, so at times she seems a strange hybrid. Stella is a double, both a boy and a girl. The local lore about the sunlight pilgrims of the novels title tells of a race who drink light to live through the darkest times. But Fagan does not use metaphor as poetic immunity for her characters or her readers. The novel leaves them and us in a deeply troubling and unresolved moment. The world looks like a place of our darkest imagination, but it is all too real.
Seven new paperbacks to check out this week.
BECOMING NICOLE: The Transformation of an American Family, by Amy Ellis Nutt. (Random House, $16.) After Kelly and Wayne Maines adopted twins, Wyatt and Jonas, Wyatt, who would later become Nicole, soon knew that he was a girl. The family particularly Kelly, who readily stepped into the role as an advocate for her child challenged school administrators, bullies and neighbors who were skeptical of Nicole, and Nutt traces the Maineses moving journey as they fought to protect their childs right to develop into the woman she knew herself to be.
ADULT ONSET, by Ann-Marie MacDonald. (Tin House, $16.95.) Mary Rose is the celebrated author of a series of young adult novels, but her third volume has stalled after she takes over caregiver duties for her children. With her partner away for work, Mary Rose descends into domestic misery. MacDonalds skillful depiction of her heroines unraveling results in a complicated braid of third-person narration, Maggie Pouncey wrote here.
IRREPRESSIBLE: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham, by Emily Bingham. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $16.) Henrietta, the authors violet-eyed, statuesque great-aunt, had a capacity to make men and women fall in love with her. In this biography, Bingham tracks her great-aunts life, which coincided with a brief period in the 1900s when unconventional desires were gaining acceptance.
Have you ever wondered why the crippling 2008 financial crisis generated almost no criminal prosecutions of large banks and their top executives?
Then take a moment to read the congressional report issued on July 11 titled Too Big to Jail. Citing internal documents that the United States Treasury took three years to produce, the report shows how regulators and prosecutors turned a potential criminal prosecution of a large global bank HSBC into a watered-down settlement that insulated its executives and failed to take into account the full scope of the banks violations.
The report, prepared by the Republican staff of the House Financial Services Committee, does not examine a matter related to the mortgage crisis. Rather, it looks at the Department of Justices 2012 settlement with HSBC, the British banking behemoth, after accusations that it laundered nearly $900 million for drug traffickers and processed transactions on behalf of Cuba, Iran, Libya, Sudan and Myanmar, or Burma, when those countries were subject to United States sanctions.
HSBC and its American subsidiary, HSBC Bank USA, agreed to pay almost $2 billion under the settlement, striking a deferred prosecution arrangement that remains in place. Under such deals, the government agrees to delay or forgo prosecution of a company if it promises to change its behavior.
It was one of the first big decisions I made without consulting anyone else I got up from my cubicle, walked over to him, and said, Send me to Saudi Arabia. He asked, Do you even know anything about Saudi Arabia? I said, No, but Im willing to do it. Four months later, I was the branch manager, with 11 employees.
Early leadership lessons?
You develop more perspective and balance over time. Ive never had a tremendous amount of empathy. I have more empathy today than I did back then. So I was probably harsher than I needed to be when I made decisions about people. Rather than giving people the time to improve, I would instead think that this guy just doesnt work hard enough, so lets find somebody else.
Now I have a basic belief that almost everyone wants to contribute and do well. Some people, for a whole variety of reasons, have difficulty doing that, and at least an attempt or two should be made to try to help them.
What else?
The bonus plan we have across our companies today, for tens of thousands of people, is virtually identical to the bonus plan I wrote for those 11 people in my first role.
I left the company for a number of years, and when I came back, we had a document for the bonus plan that was so convoluted and complex. I asked, Why cant we just say that this is our revenue and these are our earnings, and if we grow those earnings, a percentage of that growth will go into a bonus pool?
Why make it more complicated? Ive always felt that the world is filled with smart people who love complicating stuff. Working to simplify, to try to get down to that first principle, is really important.
How do you hire?
Im generally trying to find out, do they know themselves and do they know what they want? So I tend to ask really open-ended questions like: What are the kinds of things that make you happy? Are you easily satisfied as a person? Do you feel content?
I love tech but it scares me. Every year it seems to be taking over another part of my life.
Soon it may be controlling my finances. Its already taking over my driving.
Im trying to maintain control. Ever since 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ive been worried. That HAL 9000 gave me a serious case of techno-heebie-jeebies. Im sorry, Dave. Im afraid I cant do that, it told a desperate astronaut who was essentially asking it to preserve his life. Frankenstein, the golem stories they all resonate with me.
No wonder Im not ready to trust an algorithm with so much of my life or even with my life.
Still, sooner or later, I end up giving in and using whatever technology is offered because of convenience! I tell myself, Dont be such a big baby!
Mapping software is something Im willing to use. The problem, though, as with pretty much all tech, is that it is just good enough to lull me into relying on it, but not always trustworthy enough to make that a wise choice. When I was trying to take my older son to the Motor Vehicle Commission office in Wayne, N.J., one Saturday morning a couple of years ago, Apple Maps sent me to a spot on a small residential road. You have arrived!
Raul Castillo was nervous the day he had to come out as straight.
It was that first day we were shooting on Muni, going back and forth on the train, said the 38-year-old star of Looking, the short-lived HBO drama that followed a group of gay friends in San Francisco. His scene partner was Jonathan Groff, the gay actor playing the main character, Patrick.
We were talking about a love affair, or at least the beginning of a love affair between these two guys, Mr. Castillo recalled, walking around Hells Kitchen on a recent Friday afternoon. And I brought up meeting my girlfriend for the first time. But I did so trepidatiously, because I didnt want to spoil any kind of chemistry that was beginning to happen.
Mr. Groff, to his relief, didnt bat a lash. They went on to film one of the pivotal moments of the pilot episode, when Patrick strikes up a spontaneous, often fraught romance with Mr. Castillos character, Richie, a Mexican-American hairdresser he meets on public transportation.
Mr. Castillo became arguably the breakout star of the series, which had its own fraught life span. Though it attracted fervent devotees, the show turned off some who found its naval-gazing, blue-tinted introspection short on action. It was canceled after two seasons, but it will tie up loose ends in a movie-length finale, which debuts on HBO on July 23.
I went to the island for a family reunion. And while Id already hit high school, Id never seen Jamaica, so I flinched at the shouts once the airport came into view, and then again at all the clapping once we finally hit the tarmac, and I thought, So the hell what. Weve landed. Big deal. But the lady sitting beside me squeezed my arm, as if to say, Isnt this marvelous. She told me she was home. She told me I was home.
Id heard stories about the situation for queer folks in Jamaica, but they were hard to put in perspective I had nothing to compare them with. I lived in a small town in Texas. Id have sooner set myself on fire than come out. Id never seen a pair of gay people, and I had yet to find them in books, so the notion of a happy ending felt pretty amorphous. Like some pot at the end of this camouflage rainbow.
My family met up at an aunts house tucked in the hills. I knew most of their faces the way you know Benjamin Franklins or Frida Kahlos. They asked all the questions, they poked at my stomach. They got on me for staying away for so long.
We rode a bus from one coast to the other. Id never seen so many black people in my life, and beaches you wouldnt believe. By the middle of the trip, wed reached the countrys eastern tip, and our ride pulled up to some shanties on the shore. An uncle had been bragging about someplace he knew: perfectly clear water, sand that would knock like four years off your face. So we were unloading the bus, renting the rafts to take us out there, when I saw the two men dragging a boat in the sand.
What ultimately doomed the store was the closing of Wallabout Market. The Navy Yard needed more room, and the market lay in the most obvious path of expansion. Wallabout closed in early 1941. Its replacement, Brooklyn Terminal Market, was in far-off Canarsie. Though Giovanni held a chauffeurs license, he owned no car. Provisioning the store was suddenly an ordeal. It was shuttered as America entered the war. To make ends meet, Raffaela and my mother, Rose then all of 15 stitched dolls outfits in a local sweatshop, doing piecework on the side, sewing stars on sailors uniforms. My uncle John worked for the baker next door. Giovanni took a factory job. He died the next year from pneumonia after a routine operation.
By this time, much of aging Downtown Brooklyn was in the hands of Robert Moses. Century-old buildings were razed for Cadman Plaza and the Brooklyn Civic Center. The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway carved a path of destruction toward Williamsburg. Another fleet of Corbusian towers, the Farragut Houses, stamped out the blocks around Sands Street. Some people were forced from their homes, and others fled as racial tensions rose and the social fabric frayed. Raffaela stood her ground and befriended all, earning her keep cooking meals for the Brooklyn Edison men. Then a letter came: 96 Hudson was to be razed to make way for a new public school.
Raffaela moved to Bay Ridge with her son. In her modest cache of belongings was the cheese, nearly a full wheel then. The family used it only sparingly in the years that followed. The cheese became a memento and then a memorial after Raffaela died in 1974. When my uncle gave it to me last year, I found a note that read, Added virgin olive oil, September 11, 1998 the anniversary of Raffaelas death. By then, John, an urbane bachelor, had left the city for New Jersey. There had been muggings and a murder on his Bay Ridge block, and his apartment had been broken into. Reluctantly, he moved to a retirement community in Toms River. The cheese went with him. He turned 90 last year. Shedding possessions, he handed me the cheese as my wife and I were heading out the door after a visit. We had recently moved back to New York; the cheese was heading home.
We mark ourselves by what we choose of our past to shield from the churn of change. Much of this, whether an old building or historic landscape, is lasting and durable by definition. That something as soft and perishable as cheese should make it across 75 years of time and space, outlasting brick and mortar indeed, much of the city is beyond remarkable. But is a cheese from the age of steam still recognizably cheese? Is it even still edible?
Dinner begins with small plates. A spaetzle dish was like mental chess, demanding concentration on every front. The crisp, buttery hazelnuts popped up every second mouthful; the Gruyere cheese coating the spaetzle left a delicious winey aftermath; and the slow-cooked duck egg lent an element of luxury. If thats all you order for dinner (perhaps with the peanut butter and chocolate mousses, adorned with dulce de leche and bits of honeycomb for dessert), you may feel sated but not overly full, and youll be only about $30 poorer.
Equally fine was the grilled avocado salad with almost too many interesting accessories to appreciate. The dabs of creamy date and onion puree were so tiny, they were easy to miss. The rye berries were as wholesome as they were fun to eat, and so springy they almost seemed alive.
Image Spaetzle with duck egg. Credit... Bryan Anselm for The New York Times
I can understand charring the broccolini that was the centerpiece of another small plate, but why char the accompanying lemon? Because we Australians barbecue everything, Mr. Ryan said half-mockingly. The more serious reason is that charring the lemon adds to the deep, smoky, almost primal appeal of the dish, which, at its heart, was as simple as it was inspired.
Seafood was beautifully prepared, but I think Mr. Ryans heart belongs to the heartier entrees. His brisketlike duck-leg ragu, which was part of the spring menu, sat upon fat, creamy gnocchi. A pickled shallot and parsley salad paired with the excellent in-house dry-aged sirloin, the combination of which created a beef entree that was summertime-light; the crisp and golden polenta surrounding the beef tasted like memorably savory French toast.
The last time the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey presented Coriolanus was in 1987. The companys current staging of the play in Madison is a fine opportunity for audiences to encounter Shakespeares dark, absorbing and, in some ways, remarkably timely drama.
The tragedy of a highhanded leader who proves to be fatally out of touch with society, Coriolanus is infrequently performed, probably because its title figure is a relatively disagreeable character.
Caius Martius subsequently called Coriolanus for conquering the city of Corioli is a warrior of noble heritage who expects to lead Rome during its earliest days as a republic. But even as this hero seeks the consulship that he assumes is his due, he is openly scornful of the masses. The bluff-mannered Coriolanus dismisses them as the mutable, rank-scented many.
The resentful mob is eventually stirred up by the tribunes, their spokesmen, to banish Coriolanus from Rome. The warrior then allies with his former enemies to strike back at his homeland.
The Christmas tree tucked into a corner of the living room depicted on the stage of the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor is not particularly large. Its significance, however, is huge.
Alfred Uhrys The Last Night of Ballyhoo, which won the 1997 Tony Award for best play, is about Jews and their relationships with their religion and each other. The serious comedy is set in Atlanta, in a house on posh Habersham Road (the street, like many places named in the work, is real). There, a middle-aged bachelor, his sister and his sister-in-law, who are both widows, and their young-adult daughters all live together. They are Jewish, though not in any readily discernible way.
The action begins with Lala Levy, one of the two daughters, singing The First Noel as she decorates the evergreen. Her cheerful aunt, Reba Freitag, praises her singing voice, but her stern mother, Boo Levy, immediately criticizes Lalas final touch, a star at the top. It symbolizes the birth of Jesus, Boo says, and should not be on Jewish Christmas trees.
As Jennifer Lobaugh arrived at the Strand Book Store to apply for a job this spring, she remembered feeling jittery. It wasnt only because she badly wanted a job at the fabled bookstore in Greenwich Village, her first in New York City, but also because at the end of the application, there was a quiz a book quiz.
She rode the elevator to the third floor, sat down at a long table and scanned the quiz: a list of titles and a list of authors. She matched The Second Sex with Simone de Beauvoir right away. But then she had doubts. I thought I would have no trouble, said Ms. Lobaugh, 27, who has an M.F.A. in creative writing and a background in French and Russian literature. But I got nervous.
The Strand is the undisputed king of the citys independent bookstores, a giant in an ever-shrinking field. It moves 2.5 million books a year and has around 200 employees. While its competitors have closed by the dozens, it has survived on castaways from publishers, reviewers, the public and even other booksellers.
For nearly a century, the huge downtown bookstore has symbolized not only inexpensive books, but something just as valuable: full-time work for those whose arcane knowledge outweighs their practical skills. Ask Us, says a big red sign on the walls of the Strand. The starting wage is $10.50 per hour, with health benefits in 60 days and union representation. And there are unwritten perks, including discounts, a casual dress code and brushes with celebrity.
To voters who watched their children bleed in Iraq and Afghanistan, or who have bled themselves, the party hasnt provided much reassurance that it has learned lessons from those conflicts. With the exception of Rand Paul and the partial exception of Ted Cruz, the consensus critique of President Obama from not-Trump Republicans often seemed to be that he should have kept more troops in Iraq and kept more troops in Afghanistan and sent more troops to Libya and intervened in Syria and sent more arms to Ukraine and expanded NATOs presence in the Baltics and been more willing to bomb Iran and
Some of these policy prescriptions are reasonable, but taken together they look like a road map for more quagmires, more Afghanistans and Iraqs. This is the landscape in which Trumps America First language resonated. And the ease with which Trump crushed Jeb Bush, in particular, suggests that it will continue to resonate until Republican leaders become more selective in their hawkishness, more comfortable with five simple words: Invading Iraq was a mistake.
THE same need to define the national interest applies to the immigration debate, where the leaders of both parties seem viscerally uncomfortable with the idea common to not-notably-intolerant nations like Australia and Canada that the United States should strongly favor high-skilled immigrants over low-skilled immigrants. Among libertarian-minded conservatives as well as liberals, it is an article of faith that skepticism about mass immigration is driven largely by racism, and Trumps campaign has powerfully reinforced this assumption.
But when you dig into survey data, immigration skepticism seems to be rooted as much in concerns about how quickly immigrants assimilate, whether they rely on welfare programs and whether they compete for American jobs as it is in racial or cultural anxiety.
Such concerns are reasonable. While less-educated immigrants are no less admirable and hard-working than those who have managed to acquire the skills most prized in our polarized labor market, there is clear evidence that they and their children need more of a helping hand from social programs, and that their descendants are more likely to assimilate downward when that help does not suffice.
The United States is already unique among the worlds affluent market democracies in our level of entrenched poverty. Since the New Deal era, weve created a thicket of programs for the poor that are notorious for their complexity, their expense and sometimes their inadequacy. Both liberals and conservatives have recognized that our tools for fighting poverty are failing the poorest of the poor, and that our society could face a growing scourge of worklessness.
Given these problems, an immigration policy in the national interest should explicitly try to attract immigrants who will be in a strong position to provide for their families in a difficult economic environment. It should encourage a market in which employers have to compete more for less-skilled labor, to slow the alarming retreat from paying work among native-born working-class men.
ITS about time Britain was led by a bloody difficult woman, as the new leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister, Theresa May, was described by a Tory grandee.
The term boys club seems to have been coined for the men who led Britain so clumsily to Brexit, without predicting the result, thinking through the consequences or mapping out a plan. Their resumes are studded with all the hallmarks of privilege: Eton College, Oxford University and the Bullingdon Club, the secretive student dining society, notorious for its right-wing politics and legendary debauches. The former prime minister David Cameron, the former mayor of London Boris Johnson and the former chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne were all members.
One Old Etonian told a tabloid newspaper that on the occasions women were admitted to club events only for drinks, not formal dinners they were treated like fillies. And not prized as thoroughbreds, he said: We would make them get down on all fours like a horse, whinny, and bring out hunting horns and whips.
But if anyone is getting whipped now, its the Bullingdon boys. Their political gambles and jousting have led to the Brexit vote, financial turmoil, economic uncertainty, a divided country and the prospect of a long, arduous withdrawal from Europe.
NEW DELHI Thousands of protesters thronged streets in towns across the Kashmir valley on July 9, the first of days of clashes with security officers. The violence was among the worst in the restive region in years, leaving more than 30 people dead, including a police officer, and thousands injured. Most of the deaths were protesters shot by security forces, and hospitals were crowded with wounded civilians. Protesters attacked police vehicles, security posts and other government property.
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and Indian-administered Kashmir has long been troubled, plagued by the aftershocks of an armed insurgency born in the late 1980s, which was aided by Pakistan. A heavy Indian military presence in the Kashmir valley largely vanquished the insurgency, but calls for self-rule persist, and civilians bristle against the security forces, which human rights groups accuse of abuses.
What set the protesters off?
The protests began the day after Burhan Muzaffar Wani, a commander for the Hizbul Mujahedeen, a Kashmiri militant group, was killed by security forces in a gun battle on July 8. The next day, thousands attended his funeral in his home village of Tral, in south Kashmir.
Who was Burhan Muzaffar Wani?
Mr. Wani, in his early 20s, had become a prominent face of separatist sentiment in the Kashmir valley.
ANNADALE, Va. Hillary Clinton campaigned alongside Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine on Thursday afternoon, making a high-profile appearance with one of the leading contenders for a spot alongside her on the presidential ticket.
Kaine, a popular lawmaker from an important general election battleground state, is considered to be a safe pick, one that could help Clinton woo moderates turned off by Donald Trumps divisive rhetoric.
An early Clinton backer, Kaine tested out attack lines against Trump before several hundred gathered at a community college auditorium, assailing the GOP nominee as unqualified, untested and untrustworthy. Fluent in Spanish, he showed off his language skills, laughed at Clintons jokes and nodded energetically at her applause lines.
Do you want a youre fired president or a youre hired president, asked Kaine. Do you want a trash talking president or a bridge building president?
The appearance comes as Clinton moves into the final stages of picking her vice president, with an announcement expected as soon as next week. The shortlist includes Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a favorite of progressives who has emerged as a blistering critic of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump; Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas, a rising star in the Democratic Party; and Kaine.
This isnt Kaines first vice presidential flirtation: President Barack Obama seriously considered him for his ticket eight years ago.
Clinton offered few hints into her thinking, offering praise for Kaine that seemed tepid compared to the stream of compliments she showered on Warren at an event in Ohio last month.
Everything Tim said is absolutely on the mark, said Clinton. We are stronger together when we set goals for America.
In private lunchtime meeting on Capitol Hill, Clinton assured Senate Democrats that she will pick a very qualified vice president after being asked who she was planning to choose. The question prompted a roar of laughter from the audience of Democratic senators.
The meeting included Kaine, Warren and another potential Clinton running mate, Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
Earlier on Thursday, Clinton promised Latino activists gathered in Washington for the annual convention of the League of United Latin American Citizens that she would make action on immigration legislation a top priority of her administration.
She called on Latino voters to help stop what she called GOP rival Donald Trumps efforts to fan the flames of racial division.
Donald Trump is running the most divisive campaign our lifetime. His message is that you should be afraid, she told a gathering of Latino activists on Thursday. We have got to say with one voice that Latinos are vital part of the American community.
A deadlocked Supreme Court decision last month effectively killed Obamas immigration plan to help some of the 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. Clinton vowed to restore and expand the program which would have protected the parents of children who are in the country legally and expand benefits to people who were brought to the U.S. as children.
Clinton promised to create a clearer immigration system where immigrants with sympathetic cases or a history of community service can be eligible for special status. She also vowed to eliminate family detention centers, which hold undocumented immigrant families, including children and babies, for weeks or even months in what advocates call prison-like conditions while they wait for legal processing.
Her campaign sees Latino voters, one of the countrys fastest growing demographic groups, as a key piece of their electoral coalition not only for 2016 but the future of the Democratic Party.
Im going to work my heart out but I need your help, she said. This is your election.
Trumps promises to build a wall along the Southern border, create a special deportation force to catch undocumented immigrants and references to Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists have alienated many Latino voters.
They will nominate someone who thinks Latino outreach is tweeting a picture of a taco bowl, said Clinton.
In recent weeks, Clinton has highlighted those proposals to try to show Trump as blocking progress by sewing national discord and chaos.
An ad released by her campaign in battleground states on Thursday attempted to reinforce that message, featuring clips of young children watching Trump make some of his more controversial remarks about women and minorities.
Our children are watching, the ad says. What example will we set for them?
Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report from Washington.
Vivi, a direct-sales company formerly known as Cookie Lee, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The Tustin-based company listed assets of under $50,000 and liabilities of $1 million to $10 million in its bankruptcy filing on July 8. Chapter 7 usually indicates a company will liquidate rather than reorganize under Chapter 11.
Cookie Lee, founded in 1992, was sold to Debbie Millar in 2014 for undisclosed terms. Millar and her husband, Ron, are founding partners of Newport Beach-based luxury residential real estate group HOM.
Millar and her attorney, Kyra E. Andrassy of Smiley Wang-Ekvall, could not be reached for comment.
Several comments left on Vivis Facebook page by sales consultants indicated the company closed the same day it filed for bankruptcy.
Sue Neff, a Vivi sales consultant, wrote, Debbie has worked very hard over the past two years to rebuild a company that had been declining for years. Unfortunately, rebuilding sometimes just doesnt work out.
The fate of outstanding bills owed to consultants was unclear.
Will be interesting to see if the consultants with things on order get their money back, wrote Mary Sue Bizzarri.
Debra Lin, the founder of Cookie Lee and its namesake, told the Register two years ago she was selling the company to spend more time with her family and volunteer.
Lin left a corporate job in 1985 to start the company, famous for its home shows and costume jewelry. The companys direct-sales strategy, much like Tupperware and Mary Kay, attracted mostly women looking for full- or part-time income. High-performing consultants would score free family cruises to places like Alaska, Hawaii and Cancun. More than 60, Lin said, earned $45,000 Mercedes-Benz cars.
The business recorded $125 million in revenue in 2006 and more than 40,000 sales consultants nationwide, with some 6,400 of them in Orange County.
In buying the company, Millar renamed it in a rebranding that will revolutionize the direct-selling business once again, and help the company grow 20% by the end of 2015, the company said in a statement at the time.
Vivi stood for vision, inspiration, value and independence.
The direct-sale jewelry and accessory industry is a $3 billion a year business, according to IBISWorld. The industry is expected to grow from 2015 to 2020, although much slower than the growth seen the previous five years.
Contact the writer: hmadans@ocregister.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
WASHINGTON A California mother of two and a former student of the now-defunct Corinthian Colleges filed a federal lawsuit Thursday, seeking damages and an end to daily collection calls over private loans she received to attend the for-profit school.
Attorneys for Deborah Terrell say the case, which seeks class-action status, could involve thousands of ex-Corinthian students and millions of dollars.
Terrell, of Riverside County, is suing the company that bought her loan debt and the debt collector, alleging they knew Corinthian was accused of massive fraud when they bought the debt.
Terrell took out about $19,000 in loans to attend Corinthians Everest College in 2014 for a nine-month medical administrative assistant program. In her complaint filed in Los Angeles, Terrell says she was lied to by Corinthian recruiters about job prospects and potential earnings after graduation.
Terrell got straight As in her classes and received awards and recognition. What she still doesnt have is a job in her field of study, according to the lawsuit. Most of the loan money she received was in the form of federal student loans, which have since been forgiven by the Education Department. For the private loan money, originally $4,900, her lawyers say she gets about five phone calls a day from collectors harassing her.
These private lenders are victimizing these students a second time by continuing to try and collect on debt that was incurred through fraud and deceit, said Anne Richardson, directing attorney of the Consumer Law Project at Public Counsel.
The lawsuit names Turnstile Capital Management LLC, the debt buyer; Balboa Student Loan Trust, the debt holder; and University Accounting Service LLC, the debt collector. The debt was bought from Corinthian, which had created its own loan program. At the time of the sale, the suit says, Corinthian was under investigation by more than 20 states attorneys general as well as federal officials.
A whistleblower raised concerns about Corinthian in 2011, alleging that employees of the for-profit chain fabricated employers to make it appear as though unemployed graduates had secured good jobs in their areas of study. Californias attorney general filed a lawsuit in 2013, alleging rampant lies to students about job placement.
Corinthian filed for bankruptcy protection last year, closing schools and leaving thousands of students with hefty debt.
The Education Department continues to vet thousands of requests from Corinthian students for relief from their federal loans. So far, it has erased the debt for more than 11,000 former Corinthian students, totaling more than $170 million. That number is expected to go up, with an estimated $3.6 billion in federal loans given to Corinthian students.
Dont be too surprised if an Uber driver delivers your lunch order.
The ride-hailing sensation on July 29 will launch its standalone app, UberEats, in Orange County. It will be available in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Irvine.
The service enters a crowded field where DoorDash, Postmates and others already have established networks of food-delivery service.
So far, Uber has not provided a list of participating restaurants. The company is asking people to Tweet @UberEATS with their suggestions. Options in Los Angeles, where the app also is available, include Chichen Itza, Juice Served Here and Okipoki.
The app partners with area restaurants to generate a list from which customers order their food.
During its debut, the service will be free. Uber in the future will add a $4.99 order fee. Tips are not expected, the company said.
In addition to delivery fees, Uber takes a percentage of the restaurants sales, which varies based on the contract with each restaurant.
Uber drivers can elect to deliver for UberEats as well. All UberEats drivers will be trained on food delivery and have insulated bags to keep food warm, the company said.
Dont worry about sharing the backseat with a tempting pasta order. Drivers will not deliver food at the same time they are driving passengers. Food and driving trips are completely separate, the company said. A driver can chose whether to accept a delivery or ride request.
And Uber says there will be no up-charging on menu items. Prices seen on the app will be the same prices users would encounter if they actually went to the restaurant, said UberEats General Manager Allen Narcisse.
Were excited to provide Uber users with a new experience. We want you to be able to order a meal with the same ease with which your order a car, he said.
Users take note: Alcohol delivery is not an option with UberEATS.
UberEATS is in 22 markets including 12 in the U.S. It is already in Los Angeles and San Diego.
Delivery options
Uber is one of a handful of delivery apps to flood the Orange County market.
Earlier this summer DoorDash, an on-demand restaurant delivery service, expanded its grasp by adding alcohol delivery to its app. The company uses independent contract drivers to deliver meals to users homes. It launched in the Bay Area in 2013.
In March, grocery service Instacart partnered with eight retailers Petco, Costco, Whole Foods Market, Gelsons Market, Stater Bros., Ralphs, Smart & Final and H Mart for its initial launch in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Irvine.
Postmates, an app that offers delivery from local eateries and retail stores, launched Postmates Plus in February. Plus offers users a $3.99 delivery fee without an annual membership.
Just in time for the holidays last year Google Express came to town. The service works with third-party couriers who deliver goods ordered online from a variety of retailers, including Costco, Target, Whole Foods, Ulta Beauty, PetSmart and Frys Electronics. Shoppers can either pay $95 for an annual membership or $4.99 per order for deliveries.
In September, Amazon Prime Now, a one- or two-hour delivery service, came online for much of the county.
A handful of retailers are also offering fast delivery options as well.
In May 2015, retail giant Wal-Mart announced a new, unlimited shipping service for $50 a year. Similar to Amazon Prime, goods are shipped in three days or less.
Independent contractors
Many delivery apps, including UberEATS, use independent contractors instead of employees. The tactic has led to lawsuits and public outcry from some drivers who want more benefits and employee status.
In April, Uber reached a settlement in two class action lawsuits. The app will pay $100 million to the drivers in the cases, but keep categorizing the workers as independent contractors.
The suits started in California and Massachusetts.
Plantiffs had wanted to be classified as employees. Employees receive overtime pay, lunch breaks and workers compensation, benefits not given to independent contractors.
Contact the writer: hmadans@ocreigster.com or Twitter: @HannahMadans
Even though El Modena High School does not have a film program, Joshua Seigel has found a way to not only produce a few films, but to win awards for his efforts. His film The Fear of Disappearing was chosen to screen at the Orange County Film Festival, the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Arizona International Film Festival, the North by Northeast Film Festival, the Las Vegas Film Festival and the Los Angeles Film Festival. He won two awards at the Orange County Film Festival best narrative and the Founders Award.
Josh is simply the most creative filmmaker I have seen graduate from El Modena in the past 13 years, said David Junker, founder of the FilmEd Academy of the Arts. He has an innate gift for using media to voice his ideas.
Name: Joshua Seigel
School: El Modena High School
Grade: recently graduated
Hometown: Orange
How did you get involved in filmmaking? My family had just bought our first iMac, and as everyone knows, it has a camera attached. I now had my first camera. I had a very basic camera and a very basic editing software (iMovie), so I decided to have fun with it.
What is your favorite film? Who is your favorite filmmaker of all time and why? What I call my favorite film usually depends on what Ive recently watched or what Im in the mood for, but the film that always comes to mind when Im asked this question is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I dont have a favorite filmmaker, but one who I admire and would like to have a similar legacy to is definitely Spike Jonze.
Who have been your influences? Did you have a mentor in your development as a filmmaker? If so, how did they help you? For most of my life, my influences came from the movies I watched and loved. However, for the past two years I have been a part of an organization called FilmEd, run by David Junker, which trains and helps high school filmmakers. FilmEd and David have helped me tremendously.
What inspires you? My friends and good movies.
The next challenge I want to take on is To attend a good film school (hopefully Chapman Universitys Dodge College of Film and Media Arts) and meet interesting and talented people.
Other than filmmaking, are you involved in any other activities? If yes, what are they? I was on varsity track for sprints all four years of high school. I was also cast in a school play called Holy Musical B@tman! as the character Chilly Willy, a part I was VERY proud of.
How do the arts figure in to your long-term goals? I hope to continue making movies for as long as I live, and I continue to write and improve myself every day.
What is the best advice you have received? After I made my first iMac movie at age 11, my older cousin, Adam Carver (who is also a filmmaker), watched it and said to me, Keep making movies. And I have to this day.
I hope my legacy as an artist will be A new voice and a new perspective. Something that people will look at and know it was only me who could have created it.
Nine billion. Thats the forecasted global population for the year 2050 a growth of nearly 2 billion people from today. And with 800 million people already going to bed hungry each night, it is going to take a significant increase in food production to feed our growing world.
In just one year, Feed the Future Americas signature global food security initiative helped nearly 7 million smallholder farmers adopt and use improved tools and techniques, and reached more than 12 million children to improve their nutrition.
We must keep up this momentum. And last week, Congress passed critical bipartisan legislation to do just that.
The Global Food Security Act will help lift millions in the developing world out of poverty and hunger, building on existing programs to support agriculture development and promoting market-based agricultural reforms. U.S. global food security programs in partnership with U.S. businesses and NGOs provide a hand-up, not a hand-out, to struggling farmers around the world. With access to seeds, supplies and training, small-scale farmers are able to feed their families and strengthen their communities. Providing these necessary tools for food security promotes our American values, while building a thriving global economy and bolstering our national security.
Ninety-five percent of todays consumers live outside of the U.S., and more than half of our exports now go to the developing world. When we invest in emerging markets through our civilian agencies like USAID and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, we increase stability, spur economic growth and create new avenues for Americans to do business abroad. Here in California, where annual exports reach over $287 billion in goods and services, investing in these markets only makes sense for our jobs and economic growth.
As a former secretary of commerce and ambassador, we know the value of robust investments in international development. When a family can grow their own food, they remain healthy and nourished, they can sell their crops at the local market, and the economy grows sparking a global chain reaction that makes a difference for us here at home. And were seeing results. Through more than 2,200 public-private partnerships, farmers have boosted their agricultural sales by over half a billion dollars in just the last year.
The Global Food Security Act aims to strengthen and continue this progress: empowering families and farmers with tools, training and technology. On its passage, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., said this act advances policies that will improve food security, stimulate economic growth, and better enable people to grow their own way out of poverty.
Food security abroad also means national security here at home. High food prices and reduced access to food have led to unrest and political conflict everywhere from Madagascar to Haiti. Taking action against food insecurity is an essential step to creating a better world and a safer America. When communities can feed themselves and thrive on their own, the need for a costlier U.S. intervention is greatly reduced. Former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates put it best when he said, development is a lot cheaper than sending soldiers.
As a Democrat and a Republican, we believe that Congress has demonstrated incredible global leadership through its bipartisan cooperation on the Global Food Security Act legislation years in the making. We commend Congressman Royce, as his dedication to this legislation was a key catalyst for its passage. He has continuously provided leadership on efforts to strengthen Americas role abroad and deliver positive programs that lift communities out of poverty. We look forward to the president signing this critical bill into law.
Micky Kantor served as U.S. Trade Representative (1993-1996) and Secretary of Commerce (1996-1997) in the Clinton administration. Robert H. Tuttle served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2005 to 2009) in the Bush administration.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has testified before a grand jury, according to a person briefed on his appearance, a revelation that comes a day before legislators were to meet to push forward with efforts to impeach him over his relationship with a former aide.
Bentley appeared Wednesday, said the person, who was not authorized to discuss a secret grand jury proceeding publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Bentleys private life has been under the microscope in recent months after he admitted making inappropriate remarks to the aide, Rebekah Caldwell Mason. He denied having an affair with her before his wife of 50 years divorced him. His testimony comes on the heels of House Speaker Mike Hubbards conviction on corruption charges and the suspension of Chief Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore.
Montgomery Circuit Judge Gene Reese on May 23 granted a request from the attorney generals office to convene a grand jury to investigate certain matters. The request was filed by the head of the division that investigates public corruption. The grand jury was to be assembled July 11.
The governors lawyer and press office declined to comment on the governors appearance.
In March, the governors office sent the attorney general a report detailing the possible misuse of state funds at the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency under then-Secretary Spencer Collier. Collier, who was fired by Bentley, accused the governor of interfering in a law enforcement investigation and of having an affair. The governor denied the accusations.
Collier accused Bentley of firing him because the two disagreed over a request to file an affidavit saying investigators found no evidence of misconduct by state prosecutors in the ethics case against former House Speaker Mike Hubbard.
Collier has said he wanted to file the affidavit requested by the attorney generals office, but the governor didnt want him to do so.
A jury convicted Hubbard on June 10 of breaking the state ethics law. The attorney generals office requested the new grand jury while that trial was still ongoing.
ANAHEIM They ran out of gift cards. An Anaheim Police Department gun buyback program was so wildly successful that officers had to hand out $48,000 in IOUs to those who turned in weapons.
Police were set to give out 190 $100 gift cards to Kohls, Wal-Mart or Target for each weapon turned in Saturday, but the cards ran out in the first two hours of the event at La Palma Park.
The department is buying more cards, which it will distribute in the next 10 days, Anaheim police Sgt. Ryan Blackburn said.
Protecting the lives of citizens and officers and getting guns off the street is much more valuable than $48,000, Blackburn said.
The buyback netted a record 676 guns, compared with a total of 233 firearms collected over the past three years, he said.
Although the gift cards were a draw, many who turned in guns likely participated to dispose of unwanted weapons and prevent them from falling into the hands of criminals, Blackburn speculated.
Crime doesnt stop at the Orange County line, he said. Stolen guns can move from the north end of the county to the south end in a couple of days.
On the other side of the issue, the California Rifle & Pistol Association had this to say:
Gun buybacks have little impact on making neighborhoods safer, according to David Matza, an association spokesman. This is because the weapons that are turned in are usually not ones that would be used to commit a crime.
While CRPA is dedicated to making our streets safer and commends the Anaheim Police Department for trying to do so, we do not believe in programs or laws that will only remove weapons from law-abiding citizens and do nothing to focus on actual crime.
Based on previous buybacks, Anaheim police expected to collect as many as 150 guns Saturday.
Officers quickly realized that they were in for a busy day when at 7 a.m. a line of cars extended a half mile along La Palma Parkway.
Brian Askov, 32, drove from Carson to turn over a 12-gauge shotgun that belonged to his grandfather. I didnt need to keep it, and I didnt want to sell it illegally, he said.
Those who dropped off firearms drove through three checkpoints, where officers ensured that the guns were secured, collected them and issued gift cards or IOUs.
The weapons, which include rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic handguns and revolvers, are kept in an evidence warehouse at Anaheim police headquarters. Among them are several sniper rifles, sawed-off shotguns, SKS assault rifles, and an M1 Garand, used by U.S. troops in World War II.
Blackburn said he was particularly glad that several subcompact .22-, .25- and .380-caliber and 9 mm handguns were collected, because they are easy to conceal and are favorites of street gangs.
Based on my experience in law enforcement, those are easily concealed and are the most concerning, he said.
The guns will be cataloged by Anaheim police evidence technicians and their serial numbers will be checked to determine if they are stolen. Then the firearms will be shipped to the Orange County Crime Lab to find out if they were used to commit crimes. Eventually, the guns will be pulverized.
Anaheim police plan to hold another gun buyback in December.
We hope the next event will be as successful as Saturdays, Blackburn said.
Q. Dear Honk: Please help me. My two teenage sons and tween daughter are bickering about this question (and school does NOT start for 45 days)! It will be a LONG summer unless I hear from you. How old should a rider be to sit in the front seat of a vehicle? My 10-year-old is very tall (5-foot-3) and insists its all right. Im hoping for peaceful car rides all summer and beyond based on your answer.
Julie Giron, Irvine
A. Oh, the Little Honks back in the day were persistent about getting into the Honkmobiles front seat.
Honk, following the advice of a California Highway Patrol officer, kept them in the back so long that if they were male they would have had lengthy beards before getting to ride shotgun.
Honk just might have, well, fudged a bit and said he was just following the law.
Which, in California, says children must be in the backseat, in a childs seat or in a booster, until they turn 8, said Officer Tino Olivera, a CHP spokesman based in Santa Ana. There are exceptions that affect few.
But the good officer, like his peer, says keep the fiesty-but-special packages out of the front seat as long as possible.
Keep them in the back as long as you can, Olivera advises. If I had young children I would have them in the backseat. Its a lot safer.
Q. Im not sure that Gloria Bogdans point regarding tinted windows received proper focus in your July 1 column. What does for the most part mean in saying that tinted windshields and front-side windows can receive a citing? I think Glorias point was that it does not appear this violation is getting ticketed at all considering how many cars seem to be in violation. I agree with her observation, and so do the others Ive discussed this with. If the violators were being cited for it, there wouldnt be so many darkened drivers windows.
Joe Read, Anaheim
A. Honk likes to be a fun chap and not get bogged down in legalese, so he does trot out for the most part and generally at times to sidestep the exceptions that every law seems to carry with it, oftentimes exceptions that apply to few.
For example, the windshield and front-side windows should, generally, not be tinted. But a motorist can get a doc to sign off on a front, drivers side-window tint job for health reasons so long as the motorist can still see well enough through the glass.
Honk agrees with the chorus many officers choose not to cite tinted-window offenders, apparently finding it a low-level violation, and a scan of the streets confirms this.
Honkin fact: When an Oceanside cop tried to pull over a Nissan sedan Tuesday for a traffic violation, the chase was on. The suspect snaked about San Diego County until pulling into the Vista Jails parking lot. He then ran and scaled a fence right into the area where prisoners are booked. Which he was. (Source: Associated Press).
Contact the writer: honk@ocregister.com
On Thursday night, North Tustin residents Steven and Paula Keiser sat on a balcony outside their rental in Nice, France, enjoying the fireworks display.
We had front-row seats, Paula Keiser said in an emailed interview.
Daughter Hillary Keiser Goebel, there with her two young sons for a summer law school program, had prepared dinner using fresh fruits and vegetables from the nearby market capping the feast with a tarte fraise of berries and custard.
Then the five family members retired to bed around 11 p.m. They slept through the terrorist attack that unfolded shortly afterward just three blocks away as a truck mowed down Bastille Day celebrants along the promenade killing at least 84 people.
Goebels classmate Lynda Hernandez awoke them early that morning by pounding madly on the door. She and other students from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego had been walking back to their apartments when the rampage began.
After two hours, Hillary was the only one in our school group who was not accounted for, Hernandez said. We banged on the door in hysteria. I told Hillary what had just happened and we hugged and cried.
Hernandez and her friends did not witness the truck on its deadly mission, but experienced the peripheral turmoil.
We started seeing large groups of people running in our direction, she said. Everyone was screaming and crying. People who worked in the buildings were trying to get people in and were shutting the doors and turning off the lights. It was complete chaos.
Until that horrific awakening, the study-abroad program had been a dream for Goebel.
On that very day, I had been praising the fact that our trip had been so safe and fun, she said. Now I dont want to leave the apartment and I am worried about attending classes next week. My heart is absolutely broken for all those affected by the tragedy.
The summer session featured Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as a guest professor. Thomas left Nice just hours before the attack. Goebel snapped a selfie of herself with Thomas.
Meeting him was one of the most amazing moments of my life, she said. Although our political views are different, his teaching of the Constitution was so enthralling. He not only was a very intelligent and well-spoken man, he was down to earth and so friendly.
The Foothill High alumna brought sons Vincent, 9, and Harrison, 3, with her to France while her husband, Jon, stayed behind in Ramona. Her parents joined her on June 24 and plan to stay until July 22. Paula Keiser is a Tustin real estate agent, and her husband a dentist in Orange.
On Friday morning, Steven Keiser ventured out to donate blood at a clinic but the line was too long.
Fifteen minutes after opening there was an eight-hour wait, he said. He added that he will try again on Saturday.
The normally bustling streets were quiet.
No horns honking, and the few people out were not in their usual hurry, Keiser said.
Goebel was among those who stayed close to home on the beautiful day no visits to the park for her boys.
For both wonderful and tragic reasons, she said, this trip will forever be ingrained in my memory.
Contact the writer: sgoulding@ocregister.com
RESALE FURNITURE STORE makes debut
Bits and Pieces Resale, a 5,200-square-foot used furniture and home decor store, has opened at 22822 Granite Way in Laguna Hills.
The shop, owned by Nikki Ridley and Betsy Williamson, buys furniture but does not consign.
They became business partners five years ago, when they realized that many had no way of disposing of furniture and collectibles after loved ones moved or died, Williamson said.
BURGER BOSS OPENS IN MISSION VIEJO
Burger Boss has opened its first Orange County location at 27690 Santa Margarita Parkway in Mission Viejo.
The family-owned eatery offers grass-fed beef burgers, cage-free chicken and turkey or black bean vegan burgers. Customers can create their own burgers with more than two dozen different toppings and specialty sauces.
The location having a grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting event with the Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce at 10 a.m. today.
eatery ARRIVES IN LAGUNA HILLS
Raising Canes Chicken Fingers, a Louisiana-based restaurant, celebrated the opening of its fourth Orange County restaurant at 23971 El Toro Road in Laguna Hills.
The eatery gave the first 20 paying, dine-in customers free Canes for a year. The restaurant is known for its never-frozen chicken fingers, Texas toast, secret recipe Canes sauce, coleslaw and crinkle-cut fries.
The location is run by general manager Blake Maggard, an El Toro native.
NEW CHEF AT MONTAGE LAGUNA BEACH
Michael Campbell has been named chef de cuisine of the Loft restaurant at Montage Laguna Beach, 30801 South Coast Highway.
He has more than 20 years of experience in the culinary industry, including working as executive chef at Pueblo in Costa Mesa and executive sous-chef at RN74 in San Francisco.
COASTAL KITCHEN OPENS IN DANA POINT
Coastal Kitchen celebrated its grand opening at 34091 Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point. The building, owned by Michael and Christina Grant, dates back to the 1920s as one of the first commercial buildings in the city.
Menu items range from Scottish salmon and braised short rib to lobster corn dogs and pork belly bites.
Contact the writer: marieek@hotmail.com
President Obama and the first family recently celebrated the end of the school year with a visit to Yosemite National Park. While there, he remarked, Theres something sacred about this place. Indeed, there is. Yosemite and our other national parks are natural and historic treasures that tell the stories of our nation.
An estimated $12 billion backlog of overdue maintenance projects, however, mars the beauty of our national parks. National parks in California alone face a backlog of deferred maintenance that totals nearly $1.8 billion, a total that exceeds the combined maintenance backlog of national parks in 33 states.
Visitors to our national parks are witness to the billions of dollars of neglect dilapidated visitor centers, deteriorating roads and bridges, and thousands of miles of crumbling trails.
Deferred maintenance at Yosemite alone totals more than $555 million. For example, 10 years ago, officials identified a problem with a sewer collection system at Yosemite. Today, the system remains in disrepair, with raw sewage spilling into Yosemites waterways.
In his visit to Yosemite, President Obama marveled at 2,000-year-old sequoias. Dilapidated water lines installed in 1932, however, jeopardize the survivability of these natural wonders. Each day, nearly 40,000 gallons of chlorinated water pour into the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, threatening 500 of the giant trees. One tree has already died as a result of too much water leaking from the 80-year-old water lines.
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area faces a maintenance backlog of more than $275 million, including a project that, if left unattended, threatens the safety and well being of visitors. The Cellhouse at Alcatraz Island is literally crumbling. Concrete falls from the building. The structure moves, cracks and leaks. Lead paint peels off the walls.
These are but a few of the billions of dollars in deferred maintenance projects that plague our national parks.
At Yosemite, Obama said, Weve got more work to do to preserve our lands and our culture and our history. Hes correct, but his approach is wrong.
Instead of working to reduce the backlog of overdue and pressing maintenance projects, he has actually increased the backlog. Since 2000, when there were 379 park units, the number of park units has increased by 8 percent. The growth in the number of parks has contributed to the increase of the maintenance backlog.
Instead of working to invest scarce taxpayer resources to reduce the maintenance backlog in our national parks, President Obama has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a federal land grab. Between 2011 and 2014, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which the federal government funds with oil and gas royalties it collects, spent more than $100 million to acquire more than 100,000 acres to add to the National Park Services holdings.
The problem is that current law dictates that tens of millions of dollars in annual proceeds to the federal LWCF be dedicated to the acquisition of new lands, not the preservation and necessary maintenance of existing ones.
Fortunately, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, Chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources in the U.S. House of Representatives, has introduced legislation to amend existing law. Bishops Protecting Americas Recreation and Conservation Act would reduce funding available for land acquisition and devote it instead to maintenance of existing parks.
Last year, more than 300 million visitors visited our national parks, taking in the beauty and wonder of our most storied national treasures. Their visits should include visitor centers free of rodents and disrepair, safe, well-maintained trails and roads and bridges in good, reliable condition.
If President Obama is committed to the preservation of these national treasures, as he claimed in Yosemite, he should end his administrations unprecedented grab for more federal lands, and instead focus on being a better steward of our national parks.
Travis Hall is communications director for the Conservative Reform Network
Oahu is home to Honolulu, the major metropolis and capital city long considered the cultural, legislative and economic center of Hawaii, the tropical island chain that has been attracting visitors from across the globe since James Cook first set foot on Kauai in 1778.
A later sojourn by the famed British explorer went poorly (he was attacked and slain on the Big Island after attempting to kidnap a king), but bad outcomes are rare for the more than 8 million tourists who visit each year. A typical Hawaiian vacation is full of peace and serenity, along with visits to pristine beaches, stays in luxury hotels and umbrella drinks by the pool.
Oahu, with its famous beaches, world-class resorts and international airport, is the center of all the tourist activity. The island drew more than 5 million visitors in 2014, the last year figures were available, according to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
All this tourism leads to crowds and the headaches that often come with them traffic jams, long lines, overpopulated pools and beaches. Although Oahu may only be 597 square miles not much bigger than Los Angeles there are plenty of opportunities to find your own quiet piece of paradise. While most travelers will instinctively flock to Honolulu and Waikiki, Oahu has plenty of options for visitors looking to avoid the crowds.
Your first step to finding the hidden gems is to scour the short-term vacation rental marketplace online. Rentals listed on AirBnb and VRBO can be as low as $50 a night. You can find places right in the middle of hectic Honolulu, or clear across the island on the North Shore or in Makaha and Waianae.
Your next step should to be to get into your rental car and drive. Highway 61, or the Pali Highway, will take you from downtown Honolulu to Kailua, a favored vacation destination of President Barack Obama. Nearby is Hunakai Beach, a thin strip of sand on Oahus southeastern edge that is hidden in a residential neighborhood behind sprawling homes. The beach is tranquil and mostly void of the tourist crowds at Waikiki.
Or you can head in the opposite direction, toward the islands western edge, to the community of Ko Olina. Although the Four Seasons brand may not bring to mind off the beaten path, its new resort here is about as far from the tourist bustle of Honolulu as you can get. With rooms starting at around $700 a night, youll get seclusion and an oceanfront view.
Pokai Beach Park is a quiet beach favored by locals just off the main road Farrington Highway. This beach on the west side of Oahu is lined by coral reefs and is a popular spot for snorkeling. Just up the road is Aloha Poke, where you can get diced cubes of fresh ahi tuna marinated in wonderful combinations of soy sauce, mayo and wasabi.
Ke Iki Beach Bungalows are right in the middle of Oahus legendary North Shore, and room rates run about $200. These beachfront condos are basic, but hard to reserve rooms are often booked months in advance.
Although technically still in Honolulu, the Kahala Hotel and Resort is just far enough from Waikiki that you feel transported to a different world. Its ritzy and luxurious and there seems to be a constant stream of weddings, occurring every single day. The resort offers five-star vacationing in a beautiful setting, with a fine beach and inspiring views of Diamond Head. The resort has a lagoon where you can watch dolphins swim through the cobalt water as stingrays glide across the white-sand floor.
A short drive from Waikiki, Manoa is home to the University of Hawaiis flagship campus. Its also home to a lush valley with a hiking trail that leads to a tropical waterfall. The Manoa Falls Trail is about 1.6 miles round trip and winds through an ancient volcanic rain forest. Despite its proximity to Honolulu, the trail is often devoid of tourist groups.
While not very much may be hidden in Oahu, getting away from the crowds and experiencing an authentic paradise is often only a short drive in the rental away.
A June 2 decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that San Gabriels payment in lieu of unused medical benefits must be included in the regular rate of pay and in the calculation of overtime pay for its police.
Its a decision that could hit all the local governments in California, even as they struggle to keep up with growing pension payments for their employees.
Eight days after the appeals court decision, attorney Michael McGill, who represents the Upland Police Management Association and who represented several of the officers in the San Gabriel case, demanded in an email that Upland make good on the additional overtime pay that members of the association should get under the ruling. The citys attorney is working with the union to try to head off a lawsuit at the same time watching to see what might happen if San Gabriel appeals the ruling.
San Gabriel should appeal, in our common-sense, laymens view. With all due respect to the Ninth Circuit Court, its ruling in this case misses the mark.
Like many cities and police departments, San Gabriel offers its employees a flexible benefits plan under which the city provides a designated monetary amount for the purchase of medical, vision and dental benefits. An employee whose spouse has medical coverage can forgo the citys insurance and take the money instead.
What the appeals court ruled, affirming the decision of a lower court, was that the money-in-lieu-of-benefits must count as part of the employees regular pay, thereby increasing the amount thats due as time-and-a-half overtime pay.
The court reached that strange conclusion based on the Fair Labor Standards Act, using what seems like odd legal parallels. The opinion by Judge Andre M. Davis, in considering types of payments that may be excluded from compensation, compares San Gabriels benefits money to payments made to bakers for working a schedule without two consecutive days off, and payments to supplement the wages of disabled workers performing lower-wage jobs than before they were disabled. Those are some serious apples and oranges.
The money paid in this case is in lieu of a benefit its not compensation. If Officer A and Officer B have the same hourly pay rate, should A get paid more for overtime than B because B takes the citys medical coverage and A doesnt need it? No. It doesnt make any sense.
The opinion states that the matter is a close question, which appears to turn on the fact that San Gabriel contended the cash payments could be excluded because theyre not tied to hours worked, rather than arguing that they do not constitute compensation.
Thats a fine point of law. Too fine, in fact, to cause cities and the taxpayers who fund them to have to pay extra, undeserved compensation to a subset of their employees perhaps even to the detriment of the rest of their workers.
This decision needs further review. Another appeal is in order.
Theres more evidence the California job market is cooling a bit.
Analysts at payroll-processing giant ADP track their own yardsticks of private-sector employment using data they collect from the paychecks they handle. ADPs estimates of hiring trends at private employers done nationally and in major states is viewed as a solid preview of government employment stats. State and county job reports for June come out July 22.
For June, ADP estimated California private employers had 13.87 million workers up 302,732 positions in a year, or 2.2 percent growth.
June marks a record-high employee count for the state after 69 consecutive months of year-over-year employment increases. But the rate of growth equal to 25,228 hires per month is the slowest expansion pace since December 2011 and is well off the recent peak of 34,541 (or 3.2 percent) in June 2014.
Economies around the globe have struggled in 2016. Low energy prices smacked oil-producing regions. Political tensions both external and internal have made companies skittish about major expansion plans.
Californias current 2.2 percent job growth is relatively good. The states annualized job growth has averaged 0.9 percent since 2005 when ADPs tracking began. Nationwide job growth is 0.8 percent in the same period.
But ADPs breakout of key industries shows some of the California economys recent weak spots.
Manufacturing has been a challenged sector as a strong U.S. dollar makes California-made exports pricey to foreign buyers at the same time many overseas economies were ailing.
ADP estimates that in the 12 months ended in June, California manufacturers cut 11,869 workers, a drop of 0.9 percent. This sector was growing at a 1.2 percent annual pace a year ago.
Businesses in trade, transportation and utility work added 45,775 employees in the past year, or 1.6 percent growth. This sector added jobs at a 2.4 percent annual pace a year ago. Less manufacturing lowers the need to ship goods.
Construction and mining firms added 21,594 workers in a year, or a 2.9 percent hiring pace vs. 6.4 percent annual pace a year ago. Builders say a shortage of skilled workers is slowing development plans.
Professional service firms continue to boost staffing. In the 12 months ended in June, this sector added 66,041 workers. Thats 2.6 percent growth vs. 3 percent annual pace a year ago.
Its worth noting that the states job stats show similar cooling trends. In the 12 months ended in May, government job figures show Californias private employers added workers at a 2.8 percent pace down from 3.1 percent a year ago and the slowest pace since April 2012.
Is this cooler pace of hiring a sign of economic trouble ahead? Or is it just the economy falling into a more normal hiring pace after employers refueled staffs that were thinned by deep cuts amid the Great Recession? Stay tuned.
Contact the writer: jlansner@ocregister.com
MOSCOW The United States on Thursday offered Russia a broad new military partnership in Syria, hoping the attraction of a unified campaign against Islamic State and al-Qaida and a Russian commitment to ground Syrias bombers could end five years of civil war. If finalized, the deal could dramatically alter Americas role in the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Thursday to present him the new ideas. The eight-page proposal, which The Washington Post published on its website, shows the U.S. offering intelligence and targeting sharing, and even joint bombing operations. It is a pact Moscow long had wanted, but the Obama administration resisted.
Hopefully well be able to make some genuine progress that is measurable and implementable and that can make a difference in the course of events in Syria, Kerry said.
Putin said he was looking for tangible results.
The proposal would undercut months of U.S. criticism of Russias military actions in Syria, and put the United States alongside Syrian President Bashar Assads chief international backer, despite years of American demands for the to leave power.
Russia would get what it has wanted since intervening in Syria on Assads behalf last September: leadership of an international anti-terrorism alliance.
Much of Washington is wary about working too closely with Russia. A dissent cable signed by 51 State Department officials last month showed a sizable part of Americas diplomatic establishment believing a U.S. military response against Assads forces was necessary.
Opposition to this latest Syria plan is shared by a significant number of officials at the State Department and the Pentagon and among U.S. intelligence agencies, according to several American officials.
In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Russia had to limit its targeting to extremist groups such as Islamic State and the Nusra Front, al-Qaidas Syrian affiliate, and not the more moderate opposition forces fighting Assads government.
Theres a clear contradiction in Russias approach to this situation, Earnest said. While Moscow often talks about terrorism, he said it uses its military might to prop up the Assad regime at the expense, or in some cases even to the detriment, of our efforts to go after extremists.
Earlier this week, Russia struck camps housing displaced persons and U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army fighters. A U.S. counterterrorism official said there was no presence of Islamic State or Nusra fighters near the camps hit Tuesday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue, said the camps hit had no strategic value.
The Obama administration has few alternatives to working with Russia right now.
Suggestions of U.S. force dont carry much weight, given the unfulfilled threats throughout the war. There were declarations five years ago that Assads days were numbered, and President Barack Obama vowed a military response if chemical weapons were used, then backed down in 2013.
The proposed U.S.-Russian Joint Implementation Group would be based near Amman, Jordan. At its most basic level, the former Cold War foes would share intelligence and targeting information. They should coordinate procedures to permit integrated operations if the U.S. and Russia decide such operations are in their interests, the leaked document said.
The proposal would address one of the most persistent problems with enforcing a cease-fire in Syria: the Nusra Front. The group is engaged in a variety of local alliances with other rebel groups the U.S. and its Arab allies want shielded by the cessation of hostilities. Nusras fighters are often embedded with such groups on the battlefield or move between various militant formations.
For that reason, the U.S. has almost entirely avoided bombing Nusra targets in recent months. Russia hasnt hesitated. As Russia has taken out Nusra forces, the U.S. says Russia also has killed hundreds of moderate, anti-Assad fighters and civilians, undermining chances for peaceful diplomacy.
The new offer represents a new recognition by the U.S. that Nusra must be defeated to end the fighting. Its offensives southwest of Aleppo have been viewed as particularly damaging to the truce.
The document puts responsibility on Russia to get Syrias air force out of the sky, with some limited exceptions. It would subject Russian strikes against vetted Nusra targets to American approval.
Moscows biggest responsibility would be one it has been reluctant to assume: getting Assad to start a political transition that ends his familys four-decade hold over the country. Russia supports the vague idea of transition, but has never publicly spoken of Assad having to resign.
Reactions among U.S.-backed rebel groups in Syria were mixed.
Capt. Abdelsalam Abdurrazek, a spokesman for Nur al-Din Zenki, a CIA-screened rebel entity fighting near Aleppo, decried the U.S. for offering to support an ally of the Syrian regime and an enemy of the Syrian people. He said his group would continue fighting alongside Nusra.
Mozahem al-Saloum of the New Syrian Army, which is fighting Islamic State in eastern Syria, blamed Nusra for paving the way for Islamic State, and said the U.S. plan could work if it guarantees Assads departure. Al-Saloum, the groups spokesman, demanded an immediate transitional period.
Two months ago, Kerry said the transition had to start Aug. 1, or Syria and its backers are asking for a very different track. Any Plan B has remained undefined beyond vague hints of a military intervention involving Saudi troops. The White House and Pentagon have resisted a greater U.S. role.
Parents, students and educators may be using colors instead of numbers to see how well their schools rank.
The plan, presented at a California State Board of Education meeting in Sacramento this week, would replace giving schools a number from 200 to 1,000 heavily based on test scores.
The old system, the Academic Performance Index, was suspended in March 2015 in favor of using other factors to rate a schools quality, such as student attendance, English proficiency, dropout rates and access to college-level classes for high school students.
The proposal is part of an overhaul in educational accountability the state has been pushing since the federal governments No Child Left Behind initiative, criticized by some as a one-size-fits-all plan, was replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act, hailed as a flexible standard taking into account a schools needs.
The color-coded approach, the California Model, would be online and show boxes under different categories.
Each box would get a color signifying performance based on state and federal standards. A table would accompany each chart, where parents and educators could look up what each color means.
We certainly look forward to having a user-friendly accountability system in place that aligns with the current standards and gives parents, educators and our community a dashboard view of how our schools are performing and which areas require greater focus, said Christine Olmstead, an assistant superintendent at the Orange County Department of Education.
Authorities say the ultimate goal is accountability.
Improving school accountability is a priority set by the governor and Legislature under the new school-funding formula, said Michael Kirst, president of the California Board of Education, in a statement.
The board is scheduled to approve a new plan in September.
Contact the writer: afausto@ocregister.com
JUBA, South Sudan Some South Sudanese, including those with dual U.S. citizenship, are not being allowed to leave war-torn South Sudan, even as the United States, India and others continued Thursday to evacuate their citizens while a fragile cease-fire appeared to hold.
The reports that South Sudans government is checking the political ties of people, especially of men, who are seeking safety have raised fears of further violence in a country trying to heal from civil war.
An Associated Press reporter at the airport in the capital, Juba, saw local authorities refuse about 20 dual South Sudanese-U.S. citizens from leaving the country, despite the presence of U.S. Embassy staff.
The State Department acknowledged that some people had been barred from boarding a chartered flight.
In a July 14 security message, the U.S. Embassy advised U.S. citizens that the government of South Sudan is scrutinizing the travel documents of dual nationals, with an apparent focus on South Sudanese government and political affiliation, particularly of male dual nationals, spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said.
In a statement, Amnesty International said it had received reports from two charter airline companies that National Security Service officers have ordered them not to carry South Sudanese nationals, particularly men.
The London-based rights group called the restrictions totally unacceptable and called for safe passage for civilians.
Other South Sudanese trying to flee the country by road have reported being turned back from the border.
We definitely hope that people who wish to leave South Sudan, regardless of their nationality, for their own safety are able to do so without hindrance, said the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Stephane Dujarric.
A convoy of Ugandan troops moving into South Sudans capital for evacuations was ambushed by gunmen who were repulsed following an exchange of fire, Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, the Ugandan military spokesman, said. Three Ugandan soldiers were hurt, he said.
Other countries, including India, were arranging flights for their citizens. Germanys foreign office said those evacuated on Wednesday included three wounded Chinese peacekeepers from the U.N. mission in South Sudan. A fourth wounded Chinese peacekeeper was airlifted Thursday to Uganda.
In Juba, the U.N. peacekeeping mission and U.N. agencies were preparing for the temporary relocation of non-critical staff from Juba, Dujarric said. He did not say how many people that would include.
Concerns grew about abuses committed during the chaos, which the U.N. says has displaced 42,000 civilians.
Dujarric said reports include allegations of a killing of at least one South Sudanese national working for an international NGO, as well as rapes, including of an international NGO staff. U.N. staff members have also been assaulted.
The World Food Program said it was outraged by the looting of its main warehouse in Juba, which had held more than 4,500 metric tons of food as well as trucks, generators and other supplies for countrywide operations.
ANAHEIM For the next 10 years, every sixth grader at an Anaheim public or private school could receive a free ticket to Disneyland for doing something to benefit their community, Disney announced Friday.
Sixth grade is a great year to help inspire students to give back to their community through service, said Jill Bolton, director of corporate citizenship at Disneyland.
The Happiest Class on Earth program is the companys way of ending Disneylands 60th anniversary and kicking off the parks 61st anniversary, she said.
Students can work individually or as a class with their teacher on a specific project, such as volunteering at a senior center, organizing group activities with students who have disabilities or planning a school-wide clean-up day.
Once the service project is completed, the teacher contacts Disney to arrange the free tickets for each student. The price of a Disneyland ticket ranges from $95 to $119 depending on the day of the visit. The tickets will be good for a year and valid on most days.
Disney estimates there are about 5,000 sixth-grade students attending Anaheim schools. Schools outside the city, but with a minimum of 50 percent of their students living in Anaheim, are also eligible.
Students at Horace Mann Elementary, where the program was announced Friday morning, were astonished. The school has about 120 sixth graders.
I think this will help the students get involved in their community, said Itzel Carbajal, 11. They know they have to work to get something.
Nathaniel Guerrero, 10, has helped raise money for the Childrens Hospital of Orange County by organizing a used book drive, he waters the schools plants and he volunteers at a local senior center.
We need to work together, he said, to make the world a better place.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2443 or jpimentel@ocregister.com or follow on Twitter @OCDisney
WASHINGTON Donald Trump abruptly postponed plans to announce his vice presidential pick following a day of rampant speculation, citing the horrible attack in Nice, France, that left scores dead.
Trump had planned to hold his first event with his yet-to-be-named running mate Friday morning in New York. He announced the change of plans Thursday evening on Twitter.
The stunning announcement raised questions about the status of Trumps selection process. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence had emerged as a late favorite for the job, though Trump said he had not finalized the pick and advisers cautioned he could change his mind.
I havent made my final, final decision, Trump said on Fox News.
After spending much of Thursday in Indianapolis, Pence flew to New York late in the day, according to a Republican familiar with the process. Indianapolis television station WTHR posted a video showing Pence arriving at a private airport in New Jersey early Thursday evening.
Trump did not say when he planned to announce his running mate. Hes up against a clock: The Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland Monday.
In addition to Pence, Trumps shortlist included former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to people familiar with the candidates thinking.
In tapping Pence, a staunch conservative with six terms in Congress, Trump would likely ease GOP leaders concerns about his own political inexperience and volatile temperament.
Pence has influential allies in Trumps inner circle. But some of Trumps children, who have been closely advising their father, are said to favor different candidates.
Campaign chair Paul Manafort was among those urging caution in assuming any decision on Thursday, saying on Twitter that Trumps choice will be made in the near future.
As the day began, it appeared the decision would come quickly. Gingrich, the fiery Republican who helped define the political battles of the 1990s, told The Associated Press that Trump was supposed to let him know something in the afternoon. But by early evening, Gingrich told the AP he had heard nothing from Trump or others in the campaign.
Other Republicans with knowledge of the process said there had been no calls to Pence or Christie, either.
The top contenders have been vetted by a top Washington lawyer and all have spent time with Trump in recent days. But the final decision rests with the candidate, who is known for making decisions more on instinct than other factors and for sometimes changing his mind.
Trump was in California Thursday for several fundraisers. His schedule put him at a distance from many of his closest advisers, including Manafort and his three oldest children.
Pence is running for re-election, but Indiana law prevents him from seeking two offices at once. He faces a Friday deadline to withdraw from the governors race.
The paperwork has been drawn up for him to take that step, according to a Republican, who insisted on anonymity because that person was not authorized to publicly discuss the plans. However, those documents have not been filed.
Christie, in New Jersey, said in an interview with MSNBC: No matter what phone call (Trump) makes to me today, I will take a deep breath and prepare for tomorrow. The interview came hours before David Samson, whom Christie appointed to chair the powerful Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, pleaded guilty to scheming to get United Airlines to run direct flights between New Jersey and South Carolina where he has a vacation home.
Gingrich was the most visible of the contenders. As speculation about his future swirled, he calmly answered questions about the selection process on Facebook Live, including saying he had told Trump the choice was between having two pirates on the ticket or a pirate and a relatively stable, more normal person.
Each of Trumps top contenders would add significant political experience to the GOP ticket. Trump has said for weeks that he wanted a running mate who could help him work with Congress.
AP writers Erica Werner in Washington, and Brian Slodysko in Indianapolis contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON Donald Trumps choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence provides the ticket with solid conservative credentials, a dash of establishment respectability and an experienced hand who knows his way around Capitol Hill.
Perhaps more than anything, the telegenic, media-savvy Pence, 57, adds some ice to Trumps fiery bombast on the campaign trail, something that many nervous mainstream Republicans have been begging for.
Hes a very low-key, get-it-done type of guy, said Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., a Trump supporter who served with Pence for two years in the House of Representatives. Opposites attract, different styles. You need different styles to motivate different types of personalities. . Hes got a lot of relationships here and a lot of people like him.
One of Pences favorite sayings is Im a conservative, but Im not angry about it, and he even described himself as a Rush Limbaugh on decaf during a stint as a conservative talk radio show host in the 1990s. That even-tempered attitude helped him morph from a bomb-throwing conservative House member to someone who could legislate, said former Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., a moderate who served with Pence in the House.
He had to adjust to the reality of congressional coalitions, and he did, Davis said.
Pence has also described himself as a small-town guy from southern Indiana who grew up with a cornfield in my backyard, but he earned the ardor of national conservatives: He led an insurgent charge from the right against House Speaker John Boehner and frequently clashed with the Bush administration over spending.
His profile as a fiscal and social conservative sparked speculation that hed run for president for 2012. But the lifelong Hoosier instead returned home to run for governor.
Pences stock for vice president rose within Republican circles in recent days, largely because he seemed to check all the boxes for a Trump running mate: lifetime Republican, congressional and executive experience, along with an ability to parry and thrust. Though Pence is no brawler like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the other Trump potential running mates he did the stint as a radio host.
Pence and his wife, Karen, a schoolteacher, have been married since 1985 and have three grown children: Michael, a Marine Corps officer, Charlotte, and Audrey.
He and Trump are far from a perfect fit. Pence endorsed rival Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, just days before the crucial Indiana primary, telling a local radio station, Im not against anybody, but I will be voting for Ted Cruz in the Republican primary.
And Pence has had his differences with Trump, including criticizing Trumps call to block Muslims from entering the country.
He called Trumps questioning the impartiality of a federal judge based on his ethnic background inappropriate.
Pence is not well-known among the nations voters, and the campaign will need to move quickly to fill in the blanks. Pence seemingly began that on Friday, issuing a flurry of tweets boasting about his record as Indiana governor.
A McClatchy-Marist poll this week found Pence a blank slate to 56 percent of voters. Even in the Midwest, where he was elected to Congress and serves as governor, 58 percent of voters hadnt heard of him.
Pences strongest backing was among tea party supporters, who favored him by 27 to 17 percent, according to the poll, and among conservatives who view him favorably by 19 to 14 percent.
Pence was elected governor of his native state in 2012 after serving 12 years in the House of Representatives.
There he gained a reputation for conservationism, leading a charge against President George W. Bushs move to expand Medicare to cover prescription drugs and complaining about rising budget deficits under Republican rule.
He unsuccessfully ran an insurgency campaign from the right, challenging Boehner for leadership of House Republicans after the party lost control of the chamber in 2006. Though he lost, he won the chairmanship of the House Republican Conference two years later, the third spot in the partys leadership. He left Congress in 2011, mulling a run for the presidency or the governors mansion.
He took himself out of the 2012 presidential race early, despite a solid standing among conservatives and a draft Pence movement that signaled that an independently financed ad campaign would help him in the primaries.
In Congress, he opposed the George W. Bush-era No Child Left Behind education law, the federal bailout of banks and Medicare Part D.
He was described in 2003 as a leader of Republican conservatives who had quarreled with leadership over efforts to keep spending bills within the budget caps. As part of that effort, he led a congressional effort that insisted that aid to Iraq be given as a loan, not a grant as the Bush administration had insisted.
Pence is also a social conservative, considered by anti-abortion rights groups a pro-life trailblazer. He led efforts in the House to pull funding from the health care organization Planned Parenthood and as governor, signed into law a bill that abortion foes say protects fetuses against discrimination.
Still, some conservatives say Pence lost his luster when he left the House to govern red-state Indiana.
He gives Trump the veneer of conservatism without anyone ever having to worry that hed actually fight for those principles, conservative talk radio host Erick Erickson wrote this week on The Resurgent bashing Pence.
Pence came under fire last year from conservatives for seemingly backing away from his decision to sign the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a bill that supporters said would protect companies and individuals from government actions that would substantially burden religious practices.
Pence at the time suggested the bill mirrored a 1993 federal measure signed by President Bill Clinton, as well as laws in 19 other states, but critics called the Indiana law a license to discriminate.
Facing a backlash from inside the Hoosier State and nationwide, Pence signed a revised version of the bill that included language that the measure cannot be used to discriminate based on sexual orientation.
Pence has shown that he lacks one of Trumps most admirable qualities: the willingness to fight for what he believes in, said conservative activist Richard Viguerie.
Pences re-election this year was no sure bet as Hoosiers chided him for clumsy handling of the religious freedom act. Polling in the state showed him with a lackluster job approval rating and some surveys had him tied with his opponent, Democratic former House Speaker John Gregg.
Democrats provided an early line of what theyd go after Pence with, including him in a guide to the potential 2016 candidates, though Pence never ran.
They noted Pences problems with his base, noting that when he decided to seek an alternative plan to expand Indianas Medicaid program, the tea party accused him of abandoning them. And after the Supreme Court deemed Indianas ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, Pence said Indiana would comply with the ruling.
SAN FRANCISCO California Gov. Jerry Brown has hired a Washington elder statesman to help try to make Browns proposal for two giant water tunnels a reality.
Officials confirmed Thursday that former Clinton-era Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt has signed on as a senior adviser to the $15.7 billion tunnels project.
Brown supports building two, 35-mile tunnels to carry water from Northern California for use primarily by Central and Southern California. Federal authorities have yet to approve the project. State officials and environmental groups disagree over whether the tunnels would hurt endangered species. And with just two years left in Browns term, water contractors who would get the water from the tunnels have yet to commit to paying for them.
State spokeswoman Nancy Vogel says Babbitt was hired June 22 at $10,000 a month.
It might sound like a silly idea, but it turns out that drawing eyes on the rumps of cattle might deter lions from attacking and prevent human retaliation against the mighty predators.
It sounds like a strategy to protect the poor cattle, but the idea is actually to protect endangered African lions from human retaliation. The majestic felines are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with numbers currently in the range of 23,000 to 39,000 and rapidly declining. As protected conservation areas become smaller, lions are increasingly coming into contact with human populations, which are expanding to the boundaries of these protected areas, says Dr Neil Jordan, a conservation biologist from UNSWs Centre for Ecosystem Science. The lions attack livestock, and with no non-lethal way of protecting their livelihood farmers often shoot or poison the predators in retaliation.
To help humans and their cattle coexist with lions, Jordan has come up with a low-cost strategy that he hopes will prevent attacks and retaliatory violence. The idea behind painting a pair of intimidating eyes on the rumps of cows is that they will trick the lions into thinking theyve been spotted, causing them to abandon the hunt. Scientists know that being seen can deter some species from attacking their prey. For example, Indian woodcutters have long been wearing worn masks on the back of their heads to trick man-eating tigers that theyve been spotted, and butterflies with eye-patterns on their wings ward off predatory birds.
Photo: Ben Yexly/UNSW
Dr. Jordan came up with the idea of painting eyes on the butts of cattle while watching a lion attack an impala antelope. Lions are ambush hunters, so they creep up on their prey, get close and jump on them unseen. But in this case, the impala noticed the lion. And when the lion realised it had been spotted, it gave up on the hunt, he says.
Last year, Jordan collaborated with the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust (BPCT) to implement the strategy he has dubbed iCow. Researchers painted eyes onto the rumps of one-third of a herd of 62 cattle, and counted the returning cattle every night. After a 10-week period, the results were encouraging: three unpainted cows were killed by lions, and no painted cows were killed. However, the sample was too small to determine whether iCow is actually effective or the results were merely determined by chance.
Photo: Ben Yexly/UNSW
This month, the Australian conservationist has returned to Botswana to continue his research. He has managed to raise more than A$8000 on the science crowdfunding platform Experiment.com, which hell spend on 10 cattle GPS loggers and one GPS radio collar to be fitted on a wild lion under anesthetic. Jordan and his team will paint eyes on the butts of roughly half the cattle in a herd of 60 and use the GPS devices to monitor the movements of cows and lions to determine if the strategy works.
If the fake eyes prove to be an effective way of deterring lions from attacking cattle, it could provide farmers in Botswana and other places with a sustainable tool to protect their animals, as well as aid lion conservation efforts. I hope they fall for it!
Source: University of New South Wales via Neatorama
FCC, not once mentioning health threats of Wi-Fi radiation, yesterday adopted rules allowing more powerful 5G wireless technology. We found the same blindness among officials in our home town of Westhampton Beach.
The five FCC commissioners each made statements on the new technology. Health and environmental considerations are absent from them. Tom Wheeler is chair and commissioners are Mignon Clyburn, Jessica Rosenworcel, Ajit Pai and Michael ORielly.
Rosenworcel has been called an outspoken advocate for families and students unable to access the internet after school hours for homework.
She has supported the Digital Learning Equity Act now before the House of Representatives and is an outspoken proponent of pushing forward on 5G. She has never been quoted saying that caution must be used by children with cellphones and computers.
Rosenworcel spoke at the Wi-Fi Now conference in Tysons Corner, Va., April 19-21. ODwyer reporters were banned after saying they would raise health concerns about Wi-Fi.
Ellie Marks, chair of the California Brain Tumor Assn., cites scientific evidence of damage done by radiation and has compiled a list of more than 300 notables who died of brain cancer, many of them in their 40's, 50's and 60's.
Her plea to the FCC this week and the pleas of many other healthcare advocates that 5G be tested before rollout were ignored.
We have found the same obstinacy in our hometown of Westhampton Beach, Long Island.
Peak Radiation Where WH Board Meets
Our Acoustimeter shows a peak of six volts per square meter in the very room where the library board holds monthly meetings. When we showed that to trustees at their meetings, all we got was derision and laughter. Microwatts of pulsed radiation per square meter are in the 1,000 to 2,500 range in the room.
Bioinitiative.org says there is no safe level of pulsed radiation over long periods of time.
Jack O'Dwyer with Acoustimeter
Comments from board members include the view that the sun emits radiation so why dont we worry about that and Wi-Fi is everywhere anyway and is even brought into the library by people with their cellphones. Yes, and the library should be warning patrons not to press the phones to their ears or carry them in their pockets.
Board members, headed by Tom Moore, husband of Westhampton Beach Maria Moore, are not budging on our request to see any of the routers that are in the ceilings of the library on both floors that are causing the radiation.
They have directed us to supplier Cablevision where VP-Communications Lisa Anselmo of parent Altice will not come to the phone or answer our emails.
WH Children Were Radiated July 13
Our plan was to hold up the Acoustimeter in the boardroom July 13 but, for the first time in memory, the board switched to the second floor childrens area for its meeting. A program for children took over the first floor meeting room. Instead of six volts per square meter, the second floor only shows two to three volts, which is still unsafe. Microwatts per square meter are in the 1,000-2,500 range.
Children's meeting at WHB library.
The indicated course of action would be for the library to retain healthydwellings.com or a similar service and do a room-by-room census of the radiation.
Children, babies, fetuses and regular patrons are victims but the biggest victims are staffers who are subjected to the rays 7-8 hours a day, five days a week. Staffers at the Library of Paris led in banishing Wi-Fi from the library in 2008.
Westhampton Beachs board of trustees also turns down our requests to see the routers that are causing dangerous levels of radiation in Village Hall. They wont provide any of the specs and reject Freedom of Information filings.
Reactions to FCC Start Coming in
Wi-Fi health advocates have just begun to cope with the new FCC policies.
Advocate Ed Friedman says that 5G uses millimeter frequencies of the spectrum that penetrate minimally and this means millions of transceivers will be needed to move data any distance.
Minimal penetration, he adds, means skin and eyes are the main tissues affected immediately, where all of the wave energy is concentrated and the points from which the disruption of cellular communication chains to deeper areas of the body will begin.
Millimeter waves will also disproportionately affect small creatures like insect pollinators with high energy versus a longer wave were most of the energy would not be trapped in the body but pass through it.
Kit Weaver of SkyVision Solutions noted that the objections of several Commissioners were basically that the FC lacks the expertise to deal with cybersecurity and should leave this to the [non FCC] experts. It was also noted that not enough bandwidth was being made available.
There was not a word about safety although they got excited about various potential uses of the new bandwidths and really excited that the US will be first despite apparent objections from the pesky International Telecommunications Union, she said.
Landlines Under Attack
The second part of the session was to approve measures that will make it easier for carriers to get rid of landlines. Commissioner ORielly said one important goal is to remove obstacles to consumer choice. Health advocates say the public is losing its choice to keep safe, reliable, secure and acoustically excellent landlines.
Health advocates say there is again no concern with safety. Here is the FCC release:
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2016 Landline phone network technology is changing rapidly, and today, the Federal Communications Commission further updated its rules to help ensure that consumers, industry and the economy reap the benefits of this ongoing, innovative transformation.
Todays action will eliminate outdated, unnecessary regulations and establish clear criteria that can expedite the review process required when providers update service from legacy to modern voice technologies.
The new framework will give carriers the clarity they need to transition quickly to innovative services and at the same time ensure continued protections for consumers, competition, public safety and universal service, all important values that must endure even as technology changes.
Voice service providers are transitioning from legacy network technology known as time-division multiplexing or TDM to service using internet protocol (IP) technology and wireless. The FCC has authority under Section 214 of the Communications Act to protect consumers when service is discontinued, but a review processes without clear standards could needlessly slow beneficial technology transitions.
Under the new rules, a companys application to discontinue legacy TDM-based voice service in a technology transition can be automatically granted in 30 days if the applicant meets a clear, objective, three-pronged test. This test recognizes that while many consumers have welcomed new services, legacy technologies remain relevant for others.
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Erica Garner Blocked From Speaking With President Obama At Town Hall On Race Relations Abel Shifferaw
Erica Garner, the eldest daughter of the late Eric Garner, the man who was murdered by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in Staten Island, was blocked from speaking at an ABC Town hall on race relations, according to Garner in a series of tweets she made today. The town hall comes on the heels of a spade of police violence that has brought the issues of racism, white supremacy, and police terror back into the national and international spotlight following the executions of 37 year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rogue, Louisiana and 32-year-old Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Since the death of her father, Erica Garner has been advocating for police reform and endorsed democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. President Barack Obama was in attendance at the town hall, fielding questions. It was titled, The President and the People: A National Conversation. It aired at 8 p.m. ET on a range of networks and online platforms including ABC, ESPN, YouTube, Yahoo, and others.
Garner shouted, I was railroaded! I was railroaded by ABC on the two-year anniversary of my fathers death!
In addition to not being able to speak on the program, Garner was upset at how the conversation was framed, calling it a farce and nothing short of full exploitation of Black pain and grief. Erica Garner was eventually able to meet with the President after the town hall, behind closed doors. Speaking to Buzzfeed News, Garner explained her frustration:
Im tired. Im tired and Im exhausted. Ive exhausted every avenue trying to pursue justice for my dad. Ive spoken to a rep from the DOJ. Ive spoken on panels whoever you can think of Ive spoken with them. Im tired of having this conversation. Im tired. And I think the only way do this is to shut shit down, she said. Thats not what I wanted to do or intend to do, but its a shame that I have to be loud and act ghetto to get my point across. But I will be used and I will not be silent.
Watch the 15 year-old son of Alton Sterling, Cameron Sterling speak with the President at the town hall and read Erica Garner tweet about the incident below.
Yo this town hall that presidential town hall #abc arranged is a farce. It was nothing short of full exploitation of Black pain and grief officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
They lied to me and my family to get us to travel to DC to participate. Taking time away from things I had planned to remember my father. officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
I should have known something was wrong when they had little Cameron Sterling standing with the Lt. Gov of Texas while he denounced BLM officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
I need all of you to know that this #ABC town hall that will air at 8pm is a sham. They shut out ALL real and hard questions officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
I went there trying to represent THE PEOPLE #ABC wanted ratings even if it meant they had to profit from Black misery and oppression. officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 14, 2016
I was not upset about not speaking with #POTUS . i was upset because #ABC lied and used me, my pain, and suffering for ratings. officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) July 15, 2016
H/T: New York Post
One man has been sentenced for his role in a disturbance at the Sarpy County Jail that caused about $42,000 in damage.
Joshua Salazar, 24, was given two years in prison after he pleaded guilty in Sarpy County District Court to causing felony criminal mischief over $5,000 and misdemeanor obstructing government operations. Two other charges were dismissed.
He is projected to be released next April.
Another man involved in the disturbance, Valdemar Grimaldo Jr., still faces charges related to the disturbance at the jail, but his original drug charges were dismissed.
The other two inmates charged in connection with the disturbance, Angok Wal and Brandon McKinley Jr., have both pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to appear in court in the coming weeks.
On April 29 the fire alarm went off in a medium-security unit that housed 17 inmates in the jail. The sprinklers were on, the main door was blocked, drains were plugged, and the side doors had been tied off with blankets, officials said after the incident.
Deputies put the unit on lockdown and all but four inmates complied. Authorities said the four had covered the windows of the unit with toothpaste and newspapers and surveillance cameras with soap, toothpaste and paper products.
The flooding caused water damage on the main floor of the jail and in the Public Defenders Office. Fred Uhe, spokesman for Sarpy County, said most of the damage is expected to be covered by insurance.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1192, emily.nitcher@owh.com
LINCOLN The University of Nebraska is poised to ask the Legislature for about 4 percent more in state appropriations each year for the next two years.
The NU Board of Regents will vote next week on the request, which includes a 2.4 percent increase each year in salaries and $900,000 for the First Data building near the University of Nebraska at Omahas College of Information Science and Technology and the College of Business.
The universitys request, recommended by NU President Hank Bounds, goes toward university operations and strategic initiatives. State funds are vital to NUs ability to keep costs affordable for students, while advancing initiatives that serve the state, according to university documents to be presented to the regents.
We also recognize that the state has limited resources to allocate to its many priorities, documents say. Our goal is to be a partner in navigating the challenging fiscal environment while not losing Nebraskas competitive advantage.
The request comes a day after Gov. Pete Ricketts told state agencies to tighten their belts and watch their pennies during the fiscal year that began July 1.
Bounds said the university recognizes that the states economic health has weakened.
Were really taking a bare-bones request, he said.
Under the universitys request, NU would receive $602 million in 2017-18, up 3.9 percent from the current $580 million the university system receives in state appropriations. NU would receive 4.2 percent more, or $628 million, in 2018-19.
The request is due to Nebraskas Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education by Aug. 15.
The 2.4 percent increase each year in salaries is tentative and will be revised after UNO and University of Nebraska at Kearney faculty complete collective bargaining. The 2.4 percent was recommended by the state as a placeholder, Bounds said.
The two-year plan allows for an 8.2 percent increase in health increase premiums in 2017-18 and a 7 percent increase the following year, Bounds said.
It also factors in $900,000 for the First Data building near UNOs College of Information Science and Technology and the College of Business, and $420,000 for the University of Nebraska Medical Centers College of Nursing in Lincoln.
First Data sold the Aksarben-area building to the University of Nebraska Foundation, and UNO has since acquired it. The NU Foundation paid $30 million for the property. The state funds would be used for renovations.
Bounds said to expect more announcements in the next week or so about the First Data building project. He said it will have a very strong IT focus and involve several areas of research, including cybersecurity.
The UNMC College of Nursing Lincoln Division, meanwhile, is moving from a building downtown into a new facility on UNLs East Campus. The money would go toward making the space usable for higher education purposes, according to an NU spokeswoman.
The proposal includes $500,000 for NUs National Strategic Research Institute based at UNMC; $500,000 for an IT initiative at UNO; and $250,000 for student retention initiatives at UNK.
Nebraska ended its last fiscal year with $95 million less tax revenue than expected, a state report released Thursday showed.
Still, Ricketts said there is no need to call the State Legislature back to Lincoln for a special budget-cutting session. He also said he has not given up hopes of cutting taxes during the next two-year state budget period, which will start on July 1, 2017.
Contact the writer: 402-473-9581, emily.nohr@owh.com
The Senate unanimously approved legislation Thursday night naming an Omaha post office after an Omahan killed in action in Afghanistan in 2011.
The legislation would designate the U.S. Post Office at 5720 S. 142nd St. as the Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb A. Nelson Post Office Building.
Nelson was killed in Afghanistan on Oct, 1, 2011, after his vehicle, while on patrol, was struck by an improvised explosive device.
The bill now heads to President Barack Obamas desk for his signature.
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., applauded passage of the bill.
Officer Nelson served his country with honor, and today, the U.S. Senate is formally recognizing his sacrifice to our nation, she said. By dedicating this post office in his memory, Officer Nelsons legacy will live on and continue to inspire members of the Omaha community.
Nelson was born and reared in Omaha and he graduated from the Navys SEAL training program in 2006.
Among Nelsons awards and decorations are the Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Sea Service ribbon (two awards), NATO Service Medal, Expert Rifle ribbon, and Expert Pistol ribbon.
The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District is moving forward with plans to appoint a replacement for Director Scott Japp, who died suddenly last month.
Meanwhile, the board began to discuss its 2017 budget at its Thursday night meeting. Under the draft budget, the districts property tax rate would remain the same and spending would dip slightly to $67.2 million.
Japps death left four rural NRD counties without representation on the board.
Board Chairman David Klug wrote a memo laying out how the board should fill the vacancy.
With the multitude of factors related to this situation, I feel it is in the best interest of the district to thoughtfully and diligently fill this vacancy, he wrote.
Klug said he and fellow directors Tim Fowler, John Conley and Rich Tesar will serve as an executive committee to search for a new candidate.
He said the district would advertise for candidates. Applications would close Aug. 1 and the board would choose the new director at its Aug. 11 meeting.
Board members approved that plan 9-0 Thursday, with Klug not present.
The board also held a moment of silence for Japp. And one of his constituents, Shawn Melotz, suggested the district name its building in Blair after Japp.
That Aug. 11 meeting will also be the public hearing on the 2017 budget. The board is scheduled to vote on the budget and formally set the tax levy Sept. 8.
Under the first draft of the budget, the property tax rate remains at 3.8034 cents per $100 of valuation. That is a $57.05 annual payment on a home thats valued at $150,000.
Melotz asked the board to lower the property tax rate, noting that the board raised the tax rate in the 2016 budget.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1084, roseann.moring@owh.com
LINCOLN A Gage County official said Friday that steps are being taken to protect the taxpayers from a $28 million verdict for a reckless investigation that wrongly sent six people to prison.
County Attorney Roger Harris declined to reveal whether the county will appeal last weeks stunning jury award. But he strongly suggested that the 7-year-old lawsuit isnt over.
In the next few days, you will see some filings in court, he said, following a two-hour meeting attended by the board supervisors and the three attorneys hired to defend the county in federal court.
The deadline for filing a motion for a new trial is Monday.
Professionals with a long history of working in county government have called the $28 million judgment unprecedented and said it has put Gage County in uncharted waters.
And it has prompted them to speculate about the countys options, should it be forced to pay.
A federal court jury last week awarded the verdict to six people wrongfully convicted of the 1985 homicide of a 68-year-old Beatrice woman. DNA tests in 2008 cleared the six and pointed instead to an Oklahoma man who died before he could be brought to justice.
The six spent more than 70 years combined in prison in the rape and slaying of Helen Wilson. They were convicted following a 1989 investigation by the Gage County Sheriffs Office.
By all indications, Gage County is on the hook for the entire damage amount, as the county apparently lacks coverage for prior acts of police misconduct, Dorn said.
The Beatrice Six case predates a 1994 state law that required local governments to obtain liability insurance for law enforcement activity. Its unclear what coverage the county had prior to 1997, when it joined the Nebraska Intergovernmental Risk Management Association, which provides liability insurance for 81 of the states 93 counties.
When members of the Beatrice Six filed their lawsuit in 2009, a review determined that Gage County lacked coverage for actions by sheriffs deputies in 1989, said Larry Pelan, underwriting and risk manager for the association.
But even if the county had insurance to cover the 1989 investigation, payments would have been capped at $5 million, he said. Thats the limit on law enforcement liability for all members of the association.
Theres no way you can even buy the type of coverage to pay a $28 million award, Pelan said.
Following an 18-day trial at the federal building in Lincoln, jurors held the county and two sheriffs deputies liable for a reckless investigation and manufacturing evidence. The $28 million in damages fell short of the $37.5 million sought by the six but far more than the $1.4 million suggested by lawyers for the county.
Assuming the jury verdict stands, the county of 21,900 residents will be faced with several options that could be painful for taxpayers.
For starters, the county is looking at a total bill of well over $30 million, because it hired three outside lawyers to defend it against the lawsuit. The county also has been ordered to pay the legal fees of four separate law firms that represented the six plaintiffs.
To settle the verdict, county officials could issue governmental bonds that would have to be paid off with interest over the course of years. Or it could seek financial assistance from the Nebraska Legislature, as Richardson County did in 1996 when it received $200,000 to help pay off debt incurred from two death penalty prosecutions and catastrophic flooding damage.
A county can declare bankruptcy, said Larry Dix, director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials. Although we have never seen a county declare bankruptcy that Im aware of.
Gage County officials also could try to negotiate with the plaintiffs for a smaller award.
Before the lawsuit went to trial, the plaintiffs twice offered to settle for $15 million, said Jeff Patterson, a lawyer for four of the six plaintiffs. In one instance, the county refused. In the second, the county made a counter offer of $100,000 for each of the six.
They flat told us they would prefer the jury make the decision, Patterson said.
A provision of state law also allows local governments to seek loans from the state treasurer if they lack the financial resources to pay claims resulting from wrongful acts. Its unclear, however, if a federal lawsuit would qualify as a tort claim under the law.
Some will argue that Gage County officials should have taken the settlement offer, but lawyer Vince Valentino, who has defended local governments in court, said thats easier said than done. Consider, for example, that the $15 million far exceeds the $9 million that Gage County collects in tax revenue each year, he said.
What are you going to do, shut down all your county offices and pay these guys? Valentino asked. Most county board members would not simply dump that kind of money without some kind of court judgment.
Contact the writer: 402-473-9587, joe.duggan@owh.com
Fred Conley has made no decision about resigning from the Metropolitan Community College board, he said Thursday.
Conley, who commented following a Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District board of directors meeting, declined to elaborate.
At some future time and place I may make a comment, he said.
Conley is under pressure to resign from his Metro Community College post because of potential fallout from a U.S. government order regarding Conley. State Sen. Ernie Chambers has said Conley should resign from the Metro board.
The U.S. Department of Education is threatening to withhold federal funding from Metro if Conley remains on its board. Thats because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued an order prohibiting Conley from participating in federal contracts for three years.
That order stemmed from a HUD finding that Conley had failed to disclose a potential conflict of interest while he was a member of the Omaha Housing Authority board. He has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the HUD action against him.
Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom called Thursday for Fred Conley to be removed from the Papio-Missouri NRD.
Conley currently serves as an elected member of both the Papio-Missouri NRD and Metro Community College boards.
Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom bird-dogs the NRD but doesnt keep as close an eye on Metro.
The advocacy groups president, Doug Kagan, said Thursday that Conley should leave the NRD board because his OHA board actions were unethical, and because his presence on the NRD board could jeopardize the districts federal funding.
We feel his reputation has been tainted, Kagan said.
Kagan tried to address the issue during budget-related testimony at Thursdays Papio-Missouri NRD meeting, but the presiding chairman told him to keep his comments relevant to the budget.
Kagan said Conleys presence on the NRD board could affect its eligibility to receive federal funds, as it could Metros.
John Winkler, the NRDs general manager, said lawyers for the district are looking into the matter, but no federal partners have notified him about Conleys presence on the board being a problem.
He said the NRDs situation is totally different from Metros.
Until we have something to act on ... that is something were not going to address, Winkler said.
Kagan halted his testimony, and returned to the audience.
Conley was not discussed further during the meeting.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Forces loyal to Turkey's president quashed a coup attempt in a night of explosions, air battles and gunfire that left some 250 people dead and over 1,400 wounded Saturday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed that those responsible "will pay a heavy price for their treason" as authorities arrested or dismissed thousands of troops and judges.
The chaos Friday night and Saturday came amid a period of political turmoil in Turkey a NATO member and key Western ally in the fight against the Islamic State group that critics blame on Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule. Staying in power by switching from being prime minister to president, Erdogan has shaken up the government, cracked down on dissidents, restricted the news media and renewed fighting with Kurdish rebels.
The government has also come under pressure from hosting millions of refugees who have fled violence in neighboring Syria and Iraq, and from a series of bloody attacks blamed on Islamic State extremists and Kurdish rebels.
Erdogan was on a seaside vacation when tanks rolled into the streets of Ankara and Istanbul, blocking key bridges. From a cellphone, he delivered a televised address that called for huge crowds to come out and defend Turkey's democracy which they did in Ankara, the capital, and in Istanbul, facing off against troops who had blocked key Bosporus bridges that link the city's Asian and European sides.
Erdogan flew home early Saturday and declared the coup a failure.
"They have pointed the people's guns against the people. The president, whom 52 percent of the people brought to power, is in charge. This government brought to power by the people is in charge," he told large crowds after landing at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim described the night as "a black mark on Turkish democracy" and said the perpetrators "will receive every punishment they deserve."
He also said July 15 will be remembered as "a festival for democracy," the day when those who carried out a coup against the people were hit by a coup themselves.
Late Saturday, Defense Minister Fikri Isik said state authorities were in full control of all areas in Turkey following the coup attempt but warned that authorities would remain vigilant.
The uprising appears not to have been backed by the most senior ranks of the military, and Turkey's main opposition parties quickly condemned the attempted overthrow. Gen. Umit Dundar said the plotters were mainly officers from the Air Force, the military police and the armored units.
Turkey's four main political parties released a joint declaration during an extraordinary parliamentary meeting later Saturday, denouncing the coup attempt and claiming that any moves against the people or parliament will be met with the "with the iron will of the Turkish Grand National Assembly resisting them."
The statement praised the Turkish nation for its unwavering belief in democracy and lauded citizens for taking to the streets and resisting the coup.
The death toll appeared to be over 250 people. Yildirim said 161 people were killed and 1,440 wounded in the process of putting down the coup attempt and 2,839 plotters were detained. A source at the office of the presidency, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, said the toll of 161 "excludes assailants." Dundar said at least 104 "coup plotters" had died.
Turkey's NATO allies lined up to condemn the coup attempt. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged all sides to support Turkey's democratically elected government and Obama held a meeting with his national security advisers. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and urged the Turkish people to respect democracy.
U.S. airline regulators banned all flights between the U.S. and airports in Ankara and Istanbul, including flights to the U.S. via third countries.
There have long been tensions between the military which sees itself as the protector of the secular Turkish state and Erdogan's Islamic-influenced AKP party.
Government officials blamed the coup attempt on a U.S.-based moderate Islamic cleric, Fethullah Gulen, whom Erdogan has often accused of attempting to overthrow the government. Gulen lives in exile in Pennsylvania and promotes a philosophy that blends a mystical form of Islam with staunch advocacy of democracy, education, science and interfaith dialogue.
Gulen, however, said he condemned "in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey" and sharply rejected any responsibility for it.
"Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force," he said. "As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations."
Still, Erdogan's government pressed ahead Saturday with a purge of judicial officials, with 2,745 judges being dismissed across Turkey for alleged ties to Gulen, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency. It said 10 members of Turkey's highest administrative court were detained and arrest warrants were issued for 48 administrative court members and 140 members of Turkey's appeals court.
Among those detained for questioning were the commander of Turkey's second army, Gen. Adem Huduti, and a few other top aides in the eastern city of Malatya, Anadolu said.
The coup attempt began late Friday, with a military statement saying forces had seized control "to reinstall the constitutional order, democracy, human rights and freedoms, to ensure that the rule of law once again reigns in the country, for law and order to be reinstated."
Fighter jets buzzed overhead, gunfire erupted outside military headquarters and vehicles blocked two major bridges in Istanbul. Soldiers backed by tanks blocked entry to Istanbul's airport for a couple of hours before being overtaken by pro-government crowds carrying Turkish flags.
Top military commanders went on television to condemn the action and order troops back to their barracks. By early Saturday, the putsch appeared to have fizzled.
CNN-Turk showed dozens of soldiers walking among tanks with their hands held up, surrendering to government forces. Discarded gear was strewn on the ground. Some flag-waving people climbed onto the tanks.
NTV television showed a Turkish colonel and other soldiers on their knees being searched and taken into custody at military headquarters. The Hurriyet newspaper, quoting investigators, said some privates had thought they were on military maneuvers, not a coup attempt.
A Blackhawk military helicopter with seven Turkish military personnel and one civilian landed in the Greek city of Alexandroupolis, where the passengers requested asylum. While Turkey demanded their extradition, Greece said it would hand back the helicopter and consider the men's asylum requests.
Fighting continued into the early morning, with the sounds of huge blasts echoing across Istanbul and Ankara, including at least one bomb that hit the parliament complex, scattering broken glass and other debris across a lobby.
CNN-Turk said two bombs hit near the presidential palace, killing five people and wounding others.
Turkey is a key partner in U.S.-led efforts to defeat the Islamic State group, and has allowed American jets to use its Incirlik air base to fly missions against the extremists in nearby Syria and Iraq. A coup against the democratically elected government could have made it difficult for the United States to continue to cooperate with Turkey.
The Pentagon said U.S. warplanes stopped flying missions against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq from Incirlik after the Turkish government closed its airspace to military aircraft. U.S. officials were working with Turkish officials to get permission to resume air operations as soon as possible.
Erdogan's Islamist government has also been accused of playing an ambiguous even double-sided role in Syria. Turkey's renewed offensive against Kurdish militants who seek more autonomy and are implacable foes of IS has complicated the U.S.-led fight against IS.
Fadi Hakura, a Turkey expert at the Chatham House think tank in London, said the attempted coup appeared to have been "carried out by lower-ranking officers."
"Their main gripe seems to have been President Erdogan's attempt to transform his office into a powerful and centralized executive presidency," Hakura said. "In the short term, this failed coup plot will strengthen President Erdogan."
Turkey's military staged three coups between 1960 and 1980 and pressured Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, a pious mentor of Erdogan, out of power in 1997.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
An international tribunal on Tuesday torpedoed Chinese claims of sovereignty over the vast expanse of the South China Sea. What next? Either the ruling coaxes China to negotiate a peaceful resolution with other governments in the region or expect the U.S. Navy to sail through the disputed neighborhood more frequently.
We hope China heeds the court decision. Unfortunately, Chinese military behavior on the high seas between the Philippines and Vietnam doesnt seem reasonable or passive.
The issue concerns territorial rights at sea and guaranteed access to international waters. More than anything, though, this burgeoning conflict comes down to Chinas efforts to project power far from its shores: Chinas government, citing old maps and seafaring tradition, claimed rights to nearly the entire South China Sea. To bolster its position, the country started dredging sand around a number of rocks and shoals in the Spratly Islands chain to create a series of artificial islands, which the Chinese military used as a base of operations.
The Philippines challenged Chinas activities in legal proceedings at The Hague, relying on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, ratified by both countries. The Philippines made its case, China refused to participate and the tribunal went to work studying maps, reefs, rocks and history.
The verdict was a slam-dunk victory for the Philippines and a scorching admonition of China. The Hague ruling at the Permanent Court of Arbitration found no basis for Chinas broad claims of exclusive control of the South China Sea and said its attempts to plant a flag by building islands were bogus. China cant manufacture sovereign territory at sea like so many sand castles. As a result, the tribunal said, China was violating the Philippines sovereign rights along with damaging coral reefs and allowing Chinese fishermen to catch endangered sea turtles.
Its hard to find breathless denunciation in a U.N. document, so this statement will do: China has inflicted irreparable harm to the marine environment, built a large artificial island in the Philippines exclusive economic zone and destroyed evidence of the natural conditions of features in the South China Sea that formed part of the parties dispute.
So, yes: outrageous behavior by China. China cant be allowed to unlawfully take control of international waters encompassing some of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds and potentially valuable energy deposits. The question is how to respond.
Six governments China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam make claims on the Spratlys, but the U.N. tribunal wasnt concerned with settling the overarching dispute. Chinas island-building gambit escalated tensions because it is fortifying the artificial islands (at least one has an airstrip) and stationing naval or coast guard vessels in the vicinity to scare away boats and planes that come too close. Now China knows its activities are unlawful.
The United States, concerned mainly with keeping international waters open for all, has sent guided missile destroyers to the Spratlys several times on freedom-of-navigation sailings to make the point that the U.S. doesnt recognize Chinas claims. Those runs through international waters are effective because nothing says just moseying past, which Im allowed to do like a flotilla from the U.S. 7th Fleet.
If pushing the point with another quick sailing risks flaring tensions, there is no need to rush back tomorrow. Beijings been humiliated; let the decision sink in. But China needs to hear the message immediately, from Washington, its ally the Philippines, and the other governments with South China Sea claims that the days of Chinese sand castle-building are over.
The logical strategy for the U.S.: Keep confronting the Chinese, but leave Beijing room to save face and quietly depart its pretend islands.
But for one false note, President Barack Obamas stirring address at Tuesdays memorial service for the five slain Dallas police officers was perhaps one of the finest of his presidency. His remarks actually constituted four different speeches, uneasily knit together. Two of the four were excellent; one was necessary and important but showed signs of swift and shaky drafting; and the fourth, although worthy, felt out of place.
Speech 1: The first and of course obligatory speech was the praise of the professionalism of the police. He noted, borrowing from Dallas Police Chief David Brown, that law enforcement officers do a dangerous job and are rarely thanked for it. In fact, theyre often reviled. But, the president said, police are deserving of our respect and not our scorn. He criticized those who deprecate law enforcement without recognizing the dangers of their job.
On the night of the shooting, the police were upholding the constitutional rights of this country, Obama said, even though there must have been signs or slogans or chants with which they profoundly disagreed. Those who call for violence against police do a disservice to the very cause of justice that they claim to promote.
All of this was gracefully delivered. The presidents detailing of the lives of the slain officers surely wrung tears from many in the audience. He reminded us that police do their work a hard and daily labor not to get rich, but to maintain the rule of law in our society. He then praised the audience directly: When the bullets started flying, the men and women of the Dallas police, they did not flinch. He added, We mourn fewer people today because of your brave actions.
This is political rhetoric at its finest: avoiding partisanship, praising others and calling forth our nations best. Nice work by the mourner-in-chief.
Grade: A.
Speech 2: The president also faced the tricky task of reassuring the many Americans who worry, in his words, that the center wont hold and that things might get worse. He conceded that the fears are real: The deepest fault lines of our democracy have suddenly been exposed, perhaps even widened. His difficulty was finding a way to calm the waters without playing Pollyanna. His solution a correct one was to embrace the problem: I believe our sorrow can make us a better country.
He spoke at length about the America I know an America of people who roll up their sleeves and work together. He called on listeners to worry less about which side has been wronged, and worry more about joining sides to do right. And he brought them to their feet with the story of the protester who was shot protecting her children, then saved by the police, and whose 12-year-old son now wants to be a police officer when he grows up. A deftly drafted section of the speech, delivered with just the right mix of solemnity and optimism.
Grade: A+.
Speech 3: The third theme involved Obamas effort to explain the reasons for the genuine pain of the black community. Race relations have improved dramatically in my lifetime, he said. Those who deny it are dishonoring the struggles that helped us achieve that progress. Yet, as the president pointed out, racial disparities remain, particularly in the criminal justice system. When we deny this, he said, we deny the experience of black families.
But the next few paragraphs felt like the not-quite-finished product of team drafting. No institution, he said, is entirely free of bias. Unfortunately, he singled out as his example the police. The overwhelming majority of officers, he conceded, do a good job. But there is prejudice, too, and we should root it out.
Members of the police choir who were sitting behind Obama kept their hands in their laps as pockets of applause broke out. Small wonder. They were present to mourn their fellow officers. Its vital we have a serious conversation about the problem of racial bias in policing, but the kickoff might perhaps have waited for a day not dedicated to honoring the fallen.
If the president thought it important to include in his remarks a criticism of bias, then more balance would have made the message more palatable. Had he preceded his comments on bias in policing with clear criticism of other institutions, I suspect that his reminder of the important proposition that racial prejudice survives today would have gone down a bit more easily.
Grade: B.
Speech 4: The weakest part of the speech came when the president suggested that we spend too little on schools and mental health. This unfortunate mixing of mourning and policy is a familiar part of politics today. But here, it did not fit the moment and was even in some ways inconsistent with the rest of the speech.
The implication was that a different set of fiscal priorities would have avoided the ambush in Dallas or the other tragedies of which the president spoke. Yet just moments earlier, the president had warned us that evil truly exists in the world. Is evil a disease that we can cure through government spending? The reason we should build better schools is that education is important not because we will thereby put an end to evil.
Grade: B-minus.
The speech was at all points presidential, a model for which the current candidates for the office Obama holds might usefully aspire.
Terrorism is now part of everyday lives for long period of time: French PM
Humanity amid terror: NICE residents offer help on social media
Feature
oi-Pallavi Sengupta
Probably the worst kind of terror attack in France, the Nice macabre will be etched in everyone's mind for years to come. When the authorities confirm a terror angle, the residents of Nice believe in something beyond the comprehension of extremists-HUMANITY.
Amid calls for #prayforNice, residents of the city turn to Twitter offering help for the scared, helpless and the injured.
Some users also redirect victims to #PortesOuvertesNice, if they wish to get shelter or a free pick-up. In fact, a visit to the site exposes you to a plethora of information-starting basic things that tend to skip out of one's mind at the time of crisis, for instance country code.
If you're in #Nice use #PortesOuvertesNice if you have no where to stay pic.twitter.com/zzUKUEz5Bp apfsharriers (@apfsharriers) July 14, 2016
If you're in #Nice use #PortesOuvertesNice if you have no where to stay pic.twitter.com/zzUKUEz5Bp apfsharriers (@apfsharriers) July 14, 2016
One Iclo says on Twitter, "If you are looking for a lift or a safe place to stay. I'm 30 minutes away from Nice. Let me know!"
My flat is open if you're looking for a place to sleep #PortesOuvertesNice chrisAPteam (@chAPteam) July 14, 2016
#portesouvertesNice I got shelter here in Beau Rivage Hotel Andrea Baruffaldi (@andreabaruffald) July 14, 2016
Tonight let us welcome these people in with open arms. God bless the 80 who have lost their lives. #PortesOuvertesNice Nick Wilde (@zootopia_4_life) July 15, 2016
Amazing local support in #NiceFrance #PortesOuvertesNice for people without hotels or access to their homes Contentmode (@contentmode) July 15, 2016
#portesouvertesnice For anyone in need here in Nice: we got a car and our door is wide open, un pour tous, tous pour un...Faites nous signe! Elisa Chisana Hoshi (@chisanahoshi) July 15, 2016
Hartung foundation in Antibes (20 km from Nice) can host people who need a roof for the night. Just call 0622760189. #PortesOuvertesNice Thomas Schlesser (@docteurschless) July 14, 2016
A visit to Twitter would pop out 6 different accounts Pray for Nice, all flooded with wishes and prayers for the victims. It is world solidarity, they say!
[Read: Why Paris attacks are deep-rooted in France's internal security issues]
[Read: Nice attack: Bodies flew like bowling pins, says witness]
For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications
Story first published: Friday, July 15, 2016, 14:28 [IST]
UP elections: Starting fresh at 79, Sheila Dikshit is now just a pawn on the political chessboard
Feature
oi-Pallavi Sengupta
Congress's decision to plant Sheila Dikshit as the CM candidate in the upcoming UP elections have taken many by surprise. After the Delhi assembly elections debacle, it was clear that people did not want the Septuagenarian anymore, especially after the corruption charges that her government was facing.
In such a scenario, isn't Congress risking its stand in UP, especially when the Modi wave hasn't died down and Smriti Irani may still throb back to life with her oratory skills.
The Dikshit that she was
Sheila Dikshit was the new Congress face in Delhi in 1998, when she was pitched against her heavyweight BJP opponent-Sushma Swaraj. And the best part is, she dislodged her and retained the chief ministrial chair for the next 15 years before falling to her perils. It is to be noted that she had already lost a UP election in 1989.
Probably, Congress sees the sequence of events as a lucky charm because that is what it needs now to be back on track. However, it does not fit our calculations when we remember that Priyanka Gandhi has been hesitant to heed the request of the party members to be the CM candidate in UP. So, is Sheila Dikshit just a pawn on the chessboard?
[Read: BJP plays down Dikshit elevation, says she's a retired leader ]
On second thoughts, this seems to be a very silly decision, especially when Sheila Dikshit has not been as connected to the place as Priyanka Gandhi. Moreover, after her diabolical loss at the Delhi Assembly elections in 2013, how can the Congress party expect the people to accept an rejected leader?
The idea is....
Sheila Dikshit is more like a pawn in the political chessboard of UP, who would be protecting the most important entity of the Congress-Priyanka Gandhi. According to the plan chalked out by the Congress party, Dikshit is the face of Brahmin-Muslim-Dalit-Kurmi rainbow coalition that the party is trying to put together in the state. And Priyanka will sell it to the people in a massive campaign.
[Read: Dikshit as CM face will not cut ice with voters: SP, BJP]
Being the face of the Congress campaign, she will be addressing election meetings in around 120 constituencies and is expected to launch the Congress campaign at a rally in either Lucknow or Allahabad in the second week of August.
But why Dikshit
While it is clear that Priyanka Gandhi is the star campaigner, political enthusiasts mull why Dikshit has been chosen as a counter on the board. To keep it simple, Congress has no one else who has a bearing in the people's minds and with whom the people can relate to. In fact, Congress has tried placing other leaders in the past but has failed. So, leaders whose names and faces were familiar to the people were recommended.
Strategy based on caste system in UP
The contesting parties seem to have divided the state according to their target voters. For instance, BJP is culling the Rajput-Bania-Dalit-Kurmi alliance, Samajwadi Party lures the Muslam-Yadav combination and Mayawati ropes in Dalits and the lower castes. So, Congress is left with the Brahmins.
[Read: It's official: Sheila Dikshit named UP CM candidate for Congress]
In 2012, Congress received just 12% votes. Now, with the present strategy in place, it is expecting to rope in 10% more if the Brahmin population voted. Strategists believe that if the Brahmins come in, the minority too would be looking at the party as an option. The party also plans to strike an alliance with Ajit Singh and use Nitish Kumar's influence on Kurmi voters.
Congress party's targets in the elections trail is acquiring 6-70 seats in a hung assembly. This will help the party to be in a position to strike an alliance with the BSP and stay afloat till the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Sheila Dikshit's link to the Brahmin population
UP politics thrives on the caste system and Congress's strategy this time proves the same. Sheila Dikshit is the daughter-in-law of prominent Congress leader from UP Uma Shankar Dikshit. The latter was a Brahmin face and had served as a Union Minister and governor for a long time. Recently, Sheila Dikshit met the party leaders and said that she was ready to take up any role in UP as its daughter-in-law.
Sheila Dikshit thanks Sonia Gandhi, says 'UP is a big responsibility']
The brahmin community has been a traditional vote bank for the Congress for years, but had shifted their interest to the BJP and the BSP after the Mantri-Mandal politics and free tickets for the community offered by Mayawati respectively. The Congress now believes that the community should be brought back under the party wings as its support determines the poll outcome in several seats in central and eastern UP.
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Story first published: Friday, July 15, 2016, 17:19 [IST]
Udaipur killing: He had refused to open his shop for days, says wife of murdered
Terror attacks inspired in Syria and made elsewhere in the world
Feature
oi-Vicky
In the aftermath of the Nice terror attack, the French President Francois Hollande said that he would put in place a mechanism to defend the nation better against terror. He also spoke about strengthening France's role in both Iraq and Syria.
Strengthening its fight in Syria and Iraq is one part of the plan. But the other issue is that the ISIS does not restrict itself to Syria or Iraq alone. It is fully aware that the battle in Syria and Iraq is virtually lost.
It had realised this a good six months back and that is when it put in place a global outreach programme where in it told its foreign fighters to return home.
Inspired by ISIS made in the rest of the world:
What the ISIS provides is the inspiration. It sells dreams of a Caliphate and the rule of the Sharia. It constantly posts ideas on its social media accounts calling for attacks. What it has effectively managed to do is inspire a whole lot of youth who are ready to strike and credit the ISIS for it.
Take for instance the Dhaka attack. It was carried out by the locals but they were inspired by the ISIS. It is the same story at Orlando, Istanbul, Paris just to name a few.
Even the recently busted module at Hyderabad had planned attacks on similar lines. They were a bunch of self radicalised persons who wanted to strike in the name of the ISIS and declare the Caliphate.
The ISIS had set this game plan rolling several months back. It has been telling its fighters to return to their home countries posing as migrants. At first when the signals of this go back home programme came out, it was mistaken for a retreat.
However that was not the case. It was Plan B. The idea is to execute revenge. Europe is likely to be the hardest hit in such a scenario. While the ISIS would try and win back lost ground in both Iraq and Syria, the idea for now is to extend its global reach.
Even in the Indian scenario it could pose a problem since there are around 21 Indians with the ISIS. There is a possibility of these persons also being asked to return. India had in fact sensed this sometime back and decided to press strong charges against Areeb Majeed who returned from the ISIS fold to Mumbai.
Indian intelligence officials say that one needs to be particularly weary of the returnees as they come back with a motive. Even if any of the ISIS returnees seek help or asylum, they should never be out in the open.
Why Paris attacks are deep-rooted in France's internal security issues
Feature
oi-Pallavi Sengupta
19 terror attacks in Paris since 2003 is a number that buzzes off the (in)security alarm in the European Union and across the world. Absolutely no place on Earth is safe these days, except Syria- the den of ISIS.
But what is the reason this small-scale terror organization is spreading its poison so effectively and efficiently? It has turned out to be an omniscient force that has a strong presence on the Internet and masterminding blasts and attacks across the world.
What is the reason that State defence mechanisms are failing in front of a group of maniacs who believe that all other religiobs, sects and belief are against Islam and anything Un-Islamic should be annihilated.
France's flaws
France's internal security threats are humungous, thanks to the poor information sharing among intelligence agencies. An equally inefficient system to track suspects across international and open borders and a long list of homegrown extremists add to the country's laxity. Interestingly, the attackers hopped freely and frequently over the unguarded European Union borders.
[Read: Live: Nice Terror Attack - 84 confirmed dead says Interior Ministry]
Needless to say, the Paris attackers took these to their advantage and effortlessly created a macabre of bloodshed.
The Cyber security too is perforated, given the extent to which the extremists have been influencing the minds of youth across the globe through the Internet.
And as Jean-Charles Brisard, chairman of the Paris-based Center for the Analysis of Terrorism rightly pointed out, "We lack the most obvious tools to deal with this threat. We're blind."
Comparing the security system with the US
Unlike US, which had upped its guard after the 9-11 attacks, France and primarily Europe have been seen doing a patchwork of security strengthening that came only after an attack. Consider the two attacks in Paris in 2015, Copenhagen shootings and a foiled attack on a passenger train (Note: the foiling was done by two veteran US servicemen); None of them had any security firewall to ward off the attacks- no intelligence or no forces on stand by. It was as easy as bombing an empty building.
[Read: Nice attack: Bodies flew like bowling pins, says witness]
A senior European Intelligence officer said, "We have to figure out what went wrong and fix it as soon as possible. Because one thing is for sure: Islamic State will try to hit Europe again." Evidently, Europe faces immense structural holes in its security networks and a few patent solutions to deal with varied attacks.
Extremists follow patterns of lifestyle
While some of them have been identified and terminated, many are yet to be flagged as they mingle with the mass and are careful not to stand out or give reasons to law enforecement to probe their background.
Attackers chose their targets strategically, mostly unguarded, which would tax the security system, already buckling under the strain of austerity-imposed budget reductions.
EU ridden with debt, immigration issues, leading to surveillance loopholes
Bernard Squarcini, a former head of France's domestic intelligence service who now leads the Paris office of the global intelligence firm Arcanum said, "The systems of European security that at one time were useful and effective are no longer adapted for this threat. We are dealing with people who are cunning and determined. They've been in combat."
[Read: Move over guns and bombs; enter trucks, knives and rocks ]
The biggest assets of the extremists are the returnees, who get trained in Syria and then come back home on the pretext of 'returning as survivors' and wage a war against the nation. In addition to this, the attackers themselves have little trouble in crossing the border of Syria and the downtrodden neighborhoods of Brussels and Paris, where preparations for attacks usually are tabled.
Interestingly, they cannot be stopped as France has very poor shared databases on suspected terrorists.
To name such terrorists:
28-year-old Samy Amimour, the Bataclan killer, was under judicial supervision in France in 2012 after a failed attempt to travel to Yemen. But he still managed to go to Syria and come back.
20-year old Bilal Hadfi, one of the bombers who blew himself outside the Stade de France in 2015, had vanished after returning from Syria, even though the Belgian enforcements knew of his motives.
31-year-old Brahim Abdeslam was caught on his way to Syria by the Turkish authorities. Belgian law enforcements questioned him, but let him go. His 26-year old brother, Salah was also questioned although there was information of his radicalization.
Abdelhamid Abaaoud, Europe's most wanted before the November 13th carnage, bragged of the way he mingled among refugees crossing borders. The 28-year old slipped through the radar of the security forces and was widely thought to be in Syria, where he featured in grissly propaganda videos.
In fact, he had returned to Europe, but there was no trace of him until Nov 13 when phone records showed that he was standing across the street and watching the mayhem unfold at the Bataclan concert hall.
Solutions
Terrorism analysts said,"the paradigm needs to change and we need to adapt." He further adds that the only solution would be to upgrade the biometric database, which presently has criminal records only and nothing on suspects of extremists plots.
Manfred Weber, the head of a center-right group in the European Parliament said, "We need a Europe-wide blacklist of jihadists."
[Read: NICE attack: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump condemn terror attack]
He also says, "strengthening of bilateral ties should not be on pen and paper alone, but terror data base should also be shared across the 27-member bloc." However, this comes with a pinch of salt. With the migration numbers going up by the day, keeping a tab on each and everyone is next to impossible. Adding to the woes is the fact that European Union is being drawn apart because of debt issues. Francois Heisbourg, chairman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies justifies the above-mentioned saying,"The crises facing Europe are taking their toll on trust and unity."
It should also be considered that the French authorities' hands are full as they have to monitor 20,000 people on national security watch lists, about half of whom are said to be extremists.
Bollywood celebs pray for peace after Nice terror attack
India
oi-PTI
Mumbai, July 15: Bollywood celebrities Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Aanand L Rai, Anushka Sharma among others have offered their condolences to the victims and survivors of the truck attack in Nice, France.
A truck ploughed into a crowd in Nice, killing at least 84 people and injuring many after the Bastille Day firework display.
The driver was shot dead after barrelling the truck two kilometres through the festive crowd on the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, sending hundreds fleeing in terror and leaving the area strewn with bodies.
"Quantico" actress Priyanka wrote, "The world is turning so cruel... How do human beings do this to each other. My heart bleeds for the victims of the Nice attack #PeaceForNice." Johar posted, "This is just deeply tragic....#NiceAttack ...prayers and prayers for the loved ones of so many innocent lives." Anushka called the incident "heartbreaking".
"How many more times will we witness horrific attacks against humanity?cannot express the anger #NiceAttack." "Another sad day for humanity.
A helpless feeling. Prayers for the people of #France. Condolence #NiceAttack," Rai said. Shahid wrote, "Shame shame shame.
Inhuman and cowardly. #NiceAttack." Madhuri Dixit-Nene said, "Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives. My thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved families. #NiceAttack." "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Mindless. Sad. Only when every human life will be equally precious can it all stop #NiceAttack," actor Randeep Hooda tweeted. Shirish Kunder posted, "#NiceAttack If all the powers in the world come together, they can easily end terrorism. But they won't. Because..." "Was at this very #Nice promenade, on the phone with a friend who was hurt in Istanbul airport attack, 2 weeks ago.
Now this? #PrayForNice," Boman Irani said. Actor Siddharth tweeted, "Nothing to do but mourn. #NiceAttack".
PTI
Bangladesh: At least 69 dead in fire in apartment used as chemical warehouse in Dhaka
Dhaka attack mastermind ran ISIS module in Bengal?
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, July 15: When an accidental blast took place in Burdwan, it was just a pre-cursor to the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh problem in India. The plot uncovered in Burdwan indicated that a large number of JMB operatives had infiltrated into West Bengal with an intention of setting up a safe house to prepare bombs.
These bombs were then meant to be transported to Bangladesh where a series of attacks were to take place.
While there was denial galore by the West Bengal dispensation, today in the aftermath of the Dhaka attack the gravity of the problem needs to be revisited. A dossier from Bangladesh to India is on its way in which a mention about missing youths will be made.
Dhaka suspects that as many as 100 of their nationals wanted for various acts of crime and terrorism have gone missing and many could have taken shelter in West Bengal.
On this list the name of Muhammad Suleiman, the man suspected to have masterminded the Dhaka attack, too will be there as it is now suspected that he had taken shelter in Bengal.
The Indian connection to Suleiman
Following reports from Bangladesh, the Indian agencies are trying to find clues regarding Suleiman. The one solid bit of evidence that India has about Suleiman is that he had met with one Abu al-Musa Al Bangali, the man arrested from Burdwan for his alleged ISIS links.
A fortnight ago when Bangali was arrested, he had told investigators that he knew who Suleiman was. He even said that Suleiman was his handler. What the investigators are trying to find out is whether it is the same Suleiman who had also masterminded the Dhaka attack.
An officer investigating the case tells OneIndia that it is the same person, but they would want to verify it further.
According to investigations in Dhaka, Suleiman had slipped into Bengal around 7 months back after finalising the Dhaka strike.
There is a good possibility that he had taken shelter in West Bengal since the state is not new to him. As per the account given by Bangali, he had met with Suleiman 5 times between 2014 and 2015.
100 people missing
For India, Bangladesh is a friendly nation and the two have set up several joint mechanisms to combat terror, infiltration and the menace of fake currency. An Indian Intelligence Bureau official says that they would await the dossier from Bangladesh.
Incidents of criminals fleeing Bangladesh and taking shelter in West Bengal or vice versa is nothing new.
Not just West Bengal, but several operatives had even taken shelter in Assam as well. The officer said that based on the information provided in the dossier all steps would be taken to locate these persons.
Intelligence Bureau officials had said that the JMB cadres had found it easier to hide in West Bengal and blamed it on an over dose of secularism (How an over-dose of secularism helped this terror group thrive in Bengal).
At first JMB cadres found safe houses in Bengal with the help of the SIMI. The problem has been ignored to such an extent that not person objected or complained when posters were put out by the JMB in various parts of Bengal in which a call to join the proscribed outfit was made.
OneIndia News
BRO Recruitment 2022: Check details for 328 vacancies, last date and salary details here
Maharashtra: Goldman Dattatrey Phuge killed; four arrested
India
oi-Jagriti
Pune, July 15: At least four people have been arrested in Maharashtra in connection with the murder of Dattatrey Phuge, popularly known as "Goldman". Phuge was kidnapped by a group of 4-5 persons and later stonned to death in Dighi near Pune, media reported on Friday.
The 44-year-old Phuge who had hit the news headline for wearing a gold shirt worth Rs 1.27 crore was killed on Thursday.
Phuge's murder is reported to have links with alleged irregularities in a chit fund company floated by him. His wife Seema is an ex-NCP corporator of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
According to report he had heated argument with some people days before the incident. Sharp weapons have been recovered from the crime spot.
His gold shirt was designed by city-based Ranka Jewellers, who employed 15 skilled artisans from West Bengal.
OneIndia News
Delhi-NCR likely to choke in the coming days
'Red light on, gaadi off' postponed as LG hasn't given nod: Delhi Minister
PM Narendra Modi hails South Sudan evacuation operation
India
oi-PTI
New Delhi, July 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the efforts of the External Affairs Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the IAF, the Air India and the Railways for undertaking evacuation of Indians from war-torn South Sudan under the 'Operation Sankat Mochan'.
Modi spoke to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as well as Minister of State for External Affairs Gen (retd) V K Singh, who went to South Sudan to lead the operation, to congratulate them.
156 Indians return from South Sudan, 71 land in Delhi
"The Prime Minister has welcomed all our Indian sisters & brothers who have returned from South Sudan," the PMO said. "PM spoke to EAM @SushmaSwaraj ji & MoS @Gen_VKSingh ji & congratulated them for their efforts in rescuing Indians," it added in a tweet.
The Prime Minister has welcomed all our Indian sisters & brothers who have returned from South Sudan. #SankatMochan PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 15, 2016
PM spoke to EAM @SushmaSwaraj ji & MoS @Gen_VKSingh ji & congratulated them for their efforts in rescuing Indians. #SankatMochan @MEAIndia PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 15, 2016
"PM congratulated RM @manoharparrikar, IAF, the Railways, @airindiain for their role in Operation #SankatMochan," the PMO said. More than 146 Indians stranded in South Sudan's capital Juba were evacuated on Thursday.
"Operation #SankatMochan Safely out of the danger zone. The first flight makes a technical halt at Entebbe, Uganda," V K Singh had tweeted last night.
PTI
Defence Ministry Recruitment Drive 2022: Check post, qualification and how to apply
Last date to submit application for NMMSS extended
Delhi-NCR likely to choke in the coming days
'Red light on, gaadi off' postponed as LG hasn't given nod: Delhi Minister
News Flash:Petrol price decreased by Rs. 2.25/litre
India
oi-Oneindia
By Oneindia Staff Writer
Bengaluru, July 15: At least 80 people were killed and over 100 injured in one of the worst terror attack in Paris on Thursday, July 14.
Get all the latest national and international news updates of Friday, July 15 here:
Follow live updates of NICE attack
9.13 pm: Heavy rainfall in Srinagar (Uttarakhand) causes River Alaknanda to reach danger mark.
8.57 pm: 202 were wounded in the Nice truck attack, 25 on life support and 52 in critical condition, says Paris prosecutor.
8.52 pm: Petrol price decreased by Rs. 2.25/litre, diesel price decreased Rs. 0.42/litre. with effect from midnight, tonight.
8.37 pm: Donald Trump announces Indiana Governor Mike Pence as Vice Presidential choice.
8.19 pm: Nitin Gadkari warns Pak against export of terror to India, warns Islamabad that putting road blocks in eco growth of India wont succeed.
8.07 pm: I am expecting that his excellency will give us some more time: Nabam Tuki on floor test.
7.48 pm: We have not received the letter yet, lets see when we get it and we will work accordingly: Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker.
7.47 pm: Ex-wife of France truck attack suspect held for questioning, says police.
7.46 pm: Whatever has to be done it will be done, it will be in the Assembly, says Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Nabam Rebia.
7:23 pm: Heavy to very heavy rainfall likely to occur at a few places over the district of Uttarakhand in next two days: IMD.
7:09 pm: France Truck Attack: Driver of truck in Nice Attack identified as Mohamad Lahouaiej Bouhel, according to French officials.
6:59 pm: Mother Dairy hikes milk prices in Delhi-NCR by Re 1 for half and one litre pouch from Saturday.
6:53 pm: We all are united and together. We have 45 MLAs. Tomorrow, we will make (Arunachal) 'BJP mukht': Padi Richo (Pres. Arunachal Pradesh Cong).
6:45 pm: Trade deficit narrows to $ 8.11 billion in June compared with $ 10.82 billion a year ago.
6:35 pm: 'Wont be possible to convene session of assembly tomorrow': Arunachal Pradesh Speaker.
6.10 pm: Alert at Nice airport lifted, passengers allowed back into the terminal to pick up their bags.
5.49 pm: AP journalist at Nice airport: Evacuation in progress, reason unclear.
5.46 pm: Passengers ordered out of Nice Airport, military seen inside closed terminal building: AP
5.30 pm: Renuka Yadav,selected for Indian hockey Olympic team would be the first recipient of the award from Chhattisgarh CM.
5.26 pm: Allegation that Peace TV was denied broadcasting rights because it is "Islamic" is completely false, says Venkaiah Naidu.
5.15 pm: Pakistan has no locus standi in our internal matters. We hope Pak will desist from further interfering in India's internal affairs, says MEA.
5.07 pm: India completely and unequivocally rejects in the entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pak on situation in J&K, says MEA.
4.45 pm: MEA's response to the special meeting of Cabinet of Pakistan today on recent developments in the Indian state of J&K.
4:38 pm: NSUI protest outside the Assembly in Raipur (Chhattisgarh) against State Govt's education policies.
4:30 pm: BJP & PM have failed to craft a coherent policy towards Pakistan: Manish Tewari, Congress.
4:21 pm: Dadri Lynching: Akhlaq's family lawyer says he will challenge the order of JM court, Greater Noida in Allahabad HC on Monday.
4:15 pm: Islamic preacher Zakir Naik says he would not be returning to India this year.
4:06 pm: SC asks govt for clarity in rules on pension concerning govt employees, paramilitary forces and army.
3:53 pm: Police say ID found with Nice truck attacker is of French petty criminal, 31, of Tunisian descent; no DNA confirmation: AP.
3:40 pm: Two US citizens among dead after truck attack in Nice: US State Department.
3.15 pm: Zakir Naik has spread the message of peace in the nation, says Digvijaya Singh, Congress.
3.00 pm: Opposition protest inside assembly over Dy SP Ganpathi's suicide issue, assembly adjourned till Monday in Bengaluru.
2.45 pm: Court asks petitioner to approach HC for the same.
2.30 pm: SC refuses to entertain plea seeking stay on Govt notification declaring Nilgai, monkeys & wild boars as "vermin" in HP, Uttarakhand and Bihar.
2.00 pm: Held preliminary discussion on all points. We will discuss within party, will meet again. We want consensus: Arun Jaitley after the meeting.
1.45 pm: BJP youth wing protest against State Govt over law & order situation,police use water canon on protesters in Lucknow.
1.30 pm: NHRC notice to the Government of Telangana over reports of 7 persons losing eyesight in a botched up cataract surgery in Hyderabad.
1.00 pm: 4 people have been arrested in the matter. A financial dispute is, reportedly, the motive behind the murder.
12.45 pm: On 17 July we will all go to Lucknow, rest we will decide later, says Raj Babbar president of UP Congress.
12.30 pm: Congress meeting in Delhi on strategy for UP state elections
12.10 pm: Why are you relying on a doctored clip, or an answer which is out of context? I challenge you to show my any unedited clip, says Zakir Naik.
12 noon: Media for ulterior media change meaning. My answers are altered & misguide people. Those who do that should be held responsible, says Zakir Naik.
Suicide bombing where innocents r killed is haraam.But as tactic of war it is permitted say mny scholars: Zakir Naik pic.twitter.com/Rw2hewnUfY ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
11.45 am: Zakir Naik addresses the media in Mumbai through video conference.
#WATCH: Hardik Patel released from Surat's Lajpore Central jail after 9 months, welcomed by supportershttps://t.co/1isqxj5MEK ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
11.30 am: Hardik Patel released from Lajpore Central Jail in Surat after nearly 9 months.
Indian nationals who were stranded in South Sudan, arrive in Delhi under Gen VK Singh-led Operation #SankatMochan pic.twitter.com/MkNMsT5e3O ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
11.15 am: We've brought back 156 Indian nationals, out of which 85 deplaned at Trivandrum airport, says Gen VK Singh.
11.05 am: The Supreme Court disposes off PIL seeking court monitored investigation in AgustaWestland scam case.
11.00 am: IAF's C-17 aircraft carrying Indian nationals who were stranded in Sudan, lands in Delhi.
IAF's C-17 lands in Delhi: Union Min Vijay Goel receives Gen VK Singh who is leading the operation #SankatMochan pic.twitter.com/NxsvdeJ1Ie ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
10.45 am: Home Minister Rajnath Singh chairs a meeting on security situation, at MHA in Delhi. Home Secy, IB Chief, RAW Chief & NSA present in the meeting.
10.30 am: Arunachal Pradesh CM Nabam Tuki to meet Governor Tathagata Roy at 1 pm today, will seek more time for the floor test.
10.15 am: Zakir Naik's team briefs the media. The Peace TV owner to speak shortly.
Gariaband: Unique initiative by Chhattisgarh school leads to miraculous improvement in students' results. pic.twitter.com/DCzYHVafdN ANI (@ANI_news) July 15, 2016
10.00 am: Several stranded after Gangotri highway closed due to landslide near Gangnani, Uttarkashi.
9.58 am: UN Security Council strongly condemns the "barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack" in the French city of NICE.
9.48 am: Driver of Nice truck fired pistol before being shot dead, news agency AFP.
9.30 am: French President Francois Hollande says France will strengthen role in Iraq and Syria.
9.26 am: Barack Obama condemns 'horrific' truck attack in France, offers assistance.
9.25 am: Nice attack death toll rises to 80: French interior minister.
9.13 am: My heart goes out to the people of France as they mourn those who lost their lives in the horrific attack in Nice: Rahul Gandhi.
My heart goes out to the people of France as they mourn those who lost their lives in the horrific attack in Nice Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) July 15, 2016
8.57 am: France President Francois Hollande said the state of emergency was extended in the country for three months beyond July 26.
8.40 am: India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people and Government of France as it responds to Nice Attack, says President Pranab Mukherjee.
8.30 am: Appalled by horrific NiceAttack. I strongly condemn such mindless acts of violence. My thoughts are with the families of deceased, says PM Modi.
8.15 am: Arunachal Pradesh CM Nabam Tuki calls a cabinet meeting at 12 pm today.
8.00 am: Uttarakhand: Gangotri highway closed due to a landslide near Gangnani (Uttarkashi) triggered by heavy rainfall, several stranded.
7.45 am: State of emergency in France will be extended by three months, says President Francois Hollande.
7.40 am: Our Ambassador in Paris is in touch with the Indian community in Nice. So far no report of any Indians affected. Our Embassy in Paris has opened helpline +33-1-40507070: MEA.
7.35 am: IAF's C-17 aircraft on its way to India from Juba, with Indian nationals who were stranded in Sudan lands at Trivandrum airport
7.30 am: 80 dead after a truck drives into a crowd in Nice, France.
OneIndia News
Bihar: When asked to take off hijab to check for bluetooth device, Muslim student leaves exam centre
Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000
Nitish to take part in BSP rebel's rally
India
oi-PTI
Lucknow, Jul 15: Indicating realignment of political forces before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U president Nitish Kumar will take part in a rally organised by BSP rebel RK Chaudhary here on July 26.
"Nitish Kumar has agreed to attend the BS-4 (Bahujan Samaj Swabhiman Sangharsh Samiti) rally scheduled at the Bijli Pasi Quila here on July 26," Chaudhary said.
Kumar will be the chief guest, Chaudhary, a Dalit leader and once close confidant of BSP supremo Mayawati, said. Reiterating his charge that Mayawati has deviated from the path shown by BSP founder Kanshi Ram, he said the party has been reduced to private real estate company of the BSP president.
"There could be a big rebellion in the BSP any time now... workers are looking for a solid alternative," he said. Chaudhary had quit BSP on June 30 accusing Mayawati of "auctioning" tickets to contest Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, a charge levelled by three other BSP rebels who quit, including Swami Prasad Maurya, an OBC leader.
"At time of elections, tickets are allotted to the person who pays the highest amount," Chaudhary and Maurya had alleged. Testing the political waters in poll bound UP, Kumar has been holding rallies in certain parts of the state, particular the eastern parts, promising complete prohibition among others.
PTI
Pak committing atrocities against people in PoK, will have to bear consequences: Rajnath Singh
Pakistan has no locus standi in India's internal affairs: MEA
India
oi-PTI
New Delhi, July 15: Taking strong umbrage to Pakistan declaring July 19 as "black day" to express solidarity with Kashmiri people over killing of Burhan Wani, India today asked it to desist from further interfering in its internal affairs and destabilising the situation in the region through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
External Affairs Ministry also hit out at Pakistan for continuing to glorify terrorists belonging to proscribed terrorist organisations, saying it makes it amply clear where Pakistan s sympathies continue to lie.
"India completely and unequivocally rejects in entirety the decisions adopted by the Cabinet of Pakistan on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We are dismayed at the continued attempts by Pakistan to interfere in our internal matters, where, we reiterate, Pakistan or any other external party has no locus standi," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Further needling India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today declared Wani, the slain Hizbul commander, as a "martyr" and said July 19 will be observed as black day to express solidarity with people of Kashmir. He was addressing a special cabinet meeting in Lahore to discuss the situation in the state.
"Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination," Sharif was quoted as saying by Radio Pakistan.
India also asked Pakistan to desist from further interfering in its internal affairs and destabilising the situation in South Asia through support to terrorism and other subversive acts.
"The self serving actions by Pakistan in the last few days to derive political mileage out of the recent developments in J&K follow planned infiltration and terrorism aimed at India from across the Line of Control and the International Boundary.
"The attempts in Pakistan by various players to ingratiate themselves to the people of J&K in the run up to the so called elections in territories under Pakistan s illegal occupation will not succeed," Swarup said.
India also hoped that Pakistan will respond constructively to its initiatives for peace and normalising bilateral relationship, Swarup added.
PTI
Radicalisation no longer restricted to the uneducated:R&AW chief
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, July 15: The two biggest problems being faced by the world today are radicalisation and the subsequent lone wolf attacks. While radicalisation remains a major issue, one must not lose sight of the fact that it has gone beyond the popular concept the persons involved are the lesser privileged or victimised.
The other issue is regarding the lone wolf attacks and what the intelligence community across the world must do to deal with it. It is impossible to keep tabs on each and everyone and hence the concept of lone wolf attacks win says former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, C D Sahay.
In this interview with OneIndia, Sahay discusses a host of issues that range from radicalisation and the job of the intelligence community in preventing a lone wolf attack.
Sir, before we start off, how would you describe a lone wolf attack?
A lone wolf attack, well I would like to classify as an event which is planned out of self radicalisation with no involvement or attachment to any established terrorist organisation. The persons reads on the internet, gets radicalised and alone plans an attack with no organisational backing.
The Glasgow attacking involving Kafeel Ahmed a Bengaluru youth was a classic lone wolf attack. He was radicalised on the internet and went about planing the entire attack by himself without any organisational backing.
How do you get intelligence on such a person?
The only intelligence one can get on such persons is his computer is targeted. However that is easier said than done as it is humanly impossible to target each and everyone on the internet. Such things can be tracked only if there is chance monitoring.
If such a person has sourced a weapon or tried to procure any material there is a small chance that he may come under the radar. However that is chance monitoring again. In the Western countries there is a lot of consciousness to such issues. In the US we have heard of neighbours raising an alarm the moment they hear a suspicious word being uttered by another person. It has happened on flights as well.
Is it not a big challenge to monitor such persons?
Yes it is always a big challenge.
With more lone wolf attacks on the anvil does that mean the intelligence will continue to fail?
That is a very unfair assessment by you. Yes attacks do happen. But what you must also understand that the number of cases neutralised outnumbers the attacks that have taken place. As is commonly said, " terrorists need to be lucky once, the police need to be lucky all the time."
Take us through the radicalisation process today. Why is it happening?
First of all the radicalisation process has gone beyond the popular concept that only the lesser privileged or victimised or uneducated fall trap. It is now penetrating deeper into the psyche of the people not only in the open democratic societies but everywhere.
The Dhaka attack was a classic scenario of this. Those terrorists were not radicalised due to economic constraints. They were from well to do families and yes they had a problem in their head. Taking a human life is never a natural decision of a stable mind. It is an angry and sick mind that gets radicalised. It is this mindset that urges them to kill.
What does the intelligence community do now?
First and foremost stop feeling hopeless about the situation. No matter what, states, civilised society and the governments cannot give up. Every attack is a constant learning ground for the intelligence community. They learn lessons and better security. I do agree it is a constant learning curve, but the key is not to give up.
OneIndia News
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Story first published: Friday, July 15, 2016, 14:41 [IST]
Explained: Why did the ECI freeze the symbol of the Shiv Sena
Not just future of Sena but democracy at stake, says Uddhav
Shiv Sena activists from Punjab detained in Jammu and Kashmir
India
oi-PTI
Kathua (J&K), July 15: Over 100 activists of Punjab Shiv Sena were today detained while trying to enter Jammu and Kashmir to submit a memorandum to Governor N N Vohra in connection with security to Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.
"We have detained over 100 activists of Shiv Sena from Punjab who wanted to enter the state and proceed towards Kashmir," Additional SP Kathua, Khalil Poswal said.
The activists, who tried to enter the state through Lakhanpur check point, said they wanted to submit a memorandum to Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra to demand the smooth conduct of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
"The Amarnath Yatra is being hampered by Pakistan- sponsored terrorists. We wanted to meet the Jammu and Kashmir Governor to submit him a memorandum to provide tight security to the Amarnath Yatra so that the Yatra goes on without any hurdle," president of the Punjab wing of Shiv Sena, Yograj Sharma said.
PTI
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Story first published: Friday, July 15, 2016, 18:21 [IST]
Vijaykanth defamation case- The PP is not a post office, SC's harsh words for TN government
India
oi-Vicky
New Delhi, July 15: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa among others in connection with a defamation case filed against the DMDK chief Vijaykanth.
Justice Dipak Mishra heading the Bench however observed that the public prosecutor must not behave like a post office.
Justice Mishra while taking note of the large number of defamation cases filed by Tamil Nadu said that the public prosecutor must apply his mind. The PP is not a post office, Justice Mishra also observed. While issuing notice, the court said that the reply shall be filed in 8 weeks.
The case was filed by Vijaykanth who had sought for quashing of proceedings against him in the defamation case. The Supreme Court during an earlier hearing had stayed the summons issued to Vijaykanth by the lower court.
A defamation case had been filed against him by the government following his remarks on the Aavin milk scam. The state government had accorded sanction to prosecute the DMDK leader who was at that time the leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly.
Defamation cases being filed on every now and then will only silence critics in a democracy, Supreme Court observes.
OneIndia News
At least 300 killed in latest S Sudan violence: UN
International
oi-PTI
Geneva, July 15: At least 300 people have been killed in four days of intense gunbattles in the capital of South Sudan and 42,000 have fled the city, the UN said today.
The recent violence in Juba echoed the fighting that triggered the civil war and marks a fresh blow to last year's peace deal to end the bitter conflict that began when President Salva Kiir accused ex-rebel and now Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup.
"It's over 300 deaths since August 8," said World Health Organisation spokesman Tarik Jasarevic. The UN however said it did not have the number of injured.
The July 8-11 violence had left "42,000 internally displaced" in the world's youngest nation, said William Spindler, the spokesman for the UN refugee agency.
"The number of refugees in neigbouring countries is now 835,000," he said. However, the International Organisation for Migration said many people were returning. "Humanitarian access to affected people has improved dramatically since Monday.
But this can only be sustained if the ceasefire holds", said John McCue, IOM South Sudan Head of Operations. Machar's sacking as vice-president in 2013 set off a cycle of retaliatory killings that split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines and drove more than two million out of their homes.
The conflict has been characterised by horrific rights abuses, including gang rapes, the wholesale burning of villages and cannibalism.
According to the UN, there were some 114,000 South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries before December 2013 but that figure has ballooned to 835,000 now.
PTI
Are you awake?: EAM Jaishankar recalls when he got a call from PM Modi at midnight
Ex-Afghan spy chief discloses letters revealing Pak's support for militants
International
oi-Oneindia
By Oneindia Staff Writer
Kabul, July 15: The former head of Afghanistan's main intelligence agency released documents on Thursday which he said showed that Pakistani intelligence services helped leaders of the Taliban and the feared Haqqani network in 2014 and 2015, said a Reuters report.
Rahmatullah Nabil stepped down from the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in December last year after opposing Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's efforts to improve relations with Pakistan and include Islamabad in peace talks with the Taliban.
Nabil told a group of journalists in Kabul that he had released the documents to provide concrete evidence of Pakistan's collusion with the Taliban and the associated Haqqani group, which has been blamed for a series of kidnappings and high profile suicide bombings in the capital.
Pakistan's foreign office and the army's media wing did not respond to several written and telephoned requests for comment in which Reuters outlined the accusations levelled against Pakistan.
Neither the NDS nor the Afghan government was available for immediate comment on the letters.
The Afghan Taliban insurgency has in the past said it is fighting against the government and Western allies with the support of the Afghan people, and has no need of outside help.
Nabil did not say how the letters had been obtained. Reuters could not independently verify their authenticity.
Since retiring from the intelligence service, Nabil has been strongly critical of Pakistan, which is routinely accused by Afghanistan of sponsoring the Afghan Taliban, a charge it has consistently denied.
Provide safe houses for Afghan Taliban militants, reads a letter
"For the past 14 years, no one has disclosed documents of this kind. Here, I'm proving it," he told reporters, to whom he released the letters. "They kill us every day and commit all kinds of atrocities, we have to show them."
One letter, addressed from a section of Pakistan's military intelligence service in the northwestern city of Peshawar, is headed "Arrangements of Secure Houses and Protection to Afghan Taliban and Their Leadership".
In the letter, dated August 2014, an official arranges for safe houses and vehicles to be provided for Afghan Taliban commanders forced out of a remote area of northern Pakistan while an army operation is conducted.
Another letter, dated March 2015, requests an update on Haqqani network personnel in Nowshera, Mardan and Swabi, in the border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A third letter addressed from the Directorate General Military Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, dated July 2014, is headed "Kabul Airport Attacks and Release of Payments".
The letter says four members of the Haqqani network are to be paid 2.5 million Pakistani rupees ($24,000) each for the "successful and comprehensive execution of assault on KB AP".
Partial Solar Eclipse updates: See stunning photos of Surya Grahan from Chennai, Bengaluru, Patna and more
India calls for quick action against sponsors of terrorism
International
oi-PTI
Ulaanbaatar, July 15: India pressed the international community to work together to erase the scourge of terrorism by taking speedy action against the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism in the wake of a deadly truck attack in France that killed 80 people.
Addressing the plenary session of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit here in the Mongolian capital, Vice President Hamid Ansari said, "all our societies today face unprecedented levels of threat from terrorism in all its manifestations. The most recent example is what has happened, most unfortunately in France."
"We need to cooperate meaningfully to deal with this threat. Let us pledge today to work together to erase the scourge of terrorism by taking speedy action against the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terror," Ansari said.
Earlier today, a truck ploughed into a crowd in the French city of Nice, killing at least 80 people in what President Francois Hollande called a "terrorist" attack on revellers watching a Bastille Day fireworks display.
The ASEM summit, attended by a number of European leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council Donald Tusk, observed a minute of silence to mourn the death of innocent people in the French city.
Ansari said the "early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the aegis of the UN is an imperative today. I urge ASEM support for it."
The Vice President also called for collaboration to protect "our global commons such as the seas and oceans in accordance with international conventions".
"Let us resolve disputes peacefully, without threats or use of force, and exercise self restraint in the conduct of activities that could escalate disputes effecting peace and stability."
As a State Party to the UNCLOS, India urges all parties to show utmost respect for the UNCLOS, which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans," Ansari said, days after a UN-backed tribunal struck down Chinas claims of "historical rights" in the disputed South China Sea on a case brought by the Philippines.
Besides the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan challenged Chinas claims.Among those present at the summit was Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
PTI
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Story first published: Friday, July 15, 2016, 13:12 [IST]
Amarnath yatra suspended today in the wake of strike called by separatists in valley
Pak declares Burhan Wani as 'martyr'; to observe July 19 as black day
International
oi-PTI
Islamabad, Jul 15: Further needling India on the Kashmir issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today declared slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a "martyr" and said July 19 will be observed as black day to express solidarity with people of Kashmir.
Addressing a special cabinet meeting in Lahore to discuss the situation in Kashmir, Sharif termed the "movement of Kashmiris as a movement of freedom".
"Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination," the prime minister said.
Burhan Wani killing: Here is what he did before his death
"The Prime Minister termed Burhan Wani as martyr of independence movement," Radio Pakistan reported. He said, the "Indian brutalities will give impetus to the freedom struggle and Kashmiri people will get their right to self-determination for which the whole Pakistani nation is standing behind them."
The prime minister directed all the relevant departments to highlight the Kashmir issue at international fora.
"Seven hundred thousand Indian soldiers deployed in Occupied Kashmir could not suppress the struggle of Kashmiris," he was quoted as saying by Radio Pakistan.
On the proposal of Prime Minister Sharif, the cabinet decided that "Black Day will be observed on Tuesday (July 19) against Indian barbarism in Occupied Kashmir." The meeting also condemned the terrorist attacks in France, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Turkey and Indonesia.
PTI
Would ask Congress for declaration of war on ISIS: Donald Trump
International
oi-PTI
Washington, July 15: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump today said if elected he would go to Congress and seek declaration of war against the Islamic State terror group and would involve NATO in the effort.
"I would. I would. This is war," Trump told media in an interview when asked if he would go to the Congress and ask for a declaration of war.
"If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it's war, and we're dealing with people without uniforms. In the old days you would have uniforms. You knew what you were fighting," he said.
"We are allowing people into our country who we have no idea where they are, where they are from, who they are, they have no paperwork, they have no documentation in many cases and Hillary Clinton wants to allow 550 per cent more than even Obama and he is letting them in by the thousands," he said.
Trump said NATO should also be involved in the war. "I have been saying it we should use NATO for a purpose. I mean, we're spending a fortune on NATO. We have countries in NATO that don't make a fair contribution," he said.
"We are supporting NATO and we should at least get something out of it and getting rid of ISIS and getting rid of this cancer that we're watching all over the world, that certainly would be a good thing, a good thing for NATO to be involved in," he added.
Trump criticised President Barack Obama for not using the words "radical Islamic terror". "Why he refuses to use the term radical Islamic terror and frankly in this case wait a little while and let's see what happens. Who knows? Maybe you will be surprised and maybe we will all be surprised," he said.
"It's possible but let's just wait. It won't take long to find out," he added. Trump said he would make it difficult for people to come into the US from countries where terrorism prevails. "I would be making it very, very hard for people to come into our country for one thing from terrorist areas. I would be so extreme in terms of documentation," Trump said.
"Obama is allowing a lot of people to come in. We have no idea who they are. If they are from Syria, maybe, but they have no paperwork many times. They don't have proper documentation," he alleged.
"I would not allow people to come in from terrorist nations. I would do extreme vetting. I would call it extreme vetting too," he said.
Referring to today's terrorist attack in Nice, France he said it sounds like "here we go again"."We're living in a whole different world. That there is no respect for law and order.There is no respect for anything or anybody. And this has to be dealt with very harshly," he said.
"When I come out with my non-politically correct statements that a lot of people love and some people think are so terrible, and then you have attacks like this and so many other attacks, I mean, let's see what happens with this one. It's early to tell," Trump said.
PTI
Deputy SP suicide case: Poojary demands CM's resignation
Mangalore
oi-PTI
Mangaluru, July 15: In an embarrassment to the ruling Congress in Karnataka, senior party leader B Janardhana Poojary on Thursday, July 14 demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged suicide of DySP M K Ganapathy, saying people were unhappy with his administration.
Poojary said the people were fed up with the way the Chief Minister was handling Ganapathy's case and "99 per cent" of people had shown their dissatisfaction with the government in an opinion poll through an electronic media.
"When three names are clearly spelt out in the dying declaration, why are you not filing FIRs against them? Is one person important to you than the party," Poojary, a former Union Minister, asked Siddaramaiah at a press conference here.
He wanted the Chief Minister to take steps to register an FIR against those who were named in Ganapathy's suicide note. 51-year-old Ganapathy was found hanging from the ceiling fan in a room at a lodge in Madikeri on July 7, prior to which he gave an interview to a local TV channel, saying the minister and A M Prasad (IG-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP-Lokayukta) would be responsible "if anything happens to me."
His death has rocked the Assembly with Opposition demanding resignation of Minister for Bengaluru Development K J George. The government has announced a judicial probe into the incident.
PTI
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Story first published: Friday, July 15, 2016, 11:35 [IST]
France witnessed horrific terror attack when a truck driver drove into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in french city nice yesterday night. At least 84 people are said to have been killed with many of them children. French officials said that one man was identified as driving the truck, and he was shot dead by the police. Watch video
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Reprinted from Robert Reich Blog
Republican Elephant & Democratic Donkey
(Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA
I'll save you the guesswork. On July 21, Donald Trump will become the Republican nominee for president of the United States. On July 28, Hillary Clinton will become the Democratic nominee.
Trump's pending coronation is unsettling many Republican leaders -- prompting Republican national chairman, Reince Priebus, to warn them that "if we don't stick together as a party and stop her, then the only alternative is to get comfortable with the phrase President Hillary Clinton."
That's about as enthusiastic an endorsement Trump is likely to get from the Republican establishment.
It's also unsettling many other Americans, some of whom will be demonstrating in downtown Cleveland to protest the nomination of a man who has gone out of his way to denigrate Latinos, blacks, Muslims and immigrants.
But barring a miracle, Trump will be nominated anyway.
So will Clinton, whose nomination isn't going down easily with many of Bernie Sanders's supporters, even after his endorsement of her.
So why have the conventions at all?
First, because they're perks awarded to people who worked hard for candidates during the primaries -- just as top sales reps in companies are awarded trips to national sales conventions. Delegates will have fun and spend money, which hotels and restaurants in downtown Cleveland and Philadelphia will sop up like dry sponges.
They'll enjoy circulating on the convention floors for five or six hours each night exchanging gossip and business cards, hugging old friends and meeting new ones, and taking selfies.
And they'll feel important when they hear party leaders, heads of state delegations, members of Congress and occasional celebrities tell them how critical it is to defeat the opposing party in November, how strong their nominee will be, and what makes America great.
Second, the conventions generate prime-time TV infomercials featuring celebrities, heroes and former presidents (Bush 1 and 2 say they won't appear at the Republican one) and, most importantly, the nominee on the last night.
All will speak about the same three themes, although Trump will talk mainly about himself. These segments will be produced and directed by Hollywood professionals and marketing specialists whose goal is to get the major networks (or at least CNN, Fox News and MSNBC) to project stirring images into the living rooms of swing voters.
The third reason for these conventions will be hidden far away from the delegates and the prime-time performers: It's to ingratiate the big funders -- corporate executives, Wall Street investment bankers, partners in major law firms, top Washington lawyers and lobbyists, and billionaires.
The big funders are undermining our democracy but they'll have the best views in the house. They'll fill the skyboxes of the convention centers -- just above where the media position their cameras and anchors and high above the din of the delegates. And they'll feast on shrimp, lobster tails, and caviar.
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Hillary Clinton staggered out of the worst week of her 2016 presidential campaign with a 3 percent lead over Donald Trump. Nonetheless, it's likely she will move forward to a resounding victory in November. Here's what Hillary needs to do.
1. Avoid further screw-ups: Although Clinton came out of the email hearings with her lead intact, the process further damaged her trustworthiness ratings. We're now at the point where voters dislike both major candidates but continue to have stronger negative feelings for Trump. (Significant numbers of voters indicate they will support the Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson.)
Going forward, the Clinton campaign can afford no further screw-ups. If they stay the course, Hillary will gradually enhance her positives -- she's a disciplined campaigner. Her biggest problem will be keeping Bill Clinton under control; in 2016 he's proved to be a loose cannon.
The July 25th Democratic convention must be free from controversy. Clinton needs to reconcile with Bernie Sanders and his supporters. She also needs to take the correct tone regarding the "Black Lives Matter" movement.
2. Stay on message: The primary reason that Hillary leads Trump has been her ability to stay on message -- after Bill Clinton met with Attorney General Loretta Lynch at the Phoenix Airport, Donald Trump had 10 days to blast Hillary on the email kerfuffle but failed to do so effectively -- he continually veered off message.
In the next four months, Clinton needs to stay on message; talk about jobs, terror, immigration, and gun control. She must not respond to Trump's negative attacks on her -- this should be done through surrogates. Hillary can build her leadership, competence, and trust numbers by staying on message while Trump fires random hate missiles at her.
3. Bring excitement to her campaign: While the idea of Hillary Clinton, a woman, becoming President is exciting, Hillary herself is phlegmatic. The contrast between stolid Hillary and crazy Donald may be enough to guarantee Clinton's victory, but it would be ideal to spice up the Democratic campaign with an exciting running mate. At the moment, the best choice seems to be Elizabeth Warren.
While only a year younger than Hillary, Elizabeth seems more youthful and has a stronger appeal to Millenials. Warren has proven herself an effective advocate of progressive policies and an unusually effective Trump-basher. Elizabeth can be the foremost critic of all things Trump -- in effect, the bad cop -- while Hillary focuses on positive policy positions -- plays the good cop.
The Trump-led GOP convention (July 18) will probably be chaotic. Democrats should contrast that with a calm but exciting convention (July 25).
4. Cleanup press relations: Hillary has not held a full-scale press conference in 2016. (Instead, she has given one-on-one interviews to cable news outlets such as CNN and MSNBC.) She has good reasons for this -- the FBI email investigation was hanging over her head -- but after the Democratic convention would be a good time for Hillary to give several press conferences. (And make herself more accessible to media outlets in swing states.)
5. Roll out the campaign: The Los Angeles Times recently reported that Hillary has outspent Trump 15 to 1 ($45 million versus $3 million) on TV advertisements in swing states.
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Most Americans don't have a clue what has happened in a place called Crimea, in fact, they don't even know where it is. But, Crimea's location has made it one of the most frequent battlegrounds of empires -- and today is no exception.
A few may remember Crimea through Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "Charge of the Light Brigade" about the deaths of almost 600 British soldiers during the 1854 Crimean War as they walked into an ambush immortalized in the infamous words of war...
"Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death,
Rode the six hundred.
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell,
Rode the six hundred."
Most don't remember that in 1941, the Nazis had a 250-day siege of one of Crimea's cities -- Sevastopol -- in which 26,000 were killed, 50,000 wounded and 95,000 taken prisoner. Ultimately, with the defeat of Germany, the Soviet Union regained control of Crimea. Stalin deported 180,000 in 48 hours -- a large part of the Crimean population, Crimean Tatars and others -- to Central Asia and over the years Crimea was repopulated with ethnic Russians. The Soviet government assigned Crimea to the Republic of Ukraine in 1954.
Now, Crimea is in the world's focus with its 2014 people's referendum following the coup against the elected government of the Ukraine which brought to power a right-wing nationalist government supported by the US. United States involvement in the overthrow of the elected government and its aftermath can be traced through the phone call intercepted by Russian government communications spy facilities between Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and Geoffrey Pyatt, US Ambassador to the Ukraine. In no uncertain terms, with her now infamous phrase "f*ck the EU," Nuland castigated the EU's lack of efforts to support the Maidan Square events that were leading to the coup. The referendum and annexation are considered as against international law by the US, EU or United Nations.
Despite a U.S. government travel advisory against visiting Crimea, our delegation of 20 persons including 19 Americans and one Singaporean went to see for ourselves what had happened there and to speak with as many persons as we could. Ours was the first international delegation to visit the Crimea from the United States in over two years. Organized through the Center for Citizen Initiatives, our delegation met with government officials, business people, veterans of World War II and the Soviet-Afghan war, students and Crimean Tatars. We spoke with people who voted for reunification with Russia and some who did not.
As much as 80 percent of the population of Crimea went to the polls and 97 percent of them voted to "reunite" with Russia. The Russian Federation formally annexed Crimea six days after the vote. Russia's southern naval fleet is located in Crimea and Russia gave as its rationale for annexing Crimea, the national security necessity to protect the port and fleet from anti-Russian forces.
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Rising Demand For Independent Living Coupled With Quality Care And Cost Effective Treatment Are Vital Growth Propellers For Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market Till 2022: Grand View Research, Inc.
http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-patient-monitoring-devices-market
http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/remote-patient-monitoring-devices-market/request
Global Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market is expected to reach USD 1.2 billion by 2022, according to a new study by Grand View Research Inc. Remote patient monitoring devices, due to their capability to monitor various chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and cancer are expected to experience considerable growth over the forecast period. Increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, rising geriatric population base and the growing demand for independent and healthy living by target patients are some high impact rendering drivers of the remote patient monitoring devices market. Moreover, improving medical infrastructure, increasing post acute care management and demand in the emerging Asia Pacific and Latin American markets are expected to fuel the growth of this market. Rapid technological advancement occurring in the remote patient monitoring devices market is expected to lead towards availability of better option for healthcare practitioners and patients. Remote patient monitoring devices encompass a wide array of technologies designed to manage, evaluate, notify, intervene and modify the treatment plan as required.Browse full research report on Global Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Market:The remote patient monitoring devices are most commonly used to slow the progression of chronic disorders and enhance recovery after getting discharged from an acute care unit. Remote patient monitoring technologies also alert caregivers thereby, enabling prompt intervention.Further key findings from the study suggest: Heart rate monitors are identified as the most lucrative sub-segment owing to increasing incidences of cardiac related conditions globally. Heart rate monitor segment accounted for a significant market share in 2014. The rise in demand for home healthcare and independent living by geriatric population are some factors attributing to the segments large market share. North America accounted for more than 40% of the remote patient monitoring devices market in 2014 on account of the high demand for technologically advanced products. Presence of sophisticated healthcare infrastructure along with high awareness level of the patients has led to the growth of overall remote patient monitoring devices market. Asia Pacific is identified as the most lucrative region of the market due to the presence of large unmet needs in the emerging markets of China and India. Presence of suitable government initiatives to curb the deteriorating environmental conditions and enhancing healthcare infrastructure in Japan and Australia are also expected to attribute to this markets attractiveness. Some key players of remote patient monitoring devices market include Philips, Honeywell, American Telecare, Roche, Philips Healthcare, Bosch, Biotronik, Intel, Welch Allyn, Healthanywhere Inc, Johnson & Johnson and Covidien Plc.Read detailed report or request for free sample of this research report:For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global remote patient monitoring devices market on the basis of products, application, end-use and region:Global Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2022) Vital Sign Monitorso Blood Pressure Monitoro Pulse Oximeterso Heart Rate Monitor (ECG)o Temperature Monitoro Respiratory Rate Monitoro Brain Monitor (EEG) Specialo Anesthesia Monitoro Blood Glucose Monitoro Cardiac Rhythm Monitoro Respiratory Monitoro Fetal heart Monitoro Prothrombin Monitoro Multi Parameter Monitor (MPM)o Others (Ventilators, Infusion Pumps and Others)Global Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2022) Cancer Treatment Cardiovascular Diseases Treatment Diabetes Treatment Sleep Disorder Treatment Weight Management and Fitness MonitoringGlobal Remote Patient Monitoring Devices End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2022) Hospital based patients Ambulatory Patients Home HealthcareGlobal Remote Patient Monitoring Devices Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2012 2022) North Americao U.S.o Rest of North America Europeo Germanyo UKo Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Rest of Asia Pacific Latin Americao Brazilo Mexicoo Rest of Latin America Middle East and Africa (MEA)o South Africao Rest of Middle East and AfricaGrand 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.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncPhone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519
Planet Cabinets Announces Showroom Opening and New Website
http://planetcabinets.com/
http://mayaconstructioninc.com/
http://planetcabinets.com/
06/01/2016 --Today, premier kitchen remodeling company Planet Cabinets has announced the opening of its new kitchen remodeling showroom located at 4408 N Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago, which is now open by appointment from 9:00am - 6:00pm 7 days per week. Planet Cabinets is also proud to launch of a new full-service website,Planet Cabinets is well known in the Chicago area for kitchen cabinets and full kitchen and bathroom remodels. The company is managed by Project Manager, Ofer Gliksman and Design Consultant, Udi Yeger. Both bring 20 years of experience to every project in multiple areas from construction to real estate. Planet Cabinets takes into account the entire scope of any project from the very beginning to the end. The owners work directly with clients, ensuring that every project is handled with experience and care.About Planet CabinetsPlanet Cabinets is a full-service kitchen and bathroom remodeling service, offering free in-store design consultations, cabinet installation service and much more. The showroom offers more than 25 styles of kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors from which to choose. Planet Cabinets works closely with Maya Construction Inc. on kitchen and bathroom remodeling projectsAccording to a recent kitchen cabinet client, "Planet Cabinets was recommended to us for kitchen remodeling and I'm happy they designed the perfect island. We received the finest kitchen cabinets in Chicago at a very fair price."For more information visitor call 773-304-4065 to book a free consultation at the Planet Cabinets Showroom.Dedicated to not just a personalized experience with remodeling and cabinetry, Planet Cabinets provides the highest quality products with unbeatable competitive pricing and at a quick turnaround. No one should have to wait to get their remodel going.4408 N Milwaukee AveChicago, IL 60630Phone Number: (773) 304-4065Business Email: info@planetcabinets.comContact Person: Ofer Gliksman
Monosodium glutamate Market Revenue Is Expected To Reach USD 5,850.0 million, growing at CAGR slightly around 4.5% from 2015 to 2020
http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/monosodium-glutamate-market-z40282
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Zion Research has published a new report titled Monosodium Glutamate Market for Food Processing Industry, Restaurants and Institutional Food Service Applications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis And Forecast, 2014 - 2020. According to the report, the global monosodium glutamate market was valued at USD 4,500.0 million in 2014, and is expected to generate revenue of USD 5,850.0 million by end of 2020, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% between 2015 and 2020. In terms of volume, the global monosodium glutamate market was stood at around 3,000.0 kilo tons in 2014.Monosodium glutamate is most commonly known as MSG and is also called as sodium glutamate. MSG is a non-essential amino acid. Monosodium glutamate is a sodium salt of glutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables and fruits. Some of the most commonly used commercial production methods of MSG include hydrolysis of vegetable proteins, direct chemical synthesis with acrylonitrile, and bacterial fermentation. Bacterial fermentation process is most widely used method for manufacturing of MSG. It is typically used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer and food additive. MSG is also used in animal feeds in small volume.Browse the full "Monosodium Glutamate Market for Food Processing Industry, Restaurants, and Institutional Food ServiceApplications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 - 2020" report atMSG is rapidly growing into popularity among end-users owing to its flavor enhancing properties. Rising demand for flavoring agents is expected to be important driving factor for the growth of monosodium glutamate market. The demand for MSG from restaurants and institutional food service providers as well as household consumption is also expected to grow at moderate pace in the years to come. The global monosodium glutamate market is mainly driven by strong growth of food processing industry across the world. However, rising health issues with the consumption of MSG and various regulatory policies regarding use of MSG in food products is expected to limit the growth of this market.monosodium glutamate marketFood processing industry (snacks, canned food, frozen food, others), restaurants and institutional food service are some of the major application markets for MSG. Food processing industry is the largest segments of monosodium glutamate market. The demand for Chinese food products and fast food is expected to grow in Asia pacific region. Food processing industry include in snacks, canned food, frozen food, sauces, gravies, ketchup, canned meat, soy sauce, sauces and, gravies among others. Restaurants and institutional food service providers is also an important application segment of MSG and expected to witness significant growth in the years to come.Get sample research report atWith over 80% shares in total volume consumption, MSG market was dominated by Asia Pacific in 2014. Strong demand for MSG from China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, etc. is mainly responsible for rapid growth of this industry in the region. Change in lifestyle, increasing disposable income and change in food habit is primarily responsible for the growth of MSG market in the region. Asia Pacific was followed by North America and Europe respectively. Latina America & Middle East Africa accounted for small share of the total revenue generated by MSG market in 2014. North America, Europe, Latin America and Middle East Africa accounted for very small share in total volume consumption of MSG in 2014.Some of the major industry participants in global monosodium glutamate market include TheFufeng Group, Meihua Group, Ajinomoto, Lotus Group, Ningxia Eppen, Shandong Qilu Biotechnology Group, Shandong Linghua Group, Vedan, Shandong Shenghua Group, and Jianyang Wuyi MSG Co., Ltd.Global Monosodium Glutamate Market: Application Segment AnalysisGet sample research report atFood Processing IndustryRestaurantsInstitutional Food ServiceGlobal Monosodium Glutamate Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeGermanyFranceUKAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaBrowse the full "Monosodium Glutamate Market for Food Processing Industry, Restaurants, and Institutional Food ServiceApplications: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 - 2020" report atAbout UsZion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each Zion Research syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food and beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve the overall research requirement of clients.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@marketresearchstore.comWebsite:
At A CAGR Of 3.33% Foodservice Market In The US Will Grow During The Period 2016-2020
http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=751766
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http://www.researchmoz.us/
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Foodservice Market in the US 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Foodservice refers to the sale of food and beverages that have been prepared out-of-home for immediate consumption, either on the premises from where they are purchased or for takeaway or home delivery. The foodservice industry caters to cafeterias, hospitals, cafs, pubs, nightclubs, bars, and hotels. Foodservice has become prevalent in educational institutions and office complexes, as students and office workers prefer to buy lunch rather than cook at home.Technavios analysts forecast the foodservice market in the US to grow at a CAGR of 3.33% 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 foodservice market in the US for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the sales of various food and beverages sold by the global foodservice vendors in terms of revenue. The market is broadly divided into:Commercial foodservice: Commercial foodservice is any foodservice operation established to make a profit from the sale of food and beverages. The commercial foodservice segment in this report includes full-service restaurants, fast food or quick service restaurants, pubs, hotels, bars, cafs, takeaway, home delivery, and others.Non-commercial foodservice: In non-commercial type of foodservice segment, food is primarily prepared and served to support another establishments main function or purpose. The non-commercial foodservice segment in this report includes educational institutions, workplaces, and hospitals.New report, Foodservice 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 vendorsAramarkCompass Group North AmericaDominosMcDonaldsRestaurant Brands InternationalStarbucksSubwayYum! BrandsOther prominent vendorsAmeriQual GroupAtlas Food Systems and ServicesAVI FoodsystemsB&G FoodsBaldwin Richardson FoodsBasic American FoodsBen E. KeithBiRite Foodservice DistributorsBon Apptit ManagementBrock & Co.CenterplateChick-fil-ACulinArtDelaware North CompaniesDunkin BrandsGordon Food ServiceSubwayThompson HospitalityWendysMarket driverGrowing popularity of fast-casual restaurantsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeNeed to maintain and standardize food safetyFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncrease in healthy and gluten-free food choicesFor 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?Make an Enquiry of this report @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 @
Global Industrial Anti-Scaling Chemicals Market Will Grow At A CAGR Of 4.42% During The Period 2016-2020
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Industrial Anti-scaling Chemicals Market 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.The global industrial anti-scaling chemicals market is driven by the increasing demand from key end-uses including the oil, gas, and mining and water and wastewater treatment industries. The rapid growth of these industries in leading regions such as APAC, Central and South America, and Africa will be a key contributing factor.Anti-scaling chemicals are used in industries that are key contributors to GDP growth like oil, gas, and mining. In addition, anti-scaling chemicals are used in other prominent industries such as food and beverage and municipal and industrial water treatment, which are experiencing rapid growth in developing regions such as Central and South America, the Middle East, Africa, and APAC.High-value anti-scaling chemicals have become an indispensable part of process water systems in any enterprise that aims to achieve higher profitability through cost reduction. Since anti-scaling chemicals substantially reduce operating costs, the demand for them from water treatment companies has increased.Technavios analysts forecast the global industrial anti-scaling chemicals market to grow at a CAGR of 4.42% 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 global industrial anti-scaling chemicals market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the study considers the revenue generated from the sales of anti-scaling chemicals by manufacturers.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeCentral and South America, Middle East and AfricaNorth AmericaNew report, Global Industrial Anti-Scaling Chemicals Market 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 vendorsKemiraBWA Water AdditivesDowClariantOther prominent vendorsAcceptaAkzo NobelAmerican Water ChemicalsAshlandAvista TechnologiesBASFGE Water and Process TechnologiesGenesysInnovative Chemical TechnologiesItalmatch ChemicalsNalcoNowataSolenisSolvayToray MembraneMarket driverRising demand for RO and nano-filtration membranesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeEnvironmental concernsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncreased focus on biodegradabilityFor 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?Make an Enquiry of this report @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 @
Remote Health Delivery Market In India Will Grow At A CAGR Of 20.18% During The Period 2016-2020
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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Remote Health Delivery Market in India 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Remote health delivery, or telemedicine, is defined as the remote delivery of healthcare services through ICT. It is an effective combination of ICT and medical science that helps address the challenges faced by the Indian healthcare delivery system. Remote health delivery shifts the focus of a healthcare system from curing diseases in hospitals to a system that provides healthcare delivery whenever and wherever the need arises. A widespread adoption of remote health delivery systems will transform the role of hospitals in providing healthcare services. It will improve service quality, streamline processes, and increase the overall efficiency of hospitals.Technavios analysts forecast the remote health delivery market in India to grow at a CAGR of 20.18% 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 remote health delivery market in India for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the study considers the revenue generated from the services provided by the healthcare service providers.The market is divided into the following segments based on end-users:Commercial segmentGovernment segmentPublic-private partnerships (PPPs)NGOsNew report, Remote Health Delivery Market in India 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 vendorsApollo HospitalsAravind Eye CareNarayana HealthPhilips HealthcareOther prominent vendorsAerotel Medical SystemsFortis HealthcareManipal HospitalsMedtronicTelevitalMarket driverShortage of physicians and hospital bedsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeLack of proper infrastructureFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncrease in investmentsFor 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?Make an Enquiry of this report @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 @
New study on Global H1N1 Vaccines Market 2016 Industry Trends & forecast just published
Global H1N1 Vaccines Market 2016
http://www.marketintelreports.com/report/QYR08917/global-h1n1-vaccines-industry-2016-market-research-reportn
http://www.marketintelreports.com/pdfdownload.php?id=qyr08917
www.marketintelreports.com
The Global H1N1 Vaccines Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the H1N1 Vaccines industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The H1N1 Vaccines market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Check Complete Report @Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Get Sample Brochure of the Report @then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the H1N1 Vaccines industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.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.MIR intends to be a one-stop shop with an intuitive design, exhaustive database, expert assistance, secure cart checkout and data privacy integrated. It curates the list of reports, publishers and studies to ensure that the database is constantly updated to dynamically meet the targeted, specific needs of our clients.MarketIntelReports currently has more than 10,000 plus titles and 35+ publishers on our platform and growing consistently to fill the Global Intelligence Demand Supply Gap. We cover more than 15 industry verticals being: Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Chemicals, Building & Construction, Agriculture, Food & Beverages, Banking & Finance, Media and Government, Public Sector Studies.Contact us:Mayur SSales Manager2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400,Wilmington,Delaware,19808United Statessales@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-261-5343
The Hospital undergoing surgery
Hospital
http://www.climaveneta.com
Gustavo Frickle Hospital is a new 92,000 sqm building in Vina del mar, Chile. This modern 11-storey structure with 554 rooms, clinical wards and an heliport, will be inaugurated in March 2017.Providing patients and medical personnel with ideal temperature and humidity conditions as well as huge amount of sanitary hot water, achieving these with reduced acoustic emissions and highest efficiency, are the key challenges for the HVAC system of the hospital.To hit this target the Hospital will be equipped with 8 FOCS-N, air source heat pumps with semi hermetic screw compressors, and 1 ERACS2-Q INTEGRA air source unit for simultaneous production of hot and cold water, thus satisfying precisely the air conditioning needs of the structure all year long.In particular ERACS2-Q multi-purpose heat pump has been chosen in low noise version, in order to reduce noise emissions and ensure occupiers comfort. In addition, depending on climate conditions, best operation mode is set completely automatically and independently in order to minimize the absorbed energy in every situation.Media RelationsSara Di Clementesara.diclemente@climaveneta.comClimaveneta, a European leader in HVAC and HPAC with 40 years experience, is in business for a purpose: to provide energy efficient heating, air conditioning and data center cooling solutions that enhance everyones comfort, improve the profitability of a building and do not contribute to an increase in CO2 levels.ClimavenetaPlant of via Sarson, 57/c36061 Bassano del Grappa (VI)Italy+390424509500
Using KACO new energy inverters worldwide now even more convenient thanks to new modular software
The concentrated intelligence of the V3.25 modular software is the power behind the graphic display.
http://kaco-newenergy.com/fileadmin/data/downloads/Software/Inverter_Software/Software_Packages/DE/30.0-72.0_TL3_V3.25_160520.kuf
http://kaco-newenergy.com/fileadmin/data/downloads/Software/Inverter_Software/SW-Update-Guide_30.0-72.0_TL3_V3.25_EN.pdf
www.kaco-newenergy.com
www.kaco-newenergy.com
Neckarsulm, 14. July 2016 - The elegantly updated V3.25 software assists customers two-fold: to access markets and for remote access. The list of country settings and certificates continues to grow too.It is no secret that you cannot really tell the difference between modern inverters apart from "traditional ones" by the hardware, but rather by the intelligence behind the software. As a future-oriented manufacturer, KACO new energy has now completely organised its software in a modular fashion, meaning that every functional unit in the inverter has its own discreet software module.KACO new energy started this process in the winter of 2014/2015 when it introduced the new blueplanet inverters - modular software was incorporated into the appliances of the TL1 and the blueplanet 5.0 to 9.0 TL3 series from the start - and this is now being extended to include the remaining inverters. All of the stand-alone appliances in the Powador series right up to the Powador 72.0 TL3 Park have been completed and the remaining inverters up to the Powador 20.0 TL3 are next on the agenda.The newly-structured software certainly comes with numerous advantages to the customer: Above all else, individual appliances and whole ranges can be brought quicker into line with the specific requirements of new markets because it is only necessary to modify or adapt individual modules. Furthermore, if an update is necessary, the software looks for it itself and downloads it to its memory.Configuration, as well as updates can be conveniently carried out via Ethernet and the internal webserver. The software contains monitoring which informs the operator if the surge protection has tripped. It also allows for country-specific settings which may be necessary to regulate feed-in limitations and simplifies the user-defined, frequency-dependent power control.In line with the new V3.25 software, the list of country settings and certificates for the aforementioned appliance range has also grown, with clearance for South Africa and Thailand, to mention but a few. Apart from that, the new software contains settings which conform to the German BDEW directive governing feed-in in the medium-voltage grid.The new software is ready for download here:The corresponding update guide can be found here:The current, regularly-updated overview of country certificates can be found here:http://kaco-newenergy.com/download/photovoltaics/overview-certifications/About KACO new energy:KACO new energy is amongst the world's largest manufacturers of solar inverters. With offices in 16 countries, the company offers inverters for every array size from the smallest homes to the largest solar farms of hundreds of Megawatts. KACO new energy is based in Neckarsulm, near Stuttgart, Germany and the production facilities there, in the Americas and Asia have supplied around eight Gigawatts of inverters since 1999. The company was the first inverter manufacturer to achieve fully carbon-neutral production and is rapidly heading towards power self-sufficiency. KACO new energy also supplies energy storage systems and battery inverters, as well as inverters for PV-Diesel hybrid systems and combined heat and power plants. In 2014, KACO new energy celebrated the centenary of the original company which was one of the first suppliers of inverters in the late 1930s. Read more atContact:KACO new energy GmbHAndreas SchlumbergerHead of Corporate CommunicationsCarl-Zeiss-Str. 174172 NeckarsulmGermany+49 7132 3818-0+49 7132 3818-703pr(at)kaco-newenergy.de
BISCAYNE WELLNESS CENTER, A FIVE STAR RATING YELP AWARD WINNER, IS EXCITIED TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF THEIR NEW WEBSITE WWW.BWCMiami.COM
. I wanted to create a place of wellness where we can treat the whole person, not just a set of isolated symptoms.
Miami, Fla. (July 14th, 2016) Biscayne Wellness Center, a Miami, luxury wellness center specializing in dentistry, skincare and integrative medicine is proud to announce the launch of a new website! The website conveys the modern, fresh feeling that the wellness center in Miami is all about.The site's new interactive features allow patients to learn about the wide array of dental, skincare and integrative medicine services that can be tailored to their specific image goals. The site also features detailed pages on all of the services they offer. An additional feature for patients in South Florida, or anyone visiting the site, is their new on-line skin care store.Dr. Julio Hernandez, founder of Biscayne Wellness Center, is celebrated as the grand-architect behind some of South Floridas most brilliant smiles, Dr. Julio E. Hernandez, D.M.D., has over two decades of experience in cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics and prosthodontic services. In addition to regularly appearing in the press as a leading authority on cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Hernandez is a frequent guest on a variety of syndicated and international television programs. I wanted to create a place of wellness where we can treat the whole person, not just a set of isolated symptoms. said Dr. Hernandez.You are invited to explore the new website and take a peek at the state-of-the-art wellness center. We're confident you'll agree that the new website will help better serve patients! For a limited time, new patients can also receive the first 20 units of Botox, Dysport, or Xeomin for just $99 (a $240 value).About Biscayne Wellness CenterFounded in Miami in 1999, Biscayne Wellness Center is a high-end ULTRA modern multi-disciplinary health and wellness center that provides the very best in general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics. As well as state-of-the-art skin care treatments for anti-aging/rejuvenation, skin tone and texture, acne, skin tightening and overall esthetics, AND integrative medicine services using advanced methods of testing to improve patients health from the inside out in Miami.Agency Guerra8000 West Dr. #526Miami FL 33141786-514-7899Mariu Saralegui
The Billion Dollar Baby Business From China
www.canadachinatrade.ca
www.richwaytech.ca
Contact: Ryan Cordoni FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETel. 604.704.4684Email: ryan.cordoni@richwaytech.caDate: XX/XX/2016THE BILLION-DOLLAR BABY BUSINESS FROM CHINAMia.com is Leading the Way in Post One-Child Policy ChinaMia.com is an e-commerce platform in China that sells foreign baby products to Chinese consumers. There are several factors driving the success of this company. First, China has changed its one-child policy into a two-child policy as of January 2016. Second, in recent years, there have been several scandals in China related to the safety of baby products produced in China. Third, cross-border trade relations are becoming easier to establish in China, especially because of the emerging demand for foreign products from the growing Chinese middle class. All of these factors have led to Mia.com becoming a billion-dollar company within a few short years.Mia.com is one of several successful e-commerce companies attending the upcoming Canada China Trade Conference in Vancouver, Canada. The CCTC is taking place on August 23rd of this year at the Vancouver Convention Centre with talks starting at 9:00AM. The event presents an opportunity for Canadian businesses to network with Chinese e-commerce companies as well as learn digital marketing strategies from the people who built Chinas Internet from the ground up. Tickets start at $300.It turns out that the middle class in China also doesnt want their babies playing with lead-paint covered toys, says Ryan Cordoni, Marketing Manager at Richway Tech. Its not a surprise when you think about it, but I think the general assumption is that Chinese people are all okay with the low quality products coming out of their country. The truth is that they hate them just as much as we do, and they are looking for alternatives from outside of China.For more information about Mia.com and the CCTC, visitRichway New Media Technology is a full-scale digital marketing agency that specializes in connecting local businesses with Chinese consumers both locally and in china. To learn more, visit, or call us at 778-379-6926.745 Thurlow StreetSuite 1830
Semeon announces the release of its INTENT module as part of the Semeon Insights Platform
Semeon believes that Intent Analysis of social media content, blogs, forums, emails, etc., can be an extremely powerful and valuable tool for enhancing understanding and communication across these channels, leading to Actionable Insights that can be used across business teams.In recent years, a few companies have begun showcasing their Intent Analysis capabilities on intent-to-purchase, given its potential for increasing conversion rates and driving sales. Unfortunately, most approaches to date are lexical in nature, and as such, strive to identify specific patterns such as I want to buy that product or I should never have subscribed to this service.Lexical approaches will not be useful in these cases; hence Semeon has approached Intent Analysis through a machine learning and semantic approach.Our systems Machine learning features are based on the Subject-Predicate-Object model serving to identify and extract tens of thousands of sentences containing these patterns online.Intent patterns have been developed to identify the effect on the following actions:* Complain, Praise, Inform, Inquire, Purchase, Not-Purchase, Affect-Change, Defend, Insult, Threaten and Harm.Semeon Intent Analysis can help companies enhance communication with their customers across the digital landscape. Intent Analysis can also be applied to inbound emails sent to customer service departments, contact center feedback, and data stored in CRM systems. Business units will benefit individually from Intent Analysis. For example, Purchase and Praise will be useful to sales groups, while inbound marketing will benefit from Complain, Praise and Inform, as will customer service groups. Outbound marketing can make use of the Inquire class, and, Insult, Threaten and Harm can help security services better identify risks.Semeon has already achieved industry-leading accuracy scores and will continue to enhance the Intent Analysis algorithms to better support these business tracks.Based in Montreal, Canada, Semeon combines the best semantic, sentiment, intent and statistical analysis. Thanks to its 100 person-years of experience with natural language processing systems, our team of experts has developed a unique platform that affords Semeons customers the ability to track what is being said about their brands, products, customers, competitors and helps them do so more rapidly and efficiently than with competing products. For more information, contact Semeon Analytics at: Info@semeon.com. Or call us at:Semeon Canada 1.514.778.9637 Semeon USA 1.425.242.4309 PR Contact Jordan Lavoie. Info@semeon.comSemeon Analytics Inc., a leading developer of Semantic analysis to accurately interpret human conversations. Semeon Insights is one of the only tools to provide deep analytics while providing a breadth of tools including our newest release Intent Analysis.Semeon Analytics2135 De la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Z8
Inside Out Services, LLC Expands Holiday Decor Operations
Interior Plant Maintenance DC, MD, VA
It may only be mid-summer and the dog days of summer still lie ahead, but at Inside Out Services, the winter holiday season is in full swing. Ordering and producing amazing holiday decor for commercial properties like hotels, office building and shopping malls is not like ordering a pizza, jokes Dave Lindoerfer, owner and operator of Inside Out Services in Silver Spring, MD. It takes several months of planning and many talented hands to produce the quality of decorations our commercial holiday decor clients have come to expect from us.Inside Out Services Holiday Division has enjoyed tremendous growth over the past few years, but with growth comes challenges, but the company is ready to meet those challenges head on. Weve just acquired an additional 10,000 sq. feet of open warehouse space to accommodate the many new and exciting decorations were creating for our clients, says Dave Lindoerfer.To further ensure the complete satisfaction of its customers, Inside Out Services has just hired Mr. Robert Paris to head up their Holiday division. With over 25 years of design and sales experience, Mr. Paris has an impressive resume with the majority of his career spent in Washington, DC and New York. He also has a degree in horticulture, so in addition to his background in holiday design, he has extensive experience creating interior plantscapes for high-end commercial clients.Mr. Paris has designed some of New York Citys most impressive holiday displays, including Bergdorf Goodman and Godiva Chocolatiers. According to Robert, It may be July, but my head is already deep in the months of November and December. Starting this early is really the only way to ensure client satisfaction when the actual installations begin around Thanksgiving.Inside Out Services, LLC [http://inoutservices.com/interior-plantscaping-installations] is a full-service exterior and interior landscaping maintenance and design company servicing the DC, MD and VA metro areas. In addition to indoor office plant design, installation and maintenance, the company also offers holiday decorating services to relieve businesses of the expense and hassle associated with office decorating.Contact: David L. KuemmerleCompany: Inside Out Services, LLCAddress: 2700 Garfield Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20910Phone: 301-588-2002Email: info@inoutservices.com
IS THE NEW REAL ESTATE MODEL MAKING LISTING AGENTS OBSOLETE?
Lets face it. Consumers are becoming more educated and empowered when it comes to purchasesespecially important purchases like a new home. Think back 20 years to when shopping for a house meant driving around from one neighborhood to the next with your trusted real estate agent and a road map in your hand, committing months to the search.Fast forward to today where buyers are able to see a virtual tour of any house they want, in any city they want, from the comfort of their own homes, within minutes of it being listed online. Sites like Zillow and Realtor.com have changed the landscape of the industry for home buyers. This digital shift has also made it easy for listing agents to sell homes without depending on traditional marketing like newspaper advertising, flyers, and open houses.Yes, times have changed, and now we are on the verge of an even bigger change. Recently an innovative new company called iList announced a unique real estate model that will completely transform the way homeowners sell their homes. Texas real estate duo, Dale and Joe Peterson, launched iList in response to their clients desires to save money and take control of the home selling process, but still have the security of a knowledgeable agent on their side. iList is bringing sellers the best of both worlds.iList has reinvented the entire home sale process. When a seller is ready to list their home, they no longer have to meet with their real estate agent and sign a six-month contract to get started. They simply create a free iList account online and use a tool called iValuate to compare and determine a fair listing price for their home. Just like working with a traditional real estate agency, the sellers home is listed on MLS and other online sites. In addition, they receive yard signs, electronic lock boxes, and can talk to their iList agent any time they have questions. When an offer is received, there is no more waiting for the real estate agent to call and wading through stacks of complicated legal documents. The seller can instantly review, compare, counter, or accept offers through an online dashboard on their iList account. The buyers make offers through the online portal. Once an offer is accepted, the professional real estate team takes over and handles all of the contracts from there. All contracts and other legal documents are secured and maintained digitally. The technologys interface is designed with the average consumer in mind so it is easy for anyone to use.Aside from the simplicity, what is making this innovative new technology so attractive to sellers is the savings they receive. Traditionally, a seller will pay 6% in fees between the buyer and listing agent commissions. iList sellers only pay a 0.5% listing fee, resulting in savings on average of 50% or more of typical listing fees. For a $300,000 home sale, that could be over $9,000 savings to the seller.Although there have been other companies who have attempted to shake up the listing process by offering low cost or flat fee commissions, none of them have taken it to the same level as iList. Unlike others, iList is providing the guidance of a professional industry team coupled with technology to supplement the self-sufficiency of todays homeowners.Technology has come a long way in real estate, but now we are taking the process to the next level. Not long ago, people were apprehensive about abandoning their travel agents and booking flights online, but today that is the norm. A similar trend has occurred in the financial industry by companies such as E Trade. Now we are bringing about the same shift in the real estate industry. said iList founder, Joe Peterson.So does this change signify the death of the listing agent? Perhaps. Or perhaps we are about to see listing agents take on a whole new role as advisors to the tech-savvy independent sellers who are welcoming the long overdue advancement of a conventional industry.To learn more about the iList technology, visit their website: iListhomes.com.iList was formed to provide sellers with sophisticated, low-cost tools and services to help them sell their homes. There have been many advancements in the real estate industry that assist buyers in their search and purchase of real estate. However, sellers still primarily rely on manual agent interaction. iList streamlines the real estate buying and selling experience with industry-leading software that empowers sellers and gives them easy access to the services of licensed real estate agents. Further, iList is a brokerage enhanced by technology. In the same way other industries have been enhanced and adapted through technological improvements (e.g., travel, finances, lodging, etc.), iList is revolutionizing the real estate industry.531 Lake Dallas DrLake Dallas, TX 75065
Industrial Scrubber Market - Global Industry Analysis, Growth, Trends Forecast 2015 2023
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An industrial scrubber is an air pollution control device that is used for removing particles or gases from industrial exhaust systems. Such industrial scrubbers are generally used in factories that use or emit harmful gases or dangerous chemicals to carry out their production processes. These scrubbers are also capable of reducing emissions from exhaust systems that are not associated with chemicals or toxic fumes. It captures both solid and gas particles and prevents them from entering into the atmosphere, thus saving against ozone depletion and global warming.Get Free Sample Report Copy :On the basis of types, the Industrial Scrubber Market is segmented into dry scrubbers and wet scrubbers. The dry scrubber market is further segmented into dry spray absorbers and dry sorbent injectors among others. The wet scrubber market is further segmented into sulphuric acid scrubbers, dust or particulate scrubbers, chlorine scrubbers, ammonia scrubbers, particulate or venture scrubbers and gas or chemical scrubbers among others. On the basis of orientation, the market is segmented into vertical orientation and horizontal orientation. On the basis of end-use industries, the industrial scrubber market is segmented into automotives, oil and gas, food and beverage, maritime and chemicals among others.The increasing stringent government policies in the developed economies to monitor air polluting factors are the prime factor fuelling the growth of industrial scrubber market. Such stringent policies drive the manufacturing plants to install these scrubbers so as to comply with the regulations. For instance, the State Environment Protection Policy (SEPP) in Australia implements stringent controls on industrial pollutants that are highly toxic resulting in adverse health conditions. Such stringent controls protect and ensure well being of living beings thereby supporting the deployment and growth of industrial scrubber market.Another factor fuelling the growth of industrial scrubber market is the initiatives taken by the industries to implement scrubbers to save time and labor costs on clean-up methods of exhaust systems. Industrial scrubbers reduce the amount of time and labor required for the cleaning tasks of exhaust systems thereby enhancing revenues. However, industrial scrubbers need to be periodically checked and maintained for ensuring smooth operation and optimum efficiency. Also, since industrial scrubbers are complex in methods of operation, formulating maintenance procedures that fit all industrial scrubbers is difficult. Due to such complexities involved in maintaining industrial scrubbers, some industries are reluctant in implementing their use and prefer the conventional methods for handling the exhaust systems. Government regulations in the developing economies to control the air pollution where there are increasing numbers of industries being setup provides tremendous growth opportunities for industrial scrubber market.For providing innovative air pollution control equipment, some of the major players in industrial scrubber market are being awarded with several new projects for designing the scrubber systems. For instance, KCH Services Inc., one of the prominent players in industrial scrubber market, on November 4, 2013, was awarded the contract of designing exhaust air handling equipment by a solar manufacturing company. This solar manufacturing company provides high quality crystalline photovoltaic products and makes use of chemicals that are highly corrosive. Due to the efficiency of KCH Services Inc. for offering quality air pollution control equipment, the project was awarded to this company. Some of the other prominent players in the market include Croll Reynold Inc., Fabritech Engineers, Beltran Technologies, Inc., Hamon Research-Cotttrell Inc. and Edlon Inc.About Us :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.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 :-Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
End-of-Pipe Air Pollution Control Equipments Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020
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End-of-pipe is a technology deployed to decrease or eliminate emission of substance into the atmosphere that can harm human health or environment. Air pollution control is one of the major areas of pollution control, along with solid waste management, wastewater treatment and hazardous waste management. Air is said to be polluted when it contains harmful substances in high concentration and causes undesirable effects. End-of-pipe air pollution control equipment helps in reducing emission of harmful gases by cleaning exhaust and polluted air before it is emitted from factories or plants. These equipment are advanced and cost effective as compared to conventional air pollution control equipment.Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with free PDF Brochure:Increasing magnitude of air pollution across the globe is encouraging countries in North American and European regions to deploy end-of-point air control equipment to control the levels of air pollution, which in turn, is driving the growth of end-of-point air pollution control equipments market. In addition, national governments of various countries such as U.S, Germany, China and Japan are taking initiatives to reduce the impact of increasing air pollution on ecology and human health. This is further expected to fuel the growth of end-point air control equipment market over the forecast period. Other major drivers such as growing involvement of green lobby group and increasing investments by plants to implement air pollution control equipment to meet regulatory compliances is supporting the growth of this market. However, high initial cost associated with implementation of end-of-point air pollution control equipment is hindering the growth of this market to some extent.The global end-of-point air pollution control equipment market can be segmented based on different end-users industries and applications. The different end-user industries in this market include government and utility, industrial sector, commercial sector and residential sector. On the basis of applications, the end-of-point air pollution control equipment market can be segmented into five major categories as nuclear power plants, power systems, raw material refining, food processing and others (museums and healthcare facilities air cleaning). The global end-of-point air pollution control equipment market can also be segmented based on major geographical regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (Middle East, Latin America and Africa).Among all the regional markets, North America and Europe are dominating the global end-of-point air pollution control equipment market. Governments of major countries such as the U.S, Italy, France, Germany and UK are taking adequate steps to reduce air pollution levels. For example, U.S federal government and European Union have imposed regulations on nuclear and power plant companies to control and reduce emissions to the atmosphere. These regulations are encouraging plant owners to deploy advanced end-of-points air control equipment in these countries.Some of the key players in end-of-pipe air pollution control equipment market include AAF International, Alstom SA, EWK Umwelttechnik GmbH, A-Tec Industries AG, Fujian Environmental Protection Co. Ltd., Hosokawa Micron Group, Termokimik Corporation, Foster Wheeler Ltd, FLSmidth Airtech Company and Fisia Babcock Environment GmbH among others. Key participants in this market focus on setting up of new manufacturing plants to cater to the increasing demand of their end-of-pipe air pollution control equipment in different regional markets. For example, in 2014, AFF International inaugurated new clean-room facility for HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter manufacturing unit in Columbia.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. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Palm Kernel Oil and Coconut Oil Based Natural Fatty Acids Market for Detergents, Personal Care, Plastics - Global Market Growth & Forecast Attractiveness by 2023
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Palm kernel oil and coconut oil based natural fatty acids are medium-chain oleochemicals that exhibit excellent performance as surfactants. Natural fatty acids have potential industrial use as an environmentally sustainable material owing to their extraction from natural and renewable sources. Natural fatty acids are employed in numerous end-user industries such as detergents, personal care, plastics, rubber, and others. Asia Pacific dominated the natural fatty acids market in terms of demand, followed by Europe and North America in the past few years. Asia Pacific is expected to maintain its leading position in the market during the forecast period.The report estimates and forecasts the palm kernel oil and coconut oil based natural fatty acids market on the global, regional, and country level. The study provides forecast from 2015 to 2023 based on volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn). The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the market. Value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints for the natural fatty acids market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The report analyzes opportunities in the natural fatty acids market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources.The report includes Porters Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the natural fatty acids market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report includes price trend analysis for raw materials (palm kernel oil and coconut oil) and natural fatty acids from 2014 to 2023.Inquiry on this report @The study provides a comprehensive view of the natural fatty acids market by dividing it into end-user segments such as detergents, personal care, rubber, plastics, and others. End-user segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated from 2015 to 2023 in terms of volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn).Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for natural fatty acids in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Additionally, the report comprises country-level analysis in terms of volume and revenue for end-user segments. Key countries such as the U.S., Germany, Italy, the U.K., France, Spain, China, Brazil, and South Africa have been included in the study. Market segmentation includes demand for individual end-user in all regions and countries.The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Emery Oleochemicals, Kao Corporation, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad, OLEON NV, and Wilmar International Ltd. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview.Get a Free Sample Copy of the Report @Secondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.MRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies.Mr.Nachiket GhumareCorporate OfficeState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.com
Carbide Minerals Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020
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Carbide minerals typically comprise types of minerals such as cohenite, haxonite, moissanite and tongbaite. Out of all these types, moissanite is the most important and widely used carbide mineral across the globe. Silicon carbide, which occurs in nature as rarest of rare mineral moissanite, is used in a diverse range of applications such as abrasives and cutting tools, automobile parts, structural materials, electric systems, power electronic devices, LEDs, astronomy, heating elements, thin filament pyrometry, jewelry, nuclear fuel cladding, nuclear fuel particles, catalyst support, steel production, carborundum printmaking and grapheme production. The growing demand from all these minerals is expected to drive the global carbide minerals market in the years to come.Download Free exclusive Sample of this report:Moissanite is amongst the hardest substances present on earth with hardness just below that of diamond and at par with those of boron and cubic boron nitride. Owing to such a high hardness, moissanite mineral is broadly used in the production of abrasive products, cutting tools and durable automotive parts and components. Moreover, moissanite possesses semiconductor properties, due to which, it is widely used in the production of a diverse range of electronic circuit elements such as light-emitting diodes and others. Furthermore, moissanite is growingly used in the jewelry industry as a gemstone and is a potential substitute for diamond. The growing demand for moissanite mineral from end-user industries such as abrasives, cutting tools, automotive, electronics and jewelry is predicted to drive the global carbide minerals market in the years to come.Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest growing market for carbide minerals in the coming few years, owing to the growing demand from developing countries such as China, India and South East Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. Additionally, the nations in the geographies such as Africa, South America and the Middle East are showing robust economic growth since the last few years. These countries mainly include South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel. In addition, the U.S. and the European economies are gradually recovering from the economic downturn. All such industrial, economic, and demographic factors are ultimately creating a positive outlook for the global economy. Considering this positive outlook, the industries such as manufacturing, automotive, electronics and jewelry are anticipated to record a tremendous growth in the next six years. There is an astonishing market potential for the automobiles and consumer electronics industry in the countries such as India, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil among others.The major companies operating in the automotive and electronic markets are largely focusing on these developing countries for tapping the enormous market potential of these developing nations. The major manufacturers of automobiles and electronic products are setting giant manufacturing plants in these emergent countries. Due to this, the demand for carbide minerals in different end-user industries is projected to grow at a noteworthy rate in the next few years. Therefore, the global carbide minerals market is expected to witness a significant growth in the years to come.Some of the major companies operating in the global carbide minerals market are AGSCO Corporation, Entegris Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, Carborundum Universal Ltd., ESK-SIC GmbH, ESD-SIC b.v., Saint-Gobain Ceramics Materials GmbH, Gaddis Engineered Materials, Norstel AB, Grindwell Norton Ltd., Snam Abrasives Pvt. Ltd., Timcal Ltd. and Xiamen Powerway Advanced Material Company Limited among others.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. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Auckland based EVI Global Markets launches Global Trading Desk
www.evitrading.com
When it comes to trading international shares on overseas markets in real time, local firms were struggling to find a solid solution. Management of EVi Global Markets said that when they moved their business to Auckland they wanted to work with local trading Banks to move their international clients here but there was nothing to very little available in terms of market connectivity, clearing & settlement of international shares or custodial services. Everything seemed to be focused on trading local markets.Management has confirmed that there is increased interest from overseas investment banking executives to utilise EVi to provide overseas investors access to NZX Listed Companies whilst maintaining a value chain within their exit strategy.What makes EVi relevant is that clients have the ability to trade in more than 100 international market as well as to access global liquidity from more than two thousand institutions and six hundred broker dealers. EVi's ability to provide access to buy- and sell-side order flow helps clients achieve their best execution objectives whether trading in their home markets or across borders.EVi created an ideal solution for international and wholesale clients. Management said that their international clients look at EVi more as a strategic partner than an execution broker. EVi Global Markets provides Broker Dealer and Adviser Accounts solutions to other local firms.EVi makes available infrastructure especially for market participants that are looking to offer their clients a great trading environment. Such services provided are mainly targeted at professional trading groups, stock broking firms, investment funds and other market professionals.Management states that there is nothing they couldn't deliver when it comes to trading global markets, clearing, settlement, order routing and connectivity to liquidity. Additionally, a full service suit of account management functions, order management, comprehensive compliance support, advanced client risk management and performance analysis are only some of the tools integrated into the account structure. In short, a full service solution.EVI Global Markets positioned itself as a Full Service Trading & Advisory Firm catering solutions to Institutional and Wholesale Clients. Through EVI Global Markets, institutional clients have the ability to trade in more than 100 international market destinations, in local market time, as well as to interact with global liquidity from more than 2,000 institutions and 600 broker dealers. Our ability to provide access to buy- and sell-side order flow helps our clients achieve their best execution objectives whether trading in their home markets or across borders.EVI Global MarketsLevel 31, Vero Centre48 Shortland StreetAuckland 1010New Zealand+64 (0) 9 352 2108customer@evitrading.com
The Wireless Network Infrastructure Ecosystem: 2015 - 2020 - Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, C-RAN, RRH, DAS, Carrier WiFi, Mobile Core, Backhaul & Fronthaul
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"The Report The Wireless Network Infrastructure Ecosystem: 2015 - 2020 - Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, C-RAN, RRH, DAS, Carrier WiFi, Mobile Core, Backhaul & Fronthaul provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"DescriptionThe term Wireless Network Infrastructure has conventionally been associated with macrocell RAN (Radio Access Network) and mobile core network infrastructure. However, the scope of the term is expanding as wireless carriers increase their investments in Heterogeneous Network or HetNet infrastructure such as small cells, carrier WiFi and DAS (Distributed Antenna System) nodes, to cope with increasing capacity and coverage requirements.In addition, wireless carriers are keen to shift towards a C-RAN (Centralized RAN) architecture, which centralizes baseband functionality to be shared across a large number of distributed radio nodes. In comparison to standalone clusters of base stations, C-RAN provides significant performance and economic benefits such as baseband pooling, enhanced coordination between cells, virtualization, network extensibility and energy efficiency.Despite an ongoing decline in traditional macrocell RAN spending, the wider wireless network infrastructure market encompassing macrocell RAN, small cells, C-RAN, RRH, DAS, mobile core, backhaul and fronthaul infrastructure will continue to witness growth over the coming years. By the end of 2020, the market is expected to account for over $92 Billion in revenue. Complimenting this growth would be over $5 Billion worth of annual R&D investments on 5G mobile technology funded by regional, national government, wireless carrier and vendor initiatives.The Wireless Network Infrastructure Ecosystem: 2015 2020 - Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, C-RAN, RRH, DAS, Carrier WiFi, Mobile Core, Backhaul & Fronthaul report presents an in-depth assessment of 10 individual submarkets of the wireless network infrastructure opportunity. Besides analyzing key market drivers, challenges, enabling technologies, investment trends, operator revenue potential, regional CapEx commitments, network rollout strategies, future roadmap, 5G R&D initiatives, value chain, vendor assessment and market share, the report also presents revenue and unit shipment forecasts for 10 submarkets from 2015 to 2020 at a regional as well as a global scale. Historical figures are also provided for 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.Key Findings:The report has the following key findings:Despite an ongoing decline in traditional macrocell RAN spending, the wider wireless network infrastructure market will continue to witness growth over the coming years. By the end of 2020, the market will account for over $92 Billion in revenueVendors are increasing their focus on profit margins. Many are already cutting staff, embracing operational excellence, evolving their new business models, acquiring niche businesses and expanding their managed services offeringsNew CapEx commitment avenues such as HetNet infrastructure and virtualization will continue to usher industry restructuring, and market consolidationAs wireless carriers look to migrate towards scalable centralized baseband architectures, C-RAN investments will grow at a CAGR of 23% between 2015 and 2020. By the end of 2020, C-RAN investments will account for nearly $14 BillionDeveloping market growth will be a significant factor during the forecast period, with China and India seeing some of the highest levels of growth, both in terms of shipments and in the size of their installed baseDue to investments in a single RAN technology, future LTE investments will cost much less than early investments of the technologySupplemented with a drive towards C-RAN and virtualization, a limited amount of hardware installation will be needed when wireless carriers upgrade to LTE-Advanced and 5G networks in the futureBy 2020, VoLTE subscriptions will surpass 700 Million, while nearly 60% of all LTE subscriptions will be served by LTE-Advanced networksDriven by regional, national government, wireless carrier and vendor initiatives, we expect 5G R&D and trial investments will account for nearly $5 Billion by 2020, following a CAGR of nearly 40% over the next 5 yearsDownload Detail Report With Complete TOC at:Topics Covered:The report covers the following topics:Up-to-date coverage of market dynamics allowing wireless network infrastructure vendors to analyze opportunities and challenges of selling to wireless carriers in different regional marketsAnalysis of demand and supply of wireless infrastructure. Research includes quantitative and qualitative market assessments as well as the forecasts of investment trends, technology requirements and deployment strategies for antenna, RAN, mobile core, backhaul and fronthaul deploymentsMarket analysis and forecasts for 10 individual submarkets and their subcategories: Macrocell RAN, small cell RAN, C-RAN BBU (Baseband Unit), RRH (Remote Radio Head), DAS (Distributed Antenna System), carrier WiFi, mobile core, macrocell backhaul, small cell backhaul and mobile fronthaulCompany profiles and strategies of over 350 ecosystem players including infrastructure vendors and enabling technology providers. The report also covers vendor market share for macrocell RAN, small cell RAN, C-RAN, DAS, carrier WiFi, mobile core and backhaulWireless network infrastructure value chain and future roadmap. The report also provides an assessment of the emerging 5G ecosystem, including key enabling technologies, R&D initiatives, investment commitments, vendor strategies and forecastsReview of mobile network CapEx commitments, network subscriptions, traffic projections and service revenue, by technology and regionMarket outlook for key technologies including TD-LTE, LTE-Advanced, VoLTE, RCS, LTE-Broadcast and LTE-UHistorical Revenue & Forecast Segmentation:Market forecasts and historical revenue/unit shipment figures are provided for each of the following submarkets and their subcategories:SubmarketsMacrocell RANSmall Cell RANC-RAN BBU (Baseband Unit)RRH (Remote Radio Head)DAS (Distributed Antenna System)Carrier WiFiMobile CoreMacrocell BackhaulSmall Cell BackhaulMobile FronthaulThe following regional and technology markets are also covered:Regional MarketsAsia PacificEastern EuropeLatin & Central AmericaMiddle East & AfricaNorth AmericaWestern EuropeTechnology MarketsGSMCDMA/CDMA2000/EV-DOW-CDMA/HSPALTE FDDTD-LTEWiMAXWiFiKey Questions Answered:The report provides answers to the following key questions:How is the 2G, 3G & 4G wireless network infrastructure market evolving by segment and region? What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?How will the market shape for small cell, C-RAN and DAS deployments?Is Ethernet a feasible solution to for C-RAN fronthaul?What are the future prospects of millimeter wave technology for backhaul, fronthaul and RAN deployments?How will carrier WiFi fit into future mobile network architectures for access and offload?Who are the key vendors in the market, what is their market share and what are their strategies?What strategies should be adopted by wireless carriers and infrastructure vendors to remain a dominant market force?Which 2G, 3G & 4G technology constitutes the highest amount of spending and how will this evolve overtime?How will LTE deployments proceed, and how long will GSM, W-CDMA/HSPA and CDMA technologies co-exist with LTE?When will WiMAX infrastructure spending diminish?What is the global and regional outlook for each individual sub-market including macrocell RAN, small cells, C-RAN, RRH, DAS, carrier WiFi, mobile core, macrocell backhaul, small cell backhaul and mobile fronthaul?What is the outlook for TD-LTE, LTE-Advanced, VoLTE, RCS, LTE-Broadcast and LTE-U technologies?Do emerging virtualization technologies such as NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) pose a threat to traditional wireless infrastructure vendors?How much will vendors and operators invest in 5G R&D?Browse all latest Press Releases of Market Research Reportsat:About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports.MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients.We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated researchreports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and typesof companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. Nachiket90 Sate Street,Suite 700 Albany,NY 12207 USATel: +1-518-621-2074Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Petrochemicals Market to Expand at 6.8% CAGR due to the Expanding Global Industrial Sector
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The global market for petrochemicals is a highly fragmented one, and is led by several multinational corporations all over the world. For expansion of their market share, the big multinationals strive to acquire smaller firms in the global petrochemicals market. Another key aspect that companies in the petrochemicals market focus on is expansion of their product portfolios.The latest trend in the global petrochemicals market is the preference of manufacturers to establish production facilities in Asia Pacific. Supply of cheap labor and abundant supply of raw materials are the factors that support this trend in the global petrochemicals market. Growing at a 6.8% CAGR from 2014 to 2020, the global petrochemicals market is expected to reach US$885.07 billion by the end of the forecast period, from US$558.61 billion in 2013.Download And Get FREE Sample PDF File Of Petrochemicals Market :What are the Factors Driving the Global Petrochemicals Market?Petrochemicals refer to chemicals that are derived from natural gas and crude oil. Petrochemicals are used extensively in the chemicals industry, since a wide range of chemical components are derived from these. The demand for petrochemicals is mainly driven by industrialization and most importantly the manufacturing sector.A few of the other factors responsible for the robust growth of the global petrochemicals market are an abundant supply of raw materials in the Middle East, surging demand from end-use industries, and strong government support in Asia Pacific. The highest demand for petrochemicals comes from the following industries: packaging, construction, electronics, electrical, agriculture, and automotive.The global petrochemicals market is segmented on the basis of product type and geography. On the basis of product, this market is categorized into methanol, styrene, vinyls, toluene, xylene, benzene, butadiene, propylene, and ethylene. With a market share of more than 25%, the global petrochemicals market was led by the market for ethylene in 2013. However, it is the market for propylene that is projected to expand robustly during the forecast period. Environmental concerns and the increasing preference for biobased components are factors that will hamper the demand for petrochemicals in the years to come.Asia Pacific to Witness Robust Growth owing to Substantial Demand for Petrochemicals from ChinaGeographically, the global petrochemicals market is segmented into Latin America, Europe, North America, the Middle East, China, Africa, and Rest of the World. With a share of more than 25%, China emerged as a regional leader in the global petrochemicals market in 2013. Market trends suggest that in the forecasting horizon, the China petrochemicals market will be driven by high demand from the industrial segment in this region and greater government initiatives. Other regional markets in Asia Pacific cumulatively accounted for the second highest market share after China in 2013.Surging demand for downstream products, especially in countries such as India, will further boost the Asia Pacific petrochemicals market over the next couple of years. Rapid capacity additions are responsible for the robust growth of the petrochemicals market in Africa and the Middle East. The emergence of shale gas and coal as the main feedstock for producing petrochemicals will prove to be gainful for the global petrochemicals market in the forecasting horizon.The prominent companies operating in the global petrochemicals market are: China National Petroleum Corporation, INEOS AG, Chevron Corporation, British Petroleum plc, Royal Dutch Shell plc, and the Dow Chemical Company, amongst others.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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
Global Carboxylic Acids Market to Reach US$18.5 bn by 2023, Propelled by Increasing Use of Organic Acids
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Transparency Market Research has published a new report on the global carboxylic acids market. According to the report, the global carboxylic acids market is predicted to expand at a 4.90% CAGR from 2015 to 2023. The report, titled Carboxylic Acids Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023, states that the global carboxylic acids market is expected to progress from US$12.1 bn in 2014 to US$18.5 bn by 2023 due to the growth in demand for vinyl acetate monomer in the food packaging industry.Carboxylic acids are organic acids containing a carboxyl group (R-COOH). These organic acids are named as per the number of carbon atoms that are present in the molecule. Carboxylic acids are used in the manufacture of various products such as soaps, pharmaceuticals, plastics, detergents, rubber, perfumes, animal feed, textile, and dyes. The increasing demand for carboxylic acids and their derivatives is expected to boost the global carboxylic acids market throughout the forecast period. The demand for acids such as propionic acid, butyric acid, and formic acid is expected to increase across the world in the years to come, which is expected to propel the global carboxylic acids market.Get Free PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights :Factors such as stringent government rules and availability of natural and organic substitutes in the animal feed industry are predicted to restrict the growth of the global carboxylic acids market in the next few years. The global carboxylic acids market is segmented on the basis of product, end use, and region. Based on product, the global carboxylic acids market is classified into acetic acid, valeric acid, formic acid, butyric acid, isovaleric acid, isobutyric acid, citric acid, and stearic acid. Currently, in terms of volume, the global carboxylic acids market is dominated by the acetic acid segment. In 2014, the acetic acid segment accounted for 42.5% of the global carboxylic acids market and is estimated to be the fastest developing segment in the years to come.Some carboxylic acids, including citric acid, benzoic acid, and acetic acid, are used as preservatives in various food products and beverages. The global carboxylic acids market is divided by geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. In 2014, Asia Pacific accounted for 56.04% of the global carboxylic acids market. North America is predicted to be in second place by 2023, followed by Europe in third.The top five players accounted for 22% of the global carboxylic acids market in 2014. Some of the leading companies operating in the global carboxylic acids market are Eastman Chemical Company, OXEA, Finetech Industry Limited, Perstorp, The Dow Chemical Company, LyondellBasell Industries N.V., and Celanese Corporation.By end use, the global carboxylic acids market is classified into food and beverages, animal feed, lubricants, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and personal care and cosmetics. In 2014, in terms of volume, the global carboxylic acids market was dominated by the consumer goods market, which accounted for 38.9% of the global carboxylic acids market.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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
Construction in Slovenia - Provides Detailed Market Analysis, Information, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020
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Construction in Slovenia - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 Size and Share Published in 2016-07-12 Available for US$ 1950 at Researchmoz.usDescriptionFull Repot@@Construction activity in Slovenia was weak during the review period (20112015), as a result of a deteriorating business environment and weak economic performance.The countrys construction industry consequently contracted by 7.6% in real terms in 2013, measured at constant 2010 US dollar exchange rates. This was preceded by annual declines of 9.0% and 16.5% in 2012 and 2011 respectively.However, due to a recovery in economic conditions, the government increased its infrastructure spending. Consequently, the industry registered respective growths of 4.0% and 0.5% in 2014 and 2015 in real terms, measured at constant 2010 US dollar exchange rates.Over the forecast period (20162020), the industry is expected to grow in real terms, driven by investments in transport, energy and institutional infrastructure under programs such as the Operational Program 20142020, National Energy Program (20102020) and National Program of Sport 20142023.The industrys output value in real terms is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.22% over the forecast period; up from -3.15% during the review period.Over the forecast period, industry growth is expected to be supported by the countrys National Development Program 20142020, coupled with population growth and favorable government policies for foreign investments in the manufacturing industries.Download Sample of this Report at:SummaryTimetrics Construction in Slovenia Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the Slovenian construction industry, including:The Slovenian construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activityAnalysis of equipment, material and service costs for each project type in SloveniaCritical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, and the risks and opportunities they present to participants in the Slovenian construction industryProfiles of the leading operators in the Slovenian construction industryData highlights of the largest construction projects in SloveniaScopeThis report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in Slovenia. It provides:Historical (2011-2015) and forecast (2016-2020) valuations of the construction industry in Slovenia using construction output and value-add methodsSegmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by project typeBreakdown of values within each project type, by type of activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by type of cost (materials, equipment and services)Analysis of key construction industry issues, including regulation, cost management, funding and pricingDetailed profiles of the leading construction companies in SloveniaReasons To BuyIdentify and evaluate market opportunities using Timetric's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies.Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts.Understand the latest industry and market trends.Formulate and validate strategy using Timetric's critical and actionable insight.Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures.Evaluate competitive risk and success factors.Key HighlightsA rise in the number of residential building permits will support the growth of the residential construction market over the forecast period. According to the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS), total building permits increased by 59.6%; from 3,166 units in 2014 to 5,054 in 2015. The permits issued for residential buildings increased by 3.5%; from 2,359 units in 2014 to 2,441 units in 2015, while non-residential building permits increased by 223.8%; from 807 to 2,613 units during the same period.Under the National Renewable Energy Action Plan, the government aims to increase its the share of renewable in the energy mix from 21.9% in 2014 to 25.0% by 2020. With an investment of EUR475.0 million (US$527.6 million), the government is planning to build three hydro power plants by 2020. In addition, the government is planning to increase the energy generation capacity of non-renewable energy sources due to a rise in electricity demand.To make Slovenia a referential country for innovative digital solutions, ensuring digitisation, establishing an appropriate digital infrastructure, improving cyber security and developing digital entrepreneurs, the government announced the Digital Slovenia 2020 Plan in March 2016. Under this plan, the government will develop a high-speed broadband network in urban areas, with the aim of providing a speed of 100Mbps to industries and companies by 2020, with the help of private partners and the European Union (EU).In 2015, the government adopted the transport development strategy 2020 to secure the sustainable mobility of people and freight, and ensure transport safety. Under this strategy, the government is planning to take measures for the development of rail, road and water transport infrastructure by 2020.In May 2015, the government launched the Program for Internationalization 20152020 to attract foreign investment. This program will provide dynamic, individual, efficient, modern approach to the international companies to establish their manufacturing plants. The government is also encouraging small and medium manufacturing companies by providing financial aid.Make an Enquiry:Table of Content1 Executive Summary2 Industry Outlook2.1 Commercial Construction2.2 Industrial Construction2.3 Infrastructure Construction2.4 Energy and Utilities Construction2.5 Institutional Construction2.6 Residential Construction3 Key Issues and Developments4 Market Data Analysis4.1 Construction Output and Value Add4.1.1 Construction output by project type4.1.2 Construction output by cost type4.1.3 Construction output by activity type4.1.4 Construction value add by project type4.2 Commercial Construction4.2.1 Commercial construction output by project type4.2.2 Commercial construction output by cost type4.2.3 Commercial construction output by activity typeAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz 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.Contact Us:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare, +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948sales@researchmoz.us
Global Basmati Rice Market Analysis, Research, Growth, Trends and Industry Outlook 2016
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The report consists of primary and secondary research perused and dissected by experienced industry analysts, supplemented by expert opinions. This provides a detailed look into the insights to be obtained from the historical data regarding the market.The report begins with an industry overview, consisting of definition and classification of basmati rice and its industry chain structure. Basmati rice, which is a long variety of rice, originated in the Indian subcontinent and has now become popular all over the world owing to its characteristic fragrance. The market for basmati rice thus has strong growth prospects in the coming years.For more info, get a Sample PDF:The report includes analysis of the data regarding the global basmati rice industry in three tiers: first as the global level, then with the major broad regional markets highlighted, and then the most active national basmati rice markets described in detail.The production and capacity of the basmati rice industry around the world is listed in the reports examination of the global market. Production prices and their relation with the sales prices and profit margins in the global basmati rice industry are also examined in the market report. Supply and demand dynamics of the global basmati rice industry are also examined in the report, with the detailed study of the industry chain of the basmati rice market complementing the study of the economic factors in the report to present a detailed financial factsheet for established as well as new entrants in the global basmati rice market.Asia, North America, and Europe are the three major regional segments of the global market for basmati rice. Asia leads the global basmati rice market, due to the traditional dominance of India and Pakistan in basmati rice production. The financial and production statistics for these three segments during the historical study period from 2010 to 2015 are provided in the report. Rounding off the geographical analysis of the global basmati rice industry is an overview of the Rest of the World market for basmati rice, which consists of major and rapidly evolving countries such as South Africa, Brazil, the GCC countries, Russia, and Argentina.Browse Report description and TOC:China Basmati Rice 2016 Market Research Report-QYResearchReports.com is the trusted source of market research reports among clients that include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SMEs, and private equity firms.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesWeb:
China Health Food Manufacturing Industry Overview ,Key Players and Emerging Growth Report 2011-2020
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China Health Food Manufacturing Industry Overview, 2011-2020 Size and Share Published in 2016-07-05 Available for US$ 1800 at Researchmoz.usDescriptionFull report@@Health food refers to the food claimed to have certain health care functions or supplement vitamin and minerals. That is to say, the food is suitable for certain people to regulate the body instead of treating the disease without any acute, subacute or chronic harm to human body.As a kind of food, health food has features in common with general food, which can be produced in the form of common food or tablet, capsule, etc. Its target clients can be divided into the following types by function. The first type includes patients with obesity, low immunity and those easy to feel fatigue. The second type consists of "three high" (high blood pressure, hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidemia) crowds. The third type is made up of people with anemia, insomnia, indigestion, etc. The fourth type includes teenagers willing to improve the eyesight and memory as well as promote the growth. The fifth type refers to ladies pursuing for beauty.Health food industry is a sunrise industry all over the world. With the development of economy and the increase of people's income, the health food market experiences a rapid growth. The consumption destinations expand from cities to rural areas with broader markets. Almost anyone of any ages can be the consumer of health food. The population of baby boomers in the 1960s is about to enter old age (above 60 years old). With intense health care consciousness of the old age, it forms a relatively large potential market. CRI estimates, in 2015, the market size of health food exceeded CNY 160 billion in China. It is expected to surpass CNY 300 billion in 2020, forecast by CRI.Download Sample of this Report at:Through this report, the readers can acquire the following information:-Definition and Classification of Health Food-Parameters and Assumptions-Market Competition of China Health Food Industry-Top 5 Enterprises in China Health Food Industry-Major Driving Forces and Development Opportunities of China Health Food Industry in the Future-Risks and Challenges Faced by the Development of China Health Food Industry-Analysis on Prices of Raw Materials in China Health Food Industry-Price Trend of China Health Food IndustryMake an Enquiry:Table of Content1 Methodology on Health Food1.1 Definition and Classification of Health Food Manufacturing Industry1.2 Parameters and Assumptions1.3. Reliability Test1.4 About CRI2 Analysis on China Health Food Manufacturing Industry, 2012-20152.1 Development Environment of Health Food Manufacturing Industry in China2.1.1 Economic Environment Faced by Health Food Manufacturing Industry in China2.1.2 Policy Environment Faced by Health Food Manufacturing Industry in China2.1.3 Social Environment Faced by Health Food Manufacturing Industry in China2.2 Analysis on Supply of Health Food Manufacturing Industry in China2.3 Market Size of Health Food Manufacturing Industry in China2.4 Major Clients of China Health Food Manufacturing Industry3 Analysis on Competition Status in China Health Food Manufacturing Industry, 2013-20153.1 Barriers to Entry in China Health Food Manufacturing Industry3.1.1 Policy Barriers3.1.2. Capital Barriers3.1.3 Sales Channel Barriers3.1.4 Technical Barriers3.2 Competition Structure in China Health Food Manufacturing Industry3.2.1 Bargaining Ability of SuppliersAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz 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.Contact Us:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare, +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948sales@researchmoz.us
#SPC Group Deceased factory worker's family sues bakery giant SPC chairman The family of a young worker who died while working at an affiliate factory of food and beverage giant filed a complaint against the group's chairman on charges of violating the w...
Military Drones Market To Worth $6.8 billion by 2022: Market Shares, Strategy, And Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 To 2022
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The 2016 study has 868 pages, 379 tables and figures. Worldwide military drone markets are poised to achieve significant growth with the use of cameras on stable flying armament platforms positioned as the best technology for knocking out terrorist enclaves. No one thinks this is the best way to fight the terrorists, but it is what is being used in the current environment.Military drones are flying cameras and flying weapons that can be remotely controlled. Military drones are being used for lifting cameras above the ground so every person who wants it can use a camera to rise above the earth to look down from above can do military surveillance. Each drone can choose thousands of vantage points, extending military strategic visualization beyond what has previously been possible.The military drones are able to achieve terrorist control tasks. They have been evolving air camera integration for surveillance systems capability. They are used for surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence missions. They do 3D mapping and support ground troops. These are more energy efficient, last longer and have a significantly lower cost of operation than manned aircraft. Drone aircraft are sophisticated and flexible. They take off, fly and land autonomously. They enable engineers to push the envelope of normal flight. Reconnaissance drones can fly for days continuously. Remote, ground-based pilots can work in shifts.Drones are set to make every industry more productive with better, more flexible visualization. Drone uses provide the prospect of trillions of dollars in economic growth. Drones connect seamlessly and securely to the Internet and to each other.Get Sample Copy Of This Report:Use of military drones represents a key milestone in provision of value to every military in every country. Customized camera configurations are used to take photos and videos with stunning accuracy and ideal representations of activity by an enemy. Digital controls further automate flying, making ease of use and flight stability a reality. New materials and new designs are bringing a transformation of military drones forward. With further innovation, continued growth of military drone markets is assured.The worldwide market for military drones at$4.4 billion worldwide in 2015 going to $6.8 billion by 2022. Multiple applications drive market growth, applications in surveillance and bombing terrorists. Lightweight military drones are used for visualization, attack drones are used in all manner of military maneuver, military drones are used for infrastructure surveillance, aerial mapping, and logistics delivery.Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersGeneral AtomicsNorthrop GrummanLockheed MartinHoneywellBoeing / Insitu / L3AeroVironmentChina AerospaceBAEIAIRaytheonDraganflyerMarket ParticipantsAeroVironmentAeryon LabsASN TechnologiesAurora FlightAviation Industry Corp (AVIC)BAE SystemsBoeingChallis Inc.China AerospaceCybaeroIntel / Cyberhawk InnovationsDenel DynamicsDrone Innovation Holding CompanyEHangElbit SystemsEnertisFinmeccanicaFlirteyFT SistemasGeneral AtomicsGeneral DynamicsGoogleGoProGryphonHoneywellHubsanIntegrated DynamicsIntelIsrael Aerospace IndustriesJapan DronesKratosL-3 CommunicationsLaird / Cattron Group InternationalLaser MotiveLockheed MartinMarcus UAVMMistNorthrop GrummanProx DynamicsProxy TechnologiesRoketsanRUAG AerospaceSafran MorphoSAICScaled CompositesSchiebelSecomTextronTRNDlabsXAircraftYuneecWing LoongZMPMarketresearchreports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. Marketresearchreports.biz services are especially designed to save time and money of our clients.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
China Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Industry Overview, Procedure, Specialized Applications, Safety and Medical uses 2011-2020
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China Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Industry Overview, 2011-2020 Size and Share Published in 2016-07-05 Available for US$ 1800 at Researchmoz.usDescriptionFull Report#@#Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Abbr. MRI, is the application of nuclear magnetic resonance in medical field. As a kind of non-intrusive detection technology, MRI exerts no radiation on human body compared with X-ray imaging technology and radiation imaging technology. Compared with ultrasonic detecting technology, MRI provides clearer image and more details. In addition, MRI can not only show the tangible physical lesion but also make accurate judgments of functional response of brain, hear, liver, etc.In 2014, the sales value of the global MRI devices reached USD 5.4 billion. The market share of Simens Healthineers was 22%, ranking the first, according to CRI. Other leading enterprises included GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare, TMC and Hitachi Medical Corporation.Chinese people's ability to pay for medical services keeps growing with the development of economy. Meanwhile, with the increasing aging level in China (In 2015, the population of 65 years old and above accounted for 10.5% of the total population compared to 7.7% in 2005.) and the rising incidence of cancer and other diseases caused by the serious environmental pollution, there emerged growing demand for medical diagnostic services in China. In terms of policies, Chinese government continuously issued supporting policies for medical equipment industry with increasingly serious industry regulation.Estimated by CRI, foreign-funded enterprises occupy 80% of China's MRI market share. Enterprises engaging in MRI manufacturing in Chinese market consist of SSMR, Hangwei GE Medical Systems Co., Ltd. (GE wholly owned holding company), (GE wholly owned holding subsidiary), China Resources Wandong Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., Basda Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., Ningbo XinGaoYi Magnets Co., Ltd., Shenyang Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd., etc.In China, with the improvement of the hierarchical medical system and the new rural cooperative medical system, the rural medical market will enjoy the rapid development. With Chinese medical system reform deepening and the updating and replacement of the original imported MRI equipment approaching, MRI manufacturing enterprises will usher in new opportunities.Download Sample of this Report at:Through this report, the readers can acquire the following information:-Definition and Classification of MRI-Parameters and Assumptions of Report-Market Competition of China MRI Industry-Top 5 Enterprises of China MRI Industry by Market Share-Major Driving Forces and Development Opportunities in China MRI Industry-Risks and Challenges Faced by the Development of China MRI IndustryMake an Enquiry:Table of Content1 Research Methodology on China MRI Industry1.1 Definition and Classification of MRI1.2 Parameters and Assumptions1.3. Reliability Test1.4 CRI Profile2 Operation Status of China MRI Manufacturing Industry, 2011-20152.1 Development Environment2.1.1 Economic Environment2.1.2 Policy Environment2.1.3 Medical Environment2.2 Supply Status2.3 Industry Market Size2.4 Major ClientsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz 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.Contact Us:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare, +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948sales@researchmoz.us
Telepresence Robots Market To Reach $7 billion by 2022: Market Shares, Strategy, And Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016
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Worldwide Telepresence Robots markets are poised to achieve significant growth. People like mobility, they like remote communication and telepresence robots add a new dimension to remote communication.The quality of remote communication is uplifted by the robotic platform approach to connecting people located in different places. The visualization provided by the telepresence robot is not reproducible by the smartphone and large telepresence systems are not mobile. So ultimately all people will want access to telepresence robots in order to move around and see for themselves what is going on in another place.Clearly terrorism is here to stay. As nationalistic wars decline as a way to settle disputes, terrorism has emerged in spades. The recent terrorist attacks in Boston, Paris, and Belgium illustrate the risk that civilian populations are exposed to. Telepresence robots represent the best and perhaps last line of defense against terrorists. Telepresence robots can go where no man or woman can go, they can go safer, they can go faster, they can provide a presence that might not be achieved in any other way.There are more civil uses for telepresence robots: in education, healthcare, business, and manufacturing. People can drive a telepresence robot around a work environment, around a school, around a hospital to reach people that they night otherwise have a difficult time contacting.Get Sample Copy Of This Report:Remote telepresence healthcare diagnosis and treatment market is especially important for the treatment of stroke. Stroke damage can be mitigated if symptoms are treated within 4 hours of the onset of symptoms, otherwise the stroke damage is likely permanent. Global telehealth partnerships. The aim is to integrate diagnostic tools into tele-stroke solutions.Stroke occurs when a vessel in the brain ruptures or is blocked by a blood clot. There are two types of strokes: hemorrhagic and ischemic. An ischemic stroke occurs as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain, which accounts for 87% of all stroke cases. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures and spills blood into brain tissue. 800,000 people in the U.S. and 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke each year.These markets portend to be very large worldwide and represent good uses of telepresence. The ability of a clinician specialist to diagnose and initiate immediate treatment of a stroke from a gold course or other location is lifesaving.Manufacturing and engineering telepresence robot uses are expected to proliferate. Monitoring and telepresence are being combined to achieve remote repairs that provide better customer services at lower cost. Manufacturing and engineering resources for companies frequently are in different places. The same is true for IT, the software developer engineers and the software IT users are frequently located in different places. It is useful to have a mobile device that can be controlled by the engineer to go have a look around when a trouble call comes in from a site.A remote telepresence device can use monitoring and telepresence to achieve remote repairs. The ability to integrate the remote physical location with the engineer who knows the system often involves travel, sometimes long arduous travel. Telepresence and mobile video telecommunications technologies can be very useful in postponing or eliminating the travel.A mobile, real-time, 3D-hybrid telepresence system permits the user to go and have a look around and talk to different people about the problem without actually being there. Integration of telepresence images with computer generated virtual environments can be superimposed over the remote real worldview. This integrated system incorporates emerging mobile telecommunications technologies to give rapid and easy access to the real and virtual construction sites from arbitrary locations. This system allows remote surveillance of the construction site, and integration of real world images of the site with virtual reality representations, derived from planning models, for progress monitoring.Use of the telepresence robot with the video and microphone capability to achieve remote presence is a vital aspect of personal mobility devices. Telepresence robots are poised to achieve a vital extension of electronic communication in ways that will become indispensable to everyone soon.Telepresence robot device markets at $825 million in 2015 are anticipated to reach $7 billion by 2022 as next generation robotic devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage remote presence. The robotic platform will be extended to include grippers and cameras of all types, sensors and sophisticated navigation software.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The report covers markets for security, law enforcement, manufacturing, healthcare, education, and business telepresence.Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersInTouchDouble RoboticsMantaroVgoGeneral DynamicsNorthrop GrummanQuinetiQLockheed MartinSDRiRobotKongsbergTelerobRecanRoboticsMarket ParticipantsAnybotsDimaa Network Services LTD (DNS)DJIDouble RoboticsGlobalMediRobotInbot Technology PadBotIntouchMantaroOrbis RoboticsQinetiQRbotReconRoboticsRevolve RoboticsRobosoftRobotexSuitable TechnologiesTechnoRobotVGoVseeMarketresearchreports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. Marketresearchreports.biz services are especially designed to save time and money of our clients.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Luxury Hotels Market 2016: Industry Demands, Trends, Research, Growth, Analysis and Forecasts: QYResearchReports.com
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The report, titled Global Luxury Hotels Market 2016 Industry Research Report, studies the global luxury hotels market across some of the key regions to present details such as revenue and gross margin. It provides an overview of the industry including the classifications of luxury hotels, recent developments, and entry barriers in the industry. The report traces the development history of the global luxury hotels market and analyzes factors such as international economy, regional economy, policies, market trends, and industry news.Get Sample Copy of Report @Usually, there are no set standards for defining luxury hotels. The hospitality industry accepts the hotel star ratings implemented by critics to define luxury hotels. In general, four-star and five-star hotels are termed as luxury hotels. Luxury hotels are rated in terms of various features such as ease in booking, availability of rooms, amenities in rooms, food, guest activities, and complimentary touches. The objective of rating luxury hotels is to inform travellers about basic facilities that can be expected from the hotels.The report studies the global luxury hotel industry across some of the major regions such as Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The growth of the industry in countries such as the U.S., Canada, China, India, Brazil, Japan, Germany, and France has been particularly analyzed in the report. The report analyzes the status of marketing channels of luxury hotels across these countries and assesses the sales and revenue generated by the overall industry during the period between 2011 and 2016.Browse Complete Global Luxury Hotels Market 2016: Industry Research Report with Description and TOC @Describing the competitive landscape, the report profiles some of the key players in the global luxury hotels market such as Four Seasons, Star woods Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, and Hilton. Insightful details about the key players including their sales, revenue, and gross margin have been included in the report.Global and China Hotel Furniture Industry 2014 -Global Bedding for Hotels Market 2016 -QYResearchReports.com is the trusted source of market research reports among clients that include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SMEs, and private equity firms.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
The Cards and Payments Industry in Norway: Key Industry Report, Share, Trend, Analysis and Research Report 2020
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The Cards and Payments Industry in Norway: Emerging Trends and Opportunities to 2020 Size and Share Published in 2016-07-14 Available for US$ 2750 at Researchmoz.usDescriptionFull Report #@#Timetrics 'The Cards and Payments Industry in Norway: Emerging Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides detailed analysis of market trends in the Norwegian cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry, including check payments, payment cards, cash transactions, direct debits and credit transfers during the review period (20112015).The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry, and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, and transaction values and volumes during the review period and over the forecast period (20162020). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including the market shares of issuers and schemes.The report brings together Timetrics research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers details of regulatory policy and recent changes in the regulatory structure.SummaryTimetrics 'The Cards and Payments Industry in Norway: Emerging Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Norwegian cards and payments industry, including:Current and forecast values for each market in the Norwegian cards and payments industry, including debit and pay later cards.Detailed insights into payment instruments including credit transfers, direct debits, cash transactions, checks and payment cards. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments.E-commerce market analysis and payment types.Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing the Norwegian cards and payments industry.Detailed analysis of strategies adopted by banks and other institutions to market debit and pay later cards.Comprehensive analysis of consumer attitudes and buying preferences for cards.The competitive landscape in the Norwegian cards and payments industry.Download Sample of this Report at:ScopeThis report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Norwegian cards and payments industry.It provides current values for the Norwegian cards and payments industry for 2015, and forecast figures to 2020.It details the different demographic, economic, infrastructural and business drivers affecting the Norwegian cards and payments industry.It outlines the current regulatory framework in the industry.It details marketing strategies used by various banks and other institutions.Reasons To BuyMake strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to the Norwegian cards and payments industry and each market within it.Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in the Norwegian cards and payments industry.Assess the competitive dynamics in the Norwegian cards and payments industry.Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Norway.Gain insights into key regulations governing the Norwegian cards and payments industry.Key HighlightsContactless technology in Norway is very much in a developmental stage, with only DNB Bank, Danske Bank and Handelsbanken offering contactless cards. To increase uptake, banks are attempting to differentiate their products by introducing new features. In 2016, Danske Bank rolled out its MasterCard-branded contactless cards featuring integrated fingerprint sensors in association with the Norway-based fingerprint authentication technology provider Zwipe. It is the worlds first fingerprint-activated contactless card, combining biometric authentication with contactless technology. In June 2016, the domestic debit network BankAxept partnered with the Canadian debit network Interac to accelerate the rollout of near field communication (NFC) mobile payment solutions.The uptake of alternative payments among Norwegian consumers is gaining traction due to the emergence of a number of payment options. Seqr was launched in January 2013, and was followed by MeaWallet in October 2014. In October 2015, SpareBank 1 acquired mCash. At the time of its acquisition, mCash had 100,000 users and 600 stores accepting the mCash service. To increase the uptake of its mobile payments, Danske Bank launched MobilePay in September 2015. The bank partnered with 100 retail outlets in Norway in October 2015. In 2016, it partnered with Rema 1000 a supermarket chain allowing users to use service stores in Norway.To minimize cash handling costs, banks in Norway are slowly adapting their branches into cashless locations. In 2014, 64 branches of DNB Bank were made cashless. Similarly, Nordea Bank stopped cash handling services at all of its branches in October 2015. This initiative is anticipated to accelerate the shift towards electronic payments.Make an Enquiry:Table of Content1 Definitions and Methodology1.1 Definitions1.2 Methodology2 Key Facts and Events3 Executive Summary4 Payment Instruments4.1 Current Payment Environment5 E-Commerce5.1 E-Commerce Market Analysis6 Alternative Payments6.1 Alternative Payment Instruments6.1.1 PayPal6.1.2 Klarna6.1.3 Ukash6.1.4 Seqr6.1.5 mCash6.1.6 MeaWallet6.1.7 PayByBillAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz 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.Contact Us:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare, +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948sales@researchmoz.us
Global Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market Driven by Booming Construction Industry, to Exhibit 19.1% CAGR 2015-2022
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The report is titled Building Information Modeling (BIM) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2015 - 2022 and is available for sale on TMRs official website. According to the report, the global building information modeling market was valued at more than US$2.7 bn in 2014 and is expected to reach a valuation of US$11.5 bn by 2022.Transparency Market Research (TMR) has announced the release of a new research report on the global building information modeling market. The report examines the current figures illustrating the performance of the global building information modeling market and presents forecasts based on sound analysis of the collated data. The market is comprehensively analyzed in the report for the benefit of readers, who will be able to formulate insightful strategies based on the information given in the report.Building information modeling consists of preparing a 3D visualization of the architectural plan of a building. This allows engineers to make precise calculations regarding a wide range of variables, which helps boost the efficiency of the construction process. The improvement in the workflow achieved through the use of building information modeling is the primary driver for the global BIM market. According to TMR, the market is expected to exhibit a robust 19.1% CAGR from 2015 to 2022.Download PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights:Apart from the increased efficiency, building information modeling allows architects and engineers to get a clear idea about other factors such as the materials to be used in the construction, the time it would take to finish the project, and the number of laborers required for the project.The global construction industry boom has given a major boost to the global building information modeling market in recent years. However, the high cost of the technology is a key restraint on the market, along with the need to keep updating the product regularly. This is particularly of note among small and medium-sized businesses, which often cant afford to utilize state-of-the-art technology.By end use, the report segments the global building information modeling market into water and wastewater; rail and aviation; roads, bridges, and highways; government buildings; houses and apartments; factories and warehouses; energy generation facilities; education and commerce institutes; dams. Of these, rail and aviation took up a dominant share in 2014.Research Report with Toc and Free Analysis atGeographically, North America was the largest regional market for building information modeling in 2014, with a share of 33%. The advanced technological scenario of the region is responsible for the dominance of the North America market. However, in the coming years, Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit the fastest growth due to the expansion of the construction industry in countries such as India, South Korea, and China.The report also examines the competitive dynamics of the global building information modeling market. Key players in the market are profiled in the report to shed light on the competitive hierarchy of the market. These companies include Autodesk Inc., Dassault Systemes AG, Synchro Software Ltd., Beck Technology Ltd., Tekla Corporation, Pentagon Solutions Ltd., AECOM, Bentley Systems Inc., and Nemetschek AG.The global building information modeling market is segmented as:BIM Market Analysis, by Solution TypeSoftwareConsultancy ServiceBIM Software Market Analysis, by TypeOn-premise SoftwareCloud-based SoftwareBIM Market Analysis, by End UsersArchitectsContractorsEngineersDevelopersBIM Market Analysis, by End-use IndustryWater and Waste WaterRail Transit and AviationEnergy Generation FacilitiesRoads, Bridges and HighwaysHouses and ApartmentsFactories and WarehousesEducational Institutes and Commercial SpacesGovernment BuildingsDams and OthersBIM Market Analysis, by GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificThe Middle East and AfricaLatin AmericaTransparency 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.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Surgical Robots For The Spine Market To Reach At $2.77 billon by 2022: Market Shares, Strategy, And Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 To 2022
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Worldwide spinal surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth with the adaptation of robotic technology to the second most widely performed surgical procedure, spinal surgery. Aging of the population and hospital cost reductions through decreased length of stay are key market driving forces. Spinal surgical robots increase spine surgery repeatability and accuracy.Back conditions can result in instability and compression of the spinal nerves, causing back pain and/or radiating pain in the legs. Robotic procedures offer significant cost savings in terms of pre- and post-operation care costs and length of stay at hospitals. Technological advances and breakthroughs leverage new materials and new sensor configurations. Sophisticated software is further evolving product implementation.In the United States, there are 1.34 million spinal operations performed annually, worldwide there are 4.83 million annually. Patients have problems with degenerative conditions and injury. 11 million people in the U.S. and 78 million people worldwide suffer from chronic back pain in 2015, indicating the potential for more surgery if the accuracy and pain relief can be alleviated with better surgery from robots.Get Sample Copy Of This Report:Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction is responsible for up to 30 to 35 percent of lower back pain. Surgery is performed to relieve the pain when other means do not work. Robots improve the accuracy of procedures and reduce the complication rates in spinal surgeries. The Mazor robots are flexible. Mazor Renaissance disposable kits are designed to easily adapt the RBT Device to a multitude of surgical applications and for the different mounting platforms utilized by the surgeon. Renaissance spine accessories are offered. Mazor Renaissance accessories include trays of reusable surgical tools.Pre-operative planning of the procedure is used for intra-operative control of the system. The surgery is performed according to the pre-operative plan. Renaissance provides increased safety and precision in corrective surgery. It allows surgeons to plan ahead before entering the operating room. Mazor Robotics advanced 3D planning software is used before surgery to create the procedure with modification and customization for each patients condition. During the operation, the physician does the actual work; Renaissance guides the surgeons tools according to the predetermined blueprint to place the implants safely and with the highest level of accuracy in the exact planned locations.Robot-guidance increases the accuracy and safety of surgical procedures. It allows these procedures to be performed with less intra-operative radiation exposure to patients and health care providers. Robot-guided spine surgery allows surgeons to perform less invasive surgical procedures with smaller incisions, less bleeding, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays.Minimally invasive surgeries to increase repeatability and accuracy through the use of robots. Surgical robots improve the accuracy of procedures and thus reduce the complication rates in surgeries. Robotic procedures offer significant cost savings in terms of pre- and post-operation care costs and length of stay at hospitals. Technological advances and breakthroughs leverage new materials and new sensor configurations. Sophisticated software is further evolving product implementation.Clinically efficient solutionsClinically less complex surgeryShorter length of stayMinimally invasive surgeryFinancially lower costOperationally more simpleOld people have trouble making their joints last as long as they do. The patient stability and the relief from pain provided by the robot surgery is compelling. The major suppliers are looking at providing spinal robots that are based on the Mazor state of the art devices.Spinal surgery has evolved dramatically over the years as advances in technology have made it possible to improve surgical techniques. Mazor is the market leader by far in the spinal surgical robot market, the only company with measurable market share. Spinal surgery involves the modification of the affected area of the back bones and nerves. The implantation of one or more screws or components is a very delicate surgery. The robot can achieve better precision than can a skilled surgeon. The robot is more consistent.Reconstructive spinal surgery depends on precision instruments. Robots are expected to grow significantly in surgery.Once, the penetration of spinal robots achieves the level of 35% of penetration in a country, all spinal surgeons will demand that hospitals offer spinal surgical robot capability because the outcomes are more predictable and better. The surgeons can give better pain relief to their patients, so naturally, given a choice of hospitals, they will pick the one that has the robot that gives superior outcomes.Spinal surgical markets have been impacted by the reduction in insurance payments. Payment reductions have forced hospitals to act as businesses. The cost of delivering care has become as much a factor as providing quality care when making decisions about patient improvement in condition. Cost-cutting has been made in the supply chain. Suppliers are examined closely for quality and cost.The number of suppliers is sure to increase. As Mazor grows its penetration of the market, the larger market participants in spinal surgery equipment will surely follow. Mazor is positioned to continue to dominate the market. As the first providers it builds a strong base of surgeons who are trained in using the equipment these surgeons will continue to purchase updated robots as they are offered to the market.The new are pressured to improve prices and efficiencies. Hospitals, physicians, and care providers have been financially incentivized to create accountable care organizations (ACOs). Coordinated patient care plans and value-based purchasing were rewarded. The med device buyer shifted from physicians to the ACOs and smart buying groups.Use of the robotic spinal surgery represents a key milestone in reconstructive surgery. Robots provide an opportunity to transform orthopedics. New materials and new designs are bringing that transformation forward. By furthering the growth of innovation with spinal surgery robots, patients can get better treatment. By enhancing the surgeon and patient experience is is likely that the entire market will grow rapidly.The worldwide market for spinal surgical robots is $26 million anticipated to reach $2.77 billon by 2022. The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersAccel SpineAlliance SpineAlphatec SpineApollo SpineAscendx SpineBack 2 Basics SpineMarket ParticipantsAccel SpineAlliance SpineAlphatec SpineApollo SpineAscendx SpineBack 2 Basics SpineBoston ScientificBrainlab AGCaptiva SpineCentinel SpineElektaGlobus MedicalK2MLife SpineMazor RoboticsMedactaMedtronicMicroPort Scientific CorporationNLT SpineNuVasivePrecision SpineShenzhen Advanced Institute Spinal Surgical RobotSi-BoneSIGNUS MedicalSpinal ElementsSpineartSpineGuardSpine FrontierSpineologySpine Smith PartnersSpine Surgical InnovationsSpine ViewSpine WaveSt. Jude MedicalStryker / MakoWright / TornierX-spineZyga TechnologyZimmer BiometMarketresearchreports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. Marketresearchreports.biz services are especially designed to save time and money of our clients.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Cardiac And Lung Surgical Robots Market Shares, Strategy, And Forecasts, Worldwide, 2015 To 2021
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The 2015 study has 223 pages, 85 tables and figures. Worldwide Cardiac and Lung surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth as next generation systems provide a way to improve traditional open surgery and decrease the number of ports needed for minimally invasive surgery.The automated process revolution in surgery and communications is being implemented via robots. Robots automation of systems is providing significant improvement in the accuracy of surgery and the repeatability of process.Intuitive Surgical owns the market as the major participant with compelling market share in cardiac and lung surgical robots. This leadership position will need to be defended as other vendor products, now in clinical trials come to market. Advanced technology, an installed base and a well trained core group of surgeons give Intuitive Surgical market advantage.Patients for some types of procedures fare better when the heart or lung surgery is done by surgical robots. The documentation of improvements in care delivery, the ability to ensure better outcomes from surgery promise that cardiac and lung surgical robotics is a strong growth market.Get Sample Copy Of This Report:Heart disease is still the largest disease worldwide. The issue for cardiac and lung robotic surgery is that so many heart patients exist.Every leading surgeon working to perform heart and lung robotic surgery has worked to be accepted to practice at a hospital that has those robotic devices. The really talented surgeons depend on hospitals having the cardiac robotic equipment. In order to attract physicians and patients, the hospitals have to purchase the surgical equipment.The market penetration of the cardiac and lung surgical robots will go to 100 percent in the US top hospitals within five years. As the surgeons migrate to the places that have the robotic surgical equipment, other hospitals and their potential patient populations notice. If the hospital does not have the surgical robotic equipment, it will not have any surgeons, this is a bad situation for a hospital. The cardiac and lung robotic surgical equipment permits better surgery and the surgeons and patients know this.Cardiac and lung robotic surgery is poised to eclipse open surgery. It is used in the categories of lobectomy, thoracic revascularization, and mitral valve repair surgery. Surgical robots are positioned to become the standard of care for hospitals in the delivery of some heart surgery. The emerging group of several surgical robotic companies will collectively have enough marketing dollars and enough marketing clout to drive replacement of virtually all open cardiac and lung surgery.Larger hospitals that can afford the expenditure are adopting heart and lung robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hospital robotic systems have an emphasis on outcomes improvement during surgery. This has resulted in investment in robotics technology that is useful, and achieves positive patient outcomes.Technology is enhancing a wide variety of procedures in many cardiac surgical specialties. Cardiac and thoracic surgeons at leading hospitals use robotic surgical systems increasingly. The aim is to perform more of the one-hundred thousand MIS surgical procedures of various types using robots. The surgeries performed by robot include cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. These surgical applications are cleared by the FDA.The technology uses metal tubes attached to the arms are inserted through the ports, and the cutting and visualization instruments are introduced through the tubes into the patients body. The surgeon performs the procedure while sitting at a console, manipulating the instrument controls and viewing the operation through a vision system. When a surgeon needs to change an instrument the instrument is withdrawn from the surgical field using the controls at the console and the nursing assistants switch instruments as per the physician instruction. This is done many times during an operation.The cardiac and lung surgical robot market is characterized enormous variety and innovation. A surgical robot recurring revenue business model is essentially a large one time purchase for a system complimented by replaceable or disposable instruments that cumulatively make the market a much larger and sustainable ongoing market. Vendors make money from the one time sale of a system and recurring revenue from sale of devices used in every operation.Initially, a vendor sells and installs the surgical system into new customer accounts. Once systems are sold into customer accounts, the vendor generates recurring revenue as customers use the system to perform surgery. To do cardiac and lung robotic surgeries, the customers need to buy and consume instruments and accessory products. Vendors also generate recurring revenue from system service.Existing open cardiac and lung surgery can be replaced in some part by robotic surgery during the forecast period. Cardiac and lung robotic surgical approaches complement existing open surgery techniques. Soon, all surgery will be undertaken with at least come aspects of robotic surgery replacing or complementing open surgery.The aging US population has supported demand, since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population. Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.Hospitals are adopting robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hundreds of universities worldwide have research programs in robotics and many are awarding degrees in robotics. These roboticists are increasingly being hired by Global 2000 organizations to link mobile robots (mobile computers) into existing IT systems.Robot-assisted surgery gives the surgeon better control over the surgical instruments and a better view of the surgical site. Surgeons no longer have to stand throughout the surgery and do not tire as quickly. Hand tremors are filtered out by the robots computer software. The surgical robot can continuously be used by rotating surgery teams. 3D viewing of the surgical site on a large screen improves visualization of the surgical operating field.Cardiac and lung surgical robot device markets at $72.2 million in 2014 are anticipated to reach $2.2 billion by 2021 as next generation devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage surgery through small ports in the body instead of large open wounds.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for Cardiac and Lung robotic surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Companies ProfiledIntuitive SurgicalMarket ParticipantsChinese Surgical RobotsCorindusFreehandJohnson and Johnson / DePuy SynthesGoogle / Johnson & Johnson / EthiconMedroboticsMedtronicMeerecompany / EterneTitan MedicalTransEnterix Acquires the ALF-X Surgical Robotic SystemMarketresearchreports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. Marketresearchreports.biz services are especially designed to save time and money of our clients.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Increasingly Hectic Lifestyles Contribute to Expected Rise of Asia Pacific and Latin America Canned Preserved Food Market to US$38.1 bn by 2021
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The Asia Pacific and Latin America canned preserved food market is expected to reach US$38.1 bn by the end of 2021. This market was valued at US$24.4 bn in 2014 and is expected to progress at a CAGR of 6.40% within a forecast period of 2015 to 2021. The forecast period of this market is discussed in a new research report released by Transparency Market Research, titled Canned Preserved Food Market - Asia Pacific and Latin America Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2015 - 2021. The report provides details on how the current socioeconomic trends are affecting the sales of canned preserved goods in these two major developing regions.Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with free PDF Brochure:According to the report, the key driver of the Asia Pacific and Latin America canned preserved food market is the extended shelf life of perishable foods. This allows consumers to store the foods for longer durations and use them whenever required. The economic situation in developing economies is drastically changing as rapid urbanization and industrialization are allowing a high number of citizens to lead a modern lifestyle with high disposable incomes and hectic schedules. Therefore, a larger number of consumers are preferring to purchase canned foods over fresh foods.On the other hand, the use of excessive amounts of salt, sugar, and other preservatives are hindering this market. The excessive consumption of any of these preservatives, especially salt, can have a negative impact on the consumers health. Salt is one of the most commonly used preservatives and is highly common in canned foods. High consumption of canned foods will significantly ramp up the salt intake of an individual, leaving him or her susceptible to the relevant health complications.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already released warnings regarding the excess consumption of salt through canned and preserved foods. It can lead to complications including heart diseases and high blood pressure, in addition to calcium deprivation and increased frequency of urination due to low water retention levels.The manufacturers and distributors currently operating in the Asia Pacific and Latin America canned preserved food market are searching for improved capacities. The current penetration rate of players in these regions is very low. In order to increase their consumer base, the products need to be made cheaper and available in a larger variety. There are large untapped regions and consumer demographics still left to explore for players, and these regions present major opportunities.The report reveals that the Asia Pacific and Latin America canned preserved food market was led by canned fish in terms of consumption. In terms of regions, the overall consumption of canned preserved foods is expected to be higher in Asia Pacific than in Latin America, with India and China being the top contributors to the demand.The key players in the Asia Pacific and Latin America canned preserved food market include H.J. Heinz Company, DelMonte Pacific Ltd., B&G Food Holdings Corporation, MTR Foods Pvt. Ltd., and ConAgra Foods Inc.Key segments of the Asia Pacific and Latin America Canned Preserved Food MarketAsia Pacific and Latin America Canned Preserved Food Market by Geography:Asia PacificIndiaChinaRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilArgentinaChileRest of Latin AmericaAbout 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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
EVRY ASA, the Nordic IT Solutions Giant to Expand its India Operations
EVRY ASA Expands foothold, Fedrick Almen
Will double its headcount both in Bangalore and Chandigarh in the next 3 years; Expects to witness significant increase in revenues from IndiaBengaluru 15-07-2016: Bengaluru-based IT services organization EVRY India, formerly known as SPAN Infotech, plans to increase its headcount and revenues from India operations over the next three years. It has earmarked an investment of Rs.100 - 125 crore over the next three years, as a part of its India expansion strategy and its commitment to the region. More significantly, it is estimated that growth of the organization in the coming years, will come largely from companies in the Nordic region wanting to increase their outsourcing requirements.EVRY India, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nordic IT services player, EVRY ASA, is looking forward to double its headcount both in Mohali and Bangalore by 2019. Currently, the organization employs 600 people in Mohali and 1,500 in Bengaluru. EVRY ASA, headquartered in Oslo (Norway) is an Information Technology firm that provides services relating to computing, including operations, outsourcing and online banking.During his visit to India, Fredrik Almen, chairman of EVRY India board said, We are bullish about operations in India and intend to double the manpower, invest in infrastructure and R&D. We are planning to invest Rs 100-125 crore. Anne Ivanoff, Executive Vice-President, EVRY Global Delivery, who accompanied Fredrik added, There is an increasing amount of interest from Nordic countries such as Sweden and Norway for IT services, as these countries lack sufficient IT talent poolEVRY India is now a company with a new name, a rich history and an exciting future. We will continue to be managed independently and serve our existing customers by continuously delivering added value. The rebranding will deepen our collaboration with our parent company; deliver enhanced value to our customer base both in the Nordics as well as rest of the world. We are confident that we are starting our future with all the enthusiasm and drive that we could possibly hope for", says CEO Pradeep Grama of EVRY India.EVRY partners with customers to create digital advantage. By introducing fresh insight and expertise EVRY helps navigate new opportunities; by helping run IT Systems EVRY modernises business and innovates new game changing solutions. As this digital trend emerge, EVRY India will play a vital role in the transformation of Nordic organisations to world leading digital solutions.About EVRY India:EVRY ASA acquired SPAN Infotech (I) Pvt Ltd, a Bangalore based software services company and a provider of IT and product development services. SPAN Infotech is now renamed as EVRY India. EVRY INDIA has Global Delivery Centres in Bangalore and Chandigarh besides business offices in the US and Europe. EVRY India offers IT services (onsite and offshore) to customers in various industries such as Banking & Financial Services, Insurance & Healthcare, Retail, and Travel Transportation & Logistics. The company provides integrated services across the entire life cycle of software development including Application Development and Maintenance, QA, Data Engineering & Analytics, Mobility, Cloud Enablement, Remote Infrastructure Management and Applications Operations. Its specialized services include Digital Transformation, Internet of Things and Converged Communications.About EVRY ASA:EVRY ASA is a leading Norwegian Information Technology organization that supplies services relating to computing, including operation, outsourcing and online banking. The company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway. It was established through a merger between EDB Business Partner and Ergo Group in 2010 and formed EDB ErgoGroup. The company subsequently changed its name to EVRY ASA in April 2012. In March 2015, Apax Partners became the majority owner of the company.Samson Arcade,No.22,Andree Road,Shanthinagar,Bangalore-560027
Data Center on Demand (DCoD) market to reach approximately US$10 billion in 2021
Data Center on Demand (DCoD) Market market research report was recently published by Beige Market intelligence with a worldwide coverage as well as a segmentation by Product (facility containers, IT containers, All-in-One) by Container size (20 feet, 40 feet, customized) by Geography (APAC, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, and North America) by End-users (BFSI, Defence, Energy, Oil and Gas, IT, Retail, Telecommunication & CSP and Others) and by company share within each product category. The market research report provides growth trends, analysis and forecasts for the period 2016 2021 and predicts the market to record a total revenue generation of approximately US$10 billion by 2021.There is a demand for cloud-based services which is evident from the increasing traffic volume on the internet. With high volume of search, there is slight latency in information being retrieved from a data center. This of course depends on where the request was put in and where the data center is located. In order to reduce the latency, a new set of data centers have emerged i.e., an edge data center. These are small data centers in close within a particular locality which is responsible for addressing the traffic of the local users. This reduces the latency issue and also ensures low TCO. Edge data centers are expected to have a positive impact on the overall Data Center on Demand (DCoD) market in the coming years.All-in-one containers approximately 3 times more expensive than facility containers as of 2015The ASP of facility containers is expected decline during the forecast period. One of the key reasons for this is that the demand for facility containers in the market will reduce considerably by 2020. Furthermore, the shipment of facility containers is expected to be much lower in comparison to IT and All-in-one containers which are already proving to have more advantages than a facility container.North America contributing to more than 30 percent of the Demand for Data Center on Demand as of 2015The vast majority of deployment of Data Center on Demand (DCoD) in North America was primarily from the US. The demand for Data Center on Demand in the US will remain high during the forecast period due to the requirement for additional capacity to the existing data centers within the country and also due to the deployment of edge data centers. Most enterprises and CSPs in the region are contemplating the adoption of containerized data centers to add more capacity to their existing data centers. With business data and computing usage growing at a significant rate, most of the Tier 4 data centers will require additional capacity to power new business applications thereby creating the demand for Data Center on Demand.All-in-one containers expected to account for 65 % in revenue of demand for DCoD by 2021All-in-one containers account for the major share of the market as of 2015 primarily due to their high ASP. In terms of unit shipments however, all-in-one containers are not leading the demand for Data Center on Demand (DCoD) as of 2015. The number of all-in-one containers in the US is expected to reach more than 50 by 2019.Competition among vendors in the DCoD marketCompanies operating in the Data Center on Demand (DCoD) market include BladeRoom, Bull, Cirrascale, Commscope, Cisco Systems, Dell, Elliptical, Emerson Network Power, HP, Huawei, IBM, MDC Stockholm, Rittal, Schneider Electric, SGI and ZTEBeige Market Intelligence is a provider of competitive business intelligence, working across various industry verticals. Our expertise and knowledge ensures that the market analysis Beige provides is comprehensive, detailed and complete. The analysis helps our client organizations become aware and to make educated decisions, as far as investing or devising a marketing strategy is concerned. The actionable insights delivered through our market research provide a comprehensive market analysis for every level of market segmentation in an industry.Our team of experts ensure the analysis you receive is not just analyzed and presented, but can also be customized based on the clients requirement. Our deliverables guarantee our current global client base do not look beyond Beige when it comes to competitive intelligence.Beige has an employee base present across the globe. Our analysts come with numerous years of industry experience, which ensures we not only understand our clients but deliver high quality reports as well.Contact person:KhyamaMedia/Marketing specialistBeige Market IntelligenceEmail: info@beigemarketintelligence.com/ khyama@beigemarketintelligence.comUS: +1 347 903 9949UK: +44 20 323 99499APAC: +91 99 012 75473/9986433385
New Research Report on Adsorbents Market, 2014-2020
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Adsorption is a process in which ions, atoms or molecules from a liquid, dissolved liquid or gas adheres to a surface. In this process a thin film is created on the adsorbent by the adsorbate. Adsorption is a consequence of surface energy similar to surface tension. Adsorption exists in many natural, biological, chemical and physical systems that have applications in the industrial sector. Adsorbents are usually in the form of rods, spherical pellets and moldings that has 0.5 to 10mm diameter. Adsorbents that are regarded to be effective must have resistance to high abrasion, thermal stability with small pore diameters and must have a distinct pore structure which helps in speedy transport of gaseous vapours. Industrial adsorbents are classified as carbon based compounds that are non-polar and hydrophobic that includes materials such as graphite and activated carbon; oxygen containing compounds that are polar and hydrophilic including material such as zeolites and silica gel; polymer-based compounds which are non-polar or polar functional groups in a polymer matrix.The major applications of adsorbents include drying, air separation, water treatment and oil and gas refining among others. Adsorbents are the major materials are mainly used in industries such as water treatment, pharmaceutical, oil & gas, petrochemical and chemical. Advances in technology to bring in various kinds of adsorbents with new advancements in the market will lead to increase the demand for adsorbents globally. Owing to government and environmental regulations the applications such as air separation and drying in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and medical devices are expected to grow at a faster rate in comparison with other applications and industries.Request Free Report Sample@The key driver for adsorbents industry includes advancements and innovations to create new and advanced adsorbent materials. The industries require adsorbents for a wide range of applications with varied characteristic and requirements. To serve this purpose, major companies are now focused on technological innovations to create new adsorbent materials which will be applicable in varied industrial and commercial areas. The technological developments to manufacture cost effective adsorbents is the major solution to generate revenue in the adsorbent market globally. The current and future projections according to the industrial and economic outlook for adsorbent market are based on the material demand in terms of volume and value.The key segments for adsorbents market include North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to capture huge share of the global market. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the top market for adsorbents due to growing demand from China and India. China and Russia are expected to be the largest consumer of adsorbents among others. The developed economies therefore contribute to huge demand for adsorbents from the end user segment globally. Emerging economies are expected to be the potential markets for adsorbent industry with increasing production capacity.Request For TOC@The major players that are included in the adsorbents industry include Axens, Arkema, BASF, Clariant, Calgon Carbon, Cabot, Meadwestvaco, Grace, Graver Technologies, UOP, Zeochem, Zeolyst International and Sorbead India among others. Many companies are now focusing on expansion with increase in production capacity and addition of new plants, to meet the growing demand and to achieve competitive advantage in the market. Axens which is molecular sieves manufacturer increased its presence through a new subsidiary in Malaysia for the adsorbents segment to meet the rising demand from the Asia Pacific region. Companies are now focusing on collaborations and joint ventures with the end user companies to increase its market share.Browse Full Report@Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Sulphuric Acid Market Forecast and Segments, 2015-2025
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Sulfuric acid is a diprotic acid that exhibits different variety of properties depending upon its concentration. Sulphuric acid has the biggest output of any chemical in the world. Sulphuric acid is majorly used in the manufacture of chemicals to make sulfate salts, pigments, dyes, nitric acid, sulfate salts, and others. It also serves as the electrolyte in the lead acid storage battery.Sulphuric acid is widely used in the production of phosphate fertilizers. Sulphuric acid is a complex market that involves the chemistry of product supply and demand. There is variation in pricing of Sulphuric acid between regions depending upon the regulations and concentrations. There are four stages in the manufacturing of sulphuric acid that includes extraction of sulphur, conversion of Sulphur into sulphur dioxide, then converting sulphur dioxide to sulphur trioxide, and final conversion of sulphur trioxide to sulphuric acid.Sulphuric acid is used to wash impurities out of gasoline and other refinery products in petroleum refining. Sulphuric acid is also used as catalyst and dehydrating agent in petrochemical process and organic chemical manufacturing. The global sulphuric acid market is segmented on the basis of manufacturing process, application, and region. Manufacturing process includes Lead Chamber Process, Contact Process, Wet Sulfuric Acid Process, and Others. Applications include Phosphate Fertilizers, Chemical Manufacturing, Agricultural Chemistry, Electrolyte In Lead-Acid Storage Battery, Metal Processing, and Others.Global Sulphuric Acid Market: DriversThe Global Sulphuric Acid Market is mainly driven by the growing demand for Sulphur based fertilizers. Rising demand for sulphuric acid in the oil & gas industry and waste water treatment is expected to drive the sulphuric acid market for the forecasted period.Request Free Report Sample@Global Sulphuric Acid: RestraintsRestraints for the global sulphuric acid market include stringent government regulations that are restricting its use, and high raw material prices. Some of the reasons that are hampering the growth of this market include effects on human health such as skin irritation, eyes irritation, skin sensitiveness and others.Global Sulphuric Acid Market: SegmentationGlobal Sulphuric Acid market is segmented by: application, manufacturing process, and by region.By Application:Phosphate FertilizersChemical ManufacturingAgricultural ChemistryElectrolyte In Lead-Acid Storage BatteryMetal ProcessingOthersBy Manufacturing Process:Lead Chamber ProcessContact ProcessWet Sulfuric Acid ProcessOthersSulphuric Acids By Region:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeJapanAsia pacific (APEJ)Middle East & Africa (MEA)Global Sulphuric Acid: Region-wise OutlookThe global Sulphuric Acid is projected to witness a moderate growth from 2015 to 2025. According to FMIs forecast, the market in Asia-Pacific is expected to show the fastest CAGR for the forecasted period due to increasing demand for consumer products from countries such as Japan, China, and India.Request For TOC@Europe and North America are leading markets of global Sulphuric Acid. Latin America market is also expected to grow due to rapid industrialization. Due to the prevalence of base metal smelters in Japan and South Korea, these regions have significant sources of sulphuric acid traded in the market.Global Sulphuric Acid Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players in the global Sulphuric Acid market are doing product innovations, expansions and mergers and acquisitions in order to expand their geographic reach. Companies in this market are focusing on finding newer applications for Sulphuric Acids in order to increase their shares in the market.Global Sulphuric Acid Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players of the global Sulphuric Acid market are Tampa Electric, Chemtrade Refinery, The Mosaic, Lucite International, Climax Molybdenum, Valero Energy, Solvay, DuPont, Akzonobel N.V., BASF and others.Browse Full Report@Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Research report covers the Mechanical Seals Market share and Growth, 2016-2026
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Increase in production of shale gas in developing and developed countries is a major factor driving the growth of the market. New oil and gas exploration activities, coupled with extensive investments in refineries and pipelines is escalating the growth of the global mechanical seals market. Moreover, introduction of new technologies is also a major element boosting the overall growth of the global mechanical seals market.Global Mechanical Seals Market: RestraintsIntroduction of alternate methods of sealing leakages like mechanical packaging eats into the revenue share of the mechanical seals market. Furthermore, use of electronic seals in automated manufacturing units can also impede growth during the forecast period 2016-2026.Global Mechanical Seals Market: Region-wise OutlookThe highest growth is expected to be witnessed in the Americas due to increase in adoption of mechanical seals to ensure precise and prefect sealing of pipelines. Demand for mechanical seals is anticipated to remain stable in Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is expected to offer growth opportunities to key players during the forecast period.Request Free Report Sample@Global Mechanical Seals Market: Key PlayersThe major players involved in the manufacturing of mechanical seals are AW Chesterton Company, EagleBurgmann India Private Limited, Flowserve Corporation, Flex-a-seal, John Crane Group, Bal Seal Engineering, Cooper-Standard, Federal-Mogul, Flexitallic Group, Garlock Sealing Technology, Henniges Automotive Sealing Systems, Hutchinson Sealing Systems, Timken AB, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies GmBH and Co. KG., Dana Corporation, Telleborg Industries and others.Global Mechanical Seals Market: SegmentationThe global mechanical seals market can be segmented on the basis of types, end use and geography.On the basis of types, the global mechanical seals market can be segmented into O-ring seals, lip seals, and rotary seals.On the basis of end use industry, the global mechanical seals market can be segmented into oil and gas industry, general industry, chemical industry, water industry, power industry and others.On the basis of geography, the global mechanical seals market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan.Request For TOC@About Mechanical SealsMechanical seals are those leakage control devices which are deployed on rotating equipment like mixers and pumps to avoid the leakage of liquid and gases from escaping into the environment. Mechanical seals ensure that the medium stays in the system circuit, protecting it from external contaminations reducing environmental emissions.Mechanical seals also helps in stopping leakage in systems that contain pressure. Before mechanical seals, mechanical packaging was used; however, it wasnt as effective as seals are.Mechanical seals often consume energy since the frictional properties of the seal has a huge impact on the amount of power consumed by the machinery on which it is used. The four major classes of mechanical seals are traditional contact seals, cooled and lubricated seals, dry seals, and gas lubricated seals.Only a flat and smooth finish on mechanical seals is eligible to prevent leakage to its full efficiency. Mechanical seals are usually made by using carbon and silicon carbide but mostly carbon is used in the manufacturing of mechanical seals because of its self-lubricating properties. The two principle components of a mechanical seal are the stationary arm and the rotatory arm.Browse Full Report@Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Sustainable Architect Wolfgang Frey Celebrates his Second Anniversary of Reforestation Efforts in China to Offset Carbon Footprint
Wolfgang Frey has planted over 6,000 trees in China since 2014.
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Wolfgang Frey, a practicing architect who specializes in sustainability in Freiburg, Germany, has found a way to offset his own carbon dioxide debt. In the spring of 2014 Mr. Frey began a reforestation project on the Chinese mountain Xishan (West Mountain in English) in Taiyuan in the Chinese province of Shanxi. This week, Mr. Frey celebrates the second year of his efforts to reduce his carbon footprint in China. Mr. Frey has planted over 6,000 trees on 12.4 acres. Every growing plant absorbs CO2.Wolfgang Freys goal is to compensate for his own personal CO2 emissions as an architect with the help of the trees he plants.A polemic solution would be to simply stop building altogether, says Wolfgang Frey. Given our ever-growing world population, however, thats not really an option.Wolfgang Freys sustainable architecture firm Frey Architekten has planned several large-scale housing and commercial complexes such as Heidelberg Village and Smart Green Tower based on passive house standards with a low carbon footprint.The reforestation effort is intended to make up for the greenhouse gas emissions produced by driving to construction sites, the use of construction machinery and even the CO2 emissions produced when Wolfgang Frey flies to China.Ideally, the trees should absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide that he produces. Because the climate in the industrial city of Taiyuan is extremely hot and arid in the summer time, Mr. Frey started out by planting acacia trees. This type of tree is also known as pioneer wood because it still manages to grow despite the rather unfertile ground and critical climate.Apart from the absorption of carbon dioxide, the trees also provide other positive aspects such as the production of oxygen and the overall improvement to the micro-climate. The reforestation project has not yet ended: Wolfgang Frey wants to expand his forest. He flies to China about three times a year and can take between 150 and 200 saplings from Germany each time, resulting in about 600 acacia trees annually. In addition, date trees bought directly from China are being planted. The plan is to continue to expand the forests acreage.Back in Germany, Wolfgang Frey also owns 111 acres of forest, the wood from which is used among other things for sustainable projects.Founded in 1959 by Friedrich Frey, Frey Architekten is a sustainable architecture office located in the German eco-city of Freiburg im Breisgau. As one of the pioneers in sustainable architecture, Frey Architekten has been using solar panels since 1972. In addition, the office has an international presence in China, Russia and other parts of Europe.Frey ArchitektenBertha-von-Suttner-Strae 1479111 Freiburg im BreisgauGermanyPress Contact:Christine Hohlbaumchristine@butterflypr.de917-477-3788
Touchless Sensors Market : Segmentation, Competitive landscape, Industry trends and Developments 2021
Touchless Sensors Market
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Touchless sensing is the next generation evolution in human machine interface (HMI) technology. It is typically used to detect the presence or motion of a person within the coverage area of sensor. Touchless sensing is a technology that combines the advantages of optical sensing with biometric sensing systems. Touchless sensors enable scanning of biometric images or simply the presence of a person without the need for physical contact with the sensors. The optical source in the system illuminates the object and the image is scanned using camera. The optical source used for illumination is highly sophisticated and ensures high quality image for detection. Touchless sensor systems are highly appreciable in areas with hygiene concerns such as washrooms, restaurant kitchens and others. In addition, touchless sensors are increasingly being preferred for automatic entrance/exits in shopping malls, railway stations, airports and other public places.View Sample Report @Touchless sensors market is currently in nascent stage and is expected to show strong growth in near future. This is majorly due to several advantages of touchless sensors over conventional touch based sensing systems. Touchless sensors are cost effective as compared to the touch based sensors and require low maintenance cost. In addition, as the system is touch free, wear and tear caused to the sensor system is significantly reduced thereby extending the life of system. Touchless sensors can be easily installed with the existing hardware and do not incur additional installation costs. As the systems are based on touchless sensing technology, touchless sensor systems can also be used for security purposes especially in areas with restricted access. Furthermore, growing demand for sophisticated and contact-free sensing systems is another significant factor boosting the growth of touchless sensors market. Unlike conventional touch based sensors, touchless sensors analyze the biometric image to check if it is unmodified. This significantly increases the security against fake entries at access points.Touchless sensors market is broadly segmented based on type of technology, product, application and geographic regions. Touchless sensors are based on different technologies such as infrared, ultrasonic sound waves, electric/capacitive near field and others. The products in touchless sensors are categorized based on touchless biometrics and sanitary equipment. Some of the products for sanitary equipment are soap dispenser, faucets, trash-can, flushes, paper towel and hand dryer. Touchless biometrics includes products such as iris, fingerprint, face, voice and other object recognition sensors. The touchless sensors find wide applications in healthcare, consumer electronics, retail stores, public places, automobile industry, security, home appliances and other automation systems. Touchless sensors are used for security majorly in government sector and are expected to be the most lucrative application due to growing security concerns in government sector. Furthermore, touchless sensors market based on geographic regions is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). At present, North America is the largest market for touchless sensors owing to the high demand for sophisticated sensing sanitary systems as well as touchless biometrics.Request Report TOC @Some of the leading companies in the touchless sensors market are Cognitec Systems GmbH, Cross Match Technologies, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Pebbles Ltd., Qualcomm, Inc., XYZ Interactive Technologies, Inc., Microchip Technology, Inc., MorphoTrak, LLC (Safran group) and others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United StatesUSA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353
Intelligent Power Switches Market : Facts, Figures and Analytical Insights 2015 to 2021
Intelligent Power Switches Market
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Intelligent power switches are also called as smart power switches because of its advanced functionality. Intelligent power switches are used for high side and low side configurations and are designed for handling normal overload conditions in addition to several extraordinary conditions. Intelligent power switches find their application in automotive, industrial and commercial sectors.View Sample Report @In Intelligent power switches, a control section and power stage are integrated on the same chip. The control section includes drivers, logic interface, protection and diagnostic features. Intelligent Power Switches provides benefits such as cost effectiveness, compactness increased system reliability and over temperature protection.On the basis of type, the intelligent power switches market can be segmented as high side switches and low side switches. High-side switches are used to drive capacitive, inductive and resistive loads and provide protection against over temperature, short circuit and overload. High-side switches are used in all kinds of industrial as well as automotive applications. Low side switches are used to drive resistive and inductive loads and it provide protection against over current, over/under voltage and over temperature. Low side power switches are used in automotive, industrial and commercial applications.Intelligent power switches market can also be segmented on the basis of the application. This includes automotive, industrial, commercial and construction application. Intelligent power switches are used in a various automotive electrical systems such as the solenoid and valve driver, in safety features such as window lifters, windshield wipers and power seats. In Industrial applications, intelligent power switches are used where intelligent protection and gate drivers provide component and space saving such as vending machines and traffic signs. Intelligent power switches also find their application in hydraulic valve control, safety relay replacement, flap driver of construction, commercial and agriculture vehicles.The global intelligent power switches market is expected to witness robust growth through 2025 due to rising demand of intelligent power switches in automotive and industrial application across a globe. Region wise the global intelligent power switches market is classified into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia pacific, Japan, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). China is leading the intelligent power switches market in terms of manufacturing. Increasing use of intelligent power switches into automotive and industrial applications is expected to drive the growth of intelligent power switches market throughout the forecast period. Benefits of intelligent power switch such compactness, high reliability and cost effectiveness further expected to drive the market growth.Request Report TOC @The key international players operating in intelligent power switches market includes RICOH Electronic Devices Co., Ltd., International Rectifier, STMicroelectronics, Infineon Technologies AG, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., Texas Instruments Incorporated., ROHM Semiconductor, Fuji Electric Co. LTD., and SCHUKAT electronic etc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United StatesUSA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353
Automated Fare Collection (AFC) System Market : Recent Industry Trends, Current and Projected Industry Size by 2015 - 2021
Automated Fare Collection (AFC) System Market
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Automated fare collection (AFC) system is the automated version of manual fare collection. It allows public transportation authoritys such as metro, rail, and buses to implement fast and efficient ticketing system. The automated fare collection system allows tracing and managing the funds generated through sales and by use of transport fare media, thereby helping to thrust revenue of the companies. Contactless technology, smart card, and electronic payment reduce the cost associated with handling cash transaction. Smart cards technology is extensively used fare collection systems because it offers benefits such as reduced maintenance & operating cost, improve efficiency, and reduced frauds.View Sample Report @The automated fare collection system market is segmented on the basis of technology, components and geography. Based on technology, the automatic fare collection system market can be categorized into smart cards, magnetic strips, near field communication (NFC), and optical character recognition (OCR). The adoption of NFC technology is expected to remain high owing to its benefits such as fault tolerance and high speed contactless transaction. These technologies reduce the cost associated with handling cash transactions and save time of travelers by eliminating the queue for obtaining tickets. On the basis of components, the automated fare collection system market can be segmented as hardware components and software components. Hardware components include vending machine, hand held terminals, and fare gates. Furthermore, on the basis of geography the automated fare collection system market can be categorized into five major regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. North America and Europe are anticipated to be the dominant regions over the forecast period owing to the increased government spending for improving transport infrastructure. Asia Pacific automatic fare collection systems market is also expected to witness significant growth owing to the development in countries such as India and China. China and India are focusing on building better commutation facilities such as high speed train, metro train and mono rail.Governments of various countries such as India, China, and U.S., among others are focusing on enhancing the transportation infrastructure and security systems, which in turn is fueling the growth of automated fare collection system market. New payment gateways such as account based payment systems using credit; debit and bank cards are driving the demand of automated fare collection systems.Development of monorail and metro in metropolitan cities is furthermore expected to stimulate the growth of automated fare collection system market, globally. Increasing adoption of NFC based mobile phones is anticipated to furthermore spur the demand of automated fare collection systems. NFC enabled devices allows travelers to perform safe transactions by holding it close to the electronic terminal. Rising need to enhance business process in an organization for increasing profit margins is one of the key factors triggering the demand for automated fare collection systems across the globe. Transit agencies are collaborating with the financial institution, payment gateway providers, and system integrators to reduce the overall cost and providing cost effective shared infrastructure.Request Report TOC @Some of the key players in the automated fare collection system include Advanced Card Systems Ltd., Atos SE, Cubic Transportation Systems, Scheidt & Bachmann GmbH, NXP Semiconductors, Omron Corporation, ST Electronics, Thales Group, Trapeze Group and Vix Technology among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.ContactPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United StatesUSA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353
Germany Agriculture Tires Market 2015 Industry Trends Analysis and Forecast 2020
Germany Agriculture Tire
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Global Agriculture Tires Industry 2016The Global Agriculture Tires Industry report gives a comprehensive account of the Global Agriculture Tires market. Details such as the size, key players, segmentation, SWOT analysis, most influential trends, and business environment of the market are mentioned in this report. Furthermore, this report features tables and figures that render a clear perspective of the Agriculture Tires market. The report features an up-to-date data on key companies product details, revenue figures, and sales. Furthermore, the details also gives the Global Agriculture Tires market revenue and its forecasts. The business model strategies of the key firms in the Agriculture Tires market are also included. Key strengths, weaknesses, and threats shaping the leading players in the market have also been included in this research report.The report gives a detailed overview of the key segments in the market. The fastest and slowest growing market segments are covered in this report. The key emerging opportunities of the fastest growing Global Agriculture Tires market segments are also covered in this report. Each segments and sub-segments market size, share, and forecast are available in this report. Additionally, the region-wise segmentation and the trends driving the leading geographical region and the emerging region has been presented in this report.Get Complete Report with TOC :The study on the Global Agriculture Tires market also features a history of the tactical mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships activity in the market. Valuable recommendations by senior analysts about investing strategically in research and development can help new entrants or established players penetrate the emerging sectors in the Agriculture Tires market. Investors will gain a clear insight on the dominant players in this industry and their future forecasts. Furthermore, readers will get a clear perspective on the high demand and the unmet needs of consumers that will enhance the growth of this market.Table of ContentChapter One Agriculture Tires Industry Overview1.1 Agriculture Tires Definition1.1.1 Agriculture Tires Definition1.1.2 Product Specifications1.2 Agriculture Tires Classification1.3 Agriculture Tires Application Field1.4 Agriculture Tires Industry Chain Structure1.5 Agriculture Tires Industry Regional Overview1.6 Agriculture Tires Industry Policy Analysis1.7 Agriculture Tires Industry Related Companies Contact InformationGet Sample Copy of Report @About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Web:
Prize Wi-Fi for campings and villages: in Italy wins the PuntAla Camping Resort situated in Tuscany
www.koobcamp.com
www.campeggi.com/en
www.koobcamp.com
www.campeggi.com/en
Turin (Italy), 07/15/2016 - PuntAla Camping Resort of Punta Ala, famous seaside resort in Castiglione della Pescaia (GR) in Tuscany, is the winner of the prize dedicated to the Italian camping or village with the best Wi-Fi service for the year 2016, a prize given in the field of Excellence Certificates KoobCamp 2016.The camping has been selected from the experts of KoobCamp (), a network that includes Campeggi.com () and other 30 web portals dedicated tocampings and villages with the following motivation: to have chosen the combination of free Wi-Fi for guests with the quality of a Wi-Fi installation all over the area of the camping, based on 60 acces point (Aruba Networks), all connected with optical fiber with 60 synchronous MB (UP/down) of connectivity.The PuntAla Camping resort becomes the Italian testimonial of campings with a high quality Wi-Fi service; these campings are able to answer the modern wishes and requirements of tourists that also on holiday dont want to give up the Internet connection using their tablet, smartphone and laptop, for fun or for work. This service is appreciated above all fromtourists from other countries, that want to be in contact with their families or want to organize their holiday using information found on the web.The top ten, which is valid for the assignment of the Excellence Certificates for Wi-fi 2016 by KoobCamp and is captained by PuntAla Camping Resort, highlights campings and villages of Tuscany (in particular in the area around Livorno) as main characters of "connected holiday"*: PuntAla Camping Resort - Castiglione della Pescaia (GR) in Tuscany - WINNER Camping Village le Pianacce - Castagneto Carducci (LI) in Tuscany Camping Tripesce - Rosignano Marittimo (LI) in Tuscany Camping Village Orri - Tortoli (OG) in Sardinia Camping Village Pappasole - Piombino (LI) in Tuscany International Camping Village Etruria - Castagneto Carducci (LI) in Tuscany Camping Village Lake Placid - Silvi (TE) in Abruzzo Don Antonio Camping Village - Giulianova (TE) in Abruzzo Villaggio Campeggio Europa - Roseto degli Abruzzi (TE) in Abruzzo Camping Village MareBlu - Cecina (LI) in Tuscany*N.B. the chart is not placing order, except for the winner.Every campsite in the Top Ten for the Certificate of Excellence for Wi-Fi 2016 will receive an adhesive, in order to have a distinguishing mark that guests can see. It will attest the recognition given by KoobCamp and will be available in a special variation for the winner, the PuntAla Camping Resort. The announcement of the Certificate of Excellence 20016 by KoobCamp for the best 10 campings and villages with Wi-Fi for the year 2016 comes after the Certificates already given for the categories Aquapark, Family, Glamping, Pet Friendly, Restaurant and Wellness and advances the prizes for Sport and Accessible Tourism.The network KoobCamp, main character in the tourism field with more than 30 web portals dedicated to holidays en plein air.Flavio SartiniKoobCampT. +39 011.358.00.12F. +39 011.043.27.25areapress@koobcamp.com
TEAM Customers nominated at the Green Gown Awards 2016
http://www.greengownawards.org.uk
Congratulations to our TEAM customers who are among this years finalists for the prestigious Green Gown Awards 2016.Established in 2004, the Green Gown Awards 2016 recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities, colleges and the learning and skills sectors across the UK and Ireland as the education sector leads a path to efficiency, employability and better quality of life for us all.The education sector is a critical player in ensuring the next generation is equipped with the skills and experience required to provide a sustainable future. The Green Gown Awards celebrate pioneers that are taking the bold steps that are necessary to develop resilience and adaptability and to showcase the education sectors contribution to society.The winners will be announced at the prestigious Green Gown Awards Ceremony held at The Athena situated in the Cultural Quarter, Leicester on 10th November, in partnership with De Montfort University (DMU) and University of Leicester.TEAM customers have been nominated in the following categories:Continuous Improvement: Institutional ChangeSheffield Hallam UniversityUniversity of West EnglandBuilt EnvironmentUniversity of West EnglandCarbon ReductionThe University Of OxfordCommunityUniversity of West EnglandFood and DrinkThe University of SheffieldLearning and SkillsSheffield Hallam UniversityThe London School of Economics & Political ScienceUniversity of West EnglandStudent EngagementsAnglia Ruskin UniversitySustainability ReportingQueen Mary University of LondonThe London School of Economics & Political ScienceThe full list of finalists can be found atCongratulations to all our customers and good luck at the Green Gown 2016 Awards Ceremony.TEAM is the UKs leading supplier of carbon and energy management solutions. With over 500 customers in the UK and worldwide we specialise in energy management software, outsourced energy management services and energy consultancy. TEAM has customers from all sectors including Commerce, Industry and Government.TEAM (Energy Auditing Agency Ltd.)34 The ForumRockingham Drive, Linford WoodMilton KeynesMK14 6LYIain Surmanenquiries@teamenergy.com
COSEC Standalone IP Based Access Control Solution
www.MatrixSecuSol.com
Matrix COSEC PANEL LITE is a Standalone IP Based Access Control solution, ideal for SMB and SME units where door controllers are connected to a small panel on the Ethernet. It does not require any kind of software installation. This small panel manages up to 25,000 users and 255 door controllers, and provides all advance access control features required for fool proof security. Standalone Access Control solution enhances security, improves security, simplifies installation and improves reliability required for an ideal access control.Features: Controls 255 Door Controllers and 25,000 Users Storage up to 500,000 Events Ethernet and RS-485 Ports Available USB for Wi-Fi, 3G/4G/LTE and Data Transfer Auxiliary Input and Output Ports Wiegand OUT Port Available for Integration Advance Access Control FeaturesContact: MATRIX COMSEC394 GIDC, Makarpura, Vadodara+91 93744 74302More@MatrixComSec.comMATRIX COMSECEstablished in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. An innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization; Matrix is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the telecom and security industries. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance solutions, Access Control, Time-Attendance, IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, Terminals, Convergence solution, VoIP Gateways and GSM Gateways. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards. Having global foot-prints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa through an extensive network of more than 500 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer. Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won many international awards for its innovative products.Matrix Comsec394 GIDC Makarpura, Vadodara-390010+91 0265 2630555
Importance Of Mobile App Security and It's Impact on Business
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFmDs73lMTI
www.anacyber.com
Securing computers in a company network should definitely be a priority for businesses of all types and sizes. However, there is another element of the enterprise network that cannot be overlooked and that is mobile app security.In order to solve Information Security problems, you need to know the different kinds of threats in your data security.The percentage of the Top 100 paid iOS apps that have been hacked increased from 56% to 87%, from 2013 to 2014, so, just imagine the figure it will reach till 2017. 97% of top paid android apps have been hacked.Mobile apps are on a path to reach $70 billion in annual revenue by 2017.Now, consider the possible vulnerabilities that hackers would want to get through your system with such an huge amount of apps that are being downloaded and used on the daily basis.The open-source nature of Android allows hackers to find the code behind a popular app, they said, and recreate the app almost identically but with a malicious code to infect users.So, it is very important for any business to secure their apps before it goes live. Mobile applications and related security breaches receive a lot of media attention You cannot be 100% safe, but you can make it hard Defense in Depth Know your data.The Speaker - Ankit Bhardwaj is going to talk about the importance of Mobile App Security and its Impact on Business.organized by Aritra Roy (Marketing Manager - ANA Cyber Forensic Pvt. Ltd.)Visit:Visit our website atANA Cyber Forensic Pvt. Ltd. is website, Mobile app, Data and Network Security service provider.Office No. 2.1, 3.1, &3.2, 11.1, Dr. Herekar Park, Rajyog, 2nd Floor, C wing, Near Kamla Nehru park, Pune, Maharashtra 411004
Anti-drone Market to Witness Rapid Growth due to Increased Government Funding in Defense Sector
http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11060
A new market research study by Transparency Market Research presents an in-depth analysis of the global market for anti-drones, including it product segmentation, key geographical segments, current trends, challenges and opportunities, key growth drivers, restraints, and competitive scenario. The re-search study, titled Anti-Drone Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 2023, provides recommendations and inputs by industry experts to guide decision makers in formulating their business policies in an effective manner. In addition, the study presents his-torical information and projected statistics with the help of charts, tables, and infographics.Anti-drone devices refer to protection systems that are widely used for the identification, detection, and tracking of unauthorized intrusion by drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Anti-drone technology is designed to offer protection against UAVs and take counter-measures in order to neutral-ize the threat from the same. Increased government spending in the defense sector to assure public safe-ty from growing cross-border threats is one of the key factors anticipated to fuel the market throughout the forecast period.The global anti-drone market has been classified on the basis of detection type into tracking and disrup-tion systems and detection systems. Tracking and disruption systems are used to neutralize UAVs from potential malicious activity and air surveillance whereas detection systems are majorly deployed for the monitoring of UAVs. The growing need for neutralizing threats from various illicit activities is antici-pated to augment the growth of the tracking and disruption system segment in the next few years. The global anti-drone market has been divided on the basis of technology into laser systems, kinetic sys-tems, and electronics systems. In the last few years, the electronics systems segment has witnessed sub-stantial growth, owing to which this segment is projected to exhibit a progressive growth rate in the next few years.Read More :Among the major geographical segments, the North America region is projected to witness rapid growth on the basis of increased adoption and deployment of anti-drone technology. In addition, the increasing investment in the defense and aerospace sector in the U.S. is estimated to fuel the growth of the North America market for anti-drones in the next few years.The research study offers a detailed vendor analysis of the market along with the present competitive scenario. Detailed profiles of the leading players have been included in the research study to present a clear picture of the global anti-drone market. Some of the prominent players operating in the market are Prime Consulting & Technologies K/S, The Boeing Company, DRONESHIELD, Blighter Surveillance Systems Ltd., Israel Aerospace Industries, SRC, Inc., Enterprise Control Systems, Liteye Systems, Inc., DeTect, Inc., and Thales Group.About Us: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. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.ContactState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United States
Michael Johnson escapee.jpg
Michael Diontae Johnson (shown in both photos) used another inmate's identification and clothes to mistakenly be released from the Clark County Jail on May 12, 2016.
(Clark County Sheriff's Office)
A Clark County Jail inmate who authorities say escaped by posing as another inmate has been sentenced to an additional five years in prison.
The Columbian reports Michael Diontae Johnson, 30, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges in two separate cases as part of a plea deal.
Johnson had already been serving a 24-year prison sentence for kidnapping and assault convictions in Arizona when he was brought to Clark County to stand trial for a March 2014 domestic violence case.
Authorities say he escaped from the Clark County Jail on May 12 after switching identities with a fellow inmate who was scheduled for release.
Investigators allege he switched identification wristbands with LaQuon Carson Boggs, put on his clothes, traded cells with him, signed his name and walked out the jail door. Authorities discovered Johnson was gone three hours later.
He was arrested by federal marshals in Illinois on June 6.
Johnson told the judge at the sentencing hearing Wednesday that he had nothing to say.
-- The Associated Press and staff reports
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Vancouver police are warning people about a semi-automatic pistol that a suspect may have pitched from a stolen car June 10, 2016, during a pursuit.
(The Oregonian/OregonLive/file photo)
Vancouver police are warning people about a semi-automatic pistol that a suspect may have pitched from a stolen car while evading authorities.
The Columbian reports Aaron Michael Smith was arrested Sunday after leading authorities on a chase while driving the stolen car.
The chase allegedly started with Smith dragging a deputy about 35 feet alongside the stolen car in the parking lot of a Walmart on Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard in Vancouver, according to court records. It ended at some point after he allegedly rammed a police car, injuring an officer, records show.
Authorities stopped and arrested Smith around Southeast 104th and St. Helens avenues, Vancouver police said in a news release. Detectives found several .40-caliber rounds and a .40-caliber magazine in the car and think a .40-caliber pistol may have been pitched out the car window.
Police said they don't know the exact route Smith drove, as he allegedly pulled away from authorities several times. But police accuse him of leading authorities in pursuit through parts of Clark County near the northeast edge of the Vancouver city limits and through parts of northeast Vancouver.
Smith, 37, faces assault, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, reckless driving, resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance -- methamphetamine charges in the case, court records show.
He's being held in the Clark County Jail, according to jail records.
Police ask anyone who comes across a gun to call 911.
-- Jim Ryan
jryan@oregonian.com
503-221-8005; @Jimryan015
You can read more about atomic veterans in The Sunday Oregonian in an investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting. In 2005, the Oregon Legislature passed a resolution designating July 16 as Atomic Veterans Day. That date was chosen because it marks the anniversary of the United States' first atomic test - code-named Trinity - set off in New Mexico as part of the Manhattan project.
LEBANON - At 80, the fight hasn't gone out of Frank Farmer. From his home here far out in the country he wages a quixotic fight to get bureaucrats to finally do the right thing and to acknowledge that he, and thousands of other veterans in his situation, exist.
Deep down, he fears it's a losing battle. Time, he admits, is not on his side. Next month, he turns 81.
"Each year," he said, "more of us die. Pretty soon, none of us will be left and it won't matter anymore. I have to be honest, we don't have much faith anything will change.
He slapped the dining room table.
"But we're a stubborn bunch," he said, pointing to his 74-year-old neighbor, Fred Schafer, who dropped by Farmer's house this day. "Fred deserves all the credit."
Schafer waved away the compliment, but handed over a business card that showed he's national commander of the National Association of Atomic Veterans.
He takes his role seriously.
"All of us are in limbo," Schafer said. "It's been so long. Many of us have mellowed out. But deep inside, we still get irritated. That's what fuels us. I guess you'd say we're mad."
So goes the battle against the federal government, bureaucratic red tape and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
At a time in life when they should revel in being retired, these two men exchange emails with officials, politicians and veterans across the nation. They take telephone calls from wives whose husbands have died, wives who now need help figuring out if they qualify for added benefits because their husbands once participated in secret missions.
"It never leaves me," Farmer said. "We don't understand how the government could treat us this way. We feel like we're tossed aside like dead meat."
Their quest involves atomic bombs, secret missions, pledges to never talk about what happened and a chapter of this country's history that few people have heard about. Both men are part of a fraternity of servicemen who served as guinea pigs to explore and risks of atomic bombs. Some were selected to witness above-ground nuclear explosions. Some were in trenches less than 4,000 feet from the detonation site, while others were stationed on U.S. Navy ships near islands were the bombs exploded.
The tests ran from 1945 to 1962, and Schafer estimates that 500,000 servicemen were exposed to radiation. Some suffered no ill effects. Others, he said, came down with ailments that they believed were caused by exposure. Others, he said, died because they were exposed.
Schafer's group wants three things: give recognition by the government for participating in the project, specifically a medal; make it clear to the veterans that additional medical costs will be covered by veterans hospitals; and make sure widows of men in the project can receive an additional $1,300 monthly benefit.
Part of the problem is that the program was cloaked in secrecy. Agents with the FBI had to clear each participant, and they were told to tell no one - not even family members - of what they'd experienced. Additionally, Schafer said, each servicemen was required to sign a pledge of secrecy. The pledge, he said, was lifted in 1996, but not all veterans were made aware that the rule had changed.
While the government kept records of every serviceman who was part of the program, Schafer said, no one has reached out to tell those men about the care they are eligible to receive.
Many don't even know Schafer's group exists. Or those who do go to the hospital, and explain they are atomic veterans, receive only puzzled looks from administrators.
Servicemen learn about the National Association of Atomic Veterans, self-described as "America's secret wounded warriors," through word-of-mouth, or from posters put up in American Legion Halls across the United States.
"That's how Fred and I met," Farmer said. "It was in 2003. My wife and I went to dinner at the hall and I saw a sign on the board saying he was looking for atomic veterans, those of us exposed to bombs during testing. I called him. We've been friends ever since.
"I had no idea he lived around here," Farmer said. "So many of these vets don't realize it's OK to finally talk about it. At one time, it was considered treason. That's the big rub."
Farmer said he witnessed 18 atomic blasts, sometimes twice a day, while on a ship stationed in the Marshall Islands.
"We were told to turn our back, close our eyes tight and put our hands over our eyes," he said. "When the blast went off, it was so bright that I could see bones in my hands. It was like an X-ray. We were then told to turn around. We could feel the blast concussion. It was a shock wave. Then we'd watch the atomic cloud. Sounds strange to say, but it was beautiful. The cloud would rise 45,000 feet in the sky."
After a series of blasts, Farmer said, he went swimming and scratched his leg on coral.
"I know now the water was contaminated from the blast," he said. "Within a week, I was covered with a rash. I was never able to get rid of it."
When he met Schafer, he learned that he qualified for medical care because he was an atomic veteran.
"No one told me a thing," he said. "I found out from a poster in a legion hall."
He looked at Schafer and shook his head.
"That's wrong," he said. "That's just wrong."
--Tom Hallman Jr.
thallman@oregonian.com; 503 221-8224
@thallmanjr
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(Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian)
It's legal to possess, grow and buy marijuana in Oregon, but state clean air laws and local rules have put a damper on public festivals featuring giveaways and consumption.
The Oregon Cannabis Association has found a way to host a summer fair where members of the public -- as long as they're 21 and older -- can take home free samples.
The Summer Fair, featuring dozens of Oregon producers and processors, will be held July 24 at the North Warehouse in Portland.
Amy Margolis, a Portland lawyer with the cannabis association, said the event is designed to showcase Oregon's marijuana industry and give consumers a chance to learn more about products sold in dispensaries.
"It's a way to meet new people who are interested in this market," she said.
The association addressed the city's rules by not charging admission, Margolis said.
Portland officials have made clear they plan to crack down on events that allow consumption or hand out samples at events where people pay to get in. The city views paid admission to a fair where marijuana is handed out as similar to selling pot - something only licensed marijuana businesses can do under the law.
Public cannabis consumption is also prohibited so people who collect free samples at the Summer Fair won't be allowed to smoke or vape on site.
Victor Salinas, the city's marijuana policy coordinator, said Thursday that the city has advised organizers to check photo identification of attendees, as well as hire "enough security to monitor the perimeter to make sure no one is entering other than by the established entrance and exit."
City officials earlier this year said they would ramp up pot-related enforcement efforts with the addition of four compliance officers, whose salaries come out of marijuana licensing fees. Salinas said those officers may visit the fair to ensure compliance with city rules.
Organizers or promoters of the events who violate the rules -- and owners of the property where they are held -- can face fines of as much as $5,000, according to city officials.
-- Noelle Crombie
503-276-7184; @noellecrombie
surveillence photo.png
A former park security officer received three years in prison for setting fire to empty houses on park property in the Cedar Mill community using road flares. Last spring, the sheriff's office released this surveillance photograph as investigators were trying to identify the suspect.
(WCSO )
A park security officer received three years in prison Thursday for setting fire to empty houses on park property in the Cedar Mill community using road flares.
John Michael Townsend
John Michael Townsend, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree arson and three counts each of second-degree arson in Washington County Circuit Court in May. Townsend, who is employed with Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, initially faced five first-degree arson charges.
Following a plea agreement, Judge Charles Bailey also sentenced Townsend to pay $8,594 in restitution.
Townsend was suspended without pay following his arrest and has remained on that status pending the resolution of his case, said Bob Wayt, a parks district spokesman.
Prosecutor Jeff Lesowski told the court Thursday that Townsend was working as a park patrol officer when he set a series of fires in spring 2015. The case drew media attention, Lesowski said, because it initially began as a "whodunit." The sheriff's office, at the time, released a surveillance photograph of a man wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans with flares sticking out of the back pockets to try to solicit tips from the public to find the serial arsonist.
Fire investigators and a sheriff's detective ultimately identified Townsend as their suspect, Lesowski said. He was arrested in December and accused of setting five fires on park property between April 22, 2015, and May 20, 2015. Three of the fires, according to the sheriff's office, occurred at an empty house and two-story detached garage at 4950 N.W. Saltzman Road. Two others occurred at another abandoned house at 20 N.W. 114th Ave., the sheriff's office said.
After starting the fires, Lesowski told the court, Townsend would leave the scene, then respond back to give the impression that he was a hero.
"Kind of sad," the prosecutor said.
Townsend's attorney, Whitney Boise, simply asked the court to follow the plea agreement for sentencing. He said Townsend has a supportive family and pointed to them filling a row in the courtroom.
Townsend did not make a statement. A letter he submitted to the judge earlier was not read in court.
At the end of Thursday's brief hearing, court deputies placed Townsend, dressed in a blue dress shirt and black slacks, in handcuffs and led him away.
-- Rebecca Woolington
503-294-4049; @rwoolington
By Dana Milbank
WASHINGTON -- It was just another week in Donald Trump's (white) America First campaign.
At least twice, Trump alleged that people have called for a "moment of silence" for the madman who killed five police officers in Dallas at a Black Lives Matter protest.
It was an incendiary accusation, bound to stir racial hatred. Like Trump's accusation that New Jersey Muslims cheered the 9/11 attacks, this, too, was categorically false. There was no sign of such calls, and a top Trump adviser couldn't corroborate the allegation.
Yet what was remarkable about the reckless accusation was how unremarkable his appeals to racist division have become. Days before and after this, Trump:
Snubbed the NAACP, saying he wouldn't appear at the group's convention.
Declared in response to racial unrest that "I am the law-and-order candidate" -- an echo of Richard Nixon's response to violence following the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination.
Spoke at a rally where supporters answered mentions of President Obama with "he's a monkey" and to Hillary Clinton by saying "hang that bitch."
There was also the deleted tweet by prominent Trump surrogate Carl Paladino, who said of the African-American attorney general: "Lynch LorettaLynch." Paladino said it was a mistake, and maybe it was. Republicans trying to justify their support for Trump would like to believe each incident is a misunderstanding. But they can't all be.
As Republicans head to Cleveland to nominate Trump for the presidency, here, for easy reference, is a compilation of what they'd like to ignore.
Trump tweeted an image, previously posted to an anti-Semitic message board, of a Star of David atop paper money; he later objected to his campaign's decision to remove the image.
Trump told Jewish Republicans, "You're not going to support me, because I don't want your money."
He had supporters raise their hands in a loyalty pledge that the former head of the Anti-Defamation League called a "fascist gesture."
He said, "I don't have a message" for supporters of his who threatened anti-Semitic violence against a Jewish journalist. The journalist had criticized Melania Trump, who said the writer "provoked" the attacks.
His "America First" campaign slogan was the name of the isolationist, anti-Semitic organization that opposed involvement in World War II.
Trump has banned news organizations such as The Washington Post from covering his events but credentialed the host of a white-supremacist radio show.
He repeatedly declined to disavow David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan in a CNN interview.
The Trump campaign chose a white supremacist as a delegate, then blamed a database error.
Trump retweeted a message from WhiteGenocideTM, phony crime statistics that originated with neo-Nazis, a quote from Mussolini and a message from a supporter who embraces a "right-wing death squad" label.
Trump's campaign blamed an intern's mistake for tweeting an image of Nazi soldiers superimposed on the American flag next to Trump's likeness.
Trump said of a Black Lives Matter protester at his event: "Maybe he should have been roughed up."
He talked of paying the legal fees of a supporter who sucker-punched a black protester at an event.
He told reporters at another event to "look at my African-American over here."
Trump launched his campaign saying Mexico was sending "rapists" across the border. He called for mass deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants, "half" of whom are criminals.
He said the American-born judge in a fraud case against him could not be impartial because of his Mexican ancestry.
He tweeted a photo of himself eating a taco bowl and wrote "I love Hispanics!" He kicked Jorge Ramos out of a news conference and said Univision "takes its marching orders" from Mexico.
He used broken English to mock Asians. He used a fake Indian accent. He referred to Elizabeth Warren, who has claimed Native American ancestry, as "Pocahontas." He asked a Texas-born Asian American at one event: "Are you from South Korea?"
He proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States. He spoke favorably of forcing those already here to register with authorities. When a turban-wearing protester was removed from one of his events, Trump said: "He wasn't wearing one of those hats, is he?"
Trump said last year that "I really don't know" if President Obama was born in the United States. He implied that Obama was responsible for the Orlando mass shooting. He let stand the remark by a questioner at one of his events who called Obama a Muslim.
There are many more, but this column is 750 words -- far shorter than Trump's catalogue of racial animus.
Follow Dana Milbank on Twitter, Milbank.
(c) 2016, Washington Post Writers Group
Helping the homeless: George Czupryk wrote a sarcastic letter on Wednesday in regard to the plan to house 200 homeless in the Hansen Building (Portland's homeless crisis: Is government helping at all? July 11). Mr Czupryk seems to be under the impression that the building will be inhabited by radioactive zombies spreading out in mobs and seeking to eat his children and tear down his walls. Instead, one is likely to find families and veterans who are going through difficult times. Tigard has hosted the Good Neighbor Center near residential areas for years without issue.
As someone who grew up literally across the street from the Hansen Building, it is difficult for me to imagine a better place for a facility like this. It sits in a bubble of retail space at a major east Portland intersection. To the south and west, we find five blocks of retail. To the north, we find three blocks of retail. Only to the east do we start to find residential space a block away, and even there we find the relatively disadvantaged Fairway Apartments.
It is an optimistic mischaracterization to call this a "neighborhood." One has to travel many blocks west or east to find anything as cohesive as that, and those communities will not be impacted. When the Fairway Apartments first replaced our open fields some 40 years ago, we feared that it would damage property values and bring chaos and ruin. Nothing of the kind happened, and nothing of the kind will happen with this change, either.
Tim Roberts
Tigard
By Charles Krauthammer
WASHINGTON -- "The most significant reinforcement of our collective defense any time since the Cold War," President Obama called it. A bit of an exaggeration, perhaps, but it was still an achievement: Last week's NATO summit in Warsaw ordered the deployment of troops to Eastern Europe, the alliance's most serious response yet to Russia's aggression and provocations on its western frontier.
The post-Ukraine economic sanctions have been weak; the declamatory denunciations, a mere embarrassment. They've only encouraged further reckless Russian behavior -- the buzzing of U.S. ships, intrusions into European waters, threats to the Baltic States.
NATO will now deploy four battalions to front-line states. In Estonia, they will be led by Britain; in Lithuania, by Germany; in Latvia, by Canada; in Poland, by the United States. Not nearly enough, and not permanently based, but nonetheless significant.
In the unlikely event of a Russian invasion of any of those territories, these troops are to act as a tripwire, triggering a full-scale war with NATO. It's the kind of coldblooded deterrent that kept the peace in Europe during the Cold War and keeps it now along the DMZ in Korea.
In the more likely event of a "little green men" takeover attempt in, say, Estonia (about 25 percent ethnically Russian), the sort of disguised slow-motion invasion that Vladimir Putin pulled off in Crimea, the NATO deployments might be enough to thwart the aggression and call in reinforcements.
The message to Putin is clear: Yes, you've taken parts of Georgia and Ukraine. But they're not NATO. That territory is sacred -- or so we say.
This is a welcome development for the Balts, who are wondering whether they really did achieve irreversible independence when the West won the Cold War. Their apprehension is grounded in NATO's flaccid response to Putin's aggressive revanchism, particularly in Ukraine. Obama still won't provide Ukraine with even defensive weaponry. This follows years of American accommodation of Putin, from canceling a Polish-Czech missile defense system to, most recently, openly acquiescing to Russia's seizure of a dominant role in Syria.
And what are the East Europeans to think when they hear the presumptive presidential candidate of the party of Reagan speaking dismissively of NATO and suggesting a possible American exit?
The NATO action takes on even greater significance because of the timing, coming just two weeks after Brexit. Britain's withdrawal threatens the future of the other major pillar of Western integration and solidarity, the European Union. NATO shows that it is holding fast and that the vital instrument of Western cohesion and joint action will henceforth be almost entirely trans-Atlantic -- meaning, under American leadership.
The EU, even if it doesn't dissolve, will now inevitably turn inward as it spends years working out its new communal arrangements with and without Britain. Putin was Brexit's big winner. Any fracturing of the Western alliance presents opportunities to play one member against another. He can only be disappointed to see NATO step up and step in.
After the humiliating collapse of President Obama's cherished Russian "reset," instilling backbone in NATO and resisting Putin are significant strategic achievements. It leaves a marker for Obama's successor, reassures the East Europeans and will make Putin think twice about repeating Ukraine in the Baltics.
However, the Western order remains challenged by the other two members of the troika of authoritarian expansionists: China and Iran. Their provocations proceed unabated. Indeed, the next test for the United States is China's furious denunciation of the decision handed down Tuesday by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague -- a blistering, sweeping and unanimous rejection of China's territorial claims and military buildup in the South China Sea.
Without American action, however, The Hague's verdict is a dead letter. Lecturing other great powers about adherence to "international norms" is fine. But the Pacific Rim nations are anxious to see whether we will actually do something.
Regarding Iran, we certainly won't. Our abject appeasement continues, from ignoring Tehran's serial violations of the nuclear agreement (the latest: intensified efforts to obtain illegal nuclear technology in Germany) to the administration acting as a kind of Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the sale of about 100 Boeing jetliners to a regime that routinely uses civilian aircraft for military transport (particularly in Syria).
The troop deployments to Eastern Europe are a good first step in pushing back against the rising revisionist powers. But a first step, however welcome, seven and a half years into a presidency, is a melancholy reminder of what might have been.
Charles Krauthammer's email address is letterscharleskrauthammer.com.
(c) 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group
A renovated downtown Albion building that will serve as a hub for interaction between Albion College, the City of Albion and the region will be named The Ludington Center.
The Ludingtons, a Midland-based family, have had a strong interest in the Albion community as well as a distinguished history at Albion College.
The building currently under renovation at 101 N. Superior St. is scheduled to open late this year. It will be named The Ludington Center in honor of Jack and Dorothy Ludington, both of whom were 1951 graduates of Albion College.
Adjacent to City Hall on Cass Street, the building will be the home of several college and community entities, including the Build Albion Fellows Program, the Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management and the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service. The Ludington Center will also serve as headquarters for the 11 AmeriCorps VISTA members due to arrive in Albion this fall. Additionally, the building will serve as a collaborative community space for the City of Albion.
The Ludington Center brings Albion College into the heart of downtown, which certainly is important all by itself, said President Mauri Ditzler. But beyond the physical, bricks-and-mortar connection, it will be the connections made inside the building that will make this undertaking successful.
Jack Ludington and Dorothy Lamson met as students at Albion, and the couple maintained a lifelong relationship with Albion College. Jack was a Dow Corning employee who became chairman and CEO of the company during his 42-year tenure. He joined the colleges board of trustees in 1979 and served as board chair from 1983 to 1989. In Midland, he served on dozens of local boards. Dorothy Ludington was a lifelong student and active community volunteer.
Dorothy and Jacks three children graduated from Albion College as well: Thomas Ludington, 76; Laura Ludington Hollenbeck, 78; and Annie Ludington Sullivan, 82.
For Tom Ludington, a U.S. District Court Judge who resides in Midland, the buildings naming is significant on several levels.
My father would have supported the colleges outreach to the community of Albion, to build a closer connection between the school and the community, said Ludington, currently a college trustee himself.
I think hed also be extremely pleased that such fine programs as Gerstacker and Ford will be housed in the building, Ludington added. Dad and Mom had great respect for Gerald Ford and Carl Gerstacker, and it would have made them immensely proud to have those programs located in the building.
Gerald Ford was the 38th U.S. president, and Carl Gerstacker was a chairman of The Dow Chemical Co. and also an Albion College trustee.
One other point of pride, Ludington said, has been the leadership of the projects developer, Sam Shaheen, class of 88, a personal friend and a member of the board of trustees from Saginaw.
Without his leadership and effort, the project would not have been completed, Ludington said.
When the doors open, Ditzler said the impact of The Ludington Center will be felt quickly, particularly by students.
It will be an exciting focus of activity that will change what it means to attend Albion College in Albion, Michigan, he said. The Ludington Center represents so much for our college, now and in the years ahead.
The third annual Gladwin County ORV Fun Fest will take place on Saturday, Aug. 20.
Check-in and registration will begin at 8 a.m. at the Gladwin County Fairgrounds with an ORV parade through town starting at 10 a.m. Last year 115 ORVs and over 200 participants enjoyed the ride.
New this year, there are two rides to choose. The first is the traditional ride of more than 80 miles in Gladwin County with seven stops along the route at local businesses. Participants will receive one playing card per ORV, try a game of skill and earn punches at each stop. The second route is historic and scenic, for participants wanting a slower pace with visits to local Amish farms to experience their individual skills from special jams, baked goods, leather craft, woodworking and quilts with county history.
At the end of the day, participants will return to the fairgrounds to play in the mud course or be a spectator. Vendors will be on site for ORV accessory needs or crafts and T-shirts. Awards will be presented to first place, furthest distance to participate, muddiest rider, oldest and youngest rider. This is a family-friendly, alcohol-free event.
Register at www.orvfunfest.net or for a paper registration, call Yvette Keast at (989) 426-5451 or Bob Balzer at (989) 426-8571.
The event is sponsored by Gladwin County Economic Development Corporation and Gladwin County Chamber of Commerce.
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They came, they saw, they ate cupcakes.
More than 1,000 Mini Coopers paraded into Midland on Thursday as part of a nationwide rally, marking the Michigan city as an official rest stop in an 18-state tour.
Drivers trickled in around 10:45 a.m. in waves. Exiting U.S. 10 from the Waldo Avenue exit, the Minis zoomed up Patrick Road and hung a right on Saginaw, rolling into the Midland Plaza parking lot near Kmart.
SEE VIDEO: 1,000+ Mini Coopers arrive in Midland at the Gourmet Cupcake Shoppe
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the MINI TAKES THE STATES 2016 rally. Every two years, a fleet of Minis takes off for a route across the entire country. This year, drivers plan to cover 18 states and 4,373 miles during the 15-day trip. The engines started on July 9, taking off from Atlanta Motor Speedway. Drivers roll into cities across the country to do a couple of laps at raceways and meet up at planned stops. Their destination is Palm Springs, California.
Carrie Fisher owns Gourmet Cupcake Shoppe. She and business partner and chocolatier, Sue Machelski, had worked with Mini since January to bring the tour to Midland. They were contacted recently and given the green light.
Fisher anticipated workers would spend 400 hours baking 1,500 mini cupcakes and another 5,000 for customers to purchase. She stocked up on cases and cases of water, thousands of cups, napkins and spoons, iced tea and coffee.
I think everywhere they go, they overwhelm the area, Fisher said.
Such was the sight on Thursday.
SEE VIDEO: 1,000+ Mini Coopers on Saginaw Road in Midland
It was unexpected until we read the article in the newspaper the other day ... so, an unplanned parade, said Kay Misner Nesbitt of Texas, smiling as she waved with both hands at Minis that returned the gesture while driving past Tim Hortons, where she and family set up blankets and chairs to watch.
We have a neighbor who has a Mini Cooper, so we had to come and see 1,000 of them, said Elsie Misner of Midland, Kays mother. Theres a lot more variety in the cars than I expected. And theyre friendly people.
Alaska, North Carolina, Quebec and even Ireland license plates stamped the Minis, which varied from decal-covered convertibles to two- and four-door whips with stripes and solid paint schemes.
I just love them, said Christina Eagleson of Midland, 32.
Christina Eagleson stood across the street from the plaza with husband, Eric, and the couples three children: Ezra, 2, on dads shoulders, and Mirabelle and Vivienne, 20-month-old twin daughters. It was a bit of nostalgia for the mother of three; she said she used to own a light blue Mini Cooper with two white stripes.
Were getting our Mini Cooper fix right now, she said, laughing. How often do you get to see something like this?
They hope to one day drive a Cooper again, even take part in the rally.
Well probably do it when were retired, just get in a Mini and drive around, she said.
Sharon and Katie May, of Northville, drove in the rally with a 2012 Mini. The two are from Northville and started their journey near Detroit.
We love it, Sharon May, 51, said. Its nice to stop and see places we havent seen, like getting cupcakes in Midland.
Their next stop on the exhausting tour is Green Bay, she said.
Its going to be fun, said Katie May, 24.
Midlanders Monique Scott, 36, and Andrew Fawcett, 46, are driving in the rally for the first time. Theyre taking off for St. Ignace and heading across the Upper Peninsula en route to Sturgis, North Dakota, and back, in a 2009 hardtop thats dark green with a white stripe.
We wanted to see Mount Rushmore and make a vacation out of it, Fawcett said.
They also came along for the camaraderie.
Its getting to meet these Mini people at evening events, Fawcett said. Its low stress, similar people. Theyre friendly.
The duo said they exchange Mini waves with others on the freeway, which could be a thumbs-up or a hang 10 motion.
I always laugh when Im in my Mini, Fawcett said.
Charlene and Bob Stewardson, of Sacramento, California, see the rally as a way to make their own adventure and sometimes depart from the beaten path. The first timers are taking an alternate route to St. Ignace, through Mount Pleasant, Cadillac and near Traverse City.
You meet people youve never seen before and you see country youve never seen before, and may never see again, said Charlene Stewardson, 68.
Cars trickled in past noon on Thursday, some stopping at area businesses and to fuel up. After a quick stop in Midland, the Minis hit the road again for St. Ignace.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office.
Wednesday, July 13
12:35 a.m. A fireworks complaint was reported in Jerome Township. Deputies located several young subjects having a party. They admitted to setting off bottle rockets. They agreed to stop and to keep the music down in consideration of sleeping neighbors.
12:54 a.m. A deputy responded to an Edenville Township residence after a 45-year-old female stated her 67-year-old mother assaulted her, causing minor injuries. Police arrested the mother for domestic violence and took her to the Midland County Jail.
7:08 a.m. A person found a folding knife lying in the middle of East Baker Road near the intersection of Stark Road. The person drove the knife to the Law Enforcement Center, where he turned it over to authorities. Police did not identify an owner.
8:21 a.m. Officers received a report of a truck hitting a turkey in Mills Township.
11:10 a.m. A 58-year-old Larkin Township woman told police that two years ago she was a fraud victim. She said her IRS tax return was filed in someone elses name. Since then, she has received several credit cards in her name that she did not apply for. She advised that someone opened up a credit card in her name and charged $200.
3:25 p.m. A 62-year-old male told police his neighbor had a company digging a septic tank too close to a residence and felt it was illegal. He was advised to take pictures and take them to the Health Department and/or his township supervisor.
4:07 p.m. Officers received a report of a motorcycle hitting a deer in Porter Township.
4:17 p.m. In Lee Township, a 37-year-old woman told police she was walking her dog and it got away from her. Her dog approached a neighbors dog and the male owner threatened to shoot her pet. The man said the womans dog came after his dog, but it stopped before doing anything. He denied threatening to shoot the dog. He told the woman to keep her dog away or else. No injuries were reported.
To the editor:
During what has been a very difficult time for law enforcement, the Midland Police Department would like to sincerely thank our community for their unsolicited and overwhelming support. Ever since the news of the tragedy that befell the Dallas Police Department and the city of Dallas, our citizens have been very outspoken in communicating their support for their Midland Police Department, the Dallas Police Department as well as the law enforcement profession.
Every time an officer is killed in the line of duty the impact reverberates throughout the entire law enforcement community. Even when we are hurting, we will still put on the uniform and the badge and, like any other day, we head out to do what is right and noble as we serve as the guardians of our community. We do this with pride and honor, because it is our calling, and we have taken an oath to protect the people we serve with integrity and professionalism. Your appreciation does not go unnoticed and it inspires us as we perform a complex job under some of the most difficult of situations. This is not the first time we have seen such support from our community after tragedy or extreme criticism has stricken the law enforcement profession. In between these pockets of focused support we continually receive community support through annual events like the Project Blue Light and Police Memorial Day, as well as public acknowledgements from our local community organizations and the many letters and emails received throughout the year.
We truly appreciate the handshakes, hugs, thank yous, friendly waves and smiles, balloons, flowers, plants, tears, prayers, cards, letters, FB posts, cookies, brownies and especially the hand-made colorful drawings from the kids, all of which we have been receiving throughout the past week.
Thank you for your support and for your partnership in keeping Midland Strong and Safe.
CLIFFORD A. BLOCK
Chief of Police
Midland Police Department
To the editor:
The Salem witch trials (c.1692) in Salem, Massachusetts, involved people, usually women, accused of being witches. These victims of history were tried ex parte (c.1672). Ex parte is one side or party only, a use of legal proceedings. In other words, their fates were predetermined by men afraid of the unknown and unwilling to find the truth.
Today, we like to think that we have grown past Salems witch trials, or to put it another way, Salems profiling of innocent people.
In reality, todays legal system is the equivalent of the Salem witch trails when we as a society grossly and disproportionately use ex parte against blacks and Mexicans, or for that matter, against anybody different than us.
Ex parte does not allow the victim a defense attorney except under rigged conditions. In so doing, that usually denies the accused habeas corpus or the right of a citizen to obtain a writ of habeas corpus as a protection against potentially illegal imprisonment.
I am no expert in the law but it seems to this layman that this is fundamentally contrary to the American way.
DOUGLAS D. SOLOSKY
Midland
BLOOMINGTON As Theresa Nelson used a syringe and a feeding tube to feed her son, Gage, vanilla PediaSure through his gastrostomy (G-tube) inserted into his abdomen, Gage picked up the container of PediaSure and drank what remained.
"He wants to drink it all the time since the surgery," Theresa said. "Hopefully, some day, he'll be able to eat."
Gage gave the "OK" sign as he drank and as his mother delivered most of the nutrition through the tube directly into his stomach.
"When he used to drink, most of it would dribble off the right side of his mouth," Theresa said. "But this is great. He has more control.
"We're really happy with the surgeries," she said.
But when hearing "surgeries," Gage put down the container and said "Uh-oh."
When you've had 17 surgeries before age 7 and you know more are on the way getting tired of the pain is understandable.
Gage Nelson, who turned 7 years old on July 6, was born with a cleft lip, cleft palate and incomplete facial structure, including an incomplete nose and jaw on the right side. He was born without a right eye or ear.
Even Dr. Sunil Tholpady of Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, who has been Gage's craniofacial plastic surgeon for more than a year, said Gage had a "really rare form of facial clefting."
The Pantagraph has been following Gage's progress for 3 years.
On June 18, the Nelson family home in rural Heyworth burned down. No one was hurt and two dogs and a cat were saved.
"We lost everything," Theresa said. "It's all ashes."
That includes most of Gage's medical supplies.
The Nelsons have been able to replace many of the supplies in the weeks since the fire.
"We're getting by with the basics," she said, as she, Gage, her daughters Amber and Alexis and grandson Carter Martinez sat in the Bloomington home of her older daughter, Crystal.
Theresa and Cory Nelson, their five children, two grandchildren and a daughter's boyfriend are living in Crystal's rented home until they can find a larger home to rent. Theresa's mother, who lived with them in Heyworth, is staying with another family member.
"It's hard," said Alexis, 14.
"Most likely, we will rebuild at the same location," Theresa said. "But it's a long process."
The good news is that Gage's progress has continued.
Gage was born to Theresa's cousin on July 6, 2009. Because the cousin's three older children were removed from their home by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, it was understood by everyone that after Gage was born, he would be adopted. Doctors knew something was wrong with Gage but didn't know the extent of his disabilities until after he was born.
Theresa was with her cousin when Gage was born. She saw a newborn who needed a mom and dad. She and Cory and their four daughters decided to adopt Gage.
His initial surgeries moved his jaw, gave him lips and put in a tracheostomy, a surgical hole in his neck. A breathing tube, or trach, was inserted through the hole to help Gage to breathe directly from his trachea or windpipe. That was vital because Gage can't breathe in enough air through his mouth and nose.
"His airway is tangled," Theresa said. "They hope, as he gets bigger, it'll straighten out."
Family members must suction the saliva out of his trach and change the trach once a week.
With the hole in the roof of his mouth, Gage wasn't able to chew food, which is why he gets most of his nutrition such as PediaSure with a pureed food blend through his G-tube.
Another complication of the mouth roof hole is trouble speaking. Gage who gets weekly speech therapy can say words, but it's difficult for people beyond his family to understand him.
That's why in public, including at Heyworth Elementary School he uses a Nova Chat Communication Device, a talking device that he carries with him to help people to understand him. He also uses basic sign language, which his family, teachers and some first-grade classmates have learned so they can communicate with Gage.
When in school, he wears on his head a band with a Baha system that transmits sound directly to the hearing nerve on his right side.
A year ago, Tholpady took a piece of Gage's rib cage and implanted that bone into the right side of Gage's jaw. He also injected collagen filler in the right side of Gage's face to begin to fill in his face.
Several weeks later, a device was placed in his neck. "We would turn it twice a day to slowly move the implant forward," Theresa said. "We did it for three months."
Then, Tholpady repaired the hole in the roof of Gage's mouth. "Gage can't stick his tongue out through the hole in his face anymore," Theresa said.
On June 14, Tholpady sewed the right side of Gage's mouth and injected collagen to give his mouth a more regular shape. "He had a 'Joker smile,'" Theresa said.
Four days later, the fire happened. Because no one was home, no one was injured, but everything in the home was lost.
"I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy," Theresa said. "We have insurance, we're assuming that they'll cover it, but it will take months."
"They (the insurance company) are trying to determine the cause," she said. "It hasn't been determined yet."
Randolph Township Fire Chief Dennis Powell said, "I think it's unlikely that we will ever have a cause, but we are still investigating."
Thankfully, Theresa had a bag of Gage's medical supplies in the car with them and that helped until she was able to call medical supply companies for replacements. The Nelsons received a check from their insurer to help with immediate expenses and community members have helped with donations of PediaSure, clothes and toys.
"Gage is doing good right now," Theresa said. "But he's still sad his house burned down."
Gage nodded.
Future surgeries will involve moving the right side of Gage's face forward, building an orbit for a prosthetic eye and implanting a prosthetic ear.
While most of Gage's medical expenses are covered by the state because of his adoption, not everything is covered and delays in payments are not uncommon, Theresa said.
"For everything, I gotta call to get it approved," Theresa said. She is in conversation now regarding insurance coverage of his future eye and ear procedures.
Tholpady said his goal is to get Gage's appearance to the point that people no longer stare at him.
Theresa said "I know he'll never be 100 percent but I want him to be as close to that as he can be. Gage is starting to notice that some people stare."
"I want him to be able to speak," Theresa said. "I want him to be able to eat. I want a normal life for him. I want him to be able to go some place and not have people stare.
BLOOMINGTON For the next two weeks, the Bloomington-Normal community will have the chance to witness friendships being formed by two unlikely groups.
Through the Friends Forever global organization, the Twin Cities will again host a group of 10 Jewish and Arab teens from Israel as they complete service projects and team-building exercises.
The diverse group is one of many traveling across the world for one year with the purpose of growing closer despite differing cultures and religions.
These teens are sharp with great potential and good attitudes. They represent their culture and country very well, and people love to hear them talk, said Roger Schmidgall, Friends Forever coordinator for Bloomington-Normal.
This is the fourth year the organization has sent a group to Bloomington-Normal. The teens will speak at local Rotary clubs, meet with local officials, interact with U.S. families and visit the local mosque, synagogue and a church.
The public will have opportunities to meet the visiting teens, too.
They will speak at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Illinois State University Bowling and Billiards Center's activity room in Normal.
The community is also invited to join a 5-kilometer Peace Walk/Fun Run with the group at 6 p.m. July 23 in Bloomington. The trek, mostly along Constitution Trail, will begin at the Moses Montefiore Temple, 102 Robinhood Lane, and end at the Islamic Center of Bloomington, 2911 Gill St.
Participants can register online or the day of the walk at the temple. Fees are $20 for adults, $10 for students, $5 for children and $50 for families.
Volunteers also are needed for the walk, especially medical personnel to be on call, crossing guards and a photographer.
Links to register for the walk or as a volunteer can be found at Facebook.com/FriendsForeverBloomingtonNormalIL.
I hope people take advantage of this event to walk next to one or two of these students and learn what theyre studying, their hopes and dreams, said Schmidgall.
They come from a very different community. Ask them why they came here, about their challenges and goals and what they hope to achieve.
Proceeds from the walk will go toward the Friends Forever organization to pay for the screening process, travel fees, site expenses and one year worth of activities for the group.
The report was so seismic Daniel Patrick Moynihans word that Lyndon Johnsons administration released it on the Fourth of July weekend, 1966, hoping it would not be noticed. But the Coleman report did disturb various dogmatic slumbers and vested interests. And 50 years on, it is pertinent to todays political debates about class and social mobility. So, let us now praise an insufficiently famous man, sociologist James Coleman, author of the study Equality of Educational Opportunity.
In 1966, postwar liberalisms confidence reached its apogee. From 1938, when the electorate rebuked Franklin Roosevelt for his plan to pack the Supreme Court, through 1964, congressional Republicans and conservative Democrats prevented a liberal legislating majority. But Johnsons 44-state victory that year gave Democrats 68 Senate seats and a majority of 155 in the House. Effortless and uninterrupted prosperity seemed assured as the economy grew in 1965 and 1966 by 10.7 percent and 7.99 percent, respectively. So, a gusher of tax revenues coincided with liberalisms pent-up demand for large projects. It hoped to meld two American traits -- egalitarian aspirations and faith in educations transformative power.
The consensus then was that the best predictor of a schools performance was the amount of money spent on it: Increase financial inputs and cognitive outputs would increase proportionately.
Enter Coleman, and the colleagues he directed, to puncture complacency with the dagger of evidence data from more than 3,000 schools and 600,000 primary and secondary school students. His report vindicated the axiom that social science cannot tell us what to do, it can tell us the results of what we are doing.
One implication stands out above all: That schools bring little influence to bear on a childs achievement that is independent of his background and general social context; and that this very lack of an independent effect means that the inequalities imposed on children by their home, neighborhood, and peer environment are carried along to become the inequalities with which they confront adult life at the end of school.
Colemans report came exactly one year after and as an explosive coda to what is known as the Moynihan Report, which was leaked in July 1965. Moynihan, then a 37-year-old social scientist in Johnsons Labor Department, presented in The Negro Family: The Case for National Action what then counted as shocking news: 23.6 percent of African-American births were to unmarried women.
Today 71 percent are. Almost 47 percent of all first births are to unmarried women, and a majority of all mothers under 30 are not living with the fathers of their children.
The causes of family disintegration remain unclear, but 51 years ago Moynihan and then Coleman foresaw the consequences. Moynihan said the tangle of pathologies associated with the absence of fathers produces a continually renewed cohort of inadequately socialized adolescent males. Socializing them is societys urgent business if it is to avoid chaotic neighborhoods and schools where maintaining discipline displaces teaching. Coleman documented how schools are reflections of, rather than cures for, the failure of families to function as the primary transmitters of social capital.
The extraordinary synergy between Moynihan and Coleman was serendipitous. Today, their baton of brave and useful sociology has passed to Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute. His Losing Ground (1984) was an autopsy of 1960s aspirations. His Coming Apart (2012) explores the social consequences -- we are wallowing in the political consequences of a bifurcated society in which many do very well while many others are unable to reach even the lowest rungs on the ladder of upward mobility.
Colemans evidence that cultural rather than financial variables matter most was not welcomed by education bureaucracies and unions. Similarly, we now have more than half a century of awkward, and often ignored, evidence about the mostly small and evanescent effects of early childhood education. Todays Democratic Party fancies itself the party of science; Barack Obama pledged, in his first inaugural address, to restore science to its rightful place. Social science, however, is respected by Democrats only when it validates policies congenial to the interests of favored factions.
Jennifer Aniston found herself attacking the media for all that they did - cooking up news, objectification of women and spreading rumors. She found Justin Theroux supporting her in every bit for standing up for herself.
Along with her husband Justin Theroux, Jennifer Aniston is also applauded by most of the internet community. It was pointed at the essay that she wrote on Huffington Post. This article was penned by the actress herself.
Why did the actress come out in the open and write an essay? The reason is simple: She is just fed up with all the news surrounding her marital status or maternity. The actress took to something that is most unlike her - answering a rumor that was doing the rounds.
She is literally mad at having to answer so many 'pregnancy' questions.
"For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up. I'm fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of 'journalism,' the 'First Amendment' and "celebrity news," she wrote.
"This past month in particular has illuminated for me how much we define a woman's value based on her marital and maternal status," she bashed. "The sheer amount of resources being spent right now by press trying to simply uncover whether or not I am pregnant (for the bajillionth time... but who's counting) points to the perpetuation of this notion that women are somehow incomplete, unsuccessful, or unhappy if they're not married with children. In this last boring news cycle about my personal life there have been mass shootings, wildfires, major decisions by the Supreme Court, an upcoming election, and any number of more newsworthy issues that 'journalists' could dedicate their resources towards."
She blasted out saying that the objectification of women has to stop. It is up to a woman to decide if she wants to marry or not and whether to have children or not. She also told the tabloids to stop defining happiness for women which involved only marriage and children. She emphasized that women have the right to decide what is good for them and what they want and what they don't.
Many celebrities took her side and supported Jennifer Aniston for speaking her mind out.
Jennifer Aniston: "For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up." https://t.co/jBeH3we675 via @HuffPostWomen AMEN!!!!! Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) July 13, 2016
Jennifer Aniston FTW
"The Walking Dead" Season 7 big bad, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and his trusty sidekick Lucille had been painted with such villainy that Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), Michonne (Danai Gurira), Maggie Green (Lauren Cohan) and the rest of the Alexandria survivors attempted to preempt The Saviors. Negan will reportedly illustrate the lengths he would go when "The Walking Dead" Season 7 premiere shows pregnant Maggie Green bashed by Lucille in front of Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun).
TV Guide cites a Spoil The Dead report that Maggie Green was the least seen character filming for "The Walking Dead" Season 7. The only time Maggie Green was seen on set was during filming for "The Walking Dead" Season 7 premiere.
The media outlet also cites a post by Lauren Cohan while at the beach miles away from where she would have been filming Maggie Green scenes for "The Walking Dead" Season 7. Maggie Green would then have switched with Glen Rhee, whom "The Walking Dead" canon by Robert Kirkman originally tagged as the first Negan and Lucille victim from Alexandria.
Find out when #TheWalkingDead Season 7 trailer drops AND get other exciting details: https://t.co/uXbWYtnMCS pic.twitter.com/jsNb5xp79N The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) July 14, 2016
Besides Maggie Green and Glenn Rhee, "The Walking Dead" Season 7 is also expected to play more switcheroo with Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) possibly replacing Carl Grimes to be the reluctant buddy to Negan and The Saviors as Parent Herald reports. In the first place, Daryl Dixon was already pushed to the edge when Dwight (Austin Amelio) killed Denise in "The Walking Dead" Season 6.
Maggie Green dying in "The Walking Dead" Season 7 would certainly unhinge Daryl Dixon enough to set his fate with Negan and The Saviors. Interestingly "The Walking Dead" Season 7 will also bring in original character Jennie, who sounds like Beth Green (sister to Maggie) and whom Daryl Dixon saw die before his eyes.
If "The Walking Dead" Season 7 does take Daryl Dixon down that route with Negan and The Saviors, Jenny as a reminder of Beth Green might be the light that pierces his darkness. CinemaBlend reports that new Beth Green, Jennie, will join Daryl Dixon and the rest around "The Walking Dead" Season 7 midseason finale.
"The Walking Dead" Season 7 premiere on Oct 9 will be a dark day if beloved Maggie is ended by Negan and Lucille. Are you betting on Maggie, too, or could Carl Grimes, Michonne or Glenn Rhee get the bat at "The Walking Dead" Season 7?
Daisy Lynn Torres, the 14-month-old toddler who died in March during a routine dental procedure, was confirmed to have suffered complications of anesthesia administered to her during the treatment. The child, who hailed from Austin, Texas, was halfway through her treatment at the Austin Children's Dentistry when the anesthesia complication occurred.
Details Of The Case
The news was confirmed to People by the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office. After informing Torres' mother, Betty Squier, of the complication, the child was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead after a few hours. Torres' sudden death left her family "in a state of shock and confusion."
The Austin Children's Dentistry said they know about the risks of administering anesthesia to young patients, but described Torres' death as "particularly tragic," People further reported. Squier, meanwhile, said she was told by the dental office that sedating young children during procedures is common and safe.
A dental crown is an installed cap that covers the tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and improve its exterior. Dental crown procedures normally take two separate appointments with dentists, Colgate noted.
In April, Squier said in a separate interview with People that she talked to the office's contracted anesthesiologist prior to Torres' procedure. According to Squier, the anesthesiologist said "the procedure would be very quick" and she would see the child "soon."
Squier warned other parents to be proactive when it comes to preventing their children from forming cavities. She also advised other parents to research the dentists and anesthesiologists they consult for their kids, and if possible, get second opinions from other medical practitioners.
Risks Of Anesthesia On Children
Dr. Robert Delarosa, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, said general anesthesia is used on children because they tend to fidget while in dentist chairs, making them prone to accidents and damage during medical procedures. However, Delarosa also stressed that general anesthesia "should be avoided if possible, unless a condition requires it and it is the safest route," People further reported.
General anesthesia is administered to around 6 million children in the United States, including 1.5 million babies under one year old, according to Slate. General anesthesia's serious side effects are cognitive dysfunction or post-operative delirium and malignant hyperthermia. The latter is potentially deadly, the American Society of Anesthesiologists wrote.
A study released last year titled "Cognition and Brain Structure Following Early Childhood Surgery With Anesthesia" found that anesthesia can induce cell death and brain damage. That study, however, put immature animals under anesthesia for long hours. This means that the same effects will likely not occur in children, given that they were only under anesthesia for an average of 37 minutes.
The ball is rolling for "Sherlock" Season 4. The cast and crew of "Sherlock" are currently busy in filming the new season. According to the reports, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Were spotted filming at Cardiff Bay.
Benedict Cumberbatch And Martin Freeman Film 'Sherlock' Season 4 At Cardiff Bay
Aceshowbiz reported that "Sherlock" Season 4 will be packed with action and thrill. The lead stars Benedict Cumberbatch was spotted jumping from the rooftop of a boat into the lower deck with his loyal friend John Watson (Martin Freeman). It seemed that the boat was on fire. This particular scene is something to look forward to in "Sherlock" Season 4.
Filming Sherlock... A photo posted by balletjanet (@balletjanet) on Jul 13, 2016 at 12:13pm PDT
The report stressed that Sherlock's fall in this scene is not as deadly as what he did in "Sherlock" Season 2 where he faked his death. But still, the scene is very interesting and exciting that you can't help but hold your breath as you watch it.
Meanwhile, aside from Sherlock and John Watson's boat jump, there will be a lot of twists and suspense in "Sherlock" Season 4. There are rumors that Sherlock's long-time nemesis, Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) will return in the fourth run.
Sherlock Looks Distress And Rugged In 'Sherlock' Season 4
Meanwhile, several shots of "Sherlock" Season 4 leaked online. In some of the photos, the British detective looks stressed and rugged per Express. "Sherlock" Season 4 will feature a new villain played by Toby Jones and from the look of it, it seemed that Sherlock will be facing a serious drama in the new season.
"Sherlock" bosses Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss also teased that "Sherlock" Season 4 will have a plot that will reach its climax. Is this "Sherlock's" last run?
"'Sherlock' series four - here we go again! Whatever else we do, wherever we all go, all roads lead back to Baker Street - and it always feels like coming home. Ghosts of the past are rising in the lives of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson bringing adventure, romance and terror in their wake. This is the story we've been telling from the beginning. A story about to reach its climax..." they said per UnrealityTV.
'Sherlock' Season 4 Cast Will Join San Diego Comic-Con
Meanwhile, the Christian Times reported that "Sherlock" production will be attending the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con. They made the announced on their official Twitter account. "Our @Comic_Con panel will be in Hall H at 10am (PST) on Sunday July 24 and is hosted by @Hardwick. #SDCC #Sherlock," they wrote.
Our @Comic_Con panel will be in Hall H at 10am (PST) on Sunday July 24 and is hosted by @Hardwick. #SDCC #Sherlock pic.twitter.com/72eZmT8Rk2 Sherlock (@Sherlock221B) July 10, 2016
At the time, it's not yet confirmed if Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman can join the convention but many are hoping that they will. Also, it could be the best place to ask "Sherlock's" future after "Sherlock" Season 4.
Are you excited to see the "Sherlock" cast at the San Diego Comic-Con? How do you find the photos of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman jumping off the boat? Does this excite you for the new season? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
"Sherlock" Season 4 is expected to return this Christmas Holiday.
Schools in the United States are making more efforts to raise awareness about the LGBT community, and they are planning to include young students in this endeavor. Public schools in California are now the first ones to teach LGBT history to pupils.
Changing School Curriculum Guidelines
The curriculum changes were approved by the California State Board of Education this week, according to CBS San Francisco. The update, which covers elementary, middle, and high school pupils, requires public schools to teach about LGBT rights and renowned gay Americans during history classes.
Second graders in California will be taught about families with same-sex parents. In fourth grade, they will study how immigrants and LGBT personalities contributed to the state's economy such as Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay politician to be elected to California's public office.
Fourth graders will also learn about the rise of the U.S.' first gay rights organizations in the 1950s, Los Angeles Times reported. Students will study how LGBT people in California struggled since the 1970s to assert their rights to teach and get married.
Senior high school students, meanwhile, will study the 2015 Supreme Court ruling, which legalizes same-sex marriage in the nation. They will also learn about the recent court cases about transgender students' access to bathrooms and locker rooms, such as North Carolina's anti-LGBT law.
LGBT History Subject Praised
Hours of public testimonies criticized the California State Board of Education's framework for its shortcomings. Speakers argued about how it's unfair that the framework discusses the discrimination suffered by Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Japan's "comfort women" practice during World War II, but no one thought about including the mistreatments suffered by the LGBT community on a regular basis.
Lauryn Wild, a Southern California curriculum specialist, said the new curriculum guidelines reflect the state's commitment to diversity, CBS San Francisco noted. The update also forbids the use of classroom materials that preach against certain religions and gays.
LGBT advocacy group Equality California said the new curriculum guidelines can teach young students to embrace equality and an "inclusive and respectful society," LA Times further reported. The inclusive curriculum can also make LGBT students more confident in their own skin, and could possibly lower the occurrences of transphobic bullying and discrimination.
California lawmakers already passed a 2012 law called the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act or Senate Bill 48. The law requires history subjects to teach about LGBT and minority people's contributions to the U.S. economy.
It is possible to get money from Zika virus specifically if one patient is a man who is willing to give his semen to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for further studies.
U.S. News reported that they already have 52 people who have volunteered to donate their semen if they have been affected by the Zika virus. The step is said to be for the study that was launched last April. CDC is looking for 210 more and those who would be volunteering will be able to receive a $50 multi-use gift card. However, the $50 gift card is said to be equivalent to 12 samples to be given every other week for six months.
Interested to Give Your Semen Sample to CDC for the Zika Virus Study?
For those who are interested in joining the study, here is how it works. The sample of the participant will be picked up by a courier and will be brought to the laboratories of CDC for testing. The laboratories where the semen will be delivered to are located in Fort Collins, Colorado and scientists are to stidy how long the virus survives in bodily fluids such as semen.
The eligible participants are adult men living in the continental United States. Those from Hawaii could also participate. Their Zika virus infection should be confirmed.
How Does Zika Virus Spread?
Although the primary mode of transfer of the Zika virus is being bitten by infected mosquitoes, there have been cases that the virus was transmitted via sexual contact. It is unclear how long the virus remains in an infected person's body before it completely disappears that is why the new study has been launched.
A CDC officer shared, "The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency, duration and pattern of Zika virus shedding in semen and urine of infected men. Findings from the study will help health officials refine recommendations for preventing spread of Zika virus through sexual transmission."
It has been reported as well that out of the total 1,133 cases of Zika in the United States, 14 were sexually transmitted. The rest are travel-related. Patients recently traveled to a country where the virus is rapidly growing and spreading thus the infection.
The symptoms include having fever, rashes, and itchy eyes. Pregnant women are also warned as the Zika virus could cause Zika-linked microcephaly as well as other problems that could not be detected early.
There is a health scare among kids who recently attended the Life Time Fitness camp. An employee has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and it's feared that some kids who had been in contact with the person may have had acquired it.
Protected by the right to personal health information, the employee's identity is anonymous. According to Detroit Free Press, the only information disclosed to the public about the infected patient is that he lives in Macomb County and has been hospitalized for bacterial meningitis. No update has been given as to how the infected employee is currently coping.
As per MLive, the best that the Oakland County Health Division can do at the moment is to notify parents of campers and employees, especially those who made contact with the employee from July 1 to July 11. Detroit Free Press reports there is an estimated 219 children who may have been in contact with the infected employee during the day camp in Rochester Hills.
Fortunately, meningitis does not spread through casual contact. A person gets infected with the disease through contact with a patient's saliva or nasal secretions. The symptoms of those who might have been exposed to the bacteria will begin showing on July 21 (via MLive).
There is a low risk that the children may have been infected of meningitis from the day camp. Nonetheless, it is still advised that the children and parents be cautious. As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bacterial meningitis is very serious and can be deadly.
In a few hours of diagnosis, bacterial meningitis can kill a person. Most people recover from the disease but they may suffer from brain damage, hearing loss and learning disabilities. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and confusion on a lot of things.
CDC says that when someone gets infected with bacterial meningitis, antibiotics should be taken as soon as possible. To prevent it, although not 100% effective, vaccines can protect a child from the disease.
If you have any questions, contact Oakland County's nurse from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-848-5533 or e-mail noc@oakgov.com. For comments about this article, feel free to leave your thoughts below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates.
Prince Harry is encouraging HIV testing by recording himself undergoing the procedure live on Facebook. The British royal went on a trip to Guys and St. Thomas' Hospital in London this week to demonstrate how easy and quick it is to get tested for HIV.
The video was posted on The Royal Family's official Facebook page. Watch it below.
Prince Harry underwent the simple one-minute HIV test procedure, which involves pricking a finger for a drop of blood. The blood will then be examined for being reactive or non-reactive right then and there for instant results, according to The Huffington Post.
Prince Harry admitted that he was nervous prior to the procedure. Though he seemed relieved when his test came out negative and that he doesn't carry the virus, which can be acquired from an infected person's semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk, and blood.
HIV Basic Statistics
The three types of HIV tests available for people are antibody tests, combination or fourth-generation tests, and nucleic acid tests (NAT), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed. An HIV test uses a person's blood, oral fluid, or urine to determine whether they carry the disease.
Around 36.9 million people worldwide have HIV and as of June 2015, only 15.8 million receive treatments called antiretroviral therapy, or ART. Regions that suffer the biggest cases of HIV are the Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Anti-HIV Influencers
Other famous personalities are also working on promoting and breaking the stigma that surrounds HIV testing. That includes reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, who visited Apicha Community Health Center in New York City last month for a public HIV test.
Prince Harry, 31, said HIV tests allow people to "enjoy a good healthy sex life, enjoy working [and] enjoy retirement." The Kensington Palace tweeted that the prince will meet anti-HIV advocates this week, and will visit Durban, South Africa on Wednesday, July 20 for the 21st International AIDS Conference.
According to AIDS.gov, early HIV testing can help a person manage the disease better through antiretroviral drugs and a healthy lifestyle. With early prevention, HIV will not have a chance to progress to the more life-threatening AIDS, which is the most advanced stage of the disease.
Look for a testing location near you by visiting gettested.cdc.gov. Enter your zip code on the site or call 1-800-CDC-Info.
"Pokemon Go" is on a roll. After the media frenzy that greeted its release last week, the augmented reality game is now the biggest mobile game in U.S. history.
According to a survey report by SurveyMonkey, "Pokemon Go" has already defeated previous record holders Draw Something and Candy Crush after it registered almost 21 million daily active users in the United States on its first full week from July 6 to July 12, NBC News reported. Draw Something's record stood at 16 million while that of Candy Crush was roughly 20 million.
Due to the popularity of "Pokemon Go," the stocks of part-owner of The Pokemon Company Nintendo all over the world experienced a sudden huge increase. "Pokemon Go" is now expected to surpass the daily user count for multimedia and image messaging mobile application Snapchat on the Android platform.
In other news, online prices for the first edition of "Pokemon Go" Plus have soared after the user craze caused a high demand, the Mac Rumors reported. Originally costing at least $35 before Amazon, Nintendo Store and GameStop announced that the "Pokemon Go" gadget has been sold out, auction sites like eBay are now crawling with resellers that are offering the gadget for as much as $140 for pre-orders and as high as $250 for the Buy It Now option.
While not necessary to play "Pokemon Go," the "Pokemon Go" Plus handheld accessory is still useful for players as it notifies them if there is a Pokemon nearby by vibrating. It can also be used to throw a Poke Ball without having to open your smartphone device.
"Pokemon Go" is still available for free download on the App Store for iOS and Google Play Store for Android. There has been no news if Nintendo and The Pokemon Company intends to release it for other platforms.
US Presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are quick to cash in on the Pokemon GO craze from Niantic and The Pokemon Company. Hillary Clinton, doing the political normal and forever embarrassing thing of being "hip" with the youth in an election year, has referenced Pokemon GO to get people to travel to voting booths for this year's US Presidential Election.
"I'm trying to figure out how we get them to have Pokemon Go To The Polls", Hillary Clinton explained at a recent event as Destructoid reports. Pokemon GO - groovy.
Judging by the phenomenal number of people playing Pokemon GO and the generally apathetic nature of young people towards politics, Hillary Clinton has her audience cornered. Hillary Clinton proposes that the youth going to election stations is more likely if a Pokemon is available for capture there.
@HillaryClinton mentions Pokemon at event:"I'm trying to figure out how we get them to have Pokemon Go To The Polls" pic.twitter.com/BgxxlUJmj2 CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) July 14, 2016
Maybe the Republicans or Democrats can set up a few Pokemon gyms controlled by blue or red teams, respectively. Actually, that Pokemon GO move is almost exactly what the Hillary Clinton campaign has announced they will be doing on their webpage.
Yes, probably the most divisive election of the leader of the Free World's history will likely be influenced by imaginary pocket monsters (Pokemon) with names like "Bulbasaur" and "Ambipom". According to the official Hillary Clinton site the Democrats have organized, in Ohio, a "Gotta Catch 'Em' All" event at "Madison Park Pokestop & PokeGYM." That'll teach ISIS.
With the invite from the Hillary Clinton camp on the Democrats campaign page, Pokemon hunters (or young prospective voters depending on what one really cares about) will have access to a "lure module." This being for Pokemon players and prospective voters apparently and can do "battle [with] each other."
Hopefully, no Second Amendment lovers will misunderstand the Pokemon GO context. Also, there's something in the Pokemon GO campaign invite on registering voters and learning about someone called Mrs. Hillary Clinton.
Republicans, on the other hand, bastions of hard work, conservatism and old angry men with said love for guns have resorted to (a rather awkward) parody of Hillary Clinton on Facebook. "Crooked Hilary NO," it ridicules.
This is obviously a rather linguistically clumsy pun by the Donald Trump on "Pokemon GO". The video goes on to highlight why Americans must be distrustful of Hillary within the context of Pokemon GO.
Judging by the refined sardonic wit and style of the Pokemon GO inspired ad, Donald Trump must have commissioned the same people that recommended his hair stylist for the particular campaign. Only slightly related to the Pokemon GO craze but more so to the rivalry between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, there is a saying that is attributed to a Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times."
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According to European sources (one and two) Apple has been working on a secret camera related project in Minatec, a research center in Grenoble, France with a small team of about 20 engineers. They'll be moving to a new clean room to continue their work for Apple. Apple signed a new lease with Grenoble Alpes-Metropole. The research will be done in partnership with STMicroelectronics. The work will reportedly center on image sensors for future iOS devices. With Apple taking a leap forward with their new dual lens camera for the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple wants to reportedly advance that technology.
As an interesting side note, STMicroelectronics also produces a pico projector, something that Apple patents have pointed to on several occasions.
The laser pico projector is used in the Lenovo Smart Cast smartphone which supports a full gesture-based control system that can turn any surface into a touch display.
Apple Invention
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Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain warned Google and Apple executives Thursday that the Committee "has subpoena power" that could compel them to testify on why their encryption systems on newer smartphones are not accessible to law enforcement operating under court orders. At the start of the hearing, McCain noted that Tim Cook, president of Apple, declined to attend the session. "This is unacceptable," he noted of Cook's reluctance to appear, as the hearing neared its end.
The Arizona Republican, who chairs the panel, said, "There's an urgency" to finding a solution to the matter of protecting privacy while also not closing out police, prosecutors and intelligence agencies from lawfully pursuing criminals and terrorists.
McCain indicated at the hearing, the second on cyber encryption that he has called, he was leaning toward passing legislation rather than establishing a commission to study the issue. One proposal in the Senate is to have the commission make a recommendation back to Congress and the administration within a year or 18 months.
The United States is losing one aspect of its competitive advantage in national security, and the culprit is encryption, according to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain.
McCain added that "Encryption is eroding the digital advantage our national security and intelligence officials once enjoyed. Encryption is now ubiquitous across the counterterrorism fightproviding an avenue for recruitment and radicalization, as well as the planning and coordination of attacks that poses an increasingly difficult challenge to intelligence collection, military operations, and law enforcement."
McCain said that he's worried that end-to-end encryption, now a default setting on some services and devices, has made it so "even the least-sophisticated lone wolves can operate in digital secrecy."
After rebuking Apple's CEO Tim Cook for not attending the hearing, McCain said that "While we must recognize that that authoritarian regimes are eager to gain keys to encrypted software so they can further their own abusive policies, we must also resist slipping into a false moral equivalence. Complying with valid search warrants in countries that uphold the rule of law does not create an obligation for tech companies to assist repressive regimes that undermine the rule of law in suppressing dissent or violating basic human rights."
McCain added that "meeting all efforts to reach a middle ground with absolute resistance, as too many tech companies have done," isn't an option in the encryption debate. (For context, see Apple's CEO Rebukes Washington's need for 'Balance' and Tim Cook's Black Box Position on Encryption.)
The Senate Armed Services Committee met on Thursday to receive testimony on cybersecurity, encryption, and U.S. national security. The hearings had three expert witnesses testify before the hearing:
Cyrus Vance, Jr., who currently serves as Manhattan District Attorney;
Chris Inglis, former Deputy Director at the National Security Agency, and a Professor of Cyber Security Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy; and
Kenneth Wainstein, former Homeland Security Advisor and Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the Department of Justice during the Bush Administration, and now a partner at Cadwalader.
During his opening statement, McCain made several additional points of interest. McCain acknowledged that "this is a complex problem with no easy solutions. Encryption technology protects our most common and essential day-to-day Internet activities, and safeguards our nation's secrets from sophisticated cyber adversaries. We must carefully balance our national security needs and the rights of our citizens.
Yes, this is a difficult problem. But ignoring this issue is not an option. Nor is meeting all efforts to reach a middle ground with absolute resistance, as too many tech companies have done. An all-or-nothing approach to encryption that is making it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to prosecute murderers, pedophiles, human traffickers, and terrorists is simply unacceptable.
I believe there is a growing recognition that the threat posed by the status quo is unacceptable, and that we need the public and the private sectors to come together to eliminate cyber safe havens for terrorists and criminals. The struggle between security and privacy, or between public and private goods, is not new. These struggles are as old as our republic. We haven't always gotten it right, but when we've found that balance, it's always been through open and honest dialogue. That is what we need right now.
Speaking as a former assistant attorney general in the George W. Bush administration, Kenneth Wainstein said, prosecutors "have to submit to lawful court orders" and so should Apple, Google and others who include that kind of security feature on their devices.
Cyrus Vance Jr., district attorney for Manhattan, told the committee that most criminals do not actively encrypt their communications, but that security feature already in place blocks law enforcement and prosecutors from gathering evidence in cases ranging from child pornography to murder. He added that his office has more than 300 phones with that feature in its hands but the data on them are not accessible to building cases. He decribed the companies' position regarding this inaccessible data as "simply acceptable collateral damage," even in criminal cases.
Sen. Angus King, (I-Maine), said while the encryption horse is already out of the barn because it is in place, "this should be a legislative solution." He encouraged the witnesses to send additional comments to the committee as it moves forward to its next hearing on cyber security.
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Strategic partnerships in Geneva lead to health impact worldwide
Geneva, Switzerland, is a celebrated hub for diplomacy, banking, and public health, and it hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world. Our proximity to partner organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO); United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF); Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria helps us maintain strong relationships and collaborate efficiently for impact. PATHs presence in Geneva follows more than a decade located directly across the border in Ferney-Voltaire, France.
Our Geneva office is also home to FATH, a PATH-controlled Swiss affiliate organization, and to Nikolaj Gilbert, PATH President & CEO and FATH Managing Director & CEO. Our staff in this location comprise scientific and public health professionals with expertise in the particular health issues faced by women and children in Africa and Asia. In close partnership with Gavi, we help low-income countries access lifesaving vaccines for cervical cancer, diarrheal disease, and pneumococcal disease. We also work on large-scale efforts to control meningitis and malaria. Additional projects aim to strengthen vaccine manufacturing capacity, along with the cold chain to protect vaccine potency.
Patna: Having exhausted all legal recourse to save what had been their homes for the last two and a half decades, the residents of the top three floors of the Santosha Apartments started to move their belongings to other places as the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) geared up to tear down the 6th, 7th, and 8th floor of the building allegedly built illegally against the original plan of the structure.
As reported, the demolition crew of the PMC had to go back empty-handed last week amidst strong protest by the residents whose appeal to save their homes in Bandar Bagicha in Patna was turned by the Supreme Court.
The Apex Court, agreeing with the PMC that the building's top three floors were built in clear violation of the original plan, gave the PMC a week to get the floors in question evacuated and demolish them while keeping the safety of other residents in mind.
On Thursday, several owners of the flat, realizing they had run out of options, started to load their belongings in small pickup trucks and 'thelas' to comply with the court order.
The builder of Santosha Complex has already deposited Rs. 25 crore with the Supreme Court to compensate those who will be affected by the demolition. However, the residents contend that the compensation money is nowhere close to today's market value and not enough to pay for a new apartment in a decent locality in Patna.
It is believed the demolition would affect 21 units of the apartment complex.
Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Quits after Years of State Harassment and Threats
07/15/16
Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
In this society, lawyers who bear witness to injustice and speak the truth get punished.
Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Giti Pourfazel
Constant pressure and harassment by Irans Judiciary and security establishment have forced a human rights lawyer to leave her profession. Giti Pourfazel-who spent nearly 10 years representing political prisoners and their families, usually for free-has submitted her resignation to Irans Bar Association.
I have paid my debt to society and reached a point where I dont have the mental strength to carry on, she told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran in an interview. I had to quit and ask for retirement, but I have kept busy. I dont practice law any more, but Ive started to do some writing.
Most of the cases I took on were political ones, said Pourfazel. These individuals were being persecuted for their political beliefs. I would give interviews and talk about these cases and thats how I got into all kinds of trouble that continue to this day. It got to a point where I couldnt continue on that path any longer. I was really under a lot of pressure.
In this society, lawyers who bear witness to injustice and speak the truth get punished, she added. Why? Because they love their country.
Throughout her career Pourfazel represented scores of people who were persecuted by Irans security and judicial systems for their beliefs. The cases I received were heartbreaking. My conscience wouldnt allow me to refuse them, especially those who did not have the means to pay a fee, she said. So I would take these cases and saw that there was so much injustice that in reality nothing could be done.
In 2012 Pourfazel represented the family of Sattar Beheshti, a 35-year-old blogger who died in police custody in a case that drew attention worldwide. Pourfazels persistence led to the rare prosecution of a law enforcement official; the policeman in charge of Beheshtis interrogation was sentenced to three years in prison, two years in exile, and 74 lashes.
When I was investigating the Sattar Beheshti case, I would go to the Judiciarys office at Azari Crossing in south Tehran to read the relevant files. But the judge was never there, nor was the prosecutor. So the staff would refuse to give me copies of the contents of the files, even though as a lawyer I needed them to prepare my defense, she told the Campaign. Of course, I had expected them to be obstructive and I told the Beheshti family that they would not get the outcome they were seeking.
The court sentenced the interrogator to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter even though the medical examiners report explicitly stated that Sattars death occurred as a result of blood clots resulting from severe blows to his body, she added. Thats deliberate murder. They had beaten and tortured the young man so much that he lost his life. Well, how can I not be upset? I am a mother myself. I have children of my own. How can I not sympathize with Sattars mother?
Throughout her career Pourfazel was persistently harassed by the Intelligence Ministry. I kept getting phone calls from them and I was summoned many times and asked to sign documents pledging that I would never give interviews to foreign channels, she said. But I told them theres no law against it. I protested, and said: why wont the domestic media interview me?
One time a reporter from one of the state-controlled television channels called me for an interview and I told her that I say what I believe is true and not the things they want me to say and she hung up on me, added Pourfazel. The Intelligence Ministry wanted me not to give interviews, not to talk-to shut up.
Pourfazel received her license in 1977 after graduating from Tehran Universitys College of Law. She went to France to continue her studies but returned to Iran during the 1979 Revolution. In 1983 she was among 57 lawyers who were disbarred for political reasons by the judge of a revolutionary court, Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani.
In 1998, when the Bar Associations Board of Directors was elected by lawyers for the first time, they reviewed my case and concluded that I had been disbarred unjustly and my license was reinstated. After all, I had never been a member of any political group or faction, she said.
Pourafzal began accepting human rights cases in 2007 when she represented the Iranian-Kurdish human rights defender, Mohammad Sediq Kaboudvand. After that 90 percent of the cases I handled were political, she said. I was the lawyer for Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, Kourosh Zaim,Alborz and Hamid Ghassemi-Shaal, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Sedigheh Moradi, Omid Dana, Peyman Aref, Serajjedin Mirdamadi, a number of Bahais in Shiraz, and several others until I retired in 2013.
I also represented Mojtaba Ahmadi, a 22-year-old man who had been accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammad and was sentenced to death, but fortunately I was able to save his life, she added. The fact that most of these political cases were handled for free or for a minimal fee also took its toll.
Iran extends visa on arrival to 3 months
07/15/16
Source: Tehran Times
TEHRAN - Iran has increased its visa on arrival extension from 1 month to 3 months, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicraft Organization Director Masoud Soltanifar announced.
For the time being, citizens of 190 countries can obtain visa on arrival at the country's airports with one-month validation, he added.
"The decision will pave the way for development of tourism industry in Iran," he said.
He named Imam Khomeini International Airport as well as airports in Shiraz, Isfahan, Mashhad, Tabriz, Bandar Abbas, Larestan, Kish, and Qeshm as places which issue visa on arrival up to now.
"Airports of Urmia, Ahvaz, Yazd and Tehran's Mehrabad will issue visa on arrival in the near future," he noted.
In August 2015, Iran extended visa on arrival from 15 days to 30 days.
In October 2015, Soltanifar said the easing of visa rules was opening the door for the return of foreign tourists to Iran.
Even before sanctions are lifted, the number of foreigners visiting Iran has grown 12 percent in each of the past two years.
In 2014, Iran hosted over five million tourists, bringing in some $7.5 billion in revenue.
Iran reports huge rise in exports to US
07/15/16
Source: Press TV
Iran says its exports to the US increased by 80 times in the second quarter of 2016.
The latest official figures show that there has been a whopping rise in Iran's exports to the United States in the second quarter of 2016.
Figures released by Iran's Customs Administration show that Iran exported Rials 300 billion (about $8 million) to the US over the period. The figure marks an 80-fold increase compared to the same period last year when it stood at only Rials 3.8 billion ($0.1 million).
The total weight of Iran's exports to the US has been registered at above 250 tons and the main products have been cited as wool carpet floorings and food products.
The value of Iran's imports over the same period stood at Rials 430 billion ($12 million). The weight of the imports has also been registered at 2,500 tons.
The main items imported are food supplements, wood paste, and livestock feed.
The weight of last year's exports of Iran to the US over the second quarter of 2015 stood at 24 tons at a total value of Rials 870 billion ($1 million). The imports over the same period weighed 9,000 tons with a total value of Rials 870 billion ($24 million).
Iran's Customs Administration has announced that the balance of trade between Iran and the US is negative by Rials 110 billion ($3 million).
Earlier, figures previously released by the US Department of Commerce showed that the collective level of trade between the two countries dropped by 17 percent in the first half of 2016.
The overall level of trade between the two countries over the same period last year stood at above $112 million. This, however, has now dropped to as low as $93.1 million over the period which is specifically marked by the removal of sanctions against Iran in January.
Iran introduces 12 sectors to foreign investors
07/15/16
Source: Press TV
Experts say Iran has taken measures to encourage foreign investors to target 12 special sectors.
Foreign investors are expected to invest $45 billion in Iran by March 2017
(source:
Foreign investors are expected to invest $45 billion in Iran by March 2017(source: rooznameh
More positive signs on the prospects of Iran's post-sanctions business environment are emerging as experts say the country has taken measures to encourage foreign investors to target 12 special sectors.
KPMG, the giant global company that provides audit, tax and advisory services, has been quoted by the media as indicating in a report that the target sectors include oil, natural gas, mining and electronics.
The KPMG report has estimated the value of potential investments in the 12 sectors at $250 billion.
Iran is already working on a new format of contracts for its oil and gas projects that includes serious incentives to better attract international investors. Officials in Tehran said earlier this week that the new format of the contracts have been finalized and sent to the cabinet for approval.
The country's mining industry also saw a growing interest by investors after the removal of the sanctions in January. Italy's Danieli and South Korea's Pohang Iron and Steel (POSCO) have already pledged to make major investments in the country's mining industry.
The Financial Times said in June that the latest figures show that the volume of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Iran has reached the highest level in years following the removal of sanctions against the country in January.
The FT has emphasized in its report that figures show Iran was ranked 12th out of the 14 Middle East nations for FDI between January 2003 and December 2015, equating to a market share of 1.62 per cent.
Global investment into Iran has been steadily increasing since 2013, a year in which the country attracted just three FDI projects. This increased to eight in 2014 and nine in 2015.
Since the sanctions were lifted the leading sector for investment into Iran has been financial services, which has attracted four investments from separate companies with capital expenditure of $60m, FT's report said.
The country has also attracted investments from the automotive sector, business services, consumer electronics and textiles, among others, it added.
NIAC Action Welcomes EU Decision Not to Reciprocate on American Travelers
07/15/16
Press Release by NIAC Action
Visa Waiver Program
Citizens of 38 countries are eligible for visa-free entry into the United States under the VWP
NIAC Action Executive Director Jamal Abdi released the following statement after the European Commission indicated it would intensify efforts to achieve visa waiver reciprocity, foregoing a potential suspension of the Visa Waiver Program in reaction to restrictions on European travelers:
NIAC Action welcomes the EU Commissions decision not to enact reciprocal restrictions on American travelers in response to U.S. restrictions on European travelers, including Iranian-EU dual nationals and individuals who have traveled to Iran since 2011. Since the passage of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act (H.R. 158), which barred individuals on the basis of national origin and travel history from the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), many Americans have been rightfully concerned about the possibility of reciprocal restrictions on American travelers. The EU decision not to pursue reciprocation at this time is welcome news that mitigates the harmful impact of the discriminatory law.
However, it is disheartening that both Congress and the Department of Homeland Security have failed to act to reverse or mitigate the discriminatory elements of H.R. 158. NIAC Action reiterates its call on Congress to pass the Equal Protection in Travel Act (H.R. 4380 & S. 2449), and its call on the Department of Homeland Security to extend waivers to affected dual nationals. The EUs decision should not in any way reduce the burden to fix this discriminatory law. Many Iranian Americans have family members in Europe and elsewhere who have been unable to visit due to the new visa restrictions. The Iranian-American community has a vested interest in ensuring that Iranians outside the United States are not subject to discrimination from our country, as do other affected communities.
Following passage of the bill, NIAC Action wrote the EU and all 38 participants in the VWP urging them not to reciprocate with discriminatory measures of their own. The letter noted that such reciprocation would further entrench discrimination and be counter to the EUs commitment to openness. We are thankful that the EU has foregone the opportunity to impose reciprocal restrictions and will continue to utilize diplomacy to address its concerns with existing U.S. restrictions.
The European Commissions statement follows an extension of an April 12 deadline to suspend the entire VWP for American travelers if U.S. restrictions on all European citizens were not lifted. Those restrictions included both measures barring certain EU states from the VWP as well as the restrictions contained in H.R. 158. Given that the VWP operates on the basis of reciprocity, EU law mandated the consideration of reciprocal restrictions. The decision to forego those restrictions was in large part due to anticipation of a harmful economic impact and the unlikeliness that such a move would bring full visa reciprocity.
The Department of Homeland Security has provided waivers to the recent VWP restrictions for certain categories of travelers, indicating that it would continue to examine the possibility of extending waivers to certain dual nationals. NIAC Action has strongly supported the extension of waivers to all dual nationals affected by H.R. 158, but no such decision has been made. Notably, DHS added travelers to Libya, Yemen and Somalia to the list of individuals ineligible for the VWP, but did not extend the restrictions to dual nationals of those countries. In testimony, DHS officials indicated that targeting dual nationals offers no security benefits. NIAC Action is hopeful that DHS will move forward with extending waivers to affected dual nationals in light of concerns regarding discrimination and its views regarding their merit.
Moving forward, NIAC Action will continue its efforts to limit and reverse the harmful impacts of H.R. 158, including by seeking waivers for dual nationals and legislative repeal of the discriminatory elements of the law. H.R. 158 is part of an alarming trend of discriminatory legislation in Congress that matches the inflammatory rhetoric of Donald Trump on the campaign trail. NIAC Action will continue to oppose such discriminatory efforts that threaten to adversely affect the Iranian-American community.
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Last year, Microsoft announced that it planned to have a billion devices running Windows 10 by the middle of 2018. Now, the company is saying that was too ambitious.
Were pleased with our progress to date, but due to the focusing of our phone hardware business, it will take longer to reach the goal, Microsoft Corporate Vice President Yusuf Mehdi said in an emailed statement. In the year ahead, we are excited about usage growth coming from commercial deployments and new devices.
The missed target is rough news for the company, which has relied on that promise to attract developers to build apps for Windows 10.
Microsofts reorganization of its phone business, to get away from manufacturing a broad selection of Windows smartphones, has been a key factor in the delay. The company announced last year that it would lay off 7,800 people in the phone business, just ahead of the Windows 10 launch.
Microsoft will still be able to make it to a billion Windows 10 devices at some point, Gartner analyst Steve Kleynhans said. In his view, the only question is how long it will take Microsoft to reach that billion-device mark. There are already 350 million Windows 10 devices ahead of the free upgrade deadline at the end of July, and businesses are aggressively deploying the new OS.
The current growth rate on PCs is about as good as Microsoft could expect, IDC analyst Al Gillen said in an email. The rest of the companys growth would have to come from devices like the Xbox and Windows smartphones. There are about 340 million tablets, 2-in-1s, and PCs running Windows 10 today, making up the overwhelming majority of Microsofts 350 million number, he said.
Kleynhans also faulted a shrinking PC market for contributing to Microsofts problems. The company is facing a variety of complications, including currency exchange rates that are driving down sales and Britains recent vote to exit the European Union. He wasnt expecting Windows 10 Mobile smartphones to be major contributors to that 1 billion device number.
Our expectations [for Windows Phones] have always been somewhat muted, he said. So from our point of view, we werent expecting phones to contribute much to that billion, but maybe [Microsoft was] expecting more.
Samsung Electronics is on the verge of making a substantial investment in BYD, a Chinese manufacturer of electric cars and batteries.
The Samsung investment comes as its chief rivals are investing in car tech and the market for car battery technology continues to grow.
The investment was first reported by the Korea Economic Daily, which said Samsung will pay 3 billion yuan ($450 million) for a 4 percent share of BYD. BYD later confirmed the two are in talks but did not confirm the investment size.
Going forward, the parties will jointly seize opportunities in the rapid development of the global electric vehicles industry and promote sustainable development of the parties electric vehicles related businesses, BYD said in a regulatory filing.
BYD is a well-known name in China and sold more than 60,000 electric cars last year. Its hoping to double that this year.
Samsung is far from the only tech company looking to gain a foothold in the automobile market.
Apple recently spent $1 billion to buy a stake in Chinese ride-hailing service Didi and is widely rumored to be developing its own car.
Nearby in Silicon Valley, Google is developing self-driving car technology and its prototype vehicles are a common sight on the streets around its Mountain View headquarters.
Traditional automakers like General Motors, Toyota, and Nissan are also investing heavily in new technology for electric cars and automated driving. Electric car maker Tesla is building a massive battery factory with Panasonic.
A man and woman who were arrested in Corona in February and Temecula in May with carloads full of stolen items were arrested again this time at a home in an unincorporated area near Murrieta.
Jacob Michael Bertino and Ashley Rose Lawrence were among six people arrested July 13 at a home in the 31000 Block of Gabriel Metsu following an investigation into mail theft and fraud cases.
The two were arrested on suspicion of credit card fraud, possession of fictitious checks, and possession of stolen property. Both were booked at Southwest Detention Center and while Lawrence was released on $100,000 bail Thursday, Bertino remained in custody with no bail set.
Also arrested this time were fellow residents Dustin Thomas, 30, and Tamara Charlton, 42, were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance; the lessee of the residence, Emily Monges, 21, was arrested on suspicion of maintaining a place to sell or provide drugs; and visitor Kevin Vanderburgh, 37, was arrested for two felony identity-theft arrest warrants.
According to a Riverside County sheriffs news release deputies found stolen mail, credit cards, fictitious checks, items used in fraud and other stolen items at the home on Gabriel Metsu.
This arrest comes on the heels of a May 12 incident where Bertino and Lawrence were arrested after deputies found credit cards, personal checks, ATM cards, California drivers licenses, identity cards and amphetamine in the car they were in on Moreno Road.
Before that they were arrested in a Corona foothill community in the 3800 block of Holly Springs Drive Feb. 16 after officers found stolen credit cards, social security cards, altered checks, Amazon packages, and files containing ID information of many people in their vehicle, police said.
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Contact the writer: 951-368-9693, agroves@pressenterprise.com or @AlexDGroves on Twitter.
Jimmy Moore, a leader of the incorporation effort in Temecula and one of the citys most active community volunteers, died Wednesday night after suffering a heart attack at his Temecula home. He was 81.
Without Jimmy Moore there would be no Temecula, said Mayor Mike Naggar.
One of Moores legacies, aside from the city itself, is the name Temecula.
The development company that mapped out the region in the 1960s called the area Rancho California but Moore, a well-traveled native of Arkansas, and some of the other people on what was called the city committee, didnt like the idea of saying they lived in Rancho California, California.
They preferred Temecula, which has roots in a name for the area used for centuries by the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians. In the incorporation election of 1989, voters agreed with Moore and the city of Temecula was born.
As the city grew, Moore stayed active, working on charitable projects with the Kiwanis Club and serving on the board of the Temecula Valley Historical Society.
The city is everything we envisioned, said his wife of 61 years, Peg Moore, a former Temecula councilmember who served on the first City Council. Were so happy to be able to live here.
In recent years, Moore made public appearances during council meetings to tout upcoming shows by the Temecula Valley Symphony and the California Chamber Orchestra and other projects or events that he was supporting.
His love of music, according to his wife, was a lifelong passion, stirred in the first or second grade and nurtured later in life when he played drums professionally during the big band era.
The appearance of the Moores at meetings was usually noted by members of the City Council, who would recount their accomplishments for high school students in the audience or any newcomers to the city.
In a Facebook eulogy, Councilman Jeff Comerchero called Moore the father of Temecula and a constant cheerleader for the city he worked so hard to create.
Rest in peace dear friend. We owe you more than we can repay, he wrote.
State Sen. Jeff Stone, a former Temecula councilman and former member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, said Moore served valiantly in the military with honor and self-sacrifice and championed efforts to make the Temecula into a blossoming city.
His leadership has created a legacy of greatness in our country and our beautiful city, he said in a statement.
Moore was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and served in the Army in the years following World War II. He was a constant learner during his travels, picking up a bachelors degree from the University of Nebraska and a masters at the University of Alaska, where he took classes during his time at a nearby base. Moore said he also studied at George Washington University and was a dissertation short of a doctorate.
He retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel. Following his military career, he taught in college, worked in the insurance and health spa industry, formed a software company and a teamed with his wife to run a business consulting firm.
He met the future Peg Moore when he was studying actuarial statistics at the University of Illinois, which was a leader in that field at the time.
The Moores moved to Southern California specifically, the young city of Irvine when he was working for the software company. They moved to the Temecula area a short time later along with many other Orange County residents, who were drawn by the areas wide open spaces and Old West charms.
In his later years, Moore said her husband loved attending Sherry Williams jazz shows in Old Town Temecula and traveling. In April of this year, they took a cruise that included stops in Hawaii and South Pacific islands.
He is survived by his wife, a daughter, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9698 or aclaverie@pressenterprise.com
The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerces annual convention will show off Riverside to a big segment of the states business community, organizers said Friday.
Theres no better time for the spotlight to be on the Inland Empire, said Frank Montes, chairman of the oganization and owner of Inland Body & Paint in Fontana. The region has a growing economy, its a great place for families and has a very diverse populaton.
Montes was one of several speakers at a news conference Friday morning in front of Riverside City Hall. In the evening more than 300 people attended a kickoff reception. It included a Taste of Riverside by six restaurants and a roundtable with local and state legislators, including U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-46th District, a candidate for U.S. Senate.
The convention will take place Sept. 21-23 at Riverside Convention Center and is expected to bring in 3,000 attendees representing 50 chambers throughout the state as well as 25 corporations seeking to work with small businesses, said Juan Garcia, deputy director of the state chamber.
Two corporate sponsors, Wells Fargo and Frontier Communications, attended the press conference.
The state chamber represents 800,000 businesses, and many of them are here.
There are over 122,000 Latino-owned businesses generating almost $11 billion in annual revenue, said Juanita Ruiz, regional chairwoman. That is something for us to be very proud of. This makes the Inland Empire second to Los Angeles County in our state.
The convention will show off such Riverside landmarks as the Mission Inn, Mount Rubidoux and Fairmount Park, said councilmember Andy Melendrez.
This is only the second time the convention has taken place in the Inland area, according to Montes, and the first time was in Palm Springs.
Its been long overdue, said Dina Esquivel, chairwoman of the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. We have a beautiful convention center now and we have the capability to host the convention.
Esquivel announced two partnerships for the local chamber at the press conference.
The A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at UC Riverside will offer MBA programs at a discount to chamber members, Esquivel said.
La Que Buena 96.1 FM in Hemet will promote chamber members on air for the next year.
What is Bastille Day?
Date: Celebrated across France every July 14 since 1880.
History: Bastille Day commemorates the storming by revolutionaries of a medieval fortress, the Bastille Saint-Antoine, which was a symbol of the French monarchy. Political prisoners were freed, and weeks later, the National Assembly adopted the Declaration of Man and of the Citizen as its constitution.
The days theme: Patriotic pride is more important than remembering history. The three tenets of the republican national motto, liberty, equality and fraternity, are celebrated more so than the storming of the Bastille.
How its celebrated: Festivities look a lot like those on Independence Day in the United States. Large crowds, such as the one in Nice, gather for fireworks, parades and food.
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In honor of the parks anniversary, this is the fourth of a seven-part series looking at how Disneyland has changed decade by decade. Part 1: 1955, the year Disneyland opened. Part 2: 1956-1959. Part 3: 1960-1969.
The seventies at Disneyland started with an invasion, then went into space, and ended with a wild ride in the frontier.
Unfortunately for Disneyland, the riots that had been happening in cities across America during the latter half of the sixties and some of the protesters turned their attention to Walt Disneys Magic Kingdom. On Aug. 6, 1970, the Yippies (an offshoot of the hippies of the sixties) decided to invade Disneyland.
The Yippies were members of the Youth International Party, a counter culture offshoot of the free speech and anti-war movements. They had long hair and wore loud clothing, bandanas and more.
But the park and area police were ready. The protesters were told, upon entering the park, to behave or they would be asked to leave. But they didnt listen and for a short time tried to take over Tom Sawyer Island. When some tried to incite violence and confront police, they were arrested and escorted out. Finally, Disneyland officials decided to close the park, fearing that families with children could get hurt.
Disneyland instituted a dress code for park visitors shortly after that to try and keep any Yippies from entering the park in the future.
1970-72
That event did not deter visitors, as the park continued to enjoy record attendance. Though Disney Imagineers were busy building Walt Disney World, which opened in October 1971, they did not neglect Disneyland, opening up a new land in 1972: Bear Country. It occupied space that was previously the Indian Village.
The new land was reached via a pass after walking by the Haunted Mansion. Above the pass, could be seen an entrance to a cave. A hibernating bear could be heard snoring from inside that cave.
The centerpiece of the new land was a new Audio-Animatronics show: Country Bear Jamboree.
Big Al, who sang Blood on the Saddle, was the hit of the show. Female cast members working in the area took a liking to the character, naming their canoe team for years to come: Big Als Gals.
That same year, the Main Street Electrical Parade kicked off, with more than a million twinkling lights on the floats as they slowly rolled down Disneylands parade route each evening, playing a synthesized version of Baroque Hoedown along the way.
1973
Disney Imagineers decided to honor Walt Disney, who passed away in December 1966, with an attraction called The Walt Disney Story. The film-based show featured interviews with Walt. The show also meant the end of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, but that only lasted a couple of years as visitors started a letter-writing campaign demanding the return of the nations 16th president. So in 1975, Lincoln was restored into the Main Street Opera House, but included the tribute to Walt.
1974
The nations bicentennial was approaching, and Disneyland wanted something patriotic. The Imagineers came up with a new show called America Sings for the building that housed the Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland. The lead character was Sam the Eagle, voiced by Burl Ives. The four-act show in the rotating building took guests on a musical journey of American songs. Meanwhile, the Carousel of Progress was packed up and sent to Walt Disney World, where it opened in 1975 and is still playing to this day.
A small change also happened to the Disneyland Railroad, when the Santa Fe Railroad decided it would no longer sponsor the attraction.
1975-76
Disneyland decided to ring in 1975 with a two-year celebration of Americas Bicentennial and a new parade called America on Parade. The Main Street Electrical Parade took a sabbatical while the patriotic procession took over, with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy leading the way. One of the features were newly designed characters representing different American eras, including Betsy Ross.
Since Americans had walked on the moon, Disney Imagineers decided it was time to send guests on a journey farther into space. In 1975, the attraction known as Flight to the Moon was closed and re-designed as Mission to Mars. Most of the buildings changes were cosmetic, with images on the monitors in Mission Control and inside the rocket were changed to represent the trip to Mars.
Construction also began that year of a long-awaited attraction that had been on Disneyland souvenir maps for years: Space Mountain. During construction, crews excavated a large hole, which was the eventual location for the Spaceport, also known as the load/unload station. But that winter, El Nino hit California hard and the hole filled up with water for a while. Cast members decided to have some fun and put a sign on the construction fence that said: Future site of employee swimming pool.
1977
The hole was drained of water, the uniquely shaped building was completed and Space Mountain launched, with several Mercury astronauts on hand for its initial flight. The enclosed roller coaster was an immediate smash hit, creating a line that would snake out of Tomorrowland and down Main Street U.S.A. Disneys Imagineers were fearful that some would get inside the building and get cold feet, so several chicken exits were thoughtfully provided even one right by the load area.
1978
What had gotten into the Matterhorn? With the success of Space Mountain, Disney Imagineers decided to up the thrill level on the Matterhorn Bobsleds by joining two bobsleds together, making it a faster ride. In addition, there was a new element added: the Abominable Snowman. Harold, as he was named by cast members, has been scaring riders in the Matterhorn ever since.
1979
It was time to shake things up in the Old West. Attendance on the Mine Train Through Natures Wonderland had been declining, and the opening of Space Mountain sealed its fate. The Pack Mules were sent packing in 1973 and the attraction was closed in 1977. But after the old railroad was derailed into Yesterland, bulldozers moved in and Disney Imagineers reshaped the land to look like a scene out of Bryce Canyon National Park.
The new structure was called Thunder Mountain, and all around it, rails for another roller coaster were laid for the wildest ride in the wilderness: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
For more details about Disneyland in the 1970s including additions and changes to attractions and shows click through the slideshow.
Reporter Mark Eades worked as an Imagineer for Walt Disney Imagineering, the company that designs Disneys theme parks, from 1982 to 1993.
Contact the writer: meades@ocregister.com
A Menifee man accused of being a pimp denies he attacked his girlfriend so badly she had to be hospitalized for her injuries, court records show.
Derwin Petteway, 24, allegedly beat and terrorized his 21-year-old girlfriend July 5, said Ontario police, at one point taking a handgun to her head and threatening to kill her.
She was in fear for her life and feared that she would be beaten even worse or killed if she tried to leave, said Sgt. Jeff Higbee.
She managed to get away to seek medical attention, and police were called, officials said.
Through the investigation, authorities discovered Petteway had met the woman in the Los Angeles area, and they believe he may have been acting as the womans pimp. In addition to the physical and sexual abuse, Higbee said Petteway was allegedly controlling her money.
Petteway was arrested July 8 in Fontana.
On Wednesday, he pleaded not guilty to charges of depriving someones liberty, domestic violence, false imprisonment, making criminal threats and pimping and pandering. He is scheduled to be back in court Tuesday.
Petteway is being held at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga in lieu of $1 million bail.
Police are looking for additional victims. Anyone with information can call Detective Tim Jones at 909-395-2001, ext.4615.
California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon has entered into an intraparty rift by endorsing Inland Assemblywoman Cheryl Browns re-election bid in the 47th Assembly District.
de Leon, D-Los Angeles, endorsed Brown in a document obtained by The Los Angeles Times. The endorsement came from the Senate State Democratic Leadership, the Times reported.
The leadership includes state Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, who has endorsed Browns opponent, Democratic attorney Eloise Reyes. Leyva told the Times her name should not have been included in the endorsement and that she still backs Reyes.
de Leons endorsement adds fuel to the ongoing split among Democrats and their allies over Brown, who represents the city of San Bernardino along with Colton, Grand Terrace, Fontana and Rialto.
Brown is aligned with a block of moderate Assembly Democrats who have angered liberals with their votes, especially on a landmark climate change package last fall. Theres been an ongoing power struggle in Sacramento between moderate Democrats backed by business groups and liberal interests, including environmentalists and labor unions.
Moderates objected to a provision that would have cut petroleum use by motor vehicles in California in half by 2030, saying it would adversely affect long-distance, working-class commuters.
The provision was taken out of the final climate bill to ensure its passage. But progressives were left seething, and many back Reyes campaign against Brown.
Reyes argues that Brown puts Sacramento special interests, including the oil and gas industry, ahead of her constituents. After Chevron contributed $1 million to an independent committee supporting Brown, the assemblywomans critics launched a Chervon Cheryl media campaign.
Brown has countered that out-of-district interests who want to tell Inland residents what to do are behind Reyes campaign. The assemblywoman has been endorsed by the California Democratic Party, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kamala Harris and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, who has visited the 47th to campaign for Brown.
Brown finished first and Reyes second in the June 7 primary, ahead of Republican Aissa Chanel Sanchez. The assembly seat will be decided in November.
Heres an earlier story I wrote about the race in the 47th.
Larry Minor, a prominent San Jacinto businessman who sits on two elected boards, is again in trouble with the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
Minor is facing a $6,000 fine for failing to report business interests to the state. The move comes five years after the commission fined him $60,000 for improper campaign donations.
Minor, 75, who serves on the board of directors for both the Lake Hemet Municipal Water and Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District, failed to disclose his interests in business entities, real property and sources of income on his 2012, 2013 and 2014 Annual Statements of Economic Interests, according to commission officials.
Minor admitted to violating six counts, according to the FPPC. The commission is expected to sign off on the fines at its Thursday, July 21 meeting.
Efforts to reach Minor were unsuccessful.
The violations are in relation to Minors interests in San Jacinto-based potato producer Agri-Empire and Larry Minor Racing. He is president of both companies.
Minor, an experienced public official, should have been aware of his duties under the act to disclose all of his reportable economic interests on each of his (statements), reads a report from the FPPC.
The report states that Minor cooperated in the investigation and he has no prior enforcement matters related to serving on the two boards.
Many of the unreported interests were leasehold interests in real property for his farming business, Agri-Empire, and no conflicts of interests were found resulting from Minors unreported economic interests, the report states.
In April 2011, Minor was fined $60,000 after he confessed to illegally making tens of thousands of dollars worth of campaign contributions in the names of others.
Earlier that year, Attorney General Kamala Harris announced a 14-count indictment of Minor for $66,400 in illegal political donations.
The money went to the state Senate campaign of then-County Supervisor Jeff Stone in 2009 and Assembly campaign of former Banning councilwoman Brenda Salas in 2006. Authorities said Minor gave the contributions in the names of employees and family members. Neither candidate knew the moneys true source, officials said.
Minor pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, agreed to the $60,000 fine and promised to make no political contributions for three years. He was allowed to continue serving on both elected boards.
Minor has been on the Valley-Wide board since 1996 and on the Lake Hemet board since 2007. He has two years remaining on each term.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9086 or cshultz@pressenterprise.com
A small-claims case filed by a man charged with killing a woman at a CVS pharmacy in Temecula in June was dismissed Thursday.
Brian Eldon Saylor, 31, did not show up to a small-claims court hearing Thursday morning because he remains in jail on the murder charge. Upon learning this, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Albert J. Wojcik ruled that the case against an Old Town Temecula Restaurant should be dismissed. should be dismissed.
Ryan Klein, one of the owners at Lukes on Front in Old Town Temecula, said he was relieved.
He said Saylor came into the restaurant March 5 and requested a beverage from the bar. He did not have any form of ID and he looked as though he might be intoxicated, Klein said.
When staff at Lukes requested that Saylor leave, he refused. Klein said he and his brother-in-law, Chris, at some point had to grab Saylor and escort him from the restaurant.
The next day, he came in with some documents saying we had violated his civil rights, Klein said.
Saylor filed a suit in small-claims court March 21, asking for $10,000. The defendants named were Klein, his brother-in-law Mark Christopher Chris Cusak, the restaurant and the company behind it, 2 Shirts 1 Skirt L.L.C.
The suit also refers to an employee named Frankie and alleges that employee assaulted Saylor by using force with the intent and ability to inflict damage. It says the employee physically grasped and restrained his hand and arm.
Saylors filing, more than 70 pages, winds through a discussion of how the restaurant violated legal parameters put in place by the state Legislature and judiciary as well as constitutional law, but never gets into specifics about how they were violated or says much about what happened.
It alleges Saylors right to full and equal accommodations was violated before the filing abruptly transitions to a seemingly unrelated subject: an Oregon State Bureau of Labor and Industries administrative law judges ruling in a highly publicized case in which a bakery owner refused to bake a cake for a same-sex female couple.
Thursdays hearing was supposed to be for the judge to consider a request to put the case on hold because the company that owns the restaurant is in bankruptcy. The restaurant remains open.
Saylor is charged with murder in the death of Tammy Serrano, 54, of Temecula.
Serrano was attacked June 13 inside the CVS Pharmacy on Rancho California Road and died the next day. Family and friends have said she was hit on the head with a liquor bottle.
Saylors next court date in his criminal case is Aug. 4 at the Southwest Justice Center in French Valley.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9693 or agroves@pressenterprise.com
Law enforcement and security officials from Long Beach to the Inland Empire stepped up their monitoring of global terrorist incidents Thursday in the wake of an attack in France, which reports say killed dozens of people.
There was no credible threat locally, but police were being vigilant.
Were just closely monitoring whats going on around the world and whats going on in Los Angeles but there is no real active threat at this point, said Los Angeles police Officer Tony Im of LAPDs Media Relations Section. Were going to continue with the routine procedures.
Officer Rob Pedregon, spokesman for Ontario Airport Police, could not confirm or quantify whether security has been heightened at the airport as a result of Thursdays attack in France. He said security analysts at Los Angeles World Airports constantly monitor such events, but keep mum about any changes that result so as not to tip off any would-be attackers.
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All I can do is say we take that information and adjust accordingly, he said.
Los Angeles International Airport reported no changes in its security in the wake of the Nice attack.
Its normal airport operations and LAX is always on heightened alert and heightened security, spokeswoman Katherine Alvarado said.
LAX has no direct flights to Nice.
L.A. County Sheriffs Department Deputy Ryan Rouzan said Thursday afternoon that were not changing anything weve done on a daily basis.
But he added that the Sheriffs Department remained vigilant in monitoring events around the world.
Los Angeles Port Police officials were communicating with local, state and federal law enforcement about the developments.
Security is always a top priority at the port, the department said in a written statement. While the threat level has thus far not changed, we are taking steps behind the scenes to increase security, particularly at public locations and upcoming events at the port.
Port of Long Beach officials echoed steps taken at their L.A. counterpart.
We are continuing to monitor events, officials said in a statement. Our security team has been working closely with the Port of Los Angeles. Both are on a heightened state of awareness, but there are no credible threats for either.
Michael Gold, spokesman for the Port of Long Beach, said both ports have been coordinating their security efforts for large-scale events.
For example in September, the Port of Los Angeles is expecting as many as 200,000 to 300,000 visitors to the Harbor Area over the Labor Day weekend for Fleet Week.
Staff writers Larry Altman, John M. Blodgett, Brenda Gazzar, Donna Littlejohn and Rachel Uranga contributed to this report.
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Customers tap on cantaloupes, compare cucumbers and inspect cactus pears.
Right on cue, Mongo Santamarias Watermelon Man pops on the sound system, horns squealing and Santamaria crackling on the congas.
El Rancho Market is bringing a distinctively Latin flavor to Lake Elsinores historical downtown district.
This store is lovely, said resident Brian Bleifuss as he toted plump grocery bags toward the exit. I came here yesterday and I came here today, and Ill continue to come here often. I dig it.
With the 8,000-square-foot stores July 6 opening, the Main Street corridor now has a supermarket, the first since the closure of Ibarras Market about five years ago. El Rancho now occupies that site.
Fontana resident Ray Haifa said he opened the family-owned business with the guidance of his father, Ata Haifa, a veteran of the industry. Emphasizing the enterprises family nature, Rays 11-year-old son, Musab, stays near his fathers side, helping with the chores.
We came to this area and saw it is in desperate need of a store, Ray Haifa said. We met with city officials and they said, We need a store, so I said, Lets give them a store to be proud of.
Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce President Kim Cousins said El Ranchos opening meshes with downtown revitalization efforts. Most storefronts are filled and a restaurant, Main Street Kitchen & Tap, opened in the spring.
City officials also have dedicated resources to the district by repaving streets and installing a sound system along the corridor. They also have organized events, including a series of car shows, to spur traffic.
Now youve got some synergy down there, Cousins said. Its going to drive a lot more traffic into the downtown area and be of benefit to the other shop owners.
Cousins also likes the buildings spruced-up decor, including vibrant interior murals depicting a ranch and the lake.
The decision to orient the store toward the Latino market, including Caribbean products, stemmed from the areas demographics, said Haifa, who speaks with patrons in Spanish.
The store features a bakery, meats and dairy products, frozen foods, dry and canned goods and a booth offering cooked dishes for consumption on the premises or to go.
Shoppers are accompanied by a soundtrack of cumbias, boleros, musica banda, salsa and other Latino genres.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@pressenterprise.com
It comes as no shock to some residents of Corona and Temecula that their cities have been deemed two of the safest in America.
An online ranking company named Corona No. 13 and Temecula No. 20 in its report of the 2016 safest cities in America, based on crime rates provided by law enforcement to the FBI. Niche.com analyzed data from 208 cities with populations of more than 100,000, weighing five categories of violent crime and property crime to come to its results.
Tiana Cofield, 22, of Corona, said she wasnt surprised to hear how her city stacked up. She moved to Corona about five years ago and feels like its a safe place for her 2-year-old daughter and 4-month son to grow up.
I mean, theres crime everywhere, but here its minimal, Cofield. I feel comfortable walking around by myself here, even at night.
Temecula reported 92.33 violent crimes per 100,000 people in 2014, the most recent year available. Corona reported 106.13. Statewide, the violent crime rate in 2014 dropped to a 47-year-low of 393 per 100,000 residents.
Both cities also have relatively low rates of property crime: 2,340 per 100,000 residents in Temecula, and 2,134 in Corona.
Other Riverside County cities with low crime rates, but populations too small to make the list, include Canyon Lake, Wildomar and Eastvale. Murrieta, which had lower crime rates in 2014 than both Corona and Temecula and a population over 100,000, wasnt on the list; representatives of Niche.com couldnt be reached Thursday to explain why.
Officials in Corona and Temecula believe theyve been able to keep crime rates low by having a tight, trusting relationship between residents and the law enforcement agencies that serve them.
Its a team effort, Corona City Councilman Dick Haley said. Obviously were safe because we have a great Police Department, a great Fire Department, some of the lowest insurance rates.
Corona City Councilwoman Karen Spiegel chalked up the citys safety to having a well-equipped Police Department.
We have a very engaged community as well as state-of-the-art tools for public safety, Spiegel said.
Temecula Mayor Michael Naggar said the city has had a consistently low crime rate. He believes thats due in equal part to the citys police force contracted through the Sheriffs Department and to the communitys attitude.
Were also a military town, so theres a great deal of respect for the law, Naggar said.
Wildomar resident Tru Dhillon, 21, was perplexed that Temecula made the list, given two recent violent incidents that rattled the city: a deadly attack at a CVS pharmacy in June and a fatal stabbing at a Circle K in April.
Despite those incidents, he still fees safe walking around Temecula at night. He was at the Temecula Duck Pond until 4 a.m. several times last week playing Pokemon Go.
Riverside County sheriffs Capt. Jeff Kubel, who serves as Temeculas police chief, said the communitys engagement with law enforcement helps deputies to do their job and reach the shared goal of making the city a safer place.
Ive worked in places in the county where if a deputy shows up after something occurred, people will deny a crime even took place, because theyre scared to get involved, Kubel said. Out here, people stand alongside the police to say, This is what I saw, this is where he went. People take ownership of the community, which amplifies the work that we do.
Staff writer Alex Groves contributed to this report.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9284, atadayon@pressenterprise.com, @PE_alitadayon
Court proceedings have resumed for Salvador Gil Vega, accused of beating his jail cellmate to death at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility near Banning in March 2015.
Proceedings were stayed last year when a judge concluded after a court trial that Vega, 52, was not mentally competent to assist his legal counsel and stand trial in the March 17, 2015 death of Robert Anthony Hearn, 69, of Thousand Palms.
Hearn was found in his cell with fatal injuries at the jail near Banning. Hearn was incarcerated in the section of the jail that houses inmates with mental health needs, Riverside County sheriffs officials said at the time. Vega, his cellmate, was subsequently charged with murder in the death.
Vega has a long history of mental illness and a review of jail medical records indicated he may not have taken prescribed medication for at least two months, according to testimony at a hearing last year.
At a follow up hearing, a judge ordered that Vega be forced to take medication and be placed at Patton State Hospital near San Bernardino in an effort to restore his mental faculties.
Vega was admitted to Patton Feb. 17. At a follow up hearing June 28, attorneys in the case stipulated that Vega was competent to stand trial. Judge Bambi J. Moyer approved that finding after reviewing a medical directors report, according to court records.
Vega is back in custody at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside with bail set at $1 million. He pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday, July 13, in Riverside County Superior Court.
Judge Richard T. Fields set a July 22 felony settlement conference, followed by a preliminary hearing later in the month to determine if there is enough evidence to hold Vega for trial.
Vega had been in custody in a burglary, vandalism and a court order violation case. Hearn had been in custody on an elderly or dependent adult abuse case.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9075 or gwesson@pressenterprise.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.
The Minister for Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah on July 12, 2016 was named chairman of the West African Gas Pipeline Project (WAGP) Committee of Ministers.
The immediate past Chairman, Hon. Ibe Kachikwu made this announcement at the just ended Committee of Ministers meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.
Addressing delegates as the new chairman, Hon Buah assured delegates of Ghanas readiness to continue providing the needed leadership to ensure that WAPCo works effectively as was envisioned by ECOWAS.
He further pledged to continue the good leadership of his predecessor and asked for support from all member countries.
Hon Buah also called for the restructuring of the West African Pipeline Company (WAPCo) to make it more commercially viable and focused.
The Minister also emphasized on the need for all member countries to work together to strengthen WAPCo and expand the infrastructure to other countries within the sub-region.
If our countries will develop, we have to plan and develop collectively.
It is very necessary that we resolve our energy challenges together to ensure constant supply of electricity in the sub-region, he added.
The committee is made up of Energy Ministers from Ghana, Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The woman who is in police custody for allegedly selling human meat has informed the police that she was directed to engage in the trade by her spiritual pastor.
Greater Accra regional Police Commander, ASP Afia Tenge said on Adom FMs Morning Show, Dwaso Nsem Thursday that 60-year-old Florence Appiah said she was instructed to sell meat to make a living by her spiritual Pastor.
She said she bought her meat at Makola and was coming to sell at Adabraka market but she was new in the marketshe said selling the meat was a direction from her Spiritual Pastor and that it was a cow meat she had bought from Makola to come and sell at the market, she said.
The Adabraka Police in Accra on Wednesday arrested a woman believed to be in her 50s for allegedly selling human meat.
The woman, according to the market women, was carrying a tray with some pieces of meat, and was moving strangely in the market.
The Police PRO continued that the Adabraka police had to move in swiftly to prevent the mob from lynching her on the suspicion of selling human meat.
The police, she said took the woman and the meat to their station but could not immediately tell the kind of meat she was selling from just a look at it.
We only know its grilled meat but it is difficult for the police to determine whether it is human meat or otherwise, so we forwarded the said meat to national CID for forensic testing to show if it is human meat or not, she said.
She called on the public to remain calm as the forensic report is still yet to come out.
Source: Adom News
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.
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Malaria is the number one cause of illness in Ghana, accounting for 38.1 per cent of Out Patient Department (OPD)cases, 27 per cent of admissions and seven per cent of deaths.
Most of these deaths occur in children from one to five years.
According to a research pregnant women and the ageing are at the greatest risk. The disease places a huge burden on human lives.
About 10 per cent of losses incurred by organisations are related to malaria. It also affects economic and labour force.
Africas resources account for an estimated annual economic burden of $ 330 million in Gross Domestic Product.
Mr Philip Afeti Korto, the Administrator at the Achimota Hospital, said in an interview that the rate at which malaria leads to the high number of admissions in hospitals is worrisome.
He said the nation needs to hasten the process of control and gradually eliminate the disease.
He said during the first quarter of the year the hospital recorded 3,430 cases of malaria.
He noticed that the treatment of malaria could only be effective if patients continue to take their drugs prescribed by their doctors.
Mr Korto said in other to curb the situation, there must be behavioral change among the citizenry.
He said Ghanaians must desist from their bad attitude of throwing rubbish anywhere and clean the environment.
We must not sit down and wait on government to come and clean our own environment for us. The government can only do but a little, let us therefore contribute our quota to ensure that malaria will be a thing of the past, he added.
He expressed optimism that a change of attitude towards the environment as well as people sleeping in mosquito nets would bring the situation under control.
Mr Korto commended government for setting up every last Saturday of the month as a day for cleaning the environment and urged the public to participate fully in the National Sanitation Day exercise.
Source: GNA
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Private legal practitioner Lawyer Maurice Ampaw has admonished the Supreme Court to crack the whip on the two Montie FM panellists in accordance with the law.
According to the attorney, failure to punish them will open the floodgate for other persons to do same and later apologise for their irresponsibility.
The Supreme Court will tomorrow hear a case of contempt against Alistair Nelson, along with another panellist, Godwin Ako Gunn, who allegedly threatened to kill judges who presided over the Abu Ramadan versus the Electoral Commission (EC) over the credibility of the register.
One of the panellists, Alister Nelson, issued an apology for making such statements.
But speaking in an interview with Kwame Tutu on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, lawyer Maurice Ampaw said the judges had sworn an oath to do justice; hence there [should] do so in this case.
The lawyer who appeared to be highly charged described the case as the highest contempt in the history of the judiciary.
He posited that the panellists lack respect for the judiciary to the extent of scandalising the Supreme Court and further threatening to assault the Chief Justice sexually if they rule in favour of the plaintiffs.
"The statements from the panellists show clearly that they only respect the party NDC, President Mahama and their Members of Parliament and not the judiciary. To the extent of threatening to kill the judges and also specifically singling out the lady Chief Justice and threatening to sexually abuse her."
The agenda, he stressed, was not only to expose the judiciary to contempt, hatred and ridicule, but to put fear in them, insult them, and make them look like a useless institution in the country, and that is "the biggest contempt ever in the whole of Ghana since I started practicing law over the last 15 years. I have never seen such conduct that is so dangerous, so threatening, demeaning, direct, offensive, damaging, and degrading to that institution."
He also took a swipe at the BNI for their statement which sought to defend the panellists; claiming that they are incapable of carrying out the threat.
Lawyer Maurice Ampaw went on to say that, the Attorney-General may also not have the courage to prosecute the culprits because of their allegiance to the ruling party.
The BNI in their statement said Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, who allegedly threatened the judges are incapable of harming the judges.
But Lawyer Ampaw described this as unfortunate and a joke on the part of the security agency.
He said these statements cannot be compared to that of Sir John, Atubiga, and some other political persons who were all cited for contempt during the election petition.
He insisted the apex court should not just accept apologies from the culprits since that will set a precedence for others to follow and threaten lives of judges and later apologised.
''This impunity must stop... In my opinion, both the panellists, the host should be jailed. My opinion is not binding on the apex court, but they need jail to serve as a precedence in this country; that you cannot lower the highest institution of this country.
"Tomorrow the Supreme Court must speak and speak louder, that the institution- the judiciary- will not sit down for the executive, politicians, to run them down. They should show that they have the power to punish them severely. They should do justice. They have sworn an [oath of] justice, and I expect them to do so tomorrow.
"Ghanaians are looking up to the judges to do justice that will restore respect in the institution. People look to the apex court as a powerless institution. But they should gather the courage and show to the public that they have the power to deal with impunity in the country. My prayer is that the judges [will] punish the panellists severely."
Lawyer Ampaw refuted claims that such a punishment will be against the fundamental rights to freedom of expression. According to him, the fact that people have rights to express themselves does not warrant them to defame, scandalise and insult public office holders.
The judges, he concluded, are not above reproach, however, in criticising them, one should be circumspect in doing so.
Source: rainbowradioonline.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.
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Donald Trump is expected to formally announce his pick his running mate today, but the good word on the street is that hes opted for former Indiana governor Mike Pence.
Pence would be a pretty safe pick for Trump hes very socially conservative and popular with the Republican base, while also having the lengthy political experience that Trump himself lacks.
It was always an outside chance that Trump would pick someone a little bit wilder a Newt Gingrich, perhaps but it was always probably going to be a rock-solid Republican who could calm down a base that is a little worried about the kinda shit that Trump could pull if he won.
Pence disagrees with many of Trumps public statements: he tweeted in December that plans to ban Muslims from entering the United States are offensive and unconstitutional.
Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional. Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) December 8, 2015
So thats interesting. Is this Trump subtly walking back some of the more nationalist claims that got him so much attention on the far-right?
But Pence is no progressive, obviously. He fought hard to stop Syrian refugees from settling in Indiana, has poured a lot of energy into anti-abortion activism, and was a full-throated supporter of the war in Iraq.
Well find out if this is all smoke-and-mirrors soon, but The Guardian, speaking on behalf of a Republican source, says that Pence is a shoe-in at this point.
Source: The Guardian.
Photo: Getty Images.
Your fave naughty royal Prince Harry is doin some seriously good shit recently.
While hes no longer training in Australia for you to stalk admire from afar, hes now becoming a strong advocate for sexual health.
Harry wanted to demonstrate just how easy it is to get tested for HIV to the masses, because the rates of the disease would lower considerably if everyone got regularly tested and practiced safe sex if they received a positive result. The test is a super simple process, and takes mere minutes.
The prince decided that in order to normalise the procedure in the modern day of 2016, hed get a HIV test himself, live on Facebook.
The prince, who obviously tested negative, said,
Its amazing how quick it is. Its better that everyone goes and gets tested. Why wouldnt you? Whether youre a man, woman, gay, straight, black, white, whatever, even ginger, why wouldnt you come and have a test?
Harry and Williams mum, the forever-adored Princess Diana, was a huge advocate for the awareness and erasure of HIV worldwide.
The Kensington Palace Twitter account (yep, welcome to 2016) tweeted that Harry would attend the International AIDS conference next week in Durban.
Prince Harry believes his generation needs to take leadership in the fight against HIV, or risk losing the gains of those whove come before Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) July 14, 2016
On Wednesday next week Prince Harry will arrive in Durban for the International AIDS Conference #AIDS2016 Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) July 14, 2016
Bless, Hazza. Bless your lovely ginger heart.
Source: Facebook / Twitter.
The world may just be going to absolute shit. Outside of the very real tragedies that seem to befall innocent people more and more often, politicians are now debasing Pokemon to take cheap shots at their opponents, and the howling maw that is Taylor Swifts personal life is now, somehow, eliciting responses from Australias breakfast TV personalities.
Basically, we all need some brain bleach after the past week. A lil something to remind us that there is still beauty and kindness in this curmudgeonly world. Fortunately, when nature isnt busy fucking somebody up somewhere, it brings us the gift of baby fur seals, and you better believe Sydney Opera Houses fabled bundle of joy returned today to catch some rays.
A couple of days after making its wondrous debut on the VIP entrance stairs of the Opera House with an older seal, the blubbernugget made itself right at home today without adult supervision. Still, our mate already looks like a seasoned veteran, like nobody could even instruct it how to bask better than it currently is.
Look at it.
Look at it.
A video posted by C A R??L I N E (@carolineofsyd) on Jul 15, 2016 at 4:48am PDT
A photo posted by @pinkpiggycat on Jul 14, 2016 at 9:45pm PDT
A photo posted by @pinkpiggycat on Jul 14, 2016 at 9:21pm PDT
A photo posted by Steph (@shortbread707) on Jul 14, 2016 at 7:55pm PDT
A photo posted by @kyliejoyce on Jul 14, 2016 at 9:08pm PDT
According to Instagrammer @carolineofsyd, staff said its about two weeks old, and that its older companion is a male. That means the city could once again bear witness to another blessed father-son bonding time, should the bigger ocean doggo make a return.
We hope so. This planet needs more innocent sunbathing sealife, ya know?
Source: Instagram.
Photo: @shortbread707 / Instagram.
Content warning: this article discusses sexual assault. To speak to someone about sexual assault, or for 24/7 counselling, contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
In a recent interview with Marie Claire, actress, comedian and generally fairly stellar individual Amy Schumer opened up about her first sexual experience, which she says was not consensual.
Schumer said that she was reminded of the incident, which occurred at the age of 17, when going through her old journals while working on her upcoming book, The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo.
The 35-year-old comedian told the publication, in its August issue:
I didnt think about it until I started reading my journal again. When it happened, I wrote about it almost like a throwaway. It was like, And then I looked down and realised he was inside me. He was saying, Im so sorry and I cant believe I did this.
Schumer said that the man in question is no longer in her life, and that while the episode was not a good one, she has no desire to punish him for an incident that took place 17 years ago, adding there are just so many factors.
When writing her memoir, Schumer reread the journals she kept between the ages of 12 and 23, and said she found the experience to be really painful. I felt bad for myself, she said. The ugliness, the embarrassing shit its all there.
She also spoke about her relationship with Chicago-based furniture designer Ben Hanisch, whom she calls her first real boyfriend. She told Marie Claire:
I feel like Ben is the first guy whos really been my boyfriend. There are guys who, if they heard me say that, would want to punch me in the face, but, yeah, its the truth. Being in love is the scariest thing in the world. You just want to fucking cry and scream. I cant handle it. Every time we say goodbye, I think This will have been a nice last week together. Or I tell myself nothing is real and hes going to leave me and tell me he never loved me. I feel so bad for him. How exhausting it must be dating me.
The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo is out in August.
Source: People.
Photo: C Flanigan / Getty.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture oversees restaurant inspections in the state. Inspection reports are "snapshots" of the day and time the inspections took place. In many cases, violations are corrected on site prior to the inspector leaving.
The following restaurants and other establishments in Lebanon County that handle food were inspected during the week of June 19-25 and were recorded as of July 6.
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June 24
J.E. MACK SCOUT RESERVATION/EUREST DINING SERVICE
2 SCOUT LANE, NEWMANSTOWN
Regular inspection.
Plumbing system not maintained in good repair -- multiple leaks at line leading into the hot water tank; unisex toilet room in prep area is not provided with a covered waste receptacle for sanitary napkins.
June 22
AMERICAN HOUSE
25 S. 9TH ST., LEBANON
Regular inspection.
Food employee did not follow proper hand-washing procedure -- soap and/or warm water not used; food employees in prep area not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard covers; chicken was thawing in standing water in the three-bay sink, which is not an approved thawing method - due to refrig. issues freezing foods.
CAMP BASHORE SCOUT RESERVATION/EUREST DINING SERVICE
160 MOONSHINE ROAD, JONESTOWN
Regular inspection.
Decayed carcass of a mouse was found inside the cabinet under the soda fountain area.
INN 422
1800 W. CUMBERLAND ST., LEBANON
Regular inspection
Commercially processed refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control-for-safety-food (non-exempt cheese and deli meats) located in the two-door refrigerator and held more than 24 hours is not being marked with the date it was opened; refrigerated ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control-for-safety food (deli salads) prepared in the food facility and held for more than 24 hours, is not being date-marked.
June 21
PUCILLO'S PIZZA & ITALIAN RESTAURANT
1032 S. 5TH AVE., LEBANON
Regular inspection.
Food debris and grease on floor under fryers; several flies in facility, making it necessary to provide pest control.
June 20
MYERSTOWN BORO COMMUNITY POOL
501 S. RAILROAD ST., MYERSTOWN
Regular inspection.
Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration; food contact items not being sanitized after washing and rinsing.
Establishments with no violations.
June 24
J E MACK SCOUT RESERVATION TRADING POST
2 SCOUT LANE, NEWMANSTOWN
Regular inspection.
SCHAEFFERSTOWN FIRE CO.
100 N. LOCUST ST., SCHAEFFERSTOWN
Regular inspection.
June 23
GANESH CORNER STORE
601 CUMBERLAND ST., LEBANON
Regular inspection.
JUST WING IT
761 CUMBERLAND ST., LEBANON
Regular inspection.
June 22
A & M PIZZA
626 QUENTIN ROAD, LEBANON
Regular inspection.
BASHORE SCOUT RESERVATION TRADING POST
160 MOONSHINE ROAD, JONESTOWN
Regular inspection.
GOLDEN CORRAL RESTAURANT
1147 QUENTIN ROAD, LEBANON
Follow-up inspection. (Original report, May 11, 2016)
HRESKO' S BAR B Q PIT CATERING
817 S. 14TH AVE., LEBANON
Regular inspection.
HRESKO' S BAR B Q PIT MFF1 XJL-9908
817 S. 14TH AVE., LEBANON
Regular inspection.
HRESKO'S BBQ PIT MFF2 XJL-3788
817 S. 14TH ST., LEBANON
Change-of-owner inspection.
June 21
COLEBROOK TWIN KISS
1550 MOUNT WILSON ROAD, LEBANON
Complaint inspection.
Troegs Independent Brewing in Hershey has officially opened its Splinter Cellar, and is raising a toast with a new beer, Wild Elf.
More than six years in the making, the new addition to the craft brewery will allow Troegs to expand its production of wood-aged specialty beers.
The cellar sits in a corner of the brewery at the site of four former loading docks where unused kitchen equipment was once stored. It is now the new entryway for the brewery's guided tours.
Troegs' owners and brothers, John and Chris Trogner, celebrated the opening of the cellar on Thursday evening with an invitation-only gathering.
"We're not going into this project thinking it's going to be a large part of our sales, but we think it's a large part of who we are and what we want to do," Chris Trogner said.
At the heart of the cellar, stand three 23-foot tall wooden foeders, which are visible through glass windows on the brewery's northside. The foeders hold the equivalent of about 4,000 cases of beer.
The cellar is best described as one big science lab for beer geeks. The foeders are where beer meets with yeasts and bacteria and is transformed into "something different altogether."
In simple terms, the fermentation that occurs inside the foeders gives the beer its distinctive, funky flavor. Wild ales are a growing category in the craft market, mostly sought after by beer lovers in search of complex flavors.
Unlike a Nugget Nectar or a Troegenator, the wood-aged beers are not designed for mass production.
"It's still going to just be for the sliver of the connoisseur who wants to seek it out. But they are not going to have to come and wait in line at the brewery. They are going to get to go to their local specialty bottle shop or specialty restaurant that wants to have those really neat, unique little things," said John Trogner, co-owner.
The Trogners said what will be produced in the cellar will be a small portion of the brewery's overall production.
The foeders at Troegs were built by 200-year-old barrel maker Giobatta & Piero Garbellotto from dozens of staves of Italian, Hungarian and French oak. The slaves were air dried for three years to mellow any harsh flavors.
Barrel-aging is nothing new to Troegs. Over the years it has used more than 300 wine, bourbon and virgin oak barrels and three smaller foeders. Its LaGrave was aged in oak and transformed into LaGrave Gold.
Its latest release, Wild Elf, is created by aging Mad Elf with Balaton cherries picked at Peters Orchard in Adams County.
"When those cherries rolled in, they actually brought a really nice character with them. We kind of feel like we have a taste of Pennsylvania now, just right in Wild Elf which is cool. You can't get that anywhere else in the world," John Trogner said.
"Taking that culture and bringing that through to all of our sour beers, we're going to get some real uniqueness out of that," he added.
Wild Elf was released for sale at the brewery on July 14, and is selling only in 375-ml cork-and-cage bottles for $12. A limited amount will be released for sale in the coming weeks in Pennsylvania.
Troegs expects the beer will be available for about three to five months. Next year's batch is already fermenting in one of the foeders.
In addition, Troegs has four more wood-aged beers in the pipeline including Barrel-Aged Troegenator, Nebulous and Impending Descent.
Visitors to the brewery also will be able to visit a second-floor Art of Troegs art gallery where they showcase award-winning pieces from an annual art contest.
By fall, Troegs will finish an outdoor greenspace and courtyard, while an additional 40 or so parking spaces will be added by spring of 2017.
Crews have cleared a crash in Dauphin County that shut down eastbound lanes on Route 322.
The crash that was reported at around 5:30 p.m. between Bridge Road and Middletown Road in Hummelstown has been cleared, according to the Total Traffic Network.
Officials had reported delays of nearly an hour while clearing the crash.
For more traffic information, follow live traffic updates, accident reports and road closures below from PennDOT, Total Traffic Network and other Twitter sources.
Get a look at conditions on local roads -- via PennDOT traffic cameras -- anytime here on PennLive. For Pennsylvania Turnpike updates and possible travel delays visit the Turnpike website here.
Tweet us at @pennlive with any incidents you see on your commute or send a submission to submissions@pennlive.com.
NICE, France (AP) -- The latest on attack that killed 84 people in Nice:
Americans killed
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby says two Americans were among those killed in Nice on Thursday when a large truck plowed through a crowd gathered for fireworks.
Kirby didn't identify the individuals by name, citing privacy concerns.
He says the U.S. is providing assistance to those affected by the attack, while the embassy tries to account for all Americans in the Mediterranean city.
The truck driver
Two French police officials say identity papers found alongside the attacker behind a killing spree in southeastern Nice belonged to a 31-year-old Frenchman of Tunisian descent with previous misdemeanor convictions but no known link to extremist groups.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said Friday that the papers were those of Nice resident. They cautioned that DNA and identity checks with acquaintances were pending to fully verify the identity.
The suspect died in a shootout with police after mowing down dozens of people with a truck on Nice's seaside Promenade des Anglais during national Bastille Day revelry Thursday.
The Paris prosecutor's office, which is leading the investigation, declined to comment.
Christian Estrosi, the regional president in Nice, said some of the city's 1,200 security cameras had pinpointed the moment the attacker boarded the truck, far from the seaside "in the hills of Nice" and could follow his path to the promenade. Estrosi called for the investigation to focus on any accomplices.
"Attacks aren't prepared alone. Attacks are prepared with accomplices," Estrosi said. "There is a chain of complicity. I expect it to be unveiled, discovered and kept up to date."
Eyewitness describes #Nice attack that killed at least 80: "Kids thought it was fireworks" https://t.co/sbddydLs4P https://t.co/Pt0yxVB0qG ABC News (@ABC) July 15, 2016
Security elsewhere
London Mayor Sadiq Khan says London will review its security procedures because of the attack in Nice.
The mayor said he wants to reassure all London residents that the Metropolitan Police will do "everything possible" to keep the British capital safe. He said the extremists' "poisonous and twisted ideology" will be defeated in France, London and other parts of the world.
The terror threat in Britain is judged to be "severe," meaning that an attack is highly likely.
Belgium's prime minister says next week's national holiday celebrations will go ahead, but with additional security measures.
German police say they're stepping up border checks on the French frontier following the attack in Nice.
Young victims
The children's hospital in Nice says it has treated some 50 children and adolescents injured in the truck attack, including two who died during or after surgery.
Stephanie Simpson, the communications director for the Lenval foundation hospital, tells The Associated Press that injuries included fractures and head injuries and that the victims were aged 18 or under.
In a phone interview, she said: "Some are still life and death."
She said she could not say exact number of children hospitalized or the ages of those who died.
The hospital is also offering psychological counselling to parents and siblings.
The hospital, equipped with one of France's largest pediadiatric emergency units, also called the families of children it was already treating before the attack to ask them to pick up their children to free up rooms for the attack victims.
National mourning
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the government is declaring three days of national mourning after the attack in Nice that left at least 84 people dead. Speaking after an emergency meeting, Valls said the national mourning would begin Saturday.
He confirmed that a measure extending the country's state of emergency would go before lawmakers next week.
Valls and French President Francois Hollande were going to Nice later Friday.
Trying to escape
A lawmaker for the region that includes Nice said some people tried to escape the attack by going into the sea, giving new details of the horrifying last minutes of the attack in Nice.
"A person jumped onto the truck to try to stop it," Eric Ciotti told Europe 1 radio. "It's at that moment that the police were able to neutralize this terrorist. I won't forget the look of this policewoman who intercepted the killer."
SCRANTON - Sebastian Richardson contends when he refused to accept a cellmate at the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary out of safety fears that he was held in restraints for nearly a month in 2011.
He filed a federal lawsuit that year alleging officials at Lewisburg violate policy by using restraints to punish inmates who refuse a hostile cellmate.
Richardson wanted to represent all the inmates in the Special Management Unit (SMU) at Lewisburg, but U.S. Middle District Senior Judge William J. Nealon said no because he no longer was at that prison.
He now will get that opportunity because the 3rd U.S. Court of Appeals Friday vacated Nealon's decision and ruled Richardson may continue to seek class action.
Richardson did not have "a fair opportunity" to seek class certification because the Bureau of Prisons transferred him out of Lewisburg on Sept. 10, 2012, six weeks after he filed an amended class-action complaint, the ruling states.
The defendants, 15 Bureau of Prisons officials who have either retired or changed jobs, argued Richardson's absence prevents him from representing Lewisburg SMU inmates.
Although Richardson's individual claims are moot because he has been transferred, he may still represent those who are in SMU, the appeals court ruled.
It also rejected the defense claim that the case is moot because the officials Richardson seeks to enjoin no longer are at Lewisburg.
Richardson will have the burden to prove the allege policy violations continue at Lewisburg under a new administration, the ruling states.
The Lewisburg Prison Project is very pleased with the decision, paralegal David Sprout said. The non-profit inmate advocacy organization relishes the opportunity to show the alleged violations continue today, he said.
Richardson, a Louisiana resident, arrived at Lewisburg in March 2010 and was immediately placed in SMU, a unit established for inmates with security concerns.
He claims after living seven months with a compatible cellmate in February 2011 that he refused to live with one who had attacked more than 20 inmates.
Due to his refusal, he claims he was taken to the laundry room, dressed in paper clothes, put in hard restraints and locked in a cell for three days before being transferred.
His suit claims he was held in hard restraints for nearly a month, forced to sleep on the floor most of the time and frequently refused showers and bathroom breaks.
The defendants admit Richardson was held in restraints for a long period but claim it was done for security reasons and he was monitored regularly.
The suit claims medical and custodial staff at Lewisburg routinely ignored inmate complaints of pain and other medical problems caused by restraints.
Richardson, who has been in prison since 1994 and currently is in maximum security at Florence, Colo., said he was told the only way he would be let out of restraints was to accept any cellmate chosen for him, whether he was hostile or not.
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The U.S. Senate today is expected to pass legislation lawmakers say will help keep the nation's growing opioid epidemic in check.
(File)
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday is expected to pass comprehensive legislation lawmakers say would help keep the nation's growing opioid epidemic in check.
The House already green-lighted the bill, dubbed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, and Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey said he expects the Senate to do the same today, before sending it to President Obama's desk for final approval.
The bill, dubbed CARA, would expand prevention and education programs, improve addiction treatment resources and give police more tools to deal with heroin and other opioid abuse, Toomey said Tuesday, the same day the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency released its "Analysis of Drug-Overdose Deaths in Pennsylvania, 2015."
Toomey spoke with reporters during a telephone conference on the bill and the DEA report, which showed that 3,383 people died of overdoses across the commonwealth in 2105, up from 2,742 the previous year.
"That's 641 more than the previous year. It's an increase of 23 percent. And heroin, or opioids, played a role in 81 percent of those deaths. This is a staggering magnitude," Toomey said. "The bill before the Senate is not a silver bullet. It isn't going to make this problem go away, but it's going to help."
Toomey co-wrote a bill in the comprehensive legislation that is designed to cut down on the diversion of prescription painkillers to the black market. The bill would lock patients into a single prescriber and pharmacy so the use of painkillers can be monitored.
The bill, called the Stopping Medication Abuse and Protecting Seniors Act, is the same tool used by Medicaid and private insurers. Toomey said, "It will prevent fraud, it will prevent people who are knowingly and intentionally going to multiple doctors to get these huge quantities of drugs."
Toomey called the data released Tuesday in the DEA report "disturbing."
The following are some key findings released in the report:
Heroin was the most frequently identified drug in toxicology test results, as nearly 55 percent of drug-related overdose decedents across Pennsylvania showed the presence of heroin in their systems in 2015.
Heroin was present in overdose decedents in 59 of the 62 Pennsylvania counties (95 percent) that reported drug-related overdose deaths and associated toxicology results.
At least one opioid-positive decedent was present in every county that reported drug-related overdose deaths and associated drugs in 2015.
by
on Scribd
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Less than two hours after a truck plowed through a crowded street in Nice, France, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump announced he was postponing his scheduled VP announcement set for Friday. (AP file photo)
Less than two hours after a truck plowed through a crowded street in Nice, France, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump announced he was postponing his scheduled VP announcement set for Friday.
Trump announced the cancellation on Twitter.
In light of the horrible attack in Nice, France, I have postponed tomorrow's news conference concerning my Vice Presidential announcement. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
After week's of speculation, Trump's campaign had on Thursday signaled strongly to Republicans in Washington that he was set to pick Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate.
Trump's announcement came just a few hours after a truck drove on to a sidewalk in Nice, plowing through a crowd of Bastille Day revelers who'd gathered to watch fireworks in the French resort city. Officials and eyewitnesses described it as a deliberate attack.
The Associated Press was reporting that the president of the Nice region said at least 60 people had died. Speaking from the scene, Eric Ciotti said on France Info radio that "It's a scene of horror."
Nice prosecutor Jean-Michel Prette said bodies are strewn about along the roadway.
About an hour after the attack, Trump tweeted:
Another horrific attack, this time in Nice, France. Many dead and injured. When will we learn? It is only getting worse. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2016
Images circulating on social media showed grisly scenes of piles of bodies in the street. The president of the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azur regional council, Christian Estrosi, said in a message posted to Twitter that dozens of people appear to have been killed.
FRANCE: Reports of multiple fatalities after truck plows into crowd in apparent terror attack in Nice, France PHOTOS pic.twitter.com/htXADqrrKy KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) July 14, 2016
Trump was set to make his VP announcement Friday in Manhattan, ahead of the Republican National Convention, which starts July 18 in Cleveland.
Soon after the attack, the White House released a statement saying the president had been briefed on the attack.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Lori Knight
(submitted)
A Hanover grandmother is accused of allowing her three-year-old grandson to wander out of the house unattended three times in the span of a month.
Lori Ann Knight, 45, of the 400 block of High Street, Hanover, was charged with endangering the welfare of children and reckless endangerment, and is in York County prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Hanover police say they were called to the area of Fourth and High streets at 3:21 p.m. June 19 for a report of a three-year-old child, wearing only a diaper, playing in a parking lot. Neighbors directed the officer to the child's home, and he found no one there.
Knight is guardian of the child, whose mother is incarcerated in South Carolina, court records state.
Officer Zachariah Lloyd said this was the third time in a month in which the child had left Knight's home unattended. In an incident May 28, police said the child was found more than a half-mile away, court records state.
In the June 19 incident, Lloyd said Knight told him she was in the kitchen when the child left the home without her knowledge. She said she has an alarm on the door, but had turned it off.
Children & Youth Services told police there is an open case with Knight.
HARRISBURG- After recent fatal shootings across the country, Harrisburg, and the nation, is on a precipice, said Harrisburg Police Chief Thomas Carter.
"We are on a precipice of something that could be good," he said, in reference to the community pushing for positive changes in policing and the justice system, "or something that could turn to violence."
Carter was among about a dozen speakers at a Harrisburg Speaks: Prayer and Conversation community forum at Goodwin Memorial Baptist Church Thursday night, seeking solutions to racism, inequity and violence in the wake of divisive shootings last week in Louisiana, Minnesota and Dallas.
Hundreds of area residents attended the 7 p.m. event at 2447 Green Street in Harrisburg that stretched into four hours. Many speakers shared statistics that showed the disproportionate negative contact black Americans have with police and courtrooms.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse noted one in three black men could expect to serve time in prison during their lifetime.
"But here is a statistic from the U.S. Department of Education that should shame us all: Young black men who are on the right path, who are in college and studying hard, even these black youth are far more likely to be arrested on campus or referred to police."
And when young black men are arrested, they face harsher punishment than their white friends "for doing the exact same thing," Papenfuse said.
He encouraged city residents to apply for jobs as police officers and said "we need more black men and women serving as district attorneys and criminal court judges." He also said police officers need better training, "so they can see the black youth they stop as a son, rather than a thug."
State Rep. Patty Kim, D-Harrisburg, said problems that are now making headlines now have long-existed and will require more than a bandage or ice pack to fix. They will require a scalpel to cut deep and make necessary changes, she said.
The Rev. Stan Smith, the executive director of the Baptist Resource Network, said Americans can't break the current pattern unless they start listening to different voices instead of "people with whom you already agree.
"Find someone who is not where you are and ask them why," Smith said. "Everyone has the right to tell their story."
The Rev. Richard Hampton, president of the African American Ministerial Alliance of Steelton and Vicinity, said he was weary of seeing "people who look like me being murdered.
"Our problem isn't a new problem," he said. "But until we confront the problem, nothing will change the problem."
After a series of rousing speeches, audience members walked to the microphone and offered solutions. Several noted the lack of young people in the audience as a serious obstacle to spreading a message of peace and respect.
A retired police officer said two minorities who currently work in county law enforcement desperately want to join the Harrisburg Police Department, if the department would simply hire them.
"You need minorities," said Wendy Weaver Carter. "There are two."
One man chastised the mayor for refusing to meet with a series of people who had requested meetings because the mayor "didn't like them."
"We need to talk with each other," he said, offering his solution.
The Rev. James Jackson, Goodwin's senior pastor, regularly reminded the crowd to focus on solutions.
"We're not here to lay down blame," he said. "We're here to listen and lay down solutions."
Other audience members suggested starting educational workshops for young voters, making sure police officers have the resources they need and changing state laws that confiscate driver's licenses, barber licenses and other privileges as punishment for offenses because they deprive people from providing for their families.
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Pennsylvania may experience several consecutive days in the 90s next week as a heat dome envelops the midwest and bakes cities in stifling 100-degree temperatures.
(Accuweather)
Pennsylvania may experience several consecutive days in the 90s next week as a heat dome envelops the midwest and bakes cities in stifling 100-degree temperatures.
Meteorologists predict Pennsylvanians will not experience the worst of the midwest heat dome, which occurs when warm temperatures build up and linger for days. However, Harrisburg, among other cities, may have a heat wave.
National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Head said one of the characteristics of a heat dome, also known as anticyclonic storm, is a day in the 90s followed by a day of rain. That's what's in store for much of Pennsylvania next week.
"The comfort level is going to be really, really poor," Head said. "The temperature, every other day or so, could be in the mid-90s."
Head said there is a 50 percent chance that Harrisburg will experience a heat wave -- three consecutive days of 90-degree-plus temps -- in the next week.
AccuWeather meteorologist Ed Vallee said the average temperature for Harrisburg during this time of year is 86 degrees. It's expected to reach 93 degrees on Friday.
"I think we're going to be above normal for the next two weeks," Vallee said.
"Once the beginning of next week starts, the heat is really going to start building."
AccuWeather map of the heat dome developing in the midwest.
Vallee said Harrisburg temperatures will get into the mid-90s on Monday before dipping back into the 80s on Tuesday. After a cold front on Tuesday, Vallee said it will get progressively warmer each day.
"It is going to be hot for a few days late next week through the weekend," Vallee said.
That's much better than midwest cities like Chicago, St. Louis, Oklahoma City and Kansas City that will experience highs over 100 degrees. Those cities, Head said, will really be hurting over the next couple weeks.
Luckily, Pennsylvania is expected to be spared from the incredibly harsh temperatures in the midwest.
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Drew E. Guadalupe
(Lancaster police)
A Queens, New York man accused in a July 11 stabbing in Lancaster is in police custody.
Drew E. Guadalupe, 31, was arrested Thursday by the New York Police Department in connection with the stabbing of a 33-year-old man in Lancaster, police said. Guadalupe is charged with criminal attempted homicide and felony robbery of a motor vehicle.
At around 6:15 a.m. on July 11, police were dispatched to a reported stabbing on the 400 block of East King Street. Officers found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds and lacerations to his chest, back, hands, and face, police said.
A bloody trail led police to the actual scene of the stabbing on the 500 block of East Mifflin Street, about two blocks away from where the victim was found, police said. Officers were unable to find the victim's 2015 Honda Accord with the New York license plate 4DAUTDEM.
The victim told police that he, a woman he knows, and his attacker -- who he only knew as "Drew" -- had driven to Lancaster from Queens when an argument broke out on the 500 block of Mifflin Street. Police said "Drew" then attacked the victim, stabbing the man multiple times before the victim fled the still-running vehicle. The victim got help from a resident on the 400 block of East King Street, police said.
Police were able to help identify the building where his attacker lived using mapping software. With that information Lancaster Police Det. Steve Owens contacted NYPD and was given information for Drew Guadalupe, police said.
Owens obtained a photo of Guadalupe, added it to a photo array and showed several photos to the victim. The victim immediately identified Guadalupe as the attacker, leading to charges and the issuing of an arrest warrant.
Police said the victim's stolen car has not been located. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lacnaster police at 717-735-3300; call Lancaster City-County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-322-1913; submit a tip button on the Lancaster police website; or text a tip to Crime Stoppers by texting LANCS plus your message to 847411.
Shakoor Trapp
Shakoor Trapp
(myspace.com)
A state appeals court panel has refused to overturn the convictions of a man who invaded a sleeping stranger's home and stabbed, choked and shot her in an attack a Lycoming County judge called "nightmarish and horrific."
The Superior Court ruling issued this week means Shakoor Trapp will keep serving his 32 1/2- to 65-year prison sentence for the May 2011 assault in Williamsport.
His victim, a 23-year-old mother of two, survived the attack in her Maple Street home and identified Trapp as her assailant. A county jury, relying on that identification and other evidence including some bloody socks, convicted Trapp of attempted murder and other charges in September 2014.
On appeal to the state court, Trapp claimed there wasn't enough evidence to convict him, that the victim's identification was faulty, and that his sentence is "excessive."
President Judge Susan Peikes Gantman shot down all of Trapp's claims in the Superior Court opinion. She noted the victim, who was stabbed multiple times in the chest and was shot in the temple, cheek and knee, "had ample opportunity to view her attacker."
County Judge Marc F. Lovecchio got it right in sentencing Trapp, a 28-year-old father of three who had a criminal record starting when he was a juvenile, Gantman concluded. She cited an opinion in which Lovecchio cited his reasons for slapping Trapp with a penalty that could keep him in prison for the rest of his life.
In his opinion, Lovecchio described how the victim, Tiffany Nixon, awoke to what she thought was someone punching her in the chest. She was actually being stabbed. One of her children witnessed the attack, the county judge noted.
Nixon identified Trapp as her attacker from Facebook photographs and because she had seen him in her neighborhood smoking, Lovecchio wrote. At trial, jurors were shown a Myspace photo of Trapp. The county judge observed as well that when Williamsport police arrived to arrest him, Trapp was found hiding in a stiflingly hot space between some rafters under the roof of a house on High Street.
A pair of socks found in the home had blood on them that contained Nixon's DNA, Lovecchio added.
He cited the trauma the attack caused not only for Nixon and her family, but for the community.
"Random acts of violence such as this make people worried and scared. They do not feel safe in their one homes," Lovecchio wrote. "Even Vikings, who were considered barbarians, did not do these types of things to each other."
ObamaBillClinton
President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton are among the speakers slated for the Democratic National Convention.
(Associated Press)
Democrats will keep with tradition during the nominating convention in Philadelphia, trotting out a lineup of the party's past, present and future stars, according to the Associated Press.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders will kick off the convention, which will be held July 25-28 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
Former President Bill Clinton will headline the second night, while President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden share the stage the third night.
The third night is also typically when the vice presidential candidate speaks.
Presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton hasn't announced her running mate, but The Washington Post is reporting her list is narrowed to five: Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro.
Chelsea Clinton will introduce her mother on the last night of the convention when Hillary Clinton is set to become the first woman of a major U.S. political party to be named on a presidential ballot.
In the coming days, Democrats will announce more speakers including additional politicians, advocates and celebrities, according to the AP.
Here's the schedule so far:
Monday
Michelle Obama, Sanders and Astrid Silva, a so-called Dreamer who was brought to the U.S. as an undocumented child immigrant, will focus on "putting the future of American families first."
Tuesday
Bill Clinton and the "Mothers of the Movement" will highlight Hillary Clinton's work as a young lawyer, first lady and New York senator on behalf of children and families.
Wednesday
Obama and Biden will address what's at stake in the election and how Clinton has the "experience and steadiness" to continue the work of their administration.
Thursday
Hillary and Chelsea Clinton will call on the country to unify around Clinton's campaign and work together to solve national problems.
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K-9 Totti
(Pa. Department of Corrections)
A Department of Corrections officer has been reassigned to desk duty after a canine under his care was left in a hot car and died last week.
Sgt. Chad Holland, the Drug Interdictions Unit officer who left K-9 Totti in a vehicle for two and a half hours on July 7, will remain on desk duty pending the outcome of an investigation by the Department of Corrections' Office of Special Investigations and Intelligence, said Amy Worden, Department of Corrections press secretary. Other canines that were under Holland's care have been reassigned to different handlers.
Worden said that the Special Investigations and Intelligence unit has the power to file criminal charges, but has not confirmed whether charges could result from the case. The Special Investigations unit will share its findings with the Pennsylvania State Police, who are working with the Centre County District Attorney's Office on an independent investigation into the animal's death.
"The death of K-9 Totti is a very unfortunate and tragic situation but we pride ourselves on high accountability," Worden said.
Mr. Peanut made an appearance outside the Walmart on the Carlisle Pike in Mechanicsburg July 14 to celebrate his 100th birthday.
A slight astigmatism in his right eye and mild use of a cane are the only outward signs of his advanced age.
Mr. Peanut mingled with kids and adults alike, posing for photos and handing out free peanuts outside his decked out nutmobile.
Tomorrow he and his crew head to Elizabethville for an appearance at the Walmart off Route 209 at 200 Kochner Ln.
This story has been updated to correct typos.
A Super PAC with ties to Donald Trump has launched a print ad campaign targeting Amish voters in places like Pennsylvania, where the mobilization of conservative balloters could make a difference in a close race come November.
The ad, featuring a large photo of Trump in his office, emphasizes Trump's lack of political experience as an asset, his work ethic, his success as a businessman -- a fact likely to resonate with the Amish, many of whom own and operate their own -- and his family ties and his willingness to appoint a conservative supreme court justice able to defend pro-life principles.
Also highlighted is Trump's personal distaste for alcohol -- "I see what it does to people when they lose control, and a lot of times they lose control," he once said.
The ads fail to mention, however, that Trump has owned both brands of vodka and of wine, along with a winery.
Amish experts have also questioned whether the Amish will get behind the ostentatious and braggadocios thrice-married billionaire, calling his values and persona out of sync with Amish values of humility and no-frills living.
The Trump "Amish" Super PAC's newspaper ads will run weekly in two Ohio-based papers, The Budget and the Holmes County Hub Shopper, LancasterOnline reports. The Budget's circulation includes readers in Lancaster County, the website says.
In addition to the print ads, the PAC is preparing to launch a billboard campaign targeting Amish communities in those areas.
The Amish Super PAC print advertisement.
The "Amish PAC," or Plain Voters Project as it's called, reportedly expects to spend $41,000 on newspaper ads and billboards in the lead up to the election and will focus heavily on Amish strongholds like Lancaster County and Amish communities elsewhere in Pennsylvania and Ohio, both key swing states.
Ben Walters, a spokesperson for the Super PAC, tells PennLive that "feedback from the Amish is mostly mixed so far," adding "It's fair to say it ranges from skepticism to enthusiasm. [Indiana governor Mike] Pence joining the ticket should certainly help! The one thing I know for sure is that our team has yet to turn up one, single Hillary voter among the Amish."
This year, the race between Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is particularly close, according to recent and often conflicting polling data. This has led political activists and operatives to look to the Amish as a reliable source of conservative voters who may be willing to vote Republican in November.
It's not the first time either.
Read the link below for a fuller version of the Amish vote's strange and scattered history as it enters the era of Trump, and of the controversial Amish role in George W. Bush's reelection strategy and campaign in 2004.
Clarification: Trump's Amish Super PAC, while acting in his name or on his behalf, isn't necessarily directly tied to the candidate or his campaign.
UPDATE: This article has been updated to include comment from Amish Super PAC spokesman Ben Walters and a copy of the print advertisement the PAC has created.
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Wilson Osorio, left, and Mario Onell Cedeno-Roman Jr., charged in Members 1st Federal Credit Union robbery.
(Manheim Township police)
Two people have been arrested in connection with a recent robbery of Members 1st Credit Union on Lititz Pike.
Wilson A. Osorio Jr., 30, of Philadelphia, and Mario Onell Cedeno-Roman Jr., 34, of Lancaster, were charged with robbery in the incident at 5 p.m. June 22 at the Members 1st Credit Union in the 2500 block of Lititz Pike.
Osorio was also charged with possession of heroin, Manheim Township police said. They were placed in Lancaster County prison.
South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, bottom center, is shielded by his bodyguards from eggs thrown by residents at Seongju County Office, South Korea, Friday, July 15, 2016. Angry residents in a rural South Korean town have thrown raw eggs and water bottles at the prime minister to protest a plan to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in their neighborhood. (Kang Jong-min/Newsis via AP)
FILE - In this June 21, 2016, file photo, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Scott candidly described being stopped by police and Capitol Hill cops because of the color of his skin. It's an experience all too familiar to many of his African-American colleagues in Congress. A day after ScottAos personal recounting on the Senate floor, several lawmakers said July 14, that they have had similar experiences. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Police officers and a soldier stand by the sealed off area of an attack after a truck drove on to the sidewalk and plowed through a crowd of revelers who'd gathered to watch the fireworks in the French resort city of Nice, southern France, Friday, July 15, 2016. A spokesman for France's Interior Ministry says there are likely to be "several dozen dead" after a truck drove into a crowd of revelers celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice. (AP Photo/Ciaran Fahey)
Year-round residents only: Marion Township plans for new type of housing
A housing development is being considered exclusively for people who live in the Charlevoix area all year.
Pan American Energy pledges US$ 1.4bn in investments in Argentine Patagonia
Mercopress
Mauricio Macri: "The world is enthusiastic with argentina"
MONTEVIDEO
Petroleumworld.com 07 15 2016
Pan American Energy PAE, announced on Thursday investments of 1.4bn dollars in exploration and exploitation of conventional and non conventional hydrocarbons in the Argentine Patagonia provinces of Neuquen, Chubut and Tierra del Fuego.
The announcement was done in Argentina's Government House with President Mauricio Macri with the Bulgheroni brothers, partners of PAE, governors of the three provinces, cabinet members, lawmakers and union leaders.
PAE said that US$ 900 million are to be invested in the San Jorge Gulf area, mainly Chubut US$ 300 million in Neuquen and US$ 70 million in Tierra del Fuego, while US$ 130 million in capital equipment.
This is a great challenge for Argentines to see if we are capable of producing oil despite the drastic fall in international prices, half of what it was only some months ago, said president Macri.
PAE, which is also the main private producer of hydrocarbons in Argentina has become the main investor in the energy private sector, totaling US$ 13 billion between 2001 and 2015. The US$ 1.4bn are earmarked for 2016/17.
In that period (2001/2015) PAE gas production increased 67% and oil, 34%, and is also the Argentine hydrocarbons company with the largest replenishment reserves in that period, 150%.
Missing recovery prompts warnings of oil at $40
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com 07 15 2016
As oil's upward climb runs out of momentum, more and more analysts expect the market's next move will be back down toward $40 a barrel.
Brent crude prices almost doubled between January and June, signaling that markets were finally healing as falling U.S. output, rising demand and disruptions from Nigeria to Canada all helped eliminate a global production surplus. Now, as consumption falters and halted supplies return, analysts from BNP Paribas SA to JBC Energy GmbH warn prices may sink once more.
While there's still a consensus that the worst of the oil glut that sent prices to a 12-year low is over, the International Energy Agency cautioned this week that the road ahead is far from smooth. Inventories are brimming after two years of surplus production and U.S. demand for gasoline -- the key driver of prices in summer -- is proving to be disappointing. As unwanted barrels pile up, traders have been forced to hoard the most crude at sea on tankers since 2009, according to the Paris-based agency.
For the time being, the path of least resistance for oil prices is lower, Mike Wittner, head of oil market research at Societe Generale SA in New York, said by phone. Even though we've made this shift from an oversupplied to a balanced market, our short-term caution comes from inventories still being high and crude coming back from disruptions.
Supply Returns
The supply disruptions that helped lift crude above $50 in recent months are fading. Oil-sands producers in Canada have restored most of the output halted when wildfires menaced facilities in May and curbed more than 1 million barrels a day, or about 40 percent of supplies. OPEC member Nigeria revived some output in June after militant attacks cut production to a three-decade low, the IEA said.
There's a chance Libya could increase exports this month after the two rival branches of the state-run oil company agreed to start working together again, although previous efforts to unify the divided country have failed.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 1.1 percent to $46.83 a barrel at 7:19 a.m. Friday on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange.
Unplanned supply-side factors brought the market near balance in the second quarter, and it is again supply-side factors that will hinder that balance in the near term, Harry Tchilinguirian, head of commodities research at BNP Paribas SA in London, said by e-mail. We are looking to return to $40 or below for the U.S. benchmark, West Texas Intermediate.
Demand Concerns
It's not only the production of crude oil that has analysts concerned. There is an epic overhang of gasoline after refiners built up stockpiles of the fuel at the beginning of the year when crude was cheap, said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at London-based consultants Energy Aspects Ltd. Still, she said a drop to as low as $40 a barrel is unlikely unless there's significant selling by speculative investors.
Threats to demand are especially strong as concern over the U.K.'s exit from the European Union clouds the economic outlook, Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS Group AG in Zurich, said by e-mail.
When the macro dust settles, which might take a while, it will become apparent that oil fundamentals are weaker than many realized, said Julius Walker, senior consultant at JBC Energy in Vienna.
The main narrative of a globally balanced market remains intact, said Societe Generale's Wittner. That means buyers would return before crude revisited the lows of earlier this year. WTI crude fell to $26.05 a barrel in February, the lowest level since May 2003.
I'm not uber-bearish, Wittner said. I think there's a point where you see some bargain-hunting coming, and that point is $40 a barrel.
For lunch, Triceratops would be hard to swallow
1. Hold your paper sideways and lightly draw an oval for the body a little to the left of center. The head is a series of arcs connected to the body with two more simple arcs. The S-curve of the legs and the tail flipped to one side will give our dinosaur some motion.
2. Triceratops' head is tilted so that we can see some of the back of the neck frill. Flesh out the legs while paying attention to the angle of the heel and knee.
3. A wavy line on the back edge of the frill will indicate the bony plates that are there. The horns curve gently upward. The folds that make up the side of the frill continue all the way forward to the beak-shaped.
4. Carefully erase any unneeded guidelines and proceed with adding color. No one knows what a Triceratops' skin looked like. It could have had stripes or spots. Fossils tell us very little about the surface of the dinosaur so make yours any color or combination of colors you like. If you're feeling ambitious, add a Cretaceous background such as palm trees or a volcano to your picture.
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Art Thieves are invited to send or email copies of their work to Amy Raudenbush, our professional artist. Phone pictures are fine. One drawing weekly will be selected for publication on Sept. 4 and the selected artist will receive a prize. Be sure to include your name, age, mailing address and phone number. Triceratops drawing must be received by July 22 to be eligible for the weekly prize.
Send to:
Amy Raudenbush
Philadelphia Daily News
801 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Or email art@phillynews.com.
Next week's heist: Draw a bat.
Recent winners include:
Munir Jones, Michael El, Maria Freeman, Nyla Numan.
Tencent and China Music Corporation announce strategic merger in digital music business Updated: 2016-07-15 13:49 By Meng Jing(chinadaily.com.cn)
China Music Corporation and QQ Music under internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd announced on Friday a strategic merger of their digital music businesses.
The merger of the two market leaders will combine Tencent's QQ Music service with CMC to form a new company, where Tencent will become the majority shareholder.
Tencent will fully support the new company to develop its digital music business, paving the way for an initial public offering.
According to a statement on Friday, the merger of the two market leaders is aimed at providing superior online music streaming experiences to users, as well as fostering an industry structure built upon authorized music rights and a freemium business model in China.
QQ Music, CMC's KuGou and Kuwo will continue to manage their existing brands and operations independently. Users can enjoy existing streaming services, and have access to a broad range of fun and innovative products provided across these platforms.
Null & void Updated: 2016-07-15 08:05 By An Baijie and Fu Jing(China Daily Europe)
Nation may act if it is threatened, official says
China would not rule out the option of setting up an air defense identification zone over the South China Sea if it felt threatened, according to a senior Chinese diplomat.
Liu Zhenmin, vice-minister of foreign affairs, said on July 13 that such a move, which would require aircraft entering the ADIZ to identify themselves to the Chinese military, would depend on "the level of threat received".
Speaking amid rising maritime tensions caused by the Philippines' arbitration case, he said, "If our security is being threatened, of course we have the right to demarcate a zone."
He added that other countries should not "take this opportunity to threaten China" or "let it become the origin of a war". China's aim is to "turn the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation", he said.
The arbitral tribunal, appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, said on July 12 that China has no "historic title" over the South China Sea.
Shortly after the announcement, President Xi Jinping reiterated that China is committed to resolving disputes through direct negotiations, but said its national sovereignty and maritime interests will not be influenced under any circumstances by The Hague ruling.
"The South China Sea Islands have been China's territory since ancient times," he said during a meeting in Beijing with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. "We refuse to accept any claims or activities based on the arbitral ruling."
China has always respected international laws and justice and kept to a path of peaceful development, Xi said, adding that maritime disputes should be resolved though direct negotiations on the basis of respecting historical facts and in line with international law.
Beijing issued two statements immediately after the ruling at The Hague. Noting that Chinese activities in the South China Sea date back more than 2,000 years, one statement pointed out that China is the first to have discovered, named, explored and exploited the sea's islands and surrounding waters.
The State Council Information Office also released a five-chapter white paper on the disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
The core of the disputes, the white paper says, are territorial issues caused by the Philippines' invasion and illegal occupation of Nansha islands and reefs.
Liu has accused the five judges of the arbitral tribunal of "making money from the Philippines" and said "maybe other people gave them money, too".
He said Shunji Yanai, a former Japanese president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, has "manipulated the entire proceedings" from behind the scenes and questioned whether the judges - four Europeans and a Ghanaian chairman, a longtime resident of Europe - could understand the complex geographic politics of Asia.
The diplomat said China hopes the new Philippine government, led by President Rodrigo Duterte, will not use the arbitration results and added that China is willing to negotiate with its South China Sea neighbors on jointly exploiting oil and gas resources.
China has also urged the United States and Japan "to stop distorting international law" and using the arbitration on the South China Sea to serve their political aims.
Cui Tiankai, the Chinese ambassador in Washington, said on July 12 that territorial issues in the sea should not become issues between China and the US. "We will not yield to any pressure, be it in the form of military activities, media criticism or some self-claimed legal bodies," he said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a media briefing on July 13, "We hope ... they (the US, Japan and other countries pressing China to accept The Hague ruling) can treat international law seriously, not like playing a game, and not to distort and selectively abuse international law to serve their hidden political aims."
He said Japan should be clear about the history of the South China Sea issue because the Chinese islands were taken by Japan during World War II and were returned to China after Japan's surrender. He urged Japan to respect the postwar international order and stop interfering in the issue.
Some experts have accused the US of stirring matters in the sea to block China and improve its regional military and diplomatic presence, and of using former Philippine president Benigno Aquino was used as a pawn to aid its Asia-Pacific strategy.
Tao Wenzhao, a researcher of US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says the arbitration was not solely the business of the Philippines.
"We can see Washington, which never ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, encouraged and supported Manila to initiate the arbitration case from the very beginning," Tao says, adding that the top lawyers Manila hired were US citizens.
Call to open talks
In fact, the US set the precedent of nonparticipation and nonacceptance of a ruling by a third party to settle an international dispute in the Nicaragua case of the 1980s.
Recently, seven US warships have been patrolling the South China Sea, including the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and three destroyers, which have sailed close to Chinese reefs and islands.
Oskar Krejci, director of the Institute of Global Studies at the University of Jan Amos Komensky Prague, says the US is not acting in the region like someone trying to restore balance. Instead, it acts like a purveyor of "a military presence strategy, and therefore is making an effort to maintain US hegemony in the region".
Former senior government officials in the Philippines have called on the Duterte administration to start talks with China and to ignore the ruling.
"The negotiations must start immediately. The arbitral ruling is both useless and irrelevant," says Butch Valdes, former undersecretary of the Philippine Education Department.
Valdes questioned the validity of the ruling, which claims Taiping Island as a rock despite the fact the island has an airstrip, a hospital, several buildings and fresh water. "There is something wrong with the so-called arbitration court," he says.
Alberto Encomienda, former secretary-general of the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Center of the Philippine Foreign Affairs Department, says his country should not have taken the case to the tribunal in the first place. He agrees with Valdes that the two governments should talk to solve the disputes as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Taiwan said on July 12 that it does not accept the tribunal's ruling. The decision on Taiping Island, part of the Nansha Islands group, has "seriously impaired" its rights, according to the office of Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen.
According to China's Foreign Ministry, more than 70 countries have expressed support for China's stance that negotiation and not arbitration is the only way to resolve South China Sea disputes.
Peter van Tuijl, executive director of the Secretariat of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict Foundation, which is based in The Hague, says all parties now should talk to set up a mechanism to prevent further escalation of conflicts and tensions.
"This is what China, the Philippines, the US and other parties should do to refrain from using military force," he says. "Of course, the international community should be very clear that China will not accept this ruling, as it has already stated many times."
Nirj Deva, vice-chairman of the European Parliament's development committee, told Xinhua News Agency that the arbitration had solved nothing. "It's a matter of territorial dispute. This issue should not have gone to The Hague."
He says Aquino made the "wrong decision" and broke his country's commitment made in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
According to the declaration, China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations agreed to settle regional disputes through consultation and negotiation. However, by not consulting China about involving a third party, the Philippines walked away from its commitment, Deva says.
By contrast, he praised China for abiding by its international commitments. "On the whole, if you look at China's history, it has been a very good obeyer of international laws and has kept to all international treaties that it has signed."
Many African countries have voiced their support of China's stance.
"China has shown a lot of restraint (and) steadily maintained the need for dialogue with its neighbors, a sign of great diplomacy and respect to other states despite its growing global influence," says Albert Yankey, the Ghanaian ambassador to Ethiopia. "It's critical that a solution be forged peacefully."
Warren Gunda, director of political affairs for the Malawi Foreign Ministry, adds that the parties involved should sit down to resolve the dispute.
"Communities sharing borders have lived together for generations in peaceful coexistence, and resolutions made without any regard to this relationship will open irreparable divisions," he says. "Obviously there is documentation and history to be considered during the discussions. But dialogue is important."
Contact the writers through anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn
Chen Yingqun and Pan Zhongming contributed to this story.
A fisherman transports his catch after a day's work off Yongxing Island in Sansha, Hainan province, in late 2012. Sansha, China's southernmost city, was established in June 2012. Zheng Huansong / Xinhua
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page1)
Satellite to study ocean waves, wind Updated: 2016-07-15 08:06 By Zhao Lei(China Daily Europe)
China has begun to build the first Sino-French satellite and plans to launch it in 2018 to improve oceanographical research, scientists have announced.
The development of the prototype of the China-France Oceanography Satellite has finished and production has started, says Dong Xiaolong, assistant director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' National Space Science Center.
Once put into service, the satellite will measure the wind and waves on the ocean's surface, contributing to forecasts for mariners and early warning of disasters, he says.
The satellite will carry two major instruments: the French-developed surface wave investigation and monitoring radar, and the Chinese-developed wind scatterometer.
"The mission is scientifically important and meaningful because it will help us improve our overall understanding of the ocean and climate variations. Moreover, it will benefit ocean-related businesses such as offshore engineering, fisheries, shipping industry, and coastal or harbor management," he says.
Dong made the remarks on the sidelines of the 2016 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium in Beijing. The event was held by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the world's largest association of technical professionals, and lasted from July 10 to 15.
Started in 2006, the satellite project is the first to be jointly developed by China and France. Its design is based on China's CAST 2000 satellite platform, which has been used for more than 10 satellites, explains Wang Lili, chief designer of the satellite at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
The satellite will be launched atop a Long March carrier rocket in 2018, she adds.
In addition to the China-France satellite, authorities in the two nations have agreed to enhance cooperation in space-based astronomy by developing the Space Variable Objects Monitor satellite to study gamma-ray bursts, according to the China National Space Administration.
The dynamic partnership of China and France in space is an icon of the scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, Jean-Yves le Gall, president of the French National Center for Space Studies, told Xinhua News Agency in Paris this month.
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.com
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page2)
Event Highlights:
#repost @cedrocosta out at the @evergreenmtb fest this past weekend exchanging new helmets and hugs #kaliforlife #kaliroadwarrior #freehugs A video posted by @kaliprotectives on Jun 14, 2016 at 10:56am PDT
What is the Kali Race Support Program and who is the Road Warrior?
kaliroadwarrior@kaliprotectives.com
Kali Road Warrior - Saving Your Race!
On June 11th, the Kali Road Warrior headed for Issaquah, Washington for the Evergreen MTB Festival , a two day demo and fundraiser event.Held at Duthie Hill Park, over 3500 participants enjoyed bike demos, food, music and good times. With most of the major bike companies bringing their demo fleets, the Evergreen MTB Fest was possibly the largest on-dirt demo event besides Interbike and Outerbike. The Duthie Park trail system is designed perfectly for short laps on a variety of terrain, making it a great place to demo multiple bikes and compare them back to back on the same trails.The festival atmosphere was also very inviting to all trail users in the park that weekend. Many people stumbled across the event and decided on the spot to sign up and demo bikes. Since all of the bike companies were requiring helmets to demo their bikes (duh), Kali's Rider Support program was in the right place at the right time. Dozens of riders each day were able to demo a Kali helmet and enjoy the awesome variety of singletack at Duthie Hill Park.All monies raised at the festival go to help the nonprofit Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance build and maintain trails in an effort to make Washington one of the best places to ride. Over 3500 registered participants attended the 2-day event Over 50 vendors attended Bike demos from all major MTB brands Kali offered demo helmets to dozens of riders 10 helmets were exchanged at the event (2x full face, 6x enduro, 1x bucket, 1x kids), while several others were sold to stoked riders 100% of the participants walked away amazed and grateful for Kalis support and generosityThe Road Warriors next stop is CES Round 4, the VP Endurofest at China Peak. We hope to see you there!In an effort to support events and racers of all levels, Kali Protectives has launched a new Race Support helmet exchange program in conjunction with the Kali Road Warrior.We all ride and unfortunately, crashes do happen. Sometimes that happens at an event or race weekend, resulting in your helmet being damaged and unsafe to continue to use. But you have more racing to do. What now? When the Road Warrior attends a scheduled event, registered racers/attendees have the opportunity to submit their crash damaged helmet for inspection, and exchange it for a brand new Kali helmet at no charge. Kali is on hand to ensure riders can continue to compete without worrying about their helmet.Currently, the program is limited to the West Coast, however, we are preparing to launch another Road Warrior and Race Support Program in Canada. Providing this initiative continues to be successful, we may establish Road Warriors in other territories.If you would like to learn more about the Kali Road Warrior or possibly schedule him to attend your next event, shoot an email to
Asia-Europe talks can boost growth Updated: 2016-07-15 08:07 By Liu Zhiqin(China Daily Europe)
Meeting can deliver real progress when the United States is on one side and everyone else is on the other
The international community has been looking for a new engine to accelerate economic development, which is why many countries have pinned their hopes on this year's Asia-Europe Meeting, which takes place on July 15 and 16 in the People's Republic of Mongolia.
With the world facing downward pressure on economic growth, people have expectations that the ASEM can create more opportunities to find a safe, practical exit from the present crises.
The ASEM has 51 member countries, accounting for about 40 percent of the global population and 60 percent of global GDP. In any sense, we have no doubt the ASEM will play a critical role in the world economy.
This year's ASEM will face new challenges and will send a message to the international community that measures to ensure smooth development must be worked out as soon as possible to stimulate economic growth, in order to coordinate with the G20 Summit in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou in September.
China will take this opportunity to show its concern over the present situation and its friendly wishes to strengthen ties with all Asian and European partners.
The following feature will be hot topics at the ASEM:
Close cooperation is needed in policymaking. For the past 20 years, most Asian countries have contributed by developing their own economies, which in turn has helped stabilize the economy in Asia. The establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank provided additional support to meet the development demands in the region.
Since the first ASEM in 1996, the countries have worked to improve the management system and set up close cooperation in all sectors such as politics, economics, finance, education, health and security, and have achieved inspiring results. That's why most Asian countries overcame difficulties after the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.
To eliminate the obstacle in trading, ASEM members should escalate the process to negotiate free trade agreements. Some countries still are not ready to raise the tempo to finalize FTA talks, which will definitely hinder the deepening of cooperation with China.
China will take the opportunity to show the world that it is ready to stimulate its sharing economy with countries in Asia and Europe. Premier Li Keqiang will attend the ASEM and will meet with the state leaders of Mongolia and other major countries to discuss how China can help the ASEM realize the goals of economic growth in the next few years.
The Belt and Road Initiative - a plan to create connect China with Asia, Europe and the Middle East through the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road - is not just a dream. It is a comprehensive project that invites all the countries of Asia and Europe to share the achievements that China has made in the past 35 years of reform and opening-up. The initiative combines technology, infrastructure, scientific innovation and finance to drive new growth in the world economy. Only honest cooperation can bring these fruits to participating countries.
We are aware the timing of this year's ASEM is sensitive due to the geopolitical conflicts that have intensified in recent months, especially the situation in the South China Sea. So, the ASEM will be a test case for the world and a good opportunity for all countries involved to perform on a global stage.
We have confidence the ASEM is a "classroom" for "students" to discuss a solution to problems without any so-appointed "teachers" telling us what to do. We're able to handle the issue and will create a new way to solve historical conflicts. All countries understand well that developing the economy is the real goal and that only economic cooperation can bring wealth and prosperity to the people.
Europe is experiencing a difficult time, as some unexpected events have taken place in a short time frame. These events, which include the decision by Britain to leave the European Union, will surely have a negative influence on economic cooperation.
Brexit will damage the unity and connectivity of Europe and will certainly become a major reason to downgrade growth. So we have even more confidence about the future of Europe because we know that the UK and Europe will find new forms of cooperation to improve economic development. Otherwise, both sides fall into problems. This uncertainty is also an opportunity for countries to expand their business and trade relations with the UK and the EU.
The anti-missile system deployed on the Korean Peninsula could also harm relations between China and South Korea and other countries, so there is still a lot of homework to do for all ASEM countries.
As for China, it will do its best to strengthen unity and cooperation within the ASEM and hold talks with countries on legal and fair conditions.
Mongolia is an important country for China, as it is a reliable and constructive neighbor. The countries have established a close partnership and support each other in international affairs. In recent years, China has become Mongolia's most important trade partner in terms of machinery, food and natural resources, and the countries will set up close contact in the financial sector to boost infrastructure cooperation.
Mongolia plays a unique role as an unbroken bridge connecting Russia and China. Its role becomes more valuable and extremely important because of the Korean anti-missile deployment and the South China Sea disputes. We believe China will provide more funds to strengthen relations with Mongolia and Russia during the ASEM.
The world is now divided into two groups: prime states like the United States, the only superpower in the world, and sub-prime states, mostly every other country. The latter group must have more say to dictate world affairs. We must carefully handle all problems to maintain world peace and give the world a chance to save itself from economic disaster.
In our experience, we find that it is an easy job to get people to know each other. But it is more difficult to get people to understand each other. Knowing each other is only the first step to reach our goal, as understanding each other brings real fruit. So it is critical that all ASEM countries truly understand each other's core interests, as it will lead to win-win integration of Asian and European nations, because we are all sub-prime states.
The author is a senior fellow at Renmin University of China's Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page12)
Chilcot Report a wake-up call for world Updated: 2016-07-15 08:07 By Fu Jing(China Daily Europe)
Politicians' decisions today will be judged by generations to come - leaders such as Obama should bear this in mind
With the aftershocks of the EU referendum result still reverberating, the UK has this month been confronted with the findings of the Iraq war inquiry, which criticized the Blair government for joining the US in launching military action against the Middle Eastern country.
The two events are phenomenal, but for different reasons.
The Brexit decision on June 23 came from a democratic exercise that has had mostly negative consequences for the EU, UK and other global players in the short term. The long-term impact is still unforeseeable.
Yet the Iraq Inquiry, published on July 6 by a committee led by Sir John Chilcot that probed the UK's first invasion and full-scale occupation of a sovereign state since World War II, has positive messages, although the war itself was merciless.
Chilcot has been paid about $1,000 a day since 2009, when he was appointed as the committee chairman, and his team has also been well paid. It was value for money.
In the lengthy report, Chilcot concludes that the UK chose to back the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 before peaceful options for disarmament had been exhausted. It says military action at that time was not a last resort.
The inquiry also concluded that judgments made about the severity of the threat posed by Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction were presented with unjustified certainty. In addition, despite explicit warnings, the consequences of the invasion were underestimated and the planning and preparations for Iraq after Saddam Hussein were wholly inadequate.
The findings in this report, which was started in 2009 as the UK withdrew its combat forces from Iraq, have been hotly debated, while the Iraqi people continue to suffer the aftermath of this conflict through bombings, shootings, hatred and separation.
There is much debate in the UK about preventing further mistakes in the government's decision-making process. However, the goals are too limited.
The UK has been a global player for years, and following in the steps of its ally, the United States, has got involved in conflicts in several countries. Britain should carefully review its decisions on invading countries and instead bolster a peace-loving culture among the public.
Of course, a similar inquiry on the Iraq war ought to be conducted in the US, which masterminded the invasion irrespective of United Nations resolutions. George W. Bush, who served as US president from 2001 to 2009, should face stern questioning, too.
Going beyond the content of the Chilcot Report, it offers a wake-up call for the world amid rising geopolitical concerns in many regions.
On July 8, when NATO leaders met in Warsaw, the BBC reported that a 500-strong British army battalion is to be deployed to Estonia, while 150 troops will be placed in Poland as part of the response to concerns over Russia.
Bloody actions, mainly because of a US presence, are also still happening in many places in western parts of Asia and North Africa.
The US has stood behind Japan, the Philippines and other Asian countries to trigger rising security concerns in the Asia-Pacific area since deciding to return to the region. Plus, the US and South Korea have decided to deploy the Terminal High-Attitude Area Defense, which was announced on July 8.
All these actions have unfolded mainly due to the competitive military capacities of the US and its longstanding hegemonic foreign policy. Just count how many wars the US has engaged in together with its allies since WWII. By contrast, China, the world's second-largest economy, has never invaded another country.
Quite the opposite, China has become more active in peacefully engaging with the world, even in finding solutions to disputes. It has been trying to create a chessboard on which all the players are winners.
The Chilcot Report reminds us that those politicians who resort to war are wrong and unwise.
Politicians' decisions today will be judged by generations to come. Outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama should bear this in mind.
If the fate of Blair is to be avoided, politicians in the West should not jump to the easy conclusion that "if you don't agree, I will kill you". That logic is not viable in a changing world.
The author is deputy chief of China Daily European Bureau. Contact the writer at fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page13)
2016 WSOP Day 44: The Money Bubble Bursts in the Main Event
July 15, 2016 Marty Derbyshire
They played into the money and beyond on Day 3 of the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas on Thursday.
Now, just 800 players remain in the hunt for one of nine seats at the Main Event final table this November, and ultimately the title of World Champion and the $8 million first-place prize that comes with it.
All summer long, PokerNews.com will be bringing you daily coverage of the 2016 WSOP, brought to you by our sponsors, 888poker.
WSOP Veterans Emerge as Contenders in the Main Event
The 2016 Main Event's third day started with the survivors from three starting flights and separate Day 2s combining for the first time and eight-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Valentin Vornicu leading a 2,186-player field. Vornicu maintained the lead through the first part of the day and into the dinner break, joining European Poker Tour Barcelona winner Tom Middleton as the first players past the 1,000,000 chip mark.
The 1,012-player money bubble burst just after midnight, without the need for hand-for-hand play, as Adam Furgatch took bubble boy honors, winning a 2017 WSOP Main Event seat in the process.
"A famous player, I don't remember who, once said that the day you bust out of the Main Event is the saddest day of the year for a poker player," Furgatch told PokerNews. "So yes, it's sad, but I was so down on chips, to get anything, the experience of being the bubble boy, the difference between that and maybe going out a few hands later for an extra $5,000, the experience may be worth $5,000."
As the day wore on, leading up to the money bubble and past it, several players pushed up and over the 1,000,000 mark, building contending stacks. Montreal, Canada native Marc-Andre Ladouceur, who finished 63rd in the 2011 Main Event and a heartbreaking 13th the very next year, just missing out on the November Nine experience, was among them.
This time around, Ladouceur told PokerNews he's enjoying the experience and feeling confident he can make something special happen.
"I feel a lot more confident in my play than I was in 2012," Ladouceur said. "I mean, it was heartbreaking back then, and now I'm just glad to have some chips and hopefully make another deep run.
"I think the experience is going to help so much. This is a big moment for everybody here, as it should be, and it's still a big moment for me, but it is known territory. I know what I need to do, and not do, over the next four days. There is the play on the table, but there are also a lot of things off the table too. Eating, sleeping, if I was to make Day 7 I think I'd be a lot more ready, and a lot more composed than I was before. I think I'm more relaxed now. I enjoyed the moment back then too, but I think I have more fun now, and I'm very much looking forward to the next four days now, if I can make it. It would be amazing to have a chance at making a Day 7 again. To have a second shot at it would mean a lot."
2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer also built a contending stack on the day, and although he's not among the leaders heading into Day 4, he's also hoping experience will aid him in making a deep run again this year.
"It is so different now," Raymer said. "The players are so much better. The worst players now are significantly better than the worst players were back then. There used to be a lot of systematic errors that players made over and over again, and most of them avoid those errors in today's poker world. It's a lot harder to build that big stack, at least much harder than it used to be. You have to play good and run good every time. It used to be you could just play good and not run bad to build a big stack in an event like this.
"But when you talk about reading tells and things like that, they come from a place of emotion. When people are feeling emotional they are much more likely to exhibit a tell. Because I've been there and done that, it's not going to cause that kind of emotion in me."
Raymer said experience helps him avoid tilt when things go wrong and avoid getting over excited when they go right.
"Even some of these younger guys who are really great players, if they are deep in the Main Event for the first time, they are going to start showing some of these emotions in these big pots. That's where experienced players like myself can have an advantage."
When play wrapped up close to 2 a.m. local time Friday morning, Belgian WSOP veteran Kenny Hallaert had pushed into the chip lead with several recognizable names making their way into the top 20, including three-time WSOP bracelet winner Antonio Esfandiari, Shaun Deeb, Steve O'Dwyer, Ray Dehkharghani, and the aforementioned Ladouceur.
Top 10 Chip Counts
Place Player Stack 1 Kenny Hallaert 1,709,000 2 Jared Bleznick 1,607,000 3 Duy Ho 1,480,000 4 [Removed:172] 1,400,000 5 Mark Zullo 1,390,000 6 Myung Mike Shin 1,385,000 7 Antonio Esfandiari 1,381,000 8 Nolan King 1,355,000 9 Jasthi Kumar 1,351,000 10 Farhad Jamasi 1,302,000
Top pros Chris Hunichen, Melanie Weisner, Tom Marchese, Antonie Saout, James Obst, Jimmy Fricke, Chris Klodnicki, Scott Montgomery, Max Silver, Maria Ho, and a blast from the past in Gavin Griffin, also emerged as threats in the top 100.
Vornicu also held on to a contending stack, but 2015 WSOP Main Event Winner Joe McKeehen was busted just before the bubble burst running tens into aces and joining a group of notables who made Day 3 but did not cash, including 1989 WSOP Main Event Champ Phil Hellmuth, Actor Ray Romano, 888poker Ambassador Sofia Lovgren, 2016 WSOP bracelet winner and World Poker Tour analyst Tony Dunst, and two-time WSOP bracelet winner and online heads-up cash legend Doug Polk.
Recognizable names that cashed but did not survive the day included Matt Berkey, Kitty Kuo, Keven Stammen, Kristen Bicknell, Nick Petrangelo, Eli Elezra, Shannon Shorr, McLean Karr, Eric Wasserson and Irish poker legend Donnacha O'Dea.
Play will resume at 12 p.m. local time Saturday with each of the remaining players guaranteed at least $16,007.
The Little One Doubles Up
The last WSOP tournament outside of the Main Event continued Thursday with the third and final starting flight for the $1,111 Little One for One Drop.
After drawing 2,180 entries over the first two flights, another 2,180 jumped in Thursday, bringing the total number up to 4,360. That means a total prize pool of $3,924,000 was created that will pay 654 spots, with a min-cash ringing in at $1,501, and a WSOP bracelet and $525,520 awaiting the winner.
It appears a little over 800 survivors from all three starting flights will come back for Day 2 at 2 p.m. local time Friday with the money bubble in sight.
As the 2016 WSOP rolls on, be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage, brought to you by our sponsors, 888poker.
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The following is a statement issued by President Obama about the attack in Nice, France:
On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded. I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.
On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life.
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Hillary Clintons campaign has wasted no time alerting voters to the bigotry and extremism of Trumps VP pick, Mike Pence.
John Podesta, chair of Hillary for America said in a statement:
By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families.
Pence is the most extreme pick in a generation and was one of the earliest advocates for the Tea Party. He was the first of GOP leadership to join Michele Bachmanns Tea Party Caucus. As governor, Pence personally spearheaded an anti-LGBT law that legalized discrimination against the LGBT community, alienated businesses, caused boycotts, lost investments and embarrassed Hoosiers a law he was later forced to revise. Pence also personally led the fight to defund Planned Parenthood while serving in the House and fought to pass Indianas 2016 anti-abortion law, with some of the most outrageous restrictions in the country that threatened womens privacy and limited their choice. And just like Trump, hes been a long-time opponent of comprehensive immigration reform.
Pence has been no economic leader or friend to the American worker. In fact, he wants to get rid of the very wages that make the middle class possible. Pence opposes raising the federal minimum wage and signed a law allowing skilled workers in Indiana to be paid less. Under his failed leadership, the incomes of Hoosiers have stalled at 38th in the nation.
Voters deserve better than more of their divisive policies and me-first economic proposals. This new Trump-Pence ticket stands in dramatic contrast to Hillary Clintons vision of our future one where we are stronger together, where unity prevails over division and the economy works for all Americans, not just those at the top.
Trump could have shaken up the presidential race by picking a running mate who could have broadened the electorate for the GOP. Unfortunately, the Republican nominee had already alienated any Republican who could have helped his ticket, so he played to type, and picked a bigoted far-right white male to be his running mate.
Pence is a tea partier, who holds all of the usual views that are common to that wing of the Republican Party. He will be cheered by the angry white conservative men who were already supporting Trump, but for the rest of the country, he is a reminder of a dangerous and discriminatory agenda that can not be allowed to occupy White House.
Time to energize China-EU relations Updated: 2016-07-15 08:07 By Luigi Gambardella(China Daily Europe)
Both sides should uncap hidden potential using pragmatism and applying their talent, resources to industry and technology
Last year marked the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union. The two parties celebrated their shared achievements in political cooperation, economic development and people-to-people dialogue.
China and the EU are marching further on their path toward a comprehensive strategic partnership. The age of 40 is a fresh start in China's culture, indicating that by age 40, a person will have a better understanding of things and a clearer idea of what to do in life. It is a milestone for maturity and pragmatism.
The same can be applied here in the case of China-EU relations: It is time for the two sides to unveil the hidden potential, to face unaddressed issues and to realize ambitious dreams with a pragmatic approach hand in hand.
The largest potential cooperation between Europe and China lies in 5G technology, digital investment, Industry 4.0, e-commerce and startups.
Let us look at them one by one.
5G and the internet of things
There are already over 500 million people using 4G technology, comprising the world's largest internet market with over 700 million users. It will definitely take a leading role in the development of global 5G and the internet of things, which is the network of devices and other objects with software or sensors that allow them to connect. The first to ally with China will grasp the chance to be a forerunner, developing its own 5G and IoT capability at the fastest speeds and ensuring a large share in this new market.
Europe should be the one: We should maintain privileged relations with Chinese partners and promote joint actions both in the field of research and technology trials. Further concrete joint initiatives should be put in place, such as the first full 5G cities, located in Europe and China.
A digital fund
China has shown a strong commitment to the Juncker Plan, which is aimed at stimulating the European economy, announcing its will to contribute up to 10 billion euros ($11 billion). This sends a strong signal that China thinks Europe is a good investment. The EU should take advantage of this trust from its partner, use the money wisely and generate tangible results in the interest of both sides.
Digital is key to power up the economy. China is gearing up its economic growth through digitalization under its nationwide Internet Plus strategy, meant to integrate the internet with traditional industries, while the EU attaches great importance to the Digital Single Market strategy to revive its economy and regain competitiveness.
The Juncker Plan, combined with the entry of Chinese capital, provides a unique opportunity for Europe to create a joint digital fund with China, aimed at supporting small and medium-sized EU enterprises in information and communications technology or interested in helping transform traditional businesses into digital ones.
Industry 4.0
Manufacturing is about to undergo a digital revolution thanks to 5G and the introduction of new technologies. This is what Europe calls Industry 4.0. Think about how new applications are affecting our daily lives: artificial intelligence, 3-D printers and drones, just to mention a few. It will be an epochal moment, with disruptive consequences to traditional industries, similarly to what happened with Uber and the transport sector.
China has reacted to the new trend swiftly and is taking fast measures to adapt. European manufacturing must be ready as well. Creating an alliance with China, which is interested in increasing its investment and cooperation in Europe, can be a precious opportunity for European industry to accelerate its transformation.
E-commerce
China is the largest market for e-commerce in the world, with online retail sales totaling 3.9 trillion yuan ($583 billion; 529 billion euros) in 2015. Europe should focus on further strengthening its ties with Chinese e-commerce companies, and intensifying EU-China cross-border online trade.
Cross-border e-commerce also means huge potential for European SMEs to reach the expanding and increasingly demanding Chinese middle-class consumers. For example, in food and beverage, Italian products comprise only 1 percent of Chinese imports, versus 30 percent for US products.
Implementing Alibaba's proposed Electronic World Trade Platform, which would empower SMEs that had been largely left out of free trade, could be a very good start, but we need to explore more ambitious solutions, and take concrete measures to harmonize cross-border e-commerce rules and boost international transactions.
Startups
Startups can be seen as injections of fresh blood in the veins of an economy, carrying the enormous vitality needed for stronger performance. In China, 12,000 startups are registered every day. The cooperation potential is beyond imagination.
The ChinaEU association has created SilkCamp to explore such potential. The joint boot camp program aims to promote cooperation between European and Chinese startups in the high-tech and internet fields by providing support to navigate and scale up in each other's markets.
The author is president of ChinaEU, a business-led association that aims to strengthen joint research and business collaboration and investment in internet, telecommunications and high-tech between China and Europe. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page14)
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China condemns S. Sudan attack Updated: 2016-07-15 08:07 By Wang Qingyun(China Daily Europe)
Two soldiers on peacekeeping duty were killed and five others injured as armored vehicle hit
China has strongly condemned the attack in South Sudan's capital, Juba, on July 10 that killed two Chinese peacekeepers and wounded five others.
An armored vehicle of the Chinese peacekeeping troops was hit by stray artillery fire in the camp of the headquarters of the United Nations mission in South Sudan at 6:40 pm local time, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on July 11.
The wife and son of Yang Shupeng, a Chinese peacekeeper who died during a mission in South Sudan, stand in front of his portrait in Shandong province. Photos Provided to China Daily The medals and accolades collected by Yang during his life.
Two Chinese soldiers who died were identified as Li Lei and Yang Shupeng, China Central Television reported.
This is the second deadly incident recently involving Chinese peacekeepers. On May 31, a terror attack in Mali killed a Chinese peacekeeper and injured four others.
China is "deeply shocked" by and "strongly condemns" the attack in South Sudan, Lu said.
The Chinese embassy was doing its best to coordinate the rescue of injured peacekeepers, and China has asked the South Sudan government to thoroughly investigate the incident and severely punish those responsible, said Lu.
He said the Foreign Ministry had an emergency meeting with South Sudan's ambassador to China, and the Chinese embassy met with officials of the South Sudan government.
They asked the government to take measures to protect the security and property of Chinese citizens in the country, Lu said.
Armed conflicts between the South Sudan president's forces and its vice-president's forces have resumed in Juba.
The fighting erupted on July 7 and broke out again on July 8, Reuters reported.
"China is deeply concerned that large-scale armed conflicts have broken out in Juba and that South Sudan's peace process is facing setbacks," Lu said. He added that China is calling for the rival factions to immediately cease fire, stop the violence and take effective measures to implement the peace deal.
China will consider measures, including evacuation operations, to protect Chinese citizens who are in South Sudan, he said.
The Foreign Ministry has asked the Chinese embassy in South Sudan to initiate an emergency response, and it has helped Chinese people and companies in South Sudan enhance their security, Lu added.
The ministry also has issued an alert for Chinese not to go to South Sudan, and said those already there should avoid regions with conflicts.
He Wenping, a researcher at the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says: "The deeper China takes part in the UN peacekeeping, the larger security risks there will be for Chinese peacekeeping troops."
She adds that the international community, including African countries, has been calling for China to get more involved in peacekeeping in Africa.
A ceasefire appears to be holding in Juba since July 12, after four days of heavy fighting between rival forces left more than 270 people dead.
wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page15)
OWATONNA Richard W. Jurgensen, 22, thought he was with friends the night he died. Instead, the man accused of shooting him asked Jurgensen to cut a length of cord cord that was later used to bind Jurgensen's hands before he was killed.
Cyrus Noel Trevino, 24, of Owatonna, has been charged with second-degree murder in the case. He remains in custody in the Steele County Detention Center in lieu of $1.5 million conditional bail; his initial court appearance is set for Monday.
His first legal appearance was made in a small courtroom inside the detention center, authorities said, because of the tension between the Jurgensen and Trevino families. Additional deputies and jail staff members were also present.
Gerald William Blevins, 36, also of Owatonna, has been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. He was allegedly present when Jurgensen was killed June 25 on a gravel road in Steele County.
His body was found early the next morning. He'd been shot multiple times, and his hands were bound.
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A preliminary search of his cell phone indicated that the last contact he'd had was from a number associated with Trevino, the criminal complaint says, leading investigators to him as a suspect.
Trevino believed Jurgensen had been an informant for law enforcement in a case against Trevino's brother. Jeremy Rae Trevino and Cecilia Elizabeth Boyd were arrested in March with more than two pounds of methamphetamine in their possession.
Another woman, the girlfriend of Trevino's uncle, was arrested in May for possession of meth.
Boyd reportedly told Cyrus Trevino that Jurgensen had "snitched" on her and the uncle's girlfriend; he was not an informant, law enforcement records revealed.
A witness told investigators that the night of the murder, Trevino was looking at documents that purported to show Jurgensen was a police informant. The witness said Trevino claimed he would "handle" the "snitches."
According to the criminal complaint, Trevino and Blevins were together June 25; several witnesses said the men took a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun and a handgun with them when they left Trevino's apartment with Jurgensen. Trevino allegedly told one of the witnesses later that he got rid of the weapons, and to tell anyone who asked that he'd thrown them in a trash bin.
A notebook found in Trevino's closet labeled "Cyrus Book" contained a letter to his children, court documents say, reading in part, " I'm gonna rule the underground world. I'm take it and it's gonna be bloody and many will be getting hurt ," going on to say, "its funny how no one remember the love I had for people like brothers I had or thought I had. To be honest people should be dead."
Blevins told investigators he'd been at Trevino's apartment the night of the shooting, and heard Trevino tell the victim to cut a piece of yellow cord from a length of cord in Trevino's bedroom. Jurgensen did, and brought the cord with them when the three left together in Trevino's vehicle.
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Blevins said Trevino used the rope to bind Jurgensen's hands when they reached the gravel road, and later told a friend he was holding the shotgun while the victim "was pleading and denying that he was not a snitch," the reports say.
Blevins allegedly told detectives that Trevino shot Jurgensen at point-blank range in the chest with the pistol; after Jurgensen fell, Trevino fired additional shots into his head.
According to the complaint, Trevino told both Jurgensen and Blevins that "snitches end up in ditches, bitches." The two drove back to Owatonna, where a witness said Blevins was sweating profusely and upset, and said "the driver" had shot Jurgensen.
Trevino has told investigators the last time he saw the victim, Jurgensen was in Owatonna, walking with Blevins and another person. Trevino died any involvement in the murder.
PINE ISLAND A fundraiser will be held Saturday in honor of Gabe Heiden, a Pine Island child who needs a kidney transplant.
The event is scheduled 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Pine Island City Park. Funds are being raised to assist with the transplant-related expenses.
Gabe and his family have asked for assistance from the Children's Organ Transplant Association, a charity based in Bloomington, Ind. COTA's services are free, with 100 percent of funds generated by community fundraising campaign going toward transplant-related expenses.
Gabe, 11, has been dealing with kidney disease since birth. His chronic kidney disease becomes more severe as he matures, making a transplant inevitable.
The Island Classic Car Club has been helping put this event together along with local food vendors. For more information, call Heidi Smith at 356-2711 or e-mail hjsmith@bevcomm.net
AUSTIN Church members rolled up their sleeves as part of a larger effort to bring volunteerism and a sense of community back to Austin, one house at a time.
Hopebuilders is an adult mission team from Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin that works to fix up the homes of those who are unable to for either physical or economic reasons. With the mission to "Bring hope to a hurting world," the group has traveled around the country since 2005 to help those in need.
After fixing up houses throughout the country, the members of Hopebuilders decided to bring what they have learned through their mission trips back to their home community in Austin. To do this, the group teamed up with Vision 2020 and Habitat for Humanity to become involved in the Community Home Improvement Program.
Created by Vision 2020, a local group whose mission is to improve Austin's quality of life through volunteer work, CHIP works with local organizations to provide volunteer labor and low-interest loans for houses of those in need.
That is how the volunteers from Westminster Presbyterian Church ended up at Cindy Vaughn's door.
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Vaughn grew up in Austin and moved into her current house 10 years ago. With fibromyalgia and other disabilities that made moving around the house difficult, she found it almost physically impossible to do the upkeep that was necessary on her house.
About 40 Hopebuilders volunteers a day showed up to work on Vaughn's house from July 7-11. Mainly focused on the exterior of the house, they did siding work, painted the house and garage, built a front porch and even did some landscaping work.
During those four days, Vaughn brought out lemonade and snacks for the volunteers, always making sure to stick around to chat and joke with the people that were fixing her house. Although community service is enough to make one feel all warm and fuzzy inside, Mike Olmsted, pastor for the Westminster Presbyterian Church, said that the relationships that the volunteers made with Vaughn made it all worthwhile.
"She really was a blessing for all of us, which made it even more meaningful," Olmsted said.
Greg Siems, director of Vision 2020, said that CHIP has helped rehabilitate more 40 homes since its start in 2013. With the goal of the program to not only bring up property values around the area but also to bring about a sense of pride in the community, he said that the amount of participation from local organizations has really helped the program thrive.
"I couldn't even tell you how many organizations are involved," Siems said. "It's been amazing how many people have backed this program."
As for Vaughn, she can now look at her house with pride, while not forgetting the people who gave up their time and energy for such a worthy cause.
"I'm going to miss them around the house," Vaughn said. "They were an excellent group and they did an excellent job. I don't know what I would have done without them."
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PINE ISLAND The Pine Island School Board approved the hiring of two new principals at a pair of school board meetings in May.
Mitchel Schiltz, who previously served as the grades nine through 12 principal in Lewiston-Altura, will serve in that same capacity in Pine Island. Schiltz also served as an assistant principal in the Rochester Public Schools.
Josh Westphal, who served as dean of students and curriculum director in Pine Island will be the principal of the fifth- through eighth-grade middle school. An Owatonna native, he will start his fifth year in Pine Island at his new post.
"It's a huge scope to have 800-900 kids," said Pine Island Superintendent Tammy Berg-Beniak. She added that the focus for high school students versus middle schoolers is very different. "At the high school level, it's more about post-secondary planning, making sure they're ready for the future." MIddle school student, meanwhile require more work on their personalized learning and enrichment.
While the district will have two principals replacing one former principal Jeff Horton left to become the special education director in St. Cloud no new job position was needed in Pine Island.
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"All our principals are taking on the roll of curriculum," Berg-Beniak said.
To greener pastures Updated: 2016-07-15 08:08 By Yang Feiyue and Erik Nilsson(China Daily Europe)
Summer is a prime time to explore Inner Mongolia's vast grasslands, when they are at their most verdant, but the region offers more than pretty prairies
Summertime paints the Inner Mongolia autonomous region's true hue - green - in its greatest array of shades.
But there's more to the palette that colors the area during this season, such as blanched deserts and cerulean lakes, as well as human elements that tint its cultural tapestry like archery, horse racing and wrestling.
Ethnic Mongolians herd horses on Xilingol's grasslands in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Photos Provided to China Daily A camel caravan makes its way through the Xiangshawan desert in Erdos. The stone forest in Ashihatu Geological Park, Chifeng.
Inner Mongolia's topography is crumpled to conjure mountains. In some spots, the Earth's crust is torn to make volcanoes bleed to shape scabs and scars on our planet's skin.
Hulun Buir's grassland is among the country's best preserved, and is at its peak between June and September. Travelers ride horses on the grasslands, fish on the rivers, or boat on Hulun Lake.
Erdos' Xiangshawan offers deserts sprinkled with oases, where Mongolian culture thrives. The Tengger Desert is the fourth biggest in the country, and hundreds of lakes reflect its thousands of dunes.
Meanwhile, Mongolian scotch pines prickle Hailar's national forest.
Tourism authorities are working to let people know that while the region has become synonymous with grasslands, it offers much more.
"We're launching the Prairie Plus development strategy to offer multiple experiences and change stereotypes about Inner Mongolia," says Wei Guonan, the regional director of tourism.
The plan involves driving routes and products with themes such as folk customs.
A roadtrip itinerary that traces the north from Hulun Buir to Alxa connects Inner Mongolia's main attractions.
"Vast views make driving the best way to discover the region," Wei says. "The route is the longest of its kind. It connects deserts, prairies, lakes, rivers and mountains. It links superb natural and cultural elements."
Routes that require three to five days have also been developed. Six campsites are also to open soon along the so-called Khorchin culture avenue, which stretches 500 kilometers.
Another route traces the warpath of Genghis Khan (1162-1227). It covers Xanadu, the summer palace of the warrior's grandson, Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). It tracks the Hinggan League and Erdos, a Mongolian border city built on one of China's most important dinosaur fossil excavation sites.
An eco-tour across Hulun Buir, Manzhouli and Arxan Mountain also offers grasslands, wetlands, water and Russian culture.
Visitors can engage with Mongolian tribes, explore the Argun River and experience Russian influences at Shiwei town, the northernmost point of Inner Mongolia.
A Xilingol and Chifeng tour features Mongolian tribes and historical sites, plus grasslands.
Another tour across Erdos, Bayannur, Wuhai and Alxa features prairies along with the Yellow River, red sandstone formations and deserts.
Family tours offer chances for parents and children to bond while milking cows and shaping sand sculptures.
Routes designed for the elderly also offer blood-glucose and fat monitoring while visiting Yulong Sand Lake and practicing tai chi. Really.
Ma Hui from Beijing hopes to return this summer after enjoying her visit in July last year. She plans to drive across the vast Hulun Buir grasslands.
"I saw some of my friends' photos. They were just beautiful," she says. "Inner Mongolia looks its best in summer."
Plus, its clement climate offers respite from boiling Beijing.
Ma says she enjoyed the cooler weather while exploring Gonger's grasslands and Chifeng city's Yulong Sand Lake, set in tremendous terrains studded with yurts and livestock.
She joined a bonfire party with toasts, songs and dances. "People were hospitable. It was relaxing to see the stars over the prairie."
And it's exciting to see what sunrises promise, plus deliver - beyond the grasslands, that is.
Contact the writers through yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn
New seasonal itineraries
Modern prairie tour: Erdos, Kangbashi, Hohhot
The route crosses prairies and unique geological wonders along the Yellow River as well as deserts
Driving: Hailar, Manzhouli and Hinggan League; Manzhouli, Ergun, Shiwei, Enhe, Linjiang, Genhe, Yakeshi and Hailar
Driving farther, going further: Hulun Buir Grassland, Greater Hinggan, Mohe, Qiqihar, Zhalong, Zhalantun, Chaihe, Arxan and Hulun Buir grasslands
Driving across borders: Manzhouli, Chita, Ulan, Ude, Irkutsk (Lake Baikal), Olkhon Island, Hailar, Manzhouli, Xin Barag Right Banner and Choibalsan
Great Khingan ecological route: Hulun Buir, Manzhouli and Arxan
Farming and nomadic culture: Erdos, Bayannur, Wuhai and Alxa
Family vacations: Xilamuren grasslands and Xiangshawan
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page21)
CLEVELAND Security planning for the Republican and Democratic national conventions took into account large-scale threats like the vehicle attack that occurred in France and left dozens dead and wounded, a U.S. Secret Service official said Friday.
"There is nothing we leave to chance," said James Henry, the agency's special agent in charge in Philadelphia.
Planning for the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia began in October, and security measures cover everything from people jumping fences to organized attacks, he said.
Agents will sweep permitted vehicles for explosives and turn away general traffic in security zones set up around the convention sites. Philadelphia police will use rolling street closures and uniformed officers to protect areas outside the security zone where large protests and rallies are planned.
In Cleveland, federal officials have already restricted road, air and water travel around the city for next week's Republican National Convention, with security measures affecting passenger and cargo vehicles.
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Officials declined to comment on specific changes following the attack in Nice. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson expressed his condolences to the friends and families of the victims.
The Plain Dealer reported Friday that scores of paramedics, doctors and nurses will be stationed in and around Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland during the four-day convention to handle everything from minor injuries to multiple casualties. The medical plan was developed over several months.
The city was a study in contrasts Friday afternoon. Even as restaurants and bars filled up with the usual Friday post-work patrons, large tents were being erected outside the arena, dubbed the Q.
Drivers headed into downtown saw signs urging people to call an FBI tip line if they see anything suspicious. A tall security fence was going up along several blocks of East 9th Street in the heart of downtown.
Security experts said the attack in France, in which a driver mowed down scores of people during Bastille Day celebrations, will heighten security concerns. But they note possible countermeasures, like establishing static, barricaded zones, can pose their own risk by creating concentrated targets.
The use of rolling street closures can help law enforcement by keeping routes open for emergency responders, allowing police to manage crowd movement and prevent static zones that can become targets for an attack, said Edward Clark, homeland security expert and principal consultant for Executive Interface LLC, a security consulting group.
Security details are also often advised to keep groups small, create multiple entrance points to specific gathering areas and stagger attendance, he said.
Explosions and gun fire "can't kill people that aren't there," Clark said.
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Henry Willis, director of the Rand Corp. Homeland Security and Defense Center, said security organizations each have unique capabilities and responsibilities, which can create seams in protection.
"It's at those seams that issues can happen," he said.
WASHINGTON Donald Trump has chosen Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, adding political experience and conservative bona fides to his Republican presidential ticket. Trump announced his decision on Twitter Friday morning, capping a frenzied 24 hours of speculation about his choice.
A news conference was set for Saturday for the two men who will take on Hillary Clinton and her Democratic running mate in November.
Trump offered the vice presidential spot to Pence Thursday, and the governor boarded a plane for New York in anticipation of a Friday announcement, according to a Republican with knowledge of the process. But shortly after Pence arrived, Trump abruptly said he was postponing an announcement because of the deadly attack in Nice, France, that left more than 80 people dead.
The staunchly conservative Pence, who is 57, served six terms in Congress before being elected governor and could help Trump navigate Capitol Hill. He's well-regarded by evangelical Christians, particularly after signing a law that critics said would allow businesses to deny service to gay people for religious reasons.
Trump's announcement came about an hour before a deadline for Pence to withdraw from his re-election race in Indiana. State law prohibits candidates from being on the ballot in two races.
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Trump's hectic decision-making process was made more complicated by the fact that the businessman was in California Thursday for a series of fundraisers, isolated from nearly all of his closest advisers, including his three adult children and his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.
Frustration among Trump and his advisers mounted because of news reports that Pence was the pick, sending top aides scrambling to insist no final decision had been made.
The billionaire said in a series of television interviews Thursday night that he'd not yet settled on a "final, final" choice, leaving open the possibility the unpredictable presumptive nominee could change his mind.
But Manafort dismissed suggestions in an interview on Fox News Channel that Trump was having second thoughts about his choice. He said Trump was planning on making an announcement this weekend.
A second Republican said Friday he spoke to Trump on Thursday morning, and the New York real estate mogul said he had chosen Pence and would be calling the governor to make the offer and ask him to fly to New York.
That Republican also spoke on condition of anonymity, because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss the conversation.
Trump's choice of Pence as his running mate adds political experience and a dose of unflappability to the Republican presidential ticket.
Pence would be a reliably conservative No. 2 with a calm demeanor and deep ties to Washington. His apparent selection signals Trump is serious about addressing GOP concerns about his own conservative credentials and lack of Washington experience.
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Trump also seriously considered offering the running mate post to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, according to people familiar with the process.
In a brief interview with The Associated Press Friday morning, Gingrich said he had still not been told by Trump that he would not be the choice.
Trump was up against a clock in unveiling his pick. In addition to Pence's deadline in Indiana, the Republican convention kicks off in Cleveland Monday.
Top party officials are already in Cleveland, where a committee voted late Thursday to rebuff a push to let delegates vote for any presidential candidate they'd like. It was a major blow to Republican foes of Trump who have been working to try to thwart his nomination.
Pence would have the backing of GOP leaders and ease some of their concerns about Trump's political inexperience and volatile temperament.
Pence also has influential allies in Trump's inner circle. But some of Trump's children, who have been closely advising their father, were said to favor different candidates.
A June 17 article in the Post-Bulletin clarified that the Rochester area elects its schools board members through an alley system in defined seats for which people file. The League of Women Voters Rochester has hosted candidate forums for these races since 1920. The league does not endorse candidates or parties.
We have scheduled a forum for the primary race for School Board Seat 3 on Monday, July 25, starting at 7 p.m. It will be in the auditorium of our cosponsor the Rochester Public Library. If you can't attend, you can see the debate on the website of the library by clicking on the recorded video.
We invite you to learn more about the candidates Bobbie Gallas, John League and Deborah Seelinger as they answer questions prepared by the League of Women Voters and our cosponsors the Post-Bulletin and the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. And we always include lots of questions from the audience.
There will also be a forum on the primary race in Ward 6 of the Rochester City Council between Nick Carter, Patrick "PJ" Day and Annalisa Johnson. It will be held at the Rochester Public Library on Thursday, July 28 at 7 p.m.
Join us for these forums and don't forget to vote in the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
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Jane Callahan
Rochester
Feeling at home with their studies Updated: 2016-07-15 08:09 By Wu Yiyao(China Daily Europe)
Chinese are snapping up properties overseas near good schools for their children to reduce commutes and risks
When Olivia Zhang takes off from Shanghai for Vancouver this summer for full-time postgraduate studies, the 26-year-old sales manager with a commodity trading company, will be taking a considerable bankroll with her. Unlike other students who look to rent a dormitory bed or a hostel room, Zhang is seeking to buy a flat.
"I had applied for student dormitory rooms, but their availability is limited. Will I get one? Fat chance! So, I thought, why not just buy an apartment if I could afford one? I'll then own it, and I can earn returns on my investment later," Zhang says.
The funds will be from the sale of her apartment in Shanghai. Her family members are permanent residents in Canada, so a visa and property deal should not be a problem.
There are many Chinese homebuyers like Zhang in Canada and other countries these days. These wealthy people call their overseas properties xuequfang, or properties within a stone's throw from a good school, college or university.
Once they or their children finish their education, they rent out or resell their xuequfang, or live there permanently if they are able to.
According to Juwai, a website that provides information on overseas properties, cities with famous educational institutions are seeing a steady rise in realty prices, thanks to such nonspeculative buyers, who now account for more than half of the Chinese snapping up overseas properties.
For instance, in the United Kingdom, 54 percent of Chinese property queries are for xuequfang; in Australia, it is more than 60 percent; and in the United States, more than 72 percent.
An influx of overseas students has a positive impact on local economies, including real estate, says Charles Pittar, CEO of Juwai. For instance, Chinese students spend more than $18 billion a year in Australia.
"When Australia wins a foreign student, it gains tens of thousands of dollars in education fees, and at least as much in retail and services spending, plus potentially much more in real estate investment," Pittar says.
Last year alone, Juwai funneled Chinese inquiries for Australian properties worth A$1.6 billion ($1.2 billion; 1.1 billion euros). Queries worth a potential $1 billion came for xuequfang.
The scene is not vastly different in the US, says property agent Peter Ng in Los Angeles. States such as New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania produce healthy demand given their famed educational institutions.
He says: "Chinese families who buy homes for children focus a lot on the safety of the neighborhood. This is so because the average age of Chinese students pursuing education in the US is now significantly lower than before.
"Some are middle school students and some are even primary school students. So, they really want their homes to be as close to school as possible, to reduce commuting time and risks.
"Also, some students are buying homes for themselves. They look forward to buying property as early as possible. If they are able to continue their stay after their education and work there, they can stay in the same place without the trouble of relocating, or they can resell at a profit and reinvest in larger houses."
Ng says properties with more than three bedrooms are popular among Chinese buyers. One room is often reserved for visiting family members or friends, is sublet to other students to lower the cost, or is transformed into a study.
Daniel Tang, a San Diego-based home sales consultant with CBRE real estate, says: "Chinese students are now aware of many institutions, not just the Ivy League colleges. They are looking at smaller but good colleges outside the top 10, particularly those with strong competence in disciplines like design, art, communications and engineering. So, demand for housing is rising in California, Texas and Illinois."
Similarly, in the UK, Chinese are looking to buy homes as they need to invest fewer yuan now, given the erosion of the pound's value of late. They are not unduly concerned about the potential impact of Brexit on the local property market as they believe such effects are likely to be short term in nature.
Brian Zhou, 49, a resident of Shanghai, agrees. He has just bought a two-bedroom apartment in the South Bank area of London for his 22-year-old daughter. "People like me are not speculative buyers. So, quality and the neighborhood are important," he says.
wuyiyao@chinadaily.com.cn
A property trade center in Queensland, Australia. Wu Yiyao / China Daily
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page26)
As communities throughout Southeast Minnesota discuss potential futures spurred by new development in Rochester and elsewhere, it's important to stop and look back once in awhile.
Take a moment to see where we've been.
Hearing about Sunday's grand re-opening of the Goodhue Area Historical Society's museum led us to start thinking about how far the region has come. Looking at a switchboard in the days of cell phones shows us how pieces of the past slowly gave way to modern ways. "Various people have various things here that they look at and say 'Oh my,'" Goodhue Area Historical Society board member Ardy Hendricks said.the
The same declarations are likely made in any history museum throughout Southeast Minnesota. Too often, we forget how far we have come.
Granted, most of us have relatives who are more than willing to remind us that they played hopscotch on public sidewalks rather than chasing down animated Pokemon, but experiencing the physical presence of tools and toys of days gone by has added power.
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The experience reminds us of the inevitability of change.
As we talk about transportation options and the potential of high-speed rail to the Twin Cities, we should look back at the horse-and-buggy days and remember how foreign and unwelcomed gas-powered cars were when they first puttered on to the scene.
Being reminded of such facts is important as we continue to journey toward the future. "It gives us a baseline for how far we have come from where we were," said Patricia Carlson, executive director of the History Center of Olmsted County, which is holding its Living History fair this weekend.
Carlson reminds us that baseline isn't just for our communities. The various archives of documents housed at museums and history centers throughout the region also provide a look back on personal family stories, They can be used to verify a well-told family tale or discover new insights regarding our ancestors.
Ultimately, one never knows what can be discovered when taking time to look at our region's past, whether it's longtime local residents looking to research their roots or newcomers seeking a better understanding of their new communities.
Even those already entrenched in the history of their communities can be surprised, Mary Ann Bucher, a board member of the Dodge County Historical Society, noted it was only recently discovered that a national radio and television personality had local roots.
Peg Lynch, the creator, writer and star of "Ethel and Albert," a radio and television sitcom, grew up in Kasson and started her radio career as a teen, working for KROC in Rochester and KATE in Albert Lea. "Ethel and Albert" might not have the cache of golden-age radio programs like "Burns and Allen" and "The Shadow," but the discovery still provides new insights into local history and the potential for youth to make their marks.
Whether it's sneaking a peek at family records or realizing how far we have come, visiting a history museum this summer will offer rewards as we continue to determine how our communities will change and how we will respond to that change.
In a nearby post I explore President Obamas attitude toward Islamic terrorism and its consequences. His attitude is superficially sophisticated and seriously misguided.
Obama of course detests Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in every way Obamas better. Among other things, Netanyahu is rather more perceptive than Obama about the threats we face and how to deal with them. In the video clip below, he warns a French correspondent in August 2014 that this terror plague will come to you.
Paul links to the video via Yair Rosenbergs Twitter feed in the update to his post on the Nice massacre, but I think it is worth consideration on its own this morning. Rosenberg calls it one of the eerier videos hes seen. Its really going to be Twilight Zone material when Iran announces it has nuclear weapons.
A new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer was on Thursday named for the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG).
He is Tony Attah, who succeeds Babs Omotowa, after nearly five years at the head of the company.
The Board of Directors, which approved the appointment, said Mr. Omotowa was returning to Shell International in the Hague, Netherlands.
A statement by the NLNG said Mr. Omotowa was leaving the company in a stronger position and well positioned for the next chapter of its growth.
Mr. Omotowa will take great pride and satisfaction in his numerous achievements, including consolidating the companys position as a reliable supplier of LNG and major player in the global LNG market; restarting the Train 7 expansion programme, and with NLNG becoming ranked as the number one home-grown company in Nigeria, the statement said.
Through sheer courage, integrity and transparency, he brought back credibility into the relationship with government at a very crucial time in the Companys history, and his principled stand on payment of taxes yielded the now famous Government bailout funds.
During his tenure at Nigeria LNG Limited, the company earned in excess of $40billion in revenue and returned over $22billion to Nigeria in dividend, taxes, feed-gas purchases, etc. The company under his watch became the highest corporate tax paying organisation in Sub-Sahara Africa, and a major contributor to the Nigerian economy.
The company under his leadership secured $1.6 billion financing for the construction and delivery of six very modern Dual Fuel Diesel Electric (DFDE) vessels, setting a new ground breaking standard for Nigerian Content; with the training of 600 Nigerians in ship construction and repairs, ensuring Nigerian companies, for the first time, export $10 million worth of goods and services to Korea for the ship building, and facilitating a dry dock project by a Nigerian consortium.
Mr. Omotowa, who joined NLNG in December 2011 with a reputation as a turnaround expert from his previous work in Europe, focused on improving the companys operations through cost leadership management, assets rejuvenation, organisation culture alignment, change management, commercial creativity, innovative supply chain and procurement management and human capital development. These programmes made NLNG not only more profitable but a strong brand with great momentum that can sustain its competitive advantages for years to come.
His successor, Tony Attah, will be taking over from Omotowa after returning from an assignment at Shells Group Integrated Gas business as Senior Projects Advisor, working on projects in The Netherlands and Singapore.
He was Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) before then.
He comes to NLNG with a 28-year experience in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. A trained mechanical engineer and an MBA holder, Mr. Attah started his career in Sokoto Cement Company as a Maintenance and Operations Shift Supervisor.
He joined Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in 1991, working in various technical and management roles in Field Maintenance, Production Operations, Core Engineering and Major Projects Commissioning, Rotating Equipment Engineering etc. He was also once Head of Joint Venture Economics in Commercial.
In 2009, he was appointed General Manager Western Location & Sustainable Development External Focus; and in 2010, he became the Vice President (VP), Health Safety, Environment, Sustainable development & Corporate Affairs including Communications, Crisis and Reputation Management.
In 2014, Mr. Attah assumed the position of Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), in addition to his role as VP HR. He was responsible for SNEPCos offshore business integration and leadership, and managing a network of external and internal stakeholder.
No fewer than 73 people have been confirmed dead and over 150 injured as a truck ploughed through pedestrians for more than a mile in a terror attack in Nice, France, as people celebrated Bastille Day, a major French holiday.
Bastille Day commemorates the storming of Bastille prison in Paris during the French Revolution of 1789.
Already the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has claimed responsibility for the attack, local media reports in France claims.
Report stated that police shot and killed the driver of the truck and were already pursuing another suspect who is on the run.
Witnesses said they heard the exchange of gunfire moments before the driver was killed.
Police later announced that guns and grenades were found inside the truck, which drove over the pavement, drove directly into the crowd, mowing down hundreds of people who were watching firework display in the city.
Anti-terror police are already swarming the city and residents have been told to stay indoors.
We were at the Neptune beach and a firework display had just finished. That is when we saw a white lorry. It was going quickly at 60-70 kilometres an hour, one witness told the Daily Mail.
People are running. Its panic. He rode up onto the Prom and piled into the crowd There are people covered in blood. There must be many injured, Damien Allemand the reporter for local newspaper, Nice Matin, who was at the site of the attack, said There is no hostage-taking. An individual drove a truck into the crowd. He was killed by police. Investigations are currently under way to establish if the individual acted alone or if he had accomplices who might have fled, said spokesperson of the French Interior Ministry, Pierre-Henry Brandet.
The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, who was at the venue of the celebration when the attack occured, tweeted: Dear people of Nice, the driver of a truck seems to have left dozens dead. Stay for now in your home. More info to come.
This is the worst catastrophe our region has seen in modern history. We now have to mobilise all of our services, all the psychologists, volunteers who are trained to help fellow human beings, he later told journalists.
France has been under a State of Emergency since last years terror attacks in the capital, Paris.
No fewer than 150 people were killed in the attacks masterminded by ISIS. The state of emergency was due to be lifted on July 26.
President Barack Obama has released a statement describing the attack as horrific.
On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded, he said.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration says the report of the Presidential Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Armed Forces (2007-2015) was not doctored to remove some names.
A statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, dismissed claims that the arms report was doctored as untrue.
The statement was signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister, Segun Adeyemi.
The report, released Thursday, indicts former chiefs of army staff, Kenneth Minimah and Azubuike Ihejirika, and other senior past and serving military and civilian officials.
But the findings, approved by President Buhari, have sparked widespread allegations of bias.
Many Nigerians accuse the government of being selective and refusing to indict key members of the current administration, believed to have played questionable roles in military procurement since 2007.
Critics cite the Minister of Interior, Abdurrahman Danbazau, who was the Chief of Army between 2008 and 2010, as an example.
Insiders had told PREMIUM TIMES ahead of the submission of the report that Mr. Danbazau was found wanting by investigators, and that he was frantically lobbying to have his name delisted from the report.
The government is also accused of not indicting Tukur Buratai, current Chief of Army Staff, who served as the director of military procurement under the former Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Critics argue that as the man in charge of defence contract at a time of rampant government and military corruption, it would be unlikely that Mr. Buratai is in the clear.
Lately, several groups have called for Mr. Buratais sack, after he was exposed by the media as the owner of multimillion dollar assets in Dubai, United Arab Emirate.
The army said the properties are jointly owned by Mr. Buratai and his two wives, and that they had been declared as required by law.
But a letter from the Code of Conduct Bureau published by The Nation Newspaper on Thursday said Mr. Buratai declared the Dubai properties under his wifes name alone.
The letter, which was originally obtained through Freedom of Information request by Messrs. St. Francis Xavier Solicitors & Advocates, was dated July 11, 2016, and signed by Ijeanuli Ofor, a Deputy Director of Reforms at the CCB.
In his statement, however, the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, said what had been released in the arms report so far was the report of the audit covering the period 2011 to 2015.
He added that the committee would commence the audit of procurement from 2007 to 2010 as soon as the necessary documents were available.
When the documents regarding procurement from 2007 to 2010 are available and scrutinised, the committee will then issue its report on that.
The audit is being done on phases, and the report that was released on Thursday is the third of such, he said.
Mr. Mohammed said the federal governments anti-corruption fight was non-discriminatory and called on Nigerians to keep an open mind as events unfold.
No one should attempt to distract from the seriousness of the issues involved in this audit of defence equipment procurement, he urged.
The minister said with more than N185.8 billion and 685.3 million dollar spent on procurement and operations within the period, the irregularities in the awards denied the military from getting value for money.
He emphasised that the corruption in the defence sector had very serious consequences for the country.
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, the body of Shiites in the country, have blocked the Zaria-Kaduna expressway, to protest against the prolonged detention of their leader, Ibrahim El Zakzaky.
Mr. Zakzaky has been in detention since December 2015.
He was arrested by the Nigerian army after troops clashed with Shia members, killing over 300 of them.
The victims were secretly buried in a mass grave in Kaduna, a state official had said.
The army denies the attack despite overwhelming evidence of the atrocity.
It however admits using force, saying the Shiites had blocked the road in an attempt to assassinate its chief, Tukur Buratai, a Lieutenant General.
Our source said thousands of Shiites blocked the expressway on Friday, denying road users passage.
The source said security operatives have been deployed to the scene.
A spokesperson for the Shias, Musa Ibrahim, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that he had received report that some of our members embarked on procession today, Friday, and were attacked by thugs.
A report just reached my desk, said Mr. Ibrahim. Some of members embarked on peaceful procession today. But they were attacked by thugs at Maraban Jos (along Kaduna-Zaria expressway.
He added that he was informed that the police intervened in the fight but I dont know whether there is casualty.
He said the procession was to demand the release of Sheik Zakzaky.
More details coming.
A Dubai-based real estate firm, The First Group, has denied claims by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that it was engaged in a phony real estate scam in which innocent Nigerians were duped to the tune of $200 billion.
In a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the company described the allegations as baseless.
The First Group is fully transparent in its operations and has a proven track-record of delivering world-class developments in the United Arab Emirates over many years, the company stated.
Officials of the EFCC on Wednesday sealed the offices of TFG Real Estate, the Nigerian agent of The First Group, situated on the seventh-floor of the Bank of Industry building in the Central Business District, Abuja.
The anti-graft operatives had in May 2016 raided the firms offices as part of investigations into the alleged property fraud.
Investigations into the scam, operatives said, revealed that the company, TFG Real Estate Limited, operates in Nigeria in the guise of being The First Group company, a Dubai-based real estate firm, which is not registered in Nigeria.
EFCC insiders said the modus operandi of the company was to lure innocent Nigerians interested in owning properties in Dubai, into parting with their hard-earned money.
They are mandated to make the payments in installments; however, the payment is deliberately structured in such a way that the debt is difficult to offset, and as soon as one defaults, the money will be seized by the company, an EFCC source had said.
But in its response, The First Group said TFG Real Estate Limited was its Nigerian agent which fully abides by Nigerias anti-money laundering regulations.
In line with this commitment, TFG Real Estate, Limited, regularly files the required reports with the section of the Special Control Unit on Money Laundering (SCUML) division of the EFCC in Abuja, the company said.
Furthermore,The First Groups Dubai operations, which are indirectly implicated in these baseless allegations, are governed by UAE Federal Law, and in particular, the countrys anti-money laundering laws, which rank among the worlds most robust.
The company said its clients are also protected by the Dubai governments rigorous and world-class real estate regulations, designed to protect the interests of local and international investors in the property market.
The First Group is fully transparent in its operations and has a proven track-record of delivering world-class developments in the United Arab Emirates over many years.
Its priority is protecting the interests of its clients and generating strong returns on their investments while complying with all legal statutes in the markets in which it operates.
Social responsibility leads to respect Updated: 2016-07-15 08:09 By Cecily Liu(China Daily Europe)
Chinese companies must boost their efforts in order to take their place in the international community, leading professor says
Chinese companies need to champion social responsibility in their global expansion process to gain respect from the international community, says Xiang Bing, founding dean and professor of China business and globalization at Beijing's Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.
By gaining respect from the global community, China and Chinese firms can take a lead role in the rapidly changing global business landscape as it undergoes a process of reconfiguration, and play a significant role in accelerating the creation of a good global governance system, says Xiang.
Xiang Bing says the values that China can bring to global development are not military or economic power, but leadership in business ethics. Cecily Liu / China Daily
"In the past, global governance was created by US dominance, but now the Chinese government needs to contribute because as China increasingly globalizes, Chinese companies, people and interests are increasingly intertwined with the global environment," says Xiang, speaking during a recent visit to London.
"And if China can make the most of current opportunities to solve global problems, it will truly become a respected leader in the global community. It can lead the creation of a new business civilization that no longer just prioritizes profits.
"The values that China can bring to global development is not military power or economic power, but leadership in business ethics. China has the ability to contribute to the creation of global governance, which will bring rules and certainty to the global business environment."
He has been a keen advocate for the concept of a new business civilization over the years, and communicated this idea to many Chinese businesses executives who are alumni of the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, China's first privately funded and faculty-governed business school, founded with the support of the Li Ka Shing Foundation.
Founded in 2002, the school has globalized extensively in recent years through collaborating with Western academic institutions, including Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge and the Swiss business school IMD. Notable alumni from the Beijing school include Alibaba's founder Jack Ma and former Sinopec chairman Fu Chengyu.
Xiang, who received his bachelor's degree in engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University in China and doctorate in business administration from the University of Alberta in Canada, was one of the seven founding faculty members of China Europe International Business School in Shanghai. He was also a professor of accounting at Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, prior to joining Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.
He says one big problem lies within the China-US relationship, as both are major economies but have not reached consensus to work together on many issues, such as the creation of a coherent global trading environment.
For example, in the area of trade, various US-led and China-led packages exist in the world, which paints a system less efficient than if the two countries worked hand in hand to create a coherent global trade environment, Xiang says.
The US led the creation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement signed by 12 countries accounting for 40 percent of the global GDP. Launched this year, the TPP does not include China.
The other US-led key free trade agreement is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which is a proposed trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, and is seen by the US to be a companion agreement to the TPP. This also excludes China.
Meanwhile, China led the creation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to fund the building of infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region, with the aim that connectivity will boost regional trade and investment ties. The bank has 37 founding member states, but did not attract support from the US.
Xiang says such division of trade into camps is a hindrance for global trade, and results from different thinking and expectations between the US and China behind existing trade organizations like the World Trade Organization.
He says one root cause of the trade divisions is the different understanding the two countries have over the implications of China joining the World Trade Organization in 2001.
Back then, the US wanted to gain certain benefits by supporting China's joining the WTO, such as gaining more access to China's market, encouraging China to take on more global responsibility and encouraging China to support the US on important global issues, Xiang says.
A decade later, when the US assessed that many of these expectations had not been achieved, the US started to lead discussions on trade agreements that do not include China, like the TPP and TTIP, Xiang says.
He adds that another trigger point for the US to embrace China in the global trade system is the threat that China brings to its global prominence. For example, three years ago during the free trade agreement discussions between China, Japan and South Korea, Japan proposed the idea of settling China-Japan trade in renminbi.
"This is a trigger point for the US becoming alert, because the US would think that there are lots of other Asian countries who would be very keen to settle their trade with China in renminbi directly, which means less use for the US dollar."
Xiang says these tensions all result from a "reconfiguration of the global trading system", which is an extension of the fractures from the China-US relationship. "In the past, when the US said yes, no one could say no, which formed the basis of a global governance system, but this is no longer the case."
Hence within the new global environment, there is a lack of overall governance. "There is no such thing as a global central bank, global securities regulatory commission, or global ministry of finance. Organizations like the G8 and G20 are ineffective in enforcing binding rules and creating a global governance system."
If solving the US-China issue is the key to creating the foundations of a new global governance system, then Xiang's suggestion is for the Chinese government to encourage key US multinational firms to be the lobbying forces for better US-China relations.
"China needs to understand that those with the greatest ability to help China are not US diplomats that go to China a lot, but are rather US multinationals that are keen to access the Chinese market. If the Chinese government further opens market access to them, allows them to pocket larger commercial profit, then they will lobby the US government for better relationships with China."
He says cooperation with US firms is the most effective channel of building good bilateral relationships, which is currently not being effectively used.
Meanwhile, Xiang points out one key factor Chinese firms need to consider in their globalization strategy is to do business in a sustainable and responsible way. Gaining such ethical acceptance from the global community is key, particularly as China is a newcomer to the global business scene and its emergence comes at a time of great global sustainability issues.
"To act like a responsible business is not at all about having high-technology, it is more a mindset issue. For example, a lot of Japanese food companies champion sustainability by only having one lunchbox to pack different food, but often in China it is very often to pack one lunch with five to six different boxes," says Xiang.
"To champion responsible practice is not for outward show, and it is not reflected through simple accounting and finances. Rather it is a new identity for Chinese businesses on the global stage."
cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page32)
A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, has described as inaccurate the narrations by the media regarding the interrogation of his wife, Moroophat Obanikoro, by officials of the State Security Service on Thursday in Lagos.
In a statement released on Friday and sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the former Minister said his wife should not be maligned neither should facts which are supposed to be sacred, distorted to skew and tilt investigation thereby influencing public opinion negatively on a patriotic, hard-working and innocent woman who is apolitical.
The statement reads, We are saddened by the fact that the media was awash with false and conflicting information about the invitation of Senator Obanikoros wife.
Ordinarily, we considered ignoring these concocted lies but for the sake of discerning and right thinking public, hence the need to straighten matters.
First, Alhaja Moroophat has always being in the country managing her businesses as against the lie that she sneaked in last week from the United States.
Second, No documents were found in her possession and the lie that she was arrested while trying to evacuate documents is a fabrication and can only survive in their warped and distorted minds. It should also be noted that the officials only came to invite her for questioning and as against the phrase that she was whisked away, her driver actually drove her in her own car to the office of the DSS.
Third, it was shamefully reported that the DSS were involved because there were so many armed policemen guiding her. This is another fabricated lie. Even when he was serving as Minister, his family never enjoyed any police protection let alone after leaving office and as a woman who is above board in all her dealings, she does not need one.
Finally, we are using this medium to call on the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to resist from persecuting an innocent woman who has no dealings at all with any of the businesses that they are investigating and totally unaware of the alleged transactions.
For emphasis, the innocent woman has a history of High Blood Pressure and heart related ailments and as such should not be dragged into their biased and politicised investigations.
We have absolute confidence in the judiciary and we hope to get justice in the course with the proviso that they obey the rule of Law and avoid arbitrariness that we are seeing on daily basis.
About 37 soldiers were injured in Kano early Friday when a military truck they were travelling was involved in an accident in Gaya Local Government Area of the state.
The soldiers were immediately rushed to the General Hospital, Dutse in Jigawa State, for medical attention.
Witnesses said the accident occurred due to brake failure.
The Kano Sector Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Commission, A. J. Umar, confirmed the incident but said no casualty was recorded.
He gave the registration number of the vehicle as NA 1716 BO5.
Mr. Umar said it was the rescue team of the commission that took the soldiers to the hospital.
Troops of the Nigerian Army, under the 118 Task Force Battalion of the 7th Brigade on Thursday made a major retrieval of high calibre munitions from Boko Haram when they executed an ambush attack on a moving gang of suspected terrorists in the northern part of Borno State, authorities said.
The soldiers, according to a spokesperson for the Army, were able to take possession of one Buffalo Land Cruiser gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft gun, 1,600 rounds of 12.7mm Armour Piercing Incendiary (API) ammunitions, 563 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition for General Purpose Machine Guns and 57 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, after a brief shoot out with the outlawed Islamic group.
Army spokesman, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, said most of the terrorists, who were caught off guard by the ambush attack, abandoned their vehicles, and other related logistic supplies as they escaped with bullet wounds.
Mr. Usmans statement reads:
Following reliable information about movement of remnants of suspected Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 118 Task Force Battalion, 7 Brigade, laid an ambush for the terrorists today morning, he said.
The troops laid the ambush about 3 kilometres away from Goneri town, South West of Kukawa Local Government Area, where they encountered the unsuspecting terrorists in 2 gun trucks and on motorcycles and engaged them. An unconfirmed number of the terrorists escaped with gun shot wounds abandoning 1 Buffalo Land Cruiser gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft gun, 1,600 rounds of 12.7mm Armour Piercing Incendiary (API) ammunitions, 563 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition for General Purpose Machine Guns and 57 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.
The troops further recovered 1 motorcycle, 7 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO), a pair of Nigerien Army uniform, 2 Cameroonian telecommunication service providers SIM cards, as well as a pair of the Boko Haram terrorists Special Forces uniform. They also recovered 1 Samsung Galaxy Tablet and assorted drugs and such as Climax Oxytocin, Tetracyclic HC1 Ointment, Drips and Springe, amongst others.
Consolidating on this success, the troops are further exploiting the situation while troops of 157 Task Force Battalion are blocking likely escape routes of remnants of the terrorists in Mile 90, Yoyo, Barwati and Kekeno villages.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed the application for bail filed by a former deputy governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, for lack of competence.
Mr. Omisore is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over a N1.3billion he allegedly got from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
EFCC had said its investigations showed that the former Senator received N1.3billion from funds pilfered from the office of the National Security Adviser to fund the campaign of Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose, into office in 2014.
Mr. Omisore was arrested by the EFCC on July 3 in Abuja.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi had during the last adjourned sitting of the court fixed today (Friday) for ruling on the bail application after listening to the lawyers to both Mr. Omisore and the EFCC.
Chris Uche who represented Mr. Omisore, had asked the court to vary the conditions of administrative bail granted to the former Senator by the EFCC or in the alternative grant him a fresh bail pending when the anti-graft agency is ready to charge him to court.
A 31-year-old man has been identified by police as the driver who plowed a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the southern French City of Nice.
Police said on Friday in Paris that the attacker is identified as a Tunisian-born Frenchman.
Police said that the French-Tunisian man was identified using papers found in the truck after he was killed by police.
President Francois Hollande called it a terrorist attack.
The attack occurred hours after President Hollande had announced that France would be ending a state of emergency imposed after the November 2015 attacks.
Meanwhile, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Ulanbaatar (Mongolia) began with a moments silence on Friday following the attacks in Nice.
EU President, Donald Tusk, described it as a sad day for France, Europe and all that were present at the meeting.
We are united with the French people and government in their fight against violence and terror.
Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj, the host, spoke of very sad news from France.
He called on the 34 heads of government and state present from 51 countries in Europe and Asia to observe a minutes silence for the victims.
Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, told the meeting that their discussions should include reflection on what happened in Nice.
The fight against terrorism is among the highest priorities of our governments.
We condemn terrorist attacks in every form, wherever and whenever they occur, he said.
The summit has already been overshadowed by the dispute over Chinas territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on Tuesday upheld a complaint brought by the Philippines about contested islets in the South China Sea, which holds key shipping lanes and is believed to be rich in mineral and marine resources.
China refused to take part in the arbitration and said the verdict was null and void. (dpa/NAN)
New details of foreign assets owned by Nigerias Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, have raised questions about whether their acquisition and disclosure were as transparent as the army had earlier claimed.
The details, published Thursday, suggest that disclosures made to the Code of Conduct Bureau about the properties might have been misleading.
The army had admitted a report by news website, Sahara Reporters, that Mr. Buratai owned at least two multimillion naira properties in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate.
The army however said that the assets were jointly owned by Mr. Buratai and his two wives Aishatu and Kalsum , and that they were bought with personal savings.
It is a fact that the Buratai family have (sic) two properties in Dubai that were paid for installmentally through personal savings three years ago, the armys statement, signed by spokesperson Sani Usman, said.
But a letter from the Code of Conduct Bureau published by The Nation Newspaper on Thursday said Mr. Buratai declared the Dubai properties under his wifes name.
The letter, which was originally obtained through Freedom of Information request by Messrs. St. Francis Xavier Solicitors & Advocates, was dated July 11, 2016, and signed by Ijeanuli Ofor, a Deputy Director of Reforms at the CCB.
Ms. Ofor, was, however, silent on which of Mr. Buratais wife the properties were listed as belonging to.
Reached for comments on how his principal was able to afford Dubai properties with his salaries, Mr. Usman told PREMIUM TIMES Mr. Buratai could afford to buy properties anywhere in the world because of his extra farming businesses.
Mr. Usman, a colonel, pushed back against claims that Mr. Buratai had suddenly become wealthy by courting public funds for himself, saying the claims emanated from those who hardly knew him.
Possibly you have never met him before, but at the rank of lieutenant-colonel, he was not staying in the barracks, he was staying in his personal house, Mr. Usman said in a telephone interview in June.
.He is involved in agriculture. The federal government policy is that all public persons are expected to be involved in agriculture.
Mr. Usman declined to give specific details of the size and scope of Mr. Buratais farming business.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has rejected the order of the Federal High Court, Lagos, declaring the February 1 electricity tariff raise illegal.
Justice Mohammed Idris had on Wednesday ordered the Commission to immediately reverse the decision as the process that led to the new tariff regime did not follow due process.
But, acting chairman of the commission, Anthony Akah, said in Abuja on Friday that although the regulatory agency respected the decision of the court, it was dissatisfied with it.
He said the ruling represented the reversal of the commercial foundation upon which contracts for gas, hydro, coal and solar feedstock for the production of electricity were based.
This judgment, in our view, is a major setback to the progress made so far in the electricity sector, Mr Akah said. Therefore, we will challenge the decision.
He said the commission had already instructed its lawyers to file for a stay of execution of the order, while a notice of appeal of the judgment has been issued.
The association of electricity distributors had on Thursday appealed the court ruling.
The popular Alade Market in the Allen Avenue, Ikeja, area of Lagos has been invaded by armed thugs, witnesses and a lawyer to the traders association in the market said.
Jiti Ogunye, the lawyer, said the thugs were attacking traders and appeared bent on sacking them so a private developer could build a shopping mall on the land.
Mr. Ogunye, who is concerned that the breakdown of law and order in the market might lead to loss of lives, called on the Area F Police Area Command to quickly intervene and deploy officers to the scene.
He said he was surprised that the command, which was directed by the Lagos police commissioner to maintain law and order, had so far failed to deploy.
The lives and properties of traders are in danger, and authorities need to act fast, the lawyer said.
The Lagos Police Command could not immediately be reached for comments.
We will bring you updates on the matter as we receive additional reports.
Background
Mr. Ogunye had on Wednesday published an open letter to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode accusing the Ikeja Local Government of replacing open markets with malls through the backdoor.
In the letter, the lawyer said the 35-year-old leasehold granted a private developer for Alade market in Allen Avenue, Lagos, was a ploy to force open markets out of Ikeja and replace them with shopping malls.
He said the Ikeja local council officials had continued to invade and forcibly eject traders at the market from their stalls.
Our clients believe that the said lease of Alade Market to the property developer by the Ikeja Local Government Council, with the aim of abolishing Alade Market and building in its stead a shopping mall or complex, is contrary to public policy, said Mr. Ogunye, who is representing the traders in a civil suit against the Lagos government.
In Ikeja, Lagos State, there are Ikeja Shopping Mall, along Obafemi Awolowo Way; Ikeja Shopping Mall [Shoprite] in the heart of Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State; Trinity Shopping Mall along Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja; Cash & Carry Electronics Shopping Mall, and other shopping malls on Allen Avenue Ikeja.
Instructively, in major cosmopolitan cities of the world, including London in the United Kingdom, and New York, open markets exist side by side with shopping malls and complexes, providing alternative sources of livelihood for traders and alternative sources of buying goods for people.
Our clients believe that the destruction of Alade Market in Allen Avenue Ikeja will mean that in Ikeja, Lagos State, shopping complexes and malls are being made to replace markets with the attendant social and economic implications.
One of such implications, according to Mr. Ogunye, is that street traders and hawkers would flood Ikeja roads, thus complicating the enforcement of the street trading prohibition law of Lagos State.
In a Lagos State that does not have its own state prisons, but which has to rely on the Federal Prisons in Lagos State to house offenders serving custodial punishments, keeping the hordes of street traders who may be made to serve custodial punishments for violating the street trading prohibition law, certainly, is a major challenge, he said.
This is one good reason why policy-wise, established markets like Alade Market, which are not posing any security, environmental and social problems to the Lagos State Government, ought not be demolished.
Last year, the Lagos State Government said there was no going back on its plan to redevelop the Alade Market into a N6.9 billion mega-shopping mall.
The contract for the redevelopment of the market was granted in 2010 to Master Reality International Concepts Ltd, which is investing N6.9 billion on the project under a 30-year concession on a Build, Own and Transfer (BOT) basis.
Traders at the market had continued to clash with government officials over the latters plans to forcibly eject them.
The Lagos State government says it has made provisions to relocate the traders to another site.
But Mr. Ogunye said the governments continued insistence to take over the market despite a legal suit filed by the traders last year was a subversion of the rule of law.
The issues of whether our clients could be relocated from the said land is part of the issues being currently litigated at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Judicial Division, he said.
It will, thus, amount to a grave abuse of the rule of law to resort to self-help while the issues are being tried before a competent court of law that is adjudicating the matter.
The law is well settled that once a civil matter is placed before a court or judicial tribunal for adjudication, parties to the court action must refrain from doing anything capable of overreaching, undermining or foisting a fait accompli on the court.
Doing so will not only be tantamount to subverting the rule of law, but also will amount to treating the court with contempt. No matter the impatience on the part of parties, they are under a legal obligation to await the outcome of the resolution or determination of the issues submitted to the court for adjudication.
Mr. Ogunye urged the Lagos State government to desist from further acts of aggression against the traders while the matter is still in court.
Your Excellency, our clients are not and will never be an obstacle to the urban renewal and re-development programme of Lagos State, the lawyer told Mr. Ambode.
It is proper to modernize markets and other centres of commerce in Lagos State. While doing so, however, legal rights and economic interests of marketers and traders ought not be sacrificed, abused or disregarded.
Our constructive view is that even if the relocation and redevelopment of the market land has become a commercial imperative, the Lagos State Government [the owner of the market land] must sit down with the traders, dialogue with them, and enter into a binding agreement on relocation of the traders to a new suitable site, [which, definitely, cannot be the low, wet, canal, which is prone to flooding, that is being suggested] before re-possession of Alade market.
This is not only because there is a pending court case in respect of the subject matter a case which must not be truncated by executive arbitrariness but which may be amicably settled out of court, with the involvement of the court but also because most of our clients are vulnerable women, who are the breadwinners of their families.
They need governments protection and not assault. Governments development policies and plans should not be executed in such a way to unwittingly create the impression that women are being specifically targeted and are being economically strangulated.
Embattled former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, was on Friday released after more than two months in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, his media adviser said.
Jude Ndukwe told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Fani-Kayode was released Friday evening, and that he was likely to travel from Lagos where he was held, to Abuja later tonight.
Yes, hed confirmed to me that hed been released, Mr. Ndukwe said in a brief telephone exchange at 7:13 p.m. Its still possible he might come to Abuja tonight if hes able to.
Mr. Fani-Kayode had been in detention since his arrest on May 9, 2016, in Abuja.
He was later transferred to Lagos where the EFCC slammed a 17-count charge on him, accusing the former minister of misappropriating government money.
After weeks in detention, Mr. Fani-Kayode was granted a N250 million bail on July 4, but he was still kept in custody pending his meeting the requirements for his bail.
A former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman, and a man, Danjuma Yusuf, who were charged alongside Mr. Fani-Kayode, were also given similar bail conditions.
It was not immediately clear whether the two had met their bail conditions.
The Nigeria Police say they have arrested three members of a notorious gang involved in kidnapping people in various parts of Kogi State.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, said the suspects were arrested at Egume and Anyimgba Towns in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The statement said the suspects were arrested following a clash between operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the Force and members of the gang.
It stated that the operatives were led to the hide-out of the gang members by a leader of the gang, who identified himself as Ibrahim Nasarawa.
Mr. Nasarawa was said to have led the police officers to the place where a man identified as Edward Abutu Amedu was held captive.
In another coordinated operation, three members of a dare-devil kidnap gang that abducted Mrs. Mayo Ohemi, Nichodemus Kadiri and Miss Victoria Abdul from Acharu Egume area of Kogi State were arrested and their confession led to the rescue of the victims who were incarcerated in the kidnappers camp from where they demanded a ransom of twenty million naira. The rescued victims who sustained various degrees of injuries in the hands of their abductors are now receiving treatment in the Hospital, the statement said.
The names of the arrested suspects are: Ojonimi Negedu who is 32 years old; Awodi Ezekiel, 26 and Micheal Sule, 21 old.
British politics: Like a Shakespearean drama Updated: 2016-07-15 08:07 By Chris Peterson(China Daily Europe)
Chinese government officials must be watching the train wreck that is currently British politics with a sense of disbelief - how can a thriving economy and a strong international player be reduced to a state of near impotence in two short weeks?
Well, resisting the urge to bring in biblical references such as Samson and Delilah, or David and Goliath, it's actually pretty easy.
All you need is a working knowledge of the standard Shakespearian plot - loyalty, treason, betrayal, back-stabbing, powerful egos and hubris - and there you have it.
We will assign the characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (the devious pair from Hamlet) to former London mayor Boris Johnson and erstwhile justice secretary Michael Gove, both key players in the plot to get Britain out of the European Union. Prime Minister David Cameron would make a fine King Lear, based on his colossal misjudgement in allowing a referendum on EU membership in the first place. And Tony Blair, probably vying with Gove and Johnson for the title of most reviled British politician, has to be Macbeth.
Blair's lack of humility in the wake of the excoriating Chilcot Report into the Iraq War probably gives him the edge, revulsion-wise. The end of the drama is a bit like Macbeth: blood everywhere and bodies littering the stage.
And that's Britain's political scene at present. I'm sure Beijing's government has as many UK watchers as Britain does China watchers.
So here's a helpful guide, offered with tongue in cheek, as to what happens next, and who China can expect to deal with.
First up, through a series of twists and turns that wouldn't look out of place in Game of Thrones, the UK has ended up with the certainty that the next prime minister will be Theresa May, the country's longest serving home secretary, or interior minister, of modern times.
There had been two candidates left vying for the title: May was by far the most experienced, who had been facing Andrea Leadsom, a former banker who only became a politician recently and holds junior minister status, having never served in the cabinet. She quit the race on July 11 after controversy had dogged her campaign.
May is a steely career politician renowned for putting her head down and getting on with the job. You won't hear any grandstanding statements that will hold her hostage to fortune.
Leadsom, on the other hand, is a committed Brexiteer - or was she? Recently, video surfaced on YouTube of her giving a speech a few years back in which she said that Britain leaving the EU would be a disaster. Plus, there have been serious doubts after she was found to have altered her CV in the light of claims that she hadn't been quite the important force in the banking world she claimed to be.
She also gave an interview to the Times recently in which she appeared to say that she would make a better prime minister because she had children, whereas May is childless. She later apologized.
Welcome to the Shakespearian world of politics, Andrea.
May will be Britain's second female prime minister.
Which brings us to the inevitable comparison with Margaret Thatcher, dubbed the Iron Lady by Mikhail Gorbachev and the Soviet press in the 1980s.
May is very much in the Thatcher mold, fiercely patriotic and convinced she is right.
Chinese officials of a certain age will remember Thatcher from her years of negotiating the return of Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. I think both sides can agree the deal was an ideal solution.
Beijing will, I can assume, look forward to dealing with May, who calls a spade a spade. In other words: no artifice.
On the contrary, EU bureaucrats better watch out. Right now, it's open season for Brit-bashing in Brussels, but once May has steadied the ship in domestic waters, expect a severe "handbagging" from her along the lines of those handed out by Thatcher in her prime.
Thatcher's large, square patent leather handbags, ideal for metaphorically whacking EU bureaucrats who didn't pay attention, were her trademark - just as leopard skin kitten heels are identified with May.
I can safely say we're in for a fascinating time - at least the folks in Beijing won't have to deal with the erratic Johnson, whose inability to dress himself properly and keep his jacket buttoned up was legendary.
The author is managing editor of China Daily European Bureau, based in London. Contact the writer at chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com
(China Daily European Weekly 07/15/2016 page13)
The leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Gani Adams, has accused the federal government of keeping silent while people are being killed in the south west region, warning of reprisals.
Mr. Adams told PREMIUM TIMES that the government is quick to send condolence messages to nations that come under attack, than protect its people.
I am not saying that he (President Muhammadu Buhari) should not sympathise with other nations in times of trouble but charity they say should begin from home, he said.
The president is always quick to react when things happen outside the country; he was sending condolence message to the Saudi Arabian authorities, but how many people died there? Less than 10. He did the same thing during the shooting in the USA but he has virtually turned his eyes off to what happened in Ikorodu and the other communities of late, he said.
Mr. Adams said his group was not interested in creating more problems for the government, hence the decision to refrain from any reprisal attacks so far.
He however warned that people of the south west may be forced to defend themselves.
We are not trouble makers, all we want is peace and security for our people but if these attacks continue, OPC will have no other option than to do what is expected of it to defend its people, the OPC leader warned.
From what we gathered and have seen happening, I think their target is to overrun and take over all the communities in the riverine areas of South-West. But they are playing with fire because when we decide to face them, it wont take three hours to crush them.
Before if we use five per cent of our force, people will no longer remember that such criminals ever came to the communities, the OPC leader concluded.
President Andrzej Duda on Friday extended his condolences to the French people in connection with the Thursday terrorist attack in Nice in which 84 people were killed.
"Let me offer words of sympathy to the French people. You can always count on our solidarity and support," President Duda stressed in a statement, extending his condolences to the French. (PAP)
Beijing said on Thursday that it will respond resolutely if any party seeks to use the ruling in the unilaterally initiated arbitration on the South China Sea to harm China's interests.
State Councilor Yang Jiechi said he expected the new Philippine government to properly handle the issue to "start a bright future for bilateral ties".
"The sovereignty issue is China's bottom line," Yang, China's top diplomat, said in an interview with Chinese media on the ruling.
"Though China is large, we cannot lose one centimeter of inheritance left by the ancestors," Yang said.
He added that China is willing to discuss temporary arrangements with other countries involved on partnerships for development in the sea.
The ruling, issued after an arbitration process that was unilaterally initiated by the government of former Philippines president Benigno Aquino, will not influence China's policy, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing.
"We want to stress that if anyone wants to use the ruling to take any action that provokes China's interests, the Chinese side will definitely respond resolutely," he said.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that its foreign secretary, Perfecto Yasay, would raise the issue at the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting summit, to be held on Friday and Saturday in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.
Premier Li Keqiang will attend the meeting.
The Philippines' statement, which said the decision by the Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague should be respected, was the strongest yet from Manila on the ruling.
Assistant Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said on Monday that the ASEM summit was "not an appropriate venue" to discuss the South China Sea.
During the news conference on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu also said he was "a bit shocked" at the comments of Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who said on Wednesday that it "would be a serious international transgression" if China ignores the arbitral ruling.
Lu said China had formally protested Australia's "wrong remarks", and China hopes Australia will not harm regional peace and stability.
"We hope that Australia can be more serious about international law and not treat it as a game," Lu added.
On Wednesday, the Philippine Coast Guard conducted a joint maritime exercise with the Japan Coast Guard in the vicinity of Manila Bay, deploying vessels including an oil tanker, a rigid hull inflatable boat and a helicopter to carry out drills, the Spanish news agency EFE reported.
Observers from Malaysia, Australia and the United States were present at the exercise, which the Philippine Information Agency said was focused on combating piracy and armed robbery at sea and aimed to boost the capabilities of the coast guards of the Philippines and Japan.
Meanwhile, China welcomes the new Philippine government's willingness to restart dialogue, Lu said. He added that the two countries have made contact through diplomatic channels since Rodrigo Duterte became the Philippines' president last month.
Duterte has not made a statement since the tribunal announced its ruling on Tuesday.
Yin Zhuo, director of the Navy's Expert Consultation Committee of the People's Liberation Army, said that the tension in the South China Sea could escalate if the Philippines and other countries, including the US, continue to provoke China in the region.
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.
European Security switches to high gear after Nice truck terror attack Updated: 2016-07-15 19:25 By Chris Peterson in London and Tuo Yannan in Paris(chinadaily.com.cn)
French police secure the area as the investigation continues at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, July 15, 2016.[Photo/Agencies] European governments moved to tighten security in the wake of last night's truck terror attack in the southern French city of Nice, which killed 84 and critically injured 18, with another 30 hurt as security officials warned of the possibility of a second "lone wolf attack."
Crowds of men, women and children were in the crowd when a 20-tonne white panel truck zigzagged through them at high speed on the fashionable Promenade des Anglais as they watched a firework display celebrating Bastille Day, which is France's national day.
Police shot dead the driver in an exchange of gunfire, eyewitnesses said.
Germany immediately tightened security along its borders with France under a previously agreed operation both countries are part of the Schengen agreement, which permits freedom of movement within mainland Europe.
Belgium held a meeting of officials and said later there were fears of a second lone-wolf style attack using a vehicle on Belgian soil.
In the UK, newly appointed Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain stood "shoulder to shoulder" with France against what she called "these murderers," adding "I am shocked and saddened. These were innocent victims."
The BBC reported that UK intelligence officers were working with their French counterparts investigating the attack.
The UK is already on a high state of alert and intelligence chiefs attended a meeting of COBRA, the government committee that meets in times of crisis.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said security officials in the British capital were urgently reviewing security arrangements.
In France, President Francois Hollande, who flew to Nice to see things at first hand, said he had extended the state of emergency, first declared in November after terror bomb and gun attacks killed 180 and injured over 360 in and around Paris.
An extra 3,000 police and army reservists were being drafted in France to add to the 7,000 already on terror attack duty throughout France.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced three days of national mourning, starting on Saturday, and in London officials flew the French tricolour flag at half-mast over the UK prime minister's official residence in Downing Street.
Valls said, in a statement: "Terrorism is a threat that is weighing heavily on France."
"We are faced with a war that terrorism has brought against us. The goal of the terrorists is to make us scared. We won't give in to the terrorist threat, we must stand together united. Times have changed, and we should learn to live with terrorism," he added,
Two days ago Patrick Calvar, head of France's DGSI intelligence service, told a parliamentary committee that at least one or two "lone wolf" style attacks, possibly using vehicles, were anticipated, with the danger rising ahead of the 2017 presidential elections in France.
PUNE, India, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
According to a new market research report "Animal Genetics Market by Type (Canine, Poultry, Porcine, Bovine) Genetic Material [Semen (Bovine Porcine Equine) Embryo (Bovine Equine) Testing Services (DNA Testing, DNA Typing, Genetic Disease Testing) - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, The global market Is projected to reach USD 5.50 Billion by 2021, at a Growth Rate of 8.4% from 2016 to 2021.
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The report analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World. This report studies the animal genetics market over the forecast period of 2016 to 2021.
The animal genetics market witnessed healthy growth during the last decade, primarily attributed to the increasing animal protein consumption and increasingly urban global population. To cater to the rising demand of animal proteins, farmers are increasingly adopting advanced genetic technologies for larger-scale production and quality breeds. In addition, growing awareness about veterinary genetic diseases and disorders; increase in the population of livestock animals, especially in emerging markets; implementation of animal welfare acts in developed countries; and development of cutting-edge technologies in animal genetic testing are further driving this market. However, stringent regulations regarding animal genetic engineering, expensive and time-consuming R&D activities, high cost of animal testing, and insufficient number of skilled professionals in animal genetics are restraining the growth of this market during the forecast period.
In this report, the animal genetics market has been segmented on the basis of product, testing service, and region. Based on the type of product, the market is segmented into live animals and genetic materials. The live animals segment is further categorized into canine, poultry, porcine, bovine, and others; while, the genetic materials segment is divided into semen and embryo. The semen segment is further divided into bovine semen, porcine semen, canine semen, equine semen, and others; while, the embryo segment is divided into bovine embryo, equine embryo, and others.
In 2015, the live animals segment accounted for the largest share of the animal genetics market. Growing population, increasing urbanization, and rising demand of animal-derived products have contributed to the growth of the live animals segment. Moreover, the increasing population of livestock animals (especially in emerging market) and implementation of animal welfare acts are further fueling the growth of this segment.
Europe represented the largest regional market in 2015, followed by North America, Asia-Pacific, and the RoW. However, Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region for the animal genetics market, primarily due to the increasing population, rapid urbanization, and rising demand of animal products in this region. Increasing awareness of animal welfare in developing countries and development of cutting-edge technologies in animal genetic testing are further propelling market growth in this region.
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Major players in the global animal genetics market are Genus Plc (U.K.), Topigs (Netherlands), Envigo (U.S.), CRV Holding B.V. (Netherlands), Hendrix Genetics BV (Netherlands), Groupe Grimaud (France), Neogen Corporation (U.S.), Alta Genetics (Canada), VetGen (U.S.), Zoetis, Inc. (U.S.), and Animal Genetics, Inc. (U.S.).
Browse Related Reports:
Veterinary Diagnostics Market by Product (Instruments, Consumables, Services) by Technology (Diagnostic Imaging, Clinical Chemistry, Immunodiagnostics, Molecular Diagnostics) by Animal (Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cattle, Pigs, Poultry) - Global forecast to 2021
Veterinary Reference Laboratory Market by Technology (Clinical Chemistry, Hematology, Immunodiagnostics, Molecular Diagnostics), Application (Pathology, Bacteriology, Virology, Parasitology), Animal (Dog, Cat, Cattle, Pig) - Global Forecast to 2021
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/veterinary-reference-laboratory-market-256972714.html
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MELSUNGEN, Germany and JOHANNESBURG, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Commitment to growth and local manufacturing for the African healthcare sector
On 30 June 2016, B. Braun Medical, the South African subsidiary of the German B. Braun Group, completed its acquisition of Dismed Pharmaceutical (Pty) Ltd and Dismed Criticare (Pty) Ltd, both out of business rescue.
With over 600 employees in South Africa, B. Braun specialises in the sales and logistics of medical devices, surgical instruments, consumables, pharmaceuticals and is one of the country's leading and fastest growing operators of dialysis clinics. In 2011, B. Braun Medical established its first local manufacturing site for medical devices in Knysna, Western Cape.
"The Dismed acquisitions support our mission of being a system supplier with a well-rounded portfolio of effective medical care solutions in South Africa", said B. Braun Medical's managing director, Jens Papperitz. "After resolving operational issues in both acquired businesses, we will be able to offer our public and private customers in Southern Africa the same level of excellence they have come to expect from us based on our other product portfolio we currently supply to them," added Papperitz.
With a triple digit million Rand spending for purchase price and subsequent investments into production equipment, B. Braun Medical ensures the continuing employment of all 120 staff at two manufacturing facilities in Gauteng.
This investment into the healthcare and manufacturing sector is also an indication of the confidence that the German business community has in the South African health sector. This relationship looks back on a healthy, longstanding trade relationship.
"Germany is the biggest foreign investor in South Africa within the European Union and is responsible for creating 90,000 direct jobs and another 90,000 indirect jobs," said Mr Matthias Boddenberg, Chief Executive Officer of the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "That makes Germany a very important partner for South Africa. The good infrastructure, the political stability and the well-functioning legal system makes South Africa a good destination for investments in the African continent."
Scott Farrell, Chief Financial Officer of B. Braun Medical, adds: "We are grateful for the support from the various public authorities we engaged with during this complex transaction. Following our corporate claim "Sharing Expertise", we are fully committed to further developing both the skills of our employees and a stronger supplier network of BBBEE partners."
B. Braun is one of the world's leading manufacturers of medical devices and pharmaceutical products and services. With over 56,000 employees in 64 countries, B. Braun develops high quality products, systems and services for users around the world. In 2015, the Group generated sales of approximately 6.1 billion.
Contact:
Jens Papperitz
Managing Director
B. Braun Medical (Pty) Limited
Email: jens.papperitz@bbraun.com
Tel: +27-10-222-3005
SOURCE B. Braun Melsungen AG
NEW YORK, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IPC, a leading global financial markets technology and service provider, has for the sixth consecutive year been voted "Best Trading Floor Communication System Provider" in the Waters Rankings.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160407/352841LOGO
"We truly value this award as it is based on votes of our customers. It is a great honor that they have consistently recognized us as the top turret and trading communications provider," said Don Henderson, Senior Vice President, Product and Customer Service. "We are committed to meeting the needs of our global customer community, and this affirms their confidence in IPC's leading technology and service to do just that."
IPC's community includes more than 200,000 users that use IPC's communication solutions to exchange information and collaborate in real-time. The offerings include Unigy, IPC's next-generation work-flow platform. Unigy provides on-demand, secure, compliant communications to customer front, middle and back-office teams. It offers an unprecedented level of flexibility to leverage capabilities across IPC workstations like IQ/MAX Touch, and also PC and mobile endpoints.
"As the industry continues to evolve, we are progressing our technology to meet the changing needs of our customers, whose support is invaluable," adds Henderson. "We are transforming compliance from a regulatory obligation into a competitive advantage by developing specialized, innovative solutions that enable them to not only mitigate risk, but also enhance their trading operations."
"Waters Magazine has turned to its expert readers for the past 14 years to determine the top vendors in their respective fields for the annual Waters Rankings. For a sixth year, Waters readers have chosen IPC as Best Trading Floor Communications System Provider, and when totaled with IPC's previous honors as the Best Trading Turret, they have ranked 11 times out of 12," said Anthony Malakian, U.S. editor, Waters.
The Waters Rankings are the annual readers' choice awards of Waters Magazine, which recognize the combined leadership of technological capabilities and human expertise in various categories. Qualified voters participating in the Waters rankings are from buy- and sell-side firms as well as exchanges and inter dealer brokers. More than 1,000 voters chose the best financial IT solution and services in the annual Waters Rankings. The Best Trading Floor Communications System Provider category supersedes the best trading turret provider category in the Waters Rankings, which IPC won six of the seven years the category was on offer: 2004 through 2006 and then 2008 through 2010.
About IPC
IPC is a technology and service leader that powers financial markets globally. We help clients anticipate change and solve problems, setting the standard with industry expertise, exceptional service and comprehensive technology. With customers first and always, we collaborate with each to understand their individual needs to help make them secure, productive and compliant within our connected community. Through service excellence, long-developed expertise and a focus on innovation and community, we provide agile and efficient ways for our customers to accelerate their ability to adapt to the everchanging requirements for advanced data networks, compliance and collaboration with all counter-parties across the financial markets. www.ipc.com
Certain statements contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should" or "will" or similar terminology. Any forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
About Waters
Each month, Waters reports and analyzes the practical implementation of financial technology in the wholesale banking and securities industries. Since its launch in 1993, financial IT professionals worldwide have relied on the magazine for its focused, in-depth coverage of financial market data and technology as well as the human issues of talent management, staff retention and compensation within the financial services community. With more than 10,000 subscribers, Waters readers enjoy the insights of CIOs and CTOs from the global capital markets. Waters is published by Incisive Media Plc. For more information, please visit www.watersonline.com and www.incisivemedia.com.
Media Contacts:
Khurram Mirza Jonelle Taylor IPC Systems, Inc. Finn Partners for IPC +1-201-253-2285 +1-646-202-9785 Khurram.Mirza@ipc.com jonelle.taylor@finnpartners.com
Related Links
http://www.ipc.com
SOURCE IPC Systems, Inc.
DUBLIN, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Flocculant and Coagulant Market in APAC - Forecast to 2021" report to their offering.
The Flocculant and Coagulant market in APAC is projected to reach USD 708.4 million by 2021, registering a CAGR of 5.63% between 2016 and 2021. China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Australia & New Zealand are the major F&C markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Rising demand from end-use applications such as municipal water treatment, mine water treatment, power generation, chemical processing, and others is also a major driver for the F&C market.
F&C are widely used in municipal water treatment applications. The increased investments in municipal water infrastructure in developing countries, such as India, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia among others, seek to improve access to safe drinking water supplies and sanitation facilities.
The increase in the use of F&C in Vietnam is projected to be driven by many factors such as stringent environment and water resources protection laws in the region, formulation process involving natural sustainable and renewable sources, recent expansions in the region, and so on. In addition to this, Vietnam has large reserves of primary energy resources, such as coal, mining, oil, natural gas, and water for hydropower generation.
Out of these, coal is the major source of power generation. It also has high potential for renewable energy resources, such as biomass, solar, and wind. Vietnam's consumption of F&C has grown significantly and is expected to witness further growth in the near future. The high growth of the F&C market in the country is also a result of the growing population awareness and urbanization.
Companies Mentioned:
Akferal
BASF SE
Cytec Industries Inc.
Ecolab Inc.
Huntsman Corporation
IXOM
Kemira OYJ
Kurita Water Industries Ltd.
SNF Floerger
Water Treatment Australia Pty Ltd.
Key Topics Covered:
1 Introduction
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Premium Insights
5 Market Overview
6 Industry Trends
7 The C&F Market, By Type
8 C&F Market, By Application
9 The C&F Market, By Country
10 Competitive Landscape
11 Company Profiles
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3whxv7/flocculant_and
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
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Related Links
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SOURCE Research and Markets
MUNICH, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Dr. Andreas Rummelt, pharma industry expert and former CEO of Sandoz, was elected as new supervisory board member at LEUKOCARE's annual shareholder meeting on July 12th
LEUKOCARE, a leading provider of stabilizing and protecting formulation technologies for biopharmaceuticals like biologics and vaccines, announces the election of Dr. Andreas Rummelt as new member of its supervisory board. Together with Dr. Jean-Paul Prieels, who held various executive positions at GlaxoSmithKline, former Sandoz CEO Dr. Rummelt is the second former executive from big pharma on the LEUKOCARE board.
Dr. Rummelt's international career included multiple executive positions within Sandoz and Novartis where he focused on the areas of manufacturing, quality, and technical development of pharmaceutical originals and generics. He has served more than twenty years in executive management positions in the industry. He joined Sandoz Pharma Ltd. in 1985 in Switzerland and was CEO of Sandoz, the Generics Division of Novartis, in Vienna, Austria and Holzkirchen, Germany from 2004 to 2008. Today, Dr. Rummelt is Managing Partner with InterPharmaLink, a Basel-based consulting firm to pharma, biotech, generics and other healthcare sectors. He holds various board seats in public and private companies, e.g. with Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Alvogen and Xellia Pharmaceuticals.
"We are very pleased that Dr. Rummelt is joining our supervisory board", said Michael Scholl, CEO of LEUKOCARE. "We are sure that his expertise and network in the industry will support our strategy to become an even stronger player in the field of pharmaceutical formulation development to offer outstanding solutions for biopharmaceutical products", he added.
"I am looking forward to supporting the company's further development and the roll out of the technology in the pharma industry," stated Dr. Rummelt. "I am convinced that LEUKOCARE's SPS formulation technology platform has the potential to improve products regarding thermal stability and shelf life both for new entities as well as for life cycle products and biosimilars."
LEUKOCARE AG
LEUKOCARE provides a next-generation formulation technology platform for the protection of proteins like biopharmaceuticals to allow the development of better products. The proprietary Stabilizing and Protecting Solutions (SPS) technologies are provided to development projects of partners in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. LEUKOCARE's SPS technologies improve stability and quality of biologics like antibodies, vaccines etc. in dry and liquid formulation including high-concentration formulations. SPS also protect proteins in biologically functionalized combination devices like extracorporeal blood treatments or wound dressings.
LEUKOCARE is a privately owned biotechnology company founded in 2003, and headquartered in Martinsried/Munich, Germany.
Please visit: http://www.leukocare.com
Contact:
Michael Scholl, CEO
Email: michael.scholl@leukocare.com
SOURCE LEUKOCARE AG
LONDON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Former United Nations Representative, Andrew Hirsch, has confirmed to speak at the Global Patent Congress 2016, taking place in Brussels 26th-28th September.
Andrew has 25 years of international experience representing private sector companies, the US Department of Commerce, and Patent & Trademark Office and was hired by the United Nations to draft the 'Feasibility Study for a UN Technology Bank for the World's Least Developed Countries'.
Currently Executive Director for the International Intellectual Property Institute (IIPI), Andrew will be giving his insight on how to 'Understand Chinese Patent Culture as an Imperative Step for Implementing Strategy', 'How to Improve the Global Intellectual Property Ecosystem and Drive Economic Growth through IP' and opening on-site discussions on 'How the Brexit could impact intellectual property'.
Mr. Hirsch along with leaders from companies including Unified Patent Court, Nokia Technologies, European Patent Office, Valneva Austria, Panasonic, and other Legal experts will be at the Global Patent Congress on 26th-28th September, in Brussels.
The congress brings together 60+ Industry leaders and many more, to debate, discuss and shape global patents within the legal industry and define company patent strategies, including a 'View from the Bench' regarding the Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court.
The full agenda including a full list of keynote speakers can be found here http://www.patentcongress.com/PR
Notes to editors:
Become a member of Legal IQ and receive complimentary access to resources that will keep you at the forefront of industry change. You will receive access to our growing library of multimedia presentations from industry leaders, an email newsletter updating you on new content that has been added, free aggregated news feed from over 1000 global news sources tracking your industry and special member-only discounts on events.
SOURCE Global Patent Congress
SAN FRANCISCO and EDINBURGH, Scotland, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
International Publisher Integrates deltaDNA Following Comprehensive Market Testing and Evaluation Process
International online games publisher Gameforge, has selected deltaDNA's industry leading analytics and real-time player marketing platform, enabling it to unleash the power of its data to optimize player engagement, marketing and monetization across its games.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151111/286338LOGO )
As one of the industry's largest online publishers and the first in Europe to adopt the free-to-play (F2P) model, Gameforge will now integrate deltaDNA across its portfolio of online and mobile games, including flagship titles like Orcs Must Die! Unchained, Metin2, Dropzone and HEX: Shards of Fate.
With over 450 million registered players playing Gameforge games, deltaDNA's powerful deep data analytics technology and advanced toolset will help to empower Gameforge's data scientists and game marketers to explore player engagement, analyze player behaviors and use deep data to create high definition player segments and real-time campaigns.
Gameforge's decision to select deltaDNA as its first third-party analytics provider follows a lengthy testing and evaluation process, during which several leading providers were assessed, with deltaDNA emerging as the platform most capable of delivering the maximum return on investment.
Ahmet Zayifoglu, Portfolio Director, Gameforge, said: "The large volume of data our games generate, alongside the complexity of balancing player experience with in-game monetization, has led us to look at how we might maximize the return on investment from integrating with a leading third-party analytics solution.
"We decided to select deltaDNA after testing and evaluating a number of leading analytics solutions on the market. We judged deltaDNA to be the best-in-class because of the combination of powerful analytics and the capability to interact with players live, as they play."
Mark Robinson, CEO, deltaDNA, added: "The challenging economics of free-to-play are well documented, which is why major publishers like Gameforge are investing in advanced analytics solutions like deltaDNA, to help unlock the power of their data and maximize player engagement."
"As one of the world's largest online games publishers with hundreds of millions of registered users, we are incredibly proud to be working with Gameforge and look forward to working with them to uncover and act-on the hidden insights within their player data."
About deltaDNA
deltaDNA improves player engagement and lifetime values in Free-To-Play games. Its technology solution uses advanced data mining and predictive modelling to identify and segment different player behaviors. Through this insight, players can be targeted with real-time individually-targeted in-game messages offering personalized experiences that increase retention and revenues.
For more information visit http://www.deltaDNA.com
For deltaDNA media enquiries, please contact:
Stephen Green
GiantPR
+44 07775 677101
steve@giantpr.co.uk
SOURCE deltaDNA
WOLNZACH, Germany, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Together with hop growers from Germany, HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. is launching a campaign for European products, and particularly German hops, in China.
Beer: a beverage that is strongly associated with Germany. But it is not only Germans who love their beer - the barley brew also enjoys great popularity in China. China is one of the biggest beer markets worldwide and is in constant competition with the US in terms of world rankings. HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. recognizes this potential and is currently active on the Chinese market with a three-year information campaign cofinanced by the EU. Together with the hop-growing associations from the German growing regions of Tettnang, Elbe-Saale, and Hallertau, as well as the producer cooperative HVG Spalt, the campaign led by HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. explains the merits of European products and particularly the high quality of German hops, and provides information about their labeling.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389668 )
Demand for hops in China is on the rise: Germany sold more than 1,000 tons of hop pellets to China in 2015 alone. Hops from Germany fulfill important expectations in terms of food safety, quality, and control. Almost 100 percent of German hops fall under the quality regulations of the European Union, such as the protected geographical indication (PGI) or protected designation of origin (PDO). Chinese brewers can now use this clearly identifiable advantage to offer their customers beers with primary flavor ingredients of certified quality and origin that can be transparently and fully traced. The attributes of these hops make all the difference between conventional products and certified European quality products.
From the diverse spectrum of German hop varieties, classic aroma hops are used to produce very mild and fine aromatic beers for the Chinese market. For the emerging craft beer market in China, special flavor hops from Germany deliver intense and exotic taste experiences, which are ideally suited for the production of special and unique beers.
While the first two years of the campaign cofinanced by the EU predominantly addressed the decision-makers in the beer industry, the third year of the campaign will focus on consumers too. The campaign primarily targets the metropolises of Beijing and Shanghai, during which brewers and beer lovers will be exposed to the relevant advantages of European products - especially German hops - in a number of different ways. The planned measures include a media campaign with a newly designed logo on the Internet and in periodicals. Specialists from the beer industry and beer lovers can find all the information they need about European quality products and German hops at the website www.DeGuoPijiuhua.eu. Those who want to have a look for themselves are welcome to visit HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G. in China at the 12th China Brew China Beverage trade show (CBB 2016) from October 11 to 14 in Shanghai, in Hall W1. There will also be an information event about German hops at the fair on October 13, 2016 - a date all beer lovers should remember.
Contact: Thomas Erdmann, Press Relations, +49(0)62133840-754, E-Mail: t.erdmann@trio-group.de
SOURCE HVG Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G.
DUBLIN, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global eDiscovery Software Market 2016-2020" report to their offering.
The report forecasts the global ediscovery software market to grow at a CAGR of 17.36% during the period 2016-2020.
The report 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.
A trend influencing market growth is the high demand for dynamic document solutions. Nowadays, organizations rely heavily on digital media and increasingly adopt office document solutions that help generate rich media to provide better information and create engaging content. This is causing organizations to shift from static documents to dynamic documents, which are interactive with embedded buttons, calculations, links, and content such as images, videos, illustrations, web pages, and forms.
According to the report, a key growth driver is the increased volume of electronic data. Enterprises generate data from various sources such as enterprise applications, social networks, web-based searches, and cloud-based applications. It is practically impossible for big organizations to analyze large volumes of data on a daily basis without using advanced technology. With the huge volume of data at hand, organizations are looking to make the best use of raw data and convert them into useful information to help in their decision-making process.
Further, the report states that one challenge that could impact market growth is the lack of skilled employees.
Key vendors:
FTI Consulting
HP
IBM
kCura
Nuix
Symantec
Key Topics Covered:
PART 01: Executive summary
PART 02: Scope of the report
PART 03: Market research methodology
PART 04: Introduction
PART 05: Market landscape
PART 06: Global eDiscovery market
PART 07: Market segmentation by end-user
PART 08: Market segmentation by region
PART 09: Key leading countries
PART 10: Buying criteria
PART 11: Market drivers
PART 12: Impact of drivers
PART 13: Market challenges
PART 14: Impact of drivers and challenges
PART 15: Market trends
PART 16: Impact of trends
PART 17: Five forces analysis
PART 18: Vendor landscape
PART 19: Key vendor profiles
PART 20: Appendix
For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bmsqjs/global_ediscovery
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
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SOURCE Research and Markets
ISTANBUL, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Johnson Controls today announced plans to relocate its Turkish HVAC manufacturing operations from Manisa to an expanded facility in the AEGEAN Free Trade Zone in Izmir. The new 33,000 square meter facility will house an advanced test lab and a learning and training center for employees.
"This move to a larger, state of the art facility reinforces our long term commitment to the region towards providing high efficiency, market leading HVAC products and services across all vertical markets," said Mohammad Khalid, Johnson Controls Vice President of Manufacturing for Middle East & Africa.
The new facility, which is significantly larger than the existing structure, will be configured around Johnson Controls Manufacturing System (JCMS) principles - a set of global standards for excellence in manufacturing and employee safety. The facility will produce a variety of YORK airside and chiller products serving customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
"The size, configuration and features of this new facility will drive improved operational capabilities as well as accelerate efficiency and lead time performance while maintaining best in class quality standards; helping us serve our customers, channel partners and employees even better," Khalid added.
Johnson Controls serves its customers in Turkey and the Caspian through offices and channel partners in Ankara, Istanbul, Adana, Antalya and Baku. Some of the prominent, energy efficient projects in the region where Johnson Controls has added value for its customers include the Carousel and Cevahir Malls and the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul; the Holy Mosque Expansion in Makkah, the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah; the Burj Khalifa, the Princess Tower and Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah international airports in the UAE, among others.
Johnson Controls has a long standing association with the region and operates manufacturing facilities in Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Follow us at @JCI_BEnews
http://www.johnsoncontrols.com
Contact:
Farhan Qureshy
Regional Communications Manager, Middle East & Africa
Farhan.qureshy@jci.com
+97150558952
SOURCE Johnson Controls
The prestigious World Whiskies Awards (WWA) named the Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique its 2015 "World's Best Single Malt Whisky."
This year, Kavalan was also named the WWA's "World's Best Single Cask Single Malt Whisky" for single malts drawn from one cask rather than multiple barrels for its Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength.
Kavalan owner Mr YT Lee says:
"We were incredibly humbled by this rare honour of getting two top World Whiskies Awards. Kavalan Whisky is always learning and always improving our whiskies to try to bring our customers the best in the world."
The WWA is part of the prestigious World Drinks Awards programme and considered one of two, top global whisky authorities.
Through fast maturation, Kavalan is helping to redefine quality whisky, and has earned accolades from industry judges and connoisseurs alike.
The 2015 WWA judges described Vinho as follows:
"Very sweet pruney flavours initially on the palate, with fruit cake and big clove, chilli and dry cinnamon. Walnut and hazelnut on the very dry finish. Immediately and subtly liquor rich. Tiny bit of incense, a thread of spice and smoke.
"Caramel, marzipan, coffee-vanilla, fudge, rich, creamy, dried black fruits. Integrated and surprisingly light. Element of sandalwood. Starts creamy, waters out, almost disappears before rubbing hot brown sugar into the oesophagus. Tiny bitter trace."
The 2016 WWA judges described Amontillado as follows:
"Hints of raisin and coconut on the nose, but essentially what we have here is a toffee smoking a cinnamon flavoured cigar. The palate opens with a nice burst of sweet fresh fruit - guava and melon - front to mid palate, after which the wood takes over; a Christmas pine hit, the fruit now acting as flamboyant outriders, the caramels rushing in to fill the gap. The finish is long and dry and punches into the throat."
Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible wrote: "Amontillado is probably my favourite sherry style. How many times, though, have I discovered its delicate, complex, understated nature perfectly transferred onto a single malt? In some 35 years, this must be only the fourth or fifth time, and I doubt any quite displayed such truth to its style, such panache."
About Kavalan Whisky
The Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan has been dedicated to the art of single malt whisky since 2006. The world's first subtropical whisky distiller, it is a pioneer in making whisky in a hot climate, and has collected more than 180 gold awards. At its distillery, a world-class R&D team and UK-trained master blender, together with an international whisky consultant, oversee the production of an annual 5 million bottles of the world's finest-tasting whiskies, including the 2015 World's Best Single Malt Whisky, Solist Vinho Barrique.
Aged in American oak bottles in intense humidity and heat, Kavalan also benefits from sea and mountain breezes and the Snow Mountain's spring water, which combine to create Kavalan Whisky's signature creaminess. Kavalan takes its name from the old name for Yilan County and is backed by 30 years of beverage-making thanks to parent company, King Car Group. It is available in 40 countries. Visit www.kavalanwhisky.com/en/.
Media Contact:
Yvonne Chou
886-3922-9000#7162
yvonne@kavalandistillery.com
Related Links
http://www.kavalanwhisky.com
SOURCE Kavalan
CARLSBAD, California and BOSTON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The ninth annual BioPharm America life science partnering event will take place September 1315 at Boston Marriott Copley Place in the heart of Boston. Produced by EBD Group in collaboration with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio), the event features presentations from cutting edge biotech companies and early stage startups, and is attended annually by hundreds of executives from global pharmaceutical companies, investors and service companies in search of partners.
"BioPharm America is better than ever, and we expect to have our best event yet in 2016," said Anna Chrisman, Group Managing Director of EBD Group. "The market is always changing, and our high-caliber speakers and cutting-edge program are sure to provide insights on partnering trends and in-demand opportunities."
Key thought leaders headlining the program this year include:
Adam Brickman Director, Strategic Communications and Public Policy, Omada Health
Director, Strategic Communications and Public Policy, Alex de Winter Director, GE Ventures
Director, Sinclair Dunlop Managing Partner, Epidarex Capital
Managing Partner, Nicole Fisher Founder and CEO, HHR Strategies
Founder and CEO, Brian M. Gallagher, Jr. Partner, SR One
Partner, Carolyn E. Green Executive Director, Strategic Investments, Pfizer Worldwide R&D, ERDI
Executive Director, Strategic Investments, Pfizer Worldwide R&D, Katya Hancock Director of Industry Partnerships, StartUp Health
Director of Industry Partnerships, Christine Lemke Co-Founder and President, Evidation Health
Roger Longman CEO, Real Endpoints
CEO, Philippe Lopes-Fernandes Senior VP and Head, Global Business Development and Alliance Management, EMD Serono
Senior VP and Head, Global Business Development and Alliance Management, Brendan Luu - Head of Business Development, Strategic Initiatives, EMD Serono
- Head of Business Development, Strategic Initiatives, Douglas MacDougall President, MacDougall Biomedical Communications
President, Corey McCann CEO, Pear Therapeutics
CEO, Peter Parker Co-Founder, LabCentral; Managing General Partner, BioInnovation Capital
Co-Founder, LabCentral; Managing General Partner, Jit Patel VP, Business Development, JDRF
VP, Business Development, Avery Posey Instructor, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, University of Pennsylvania
Instructor, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Patricia Reilly Head, Intelligence Alliances and Product Unification, Pharma intelligence, Informa
Head, Intelligence Alliances and Product Unification, Pharma intelligence, Jason Rhodes Partner, Atlas Venture
Partner, Morrie Ruffin Managing Partner, Adjuvant Partners
Managing Partner, Ed Saltzman President, Defined Health
President, Aaron Schwartz Director, R&D Innovation Sourcing, Novo Nordisk
Director, R&D Innovation Sourcing, Jeremy Springhorn Partner, Corporate Development, Flagship Ventures
Partner, Corporate Development, Luke Timmerman Founder and Editor, Timmerman Report
New features taking place during BioPharm America (#BioPharmAmerica) this year include two one-day programs, Biotech Startup Day and Digital Medicine Connect, and a special track designed to offer opportunities for expanded networking and cross-pollination of ideas across the technology, drug development, pharma and business ecosystems. The Cell and Gene Therapy track will include sessions on technologies like CRISPR and Adoptive Cell Therapies, pathways to commercialization and the use of regenerative medicine in the treatment of rare diseases and cancer.
Biotech Startup Day (#BPAStartupDay)
Now in its second year, Biotech Startup Day will feature interactive roundtable discussions among pharma executives, finance experts and entrepreneurs, and include a pitch fest featuring a curated group of Boston-area startups.
Digital Medicine Connect (#DigitalMedicineConnect)
The one-day Digital Medicine Connect program will examine the challenges facing digital medicine stakeholders as they work to deliver clinically impactful and economically viable digital medical solutions in a saturated yet still-emerging business environment.
The 2015 edition of BioPharm America was attended by 853 delegates from 524 companies representing 27 countries; 2,274 one-to-one partnering meetings were held at the event where 657 licensing opportunities were on offer.
Additional links and information:
Follow BioPharm America 2016 on Twitter: @EBDGroup (hashtag: #BioPharmAmerica).
Online Press Kit service for BioPharm America 2016 is available from Virtual Press Office/PR Newswire to enhance your public relations efforts.
About EBD Group
EBD Group is the leading partnering firm for the global life science industry. Since 1993, biotech, pharma and medical device companies have leveraged EBD Group's partnering conferences, technology and services to identify business opportunities and develop strategic relationships essential to their success.
EBD Group's conferences are run with the support of leading corporations and international trade associations and include:
BIO-Europe and BIO-Europe Spring , Europe's largest life science partnering conferences, supported by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
and BIO-Europe Spring , largest life science partnering conferences, supported by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) BioPharm America, the fastest growing partnering event in North America
Biotech Showcase, a unique forum in San Francisco for presenting to investors and business development executives, co-produced with Demy-Colton Life Science Advisors
for presenting to investors and business development executives, co-produced with Demy-Colton Life Science Advisors BioEquity Europe, the investor conference co-organized with BioCentury Publications and BIO
ChinaBio Partnering Forum, the first dedicated biotech/pharma partnering conference in China , co-produced with ChinaBio Group
Partnering Forum, the first dedicated biotech/pharma partnering conference in , co-produced with ChinaBio Group Biolatam, facilitating partnering among global life sciences executives in Latin America's vibrant life science hubs
EBD Group's sophisticated web-based partnering service, partneringONE , is used as the partnering engine at numerous third-party events around the world, and partnering360 is the open online community of life science dealmakers that enhances partnering experiences throughout the year.
EBD Group is an Informa company. Informa is the largest publicly-owned organizer of exhibitions, conferences and training in the world.
EBD Group has offices in the USA and Europe.
For more information please visit www.ebdgroup.com.
Related Links
http://www.ebdgroup.com
SOURCE EBD Group
PUNE, India, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
The report "VRF Systems Market by System Type (Heat Pump and Heat Recovery System), Application (Commercial: Retail Stores, Healthcare, Hotels & Restaurants, Educational Institutions, & Residential), by Component, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets. The variable refrigerant flow systems market is estimated to reach USD 24.09 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 11.4% between 2016 and 2022.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )
Browse 99 market data Tables and 90 Figures spread through 189 Pages and in-depth TOC on "VRF Systems Market".
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/variable-refrigerant-flow-systems-market-155809495.html
Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.
Factors driving the VRF systems market include increasing demand for improved energy-efficient devices and lower environmental impact due to use of low global warming potential refrigerant, growing construction activities, and increased legislation & energy management initiatives for increasing the adoption of VRF systems.
Commercial segment is expected to hold the largest share of the VRF systems market during the forecast period
The market for the commercial segment is expected to grow at a higher rate compared to the residential buildings and transportation applications segments. The main driving factor for the commercial buildings market is revival in construction activities and enhanced focus on energy-efficient technologies and products. VRF systems are used in most commercial buildings, ranging from small shops and cafes to large office buildings and public spaces. The major reason accelerating the market is growing need for energy-efficient systems according to the environment and occupancy in the building which decides the need for VRF systems. VRF systems have the ability to condition multiple zones in a building, each of which may have different heating and cooling needs.
The heat Pump VRF systems market is expected to have a high growth between 2016 and 2022
The heat pump VRF systems are expected to grow with the highest growth rate during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the fact that they deliver the benefit of two to more controls in a single device. VRF zoning ensures that energy is only used to cool or warm the occupied offices. Quiet indoor unit and precise temperature control creates the most comfortable and productive work environment.
Market in North America is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period
The implementation of VRF Systems Market is increasing in North America due to the rising necessity for high-quality products associated with the increased demand for energy-efficient devices and increasing construction activities. It also helps in the reducing the energy consumption as well as the cost required for the energy. Implementation of VRF systems are expected to help in improving the efficiency in residential as well as commercial buildings. Accelerating demand from residential, commercial, and industrial segments in North America is driving the growth of the (VRF) market. Tremendous development in infrastructure is expected to boost the (VRF) market in this region.
Inquiry Before Buying: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=155809495
Companies involved in the development of VRF systems include Daikin industries Ltd. (Japan) , LG Electronics (South Korea), Mitsubishi Electrical (Japan), Midea Group (China), Fujitsu General Corporation (Japan), Johnson Controls, Inc. (U.S.), Lennox International Inc. (U.S.), Toshiba Corporation (Japan), Ingersoll Rand Plc. (Ireland) and United Technologies Corporation (U.S.).
Browse Related Reports
HVAC Controls Market by System (Temperature, Ventilation, Humidity & Integrated Controls), Component (Sensors and Controllers & Controlled Devices), Revenue Source (HVAC Controls & BEMS), Application, and Geography - Global Trend and Forecast to 2022
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/smart-hvac-controls-market-130456761.html
About MarketsandMarkets
MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firms in terms of annual 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.
Connect with us on:
MarketsandMarketsBlog@ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors
LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets
Media 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: sales@marketsandmarkets.com
SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Financial Services, (ABC) the leading provider of software and payment processing in the Health and Fitness Industry, received the Gold's Gym International Vendor of the Year - Service Award. Mike Escobedo, ABC Sr. VP of Client Relations, accepted the award while attending the association's Annual International Convention in Las Vegas, NV, July 11-13.
"On Behalf of our entire family here at ABC, I would like to thank Gold's Gym International. To all of the vendors and industry professionals who make the Gold's Gym International Convention and Brand such a success year after year, we cannot express enough our sincerest gratitude for recognizing our contributions to the industry," stated Steve Ayers, Chief Revenue Office of ABC Financial. "We look forward to continuing our efforts in providing the industry with the software & payment processing tools they need to successfully service their valued members and grow a successful fitness business."
ABC was selected as this year's award winner in recognition of their decades of outstanding achievements, innovations and support of the health and fitness industry, their continued investment in leading-edge technology and software solutions, and their untiring support of Gold's Gym International and its Franchisees.
About ABC Financial
Launched in 1981, ABC Financial has revolutionized software and payment processing for the health and fitness industry. Headquartered in the Little Rock, Ark. area, ABC Financial serves approximately 8,000 clubs throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The company's innovative club management software, DataTrak, is the most complete web-based software in the health and fitness industry.
CONTACT:
Steve Ayers
Chief Revenue Officer, ABC Financial
501-515-5066
[email protected]
SOURCE ABC Financial
Related Links
http://www.abcfinancial.com
HEATHROW, Fla., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cozmix is pleased to announce the release of the International version of AlignMix, its award winning sales territory mapping and alignment software. AlignMix now comes with geography for Canada, UK, Germany, France & Australia. For the first time anyone can easily create sales territory maps for one of these international markets using AlignMix Standard or Professional. The Standard version of AlignMix is free to use with these international geographies.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389582
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The data for each country is utilizing high quality licensed, or publicly available, post code data. The following is currently available for each country:
Canadian FSAs (2011 Forward Sortation Areas)
UK Postcode Districts (Postcode Sectors are available in AlignMix Professional for the UK)
German Postcodes (2016)
France Postcodes
Australia (2011 POAs Post Code Areas)
In the coming months more countries will be added.
In addition to these core markets (which are free), AlignMix can also be configured with high quality post code data for 50+ global market. The price for these international data packs varies based on the source of the underlying licensed data.
Steve Maughan, President of Cozmix, said,
"We're delighted to be able to expand the number of countries which can have free access to a high quality sales territory mapping solution. Our US clients continue to rave about the ease of use and raw power of AlignMix. This is now available for Canada, Australia, Germany, France and the UK."
As with the US version, AlignMix has a number of key features which makes it stand out from other sales territory mapping software solutions:
Patent pending TouchAlign makes changing the territory boundaries as easy as finger painting (you get instant visual feedback as you make the changes)
Simple data import sucks your data into AlignMix from Excel (no more clunky data configuration procedures)
Visualize your customer and sales rep locations
Analyze your data to identify untapped potential and high (or low) performance using thematic maps and high-impact charts
Group sales territories into districts (or regions) to reflect the reporting structure
Create a sales territory index to balance multiple alignment objectives
Realign zip codes or post codes with precision using the Lasso or Circle Select tools (you get visual feedback as you make your selection)
Export maps as images and territory data to Excel.
AlignMix is available in two versions. AlignMix Standard is the only free sales territory mapping solution which comes with up-to-date zip code and international post code data. AlignMix Professional has unlimited customer types, can import multiple data series and enables the assignment of territories to districts / regions. It is licensed on a per-user, per-year basis.
For more information, visit the website at https://www.alignmix.com to download AlignMix Standard or get a free two-week trial of AlignMix Professional.
Media contact:
Steve Maughan
407-915-4852
SOURCE Cozmix, Inc.
Related Links
https://www.alignmix.com
SAN DIEGO, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. (NYSE: AHS), the leader and innovator in healthcare workforce solutions and staffing services, is scheduled to attend the 2016 Avondale Healthcare 1-1 Conference on Wednesday, August 10, 2016 at the Boston Harbor Hotel, in Boston, Massachusetts. Brian Scott, Chief Financial Officer of AMN Healthcare, will be attending the conference which consists of small group and one-on-one investor meetings. No formal presentations are being made.
About AMN Healthcare
AMN Healthcare is the leader and innovator in healthcare workforce solutions and staffing services to healthcare facilities across the nation. The Company provides unparalleled access to the most comprehensive network of quality healthcare professionals through its innovative recruitment strategies and breadth of career opportunities. With insights and expertise, AMN Healthcare helps providers optimize their workforce to successfully reduce complexity, increase efficiency, and improve patient outcomes. AMN delivers managed services programs, healthcare executive search solutions, vendor management systems, recruitment process outsourcing, predictive modeling, medical coding and consulting, and other services. Clients include acute-care hospitals, community health centers and clinics, physician practice groups, retail and urgent care centers, home health facilities, and many other healthcare settings. For more information about AMN Healthcare, visit www.amnhealthcare.com.
The Company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AHS." For more information about AMN Healthcare, visit www.amnhealthcare.com, where the Company posts news releases, investor presentations, webcasts, SEC filings and other material information. The Company also utilizes email alerts and Really Simple Syndication ("RSS") as routine channels to supplement distribution of this information. To register for email alerts and RSS, visit http://amnhealthcare.investorroom.com/emailalerts.
Contact:
David Erdman
Director, Investor Relations
866-861-3229
Web site: http://www.amnhealthcare.com
SOURCE AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.
Related Links
http://www.amnhealthcare.com
"We see this award as a reflection of our commitment to provide only the best and top-quality products to our customers and consumers," says Jon Stuewe, president of Molinos de Puerto Rico. "Any time we are recognized by the community, it carries a special meaning about how we contributed to its overall health, growth and success. Being specifically recognized by MIDA is an honor for Molinos and our team members. Our people are the key to our success."
Stuewe notes, "For generations, Amapola has been a trusted brand. When people see the Amapola logo, it triggers their childhood memories and the way mom used to cook. Each day, we continue to work to earn this trust."
Later this year, Molinos de Puerto Rico will be hosting two major milling events: ALIM (Latin-American Association of Milling Industries) 2016 annual meeting and the Caribbean Millers Association convention.
About Ardent Mills
Ardent Mills is the premier flour-milling and ingredient company whose vision is to be the trusted partner in nurturing its customers, consumers and communities through innovative and nutritious grain-based solutions. Ardent Mills' operations and services are supported by more than 40 flour mills and bakery-mix facilities along with a specialty bakery and Mobile Innovation Center, all located in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Deeply rooted in communities throughout North America, Ardent Mills is headquartered in Denver, CO and employs more than 100 certified millers, supporting thousands of local jobs and contributing billions of dollars to local economies. To learn more about Ardent Mills, visit ardentmills.com.
About Molinos de Puerto Rico
Ardent Mills' Puerto Rican operation, Molinos de Puerto Rico is the territory's leading supplier of flour as well as wheat, corn and rice-based food ingredients. Its Amapola brand is the territory's leading retail flour and corn meal brand. Molinos de Puerto Rico's ingredients and retail products are distributed throughout Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and the U.S. mainland. Established in 1958, it employs more than 100 team members and has operations in Guaynabo's Amelia district. In addition to Amapola, Molinos de Puerto Rico brands include Special 50 and Buccaneer flours among others.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389840
Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/MIDA-MOLINOS.mp4
SOURCE Ardent Mills
Related Links
http://ardentmills.com
NEW CASTLE, Pa., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Axion Power International, Inc. (OTCQB: AXPW) Chairman and CEO, Richard Bogan, announced today, that as a result of his trip to the Peoples Republic of China in May, Axion Power and LCB International, Inc. will work to reach an agreement with Fengfan Co. Ltd. (SH: 600482), the leading Chinese lead acid battery manufacturer, to be the sole strategic partner to commercialize the patented PbC Technology in Greater China.
Fengfan Co. Ltd. LCB International, Inc.
"Axion recently shipped a number of PbC Batteries to Fengfan's facility in Baoding, China for validation testing and evaluation for potential commercial applications in Greater China," said Bogan.
"Axion Power will also ship a number of its proprietary PbC Negative Carbon Electrodes to Fengfan for PbC Battery prototype design and development study," said Bogan. "An Axion Power senior engineer will assist on site in China."
Since the signing of the binding Letter of Intent in June 2015, Axion Power and LCB International have been in discussions for the commercialization of Axion's proprietary PbC Technology in China. Dr. WJ Gesang, principal of LCB International, said, "Fengfan Co. Ltd is the premier lead acid battery manufacturer and marketer in China and continues to innovate and explore new battery chemistries. LCB is excited about the opportunity to partner with both Fengfan and Axion to commercialize the PbC Technology in Greater China."
Mr. Zhen Zhijun, executive vice president of Fengfan, said, "Fengfan continues to search for collaborative opportunities around the world on advanced lead acid battery and other battery chemistries. These PbC Batteries and carbon negative electrodes will enable Fengfan to verify the technical superiority and commercial value of Axion's PbC technology."
In late July, Fengfan executives are scheduled to visit Axion Power's research and development center and principal executive offices in New Castle, Pa. Further collaborative work is targeted for late this summer.
"Periodically, I will provide progress updates on this collaboration," Bogan said.
About Axion Power International, Inc.
Axion Power is a technology leader in lead-carbon energy storage. Axion's patented lead carbon battery is the only advanced battery technology with an all carbon negative electrode. Axion's negative electrodes are designed to be directly substituted for lead acid negative electrodes producing the unique benefits of the Axion carbon technology. Axion Power's primary goal is to become the leading supplier of carbon electrode assemblies for lead-acid battery companies around the world. For more information, visit www.axionpower.com
About LCB International, Inc.
LCB International, Inc. is an investment and business development firm focusing on the battery energy storage system for motive and stationary utility applications in Asia.
About Fengfan Co. Ltd.
Fengfan Co., Ltd. belongs to China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. Fengfan was established in 1958 and was listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange in July of 2004. Fengfan has been the leading automotive lead acid battery manufacturer in China for decades. Fengfan is on the list of "The Top 100 Automotive Component Suppliers in China" and the list of "The Top 100 Machinery Industry Companies in China". For more information, visit www.sail.com.cn.
Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements in this Press Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risk factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the risk for the Company to complete its development work, as well as the risks inherent in commercializing a new product (including technology risks, market risks, financial risks and implementation risks, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the Company), as well as other risks that have been included in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available at www.sec.gov. We disclaim any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, financial estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/390082
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/390083
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160413/355007LOGO
SOURCE Axion Power International, Inc.
Related Links
http://www.axionpower.com
HAMILTON, N.J., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bai Brands, the innovative better-for-you beverage company and makers of Bai, Bai Bubbles and Antiwater, today announced the hiring of its first Chief Strategy Officer, Michael J. Pengue. Pengue joins Bai's executive leadership team with over 30 years' experience in sales, marketing, innovation and strategic business development, most recently as President of Nestle Waters Business Units.
Based at Bai's company headquarters in Hamilton, N.J., Pengue will be responsible for developing, communicating and executing short and long-term business strategies to ensure sustainable growth. He will specifically focus on the innovation of products, technology and infrastructure. Pengue will report directly to Bai Founder and CEO, Ben Weiss.
"We are very excited to have someone like Mike join our Bevolution," said Weiss. "Mike brings incredible beverage experience, leadership, and a unique business approach that fits perfectly with our creative culture. Bai is the fastest growing brand in a very competitive category and we have no plans to slow down."
At Nestle, Pengue lead the multibillion-dollar business of water and tea brands including Perrier, S. Pellegrino, Poland Spring, Nestle Pure Life and Nestea. During his tenure, Nestle Waters became the largest healthy refreshment beverage company and the third largest overall beverage company in North America. He also witnessed bottled water surpass carbonated soft drinks as the most consumed beverage in the U.S.
"Throughout my career I've seen beverage consumption habits change and evolve," said Pengue. "I see Bai and its portfolio of products as the next significant agent of change in the industry. The closer I've gotten to the brand, its visionary leadership and its creative culture, the more I've wanted to be part of this journey."
Prior to Nestle, Pengue spent nine years at Dannon Yogurt in a variety of sales and marketing positions. Pengue's official start date at Bai was Monday, July 11th.
ABOUT BAI BRANDS
Bai is an innovative beverage company that brings great taste and better-for-you ingredients together at last. Its two lines of enhanced waters, Bai and Bai Bubbles, offer fresh fruit flavor and antioxidants with no artificial sweeteners and only 5 calories and 1 gram of sugar per serving. Bai also produces Antiwater, an antioxidant-infused, super-purified bottled water. The company was founded by 20-year beverage industry veteran Ben Weiss in 2009 and has grown rapidly with its products now distributed by Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. Bai Brands was named one of Inc.'s 500 fastest-growing private companies in 2014, as well as one of America's 20 Most Promising Companies by Forbes in 2015. For more information, visit www.drinkbai.com.
SOURCE Bai Brands
Related Links
http://www.drinkbai.com
Nearly every woman has handbags that she no longer carries. Look in your closet, gather up gently used bags you no longer use and bring them to a participating Brighton Collectibles store between July 15th and 24th, 2016 to receive up to $50 off a brand new Brighton bag. Any manufacturer's handbags can be donated to qualify for the savings. To find a participating Brighton Collectibles store near you visit http://www.brighton.com
As Brighton's owner and founder Jerry Kohl explains, "The simple gift of a handbag can do so much to lift a woman's spirits. It will also help her to look professional when she is interviewing for a much-needed job."
Handbag Trade-In is just one of many charitable initiatives Brighton is involved in each year. As a part of Brighton Cares, Brighton has donated $9.5 million to charitable organizations including the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Soles4Souls, Little Kids Rock, Dress for Success, and other local charities helping women to re-enter the workplace.
For 41 years, Brighton has focused on custom design and craftsmanship, creating timeless accessories from the finest leathers. They have always believed in giving back to the communities surrounding their 175 stores and they are grateful to their loyal customers who participate and help them as they strive to continue making a positive difference in communities throughout the U.S.
About Brighton
Known for excellent quality and a broad-ranging assortment of finely crafted accessories, Brighton produces handbags, jewelry, belts, footwear, small leather essentials, eyewear, luggage, fragrances, and gifts. To see the entire line, visit www.brighton.com
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389808LOGO
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130613/LA32091LOGO
SOURCE Brighton
Related Links
http://www.brighton.com
MINNEAPOLIS, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill scientists, in conjunction with food scientists from academia, will discuss strategies to improve functionality of fats and oil systems as partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) replacements in bakery products on July 18 during the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual Food Expo in Chicago.
The speakers will discuss different ways to bring structure to fats and oils systems as healthier alternatives to PHOs. Bob Wainwright from Cargill's Global Edible Oil Solutions business will discuss consumer preferences toward fats and the array of solutions to address the functional alternatives to PHOs that preserve product attributes consumers expect in baked goods. Dr. Silvana Martini from Utah State University will present recent research on the use of high intensity ultrasound as a way to change the crystallization behavior of fats. Dr. Alejandro G. Marangoni from the University of Guelph, Canada, will discuss the functionality of structured emulsions in baking applications. Fernanda Davoli from Cargill's Global Food Research will talk about how materials science can be used to speed up the development of fat systems for bakery applications.
During the sessions presented at IFT, attendees will hear about theoretical and practical approaches to saturated fat reduction. There will be opportunities for audience Q&A during the sessions.
About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and 150 years of experience. We have 149,000 employees in 70 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150701/227604LOGO
SOURCE Cargill
Related Links
http://www.cargill.com
VANCOUVER, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- City Office REIT, Inc. (NYSE: CIO) ("City Office" or the "Company") announced today that the Company, upon receiving a redemption request from certain limited partners of the Company's operating partnership (the "Operating Partnership"), has issued a total of 3,126,084 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock"). The shares of Common Stock were issued in connection with such limited partners' redemption of a total of 3,126,084 units of limited partnership interest ("OP Units") in the Operating Partnership (the "Redemption"). The OP Units tendered by the limited partners were originally issued by the Operating Partnership as part of the Company's IPO formation transactions to certain affiliates of Second City Capital Partners II, Limited Partnership, a real estate focused private equity fund (together with its affiliates "Second City"). After giving effect to the issuance of the 3,126,084 shares of Common Stock issued in the Redemption, the Company has 24,681,602 fully diluted shares outstanding.
In addition, the Company announced that it has appointed Jeffrey D. Kohn to the Company's Board of Directors effective immediately. Mr. Kohn is the principal partner and president of MDC Property Services Ltd. ("MDC") and has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry. MDC and its affiliates manage over $3.0 billion of commercial real estate across North America. Also, Second City has advised the Company that in two separate transactions, Mr. Kohn along with James ("Jim") Balsillie and entities affiliated with him, have purchased an aggregate of 2.5 million shares of Common Stock at $13.00 per share from Second City.
James Farrar, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, said, "We welcome Jeff as a new director. He has tremendous real estate expertise in many of our target markets and we expect him to make valuable contributions to our Board."
Furthermore, Second City has advised the Company that Second City distributed its 2,137,430 shares of Common Stock, including the shares received in the Redemption, to Second City fund investors.
Mr. Farrar continued, "While Second City was critical to the formation and early growth stage of the Company, the Company believes that this Redemption and distribution is an important step in our future as a public company. We believe that the Redemption and distribution benefits our shareholders by diversifying our shareholder base, and potentially increases shareholder liquidity going forward. We thank Second City and its investors, which include institutions and a number of prominent business people, for supporting the Company in its IPO and formative years, and we welcome these investors as our newest shareholders."
About City Office REIT, Inc.
City Office REIT is an internally-managed real estate company focused on acquiring, owning and operating high-quality office properties located in leading markets in the Southern and Western United States. City Office currently owns or has an interest in 3.5 million square feet of office properties. Additional information about City Office is available on the Company's website at www.cityofficereit.com. The Company has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward looking statements. These forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to source, acquire and close on properties on attractive terms, or at all; the Company's expectations and forecasts of future leasing activity at its current and future properties, and the Company's ability to accurately model the income yield, capitalization rate, and other financial metrics used to evaluate its properties. These and other material risks are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and any other documents filed by the Company from time to time, which are available from the Company and from the SEC, and you should read and understand these risks when evaluating any forward-looking statement. The Company does not have any obligation to publicly update any forward looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Contact
City Office REIT, Inc.
Anthony Maretic, CFO
+1-604-806-3366
[email protected]
SOURCE City Office REIT, Inc.
Related Links
http://www.cityofficereit.com
PUNE, India, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
The report "Coating Additives Market by Function (Rheology Modifiers, Dispersing, Wetting Agent, Impact Modifier, Anti-Foaming), Application (Automotive, Architecture, Industrial), Formulation (Water, Solvent, Powder Based), and Types - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, The global market size is projected to reach USD 9.19 Billion by 2021, registering a CAGR of 6.1% between 2016 and 2021.
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Browse 162 market data Tables and 57 Figures spread through 173 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Coating Additives Market"
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/coating-additives-market-1268.html
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The growing construction and automotive industries is expected to drive the coating additives market during the forecast period. China, Korea, Japan, and India are witnessing high demand for high quality construction materials. In addition, the growing automotive sector in these countries is fueling the demand for coating additives.
"Water-borne formulation for coating additives is expected to dominate the market"
Water-borne formulation is expected to be at the forefront of the coating additives market. The stringent environmental regulations in North America and Europe will drive the demand for water-borne formulations in architectural application due to presence of non-hazardous chemicals. With the tightening of regulations over VOC content, the formulators are forced to either use additives that help in reducing the VOC content or shift to water-borne formulation. However, solvent-borne formulation is also expected to show moderate growth rate due to its use in Asia-Pacific due to less stringent environmental regulations.
Coating additives market to be dominated by architectural application between 2016 and 2021
The major applications for coating additives are architectural, automotive, industrial, and wood & furniture. Architectural application accounted for the largest share of the coating additives market. The growing construction sector globally will drive the demand for coating additives, which are widely used in paints and coatings for protection of various materials under extreme conditions. The ability of the additives to provide protection from moisture, microbial growth, heat, and chemical factors makes it ideal for protection. Coating additives are extensively used in formulations for underground pipes, civil engineering projects, towers, offshore structures, and chemical industries. The heat-resistant property of some coating additives makes them important in electrical and electronic applications; and its use in these applications is expected to increase in the future.
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Asia-Pacific to be the largest market during the forecast period
The Coating Additives Market is broadly segmented into five regions, namely, Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and South America. Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the coating additives market during the forecast period. The major contributor to the region's growth is the fast-growing economy in the countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea.
Currently, the global coating additives market is dominated by various market players such as BYK-Chemie GmbH (Germany), AkzoNobel N.V. (Netherlands), Arkema SA (France), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), The DOW Chemical Company (U.S.) and Ashland Inc. (U.S.).
Browse Related Reports:
Rheology Modifiers Market by Type (Organic and Inorganic), & Application (Paints & Coatings, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Adhesives & Sealants, Inks, Pharmaceuticals, HI&I Products, Oil & Gas, and Construction) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2020
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/rheology-modifier-market-223566264.html
Antifoaming Agent Market by Type (Water Based, Oil Based, and Silicone Based), and Application (Pulp & Paper, Oil & Gas, Food & Beverage, Paints & Coatings and Water Treatment) - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2021
http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/antifoaming-agent-market-200248272.html
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Markets and Markets
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Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical
Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets
SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- DealerSocket, provider of a leading automotive technology platform for independent dealers, has released its conference schedule for the remainder of 2016. The company is in the midst of its largest technology investment ever in the independent market along with sponsorships of several major state IADAs and a lengthy lineup of convention appearances.
"DealerSocket's dedication to independent dealers is unprecedented among tech companies in this space," said Marylou Hastert, Director, Product Marketing, at DealerSocket. "We continue to increase our investment in independent product lines, including the release of an advanced new platform, called BlackBird, which will include a dealer management system (named iDMS) built specifically for independent dealers and a game-changing CRM."
The company's July appearances include the Georgia and Texas state IADA conferences.
Georgia IADA Convention & Expo, July 2123 Todd White , Sales Director, Independent, at DealerSocket, will present "Evolve at the Speed of Millennials," pulling back the curtain on this fast-growing customer base as well as sharing new strategies and technologies to appeal to millennial buyers. Learn more at https://giadaconvention.org/speakers/todd-white/.
, Sales Director, Independent, at DealerSocket, will present "Evolve at the Speed of Millennials," pulling back the curtain on this fast-growing customer base as well as sharing new strategies and technologies to appeal to millennial buyers. Learn more at https://giadaconvention.org/speakers/todd-white/. Texas IADA Conference & Expo, July 2426 For the first time ever, TIADA will open up the Exhibit Hall during select, non-exhibit hours for pre-scheduled demos. DealerSocket, a TIADA Business Partner, is now filling time slots on July 25 , between 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. , for demos of products within its integrated technology platform tailored to independent dealers. Register for a demo at http://info.dealersocket.com/TIADA2016.html.
In addition to Georgia and Texas, DealerSocket will appear at IADA conventions for the Carolinas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, along with NABD's East Coast conference. The company will conduct live demos throughout each show highlighting its new integrated technology platform tailored to independent dealers, including DMS, CRM, inventory management software, data-mining tools, website offerings, and digital marketing services.
About DealerSocket
DealerSocket is a leading automotive technology platform that helps dealerships in the United States, Canada, and Australia improve profitability through a fully integrated suite of marketing, sales, service, customer experience, DMS, websites, data-mining, and inventory management solutions. Headquartered in San Clemente, Calif., DealerSocket employs more than 1,000 people, and serves more than 10,000 dealerships and 300,000 active users in the United States, Canada, and Australia. DealerSocket's advanced technology provides benchmarking data that paces the industry, and its insightful experts identify trends and develop strategic roadmaps that help dealers optimize processes and operate more profitably. Visit dealersocket.com/ind for more information.
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SOURCE DealerSocket
Related Links
http://www.dealersocket.com/ind
Yon-ho Kim, senior researcher at the US-Korea Institute at SAIS , urged a more aggressive infusion of information into North Korea's closed society through mass distribution of USB drives, increased cellular phone platforms, miniature drones, and other broadcast media. He noted that the content needs to address the interests and concerns of Koreans in the North more concretely, a task that will need the insights of defectors.
The briefing on July 13 was co-hosted by Congressman Matt Salmon (RAZ), chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, and Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY). Cong. Salmon is the sponsor of the Distribution and Promotion of Rights and Knowledge 2016 (DPRK) Act, a new bill to authorize more advanced technology and better researched content for use in informing North Korean citizens.
The briefing and the bill are part of growing efforts targeting change in North Korea on the part of executives, legislators, and private organizations. A UN Commission of Inquiry report in February 2014 found the North Korea government guilty of "systematic, widespread, and grave violations of human rights." Last week the U.S. Treasury department named North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and 10 other individuals as subject to targeted sanctions "for their ties to North Korea's notorious abuses of human rights."
The One Korea Forum, hosted at US-Korea Institute July 13, focused on "The Power of Freedom in Addressing the Divided Human FamilyEmpowering the Voice of North Korean Defectors."
Grace Jo, vice-president of NKinUSA, spoke of her imprisonment with members of her family after their forcible repatriation from China where they had fled in search of food.
Dr. Edwin Feulner, the founder and former president of the Heritage Foundation, told the forum that current events suggest a "critical transitional period," with the regime "upping the ante" in its threats to global security.
Hon. Choong Whan Kim, former Republic of Korea National Assembly member and co-chair of Action for Korea United, reminded the forum of the key role of the United States in the region. He and other speakers called for the United States to support the process of unification and ending the painful division of Korea and its people. Action for Korea United is the largest Korean unification movement representing more than 800 civil society organizations.
The briefing and forum was co-sponsored by the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the Global Peace Foundation.
Contact: Michael Marshall, Global Peace Foundation
202-302-3756
[email protected]
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SOURCE Global Peace Foundation
Related Links
http://www.globalpeace.org
BETHESDA, Md., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Prof. Victor Williams, who is chairman of a newly-launched Lawyers for Trump Super PAC, praised Donald Trump's selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his Vice-Presidential nominee:
By choosing Mike Pence to be his running mate, Donald J. Trump has shown stellar judgment. The Trump/Pence team will indeed 'Make America Great Again.' Governor Pence has had a career commitment to free markets, regulatory reform, and pro-growth economic policies. Working with Congress, the Trump/Pence Administration will unleash the dynamic potential of the American economy.
And Williams added:
And Donald Trump has again demonstrated his commitment to 'Make America Safe Again.' Governor Mike Pence is a no-nonsense advocate of law and order for all American communities. Mike Pence knows that the first priority of government is to keep all of its citizens safe. And Pence, like Trump, knows that ISIS must be obliterated, and radical Islam must be called-out by name and destroyed.
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Pence is a Pragmatic Conservative
When Donald Trump becomes the Republic's 45th President, Mike Pence will provide invaluable service as a direct conduit to congressional leaders. Pence was a well-respected House member, for over a decade, serving on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Pence was selected, by his GOP colleagues, to become head of the influenced House Republican Conference. In the number three House leadership position, Pence proved himself to be a principled, pragmatic, and common-sense conservative.
Mike Pence is a man of unwavering, evangelical Christian faith. Having been an early supporter of Sen. Ted Cruz, Mike Pence will now help unify the Republican Party behind Trump. Sen. Marco Rubio described Mike Pence as being a "rock solid" choice for Vice President.
Pence will use his substantial media skills, as a former radio talk show host and political commentator, to make the case for Donald Trump's election.
But Mike Pence is also a skilled attorney having completed his J.D. from Indiana University's McKinney School of Law.
Prof. Victor Williams predicted: "Gov. Pence will use his legal training to effectively prosecute the corruption case against both Bill and Hillary Clinton."
Lawyers for Trump/Pence --- GOP Lawyers Super PAC
The newly launched Lawyers for Trump political action committeehttp://www.goplawyers.com/ independently promotes Trump's "America First" pro-growth and pro-security agenda.
With zealous advocacy as citizen-lawyers, the Super PAC defends Trump from the attacks of the double-dealing media and the petrified political elites.
The group, formally named "GOP Lawyers Super PAC," particularly focuses on the 2016 presidential election's consequence for appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals circuits, and regulatory agencies.
All Americans are invited to join the new Super PAC's efforts to support Donald John Trump and Michael Richard Pence.
www.goplawyers.com. Victor Williams is a longtime Washington, D.C. attorney, law professor, and prolific author. In 2014, Professor Williams founded DisruptiveJustice.org.
Media Contact:
Prof. Victor Williams, Chair
GOP Lawyers Super PAC
301-951-9045
SOURCE Professor Victor Williams
Related Links
http://www.goplawyers.com
SAN DIEGO, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ESET, a global pioneer in proactive protection for more than two decades, today announced the discovery of fake apps on Google Play targeting Pokemon GO users. All fake apps were detected by ESET Mobile Security lockscreen app named "Pokemon GO Ultimate" and scareware apps "Guide & Cheats for Pokemon GO" and "Install Pokemongo" are no longer available on Google Play. They have already been removed from the store at ESET's recommendation.
Having been available on Google Play for only a short time, the apps only managed downloads numbering in the thousands. "Install Pokemongo" attracted 10,000 50,000 victims, the "Guide & Cheats for Pokemon GO" reached between 100 500, and the most dangerous of them, "Pokemon GO Ultimate" reached 500 1,000 downloads.
"Pokemon GO Ultimate" resembles a version of the much hyped game but its true functionality is malicious: it deliberately locks the screen immediately after startup. In many cases, reboot the intuitive solution for a frozen screen is not available because the app overlays all the other apps as well as the system windows. Users must resort to restarting their device either by pulling out the battery or using Android Device Manager. After reboot, it runs in the background, invisible to the victim, silently clicking on porn advertisements. To get rid of it, the user needs to go to Settings -> Application manager -> PI Network and then uninstall it manually.
"'Pokemon GO Ultimate' is the first observation on Google Play of lockscreen functionality being successfully used in a fake app," explains Lukas Stefanko, ESET Malware Researcher. "As its ultimate functionality is clicking on porn ads, it's not truly damaging. But as for its lockscreen functionality, it'd only take adding a ransom message to create the first lockscreen ransomware on Google Play."
Along with "Pokemon GO Ultimate" which bears signs of both Screen Locker and Porn Clicker, ESET researchers also found other Pokemon GO-related malware on Google Play. Bogus apps named "Guide & Cheats for Pokemon GO" and "Install Pokemongo" on Google Play, belong to the Scareware family. They trick their victims into paying for unnecessary services. Promising to generate Pokecoins, Pokeballs or Lucky Eggs up to 999,999 each day they lure victims into subscribing to expensive bogus services. (Such functionality has recently been described in an article published on ESET's blog, WeLiveSecurity.com.)
"Pokemon GO is such an appealing game that despite of all the warnings by security experts, users tend to accept the risks and download anything to catch all the Pokemon," notes Lukas Stefanko. "Those who really can't resist the temptation should at least follow the most basic security rules."
ESET experts remind users to only download apps from reputable sources, and use a mobile security solution, like ESET Mobile Security, that can scan and identify malicious apps, as well as check permissions to ensure apps are not accessing unnecessary information.
The full article on this discovery can be found here: http://www.welivesecurity.com/2016/07/15/pokemon-go-hype-first-lockscreen-tries-catch-trend/
About ESET:
Since 1987, ESET has been developing award-winning security software that now helps over 100 million users to Enjoy Safer Technology. Its broad security product portfolio covers all popular platforms and provides businesses and consumers around the world with the perfect balance of performance and proactive protection. The company has a global sales network covering 180 countries, and regional offices in Bratislava, San Diego, Singapore and Buenos Aires. For more information visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
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SOURCE ESET
Tops survey of airline passengers worldwide in two areas
TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- After winning SKYTRAX's 5-Star global quality rating and ranking among Travel + Leisure's Top-10 International Airlines in its annual reader survey, EVA Air has earned more honors. EVA has now been rated among SKYTRAX's World's Top 10 Airlines of 2016 and number one in two categories, Best Trans-Pacific Airline and Best Business Class Comfort Amenities. It also ranks among SKYTRAX's top-10 airlines in seven more categories. The World Airline Awards are determined through an extensive passenger satisfaction survey and cover carriers across the globe.
After a satisfaction survey of 19 million travelers, SKYTRAX has rated EVA Air among the "World's Top 10 Airlines of 2016." EVA ranks number one as "Best Trans-Pacific Airline" and "Best Business Class Comfort Amenities."
SKYTRAX surveyed more than 19 million international travelers between August 2015 and May 2016. Its annual awards are benchmarks for airline excellence. SKYTRAX revealed this year's World Airline Awards, also known as the "Passenger's Choice Awards," at the Farnborough Air Show on July 12, 2016.
"EVA Air has developed very high standards of product and service across its business, premium economy and economy class cabins that has been recognized by customers," said Edward Plaisted, SKYTRAX CEO. "EVA has focused on developing premium service that includes amenities such as pajamas, Rimowa-branded amenity kits and full turndown service."
EVA has elevated inflight standards for its Royal Laurel Class business cabin, added amenities throughout its aircraft and enhanced passengers' check-in and boarding experiences.
"We appreciate passengers' support for EVA Air. Our passengers give us positive feedback and we will keep improving our offerings to fit passengers' needs," said Steve Lin, EVA Air Chairman.
The SKYTRAX survey measured standard of quality in 41 key categories that included both airport and onboard environments. The seven additional areas where EVA ranks in the top 10 are airport services (no. 2), cleanest aircraft cabins (no. 2), cabin staff, business class, business class lounges, and business and economy class seats.
EVA has also been honored, awarded and recognized by other organizations around the world for service quality and safety. Website AirlineRatings.com recognized EVA as a carrier of choice among the "World's Top-10 Airlines" for 2015 and 2016. Germany's Aero International Magazine has ranked EVA on its Global Airline Safety Index among the World's Top 10 Safest Airlines eight times since 2004, including in the top three for 2015 and 2016.
About EVA Air:
EVA Air, a Star Alliance member, flies to close to 70 international destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America where gateways are Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver and, starting November 3, 2016, Chicago. With just one easy stop in Taipei, travelers can connect onward to most major cities throughout Asia, including 30 destinations in China. Travelers can learn more about EVA and book, buy and reserve seats at www.evaair.com.
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SOURCE EVA Air
Related Links
http://www.evaair.com
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Terror networks thrive on illicit funding, often hiding behind charitable organizations. To combat this threat, Saudi Arabia has put in place one of the world's strictest financial control systems to prevent funds from going to support terrorism.
Today, Saudi Arabia is one of the leading nations in combating terrorism and terrorist financing, and has been working closely with its allies on all fronts.
Saudi Banks' Counterterrorism Efforts
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) requires all financial institutions within the Kingdom's jurisdiction to implement all of the recent recommendations for combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism issued by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Saudi Arabia established money-laundering units in SAMA and all local banks to ensure the banking system is not exploited by money-laundering operations and to report any dubious transactions to competent authorities.
established money-laundering units in SAMA and all local banks to ensure the banking system is not exploited by money-laundering operations and to report any dubious transactions to competent authorities. Saudi Arabia established a money intelligence department to monitor and investigate any suspicious financial transactions. Investigations are typically done in coordination with the SAMA and the Saudi banks. As of June 2016 , this has led to prosecutions of more than 240 suspects for terrorism-financing activities and convictions of more than 225. Authorities have frozen and investigated more than 115 suspicious bank accounts and closed all unlicensed charity collection locations.
established a money intelligence department to monitor and investigate any suspicious financial transactions. Investigations are typically done in coordination with the SAMA and the Saudi banks. Saudi authorities have closed down unlicensed money-exchange or money-transfer centers.
Saudi Arabia has established a financial intelligence unit (FIU), which is a member of the Egmont Group.
has established a financial intelligence unit (FIU), which is a member of the Egmont Group. Saudi Arabia has earned observer status in the FATF in 2015 and is aiming for full membership in 2018.
Combating Terrorist Financing Through Charities
Saudi charities are prohibited from transferring money abroad.
Saudi charities cannot operate abroad except through the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Aid or the Saudi Red Crescent, which is a semi-government entity.
The collection of cash contributions in mosques and public places is prohibited.
Working with Allies to Combat Terrorist Financing
Saudi Arabia has placed sanctions on entities that assist in terror financing, including joint designations with the U.S. against the Al Haramain Foundation, Al-Furqan, and others.
has placed sanctions on entities that assist in terror financing, including joint designations with the U.S. against the Al Haramain Foundation, Al-Furqan, and others. Saudi Arabia is a co-chair of the Counter ISIL Finance Group (CIFG), along with the U.S. and Italy. The CIFG was established in 2015 to disrupt ISIL's sources of revenue and its ability to move and use funds to wage its campaign of terror.
is a co-chair of the Counter ISIL Finance Group (CIFG), along with the U.S. and Italy. The CIFG was established in 2015 to disrupt ISIL's sources of revenue and its ability to move and use funds to wage its campaign of terror. Saudi Arabia monitors all appeals for charitable funds via television, the internet and social media, and provides a hotline for private citizens to contact authorities to report suspected activity related to terrorism or terror finance.
SOURCE Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office
MIAMI, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fathom, the pioneer in social impact travel and Carnival Corporation's (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) 10th and newest brand, is finalizing preparations for its July 17 Dominican Republic voyage representing the first ever cruise to the Caribbean focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming. The 7-day cruise will feature specialized STEM-focused workshops for educators that Fathom developed in close collaboration with the Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL). Fathom also will play host to the fifth annual Clean Tech Competition, a unique research and design challenge for pre-college youth. Additionally, advertising students from the Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma's (OU) student-run advertising and public relations agency Lindsey + Asp will join the sailing as part of their partnership with Fathom to promote this first-ever STEM-focused cruise to the Caribbean.
"Since our founding, Fathom has considered experiential education a central element of the experience we are bringing to travelers and communities," said Tara Russell, president of Fathom and global impact lead for Carnival Corporation. "By hosting the first-ever STEM cruise to the Caribbean, we are demonstrating our commitment to education in a creative and innovative way by engaging as partners, educators and students who are actively working to advance our collective understanding and application of STEM while at the same time working to further build young leaders."
Russell has a personal reason for wanting to create this community. "Both Tyson (10) and Lucy (8) love complicated math. I want to do all I can to encourage their continuing passion. We need to make math and science and business cool and exciting for kids - so they embrace their interests and don't feel like outsiders for studying what they love."
According to Russell, Fathom's partnership with the University of Oklahoma's Gaylord College student-run advertising and public relations agency is yet another way the company is furthering its commitment to education. "The students created an incredible project during their capstone class on behalf of Fathom, which led to an ongoing partnership between Fathom and Lindsey + Asp. Through this partnership, they have applied their classroom learning to a 'real-world' marketing opportunity to build awareness and drive sales for Fathom," she said. "With this cruise, we have created a 'living lab' for them to put their skills to work as they promote Fathom while seeing for themselves the truly unique impact experience we provide enhanced this week by the STEM theme."
For educator programming, Fathom worked alongside Ray Ann Havasy, Ph.D., director of the CSTL, to design progressive and engaging professional development workshops to help educators continue promoting student learning of critical STEM concepts. Fathom workshops will provide specialized training and information on STEM-related teaching resources, collaborative STEM program support, and technical career development opportunities. The featured onboard programing will emphasize the following areas:
Project based learning
Hands-on science activity ideas and demonstrations
Dinosaurs
Weather
STEM questioning techniques
Earth science
Endangered species
As host of the Clean Tech Competition, Fathom will welcome onboard talented 15- to 18-year old students from around the world to showcase their creative solutions to "Make an Impact" by offsetting humans' negative effects on the planet. The competition is designed to foster a deeper understanding of STEM-related concepts, recognize outstanding talent, and prepare the next generation of globally competitive innovators. The winning team will receive an award of $10,000, as well as the opportunity to develop an ongoing relationship with a professor who will serve as a long-time mentor and assist them in furthering their work and education.
Fathom's Partnership with the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College
An additional element of the Fathom's July 17 cruise will be the participation of University of Oklahoma (OU) advertising students on the sailing. Members of the University's student-run advertising and public relations agency Lindsey + Asp will travel aboard the STEM-focused sailing to film Fathom's impact activities and share its commitment to student education globally. Participating in the sailing is just another step in what began as a semester-long capstone project, which led to the agency's full-time partnership with Fathom to apply four years of coursework and academic study in a "real-world" engagement designed to promote the new brand.
As a part of the students' semester-long project, they worked closely with Fathom to strengthen Fathom's brand awareness and educate the consumer marketplace about the new impact travel category. The students conducted focus groups on to design their campaign for the company then implemented a robust program throughout the year.
STEM Activities Augmented by Social Impact Experiences
Travelers sailing aboard the STEM voyage will participate in the range of social impact activities in the Dominican Republic for which Fathom has become known, including educational programs benefitting school-aged children and adult students alike. For STEM educators on the July 17 cruise, Fathom has organized additional, special exchanges between U.S. and Dominican teachers to discuss how to further integrate STEM content into the Dominican school curriculum.
In addition to the education programs, Fathom offers a broad range of authentic impact activities focusing on the environment and economic development. The company has developed close partnerships with organizations with deep roots in the Dominican Republic. The activities travelers participate in will have an immediate and lasting impact, tailored specifically to what each community needs most. Example impact activities include building water filters for Dominican homes; helping a women's cooperative produce artisan chocolates; improving homes and common areas in impoverished communities; assisting arts and crafts entrepreneurs; participating in community English-language retention activities; and supporting reforestation efforts.
Fathom's STEM sailing is a first of its kind in which educators can learn, share and motivate each other while continuing their own professional development and supporting talented pre-college youth from around the world. They may do all this while collectively impacting the lives of thousands of Dominicans through organized social impact activities. Prices for the seven-day STEM trip to the Dominican Republic start at $499 per person, excluding taxes, fees and port expenses and including all meals on the ship, onboard social impact immersion experiences, three on-shore social impact activities and related supplies. To reserve a spot on this and future Fathom sailings, travelers may call 1-855-932-8466 or work with a travel professional. Learn more at www.Fathom.org.
About Fathom Travel to the Dominican Republic
Fathom is a different kind of cruise that combines one's love of travel with the desire to travel deep and make a difference in the world. Fathom defined a new category of travel, Social Impact Travel. Part of the Carnival Corporation (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) family, Fathom offers consumers authentic, meaningful travel experiences to enrich the life of the traveler and work alongside locals as they tackle community needs in the Dominican Republic. Fathom is unique in that it leverages Carnival Corporation's expertise and scale for a one-of-a-kind business model to create long-term collaboration with its partner countries, allowing for sustained social impact and lasting development. Fathom will serve the sizable and growing market of potential social impact travel consumers approximately one million North Americans in addition to global travelers already pursuing service-oriented travel experiences worldwide.
Sailing aboard the MV Adonia, a 704-passenger vessel redeployed from Carnival Corporation's P&O Cruises (UK), Fathom will engage, mobilize, educate and equip travelers on every Dominican Republic trip allowing for rich personal enrichment and thousands of impact activity days per visit and tens of thousands of travelers a year to communities of promise, providing unprecedented scale for impact.
About Fathom Travel to Cuba
Recently earning U.S. and Cuban government approvals, Fathom was the first cruise company to sail from the U.S. to Cuba in more than 50 years. Fathom's round-trip culturally immersive cruise itinerary will initially feature experiences in the Cuban port cities of Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba, providing travelers the opportunity to see the vast island and enjoy a rich and vibrant culture that until now most U.S. travelers have only seen in photographs. Designed for rich immersion and ease of travel, the Fathom Cuban itinerary offers passengers a comfortable cabin including all the amenities of a modern hotel, plus the convenience of having to unpack only once. Every night, Fathom travelers return to the comforts of the MV Adonia, where they can relax knowing that all the details of getting from location to location in Cuba are handled.
For more information about Fathom or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Professional, call Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466 or visit www.Fathom.org.
About The Center for Science Teaching and Learning
The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) has a mission to encourage STEM learning and literacy in everyone. CSTL is a 501(C3) nonprofit organization that is operated by a passionate, intelligent, and highly qualified staff that includes scientists, certified teachers, and former school administrators. These professionals are dedicated to creating STEM programs that engage people, making learning a real adventure. Learn more at www.cstl.org.
SOURCE Fathom
Related Links
https://www.fathom.org
Who: FCA Digital MediaTeam
When: Immediately
Where: media.fcanorthamerica.com or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mboZSFb02s
Other: Websites are welcome to post or embed "FCA Replay."
About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American automaker with a new name and a long history. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. FCA US designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes the Alfa Romeo 4C model and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925; and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli.
FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."
Follow FCA US news and video on:
FCA Content On Demand (COD): www.fcacod.com
Company blog: blog.fcanorthamerica.com
Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com
FCA360: 360.fcanorthamerica.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/chryslergroup/
Media website: media.fcanorthamerica.com
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/fcacorporate
Instagram: www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA
Streetfire: www.streetfire.net/uploaded/chryslervideo.htm
Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA
Twitter (Spanish): www.twitter.com/fcausespanol
YouTube: www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mboZSFb02s
SOURCE FCA US LLC
Related Links
http://www.fcanorthamerica.com
MUNICH, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
Dr. Andreas Rummelt, pharma industry expert and former CEO of Sandoz, was elected as new supervisory board member at LEUKOCARE's annual shareholder meeting on July 12th
LEUKOCARE, a leading provider of stabilizing and protecting formulation technologies for biopharmaceuticals like biologics and vaccines, announces the election of Dr. Andreas Rummelt as new member of its supervisory board. Together with Dr. Jean-Paul Prieels, who held various executive positions at GlaxoSmithKline, former Sandoz CEO Dr. Rummelt is the second former executive from big pharma on the LEUKOCARE board.
Dr. Rummelt's international career included multiple executive positions within Sandoz and Novartis where he focused on the areas of manufacturing, quality, and technical development of pharmaceutical originals and generics. He has served more than twenty years in executive management positions in the industry. He joined Sandoz Pharma Ltd. in 1985 in Switzerland and was CEO of Sandoz, the Generics Division of Novartis, in Vienna, Austria and Holzkirchen, Germany from 2004 to 2008. Today, Dr. Rummelt is Managing Partner with InterPharmaLink, a Basel-based consulting firm to pharma, biotech, generics and other healthcare sectors. He holds various board seats in public and private companies, e.g. with Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Alvogen and Xellia Pharmaceuticals.
"We are very pleased that Dr. Rummelt is joining our supervisory board", said Michael Scholl, CEO of LEUKOCARE. "We are sure that his expertise and network in the industry will support our strategy to become an even stronger player in the field of pharmaceutical formulation development to offer outstanding solutions for biopharmaceutical products", he added.
"I am looking forward to supporting the company's further development and the roll out of the technology in the pharma industry," stated Dr. Rummelt. "I am convinced that LEUKOCARE's SPS formulation technology platform has the potential to improve products regarding thermal stability and shelf life both for new entities as well as for life cycle products and biosimilars."
LEUKOCARE AG
LEUKOCARE provides a next-generation formulation technology platform for the protection of proteins like biopharmaceuticals to allow the development of better products. The proprietary Stabilizing and Protecting Solutions (SPS) technologies are provided to development projects of partners in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. LEUKOCARE's SPS technologies improve stability and quality of biologics like antibodies, vaccines etc. in dry and liquid formulation including high-concentration formulations. SPS also protect proteins in biologically functionalized combination devices like extracorporeal blood treatments or wound dressings.
LEUKOCARE is a privately owned biotechnology company founded in 2003, and headquartered in Martinsried/Munich, Germany.
Please visit: http://www.leukocare.com
Contact:
Michael Scholl, CEO
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE LEUKOCARE AG
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer, chairman of the Campaign for Working Families, praised the Vice Presidential pick of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, calling Indiana Governor Mike Pence a "Ronald Reagan conservative and a consistent champion for the values and economic concerns of those who live and work on Main Street USA, without whom America cannot succeed."
Bauer continued: "I have known Governor Pence for many years, even before he entered Congress. His whole life has been guided by the same principles that motivated Ronald Reagan. He sees in Donald Trump the populist tidal wave that has dominated the country as Americans have joined together to voice their concerns about a bloated, broken government that has lost its way.
"Mike Pence knows the struggles of working class Americans in the Rust Belt. While some have benefitted from big trade deals, America's industrial base has been gutted and too many workers have been left behind. The Trump/Pence ticket will create jobs, put Americans back to work and make America great again!
"Mike and Karen Pence have a strong, deep and abiding commitment to faith and family. I am especially glad that Mike Pence will be in the Oval Office offering wise counsel when it comes to the next justices for the Supreme Court who will shape this country for generations to come."
Bauer made the importance of the Supreme Court the centerpiece of his run for the presidency in 2000, challenging the other candidates including George W. Bush to nominate Justices like Antonin Scalia. Bauer also headed the Citizens Committee to Confirm Clarence Thomas during that contentious nomination battle.
MEDIA ADVISORY FOR TELEVISION/WEB REPORTERS:
Bauer available for interview through the American Values ReadyCam Studio.
Broadcast media can have immediate live TV access to global news networks using the American Values ReadyCam studio in Washington D.C. The on-site studio enables talent to appear on live TV at a moment's notice, without traveling to a network studio. Book the American Values ReadyCam Studio using VLGuru.com, call 617-340-4100 or 571-244-6324.
A well-known national conservative leader, Bauer served in the Reagan Administration, as under secretary of education and as President Reagan's chief domestic policy advisor. A former presidential candidate, he ran in the 2000 Republican presidential primaries, performing well among Values Voters. The Guardian called Bauer "one of the leading campaigners in the U.S. on pro-life and pro-traditional family issues." He is president of American Values, chairman of the Campaign for Working Families, a co-founder along with Bill Kristol of the Emergency Committee for Israel as well as heading the Christians United for Israel Action Fund. A published author, regular columnist and sought after speaker, Bauer communicates the heart of conservative principles and public policy solutions on issues pertaining to building strong families, to protecting the most vulnerable -- born and unborn, and to defending America through a strong national defense and strategic national policy that affirms America's friends and allies at home and abroad. Learn more at www.cwfpac.com.
SOURCE Campaign for Working Families
Related Links
http://www.cwfpac.com
ATLANTA, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power today announced the latest addition to its suite of free customer tools and resources Billing Alerts. The new service, available online by logging into www.GeorgiaPower.com, provides customers with customized notifications about their bills. Billing Alerts feature notifications via text and email that alert customers when their Georgia Power bill is available, when a due date is approaching, when a bill is past due or when the account may be eligible for disconnection.
"We know that our customers' lives are busy and we work every day to not only make sure electricity is reliable and affordable, but also that it's as easy as possible to do business with us," said Louise Scott, vice president of customer service for Georgia Power. "The new Billing Alerts service adds an additional level of customized convenience for customers and is a great tool for minimizing missed payments and disconnections."
Electronic tools, communication and transactions, including bill payments, are increasingly popular with Georgia Power's 2.5 million customers across the state. Currently, more than 50 percent of Georgia Power payments are made electronically, including online, mobile and auto-draft transactions, and one in five Georgia Power customers have made the switch to eco-friendly paperless billing.
In addition to Billing Alerts, other free Georgia Power services available include My Power Usage, a personalized tool that provides customers with the information they need to better manage daily energy costs and eliminate surprises at the end of their billing cycle. During and after a storm, the company's Outage Alerts service provides customers with updates if a power outage occurs in their area as well as estimated times of restoration. To learn more about these services and more, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), one of the nation's largest generators of electricity. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, 21st century coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower) and Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower).
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050216/CLW066LOGO
SOURCE Georgia Power
Related Links
http://www.georgiapower.com
Government Savings Bank Thailand (GSB) hosted the 23 rd World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) Annual Meetings 2016: Banking in the 21 st Century. The first session on June 29 was aimed to push forward retail banking to the digital era. The meeting was attended by more than 500 representatives of more than 110 financial institutions agencies from 80 countries worldwide.
In the WSBI Annual Meetings 2016: Banking in the 21st Century, agreements were made by WSBI to use technology to expand accessibility and opportunity for people in 80 countries to be able to access financial products and services at reasonable price. However, the products and services must meet the need of those who cannot access to the finances. Meanwhile, savings and retails banks will still emphasis on technology driving model and national market. This model supports Double Bottom-Line concept that leads to financial and institutes sustainability as well as the society payback. WSBI was ready to support Asian countries in developing international financial system among the countries and aiming to increase its customers to 1,700 Million or 400 Million new accounts by 2020. The opinions exchanged about digital banking expansion were also discussed in The Resolution of the 23rd WSBI Annual Meetings. WSBI President Committee and Board members also attended WSBI General Assembly in the morning session.
WSBI members has visited Pak Kret Ruamjai 2 Community Financial Institution which is supported by GSB on July 1, 2016, welcomed by Mr. Chonlatee Yangtrong Deputy Governor of Nonthaburi Province, together with Kho Kret Community Network's Chairman, Pak Kret Ruamjai 2 Community's Manager and members. The group also visited pottery center and saw demonstration of Thai dessert cooking and Thai music show at Kho Kret District, Nonthaburi province.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/389901
SOURCE Government Savings Bank
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday at 1 p.m., right-to-know activists representing more than 100 organizations will deliver petitions, signed by nearly 250,000 people so far, to President Barack Obama at the White House. The petitions ask the President to veto S. 764, a bill known as the DARK Act because it would Deny Americans the Right to Know about GMO foods.
WHAT: Veto the DARK Act petition delivery. About 250,000 signatures were collected over the course of a few days, on coalition organizations' websites, as well as WhiteHouse.gov, ThePetitionSite.org, and MoveOn.org, where over 108,700 people signed. The petitions are live and continue to generate signatures.
WHERE: The White House (Lafayette Square), 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC, 20500.
WHEN: Friday, July 15, 2016, 1 p.m.
WHO: The African American food justice advocates who initiated petitions to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama: Stephanie Anderson, a Congressional candidate in Florida's 23rd District, and Samantha McDaniel, a nutrition educator with the DC Healthy Babies Project. They will be joined by right-to-know activists representing more than 100 organizations, including Organic Consumers Association, Center for Food Safety, Citizens for GMO Labeling, Consumers Union, Cornucopia Institute, Food Babe, Food Democracy Now, Food & Water Watch, Friends of the Earth, GMO Free USA, GMO Inside, Label GMOs, March Against Monsanto, Millions Against Monsanto, Moms Across America, National Organic Coalition, Occupy Monsanto, Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association, Vermont Right to Know GMOs, A letter from the coalition to the President can be found here: http://goo.gl/forms/d9Ln1MCcatSHwvFS2
WHY: President Obama should veto S. 764. This bill would preempt Vermont's law that requires GMO foods to be labeled as "produced with genetic engineering." Nine out of ten Americans favor such labels. Vermont's law requiring words on the package would be replaced with unenforceable federal regulations that, for the first time in history, would allow information to be hidden behind QR codes that can only be read with smart phones. Many Americansespecially elderly, rural, low-income and people of colordon't have smart phones. Only 16 percent of Americans have ever scanned a QR code for any reason. The bill would exempt most GMOs from labeling. According to House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas), the bill is "riddled with ambiguity and affords the Secretary a concerning level of discretion."
VISUALS: Crowd gathered on the Lafayette Park side of the White House will have signs and banners.
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The Organic Consumers Fund is a 501(c)4 allied organization of the Organic Consumers Association, focused on grassroots lobbying and legislative action. Visit: https://www.organicconsumers.org/
SOURCE Organic Consumers Association
Related Links
https://www.organicconsumers.org/
"Holt Renfrew is honoured to welcome Gwyneth Paltrow and to celebrate the innovation, clean beauty line Juice Beauty," said Holt Renfrew President, Mark Derbyshire. "We launched Juice Beauty in our stores and online earlier this year and our customers across the country love it."
"Holt Renfrew's impeccable style and attention to detail for today's event with Gwyneth Paltrow, Juice Beauty's Creative Director, Makeup reinforces our joint belief that Holt is the most prestigious retail partner in Canada for Juice Beauty and our new Phyto-Pigments makeup collection" said Karen Behnke, founder, Juice Beauty. "I loved how the store front on Bloor Street turned Juice Beauty green for the occasion. Gwyneth and I had a fabulous time in Toronto."
Holt Renfrew offers Juice Beauty at its Bloor Street, Vancouver and Yorkdale stores as well as www.holtrenfrew.com and is proud to be the exclusive Canadian retailer of the brand's Phyto-Pigments Color range.
WHO: Gwyneth Paltrow, Creative Director, Juice Beauty, Makeup
WHAT: Exclusive Personal Appearance
WHERE: Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor Street, Toronto
WHEN: Thursday, July 14, 2016
Additional images are available for download on wireimage.com and gettyimage.com.
About Holt Renfrew
Celebrating a 179-year heritage, Holt Renfrew is recognized worldwide for an inspired shopping experience. Founded in 1837 as a modest hat shop, Holt Renfrew would soon become a purveyor of fashion to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. In the 1930s, Holt Renfrew began to establish exclusive accounts with leading European designers, hosting Monsieur Christian Dior himself in 1947 as he launched his "New Look". After many years of foreign ownership Holt Renfrew was acquired in 1986 by W. Galen and the Hon. Hilary M. Weston. Under Weston ownership Holt Renfrew has become Canada's destination for luxury retail. Visit us at www.holtrenfrew.com.
About Juice Beauty
Karen Behnke, a serial wellness entrepreneur who built one of the first corporate wellness companies in the country, became passionate about the safety and efficacy of personal care products upon becoming pregnant with her first child at the age of 40. Experiencing hormonal changes and the beginning of lines in her skin, Karen set out to find healthy skin care solutions that delivered visible results. She quickly discovered the majority of leading personal care products on the market contained many chemical ingredients that were potentially harmful to the body some of which had been banned from our food. Knowing that skin absorbs over 60 percent of what is placed on it, she wanted to create meaningful change through beauty solutions that worked better, and were better for you, than conventional products.
Karen assembled a team of scientists and industry leaders to pioneer organic technology within the beauty industry. A few years after the arrival of her second child, Juice Beauty was born, with the mission to bring clinically validated yet authentically organic beauty solutions to the world. Today, Juice Beauty, headquartered in a beautiful sustainable building in Northern California, offers antioxidant-rich and amazingly effective skin care, makeup, and hair care products that meet the most rigorous organic product regulations in the United States.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389870
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389871
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389872
SOURCE Holt Renfrew
"He's an MVP in our industry, no doubt about it," said Casino Journal Executive Editor Charles Anderer. "With the Hard Rock, he's been so smart about how they have leveraged that brand, and they've done it perfectly."
Allen, who grew up in the area of Atlantic City, N.J., was presented with a large framed historic photograph of the Atlantic City Boardwalk, in honor of his Lifetime Achievement Award. Allen launched his gaming industry career in 1979 at Bally's Park Place in Atlantic City. He continued at the Hilton Atlantic City, the Trump Organization, Hemmeter Enterprises and Sun International Resorts, before teaming with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in 2001, prior to the openings of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla., two of the most successful casinos in the world.
Allen was named CEO of Seminole Gaming and has led the Tribe's gaming operation to record results, including a 673 percent increase in gaming revenues. He also engineered the Tribe's 2007 purchase of Hard Rock International, the largest purchase of an international company by an Indian tribe in North America. Hard Rock International revenues have more than doubled under Allen's leadership.
"The Seminoles had amazing success long before they met Jim Allen," said Allen, in remarks at the award ceremony, noting that joining forces with the Seminole Tribe, "was the luckiest and wisest decision I've ever made in my life."
"It's what I do and what I love," he added. "I have had the opportunity to work with and for some of the legendary people in industry. For 38 years, the industry has been so good to me, but I've never forgotten where I have come from."
About Seminole Gaming
Seminole Gaming operates seven Florida casinos for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood, Fla. Seminole Gaming has long been recognized for its industry innovations and success. It was the first Indian Tribe in North America to open a high-stakes bingo hall and casino, which debuted in 1979 and became the forerunner of the Indian Gaming movement.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/389970
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/389971
SOURCE Seminole Gaming
SHANGHAI, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ("JinkoSolar" or the "Company") (NYSE: JKS), a global leader in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, today announced that the Company has climbed from 437th to 330th position in the latest China Fortune 500 list.
Rising 107 places is enough to land the Company on the China Fortune 500 list of biggest year-on-year improvement, and is the company's highest rank yet.
Fortune ranks companies by a number of factors, including their 2015 revenue. According to Fortune, JinkoSolar total revenues were RMB16.08 billion (USD2.4 billion) in 2015, an increase of 61.1% from 2014.
Each year the Fortune 500 list ranks the titans of industry, and there's always a special focus on the companies with the largest gains in rank. After a record-setting year of sales, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that JinkoSolar has been the fastest growing and the most sustainable company in the global solar PV industry.
"We are so encouraged to hear the news that in 2015 JinkoSolar again ranked in the China Fortune 500 list and soared to its greatest heights yet, moving up 107 spots to No. 330," commented Mr. Chen Kangping, CEO of JinkoSolar.
"Ballooning module sales last year might have had something to do with Jinkosolar's jump in its Fortune 500 ranking, but the company accomplished a significant number of other achievements too. We connected and operated over 1 GW of solar plants by the end of 2015, pioneering a strong presence in the Chinese distributed generation market. All that hard work has paid off."
About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.
JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is a global leader in the solar industry. JinkoSolar distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China, the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, and other countries and regions. JinkoSolar has built a vertically integrated solar product value chain, with an integrated annual capacity of 3.5 GW for silicon ingots and wafers, 3 GW for solar cells, and 6 GW for solar modules, as of March 31, 2016. JinkoSolar also sells electricity in China, and had connected approximately 1,007 MW of solar power projects to the grid, as of March 31, 2016.
JinkoSolar has over 15,000 employees across its 5 productions facilities in Jiangxi and Zhejiang Provinces, China, Malaysia, Portugal and South Africa, 12 global sales offices in China, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Brazil, Costa Rica and Mexico and 11 oversea subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Japan, India, South Africa and Chile.
To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends, "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.
Related Links
http://www.jinkosolar.com
SEVERNA PARK, Md., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- An accomplished entrepreneur and executive, with nineteen years of diverse professional experience in the insurance industry, Jo Ann Merritt-Green has routinely demonstrated the passion, vision, dedication and diligence necessary to be considered among the elite.
As a result of her sensational body of work as well as the tremendous amount of success she has experienced in the insurance arena and throughout her entire occupational history, JoAnn Merritt-Green has earned recognition in the prestigious network of prominent professionals with Continental Who's Who.
Currently serving as Owner and President of Merritt Financial, Jo Ann's impressive body of work has led to her being named as a Pinnacle Professional in the field of insurance.
In her role as President of the company, Jo Ann is responsible for managing the daily operations of the business. Specializing in disability, mortgage, annuity and life insurance, she has earned numerous awards for her excellence in the industry, including being ranked as Top Producer in the Alliance Group for the majority of her years in the field. Jo Ann is also the first female MGA within the Alliance Group.
Jo Ann is currently licensed to practice life insurance in Nevada, NC, SC, Georgia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Florida, Maryland, Colorado and Virginia.
Prior to her current career, Jo Ann attended Grady Nursing School and went on to spend several years working as a nurse in Atlanta, Georgia. From there, she moved into the legal services field, serving as a mediator for the State Attorney's Office. After that she made her switch to the insurance industry, where she started out as an office administrator.
Jo Ann learned the insurance business from the ground up, eventually finding her niche as an agent and working her way through the ranks over the years to her present position of President of Merritt Financial. One of the keys to her success has been the personal attention she pays to each and every one of her clients, always giving her all to meet their needs.
Although she has gathered the vast majority of her expertise through her voluminous professional experience, Jo Ann is also a highly educated individual who earned degrees in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland, graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Demonstrating her remarkable reputation in the professional community, Jo Ann is a member of the Million Dollar Round Table and the National Association of Professional Women. In addition, she has earned the Top of the Court and Top of the Table designations within MDRT as well as being honored as a 2015-2016 inductee into the NAPW's VIP Woman of the Year Circle.
Always looking to give back to the community, Jo Ann has performed volunteer work for such organizations as the Wounded Warrior Project, Sandy Hook Promise, Out of the Darkness and Facing Addiction. Whether she is working for her clients or society as a whole, Jo Ann Merritt-Green consistently delivers an exceptional effort into all of her endeavors.
Contact: Katherine Green , 516-825-5634 [email protected]
SOURCE Continental Who's Who
Related Links
http://www.continentalwhoswho.com
The exclusive event was held immediately following the John Varvatos Spring/Summer 2017 Fashion Show on July 14th, as the last official event of New York Fashion Week: Men's in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
"Dark Rebel Rider is an extension of the Dark Rebel fragrance collection, which originally launched in 2015. The fragrance is inspired by the bad-boy biker, who walks to his own beat and has an edge but also doesn't try too hard," said John Varvatos. "Just like my clothes, the Dark Rebel Rider fragrance is iconic, timeless and represents a courageous attitude. It is a clear expression of a personality that defies the norm."
The night featured a special performance by Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, a band on the rise and specially selected by John Varvatos. There to support the Dark Rebel Rider launch were musicians Machine Gun Kelly and Travis Mills, as well as actor Corey Hawkins and athlete/model Dale Moss.
The event also kicked off an exclusive visual week of John Varvatos Dark Rebel Rider at Bloomingdale's.
ABOUT THE FRAGRANCE:
The highly provocative aroma of Dark Rebel Rider awakens a bold, adventurous perspective that simply cannot be ignored. The fragrance is the result of a long-standing collaboration between Varvatos and Givaudan Vice President of Perfumery, Rodrigo Flores-Roux. "Dark Rebel Rider captures the heart and soul of rebelliousness and bad boy idols through ultra-sexy leather and ambery notes," said Flores-Roux. "It is luminous but has incredible gravitas and depth; it is supple and sensual but delivers a punch. It is voluminous but never heavy, it is an extraordinary olfactive chiaroscuro."
Fragrance Notes include:
Top Notes: Bitter orange and citron, saffron, marjoram and hyssop
Heart Notes: Florentine iris roots, osmanthus absolute, black violet, rockrose resin, Somalian frankincense, Sumatran bark resin and Tolu balsam
Background: The fragrance was built around Russian Leather, one of the most luxurious leathers in the world and joins a comfortable background of cocoa bean absolute, vanilla extract, atlas cedarwood, patchouli, and tarred madras wood that exude a woodsy sweetness
AVAILABILITY:
Available now exclusively at Bloomingdale's and other fine retailers beginning August 2016. SRP: 4.2 FL. OZ - $89
ABOUT JOHN VARVATOS:
Launched in 2000 with a collection of tailored clothing and sportswear, John Varvatos now represents an entire men's lifestyle that includes footwear, bags, belts, eyewear, limited edition watches, men's fragrances, and John Varvatos Star USA Collection, as well as, Converse by John Varvatos. The designer has been recognized three times by the CFDA with an American Fashion Award for New Menswear Designer (June 2000) and Menswear Designer of the Year (June 2001 and June 2005) and was honored as GQ's "Designer of the Year" in 2007. In October 2013, John released his first book entitled John Varvatos: Rock in Fashion, which documents the elements of rock style that are intrinsic in the music community. Further rooting the brand in music, John Varvatos entered into a strategic partnership with Republic Records to formally launch John Varvatos Records in February 2014. The collections are distributed in freestanding John Varvatos boutiques and better department stores throughout the world.
Visit us at www.johnvarvatos.com or join us on social media @JohnVarvatos
MEDIA CONTACTS:
JOHN VARVATOS
Michael Salamanca
Tel: 212.812.8019
Email: [email protected]
ELIZABETH ARDEN
Jessica Chao
Tel: 212.261.1032
Email: [email protected]
BRATSKEIR & CO.
Brianna Wright
Tel: 212.679.2233
Email: [email protected]
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389892
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160714/389891LOGO
SOURCE John Varvatos
Related Links
http://www.johnvarvatos.com
This year, Kavalan was also named the WWA's "World's Best Single Cask Single Malt Whisky" for single malts drawn from one cask rather than multiple barrels for its Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength.
Kavalan owner Mr YT Lee says:
"We were incredibly humbled by this rare honour of getting two top World Whiskies Awards. Kavalan Whisky is always learning and always improving our whiskies to try to bring our customers the best in the world."
The WWA is part of the prestigious World Drinks Awards programme and considered one of two, top global whisky authorities.
Through fast maturation, Kavalan is helping to redefine quality whisky, and has earned accolades from industry judges and connoisseurs alike.
The 2015 WWA judges described Vinho as follows:
"Very sweet pruney flavours initially on the palate, with fruit cake and big clove, chilli and dry cinnamon. Walnut and hazelnut on the very dry finish. Immediately and subtly liquor rich. Tiny bit of incense, a thread of spice and smoke.
"Caramel, marzipan, coffee-vanilla, fudge, rich, creamy, dried black fruits. Integrated and surprisingly light. Element of sandalwood. Starts creamy, waters out, almost disappears before rubbing hot brown sugar into the oesophagus. Tiny bitter trace."
The 2016 WWA judges described Amontillado as follows:
"Hints of raisin and coconut on the nose, but essentially what we have here is a toffee smoking a cinnamon flavoured cigar. The palate opens with a nice burst of sweet fresh fruit - guava and melon - front to mid palate, after which the wood takes over; a Christmas pine hit, the fruit now acting as flamboyant outriders, the caramels rushing in to fill the gap. The finish is long and dry and punches into the throat."
Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible wrote: "Amontillado is probably my favourite sherry style. How many times, though, have I discovered its delicate, complex, understated nature perfectly transferred onto a single malt? In some 35 years, this must be only the fourth or fifth time, and I doubt any quite displayed such truth to its style, such panache."
About Kavalan Whisky
The Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan has been dedicated to the art of single malt whisky since 2006. The world's first subtropical whisky distiller, it is a pioneer in making whisky in a hot climate, and has collected more than 180 gold awards. At its distillery, a world-class R&D team and UK-trained master blender, together with an international whisky consultant, oversee the production of an annual 5 million bottles of the world's finest-tasting whiskies, including the 2015 World's Best Single Malt Whisky, Solist Vinho Barrique.
Aged in American oak bottles in intense humidity and heat, Kavalan also benefits from sea and mountain breezes and the Snow Mountain's spring water, which combine to create Kavalan Whisky's signature creaminess. Kavalan takes its name from the old name for Yilan County and is backed by 30 years of beverage-making thanks to parent company, King Car Group. It is available in 40 countries. Visit www.kavalanwhisky.com/en/.
Media Contact:
Yvonne Chou
886-3922-9000#7162
[email protected]
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SOURCE Kavalan
OXFORD, Miss., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MaxxSouth Broadband is a proud sponsor of this weekend's 7th Annual Oxford Blues Festival in Oxford, MS.
Recognized as the Presenting Level Sponsor, MaxxSouth is providing over $15,000 of video and still-image advertising to help promote the event and increase exposure for the festival.
"Not only will the festival help to promote the rich historical culture in Oxford, it will also give back to the local community as its proceeds will fund the Oxford Food Bank," said Rick Ferrall, MaxxSouth Broadband Regional General Manager. "MaxxSouth is excited to play a part in such a community-focused event."
The festivities will take place on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16 at various venues around Oxford and the Ole Miss Campus.
This two-day celebration of blues music and culture is the culmination of educational opportunities, community events and workshops offered throughout the year. This year's event will also feature a blues panel and story-telling from Tullie Brae, Leo "Bud" Welch, and Jontavious Willis.
"MaxxSouth will air a total of 300 30-second video spots in its channel lineup in addition to more than two weeks of still-image advertising to help promote the festival," Ferrall added. "It's an important event for the community and our team is really looking forward to it."
This year's general admission tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. VIP tickets are $75 in advance and $85 at the gate. For a full lineup and more information, please visit the Oxford Blues Festival website at http://www.oxfordbluesfest.com
About MaxxSouth Broadband:
MaxxSouth Broadband's service area for video, high-speed Internet and digital phone stretches more than 200 miles and includes 20 counties and 60 communities in northern Mississippi and Alabama. The company currently has approximately 80,000 subscribers for broadband services and passes 110,000 homes. Operating as a subsidiary of the reputable and diversified media holding company Block Communications Inc., MaxxSouth Broadband continues to expand and enhance its state-of-the-art broadband network in the communities it serves. For more information, visit www.MaxxSouth.com.
Media Contact:
Chelsea Oldroyd
Sorenson Advertising
435-216-9418
Email
SOURCE MaxxSouth Broadband
Related Links
http://www.MaxxSouth.com
PUNE, India, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
ReportsnReports.com adds "Meningitis - Pipeline Review, H1 2016" to its store providing an overview of the Meningitis's therapeutic pipeline complete with comparative analysis at various stages, therapeutics assessment by drug target, mechanism of action (MoA), route of administration (RoA) and molecule type, along with latest updates, and featured news and press releases. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Meningitis and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects.
Complete report on H1 2016 pipeline review of Meningitis with 25 market data tables and 14 figures, spread across 63 pages is available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/622314-meningitis-pipeline-review-h1-2016.html .
The report also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Meningitis and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. The report enhances decision making capabilities and help to create effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage. It strengthens R&D pipelines by identifying new targets and MOAs to produce first-in-class and best-in-class products.
Companies discussed in this Meningitis Pipeline Review, H1 2016 report include Adenium Biotech ApS, Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA, ContraFect Corporation, Genticel S.A., LG Life Science LTD., Matinas BioPharma Holdings, Inc., Sanofi Pasteur SA and Viamet Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Drug profiles mentioned in this research report includes amphotericin B, AP-114, CF-302, CF-303, CF-305, CF-309, Eupenta, LBVD, meningitis vaccine, meropenem, pneumococcal [serotype 4, 6A] vaccine, Small Molecules to Inhibit Pkh2-02 for Cryptococcal Meningitis, Streptococcus pneumonia vaccine, tuberculous meningitis vaccine, viral vaccine and VT-1129.
Order a copy of Meningitis - Pipeline Review, H1 2016 market research report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/Purchase.aspx?name=622314 .
Meningitis is the inflammation caused by viruses and bacteria on the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The cause of inflammation can be infection by viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs. As the inflammation is in proximity to the brain and spinal cord, meningitis can be life threatening. Viral meningitis is not life-threatening and the people affected with this can be cured and recover quickly, but bacterial meningitis is serious and life-threatening. There are three major bacteria which lead to bacterial meningitis. Neisseria meningitides are one one of these, and causes meningococcal meningitis. Researchers have identified 13 major serogroups of N. meningitides, out of which the majority of cases are from one of five serogroups: A, B, C, Y and W-135. Drugs and vaccines are available to treat the serogroups AC, C, ACWY, and A. There are also vaccines available to prevent meningitis caused by serogroups A, C, Y, W-135. There are no vaccines or drugs available for the prevention and treatment of meningococcal meningitis caused by serogroup B. This represents a major unmet need in the market. Pneumococcal meningitis is another major bacterial cause of meningitis, caused by the bacteria streptococcus pneumonia, while haemophilius influenza is the third, and causes meningitis in infants. Approximatiely 44-46% cases of bacterial meningitis have all of the following three symptoms - severe headache, nuchal ridgidity ((inability to flex the neck forward passively due to increased neck muscle tone and stiffness) and altered mental status. Out of this triad of symptoms severe headache is the most common and occurs in 90% of the cases. If nove of the above mentioned symptoms are present, then occurrence of bacterial meningitis is least likely.Other clinical feature include photophobia (fear of bright light), phonophobia (fear of loud noises). In small children above symptoms are difficult to spot. Vague symptoms like irritability and unwell appearance are more common in them. In infants up to 6 months bulging of the fontanelle (soft spot on baby's head) may be visible. Other less severe illnesses like extreme cold, abnormality in skin color and leg pain may also be distinguishing features for meningitis. The molecules developed by Companies in Pre-Registration, Phase II, Phase I, Preclinical and Discovery stages are 1, 1, 2, 3 and 6 respectively. Similarly, the Universities portfolio in Preclinical stages comprises 3 molecules, respectively.
Another newly published market research report titled on Neurofibromatoses - Pipeline Review, H1 2016 provides comprehensive information on the therapeutic development for Neurofibromatoses, complete with comparative analysis at various stages, therapeutics assessment by drug target, mechanism of action (MoA), route of administration (RoA) and molecule type, along with latest updates, and featured news and press releases. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Neurofibromatoses and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. Companies discussed in this research are Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Arno Therapeutics, Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, CalAsia Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Kolltan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lixte Biotechnology Holdings, Inc., Novartis AG and Pfizer Inc. Neurofibromatoses Pipeline market research report of 73 pages is available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/622308-neurofibromatoses-pipeline-review-h1-2016.html .
Explore more reports on Pharmaceuticals.
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ATLANTA, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- mLevel, Inc., a global leader in micro learning platforms, today announced plans to move its company headquarters from Chicago to Atlanta. Additionally, Jordan Fladell, mLevel co-founder, will assume the position of chief executive officer (CEO). mLevel micro learning platforms are currently used by enterprises worldwide, including at many Fortune 500 companies, to improve how employees, students and other groups learn.
"We're excited to move our headquarters to Atlanta and become a stronger member of the local business community," said Fladell. "As a 24-plus year resident of the area, I'm proud to lead the company as we make this momentous step in support of both mLevel and the region. Atlanta puts education in high regard and integrates it closely into business activities. We'll be continually looking for ways to further those goals and, hopefully, give back to the community."
Fladell explained that the move would potentially result in 15 to 20 new jobs in the area short-term, with expansion plans likely in the next few years. By moving its headquarters to Atlanta, the company will also be closer to several of its largest customers, as well as investment partners BIP Capital and Slalom Consulting.
"mLevel's corporate headquarters relocation from Chicago to Cobb County is another testament to Metro Atlanta's rapidly growing digital media cluster," said David Hartnett, senior vice president of Economic Development for the Metro Atlanta Chamber. "mLevel's lead investor, BIP Capital, continues to play a vital role in the growth of our region's venture capital base."
"This expansion reinforces the great partnership between our community and the Metro Atlanta Chamber," said Brooks Mathis, senior vice president of Economic Development for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. "Companies such as mLevel are creating the type of jobs and innovation that we are proud to have in Cobb County."
Founded in 2012, mLevel was built around the idea that people engage and learn differently than they did in the past. Many organizations around the world, including multiple Fortune 500 companies, have turned to mLevel to implement new techniques that have helped them improve education and training. Using mLevel's engaging and often fun learning methods, these organizations have improved productivity and profitability in ways they wouldn't have considered otherwise.
For more information about mLevel, visit www.mLevel.com.
About mLevel
mLevel is the industry leading micro learning platform that helps improve learning effectiveness, engagement and retention for employees and students. Founded in June 2012 and headquartered in Atlanta, mLevel serves clients from the Fortune Global 500 to small businesses across a wide range of industries. For more information, visit www.mLevel.com.
About BIP Capital
BIP Capital is recognized as one of the most active venture investors in the Southeast, serving entrepreneurs, investors, and operators to grow the emerging company ecosystem. They apply experience and process to make investment decisions and operational recommendations, allowing their portfolio companies to achieve and stay on a glide path of growth. Areas of focus include Software, Healthcare IT, Digital Media, Franchise and Ed Tech. For more information, visit www.bip-capital.com.
About Slalom Consulting
Slalom Consulting brings together business and technology expertise to help companies drive enterprise performance, accelerate innovation, enhance the customer experience, and increase employee productivity. The firm delivers award-winning solutions in areas such as information management and analytics, sales and marketing, organizational effectiveness, CFO advisory, mobility, and cloud through a national network of local offices and major alliance partners, including Microsoft, Salesforce.com, and Amazon Web Services.
Founded in 2001 and based in Seattle, WA, Slalom has organically grown to more than 2,200 consultants. The company has been ranked as a Top 10 Best Firms to Work For by Consulting magazine four times, and earned recognition from Microsoft as a Partner of the Year five times. For more information, visit www.slalom.com.
SOURCE mLevel, Inc.
Related Links
http://www.mLevel.com
PITTSBURGH, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Federated Investors, Inc. today announced that monthly fund composition and performance data for Federated Premier Municipal Income Fund (NYSE: FMN) and Federated Premier Intermediate Municipal Income Fund (NYSE: FPT) as of June 30, 2016, are now available in the Products section of FederatedInvestors.com. To order hard copies of this data or to be placed on a mailing list, call 800-245-0242 x5587538, email [email protected] or write to Federated Investors, 1001 Liberty Avenue, Floor 23, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
Federated Investors, Inc. (NYSE: FII) is one of the largest investment managers in the United States, managing $369.7 billion in assets as of March 31, 2016. With 124 funds and a variety of separately managed account options, Federated provides comprehensive investment management to approximately 8,400 institutions and intermediaries including corporations, government entities, insurance companies, foundations and endowments, banks and broker/dealers. For more information, visit FederatedInvestors.com.
SOURCE Federated Investors, Inc.
Related Links
http://FederatedInvestors.com
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Senate tonight passed H.R. 3700, the "Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act," by unanimous consent. This legislation includes reforms to current Federal Housing Administration restrictions on condominium financing, among other provisions, and is long supported by the National Association of Realtors.
NAR President Tom Salomone
Changes include efforts to make FHA's recertification process "substantially less burdensome," while lowering FHA's current owner-occupancy requirement from 50 percent to 35 percent. The bill also requires FHA to replace existing policy on transfer fees with the less-restrictive model already in place at the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
NAR testified last year in support of the bill, which passed in the House of Representatives 427-0 in February.
Tom Salomone, president of NAR and broker-owner of Real Estate II Inc. in Coral Springs, Florida, praised the legislation as a significant step towards eliminating barriers to safe, affordable mortgage credit for condos.
Following is a statement from Mr. Salomone:
"Condominiums often represent an affordable option that's just right for first-time and low-to-moderate income homebuyers. Unfortunately, overly-burdensome restrictions on condo financing have for too long put that option out of reach for many creditworthy borrowers.
"This legislation meets those restrictions head on, putting the dream of homeownership back in reach for more Americans.
"Tight inventory and rising home prices are a reality of today's market, and mortgage credit is hard to come by. We should take every opportunity to clear the path for well-qualified borrowers to purchase a home when they're ready, and this legislation does just that.
"Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) have done tremendous work to see H.R. 3700 move forward, and we're thankful for their support. Realtors made their voices heard as well, reaching out to their Senators and Representatives to remind them of how important this issue is to homeownership."
"We look forward to seeing this legislation signed into law so homebuyers can start seeing some much-needed relief."
The National Association of Realtors, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the "News, Blogs and Videos" tab on the website.
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SOURCE National Association of Realtors
Related Links
http://www.realtor.org
WELLESLEY, Mass., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the election season moves into its new--and final--phase post-Conventions, one question must be urgently answered: What will become of the wave of populist fervor that defined the primary season? Will it vanish in the general election horse race? Or become even more important to voters? And what does the last several months of history-making populist rhetoric tell us about who will be our next president? Author and scholar Laura Grattan's new book is perfectly timed to answer these questions. Grattan, assistant professor of political science at Wellesley College, is an authority on populism, its deep history, and its resurgence in 21st-century America.
As the author of the recently published Populism's Power: Radical Grassroots Democracy in America, Grattan can articulate and contextualize how intensified appeals to "rule by the people"--from the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street, to Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders--have transformed our political landscape and what it means for the future, leading up to Tuesday, Nov. 8 and beyond. Grattan is available for interviews.
At the moment it is perhaps needed most, Grattan and her book Populism's Power is uniquely able to bring clarity to a term and an idea that continues to dominate the political discourse and that has proliferated in the media this election cycle--but that isn't always understood, especially as it applies to the politicians and movements of the moment. Grattan cogently analyzes the rhetoric of populism and the elites and grassroots groups that have organized behind that rhetoric, both on the left and right. Her book shows how populism has become "a form of critique, a form of anger, and a form of discontent," as she's recently argued, but it also looks at how populism cultivates the aspirations of ordinary people to exercise power over their everyday lives and their collective fate. Finally, she reinvigorates the idea that grassroots populist movements--from Occupy, to undocumented youth pushing the Dream Act, to the Sanders campaign--can play a key role in democratizing power and politics in America.
"What we're seeing since the Recession of 2008 are not only periodic expressions of outrage by people who are fed up with government," Grattan explains. "At a deeper level, organized grassroots actors on the Right and Left--whether Christian Right foot soldiers finding new legs in the Tea Party, or unions, living wage activists, and environmentalists supporting the Sanders' campaign--are seizing opportunities to bring longtime struggles to the national spotlight. The Right has been able to translate its grassroots organizing into major political gains over the last few decades. With the public momentum from Occupy Wall Street and Sanders, the Left is now poised to do the same."
Often overlooked or ill-understood, the connections between populism and the grassroots are especially important to understand in the current political climate. Grattan's work makes her uniquely positioned to shed light on a host of topics that exist in that intersection, including the deeply rooted organizing that lays the groundwork for populist "moments" such as Sanders' campaign and the crucial role marginalized peoples play in shaping what can often be predominately white movements.
Laura Grattan researches and teaches political theory, with a focus on grassroots organizing and racial and economic justice. She is co-director of Wellesley's Project on Public Leadership and Action. Her research and teaching are animated by years of community organizing with the Industrial Areas Foundation in Durham, N.C., and by her longtime association with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation. She is co-editor, with John Dedrick and Harris Dientsfrey, of Deliberation and the Work of Higher Education: Innovations for the Classroom, Campus, and Community, which explores issues and practices of civic engagement among college students. She holds a Ph.D. from Duke University.
Read more about Grattan's book at Newsweek, and read her op-ed "Is Populism a Dirty Word?" Grattan has commented on politics for GQ ("Is Bernie Sanders Setting the Table for a Blue Tea Party?"), and she's been interviewed by Australia's Radio National most recently.
About Wellesley College
Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to some 2,400 undergraduate students from 49 states and 58 countries.
Contact: Sofiya Cabalquinto, [email protected], 917-691-7558
This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.
SOURCE Wellesley College
Related Links
http://www.wellesley.edu
"Providing our members with an affordable option to develop their skills and that of their employees through higher education degrees is a unique benefit we are proud to offer," said NFIB Sr. Vice President of Marketing Mark Garzone. "With College for America, our members can work full time and still obtain fully accredited college degrees to help them better operate and grow their small businesses."
College for America programs are competency-based, directly applicable in the workplace, and designed to accommodate the busy lives of working adults. College for America graduates earn an associate's or bachelor's degree, at their own pace, from Southern New Hampshire Universitya fully accredited, nonprofit university. Students work at their own pace, with no scheduled class time, and complete real-world projects based on skills needed in the labor market. Only members and employees of College for America partners may enroll in the degree programs, and employers often reimburse the cost of attendance using tuition assistance programs. 70% of College for America students are earning their degree without any debt, and 21% with less than $5,000 in debt.
"Small businesses often lack the resources to offer tuition assistance programs and other education benefits that larger companies are able to offer their employees," said Kris Clerkin, executive director of College for America at Southern New Hampshire University. "This partnership with NFIB will provide thousands of small businesses, which are so critical to our country's economy, with the same opportunities to build a stronger, loyal, and more talented workforce."
At a time when 94% of business leaders cite the need to build talent leadership and 87% raise concerns over employees missing skills for promotion, College for America is helping to bridge that divide. Of College for America's first year associate's degree graduates, more than half report getting a promotion or increased responsibilities at work, nine out of ten are still with the same employer and two thirds have gone on to enroll in the bachelor's program. In a more recent survey, 89% of College for America students say their work helps build skills applicable to their currents jobs.
About College for America at Southern New Hampshire University
College for America at Southern New Hampshire University (www.collegeforamerica.org) offers affordable, workforce-applicable higher education to working adults by partnering with employers nationwide. Since its launch, CfA has enrolled more than 4,000 students from more than 100 employers. It offers accredited associate's and bachelor's degrees, earned online by mastering competencies through real-world projects. CfA was the nation's first competency-based, fully accredited higher education provider to be approved for federal financial aid, independent of the traditional credit hour model.
Southern New Hampshire University is an accredited, nonprofit, private university with a focus on student success and a reputation for innovation in higher education. SNHU was named one of the "50 Most Innovative Organizations in the World" by Fast Company magazine in 2012 and is one of the fastest-growing nonprofit providers of online higher education in the country. The university's home is a 300-acre main campus in Manchester, NH, and it offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate online degree programs, five continuing education centers across Northern New England, and the College for America degree program for working adults and employers.
About NFIB
NFIB is the country's leading small business advocate with offices in every state capital and hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB's powerful network of grassroots activists sends their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America's free enterprise system. NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. For more information about NFIB, please visit http://www.nfib.com.
Media Contacts:
Mark Garzone
NFIB
(202)554-9000
[email protected]
Lauren Keane
Southern New Hampshire University
203-695-2264
[email protected]
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SOURCE NFIB
Related Links
http://www.nfib.com
To mark the start of the construction project, executives and employees from Olympus, Chris Woods Construction and the Renaissance Group gathered at the building site for a ceremonial groundbreaking event on July 14th, 2016. The event was also attended by notable Tennessee politicians and business leaders including Allen Borden, Assistant Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development; A. Keith McDonald, Mayor, City of Bartlett; Mark Luttrell, Jr., Mayor, Shelby County; and John Threadgill, President, Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce.
"The new facility in Bartlett further enables our Company's main priority of meeting the ongoing and changing needs of our healthcare customers," said Joe Doherty, President of Olympus Surgical Technologies America (OSTA). "It will also position our Company well for future growth and prepare us for increasing advances in our technology."
Bartlett and the greater Memphis area is already home to an existing Olympus R&D and manufacturing facility, which has been operating successfully since 1984. Bartlett was selected for a variety of reasons, including the growing medical device industry in the area, significant advantages in shipping logistics, and its close proximity to a large number of customers in the eastern US.
"We look forward to creating more than 280 jobs in the area and hiring talent who will play an integral role in providing world-class service to our healthcare customers," said Nacho Abia, President and CEO of Olympus Corporation of the Americas. "We are fully committed to meeting the Affordable Care Act healthcare reform goals of improving clinical outcomes, reducing overall healthcare costs, and enhancing patient satisfaction."
Chris Woods, President of Chris Woods Construction added, "We are thrilled to be working with Olympus, one of the world's leading medical device companies, on this project. We foresee a great team effort as we complete this project."
The Bartlett facility will be Olympus' second national service center with the company's first such facility located in San Jose, CA. The new facility will operate as a service and distribution center for a variety of medical equipment and devices such as endoscopes, surgical devices and generators. The medical business generates more than 75% of Olympus's revenue and develops unparalleled medical equipment that empowers healthcare professionals to more easily and effectively diagnose and treat diseases.
About Olympus Surgical Technologies America
A member of the world-wide Olympus group of companies, Olympus Surgical Technologies America was created in April 2012 to consolidate the North American-based research & development and manufacturing of acquired Gyrus ACMI Inc. facilities under Olympus. Olympus Surgical Technologies America is a proven technology leader in the field of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) device development and manufacturing, and has facilities located across the United States. For more information, visit www.olympus-osta.com.
About Olympus
Olympus is a precision technology leader, designing and delivering innovative solutions in its core business areas:
Medical and Surgical Products: Gastrointestinal endoscopy, minimally invasive surgical
products and accessories
Life Science Imaging Systems: Advanced research, clinical/educational microscopes, and research/educational digital imaging systems
Industrial Measurement and Imaging Instruments: Industrial research, engineering, test, inspection and measuring instruments
Cameras and Audio Products: Digital cameras and voice recorders
Through this technology, Olympus contributes to society every day by making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. For more information, visit Olympus at www.olympusamerica.com.
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SOURCE Olympus
ROCKVILLE, Md., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Unlike a book, you can judge a food product by its cover. In fact, more than half of American adults (56%) actively seek out nutritional information and guidelines on food labels, according to market research firm Packaged Facts in the report, Nutritional Labeling and Clean Labels in the U.S.: Future of Food Retailing.
Packaged Facts survey data reveals that most American consumers:
scrutinize labels for information about nutrition and ingredients;
actively look for and purchase specific free-from types of grocery products;
are aware of issues regarding diet, nutrition, and ingredients; and
take the initiative to become more educated on these issues.
"It's almost hyperbolic to imply that there is essentially no such thing as superficiality when it comes to educating consumers via food and beverage labeling," says David Sprinkle, research director, Packaged Facts. "Imaginative design and attractive looks can dazzle the eye, but it's the words on a product that make the true difference. Information matters, ingredients matter, and most of all transparency matters."
The onus therefore is on manufacturers and marketers to ensure that consumers know what they are paying for. And while most companies are forthright to varying degrees, there remains heated national debate regarding some ingredients and the labeling of them more than others. Among the most hotly debated are genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Amid increased negative publicity about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), surveys show that a growing number of U.S. consumers are concerned about GMOs in their foodeven when they don't really understand what GMOs actually are. Previously, in the absence of Federal regulations regarding GMOs in foods and beverages, some prominent retailers and marketers took the initiative to eliminate GMOs from their products. Companies such as Whole Foods and General Mills assumed leadership roles on GMO labeling and elimination. Subsequently, Non-GMO Project Verified became one of the fastest-growing label claims in the food and beverage industry.
By now, Congress passing a bill that will require companies to disclose GMOs is literally yesterday's news. The bill comes after years of debate and legislative stalemate over the labeling of GMOs. Interestingly enough, the bill won't mandate the use of GMO labeling directly on food packaging despite the success, prestige, and popularity of the Non-GMO Project Verified label in past years. Instead, companies can choose from several disclose options such as a QR code on packaging that can be scanned using a smartphone. Small food companies also have the option of printing a website URL or a phone number that customers can call for more information. There will also be the option to use a yet to be approved symbol by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
It's too early to tell whether consumers prefer to obtain label information directly on packages versus a QR code, website, or evengaspan actual phone number. However, there is already evidence that some consumers and advocacy groups who generally support mandatory labels do not support the new bill specifically because it gives companies the option to use a QR code.
For now, the fate of the billand the future of GMO food labelingrests in President Obama's hands. Will he pass it or veto it? There is mounting public support for both actions. As always, some people will be left more satisfied by the outcome than others.
Should the bill pass into law, it would nullify state GMO labeling bills, such as the one famously passed in Vermont as the first of its kind in the nation. These state bills have typically included more stringent regulations than the bill passed by Congress. Passing the bill also would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to work out an assortment of details such as whether refined products like soy oil or sugar from beets will need to be labeled. While they are made from GMO crops, the final products don't contain any genetically modified material, such as proteins or DNA.
Rest assured, the GMO labeling battle isn't yet over.
For more information on Nutritional Labeling and Clean Labels in the U.S.: Future of Food Retailing visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/Nutritional-Labeling-Clean-8953224/. Packaged Facts has recently published related reports including popular titles Non-GMO Foods: U.S. and Global Market Perspective, 2nd Edition and Food Formulation Trends: Ingredients Consumers Avoid, 2nd Edition.
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About Packaged Facts Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer demographics and shopper insights, consumer financial products and services, consumer goods and retailing, consumer packaged goods, and pet products and services. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. Reports can be purchased at www.PackagedFacts.com and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com.
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BEIJING, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Huaneng Power International, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: HNP; HKEx: 902; SSE: 600011) today announced its power generation in the first half year of 2016.
According to the preliminary statistics of Huaneng Power International, Inc., for the second quarter of 2016, the Company's total power generation by the power plants within China on consolidated basis amounted to 69.220 billion kWh, representing a decrease of 10.43% over the same period last year. Total electricity sold by the Company amounted to 65.351 billion kWh, representing a decrease of 10.06% over the same period last year. In the first half of 2016, the Company's total power generation by the power plants within China on consolidated basis amounted to 146.080 billion kWh, representing a decrease of 8.60% over the same period last year. Total electricity sold by the Company amounted to 138.075 billion kWh, representing a decrease of 8.35% over the same period last year. In the first half of 2016, the Company's average on-grid electricity settlement price for its power plants within China amounted to RMB394.46 per MWh, representing a decrease of 12.37% over the same period last year.
The decrease in the Company's power generation in the first half of the year was mainly attributable to the following factors: (1) the whole nation saw sluggish growth in power consumption and a decrease in utilization hours; (2) the substantial increase of cross-regional power transmission squeezed the generation potential of the coal-fired power generators in the coastal areas in the east and south of the country (e.g. Henan, Chongqing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong), which accounted for a relatively high proportion in the Company's total power generation capacities; (3) due to heavy rainfall in the first half of the year, the power generation of nationwide large-scale hydro power plants increased by 16.7% compared to the same period of last year, which reduced the output of coal-fired power plants located in the middle and east of China; (4) the release of the 2015 newly installed capacity in Liaoning, Guangdong and Fujian, combined with the commencement of operations of new nuclear power generators in Guangdong and Guangxi in 2016, had a negative impact on the output of coal-fired power units in these regions.
The power generation (in billion kWh) by each of the Company's domestic power plants are listed below:
Domestic Power
Plant Power Generation Electricity sold April to June 2016 Change The First
Half Year
of 2016 Change April to June 2016 Change The First
Half Year
of 2016 Change Liaoning Province 3.767 -10.10% 8.909 -4.38% 3.533 -10.19% 8.372 -4.34% Coal-fired 3.643 -10.90% 8.729 -4.47% 3.410 -11.04% 8.193 -4.44% Dalian 0.941 -12.62% 2.709 -3.40% 0.880 -12.92% 2.548 -3.44% Dandong 0.420 -12.61% 1.421 -4.36% 0.394 -13.18% 1.351 -4.44% Yingkou 1.777 -11.78% 3.129 -8.10% 1.660 -11.85% 2.912 -8.18% Yingkou Co-generation 0.506 -2.31% 1.470 1.86% 0.476 -1.98% 1.381 2.41% Wind-power 0.105 7.23% 0.154 -6.60% 0.105 7.43% 0.153 -6.47% Wafangdian Wind
Power 0.027 -9.58% 0.045 -17.23% 0.027 -9.10% 0.044 -16.83% Changtu Wind
Power 0.078 14.61% 0.109 -1.43% 0.078 14.63% 0.109 -1.45% Hydro-power 0.016 383.45% 0.024 61.04% 0.016 385.19% 0.023 62.44% Suzihe Hydropower 0.016 383.45% 0.024 61.04% 0.016 385.19% 0.023 62.44% PV 0.0029 - 0.0029 - 0.0026 - 0.0026 - Dandong PV 0.0028 - 0.0028 - 0.0025 - 0.0025 - Yingkou
Co-generation PV 0.0001 - 0.0001 - 0.0001 - 0.0001 - Inner Mongolia 0.072 10.12% 0.119 6.81% 0.071 10.11% 0.118 6.79% Wind-power 0.072 10.12% 0.119 6.81% 0.071 10.11% 0.118 6.79% Huade Wind 0.072 10.12% 0.119 6.81% 0.071 10.11% 0.118 6.79% Hebei Province 3.622 -3.06% 6.609 2.32% 3.408 -2.52% 6.232 3.14% Coal-fired 3.584 -3.39% 6.542 2.00% 3.372 -2.85% 6.169 2.82% Shang'an 3.584 -3.39% 6.542 2.00% 3.372 -2.85% 6.169 2.82% Wind-power 0.038 42.16% 0.067 47.00% 0.036 42.41% 0.063 47.94% Kangbao
Wind-power 0.038 42.16% 0.067 47.00% 0.036 42.41% 0.063 47.94% PV 0.0003 - 0.0003 - - - - - Kangbao PV 0.0003 - 0.0003 - - - - - Gansu Province 2.439 55.01% 5.094 40.15% 2.319 54.06% 4.866 40.40% Coal-fired 2.096 63.81% 4.408 43.97% 1.988 62.52% 4.208 44.30% Pingliang 2.096 63.81% 4.408 43.97% 1.988 62.52% 4.208 44.30% Wind-power 0.343 16.72% 0.686 19.72% 0.331 17.35% 0.658 19.67% Jiuquan Wind Power 0.119 -27.55% 0.224 -31.50% 0.114 -26.26% 0.215 -30.02% Jiuquan Wind Power
II 0.121 -6.95% 0.250 1.31% 0.117 -7.84% 0.242 -0.41% Yumen Wind Power 0.047 - 0.097 - 0.045 - 0.093 - Yigang Wind Power 0.057 - 0.115 - 0.055 - 0.108 - Beijing 1.365 -9.13% 3.813 0.53% 1.280 -7.97% 3.540 0.89% Coal-fired 0.505 -36.04% 1.702 -11.73% 0.437 -36.96% 1.478 -12.30% Beijing
Co-generation
(Coal-fired) 0.505 -36.04% 1.702 -11.73% 0.437 -36.96% 1.478 -12.30% Combined Cycle 0.860 20.65% 2.111 13.22% 0.843 20.79% 2.062 13.08% Beijing
Co-generation
(Combined Cycle) 0.860 20.65% 2.111 13.22% 0.843 20.79% 2.062 13.08% Tianjin 1.118 -36.78% 3.304 -8.34% 1.055 -37.11% 3.112 -8.17% Coal-firerd 0.832 -31.38% 2.489 -16.19% 0.776 -31.63% 2.318 -16.35% Yangliuqing
Co-generation 0.832 -31.38% 2.489 -16.19% 0.776 -31.63% 2.318 -16.35% Combined Cycle 0.286 -48.56% 0.815 28.39% 0.279 -48.59% 0.795 28.43% Lingang Combined
Cycle 0.286 -48.56% 0.815 28.39% 0.279 -48.59% 0.795 28.43% Shanxi Province 3.095 2.61% 6.019 28.92% 2.898 2.76% 5.664 29.81% Coal-fired 2.838 -5.92% 4.525 -3.08% 2.648 -6.09% 4.213 -3.44% Yushe 0.860 -14.25% 1.356 -12.56% 0.793 -14.13% 1.252 -12.65% Zuoquan 1.978 -1.76% 3.169 1.63% 1.856 -2.17% 2.962 1.07% Combined Cycle 0.257 - 1.494 - 0.249 - 1.451 - Dongshan
Combined Cycle 0.257 - 1.494 - 0.249 - 1.451 - Shandong Province 10.504 7.72% 19.504 -1.70% 9.912 7.73% 18.364 -1.77% Coal-fired 10.504 7.72% 19.504 -1.70% 9.912 7.73% 18.364 -1.77% Dezhou 3.890 19.48% 6.716 -1.10% 3.655 19.74% 6.290 -1.14% Jining 0.940 -7.57% 2.027 -11.65% 0.865 -8.92% 1.871 -12.69% Xindian 0.777 15.28% 1.564 3.75% 0.728 16.06% 1.462 3.85% Weihai 2.447 -17.68% 4.598 -12.36% 2.343 -17.47% 4.389 -12.22% Rizhao Phase II 2.055 34.36% 3.856 14.98% 1.957 34.56% 3.671 15.17% Zhanhua
Co-generation 0.395 30.78% 0.744 14.48% 0.364 30.90% 0.682 14.58% Henan Province 4.210 -8.69% 8.950 -1.89% 3.980 -4.38% 8.462 0.40% Coal-fired 4.210 -8.69% 8.950 -1.89% 3.980 -4.38% 8.462 0.40% Qinbei 3.831 -8.34% 7.852 -9.65% 3.626 -7.76% 7.439 -9.25% Luoyang
Co-generation 0.379 -12.14% 1.098 154.51% 0.354 53.15% 1.023 342.75% Jiangsu Province 9.580 -5.77% 19.571 -7.06% 9.093 -6.16% 18.610 -7.27% Coal-fired 8.809 -2.34% 18.008 -5.94% 8.335 -2.68% 17.080 -6.13% Nantong 1.386 -13.00% 2.849 -17.57% 1.309 -13.75% 2.703 -18.06% Nanjing 0.674 18.60% 1.518 2.52% 0.634 17.91% 1.430 1.99% Taicang 2.600 -10.00% 4.760 -10.81% 2.463 -10.22% 4.517 -11.01% Huaiyin 1.207 -21.83% 2.594 -20.63% 1.142 -21.96% 2.461 -20.51% Jinling (Coal-fired) 2.711 20.74% 5.852 12.28% 2.591 21.03% 5.594 12.57% Suzhou
Co-generation 0.182 1.56% 0.386 -1.46% 0.159 -1.02% 0.337 -3.94% Nanjing
Co-generation 0.048 - 0.048 - 0.037 - 0.037 - Combined Cycle 0.647 -37.21% 1.282 -23.86% 0.635 -37.08% 1.259 -23.66% Jinling (Combined
Cycle) 0.311 -49.34% 0.597 -38.65% 0.304 -49.26% 0.584 -38.54% Jinling Combined
Cycle Co-generation 0.336 -19.38% 0.685 -3.61% 0.331 -19.31% 0.675 -3.45% Wind-power 0.125 6.43% 0.281 23.21% 0.122 6.30% 0.270 20.45% Qidong Wind Power 0.080 -10.55% 0.197 11.23% 0.079 -10.64% 0.194 11.35% Rudong Wind Power 0.017 -36.39% 0.048 -6.84% 0.017 -36.31% 0.047 -6.58% Tongshan Wind
Power 0.027 - 0.037 - 0.026 - 0.029 - Shanghai 4.160 -10.08% 9.016 -8.70% 3.943 -10.27% 8.558 -8.82% Coal-fired 3.709 -6.10% 8.211 -6.50% 3.502 -6.21% 7.771 -6.58% Shidongkou First 1.158 3.83% 2.510 0.58% 1.085 4.09% 2.354 0.95% Shidongkou Second 1.479 0.44% 2.689 -13.67% 1.405 0.51% 2.554 -13.89% Shidongkou Power 1.072 -21.30% 3.011 -5.04% 1.013 -21.77% 2.862 -5.20% Combined Cycle 0.451 -33.32% 0.805 -26.32% 0.441 -33.21% 0.787 -26.26% Shanghai Combined
Cycle 0.451 -33.32% 0.805 -26.32% 0.441 -33.21% 0.787 -26.26% Chongqing 1.655 -30.29% 4.281 -26.78% 1.528 -30.45% 3.969 -26.71% Coal-fired 1.442 -32.22% 3.660 -33.84% 1.321 -32.48% 3.364 -34.14% Luohuang 1.442 -32.22% 3.660 -33.84% 1.321 -32.48% 3.364 -34.14% Combined Cycle 0.213 -13.64% 0.621 97.04% 0.207 -13.89% 0.604 97.15% Liangjiang Combined
Cycle 0.213 -13.64% 0.621 97.04% 0.207 -13.89% 0.604 97.15% Zhejiang Province 5.059 -23.23% 11.122 -13.84% 4.851 -23.03% 10.662 -13.65% Coal-fired 5.007 -23.09% 10.977 -14.42% 4.800 -22.88% 10.521 -14.24% Yuhuan 3.844 -21.74% 8.374 -16.39% 3.687 -21.50% 8.026 -16.25% Changxing 1.162 -27.25% 2.603 -7.41% 1.113 -27.12% 2.494 -7.04% Combined Cycle 0.050 -36.20% 0.140 79.94% 0.049 -36.12% 0.137 79.93% Tongxiang Combined
Cycle 0.050 -36.20% 0.140 79.94% 0.049 -36.12% 0.137 79.93% PV 0.0028 1.36% 0.0045 20.23% 0.0028 5.36% 0.0044 18.13% Changxing PV 0.0028 1.36% 0.0045 20.23% 0.0028 5.36% 0.0044 18.13% Hubei Province 2.087 2.75% 5.964 7.08% 1.952 3.16% 5.604 8.76% Coal-fired 1.947 -0.95% 5.761 5.07% 1.816 -1.13% 5.408 6.50% Wuhan 1.269 -26.34% 4.142 -0.48% 1.175 -26.86% 3.867 -0.86% Jingmen
Co-generation 0.456 298.47% 1.124 51.24% 0.434 299.47% 1.071 51.67% Yingcheng
Co-generation 0.222 73.02% 0.496 -14.32% 0.208 70.36% 0.470 -0.26% Wind-power 0.028 - 0.058 - 0.027 - 0.057 - Jieshan Wind Power 0.028 - 0.058 - 0.027 - 0.057 - Hydro-power 0.112 97.49% 0.145 85.48% 0.108 96.89% 0.140 85.24% Enshi Maweigou Hydropower 0.070 249.98% 0.085 201.39% 0.068 254.56% 0.082 205.85% Dalongtan
Hydropower 0.042 13.73% 0.059 19.47% 0.041 13.18% 0.058 18.97% Hunan Province 1.134 -27.45% 3.105 -30.23% 1.058 -27.49% 2.919 -30.14% Coal-fired 0.876 -35.92% 2.616 -36.63% 0.803 -36.77% 2.437 -37.00% Yueyang 0.876 -35.92% 2.616 -36.63% 0.803 -36.77% 2.437 -37.00% Wind-power 0.151 56.88% 0.274 63.62% 0.149 65.13% 0.272 70.47% Subaoding Wind
Power 0.089 -7.82% 0.160 -4.47% 0.088 -3.13% 0.158 -0.60% Guidong Wind
Power 0.062 - 0.114 - 0.062 - 0.113 - Hydro-power 0.108 6.72% 0.214 39.36% 0.106 6.72% 0.210 39.51% Xiangqi
Hydro-power 0.108 6.72% 0.214 39.36% 0.106 6.72% 0.210 39.51% Jiangxi Province 3.291 4.80% 7.580 13.27% 3.126 10.66% 7.226 16.17% Coal-fired 3.270 4.70% 7.530 13.30% 3.105 10.59% 7.177 16.22% Jinggangshan 1.466 -32.06% 3.495 -26.39% 1.393 -32.34% 3.333 -26.58% Ruijin 0.614 -19.10% 1.450 -14.28% 0.573 -20.22% 1.367 -14.82% Anyuan 1.191 474 % 2.586 1146 % 1.139 3561% 2.477 7860% Wind-power 0.021 22.63% 0.050 9.05% 0.021 22.28% 0.049 9.08% Jianggongling Wind
Power 0.021 22.63% 0.050 9.05% 0.021 22.28% 0.049 9.08% Anhui Province 1.189 -19.72% 2.809 -13.92% 1.117 -20.67% 2.663 -14.40% Coal-fired 1.113 -21.99% 2.711 -14.96% 1.058 -21.84% 2.583 -14.94% Chaohu 1.113 -21.99% 2.711 -14.96% 1.058 -21.84% 2.583 -14.94% Wind-power 0.017 - 0.017 - - - - - Huaining Wind
Power 0.017 - 0.017 - - - - - Hydro-power 0.059 8.13% 0.081 7.65% 0.059 8.40% 0.080 7.74% Hualiangting
Hydro-power 0.059 8.13% 0.081 7.65% 0.059 8.40% 0.080 7.74% Fujian Province 1.784 -39.18% 3.391 -43.70% 1.678 -39.75% 3.193 -44.26% Coal-fired 1.784 -39.18% 3.391 -43.70% 1.678 -39.75% 3.193 -44.26% Fuzhou 1.784 -39.18% 3.391 -43.70% 1.678 -39.75% 3.193 -44.26% Guangdong
Province 4.013 -29.73% 7.853 -32.70% 3.829 -29.84% 7.508 -32.89% Coal-fired 4.013 -29.73% 7.853 -32.70% 3.829 -29.84% 7.508 -32.89% Shantou Coal-fired 1.199 -15.11% 1.879 -26.75% 1.139 -14.84% 1.787 -26.73% Haimen 1.185 -57.80% 2.724 -44.12% 1.120 -58.21% 2.582 -44.46% Haimen Power 1.629 9.30% 3.250 -23.15% 1.570 8.97% 3.139 -23.42% Yunnan Province 1.168 -32.49% 2.105 -35.80% 1.081 -32.52% 1.945 -35.80% Coal-fired 1.099 -35.24% 1.949 -39.14% 1.011 -35.61% 1.791 -39.37% Diandong Energy 0.832 -27.81% 1.681 -18.37% 0.764 -28.55% 1.544 -18.86% Yuwang Energy 0.268 -50.93% 0.268 -76.57% 0.247 -50.70% 0.247 -76.51% Wind-power 0.069 106.79% 0.157 101.14% 0.070 119.21% 0.154 104.20% Fuyuan Wind Power 0.069 106.79% 0.157 101.14% 0.070 119.21% 0.154 104.20% Guizhou Province 0.014 - 0.024 - 0.014 - 0.017 - Wind Power 0.014 - 0.024 - 0.014 - 0.017 - Panxian Wind Power 0.014 - 0.024 - 0.014 - 0.017 - Hainan Province 3.892 -17.50% 6.939 -19.68% 3.627 -17.56% 6.471 -19.86% Coal-fired 3.851 -15.39% 6.846 -18.30% 3.588 -15.32% 6.382 -18.41% Haikou 1.552 -19.64% 2.782 -17.47% 1.418 -19.96% 2.540 -18.06% Dongfang 2.299 -12.25% 4.064 -18.86% 2.170 -11.99% 3.842 -18.64% Combined Cycle 0.021 -80.69% 0.040 -74.96% 0.020 -81.35% 0.037 -75.77% Nanshan Combined
cycle 0.021 -80.69% 0.040 -74.96% 0.020 -81.35% 0.037 -75.77% Wind-power 0.018 -30.59% 0.046 -16.12% 0.017 -31.10% 0.045 -16.49% Wenchang Wind
Power 0.018 -30.59% 0.046 -16.12% 0.017 -31.10% 0.045 -16.49% Hydro-power 0.002 -92.32% 0.008 -82.85% 0.002 -93.31% 0.008 -83.91% Gezhen
Hydropower 0.002 -92.32% 0.008 -82.85% 0.002 -93.31% 0.008 -83.91% Total 69.220 -10.43% 146.080 -8.60% 65.351 -10.06% 138.075 -8.35%
For the second quarter of 2016, the power generation of Tuas Power Limited in Singapore, which is wholly-owned by the Company, accounted for a market share of 21.4% in Singapore, representing a decrease of 1.4 percentage points compared to the same period of last year. In the first half of 2016, the accumulated power generation accounted for a market share of 21.6%, representing an decrease of 0.8 percentage point compared to the same period last year.
In addition, the Huaneng Yingcheng Cogeneration Unit No. 1 (50MW), the 10MW photovoltaic power units of Huaneng Liaoning Dandong Power, the 25 wind power units with a total capacity of 50MW of Huaneng Anhui Huaining Shijing Wind Farm, the 10MW photovoltaic power units of Huaneng Liaoning Yingkou Cogeneration, the 20MW photovoltaic power units of Huaneng Hebei Kangbao Xitan Photovoltaic (each being wholly owned by the Company) as well as the Jiangsu Nanjing Cogeneration Unit No. 1 (50MW) (70% owned by the Company) have been put into operation in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the installed capacity of certain power plants invested by the Company changed. As of 30 June 2016, the Company had a controlled installed capacity of 82,571 MW and an equity-based installed capacity of 75,403 MW.
About the Company
Huaneng Power International, Inc. is one of China's largest listed power producers with controlled generation capacity of 82,571 MW and equity-based generation capacity of 75,403MW. Its power plants are located in 22 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China. It also has a wholly-owned power company in Singapore.
For enquiries, please contact:
Huaneng Power International, Inc. Ms. MENG Jing / Ms. ZHAO Lin Tel: (8610) 6608 6765 / 6322 6596 Fax: (8610) 6322 6888 Email: [email protected] Wonderful Sky Financial Group Limited Ms. Tiffany RUAN / Ms. Yan LI Tel: (852) 2851 1038 Fax: (852) 2865 1638 Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
SOURCE Huaneng Power International, Inc.
CHICAGO, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosalind Brewer, President and CEO of Sam's Club, is a known catalyst for transformation. Throughout her career, she has served as a high-impact strategist with experience spanning global manufacturing operations, research and development, marketing and strategic business unit leadership.
Join us on July 27, as Rosalind Brewer discusses how Walmart's warehouse club channel is modernizing to meet the demands of the digital economy to accomplish "Big Hairy Audacious Goals," at the helm of this $58 billion retail giant.
Event Details
Women's Leadership Series: Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Hyatt Regency 151 E. Wacker Drive, Chicago
Registration and Networking: 11:15 a.m. ; Lunch Program: 12:00 1:15 p.m.
Hyatt Regency 151 E. Wacker Drive, Registration and Networking: ; Lunch Program: 12:00 1:15 p.m. Speaker: Rosalind Brewer , President & CEO, Sam's Club
, President & CEO, Sam's Club Moderator: Trish Lukasik , SVP & Chief Customer Officer, PepsiCo
Women's Leadership Platinum Series Sponsor: Accenture
Women's Leadership Gold Series Sponsors: Merrill Lynch, NiSource
Gold Series Sponsor: Discover
Gold Sponsors: OptumRx, RHR
Silver Sponsor: Ingredion
About The Executives' Club of Chicago:
The Executives' Club of Chicago is the city's premier membership and networking organization focused on senior executives networking, development and innovation. The Club serves as a platform for executives to build relationships, share ideas, develop new business opportunities and participate in world-class programming. The Club helps executives with their personal and professional development and prepares the next generation of business leaders for success. For more information, visit www.ExecutivesClub.org.
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OAKLAND, Calif., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and its Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) today released their 2016 report on the progress in implementing Governor Brown's 2012 workers' compensation reforms. The report updates the efforts to improve benefits for injured workers while moderating rapidly increasing costs for employers.
"The primary goals of the 2012 workers' compensation reforms were to increase benefits and improve medical care for injured workers, and to control costs for employers," said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary David M. Lanier. "While significant progress toward meeting the goals sought by the Governor and the Legislature has been achieved, the department is pushing ahead to further reduce costs in the system by developing an evidence-based drug formulary and improved anti-fraud efforts."
"SB 863: Assessment of Workers' Compensation Reforms" is DIR's third annual report since the law took effect on January 1, 2013. The changes in SB 863 (De Leon) include the use of evidence-based medicine to guide treatment decisions, treatment dispute settlements by independent medical reviewers, and improved workers' access to network physicians. This year's update includes:
Savings continue to be realized. Updated annual estimates of savings from reforms by the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) are about $600 million greater than initially estimated. In May, the California Insurance Commissioner approved the advisory pure premium rates proposed by the WCIRB, rates that average $2.30 per $100 of payroll, effective July 1 . These rates are, on average, 5 percent less than the industry average for filed pure premium rates as of January 1, 2016 , and 10.4 percent less than the average of the approved January 1, 2016 , advisory pure premium rates of $2.57 .
greater than initially estimated. In May, the California Insurance Commissioner approved the advisory pure premium rates proposed by the WCIRB, rates that average per of payroll, effective . These rates are, on average, 5 percent less than the industry average for filed pure premium rates as of , and 10.4 percent less than the average of the approved , advisory pure premium rates of . Projected average medical costs per claim (excluding medical cost containment expenses) decreased by about 8 percent between 2011 and 2015.
Benefits for workers also improved. Permanent disability benefits to injured workers increased approximately 30 percent, and more than $41 million in Return to Work supplemental payments has been disbursed to eligible workers whose benefits are disproportionately low in comparison to their earnings losses.
in Return to Work supplemental payments has been disbursed to eligible workers whose benefits are disproportionately low in comparison to their earnings losses. A focus on evidence-based medicine has had wide-ranging impact, reducing costs and unnecessary treatment and creating an efficient Independent Medical Review (IMR) to resolve disputes. Further refinements are planned in this area.
Among SB 863's goals was the implementation of evidence-based medicine guidelines for treatment decisions. Evidence of opioid abuse prompted legislation mandating the adoption of an evidence-based workers' compensation drug formulary by July 1, 2017. DWC is engaged in efforts to promulgate regulations for a formulary, consistent with California's Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS), for medications prescribed in the workers' compensation system. Other rulemaking is under way for home healthcare and interpreter services, and to extend the deadline for Return to Work supplement payments.
"Stakeholders have had valuable input at every stage in this process," said DIR Director Christine Baker. "DIR looks forward to continuing our work with the stakeholders on these important reforms."
DIR and DWC are also working to streamline the utilization review process, improve the MTUS to ensure it reflects current science and best practices, and exploring options for electronic submission of medical records to increase efficiency.
Starting this fall, DWC will launch an educational project to teach healthcare providers on the MTUS and the use of evidence-based medicine. This program will be available at no cost and will provide continuing medical educational credits for those who complete the course. Additional educational courses are planned beginning in the 4th quarter.
At the direction of Secretary Lanier, DIR is leading an effort to identify and address strategies for improved anti-fraud efforts in the workers' compensation system. DIR and the Department of Insurance convened working groups in June to gather stakeholder input and evidence of fraudulent activity in the system, and the Department will be preparing a report on its policy recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by no later than spring of 2017.
The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) monitors the administration of workers' compensation claims, and provides administrative and judicial services to assist in resolving disputes that arise in connection with claims for workers' compensation benefits.
DWC's Information and Assistance Unit, often the first DWC contact for injured workers, also provides assistance in English and Spanish to employers, labor unions, insurance carriers, physicians, attorneys and other interested parties regarding rights, benefits and obligations under California's workers' compensation laws.
Members of the press may contact Erika Monterroza or Peter Melton at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR's press releases, DWC newsline updates, or other departmental notifications.
The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR's Communications Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.
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SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR); California Division of Workers Compensation (DWC)
NEW YORK, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- retarus Inc. continues on its impressive growth trajectory. As the US market continues to be significantly important to Retarus, new additions to staff, office space, and data center developments have been added to support growing sales and operations. In addition, Steve MacDiarmid has been appointed as the new CEO and President of retarus Inc. to spearhead further growth initiatives.
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160715/390058
In Steve MacDiarmid, the company has found an experienced Retarus executive to take over the reins of retarus Inc., following the expected departure of outgoing CEO, Stefan Rath. MacDiarmid, whom formally headed up German Sales for Retarus, is an accomplished leader in the international telecommunications and IT industry. He comes to retarus Inc. with more than 25 years' experience in organizations like Telefonica Global Solutions, where he was Head of Global Sales for their automotive, media, and logistics industries within Telefonica's Multi-National Corporations (MNC) division. At retarus Inc., he will lead all aspects of US growth and play a key leadership role in the overall strategy and direction of the company, including the strategic further development of new and existing customers.
"The ideal choice for strengthening Retarus in the US market into the future"
"In recent years, Steve MacDiarmid has made an important contribution to our sales success and our growth in Germany. We are therefore delighted that he has agreed to take the helm for us in the US,"says Johannes Hecker, Chief Operating Officer of the Retarus Group. "Steve is not only intimately acquainted with Retarus and our services, he also knows very well the requirements of the market and the needs of our customers. His many years of experience in ITC and sales and his excellent management skills make him the ideal candidate to strengthen Retarus' presence in the American market into the future."
retarus Inc. on an uninterrupted growth trajectory
As part of the Retarus Group, retarus Inc. has consistently recorded above-average growth over recent yearsdriven, for example, by an extremely successful new-customer business in the health and financial sectors. The conclusion of several substantial contracts with large international banks has played a particularly important part in this respect. As part of its expansion strategy, Retarus is also expanding its data center sites in Chicago and Ashburn, to account for the growing demand for local data processing services that conform to compliance regulations within the US.
Consulting expertise and high standards of service at a local level have always served as the basis for the company's success in the USA. To better support these requirements, the Retarus office footprint will grow from its original, New York City office, with the opening of a new center in Secaucus, New Jersey. This new location features state of the art facilities, new high tech monitoring, and a view of New York City. Continual strong growth over recent years made the expansion of the New Jersey site necessary. The new office in Secaucus also gives Retarus an opportunity to recruit new talent, with significant additions to headcount expected in the coming months.
This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.
SOURCE retarus Inc.
Related Links
http://www.retarus.com/us
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Saudi Ambassador to the United States Abdullah Al-Saud issued the following statement in response to the declassification of the redacted pages of the 2002 House and Senate Joint Inquiry into 9/11:
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the release of the redacted pages from the 2002 Congressional Joint Inquiry. Since 2002, the 9/11 Commission and several government agencies, including the CIA and the FBI, have investigated the contents of the '28 Pages' and have confirmed that neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks.
"Saudi Arabia has long called for the release of the classified '28 Pages,' We hope the release of these pages will clear up, once and for all, any lingering questions or suspicions about Saudi Arabia's actions, intentions, or long-term friendship with the United States.
"Saudi Arabia is working closely with the United States and other allies to eradicate terrorism and destroy terrorist organizations."
SOURCE Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office
WELLESLEY, Mass., July 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. business group of Sun Life Financial joins over 130 Boston area companies by signing on to the 100% Talent: The Boston Women's Compact, pledging commitment to leveling the playing field for working women. This represents one of many commitments by Sun Life to embrace a fully diverse workforce and advance equality.
The Boston Women's Workforce Council, an initiative of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, is a partnership between the City of Boston and Simmons College School of Management. Companies that sign the Compact join the ongoing discussion concerning employer experiences striving for gender equity and collaborate with fellow signees on best practices to reduce gender wage discrepancy and develop the talent of female employees. The compact also collects demographic and compensation data from participating employers to produce concrete, measurable steps to close the wage gap.
According to a 2015 report from the American Association of University Women, women still are paid, on average, approximately 79% of what men are paid.1
"Diversity and inclusion are at the core of our values at Sun Life and this encompasses our support for the advancement of women in the workforce," says Emily Schur, Vice President of Human Resources for Sun Life Financial. "We are pleased to join the illustrious list of Boston area businesses who have signed the Compact and to publicly show our commitment to closing the gender wage gap."
A centerpiece of Sun Life's comprehensive Diversity & Inclusion program is its Inclusion Networks, which bring together groups of employees representing diverse communities for professional development, idea sharing and community involvement. Its Women's Leadership Network (WLN) comprises over 500 Sun Life employees who are dedicated to helping women advance their careers and achieve their full potential, both professionally and personally, through mentoring opportunities, development programs, education, and various supportive activities.
WLN works alongside other diverse groups of Sun Life employees such as the Cross Cultural Continuum (C3), Gays, Lesbians and Others Building Equality (GLOBE), Hispanic Organization for Leaders and Achievers (HOLA), and Asian American Heritage Association (AAHA) to foster and nourish an inclusive workplace culture and to contribute to the community.
To learn more about 100% Talent: The Boston Women's Compact, visit: http://www.bostonwomensworkforcecouncil.com/.
To learn more about Sun Life's Diversity & Inclusions program, visit www.sunlife.com/usdiversityandinclusion .
1. American Association of University Women (AAUW), Report: The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, 2015
About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to individuals and corporate customers. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.
In the United States, Sun Life Financial is one of the largest group benefits providers serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium, and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of products and services in the U.S. includes Disability and Absence Management, Life, Dental and Vision, Voluntary, and Stop-Loss insurance. This includes the acquisition of Assurant Employee Benefits in Q1 2016. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us.
Media contacts:
Amanda Gallo
Sun Life Financial
[email protected]
781-446-1264
SOURCE Sun Life Financial U.S.
Related Links
http://www.sunlife.com